» On Thursday, June 30, 2005 at 11:48 PM EST WWE Smackdown
June 30, 2005
Location: Anaheim, CA
Announcers: Michael Cole and Tazz
The last day of the month and the final week of the draft has arrived! Who are the latest additions to this week's Smackdown? More from tonight's show:
A clip from last week when Teddy Long announcement of a five-man elimination match for the new Smackdown Title was shown.
Tonight's show started off with Muhammad Hassan and Daivari coming down to the ring. "USA" chants came through very loudly. Hassan talked a bit about the Fourth of July weekend, and what it purports to celebrate. More chants of "USA" as Hassan went through tirades and how he felt like a prisoner in his own country, and when he won the Smackdown title, he would look down on us the way we have looked down on him for years. Hassan then went on about how no one can defeat him, including Undertaker, saying that Taker didn't deserve to be in this match; the day of the Deadman has gone. With this, Taker came out , stared down Hassan as Daivari went outside of the apron with a weird look on his face. Hassan then tried to cover his tracks by saying that he meant the Day of the Deadman had gone, and how Taker had beaten all the greats--except the great Muhammad Hassan and Taker responded wordlessly by attempting to choke slam Hassan before getting a steel chair from behind from Daivari before Taker put a choke slam to Daivari, sending a loud and clear message to Hassan.
Match #1: WWE Cruiserweight Championship: Cruiserweight Champion Paul London vs. Chavo Guerrero
London was in control of Chavito early in the match, including a mule kick on Chavo through the second rope. Once Chavo got back in, he got control of the champion as London tried to battle his way out of the corner of the ring. Chavo got a wicked clothesline on London and got another near fall before London kicked out. London got his wind back and got some good dropkicks in on Chavo.
THEN..here we go again; yet another cruiserweight match was interrupted five minutes in by the Mexicools, just when things were getting off the ground in this match, John Deere mowers and all.
They attacked both Chavo and London making it a no-contest; Chavo was sent over the top rope. Psicosis, on the direction of Juvi, took a shot at the timekeeper, followed a three on one assault on London.
Juvi continuously asked if "there were any Mexicans in the house." When a yes came from the stands, Juvi let them know that gringos think Mexicans are fat, gross and lazy and "suite frankly, they are right." some more things about how they would 'rise again' against the gringos.
Juvi then introduced his 'familia and amigos,' Psicosis and Super Crazy, who gave a brief introduction of themselves.and they weren't Mexicans, but Mexicools!
Winner: No Contest
A preview of the WrestleMania 21 game was shown, with some of the contenders of tonight's five man match for the Smackdown Championship was shown.
Highlights from last week's Eddie/Rey match were replayed.
Backstage, Eddie Guerrero was smiling and interviewed. Josh Matthews asked why he was so happy despite losing to Rey last week. Eddie responded that he was smiling because he knew that Rey was going to be on his knees later tonight begging Eddie not to "tell the truth." OK.this is going to be interesting.
Also backstage, Melina was with Nitro and Mercury, telling them to focus and then Melina dropping names of who was there to see her first match tonight. Melina then said she could see the headlines in Variety now: "Melina Destroys Wannabe Diva Michelle McCool." She added that she wouldn't need Mercury or Nitro's help; she was confident that she could win the match on her own. She then posed for the cameras as she left her dressing room.
Highlights from the Summer Bash Tour from last week were aired.
Match #2: Melina vs. Michelle McCool
Highlights from Michelle's/Melina's battle from last week was shown.
Another short match with Michelle taking down Melina almost right away. Melina tried to leave the ring, before Michelle pulled her back in. Melina was begging at one point, but Michelle wasn't impressed. Melina got a cheap shot and then choked Michelle with the ropes until the five count broke it. Michelle kicked her in the jaw, got Melina before Melina getting the the power bomb and then the pin on Michelle, with Melina's foot on the ropes, after getting punched in the corner several times by Michelle.
Winner: Melina
Aftermatch:
Nitro and Mercury gave the Snapshot to Michelle after the match before Heidenreich came to the rescue of Michelle and chasing out MNM
Backstage, Benoit was seen getting ready for the five-man match.
We saw Eddie Guerrero again, this time in the ring. He showed a video of Rey's son at a playground. Eddie asked Rey if he remembered when Eddie said he would get hurt. He then said he was at Rey's son's playground before Eddie called him over, wondering if the boy liked secrets and bedtime stories. He then offered candy to the boy, before he sat on Eddie's lap and Eddie told him he loved him and when Eddie asked if he loved secrets and bedtime stories. When the kid said that he did, Eddie responded that he would tell him a bedtime story that he would never, ever forget. When the video ended, Eddie talked more about this secret, asking if he should tell their secret and share it with the world, then Rey came to the ring and Eddie asked him if he thought it was time his son knew the truth. Rey asked Eddie not to; Eddie told Rey to get on his knees and beg him not to tell Dominique the secrets/bedtime stories/the truth. Rey got on his knees. Eddie took out candy, then spit some in Rey's face and knocked him down, leaving Rey with "Chew on that!" as a parting shot.
The announcement by Long of the five-man elimination match from last week was once again shown.
During the introduction of the contenders for the match, Teddy Long then came out and Christian was revealed as the newest Smackdown draft pick and was entered into the now Six Man Elimination Match to determine the new Smackdown Champion.
Match #3: Six-Man Elimination Match for the WWE Championship
Very long match; my guess is that this one went about 35 minutes or more.
Taker was the last one to come out; everyone but Christian bailed out of the ring. It looked as if Christian was trying to reason with Taker before things got underway.
Taker made his presence known by working on Hassan, before JBL tagged in to battle Hassan; Hassan then tagged in Benoit to battle it out with JBL in the ring before Hassan was tagged back in to deal with Benoit. Hassan got to the corner at one point, met with the eyes of Taker, which then Taker tagged in and went to work on Hassan.
Undertaker was then the first man eliminated about ten minutes into the match via DQ after he hit Hassan with a chair near the announce desk. Both he and Hassan were out at this point and he continued to whack Hassan with the chair again as the match broke to a second commercial.
Back from the break, Benoit and Booker were at it in the ring. Lots of right hands and chops exchanged; Benoit took a nasty shot off the ring post at one point and putting a wicked abdominal stretch on Booker, yet Booker refused to submit. The battle went on until both men were down in the ring, but both were to their feet before the ten-count was completed. Benoit attempted the sharpshooter once, but Booker kicked out before Benoit locked it in on the second attempt. Somehow, Booker made it out and it looked as if Booker was in the Crossface when JBL tagged in.
JBL and Booker went at it until Benoit tagged in again and was eliminated about 20 minutes into the match, after a DDT and a pin to Benoit by JBL. It was now down to three as the match went to a third commercial break.
Back from the break again, Booker and JBL went back and forth in this match for a bit before Christian was tagged in and went to work on Booker. Christian had Booker by the neck, but Booker still wouldn't submit. Christian added a drop kick on Booker once Booker got out of the hold and went to work on Booker's neck yet again. Both went back and forth for a long time, a lot of moves countered a couple of near falls. JBL then tagged in, battling out with Booker again. JBL kicked out from several of Booker's pin attempts.
Christian was now in the ring; he went off the top rope and onto JBL for a pin attempt, which JBL kicked out of. Christian and JBL went back and forth and Christian got a tornado DDT onto JBL for another pin attempt, but JBL kicked out. More back and forth as JBL put a reverse choke on Christian. Christian got out of the hold by elbow to the sternum, and JBL got a forward slam on Christian before Booker came back in. Booker went to the top rope and landed on JBL for a pin attempt, but JBL got out at two and a half. More chops by Booker, followed by the Book End on JBL, but JBL also got out of that pin by Booker when the match went to the fourth commercial.
Upon return from the commercial break, JBL and Booker were still at it when Christian tagged in and JBL pinned Booker. Christian and Booker argued, causing a distraction on Christian's part; when Christian turned around, JBL got him with the clothesline from hell.
Winner: JBL
Aftermatch:
JBL went London-esque on his win celebration, hugging the ref and getting emotional. Teddy Long then came out with a sack that appeared to be holding the belt and said he had some good news and some bad news. The bad news was JBL was NOT Smackdown Champion, because there's no need for one because of who the new draft pick, BUT the good news was that JBL is now the #1 Contender. It was then revealed that the final pick was Batista, who came to the ring and posed for the crowd as the show left the air. POST-SHOW NOTES:
Hassan needs to slow down; he doesn't sound as good when he is psyched up...and he better hope the war is over before they do another Smackdown! Christmas in Iraq.
You know, if anyone /* interrupted this match, I'd been royally annoyed, but I am really starting to dig these Mexicool guys. They're the life the CW Division has needed! Still, as I mentioned in this week's column, London is a champion and needs to be showcased as one, not beaten around and the matches constantly interrupted.
Melina is freaking great in her promos. Oh, and she isn't all that bad in the ring either, for what little we got to see. There was only man yelling, "Melina look to the right! Melina, turn to the left!" as she left her dressing room. Anyone notice?
I'm also digging Michelle McCool. I think she can be the next big diva along with Melina; a feisty one she is!
Tazz: "Tag team champions, wearing fur coats in California!" LMAO...at least London had the sense to leave his at home.
When I saw the Eddie video, I couldn't help but think about the Michael Jackson brouhaha. Don't ask me why. But it takes a GREAT performer to make this as good as Eddie did.
Did anyone notice when Rey got pushed down, one of his contacts fell out, so one was his normal brown eye, while the other was still small and blue.
Batista has come to Smackdown...for now!
Next week, Smackdown will air from Sacramento, California. Until next time, enjoy wrestling.