» On Thursday, December 16, 2004 at 11:06 PM EST WWE SmackDown
December 16, 2004
Location: Nashville, TN
Commentators: Michael Cole and Tazz
Well, it’s the week after Armageddon and the week before Christmas, and here is what went down on tonight’s Smackdown to entertain us between the two events:
Smackdown opened tonight with Orlando Jordan in the ring introducing JBL, whose limo and the ring were decorated in red, white and blue. JBL, accompanied by the rest of his cabinet, then made their way to the ring as balloons and confetti rained down. JBL then chattered on and on about the usual things that he usually goes on about, and how he had beaten three of the greatest wrestlers and gave a little tiara to Amy. They started in a “JBL” chant, with the crowd chanting back something we can’t print here, then more about his own greatness, when he was cut off by the arrival of Kurt Angle, along with his own stable of Luther Reigns and Mark Jindrak. JBL was not thrilled about Kurt and Company interrupting his party.
Kurt said that he, not JBL, is the greatest champion of all time and at Armageddon 2000, he beat six other superstars (Rikishi, The Rock, Stone Cold Steve Austin and HHH) in a Hell in the Cell match, which is way more impressive than a normal fatal four-way--bucko!!! “Bucko” chants then rose up in the audience as Kurt called JBL “bucko” a few more times, much to JBL’s irritation. JBL then reminded Kurt that he had just lost his three on one handicap match, shooting a quick remark of, "My, how the mighty have fallen.” Kurt then told JBL that if he was so sure of himself that why couldn‘t they have their own match tonight, and how he could whoop JBL’s ass and not break a sweat-BUCKO!
JBL then responded that the idea of JBL vs. Kurt Angle was a great idea......just not tonight, as he was taking the rest of 2004 off for the holidays and doing other things.
GM Theodore Long then came out and said that he made the decisions as to if anyone gets a vacation or not(balee dat, playa!), and there would be no vacation for JBL, and Long also had the authority to decide matches, so JBL would be facing Kurt Angle for the WWE Championship, tonight!! “Ho, ho ho!” Long told him…”better yet, holla, holla, holla!”
Match #1: Rey Mysterio and RVD vs. Billy Kidman and Akio
This was a non-title match. One of the shortest matches of the night, but that may be just my opinion.
Kidman and Mysterio locked up after a brief staring contest, then flipped each other back and forth. Kidman applied a backbreaker to Mysterio, with Mysterio responding with a kick to the midsection of Kidman, then an arm drag and head scissors to Akio.
Akio was then set up for the 619, but Mysterio was stopped by Kidman. Mysterio kicked the head of Kidman, knocking him off the apron and both battled outside the ring as Kidman applied a drop kick to Mysterio. Mysterio was then put back into the ring, where two attempt covers were made by Akio, which Mysterio kicked out of both times.
Akio then put a chokehold on Mysterio, which Mysterio broke with an elbow to the midsection of Akio, then corkscrewed Akio to the mat. Both men were down briefly before getting up to tag in their respective partners.
RVD then put a drop kick to Akio in mid air; and a couple of rolling thunders onto Kidman for the cover that Kidman kicked out of. Kidman was then Irish whipped into a corner, then taken down to the mat for the cover that Kidman kicked out of once again. Kidman put the BK Bomb to RVD, then made his way to the top rope appearing to about to do an SSP, before receiving a kick to the head from RVD and taken down off the top rope by Mysterio. RVD then put the head scissors to Kidman and then the win came from RVD’s 5-star on Kidman.
Winners: Mysterio and RVD
Torrie Wilson in a slutty-looking version of Uncle Sam attire came out to show a video that recapped last year's "Christmas in Baghdad.” Don’t ask what happened from here; I had the mute button on the entire time to drown out her screechy, nails on a chalkboard voice. She certainly wasn’t hired for her acting skills nor wrestling talent (should we say lack thereof?). Hey, you’re all lucky I didn’t switch over to CSI during this segement...and not switch it back to Smackdown for the rest of the show!
Heidenreich then burst out of nowhere, startling Tazz and Cole, with Cole taking off to parts unknown. Heidenreich threw a chair into the ring setting it up in the center of it as we viewers were forced to endure yet another "poem by Heidenreich". Pretty much just a bunch of gibberish about even though he lost his match to the Undertaker, he has twice ruined Taker's chance at the title, so Heidenreich feels he has a two to one advantage over Taker; yadda yadda yadda.
Backstage, Booker T and Eddie Guerrero were discussing that even though neither won the title, they are on the same page, and need to stay that way because they are teaming together later tonight. They then met up with another diva and chatted her up briefly. Things started to get a bit heated when Eddie says next week in Iraq, he has to fly solo for his Latino homies. Booker took it as an affront, saying he was going to have a "Booker T-off". Eddie appeared annoyed and it looked like that he was about to pop Booker one, but Booker said he was just pushing Eddie’s buttons and everything is cool, and both went off with their earlier camaderie once again.
Promo aired for the Royal Rumble. Funny stuff.
Orlando Jordan was outside of GM Long's office door, but Michelle McCool stopped him, saying that the GM doesn't want to talk and could not be disturbed, as he was meditating. As Orlando turned around, Luther was all over him, saying that JBL wasn't that great, going back and forth about their respective employers then Orlando stated JBL gives full benefits and Orlando asked if Kurt gives Luther any benefits. Luther then got mad and said it doesn't matter because Kurt is going to win tonight….and beat the hell out of JBL.
Match #2: Booker T and Eddie Guerrero vs. Kenzo Suzuki and Renee Dupree
This match seemed to go on a bit longer than the earlier tag match.
Booker and Dupree locked up, with Dupree whipped into the corner by Booker, before Booker applied an armbar to Dupree. Dupree got in a few slugs to Booker, and Booker answered with a clothesline to Dupree, followed by some right hands and a high elbow.
Eddie was tagged in and whipped across the ring before being knocked to the mat. Eddie recovered and got Suzuki into a corner, where he was slugged and kicked quite a few times by Eddie. Having Suzuki by the hair, Eddie then tagged in Booker, who knocked Suzuki to the mat for a cover, which Suzuki kicked out of.
Eddie was then whipped around then flipped over the shoulder of Suzuki, then Dupree was tagged in. Dupree then put Eddie face first to the mat, then did his French Tickler dance before being hip tossed as the match went to a commercial break.
Upon return, Eddie had Suzuki in a corner, with both Eddie and Booker working Suzuki over. Booker was then flipped to the mat by Suzuki, with Dupree then tagged in again. Booker then recovered and applied a spine buster to Dupree for the cover, which was broken up by Suzuki.
Booker then kicked Dupree to the mat, followed by Booker being flipped over the ropes to the outside of the ring by Suzuki; a brief battle carried on before Booker was put back into the ring and stomped several times by Dupree; Booker was able to recover and get up before being put into a corner by Dupree, who applied several right hands to Booker.
Booker was then kicked in the head by Suzuki, sending him to the mat for the cover by Suzuki and that Booker kicked out of. Booker slammed Dupree face first into the mat as Eddie put a drop kick to Suzuki, followed by two clotheslines to Suzuki and a kick to the midsection of Dupree. Booker then put the Bookend to Suzuki, followed by a Spinaroonie and a kick to the back of the head of Suzuki.
The win then came for Eddie and Booker when Eddie hit the frog splash and put a pinfall on Kenzo.
Winners: Booker T and Eddie Guerrero
Back in JBL's locker room, where the cabinet was gathered, Orlando came back to give JBL the grim news that the GM had kept the match on. In an amazing turn of events, JBL was happy the match was still on, saying he knows he can beat Angle and the rest of the cabinet agreed. Amy then reminded them about the holiday show in Iraq next week, much to a nervous JBL.
Then Carlito came in, stating that he wanted no trouble and told JBL that he sees how the GM is treating him unfairly, and that the GM has also had a grudge on Carlito ever since his debut. Carlito said that after tonight when JBL keeps his title, that Carlito and JBL need to have a talk about how they will fix their problem with Long. Carlito then takes a bite of an apple, the Bashams rushed to protect their boss, thinking Carlito was about to spit, but Carlito walked away chewing and grinning.
Replay of the Jesus vs. Cena Street Fight for the US Title at Armageddon was shown in its entirety.
JBL vs. Kurt match shown in the Raw vs. Smackdown game.
In the final TE segment of the competition, we saw Al Snow and the Tough Enough trophy were in the ring. He then called out both Miz and Puder. Puder is the winner of the $1,000,000 contract. Puder then said a few words following Snow‘s announcement. Snow then asked him how he would like to main even WM21. Puder was shocked at the question, and Al Snow said that he talked to Theodore Long and Puder is one of the 30 participants in the Royal Rumble over the rope elimination match!
Backstage, Kurt continued to say he is the greatest champion of all time. He was sure he will win, then Luther said that he knows that if JBL's cabinet tried anything, that they have Kurt‘s back, but Luther started to complain of back pains, and said that JBL gives his staff medical benefits. Angle, confused, told Luther they would talk later about it, because they needed to concentrate on Kurt’s match, which was next.
Christmas in Iraq segments from last year shown, with announcement about next week’s show.
Match #3: Kurt Angle vs. JBL for the WWE Championship
GM Long appeared at announce desk with Tazz and Cole and announced Heidenreich will face Undertaker in the Middle East next week.
Joy, in a skimpy Santa outfit, came out and tossed goodies to the audience and the announcers.
Kurt and the crew came to the ring, followed by JBL and his flunkeys. As JBL was walking up the ring steps, he spotted Joy, who offered him a candy cane. He readily accepted, which annoyed Amy and a catfight on the outside started, with each other ripping off the other’s top GM Long then gets on the mic and banned everyone from both sides from ringside. As Amy protested saying she was a “professional person“, but Long said it didn’t matter what she was, she was out of there (Get to steppin’, bitch!), before the show went to a commercial break.
Upon returning, JBL had Kurt in a corner of the ring, choking Kurt. Kurt then took down JBL and put him in a choke hold. JBL was fighting back, but Kurt had him in an armbar. JBL slugged Kurt several times, sending Kurt to the mat.
JBL then put Kurt into a corner, applying several right hands to Kurt. Kurt answered with an excellent belly-to-belly suplex, then right handed JBL in the corner of the ring. JBL then knocked down Kurt and put a boot to the back of Kurt, followed by a high elbow to Kurt and a cover, which Kurt kicked out of.
JBL then had a submission hold on Kurt, that Kurt broke by elbows to the gut of JBL, then applied the first of many ankle locks to JBL. JBL managed to break this particular lock by grabbing the ropes and then, with both now outside of the ring, put a thumb to the eye of Kurt and then putting Kurt into the steel steps as a second commercial break came in.
Back from the second break, Kurt was in a top wrist lock by JBL, followed by an arm drag, three shoulder knock downs and an armbar by JBL. Angle then got in an inverted DDT and that sent both to the mat, both getting up slowly. Right hands were then exchanged between the two, followed by a reversal by JBL and a Clothesline from Hell countered by Kurt, who successfully completed three German suplexes and then stalked JBL.
An Angle Slam was then countered by JBL, but JBL missed a boot to Kurt, which resulted in another ankle lock by Kurt. JBL got out of that one and put some right hands to Kurt before Kurt got in an Angle Slam and went for the cover, with JBL kicking out at 2 ˝.
Angle then did a sunset flip and got another ankle lock on JBL, but a failed attempt by Jordan to interfere in the match only sent Jordan over the ropes. Both flunkeys from JBL and Kurt’s sides then began to duke it out outside of the ring, distracting the referee as JBL had tapped out during Kurt’s ankle lock. Jordan then used the championship belt to the skull of Kurt, letting JBL get the cover that Kurt kicked out of and got JBL in yet another ankle lock, but Jordan broke up this one.
Another battle broke out on both sides yet again, but not for long when Big Show made his way to the ring and began cleaning house. Jordan went to battle Show, but Show got the better of Jordan, making his point by giving Jordan the F-5 before motioning to JBL, who is now outside the ring, that he has his eye on the WWE Championship belt as the show ended.
Winner: Kurt Angle via DQPOST-SHOW NOTES:
Could Kurt be possibly making another face turn in the near future?
Royal Rumble tickets go on sale Saturday, December 18--a nice last-minute Christmas gift indeed.
Three matches in a two-hour show AGAIN? This is getting ridiculous. Then again, there was only two matches scheduled for a one-hour show on Velocity this coming Saturday. Let’s cut the crap and give these guys more time to wrestle, shall we?
Puder in the Royal Rumble?! GROWL….I can think of a few more EXPERIENCED superstars that would be more deserving of the honor!
Akio has been impressive in the last couple of weeks in his matches; it was good to see him on Smackdown for a change.
Yes, I know I sound like a broken record on this one, but there are way too many divas that just plain lack talent and do pointless segments--these catfights are really getting OLD! Trash like this probably has the REAL talent wondering whom they have to “lie down with” to get any TV time. Get these bubble headed bimbos off my TV already!
See you all next week from the Middle East…until then, enjoy wrestling!