By Wade Keller, Torch editor

KELLER'S WWE SMACKDOWN REPORT
AUGUST 21, 2003
TAPED TUESDAY IN ST. LOUIS, MO.

-Highlights aired of the finish of last week's cage match where Brock Lesnar turned heel. The Smackdown opening montage then aired followed by an introduction by Michael Cole and Tazz.

-Kurt Angle gave an in-ring promo. He said he doesn't need to align him with anyone to succeed, as Brock has chosen to do with Vince McMahon. Angle said: "I'm going to get revenge the old fashioned way - by finding you and kicking your ass. It's that simple." He said he knows he has a wrestling match scheduled for Sunday at SummerSlam, and that's fine. He said he was there tonight for a fight, and he'd fight Brock or Vince or both and he wasn't going anywhere until he got one of them. Good, to-the-point money promo.

Vince McMahon walked out and said he was impressed Angle was looking for a fight. "There will be no fight between you and Brock Lesnar tonight. He said there'd be no fight between himself and Angle, either. "Why don't you come to the ring tell me that to my face, you stupid son of a bitch," Angle said. McMahon began to walk to the ring, but then stopped and said if Angle touches either he or Brock before SummerSlam he'd be stripped of the title and maybe even fired. He said since Kurt is so eager for a fight, he'd give him a warm up opponent - The Big Show. "Be careful what you wish for, you just might get it, pal," concluded McMahon. Angle then told Vince to hang on a second before walking away. He told Vince he is a "stupid son of a bitch" and explained again that he wants not a match, but a fight. He then went after Show on the rampway and the two began exchanging punches. Show grabbed Angle by the throat; Angle escaped with a low kick. Referees and agents came out and pulled the two apart. Very good segment at getting across the hostility Angle feels toward Vince and Brock without giving away Angle actually touching either of them.

[commercial break]

-Show was throwing stuff backstage in anger. Vince told him to hold back and save it for Angle. He shouted that Show vs. Angle would take place later in a fall count anywhere street fight.

1 -- REY MYSTERIO (w/Kidman) vs. MATT HARDY (w/Shannon Moore) - Non-title match

Mattitude Facts: "Matt has never lost his cell phone" or "Matt's pants are more hip than Rey's." The ringsiders got involved early. They cut to a commercial at around 5:00.

[commercial break]

Late in the match Rey setup a 619, but Moore interfered to stop it. Rey then went for a 619 on Moore, but Hardy caught a flying Rey with a clothesline. At 10:00 Zach broke a cane across Matt's back. Rey then hit a 619 on Matt followed by a West Coast Pop for the win. Cole concluded that Zach just got inside of Matt's head leading to their SummerSlam battle.

WINNER: Rey Mysterio in 10:00 (est.)

STAR RATING: **3/4 -- Really good, well plotted and executed TV match. The teases of the 619 early followed by the successful execution of it for the finish was good booking.

[commercial break]

-Cole and Tazz recapped what happened before the commercial break.

-Vince and Brock talked backstage. Brock asked Vince why he doesn't have a match if Angle has a match because he's as much of a sportsman as Kurt. Vince suggested Brock vs. Zach Gowen. Brock smiled and laughed. "That's a hell of an idea," said Brock. Brock said he was going to break Zach's remaining leg.

-Cole and Tazz threw to a recap of last week's Vince McMahon-Stephanie McMahon interaction and the A-Train vs. Steph match.

-They showed Jamie Noble, Nidia,l Billy Gunn, and Torrie Wilson heading toward the entry tunnel. Tazz said those four give new meaning to the word "friends."

[commercial break]

-Cole interviewed Zach's mother at ringside. She said she is proud of her son, but didn't want to come to the event because she doesn't like to see others toss her son around and hurt him. She said she didn't understand why Vince McMahon would book her son against someone twice as big.

2 -- THE BASHAM BROTHERS (w/Shaniqua) vs. JAMIE NOBLE & BILLY GUNN (w/Torrie & Nidia)

Near the end, Shaniqua yanked Noble off of a pin attempt. When Nidia and Torrie went after her at ringside, she took them both down with a clothesline. The Bashams switched places and surprised Noble with a small package for the win.

WINNERS: The Bashams at 4:23.

STAR RATING: *1/2 -- Nice TV tag match.

-Backstage they showed Zach walking backstage. Brock confronted him and said when he was done with him, he wouldn't have a leg to stand on.

[commercial break]

3 -- BROCK LESNAR vs. ZACH GOWEN

Zach greeted his mother and younger brother at ringside as he came to the ring. Brock and Zach had a staredown from across the ring before the bell. Brock then went to ringside and got in Zach's mother's face. He then offered to shake her hand. She wouldn't look at him and refused the handshake! Zach surprised Brock with a bodyblock over the top rope. Brock soon came back and dominated. He ended up getting DQ'd for bashing Zach with a chair. Zach game up bleeding. His mother shouted, "It's over!" Brock threw Zach into the ringpost anyway. Cole pointed out that move caused Angle to need surgery. Brock continued to beat on Zach as his mother yelled for him to stop. Brock rammed Zach into the ringpost again leg-first. Zach's mother leaped over the barrier to check on him. Zach was stretchered out of the arena. Brock went after Zach on the stretcher. Zach's mom hit Brock, but he knocked Zach off the backbrace anyway. He brought the brace back to the ring with a smile on his face. Cole said Brock isn't about winning and losing, he's about humiliating and destroying someone. "What sick pleasure does Brock Lesnar get out of doing this to Zach Gowen?" Cole asked. Cole did a very good job expressing outrage. One of the cameras was screwed up and showed things in black and white and blurry. The announcers didn't acknowledge it for some reason.

WINNER: Zach via DQ at 1:58.

STAR RATING: n/a -- They did a great job setting the stage for the match, and then kept it short yet devastating. Zach's mom did as good of a job as any mom at showing believable concern for her son. I hope someone smartened her up to the fact that it's a work!

[commercial break]

-Cole said he is paid to call the action and be unbiased, but he has to break from that stance. He then went off on Brock with as much emotion as I've ever seen out of him. A calmer Tazz said he thought he knew Brock, but he apparently didn't. He said the locker room is going to look down on him for his actions. Cole asked Tazz if he really thought Brock cared what his colleagues thought of him.

-John Cena came out and said, "We just saw Brock break Zach's good leg, well Zach oughta cut his losses and learn to walk on wooden pegs." He then ripped on Detroit, saying the only time they look good is during a black out. He said Joe Louis Arena is the world's biggest crack house and has more white trash than Jerry Springer.

[commercial break]

3 -- UNDERTAKER & ORLANDO JORDAN vs. A-TRAIN & JOHN CENA

Taker went on an offensive flurry against Cena. Train entered the ring, but Taker pummeled him. Taker hit four consecutive clotheslined in the corner against Cena and Train. When he was about to chokeslam Cena when Train ran in to stop him. Taker the applied a sleeper on Cena. Train entered with a chair. Jordan stopped him. Train slammed Jordan. Taker chokeslammed Train. Cena then then spinebustered Taker. Taker kicked out. Cena grabbed a chair and was going to hit Taker. Taker kicked Cena in the gut to stop him. Taker was going for the Last Ride, but Train nailed Taker with a chain and Cena fell on top of Taker and scored the pin.

WINNERS: Cena & Train at 4:22.

STAR RATING: ** -- Good finishing sequence, even if not every element of it went as smoothly as they'd probably have liked.

[commercial break]

4 -- RHYNO & EDDIE GUERRERO vs. TAJIRI & CHRIS BENOIT

Rhyno rode to the ring in a low rider. Tazz said he drove one of those last week, and claimed he rented it from Hearse. I think that's what he said, but he meant Hertz. I wonder what it would be like to ride one of Guerrero's cars in a funeral procession? In the end, Benoit had Guerrero up for his German Suplexes, but Tajiri kicked Benoit by mistake. Tajiri turned around and was nailed with a Gore by Rhyno for the win. Benoit put Rhyno in a crossface afterward as Guerrero bailed out. Guerrero returned with the U.S. Title belt and KO'd Benoit with it to free Rhyno. They celebrated. Cole played it up as if Benoit was acting strange lately, almost as if they're leaving him a tweener so fans can decide whom to cheer between Benoit and Guerrero.

WINNERS: Rhyno & Guerrero in 6:00.

STAR RATING: **

[commercial break]

5 -- KURT ANGLE vs. BIG SHOW

Show dominated most of the early minutes, including using a table. Show was about to powerbomb Angle through the table in the ring, but Angle grabbed a chair and bashed Show with it. At ringside, Angle came back by grabbing Show's "jewels," as Tazz described them, and scored a near fall against Show at ringside. Back in the ring Angle nailed an Angleslam on the table and scored the clean win. Brock then stepped out and gave Angle a final Brock Smile as the show ended.

WINNER: Angle in 10:00.

STAR RATING: **1/2 -- Really good Angle-Show match. Angle was jeopardy most of the time, but still looked strong in his comebacks and at the finish.

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