Original Airdate: Thursday, July 21st, 2005
1st Mariner Arena
Baltimore, Maryland
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We open the show with a message paid for by friends of JBL showing highlights of his title run. Tonight he is giving his Great American Victory Speech.
Rey Mysterio vs. Super Crazy
I have absolutely no issues whatsoever with kicking off a show with a match between these two. Mysterio teases a 619 early on, but Super Crazy gets out of the ring. Super Crazy comes back and distracts the ref to allow Psicosis and Juvy to interfere. Rey fights back, but out comes Eddie Guerrero as we go to commercial break. When we come back, Eddie is at the announcer table. Super Crazy remains in control despite multiple efforts by Rey. Super Crazy puts Rey in a cool looking surf board submission. Super Crazy hits a tilt-a-whirl gutbuster for a 2 count. As good as Rey is on offense, his size always allows for endless possibilities for his opponents. Super Crazy really looked to be in great shape here. Rey hits a springboard crossbody for a 2 count. Eddie is in full heel mode and to be honest is distracting heavily from the match. Super Crazy hits a springboard moonsault for a 2 count. Rey fights back and has Super Crazy set up for the 619. In comes Eddie and he grabs one of the Mexicools rakes and cracks it over the back of Mysterio for the disqualification. The match was pretty good and got a lot of time, but the Eddie stuff overshadowed it.
Match Rating: **3/4 (out of 5)
Backstage Teddy Long stops Eddie, who says he is done tonight and on his way to Great American Bash. Teddy says that he isn't done and that he'll have a match tonight and he won't tell him who it's against.
Josh Matthews is with Christian. Christian calls Matthews Ryan Seacrest and then shows a highlight of his victory over Booker last week. Christian says Booker will be a two time, two time loser.
Road Warrior Animal is back painting his face and Heidenreich reads him a poem.
Road Warrior Animal & Heidenreich vs. Julio DiNero & Nick Berk
Heidenreich and Animal go right after the jobbers and Heidenreich goes up to the top rope for the Doomsday Device and that is all. Man, the tag team division sure was great here in 2005. They show MNM backstage watching the TV on an angle.
Match Rating: 1/4*
Eddie Guerrero vs. Chris Benoit
Eddie tries to walk to the back, but Chris gets on the mic and tells him to come in the ring. Benoit wants to know what's going on with him these days. He tells him he loves him like a brother, causing Eddie to attack him to start the match. That was kind of an uncomfortable moment here 15 years later. Eddie hits a suplex and then runs out and grabs a chair. Nick Patrick takes it away from him, but Eddie uses that to kick Benoit below the belt. Benoit reverses an Irish whip and hits a German suplex before the commercial break. Eddie knees a charging Benoit in the midsection and then slams his knee on the ring post. Eddie continues to work on the knee. Benoit makes a quick counter and almost puts on the Sharpshooter, but Eddie is able to escape. Eddie goes for an STF, but Benoit is able to go for the ropes. Eddie goes up top, but Benoit knocks him down and hits him with repeated chops to the chest. Benoit hits a superplex and both men are selling it. The one thing that is so noticeable in this match is the comfort level these two have with each other. You can just tell by the style they are working here that they know they can do whatever they want. Somehow Benoit got busted open somewhere in there. Benoit goes for the flying headbutt and misses. I still think that move should be outlawed if it hasn't already. Benoit is able to fight back and this time hits a flying headbutt. Eddie gets his foot on the rope to break up the pin attempt. Benoit goes for the Sharpshooter, but Eddie goes for a small package, which Benoit reverses for a 2 count. Eddie immediately hits two of the Three Amigos and then Benoit counters into the Crippler Crossface. Eddie gets to the ropes before he really gets it all the way on. Eddie rolls out of the ring and says he's had enough. Benoit is declared the victor by countout. As soon as the bell rings, Rey Mysterio is out and attacks Eddie from behind with about as much intensity as we have ever seen from Rey up to this point. Good match with the inevitable finish.
Match Rating: ***1/4
After a Muhammad Hassan/Undertaker recap, Candice Michelle is out to the ring. She is here to announce that Great American Bash will be available for all the troops on the American Forces Network. She is then interrupted by Melina, who is not happy that Candice will be the ref of her match against Torrie Wilson. Candice says that she's going to put on demonstration right now and attacks Candice with some forearms. She then starts ripping off her outfit and out comes Torrie, who hits a big clothesline and then dumps her out of the ring. Well, I guess they had to have a little build for that match.
They show a clip package of the Great American Bash press conference.
Booker T vs. Simon Dean
I guess Simon is pulling double duty here for a short time as both Nova and Dean. Dean on his way to the ring says he respects Sharmell because she doesn't go to the buffet once or twice, she goes five times. I love Simon Dean. Booker obviously is enraged and goes right after Dean. Dean gets in an eye rake and a few moves. Booker hits a kick and a facebuster, which leads to the spinaroonie. He hits the scissor kick and that's all. The result was obviously expected. Booker after the match tells Christian it's his turn Sunday.
Match Rating: 1/4*
We get another JBL promo, followed by a Boogeyman vignette. They then show a Mysterio/Guerrero hype package and run through all the matches. They have added the bWo vs. Mexicools.
Orlando Jordan announces JBL, who has a convertible with longhorns on the hood and red, white and blue confetti falling from the ceiling. He rambles on about being a great American and then goes on to Batista. He says that Batista took away his WrestleMania moment by picking to stay on Raw instead of wrestling him. JBL shows how Batista is on the cover of SmackDown magazine and then unveils a new cover of him standing over Batista holding the title and says it comes out on Sunday. He guarantees victory and now out comes Batista. Batista tells JBL that he looks ridiculous and calls him a phony. Batista attacks him, but Jordan comes in and Batista takes care of him. This allows JBL to escape. Batista puts on the American jacket and hat and stands tall as they go off the air.
Well, we got two good matches this week, which is always a bonus. However, the last 20 minutes or so really dragged and the ending didn't have the intensity that I like to see on the go home show before a pay-per-view. There have been far worse episodes of SmackDown in 2005, but the lack of depth continues to hurt the show.
Overall Rating: 59%
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