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SmackDown: 1/3/2001
Former World Wrestling Federation Champion Kurt Angle made his way to the ring as the March 1 episode of SmackDown kicked off from Tuscon, Arizona! Angle demanded that the crowd be quiet as he ran down his long list of accolades. He said he'd accomplished every one of his goals - which is why he was upset after not accomplishing his goal of snapping The Rock's ankle on RAW is WAR. Angle said that he would have broken Rock's ankle if not for one man - Stone Cold Steve Austin. Angle said that Austin had made him angry. Angle also speculated that Rock was angry as well - since it looked like Rock was set to give Austin a Rock Bottom after Austin saved him on RAW.
The American hero then issued a challenge to Stone Cold Steve Austin and The Rock - he said he would face the first man to answer his challenge on SmackDown, and he would make sure that person left the arena on a stretcher.
The sounds of broken glass then filled the Tuscon Civic Center, as the Texas Rattlesnake marched to the ring! Austin said he and Rock weren't friends, but since Rock is Federation Champion, he had a vested interest in his health. Austin said that since Angle wasn't Federation Champion, he had no interest in his health.
The Rock then walked to the ring!
The Federation Champion said that he and Austin had something that Angle didn't have - a date with destiny at WrestleMania. Rock told Austin that he didn't want and didn't need his help. Angle said he saw things differently - and Rock said it didn't matter how he saw it! Rock said that he was in the ring for one reason - to answer Angle's challenge for SmackDown.
Federation chairman Mr. McMahon and William Regal then headed to the ring! Mr. McMahon said he was impressed by the size of Angle's grapefruits, since Kurt had challenged both Stone Cold and The Rock.
The chairman then said that Rock would defend the World Wrestling Federation Championship on SmackDown against a deserving competitor - William Regal! Mr. McMahon then said that would leave Stone Cold to face Kurt Angle later in the show! Austin said that if it was going to be him against Angle, then there was no use in waiting - and the Rattlesnake popped the Olympian in the face! Rock also nailed Regal for good measure!
Backstage, Lilian Garcia interviewed Jeff Hardy, asking about the new relationship between Matt Hardy and Lita. Jeff said that he had always looked at Lita as a sister, and he said Matt apparently looked at her differently. He said that he wasn't spending as much time with his brother as he used to, but he was happy for him and Lita.
The opening match on SmackDown was a mixed tag match pitting Matt and Lita against Crash and Molly Holly.
Matt won the match for his team, pinning Crash after a Twist of Fate. The happy couple embraced in the ring after the bout.
In the Radicalz' locker room, Chris Benoit told Eddie Guerrero that he didn't trust him anymore, and that Guerrero had better stay away from the ring when Benoit took on X-Pac later in the night. Guerrero said that after all he had done for Benoit, he had no right to talk to him that way. Benoit reiterated his warning, and told Guerrero to stay away.
Backstage, Buh Buh Ray Dudley was talking on a pay phone when he was viciously attacked from behind by Christian, who repeatedly pounded on him with a steel chair.
Elsewhere, Ivory, Bull Buchanan and the Goodfather of the Right to Censor stood in front of a locker room door. Ivory listened at the door, and told the men that someone inside was still being interrogated. Goodfather said he hoped the rumors weren't true.
The next matchup was the Jackal vs X-Pac. Jackal dominated the match as usual, beating the hoky hell out of X-Pac, sending a message to the Bladewolf as well. He gave X-Pac a devastating Spear then hit the Jackal bomb to score the three count and the win. He stood up and did the title gesture around his waist.
Suddenly the crowd cheers as Bladewolf slides into the ring behind him with the baseball bat...AND STRIKES JACKAL FROM BEHIND! Bladewolf beats the hell out of Jackal with the bat, even aiming for the face until Jackal is busted open and Bladewolf smirks at his handiwork before leaning in close to the groaning Jackal.
"Didn't see that one coming, did you?" He asks before he rolls out the ring and leaves as Jackal groans in the ring.
The rivalry between Bladewolf and Jackal is boiling it seems.