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Smackdown!: Holly chokes out Big Show
By
DALE PLUMMER -- SLAM! Wrestling
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With just a little over two weeks to the Royal
Rumble, things are heating up on Smackdown! Michael
Cole and Tazz bring us the live-on-tape action, this
time from Huntsville, Alabama.
Just a quick side note. I see Sean O'Haire in the
opening, but I haven't seen him in months. If anyone
has any knowledge of his whereabouts, please contact
your local authorities, or the WWE creative staff.
Kurt Angle returned last week, and he's kicking
off tonight's show. Angle is pleased the he is in the Rumble, and he vows
he will win it for the U.S. troops stationed around the world. Angle is on a
mission tonight, though. He is trying to stop one of the greatest tag-teams from
self-destructing, Los Guerreros. Chavo makes his way to the ring, and tells Kurt
he had to show Eddie some tough love last week. Eddie has heard enough and joins
the two men in the ring. Chavo splits, but Angle persuades him to rejoin his
uncle in the ring. Chavo extends his hand in friendship. Eddie reluctantly
accepts, and Angle raises both men's hands in victory.
Backstage, Josh Matthews asks Big Show why he asked for a street fight with
Hardcore Holly. Show tells Matthews flat out that he wants to hurt Holly.
Match #1 - Chris Benoit vs. The FBI - Mini-Rumble
Heyman informs Benoit that this will be Royal Rumble rules. With one
exception, instead of "everyman for himself", it's "everyman for Benoit". Johnny
"The Bull" Stamboli hits the ring first, and Benoit immediately goes to work on
him. Benoit can't overpower the big man, so instead he incapacitates him with a
sharpshooter, as Chuck Palumbo enters the fray. Palumbo is nailed with a suplex,
but does manage to get in some offense. Stamboli joins in, but gets hung upside
down on the top rope. A baseball slide from Benoit knocks Stamboli over and "The
Bull" is eliminated. Palumbo sets Benoit up for a press slam, but has it
countered into the Crippler Cross Face. Palumbo taps, but to no avail. Benoit
keeps the CCF locked in, until Nunzio hits the ring. Benoit is double teamed by
the FBI. Nunzio pulls the top rope down, so Palumbo can toss Benoit out.
Instead, Benoit goes up and over Palumbo, and pushes him over the rope. Nunzio
grabs his partner, only to be tossed over the top. Palumbo rolls back in. He
sets Benoit up for a powerbomb, that Benoit reverses with a head scissors.
Benoit then ducks a superkick, and back suplexes Palumbo over the top rope to
win the match. Paul Heyman looks amused, as he walks off stage.
Winner via elimination: Chris Benoit
Match #2 - Rikishi and Scotty 2 Hotty vs. The Basham Brothers -- WWE Tag
Team Title match
This match never gets underway, as the Bashams jump Rikishi and Scotty from
behind. The challengers are then knocked out with shots from the title belts.
The Bashams' celebration is short lived, as Kurt Angle takes the stage. He
tells the Bashams that when a title match is advertised, you have to deliver.
So, he talked with Heyman, and there will be new challengers, Los Guerreros.
Match #3 - Los Guerreros vs. The Basham Brothers -- WWE Tag Team Title
match
The champs are not happy about this turn of events. Eddie starts things off
by reversing a top wristlock into a headlock. Chavo tags in and it looks the
family dispute is over. Los Guerreros double-team Danny Basham. Eddie and Chavo
take turns "cheating" when the refs back is turned. The momentum shifts,
however, when Eddie is tossed from the ring.
After a commercial break, Eddie is in trouble in the ring. Danny and Doug
take turns wearing down Latino Heat, who cannot get a tag to Chavo. Eddie
lands a head scissors on Danny, but Eddie still cannot get tag to Chavo. The
younger Guerrero does his part by breaking up a pin to save the match. The crowd
starts chanting for Chavo, and he finally gets a hot tag in. Chavo cleans house
with the Bashams. Eddie joins in on the fun, as Danny and Doug are launched out
from opposite sides of the ring. Los Guerreros the crush their respective
advesaries with flying body presses from the ring. Chavo rolls Danny back in the
ring. With the champ on his feet, Chavo tries a sunset flip over the top rope,
but cannot get it over. Danny drops on Chavo's shoulders and holds the ropes to
get the pin.
Winner via pinfall: The Bashams
Chavo is tossed from the ring, after the match, as Eddie jumps in. The
Bashams go to work on Eddie. Chavo looks like he is going to grab a chair and
help his uncle, but instead he take a seat and watches the assault. After the
Bashams finish, Chavo enters the ring and helps Eddie up, only to knock him back
down with a right hand to the head. Chavo busts Eddie open, and leaves him
bleeding in the ring as he drives off in the low rider.
Match #4 - A-Train vs. John Cena
This was a surprisingly short match. Cena tries for an early F-U, but
A-train slips out of it, and puts down Cena with a punch. A-train then hits Cena
with a vertical suplex, and then chokes him on the ropes. Cena regains his
forms, and goes to the top rope. After pumping up his shoes, Cena nails the big
with a high-risk maneuver. Cena ducks a clothesline, and then Stone Cold style,
kicks A-Train in the stomach and hits the F-U.
Winner via pinfall: John Cena
Back in the trainer's room, Kurt Angle is consoling Eddie Guerrero. Eddie
doesn't say a word the entire time. He just sits there fuming, as Angle
apologizes for sticking his nose in family business. Angle flat out says he
sorry.
Match #5 - Rey Mysterio vs. Akio w. Sakoda
This was a very good cruiserweight match. Akio ties a baseball slide, as
Mysterio is hung in the tree of woe, but Rey lifts himself up, and Akio crotches
himself on the ring post. Mysterio follows up with a springboard lateral press.
The cruiserweight champ goes to the top rope, but is caught with a spinning
heel kick in mid-air from Akio. Mysterio regains his sense, and hits Sakoda on
the apron. He then knocks Akio into the ropes and nails the 619 on both men.
Mysterio targets Akio with the West Coast Pop, hits it and gets the pin.
Winner via pinfall: Rey Mysterio
Guess what? From here on until the Royal Rumble we're going to be treated to
the "Best of Billy Gunn". I find it hard to believe that they could only find
three moments from his storied career to show us.
Hardcore Holly tells Josh Matthews that Big Show is dumb for requesting a
street fight with him. Really? Ya think?
Elsewhere in the arena, Nidia is on the phone with Jamie Noble. It seems
that he is stuck in traffic. After she hangs up Paul Heyman grace us with his
presence. He tells Nidia that if Noble can't wrestle, he will name a suitable
replacement. And the replacement is she.
Match #5 - Tajiri vs. Nidia
Well, Noble is late, so Heyman "escorts" Nidia to the ring. He tells her to
go through with the match or Noble is fired. The bell rings, and Tajiri jumps on
the opportunity. He pins Nidia after a few slams.
Winner via pinfall: Tajiri
After the bell, Tajiri looks to do some more damage, but Rey Mysterio chases
him off. Mysterio then helps Nidia to the ring, and back up the ramp, when
Noble finally shows. And what does Rey get for being a nice guy? He gets a punch
in the face.
Match #7 - Big Show vs. Hardcore Holly - Street Fight
Here comes the pain! Brock Lesnar joins the boys at the announce table to
offer his insights into the main event. Shouldn't a street fight take place in,
oh, a street? Anyway, weapons are strewn about the ring. Big Show strikes first
with a kendo stick, and tosses Holly into the ring. Holly fights back with a
broom, and the fight spills to the floor. Holly stuns Show, and then turns his
attention to the champ. Holly and Lesnar's fight is broken up by Show, who
tosses Holly into the ring post. The action returns to the ring, where Show is
brought to his knees with a series of chair shots. Holly then unfolds the chair,
and places it around Show's throat. Holly is choking the Big Show out with the
chair. Big Show taps to the most unique submissions I've seen in a while.
Winner by submission: Hardcore Holly
After the match Holly heads towards Lesnar. Brock wants nothing to do with
Holly and his chair, so Lesnar jumps the security barrier, and retreats
through the crowd.
Dale Plummer is a rookie on the SLAM! Wrestling staff. Dale is eagerly
awaiting news that he will compete in the Royal Rumble.
