WWE Smackdown
World Arena
Colorado Springs, CO
September 19, 2002
Commentators: Michael Cole & Tazz
Ring Announcer: Justin Roberts
Its the go-home show before WWE Unforgiven this Sunday and we have just two matches from the Smackdown side on the agenda not counting the inter-promotional showdown. Kurt Angle and Chris Benoit will duke it out while The Undertaker challenges Brock Lesnar for the WWE Championship. Let's see if we get anything else this week before the big show. We open the show with....more recap of the gay wedding, of course. Still say the Eric Bischoff reveal was one of the best surprises even if it was for an incredibly embarrassing moment. Before we get to our first match, we have two dark matches.
Dark Match 1
Doug Basham vs Val Venis
Veteran vs "rookie" in name only as Basham is no rookie. Still, Venis wins it with the Money Shot.
Winner: Venis by pinfall
Dark Match 2
Horace Hogan and Bull Buchanan vs Mark Henry and Mark Jindrak
Half WCW and half WWE dreg as Hogan teams with Buchanan against Henry and Jindrak. Henry and Jindrak win the match.
Winners: Henry and Jindrak
Now let's get on with the show. We don't have any introduction, vignette or even a hello, we get right to the first match.
Match 1
Torrie Wilson and Rey Mysterio Jr vs Jamie Noble and Nidia
Kind of a cold match since Rey hasn't been feuding with Noble on camera but Nidia and Torrie don't like each other. Still, to have two damn good crusierweights in Noble and Rey as window dressing isn't the worst. Nidia slaps Torrie immediately and they cat fight to start. Torrie gets a kick and a running neckbreaker to start but the pinfall only gets two. Torrie misses a charge in the corner as the announcers immediately ignore the action to talk about Billy, Chuck and Stephanie. Nidia hits a snap suplex and covers for two then tags in Noble. Torrie tags Rey who immediately flies in with the West Coast Pop. He hits a turnbuckle headscissors and covers for 1...2..no. Noble hits a modified flapjack and covers for 1...2...no. Rey hits a second rope bulldog and covers, but Nidia throws Rey off. Mysterio chases her outside but Noble clotheslines him out of nowhere. Noble throws him inside and goes to Tiger Bomb Torrie, but Rey dropkicks him. Torrie rallies with clotheslines on Nidia and she falls into the corner. Rey goes for the Bronco Buster but Torrie wants it instead. Torrie hits Nidia with it and Noble pulls her outside. Noble wants the Bronco Buster from Torrie and she starts posing to get him wired up. Suddenly Rey leapfrogs Torrie and hits Jamie with the Bronco Buster (Hahahahahaha!). Torrie slaps Jamie onto the second rope and Rey hits the 619. Torrie baseball slides Nidia outside and Noble ducks the West Coast Pop. Rey catches Jamie with the Code Red (!!!) for 1...2....3 to win the match. Cole has no idea what a Code Red is as that wouldn't be standard for a while. Rey and Torrie celebrate after the match. Good little match to start the night despite the limitations to Nidia and Torrie.
Time of match: 4:05
Winners: Mysterio and Wilson by pinfall
Reverend D'Von is in the back complaining to Stephanie McMahon about the defection of Batista. Stephanie says he was the one who fired him and she wants Batista on Smackdown. If D'Von doesn't get him back, someone else is getting fired. D'Von leaves and Paul Heyman walks in. Heyman says he's loyal to Smackdown and he's hired off duty cops to protect Brock Lesnar. Stephanie says Sara Caloway went into false labor this morning and she was in the hospital. Paul says then she and Taker won't be here, but Steph reiterates she WAS in the hospital. Taker and Sara are on their way here and Paul better have those cops ready. Paul leaves and walks into Brock and the cops. Paul tells Brock that Taker is coming but Brock doesn't seem fazed at all. Our first commercial is "I was there" with a bunch of 20 year olds saying they were there for classic matches that happened.
Back from break, here comes Stephanie for a conference. Stephanie says you don't crew with a McMahon because they always get even....we know. Stephanie shows a clip of Raw of Eric getting kicked in the go-nads and Billy & Chuck taking him & 3 Minute Warning out. Stephanie says she'll answer the challenge later on tonight in a video satellite. She brings out Billy & Chuck to join her and Billy Gunn says they want to set the record straight. Billy says they'll win Sunday but things are cloudy for him, and a couple of ways he can go. He can stay teamed up with Chuck or go solo. Chuck grabs the mic and says he could go both ways....ha...ha....good lord. Billy says Chuck is excited to go down.....to Los Angeles to beat up Rosey & Jamal. Billy Gunn says if Eric Bischoff is not down with that, HE'S GOT TWO WORDS FOR HIM......and Kurt Angle's music hits.
That's right, here comes Kurt Angle for absolutely no reason at all. Kurt asks when did Smackdown turn into a bad episode of Three's Company. He calls Billy & Chuck pathetic and last week was a pathetic publicity stunt (he's not wrong). He says he generated publicity in 1996 and it wasn't for making out with Carl Lewis. He won a gold medal with a broken, friggin neck. Chuck interrupts and starts a "you suck" chant and Kurt calls it cute. Kurt says he's not gay and he has no problem with gays, gay people love him. "I'm freakin adorable!" Kurt gets to the point and asks one of them to face him in the ring tonight and we'll see who sucks. Stephanie says she'll make it a tag match as Kurt will say he'll tag with anyone and he'll let "Will and Grace" pick his partner. Tazz laughs on commentary and Stephanie says "in this very ring" (no, in the gas station across the street) it'll be Billy & Chuck against Kurt Angle....and Chris Benoit. Angle is furious he has to tag with Benoit and says that's a hard one to swallow. Kurt catches himself and says he's gonna climb on Billy & Chuck for the 1,2,3. Kurt says he'll see him in the ring and leaves. Say what you will about Kurt, he has no problem making a fool of himself.
Back to Brock, Paul and the cops. The head officer says they hired them to protect him in the back, not the ring. Heyman says watch for The Undertaker and surround Brock when we get back. Guess Brock is in action when we come back from break. Back from commercial, its on to our next match.
Match 2
John Cena vs Brock Lesnar (with Paul Heyman)
Wonder if this will be a ppv main event match years down the road because this one is non-title. Bell's gone and Cena looks scared to face the smiling Brock. Brock flips Cena instantly and german suplexes him for 1...2...no. Cena looks terrified as Lesnar warms up. They tie up and Lesnar throws him down. Lesnar drops an elbow on Cena then locks in a full nelson, facewashing Cena on the mat. Cena rallies with right hands as Tazz points out Lesnar is not afraid of Taker. Brock overshead suplexes Cena and stomps away at the ribs. Lesnar knees Cena in the ribs and tells referee Mike Sparks to back off. Brock drops an elbow on the ribs of Cena and John tries to rally with right hands, but gets dropped with a right hand. Brock hits a delayed vertical suplex and covers for 1..2...no. Brock gets in a waistlock and bridges for 1...2...no. Heyman tells Brock to hurry up as Cena grabs the rope. Brock drags him to the center and re-applies the waistlock. Cena elbows his way out but Lesnar executes a back suplex. Lesnar again goes back to the waist-lock and Heyman tells Brock "let's go". Brock hits two consecutive stomach breakers and kicks away at Cena in the corner. Heyman again tells Brock to finish this up and Cena kicks Brock in the ribs. Cena hits a jawbreaker and rallies with right hands. Cena ducks the line and hits a dropkick, but Lesnar shoulderblocks him in the corner. Cena goes for a crucifix and Brock blocks it, setting him for the F-5, and hits it. He covers for 1..2....3 to win the match. That was damn near a total squash for Lesnar....and it won't be the last time he'll beat Cena that way.
Time of match: 5:56
Winner: Lesnar by pinfall
Lesnar leaves as we get a graphic for a tag team match featuring Los Guerreros against Edge and Rikishi. We get a video montage on Rikishi who says he got the scar on his stomach in a drive-by shooting in 1987. He says his wife and kids were there in the hospital when he woke up and he had almost died. Those kids were Joshua and Jonathan.....wonder what they're up to today. We go to commercial and back from break, its time for another video package. The Undertaker has a package set to the tune of Adrenaline by Gavin Rossdale....so early 2000's.
Chavo and Eddie Guerrero are in the back and Eddie is STILL not over the Chavo stinkface from last week. Chavo said he showered and Eddie says Edge had disrespected him for the last time. He claims Edge is never going to be the same and never lack respect for him again. That match is up next after another commercial break. Our Burn Of The Night is the Chavo stinkface on Eddie as its time for the next match.
Match 3
Rikishi and Edge vs Los Guerreros (Eddie and Chavo Jr)
Eddie is irate after being humiliated two weeks in a row and he wants revenge. Rikishi starts with Chavo and Eddie immediately rushes in. Both Guerreros get dropped with forearms and Chavo avoids an ass splash only to eat an Edge right hand. Edge tags in and hits a flying clothesline. Edge backdrops Chavo and clotheslines Eddie down, faceplanting Chavo as well. Edge covers for 1...2..no. Edge is thrown over the top to the floor by Chavo. Eddie swings a chair and misses Edge by a millimeter. Chavo baseball slides Edge down and Eddie throws him inside. Eddie tags in and fires away with right hands before Chavo tags in. They double team Edge in the corner and Chavo hits a back suplex. Eddie tags in with a hilo and cover for 1...2....no. Edge whips Eddie off into a powerslam and crawls toward Rikishi. Eddie derails Edge and cheapshots Rikishi to allow another double team in the Guerrero corner. Eddie goes for the tornado DDT in the corner but Edge throws him off. Edge crawls toward Rikishi again and makes the hot tag. Rikishi cleans out both Guerreros with clotheslines and hits a double suplex on them. Rikishi avalanches both Guerreros in opposite corners and decides to stinkface Chavo first. Rikishi goes for Eddie but Eddie gets up and runs into a clothesline over the top rope to the floor by Edge. With the ref distracted, Chavo whacks Rikishi with a TV camera and covers for 1..2...3 to win the match. Big time cheating by the Guerreros but par for the course with those two.
Time of match: 5:39
Winners: Los Guerreros by pinfall
Post-match Edge throws Eddie out of the ring and spears Chavo, but Eddie comes back with a chair waffles Edge in the head with it. Edge blades and Eddie taunts him, punching the open wound for extra heat. Cole "Eddie Guerrero is sick." Tazz "Yeah that was twisted stuff." Putting the Guerreros together is working great so far. After an Unforgiven commercial, its time for the Eric Bischoff/Stephanie McMahon pow-wow.
Stephanie and Eric chat via satellite. Bischoff is already in LA (the ppv isn't for another three days when this show aired) and Stephanie asks how his balls are doing. Eric asks how the McMahon dynasty will look when Stephanie has to perform HLA this Sunday. Eric starts an HLA chant and Stephanie sarcastically calls him the bastion of good taste with cheap, sleazy thrills. Eric goes into his justice of peace voice to crack himself up and she'll fulfill every man's fantasy. Stephanie says she accepts his stipulations and Billy & Chuck will win, then she'll bend over, have Eric pucker his pouty lips and...Eric cuts her off saying "Smooch some McMahon tush." Stephanie says if Billy & Chuck lose and she has to perform HLA, she just might like it. What??? The whole point is to humiliate one of them and the fact Stephanie isn't worried at all about the outcome shows she can't be humiliated. I know she was in charge of creative at the time, but even her father would get his comeuppance all the time and he was the final say.
Back from commercial, its on to the next match.
Match 4
The Hurricane vs Matt Hardy
On the house shows it was Matt vs Shannon Moore, and now he faces his other North Carolina buddy. Hurricane doesn't have his chest vest anymore as Hardy grabs the mic before the match starts. Matt considers Hurricane a friend and says "I see potential in you, kid." Hurricane is 2 months older than Matt, by the way. Hardy says he defeated The Undertaker last week as the bell rings. Hardy armdrags Hurricane to start as Cole says Hardy only won by count-out because Brock Lesnar harassed Sara. The crowd chants "We want Jeff" as Hardy gets an arm-ringer as Tazz says Edge wants Guerrero at Unforgiven. Hurricane gets a victory roll for a near fall and Hardy drops him with a right hand. The Hurricane drops him with right hands and climbs up to the top rope. Hurricane hits a crossbody for 1...2...no. Hurricane goes for the chokeslam but Hardy blocks it. Hardy hits a swinging neckbreaker and rams Hurricane into the buckle. The crowd chants "asshole" at Matt and he clubs away at the back. Hurricane hits a crossbody but gets dropped with a back elbow smash. Matt punches away at Hurricane's head and drops him throat first off the top rope. Hardy hits the ricochet and covers for two as the crowd chants "We want Lita." Tazz "I want Lita!" Hurricane blocks the twist of fate with the running neckbreaker. Hurricane rallies with right hands and a jumping clothesline. Hurricane rams Matt's head in the buckle and hits the second rope blockbuster. Hurricane covers for 1....2...no. Hurricane's charge in the corner eats boot and Matt misses the second rope legdrop. Hurricane hits the shining wizard and covers for 1...2...no. Hurricane walks into the side effect and Matt covers for 1...2...no. Hurricane hits Eye of the Hurricane and covers for 1..2....noooooo. Hurricane goes back up to the top rope and jumps into a punch to the ribs. Matt 's twist of fate is blocked and Matt kicks him in the gonads. Matt hits the Twist of Fate and covers for 1...2....3 to win the match. Damn good showing between these two in the time given.
Time of match: 5:56
Winner: Hardy by pinfall
Cole bitches about Cole going low to win the match after its over and we cut to the entrance to the arena and some random car drives by causing Tazz to think its Undertaker. Its not and we go to break. Back from commercial Heyman is with Lesnar in the dressing room surrounding by cops. Heyman says let's book so Undertaker can't get them. Heyman then realizes that he could be waiting for them so they're gonna stay in the dressing room instead. Cole says Undertaker is reportedly on his way as Tazz says Taker is waiting for them. We run down for the card for Unforgiven.....Brock vs Taker, Rob Van Dam vs HHH, Booker T, Kane, Goldust and Bubba Ray Dudley vs The Unamericans, Chris Jericho vs Ric Flair, Molly Holly vs Trish Stratus, Billy & Chuck vs 3 Minute Warning, Kurt Angle vs Chris Benoit and Edge vs Eddie Guerrero. For whatever reason, they superimposed the IC title on Chris Jericho rather than just shoot him holding it like Molly Holly, it looks awful. We cut to the back and Chris Benoit & Kurt Angle are arguing over something. Back from commercial, the Smack of The Night is last week's stinkface on Chris Benoit. On to our final match.
Match 5
Chris Benoit and Kurt Angle vs Billy & Chuck
This is supposed to be a tune-up match for Billy & Chuck and they're against two of the best guys on the roster. Benoit starts with Palumbo and they tie up to start. Chuck backs Benoit into the corner and hits an overhead suplex followed by a dropkick. Angle laughs at Benoit as Tazz doesn't like their chances. Chris tags in Angle with a chest chop and Angle runs into a hiptoss. Angle drops Chuck with a shoulderblock and taunts Benoit, only to run into a clothesline. Benoit laughs at Angle as Gunn takes in. Billy hits a clothesline and a tilt-a-whirl slam. He covers for two and clotheslines Angle over the top rope to the floor. Billy chases Angle but runs into a Benoit clothesline. Back inside Angle stomp away at Billy and hit a snap suplex. Angle covers for 1...2...no. Benoit tags in and kicks away at Billy. Benoit hits a german suplex, holds on and hits a second one. Chris goes for a third one and asks if Kurt wants some. Benoit stomps on Billy and Kurt tags in. Kurt blocks a fameasser and hits a german suplex of his own. He hits a second one, then a third before taunting the irate crowd. Angle covers for 1...2..no. Angle gets in a front headlock and Gunn powers out of it. Kurt hits an overhead suplex and drops Chuck off the apron. Billy blocks the Angle Slam and hits One And Only, but is too tired to make the cover. Benoit tags in and Chuck gets the hot tag, dropping both guys with right hands. Benoit runs into a powerslam but Kurt gets the Angle Slam. Billy hits the fameasser on Angle and Benoit hits a german suplex on Billy. Chuck hits an overhead suplex on Chuck and Angle locks in the ankle lock. Benoit knocks Angle off and throws him outside and locks in the Crossface. Billy breaks up the hold and punches Kurt off the apron. Benoit punches Billy in the corner but gets whipped into a superkick by Chuck. Chuck covers for 1....2...3 to win the match. Kind of dumb to have your babyface team need the other team to implode to win a match days before a big PPV showdown but here we are.
Time of match: 5:02
Winners: Billy & Chuck by pinfall
Post-match Angle hits the Angle Slam and locks in the ankle lock on Benoit. Benoit reverses it into the Crossface as the referees separate them. We cut to Undertaker making his way in the arena. He walks by the Velocity and dark match guys Crash Holly, Funaki, Albert, Val Venis, Billy Kidman, Shannon Moore, Tajiri and even Hardcore Holly.
After commercial, here comes The Undertaker to the ring. He grabs a mic and gets right to the point, get out here Lesnar. He says that last week Brock put his hand on Sara and says "life's a bitch" and Taker says payback is a bitch. Here comes Brock with Heyman trying to hold him back, but Brock isn't having it. He goes face to face with Taker and they rumble. Lesnar shoulderblocks in the corner but Taker rallies with right hands. Here comes Matt Hardy to help Lesnar and Taker just throws him off like a rabit aardvark. Lesnar bails to the outside as Cole says to get in the ring. Taker beats down Hardy as Lesnar and Heyman leave. Taker follows as Heyman sicks the cops on Taker while saying Lesnar is in protective custody. Brock is in handcuffs and the show ends with them leaving Undertaker behind.
Kind of a lame ending but it wouldn't make the PPV much better if Undertaker clobbered Lesnar and left him laying, or vice versa. Either way our card is set and we're days away from Unforgiven. Taker vs Brock, Eddie vs Edge, Angle vs Benoit, Billy & Chuck vs 3 Minute Warning and the pre-show match of Rey vs Chavo. Overall this was okay for a go-home show and it was nice to have wrestling rather than non-stop talk like you see today. We're not done yet though as we got a double shot of house shows tomorrow. First up will be the Raw show coming from Fresno, I'll see you there.
No comments:
Post a Comment