|
Smackdown: 'Taker given an ultimatum
By
DALE PLUMMER -- SLAM! Wrestling
|
 
|
It's old news that SummerSlam will be held at the
Air Canada Centre in Toronto, but it's also the home
to tonight's Smackdown! broadcast. The show starts off
on a somber note with a tribute to Jim Dudley, best
known as the manager of Bobo Brazil. Dudley worked for
Vince McMahon's father and grandfather.
Booker T kicks things off by addressing the
Canadian crowd. Booker says he doesn't have to justify
himself to the Undertaker or the crowd. He says he had
nothing to do with the kidnapping of Paul Bearer, and
thinks the Undertaker was behind it so he could weasel
out of their match, tonight. John Cena interrupts,
telling Booker he has a beef with him. Cena wants to
know why Booker almost cost him the U.S. title last
week. Booker says it's because Cena is ripping off his
gimmick. Cena then mocks Booker with an impersonation.
General Manager Kurt Angle wheels himself to the ring
to stop both men from going at it. Angle scolds Cena,
who is then jumped by Booker T. The fight spills to
the floor, where Cena is knocked into Angle. The
injured GM is tossed from his wheelchair. Angle grabs
a mike and tells Cena he is going to the board of
directors to have the U.S. title stripped from him. He
also sends Cena home for the night.
Match #1 - Eddie Guerrero vs. Danny Basham w/
Doug
What happened to these guys? I'm not getting the
velvet tights. What happened to the black leather and
Shaniqua? Anyway, Eddie gets Doug banned from
ringside, when he tosses Doug a chair, and alerts the
ref. The ref falls for Eddie's misdirection and sends
Doug packing. In the ring, Danny stops Eddie from
nailing the hat trick with the vertical suplexes and
knocks Eddie into the ref. Danny grabs the title belt
and heads back into the ring. Eddie cuts him off with
a lowblow, and nails Danny with the belt. Eddie then
collapses to the mat. The ref comes to and starts to
count both men out. Eddie springs to his feet at the
eight count and climbs the turnbuckle. A frog splash
seals the win for the WWE Champ.
Winner via pinfall: Eddie Guerrero
Now it's time for the religious segment as
Mordecai makes his way to the ring. He demands a
moment of silence for prayer. Mordecai calls us all
sinners and that he will make us pay. I'm scared.
Backstage, Miss Jackie is trying on another bikini
for tonight's bikini contest. Charlie Haas and Rico
looked pleased.
Match #2 – Chavo Classic vs. Funaki –
Cruiserweight Title Match
Funaki knocks down Chavo with a shoulder block and
looks to be in control. Until he climbs the
turnbuckle. Chavo Junior pushed Funaki off, allowing
his dad to get the pin and retain his belt.
Winner via pinfall and still cruiserweight
champion: Chavo Classic
After the match several ladies storm the ring to
celebrate with Chavo Classic.
Jamie Noble is the emcee for tonight's bikini
contest. Sable, Torrie, Dawn Marie, and Miss Jackie
all gather in the ring. I can't do this justice in
print; you just had to see it yourself. Miss Jackie
wins, and Noble ends up all wet.
Another vignette for Kenzo Suzuki. He will be
making his debut next week.
Match #3 – Renee Dupree vs. Rey Mysterio
Renee Dupree pulls up a little lame after dropping
an elbow on Rey. Mysterio hits a head scissors, and
then knocks Dupree into the ropes with a drop toehold.
Dupree dodges the 619, and sets Mysterio up for a
powerbomb. Rey reverses it into a sunset flip and
steals a win.
Winner via pin fall: Rey Mysterio
John Bradshaw Layfield heads to the ring to tell
us all the stipulation for his championship match at
The Great American Bash. It's going to be a Texas Bull
rope match. Yea, it's bull, all right; this whole feud
is bull rope in my book.
Match #4 – Booker T vs. The Undertaker
Booker T jumps Taker before the bell, but he
doesn't hold the advantage for long. Booker T is
slammed after an armbar. Taker takes him for the old
school rope walk, but Booker counters by hitting the
ropes. The Undertaker spills to the outside as we go
to commercial. After the break, Booker T hits a
missile drop kick, and then a reverse heel kick.
Undertaker fights back with a clothesline and sets
Booker up for the Last Ride. Booker goes up and over,
but then walks into a chokeslam. Before Undertaker can
finish off Booker T, Paul Heyman appears on stage. He
tells Undertaker that he should be more concerned with
Paul Bearer then Booker T. Heyman climbs into the
ring, and Undertaker grabs him. The Dudley Boys appear
on the TitanTron and tell Undertaker to listen to
Heyman. They have Paul Bearer in the room behind them,
and they don't want anything to happen to him. Heyman
then tells Undertaker to join him and the Dudleys, or
he will never see Paul Bearer again. He gives the
Undertaker one week to decide as the show goes off the
air.
Visit the SLAM! Wrestling store!
Order the new book from ECW Press:
Wrestle Radio USA: Grapplers Speak
Dale Plummer is still a relative rookie on the SLAM!
Wrestling staff. Dale has one and only one things to
say. GO FLAMES!