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
JANUARY 20, 2006
TAPED JAN. 17
BY WADE KELLER, PWTORCH EDITOR
WK: This is a complete report on LAST week’s edition of Smackdown. Mike Roe’s report was published originally right after the show, but I didn’t get a complete tape of the show until this weekend…
-A recap aired of last week’s Battle Royal for the Belt.
1 — LASHLEY beat JBL (w/Jillian Hall).
The announcers talked about Boogeyman biting off Hall’s “cancerous, oozing growth” last week. JBL and Hall looked nervously about Boogeyman maybe stalking them during the match. Boogeyman eventually came out from under the ring and yanked on his leg from behind. JBL stumbled backward and Lashley gave him his Dominator for the win. Afterward, Boogeyman pulled worms out of his pocket, dropped them into his mouth, and scared Hall and JBL away.
WINNER: Lashley.
STAR RATING: 1/2* — Boogeyman’s segment is one I look forward to each week. I feel sorry for the worms, though. Sorry, I’m a sucker for worms (and thus not much of a fisherman).
[Commercial Break]
-Kurt Angle walked through the locker room and was greeted by various wrestlers, including Road Warrior Animal and Matt Hardy. He met Rey Mysterio, who said Kurt Angle proved himself once again, but now he is going to prove himself again by beating Mark Henry in the no. 1 contender’s match later. He said then they’d meet at the Royal Rumble. Then he encountered Henry, who said he’d take out Rey later and then get a title shot against him at the Rumble. “Kurt, you can’t beat me,” he said. Angle replied: “First of all, Mark, good luck tonight. Second of all, don’t ever get in my face again! I’m the champion now and I’ll fight anyone, anywhere, anytime.” He got in his face. Henry breathed heavily as Angle walked away.
-Booker T and Sharmell walked toward the entrance backstage and anticipated their U.S. Title win celebration.
[Commercial Break]
-Jillian Hall complained to Teddy Long about the scar on her face and how people are going to look at her like a freak from now on. JBL barged in and yelled about the Boogeyman interfering in his match. He also complained that Hall is now scarred for life. JBL said children are afraid of the Boogeyman, not adults. Long asked if he wanted to face him one-on-one at the Rumble. JBL tried to hide his fright as Long said the match was already made. JBL and Hall looked scared.
-Sharmell walked out and introduced Booker T. “I told you my man could do it!” she said. “That is why I’ve planned the biggest celebration this town has ever seen.” Booker T then came out. Cole pointed out that Booker T didn’t do anything to win the title (leaving out that Booker went up 3-0 on his own before getting hurt), but then corrected himself by saying he clocked Benoit in the back of the head with the title belt to give Randy Orton the match seven win. Cole said Orton should be walking out with the belt, too. Balloons fell from the ceiling. Pyro then shot down from the rafters, creating a waterfall of color behind Booker and Sharmell in the ring.
Booker then held up the mic and smiled. He thanked everyone who believed in him. He said it was a lot of hard work to beat Benoit in the Best of Seven Series, “but I did it, and did it all by myself.” Cole laughed at the absurdity of Booker’s claim. Sharmell said Benoit is a loser. Then they made out (Edge/Lita gimmick infringement!). Booker talked about his great suit. Orlando Jordan walked out and said since Booker said he had to prove himself to him, he wanted a U.S. Title match. Sharmell laughed. Booker joined in. Jordan asked if he was scared. Booker said his doctor told him not to fight, so he isn’t cleared. Jordan shoved Booker to the mat. Long strutted onto the stage and said he would allow one more substitution – so tonight Jordan would face Randy Orton for Booker’s U.S. Title. Long then danced off the stage.
[Commercial Break]
2 — FINLAY vs. MATT HARDY
Finlay’s music began: “My name is Finlay and I love to fight.” At age 45, he looked really fit. Harrdy cut off Finlay’s early offense with a reverse atomic drop. Hardy knocked Finlay to ringside and then slingshot himself onto him on the floor. He threw Finlay into the ring and scored a near two count. Finlay blocked a sunest flip attempt and drove his knee into Hardy’s head. Hardy, though, dominated offense for most of the next five minutes. Finlay came back at 5:00 and choked Hardy across the bottom rope. When he didn’t release the choke, the ref called for the DQ. Finlay took a post-match shot at Hardy in protest for being DQ’d
WINNER: Finlay at 5:50.
STAR RATING: * — I like the ref asserting his authority to call for a DQ, but I doubt this will be consistently applied in future matches by other wrestlers. The match itself wasn’t a showcase for Finlay as Hardy was on offense 75 percent of the match. Finlay showed signs of being different in intensity and “European street fight” toughness, but wasn’t particularly exciting.
-A clip aired of Angle firing Daivari on Raw earlier in the week.
-Daivari confronted Long and complained about Angle putting his hands on him. He said his managerial advice is what got him the World Title. Daivari asked Long to make him Angle’s manager again. Long told Daivari instead he would put Angle in a match against him one-on-one. Daivari threw a fit.
[Commercial Break]
-A video segment aired on Batista’s tricep tear, which included graphiic footage of Batista’s surgery. The doctor said the tendon healing takes six to eight weeks. He said he will be back in the gym as soon as he can. He said working out in the gym is his life, his stress relief, and when he can, he will reclaim what is his.
ARTICLE CONTINUED BELOW…
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3 — REY MYSTERIO vs. MARK HENRY — No. 1 Contender Match
Cole talked about how Rey’s strategy should be to take Henry to the mat so his size is less of a factor. Rey got in a couple minutes of early offense.
[Commercial Break]
Shortly after returning from the break, Henry shoulder-blocked Rey to the mat. He took over control at 5:00 and kept it until 10:00 when Rey clipped Henry from behind. He followed by diving at Henry off the ropes, but Henry caught him. Rey came back seconds later with a springboard dropkick followed by two 619s – one to Henry’s back and another to the gut. Henry then collapsed onto the middle rope. Rey hit a third 619 to Henry’s face. The announcers went so overboard in hyping Rey’s pending win that it was obvious he wasn’t winning. Rey hit a top rope splash for a two count. Henry rolled up onto his feet and powerslammed Rey in one fluid move for a three count.
WINNER: Henry at 12:00.
STAR RATING: ** — Watchable and well executed considering the obstacles (the main one being Henry himself), but still just average. Rey has mastered the undersized underdog role in a credible way where the larger wrestler doesn’t loose anything by selling for him, something Rey has faced most of his WCW and WWE career.
[Commercial Break]
-Mr. Kennedy came out to mid-ring and pushed his new t-shirt and told fans to buy it. He then joined Tazz and Cole at ringside. Kennedy shook Tazz’s hand, but ignored Cole’s. What, are they trying to turn him babyface? Kennedy asked Tazz and ordered Cole to put on his t-shirt. Cole put it on and thanked Kennedy. Kennedy told Cole has a nice head. Tazz didn’t know what to make of that.
4 — THE GYMINI (w/Simon Dean) vs. BRIAN KENDRICK & PAUL LONDON
London and Kendrick knocked Simon off the ring apron to the floor, but were soon selling for The Gymini and losing decisively.
WINNERS: The Gymini at 2:33.
STAR RATING: 1/4* — Nice bumps from Kendrick and London. It’s a crime that Kendrick & London are treated as jobbers with a ring entrance. There is money in them as a new Rockers type tag act for 2006. I don’t see Gynimi in their category as being draws. They’re big and bald, but nothing else has stood out.
[Commercial Break]
-An RVD promo aired hyping his return to WWE in the Royal Rumble.
5 — ORLANDO JORDAN vs. RANDY ORTON
Randy acted really cocky and controlled the match early.
[Commercial Break]
Orton continued to control the match with matwork, although it wasn’t the same with Jordan as it was with Chris Benoit a week earlier. Jordan made a comeback when Orton missed a shoulder tackle in the corner. When Jordan hit a swinging neckbreaker, Sharmell rushed to ringside followed by Booker. That distraction gave Orton enough time to caught Jordan on the top rope. Booker then hit Jordan with the crutch from behind as the ref was distracted by Sharmell. Orton then hit Jordan with an RKO and scored the pin. Benoit ran to the ring and jumped Booker, ripping his shirt that he was bragging about earlier and chopping his chest. Benoit then fended off an attack from Orton, also, clearing the ring.
WINNER: Orton at 12:47 to retain the U.S. Title for Booker.
STAR RATING: ** — Average match.
[Commercial Break]
-Cole and Tazz previewed the Royal Rumble line-up.
-Raw Rebound aired.
-Krystal interviewed Daivari about his match against Angle, who said, “I don’t know what’s going to happen out there, but it’s going to be screwed up.”
[Commercial Break]
6 — KURT ANGLE vs. DAIVARI
Angle is not changing anything now that he’s a babyface other than, well, not bashing the troops. But he’s not smiling or shaking hands. He’s Mr. Intensity and all business, as usual. He carries himself like the champion that he sees himself as. Henry came out just before the match began. Angle stared him down. Cole addressed why wrestlers backstage congratulated Angle earlier. “It’s not because they like Kurt Angle, but because they respect him,” said Cole. That was good to acknowledge that. Angle suplexed Daivari in the opening seconds. When Henry distracted Angle, that Daivari the opening to give Angle a low-blow from behind.
Angle fought back immediately with stiff uppercuts and back suplex. Daivari bailed out again. Angle whipped Daivari into Henry at ringside. Henry caught Daivari. Henry used Daivari as a shield, but Angle knocked him into twice and send Henry backwards with Daivari on top. Angle gave Daivari an Angle Slam followed by the Anklelock. Melina jumped into the ring and onto Angle’s back. The ref called for the DQ. Angle flipped Melina over and then put the Anklelock on her.
Melina screamed in agony. Henry hit Angle from behind then gave him a front driving powerslam. Henry threw the steps into the ring and then hit Angle from behind with the steps. Angle fell through the ropes and to the floor with a thud. Daivari helped Melina up and told her he’d take good care of Henry. They shook hands. Daivari held the rope open for Melina. Daivari then stood in the ring and announced he is now the manager of Henry, “the next World Heavyweight Champion.”
WINNER: Angle via DQ at 6:00.
STAR RATING: 3/4*
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