SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...
The following report originally published 20 years ago this week here at PWTorch.com…
WWE SMACKDOWN
FEBRUARY 2, 2005
TAPED MONDAY IN SAN JOSE, CALIF.
REPORT BY WADE KELLER, PWTORCH EDITOR
-Michael Cole and Tazz introduced the show.
-John Cena stood mid-ring. He talked about how the censors say he’s too controversial and won’t let him say certain things and they digitize his hat. He said it thus made sense that he’d be part of a controversy at the Royal Rumble. He said he was fine with the ruling. He said the most important thing was the Chain Gang had his back. “Whatever’s whatever,” he said. “I don’t sweat it. What’s going to be is going to be.” He wished Batista luck, and said he hopes he comes to Smackdown “because the champ is here.”
Teddy Long walked out and said he hopes Batista will choose to come to Smackdown, but he can’t wait for him to make his decision. So he was going to hold a tournament on Smackdown over the next several weeks, the winner of which will face the WWE Champ at WrestleMania. He said if Batista joins Smackdown, it will be become a Triple Threat match.
JBL then walked out, told Cena he is the champ, and then complained that now he has to not only scout Big Show, but also eight wrestlers who could all end up facing him at WM. He trash-talked Cena and said he was the superior athlete. He said fans attend Smackdown events because of him. “I am money, I sell PPVs, I am the bottom line,” he said. “Instead of you saying thank you, you have used your position to screw me. Well, screw you.” JBL demanded he call off the tournament. Long said he isn’t for him or against him. He said he does what he does for the Smackdown audience. Long said Cena’s first opponent would be Orlando Jordan. JBL’s mood changed and he said there would be no problem now that he knew Orlando could eliminate Cena later. When Jordan charged at Cena, he backdropped him over the top rope and then gave JBL an FU.
Good set-up for the tournament, solid promos by JBL and Cena, and Long continues to play his role well.
[Commercial Break]
Cole referred to what happened before the break as “the first confrontation between U.S. Champion John Cena and WWE Hvt. Champion JBL.”
Angle said his night at the Royal Rumble went frustrating to satisfying. He said while he didn’t win the WWE Title and he didn’t win the Royal Rumble, he did a take piece of out a legend. “I made the Showstopper Shawn Michaels tap, bleed, and suffer,” he said. “And I feel pretty damn good about it, too.” Nunzio interrupted and complained about Angle stealing his number for the Royal Rumble. He said he wouldn’t be able to sleep until he got revenge. Angle accepted his challenge.
1 — KURT ANGLE vs. NUNZIO
Cole said Angle wasn’t prepared to wrestle a bona fide superstar. Angle went for an anklelock at 2:15. Nunzio grabbed at the ropes, but Angle yanked him back to mid-ring and applied it. Nunzio tapped out.
WINNER: Angle at 2:30.
STAR RATING: 1/4* — Those cruiserweights sure don’t put up much of a fight.
-Cole plugged that several members of the 2005 Class of the WWE Hall of Fame will be announced later on the show. He also plugged Undertaker vs. Rene Dupree in a tournament match later in the show.
[Commercial Break]
-Angle, Luther Reigns, and Mark Jindrak chatted backstage. He asked who Reigns’s opponent would be after Rey based on the bracketing. Reigns said he will face the winner of Dupree vs. Taker. Angle laughed when he heard Dupree, then got serious when he heard Taker’s name. Angle said he had to talk strategy with Reigns.
-Long was taking notes backstage about Smackdown being in Japan and the No Way Out PPV. Carlito Cool walked in with an apple, a sling, and a smile. Carlito said instead of going to Japan, he would be defending himself in Stamford, Conn. in front of the WWE Board of Directors. “We’ll see about that, dawg,” said Long. Carlito said. “We will see about that. And it’s going to be cool.” He then took a bite out of his apple.
-A commercial aired for the new Rob Van Dam DVD including photos of RVD as a high high schooler.
[Commercial Break]
-Cole and Cena got to plug “Veronica Mars” again, a critically acclaimed series on UPN. Cole and Tazz called it cool. That’s obvious in the script for them to read, so they should have Carlito plug the show. He would have a bit more credibility about what’s “cool” than Cole.
2 — MARK JINDRAK vs. REY MYSTERIO
Jindrak caught Rey in an early 619 attempt. Jindrak dominated from there for a few minutes, but he got cocky and did the Rick Rude hip swivel, giving Rey a chance to make a comeback. Tazz said Jindrak was showing his inexperience. How much experience does Jindrak need because he goes from being “a great natural athlete” to a “contender.” Rey hit the 619 at 4:15, then gave Jindrak ahead scissors into the turnbuckle followed by a schoolboy for the three count. Jindrak complained afterward about something.
WINNER: Mysterio at 4:45.
STAR RATING: *1/4 — Rey continues to be the exception to WWE’s size rule.
-Two of the Smackdown Divas – Amy and Joy – argued about a dry cleaning bill over last week’s food incident.
[Commercial Break]
Check out the latest episode of “PWTorch ’90s Pastcast” with Patrick Moynahan and Alex McDonald, part of the PWTorch Dailycast line-up: CLICK HERE to stream (or search “wade keller” on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or any other iOS or Android app to subscribe free)
3 — BIG SHOW vs. THE BASHAMS
Another needless case of making a top tag team look weak compared to one singles wrestler. Why not bring in two jobbers from the local indy scene and accomplish the same thing without demeaning the tag team division and the marketability of the Bashams. Undertaker’s squashing of Edge and Christian is something that I’d argue slowed down fans taking either Edge or Christian seriously for a long stretch of time when they began trying to push them as credible singles wrestlers. Cole talked about how a cage would surround Show and JBL at No Way Out, and the way to win would be to escape the cage, but the cage would have barbed wire at the top to make it more difficult. They ought to address the door and whether one can still just walk out the door rather than ever face the barbed wire. Show squished the Bashams in the corner and then chokeslammed Doug and scored the clean pin.
WINNER: Big Show at 3:55.
STAR RATING: 1/2* — Show gains nothing from beating the Bashams two-on-one, but the Bashams lose a lot.
-Sarge, Bobby Heenan, Jesse Ventura, Superstar Graham, and Pete Rose were shown as last year’s inductees. This year’s new inductees are Paul Orndorff, The Iron Sheik, Nikolai Volkoff, Jimmy Hart, and Bob Orton. Cole said they expect more inductees before WM21. The Induction Ceremony takes place at the Universal Ampitheatre in Hollywood, Calif.
[Commercial Break]
4 — UNDERTAKER vs. RENE DUPREE
Taker made his elaborate ring intro. Dupree acted intimidated. Taker shoulder tackled Dupree out of the ring. Jindrak and Reigns came to ringside as they cut to a break less than two minutes into the match.
[Commercial Break]
Jindrak and Reigns saved Dupree from getting pinned and helped him gain offense. Dupree did the French Tickler dance. That sparked Taker’s full-fledged comeback at 11:00. Taker set up a chokeslam, but Dupree kneed out of it. Taker hit a DDT and a chokeslam. He applied a triangle choke submission. Then Reigns jumped onto the ring apron. Jindrak yanked Dupree out of the ring to safety. Taker went after them at ringside, then whipped Dupree into the ringside steps. As Taker attempted to reenter the ring, Reigns held his leg and prevented his entrance. The referee called for the bell, leading to a double countout, meaning Taker was knocked out of contention to face JBL at WrestleMania. Jindrak and Reigns laughed. Taker gave Dupree a Tombstone in center ring out of frustration. Cole wondered what the DCO decision meant regarding the tournament.
WINNER: None, double countout at 12:19.
STAR RATING: *1/2 — Okay action.
[Commercial Break]
-Josh Matthews interviewed Big Show. He said he will be chokeslamming JBL and winning the WWE Title on Feb. 20. Josh asked what he thought of possibly defending the WWE Title against Batista at WrestleMania. Big Show said so far Batista has been a big fish in a “small raw pond” and if he jumped, he’ll get chokeslammed by him.
-Booker T told Eddie Guerrero backstage that he lies, cheats, and steals his way to victory, but it wouldn’t be happening tonight. He said he plans to win the tournament and get the title shot at WrestleMania. Booker looked super-serious. Guerrero laughed him off and walked away.
[Commercial Break]
-A spoof of Braveheart aired with Triple H in the Mel Gibson role riding a horse. He declared no one at WrestleMania would take his title. Ric Flair was shown dragging a mule through an empty field where Hunter’s supporters are supposed to be. The horse then knocked him off to the ground. Flair then walked Hunter toward WrestleMania, telling him it was just a little ways away. Apparently we’re in store for a series of Hollywood blockbuster movie themed spots for WrestleMania, given Hunter/Flair-Braveheat and Eugene-Forrest Gump. It does give WWE programming a glean of class to have slickly produced spots like that which show an acknowledgement of other movies and a sense of humor in placing wrestlers in the roles of major big screen characters.
5 — BOOKER T vs. EDDIE GUERRERO
A mundane, unimaginative, uninspired opening five minutes. A couple headlocks, a chop, and a Booker chinlock. Guerrero fought back and went for a frog splash, but Booker rolled out of the ring. They cut to a commercial.
[Commercial Break]
More sleepers and chinlocks. Blah. After three unreleased vertical suplexes by Guerrero, Booker avoided a frog splash and then did a Spinarooni. He went for a front wheel kick, but Guerrero ducked and Booker hit the referee. Booker gave Guerrero a scissors kick. Guerrero faked a knee injury. Booker took mercy on him and checked on the referee’s condition. Guerrero then snuck up behind Booker, but as Booker turned around, Eddie collapsed and grabbed his knee again. Guerrero then went for a suplex. Booker schoolboyed Guerrero with a handful of tights and scored the pin.
WINNER: Booker T at 20:00.
STAR RATING: * — Too many unimaginative mat holds. Blah match.
-Cole and Tazz lugged Angle vs. Mysterio next week, plus Cena vs. Jordan.
-As skippable an edition of Smackdown as there’s been in a long time. There was almost nothing redeeming about it. Just void of anything that couldn’t have been summarized in 60 seconds.
OR CHECK THIS OUT AT PROWRESTLING.NET: Jordynne Grace on letting her TNA contract expire, Scott D’Amore’s exit from the company, whether WWE has always been her goal, which wrestler hits the hardest
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