Episode 21 - Bitter Escalation

The WWE intro plays, followed by:



Welcome to SmackDown!

A graphic shows the returning Chris Jericho slated to face The Undertaker, and more importantly, the main event, a culmination of the intense altercation between John Cena and Randy Orton last week. But first...

GO! IF YOU CLOSE YOUR EYES...

"Nice to see Christian back in action tonight, Cole!"

I SPIT IN THE FACE OF PEOPLE WHO DON'T WANT TO BE COOL.

The two young combatants clash, putting on a breathtaking opener that concludes with a pair of boots to Carlito's face, a reverse elbow from the top rope, followed by a big splash from the adjacent turnbuckle as Captain Charisma charms his peeps with the victory, despite the delightful presence of Stacy Keibler at ringside who is left to look on as one half of the tag champions is beaten before her eyes.

Backstage, John Cena is greeted with a mixed reaction by the crowd and Josh Matthews asks him how he feels about tonight's match with Orton.

"My name is John Cena," he states and receives some boos in doing so. "Clearly, a lot of emotion is carried with that name. But I didn't come to SmackDown! to make friends. I'm here to represent the Chain Gang, represent what I stand for, and someday soon put some gold on my shoulder. If Orton doesn't like my presence on 'his show', then tonight I'll just have to teach him about hustle…loyalty…and respect before I can go about my ways. It was nice talking to ya, Josh." Cena appears to walk off screen, but immediately returns and speaks into the microphone, but his eyes are clearly in search of something else. "Oh, and Randy… you can't see me!" Cena waves his hand in front of the camera, the Chain Gang battles boos with their own cheers, as the screen fades to black.

As SmackDown! returns, the arena is drenched in macabre gloom. It's The Undertaker. And his dark entrance is contrasted thunderously by the epic return of Chris Jericho, who, surprisingly, is heavily cheered.

Jericho seeks to outmaneuver the Deadman, but gets punished in the early going for his efforts. This includes the Phenom gliding on the top rope and crashing down onto Jericho with a clothesline. "Undertaker taking Y2J to school here tonight. | Yeah, 'Old School', Cole!"

Before long, Jericho realizes the odds do not fall in his favor and slips in a low blow behind the referee's back, using it to drive the Deadman's face into the mat and follow it up with the Lionsault for a 2 count. It is clear that Undertaker is barely phased by Jericho's despicable actions and whacks him in the chest with a big boot. Preparing for a Choke Slam, the Demon from Death Valley devilishly wiggles his fingers in anticipation and easily lifts his lighter foe high into the air, aiming to spike him back down to the canvas without remorse.

"CODEBREAKER! CODEBREAKER! | OH MY GAWD, COLE!"

Both men are motionless for a few moments. The crowd is on the edge of its collective seat. Jericho weakly makes a pin attempt...

But The Undertaker powers out at the last second. Always the opportunist, Jericho tries to move faster than the Phenom can recover. He catapults himself off the ropes, aiming for a second Lionsault, but gets caught and planted with the Tombstone Piledriver. Yet... Jericho is too close to the ropes and barely sneaks his foot onto the bottom rope, despite being nearly incapacitated by the usually deafening blow.

THIS - IS - AWESOME!

"My sentiments exactly," Tazz responds to the crowd's chant.

The Phenom has had enough of Jericho's squirming. He raises an arm, signaling a familiar omen to the split crowd.

Jericho is yanked back up to his feet and thrown between the Deadman's mighty legs. He lifts Jericho onto his shoulders and drives him down...

"LAST RIDE!"

"NO, CODEBREAKER! CODEBREAKER!

"HOW THE HELL DID JERICO DO THAT?"

"A SECOND CODEBREAKER!

While the replay shows Jericho frantically moving his leg, placing his knee on Undertaker's face, as they fall during the Last Ride...

JERICHO WINS!

The Highlight of the Night embraces the crowd and melts in their approving chant of "Y2J...Y2J...Y2J."



A replay of the tag team championship match last week on SmackDown! plays, showing the abrupt end of Booker T & Rob Van Dam's title reign.

Can You Dig It, Sucka?!

Booker T makes his way down to the ring, sore from the loss, but still reacting warmly to the fans.

A second replay shows the betrayal from Big Show and how he formed a partnership with Kane as they beat down Kurt Angle last week.

Booker T pours on the attack, but it has little effect on the Big Show, who lands a crushing body press slam and ends the match with the Show Stopper. Kane makes his way down to the ring and the two towers look to beat down another SmackDown! superstar. But Rob Van Dam, Booker T's tag team partner, runs down to the ring, kicking wildly to defend his buddy, before being overpowered.

"It's Kurt Angle!"

The bruised US Champion enters the fray, outnumbering the two mammoths, and nailing Kane with the Angle Slam. The trio seek to batter Big Show next but he shoves them off, shocking the whole arena.

Teddy Long, GM of SmackDown!, appears on the overhead screen, saying that if Kane is so eager to get action, he can be part of a tag team match tonight. It will be Kane, teaming up with the World Champion, Edge, set to face the man he helped pummel last week, the United States Champion, Kurt Angle. Long mentions to RVD that he did a good thing by helping his partner, but should focus on his own match...next.

A commercial break later, the Masterpiece hulks his way down to the ring with Stacy Keibler at his side, hoping to win where Carlito could not tonight in his match with Mr. Thursday Night.

After the scuffle with Kane & Big Show, Rob Van Dam is unable to withstand the powerful assault of Masters, who subdues the Whole Dam Show with a running powerslam.

The mood clearly in need of brightness, the crowd is ecstatic when it learns of a Playboy Cover Girl Pajama Pillow Fight Match set to begin between Torrie Wilson and Christy Hemme!

The two scintillating divas wow the crowd in so-short sleepwear. Before long, Christy bounces on a bed that has been put in the center of the ring and swings her pillow at Torrie, who hops on the bed. The two engage in a sensational pillow fight that arouses many a flash bulb from cameras in the crowd. After getting whacked, Torrie kicks Christy in the stomach. Her nightshirt rises above her waist, delighting the crowd, but she gets planted with a facebuster on the bed as pillows are thrown into the air from the impact. Torrie picks up the win, but both women roll around bitterly with one another, but also with a playful quality.

...Until Edge & Lita ruin the party. "Get outta here, bimbos! Adios!" Lita spats at the scantily clad duo. Edge topples the bed and paces impatiently around the ring, chucking a pillow into the crowd as Kane's entrance engulfs the arena in a fiery gloom. A bit intimidated, Edge keeps his distance from his partner as Kurt Angle & Batista enter the ring. In the early going, Kane harshly smacks Edge's back, tagging himself in. The champion winces and is befuddled for a moment as he cautiously exits the ring, glad to be out of the action but also affronted by the gesture.

Midway through the bout, Edge nails Batista with the title belt on the outside of the ring. The referee doesn't see it, but Edge returns to the ring and spears Angle who has tried to power up against a fallen Kane. Edge earns the victory, but Lita has a steel chair in hand. She gives it to Edge, and as Kane recovers, the World Champion declares his territory and nearly decapitates the Big Red Monster.

"Damn, Cole! Edge is definitely not making any friends on SmackDown! Got some balls, though!" "True enough, partner. Edge sending a message to everyone that he's the champion and wants to keep things that way." "No doubt, Cole. That's what I did in my ECW days. You can't let anyone punk you out."

"I think it's safe to say that John Cena shares a similar mindset, partner. Earlier tonight, Cena had this to say about Randy Orton."

After the replay, the Legend Killer is seen slithering backstage, ready for the anticipated clash with John Cena.

As SmackDown! returns, a brutal brawl transpires between Orton & Cena. It's clear they don't like each other. And after the events of last week, the animosity has only escalated. Randy Orton tries his finishing maneuver on Cena from the top rope, running up the turnbuckle with Cena's head cradled in his tattooed arms, but Cena uses his strength to toss Orton to the outside. The crowd is split, engaging in their own miniature war, but Orton's temper has won the internal battle.

He grabs a steel chair, returns to the ring, and swings for the fences. John Cena ducks and lifts Orton into the air, prepping the FU, but Orton has kept hold of the chair and jabs Cena with it. It's enough to get back onto his feet. With Cena's back turned, Randy throws down the chair between them and dips midair to deliver the RKO on top of it.

RK...Oh!

Orton writhes in pain as Cena throws him down on the chair, the pain shooting from Orton's back up to his neck, head, and shoulders. Meanwhile, Cena locks Orton up in the STFU. Half of the crowd being pro-Orton, the motion is greeted with a thunderbolt of boos, but Cena doesn't care. The referee drops to their knees, deliberating with Orton on whether he wants to submit, but the Legend Killer refuses...futilely. He succumbs to the pain after failing to grasp the ring ropes, delivering Cena the victory.

"Wow, what a match." Cole exclaims. "John Cena has to have gained a foothold in this bitter feud after that convincing win!" "No doubt about that, Cole. Great win for Cena. But you can hear this crowd. And the sick thing is, Orton doesn't need fan support to exact revenge."

As the show closes, Cena is seen on the stage, posing for the Chain Gang, as a livid and sweaty Orton slithers in the middle of the ring.