Credit: Josh Macias/PWInsider.com
Smackdown spoilers from Sacramento, California
First off the arena was only about a third full as the entire upper deck was blacked out, with the exception of one section, and nearly the entire side where the hard camera is was empty.
Velocity/Dark Matches
The Basham Brothers defeated Tony Jones and a partner whose name I didn’t catch.
Luther Reigns defeated a local worker whose name I also didn’t catch (thanks to the loud guy behind me).
Spike Dudley retained the Cruiserweight title over Sho Funaki after the Dudley Dog.
Jamie Noble defeated Scotty 2 Hotty after rolling him up and using the ropes for leverage.
“The Reflection of Perfection” Mark Jindrak (with no robe or mirrors) defeated Shannon Moore with the Mark of Excellence.
Smackdown Spoilers
Before the opening, a vignette aired of Kenzo Suzuki saying that the basketball team in Sacramento was the Kings, but this is America where we have Presidents and not Kings and for that he hates Sacramento. He followed it up by saying “God Bless America” and stealing the DDP smile gimmick. (Everyone thought this was a lame promo, but I guess they needed to set Kenzo up as a heel?)
The opening footage aired previewing Eddie Guerrero versus Kurt Angle for later in the night followed by the opening theme and usual pyro.
Right out of the gate came Booker T. Booker took the microphone telling everyone that he said he would sweep Cena in the best of 5 from his match last week and by winning the next two matches. They then showed the match from last week in Fresno where Booker got the win making the series tied at one apiece. Booker said that now he his on his way to continue the sweep and rolled footage of their third match in Australia. The footage just showed the finish where Booker rolls up Cena and uses the tights for leverage and gets the win. Booker stated that he now has one match to go and will defeat Cena three to one. At this point Rey Mysterio’s music hit and he made his way to the ring. Rey asked Booker if he was here for a fight to which he replied no. Rey then suggested that since Booker T. didn’t want to fight he’d better leave, because he wants Spike Dudley and the Cruiserweight title, but if Spike doesn’t come out then Booker T. will do just fine. This prompted Kenzo Suzuki to come out. Kenzo (standing at the entrance, told Rey that he promotes himself as being from the 619, but that code is American and Rey is not, so that makes Mysterio a liar. Kenzo said he hates liars and loves America then compares his smile to that of Tom Cruise. Next RVD comes out and attacks Kenzo from behind. RVD works over Kenzo for about twenty seconds until Rene Dupree comes out to make the save. The three make their way to the ring where Rey helps out RVD and Booker rolls to the outside. As the fight continued Theodore R. Long comes out to settle them down. Teddy states that since these guys want to fight, then he’s going to let them. He tells Booker T that despite not being ready to wrestle (he was in street clothes) that it didn’t matter and there was going to be a six-man tag match right there. The match being Booker T., Kenzo Suzuki, and Rene Dupree versus Rey Mysterio, RVD, and being that they needed to be even, their partner would be John Cena.
Match 1: John Cena, RVD, and Rey Mysterio defeated Booker T., Kenzo Suzuki, and Rene Dupree.
The match started out with quick tags for the faces. RVD was worked over by all three of his opponents for a few minutes, with Rene Dupree even getting in the “French Tickler”. (Thought he got fined for that?) RVD eventually made the hot tag to Rey Mysterio who battered Dupree and Suzuki with highflying moves. Rey set up Dupree for the 619 but got intercepted by a sidekick by Booker T. This brought in Cena and now all six men are in. Booker and Cena fight to the outside as RVD hits the 5 star frog splash on Dupree then vaults himself over the top to the outside on Kenzo. Rey then set up Dupree for the 619 and then got the win.
Next a vignette aired with Paul Heyman standing outside a door locking it. Theodore Long then walks up to let Heyman know that what Heidenreich did to Josh Matthews last week was unacceptable and that he will face a fine of $5,000 for his actions. Heyman responded by telling Long that Heidenreich doesn’t carry that kind of money on him, so he can’t pay it. Long then says that since Heidenreich can’t pay the fine then Heyman will. Long says that he knows Heyman’s reputation and won’t accept a check and will only take the fine in cash because he’s all out the “dolla dolla”, and that Heyman had better keep Heidenreich under control. Heyman explains that his man is unpredictable and could snap at any moment. Long informs Heyman that if he does then there will be more fines to pay.
After that footage aired of Chavo Guerrero’s injury last week and the medics attending to him.
Next we are shown another vignette of Billy Kidman and Paul London preparing for their match when Jamie Noble walks in. Noble gets in Kidman’s face saying that if he were Kidman there would be no way he would show is face around the WWE anymore. Kidman told Noble that Chavo just fell victim to the Shooting Star Press, one of the most dangerous moves in the business. Noble said that Kidman could spin what happened all he wanted, the fact of the matter is that Chavo’s career could be over and it’s all Kidman’s fault. The segment ended with the camera on Kidman as he stared while thinking about what Noble had to say.
A video aired telling us that Big Show will return in 3 weeks.
Next match the FBI defeated Billy Kidman and Paul London in a non-title match. Good back and forth action from both teams. The finish came when Kidman had Nunzio set up for the Shooting Star Press, but as he stood on the top rope had second thoughts about it and got down and tagged London in. London entered the ring with his back to Nunzio while asking Kidman what he was doing. At this point Nunzio rolled up London and got the win. London got back up asking Kidman what happened as Kidman made his way to the back. With London still in the ring by himself, out came Heidenreich though the crowd nailing London with a clothesline. Heidenreich then nailed his shoulder breaker on London before making his way to the announce table and chasing after Michael Cole. Cole was able to get away as Heidenreich made his way back to the ring but before he could do more to London, Paul Heyman made his way to the ring and was able to get Heidenreich to leave.
Next a video aired showing the end of the Guerrero/Angle match from Wrestlemaina XX for a preview of tonight’s main event.
After the break a couple of videos aired. The first showed footage of The Undertaker from their new video game for the Nintendo Gamecube. Next we went to the Republican National Convention at MSG where Ivory was reporting alongside Linda McMahon and The Big Show. (What’s with them showing guys who are about to make a comeback?) This report was basically the same thing as we seen Monday on Raw encouraging young people to vote just with Big Show in the place of HBK. One more video aired of Torrie Wilson talking to Theodore Long in his office … Torrie informed Long that she’s worried about Big Show returning after what he tried to do to her before he left. Long informed Torrie that everything would be ok because he hired Show back on the terms that Show would have to take anger management classes. (Great stuff huh?) He told Torrie that things will be ok, and not to worry because “things can’t go wrong with Theodore R. Long”. There was then the “Raw Rebound” followed by a break.
The promo video for Carlito Caribbean Cool aired.
Next JBL’s music hit and his limo made it’s way out for Orlando Jordan to have a match against Charlie Haas. JBL joined Michael Cole and Tazz and the announce table. This was not a bad match, not sure though if it will come off that way on TV, and Jordan getting the win after removing the pad from the turnbuckle and Haas running into it knocking him out long enough to get the pin. Post match Jordan backed Miss Jackie into the corner distracting the referee while JBL entered the ring and hit the “Clothesline from Hell” on Haas. Bradshaw and Jordan then posed for the crowd and left.
A video then aired showing the finish of the Angle/Guerrero match from Summer Slam to once again preview their 2 out of 3 falls match for later.
Next out we had The Dudley Boys w/Spike defeating Billy Gunn and Hardcore Holly. Nothing really much to report and this match seemed to be used as filler, unless it was a number one contenders match or something that wasn’t announced to the live crowd. The finish came when D-Von was working on Billy Gunn on the outside and Bubba distracting the ref allowing Spike to enter the ring and hit Hardcore Holly from behind with the Cruiserweight title then sneaking out allowing Bubba to get the win.
Next both Angle and Guerrero are shown in the back on a split screen making their way to the ring. After Dawn Marie and Miss Jackie made their way to the ring to shoot T-shirts to the crowd.
After the break another video aired of Carlito Cool. This one of him taking some man’s cell phone and talking on it and when then man asks for it back Carlito replies “Can’t you see I’m on the phone?” and saying that the guy isn’t cool like him.
After Kurt Angle’s music hit and he made his way to the ring. Next out was Eddie in his customary entrance with the Low Rider. This was a good match, not as great as their WrestleMaina match, but it was good. The match started with the two locking up and going into a top wristlock to which Angle pulled Eddie’s hair to take him down. This happened twice. Guerrero was upset at this point and demanded to lock up with Kurt to which he did. Eddie then pulled Kurt down by the straps on his singlet, since he has no hair to pull. Kurt got back up and got put in a headlock and as he tried to throw Eddie off into the ropes Eddie held on to his straps once again pulling him back in. Angle eventually escaped and was angry complaining to the ref about what Eddie had done, and pulled his straps down so Guerrero couldn’t pull them. The two locked up and Kurt went for a back drop on Eddie, but Eddie turned it into a sunset flip where he grabbed Kurt’s singlet and pulled it down completely exposing his naked rear to the crowd. Kurt then rolled to the outside to regroup before getting back into the ring where the real action started. Both men went to the mat exchanging moves before Eddie had Kurt set up in a go behind and Angle kicking his leg back and nailing Guerrero with a low blow that referee Brian Hebner didn’t see. Guerrero was able to get back up and regain the advantage and nail a blatant low blow kick to Angle, which Hebner did see, and immediately DQ’d Guerrero giving the first fall to Angle. The match continued with the two going back and forth with Kurt nailing the triple German suplexes and Guerrero reversing the Angle Slam into a DDT and covering Kurt for the three count, giving Guerrero the second fall. The third fall both men pulled out everything they had including Eddie kicking out after taking two more Germans and an Angle Slam. Eddie was then able to nail the “Three Amigo” suplexes and went up top for the frog splash, as Luther made his way to the ring. Eddie got down and nailed Reigns and went back up top for the splash but missed. Angle then hooked in the ankle lock but Eddie was able to roll through which caused Kurt to run into referee Brian Hebner knocking him down. Eddie then went outside to grab a steel chair and nailed Luther with it. He then brought the chair into the ring nailing Kurt on the back with it. Eddie then dropped the chair and laid down as if he had been hit too. The ref eventually made his way back to his feet catching Angle with the chair in his hands. As the Angle tried to tell Hebner he didn’t use the chair Eddie was laughing on the opposite side of the ring until Luther came from behind and nailed him in the back of the leg with a chair shot and he quickly went down. Angle then ran to Guerrero and locked on the ankle lock to which Eddie tapped out giving Kurt the third and final fall. Kurt celebrated while making his way back down the isle. Luther entered the ring and worked over Eddie giving him his neckbreaker. The show ended with Luther standing over Eddie and Kurt looking on in the isle with a look of astonishment on his face. I guess this sets up the proposed Luther/Guerrero program.
Post show Luther left the ring only to come back and try to beat Eddie some more but instead getting beat up Eddie who by this point was no selling the beat down and hurt leg to the live crowd. He gave Luther a suplex followed by the frog splash. Eddie then celebrated before leaving.
Overall good show live, but not sure if it will come off that way on TV. The crowd was hot all night and into everything, so there shouldn’t be much of the dubbed in cheers/jeers once the show airs.
