» On Friday, December 31, 2004 at 1:02 AM EST WWE Smackdown Results
December 30, 2004
Location: New Orleans, LA
Announcers: Michael Cole and Tazz
Here we are, the final show of 2004, and quite a night it was, some better than others. And here we go with tonight’s recap!
Before the show again, General Manager Teddy Long appeared with a statement in order to show appreciation for the fans by presenting the Night of Champions, meaning every champion would defend their titles against the opponents of their choices. He went on to say that 2004 was a year of “shizzle,“ and promised that 2005 would be even better on Smackdown.
Once the show got underway, Cena made his entrance to the ring, starting a rap about the New Year, before going over the barricades into the audience, shaking hands, hugging fans and throwing his jersey to yet another fan. He then went back into the ring, making a brief rap about the Night of Champions, until Dupree made his entrance, saying he would make the decision for Cena for him as far as choosing an opponent went, going into….
Match #1 :John Cena vs. Rene Dupree for the US Championship
Cena ambushed Dupree upon Dupree entering the ring, raining down some right hands onto Dupree, followed by two suplexes. Cena then put on Dupree’s robe, mimicking Dupree’s French Tickler, before applying the five knuckle shuffle onto Dupree.
As Cena “pumped up,” Dupree left the ring, allegedly to get his second wind, but he was pounced on by Cena, who dragged him back into the ring. Dupree got the upper hand for the moment, stomping Cena in the kidney area, before Cena got his own control back and responded to Dupree with several right hands.
Dupree put Cena off the turnbuckle, then placed him on the top turnbuckle, with Dupree’s move backfiring when Cena shoved him off the top turnbuckle. A high cross body by Cena was missed when Dupree moved out of the way, with Dupree’s turn at doing the French Tickler.
Cena then got in a couple of takedowns and several right hands and kicks onto Dupree, followed by a high elbow, before Cena wrapped up the win on Dupree with the FU.
Winner and still US Champion: John Cena
JBL and Amy “The Bitch” Weber were walking backstage, running into Joy. Amy said that Joy that she looked fat and Joy retorted to Amy about her own waddle. JBL began to scold Joy and then Big Show came in at the right moment, telling JBL he wants the title match against himself. Joy thanked Show for his help after he asked if she was all right.
Match #2: Kurt Angle vs. Matt Stryker
Film from two weeks ago of Angle vs. JBL.
Angle complimented JBL and said that JBL was generous to a fault, making a list of JBL’s works and that he was the finest champion of all time, Angle then went on to say he wanted to be the #1 contender for tonight‘s match vs. JBL.
Stryker then entered the ring, telling Angle his name and location, before Angle took a cheap shot on Stryker and taking Stryker into the ropes, lockup and takedown by angle, cover, kick out by Stryker. Gut wrenches and switches by both Angle and Stryker before Angle made Stryker tap to the ankle lock very quickly.
Winner: Kurt Angle
Rey and RVD were backstage, trying to decide who they wanted to face in their match when Eddie and Booker T appeared, telling them they would like to face the champs for the titles, because they knew JBL wouldn‘t give them a chance at the WWE Championship. RVD and Rey agreed to think about it. Booker said that they were going to think of the frog splash and the spinaroonie, commencing into an argument between Booker and Eddie about whose name will go first in the tag team, while RVD and Rey got out of the picture.
Undertaker and Heidenreich match from last week’s show in Iraq was shown, followed by Taker vs. Heidenreich match announced for the Royal Rumble.
Backstage, Daniel Puder started to get unpacked in the locker room and congratulated by other superstars, before he was confronted by Hardcore Holly. Hardcore talked about how the other supestars had paid their dues to get to the point they were(himself for 11 years), while Puder only won a contest. Puder got cocky, asking if Holly was ever in a main event. Puder then said that he will be in the main event at Wrestlemania and Holly told him he had a lot to learn.
Teddy Long was speaking with some bottle blonde when JBL, Amy, and Orlando walked in. JBL said that he will defend the title randomly; he had all the superstars’ names in a fishbowl. He picked a name, looked nervous and picked again. Teddy Long told JBL to go to the ring and defend the title against the superstar he just chose. Amy “The Bitch” said it was JBL’s choice, but Long cut her down and said that JBL already picked his opponent and he would defend his title against that person.
Match #3: JBL vs. Shannon Moore for the WWE Championship
One of the quickest matches of the night, JBL showed Chimmel the slip of the superstar chosen; Chimmel paused before announcing Moore’s name, with Moore running into the boot of JBL JBL tossed Moore into the steel steps, putting him into the ring, power bombing Moore, before JBL took down Moore with a short arm clothesline.
Winner and Still WWE Champion: JBL
Aftermath:
Teddy Long came out to the ring before a commercial break interrupted what viewers were about to find out the purpose of his in-ring appearance was.
Back from the break, Long confronted JBL and demanded to inspect JBL’s fishbowl that allegedly held all the superstars’ names. Amy “The Bitch” attempted to sneak off with it as JBL went into a yelling fit at Long, but Joy made a great saved by attacking Superbitch from behind and grabbed the bowl, giving Witchy Woman a good whack in the head with it. Both were then escorted out and Teddy checked all the slips in the bowl, revealing the name of Shannon Moore on ALL of them!
Teddy told JBL that he had tried to “play” all these fans and that Teddy wanted an explanation, saying he ordered Jordan to put the names in the bowl and he had nothing to do with. Long then told him that it would be Long’s choice as to whom JBL will defend the title at the Royal Rumble---that opponent being Kurt Angle.
Angle came into the ring, and an argument between JBL and Angle commenced. Teddy then interjected between them, saying he wasn’t finished making the match, that it wouldn’t be a one on one match, before announcing that the match would be a Triple Threat instead-- with the third opponent being Big Show. Show then made his own presence known by coming out to the ring as the show went to commercial break.
Backstage, Carlito told Josh that he made a New Year’s resolution that Theodore Long be finished as the GM of Smackdown and “that would be cool.”
Heidenreich came out to the ring, saying he’s not scared of The Undertaker. He cost Taker the title twice and he spared Taker last week by running out of their match in Iraq. Heindenreich went on for a big longer that he feared no man, and the Royal Rumble would be Taker’s final resting place, before Taker’s gong sounded and Taker’s voice was heard, telling Heidenreich that HIS final resting place has been chosen--at the Royal Rumble, where Heidenreich will rest in peace.
A casket was then brought out and placed next to the ring. Heidenreich slowly went over to it from his place in the ring, before touching it and Taker popping out of the casket. Heidenreich moved back to the other side of the ring like a scalded cat, leaving us to wonder if their match at the Royal Rumble will indeed be a casket one.
Backstage, Jindrak and Reigns told Josh that they were going to be opponents against RVD and Mysterio and how great they were, before they were interrupted by the Bashams, with the Bashams saying they were former tag champs, but Eddie and Booker confidently interrupted all of them and said they would be chosen by Rey and RVD.
Match #4: Funaki vs. Spike Dudley for the Cruiserweight Championship
This was a rematch from Armageddon.
Spike was bounced off the top turnbuckle by Funaki; followed by right hands by Funaki. Spike then took down Funaki from behind for the cover; Funaki kicked out.
Spike put a suplex on Funaki, followed by Spike going off the top rope and driving Funaki into the steel post and more right hands to Funaki. Outside of the ring, Funaki was bounced off the side of the apron by Spike before both were back into the ring. Spike then raked the eyes of Funaki, followed by Spike delivering more right hands to Funaki.
Funaki responded with some right hands of his own, followed by a kick to the back of the head of Spike and several slugs to Spike after that. Spike was then whipped across the ring to the mat for the cover by Funaki; Spike kicked out. A sunset flip by Spike was then countered by Funaki for the win.
Winner and still CW Champion: Funaki
Highlights from last week’s “Christmas in Iraq” were shown.
Backstage, three more divas were having some airheaded conversation about someone being “hot” and should approach him before going over to where Cena was. Fawning over him, they asks such worn cliches about “letting us touch it..play with it..touch it” (it was the US title belt they had interest in…get your minds out of the gutter, guys). Cena then said there was some perks to being a US Champion while the bimbos messed with the belt.
RAW Rebound:
Highlights from the matches for the 6-man match at New Year’s Resolution and HBK announced as guest referee.
Backstage, RVD and Mysterio announced their tag team opponents, kiddingly at first Dawn Marie and Torrie, before announcing that it would be Eddie and Booker T--then Dawn Marie and Torrie.
Match #5: Rey Mysterio and RVD vs. Eddie and Booker T for the Tag Team Championship
Prior to the match, Booker and Eddie discussed their experiences in Iraq last week.
Eddie and Rey locked up; with Eddie putting a side head lock to Rey. Eddie then got in a good armbar on Rey, followed by hammerlock on Rey by Eddie. Rey broke the hold, but Eddie got in a takedown on Rey for the cover, with Rey kicking out.
Eddie then put an arm drag to Rey, followed by a monkey flip. Booker was then tagged in and locked up with Rey before Booker putting Rey into a corner and Booker putting some right hands to Rey, followed by a forearm.
RVD was then tagged in, applying a back elbow to Booker, followed by a drop kick by Rey and a cross body and then a side headlock by RVD. Booker head butted RVD in the sternum to break the hold, followed by RVD connecting a high kick to Booker for the cover; which was broken by Eddie.
Booker was then slammed to the mat, followed by a move that Rey and RVD called a “420” for the cover that Booker kicked out of. RVD was then thrown outside of the ring, followed by Rey shortly after; we then saw the champions regrouping as the match went to commercial break.
Upon return, Rey was kicking Booker in the behind, before Booker was whipped across the ring. Rey went shoulder first into steel post before being slammed to the mat by Booker. Booker then followed up with a suplex and Rey was then covered by Eddie; Rey kicked out.
Eddie then applied a hammer lock to Rey followed by a nasty-looking submission hold that was broken up by RVD. Booker then got in a spin kick on Rey, followed by three cover attempts that Rey got out of each time. A shot then sent RVD off the apron as Eddie and Booker double teamed on Rey, followed by a forearm shot onto Rey for the cover that Rey kicked out of.
Eddie then got another arm lock onto Rey, followed by Rey breaking the hold by with right hands to the ribs of Eddie. Eddie got the wrong end of a DDT, followed by an RVD clothesline, spin kick and suplex for the cover--Eddie kicked out.
RVD got in a rolling thunder of sorts, followed by a five-star frog splash on Eddie for the cover, which was broken by Booker. RVD then went for Eddie again, but instead went shoulder first into a steel post. Eddie then got in some right hands to RVD, followed by RVD being slammed to the mat and a boot to the head by Booker for the cover that was broken by Rey.
Eddie and Booker then double teamed RVD; Eddie successfully connected with The Three Amigos, going for the cover that was once again broken by Rey.
Booker kicked the ribs of RVD three times, followed by a takedown. Booker then applied a sleeper lock onto RVD, which RVD was able to break by elbowing the midsection of Booker. Booker then put the bookends to RVD for the cover; broken by Rey yet again.
After a boot to the head of Booker, Rey went off the top rope onto Eddie; his following move was then reversed by Eddie, followed by a spin arm drag by Eddie. Eddie then broke up the cover on Booker.
As both RVD and Eddie were knocked outside of the ring, Booker had inadvertently knocked out the referee, giving Rey the opportunity to set him up for the 619, which Rey successfully connected. Booker then recovered and put a scissor kick to the head of Rey; Eddie went for the cover as Booker got in his spinaroonie, but Rey broke the cover.
As the match built to the end, Eddie then went outside of the ring and got one of the tag belts, dropping it on the midsection of Rey. Eddie then made the attempt to use his “lie, cheat and steal” move on the now-recovered ref to make him think Rey hit him with the belt. The ref then busted Eddie instead, letting Rey get in the win with a rollup.
Winners and still Tag Team Champions: Rey Mysterio and RVD
POST-SHOW NOTES:
I liked this show; it was a good way to end the year. Sure a few matches were shorter than I would have liked, but all the titles being defended in one show, how can you not dig that?
A word of advice to Tazz: DON’T SING! (That was a poor attempt at Auld Lang Syne)
Well, that does it for the year 2004. See you all next year…until then, enjoy wrestling!