Our usual Power Is Back video opens us up and takes us into a pimp video for tonight’s World Heavy Weight Championship. Was by no stretch of the imagination my cup of tea, I like subtly. SmackDown opening video follows.
JBL makes his entrance in another new car (though not as good as last week’s Stretch Limo Hummer), and is wearing the all American flag for a jumper. Ugh, if there’s anything I hate, it’s tops like that. He makes Tony Chimmel wave two American flags. He gets on the microphone and says the usual stuff, reminding people of the US being the super power, and says that the fans are American’s Step Children. Not true exactly, more or less the other way if I know my history. “Tonight I’m going to find the bravest Englishman .. Which is a lot like trying to find the tallest midget”. Class. Mocks the Queen which leads into “England” chant, before JBL demands they salute his jacket and chant for USA. For the first time in a long while, Regal gets one hell of a cheer. Regal rips into Blair a bit with JBL, before saying what the rest of the world thinks of most Americans (no offence) before he punches JBL down. Perfect way to start off SmackDown.
Opening Contest: United States Championship: William Regal verses John Bradshaw Layfield (Champion)
Regal nails him a few times with the microphone, followed by a knee, before nailing a shoulder back toss. Regal puts on the cowboy hat and punches JBL down. Regal begins to choke JBL with his jacket, before throwing him across the ring and stomping on JBL. Regal pulls on the face before nailing an elbow, followed by a few uppercuts, double knee before an elbow, followed by a one count. Regal chokes JBL with his foot before picking him up and nailing some elbows and uppercuts. “Let’s Go Regal” chant starts up. JBL back up into more elbows and uppercuts fro Regal, the final uppercut sending JBL out of the ring.
Commercials.
And we’re back, with Regal stomping on JBL in the corner before choking him with his foot. Back up and Regal gets some more knees in, before JBL gets a big boot after he reverses an irish whip. JBL punches Regal down, kicks him back down, before setting Regal up in the corner and nailing some rights and a boot to the face. Regal gets some elbows in and gets an irish whip reversed, coming back into a sleeper hold by JBL. It’s right around now that they begin advertising an event in Australia (the first being my home town) for August. Right. Regal escapes the Sleeper Hold after a while with a back body drop, but JBL quickly gets a shoulder block afterwards. Stiff boot right to the face again by JBL. JBL reapplies the sleeper hold, twisting Regal’s neck more this time, before picking Regal up into a swinging neckbeaker. DDT by JBL for a two count. Regal gets a few kicks to the gut of JBL, JBL gets a kick to the face of Regal and goes off the ropes for the Clothesline From Hell but Regal reverses it with an exploder suplex! One! Two! No! Regal gets the running knee to the head of JBL for another two count, this time getting the rope, before Regal locks in the STF! JBL gets two fingers to the rope. Regal stomps away on JBL, before getting ready for a punch which JBL counters with an eye poke, off the ropes and Clothesline From Hell for the victory.
Winner And STILL Champion: John Bradshaw Layfield
Well, nothing spectacular, but it was a neat little brawl at least. I’d have liked to have seen Regal get more technical offence in which would have lead to a better match. Four out of Ten, which is better than what most matches like this would get. Maybe it was the promo beforehand, or the fact that both of these played their parts perfectly, because I usually don’t like offence only matches this much. I’m a move guy, baby.
Backstage Kristal interviews Booker T and Sharmell, announces that it will be Kurt Angle verses Booker T in the Semi-Finals. Kristal asks Booker’s prediction for tonight’s World Heavy Weight Championship, Sharmell tells her that this is about King Of The Ring. Gunner Scott interrupts and reminds Booker T that he beat him, Booker T pretty much issues another challenge … But he has a cold. Aw, poor Booker T, my friend has a cold too. Booker tells Scott that he’ll find Scott an opponent for tonight.
Kurt Angle video … What is it with these damned videos lately?
Commercials.
Weird video of Indian/Native American Culture for Tatanka … As though he’s a new wrestler. Next week the Initiation Begins, apparently. Right.
Second Contest: MNM and Gregory Helms with Melin verses Brian Kendrick, Paul London, and Super Crazy
Let’s see if they remember that Paul London became the Number One Contender for the Cruiser Weight Championship a while ago on Velocity? Also, Melina looks a bit bigger in the chest department today. MNM and Helms attack early on, with MNM attacking Kendrick and London and Helms getting Crazy. Kendrick and London send MNM out of the ring before getting a pair of suicide dives, and on the other side of the ring Crazy gets a vaulting crossbody onto Helms on the outside. Kendrick and Nitro start off, with Melina knocking Kendrick off the ropes early on. Nitro gets mounted punches to Kendrick before tagging out to Helms. Helms takes Kendrick down with what I believe to be an Emerald Fusion, I can’t make out clearly due to there being a replay of Melina attacking Kendrick, for a two count. Helms whips Kendrick into his corner and tags out to mercury who gets an elbow drop for a trilogy of two counts, before locking on the reverse bearhug. Kendrick escapes with elbows and runs off the ropes into a knee by Nitro and comes back to Mercury, who sets him up for a backbreaker which is less than usually intense, before tagging out to Nitro for their over the rope leg drop back breaker combo, Banshee #1, which gets Nitro a two count. Dancing leg drop introduces us to Banshee Deux, tag out to Helms who gets a ‘questionable’ kick to the gut. Helms gets Kendrick in an abdominal stretch which Kendrick escapes with a very nice armdrag but Helms kicks Kendrick, and knocks Crazy off the apron, Kendrick slides under Helms and tags in London. London in over the top rope with a karate kick to Helms, Double Dropsault to MNM, elbow to Helms, dropkicks to Mercury then Nitro, before getting a spinning heel kick on Helms before getting a bridge pin for two. Crazy in and throws Mercury out. Kendrick throws Nitro out of the ring and gets a crossbody over the top rope onto Nitro. Suplex reversed by London into a small package for the victory!
Winners: Paul London, Brian Kendrick, and Super Crazy
Kind of weird that they would have one of the Mexicools wrestle a match on SmackDown like this, normally they’re apart on Velocity and someone like Funaki or Hotty would have taken their place. Helms fits in extremely well with MNM too, by the way. My sole problem with this match is that there were two moments were the camera f*cked up. Once during the replay, where we couldn’t see all too clearly (maybe it’s my TV but this has always been a nerve hitter for me) what move Helms hit, and when Kendrick got the arm drag out of the Abdominal Stretch. Those two aside, I liked this match, Seven out of Ten. Yeah, I know I love to rate London and Kendrick’s matches highly. So sue me.
Coming Up Next: Bobby Lashley verses Mark Henry in the King Of The Ring Tournament
Commercials
Kurt Angle Video
Backstage, Melina yells at MNM while they make excuses. Melina storms off and steals a make up mirror off Jillian Hall and apologizes for her getting fired. She offers Jillian a job as a make up assistant, so Hall throws the make up in Melina’s face, so Melina sprays her with talcum powder, and make up shenanigans result as MNM have to hold the two apart, and even have problems doing that. Let’s hope this actually develops somewhere more than a Mixed Six Person Tag.
Backstage we hear Lashley speak for the second or third time. Lashley says this “may” just be the biggest match of his career … and he’s really looking forward to it.
Mark Henry makes his entrance which leads us into a you know what.
Commercials.
Kurt Angle Video
Third Contest: King Of The Ring Tournament: Bobby Lashley verses Mark Henry
The winner will advance to take on the winner between Benoit / Finlay. Lock up and Henry throws Lashley down and poses a bit. Another lock up and Lashley gets a wristlock on Henry but Henry throws him back into the corner. Henry goes to hit Lashley but Lashley begins punching away on Henry, and goes to scoop slam Henry but Henry clubs him back down. Headbutt knocks Lashley down. Henry sends Lashley into the ropes and poses a bit, and comes back into a clothesline by Lashley! Lashley begins punching away at Henry, Lashley off the ropes into a clothesline by Henry which takes him back down for a two count. Henry picks Lashley back up and punches him right back down, before Cole tells people to run into the side of their house if they want to know what that clothesline felt like. Let’s not and say we did. Henry gets some kicks to the gut of Lashley for a two count. Rib breaker by Henry for a two count. Lashley gets some elbows in but is headbutted right back down. Henry gets another kick to Lashley’s gut, before picking him up and going to punch him but Lashley ducks under and runs off the ropes and nails Henry with a clothesline! Off the ropes again and with another clothesline. Again and Lashley knocks Henry down! Scoop slam by Lashley! Lashley kicks Henry in the gut and sets up for the Dominator but Henry nails a shoulder body toss. Henry runs at Lashley and Lashley pulls the ropes down as Henry falls outside, knocking his head against the table, and gets counted out!
Winner And Advancing To Semi Finals via Count Out: Bobby Lashley
… Hitting his head against the table knocked out Mark Henry? After some of Lashley’s offence? At the very best I could give this a Zero out of Ten, even though I enjoyed it, but you know if I rated this that high then I’d be going to hell. -Three out of Ten, though it was interesting to see Lashley take on someone who may be stronger than him. Post match Henry attacks Lashley, getting a splash on Lashley while he’s against the steel pole.
Commercials
Next week it’s Chris Benoit verses Fit Finlay in the King Of The Ring Tournament.
Kristal interviews Rey Mysterio, who says if he loses the title tonight then it was all worth it. Aw.
Booker T makes his entrance with Sharmell.
Commercials.
Gunner Scott comes out and Booker T announces his fight loving, one hundred percent Irish opponent Finlay.
Fourth Contest: Gunner Scott verses Finlay
Booker T and Sharmell join Cole and Tazz for commentary, which makes me wonder how long until he wrestles again. Lock up to start and Finlay gets a headlock takedown on Scott, before getting an armbar into kick to the chin of Scott. Finlay pulls on the arms, pushing down on the shoulders using his legs, and in a nice touch the referee recognizes it as a possible pinfall situation. Uppercuts by Finlay. Scott catapults himself over Finlay in the corner and nails a dropkick sending Finlay out of the ring, Scott goes for a baseball slide but Finlay opens up the ring apron curtain and Scott slides in there, and Finlay clubs away on Scott! Finlay sends Scott up on the apron, with his head laying on the apron, and chokes him a bit using the apron curtain. Short arm clothesline by Finlay is followed by a scoop slam and thump for a two count. Finlay goes up top and jumps off but Scott gets a boot up into the chin of Finlay! Punch, chop and elbow by Scott, Finlay off the ropes into an elbow. Into the corner and Scott runs into a knee, Finlay walks back into a belly to belly overhead for a two count for Scott. Scott tosses Finlay outside infront of the announcer’s table, who drags Scott outside afterwards. Finlay goes to use the Shaleleigh but Finlay gets hit with a shoulder body toss by Scott, Scott sends Finlay into the ring and Booker T, with the referee distracted, gets a superkick to Scott! Booker T slides Scott back into the ring, Emerald Fusion by Finlay for the victory!
Winner: Fit Finlay
They played the rookie card nicely here. Post match Booker T and Finlay attack Gunner Scott, and Chris Benoit makes the save .. Now, where was I? Oh yeah. They played the rookie card nice here, with Finlay having the majority of offence and Scott getting in very few moves, but it was hat it was. And that wasn’t anything beyond average. I suppose I’ll up what it could have been because of Booker T and Sharmell’s announcing. Shall we say, Five out of Ten. Technically speaking, Average should be about Three to Five, for those taking notes.
Still to come tonight, World Heavyweight Championship, Rey Mysterio defends against Kurt Angle.
Commercials.
Kristal has an in-ring interview with The Great Khali, with the camera men making sure not to keep the camera’s low more than ever before. Usual stuff happens, with Daivari announcing that Khali has broken and stolen Undertaker’s spirit. “Undertaker” chant starts up, though it sounded more like “You’re A Wanker” chant at first. Khali scares off Kristal. And that’s about it. Comes with free yawns.
Kurt Angle Video.
Commercials.
Main Event: World Heavy Weight Championship: Kurt Angle verses Rey Mysterio (Champion)
Angle works the knee quickly, tripping Mysterio down, before Mysterio kicks him off and gets a hip toss into arm bar. Angle with a fireman’s carry which Mysterio lands on his feet, off the ropes he slides under Angle but comes back into a uppercut by Angle. Angle sends Mysterio into the corner headfirst, irish whip and Mysterio moves out of the way as Angle slams into the corner and turns around into a kick and ten count punch by Mysterio. Tilt-a-whirl backbreaker by Angle, who is clearly the fan’s preference, and rib breaker into a pair of two counts. Punches by Mysterio is followed by kicks, off the ropes and Mysterio is sent outside with a Belly to Belly.
Commercials.
We’re back, and Angle has a leg scissors around Mysterio’s waist. Angle locks on a rear choke and Mysterio escapes but comes back into a kitchen sink by Angle for a two count. High scoop slam by Angle, who circles Mysterio; Angle Slam attempt reversed by Mysterio into a sunset flip, Angle rolls and gets an AnkleLock on Mysterio, Myterio flips over and sends Angle off of him and Angle comes back with a sunset flip but Mysterio rolls out of it and follows with a kick to the head. Nice sequence. Mysterio gets some punches in, and Angle follows with some punches and an uppercut, Mysterio gets some kicks in, and comes off the ropes with a nice spinning headscissors to Angle. Drop toe hold sets up for a 619, but Angle gets a swift elbow to Mysterio as he runs off the ropes. Angle sends Mysterio into the corner but runs into the boot by Mysterio, bodyscissors bulldog by Mysterio for a two count. Off the ropes Mysterio comes back into a Belly to Belly, before Angle goes for the Angle Slam but gets nailed with a Tornado DDT by Mysterio for a two count! Mysterio goes up top, but Angle runs and gets a belly to belly off the top rope for a two count! Don’t you just love it when Angle plays possum? Back in the corner Angle gets some spears to the midsection, the third getting a run up and of course sending Angle into the steel pole before Angle falls outside. Top rope legdrop as Angle is getting in the ring gets Mysterio a two count. Mysterio off the ropes with a Bodyscissors Bulldog attempt which is reversed by a release german for a two count by Angle. The straps are off! AngleSlam attempt is reversed with a Hurricanrana, setting Angle up on the second rope, 619! Mysterio goes for the Seated Senton, but Angle lets him slam and locks in the AnkleLock, but Mark Henry attacks!
Winner Via DQ: Kurt Angle and Still Champion: Rey Mysterio
Henry repeats the Steel Pole attack that he did on Lashley earlier and gets a table out from under the ring, sets Angle up on the table and goes up onto the apron and jumps off onto Angle! Angle tells the referee that his ribs are broken. Henry celebrates as EMT’s check on Angle as the show fades out. Well, there wasn’t a slow moment but those of you who were expecting an epic and great match that was hyped, look elsewhere. For a SmackDown Main Event this was good, and I liked it so that amounts to me giving it an Eight out of Ten. So this week’s SmackDown results in a score of;
William Regal verses John Bradshaw Layfield: 4 / 10
MNM and Helms verses London, Kendrick, and Crazy: 7 / 10
Bobby Lashley verses Mark Henry: -3 / 10
Finlay verses Gunner Scott: 5 / 10
Rey Mysterio verses Kurt Angle: 8 / 10
SmackDown 28/04/06: 21 / 50
This episode, truth be told, was a lot better than what we’ve come to expect from normal outside of the US events that aren’t house shows. Until Velocity, Ciao Y’all …
