Match 1: Rey Mysterio vs. The Edgeheads (Curt Hawkins & Zach Ryder) We have not seen Hawkins & Ryder in a 2-on-2 match since joining Edge. What's the point? They're being used as assassins for the World Champion, and because of their less-than-sterling track record in tags, they can't be trusted with a push in that division just yet. That aside, there really isn't much that can be said, as Rey has to climb the mountain, if you will, to earn a "W" before the Royal Rumble on Sunday. Ryder & Hawkins have to function as a tag team, tagging in and out, which works for a while, but their inexperience works against them. Rey survives the onslaught, and is ready to dial 619 on Ryder when Hawkins comes in with a chair, prompting ref Jim Corderas to call for the bell before Hawkins can even use the chair. He swings and misses, and Rey hits a VanDaminator on Hawkins, sending the Edgeheads fleeing. Winner: Rey Mysterio via DQ.

Jesse's flying solo this week, and has pictures of the "two sides" of his partner Festus, whom he says is getting some psychiatric help. Hmmmmm.

Match 2: Domino (w/Deuce & Cherry) vs. Jimmy Wang Yang (w/Shannon Moore) For the 2nd straight week, the former tag team champs don't even merit an entrance. That pretty much telegraphs the outcome of this singles bout. However, Domino shows a lot more fire than we've seen in recent weeks, and has the offense rolling early on. However, he can't close the deal fast enough, and gives Yang enough openings to make a difference. Late in the match, Cherry decides to get on the apron, drawing Charles Robinson's attention, allowing Deuce to push Yang off the top. Moore provides a receipt with a huracanrana off the apron, taking Deuce out, and after Domino misses a Vader Bomb, it's Yang Time as Jimmy hits the moonsault for yet another win. Winner: Jimmy Wang Yang.

Jamie Noble is warming up, but interrupted by Chuck Palumbo. Yes, tonight they're tag team partners, but they're arguing, talking over each other before pausing to collect themselves as their partner, Michelle McCool, enters the picture.

Match 3: John Morrison, Mike Mizanin, & Layla El vs. Jamie Noble, Chuck Palumbo, & Michelle McCool Now, last week I said that we might be seeing the dawning of a new tag team to challenge Miz & Morrison. Nuh-uh, not happening. The match is barely a couple of minutes old when it all implodes. Palumbo tags himself in as Noble is on offense vs. Miz. A shoving match ensues as Miz crawls to safety. The girls never tagged in, and their only interaction was when Michelle slapped Layla while on the apron. She's halfway back to her corner when Palumbo shoves Noble right into her, knocking her out. Noble leaves the ring to attend to her, and starts calling for help. Medics arrive with a stretcher. Do the tag champs take advantage? NO! The match stops as the ref attends to Michelle. Palumbo turns on Noble while they're on the floor. He rams Jamie into the post, then hits the Full Throttle, still on the floor, mind you. He also knocks Michelle off the gurney, adding to her pains. He even struck the referee. All that frustration has boiled over, and Palumbo's heel turn is complete. Winners: NONE. Match ruled No Contest.

It's not exactly the VIP Lounge, but Montel Vontavious Porter is holding court in center ring anyway, continuing to disrespect Ric Flair. He's so sure he's going to end the Nature Boy's career on Sunday, that Porter had a mock newspaper headline made up. "MVP Better Than Flair". I don't think Porter has ever read the story about how a certain metropolitan newspaper jumped the gun and assumed Thomas Dewey had beaten Harry S. Truman for the presidency several years ago. MVP thinks Flair will be on the golf course and in a retirement home, and even goes so far as to assume he'll be in the Hall of Fame. Oh, please! Flair comes out, and while he isn't getting much to say, it's the point that is important. Flair believes he will beat Porter at the Royal Rumble. Wooooo!

Match 4: Finlay (w/Hornswoggle) vs. Great Khali (w/Ranjin Singh) (Belfast Brawl) A No-DQ match like this evens the playing field for the Fighting Irishman----or does it? Khali dominates early on, swatting aside the shillelagh while ref Jim Corderas foolishly shoves away a chair that Singh threw into the ring. Singh would put the chair back later on, but Finlay, not Khali would end up using it. The bout spills out to the floor. Finlay has been beaten down, and Khali tears up the announce table. Hornswoggle has something in mind as he walks across the apron, but Khali grabs him. He wants to put 'Swoggle through the table, but Finlay, seeing his friend in trouble, regains the use of the shillelagh and pummels Khali with it, plus his bare fists and a chair. Khali is lacerated, but strangely, the Fighting Irishmen depart rather than have Finlay score the pin. I could see it if Corderas determined that Khali couldn't continue, but that wasn't the case here. Winner: None.

Diva Search winner Eve Torres debuts next week on Smackdown. Whee.

Backstage, Vince McMahon thanks Finlay for saving Hornswoggle yet again. It takes a bit, but the chairman gets a moment alone with 'Swoggle and gets the point across that in the Royal Rumble, it's every man for himself. How far can Finlay go to protect 'Swoggle in that kind of environment, or does 'Swoggle find his "inner McMahon" by Sunday?

Batista is out next to cut a promo of his own. He wishes Mysterio the best of luck in his title match vs. Edge, but Batista eats, sleeps, breathes the World title. Sound familiar? Go back through your Triple H tapes from a few years back. He said the same thing. Other than that, Batista, the 2005 Rumble winner, says history could repeat itself when he wins the Rumble, then the World title, again.

Footage is shown from the mixed tag earlier tonight. Backstage, "earlier", Michelle McCool is being wheeled out toward an ambulance waiting outside. Jamie Noble limps out to check on her and apologizes for the collision that started the whole mess.....

Match 5: Big Daddy V (w/Matt Striker) vs. Undertaker Michael Cole claims that this is the "first time ever" between these two. Bzzzzzz! Wrong! They have clashed before, when BDV was known as Viscera. Sorry to be so anal, but it's the truth, kidz. I digress. Because of that familiarity, the match is pretty even. BDV is able to avoid Old School early on, and hits a corner to corner splash. Undertaker comes back, and hits a diagonal corner to corner splash. 2 of them, in fact, before booting BDV in the face to knock him down. A chokeslam only gets 2. Big Daddy comes back and hits a splash, then applies a little, well, Visagra, but that doesn't get it done. Undertaker tries a triangle choke, but can't connect. However, a short time later, he applies a variation on the same hold, maybe even a variation on a figure four, and BDV taps out immediately. Winner: Undertaker.

Post-match, it takes a few extra seconds before Undertaker can release the hold. Striker, obviously, is concerned, and so is Mark Henry, who comes out to check on his tag team partner. Reading lips, Cole tells us that Henry was telling UT, "You went too far!". There was blood gushing from the mouth of Big Daddy, and he was still selling the effects as Henry led him out of the arena.

Match 6: Edge (w/the Edgeheads) vs. CM Punk (w/Rey Mysterio)(non-title) Three nights ago, Punk was screwed out of the ECW title thanks to Edge and his squeeze, Vicki Guerrero (absent tonight, by the way), colluding with Armando Estrada to add a No-DQ stip, enabling Chavo Guerrero to win the title. Vicki & Chavo, apparently, are still celebrating, but neither Vicki nor the rightful GM, Teddy Long, are here. Mysterio should've been in Punk's corner on Tuesday (but we know who to blame for that), so this on the surface is a make good, except that Rey, like Edge the last two Tuesdays, is at the announce table. You know that won't last.

It's pretty even to start, as Punk & Edge are feeling each other out. Before the break, Edge dodges a clothesline from Punk, and the former ECW champ is sent sprawling to the floor. Back from commercial, and Edge has Punk in a cravat. Punk works out of it, and makes a rally. Edge sets up a Electric Chair, but Punk counters into a victory roll for 2. Punk went for the GTS, but Edge dusted off the Edge-O-Matic for 2. Punk blocked the spear with a boot to the head. He set up for a Samoan drop off the top (Cole assumed GTS), but Edge maneuvered out of harm's way. Punk leapfrogged over Edge, but the champ came back with a spear, and that was it. Winner: Edge.