The WWE intro plays, followed by a new SmackDown! video that precedes a recap of The Bash!
"Welcome to SmackDown! Hot off The Bash, many a WWE superstar are looking to get back to the drawing board here tonight!"
"No doubt, Cole. Losers from last Sunday gotta be even hotter than SmackDown's newest divas, Torrie & Christy! Whoa, baby!"
The latest imports from RAW were a delight to see this past Sunday at The Bash, but SmackDown's ready to switch tones already with announcer Tony Chimel standing eagerly in the center of the ring! 'The following cruiserweight match is scheduled for one fall. Introducing first...'
The bell rings and Tajiri's music plays. The mysterious and straightforward Japanese Buzzsaw makes his way to the ring, followed by SmackDown's local neighborhood Hurricane!
STAND BACK! There's a hurricane coming through...
"I love it, Cole! Nice to see our resident superhero standing watch tonight!"
"But feast your eyes on what awaits the Hurricane, Tazz! Tajiri making his return after a long absence."
"Oh, yeah, Tajiri, he'll kick your damn head off, believe me. But I got faith in the Hurricane to blow past the Buzzsaw!"
In a fierce, quick-paced bout, Tajiri's vicious kicks threaten to whack the superhero out cold. But the Hurricane ducks a roundhouse and nails a sweeping neckbreaker slam for the 3 count.
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Cameras backstage slowly climb the tantalizing legs of Stacy Keibler.
Carlito and Chris Masters are being graced by her presence while preparing for a shot at the tag team championship tonight. Carlito is eating a granny smith apple and the Masterpiece is exercising with resistance bands. "Guys, I know you can shock the WWE Universe tonight and walk away with the gold. The combination of power," Stacy eyes Masters, who smirks confidently, "and attitude," Stacy eyes Carlito, who nods and mutters something in Spanish, "along with my managerial services is going to give us all the tools we need to dethrone the tag team champions." Stacy is confident, too, as she smiles warmly at the auspicious duo.
The cameras transition to the locker room of the current tag team champions, Booker T and, Mr. Thursday Night, Rob...Van...Dam.
Booker T is sitting on a stool, putting on his ring gloves, and RVD is shadow boxing in the corner on the opposite side of the room. The coveted WWE Tag Team Championship hangs over locker doors between the effective and proven pair. "Yo, Rob, you and me? We're gonna electrify the crowd tonight!" Booker T's enthusiastic voice calls out to his concentrated partner, who nods, mid-combo, and reaffirms Booker's words with, "Hell yeah" in his sandy voice. After finishing the combo, Mr. Thursday Night calmly walks over to his partner, who has stood up, finished prepping and ready to mix it up in the ring.
"Tonight we're gonna prove that we don't need some hot manager to help us retain these titles." RVD gestures at the belts. "Damn straight," Booker exchanges in a deep voice. "All we need is the...wait, how many times were you WCW Champion again?" RVD smirks in jest at the fierce Houston native, who smiles back and holds out his hand, entranced momentarily by it. "5 time WCW Champ, man." Booker confidently reminds the calm highlight reel, nodding at him fiercely and slapping his chest. RVD chuckles, glad to see the fire that is smoldering inside of his partner tonight. "Right. Well, that, and--" The cocky superstar raises both arms and sticks out his thumbs, pointing at himself. "Rob...Van...Dam... is all we need to walk out with this gold tonight." He says, grabbing his title and handing the other to Booker T.
"Oh, man, Cole. The tag champs are ready, and so are the challengers! It's gonna be wicked!"
"I couldn't agree more, Tazz. And this fiery matchup is, well, it's up next!"
A commercial break later...
"Here come the champs, Cole!"
The energetic onslaught from the defending champions nearly consumes the challengers, who are busy working out the kinks and trying to discover flow as a team. A flash of hope arises when Rob Van Dam soars from the top rope, aiming a flying kick at the Masterpiece, but the larger superstar sidesteps and nearly chains Mr. Thursday Night in the Master Lock, before Van Dam scrambles to the ropes to prevent the hold.
The addition of Stacy Keibler at ringside is an encouraging one, and the turning point occurs when a hot tag leads to Carlito ducking a fierce kick by Booker T, whose long mean leg crashes into RVD's face instead. After Mr. Thursday Night falls out of the ring, Carlito and Booker T exchange blows until Booker T misses another kick, spins around from the momentum of the strike and gets planted with the Backstabber. As Carlito seeks the cover, RVD runs back in but is corralled by the Masterpiece and imprisoned in the Master Lock. Some of the crowd is booing at what this turn of events likely means. While the referee would like to have both illegal men out of the ring, the ref can't ignore the pin attempt and counts Booker T's shoulders for the 3 count.
Stacy celebrates at ringside and Tazz enjoys it, saying the conclusion to the match was a surprising one, but then again, that he saw it coming because the duo of Carlito & Masters, like Stacy had remarked earlier backstage, came to play tonight and are now walking out with something for their efforts. Meanwhile, the Masterpiece releases Van Dam, who slowly recovers in the center of the ring next to his fallen partner. Mr. Thursday Night is sorely clutching his neck at the hands of the Master Lock submission hold. There doesn't appear to be any bad blood between the two teams other than hot disappointment from the former champions as the new ones can't get enough of the win, especially Carlito, as Stacy Keibler holds up their arms to the crowd that is warming to the duo's victory.
Afterward, Carlito & Masters confidently stride up the ramp with a smiling Stacy somewhere in the middle as Carlito heckles indignantly at the fans.
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A recap during the commercial break shows brief highlights from the steel cage match last Sunday at The Bash between Muhammad Hassan & Kurt Angle. As SmackDown! returns, olympic sounds triumphantly fill the arena as the new United States Champion proudly walks down to the ring to exceptional applause. In his wrestling attire, Kurt Angle grabs a microphone and smiles at the crowd, with the US Championship comfortably resting over his shoulder.
"When I entered the Olympic Games in 1996, I came to win and had my heart set on taking home some gold." Kurt begins speaking and lifts the gold medal around his neck a few inches from his chest. "And I succeeded. Last sunday at The Bash, things were no different." The cheers rise from the crowd. Angle flourishes the title belt and holds it up with both hands. The crowd applauds. After a celebratory moment, Kurt rests the belt back on his shoulder. "SmackDown! had a disgrace as the United States Champion until I set my eyes on changing things once again. And I did, when I made that son-of-a-bitch Muhammad Hassan tap out!"
The crowd cheers again. "Hassan was nothing but a joke. I sent that SOB packing. And tonight, I'm going to take down another one!" The crowd is left to wonder, as Angle prepares for his match. Michael Cole explains at ringside, showing a video of the feud between Kane & Big Show, how the Big Red Monster had been humiliating the giant until being chokeslammed off the stage at The Bash. This must be what Kurt was alluding to, how Big Show toyed around with Kane for weeks until finally seeking to end Kane's abuse.
WELL, IT'S THE BIG SHOW!!!
In a lopsided matchup, Angle tries to use his speed and wrestling skill against the towering behemoth, who deflects the champion's efforts with ease but can't seem to put the Olympic Hero down for the 3 count. After a Show Stopper attempt is reversed into a quickly broken Angle Lock, Kane creeps down to ringside and smirks wickedly at Big Show. "Why the hell is Kane out here?" Cole disputes at ringside. Tazz is equally puzzled but it's clear that Kane survived the fall at The Bash and has resumed his ridiculing of the 500 lb superstar.
After a while, Kurt Angle has noticed Kane's presence long enough and nails him to the floor with a baseball slide. Kurt Angle nails Kane with a steel chair, proving he isn't going to endure Kane's torment as long as Big Show had. The giant exits the ring next. Kurt tells him to "Finish it!" and hands him the steel chair. Big Show nods, but Kane holds up his hands, pleading with the giant, who, in a surprise turn, cracks Angle with the chair.
"Bah! What the hell, Cole?!"
Prone, Kane chuckles wickedly, the referee ends the match in a DQ, and Big Show tosses the US Champion back into the ring. Kurt tries to recover and weakly swings at the larger superstar, but is quickly defeated with a chokeslam. Tony Chimel announces Kurt's victory via DQ, the crowd cheers momentarily, but Kane and Big Show are still stalking over the flattened champion. The two men look at each other and slap hands, clearly on the same side now.
"I can't believe this, Tazz!"
Kane gives out an order, and Big Show hoists Angle back up to his feet, throwing him into Kane's mighty grasp. He tombstones the champion for good measure.
*******************************
"These two bulls going at it again, Cole!"
Tazz is speaking about Batista, who is set to collide with Cena again. Cole shows a replay of Cena's surprise appearance at The Bash, much to the chagrin of a title match-less Animal, who edged the controversial star from RAW in a close bout of phenomenal proportions.They clash, clearly ensuring the rift of animosity between them as they try to one-up each other for pride and dominance. "Well, Batista-- he don't like nobody but the World Title. Y'know that, Cole."
Nearly ten minutes of highly contested action transpires before the referee is leveled by a clothesline courtesy of the Animal. Stunned by the blow, Batista loses his focus for just a second and turns around right into Cena's FU. The crowd erupts once again for Cena, both positively and negatively, until Randy Orton, fresh off a loss for the World Championship at The Bash, slithers into the squared circle and dupes the Chain Gang Leader with a surprise RKO.
Orton smirks, and rolls back out of the ring. Batista recovers from the FU in a rage and slams Cena with a mountainous powerbomb. The referee recovers and counts Cena's shoulders. As Batista growls triumphantly at his devastated foe, he exits the ring and Orton returns into the ring with a microphone in hand.
"John Cena... the hottest commodity RAW's ever seen...who came onto my show at the worst...possible...time. I don't like you, John. I never have. Even since our days in OVW. But now? Now, you think you can strut onto SmackDown!-- my show -- and usurp my spot in the title picture? I don't think so, Cena.If I have to beat the living crap out of you to get this message through to you and send you running back to RAW, then that's what I'm gonna do." Orton hurls the microphone at Cena's chest and stomps his head in.
Backstage, Edge is standing under the bright lights with Lita as Josh Matthews interviews the controversial couple. "Edge, at The Bash, you silenced the skeptics and prevailed in a triple threat match, costing Orton the victory. Orton's made it clear that he still craves the championship belt on your shoulder and tonight you'll be facing the Legend Killer one on one. How do you respond?"
Edge raises his dark sunglasses with a nonchalant expression, clearly unfazed by Orton's intent, as Lita speaks on his behalf. "Josh, my man, Edge, is going to prove once again that guys like Orton and the Undertaker aren't on his level. These people don't know anything," the crowd boos, "and neither does Orton."
The pair walk away.
******************************
WHAT'CHU GONNA DO WHEN WE COME FOR YOU!
The crowd bursts for the masked superstar, Rey Mysterio, who is set for a highly awaited rematch with The Undertaker, who defeated him weeks ago in a close contest. The match of speed and size proves to be of equal worth. The Undertaker has something to prove tonight after his failure to recapture the title at The Bash, but the 619 Sensation has no problem getting in the Phenom's way.A 619 attempt leads to a tombstone reversal, as Undertaker yanks Mysterio through the ropes, but a headscissors plants the Phenom on the ropes again. It leads to a 619 and Mysterio lands a crippling leg drop to the back of the Undertaker's head while he was slowly trying to recover. A near fall follows and the Undertaker sits up, but Mysterio springboards again!
"Oh, he got caught, Cole! Look out!"
Undertaker prepares a 2nd attempt for the Tombstone Piledriver, but Rey wiggles free once more! He lands behind the Phenom, dropkicks him, and the Demon from Death Valley stumbles onto the middle rope. Instead of risking another 619, Mysterio runs up behind the Undertaker, whose momentum has knocked him backward, in perfect form for the San Diego Sensation to get a match-ending schoolboy!
"He did it, Cole! I can't believe it!"
Neither can the audience, who is mostly left cheering in response to Mysterio's dazzling victory. Even The Undertaker is in awe as he shakes off his embitterment from losing at The Bash, knowing this loss can't help his championship aspirations, but unafraid to give Mysterio his due credit. He holds up Mysterio's hand as a white mist aids the Phenom's strange disappearance. Mysterio resumes celebrating as Edge enters the arena to a tempest of jeering.
Edge mouths something to Mysterio, who is cautiously regarding the champion and his arm candy, before exiting the ring. Edge jaws at Mysterio's exit, smirking dominantly, as he throws off his trench coat. Orton makes his entrance next, and the two lock up. Lita's antics get her RKOed midway through the testy encounter and a spear from Edge nearly claims the hungry challenger.
But Randy surges back, landing a powerslam. Edge scrambles back up to his feet, but spears the referee instead. Orton is waiting for him. He lifts Edge up onto his shoulders, Edge panics, flailing his arms, as Orton plants him on his back with a devastating neckbreaker. Spinning on a dime, Orton lands on his fists and stalks behind the champion. Lita is still out from the RKO at ringside.
"RKO's coming, Cole..."
The crowd erupts.
"It's Cena! It's Cena!"
Cena lurches on top of the unsuspecting Orton, wrapping him up in the STFU until the Legend Killer passes out. The Chain Gang cheers on their resilient leader, who gestures his signature "You Can't See Me!" hand motion before leaving the ring.
Meanwhile, Edge has recovered and so is the referee. The Rated R Superstar bolts out of the corner and pierces Orton, who finally recovers only to be flattened again for the 3 count. Lita rolls back into the ring as Edge momentarily stalks over his fallen foe...until he notices Cena standing by the stage. Cena motions his hands over his waist, gesturing an invisible belt, and points at the actual title that rests in Edge's grasp.
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