Smackdown in South Africa

[Guest FeArHaVoC]

Thanks to 411 reader Farrel for sending in this report.

 

The venue, the Good Hope Center, in Cape Town was completely sold out.

I'd say easily 6 000+ people. The WWE was last here about 9 years ago,

so the fans were cheering really loud and really receptive, just because

it's so rare to see WWE live here.

 

To start off Edge comes out to a big pop (being the first wrestler out)

wearing a neck brace. Tells us he is injured and he really wants to

wrestle but can't (the crowd started the "What?" chant and Edge repeated

he couldn't wrestle about 5 times, thankfully that was tge last time it

appeared). Bill DeMott runs out and attacks Edge and then Mark Henry

runs out to make the save. Edge and DeMott battle to the back leaving

Henry in the ring. John Cena's music hits and we have our first match.

 

1) John Cena vs. Mark Henry

 

Cena gets MAJOR heat with his raps dissing Cape Town and South Africa.

This was basically a warm up comedy match with Cena trying to out-power

Henry (test of strength, can't suplex him etc etc). Cena gets some

offence in but Mark starts channeling Hogan and starts to Hulk up

(shaking arms etc etc). Henry pulls out all his power moves - overhead

gorilla press and then a big power-slam for the win. Decent cheer for

Henry at the end. Would've preferred to see Cena against a better

opponent though.

 

2) Jamie Knoble (with Nidia) vs. Funaki

 

Knoble and Nidia come out first and get some decent heat. Funaki comes

out to a nice pop too (the crowd were cheering everyone). Not the

fastest cruiserweight match I've seen with Knoble stopping every now and

then to draw some crowd heat. Nidia plays along with the crowd quite

well trying to stop all the "asshole" chants. Match end when Funaki hits

a top rope DDT on Knoble and rolls him up. Nidia distracts the ref and

as Funaki goes to get the ref Knoble charges. Funaki sidesteps and Nidia

takes her accidental bump as is required by law. Funaki gets the

schoolboy for the win. Nidia and Knoble hug in the middle of the ring

aterwards and get booed out the building. Knoble covers Nidias ears to

all the "You Suck" chants.

 

3) Matt Hardy V1.0 vs. Billy Kidman for the WWE Cruiserweight Title

 

When Matt came out the crowd started a loud "We Want Jeff" chant (why I

do not know... I'll take Mattitude over Jeff's going-through-the-motions

wrestling any day). Matt cuts a promo telling us he can't wait to leave

South Africa and gets a good deal of heat. Kidman comes down to a nice

pop. This was a faster paced match with Hardy getting lots of heat.

Kidman even got a few decent "Let's go Kidman" chants which for him are

damn rare. Not a lot of high flying stuff in this match (or in the

matches in general, I think with WrestleMania so close they don't want

to risk injury), and it ends with a top rope rana from Kidman who then

goes for the Shooting Star Press. Matt moves out the way and gets the

pin using the ropes for leverage. Kidman gets a decent cheer afterwards

as well.

 

4) Kurt Angle vs. Chris Benoit for the WWE Heavyweight Title

 

Angle comes out first to massive heat. I was hoping he'd cut a promo but

didn't but still gets a truckload of boo's. Benoit comes down to a great

face pop (wearing a t-shirt that said 'Toothless Aggression' which was

on his tights as well). This was your typical Angle/Benoit match with

lots of mat wrestling using holds and counter holds. When Benoit got

some offense in Angle bails (to massive heat). He starts walking to the

back and the ref starts the countout. Angle comes back, starts to argue

with the ref, so the ref starts counting faster. As the ref gets to 18

or so Angle slides into the ring and slides out again ending the count.

Angle gets back in and the match continues. Benoit gets the crossface on

but Angle reverses to the ankle lock. Benoit rolls through sending Angle

into the post. Benoit takes control and sets Angle up for the flying

headbutt (I prefer the WCW name for it, 'Air Canada'). He hits and goes

for the pin. Extremely close 2 count and the crowd pops huge thinking

Benoit won. Team Angle run out to distract the ref giving Angle the

sneak attack pin. Team Angle make a hasty exit and Benoit gets a

standing ovation to massive cheers.

 

Interval

 

5) Triple Threat Elimination Match for the WWE Tag Titles

Los Guerreros (Eddie is the man IMHO!) vs. Rey Mysterio & Rikishi vs.

Team Angle.

 

Los Guerreros get a mixed pop as it's not clear whether they're faces or

heels in this match. Mysterio gets a massive pop and so does Rikishi.

Team Angle come out in their Team Angle velour track suits. Haas and

Benjamin stall for a good 5 minutes getting huge heat. They threaten to

leave... twice! The announcer tells us they've asked us to stop shouting

"You Suck" and of course the chant gets even louder. Chavo grabs a sign

from the audience that said "Team Asshole" and draped it over Rikishi's

backside to a big pop. Lots of "619" Chants for Rey before the match.

 

Match starts with Rikishi and Haas. Haas quickly tags Eddie in who comes

over the rops with a nice top rope helo onto the mat, thereby proving he

is the true deity of wrestling (sorry Benoit fans). Rikishi and Eddie

look like they're going to lock up but they move over to the Team Angle

corner and bring Haas in over the top rope (so I guess Guerreros are

faces for this match). Big brawl in the ring and Rikishi backs that azz

up on both members of Team Angle in the corner. The fall over and drape

themselves on the second rope setting up a double 619 from Mysterio.

Eddie and Haas are left in and Eddie stomps a mudhole on Haas in the

corner to get some huge cheers. Eddie pulls off a nice top rope arm drag

(holds Haas's hand runs up the pads onto the top then dives over Haas

and throws him across the ring) for even more of a pop. Mysterio comes

in and does a massive spinning DDT on Haas. I'm sure Mysterio must've

gone around him twice! Mysterio and Chavo go at it for a while before

they bring Benjamin in. The Guerrero's then get eliminated when Benjamin

uses the ropes to pin Chavo. Rikishi tags in and takes control. Goes for

the stinkface but Benjamin hits a low blow and a brawl erupts. Mysterio

gets the West Coast pop on Benjamin. Then a massive heel run in occurs

(Knoble, Hardy, DeMott, Cena) followed by all faces (Benoit, Funaki,

Kidman, Mark Henry,Edge, Los Guerreros). Massive brawl in the ring and

the faces clear house.

 

They hold down Team Angle in opposite sides of the ring and the faces

take turns stinkfacing them, which got great cheers from the crowd.

Kidman and Eddie Guerrero stinkfaced Haas while Chavo did Benjamin. Then

Rey and Rikishi did dual stinkfaces at the same time on Benjamin and

Haas. Team Angle limped to the back afterwards (still champions though

as the match ended with the run-ins).

 

After all that Rikishi gets all the faces to dance in the ring with him.

This must've gone on for a good 15 minutes and got enormous crowd

reaction. They made the crowd cheer to decide which side of the ring

they'd face. First they all did Rikishi's dance, and then Rikishi made

them all dance solo in the ring. First up Funaki attempted some break

dancing ending with a bad spin-a-rooni. Then Kidman actually did a half

decent worm across the ring (what will Scotty 2 Hotty say?). Chavo did a

really geeky looking running man, while Eddie did a little mambo

shuffle. And Chris Benoit... words can not describe what Benoit did but

one can accurately say that Wolverines have no built-in dancing ability.

Then Rikishi brought in a few small kids from the front rows to dance in

the ring with all the faces and they all had a blast. Lots of back

slapping and joviality from the guys in the ring and Rey and Edge had

their video cameras and they all looked to be having a lot of fun.

 

6) Torrie Wilson vs. Dawn Marie in a Bra and Panties Match. Nidia was

guest ref.

 

Usual womans wrestling, lots of hair pulling etc. I was actually

surprised to see Torrie Wilson actually pull off a suplex on Dawn Marie

(and Dawn Marie got a slam on Torrie). Anyway Torrie won and Dawn Marie

hastily exited. Then Nidia attacks Torrie but Torrie removed Nidia's

shorts and she also ran to the back.

 

7) Main Event: Brock Lesnar vs. The Big Show (with Paul Heyman)

 

Lots of "We Want Brock" chants the whole night before the match and lots

of Brock signs. He is extremely over. Heyman comes out first and cuts a

killer promo to generate some massive heat. Heyman claims Lesnar won't

F5 him as the Big Show will protect him (obviously setting himself up to

be F5'ed later). Big Show comes out to big big crowd heat. Credit has to

be given to Heyman for getting him over. Brock's music hits and the

crowd frickin' explodes! Brock comes down and immediately goes after

Heyman and chases him to the back. Back in the ring Brock and The Big

Show have a stare down and a test of strength. Brock gets some offense

in and Heyman creeps back down again to trip Brock as he's coming off

the ropes. Big Show takes over and Brock is really selling well. At one

point Big Show gives Brock a whip into the posts and Brock goes over

like he's been shot out a cannon. Brock regains control and goes for a

body slam but as he's picking The Big Show up drops him and grabs onto

his lower back (this happens a few times in the match, using the ol'

psychology...). Big Show gets a sleeper going giving him a chance to get

his breath back. This rest hold goes on for a good 3 minutes or so.

Brock keeps his hand up on the 3rd attempt and powers back into offense.

Big Show gets a chokeslam but Brock powers out. Heyman grabs a chair

from the side of the ring and then goes to distract the ref. Big Show

takes the chair but Brock gets it from him, hits him over the head and

finally slams Show for the win to an ENORMOUS pop.

 

Brock starts walking to the back, and Heyman comes in to check on the

Big Show. Brock starts to walk back to the ring and the crowd start

cheering. Heyman thinks it's for him and turns to face the crowd. Brock

comes right behind him and takes Heyman's cap off (showing us the

skullet!!). He gives Heyman a great F5. Big Show gets up behind Brock

and goes for another chokeslam but Brock reverses it into an F5 as well

to an even bigger pop. Afterwards Brock does some posing and jogging in

place and heads to the back to big crowd reaction. Some nice comedy at

the end as well as Big Show is helping a 'concussed' Heyman to the back

and lifts up his arms to get crowd reaction and Heyman hits the dirt

like a sack of bricks.

 

Overall a great show, made ever the more special by the rarity of seeing

a live WWE show. It wasn't as athletic as TV or PPV shows (what with

WrestleMania on the way no one wants to to get injured) but was still

damn enjoyable with the heels taking every oppurtunity to get heat and

all the faces getting some decent pops (even Fuanki and Kidman).

 

Biggest Pop

-----------

1) Brock Lesnar - Very over, every 2nd sign was "Here Comes The Pain"

2) Chris Benoit - Got lots of respect from the crowd

3) Rey Mysterio - '619' chants the whole time during his match

4) The Rikishi Dance-A-Thon - Got consistent cheering the whole time

5) Guerrero's (especially Eddies beat down of Haas)/Edge - Guerreros

played the faces quite well here

 

Biggest Heat

------------

1) Heyman - Great promo, tried to get "Show! Show!" chants going the

whole match

2) John Cena - His rapping in the beginning got him a ton of heat

3) Team Angle - All their stalling had the crowd going crazy

4) Kurt Angle - If he had spoken no doubt he'd be higher

5) Matt Hardy - Also got lots of heat for his promo

 

Credit: 411Wrestling

[Guest Brian]

It can't be that small for sold out. I mean, the WWE wouldn't travel down there unless they were charging alot.

[Guest Polish_Rifle]

What is Edge doing risking further injury by trading punches with Bill DeMott?

[Guest HartFan86]

I want to see Benoit dance.

[Guest wwF1587]

mark henry sucks... i cant believe he still has a job.. hes done nothing expect show he can lift a car...