Opening Segment:
Booker T interviews Mark Henry to kick off Smackdown. We get a good exchange from Henry and Booker, as we continue to see Henry become the focal point of the entire show. We did not have Booker T back down either, which was nice, compared to Jim Ross who may be a better commentator, but the presence of Booker T was great. We get Khali vs. Henry afterwards
What I Liked:
Mark Henry really pandered to the crowd in this segment, took control of our attention by verbally attacking Booker T, and used the heat of the crowd to continue to impress on the microphone. Henry gives us a believability that he cannot be beaten. His Hall of Pain is creative, and is a little something different.
What I Disliked:
Mark Henry does not need to beat The Great Khali to look more powerful. We saw him beat legitimate competition like Kane, Big Show, Orton, etc. Khali is a complete joke, and every body knows it. His skills are VERY limited, and neither guy looks good in the ring with one another. Does anybody really care to see Henry take out Khali? No, as I would rather him face Ezekiel Jackson or another bigger body superstar.
Grade of Segment: C+.
Jack Swagger def. Evan Bourne:
Both men gave us a great match, with outside interference from Dolph, Vickie, and Kofi. Vickie tripped up Bourne on the top rope to give her client a victory. We continue to see the team work from Ziggler and Swagger. They catapulted themselves into a legit team to face off against Air Boom.
What I liked:
The Tag Team titles are relevant again. Even if you are not a big fan of Kofi and Evan together, they are at least making it work. I also liked the placement of this match, having it early in the night to keep the crowd into it. You have to grab the crowd's attention quickly to keep them hot throughout. I also feel that they need to add this match officially to Hell in a Cell.
What I disliked:
Having swagger come out to Dolph's music and then have his music after the victory makes no sense. He is different than Ziggler, and does not need to use his music to remind us that they work for Vickie. Swagger also needs not to rely on over selling moves. A few knees Bourne hit on him were oversold. It still was a solid match and turn of events.
Grade of Segment: B+
