Full Credit: Buck Woodward, PWInsider.com
Smackdown for February 3rd opened with U.S. Champion John Cena coming to the ring. Cena talked about how the word “controversial” has followed him in his career, and made reference to the finish of the Royal Rumble. Cena accepted that Batista won the Royal Rumble, then said he hoped Batista would come to Smackdown. Smackdown General Manager Theodore R. Long came to the ring, and talked about how Batista was welcome to come to Smackdown and challenge for the WWE Title. Long said he wasn’t going to wait for his decision though, and announced an 8-man tournament. Long said the winner of the tournament would meet the WWE Champion at Wrestlemania, regardless of who the champion is at the time. Long then added that if Batista decided to come to Smackdown, then the WWE Title match at Wrestlemania would be a Triple Threat match.
This brought out JBL, along with Orlando Jordan and Amy Weber. JBL complained to Long about the barbed wire steel cage match with Big Show, the tournament, and Batista. JBL claimed he sold out arenas and sold PPV events, and that Long was just out to “screw” him. Long said he wasn’t for or against JBL, he was just working in the best interests of the Smackdown audience. Long announced the first match for the tournament (which will take place in Japan) was John Cena vs. Orlando Jordan. JBL’s attitude changed, saying Jordan would win the tournament. JBL then turned his attention to Cena, saying he ruined the U.S. Title, and that he wasn’t in JBL’s league. Jordan charged Cena, who sidestepped him and tossed him over the top rope. Cena then laid out JBL with the FU.
Kurt Angle came to the ring and bragged about taking Shawn Michaels out of the Royal Rumble. Angle then said he would be gin his road to Wrestlemania next week by defeating Rey Mysterio in the first round of the WWE Title contender tournament. Angle then said he would continue his Hometown Invitational Challenge tonight. Nunzio, who is not from San Jose, came to the ring. Nunzio said he hadn’t been able to sleep since he let Kurt Angle punk him out for his spot in the Royal Rumble. Nunzio said he told Angle’s hometown challenger to stay in the back, and he wanted to wrestle Angle right now.
Kurt Angle vs. Nunzio. Angle took Nunzio down with an armbar, but they made the ropes. Angle took Nunzio down with a waistlock, but Nunzio reversed it into a victory roll for a two count, then did some jumping jacks. Angle slapped Nunzio, but Nunzio returned the slap. Angle whipped Nunzio across the ring, but Nunzio tripped Angle into the corner as he charged. Angle went for a hiptoss, and Nunzio went for a bodyscissors, but Angle reversed it into a German suplex. Angle hit the Angle Slam, then applied the ankle lock. Nunzio made the ropes, but Angle pulled him off, maintaining the ankle lock. Angle added a leglace to it, and Nunzio tapped out at the three minute mark. Winner: Kurt Angle.
They showed a video package of the press conference from last month in Tokyo where Shane McMahon, Shawn Michaels, Kurt Angle and Stacy Keibler announced that Raw and Smackdown would be coming to Japan.
Backstage, Kurt Angle was telling Luther Reigns and Mark Jindrak how Rey Mysterio was just a “stepping stone” for him next week. He told Jindrak to weaken Rey Mysterio tonight. Luther told Angle that his opponent in the tournament after Mysterio would be either the Undertaker or Rene Dupree. Angle told Luther they needed to go talk strategy, while sending Jindrak off for his match.
Carlito Caribbean Cool entered Theodore R. Long’s office, and told Long that he sent in his petition to have him removed as General Manager. Cool said that Long wouldn’t be going to Japan next week, because he would have to go to Stamford, Connecticut to “defend his actions” to the WWE Board Of Directors.
They advertised the new Rob Van Dam “One Of A Kind” DVD. It’s available right now in the PWInsider.com Online Store.
Rey Mysterio vs. Mark Jindrak. Rey avoided Jindrak at the start, then kicked him as he charged. Rey tried for a whip, but when that didn’t work, slid under this legs then worked him over with shots to the gut. Rey hit a springboard bodypress, but Jindrak took him down with a boot to the face. Rey floated out of a slam and went for a 619, but Jindrak caught him and hit a side slam. Jindrak stomped Rey, then choked him in a corner. Jindrak whipped Rey hard across the ring into the corner. Jindrak applied a rear naked choke, but Rey kicked out of it. Rey ducked under a boot to the face, but Jindrak caught him with a left hand. Jindrak hit a vertical suplex, then dropped a pair of elbows. Jindrak did the old Rick Rude hip swivel, then missed an elbowdrop, and Mysterio dropkicked him. Mysterio hit a series of punches and kicks, then a springboard senton for a two count. Jindrak caught Rey in a side backbreaker for a two count. Jindrak missed a splash in the corner, and Rey kicked out his legs, then dropkicked him into 619 position. Rey hit the 619, then went for a West Coast Pop, but Jindrak ducked it. Rey grabbed Jindrak in a spinning headscissors, sending Jindrak headfirst into the top turnbuckle. Rey then cradled Jindrak for the pin at the five minute mark. Winner: Rey Mysterio.
Backstage, Amy Weber demanded that Joy Giovanni pay the dry cleaning bill for her outfit from last week. Joy refused, and Amy said that the Bashams would take it out on Big Show tonight.
The Big Show vs. Doug & Danny Basham. The Basham’s WWE Tag Team Title was not on the line in this handicap match. Show gave Doug a kneelift and a series of chops at the start, then gave him a hiptoss. Danny tagged in, and Show shoved him in the corner and chopped him. Show headbutted Danny and slammed him, then whipped him hard into the corner. Show chopped Danny, then clotheslined Doug on the apron. Show ran into a pair of kicks by Danny, who then dropkicked his leg. Doug gave Show a top rope bodypress, and Danny covered him for a two count. Danny hit a series of punches and kicks, but Show shoved him away twice. Doug tagged in, and continued the assault with punches and chops. The Bashams tried to double team Show, but he cleaned house on both of them and squashed them in a corner. Doug brought in a chair, but Show punched it into his face. Show knocked Danny out of the ring and chokeslammed Doug for the pin at the four minute mark. Winner: The Big Show.
They aired a video package announcing some of the inductees for the WWE Hall Of Fame for 2005. “Mr. Wonderful” Paul Orndorff, The Iron Sheik, Nikolai Volkoff, Cowboy Bob Orton, and “The Mouth Of The South” Jimmy Hart were named. They said there would be more inductees announced at a later date.
Wrestlemania Contender’s Tournament First Round Match: Undertaker vs. Rene Dupree. Undertaker grabbed a headlock to start, and hit a shoulderblock, sending Dupree from the ring. Back in the ring, Dupree tried an armbar, but Taker reversed. Mark Jindrak and Luther Reigns walked down to ringside. Taker worked on Dupree’s arm as they went to commercial.
Back from break, Taker did the Old School ropewalk and hit the forearm. Undertaker hit a faceplant, but Jindrak put Dupree’s foot on the bottom rope to break up the cover. Undertaker hit Dupree with a sideslam and dropped an elbow. Taker missed a second elbow, and Dupree clotheslined Taker to the floor. Taker landed on his feet, and pulled Dupree throat first across the top rope. Jindrak and Reigns advanced on Taker, and he grabbed both men by the throats. Dupree hit Taker with a baseball slide. Reigns and Jindrak beat on Taker on the floor while Dupree distracted the referee. Taker fought back, and Dupree jumped him. Dupree went into the ring to break up the count, then tried to jump off the apron onto Taker, but Taker caught him and rammed him into the ringpost. Taker put Dupree on the apron and legdropped him. Back in the ring, Taker missed a big boot in the corner and Dupree went to work on his leg. Dupree dropped his weight on the leg, then applied the spinning toe hold, but Taker punched out of it. Taker worked over Dupree with punches, but Dupree came back with a dropkick for two. Taker used punches again, and a boot to the face, but Dupree caught him in a powerslam for two. Dupree dropped an elbow, then did the French Ticklet dance. Taker sat up and exchanged punches with Dupree, getting the better of it. Taker hit a backdrop and clothesline, then went for a chokeslam, but Dupree broke it up with a knee to the gut. Dupree went for a backdrop, but Taker hit a DDT. Undertaker chokeslammed Dupree, then applied a triangle choke. Reigns got on the apron, and Taker went after him. Jindrak dragged Dupree out of the ring. Taker went to the floor and punched Jindrak and booted Reigns in the face. Dupree went for a whip, but Taker reversed it and whipped Dupree into the steps. Taker went to get back into the ring, but Reigns hooked Taker’s leg, out of view of the ref, to keep him from beating the count. The referee counted both men out of the ring at the thirteen minute mark. Result: Double Countout.
Reigns and Jindrak left ringside, smiling, as Taker gave Dupree a tombstone in the ring. The announcers speculated on what this result meant for the tournament. After the break, they confirmed that neither man would advance, and the winner of Kurt Angle vs. Rey Mysterio next week would go directly to the finals.
Josh Mathews interviewed Big Show, with Joy Giovanni. Big Show promised to defeat JBL at No Way Out and win the WWE Title. Looking ahead to the possibility of facing Batista, Show said that Batista is a “big fish in a small pond” and if he comes to Smackdown, he will find out that Show is a “great white shark”.
Backstage, Booker T and Eddie Guerrero talked about how their match tonight was “everyman for themself”. Booker was still annoyed about the Royal Rumble (where he was eliminated by Guerrero), and told Guerrero he would not “lie, cheat and steal” his way to victory tonight.
Another Wrestlemania movie spoof was shown, this one with Triple H and Ric Flair spoofing Braveheart. The “Eugene Gump” one was shown earlier.
Wrestlemania Contender’s Tournament First Round Match: Booker T vs. Eddie Guerrero. Booker and Eddie trash talked and shoved each other at the start. They locked up and traded holds, with neither getting an advantage. Booker hit a shoulderblock and applied a headlock, then hit another shoulderblock. Eddie delivered a back suplex for two, then took Booker down with a side mare. Booker hit some shoulderblocks in a corner to escaped a headlock, then hit some chops and punches. Booker missed a spinkick and Guerrero delivered some chops before going to a headlock. Booker hit a knee to the gut, then chopped and punched Guerrero against the ropes. Booker hit a vertical suplex for a two count, then went to a rear naked choke. Eddie elbowed out of it, but Booker hit a superkick for a two count. Booker hit some punches, but Guerrero came back with a flapjack and went to the top rope. Booker rolled to the floor before Eddie could jump off, and took a breather on the outside as they went to break.
Back from commercial, Guerrero hit Booker with a series of back elbows and a slam. Guerrero hit a slingshot somersault senton for a two count, then hit a back suplex. Guerrero went to the top rope again, but Booker stopped him and hit a superplex. Both men were down, and Booker rolled onto Guerrero for a two count. Booker hit a back kick for two, then hit a kneedrop for another two. Booker applied a top wristlock, but Eddie shoved him off into the corner. Guerrero hit some chops, but Booker applied a sleeperhold. Guerrero slumped to the mat, but slowly got back up and began punching out of it. Booker went for a sidekick, but Guerrero ducked it and hit a dropkick. Booker dropped down as Guerrero charged him and pulled down the top rope, so Guerrero would go over the top and to the floor. On the outside, Booker rammed Guerrero into the ringsteps. Booker covered Guerrero for a two count. They exchanged punches and forearms in the ring, and Booker hit a Bookend. Guerrero got his foot on the bottom rope at the two count. Booker snapmared Guerrero and applied a rear chinlock. Guerrero escaped with a jawbreaker, then hit a series of punches. Guerrero hit a pair of clotheslines, then dropkicked Booker as he tried for a flapjack. Guerrero hit the Three Amigos vertical suplex combo, then went to the top rope. Guerrero went for the frog splash, but Booker rolled out of the way. Booker did the spinarooni, but as he jumped for the sidekick, Eddie ducked and Booker hit the referee. With the referee down, Booker hit Guerrero with the ax kick. The referee crawled over, but Eddie got his shoulder up at the two count. Booker hit a chop and went for a slam, but Guerrero floated over and shoved Booker into the referee. Guerrero then dropped to the mat, faking a knee injury. Booker realized what was going on, and suckered in Guerrero by turning his back to him and watching the Titantron. Guerrero came up from behind him and went for a suplex, but Booker knew he was coming, and floated over the suplex and rolled up Guerrero, hooking the tights for the three count at the nineteen minute mark. Winner: Booker T.
The show ended with Booker smiling over how he outfoxed Guerrero.
Next Week:
Wrestlemania Contender’s Tournament First Round Match: John Cena vs. Orlando Jordan (winner faces Booker T in the semifinals).
Wrestlemania Contender’s Tournament First Round Match: Kurt Angle vs. Rey Mysterio (winner goes to the finals).
Source: PWInsider.com
