SMACKDOWN SPOILERS 2-24-04

[SuperJerk 0]

Smackdown and Velocity Spoilers

Kemper Arena in Kansas City

 

Kemper Arena had a lot of upper deck sections tarped off, along with most of the side that the cameras were on. The infamous Sign Guy was in attendance (I thought he only appeared at Texas shows, but it was definitely him). The crowd got to see a Wrestlemania hype video set to the Foo Fighter’s “Times Like These” which was a really good video package. It’d be nice if they played it on the air.

 

Dark Matches

 

Funaki vs. Mike Bucci

I have to admit, I enjoyed the jobber’s gimmick (looked like a cross between Don Johnson from “Miami Vice” and Disco Inferno), and he came across really well in the ring. Funaki got the win with a roll-up.

 

Tough Enough III Champions Matt Cappotelli and John Hennigan vs. The Self-Proclaimed World’s Greatest Tag Team.

Both of our TE3 winners look descent enough. John’s starting to look a little like Glenn Danzig. Matt didn’t do anything memorable, while John hit some pretty good spots. TGWTT looked great as usual, and got the win with the Haas of Pain.

 

Josh Matthews and Bill DeMott came out and it was time for the Velocity tapings.

 

Velocity

 

Tajiri (with Akio and Sakoda) vs. Paul London

Good match with some interference by Tajiri’s henchmen (Sakoda looks pretty wicked in person). Tajiri would get the win with a head kick after London hit some of his spots.

 

A-Train vs. Shannon Moore

Moore got a descent reaction, while A-Train got the usual “shave your back” chants. Standard match where the little guy gets a little offense, but is eventually beat by monster. A-Train hit his version of the Vader Bomb for the win.

 

Chuck Palumbo and Johnny Stamboli vs. Orlando Jordan and Hardcore Holly

Massive pops for Holly throughout the match. Definitely an entertaining match-up, with competent ringwork from all four participants. Orlando Jordan would eventually get the win by pinning Palumbo.

 

DeMott got in Tony Chimmel’s face about something, and then he and Josh left.

 

Rhue came out and sang “America the Beautiful”. She looks amazing in person, and is also a pretty good singer.

 

Michael Cole and Tazz came down to Tazz’s music from “Forceble Entry”, and then it was time for Smackdown to start.

 

Before the opening, Kurt came on the twin-trons and told us he’d be explaining why he attacked Eddie Guerrero on last week’s show. Cue intro, and the show’s ready to start.

 

The main event is announced to be Eddie Guerrero and John Cena vs. Chavo Guerrero and the Big Show. We’d also get the answer to the musical question: “WHY, KURT, WHY?”

 

SUDDEN DEATH FOUR-WAY FOR A CHANCE AT THE TITLE AT WRESTLEMANIA XX

Rey Mysterio vs. Jamie Noble vs. Nunzio vs. Billy Kidman

Mysterio pretty much dominated the match, which was interrupted by a backstage segment. Eddie Guerrero charged into Paul Heyman’s office, where Heyman was talking to Tajiri (with evil minions) and Dawn Marie. Not a point to the segment except to set up that Eddie was here tonight, and he was severly upset over what happened last week.

 

Back to the match, Rey dominated and was about to get the win when Heyman (along with Dawn, Tajiri, Akio, and Sakoda) came out and cancelled the match. Paul then announced that he couldn’t go through with it because no Japanese people were represented in the match, and he would have to make other arrangements. For the first time ever at Wrestlemania, there would be a CRUISERWEIGHT OPEN with the winner facing Chavo for the Cruiserweight Title that very night.

 

After the ring area cleared, a video package recapping last week’s events between Eddie, Chavo, and Kurt Angle was shown.

 

NON-TITLE TAG MATCH

Rikishi and Scotty 2 Hotty vs. the A.P.A.

Not too bad of a match, with the APA doing some quasi-heel stuff. Eventually the Bashams would interfere, and Bradshaw would get the pin by putting the Clothesline From Hell on Rikishi.

 

After the match, Rikishi looked injured, and it took a couple of minutes for the trainers to help him out of the ring. It looked real, and maybe not a result of Bradshaw’s clothesline.

 

A video recap was shown of the match announcement made on Monday’s RAW, featuring Brock giving Stone Cold Steve Austin the F-5.

 

The next segment was Josh Matthews interviewing Brock Lesnar in the locker room. Tonight Brock would be facing Billy Gunn, but Josh wants to know why Brock F-5ed Austin. Brock says that because Austin gave Goldberg a ticket to “No Way Out”, then it was Austin’s fault Brock lost the title. He then tried to use the segment to pimp his t-shirt by saying he was going to teach them the true meaning of “Off the Hook Pain”.

 

The next segment featured Eddie Guerrero (without a low-rider, and with altered lyrics to his theme song so there’s no reference to Chavo) coming down to the ring for a promo. Huge “Eddie” chants, as the crowd was behind him 100%.

 

Eddie says that all around his neighborhood, people wanted to know what it was like to be the WWE Champion. He says that he’s just taking it “one day at a time”. He then calls out Kurt Angle, but gets tired of waiting, so he runs to the back looking for the former champion. Eddie goes to the door of Kurt’s private locker room, but is stopped by Heyman and about six or eight fake cops. Eddie then sees Kurt, but as he’s trying to get to him, Eddie knocks Paul into Dawn-Marie. Paul Heyman then has Eddie kicked out for attacking Dawn-Marie.

 

SINGLES MATCH

Billy Gunn vs. Brock Lesnar (with his kick-ass pyro)

Say it with me: Billy Gunn sucks. Lots of rest holds in the match, as Brock isn’t quite up to the task of carrying Gunn. Sign Guy’s antics during the match are pretty funny, though. Eventually Brock wakes up the crowd by hitting the F-5 for the clean win.

 

At this point there’s a break, and the t-shirt guy comes out and Chimmel has some fun with the fans.

 

The next segment featured a promo by Torrie Wilson and Sable, with both ladies wearing evening gowns and playing the faces by kissing up to the fans for buying their magazine. The talk about being hotter than Miss Jackie and Stacy Keibler, and kind of drone on for a couple of minutes. Either the sound system was off, or Torrie sounds like she’s on helium in real life.

 

John Cena would then come down to a huge pop (he was wearing a Derrick Thomas jersey and pointed to it several times for the additional cheap pops…Saddam Hussein could get a pop for wearing a Derrick Thomas jersey in Kansas City). He rapped about how hot they looked in their magazine, but asked them to leave because they were breaking his concentration. Since his original tag partner for tonight was kicked out of the arena, he’d have to call a new partner. He then pulled out a cell phone and dialed “619”. Rey then joined Cena in the ring.

 

TAG TEAM MATCH

John Cena and Rey Mysterio vs. The Big Show and Chavo Guerrero (with Chavo Senior)

Pretty good tag match, with Rey playing the “face in peril” for a sizable portion of it. Cena’s selling looks better on TV than live, but he definitely had the crowd in the palm of his hand. Chavo got some massive heat from the crowd by using many of Eddie’s signature moves, but Rey got the pin on Chavo after a 619. Big Show would then chokeslam Cena to get his heat back before going backstage.

 

The final segment was Kurt Angle coming to the ring to explain why he attacked Eddie last week. He says he did it for us, because Eddie’s a former drug addict and was a bad role model for kids (since encouraged lying, cheating, and stealing). Drugs are bad, mmmmkay? It hurt Kurt to attack Eddie, but he did it for us. Kurt said he’d win at Wrestlemania and be the kind of champion we could be proud of. Of course, Eddie would then sneak up behind Kurt and attack him. Paul Heyman would come out with his fake cops, and have Eddie arrested and hauled off in handcuffs. Eddie’s going to have to spend the night in jail! Angle would taunt Eddie all the way outside and to the police car and yell at him as the police drove away.

 

I’m pretty sure this is wear the tapings ended.

 

Kurt came back to the ring and tried to tell us what he did was for the good of America, before Rey came out, wrestled Kurt for a couple of minutes, and wiped his BUTT with Kurt’s t-shirt. Kurt left, and Rey thanked us for coming.

 

Chimmel then thanked us for coming.

 

Biggest pops

Eddie

Cena

Torrie and Sable

Rey Mysterio

Undertaker (during videos)

 

Most heel heat

Angle

Chavo

Heyman

Brock

Tajiri

 

credit: Me.

[LivingLegendGaryColeman 0]

Rhue came out and sang “America the Beautiful”.

I glanced at that briefly and thought it said Rhyno. Good thing I re-read, although that would be interesting.

 

Thanks for the report.

[cbacon 0]

Wow, 2 cruiserweight matches at Mania. Who'da thunk. Hopefully it dosen't result in Mysterio getting the predictable double win. Anyone know if these matches were given time when WCW did a similar format once?

[SuperJerk 0]

Rhue came out and sang “America the Beautiful”.

I glanced at that briefly and thought it said Rhyno. Good thing I re-read, although that would be interesting.

 

Thanks for the report.

It was definitely Rhue.

 

Everyone stood up for the singing of "America the Beautiful"...if ya know what I mean.

[AndrewTS 0]

Looks like a crap show except for the main event--in other words, just like every Smackdown for the past couple of months.

[Bored 0]

Massive pops for Holly throughout the match.

Bob Holly: "They love me in Kansas City!"

[The Metal Maniac 0]

If I recall correctly, when WCW did the Battle Royale, winner gets the shot right away, it had enough time to get things done, but then again, it was a huge part of the Jericho/Malenko storyline, so circumstances differ somewhat.

[The Ghost of bps21 0]

They made the right choice for the cruiser division/title at Mania IMO.

[Detective Comics 0]

John’s starting to look a little like Glenn Danzig.

Mother!

[Guest Mulatto Heat]

Looks like a crap show except for the main event--in other words, just like every Smackdown for the past couple of months.

Nah, I know I'll be watching Billy Gunn get squashed by Brock. Gunn was one of the few guys on both rosters not to lose to Lesnar during Brock's first heel run in 2002 when he was beating midcarders every week. What Bob Holly got with Brock last month was what some thought would happen with Gunn.

 

Bradshaw, the third of the SD! New Generation Leftover Trifecta, has yet to receive the same treatment as his two buddies. I await that match although he's protected enough for that to never happen.

[SuperJerk 0]

Looks like a crap show except for the main event--in other words, just like every Smackdown for the past couple of months.

Nah, I know I'll be watching Billy Gunn get squashed by Brock. Gunn was one of the few guys on both rosters not to lose to Lesnar during Brock's first heel run in 2002 when he was beating midcarders every week. What Bob Holly got with Brock last month was what some thought would happen with Gunn.

 

Bradshaw, the third of the SD! New Generation Leftover Trifecta, has yet to receive the same treatment as his two buddies. I await that match although he's protected enough for that to never happen.

Except they actually did let Gunn get a lot of offense in, and pin Brock for a close 2.

 

And the crowd STILL soooo didn't give a shit about him.

[Guest Mulatto Heat]

Unless it's a cruiserweight like Paul London, then usually the opponent gets a close 2 on Lesnar. It happened often in those 2002 matches I just mentioned. I'll wait and see how much is 'a lot of offense' and see if that's acceptable for someone in a high-profile WrestleMania match.

 

Was it one of Gunn's finishers/quasi-finishers that Brock kicked out of?

[Michrome 0]

It would be cool if they let an underdog win the BR at Mania and give Chavo a run for his money, instead of blowing Rey-Chavo. Yeah, this is me dreaming of London winning the Battle Royale.

[The Ghost of bps21 0]

After reading the spoilers here (with the 4 cruisers in the match, and the 3 Japanese cruisers coming down)...I'm just hoping London makes it into the match

[Lil' Bitch 0]

Oh shit, I totally forgot SD happened tonight. >_<

[haVoc 0]

I really hate when they book Lesnar to do a bunch of bearhugs/rest holds. I know they can make sense in a long match with Eddie, who is over enough to get the crowd going, but not against a Billy Gunn or Bob Holly.

 

Brock should be destroying these guys and pounding them into the ground.

[DCMaximo 0]

Funaki vs. Mike Lucci

I have to admit, I enjoyed the jobber’s gimmick (looked like a cross between Don Johnson from “Miami Vice” and Disco Inferno), and he came across really well in the ring. Funaki got the win with a roll-up.

 

Do you think this could be Mike Bucci, the name the wrestler formerly known as Nova is using at houseshows? It would explain why he came across well in the ring.

[Spaceman Spiff 0]

Chuck Palumbo and Johnny Stamboli vs. Orlando Jordan and Hardcore Holly

Massive pops for Holly throughout the match. Definitely an entertaining match-up, with competent ringwork from all four participants. Orlando Jordan would eventually get the win by pinning Palumbo.

What the hell is the point of this? You'd think they'd at least have Holly pick up the pin instead of Orlando the WCW Buy-Out Killer. With the tag scene in such bad shape, they should be keeping as many full time teams as strong as possible, instead of jobbing them to a random pairing. Blah.

 

Too Cool vs. APA? Ouch.

 

Looks like a lackluster SD. Hopefully it'll come off better on TV than it sounds.

[Guest Choken One]

Sounds pretty generic and AS will be pleased to know January wasn’t acknowledged. Why does Japan need THREE representatives? And did Ultimo get the shaft here or what?

[King Cucaracha 0]

Funaki vs. Mike Lucci

I have to admit, I enjoyed the jobber’s gimmick (looked like a cross between Don Johnson from “Miami Vice” and Disco Inferno), and he came across really well in the ring. Funaki got the win with a roll-up.

 

Do you think this could be Mike Bucci, the name the wrestler formerly known as Nova is using at houseshows? It would explain why he came across well in the ring.

I wouldn't be surprised by that at all.

 

 

And since when was it a law for Cruiserweight matches to have Japanese wrestlers in? Booking the Cruiserweight Open sits well with me, but cancelling a match mid-match because there's no Japanese wrestlers in it? If that's what Heyman specified as the reason for the cancellation, it seems a little weird.

[Guest Your Olympic Hero]

World's Greatest Tag Team vs. Too Cool 2k4 would have worked FINE at Wrestlemania. Now they just have to throw the APA into the mix. Maybe it's Ron Simmons' retirement gift.

[Guest nikowwf]

I guess Tajiri complained it was racist.

 

niko

[ChrisMWaters 0]

I guess Tajiri complained it was racist.

 

niko

You think that he had Hakushi and Jerry Lawler help him with his point?

 

...oh wait, sorry...lost in the old Lawler & Hakushi vs. Bret "Hitman" Hart feud from the first In Your House.

[Guest Miss Indy Queen]

Funaki vs. Mike Lucci

I have to admit, I enjoyed the jobber’s gimmick (looked like a cross between Don Johnson from “Miami Vice” and Disco Inferno), and he came across really well in the ring. Funaki got the win with a roll-up.

 

Do you think this could be Mike Bucci, the name the wrestler formerly known as Nova is using at houseshows? It would explain why he came across well in the ring.

Yes it's Mike Bucci (aka Nova) that was at the Smackdown tapings. I know the last time he was on television, he had his hair VERY short that I had to do a double take to make sure it was him.

[Guest glennsoe]

For the "cruiserweight Open"; Do you guys think they'll bring in some "indy guys" or cruisers that are exclusive to wwe (smackdown, raw and ohw)

 

And what about Hurricane? What could be a good storylne to get him into this match and let him stay on Smackdown ??

[SuperJerk 0]

I'll wait and see how much is 'a lot of offense' and see if that's acceptable for someone in a high-profile WrestleMania match.

A lot of offense for someone who only know five moves. The match went on waaaaaaay too long.

 

 

Do you think this could be Mike Bucci, the name the wrestler formerly known as Nova is using at houseshows? It would explain why he came across well in the ring.

I just checked the OVW website. I think you're right.

[rising up out of the back seat-nuh 0]

Looks like TE3's MAtt and John could come in as a tag team then. I have no problem with that: just more opponents for TWGTT to beat.

[Guest Choken One]

For the "cruiserweight Open"; Do you guys think they'll bring in some "indy guys" or cruisers that are exclusive to wwe (smackdown, raw and ohw)

 

And what about Hurricane? What could be a good storylne to get him into this match and let him stay on Smackdown ??

I doubt that...It's a STUPID idea.

 

Yeah give unknown indy people a slot when you left Matt Hardy off the card...Matt Hardy should enter this under the "CW's Only" ruling which NEVER prohibits a RAW BRAND superstar from performing as long as they meet the required "weight limit"

 

Nah it'll be a 10 Man

 

Nunzio, Mysterio, Tajiri, Akio, Sakuda, Knoble, Moore, London, Kidman and Ultimo...

 

It'll be 8 minutes of rapid fire eliminations and a 3-5 minute Mysterio/Kidman finals with Mysterio getting the cradle victory and then a 10 minute match with Chavo with some sort of "injury" comeback sell(let's say the Knee) and makes the miraclalous comeback victory. Although, I'd just put London over since Tajiri, Kidman, Mysterio and Knoble are already "over" and "established"...It'll be a star rising performence...

 

But I would Mark if "Shane Helms" performs but not as The Hurricane...

 

It's a gimmick they REALLY should go with...Shane Helms can be a Smackdown personality and Hurricane can stay on Raw and clearly the fans will be aware of it but like Bruce Wayne and Batman or Clark Kent and Superman...Everyone else is OBLIVIOUS to the fact they are the same guy.

 

They could run skits with forgetting his mask at some point or showing up to Smackdown STILL wearing the hurricane outfit and him dodging into a conveintly located phonebooth to change and avoid Heyman.

[Spaceman Spiff 0]

It's a gimmick they REALLY should go with...Shane Helms can be a Smackdown personality and Hurricane can stay on Raw and clearly the fans will be aware of it but like Bruce Wayne and Batman or Clark Kent and Superman...Everyone else is OBLIVIOUS to the fact they are the same guy.

 

They could run skits with forgetting his mask at some point or showing up to Smackdown STILL wearing the hurricane outfit and him dodging into a conveintly located phonebooth to change and avoid Heyman.

You'd run into problems when Raw & SD aren't close to each other (i.e. Raw is on the W. Coast and SD is in Florida). I doubt they'd want to be flying him back & forth just for a low card angle.

 

I'd just put Helms back on SD full time. Sugar Shane, pretty boy dick heel.

[Guest Choken One]

It's a gimmick they REALLY should go with...Shane Helms can be a Smackdown personality and Hurricane can stay on Raw and clearly the fans will be aware of it but like Bruce Wayne and Batman or Clark Kent and  Superman...Everyone else is OBLIVIOUS to the fact they are the same guy.

 

They could run skits with forgetting his mask at some point or showing up to Smackdown STILL wearing the hurricane outfit and him dodging into a conveintly located phonebooth to change and avoid Heyman.

You'd run into problems when Raw & SD aren't close to each other (i.e. Raw is on the W. Coast and SD is in Florida). I doubt they'd want to be flying him back & forth just for a low card angle.

 

I'd just put Helms back on SD full time. Sugar Shane, pretty boy dick heel.

well yes but he doesn't have to be there EVERY show...