|
Smackdown: JBL acts, Angle advances
By
DALE PLUMMER -- SLAM! Wrestling
|
  
|
For the first time ever, Smackdown! is coming to
us from Tokyo, Japan. In actuality it's in Saitama,
Japan, which is on the outskirts of the city. Not that
I'd know that, since I'm stuck at home. I guess all
the flights to Japan were booked. I'll have to check
with the SLAM! Wrestling travel agent.
Smackdown! should be in a foreign country every
week, it cuts down on the long winded promos, and cuts
right to the action.
Match #1 - Eddie Guerrero vs. Kenzo Suzuki
Suzuki gets booed even on his home turf. The crowd
breaks out an early Eddie chant, much to the chagrin
of the Bronze Warrior. Guerrero hits Kenzo with a
thumb to the eye, but Suzuki recovers to beat Eddie
into the corner. Kenzo nails a shoulder block and
poses for the crowd. A big right hand knocks down
Kenzo, and he is whipped into the turnbuckle. Guerrero
follows with the 'Three Amigos', and then climbs the
turnbuckle. Suzuki cuts him off at the pass, but
cannot capitalize. After a head butt, Eddie knocks
Kenzo to the mat, and hits him with the frog splash.
Winner via pin fall: Eddie Guerrero
Kurt Angle and company discuss strategy for
tonight. Angle is disappointed that no one softened up
Rey Mysterio last week. Angle is pleased that his boys
forced a no decision in the Undertaker match, so Kurt
has a free ride to the finals if he wins. Luther
Reigns says last week will be nothing compared to what
he is going to do tonight. Reigns says he isn't afraid
of The Undertaker. Angle wishes his boys luck taking
on the tag team champs tonight.
Match #2 - Luther Reigns and Mark Jindrak vs.
The Basham Brothers - WWE Tag Team Title Match
Jindrak and Doug Basham start off, trading
punches. Reigns tags in and works over Doug in the
corner. A hard Irish whip bounces Doug off the
turnbuckle, and Jindrak tags back in. After a suplex,
Jindrak drops an elbow. Reigns tags back in and goes
for the pin, Jindrak tosses Danny from the ring, but
before the count the Undertaker's bell rings. The Dead
man appears behind Reigns and Jindrak. Undertaker
picks up Jindrak and hits him with Snake Eyes, as
Reigns clears out of the ring. The Undertaker stares
Reigns down from inside the ring.
No Contest
Cole and Tazz discuss Teddy Long's situation, as
Joy Giovanni shoots T-shirts into the crowd.
Backstage, Kenzo asks Hiroko if she's ready for
her match. Kenzo seems to enjoy, and I mean really
enjoy, hearing how Hiroko will strip Torrie to her
underwear.
WWE Champion JBL is complaining to Amy Weber about
his match at No Way Out. JBL says he has something in
store for Big Show, and it's a tranquilizer gun, yes
the very same gun that Angle used on Big Show. JBL
hands the gun to Amy, as he heads to the locker room.
The gun accidentally goes off, and JBL is hit in the
neck. The champ goes down, as his cabinet rushes to
his aid.
Torrie Wilson is shown getting ready for her
Kimono match.
Match #3 - Funaki vs. Chavo Guerrero -
Cruiserweight Title Match
They love Funaki in Japan! He's gotten the loudest
pop so far. There's absolutely no way he can lose this
match, right? Chavo hits an arm drag early, as the
crowd is heavily behind Funaki. Chavo kicks out of a
quick cover after a leg sweep. Chavo hits a cheap
shot, and follows with a kick to Funaki's ribs.
Chavo hits a suplex, but Funaki kicks out. Chavo whips
Funaki into the corner, and then locks in a modified
abdominal stretch. Funaki rolls through a sunset flip,
and kicks Chavo in the face. Funaki hits a cross body
block, and then a back body drop. Chavo reverses the
tornado DDT, but Funaki counters with an enzugiri.
Funaki gets caught on the top turnbuckle, and Chavo
hits a top rope superplex. Chavo then hits a
tilt-a-whirl back breaker, but Funaki kicks out. Chavo
puts Funaki on the top turnbuckle. Funaki pushes Chavo
down, and hits the tornado DDT. Funaki covers for the
pin, and retains the belt.
Winner via pin fall: Funaki
Carlito Caribbean Cool brags to a security guard
about getting Teddy Long suspended. JBL staggers up to
CCC, still hopped up on the tranquilizer. Orlando Jordan
tracks down his boss, and tells him not to go
anywhere. The champ says he'll stay with the raccoon
head from Puerto Rico.
I love these WrestleMania 21 promos. Stacy Keibler
as Sharon Stone in a Basic Instinct parody. Good
stuff, for those of you under 18, please disregard
what you have just read.
Match #4 - Orlando Jordan vs. John Cena - #1
Contender's Tournament Match
Jordan starts off by beating on Cena in the
corner. Cena changes the momentum with a hip toss
followed by a fisherman's suplex. Jordan catches Cena
with a boot to the face, and then explodes out of the
corner with a clothesline. Jordan follows up with
three elbow drops to Cena's sternum. Jordan catches
Cena with a high elbow. Cena fights back with a head
butt, and then a clothesline. Jordan hits the mat,
after a shoulder block. Cena then hits a side slam,
and connects with the five-knuckle shuffle. Cena pumps
up the shoes, and sizes Jordan up for the F-U. Cena
hits it, and pins Jordan. Cena advances to face Booker
T next week.
Winner via pin fall: John Cena
After the match Jordan can't find JBL. The rest of
the cabinet doesn't know where he is either, and Amy
Weber blames herself.
Match #5 - Torrie Wilson vs. Hiroko - Kimono
Match
Have you figured it out yet? This is a Japanese
version of the evening gown match. Torrie extends her
hand for a shake, but instead Hiroko throws powder in
her face. Hiroko chokes Torrie on the ropes. Torrie
nails Hiroko with a clothesline, and then a baseball
slide on the outside. A kick to he gut slows down
Torrie, but Torrie responds with chops, and then an
airplane spin. Hiroko goes down, and Torrie strips
her. Hiroko runs to the back in embarrassment.
Winner: Torrie Wilson
Torrie celebrates by stripping for the Japanese
crowd. Torrie heads to the back, as JBL heads to the
ring with an inflatable T-Rex. And JBL is still
'feeling' the effects of that tranq dart. The champ
tosses 'Godzilla' into the ring. JBL tells the
inflatable dino that he isn't scared of him or the Big
Show. JBL tries to get the T-Rex to fight him,
dropping his pants in the process. The Big Show walks
out, and JBL is still pretty doped up. AS Big Show
enters the ring, JBL falls on his butt, telling Big
Show he will let the two dinosaurs talk. JBL motions
for Big Show to come closer, and JBL lays him out. The
champ was acting to the whole time, and the rest of
the cabinet hits the ring. Big Show dodges a chair
shot, and takes out the cabinet. The Basham get a
double choke slam, and then Orlando Jordan goes for a
ride. JBL's set up seems to have backfired.
During the break, Big Show talks about his upcoming
match at No Way Out. He then says he's a giant, and
the only one who can relate to that is Akebono. Big
Show calls the grand champion to the ring to size him
up. Akebono makes his way to the ring, where the Big
Show shakes his hand.
Kurt Angle tells Mysterio not to get his hopes up.
Mysterio takes offense, and tells the Olympic champ
that the joke will be on him when he loses tonight.
Match #6 - Kurt Angle vs. Rey Mysterio - #1
Contender's Tournament Match
Angle goes to work on the right arm of Mysterio
right off the bat. Angle locks in a hammerlock.
Mysterio elbows his way out. Mysterio is taken down
with a high knee, as he shoots off the ropes. Mysterio
responds with a tilt-a-whirl head scissors, and then a
drop toehold into the rope. Angle ducks away from the
619. Mysterio rolls through a sunset flip, and then
drop kicks Angle in the face. Angle catches Mysterio
and hits an overhead belly-to-belly suplex. After the
break, Mysterio breaks free of a submission. Mysterio
hangs onto the ropes, and low bridges Angle. Mysterio
climbs to the top turnbuckle and hits a cross body on
Angle outside the ring. Back in the ring, Angle nails
a German suplex, and then a back breaker. Angle then
drives his knee into Mysterio's back. After breaking
free of a hold, Mysterio walks into a gut wrench.
Angle catches Mysterio in mid air off a moonsault, and
then drives Mysterio back first into the turnbuckle.
Mysterio is then hung up in a tree of woe. Angle
charges the corner, but Mysterio lifts himself out of
the way, and Angle catches all post. Mysterio then
slides to the outside, and catches Angle with a leg
scissors. Mysterio hits a seated senton, and then
counters with a DDT. Mysterio drop kicks Angle in the
back into the ropes. Angles catches the 619, and goes
for the ankle lock. Mysterio reverses to break free.
Angle hits a german suplex, but Mysterio counters the
second, and is finally able to hit the 619. Angle
catches Mysterio in mid air; Mysterio counters the
Angle slam with an arm drag. Angle kicks out of a roll
up. Mysterio tries a lateral press, but Angle kicks
out. Angle catches Mysterio in mid air again, and
counters into the Angle Slam. Angle is able to slap on
the ankle lock, and Mysterio finally taps.
Winner via submission : Kurt Angle
Visit the SLAM! Wrestling store!
Order RVD One of a Kind Double DVD Set
Dale Plummer has been writing for SLAM!
Wrestling since 2003. Dale would like to know if the
guys that write the WrestleMania promos also write the
storylines, and if they don't why aren't they? If you
have any information email Dale at Dplummer627@yahoo.com.
