By Wade Keller, Torch editor

WWE SMACKDOWN
OCTOBER 30, 2003
TAPED TUESDAY IN ATLANTA, GA.

-Clips airs highlighting the Undertaker angle on last week's show. After the opening montage, Michael Cole and Tazz introduced the show.

1 -- JOHN CENA & A-TRAIN vs. CHRIS BENOIT & KURT ANGLE

Train and Cena dominated the body of the match. Benoit got a hot tag at 4:30 and tried to finish off Train with a top rope headbutt. Train moved. Four-way action broke out. Cena gave Angle his finisher. Benoit then chopped away at Cena's chest. Train then splashed Cena by mistake when Benoit moved. Benoit gave Train three German suplexes and then hit the top rope headbutt for the win.

WINNERS: Benoit & Angle at 6:33.

STAR RATING: **1/4 -- Good opening tag.

-After the match Cena and Train argued with each other. Cena was unhappy with Train, and Train defended himself. Cena gave Train an FU.

-Vince McMahon chewed out Paul Heyman backstage for giving Undertaker the chance to face him in a Buried Alive match at Survivor Series. He was as intense and insane as he's ever been. McMahon said he was going to make sure Taker didn't make it to Survivor Series. Heyman said he gave Undertaker time off until Survivor Series because he knows what he's capable of. McMahon made some guttural whimping noises and freaked out. He said terrorists are going to burn down his house, his kids are going to be kidnapped, and a motorcycle gang is going to rape his wife in front of him. He said Heyman better make sure that happens. He threatened to wrap his hands around Heyman's throat and threatened to choke the life right out of him. Pretty much reached the point of uncomfortable to watch. The stuff about terrorists and kidnapping and rape crossed the line into channel turning material. Otherwise, the intensity was gripping.

[Commercial Break]

-Angle approached Benoit backstage about how unbeatable they are when they're together, so he wanted him to be the first to agree to a be member of his team at Survivor Series. Benoit said on any given night they're apt to rip each other's heads off. Angle said he knows that. Benoit agreed to team with him, but said they aren't friends. Angle said. "I don't want a friend, I want to win."

-Heyman entered Vince's office where he was sitting in a black leather chair like Abe Lincoln at his memorial. He asked Heyman what he has for him. Heyman said, simply, "Nothing." McMahon said being a man of his word he is going to put his hands on him and drag him to the ring and choke the life out of him. "Then, after you're dead, I'm going to fire you." Vince took his jacket off. Heyman said he wants him to fire him. He mocked him for smacking around people like him, Stephanie McMahon, and Zach Gowen when at one time he stood up to Steve Austin. Heyman said he doesn't want to work for "this Vince McMahon," he wants to work for the Vince who drove him and every other promoter out of business, including Ted Turner and Time-Warner. He said he wants to work for the Vince McMahon who stared a federal indictment and wouldn't negotiate, but instead went to trial. "Where is the ruthless aggression? Yes, you're right, Undertaker can bury you alive at Survivor Series and right now that will probably happen unless you get out of this jam like you always have." He said he wants to deal with the Vince McMahon who shows anyone who tries to take them on that they've got "no chance in hell." Vince walked away without saying anything, but seemed perhaps inspired by Heyman's excellent speech. If you ever work for WWE and want to get a lesson in how to kiss up to Vince McMahon, Heyman covered all of the subjects in this well-delivered pep talk.

[Commercial Break]

-Cole and Tazz talked about the state of mind of Vince McMahon. Then highlight clips aired of recent Smackdown brand house shows.

2 -- REY MYSTERIO vs. ULTIMO DRAGON

Tajiri joined Tazz and Cole at ringside. He was joined by his two new friends (Yang and Sakada), but he wouldn't mention their names. Tajiri nailed Rey with a roundhouse kick behind the ref's back, leading to the quick pin. Tajiri and his friends tried to salute Ultimo afterward, but he just walked away.

WINNER: Dragon at 2:30. Video of the match.

STAR RATING:

-Brock Lesnar blamed Big Show for being a big clumsy giant and losing. Brock said he is champion and doesn't need to make excuses. Show blamed him for getting on the top rope "like some damn cruiserweight." A stagehand interrupted and told Lesnar that Heyman wants to see him in his office. "That can't be good," said Show.

-A commercial aired for the Buried Alive match at Survivor Series. Well put together.

[Commercial Break]

-Matt Morgan and Nathan Jones walked to the ring with Paul Heyman. Morgan has been an OVW regular recently. Heyman declared Morgan "the new next big thing." He called out Brock Lesnar to the ring. Brock said he's no dummy, so he called out Big Show for support. Yeah, pick a guy were just arguing with to help you against two Heyman thugs. Show did come out. Brock said had a lot of history with Heyman. Heyman announced that Show & Brock would face APA in the main event. Heyman then said that his goal is to have the best main event on Smackdown. Heyman told him he called him to the ring because he, Show, Jones, and Morgan were four of the five members of his team at Survivor Series. Everyone seemed agreeable, if not a touch leery, of the union.

-They showed Paul London and Orlando Jones playing a videogame backstage. Dawn Marie opened her robe in front of them (but out of camera view) and asked if it was a good costume. Their eyes popped out of their heads, and she took that as a "yes." Then she walked away.

[Commercial Break]

-Torrie Wilson beat Dawn Marie in a costume contest. Torrie dressed as a bunny, Dawn as Wonder Woman. They bobbed for apples in chocolate syrup, an old Saturday Night's Main Event skit from the '80s, except then it was a Bobby Heenan doing the dunking. Dawn actually got into the tub of chocolate and took off her top, then stood up covered in only chocolate. The crowd went nuts. Tazz then entered the ring and told Torrie to give Funaki the surprise part of "trick or treat." She unbuttoned the Afro-wearing Funaki's shirt, but then shoved Tazz into the tub which drew a laugh from the crowd.

[Commercial Break]

-Brock approached Cena backstage and said he thinks Heyman is naming him the fifth member of his team at Survivor Series. He said he didn't know it as a fact, but believed it to be true.

[Commercial Break]

-Tazz, covered in chocolate, asks, "Is there still chocolate on me?" Then he hugged Cole, getting chocolate all over him.

-Chavo Guerrero chewed out Eddie Guerrero backstage for letting everyone down. They showed clips of last week's Smackdown loss and Chavo's post-match tantrum.

-Eddie walked to the ring and admitted he less people down. His speech was paced slowly enough, with enough pauses, that fan heckling could be heard. Someone shouted "you suck." Guerrero, in a nice improvise, stopped and told the fan he is right. "Maybe I am in a weak state," he said. He contemplated losing two titles in one week. Eddie then turned up his enthusiasm and gave himself a pep talk about getting back on a winning streak. It took a while to get to where he was headed, but once he got there, he showed good fire and the crowd got into it and chanted his name. Shaniqua then walked out with the tag title belts. He told her if she entered the ring, she better be ready to take on his Latino Heat, pointing to his crotch. She began to enter the ring. Then the Bashams attempted to attack Guerrero from behind, but he fended them off rather easily. He then yanked Shaniqua into the ring. He gave her a back suplex after she attempted to him him. Eddie then climbed to the top rope. Danny Basham shoved Guerrero off the top rope to the floor. The Bashams "got their heat back" by doubling on Guerrero at ringside, including whipping him into the ringside steps.

[Commercial Break]

-Trainers were checking on Guerrero. Heyman approached him and told him he could take on the Bashams next week, and with a victory, a tag title shot would be his. Eddie was excited and said he and Chavo would win. Heyman said he didn't say anything about Chavo; it would be Eddie vs. both Bashams. Eddie freaked out.

-Josh Matthews interviewed Kurt Angle about the rest of his Survivor Series team. He said his team would consist of Benoit, Hardcore Holly, and APA. APA walked up to him and talked about how they were about to kick the living hell out of Brock and Show. Bradshaw's upper body has taken on a new look lately.

[Commercial Break]

-A taped promo aired with Undertaker saying he chose the Buried Alive match only after Vince McMahon himself had mentioned it.

3 -- BIG SHOW & BROCK LESNAR vs. THE APA

Bradshaw took Show down with a big clothesline at 2:00. Brock then took Bradshaw to ringside. Faarooq went to work on Show. Brock entered the ring and nailed Faarooq with a chair for the quick DQ. The crowd wasn't happy with that non-match. This too closely resembles the type of non-payoff main events that cost Nitro it's audience a few years ago.

WINNERS: APA at 3:00 via DQ.

STAR RATING: 3/4* -- Not much to it.

-After the match, Brock and Show attempted to beat up APA more. Benoit and Angle came to the ring to make the save. Angle put the anklelock on Show, who screamed in pain. Nathan Jones and Matt Morgan came to the ring and beat up Angle and Benoit. Morgan gave Angle a sitout powerbomb. John gave Benoit a salto suplex. Jones managed to not fall or hurt anyone. The show ended with Jones, Brock, Morgan, and Show all standing with their arms raised.

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