» On Thursday, November 18, 2004 at 11:24 PM EST WWE SmackDown
Date: November 18, 2004
Location: Dayton, OH
Announcers: Michael Cole and Tazz
John Cena’s return opened tonight’s show with huge pops from the fans. “The Champ has returned!” He went on about how he was going to win back the US title tonight and how Carlito was “such a man” for stealing his chain, his US title belt and even “man enough” to have Cena taken care of in a nightclub. Cena then did a rap about Carlito.
Tough Enough Segment #1: The six finalists are shown, and it was announced that Chris Nawrocki was eliminated this week, sent packing and left the arena. From there, the five remaining went to go into the ring as the show went to a commercial break.
Upon return, the five finalists were in the ring for this week’s task: how hard were they willing to fight for a flag attached to the corner of the ring? One obstacle: they had to get past the Basham Brothers to get to the flag. With many moves not allowed in the competition, the contestants were pretty well limited in what they could do for this area of the competition. Despite of each contestant’s best effort, the Bashams ended up winning in the end.
Backstage, Rey Mysterio found RVD in the locker room with his new personal trainer, RAW Diva Search reject Michelle. As they ‘stretched out’ per Michelle’s instructions, Rey and RVD talked about how Suzuki and Dupree didn’t deserve to be the tag champions, but they should have it.
October 1 highlights from the Cena vs. Carlito feud were shown.
GM Theodore Long was backstage on the phone when there was a knock at the door. Ending his phone conversation, Long encountered Carlito and his flunky, Jesus. Carlito then told Long that he’s physically unable to wrestle tonight, and could the match be put off for about 4-6 weeks? Carlito then showed him a note and x-rays, but Long denied Carlito’s request for the delay; after all, if Cena could be there to wrestle after being stabbed in the kidney six weeks ago, Carlito could wrestle with an injured shoulder. If Carlito didn’t wrestle tonight, he would be stripped of his title.
Paul Heyman was also backstage giving a pep talk of sorts to Heidenreich. Heyman said that even though Undertaker won at Survivor Series, it had been Heidenreich that had gotten a moral victory, and how Heidenreich was Undertaker’s own personal demon; Taker had never looked at anyone /* the way he had looked at Heidenreich. Heyman also told Heidenreich that could be the biggest thing for Heidenreich, and that someday he would get Taker again, but for now, he needed to concentrate on his match against Charlie Haas. Heindenreich then interrupted Heyman to ask if he was strapped in, and when Heyman said that he was, Heindenreich said that he “wanted to get this over with.”
A classic Wrestlemania moment was shown.
Highlights from this week’s Armageddon press conference in Atlanta were shown.
Match #1: Heidenreich (w/Paul Heyman) vs. Charlie Haas (w/Miss Jackie)
Heidenreich came into the ring in a straitjacket, due to the incident that happened between him and Haas two weeks ago. Heindenreich was then seen folding the jacket up in a peculiar way once it was removed for “safekeeping.”
Haas took this opportunity to put an attack on Heindenreich from behind, but then Heidenreich countered with an attack of his own before applying a shoulder breaker to Haas. While Haas was down, Heyman yelled at Heidenreich to cover him, but Heidenreich went outside the ring instead.
Outside the ring as he was being counted out, Heidenreich exhibited some bizarre behavior before curling up in a fetal position.
Winner: Charlie Haas via countout
After the commercial break, Cole and Tazz were lamenting on the previous behavior of Heidenreich, wondering if he had some kind of nervous breakdown.
Match #2: Rey Mysterio and RVD vs. Tag Team Champions Kenzo Suzuki and Rene Dupree (w/Hiroko)
RVD and Suzuki started off twisted up on each other, then Suzuki put some kicks and chops to RVD. RVD answered with a few kicks of his own before tagging in Mysterio. Mysterio applied a leg drop, went for the cover, but Suzuki kicked out. Mysterio then did a moonsault off the top rope, but somehow landed on his knee, much to the advantage of Suzuki at this point.
Once Mysterio regained some steam, he knocked Dupree off the apron and set Suzuki up for the 619, but was pulled outside the ring by Dupree and knocked him to the floor before Dupree got in his French Tickler. RVD then came up behind Dupree and put him into the steel steps.
Back in the ring, Suzuki became the recipient of a double leg drop that caught him right in the nose as the segment went to commercial break.
At the beginning of the second half of the segment after the break, Suzuki was shown with a bloody nose; Mysterio and Suzuki were then battling it out in the ring. Dupree was then tagged in and Mysterio landed on his feet after being flipped over the shoulders of Dupree. Mysterio then flipped Dupree from the top rope and went for the cover, which Dupree kicked out.
Suzuki then attacked Mysterio from behind, putting Mysterio into a turnbuckle, followed by a knee to the back of the skull, then a choke hold on Mysterio. Mysterio got out of the hold by elbowing the ribs of Suzuki, then Suzuki applied a knock down on Mysterio for the cover; Mysterio kicked out.
Dupree then came in and right handed Mysterio, followed by a drop kick by Dupree. Mysterio was then covered, but kicked out once again. Mysterio was whipped into the second turnbuckle before Suzuki drove a knee into the throat of Mysterio. Dupree followed up with putting the throat of Mysterio into the second rope as Suzuki drove a knee into Mysterio’s back, whipped him back onto the mat for the cover; Mysterio got up a shoulder.
Suzuki then got Mysterio into an armbar, which Mysterio escaped with some kicks and slugs to Suzuki, followed by a back elbow to Dupree. Face first into the mat, Mysterio pulled out from under Suzuki to tag in RVD.
RVD then put some right hands and some kicks to Suzuki, then knocked Dupree off the apron. A leg drop by RVD was then aborted by Dupree; Mysterio then got in a sunset flip for the cover that Suzuki kicked out.
The double rolling onto Suzuki for the cover was then broken up by Dupree; followed by a drop toe hold by RVD and Suzuki was set up for the 619, which connected successfully.
Winners: Rey Mysterio and RVD
More highlights shown from the Cena/Carlito feud from October 1.
Highlights from last year’s holiday visit to Iraq were also shown; and WWE would be returning this year. Creed’s song, “One,” will be the theme for this year’s holiday tribute.
Kurt Angle then came out to the ring, saying that with Thanksgiving being a week away, he was in a giving mood. He then went on about how he should be given credit for being the most unselfish star in WWE, and offered an invitational that would give a ‘hometown hero’ an opportunity every week to step into the ring with an Olympic gold medallist. He would do this each week to prove a point--that he is the greatest wrestler in the ring and that no one could beat him. If by any chance that someone would--and they wouldn’t--Angle said that he would hand deliver them his Olympic gold medal.
A local wrestler came into the ring, introducing himself as Dean Fisk when Angle asked him his name. When the match began, Fisk was quickly taken down by Angle, then pinned Fisk’s arms behind his back. Fisk somehow countered, putting the same move onto Angle. Angle then applauded Fisk for putting on good moves and stuck his hand out for Fisk to shake. When Fisk went to do so, Angle put a hand to the jaw of Fisk, followed by putting Fisk into a corner, stomping him, putting Fisk to the mat with both a suplex and the Angle Slam. Instead of covering Fisk, Angle put him into an ankle lock until Fisk tapped out.
Looks like Angle just won his own invitational….
Backstage, Orlando Jordan came into the dressing room of JBL, who was with another Diva Search reject, Amy. JBL introduced Amy as his new image consultant, with Amy saying she wanted to make JBL look as good as possible before sending him off for his victory speech, which was coming up next. “Remember…image is everything!” she said.
More highlights shown from October 14, where viewers learned of Cena’s ‘stabbing.’ This was followed by the November 11 segment that GM Theodore Long confronted Carlito about Jesus being present in the club when Cena was stabbed.
“JBL is on a roll!“ Coming to the ring and getting on the mic, he made an attempt to put himself over with the crowd, went on to say how no one can defeat him for the WWE Title and how many people will be chanting his name. Cameras are turned onto the group as JBL tell their kids not about other events on the show, but the chance they got to chant “JBL.” He then went on to say he guaranteed victory at Survivor Series and delivered, since he became champion, the economy had improved, and not one major terrorist attack on US soil--JBL is champion for America, and deemed himself a ‘symbol’ of America, and called himself the WWE Undisputed Champion.
Booker T then hit the ring, but JBL said they had their fight and they were finished. Booker was appalled that JBL is comparing himself to Michael Jordan, and how Jordan’s houseboy didn’t use tactics that Orlando did to win. Booker then demanded a rematch, but Eddie Guerrero came out to the ring. JBL ordered Eddie out of the ring, it was his victory speech. Eddie was sick of hearing how JBL is great at his expense and incidents Eddie had never forgotten; don’t forget who was champion before JBL was. It is time to get the championship around Eddie’s waist again.
Booker and Eddie debated about getting a rematch with JBL when the Undertaker entered into the ring.
Once in the ring, Taker makes a sign around his waist as for getting the belt back. JBL leaves ring, yelling at the other three that he is not fighting any of them and will they never get a rematch from JBL.
GM Theodore Long then came down to sort out the dispute, announcing JBL vs. Eddie Guerrero vs. Booker T vs. Undertaker in a Fatal Four Way Match for the WWE Title at Armageddon December 12.
The segment with Cena in the Raw vs. Smackdown video game was shown.
Tough Enough Segment #2: Each contestant got to speak for 30 seconds on the mic of why viewers should vote for them, followed by Snow announcing that voting for this week was now open.
Backstage, Diva Search Reject #3 Joy was massaging Carlito, but he kept yelling at her before she was ‘dismissed’ by both he and Jesus. Carlito then expressed how upset he was that Long made him defend his title tonight.
Highlights from Survivor Series of the match of Team Angle vs. Team Guerrero were shown.
Match #3: US Champion Carlito Caribbean Cool vs. John Cena
After coming into the ring, Cena attacked Jesus and threw him out of the ring. Carlito went outside the ring, but Cena followed, whipping Carlito into the apron, a barricade and a steel post.
Meanwhile, Jesus had gotten a steel chair and was about to attack Cena with it, but Cena knocked down Jesus and took the steel chair from him, cracking Carlito with it in the shoulder of Carlito. At that moment, the bell was rung, and back in the ring, Cena delivered the FU to Carlito and covered for the win.
Winner and new US Champion: John Cena
Aftermath:
After going toward the corner of the ring in an attempt to retake the chain that Carlito had stolen from him, Cena was attacked from behind by Jesus, who brutally attacked Cena in the kidney area, ending with a blow to the kidney by Jesus with Cena’s chain. As Cena lay in the ring in pain and attended by EMT’s, Jesus helped Carlito to the back. As the show left the air, Cena was taken out on a gurney by the EMT’s.
POST-SHOW NOTES:
For a main event, it seemed terribly short to me.
No, your eyes did not deceive you. The Chavo/Kidman match was edited out of tonight’s show. Why is anyone’s guess.
Why would a Japanese women be made to carry a French flag?
Is Kenzo the latest victim of a broken nose?
Where the heck is London? Isn't he due back sometime?
Where was Fifi?
Funny thing was, Chris Nawrocki said he wasn’t going to quit despite broken ribs, and it turned out he was eliminated anyway. Guess he'd been better off quitting. At least now his ribs can heal properly.
Who did the best 30 seconds out of the TE guys? My money is on Dan Puder. Anyone that can endure a lap dance from Mae Young gets kudos from me.
Does this show really need more ‘divas’ with no visible talent and/or wrestling abilities, considering the talent that was recently cut? Oh right, the search rejects were cheaper in more ways than one.
Three matches in TWO HOURS? In addition, too many highlights from other occasions were also shown when another match or two could have been put in there. Come on, people….
Just a final note that I may not be covering the show next week. With my recent illness (yes, I am still not 100% since my last hospitalization and may have to go back in for more tests), as well as the Thanksgiving holiday, it is possible I may not be recapping next week's Smackdown. At this point, things are still up in the air.
Until next time…enjoy wrestling.