Match 1: Montel V. Porter vs. Batista (non-title) It's not about the US title this time, but for Batista, it's about a measure of revenge on behalf of his mentor Ric Flair, after what MVP did 2 weeks ago. Batista hit a brainbuster for 2, and then went to Flair's arsenal, with a chop block and a kneebreaker, setting up a figure four leglock. However, Porter forced a rope break when he squirmed over to the bottom strand. After a commercial, Batista is still on offense, but then Porter comes back and begins working on the left shoulder of Batista. The fight goes to the floor, and Batista rams Porter into the apron with a running spinebuster. Back to the ring, and Batista goes airborne with a shoulder tackle for 2. He hits a spinebuster, but Porter counters the Batista Bomb and hits a facebuster. He schoolboys Batista with a handful of tights, but gets only 2. Sets up for the Ole kick in the corner, but Batista meets him with a wicked spear, then rams him shoulder first into the post. More payback. Batista finally ends it with the Batista Bomb. Winner: Batista.Post-match, MVP makes ring announcer Justin Roberts remind the crowd that he's still the US champ, since the title wasn't on the line. Zack Ryder & Curt Hawkins have a match later, and ask their mentor, Edge, for advice. However, the champion needs to be alone, as he's got some deeper business ahead of him......
Match 2: Curt Hawkins, Zack Ryder, & Deuce 'N' Domino (w/Cherry) vs. Jesse & Festus, Jimmy Wang Yang, & Shannon Moore Smackdown's tag team division, outside of current champions John Morrison & Mike Mizanin, are represented in our next match. At least Deuce 'N' Domino, the former champions, get their entrance back. Jon Coachman describes this as being pretty even, but it doesn't stay that way for very long, as the heels don't really get anything going. Yang & Domino are the last men tagged in, and Yang takes complete control. A pinfall is broken up by the Edgeheads, leading to Moore & Jesse doing a double plancha on Ryder & Hawkins. Yang hits the moonsault on Domino, and that's it. Winners: Jesse & Festus, Jimmy Wang Yang, & Shannon Moore. The winners don't have time to celebrate, and the sore loser Edgeheads initiate a post-match ambush. Jesse is knocked to the floor and finds his way over to the bell. He rings it, and Festus is "brought back to life", so to speak, and destroys the heels. Jesse rings the bell again to "sedate" Festus. Vicki Guerrero is being made up for "her special night". Teddy Long just looks straight ahead, as if there was someplace he'd rather be right about now......
Match 3: Michelle McCool vs. Victoria Any other time, this would be a fair, even matchup between a 2-time former champion and a potential future champion. Unfortunately, Chuck Palumbo comes down to the ring uninvited on his motorcycle, and keeps revving up the engine to distract Michelle. The former school teacher loses focus and questions Palumbo. Victoria takes advantage and hits the Widow's Peak. Winner: Victoria. Post-match, Palumbo cuts a promo and warns Michelle she might as well get used to it. Stop the pain!
Match 4: Undertaker vs. Big Daddy V (w/Matt Striker) Return match from 1/25. This time, it's a squash. Big Daddy gets only minimal offense in, and Striker is no help at all. Striker gets on the apron, only to get punched out by Undertaker. BDV tosses Taker to the floor, and Striker gets in a token cheap shot. Big Daddy with a chop, but that's the extent of his offense. Back in the ring, he misses a corner splash, allowing Taker to go Old School. Big Daddy reverses a whip, but that only spells trouble, as Undertaker hits a DDT. That, friends, is what ends it. Winner: Undertaker. Post-match, Striker tries to revive his charge, but then gets laid out himself, via a chokeslam and the figure four choke.
Edge continues to prepare and is clearly nervous. Coach says he hasn't seen Edge this nervous in a long time. Elimination Chamber video package. 2 Chambers in one PPV makes up for 0 Chamber matches in 2007. Coach & Michael Cole run down the No Way Out card.
Match 5: Kane & CM Punk vs. Shelton Benjamin & Chavo Guerrero It's the first-ever teaming of Guerrero & Benjamin, who have 4 tag team titles between them in WWE, plus their various singles titles. This deserved more time than it got. Punk was the face in peril early on, but avoided Benjamin's running powerbomb to the corner, knocking Benjamin into said corner. Punk makes the hot tag to Kane, who just cleans house. Kane hits the top rope clothesline on Guerrero, but Benjamin makes the save, only to regret it mere seconds later. A double chokeslam is blocked, but as Kane is whipped into the ropes, Punk tags himself back in, and hits the springboard clothesline on Benjamin. Shel is finally removed, leaving Guerrero all alone with Punk, who hits an airplane spin to set up the Go To Sleep. Adios, Chavo! Winners: Kane & CM Punk. As a public service, a video package plays highlighting the feud between John Cena & Randy Orton, which reignited after Cena won the Royal Rumble nearly three weeks ago. Cena faces Orton in the Raw main event at No Way Out.
Match 6: Finlay (w/Hornswoggle) vs. Great Khali (w/Ranjin Singh) Yet another preview of the Elimination Chamber, and yet another rematch between the Fighting Irishman and the Punjabi Nightmare. In what has become a trend of late, Finlay is coming out to 'Swoggle's theme music, and they've combined the two Irishmen's video packages. Khali dominates early, as expected, and shrugs off Finlay's offense. He hits the tree slam, and normally, that would be it. However, Hornswoggle enters the picture with a shillelagh about as tall as he is, and smacks Khali in the back of the leg to get the giant's attention. Singh tries to grab 'Swoggle, who simply knocks the manager to the floor. Khali grabs 'Swoggle and shoves him down. As ref Nick Patrick checks on the former cruiserweight champion, Finlay retrieves his own shillelagh and hits Khali in the arm, then the head. The knockout shot is good enough for a pinfall. Winner: Finlay. Teddy Long is pushing Vicki Guerrero toward the arena. Why Vicki still has the wheelchair, I don't know, and they don't want to tell us. Vicki wants to savor the moment. Meanwhile, thanks to some video editing, a crew is already transforming the ring to set up Edge's big announcement, one night after Valentine's Day. First Edge, then Vicki, is greeted by a string quartet, probably on loan from the Houston Symphony or something. Anyway, after Vicki is brought out to the ring, Edge croons, karaoke style, a few lines from Bryan Adams' 1985 hit, "Heaven", then pops the question. Vicki enthusiastically accepts. Rey Mysterio comes out, and cuts a promo on Edge & Vicki in Spanish & English, ragging on Vicki for once again disgracing the Guerrero family name. Edge demands an apology, but Rey isn't in a mood to do so, saying that he wonders how much Vicki will really love Edge after he loses the title. A short fight breaks out, ending with Rey hitting the 619. As Edge recovers, Rey sets up for the seated senton, but Edge ducks and Vicki takes the brunt of the blow, knocking her out of the chair, and out cold. Edge is understandably angry that his moment was ruined. Then again, when was the last time an engagement was greeted with a mix of cheers & boos? Sadly, it doesn't look like Mysterio may make it to Las Vegas after all, since he was injured in Chile earlier this week and is now questionable for No Way Out.
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