Smackdown – October 14, 2005: Call It A Step Forward
IMG Credit: WWE
Smackdown
Date: October 14, 2005
Location: SBC Arena, San Antonio, Texas
Attendance: 4,500
Commentators: Michael Cole, Tazz
We’re done with No Mercy and now it’s time to get ready for Survivor Series. Granted before we get there, we have the whole lull with no brand exclusive pay per view for the next month, which could lead in a variety of places. I’m not sure what we’re going to be seeing on the way there but it could be interesting. Maybe. Let’s get to it.
Here’s No Mercy if you need a recap
Opening sequence.
Here are the Ortons to get things going. Randy is VERY proud of himself for destroying the Undertaker forever and no matter how much the fans want to see him, Undertaker is DEAD. With Undertaker out of the way, it’s time for Randy to become World Heavyweight Champion again, but here’s Eddie Guerrero to interrupt.
Eddie gets a very warm reception (remember we’re in Texas) but Randy says to give him advice on how to beat Batista so he can ignore it. Randy laughs at him for earning a friend instead of a championship and offers an RKO. Eddie wants a fight but Randy says he’s facing Batista next. Cue Batista to say the two of them can fight tonight so Teddy can make the match.
Post match, Teddy has made the match. I guess Batista has some pull.
United States Title: Chris Benoit vs. Orlando Jordan
Jordan is challenging but if he loses to the Crossface again, his career is over. Benoit goes straight for the Crossface to start so Jordan bails to the floor. That earns Benoit a whip into the steps and Jordan is in control for a change. A knee to the ribs sets up an abdominal stretch so Benoit gets over to the apron in a hurry. The German suplexes rock Jordan and the Sharpshooter makes him tap, meaning Jordan keeps his career.
Rating: D+. That has to be it right? What is this, five times now? They did keep it short here and that’s what matters most, because we don’t need to see this again anytime soon. Benoit has wasted so much time on Jordan now and his title reign suffered as a result. Get him on to a serious match and get Jordan on the unemployment line.
Sharmell comes in to yell at Teddy Long about Jordan getting a title shot (fair) but Teddy doesn’t want to hear it. Instead, Booker T. can be in a four way #1 contenders match.
Paul Burchill/William Regal/MNM vs. Animal/Heidenreich/Mexicools
Juvy is the odd Mexicool out while Melina and Christy Hemme are here as well for this rather odd pairing. Psychosis and Mercury start things off so the women get on the apron for stereo distractions. With that out of the way, Regal comes in to hammer away on Psychosis and the villains take turns stomping away in the corner. Burchill drives him into the corner as well and hammers away at the jaw. Mercury misses a middle rope elbow though and it’s Animal coming in to clean house. The Doomsday Device is broken up so Super Crazy has to moonsault Mercury for the pin instead.
Rating: D+. This mainly served as a way to showcase the women and that isn’t exactly the most difficult thing to do. There wasn’t enough time for this to go anywhere and the match was just kind of there as a result. At least they kept it short and have something resembling a tag division growing for a change.
Post match two rather muscular guys come in and beat down Psychosis, including a Veg O Matic.
It’s time for the Peep Show with Stacy Keibler getting to talk about a possible feud with Jennifer Aniston over Anistaon’s new boyfriend. Stacy says she isn’t dating him…and here’s Jillian Hall to interrupt. She thinks there could be a lot of career advancement in a feud like this and thinks Aniston is hot. Stacy asks about the growth on her face and slaps Jillian down.
Christian vs. John Bradshaw Layfield vs. Booker T. vs. Rey Mysterio
One fall to a finish, the winner gets a US Title shot and Sharmell is at ringside. It’s a brawl to start with Booker backdropping JBL and hammering away in the corner as the other two are outside. The two pairs switch places so Rey can knock Christian down, only to get tossed by JBL. The fall away slam sends Christian flying but Booker is right off the top with the missile dropkick. Christian sends Booker over the top and onto JBL though, leaving Rey to get beaten up for two.
Rey’s victory roll gets two and we take a quick break. Back with all four down for a breather until JBL gets up and starts cleaning house. Booker gets kicked outside, leaving JBL to drop elbows on Christian for two. The Clothesline From JBL is broken up though and JBL is sent outside for a ram into the steps. Rey gets back in to speed things up with some rollups but JBL kicks him down. JBL is sent outside again though and Sharmell grabs Rey’s leg so Booker can hit the ax kick for the pin. It still is not clear if Booker saw the interference.
Rating: C. Another match that you’ve seen several times and that is hardly something worth getting excited about. That’s true of Sharmell too, as her already annoying act is getting even worse. Booker vs. Benoit could be good and in theory this should lead towards Booker’s heel turn, which would make Sharmell a bit more bearable.
Post break Booker and Sharmell celebrate when Benoit comes in. He’s happy with the match but hopes Sharmell doesn’t get involved again. Booker gets in his face and glaring ensues.
Mr. Kennedy comes out for a match but doesn’t have an opponent so he introduces himself and leaves.
Raw Rebound.
Bobby Lashley vs. Nunzio
Lashley glares Vito off the apron and suplexes Nunzio without much effort. Nunzio gets gorilla pressed to the floor (with no catch) and this time Vito’s interference earns him a shot to the face. Back in and Nunzio’s shot to the head just earns himself a backbreaker, followed by the Dominator for the fast pin.
Palmer Cannon tells Teddy that the Boogeyman is here, so he shakes the clock. Said clock is then busted over his head, causing Teddy to say Boogeyman has some potential.
Randy Orton vs. Eddie Guerrero
For the next shot at Batista. They stare at each other to start until Orton goes to the eye and grabs a belly to back suplex for two. The headlock has Eddie in trouble on the mat and his attempt at fighting back earns himself a dropkick. Back from a break with Orton hitting the backbreaker for two and grabbing the chinlock again.
Eddie fights up again but gets drop toeholded throat first into the middle rope. They head outside a second time with Eddie ramming him into the announcers’ table a few times, only to get sent into the post for two. Randy switches up the chinlocks by grabbing a sleeper to put Eddie down….for another chinlock. This time Eddie dances his way up and hits Three Amigos, only to have Cowboy Bob break up the frog splash for the DQ.
Rating: C-. This was a rough one as Orton kept going to the chinlock and slowing things down. That’s all well and good, but you might want to do something else before you get there. Not a very good match, but it’s cool to see face Eddie for a change here, as he was a villain for so long. He’s so charismatic though and it’s hard to not like him at least a little bit.
Post match the double team is on but Batista runs out for the save. Long comes out and makes Batista/Eddie vs. the Ortons for next week.
Overall Rating: C-. I wasn’t feeling this one very much, but what made it work was they were building things towards next week, if not beyond. It’s nice to see Eddie getting a fresh change of pace here too and that’s one of the better things you can say about a show. Some of the midcard might even be coming together a bit so maybe things can pick up. It certainly would be a step in the right direction for a change.
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