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SMACKDOWN AND ECW TOURING TOGETHER RESULTS IN SOME TALENT STAYING HOME, WWE UNFORGIVEN AND MORE
by Buck Woodward 

It's a different kind of weekend for WWE.  The Smackdown brand was originally going to be touring Israel, but when those shows were canceled it was decided that part of the Smackdown crew would be added to the ECW events this weekend (and I imagine some ECW workers were told they have the "weekend off" after initially being listed for shows).  The Raw brand has no house shows, since they have the Unforgiven PPV on Sunday.

The combined Smackdown and ECW run kicks off on Saturday, September 16th in Jamestown, New York at the Jamestown Savings Bank Ice Arena with King Booker, Lashley, Batista, Finlay, Matt Hardy, Mr. Kennedy, Kristal Marshall, Jillian Hall, Paul London, Brian Kendrick, KC James and Idol Stevens from Smackdown being advertised, and Sabu, Test, Rob Van Dam, Hardcore Holly, Francine, Kelly Kelly, CM Punk and Stevie Richards from ECW being advertised.

The mixed crew then moves on to Niagara Falls, New York on Sunday, September 17th for a 3pm event at the Conference Center Niagara Falls with the following lineup being advertised locally:
- ECW Champion Big Show vs. Rob Van Dam.
- Sabu vs. Mike Knox in an Extreme Rules match.
- Tommy Dreamer vs. Test.
- Sandman vs. Justin Credible in a Dueling Canes.
- FBI vs. Neikirk & O'Reilly.
- Stevie Richards vs. Rene Dupree.
- CM Punk vs. Kevin Thorn.
- Kelly vs. Francine in an "Extreme Body" contest.

However, the above lineup was listed before the decision was made to make this a Smackdown & ECW event.  WWE.com has the same talent listed for this show as the Jamestown event.  Unfortunately, it looks like any fans who purchased tickets to see Big Show (who is working the PPV Sunday, so it makes sense for him to be taken off), Sandman or Tommy Dreamer won't be getting it.  In fact, from the talent listed, it looks like the cards will be four Smackdown matches, three ECW matches and some sort of Diva competition.

Smackdown will then have a house show on Tuesday, September 19th at the Scotiabank Place in Ottawa, Ontario.

As for the Raw brand, they have the Unforgiven PPV this Sunday from the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. PWInsider.com will have complete coverage, as it happens, here on the site.  To enjoy the coverage on an ad-free site, and also hear our exclusive Elite audio post-PPV show, become a PWInsider.com Elite Subscriber by clicking here.

Here is the announced lineup for the PPV:
- WWE Champion Edge vs. John Cena in a Tables, Ladders & Chairs match.  If Cena loses, he agrees to leave Raw and go to Smackdown.
- World Tag Team Champions The Spirit Squad vs. The Highlanders.
- WWE Women's Champion Lita vs. Trish Stratus in what is being billed as Trish's final match.
- Intercontinental Champion Johnny Nitro vs. Jeff Hardy.
- Triple H & Shawn Michaels vs. Vince McMahon, Shane McMahon & Big Show in a Hell In A Cell match.
- Carlito vs. Randy Orton.
- Kane vs. Umaga.

Raw then broadcasts on Monday, September 18th from the Bell Centre in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.  This show was billed as a "SuperShow" with Raw and Smackdown being presented.

So, why is there a Supershow taping on Monday when there is a Smackdown show on Tuesday?  Devin Cutting gives us the answer:

The event in Montreal on Monday will be a supershow with Smackdown being taped before Raw and the event in Ottawa on Tuesday is a Smackdown house show. WWE originally booked two Smackdown house shows for this weekend, a Saturday event in St. John's, Newfoundland and a Sunday afternoon event in Ottawa. When the Israel tour was moved to September, the show in St. John's was cancelled and the show in Ottawa was moved to Tuesday, as the third show of the Israel tour was booked for Saturday and there was no way that WWE could get to Ottawa in time to do the show on Sunday. Even though the Israel tour is now cancelled, WWE can't move the Ottawa show back to Sunday, probably because of lack of time and because it could or would interfere with the WWE tryout that is happening in Ottawa.

SMACKDOWN PREVIEW (NON-SPOILER); MYSTERIO VS. KENNEDY, LASHLEY VS. FINLAY, HELMS VS. HARDY
by Buck Woodward 

Taped for tonight on Smackdown:

- WWE U.S. Champion Ken Kennedy vs. Rey Mysterio.

- WWE Cruiserweight Champion Gregory Helms vs. Matt Hardy.

- Bobby Lashley vs. Fit Finlay.

- Brian Kendrick vs. Kid Kash vs. Idol Stevens.

- Vito vs. William Regal.

- Scotty 2 Hotty vs. The Miz.

- Sylvester Terkay vs. Handsome Johnny.

- Theodore R. Long, William Regal, Chavo Guerrero, Vicki Guerrero, Batista and King Booker will also appear on the show.

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