"WWE Friday Night SmackDown" 4-23-10 Talkback (Spoilers)

[The Penguin]

The SmackDown Superstars made their presence felt on RAW (http://www.toonzone.net/forums/showthread.php?t=267124), with the RAW Superstars stuck in Europe. Tonight, they are back on their home show, 48 hours from Extreme Rules.


http://library.toonzone.net/talkbacks/wwe.jpghttp://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e92/Shadow0285/SmackDown2.jpgWWE Friday Night SmackDown #557
Friday, April 23, 2010 @ 8 p.m. ET/7 CT on MyNetworkTV

SWAGGER VS. SHAMAN
After falling victim to The Undertaker on Raw, World Heavyweight Champion Jack Swagger will take on John Morrison tonight on SmackDown. Can the champion regain momentum as prepares to defend his title against Randy Orton at Extreme Rules?

[Wonderwall]

Jack sure has an interesting take on his tussle with Taker on Monday night.

[Jin Kazama]

The Swagger/Morrison match was really good. Much better than their last encounter. I really like that. They took their last match, realized their errors, and improved on it. Just wish all the WWE stars had that same determination to better themselves.

I do have to question why they're having Swagger loose all the time, though. I can understand them doing it to first-time face champs, to get the audience behind them as an underdog (it usually never works, but I can see the logic in it), but for a heel champ? I just don't see what they're going for here.

[hobbyfan]

I've said it before, and I'll say it again. Jack Swagger's being made to look like a chump as champ, much like Rey Mysterio 4 years ago. Swagger goes 0-2 this week, but it won't end 0-3 at Extreme Rules. Yes, the rematch with John Morrison was the match of the night. Morrison gets back on the winning track, but you wonder if he'll get a title shot, assuming Swag retains on Sunday.

Mickie James & Mike Knox did the honors on the way out, but you wonder about the mindset of the writers sometimes. Knox had a pretty good gimmick going over the winter, and it gets cast aside. Mickie, as I noted in the cuts thread, had heat with certain in management, and was reportedly tardy to the bus several times on the recent European tour. It's a shame they treated her so shabbily over the final 6 months of her tenure. We recall that when Melina was drafted to Smackdown last year, she complained, or so they said, so they reversed that by trading her back to Raw for Mickie & Beth last October.

Add Beth. I see her winning on Sunday, and not only beating Me-Chelle, but embarassing the ex-teacher, Laymela, and Piggy Guerrero along the way. Team Layme-o needs to be put down once and for all. In fact, I predict that trio will be split up by the draft, with Piggy going back to Raw, along with Laymela.

Ok, so CM Punk won the match tonight, but does that mean he loses on Sunday? Not in this case, methinks. As I've said before, I can't see him losing his hair.

Most of the matches at Extreme Rules are rematches from Wrestlemania, which doesn't mean they're easy to figure, though I think I can.

Wade Barrett may be rethinking a few things in re.: Chris Jericho after getting hung out to dry in the cage.

Drew McIntyre lost some cred points with his actions tonight. I get they're selling the idea of Matt Hardy suffering a concussion or two courtesy of the cowardly IC champ, but now it's time to take the IC belt off him.

[Marvin Tikvah]

You know, even though Swagger is losing his matches, he's still putting on good matches and comes off looking strong, but not cowardly. It reminds me of Sheamus' title reign from the beginning of the year, but he makes his presence better known. Anyway, his match with Morrison was very impressive, and I'm lead to believe they're going to keep him as champ for a little longer than a typical MiTB champ. I'm surprised to hear his title win didn't automatically make him a SmackDown wrestler though. What's up with that?

Tag team match was too short and they're really feeding Matt Hardy to Drew McIntyre in this feud. I'm surprised they don't have a match for Extreme Rules.

On the other hand, JTG/Shad are already getting a blow-off match with less than a month of build-up. Shad seems to have some potential as a heel, so lets see how this works out.

As much as I don't like McCool, her stable does a good job as heels. Layla and Vickie do good jobs as cowardly comedy heels, too bad this match was Mickie's final one in the company. At least she wasn't the one getting make-up all over her face.

The main event did a good job of building towards Mysterio and Punk's match, and I loved that spot with Mysterio using Kane as leverage for a finisher.

[Azrayel]

Pretty good Smackdown tonight. Even the women's match was decent.

[Wonderwall]

I'm with the Right After Wrestling crew( Mauro Ranello and the lovely Renee Paquette ) this was a lackluster and boring SD. I don't know I feel burnt out any type of athletic event( too much watching of sports ) so that sisn't help, but I just thought this episode lacked for a go home show. Swagger losing to Taker was fine, to Orton...ok the first time not so much the second time but still credible. Losing to John Morrison? That's dumb, when was the last time John had a credible win over someone? who's he going to lose to next...Ziggler? Truth? Shad at this rate. I'm sure he goes over at Extreme Rules but this is not a way to build a PPV match.

[Mesousa]

Tag team match was too short and they're really feeding Matt Hardy to Drew McIntyre in this feud. I'm surprised they don't have a match for Extreme Rules.

Sad, really, a Falls Count Anywhere would've really worked here.

[Jin Kazama]

You know, even though Swagger is losing his matches, he's still putting on good matches and comes off looking strong, but not cowardly.

I think that's more Swagger and his opponents than it is WWE. I've heard it said more than once that the WWE basically tells the wrestlers, match-wise, who they're facing, and who's going over. It's up to the talent to build a match. Not to mention, Jim Ross said on his blog after 'Mania that he spoke with Swagger, and more-or-less told him "They Gave You The Ball, You Have To Run With It."

Just about all of the people he's wrestled have been people that like to steal the show, and I easily see Swagger saying "Hey, I'm Not Going Over, But Let's Blow The Roof Off This Place." He seems like he has that kind of work ethic. And it's a smart move. If you know you're being booked badly, you still show that motivation and drive, and look good every night. You might change the minds of the guys upstairs.

[EinBebop]

Glad to see Kane and Mysterio have worked out their differences.

[The Penguin]

Please remember that spoilers for 'future' WWE events are not welcome here. No Extreme Rules spoilers or hints, please.

I liked Swagger's "cut off the Viper's head" promo leading into his match with Morrison. The match itself was pretty good too. Despite how good Swagger looked en route to his loss, I was a bit surprised that he lost here. Maybe Morrison is about to move up and this win will be used to make him the All-American American's next challenger.

I absolutely loved Teddy Long's assorted "bald is beautiful" comments to Punk. He did not appreciate those at all. :p

With the way McIntyre slammed Matt's head into the steps, I'll be surprised if we see him next week. Justin Gabriel may have to fend for himself.

Chris Jericho is lucky he brought Wade Barrett with him to the ring. Barrett however was not so lucky. Edge got a little revenge, but not quite what he wanted.

"...I'll be dominating JTG in a strap match." It might just be me, but I am loving Shad's new attitude. I have already gotten a lot more out of this that I would have expected when Shad attacked his partner just a few weeks ago. Disappointing WWE end for Mike Knox though. He was certainly more capable than being intimidating on his way to the ring and then losing once he got there.

"Mr. Dunn, I'm afraid SmackDown is going to run short this week."
"Well, have you put the RAW Rebound in yet?"
"That won't fill enough time, sir."
"What about if we air all of the Straight Edge Society attacking Triple H?"
"I think that will work."
"Get it done."

A very quiet exit for Mickie James with her finally teaming with Beth after their few fake out alliances. She was MIA when Lay-Cool gave Beth that "makeover." I am really tired of these two. Vickie makes three, but it's keeping her away from Teddy Long which I like.

I'd be interested to hear what Kane & Rey were talking about, especially with their history. Maybe Kane just hates CM Punk, he's always up for beating someone up.

And he certainly did that to Luke Gallows before he and the Straight Edge disciple disappeared into the crowd while Punk managed to pin Rey in the ring. He's lucky Serena was there to protect him from losing any more hair.



I'm surprised to hear his title win didn't automatically make him a SmackDown wrestler though. What's up with that?On many levels, Swagger seems to be, so any Draft talk just gets confusing. A few weeks ago, he talked about moving to SmackDown and his Superstar profile was moved there too. As far as I'm concerned he's a SmackDown Superstar and I expect that's what we will see on Draft night and going forward.

[hobbyfan]

A very quiet exit for Mickie James with her finally teaming with Beth after their few fake out alliances. She was MIA when Lay-Cool gave Beth that "makeover." I am really tired of these two. Vickie makes three, but it's keeping her away from Teddy Long which I like.

I'll go you one better. I'm tired of all three of those dweebettes. I'm hoping they get split up in the draft. As in, Layla & Vickie going to Raw while Me-Chelle stays on Smackdown (for obvious reasons).

[The Penguin]

I'll go you one better. I'm tired of all three of those dweebettes. I'm hoping they get split up in the draft. As in, Layla & Vickie going to Raw while Me-Chelle stays on Smackdown (for obvious reasons).Do you really want to split those three up across the shows though? At least right now, they all appear in the same segment. If you ask me, splitting them up won't make any of them more tolerable.

[KJ Styles]

Do you really want to split those three up across the shows though? At least right now, they all appear in the same segment. If you ask me, splitting them up won't make any of them more tolerable.

Agreed. Vickie is unwatchable no matter what angle she's involved in.