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Smackdown: Mania taking shape
By
DALE PLUMMER - SLAM! Wrestling
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Roanoke, Virginia is one stop closer to
Wrestlemania 21, and it's also where Smackdown is
coming from tonight. After the excitement of last
week, let's get to the show.
JBL and cabinet, with the new US Champion Orlando
Jordan, kick off the show. They have a host of
security in tow. JBL puts over Orlando, saying he
single-handedly destroyed John Cena. Um, I don't think
it's a good idea to start calling him OJ; it's not
wise to upset The Juice. JBL then challenges Rey
Mysterio and Eddie Guerrero for the Tag Team
Championship. The champ then turns his sights on the
U.S. Title that Jordan is carrying, and says it must
be destroyed. The Bashams bring the stairs and a trash
can into the ring. JBL says the belt represents
everything he hates about John Cena. JBL drops the
belt in the trashcan, and blows it up, in a blazing
inferno. The champ presents Orlando with the WWE U.S.
Championship belt. Jordan holds the belt high.
Match #1 - Booker T vs. Heidenreich - No
Disqualification Match
Is this feud crossing over from RAW? Oh, wait,
that's Benjamin versus Snitzky. Heidenreich starts the
match off by just hammering Booker T with clubbing
blows. Booker fights back with knife-edge chops. A
knee to the mid sections slows down Booker.
Heidenreich plants Book with a side slam. Heidenreich
beats Booker down in the corner, and then taunts him
to get up. Book fights out of the corner, and then
dings Heidenreich with a low blow. The fight spills to
the outside, and Booker T is slammed off the announce
table. Heidenreich grabs a chair, but Booker slows him
down with a kick. Booker T is then tossed shoulder
first into the ring post, and then knocked over the
barrier into the crowd. Booker is tossed back into the
ring, but Heidenreich can't get the cover. A flying
forearm, followed by a clothesline, and then spine
buster, swing momentum back in Booker's favor.
Heidenreich cuts it short with a huge clothesline.
Heidenreich retrieves another chair, but Booker T
recovers, and delivers the axe kick to Heidenreich on
the steel chair. Booker picks up the chair, and
tattoos Heidenreich over the head with it. Booker
covers for the win.
Winner via pin fall: Booker T
If you missed RAW and didn't read Nick Tylwalk's
report, (Shame on you!) Randy Orton has challenged the
Undertaker at Wrestlemania. Carlito reports for duty
at the G.M.'s office. Teddy Long sends him to find the
Undertaker to get his response to Orton's challenge.
Eddie Guerrero and Rey Mysterio are hanging out in
their locker room, when Chavo stops by. Chavito says
he doesn't want them to lose, because then he'll be
the only Guerrero left with gold.
Josh Matthews is waiting for John Cena outside the
arena. He looks cold; I hope WWE has a good health
insurance plan.
Carlito is somewhere in the sub-basement looking
for the Undertaker. He looks a little scared, and
jumps out of his skin when startled by a handyman.
Match #2 - Luther Reigns vs. Mark Jindrak
Jindrak jumps Reigns in the aisle, but reigns
takes control of the match. Jindrak is beat down in
the corner, and Reigns follows with a back body drop.
Jindrak responds with a huge clothesline, and then
trades blows with Reigns. Jindrak hits a high elbow,
followed by a clothesline and a standing drop kick.
Jindrak then hits a flying lateral press. Reigns kicks
out, and then hits a high elbow. Jindrak then lays out
Reigns with a left hook, and covers for the win.
Winner via pin fall: Mark Jindrak
Cena arrives with lead pipe in hand. He tells
Matthews that he has business to take care of, in the
ring.
Cena walks straight to the ring, and is not happy.
He kills the music, and calls out JBL and his cabinet.
Cena cuts out all the funny stuff, and calls out the
champ again. Cena says he'll get his title at
Wrestlemania. Cena just wants to whip them right here,
right now. Teddy Long comes out to calm down the
former champ. Long offers to change tonight's Main
Event and book a U.S. title match against Orlando
Jordan. Cena doesn't bite, and wants all of them now.
Long tells him that he can't risk the WWE title match
at Wrestlemania, and he'll have to wait until April.
Cena says he has to handle his business. Long says he
isn't taking sides, he's just doing his job. Long
tells Cena he can't get at JBL and the cabinet. Cena
tells Long that he is part of the solution or part of
the problem, and tonight he's part of the problem, and
then delivers the F-U to Long.
Match #3 - Kurt Angle vs. Mike Haywood - Kurt
Angle Invitational
Angle's gold medal hangs above the ring, as Angel
makes his way to the ring. Angle reference Shawn
Michaels Ladder match at Wrestlemania X, and says
tonight he will put the match to shame. Angle jumps
his opponent before he can finish getting him name
out. Angle beats on Haywood, and hits the Angle slam.
Instead of climbing the ladder, Angle slaps on the
ankle lock until Haywood taps. Angle then climbs the
ladder and retrieves his gold.
Winner: Kurt Angle
Angle stops the music, and asks what's so hard
about a ladder match. He then shows footage from 1989,
the debut of the Rockers at Wrestlemania. Angle says
Marty Jannetty taught Shawn everything he knows, so
next week Angle will take on Jannetty. And he will
make him tap out.
The Undertaker in a Dirty Harry spoof, not bad, but
isn't "Tombstone" the obvious choice for the
Undertaker to be in?
Josh Matthews talks to Big Show about his
challenge to Akebono. Matthews informs Show that
Akebono has challenged him to a Sumo Match at
Wrestlemania 21. Big Show accepts the challenge. Are
buy rates down in Japan, too?
Carlito is still searching for the Undertaker,
when Torrie Wilson startles him. Carlito has had
enough, and goes to the ring to call him out.
The Christy Hemme Playboy video airs. Her issue
comes out today, I'll be picking it up for,
ummm ... research, yea, that's the ticket, research.
Carlito heads out to the ring to call out the
Undertaker to get an answer from him. Carlito says he
has looked all over the arena for him, but can't find
him. He needs an answer to Orton's challenge, or Long
will fire him. Carlito says if he can get an answer
that would be cool. All right, I'll admit it; Carlito
is starting to grow on me. The Dead Man's music hits,
and Undertaker starts the hour-long walk to the ring.
Once in the ring, Undertaker grabs Carlito by the
throat, and tells him that many men have come to
Wrestlemania to make a name for themselves by
challenging him. Undertaker says Orton will rest in
peace, and then tombstones Carlito.
JBL and the cabinet talk about getting all the
glad tonight. Jordan asks if the Cena situation is
covered. JBL says don't worry about it, the
secretaries of defense are all over it.
Match #4 - Eddie Guerrero and Rey Mysterio vs.
JBL and Orlando Jordan - WWE Tag Team Championship
Eddie and JBL start things off, with JBL getting
the upper hand. Guerrero slaps the champ on a break
out of the corner. JBL stands tall on a shoulder block
from Guerrero. Jordan tags in, only to be poked in the
eye by Guerrero. Mysterio tags in and hits a head
scissors. Guerrero tags back in, and goes to work on
the leg of Jordan. Mysterio makes the tag, and the
champs team up on Jordan, again. Jordan stomps on
Mysterio in the corner, and gets admonished by the
ref. Jordan continues to club Mysterio in the corner,
and then tags in the WWE champ. JBL whips Mysterio
across the ring; Mysterio ducks a big boot, and then
counters a power bomb into a seated senton. Guerrero
tags in, and distracts the ref, so Mysterio can choke
JBL on the second rope. Mysterio goes to work on JBL's
hamstring with a series of kicks, but the champ fights
back with clubbing blows. Jordan tags in and works
over Mysterio in the corner. Mysterio hits a
springboard seated-senton, when the Bashams jump up on
the ring apron. The Bashams are then barred from
ringside. We return from the break to see Mysterio on
the wrong end of a vertical suplex. JBL follows with a
fall away slam, the send Mysterio flying through the
ropes. Jordan hammers Mysterio on the outside.
Mysterio bounces off the turnbuckle on an Irish whip,
and then JBL serves up another one. The champ locks in
a bear hug. Mysterio breaks the hold, but cannot get
the tag. Jordan does tag in, clubs Mysterio in the
back. Jordan is dropped into the ropes, but Mysterio
cannot stand to hit the 619. A distraction from
Guerrero, allows JBL to get in a cheap shot. Mysterio
fights his way off the turnbuckle, and hits a DDT on
JBL. Mysterio makes the hot tag to Guerrero, and
Jordan trips over Eddie into the ropes. Mysterio goes
for the 619, and JBL breaks it up with a chair, in
full view of the ref. JBL and Jordan are disqualified.
Winner via DQ: Eddie Guerrero and Rey Mysterio
The Bashams hit the ring, and go after Guerrero.
John Cena, who comes through the crowd, saves the tag
team champs. He takes out the Bashams and then Jordan.
JBL jumps over the security barrier into the crowd.
Cena spots the champ, and stares him down from the
ring.
Dale Plummer has been writing for SLAM!
Wrestling since 2003. With all these cross-promotion
matches, Dale would like to officially challenge RAW
reporter Nick Tylwalk to a post-Wrestlemania match,
on-line, of course.
