This is the first Smackdown PPV since the draft lottery, so therefore it’s one of the most interesting of the year. Have the changes been for the better? Time to find out!

World Heavyweight Title: Batista v JBL

Another Smackdown PPV and of course it has to feature Mr Smackdown in the main event. I wish this guy had gone to Raw because he desperately needs some new life pumped into his career. Put it this way, what happens when he loses this match? He’ll probably get a return on Smackdown and lose that as well and when that happens, and I believe it will, what then for the man who has dominated Smackdown for over a year? A feud with a cheesed off Orlando Jordan is likely or could that attitude adjustment be around the corner? Perish the thought of ever having to cheer JBL!

Batista hasn’t done too bad since joining Smackdown. He’s popular with the fans and is getting better in the ring. This should be an ok match, nothing out of the ordinary. JBL will bleed that’s for sure but I see Batista getting a clean victory.

Number One Contenders Match: The Undertaker v Muhammad Hassan

This Hassan storyline is so getting out of line. Why the hell do we need the mention of terrorists in WWE? The actual storyline about Hassan being discriminated against because he’s an Arab American is actually a decent one. It’s true that it’s happened since 9/11 and look how people have reacted in the UK since 7/7. But all it’s been used for in WWE is another example of how racist wrestling can be. Anyway back to the real business of wrestling and Hassan gets a chance to become Number One contender for the title, a chance I believe he will take with both hands and set up his feud with Batista. Now if that happens it makes no sense whatsoever. What was the point of the draft lottery if Batista comes to Smackdown and finds himself wrestling Christian and Hassan who have both come from Raw and both met him on that brand as well. Undertaker continues to be a predictable part-timer on Smackdown. The in-ring entrance has tired already. Look for him to dominate this match but lose out when Randy Orton interferes.

WWE Tag Titles: MNM v Heindenreich/Animal

So for the second time this year, Heidenreich gets a title shot, why?? It’s amazing how things change in such a short time. It’s not long since he was mentally unstable, crying in the ring and anywhere else he could find and running Undi over with a car. Now he’s the adorable idiot with a walk that John Cleese and Tony Kay would be proud of and always on the look out for a friend. Enter Animal, or in other words, there’s a Road Warriors DVD to promote! How the mighty have fallen eh. I reckon this is probably a short-term deal and will do nothing for Animal apart from sell a few DVDs and let people realize he’s still around. MNM have been quite impressive so far but the tag division is still in deep trouble and feuds against one-off teams won’t help. I go for MNM to retain the belts.

US Title: Orlando Jordan v Chris Benoit

Benoit has to win this match and give back some respectability to the US Belt. Jordan isn’t a disaster but he hasn’t got the in-ring presence yet to hold such an important title. Benoit on the other hand does and hopefully his match against Eddie Guerrero on Smackdown this week is just a prelude to a longer feud over the US Title. I go for Benoit to get the belt.

Eddie Guerrero v Rey Mysterio

This should be the match of the night and however sick the storyline may be, it’s the most interesting one on Smackdown at the moment. Eddie has a big secret which is probably that he’s fathered that kid, anything else is really getting sick but with WWE these days you can never tell. Will Guerrero get that victory and reveal the secret? Well he keeps losing to Mysterio so I guess he is due a win and what’s the point of a secret if it never gets told? How about Reys’ ‘son’ turning up at ringside and turning on him?? I go for Eddie to win.

Booker T v Christian

Alas poor Christian, what can we do with you? He spends ages on Raw talking about going to Smackdown and challenging Cena and what happens? Cena ends up on Raw and within a few weeks the storyline is over as Christian loses at the PPV and goes to Smackdown. First match in he loses in the match that was supposed to be for the Smackdown title but never was. Then he might have though he was back on Raw as he lost to Batista and here he is in the mid-card with Booker T. This guy will never be a main-eventer, there’s just something lacking. Same goes for Booker T these days. This should be a reasonable match and I see Christian getting a tainted victory.

Melina v Torrie in a Bra and Panties Match (refereed by Candice Michelle)

Well we havent’ seen Melina stripped to her bra and panties so that’s the only thing to say about this I suppose. Pure eye-candy and hopefully very short (the match, not the bra and panties).

At the time of writing this there was no match named for the Cruiserweight title which is a bit annoying to say the least. It’s not a bad card but take a look at the last Raw PPV and compare it to that. Regardless of the draft lottery, Smackdown remains the weakest of the two brands.

Stephen Ashfield