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Smackdown: Lining up the survivors
By
DALE PLUMMER -- SLAM! Wrestling
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Does anyone else see the irony in WWE cutting
talent heading into Survivor Series? Why not do a
cross promotion with CBS. I propose Survivor:
Smackdown! Actually with Vince McMahon's ego it would
be more like Raw Apprentice. It not much of a stretch
to see Vince sitting in a boardroom and bellowing,
"You're fired!" Wait, we have seen that.
Speaking of Tough Enough, all the contestants are
shown working out before the show in St. Louis,
Missouri. Al Snow then introduces the boys in the.
Kurt Angle graces the wannabes with his presence.
First he brow beats the contestants, but then tells
them the winner of tonight's challenge will win a
special prize. And tonight's challenge is squat
thrusts. The challenger who does the most wins, easy
as that. Chris Nawrocki wins the challenge, and his
prize: a match with Kurt Angle. And it starts right
now.
(On a side note: This whole Tough Enough thing isn't
working. It worked on MTV because it was Real World:
WWE. All they are doing now is boring the crowd and
television audience. I mean squat thrusts make for
great TV and all, but at the expense of talented WWE
superstars who are losing their jobs. It's a cryin'
shame.)
Match #1 - Kurt Angle vs. Chris Nawrocki
Nawrocki was able to grabs the ropes, but it
didn't help. Angle pins the kid and it's over.
Winner via pin fall: Kurt Angle
Angle asks if anyone else wants some, and Daniel
Puder steps up.
Match #2 - Kurt Angle vs. Daniel Puder
Puder locks up with Angle, but the Olympic champ
slaps on a key lock. Angle keeps the hold locked in,
and Puder's shoulders hit the mat for a three count.
Winner via pin fall: Kurt Angle
Michael Cole and Tazz inform us that voting will
start tonight for Tough Enough. I all ready exercised
my right to vote this week, so I'm kinda tired.
Josh Matthews interviews Orlando Jordan. He asks
Jordan about getting pinned by Booker T. JBL cuts him
off, slapping Matthews. He tells him to show the Chief
of Staff some respect. Matthews says he is sick and
tired of being abused by them, and that if Jordan
wants to win tonight, he has to get his head in the
game, and out of JBL's rear.
Match #3 - Booker T vs. Orlando Jordan
Booker T comes out firing, punching Jordan into
the corner, and then whipping him into the opposite
corner. Booker then greets him with a high forearm.
Jordan gains some momentum with an eye rake, by Booker
fights back with an arm bar. Jordan is planted with a
side slam, by Jordan is able to kick out of a pin.
Booker keeps the pressure on with a spine buster, and
JBL has seen enough. The champion hits the ring, and
attacks Booker. Jordan is disqualified, and the two
double team Booker. JBL lays out the number one
contender with a clothesline from hell, and then heads
to the back with Jordan.
Winner via DQ: Booker T
Spike Dudley tells his brothers that he made a
deal with Kurt Angle. If they take out the Big Show,
D-Von or Bubba will be named to Angle's Survivor
Series team. Spike says he will call out the Big
Show, and then D-Von and Bubba will put him through a
table.
Josh Matthews apologizes to Teddy Long for his
actions, but he is sick of being pushed around. Teddy
tells him he has to be a professional, when Booker T
busts in. Booker wants JBL and Jordan. Long says he
won't sanction a handicapped match, but if he can find
a partner there will be a tag team match. Josh tells
Booker to let him be his partner. Booker tells him
he's in, and the match is made.
The Dudleyz are in the ring with a table. Spike
demands that Big Show come to the ring. Show comes to
the ring. Be careful what you wish for, Spike. Spike,
standing on the table, spits in Show's face. D-Von and
Bubba attack, and hit the 3-D after a low blow. The
tables are set up, but Show recovers and choke slam
D-Von and Bubba through the tables. Spike looks on in
disbelief, and then hightails it to the back.
Luther Reigns and Mark Jindrak are whining to Kurt
that the Dudleyz didn't get the job done. Angle tells
them not to worry, and then they run into Carlito
Caribbean Cool. Angle tries to recruit Carlito, and he
accepts.
RVD is meditating in the back, when Rey Mysterio
gets him for the match. The two get ready for their
match, next.
Match #4 - RVD and Rey Mysterio vs. Luther
Reigns and Mark Jindrak
Jindrak and Mysterio start the match off, with
Jindrak not being impressed with Rey's size. Jindrak
slams Rey face first into the mat, but Rey respond
with a drop kick to the jaw, and then a tilt-a-whirl
head scissors. RVD tags in, hitting a split legged
moonsault. Jindrak recovers, and corners RVD. Jindrak
is whipped across the ropes, and RVD hits him with a
clothesline. RVD then follows with a corkscrew
moonsault. Reigns tags in, and goes to work on RVD.
Reigns slaps on a rear chin lock. RVD fights out, but
cannot get the sunset flip over. RVD then kicks his
way out of the corner, and then delivering a thrust
kick. Mysterio tags in, and hits Reigns with a
dropkick into the ropes. Mysterio goes for the 619,
but Jindrak catches him in mid swing as we cut to
commercial. We return to find Mysterio in a chin lock,
but he fights out, only to have Reigns drop an elbow
on him. Reigns then hits a half nelson driver, before
tagging in Jindrak. Mysterio is whipped into the
corner, hard. A snap mare leaves Mysterio on the mat
in the middle of the ring. Jindrak locks in a rear
naked choke, which almost does the job. Mysterio
fights out of the hold, but Jindrak is able to
maintain the upper hand. Reigns tags in and stomps on
Mysterio, and knocks RVD off the apron. Jindrak tags
back in. Jindrak counters a tilt-a-whirl with a slam.
Reigns tags back in, and wears Mysterio down with
elbows, and bear hug. Mysterio fights back, and hits a
spinning DDT. Both men hit the mat, and Mysterio is
finally able to tag in RVD. Jindrak also tags in, and
cleans house. Jindrak is double teamed, as Reigns
spills to the outside. RVD hits an enzugiri, and
Jindrak spills into the ropes. Mysterio hits the 619,
and RVD climbs the ropes. Reigns grabs RVD, but
Mysterio take care of him with a 619. RVD hits the
five-star frog splash and covers for the win.
Winner via pin fall: RVD and Rey Mysterio
After the match Carlito's music hits, and CCC and
his associate Jesus confront the two. RVD and Rey are
jumped, and tossed back into the ring. The heels go to
work, but Eddie Guerrero runs in with a chair to make
the save.
Recap of the Undertaker/Heidenreich feud, with
Undertaker signing the contract.
Eddie Guerrero goes to talk with Teddy Long. Long
wants to talk about Survivor Series; he tells Eddie
that Rey Mysterio cannot be on his team. Rey will be
in a fatal four-way match for the cruiserweight title.
Eddie wants to know where that leaves his team. All
Long tells him he has to find another man for his
team, John Cena perhaps?
Match #5 - Dawn Marie vs. Miss Jackie - Arm
Wrestling Match
Michael Cole moderates the event in the ring. Dawn
Marie comes out first, dressed well, as always.
(Excuse as I wipe the drool from my keyboard ... drtfgyko.
Sorry 'bout that.) Dawn Marie dedicates this match to
"her Charlie". Miss Jackie then comes to the ring, and
she doesn't look happy. Miss Jackie tries to get at
Dawn, but the referee gets them to approach the table.
Miss Jackie is all business, as she shows Dawn the
engagement ring. Miss Jackie looks to have the upper
hand, until Dawn Marie head butts her. Dawn tosses the
table aside, and the whole thing devolves into a
catfight. Charlie Haas hobbles to the ring to stop the
nonsense, but is met by Heidenreich. Haas is beaten
with his own crutches. Miss Jackie tries to come to
her fiancee's aid, but Heidenreich tosses her aside. He
continues to beat on Haas. Paul Heyman runs to
ringside and tries to reason with Heidenreich. It does
know good as Heidenreich finishes off the defenseless
Haas. Hey, at least he isn't reading any more poetry.
Dawn Marie then climbs in the ring to console Haas.
Al Snow is trying to get people to care about
Tough Enough and vote for their favorite. Why should I
vote? I haven't really seen these guys do anything.
Torrie Wilson comes out and tells the boys the next
week she will be conducting a sex test. Don't get your
hopes up boys; she's taken.
Match #6 - Booker T and Josh Matthews vs. JBL
and Orlando Jordan
Booker T starts off quickly, taking the fight to
JBL. The champ fights back with right hands. JBL is
whipped into the corner, but charges out and takes
down Booker with a shoulder knockdown. Jordan tags in
and goes to work on Booker T. Jordan is knocked down
with a kick to the chin. Jordan is whipped off the
ropes and another kick sends the chief of staff to the
mat. With Jordan down, Booker tags in Matthews. He
climbs the turnbuckle, and hits a cross body block on
Jordan. Matthews also gets a shot in on JBL. Matthews
is thrown from the ring, and Booker T is knocked off
the apron. JBL slams Booker into the steps. Matthews
tries to make the save, but JBL is admonished back to
his corner. Matthews is still the legal man, and
Jordan is all over him. JBL tags in, and lands a
series of clubbing blows on Matthews. Booker T is
knocked off the apron, and Jordan tags back in. Jordan
starts to box Matthews. Booker T fights his way back
on the apron, and Matthews is able to tag. Booker
shoots Jordan off the ropes, hitting a back body drop.
JBL tries to interfere, and also receives a back body
drop. JBL recovers and tries to hit the Clothesline
from Hell, but Booker counters with a Book End. Jordan
also gets the Book End, and Booker T covers for the
win.
Winner by : Booker T and Josh Matthews
Booker tries to revive Matthews to celebrate the
win, but the backstage reporter is out cold. Booker T
celebrates on the turnbuckle as the show goes off the
air.
Visit the SLAM! Wrestling store!
It's now out! Order the book Adam Copleland on Edge
Dale Plummer has been writing for SLAM!
Wrestling since 2003. Dale would like to encourage
people NOT to vote in the Tough Enough competition.
Remember, apathy is our strongest weapon in this
fight.
