WWE Smackdown/ECW House Show Results – 4/17/09
Location: Strasbourg, France
Rocky Jr. sent this report in:
SmackDown!/ECW
House show Results
Zenith, Strasbourg, France
17.04.2009
Hello, for the 2nd straight year, I attended the Smackdown & ECW House Show in Strasbourg and wanted to send a report.
The arena was again sold out, despite some empty seat due to people who cound’t come I think.
Here’s the results with some comments :
– First, Justin Roberts, our ring announcer, welcomes us to the show and then introduces the first bout.
– Evan Bourne def. Tyson Kidd.
Kidd was out without his manager, Natalya, that we’ll see later on. Very good opener, high fly from Bourne and technical wrestling from Kidd. The crowd was all for Evan “Air” Bourne who won with the Shouting Star Press. Relly impressive finish live.
– Finlay w/Hornswoggle def. Mark Henry.
I didn’t realise until I wrote this but Tony Atlas wasn’t there. Crowd was really hot for Finlay, who bu the way, grabbed a french flag before and after the match. Ok match, a little boring a moment with Henry applying 3 times in a row the Shoulder Grip… At the end, Henry put Hornswoggle in the ring and pushed him. Finlay took advantage of a distracted referee, who checked on Horn, with a Shillelagh Shot for the win.
– Gail Kim & The Bella Twins def. Katie Lea Burchill, Natalya & WWE Divas Champ Maryse.
Honestly, I didn’t see much from the match itself because I was obsessed by Gail lol. There was a little friction between the girl before the bell. I think in what must have been the worst match in my mind, Gail looks very good, putting on good offense when she finally was taged in at the end. Gail pinned Katie after her Neckbreaker then celebrates with the Bellas. “Funny” note, crowd was a little confused because during the match, they put the lights full back and annonced that because of a technical accident, we should have evacuate the Zenith. Of course, nobody, except 1 to 2, moved lol. They were really annoying to repeat that 5 or 6 times. Finally, security did signs that we can sit down and they turn the lights off again to a good pop lol.
– United States Championship
MVP (c) def. Shelton Benjamin.
MVP was very over with the crowd and, surprisingly to me, Shelton was able to be the heel for the first time in France (Shelton is really, really over in France). The 2 men put on a good performance with several nice spots. Finally, MVP wins with the Playmaker. After the match, MVP celebrates and goes backstage. Shelton got up for a good pop. He then went on a corner to pose and get more pop… only to do us a “.” with the arms who got him boos.
After that, we went for the intermission.
re- Back from intermission, Justin Roberts introduces the new ECW General Manager, Tiffany. She head to the ring and salutes us in French. ^^ She introduces then the newt bout.
– ECW Championship
Jack Swagger (c) def. Christian.
Swagger got a good heat and Christian got a really godd pop. By the way, he grabed a “French Peeps” sign and posed with the ECW title before the match. Great technical and amateur wrestling match once again by the 2 men with some high fly spots there and there, especially with 2 Diving Headbutt from Christian and a Splash from Swagger, countered by Christian’s legs. Swagger dominated a good part of the match. Finally, we got the same finish as their fantastic match on ECW before Mania 25 : Unprettier, Gutwrench, Unprettier all countered, the last with a throw, shoulder first, on the steel from the corner. Christian tried his finish again but couldn’t because of his arm and Swagger hit his Gutwrench Powerbomb for the win. After the match, Swagger posed then went backstage. Christian got up and got a good pop before leaving too.
– Matt Hardy def. Jeff Hardy in a Street Fight.
Match of the night and the crowd was all for Jeff. In the beginning, Matt tried to dodge from the match. We had several spots with weapons, trashcan, trashcan lids, chair, ladder and table. Matt got a good heel heat to putting the table back under the ring 2 times while we chanted for the table. Finally, Matt dodged a ladder leapfrog Legdrop into the table from Jeff and got the pin. After the match, Matt tried to hit his Twist of Fate but Jeff countered with one of his own before leaving with an ovation. Matt left after under boos.
– Justin Roberts thanked all of us and said that they were looking to come back to Strasbourg in the future. He then announces the main event.
– 2 on 3 Handicap Match
WWE Champ Triple H & The Undertaker def. Legacy
Main Event decent, but too much of HHH and not enough of Taker. I was the only one in my section to cheer to Orton and boo HHH and… I lost lol. Legacy was really hated and HHH and Taker loved. Before the match, Orton was chased by HHH and he leaves the arena. HHH & Taker then dominates the first minutes then Orton came back and hit HHH by behind at ringside. HHH was then dominated a long, loooonnngggg time, being 2 times near to tag Taker but he can’t. Taker later pumped entirely was watering himself and finally got the (very) hot tag. Later, Orton & HHH brawled again throw the ramp and Orton leaves again. HHH came back to the ring for the Pedigree and the Tombstone simultaneously. So, Taker got the pin on (I think) DiBiase. After the match, Taker did his pose and leaved to an ovation. HHH’s music then hit and it was the HHH’s show for 5 to 10 minutes… I saw him shook hands with a 5-6 year old that was sitting in front of him, great gesture.
Overall, it was a great show with a great card and a good crowd. It was greater than last year, good job WWE. Looking to do it a 3rd year in a row ! ^^
Biggest Pops:
Triple H
The Undertaker
Jeff Hardy
Christian
tied MVP & Finlay w/Hornswoggle
Most Heat:
Legacy
Matt Hardy
Shelton Benjamin
Mark Henry
Jack Swagger