411’s WWE Smackdown Report 2.03.05

Taped from San Jose, California in the HP Pavilion at San Jose, this is the February 3, 2005 edition of WWE SmackDown!

The show kicks off right away with John Cena. The set is a wacky looking mix of RAW’s and SD!’s, with the RAW titantron and the hanging things on the side with the round entrance opening of SmackDown! He explains how he’s always associated with controversy and wishes Batista good luck at WrestleMania, but wants him to come to SmackDown!, because “the champ is here!”. Theodore Long is out to speculate on which title Batista will be vying for come WrestleMania, and then announces the beginning of an 8-man number one contendership tournament that starts tonight, and the winner of that tournament will face the winner of the Barbed Wire Steel Cage match at No Way Out, and if Batista decides to challenge for the WWE Title, then there will be a triple threat at WrestleMania.

This brings out JBL, Orlando and Amy, sans Bashams and the longhorn limo. He’s already pissed about the Barbed Wire Cage match, but now he’s even angrier about the tournament set up by the GM. JBL claims that he is the one selling out arenas and selling PPVs, and he demands that the “stupid tournament” be called off. Next week, John Cena faces Orlando Jordan in a first round match of the tournament, and that makes JBL happy, because OJ is going to win. JBL tells Cena that he will never get a shot at the WWE Title while the crowd chants for him to “shut up”, and then that Cena is not in his league. John Cena responds to that with an FU for the WWE Champion and walks out with his US Title held high.

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On Sunday, Kurt Angle was eliminated from the Rumble match by HBK, then followed up by doing the same to Shawn and then more, by means of nailing him with the steps and putting in the Ankle Lock.

Kurt Angle is out to the ring for his namesake invitational, but first he has something to say. His night at the Royal Rumble went from bad to great when he “stopped the Showstopper”, making Michaels tap, bleed, and suffer, and he feels pretty damn good about it. Next week Kurt faces Rey Mysterio in a first round tournament match, and his opponent tonight… Nunzio?

Kurt Angle vs. Nunzio

Angle tries to hit him with the mic, but Nunzio ducks. They lock up and Kurt takes him down into an arm bar, but Nunzio is able to roll to the ropes. Another lockup and another takedown, but Nunzio gets a victory roll for 2. Back up, they exchange chops and Nunzio dropkicks Kurt’s knee and rolls him up for a near fall. Forearms from Nunzio and he blocks a hip toss, but Angle counters it into a wheelbarrow suplex, then gets an Angle Slam, and the Ankle Lock gets Nunzio to tap for the submission victory.

Kurt Angle def. Nunzio via Submission – 2:31

Later on tonight, the Undertaker faces Rene Dupree in a first round match of the number one contendership tournament.

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Next week, RAW and SmackDown! are going to Japan.

Backstage, Kurt, Jindrak and Reigns are speaking about Angle’s shot at the title at WrestleMania. Kurt wants Jindrak to soften up Rey for next week, and when he beats Rey, his next opponent will be the winner of tonight’s Undertaker vs. Rene Dupree match.

In the GM’s office, Carlito tells Theodore R. Long that instead of being in Japan next week, he’ll be in Stamford, Connecticut defending himself in front of the Board of Directors, because Cool sent in his petition this week. The GM says that we’ll see about that.

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Rey Mysterio vs. Mark Jindrak

They lock up and Jindrak pushes Rey into the corner, but Rey avoids him by sliding underneath his legs, then gets some kicks in the corner. He can’t Irish whip him, but can get a springboard cross body, but he catches Rey coming off the ropes with a big boot. Mysterio gets out of an attempted a powerslam and tries a 619, but Jindrak counters with a tilt-a-whirl slam. He whips Rey hard off the turnbuckle and poses for the crowd, then gets in a chinlock. Mysterio gets out with some kicks and ducks another big boot but runs into a big left hand that gets Jindrak 2. Stalling vertical suplex and Jindrak kips up and gets a pair of elbows, then stops to gyrate and misses a third, allowing Rey to get a front dropkick to his face. Mysterio gets some forearms and kicks, and gets a springboard seated senton for a near all. He kicks Jindrak in the head, then kicks out at 2 after a huge backbreaker. Rey dodges a splash in the corner and kicks out Jindrak’s legs and sets him up to nail his 619, but Jindrak dodges the West Coast Pop. He gets caught in a tilt-a-whirl head scissors into the turnbuckle, and Rey catches him with a school boy for the pin.

Rey Mysterio def. Mark Jindrak via Pinfall – 5:09

Backstage, Amy wants Joy to pay her dry cleaning bill, but she won’t do it, and Amy threatens the Big Show with the Bashams, who will be taking on Show in a Handicap match next.

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WrestleMania commercial featuring Eugene as Forrest Gump.

Handicap Match
The Big Show vs. The Bashams

Doug starts in the ring and tries to take Show down with a single leg, but Big Show pushes him back into the corner and gets a pair of open palm chops and biels him out of the corner. Danny gets tagged in and receives the same chop treatment, then takes a headbutt and a scoop slam. Irish whip into the corner and Show gets another chop and clotheslines Doug off the apron, but Danny gets some boots to the face to block a charge, then dropkicks Show’s knees. Doug comes off the top with a cross body block that gets Danny a 2 count. Danny tags out to Doug, who chops Big Show multiple times in the corner and makes another tag, but an Irish whip fails as Danny runs into a boot and both men take headbutts. Big Show gets a butt splash on both men in the corner and chops Danny down and gets another open palm chop on the ropes. Show dodges a chair shot from Doug and punches it back into his face and sends Danny out of the ring and gets a chokeslam on Doug to finish.

The Big Show def. The Bashams via Pinfall – 3:55

This year, “Mr. Wonderful” Paul Orndorff, the Iron Sheik, Nikolai Volkoff, “Cowboy” Bob Orton and “The Mouth of the South” Jimmy Hart will be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame on April 2, 2005.

Coming up next, Rene Dupree faces the Undertaker in their first round match in the number one contendership tournament.

WrestleMania 21 is going Hollywood in 59 days!

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Next week, Rey Mysterio faces Kurt Angle and John Cena faces Orlando Jordan, both in quarterfinal match-ups in the number one contendership tournament.

#1 Contender’s Tournament (Quarterfinal)
Rene Dupree vs. The Undertaker

Lockup starts and Undertaker gets a side headlock, then gets shot off the ropes, but comes back with a shoulder block to knock Dupree out of the ring. Back in they lock up again and Rene gets an arm wringer, but ‘Taker reverses. Jindrak and Reigns make their way out to ringside as ‘Taker slams Rene’s arm into the top turnbuckle.

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Undertaker still has control of Dupree’s arm as he gets the Old School ropewalk as the show returns from a break, and ‘Taker gets 2 on DDT, but Jindrak puts Dupree’s foot on the ropes. Undertaker gets a side slam for 2 but takes too long to get an elbow drop and misses, allowing Dupree to clothesline him out of the ring. Undertaker gets Jindrak and Reigns by the throats, but Dupree gets a baseball slide to the back of the Dead Man and distracts the referee, allowing Angle’s men to stomp ‘Taker down. Undertaker catches Dupree coming off the apron and plants him back first into the post, then sets him up on the apron and gets his patented leg drop across the throat. Back inside, Dupree dodges a big boot in the corner and Undertaker gets his leg caught on the top rope, allowing Rene to take advantage of the knee. Rene works on it with a spinning toehold, but Undertaker fights out with some punches, then gets some more from his knees, but Dupree gets a dropkick on the kneeling ‘Taker for 2. Taker battles back with some right hands, but Dupree reverses an Irish whip and catches Undertaker coming off the ropes with a powerslam for 2. He does the French Tickler, but Undertaker sits up and punches the hell out of him and gets a back body drop and a clothesline. He tries a clothesline but Rene blocks it with a knee and Undertaker gets a DDT coming off the ropes. This time he is able to get the chokeslam, but instead of going for a pin he locks in a Triangle Choke, but Reigns gets on the apron to distract him, allowing Jindrak to pull Dupree out of the ring. Outside, Undertaker whips Dupree into the steel steps. Luther reigns holds the Dead Man’s leg as he attempts to get back into the ring and the match ends in a double count out.

No Contest via Double Count Out – 12:08

Undertaker gets a Tombstone on Dupree for a little redemption.

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Moments ago, the first quarterfinal match of the number one contendership tournament ended in a double count out. This means that the winner of next week’s Angle/Mysterio match gets a bye into the finals.

Josh Mathews wants to know Big Show’s thoughts on his championship match at No Way Out. Show, obviously, is very happy about it, and he believes that he will be the next WWE Champion. He is also confident that if Batista decides to make his way over to SmackDown!, he will defeat Evolution’s monster.

In the locker room, Booker T is angry about Eddy eliminating him at the Royal Rumble, and tonight, Booker says he will beat Guerrero and advance in the tournament, and that he will get his shot at the WWE Championship at WrestleMania.

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Triple H and Ric Flair spoof Braveheart in the newest WrestleMania commercial.

#1 Contender’s Tournament (Quarterfinal)
Booker T vs. Eddy Guerrero

Booker pushes Eddy as the exchange some trash talk, and Eddy pushes back. They lock up and Booker works a wristlock, but Eddy rolls out and picks Booker’s ankle, but Booker kicks him off. Eddy gets caught in a headlock and pushes Booker off the ropes, but Booker comes back with a shoulder block, then does it again. Eddy gets 2 off a backdrop suplex. He takes Booker down with a headlock takeover and Booker backs him into the corner before he gets some shoulders and a chop. Irish whip and Eddy rolls under a kick and chops Booker down. Side headlock is applied by Eddy again as the crowd chants “Let’s Go Eddy!”. Booker shoots him off the ropes and gets a quick knee to Eddy’s stomach followed by some punches and chops against the ropes. Another chop and Booker gets a kick to the gut to set up a vertical suplex that gets a 2 count. Booker T gets a rear chinlock on Guerrero as the crowd cheers him to get out. Eddy tries to do so with some elbows, but Booker stops him with clubbing blows and gets another near fall with a sidekick. Booker tees off on Guerrero before they trade punches, but Eddy gets the worst of it. Eddy comes back with a one man flapjack, but Booker rolls out of the ring before Guerrero can come off the top with his Frog Splash.

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Back on SmackDown!, Eddy is in control, elbowing Booker down twice before a scoop slam, then he goes out and comes back in with a rolling hilo over the top for a 2 count. Guerrero puts Booker down with a back suplex, but gets stopped when he climbs the top for the Frog Splash and Booker brings him to the mat with a superplex. That eventually gets a 2 count. He gets another 2 with a back heel kick and comes off the ropes with a delayed knee drop. That achieves another 2 count for Booker, who grabs a wristlock. Eddy gets out and grabs a quick 2, then gets a pair of chops. Booker sends Eddy off the ropes and catches him in a sleeper that puts Guerrero down to his knees. Eddy stands and tries to get out, but Booker stops him with a knee. Eddy ducks a sidekick and regains control with a standing dropkick. Booker low bridges Guerrero on a charge, then goes outside and throws Eddy face first into the steps. That gets a 2 count back in the ring, and they once again trade punches. Booker ducks a punch and gets the Book End, but Guerrero is too close to the ropes and is able to get his foot on the bottom rope to break the pin at a 2 count. Booker goes back to a chinlock, but Eddy fights out again, and this time it’s for real. Eddy gets a jawbreaker and blocks a pair of punches, then gets more to take Booker down. Two more clotheslines do the same, and he gets a dropkick coming off the ropes, but it only gets 2 on Booker. Three Amigos set up the Frog Splash for Eddy, but Booker rolls out of the way and Guerrero crashes down to the mat, meeting nothing but canvas. Booker gets back to his feet via Spin-a-roonie, but Eddy ducks a sidekick that hits referee Nick Patrick, but he’s knocked out, so Booker can’t capitalize quick enough on his Scissors Kick, because Eddy is able to kick out at 2. One more chop by Booker and Eddy pushes him into the ref, then goes down and grabs his knee, but he sneaks up on Booker, but when he turns around Guerrero goes right back down and grabs his knee again. Booker sees Eddy on the titantron, thus allowing him to counter a vertical suplex, rolling up Guerrero with a school boy, and Booker grabs the tights to get the win.

Booker T def. Eddy Guerrero via Pinfall – 19:49

That’s all for the show this week; next week SmackDown! comes from Japan, where Kurt Angle will battle Rey Mysterio and John Cena will face off against Orlando Jordan, both in quarterfinal matches in the number one contendership tournament.