By James Shannon – This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Well, as you probably didn’t notice, I missed SmackDown last week while visiting family. So let’s take this opportunity to see how well they fill in the gaps for viewers who don’t watch every single episode.

Well, they start by telling me that there’s been controversy all week surrounding the World Heavyweight Champion CM Punk, who walks to the ring. He gets quite the negative reaction. Punk MC’s several video clips from the Bash, explaining how he was in no way in the wrong, at any time. He’s fantastic here, up there with recent Jericho. His last clip was Jeff attacking Punk after the match, making it look like Punk was the victim in all of this. Awesome. Punk demands Hardy come out to apologise.

Instead of Jeff, Teddy Long’s music plays. He’s not convinced Punk is legit, so he announces Punk Vs Hardy at the Night of Champions for the title. Punk: “Teddy, that’s super”. Awesome. Teddy talks about how Vince wants more controversy, so Long announces the Unified Tag Team Champions will take on Hardy and Punk tonight.

This brings out Hardy, face paint and all. Hardy says he sees right through Punk, and knows he is a liar. Punk says unless the next words out of Hardy’s mouth are “I’m sorry”, he has no interest. Hardy apologises – for beating up Punk at the Night of Champions, then pushes Punk. Punk responds with an awkward push, and Teddy gets between them to keep them apart. Punk says he’s cool, and tells Jeff they need to be on the same page for their match later: “We’re already at a disadvantage because of my eye injury”. Awesome. Punk leaves Hardy with a piece of advice, “Just... Say.... No.”

Ricky Ortiz is in the ring, waiting for Finlay.

Match Number One: Ricky Ortiz Vs. Finlay.

Ortiz has a mic, and questions Finlay’s negative attitude. He asks him to “Rally up”. Finlay slaps him.

Best match of Ortiz’s career. Nice and short, with Finlay selling his back, which stemmed from a power slam on the outside mat by Ortiz. Finlay turned things around when he got the knees up during an attempted Big O. Finlay got the clean pin on his first night on Smackdown with the Celtic Cross.

Winner: Finlay, pinfall.

This was followed by an amazing Dolph Ziggler segment in the back. When they cut to him, he was on the floor. It looked like he was about to do a push up, but instead arched up into the cobra yoga position, then into downward dog. He repeated this until Maria came in, and introduced herself. They went on a date the night before.

Ziggler was fantastic flirting here. Maria: “are you getting ready for your match?” Ziggler: “yeah, staying focused... I kind of usually win, so...” Lots of little lines like that, where Ziggler was just great. They agree to go on another date.

Match Number Two: Dolph Ziggler Vs. R-Truth.

Footage of Ziggler’s win over Khali at the Bash, which included the return of Kane, was shown.

Ziggler should headline a Wrestlemania before either Cody or DiBiase. He oozes charisma, and got to be more in this match than his normal bump machine for Khali. He still sold like a million bucks for Truth, but got to show some pretty cool offense, including a beautiful suplex or two. Dolph ended up getting the pinfall after holding the ropes so that Truth couldn’t capitalise on a bicycle kick, then hit his leaping reverse STO that they still don’t have a name for.

Winner: Dolph Ziggler, Pinfall.

Cryme Tyme – Word Up is shown, with graphics and all. Today’s word is Wangsta. Terrible.

Match Number Three: Rey Mysterio (c) Vs Kane, non-title match.

I never wanted to see this match again after their last series, but here we are.

Kane won clean with a chokeslam after taking the 619. It was probably better than one would expect, but I’m already just sick of this match, couldn’t get into it at all. It wasn’t short, and full of Rey trying to overcome Kane’s size with speed.

Winner: Kane, pinfall.

Kane picked Rey up by the throat after the match, and was holding him until The Great Khali’s music hit and he walks down the aisle with a chair. Kane runs out through the crowd. Another feud I never wanted to see again.

We cut to a snarling Jericho in the back, who enjoyed watching Rey get exactly what he deserved. He announces that next week he’s invoking his rematch clause against Rey for the title. Edge appears and insists Jericho should be focused on their match tonight, to prove their dominance. Edge stumbled at least once in every sentence.

The Hart Dynasty make their first entrance on SmackDown.

Match Number Four: The Hart Dynasty W/ Natalya Vs Cryme Tyme.

This was pretty much a run of the mill tag match. Heat on JTG, Shad is a house of fire, JTG takes out Tyson, and then assisted Shad behind the ref’s back for the pin on Smith.

I was pretty surprised the Hart Dynasty lost their debut on Down, as I think they’d be far better challenging Edge/Jericho down the line than Cryme Tyme. Plus Cryme Tyme will always be over with the amount of time they get with segments and the like in the back.

Match Number Five: Michelle McCool (c) & Layla w/out Alicia Fox Vs Melina & Maria.

Smart, sexy powerful women. Argh.

McCool worked over Maria’s leg, with Ross putting over how she’s developed these submissions. Maria gets the hot tag to Melina, so McCool ran to tag in Layla. Melina takes care of Layla, knocks McCool off the apron, then lets out a primal scream (one of a thousand in this match) before hitting her leg drop slam thing on Layla for the pin. McCool holds her belt after the match to show she’s still champion.

Winner: Melina & Maria, pinfall.

Morrison is watching a tv in Long’s office (Long is behind him doing a little dance). Morrison informs us that he beat CM Punk last week. Morrison proposes that he deserves the winner of Punk/Hardy after the Night of Champions PPV. Long story short, they did several Michael Jackson duets with Morrison turning each one into a reminder of his fight with Punk.

Edge, Jericho, Hardy and Punk all get their own entrances leading up to the main event.

Match Number Six: Edge & Chris Jericho (c’s) Vs CM Punk (c) & Jeff Hardy.

Ross points out that it’s the same official that Punk kicked, though they never mention his name.

Typical tag match to begin, until Punk lays down for poetry in motion. Hardy accepted and took out both Edge and Jericho. Jeff was not letting his guard down and kept a peeved eye on Punk.

Hardy, while in control of Edge, went to tag Punk who decided to tend to his eye, which drew a TON of heat. Edge and Jericho took control of the match, and when Hardy came close to getting a tag, Punk’s eye would sadly play up. Hardy got thrown over the top rope. So Punk, with a huge smile on his face started a clap on the outside to get the crowd behind Hardy.

Punk again couldn’t see the tag from Jeff, who started a comeback of his own which included the Whisper in the Wind on Jericho.

Hardy finally slapped Punk for the tag, who quickly hit his running knee in the corner on Edge. Edge got out of the GTS position, and took control of Punk. Punk finally got a double clothesline, and inched towards Hardy who was getting the crowd right into it. Just as Punk was about to tag, Hardy took a bump to the floor, holding his eye.

Jericho rolled up Punk from behind, for a near fall. Punk picks Jericho up for the GTS, stumbles backward allowing Edge to tag Jericho. Punk hits the GTS, but gets speared by Edge after the blind tag for the pinfall.

Winners: Edge & Chris Jericho, pinfall.

Edge stomps Punk once or twice, then eats a Twist of Fate from the “recovered” Hardy. Hardy goes up top, but Jericho pulls Edge out and they help each other up the ramp. Hardy is still pretending to sell his eye, mirroring Punk. He half apologises to the confused looking Punk.

SmackDown ends with Punk holding his eye, and Hardy revealing he was making it up.