(Sources: Buck Woodward of PWInsider.com)
Smackdown for June 16th opened with a recap of Chris Benoit’s return to Smackdown from last week, as he was the first talent drafted to the brand from Raw.
They went to the ring, where JBL, Orlando Jordan, and the Bashams were holding court. JBL commented that after showers and a spa visit, he had “washed the stench” of ECW off his body. JBL took credit for the success of the ECW PPV, and belittled some of the talent. JBL said their “15 minutes” of fame was over. JBL said ECW wrestlers could never be a “Smackdown Superstar” because he was the only Smackdown Superstar. Jordan and The Bashams didn’t seem to agree, but didn’t speak up. JBL said UPN executives pray that he won’t go to Raw, since the ratings will go with him. JBL then spoke about Chris Benoit, and said he would face one of his Cabinet members (Doug Basham) tonight. JBL was about to call himself a “Wrestling God” but was interrupted by Benoit’s music.
Doug Basham vs. Chris Benoit. Benoit chopped Basham, and worked him over in a corner with knees, then whipped him hard across the ring. Benoit hit a snap suplex, then a backbreaker for two. Basham reversed a whip and sent Benoit chest first into the corner, then pounded him on the mat. Doug hit a vertical suplex, then dropped an elbow for a paid of two counts. Doug hit a clothesline, but Benoit kicked out at two again. Doug applied a reverse chinlock, then raked Benoit’s eyes. Doug worked on Benoit’s back, but Benoit tripped Doug and pounded him with punches. Basham came back with a neckbreaker, then drove a knee into Benoit’s neck. They traded punches, with Benoit getting the better of it. Basham hit Benoit on a backdrop attempt, then went for a neckbreaker, but Benoit blocked it. Basham whipped Benoit into the ropes, but Benoit dropkicked his leg. Benoit hit some chops, then a pair of running forearms. Benoit delivered three consecutive German suplexes, then went to the top rope, hitting Danny along the way. Doug met Benoit on the ropes and hit a superplex. Benoit kicked out at two. Doug went for a slam, Benoit floated over and went for a German, but Doug blocked it. Benoit pulled Doug’s leg out from behind, rolling Doug into a cradle for the pin at the seven minute mark. Winner: Chris Benoit.
Post-match, the JBL and the Cabinet worked over Benoit. JBL got on the mic and said that he was “Mr. Smackdown” and a “Wrestling God”. The lights went out, and when they came back on, The Undertaker was in the ring. The crowd went nuts, and JBL ran from the ring as Undertaker laid out Orlando Jordan and the Bashams. JBL, from the aisle, yelled at Undertaker, saying it was “his show” and that he was “Mr. Smackdown”. General Manager Theodore R. Long arrived, and informed JBL that he would be facing The Undertaker tonight, in a no-DQ match.
After the commercial, the announcers pointed out that Matt Morgan would face Big Show later tonight.
Eddie Guerrero vs. Paul London. London’s Cruiserweight Title was not on the line. Guerrero took control at the start, wearing down London with punches and a chinlock. London ducked a clothesline and hit a dropsault, then fired off some forearms and hit a backdrop. London worked Guerrero over with chops and kicks in a corner, then elbowed a charging Eddie. London hit a mule kick off the second rope, then a back heel kick for a two count. London went to the top for a moonsault, but Eddie crotched him and London fell hard backwards into the ring. Eddie gave London a brainbuster, then went towards the top rope, but stopped. Guerrero went back to London and applied a Texas Cloverleaf, pulling back hard on the hold. London struggled, but finally tapped out at the four minute mark. Winner: Eddie Guerrero.
Rey Mysterio ran out, and threw a chair at Eddie Guerrero. Mysterio hit Eddie in the head with the chair, then blasted him twice in the back with it. Guerrero fell to the floor, and the battle went outside. Rey rammed Eddie into the ringpost. Officials tried to separate them, but Rey charged at Guerrero again. Officials finally held Rey back as Eddie escaped.
A commercial for the replay of “ECW: One Night Stand” was shown. Tazz commented that it was a night he would never forget.
Backstage, Guerrero and Mysterio were brawling, with officials trying to keep them apart. Mysterio crushed Guerrero between a ladder and a piece of steel fencing. They were fighting in a docking bay, and Mysterio hit the automatic door, trying to trap Guerrero with him. Guerrero managed to slide out before the door closed, trapping Mysterio on the other side. Guerrero breathed a sigh of relief, as Mysterio pounded on the closed steel door.
Backstage, Orlando Jordan and JBL got into an argument, as Jordan wanted the Bashams to come with him for his match with Hardcore Holly. JBL said he didn’t want the Bashams getting hurt before accompanying him for his match with the Undertaker. Jordan pointed out he was the only champion in the Cabinet. JBL said he was the boss. The Bashams said they were tired of being the crash test dummies for them. JBL mistakenly kept calling Doug “Danny”. The Bashams obviously were very annoyed with JBL and Jordan, and basically quit the Cabinet.
Carlito’s Cabana. Carlito opened the Cabana by ripping on the fans in Hershey, Pennsylvania (chocolate capital of the U.S.), saying they were fat, with bad skin, and would end up with diabetes. Carlito then bragged about how Matt Morgan would destroy The Big Show later. Carlito then introduced his guests for tonight, Booker T and Sharmell. Carlito was pleasant with Booker, and asked if Booker was happy about Kurt Angle being drafted to Raw. Booker said he didn’t want Angle gone, since he and his wife got their “kicks” out of beating up Kurt Angle. Carlito then talked about Angle having his way with Sharmell next week on Raw if she was drafted to that brand (she is now a “Smackdown Diva”). Carlito said their marriage and lives could be shattered if Sharmell got drafted to Raw. Carlito smiled and said “that would be very cool”. Booker started to get fired up, but Sharmell calmed him down. Sharmell got on the mic and said it was true, this could be their last night together on Smackdown. She sad they wanted to leave Carlito something to remember them by, and Booker punched Carlito. Booker gave him a superkick, and Carlito rolled from the ring. Booker and Sharmell then took apples from the set and threw them at Carlito. Booker said “An apple a day keeps Carlito running away, can you dig that suckas?”
They actually advertised the Torrie Wilson interview in the new issue of Smackdown magazine.
Backstage, Carlito complained to Matt Morgan about not being there to back him up when Booker T laid him out. Morgan tried to apologize, then Big Show’s music hit. Carlito told Morgan to go take out Big Show, but was still complaining as Morgan head to the ring. As Morgan came out, they replayed how Morgan gave Show an F5 through a table three weeks ago.
Matt Morgan vs. Big Show. The two went nose to nose at the start, and began trading punches. Show got the better of it, hitting body shots in the corner. Show whipped Morgan across the ring and hit some chops. Show dropped an elbow for a two count, and Carlito walked down to ringside. Morgan hit a knee to the gut, but Show responded with one of his own. Show allowed himself to be distracted by Carlito, and Morgan hit a jumping knee to the back. Morgan hit a running kick, sending Show through the ropes and to the floor. Carlito got in a cheap shot on the floor before Morgan tossed Show back in. Morgan kicked Show, then hit an elbowdrop and a legdrop for a two count, then applied a rear chinlock. Show grabbed a side slam to escape. Morgan and Show traded shots, then Show hit an avalanche in the corner. Show hit a pair of headbutts, sending Morgan to the floor. Morgan elbowed Show in the head on the floor, and tossed him into the ringsteps. Morgan cleared off the announce table. Show grabbed Morgan by the throat, and was looking to chokeslam him through the table, but Carlito hit him in the back with a chair, ending the match at the six minute mark. Winner via disqualification: Big Show.
Morgan picked up Big Show and was going for the F5, but Show blocked it and shoved Morgan into Carlito. Show then grabbed Morgan by the throat and chokeslammed him through the table. Show stalked Carlito down the aisle as the referee checked on Morgan.
Undertaker’s appearance from earlier was recapped.
Orlando Jordan was shown getting ready to defend the U.S. Title against Bob Holly.
U.S. Champion Orlando Jordan vs. Hardcore Holly. Jordan went on the attack at the start, stomping and punching Holly. Holly ducked a clothesline, hit a shoulderblock, and went to work with punches and chops. Holly delivered a vertical suplex for a two count. Jordan tripped Holly into the middle rope, then hit a spinebuster. Jordan stomped Holly, then hit a back elbow. Jordan trash talked the crowd, then stomped Holly and hit a snap suplex for two. Jordan began peppering Holly with jabs, but Holly came back with a right hand of his own, and both men fell to the mat. Jordan missed a clothesline, and Holly grabbed a standing rana, then hit a pair of clotheslines and a backdrop. Holly hit a full nelson slam for a near fall. Jordan hit a knee to the gut, but Holly reversed a whip and dropkicked Jordan for a two count. Holly hit a top rope clothesline, then called for the Alabama Slam. He lifted Jordan, but Orlando grabbed the top rope to block it. Jordan battled out of it, and backdropped Holly to the apron. Holly went for a slingshot sunset flip, but Jordan dropped down and grabbed the ropes for leverage (out of view of the referee) and got the pin at the seven minute mark. Winner: Orlando Jordan.
Heidenreich came to the ring with a giant, partially eaten, Hershey’s bar, and chocolate all over his mouth. Heidenreich read a poem about chocolate, and was interrupted by the Smackdown Divas (Lauren, Michelle, Miss Jackie & Joy) who came out tossing Hershey Kisses to the crowd. Jackie got on the mic and made an innuendo about him having the “biggest piece … of chocolate” she had ever seen. Lauren and Joy made innuendos about chocolate (Joy have him a “big (Hersey’s) kiss”, etc.) as well. MNM (Joey Mercury, Johnny Nitro, and Melina) then interrupted, making their usual entrance.
Melina got on the mic and made a joke about there being “nothing sweeter” than MNM. Michelle got on the mic and said they were just having fun. Melina said they were just getting fat, and they were taking up the spotlight that belongs to MNM. Heidenreich got in her face, but she wouldn’t back down from him. Melina said she would never be Heidenreich’s friend, and Heidenreich got depressed. Melina said Heidenreich was a “kindergartener on crack”. Michelle speared Melina and started pounding her. Heidenreich separated them, then Mercury & Nitro attacked Heidenreich as the Divas headed to the floor. Mercury & Nitro laid out Heidenreich with the Snapshot (elevated DDT), and Melina trash talked him before leaving.
It was announced that next week’s show will feature Rey Mysterio vs. Eddie Guerrero.
JBL came to the ring with Orlando Jordan for his match with the Undertaker. However, Chris Benoit headed to the ring, and JBL sent Orlando to intercept him. Benoit fought Jordan to the back, as JBL screamed for Orlando to come back to the ring.
The first ever Kurt Angle vs. Batsita match, Lita & Edge’s wedding, and the next draft pick were pushed for Raw.
JBL was now along in the ring, as Undertaker made his entrance.
The Undertaker vs. John Bradshaw Layfield, no disqualifications. JBL fired off some right hands in the corner at the start, but Taker reversed positions and responded with his own series of punches. They traded big boots to the face, with Taker getting the better of it. Taker went to work on JBL’s arm, and did the rope walk and forearm smash. Taker hit a face plant and got a two count. They went to the floor, and Taker rammed JBL into the security wall, then slugged him to the floor. Taker kicked JBL in the head and rammed him into the ringsteps. Taker went to do it again, but JBL reversed the whip and sent Taker into them, knees first. JBL crotched Taker on the security wall, then slugged him into the crowd. JBL was going after him in the crowd as they went to break.
Back from commercial, JBL hit a top rope shoulderblock on Undertaker in the ring for a two count. We saw that during the break, JBL worked over Taker with punches in the crowd, and then choked him with a wire on the floor. JBL hit a swinging neckbreaker in the ring for a two count. Undertaker got a sleeper, but JBL escaped with a back suplex for two. It turned into a slugfest, and JBL went for the Clothesline From Hell, but Taker blocked it with a boot to the face, then pulled JBL’s neck across the ring apron and drove in an elbow. Taker then hit the ring apron legdrop. JBL mounted a comeback, and went to the top rope, but Taker stopped him and hit a superplex. Taker hit Snake-Eyes and a boot to the face, then a legdrop for a two count. Taker hit a chokeslam for another two count. Taker set up for the Last Ride powerbomb, but JBL escaped with a low blow and hit the Clothesline From Hell for a two count. JBL hit some punches in a corner, but stopped to pose, and Undertaker gave him the Last Ride powerbomb out of the corner. JBL managed to get his shoulder up at two. Undertaker called for the Tombstone. Undertaker lifted JBL, but Randy Orton ran in and gave Undertaker the RKO. Remember, No DQ. JBL covered Undertaker for the pin at the seventeen minute mark. Winner: JBL.
Orton, from the stage, got on the mic as Undertaker was getting up in the ring. Orton told Taker to get used to being RKO’d, since he was officially on Smackdown. Randy Orton is the number two draft pick from Raw to Smackdown.
Orton posed on the stage as Undertaker stared at him from the mat to end the show, followed by a commercial for Eddie Guerrero vs. Rey Mysterio next week.
Thanks again for reading,
Joe
