From The Network – WWF Smackdown Pilot

WWF Smackdown!
4-29-99
New Haven, CT

Your hosts are Michael Cole and Jim Cornette.

Vince and Stephanie McMahon come out and talks about his business decisions. He says tonight is the first step in gaining control of his company and he starts thanking some people for their help, including Ken Shamrock, Big Show, and Stone Cold Steve Austin. Stephanie talks about the torment she suffered from The Undertaker and she thanks Austin for saving her. She hopes Undertaker burns in hell and Shane McMahon comes out with The Corporation. Shane says his corporation would have helped his sister and it makes him sick that Vince is thanking Austin. He says when it comes to business; he doesn’t care about Austin, his father, or his sister. Vince goes to nail Shane but Triple H and Chyna block the way. Shane orders Vince and Stephanie to leave since he is running the show. Vince and Stephanie leave and Shane mocks them as they make their way to the back. Shane claims Austin and Rock are tied on the top of his hit list, so he forces Austin and Rock to team up tonight. He asks for volunteers and Triple H accepts. Shane looks for another partner and the lights go out. Undertaker is on the screen and he claims Austin stuck his nose where he had no business. He says Austin is playing spoiler but Undertaker is judge, jury, and executioner. Shane says Rock and Austin vs. Triple H and Undertaker is official.

Val Venis vs. Jeff Jarrett w/Debra
Jarrett is replacing Owen Hart who has gone missing but Blue Blazer comes out and attacks Venis. Blazer officials takes over and hits a backdrop. Slam by Blazer and he goes up. Missile dropkick by Blazer and he stomps away in the corner. Venis returns the favor and he hits a corner clothesline. Back elbow by Venis and he follows with an elbow drop. Delayed suplex by Venis and he goes up. Second rope elbow drop by Venis and Debra distracts Venis. Venis catches Blazer attacks and he hits the Fisherman’s suplex. Jarrett comes in as Debra continued distracting the ref and goes low on Venis, allowing Blazer to cradle him for 3!!!
Winner- Blue Blazer * ( A bait and switch in the opening match. Early 1999 WWF in a nutshell. Match was too short to amount to anything and we sadly know where the Blue Blazer thing went. )

After the match, Nicole Bass comes out and chases Val. Godfather then makes his way out and wants Debra but Jarrett clips him, allowing Blazer to hit a leg lariat. Stroke by Jarrett and Blazer hits a second rope elbow drop. They continue to stomp away on Godfather and leave him lying.

Blue Blazer says the WWF needs him and he wonders where Owen Hart is. He says everything in the WWF is deplorable and they need a superhero.

Big Show vs. Test
Big boot by Test and he hammers away on Show as Big Boss Man makes his way out. Dropkick by Show and he hits the Chokeslam for 3.
Winner- Big Show ¼* (Just a quick squash for Show. Again, not much to this. )

After the match, Boss Man goes after Test but Show returns, forcing Boss Man to bail.

The Rock comes out and says HHH and Shane McMahon checked into the Smackdown! Hotel and they won’t check out without a boot in their ass. He threatens to do the same thing to Steve Austin and Austin comes out. Austin says Rock will always be a punk kick that spits out nursery rhymes. He says he would roast the Brahma Bull if given the chance. Now Shane McMahon comes out and claims their fighting helps him when his plans are getting bigger and better. Now Undertaker comes out and stands side by side with Shane. The Corporation and The Ministry come out and declare themselves the Corporate Ministry.

X-Pac claims things tonight will be unpredictable and doesn’t declare his allegiance to Kane or DX.

Droz w/Prince Albert vs. D’Lo Brown w/Ivory
Knees by Droz and Brown comes back with a hip toss. Chops in the corner by Brown and Droz comes back with a back elbow. Powerslam by Droz and he poses, allowing Brown to catch him with a sit-out powerbomb. Lariat by Droz and Brown comes back with a leg lariat. Leg drop by Brown and Droz pokes the eye to come back. Sky High by Brown and he goes up. Albert shoves him off the top as the ref was distracted. Droz is knocked into Albert and Brown catches both with a slingshot pescado on the floor. Back in, Brown slams Droz and he goes up. Albert catches him with a sit-out press slam for the DQ. Albert goes to pierce Brown but Mark Henry saves him.
Winner by DQ- D’Lo Brown *1/2 ( They actually got to work a match and it was decent for the three minutes it got. )

Road Dogg says tonight could get a little wacky since he’s facing his friend X-Pac. Billy Gunn gets mad since there are no friends when it comes to the tag titles and he tells Road Dogg to get his head on straight.

WWF Tag Team Championships- X-Pac and Kane © vs. New Age Outlaws (Road Dogg and Billy Gunn)
Road Dogg and X-Pac start. X-Pac goes for the arm early but Dogg fights him off. Spinning heel kick by X-Pac and Dogg comes back with a hip toss. Dogg knocks X-Pac down and they reach a standstill. Gunn tags in and Kane forces a tag as well. Jabs by Gunn and Kane fights back with rights of his own. Clothesline by Kane and he hits a leg drop for 2. Kane sends Gunn into the corner and Gunn does one of the worst Flair flip attempts you will ever see. Kane sends Gunn hard into the corner and Gunn fires back with rights. Short arm clothesline by Kane and X-Pac tags in. They slug it out and Gunn overpowers X-Pac. Dropkick by Gunn and he hammers away on X-Pac. Tag to Road Dogg and he knocks X-Pac down for 2. Standing arm bar by Road Dogg and Gunn tags in. Avalanche in the corner by Gunn and he goes for it again but misses. Tag to Kane and he cleans house. Big boot by Kane and Road Dogg comes in for some jabs. Double dropkick by the Outlaws and Road Dogg hits the knee drop. Kane grabs both Road Dogg and X-Pac but Gunn breaks it up. Double clothesline by Kane to the Outlaws and X-Pac goes for the Bronco Buster but misses. Road Dogg goes low to block a Chokeslam attempt and Gunn hits the Fameasser for 2 as X-Pac saves. Gunn hammers away on X-Pac and he goes to press him but Kane shoves Road Dogg into Gunn, causing X-Pac to fall on top for 3!!!
Winners and Still WWF Tag Team Champions- X-Pac and Kane **1/4 ( The work here was OK but the entire match was spent around the idea of both teams not getting along, so they couldn’t get the crowd invested in the actual wrestling when two of the same angles were going on. )

The Outlaws argue in the locker room and officials have to come in to prevent it from becoming physical.

Doc Hendrix brings out The Brood for an interview. Gangrel says following the Undertaker didn’t work out and they now seek inner light and the power within. Christian refuses to speak and Edge says it’s only a matter of time until they find the power. Edge warns Doc Hendrix to beware since the freaks come out at night. Hendrix calls them a gimmick which Gangrel laughs off. The lights go out and when they come back on, Hendrix is shown to have been given the blood bath.

Ken Shamrock says he was raised to fight and he promises to break Bradshaw’s body and spirit.

Street Fight- Bradshaw vs. Ken Shamrock
Shamrock attacks from behind as Bradshaw was coming out and he sends Bradshaw into the post. Bradshaw sends Shamrock into the steps and back in, Bradshaw hits some corner clotheslines. Fall-a-way slam by Bradshaw gets 2. Shamrock clips Bradshaw and he rolls Bradshaw into the grape vine. Bradshaw rolls to the floor to break the hold and Shamrock slams Bradshaw’s face off the steps. Shamrock tosses Bradshaw into the timekeeper’s table and Shamrock stomps away. Shamrock grabs the baseball bat and swings but Bradshaw moves. Back in, Bradshaw drives the bat into the gut and back of Shamrock. Shamrock clips Bradshaw again and he swings the bat into the midsection and head of Bradshaw. Shamrock chokes Bradshaw with the baseball bat and Bradshaw passes out. Sgt. Slaughter tries to save Bradshaw but Shamrock attacks him with the bat for doing so.
Winner- Ken Shamrock *1/2 ( This actually paid off the finish to the Shamrock/Undertaker Backlash match and Shamrock got a decisive win and extracted revenge on Bradshaw. Finally, something positive and, unbelievably, some good booking! )

Mankind explains who he is and he says he’ll drive Mr. Socko down Big Boss Man’s gullet because he can.

Big Boss Man vs. Mankind
Boss Man attacks Mankind and he jumps on Mankind in the ropes. Double arm DDT by Mankind and he goes for the Manidble Claw but Boss Man bails. Test comes out and rolls him back in, allowing Mankind to roll him up for 2. Boss Man hammers away but Mankind pulls him to the floor to end that. Big Show comes out now and he presses Boss Man into the ring. Mandible Claw by Mankind and Boss Man is done.
Winner- Mankind * ( Another short match but this was noteworthy because it launched one of the worst factions in WWF history…THE UNION!!!!! )

Billy Gunn attacks X-Pac in the locker room but Kane pulls him off.

Triple H and The Undertaker w/Shane McMahon, Paul Bearer, Chyna, and Mean Street Posse vs. The Rock and Stone Cold Steve Austin
Rock attacks before Austin comes out but ends up getting double teamed. Austin comes out and he goes after HHH on the floor. Austin sends HHH into the post and back in, Taker hits some rights to Austin. Thesz press and Austin hammers away on Taker. Front elbow drop by Austin gets 2 as HHH saves. HHH knocks Austin down and he stomps away in the corner. HHH blocks the Stunner and he hits the high knee. Slam by HHH and he misses a knee drop. Facebuster by HHH gets 2. HHH works over Austin in the corner and he puts Austin on top. HHH follows up and Austin fights him off. Second rope axe handle by Austin and Rock tags in. Rights by Rock and Taker tags in. Clothesline by Rock and Taker catches him with a DDT for 2. Taker knocks Rock down with a head butt and Rock comes back with a DDT for 2 as HHH saves. They clothesline each other and both men are down. Rock goes for the Rock Bottom but HHH breaks it up. Austin stomps away on HHH in the corner and the Corporate Ministry come out and attack Austin for the DQ. Test, Big Show, and Ken Shamrock come out to even the odds and they clear the ring of everyone, leaving Austin and Taker alone. Big boot by Taker and he goes for the Tombstone but Austin escapes. Taker catches him with a Chokeslam and Vince McMahon comes out. Vince nails Shane!!!! Taker goes to use a chair but Vince stops him. Taker CREAMS Vince with a chair and Austin catches Taker with the Stunner. Shane attacks Vince but Austin lays him out with a Stunner.
Winners by DQ- The Rock and Stone Cold Steve Austin **1/4 ( Very short but fun main event thanks to the star power of all four men and the crowd just being glued to everything Rock and Austin did. Very angle heavy at the end but at least it was meant to help the build toward Over the Edge. )

4.0

The final score: review Poor

The 411

This was a very angle and story line heavy show. I admire them using their test show to drive major story lines rather than do a WWF exhibition style show that most debut events seem to be. That being said, this show wasn't very good. Most of the wrestling was kept very short with the exception of the Tag Title match which was more angle driven than an attempt to put on a good contest. Most of the angles were over the top and we saw the formation of some of the worst factions in wrestling history occur here. However, at least on this show everything had some sort of purpose and led the viewer to make them want to watch Raw to see what happens next, which is lost in today's WWE product. This show really isn't worth your time unless your curious about the debut episode of the WWF's second major TV brand.