Show opens with a recap of the Smackdown championship announcement from last week. Todd Martin made some great comments about the championship situation in the Raw Report on this site? Mohammad Hassan opens the arena portion of Raw to talk about Independence Day. He talks about how much more satisfying it was than War of the Worlds. Actually, he talks about his perceived lack of freedom in a free country. True dat. Undertaker is mentioned and the bell tolls. Not a word from Taker, but Daivari takes a chokeslam after giving Taker a no-sell chairshot to save Hassan from a beating. Hassan is a pro on the mic.
Replay of the Taker-Hassan confrontation from before the break. Paul London (C) vs. Chavo Guererro for the WWE Cruiserweight Championship. Cole announces that trades between brands may happen until midnight tonight. How can fans get behind brand jumping when there are no clearly defined rules? Chavo starts the match in control with deliberate, heelish offense. Great dropkick by London catches Chavo coming off the ropes. Mexicool is out. These guys are destined to be huge babyfaces in L.A. Chavo and London hold their own for a bit, but soon are beaten down. Juvy calls L.A. Mexicans fat and lazy, then tells them to rise against Hueros. Trying to make them kind of like a Latino D-X, it seems.
During the break, ECW One Night Stand was announced as being out on DVD. Movie exhibitors are mad at this phenomenon of fast DVD releases, but I like the idea for pro graps. The sooner you get out the DVD, the more you take advantage of the original hype for the show.
Recap of Rey’s win over Guererro last week. Josh interviews Eddie, who talks about smiling at “the truth” last week after their match? Melina talks with her two meal tickets about her match tonight. Mercury and Nitro were there, too (ba-ZING). She rips Orange County (agreed) and name-drops In Touch regulars Paris, Paris, Tom, Katie, Nick, Jessica and Ashton. Then she blows it by saying Variety is covering her first match. Nobody calls it “Variety,” honey. Telltale signs of an L.A. wannabe.
Highlights of WWE’s trip to Europe. Melina vs. Michelle McCool is next. Recap of last week?s angle with Heidenreich. McCool takes control to start. Melina is selling the hell out of this offense. Melina powerbombs McCool from a ten count punch and pins her using the ropes in the most obvious fashion possible. Mercury and Nitro come out and give the Snapshot to McCool. Heidenreich saves.
Eddie is out. His arms look like Skeletor’s. Eddie plays a video of him at a playground with Rey’s kid Dominic. Eddie promises to tell a bed time story he’ll never, ever forget. After the video, Rey comes out and Eddie threatens to tell the secret. Eddie stuffs candy in Rey?’ mouth and walks off to end this allegedly heart-wrenching segment. Somebody wants to be a screenwriter.
Smackdown Championship Match featuring Undertaker, Mohammad Hassan, Booker T, Chris Benoit and John Bradshaw Leyfield. Teddy Long is out before the match starts. Christian is the latest lottery pick and he has a shot at the strap. (Remember the good ole’ days of Mid South when there was a top ten contender’s list that people worked their way up? Too corny? Yeah, probably.) Undertaker appears from nowhere after a quick bell toll and starts by beating on Christian. Christian tags in Hassan as we hit commercial.
During break, Hogan’s Cabana appearance is plugged. Road Warriors DVD is plugged during break as well. It was in this building that they did the tasteless Hawk is Hammered angle back in 1998.
Undertaker pounds Hassan as they return to action. JBL tags himself in on UT and Benoit comes in from Hassan. Benoit shows his usual great offense on JBLulite. Hassan is tagged back in by JBL and takes control on Benoit. Great reversal into a Northern Lights by Benoit. Guess which commentator called that suplex? Hassan cheapshots UT with a punch, which apparently makes UT the legal man. Taker starts a mauling that goes outside the ring. UT uses the chair, which eliminates him. Cole says that Hassan is apparently out of the match for scurrying to the back. I guess this is how they.ll protect that feud.
Benoit is back against Booker. Benoit gains control with hard offense and a suplex. Booker T gains control but nearly gets small packaged. Benoit hits an enzuigiri reversal, but Booker T reversed back with a slingshot. Another reversal off a missed scissors kick but then Booker reverses a Sharpshooter attempt. The Sharpshooter is locked and Booker T tries to escape to tepid response. JBL holds the rope to prevent a rope break and then tags himself in after Benoit locks the Crossface. Benoit returns the favor shortly thereafter. Superplex by Benoit, but a tag by JBL on Booker T. JBL hits a DDT on Benoit quickly and gets the cheapie pin. Nice little sequence there.
Back from break and Booker T takes control with a spinning leg lariat (called by Tazz). Christain gets in via JBL and is on Booker T. Nice dropkick by Christian. In control until Booker reverses a second rope double axe handle into a face drop. Missed scissors kick reversed into an Unprettier and reversed again by Booker. JBL tags back in and JBL goes straight for the pin. No dice. JBL retains control with a corner clothesline and a nice boot. Christian with the blind tag in and hits off the top on JBL. JBL takes control back with a back body drop. Two heels. Interesting. The crowd is for Christian. Big two count for Christian. JBL hits a neckbreaker to reverse, then a headlock. Christian mounts an offenses, but JBL hits a Fallaway slam. Booker T in and on JBL like a house afire. Missile dropkick! Wow, that isn’t brought out too often anymore. Kickout by JBL. Bookend! Kickout. Wow. This must be his reward for putting over Cena.
Back from break and a GREAT powerslam reversal by Booker T on JBL off the top. Two count. Christian blind tags JBL as he is set up for the scissors kick, then rolls up Booker T. Christian taunts Booker and is Clotheslined to Hell. Done. There is a new Champion and he is JBL. Teddy long is out with good and bad news. Bad: JBL is NOT champion. Ugh. Here comes Batista. Again, read Todd Martin’s comments. Apparently dissing the other brand in radio interviews isn’t enough to get Tuesday’s off. They aughtta make this show live on Friday?’ if the costs are reasonable, anyway. Where’s the good news? I assume it’s that JBL is the top contender at the Great American Bash. Pretty darn decent match. JBL’s work has come so far in the past year or so?
Full Credit: Ben Miller, WrestlingObserver.com
