We start off with a Judgment Day recap. I haven’t seen the Main Event yet since I went to sleep, but what I saw was on the same level as last year’s beyond average Judgment Day.
JBL is already in the ring and calls Mysterio’s defence the greatest travesty in years. JBL asks if Mysterio’s “Take on all comers” approach is still in effect, then he has a challenger awaiting. Mysterio comes out and reminds JBL that he beat him at Judgment Day, before reminding JBL that he’s the United States Champion and yet he doesn’t defend it against all challengers. JBL says that SmackDown is his show and he carries this company, before he says he will take on all challengers since nobody than a “True American Hero” represents the title better than him. Mysterio then introduces his opponent for tonight : Bobby Lashley!
Opening Contest: United States Championship: Bobby Lashley verses John Bradshaw Layfield (Champion)
A referee comes out and this match is official! JBL gets a thumb to Lashley’s eye to start and slams Lashley’s head into the turnbuckle, but Lashley punches JBL down! Lashley with a scoop slam followed up by an irish whip, which allows JBL to nail Lashley with a big boot. JBL clubs away at Lashley in the corner and goes to irish hip Lashley but Lashley reverses and runs right into the big boot! JBL off the ropes and Lashley ducks the Clothesline From Hell and nails the Spear! One! Two! Three!
Winner And NEW United States Championship: Bobby Lashley
A GREAT way to start off a SmackDown, even if I don’t think Lashley should be holding the United States Championship just yet. Match could have been brutal to watch if it had gone for any longer, but this was harmless in itself. -One out of Ten.
Commercials.
Recap of the previous title change leads us into JBL yelling at Theodore Long and trashing his office, before Long threatens to fire him! JBL says that if he can’t beat Rey Mysterio then he’ll walk away, and Long gives him a title match against Mysterio – but if JBL loses then he leaves SmackDown!
Second Contest: Tatanka verses Simon Dean
Tatanka tonight has a new entrance music, as well as entrance itself, and people continue to not care. Dean mocks the Native American Culture, and Tatanka gets some chops and hip tosses. The two exchange arm bars before Tatanka sends Dean into the turnbuckle shoulder first for some chops. Tatanka with a clothesline followed by a suplex. Dean takes Tatanka to the corner and kicks him down before mocking the culture again and going for the head gear, but Tatanka gets him from behind and nails some chops. Punches to the forehead before Tatanka nails .. more chops. Scoop slam and Tatanka nails a shoulder block. Tatanka nails The “Likea”, or “Ikea”, for the victory.
Winner: Tatanka
Yawn. You’d expect about -Two out of Ten, and you’d be right.
Backstage in his office, Long is telling Hardy that he’s doing a great job on SmackDown. Paul Heyman comes in and talks to Long alone, and says he’s simply here to check out the competition, but Long says he knows he’s here to scout wrestlers. Heyman says it’s only business. Touche, Mister Heyman, touche.
Still to come: Chris Benoit verses Mark Henry
Commercials
Thee 6 Mafia perform Mark Henry’s entrance music; “Some Bodies Gonna Get It”. I preferred his old music, but that’s just me, and I hate rap.
Third Contest: Chris Benoit verses Mark Henry
Lock up and Henry quickly throws Benoit down to start. Benoit gets some chops in before Henry nails some forearms and forces Benoit into the corner. Benoit gets some chops in and goes for the Crossface already, but Henry sends him into the ropes and Benoit slams back into Henry. Henry goes for a Military Press on Benoit, but Benoit comes down trying for the Crossface! Henry throws him into the corner, before Benoit gets a low dropkick to the knee. Benoit with chops before he nails a dropkick (!!!) to the head of Henry. Enziguri by Benoit! Benoit gets a running forearm, followed by a running dropkick which sends Henry out of the ring!
Commercials
We return to see Benoit kneeing Henry in the head. Benoit punches Henry into the corner. Henry whips Benoit into the corner and nails a splash, sends him into the opposite corner and Benoit stumbles back into a clothesline to the back of the neck. Henry steps on the chest of Benoit. Henry gets some thumps to the lower back of Benoit before locking on the Camel Clutch, nailing another thump as Benoit looks to be getting back into the fight. Elbow drop gets Henry a two count. Henry reapplies the Camel Clutch before nailing a scoop slam. Henry misses the splash on Benoit, who goes for the Crippler Crossface but Henry gets to his feet and gets the ropes before slamming Benoit into the corner! Henry goes for a splash but Benoit nails a drop toe hold, sending Henry into the middle turnbuckle, and goes for the Crossface again but Henry picks him up before Benoit goes for the other arm, Benoit gets Henry down but Henry rolls it over and sends Benoit off of him. Henry slams Benoit’s head into the steel steps, before nailing his running splash with Benoit set up against the steel post! Henry nails some running spinebusters on Benoit into the steel post, and the referee gets the bell rung.
Winner: No Contest
Henry continues the attack afterwards, with Benoit badly bleeding from the mouth, with Henry using the Camel Clutch on Benoit and incorporating the ropes. Rumor has it Benoit has a shoulder injury, you sure as hell couldn’t tell. That’s five major stars of SmackDown that have injuries. Pretty much the best match so far, if that says anything. Which it doesn’t. One out of Ten.
Commercials
King Of The Rng Coronation Tme! William Regal is our host for tonight’s Coronation, and Booker T and Sharmell come out in a very flashy throne which I SO hope becomes a part of his permanent entrance. Regal hits the right spots, being more Regal than ever before, as he introduces Booker T officially as “King Booker”. Sharmell tells everyone to bow down to King Booker before she places the attire on him. As his first royal act, he makes Sharmell a queen and knights her. Ha! “Long Live King Booker” chant by Regal and pyros finish us off. All three hit the right marks here perfectly.
Still to come: World Heavy Weight Championship!
Commercials
Nunzio and Vito backstage, with Vito nervous about those “rumors”. Vito says everything is cool .. Right.
Fourth Context: Nunzio and Vito verses Brian Kendrick and Paul London
Kendrick and Nunzio start off, with Kendrick going behind and getting a headlock. Shoulder block gets Kendrick a two count, before he locks on the headlock once more. Nunzio flips Kendrick over and misses a clothesline and Kendrick gets the headlock back on. Tag out to London, and Nunzio gets nailed with a double team forearm, and Vito comes in with a right hand. Tag out to Vito, who clubs away on London and nails a clothesline for a two count. Knee to the head by Vito who then locks on a headlock, but London reverses it with a backdrop. Tag out to Nunzio. Nunzio kicks away on London in the corner, and London begins to nail Vito and Nunzio with punches, but Vito puts a stop to that. Nunzio gets a roll up for a two count, with London pushing London out of the ring. Vito sends Nunzio back into the ring and London tags out to Kendrick, who comes in with a missile dropkick off the top rope. Kicks to the jaws of Vito and Nunzio, and Kendrick follows up with a forearm off the top turnbuckle to Vito. Dropkick to Nunzio by Kendrick. London in, and he whips Kendrick into Vito, who gets taken down with an elbow. London with an elbow of his own, before he dropkicks Vto out of the ring. Sliced Bread No. 2 on Nunzio for the victory!
Winners: Brian Kendrick and Paul London
Nice little fill in match; I’d like to see these two teams get more time against each other, maybe next week even. Four out of Ten, I’d have given it more but it was far too short.
RAW Rebound; Triple H tells Vince McMahon he has two words for him .. He’s sorry, before Triple H doesn’t crush Shawn Michael’s skull and attacks the Spirit Squad instead.
Still to come tonight: World Heavy Weight Championship! John Bradshaw Layfield verses Rey Mysterio.
Commercials
Ken Kennedy Video! He’ll be back soon, hopefully.
We get Cole and Tazz talking about The Great Khali defeating Undertaker with a cocky pinfall.
Chavo Guerrero backstage talks to Rey Mysterio and says that he doesn’t want Mysterio going out there alone tonight, so Chavo will be in Rey’s corner tonight.
Finlay will be in action next!
Commercials
Ffith Contest: Paul Burchill verses Finlay
Lock up and Finlay takes Burchill to the ropes, before Burchill shoves him back. Burchill goes behind only to get an elbow to the face and get knocked down. Burchill gets a boot to the face of Finlay but runs right into a clothesline. Finlay sends Burchill right into the steel pole shoulder first, before he nails the Emerald Fusion – with what is apparently now called the “Celtic Cross” – for the victory.
Winner: Finlay
Post match Finlay brings out a midget from under the ring, which has a bright green light under it, and he attacks Burchill! Finlay slams him onto Burchill and Finlay kicks him back under the ring .. Right. I don’t know if I liked that or not, since I found it funny the first time, and I really do want to see Finlay abusing a Leprechaun, just because it’s so stupid it might work. Either way, this was a squash match, which means -Three out of Ten. Much like our opening squash, this was quick enough to not seem like a squash until it was over.
Commercials
Main Event: World Heavy Weight Championship: John Bradshay Layfield verses Rey Mysterio (Champion) with Chavo Guerrero
If JBL doesn’t defeat Mysterio tonight, then JBL will leave SmackDown. JBL quickly attacks Mysterio as he enters the ring, pounding away on Mysterio before he nails a shoulder block for a two count. JBL punches Mysterio back down and goes to kick Guerrero on the outside, who gets on the apron only to get Mysterio whipped into him. Clothesline From Hell and JBL covers for the three count even though Mysterio’s foot is on the rope! The referee, eventually, finds out and restarts the match!
Commercials. Of all the times to have a commercial break.
We’re back with JBL beating down on Mysterio in the corner. Mysterio gets a drop toe hold on JBL, sending him into the second turnbuckle and goes up top but JBL gets a fall away slam from the top rope for a two count! Big boot by JBL, who gets more kicks right to the head of Mysterio before nailing a short arm clothesline on the outside, which gets JBL a two count once the two are back inside. Mysterio gets some kicks in on JBL, but JBL sends Mysterio groin first onto the ropes after he goes for the body scissors bulldog, before JBL big boots Mysterio to the outside where he sends Mysterio into the steel steps, which gets JBL another near three count on the inside. JBL punches away on Mysterio for another close near fall, getting only a two count. JBL picks Mysterio up only to knock him back down and nail an elbow drop for another two count. Mysterio reverses the fall away slam with a DDT! Mysterio gets a kick to the head of JBL, which sets him up on the second rope, Mysterio gets the 619 and goes for the Seated Senton but JBL nails a powerbomb, for a two count! JBL nails the Three Amigos and does the Eddie Taunts, before he pulls the padding off the top turnbuckle with the referee’s back turned – the referee turns around and begins setting it back up, but JBL sends Mysterio into the referee! JBL sends Mysterio into the ropes, and he comes back with a headscissors – but JBL crashes into the referee and the two are set up for the 619! Mysterio pulls JBL off only to get nailed with a low blow! JBL goes outside and gets a steel chair, Chavo goes to take it from JBL but JBL blasts it over the head of Chavo! JBL misses a chairshot on Mysterio, and Msterio gets a low blow! Tornado DDT on JBL on the chair! Mysterio dropkicks JBL, who gets set up on the rope – 619, top rope leg drop gets the three count!
Winner And STILL World Heavy Weight Champion: Rey Mysterio
Post match JBL regrets his decisions, before yelling at the audience as they sing “Hey Hey Hey, Goodbye” as SmackDown fades out. Once the match came back from the commercial break up until the Referee got taken out this match was simply a squash; but the rest was mediocre at best. Three out of Ten.
So, tonight’s results;
Lashley verses JBL; -1/10
Tatanka verses Simon Dean: -2/10
Chris Benoit verses Mark Henry: 1/10
HooliganZ verses Nunzio and Vito: 4/10
Burchill verses Finlay: -3/10
JBL verses Mysterio: 3/10
SmackDown 26/05/06: 2/60
And the momentum gained from Judgment Day comes crashing to a halt. Outside of the Lashley title victory and Coronation, really nothing to see here. Until Velocity!
