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The following report was first published on PWTorch.com 15 years ago today covering WWE Smackdown.
WWE SMACKDOWN REVIEW
DECEMBER 5, 2002
TAPED 12/3 IN DALLAS, TEX.
REPORT BY B.J. BETHEL, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR
Pre-opening: Steph: “I didn’t screw Brock Lesnar. Brock Lesnar screwed Brock Lesnar.”
1st Quarter Hour
(1) Albert defeated Rey Mysterio with an Over-the-shoulder back breaker for the three count. (Clean) Cole explained to the viewing audience how Albert felt “demoted” to the weekend shows. Rey went after Albert’s knees, but took him off with a springboard dropkick. Rey got a two count with a springboard leg drop. The gist of the match up was Albert couldn’t counter Rey’s speed. Rey hit the 619, but Albert caught him with an over the shoulder back breaker for the three count. Albert attacked Misterio with a corner splash afterwards. Albert hung Rey up by his knee and worked him over with a chair until Edge ran in to make the save.
Funaki interviewed Hugh “Bill DeMott” Morrus about Tough Enough. DeMott was upset over just getting an interview with Funaki after coming off Tough Enough. He dropped Funaki on the floor, telling he deserved better. Great heel act by DeMott.
Edge is with Rey in the trainer’s office. Rey was favoring his injured knee.
2nd Quarter Hour
Stephanie came out to greet the fans. She said he sacrificed his body for the fans, just like she does for them and just like she did on Monday night. They then redid the “Freak-zilla” segment from Monday. Stephanie then said she was bringing Steiner to Smackdown and that Brock would be allowed to explain himself during a satellite interview tonight for his actions the last few weeks.
(2) Crash Holly defeated Jamie Noble with the Crash Landing to score the pinfall. (Clean) Noble stomped Crash as Nidia fought off Tazz’s inquiring into the incident with Steiner last week. Crash came back with some clotheslines and a tornado bulldog for a two count. Nidia put Noble’s leg on the rope. Crash went out to confront Nidia, blocked a punch and locked lips with her. Crash the n hit him with the Crash Landing for the three count and the win. Noble was at his wits end in the ring, telling Nidia that next week he’s bringing in his cousin as Nidia told him not to do it.
Benoit gave a sit-down interview, talking about his desire to become WWE champion and how he fought having a broken neck to come back and achieve his goal.
3rd Quarter Hour
Dawn Marie approached Torrie backstage. Torrie isn’t happy. Dawn told her that she wasn’t the “only one” she was interested in her family. Dawn then told Torrie how she watched her back in WCW and told her how “voluptuous” her body is. Dawn then said if she “did something for her” she wouldn’t marry her father, then gave her a card with a hotel room number on it. Whoa, Nellie.
(3) Bill DeMott defeated Funaki with a moonsault to score the pinfall. (Clean) DeMott took Funaki down with a drop toe hold and pummeled him on the mat before splashing him in the corner and throwing him down face first. DeMott then worked through the “cheats against the rope” catalog. Funaki tried fighting back with a jawbreaker, but DeMott caught him off the ropes with power slam, setting him up for the moonsault for the three count.
The Guerrero’s talked about their respective title matches tonight. Eddie told him how Chavo would need a bigger chest for both of his new belts. Eddie talked about how proud his family would be, especially Grandma (CHEAT TO WIN!!!!), and how they had to get focused.
4th Quarter Hour
Cole and Tazz interviewed Brock Lesnar via satellite. Lesnar said he deserved what he got for associating with someone like Heyman, but he was going to get his. Brock was getting ready to comment on Stephanie’s “Brock screwed Brock” comments, but Heyman and Big Show interrupted with their ring entrance. Heyman said Brock was like a “defying child” and needed spanked. Heyman said there wasn’t anyone better to spank Lesnar then Big Show. Heyman then said Brock didn’t “screw Brock”, but they did and they enjoyed doing it and would do it over again if they were given the choice to go back. Brock then said a Big Show vs. Benoit/Angle/Guerrero/Edge match would be terrific and he couldn’t wait to see it… in person.
More retro-Raw footage, featuring the last Nitro. The WWF logo at the entrance of the Raw set is censored out, the first time I’ve caught that.
5th Quarter Hour
(4) Billy Kidman defeated Chavo Guerrero with the Shooting Star Press to get the pinfall. (Clean) Kidman came out to a new hip-hop entrance theme. Series of counters to start by the two, ending with a Kidman Huracanranas. Cole talked about what a fighting champ Kidman has been. Chavo nailed Kidman with a gut-buster. Chavo is looking strangely like Perry Saturn. Chavo lifted Kidman in a power bomb-like position and rammed him into the corner and hit him with a back breaker before locking on an abdominal stretch, using the ropes for leverage. Kidman managed to flip out of a Gory bomb, but Chavo countered by sending Kidman into the corner. Chavo then continued to work over Kidman’s ribs until Kidman came back again. RVD should watch Kidman and see how you can actually sell and work psychology while doing the high flying stuff. Kidman managed a two count. Chavo hit a spinning DDT while springboarding off the corner (really sweet) for a two count. The two then fought their way up the top rope after Kidman ended up on the apron. Both ended up falling to the floor. Back up top, Kidman fought off Chavo and tried for the Shooting Star Press, but Chavo moved and hit him with the Gory bomb. Chavo managed to get a two count, but Kidman got his leg on the ropes. Chavo wasn’t happy. Kidman then tossed him outside and favored his ribs. Chavo tried to get back in the ring with his tag title belt. Kidman then brought Chavo in off the apron with an inverted gourd buster, setting him up for the Shooting Star Press and the three count. Now that, my friends, was a wrestling match. Next time, just a bit longer, please?
Edge was interviewed by Mark Lloyd, but went after Albert the minute he laid eyes on him. Shannon Moore and some other workers could be seen holding him back.
6th Quarter Hour
It’s time for the first ever “Hip Hop Challenge” between John Cena (w/Bull Buchanan) and Rikishi. No actual rapping occurred during this segment. Cena gave Tazz a cheap shot, and the crowd went nuts when Tazz gave him the Tazz-mission as Rikishi fought off Bull Buchanan. The two then danced together.
Mark Lloyd interviewed Kurt Angle backstage.
Edge entered the ring and was attacked by Albert with a chair, who went after his knee like he did Misterio. The officials tended to Edge as Albert walked toward the back. After the break, Edge was carried out and they ran through the other three wrestler’s entrances before re-running Edge, who limped to the ring. Angle shot him a nice grin as he approached the ring. They then went to another break.
7th Quarter Hour
(5) Kurt Angle defeated Edge, Chris Benoit and Eddie Guerrero in a Fatal Fourway match when Angle gave Edge a top rope Angle Slam for the win. (Albert attacked Edge before the match. Guerrero hit Benoit with a title belt) The match was for #1 Contender. Back from the break, and Guerrero is stomping away on Angle, Benoit and Edge. During the break, Angle and Benoit attacked Edge. Edge managed to hit some flap jacks and body drops on the three heels until Eddie took his knee out with a drop kick. Benoit then went to work with some knee breakers on Edge. Eddie and Angle finally broke off and started working against each other. Both ended up out of the ring. Edge was taking a beating from Benoit but managed to get a two count. Eddie broke up the count and tossed Edge and suplexed Benoit out of the ring. Eddie was attacked by Angle from behind, who scored a two count with a suplex. Eddie fired back with some blows and his own suplex for a two count. Angle reversed a whip into the ropes with a over-head belly-to-belly. Angle went for the Angle Slam, but Eddie countered it into an arm drag. Eddie then hit the Frog Splash on Angle, but Angle got his arm up at two, leaving Eddie in disbelief. Benoit ran in and gave Eddie a German suplex and the big head butt for his own two count. Edge came back in and nailed Benoit with an Implant DDT for a two count. Angle charged Edge, but got tossed. Eddie then tossed Edge. Benoit caught Eddie from behind with two German suplexes until Edge ran in and speared Eddie tossed Edge. Benoit then locked on the Crippler Cross-face on Benoit, making Eddie tap out. Angle then German suplexed Benoit three times, but Edge hit him with a missile drop kick for a two count. Benoit then clipped Edge’s leg. Angle then clotheslined Benoit and started setting Edge up for the Angle Slam, but Edge countered it into his drop-down chin lock. Benoit locked the Crossface on Edge, but Angle put Benoit in the ankle lock. Eddie came in with the belt and nailed Benoit. Edge speared Eddie, and then Benoit to get the three count on Benoit, so he was eliminated. Angle locked the ankle lock on Edge. Edge kept trying to reach the ropes, but Angle dragged him back into the middle of the ring. Edge eventually rolled out of it, sending Angle out of the ring between the ropes. Angle dragged Edge outside and rammed his head into the ring steps.
Back from the break, and Angle was pummeling Edge on the ring mat. Angle then hit Edge with a short-arm clothesline for a two count. Edge fired back with his own series of punches, backing Angle into the corner. Angle reversed a whip into the corner, but ate a boot when he charged Edge. Edge was going to make a try for the spear, but Angle countered it with a belly-to-belly. Angle then locked a side chin lock on Edge. Edge dropped his arm twice, but fought out and hit his own belly-to-belly off the ropes, leaving both men down on the mat. Edge regained the offensive and got a near three with his drop-down chin-lock. Angle then nailed Edge with two rolling German suplexes, but Edge cradled Angle with the third and got another near three. Edge reversed an Angle Slam into another Implant DDT and scored another near three count. The fans booed. Edge went up top and Angle tried to charge him but got pushed off. Edge hit Angle with a missile drop kick, but Angle kicked out at two again. The crowd again, booed. Edge went for the spear and got booted in the face, Angle then nailed him with the Angle Slam for a two count. Angle argued with the ref and then went to the ankle lock. Edge rolled it into a victory roll for a two count, but Angle got up and went back to the Ankle lock. Edge tried booting him off, but Angle wouldn’t release. Edge made it to the rope, but Angle wouldn’t release until the ref finally made him. Edge hit Angle with an enziguiri and hit Angle with an Angle Slam, but only got a two count. Edge went up top, but Angle ran up the ropes and hit him with a top rope Angle Slam for the three count. Big Show then ran in and gave Angle a choke slam, complete with a little lip before lifting him up. Heyman then entered and gave Show the title belt. Show held it up in the air as he looked down at Angle.
They immediately cut to the hotel where Torrie Wilson entered and saw Dawn in a robe drinking a glass of wine. Dawn went to give Torrie a smooch and she walked off. Dawn then said she “guessed she didn’t love her father after all.” Torrie walked back as Dawn said “that’s better” and they went off the air.
NOW CHECK OUT THE PREVIOUS FLASHBACK: 15 YRS AGO – POWELL’S RAW REPORT: Bischoff, Triple H vs. RVD with Michaels as ref, Jericho, Booker, Batista, Regal, Storm
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