Eeport by Brian TuckerGeneral Manager Kurt Angle began the show addressing the audience saying it was a Great American injustice that the title change had to be controversial. He recaps what happened that night in Norfolk, VA, where clearly, JBL touched the corner first. There is a new sheriff in town and it’s John Bradshaw Layfield.
JBL makes a grand entrance in his limo adorned with red, white, and blue decor. On his way to the ring, he shakes everyone’s’ hands in political fashion. The ring was also covered in red, white, and blue decor. “It’s morning again in America” JBL says in honor of President Regan. JBL promises to be the greatest WWE Champion because America loves a winner. Since he’s so great, he whips out the hand sanitizer and says a simple nod would do next time since shaking hands can make people sick. He says it’s not OK to chant his name, JBL, JBL, JBL though he would prefer Mr. Bradshaw. JBL says he will defend the WWE Championship tonight against anyone of his choosing except Eddie Guerrero.
Rob Van Dam vs René Duprée vs Booker T • No. 1 Contender Match for the United States Championship
RVD knocks out both opponents. René gets dumped to the outside by RVD, RVD and Booker go at it. RVD chops the former WCW Champion and sends a kick his way. Booker comes back stomping RVD in the corner. RVD counters with a kick from the top rope and a standing moonsault for a two count thanks to René saving the match. Duprée dumps RVD in the corner and stomps on him. RVD hits a thrust kick on the French Phenom, René attempts a powerbomb but RVD drops René and hits a basement dropkick. Booker saves the match by interrupting the count. Booker and René double team RVD in the corner and around the ring. René holds RVD up for Booker but Booker blasts René by mistake. RVD hits a rolling thunder on René and dumps Booker to the outside. René Duprée is whipped to the ropes and gets tangled, RVD capitalizes with a drop kick to the midsection. Booker comes in with a chair in hand and misses his swing on Rob. RVD hits a van daminator on Booker using the chair! RVD shoots lefts and rights at René who’s still stuck in the ropes. Duprée gets loose but gets knocked to the outside. Van Dam hits a top rope dive to René on the outside heading in to break!
Booker and René have control of the match keeping the double team strategy. Booker hits a sidewalk slam and René follows up with a diving forearm. Booker T pins RVD but René pulls him off and the two have words. RVD rolls up Booker for a two count, the two double team him again. Booker hits a suplex and René hits an elbow drop for a pin. Booker dumps RVD out and the two heels go at it. René hits a powerslam off the ropes, Duprée does his French tickler dance and goes for an elbow drop but misses. René low blows Booker while the referee checks on RVD. RVD sets up a chair in the corner and goes after René. René counters the whip and sends RVD crashing head first into the steel chair. René hits a German suplex pin for a two count on RVD. Booker knocks down René and hits a major spine buster! Book fires up does the spin-a-roonie! RVD gets back up and hits a spin kick on Booker following up with the frogsplash! René rushes in and pins RVD for two. RVD regains offense and blasts René down and hits the five star on him! Booker pulls RVD off René to the outside, rushes in, and scores the pin off of RVD’s move to become No.1 Contender!
Booker T def. René Duprée and Rob Van Dam
A stagehand walks up to JBL’s room and says all his candidates for his title defense are in the locker room waiting for him.
Luther Reigns tells Charles Robinson that Kurt Angle demands perfection and at The Great American Bash he did not judge well. Robinson gave Sable a pinfall victory over Torrie even though Torrie’s shoulders were not pinned. Luther says there will be hell to pay if he fails again tonight in the rematch.
Booker T and John Cena argue over who’s gonna win in next week’s match. JBL comes in and the room is filled with Smackdown’s! champions Rey Mysterio, The Dudleyz, and John Cena. Also in the room, Hardcore Holly and Booker T. JBL runs through each candidate individually and says he’ll pick a Dudley to defend his title against tonight. Bubba and D-von seem to be really happy but JBL says it’s not them, it’s going to be Spike Dudley!
Recap of US Championship No.1 Contenders match. Next week it will be John Cena defending his US Championship against Booker T.
Rey Mysterio vs Mordecai • Non Title Match
Mordecai makes his entrance without the robe carrying his staff. The two lock up with Mordecai having the definite size advantage. Mordecai his a right and stomps on Rey. Rey escapes a big leg drop and manages to evade Mordecai’s offense. Rey tries for a slingshot bulldog but Mordecai reverses it into a full nelson stretch and crashes Rey’s head in the top turn buckle. Mordecai stretches Rey’s neck using the steel post and keeps working it in the ring. Mordecai hangs Rey in an unorthodox submission hold. Rey hits a drop kick from the top rope for a two count. Lots of offense to Mordecai and the ham strings. Mordecai crawls to the ropes and Rey hits the 619! Mordecai reverses the west coast pop and throws Rey into the ropes. Mordecai scores a big boot to Rey and sets up the crucifix bomb but Rey counters into a harricanrana pin for the upset victory!!
Rey Mysterio def. Mordecai
Michael Cole and Tazz explain that the footage from G.A.B. is graphic when Paul Heyman comes out. Heyman says he has control of the Undertaker and runs the footage of Paul Bearer being buried alive in concrete. He says since Undertaker didn’t do the right thing by letting the Dudleyz pin him, he started the flow of concrete. Lightning strikes the ring and Taker comes on the titantron! He says his conscious is now gone and that Bearer was the only weakness he had. Since he destroyed the only thing he cared for, there is nothing standing in his way. “Could you imagine what I’m going to do to you?” he tells Heyman.
Sable vs Torrie Wilson
Torrie spears Sable before the bell rings and knocks her to the outside. Sable tries to escape over the barricade but Torrie drags her back and stomps on her. Torrie whips Sable by the hair across the ring. Sable tosses Torrie out and lands a forearm. Sable blasts Torrie with kicks to the back. Sable chokes Torrie in the ropes and on the mat, all the while Charles Robinson makes sure everything is ok for his sake. Torrie gets a two count off a backslide pin. Torrie hits a DDT for the victory.
Torrie Wilson def. Sable
Kurt Angle comes on the tron and says that he can’t let the infraction at G.A.B. go unpunished so he will send out a superstar to wrestle him. Robinson says he’s not a wrestler but Angle demands he takes his shirt off and get ready, or else he can quit. Kurt sends out Luther Reigns!!
Charles Robinson vs Luther Reigns
Robinson argues with Jimmy Korderas about the situation. He says he can’t wrestle at all because he’s a referee. Korderas starts the match and Robinson runs away. Luther catches him on the outside and hits a knee to the gut. He rolls Robinson in the ring. Charlie Haas comes out and makes the save by knocking Luther over the top ropes! Luther yells down the ramp way and says, “I’ll get you Charlie!!”
No Contest
RAW Rebound
Eugene is made an official member of Evolution by Triple H to the chagrin of Randy Orton and Batista. William Regal comes out to try and stop it but Triple H tries to turn Eugene on him. Eric Bischoff comes out and makes a match between Triple H and William Regal with “special” guest referee, Eugene! During the match, Ric Flair tosses Triple H brass knuckles but Regal nails Trip with a right. Regal takes the knucks off but Eugene catches him with it and disqualifies him. Trip jumps both of them but Eugene thinks Regal did it. Eugene throws a big hissy fit and attacks Regal. The tension between Kane and Chris Benoit rise as Benoit was put in an unfortunate position. After making Kane tap out to the crossface, Kane gets up and destroys Benoit. Lita comes to the ring and looks as if she’s celebrating with Kane. When Kane turns around, Lita nails a low blow to the beast and tries to hit him with the World Title belt. Kane turns around and sets her up with a choke slam but lets her down, realizing his potential child is at risk. Benoit ends up with the belt and rams Kanes head in with it to end the show.
The Dudleyz harass Spike in the back room saying they will help him only if he promises to give one of them a title shot. They accuse him of working something to get that title shot. Spike turns down their offer and says he can do it on his own.
Kenzo Suzuki is carried to the ring by his minions accompanied by Hiroko. Kenzo cuts a promo in Japanese and before he could finish, John Cena comes out! Cena says no body can understand a damn word he says and we only understand basic Japanese like sushi and sake. He runs Kenzo’s promo again and translates it thuganomics style. First he says Kenzo is violently constipated which is why he makes funny faces. Then he says it’s like stuffing French bread though a key hole. Finally he insults Hiroko by saying she is a hermaphrodite proctologist and Kenzo is taking her to see White Chicks and she’s used to having white stuff painted on her face every night! As Cena leaves, Hiroko translates to Kenzo who gets enraged and calls Cena back!
JBL is in back and greets all the stage hands. He sees a car and asks a Hispanic stage hand who’s car is it. It’s Eddie Guerrero’s car.
Spike Dudley vs John Bradshaw Layfield • WWE Championship
JBL backs Spike to the corner with force and throws him to another. The match started out slowly with JBL getting most of the offense. JBL clubs Spike to the back and flings him to the mat. Big Bradshaw sucks chants going around the arena. JBL hits a big right hand to Spike. Spike comes back with kicks to the thighs and hamstrings, a dropkick as well. Spike stomps JBL in the corner, big pop for that! JBL quickly gets out and boots Spike, dumping him to the outside. JBL whips Spike with authority into the barricade. Spike receives a chop to the chest and club to the back. After rolling back in, Spike rolls back to the outside to avoid JBL. Bradshaw sends Spike into the steel steps. Back in the ring, JBL hits a head butt and hooks in a torture rack. Lots of Eddie chants flair up in the crowd as well as Bradshaw sucks. Spike gets out of the rack and works JBL to the corner and hits 10 punches. JBL pulls him off and drops Dudley with a major spine buster. Bradshaw drops a couple elbows and a whip to the corner. JBL misses the clothesline from hell and Spike hits a torpedo and executes the Dudley dog!! The audience was with Spike all the way during the pin, but JBL kicks out. JBL gets pissed and hits two short arm clotheslines followed up with a big powerbomb to retain his WWE Championship.
John Bradshaw Layfield def. Spike Dudley
Just as the match ended, Eddie Guerrero makes his way out!! Eddie has revenge on his mind and starts unbuttoning. He takes it to JBL in the ring with a big DDT and goes up top for the frogsplash but JBL rolls away. JBL says he doesn’t want to fight Eddie anymore while getting into his limo. Eddie drops a bombshell on JBL saying he had a clause put in his contract before Kurt Angle became GM. Eddie has the right to a rematch anytime he wants and says JBL won’t be WWE Champion for long. Next week, it’s Eddie Guerrero vs John Bradshaw Layfield in a steel cage match for the WWE Championship!!