WWE SmackDown was clearly the better show (in terms of in-ring action, at least) in 2009. The blue brand featured some fantastic matches involving the likes of Rey Mysterio, John Morrison, and Chris Jericho to name a few.
CM Punk also emerged as a main eventer during this era of WWE SmackDown. The Straight Edge Superstar held the reins of the blue brand as the World Heavyweight Champion. His feud against Jeff Hardy became the highlight of WWE’s programming.
That being said, let’s take a look at some of the best WWE SmackDown matches of 2009:
Chris Jericho vs. Jeff Hardy vs. Kane vs. Rey Mysterio (Fatal 4-Way Elimination – May 1)
This match was for the number one contendership to the World Heavyweight Championship. Jeff Hardy entered the match as the fan favorite. Kane dominated the early goings of the match with his incredible strength.
The Big Red Machine, however, got himself eliminated by former World Heavyweight Champion Chris Jericho. The self-proclaimed King of the World failed to keep with his momentum and was eliminated as well.
Hardy and Mysterio ended up as the last two participants. This resulted in one of the great closing stretches on WWE SmackDown. In the end, the Charismatic Enigma eliminated the iconic Luchadore to win the match.
Jeff Hardy vs. John Morrison (WWE SmackDown – July 31)
Jeff Hardy and John Morrison had a great feud in 2006 over the Intercontinental Championship. They met again in 2009 for Hardy’s world title. The match didn’t get the proper build it deserved, but the in-ring action turned it into one of the best WWE SmackDown matches of 2009.
Morrison dominated Hardy for the most part. The champion had his moments of comeback here and there. In the end, Hardy managed to subdue the challenger to retain his World Heavyweight Championship.
Chris Jericho vs. Rey Mysterio (WWE SmackDown – July 10)
Rey Mysterio defeated Chris Jericho for the Intercontinental title in a title versus mask match at WWE The Bash 2009. The pair ran it back at the first WWE SmackDown taping of July. This turned out to be a PPV quality match on free television.
Both men had more than 20 minute to tell their story and the utilized the time to perfection. Jericho showed some great heel character work in this match. The challenger had the match in control for the most part. Still, he lost the match-up.
CM Punk vs. Jeff Hardy (Steel Cage Match for the World Heavyweight Championship – August 28)
CM Punk and Jeff Hardy had a series of fantastic matches in 2009. The pair fought over the World Heavyweight Championship. Punk kicked off the feud after he cashed-in his Money in the Bank contract on Hardy at Extreme Rules 2009.
The met for one final time inside a steel cage. Hardy entered the match with the final opportunity to win the World Heavyweight Championship. The storytelling in this match was simply brilliant. Both men were battered from the punishment they dished on each other at SummerSlam 2009.
Hardy showed great heart in this match-up, but was unable to win the bout. He would be gone from WWE for nearly a decade after his match.
John Morrison vs. Rey Mysterio (WWE SmackDown – September 4)
John Morrison had some incredible matches in 2009. The superstar vowed fans with his athletic ability at PPV events and on weekly shows. Morrison and Rey Mysterio delivered arguably the best WWE SmackDown match of 2009 at the September 1st taping.
Both men delivered some amazing sequence throughout the match. Morrison’s agility meshed well with Rey’s innovative aerial offense. In the end, the Friday Night Delight defeated the champion to win the Intercontinental title for the third time in his career.
Honorable Mentions
- The Undertaker & Triple H vs. Edge & Big Show (WWE SmackDown – February 6)
- CM Punk vs. John Morrison (August 14)
- Undertaker, John Cena & DX vs. CM Punk & Legacy (WWE SmackDown – October 2)
- Batista vs. Rey Mysterio (December 18)
Also read: Best WWE SmackDown Matches Of 2013
