This Friday’s Smackdown (which is airing Fridays in Canada as well starting this week) was taped prior to tonight’s RAW in front of a sellout crowd at the Continental Airlines Arena in East Rutherford, NJ. Here are the results:
– Prior to the tapings, in a dark match, Hardcore Holly came out to a huge pop, making his return after several months away from the ring due to a serious stapf infection, and beating Simon Dean with the Alabama Slam.
– The show opened announcing that The Undertaker would face World Champion King Booker and Batista would face Ken Kennedy.
– William Regal faced United States Champion Fit Finlay, with Regal winning by DQ after Finlay hit Regal with his shillalegh.
– After the match, Lashley ran in, Finlay hit him as well, Finlay shoved Regal into Lashley to escape. Lashley hit the dominator on Regal.
– Elijah Burke wrestled his debut Smackdown match, accompanied by Sylvester Terkay and beating Scott Wright. he took the win after a stroke followed by choke submission. Terkay then locked his finisher on Wright.
– Kristal Marshall faced Ashley Massaro, beating her with a schoolgirl roll-up while holding tights.
– Tatanka faced Sylvan Grenier, beating him with a sideslam.
– Dave Batista faced Ken Kennedy and finally got a win over him, pinning him after hitting the Batista Bomb.
– Following the match, Michael Cole interviewed Batista and congratulated him, but Batista said hold the congrats until he wins back the World Title.
– Vito faced The Brooklyn Brawler, beating him with his under-the-dress submission hammerlock.
– Montel Vontavious Porter debuted, trying to get Teddy Long to sign him — “MVP” — to a contract. Long was excited until he was told that he had to negotiate with MVP’s agent, who seemed to make high financial demands over the phone. MVP was recently called up from Deep South.
– Michelle McCool brought out her new tag team, KC James and Aaron “The Idol” Stevens from OVW, who beat Funaki and Scotty 2 Hotty. “We want RAW” and “End This Match” chants were apparently loud during this match, as the fans didn’t know who the new team was.
– Queen Sharmell and King Booker prepared for the match backstage.
– A video aired of WWE visiting overseas troops. This was likely for the arena, not TV.
– Chavo Guerrero came out to the ring to explain why he turned on Rey Mysterio. Basically, Rey stole the Guerrero name and blood and spotlight, that when WWE Magazine did a story on Latin wrestlers, Rey was on the cover in the Los Guerreros/Eddie lowrider, even though Chavo and Eddie were like brothers growing up, and that while Chavo retired after Eddie died, Rey rode his coattails. Chavo claimed that Rey couldn’t even hold the title on his own, needing Chavo’s help to win, and eventually Chavo just couldn’t take it anymore. Mysterio ran to the ring and beat up Chavo, but then VICKIE GUERRERO jumped the rail to separate the two as the crowd chanted “Eddie! Eddie!” Chavo walked up the aisle, then Vickie walked off without saying anything.
– The clip of Batista saying he wants his title back was replayed.
– The Undertaker faced King Booker T and won by DQ when Khali hit him with THE CHOP OF DOOM following a Taker chokeslam on Booker setting up the visual win. Taker sat up, then knocked Khali to the floor, and challenged him to a Last Man Standing match at Summerslam, posing to close the show.
Credit: PWInsider’s Mike Johnson and WrestlingObserver’s Dan Wahlers
