Jeff Defeats Edge and Chooses a Ladder Match at Extreme Rules

Jeff Defeats Edge and Chooses a Ladder Match at Extreme Rules

WWE Smackdown
May 22, 2009
Cincinnati, OH
Report by: Mike Tedesco of WrestleView.com

A video recap of the Judgment Day Main Event is shown. We see highlights of the match, which was great until Matt Hardy interfered with his cast. Edge delivers an Edgecution to Jeff Hardy off the top rope and Edge retains the title.

The Smackdown video plays and we’re brought into the arena with a great pyrotechnics display. Jim Ross and Todd Grisham welcome us to the show. Tonight we’ll see a rematch from Superstars with CM Punk taking on Chris Jericho, who he defeated last night.

Justin Roberts is in the ring and asks us to welcome the World Heavyweight Champion Edge. Edge comes out to a less than enthusiastic response. Edge grabs a microphone and says if there was ever any doubt as to who the face of Smackdown, then lets end the debate now. Edge says he doesn’t want to hear any other Superstar coming out and declaring himself the face of the show. Judgment Day has come and gone, and he is still the face of this brand. Edge says that Chris Jericho lost to Rey Mysterio, CM Punk lost to Umaga, and he embarrassed and defeated Jeff Hardy, which means he’s still our World Heavyweight Champion. Edge says to make no mistake about it – he is the premier superstar in the WWE today. The crowd is chanting for Jeff Hardy but Edge says that he’s not even in Edge’s league. He is a winner. Edge says Jeff Hardy is just like his legions of fans – the people who believe in him and chant his name. He’s just like all of them – a loser.

Teddy Long’s music hits and he makes his way out to the ring. Long says what he witnessed at Judgment Day was an atrocity. Long says he believes the referee’s decision is final but as the General Manager of this show he cannot deny that Matt Hardy illegally interfered in a World Heavyweight Championship match. Therefore, at Extreme Rules, he is going to grant a rematch to Jeff Hardy!

Edge is angry and says he beat Jeff. You can say that he lost because he got hit in the head with a cast but that’s just an excuse. He’s tired of everyone giving excuses for him because the fact is he ran up against a man who has more will, heart, and determination and who is willing to pull out all the stops. Edge says he went back into the vault, the millions of moves he’s mastered over the years, and he pulled out his top rope Edgecution, and that’s how Jeff Hardy got beat. Jeff Hardy is not World Heavyweight Championship material. Jeff Hardy is a failure.

Jeff Hardy’s music hits and he makes his way out to the ring to a great reaction. Hardy stops outside the ring and says Edge is right. He’s a loser, a failure, a screw-up, a let down, pathetic, and reckless. But above and beyond all of that, deep down, Jeff Hardy is a competitor. He also knows that at Extreme Rules, every match is extreme. Hardy says they should get crazy – they should have a match tonight and whoever wins gets to decide what type of extreme match they will have.

Edge says that Hardy can’t come out and make his own match and pleads to Teddy Long. Hardy says for Long to correct him if he’s wrong but he said last week this show belongs to the WWE Universe so lets hear what Cincinnati has to say. Hardy gets in the crowd and asks a bunch of people if they want to see Hardy vs. Edge tonight and they all say yes. Hardy then asks the entire crowd and they scream yes. Hardy says Cincinnati has spoken and Teddy Long makes the match happen for tonight. Edge is not happy as Jeff Hardy and the crowd celebrates.

Main Event Match
Jeff Hardy vs. Edge

This is not a World Heavyweight Championship match. If you’re just starting to read here, this match is to determine who will choose the stipulation for their title match at Extreme Rules. They’re playing up that Hardy may have been concussed at Judgment Day.

Mike Chioda calls for the bell and this match begins. They’re at opposite sides of the ring and take a bit of time before locking up. Edge forces Hardy to the corner and punches him. Hardy gets around him and rolls him up for a no count and Edge quickly crawls away. They separate and lock up. Edge gets a headlock but Hardy slides out and rolls Edge up for a one count. They take some more time before locking up again and Edge goes for a test of strength but tricks Hardy by kicking him. Edge goes for a body slam but Hardy slides off and rolls him up for a one count and Edge gets out of the ring frustrated.

Edge grabs Hardy’s leg and pulls him down. Edge goes for an elbow drop but Hardy moves. Hardy gets a headlock on and executes a takeover. Hardy tries pinning Edge’s shoulders and gets a one count. Edge fights up and goes for a back suplex but Hardy counters into another takeover. Edge fights up to his feet and punches Hardy in the knee. Edge punches Hardy in the head and Hardy is staggered. Edge has a whip into the corner reversed on him and he hits the corner sternum first. Hardy splashes him in the corner and bounces Edge’s head off the top turnbuckle about ten times and hits a slingshot dropkick to Edge, but this hurts Hardy more because of his bruised brain. Edge looks astonished that Hardy is able to stand and hits a running big boot to the skull. JR wonders if Hardy can beat Edge as we go to commercial.

-Commercial Break-

We come back from the break to see Edge dropping knees on Jeff Hardy’s head. Edge taunts the crowd and they’re not happy. Hardy is really looking in rough shape. Edge goes outside and hangs Hardy on the apron. Edge elbows his head and hits a running kick to his head. Edge gets back in the ring and will accept the count-out. Edge stops this and goes to the outside and bounces Hardy’s head off the apron. Edge puts him back in the ring and covers for a near fall.

Edge’s face says it all – he’s psychotic. Edge bounces Hardy’s head off the top turnbuckle and whips him into the opposite corner. Edge charges into a back elbow and then into Hardy’s boots. Hardy now connects with Whisper in the Wind and covers for a CLOSE near fall. Hardy blocks a right hand and punches Edge. Hardy has a whip reversed on him but he’s able to forearm Edge down. Hardy goes into the ropes for another forearm for a two count. Hardy hits a sit-out front suplex and takes off his shirt. Hardy goes to the top rope for the Swanton Bomb but Edge runs away.

Hardy ducks a clothesline and hits an inverted atomic drop. Hardy then goes for a double leg drop to the groin but Edge pushes him away, and Hardy hits the back of his head. I’ve never seen anyone counter that before. Edge covers for a near fall. Edge picks Hardy up and hits a nice neckbreaker for a close near fall. Edge punches Hardy in the skull a bunch of times and goes to the second rope. Edge comes off and Hardy dropkicks him out of the air. Hardy then baseball slides Edge out of the ring.

Hardy springboards over the top rope with a plancha! Hardy puts Edge back in the ring and body slams him. Hardy gets to the second rope and hits a Hardy Leg Drop for a near fall! Haven’t seen him do that in a while! Jeff Hardy now signals for a Twist of Fate but Edge pushes him off into the corner. Edge goes for the Spear but Hardy counters with a sunset flip for a nice near fall! Hardy now goes for a Twist of Fate but Edge counters with a backslide pin for a near fall. Edge goes for the Edgecution but Hardy twists out and hits the Twist of Fate! Hardy struggles to the top rope and Edge cuts him off. Edge goes up top for a top rope Edgecution, much like Judgment Day, but Hardy punches him off! Hardy hits a beautiful Swanton Bomb for the huge win!

Winner by Pinfall: Jeff Hardy

Charles Robinson raises Jeff Hardy’s arm and he looks like he’s been through a war. We see replays of all the big head shots Hardy took in this match but he still came out on top. Todd Grisham gets in the ring and congratulates him on a fantastic win. Grisham now asks what type of match we’ll see in New Orleans at Extreme Rules. Hardy says at Extreme Rules he will not be painting, cleaning gutters, or changing bulbs but what he will be doing is climbing a LADDER to become the World Heavyweight Champion! It’s official – at Extreme Rules it’ll be Jeff Hardy vs. Edge in a Ladder Match for the World Heavyweight Championship! Edge clutches his championship as Smackdown ends!

Read the full Smackdown Result here