CNN article on Umaga's death

The death of former WWE wrestler Umaga (real name Eddie Fatu) has sparked debates and discussion once again over how tough the sport of pro-wrestling is. Umaga is another on the list of many pro-wrestlers to have died way too young. Others include Owen Hart, Andrew "Test" Martin, and Eddie Guerrero, all of whom passed away before turning 40. The controversy is over the rigors of the sport, the toll it takes on the wrestler's bodies and health, as well as the fact that they receive very little in terms of health benefits, according to reports. Now former WWE divas, wrestling blog writers and other analysts are weighing in on this topic.

CNN has published an article on this, recently got comments from Baltimore Sun's Ring Post blog author, Kevin Eck about the brutal nature of the sport, as well as the fact that wrestler deaths receive less attention than other pro athlete's deaths might.

From CNN.com:

"It's happening a lot more frequently in the sport than it ever did, and it's a huge problem," Eck said. "If this was Major League Baseball and you had guys dropping dead under 40, it would be a much bigger deal -- but because it's wrestling, it flies under the radar."

"The expectations for what wrestlers are supposed to look like have evolved. In Albano's day, some were in good shape, some were not, but you didn't see the superhuman physiques like you started seeing in the 80s," he said.

Former WWE divas also have weighed in on this topic, with Dawn Marie Psaltis and Terri Runnels adding comments. Dawn is the founder of Wrestlers Rescue, a support group for aging and retired wrestlers. She said:

"He had his demons, but he found a lot of strength in his family," said family friend and former WWE personality Dawn Marie Psaltis. "He comes from a long line of professional wrestlers and did his family proud."

"We make above average income, but most of what we make goes toward the expense of being in the business, and health care is a huge expense for a wrestler," Psaltis said.

Terri Runnels added:

"To find health care that covers wrestlers costs quadruple the price of regular coverage, so a lot of the guys end up going without. They continue to wrestle way past their prime because there's no pension, and because there's no health care, they never prepared for their future health concerns. It's an endless cycle."

"Yes, we make good money, but for what we do it's paltry. We are like paupers compared to most other professions, but our pride in entertaining and making sure that when you pay money and come to a show you are absolutely entertained, that's why we do what we do," Runnels said.

Once again WWE finds itself in the spotlight over a wrestler's death, but will things change, or will the controversy only help grow the popularity of the sports entertainment?

Read full article here at CNN.com

Umaga dead, Eddie Fatu dies at age 36

Former WWE wrestler Eddie Fatu, better known as "Umaga" the "Samoan Bulldozer", is reportedly dead at the young age of 36. Details are still unconfirmed but reports say that Fatu's wife found him in a chair in his Texas home with blood coming out of his nose. At that time he wasn't breathing and was unresponsive. Apparently, he had fallen asleep watching television on 12/3/09 and never woke up. It's believed he died due to a heart attack at this time. One report comes from pwnews.com, which discusses what little is known regarding the death. The internet has been buzzing as fans search for "Umaga dead" and "Eddie Fatu" with no official confirmation other than TNA/UFC star Bobby Lashley's Twitter posts so far (see below).

Reports say Fatu was placed on life support with friends and family being informed of his condition. He was taken off life support earlier Friday afternoon. Many WWE fans will remember Umaga as a multi-time Intercontinental champion who was on the Raw and Smackdown TV shows. He participated in a number of Pay-Per-View events and have famous feuds with Jeff Hardy, Triple H and John Cena. At Wrestlemania several years ago, Umaga was Vince McMahon's representative in a "Hair vs Hair match" against Donald Trump's representative, Bobby Lashley.

It was a Twitter post from current TNA star Lashley, Twitter name: @fightbobby that first alerted many fans and media to the potential passing of Umaga. Lashley's two most recent posts read:

# Please say a prayer for Umaga. http://bit.ly/7J5erQ
about 2 hours ago from Facebook

# Very sad day today. A good friend is gone. http://bit.ly/6c9idw
about 5 hours ago from Facebook

Umaga was released by WWE back in June 2009 after he violated the WWE Wellness Policy, then refused to attend rehab services. His last known wrestling work was with Hulk Hogan and Ric Flair's pro-wrestling tour in Australia.

RIP to Eddie "Umaga" Fatu, age 36, and deepest condolences to all family, friends and fans.

See Umaga's official Wikipedia entry here.

UPDATE: WWE has released the following statement: "WWE would like to express its deepest condolences to Mr Fatu's family, friends and fans on his tragic passing.

"Mr Fatu was under contract with WWE at various time periods and most recently performed under the name Umaga. Mr Fatu's contract was terminated on June 11, 2009."

An article at The Sun UK website has noted that Eddie Fatu's family has confirmed his death.

Umaga's Alumni Page at WWE.com

Hulk Hogan and Ric Flair Ready 2 Rumble?

This Saturday, professional wrestling legends Hulk Hogan and Ric Flair will return to the squared circle for the first time in many years. The two sports entertainment icons are scheduled to clash as part of Hulkster's "Hulkamania Tour" in Australia. A recent Hogan-Flair press conference overseas garnered a lot of attention when Ric Flair attacked the Hulkster. In addition to bloodying up his former rival, Flair also was using his belt to whip anyone in range, and broke a photographer's equipment when he tossed a table into the press area. A recent ABC News article discussed Hogan's dedication to the Make a Wish Foundation as well as the press conference. (Read article here)

These two wrestling stars haven't been in the ring in several years now. Ric Flair was retired at Wrestlemania XXIV in a retirement match against his friend Shawn Michaels. Hulk Hogan last fought against Paul "Big Show" Wight at an independent Memphis Wrestling event. Both guys have been involved in the ring for different stories or TV shows since, but not for actual wrestling matches.

The actual tour will hit Melbourne's Rod Laver Arena on Saturday 11/21, Burwood Dome in Perth on Tuesday 11/24, Brisbane Entertainment Centre in Brisbane on Thursday 11/26 and finish up at the Acer Centre in Sydney on Saturday 11/28. Other wrestlers and personalities on the tour will include The Nasty Boys, Brutus Beefcake, Val Venis, Jimmy Hart, Rikishi, Orlando Jordan, Lacey Von Erich and Umaga.

See video footage of the Flair attack on Hogan here.

(Story Source: PWInsider.com)

WWE News: Raw 3-for-All, Punk, Orton

Here's some of the latest regarding the WWE, its wrestlers and other important news including info on Raw's title matches, Randy Orton, Umaga firing news and more!

First off, an update for Monday Night Raw: The special 3 hour "3-for-All" Show this coming Monday will include each of the brands' superstars in action and all three of the major titles on the line. Here's the final scheduled title matches:

ECW Title - Christian vs. Tommy Dreamer (c)
World Heavyweight - Edge vs. CM Punk (c)
WWE Title - John Cena vs. HHH vs. Big Show vs. Randy Orton (Fatal Fourway)

Charlotte Observer has a brief article about WWE star Randy Orton as he prepares to try to win back the WWE title in Charlotte this coming Monday on Raw's 3 hour show.

Read Charlotte Observer article on Randy Orton here.

Exclusive news report from The Sun UK about why Umaga (Eddie Fatu) was fired from the WWE. Apparently, he failed his second drug test and refused to go into rehab treatment.

See "WWE fired Umaga for drug test failure" at The Sun

When he's not insulting fans, demasking Rey Mysterio, making demands and winning the Intercontinental Title, Chris Jericho also likes to make music with his band "Fozzy". Icon vs. Icon has information regarding the next Fozzy album called "Chasing the Grail" as reported by Jericho himself.

See WWE Superstar Chris Jericho talks new Fozzy Album

Smackdown will invade Roanoke, Virginia this coming Tuesday for its latest episode featuring superstars such as Jeff Hardy, Edge and Chris Jericho in action. The Roanoke Times has "Wrasslin' roundup" in its Saturday paper, and a downloadable PDF version of it in color which includes bios on superstars Rey Mysterio, Chris Jericho, Edge and Jeff Hardy.

Download or view the color PDF here.

Jim Ross comments on gossip from websites which claimed he stated Shawn Michaels would be retiring in 2009. Ross also comments on The Undertaker, and talks about both superstars taking time off. In addition, he discusses Punk's new role as champion and Batista's injury/time off.

Read JR's BBQ latest blog here.

Mark Bright of ifight365.com discusses the latest episode of Smackdown and how it's really helping CM Punk's WWE career. Is Punk a heel or face, and does it matter?

Read "CM Punk looks like a Champ" at ifight365.com

Umaga is Released by WWE

Just recently a surprise move came when the WWE released returning superstar, Mr. Kennedy from its roster in the same week he returned to Raw. No real reason was given but gossip and rumors seemed to indicate Kennedy was in hot water with Randy Orton, and even worse with Vince McMahon.

Now the WWE has surprisingly released another if its talents, the Samoan Bulldozer, Umaga (Eddie Fatu). The WWE put the following short release statement on its website just hours ago.

World Wrestling Entertainment has come to terms on the release of SmackDown Superstar Umaga as of today, June 8, 2009. WWE wishes Umaga the best in all future endeavors.

The WWE has always been bizarre but these lack of explanations not only hurt the product but the fans. Umaga was just recently in a Samoan Strap match with CM Punk at Extreme Rules, which Umaga lost. There was no serious injury and now no explanation for another superstar's release. It can always be speculated that Umaga was released for drug violations, as he was part of a massive suspension by WWE years back. He was listed in the articles by Sports Illustrated and Washington Post as one of several WWE stars to have purchased pharmaceuticals from an online pharmacy, violating the Wellness program policies.

Umaga has defintely made for one of the more entertaining and savage characters in recent WWE history, a throwback to the Wild Samoans, Kamala and the Headshrinkers. He was part of an interesting feud with CM Punk on Smackdown where he kept preventing Punk from capturing the World Heavyweight Title. Punk finally got the Bulldozer off his back so to speak, and now he really won't have to worry about Umaga standing in his way again. It's a shame to see this guy gone, and now we're most likely to see not only Mr. Kennedy but also Umaga wrestling in that six-sided ring on TNA.

Smackdown Recap 06.05.09

Smackdown Recap from Memphis, TN:

SmackDown opened with the Cutting Edge, with Jeff Hardy as the special guest. The World Heavyweight Title was suspended up above the ring. There were several ladders set up inside the ring to promote their Extreme Rules match. Jeff Hardy climbed one of the ladders and told Edge that if he wanted to talk to him, he would have to do it while Jeff was up on the ladder. Edge climbed up the ladder and sat there talking to Jeff on the mic about what he plans to do. Jeff said people will be talking about their ladder match for years to come, even after they're done wrestling. Hardy said he's proud of who and what he is right now, despite what anyone else says. Hardy closed by saying Extreme Rules won't be his downfall, it will be his salvation. Edge said Hardy will need salvation this Sunday, then banged the hanging belt into his head twice, before shoving his ladder over. Jeff crashed to the ropes and then outside the ring to the floor.

John Morrison vs. Shelton Benjamin

Early in the match, Shelton kept Morrison down using elbow drops and various holds. Morrison turned momentum in his favor after a spin kick on Shelton. Morrison used a barrage of moves including smashing Benjamin into the corner turnbuckle. Shelton recovered and again took control of things, trying to get Morrison to quit via a half Boston crab style submission. Despite Benjamin continuing to punish Morrison's hurt left knee, Morrison regained momentum, eventually hitting Starship Pain to win it.

Winner: John Morrison wins via pinfall over Shelton Benjamin.

---

R-Truth vs. Chris Jericho

Chris Jericho comes out and says he’s going to expose Rey Mysterio. R-Truth came out and asked Jericho what’s up and called him a hypocrite. Truth then asked if Jericho thinks he’s a thug and said things are "about to get bad and that’s the truth".

As the match wound down, Truth gained momentum off the ropes but Jericho elbowed him down. Jericho missed on the Lionsault off the ropes, and then Truth came at him with a high kick. Truth reversed Jericho's Walls of Jericho into a pin attempt. Jericho went for another Walls of Jericho, then catapulted Truth into the corner. Truth managed to jump onto the second rope and then jumped back at Jericho. Jericho caught Truth from the air to hit the Codebreaker for the win.

Jericho backed up the ramp after his victory, and Rey Mysterio rushed out from backstage to attack him down the ramp.

Winner: Chris Jericho wins via pinfall over R-Truth.

CM Punk vs. Umaga

Punk responded to Umaga's brutal attacks by using kick after kick and a dropkick off the ropes to knock down Umaga. Punk with a failed pinfall attempt started hitting Umaga in the face with elbows, but Umaga caught Punk off the ropes and hit a spinning sideslam. Umaga started punching Punk in the corner, but Punk managed to shove Umaga into the corner then ran and hit him with the knee. Umaga grabbed the Samoan Strap from the corner and the ref started warning him about it. Punk grabbed Umaga and got him up in the GTS quickly to win the match over his nemesis prior to Extreme Rules.

Winner: CM Punk wins via pinfall over Umaga.

---

Smackdown commentators Todd Grisham & Jim Ross discussed this Sunday’s Extreme Rules pay-per-view and ran down the list of matches scheduled including Jeff Hardy versus Edge for the World Heavyweight Title in a Ladder Match.

Layla, Candice Michelle, & Alicia Fox vs. Melina, Eve, & Gail Kim
6 Diva Tag Team Match

WWE Diva Maria served as the special guest referee. Melina had control against layla in the ring, but things turned into a major brawl outside between the various divas. With all sorts of distraction going on outside the ring, Michelle McCool interfered to allow Layla to hit a winning neckbreaker on Melina for the pinfall.

Layla, Michelle McCool and Alicia Fox win via pinfall against Gail Kim, Eve Torres and Melina.

The Great Khali vs. Dolph Ziggler

Dolph Ziggler once issued an open locker room challenge to Smackdown's roster, and tonight Great Khali finally got his hands on the cocky new Smackdown star. From the onset, Khali leveled Ziggler to the mat, then backed him into a corner and started hammering away. Khali remained in control for most of the match, even smashing Ziggler into the ringpost outside and slapping away at him with his large hands. Ziggler's brief bit of offense included a dropkick on Khali and several other moves. Ziggler couldn't budge Khali or knock him to the mat, and in the end Khali hit the Punjabi Plunge to win it.

Winner: The Great Khali wins via pinfall over Dolph Ziggler.

---

Rey Mysterio vs. Edge

Edge was able to win after tackling down Mysterio with a Spear. After the match Edge tried to attack Rey with a ladder but Jeff Hardy came down to the ring to make the save before Smackdown went off the air.

Winner: Edge wins via pinfall over Rey Mysterio.

Smackdown Preview 06.05.09

Last week on Smackdown, Rey Mysterio was scheduled to team up with Jeff Hardy in the main event tag match against Chris Jericho and World Heavyweight Champion, Edge. Earlier in the night, Chris Jericho interrupted Mysterio's in-ring speech in the ring, saying that he intended to become the new Intercontinental Champion at Extreme Rules. Jericho also disrespected Rey Mysterio's Lucha Libre history and promised he will unmask the masked superstar in the future. As Mysterio made his way to the ring later in the night, he went to bump heads with his various masked fans in the audience. Unfortunately for Mysterio, one of those fans grabbed him, smashed him into the crowd barrier and then began to attack him. It turned out that masked "fan" was really Chris Jericho, intent on gaining the upperhand heading into Extreme Rules. Mysterio was clearly hurt and could not participate in the main event tag match. Now with Extreme Rules just a few days away, will Mysterio be able to compete? Will he show up on Smackdown again prior to the event?

Since Rey was sidelined for the main event, Jeff Hardy had a difficult dilemma; would he face two of the most conniving and underhanded superstars in a 2 on 1 Handicap match? The answer was yes as Hardy refused to back down from the challenge. Unfortunately for Hardy he didn't have enough to battle both men and they overwhelmed him. In the end, it was an Edge spear takedown that leveled Hardy and produced the win for he and Jericho. Hardy may have been taken down, but he's certainly not out. With Extreme Rules approaching in just a few days, both Edge and Hardy are looking to prepare themselves mentally. What will Smackdown have in store for each man as they head towards an exciting Ladder match for the World Heavyweight Title? Will Jeff find a way to even the score with Edge?

And finally, CM Punk and Umaga are looking to air out their grievances and settle their feud in the ring at the Extreme Rules PPV. Umaga challenged Punk to a Samoan Strap match and Punk, who's always been known to be extreme, accepted the challenge. In the past several weeks, Umaga has unmercifully taken out aggression on opponents, including tying up John Morrison and even CM Punk with the strap in the ring. Will Punk be able to find a way to gain the upperhand and defeat his nemesis at Extreme Rules? Or will Umaga continue to block the path of Mr. Money in the Bank 2009?

Extreme Rules is coming up fast, this Sunday on Pay-Per-View at 8PM EST! Rey Mysterio and Chris Jericho look ahead to their No Holds Barred match for the Intercontinental Title, while Edge and Jeff Hardy will battle in a Ladder match over the World Heavyweight Title. How will these superstars of Smackdown prepare themselves for the event?

Catch all the action of Smackdown tonight at 8PM EST on MyNetworkTV!

Smackdown Recap 05.29.09

Smackdown Recap from Los Angeles, CA:

The show kicked off with Rey Mysterio coming to the ring to hype up his No Holds Barred IC title match against Chris Jericho. Jericho came down to interrupt and told Rey he'll not only win the title but eventually unmask Mysterio. Rey reminded Jericho of what Rourke did to him at Wrestlemania 25, and Rourke was shown in the front row, encouraging Jericho to come get some more. Jericho said he was too professional to go after Rourke right now. Jericho tried to use the moment for a quick attack on Mysterio, but Rey fought him off forcing Jericho out of the ring and up the ramp.

R-Truth & The Great Khali vs. Dolph Ziggler & Mike Knox

Before the match, Truth and Khali performed the "What's Up?" intro in the ring with Khali getting on the mic to ask "What's up?" Early in the match, Truth was able to display solid moves against Ziggler, while Khali got in to combat Knox, booting him down. Despite that, Knox retaliated on Truth when he tagged in. Truth eventually turned things around, and Khali got back in to fight Knox. Khali eventually won the match by hitting Knox with the Punjabi Plunge. After their victory, Khali, Truth and Singh all danced in the ring together.

Winners: The Great Khali & R-Truth defeated Dolph Ziggler & Mike Knox.

---

Melina vs. Alicia Fox
Non-Title Match

With #1 contender Michelle McCool rooting her on, Alicia Fox looked to get revenge after Melina slapped her a week ago. Alicia had some brief bits of offense, but overall the match was quick and Melina got the convincing win with her leg slam move which became a leg split pin. After the bell, Michelle got in the ring holding the Women's Championship and confronting Melina.

Winner: WWE Women's Champion Melina defeated Alicia Fox.

Jeff Hardy was in the ring where he discussed his upcoming Ladder match against Edge at Extreme Rules for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship. Jeff confidently told the WWE Universe he expects to come out on top as the new champ.

John Morrison vs. Umaga

As the match was about to start, the ref instructed Umaga to get his Samoan Strap off the ring apron so it couldn't be used as a weapon. Morrison started attacking early on, taking Umaga to the corner to punch away at him. Morrison was able to surprise attack Umaga on the outside by jumping on him, and even stayed in control inside the ring delivering a kick to Umaga while he was down on the mat. Umaga gained control with Morrison fighting back. Things finally ended when Umaga brought the Samoan Strap into play causing a DQ. Despite the match ending, Umaga hung Morrison up in the corner using the strap to tie him, then attacked him in the corner. CM Punk showed up with his MITB briefcase and bashed Umaga on the skull with it.

After Umaga left the ring, Todd Grisham interviewed Punk in the ring. Punk said he's not sure how to go about the Samoan Strap match but will meet the challenge like he's always done.

Winner: John Morrison wins due to disqualification of Umaga.

---

Cryme Tyme vs. Haas & Benjamin

Early on, Cryme Tyme worked well together using tag team moves on Shelton Benjamin. Haas and Benjamin responded though as they were able to keep JTG isolated from a tag to Shad. Haas and Benjamin used move after move on a beaten up JTG, including leg drops, choking him against the ropes and a neckbreaker by Shelton. JTG finally managed to tag in Shad who came in to level Benjamin for a pin. Haas rushed in to hit Shad and break it up, and JTG recovered enough to springboard over Shad and take Haas out. With all the distractions in the ring, Shelton managed to grab Shad for the Pay Dirt to win it.

Winners: Shelton Benjamin & Charlie Haas defeated Cryme Tyme.

Eve Torres vs. Layla El

Early on, Layla tried to punish Eve with submission holds, stretching her arms back. Eve battled back, and clotheslined Layla, then used a high dropkick to ground her. Towards the end of the match, Layla flew at Eve with a cross body for a pin, but Eve managed to reverse it and scored the winning pinfall herself. Even though Eve was victorious, Layla wasn't happy with the decision and tried to attack, but Eve tossed her outside of the ring.

In a battle of Smackdown WWE Divas, Eve defeated Layla.

Winner: Eve wins via pinfall over Layla.

---

Rey Mysterio & Jeff Hardy vs. Chris Jericho & Edge

On his way to the ring Mysterio knocked heads with other masked fans. One fan Mysterio went up to smashed Rey's head into the crowd barrier, then hopped over it to attack Rey on the ramp. It was revealed to be Chris Jericho. Due to Mysterio being hurt, he was unable to compete. Jeff Hardy agreed to go into a 2 on 1 Handicap match, and held his own against Edge and Jericho. Hardy had the advantage on Edge as he battled away, but Edge nailed him to win it with a surprise Spear. Edge gloated with his World Heavyweight Title belt as Smackdown left the air.

Winners: WWE World Heavyweight Champion Edge & Chris Jericho defeated Jeff Hardy in a 2 on 1 Handicap match.

---

Smackdown Preview 05.29.09

Last week's Smackdown gave the WWE Universe three more exciting matches to expect at the upcoming Extreme Rules Pay-Per-View in early June. Early during the show, Edge came to the ring to berate members of the Smackdown roster including CM Punk, Chris Jericho and Jeff Hardy. Jeff Hardy showed up to confront the Rated-R Superstar, with GM Theodore Long there to intervene. Long said Jeff would get a rematch at Extreme Rules and then booked Jeff to face Edge that same night. The winner of the match would get to choose the stipulation for their Extreme Rules World Heavyweight Title match. Jeff managed to pick up the win and let the WWE Universe he'd be facing Edge in a Ladder match. Edge had a look of shock on his face as the stipulation was announced, but nonetheless he's competed in many memorable Ladder matches in the past, just as Jeff Hardy has. Does one of these superstars have an advantage heading towards Extreme Rules? What will go down between these future opponents on tonight's show?

Another match set for Extreme Rules will be a continuation of the feud between Chris Jericho and Rey Mysterio. At Judgment Day, Mysterio successfully defended his Intercontinental Title against Jericho with a pinfall victory. Jericho wasn't satisfied with the outcome and the two will now do battle under the stipulations of a No Holds Barred match. Jericho has recently denounced Mysterio and his wearing of the Lucha libre mask, while Mysterio has let fans know how important a symbol the mask is to him. Will Jericho make an attempt to de-mask Mysterio on tonight's show? Or will Rey Mysterio once again find a way to gain the upperhand?

And tonight will see two of Smackdown's newest divas, and former WWE Diva Search winners put their fight into the ring. In an official match, WWE Divas Eve Torres and Layla will go head to head. Over the past few weeks the two divas have been in a number of cat fights, including one that erupted during a dance-off in Madison Square Garden. The two divas were pulled apart by Cryme Tyme, but only continued to display their hatred for one another on the following weeks show with yet another brawl. Which of these two lovely WWE Divas will pick up the win, and will it be enough to end their feud?

Catch WWE Smackdown Friday nights on MyNetworkTV at 8PM EST!

2009 Extreme Rules PPV Matches

The 2009 Extreme Rules Pay-Per-View by WWE will appear to be all rematches at first glance. In fact, the majority of the pairings were seen at the last Pay-per-View, Judgment Day 2009. However, this time the participants will play by different rules, with stipulations attached to each of the matchups. Below you'll find the latest card for the Extreme Rules event which takes place at New Orleans Arena on Sunday June 7, 2009 starting at 8PM EST live on Pay-Per-View.

Batista vs. Randy Orton
WWE Title
Steel Cage Match

At Judgment Day, Randy Orton did everything in his power and book of tricks to avoid being pinned by Batista. He exited the ring multiple times, grabbed onto the ringpost to try to get counted out, tried to bring a steel chair and his WWE title into play as weapons. Ultimately, Batista took control and was looking to win the WWE Title, but Orton seeing no other way, decided to slap the referee officiating their match, who immediately called for the DQ. Batista had won the match, but Orton had kept his WWE title. After the bell, Legacy hit the ring to attack Batista, with Ric Flair showing up to help Batista ward them off. Since Batista didn't get a fair chance to make a pinfall on his opponent, GM Vickie Guerrero (with input from Ric Flair), chose to pit Batista against Orton in a steel cage. This time there has to be a clear winner, either by pinfall, submission, or exiting the steel cage before the other man. The winner takes the ultimate prize: the WWE title.

Jeff Hardy vs. Edge
World Heavyweight Title
Ladder Match

Jeff Hardy was in serious control of his title match against Edge and looking to finally win the World Heavyweight Title. Unfortunately for Jeff, his disgruntled brother Matt Hardy interfered in his affairs yet again, appearing from out of the crowd to bash Jeff with his hard arm cast. Jeff still kept going, but in the end was caught by an Edge spear, and eventually hit by the Edgecution. Edge retained his title and went as far as to call out superstars like Chris Jericho, CM Punk and Jeff Hardy on Smackdown for losing at Judgment Day. Jeff showed up to once again challenge Edge. Smackdown GM Theodore Long arranged for the two to fight in a non title match on the 5/25/09 Smackdown, with the winner getting to choose their Extreme Rules match stipulation. Jeff was able to defeat Edge using a Twist of Fate, and told the WWE Universe after the match that he and Edge will face one another in the classic Ladder match. Both men are familiar with the format, but only one will leave as World Champion!

John Cena vs. Big Show
Submission Match

After Big Show cost Cena the World Heavyweight Title at Backlash and caused him serious internal injuries, John Cena looked for payback at Judgment Day. Despite still being under 100%, Cena was cleared to wrestle his much bigger and more powerful opponent. Cena kept his honor and dignity in tact, as he overcame insurmountable odds to hoist up Big Show and slam him with the Attitude Adjustment. However, Big Show was not ready to put their feud to rest just yet. On a recent episode of Raw, Show was granted a match he stated he can't lose; a Submission match against John Cena at Extreme Rules. Show has been seen punishing numerous wrestlers via his holds in recent weeks such as Jerry Lawler and Goldust. Will Cena be next to fall prey to Show's submission maneuver, or will Cena be able to apply the STFU for good measure and a victory?

CM Punk vs. Umaga
Samoan Strap Match

At Judgment Day, Umaga put an exclamation point on his series of recent attacks on Smackdown newcomer and Mr. Money in the Bank 2009, CM Punk. Umaga gained the victory in their feud which has seen the Samoan Bulldozer attack Punk several times right as Punk was ready to cash in his Money in the Bank briefcase for a title opportunity against Edge. Punk is nonetheless looking to avenge his loss somehow and on the 5/25/09 episode of Smackdown, Umaga once again came out to make a statement. This time after leveling Punk he placed a leather strap on him with Punk hanging upside down in the ring corner. Umaga who is a wrestler of few words got onto the microphone to challenge his adversary Punk to a "Samoan Strap" match. This is a match that seems familiar as there's been plenty of strap and chain matches, but never between these two intense competitors. Which man will make best use of the weapon and gain the advantage to win?

Chris Jericho vs. Rey Mysterio
Intercontinental Title match
No Holds Barred

Even though Rey Mysterio stated on a recent Smackdown he was concentrating on new opponents and trying to offer new stars a shot, he will once again put his title on the line against Chris Jericho at Extreme Rules. Mysterio said he wants to be one of the all-time great IC champs, but Jericho is an 8-time champion looking for a historic 9th reign. In this contest, no moves are off limit, making it seem like Jericho has an advantage over his smaller opponent. Will this be Jericho's next title reign, or will Mysterio continue writing himself into the history books as a great champion?

Santina Marella vs. Vickie Guerrero
Hog Pen Match for Miss Wrestlemania Title

On WWE Raw's 05/18/09 episode, Santina Marella was forced into a match against Raw's General Manager Vickie Guerrero with the Miss Wrestlemania title on the line. Chavo Guerrero was the culprit who arranged the match due to his dislike for Santino Marella. Santina was able to dispose of Chavo who was at ringside and then turned her attention towards Vickie Guerrero. Before Santina could pounce on the GM, a despicable William Regal made his way into the ring and proceeded to attack, leaving Santina down on the mat so Vickie could make the easy pinfall. Vickie ecstatically became Miss Wrestlemania and donned the sash and crown which she's worn proudly now on Raw. On 5/25/09 Santino and Mickie James won a mixed tag match against Beth Phoenix and Chavo Guerrero, which gave Santino the power to choose the match type/stipulation for Vickie & Santina's showdown at Extreme Rules. Santino ran through all sorts of interesting ideas but ultimately arrived at a Hog Pen Match. What sorts of hilarity and comedic action will happen in this match which has been seen only a few times before in WWE history? Will Santina leave mud on Vickie and take back the crown?

Tommy Dreamer vs. Jack Swagger vs. Christian

Tommy Dreamer doesn't have much longer left on his ECW/WWE contract, and he's made the statement that if he can't win the ECW title again before his contract's up, he's retiring. Christian being a gracious champion gave Dreamer a few opportunities to win the title, but each time a jealous Jack Swagger interfered and caused the match to end prematurely in DQ. Swagger demanded yet another rematch and was granted one for Extreme Rules. However, the beautiful interim ECW GM Tiffany arrived to the ring to inform Christian and Swagger they'd be in a Triple Threat match, with the third opponent, Tommy Dreamer. Tiffany also announced that Dreamer extended his contract for 1 day so he could compete at Extreme Rules. Will the ECW original be able to regain his glory and become ECW champion again? Will Jack Swagger once again spoil the party, and possibly take back the title? Or will Captain Charisma hold onto his title and receive a passing of the torch from Dreamer?

"You're Going Down" by Sick Puppies is the official theme song for Extreme Rules 2009. Watch all the exciting action on Sunday June 7, 2009, live on Pay-Per-View!

Smackdown Recap 05.22.09

Smackdown Recap from Cincinatti, OH:

World Heavyweight Edge came down to the ring after Smackdown opened. Edge discussed how he's the face of the show and got on the cases of fellow Smackdown stars Jeff Hardy, Chris Jericho and CM Punk for their loses at Judgment Day. General Manager Theodore Long came down to the ring to announce that Jeff Hardy will have a rematch against Edge for the title at Extreme Rules Pay-Per-View. Jeff Hardy came out next and asked the crowd if they wanted to see that match take place tonight on Smackdown. Teddy Long booked Jeff to face Edge later in the show (non-title) with the winner getting to choose the stipulation for their Extreme Rules title match.

John Morrison & Cryme Tyme vs. Ricky Ortiz, Shelton Benjamin & Charlie Haas

Haas and Benjamin worked together as a team to isolate JTG, keeping him away from a tag while wearing him down with submission holds. JTG finally managed to escape from Haas and made a tag to John Morrison who came in to hit a high drop kick on Haas. At one point, with Morrison and Haas both down, Ortiz and Benjamin came in to attack Shad. Despite the melee, Haas tried to flip Morrison, but in the end was hit with Morrison's finisher, Starship Pain.

Winners: John Morrison & Cryme Tyme win via pinfall over Ricky Ortiz, Shelton Benjamin & Charlie Haas

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Josh Matthews interviewed Womens Champion Melina backstage. Melina spoke about tonight's #1 contender match between Gail Kim and Michelle McCool. Melina is anxious to see what Smackdown has to offer for divas competition since she ran through what Raw had. Michelle's pal Alicia Fox came up to interrupt telling Melina Michelle said to warm up the title for her. Melina slapped Alicia to end the segment.

Gail Kim vs. Michelle McCool
#1 Contender Match

Former Womens champion Gail Kim battled her nemesis Michelle McCool with the winner getting a shot at Melina's title. Both divas battled intensely, with Alicia Fox watching from the outside and lending a hand to Michelle. At one point in the match, with Gail on the apron Alicia Fox grabbed her leg. Gail was able to ram Alicia's head into the ringpost, but the distraction allowed Michelle to take control and hit her finisher the Faithbreaker on Gail for the win.

Winner: Michelle McCool wins via pinfall over Gail Kim to become #1 Conender for the WWE Womens Championship.

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Rey Mysterio was interviewed backstage. Rey said that basically he's moving on past Chris Jericho now to give some of the younger wrestling stars a chance. Mysterio also spoke about the significance of his mask, and wanting to be one of the all-time great IC champs.

CM Punk vs. Chris Jericho

In a rematch from their WWE Superstars match, these two Smackdown stars were back in the ring a night later. A good back and forth match with Punk using quick kicks to try to knock Jericho down. Jericho tried using various submission holds to wear Punk down or get him to quit, but it was to no avail. Punk escaped Walls of Jericho by struggling to stretch over and grab the ropes. Finally, Punk managed to put Jericho up in the GTS and hit it for the pinfall win. Punk's celebration was shortlived though, as Umaga came out again to attack. Umaga leveled Punk then hung him upside down in the corner and tied him with a leather strap. Umaga got on the microphone and challenged Punk to a Samoan Strap match for Extreme Rules.

Winner: CM Punk wins via pinfall over Chris Jericho.

Backstage, Ricky Ortiz & Maria are shown talking. Ortiz tells Maria he plans to rally up. As Jeff Hardy walks by, Maria leaves Ortiz to talk to him instead. Maria tells Hardy he did a good job at Judgment Day, and they start to discuss Extreme Rules. After Hardy leaves, Ortiz tells Maria she is looking for love in all the wrong places. Ortiz told Maria: "keep your head up and rally up", then handed her his rally towel.

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R-Truth vs. Dolph Ziggler

DTruth came out rapping once again, but his crowd-inspiring performance didn't help him in the ring. Newer Smackdown member, Dolph Ziggler used chinlocks and headlocks to wear his opponent down in the ring. Truth finally powered out of Ziggler's hold and knocked him down, but out of nowhere Ziggler hit a suprise neckbreaker to capture the win.

After Ziggler won, The Great Khali arrived to the scene where he chased Ziggler back into the ring and Truth hit him with a forearm uppercut move.

Winner: Dolph Ziggler wins via pinfall over R-Truth.

Highlights of the ongoing feud between WWE Divas Eve and Layla are shown. A match between the two is announced for next week's Smackdown. Also announced for Extreme Rules is Rey Mysterio defending the IC title against Jericho in a No Holds Barred match.

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Jeff Hardy vs. Edge
Winner chooses Stipulation

Jeff Hardy defeated Edge. Hardy missed on a pair Twist of Fates, but eventually hit the third and then the Swanton Bomb for the win via pinfall. Todd Grisham interviewed Jeff following his victory to find out what stipulation Jeff chose for Extreme Rules. Jeff said that of course it will be a Ladder Match at the Pay-Per-View.

Winner: Jeff Hardy wins via pinfall over Edge.

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Smackdown Preview 05.22.09

This week's Smackdown episode comes almost a week after the latest WWE Pay-Per-View, Judgment Day 2009. At the event, several of Smackdown's superstars were in action. In the main event, the Rated-R Superstar Edge defended his World Heavyweight title against the enigma, Jeff Hardy. The match was a back and forth affair, which saw Hardy start to take an advantage on the outside of the ring. Unfortunately for Jeff, his vengeance-fueled brother Matt decided to spoil the fight. Matt came out and suddenly bashed his brother with his arm cast, which eventually led up to Edge pulling off the win. While many fans and wrestling analysts were predicting Jeff Hardy's second major title reign, it was not to be. Now that the next PPV, Extreme Rules is on the horizon, will a rematch be set up between Jeff and Edge for the title? Or will a new challenger step into the World Heavyweight Title scenario?

Smackdown superstar Rey Mysterio made a successful defense of his Intercontinental Championship against Chris Jericho at Judgment Day. Jericho had cockily bragged prior to the match that he'd leave the arena as the champion, but failed to do so in his first attempt at Mysterio. Many fans and analysts referred to this as the match of the night, with Shelton Benjamin and John Morrison's match also rating highly. John Morrison seems to have major momentum now that he's coming off a big victory over Shelton. Will Morrison soon be thrust into the Intercontinental Title picture, or will Chris Jericho still be top contender? Also, will Jericho be celebrating a victory over CM Punk on WWE Superstars this Friday night?

And finally, the opening match of Judgment Day saw the Samoan Bulldozer Umaga beat the reigning Money in the Bank winner, CM Punk. It appeared Umaga was in complete control of the straightedged superstar, beating him in and around the ring. CM Punk started to gain some momentum, but unfortunately for him, he couldn't lift Umaga into the GTS, due to the strain and wearing down Umaga gave him. Umaga won it with the Samoan Spike, leveling Punk to the mat for a victory. CM Punk has now suffered back-to-back losses at Pay-Per-Views, with Kane and Umaga both defeating him. Will Mr. Money in the Bank be able to rebound from these losses? Will Punk have scored a big victory over Chris Jericho on WWE Superstars? Is Umaga going to keep going after Punk and preventing his opportunity to cash in for a title match?

Find out all the answers on WWE's Smackdown this Friday evening at 8PM EST on MyNetworkTV!

The Verdict: 2009 Judgment Day

The 2009 Judgment Day Pay-Per-View was pretty much done by the book as the matches were relatively easy to figure out based on the fact that 3 titles changed hands at the last Pay-Per-View, Backlash. No title changes occurred last night and we basically saw an extension of the current feuds and title pictures. John Cena once again showed his Superman/Hulkster type will to win against the odds, and Randy Orton found a way to DQ himself in a match yet again, to preserve the WWE Title from the Animal. There were a few surprises (Ric Flair & Matt Hardy), and the Mysterio-Jericho Intercontinental Title match gave us some classic stuff unseen before, as did Shelton vs. Morrison.

The opener may have given some fans a false impression. CM Punk's loss to Umaga made it look as if he would in fact show up after the Edge vs. Jeff Hardy match to cash in the MITB briefcase. Remember that Chris Jericho showed up after being beaten up by Shawn Michaels at a Pay-Per-View and took Punk's spot in the Championship Scramble, to win the title. So it appeared that Punk would be dominated by Umaga and somehow make it out to cash in, but that was not to be. Many people were under the belief that Jeff Hardy would leave Judgment Day as WWE champion, but once again Edge found opportunity and kept his gold. Matt Hardy showing up and interfering was surprising and a strange situation as that feud appeared dead. It really looked as if Matt Hardy was now moving on to going after MVP's US Title. But instead, Matt showed up to club Jeff with his cast, and basically played a part in the match. Will these two brothers be competing yet again at the next Pay-Per-View or on one of the TV shows perhaps?

Another surprise was Ric Flair showing up out of nowhere at the end of the Orton-Batista match. Orton exited the scene with his belt in hand, while the fans went wild for the Nature Boy. Flair has stated he'd love to still be a part of the Raw show, even if it's not in a traditional wrestling role. In an interview he spoke of his love for the business and just being part of Raw. So possibly Flair will now be a corner man for Batista in the next WWE Title match. If I had to choose a next match, it'd be great to see a Triple Threat or Fatal Fourway for the WWE Title though. Big Show, John Cena, Batista and Orton would make for a pairing we really haven't seen before. Or maybe we'll get the unfortunate news that they will be in tag action for the next Pay-Per-View. I think a Batista-Cena-Orton Triple Threat could be spectacular to watch.

Perhaps the main thing to take away from this Pay-Per-View is quite simple; there were several rule-bending wins and some trickery involved in the big title matches of the event, allowing all 3 champs to retain. The next Pay-Per-View is called "Extreme Rules" which seems fitting. If you look at how Christian won (by pulling on tights), Orton DQ'd himself, and Edge won with a little help from Matt Hardy's involvement, then it will definitely lead up to a set of different matches with "extreme rules" stipulations. Possibly a No DQ between Batista and Orton? Falls count anywhere between Swagger & Christian (although Tommy Dreamer may need to get involved in a title match soon)...There may be a lack of ideas though, because the Hardy's have fought in all sorts of situations, so what's left? Maybe a TLC match, and where's that leave Edge, Umaga and CM Punk? I think the best thing WWE is doing right now is the story involving Punk's constant attempt to cash in with Umaga getting in the way. It's a fresh story and keeps us all on our toes as to whether Punk will ever cash in, or someone else will take it away from him (like Edge did to Kennedy years back).

So now that the basics of Judgment Day are out of the way, let's prepare to get extreme...

Get 2009 Judgment Day PPV Results here

2009 Judgment Day PPV Results

Welcome to the 2009 Judgment Day Pay-Per-View results page courtesy of WWE Characters the Blog! The 2009 Judgment Day Pay-Per-View occurred live presented by WWE from Chicago's Allstate Arena on Sunday, May 17th, 2009 starting at 8PM EST. It included matches involving superstars from WWE's Raw, ECW and Smackdown television programs.

The 2009 Judgment Day PPV card included all three major titles up for grabs, as Edge defended against Jeff Hardy (World Heavyweight Title), Randy Orton defended against Batista (WWE title), and Christian defended against Jack Swagger (ECW Title). In addition, Rey Mysterio defended his Intercontinental title against Chris Jericho. Also, there were two feuds on the card with WWE Superstar John Cena took on the massive Big Show, and CM Punk challenging the Samoan Bulldozer Umaga...

Here's the complete 2009 Judgment Day results:

CM Punk vs. Umaga

From the onset of this matchup, the Samoan Bulldozer was in complete control of CM Punk. Even though Punk tried to attack as things started, Umaga showed his dominance. Umaga tossed Punk around like a ragdoll early on, and at one point threw him into the steel post. Several times, Umaga used his nerve pinching hold on Punk, who had hurt his shoulder on the ring post. The crowd kept chanting for Punk, giving him support, as Umaga continued to stay on offense. CM Punk finally gained advantage as Umaga missed on a flying headbutt attempt. Punk was able to knock Umaga to the outside and dove out onto him. Back inside the ring, Punk hit a running knee on Umaga, and eventually the Bulldog. After a high kick and bodypress on Umaga, Punk tried to pick up Umaga, but couldn't. Umaga went for the Samoan Spike once, but Punk avoided it, but on the next try Punk wasn't so lucky, as Umaga connected to level Punk for the pinfall.

Winner: Umaga wins via pinfall over CM Punk.

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Jack Swagger vs. Christian
ECW Title Match

Early on in this title fight, Christian nearly had the Killswitch on Swagger. As the match continued, Swagger rushed at Christian, with the champ pulling down the ropes so Swagger would fall out. Christian followed up by jumping onto Swagger on the outside. Back in the ring, the two continued the fight, with Swagger using various amateur wrestling takedowns and moves. At one point, Swagger tried for a rollup pin on Christian, but was grabbing Christian's tights. The referee noticed it and stopped counting the pin. Christian went for the Killswitch again, but Swagger reversed it and slammed Christian down hard. As Swagger pulled his straps down, Christian grabbed him and rolled him up. While holding Swagger's tights, Christian scored the winning pinfall to retain the ECW title.

Winner: Christian wins via pinfall over Jack Swagger to retain the ECW Title.

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John Morrison vs. Shelton Benjamin

A late addition to the PPV card saw the Gold Standard and the Shaman of Sexy going at it in the ring. Benjamin was accompanied by Charlie Haas.In the match, Morrison and Benjamin both displayed some impressive offense never seen before, including a flying Russian leg sweep by Morrison, and Shelton catching Morrison from the air to Powerbomb him into the corner turnbuckle. Shelton went for a pinfall from there but only score the two count. With both men back up, Morrison was able to go off the second rope to hit Charlie Haas off the apron, then delivered a high kick on Shelton, knocking him down. Morrison followed up with his finisher to score the winning pinfall on Shelton Benjamin.

Winner: John Morrison wins via pinfall over Shelton Benjamin.

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An in-ring segment went down involving The Miz, as he came down to the ring unexpectedly. Miz called the winner of the last match (Morrison) "Marty Janetty" as the crowd started to get annoyed with The Miz. Miz began insulting John Cena again and then turned his attention to Chicago Cubs player, Alfonso Soriano who was in the crowd. Miz challenged Soriano to come fight him in the ring, then pretended to get a phone call. Miz told Soriano it was his manager who said he'd rather Soriano get his annual injury on the baseball field rather than off it. Santino Marella came down to interrupt The Miz, and began talking about how certain wrestlers look like animals, such as Vickie Guerrero looks like a pig, and then said Miz is like a "jackass". The two wrestlers started going at it, reversing each others' moves as the crowd was back and forth rooting for Santino or booing Miz. Finally, Miz knocked Santino to the mat, then did a Frogsplash on him off the corner. Miz left the ring cockily after taunting Santino some more.

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Chris Jericho vs. Rey Mysterio
Intercontinental Title Match

Smackdown commentator noted on his JR's BBQ blog this past week that this could be the match of the PPV. Prior to the match in a backstage interview Chris Jericho promised he'd become the new Intercontinental champion tonight. Jim Ross pointed out during the match that Jericho holds the record for most reigns as Intercontinental champion with 8. Both men gave it their all in this one, including Mysterio knocking Jerich outside the ring, crashing onto him, then whipping him to the crowd barrier. At one point in the ring, Jericho attempted to remove Mysterio's mask. Mysterio came off the corner to Splash Jericho and hit him with a huge kick, but could only score a 2 count. While Mysterio went for 619, Jericho was able to counter and turn it into the Walls of Jericho. Mysterio tried to crawl his way over to the ropes, but Jericho pulled him right back to center ring. Finally, Rey reversed it into a pinfall, but Jericho escaped it. Jericho Powerbombed Mysterio but Rey bounced back. With a surprise move, Rey was finally able to hit the 619 on Jericho in the corner. After a springboard off the top onto Jericho, Rey collected the pinfall win to retain his title!

Winner: Rey Mysterio wins via pinfall over Chris Jericho to retain the Intercontinental Title.

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Batista vs. Randy Orton
WWE Title Match

This matchup spilled to the outside several times, and also saw Orton take refuge outside the ring several times as well. Orton finally managed to gain the upperhand and began to systematically kick away at Batista. Orton used the chinlock quite a bit to try to wear The Animal down. In a move similar to the DDT on Stephanie McMahon, Orton DDT'd Batista from off the middle rope to the mat. From there, Orton tried to go for a Punt kick on Batista, but The Animal responded with a furious Spear to take down the champ. Batista continued with the momentum and also Speared Orton in the corner, before hitting a huge Powerslam. After a two count, Orton escaped the ring and yelled at the ref to count him out, with Batista coming out after Orton.

The fight continued outside, as Orton tried to hold onto a ringpost and get counted out. Batista finally pried him away and tossed Orton back inside the ring. Orton continued trying to find ways to avoid getting pinned, as he went outside the ring again, and then yanked Batista face first against the top rope. Orton grabbed a steel chair and tried to bring it inside, but Batista knocked the weapon out of his hands. In the ring, Batista slammed Orton then went for the Batista Bomb, but Orton managed to escape. This time, Orton went to the outside, grabbed his WWE Title belt and started up the ramp. The Animal was able to retrieve him and get him to the ring before a countout. In the ring, Batista once again tried for the Batista Bomb, but Orton escaped. Orton was able to toss Batista into a ringpost hurting his shoulder, then went for the RKO. Batista shoved Orton away. A frustrated Orton finally got himself disqualified with a hard slap to the referee. Suddenly, the Nature Boy Ric Flair showed up to attack Randy Orton. Orton escaped up the ramp, as Batista's theme music went on and the crowd erupted.

Winner: Batista wins due to disqualification of Randy Orton. Orton retains the WWE Title.

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John Cena vs. Big Show

It was noted by the commentators that John Cena was cleared to wrestle Big Show at Judgment Day 2009, but he was nowhere near 100% for the match. Early on, Cena appeared to be favoring his ribs as he rolled to avoid Big Show. Show finally caught Cena and began his punishment in the ring. Big Show slammed Cena, tossed him to the outside, stood on his ribs, and even splashed him hard in the corner. Cena managed to break free of an excruciating Bear Hug by Big Show. Cena finally gained some momentum, with a Bulldog on Big Show and eventually the Five Knuckle Shuffle. Big Show recovered fast and tried to Chokeslam Cena down. Cena escaped it and was able to get Show down for the STF submission. Show escaped and was able to level Cena with a clothesline, then eventually came off the ropes to hit a "Vader Bomb" on Cena. Cena kicked out at 2 to the surprise of Big Show and the commentators. Cena tried for his finisher several times with Big Show avoiding it. After slamming Cena down hard, Show prepared to give him a knockout punch. Cena staggered to his feet and ducked the punch attempt, then picked up Show on his shoulders. Cena was able to hit the Attitude Adjustment and claimed a tough pinfall victory.

Winner: John Cena wins via pinfall over Big Show.

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Jeff Hardy vs. Edge
World Heavyweight Title

The crowd was definitely behind the enigmatic superstar, Jeff Hardy, as he made his way down to the ring for the PPV's main event. World Heavyweight Champion Edge looked to find an opportunity to put Hardy away and keep his title secured. It seemed as if Hardy was able to keep coming at Edge, no matter what during this matchup. At one point, Jeff missed on a move from off the top rope, with Edge moving away. Jeff was able to hit suplexes, neckbreakers and a big flying cross body on the champ. At one point, Jeff locked a Sharpshooter on Edge, and at another Hardy went for a running move to jump at Edge on the announcers' table. Edge was able to tackle Jeff down from the air with a Spear. Jeff was nearly counted out and got back inside the ring at 9. Inside the ring, Jeff got his Whisper in the Wind on Edge. Jeff hit a Twist of Fate, then took Edge to the outside for an interesting move involving the steel steps where Jeff clotheslined Edge into the crowd. Suddenly, Jeff's brother Matt came into play and hit Jeff with his cast. Edge prepared for the Spear in the ring, but Jeff managed to trip him into the turnbuckle. Jeff went to the top rope, but slipped on his climb. Edge climbed up to battle him and ended up hitting the Edgecution from the top rope for the pinfall victory.

Winner: Edge wins via pinfall over Jeff Hardy to retain the World Heavyweight Title.

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You can click here to refresh this page during WWE's 2009 Judgment Day event for updated results from the Pay-Per-View! Thanks for stopping by and be sure to check out WWE Characters the Blog for all the results, as well as a preview of the upcoming 05/18/09 episode of WWE's Monday Night Raw!

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2009 Judgment Day PPV Predictions

Some WWE Pay-Per-Views bring several title changes at once, while others bring rather predictable outcomes. Wrestlemania 25 seemed pretty predictable while Backlash seemed to hold several big title wins. In that event, it may be a foregone conclusion to say Backlash will be back basics and routine. There's 1 potential title change, but for the most part things should stay status quo. Jeff Hardy is back in the title picture against Edge with a ton of momentum, as is Batista in his quest to beat Randy Orton for the WWE belt. We also are continually being teased by CM Punk cashing in his MITB briefcase on Edge, but to no avail. Could this be where it finally happens? Let's take a look at the 2009 Judgment Day analysis and predictions.

CM Punk vs. Umaga

Umaga is not only the Samoan Bulldozer, he's also a big obstacle that's been standing in CM Punk's path for the World Heavyweight title. Several times Punk was ready to cash in the briefcase, and several times Umaga intervened and prevented it. This match may be on the card to take the focus away from the MITB. This could be a grueling match that Punk survives, and leaves Umaga KO'd so he can finally cash in later in the night.

Prediction: CM Punk knocks out Umaga with the briefcase.

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Chris Jericho vs. Rey Mysterio
Intercontinental Championship

There were earlier reports that Mysterio was injured during his match against Shelton Benjamin for Smackdown this past week. Commentator Jim Ross has noted that the IC match will go on for Judgment Day and may be "match of the PPV". Since Rey's injury seems like he'll be ok, Rey should retain here to continue this feud on Smackdown. I'm really thinking we may get a Jericho-Undertaker feud heading into Wrestlemania 26, but that's months away.

Prediction: Rey Mysterio is able to retain the IC title.

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John Cena vs. Big Show

So much emphasis has been put on Big Show being the big bully, while Cena is the man fighting for his honor and dignity while he's injured. Cena will probably pull off the victory here. After all, he was able to hit the Attitude Adjustment on Edge and Show during their Wrestlemania 25 title fight. Cena will eventually move on to challenge Batista at Summerslam, which is approaching quickly. But for now, Cena and Show will continue their feud.

Prediction: John Cena wins via pinfall over Big Show, but the feud lives on.

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Jack Swagger vs. Christian
ECW Title Match

These guys have the potential to put on yet another great match, and waiting in the wings is Tommy Dreamer who is just weeks away from a retirement. Swagger made an excellent champ, and really he should already be on Smackdown, leaving Vladimir Kozlov as the big heel on ECW. Nonetheless, Swagger will once again try to regain his title. At Backlash, both guys tried to expose a turnbuckle cover, with Christian being successful, while the ref stopped Swagger. Christian's held the ECW title for several weeks now and should continue. Maybe in this one we see Swagger pull the turnbuckle cover off and try to whip Christian into it, but the whip is reversed, sending Swagger to the corner and then the Killswitch?

Prediction: Christian wins via pinfall to retain the ECW title.

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Batista vs. Randy Orton
WWE Title Match

This seems to be the easiest match to predict of the card. Orton's dominance has been highlighted over the McMahon's, and he's spotlighted as the top heel on Raw. Batista's had the upperhand and momentum going towards this match, meaning it's most likely that he'll lose in his first attempt at Orton's title. I'm going to say Orton gets DQ'd in this fight, leading up to Batista having another chance against him. Possibly Legacy gets involved, but Orton will retain and we'll see another contest between these two.

Prediction: Randy Orton retains the title, match ends in DQ.

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Jeff Hardy vs. Edge
World Heavyweight Title

This may be the wildcard and highlight of the show. Once again, Jeff Hardy looks ready to defeat Edge for the Gold. It seems almost like Edge has the belt 3/4 of every year, giving it up to a few other guys like Hardy and Undertaker while Edge takes a breather. The fact Hardy keeps taking Edge down week in and out would make you think Edge will win this one. Another thing to consider is how we've been teased week in and out with CM Punk trying to cash in his briefcase. Let's have some fun with this pick and say Jeff defeats Edge, but CM Punk rushes to the ring, free of Umaga who he earlier decimated, and cashes in the MITB for the World Heavyweight Title.

Prediction: Somehow CM Punk ends up World Heavyweight Champion.

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Be sure to check out WWE Characters the Blog as the 2009 Judgment Day event hits PPV on Sunday night for updated 2009 Judgment Day PPV results during the event!

Smackdown Recap 05.15.09

Smackdown recap from Dayton, OH:

John Morrison & CM Punk vs. Shelton Benjamin & Charlie Haas

The World's Greatest Tag Team was reunited as they took on Smackdown newcomers CM Punk & John Morrison. There's been no love lost between Shelton and Morrison in weeks past, as the two took to the ring once again. Benjamin was able to keep Morrison down on the mat in headlocks, and Haas used a similar grounded attack when he had Punk in the ring. The former tag champs looked impressive, but eventually Punk turned the match around as he hit a huge kick to Shelton, then took him to the outside. Morrison scored the winning pinfall after hitting a move off the ropes on Haas. Benjamin seemed furious on the outside as CM Punk and Morrison were announced victorious.

Winners: John Morrison & CM Punk win via pinfall over Shelton Benjamin & Charlie Haas.

Chris Jericho talked about how he was running Smackdown now. Edge came out to disagree, saying Smackdown is his show. GM Teddy Long came out and announced that Chris Jericho and Edge would battle it out in tonight's main event.

R-Truth vs. Mike Knox

Just a week ago, R-Truth suffered a loss at the hands of Smackdown newcomer Mike Knox. On tonight's show, Truth evened the score, despite being brutally attacked early in the match and leveled to the mat by Knox. After being catapulted face first into the bottom ropes, Truth eventually recovered and hit a powerfully fast spinning forearm/elbow on Knox. Truth was able to defeat the powerful Knox with a pinfall victory.

Winner: R-Truth wins via pinfall over Mike Knox.

Jeff Hardy vs. Ricky Ortiz

Jeff Hardy looked to prepare himself for Judgment Day as he took on another Smackdown new arrival, former ECW star Ricky Ortiz. Ortiz showed a tremendous amount of offensive power against the #1 Contender, as he got him down to the mat and kept him down in a headlock. Ortiz seemed to dominate things, and eventually went for the Big O splash to finish Jeff, but Hardy was quick to avoid the move and turn the match in his favor. Jeff fought back ferociously and was able to hit a Twist of Fate, followed by his finisher the Swanton Bomb.

After the match, Josh Matthews got into the ring to interview Hardy about his upcoming title match at Judgment Day. Hardy discussed how Edge tends to win the titles only to lose them soon afterwards. Jeff vowed to leave Judgment Day as the new champion.

Winner: Jeff Hardy wins via pinfall over Ricky Ortiz.

Gail Kim & Melina vs. Alicia Fox & Michelle McCool

WWE Divas Gail Kim and Michelle McCool once again found themselves fighting, but this time each was aided by a diva tag partner. Womens champ, Melina was on Gail's side, while Alicia was there for Michelle. All of the divas displayed intense maneuvers in this match, including Melina delivering a serious boot kick to McCool at one point. Gail Kim was able to dropkick Alicia Fox while she was standing outside the ring, then went after her. With those two on the outside, Melina flipped Michelle into a pinfall for the win.

Winners: Gail Kim and Melina win via pinfall over Alicia Fox and Michelle McCool.

Dolph Ziggler vs. Jimmy Wang Yang

Dolph Ziggler continued to try to build upon his Smackdown resume, this time taking on Jimmy Wang Yang. In the match, Ziggler used his power attack, trying to keep Yang down on the mat with headlocks. Yang escaped to start up his fast-paced and high flying moves, including a Moonsault attempt off the corner. Ziggler was able to counter the flip and ended up pinning Yang for a win.

Afterwards, the Great Khali made his way down to ringside to avenge Ziggler hitting him with a chair last week. Ziggler pleaded with Khali to let him go, but Khali knocked Ziggler over the top rope and out of the ring.

Winner: Dolph Ziggler wins via pinfall over Jimmy Wang Yang.

Cryme Tyme was talking to Eve backstage, then Layla showed up and the two WWE divas started fighting again.

Edge vs. Chris Jericho

A compelling main event contest saw Smackdown's two most cocky and loud mouthed stars, Chris Jericho and Edge battling it out. As the match went on, Jeff Hardy came down to the ring and attacked Edge, and then attacked Jericho. The ref called for the DQ, awarding the win to Edge. CM Punk came out and tried to cash in his MITB opportunity, but once again Umaga showed up to intervene, preventing Punk from the cash in. Both men took their fight to the crowd. Rey Mysterio came out and battled with Jericho all the way up the ramp to close out the show.

Winner: Edge wins via disqualification over Chris Jericho.

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Smackdown Preview 05.15.09

With Judgment Day Pay-Per-View quickly approaching this Sunday, the superstars of Smackdown will be looking to prepare for the big event. Two champions will be defending their gold at the event, while another new feud was recently hatched. First off, the longtime star of Smackdown, Edge, will be defending his World Heavyweight Title against Jeff Hardy. Hardy earned the #1 Contender's spot after winning a tough Fatal Fourway match. In recent weeks, Hardy has seemed to have the upperhand against the Rated-R Superstar, giving him the Swanton Bomb and Twist of Fate in the ring at different moments. Edge always looks for an opportunity to strike back and gain the advantage, so what will he have brewing as Smackdown goes on the air tonight? Will Hardy once again be standing over a fallen Edge?

Another champion looking ahead to Judgment Day is Rey Mysterio. Mysterio who is the Intercontinental champ, was recently challenged by cocky superstar, Chris Jericho. Both men are newcomers to Smackdown, but Jericho continues to be a loudmouth now that he's on a new show. Mysterio seemed to have the laugh at Jericho's expense recently, as he shoved Jericho down to the ground. You'd have to wonder if Jericho will find a way to retaliate on tonight's episode of Smackdown. Will Jericho hit Mysterio with a sneak attack prior to the Pay-Per-View? How will these superstars prepare for Judgment Day tonight?

And finally, a feud which was hatched several weeks ago, saw the Samoan Bulldozer, Umaga rush the ring and attack the 2009 Money in the Bank winner, CM Punk. Punk had just defeated Edge in a non-title contest and was ready to cash in to claim the World Heavyweight title. Umaga spoiled the party when he came in and ended up leveling the Straightedged Superstar, Punk. Umaga continued to show up and attack Punk in other weeks, leading up to their impending fight at Judgment Day. Will Umaga strike again on tonight's episode, or will CM Punk find a way to attack Umaga?

Also tonight, a divas tag match featuring Gali Kim and Womens Champion Melina against Michelle McCool and Alicia Fox!

Catch Smackdown tonight at 8PM EST on MyNetworkTV ahead of the Judgment Day PPV!

Smackdown Recap 05.08.09

Smackdown Recap from Pittsburgh, PA:

As Smackdown started, GM Teddy Long introduced Rey Mysterio. Rey talked about being back home on SmackDown, then called Jeff Hardy the better man for beating him last week. Rey invited anyone to challenge him for the Intercontinental Championship and Chris Jericho came out. Jericho cockily called himself the face of SmackDown and bragged about his various accomplishments. Jericho also called the fans and wrestlers disrespectful. He went on to call Teddy Long a "fly by night" General Manager and then demanded a title match against Mysterio. Rey told Jericho to shut up before he pushed him to the ground. After Rey left the ring, Jeff Hardy entered and said Jericho will have to beat him later to get a title match. If Chris Jericho can beat Jeff in the main event tonight it will be a Triple Threat Match at Judgment Day. Teddy Long made it official and Jericho left the ring.

R-Truth vs. Mike Knox

The match started with Knox connecting on several punches on R-Truth. Truth was able to get a drop kick but Knox came back with a Spinebuster. Knox put a sleeper hold on R-Truth. Truth finally broke free and hit a scissorkick on Knox. After a flying drop kick for the two-count by R-Truth, Knox connected a kick to the face of R-Truth, did his finisher to score the winning pin.

Winner: Mike Knox wins via pinfall over R-Truth.

Gail Kim vs. Michelle McCool

Alicia Fox was at ringside to cheer on Michelle. At one point, Michelle even hid behind Alicia Fox outside the ring.
In the early part of the match, McCool taunted Kim by doing push ups. Michelle had control of things early on but Kim hit her with a swinging neck breaker off the top rope. Gail Kim managed to get a two-count. McCool caught Gail Kim hanging upside down in her arms, and then hit Gail with her finisher the Faith Breaker to win by pinfall.

Winner: Michelle McCool wins via pinfall over Gail Kim.

Josh Matthews conducted a backstage interview with Jeff Hardy. Matthews asked Hardy about his match with Chris Jericho. Jeff said Jericho is merely a distraction and Jeff added that the WWE Universe is going to see him win the title at Judgment Day.

Backstage, Edge was shown in Teddy Long’s office. Edge complained about the possible Triple Threat for Judgment Day. Teddy Long announced Edge will defend the World Heavyweight title against CM Punk later tonight.

John Morrison vs. Charlie Haas

Haas was joined at ringside by his former tag team partner, Shelton Benjamin. Haas used a technical attack early on. Morrison counters and hits a spring board drop kick off the ropes. Back drop from Morrison on Charlie. Haas hits a couple moves followed by a back breaker. Morrison gained momentum and hit Haas with an elbow to the face followed by an inside out drop kick. Morrison was able to hit a spinning move off the ropes and pinned Haas for the win.

Winner: John Morrison wins via pinfall over Charlie Haas

CM Punk vs. Edge
World Heavyweight Title match

Edge and Punk go back and forth. Punk sends Edge to the outside and hits a diving body. They get back in the ring and Edge hits Punk with a boot. Edge reverses Punk and locks in an arm bar in the middle of the ring. Punk gets lose with knees to the head. Both go for a body dive but collide into each other. Punk comes too and gets a two-count on Edge. He then goes to the top rope and connects with a drop kick. Electric chair attempt by Edge but reversed and hit CM Punk with knees to the face. Edge gets thrown outside and walks away. CM Punk gets the win via countout.

Winner: CM Punk wins via countout against Edge.

After the match Umaga came out of the crowd and kicked Punk down to the mat. Umaga then used the Samoan Spike on Punk, while Edge watched it all before leaving.

Cryme Tyme hosted an arm wrestling match between WWE Divas Eve & Layla. Layla stopped going due to a hurt elbow. When the contest was restarted, Eve won it, prompting Layla to attack Eve.

Backstage Dolph Ziggler was shown with Jimmy Wang Yang and Jesse. Ziggler told both guys he's issuing an open challenge and that he’ll rip through the SmackDown roster. The Great Khali accepted the challenge.

The Great Khali vs. Dolph Ziggler

Khali clothes lines Dolph and follows up with a slap to the chest. Dolph hits him with a chair repeatedly until he knocks him down. The Great Khali gets the win via disqualification.

Winner: The Great Khali wins via pinfall over Dolph Ziggler.

It was announced that CM Punk vs. Umaga will take place at Judgment Day.

Jeff Hardy vs. Chris Jericho

Fast paced match. Jericho counters Hardy and throws him from the steps into the barricade. Hardy attempts Whisper in the Wind. Mysterio comes out. Chris Jericho & Jeff Hardy continue to exchange blows. Chris connects with Walls of Jericho but Hardy counters. He hits a front suplex but misses the Swanton Bomb. Chris Jericho connects with a Lions Sault and gets a two-count. Jericho misses a kick and Hardy reverses and gets him in Walls of Jericho. Two roll ups but both unsuccessful. Both Jericho and Hard get knocked to the outside. Jericho throws Hardy into Edge’s lap whose on commentary. Jericho gets a close two-count. Edge distracts Jericho and Hardy rolls him up for a two-count. Hardy finally hits Twist of Fate followed but a Swanton Bomb for the win.

Winner: Jeff Hardy wins via pinfall over Chris Jericho.

After the match Rey Mysterio hits Chris Jericho off the top rope and cheers with the crowd. This ends this week’s SmackDown.

Smackdown Preview 05.08.09

During last week's WWE Smackdown several of the newest superstars drafted to the show made their debuts in Madison Square Garden including John Morrison and CM Punk. In addition, there was an intense Fatal Fourway matchup held to determine who would be the new #1 Contender for the World Heavyweight Title. Newcomers from Raw Chris Jericho, Rey Mysterio and Kane all were part of the match as was Smackdown resident Jeff Hardy, with each wrestler looking to gain victory and head to Judgment Day to face Edge for the title. During the match, a newcomer to Smackdown, Chris Jericho, got himself disqualified when he tossed a steel chair at Rey Mysterio. Jeff Hardy went on to eventually win the match against Mysterio, and will now head to the PPV for a shot at winning the title from Edge. However, Chris Jericho was irate about how he won't be involved in the title picture. After throwing a tantrum backstage, it was recently announced that Jericho is scheduled to fight Jeff Hardy one on one on tonight's episode. Will Jericho's rage come into play in helping him pick up a win? Or will the enigmatic Jeff Hardy roll with the punches and keep his momentum heading towards Judgment Day?

Also on Smackdown the WWE Divas division is heating up again. Last time Michelle McCool did battle against Gail Kim, Kim was able to capture a pinfall over the former Divas Champion. Tonight the two divas will go head-to-head again in the ring with Michelle looking for revenge. Smackdown also saw Cryme Tyme host a Brooklyn dance-off between divas Eve and Layla in the ring. Both divas displayed some hot moves, with Eve winning over the crowd with her dance routine. Layla took exception to this and ended up starting a catfight against Eve, with Cryme Tyme having to separate the two fiery divas. Will their paths cross again on Smackdown? Also, which diva will be the first to take on Melina for the Women's title?

And finally, in the main event on last week's Smackdown, newcomer CM Punk made his presence known when he showed up to the ring and informed Edge & Chris Jericho he was still Mr. Money in the Bank. Later that night, Punk went up against Edge in a non-title contest. Punk defeated the Rated-R superstar with the GTS, and then decided it was a good time to cash in his Money in the Bank briefcase to win the title. Unfortunately, the Samoan Bulldozer Umaga showed up to spoil the fun when he leveled Punk to the mat. Umaga's actions cost Punk the opportunity to cash in and become the new champion, and were a surprise to the WWE Universe. Will Punk call out or challenge Umaga on the next edition of Smackdown? Or will the Samoan Bulldozer once again find Punk?

Tune in for all the action of Smackdown this Friday night at 8PM EST on MyNetworkTV!

Goldman & Braddock Released

The latest WWE superstar to come and go is Scotty Goldman (real name: Scott Colton) who'd been appearing on Smackdown for some months now with quirky promo videos and no big victories. His last appearance was this past Friday on Smackdown as he was put into a match against Umaga, and promptly squashed by a hip splash and Samoan Spike.

Several days ago, WWE.com posted the standard send-off note it does for most of its released superstars:

World Wrestling Entertainment has come to terms on the release of SmackDown Superstar Scotty Goldman (Scott Colton) as of February 20, 2009. WWE wishes Scott the best in all future endeavors.

Smackdown had been a colorful character and posted several blog entries over at the WWE Universe. However now his profile and blog both read:

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This site has been disabled due to violations of our Terms of Service.
If you are the owner of the site you may contact technical support in order to resolve the situation.

Goldman's Smackdown profile has also been pulled in conjunction with his release. Interestingly enough Smackdown superstar Ryan Braddock (Brad Bradley) was released just a day after Goldman yet still has a WWE profile viewable here and Superstar bio here. Braddock's last notable match was back in September of 2008 when he defeated Festus by disqualification. Braddock was wrapped in packaging material by the Jesse & Festus Smackdown moving company and shipped out. Squashed by Umaga or shipped out in bubble wrap, you decide...