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
DECEMBER 2, 2005
CINCINNATI, OHIO
BY WADE KELLER, PWTORCH EDITOR
-Michael Cole and Tazz introduced the show.
-Randy Orton, with Cowboy Bob, walked out for an interview in mid-ring. Orton talked about the usual subjects, but stepped up his delivery and intensity above his usual. He bragged about being a long survivor at Survivor Series and then demanded a World Title match against Batista at Armageddon.
-As a clip aired of Orton driving Eddie Guerrero’s car backwards into the entrance set on Tuesday’s Smackdown Special, Cole called Orton “evil” and said it would be a disgrace for him to be the champion of Smackdown.
-They plugged JBL & Rey Mysterio vs. Big Show & Kane as the main event. Did they completely disregard any sense of obligation to explain brand crossover appearances?
[Commercial Break]
1 — TAG TEAM BATTLE ROYAL (LOD, The Dicks, Brian “Spanky” Kendrick & Paul London, Vito & Nunzio, Super Crazy & Psicosis, Scotty Hotty & Funaki)
Melina did the splits on the announcers’ table, causing Tazz and Cole’s to stammer and fawn over the close-up view they were getting. MNM watched from ringside to see whom they would face for the tag titles at Armageddon. LOD were eliminated early when Animal whipped Kendrick into a pile of wrestlers which sent Heidenreich over the top and to the floor. MNM celebrated at ringside.
[Commercial Break]
Funaki (and thus Scotty, too) was eliminated during the break. London was knocked off the top rope by a Dick at 7:00. That left the Mexicools vs. The Dicks.
WINNERS: Mexicools at 8:30.
STAR RATING: *
-Josh Matthews interviewed JBL backstage. “In times like these, they (the fans) need someone like me,” said JBL, who claimed that nothing bad would have happened to Rey had he been there on Tuesday night. He called Smackdown “my show” and said he would defend it against Show and Kane. A bloody looking liquid streamed down from the Smackdown logo. JBL looked on bewildered if not intimidated. I don’t like the idea of babyfaces from Raw being portrayed as heels just because they’re on Smackdown; however, JBL did the best he could with the situation by touting it being his show to defend. He will make a strong babyface due to his promo ability and his tenure.
[Commercial Break]
2 — WILLIAM REGAL vs. CHRIS BENOIT
Booker T and Sharmell joined Cole and Tazz at ringside. Sharmell said, “Michael Cole, you talk too much.” Booker talked about sweeping the competition with Benoit and bragged about being up 2-0. Booker and Sharmell were entertaining on commentary. Benoit went for an early Crossface, but Regal kicked out of it and knocked Benoit to ringside. Regal went on sustained offense. Booker took Cole up on his sarcastic invitation to take over commentary since he was so talkative. He was better than Coach. Benoit bled from the forehead. He made a comeback at 6:45 with a series of German suplexes. Regal also bled form the forehead. Benoit hit a dragon suplex and applied the Crossface for a quick tapout win.
WINNER: Benoit at 7:28.
STAR RATING: **
-Randy Orton told his father as they walked through the back hallway that after he beats Matt Hardy next, he’d confront Batista in his locker room. They zoomed in on a clock on the wall which was running backwards quickly, continuing to play into the series of eerie things happening.
[Commercial Break]
3 — MATT HARDY vs. RANDY ORTON (w/Cowboy Bob Orton)
Hardy got in a good amount of offense, including a dive over the top rope onto Orton at ringside. He ended up getting caught with a boot to the face and then a surprise RKO for the clean three count. In the kiss of death in pro wrestling, Tazz referred to Matt Hardy as “The Very Capable Matt Hardy.” Historically in wrestling, being called “very capable” is short for “very capable of winning even though he almost never does.” S.D. Jones, for instance, would have been classified as “very capable.”
WINNER: Orton at 5:25.
STAR RATING: *1/4
-After the match, as the Ortons celebrated, Taker’s voice came over the loud speaker. Randy jumped into the ring and looked terrified. Taker tormented him verbally and said, “Randy, I’m coming for you.” Orton fled through the crowd and into a back hallway where he ran into an Undertaker smoking casket. He fled back to the ring. Taker continued the verbal mind games, asking Randy if he was scared. “Remember your destiny,” said Taker. “Your destiny is right before your eyes. Randy, you tried to kill me, but I’m the one who does the killing.”
Orton frantically ran through the crowd, panting in fear, pleadingly asking, “Where are you? Where are you?” Another explosion sent Orton to the ground. He ran a different direction through the crowd as if lost and disoriented in the woods. “You look lost, boy,” said Undertaker, who never showed his face. “You’re going with me, straight to hell. Hell in the Cell!” Orton grabbed his hair and shook his head.
[Commercial Break]
-Orton told Teddy Long backstage that he wanted a title match at Armageddon, not Hell in a Cell against Undertaker. Long said if Taker demands something, he’s not going to stand in his way, so he made HIAC official.
-Crystal Marshall, a new interviewer, asked Simon Dean backstage about facing Boogeyman in his debut match. Dean said he’s not scared of him because he’s a lunatic for hiding in people’s closets and under beds. He, on the other hand, is in perfect shape thanks to his Simon System. Boogey’s head popped up through a table. He began making facing and laughing.
-The Raw Rebound aired.
[Commercial Break]
ARTICLE CONTINUED BELOW…
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4 — BOOGEYMAN vs. SIMON DEAN
Boogeyman’s ring entrance was a big production, dark and foggy. He ended up eating a handful of worms, then threw them at Dean. Simon hid behind a ref as Boogey wiggled and danced and laughed in the ring. Simon cowered in the corner. Boogey grabbed him and hit his finisher for the quick win. Cole: “He’s got live worms in his body right now.”
WINNER: Boogeyman at 0:25.
STAR RATING: n/a
[Commercial Break]
-They showed highlights of WWE in Italy with interviews with enthusiastic fans and WWE wrestlers talking about how great it was to work in front of the enthusiastic audiences. Nunzio said it was a career highlight to win the Cruiserweight Title in Rome.
5 — BOBBY LASHLEY vs. SYLVAIN
Sylvain did some mic work before the match, but Lashley took immediate control of the match. He did a delayed vertical suplex with one hand, then shoulder tackles in the corner. Sylvain made a comeback at 1:00. He pounded on him for a minute, but Lashley of course came back and outpowered Sylvain. He rammed Sylvain into two turnbuckles without setting him down between, then dumped him over his shoulder. He followed with a spinebuster and then hit his finisher, The Dominator.
WINNER: Lashley at 4:20.
STAR RATING: 34* — Pretty basic stuff where Lashley did all the moves you’d see a green indy wrestler getting by on size would use at a small local show, but he got to show off his strength and intensity, which are his major assets at this point.
[Commercial Break]
-They plugged Hell in a Cell for Armageddon.
6 — BIG SHOW & KANE vs. REY MYSTERIO & JBL (w/Jillian Hall)
Show came out first. During Kane’s ring intro, Cole said if not for Kane’s interference, he thinks Rey had a chance to score “the upset of all upsets” over Big Show. Tazz said we’d never know. Cole plugged that JBL will be on Fox on Saturday morning at 11L30 a.m. ET on “Cashing In.” When Mysterio popped up onto the entrance stage, his ribs were taped and he winced in pain. It’s good that they’re selling three days later the effects of the powerbomb from the Smackdown Special. Still no explanation for why Show & Kane are guests on Smackdown in a tag match. It was treated as practically commonplace by Cole and Tazz, as if no explanation was needed. JBL got in early offense against Kane and Show. Rey then eagerly tagged in at 3:30, but Show blindsided him leading to sustained selling by Rey. The ref mistakenly poked JBL in the eye during a heated discussion they had over Show’s interference. JBL began to stagger toward the back. Rey noticed him leaving and didn’t know why.
[Commercial Break]
The beating on Rey continued. Cole expressed disgust with JBL for abandoning Rey over a mere eye poke. Tazz said he didn’t know what to say, but perhaps it was a serious eye injury. Cole said, “The ref should stop this thing! With Rey Mysterio’s heart, he’s going to stay in this thing until he’s knocked down and can’t go anymore.” Rey made a comeback at 11:00 on Kane, so Show intervened. Rey, though, springboarded at Show and then took out his left knee from behind. That set up Show for a 619. Rey hit Kane with a 619 on one side of the ring, then Show on the other. When he dove at Show a second later, Show caught him and chokeslammed him for the pin. When Show and Kane continued to attack Rey after the match, Batista made the save. No more tape around his ribs. He used a chair to knock both Show and Kane out of the ring. He celebrated in the ring and helped Rey to his feet, then left him as the show concluded. “Smackdown standing tall thanks to the World Heavyweight Champion,” said Cole.
WINNERS: Show & Kane at 12:14.
STAR RATING: **
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