I was wondering where the 'Taker wannabe had been. It seems 'Taker took his snowy screen promos to, I thought that was the wannabe when 'Taker came on. The JH entrance was over. What made it was the different angles they showed after the fact. It will be interesting to see how this turns out. I also wonder if Mr. Buffy had anything to do with writing this program.

GO RAVENS!!! It's our year fellas!!!!

Big Show worked a good match for the second week in a row. For a guy of his size, I've always been impressed with his ability to sell what his opponents are doing in the ring.
I read Victoria's retirement blog on her MySpace page and she basically says what most fans have been saying for a while: disappointment in the way she's been being used.
If I'm not mistaken, isn't last night the first time Swagger has been pinned in the WWE? The announcers made no mention of it that I heard.

Let me start the chant... MVP...MVP...MVP...MVP...MVP!

Victora mark forever!!!

I know I wasn't the only one to see that an immediate tag match would be set up so Matt could pin Swagger. I guess I've been watch wrestling too long, huh?

"No Kizarny for the second straight week"

Phi phi, yarooh!

Translation: Hip hip, hooray!

I seen what happen to jeff hardy last night that look like a bad bruse I hope its not as bad he will be in my prayers love ya from :emo princess mickey

Kevin,
You think that the Jeff Hardy angle will still end up being a joint Christian/Matt Hardy production?

That's right, I had forgotten about the Hade Vansen guy. He was the Vampire/Goth-like guy, right? He was really slated to get involved in a UT angle?? Maybe it would be more impactful if he showed up at the Rumble and caused UT to get eliminated. Now THAT'S the way new talent used to show up! I used to love curveballs like that. :)

since matt pinned swagger, wouldn't that end swagger's winning streak?
Thoughts, Kev?

RESPONSE FROM KEVIN ECK: Not necesarily. He's still unbeaten in singles competition (on TV anyway).

The element of Smackdown that I have been enjoying most is the openness of the main-event picture. On Raw, the Wrestlemania main event will almost certainly pit John Cena against Randy Orton, with Shawn Michaels playing the Virgil role in a match against JBL and Chris Jericho being the wild card.

But on Smackdown, the main-eventers are all intertwined in a way that could yield some really interesting combinations. Personally, I think that Matt will cost Jeff the title at the Royal Rumble, setting up Edge v. HHH and Matt v. Jeff for Wrestlemania. What do you see as the most likely Smackdown main event?

Don't you think the Jeff Hardy storyline is now going a bit too far to allow the perpetrator to be Matt? I mean, if it is Matt, that means that we are supposed to believe that Matt has been, basically, trying to murder his brother. The hit-and-run and pyrotechnics "accident" are a far cry from a beatdown in a hotel stairwell. It just seems outside the realm of believability - kind'ave like when Cena and JBL were trying to kill eachother with cars and bulldozers - it's just too much.

RESPONSE FROM KEVIN ECK: You have a point, but like you said, WWE has gone overboard with these things before. My favorite is when Austin trapped Triple H in a car, hoisted it hugh in the air on a crane and dropped it. Triple H should have been dead but he barely had s scratch. Not too long after that, they formed an alliance.

Does it reflect badly on talent head Stephanie when highly promoted guys like Kizarny bomb without delay?

RESPONSE FROM KEVIN ECK: No, head of talent relations John Laurinaitis gets the heat for it/

the jeff hardy stalker culd be matt with jeff beating edge at the rumble nd matt winning the rumble culd lead 2 bro vs. bro 4 the wwe champishi@WM25 which jeff shuld win. your thoughts kevin

I disagree about MVP. I think it was a deflating and anticlimactic way to end his streak (if it is "over"). And in fact, I thought the match sucked. Big Show is a clumsy worker. Instead of having MVP getting tossed around, I would have liked to see something akin to Steve Austin's famous submission match against Bret Hart—MVP getting beaten and bloodied, with no hope of ending his streak, but refusing to give up. But this ending wasn't a victory for MVP, so it makes it harder for the fans to get behind him. Nobody likes a wimp.

The Jeff Hardy angle was okay, but I think the camera shots of young children in the audience with scared looks on their faces...that took it too far. It seems like Vince can't make up his mind whether he's producing a family show (changing Cena's moves) or resurrecting Attitude.

The missing ingredient from Triple H's angle is that Vickie Guerrero should be reluctant to remove him from the Royal Rumble because she wants a Smackdown star to win it.

I love how Jim Ross just began asking why Ezekiel Jackson is backing Brian Kendrick. Fans have been wondering that for months.

If I wanted to watch Matt Hardy and Finlay and Jack Swagger (and who? check your copy, Kevin), then I'd tune in Tuesday nights. What's the point of splitting brands if ECW wrestlers are going to keep slipping onto other shows? (Could we get a Monday night without Morrison or Miz, maybe just once?)

RESPONSE FROM KEVIN ECK: Thanks for the heads up on the typo.

While my wife isn't too happy with the fact that I've gone from catching peeks of Smackdown, to putting it on the DVR rotation, to watching it weekly, I've been pretty impressed. There's a lot more compelling writing mixed with new stars being used well.

The Hardy angle is great. I feel like the payday is coming at the Rumble, and with that I don't think Matt could be the wheelman per se. It would be too "busy" for them both to have title matches and the big reveal all in one night. I feel like Matt will lose 1st and then Jeff will lose later in the night when Christian makes his debut and interferes. I think it would then build again to Matt being revealed later. Jeff vs Christian at No Way Out with a Matt save/swerve to build to WM?

I also was kind of sad about MVP. I thought Vickie could throw out the match and his win, since it felt a little anti-climatic.

I am pretty sure the guy stalking jeff is MATT!! It only makes sense.... matt is trying to sabotage jeff

Personally (as a hardys mark for life) I really hope WWE has better ideas storline wise in the way for Jeff, I really hope the actual storyline is much better than the build up, I mean now we arent just looking at a rivaly but a potential mudering, not a good for role for Christian or Matt, even too far for the manic Edge. Yeah it remined me of Triple H and Stone cold 2001ish but jeff is not stone cold, the WWE need to give him some decent storylines that fit his personality, I liked him always so close for the title but never quite managing it, but now he has it let him prove he is a worthy champion!

I have to say I am a huge triple H fan, but I've had enough of this comedic persona, he does it well but then to go to MVP threatening him doesnt work, surly the recent triple H would make fun of his wieght? lol, we need the ceribial assasian back, the king of kings, not this DX throwback, those where great days but theyve gone, Triple H has devolped.

MVP won! yes finaly, although did he realy? he would have lost if it wernt for HHH, all MVP did mostly was run, he should have put in a great performance but tragicaly lose, that would have put him more over. But im sure MVP can work with this, I see big things for him (yet again HHH overshadows everything on Smackdown)

It was a great smackdown besides the fact the 4 best (Jeff, Edge, Undertaker and HHH) didnt compete, intresting that I thought, shows the WWE should concentrate just as much on the mid carders.

No Shelton Benjamin either??? why? in fact alot of people werent there, I know maryse is injured but wheres maria? natalya? Jesse and Festus? Kizarny? ect, and is Jimmy Wang Yang still working for WWE?

Another thing about the Jeff angle, didnt Vince suffer an injury on the stage a few months ago, wow you'd think Vince would have sorted the stage out by now

I know im bieng picky, but over all I thought was a great show, highlight for me was the Edge promo in the Cutting edge (he is always great at promos) and the R Truth vs Brian Kendrick match, I had little expectations for this yet thought it was a very good, enjoyable and watchable match, shame Ezekiel Jackson got involved after the match...that wasnt predictable (cough)

If Triple h win the royal rumble i swear it's because of his wife

It's Cage for sure. The timing is perfect since his so called backstage involvement almost coincided with his TNA departure. The payoff will actually be the best Tab, Lad and Chairs match in WWE history with Matt and Jeff vs Edge and Christian.

RESPONSE FROM KEVIN ECK: But haven't we seen plenty of TLC matches between those two teams? All four guys are singles wrestlers now. Let's see something new,like Matt vs. Jeff.

Love jeff, How do you get blown in the face with that pyro stuff and it not burn?

sorry jeff i think edge knew that was gonna happen feel better.

Whoever turns out to be the culprit in the Jeff Hardy angle, I agree that the money match would be Matt v Jeff at WM. I think it almost feels like WWE may have changed plans on this angle once they realised Christian would be returning.
If Christian is the culprit I wouldn't have Matt turn aswell, how about a Hardys v Edge & Christian match at WM, with HHH and Taker in the main Event for the title. If anything...I kinda feel like Christians arrival makes things a liitle cluttered in terms of Wrestlemania.

So let me make sure I have this correct, Jeff's title reign has consisted of two matches with no clean victories, getting run off the road, and getting hit in the face with fire. CM Punk was booked like Hulk Hogan in comparison. Perhaps the name of the show should be changed to HHH Smackdown, but I suppose that would be a bit too obvious.

Logically, all of the general managers still have to report to the Board of Directors, and their "abuse of power" would have limitations, so it didn't defy logic for HHH to catch Vickie Guerrero in a verbal technicality.

"So let me make sure I have this correct, Jeff's title reign has consisted of two matches with no clean victories, getting run off the road, and getting hit in the face with fire. CM Punk was booked like Hulk Hogan in comparison."

Thanks for the late-night laugh, Joe.

I was so excited for MVP ... until Triple H ruined it.

MVP had finally gotten his confidence back, something he had been lacking in recent weeks. He was fighting back and taking everything Big Show had & the crowd was responding to him well - there were several "MVP" chants.

MVP was about to be chokeslammed off the stage until Triple H hit Big Show with a sledgehammer.

I think that killed off a lot of heat MVP had from that match. I think it would have been better if MVP lost, thereby kicking HHH out of the Rumble. With nothing else to do at the Rumble, HHH challenges MVP to a match. Then, on ppv, in front of the world, MVP ends his streak against the biggest superstar presently in WWE.

I think that would have done MVP a lot of good, and then HHH could still win the Elimination Chamber next month to get to WrestleMania.

Any idea on why HHH will only let people look "kinda good" instead of letting them look great?

Do you think the WWE has been keeping Jeff Hardy away from a live mic purposely since he became champ? This pyro accident before he even made the ring is the latest example. Pretty much every time he's spoken since winning the belt has been pre-recorded, from "police footage" to interviews.
And I'm a little saddened to see that the big payoff to MVP ending his losing streak was to be a footnote in a HHH storyline.

"I won’t let you down." = Face
"I’m doing it for me.” = Heel

A last man standing match provides a great opportunity to turn someone like MVP into a real face but I think the WWE blew it when HHH interfered and won the match for MVP. No matter how you spin it, the victory was a fluke. I was really hoping that when MVP breaks his losing streak, it would be entirely through his own self, cleanly. In fact, I think MVP would have been better off if he had lost the match with the Big Show in the manner that Stone Cold Steve Austin lost to Bret Hart in their memorable encounter so many years ago. That match made Steve Austin. This match made HHH looked smart, Big Show looked strong and MVP looked like a fluke.

I also thought the MVP losing streak storyline should have a much bigger payoff than a match in the middle of Smackdown that revolves around a HHH storyline rather than MVP's own. As it is, MVP's fluke win has been completely overshadowed by what happened to Jeff Hardy later on in the show. They've been building this streak storyline for so many weeks, it seems like such a waste not to have it be the main event and main talking point from a broadcast.

The other thing that was off about the program was MVP being his usual confident self during the backstage segments with HHH. Portraying him as the dejected, miserable wreck we've seen him turned into would have made fans backed him more readily, I reckon. HHH could have been the motivational speaker to turn the pessimistic MVP into a ready MVP.

As for the Jeff Hardy thing, I think it would have been better if Edge & Vickie were visibly more concerned with Hardy instead of just standing around in the background. Edge should have been the first wrestler out to attend to Hardy instead of Jimmy Wang Yang. The move would have complemented Edge's promo effectively (i.e. he doesn't want to see Hardy hurt by way of a hit-and-run because he wants Hardy to himself at the Royal Rumble).

jeff hardy sidelined bcoz christian is cumng back? is it true?

I think Edge with perhaps someone else was behind the pyro accident. They concentrated too much on Chavo "setting up" for the Cutting Edge. Remember Vicki or Edge asked him, "Is everything set up for the show"?

Kev, did you see MVP on sky sports new in England? If not check it out, he was great! I highly reccomend it!

I am shocked about people thinking Matt has somthing too do with it :O.

I hope Jeff is ok, he is my favirote wrestler.

MVP did win which is great but HHH did help.

x

You think it's quite possible that Christian is going to make a come-back? This is in regards to the whole "get rid of Jeff Hardy" plot. The Hardy Boys against Edge and Christian! How good would that be?....again.

Hmmm. Well I can see how it could be Matt especially after the segment where edge called him a nobody in jeffs shaddow but I didn't even know Christian was coming back. Well who ever it is I'm enjoying the Jeff story lines but it would be cool to see brother vs brother

How about scripting Chavo as the Jeff-stalker? There could be an interesting related storyline of Chavo trying to usurp his aunt Vickie's position for emasculating him.

Also, in the Smackdown Wrestlemania main event it is a given that Taker will be one of the participants (the streak and all...). The other is surely gonna be Hardy. I doubt that Edge, Kozlov, HHH will main event this year.

I'd also like to see another Khali vs Big Show clash at WM.

I think I know what RAW is planning for WM. JBL will win the World Heavyweight Championship against Cena at the Rumble. HBK will win the over the top match. The RAW main event at WM will then be HBK vs JBL. HBK wins! The spanner in the works is a Batista return.

Why would Matt, Jeff's brother want to hart him? I mean i beat matt will win the ECW Championship back and Jeff will keep the WWE Championship. Jeff and Matt are the best to me. I got to meet them once! Well i think the stalker is Edge. Edge is probley trying to hart jeff so it is easy to beat him in the match for the WWE Championship and Vickie probly helped him. Anything you have to say Kev?

RESPONSE FROM KEVIN ECK: I think Edge is too obvious. Matt vs. Jeff would get people talking. Matt's motivation is simple: jealousy.

Ok i think the stalker is Edge but he's makeing Chavo do all the dirty work. when i watched friday night smackdown i saw Edge tell Chavo to"Go make him self useful and make sure every thing is ready for the Cutting Edge because he wanted jeff hardy to never forget it"

jeff hardy is really cute and it sux that he got hit with the fireworks i hope he can still defend the wwe championship against edge

I definetly its Christian cage b/c he left Tna and even though everyone thinks it is edge, they are wrong! It looks like it will be E&C(Edge & Christian) again!!! I love it!!

I think if Christian is involved it'll go something like this...

Matt plotted the attacks against Jeff out of Jealousy and got Christian to do the dirty work.

Christian then made it look as though Edge had been the attacker.

The big reveal is that both Jeff and Edge were betrayed by their less successful brothers - and a feud begins involving all four of them where Matt and Christian join forces and Jeff joins forces with Edge - if reluctantly.

Edge could then become sort of a tweener. He could still be cocky and arrogant since he's so good at it, but to reveal Matt would leave it open that Edge really had no ill will towards Jeff in a "heel" kind of way.

The only way I can see Chavo involved is if he somehow acts as the cause for the Edge/Vickie thing to finally end - which would be none too soon...

ok i really want to find out who jeff hardys stalker is. i knew it wasnt edge...it would be way to obvious if it was edge...its either christain or matt hardy. i really want to christain be in the wwe so that would be awesome but after last night matt hitting jeff with a chair i was shocked. i didnt see that one coming, maybe it is a joint thing matt hit him in the head in boston(woooo go boston) then christain like did the hit and run then one of them did the pyros hopefully its either christain or christain and matt because if its just matt that wouldnt be good...they already did this whole fued thing and i got to say it is so better when they are fighting together then against each other.