SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...
The following report originally published 20 years ago this week here at PWTorch.com…
WWE FRIDAY NIGHT SMACKDOWN
JUNE 30, 2005
TAPED MONDAY IN ANAHEIM, CALIF.
BY WADE KELLER, PWTORCH EDITOR
-Michael Cole and Tazz introduced the show.
-Muhammad Hassan and Khosrow Daivari came out. Hassan made negative comments about the Fourth of July holiday, predicted he would someday become the Smackdown Champion, and then something about the Day of the Deadman being history. That brought out Undertaker with a full ring entrance. Tazz said Hassan was a dead man. Cole acknowledged during the long ring intro that Big Show was a “victim of the draft lottery” and had been transferred to Raw, so he would miss the Smackdown Title match later. Taker stared down Hassan, who effectively looked like a nervous man putting up a brave front. Hassan, dressed spectacularly in a white suit and white tie, jumped to the ring apron. Hassan seemingly began to back down from his comments, but then said Taker has defeated very legend except himself, “the great Muhammad Hassan.” When Daivari ran into the ring, Taker chokeslammed him.
[Commercial Break]
1 — PAUL LONDON vs. CHAVO GUERRERO – Cruiserweight Title match
After 3:30 of good action, the Mexicools came out. London and Chavo stopped fighting and stood side by side to fend off Mexicool. The threesome of heels attacked London and Chavo and KO’d the bell ringer at ringside for good measure.
WINNER: No contest at 3:40.
STAR RATING: 1/2* — A good start. I do think they should keep this streak of interrupted Cruiserweight Title matches going. Let’s see how creative they can get. Eventually it can be revealed that London was scared of Chavo and orchestrated all of these interruptions in his title defenses.
-Juventud asked in broken English if there were any Mexicans in the house three times. He looks like a cross between X-Pac and Michael Jackson with a dose of Bret Hart. He tried to start a revolt against the Gringos. Juvi got on a riding mower and rode it to the back while holding a big balloon made to look like a bottle of Corona.
[Commercial Break]
-A recap aired of the Rey Mysterio-Eddie Guerrero match last week.
-Josh Matthews asked Guerrero why he was smiling after his loss to Rey Mysterio last week. Guerrero said he was smiling because he knows the truth. He said Rey is going to get on his knees and beg him not to tell the truth later tonight.
-Melina’s cleavage was shown as she stretched backstage. She asked Mercury and Nitro about which celebrities are there. They ripped on Anaheim as an L.A. wanna be. Melina then fantasized about headlines reading Melina destroyed Michelle McCool. I doubt that will be the headline in next week’s Torch Newsletter, but if it’s a slow enough week, you never know.
[Commercial Break]
-Footage aired of the Smackdown Summer Bash tour in Europe.
-For the record, when Tazz read a promo for “Fantastic Four” opening at theaters, Michael Cole said, “I can’t wait.”
2 — MELINA vs. MICHELLE MCCOOL
Melina won when she put her feet on the middle rope for leverage. Afterward, MNM gave McCool the Snapshot.
WINNER: Melina at 2:00.
STAR RATING: 1/4* — For what it was, it was fine. Short and intense. Melina definitely has a confidence and swagger about her that sets her apart as a heel diva.
-They showed Chris Benoit warming up backstage for the Smackdown Title match.
[Commercial Break]
-Eddie Guerrero introduced a video asking Rey’s son Dominique if he likes to hear secrets. He offered him candy and then challenged him to climb a slide and slide down quickly. Eddie had Dominique sit on his lap. He told him he loves him. Dominique returned the favor. Eddie then promised to tell Dominique a bed time story he’ll never, ever forget. They went back to the arena. Tazz wondered what that was all about. Guerrero called out Rey. Rey came out. Eddie screamed and told Rey to get on his knees and beg him not to tell the “truth.” He gave no indication what the “truth” was. Rey slowly got onto his knees and said some words off-mic to Guerrero. Guerrero bit open a package of licorice and offered Rey a piece of candy. Guerrero chewed on some of the candy, then spit it out and shoved it in Rey’s face. “Chew on that,” concluded Guerrero before leaving the ring. Cole and Tazz wondered what that was about. Strange segment. Not sure what to think of it at this point.
[Commercial Break]
ARTICLE CONTINUED BELOW…
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-Introductions took place for the main event Smackdown Title match. Cole said Hassan could be the first Arab-American Champion here in World Wrestling Entertainment. Iron Sheik must’ve been Persian. Teddy Long stepped out and revealed that Christian was the latest Smackdown Draft Lottery acquisition, replacing Big Show. Tazz reacted like he just drank an insect shake in a Survivor challenge.
3 — MUHAMMAD HASSAN vs. CHRIS BENOIT vs. JBL vs. BOOKER T vs. CHRISTIAN vs. UNDERTAKER
The match began with Christian vs. undertaker. When Christian tagged in Hassan, Hassan got wide-eyed and they cut to a break.
[Commercial Break]
Taker beat on Hassan for several minutes including his top rope walk. Eventually JBL and Benoit each tagged in. JBL tagged in Hassan. Taker was DQ’d at 13:15 after using a chair against Hassan at ringside. Hassan was eliminated by virtue of running to the back after Taker’s attack and not returning.
[Commercial Break]
Booker and Benoit battled for several minutes without a tag as Christian and JBL watched. JBL tagged in against Booker at 23:30. Benoit tagged himself back in and went for a superplex. on Booker. JBL tagged himself in, DDT’d Benoit, and scored the pin at 24:30.
[Commercial Break]
Christian tagged in against Booker and applied his obligatory chinlock at 29:30. Christian delivered a “dropkick to the kisser” of Booker T. I’d like to propose a complete ban on referring to someone’s mouth as a “kisser” during wrestling matches for the next 100 years. Booker came back and went for a Scissors Kick. Christian ducked and went for an Unprettier. Booker escaped and gave Christian a jump wheel kick to his sniffer. Christian kicked out at two. JBL tagged himself in and gave Booker a boot to the chewer. JBL hit Booker with a clothesline in the corner. Christian tagged himself in at 34:00 and scored a near fall after surprising JBL with a flying clothesline off the top rope. JBL and Christian battled for several minutes. Booker tagged in against JBL at36:00. He scored some near falls on JBL.
[Commercial Break]
JBL leaped off the top rope, and Booker turned it into a powerslam for a near fall. Christian tagged himself in and schoolboyed Booker with a yank of the tights for the win. That left Christian vs. JBL. Booker T wouldn’t leave the ring; he was livid with Christian blindsiding him and cheating to score the pin. As Christian saluted the crowd, JBL nailed him with a Clothesline from Hell for the three count.
WINNER: JBLat 44:00 to capture the Smackdown Championship.
STAR RATING: ***1/4 — Solid long match that was never boring, but also never exhilarating.
-Teddy Long stepped into the ring with a title belt wrapped in a black case. Long said he had some good news and some bad news for him. “The bad news is, even though you won the match, you are not the Smackdown Champion,” said Long. He said he recently found out there is no need for a Smackdown Championship. He told him he has earned the no. 1 contender slot for the final Smackdown draft lottery pick – Batista. Batista’s music then played and out walked Batista in his suit with the World Hvt. Title strap over his shoulder. “The World Heavyweight Champion has come to Smackdown! Oh my god!” said Cole. Tazz said, “Pinch me.” There is no confirmation of whether Cole did in fact pinch Tazz at that point. Cole talked up Batista as the man who defeated Triple H three times. Batista entered the ring, flipped off his sun glasses, and held the belt in the air right in front of a winded, deflated JBL.
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