Episode 2 - SmackDown!

The WWE intro plays, followed by:



Fireworks galore! Cheers of approval, signs being waved by the crowd. The audience can't wait for the action to start, as their eyes are drawn to the ominous structure suspended over the ring. The camera is drawn to the SmackDown! commentary team, Michael Cole and Tazz!

"Welcome to the 2nd episode of the SmackDown! season. We're in store for what is sure to be an exciting night."
"Ditto. After last week, Cole, I don't know what to expect tonight, but I'm sure it'll be one hell of a good time!"

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"Ain't no stopping me! No!!!" Shelton Benjamin makes his way down to the ring. Tony Chimel announces the opening tag team contest. Fireworks blast off and Rob Van Dam makes his way down to the ring. They'll be teaming against Edge & Christian tonight. "Naturally, Edge & Christian would like to get back to being a cohesive unit after the misfire last week."

But this week, it is Christian whose irish whip attempt is reversed, throwing him into the ropes. He knocks a recuperating Edge to the floor. Rebounding back, Captain Charisma is snared by a t-bone suplex. Van Dam nails his Five Star Frog Splash for the win. The crowd cheers as the two men celebrate in the ring. "Welp, so much for working together on that one. Ha!"

"Spot on, partner. There are obviously still a few kinks Edge & Christian will have to work out before they're back to being one of the best duos on SmackDown!."

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Shawn Michaels appears backstage to a wave of cheers. He's looking for someone. JBL's voice can be heard around the corner. He's talking on his cell phone. "I told you the DOW was in trouble today, didn't I? You owe me lunch!" The man's cocky southern twang is nearly outmatched by HBK's as he explains himself to the United States champion. "See ya tomorrow."

"Listen, John, I know we were at each other's throats last week over the US title. But when you walked out with that belt still around your waist, I realized something. I need to aim higher."

"I'm afraid I don't follow, Shawn."

"The World Championship. You're no stranger to it, and neither am I. A man needs a good partner. At least for now." HBK sniffs, eyeing the US champ. "So, what do you say? How about tonight we team up to face Guerrero and The Rock?"

"Sounds like good business."

"Looks like HBK has bigger fish to fry, Cole."
"Well, I'm sure the champion would protest."
"Only time will tell on that one, Cole-ster."

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A video of the 6-man tag match from last week. Heidenreich throws a haymaker at Chris Masters, who catches him in the unbreakable Masterlock.
"Heiden - Heidenreich - Heiden - Heidenreich!" plays through the arena. The crowd boos. Chris Masters makes his astonishing entrance next.

"These two fellas have a bone to pick with one another, Cole."
"They certainly do, Tazz. Oh, look out! Heidenreich charging at Chris Masters right out of the gate!"
"The Masterpiece trying to fend off those massive blows by Heidenreich. Bam, Cole! Right into the steel steps!"

Heidenreich stomps angrily at his foe and throws the muscular marvel into the ring. But Masters scrambles to his feet and nails an axe handle smash on the crazed Heidenreich.

After a few power moves on the taller boxer, Masters taunts momentarily to the crowd, who gives a smattering amount of recognition for the man's impressive physique.
Heidenreich brawls his way back, landing a fierce blow to the approaching Masterpiece's gut. Much to the surprise of the fans, Heidenreich locks in a cobra clutch submission hold.

Masters refuses to yield and uses the encouragement of the fans to power out of the hold with his brute strength. He knocks Heidenreich off and lands a devastating powerslam.

The Masterpiece begins to taunt, holding his massive arms out, anxiously wiggling his fingers in anticipation.
"Masterlock's coming, Cole!"
Heidenreich swings wildly again, but is caught for a 2nd time in the grueling hold.
"He's got him again, Tazz!"
"Deja vu from last week! Heidenreich is trying to muscle his way out of it!"
"Oh, referee Jimmy Corderez sandwiched between both combatants!"

The referee collapses to the mat, having been smashed in the corner.

"Wrong place, wrong time-- oh, boot to the gonads by Heidenreich!"
"Where's this madman going now?"
"Blown gasket, Cole! Heidenreich's got a steel chair!"

Heidenreich races back into the ring with the weapon, swings, but is caught in the Masterlock from behind. The Masterpiece has had enough and cinches in the hold. Heidenreich tries to wriggle free, but crumbles down to one knee, giving Masters the opening to intensify the pressure on his neck and shoulders. When the referee recovers, the bell is rung.

"Masterpiece not letting go! Someone's gotta break this up!"
"Tell ya what, Cole. don't blame him one bit. Heidenreich tried to take him out."
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Finally, security pulls Masters off Heidenreich, who falls face-first onto the mat grimacing in pain as Masters' music fades out. The camera turns to the backstage area. Batista is on his way to the ring, and as usual, he is in a tempestuous state of mind. A recap of the Last Man Standing match last week between Batista and The Undertaker plays. Batista is in the ring.

"I bet you people liked that, didn't you. Your precious Deadman escaped without a loss. He just can't lose, can he?" Batista chuckles bitterly and flexes his shoulder, the same one that had been injured from the match-ending spear through the security barricade. "My shoulder's fine. But I'm not. And that undead paraplegic isn't anywhere to be found tonight." The crowd boos at the insult towards The Undertaker. "Boo all you want. 'Cause next time I see your precious phenom, all the darkness in the underworld isn't going to stop me from ripping his head off."

"You know he ain't kiddin', Cole."

"So," Batista resumes in a different, more energetic tone. There is a cynic flavor in his voice. "After the match last week, I went to the back and caught another favorite of yours hogging the spotlight, taking away from me what is rightfully mine. And sure, The Rock might've put that old geezer on his geriatric ass, but tonight, well-- tonight I'm gonna put him in his grave."

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"The following tag team match is scheduled for one fall. Introducing first, from San Antonio, Texas, the Heartbreak Kid, Shawn Michaels!" But instead of the usual reaction, he is booed.
"Well, this isn't quite the welcome HBK is used to, but I can't blame the fans for turning on the Showstopper. He seems to have other plans." Tazz chimes in, "Well, I can't blame HBK. The World Title means everything to the Showstopper. I know the feeling. Signing on with JBL seems like a fail-safe plan to me, Cole." JBL makes his entrance next, to even louder boos.

"There's the United States champion, who survived an intense triple threat match last week against his tag team partner tonight, no less. Like JBL said, I suppose it is good business."
"You're darn right it is, Cole. In this business, you gotta do whatever it takes to win."
"I have to disagree, partner. I'm sure their opponents would never turn their back on the fans."

Eddie Guerrero attests to Cole's statement, wowing the audience with another colorful transport to the ring, living it up as usual, with a spirit as high as the himalayas. The cheers he gains are only to be blown open by the ones received by his partner, who deservingly gazes out at every one of the millions (and millions) that are cheering his name. The champion has arrived.

"I hope you're nailed down to your seat, Cole. This one is going to be wild!"

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HBK & Guerrero put together quite a technical display of chain wrestling in the early going, but once a hot tag brings their partners into the match, all hell breaks loose. Both brawling-focused superstars pummel each other to the brink of oblivion, but after the People's Champ clotheslines JBL out of the ring, Guerrero is left to fend off a surging Heartbreak Kid.

Recovering, JBL keeps the champion busy, proving he could beat the piss out of a bear if he had to, slamming the people's jewels on the barricade as Guerrero misses a desperation frog splash. Clutching his stomach, he is the wrong place at the worst time. "WHAM! Sweet Chin Music, Cole! You can forget about it!" But The Rock escapes the beating from JBL and slides into the ring, only to be thrown right back out of it by a rushing Michaels, giving the champion a taste of what's to come if his plan comes to fruition. Meanwhile, JBL slips into the ring and covers a dazed Guerrero for the 3 count.

"That's the second week in a row that JBL has bested the hungry challenger to his US title!"
"Well, if Mr. Wall Street keeps it up, poor Eddie's good spirits ain't gonna last much longer."

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A video starts to play, as Cole describes the footage. "Last thursday night, Kane was scheduled for a match against Edge. But that holier-than-thou, Muhammad Hussan jumped Kane from behind. The brawl escalated to the backstage area. And I worry that it is only going to get worse." Tazz nods, as the cameras cut away from the commentators and focus in on…

Muhammad Hassan, on the titan-tron with Khosrow Diavari at his side. Wearing his turban, the crowd greets him with boos. "I bet you're all wondering why I beat down the big red machine last week, huh? Well… it's simple. Kane hides who he is from the world. He always has. Sure, RVD tried to convince him he didn't need to wear a mask. But what does Kane still do to this very day? Hmm?"

"What the hell's he talking about, Cole?"

"He hides in the shadows, in his little locker room, afraid of persecution. Afraid of disappointing you horrible people." Daivari shouts something in Farsi that no one quite understands. "Well, myself and Kane are total opposites. I have no shame. You people boo me, night in and night out… but do I change my ways?" Daivari shouts again. "Tonight, Kane is going to find ou--"

The stage explodes as two bursts of flame send the arena into a deep red hell. "Damn!" Tazz exclaims in shock.

Kane is making his way out to the ring. Daivari continues shouting, but is barely heard over the organ-laced theme. "Hussan…." the brooding monster coos. "I'm… WAITING." Kane growls, tightening his glove. He clearly hasn't forgotten about last week's assault. "Oh, man, Cole!" Daivari continues to ramble, Hussan scowls and his obnoxious arabic theme begins to play.

In a back-and-forth brawl that goes to the outside, the referee is forced to DQ Kane as he shoves him out of the way, a brutal fist crashing into Hussan's windpipe. He buckles backward and Kane presses on. It takes a while for security to get out this time, mostly due to Daivari, who is still pushing for his man to get the better end of the violent exchange. But Kane flips the steel steps over and hoists them into the air, slamming them into Hussan who collapses to the floor. Ecstatic, Kane vehemently discards them as the steps clang onto the floor.

He starts laughing, the crowd couldn't eat it up any more, as Daivari keeps yelling at him in Farsi, knelt down next to his partner. Hussan is bleeding from the head as Kane walks out.

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A video shows the outcome of the World Championship match between The Rock and the illustrious challenger, Hulk Hogan. The crowd is split afterwards, half chanting each's name. It is a tie that is broken by the guitar riff of the late Jimi Hendrix. Hogan rolls out to the ring, joyous about the fan reaction and the match last week, despite a loss, but he makes his point clear once he climbs up into the ring that he knows like the back of his hand. "Lemme tell ya something, hulk-a-maniacs, I don't take too kindly to threats. Ba--" But the steel cage above begins to descend before Hogan can say another word. Batista's theme starts playing and he stomps his way to the ring, a wicked grin on his face. "Steel cage match! And it's up next!"
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Batista is brutalizing the esteemed veteran as the program returns from the commercial break, using his unchallenged strength to abuse Hogan and ram his frail body into the hard metal. "This is disgusting! Look at the sick smile on Batista's face!" Cole disputes, but the animal is deaf to the concerned silence of the crowd, who is appalled and amazed by the display.

Hogan tries to rally back, blocking Batista's punches, but the animal spears him hard down to the mat, stomping at the iconic hero much harder than The Rock did last week. "Vicious stomps by the animal! The referee needs to stop this thing!" Cole complains, but Tazz disagrees, believing that Hogan still has some wherewithal to fight back. Tazz is proven wrong.

Batista pleasurably sends Hogan crashing into the canvas with a deafening spine buster, the kryptonite-equivalent to Hulk-a-mania if there ever was one. But Batista doesn't stop there. Hogan can barely move, a permanent agony strewn across his sweat-laden face. Batista strong-arms him up to his feet and knees him hard. The crowd is booing at a peak volume, but the animal doesn't care. He delivers a bone-crushing Batista Bomb on Hogan for a wholly undisputed 3 count. Nonchalantly, he struts out of the cage and flirts with the idea of hurting the crowd's hero even more.

The lights go out, the crowd cheers and a bolt of lightning strikes down on the stage. A guttural voice slurs through the arena. "Buuhhhh….tisstaa. You seemed awfully comfortable in that cage." The Undertaker's voice fades away, gone, as everyone listens in a hushed silence for something more. The titan-tron lights back up, with, "Two Weeks… Hell… in… a… Cell."

The audience erupts into cheers, an ethereal laughter fills the arena and the lights suddenly return. Batista has a foul look on his face as he kicks over the steel steps and shoves a camera operator to the floor, not caring who he hurts. He draws his attention to the broken pile inside of the ring. The cage is being raised but so is the animal's temper. He slides into the ring and taunts the battered Hulkster, threatening to make due on his promise. He slaps Hogan, the crowd boos, panicking for their hero but a familiar catchphrase booms through the speakers.

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"It's The Rock!" Cole exclaims. The crowd is on fire, screaming so loudly that Batista yells at them to shut up, but his eyes move from Hogan and the audience to a blitzing Brahma Bull. He rushes in on the champion as The Rock slides into the ring, but the animal is wobbled backward by fierce slaps. The People's Champ piles on the defensive flurry and drives Batista into the ropes, signaling for a final slap, but the animal grabs him by the head and flings him over the top rope instead with his raw strength. The two brawl on the outside. Much to the chagrin of the audience, Batista is winning, overpowering their brave champion. Batista hurls the cover from Cole & Tazz's table to the floor, along with the small monitors, readying it for a devastating attack, reminiscent of what he tried to do to the Deadman a week ago. He picks The Rock up from the floor and prepares a 2nd Batista Bomb.

"Hogan!"
"Damn! What a chairshot!"

Batista is only affected slightly by the blow, fueled by anger and wrath. He roars at Hogan, but The Rock nails him from behind, leaving the opening for Hogan to level Batista with the chair, straight to the skull. The champion stumbles in front of the dazed brute and slings Batista's arm over his shoulder, lifting and in one swift motion, driving him through the table.

"Rock Bottom! Rock Bottom!

The crowd is making chants of holiness as The Rock tends to Hogan, who is a wreck. Batista has been disposed of as both men, each one a savior for the other, fade to black.