Tonight is the final Smackdown of 2005 and they are looking to head out
on a bang. Many questions to be answered tonight in the Mohegan Sun Casino.
What is the fate of the U.S. title now that Booker T is injured? What
will Melina's big press conference be all about? The show's sure to be
packed with surprises so on with the report!
The program starts out tonight in GM Teddy Long's office. Booker is on
crutches with a legit injury that he suffered at a house show. Benoit and
Booker T bicker over how the series should go on since Booker is injured.
The Book man suggests someone wrestles in his place and after some more
arguing everyone agrees that the best-of-seven series for the U.S. Championship
will continue tonight with a surprise opponent for Benoit of Booker's
choosing.
Match 1: JBL w/Jillian Hall vs. Matt Hardy
After the squash of Matt Hardy at Armageddon by JBL two weeks ago this
feud continues. JBL grabs the mic and briefly says that he no longer has
matches, he makes statements. AS things get under way, JBL pounds away on
Hardy with Matt playing up a head injury. Bradshaw is dominating for the
first part of the match with Hardy making a comeback by smacking JBL's head
into the exposed top turnbuckle (JBL undid the padding moments before) and
hitting a second rope leg drop. After a near fall JBL gains control but The
Boogey Man's music hits and the oddity crawls his way down to the ring,
stuffing worms in his mouth. Bradshaw looks spooked, but is able to deliver
the Clothesline from Hell on Hardy. Before he can cover Matt, Boogey Man
crawls in the ring causing JBL to high tail it and drag Jillian Hall in
front of him when Boogey hurled worms. The referee counts JBL out and the
winner is a beat up Matt Hardy.
WINNER: Matt Hardy
We are taken backstage as Booker and Sharmell are trying to figure out
who Book should pick to take on Benoit tonight. Orlando Jordan pops in to
try and make his case for taking on The Crippler. Booker T and his wife
essentially make fun of Jordan for how fast he tapped out to Benoit numerous
times earlier this year.
Match 2: The Mexicools (Psicosis and Super Crazy) vs. Chad and James
Dick
Before the match starts The Dicks do a Chippendale strip tease. The
Dicks look quite small height wise, but James holds his own early against
Super Crazy. After Psicosis makes the hot tag back to Super Crazy, Crazy is bouncing all over the place with second rope dropkicks. Some double teaming by The Dicks follow, however, The Mexicools gain control after a Psicosis top turnbuckle missile dropkick, followed by a Super Crazy top rope moonsault for the win.
WINNER: The Mexicools
Back in the locker room Booker T confronts Randy Orton about taking his
spot in the U.S. title series versus Chris Benoit. Randy asks why he would
want to do Booker a favour, and Book says this would be Orton's chance to
get back on track after getting beat by The Undertaker in Hell in a Cell.
Orton accepts Booker's offer so tonight, in match 5 of the best-of-seven series,
it will be Chris Benoit versus Randy Orton. Booker T is up 3-1.
After the commercial break, highlights are shown of Melina and Batista's
encounter from a couple of weeks back where she tried to get Batista to
withdraw from the tag match against her men. Melina then comes down to the
ring for her press conference to address all the rumours as to what happened
between her and Batista. The Diva is teary eyed and takes awhile to compose
herself before she begins speaking. Melina declares that she was the victim
of a "sexual predator" and that she told Batista to stop and he did not.
Yikes, hope WWE isn't going with a rape angle here. She claims that Batista
used his power and influence as World Champion to force her into sexual
relations. Melina continues by saying that she is suing Batista for sexual
harassment. An edgy segment to say the least.
Match 3: U.S. Championship best-of-seven Series -- Randy Orton vs. Chris
Benoit
Sharmell comes out first and introduces her husband who hobbles down to
the announcing table on crutches. If Randy Orton beats Benoit tonight then
Booker T will be crowned the new United States champion. The two are
whacking away back and forth with Orton's chest beat red from the ferocious
Benoit chops. Booker T is giving some impressive commentating skills and is
drowning out Cole and Tazz. A bloody nosed Orton gives a back suplex on the
crowd barrier and The Crippler is hurting; Orton is now in full control.
Benoit nails Orton with a suicide dive, followed by Eddie's Three Amiogs
suplexes. The Crippler had Orton moments away from tapping out in The
Crossface when Sharmell jumps in the ring and smacks Benoit with a crutch
causing the disqualification. The best-of-seven series is now 3-2 in favour of
Booker T.
WINNER: Chris Benoit
Smackdown's number one announcer Funaki is out on the ramp and is
interviewing the new Cruiserweight champion Kid Kash. Kash runs down
Juventud saying that the former champ's name in Mexican means "Mexican
Salamander". Kash then asks if anyone around WWE is not foreign and calls
Funaki a sushi eater. He states that Funaki will never be champ again and
then sucker punches the announcer. Kash follows this with a nasty
brainbuster on the ramp.
In a surprising video vignette it looks like Fit Finlay will be
returning to the ring.
After the break Sylvain Grenier is out cutting a promo in the ring
insulting the American crowd. He claims to be the most handsome athlete in
WWE history. Unfortunately for Sylvain out comes Bobby Lashley.
Match 4: Bobby Lashley vs. Sylvain Grenier
Sylvain jumps Lashley as soon as he enters the ring. A few moments later
the big man regains control with some hard hitting clotheslines and a belly
to belly suplex. Grenier slides out of the ring and walks up the ramp
complaining that Lashley hit his face. The Frenchman is counted out and
Lashley's undefeated streak continues.
WINNER: Bobby Lashley
Josh Mathews has a brief interview with Batista where the double champ
says he's not concerned about Melina's accusations from earlier tonight.
Match 5: Tag Team championship- Batista and Rey Mysterio (c) vs. MNM
A double team sneak attack attempt by MNM on Mysterio back fires as the
Cruiserweight strikes. Quick tags for the champions and Mysterio delivers a
double bronco buster to Mercury and Nitro. Later on in the bout MNM have
isolated Mysterio and are pounding away on Rey's right knee with a variety
of holds. Mysterio cannot even stand on that leg with Nitro taunting away.
After a double DDT Rey is able to make the hot tag to Batista as the champ
takes out both Mercury and Nitro. Mysterio does an awesome spot with a top
rope hurracarrana onto Nitro throwing both men to the outside. Batista
inadvertently knocks out the ref with Mercury's feet as he had him up for a
powerslam. Out of nowhere Mark Henry runs in jumps Batista! Henry manhandles the World Champion with a gorilla press slam. The ref comes to as
Henry leaves and Mercury is able to cover Batista for the win. The new tag
team champions are MNM. Looks like after years on the sideline Mark Henry is
in the main event picture. The show goes off the air with MNM alongside
Henry walking up the ramp staring back at Batista.
WINNERS: ... and new tag champions ... MNM
Visit the SLAM! Wrestling store!
Go figure: WWE Classic Superstars Series 9 Figures: Complete Set of 9 (includes Akeem, Road Warrior Animal, Road Warrior Hawk, Paul Bearer, Bam Bam Bigelow, Ric Flair, The Godfather, Kamala and Papa Shango)
Andy McNamara is a SLAM! Wrestling writer from Pickering, ON. He also
writes reports for The LAW and does the play-by-play broadcasts for Durham
College sports. Andy asks: What is your favourite Smackdown memory of 2005?
Andy can be reached at andymcnamara@hotmail.com.
