Joe Louis Arena
Detroit, Michigan
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Match One In A Best Of Seven Series For The United States Championship
Booker T vs. Chris Benoit
This has actually been one of the stronger stories that they have told in 2005. Even if they are going back to an old idea, at least it makes sense. Michael Cole announces that the second match of the series will take place on the Tuesday SmackDown special. They start off slowly here, playing off the fact that they know each other so well. They go old school with a test of strength, which leads to Booker hitting a back heel kick. After a little burst from Benoit, Booker gets a boot up and hits a side suplex. The pace here is a little surprising so far, but I also get that it's a challenge knowing that you have to wrestle six more matches with the same opponent. Booker locks in the abdominal stretch. Benoit finally gets out with a hip toss. Booker is right back up and hits a spinning heel kick, which earns him a 2 count. Sharmell is really an unsung hero in this era of WWE. One of the few managers/valets that knew their job and took the role seriously. Benoit counters a vertical suplex into a German suplex.. He goes for another, but Booker hits another heel kick. They are slowly winning the crowd back now. Benoit fights back and hits the trio of German suplexes. Benoit climbs up to the top rope for the diving headbutt, but Sharmell provides the distraction that gives Booker the opportunity to stop Benoit. He goes for a superplex, but Benoit knocks him off. He goes for the headbutt, but Booker moves out of the way. Booker rolls up Benoit and puts his feet on the ropes to steal the victory and take the 1-0 lead. This one just never clicked for me. After the match, Benoit sells his frustration and gets his music played on his way back.
Match Rating: **1/2 (out of 5)
Eric Bischoff is backstage getting ready for his match in his karate gear. Vince McMahon wishes him good luck. Bischoff says that he will pull off the trifecta tonight by winning his match, Raw beating SmackDown and screwing over Cena tonight. Cena is there and he and Vince share pleasantries. Vince then says the N word. They pan to Booker and Sharmell, who then say "Tell me he didn't just say that". I was at this show and I most likely could not hear it, because I have no recollection of this. I have watched it before on DVD, but I often would skip straight to the matches. This was completely unnecessary and despicable. Why is this segment still on the Network?
WWE Women's Championship Match
Melina vs. Trish Stratus
Tazz and Joey Styles are the announcers here, which is fun. Trish attacks Melina right away until MNM pull Melina out of the ring. Trish launches off the top rope to the floor on all three MNM members. Back in the ring, Trish his the headscissors. Melina hits her with a forearm and starts her attack. Melina's offense is more vicious when you would expect. Mickie James and Melina start brawling on the outside, which is not a DQ for some reason. MNM sneaks in and is about to give Trish the Snapshot, but the ref catches them and ejects them. Just to be clear, Mickie James is still allowed at ringside. Trish tries to go to for Stratusfaction, but Melina counters. Trish then does the Matrix and again Melina counters that and hits her in the abdomen. Trish hits a handstand into the hurricanrana and then hits a spinebuster for a 2 count. Trish goes for Stratusfaction again and this time Melina puts her on the apron. Mickie pulls Trish out of harms way and Trish hits a kick to the head. She follows it up with a top rope bulldog for the victory. Both ladies worked hard here and the crowd was into it more than I remember.
Match Rating: *3/4
Last Man Standing Match
Triple H vs. Ric Flair
Triple H attacks Flair down in the entrance ramp and brings it into the ring. Flair gets his robe off and the action spills out into the crowd. Triple H back body drops Flair over the barricade. Triple H hits a vertical suplex and that keeps Flair down for a count of 7. Triple H hits another vertical suplex, this time back into the ring. Triple H now grabs a tool box and pulls out a screwdriver, using it on Flair's forehead. Flair is now gushing blood. Triple H starts to prep the table for usage until Flair throws him into the ring steps. Triple H gets on the mic and starts taunting Flair, so Flair grabs him by the balls. Triple H still ends up going for the Pedigree on the table, but Flair hits a back body drop through a table. This garners a 9 count for Triple H before he barely gets to his feet. Triple H hits a knee to the face, but when he goes for a Pedigree on the chair, Flair hits a low blow. Flair follows that up with a chair to the head and starts biting his forehead. He then uses the ring post for yet another low blow on Triple H. Flair locks in the Figure Four and uses the ropes for leverage. Triple H taps but obviously it doesn't mean anything. Triple H is able to pull off a desperation clothesline to give himself a breather. He hits Flair with the steel steps. He goes again, but this time Flair hits a drop toe hold and Triple H's face slams right into the steps. Triple H finally hits the Pedigree, but Flair is able to beat the count. Triple H hits a second Pedigree and again Flair is able to get up, this time flipping off Triple H on his way up. A third Pedigree is given to Flair and he gets up again. Triple H grabs a sledgehammer and hits him in the back, which is finally enough for the victory. That was the methodical, grueling match that Triple H has become associated with. It worked well in this instance and Flair was game here, no pun intended. Not quite a classic, but very good.
Match Rating: ***3/4
Team SmackDown is in the back, with Orton trying to claim himself as leader of the team. Batista isn't having it, leading to Randy Orton reluctantly agreeing.
Edge and Lita are out for announce that they will be debuting their new show, The Cutting Edge. Edge then calls out Detroit Tiger Dmitri Young, who is in the front row. Edge makes fun of the Tigers and then asks if it is due to a lack of talent or a lack of steroids. That sure aged well. Edge then starts making fun of the Lions and the fans start chanting "Let's go, Red Wings". Young tells Edge that he has no balls and names off all of the championships the teams in Detroit have won. He asks Edge where his championship is and Edge heads to the back.
WWE Championship Match With Special Guest Referee Daivari
Kurt Angle vs. John Cena
Six years prior to this at the 1999 Survivor Series, I got to see Angle's "debut" match live in this same building. There's just something about Angle's music and entrance that automatically any of his matches feel like a big deal. They play up the crooked referee gimmick early and often here, with Daivari not counting and him stopping Cena from going to the outside. Angle is able to get the Ankle Lock in and Daivari kicks Cena's arm from the rope. Cena gets out anyways and slaps Daivari in the face. Cena knocks both men down and out of the ring. On the outside, Angle is able to hit an overhead belly-to-belly suplex, while Daivari is still down. Another ref comes down and counts a 2 count on Cena. The crowd here is very vocal for Angle, which was very early in that trend. Angle wears down Cena for awhile until Cena is able to hit a DDT. Cena hits a shoulder block and some clotheslines before hitting the Five Knuckle Shuffle. Cena is getting ready to hit the FU, but Angle clotheslines the referee and then uses a low blow on Cena. In comes another referee Angle gets a nearfall. Angle hits a big superplex and again gets a nearfall. Angle adds another unsuccessful moonsault to his resume, as Cena rolls out of the way. Cena gets Angle up for the FU, but Angle grabs the rope to help him get out of the hold. He hits this referee as well, knocking him out of the match. He drags in Daivari, but Cena hits a DDT on him. Another ref comes down and Angle tries to stop him. Angle is back in the ring and Cena hits the FU and gets the victory. This was mostly storyline, but I thought the story was well told. The crowd was digging it too.
Match Rating: ***1/4
Eric Bischoff vs. Teddy Long
We have two referees for this, which is stupid. The fans are already crapping all over this one. Bischoff puts Long in a sleeper hold. Long takes off his shoe and hits Bischoff in the head to break the hold, but Bischoff hits a thrust to the throat of Long. The Boogeyman's music hits and Bischoff sends the refs down the entrance to stop him. Gee, I wonder what will happen next? Boogeyman is in the ring behind Bischoff? He grabs Bischoff by the throat and then hits a pump handle slam. This is somehow not a DQ and Jimmy Korderas counts the pin. Obviously, this was never going to be a good match. Unfortunately, this was pretty much the absolute worst outcome that they could have given us. Absolute garbage.
Match Rating: 0 Stars
Team SmackDown are making their way to the ring as their locker room cheers them on. Not to be outdone, Raw is shown doing the same.
Batista, JBL, Rey Mysterio, Lashley & Randy Orton vs. Shawn Michaels, Carlito, Chris Masters, Big Show & Kane
Michaels and Orton start things off. These two had one of my all time favorite Survivor Series matches just two years after this. Orton slaps Michaels in the face, but then it's Michaels taking Orton to school. We eventually get Masters and Lashley in here and it doesn't get the pop they were probably hoping for from the live audience. Lashley hits a big slam, but misses a splash in the corner and Masters clubs him with a clothesline. Carlito is tagged in and Lashley tosses him in. Lashley hits him with a running powerslam for a 2 count. Carlito catches him with an elbow and tags in Michaels. Lashley tosses him around too. Carlito runs in and eats a Dominator. He attempts to give one to Michaels, but Kane grabs him from the apron and gives him a chokeslam behind the referee's back. Somehow, that's enough to eliminate the undefeated Lashley. Masters hits a military press on Mysterio and tags in Kane. Kane misses with the elbow and Mysterio capitalizes until Kane steamrolls him with a big boot. Unfortunately, we are stuck listening to the announcers argue with one another and not talk about the match. Mysterio makes a tag to Batista, who is still all wrapped up. Batista hits a spear on Kane and takes out everyone. This leads to Kane eating a 619 from Mysterio and then a spinebuster from Kane to eliminate him. Big Show immediately hits a chokeslam and Batista is able to kick out. Even though Kane was eliminated, he and Big Show hit a double chokeslam on Batista and eliminate him. JBL comes in, but Big Show catches a crossbody attempt and slams him to the mat. Show then catches Mysterio and throws him halfway across the ring. Orton snaps Big Show on the top rope and JBL hits a Clothesline From Hell. Mysterio hits the 619 and he tags in Orton, who then hits the RKO. JBL comes in again and hits another Clothesline From Hell. Mysterio flies in with the seated senton and Big Show is finally eliminated. We now have a brawl and on the outside JBL hits a fall away slam on Michaels to the floor. After a headlock rest hold by Carlito, Mysterio fights back, hits a tag to JBL and he eliminates Carlito. Michaels is still knocked out on the floor, but it is down to just him and Masters against Mysterio, JBL and Orton. Masters catches Mysterio, but JBL hits him with a boot to the face. Masters hits his shoulder into the post and Mysterio hits the 619. He follows it up with the springboard leg drop and Masters is eliminated. Michaels is still on the floor, so JBL goes and grabs him. Back in the ring, Michaels hits Sweet Chin Music on a leaping Mysterio and eliminates him. Michaels hits another desperation Sweet Chin Music on JBL and now we are down to just Orton and Michaels. Michaels gets out of the RKO and goes for Sweet Chin Music, but Orton rolls out of the ring. Michaels launches himself over the top rope and on the crowd is now chanting for Taker. Michaels is in control and hits the top rope elbow drop. Michaels is getting ready for Sweet Chin Music, but JBL comes in with a chair. Michaels ducks and hits Sweet Chin Music on him again. This allows Orton to hit the RKO and get the victory. I didn't love that they sort of telegraphed this by hyping up the fact that he was the sole survivor two years in a row and also with the fact that the ads for the show were all about Undertaker returning. As SmackDown is celebrating his victory, the druids come out and Orton is in a panic. Orton's "acting" here is awful here. The druids stand up a casket and then a lightning bolt strikes it and sets it on fire. Out comes Undertaker and he heads to the ring. I remember this being my cue to start heading to the parking lot. Taker starts taking out the entire SmackDown roster. Meanwhile, Orton and his dad escape to the entrance ramp and that's it. The match itself was good, but not quite as good as I hoped it would be.
Match Rating: ***1/2
To be honest, I remembered liking this better last time around. I thought three of the matches delivered, but none of them weren't quite classics. Vince's stupidity and the Bischoff/Long match really bring this one down quite a bit for me though. I also felt that the ending came off really flat and unfortunately it was a little too bit predictable. This show gets a thumbs up, but at the same time it's not essential viewing.
Overall Rating: 71%
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