SmackDown started off this week with a two-segment match between CM Punk and R-Truth.  It was a nice change of pace from opening the show with a promo of some kind, and therefore immediately the show felt fresh and unformulaic, so from that perspective it was the right choice.  These two worked well together, and had  a good match, before Luke Gallows interfered for the DQ, I guess prolonging the feud for an undercard bout at the TLC PPV.

Next we got Kane v. Mike Knox in a short big-man match.  I still think Knox is desperately underutilised, and as a big-man wrecking ball he could be really effective if he got the right push as a top monster heel.  His flying crossbody may be my favourite move in pro wrestling, someone of that size hurling himself through the air looks great on TV, and I’d even like to see that develop into a match-winning signature move.  This match was fine, Kane won with the chokeslam.

Then we went backstage for an interview with Chris Jericho and Big Show.  Jericho says that no matter what weapons DX use in their TLC match, Jericho has The Big Show in his corner, and that’s the biggest weapon of all.  Show just stood there clenching his fists and looking menacing, while Jericho talked about how great they are, in a really effective promo.

Then Mickie James won a number 1 contenders match for the Women’s Title over Natalya and Beth Phoenix.  Michelle McCool and Layla were at ringside wearing “Piggie James” t-shirts here.  Beth was somewhat protected in the booking, as she hit the Glam Slam on Natalya only to be dropkicked out of the ring by Mickie, who then got the pin.  After the match, Mickie tried to attack the heels but was beaten down, only for Maria to make the save, in her return from TV after filming some reality TV show with Donald Trump, Goldberg, Vanessa from Hangin With Mr Cooper and Sharon Osbourne, which is quite a strange bunch of casting choices.

Then, after mysteriously not being on the show last week for whatever reason, the Drew McIntyre push continued as he picked up a non-title victory over InterContinental Champion John Morrison in another long match.  The finish was creatively done, as Drew went under the ring, and when Morrison went after him, he was whipped headfirst into the steel support holding the ring up, then Drew rolled him back in the ring to hit the double-arm DDT for the pin. 

Then Vickie Guerrero was in the ring, to her usual mega heat.  She demanded Eric Escobar come out and apologise for their break-up last week.  Escobar said he’s sorry he ever met her, so Vickie made Escobar v. The Hart Dynasty in a handicap match, and the Harts beat Escobar quickly with The Hart Attack, which I guess is another sign they have given up on Escobar after pushing him for about a week.  The Harts left with Vickie, which may be a positive development for their careers if that becomes a permanent partnership. 

Next CM Punk and Drew Gallows were interviewed backstage, and they really ramped up the development of Punk’s character as far as sewing the seeds for him being some kind of cult leader for lost souls.  Gallows talked about how his family and friends had him on medication, until he met CM Punk, who he called his saviour, and turned his life around.

The next match saw Cryme Tyme take on Chris Jericho and The Big Show in a non-title match.  This was really simply done, as Jericho was in there, sold for a while, then Big Show tagged in and knocked out Shad with one punch for the pinfall.  Between this and the promo earlier in the show, Big Show’s scary knockout power and just being a human weapon is showcased really well.

The main event was due to be The Undertaker calling out Batista, but during Undertaker’s entrance, Batista ran out behind him and laid him out with chairshots.  He continued beating on him with several more chairshots, and finally a spinebuster on the chair, before closing the show holding a chair and the World Title belt in the air.

Mark Bright
mark@ifight365.com