Smackdown!
November 30th 2006
The pyro explodes, the fans cheer, and another exciting episode of Smackdown is ready to begin! Michael Cole and Tazz are thrilled to be here as they hype up a big main event match that Mike Sanders made earlier in the week. Kurt Angle, Jimmy Rave, and Nova will face the team of AJ Styles, Shelton Benjamin, and Charlie Haas. First off though, we have a match ready to begin.
Frankie Kazarian and Jamie Noble vs JC Ice and Trent Acid (with Sean O’Haire)
Match Background: Jamie Noble is the reigning WWF Cruiserweight champion, and has been since 28 September 2006. JC Ice is a follower of Trent Acid, and his Cult. JC Ice is also in line for a shot at Jamie Noble’s Cruiserweight Championship. Last week JC Ice pinned Kazarian in a singles match.
The Match: Kazarian and Acid start things off. Acid moves around the ring with a tone of arrogance, gaining confidence from having control over so many other superstars. Cole and Tazz keep a suspicious eye on O’Haire, who is watching with great interest. Kazarian and Acid lock up and Kazarian is whipped into a corner. Acid monkey-flips Kazarian, but Kazarian regains himself quickly and delivers a drop-kick as Acid turns around. They start going at it again, until Acid tags in JC Ice. Kazarian takes this opportunity to tag in Jamie Noble, and Noble tackles Ice and has the Trailer Hitch locked in within seconds. O’Haire gets on the apron to distract the referee so the ref misses JC Ice tapping out. Acid enters the ring and breaks it up, but Kazarian comes running over and throws him out. Meanwhile, Noble lifts up Ice for a powerbomb and makes a cover. The referee turns around and 1…2….3, Noble pins Ice!
Cole: The Cruiserweight Champion gets his win back!
Tazz: Noble showed why he’s the champ in this match!
My Opinion: Really solid match, would like to see what they could have done on PPV. **3/4.
Winners at 5:51: Jamie Noble and Frankie Kazarian
The New Guy
We go to the back where Josh Matthews is standing by with the WWF Tag Team Champions, Ken Shamrock and Simon Diamond, and their new recruit, Rob Conway.
Josh: Rob Conway, tonight you’re making your Smackdown in-ring debut against none other than Chad Collyer. This must be incredible for you to be facing one of the greatest athletes in wrestling today…
Rob: What was that, Josh? “One of the greatest athletes in wrestling today?” Don’t be silly, Josh! If you ask me, Chad Collyer is the most overrated guy in this locker-room. I am going to make beating his ass look easy.
Josh: With all due respect, Chad Collyer, along with Paul London, did defeat your “comrades” in action last week.
Simon: You think you’re real cute, don’t you, Josh? Shamrock and I are the greatest WWF Tag Champs in the history of Smackdown. Collyer and London? They are nothing. They have no legacy, not like the one that we hold on to.
Shamrock: They are bastards!
Simon: Thank you for your insightful contribution, Ken.
Shamrock: BASTARDS!
Simon: Yes, we heard you. Now if you’ll excuse us, Josh, we must be off to the ring.
Chad Collyer (with Paul London) vs Rob Conway (with Ken Shamrock and Simon Diamond)
Match Background: This is Conway’s first match on Smackdown!
The Match: Collyer and Conway both take a few seconds to stare each other down and try to plan a first offense. Conway gets overexcited and charges, which Collyer reverses with a hip toss. Collyer immediately locks a sleeper onto Conway, but Conway makes it to the ropes very quickly. Meanwhile, London is exchanging threats on the outside with Shamrock and Diamond. Conway tries to charge Collyer yet again, but suffers another hip-toss. Conway is quickly becoming afraid that he is going to be labeled an embarrassment for his first match. Collyer tries to lock in an armbar, but Conway rolls himself to safely in the ropes. Collyer drags him back out and lifts him to his feet. Conway reverses with a belly to belly suplex. Conway is celebrating his upper hand and does not notice Collyer no-selling the move. He turns around and looks horrified to see Collyer staring a hole through him. Conway goes for a desperate charge, but Collyer lifts him up over his head for his patented Spinning Death Valley Driver! Collyer goes for the cover and 1…2…3! Collyer easily defeats Rob Conway!
Cole: Chad Collyer just put Rob Conway in his place!
Tazz: I’ll say, looks like Rob Conway was not ready to back up with boasting in the ring!
Shamrock and Diamond swarm into the ring and start laying punches onto Collyer. London slides in and a 2 on 2 brawl erupts. Conway gets to his feet and joins in on beating down Collyer with Diamond, while Shamrock concentrates on London. Collyer manages to fight off both Diamond and Conway, while London lands an enziguri on Shamrock. The trio flees the ring, embarrassed, while London and Collyer remain in the ring, taunting them. Shamrock is heard screaming “Bastards” at them.
My Opinion: Collyer totally squashed Conway, but the story of the match was Conway’s false security. **1/4.
Winner at 4:53: Chad Collyer
Road to the Title?
Stacy Kiebler knocks on Orlando Jordan’s dressing room in the back. He opens the door.
Jordan: Stacy? What a nice surprise.
Stacy: Hey, I just wanted to congratulate you for your victory at Survivor Series. That inferno match must have been scary.
Jordan: It was not so bad, I was just glad I could stand the heat.
Stacy: Did you mean what you said last week?
Jordan: What do you mean?
Stacy: About challenging Rhyno for the WWF title at the Royal Rumble?
Jordan: You bet I was. Now that I’m free of Nunzio, I know I can accomplish whatever I set out to do with my career. That starts tonight, I have a match in a few minutes.
Stacy: Well, I was just sort of wondering… er, hoping… could I be in your corner?
Jordan: Whoa! Of course you can!
Stacy: I think you and I could have a great partnership.
Jordan: Well, why don’t you follow me to the ring and we’ll see how things go.
Orlando Jordan (with Stacy Kiebler) vs Kid Kash
Match Background: Jordan is determined to become the number one contender for the WWF Championship in time for the Royal Rumble.
The Match: Jordan and Kash tie it up and set up a grueling series of counters. Kash tries to use his high-flying abilities to ground Jordan, but unfortunately for Kash, Jordan is quite agile in the ring himself. Jordan goes to the top rope and tries to land a crossbody on Kash, but Kash ducks and Jordan hits the mat hard. Kash goes to the top rope and goes for his own move. Jordan stands up in time for a missile drop-kick from Kid Kash. Kash goes for a cover and gets 1…2… NO! Jordan powers up and swings Kash over his head. Kash and Jordan keep a fast pace going for the next three minutes or so and the crowd is amazed that neither guy can pick up any sort of clear advantage. Finally, Jordan goes for a big boot on Kash, but Kash ducks and Jordan’s boot hits the turnbuckle. Jordan limps around, but Kash tackles Jordan’s injured leg. Cole and Tazz regret to inform us that it is time for a commercial. After some fun ads for the new Lindsey Lohan movie and the new James Bond video game, we come back to the show to see that Kid Kash has trapped Jordan into a tight half-Boston Crab! Kash is putting all the pressure on Jordan’s injured leg, but Jordan is resisting the temptation to tap out. Kiebler is on the outside trying to get the crowd to clap on for Jordan and it is seeming working. Jordan grabs the ropes and tries to make it to his feet. Kash once again goes for a shot at Jordan’s leg, but Jordan doges just in time. He locks on a back headlock onto Kash, and Kash begins to fade. The referee begins to lift up Kash’s arms, but Kash fights out of it on the third attempt. The next couple of minutes is spent with Jordan doing his best to fight back on his bad leg, so Kash has the advantage. Kash DDT’s Jordan and goes for another top-rope move. Kash flies off the top with a corkscrew and lands it on Jordan with perfection. Kash goes for the cover and 1….2…. NO! It was so close, but Jordan got his arm up! Kash is furious and he gets into the referee’s face about it. This gives Jordan enough time to regroup himself. Kash turns around and it’s a Power-Drive Elbow from Jordan! Jordan covers Kash and 1….2….3, Jordan wins!
Cole: What an amazing victory by Orlando Jordan! He beat Kid Kash, bad knee and all!
Tazz: Jordan is out to make a name for himself, and if he picks up more wins like this one, then I’m sure he will have it!
My Opinion: A ***3/4 rating! Yay!
Winner at 15:42: Orlando Jordan
Team Callis Rides On
AJ Styles and Low Ki are pacing about in their dressing room. Don Callis is sitting, just going over some paperwork.
Low Ki: So I have Johnny Stamboli tonight… excellent, I am going to destroy him! He has no honor, he…
Styles: Out of curiosity, who do you think has honor?
Low Ki: I have honor! Don Callis also has honor. And you, AJ Styles, have honor!
Styles: That’s the answer I was looking for.
Low Ki: What are you planning to do about Paul London? Surely you have not decided to let him go.
Styles: Oh, I wait London. I hate him with a passion. But let’s face it, he’s trying to land himself a WWF Tag title shot! And thanks to Mike Sanders, he will not be threatening my spot anytime soon. Tonight I am taking my proper spot in the main event and I finally get to look across the ring and see Kurt Angle in the opposite corner. You know… we could really use a man like Angle in our association…
Callis: Out of the God-damn question!
Styles: What got into you?
Callis: I’m sick of this crap, AJ. You wasted months with Paul London when you should have been focusing on the bigger picture. Do you even want to be WWF Champion again? I’m telling you, my friend, go out there tonight and look at Kurt Angle as if he was Paul London. This guy, Angle, just waltzes back into the WWF and he is going to want your place, AJ. You cannot let him go!
Styles: Oh, I won’t. And you had better watch what you say to me, Don. We’ve been friends for a long time, but do not think I’m going to let you just disrespect me like that. I will be WWF Champion again. In fact, I want you to talk to Mike Sanders about getting me a shot for the Royal Rumble.
Callis: Win your match tonight, and we shall see.
Blue Meanie and Alex Arion vs Rhyno and Rodney Mack (with Mike Sanders)
Match Background: Rhyno is the reigning WWF World champion, and has been since 16 July 2006. Mike Sanders signed for Rhyno to defend his WWF title against his teammate, Rodney Mack, in two weeks on Smackdown! Tonight they are facing a tag team made out of the two men who have been the hand-picked challengers for Rhyno’s monthly title defenses.
The Match: Alex Arion has some history with Rodney Mack, so they start off the match. Mack gets the upper hand at first, but Alex Arion is sick of being treated like a joke and fires back with some stiff punches. Mack is caught off guard, but lands a vicious clothesline and begins to stomp away at Arion. Mack tags Rhyno into the match, and Rhyno immediately gores Arion. Rhyno could go for a cover, but instead decides to lift up Arion for another gore! Rhyno, having fun at this point, goes to lift up Arion one more time. Rhyno goes for what would be a third gore, but Arion limply falls out of the way and Rhyno collides with a turn-buckle. Arion tags in the stronger Blue Meanie. Meanie dances about the ring, which pisses off Rhyno. Meanie lands some stiff right arms onto Rhyno and then whips him into another turnbuckle. Meanie splashes Rhyno against the turnbuckles some more and Rhyno goes for a tag to Rodney Mack. Mack is also not impressed with the Blue Meanie and they start a rather intense brawl. After a few minutes of this, Mack tags Rhyno in again and Rhyno picks up exactly where Rodney left off. They brawl again, but Meanie tags in Arion. Arion is rested and is able to avoid Rhyno’s shots. Arion lands a neckbreaker on Rhyno, and the Blue Meanie climbs to the top-rope and unleashes a devastating moonsault! Arion goes for the cover, and the ref counts 1…2… no! Rhyno is furious and knocks down Arion. He lands a third gore and he goes for a cover this time. 1…2…3, Rhyno and Rodney win!
Cole: Rhyno was having fun at the expense of Arion and Meanie, all until they actually almost won!
Tazz: But the bottom line is that Rhyno and Rodney Mack won! They worked well as a team, even though they are facing each other for the WWF Championship in two weeks.
Cole: Something is fishy about this title match though, Tazz. I would not put it past Rodney Mack to just lay down for Rhyno.
Tazz: We’ll have to wait and see.
My Opinion: Slightly above average match. Only gets a **3\4 rating from me.
Winners at 6:37: Rhyno and Rodney Mack
Low Ki vs Johnny Stamboli (with Erik Watts)
Match Background: Nothing recent, actually. These two have tied up in the past, but lately have been distracted with other things. Last week Mike Sanders forced Erik Watts and Johnny Stamboli to wrestle each other.
The Match: Low Ki is all over Johnny Stamboli, dishing out relentless kicks to the back of Johnny Stamboli’s legs, trying to bring him down. Johnny fights back with some strong punches of his own, with a couple aimed right at the gut of Low Ki! Low Ki stumbles around, trying to regain himself, while Stamboli tries to shake the soreness out of his legs. The two lock up again. The Bull tries to suplex Low Ki, but Low Ki climbs flips over Stamboli and tries to choke him out from behind (something Cole suggests is less than honorable). Erik Watts demands that Low Ki let go of the hold and the referee gives Low Ki to the count of five. At four, Low Ki unclasps the hold and shouts at Erik Watts! By this time, Don Callis has made his way to ring side and gets into the face of Watts. Watts loses his temper and starts punching the hell out of Callis. Callis, a former independent wrestler in his own right, returns the assault, and the two managers spill out over the guard rail. Low Ki is distracted by the chaos, giving Stamboli a chance to jump him. One swinging neckbreaker later and Stamboli covers Low Ki. 1…2… nope! The match continues, with Stamboli in charge. Low Ki eventually knocks down Stamboli again and begins a series of stiff kicks to the back of Stamboli’s head. Stamboli is in a daze, so Low Ki goes for a cover. 1…2… NO! Low Ki is visibly angry now, but Stamboli capitalizes on that! Fuhgettaboutit! Stamboli covers Low Ki and 1….2….3!
Cole: Impressive victory by Johnny Stamboli!
Tazz: Hey, but where is he going?
Stamboli immediately tries to follow the trail left behind by Watts and Callis. He runs through the audience and the camera follows him to the lobby. He finds Watts laying in a pool of his own blood, and Stamboli is wondering how Callis could have accomplished such a thing. Then he is jumped by Sean O’Haire! O’Haire clubs Stamboli on the back of his neck and hurdles him head first into a pop-corn machine! Stamboli has been left a bloody, popcorn covered mess!
My Opinion: Stamboli and Low Ki have a great ring chemistry and it paid off here! ***1/4
Winner at 7:55: Johnny Stamboli
Kurt Angle, Jimmy Rave, and Nova vs Shelton Benjamin, Charlie Haas, and AJ Styles
Match Background: All six men here participated in the main event at Survivor Series. Shelton Benjamin has been particularly upset about Kurt Angle’s return to Smackdown. Last week Angle made his in-ring return with a victory over Charlie Haas. After the match, Jimmy Rave and Nova saved Angle from a further attack by Shelton Benjamin.
The Match: Kurt Angle starts the match and demands that Shelton Benjamin wrestle him. Benjamin lets AJ Styles start off for the team, but Cole and Tazz are just as excited about that prospect. Styles and Angle get right into each other’s face and are exchanging smack-talk nose to nose. Finally, Styles takes a swing at Angle, who blocks it and nails Styles with some stiff forearms. Angle whips Styles off the ropes and nails a stiff lariat clothesline. Styles gets up and walks into a fireman carry from Angle. With Styles down, Angle tries to go for a rear-naked choke, but Charlie Haas breaks it up. Styles gets up and contacts a spinning kick onto an unsuspecting Angle. Styles follows this up with some hard stomping on Angle. Styles lifts Angle up off the mat, kicks him low, and nails him with a spinning DDT! With Angle in trouble, Shelton Benjamin badly wants a tag. Styles agrees and tags in Benjamin. Benjamin immediately attaches himself to Angle’s back and a head-lock is applied. We cut to a commercial. After a few minutes advertising the new reality show on Spike TV, we come back and Benjamin still has the hold applied onto Kurt Angle. Rave and Nova are getting really jumpy, since neither of them has been tagged into the match. Angle is slowly trying to crawl to their corner, but Benjamin is holding on with all of his might. Finally, Angle is barely able to connect a tag to Nova, but Nova rushes the ring and begins to clean house on Benjamin. Nova lands in a devastating fallaway slam and a tiger suplex before Benjamin lands a low blow onto him, which the referee somehow misses. Benjamin tags in Charlie Haas, who goes straight to work on the legs of Nova. Haas takes the advantage on Nova and tries to lock on the Haas of Pain, but Nova counters it and tags in Jimmy Rave. Rave and Haas exchange blows until Rave lands a flying neckbreaker onto Haas, grounding him. Rave locks on the Satellite Crossface! Haas is about to tap out, when AJ Styles enters the ring and breaks it up. Nova enters the ring and begins a brawl with Styles. The referee tries to get the two of them to break it up, while Kurt Angle and Shelton Benjamin both rush into the ring. Angle throws Benjamin to the outside and takes a moment to give Haas an Angle Slam! He leaves, and the referee turns around to see Rave covering Haas. He goes for the count 1….2…. NO! WHAT? There was enough distraction that Haas was able to get a shoulder up! Haas is trying to crawl for another tag, but Rave tags Angle back in and Angle prevents Haas from making it to his corner. Angle is embarrassed, so he lands another Angle Slam onto Haas. He goes for another cover and this time 1….2….3! Angle pins Haas for a second week in a row!
Cole: What a damn match! Haas was showing some toughness, but Angle was out to prove that he is the biggest dog in this yard!
The faces slide out of the ring, while the heels charge in. Shelton Benjamin checks on the condition of his partner, Haas, but Styles looks pissed. Rave, Nova, and Angle back up the ramp, raising their arms in victory!
My Opinion: A ***3/4 rating! Yay!
Winners at 17:45: Kurt Angle, Jimmy Rave, and Nova.
The show ends with Styles and Benjamin vowing revenge.
