The Best of the Smackdown Six (part TWOOOOOOO!)

[Guest TSMAdmin]

Welcome back. Click here for part one. Come on, it's almost at 1000 reads, and I need an ego boost.

 

Just a few things to hit first:

 

- O.R. Polk’s Battle Royale review definitely piqued my interest in a movie I’ve been hearing a lot about while surfing this wonderful invention we call the Internet. I’ll probably check out the book, since the DVD seems notoriously tough to find and I usually like the book more than the movie adaptation, anyway (Exhibit A: Jurassic Park, light-years better than the movie, in my opinion.)

 

- Remember, visit Showstopper Video to get a copy of this compilation for yourself.

 

In October, Stephanie, after losing the tag team champions to RAW, decided to create a new, Smackdown only division and created the WWE Tag Team titles to go with it, sanctioning an 8 team tournament to culminate at No Mercy (meanwhile on the RAW side, HHH fucked a corpse; which show do you think people enjoyed more?). She also made Kurt Angle and Chris Benoit a team, in order to make the division special and so they’d get along, with the caveat that if they ever got into a physical confrontation while as a team, they’d both be suspended for a year. In Round One, Chavo and Eddie Guerrero cheated to defeat Team Fatboys (Rikishi and Mark Henry), Edge and Rey Mysterio defeated Brock Lesnar and Tajiri, and Angle and Benoit defeated John Cena and Billy Kidman. On the 10/10 SD, Los Guerreros decided to stir the pot with Chavo telling Benoit that Angle attacked him and leading him into a dark dressing room, where Eddie beat the hell out of him. The week after, Benoit confronted the two men he suspected the most.

 

Promo from 10/17 SD: Eddie and Chavo head to their locker room, only to find it darkened. The lights are flipped on to reveal a stoic Chris Benoit waiting for them. Eddie then goes off on a HILARIOUS routine, first figuring out Benoit thinks he attacked him, which makes him incredulous and hurt that Chris would accuse him of such a thing after all they’ve been through, then laying the guilt trip on by whimpering and talking about his personal problems, trying to lay his head on Benoit’s shoulder, but when Benoit pulls away, Eddie unleashes some LATINO RAGE~! and goes off on an animated tirade, stomping around, daring Benoit to hit him, and finally yelling en Espanola before Chavo finally talks him down, scolding Benoit for making such accusations (even though he hasn’t even said anything yet).

 

Promo from same show: Benoit confronts Angle, who at first thinks he’s staring at his medals, but figures out that Benoit thinks he attacked him. Angle assures him that if he wanted to attack Benoit, “I’d do it to your face.” He changes the subject and gets them focused on the upcoming match with the Guerreros.

 

WWE Tag team title Tournament Semifinal: Chris Benoit and Kurt Angle vs. Los Guerreros (from the 10/17 SD!)

 

Before the match, Edge and Rey Mysterio (who earlier advanced to the final by defeating D’Von and Ron Simmons), attack the Guerreros to make up for an attack earlier in the night. Benoit and Angle go to get them some, but Angle gets speared and Benoit gets a 619. Everyone is laid out, so we take a commercial break.

 

We come back to Eddie pounding on Angle, but he reverses a whip and knocks down Eddie, and then hiptosses an entering Chavo. Angle gets a few two counts off a clothesline and suplex and tags Benoit, who lays in a CHOP and pounds on Eddie, getting an elbow to the chops for 2 and a backbreaker for another two. Angle tags back in and continues the pounding, but Eddie reverses a whip and elbows Angle down. Chavo tags in and stomps away, hitting a lariat for a two count. He hits some European uppercuts and whips, but Angle reverses and hits a belly to belly throw and tags Benoit. He hits a backdrop suplex on Chavo for 2 and Chavo reciprocates and hits the chinlock for a while before tagging Eddie. Eddie goes for a brainbuster, but Benoit counters into the Crossface, forcing Chavo to come in and break. Chavo tags in and they trade chops before Chavo snapmares him and goes back to the chinlock. A pretty loud “We want Angle!” chant breaks out as Benoit breaks out of it with some chops, but Eddie knees him in the back as he hits the ropes and Chavo dropkicks him for two. He tags Eddie, who comes in with a hilo on Benoit. Eddie dances around and beats on him with such ferocity that the ref has to pull him off, which allows Chavo to choke Benoit on the apron. Angle has some words with Eddie and gets knocked off (to boos) and Angle comes in, forcing the ref to hold him back which lets the Guerreros switch and Chavo goes back to the chinlock. Benoit backs him into the corner to break and whips him, but runs into an elbow. Chavo goes up, but Benoit crotches him and gets a superplex. Hot tag Angle (to a pop), who cleans house of the Guerreros, knocking down Chavo and hitting a BAAAAAAACK body drop on Eddie. Chavo comes back in, but Benoit folds him up with a release German. Angle reverses a whip and belly to bellies Eddie, but Chavo breaks up the pin and then dropkicks Angle down. Benoit dumps Chavo and goes for the ROLLING GERMANS~! on Eddie, but Eddie breaks and tries himself, but Benoit counters into a German and hits the Swandive. Angle makes the cover, but Chavo breaks and hits a brainbuster. Eddie covers, but gets two. He goes up and Angle runs up after him, but Eddie pushes him off and then hits the frog splash, but Benoit breaks the pin and locks in the Crossface. Chavo breaks and goes for a suplex, but Benoit flips out of it and suplexes Chavo himself to the outside. Angle goes for the Slam, but Eddie escapes and shoves him into Benoit, who goes into the ref, sending them both out. Eddie chopblocks Angle and puts on the Lasso from El Paso, but Angle counters into the Anglelock and Eddie is tapping, but no ref. Chavo grabs a chair and slides in, but Benoit comes in after him and takes it away. Chavo begs off, but Benoit smiles and extends his hand, which Chavo takes. Angle breaks the Lock to see Benoit raising the chair, but he hits Chavo instead and smacks Eddie across the back. Angle hits the Angle Slam on Eddie and Benoit tolls the ref back in to make the three to a big pop. Angle and Benoit (now pretty much a face team to the crowd) make nice for the first time as a team. Time of the match – 10:42

 

This match started kind of slow, and Chavo relied on the chinlock a bit too much, but this was definitely a good, PPV quality match. Regardless of what some people thought, I liked this Benoit/Angle pairing. 8/10

 

And that set up the final at No Mercy:

 

WWE Tag team Tournament Final: Edge and Rey Mysterio vs. Kurt Angle and Chris Benoit (from No Mercy 2002)

 

Angle and Rey start, and Angle just toys with him, taking him down to the mat and slapping him in the back of the head and then laughing. Rey gets back up, but Angle just picks him up and pitches him into the face corner, wanting to get into some REAL wrestling with Edge. Rey talks it over with his partner and decides to stay in the match. Angle gets a go behind and just stands there, laughing at Rey’s attempts to escape. Rey sighs and uses the Benny Hill means of escape instead and stomps Angle’s foot. Rey then goes into overdrive, dropkicking the knee and then hitting a legdrop. Angle reverses a whip, but Rey kicks him and hits a top rope hurricanrana. He trips Angle up and slaps his head, then bails and tags Edge. Angle gets the advantage and knocks him down, but Edge gets a hiptoss and a dropkick and Angle tags out. Benoit takes Edge to the mat and they roll around for a while before Edge grabs an armbar. Benoit gets to his feet and backs Edge into the corner and gets some knees to break and gets a headlock, taking him to the mat. He gets a one count before Edge gets back up and knees Benoit in the gut. He hits a gutbuster for 2 and drives some knees into the chest before hitting a backbreaker for another two. Edge shoulders him in the corner, but Benoit chops out of it and whips, but Edge reverses and hits a flapjack and Oklahoma rolls him up for 2. Benoit reverses a whip and Angle knees Edge in the back. Benoit whips him, but Edge ducks the clothesline and spears Angle off the apron. Benoit goes for the ROLLING GERMANS~!, but Edge counters and rolls him up for 2 with Benoit pushing him off and Angle snapping his throat on the middle rope. Benoit hits a neckbreaker and tags in Angle, who stomps away and steps on the Face in Peril. He knees Edge in the gut and covers for 2, and then puts on a sleeper with a leg-scissors, making sure Edge is looking at his partner. Edge gets to his feet and backs Angle into the corner to break. Angle whips him into the opposite, and runs into a boot, but Edge walks right into a belly to belly and Angle jaws with Rey before tagging Benoit. He whips Edge hard into the corner and knees him in the gut. He whips him again and dismantles Edge with the ROLLING GERMANS~!, punking out Rey afterwards. Benoit CUTS THE THROAT and heads up, but Edge recovers and follows. Edge wins the fight on top and superplexes Benoit before making the hot tag to Rey. Rey bounces around like a pinball, knocking Angle down, getting a headscissors on Benoit and tripping him into the corner, then dropkicking him in the face. Angle comes in, but Rey sends him out with a dropkick. Rey hangs Benoit in the ropes and hits a springboard legdrop, but Angle breaks the pin which draws in Edge, who sends both of them out. Rey goes for the bulldog, but Benoit just drops him to the mat and locks in the Crossface. Edge comes back in and breaks, but Angle drags him back out and Angle goes into the steps. Rey sets Benoit up for the 619, but he catches Rey and sets him up for a shoulderbreaker, but Edge goes up and dropkicks Rey onto Benoit for 2. Rey goes up, but Angle comes back in and hits the pop up suplex, sending Rey across the ring. Benoit covers for 2 and sends Rey into the heel corner and tags Angle, staring another Face in Peril sequence.

 

Angle pounds the back and hits a backbreaker and a snap suplex for two counts. Angle gets a headlock and takes him to the mat. Rey gets to his feet and Angle tries a suplex, but Rey reverses the momentum and gets it himself. Angle reverses a whip and hits a belly to belly for two before tagging in Benoit, who gets a BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACK body drop (remember, A’s = elevation) for two and a backdrop suplex for another 2. Benoit hits some chops and whips Rey into the corner, but he runs into a boot and Rey headscissors Benoit into the post before making the hot tag to Edge. He clotheslines Angle and hits a BAAAAAAAACK body drop and a faceplant on Benoit. Edge-O-Matic on Angle, but Benoit breaks. Edge and Rey whip Benoit into the corner, with Edge following up with a spear and Rey with the bronco buster. They whip Angle and Edge spears, but he puts him on top and tosses Rey at him, who hits a hurricanrana off the top. Benoit goes up as Edge covers, but Edge moves and Benoit headbutts Angle before getting dropkicked out by Rey. Edge covers, but Angle kicks out at two. Angle gets a German on Edge, but Rey flips over Edge onto him. Edge preps for the spear, but Benoit trips him from behind and locks on the Crossface, holding the rope away with his boot. Rey breaks it with a 619, but gets Angle Slammed and Angle DROPS THE STRAPS and puts the Anglelock on Edge. Edge counters with a rollup for 2 and nails the spear, but Benoit pulls him off and Rey dropkicks Benoit to the outside. Rey charges into a powerbomb position on Edge, and moonsaults off him onto Benoit! Awesome. Edgeucution, but Angle counters into the Anglelock and pulls Edge away from the ropes, but Edge counters and gets his own Anglelock! Angle counters the counter, but CRANKS that sumbitch in, which gives Edge no choice but to tap and give the titles to Angle and Benoit. Time of the match – 22:01

 

Oh yeah, this one deserved all the snowflakes and “Match of the Year” awards it got. The flow was perfect, starting with a slow pace, kicking it up a notch a little, slowing it back down and finishing with a fast paced sequence that could have had anyone win. Edge and Rey looked like a million bucks, Angle and Benoit became full Wrestling Gods to everyone, and No Mercy was saved from being the worst PPV of all time. 10/10

 

On the Smackdown after No Mercy, a #1 contender’s match took place.

 

Los Guerreros vs. Edge and Rey Mysterio (from the 10/24 SD!)

 

Edge and Chavo start and Edge takes him to the mat for a few one counts. He shoulders Chavo in the corner and gets a snapmare for 2. Chavo whips, but Edge takes him down with a heel kick and tags Rey. They whip Chavo into the corner and do the spear/bronco buster spot, but Chavo lifts his knees on a springboard moonsault and tags Eddie. Rey ducks a Chavo clothesline and goes for the bulldog on Eddie, but he holds on and Rey headscissors Chavo, with Eddie getting the same via Edge. The Guerreros bail and Rey dives after them, but they catch him and lift him over a sliding Edge, using Rey to clothesline him. Chavo sends Edge into the steps while Eddie pounds on Rey on the inside. He tags Chavo, who stomps away. The ref pulls him off, which allows Eddie to choke Rey with the tag rope (the only use for them, really). Chavo lariats him down for 2 and tags Eddie, who gets a cheap shot on Edge before hitting a pumphandle backbreaker on Rey. Rey reverses a whip and gets a BAAAAAAAAAACK body drop. Edge slugs Eddie down as he stumbles around, but Eddie hits a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker on Rey and tags in Chavo, who whips Rey hard into the corner. Rey flips out of a suplex and dropkicks him, but Eddie cuts off the tag, holding the leg but getting heel kicked and Rey makes the hot tag. Edge dropkicks Eddie and flapjacks the Guerreros. He gets the Edge-o-Matic on Chavo, but Eddie breaks the pin and reverses a Rey whip, but Rey puts on the brakes and backdrops Eddie out. Rey trips Chavo into the ropes and goes for the 619, but Eddie catches him and drops him to the outside. Edge gets the spear on Chavo, but Eddie breaks the pin. Rey sends him out and gets the 619 on Chavo. Edge picks him up in a powerbomb position and Rey comes in with a Bombs Away. Edge pins with a bridge, but he’s close to the ropes and Eddie hilos in to break and puts Chavo on top, but the ref catches him and orders him out, which allows Rey to sneak in a springboard legdrop on Chavo and put Edge on top (oblivious to Eddie) for the pin. Eddie brags to the fans before he hears Edge’s music instead of his and flips out. Time of the match - 7:08

 

Another good match. A little short, but still very well paced. 7/10

 

On the same Smackdown Stephanie, to honor the new tag team champions, had a big trophy made for them and wanted to present it to them in the ring. Unfortunately, Angle and Benoit got into an argument over who deserves the credit and the trophy and break it (see Rule #124b of wrestling, a.k.a. “The birthday cake rule”), knocking Steph on her (by now, pretty big) ass. She ordered a match between the two to see who gets the trophy.

 

Promo from 10/24 SD!: Eddie tries to gain Benoit’s friendship again, but Chris is less than receptive.

 

Kurt Angle vs. Chris Benoit (from the 10/24 SD!)

 

Angle takes Benoit down to start and dominates him with some mat work. Angle trips him up and stays on top of him, but Benoit manages to get to his feet and elbow out of it. He gets a knockdown and unleashes the chops in the corner, but Angle holds onto the arm on a whip and gets a clothesline and a suplex for 2. Angle pounds on him in the corner and steps on the throat. He hits a backdrop suplex for 2 and stomps on the head before running into a boot after a whip. Benoit follows up with a lariat, but Angle reverses a whip and hits a BAAAAAAACK body drop. Benoit reverses a whip himself and hits a BAAAAAAAACK body drop of his own. He starts the ROLLING GERMANS~!, but Angle counters after two and hits three of his own for 2. Benoit escapes the Angle Slam and Germans him on his face. Benoit CUTS THE THROAT and goes up, hitting the headbutt from 3/4ths across the ring. Angle kicks out at two and Benoit immediately goes to the Crossface, pushing the rope away when Angle gets it and rolling to the center. Angle grabs the Anglelock again to break and Benoit rolls onto his back for 2, and then has to roll onto his stomach and take the Anglelock. Benoit kicks him off and gets a roll up for 2 and Angle gets the Angle Slam for another 2. Angle slaps on the Anglelock again, but Benoit counters into the Crossface. Angle rolls out of it and Benoit lariats him down. He goes up for another headbutt, but Angle pops up and belly to bellies him off. He covers for a close two. Angle DROPS THE STRAPS, but Eddie runs down and hops onto the apron, allowing Chavo to come in and hit Angle with a tag belt and Benoit rolls on top for the pin. Time of the match – 8:00

 

Good match, although it kind of seemed like a “For those who didn’t see the Unforgiven match, here’s the Cliff Notes version” kind of deal with the Guerreros figuring into the finish instead. Also, the match seemed kind of short. 7.5/10

 

The Halloween Smackdown kicked off with one half of the tag champs facing off against one half of the #1 contenders

 

Edge vs. Chris Benoit (from the 10/31 SD!)

 

Benoit grabs a go-behind to start and Edge armdrags out of it, but Benoit grabs a headlock. Edge counters into an armbar and then into a hammerlock. Benoit trips him up, but Edge hangs on to it. Benoit backs him into the corner and knees out of it and then knocks him down, but Edge hits a knee to the gut and a gutbuster. Edge drives some shoulders in the corner, but Benoit retaliates with some chops and lariats him down. Edge reverses a whip and sends Benoit hard into the corner, covering for 2. Edge tosses him and follows out with a double axe and then drops him on the barrier. Back in, he covers for two and hits the chinlock. Benoit breaks and unleashes some chops, but Edge drops him onto the ropes and Benoit goes out. Edge tries a baseball slide, but Benoit sidesteps it and clubs the shoulder a few times and then dropkicks it into the steps. Back in, he gets a one count and works over Edge’s shoulder, ramming it into the buckles and putting on a shoulderlock. Edge armdrags out of it, but Benoit knocks him down and sends his shoulder into the post, following up with a backdrop suplex for 2. Benoit trips him and dropkicks the shoulder, then gets a snap suplex for 2. Edge gets whipped hard into the corner and Benoit legdrops the shoulder. Benoit runs into an elbow and Edge goes up, but Benoit follows and they fight on top with Edge winning and hitting an Edgucution off the top, leading to a double KO and a commercial.

 

Coming back, Edge is back on top and tries a missile dropkick, but Benoit avoids it and slaps on the Crossface. Edge gets the ropes as we see a replay of action during the break. Benoit gets the ROLLING GERMANS~! and goes up, but Edge rolls away and Benoit eats canvas, leading to another double KO. Both get up and chop each other. Benoit ducks one and charges, but gets flapjacked into the corner. Edge hits the Edge-o-Matic for 2, a faceplant for another two and hits another flapjack. Edge preps for the spear, but Benoit sidesteps it and drops Edge into the Crossface. Edge tries to roll out of it, but Benoit holds on, and Edge grabs at the ref for some reason. Benoit breaks the hold since he sees angle approaching and goes out to argue with him, allowing Edge to get a baseball slide. Edge goes up and hits a flying clothesline on Angle after Benoit ducked. Back in, Edge ducks a Benoit clothesline and hits the spear for the pin. Time of the match – 12:20 (About 2 minutes hacked off)

 

Pretty good match, but Edge was selectively selling the shoulder AGAIN, and it seemed a wee disjointed and didn’t flow as well. 7.5/10

 

Promo from 10/31 SD!: At Stephanie McMahon’s swinging Halloween shindig (with Steph dressed as the Wicked Witch of the Tits, looking about as unattractive as possible), Los Guerreros (Chavo dressed as a Bandito and Eddie as Zorro), ask the GM for a tag title match. Steph tells Eddie to get ready for his match with Angle tonight. Eddie: “Zorro’s ALWAYS ready!”

 

Kurt Angle vs. Eddie Guerrero (from the 10/31 SD!)

 

Angle, as always, goes to the mat to start, but Eddie reaches the ropes to break. Angle blocks a hiptoss and hits one of his own before picking him up and chucking him into the corner. Angle gets a go-behind and Eddie grabs the ropes again. The ref gets in between to break and Eddie gets a right hand in and works Angle over in the corner. The ref pulls him back and Angle charges out of the corner with a clothesline and a flying forearm for 2. Eddie trips him up in the corner and hits a back suplex (with a twist) and steps on his throat. Eddie takes Angle to the mat with a headlock and changes into a chinlock. Angle fights out, but Eddie knocks him back down and puts it back on. Angle escapes again and catches a charging Eddie with a powerslam, but Eddie regains control with dropkicks to the knee and head. He steps on Angle’s throat some more before hanging him in the ropes and dropping a leg on his head, sending Angle to the apron. Eddie suplexes him back in for a two count and goes back to the chinlock. Angle escapes, but Eddie just knees him in the gut and slaps on a triangle choke, holding the ropes (naturally) for leverage. The ref checks the arm and Angle counters into the Anlgelock, but Eddie kicks off and snapmares him, following up with a dropkick to the back of the head. Eddie tries a German, but Angle reverses and flips Eddie onto his face with one of his own. Slugfest and Angle gets a clothesline and BAAAAAAAAAAAAACK body drop. Eddie blocks a German, so Angle just turns him around and hits a belly to belly instead, getting a two count. Eddie goes for the brainbuster, but Angle counters into the ROLLING GERMANS~!, but Eddie kicks out at two. Angle DROPS THE STRAPS, but Eddie counters the Angle Slam but holding the arm and rolling Angle up for a close two. Angle charges into an elbow and Eddie plants Angle with a tornado DDT off the second rope for 2. He puts on the Lasso from El Paso (seemingly out of nowhere) and Angle counters into the Anglelock, forcing Eddie to scramble for the ropes. He gets something out of it by low blowing Angle while the ref isn’t looking. Eddie hits the brainbuster and goes up, but Angle shoves the ref into the corner, crotching Eddie. Chavo hops on the apron and Angle slugs him halfway up the ramp. Angle runs up to meet Eddie, but Benoit is there and bops him with a tag title belt. Eddie follows up with the frog splash for the 3. Benoit decks the Guerreros and walks up the ramp alone, smiling and kissing his belt. Time of the match – 13:22

 

Good match that was hurt a bit by too many restholds. Sadly, the brawl afterwards between Benoit and Angle at the Halloween party isn’t on the tape. 8/10

 

We skip ahead a few weeks to the Super Tuesday special that aired on UPN a week before Survivor Series. Unfortunately, that means we skip Edge and Rey beating Angle and Benoit for the tag team titles in a 2 out of 3 falls match, the biggest omission from this tape, in my opinion. On the special, GM Stephanie McMahon announced that the WWE tag team titles would be on the line at Survivor Series in a three team elimination match. We also had a match from each brand: a medioriffic RAW 10-man tag and a SD triple threat match with one member from each team in the PPV match.

 

Edge vs. Eddie Guerrero vs. Chris Benoit (from Super Tuesday, 11/12)

 

Benoit jumps Edge to start and unleashes the chops in the corner. Eddie decides to let them beat the hell out of each other and stays on the outside. Edge reverses a whip and hits a backdrop suplex, but Eddie decides to finally get himself involved and breaks up the pin. Eddie knocks down Edge but Benoit knocks Eddie down and suplexes him. Benoit unleashes the chops on Eddie, but Eddie reciprocates and pounds on Edge to boot. Benoit reverses an Edge whip and knocks him down, but Eddie breaks the pin and the pair clotheslines each other as we go to break.

 

Coming back, Eddie hits a backdrop suplex on Edge and goes for the Lasso, but Benoit dropkicks him and hits a snap suplex for 2. Edge jumps Benoit as he pounds on Eddie and flapjacks them both. He goes up, but Eddie cuts him off and follows, but Benoit cuts HIM off and puts Eddie on his shoulders with Edge hitting a missile dropkick and covering for 2. Benoit hits a German on Edge, but he turns into a brainbuster from Eddie for 2. Eddie goes up, but misses the frog splash on Benoit and, to add insult to injury, gets faceplanted by Edge. Benoit slaps the Crossface on Edge and sees Eddie trying to break, so Benoit just releases Edge and slaps it on Eddie! Edge breaks it up with a dropkick and hits the spear on Benoit. Eddie pounds on Edge but Edge holds on to the arm on a whip and hits the Edgucution. Chavo comes down and pulls the ref out, jawing with him until Edge gets a baseball slide that wipes out Chavo, the ref, and a cameraman. Chavo sends Edge into the post but that draws out Rey, who hits a moonsault off the barrier, hurting his knee in the process. Back in, Benoit escapes a brainbuster and locks in the Crossface. Angle comes down and rolls the ref back in, but he rolls him right into Benoit, forcing him to break the hold. Angle and Benoit argue again, which allows Eddie to roll Benoit up (with the tights, of course) for the 3. Time of the match – 7:05 (maybe a minute taken off with commercials)

 

Short, but pretty energetic, especially since the match was taped after the 11/7 SD taping and Benoit and Edge had already been in a 25 minute match earlier that night. Pretty much just to put more hype on the Survivor Series match, but good nonetheless. 8/10

 

On the Smackdown before the PPV, three singles matches took place involving the participants in the elimination match.

 

Edge vs. Chavo Guerrero (from the 11/14 SD!)

 

Edge grabs an armbar to start and Chavo elbows out of it, but Edge just gets a drop toe hold and goes back to it. Chavo breaks again, dropkicks him down and then clotheslines Edge out. Edge escapes a suplex back in and flapjacks Chavo for 2. Edge whips Chavo, who puts on the brakes and tries to backdrop Edge out, but he lands on the apron and slugs Chavo down. Chavo gets a unique low blow, kicking the middle rope up as Edge steps back in and lariats him down for 2. Chavo gets an armbar into a wristlock and whips Edge, catching his boot and hitting a backdrop suplex for 2. Chavo goes up, but Edge meets him halfway with a dropkick, leading to a double KO. Edge ducks a clothesline and gets a BAAAAAAAAACK body drop and an Edge-o-Matic for 2. Edge preps for the spear, but Chavo moves and spears Edge himself! That gets two. Edge reverses a whip and Chavo tries a sunset flip, but Edge rolls through and slingshots Chavo into the corner, but he hangs on and goes for a tornado DDT, but Edge blocks THAT and hits the Edgucution for the 3. Time of the match – 6:00

 

“Worst” match of the tape. Worst is in quotations because it wasn’t exactly BAD by any means, just kind of “there”. If you were to rank the SD 6, Chavo would be #6 on mine; he just doesn’t do much for me. That low blow deserves a half point for creativity, however. 5.5/10

 

Promo from 11/14 SD!: Angle and Benoit have another lovers quarrel, this time arguing over who’s fault it was that they lost the tag straps. Angle blames Benoit, but Benoit points out that ANGLE was the one who got pinned three times in a 2 out of 3 falls match (there was kind of a Dusty Finish in it where a “fourth” fall took place). Angle: “Don’t try to change the subject!” Angle promises a hurtin’ on Benoit tonight and Benoit promises a bigger hurtin’ on Angle. They try to one-up each other, but Angle naturally throws down the Olympic medal card to end that argument. Why even TRY, Chris? Benoit tries to get the last laugh, but Angle tops him with the old “you got a spot there *flick*” trick.

 

Promo from 11/14 SD!: Los Guerreros and Edge and Rey run into each other in the locker room. Eddie states that the titles are theirs since Angle and Benoit hate each other and the champs are just chumps. Rey says he’ll do his talking in the ring against Eddie tonight which sends Eddie into a funny fit of mock fear, including hiding behind Chavo. Edge breaks out the Spanglish (with a hint of Pig Latin, it sounds like) and calls Eddie a “gringo” (completely botching the word).

 

Eddie Guerrero vs. Rey Mysterio (from the 11/14 SD!)

 

Partners are barred from ringside for this one, too. Rey takes Eddie down to start, but Eddie takes control with a snapmare and hits the chinlock early, but Rey fights out and BAAAAAAAAAACK body drops Eddie, armdragging and grabbing an armbar afterwards. Eddie breaks and hits a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker for 2 and grabs an armbar of his own. Eddie pounds on the arm and talks some smack. They trade kicks and Rey grabs the arm, running up the corner and getting a headscissors, but Eddie manages to go back to the armbar and turns it into a hammerlock. Rey escapes with a snapmare and hits a monkey flip. Eddie tries to pull himself up with the ropes and Rey tries to take advantage with a 619, but Eddie pulls the ref in the way and Rey kicks him instead. This allows Chavo to come in and hit the Gory (or is it Gorry?) Special, but Edge comes in and tosses him, following him out and they brawl. Back in, Eddie powerbombs Rey and the ref crawls over to make a two count. Edge quickly sneaks in a spear on Eddie and brawls with Chavo some more. The ref goes out to break it up, but they are too much for him alone so he signals for the Ref Patrol to separate them as we go to a commercial.

 

Coming back, Rey hits a springboard moonsault for 2. He gets a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker, but that hurts his knee too, so he is slower in going to the top, which allows Edge to recover and push Rey to the floor. Eddie follows with a plancha. Back in, Eddie hits a backdrop suplex and goes up, but Rey cuts him off and gets a superplex for 2. Rey counters a powerbomb with an armdrag, but Eddie reverses a whip and lariats him hard for 2. He works the arm some more and puts him on top and follows him up Rey elbows Eddie off and gets a moonsault for another 2. Slugfest and Eddie whips Rey, but he springboards off and gets another armdrag. Eddie bails, so Rey knocks him down with a baseball slide and hilos out on top of him, but Rey hurts his knee again. Back in, Eddie blocks a springboard splash with his knees and rolls Rey up for 2. He hits the brainbuster and goes up, but Rey avoids the frog splash and gets a heel kick. Eddie again gets himself into position for the 619 and Rey connects this time. Rey springboards and tries a sunset flip, but Eddie rolls through and slaps on the Lasso from El Paso (putting pressure on Rey’s knee) and Rey taps. Time of the match – 15:50 (about 3 minutes taken off by commercial)

 

That work on the arm was kind of pointless if you think about it. It was established already that Rey’s knee was banged up, so why didn’t Eddie pick THAT apart? Still, nice match. I shudder to think how awesome a lucha exhibition these two could crank out in a PPV match. 8/10

 

Kurt Angle vs. Chris Benoit (from the 11/14 SD!)

 

Angle cuts a promo apologizing to everyone for being so good and having to beat so many people so many times. He runs down everyone in the tag title match (he can speak English well, unlike the Guerreros, and has gone through puberty, unlike Rey) and promises to win the titles (“If SOMEONE doesn’t screw up again.”) That draws both the Guerreros and Edge and Rey out. Angle figures out that they are here to scout him for Sunday and invites them to take a seat and watch as he picks apart Benoit.

 

Benoit grabs a headlock to start, but Angle escapes and takes him down, but Benoit grabs another headlock and then knocks him down. Angle comes back with a German and jaws with the Guerreros for a while. Benoit recovers and chops Angle, but he reverses a whip and snaps Benoit over with a crisp belly to belly. Angle dares Eddie to come in and even holds the ropes open for him, but his ignoring Benoit costs him as Chris gets a shot in and takes control, getting a couple of two counts on a knockdown and backbreaker. Benoit whips him hard into the corner a few times and clotheslines him down. Benoit heads out to jaw with the champs and catches a diving Angle with a punch, tossing him into Edge and Rey for fun. Back in, they brawl and Benoit gets a pair of Germans, but Angle counters a third (ROLLING GERMAN BATTLE~!) and hits three of his own, covering for two. Angle DROPS THE STRAPS and goes for the Slam, but Benoit escapes and locks in the Crossface, but Angle rolls forward and counters into an Anglelock. Benoit tries to kick him off but Angle holds on, so Benoit has to roll out instead, but Angle keeps the advantage with an Angle Slam. He jabbers with Eddie some more and puts Benoit in the Lasso from El Paso, which doesn’t make Eddie too happy. The move fails to make Benoit cry like a girl, so Angle voices his distain (“This move SUCKS!”), but that draws Eddie in and Angle tosses him out in front of Edge and Rey, who can’t resist a gift and beat him up, which brings Chavo into the fray. Meanwhile, Benoit sneaks behind Angle and Germans him on his face. Before Benoit can do anything else, the foursome get into the ring and the ref has to call a DQ. Time of the match – 6:45

 

The action doesn’t stop there, though: Rey and Edge dump the Guerreros and put a double Anglelock on Angle. Edge breaks as he sees Benoit approaching and slaps the Crossface on him, but he puts his hands under the chin and it looks like he’s trying to rip Benoit’s head off. The Guerreros break the holds, but Eddie gets caught in an Anglelock while Benoit counters and puts Edge in a proper Crossface. This draws out a ton of refs to break things up. Angle and Benoit BUTT heads for a while, but Angle backs off and offers a handshake, which Benoit accepts. He wants a hug too, which Benoit isn’t as eager to accept. Angle hugs him anyway, leaving an odd look on Benoit’s face as he tries to keep it as manly a hug as can be.

 

Man, even the 10/24 match was longer. They definitely could have added a couple of minutes more onto this one before the whole clusterfuck occurs. 7/10

 

And the final match on this tape: the Survivor Series title match.

 

Edge and Rey Mysterio © vs. Los Guerreros vs. Kurt Angle and Chris Benoit (Three team elimination match for the WWE Tag Team titles) (from Survivor Series 2002)

 

The Guerreros try to stir the pot a bit and get into the faces of the other two teams. Benoit and Rey start and Rey counters a flapjack with a hurricanrana and gets one of his own before tripping Benoit into the corner and tagging Edge. They hiptoss Benoit, but he gets some chops in on Edge and tags Angle. Edge gets a BAAAAAAAACK body drop and a flying forearm, but Angle hangs on to the ropes on a whip and forcefully tags in Chavo. He kips up after getting knocked down, but Edge follows with a dropkick and a slam and tags Rey, who hits a springboard splash for a one count. Chavo tries a powerbomb, but Rey counters with an armdrag before getting a flapjack and sending Chavo scurrying to his corner to tag Eddie. Rey gets a helicopter headscissors and a monkey flip on him and Eddie quickly tags Angle. Rey gets his head tangled in the ropes a bit on a whip, but he recovers and gets a headscissors. Rey does a Flair flip onto the top to avoid an Angle charge, sending him into the post, but slips off on the alley-oop to the top, landing on his head. Man, Rey is pretty off in this match. Angle makes up for the blown spot (and to let Rey gather his bearings) by stepping on his throat. Benoit and Angle tag in and out, working Rey over with suplexes, getting a few two counts in the process. Angle knocks Edge off the apron and tries an Angle Slam, and Rey counters into an armdrag, but Angle just lariats him down again and tags Benoit, who hits a snap suplex for a pair of two counts. Angle tags back in and puts on a front facelock that lasts for a while, probably to make sure Rey still knows what year it is. The crowd really isn’t into this one as much as I thought they would. Angle blocks Rey from reversing out, but he flips out of a German and heel kicks him. Angle goes to tag the Guerreros, but they continue to mess with Angle and drop off the apron, so Angle tags Benoit instead while Rey tags Edge. Edge wipes everyone out and faceplants Benoit, reversing an Angle whip and hitting a belly to belly on him. Eddie comes in and tries to powerbomb Rey out, but he hangs on to the ropes and sends both of them out. Edge preps for the spear, but Angle trips him and Benoit locks in the Crossface while Angle grabs the Anglelock! Rey breaks it with a Bombs Away on Angle and a dropkick to Benoit’s face. Chavo trips up Angle and yanks him out, but Rey wipes them both out with a corkscrew plancha! I think Rey’s back in the game now. Benoit whips Edge hard and goes for the ROLLING GERMANS~!, but he only gets one before Eddie comes in with a sunset flip, taking Benoit over, but Benoit hangs on to Edge and Germans him, leading to a double two count. Awesome, awesome sequence there. Benoit suplexes Eddie out and finishes the Germans on Edge. He goes up, but Eddie quickly goes up the other corner and snaps off a frog splash, so Benoit just headbutts HIM and Angle gets the Angle Slam and DROPS THE STRAPS! Benoit puts the Crossface on Edge (the legal men) while Angle slaps the Anglelock on Eddie, which the ref breaks up, allowing Chavo to hit Benoit with a tag belt. Angle knocks Chavo down, and Chavo surrenders the belt to him and bails, just as Benoit gets up and sees Angle holding it. Naturally, Benoit thinks Angle hit him and an argument erupts. Rey dropkicks them both and gets a baseball slide into a headscissors on Chavo. Edge ducks a Benoit clothesline and hits the spear to eliminate Benoit and Angle, which the crowd doesn’t seem to like very much. They decide to be gentlemanly and German Edge and Rey before going nose to nose. Benoit suplexes Chavo while Angle hits the Angle Slam on Edge before finally leaving, arguing all the way to the back.

 

Eddie jumps in for a cover, but only gets two. Eddie pounds on the head and hits the brainbuster. Tag Chavo, and he dropkicks him in the ribs and covers for 2. He snapmares Edge and tags Eddie, who comes in with a hilo and gets two. He slaps on the sleeper and the crowd seems to have deflated with Angle and Benoit’s elimination. Edge gets to his feet and to the ropes, but Chavo makes a blind tag and dropkicks him for 2. Chavo kicks away in the corner and the ref pulls him off, allowing Eddie to choke Edge with the tag rope. Eddie tags in and hits the facelock. Geez, they’re really trying to get the crowd into this, aren’t they? Edge gets up, but Eddie forces him into the heel corner and Chavo tags in, dropkicking Edge in the face for 2. Edge gets a double flapjack and makes the hot tag, coming in with a bodypress and then a headscissors on Chavo. He gets a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker on Eddie and pounds on him in the corner. Chavo charges, but splashes his cousin and Edge spears them both. Eddie goes on top and Edge and Rey get the alley-oop hurricanrana, but Chavo breaks the pin. Edge tosses him and blows a whip with Eddie, who then botches getting into position for the 619, so Edge just puts him in the other side and Rey hits it. He goes for the West Coast Pop, but Chavo hits him with a tag belt (good thing, because it looked like Rey was going to slip again) and dumps Edge while Eddie puts the Lasso on Rey for the submission.

 

Yeesh. That did NOT click well at all, and the crowd really didn’t seem to care all that much. Really disappointing, especially on the part of Rey, who didn’t seem to be himself for most of the match. It’s really too bad that this one was so mediocre with all the great matches that these six have already had. I guess this was just an off night for all involved (except for Angle and Benoit). 6.5/10

 

The Verdict: The matches aren't as great towards the end but all in all, a great tape to pick up. Of course, add on the 2 out of 3 falls match and Angle-Benoit from the 2003 Rumble, and this would have been a serious must-have.

 

Final Score (not an average): 9/10

 

Where to get this tape: Showstopper Video. Also, take a look at the other stuff on the site and if you would like me to review something you see, shoot me an e-mail to let me know and if I ask nice enough, maybe I'll get a copy. Use that address to send me feedback, as well.

[Guest Kingpk]

Got all the tags in there, too. Kudos.