By Wade Keller, Torch editor

WWE SMACKDOWN
JUNE 17, 2004
TAPED TUESDAY IN CHICAGO

-Michael Cole and Tazz introduced the show. A headline was shown from a trade journal announcing Bradshaw was fired by CNBC. Cole and Tazz said Bradshaw would speak on the subject on the show. They also showed a cement truck set up in the arena.

1 -- RICIO & CHARLIE HAAS (w/Miss Jackie) vs. THE DUDLEYS -- WWE Tag Team Title match

Cole said they would try to get more info on whether Undertaker was really aligned with Paul Heyman. Cole also wondered where Paul Bearer was if the Dudleys were at the arena. Haas sold for the Dudleys for three basic minutes of action, then he hot-tagged Rico. When Jackie got on the ring apron, Bubba grabbed her. Haas jumped at Bubba, but knocked Jackie off the ring apron. Bubba then back suplexed Haas. Haas tagged in Rico, whose head was ramming into the ringside stairs by D-Von. Back in the ring Bubba pinned Rico with his foot on the ropes and D-Von held his leg from the outside.

WINNERS: The Dudleys when Bubba pinned Rico AT 4:58 to capture the tag titles.

STAR RATING: *1/4 -- It seemed as if they went quite far to establish how much the Dudleys had to cheat to pin Rico.

-A CNNfn TV news update aired with a news anchor reporting that John Bradshaw Layfield had been fired. Cole said later Bradshaw would talk about the worst week of his life.

[Commercial Break]

-Paul Heyman stepped out onto the stage and said some day Undertaker would respect him for his brilliance, but until then he needs to coerce him into seeing things his way, and he's chosen to use Paul Bearer as that means. He said Taker needs to learn a lesson in the mean time, so he has set up a match with Taker vs. The Dudleys. Heyman said Taker must see things the right way or else Bearer would find himself in a most difficult situation. He then unveiled a casket and poured cement into it until it overflowed. Heyman there will be a crypt with three inch glass with Bearer inside of it hanging above the ring. He said the glass is so thick to assure that everyone can see in but Bearer can not break out. Heyman said Taker will do the right thing because if he doesn't, the crypt will fill with cement above Bearer's legs, then his torso, and to his chin. "And at that moment I will say stop, because at that point Undertaker will do the right thing," he said. If the cement goes over Bearer's head, he said Undertaker's conscience will be suffocated. Heyman then announced that Undertaker would be out later, "who will bow down at the feet of greatness of Paul Heyman." He then let out a sinister laugh. Cole asked, "Will Paul Bearer be entombed in cement at the Great American Bash." How many viewers are still wondering who Paul Bearer is and what his background is. They've still done much too little to orient a sizeable chunk of viewers what Bearer's background is with Taker, which really hurts the motivation for fans to feel sympathy for him. He's this abstract figure who is talked about, but hasn't talked himself since his return. It's as big of a fault in this storyline as Bradshaw's lack of push as a credible in-ring force before his rapid elevation to main event singles World Title contender.

[Commercial Break]

-They showed another anchor announcing Bradshaw was fired from CNBC, but once again they cut away before they said why he was fired.

-Eddie Guerrero came to the ring as Cole and Tazz plugged his Great American Bash match. Guerrero said last week he tuned in to CNBC to see Bradshaw. "I watched all week long and didn't see (Bradshaw) one time," he said. "I wondered what happened. Then I heard he got fired." He said the week wasn't so bad because, after all, he got a great limo ride better than anything at Disneyland. Clips then aired of last week's wild limo ride angle. He called for Bradshaw to come out, but instead the Bashams walked out. Doug said Eddie has unfinished business with them that he needs to tend to because he cheated to be Danny.

2 -- EDDIE GUERRERO vs. DOUG BASHAM

The ref went down at 1:00 when Doug shoved Eddie into the ref. The Bashams then attacked Guerrero with a double clothesline and baseball dropkick by Doug as Danny held Guerrero upside down. The ref turned around and made a two count before Guerrero kicked out at 1:35. Guerrero came back with three vertical suplexes, then flew off the top rope with a leg scissors and armdrag combo on both Bashams. He then went to the top rope and frog splashed Doug for the win. Cole said it was a huge win for Guerrero. Really, Cole, a huge win? It took him three minutes to beat a tag wrestler whom he barely has a grudge with. Hardy a monumental moment in his career. Once again, what Cole says often just doesn't ring authentic, which is partly his fault with inflection and not feeling what he's saying, but also the fault of Vince McMahon for feeding him so many lame lines. Eddie fended off a post-match attack and frog splashed Danny.

WINNER: Guerrero at 3:04.

STAR RATING: * -- Short, but good action.

-Kurt Angle told John Cena that at the Bash with Fatal-Four Way rules, it will be an elimination match so he'll have to survive RVD, Rene Dupree, and Booker T to retain the title. Cena told Angle that deep down, "You wanna be me. You wanna be John Cena." He said he walks down the street and gets respect, whereas he can't walk at all. He gave Angle the retro cap as a start for Angle becoming Cena-like. Cena waved his finger around Angle face and sang, "I'm not touching you," taunting him with his probation stip that he can't talk to Angle. Angle said, "I hate him" and said he'd be sure he drops the title.

-An ad ran for upcoming Smackdown house shows dubbed the "Red, White, and Bruised Tour."

[Commercial Break]

-Funaki, Shannon Moore, Josh Matthews, and few others engaged in a rap-off. Mathews tried first and sounded pretty sad, like he's ready to anoint himself with a nickname in a Burger King commercial (although he looked as Queer Eye for the Straight Guy dapper, as always). Funaki mocked Angle in his rap, not knowing Luther and Angle rolled up behind him. Angle gave Luther a pep talk for his premier match on Smackdown later.

3 -- KENZO SUZUKI (w/Geisha) vs. SPIKE DUDLEY

Kenzo opened up with chops to Spike's chest. He spun around the ring drawing a comparison by Tazz to Kabuki. Then he threw a kneedrop. Spike tried to make a comeback with some punches and a spear, but to no effect. Kenzo then went into a claw followed by his driving leg sweep.

WINNER: Kenzo at 3:08.

STAR RATING: 1/4* -- He showed nothing again. This isn't 1984. This isn't going to work. The wrestling audience is more savvy than to buy into him as "entertaining" just because he has an elaborate ring entrance.

[Commercial Break]

-Bradshaw came out looking very upset. He said that the fans represent all that is wrong with America. He began talking about his world travels in Afganistan and elsewhere. He complained about the mainstream media not giving enough coverage to deaths of American soldiers and instead covered Sean Penn's anti-American-Iraqi policy views as he visited Iraq. He said calling him anything but a great American is like calling Mother Theresa a prostitute. He said he left Fox News as a guy who appeared on there regularly to jump to CNBC which has ratings that should put them in the witness protection program. He said after a few weeks they discovered he was a pro wrestler. He said, "Everybody loves free speech until you use free speech. I wondered why you people hate me, but now I know, because I exposed you for what you are. I am strong, therefore you are exposed that you are weak. You are lazy, complacent... I have a backbone and that makes you mad. People like me are the ones who founded America." He said the Founding Fathers are rolling over in their graves because of the poor examples of Americans the fans have become. He said the Great American Bash, he is going to become WWE Champion for one reason, "and that is to shove it down your throats." He said the issue with Eddie Guerrero is past personal. He asked him if he even knows what a bullrope match is. He said blood is going to flow like a river and it would make Judgment Day look like a cartoon. He said Guerrero has come to represent everything he hates about America. (By his logic, isn't that anti-America? Why can he criticize Guerrero and call him unAmerican, but citizens can't call President Bush's policies unAmerican without being traitors according to his character's views?) He said nobody can stop him from becoming WWE Champion and taking his "date with destiny." Excellent promo. Cole called it "impassioned." I'd agree with that adjective. Guerrero then attacked Bradshaw, who bailed out quickly as Guerrero swung the cowbell.

[Commercial Break]

4 -- CHAVO CLASSIC vs. REY MYSTERIO JR. -- Cruiserweight Title match

WINNER: Rey at 1:38 to capture the title after the 619 and West Coast Pop.

STAR RATING: 1/4* -- Not enough time to amount to anything. Chavo got in a respectful amount of offense in the first minute before Rey's quick and decisive comeback.

-They showed Luther Reins warming up backstage.

[Commercial Break]

-A vignette showed Mordecai declaring war on Eddie Guerrero for being a liar, cheater, and sinner. Nice effects, but it doesn't change the fact that this gimmick is dead on arrival.

5 -- LUTHER REIGNS vs. FUNAKI

Luther pounded away at Funaki with stiff forearms from behind to start. Then he stomped on him. Then he kicked his head at ringside. Angle looked on smiling from the stage. He then one-handed slammed him to the mat powered by a side-driver powerslam for the win.

WINNER: Luther at 1:24.

STAR RATING: 1/4* -- Just a squash. Better than Suzuki, but overall didn't show any more than Warlord did in the '80s as a big lug fans never bought into it.

-After the match he declared that if you mess with Angle, you now have to deal with him. As he was about to leave the ring, Angle gave him the thumbs down. Luther smiled and gave Funaki an inverted swinging neckbreaker.

-Raw Rebound aired.

[Commercial Break]

-Torrie Wilson walked out in a red, white, and blue outfit and said the WWE Divas would be hosting the bash. She then lit a BBQ grill on fire to symbolize how they're going to raise the body temperature of PPV viewers.

-Josh interviewed Booker backstage about the tag team main event tag with RVD & Cena vs. Booker & Dupree. The lack of hype for the TV main event is that dead giveaway that they aren't going with a full-fledged match. WWE is good about that, if not a bit predictable once you catch on, about not hyping a match if they aren't going to deliver. Booker complained about being in a four-way match at the Bash instead of getting a one-on-one match against Cena. Rene Dupree walked in and said he should consider himself lucky to be getting another shot at the belt at the Bash. Booker said, "I'm not the one who was pinned by Cena last week, that was you, sucka!" Dupree told Booker he better have his back or he'll find himself on the other end of a French Tickler. Booker said, "Tell me you didn't just say that."

[Commercial Break]

6 -- JOHN CENA & ROB VAN DAM vs. RENE DUPREE & BOOKER T

Cole wondered if Booker T and Cena could get along. They had a brief staredown upon entering the ring. They cut to a break just two minutes into the match shortly after Cole and Tazz foreshadowed the finish by wondering aloud if Undertaker was in the building.

[Commercial Break]

Cena showed nice fire against Dupree after a hot-tag leading, of course, to four-way action. The babyfaces cleared the ring of the heels. Then RVD and Cena ended up in a slugfest with each other. Booker and Dupree re-entered the ring and attacked RVD and Cena, who chose an inopportune time to fight with each other (sorta like Shaq and Kobe). Then the lights went out and Undertaker's music played. "This could be the demonstration Paul Heyman was talking about." Taker showed up quickly in mid-ring. Booker got bug-eyed. Taker gave Cena a big boot, then attacked RVD. "What's he doing!" exclaimed Cole. He kicked away at RVD in the corner, then chokeslammed him with eyes full of evil (take notes, Mordecai). He stood over the fallen Cena and RVD. When Cena began to rise, Taker gave him the Tombstone piledriver. Heyman came out with an urn and held it out toward Taker, who stared back with more evil emanating from his eyes.

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