WWE Smackdown vs RAW 2009 IGN Insiders Guide

Introduction

Talk about packing the roster... 61 wrestlers out of the box, plus the
ability to edit every wrestler's brand and alignment on a whim from
the outset. Throw in the stellar Road to WrestleMania mode, and
you have arguably the best wrestling game to be released since No
Mercy on the Nintendo 64.

With all this added stuff, you can bet that IGN is here with another
fantastic, detailed guide to get you to your WWE championship gold
as quickly as possible. Whether you're playing to unlock all the
bonuses and paths in Road to WrestleMania, or if you just want to
explore the different match types for exhibition matches and
multiplayer fun, we've got all the information you need.

In this WWE SmackDown vs. RAW 2009 strategy guide, you'll
find:

MATCH TYPES

// A breakdown of every type of match, and

all the variances of each one, as well as which ones the
sexy WWE divas are allowed to participate in.

WRESTLERS

// Every superstar's finishers and signature

moves are listed here, as well as their abilities (and what
those abilities do).

ROAD TO WRESTLEMANIA

// We examine each of the six stories in Road to WrestleMania mode, and how to

unlock each of the bonuses there-in.

CAREER MODE

// A few notes concerning the non-linear Career Mode, so you can maximize your created

wrestlers' potential.

Guide by: Jon "PyroFalkon" Habib

Page 1

WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2009 Match Types

There are a large variety of matches in SmackDown this year, allowing you bust some heads in many ways. Here we'll
go over all the match types, and what each particular gimmick is and how to deal with it.

Normal Match

Divas allowed

1v1, 2v2, Triple Threat, Fatal 4-Way, 6-Man, Handicap

No gimmicks; standard match type, slightly customizable by your choice of allowing DQs, countouts, and so on.

Inferno Match

Divas banned

1v1 only

A temperature meter in the bottom-left starts at 100 degrees. All moves will raise the temperature slightly, based on
damage. At 300 degrees, ringside will flare up for about 15 seconds, at which point you must drag your opponent to
the ropes. If you fail (and you probably will if your opponent doesn't have red damage), the temperature will reset
back to 200 (not 100) degrees.

First Blood

Divas banned

1v1 only

Only possible way to win is to bloody your opponent's head. Get his head in red damage, then use weapons or
head-targeted offense to bust him open.

Falls Count Anywhere

Divas banned

1v1, 2v2, Triple Threat, Fatal 4-Way

No DQs and no countouts means weapons are allowed and plenty of fighting can happen outside the ring. Pins and
submissions are also allowed outside the ring, unlike usual.

Hell in a Cell

Divas banned

1v1, 2v2, Triple Threat, Fatal 4-Way, 6-Man

No DQs and no countouts. You can exit the cell by going to the door in the bottom-left corner, then pressing Down
+ A (Xbox 360) or Down + X (PS3). From there, you can climb to the top, and either throw your opponent off or
through the top of the cell.

Ironman

Divas allowed

1v1 only

Set for either 10, 20, or 30 minutes, this is a standard match, but a score is kept. Every time anyone wins for any
reason (DQ, countout, pin, submission), a point is given. At the end of the clock, whoever has more points wins.
Note that whenever anyone scores a point, the opponent gains all their health back.

Page 2

Ladder

Divas banned

1v1, 2v2, Triple Threat, Fatal 4-Way, 6-Man (Note 6-Man version is called "Money in the Bank")

An item hangs above the ring, and to get it, you have to set up a ladder in the middle of the ring. You then climb the
ladder, and move either stick or both up to grab the item. A meter will then appear and start to empty: when it fully
empties, you'll come down with the item. Problem is that your opponent(s) will be trying to knock you off in the
process! Note that using two hands (both sticks) to pull the item down will empty the meter faster, but you become
more susceptible to lose your balance and fall.

Last Man Standing

Divas banned

1v1 only

Similar to Falls Count Anywhere, there are no DQs or countouts here. The only way to win is to beat your opponent
senseless so he lays there and can't answer a 10-count.

Normal Submission

Divas allowed

1v1 only

Basically a standard match, but there are no DQs, and you can't leave the ring. The only way to win is by making
the opponent submit; no pins here.

Table

Divas banned

1v1, 2v2, Triple Threat, Fatal 4-Way

Similar to Falls Count Anywhere, you win by putting your opponent through a table. To do this, you have to build up
your momentum, then either drag your opponent to a table from a strong grapple or Irish Whip them into it. Then,
just hit the finisher button to put them through the table and win the match.

TLC

Divas banned

1v1, 2v2, Triple Threat, Fatal 4-Way

Similar to Falls Count Anywhere. Weapons are allowed and spread out at ringside, but you can only win with a pin
or submission in the ring.

Steel Cage

Divas banned

1v1, 2v2, Triple Threat, Fatal 4-Way

Wrestlers are trapped in a cage and must escape to win. Note that you can customize the match a bit and make
pins and submissions legal as well, if you choose to. You can also escape through the door by whipping an
opponent to the bottom-left turnbuckle, then doing any grapple. Whether you climb out or try the door, you'll play a
mini-game where you must press a button as a meter fills. If you're not fast enough, your opponent(s) can stop you
by knocking you down. Note that if you play a 2v2 cage match, both of you must escape to win.

Backstage Brawl

Divas banned

1v1 only

Wrestlers are in one of two backstage areas and fight with no rules until one is knocked out. Finishers typically will
knockout opponents.

Page 3

ECW Extreme Rules

Divas banned

1v1, 2v2, Triple Threat, Fatal 4-Way

Similar to TLC, weapons are allowed here with no rules, but pins and submissions must happen in the ring. A
different feature here is that you can pull out one of eight weapons from under the ring by going to the middle of the
apron outside, then pressing toward the apron and pressing A or X (depending on your platform). You can pull
weapons out in other game modes, of course, but here you get to select which weapons specifically. Further, you
can burn a finisher by lighting a table or a barbed wire 2x4 on fire, which you can't do in other modes.

Elimination Tag

Divas allowed

2v2, 6-Man

Standard tag match, but when an opponent loses, he or she leaves the area and the match continues. The match
goes on until everyone from one side has been eliminated.

Battle Royal

Divas allowed

Fatal 4-Way, 6-Man

This has one of two settings. Either it can be a standard match, or it can be an over-the-top elimination style. If it's
set to a standard match, then anyone can lose for any reason, but it's elimination style, so the match will continue
until one person remains. If it's set to over-the-top, you must Irish Whip your opponent toward the ropes, then
grapple with them and button mash to knock them off. No matter what the rules are set to, you cannot leave the
ring.

Elimination Chamber

Divas banned

6-Man only

Two men start the match in a structure similar to Hell in a Cell, but there is no escape here. Every few seconds,
another man enters the match. The match is in elimination style, so the winner is the last man standing. You can
choose to play this one as a 6-man tag team match instead of a 6-man free-for-all, but the same rules apply. You
can use the cage and glass chambers as weapons if you want to cause maximum damage.

Handicap

Divas allowed

1v2, 1v3, 1v3 Gauntlet, 2v3

Handicap matches have uneven teams. "One on Two" and "One on Three" means the stronger side has all their
wrestlers in the ring at once. "One on Tag," "One on Trio," and "Tag on Trio" means it goes by tag rules. "Gauntlet"
has the one taking on three others in succession, rather than all at once.

Royal Rumble

Divas banned

10-Man, 20-Man, 30-Man

Match starts with two men, and every few seconds another one comes down the ramp to enter the ring. Match is
strictly over-the-top elimination style, and continues until all men have entered the match and only one remains
standing.

Page 4

All wrestlers in SmackDown have the same overall control scheme, so we won't go over a move-by-move breakdown.
Instead, we'll tell you where everyone differs: their situations to execute their signature and finisher moves, and their
abilities.

Note that we'll be going over the locked wrestlers here as well, so don't read on if you want to be 100% surprised who is
hidden.

All wrestlers have up to 6 abilities out of a list of 21. Here, we'll list what the 21 are and how they affect matches. Note
that created wrestlers start with no abilities, but can gain them in Career Mode. We'll go over that in the Career Mode
section.

For the real wrestlers that ship with the game, their abilities are locked and can never be changed. They can be altered
in Career Mode, but those changes will not stick when you go back to exhibition.

Abilities

Wrestlers

Abilities

Blood Shed

Allows you to bust yourself open when holding a chair by pressing Y (Xbox 360) or Triangle (PS3). This will give
you full momentum and temporarily give you full health.

Cage Match

Allows you to use special attacks during cage matches whilst climbing the cage or standing at the top of one. This
ability is passive.

Dirty Pin

Allows you to pin an opponent with increased leverage, making it harder for your opponent to kick out and
essentially removes rope breaks. Automatically activates when you pin an opponent near the ropes.

Durability

Allows you to slightly recover your health if you sustain red damage. Press and hold Y (Xbox 360) or Triangle (PS3)
to activate this. Note that when you're healing, you're not moving, so don't do it unless your opponents are down.

Evasive Dodge

Hold either trigger and use the left stick to make your wrestler roll in the indicated direction. Good for keeping an
opponent guessing.

Fan Favorite

This allows you to do a special taunt if your momentum is full. Simply press the D-pad in any direction, and your
taunt will start lowering the opponent's momentum. This will last until your full momentum wears off, or until you
execute your finisher.

Page 5

Hammer Throw

Allows you to do a strong Irish Whip by holding B (Xbox 360) or Circle (PS3). This will send the target over the top
rope entirely rather than just flinging him into the ropes.

Kip-Up

Similar to Bloodshed, this will fill your momentum and temporarily max out your health. To use it, press Y (Xbox
360) or Triangle (PS3) after being knocked down. You can only use it once.

K.O.

Increases the chance you can knock out an opponent with any knockout-capable attack. This ability is passive.

Ladder Match

Allows you to use special attacks during ladder matches and slightly increases your speed of pulling down an item.
This ability is passive.

Lock Pick

Allows you to immediately break a submission hold at the cost of a lot of momentum. Can only be used twice in a
match, so save it when you're in red damage and would risk tapping out.

Move Theft

Allows you to steal an opponent's finisher or signature move, provided you are in the same situation as he is. To
use it, press Right Bumper + Y (Xbox 360) or R1 + Triangle (PS3) to activate it. Note that you do not necessarily
need full momentum like the game implies; you just have to be in the proper position with either a stored Signature
move or full momentum if you want to steal the finisher.

Object

Allows you to grabble while holding a weapon. This causes great damage and, for chairs, does not decrease the
life of the weapon.

Outside Dives

Allows you to do a dive attack from inside the ring to ringside by running toward the ropes, then hitting toward +
strike.

Possum Pin

Allows you to reverse a pin attempt and pin your opponent instead. This ability is passive, provided you correctly
time hitting the reversal button for your opponent's pin attempt.

Referee Shield

Press and hold A (Xbox 360) or X (PS3) to grab the ref and throw him at an opponent. Succeeding in this will knock
them both down.

Page 6

This part lists every wrestler, their abilities, and their situations to execute their signatures and finishers. Again, we'll go
over all the wrestlers, so don't read on if you don't want to know who's locked.

Also note that we're going by the default list here; unlike abilities, you can change a wrestler's moves by going into
Create A Move Set. This way you can keep the roster current, like how Melina has added the Ace of Spades finisher to
her arsenal as of the November 24, 2008 edition of RAW.

Resiliency

Increases the chance you'll kick out of a pin, effectively increasing your health. This ability is passive.

Springboard

Allows you to bounce off the ropes and come back elbow-first against an opponent who is also in the ring. Simply
press the left stick toward the ropes and press strike to do it.

Steal Taunt

Steal the opponent's taunt by holding Right Bumper (Xbox 360) or R1 (PS3) and hitting any direction on the D-pad.

Submission

This allows opponents to tap out when in a submission hold. Note that without this ability you'll never have an
opponent tap unless a submission is set for your wrestler's finisher! This ability is passive.

Table Match

Allows you to stack two tables on each other. You can then put an opponent on the top table and drive him through
both, giving maximum damage.

Abilities

Wrestlers

A - C

E - J

K - M

P - T

U - Z

Wrestler List

Ashley

Signature 1

(Hurricanrana 4): Standing from the front

Signature 2

(Monkey Flip): Corner from the front

Finisher 1

(Starstruck): Corner from the front

Finisher 2

(Spear 6): Ground at the head

Abilities

Evasive Dodge, Referee Shield

Page 7

Batista

Signature 1

(Spear 7): Running from the front

Signature 2

(Suplex Slam): Standing from the front

Finisher 1

(Batista Bomb): Standing from the front

Finisher 2

(Spinebuster 3): Standing from the front + any direction

Abilities

Durability, Hammer Throw, K.O., Lock Pick, Resiliency

Beth Phoenix

Signature 1

(Sidewalk Slam 4): Standing from the back

Signature 2

(Body Press Drop FW): Standing from the front

Finisher 1

(Northern Lights Driver): Standing from the front

Finisher 2

(Michinoku Driver Pin): Standing from the front + any direction

Abilities

Dirty Pin, Durability, Hammer Throw

Big Daddy V

Signature 1

(Sidewalk Slam 6): Standing from the front

Signature 2

(Big Splash Pin): Ground at the head

Finisher 1

(Elbow Drop 11): Ground at the head

Finisher 2

(Ghetto Drop): Standing from the front

Abilities

Bloodshed, Hammer Throw, K.O., Lock Pick, Object

Big Show

Signature 1

(Showstopper): Standing from the front

Signature 2

(Spear 7): Running from the front

Finisher 1

(Chokeslam 8): Standing from the front

Finisher 2

(Cobra Clutch Backbreaker): Standing from the back

Abilities

Bloodshed, Durability, Hammer Throw, K.O., Lock Pick, Object

Boogeyman

Signature 1

(Neck Hanging Chokeslam): Standing from the front

Signature 2

(Body Splash): Corner from the front

Finisher 1

(Pumphandle Slam): Standing from the back

Finisher 2

(Boogeyslam): Standing from the front

Abilities

Hammer Throw, Lock Pick, Steal Taunt

Page 8

Brian Kendrick

Signature 1

(Super Kick): Standing from the front

Signature 2

(Running Calf Kick): Running from the front

Finisher 1

(Sliced Bread No. 2): Standing from the front near the corner

Finisher 2

(Ninja): Corner from the back

Abilities

Evasive Dodge, Fan Favorite, Ladder Match, Outside Dives, Possum Pin, Springboard

Candice Michelle

Signature 1

(Crucifix Head Scissor): Standing from the front

Signature 2

(Spinning Wheel Kick 2): Running from the front

Finisher 1

(Candywrapper): Standing from the back

Finisher 2

(Candylicious): Corner from the front

Abilities

Evasive Dodge, Fan Favorite, Possum Pin

Carlito

Signature 1

(Flapjack 3): Standing from the front

Signature 2

(Topo Atomico 2): Ground at the head

Finisher 1

(Back Stabber): Standing from the back

Finisher 2

(Neckbreaker 12): Standing from the back + any direction

Abilities

Dirty Pin, Outside Dives, Springboard, Steal Taunt

Chavo Guerrero

Signature 1

(Suplex 3): Standing from the front

Signature 2

(Suplex 4): Standing from the front + any direction

Finisher 1

(Frog Splash Pin): Top rope while opponent is down

Finisher 2

(Gory Bomb 1): Standing from the front

Abilities

Dirty Pin, Durability, Evasive Dodge, Outside Dives, Possum Pin

Chris Jericho

Signature 1

(Lionsault 2): Ground at the head

Signature 2

(Step Up Enzuigiri): Standing from the front

Finisher 1

(SS Walls of Jericho 02): Ground at the feet

Finisher 2

(Codebreaker): Standing from the front

Abilities

Durability, Ladder Match, Move Theft, Outside Dives, Springboard, Steal Taunt

Page 9

Chuck Palumbo

Signature 1

(Samoan Drop 4): Standing from the front

Signature 2

(Big Boot 2): Running from the front

Finisher 1

(Full Throttle): Standing from the front

Finisher 2

(Spinning Side Slam): Standing from the front + any direction

Abilities

Dirty Pin, K.O., Lock Pick, Hammer Throw

CM Punk

Signature 1

(Shining Wizard Combo 2): Corner from the front

Signature 2

(Rope Stretch Chicken Wing): Corner from the front + any direction

Finisher 1

(Go 2 Sleep): Standing from the front

Finisher 2

(SS Anaconda Vise 02): Ground at the head

Abilities

Durability, Ladder Match, Object, Outside Dives, Springboard

Cody Rhodes

Signature 1

(Bulldog 2): Corner from the front

Signature 2

(Texas Jab): Standing from the front

Finisher 1

(DDT 19): Standing from the front

Finisher 2

(Swinging Snap DDT): Standing from the front + any direction

Abilities

Move Theft, Outside Dives, Possum Pin, Springboard

Curt Hawkins

Signature 1

(Diving Cross Body): Corner from the front

Signature 2

(Spinebuster 2): Standing from the front

Finisher 1

(Running STO): Running from the front

Finisher 2

(Back Suplex 7): Ground at the feet

Abilities

Dirty Pin, Object, Referee Shield

Abilities

Wrestlers

A - C

E - J

K - M

P - T

U - Z

Edge

Signature 1

(Edge O'Matic 1): Standing from the front

Signature 2

(Half Nelson Face Buster): Standing from the front + any direction

Finisher 1

(Spear 5): Ground at the head

Finisher 2

(Edgecution): Standing from the front

Abilities

Durability, Ladder Match, Move Theft, Object, Resiliency, Table Match

Page 10

Elijah Burke

Signature 1

(4-Up Combo): Standing from the front

Signature 2

(Outer Limitz Elbow Drop): Corner from the front

Finisher 1

(Elijah Express): Corner from the front

Finisher 2

(Elijah Experience): Standing from the back

Abilities

Dirty Pin, Durability, Move Theft, Object

Festus

Signature 1

(Hanging Neck Chokeslam): Standing from the front

Signature 2

(Chokeslam 2): Standing from the front + any direction

Finisher 1

(Flapjack 2): Standing from the front

Finisher 2

(Gutbuster 5): Standing from the front + any direction

Abilities

Bloodshed, Hammer Throw, K.O., Lock Pick

Finlay

Signature 1

(Finlay Press): Ground at the head

Signature 2

(Steam Roller): Standing from the front

Finisher 1

(Celtic Cross): Standing from the front

Finisher 2

(Celtic Knot): Ground at the feet

Abilities

Dirty Pin, Durability, Hammer Throw, Referee Shield, Submission

Great Khali

Signature 1

(Brain Chop): Standing from the front

Signature 2

(Headbutt 2): Standing from the front + any direction

Finisher 1

(Vise Grip): Standing from the back

Finisher 2

(Neck Hanging Chokeslam): Standing from the front

Abilities

Hammer Throw, K.O., Lock Pick

Hardcore Holly

Signature 1

(SS Full Nelson): Standing from the back

Signature 2

(Full Nelson Slam 2): Standing from the back + any direction

Finisher 1

(Alabama Slam): Standing from the front

Finisher 2

(Sitout Suplex Slam): Standing from the front + any direction

Abilities

Hammer Throw, Lock Pick, Table Match

Page 11

JBL

Signature 1

(Last Call): Standing from the front

Signature 2

(Neckbreaker 9): Running from the front

Finisher 1

(JBL Powerbomb): Standing from the front

Finisher 2

(Clothesline From Hell): Running from the front

Abilities

Dirty Pin, Durability, Hammer Throw, K.O., Lock Pick, Referee Shield

Jeff Hardy

Signature 1

(Whisper in the Wind): Corner from the front

Signature 2

(Turnbuckle Dropkick 3): Corner from the front while opponent is sitting

Finisher 1

(Swanton Bomb 1): Top rope while opponent is down

Finisher 2

(Extreme Twist of Fate): Standing from the front

Abilities

Fan Favorite, Ladder Match, Outside Dives, Resiliency, Springboard, Table Match

Jesse

Signature 1

(Monkey Flip): Corner from the front

Signature 2

(Sunset Flip Pin 1): Running from the front

Finisher 1

(Steam Roller): Standing from the front

Finisher 2

(Diving Leg Drop 1): Top rope while opponent is down

Abilities

Fan Favorite, Outside Dives, Possum Pin

Jillian

Signature 1

(Fender Bender): Ground at the head

Signature 2

(Cartwheel Elbow Drop): Ground at the head + any direction

Finisher 1

(Full Nelson Bulldog): Standing from the back

Finisher 2

(450 Splash Pin): Top rope while opponent is down

Abilities

Dirty Pin, Referee Shield, Steal Taunt

Jimmy Wang Yang

Signature 1

(Enzuigiri 2): Standing from the front

Signature 2

(Somersault Enzuigiri): Corner from the front

Finisher 1

(Moonsault Attack 2): Corner from the front

Finisher 2

(Corkscrew Body Pin): Top rope while opponent is down

Abilities

Evasive Dodge, Fan Favorite, Outside Dives, Possum Pin, Springboard

Page 12

John Cena

Signature 1

(5-Knuckle Shuffle): Ground at the head

Signature 2

(Diving Leg Drop 3): Corner from the front

Finisher 1

(F-U 3): Standing from the front

Finisher 2

(SS STF-U): Ground at the feet

Abilities

Durability, Hammer Throw, Kip-Up, K.O., Resiliency

John Morrison

Signature 1

(Shooting Star Splash): Ground at the head

Signature 2

(Facebuster 7): Standing from the back

Finisher 1

(Moonlight Drive): Standing from the front

Finisher 2

(Corkscrew Body Pin): Top rope while opponent is down

Abilities

Dirty Pin, Object, Outside Dives, Referee Shield, Springboard

JTG

Signature 1

(Jawbreaker 2): Standing from the front

Signature 2

(Neckbreaker 16): Standing from the front + any direction

Finisher 1

(Neckbreaker 14): Standing from the front

Finisher 2

(Neckbreaker 13): Standing from the front + any direction

Abilities

Move Theft, Outside Dives, Referee Shield, Steal Taunt

Abilities

Wrestlers

A - C

E - J

K - M

P - T

U - Z

Kane

Signature 1

(Sidewalk Slam 4): Standing from the back

Signature 2

(Oklahoma Slam 1): Standing from the front

Finisher 1

(Chokeslam 6): Standing from the front

Finisher 2

(Tombstone Piledriver 3): Standing from the front + any direction

Abilities

Durability, Hammer Throw, Kip-Up, K.O., Lock Pick

Kelly Kelly

Signature 1

(Hurricanrana 5): Standing from the front

Signature 2

(Headscissor Takedown): Running from the front

Finisher 1

(Fame Kisser): Standing from the front

Finisher 2

(DDT 17): Standing from the front + any direction

Abilities

Fan Favorite, Move Theft, Referee Shield

Page 13

Kofi Kingston

Signature 1

(Double Back Chop): Standing from the front

Signature 2

(Flying Forearm Smash 2): Running from the front

Finisher 1

(Trouble in Paradise): Standing from the front

Finisher 2

(Twin Leg Drop): Ground at the head

Abilities

Fan Favorite, Object, Outside Dives, Possum Pin, Springboard

Lance Cade

Signature 1

(Reverse Atomic Drop 1): Standing from the front

Signature 2

(Diving Elbow Drop Pin): Top rope while opponent is down

Finisher 1

(Spinebuster 7): Standing from the front

Finisher 2

(Clothesline From Hell): Running from the front

Abilities

Dirty Pin, Hammer Throw, K.O.

Layla

Signature 1

(Spinning Kick 1): Standing from the front

Signature 2

(Woman's Slap 4): Standing from the front + any direction

Finisher 1

(Spinning Roundhouse Kick): Standing from the front

Finisher 2

(Michinoku Driver Pin) Standing from the front + any direction

Abilities

Dirty Pin, Referee Shield, Steal Taunt

Maria

Signature 1

(DDT 17): Standing from the front

Signature 2

(Woman's Slap 4): Standing from the front + any direction

Finisher 1

(Running Bulldog): Standing from the front

Finisher 2

(Corner Bulldog): Corner from the back

Abilities

Possum Pin, Referee Shield, Steal Taunt

Mark Henry

Signature 1

(Big Splash Pin): Ground at the head

Signature 2

(Headbutt 2): Standing from the front

Finisher 1

(World's Strongest Slam): Standing from the front

Finisher 2

(SS Bearhug): Standing from the front + any direction

Abilities

Hammer Throw, K.O., Lock Pick, Submission

Page 14

Masked Man

Signature 1

(German Suplex Pin 2): Standing from the back

Signature 2

(SS Figure 4 Leglock 02): Ground at the feet

Finisher 1

(Piledriver 2): Standing from the front

Finisher 2

(Diving Moonsault 2): Top rope while opponent is down

Abilities

Dirty Pin, Durability, Object, Referee Shield

Matt Hardy

Signature 1

(Side Effect 1): Standing from the front

Signature 2

(Diving Leg Drop 2): Corner from the front

Finisher 1

(Twist of Fate 1): Standing from the front

Finisher 2

(Twist of Fate 2): Corner from the front

Abilities

Cage Match, Durability, Fan Favorite, Ladder Match, Outside Dives, Table Match

Melina

Signature 1

(Extreme Makeover): Standing from the front near the corner

Signature 2

(Facecrusher 2): Running from the front

Finisher 1

(Leg Drop Reverse DDT): Standing from the front

Finisher 2

(California Dream): Ground at the feet

Abilities

Dirty Pin, Move Theft, Referee Shield

Michelle McCool

Signature 1

(Big Boot 2): Running from the front

Signature 2

(Spear 6): Ground at the head

Finisher 1

(Facebuster 2): Standing from the front

Finisher 2

(Chick Kick): Standing from the front + any direction

Abilities

Evasive Dodge, Fan Favorite, Possum Pin

Mickie James

Signature 1

(Hurricanrana 10): Corner from the front

Signature 2

(Neckbreaker 5): Standing from the front

Finisher 1

(DDT 18): Standing from the front

Finisher 2

(Long Kiss Goodnight): Standing from the front + any direction

Abilities

Durability, Evasive Dodge, Fan Favorite, Possum Pin

Page 15

The Miz

Signature 1

(Jawbreaker 1): Standing from the front

Signature 2

(Neckbreaker 9): Running from the front

Finisher 1

(Reality Check): Ground at the head

Finisher 2

(Mizard of Oz): Standing from the front

Abilities

Dirty Pin, Object, Possum Pin, Referee Shield, Steal Taunt

Mr. Kennedy

Signature 1

(Green Bay Plunge 1): Standing from the front

Signature 2

(Swanton Bomb 1): Top rope while opponent is down

Finisher 1

(Mic Check): Standing from the front

Finisher 2

(Green Bay Plunge 2): Corner from the front

Abilities

Durability, Ladder Match, Move Theft, Possum Pin, Steal Taunt

Mr. McMahon

Signature 1

(Finishing Leg Drop): Ground at the head

Signature 2

(Low Blow 1): Standing from the front

Finisher 1

(Facelock Jawbreaker 3): Standing from the front

Finisher 2

(Pedigree 2): Standing from the front + any direction

Abilities

Dirty Pin, Hammer Throw, Move Theft, Referee Shield, Steal Taunt

MVP

Signature 1

(Ballin' Elbow): Ground at the head

Signature 2

(Shining Player's Boot): Standing from the front

Finisher 1

(Playmaker): Standing from the front

Finisher 2

(Player's Boot): Corner from the front

Abilities

Dirty Pin, Durability, Hammer Throw, Possum Pin, Steal Taunt

Abilities

Wrestlers

A - C

E - J

K - M

P - T

U - Z

Paul London

Signature 1

(Dropsault 2): Standing from the front

Signature 2

(Mule Kick): Corner from the front

Finisher 1

(450 Splash Pin): Top rope while opponent is down

Finisher 2

(Shooting Star Press 3): Top rope while opponent is down + any direction

Abilities

Evasive Dodge, Fan Favorite, Ladder Match, Outside Dives, Possum Pin, Springboard

Page 16

Randy Orton

Signature 1

(Backbreaker 14): Standing from the front

Signature 2

(Orton Stomp): Ground at the head

Finisher 1

(Hunting RKO): Ground at the head

Finisher 2

(Punk Kick): Ground at the head + any direction

Abilities

Dirty Pin, Durability, K.O., Object, Resiliency, Steal Taunt

Rey Mysterio

Signature 1

(Bulldog 4): Running from the front

Signature 2

(DDT 13): Standing from the back

Finisher 1

(The 619 Senton): Standing from the front

Finisher 2

(The 619 Body Splash Pin): Standing from the front + any direction

Abilities

Evasive Dodge, Fan Favorite, Ladder Match, Outside Dodge, Possum Pin, Springboard

Ric Flair

Signature 1

(Ric Flair Knee Drop): Ground at the head

Signature 2

(Chop Block 2): Standing from the back

Finisher 1

(SS Figure 4 Leglock 01): Ground at the feet

Finisher 2

(Grapefruit Claw): Standing from the front

Abilities

Cage Match, Dirty Pin, Possum Pin, Referee Shield, Resiliency, Submission

Santino Marella

Signature 1

(Back Wheel Trip): Standing from the front

Signature 2

(Diving Headbutt 3): Corner from the front

Finisher 1

(Neckbreaker 13): Standing from the front

Finisher 2

(Neckbreaker 16): Standing from the front + any direction

Abilities

Dirty Pin, Move Theft, Possum Pin, Referee Shield, Steal Taunt

Shad

Signature 1

(Big Boot 2): Running from the front

Signature 2

(Side Slam 3): Standing from the front

Finisher 1

(Samoan Drop 1): Standing from the front

Finisher 2

(Back Drop Bottom 2): Standing from the back

Abilities

Hammer Throw, K.O., Lock Pick

Page 17

Shawn Michaels

Signature 1

(Flying Forearm Smash 3): Running from the front

Signature 2

(Diving Elbow Drop 3): Top rope while opponent is down

Finisher 1

(Sweet Chin Music Pin 2): Ground at the head

Finisher 2

(Inverted Figure-4 Leg Lock): Ground at the feet

Abilities

Durability, Fan Favorite, Kip-Up, Outside Dives, Possum Pin, Resiliency

Shelton Benjamin

Signature 1

(Powerslam Pin 3): Standing from the front

Signature 2

(Dragon Whip 2): Standing from the front + any direction

Finisher 1

(Jumping Complete Shot): Standing from the front

Finisher 2

(Super Kick): Standing from the front + any direction

Abilities

Dirty Pin, Hammer Throw, Ladder Match, Outside Dives, Possum Pin, Springboard

Snitsky

Signature 1

(Double Underhook Lock): Standing from the front

Signature 2

(Swing Sidewalk Slam): Standing from the front + any direction

Finisher 1

(Big Boot 4): Running from the front

Finisher 2

(Pumphandle Slam): Standing from the back

Abilities

Durability, Hammer Throw, K.O., Lock Pick

Tazz

Signature 1

(Tazz Capture Suplex): Standing from the front

Signature 2

(T-Bone Suplex 4): Standing from the front + any direction

Finisher 1

(Tazzplex): Standing from the back

Finisher 2

(Ground Tazzmission): Ground at the head

Abilities

Bloodshed, Durability, Hammer Throw, Lock Pick, Resiliency, Submission

Tommy Dreamer

Signature 1

(ECW Low Dropkick): Corner from the back

Signature 2

(DDT 5): Standing from the front

Finisher 1

(DDT 17): Standing from the front

Finisher 2

(Dreamer Driver): Standing from the front + any direction

Abilities

Bloodshed, Durability, Fan Favorite, Hammer Throw, Object, Table Match

Page 18

Tony

Signature 1

(5-Knuckle Shuffle): Ground at the head

Signature 2

(Spin Out Powerbomb 2): Standing from the back

Finisher 1

(F-U 3): Standing from the front

Finisher 2

(SS STF-U): Ground at the feet

Abilities

Durability, Hammer Throw, Kip-Up, K.O., Resiliency

Trevor Murdoch

Signature 1

(DDT 1): Standing from the front

Signature 2

(Spinebuster 6): Standing from the front + any direction

Finisher 1

(Ace of Spades): Standing from the front

Finisher 2

(Bulldog 5): Corner from the front

Abilities

Dirty Pin, Hammer Throw, Possum Pin

Triple H

Signature 1

(Spinebuster 2): Standing from the front

Signature 2

(Facebuster 8): Running from the front

Finisher 1

(Pedigree 2): Standing from the front

Finisher 2

(Pedigree 1): Standing from the front + any direction

Abilities

Cage Match, Durability, Hammer Throw, K.O., Lock Pick, Resiliency

Abilities

Wrestlers

A - C

E - J

K - M

P - T

U - Z

Umaga

Signature 1

(Samoan Drop 4): Standing from the front

Signature 2

(Diving Headbutt 2): Corner from the front

Finisher 1

(Samoan Spike): Standing from the front

Finisher 2

(Umaga Hip Attack): Corner from the front while the opponent is sitting

Abilities

Bloodshed, Durability, Hammer Throw, K.O., Lock Pick

Undertaker

Signature 1

(Chokeslam 2): Standing from the front

Signature 2

(Old School): Standing from the front near the corner + any direction

Finisher 1

(Tombstone Piledriver Pin): Standing from the front

Finisher 2

(Triangle Stretch): Ground at the head

Abilities

Durability, Hammer Throw, Kip-Up, Lock Pick, Outside Dives, Resiliency

Page 19

Victoria

Signature 1

(Slingshot Leg Drop): Ground from the head

Signature 2

(Standing Moonsault): Ground from the feet

Finisher 1

(Widow's Peak 1): Standing from the front

Finisher 2

(Sidewalk Slam 3): Standing from the back

Abilities

Dirty Pin, Durability, Hammer Throw, Referee Shield

William Regal

Signature 1

(Regal Stretch): Ground from the feet

Signature 2

(Double Knee Attack): Standing from the front

Finisher 1

(Knee Trembler): Running from the front

Finisher 2

(Power of the Punch): Standing from the front

Abilities

Dirty Pin, Durability, Hammer Throw, Submission

Zack Ryder

Signature 1

(Facebuster 3): Standing from the front

Signature 2

(Neckbreaker 9): Running from the front

Finisher 1

(Reverse DDT): Standing from the front

Finisher 2

(Russian Leg Sweep 3): Standing from the front + any direction

Abilities

Dirty Pin, Object, Referee Shield

Page 20

WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2009 Road to WrestleMania

The newest mode in the SmackDown series is Road to WrestleMania, which features six stories starring specific WWE
superstars. Not only is the whole mode exciting, but getting through each of the stories will net you a reward. The stories
take roughly three hours max with each character, so you could easily blow through them all in only a couple days.

This section of the guide will give you some tips to get through each character's story. Remember that it still all comes
down beating the crap out of everyone that stands in your way, but we'll prepare you for some of the specific challenges
you'll face.

Note that all stories can wind up branching a bit if you lose certain matches. All our advice here pertains to winning them
all, so if you slip up and lose one, you may wind up on a different path.

Triple H, as usual, wants championship gold. Can you lead him to WrestleMania to get it?

You vs. Edge vs. Mr. Kennedy.
Unlike the other stories, this one
starts off in something other than a

singles match. It's still easy, and you should
accustom yourself to Triple H's move set.

You have an optional goal here of pinning Edge
specifically, which should be a breeze in practice.
Know though that Edge is extremely tough, and will
need at least two body parts red, one orange, and
one yellow to even have a chance of being pinned.
Keep this in mind, because Edge is going to be a pain
for you during the whole story.

Go on the offense, beat up both guys, and throw Mr.
Kennedy out of the ring once both guys are red. As
Kennedy licks his wounds outside the ring, you can
finish Edge in the ring and fulfill your goal. Doing so
will earn you several more move sets for created wrestlers.

You vs. Edge & Mr. Kennedy.
Pretty much the same thing at the
last match, except that you have to

take the opponents on as a team, and there are no
special goals here.

You vs. Randy Orton. Standard
singles match, with Edge
interfering at the end to cost you

the title shot even though you technically win the
match.

You vs. Edge & Mr. Kennedy.
Another handicap match like
before, but this one is no-DQ.

Take the fight outside and go weapon-happy, and try to target Mr. Kennedy as you'll get done with things in half the time.

Triple H

CM Punk

Undertaker

Triple H

Match 1

Match 2

Match 3

Match 4

Page 21

You & Randy Orton vs. Edge & Mr. Kennedy. Standard tag match, no surprises.

You & Randy

Orton vs. Edge & Mr. Kennedy. Standard tag match, no surprises.

You vs. Mr. Kennedy. Standard singles match, no surprises.

You vs. Mr. Kennedy. Standard

singles match, no surprises.

You & Shawn Michaels vs.
Lance Cade & Trevor Murdoch.
Standard tag match, no surprises.

You & Randy Orton vs. Paul
London & Brian Kendrick.
Standard tag match, no surprises.

You have an optional goal here of being one to take
the win rather than Orton. If you do, you'll earn Jillian
Hall as a playable character.

You vs. Shelton Benjamin.
Standard singles match, no
surprises.

You vs. Shelton

Benjamin. Standard singles match, no surprises.

Randy Orton vs. Shawn Michaels (you are the guest referee). With Orton and Shawn both
fighting over Triple H's attention like a couple of teenage girls, Trips decides to be the special guest
ref in their match. Due to you controlling the count, you can ensure one man or the other actually

wins.

We'll branch off the walkthrough here, depending on where you go. First, we'll take the Evolution path, then the DX path.

You, Randy Orton, & Batista vs. Shawn Michaels. Not a match but a fight, this is a simple 3-on-1
beatdown of the Heartbreak Kid for a few minutes.

You vs. Shawn Michaels. Standard singles match, until Randy Orton interferes at the end on your
behalf.

Standard singles match.

You & Randy Orton vs. Shawn Michaels & Cody Rhodes. This is a standard tag match, but you
have the required goal of turning on Orton and causing him to lose. Tag yourself out at the earliest
opportunity, then just beat the crap out of him whenever you can. Don't get yourself disqualified in the

process by staying in the ring too long, but enter and attack Orton when you can. Once he has a red body part or two,
just excuse yourself from the match by staying away from the ring for awhile.

You vs. Batista. This is a standard singles match, but Trips want to get it over with quickly. To beat
Batista in under 2 minutes, 30 seconds, use a lot of head-targeted offense like his spear and punches
(running grapple + right). Keep the pressure up, hit the Pedigree, and you'll go home with the

Evolution music and entrance video.

Match 5

Match 6

Match 7

Match 8

Match 9

NOTE

BEFORE STARTING THE NEXT MATCH, SAVE YOUR PROGRESS IN A SEPARATE FILE SLOT,
AND DON'T OVERWRITE THIS COPY. THIS WILL MAKE IT A BIT EASIER FOR COMPLETING
YOUR UNLOCKS.

Match 10

Match 11a

Match 12a

Match 13a

Match 14a

Page 22

You vs. Randy Orton vs. Shawn Michaels. Talk about full-circle: you started off this storyline with
a triple threat match, and now you're ending it with one. Thankfully, you can use the exact same
strategy: take the fight to both opponents, and when one goes red, toss him out of the ring and try

pinning the other one.

Once you clear Trips's story, you'll unlock Ric Flair as
a playable character. But before we close the chapter
on this completely, let's load up the alternate save,
rewrite history, and reunite DX by giving Shawn
Michaels the win in the decisive title match...

You (w/ Shawn Michaels) vs.
Randy Orton & Batista (w/ Ric
Flair). Not a match but a fight, you

need to smack around both of your opponents so
they're down simultaneously. This may take a bit, as
both guys will recover a bit quickly; you'll have to
probably wear them both down to red before it'll work.
Do this, and the story will advance.

You & Shawn Michaels vs. Randy Orton, Batista, & Ric Flair. The last match was essentially
training for this one. The match operates under tag rules, so you'll not have to deal with all five guys
at once.

Despite being outnumbered, you'll want to take this one as a standard tag match. Isolate one opponent, beat him down,
and let Shawn run crazy once you hit your finisher. You may have to help him out, because he tends to focus on only
one of the illegal men, but you'll be able to keep them contained. Make the pin, and you'll be one step closer to
WrestleMania.

You vs. Randy Orton. Standard singles match, but you've got the optional goal of nailing Orton
three times with the Pedigree before winning. After all you've gone through so far, it should be a piece
of cake. Do that, and you'll unlock most of the DX stuff: entrances, music, and the video.

You & Shawn Michaels vs.
Randy Orton & Batista. After a
cut scene, you have to deal with

an impromptu fight against two members of Evolution.
All you need to do here is put them through the
conveniently placed tables, and you can move on to
WrestleMania. Just attack whichever happens to be
closer to you, charge up your momentum meter, then
Irish Whip him into a table. Move forward, hit the
indicated button, and you'll do a table finisher. You
must eliminate both guys, and Shawn can't suffer the
same fate.

You vs. Shawn Michaels.
Standard singles match, no
surprises. With this branch of the

story done, you unlock Shawn's and Triple H's DX
outfits for other modes, as well as earning an Xbox 360 Achievement.

Punk is in the ECW brand for his story. There is nothing bizarre going on at first; Punk is simply here to "make an

Match 15a

Match 11b

Match 12b

Match 13b

Match 14b

Match 15b

Triple H

CM Punk

Undertaker

CM Punk

Page 23

impact" on his way to WrestleMania.

You vs. Jeff Hardy. Easy match;
use it to get accustomed to Punk's
move set.

You vs. Jeff Hardy. The rematch
is an Extreme Rules match,
complete with the weapon wheel.

Your optional goal here is to put Jeff through a table
at some point. The exact move and timing is up to
you, and you don't necessarily need to win off that
move. Simply bust Jeff through a table toward the
end of the match when he's weak, then win as
normal. Doing this will unlock CM Punk's alternate
outfit for exhibition play.

You & Jeff Hardy vs. Elijah Burke & John Morrison. Yesterday's enemy is today's ally... I love
professional wrestling.

This is basically a standard tag match, but after you beat Jeff two weeks running, he's a little wounded. He recommends
via voicemail that you need to limit his ring time, which shouldn't be too much of a problem for you. Just stay in the ring
and do most of the work. Keep your opponent isolated in your own corner, but resist tagging Jeff with any double-team
moves. When you hit your finisher, Jeff will run in quick and take out the enemy's partner, giving you a chance to make
the pin and take the win.

Tommy Dreamer (w/ you) vs. Elijah Burke (w/ John Morrison). You are not involved in the
match directly here, but instead need to protect Dreamer as he and Burke have a match. Run around
the ring and beat Morrison silly as necessary to keep him away from the ring, and you should be all

right. If Dreamer gets into trouble, try to trip up Burke when he's near the ropes.

Don't stress too much about this match though, because within seconds, Morrison will hop in the ring and DQ Burke.
Follow him in the ring, and help Dreamer beat them up for a couple minutes.

You vs. Tommy Dreamer. This one is an Extreme Rules match like you had against Jeff Hardy.
There is no optional objective you need to worry about here, so just go extreme like you did before
and get that title.

You vs. Elijah Burke. This one
isn't really a match, per se. Just
beat up Elijah for awhile, and you'll

get a cut scene to the next part of the story. Elijah
gets a bit reversal-happy here and will probably come
on top, but don't fret.

You vs. John Morrison. Simple
singles match, no surprises.

You vs. Elijah Burke. Although it
starts out being a standard singles
match, you need to "turn it into an

Extreme Rules match." This means, early on, grab
Burke and Irish Whip him over the top rope. Knock
him off the apron, then head outside to follow him. Grab a weapon from under the ring and smack him around there, and
you'll fulfill your goal. You'll get DQed for your trouble, but don't worry: that's what's supposed to happen.

Match 1

Match 2

Match 3

Match 4

Match 5

Match 6

Match 7

Match 8

Page 24

You vs. Elijah Burke. You jump Burke backstage, and get to fight him there. This, like with Match
6, is not a real match and is simply a setting for a brawl.

You vs. Big Daddy V. The optional goal here is to beat BDV in under 2 minutes, 30 seconds.
Remember that Punk's best moves are head-related, so that's what you should target on BDV. Punk's
running grapples damage the enemy's head, and his Right + Power Grapple is a DDT, both of which

work well. When BDV is on the ground, use Punk's Left + Ground Grapple near BDV's head to use some killer knee
strikes against his head too. Once he's soft and you have a finisher charged, bust out the Anaconda Vice (ground
grapple finisher at the head) to end things.

Beating BDV in the required time will unlock British hottie Layla for other modes!

You vs. Elijah Burke. This match
is a Last Man Standing match.
Again, head-related moves are

Punk's greatest asset here. Use the same strategy
you did for BDV, but be sure to end your tear with the
Go To Sleep (standing finisher from the front). If that
doesn't do it, feel free to introduce weapons and
tables to make Burke a bloody mess.

Once you seem to have the match one, Tazz will
come in and ensure you lose. Remember, it's a no-
DQ match, so this is perfectly legal. Jerk.

You vs. John Morrison vs. Big
Daddy V. This is a triple threat
match, where the first one to make

a pin or submission wins. The optional goal here is to win the match by beating John Morrison specifically.

There are a number of strategies you can use to soften your opponents. You could go on the offense and try to beat
down both of them, or you can sit back and let them wear each other down while you remain unharmed. Either way,
when it comes down to the end of the match, you'll need a bit of strategy.

No matter when you target Morrison, you'll want to as usual target his head. Use your stored signature move (corner
strike from the front) if you wish, but try to avoid using a finisher until the very end. You'll need to bounce between BDV
and Morrison, keeping them both at bay. Use a DDT or another strong move on BDV or try to throw him out of the ring.
Then, run over and floor Morrison, and follow up with the Anaconda Vice, and Morrison should tap out before BDV gets
a chance to break the hold.

If you can defeat Morrison, you'll unlock the locker room as an area to fight in Backstage Brawl matches.

You vs. Elijah Burke. Standard singles match, no surprises.

You vs. Elijah Burke. Standard singles

match, no surprises.

You (w/ Tommy Dreamer) vs. John Morrison. Standard singles match, no surprises.

You (w/

Tommy Dreamer) vs. John Morrison. Standard singles match, no surprises.

You & Tommy Dreamer vs. Tazz & Elijah Burke. You pick the match stipulation here, between an
Extreme Rules match, a Steel Cage match, or a Table match. The Extreme Rules match is probably
the easiest one; regardless of the match type, you probably won't need to worry about Dreamer, as

he's 100% and can take care of himself.

If you're playing a cage match, Dreamer will try to escape as soon as he can. If you're feeling confident, defend him, and
let him go. Then, just keep working on both Elijah and Tazz until you can make your own escape. If one opponent tries
to leave, let him go: this just gives you a better opportunity to take out the remaining one and bail to join Dreamer.

If you're playing a table match or Extreme Rules match, you'll need to be a bit more proactive. Wait until both opponents
are very red. Then, help Dreamer get control of his own opponent, and you need to try winning the match, either by

Match 9

Match 10

Match 11

Match 12

Match 13

Match 14

Match 15

Page 25

making a pin or driving your own man through a table.

As soon as the match is over, you start an impromptu
match immediately with Tommy Dreamer.

You vs. Tommy Dreamer. The
match stipulation will be the exact
same one you just finished, but it's

for the title against Dreamer. There are no surprises
here, although your and Tommy's health meters will
be in the exact same state they were at the
conclusion of the previous match. If it was a cage
match and you let Tommy go early, he might quite a
bit stronger than you, but probably nothing you can't
overcome.

Win, and you'll clear CM Punk's story, as well as
unlocking Tazz for other game modes! Note that if
you have the Xbox 360 version of the game, you won't get an Xbox Achievement for it, even though all the other stories
do have Achievements.

The Undertaker's story centers around his undefeated streak at WrestleMania, and of course the fact that he wants to
keep it going. Still, you'll have three months until WrestleMania, and plenty of tune-up matches along the way.

You vs. Santino Marella. Easy
match; use it to get accustomed to
Undertaker's move set. Although

this match is easy, take it nice and slow: try to
prolong it to around the four- or five-minute range.
You want to delay things here because...

You vs. Finlay. An optional goal
here is to beat Finlay in a faster
time than you beat Santino, so try

to end this one quickly. If you messed around in your
match against Santino, it should be a breeze. Doing
so unlocks Hornswoggle as a non-playable manager!

You vs. Great Khali. You're
unfortunately destined to lose this one, or at least not win the title due to interference.

You vs. Edge. After Santino and Finlay blather a bit, you'll be jumped by Taker's long-standing
rival, Edge. This causes your torso to be yellow to start the match, but the disadvantage should
quickly be overcome by Taker's superior attacking ability.

You vs. Santino & Finlay. Ah, the first match that poses a good challenge! The matches uses tag
rules, so you'll only need to deal with one of them at a time. Your opponents bring out Taker's urn,
which has the magical effect that it makes Taker's entire body turn condition yellow, and his stamina

to be so low that all attacks will do minimal damage. Uh oh.

Try to keep your opponent isolated in the opposite corner. Throw him out of the ring now and then to disrupt his
momentum if things get sticky. Try to disallow him to ever tag out. Work on his head repeatedly with any move in your

Match 16

Triple H

CM Punk

Undertaker

Match 1

Match 2

Match 3

Match 4

Match 5

Page 26

arsenal, and set him for the Triangle Choke finisher. The Triangle Choke will work fast enough that the illegal man won't
have time to run in and disrupt it, so it's really your best shot at winning this one.

You vs. Kane. The mandatory goal for this match is to use the Tombstone Piledriver twice to Kane
to break his trance. This should be simple enough, as Kane is strong enough to withstand an early
Tombstone and not lose; Taker doesn't even bother attempting a pin. After you do the second one,

the match will automatically be over, and you'll gain yourself a tag team partner!

Kane (w/ you) vs. Finlay (w/
Santino). You won't be directly
involved in the match here, but

you do represent Kane's manager. You can cause
some havoc here by beating up Santino left right and
sideways outside the ring, but it's basically all for
naught. Eventually Santino will get in the ring and
draw a disqualification. You can slide in and help
Kane beat up the heels for a bit, but the post-match
cut scene is what's important here.

You & Kane vs. Zach Ryder &
Curt Hawkins. Standard tag
match, no surprises.

You vs. Finlay. You'll get the optional goal here that you need to make Finlay bleed in the match.
Taker's Tombstone Piledriver is great for this, but there is a chance that you'll execute it and not
cause blood. If that happens, break the pin and try it again. Taker's Big Boot striking attack (Down +

Strike) can cause blood too, and may be a better option since you don't need a full momentum bar to do it. Either way,
you'll want to target Finlay's head with practically every move you do; this will make it quicker to get his head health to
red, and quicker for him to bleed. Fulfilling your goal nets you the Brothers of Destruction tag team entrance animation,
so you can use it with other teams.

You & Kane vs. Santino & Finlay. This match is a hardcore tornado tag team match. This means
there are no disqualifications (i.e., weapons are allowed), you can make pins outside the ring, rope
breaks are off, and everyone is fighting at once. Fun!

Kane can pretty well take care of himself, but the best strategy here is to stay near him anyway. If he runs into trouble,
you can quickly turn around and help him out. As long as he's doing all right though, you can concentrate on one
opponent.

Weapons are useful but not necessary due to Taker's overwhelming power. Finlay has a predisposition to grab them
though, so you may want to keep him disrupted so he can't use them. Of course, if you never let him leave the ring to get
one, all the better!

You vs. Santino. You can choose your opponent for this match, but we went with Santino because
he's a heck of a lot easier to deal with. This match is a ladder match and favors Undertaker's superior
hardcore skill.

The best tactic we found is to beat on Santino to weaken him. Then, do the controlled grapple chokeslam with Left +
Power Grapple, then press up. Taker will lift Santino up in the chokeslam, but you can still walk around. Walk over to the
ropes facing them, then press down. Taker will chokeslam Santino out of the ring entirely, giving you ample time to set
up the ladder and make progress on getting the urn down.

You won't be able to do this in one shot. When Santino gets back in the ring, release the sticks, then hop down from the

Match 6

Match 7

Match 8

Match 9

Match 10

NOTE

BEFORE STARTING THE NEXT MATCH, SAVE YOUR PROGRESS IN A SEPARATE FILE SLOT,
AND DON'T OVERWRITE THIS COPY. THIS WILL MAKE IT A BIT EASIER FOR COMPLETING
YOUR UNLOCKS.

Match 11

Page 27

ladder. Chokeslam him out of the ring again, and repeat.

You & Santino vs. Finlay. After a
rather amusing cut scene, the
match winds up being 2-on-1 in

your favor. You'll be able to absolutely trash Finlay
with ease.

You & Santino vs. Rey Mysterio.
You've still got Santino possessed,
and have a match against Rey.

The point here is to intentionally lose to humiliate the
Santino/Finlay team, but it's a challenge because
Santino's attacks are stronger than normal.

You still directly control Undertaker, but if you press
and hold the Strike button and Santino is standing
still, he will be stunned. Also, if you charge up Taker's
momentum meter with taunts then hit the indicated button, you'll make Santino hurt himself. Use both tactics, you'll give
Rey a chance to beat the tar out of him. When Rey wins, you'll get Santino's zombie form as an alternate costume for
use in exhibition matches!

You vs. Finlay. Standard singles
match, no surprises.

You vs. Boogeyman. This match
is in a Hell in a Cell match, but
outside of the gimmick, this one is

simple. Boogeyman doesn't possess any
superpowers or anything, and there are no special
bonus goals. It's in your best interest to simply beat
the crap out of Boogeyman as you have all the other
singles matches, and you'll easily take him out. In
fact, if you just want to get it over with, you can ignore
the cell entirely and just fight the whole match in the
ring.

Clearing the story out will unlock Boogeyman as a
playable character. Note that you should resume from your alternate save file, but choose Finlay as your opponent in the
ladder match. Then, you can get the zombie version of him as well.

Heel or face? As far as the game is concerned, John Cena is a pure face as he shares with us his love for our country
and our military. Nothing would stand in his way of that honorable goal, right?

You vs. Mr. Kennedy. Easy match; use it to get accustomed to John Cena's move set.

You vs. MVP. To make the soldiers in Iraq happy, you need to make MVP tap out. You can do this
easily by working on his head, then using the STFU (ground finisher from the feet) to finish him off.
Do it, and you'll unlock the awesome Tribute to the Troops arena.

Match 12

Match 13

Match 14

Match 15

John Cena

Chris Jericho

Batista & Ray Mysterio

John Cena

Match 1

Match 2

Page 28

You vs. William Regal. Standard singles match, no surprises.

You vs. William Regal. Standard

singles match, no surprises.

You & Jeff Hardy vs. William Regal & Umaga. Standard tag match, no surprises.

You & Jeff

Hardy vs. William Regal & Umaga. Standard tag match, no surprises.

You vs. Umaga (w/ William
Regal). Standard singles match,
except that MVP interferes at the

end to draw a DQ. Beat up all three guys for a minute
after the bell to continue the story.

You vs. Mr. Kennedy. Standard
singles match, no surprises.

You

vs. Mr. Kennedy. Standard singles

match, no surprises.

You vs. MVP, Umaga, & William
Regal. To save Jeff Hardy from
complete humiliation, Cena

decides to take out the entire "Better-Than-U-Topia"
after a match. It's a fight so you don't have to worry about rules or winning: just attack, attack, attack until the story
continues.

You & Jeff Hardy vs. Umaga &
William Regal. The match is a
standard tag match, but you have

a fun little optional goal here. You need to use the FU
against both opponents. Of course, because you can
bust out your finisher fairly early, it should be easy.
Attack your first opponent, hit your finisher, then let
him go tag out. If he refuses to, strike him a few times
and throw him into his own corner while retreating to
you your own; Jeff won't tag himself in, and it
encourages your opponent to tag out. Either way,
once you other opponent enters the ring, just treat the
match as normal, remembering to hit your FU.

Once both guys are hit with the FU, you can finish the
match however you wish (provided you win, of
course). You'll earn the right to use Tony, Cena's
friend from the military, as a playable character.

You vs. Snitsky. Standard singles match, no surprises.

You vs. Snitsky. Standard singles match,

no surprises.

You vs. William Regal, then Umaga, then MVP. This match is all kinds of messed up. You'll have
to basically fight three matches on one tank of health. Your health is even a bit reduced due to a pre-
match assault. Also, there are three special rules in effect:

You must get a five-count to win by pin, but you can lose to a standard three-count.

You cannot use a rope to break a pin or submission against you, but the opponents can.

You will be counted out per normal if you leave the ring, but the opponents can leave the ring without penalty or
risk.

Talk about the odds stacked against you, so let's take the special rules first to deal with our strategy. The countout thing
is basically irrelevant, because you don't need to leave the ring in the first place, short of chasing an opponent. The rope

Match 3

Match 4

Match 5

Match 6

Match 7

Match 8

Match 9

Match 10-12

Page 29

break imbalance isn't too terrible either, because if you maintain offense, you shouldn't be in a position to be pinned or to
submit anyway.

The first rule, however, changes the match rather dramatically. It's a bit tough to keep any of them, especially Umaga,
down for a five-count. However, there isn't anything protecting the opponents from submissions in the middle of the ring.
Target the head and torso of your opponents as usual, but save up your finishers for the STFU. Feel free to store your
signature moves and use them however you see fit, but avoid the FU entirely. The STFU seems to have magic powers
that force submissions when opponents are in orange health unless you get unlucky, so it really is your best bet for
getting through this.

Keep moving on offense. Do plenty of weak grapples and running grapples to deny the opponents to strike. Don't bother
with any Ultimate Control grapples, as they're too risky; if they get reversed and you find yourself under pressure, you'll
quickly fall due to the carryover damage. Luckily, there is no optional goal you need to fulfill here, so just attack a lot and
do your best.

You vs. William Regal. This is a
Backstage Brawl in a place of your
choosing (we went with the locker

room). The goal is to knock Regal out, which entails
the precise opposite strategy of the last match: use
your FU at every chance you have, and work on
targeting his head and torso with all the weapons in
the vicinity to get him red and easy to KO.

You vs. Umaga. This one is
another fight rather than a match,
but it takes place at ringside. Beat

on Umaga, then use a table finisher on him to end it.
Note that you have to use the plywood table to end it,
rather than the announcers' tables.

You & Jeff Hardy vs. MVP & Snitsky. You'll jump MVP after his match tonight, and you get to
choose a weapon to bring to the party. The choice doesn't really matter, so pick something you like.
Regardless, your optional goal here is to make MVP bleed. If your weapon doesn't do the trick, a DDT

(Right + Power Grapple + Down) should.

You vs. Snitsky. Standard singles match, no surprises. Despite the fact that it takes place directly
after the last match, you and Snitsky will be at full health. After this match, if you made MVP bleed in
Match 15, you'll unlock Snitsky.

You vs. Mr. Kennedy. Standard
singles match, but Cena wants to
get it over with quickly. You'll have

2 minutes, 30 seconds to beat Mr. K, but it's a fairly
easy goal. Use plenty of quick grapples, and save up
your finisher. Don't bother storing it once you fill your
momentum meter: just bust out the STFU. If doesn't
work the first time, it sure as hell will the second. Do
it, and you'll get to play the Gauntlet match type in
exhibition!

You vs. MVP. This match is a 15-
minute Iron Man match, and it's
fought under "Utopian Rules." As

usual, you need to target the head, then bust out an
STFU. Remember that MVP's health will reset every
time you score a fall, so you probably won't get MVP
weak enough to start using pins. Stick with submissions, and you'll take this one easily.

Match 13

Match 14

Match 15

Match 16

Match 17

Match 18

Page 30

With the coup d'état complete, you'll clear John Cena's story and pick up a special entrance animation.

Chris Jericho is here to save us from boredom, as well as to get a title reign. Sweet! Note that Jericho is the only heel of
Road to WrestleMania mode, and will gain momentum by doing lightly illegal things. Ignore your rope breaks, argue with
the ref after a two-count, and so on to quickly charge his finisher.

You vs. Jeff Hardy. Easy match;
use it to get accustomed to
Jericho's move set.

You vs. Finlay. This one is a
Backstage Brawl in the locker
room, but you've got a specific

stipulation here. You need to make Finlay submit in
the Walls of Jericho (ground finisher from the feet)
within five minutes. Although you can apply the Walls
from the outset, you'll need to get Finlay's legs in red
before he'll actually submit to you, so concentrate on
leg-related offense. Most of Jericho's leg attacks are
from the ground, so floor Finlay however you can and
apply pressure to his legs.

You vs. Randy Orton vs. Shawn Michaels vs. Mr. Kennedy. This match is a Fatal Four-way,
which means it's an elimination-style match. You'll carry any damage over from the brawl with Finlay,
so you'll be at a disadvantage. However, because you don't need to rush and make the first pin, you

can stay a bit conservative and worry about picking your spots.

There's no major strategy here, other than to target one guy at once. If you make a pin or go for a submission, the others
won't interfere, so take any opportunity you can.

You & Jeff Hardy vs. Finlay & Snitsky. This is a standard tag match, but you have the optional
goal of personally pinning Finlay. Fight him and don't tag in under any circumstances. Remember that
tag AI is greatly improved in SmackDown vs. RAW 09, and you can trust Jeff to run in after hitting

your finisher to keep Snitsky at bay. If Snitsky tags in, don't fret: just beat him down, and wait for him to tag Finlay back
in.

Clearing the goal here will earn you the WCW title belt, and the WCW brand where you can place WWE stars in the
roster edit screen.

You vs. Shawn Michaels. Standard singles match, no surprises.

You vs. Shawn Michaels.

Standard singles match, no surprises.

You vs. John Cena. Standard singles match until the end, when a masked man comes out of
nowhere and draws a DQ for Cena.

You vs. JBL. This one is a no-DQ match, and you're at a disadvantage with a damaged head and
torso. Take the fight to JBL and use any weapon you can if the fight spills outside the ring, because
JBL's stronger power will take you out fairly quickly if you don't. If you manage to gain momentum,

you should be all right: just keep the pressure up.

John Cena

Chris Jericho

Batista & Ray Mysterio

Chris Jericho

Match 1

Match 2

Match 3

Match 4

Match 5

Match 6

Match 7

Page 31

Now, from here on out, the story branches out a bit. You will do each of the next three matches, but the order is up to
you. First, the game asks you who you want to question as a suspect in the attack on you. We chose Randy Orton, and
wound up with this...

You vs. Umaga. Standard singles match, no surprises.

We get to question someone else, and we chose Mr. Kennedy. That causes the following match...

You & Shawn Michaels vs. Randy Orton & Mr. Kennedy.This match is a tornado tag match,
meaning all four of you are in the ring at once. The first pin fall or submission wins, so your best bet is
to target one guy and just work on him like a standard singles match. Keep an eye out for Shawn, and

make sure he doesn't take too much damage during the match.

For the next bit of questioning, we went Shawn Michaels. After the cut scene, we got to choose again, and we went with
Shane McMahon. Another cut scene, and we were able to pick again, so we went with Finlay. A third cut scene, and a
fourth pick... the only remaining man is Jeff Hardy, so we picked him. Finally we saw some progress...

You vs. Jeff Hardy. With Jericho
convinced Jeff didn't attack him at
the Royal Rumble, he doesn't want

to inflict more harm than necessary on him. As such,
your optional goal here is to win the match without
using a finisher. Talk about a challenge, although
your signature moves are still okay.

Beat on Jeff and concentrate on his head. When you
fill your momentum meter, store the signature move.
Then, floor Jeff, pick him up, and immediately use the
signature move. You'll hit him with an enziguiri,
causing a lot more damage to his head but not
hurting your goal.

When the match is almost over, the Masked Man will
appear. He'll stay outside the ring and just watch, and
the ropes basically "lock": you won't be able to get out
there and attack him. Don't worry about him, though: just concentrate on Jeff. Start using the Lionsault (ground signature
from the head) to start weakening his torso. Keep this up until his torso is orange or worse and his head is red, and he
should fall with a pin. Beat him this way, and you'll unlock Jericho's alternate model from before his return, long hair and
all!

Now you get to pick which guy you think is the Masked Man between Orton and Kennedy. We chose Orton for the first
set, and Mr. Kennedy for the second. Here's the Orton path...

You vs. Masked Man. This is a fight rather than a match. Instead of pins, pressing down on the
right stick has Jericho trying to rip the mask off. You'll need to do a lot of damage to him to get this to
happen. Pick a body part and work on it until it's red, then switch. Jericho's attacks favor everything

but the arms, so it should be pretty simple to get the damage going. Plus, if all else fails, grab a weapon: no ref, no DQs.

John Cena vs. Randy Orton. As soon as the match starts, you run in and slide in the ring. Smack
around Orton to draw a DQ for him, then hit a finisher or signature move to advance the story.

You vs. Masked Man. Same deal as before, just in the backstage area. Beat the tar out of him,

Match 8

Match 9

Match 10

NOTE

BEFORE STARTING THE NEXT MATCH, SAVE YOUR PROGRESS IN A SEPARATE FILE SLOT,
AND DON'T OVERWRITE THIS COPY. THIS WILL MAKE IT A BIT EASIER FOR COMPLETING
YOUR UNLOCKS.

Match 11a

Match 12a

Match 13a

Page 32

then hit down on the right stick to rip the mask off.

John Cena (w/ you) vs. Randy Orton. This match is basically fixed: Cena is at full red, and Orton
will auto-reverse any interference you try. You also won't be allowed to enter the ring, so there's not
much you can do: Cena will lose, and Orton will take the title.

You vs. five Masked Men. This match is an over-the-top battle royal. You have to weaken an
opponent, then Irish Whip them toward the ropes. Unlike a normal match, they'll just automatically fly
over the top rope and stand on the apron no matter how far away they were. At that point, you have

to run over, grab ‘em, and start button mashing to try to knock them off.

It doesn't matter which guys you eliminate, and which the others eliminate, so long as you're the last one standing. If you
find yourself thrown over the top, button mash as well to try to recover and get back in the ring. The Masked Men are
weak, and won't pose the button-mashing challenge that you would normally face in such a match.

You vs. Randy Orton. Your championship match is a hardcore, falls count anywhere match.
Otherwise it's a standard singles match with no surprises, and you should be able to win with basic
strategy.

Clear Jericho's story, and you'll unlock the Masked Man as a playable character!

Now we're going to take the Mr. Kennedy path...

You vs. Mr. Kennedy. Not a match but a fight, just beat on Kennedy for a bit. Once you hit a
finisher, the Masked Man will appear and put an end to it.

John Cena vs. Randy Orton. As soon as the match starts, you run in and slide in the ring. Smack
around Orton to draw a DQ for him, then hit a finisher or signature move to advance the story.

You vs. John Cena. Standard singles match. At the end, the Masked Man interferes and ends your
match prematurely.

You & John Cena vs. Mr. Kennedy & Randy Orton. Standard tag match, except that you start
things off wounded. Luckily, there is no optional goal here... if you don't think you have the offensive
power to do anything, you can just tag out and let Cena do most of the work. On the other hand, you

can beat the snot out of both of them if you're okay with the damage you start with. Either way, there are no additional
surprises.

You vs. Mr. Kennedy. Standard
singles match, and you have the
optional goal to make Kennedy

bleed. This one is pretty simple, because Jericho's
Codebreaker (standing finisher from the front) can
cause blood. Just keep beating on him until he
bleeds, and you'll unlock a new video for a CAW
entrance.

You vs. Mr. Kennedy vs. Randy
Orton vs. John Cena. Another
fatal four-way, but this one is

Extreme Rules. Not only is it a no-DQ match, but the
first pin will win. It's theoretically tough because of
how many guys are involved, but as long as you hop
around like a Mexican jumping bean and keep up the
offense, you'll be able to keep everyone down long

Match 14a

Match 15a

Match 16a

Match 11b

Match 12b

Match 13b

Match 14b

Match 15b

Match 16b

Page 33

enough to make the pin on someone.

This storyline is playable both in single-player and in co-op with a friend. Prior to actually starting, you are given the
option as to which character each controller wants to play as. You aren't locked into this, as anytime you save, quit, and
reload, you can change controller assignments.

Anyway, as the team says during the entrance video,
sometimes to get gold in WWE, you need to go at it
as a tag team.

Batista vs. The Miz. Easy match;
use it to get accustomed to
Batista's move set.

Rey Mysterio vs. John Morrison.
Easy match; use it to get
accustomed to Rey's move set.

Your team vs. Curt Hawkins &
Zack Ryder. Standard tag match, no surprises.

Your team vs. Curt Hawkins & Zack Ryder. Standard

tag match, no surprises.

Your team vs. Undertaker & Kane. Standard tag match, no surprises.

Your team vs. Undertaker &

Kane. Standard tag match, no surprises.

Your team vs. The Miz & John Morrison. Standard tag match, but you have the optional goal of
making sure John Morrison specifically is the one who is beaten. Do that, and you'll unlock an
alternate outfit for Rey Mysterio.

Batista and Rey Mysterio participate in the Royal Rumble. Even though Batista and Rey are
#27 and #29 respectively, the Royal Rumble will pick up right from there so you don't need to watch
the whole thing.

To win here, you need to eliminate opponents by throwing them over the top rope. You have to weaken an opponent,
then Irish Whip them toward the ropes. Unlike a normal match, they'll just automatically fly over the top rope and stand
on the apron no matter how far away they were. At that point, you have to run over, grab ‘em, and start button mashing
to try to knock them off.

Remember that there are no allies here. Batista and Rey will eventually have to fight each other. If you're playing co-op,
you may want to work with your partner to eliminate the others, but know that you'll eventually have to fight.

John Cena

Chris Jericho

Batista & Ray Mysterio

Batista & Rey Mysterio

Match 1

Match 2

Match 3

Match 4

Match 5

NOTE

BEFORE STARTING THE NEXT MATCH, SAVE YOUR PROGRESS IN A SEPARATE FILE SLOT,
AND DON'T OVERWRITE THIS COPY. THIS WILL MAKE IT A BIT EASIER FOR COMPLETING
YOUR UNLOCKS.

Match 6

Page 34

Your team vs. The Miz & John
Morrison. Standard tag match, no
surprises.

Your team & Edge vs. John
Cena & Degeneration X. Even
though the teams are comprised of

three members each, this is a standard tag match; it
just might take a bit longer than your two-on-two
matches you've had so far. Use similar strategy:
isolate an opponent, and let the illegal men protect
you when you make a pin. Note that the first pin or
submission will end the match.

Your team vs. Edge & Big Daddy
V. Standard tag match, but you have the optional goal here to hit Edge with two Spears. To do this,
you need to d a running signature move from the front with Batista. Do that, and you'll unlock Zack

Ryder and Curt Hawkins!

Note that if you're playing this solo as Rey, it's basically impossible to do the optional goal unless you get extremely
lucky with your partner's AI. Our recommendation is to just save and exit at this point, and take over control as Batista to
get the goal.

Batista vs. Rey Mysterio. Standard singles match, no surprises, except for the fact that you'll be
fighting each other.

The story branches a little here based on who won the Rumble. We'll note the differences as we go along.

Rey Mysterio vs. Edge. This is a no-DQ singles match, and Batista can run in to participate in the
match at any time. If you wait too long, Batista will run in for the heck of it on his own.

Batista vs. Edge. Same deal: this is a no-DQ singles match, and Rey can run in to participate in
the match at any time.

Again, the story will branch here, depending on who
has the belt after the match. First we'll cover if either
Batista or Rey has the belt (set A), and then if Edge
has the belt (set B). Note that a couple matches in set
A will vary depending on who precisely has the belt,
and the bonuses are different as well, so you'll need
to go on all three paths total to unlock everything.

Your non-title-holder vs. Big
Daddy V. Standard singles match,
no surprises.

Your title-holder vs. Edge.
Standard singles match, no
surprises.

Your title-holder vs.

Edge. Standard singles match, no surprises.

Match 7

Match 8

Match 9

Match 10

NOTE

BEFORE STARTING THE NEXT MATCH, SAVE YOUR PROGRESS IN A SEPARATE FILE SLOT,
AND DON'T OVERWRITE THIS COPY. THIS WILL MAKE IT A BIT EASIER FOR COMPLETING
YOUR UNLOCKS.

Match 11a

Match 11b

Match 12a

Match 13a

Page 35

Your title-holder (w/ your non-title-holder) vs. Edge vs. Big Daddy V. This triple threat match is
rather tough, because both of Batista's opponents are fairly strong. Edge especially can withstand
tremendous damage, so it should behoove you to have Rey trip Edge now and then and keep him

occupied while Batista goes after BDV. Even if all goes according to plan, it can still take awhile: just hammer BDV with
everything you've got.

Your team vs. The Miz, John Morrison, and Great Khali. This is a standard tag match for all
intents and purposes. You've got the bonus goal to hit each of your three opponents with at least one
finisher. The best bet here is to hit a finisher on the first guy, then let him tag out. Hit the finisher on

the second guy, then repeat. Alternatively, you could always head outside the ring, knock one of the illegal men off the
apron, then hit your finisher outside on them. Either way, fulfill the goal and you'll unlock the Saturday Night Main Event
arena.

Your team vs. Kane &
Undertaker. Woo, this is a fun
one! This is a tornado tag tables

match! Each of your opponents needs to be put
through a table, so you need to work closely together.
Stay near each other and smack weaken both
opponents until they're in the red. Then, just drag one
over to the tables provided and go to town (you only
need to put one of them through a table to win, not
both). If you're playing with a buddy and you're both
skilled, you may be able to just turn this into two
simultaneous one-on-one matches, if that makes
sense.

Batista vs. Rey Mysterio.
Standard singles match, no
surprises. Finish it, and you'll

unlock Vince McMahon as a playable character.

Finally, let's take it from No Mercy, and have Edge win the title.

Your team vs. Undertaker & Kane. Standard tag match, no surprises.

Your team vs. Undertaker &

Kane. Standard tag match, no surprises.

Your team vs. John Morrison & The Miz. Tornado tag match, but you're supposed to lose it. The
optional goal here is to make sure your opponent takes the fall. If you're playing single-player, it's
easy: just run in and beat up your partner, then bail and let the heels make the pin.

Now, fulfilling the optional goal will earn you presets for Create-A-Wrestler. The thing is, you'll gain a different preset
depending on who actually loses. So for example, you'll want to make Batista lose the first one. Then, immediately
reload your last save and have Rey lose this match. You'll unlock both CAW move sets that way.

Batista vs. John Morrison & The Miz. Standard handicap match, no surprises.

Rey Mysterio vs. Big Daddy V. Standard singles match, no surprises.

Batista vs. Rey Mysterio vs. Edge. Standard triple threat match, and it doesn't matter which
character of your team wins so long as one of them does. Clearing this will unlock Vince McMahon if

Match 14a

Match 15a

Match 16a

Match 17a

Match 12b

NOTE

BEFORE STARTING THE NEXT MATCH, SAVE YOUR PROGRESS IN A SEPARATE FILE SLOT,
AND DON'T OVERWRITE THIS COPY. THIS WILL MAKE IT A BIT EASIER FOR COMPLETING
YOUR UNLOCKS.

Match 13b

Match 14b

Match 15b

Match 16b

Page 36

you haven't already done so.

WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2009 Career Mode

The main purpose of Career Mode is to give your created wrestlers (called CAWs) abilities and stats. As of now, this is
the only way to increase the abilities of your CAWs; THQ has promised a patch to allow you to alter your CAWs'
statistics eventually, but other than stating it will come out "before January 31, 2009," no concrete date has yet been set.

Unlike Road to WrestleMania, Career Mode is somewhat
freeform and gives you the chance to choose your
matches and opponents every step of the way.

The main idea here is to have your chosen character climb
the ladder of success and win all the titles of WWE. While
this is a relatively unrealistic approach (because no one holds that many titles in real WWE), it gives you a goal to
pursue for the game's purposes.

You start things off by selecting any of the WWE
Superstars, divas included, or your created guys. Note that
you can only have one save file at a time here, so choose
carefully. Further, any time you start career mode, your
progress with that character will be completely wiped. This
means you can't start up your first CAW, then replace the
file with your second CAW, and re-start with your first
CAW at higher stats. As such, you'll want to pick someone
with whom you feel inclined to play out their entire career.

Luckily, you can edit your CAW at will and not affect your
career. If you're playing a career for example, and you want to change his hairstyle (or more pragmatically, maybe
change a few of his moves around), you can do so in the Create Modes from the main menu. After making your
changes, you can resume your career and not lose any progress.

Note that Career Mode seems to use its own difficulty
levels. While the sliders seem to have some effect, overall
the game starts off being extremely easy and winds up
being extremely hard. When you start things off in a lower
title, the opponents are not very aggressive and rarely
reverse anything you do. As you go up in the rankings
however and start fighting for upper titles (especially the
top two), opponents will reverse a lot more and take the
fight to you. As such, you can pretty much go all-out
against the early matches, but you'll have to take your time
and work on your reversals for the late ones.

Once the difficulty goes up, it affects all matches, though
to various degrees. For example, say you start a new
career on the Intercontinental Title path, and your first
opponent is Shelton Benjamin. You will more than likely be
able to beat him with your eyes closed. Then say you go
through Career Mode and eventually win the WWE Championship, and decide randomly to beat on Shelton again. You'll
find that Shelton, while still somewhat easy, will put up much more of a fight and reverse many more moves against you.

It's advised for this reason that you take the titles from bottom to top, and save the top two titles for last. If you're good at
reversal timing and don't mind taking on guys vastly stronger than you, feel free to ignore this advice; it makes for a good
challenge! Just know what you're getting into when you try it.

Career Basics

Attributes & Abilities

Basics

Tips & Tricks

Here, we've got a random assortment of tips to make
your trip through Career Mode a fruitful one.

Match Awards

After matches, in addition to the star rating, you'll get
several awards based on various criteria. Except for
the Sit in the Corner award, no award has any
meaning for any of your abilities, nor do you get any
sort of bonus for any of them. I suppose they're fine
for bragging rights, but don't fret if you don't get them.

Hall of Fame

For the Xbox 360, you can get an achievement for
"getting five Hall of Famers." To be a Hall of Famer,
you need to take your chosen wrestler to the top of
the career ladder, then continue to defend your title
several times. There is no landmark to get it; you'll
simply get a "You've entered the WWE Hall of Fame!"
message after a few title defenses.

Note that the Hall of Fame tag sticks even if you leave
Career Mode, and even if you take the same wrestler
through it. That means you can't get the achievement
with a single wrestler; you will need five different ones.

Page 37

Now, again, the purpose of Career Mode is to give your CAWs attribute and ability gains. After selecting an opponent to
fight and what type of match you want to be in, your performance in that match will increase your numbers once you're
done, win or lose. The attributes specifically increase as you do a related action, as follows:

Star Ratings

After every match in Career Mode, you're given a match rating from one to five stars. It's determined by three
things: match results, crowd reaction, and technical merits of the match. You can't do much about the first one (it
seems to be higher if you win, and win decisively), but the other two you can. Crowd excitement goes up as you
taunt and do high-risk moves, kicking out at two-counts, and (in the case of Extreme Rules matches) setting stuff on
fire. Technical goes up as you do a wider variety of moves and do more damage. In practice, it's almost impossible
to get anything less than three stars.

Star ratings basically only come into play for some abilities. If you want three- or four-star ratings (say, to avoid
getting the Dirty Pin ability), you need to get the match over with as quickly as possible. Target one part of the body,
and the instant it goes red, make a pin or submission attempt. Make use of your finisher, and pin directly after using
it.

If you want a five-star match, take the opposite approach. Use every move in your arsenal. Work on your opponent
until each of his body parts are red. Break both announcers' tables. Use every grapple and every form of each
Ultimate Control grapple. Just beat on him like his name is Barry Horowitz, and you'll get a five-star against anyone
on the roster. Note that the star rating also seems to get a bump when you fight special match types, so avoid the
plain Singles Matches if you want a maximum rating.

Career Basics

Attributes & Abilities

Attributes and Abilities

Durability (defense) - Increases as you take damage. You'll find this jumps quickly in the upper two titles because
of how often the opponent will reverse something and damage you.

Strength (attack power) - Increases as you perform strong and ultimate control grapples.

Speed (running speed) - Increases as you run around, and as you do diving attacks. Our advice here is to literally
just hold LB (Xbox 360) or L1 (PS3) for the whole match when you're moving around. Every little bit helps.

Submission (damage and length of submission holds) - Increases as you do struggle submission moves. It's
tough to see noticeable gains from this early because of how quickly your hold will get broken, but keep at it.

Technical (window of time to reverse attacks) - Increases as you pull off reversals. This is tough to raise early
because opponents are passive, but easy to raise late when they get aggressive. You'll take some damage going
for this, but you can't make an omelet without breaking bones.

Stamina (total stamina available) - Increases as you do anything, but especially grapples. This is pretty much
guaranteed to be your first attribute to cap out at 99. Note that this is completely pointless if you have the stamina
system turned off in the options menu.

Charisma (momentum increase during taunts) - Increases as you successfully taunt.

Hardcore (weapon attack power) - Increases as you use weapons, break the commentating tables, or use
environmental grapples (like grapple-dragging an opponent to the security barrier outside the ring). If you want to
raise this one quickly, turn off DQs before a match, and just spend the whole time smacking your opponent with
chairs or whatever.

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Ability gains are not so straight-forward. We advise that you save before every match and plan ahead so you don't
accidentally get an ability you don't want. For example, it's all too easy to get the Dirty Pin ability, which doesn't jive with
good guy characters. Remember that once you have an ability, you'll never lose it, so you'll need to plan carefully.

Check out our Wrestlers section to see what every ability does, then read below to see how to get the ones you like.

Blood Shed - You and your opponents have to bleed ten times each. Rather tough to get and you have to
encourage your opponent to beat on your face.

Cage Match - Win any Cage Match in under 60 seconds by escaping the cage (rather than a pin or submission).
Also tough to do.

Dirty Pin - Get a five-star match rating against three different opponents who already have Dirty Pin.

Durability - Win a match against an opponent who is rated 20 points above your overall score, but only after
having at least one body part in orange health.

Evasive Dodge - Win any special type of match (Ladder, Cage, etc.) against two different opponents.

Fan Favorite - Successfully taunt ten times in one match.

Hammer Throw - Earn any ability within your first ten matches in Career Mode, then whip an opponent into the
corner ten times in a single match.

Kip-Up - Win six different titles.

K.O. - Get a five-star match rating against each of the four competitors in any title path. (Your star rating against the
title holder is irrelevant for this one.)

Ladder Match - Get a five-star match rating in a Ladder Match against either Jeff Hardy or Matt Hardy.

Lock Pick - Survive the Walls of Jericho in any match against Chris Jericho.

Move Theft - Beat twenty different opponents.

Object - Use 50 successful weapon attacks in any number of matches.

Outside Dives - Successfully land 25 attacks from the top rope in any number of matches.

Possum Pin - Beat three wrestlers who already have Possum Pin.

Referee Shield - Lose five times by DQ (just smack your opponent with a chair), then win a championship against
a face.

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Resiliency - Kick out a pin at a two-count when you have at least two body parts registering red damage.

Springboard - Win the Cruiserweight Title.

Steal Taunt - Stop your opponent from stealing your taunt five times.

Submission - Attempt seven struggle submissions in one match, then win the match via any method.

Table Match - Put opponents through a total of 40 tables in any number of matches. The announcers' tables do
count.

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