WWE Heat Report: 13th January 2008
By Shaun Best-Rajah.com Reporter
Commentators: Todd Grisham & Jack Korpella
Ring Announcer: Lilian Garcia

Welcome to another helping of Heat. Before I begin I'd like to say thank you to everyone that took the time to vote on the Heat awards. Voting has now closed and I'm nearly done with the results. They'll be up without fail tomorrow night. I'll also get to answering all the e-mails people sent me too over the next few days. Onto today's show, three matches on cue and we begin with.........................................

D.H. Smith vs Greg Cardona
Smith runs down to some fanfare with a smile on his face. Smith applies a wristlock to begin. Cardona fails to forearm free as Smith wrenches the arm then delivers two different armdrag variations. Smith applies an armbar as Grisham hopes that Smith can put all his tools together and stay on the straight and narrow. Smith delivers a hammerlock slam then goes back to the armbar on the mat. Smith drops a leg onto the arm then traps Cardona's arm between his knees. Smith gets Cardona up in the corner to wind up the arm. Grisham says Smith needs to be on the big stage and under the bright lights of the Royal Rumble. Here's hoping so. Smith Irish whips but misses a charge, crashing face first in the corner. Cardona lands a couple of boots and a forearm before elbowing Smith down off the ropes. Smith avoids an elbow drop and goes back to winding up the arm. Cardona cuts Smith off with a knee. Smith wins a forearm exchange then sends Cardona off the ropes into a backbodydrop. Smith lands two dropkicks. Cardona staggers into a boot to the gut. Smith delivers his patented back suplex, pushing Cardona's arms into the mat as he covers for the 1-2-3.
Here is Your Winner: D.H. SMITH. Another short Smith showcase. Shame he can't get no promo time to help him get over. Post match, Smith smiles as he celebrates in the corner before leaving and saluting fans on his way to the back.

Hacksaw Jim Duggan & Super Crazy vs Flex & Mega
Hacksaw and Crazy receive the usual fanfare. Flex and Mega are two big dudes. Grisham makes note of Crazy's snub to Hornswoggle on Raw this past week. Hacksaw shoves Flex then plays to the crowd. Hacksaw is taken aback as the big Mega tags in. Mega backs Hacksaw to the ropes where he clubs at the chest. Hacksaw reverses Mega off the ropes and staggers him with a couple of punches. Hacksaw then floors Mega with a clothesline. Both men tag out. Flex gets the advantage over Crazy with a knee, side headlock and shoulder tackle. Crazy comes back with a hiptoss and armdrag. Flex reverses Crazy off the ropes, Crazy telegraphs a backbodydrop with a boot to the head. Crazy runs the ropes but Mega kicks him in the back from the apron. The referee sees this and calls for the bell. What??? Crazy starts to punch at Mega on the apron before all four men stop looking confused. As the referee informs everyone of the decision, Hacksaw takes out Flex and Mega with several 2 x 4 shots. Crazy then dropkicks Flex out of the ring before he and Hacksaw celebrate. Grisham scoffs at Flex and Mega saying that they blew their one chance to impress. I'll say. They looked a good bet for an upset win here judging by their size. Here Are Your Winners via DQ: HACKSAW JIM DUGGAN & SUPER CRAZY.

Santino Marella vs Brian Kendrick
Main Event time. Santino is greeted by boos as he cuts a promo. Santino addresses the boos with a thanks before saying he loves the people just as much. Santino is going to demonstrate there is more than meets the eye when it comes to Santino Marella. He is like a transformer, not only a super strong athlete but also very cultured. To prove this Santino offers to read a poem which he wrote all by himself. Entitled: Greatness by Santino Marella. Here's the full poem:

I am Santino Marella and I am so great.
This is my year 2008.
With my physique, I am so scarry.
I'm a high performance
machine just like a Ferrari.
Look at my leg (flexes). Strong like a stallion.
I am far superior. Because I am Italian.
Fast cars, great food and now there's me.
Only great things come from Italy.

Santino thanks the crowd as Kendrick comes out. By the way both men are facing off without their respective partners in their corners. Grisham heels it up on commentary calling Kendrick an over-achiever who relies on Paul London. Grisham also isn't sold on Kendrick as a singles wrestler. Korpella brings up Londrick being compared to the Rockers to which Grisham likens Kendrick to Marty Jannetty-a guy no-one's heard from since he split from Shawn Michaels. Obviously Grisham's missed all of the WWE cameos Jannetty has made in the last few years. Santino mocks Kendrick's size so Kendrick shoves Santino. Kendrick dodges a shove, two legsweep attempts and a punch. Kendrick slaps Santino before catching him in a drop toehold. Kendrick traps Santino early on with a side headlock takedown. Following a series of shoulder tackles and nearfalls, Kendrick goes back to the side headlock takedown, managing to find a counter to Santino's headscissors thus keeping him trapped. Santino gets Kendrick into the corner to Irish whip. Kendrick floats over a charge before going back to the side headlock takedown. Santino gets his foot on the rope to force a break. Both men jawjack, Kendrick shoves then counters a lunge into a waistlock. Santino manages a reversal via an elbow. Santino tries a headlock but Kendrick pushes him down using his leg, before quickly applying a front facelock. Santino counters into an armwringer/wristlock combo but Kendrick again counters with another side headlock takedown. Santino gets to the ropes again to save himself. Santino talks trash yet again so Kendrick sends him to the outside with a flurry of kicks. Kendrick goes out after him but Santino telegraphs a kick by smacking Kendrick's leg with one of his own kicks. Heat cuts away for a commercial break. We return to see Kendrick fight out of a leg wrench. Kendrick attempts a headlock but Santino lifts then drops him onto his leg. Santino applies a leglock so Kendrick uses his other leg to kick free. As Kendrick tries to get up using the ropes, Santino kicks at the leg before driving it into the mat. Despite swatting Santino away a couple of times, Santino comes back with another kick and several punches to the head. Santino sits on another leglock as the crowd rally behind Kendrick who gets to the ropes. After sustaining some gut punches, Santino uses Kendrick's leg to pull him under the ropes and drive the leg into the ring apron. Santino slithers back in to twist at the leg as Kendrick lies on his stomach. As Santino lifts the leg up again, Kendrick uses his other leg to balance then hits an enziguiri kick in desperation. In the corner, Kendrick sends Santino away with a backelbow, punch then with both feet but Kendrick immediately crashes to the mat in pain. Kendrick uses his good leg to kick at Santino. Kendrick comes off the second rope with a flying forearm for a nearfall. Kendrick tries a headlock, Santino lifts, Kendrick rolls back onto his feet and falls again. Santino takes advantage by quickly hitting a roll the dice neckbreaker to get the 1-2-3. Here is Your Winner: SANTINO MARELLA. Good psychology used by Santino along with good selling by Kendrick. Match told a simple story of Santino taking out the leg to combat Kendrick's kicks and high flying. As Santino raies his hands and blows kisses to the crowd, Grisham gives props to both men-in particular to Kendrick for not quitting. This was Santino's best showing in the ring for quite a while.

Korpella shills for Raw tomorrow night in Mobile, Alabama before thanking us for watching to end the show.

Best match: Santino Marella vs Brian Kendrick.
Worst match: Hacksaw Jim Duggan & Super Crazy vs Flex & Mega.
Show verdict: Thumbs in the middle. The first two matches were too short which made the Raw recaps twice as long to sit through. Decent Main Event though. Hopefully we get more Heat action next week.

I'll see you next weekend for Heat. Until then have a good week. Shaun.

If anyone wants to sound off, chew the fat or talk wrestling get in touch. Comments/praise/feedback/criticism/discussion points please direct to shaunmb1@hotmail.com.