Written by: Adam King
WWF SMACKDOWN
Thursday, November 2nd, 2000
Taped (10/31) from Rochester, NY
List of WWF Champions at the time:
● WWF World Heavyweight Champion: Kurt Angle (10/22/2000)
● WWF Intercontinental Champion: Eddie Guerrero (9/04/2000)
● WWF World Tag Team Champions: The Hardy Boyz (10/23/2000)
● WWF European Champion: William Regal (10/16/2000)
● WWF Hardcore Champion: Steve Blackman (9/24/2000)
● WWF Women’s Champion: Lita (8/21/2000)
● WWF Light Heavyweight Champion: Dean Malenko (4/27/2000)
~ Smackdown comes on the air with footage from Raw, including the cage match and Rikishi’s accusation. Michael Cole then welcomes us to the show along with Jerry “The King” Lawler. Tonight The Rock gets his WWF Championship rematch against Kurt Angle, but the question is how will he respond to Rikishi pointing the finger at him for Steve Austin’s hit-and-run?
~ Wouldn’t you know it things kick off with The Rock coming out to the ring to perhaps answer that very question. Rock grbas the mic and says he and Steve Austin will never be friends but he’s always considered Austin a sharp guy and felt Austin would see through Rikishi’s claims on Raw. Rock says apparently that’s not the case since he’s tried to contact Austin but so far has gotten no answer form him. Rock says he knows Austin is in the building and calls him out to the ring to talk man-to-man but Austin doesn’t come out at first, so Rock demands Austin come out. Sure enough Austin appears and does his turnbuckle pose without even glancing at the Rock then the two have a staredown as we get dueling chants from he crowd. Rock tells Austin straight out he had nothing to do with what happened at Survivor Series and doesn’t know why Rikishi said everthing he did. Rock suggests maybe Rikishi couldn’t beat Austin or maybe he’s just crazy. Austin takes a mic to respond and says he only came out because he wanted to, not because Rock told him to. Austin reminds everyone of his motto “Don’t Trust Anybody!” and feels Rikishi may be lying, but then again Rock may be lying as well and working with Rikishi by dressing up in black and hitting him in the head with a wrench last week. Austin says the only person he trusts is the person he sees in the mirror every morning. At that point Rikishi comes out to the stage to add in his two cents on the mic. Rikishi tells Austin they’ve never been friends but they’ve never been enemies until last Novemeber. Rikishi claimed that night Rock supposedly called him to run down Austin. Rikishi says Rock begged him to take Austin out because the WWF wasn’t big enough for both of them and that Rock was worried about his merchandise sales going down. Rikishi also claims Rock was the one who did hit Austin with the wrench on Smackdown. Rikishi reminds Austin he asked Rock for help in the cage match yet Rock turned his back to him because he was jealous that [Rikishi] was becoming a big star himself in the WWF. Well the heel turn certainly put an end to that. Rock responds by telling Rikishi his story stinks more than his rear. Rock tells Austin with everything they’ve been through together he’s always done everything face-to-face and even goes so far as to bring up some of the bad events between the two of them in the past. Rock then brings up his WWF Title match later and promises to once again become WWF Champion.
Because this segment’s not long enough, Kurt Angle comes out to the stage and gets on the mic as well saying there are several reasons why their title match tonight shouldn’t happen. Angle says his “business advisor” Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley is ill and unable to be here tonight. Angle also says he’s fearing for his life if Rikishi is indeed telling the truth. Angle compares Rock to OJ Simpson, another famous athlete/star who also did something terrible and walked away scot-free. Rock dares Angle and Rikishi to come to the ring but Rikishi says they don’t trust him either. Rikishi and Angle then depart after which Austin lays Rock out with a Stunner! Austin leaves Rock laying in the ring perhaps not buying his story as as we go to commercial after almost 18 minutes.
~ Back from break we find the new Lt. Commissioner, Debra, walking to Mick Foley’s office and placing a pink nameplate that reads “Lt. COMMISSIONER” on Foley’s table.
- Crash Holly vs. T & A – Hardcore Handicap Match
Crash lost to both Test and Albert in singles hardcore bouts the past week but for some reason has challenged both of them at once. Crash readies a stick but Albert easily relieves him of it and offers him a lollipop. Crash yells at Albert but Albert shoves Crash over a kneeling Test, schoolyard style. Albert then presses Crash up and asks Test to catch him but Test short-arms it as we find Steve Blackman again watching the match form the back. Albert and Test get on their knees to give Crash a fighting chance but Crash nails both of them with a trash lidt. Crash goes out and hides by the ring apron as Test goes after him and gets nailed with a trash can. Albert kicks Crash from behind and both guys fight Crash to the back. Test slides Crash across a table and Albert rams him into an anvil case as they walk by Blackman without noticing him. Test and Albert try to throw Crash off a loading dock when Blackman intervenes, kicking Albert off the dock and knocking Test out with a kendo stick. Blackman places Crash on top of Test and the referee counts the three to give Crash the upset win. (2:34) Eh, it was what it was. *
~ Elsewhere backstage Lita is shooting the breeze with Debra when Ivory walks in and tells Debra she could start cleaning up the WWF by giving her a shot at Lita’ Women’s title. Ivory says she could be a Women’s Champion that depects a proper image of a woman then suggets that Debra could clean up her image as well. Trish Stratus then comes in complaing about Steve Blackman interfering in the hardcore match when Ivory tells her the only title she deserves is something out of an adult magazine. The two laides aruge when Jacqueline comes in demanding a title shot as well. Debra decides that all four women will go at it in a four corners match for the Women’s title tonight. Debra adds the Hardys, T&A and the Right to Censor are all barred from interfering in the match. I guess Jackie has no friends to bar from ringside.
~ Back from break Steven Richards is in the ring ready t o take up some time on the mic. Richards says the Right to Censor has fought to lift Smackdown from the sewers of filth and profanity after the WWF and Hollywood conditioned fans to feel lewd behavior is acceptable and entertaining. Richards promises those days will be over since both Democrats and Republicans realize there’s no “biz” in “showbiz” and that Hollywood has hidden behind the 1st Amendment for too long. Richards says the RTC and the politicians stand united and their convictions will lead to many changes so he asks the fans to vote for censorship. Suddenly The Undertaker rides out to the ring on his motorcycle for whatever reason. Once Taker climbs in the ring, Richards extends an invitation to join the Right to Censor but instead Taker grabs Richards by the throat and says he can’t even stand to look at him. Taker also says the RTC and all the politicians that back them suck before laying him out with the Last Ride. The rest of the RTC come out to help their leader but Taker rides his motorcycle and runs them off the ramp. Again what was the point of this?
~ A clip from earlier today shows Adam Sandler meeting several of the wrestlers backstage. However the one person Sandler really wanted to meet was Earl Hebner who he invites to share a beer.
~ The four ladies in the Women’s title match are shown walking to the ring separately as we go to commercial.
~ Back from commercial Debra is still in her office when Edge and Christian come in saying today reeks of awesomeness since Debra is not Mick Foley. Edge calls Debra the anti-Foley while Christian asks her to over-rule Foley’s stipulation and give them a tag team title match against the Hardys. Debra says she’s not Mick Foley but she’s not an idiot either so she denies their request. Edge and Christian walk off disapointed, with Christian calling Debra worse than Foley.
~ Out in the arena Al Snow again tries to convince Jerry Lawler to be his partner in a match against Tazz and Raven, this time offering him a plate of cold cuts. Lawler offers Snow a copy of JR’s cookbook instead as Cole mentions Lawler is going to be the special guest host ofSunday Night Heat this week on MTV.
- WWF Women’s Title: Lita © vs. Trish Stratus vs. Jacqueline vs. Ivory – Four Corners Match
So after almost 20 minutes of non-wrestling segments we finally get to our second match. Jacqueline goes right after Lita to start and works her over in a corner then whips her and hits an elbow. Jackie follows up with an elbowdrop for a two count then whips Lita and hits a sidewalks slam for anotehr near fall. Jackie gets a backslide for another near fall when Lita comes back by taking Jackie down byt eh leg. Lita whips Jackie and hits an armdrag but doesn’t see Trish making a blind tag. Trish comes in and hits the bulldog on Lita followed by a suplex for a two count. Lita whips Trish and hits a clothesline followed by a suplex. Lita goes for the ropes but Ivory nails her from behind and comes in without a tag. Ivory throws Trish across the ring by the hair and slaps her arm in a corner to tag in legally. Ivory plants Lita with a Northen Lights suplex for a near fall then scoops her up but Lita floats over her and hits the Twist of Fate. Lita covers Ivory when Jackie makes the save and whips Lita but Lita counters with the flying headscissors. Trish comes in and hits Lita from behind. Lita goes for a whip, Trish reverses it but Lita takes her out with the headsicssors as well. Trish and Jackie start going at it in a corner while Lita slams Ivory then climbs to the top rope and connects with a Moonsault. Lita covers Ivory but the referee is too busy with the other scuffle to count the pin. Suddenly Edge and Christian run in the ring and plant Lita with a double slam before running off. Ivory coversas the referee turns around and counts 1…2…3 to crown a new champion! (3:24) The other Right To Censor members come out and carry Ivory on their shoulders in celebration. Sadly it would be four years before Lita wears the Women’s Title again. *
~ Backstage Johnathan Coach interviews Rikishi, asking if he’s physically and mentally prepared to face Chris Jericho tonight. Rikishi takes offense to that question and says there isn’t anything he’s not ready for. Rikishi still insists he told the truth about the Rock and doesn’t blame Steve Austin for Stunning him earlier before warning Austin that the Rock did it once and could strike again. As for Jericho, Rikishi calls him just another person for him to run over.
~ Back from break Steve Austin is shown talking on his cell phone in the back. I bet this scene has some relevance later.
- Chris Jericho vs. Rikishi
I guess this resulted from Rikishi getting involved in the #1 contender’s match on Raw. Jericho rushes then ring but Rikishi greets him with several right hands then whips him and hits a clothesline. Rikishi stomps Jericho out to the floor then rams him into the ringsteps before throwing him back in the ring. Rikishi whips Jericho into a corner and goes for the running butt splash but eats a double boot. Jericho goes for a whip, Rikishi reverses and Jericho hits a spinning heel kick. Both men go out to the floor and Jericho rams Rikishi into the barricade then into the ringpost, busting him open. Jericho tees off on Rikishi before rolling him back in the ring and hitting some chops. Jericho comes off the ropes but runs into a sleeperhold. Jericho fights out of the hold but Rikishi pulls him by the hair into a headlock. Jericho counters into a waistlock and rams Rikishi into the buckles then rolls him up but only gets a two count. Jericho tries to go into the Walls of Jericho but can’t turn Rikishi over and Rikishi rakes the face to escape the hold. Jericho comes out of a corner with a bulldog and comes off the ropes with a flying forearm. Jericho connects with a springboard dropkick that knocks Rikishi through the ropes when the pyro suddenly goes off and Kane comes out yet again. This time Jericho readies himself by bringing a chair in the ring and waiting for him. Jericho waffles Kane with the chair but Kane just shrugs it off and chokeslams Jericho, causing the referee to call for the bell yet again. (3:59) Kane then sets off his pyro and departs while Cole is asking why Kane is still mad about the spilled coffee after Jericho apologized. I think we’re all asking the same thing, Cole. Jericho is down when Rikishi comes back in and drags him in position before climbing the ropes and hitting the Banzai Drop. **
~ Billy Gunn and Chyna are shown heading to the ring as we go to commercial.
~ Back from break we get a replay of Kane chokeslamming Jericho during another one of his matches. We then get footage of Kevin Kelly interviewing Kane during the break, asking if he’s still mad about the accidental coffee spill last week. Kane angrily asks Kevin if he thinks this is about coffee and Kevin wisely decides that’s enough and runs off. To think Jericho finished one lame feud with X-Pac only to go into a feud over spilled coffee. Yeah, he’s really progressing up the ladder.
- Billy Gunn & Chyna vs. Val Venis & Eddie Guerrero
Originally Steven Richards was set to team with Eddie but after the Undertaker took him out, Val is stepping in. Billy’s music starts playing but Val gets on the mic and demands it be cut, reminding him he can’t use the nickname “Mr. @**” anymore after losing his match on Raw. As the announcers try to figure out what to call him, Lawler suggests “Billy G.” Really, Lawler? Anyway Billy wants Eddie in the ring but Val wants to start off so those tow lockup when Eddie comes in nails Billy from behind. Chyna tries to come in but the referee keeps her at bay while Val and Eddie double-team Billy. Val works Billy over and goes for a whip but Billy reverses Val hard into the other corner. Billy tags in Chyna and whips Val into the corner, allowing Chyna to hit the handspring elbow. Chyna whips Val into the opposite corner and Billy is able to hit his own handspring elbow. Yes, I’m serious. Both DX’ers plant Val with a double bulldog when Eddie comes in but runs into a double hiptoss. Chyna works over Val and goes for a whip but Val reverses and Eddie trips her from the floor. Val rams Chyna into the his corner and Eddie comes in and hammers away on her. Eddie draws Billy in to distract the referee while he and Val double-team Chyna in their corner. Val whips Chyna but lowers the head and Chyna kicks the face. Val comes back with an elbow and sets up for a neckbreaker but Chyna counters with a mule kick below the belt. Both of them are crawling to the their corners and Val tags in Eddie while Chyna tags in Billy. Billy clotheslines Eddie and backdrops Val then drills Eddie with a jackhammer. Val breaks up the pin and charges at Billy but Billy backdrops him over the ropes. Billy clotheslines Eddie before tagging in Chyna and setting Eddie up for a neakbreaker from her. Val pulls Billy out of the ring while Chyna presses Eddie up but Eddie floats over her. Eddie sets Chyna up for a Slop Drop but Chyna flips out of it and plants Eddie with a sleeper into a neckbreaker. Chyna covers and is able to get the three count while Billy keeps Val from making the save. (3:58) Not to see here, folks. Fortunately the whole “Billy G.” nickname was almost immediately dropped after this show.DUD
~ Backstage Steve Austin is still talking on his cell phone and starts to walk off when a large trunk falls from the ceiling, just barely missing him. Austin looks up toward the higher levels to see who tried to take him out it on him but no one’s there. So Austin storms off to hunt for the perpetrator as we go to commercial.
~ Back from break a replay of the falling trunk is shown followed by a number of officials at the scene trying to figure out what happened. Elsehwere Johnathan Coachman goes into The Rock’s lockerroom to interview him but once he heads inside, Rock is nowhere to be found. Oooh, suspense!
- Al Snow (w/Head) vs. Tazz (w/Raven)
Snow brings out another gift for Lawler, a jewel-encrusted toilet seat with ‘KING’ written on it. Raven joins the announcers’ table while Tazz nails Snow from behind and throws him in the ring. Snow takes control and goes for a whip, Tazz reverses it and Snow slides to stop himself. Tazz hits an overhead Tazplex and goes for a whip, Snow slides to stop again then connects with a spinkick and follows up with a Rydien bomb for a two count. Snow whips Tazz into a corner and both men accidentally knock heads when Raven hops on the apron to distract the referee. Lawler pulls Raven off while Snow grabs Head but Raven hops back on the apron and grabs Snow, holding him for Tazz. Tazz goes for a right hand but misses Snow and nails Raven by accident and Snow rolls Tazz up and gets the three count. (1:23) Raven climbs back in and helps Tazz double-team Snow when Lawler decides to make the save again. Lawler clobbers Tazz and Raven with the toilet seat and helps Snow clear them out of the ring. Just there to advance the storyline, nothing more. *
~ Backstage Lillian Garcia interviews Triple H about the savage beating he gave Kurt Angle on Raw. Triple H says he buried the hatchet with Angle with a Pedigree through the table and as for being DQ’ed, he wasn’t out to pin Angle but to destroy him. Triple H also says if Edge & Christian wanted to hang out with The Game they have to know how to play the game. Lillian then asks how that vicious attack affected his relationship with Stephanie but Triple H says his relationship is nobody’s business and his wife is at home under doctor’s care. Triple H says he doesn’t care about Angle and that he beat him up because he could and wanted to. Triple H adds that if Rock wins the WWF Title tonight it’ll be because he softened Angle up for him. Triple H wraps up by saying he finished his business with Angle and tonight he’s going to finish his business with Chris Benoit.
- Triple H vs. Chris Benoit
So the title match isn’t the only No Mercy rematch we’re getting on this card. Both men waste no time exchanging punches to start when Benoit gets the advantage and goes for a whip but Triple H reverses into a clothesline. Triple H goes for the Peidgree already when Benoit tries to counter into the Crossface but Triple H fights him off so Benoit goes into an arm drag. Both men lockup and jockey for position before rolling out to the floor. Benoit charges at Triple H but gets tripped into the ringsteps and Triple H drops him onto the barricade. Triple H suplexes Benoit back in the ring and hits a kneedrop to the face for a two count. Triple H goes for a whip, Benoit reverses him hard into the corner and hits a back suplex. Benoit whips Triple H into a corner and charges but eats a boot. Benoit tries to apply the Crossface again but Triple H counters with a whip into the corner. Triple H again sets Benoit up for the Pedigree but Benoit counters with a double-leg takedown. Triple H kicks Benoit away but accidentally knocks him into the referee. Benoit whips Triple H but lowers the head and Triple H hits a facebuster. Triple H sets Benoit up for a third Pedigree when Dean Malenko runs in the ring but Triple H decks him and clotheslines him over the ropes. Perry Saturn runs in, but Triple H backdrops him over the ropes as well. Triple H finally hits the Pedigree on Benoit and covers him but the referee is still out and can’t count. Suddenly Eddie Guerrero runs in the ring and waffles Triple H with his Intercontinential Title belt. Eddie drapes Benoit over the fallen Triple H while Saturn revives the referee and Benoit gets the three! (3:41) Nothing like their excellent match at the pay-per-view, plus Benoit gets his win back but needed a lot of interference to help him out. **
Saturn, Eddie and Malenko come in and stomp Triple H out of the ring then celebrate with Benoit, confirming that the Radicalz are back together! But rather than end it there Triple H comes back in the ring with a chair in hand and clobbers Saturn while the others escape. Because once again Triple H just has to get his heat back instead of letting Benoit and friends stand tall. Triple H then stares down Benoit and his reformed allies.
~ As we go to commerical Cole and Lawler hype the WWF Championship match later. Interesting to note Stephanie is still in the graphic but will most likely not be there.
~ Back from break we get a replay of Benoit pinning Triple H and the reformation of the Radicalz.
~ Cole and Lawler then recap everything that’s happened to Steve Austin thus far tonight. Backstage Kevin Kelly finds The Rock and asks where he was when Austin was nearly hit by the trunk. Rock tells Kelly that where he was earlier is his business and no one else’s, and the only concern he should have is him becomimg a 6-time WWF Champion. Rock also tells Kelly not to concern himself with his business again and walks off as Lawler points out Rock never did answer the question.
~ Kurt Angle is shown getting ready for the match in the back as we go to break.
- WWF World Heavyweight Title: Kurt Angle © vs. The Rock
This marks Angle’s third title defense in the two weeks since winning the belt at No Mercy but he has yet to retain the title with a definitive win. Also as mentioned earlier Stephanie is out recovering from her illness so Angle is on his own. Angle is hesitant to get in the ring at first so Rock brings him in the hard way and goes right to work, hitting the Smackdown. Angle comes back with a German suplex then gets in his offense and chokes Rock on the middle rope. Rock starts to fight back and whips Angle, hitting an elbow. Rock goes for another whip but Angle reverses and hits a powerslam for a two count. Angle pounds on Rock as both men head out to the floor when Rock rams Angle into the announce table twice. Rock then goes for a whip but Angle reverses him into the barricade and follows up with a clothelsine. Angle lays the boots to Rock before throwing him back in the ring then applies a chinlock. Rock fights out of it and goes for a whip, Angle reverses but both men end up clotheslining each other. Angle is up first and comes off the ropes but Rock catches him with a shot to the face. Rock goes for a whip, Angle reverses but Rock counters into a DDT for a two count. Rock goes for another whip, Angle reverses but lowers the head and Rock kicks him in the face. Rock comes off the ropes but Angle catches him into a belly-to-belly suplex. Insead of covering Rock, Angle decides he’s had enough and rolls out to the floor then grabs his title belt and starts to walk out of the match. Referee Earl Hebner starts counting as Angle tells him he’s keeping the belt so go ahead and count. Just as Hebner is about to reach 10, Rock tells him to stop the count and goes out after him. I didn’t know wrestlers could actually do that. Rock nails Angle from behind on the ramp then brings him back in the ring. Angle rakes Rock’s face and goes for a whip but Rock reverses into his own belly-to-belly suplex for a two count. Rock whips Angle and hits a Samoan Drop for another near fall. Rock goes for another whip but Angle counters into the Olympic Slam. Angle manages to crawl over for the cover and Hebner counts … but only gets two! Angle is shocked and charges at Rock but Rock tosses him over the ropes. However Angle starts holding his leg while screaming in pain, asking the referee to stop the count and saying it’s over. Rock isn’t having it and throws Angle back in the ring then counters a kick with a Dragon legwhip and goes into the Sharpshooter. Angle tries to hold on as Rikishi makes his way to the ring so Rock breaks the hold to knock Rikishi off the apron. Angle charges at Rock but Rock catches him with a spinebuster. Rock covers and Hebner counts 1…2…but Rikishi runs in and breaks up the count and sadly that forces Hebner to call for the disqualification, saving Angle’s title. (7:46) Once again Angle fails to get an actual win as champion. Bad ending to what was a good match. ***
Rikishi and Angle start double-teaming Rock when suddenly Steve Austin charges in the ring for the save. Austin drops Angle with a right hand then knocks Rikishi through the ropes and lays out Angle with the Stunner. Yep, just because we can’t make our world champion enough of a joke. Austin tosses Angle out of the ring as well when Rock readies himself and plants Austin with a Rock Bottom! Rock then stands over the fallen Austin and glares down at him as the announcers wonder what this means. Is Rock just getting even for the Stunner earlier, or is he indeed a guilty man. But that will have to wait until the next show as we’re out.
Conclusion: Not as good of a Smackdown show this time around as it was mostly about advancing angles. There wasn’t much in the way of in-ring action other than the good main event but there was plenty of talking segments and head-scratching booking. Once again Angle gets dumped on despite being world champion, and this whole hinting of a Austin/Rock feud just screams of desparation. Not to mention this whole stuff with Triple H and the reformed Radicalz. It just seems the writers can’t figure out what to do for Survivor Series which was less than three weeks away but has no matches announced for it, not even Angle’s next pay-per-view title defense. So I’m going to go thumbs in the middle leaning down for this one.