Original Airdate: Friday, December 9th, 2005
Colonial Center
Columbia, South Carolina
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JBL vs. Rey Mysterio
JBL is already in the ring and he's sporting a bandage over his right eye. He thanks the crowd for all of their sympathy. He claims that injuries less than his have ended careers. He said he stood by Rey Mysterio, but he didn't do his part. JBL takes of the bandage and goes to work on Mysterio. Mysterio fires back with a dropkick followed up by a boot to the head. Mysterio then hits him with a couple of thumbs to the eye. JBL rolls out of the ring, but Mysterio hits him with a slingshot dive to the floor. Mysterio hits the tilt-a-whirl hurricanrana and in comes Orlando Jordan and hits him with a clothesline to cause the disqualification. Out comes Batista to save the day and clear the ring. Cue Teddy Long's music. He is making a tag team match right here tonight on SmackDown!!! This was obviously all just a set up for our main event.
Match Rating: * (out of 5)
Bob Orton is trying to slow down his son, but there's no stopping Randy. He says he's going out to call out the Undertaker. After the break Orton makes his entrance and he starts yelling at Taker for making him nuts. His music starts playing again and being messed with by supernatural powers. Orton says this is what he is talking about. He doesn't want to fight and he doesn't want him at Armageddon, he wants him here tonight to resolve this now. After more begging, Taker's music finally hits and we get a video package with him reading quotes over it promoting Hell In A Cell. Taker then tells Orton that he's in the fast lane to the highway to Hell.
Kristal is outside Booker's locker room. Booker uses a white board to let us know the score of his series with Chris Benoit.
Joey Mercury vs. Super Crazy
This is a match that I'm down with, so of course it will last three minutes. Super Crazy gets the best of Mercury early on, but misses his attempt of a springboard moonsault. He lands on his feet, but Mercury is there to greet him with a clothesline. Mercury hits a Bret Hart second rope elbow drop for a 2 count. We are only nine nights away from Armageddon apparently, which means they probably should announce a few matches. Super Crazy hits a couple of nice looking dropkicks and rolls him up for a close call. Crazy hits a top rope moonsault that looked like it was supposed to be knocked off by Nitro, but he was maybe pushed away? Anyways, that is enough for the victory. As soon as the match is done, Kid Kash comes in and attacks the Mexicools. File this under things that I never knew happened. Both guys looked good here, but it naturally was way too short to be anything special.
Match Rating: *1/2
Orton is in the restroom to wash his face. When he looks up, Undertaker is in the mirror. When he looks behind him, he is gone. I wish I was magical.
Mr. Kennedy's music hits, but instead we get Palmer Cannon. He says that Kennedy has sustained an injury and can't compete tonight, so he gets a replacement instead and it's the Boogeyman. So considering he was advertised as having his in ring debut tonight, who was he supposed to face? If the network doesn't like to disappoint, why are they disappointing his opponent?
Ray Gordy vs. Boogeyman
Ray Gordy of course is Terry Gordy's son, who would go on to play Jesse. Boogeyman grabs Gordy by the throat and then eats some worms before tossing him. He hits the pump handle powerslam and then spits worms out in his face. Next.
Match Rating: 1/4*
We go back to Randy and Bob again. Through top of the line technology, we are able to see what Randy sees and that is his dad with blood all over his face. You'd think we'd see more of said technology.
Match Four In A Best Of Seven Series For The United States Championship
Booker T vs. Chris Benoit
Booker is leading the series 2-0. I doubt this would have been popular, but I think this would be a good spot to have Booker win in quick fashion to spice things up and have Benoit really start doubting himself. Benoit starts off with a series of chops. As good as Benoit was in the ring, some of his stuff from this era feels a little repetitive. It doesn't help that he is often working some of the longer television matches week in and week out. After a short bit of offense from Booker, we get more chops. Booker is able to hit a kick to the back right before the commercial break. Booker knocks Benoit off the apron and to the floor. Benoit avoids a Scissor Kick and hits two German suplexes. Booker blocks the third and hits him with a spinebuster. Benoit comes back and hits a superplex for a 2 count. Benoit hits the top rope headbutt and gets another 2 count. Jimmy Korderas gets accidentally kicked by Booker and is knocked down. Benoit hits two more German suplexes and then counters Booker's counter into a Crippler Crossface. Booker taps, but no one is there to see it. Sharmell tries to attack Benoit with the chair, but Benoit catches her. This allows Booker to get the chair and hit Benoit in the back and then hit the Scissor Kick for the victory. This one took a long time to get good, but unlike the first match it at least got there.
Match Rating: ***
Lashley vs. William Regal
Lashley throws Regal in the ring the hard way and we're underway. Regal gets in a few high knees and an uppercut. Regal then hits an exploder suplex after it looks like Lashley wasn't sure what to do there. Lashley comes back and starts tossing Regal around the ring. He hits the Dominator and that is all. It feels as if Lashley has begun to lose his momentum here.
Match Rating: 1/2*
Back to the Randy Orton saga and he sees Taker on the interview screen. He bolts outside and tries to get in his car to leave. The car is locked and then drives away on it's own. Josh Matthews is there to interview him and his voice is possessed by Taker.
JBL & Orlando Jordan vs. Rey Mysterio & Batista
Mysterio sends Jordan over the ropes and then Batista clotheslines JBL over. Mysterio hits the baseball dropkick as they head into the early commercial break. When we come back, Jordan is in control of Batista. I can't believe I typed that sentence. It doesn't last long, as Mysterio is tagged in and he hits a tilt-a-whirl headscissors. The action spills outside and after some distractions, JBL is able to hit a boot to the side of the head of Mysterio. JBL hits a second rope fall away slam. Mysterio is able to counter a suplex attempt into a bulldog, but JBL tags in Jordan. Rey finally gets the hot tag to Batista. He hits clotheslines in the corner, but JBL hits a boot to the face. Batista hits him back with a spear, but then out of the ring, Jordan throws Batista into the steel post. Mysterio dropkicks JBL into Jillian and hits them both with a 619. JBL trips over Jillian and then pretends like he hurt himself and he rolls out of the ring. Jordan attacks Mysterio from behind and then wonders why JBL is leaving. Mysterio hits a hurricanrana and then a spinebuster from Batista. They shake the ropes in stereo. Batista hits the Batista Bomb for the victory. This was a pretty typical TV main event where the outcome was what you would expect, but it was just entertaining enough to keep you interested.
Match Rating: **1/2
This was a watchable show, but not much more. The Randy Orton/Undertaker stuff was over the top in a bad way for me and it would have been nice if Benoit and Booker did something a little more out of the norm. It's hard to get too excited for Armageddon, as the stories just aren't there for me.
Overall Rating: 47%
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