411’s WWE Smackdown Report 07.03.03

WWE Smackdown for July 3, 2003. Taped from Rochester, New York.
Report by Brad Jennette, EXCLUSIVELY for www.411wrestling.com

The video rolls, the pyro hits and we are TAPED FROM ROCHESTER … it’s WWE Smackdown for July 3, 2003.

Our show starts off with a recap of last week’s shenanigans involving Vince-Stephanie-Zack and Show. Vince then appears on the video screen and says he will seal Mr. America’s fate once and for all tonight. Vince also hypes the Show vs Gowen/Stephanie match literally calling it a handicapped match. That’s good taste.

Cruiserweight Title Match: Rey Mysterio vs Nunzio
Kidman is shown sitting at ringside. The referee sends the other two members of the FBI to the back at the start. This was a good mix of Nunzio’s mat skills and Rey’s arial attack. Nunzio worked over Rey’s back during the middle of the match after countering a rana from the top with a powerbomb. The FBI came back out at the end and jumped Rey on the outside, but APA fought them away. Rey then hit the 619 and the Drop the Dime for the pin. Kidman hopped the rail and celebrated with Rey.
Winner and STILL champion: Rey Mysterio

Brock Lesnar vs Kurt Angle is announced by Cole and Tazz as the main event of Vengeance.
Speaking of Brock and Kurt, they are backstage eating cookies and drinking milk together when a little blond woman walks past them. The girl says hi and then Angle and Brock argue over who she was talking to. Brock tells Angle he better keep drinking his milk if he wants to beat him for the WWE title at Vengeance. Brock leaves and Angle goes over to hit on the woman. He takes a good luck sip of milk but accidentally spits it on the woman when Brock sneaks up behind him and slaps him on his back. This was actually pretty funny.

Chris Benoit & Rhyno vs The Bashams w/ Shaniqua
This was a solid tag team match that had plenty of back and forth action. Rhyno played Ricky Morton for a while and made the hot tag to Benoit who was on FIRE. Rhyno came back and hit the GORE on Doug and Benoit locked on the crossface on Danny for the tap out. After the match, Shaniqua tries to perform her voodoo magic on Benoit, but he resisted.
Winners: Benoit and Rhyno

Backstage, Stephanie tries to beg Vince to let her out of the main event but he isn’t going for it.

Sable catches up to Stephanie and says that if Stephanie isn’t able to be the Smackdown GM after the match, Sable will take gladly take over.

Earlier today, Noble and Nidia (who got a large sum of money last week, of course I didn’t recap it because I was too busy being lazy) arrive to the arena in a limo. Noble bought new shades and Nidia got an fake mink coat. They tip the driver but take the tip back in the end.

Backstage, Orlando Jordan is getting advice from The Undertaker about paying dues. Cena walks up and tells Jordan not too listen to Taker because he will drop him like he did with Cena way back in the day. Cena tells Taker he isn’t a rookie anymore and he better watch it. Cena is awesome.

US Title Tourney: Billy Gunn w/ Torrie vs John Cena
Cena once again cuts a vicious pre-match rap on Billy Gunn, basically challenging Gunn’s sexuality. Cena is my HERO! Unfortunately, even my hero couldn’t get a good match out of the Ass. Billy Gunn kicked out of the Throwback (front flip stunner) so Cena went for the chain. Before he could hit the Ass, Taker’s music hit and the locker room leader himself came out on the cycle. It was just enough of a distraction for Gunn to roll Cena up for the pin. Fuck that finish.
Winner: Billy Gunn

Backstage, Kurt challenges Brock to a pushup contest where they have to do 300 pushups. Lesnar goes first and we go to break with him on 10. We come back from break and Lesnar struggles and struggles and struggles but finally gets 300. He adds another for good measure before collapsing in a heap. Brock tells Angle to help him up and start his 300 but Angle says that Brock won and walked off! HAHA!

WWE Tag Team Titles Match: Eddie Guerrero & Tajiri vs Charlie Haas & Shelton Benjamin
AWESOME, AWESOME, AWESOME! That’s pretty much the best way to describe this match. The usual from these two teams. The champs drove a black low-rider to the ring this time around. This match went over 15 minutes with an extended heat segment on Tajiri and plenty of back and forth action between Eddie and H/B. The finish saw Benjamin superkick Tajiri off the apron onto the hood of the truck and Eddie (while he was distracted) get hit with the rollup version of the Star Spangled Blaster for the pin. We have new champions! My boys did it!
Winners and NEW champions: Charlie Haas & Shelton Benjamin

Backstage, Big Show gets in Zach face and talks about taking out Zach’s good leg.

Back at ringside, Tajiri is still laid out on the hood. Eddie seems more concerned about the truck then Tajiri.

Mr. America’s entire time in the WWE is recapped by a video package.

Back at ringside again, Eddie TURNS HEEL and suplexes Tajiri through the windshield of the truck! HE’S BACK! Tajiri is getting loaded on a stretcher as we come back from break.

A-Train vs Orlando Jordan
Kind of of one of those “big guy in control with underdog getting in a few hope spots and kicking out of a few moves but you know he has no chance matches” A-Train hit the Derailer but Jordan was able to kick out. A-Train moved out of the way of a cross body off the top from Jordan and hit the Train Wreck for the pin.
Winner: A-Train

Backstage, Show has a creepy encounter with Steph and then he meets up with Vince and Sable.

Vince and Sable come to the ring. Vince shows footage from last week’s main event. It shows Mr. America lifting his mask to reveal Hulk Hogan! No way!! Vince fires Hogan and Mr. America!!! Vince then announces that Big Show vs Gowen/Stephanie will be a no DQ, no holds barred match. Vince also adds Big Show to the main event of Vengeance to make it a triple threat match.

Handicapped match: Big Show vs Stephanie McMahon & Zach Gowen
Zach tries to fight Show but Show beats the shit out of him. Show pushes Stephanie around in between beating the shit out of Zach. Zach loses the leg but still gets the shit beat out of him. Vince gets in and wants Show to chokeslam Stephanie but Angle runs in. Angle kicks Show in the nuts and gets the anklelock but Vince breaks it up with a chairshot. Brock runs in and tries the F5 on Vince but Show big-boots him. Show gets the chair but Gowen one-legged dropkicks it into Show’s face right into an Angle Slam from Kurt! Brock F5’s Show and Gowen dropkicks Vince out of the ring! Gowen heads up top, no fucking way….PERFECT ONE-LEGGED MOONSAULT! That was SWEET! Gowen covers…1…2…3!
Winners: Zack Gowen & Stephanie McMahon

End of Show.