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KELLER'S WWE SMACKDOWN REPORT
NOVEMBER 7, 2002
TAPED TUESDAY IN MANCHESTER, N.H.
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
-Edge & Rey Mysterio captured the tag team titles in a two-out-of-three falls match that lasted over 30 minutes (including two commercial breaks between falls). Excellent match, as you'd expect from these four.
DETAILED REPORT
-Highlights aired of last week's angles with Brock Lesnar, Big Show, and Rey Mysterio.
-The opening montage aired.
-Michael Cole and Tazz plugged the main event tag match with Chris Benoit & Kurt Angle vs. Rey Mysterio & Edge. Bruce Mitchell, whom I was on the phone with at the time, got excited and motivated to write his MOJO Smackdown column. (I thought Mojo's only "worked" if shows stink. This should be interesting when MOJO arrives later...)
1 -- BILLY KIDMAN & TORRIE vs. JAMIE KNOBLE & NIDIA.
A minute into the match Nidia tagged in and decided to beat up on Kidman before Torrie tagged in (it's supposed to be women vs. women and men vs. men only). At 3:00 Noble gave Torrie a clothesline while the ref was distracted by Kidman. Noble then legally tagged in, but Kidman went to work on Noble with a dropkick and backdrop. He then hit a backbreaker on Noble, but rather than Noble's side or back landing on his knee, Noble's neck did, in a variation of the traditional backbreaker. Kidman hit a powerbomb and Nidia broke up the pin attempt. Nidia and Noble bumped into each other. Kidman dropkicked both of them, then bulldogged Noble. He set up Noble for a Shooting Star Press as Nidia and Torrie fought at ringside. Kidman hit the SSP and scored the pin.
WINNER: Kidman & Wilson at 5:10.
STAR RATING: *1/2 -- Kidman, who has seemed muscle-bound and thus considerably slower since beginning the WWE workout program, put in one of his better TV performances in this match. Nothing spectacular, but he seemed a bit more graceful than usual. No really bad screwups by the women, which is worth something.
-Big Show intimidated a backstage worker as he arrived in the arena. He said he wanted him to tell Brock Lesnar that Big Show was there.
[commercial break]
Torrie saw her father backstage and said he had something to talk to him about. He said he had something to talk to her about. He said since he got divorced, he's been lonely. He said he is going to do something later for himself and hopes she understands. Torrie seemed perplexed.
-Funaki interviewed John Cena who did his best impersonation of Eminem (I think). Rikishi walked in and said he was impressed. He then did his version of a rap. He ended with "word to your mother." That phrase was passe ten or so years ago when Alex Marvez couldn't stop staying it during every conversation he had. Cena's rap was better.
-Stephanie watched VCR footage of the Eric Bischoff kiss on last week's Smackdown. Eddie & Chavo Guerrero walked in on her and began making fun of the kiss. Eddie said he and Chavo should be getting the tag title shot instead of Edge & Mysterio. Steph said on the Super Tuesday UPN special, she would have a major announcement regarding the tag titles. She said since he wants to wrestle champions so badly, she was booking him against Brock later. Chavo and Eddie insisted they are a tag team now, not singles wrestlers. Eddie told Chavo not to talk disrespectfully to Steph. As soon as they walked out of the office, he said, "Especially because she's probably in heat." They shared a laugh. The Guerreros are really entertaining these days. The chemistry between them is strong. Eddie sometimes has seemed unsure of himself in his mic work, but when he works with his nephew he seems to have a lot more confidence.
[commercial break]
Rikishi [artist Joseph Borzotta (c) PWTorch]
2 -- RIKISHI vs. JOHN CENA
All comedy and facial expressions, but the crowd seemed to eat it up, especially come Stink Face time. Rikishi followed with a chokeslam and his sitdown splash for the clean pin.
WINNER: Rikishi at 4:10.
STAR RATING: * -- I'm pretty tired of Rikishi's act since there's no depth to it (despite their attempt to humanize him on Confidential). Cena has some long-term potential to develop as a character and have some matches that are more than one-dimensional comedy shows followed by the same old dance routine. I haven't heard what Cena has done to deserve such treatment, but he'll probably be doing jobs for another two years before he gets a push if WWE history is any indication.
-Matt Hardy gave Shannon Moore a pep talk backstage about how to take care of himself. He said: "You are my first Matt Follower - my first M.F.er." He told him that he is going to settle some serious issues with Brock Lesnar and told the "young grasshopper" to follow his every move closely. Matt's delivery just cracks me up.
[commercial break]
-Torrie's father told Dawn Marie he was going to ask her to marry him. She said it might not be the best question to ask in public. He said he feels it in his heart and he is going to do it in the middle of the ring later.
-Matt Hardy saw Paul Heyman outside Brock's locker room. Matt said he beat Undertaker "not once, but twice," and softened Taker so much that Brock was able to beat him for the title. Matt said he is going to demand a match against Big Show so he soften him up for Brock before Survivor Series. Heyman, dripping with feigned sincerity, told Matt he is the best and owes him big. He said Mattitude is "the next big thing." Heyman then entered Brock's locker room as Brock paced. Heyman then said, "I've negotiated the deal of century tonight." He then bragged that he is having Matt soften Big Show for him. Okay, that had to be a reaction to last week's "Torch Talk" segment with Sean Waltman talking about Heyman's backstage actions and how he spins things in a way that distorts reality to make him look good. Anyway, Brock said he wanted to get his hands on Big Show tonight. Heyman said that's why Brock wrestles and he does the thinking.
-Torrie's father Al entered the ring and said 25 years ago he had a little angel named Torrie. He said a few weeks ago he met another little angel, Dawn Marie. He asked her to join him in the ring. Tazz said, "Can someone please get the hook." Dawn walked out looking nervous and flattered. Al said since he met her, he's felt like a real man again. He got on one knee and proposed to her. He said if she didn't say yes, he would kill himself. Tazz couldn't stop laughing. "Say no! Say no! It'd make for great TV!" After an agonizing minute for Al, she said yes. They hugged. He pulled out the ring and put it on her finger. Cole said he feels bad for Torrie. It's not everyone's favorite angle, but I've really gotten a kick out of the acting job that Al has done throughout these segments. Dawn has been perfect in the role, too, stopping short of overacting while also making it clear that she's playing him to get at Torrie.
[commercial break]
-Torrie Wilson was crying and speechless when asked about her father's proposal.
3 -- BIG SHOW vs. MATT HARDY.
-During his ring introduction, the on screen graphic stated: "Matt Hates Cold Weather." Then it switched to: "Matt scored 1330 on his SATs." You gotta love those "Fast Facts." They showed Brock and Heyman watched backstage as Big Show took early advantage. Show was wearing loose jeans over his singlet this week. At 1:20 Show applied his bear hug, which is the highlight of any wrestling program. Matt had one brief "hope spot" moment, but it ended less than two seconds later when Show caught Matt coming off the ropes and chokeslammed him for the pin.
WINNER: Big Show at 2:05.
STAR RATING: 1/2 -- Nothing wrong with the match, but not much to it.
-After the match Big Show said: "Let's get one thing straight. I was the Next Big Thing long before Brock Lesnar ever was." He then vowed to be the next WWE Champion. Not one of his better interviews. Is it possible that Show has gained 25 pounds since last week? Must've been the jeans. Backstage Brock threw the TV to the floor in anger, shattering it. What a waste of a good TV. And what was Brock so upset about? So his opponent said he expected to win. Big deal. What'd he expect?
-Kurt Angle came to the ring as fans chanted "You suck!" to his music. Chris Benoit followed. they stood face to face. Highlights aired of the Halloween Party brawl the two got into last week including Angle suplexing Benoit into a table while Benoit simultaneously KO'd Angle.
-Edge's ring entrance came next (my second favorite ring intro behind Rey Mysterio... and guess who came next...) Rey Mysterio came out next.
--END OF FIRST HOUR--
4 -- KURT ANGLE & CHRIS BENOIT vs. REY MYSTERIO & EDGE in a two out of three falls match for the WWE Tag Team Titles.
FIRST FALL: Cole reminded viewers that if Angle and Benoit come to blows they'll be suspended for a year. Edge took control of the match and at 5:00 tagged in Rey. Some four-way action broke out with Edge launching Rey into Benoit on the top rope; Rey then turned it into a huracanrana for a two count. Seconds later Rey springboarded off the top rope and landed on Benoit and scored the pin at 6:02. Not my favorite end to the first fall since it came across as a fall that would have never happened in a one-fall match.
SECOND FALL: Benoit and Angle immediately took control of the second fall. At 7:50 (overall counting the first fall), Rey drove Benoit face-first to the mat after the two struggled for control on the top rope. Edge tagged in and cleared the ring of Benoit and then set up a Spear for Angle. Angle moved out of the way of the spear and Edge flew head-first into a tag belt held up by Benoit at ringside. The ref didn't see it. Angle then applied the Anklelock and Edge tapped out at 9:32. Rey was going to make the save but Benoit shoved him off the top rope. Benoit and Angle began arguing with each other as they cut to a commercial break. For some reason Benoit wanted his arm raised but took exception with the ref raising Angle's arm. That seemed a little weak. It just didn't seem like Benoit would be upset for any reason, even if he were a petty, selfish, unreasonable heel, since Angle was the one who got the submission. It seemed like a contrived distraction devised to lead into the commercial break.
[commercial break]
THIRD FALL: As the fall began, Benoit tripped Rey as he bounced off the ropes. At 16:00 Rey hot-tagged Edge who stomped away at Angle in the corner. At 20:00 Rey hot-tagged in and gave Angle a Rough Rider in the corner. Benoit suplexed Rey from behind. Angle got knocked into his own partner then got set up fro the 619. Angle moved out of the way. A moment later Rey rolled up Angle for the three count, but Angle had his hand on the bottom rope. The ref noticed the hand on the rope and seemed torn at whether he had the rope before or after the third count. Angle and Benoit argued with the ref. Cole and Tazz we'd find out after the break if the ref was going to stand by the three count or continue the match. Rey and Edge, meanwhile, celebrated at ringside. Good cliffhanger.
[commercial break]
They restarted the match after the break. After Rey took a beating for a few minutes, Edge got a hot tag and dropped Angle to the mat backwards for a cool looking pin attempt. Angle quickly reversed Edge into an Anklelock. (Edge and Angle are great as reversing each other's pin attempts). Rey hit Angle with a 619 type move on the floor. Edge then nailed Angle with a spear. Benoit leaped off the top rope toward Edge, but Edge moved and Benoit nailed Angle. Edge then covered Angle and scored the pin at 30:00.
WINNERS: Edge & Rey Mysterio to win the WWE Smackdown Tag Team Titles.
STAR RATING: ****1/4 -- Really good tag match. What more can be said about these four that hasn't already. They have great chemistry and despite wrestling so much lately they keep coming up with ways to keep their matches fresh.
[commercial break]
-Cole plugged Trish vs. Torrie ina bikini challenge, the ten man tag match from Raw, and Edge vs. Benoit vs. Guerrero in a Triple Threat Match from Smackdown.
-Big Show said he'd have a surprise later.
-The Guerreros confronted Paul Heyman backstage, telling him they all have something in common. Eddie said he doesn't think Brock can beat either Big Show or Eddie Guerrero. Brock burst out of the locker room. The Guerreros ran. Heyman told him to calm down and listen to ration. He asked him how long he had to put up with him being so out of control. Heyman listed the things he's done for Brock's career. "I've cared for you. I've nurtured you," Heyman said. Heyman told Brock if he insists on fighting Guerrero, he can do so, but without him at ringside. "See if you like being the brawn without the brains." Heyman stormed back into the locker room. Heyman continues to do the best mic work of his career. His delivery is realistic and he has a sense of purpose to his character he didn't have even during his early years with the Midnight Express and Dangerous Alliance.
[commercial break]
-The Scott Steiner vignette aired.
-Eddie Guerrero came to the ring with Chavo for the main event.
[commercial break]
5 -- BROCK LESNAR vs. EDDIE GUERRERO
Eddie baited Brock at ringside, setting Brock up for Chavo to attack him from behind. Brock wasn't much affected by it and immediately began beating on Eddie. Brock continued to dominate for several minutes. Every time Chavo attempted to interfere, Brock swatted him away. At 4:00 Eddie finally took advantage with a submission hold, but Brock powered out of it seconds later with his legs. Eddie dropkicked Brock's leg from behind and scored a two count. Cole pointed out that Brock is a rookie and doesn't have experience that compares to the Guerreros. As Eddie distracted the ref, Chavo choked him. Eddie hit Brock with a weak looking dropkick that was more of a "push off" than a "strike." Brock came back with an overhead suplex. Chavo yanked Eddie out of Brock's path as he charged Eddie with a shoulder in the corner. Eddie applied an armbar. Eddie threw some headbutts, then Chavo went to the top rope. Brock threw Eddie into the corner, knocking Chavo off balance. Brock then gave Guerrero the F5 for the win.
WINNER: Eddie Guerrero at 6:40.
STAR RATING: ** -- Good match in terms of serving its purpose. Brock showed just enough vulnerability to not do damage to Guerrero (something Undertaker could learn from) while also looking as dominant as he should as the champ.
-As Brock held his title in the air on the entrance stage, Big Show attacked him from behind. He pressed Brock and threw him off the stage onto the equipment below. Once again the camera didn't show the landing since it would have looked "padded." Nevertheless, the visual of throwing him so easily had visual impact. Paul Heyman ran to Brock's aid as Big Show looked down at him from above. Good visuals to conclude a strong program.
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