Original Airdate: Friday, October 14th, 2005
SBC Center
San Antonio, Texas
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Randy and Bob Orton are here to kick off the show. He lets us know that Undertaker is dead and his legacy has been erased. He says that the World Heavyweight Championship is next for him, which brings out Eddie Guerrero. Randy reminds Eddie that he actually won his match at No Mercy. Eddie dares Randy to give him a RKO and see what happens. Eddie wants one more match with Batista, but Randy says that he is going to go to Teddy Long right now and demand a title shot. This of course brings out Batista. Batista proposes that Orton takes on Eddie tonight to determine the #1 contender. After the commercial break, Michael Cole lets us know that it's official.
United States Championship Match
Chris Benoit vs. Orlando Jordan
At least they aren't doing another 30 second match. Benoit of course tries to put on the Crossface, but Jordan gets the early advantage. Benoit again goes back to the Crossface, but Jordan this time has a counter for everything. Out of the ring, Jordan throws Benoit into the steps and puts him back in the ring. Jordan puts him in the dreaded abdominal stretch. Benoit avoids a charging Jordan and hits two German suplexes, but then goes for the Crossface again. Jordan counters, but Benoit puts him in the Sharpshooter and Jordan taps. The match had some potential, but then it just ended.
Match Rating: *(out of 5)
Sharmell confronts Teddy Long, who is with Palmer Canon. She is wondering why Orlando Jordan got a title show, not Booker T. Teddy tells her that tonight it will be Booker T vs. Christian vs. JBL vs. Rey Mysterio to determine the #1 contender for the US Championship.
William Regal, Paul Burchill & MNM vs. Animal, Heidenreich & Mexicools
So apparently the Mexicools aren't heels any more? Psicosis hits a nice spin kick off the second rope on Mercury. MNM uses teamwork to regain control. The heels get lots of tags into keep Psicosis out his corner. They finally get a tag in and LOD dominates. Christy calls for the Doomsday Device. Heidenreich goes up top, but he is interfered with. Animal hits a side suplex and Super Crazy hits a moonsault for the victory. This was a good example of how thin the tag team division was. After the match, two unknowns attack the Mexicools and leave them lying there. The match was spirited, but far from remarkable.
Match Rating: *1/2
Christian is here for The Peep Show and introduces Stacy Keibler. Christian asks her what it was like fooling around with Jennifer Aniston's boyfriend. Apparently, this was a thing that was in the tabloids at the time. Stacy says that isn't the case and as she is about to plead her case, out comes Jillian Hall. She lets Stacy know that there is no shame in losing your boyfriend to Jennifer Aniston. The crowd is completely dead for this. Stacy then asks Jillian what that thing on her face is and Jillian tries to punch her. Stacy blocks it and smacks her. Again, I'm not sure why a babyface would bully someone for the way they look, but that's just me.
Fatal 4-Way Match To Determine The #1 Contender For The United States Championship
Christian vs. JBL vs. Rey Mysterio vs. Booker T
This falls under Texas Tornado rules, so everyone is in the ring at the same time. Booker T gives JBL a back body drop and some chops in the corner. Mysterio leaps in and hits a seated senton for a 2 count on JBL. JBL catches Christian and hits a fall away slam, but JBL immediately eats a missile dropkick from Booker. Booker goes after Christian, but he pokes him in the eye and then JBL takes Booker out of the ring. Christian hits a gutbuster on Rey and this is a feud that I am really disappointed we never got. Christian hits a face-first suplex and then a baseball slide dropkick on JBL. Mysterio is up on Christian's shoulders and starts fighting off JBL in a fun spot. After the commercial break, Rey hits a DDT on JBL as Booker tries to climb back in the ring. JBL is up and steamrolling people and then hits a vertical suplex on Christian for a 2 count. Christian dumps Mysterio on the top rope while Booker throws JBL into the stairs outside of the ring. Booker is in the ring and starts taking it to Christian. Christian counters a Scissor Kick attempt into an inverted DDT. Rey comes off the top, but Christian avoids it and he hits Booker. In comes JBL and he hits a Clothesline From Hell on Mysterio. Booker hits a kick on JBL, then Rey sets up Booker for the 619, but Sharmell pulls Mysterio's legs. Booker hits the Scissor Kick and gets the victory. That was an extremely well worked and entertaining match. It's not surprising considering who was involved, but that was really well done. It's a shame that they didn't get a few more minutes, but what we got was very good.
Match Rating: ***3/4
Sharmell and Booker are celebrating next week. Chris Benoit is here to congratulate him and let him know that he hopes what happened to Mysterio is going to happen to him. Booker is unaware that Sharmell helped him win. Sharmell distracts Booker and they continue to celebrate. That match will be featured on next week's show.
Mr. Kennedy is out and does his introduction. He says that he doesn't have an opponent tonight because obviously everyone is afraid to face him.
Bobby Lashley vs. Nunzio
Lashley hits Nunzio with an belly-to-belly overhead suplex and then tosses him over the top rope. Big Vito didn't bother trying to catch Nunzio there. Vito hits Lashley from behind, but Lashley levels him. This distraction allows Nunzio to hit a dropkick and he hits a series of right hands. Lashley catches him off the second rope and hits a modified backbreaker and then throws Nunzio into Vito. Lashley hits the Dominator and that is all. Lashley was a lot more impressive here in 2005 than I remembered.
Match Rating: 1/2*
Teddy Long and Palmer Cannon are talking. Palmer reminds Long about the Boogeyman and thinks he would be a great addition to SmackDown. Boogeyman walks in and smashes a clock over his head. I do not remember this being his debut. Why would you debut a character like that in a backstage segment?
Randy Orton vs. Eddie Guerrero
This definitely feels like a pairing that could have had legs for 2006 on SmackDown. Guerrero hits a beautiful dropkick to get started. Eddie uses the tag rope to choke Orton right in front of Bob. Eddie goes for the Three Amigos, but Bob Orton distracts him after the first one and Randy capitalizes and hits a dropkick of his own. After the commercial break, Orton has the dreaded chinlock on and turns it into his variation of the backbreaker. Orton begins losing his temper and dumps Eddie out of the ring. Orton slams Eddie into the table and then into the steel steps. Eddie starts firing back and this time hits all three suplexes. Eddie is heading up top and Bob Orton is on the apron. Eddie kicks him down, but he gets back up and throws him off the top rope. The bell rings for a disqualification and they begin to beat Eddie down. Out comes Batista to make the save and then raises Eddie's arm. Out comes Teddy Long and he announces that next week Eddie and Batista will take on Bob and Randy. They did a good job of giving the match a big match feel, but this felt a little bit like just a teaser of bigger things to come.
Match Rating: **3/4
SmackDown finally has a lot going for it at the moment and even though it felt like they maybe tried to cram a little bit too much into this episode, it still made for some good television. I loved the fatal 4-way match and thought it was one of the better SmackDown matches of the year. Lashley and Mr. Kennedy continue to look good as well, which gives the roster a little bit of a fresher appeal than that of Raw. Thumbs up here this week.
Overall Rating: 65%
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