Champaign Assembly Hall
Champaign, IL
November 9, 2002
The stars of Smackdown have come to Champaign, Illinois for a special house show just eight days before Survivor Series. Brock Lesnar got manhandled by Big Show who also squashed Matt Hardy that night. Let's see if the storylines on the house show cards have changed or if its the same old matches.
Match 1
Albert vs Rikishi in a Kiss My Ass Match
Right off the bat the answer is NO as we get yet another Kiss My Ass match featuring Albert and Rikishi. Naturally Rikishi hits the superkick, gets the pin and hits the stinkface on Albert.
Winner: Rikishi by pinfall
Match 2
Doug Basham and Bull Buchanan vs Eric Angle and Shelton Benjamin
Yes, you read that right, ERIC Angle got some work in on this OVW match. For those that don't know, Eric is one of Kurt Angle's older brothers although he's the closest in age. He wrestled for Waynesburg University after high school. Eric was still hanging around as Buchanan was due to get a repackage. Basham and Benjamin are the prospects so to speak. Benjamin pinned Basham after a tornado DDT.
Winners: Angle and Benjamin by pinfall
Match 3
Val Venis vs Nathan Jones
The beast from Australia faces the veteran Venis here. Venis missed the money shot and Jones pinned him after a full nelson slam.
Winner: Jones by pinfall
Match 4
Tajiri vs Jamie Noble for the WWE Cruiserweight Championship
Same old shit here as Noble defends against Tajiri for the one millionth time. Noble gets the pin using the tights to retain.
Winner: Noble by pinfall (Still Cruiserweight champion)
Match 5
Big Show vs Brock Lesnar for the WWE Championship
I'll never understand why Vince McMahon insisted on house show matches featuring your upcoming main events. This was never intended to be televised but they had a chance for a Hogan/Andre story here, could have at least held off. Worse, Lesnar gets the pin after cracking Show with a steel chair.
Winner: Lesnar by pinfall (still WWE Champion)
Match 6
D'Von Dudley and Ron Simmons vs Crash Holly and Chuck Palumbo
Palumbo was completely lost without Billy Gunn at this time so they threw Holly in there to give him a partner against D'Von and Simmons. D'Von pinned Crash to win the match.
Winners: Simmons and Dudley by pinfall
Match 7
John Cena and Dawn Marie vs Billy Kidman and Torrie Wilson
The same match from Rebellion was going around the house show circuit. Marie had an inside cradle on Wilson but Kidman reversed it to win the match.
Winners: Kidman and Wilson by pinfall
Match 8
Chris Benoit vs Matt Hardy
Then now ex-tag team champion faces Mattitude on this house show. Benoit rolled through the twist of fate and won it with the crippler crossface.
Winner: Benoit by submission
Match 9
Los Guerreros (Eddie and Chavo Jr) vs Edge and Rey Mysterio Jr for the WWE Tag Team Championship
Los Guerreros get their title shot on a house show against the new champions. The ref counted a double pin when Edge hit the spear on Eddie and Rey hit the springboard legdrop after the 619 on Chavo.
Winners: Edge and Mysterio by pinfall (still Tag Team Champions)
This show definitely varied in quality depending on the match for sure. Rikishi vs Albert doesn't sound appealing and anytime Dawn Marie and Torrie have to wrestle, its a chore. Tajiri vs Noble had gotten old but Benoit vs Hardy sounds fun along with the double main event. We're 8 days out from Survivor Series and apart from Lesnar vs Big Show, there aren't any Smackdown matches announced yet. Hopefully tonight's Velocity will give some answers. Before that, we have the Raw Saturday house show in Philadelphia at the First Union Center. I'll see you there.
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