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Smackdown: It just gets Tougher
By
DALE PLUMMER -- SLAM! Wrestling
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It's baaaaack! Just like Michael Meyers in
Halloween; you can't keep Tough Enough down. The
wrestling reality show makes its return for the fourth
time, and this time it isn't relegated to cable.
Instead it will air, and I'm guessing here, in
segments during Smackdown, ala the RAW Diva Search. On
second thought, maybe this isn't such a good idea.
Just the crappy new intro to start the show; this
doesn't bode well. Michael Cole and Tazz join us from
Rockford, Illinois, and start by hyping tonight's
card. Torrie Wilson heading to the ring is a good way
to start the show, so maybe I was a tad bid hasty in
my first statements. Torrie introduces the current
U.S. Champion Carlito Caribbean Cool. The champ checks
out Torrie, and proceeds to hit on her. (Like any of
you wouldn't do the same!) Torrie is flustered by the
attention, and tries to announce his opponent. Carlito
interrupts, and asks Torrie if she is trying to ignore
him. Torrie continues to do her job as ring announcer,
but is interrupted again, as Carlito spits apple all
over her face.
Match #1 - Rico vs. Carlito Caribbean Cool -
Non-title match
Rico goes after Carlito right away, and hits a
back body drop early. Carlito recovers, and nails a
swinging neck breaker. Rico hammers back with chops,
and then ducks a clothesline from Carlito. Rico then
connects with a kick to the jaw that sends him into
the corner. Carlito sidesteps and corner charge,
slamming Rico off the turnbuckle. Carlito then hits
his finisher, which is a modified neck breaker. He
covers Rico for the win.
Winner via pin fall: Carlito Caribbean Cool
Booker T is venting his frustration to Teddy Long
about being in a six-man tag with RVD and Rey
Mysterio. Long tries talking Booker T into the match.
Booker T says he doesn't care, then Long tells him he
has to step up and represent.
The saga of Billy Kidman is recapped.
This is Chavo's first television appearance since
getting hurt at the hands of Billy Kidman. Chavo has a
few words for the crowd before the match. He thanks
everyone for the support while he was out injured.
It's the easiest face turn to write, get hurt as a
heel; come back as a face. This stuff writes itself.
Kidman interrupts the love fest, and heads to the
ring. Kidman tells him it's great to have him back,
but Chavo doesn't know what he had to deal with. Chavo
tells the crowd that his family begged him not to make
his return, and he was extremely close to retiring.
Until an old friend convinced him to come back, and
that friend was Kidman, and the two hug. The Chavo
says the friend wasn't Kidman, and punks out his old
friend.
Heidenreich is warming up in the back, when Paul
Heyman tells him that Teddy Long wants to cancel his
first match ever. Heyman says it's because they are
afraid that Heidenreich may attack someone other than
his opponent. Heyman says Teddy Long told him he could
wrestle on one condition, that he wears a straight
jacket to and from the ring. Heidenreich agrees to
wear the jacket.
Match #2 - Heidenreich vs. Shannon Moore
Why does Moore get served up to these guys? Moore
jumps Heidenreich before the straight jacket comes
off, but he still manages to fight off Moore and get
the straight jacket off. Now it's time to switch on
squash mode.
Winner via pin fall: Heidenreich
After the match, Heidenreich gets back into the
straight jacket, and he looks happy. Heidenreich calls
for a mike and calls out the Undertaker, while still
wearing the straight jacket. He then demands that
Heyman bring him the Undertaker.
Torrie is complaining to her stylist about Carlito
spitting apple in her hair, when she is interrupted by
a serenading Kenzo Suzuki. Teddy Long breaks up the
love fest, and tells Torrie that he is sorry for what
happened, and he is going to talk to Carlito right
now. The GM approaches the champ, and wants to know if
he was in the club where John Cena was attacked.
Carlito cries for his lawyer. That's not cool.
Booker T warming up by skipping rope, and Orlando
Jordan has to cramp his style. Jordan tells Booker
that JBL wants to talk to him about the up coming
match. Jordan then apologizes for calling him 'dog'
the other week. Booker just walks away.
Match #3 - Eddie Guerrero vs. Mark Jindrak w.
Luther Reigns
Reigns gets a warning right off the bat. Jindrak
locks in a side headlock, but Eddie reverses with a
top wristlock. Eddie follows up two arm drags with a
drop kick. Guerrero controls the match through the
commercial break. Jindrak fights back with kicks and
punches. A snap suplex gets Jindrak a near fall. He
then applies a rear naked choke, which Eddie fights
out of. Guerrero is whipped across the ring, and
Jindrak sends him flying with a back body drop. Eddie
fights out of another sleeper hold, but is tripped up
by Reigns at the apron. Eddie shakes it off and hits
the 'three amigos'. Guerrero knocks Reigns off the
apron with kick, and Reigns is banished to the back by
the ref. With the ref distracted Kurt Angle comes out
of nowhere and slips Jindrak the ring bell. Guerrero
climbs the turnbuckle, and hits the frog splash on the
bell. Jindrak covers Guerrero for the win.
Winner via pin fall: Mark Jindrak
Paul Heyman joins Teddy Long in his office. Heyman
says Heidenreich wants a favor. He wants The
Undertaker one-on-one at Survivor Series. One word:
Done. Heyman thanks Long, but Long wants a signed
contract. Heyman needs to get Undertaker's signature,
and he wants it by next week.
Rey Mysterio and RVD are chatting in the locker
room, when Booker T drops by. He says he does his own
thing, and he's the biggest name on Smackdown! He
tells his partners to stay out of his way. RVD tells
Rey to keep on eye on Booker T.
Fifty prospective WWE superstars were called to
Venice Beach to tryouts for Tough Enough. Hey, it's
Bill DeMott! Al Snow explains the rules. First an
obstacle course, then the bench press, followed by a
40 yards dash, and then a personality and charisma
test. Al then tells them they can be cut at anytime.
Ahhh, people throwing up, now that's good TV.
Day Two: And four guys have dropped out, already. Al Snow belittling people, now that's good TV.
The real story is Brian Danovich, who competed with a
torn pectoral and bicep. His right arm was purple.
That's heart kids. It's a shame Snow had to cut him.
But WWE is paying his medical bills and he will be
signed to an OVW developmental deal. Then there's the
40-year-old, who was a great-looking athlete, but
he was cut for lying about his age. And then there
were eight: Daniel Puder, John Meyer, Nick Mitchell,
Mike Mizinan, Chris Nawrocki, Ryan Reeves, Daniel
Rodimer, and Justice Smith. All eight will debut next
week on Smackdown, and the fans get to choose who gets
cut.
JBL talks to Booker T in the hallway. Booker is
not happy that JBL has sold out his Texas roots. Ah,
Booker was just kidding. That was pretty pointless.
Match #5 - JBL, Renee Dupree, and Kenzo Suzuki
vs. Booker T, RVD, and Rey Mysterio
RVD and Dupree starts things off. Dupree and RVD
trade some mat wrestling moves, feeling each other
out. RVD counters a power bomb attempt with a back
body drop, and then tags in Mysterio. Both men hit
Dupree with a dropkick. Dupree is able to tag in
Kenzo, but is thrown from the ring by Mysterio via a
head scissors. RVD tags back in and takes out Kenzo.
Mysterio gets the tag, and hits a springboard
moonsault on Kenzo. RVD and Mysterio double-team
Suzuki, and then RVD takes out Dupree on the outside.
Kenzo fights back by tossing Mysterio into Booker T.
We return from commercial to find Rey Mysterio locked
in a headlock from JBL. Mysterio is whipped off the
ropes, and counters with a head scissors. Mysterio
tries to tag Booker, but Book hesitates, and Mysterio
can't tag out. Dupree tags in, and is drop into the
ropes. Mysterio goes for the 619, but JBL breaks it
up. RVD runs in and clothes line Suzuki and Dupree.
RVD is then plastered off the announce table on the
outside. JBL tags in, and Booker T finally tags in.
Booker and JBL smile at each other. Booker sets up
Mysterio, and JBL goes for the clothesline from Hell.
At the last second Booker tosses Rey aside, and nails
JBL with a big boot. Booker cleans house, even
knocking Orlando Jordan from the apron. Booker pins
JBL for the win, and the hits the Book End on Jordan.
Winner via pin fall: Booker T, RVD, and Rey
Mysterio
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Dale Plummer has been writing for SLAM!
Wrestling since 2003. Dale was not at the Tough Enough
tryout. He has been in training to be a replacement
player for the NHL next season.
