As I watched Monday Night RAW earlier this week, I
feared the worst. After seeing HHH drafted to
Smackdown! and then Paul Heyman quitting, I was
certain that this was paving the way for the return of
Stephanie McMahon. If you missed RAW read about it here
in Nick Tylwalk's report. Will I be proven wrong as
Smackdown! comes to us from Grand Rapids, Michigan?
Read on and find out.
HHH wastes no time introducing himself to the
Smackdown! crowd as his music hits, but Hunter is nowhere in sight. Instead, Kurt Angle in a sport coat,
makes his way to the ring. Angle tells us that he
knows who the new GM is. That person is someone with
class, and someone we are all familiar with. The new
GM is none other than Kurt Angle himself! There is a
God! Angle has even more news, HHH will not be on
Smackdown!, ever! Angle orchestrated a trade with Eric
Bischoff, sending Trips back to RAW in exchange for
the Dudley Boyz and Booker T. I think RAW got hosed on
that deal. Booker T makes his way to the ring, and is
not happy that he is now on Smackdown! He tells Angle
that he is better then anyone on the show, and
Smackdown! is the minor leagues. Booker, shouldn't you
be happy that you are reunited with your tag team
partner RVD?
Smackdown! was on tour in the UK last week. Eddie
Guerrero was getting friendly with some of the English
lasses from the looks of things.
Match #1 - Rob Van Dam vs. Charlie Haas
Unlike his former partner, RVD is happy to be on
Smackdown! In fact, you can call him Mr. Thursday
Night now. Haas isn't impressed with the crowd
support behind RVD, and starts off with a fireman's
carry. RVD responds with a spinning heel kick. RVD
dodges an attack from Haas by jumping onto the
turnbuckle, only to be shoved off into the security
barrier on the outside. Haas tosses RVD back into the
ring, and RVD sells a knee injury. Haas capitalizes,
locking in a half crab. RVD fights out, and tries an
enzugiri. He misses his mark, but immediately recovers
with a boot to Haas' chin. After another spinning heel
kick, RVD nails rolling thunder. After a two count,
Haas counters a monkey flip in the corner, and has the
pin, until the ref sees the Haas is using the ropes
for leverage. A frustrated Haas unties the turnbuckle
padding, but is rolled up in a small package by RVD,
who gets the three count.
Winner via pinfall: RVD
We see more footage from RAW. Paul Heyman selects
Rene Dupree.
Match #2 - Billy Kidman vs. Rene Dupree
Kidman starts off with a head scissors to the
Frenchman. Dupree fights back with a back body drop.
Kidman is then power slammed after being bounced off
the ropes. After a two count, Dupree runs into a drop
kick, and Kidman goes up top for a shooting star
press. Dupree recovers and kicks Kidman down. Dupree
picks Kidman off the turnbuckle and finishes him off
with a sit down power bomb.
Winner via pinfall: Rene Dupree
John Cena interrupts the celebration and welcomes
Dupree to Smackdown! in only a way that Cena can.
Josh Matthews gets a word with tag team champs
Rikishi and Scotty II Hotty. Teddy Long interrupts to
peddle his services. He leaves his card with the
champs.
Eddie Guerrero welcomes Spike Dudley in the locker
room. The champ is cordial with all the guys in the
locker room, but Booker T wants nothing to with him.
The two exchanged words, and Eddie jumps him. The
other guys in the locker room pull the two apart.
Match #3 - The Dudley Boyz vs. The Basham
Brothers
It's been a long time since I threw up the 3-D and
boy, does it feel good. The Dudleys go after the
Bashams right before the bell even rings. Danny is
double teamed early, but is able to switch with his
brother with the refs back turned. D-von is then
double teamed, when Danny tags back in. A shoulder
block buys D-von enough time to tag in Bubba, who hits
a back body drop. Bubba follows with a sidewalk slam
on Doug and a cover. Danny breaks the pin, but cannot
save Doug from the Whassup! Head butt. Danny tries to
help his brother, but gets 3-D-ed for his effort, and
the Dudleys pick up the win.
Winner via pinfall: The Dudley Boyz
Kurt Angle is setting up his office, when Booker T
pays him a visit. Booker says he hates Smackdown! and
wants some retribution because Eddie jumped him. Angle
tells Booker he'll get Eddie tonight, along with a
shot at the WWE championship.
Match #4 - Spike Dudley vs. Chavo Guerrero Jr.
- Cruiserweight Title Match
Spike's brothers decide to stick around at
ringside to watch his match, much to the dismay of
Chavo Sr. Spike takes it to the champ early, but gets
a little too aggressive by going for the Dudley Dog.
Chavo tosses Spike over the ropes. Bubba and D-von are
there to ward off Chavo Sr. Spike rolls back into the
ring, and is able to hit an inverted atomic drop.
Spike goes to the top turnbuckle, but is cut off by
Chavo. Spike fights him off, and then jumps onto
Chavo's chest. Spike goes high risk once again, and
misses a missile drop kick. Chavo takes advantage,
hitting Spike with a backbreaker and picks up the win.
Winner via pin fall: Chavo Guerrero Jr.
Recap of Faarooq getting fired last week and
Bradshaw turning his back on his friend.
Bradshaw walks out to the ring with new entrance
music and video. He is also going by his full name,
now, John 'Bradshaw' Layfield. Dressed in a business
suit, Bradshaw explains why he did what he did. He
says he can't give up everything he has. He also says
that he has never failed at anything, except
wrestling, and that's going to change. He's going to
make a big impact.
Booker T continues to make friends backstage.
Hardcore Holly threatens to rip Booker apart after his
match with Eddie Guerrero. Apparently, the 'minor
league' comment hit some of these guys pretty hard.
Match #5 - Booker T vs. Eddie Guerrero - WWE
Championship Match
Both men start the match by feeling each other out.
Booker T lays Guerrero out with a clothesline. Booker
knees Eddie into the corner and then whips him into
the ropes. Booker then nails the champ with a reverse
heel kick. Guerrero fights back with a drop kick, but
Booker counters by hanging Eddie on the ropes. Then he
knocks him to the outside. During the break, Guerrero
is dropped on the security barrier. Back in the ring,
Eddie hits a desperation belly-to-back suplex, and
follows with a one-man (obviously) flapjack. Guerrero
goes to the top turnbuckle, but is cut off, and Booker
drops him with a suplex off the second rope. Eddie is
able to kick out of the pin. Booker hits a sidewalk
slam and covers. The champ kicks out. Latino Heat
fires back with a head scissors, but Booker T counters
a vertical suplex with the Book End. Booker can only
get a two count. Guerrero is then laid out with a
super kick, and is covered. Guerrero barely gets a
shoulder up before the three. Booker T sets up the
champ for the axe kick, but Guerrero dodges it, and
hits the hat trick with the triple vertical suplex.
Guerrero scrambles to the top turnbuckle and nails
Booker with the Frog splash. Eddie has the match won,
until Bradshaw breaks the pin. Booker is DQed, but
rolls from the ring as Bradshaw puts the boots to
Guerrero. Eddie should have stayed down, as Bradshaw
finishes the champ off with a clothesline from Hell.
The show ends as Bradshaw poses on the turnbuckle.
Winner via DQ: Eddie Guerrero
Visit the SLAM! Wrestling store!
Perfect to rap with or wrap up:
WWE John Cena: Word Life DVD
Dale Plummer is still a rookie on the SLAM!
Wrestling staff. Dale has even been known to file a
weekly Smackdown! report from time to time.
