WWE SmackDown! Report
By Steve Khan
email: sh2k3@yahoo.com
Air Date: June 9, 2005
Taped from Kansas City, Missouri
Big News: Chris Benoit has returned to Smackdown as a
result of the Draft. ECW showed up on Smackdown to
fight off the WWE crusaders.
Turns/Title Changes: None.
Best Match: Angle vs. Booker
Worst Match: Carlito vs. Charlie Haas
Line of the Night: None.
Show Details: Teddy Long was in the ring to start the
show, disappointed in the loss of John Cena. They
showed the footage of Cena on RAW, and the crowd booed
the fact Cena is no longer on Smackdown. It’s funny
that Cena just showed up on RAW accepting his
predetermined fate. What happened to giving back to
those who gave you the opportunity John? Long was
about to make an announcement about Smackdown being
without a Champion but JBL interrupted. JBL said he
was upset Cena is gone, and now we’ll never know who
was the better man. JBL wanted Long to make him the
Champion right there, expecting the HHH treatment.
Teddy said there won’t be a decision made about the
title until after the draft, further showing the lack
of importance the WWE title must have.
Long introduced the newest member of Smackdown, Chris
Benoit, who came out to a standing ovation. Benoit
found it funny that JBL was begging to be Champion,
even though he quit at Judgment Day. The crowd started
chanting “You Quit” at JBL. Bradshaw said he had
respect for Benoit. JBL said he was there when Benoit
won the IWGP Championship in Japan. Bradshaw said he
was there when Benoit won the title at WrestleMania XX
at the Garden. Yeah, he was there serving drinks
backstage. But JBL wasn’t impressed with Benoit’s ECW
past. He cut another promo ripping into ECW. Benoit
challenged JBL to a fight. JBL said this was his show
and he calls the shots. Long said it’s the people’s
show, and since he likes the idea, made the match for
later tonight. JBL tried to clothesline Benoit, but
Benoit gave him a German Suplex and Bradshaw scampered
out of the ring escaping a Crossface attempt. They
showed when Angle groped Sharmell during their match
last week. Tazz wanted to know why they had to show
that footage again.
Carlito w/Matt Morgan vs. Charlie Haas w/Hardcore
Holly
Haas was in control early and often, working the arm
of Carlito. Haas hit a shoulder breaker for two.
Carlito mounted a little offence, but Haas came right
back. He nailed a dropkick, which Cole said was from
Holly’s playbook. No Cole, dropkicks are a basic move
done by just about everyone. The match lost control in
a hurry. Haas became “fired up”, which was an
embarrassing attempt considering the crowd didn’t seem
to care. Haas hit a suicide dive to Morgan on the
outside, but seemed to land on his head in the
process. They changed the camera angle so you couldn’t
really tell. Nick Patrick immediately ran out to check
on Haas, but Charlie jumped right up. He gave a
shoulder thrust to Carlito back in the ring, and a
sunset flip. Carlito rolled through and pinned Haas
with a handful of tights. Carlito attacked Holly and
Morgan gave Haas the F5. This was a pretty bad match.
Cole and Tazz talked more and more about RAW, and less
about Benoit and Smackdown. They showed the ECW
segment from RAW, for no apparent reason. Heidenreich
wanted to be Benoit’s friend. Benoit looked confused
as Heidenreich left. Benoit then ran into Eddie
Guerrero. Eddie was happy to see his old friend before
their match on Sunday at the ECW show. Guerrero said
they could be in a match to decide who would be the
new Champion, but Benoit will always be his friend.
Benoit said he’s seen how Eddie’s been treating his
friends lately, and if he’s going to face anyone for
the title, it would be the guy Eddie can’t seem to
beat, Rey Mysterio. Angle cut a promo on Sharmell and
Booker T. You can guess what he said.
Paul London vs. Akio
London was in control when Eddie Guerrero’s music hit.
London was distracted and Akio took over. The camera
focused on Eddie as he grabbed a microphone. Guerrero
walked into the ring and starting talking. London
pushed Akio into Eddie. Guerrero tossed Akio out of
the ring like he was nothing. London turned Eddie
around, so Guerrero tossed him out. London came back
to the ring twice in attempt to thwart Eddie, but
Guerrero had no problem with the Cruiserweight
Champion. Paul London just lost himself some money in
kangaroo court. Eddie cut a promo on Rey Mysterio.
Kurt Angle vs. Booker T w/Sharmell
Angle asked Tazz if he stands with ECW or Angle and
the WWE. I thought the WWE was behind ECW. Angle said
he’d give Tazz until the end of the night to make up
his mind. Sharmell was wearing a provocative outfit,
not learning anything from the past. If she was smart,
she’d find out where Sable got her potato sack. After
Angle and Booker went back and forth, Booker hung
Angle over the top rope, and gave him a Scissors Kick
on the apron. Booker missed Angle in the corner as
Kurt shot around and gave Booker a German suplex.
Angle hit a back suplex for two and applied the body
scissors. Booker fought out with back elbows but Angle
caught him off the ropes and hit a belly to belly
suplex. Booker then sent Angle to the outside with a
back body drop over the ropes. After a commercial
break, Booker hit a jawbreaker to escape from a bear
hug. Booker gained the momentum and hit a Book End for
a near fall. Booker missed a side kick but Angle
countered and went for the rolling German Suplexes.
Booker rolled through the third one and rolled up
Angle for a near fall. Angle applied the Ankle Lock,
but Booker kicked Angle into the turnbuckle and hit a
spinebuster. With Angle down, Booker did what Cole
called an “emotional” Spinarooni. Booker followed with
a Scissors Kick, but Angle just barely kicked out.
Angle applied the ankle lock but Booker made it to the
ropes. Booker kicked Angle into the referee who was
knocked out. Angle grabbed a steel chair and smashed
Booker in the ankle. Angle sized up Booker for another
chair shot, but Booker ducked and Angle hit himself in
the head with the chair. Booker hit the Scissors Kick
and picked up the win.
After a commercial break, Angle was sitting in the
ring in frustration from losing to Booker T. He went
over to Tazz and told him he wants his answer now.
Tazz stood up and threw his headset down. Angle
decided to sit next to Tazz all night until he gets
his answer. Tazz sat back down. Angle got up and
decided to leave. As Tazz looked away, Angle came back
and attacked Tazz. With Tazz on the floor, Angle gave
him a chair shot. Tazz tried to leave under his own
will, but the trainers had to help him as the crowd
chanted “ECW”.
Heidenreich pulled a new friend out of the crowd. It
wasn’t another kid, but rather a female who looked
like she belonged in the Diva Search. Heidenreich beat
Rory Fox. He read a poem after the match, trying to
get the crowd to chant his name, but it didn’t work.
Tony Chimmel introduced a guest commentator for the
next match, Paul Heyman. Heyman came out with his ECW
pals. They should make Heyman a regular commentator
on Smackdown and get rid of Cole. Tazz and Heyman
could provide some entertaining commentary. After what
Angle did to Tazz, Heyman said Theodore Long invited
him out here, which further makes ECW look like WWE’s
little sister.
Chris Benoit vs. JBL
Benoit chopped JBL to death early on. JBL came back
with a boot and shoulder block. Benoit hit a snap
suplex and went for a Sharpshooter, but JBL grabbed
the ropes. JBL went for a powerbomb but Benoit dropped
him and applied the Sharpshooter. Benoit was
distracted by the Cabinet and JBL knocked him out of
the ring. Carlito and Morgan walked out as they went
to commercial. After the break, JBL was in control.
Benoit fought out of a headlock nailing a back suplex.
Benoit hit the triple Germans and hit the diving
headbutt. Angle walked out at this point. Benoit made
the cover but JBL kicked out. Benoit went for the
Crossface when Angle jumped in and everyone else
joined him. All hell broke loose in the ring and
Tazz’s music hit and he made his way out (with Balls
Mahoney and Axl Rotten) and with a bandage wrapped
around his head. ECW came out on top of this brawl the
same way they did on RAW. Even though the same thing
happened on RAW, it was still an exciting way to end
the show. They probably should’ve announced the
matches for the card though. Unless you visit the
website, you wouldn’t know what’s happening
Source: WrestlingObserver.com
