Intercontinental Champion Rey Mysterio recently toured Spain where he invited Cristiano Ronaldo, Raul and their Real Madrid teammates to WWE's upcoming SmackDown and ECW live event in Madrid on Sept. 24.

"It was an honor to be invited to visit Real Madrid's training ground and meet Raul, Ronaldo, Kaka and all the other footballers that play for such a successful team," Mysterio said. "I am looking forward to seeing them again in September when I am back in Madrid and to give them a taste of my own kind of athleticism!"

Real Madrid is a professional club and the most successful team in Spanish football history. They've won a record 31 La Liga titles, 17 Spanish Cups, nine European Cups and two UEFA Cups.

"Rey, it is a pleasure to meet you," Raul told the SmackDown Superstar. "Thank you for the invite to see you in Madrid. My kids love your show."

Source: WWE.com

The WWE/TNA ratings battle in the UK is much closer than in the US, with TNA often coming out on top. They beat Raw and Smackdown in the last week of July.

July 27 WWE Raw drew 57,000
July 30 TNA iMPACT! drew 70,000
July 31 WWE SmackDown drew 45,000

It must be noted that Raw does air in the early hours of the morning.

MILWAUKEE – Just two nights before The Bash, things erupted in the land of SmackDown, culminating in an epic "Rage in the Cage" Match, featuring some of Friday night's biggest Superstars.

Edge & Intercontinental Champion Chris Jericho def. Jeff Hardy & Rey Mysterio
With World Heavyweight Champion CM Punk as guest referee, Edge & Chris Jericho went to war with Jeff Hardy & Rey Mysterio in a "Rage in the Cage" Match. In the end, it was "Team Ego" who prevailed when The Rated-R Superstar avoided a Twist of Fate from Hardy and stunned the high-flyer with a hard-hitting spear.

After the match was over, CM Punk, perhaps being sarcastic, offered up his praises for Hardy, saying he fought a good fight despite losing the match. On Sunday, the two will clash for Punk's World Heavyweight Championship at The Bash.

A visit from the Chairman
The epic main event was orchestrated by SmackDown General Manager Theodore Long. Long was put under pressure to deliver a quality night by none other than the Chairman himself, Mr. McMahon, who paid a rare visit to SmackDown.

During the night's opening segment, the Chairman insisted that the night better be good, and put Long on "probation." The Chairman never let up on Teddy. After the night's main event, Mr. McMahon said he expected really big things from him at The Bash and told him to "perform as if your job depended on it."

R-Truth def. Shelton Benjamin
Performing his signature entrance song "What's Up?!," R-Truth crossed paths at ringside with the Chairman. When offered the chance to respond to the famous question, Mr. McMahon had nothing to say.

After the rapping was over, R-Truth endured a vicious verbal assault from his opponent, Shelton Benjamin. The mean-spirited lashing fueled a quick and aggressive offense from Truth during their match. Benjamin eventually turned the tables, putting Truth on the defensive. But in the end, Truth prevailed when he dropped The Gold Standard with a Lie Detector.

Michelle McCool & Alicia Fox def. Women's Champion Melina & Gail Kim
With the upcoming Women's Championship match on their minds, Michelle McCool and Alicia Fox went to work, punishing reigning champion, Melina. Their strategy worked, keeping Kim out of the ring for most of the contest. When Kim finally entered the fray, she was stopped cold by McCool with a devastating Faithbreaker. After it was all over, Melina was clearly still feeling the effects of the encounter. Can she recover in time to defend her title against McCool at The Bash?

John Morrison def. World Heavyweight Champion CM Punk (Non-Title)
Last week on SmackDown, John Morrison went toe-to-toe with former World Heavyweight Champion Edge, giving him a run for his money. Although The Friday Night delight came up short against The Ultimate Opportunist last week, on this night, he found a way to defeat the reigning champion. Perhaps feeling uncomfortable with his loss to the younger Superstar, Punk offered a congratulatory handshake to Morrison, only to crush him with a Go to Sleep. After the loss, Punk must put it behind him if he is to successfully defend his title against No. 1 contender Jeff Hardy at The Bash.

Source: WWE.com

ROANOKE, Va. – A strange brew of trickery, retribution and pure squared-circle aggression consumed SmackDown, just nine days before The Bash unleashes itself upon the WWE Universe.

Jeff Hardy def. Intercontinental Champion Chris Jericho (count-out)
Prior to his match with Chris Jericho, The Charismatic No. 1 Contender was confronted by World Heavyweight Champion CM Punk about their World Championship Match at The Bash. Punk voiced no regrets about cashing in his Money in the Bank opportunity at Extreme Rules, nor with his actions in Monday Night Raw's Triple Threat Match. An intense Hardy expressed his determination to take his title back at the upcoming pay-per-view.

Hardy's attention then turned to Jericho. In the culmination of their heated battle, as the nine-time Intercontinental Champion was throwing Hardy back into the ring, Rey Mysterio suddenly emerged from a seat in the crowd. He attacked Jericho, driving the stunned Superstar into the ring post before returning to his seat next to two other identically dressed fans. This surprise onslaught led directly to a Hardy victory when Jericho couldn't answer the 10-count. After the bell, The Charismatic Enigma put the exclamation point on the win, hitting the disoriented Jericho with the Twist of Fate and Swanton Bomb combination.

World Heavyweight Champion CM Punk def. Rey Mysterio
Later, Mysterio accepted the challenge from the reemerging Jericho to put his sacred mask on the line against Jericho's gold at The Bash. The nine-time Intercontinental Champion then joined Hall of Famer Jim Ross & Todd Grisham at the broadcast table. But in a critical moment of Mysterio's match with Punk, Jericho "evened the score" for his masked adversary's earlier attack, slamming The Master of the 619 into the steel ring post. Though Mysterio answered his 10-count, the World Champion quickly finished him off with the GTS.

After the bell, an angry Jeff Hardy charged into the ring to dispute the decision. He was clearly still seething after being stripped of the World Heavyweight Championship at Extreme Rules. But the confrontation only ended in a staredown, with Punk still walking off with the victory over Mysterio. At The Bash, things will finally come to a head when Punk and Hardy collide in a rematch.

Edge def. John Morrison
The Friday Night Delight may have matched The Master Manipulator in a war of words before the bell, but The Rated-R Superstar ultimately reigned supreme, hitting the spear in the climax of their tremendously hard-fought battle. Morrison heroically fought through injured ribs, but couldn't stop the former World Champion at the finish line.

Dolph Ziggler def. The Great Khali (disqualification)
While the referee was distracted, the incomparable Ziggler threw a chair toward The Great Khali before falling to the canvas as if injured. When the referee turned around, The Punjabi Playboy was holding the steel and was therefore disqualified. Once again, Ziggler appears to have outsmarted Khali, giving himself another victory over his irate adversary.

Melina def. Alicia Fox
Melina reigned supreme over "A-Fox," flipping herself downward off Alicia's back and using her momentum to whip Alicia over for the pinfall. Michelle then attacked, hurling the Women's Champion from the ring before viciously kneeing her into the broadcaster's table. The No. 1 contender promised to humiliate Melina at The Bash and become the first Diva to hold both the Divas and Women's Championships.

R-Truth & Cryme Tyme def. Ricky Ortiz, Charlie Haas & Shelton Benjamin
Amidst mass confusion both in and outside the ring in a six-man brawl, R-Truth caught Benjamin with a powerful kick as The Gold Standard was leaping from the top rope. Truth followed up with the hurricane-like Corkscrew Elbow to prove triumphant.

Source: WWE.com

Starting this Friday at 10 PM on Bravo, TNA Wrestling launches a brand new television show called Epics, which will be a collection of the greatest matches and moments in the seven-year history of the promotion. The show will go head-to-head with WWE most weeks as Friday Night SmackDown usually airs at 10 PM on Sky Sports. A video preview of the show, featuring clips of the likes of Hulk Hogan, "Macho Man" Randy Savage, Sabu, Christian Cage and CM Punk in TNA is available at TNAwrestling.com.

NEW YORK – As SmackDown rolled into The World's Most Famous Arena, new WWE draftees joined Friday nights, a Straightedge Superstar had his destiny stolen from him, and four elite Superstars collided to determine who would face new World Heavyweight Champion Edge at Judgment Day.

CM Punk def. World Heavyweight Champion Edge (Non-title)
Chris Jericho emerged on SmackDown for the first time since being drafted to Friday nights, only to be interrupted by new World Heavyweight Champion Edge and eventually CM Punk. Jericho ended up walking out, citing disrespect from both his fellow Superstars and the capacity crowd at Madison Square Garden. When The Rated-R Superstar said that he could beat The Straightedge Superstar as a "warm-up match," Punk decided to accommodate him. He proclaimed that if he defeated Edge later that night, he would cash in his Money in the Bank championship opportunity and pin The Rated-R Superstar a second time for the gold.

Later that night, after capturing victory with the GTS, Punk attempted to cash in his Money in the Bank briefcase. But, before the bell could sound, Umaga came out of nowhere, laying waste to the would-be champion. Jeff Hardy then exploded upon the ring, hitting the Twist of Fate and Swanton Bomb on Edge.

Jeff Hardy def. Rey Mysterio, Chris Jericho and Kane (No. 1 Contender Fatal Four Way Elimination Match)
In a whirlwind Fatal Four Way Elimination Match, Jeff Hardy leveled Kane with the Swanton Bomb, only to have Chris Jericho pull him away and pick up the pinfall on The Big Red Machine himself. Rey Mysterio immediately executed the 619 on the first Undisputed WWE Champion. But when he went to finish off his prey, Jericho hurled a nearby chair at the masked Superstar in mid-air, getting himself disqualified. Hardy and Mysterio then engaged in a fast-paced, intense tour-de-force of combat. Just as it looked like the Intercontinental Champion might overcome The Charismatic Enigma, Hardy suddenly reversed the pin, grabbing the huge victory. As a result, Jeff Hardy will once again take on The Ultimate Opportunist for the title at Judgment Day.

United States Champion Montel Vontavious Porter def. Dolph Ziggler (United States Championship Match)
With The View's excited co-host Sherri Shepherd in MVP's corner, The Ballin' Superstar defeated his No. 1 contender Dolph Ziggler with the Playmaker. On the heels of his exciting title defense, MVP will be a guest on The View this coming Tuesday.

John Morrison def. Shelton Benjamin
In an explosive match of skill and toughness, John Morrison reigned supreme over The Gold Standard with the help of the stunning Moonlight Drive. Later, The Shaman of Sexy got into a fierce brawl with Chris Jericho outside the dressing room area.

Eve wins Cryme Tyme's Brooklyn Break-Down Diva Dance Off
JTG & Shad celebrated their move to SmackDown and their homecoming to New York City by hosting a Brooklyn Break-Down Diva Dance Off between Layla and Eve. When Eve got the loudest reaction from the crowd and with it the victory, Layla responded by attacking her dance opponent.

Source: WWE.com

A total of 36 WWE Superstars changed brands following Monday's live Draft on Raw and Wednesday's Supplemental Draft on WWE.com. Here is a complete breakdown of all the moves:

Superstars joining Raw (+15)
» Big Show
» Brie Bella
» Carlito
» Chavo Guerrero
» Festus
» Hornswoggle
» Maryse
» Matt Hardy
» MVP
» Mr. Kennedy
» Nikki Bella
» Primo
» The Brian Kendrick
» The Miz
» Triple H

Superstars joining SmackDown (+15)
» Alicia Fox
» Candice Michelle
» Charlie Haas
» Chris Jericho
» CM Punk
» Dolph Ziggler
» John Morrison
» JTG
» Kane
» Layla
» Melina
» Mike Knox
» Rey Mysterio
» Ricky Ortiz
» Shad

Superstars joining ECW (+6)
» DH Smith
» Ezekiel Jackson
» Hurricane Helms
» Natalya
» Vladimir Kozlov
» Zack Ryder

Superstars leaving Raw (-12)
» Candice Michelle
» Charlie Haas
» Chris Jericho
» CM Punk
» Dolph Ziggler
» JTG
» Kane
» Layla
» Melina
» Mike Knox
» Rey Mysterio
» Shad

Superstars leaving SmackDown (-19)
» Big Show
» Brie Bella
» Carlito
» Chavo Guerrero
» DH Smith
» Ezekiel Jackson
» Festus
» Hurricane Helms
» Maryse
» Matt Hardy
» MVP
» Mr. Kennedy
» Natalya
» Nikki Bella
» Primo
» The Brian Kendrick
» Triple H
» Vladimir Kozlov
» Zack Ryder

Superstars leaving ECW (-5)
» Alicia Fox
» Hornswoggle
» John Morrison
» Ricky Ortiz
» The Miz

During a radio appearance Saturday in Chicago, "The Heartbreak Kid" Shawn Michaels (picture) said that his WWE contract expires after WrestleMania 26 next year and that he may take time off then. The word backstage is that Michaels has been looking kind of beat up lately and may take a bit of time off after Sunday's WrestleMania 25 too. His knees are said to be in real bad shape.

"The Rated R Superstar" Edge is also expected to take time off at some point in 2009 to heal several nagging injuries. This has been talked about for quite some time now.

John Cena is expected be leaving as well to film a new movie. That is not for several months though. Cena will still appear on the weekly WWE TV programs (Raw and SmackDown) during filming but is not scheduled to work house shows. This is similar to what he did when he was filming "12 Rounds" in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Former WWE writer David Lagana was at tonight's Ring of Honor (ROH) television tapings in Philadephia, Pennsylvania. Lagana used to be the head writer for the SmackDown and ECW brand. He now is involved in the writing process of ROH shows. Lagana has also helped out with writing of the recent NWA television show taping in Hollywood, California.

PORTLAND, Ore. – In the stunning wake of No Way Out, an Ultimate Opportunist brings the World Heavyweight Championship back to SmackDown, a brother's hatred fuels another vicious insurgence and a restored king makes a furious decree.

Jeff Hardy def. Edge (DQ) (Non-Title Match)
After making history by competing in two Elimination Chamber matches in one night at No Way Out, new World Heavyweight Champion Edge made his gleeful return to Friday Night SmackDown. When the Rated-R Superstar denied the emerging Jeff Hardy his challenge, Hardy ridiculed the champion's relationship with his wife before hitting him with a Twist of Fate. An embarrassed Edge then told General Manager Vickie Guerrero that he would be facing Hardy later that night.

At the climax of their whirlwind match, Hardy hit Edge with the Swanton Bomb. Victory seemed imminent for the high-flying Superstar, when from out of nowhere, Matt Hardy attacked, hitting his brother with a Twist of Fate of his own. As the smoke cleared, Matt challenged an unconscious Jeff to a match next week.

J.R.'s Exclusive Interview with WWE Champion Triple H about the events on this week's Monday Night Raw
In an exclusive interview, Triple H told J.R. that when Randy Orton put his hands on his wife, Stephanie McMahon – following weeks of attacks on the McMahon family - he "crossed the line" that he can never come back from. The Game was too upset to finish the interview, ripping the microphone from his shirt and leaving without a word. However, with word that The King of Kings will be at Raw to confront Orton this Monday night, one can only speculate on the horrific ramifications that will follow.

Divas Champion Maryse & Michelle McCool def. Maria & Eve Torres (Divas Tag Team Match)
Maryse made her return to action, entering into a seemingly bittersweet tag team partnership with the foe she defeated for the Divas Championship, Michelle McCool. While Eve was mounting an offense on Maryse in the corner and the referee was distracted by getting Maria out of the ring, Michelle delivered a powerful kick to Eve's head, paving the way for Maryse to pick up the win.

World Tag Team Champions The Miz & John Morrison have their Valentine's Day date with the Bella Twins
WWE Tag Team Champions Carlito & Primo disguised themselves as waiters to disturb the Valentine's Day date that Miz & Morrison won with Nikki & Brie Bella one week ago. But their plan ended in disaster when The Colons accidentally threw two pies into the Bella Twins' faces. Next week, Carlito and Primo will defend their Tag Team Championships against the "Dirt Sheet" duo. If Miz & Morrison can prove victorious, they will become the Undisputed Tag Team Champions.

Montel Vontavious Porter vs. United States Champion Shelton Benjamin & Chavo Guerrero (Handicap Match)
Following the sneak attack by the Gold Standard last week and post-match Frog Splash by Chavo Guerrero, MVP attempted to recruit tag team partner R-Truth to extract his revenge. However, Benjamin & Guerrero took out R-Truth as he was making his entrance, prompting the Ballin' Superstar to take both on in a Handicap Match.

When Benjamin tagged himself in just as Guerrero was closing in on the win, Chavo turned his outrage on his partner. He hit the Gold Standard with the Frog Splash before taking off, leaving MVP to execute the Drive-By on the dazed United States Champion. As a result, MVP added another victory to his winning streak as the race for the United States Championship continues to heat up.

Umaga def. Scotty Goldman
Umaga decimated Scotty Goldman as he has every Superstar that has crossed his path since his return to WWE. Despite some comical words by Goldman about his opponent Umaga prior to the match, he wasn't laughing for long. Umaga laid waste to Goldman, hitting a combination chokeslam, Samoan Spike for another impressive victory.

SmackDown General Manager Vickie Guerrero disputes Undertaker's opponent at the 25th Anniversary of WrestleMania

Source: WWE.com

FRESNO, Calif. – Just two days before No Way Out, four of the WWE Championship Elimination Chamber Match participants fought it out in a Fatal Four Way, while another made his heroic return to SmackDown. But, in the midst of the pomp and circumstance, the opportunistic WWE Champion once again found a way to come out on top and steal the thunder from all of them.

Triple H vs. Undertaker vs. Big Show vs. Vladimir Kozlov (No contest) (Fatal Four Way Match)
WWE Champion Edge placed the blame for the neck injury he claimed to have sustained one week ago at the hands of Undertaker squarely on the shoulders of his tag team partner, Big Show. SmackDown General Manager Vickie Guerrero wasted no time announcing that she would not risk her husband competing until No Way Out this Sunday. However, after Big Show interrupted them and exchanged harsh words with the champion, Guerrero had no trouble informing him that he would be in a Fatal Four Way Match with three of his Elimination Chamber opponents: The Game, the Moscow Mauler, and The Phenom.

In the critical climax of the grueling back and forth battle between four of WWE's most dominant Superstars, the Ultimate Opportunist suddenly dove into the action, spearing The World's Largest Athlete to snatch the momentum heading into No Way Out.

Jeff Hardy returns to SmackDown
Seemingly recovered from the shocking attack by his brother Matt Hardy that cost him his WWE Championship at the Royal Rumble several weeks ago, Jeff Hardy made his return to SmackDown. Although he acknowledged that the events of recent weeks have affected him deeply, he told the WWE Universe that he intends to look forward, and is 100 percent focused on regaining his gold at No Way Out this Sunday.

Don't miss the punishment, as all six Superstars battle for the WWE Championship in the dreaded 16-foot-high, 10-ton ominous steel structure of the Elimination Chamber at No Way Out this Sunday.

Montel Vontavious Porter def. Chavo Guerrero (DQ)
After Chavo Guerrero eliminated MVP in last week's SmackDown Battle Royal, the reinvigorated Franchise Playa' was out for some payback. But, just as he was rallying from a hard-fought match, United States Champion Shelton Benjamin emerged from nowhere to deliver Pay Dirt, getting some retribution of his own after losing to MVP in a non-title match last week. However, this gave MVP the win by disqualification, continuing his winning streak. The self-proclaimed "Mexican warrior," Chavo Guerrero decided to add insult to injury, hitting the unconscious Ballin' Superstar with the Frog Splash and raising his own arms in victory.

World Tag Team Champions The Miz & John Morrison def. WWE Tag Team Champions Carlito & Primo
Carlito and Primo failed to get Nikki & Brie Bella flowers for Valentine's Day. But, Miz & Morrison did not. This prompted a match to determine which tag team champions would take out the Bella Twins on Valentine's Day night. With the referee distracted, Miz threw Primo from the top rope, setting up Morrison for the victory. Following the loss, Nikki & Brie exited ringside with the "Dirt Sheet" duo, leaving Carlito & Primo without the win or the Divas.

Maria def. Michelle McCool
After being attacked weeks ago by Michelle McCool, Maria was out to even the score. Michelle, however, had every intention of continuing her vicious wrath upon SmackDown Divas, targeting Maria's injured ankle throughout their match. After her loss in debut singles action to McCool last week, Eve charged down the entrance ramp to help her friend Maria in any way she could. Michelle immediately started bullying the 2007 Diva Search winner, but Eve would not back down. However, the distraction created when McCool threw Eve into the ring allowed Maria to roll the former Divas Champion up for the three-count.

R-Truth def. Ezekiel Jackson
Despite a powerful onslaught by the intimidating Jackson, R-Truth ended Ezekiel's undefeated record, reversing The Brian Kendrick's associate's ura-nage finisher for the quick pin.

Source: WWE.com

Eurosport and World Wrestling Entertainment have announced a distribution deal for two action-packed WWE programs. The two-year agreement will see Eurosport broadcast 'This Week in WWE' and 'WWE Vintage Collection' in all its European territories excluding the UK, delivering WWE programming to more than 200 million viewers and 58 countries across the continent.

Launching on Feb. 9, 2009, Eurosport will broadcast 'This Week in WWE' and 'WWE Vintage Collection' back to back in prime time.

'This Week in WWE' is a weekly catch up show exclusively produced for Eurosport, featuring clips from WWE's flagship programs Raw, SmackDown and ECW. Each Monday night at 21:00 CET, fans can catch up on WWE's week of action, including the latest matches, rivalries and news on their favorite WWE Superstars and Divas.

Through this agreement, Eurosport also acquires exclusive European (excluding UK) programming rights to 'WWE Vintage Collection', which is dedicated to WWE legends from the 1970s, '80s, and '90s. Airing each Monday at 21:30 CET, Eurosport will be the only channel in continental Europe offering fans access to WWE's greatest legends, including "Stone Cold" Steve Austin, The Rock, Hulk Hogan, and Bret "Hit Man" Hart.

"Offering top quality WWE programming on our channel will reinforce Eurosport's positioning as Europe's leading sports and entertainment group. Eurosport is committed to offering viewers top of the line programming. We believe that WWE programming will be an asset to our channel and will attract family and younger audiences. We are delighted to sign an agreement with WWE, the most prominent action entertainment organization in the world," explains Arnaud Simon, Broadcast Director for Eurosport.

"Delivering WWE programming to our fans on a pan-regional basis is testament to the ever-increasing demand for the WWE product in Europe. We are delighted to announce our partnership with a group of the strength and breadth of Eurosport, which will see WWE broadcast in more than 100 million homes across continental Europe," adds Andrew Whitaker, President of International for WWE.

Source: WWE.com

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. – As WWE Champion Jeff Hardy addressed the WWE Universe following his involvement in a hit and run accident, SmackDown General Manager Vickie Guerrero retaliated against Triple H for the humiliation she endured last week by forcing him to compete in Triple Jeopardy – a series of three matches against unknown opponents.

Jeff Hardy involved in a hit and run accident
In a pre-recorded message, Jeff Hardy addressed the WWE Universe concerning the hit and run accident that he and his girlfriend were the victims of late last night. He assured his fans that he would return to SmackDown the following week and defend his championship against Edge at Royal Rumble on Jan. 25. SmackDown aired exclusive footage from a police car on the scene of the WWE Champion's accident.

Triple H def. World Tag Team Champion John Morrison (Triple Jeopardy Tables Match)
The King of Kings set the tone early in his Triple Jeopardy bouts, reigning supreme over John Morrison by hurling the Shaman of Sexy off the top turnbuckle and onto the unforgiving table outside the ring. After the match, The Miz distracted The Game while Chavo Guerrero attacked him from behind, putting Triple H through a second table.

Triple H def. World Tag Team Champion The Miz & Chavo Guerrero (Triple Jeopardy Handicap Match)
Chavo Guerrero abandoned The Miz, refusing to accept his partner's tag before leaving the squared circle entirely. This paved the way for 12-time World Champion to close the book on his second match of the night, hitting the self-proclaimed "Chick Magnet" with his devastating Pedigree.

Big Show def. Triple H – (Triple Jeopardy Last Man Standing Match)
Although The Game was somehow able to come back from Big Show's vicious chokeslam onto the announce table, he could not beat the count following The World's Largest Athlete's dreaded knockout punch. After the match, Vickie Guerrero emerged with the glare of victory in her eye.

Undertaker def. United States Champion Shelton Benjamin (Non-title)
As the athletic Benjamin was attempting to spring himself backward from the turnbuckle, The Deadman caught him in midair, executing the lethal Tombstone to seal the Gold Standard's fate.

The Bella Twins def. Michelle McCool and Victoria (Divas Tag Match)
The moment Brie tagged her sister into the match, Nikki scored a quick pinfall on the battle-weary Victoria with an Oklahoma Roll. Following the match, an irate Michelle attacked her tag team partner, hitting Victoria with the Wings of Love.

VIP Lounge with guest Mr. Kennedy
MVP confronted Mr. Kennedy about his recent microphone abuse at the fledgling Franchise Playa's expense. This was abruptly interrupted when MVP found his VIP Lounge furniture being repossessed. After Mr. Kennedy suggested that things could be worse, Boogeyman emerged to attack the Ballin' Superstar and introduce him to his worms.

WWE Tag Team Champions Carlito & Primo def. The Brian Kendrick & Ezekiel Jackson (WWE Tag Team Championship Match)
Shortly after Ezekiel Jackson was dropkicked out of the ring from behind, Carlito hit the Backstabber on The Brian Kendrick for the championship victory.

Source: WWE.com

By: Joe Burgett

Many have been speculating about Christian Cage coming to the WWE, and those speculations are looking to be correct. TNA has come out and said he is leaving and the WWE is expecting him to sign soon.

Some fans are thinking that because he will sign soon he will be in the Royal Rumble, and that is true—sort of. See, he will be at the Royal Rumble, but not in it.

Now of course this is a rumored storyline the WWE is thinking about doing, but they want Cage to screw over Jeff Hardy so that Edge will win back the WWE Championship. He will be an eight-time World Champion if it is done.

There has already been a storyline blaming Cage for beating up Hardy in the Boston Hotel, putting him out of the matchup, so it looks as if two things will happen. Of course Cage will screw over Hardy; we know that.

In addition, the WWE will either have Hardy go crazy attacking someone in the Rumble and taking their place, possibly coming out No. 30 and then winning the Rumble, or Hardy will leave that night, come on SmackDown upset, and demand to match with Edge for the Title. But then Vickie would say he has to earn it by facing Cage at No Way Out.

If he wins then he can face Edge for the WWE Title. Of course, this would hinge on who wins the Rumble and who the WWE wants him to face at Wrestlemania.

Many feel that Hardy will not face Cage but one time if any. Therefore, I'd see him out of the Mania match for the WWE Title, and Hardy in it.

As I mentioned, these storylines are rumored and not official. However, it would work if the WWE wanted to do it.

Another rumor was that Cage would return at the Rumble in the Royal Rumble match and win. Still, that would be unlikely considering they want him to be with Edge and on his side for the time being.

Personally, I want to see Cage return and screw over Hardy. I could see Hardy snap and get in the Rumble match, win it, and then take out Cage.

I think the WWE would do a storyline on Cage being the reason why Edge won the title from Hardy, but they would have Hardy out of the WWE Title contention because he is a threat to Edge keeping the Title. To spite them Hardy would win the Rumble, making sure he had to be in title contention. It would work more in my opinion, but we will have to see.

It also keeps Hardy, Edge, and newly acquired Cage in the SmackDown spotlight. I also think this would get SmackDown amazing ratings too.

What do you think? Which angle would you most like to see?

Source: bleacherreport.com

Three of SmackDown's hottest Divas grace the pages of the latest issue of Muscle & Fitness. Divas Champion Michelle McCool, Eve and Maryse show off their fine physiques in the January issue of the fitness magazine. But be prepared to see these Divas in a whole new light.

"Top to bottom, it was amazing – from hair and makeup to the costumes to the background to the photographer, Ian Spanier. We got some hot photos," McCool told WWE.com.

"It has a rocky, edgy feel to it. It's really out of the norm for The All-American Girl with some of the outfits I was wearing!" laughed the Divas Champ. "So for me, it was a lot of fun to portray something that I wouldn't normally portray. It was exciting. I think the WWE Universe will be pleased."

Maryse put aside her differences with her fellow SmackDown Divas for a few hours to pose for Muscle & Fitness.

"The producer brought out the personalities of Michelle, Eve and I in the shoot. You can feel it in the photos," Maryse said.

"I like the style. We're kind of hardcore, sexy, rocker chicks with black leather and fishnets with studs. That was great. I love that," she said.

Eve is especially pleased she posed for Muscle & Fitness because it was her first magazine photo shoot outside of WWE Magazine.

"As far as personal goals go, that was definitely among them," Eve said. "We are all athletes and we all constantly exercise. It's a huge part of who we are and what we represent, so it was really great to be a part of Muscle & Fitness. But we still got to be sexy and fun at the same time!"

Taken from: WWE.com

WWE has announced the following categories for their 2008 Slammy Awards. The awards will be a part of the three-hour Raw on December 8 from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

No nominees have been announced yet, but here are the categories:
- Superstar of the Year
- Match of the Year
- OMG Moment of the Year
- Diva of the Year
- "DAMN!" Moment of the Year
- Tag Team of the Year
- Best Musical Performance
- Best Finishing Maneuver
- Extreme Moment of the Year
- Couple of the Year

Beside those categories, there will also be Slammy Awards presented on WWE.com. They are:
- Breakout Star of the Year
- Announcer of the Year
- Best WWE.com Exclusive
- Best Impersonation

MANCHESTER, England – With Survivor Series just two days away, Last Rites were administered, twin Divas were in action and one extreme Superstar earned himself a place at the championship table.

WATCH all of the action now in the SmackDown Quick Cut and check out WWE.com's exclusive ringside PHOTOS.

Jeff Hardy def. WWE Champion Triple H (Non-Title)
Jeff Hardy reigned supreme over WWE Champion Triple H in a non-title match thanks in part to a distraction by Vladimir Kozlov. After Hardy hurled himself out of the ring and onto Kozlov, The Game attempted to suplex him back in. However, the Charismatic Enigma quickly countered and rolled the champion up for the important victory. After the match, the Moscow Mauler attacked – leaving both Superstars writhing in pain at his feet. As a result of his win, Hardy has earned himself the opportunity to join the WWE Championship Match at Survivor Series, making it a Triple Threat Match.

Undertaker gives Big Show his Last Rites
As Undertaker was delivering "Last Rites" to Big Show in preparation for their Casket Match at Survivor Series, The World's Largest Athlete decided to make an appearance at ringside – accompanied by SmackDown General Manager Vickie Guerrero and Chavo Guerrero. However, Vickie Guerrero was somehow transported into the ring, allowing The Deadman to throw her into the casket and close the lid. Big Show then sacrificed Chavo, hurling the self-proclaimed "Mexican Warrior" into The Phenom's clutches in order to get Vickie to safety. Undertaker Tombstoned Chavo and closed the casket as a message to his Survivor Series opponent.

Brie and Nikki Bella def. Natalya & Victoria
The Bella Twins picked up their first win as a tag team on SmackDown. After Victoria hit the Widow's Peak on one of the twins, the other stopped the pin by dropkicking the former Women's Champion. When Natalya charged into the ring to retaliate, the referee returned the third-generation Diva to her corner. The fresh Bella twin used that opportunity to pull a switch, changing places with her half-conscious sister to pick up the win.

The Brian Kendrick & Ezekiel Jackson def. WWE Tag Team Champions Carlito & Primo (Non-Title)
As Primo attempted to beat The Brian Kendrick, Ezekiel Jackson stormed into the ring and delivered a hard kick to the head. When Carlito responded to the aggression on his brother, Jackson picked the Caribbean Superstar up and threw him out of the ring like a rag doll. He then dragged Kendrick to their corner and made the tag himself. Jackson proceeded to slam Primo into the mat and pick up the win for his team.

The Miz & John Morrison def. Jesse & Festus
Just when Festus was gearing up to finish off The Miz, John Morrison suddenly rang the bell, returning the Corn-fed Colossus to his catatonic state while the match was still going on. This allowed the self-proclaimed Chick Magnet to hit Festus with the Reality Check, giving "The Dirt Sheet" co-stars another huge triumph.

Local athlete def. Montel Vontavious Porter
The Great Khali once again came down to the ring during MVP's match. This time, when the Ballin' Superstar turned to face him, the local athlete that was facing MVP rolled him up for the pin. After the bell, a furious MVP swung at the Punjabi Playboy, who responded by knocking him out with one shot. As a result of the loss, MVP once again failed to earn his incentive bonus.

ECW Champion Matt Hardy & R-Truth def. United States Champions Shelton Benjamin & Mark Henry
After Matt Hardy took down both the World's Strongest Man and WWE Hall of Famer Tony Atlas outside the ring, R-Truth scored the victory by hitting the Gold Standard with his brutal Corkscrew Elbow/Axe Kick combination to pick up the victory.

Taken from: wwe.com

As the headlining Survivor Series matches were being finalized, Jeff Hardy continued his extreme tirade throughout SmackDown, causing major disruption to several of the Superstars. And even Undertaker - emerging from a casket in the middle of the ring - was not as shocking as Jeff Hardy's frightening new look to match his reckless insanity.

Contract Signing for WWE Championship Match at Survivor Series
SmackDown General Manager Vickie Guerrero had scheduled a simple contract signing for the WWE Championship Match at Survivor Series between WWE Champion Triple H and Vladimir Kozlov. But things quickly turned extreme when Jeff Hardy suddenly jumped from the top rope and put the Moscow Mauler through the table. Hardy then proceeded to rip up the championship contract and throw it in The Game's face.

Jeff Hardy def. Undertaker (Extreme Rules Match)
As Undertaker and Hardy seemed to be reaching the climax of an absolutely brutal Extreme Rules Match, Big Show charged to the ring. The World's Largest Athlete chokeslamed The Deadman and caught the advancing Hardy in midair, before Undertaker nailed him with the steel chair. However, with The Phenom's attention on Big Show, Hardy was able to clobber him with the same chair, paving the way for him to hurl himself off the turnbuckle, over the top of the ladder and down upon The Deadman – executing a breathtaking leg drop that sealed his amazing victory. Following the match, SmackDown General Manager Vickie Guerrero told Hardy that if he beats Triple H next week, she will make the WWE Championship Match at Survivor Series a Triple Threat Match.

The Brian Kendrick def. WWE Tag Team Champion Carlito
When Carlito became distracted by the attack on his younger brother Primo by Ezekiel Jackson outside the ring, The Brian Kendrick seized the moment and executed The Kendrick to claim a strutting conquest.

Divas Champion Michelle McCool def. Maria - (Divas Championship Match)
Divas Champion Michelle McCool utilized a wrenching ankle hold on Maria to score a painful submission triumph in a match for the Divas Championship. Festus & Jesse had journeyed down to ringside - teddy bear in hand - to view the match close up. But when the Corn-Fed Colossus realized Michelle had hurt Maria, he charged into the ring after her, forcing the champion to quickly dive out of the ring to safety.

ECW Champion Matt Hardy def. United States Champion Shelton Benjamin – (Non-Title)
ECW Champion Matt Hardy hit the Twist of Fate out of nowhere to overcome United States Champion Shelton Benjamin in an intense, hard-fought Champion vs. Champion Match.

Kung Fu Naki def. Montel Vontavious Porter; Khali Kiss Cam
Thanks in part to the emergence of The Great Khali, Kung Fu Naki surprised MVP with the Chain Kick, giving him a huge win over the Ballin' Superstar - once again costing SmackDown's highest paid athlete his incentive bonus. After leveling MVP at the conclusion of the match, the Punjabi Playboy presented yet another edition of Khali Kiss Cam. However, in an unexpected twist, after dropping MVP for the second time with a two-handed chokeslam – Khali decided to have the lucky lady from Manchester give MVP the kiss instead.

Taken from: wwe.com

THQ Inc. and JAKKS Pacific, Inc. today announced the in-game music lineup for WWE SmackDown vs Raw 2009. The upcoming release from the leading fighting video game franchise will allow fans to select and listen to music throughout its in-game menus, loading screens and within key gameplay modes, including Create-A-Finisher and the Roster Editor. In addition, the music is available for players to apply within features such as Create-A-Superstar and the franchise's brand new Highlight Reel feature. In addition to classic entrance music from WWE Superstars Triple H, The Undertaker, John Cena, Jeff Hardy and more, WWE SmackDown vs Raw 2009 will feature the following licensed music tracks:
- Bloodsimple – "Dead Man Walking"
- Burn Halo – "Save Me"
- Disturbed – "Perfect Insanity"
- Egypt Central – "Taking You Down"
- Egypt Central – "You Make Me Sick"
- The Exies – "Lay Your Money Down"
- Murs – "SWC"
- POD – "Addicted"
- SiX – "Better Than Mine"
- Steriogram – "Get Up"

"We are thrilled to offer fans the ability to further customize their WWE SmackDown vs Raw video game experience through a variety of in-game music options," said Cory Ledesma, Senior Creative Manager of THQ. "These songs are a perfect complement of WWE attitude and the spirit of our fans."

About WWE SmackDown vs Raw 2009

WWE SmackDown vs Raw 2009 upholds the franchise's commitment to delivering the definitive video game simulation of live WWE programming. The Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 system, PlayStation 2 system and PSP system versions of the game will unleash a brand new tag team experience, allowing players to build momentum and attributes, eliminate opponents with high impact double teams and finishers, as well as get the "hot tag" for the win. The franchise's renowned creation system offers a brand new Create-A-Finisher option, while a new Road to WrestleMania Mode paves the way to WWE's biggest event of the year and lets players experience co-op storylines for the first time. WWE SmackDown vs Raw 2009 also extends the virtual WWE gameplay experience with robust online capabilities, including the highly anticipated debut of downloadable content.

WWE SmackDown vs Raw 2009 for Wii builds upon its inaugural offering by significantly expanding its match type options, giving players more ways to enjoy the platform's unique pick-up-and-play experience. The game also takes full combat sports entertainment to the next level by giving players more Superstar control with interactive entrances and victory scenes. WWE SmackDown vs Raw 2009 for Wii will also include a wide variety of new weapons, the debut of online gameplay and much more.

WWE SmackDown vs Raw 2009 for Nintendo DS returns with new gameplay controls that utilize the stylus and D-pad to deliver a compelling handheld fighting game experience. The redesigned Season Mode takes a role-playing approach, allowing players to interact with Superstars, upgrade their abilities and complete missions on a quest toward legendary goals. In addition, a larger Superstar roster, new match types and the inclusion of Create-A-Superstar will provide players with a variety of intriguing options to enhance gameplay.

Former WWE creative team member Seth Mates has a blog entry up talking about why Undertaker and Triple H went six years without wrestling each other, why Paul Heyman called Mick Foley a prostitute, why Joel Gertner being thrown off WWE TV, and more. Here is what he wrote on his blog entry at NewsDay.com:

So it was six years ago -- on the Halloween episode of SmackDown in 2002 -- that this happened. (Yes, that's me dressed as Dudley Do-Right sitting next to Cena as Stephanie's talking).

I've blogged before about my role in John Cena's first appearance as the white-boy rapper that ultimately led to his rise to superstardom. But given the day's festivities, I thought I'd retell the story -- along with some other fun backstage tidbits and thoughts inspired by recent events. Enjoy ...

... WWE and My Network TV went out of their way to promote last Friday's Triple H vs. Undertaker match-up, which they touted as WrestleMania-caliber. When I think of that match-up, I think back to the day after SummerSlam 2002, when HHH and Taker met in the main event on Raw -- which I believe is the last time they tangled on television. All I remember is how deflated the crowd was, how much the match stunk it up, how disappointed everyone backstage was afterwards (and for people backstage to openly malign something involving both HHH and Taker, that should tell you something). The feeling backstage was that we'd done something fresh and new at SummerSlam by putting the title on Brock, and now here we were doing something that was same old, same old, same old. Hopefully the six years since then have freshened the match a bit (I didn't watch last week), but this is the reason why you haven't seen it in so long.

... Thinking of the HHH-Taker match back in 2002 also reminds me of the backstage segment that followed that match, where Brock and Paul Heyman walk out of MSG with the WWE Title -- the moment that set up the split titles. I remember while we were shooting that vignette, a thinner-than-ever Joel Gertner -- who was backstage visiting that night -- was sitting directly in camera view! Not sure whether it was a strategic move on his part, but I alerted that fact to whoever was producing the segment, and he kindly asked Joel to move out of frame. Imagine if Brock was still with the company and that moment had become the "MOMENT" they always wanted it to be -- with Joel Gertner randomly in the background every time it was shown!

... I know I'm late on this, but congrats to Jonathan Coachman on escaping the WWE tornado and landing a great gig at ESPN. Good luck to you.

... This month's WWE 24-7 offerings are just awesome. I've been enjoying Survivor Series '87 the past few days, and I'm excited to see Survivor Series '91 later this month for the first time since I saw it live on PPV some 17 years ago. The music video offerings have two of my favorites ever (both for all the wrong reasons) -- Jive Soul Bro with Slick, and the AWA's WrestleRock Rumble -- arguably the worst thing ever. December's month's offerings look just as good, with Tuesday in Texas on the slate (Macho Man vs. Jake the Snake is THE best rivalry in wrestling ever to me, and in my opinion, Macho's promo after the match is the greatest promo in wrestling history, ever). And the fact that they're featuring Goldberg in the "Shorties" section as their Hannukah tribute is actually pretty funny.

... Surely I can't be the only one who got a little nauseous tonight during the SmackDown open when Eddie Guerrero's widow and nephew cut a wrestling promo next to a casket.

... Anyway, back to the Cena story from the Halloween 2002 SmackDown. I was on creative, and one of my duties was to go to the talent and find out what they wanted to dress as for the Halloween party. I believe we were on a European tour at the time, and when I went up to Cena (who was still finding his way through lower-card muck at the time, trying to establish a character), his face lit up and he instantly said Vanilla Ice. Having heard of his vocal prowess, I smiled back and said I'd do my best.

It was either that very day or shortly thereafter that John did his famous freestyle on a busride to a U.K. show. The entire SmackDown creative team was on that bus, and though there had been some hesitation from top creative people that making John a white rapper would "bury him", I and othersfought the good fight to give John an opportunity (and that rap on the bus definitely helped).

John was given a few speaking roles in the backstage Halloween party that night, and as best I can recall, he wrote all his own stuff. I remember him running one of his raps by me before the show, and I just knew the guy was gonna be a star. And there's been no looking back for John since then. There was some talk of renaming him "Johnny Ice" after that show, but luckily nothing ever came of that.

And for the record, John still owes me 50 bucks from that U.K. swing -- but that's a story for another time ...