By B.J. Bethel, Torch Team Contributor

WWE Smackdown review
October 3, 2002
Taped October 1, 2002

We start off with an annoying Stephanie/Max Headroom-on-an-acid-trip promo. They completely skip the regular intro in favor of her giving a rundown of the show. The only thing missing was "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" playing subtly in the background.

1st Quarter Hour

(1) Eddie & Chavo Guerrero defeated Mark Henry & Rikishi when Eddie made Henry tap out to a leglock. This is the first match of the new tag team tourney. Apparently the heels fear Rikishi's ass, as Eddie backs off every time he sees it. Henry was tagged in, and he caught one of Chavo's punches and threw him out of the ring by his fist. He tried to press slam Eddie but Chavo came back in from the other side and took his leg out. Eddie and Chavo then started working the big guy's leg over and hitting him with double teams. Rikishi finally had enough and ran into the ring and started pounding the two heels, but the ref forced him out. Henry managed to get on his feet, but Chavo grabbed a chair and nailed him in the leg as the ref had his back turned. Guerrero locked on a leg lock to force Henry to submit. Chavo and Eddie dominated the match.

2nd Quarter Hour

Torrie Wilson was backstage with her dad. She started talking to Billy and Chuck when Dawn Marie showed up and "wished her luck."

Lesnar was going over a tape of his match at Unforgiven against 'Taker while Paul tried to talk to him. Apparently Stephanie is forcing Lesnar to put his title up against the Undertaker. Matt Hardy showed up and plugged his "falls count everywhere" match against 'Taker later in the night.

(2) Matt Hardy defeated Undertaker after Brock Lesnar hit Undertaker with the F5. Undertaker hit Hardy with a leg drop on the apron. He tried to choke slam Hardy through the announce table, but Hardy booted him in the crotch. Hardy went for the Twist of Fate, but 'Taker pushed him off the table and into the guardrail. The two moved into the crowd, with 'Taker doing his usual "punch....set up...punch....set up again...punch with the other hand" offense. Hardy threw a beer in his face, punched him, and then ran backstage. Hardy ran off saying "we'll meet again" while trying to run out. He tried to escape when Lesnar attacked him. Of course, Lesnar is no match for 'Taker's "all punch, no sell and throw you into stuff" offense. Hardy then jumped 'Taker from behind, allowing Brock to recover and to give him an F 5 on top some popcorn. Matt Hardy then pinned him. Heyman congratulated Hardy on winning and Brock started walking back to him, against Heyman's wishes. Brock then picked up a ten gallon propane tank and bashed 'Taker's hand against some fencing. The heels walked off as 'Taker screamed and writhed in pain. Wow, he can actually sell something!

3rd Quarter Hour

Back from the break, and 'Taker was mad and wouldn't let the medics check out his hand. Lloyd asked the trainer what the extent of his injury was, and he stated he was taking him to the hospital for x-rays.

(3) Jamie Noble defeated Crash Holly via pinfall. Noble is all over Crash to start. Crash made his comment and went for the Crash Landing, but Nidia distracted him from the apron. The two then traded counters, which ended with a couple two counts. Noble blocked Crash's finisher again. Crash tried a sunset flip but Noble sat down on his shoulders and grabbed the ropes to score the three count. Very short match.

Lloyd interviewed Kurt Angle backstage, who called himself the best wrestler in the world. He pointed out that Benoit lost to Misterio last week, not him, and called Benoit a "regular person." He compared himself to art and called himself "pure perfection." Edge walked in, said Angle "wasn't perfect." Angle said he had been waiting for a chance to get even for Edge shaving his head. He left Edge lying on the floor favoring his jaw to end the interview.

4th Quarter Hour

(4) Edge defeated Kurt Angle with a spear to get the pinfall. Edge managed to take the momentum during the early part of the match, working on Angle's arm. Angle tried fighting him off, but Edge kept locking on an arm bar or Angle would end up eating the ring post with his shoulder. Angle finally got the advantaged by tossing Edge over the top rope with an Angle Slam onto the floor, injuring Angle's ribs. Angle went to work on Edge's midsection. He then hit him with a suplex for a two count. Angle got Edge down on the mat with a body scissors. Edge fought out, but Angle caught Edge in the gut off the ropes. Some great counters by the two were followed by Edge getting a two count with a roll up. Angle fired back with a back suplex for two. Angle then got him back on the mat with a body scissors/bear hug combo. Edge fought out with some elbows. He sent Angle into the ropes and hit an overhead belly-to belly, leaving both men down on the mat. Edge got the momentum when the two got up, hitting a flying clothesline and a face plant for a near three count. Angle went back to the ribs, hitting him in the gut and trying to hit a back suplex, but Edge flipped out. Edge then went for a spear, but Angle gave him a belly-to-belly. Edge's feet hit the ref, and took him out. Angle got up first and went for the Angle Slam. Edge countered by hitting his Implant DDT, but there was no ref to make the count. Angle gave Edge another blow to the ribs and hit him with an Angle Slam as a new ref ran into the ring, but he only got a two count. Angle started arguing with the new ref and went for the ankle lock, but Edge made the ropes. Edge went up top, Angle tried to charge him, but Edge pushed him off. Angle then tried again, this time hitting him with a superplex into a small package to get the win. The other ref then got up, and disputed the call, saying Edge actually got the pinfall. Chioda and Sparks started pushing each other when Chioda punched him out. Two of the other officials ran in as they went to a break.

5th Quarter Hour

Back from the break, and Chioda apparently restarted the match. During the break, Angle hit Edge with a belly to belly on the floor. Angle had him tied up in the ropes. He then gave him a spear and drove a shoulder into his ribs with a shoulder tackle. Angle tried it one more time, but Edge moved, sending Angle to the floor. Angle made it to the apron when Edge speared him off of it into the guardrail. Edge then hit him with a clothesline from the top rope (onto the floor) . Angle made his way back into the ring. Edge then hit him with a missile drop kick for a two count. The two started a series of counters, which started with Edge going for his Implant DDT, and ended with Edge getting a two count with a drop back chin lock. Angle then hit him with a German suplex. Angle then hit him with three rolling German suplexes as Benoit made his way to ringside. Angle went for one more, but Edge rolled him up instead for a two count. Angle clotheslined Edge. He charged Edge in the corner, but Edge countered with a sunset flip, which Angle countered by rolling out and applying the ankle lock. Edge rolled out and went to the ropes as Angle went to the outside to grab a chair. Benoit distracted Angle from the apron, Angle took a swing at him, and Angle ended up bouncing the chair off the top rope and hitting himself in the head with it, setting himself up for a spear from Edge, which sealed the win. Angle was on his back in the ring as Benoit made his way up the ramp laughing. Just a fantastic match. I wonder how long Heyman can keep this up before he runs out of match ups or just royally ticks off the other writers and McMahon's due to him showing them up.

6th Quarter Hour

Angle is backstage looking for Benoit. Angle went after Benoit in the locker room, but Albert, Kidman and some others kept them separate. Stephanie showed up and demanded the two of them get along or else they'll get suspended for a year without pay. She then made them a tag team and put them in the tourney. Angle agreed, and then punched Benoit in the face.

Heyman is backstage telling Lesnar how great he is when Matt showed up. Matt said he beat 'Taker, who was #1 contender, and since Undertaker can't compete he should get the title shot at No Mercy. Heyman told Brock to "be careful, he'd kill you," which got a chuckle from Brock. I'm really starting to like Brock and Heyman.

Commercial: The New Twilight Zone, or "Inside The WWE Raw Booking Committee."

(5) D-Von & Ron Simmons defeated Billy & Chuck when D Von scored the pinfall on Billy Gunn. Billy asked Ron Simmons if he was associating himself with D-Von. Ron replied by hitting him with the microphone. Ron got a quick pinfall attempt on Chuck before tagging out to D-Von. Meanwhile, the Braves are spanking the Giants and Clemson is hanging in there against Florida State. They then went for "Wasaaaaaap", but Chuck rolled Simmons over and Billy pushed D Von onto Simmons' crotch. Tazz on Simmons going heel: "Maybe he needed more money. We know he won't make as much money as he did playing for Florida State." Chuck made the hot tag, and Billy had Simmons in the corner, but the heels hit him with a back suplex/back breaker for a near three. Chuck took Simmons outside, leaving Gunn and D Von in the ring, where D-Von pinned him after Simmons gave him a spine buster.

7th Quarter Hour

Dawn Marie is backstage flashing her bikini to Torrie's dad. He told her to call him "Adam."

Bikini contest time. Dawn Marie went first as Torrie stood in the corner with a sucker in her mouth. Torrie respectfully clapped. Tazz asked the fans what they thought, and they were behind Torrie all the way. Dawn went to shake her hand and smacked her in the face instead. Dawn asked the crowd "how do you like your winner now" and tossed her to the floor.

Brock and Heyman were walking out of the building when Stephanie stopped them and told them Undertaker had a broken hand, but could compete. Steph added a stipulation of Hell in the Cell.

8th Quarter Hour

(6) Rey Misterio defeated God...err.. Chris Benoit when Misterio pinned him using a cradle 'rana. Benoit was all over Rey to start, with some blows and back breaker. Benoit then whipped him into the turnbuckle. Benoit tried to charge him but took a boot instead. Rey went for a leg scissors, but Benoit shrugged him off and hit him with a chop. Benoit went for what looked to be a crucifix powerbomb but Rey countered with a 'rana. Wheel barrel and Rey hit him with a bulldog. To the outside, and Rey hit a summersault plancha from the top rope. Back in the ring, and Benoit countered Rey with a modified back breaker. Benoit then slowed things down and hit him with a backdrop. Benoit then got Misterio in a double knuckle lock, but Misterio reversed it. That didn't last long, as Benoit too advantage, eventually taking Misterio down with a chop before stomping and working on his back. Benoit hit him with a wheel barrel suplex for a near three count. Benoit then tried to take his head off with a clothesline for another two count. Benoit caught Rey during an asai moonsault attempt, but Rey got away and hit him with a spinning heel kick. Misterio then hit him with a split-leg moonsault for two. Misterio went for the 619, but Benoit caught him and gave him a shoulder breaker and signaled for the head butt. Benoit nailed him over halfway across the ring. Benoit only got a two count, so he quickly went to the Crossface but Rey was too close to the ropes. Benoit went for a German Suplex, but Rey flipped out of it. Rey then hit a springboard dropkick and the 619. Benoit ducked the springboard 'rana, but Angle distracted him long enough for Misterio to hit Benoit with a cradle 'rana for the three count. Angle and Benoit have a stare down in the ring as Rey leaves to celebrate. The two trade counters and submission moves before Benoit eventually locks on the Crossface. The usual mob of officials charged the ring to try and keep the two separated. Cole explains that Stephanie said they couldn't come to blows as "tag partners," so I guess it's all right for them to beat the crap out of each other right now.

Commentary: Two really good matches and yet another really good Smackdown. It's hard to believe I actually enjoy this show, especially given my dislike for WWE's general style of production and presentation as a wrestling product. That says a lot about the match quality, to me, which also makes it hard to justify spending ten bucks on Wednesday nights.

Looking back, the main asset of the split has been the protection it has given guys like Lesnar, Benoit, Angle, Misterio, Edge the Guerrero's and the Cruiserweights. What do you think the chances are of the Guerrero's going over Rikishi and Henry on Raw would be? I don't think anyone would have predicted the brand extensions biggest asset would be isolating the crap on one night. )

***

B.J. Bethel also writes in The Lounge on Tuesdays. You can write to him at bbethel@pwtorch.com.

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