411’s WWE Smackdown Report 04.03.03

WWE Smackdown for April 3, 2003. Taped from Spokane, Washington.
Report by Brad Jennette, EXCLUSIVELY for www.411wrestling.com

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

We open the show and our beloved GM Stephanie McMahon (looking slim and quite beautiful) heads out onto the ramp. She tell us that Kurt Angle could be out 2 months with hamstring and neck injuries. Brock Lesnar will also be no on the show tonight because of a severe concussion. An eight man tourney will be held to determine who will face Brock Lesnar for the WWE title at Backlash. The first round matches are tonight and the first match is RIGHT NOW!

Number 1 Contenders Tournament Round 1: Rey Mysterio vs. The Undertaker
Taker tries to trap Rey in the corner and throws him in with one arm. Rey comes out but Taker throws him right back in. Rey decides a new strategy and starts kicking Taker’s leg. Rey hits a springboard dropkick that knocks Taker out of the ring! Rey runs off the ropes but Taker slides back in and hits a big boot to kill Rey dead. Taker send Rey into the corner and hits an splash. Rey falls to his knees and Taker punches him right in the face. Taker picks him back up but Rey comes back with a jawbreaker. Rey unloades the right hands but walks right into the chokeslam. Taker lifts Rey but Rey counters with a tornado DDT! Taker starts to pull himself up but Rey hits the 619 for 2. Rey sets up the West Coast Pop but Taker catches it and hits the Last Ride for the win. This was a classic little guy vs big guy match.
Winner: The Undertaker

Vince McMahon shows up backstage with a large bandage on his forehead. He tells a stagehand to make sure and tell him when Hogan arrives.

WWE Smack of the Night: Brian Kendrick beating Shannon Moore to win a spot on the Smackdown roster only two weeks ago.

Brian Kendrick vs. Jamie Noble
Very quick pased back and forth action. Kendrick was in control and went to the top rope but Nidia tried to grab his foot. Kendrick kicked Nidia down and flew across the ring with a crossbody block. The finish was Noble going to a baseball slide on Kendrick but Kendrick moving and Noble hitting Nidia. Kendrick then hit Sliced Break Number 2 for the win. Matt Hardy comes right in after the match and dumps Kendrick. He gets on the stick and challenges Brock Lesnar to a champion vs champion match next week. I’m so there. Kendrick sneaks back in and dumps Shannon but walks right into a Twist Of Fate. If they are pushing Rey to the backburner
Winner: Brian Kendrick

They show the replay of Brock’s botched Shooting Star Press. That was SICK. A promo then was shown saying that PIPERS PIT would be on next weeks Smackdown!

Number 1 Contenders Tournament Round 1: Chris Benoit vs. A-Train
Benoit gets a quick go behind into a waistlock but A-Train elbows him down. A-Train hits a few kneedrops, sending Benoit to the floor. A-Train follows and sends Benoit right back in the ring. A-Train tries to work the mat but Benoit counters to the crossface. A-Train escapes it but Benoit keeps it on. A-Train rolls out of it and counters it to what can only be called an elevated camel clutch, really an innovative move. A-Train then picks it all the way up and slams Benoit into the mat. Benoit takes a power but A-Train follows him out, sends him back in, and gets 2. A-Train sends Benoit into the corner and lands some forearm shots to the back of the neck. A-Train whips Benoit into the corner with some serious velocity, sending Benoit to the mat. A-Train goes to a reverse chinlock to keep the pressure of the neck. Benoit powers to his feet and unloads the chops until A-Train takes over with a kneelift. A-Train dumps Benoit over the top rope to buy some time. Benoit gets back on the apron and tries a sunset flip but A-Train calmly stomps him right in the face. A-Train hooks Benoit’s legs and hits a decapatator on Benoit! A-Train picks Benoit back up Benoit fires on him with chops but A-Train stomps him with another kneelift. Benoit comes back with another go behind into a waistlock but A-Train counters with elbows to the head. A-Train sends Benoit into the corner but misses a blind charge. Benoit grabs the waistlock and its GERMAN! GERMAN! GERMAN! Benoit heads up top and hits the flying headbutt for 2. Benoit and A-Train and both slow to get up. Benoit is up first and goes off the ropes but it put down with a bicycle kick. A-Train picks up Benoit and goes for the Derailer backbreaker but Benoit slides off and slaps on the crossface! A-Train fights to his feet with Benoit still holding the crossface. Benoit pulls a Trish and pushes his feet off the top rope and sends A-Train back down all the while still holding the crossface! A-Train taps out! SUPER MATCH!
Winner: Chris Benoit

Backstage, Vince is yapping on his cellphone when Steph walks in. He tell her he is going to do something to Hogan he should have done a long time ago. She tell him to don’t do something he will regret.

Number 1 Contenders Tournament Round 1: John Cena vs. Eddie Guererro
Cena starts off fast with some right hands. Then my god he busts out a BRITISH BULLDOG-like vertical suplex and a bearhug! Eddie headbutted his way out and took Cena down. Eddie went up top and hit a missle dropkick for 2. Cena was able to counter a rana attempt with an electric chair to take control back. Cena grabbed his chain off the apron but had it dropkicked out of his hands. Eddie got the chain but the ref refused to let him use it. Eddie threw the chain away and hit a belly to back suplex. Eddie went up top but could hit the frog splash because Cena got up. Eddie instead jumped down and did a barrel roll on the ground. Eddie got right back up and took Cena down with a standing rana. Eddie whipped Cena into the corner and went for a blind charge but Cena caught him. It looked like he was going to go for a back bodydrop but Cena held on and tossed Eddie onto his shoulders into the DVD position. Cena then hit the Death Valley Driver for the CLEAN pin!? Its John Cena vs The Undertaker next week!
Winner: John Cena

A limo pulls up outside the arena and Hulk Hogan, Jimmy Hart, and Hogan’s son Nick get out. Hogan looks excited to be in Spokane and says is looks like Hulkamania’s house.

Torrie Wilson comes out in a ridiculously short outfit for her “Playboy Coming Out Party”. She teases stripping until the cat growl interupts and SABLE comes out! Are you kidding me!? Sable gets a pretty good pop. She runs through her usual schtick and then gives Torrie a little goodbye kiss. That’s right, I said KISS. I think I just had my coming out party.

Team Angle vs. Funaki & Tajiri
My boys get the Kurt Angle pyro! They get to keep the music too! The head to the ring and we go to commercial…?

We come back with Tajiri and Funaki heading to the ring. Tajiri and Funaki got right in but got beatdown. Shelton hit a short arm clothesline on Funaki to take control early. Shelton hit a T-Bone throw but got kicked down by Tajiri from behind. Shelton makes the tag and Haas DEMANDS that Tajiri get tagged in. That would prove to be a mistake as Tajiri beat the tar out of Haas with his trademark kicks. Haas took control with a suplex and soon Team Angle had the heel beatdown going on with the “hanging on the ropes, leapfrog your partner move and drop on your opponents back move” Tajiri was able to hit his patented handspring elbow on Haas and Shelton and make the hot tag to Funaki. Funaki climbed the top rope and hit a flying bodypress on Haas for 2. Shelton tried to take Tajiri out but got caught in the Tarantula. Funaki hit a tornado DDT on Haas but hit a chop block on Funaki’s knee as the ref was making Tajiri leave the ring. Haas then slapped on the Haas of Pain for the tap out victory.
Winners: Team Angle

The FBI head backstage and have a little pow wow with the Undertaker. They got a problem with Taker’s boy Nathan Jones. Taker tells them he isn’t going to do anything about it, because they almost cost him the match at Wrestlemania. Nathan Jones shows up and the FBI backs off.

Josh Matthews catches up to John Cena backstage and asks him about his match with The Undertaker next week. Cena freestyles about how he is the underdog, but he will shock the world. Please give me Cena vs Benoit in the finals two weeks from now, I beg of you!

Number 1 Contenders Tournament Round 1: Big Show vs. Rhyno
The winner of this match with face Chris Benoit next week. Rhyno starts off quickly with some power right hands. Big Show comes back and just powers Rhyno into the corner and lands a big slap to the chest. Big Show lands some big forearms to the back of Rhyno’s neck. Rhyno goes to the mat so Big Show steps on his back! HA! Big Show stomps Rhyno down and chops him back down when he gets up. Big Show chokes Rhyno with his boot and then throws him across the ring like a ragdoll. Big Show sets up the chokeslam but Rhyno fights him off with right hands. Rhyno goes off the ropes but Show catches him and hits a big sideslam for 2. Big Show whips Rhyno into the corner so hard that it sends Rhyno down. Big Show RIPS the turnbuckle pad off, exposing the steel bolt. Big Show hits a headbutt and another rag doll throw to set up a blind charge into the exposed turnbuckle. Rhyno moves and Show hits sternum first into the buckle. Rhyno charges and its GORE GORE GORE in the corner against the steel bolt. A-Train shows up and climbs on the apron but Rhyno knocks him off. Big Show gets back up but its GORE GORE GORE all over again. A-Train rolls back in and breaks up the pin but still causes the DQ for Big Show. The heels beatdown Rhyno and Big Show drops the leg on Rhyno’s neck. Rhyno and Chris Benoit will duke it out next week!
Winner by DQ: Rhyno

Vince is shown heading to the ring, the main event interview is NEXT!

Vince then came out and called out Hogan. He said he wanted to apologize to him. He didn’t like losing, but he will take it like a man. Hogan then came out. Vince apologized and wanted to shake Hogan’s hand, but Hulk refused. Then, Hogan finally extended his hand and they shook hands. Vince left. As he was going up the ramp, Hogan stopped him and thanked him for what he just did. So of course, Vince then says he is really a sore loser and he will now kill Hulkamania by not letting him wrestle. Hogan will sit at home the remainder of his contract. Out of sight, out of mind Vince said. Vince then dared Hogan to chase him and when he did, Vince had the police keep Hogan away from him. Vince packed up the limo and told Hogan to “get out of his life”

End of Show. See you next week!