SMACKDOWN

Again didn't get to see a whole lot of this show but my thoughts:

I enjoyed the opening with Teddy Long introducing IC Champ Rey Mysterio as the new face of Smackdown; Jericho coming out saying that was, in fact, him, and Jeff Hardy coming out to remind both men that he'd won the fatal four-way last week to get the Judgement Day title shot at Edge's world title. He offered Jericho a match which, if he won, would allow him into the title match making it a triple threat. Jericho lost later on due to Mysterio's interference - Mysterio was in fact the last thing we saw before SD went off the air. Good focus on the IC belt and title holder, and with Mysterio (the "face of SD") and Chris Jericho (arguably WWE's MVP last year - sorry Montel lol) heading towards a feud over the belt, SD's midcard just got that much more enjoyable.

Add to this Shelton Benjamin feuding with a newly-face John Morrison, and Umaga heading into a feud with CM Punk by costing Punk shots against Edge left and right, SD arguably has the more interesting midcard than Raw right now, which has an at times unfortunate tendency to emphasize the main eventers at the expense of the midcard guys. But hey - vive la difference. I also enjoyed the Great Khali vs. Dolph Ziggler for being different from what I expected - figuring on a Khali squash, Khali won by DQ only because Ziggler hit him with a chair. Ziggler walked away from the ring on his own power, laughing no less - how many Khali opponents can say that?

Definitely some weak points in the show - mostly involving the Divas, and I think Morrison-Charlie Haas could have been more entertaining given the wrestlers involved also - but basically a highly passable show over all - I'd grade it a solid B.