Random Network Reviews: Judgment Day 2005

Judgment Day 2005
May 22nd, 2005 | Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota | Attendance: 12,000

2005 was an interesting year for the WWE. They had officially moved into a new era by putting their big titles on John Cena and Batista at WrestleMania. Cena was the man for the Smackdown brand, which is where we are here. Smackdown only Pay-Per-Views can definitely be a chore, but the card for this one looks interesting to say the least.

The opening video package focuses on the Rey Mysterio/Eddie Guerrero program after Eddie turned heel. It was really great work from him. Kurt Angle vs. Booker T is also highlighted, during Angle’s creepy, perverted run. It wasn’t great work from him. Lastly, t focuses on the I Quit Math main event. This is a rematch of the WrestleMania 21 WWE Title match. Michael Cole and Tazz do commentary.

WWE Tag Team Championship
MNM (c) w/ Melina vs. Charlie Haas and Hardcore Holly
Melina cuts a pre-match promo calling this the biggest night in Pay-Per-View history. Who is she, Tony Schiavone? MNM always had a really cool entrance. After starting out red hot, the Smackdown Tag Team division fizzled. MNM was the shot in the arm that it needed as they were young, talented and over. Charlie Haas starts with Johnny Nitro, hitting an arm drag into the ropes which was cool. Hardcore Holly hits his signature low kick before lighting Mercury up with chops. Haas and Holly seem to relish their power advantage as they toss the champs around. Alabama Slam is blocked with a superkick from Nitro. The crowd, hosting their first PPV in years, is energetic as hell. Haas gets the hot tag, which is rare, and he seems to be extra motivated tonight. Okay, he really is because he hits a plancha to the outside. Melina, like a good heel manager, gets involved though it just leads to Haas near falls. A cheap shot from Nitro leads to the Snapshot and the champions retain.

Winners and Still WWE Tag Team Champions: MNM in 8:04
Fun, fast paced and energetic. The crowd was pumped and this was the prefect length for the match as it didn’t overstay its welcome at all. Solid choice for the opener. ***¼

Big Show vs. Carlito w/ Matt Morgan
Looking at Matt Morgan here, it’s incredible to think how good he was during some of his TNA run. Carlito and all of his potential cuts a pre-match promo like he’s Melina or something. Carlito pays the cowardly heel to perfection here, running away and allowing Morgan to trip up Show. He gets caught and sells well but Morgan pulls the rope down, sending Show over the top. The referee takes a spill, so Carlito is able to low blow Show, blocking a Chokeslam. Show shakes it off and goes for another but Morgan big boots him. He then picks up Show and hits a damn F5. They even call it an F5 despite Brock Lesnar having left over a year ago. Carlito picks up the scraps to win.

Winner: Carlito in 4:41
Basic big face against cowardly little heel match. Carlito was entertaining as hell and the F5 was very impressive. *¾

Even though it isn’t the next match, we get a video package for the Booker T/Kurt Angle match. It’s so ridiculous it’s amazing. Kurt saying that he wants to have BEASTIALITY sex with Sharmell is one of the most incredible things I’ve ever seen. Booker and Sharmell are backstage when Sharmell gets a delivery of underwear and handcuffs from Kurt Angle.

WWE Cruiserweight Championship
Paul London (c) vs. Chavo Guerrero
Not much story behind this except that Paul London won the title from Chavo a few months back and since then Chavo has picked up a countout win and pin in a tag match. Chavo looks really red tonight for some reason. He hits a nice looking tilt-a-whirl backbreaker in the early goings. London comes back with a hurricanrana that looks rather sloppy but a mule kick and dropsault both come off better. He goes for the 450 splash early but Chavo gets the knees up. I don’t know if I’ve ever seen someone hit the knees harder. Chavo takes over, getting a near fall on a nice rope hung dropkick. London begins the rally, as this has been a fun little cruiserweight match. Like a good heel, Chavo lies, cheats and steals…no he just cheats by using the ropes on a rollup but London kicks out. The Gory Bomb is blocked and they stand awkwardly for a second before London kicks him down. The savvy veteran Chavo rolls outside to avoid the 450, so London instead somersaults onto him but hits the floor more than Chavo and it sounded nasty. Both guys end up on top as Chavo seems to try a super Gory Bomb but is backdropped to the mat. 450 splash follows to retain.

Winner and Still WWE Cruiserweight Champion: Paul London in 10:46
Not as fast paced as I expected, but that might have been for the better. Chavo Guerrero works best as a heel and Paul London was good as the plucky babyface. Nothing special but enjoyable. **¾

Cutting backstage, Booker T is standing still until he gets his cue I guess, then he angrily searches for Kurt Angle. He interrogates a bunch of jobbers but finds no answers because Kurt is in Booker’s locker room, pretty much raping Sharmell.

Booker T vs. Kurt Angle
The face that Booker T has as he comes out is priceless. I appreciate that he doesn’t do his fireworks or anything to sell how serious he is. Within the first minute, Kurt Angle is bleeding from the mouth which is a great touch for this kind of feud. Kurt moves to a rest hold that Michael Cole correctly says is wise to wear down a guy as pumped as Booker. Booker doesn’t slow down though, even as Angle comes close to slapping on the Ankle Lock. Everything he hits is stiff and believable, with the biggest spot being a Scissors Kick with Angle hung on the ropes. As it should, Booker’s aggressiveness costs him, allowing Kurt to get in the driver’s seat. It even messes with his comeback as he misses a kick that he’s overzealous on. Booker kicks Kurt and somehow busts him open in the head. Scissors Kick and Angle Slam are both countered and the Book End gets a near fall. Even though Booker busts out the Spinaroonie, he does a throat cut signal. It’s such an odd move to do in such a serious match. Angle doesn’t like it either, bringing the suplexes. He tries another Angle Slam but it’s reversed into an inside cradle and that’s all she wrote.

Winner: Booker T in 13:59
Good psychology in this one. With the exception of the Spinaroonie, Booker was aggressive and serious, which is exactly how he should have played this one. The bigger gripe was the anti-climactic finish. It even seemed like Kurt kicked out. Still, two veterans worked a solid match. ***

Kurt Angle attacks after the match and Sharmell comes down. He tries to handcuff her to the ropes but Booker turns the tables on him. With Angle cuffed, Booker fires off right hands on him, before letting Sharmell get hers in. Hearing Angle shout that he was kidding is hilarious.

WWE United States Championship
Orlando Jordan (c) vs. Heidenreich
What the hell was going on with the mid-card on Smackdown? Heidenreich does this incredibly odd pandering to the fans, asking for a friend. It’s so cringe worthy. He brings a little girl over the guardrail to tell her a poem. If I’m her dad and saw what he did to Cole while reading a poem, I’d keep my child very far away. The match starts after the poem, with OJ being the aggressor. Heidenreich rallies by doing his own version of Hulking up but the crowd doesn’t seem to really care. OJ survives the rally and retains the belt with a DDT. The child is not pleased and boos hard.

Winner and Still WWE United States Champion: Orlando Jordan in 5:01
Thank goodness that was kept short. Neither guy is particularly good and this was boring. The crowd didn’t care because neither guy is worth giving a damn. ½*

Josh Matthews, looking like he hasn’t hit puberty, interviews JBL backstage. He’s holding the excellent Undisputed Title as a way to combat John Cena’s ridiculous spinner belt. It’s a standard JBL promo.

Eddie Guerrero vs. Rey Mysterio
Judging by the video package, this was an excellently build feud that goes back to before WrestleMania. They opened Mania in a singles match while Tag Team Champions but this is much different. Eddie Guerrero’s violent heel turn makes this personal. He is vicious as he beats the hell out of Rey on the outside. They go back in, where Eddie uses an abdominal stretch. Rey fights out but Eddie knows him well and counters his hurricanrana attempt. Guerrero deserves more recognition for this heel run because he did everything brilliantly. The looks, the change in demeanor, it was all masterful. Rey gets a near fall on a springboard headbutt that the crowd bit on. They are mixed in who they are rooting for though. They slug it out, but like a genius, Eddie dropkicks the knee before moving to a Boston Crab. Eddie moves to an STF that is much better than the one Cena does. To show how sick he is, he slides Rey face first outside and brings the stairs into play. It’s a callback to Eddie taking him out with a brainbuster on the steps weeks prior. Rey counters and hits a 619 around the post, while commentary excels at discussing how he never gives up. Inside, Rey actually hits a big boot and is explosive right now. Like Booker earlier, Rey is overzealous and it costs him as he hits the ring post. Eddie hits a good looking superplex for two. Rey continues to counter, causing Chavo to come down and distract the official. Eddie gets a chair but Rey stops him and takes out Chavo. He hits the 619, but Eddie stops the West Coast Pop with a brutal chair shot as the referee calls for the bell.

Winner via disqualification: Rey Mysterio in 18:31
These two always had good chemistry, but this might be my favorite match of theirs in the WWE. Eddie Guerrero is fantastic in the heel role and was exactly what he needed to be throughout. The psychology and wrestling were both on point and I loved this. ****¼

Eddie Guerrero continues the assault with the steel chair after the bell, until medics come out to help Rey Mysterio leave.

WWE Championship I Quit Match
John Cena (c) vs. John “Bradshaw” Layfield
John Cena gets a WrestleMania like special entrance with a big truck and a DJ. This was the start of the John Cena era, and he was still pretty over with a lot of people. The backlash hadn’t begun just yet. They start with basic stuff, trying to wear the other man down. The fight stays at that pace until they move into the crowd. JBL is first to ask the big question but Cena fights back before sending JBL into the ring post. They go to the announce table, where JBL badmouths Cena and tries a powerbomb. Cena declines quitting and backdrops him through the table. Cena uses a monitor but JBL comes back with a chair shot and for the second straight year, a JBL opponent at Judgment Day is GUSHING blood. JBL continues the abuse with a stairs shot and multiple Clotheslines from Hell. It’s hard to even look at Cena, who can barely stand. He chokes Cena with his chain but he NEVER GIVES UP. JBL is perfect with the I Quit berating. “QUIT YOU PUNK ASS BITCH!” That fuels Cena, who breaks into the five moves of doom. FU hits so JBL gives the “you can’t see me” sign and tries to leave. Not a fan of him wanting to leave as I never like that when someone is challenging for a belt. The fight is up by the entrance where JBL chokes Cena again but he overpowers and sends JBL headfirst through a TV! JBL then gets thrown into the window of his limo before they move to the top where Cena hits a suplex. Super Cena then rips the door off the limo and hits JBL with it. They brawl up to the truck Cena came out in, where JBL climbs a speaker and chokes Cena again. Cena hits shots with the microphone, knocking JBL off and through a table. JBL crawls away as Cena grabs a metal pipe thing and prepares to hit him with it. JBL snatches the microphone and quits.

Winner and Still WWE Champion: John Cena in 22:41
Absolutely brutal match. This was the first great John Cena match and it more than made up for the debacle that was their WrestleMania match. Really good stuff. ****

Even though JBL quit, John Cena still takes him out with the pipe weapon.

7.5

The final score: review Good

The 411

Well that was surprisingly good. As I stated early on, Smackdown exclusive Pay-Per-Views sometimes fell short but this one was strong. The only real bad thing was the US Title match. Everything else was either really good or at least mildly entertaining. It’s one of the few Smackdown only Pay-Per-Views I’d recommend and you should really go see the final two matches.