Episode 15

The WWE intro plays, followed by:



Welcome to SmackDown! The WWE Universe is elecccctric tonight!

The bell rings, appeasing the eager fans. It's Chris Masters versus William Regal. The brawler from Black Pool, England confirms the moniker. Punches here, a t-bone suplex there, as he outmaneuvers Masters with his chain wrestling skills. But the sheer might of the Masterpiece endures and subdues the pugnacious Brit, wrapping him up for the submission victory.

"The Masterpiece using that awesome power to put down a feisty Regal."

"Thanks, Captain Obvious. But give it up to Regal. Masterpiece was taken to the limit here tonight!"

"Well, ladies and gentlemen, Teddy Long has approved what is sure to be an exciting if not brutal contest."

A graphic plays, displaying an elimination style tag team tables match between Daivari, Hassan, Orton & Mysterio, Van Dam & The Rock!

"Some ECW flavor tonight, Cole. I'm liking this! Good move by T-Lo tonight. Should be a rocket-buster."

"And even more importantly, after last week's dazzling triple threat match on Super SmackDown! 2, Kurt Angle and The Undertaker have agreed on a rematch."

A second graphic shows a Falls Count Anywhere contest for the coveted World Heavyweight Championship. "We've received word that the animal, Batista, tried to request a total rematch, but was denied by SmackDown! General Manager, Theodore Long."

"I'm sure Batista don't like being turned down, but props to the GM for having the gall to refuse that monster."

The ring bell clangs again.

"Can you dig it, SUCKA?!"

The crowd ignites for the lively Houston native as Booker T makes his way down to the ring, the stage still puffing out balls of flame as a determined look fills his eyes. "Book's in the zone tonight, Cole." Cole describes how Chris Jericho cheated to beat the Spin-a-Rooni Showman last week alongside footage of the incident. But the pompous rock star isn't concerned.

Jericho strolls down to the ring, pompous as always, self-proclaimed king of the world.

But Booker T is. And it shows. He's one step ahead of Jericho at every turn. A neat sunset flip from the corner nearly overcomes the Canadian Egotist. But Jericho rallies back, putting on a spectacle of technical wrestling. Booker T soon finds himself imprisoned in the Lion Tamer. "The pain HAS to be excruciating, Tazz!" But the crowd fuels Booker T on and helps him reach the ropes before the pain wins. High on adrenaline, Booker T is riding a wave of electricity, shocking Jericho at every turn once again. He rolls up to his feet as Jericho preps another Lionsault. As Jericho lands back down, rattled and stumbling backward, his head is still ducked as Booker T's scissors kick comes crashing down for the 1...2...3, with the cameras flashing within the crowd.

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"......GO!......."

"Here comes Christian, one half of the WWE Tag Team Champions."

"Who's he gesturing to, Cole? I d-don't get it!"

"C'mon, Tazz. Y'know as well as I do, that Christian is signaling to all of his 'peeps'."

"Right..."

"AIN'T NO STOPPING ME NOW!"

Shelton Benjamin makes his way onto the stage, followed by Carlito, all three men hearing boos from the crowd as the triple threat spectacle commences!

"Look out here...OH! What a clothesline by Captain Charisma. Knocked Carlito on his ass!"

Just as Christian levels the boastful superstar with that clothesline, Shelton Benjamin soars through the air from the top rope, spring-boarding into Christian, who is unaware of the devastating hit that easily outdoes his own clothesline! "Where the hell did Benjamin come from? This is off the chain, Cole!"

"That's right, Tazz. And SmackDown! is the only place the WWE Universe will find fast-paced action and youthful competitive spirit!"

"What you said--ha! Look out, Benjamin's setting up that T-Bone Suplex..."

But Carlito reverses it, lands on his feet behind Benjamin, and spins around, leaping into the air and driving his knees into his opponent. "Backstabber by Carlito! What a counter!" Shelton is writhing in pain on the canvas, but Christian rolls up Carlito from behind, sneaking a 2 count. Each man's agility is at odds with the others! This time, it's Carlito that rushes in with a clothesline off the roll-up. Christian ducks and nails the Killswitch for the 3 count as Benjamin tries to interrupt the pinfall but is too late.

"If you close your eyes..." Tony Chimel announces Christian as the victor as we see Batista confronting Eddie Guerrero backstage.

"So. I've got a match against you tonight. I might not be a smile and dance guy like you, but I'll admit... the crowd loves you for it, Eddie. And me? Well, I've got a title to gain. It hasn't been easy, that's for sure. Going to the back after a loss, it kind of calms me down to see you carrying on like you do. But... tonight, it just so happens that you're in the way of me doing that. Nothing personal."

Eddie responds with a silent nod as he locks eyes with the animal. "Oh, man, Cole. Batista telling it like it is. Dude's definitely on a warpath. Good luck, Eddie--whew!"

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VIVA LA RAZA!

"Ha-ha! Lying, cheating, stealing Latino Heat! Never get tired of it, Cole! I wonder if he stole that insane ride!"

The humor dies once Batista's music hits, flooring the audience who were contently enjoying Eddie's perky character. The two men stare each other down in the ring, and Latino Heat enrages the Animal throughout the contest, encouraging the wrath of Batista with silly antics that please the crowd. But Eddie is not merely a showman. He can wrestle. After a solid exchange, a would-be crippling spinebuster is reversed into a swinging DDT.

"I'm feeling froggy, baby!"

The crowd shares the sentiment, but Batista is there, racing up the turnbuckle to prevent Eddie's splash. Latino Heat knocks the clumsy brute off and aims the frog splash. It misses.

Batista rolls back up to his feet, stamping the mat in a rage. Eddie is clutching his stomach, slow to regain a vertical stance as Batista hoists him into the air.

"BATISTA BO--"

"EDDIE REVERSES!"

1...2...NO!

Despite the miraculous sunset flip pin attempt, Eddie calls upon the 3 Amigos to seal the Animal's fate. But Batista easily refuses and lifts him into the air, driving him down with that spinebuster intended for earlier use. Defying the crowd, Batista shakes the ropes and lifts Guerrero into the air again, satisfyingly destroying him with a thunderous powerbomb.

He celebrates, but the crowd doesn't approve. Just another rigid day in the life of the Animal.

Meanwhile, the cameras cut backstage to Rey Mysterio, ready to wrestle, who has a grimace on his face at the sight of his friend being overwhelmed by the leviathan Batista. They switch over to Rob Van Dam next, who is shadow boxing in his ring gear, ready for the imminent tables match, and finally swerve to the People's Champion, The Great One...THE ROCK.

Josh Matthews is standing alongside him. "Well, Rock, what are your thoughts going into this tables match?" The Rock's presence electrifies the crowd. He momentarily puts a hand over the microphone to acknowledge the fans that are shouting his name. ROCKY...ROCKY...ROCKY. "Finally... The Rock... has come back...to Colorado...Springs!

The Brahma Bull eyes Matthews and commands the entire WWE Universe into the palm of his hand. "Let The Rock tell you a story, Josh. It's about a little punk by the name of Randy Orton that thinks he's some 'Legend Killer' just because he got lucky and beat The Rock last week on Super SmackDown!. Well, uh-uh! See, The Rock's not a legend..." Matthews looks at him with a puzzled expression. "No, no, no... see, The Rock might have built himself one hell of a legacy with the help of the millions--"

AND MILLIONS!

"Of The Rock's fans, but The Rock isn't going away! The Rock is still on the map! He's still the People's Champion! And tonight, he's going to take his size 14' boot, shine it up nice and stick it straight up the Legend Killer's candy ass!"

"IF YA SMELLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL....WHAT THE ROCK.....IS COOKIN'."

Cole and Tazz share their fondness for the Great One and say the match is up next as SD! takes a commercial break.

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Naturally, the turban-wearing duo are quite a buzz kill as they enter the arena, followed shortly by Orton. Between the 3 of them, not even Mount Everest could overcome the height of their egos. The suffering is brief, luckily, as Rey Mysterio makes his always popular arrival, followed closely by Mr. Thursday Night, Rob Van Dam. Between the two of them, they'll dazzle the crowd with their exciting wrestling styles. But they'll also be the first ones to be victimized by the tables that are positioned all around the squared circle. But that comes after...

IF YA SMELL…WHAT THE ROCK…IS COOKIN'!

"Here we go, Cole! I got goosebumps!"

The match is a violent, intense affair, pace high and by the mili-seconds as Rob Van Dam and Rey Mysterio collectively soar through the air, with both teams developing new creative ways to utilize the tables. Hassan drapes Mysterio over one that has fallen onto its side and locks him in an excruciating Camel Clutch submission hold until RVD's foot breaks it up. For his selfless efforts, however, Randy Orton does his own soaring and RKOs Mr. Thursday Night through a table to gain the first decision of the elimination style contest.

"Damn, Cole! RVD's gone! What an RKO..."

Shortly thereafter, it's the San Diego Sensation that goes flying through a table via a double team move by the two Arabs. Which... leaves The Rock alone in a 3-on-1 predicament. But The Rock digs down to his farthest depths and drops Daivari through a table with a samoan drop. "High Chief Rock getting it done!" Tazz exclaims as Cole announces the change of odds. But Orton & Hassan continue to beat down the disadvantaged People's Champion. After some taunting by Hassan, holding up his arms to a flood of boos from the crowd, he stalls one second too long. The Brahma Bull slips under his arm and slams him through a 2nd table. "ROCK BOTTOM! ROCK BOTTOM!"

"It's down to Orton & Rock now, Cole! O-oh, man!"

The two surviving members show flashes of last week's war in a steel cage, reversing each other's moves, but with more embitterment and animosity than before. Orton, as if being fueled by the tundra of boos, embraces the madness growing inside of him. He flips The Rock onto his shoulders and drives him hard, back down into the canvas, on his neck and spine.

"Orton showing strength I never knew he had with that maneuver, Tazz!"

"Not for nothing, Cole, that was impressive, no doubt!"

The boos grow louder as he maliciously cradles the People's Champion's head and neck into his wicked arms. "Orton's thinking RKO..." and Randy is as his stony eyes regard the nearby table, the only one left in the ring amidst the debris. He takes a running start, with The Rock's head firmly in his grasp, but he fails to secure the Brahma Bull's hands as well.

The crowd erupts into cheers as the self-proclaimed Legend Killer crumbles through the wooden surface, splitting it upon impact. The Rock's intensity is unmatched as he glowers down at Orton, his music playing as the referee cautiously lifts his arm to finalize the victory. "Look at the passion, Tazz, that is swimming in The Rock's eyes." Tazz feels like Orton got what he had coming to him.

But -

The cameras jump to a close-up zoom shot of a gold medal resting in the palm of Kurt Angle's hand. In his black, white and red attire, the Olympic Champion is ready to go to war. The band rests comfortably around his thick neck as the conviction in his eyes rivals The Rock's. The camera cuts to the World Heavyweight Champion, lights flickering in his dressing room as a pale white pair of eyes lurks in the darkness.

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In a showdown, it is clear these two men have studied each other well. Tenacious and unyielding, one reverses a leg drop on the apron into the ankle lock while the other scrambles over the security barrier, hopping over it to break the hold in the Falls Count Anywhere match. It is reversed into Hell's Gate, recently modified and reinstated by GM Teddy Long, as the challenger struggles awkwardly pinned over the barrier with the champion's massively sinister legs scrunched around his neck. Incredibly, the challenger desperately slips out.

A clothesline is evaded, and the champion is sent crashing onto the floor, twinges of pain shooting up his spine. "Angle Slam!" A 2 count follows, as the wrestling purist throws the champion back into the ring, frustrations growing to a fever pitch. But the Tombstone Piledriver threatens to make his pain go away, only if he doesn't slip out and claw at an ankle.

"The champion scrambling again, trying to break the hold..."

"The challenger trying to break the champ's ankle, ya mean!"

Angle is caught in the retaliatory snare of Hell's Gate, a clever counter to the grueling ankle lock. Angle lifts the champion off the canvas and slams him down to break the hold.

Moments pass in suspense, the collective heart of the audience stricken with nerves as to what might befall either popular superstar. The action tumbles outside of the ring again, and a steel chair extinguishes a portion of the challenger's frustration as it bangs off the champion's head. Removing the straps of his ring attire, Angle is roaring and set to finish this war.

He prepares the Undertaker for a 2nd Angle Slam, wrecking Tazz & Cole's table in the process. Slipping behind the champion, he pops his hips and squeezes on his hopes.

"Goozled, Cole!"

"CHOKESLAM through the TABLE!"

The audience has collapsed into aftershock. The match is over and the challenger is motionless amidst the pile of technical debris. "The - Phenom - is - victorious!"