By Wade Keller, Torch editor

WWE SMACKDOWN
OCTOBER 21, 2004
TAPED SUNDAY IN ROCKFORD, ILL.

-Clips aired of Heidenreich and a teaser for the Tough Enough tryouts. Michael Cole and Tazz introduced the show and said this would be the toughest Tough Enough yet.

1 -- CARLITO COOL vs. RICO

Torrie Wilson stood in the ring to do ring intros. Carlito Cool came out with an apple and got in her face. He trash talked her a bit. When she tried to introduce his opponent, he spit an apple in her face. Rico got in quite a bit of offense early including karate kicks. Cool finished Rico quickly out of nowhere with his yet-to-be-named finisher. The edict that Tazz needed to be more heelish seems to have softened as he acted outraged as Carlito spitting apple on Torrie.

WINNER: Carlito at 1:50.

STAR RATING: 1/4*

-Cole and Tazz updated the John Cena after hours bar attack. Tazz said "puncture wounds" is a euphemism for being "stabbed." Cole said Cena is likely going to be able to save his kidney. Cole plugged that fans can send their best wishes to Cena. Only in wrestling is there no differentiation between fake "get well wish" campaigns and real ones. It's kinda creepy in some ways.

-Booker T told Teddy Long backstage that he's not interested in tag matches anymore. Long told Booker the six-man match he's isn't an ordinary tag match, it's a "Champion's Showcase" match. Long said the current WWE Champ would team with the WWE Tag Champs. Booker interrupted and told Long not to patronize him. Long told him he wasn't going to change the match. He told him he needs him to "step up and represent."

[Commercial Break]

-They aired footage of Chavo Guerrero receiving a concussion. Then Chavo stepped out. He acted like a humbled babyface, thanking the fans for their support while he was out. Kidman interrupted and walked to the ring. He told Chavo they shared something in common because they both went through a lot. He said fans have blamed him for what happened and turned him into a monster. Chavo said when he told his family he was returning to the ring, they were worried. He said the support of a friend made him see it was worth returning. He implied it was Kidman. Kidman acted as if he was the one sending him words of support and being there for him. Kidman and Chavo shook hands. Then Chavo said, "That friend wasn't you," and attacked him.

-Paul Heyman told Heidenreich that Long said the only way he'll let him wrestle is if he agrees to wear a straight jacket to and from the ring. Heyman told Heidenreich he did understand his reasoning. Heidenreich reluctantly agreed.

[Commercial Break]

2 -- SHANNON MOORE vs. HEIDENREICH (w/Paul Heyman)

The New Look Moore walked out with a spiked vest and spiked hair. Heidenreich stood in the ring with a straight jacket. Moore went after Heidenreich to jump start the match. Heidenreich stopped him with a headbutt and ripped off the straight jacket. Moore lifted his boot as Heidenreich charged him in the corner. His offensive flurry lasted about five seconds before Heidenreich took over again and finished off Moore with a few power moves. Heidenreich wasn't impressive in his moves, but he portrays an overly intense insane monster well. After the match, Heidenreich was put back in the straight jacket. He called out Undertaker, saying he didn't want to wait to settle their differences on Undertaker's terms on his timeline.

WINNER: Heidenreich at 1:45.

STAR RATING: 1/4*

-Another teaser clip aired of the Tough Enough tryouts including someone running nude down the beach and another who hit the ropes and his head slipped right under the bottom rope.

[Commercial Break]

-Backstage Long asked Carlito if he was at the nightclub the night that Cena was stabbed. "I don't hang with thugs," said Carlito. "They're not cool." Long said: "That's not what the authorities are telling me." (Authorities are telling Teddy Long that thugs are cool?) Carlito said he wasn't answering any more questions without his lawyer.

-Orlando Jordan approached Booker T backstage and asked him what was up. He said JBL sent him to find him because he wanted to talk to him about some of the six-man tag stuff going on later. Jordan said if he disrespected him a few weeks ago, he wanted to formally apologize. Jordan offered a handshake, but Booker refused it.

-Cole plugged Mysterio & RVD & Booker T vs. JBL & Kenzo & Rene Dupree was scheduled, but wondered aloud what side Booker would be on.

[Commercial Break]

-Another teaser clip aired of Tough Enough tryouts.

3 -- EDDIE GUERRERO vs. MARK JINDRAK

[Commercial Break]

When Luther Reigns leaped onto the ring apron, Guerrero kicked him the floor. The referee became occupied by Reigns, so at 8:00 Angle tossed Jindrak the ring bell. Guerrero went for his Frog Splash, but he landed on the ring bell. Jindrak shoved the bell out of the ring and covered Guerrero for the win. They're still not doing enough to establish that Angle, Jindrak, and Reigns are a top heel group. Reigns still plays the role of a bodyguard to Angle while Jindrak just seems like a tag-along. Angle and his men need a group name and a stated purpose or theme that unites them.

WINNER: Jindrak at 8:10.

STAR RATING: *

-Paul Heyman asked Long if he could grant Heidenreich a favor. Long said, "This should be good." Heyman said Heidenreich wanted a match with Undertaker. Long said, "Done." Heyman couldn't believe it was that easy. Heyman said he could handle all of Heidenreich's paperwork. He got up to leave. Long told him to sit down. Heyman had that look of "I knew it was too good to be true." Long told him that Heidenreich could have the match only if he (Heyman) personally delivered the contract to Undertaker. Heyman freaked out and said that he couldn't do such a thing because he's not his agent and doesn't know how to find him. Long said he would make sure he could get it done. Heyman looked nervous.

[Commercial Break]

-Booker T confronted his partners RVD and Mysterio backstage. He told them he knows and they know that he is the biggest star on Smackdown. When Booker left, RVD and Mysterio agreed that they needed to keep a close eye on him.

-Cole and Tazz introduced the Tough Enough segment for this week, featuring highlights from Venice Beach. There were a lot of great stories from the weekend. They introduced various contenders in recapping the first day.

[Commercial Break]

The highlight of the second day came from Brian Donovich who tore his bicep and pec while bench pressing on the first day, but ended up going through an obstacle course anyway the next day. Afterward, he was told he was cut. He broke down. They showed another contestant getting emotional, also. John Laurenitis then told him that while he couldn't be in Tough Enough, he showed so much heart and potential, he was offering him a developmental contract in Ohio Valley Wrestling. Mike Mizanin, who had been on the cast of a Real World on MTV, said he realized few years ago he wanted to be a wrestler and he hoped that his time on reality TV wouldn't be held against him. Marty Wright, who teaches underprivileged kids, was asked by Laurenaitis if he taught kids about honesty. He said he did. He asked him how old he was. He shouted 30. He repeated over and over again he was 30. He then was asked to read his birthdate off of his driver's license at which point he admitted he was 40. He was then cut. He was interviewed afterward and said he didn't want to leave. Snow told him he showed great potential, but honesty and integrity is vital. Daniel Puder was challenged to ask out a woman on the beach. He did. She accepted. WWE's production department did a great job with telling these stories on the air. They gave it plenty of time, too. It didn't feel like a teaser. All of this and more from the Tough Enough weekend tryouts is detailed in the current Torch Newsletter's "WWE Newswire" including tons of notes on UFC fighter Wes Sims, who WWE personnel had so little respect for after getting to know him that they didn't even include him in any footage and why he was cut.

-Tazz said he was really impressed with what he saw and he couldn't wait to get to know them better in coming weeks. Cole plugged that the future of those contestants was in the hands of the fans in coming weeks. The contrast between this and the WWE Divas competition is already night and day, but it makes giving fans control of the wrestlers' fate somewhat insulting to the effort being put forth by the contestants. I still say Snow and the other trainers should nominate two or three each week to make eligible for voting, rather than leaving up to chance that the most deserving person might get voted out for the wrong reasons by fans.

[Commercial Break]

4 -- BOOKER T & ROB VAN DAM & REY MYSTERIO vs. KENZO SUZUKI & RENE DUPREE & JBL (w/Orlando Jordan)

Cole and Tazz talked about how Booker had issues with most everyone in the ring, including his partners. RVD and Mysterio tagged in and out but did not tag in Booker. When Mysterio went for a head scissors on Kenzo, Kenzo shoved Rey into Booker. JBL and Jordan smiled at ringside over the dissension developing on the opposing team.

[Commercial Break]

Mysterio thought of tagging Booker, but their indecision led to JBL nailing Mysterio from behind before he could make the tag. When RVD crashed onto the ringside table, that left Mysterio basically alone in the match since Booker hadn't tagged in. At 11:30 Booker finally tagged in. JBL and Booker exchanged smiles, as if they had things worked out ahead of time. Booker then set up Mysterio for a Clothesline from Hell. However, Booker surprised JBL with a wheelkick instead and then fended off Kenzo and Dupree. He finished JBL off with a scissors kick and scored the pin. He gave a Book End to Jordan afterward. We've seen Booker vs. JBL in the future house show line-ups dating back a few weeks and now we see that WWE was actually planning ahead well. The apparent Booker turn was done well. Nothing earth-shattering, and he definitely wasn't a heel long enough for this to be a huge shock, but it gives JBL a fresh opponent for house shows.

WINNER: Booker T in 13:00.

STAR RATING: *3/4 -- Basic six-man action, but it told its story effectively.

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