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Smackdown: Sweet revenge for Orton in Hershey
By
DALE PLUMMER -- SLAM! Wrestling
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Welcome to a very special edition of the
Smackdown! report. Why is it so special? Because the
show is coming to us from my hometown of Hershey,
Pennsylvania. Also, I was in attendance, and thanks to
former SLAM! Wrestling Smackdown! reporter (and
current Giant Center employee) Aaron (Hank) Henry, I
had a front row seat, along with RAW reporter Nick
Tylwalk.
I had some reservations about the show after Kurt
Angle was drafted to RAW on Monday, and with losing
John Cena the week before. The WWE delivered,
although, I don't know how the show will translate to
television. And even though WWE is doing a very good
job of keeping the draft picks under wraps, Nick and I
narrowed the choice down to two, and he nailed it. (I
thought for sure Kane was going to show.)
After a draft recap, JBL and the cabinet kick off
the show in the ring. JBL announces that after several
showers he has gotten the stench of ECW off his body.
Bradshaw runs down the Hershey crowd, and then the ECW
superstars. He says their 15 minutes of fame are over,
and they can go back to serving JBL, as his drivers,
delivery boys, and doormen. He also says there is only
one Smackdown! superstar, JBL. Bradshaw says the UPN
execs are praying that he doesn't get drafted, because
as he goes, so goes the money. JBL then calls out
Chris Benoit, who has heard enough as his music cuts
off JBL. Benoit will be taking on Doug Basham, next.
Match #1 -- Chris Benoit vs. Doug Basham w/ JBL,
Orlando Jordan, and Danny Basham
Doug starts off with a shot to the gut, but Benoit
responds with chops. Benoit follows an Irish whip with
a snap suplex, and gets a two count after a back
breaker. Basham reveres a whip, and Benoit is slammed
into the turnbuckle. Doug hits a suplex, and then puts
the boots to the Crippler. A stiff clothesline levels
Benoit. The Rabid Wolverine breaks a rear naked choke.
JBL heckles Benoit from the apron, but he still gets
the upper hand on Doug. Benoit hits a sliding kick,
and then chops away, again, at Doug Basham. Benoit
builds momentum with high elbows, and then scores a
hat trick with rolling German suplexes. Benoit goes
for the flying head butt. Danny distracts him enough
for Doug to crotch him on the ropes. Basham connects
with a superplex, but Doug can't get the pin. Doug
fights off Benoit, but the Crippler rolls up Doug, and
hooks his legs for the pin.
Winner via pinfall: Chris Benoit
The rest of the cabinet and JBL hit the ring.
Benoit is hauled in the corner and JBL tells him to
prepare for the wrath of a wrestling god. Then the
lights go out, and you know what happens next, a bell
tolls, the lights come up, and The Undertaker is in the
ring. 'Taker cleans house, as JBL runs up the ramp.
Teddy Long stops him, and books JBL in a no DQ match
against The Undertaker.
Match #2 -- Eddie Guerrero vs. Paul London
Last week, Eddie interrupted London's match, and
beat up the cruiserweight champion. Now London is back
for revenge. London doesn't mess around, and hits the
ring running. Eddie beats on the champ, and lays him
down with an uppercut. London fights out of the
corner, and nails a clothesline. Guerrero counters a
series of mounted punches with a modified power bomb.
Eddie follows with a tilt-a-whirl back breaker. London
ducks a clothesline, and counters with a standing
dropkick. London follows with a back body drop, and
then a mule kick off the turnbuckle. London gets a two
count, but is then cut down as he climbs the
turnbuckle. He lands on his neck after falling.
Guerrero follows with a brain buster. Eddie locks in a
Texas cloverleaf (Go Dean Malenko), and London has
nowhere to go. London taps.
Winner via submission: Eddie Guerrero
Rey Mysterio hits the ring as soon as the match
ends. Guerrero narrowly misses a chair shot, and the
fight spills to the outside. The refs can't keep the
two apart.
Tazz starts to talk about ECW One Night Stand, but
Guerrero and Mysterio are still at it in the back.
Rey and Eddie fight into the back of a semi-truck. Rey
slams a ladder into Eddie, and then hits the door
close button. Eddie rolls out from under the door,
leaving Rey and a few refs in the truck.
JBL tells the Bashams to come to the ring for his
match, and Orlando Jordan says he wants them at his
title defense. Jordan says he is the only champ in the
cabinet, but JBL pulls rank and says the Bashams work
for him. JBL asks Danny if he'll be there, and Doug
tells him to get his name right, and they are sick of
how they are treated. The Bashams then quit, or should
I say resign, from the cabinet.
Carlito's Cabana
Carlito says Hershey, Chocolate City, (Um, it's
ChocolateTown) is actutally cool. (Darn right!) But
then he rags on the fans, saying they are all fat, and
have bad skin (from eating so much chocolate, see ...)
and will probably get diabetes. He says it's almost as
cool as what Mat Morgan is going to do to Big Show.
After, tonight, Big Show will be out of his life. He
then introduces his guests, Booker T and Sharmell.
Carlito says the couple looks very relaxed, he wants
to know if it's because Angle got drafted. Booker says
Angle is lucky, because they get their kick beating
the hell out of people. Carlito wants to talk about
romance. Like next week, a candle lit dinner, and
Angle having his way with Sharmell, if she gets
drafted to RAW. Carlito spells out the situation, and
tells them to enjoy the time they have together, now.
Their marriage and life could be ruined, and Carlito
thinks that's cool. Booker gets upset, and Sharmell
grabs the mike. Sharmell says Carlito is right, and if
that's the case, here's something to remember them by.
Booker takes it to Carlito. He tosses him from the
ring, and then Sharmell and Book throw apples at
Carlito as he runs to the back.
Carlito is yelling at Matt Morgan, demanding where
he was. Morgan apologizes, before leaving for his
match.
Match #3 -- The Big Show vs. Matt Morgan
Big Show goes toe-to-toe with Morgan to start, and
he beats Morgan into the corner. A right hand to the
chest is followed by another, and then another.
Carlito makes his way to the ring. CCC distracts Show
long enough for Morgan to knock Show from the ring.
Morgan distracts the ref, and Carlito kicks Show in
the ribs. Show is rolled back into the ring, and
Morgan drops an elbow, and then locks in a rear naked
choke. Show breaks the hold, and hits a side suplex.
Show nails Morgan with a right, and then splashes him
in the corner. Show hits a series of head butts that
drive Morgan from the ring. Big Show follows him, and
gets an elbow to the side of the head. Morgan then
drives Show into the ring steps. Morgan starts to
disassemble the announce table, but Show counters with
a choke slam. Carlito makes the save with a steel
chair to Show's back, and gets his boy DQ'ed. Morgan
goes for another F-5, but Show pushes him into Carlito
(who lands right in front of me). Big Show then choke
slams Morgan through the announce table.
Winner via DQ: The Big Show
Teddy Long is pacing backstage, waiting for tonight's
draft pick.
Match #4 -- Orlando Jordan vs. Hardcore Holly -- United States Championship match
Jordan starts throwing rights to start the match.
Holly fights back with chops to the chest (they sounds
even more vicious in person). Holly nails a suplex,
but can't get the pin. Jordan drops Holly with a
toehold, and then puts the boots to Holly. A high
elbow puts Holly to the mat. A "Let's go Buckwheat!"
chant starts, and Jordan responds to the crowd. Holly
counters Jordan's punches with a right of his own, and
both men hit the mat. Holly recovers and hits a
hurricanrana. Hardcore plants Jordan with a side slam,
but still doesn't get the pin. Jordan shoots off the
ropes, and Holly nails him with a drop kick. Holly
sets Jordan up for the Alabama Slam, but Jordan hooks
the ropes. Jordan tries to back body drop over the
ropes, but Holly lands on the apron. Hardcore pulls
out a sunset flip, but can't get it over. Jordan sits
on Holly's chest, and grabs the ropes for leverage and
gets a three count.
Winner ... and still United States Champion ... via
pinfall: Orlando Jordan
In a segment that I didn't think was going to make
TV, Heidenreich heads to the ring with a giant
Hershey's bar. The big man is looking for friend, but
since he loves chocolate so much he wrote a poem. The
Smackdown! Divas interrupt Heidenreich. Miss Jackie,
Michelle McCool, Lauren Jones, and Joy Giovanni skip
to the ring, tossing Hershey Kisses to the crowd. Miss
Jackie apologizes for interrupting, but she can't help
noticing he has the biggest piece of chocolate, and
she takes a bite. Lauren can't contain herself, and
passes off to Joy. She says she wants to give
Heidenreich a great big kiss. Joy pulls out a giant
chocolate kiss, and Heidenreich gladly accepts. M-N-M
crashes the party, and puts a damper on the chocolate
fest. Melina is disgusted by the scene, and says there
is nothing sweeter then M-N-M. (Oh, now I get it.)
Michelle says they just want to have fun, and Melina
just mocks her. Heidenreich tells her to back off, and
Melina rips into him, saying she would never be his
friend. Michelle has heard enough and jumps Melina.
Heidenreich breaks up the catfight, but Mercury and
Nitro jump the big man. Melina takes a shot at him,
and then Mercury and Nitro finish him off with an
elevated DDT.
Match #5 -- JBL w/ Orlando Jordan vs. The
Undertaker -- No Disqualification match
Chris Benoit attacks Jordan before The Undertaker
hits the ring. The two battle to the back, and JBL is
left alone in the ring. The lights go out, and the
crowd goes nuts for 'Taker's entrance. JBL backs away,
until the dead man ties him up. Bradshaw lands a few
punches, but Undertaker counters with haymakers of his
own. Undertaker works over the right arm of JBL, and
then takes him Old School. 'Taker follows with a DDT,
and JBL kicks out after two count. JBL plays possum
outside the ring, and gets a few shots in. Undertaker
counters with punches of his own, and follows with a
head butt. 'Taker bounces JBL's head off the steps,
but JBL reverses an Irish Whip, and Taker is thrown
into the steps. Taker is then dropped onto the
barricade, (and my buddy Jason is almost kicked in the
groin by the dead man), and falls into the crowd.
After the break, JBL rolls 'Taker back into the ring,
and hits him with a flying shoulder off the
turnbuckle. A swinging neck breaker almost gets JBL a
three count. JBL locks in a sleeper hold, but
Undertaker reverse it. JBL breaks it with a back
suplex. JBL goes at 'Taker with right hands, and then
chokes the dead man on the ring ropes. JBL and 'Taker
exchange rights in the middle of the ring, but JBL
stops it with a thumb to the eye. Undertaker counters
a clothesline from Hell with a big boot. JBL is hung
over the apron, and Undertaker hits him with an elbow, and
then a guillotine leg drop. Undertaker tries to bring
JBL back into the ring, but JBL counters by hanging
him up on the ropes. JBL goes up top again, but the
dead man catches him, and hits a superplex from the
top rope. Undertaker can't get the pin. JBL is whipped
into the ropes, and Undertaker hits snake eyes, and
follows with a leg drop, but still can't get the pin.
'Taker hits a choke slam, but JBL kicks out after two.
Undertaker sets up for the last ride, but JBL hits him
with a low blow. JBL shoots off the ropes, and hits
the Clothesline from Hell. Undertaker kicks out after
two. JBL comes back with rights in the corner, and
mounts 'Taker. The dead man counters, and sends JBL
for the Last Ride. JBL kicks out, again. Undertaker
signals for the Tombstone, when JBL gets some help
from ... RANDY ORTON! Orton hits Undertaker with the RKO.
JBL crawls on top of the Undertaker, and picks up the
win.
Winner via pinfall: JBL
From the top of the set, Randy Orton calls for
'Taker. He just smiles at him, and tells him that the
Legend Killer is officially on Smackdown! (I gotta
give props to Tylwalk for calling this the whole way.)
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Dale Plummer has been writing for SLAM!
Wrestling since 2003. Dale and Nick would like to
thank Aaron "Hank" Henry again for the tickets to
Smackdown! Email Dale at Dplummer627@yahoo.com for
Velocity spoilers.
