The WWE intro plays, followed by:
Fireworks galore, fanaticism filling the arena, thunderous cheers abroad…
"Welcome to another edition of SmackDown! The number 1 brand in sports-entertainment!"
"Right, Cole. Without a doubt, SmackDown!'s gonna show why it's the dominant brand tonight!"
"You think you know me?" Edge makes his way down to the ring. "The Rated R Superstar finds himself in singles action tonight. Things haven't been clicking for Edge & Christian lately…"
"Ain't - no - stopping - me - now!" Shelton Benjamin comes down to the ring, with one half of the newly obtained Tag Team Championship around his waist. "At a WWE live event, the World's Greatest Tag Team pulled off an incredible victory against Los Guerreros, winning the tag team titles."
"Not for nothing, Cole. That match was top-notch. And that gold looks good on Benjamin."
Edge is fierce, but sloppy due to his aggression. Clearly, the losing is bothering him, but Benjamin only makes it worse. After reversing the Edgecution, Shelton lands a t-bone suplex for the win.
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Camera cuts to the brooding animal, Batista, who is methodically exercising in his dressing room.
"You have to wonder, Tazz, what's going on in the head of Batista."
"It damn sure ain't pretty, I can tell ya that much. The Undertaker's mind games ain't lost their touch."
Camera presents the main event graphic. "Well, regardless, after humiliating Batista last week, the World Heavyweight Champion clearly has a bulls-eye on his chest."
"True that! Not only has HBK made it clear he wants a shot at the title, but the champ's got to go through Batista first. And not for nothing, Cole, but one look at Batista tells me the animal ain't focused on the title picture. Batista's more worried about tearing The Rock apart here tonight!"
"After Batista's heinous beat-down of Hulk Hogan last week, I hope the champion's found some way to avoid the same fate as his idol here tonight."
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A purist's affair involves Eddie Guerrero (who is hungry for the US title), fresh off losing the tag team titles, taking on the one and only Shawn Michaels in a 30 minute Ironman match. JBL accompanies HBK to the ring, their curious partnership evident as the crowd boos the Heartbreak Kid (a fitting title).
The final minute approaches. JBL puts Michaels foot on the rope to break the Lasso from El Paso submission hold, but a hurried attempt of Sweet Chin Music misses as Guerrero rolls him up for a tie-breaking victory. JBL looks on in disbelief and waves off the cheering crowd as he helps HBK to the back.
Following the commercial break, in a classic "size versus speed" contest, Chris Masters finally manages wraps the Masterlock around the evasively wily Paul London for a definitive victory. He boasts to a smattering of applause.
Next, the crowd is disgusted as Muhammad Hassan & Khosrow Daivari cheat their way to another victory over the enraged monster, Kane, who even with his former tag team partner, Rob Van Dam, is bested by the turban-wearing duo.
"What a win for Hussan. Like it or not, Cole, that's ring-smarts right there!"
"Sure, partner. And it's no surprise how good Hassan & Daivari have gotten at it."
Kane and Van Dam lament over their loss as the crowd is appalled by Hassan's obnoxious music.
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In a crowd-pleasing affair, the Hurricane, along with Charlie Haas and the returning Hulk Hogan, earn a convincing victory in a 6-man tag match. The crowd is glad to see their hero recovering from last week.
On his way to the backstage area, a sweating Hulkster is greeted by a warm embrace from The Rock.
"Well, there's only one match left, Cole. Rocket-buster, no doubt. I hope the champ's ready."
"He has to be, partner." Cole agrees as the camera cuts to a hasty Batista, who by his imposing stature, is on his way to the ring. "If not, the animal is going to have his revenge. I hope it doesn't come to that."
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A recap video shows the events of last week's episode, in which Batista was outnumbered by Hogan & The Rock, driven through the announcing table. Batista's menacing theme fills the arena to a plethora of boos, quite the opposite reception garnered by his opponent moments later. The bell rings!
"The champion ain't back in' down, Cole! This is nuts!"
"Blow after blow-- oh! The animal goes flying to the outside! The momentum swinging in complete favor of the champion!"
But once The Rock exits the ring in pursuit, the animal, Batista, fires back with ruthless aggression, slamming him into the steel steps and then into the announcing table. His furious threats are audible. "The table's all yours tonight, champ!" The crowd watches in stunned horror as Batista drives the People's Champion through the table with a thunderous spine buster.
Manhandling the discombobulated Brahma Bull back into the ring, Batista is too anxious and gets hit by the Rock's version of the spinebuster. The crowd is reeling in excitement. The champion makes a desperate attempt to regain the upper hand, removing an elbow pad at the head of his shaken opponent, but the champion is leveled after rebounding off the ropes. The crowd immediately boos the animal again.
"Batista hearing it from the crowd…"
"It don't matter, Cole! He's seeing nothing but red right now, trust me!"
Batista, fueled even more by the crowd's jeering, madly shakes the ropes and props their precious champion over his shoulders for a devastating powerbomb. They can only look on in terror as the referee counts The Rock's shoulders three times, signaling the end of the match. Batista stands dominantly over his crushed foe, a twisted smirk on his face.
"The sickening look! Someone's gotta stop this!"
"Yeah, and quick. Oh, man! He's got a steel chair. Look out, Rock!"
But The Rock is barely able to get back up to his feet, let alone defend a merciless chairshot.
"We need security out here! This can't happen again!" Cole protests, but the response isn't quite what he'd requested. The arena falls into collective pandemonium, shrouded by total blackness. A gong sounds through the arena. Batista's violent shouting is heard over the anxious cheers. The lights come back on, the animal is stomping on the mat, motioning a "come on" gesture with his bustling muscles.
But he's looking the wrong way-- The Phenom is directly behind him, sneakily holding out a hand, snaking it around the Animal's throat and driving him THROUGH the canvas. The crowd erupts, the Undertaker's eyes roll into a gothic white.
"Oh my gawd, Cole! What a chokeslam!"
"Well, at least somebody came to The Rock's rescue."
"No doubt, Cole. The Deadman has sent one hell of a message to Batista!"
"Clearly, partner. I wonder if Batista will even be 100% going into the infamous Hell in a Cell!"
"He better be, Cole. He better be. 'Cause that creepy dude in the ring ain't messing around!"
The camera zooms in on a kneeling Undertaker as the organ-laced theme fades out with the picture.
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