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Smackdown: Road to No Way Out
By
JON WALDMAN -- SLAM! Wrestling
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With No Way Out just over a week away, we should get a few matches established
here. Plus, we're getting closer and closer to 'Mania, so expect some good development
here. Let's get right to the action.
Match 1 - Undertaker vs. The Miz
Finally, WWE gives me what I truly want - the absolute destruction of Mike
Mizanin. 'Taker does his usual and even pulls out a couple new moves like the
inverted Russian Leg Sweep (or as I prefer, the Glory of Khazak Leg Sweep).
Taker closes with the Tombstone.
Winner: Undertaker
Post-match, 'Taker puts Miz through an announce table. Hopefully this shuts
Mizanin up for good and he disappears.
Back from break, we find out Rey Mysterio will be back in two weeks, right
in the middle of his tour of duty with the World of Wheels.
Match 2 - Deuce and Domino vs. London and Kendrick
Sue me. I like the '50s gimmick.
As the match begins we learn that there will be an Armageddon Ladder Match
redux, without D&D, who beat the champs once already. Weak.
D&D dominate the match and though the champs get a short heat segment,
it's pretty much a cakewalk for the new team, who finish London off with a combo
Double Axe Handle/Diamond Cutter. Anyone who has a '50s-song suggestion for their
finisher e-mail me, but for now I think I'll simply call it the "Goodnight,
Sweetheart".
Winners: D&D
Back from break, we get our first Maryse, another wasted salary.
We then head to the back and Teddy Long is conferencing with King Booker and
the M.A.D.E. The result is a match between Booker and Kane at No Way Out.
Match 3 - Matt Hardy vs. Joey Mercury
I think this is match #799 betwen these two.
Hardy tries to rip off the match early, but is unsuccessful. He still controls
through the break though. Back to the action and Hardy continues to work the
face and gets the Alley Oop Bomb (so dubbeth SD vs. Raw '06) at one point. Eventually
Mercury takes over, working the knee. The psychology is wonderful here, but
quite frankly I've seen these two battle too many times to want to see it again.
Eventually, Mercury reverses the Side Effect into a roll-up for the surprisingly
clean win. Good show overall.
Winner: Joey Mercury
Mr. Kennedy then comes out to talk about his title match later tonight and
as always hits an awesome promo. Kennedy talks about being overlooked for the
'Mania match. Eventually Batista comes down and the two end up in a pull-apart
brawl. Good heat segment here.
Match 4 - Boogeyman vs. Fit Finlay
A back-and-forth match here eventually leads to the leprauchan and the international
object getting involved. Finlay gets the pin, giving what I believe to be the
first defeat for Boogeyman.
Winner: Fit Finlay
Match 5 - Daivari vs. Gregory Helms
Daivari has apparently abandoned ECW.
The heel vs. heel match rarely works and indeed, the crowd is near-silent here.
It's a decent match, but still pales in comparison to anything coming out of
Ring of Honor or, more importantly, Wrestling Society X.
In the end, Helms tries to cheat to win, but Daivari out-cheats him.
Winner: Daivari
Next up, a couple of the Divas have some sort of talent show for Long and the
result is a full Diva talent show at No Way Out. Yay - more stupidity.
Match 6 - Mr. Kennedy vs. Batista (World Title Match)
The action starts off fairly well, and heats up coming out of the break. Kennedy
gets the Kenton Bomb which is reversed by Batista into a semi-School Boy for
the near pin. Kennedy shows some great work here, working on the Animal's left
arm. Batista, at one point, gets a Samoan Drop, but Kennedy still holds the arm.
Wicked stuff.
Kennedy eventually gets a belt shot and gets a Shining Wizard soon after. A
little later on, after a Steamroller, Batista starts on his Stolen Streak, starting
with the Rocky Spinebuster, continues with the Bulldog Powerslam, three more
Rocky Spinebusters and eventually finishes with the Demon Bomb. The thing is,
the repeated 'Busters makes Kennedy look that much stronger, so I'll give points
here.
Winner: Batista
Post-match, 'Taker interrupts the celebration to end the night with a staredown.
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Jon Waldman has been with SLAM! since 2000.
