» On Friday, January 21, 2005 at 12:08 AM EST WWE Smackdown
January 20, 2005
Location: Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Announcers: Michael Cole and Tazz
Ten days to go before the Royal Rumble, and here is what happened on tonight's show!
Before the show opened tonight, a replay of the scenes leading up to Joy's 'kidnapping' were shown.
Tonight's show opened with Teddy Long in the ring and said how Angle sunk to a new low. Long said that once Angle arrives at the arena, he will step into the ring and apologize to Joy--and stand alone doing it--and if Kurt didn't, Long threatened to remove Kurt Angle from the Royal Rumble title match if he didn't apologize to Joy for last week's 'kidnapping' incident, nor will he get another title match in 2005. After the apology, Long said that it would be 'open season' on Kurt. It didn't matter if it was JBL, Big Show, or whomever--when you play with fire, you get burned!
Match #1: Tag Team Championship-The Basham Brothers vs. Eddie Guerrero and Booker T
Booker and Danny locked up in the corner a couple of times before Danny delivered a few right hands to Booker. Booker responded with a great clothesline, followed by a few right hands of his own. Eddie then came in a put a few kicks to the gut of Danny, followed by a shoulder block by Eddie and a take down and knee drop by Booker.
Danny put a knee to the gut of Eddie before being on the receiving end of a hip toss by Booker, and then Eddie off the top rope onto the sternum of Danny. Eddie delivered a drop kick, then Doug slammed Eddie to the mat for the cover; Eddie kicked out.
Eddie put some right hands to Doug, followed by a high kick by Booker, setting Doug up for the cover, which he was pulled outside the ring by Danny, breaking the three-count. As the match went to commercial, both Eddie and Booker went over the ropes onto the Bashams outside the ring.
Upon the return, there was more back and forth action, right up to the finish of the match, when one of the Bashams went to use the belt on Eddie, but Eddie countered and used it instead, and ended up being busted by the ref yet again, resulting in his and Booker's disqualification from the match.
Winners: Basham Brothers via DQ
Aftermath:
Booker and Eddie started arguing, and Eddie decided to leave. Booker was left wide open for an attack, beginning with a shot from behind by Danny, followed by Doug and Jordan, but Eddie came back to make the save on Booker, Booker putting a scissors kick onto Jordan and a frog splash connecting by Eddie.
Backstage, being interviewed by Josh, JBL voiced disgust with Kurt's actions and appeared to be hinting that he was going to do some damage to Kurt in some way and the perceptions of both JBL and Kurt would be forever changed.
Also backstage, Show vowed to Joy that he would make Kurt pay and would wait for him.
Promo shown (in Pittsburgh viewing area) advertising No Way Out and the barbed wire match.
Match #2: Royal Rumble Qualifying Match-Scotty 2 Hotty vs. Akio
Akio attacked Scotty almost immediately with kicks and chops. Scotty answered with a couple of shoulder tosses on Akio; Akio came back with a drop kick for the cover on Scotty, with Scotty kicking out.
Scotty was then tossed outside the ring, with Akio driving him head first into the barricade before both got back into the ring and Akio covering Scotty. Once again, Scotty kicked out. Akio applied a nasty armbar, then a surfboard-like submission hold on Scotty and an abdominal stretch. Once that was broken up, Scotty was slammed into the turnbuckle by Akio.
After some right hands were exchanged, Scotty was slammed to the mat. Akio went off the top rope for the Akio Time, but missed the connection on Scotty, setting him up for Scotty's Worm, then Scotty pinned Akio for the win.
Winner: Scotty 2 Hotty
Cena was interviewed backstage by Josh. Cena discussed Royal Rumble and how the winner would main event in Wrestlemania, along with the usual corny Cena stuff.
Teddy Long and Show were backstage. Long reminded Show that he could not get his hands on Kurt tonight until Kurt apologized to Joy. Show still vowed to wait for Kurt.
Carlito headed out to the ring to get more signatures for his petition yet again. He went on how Long had just sat around while Joy had been kidnapped and how Long should have been held responsible, and how Long was responsible for a lot of bad things happening on Smackdown. He even blamed his arm being in a sling on Long! Carlito then vowed to travel all over the world, even coming to cities like Montreal, until he gets enough signatures on his petition. He was then interrupted by the entrance of Heidenreich, who, annoyed that Long was forcing him into a casket match with Taker at the Rumble, singed the petition and stated that he wanted Teddy Long gone also. Heidenreich said he would do ANYTHING to get out of the casket match.
Just then, the arena darkened and Taker came onto the titantron, delivering a promo to Heidenreich. Taker then opened a casket, showing a dummy form of Heindenreich inside it. Heidenreich went nuts, with the crowd taunting him with "Rest in Peace" chants.
Backstage, Show is still waiting for Kurt. When the door opened, Show was poised with a steel chair, but it was two bimbos instead of Kurt.
Match #3: Royal Rumble Qualifying Match: John Cena vs. Rene Dupree
After the two locked up, Dupree knocked down Cena before they locked up in the center of the ring again. A side head lock by Dupree was reversed by Cena, then Cena delivered a shoulder block and a body drop onto Dupree outside of the ring.
Back inside the ring, Cena went for Dupree again, only to miss Dupree and be sent over the ropes. Once inside the ring again, Cena was on the receiving end of the standing dropkick by Dupree. Cena then got the advantage with a rollup, but Dupree kicked out. Cena tried again with a sunset flip, but once again, Dupree kicked out again.
Dupree put a knee to the forehead of Cena then went for the cover, but Cena got the shoulder up this time. Dupree then got Cena in a chokehold, which was broken by Cena and put Dupree face first into the mat, followed by some right hands, a clothesline, and a high elbow before covering Dupree again; Dupree kicked out.
Dupree was then side slammed into the mat for the cover, but kicked out again. Cena's first try at a five-knuckle shuffle was aborted by Dupree, but a second attempt connected for the cover by Cena; again, Dupree kicked out.
After the FU was counted twice between the two, Cena finally connected with the move and the win for a spot in the Rumble.
Winner: John Cena
After defeating Dupree, Cena was attacked by Kenzo Suzuki. As for Dupree, he must really be in the doghouse with someone; first he gets defeated in a Royal Rumble Qualifying Match at a house show by London and now by Cena on Smackdown television!
In the back, Big Show continued to pace, waiting for Kurt.
Matches for the Royal Rumble were announced.
Backstage, JBL came to talk to Big Show, suggesting that they team up for the night--and one night only-- in order to take care of Kurt Angle. Show said he would think about it.
Match #4: Royal Rumble Qualifying Match: Rey Mysterio vs. Chavo Guerrero
Lots of luchador-style, fast-moving and flying action, with Rey getting the better of Chavo at the beginning of the match. It didn't take long for Chavo to come back, though, especially with a nasty face-first power bomb on Rey at one point. As the match went to commercial break, Chavo was outside the ring, not too happy that he was being dominated once again.
Upon returning from the break, Chavo once again had control of Rey. Rey had gone for the baseball slide during the break, but Chavo got the best of that move. Both were working on the other aggressively back and forth during the rest of the match.
At the end of the match, Rey connected with a 619 on Chavo, followed by a springboard into a splash to pick up the win to pick up his own spot in the Royal Rumble
Winner: Rey Mysterio
RAW Rebound:
Highlight's from both Orton's and HHH's promos, followed by HHH's attack on Orton.
Trish's promo on how she'd beaten Lita at New Year's Revolution.
Highlights from the Snitsky/Kane match.
Kurt Angle hit the ring through the crowd with a prepared statement in his back pocket for his official apology to Joy as another commercial break commenced.
Back from the break, Kurt was already in the ring and called Joy to come to the ring, stating there was something he had to say to her. Joy came out slowly and stared at him as Kurt read from his prepared statement. Joy didn't seem very convinced, though.
Then, aware that his head is on a platter of sorts, Kurt called Big Show to come out from behind the curtain. Show headed out, staring down Kurt before making his way to the ring as Kurt backed his way into a corner of the ring, and then immediately leaving the ring, never taking his eyes off Show. He tells Show he apologized to Joy and he and Show could settle their score at the Rumble and was about to leave when JBL came out.
JBL got on the mic, raised some hell and appeared to be going after Kurt, but he and JBL grinned at each other and ended up shaking hands.another twist in this crazy plot; this time with Show being the butt!
The stables then surrounded the ring with the intention of going to work on Show. It looks as if Show had the upper hand at first, until Jordan got a shot on Show's knee. As Show went for Jordan, Kurt hit an Angle Slam before JBL blasted Show with a chair, leaving him lying in a heap in the ring before the others pulled him up and JBL and Kurt took turns furthering assaulting Show before plowing Show in the skull with the steel steps, leaving a bloodied Show outside of the ring as the show went off the air. POST-SHOW NOTES:
Yes, fans--Chavo and Scotty are still with WWE! For awhile, even I was beginning to wonder.
It was stated on Smackdown at the beginning of the show that RVD would be out "indefinitely." Take that for however long one can speculate that he actually will be with that torn ACL. That is one nasty injury.
Ever notice there are more CW's being used these past couple of weeks?
I don't know about anyone /*, but I was pleased with the time given to the Rey/Chavo match. Nice to see a CW match that wasn't over in less than two minutes. Thumbs up to WWE for this move.
Do you know what I like about Canadian fans? They're HONEST. Whereas here and maybe other parts, we cheer for whom we are 'conditioned' to cheer for, as our friends 'Up North' cheer for whom they REALLY want to cheer for. Don't bash these fans; we could really learn from them.
Next week, Smackdown is back in the States, so until next time, enjoy wrestling!