10 Great SmackDown Matches From WWE's Original Brand Split
1. Rey Mysterio Vs. John Morrison (4 September 2009)
2009 was a great year for SmackDown. Not only was the World Heavyweight Championship in good hands, bouncing back and forth between CM Punk and Jeff Hardy, but the Intercontinental Title felt more important than it had in a while, thanks to a feud between Chris Jericho and Rey Mysterio.
Mysterio won the feud, then defended the title in a program with Dolph Ziggler. Again, Mysterio was victorious, but when he was suspended for violating the company's Wellness Policy, he was forced to drop the title. John Morrison was chosen to pick up the win.
Morrison certainly earned it. The match was scintillating, with two of WWE most athletic (and aerially-adept) men vying for the prestigious belt. Morrison was desperate, hitting a standing shooting star press, but Mysterio knocked him to the outside with a hurricanrana.
In the home stretch, the challenger kept looking for Starship Pain, but the champion kept avoiding the move. Rey hit the 619, but was too tired to capitalize. When Morrison went for Starship Pain again, Mysterio crotched him on top and went for a reverse hurricanrana, but Morrison held onto the ropes. Mysterio hit the ground and Morrison finally hit Starship Pain for the win.