I attended the joint ECW-Smackdown taping here in Bakersfield, CA and wanted to give you the results and my general impressions. Overall I thought it was an entertaining show. I would have loved to have seen Edge, but alas we cannot always get what we want. Bakersfield was treated, however, to two CM Punk matches, so I guess we really can’t complain.
1 – The Major Bros. won a tag team over the top battle royal where the winner would face MVP/Hardy later on in the night. Other teams involved with Jesse/Festus, Jimmy Wang Yang/Shannon Moore, Drew McIntyre/Dave Taylor, and Deuce/Domino. Jesse/Festus were eliminated first (they were my pick to win it) when everyone ganged up on Festus to eliminate him while Jesse was down in a corner. Yang was eliminated next by Taylor as he was going for a top rope kick. Crowd was really into Yang and his highflying moves. McIntyre/Taylor were eliminated next and then got huge crowd heat on them with their antics on the outside after being eliminated. Major Bros won after holding the top rope as Deuce and Domino were going for a double clothesline.
Next was a brief promo between Michelle McCool and Torrie, where Torrie was quizzing Michelle on whether her and Chuck Palumbo were boring. Victoria interrupted with Kenny Dykstra and it led to their match.
2 – Victoria beats Michelle McCool after a spike DDT. Palumbo attacked Dykstra on the outside in the middle of the match.
Pretty long backstage promo from Rey Mysterio. He was over HUGE, everyone loved him.
3 – Finlay beat Rey Mysterio with the Celtic Cross. Longer match, probably 15 minutes. Finlay looked like he was being very stiff with Rey, pulling off at least three moves that involved one of Rey’s body parts hitting the ropes on the way down. I know that doesn’t make sense, but watch the match and it will. Finlay had huge heat. One guy in my section kept cursing Finlay out while lifting his shirt up to reveal his tattoos. He was hammered and throwing gang signs at Finlay because he won.
Backstage promo with CM Punk/Vickie/Jamie Noble. Noble is pretty good on the mic, and CM Punk is everything that is right in wrestling.
4 – CM Punk beat Jamie Noble with the GTS. I miss the Anaconda Vice. After the match, Miz ran in and attacked Punk. Punk fought him off only to then be attacked by John Morrison. Punk fought him off as well. However, Jamie Noble got the last laugh with a sick looking move on Punk — he hoisted him up like the beginning of the GTS, threw him up and laid down and drilled two knees into his stomach. Once again, bad description, but you get the idea. Punk was super over.
5 – MVP/Matt Hardy defeated the Major Brothers. Pretty good match, albeit a little short. MVP got the victory and he and Matt teased a little dissension afterwards.
6 – Undertaker defeated Great Khali in a No Holds Barred match with a triangle choke. About what you would expect from these two in that Taker’s entrance was the best part of the match.
Sign of the night: “Takersfield”
Biggest Pops:
1) Rey Mysterio Jr.
2) Any image of John Cena on the videos
3) CM Punk
4) Matt Hardy
5) Elijah Burke (yes, oddly enough — lots of Burke love in Bako)
Most Heat:
1) Finlay
2) JBL
3) Great Khali
4) Drew McIntyre/Dave Taylor
5) Mark Henry
