» On Thursday, August 26, 2004 at 11:12 PM EST Full WWE SmackDown Results - 8/26/04
Taped from: Fresno, CA
Announcers: Michael Cole and Tazz
Report by: Erica Johnson of WrestleView.com
Smackdown opens with a recap of the highlights from Eddie Guerrero/Kurt Angle from last week's Smackdown. It shows Eddie and Kurt's handshake in which Eddie armdragged Kurt, then Rey Mysterio making the save when Luther tries to help Kurt with the double-team, and finally, highlights of the tag match from Kurt and Luther vs. Eddie and Rey Mysterio.
The show starts with Eddie Guerrero coming to the ring. He grabs a mic and promptly begins to admonish Kurt Angle for ruining his low-rider last week by dumping paint on it. He says that Kurt defaced his property, just like he was going to deface Kurt tonight. He says he doesn't want to wrestle Angle, he wants to FIGHT Angle. He then calls Kurt Angle out. Angle's music hits, but Luther Reigns comes out instead. He tells Eddie that he better be careful what he wishes for, because Kurt would annihilate Eddie if they were to fight. Eddie tells Luther to bring it on, he's ready for a fight. Then Kurt Angle pops up on the Titantron. He tells Eddie that he's in the parking lot waiting for him. Eddie leaves the ring and proceeds to the parking lot area. He finds Angle quickly and chases him around for a little while. Angle hides behind a car and tells Eddie not to touch the car, that it's his car. Eddie shows great interest in the car, and in an act of revenge for last week, he finds a trash can and dumps it all over Angle's car. He then finds a pipe and proceeds to bust out the windows of the car. Luther Reigns blindsides Eddie from behind while he is trashing the car, and Angle and Luther hop into a nearby van and take off.
Eddie continues to destroy the car after they leave, and is caught in the act by GM Theodore Long. Long informs Eddie that the car he is destroying isn't Angle's, in fact, it is the GM's. Long is irate. He demands security remove Eddie from the building, and they do so.
**Commercial break**
Match #1: RVD vs. Kenzo Suzuki
The first match of the evening pits Rob Van Dam against the Bronze Warrior, Kenzo Suzuki. Before the match, Suzuki is shown in a taped segment saying that he saw RVD driving a Japanese car, and that he was ashamed of RVD. He says that RVD should be driving a car build in the greatest country in the world, the USA. He closes with "I am Kenzo Suzuki, and I am American!" This brings great boos from the Fresno crowd.
RVD enters the ring first. Kenzo Suzuki is then carried down to ringside on his normal platform. As he gets to ringside, RVD decides he doesn't want to wait. He kicks Suzuki off the platform, and beats up the guys who carried him to ringside. He tosses Suzuki into the ring, and the match officially begins. The crowd is solidly behind RVD, but that doesn't matter to Suzuki. He takes early control of the match, unleashing an arsenal of kicks, punches, chops and elbows on Mr. Thursday Night. RVD gains control with a big kick to the head, and mounts a quick, high-flying offense. He crushes Suzuki with a split-legged moonsault in the corner, but only gets a 2-count. RVD goes to the top rope for the 5-Star Frogsplash, but Rene DuPree comes down to ringside and RVD decides to hit him with a splash from the top instead. As he returns to the ring, he is greeted by the Claw from Suzuki, but before Suzuki can finish his move, RVD reverses with a small package for the 3-count. His victory is short-lived though, as DuPree jumps into the ring and joins Suzuki in beating down RVD. They hit him with a double brainbuster, showing their dominance.
WINNER: RVD
Back in the parking lot, Theodore Long is shown trying to clean up his destroyed car. Just then, JBL shows up in the parking lot, and is quick to admonish the GM for not returning his phone calls. He demands that Long do something about the Undertaker, so the GM books a title match for tonight. JBL reminds Long that he cannot wrestle, and Long says that if JBL can't defend the title, than Orlando Jordan will have to do it for him. Jordan will be defending the title against none other than the Undertaker.
**Commercial break**
Match #2: Chavo Guerrero (with Jamie Noble) vs. Billy Kidman (with Paul London)
The match starts off with both men grappling. Kidman gains an early advantage with a head scissors, but it is short-lived. Chavo sends Kidman into the ringpost and takes the advantage. Chavo puts Kidman's arm into a submission maneuver, which Kidman manages to get out of, but his arm is obviously hurt. Chavo continues to work the arm, hitting it with various strikes and submission moves. Kidman manages to pull out a standing dropkick which staggers Chavo. Kidman goes to the top rope for the Shooting Star Press, but Jamie Noble at ringside pulls his feet out and crotches Kidman on the top. Paul London is none too pleased with the turn of events, and quickly takes out Noble on the outside. From inside the ring, Chavo grabs London's hair, but London kicks him in the head and breaks free. London's kick knocks Chavo onto his back, which gives Kidman the opportunity to complete the Shooting Star Press. He absolutely crunches Chavo, and gets the 3-count for the victory.
WINNER: Billy Kidman
**Commercial break**
Theodore Long is still in the parking lot trying to fix his car, as Luther and Angle show up again. They pretend they have no idea what happened to the car, but Long knows better. He tells them that was HIS car, and that Kurt will pay for his part. His punishment will happen next week, in a 2-out-of-3 Falls match against Eddie Guerrero. Long also informs Angle that he's booked in a match tonight against Rey Mysterio, and that Luther is going to help him clean up the mess.
Match #3: John Cena vs. Booker T (Match #2 out of 5)
Cena is shown entering the ring, and the show goes to commercial.
**Commercial break**
Returning from commercial, the match begins. Cena strikes first, but Booker answers with some powerful strikes of his own. He goes for a couple quick pinfall attempts right off the bat, but is unsuccessful. Cena responds with a hiptoss and a couple quick pinfall attempts of his own, with the same result. Booker cheats to get the upper hand, but it is short-lived, and Cena goes for a couple more quick pinfall attempts. The fight spills out of the ring, and Booker manages to bounce Cena's head off the barricade before bringing him back into the ring. Booker goes up to the top rope and delivers a sweet dropkick on Cena, then goes for the pin but gets only 2. Booker delivers some more kicks to Cena and attempts a couple pinfalls, with no luck. He tries various submission holds on Cena, but Cena always manages to power out of them. He finally punches out of Booker's hold, and counters them with a few clotheslines, a shoulder block, a bulldog and finally, the 5 Knuckle Shuffle. It only results in a 2-count for Cena though, so he follows it up with the pump-up and an attempt at the FU, which is blocked by Booker. Booker manages to roll Cena up in the corner, and with his feet on the ropes, he gets the pinfall on Cena.
WINNER: Booker T (Series is tied at 1 victory each)
**Commercial break**
In the ring, Josh Matthews looks as if he'll be interviewing Paul Heyman. Heyman doesn't give Matthews a chance to speak though. He goes right into a big speech about how he was no longer afraid of people, or afraid of the Undertaker, because he's got a "guard dog". He then introduces Heidenreich. Heyman is confident that no one can hurt him with Heidenreich at his side. Josh Matthews interjects, and asks if Heyman thinks Heidenreich can live up to the hype. This enrages Heidenreich. He vents his anger on Josh Matthews, absolutely demolishing the young man. Heyman finishes the segment with "That's not hype... that's Heidenreich!"
**Commercial break**
Match #4: Kurt Angle vs. Rey Mysterio
The two men start off with a classic mat wrestling match. At times Kurt seems too powerful for the much smaller Mysterio, but Mysterio counters Angle's strength with his own quickness. The match continues in a speed vs. power battle. Mysterio is able to pull off a head scissors on Angle which knocks Angle out of the ring, and Mysterio follows up with a big dropkick through the ropes which sends Angle crashing into the barricades.
**Commercial break**
Back from commercial, Angle is overpowering Mysterio. He picks Rey up and gives him an absolutely devastating release German suplex, but only gets a 2-count for his effort. He tries to follow up with the Angle Slam, but Mysterio counters with an armdrag, which switches the momentum his way long enough for him to hit Angle with a split-legged moonsault in the corner. Mysterio follows up with a quick arsenal of offense, including a head scissors, which puts Kurt into the ropes and sets him up for the 619. Kurt senses it and moves out of the way, but Mysterio puts him down again and this time hits the 619 on Angle. Unfortunately this sequence wiped Mysterio out, and he can't capitalize. He goes to the top for another head scissors, but Angle catches him on his shoulders and powerbombs him. He only gets a 2-count though. Mysterio is able to muster enough strength to hit Angle with a reverse DDT and gets SO CLOSE to a 3-count. The crowd thinks it should have been a 3. But the referee says it's only 2. Rey goes to the top, and Angle follows. It looks like Angle wants to give Mysterio a German suplex from the top, but Rey blocks it. He launches himself from the top onto Angle, but is again caught on Angle's shoulders. He tries to maneuver himself into position for the West Coast Pop, but Kurt drops him down and pins him for the win.
WINNER: Kurt Angle
**Commercial break**
Upon return, we are treated to a Raw recap.
Meanwhile, JBL is backstage with Orlando Jordan. He says it's not fair that Jordan has to defend HIS title. Jordan makes matters worse by saying there's a good chance that he'll lose JBL's title, because of all the pressure. JBL tries to convince him to relax and not feel so pressured. He tells Jordan that Undertaker has nothing on him, and that underdogs can sometimes win the fight. Jordan says it would help his confidence if he could wear the WWE Title to ringside, and JBL agrees.
**Commercial break**
Match #5: Undertaker vs. Orlando Jordan (WWE Title Match)
JBL accompanies Jordan to ringside. As Undertaker makes his entrance, JBL looks terrified. The Undertaker takes the fight right to Orlando Jordan. Jordan manages to gain the advantage for a minute, but Undertaker counters with a big boot, then gets Jordan to his feet. He goes Old-School on Jordan, and follows that up with a huge clothesline into a pin. JBL grabs his leg to break the cover, however. Jordan capitalizes and takes Undertaker out of the ring. He bashes Taker's head off the barricade a few times before bringing him back into the ring. Jordan follows up with a couple hard strikes on Taker, into a pinfall attempt, but only gets 2. Undertaker counters with a Snake Eyes in the corner, and as Jordan staggers out to the middle of the ring, he's met with a huge boot to the face. Undertaker tries to make the cover, but again JBL prevents it. This upsets Undertaker. He goes out to ringside and stares down JBL, which allows Jordan enough time to recover. He kicks Undertaker from between the ropes. Back in the ring, Jordan is firmly in control. He delivers a face first DDT to Taker, and attempts a pin but it isn't quite enough to keep the Dead Man down. Undertaker manages to regain control after being whipped into the ropes, and hits Jordan with a big splash in the corner. This brings JBL up onto the apron. He is quickly put back down with a big punch from the Undertaker. Taker then chokeslams Orlando Jordan, and signals that it's over. He tombstones Jordan, and the ref goes to count the pin. But as he goes for the 3, JBL pulls the referee out of the ring, which causes the referee to call for the DQ. Undertaker is declared the winner by disqualification. This means JBL retains the title. But, Undertaker isn't finished. He gets JBL in his sights and lines him up. He rips part of the halo off of JBL's head, kicks him in the face, bashes JBL's head into the announcer's table, finishes removing the halo from JBL's head, tosses him into the ring and then chokeslams him. He grabs the title belt and holds it over JBL's broken body to end the show.
WINNER: Undertaker (via DQ)
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My thoughts:
Not a bad show! I really like Theodore Long as GM. He books interesting match-ups.
Was it just me, or did it look like one of the security guards who kicked Eddie out of the building was one of the Ballard Brothers of APW fame? They were in California, so it's very possible... if anyone can confirm this, please e-mail me at smackdown@wrestleview.com!
MAN did Kidman squish Chavo on that Shooting Star Press! I hope Chavo is ok, I hear he was really injured from that move. It looked brutal.
Angle hasn't lost a step, has he? You'd think there would be some serious ring rust after being off for so long, but I'm not seeing any sign of it. He's as powerful and crisp as ever. I'm VERY glad he's back in the ring, he's one of my favourite Smackdown performers.
The Best of 5 Series with Cena and Booker T is getting interesting. It'll definitely come down to the fifth match, I'm just not sure who will emerge victorious! I like it that way.
JBL just keeps getting better and better. I'm loving the halo thing. The cowboy hat on top of the halo is just too funny. He's improved vastly on the mic, and I think this has really helped his title reign be a credible one.