Scott's Blog of Doom

I hope everyone's had a good weekend!

Quick Night of Champions predictions before we get started with this week's fun. I'm halfway done with the AWA rant. Those matches are not always easy on the eyes.

Triple Threat Match: HHH vs. Cena vs. Orton. There's little doubt that the Age of Orton is not going anywhere but I see him holding the title until Summerslam.

Tag Title Match: Legacy vs. Chris Jericho/???. Up until Monday I believed that DiBiase was going to pull a swerve and join Jericho. Now I have no clue but I think Jericho and whomever will win.

World Title Match: C.M. Punk vs. Jeff Hardy. With Hardy allegedly taking some time off and Punk needing to keep the title to push his new gimmick there's little doubt that Punk is retaining here.

I-C Title Match: Rey Mysterio vs. Dolph Ziggler. Again this is a hard match to judge. Rey needs to be kept strong but Ziggler's push would seem to lead to a title. I say Ziggler wins by countout and that sets up a return match at Summerslam.

U.S. Title Six-Pack Challenge. Kofi Kingston vs. MVP vs. Big Show vs. The Miz vs. Carlito vs. Jack Swagger. Let's eliminate Carlito and the Big Show right off the bat. Any of the next four would be fine but they never treated Kofi's push seriously so I doubt he'll retain. I'm going to go with the Miz.

Divas Title: Maryse vs. Mickie James. I love Maryse, I don't think her future in wrestling in with in-ring action. I think she's headed towards a "Sunny" sort of role, which is good. So Mickie wins and Maryse joins the new U.S. Champion, the Miz, as his manager.

Women's Title: Michelle McCool vs. Melina. Eh this title isn't going anywhere fast and I'm guessing the powers that be are still a little sore at Melina so McCool retains.

Tommy Dreamer vs. Christian. Again a tough one. They need to do something with Christian and it needs to happen sooner than later. I just don't think the ECW title is that something. Still he'll win, but this might be a full turn for Christian.

We start with a recap of last week's rather cool finish with Jeff Hardy screaming like a little girl in the Walls of Jericho as C.M. Punk calmly looks on.

And with that we're off:

The Princess SmackDown Rant for July 24, 2009.

Taped from Richmond, Virginia an old Crockett stronghold.

-- We start with Jeff Hardy. Not sure where he was going with this promo -- calling himself a "charismatic enigma" which is sort of an oxymoron not that I'd expect a scholar like Hardy to understand that. Anyway he doesn't say much but he doesn't need to because we're starting with a match baby!

Chris Jericho vs. Jeff Hardy. This probably won't suck. Jericho is introduced as a unified tag team champion, which is he, but he's not wearing his belt...which I HATE. Wear the belts. Put the championship over every time.

Anyway we start at a breakneck pace as Hardy tosses Jericho to the floor, to the timekeeper's table and the ringside guard. Jericho comes back with a short forearm that puts Hardy down but Hardy jumps right back with an elbow and a flying head scissor. A clothesline sends Jericho over the top again but the springboard baseball slide is avoided and Hardy takes his first bump on the floor.

commercial.

We're back in time for a reverse neckbreaker from Jericho and an underhook chinlock all while encourging Hardy to submit. Hardy fights back and a high-cross body gets two for Hardy but a kick ass Back Brain kick (think Fighter Hayabusa) gets two. Jericho continues pounding away only pausing to recognize his awesomeness. Jericho gets too arrogant, however, and Hardy tries for a rally that reaches dramatic fail by missing a blind charge. Jericho to the middle rope and lands a Bret-Hart style elbow for two. Never seen him do that before. A hangup gets two as Jericho subtlely tries to cheat and gets caught. Crowd continues to rally behind Hardy as Jericho goes back to the underhook chinlock but a rollover lariat by Hardy turns the tide. Two clotheslines and an inverted atomic drop leads to a low dropkick for two. Release gordbuster but the Swanton finds nothing but canvas. Lionsault gets two and a half. Jericho tries to go for the Walls but Hardy powers out. So Jericho tries it again and gets rolled up for two. Mule kick by Hardy but the corner baseball slide is finally countered into the Walls. Jericho goes for the slingshot into the ringpost but Hardy scales the ropes and hits the Whisper in the Wind for two. Hardy goes for the twist of fate, however, and Jericho counters THAT into the codebreaker that sends Hardy tumbling to the floor. Jericho frantically tries to drag Hardy's dead weight back in the ring. Why didn't he just take the countout? Anyway that gets two of course. Jericho hits the ropes again but gets caught with a boot and a twist of fate. Hardy takes off his shirt because he's BADASS and goes for the Swanton but Jericho runs into the ropes to post him. The men fight on the top turnbuckle, Hardy wins the slugfest and finally hits the swanton for the win. This IS SmackDown and WE WRESTLE!

(Hardy def. Jericho, pinfall, ****1/4, as good a match as you will see on television. Both guys digged deep into their moveset and the booking was actually on point.)

-- Michelle McCool is getting her makeup done because that's certainly going to help women's wrestling gets taken seriously. She really sounds like a girl from Palatka. And she mentions previous great women's champions but gets hung up on Trish Stratus' name. Hmmm. Anyway Melina comes in and tosses some powder on her face.

-- They do a video package on John Morrison and although it's done for no reason, I like that they do them.

The Great Khali vs. Mike Knox. Well the crowd needs a break after the last match. The announcers don't even half-ass try to put Knox over anymore.

Knox tries to go on the offense quickly but Khali knocks him down and hits a nasty chop. But through hellfire and brimstone it's Isaac Yankem! Knox uses the distraction to take over and puts Khali to his knees. That is a short-lived advantage as Knox eats the big boot and a lariat that almost sent his head into the upper deck. Punjabi Plunge makes this squash complete.

(Khali def. Knox, squash. Post-match sees Kane threaten to step in the ring but Khali is ready for him and the Big Bald Machine backs off)

-- Today's Cryme Tyme word is "GOAT" which means Greatest of all Time. Not a new revelation. The Tyme and Eve hock the Allied Powers DVD. The trio have a face off with Hart Dynasty in an conflict that will probably stretch on longer than the Korean War. Jesse interjects and cuts on the Harts (where ya'll from...the rough streets of Canadia?). Scotty will tell you that if you walk down the street of Saskatoon after dark, bad things can happen. But the good news is the surgery is covered in taxes.

-- Dolph Ziggler (w/Maria) enter the ring. I like Maria's new hair color and her new "evil" look in general. He promises to win the Intercontinental championship at Night of Championships and pulls out a chair for Maria to sit in at ringside. Awww, young love is beautiful.

Dolph Ziggler vs. Finlay. They try some wrestling to start out as Ross explains why this matchup isn't one that favors Ziggler going into Sunday. Finlay takes Ziggler down but misses a blind charge going shoulder first in the ring post. Ziggler rams the shoulder into the post again. Clothesline by Ziggler gets two and he goes right back to the shoulder. Ziggler with an armbar in a situation where it works. Finlay fights back with ear slaps (OUCH) but a dropkick by Ziggler getgs two. Finlay rallies again and hits multiple clothesline. Cannolball splash gets two. Finlay stays on the attack with shoulder charges and sends Ziggler to the floor. Finlay rams Ziggler's head in the table and knocks him down with a clothesline. Maria comes to check on her man and that stops Finlay stops in his tracks as not to hit Maria. Fuck that, that bitch deserves to get hit for getting in the way. Anyway the distraction helps Ziggler sabatoge Finlay with a reverse STO on the floor and he wins by countout.

(Ziggler def. Finlay, countout, **, not a bad little brawl with very little resting)

-- C.M. Punk walks to the ring as he has a challenge for the WWE Universe. He gets all self righteous about the junkies and drunks in the crowd. This gimmick is absolutely terrific and Punk finally looks comfortable in his role. He challenges the WWE Universe to say NO to temptation. I think Nancy Reagan tried that 30 years ago and it didn't work.

Anyway Jeff Hardy, hurt back and all, ruins Punk's one-on-one with the WWE Universe and gets all "who are you to tell these people how to live!" Punk will not enable Hardy and doesn't even want to be in the same ring with such a disgusting person and walks away.

Next match!

Eve Torres (w/Cryme Tyme) vs. Natalya (w/Hart Dynasty). It should be noted that Natalya's got a trillion times more ring presence then Kidd or Smith. Not a good thing for guys trying to keep a job.

Eve tries to keep this thing to mat with a headlock takedown. Natalya fights back but misses a blind charge. Eve goes for a high cross body but Natalya catches him in mid air and hits a shoulder powerslam for two. Natalya goes for the Canadian Snowboard but Eve back with a clothesline and a Gayda dropkick. Natalya sets too early and gets caught but counters the boot into the spinning clothesline. Eve gets to the ropes however. Natalya goes for the backdrop suplex but Eve fights to the ropes again and hits the moonsault (!!!) for the win. Wow that moonsault didn't suck either.

(Eve def. Natalya, pinfall, * 1/2, not great but not bad either. A clean moonsault always gets a star. BTW I don't like women doing that move though. Bad things can happen and it's unnecessary. I mean who is she going that move on regularly and if disaster strikes what woman is going to know how to save from potential paralysis?)

-- Chris Jericho approaches Khali about a partnership but Khali decide to remove his name from consideration.

-- R-Truth is next. That's what's up!

R-Truth vs. Charlie Haas. This match should define the strength of SmackDown, which is a strong, competitive midcard that produces entertain matches.

Truth tries to entice Haas into a dancing contest and Hass shoves him entire. Back side kick by Truth but he tweaks his knee on a cartwheel and Haas gets busy. He wraps the knee around the post twice but Truth tries to fight out. Chop block by Haas and he rips Truth's jeans off of one leg to expose the knee. Haas with a strange version of a single crab, almost like a single kneelock and Truth reaches the rope. They finally acknowledges Truth's "alter ego" as Pretty Ricky...which is now dubbed "Delicious". Truth tries to rally with some soupbone right hands and a elbow. Back body drop and a hip toss gets two. Haas goes back to the knee and sends Truth into the turnbuckle. He misses a corner charge, however, and the jumping axe kick gets three.

(Truth def. Haas, pinfall, **, perfectly acceptable match)

-- Ross and Grisham get in the ring to run down the Night of Champions card. Whoever decided to bring back that idea deserves a raise. It's a good way to put over the PPV as a final sales pitch.

Main Event time.

C.M. Punk vs. Rey Mysterio. Let's see if they can match the opener.

Wrestling sequence to start as they trade holds and counters. Punk hits a couple of kicks and does a rollover leglock that Mysterio counters and reverses. Punk gets back on top and they get back to a vertical base. Mysterio tries a monkey flip but Punk fights it off. Mysterio tries a victory roll instead for two. Back to their feet and Mysterio hits a few kicks but Punk kicks back and tosses Mysterio into the ring post. Shoulder block drops Mysterio and Punk goes back to the arm. Mysterio fights back with forearms and scales the ropes but Punk casually shoves him to the floor. Baseball slide kick to the shoulder sends Mysterio down in pain.

Commercial

We're back and Punk has Mysterio in a shoulderbar. Mysterio kicks out of it but gets caught in the ropes and tosses into the corner for two. Standing legdrop by Punk gets two and Punk goes to the armbar. Mysterio tries to rally with elbows by gets caught in a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker for two. Arm figure four by Punk now. I like that move, much more eye-pleasing than an armbar. Mysterio fights out again and Punk drops Mysterio with a headbutt. Punk goes back to the shoulder with a short-armed shoulder smash for two. Now a keylock submission and again Mysterio fights out so Punk has some sort of reverse double chickenwing. Great move. Mysterio fights out and a drop toe hold sends Punk into the buckle as Dolph Zigger slowly walks to the ring to get a closer look. The fighters engage in a kicking contest but a springboard cross body gets two for Mysterio. GORGEOUS dropkick by Mysterio also gets two. Mysterio gets Punk in position for the 619 but Punk moves. West Coast Pop puts Punk down so Mysterio goes after Ziggler. That gives Punk the opening for a leg lariat for two. Punk sends Mysterio in the corner and hits the running knee. Punk shoots Mysterio to the floor but he rolls through the impact and gets back to the ring. Punk catches Mysterio in the fireman's carry but Mysterio counters with a bulldog. 619 finally hits and the top rope splash gets thre...nope Ziggler breaks up the count and causes the DQ. Mysterio fights off Ziggler's assualt but Punk stops Mysterio from going for the 619. Ziggler hits the reverse STO and leaves Mysterio laying while Punk watches. A second reverse STO sends the message across. Finally Jeff Hardy makes the save but Punk jumps Hardy and hits the GTS. That is your final PPV push.

(Mysterio def. Punk, disqualification, ***1/4, good match)

The Bottom Line: Two very good matches. A solid final show before the PPV. I'm a happy Princess. Have a great Sunday!

This entry was posted on Sunday, July 26th, 2009 at 3:31 pm and is filed under Rants. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.