written by Adam King
WWF SMACKDOWN
Thursday, May 25th, 2000
Taped (5/23) in Evansville, IL
List of WWF Champions at the time:
WWF World Heavyweight Champion: Triple H (5/21/2000)
WWF Intercontinental Champion: Chris Benoit (5/08/2000)
WWF World Tag Team Champions: Edge & Christian (4/02/2000)
WWF European Champion: Eddie Guerrero (4/03/2000)
WWF Hardcore Champion: Gerald Brisco (5/18/2000)
WWF Women’s Champion: Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley (3/30/2000)
WWF Light Heavyweight Champion: Dean Malenko (4/27/2000)
~ Smackdown comes on the air with a recap of Rock and Undertaker taking apart the DX Regime on Raw. After the intro Michael Cole welcomes us to the show along with Jerry “The King” Lawler as we see a number of cops standing in the ring.
~ We cut backstage and see Vince McMahon, Shane McMahon and Gerald Brisco arriving in a limo with Vince asking if the cops are ready. Vince and the others step out of the limo with Vince saying tonight will not be a repeat of Monday and promises to have the Undertaker arrested for trespassing if he shows up. However Vince is interupted by the sound of a motorcycle revving up and turns around to see Taker riding up. The three of them manage to jump out of the way to avoid being run down by Taker who then chases Vince and the others around the backstage area on his motorcycle. Eventually Vince and the others escape up a stairwell with Taker watching from the bottom.
We cut back to the arena just in time to see Vince wearily coming out to the ring. Vince gets on the mic and chews out the cops for failing to protect him, reminding them they have a job to do and asking if they’re armed. Vince then calls Taker out to the ring and it isn’t long before the Kid Rock theme fires up and Taker walks out to the ring to stand face-to-face with Vince. Vince asks Taker who he thinks he is and if he thinks this is a game, saying he could have been really injured before telling Taker he’s going to pay a hefty price tonight. However Vince says he wants to get something off his chest first and tells Taker he enjoyed him costing The Rock the WWF Championship at Judgment Day with his interference, even though Triple H would have beaten Rock regardless. Vince continues to call Taker the reason Rock is no longer champion and warns him not to turn his back to Rock. Vince then brings up how Taker appeared on Raw, reminding Taker of walking out on him last September and doesn’t a have a WWF contract as a result. Vince says unlike Monday he’s ready for him tonight then accuses Taker of trespassing and orders the cops to arrest him. Taker takes the mic from Vince and asks him if he ever talks to Linda anymore. Taker says Linda signed him to a new fat contract before Judgment Day, lots of years and lots of zeroes, meaning Vince gets to pay him lots of money for the pleasure of beating him up. Vince is less than thrilled with the news but then orders the cops to arrest Taker for attempted vehicular homicide while jabbing one of them with his finger. The cop responds by saying if he arrests Taker he’ll also have to arrest Vince for assalting an police officer. I don’t believe that’s how it works but whatever. The cop then tells Vince work work out his problems on his own and the cops leave the ring. Vince yells at the cops for deserting him … before realizing he’s now been left alone in the ring with Taker. Taker dares Vince to attack him then grabs him by the throat looking for a chokeslam. Shane comes in and nails Taker with a chair to make the save but Taker no-sells it and the McMahons flee from the ring as Taker stands tall.
~ Back from break we get a replay of Shane saving Vince from an Undertaker chokeslam.
~ Edge & Christian then come out to the ring as Cole mentions they’ve issued an open challenge for their tag titles. Edge gets on the mic and mentions their challenge to any team they haven’t beaten but feels the problem is they’ve beaten everybody. Christian agress there’s no competiton for them and the two sugggest other teams they could face like Kaientai, the Headbangers and even the Moondogs. Eventually Eddie Guerrero and Chyna come out to apparently accept their challenge and E&C look a little flabergasted but take their positions for the match.
WWF World Tag Team Titles: Edge & Christian © vs. Eddie Guerrero & Chyna
Eddie starts off with Edge grabs a waistlock then hits a snapmare then twists his foot into Eddie’s nose. Chyna tags in and the two of them hit a double suplex then Eddie whips Edge into a clothesline by Chyna. Chyna slams Edge to the mat and holds him down while Eddie slings himself over the ropes into a hilo on Edge. Christian taunts the fans allowing Eddie to knock him off the apron to the floor. Eddie hits a suplex for a two count then goes for a whip but Edge reverses and Eddie tumbles out to the floor after Christian pulls down the top rope. Christian drops Eddie onto the barricade and rolls him back in the ring and Eddie and Edge exchange shots and Eddie getting the advantage. Edge rakes the face and hits a dropkick then tags in Christian who hits a backbreaker. Christian chokes Eddie on the mat then draws in Chyna while Edge comes in and gets a shot. Christian goes for a powerbomb but Eddie floats over him into a Sunset Flip, Christian rolls out of it but Eddie hits a neckbreaker. Christian tags Edge while Eddie tags in Chyna and Chyna takes it to both men. Chyna powerbombs Christian but Edge nails her from behind. Edge whips Chyna and goes for the headscissors but Chyna counters into a powerbomb. Christian breaks up the pin and the referee keeps Eddie from coming in when Chyna hits a low blow on both men. Chyna then hits the handspring elbow on Christian in a corner and looks to do the same on Edge but Edge cuts her off with a spear. Eddie hammers Edge in a corner but Christian throws him through the ropes then he and Edge hit Chyna with a double suplex. E&C double-team Chyna as the referee tries to break it up but Edge shoves the referee away and that causes a DQ. (3:22) Eddie comes back and beats Edge down in a corner while Christian brings in one of the tag belts and takes a swing at Chyna but misses. Eddie grabs Chyna from behind and helps Chyna kick Christian and Edge away and the champs clear out of the ring while Eddie and Chyna stand tall. Fun match for what it was, though I don’t see why Chyna couldn’t have taken a pinfall. **½
~ Backstage Crash is in the Acolytes’ office shaking up their beer cans in frustration when Bradshaw and Faarooq come in and find him. Bradshaw threatens to beat Crash up but Faarooq feels Crash learned his lesson on Raw and Crash pretends to agree with him. Faarooq tries to tell Crash a story but Crash responds by spraying the beer can he was shaking all over Faarooq and running away. Faarooq gets furious and storms off while Bradshaw laughs at him and opens another beer can. However Bradshaw finds Crash shook that one up as well and tells Faarooq to murder him as we go to commercial.
~ Back from break Vince McMahon is angrily pacing around his office as Shane and Gerald Brisco try to calm him down. Vince orders Brisco to go to the back of the building and tell him when The Rock arrives. Brisco starts to head out when Shane asks him to look out for the Undertaker as well.
Faarooq (w/Bradshaw) vs. Crash Holly – Hardcore Match
So Faarooq gets his turn to destroy Crash. Bradshaw joins the announcers for commentary while bringing out a six-pack. Crash rushes out with a garbage can and a 2×4 and breaks it over Faarooq’s back on the floor. Crash runs through the ring and leaps off the steps but Faarooq catches him into a powerslam on the floor. Faarooq throws Crash in the ring along wiht a garbage can and lid. Crash swings the lid but misses and Faarooq hits a spinebuster before throwing him through the ropes. Faarooq goes out and sets up for a Dominator through the table but Bradshaw tells him the beer’s out there so Faarooq sets Crash down and clotheslines him. Faarooq throws Crash in the ring and hits a Dominator onto the trash can for the convincing three. (1:14) Maybe Crash really needs to leave the Acolytes alone, especially since he got even less offense this time around. DUD
~ Backstage Gerald Brisco is shown waiting for The Rock in the garage as we go to commercial.
~ Back from break a limo pulls up and Gerald Brisco goes up to meet whoever it is. However instead of the Rock, Triple H comes out with Stephanie. Brisco tells Triple H what happened earlier and Triple H demands to see Vince.
Chris Jericho vs. Val Venis vs. Hardcore Holly – #1 Contender’s Match
The winner of this match gets an Intercontinential title shot on Raw. Jericho comes out first and gets on the mic talking about this match deciding a #1 contendor then says he’s still the “Ayatollah of Rock and Roll-ah” but is interupted by Hardcore’s entrance. Hardcore and Jericho start us off before Val can make his entrance and once Val enters he helps Jericho stomp Hardcore down in a corner. Val and Jericho take turns hitting chops then whip Hardcore into a corner and hit a double flapjack. Val covers Hardcore when Jericho pulls him off and goes for the cover himself but Val pulls Jericho off. the two of them start going at it when Hardcore nails both of the from behind and Jericho tumbles through the ropes. Hardocre hits an Atomic Drop followed by a clothesline then knocks Jericho off the apron. Hardcore hits a powerbomb but Jericho makes it back in for the save. Jericho chops Hardcore in a corner then whips him into the opposite corner and charges but eats a boot. Hardcore comes out but runs into a drop toehold and Jericho tees off on Hardcore when Val stomps Jericho in the head. Val tosses Jericho through the ropes when Hardcore goes to whip Val but Val reverses and hits a Fisherman’s suplex. Jericho makes the save then pulls Val out to the floor and throws him into the barricade. Jericho hits some chops on Val but Hardcore nails Jericho with a baseball slide. Hardcore and Val exchange punches and Hardcore gets the advantage then goes for a whip but Val reverses him into the ringpost. Jericho comes back with a clothesline on Val then hits some knee lifts before throwing him back in the ring. Jericho kicks Hardcore then climbs to the top rope and hits a missle dropkick on Val for a two count. Jericho chops Val into a corner when Hardcore clubs him from behind. Jericho and Hardcore exchange shots but Hardcore rakes the eyes and chops him in a corner. Val comes up from behind and suplexes Hardcore but only gets a two count.
Jericho hits a vertical suplex on Val then does the same to Hardcore but Val saves it and throws Jericho into a corner. Val and Hardcore double-team Jericho when Val throws Hardcore across the ring then whips Jericho. Hardcore readies a clothesline but Jericho ducks it and springs off the middle rope into a crossbody on Hardcore. Val tries to break it up with an elbow but misses Jericho and hits Hardcore. Jericho drops Val on the top rope with a Stun Gun but Hardcore nails him from behind and whips him. Jericho hits Hardcore with a forearm on Hardcore then hits the bulldog on Val and knocks him off the apron with the springboard dropkick. Hardcore connects with his own dropkick then whips Jericho but misses a right hand. Hardcore leaps up but Jericho catches him and drapes him into a Walls of Jericho around the ropes. Strangely the referee asks Hardcore if he wants to submit, ignoring that they’re in the ropes. Before Hardcore can submit Val nails Jericho with a guillotine legdrop to break the hold. Val whips Jericho into a corner and hits a clothesline followed by the Blue Thunderbomb but only gets two. Val whips Jericho and goes for a legdrop but Jericho holds onto the ropes to fake him out and connects with the Lionsault. Jericho covers but Hardcore breaks it up with a legdrop from the top then covers Val and gets the three for the title shot. (6:43) Hardcore gets his shot on Monday against either Chris Benoit or Kurt Angle who will suqare off for the IC strap later. Good work from all three guys involved. ***
~ Backstage Triple H and Stephanie are meeting with Vince and Shane about what the Undertaker did earlier and Vince claims he’s fine now then promises they’ll get even with Taker later. Gerald Brisco then comes in and tells Vince The Rock will be arriving shortly and Triple H offers to take Rock. Vince asks Triple H to calm down, saying he doesn’t want to anger Rock then decides to handle Rock himself as we to commercial.
~ Back from break Vince McMahon and Gerald Brisco open a garage door to find a limo waiting outside and The Rock coming out of it. Vince greets Rock by telling him he’s not looking for trouble tonight. Vince tells Rock they’ve had their differences then reminds him it was the Undertaker who cost him his title at the pay-per-view. Vince sees Rock is still angry with him so he offers Rock the night off to show there’s no hard feeling. Rock seems to take up the offer and climbs back into a limo as Vince prepares to send him on his way. Vince and Brisco start to leave when Rock leans out of his limo and tells Vince he has something to tell him. Once Vince gets close enough Rock slaps him in his ear then departs. Vince and Brisco head back inside, not seeing the Undertaker emerging from the shaows as we go to commercial.
~ Back from break we get a replay of Vince giving Rock the night off and getting boxed in the ear in response.
Matt Hardy (w/Jeff Hardy) vs. Essa Rios (w/Lita)
Rios and Lita have apparently patched things up after their spat on Raw. Or have they? Both men lockup to start and Rios forces Matt into a corner then goes for a whip but Matt reverses him into the opposite corner. Rios slings himself over the top rope to the apron and shoulderblocks Matt trough the ropes then locks knuckles and climbs to the top rope hitting a huricanrana. Rios hits a spinning heel kick that sends Matt rolling out to the floor then leaps over the ropes with a somersault senton. Rios rolls Matt back in the ring and covers for a two count then whips Matt into a corner and charges at him. Matt sidesteps Rios who lands on the middle rope but Matt nails him from behind and hits a cricifix bomb. Matt lands some shots followed by a discus punch then clotheslines Rios over the ropes. Matt goes out after Rios and winds up but Rios holds Lita in front of him like a shield and Matt stops himself. Rios suddenly shoves Lita into him then goes for a whip but Matt reverses and sends him into the ringsteps. Matt throws Rios back in the ring then whips him into a corner and charges but eats an elbow. Rios climbs to the top rope and connects with a moonsault but only gets a two count. Rios charges but Matt tosses him into the ropes, knocking Lita off the apron. Matt hits the Twist of Fate on Rios and that gets the pin. (2:53) Okay match but the real memorable part is what happens next. **
The Hardys start to leave while Lita is down on the floor when Rios goes out and throws her back in the ring. Rios powerbombs Lita then climbs to the top rope and hits a moonsault, ending their association. The Hardys then come back out and beat down Rios to keep him from doing further damage and Jeff whips Rios into a backdrop from Matt over the ropes. Matt goes out and holds Rios up while Jeff leaps off the apron with a forearm. The Hardys then help Lita out of the ring and carry her to the back, planting the seeds for their friendship. This would also be the end of Essa Rios’ push as he’d be relegated to the weekend shows for the rest of his WWF run.
~ Backstage Vince is meeting with the rest of the clan while still reeling from his encounter with The Rock. Vince says he’s glad Rock is gone then tells the others they now have to get rid of the Undertaker tonight. Triple H suggests they find someone who could look Taker in the eye and take him down, someone of Taker’s stature to get the job done. Triple H then suggests they could use a giant killer and all eyes turn toward Shane who seems hesitant but with Triple H and Vince’s encouragement Shane takes up the challenge.
Too Cool & The Dudley Boyz vs. Road Dogg & X-Pac (w/Tori) and T & A (w/Trish Stratus)
Test starts us off by working Scotty 2 Hotty over in a corner then whips him into the other corner. Scotty lifts himself up with the ropes and Test catches him on his shoulder but Scotty is able to slip out of there. Scotty goes for a whip, Test reverses it but Scotty hits a dropkick. Grandmaster Sexay tags in and both Too Cool guys throw Test to the mat and hit a double elbowdrop. Test comes back and pounds on Sexay then throws him into his corner and tags in Road Dogg. Albert and Road Dogg double-team Sexay in their corner then Road Dogg whips him into another corner and charges but eats a boot. Sexay hops on the middle rope and hits a dropkick for a two count. Sexay hits an Atomic Drop then comes off the ropes but Tori grabs his leg from the floor and Albert clotheslines Sexay from the apron. Albert tags in and press slams Sexay to the mat then tags in X-Pac who kicks Sexay down in a corner then chokes him with his boot. X-Pac goes for the Bronco Buster but Sexay avoids it and X-Pac straddles the turnbuckle. Sexay manages to tag in Bubba Ray Dudley and Bubba takes it to all his opponents and plants X-Pac with the full nelson bomb. D’Von tags in and helps Bubba whip Road Dogg looking for a clothesline but T&A pulls them both out of the ring. Scotty comes in and bulldogs Road Dogg then follows up with the Worm. Sexay climbs to the top and hits the Hip Hop Drop on Road Dogg but the referee is too distracted to count. X-Pac backdrops Scotty over the ropes then breaks up the pin. Bubba slams X-Pac to the mat and sets him up while D’Von climbs to the top and hits the headbutt to the groin. Test and Albert come in and Bubba goes for a whip but accidentally whips Albert into the referee. Road Dogg knocks Bubba through the ropes to the floor and Trish and Tori run away from him. T&A work over Sexay while Road Dogg plants Scotty with a pump handle slam. However Rikishi makes his way to the ring and takes out Road Dogg with a superkick. X-Pac comes off the top but Rikishi catches him and throws him into a corner where Rikishi hits the running butt charge. X-Pac staggers into a 3D from the Dudleys and Bubba covers X-Pac as the referee revives for the three. (5:30) The Dudleys finally get one back on the DX’ers. Chaoctic but find eight-man tag and the crowd was rockin’ for it. Rikishi and Too Cool then invite the Dudleys to join them for the post-match dance. **½
~ Backstage Triple H gets Shane fired up for his match with the Undertaker, reminding him how he took out The Big Show at Judgment Day so surely he can beat Taker tonight. Triple H tells Shane he’s going to be the man who buried the Undertaker and Shane seems to buy into it.
WWF Intercontinential Title: Chris Benoit © vs. Kurt Angle
As Angle makes his way out he gets on the mic and says he had a realization on Monday, that preaching about abstinence and posing with friends is fun but he’s an Olympic medalist who set goals for himself. Angle says it’s been too long since he had championship gold and tells the people they will remember this night when he wins the IC Title. Benoit is still sporting the brace on his knee. Both men lockup the start and Angle hits an armdrag then takes Benoit down with a waistlock and hammers him in a corner. Both men exchange shoves and Benoit gets in some shots then goes for a whip but Angle reverses and hits a belly-to-belly suplex. Benoit rolls out to the floor but Angle brings him back in and elbows him in the neck. Benoit hits a chop followed by a series of kicks and goes for a whip but Angle counters with a backdrop. Angle hits a clothesline for a two count then works Benoit over and whips him into a corner. Angle charges but eats an elbow and Benoit stomps Angle in the head then hits a snap suplex for a two count. Benoit whips Angle into a corner then hits a series of chops and kicks but the referee repremands benoit, allowing Angle to come out and hit a takedown. Benoit chops Angle but Angle comes back with a Fireman’s carry for a two count. Angle throws Benoit with a hiplock takeover for another two count then goes for a whip but Benoit reverses and hits an elbow for a near fall. Benoit whips Angle and hits a clothesline but still only gets two. Benoit looks for a short-arm clothesline when Angle ducks it into a waistlock but Benoit fights out of it and hits a bridge suplex for two. Benoit climbs to the top rope but Ange runs up and hits a belly-to-belly suplex off the rope. Both men are down as Hardcore Holly comes out with a chair in hand just like on Raw. Hardcore goes in and clocks Angle with the chair, getting Benoit DQ’ed. (4:24) Hardcore readies the chair but Benoit cuts him off then takes the chair and nails Hardcore. Benoit tells his fallen challenger he’ll see him on Monday and walks off with his title intact. Good match despite the finish but the crowd wasn’t into it much since it was heel vs. heel. ***
~ A promo reminds us that Kid Rock will be on Raw this Monday. Aren’t you excited?
Al Snow (w/Steve Blackman) vs. Bull Buchanan (w/The Big Bossman)
Snow starts off with a hammerlock which he turns into a armwringer when Buchchan shoves Show into the ropes and Snow hits a shoulderblock but doesn’t budge him. Snow comes off the ropes with a crossbody but Buchanan catches him and slams him to the mat. Buchanan whips Snow for a boot but Snow blocks it and elbows the leg. Snow dropkicks Buchanan in the knee and kicks away at it then climbs to the top and hits a crossbody for a two count. Snow goes for a whip, Buchanan reverses him into a corner and charges but eats a boot. Buchanan charges again when Snow sidesteps him but Buchanan runs up the ropes and springs off with a clothesline. Buchanan uppercuts Snow then chokes him in a corner twice and Snow fights out of there but Buchanan stops. Buchanan whips Snow looking for a press slam when Snow slips out and rolls Buchanan up but Bossman distracts the referee from making the count. The referee finally turns around to count but only gets one. Snow charges at Buchanan but Buchanan backdrops him over the ropes. Buchanan brings Snow onto the apron but Snow snaps his neck on the top rope then rolls over him back in the ring. Snow comes off the ropes but Buchanan drops him to the mat and follows up with a legdrop. Buchanan drops Snow with a right hand then distracts the referee while Bossman gets in a shot. Buchanan chokes Snow on the mat and Snow rolls out to the floor but right in front of Bossman who throws him into the post. Buchanan comes off the apron with an axehandle then rolls Snow back in the ring and hammers him in a corner. Buchanan whips Snow into the oppsoite corner and goes for a running boot but Snow sidesteps and Buchanan catches his leg on the top rope. Snow connects with a savant kick then beats Buchanan down in a corner when Bossman manages to draw Blackman in the ring, getting the referee’s attention. Snow tries to come off the ropes but Bossman nails him from behind with his nightstick and Buchanan follows up with an axe kick that ends it. (4:37) Blackman climbs in but Bossman takes him out with the nightstick as well and the two exchange high fives as they depart the ring. They really need to stop having Buchanan on so late in the show. DUD
~ Backstage Vince is getting Shane pumped up to meet the Undertaker. Shane promises to get even for what Taker tried to do to Vince earlier and requests no interferece, saying he’s going to do this on his own. After Shane departs, Vince complements Shane’s courage as we go to commercial.
~ Back from break we get a replay of the Undertaker chasing Vince with the motorcycle at the top of the show. Shane then comes out to the ring and gets on the mic saying despite what the crowd is chanting he’s been dominating in the WWF. Shane tells Taker it’ll be his Judgment Day after he took out The Big Show at the pay-per-view and shows footage on the OvalTron of him dropping the speaker on Show’s leg claiming he did it on his own. Shane then shows a clip of him hitting Show with a cinderblock and pinning him for the three before warning Taker to stay in the back because he doesn’t want any of him. Taker doesn’t heed Shane’s warning as he rides down to the ring on his motorcycle.
The Undertaker vs. Shane McMahon
I should mention we only have about three minutes left in the show. Shane hops around looking ready to go but Taker doesn’t seem amused by this. Eventually Taked gets tired of Shane’s hopping and drops him with a right hand then grabs Shane by the neck and throws Shane into a corner. Taker pummels Shane and caps off with a right hand then whips him and hits the chokeslam. Road Dogg, X-Pac and Triple H run in but Taker is able to take them down one at a time when Vince, Stephanie, Tori and Brisco also come out. Taker grabs Triple H by the throat for a chokeslam but X-Pac breaks it up and the DX’ers triple-team Taker in a corner while Vnce climbs in and directs traffic. The Rock then comes out to turn the tide and is able to take out Road Dogg and X-Pac while Taker takes it to Triple H and the McMahons. Rock plants Road Dogg with a Rock Bottom and throws X-Pac over the ropes to the floor then he and Taker take turns hitting Triple H. Rock knocks Triple H out of the ring with the Smackdown while Taker drills Shane with a Tombstone. Triple H tries to come in but Rock knocks him off the apron and for the second time this week the Regime is forced to retreat. Taker chases the whole crew up the ramp with his motorcycle leaving Rock to stand tall in the ring as we fade to black.
Conclusion: Solid episode of Smackdown this time around, once you get past the hokey opening segment. The in-ring action was solid enough with the IC Title match and triple-threat as the highlights and there was also some nice angle progression, incluing the Hardys starting their friendship with Lita. Taker’s injection in the war against the DXWo also helped freshen up the angle since they’ve been forced back not once but twice this week. A nice episode to check out if you have the time.