WWF Smackdown 11/23/2000

Written by: Adam King

WWF SMACKDOWN
Thursday, November 23rd, 2000

Taped (11/21) from the National Car Rental Center in Ft. Lauderdale, FL

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: Bull Buchanan & The Goodfather (11/06/2000)
●  WWF European Champion: William Regal (10/16/2000)
●  WWF Hardcore Champion: Steve Blackman (9/24/2000)
●  WWF Women’s Champion: Ivory (11/02/2000)
●  WWF Light Heavyweight Champion: Dean Malenko (4/27/2000)

~ This Thanksgiving edition of Smackdown comes on the air and goes right to the intro with Michael Cole and Jerry Lawler welcoming us. Tonight’s main event will see Steve Austin teaming up with Chris Jericho against Chris Benoit and Kane. And like all holiday episodes, expect to see some silly holiday-related skits throughout the evening.

• WWF Intercontinential Title: Eddie Guerrero © vs. “The One” Billy Gunn

Eddie first takes a momment on the mic to address “Goldilocks” about stooging him out to “Cheap-acita”. Eddie says Billy may want the title but he’s the one with Latino Heat and promises to knock Billy’s bleach off. Eddie goes to meet Billy on the floor but Billy takes control and rams Eddie into the barricade releatedly then then drops Eddie onto the barrier before rolling him in the ring. Eddie comes back with his own shots then goes for a whip but Billy reverses it and connects with an elbow. Billy whips Eddie and hits a backdrop then whips him again but both men collide in mid-air. Eddie brings his IC belt in the ring and Billy nails Eddie before he can use the belt but Eddie ccidentlaly knocks the referee over on his way down. Eddie DDTs Billy onto the belt and covers him but the referee removes the title before making a two count. Eddie climbs to the top rope and connects with the Frogsplash then covers… but it only gets two?? Eddie is shocked that the frogsplash failed as he lays the boots to Billy and chokes him. Eddie goes for a whip and Billy reverses him into a corner but eats an elbow. Eddie comes out but Billy powerslams him for a near fall. Both men exchange shots when Billy gets the advantage and whips Eddie, hitting a tilt-o-whirl slam for a two. Billy whips Eddie into a corner and connects with a Stinger splash then follows it up with a jackhammer. Billy then drills Eddie with the Rocker Dropper and covers him … but that only gets a two count as well! Wow, both men have kicked out of each other’s finishers. Billy isn’t sure what to do now and tries another Rocker Dropper but this time Eddie tosses him onto the top rope. Eddie climbs to the top rope and leaps off but Billy catches him into a cobra clutch slam for the 1..2..3 and the title! (5:36) Okay match and it’s nice to see Eddie get his just desserts. But then you realize they just gave the #2 title to Billy Gunn which somewhat negates the effect. **

~ Backstage we find Mick Foley dressed up as a pilgrim while conversing with Derba who’s dressed up as an Indian. Foley talks on he’s thankful to be in Fort Lauderdale and even decides to enact a traditional Thanksgiving feast. At that point Jim Ross steps in with a dish of roasted chicken and that of course prompts an obvious joke. Foley thanks JR for his contribution before saying the other wrestlers will be demonstrating their recipes from the new WWF Cookbook as well. And now we countdown the minutes until the food fight.

~ Back form break we get a replay of Billy Gunn winning the Intercontinential Title. We then Eddie backstage throwing a tantrum at losing the title while knocking various objects around.

~ Out in the arena William Regal makes his way to the ring and it looks like we’re going to get some promo time. Regal gets on the mic and talks about why Thanksgiving represents everything that is wrong with the United States. Regal says Thanksgiving started when Pilgrims got kicked out of England and broke bread with the Native Americans but today the holiday means overweight families sitting watching cartoon ballons being paraded on television. Regal then talks about Thanksgiving dinner, how you don’t really need to unbutton your pants and belch after eating. Before Regal can go much further, The Rock suddenly makes his way to the stage to offer a counterpoint on the mic. Rock starts off with his “Finally…” bit but instead of saying “Fort Lauderdale” Rock says he has come back…home. Rock tells Regal he agrees with his remarks about about Thankgiving, only not the way Regal actually said his words. Rock then proceeds to call Regal a suit-wearing bug-eyed punk and Regal takes offense to Rock bemirching his words. Rock then asks Regal if he feels besmirched but once Regal tries to answer Rock cuts him off with “It doesn’t matter..!” Rock tells Regal that the Pilgrims weren’t kicked out of England, they left England and landed on Plymouth … Rock. Rock also says today is about giving thanks and his fans would be thankful if he beat Regal up all over Ft. Lauderdale. Regal has a great angry look on his face as he figures Rock is challenging him to a match tonight and Rock confirms it then talks about what he’s going to do with a turkey drumstick before finishing up with the usual ending.

~ We then check on the Thanksgiving meal as Mick Foley and Debra debate on how the holiday is about family. Debra wishes for a family atmosphere but Foley mentions there’s always one family member that gets on his nerves. Almost on cue Al Snow drops in bearing a bowl of his snowpeas and Foley starts cracking some lame jokes about it. Snow thanks Debra for inviting him and walks off while Foley says he likes Christmas but hates Snow at Thanksgiving.

~ Back from break it’s another scene from the Thansgiving meal as Foley and Debra complement each other’s outfits. The Kat then walks up contributing a bowl of homemade beef jerky and Foley says what an attractive dish it is.

• Crash & Hardcore Holly vs. T & A – Hardcore Rules Match

This match resulted when Test and Albert interfered in Hardcore’s match with Regal on Monday plus Crash still has issues with them. Cole explains Trish Stratus isn’t with her chagres because she’s in a match against Molly Holly later tonight. All four men pair off to start before Test tosses Hardcore through the ropes leaving Albert to beat on Crash. Test goes out and goes for a whip but Hardcore sends him into the steps then comes to Crash’s aid in the ring. The Hollys whip Albert and Hardcore nails him with a dropkick then covers but Albert powers out of the pin. Test pulls Hardcore out to the floor and works him over while Albert presses Crash up and into a gourdbuster. Test and Albert double-team Crash but Hardcore comes back in with a leather strap and whips Albert with it. Albert and Hardcore then head out to the floor to duke it out while Test stomps Crash down in a corner. Albert goes for the Avalanche on Hardcore but Hardcore dodges it and Albert chagres right into the ringpost. Hardcore goes in and breaks a broomstick on Test’s back then drapes him on the top rope and kicks the chest. Albert is back in and drops Hardcore on the ropes then goes out and woks him over with the strap on the floor. Crash grabs a trash lid and hammers Test with it, Test whips him but Crash comes back with a jumping DDT. Test backdrops Crash over the ropes but Crash lands on the apron and flips back in the ring with a hurcanrana. Test grabs a trash lid but Crash climbs to the top rope and kicks it in Test’s face with a missile dropkick for two. Albert sprays Hardcore with a fire extinguisher then goes in and squashes Crash with a can-assisted Avalanche. Albert then rams Crash into a big boot from Test and that’s enough to grab the three. (3:41) The usual hardcore stuff. Hardcore comes back in and whacks Test and Albert with a road sign but that doesn’t change the result. DUD

~ We check back on the Thanksgiving meal as Tool Cool arrives with sweet potato casserole and orange salad. Mick Foley tries to do a little dance in response even as Derba urges him to realize that being hip isn’t his thing.

• Val Venis (w/Steven Richards) vs. K-Kwik (w/Road Dogg)

Richards makes his way out with Val still showing the effects of the two table trips he took the past few days so Val subs for him on the mic. Val offers to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving but feels he can’t do that because the fans are watching this perverse programming instead of spending quality time with their families. Val then urges the fans to say no to “Getting Rowdy” and hello to getting morality as the rapping guys come out to little response. Val gets in the first shots and chokes K-Kiwk with his boot in a corner then whips him into the opposite corner. K-Kwik lifts himself up and over Val with the ropes then backflips across the ring and starts getting in his offense. K-Kwik goes for a whip, Val reverses it but K-Kwik hits a head scissors then clotherslines him over the ropes and leaps over them with a pescado on Val. Val comes back and drops K-Kwik onto the barricade then tosses him back in the ring. Val whips K-Kwik into a corner then charges at him but eats a boot and elbow. K-Kwik starts fighting back and whips Val, hitting a clothesline, then whips him again and hits a backdrop. K-Kwik whips Val into a corner and follows up with running dropkick. K-Kwik charges at him but eats an elbow but Val rolls K-Kwik up while putting his feet on the ropes but the referee catches it and refuses to count the pin. Val argues with the referee when K-Kwik rolls him up from behind for a two count. Val hits a spinebuster then climbs to the top rope for the Moneyshot but K-Kwik cuts him off then goes up and hits a huricanrana. Both men are down when Bull Buchanan and The Goodfather run out and beat Road Dogg down on the floor. K-Kwik floats over Val into a rollup but the referee is too busy with the melee on the floor to see the cover. That allows Richards to come in and drill K-Kwik with a DDT then heads out and Val is able to steal the pin. (3:58) Blah match despite some cool moves from K-Kwik. *

~ Backstage a number of wrestlers have gathered for the Thanksgiving feast as Funaki arrives with kung-pow chicken. Foley then talks about having candy canes but when Funaki hears the word “cane” he takes off thinking Kane is here.

~ Back from break we get a highlights package of the Kurt Angle/Eric Angle/Undertaker situation from Monday. Not surprisingly we then see Kurt Angle (sporting a neck brace) heading to the ring to perhaps address that incident. Angle says he though his issues with the Undertaker were over after he pinned him to the mat at the Survivor Series then mentions when he beat his opponents in the past they would tell them what an honor it was to wrestle him. Angle says Taker just couldn’t stand the fact that he lost to the better man so he acted in a most unsportsmanlike way and Taker taking out his frustrations on his brother gives him the Sore Loser of the Year award. Angle says he loves his brother unlike Taker and never set his face on fire which forced him to wear a scary mask. Angle adds taking out Eric wasn’t enough for Taker who then cowardly chokeslammed him off the stage to the floor. Angle accuses Taker of being jealous because he has a spiffy bike and scary tattoos but doesn’t have Olympic gold. Angle calls Taker nothing compared to the American hero when Taker finally appears having heard enough of Angle. Taker makes his way the ring and proceeds to beat down Angle when Edge & Christian come out to make the save. Taker is able to fight E&C off at first but Angle chopblocks Taker’s knee and that allows the numbers to take over. Taker eventually comes back so Angle and friends decide to retreat up the ramp leaving Taker to stand tall in the ring. So the world champ and the top heel tag team couldn’t beat Taker down despite a 3-on-1 advantage, making this a total waste of time.

~ William Regal is shown heading to the ring while shaking hands with the backstage workers along the way. The Rock is alo show heading to the ring for the next match as well as we go to commercial.

~ Back from break we get a replay of Angle setting Taker up for a failed ambush from himself, Edge and Christian. We then get footage of Team ECK congradulating each other as they quickly climbed into their car and drove off.

• The Rock vs. William Regal © – Non-Title Match

Rock gets in the first shots then whips Regal and hits an elbow before working him over in a corner. Rock goes for a whip and Regal reverses him into the other corner but Rock comes back with a clothesline. Rock then looks over and sees Rikishi watching things on the stage, allowing Regal to nail him from behind. Regal is able to get in his shots then goes for a whip but Rock reverses it and tosses Regal over the ropes. Rock goes out and rams Regal into the barrier then goes for a whip but Regal reverses him into the ringpost. Regal clotheslines Rock over the barricade and pounds on him in the crowd before tossing him back to ringside. Rock fights back until Regal jabs his eyes to stop it then grabs a chair and swings it but misses and hits the post. Regal rams Rock into the announce table before rolling him back in the ring as Rikishi continues to look on. Regal covers Rock with his forearm in the face but only gets a two count then covers again and again gets two. Rock again rallies but Regal stops that with a forearm then whips him but Rock comes back with a flying forearm. Regal hits a back suplex then goes for a whip, Rock reverses it but lowers the head and Regal kicks the face. Rock gets in some shots but misses the Smackdown and Regal nails him with a European elbow to the head. Regal goes for a whip but Rock reverses and drills him with a DDT then turns and has some words for Rikishi. Rock whips Regal and hits a belly-to-belly throw for a two but Regal comes back with the inveted neckbreaker. Rock is holding his head as Regal covers him while putting his feet on the ropes but only gets a two count. Rock blocks a kick with a Dragon legwhip then slaps on the Sharpshooter and Regal quickly taps out. (4:27) Okay match but just seemed to be lacking something. Still it was cool that Regal got to rub shoulders with one of the WWF’s top dogs, though he could have looked a little stronger. **

Rock turns toward Rikishi and dares him bring it in the ring but Rikishi tells him not today and walks off. Rock then sees Regal showing everyone that he’s still a champion so Rock plants him with a Rock Bottom.

~ Back from break we check in on the feast as Mick Foley tell Funaki the difference between candy canes and Kane. Funaki then takes a seat at the Dudley Boyz’ table as Mideon walks up contributing a bowl of minestrone soup.

• Tazz vs. Raven

Raven disolved this partnership last week so here’s the usual blowoff wne a tag team parts ways. Tazz punks out Raven as he starts to climb in the ring then goes out and throws him into the barricade. Tazz tosses Raven in the ring and chokes him with a t-shirt then stomps him in a corner. Tazz goes for a whip but Raven reverses it and hits a clothesline followed by a kneelift to the face. Tazz grabs at Raven’s face then throws him to the mat and trash-talks him. Raven starts to fight back but misses with a discus punch and Tazz hits a T-bone Tazplex. Tazz works Raven over in a corner when Raven reverses positions for his shots. Raven whips Tazz into the opposite corner and connects with a clothesline followed by a running bulldog. Raven pounds on Tazz and goes for a whip but Tazz counters into a Northern Lights Tazplex for a near fall. Tazz goes for a whip but Raven counters into an Evenflow DDT and that gets the clean pin. (2:26) This match had no heat and looked like it was starting to get going when it suddenly ended. *½

~ We then check in on the party as Debra tells Foley he has a pie in the oven and steps away to check on it. Foley then goes over and asks the Dudleys what they brought tonight and they show off their Dudleyville Dumplings. Foely tells Bubba and D’Von how nice it is to see them sitting at a table instead of putting people through one when the Dudleys suddenly grab Funaki and Johnathan Coachman but Foley calls them off, saying Debra would be peeved. Foley then puts on some frames and shouts “D’Von, get the dumpings” but all he gets is Too Cool shaking their heads.

~ Back from break we find Chris Benoit talking to Eddie Guerrero who’s still upset about his Intercontinential Title loss. Eddie says he doesn’t want to talk about it when Lillian Garcia barges in the rooom looking for an interview with him. However Benoit gets in Lillian’s face and confronts her about her intent to ask Eddie how it felt to lose the title earlier. Benoit then rants about losing to Steve Austin on Monday, accusing Lillian of thinking Austin is a better man than him. Benoit insists the only reason Austin got his hand raised that night is because Austin capitalized on one of his mistakes but tonight is another night and promises Austin will find out what Benoit’s Wrestle Ed 101 is all about. Benoit angrily dismisses Lillian and his emotional outburst seems to have even scared Eddie based on his look.

• Molly Holly vs. Trish Stratus

Molly starts with an armbar and Trish reverses into her own armbar but Molly counters with a Fireman’s carry. Molly gets another armbar and Trish tries to roll out of it but Molly stops that with a pair of snap armwringers. Molly whips Trish and hits a hiptoss then charges but tumbles to the floor after Trish pulls down the top rope. Trish goes out and stomps away on Molly on the floor then throws her into the barricade before rolling her back in. Trish hits a vertical suplex for a two count then climbs to the top rope and grabs Molly in a hangman’s choke. Trish follows up with a bulldog but only it gets a two count. Trish slams Molly and climbs to the top again but Molly cuts her off and throws her to the mat. Molly whips Trish and hits a Northern Lights suplex for a two count. Molly whips Trish into a corner and Trish dumps her over the ropes but Molly lands on the apron and decks her. Molly climbs to the top rope when Trish cuts her off then goes up looking for a superplex but Molly blocks it. Molly then fights Trish off to the mat and connects with a sweet flying somersault Thesz Press for the pin! (3:04) That would be the birth of the Molly-Go-Round if you were wondering. Decent showing from both ladies who you’d never guess would go on to be two of the most prominent Women’s champions down the line. **

~ Back at the feast Debra is offering a piece of her pie and Snow asks if that’s a trick question. Funkai mentions that he likes pie and everyone has a good hearty laugh as we go to commercial.

~ Back from break we get some highlights of the Steve Austin/Triple H match at Survivor Series and the tirade on Raw. Michael Cole then says that Triple H was released from the hospital and is spending Thanksgiving at home with his wife plus a rumor that Triple H is expected to be back on Raw this coming Monday. So Triple H gets dropped 40 feet from a forklift in a car but only requires a three-day stay in the hospital? Seriously, guys? I can already hear the groans from you guys who know what happenes next but let’s not spoil it of the others.

~ Back at the feast Mick Foley is addressing everyone when Tiger Ali-Singh and Lo Down angrily barge into the room demanding to be allowed to be part of the celebration. Debra offers Tiger a pie to calm him down but Tiger isn’t satisfied and tells Foley he can’t igonre them forever. Tiger then takes the pie and chucks it out of the frame but er we then find the pie hit Steve Blackman in the face. Blackman responss by superkicking Tiger into a table then grabs a lid and wears out Chaz and D’Lo Brown Ihe Dudleys drive Tiger through a table with a 3D and not surprisingly the long-expected food fight finally erupts as everyone starts slinging foodstuffs at each other. We then see Debra and Foley watching the chaos nearby when Debra gives him a pie to the face for the punchline. Yep.

~ The main event participants are shown making their way to the ring from different directions as we go to commercial.

• Stone Cold Steve Austin & Chris Jericho vs. Chris Benoit & Kane

Isn’t it interesting how Austin lately gets all the main events while The Rock, the man who carried the company in his absence, is stuck with mid-card heels. Once all four men are in the ring Austin tells Jericho how this thing shakes out and Jericho nods in agreement. The Chrises start off for their respective teams and lockup then jockey for position before breaking cleanly. Benoit gets in the first shots and goes for a whip, Jericho reverses and leapfrogs over him then hits an elbow. Jericho glares at Kane as he lays the boots to Benoit then hits a chop and wrenches the arm with an armwringer. Austin gets the tag and Benoit pounds on him then whips him but lowers the head and Austin kicks the face. Austin gets in his shots and goes for a whip, Benoit reverses and hits a drop toehold then goes into a facelock. Austin counters into an armwringer and goes for a clothesline but Benoit ducks it and lets Austin know about it. Both men lockup and Benoit applies a headlock then goes into a hammerlock and goes back to the headlock. Austin shoves Benoit into the ropes and Benoit hits a shoulderblock but Austin comes back with a spinebuster. Austin gets another armwringer but Benoit forces him into his corner where Kane tags in to take over on him. Kane whips Austin looking for a boot but Ausitn catches it and trips Kane by his leg. Austin works over the leg with elbowdrops then goes into a leglock but Kane escpaes with legdrops to the face. Kane uppercuts Austin and goes for a whip but Ausitn reverses and hits the Thesz Press followed by the rights. Austin catches Benoit coming in with an elbow before elbowdropping Kane and ramming him into Jericho’s boot. Jericho tags in and unloads on Kane but Kane take control with an uppercut and whips him hard into a corner. Kane goes for a back suplex but Jericho flips out of it and dropkicks the knee Austin was working on earlier. Jericho kicks away at the knee and goes for a Figure Four but Kane kicks him away and through the ropes.

Benoit goes after Jericho who fights him off then heads back in the ring but Kane greets him with a big boot. Kane clubs Jericho in the back and hammers away at him in a corner then tags Benoit in to take over with chops. Benoit whips Jericho and hits a clothesline then plants him with a back suplex before tagging Kane back in. Kane whips Jericho and Jericho tries to leap at him for something but Kane catches him with a bear hug. Jerihco reaches for his corner but is too far away so he tries to fight off Kane when Kane tosses him down. Kane misses an elbowdrop and Jericho crawls for his corner but Kane cuts off his tag and also decks Austin, drawing him in the distract the referee. Benoit comes in without a tag and kick away at Jericho while Kane climbs to the top rope and connects with the flying clothesline. Kane covers Jericho but Austin makes the save. Benoit tags in and whips Jericho who comes back with a flying forearm then once again crawls toward his corner. Jericho is able to make the hot tag to Austin just as Kane comes in and distracts the referee from seeing it. The referee orders Austin back as he argues he made a legal tag while Benoit and Kane double-team Jericho. Austin decides to go after Kane anyway and the referee forces him back only to get taken out with a Stunner. Ausitn clotheslines Kane over the ropes then breaks up Benoit’s crossface on Jericho and Stunners him as well. Kane comes back and grabs Austin by the throat but Jericho breaks it up with a missile dropkick off the top rope. Austin hits the Stunner on Kane and Jericho adds in a Lionsault and apparently that’s the match, folks. (7:25) Fine main event but just seemed to end too abruptly without any real conclusion, not even the usual “face comeback” spot in these tag matches. Austin heads up the ramp to the stage while grabbing his beer and begins to chug it as the show fades to black. **½

Conclusion: Our second placeholder show in a row as the WWF seemed in no hurry to put together their next pay-per-view which was just 17 days away. The Thanksgiving segments were as cheesy as you’d expect and the in-ring action a little lacking as a whole, despite a good main event. Plus not much of note happened other than Billy Gunn getting the IC title and that move was debatable. By this time it seemed Austin had suddenly reclaimed his spot at the top while shoving aside the guys who were the focus of the company for much of 2000, especially The Rock who was ‘the man’ in his absence. All because the bookers were panicking at the falling ratings and banked on Austin to turn it around, pretty much like Hulk Hogan in 1993 and those efforts would be just as successful. Overall a skippable epsiode (as these holiday editions usually are) unless you realy want to see Gunn’s big moment.