WWE Smackdown
Nationwide Arena
Columbus, Ohio
November 14, 2002
Commentators: Michael Cole & Tazz
Ring Announcer: Tony Chimel
We're three days away from Survivor Series and pretty much the Smackdown portion of Survivor Series is set. We got Brock Lesnar defending the WWE strap against Big Show, we got a triple threat tag team title match with Edge and Rey Mysterio Jr taking on both Kurt Angle and Chris Benoit and Los Guerreros, and finally Billy Kidman gets a shot at Jamie Noble for the Cruiserweight title. What could possibly happen tonight just days out from the ppv? Let's find out.....after the obligatory dark matches.
Dark Match 1
Chris Kanyon vs Renee Dupree
Kanyon was rehabbing his shoulder injury and he's up against the 18 year old son of Canadian wrestling promoter Emile Dupree. Kanyon takes it with a flatliner.
Winner: Kanyon by pinfall
Dark Match 2
Val Venis and Nova vs Shelton Benjamin and Lance Cade
Wow, where the hell did they dig up Nova? Well if you're gonna have the OVW guys like Benjamin and Cade, may as well have experienced vets in Venis and Nova as opposition. Benjamin pinned Nova to win the match.
Winners: Benjamin and Cade by pinfall
Now let's start the show.....with the montage of "You can't beat the Big Show". Mark "Dorkus Malorkus" Lloyd catches up with Paul Heyman and asks how Brock Lesnar is doing. Heyman says ask about the Undertaker, he hasn't been seen since Big Show threw him off stage. Lesnar has a broken rib and he's been coughing up blood all week. The difference between Lesnar and everyone else is Brock will defend the title anyway. What he WON'T do is show up tonight on Smackdown based on doctor's orders and his own. Big Show walks up behind Heyman and says if Brock shows up, he's calling him out. Cole and Tazz welcome us and say Kurt Angle vs Chris Benoit is tonight's main event. Let's get to the first match.
Match 1
Edge vs Chavo Guerrero Jr
Eddie Guerrero won the triple threat match at Super Tuesday but Edge gets Chavo one on one tonight. Because of Chavo's interference to help Eddie win, both Eddie and Rey Mysterio Jr are barred from ringside. Edge starts with an armbar before Chavo runs into a back elbow. Chavo gets hiptossed, taken down and arm-barred. Cole babbles on about Brock Lesnar but Edge runs into a dropkick. Chavo clotheslines Edge over the top rope to the floor. Edge shoulderblocks Chavo on the apron and flips over the suplex attempt. Edge sends Chavo off the buckle into a flapjack. Edge covers for a deuce as wee see Rey watching from the back. Edge gets backdropped on the apron but gets crotched on the second rope by Chavo. Tazz picks Angle and Benoit to win this Sunday. Chavo clotheslines Edge and covers for a deuce as Cole says also tonight, Eddie takes on Mysterio. Chavo gets in a wristlock but Edge powers out of it. Chavo counters Edge-O-Matic with a back suplex then goes up to the top rope. Chavo flies right into a dropkick by Edge. Edge backdrops Chavo and rallies with a clothesline. Edge hits a forearm and Edge-O-Matic for a two count, Edge slaps and chops Chavo in the corner then punches him down. Edge goes for the spear but misses, eating the second buckle. Chavo hits a spear of his own and covers for 1...2....nope. Chavo boots Edge in the ribs and goes for a sunset flip. Edge counters with a slingshot onto the second rope. Edge blocks the tornado DDT and hits the Edgecution. Edge covers for 1...2...3 to win the match. Damn good effort by both guys with counters and precision. Edge fires the first salvo tonight in the tag title war by beating Chavo.
Time of match: 6:04
Winner: Edge by pinfall
In the back, Dorkus Malorkus asks Rey how he's going to do against Eddie. Rey says he's glad that Edge beat Chavo and he knows Eddie better than anyone. He then stops the interview as Brock Lesnar is coming. Rey asks how his ribs are and Lesnar says he's fine. Malorkus asks how he's doing and Lesnar says to get the hell out of his face. We go to commercial with the fact that Lesnar IS here tonight.
Back from break Al Wilson is reading a bridal magazine when Dawn Marie walks up and kisses him. Dawn says she's a lucky girl and will be Mrs. Al Wilson on their wedding day. She wants Al to invite Torrie to the wedding and she should be one of the first to invite. Al doesn't know if he should but Dawn convinces him to go talk to her.
Cut to Brock Lesnar and Heyman. Heyman is irate that he's even here and Big Show is going to maul him. Heyman says without him, Brock beat Eddie Guerrero but got demolished by Show. They're supposed to be a team but he can't protect him if he doesn't listen to him. Heyman says he hasn't been listening since Hell in A Cell and Brock says yeah, Show did throw him off the apron but Heyman wasn't there. Heyman says Show is too big and too bad and not to engage him. "He's going to rip you limb from limb and there's nothing we can do about it, we're three days away from Survivor Series. Heyman pleads with him to listen to his idea. Naturally we fade to black before we find out what the idea was. Once again, they're trying to set up Hogan/Andre and it would have worked if Show wasn't booked like a jobber for a year. Back from break its on to the next match.
Match 2
John Cena and Matt Hardy vs Rikishi and Tajiri
This week's Mattitude fun fact is Matt was the Fear Factor champion. He also loves guacamole. Cena is still coming out to the generic theme with prototype trunks. Tajiri starts with Hardy and he drops V1 with arm drags but gets shoved down by Matt. Tajiri hits a hurracarana but Matt gets a thumb to the eye. Cena tags in and drops Tajiri with an elbow before covering for a deuce. Hardy tags in and they double team Tajiri in the corner. Cena and Hardy hit a double suplex and Cena covers for two, but Tajiri hits a rolling neckbreaker to make the tag to Rikishi. Rikishi hits a samoan drop on Cena and elbows Matt in the corner. Rikishi whips Hardy into Cena in the corner and Rikishi avalanches them both. Hardy falls out of the ring and Tajiri buzz kicks Cena, knocking him down in the corner. Rikishi goes for the stink face but runs right into side effect. Cena covers for 1...2...nope. Cole starts babbling about Big Show as Hardy beats down Rikishi in the corner. Hardy chokes Rikishi on the second rope then locks in a front headlock. Rikishi backdrops him and Tajiri tags in. Tajiri and Hardy drop each other with a double face plant but Matt's arm is on top of Tajiri for 1...2...3 to win the match. Interesting way to end the match. Matt grabs Cena and celebrates as Cena puts him on his shoulders, hahahaha. Matt gets one over on Rikishi and Tajiri.
Time of match: 3:18
Winners: Cena and Hardy by pinfall
In the back Kurt Angle and Chris Benoit are bickering again. Angle says its all Benoit's fault they lost the titles. Benoit says Angle got pinned twice and wants to know how that happened. Angle says he hates Benoit's guts but loves being a champion. He says he's going to take his aggressions out on Benoit and Chris mocks him for that. Benoit says the last two times they fought, Benoit won. Kurt "You watch your mouth, young man!" (Kurt is actually a year younger than him) Kurt says he's the team captain and Benoit says he apologizes and says he beat the team captain twice. Kurt "Yeah....well I have more teeth than you." Chris "Well I have more hair than you." Benoit says he's 11 times better than him and Kurt says he's an Olympic gold medalist. Chris has no counter for that and says he's going to beat him tonight. Kurt does the finger up to the nose trick and walks off. That was pretty funny.
Back from commercial we get a Scott Steiner is coming vignette and Paul Heyman walking in to Big Show's room. Heyman wants Show not to call out Lesnar because he's too young to understand. Heyman says he himself says he knows he's beaten The Rock, Undertaker and Hulk Hogan in his prime. Heyman says Show broke Brock's rib and asks a professional courtesy to lay off Brock until Survivor Series. Show says that Lesnar has one good thing going for him, Paul. Show says he might not call him out....but maybe he will. Heyman leaves. Again, I like how they're making Show a monster but its a year too late.
Los Guerreros walk up to Edge and Rey Mysterio. Eddie calls them flying squirrels. Eddie says after tonight, they're going to win at Survivor Series. Eddie and Rey insult each other in Spanish and Eddie mocks hiding behind Chavo. Edge says let's go right here, right now. Edge insults Eddie in Spanish as well and we cut here. Back from break its on to the next match.
Match 3
Eddie Guerrero vs Rey Mysterio Jr
The big Halloween Havoc 97 rematch. Bell rings and they circle to start. Eddie and Rey chain wrestle but Eddie gets the chinlock applied. Eddie drops Rey with a shoulderblock but Rey hits a backdrop, dropkick and an armdrag. Eddie fights out of it and hits a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker. He covers for two and locks in an arm-bar. Eddie works over the left arm as the crowd chants "Eddie sucks". Eddie stomps away on Rey in the corner but Rey tries to kick his way out. Rey hits a second rope hurracarana then they trade hammerlocks. Rey snap mares Eddie then monkey flips him. He calls for the 619 but Eddie moves to cause Rey to hit referee Brian Hebner instead (hahahahaha). Chavo Guerrero Jr runs down with the ref out and hits Rey with the Gory Special. Edge runs in and chases Chavo out of there. Eddie hits a powerbomb and stacks Mysterio for 1...2...nope. Edge spears Eddie and is knocked outside by Chavo. Edge sends Chavo into the barricade as Hebner tells them both to get lost. The other referees run down to get Chavo and Edge out of there. Eddie runs into a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker of his own by Rey. Rey hits the bronco buster in the corner and goes up to the top rope. Eddie shoves him off the top to the floor and wits. Eddie hits the plancha on Rey and rolls him back inside. Eddie hits a back suplex and goes up to the top rope. Rey runs up and hits a superplex. Rey covers for 1.....2...nope. Rey hits an armdrag but Eddie clotheslines him down. Eddie locks in an arm-bar but Rey fights out of it, only for Eddie to rally with forearms. Eddie puts Rey on the top rope but Rey elbows him off. Rey hits the moonsault and covers for 1...2..no. Eddie catches a second rope moonsault attempt but Rey hits an armdrag out of it. Rey baseball slides Eddie outside and Rey hits a slingshot hilo. Cole says Rey's got a bad knee but Mysterio still hits the springboard legdrop back inside. Rey covers for 1....2...no. Eddie hits a vertical suplex on Rey and taunts the irate crowd. Eddie goes up to the top rope but flips over Rey. Rey hits a heel kick to the chin of Eddie and hits the 619. Rey calls for the West Coast Pop but Eddie stands up, forcing Rey to go to the sunset flip. Eddie rolls out of it and applies the El Paso Lasso, holding the rope for leverage. Rey taps and this one's over. Not as epic as Halloween Havoc but still a damn good match against two guys that have great chemistry.
Time of match: 6:11
Winner: Guerrero by submission
Backstage Al Wilson walks into Torrie Wilson but she blows him off. Al walks into the women's room anyway to talk about it. Torrie says Dawn Marie is using him to get to her. She calls Dawn a conniving, manipulative bitch. Al wants to invite her to the wedding but she can't do it. Torrie says she won't go because he's being played. Torrie says there's no way to say this nicely but there's no fool like an old fool. She's got a point. Back from break, its on to the next match.
Match 4
Billy Kidman vs Jamie Noble (with Nidia)
Non-title match as Kidman gets his title shot at Survivor Series....kind of makes this match pointless. They brawl at the bell and Kidman gets backdropped on the apron. Nidia pulls him off and Noble baseball slides Billy. Noble rolls Kidman inside and covers for a near fall. Noble works the left arm in the corner and dropkicks it. Noble arm drags Kidman and locks in a keylock. Kidman punches his way out of it and flapjacks Jamie. Kidman clotheslines Noble and backdrops him. Kidman hits a dropkick and covers for 1.....2...nope. Kidman sends Noble into the corner but blocks the clothesline, kicks Kidman and hits the tiger bomb. Noble stacks him but Kidman sunset flips for 1...2...no. Noble goes up to the top but Kidman dropkicks him. Noble rolls over Kidman and goes for the Razor's Edge. Kidman rolls out of it and hits a modified Sky High. He drags Noble to the corner and goes upstairs. Nidia distracts the ref so Noble can punch Kidman. Noble hits a top rope superplex but Kidman rolls over on top for 1...2.....3 to win the match. Kidman gets Noble two weeks in a row, will the third time be a charm this Sunday? Decent crash style match and it puts over that Kidman has Noble's number right now.
Time of match: 3:17
Winner: Kidman by pinfall
Back to Dawn Marie who walks up to Al Wilson. Al is distraught about his "little angel" and she doesn't want to go to the wedding. Dawn comes on to him an says they're going to be just fine. They hug and she grins evily. They gave this crap THREE segments. We cut to Heyman and Lesnar and Paul says everything is going to be ok. Heyman says he looked the neanderthal right in the eye and not to call him out. Paul says Show was smart enough to listen to him and was intimidated by Paul's intelligence. Paul says to pack his bag and leave because they're all set. Brock says he's not leaving and he asks if Paul convinced Show not to call him out. Lesnar says he'll call HIM out. Heyman goes nuts as we go back to ringside for Tazz to shill the new video game Smackdown Shut Your Mouth. One of my favorite games as a teenager.
On to the main event....and Angle grabs a mic before the match. He apologizes to his fans for being too predictable. He says he's beaten Edge, Chris Benoit, Rey Mysterio and the Guerreros so many times its become a blur. He says he's better in the ring than everyone, better athlete than Benoit, better looking than Edge, can speak English unlike the Guerreros and been through puberty unlike Rey Mysterio. He says he doesn't need Benoit, he can win the belts all alone. Los Guerreros then walk out with a mic to mock him. Eddie says Kurt is full of it and Eddie pinned Angle 1-2-3. Suddenly Edge and Rey Mysterio walk out with mics too. Edge says Kurt has lost his hair and mind because Edge beat Kurt for the belts. Rey "Hi Kurt!" Edge says the only predictable thing about Kurt is that he sucks. Kurt says he's got more talent in his little finger than all four of them combined. He knows why they're out there, they want to scout him and learn from him. Kurt says to have a seat because he's going to win the next match. He calls out Benoit as the others back away from the ramp.
Match 5
Kurt Angle vs Chris Benoit
Angle and Benoit blame each other for dropping the tag belts so they're going to take their frustrations out on each other with the other two teams watching. Bell rings and Chris gets a headlock to start.Kurt gets a doubleleg takedown but Chris rolls out of it. Chris drops Kurt with a shoulderblock but Angle ducks the line to hit a german suplex. He taunts the Guerreros but Chris uses the distraction to punch away at Kurt. Kurt still hits an overhead belly to belly suplex and once again taunts Eddie. Benoit punches Kurt and drops him with a back elbow smash. Chris covers for a deuce, hits a sidebackbreaker and covers for another two count. Chris sends Kurt into the corner then rams his head into the buckle. Chris and Kurt slug it out before Chris whips Kurt into the corner. Chris drops him with a clothesline to the back of the head and Benoit gets out of the ring to talk trash to Edge and Rey. Kurt jumps off the apron but Benoit gets a punch to the ribs. Benoit sends Angle into Rey and Edge, cleaning them out. Chris throws Benoit in and rolls back in himself. Edge wants in the ring but Rey holds him back. Benoit hits two german suplexes but Kurt blocks the third. Kurt three of his own and covers for 1...2..nooo. Kurt again taunts the Guerreros and pulls his singlet straps down. Angle goes for the Angle Slam but Chris rolls out of it and hits the crossface. Kurt grabs the legs and reverses it into the ankle lock. They roll to the corner but Benoit kicks Kurt off. Angle hits the Angle Slam and taunts the Guerreros one more time. Kurt actually locks in the El Paso Lasso to mock them and says this hold sucks. Eddie runs in and is immediately thrown over the top rope into Edge and Rey outside. Edge, Rey and the Guerreros brawl on the floor as Benoit hits a german suplex that sends Kurt flying. Then the four outside brawl into the ring and referee Mike Chioda calls for the bell. Edge sends Eddie over the top rope then Rey locks the ankle lock on Kurt with Edge joining him. Edge cuts off Benoit and puts the crossface on him but the Guerreros attack. Eddie and Chavo dump Edge and Rey but Eddie runs into the ankle lock. Benoit locks in the crossface on Edge and the refs get in the ring to break it up. This one's over....and its too bad because the match was good.
Time of match: 6:30
Winner: No one (no contest)
After the match Angle and Benoit go nose to nose and Kurt says enough. Kurt extends his hand and Chris shakes it. Kurt wants a hug and Benoit looks confused. Kurt gives him a hug and the crowd laughs. How Chris isn't laughing his ass off is beyond me.
Backstage Heyman is trying to talk Brock out of going to the ring but Big Show looks like he's heading out there as well. Back from commercial, Tazz says Lawler didn't get Scott Steiner on Confidential, he did. Cole then runs down the card including a new match, Goldust and Hurricane vs William Regal and Lance Storm which will take place on Sunday Night Heat.
Here comes Lesnar to call out Big Show. He throws the WWE Championship down and removes his shirt. His ribs are all taped up and he grabs the mic. Lesnar says face him in the middle of the ring one on one. The crowd cheers as Heyman tries to talk Lesnar out of it. Heyman grabs the mic but Lesnar tells him to shut up much to the crowd's delight. Lesnar "Big Show, if you don't get out here. That's alright, I'll just drag your ass out." Show's music hits and here he comes. Lesnar cuts him off and sends him immediately into the steel steps, cutting Show's forearm by accident. Lesnar grabs a chair and bashes Show in the head twice then kicks away at him. Lesnar hits Show in the back twice and Show is busted wide open, that was no accident. Lesnar grabs the title belt and clocks Show with it. Show is laid out as Cole says "The giant has been slain tonight. Maybe Paul Heyman was wrong, maybe he CAN beat the Big Show." We go to a replay of what just happened as the crowd cheers Lesnar. If this was supposed to be a face turn for Brock, it worked.
We sign off with Lesnar standing tall. The sad part was the good matches on the card were cut short due to the storyline feuds. The triple threat tag match overshadowed almost the entire show except for Torrie/Dan/Al and Show/Lesnar. The fact they gave Torrie, Dawn and Al three segments is inexcusable. Still, we got our stories heading into Survivor Series. Lesnar evened the playing field a little bit to show he's not intimidated by the giant. Angle and Benoit are going to try to co-exist to win the triple threat tag match and Billy Kidman has Jamie Noble's number right now. We still got some business before Survivor Series in the form of a Saturday double shot for house shows. Raw will be in Reading, Pennsylvania this Saturday. I'll see you there.
