411’s WWE Smackdown Report 2.17.05

SmackDown! emanates tonight from Cleveland, Ohio. It is Thursday, February 17, 2005 and WWE’s SD! crew is taped from the Gund Arena. Your commentary team is Michael Cole and Tazz.

Tonight, the Undertaker goes one on one with Mark Jindrak and John Cena faces Booker T in the last semifinal match of the number one contendership tournament.

Rey Mysterio vs. Doug Basham (w/Danny Basham)

Before the match, Rey challenges the Bashams to a title match at No Way Out, and his partner is going to be Eddy Guerrero, who comes out to second Mysterio for his match. They lock up to begin and Doug pushes Rey down then catches him with a shoulder block. Doug leads in with a kick and whips Rey who comes off the ropes with a springboard armdrag, then calls for the 619 as Doug chases him around the ring. He does the 619 kick through the ropes which causes Basham to fly through the middle missing his chase, but Danny comes in and hits Rey from behind. Back in, Doug gets a 2 count following a hard Irish whip into the corner, then follows up with a chinlock, then counters a Mysterio bulldog with a backdrop suplex. He eventually gets 2 off that and goes back to the chinlock. Rey fights out but gets pushed into the turnbuckle, then catches Doug with a pair of double boots and runs around into a springboard moonsault that gets 2 for Mysterio. Victory roll gets another 2 count and Danny interferes but Rey hangs him neck first on the top. Eddy trips Doug coming off the ropes, and it allows Mysterio to get the 619, and he Drops the Dime for the pinfall.

Rey Mysterio def. Doug Basham via Pinfall – 3:52

Backstage, JBL is pissed off that Batista is coming to SmackDown! tonight, and denies that he had anything to do with the limo that tried to run down Batista on RAW. The Champion then accuses of Long set him up, thus causing the Animal to come to SmackDown!. JBL threatens to sue if he gets hurt tonight.

=COMMERCIAL=

Clips from the No Way Out press conference from the Mellon Arena in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Torrie Wilson is out to be the guest ring announcer for the next match.

Six-Man Tag
Chavo Guerrero, Spike Dudley & Akio vs. Funaki, Paul London & Shannon Moore

Akio starts with Shannon Moore, and they lock up to start as Akio backs him into the corner, but does not give a clean break. He gets a kick in and goes to a hammerlock, but Moore rolls out and gets one of his own into a side headlock. Akio fights out and whips Moore into the corner, but he flips out and gets a spinning heel kick, and London is tagged in. They get a double Japanese arm drag and Moore aids London with a moonsault which gets 2, and Akio tags Chavo. He is met with a hip toss, then gets a pair of feet to his back when he charges London in the corner. Akio gets a knee on London and he and Spike beat him up on the outside. Back in the ring, Chavo gets a gut buster, but the group of whores comes out and interrupts the match to walk around the ring with signs that have their names on them and all of the participants ogle them, but when they leave Chavo tags Akio back in and he beats London down and chokes him before tagging in Spike. Dudley comes off the top with a double stomp and knocks Moore off the apron, but London counters a double back body drop with a double dropkick, and he tags in Funaki who comes in with a double clothesline from the top. Funaki cleans house and gets an enziguri on Spike for 2 before Chavo breaks it up. London comes in and gets the dropsault on Akio and Chavo stops Funaki from getting the Tornado DDT on Spike, but Moore stops Chavo from getting a superplex. Both Moore and London exit the ring with flipping planchas, landing on Akio and Chavo. In the ring, Funaki counters the Dudley Dog and hits a super kick for the win.

Funaki, Paul London & Shannon Moore def. Chavo Guerrero, Spike Dudley & Akio via Pinfall – 6:27

Later tonight John Cena will face Booker T with a spot in the finals on the line.

=COMMERCIAL=

Eddy and Booker spoof Pulp Fiction in the latest WrestleMania commercial.

Kurt Angle Invitational
Kurt Angle vs. Danny Giamondo

Kurt takes him down and holds a front facelock. Angle gives him a clean break in the ropes, then gets a double leg takedown but is blocked from getting the Ankle Lock, but after an Angle Slam he gets it for the submission.

Kurt Angle def. Danny Giamondo via Submission – 1:08

I wonder if the guy is related to Lance Storm… Cena enters the arena and has a stare down with Kurt Angle as Kurt exits and Cena is prepared for his match with Booker T, and he better be, because it is next.

=COMMERCIAL=

#1 Contender’s Tournament (Semifinal)
John Cena vs. Booker T

Lock up starts and Cena backs Booker into the corner and breaks clean. Another one and this time Booker T does the same. Side headlock by Cena and Booker pushes him off but Cena comes back with a shoulder block and a hip toss, but it only gets him 2. Kick to the gut for Booker and he chops the US Champ, then gets a punch in and chops him again in the corner. Cena ducks a kick and pounds Booker down in the corner. Irish whip and Cena gets a near fall with a back elbow then works in an arm bar. He puts Booker’s shoulders down for 1, but Booker backs him into the corner and gets out of the hold with some shoulder blocks. A chop and a couple clubbing blows take Cena down and Booker whips him off the ropes, but Cena ducks a spinning kick and gets a clothesline followed by a pair of 2 counts. He goes into a side headlock but Booker counters out with a backdrop suplex and takes control. Cena dodges the Scissors Kick, but Booker slips out of the FU.

=COMMERCIAL=

Back on the show Cena gets a 2 count off a snapmare and goes back into a headlock. Booker gets out with a jawbreaker and then absolutely levels Cena with a super kick, but Cena kicks out at 2. Booker gets a vertical suplex for another 2 and transitions into a rear naked choke. Cena gets to his feet, but Booker takes him back down with a high knee, then catches the US Champ with a standing spinning sidekick. They trade punches and Booker stops it with a knee, but Cena comes back with a pancake catching Booker coming off the ropes. Cena charges, but Booker moves and sends him through the ropes. Booker comes off the apron with a double axe handle and bounces Cena’s head off the steps and throws him back inside. Another vertical suplex puts Cena down and Booker gets his stalling knee for a 2 count. Cena comes back with a flurry of punches, but Booker stops it with a quick powerslam, but Cena is able to kick out again. Booker holds Cena down with another chinlock, and Cena fights out with punches and a knee, but Booker stops him and whips him off the ropes. Cena flies back with a shoulder block rebounding off the ropes, and when they both get up Cena gets a couple punches and a headbutt, and a couple clotheslines leads to a back elbow that gets 2. Irish whip is reversed and Booker picks Cena up into a spinebuster. Booker misses the Scissors Kick for the second time, but Booker is able to block the FU, so Cena hotshots him on the top rope. Booker comes back and gets a 2 count on a jumping sidekick. Booker blocks a blind charge in the corner with an elbow, but coming out he walks into the FU, and Cena is moving on to the finals at No Way Out.

John Cena def. Booker T – 16:44

=COMMERCIAL=

WrestleMania goes Hollywood in 45 days.

JBL is in the back with his Cabinet, and it is now confirmed, as Amy Weber is gone from the company, taken out of the storylines by getting “fired” by JBL. He’s nervous about what is going to go down tonight with Batista.

Josh Mathews is with the Big Show, and all he cares about is his match with Layfield in the Barbed Wire Steel Cage on Sunday. He’s focused, and doesn’t give a damn about Batista.

Booker T walks backstage and Heidenreich is laughing as he writes his latest poem. Booker pokes fun at him, and this gets Heidenreich in his face, but he just grunts before Booker walks away.

=COMMERCIAL=

This year’s inductees into the WWE Hall of Fame are Paul Orndorff, The Iron Sheik, Nikolai Volkoff, Bob Orton, Jr. and Roddy Piper.

Nunzio vs. Luther Reigns (w/Mark Jindrak)

Reigns throws Nunzio into the corner and then whips him into the opposite one. Reigns gets a short-arm clothesline then picks him up and gets a double backbreaker and tosses Nunzio aside. He knees Nunzio out of the ring then tosses him back into the ring and kicks him in the head. Nunzio battles back with a kick and a right hand, but Luther casually lifts him up and dumps him out of the ring. Back inside Reigns puts Nunzio down with his spinning neckbreaker.

Luther Reigns def. Nunzio via Pinfall – 2:26

Following the match, Reigns claims the ring as his yard and challenges ‘Taker to come out and take it back if he wants it. The lights go out and the gong sounds.

=COMMERCIAL=

Luther and Jindrak are still standing in the ring when the show comes back on, and now the Undertaker is on his way out to the ring.

Mark Jindrak vs. The Undertaker

‘Taker starts off with a boot to take Reigns off the apron. He pounds Jindrak down in the corner and scares the referee out of the ring. Jindrak whips the Undertaker into the corner, but he comes out with a clothesline, then leaves the ring and gives one to Reigns as well. Taker gets Snake Eyes, but Jindrak ducks the big boot and lands a large left hand, then chokes the Undertaker down in the corner with his boot. Outside Jindrak gets another left and chokes ‘Taker, then throws him back in the ring. A dropkick gets Jindrak a two count and he gains control. ‘Taker comes back with some right hands, but Jindrak catches him coming off the ropes with a powerslam and goes into a chinlock. Irish whip by Jindrak but Undertaker rebounds with a DDT for 2 and signals for the Chokeslam, but a knee blocks. The flying clothesline sets up the Chokeslam and the Deadman gets it for real this time, but Luther Reigns grabs a camera and comes in the ring and pancakes the Undertaker with it after he finishes Jindrak with the Tombstone piledriver. ‘Taker sits up, however, and glares at his opponent for Sunday.

The Undertaker def. Mark Jindrak via Pinfall – 4:00

=COMMERCIAL=

Theodore R. Long is in his office before Carlito walks in offering to help clean it out. The decision of the Board of Directors will be made next week. Carlito also accuses Long of sending someone to RAW on Monday to try to run down Batista in order to draw him to SmackDown!. This Monday the GM intends to sign Batista to SmackDown!

No Way Out’s theme song is “Enemy” from Fozzy.

No Way Out Card
– The Big Show vs. John Bradshaw Layfield (Barbed Wire Steel Cage, WWE Title)
– Funaki vs. London vs. Spike vs. Moore vs. Akio vs. Chavo (Cruiserweight Title)
– Mysterio & Guerrero vs. The Bashams (Tag Team Titles)
– SmackDown! Rookie Diva 2005 Contest
– Luther Reigns vs. The Undertaker
– John Cena vs. Kurt Angle (#1 Contender’s Tournament Final)

John Cena is with Josh Mathews, but Kurt Angle interrupts and they reminisce about Cena’s WWE debut in 2002. Cena isn’t some punk kid, he’s a hungry son-of-a-bitch and he’s going to WrestleMania.

JBL is on the phone and he gets the call that Batista has arrived. The Cabinet are on their way to the ring.

=COMMERCIAL=

The Smack of the Night is JBL’s limo attempting to run down Batista on RAW.

JBL, Orlando Jordan and the Bashams are out to the ring to meet Batista. He claims once again that he was not the driver on RAW and that if he wanted to take on Batista, he would do it head to head. Batista is not in JBL’s world or his league because the WWE Champion is a wrestling god. He then calls out Batista and tells Big Show to put down his pizza and watch the monitor. In the parking lot Batista rolls up in a sweet convertible, but he stops as he walks past JBL’s Longhorn limo, takes off his jacket and sunglasses and bashes the windows out of the limo with a metal bat. Every single one of them, finishing with the windshield. He then makes it personal when he rips off the longhorns. He checks in the right side view mirror to make sure he’s looking good as JBL sends the Cabinet to the parking lot after him, but Batista gets in his car and speeds away as the Cabinet looks on. Now that JBL is alone in the ring, the Big Show is out for a fight and Layfield meets him as he enters the ring. Show headbutts him down and stomps the Champ in the corner, but the Cabinet is back, but Show fights them off before JBL gets a low blow in and plants him with a DDT. The Cabinet takes out Show, but Batista is back and he cleans house, finishing off with the Demon Bomb on the Chief of Staff. The Big Show wakes up, however, and he and Batista stand face to face, but they both turn and look at the Champion as he backs away down the aisle.