WWF Smackdown 8/31/2000

Written by: Adam King

WWF SMACKDOWN
Thursday, August 31st, 2000

Taped (8/29) from Fayetteville, NC

List of WWF Champions at the time:
●  WWF World Heavyweight Champion: The Rock (6/25/2000)
●  WWF Intercontinental Champion: Chyna (8/27/2000)
●  WWF World Tag Team Champions: Edge & Christian (6/25/2000)
●  WWF European Champion: Perry Saturn (7/23/2000)
●  WWF Hardcore Champion: Steve Blackman (8/27/2000)
●  WWF Women’s Champion: Lita (8/21/2000)
●  WWF Light Heavyweight Champion: Dean Malenko (4/27/2000)

~ Smackdown comes on the air with highlights of the continuing Triple H/Stephanie/Kurt Angle saga from Raw as well as Chyna and Eddie Guerrero getting drawn into it as well. After the intro Michael Cole welcomes us to the show along with Jerry “the King” Lawler.

~ Things kick off with Stephanie McMahon heading to the ring, finally making her first appearence since SummerSlam. Stephanie gets on the mic and starts off by announcing that her husband Triple H will be arriving here very shortly before thanking everyone for their concern about her whereabouts on Raw. However Stephanie also says she was hurt by the nasty rumors about her and wants to off an explantion for the fans to save her reuptation. Stephanie claims she spent all night Sunday and Monday at the bedside of Shane, who she says is mending nicely, then claims she and Triple H are experiencing wedded bliss again. Suddenly Kurt Angle makes his way to the ring and gets on the mic to tell Stephanie he admires her the way everyone admires him for his Olympic gold medals. Angle also commends Stephanie for doing this after her husband manhandled her. Stephanie doesn’t understand but Angle feels Stephanie was woozy after Triple H struck her at SummerSlam so he shows clips of it on the OvalTron. As Angle shows the footage he claims Triple H had plenty of time to pull back his punch but instead chose not to because he was enraged. Stephanie claims she talked with Triple H and understands it was an accident. Angle wishes he could believe it then feels something else wasn’t an accident as he shows clips of Triple H hugging his old flame Chyna on Raw. We see Stephanie is shocked, perhaps seeing it for the first time as Angle emphasizes that it’s her husband in there and apologizes for being the one to tell her. Stephanie refuses to believe it even as Angle constantly says it’s true. Now Chyna makes her way out to the stage and gets on the mic asking Stephanie if she’s really going to believe Angle. Chyna assures Stephanie that nothing happened between herself and Triple H and that Angle is manipulating her. Angle scoffs at Chyna’s explanation and says he took a stand for Stephanie when he hit Triple H with a chair on Raw. Angle says he also hit Eddie Guerrero with a chair but claims it was because his concussion gave him double vision and he thought Triple H got back up. Angle then brings up how Eddie wasn’t the only one Chyna tended to as he shows her also seeing if Triple H was okay after the match. Stephanie starts to buy into what Angle is selling while Chyna decides to shoves Angle’s medals down his throat. Angle warns Chyna that he doesn’t strike women unless it’s self-defense as Chyna comes in but Stephanie steps in Chyna’s way and gives her the business. Angle then plants Chyna with an Olympic Slam and he and Stephanie talk down at her when Eddie Guerrero runs in and pounds on Angle for attacking his woman. Eddie eventually clears Angle from the ring and Angle departs with Stephanie to the back as Eddie tends to Chyna.

~ Back from break we get a replay of the previous events involving Stephanie, Angle, Chyna and Eddie. We then find Triple H has arrived at the building and most likely unaware at what just went down moments ago.

~ Elsewhere we find Angle and Stephanie in a dressing room talking with each other about the opening segment when Triple H bursts in and isn’t real happy with Angle hanging around with his wife again. Triple H tries to get at Angle who manages to slip out of the room while Stephanie slaps Triple H for not telling her about Chyna on Monday. Triple H insists the hug meant nothing but Stephanie says if it wasn’t important he shouldn’t have kept it from her. Triple H then decides to cool off for a while and tells Stephanie he’ll come back when she’s thinking straight.

• Road Dogg vs. Bull Buchanan (w/Steve Richards)

Road Dogg has now parted ways with X-Pac and is on his own for the first time since his days as the “Real Double J”. Road Dogg does a solo version of his intro on the mic then rips the RTC’ers for telling him what he can watch. Buchanan then comes out with Richards and gets on the mic asking the Fayetteville fans to think of their children before saying Road Dogg promotes violence and filth and he doesn’t want his children watching the disgrace. Buchanan rushes the ring and exchanges shots with Road Dogg to start then whips him and hits a clothesline followed by an elbowdrop for a near fall. Buchanan applies a chinlock and Road Dogg fights out of it but Buchanan regains control with big a boot then springs off the ropes and hits a clothesline for a two count. Buchanan works Road Dogg over then whips him into a corner and goes for a splash but Road Dogg sidesteps. Road Dogg connects with the juke ‘n jive punches then goes for the ropes but Richards nails him from behind. Buchanan goes for the axe kick but Road Dogg counters into a somewhat pump-handle slam that gets the three! (1:42) Richards heads in along with the Goodfather who came out of nowhere but Road Dogg escapes into the crowd. *

~ Backstage Chyna visits Mick Foley in his office along with Eddie Guerrero and demands a match with Kurt Angle but Foley feels that would be rewarding Angle for bad behavior. So Eddie demands that he be the one to take on Angle but Foley tells him that Triple H already requested a match with Angle. Foley claims he can’t just make triple threat matches … until he realizes he actualy can since he’s the commissioner so he books Triple H vs. Angle vs. Eddie for tonight.

• The Hardy Boyz & Lita vs. Jacqueline, Edge & Christian – Mixed Tag Team Match

Obviously this resulted from these six going at it after Lita’s title defense against Jackie on Raw. Christian gets on the mic and talk about the Hardys always coming up short when compared to him and Edge who takes over the mic and says the two of them reek of awesomeness while the Hardys just don’t measure up. The Hardys and Lita enter when Matt gets on the mic telling E&C what they reek of is something he can’t say. Matt yells at E&C for humiliating him and Jeff in their home state and promises some payback in North Carolina. The good guys rush the ring and Christian pounds on Matt to start then whips him but Matt gets in some shots and caps off with a discus punch. Matt goes for a whip but Christian reverses it and Edge nails him from behind. Matt turns and decks Edge on the apron but Christian nails him with a forearm smash then lays the boots to him. Suddenly Jackie decides to tag herself in the climbs to the top rope and hits a flying splash on Matt for a two count. Jackie comes off the ropes for an elbowdrop but misses it and Matt tags in Lita who takes over with forearms. Lita goes for a whip but Jackie reverses it and nearly kills Lita by amost sidewalk slaming her on her head!! Jackie goes for a whip, Lita reverses and Jackie floats over Lita looking for a DDT but Lita counters it into a Northern Lights suplex. Lita comes off the ropes but Jackie flapjacks her right on her face. Is she trying to intentionally cripple Lita or something? Edge tags in and goes for a spear but Lita sidesteps him and Edge ends up running his shoulder into the ringpost. Matt gets the tag and rams Edge into the turnbuckle then hops to the top rope and hits a standing moonsault. Matt then scoops Edge up but Edge floats over him and hits a neckbreaker then tags Christian in to take over. Christian whips Matt and plants him with a powerslam for a near fall then draws Jeff in to distract the referee while E&C and Jackie triple-team Matt in their corner. Christian whips Matt into another corner but eats an elbow and Matt comes out with a clothesline then makes the hot tag to Jeff. Jeff takes it to both E&C with right hands then Jeff tosses Edge over the ropes but Jackie climbs to the top rope and hits a missle dropkick right to the head. Lita comes in and takes Jackie down then tees off on her with elbows as the referee tries to separate the two. Christian plants Jeff with a Slop Drop and covers but Matt saves it with a guillotine legdrop from the top rope. The Hardys set Edge up for a DDT when Lita adds Jackie into the pile and the three of them hit a double DDT. Lita climbs to the top rope and hits Edge with a huricanrana while Matt nails Christian with a Twist of Fate. Jeff then climbs to the top rope himself and connects with the Swanton Bomb on Christian for the three and the Hardys get a pin over the champs. (4:00) Not the tightest match but still fun and energetic and the men brought it despite still feeling the TLC match. The Hardys celebrate then greet their father who’s sitting in the crowd tonight. **½

~ Cole then reminds us Raw will be seen again at a special time this Monday because tennis is still going on.

~ Backstage Stephanie is walking somewhere when Kurt Angle comes up from behind and tries to put his arm on her but Stephanie quickly backs away from him. Angle tries to clear up the misunderstanding with the kiss from last week claiming
Angle claims it was just a kiss between two good friends but Stephanie tells him she needs some space right now. Angle says he understands and he’ll be there for her and Stephanie walks off by herself as we go to commercial.

• WWF European Title: Perry Saturn © (w/Terri Runnels) vs. Al Snow (w/Head)

I guess Snow is getting another title shot to get even with Saturn putting the Rings of Saturn on The Kat on Raw. Saturn attacks Snow as he slides in and works him over then whips him into a corner and press slams him. Saturn plants Snow with a jackhammer then heads out to coverse with Terri allowing Snow to recover in the ring and Snow slings himself over the ropes into a pescado on Saturn. Snow whips Saturn into the barricade and slams him onto the floor then leaps onto the barricade for a moonsault when Terri shoves him off it. Snow lands on his feet and stalks after Terri when Saturn superkicks him from behind before ramming his shoulder into the steps. Saturn rolls Snow back in the ring and hits a Northern Lights Suplex on the injured shoulder then works on it. Snow tries to fight back but Saturn wrenches on his bad arm to stop that then hits an armdrag into an armbar. Saturn throws Snow shoulder-first into the turnbuckles then slaps on a keylock and Snow tries not to submit. Snow again rallies and whips Saturn into an elbow then follows it up with a clothesline but uses his bad arm. Snow slams Saturn then climbs up the ropes when Saturn grabs him but Snow counters with a Frankensteiner. Saturn goes into a rollup but Snow reverses it and they go back and forth until Saturn clotheslines Snow down. Saturn whips Snow into a corne but Snow slides to stop himself then blocks a kick and hits a Rydien bomb. Snow climbs to the top again and connects with a moonsault on Saturn as Terri hops on the apron with Head. Instead of covering Saturn, Snow goes over and snatches Head from Terri before shoving her off the apron. Snow clocks Saturn with Head and covers him as the referee counts 1..2..but then stops when he sees Head and confront Snow about it. Saturn plants Snow with a double-arm bridge suplex but only gets two. The referee disposes of Head but Terri tosses it back in to Saturn who takes a swing at Snow but misses him and eats a right hand. Snow goes for a whip but Saturn trips him with a drop toehold and goes for the Rings of Saturn. However Snow fights it then counters into a Dragon sleeper and Saturn is forced to tap out, giving Snow the title! (5:25) Good match there, better than their meeting the previous week and the crowd actually cared about this one. Plus it’s a rare non-Hardcore title win for Snow and it ended Saturn’s heatless run with the belt. **½

~ Backstage Triple H is back wth Stephanie saying he’s calmed down and wants to explain what happened on Raw. Triple H says him hugging Chyna was nothing and he didn’t think about it but does admit he should have told Stephanie. Stephanie tells her husband she only got upset with him because of his past with Chyna and the whole thing hurt and Triple H apologizes. Stephanie is ready with a kiss but Triple H then brings up her relationship with Kurt Angle. Stephanie insists she and Angle are different because they’re just friends who have no prior history between them. Unfortunately Triple H isn’t buying it and starts getting angry that his wife is ‘just friends’ with the guy who kissed her then rambles on how Angle is screwing up their marriage and always getting in his face and so on. Finally Triple H gets so fed up with Kurt Angle that he starts tearing apart the dressing room.

~ We then cut out to the hallway and find Just Joe pressing his ear against the Helmsley’s door to get a better listen. However Joe hears the sounds of yelling and screaming and things crashing before he takes off running. That can’t be good.

~ Elsewhere we see the Undertaker getting his motorcycle ready for the next match as we go to commercial.

~ Back from break Kevin Kelly interviews Al Snow, congradulating him on winning the European Title moments ago. Snow says this belt has been held down too long and wants to bring honor, pride and prestige back to ‘Europea’.

• The Undertaker vs. Chris Benoit – #1 Contender’s Match

Simple setup, Benoit wants another shot at The Rock and Taker has his own sights set on the belt after we saw his actions on Raw. Also Cole explains this match can only be won by pinfall or submission, but is anyone expecting a clean ending? Benoit goes right to work on Taker and whips him but Taker blocks a clothesline and hits a press slam. Taker clotheslines Benoit and follows up with a running elbowdrop for a near fall then uppercuts him in a corner and hits a headbutt. Taker goes for a whip when Benoit reverses him into the other corner and goes for a crucifix but can’t get Taker down. So Benoit goes for a Sunset Flip but that fails to get Taker on the mat as well and Taker grabs Benoit by the neck and tosses him down. Taker whips Benoit into a corner and charges but Benoit sidesteps him then stomps Taker down and kicks away at his knee. Taker kicks Benoit away so Benoit dropkicks the knee then trips Taker by the leg and slams his knee into the mat. Benoit continues working the knee over with kicks then drapes Taker’s knee on the ropes and sits down on it but Taker responds by kicking him over the ropes. Benoit climbs back in the ring but runs into a boot and Taker whips him then plants him with a whiplash slam. Taker grabs Benoit looking for a chokeslam but Kane comes in and nails Taker from behind for a DQ. Yep. (4:13) The rules said the win have to be by pinfall or submission so I guess we don’t yet have a #1 contender. Match was actually getting good until the sudden run-in cut it down. **½

Anyway Kane pounds on Taker when Benoit gets in his face about ruining his title oppertunity as well and those two go at it. Taker is up and goes after both guys but ends up double-teamed as the crowd responds with a “Rocky!” chant. Sure enough The Rock comes out and pounds on Benoit then knocks him over the ropes with the Smackdown. Taker clotheslines Kane over the ropes and stands tall with Rock while Kane and Benoit fight on the floor. I’m surprised Taker doesn’t take out Rock to stake his bid for a title shot but oh well.

~ Back from break we get a replay of Kane ruining the Taker/Benoit match and Rock putting in an appearence as Cole says all four men want the same thing, the WWF Championship. Interesting he should mention that.

• Chris Jericho vs. Tazz

Tazz gets on the mic and talks about “Microphone #1″ and “Microphone #2″ costing him some matches lately before demanding Lawler tell him where Jim Ross is. Tazz suggests JR is either hiding or defrosting his unfrozen face then promises to make Lawler just another victim when Jericho comes out and offers a rebuttal on the mic. Jericho tells Tazz the ring crew and timekeeper now want a piece of him since he got beat by JR and Lawler before promising to put Tazz in the Walls of Jericho and send him running home to momma. Jericho gets in the first shots and whips Tazz then connects with an elbow. Jericho takes Tazz down by the legs and goes for the Walls of Jericho already but Tazz fights out of it. Tazz charges at Jericho in a corner and eats a boot and Jericho comes out of there but runs into a belly-to-belly Tazplex. Tazz rams Jericho into the mat and stomps him down in a corner then chokes him and continues his assault. Jericho starts fighting back but Tazz rakes the face to stop that then whips him into a corner when Jericho comes back with an enzuigiri. Jericho goes for a whip, Tazz reverses but Jericho hits a flying forearm. Jericho chops Tazz then whips him and goes for the bulldog but Tazz catches him with a T-bone Tazplex. Tazz then goes out to the announce table and decks Lawler then has a good laugh as the referee repremands him. Lawler goes over and gets him a pice of Tazz who fights back when Jericho hits Tazz with a baseball slide. Jericho throws Tazz into the table before rolling him back in the ring but Tazz comes back with the Tazzmission. However the referee is busy trying to keep Lawler out while Jericho escapes with a mule kick below the belt. Jericho hits the bulldog followed by the Lionsault for the three and Lawler has cost Tazz another match. (2:38) That was good match compressed into two minutes, though it also saw Tazz job for the third straight time. Tazz then looks to go after Lawler again and Lawler is ready when the referees come out to separate them. Maybe Tazz should forget about Lawler since it’s killing his already-sinking WWF run. **½

~ Backstage Just Joe meets with Kurt Angle and tells him about the noises coming from the Helmsleys’ lockerroom and Angle worries if Triple H hit Stephanie again. Joe doesn’t know but what he heard was pretty loud and violent and Angle then runs off somewhere with a worried look on his face as we go to commercial.

~ Back from break we find Kaientai watching the TLC match from SummerSlam earleir today and offering comments, especially focusing on Bubba Ray Dudley getting pushed off the ladder through four tables at ringside. The Kaientai guys then start imitating the Dudleys … only to see the two standing behind them and not in a good mood. The two beg the the Dudleys not to use tables on them then take off with the Dudleys chasing right behind.

• The Dudley Boyz vs. Kaientai

And I guess that’s how we got this match booked for tonight’s card, or something like that. The two teams file out to the ring … when the Acolytes also make their way out looking ready to conduct some business. The Dudleys look out at the Acolytes allowing Taka and Funaki to attack from behind and pair off with them before they each go to whip a Dudley. However Bubba and D’Von reverse both Kaientai guys into each other then D’Von press slams Taka over the ropes and Bubba suplexes Funaki while we ask who the APA are working for. Bubba whips Funaki who comes back with a headscissors but Bubba clotheslines him down in response. D’Von tags in and whips Funaki then hits the spinning elbow before tagging Bubba back in to take over on him. Funaki starts fighting back and goes for a whip, Bubba reverses and lowes the head and Funaki kicks the face. Funaki goes for a huricanrana but Bubba counters with a powerbomb. Bubba then draws Taka in to distract the referee and sets Funaki up while D’Von climbs to the top rope and connects with the “Wassup” headbutt to the groin. Bubba sends D’Von out for a table when Taka attacks him but D’Von whips Taka and the Dudleys hit the 3D. Squash win for the Dudleys, right? However Faarooq distracts the referee while Bradshaw goes in and nails Bubba with the Clothesline from Hades. Bradshaw then drapes Taka on top of Bubba before the referee counts three and Kaientai upsets the Dudleys! (2:09) The Acolytes walks off with their job done while Bubba is in shock they lost to Kaientai of all people. Funaki celebrates until Bubba stops that with a right hand. Bubba slides a table in the ring and lays Taka on it then climbs the ropes as D’Von hands Funaki to him and superbombs him through Taka and the table. **

~ We then get a collection of news clips showing off the eight XFL teams that’ll begin playing next year.

~ Backstage we find Stephanie getting herself a cup of coffee when Kurt Angle comes in asking if she’s okay after he heard Triple H hit her. Stephanie says her husband loves her and would never lay a hand on her when Angle asks Stephanie not to protect Triple H. Stephanie insists everything is okay and they’ll work things out then tells Angle if she needs him she’ll let him know. Angle says that he’ll always be there for him.

~ Back from break we get various news footage of the WWF visiting the National Press Club in DC yesterday and issuing a “Smackdown Challenge” to George Bush and Al Gore as part of their voter campaign. Basically the WWF has invited Bush and Gore to debate on Smackdown and Jessie Ventura has reportedly agreed to serve as the moderator. Now we wait and see if Bush and Gore are actually going to appear, but I wouldn’t hold my breath if I were you.

~ Backstage Trish Stratus tries to talk to Val Venis but Val doesn’t seem to want anything to do with her anymore. Trish tells Val he may have suffered a setback but she got him the Intercontinential Title once and can do it again. Val tells Trish that she never helped him win the IC Title because he won it on his own. Val also says Trish sure made him lose it then tells her he’s sick of her bleached blonde hair and cowboy hats. Val decides to sever their partnership and walks off but Trish tells him he’ll be sorry.

• Rikishi (w/Mandy & Victoria) vs. Val Venis

Yes, it’s this feud again, and they even show the clip from Fully Loaded to boot. Val gets in the first shots when Rikishi quickly takes control then whips him and clotheslines him down. Rikishi slams Val to the mat and connects with the big legdrop then goes for a whip but Val counters it and hits a neckbreaker. Val gets in his shots then stomps Rikishi down in a corner and chokes him with his boot. Rikishi comes back and clotheslines Val over the ropes then goes out but Val greets him with several right hands. Val goes for a whip but Rikishi reverses him into the steps then rolls him back in the ring and hits a Samoan Drop. Rikishi squahses Val with the running butt splash in a corner then does it again and again until Val falls down. Suddenly Steve Richards runs out with the Right To Censor but Rikishi manages to fight them off on the apron. The Too Cool guys then come out and deal with Bull Buchanan and Goodfather and they all fight to the back. Rikishi then moves in with a stinkface for Val when Richards grabs the bell and cracks Rikishi in the head. Richards then urges Val to cover Rikishi and Val drapes an arm over him to steal the cheap pin. (3:32) I think we’ve hit a lull. Richards limps away happy with his work while Rikishi gets consoled by his buddes and the ladies. The question is did Richards help Val just to cheat Rikishi out of a match or is there something else in the works… *

~ We now get a replay of Chyna consoling Triple H on Monday and the hug that’s causing such a stir tonight. Maybe if Stephanie could see the clip on a montior that would really calm the storm between the Helmsleys. We then find Eddie Guerrero preparing for the main event while Chyna assures him that she’ll be in his corner. Eddie says he knows Chyna and Triple H are friends and hopes she’s not bothered when he pounds his head in but Chyna tells Eddie what she had with Triple H had was business while their relationship and special and real to her. Chyna also tells Eddie to do what he must, just make sure to take Kurt Angle out.

~ Backstage Triple H has calmed down down as he converses with Stephanie and apologizes for losing his cool earlier. Triple H tells Stephanie he loves her but wants to choke Kurt Angle out for sticking his nose in their business. Triple H promises Stephanie he’ll try to keep control of his emotions and not blow his stack when he’s around her. Stephanie also apologizes for slapping him saying she gets out of control as well and the Helmsleys then embrace. However there’s a knock at the door and Triple H opens it to find … two cops outside. The cops inform Triple H they’ve received a complaint of spousal abuse and ask him to come with them downtown. Triple H accuses Stephanie of summoning the cops on him and Stephanie denies it as Triple H is lead out of the room. Stephanie protests her husband being arrested but the cops won’t let her talk them out of this or even come along. Commissioner Mick Foley appears and the cops inform him of what’s going on before putting Triple H in the cop car. Stephanie continues to demand that she come with Triple H to tell his side but her pleas keep falling on deaf ears. However Foley is more concenred with what this does to the main event and suggests Eddie and Angle instead go one-on-one. Foley then realizes Eddie has Chyna on his side while Angle has no one and asks Stephanie to be in Angle’s corner. Geez, Mick, the woman just watched her husband taken away by the cops and you force her to stay behind and be in another man’s corner? Stephanie rightfully freaks out about Foley’s lack of concern for Triple H as we see the cop car drive away.

~ Back form break we get one more reminder about Raw’s special time this Monday.

• Kurt Angle (w/Stephanie McMahon) vs. Eddie Guerrero (w/Chyna)

So Stephanie just saw her husband taken away by the cops yet there she is in Angle’s corner, albeit reluctantly. Angle asks Stephanie to hold his gold medals as he heads in but Eddie wastes no time getting in the first shots. Eddie whips Angle and hits a heel kick then clotheslines him over the ropes and Chyna gets in a forearm. Angle takes a swing at Chyna but misses and Eddie connects with his shot before rolling him back in the ring. Eddie drills Angle with a brainbuster for a near fall then whips him but Angle comes back with a German suplex. Angle tosses Eddie through the ropes then goes out and grabs a chair but Chyna keeps him from hitting Eddie and the two fight over the chair. Eddie nails Angle from behind and Chyna passes him the chair and Eddie readies a swing but Angle holds Chyna in front of him so Chyna hits him with a mule kick below the belt. Eddie takes another swing with the chair but misses Angle and hits the ringpost and ends up hurting himself. Both men then roll back in and Eddie hammers Angle with European uppercuts then sets him on the top rope and goes up to hit a huricanrana for a two count. Eddie pops Angle with another European uppercut and charges at him but Angle backdrops him over the ropes then knocks him off the apron right on top of Stephanie. Stephanie doesn’t appreciate that and slaps Eddie in the face and Angle follows it up with a baseball slide. Stephanie runs from Chyna while Angle rolls Eddie back in and the two exchange shots until Angle hits a suplex. Eddie starts fighting back and goes for a whip but Angle reverses and hits a belly-to-belly suplex for a near fall. Angle pounds on Eddie when Eddie whips him and slaps on a sleeper. Angle counters with a back suplex and covers Eddie but Earl Hebner misses it as Chyna and Stephanie both hop on the apron and distract him. Stephanie tries to pull Chyna off the apron when Angle shoves Eddie into Chyna, knocking her to the floor. Angle then grabs Chyna’s IC belt and waffles Eddie with it and is able to grab the pin. (5:45) Pretty good for their first main-event meeting and did its job with the main storyline. ***

Angle has words with Stephane when Chyna comes in and attacks Angle then clotheslines him over the ropes. Chyna then turns to Stephanie who gives her the business but Chyna stops her and drills her with a DDT! Angle drags Stephanie out of the ring and helps her to the back as the show fades to black.

Conclusion: Not the greatest edition of Smackdown but still a good show for the most part. The in-ring action was mostly on the good side with some nice matches although they mainly served to set the building blocks for Unforgiven. The main angle was also progressed nicely even though it seemed a little too soap-opera-heavy toward the end. But the segments were still effective in showing how vunerable the Helmsley’s union has gotten as well as how evil Kurt Angle is willing to be to get what he craves. Overall a nice two hours to check out, sepcailly for Al Snow fans who got to see him win a title for once.