» On Friday, March 26, 2004 at 12:04 PM EST THE MORE THINGS CHANGE ...
March 25, 2004
Results courtesy of WWE.com
Match Results:
- Rob Van Dam defeated Charlie Haas
- Rene Dupree defeated Billy Kidman
- The Dudley Boyz defeated the Basham Brothers
- Chavo Guerrero defeated Spike Dudley
- Eddie Guerrero defeated Booker T via disqualification
It was the beginning of a new era for SmackDown! A new leader was announced. Several new Superstars were introduced to the roster. New opportunities were offered for every Superstar who competed -- and survived -- the Paul Heyman era as SmackDown! General Manager. But for WWE Champion Eddie Guerrero, the more things have changed on SmackDown!, the more they remained the same.
When Guerrero defeated Kurt Angle at WrestleMania, he may have won the battle, but the war appears to be far from over. After introducing himself as the new SmackDown! General Manager, Angle declared the beginning of a new era with SmackDown! reaching new lofty heights never attained before. And immediately, he set out to live up to his word by announcing that he had traded Triple H back to RAW in exchange for three Superstars who were considered among the elite on the RAW roster. SmackDown! lost one of the best in sports entertainment in Triple H, but by gaining Booker T and the Dudley Boyz, Angle said that he was adding Superstars who could make an immediate impact on SmackDown! and who could help lead the program to even greater heights. He also declared that SmackDown! would become the land of opportunity more so than during the administration of his predecessor.
And Angle went right to work -- providing new SmackDown! Superstar Spike Dudley with an opportunity to win the Cruiserweight Championship from Chavo Guerrero, and Booker T with an opportunity to win the WWE Championship from Eddie Guerrero. However, it was Bradshaw who stole the spotlight. Moments after declaring that the end of the APA is the best thing for him and that he would now advance to new heights himself, Bradshaw stunned the SmackDown! audience when he attacked Eddie Guerrero just when it seemed that Guerrero was only seconds from victory over Booker T. Bradshaw unleashed a Clothesline from Hell on a shocked Guerrero and left the WWE Champion lying in the middle of the ring yet again. With Angle as the SmackDown! General Manager and a new crop of challengers for the WWE Championship appearing -- including Booker T and Bradshaw -- will Eddie Guerrero ever be safe? Stay tuned to find out!
Speaking of Booker T, the former RAW Superstar made it clear that the recent transaction that brought him to SmackDown! was not a welcome one and he declared that SmackDown! is the "minor leagues." Although he did receive an opportunity to win the WWE Championship, he also caused quite a stir in the SmackDown! locker room and, according to Hardcore Holly, there are many who are out to prove that SmackDown! will be far more formidable than Booker T thinks. What does this mean for Booker T? Who will be the next to offer him a challenge? Find out next week on SmackDown!
It was a night of serious and sudden impact on SmackDown! as the recent roster changes seem to have brought a whole new attitude to the SmackDown! Superstars. What does Kurt Angle have in store for his second week as SmackDown! General Manager? Will somebody try to take out Booker T after his statements concerning SmackDown!? How will Eddie Guerrero react to the attack from Bradshaw? Only one way to find out ... watch SmackDown! next week at 8/7 CT on UPN!