Original Airdate: Thursday, March 17th, 2005
Savannah Civic Center
Savannah, Georgia
Kurt Angle grabs a mic and tells Marty that there's no way to prepare for an Olympic athlete. He knows Marty can rock, but wants to see how he'll tap. They show highlights from their match on Raw.
Kurt Angle vs. Marty Jannetty
We get a "Marty" chant before they even lock up. Jannetty is 45 years old here for perspective. He looks a tad slow, but they still have a nice competitive opening segment. Angle sends Jannetty over the top rope, but Jannetty skins the cat and pulls Angle over with a headscissors. Jannetty then hits a double ax handle off the top rope. After the commercial break, Angle has Jannetty in a waist lock. During the break Angle countered a bulldog attempt and shoved Jannetty into the ring post. Given his past, I truly am a little surprised that they are letting Jannetty be this competitive in this long of a match. Angle goes for the Angle slam, but Jannetty counters it into an arm drag. Jannetty hits some nice offense including a hurricanrana. Jannetty heads up top and hits a cross body, but Angle rolls through and gets a 2 count. Angle then hits a German suplex. Angle goes for the Angle Slam, but Jannetty counters into a roll up and a nearfall. After another nearfall, Jannetty is in disbelief and Angle takes advantage and puts him in the Ankle Lock. Jannetty rolls through and sends Angle into the turnbuckle. Jannetty goes for the Rocker Dropper, but Angle gets the Ankle Lock again. Jannetty is trying his best to roll out, but Angle is doing everything he can to hold on and after a lengthy time in the hold, Jannety finally taps. For a 45 year old who hasn't been in the big time for a long time, Jannetty was really booked strong and held up his end of the bargain. That was a good TV match that likely caught most people by surprise in 2005.
Match Rating: ***1/4
Teddy Long is about to announce a punishment for John Cena until JBL interrupts him and says that he had to be here for the moment that Long suspends Cena. Long says that Cena will not be suspended, but instead he is unable to lay a hand on JBL. If he does, he will no longer fight JBL at WrestleMania unless it is during a match. Long then lets JBL know that he will be him and the Basham Brothers against Eddie Guerrero, Rey Mysterio and of course John Cena.
Eddie Guerrero is backstage when Chavo comes up to him and asks Eddie what happened to him. Chavo says that he used to look up to Eddie, but now he is a disappointment. Chavo reminds him that a year ago he was the WWE Champion and that Rey Mysterio is holding Eddie back. Chavo tells Eddie that if he's going to keep acting this way, that he should stop calling himself a Guerrero.
Joy Giovanni and Torrie Wilson are in the crowd dressed in green for St. Patrick's Day.
Booker T vs. Luther Reigns
Before the match, we see the debut of Booker's new wife, Sharmell. Heidenreich then comes out before the bell rings and joins Tazz and Michael Cole. Heidenreich doesn't respond to any questions they ask him. I don't care about this match enough to even recap most of it. Booker hits a spinebuster and hits a superkick. Spinaroonie time and then hits the scissors kick and gets the pinfall. The Luther Reigns burial tour continues.
Match Rating: 1/2*
After the match, Heidenreich stands on the announcers table and reads a poem for Booker. He said that Heidenreich is going to show the world his true self and thanks Booker for that.
We get the most memorable of the WrestleMania Hollywood commercials with the When Harry Met Sally spoof. Kurt Angle wearing that Billy Crystal hair is awesome.
Teddy Long is trying to announce the contract signing for the Undertaker and Randy Orton match, but here comes Eric Bischoff to interrupt. He basically just says that it's another match that Raw is going to win. Orton tells Taker that he will soon be 12-1 because he refuses to be afraid. Orton signs his name and then slaps Taker. Taker takes off his hat and the lights and screen begin to flicker. Orton backs away towards the entrance and Taker unleashes his magical powers to spook Orton.
We get more Divas wearing green and taking pictures with the crowd. Thrilling television.
Paul London vs. Billy Kidman
I really don't get why these guys aren't on the show more than they are. I know they need to fill up time on Velocity, but still. London goes for a springboard move, but Kidman hits a dropkick and London falls to the outside. Kidman works on the back until London fights back and hits his signature moves including the dropsault. Kidman goes for a superplex, but London counters and then hits the 450 splash for the victory. I expected this to be a little bit more energetic, especially since it was under 5 minutes, but it certainly wasn't a bad match.
Match Rating: *3/4
They then show one of the concession stands and the employee is complaining to Carlito that he is supposed to be helping. Carlito sells a hot dog to a kid. The kid asks for change, but Carlito squirts the kid with ketchup and eats the hot dog and spits it onto another customer.
Michael Cole introduces The Big Show down to the ring. Show gives a generic promo for a match that nobody cares about. I still don't get why this is even happening. Because like a month ago they stared each other down and then did nothing to follow up on it?
Orlando Jordan is consoling JBL backstage. The hits just keep on coming.
Dawn Marie and Michelle McCool are in the crowd and Dawn begins yelling at McCool. They then begin to brawl over the guardrail. Did they really have no better way to spend their TV time than with Dawn Marie?
After they run down the WrestleMania card, JBL confronts Cena backstage and talks about how he hates rap music or something. He then makes a bunch of stereotypes that aren't true about John Cena whatsoever.
They show the Christy Hemme Playboy video again. Why does this show always have so much time to kill?
JBL & The Basham Brothers vs. John Cena, Eddie Guerrero & Rey Mysterio
Cena goes right after Danny Basham and then is trying to force him to make a tag to JBL, which of course he doesn't do. Back from a commercial break and Doug Basham is working on Eddie, but not for long as he hits a tag to Mysterio. JBL comes in for the first time once the Bashams have Mysterio grounded in their corner. Rey hits a 619, but then gets thrown face first into the guard rail. The Bashams work on Rey. Cena comes in and destroys all three Cabinet members. They go outside and JBL throws Cena into the steps, but here comes Rey flying over the top rope. Guerrero hits the Three Amigos and then Mysterio drops the dime and gets the pinfall victory.
Match Rating: **1/2
After the match, Cena is about to hit JBL with a chair but has to restrain himself so he won't lose his title shot. He then starts hitting one of the Bashams with it instead. He sets it down and does a "You can't see me" in JBL's face.
Well, that show had a ton of filler. It was bookmarked by entertaining segments, but the rest was absolute garbage. With that being said, compared to the Raw that aired three days prior, this was nowhere near that one in terms of quality. SmackDown desperately needs some new talent on their show and quickly.
Overall Rating: 48%
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