Full Credit: Steve Khan, wrestlingobserver.com
WWE SmackDown! Report
By Steve Khan
email: shk2003@hotmail.com
Air Date: December 30, 2004
Taped Dec 28 from New Orleans, Louisiana
Big News: Rey Mysterio pinned Eddie Guerrero in the tag team main event to
retain the tag titles. Big Show versus Kurt Angle versus JBL was made for
Royal Rumble, as well as Heidenreich versus Undertaker in a casket match.
Turns/Title Changes: Daniel Puder is pretty much a heel.
Best Match: RVD & Rey vs. Booker & Eddie
Worst Match: JBL vs. Shannon Moore
Line of the Night: “I’m sorry it took you 11 years, that’s a
long time.” – Daniel Puder to Hardcore Holly
BSP: I was supposed to give my Best of 2004 this week, but who knew
I’d actually get busy during the biggest holiday of the year.
Details: Teddy Long wanted to give the fans a treat to finish off the year,
so he dubbed tonight the 2004 Night of Champions. Each champion would defend
their title against an opponent of their choosing. The crowd was into Teddy
Long.
Cena came out with his latest nursery rhyme. Please, stop these raps now.
It’s just a matter of time before the hottest wrestler in the company
has his fans turn on him. Cena declared that his fans are part of his “chain
gang”. He went on to say that they fight together blah blah blah. Cena then
went into the crowd and gave away his jersey to one of his ten year old gang
members. Rene Dupree came out and challenged Cena for the title.
John Cena vs. Rene Dupree – United States Championship
Cena unloaded on Dupree with fists. After two suplexs, he put on
Dupree’s robe and followed with a French Tickler. Dupree tried to run
away, but Cena went after him. Back in the ring, Cena went for a cross body,
but Dupree dodged out of the way. Dupree did the real French Tickler, but
Cena regained control and never looked back. Cena hit the FU for the win.
Amy made fun of Joy for gaining a few too many pounds. Joy came right back
and said Amy had extra skin on her neck, which wasn’t true at all.
JBL, the WWE Champion, told Joy not to mess with Amy. The Big Show
interrupted and told JBL not to talk that way to Joy. On paper, this all
sounds really bad, and it was. Show told JBL to choose him for the title
match tonight.
Kurt Angle came out for the Invitational. Angle put over JBL as being a nice
guy and a fighting champion, and as a fighting champion, he suggested that
JBL choose Kurt for his title match tonight.
Kurt Angle vs. Matt Stryker
Angle started with a cheap shot with the microphone. Angle won easily with
the Ankle Lock.
RVD and Mysterio were listing the tag teams they could fight tonight. When
Mysterio mentioned Holly and Haas, RVD replied “Oh, that’s right.” I
don’t blame Rob for forgetting. Eddie and Booker said they figured JBL
would pick either of them tonight, so they challenged the tag champs. RVD
and Rey said they would think about it. Booker and Eddie argued in a jovial
manner over the name of their team.
Daniel Puder walked into the face locker room backstage (Haas was there) to
introduce himself to everyone as the Tough Enough winner. Hardcore Holly got
into Puder’s face. Puder put himself over, stating his eight weeks of
training. Holly said it’s taken him eleven years to get wherever it is
he is today. Puder asked Holly if he had ever been in a WrestleMania main
event, because Puder will this year.
JBL had a fishbowl with names of every wrestler on the roster. He picked one
out but wanted to choose again. Teddy Long told JBL he had to defend against
whoever it was that he chose.
John Bradshaw Layfield vs. Shannon Moore – WWE Heavyweight Championship
JBL attacked Moore on the outside before the match. He hit two clotheslines
in the ring for the win. Let’s bury Shannon some more so he can have
the Cruiserweight title.
Teddy Long came out to check the fish bowl. Amy tried to run away with it but
Joy came out to make the save. Long discovered that every name was Shannon
Moore. JBL blamed it on an honest mistake by Orlando Jordan. Teddy told JBL
he would have to defend his title at Royal Rumble against Kurt Angle. Kurt
came out and took back all those nice things he had to say about JBL because
Bradshaw was just picking on someone smaller than him. JBL said Angle does
that every week with his Invitational. Teddy Long interrupted, saying it
would be a triple threat at RR, JBL versus Kurt Angle versus The Big Show.
One interesting note, JBL mentioned the Undertakers name in the ring and
backstage.
Carlito said his new year’s resolution is to see that Teddy Long is no
longer the GM in 2005. He spit on Josh after teasing that he wouldn’t.
It looks like Josh versus Carlito, I guess.
Heidenreich came out to say he isn’t afraid of anyone. The arena went
dark. Undertaker’s voice was played over the arena speakers. A casket
was brought out. Undertaker popped out of the casket to stare down
Heidenreich. Luther and Jindrak went over how much they deserve a title
shot. The Bashams argued with them before Booker and Eddie played them for
chumps.
Funaki vs. Spike Dudley – Cruiserweight Championship
Funaki was all over Spike to start the match. Funaki started the ten punches
on Spike, but Spike dropped Funaki with a one handed powerslam. Spike went
for the big stomp off the top, but Funaki rolled away. Spike kicked Funaki
into the steal pole. Funaki came back with a few right hands and an
enzuguri. Funaki hit a bulldog for two before a sunset flip pinfall for the
win. They talked about naysayers discounting Funaki’s Armageddon win
as a fluke, but this match didn’t really make up for it.
Three chicks played with John Cena’s new toy. Horrendous. RVD told
Josh Matthews that they would fight Torrie and Dawn Marie for the tag
titles. Rey said they were really defending against Eddie and Booker.
Mysterio said they would wrestle Torrie and Dawn another time.
No Rey, I don’t like that idea.
Rey Mysterio & RVD vs. Booker T & Eddie Guerrero – WWE Tag Team
Championships
They didn’t mention that Booker was tag champs with RVD before, or
that Eddie tagged with Rey last week. Mysterio out-wrestled Eddie Guerrero
to start the match. They stared down before Eddie tagged in Booker. The
crowd chanted for RVD but Rey decided to continue. Mysterio hit a drop kick
and tagged in Van Damn. RVD hit a spring board cross body for a two count.
Tazz called RVD one of the top three tough guys he knows. Eddie tried to
grab Van Dam’s pony tail as he came off the ropes. Eddie and Booker
were eventually able to send RVD and Rey to the outside. The champs tried to
regroup as they went to commercial.
Back in the ring, Rey was all over Booker T. Rey went shoulder first into
the steal pole as Booker moved from harms way. Booker tagged in Eddie who
nailed a flipping senton. Eddie applied an arm lock but Van Dam broke it up.
Booker came in with a spinning side kick on Rey. Booker knocked RVD off the
apron before tagging in Eddie. Guerrero hit a high back suplex for a two
count. Eddie applied another arm lock, but Rey fought out and nailed a
swinging DDT. Rey tagged in RVD who applied a Northern Lights suplex for
two. Rey dropkicked Eddie in the face as Van Dam knocked Booker off the
apron. RVD hit the Five Star Frog Splash but Booker broke up the count.
Guerrero threw Van Dam into the ring post and tagged in Booker. RVD was the
most over guy for this crowd. Eddie tagged in and gave RVD the triple
verticals but Rey broke up the count. Booker was tagged in and kicked RVD
three times in the gut before applying a headlock. Booker nailed the Book
End but Rey broke up the count for a third time. Booker was buggin
out. Van Dam hit a swift kick to Booker and tagged in Rey as Booker tagged
in Eddie. Rey hit a swinging arm drag on Eddie and a spinning heel kick on
Booker. Mysterio nailed a hurricanrana with Eddie on the top rope, but
Booker broke up the count. Booker knocked out Nick Patrick by accident. Rey
hit the 619 but was knocked off the top rope by Eddie. Booker hit the
Scissors Kick and Eddie made the cover, but Patrick was still down. RVD
knocked himself and Booker over the top rope. Eddie was the only one left
standing and he was tempted to cheat. Eddie hesitated because he
didn’t want to hurt Rey. Eddie placed the title on Rey and played
possum. Nick Patrick caught Eddie peaking. Rey caught Eddie off guard with a
victory roll for the win.
Source: WrestlingObserver.com
