Chapter 2: Match Strategies

This section provides general strategies for all Smackdown vs. RAW 2007 match types. These strategies can be applied to story mode or online play. All the favorites and recent additions have been included; new for 2007 is the Money in the Bank match, a six-man ladder match.

Gaining Momentum

Different types of moves and actions affect a clean or dirty wrestler’s momentum meter. Basically be clean if you’re clean and dirty if you’re dirty!

Smackdown vs. RAW 2007 uses the momentum system similar to last year’s game. Check the blue bar under your superstar’s name. It raises and lowers depending on the current match situation. If you have been pulling off successive moves, you’re building momentum; if you’re on the wrong side of a suplex then you will be losing momentum. Filling the momentum meter to its maximum provides a finishing move, which can be used immediately or stored for later use.

Your superstar’s match tactics-clean or dirty tactics-affects how you build the momentum meter. Successful moves will certainly build the momentum meter but your classification or clean or dirty can affect which type of moves can raise or lower the meter. One thing that lowers the meter for both superstar types: performing the same maneuver over and over. The crowd just doesn’t get that excited by your fourth leg submission move in a row.

The bulleted lists below reveal which moves are affected by clean and dirty match tactics. These are similar to last year’s version. The first list reveals moves that increase the momentum meter for a clean wrestler.

• Perform signature grapple moves.
• Perform any diving attacks (including cage and hell in a cell).
• Perform dive attacks from inside the ring to outside the ring.
• Counter a weapon attack.
• Taunt your opponent.
• Get a rope break during a submission move.
• Kick out of a pin after a 2 count.
• Perform moves on the announcer table and destroy the table.
• Perform a submission counter while you’re in Submission Type B.
• Refuse to tap out of a submission even though your limb damage is red.

Clean superstars can turn off a crowd. The list below reveals the moves that lower a clean superstar’s momentum meter.

• Perform dirty moves (low blow, eye poke, etc).
• Weapon attacks (not if allowed by match rules).
• Remove turnbuckle cover.
• Perform Irish Whip to the exposed turnbuckle.
• Perform any grapple moves onto the exposed turnbuckle.
• Break your own pin after a two count.
• Ignore the referee’s rope break and hold the submission.
• Complain to the referee about a two count.
• Attack the referee.
• Attack your partner or manager.

Just because you’re a dirty wrestler doesn’t mean you can’t build some momentum as well. The list below reveals moves that increase a dirty superstar’s momentum meter.

• Perform dirty moves (low blow, eye poke, etc).
• Weapon attacks.
• Remove turnbuckle cover.
• Perform Irish Whip to the exposed turnbuckle.
• Perform any grapple moves onto the exposed turnbuckle.
• Break your own pin after a two count.
• Taunt from outside of the ring when your opponent is in the ring.
• Attack a wrestler while they are taunting.
• Ignore the referee’s rope break and hold the submission.
• Complain to the referee about a two count.
• Attack the referee.
• Attack your partner or manager.
• Push (drop) an opponent off the top of a hell in a cell.
• Attack the illegal opponent at the opposing tag team’s corner.
• Call for interference.
• Perform moves on the announcer table and destroy the table.

The list below reveals the moves that lower a dirty superstar’s momentum meter. Note that tope and plancha are using aerial moves with head and chest, like cross body attacks.

• Perform any diving attacks (including cage and hell in a cell).
• Perform tope-type and plancha-type moves.

Just like actual WWE wrestling, the best time to go for a pin is after performing a finishing move. Build your momentum meter to its maximum, get your opponent into the appropriate position (check the superstar stats table at the beginning of this guide for all finishing move requirements), and activate your finishing move.

Go for a pin immediately after hitting the finisher. Don’t perform additional moves (unless it’s another finisher!) just go for the win. It’s not a guaranteed victory; an opponent with little damage can certainly kick out of a pin following a finisher but you’re much more likely to score the victory going for the pin following a finishing move rather than a standard grapple.

Location Damage

Smackdown vs. RAW 2007 uses a similar damage system to last year’s game. Strikes, grapples, and submission holds inflict damage to specific body parts: head, torso, arms, and legs. As you damage an opponent, the body parts turn from yellow to orange to red. A red body part is extremely vulnerable to tapping out to a submission hold.

Focus damaging moves or holds on specific body parts to wear your opponent down.

Capitalize on your superstar’s strengths and focus your damage on a specific body part, especially if you’re a submission specialist (such as one with a submission finisher, such as Kurt Angle’s ankle lock). This is an important strategy for submission matches in which you must win by forcing your opponent to tap out. If you’re spreading damage around, you’re certainly gaining ground on your opponent but it’s much wiser to target specific body parts.

Although paying attention to location damage is important for submission matches, it’s still important for other match types. Check which body part your favorite superstar’s finishing move inflicts damage against. Focus your attacks on that body part during the match. Once you’ve maximized your momentum meter, activate your finisher and take advantage of all that damage you’ve inflicted.

Stamina

You can’t just run around the ring, perform move after move, and swing heavy ladders around constantly without consequence. Like last year’s game, Smackdown vs. RAW 2007 uses a stamina system. Your superstar’s stamina will slowly replenish over time (while not running or performing moves) but you can quicken the process using the "B" button (on the Xbox 360 version).

Don’t let your stamina drain completely or your superstar won’t be able to even move until the stamina meters moves from the red into the orange area. During this time you will be extremely vulnerable to an opponent’s attacks. After completing a few moves against your opponent, take the time to replenish your stamina meter. A superstar’s stamina statistic determines how fast the superstar’s stamina drains and replenishes; check the superstar stats section of this game guide for more details.

Environmental Hot Spots

Drag an opponent in grappled state to the ropes to perform a painful environmental maneuver.

There are many new environmental hot spots scattered around the arena in this year’s version of Smackdown vs. RAW. Grapple an opponent use the "A" button and control stick to drag the opponent in a grappled state to one of the hot spots. You’ll find these all around the arena (check the manual for most locations). For instance, drag an opponent to the announcers’ table. Your superstar will rip off the cover, tear out the monitor, and perform a choke hold using the power cord.

Try fighting in the crowd by climbing over the barricade. There are some useful weapons here as well if it’s a non-disqualification match. Drag an opponent to the ring steps and you can control the velocity of the head slam. The ring pole also makes a nice object to crack your opponent’s arm against. Inside the ring you can drag opponents to the ropes (and pull an opponent on the ropes right where it hurts the most) or into the turnbuckle for various maneuvers.

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