Original Airdate: Thursday, June 16th, 2005
Giant Center
Hershey, Pennsylvania
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JBL and his Cabinet are in the ring to kick off the show. He makes fun of ECW and says their 15 minutes of fame are up. He then talks about how the UPN executives are praying that he doesn't leave for Raw. Chris Benoit's music interrupts him and apparently there is a scheduled match.
Chris Benoit vs. Doug Basham
Basham reverses an Irish whip and sends Benoit sternum first into the turnbuckle. My least favorite thing about watching these old SmackDowns is not knowing which crowd reactions are legit. I mean, I can obviously kind of tell, but sometimes I'm just not paying enough attention to catch it. Benoit bounces back and hits three German suplexes. Danny Basham distracts Benoit, allowing Doug to hit a superplex. Then basically out of nowhere, Benoit gets a rollup and the pinfall victory. That was just an awkward way to end this match. After the match, the Cabinet is about to attack until the lights go out and Undertaker is here. He takes out all of the Cabinet. JBL asks him who he thinks he is and Teddy Long is out to tell him that he's the man he is going to take on tonight in a no DQ match. Undertaker has not wrestled since WrestleMania. The match was nothing.
Match Rating: *
Eddie Guerrero vs. Paul London
Eddie attacks London as he slides into the ring. Eddie eats a dropsault, but is able to counter a London off the top rope. Eddie puts in a Texas Cloverleaf. He torques back and London submits. That was quicker than it should have been. After the match, Rey Mysterio is out and launches a chair at Eddie. He then gets a nasty shot to Eddie's head. Ugh. This was strictly to get Eddie's heel act over here.
Match Rating: *3/4
Back from the commercial and Rey and Eddie are brawling backstage.
JBL is with the Cabinet backstage and JBL says the Bashams are going to go out with him for his match, not Orlando Jordan's. JBL calls one of the Bashams by the wrong name and they tell him that they aren't going out for either match and walk away.
This week Carlito's guests are Booker T and Sharmell. Carlito says that Booker looks more relaxed and asks if it is because Kurt Angle is now on Raw. Booker says he'd rather destroy Kurt instead. Carlito says that the Draft could shatter their marriage and that it would be pretty cool. Booker attacks Carlito and then they start throwing apples at him as he runs to the back.
After the break, Carlito is yelling at Matt Morgan for not being out there to help him. Morgan starts talking, but you can't hear him because Big Show's music hits and that is Morgan's opponent tonight.
Big Show vs. Matt Morgan
The announcers are trying to build up the fact that people have started to say that Morgan is bigger and badder. Show goes right after him and starts chopping Morgan's chest. We are about a minute in and out comes an angry Carlito. He distracts Show and Morgan hits him with a knee to the back and then kicks him out of the ring. This allows Carlito to get a cheap shot in before Morgan scoops Show back in the ring. Then Michael Cole claims that he's never seen anyone manhandle Show like Morgan has. Yeah, okay. Show makes a comeback and knocks Morgan out of the ring after some big fists and a few headbutts. As Show comes out to get him, Morgan throws him into the steel steps. Morgan clears off a table. Show reverses Morgans F5 attempt and is about to go for a chokeslam, but Carlito hits him in the back with a chair causing the DQ. Morgan then goes for the F5 again, but Show gives him a chokeslam through the table anyways. Carlito retreats to the back. The match was nothing.
Match Rating: 1/4*
Orlando Jordan is shown walking in the back looking worried.
Theodore Long is out in the back of the arena looking around for his newest member of SmackDown.
United States Championship Match
Orlando Jordan vs. Hardcore Holly
Jordan tries to get something going, but Holly steamrolls him with a shoulder tackle. Now it's Jordan's turn to get chopped. Jordan hits a drop toe hold, causing Holly's throat to land across the second rope. Jordan follows that up with a spinebuster. Jordan just so often looks uncomfortable in the ring, as if he is always try to think what he is supposed to do next. Holly hits a hurricanrana and then a huge back body drop. Holly gets a close nearfall after a signature dropkick. Holly hits a clothesline off the top rope. Holly goes for the Alabama Slam, but Jordan grabs the top rope. Holly goes for a sunset flip, but Jordan counters it and holds onto the top rope and gets the victory. This was just about every 5 minute Jordan match you have ever seen.
Match Rating: 3/4*
Heidenreich is on his way to the ring with a giant Hersey bar and chocolate all over his face. I've said it before, but it can't be repeated enough. The depth on the WWE roster at this time was really weak. So much of the current roster who currently has nothing to do would be featured on either show here in 2005. Heidenreich reads another Disasterpiece, but is then interrupted by the SmackDown divas. They all make a bunch of terrible innuendos and that brings on MNM. Melina and Michelle McCool get into it and this is awful. Possibly worse than you would even imagine. Heidenreich stands up for them. Melina keeps going and then McCool spears her and they start brawling. MNM and Heidenreich get into it and they hit the Snapshot on Heidenreich.
They announce next week Rey Mysterio will face Eddie Guerrero next week. Sounds good to me.
No Disqualification Match
JBL vs. Undertaker
Orlando Jordan joins JBL. After JBL hits the ring, Benoit's music hits. He and Jordan start fighting and they go all the way to the back. JBL is yelling for Jordan to come back, but that's not happening. JBL starts off with some stiff looking shots. Undertaker reverses, but gets a boot to the face. He quickly hits JBL with a boot to the face and quickly goes for Old School. They brawl outside the ring and JBL throws Taker knees first into the steel steps. JBL hits a shoulder tackle off the top rope for a 2 count. They show the action from during the break, which included them brawling in the crowd and JBL choking Taker with an electrical cord. JBL goes for the Clothesline From Hell, but Taker counters with a boot to the face. Taker looks really motivated here, as does JBL. Taker hits a guillotine leg drop on the end of the apron. JBL goes up to the top rope, but Taker hits him with an elbow and then a huge superplex. Taker follows that up with Snake Eyes and a leg drop, but it only gets a 2 count. Taker hits a chokeslam, but again it is only good for a 2 count. Taker goes for the Last Ride, but JBL hits a low blow, which is obviously legal here. He hits the Clothesline From Hell, but Taker is able to kick out. Taker hits the Last Ride, but JBL kicks out again. Taker goes for the Tombstone, but Randy Orton hits a RKO out of nowhere and Taker is laid out. JBL crawls on Taker and steals the victory. Randy Orton gets on the mic and says that he better get used to this because he is now officially on SmackDown. That was a much better match than you would expect and it was nice that their was no outside interference until the very end. Orton makes a nice arrival on SmackDown and this builds to the big feud for the remainder of 2005.
Match Rating: ***1/4
This is a good example of a show that nothing worthwhile happened until the last half hour. Thankfully, the last match was well worked and had a hot finish. The rest of it can all easily be skipped.
Overall Rating: 49%
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