Smackdown
1
Smackdown kicked off from the Staples Center in California. Tensions were high between Austin, Rock, and Triple H after the successful Title defense on Raw. Triple H came out to address the situation. Hunter said that Rock was unfair in the match since he assaulted the ref. Helmsly then demanded a rematch tonight! Then Rock's music hit and he came to the stage. Rock asked Triple H if he really did consider assaulting the ref that offensive. Hunter said he did. The Rock said that if he did, why has he beaten up refs so many times before; Rock specifically brought up Earl Hebner. Triple H was speechless. Rock laughed and said he denied Hunter a Title shot; but if it was The Rock Helmsly wanted, it was The Rock Helmsly would get. Then Rocky started walking down the ring. Triple H leaned towards The Rock and said that he would kick Rock's ass, but there would be a Title defense tonight, and if he wouldn't get it, then someone else will; and Hunter knew exactly who would get it. Then the glass broke and out walked Austin! The Rock was trapped! Triple H said that he is a man of his word, he said that he was going to kick Rock's ass! Then Austin attacked and Triple H jumped out of the ring and assaulted Rock. Austin hit Rock with a Stunner! The Triple H Pedigree'd Rocky onto the metal ramp! Austin pulled Triple H away and they both smiled at The Rock!
Backstage Mr. McMahon confirmed that there would indeed be a Heavyweight Championship defense, and that the challenger would be Stone Cold! McMahon also said that his son Shane would defend his Light-Heavyweight Title against The Big Show! Coach asked McMahon if he really considered Show a potential contender for the 'Light' Heavyweight Title. Vince asked Coachman if he was calling The Big Show obese-and if he was Vince would be more than happy to tell him Coachman said so, Coach said he wasn't calling Show fat, just that The Big Man was very tall (for lack of better words). Vince said height had nothing to do with it. Then Coach let go of the subject as Show walked in.
In his locker room, The Rock was attended to by medics. The head paramedic told Earl Hebner that Rock was in no shape to compete tonight. Hebner said he would tell Mr. McMahon.
The first match of the night pitted The Hardys against Edge and Christian for the tag Team Championship. E&C came out for a five-second pose, but it was interrupted with the arrival of the Hardys and Lita! Matt and Jeff ran into the ring and started on Edge and Christian. Matt punched Edge into the turnbuckle and threw him into the opposite corner; then Matt charged at Edge, but he speared the Hardy! Christian gained the early advantage on Jeff. Christian hit Jeff with an arm drag counter and locked in an armbar. Jeff quickly got to the ropes and escaped the submission move. Edge went for a pin on Matt, but he kicked out. Jeff reversed a DDT from Christian and threw the poser into the middle of the ring. Matt went for the Twist of Fate on Edge, but Edge escaped and hit Matt with a spinning heel kick. Jeff went up top for what seemed a Swanton Bomb onto Christian, but Edge came to pull his brother away-then Jeff jumped into Edge! Christian got up and tried for a Backbreaker on Jeff, but Matt pushed him off. Edge was up and he speared Jeff! Edge hit Matt with a suplex and hopped out of the ring and grabbed a chair! Christian grabbed Jeff and executed his Backbreaker. Christian went for a pin but Jeff kicked out! Christian saw his brother with the chair and distracted the ref with an argument about the pin. Then Edge hit Matt with the chair! Edge threw the chair out of the ring and went for the pin. Christian told the ref to turn around and the ref started to count! Then Lita pushed Christian onto the ref and Jeff hit the Swanton for a pin! Lita grabbed Matt and Jeff grabbed the Belts and the Hardys left the ring still Tag Team Champs!
In the back, Hebner tried to tell Vince that Rock could not compete. Mr. McMahon said that The Rock was faking his injuries just so he would not have to fight! Then Vince said that Rocky would still have to defend his Title tonight!
The next match put Al Snow against Hardcore Holly for the Hardcore Title. Of course the match was more than a one on one. Raven ran out immediately after Holly to regain his title. Raven used a two-by-four on Holly but Hardcore kicked out! Snow ran up the ramp and pushed Raven off and DDT'd Holly and went for the pin, Holly kicked out again. Snow went for a Snowplow, but Holly reversed into a suplex off the stage! Snow plummeted through debris below and Raven went for the pin. Then Hardcore broke up the pinfall with an elbow drop off the ramp! Holly went for a pin, but Snow broke it up! Raven rolled up Holly, but Hardcore kicked out. Snow picked up a piece of debris and hit Raven with it and then clocked Holly. Al pinned Raven and kept his belt.
Backstage, Kevin Kelly asked Stone Cold what it felt like to challenge The Rock for hit Title in the shape he was in. Austin said he didn't feel sorry for Rock, or for what he did to Rocky. Stone Cold said that he would walk into the ring and walk out the Champ! And that's the bottom line!
Now Chris Jericho defended his IC Title against Billy Gunn. Jericho had the early advantage with a bulldog and a near fall. Then Gunn hit the Fame-ass-er and also got a near fall. Then Gunn Went for The One and Only, but Jericho reversed it into a jawbreaker. Jericho locked in The Walls of Jericho, but Gunn crawled to the ropes. Jericho hit another Bulldog and went for a Lionsault, but Billy rolled away! Gunn got a two count. Billy nailed Jericho with a clothesline and got another near fall. Jericho was thrown into the ropes and came back with a cross chop. Then Jericho hit a Lionsault for the pin.
In the back, Edge and Christian asked Regal about their match and how Lita interfered. Regal said it was a travesty indeed, but when E&C pressed on, Regal told them to ask Mr. McMahon. The brothers left and then Raven entered. Raven asked why Regal summoned him and the Commissioner said that he had a title shot for Raven. Regal said Raven would face Tazz for the European Championship tonight! Then Regal said not to worry, that Raven was sure to walk out with the title!
Next, The Dudley Boys came to the ring and issued a challenge to every tag team in the back that they could beat them in a table match. Kaientai answered the challenge; because they were "evil". Then Lo' Down came out. Lo' Down said they deserved the match so they could prove themselves in the eyes of the public. Then the Dudleys said that the winner of tonight's match would go on to face the Dudleys on Raw, and the winner of that match would go on to be the number one contenders for the Tag Titles! Then the Dudleys set up three tables and let Lo' Down and Kaientai go at it. Taka tried t put D'Lo through a table right away, but Chaz pulled his partner off the table. Then Chaz had Funaki placed on a table. D'Lo came off the turnbuckle with a guillotine leg drop and went right through the table when Funaki rolled away. But D'Lo was not put through the table so the match continued. Then Tiger Ali got involved and threw salt in Funaki's eyes! Chaz hit Funaki with a Lo' Down slam and rolled him onto a table. Taka distracted the ref when D'Lo put Funaki through the table with a splash off the turnbuckle. Then Chaz pushed Taka and started screaming at the ref. Taka ran over to D'Lo and attacked him from behind, hitting him with a Michinoku Driver through the rubble and placing Funaki on top of him, making it look like Funaki put D'Lo through the table! The ref called for the bell! Then The Dudleys 3D'd Funaki through a table!
Next Raven faced off against Tazz for the European Championship. Tazz had it all in hand with an early T-Bone suplex and an automatic Tazzmission. But Commisioner Regal came down to the ring and distracted the ref when Raven tapped out! Tazz relinquished the submission and Tazzplexed Raven. Then Tazz walked to the apron and punched Regal off! Tazz went for the pin on Raven, but he kicked out! Tazz tried to roll up Raven in a modified cradle, but Raven kicked out again. Tazz allowed Raven to stand, ready for a Tazzmission. But Regal slid into the ring and hit Tazz with a chair. The ref was about to call for a DQ, but Regal told him he would be fired if he did! Then Regal started beating on Tazz with the chair, and Raven started kicking Tazz. Regal told Raven to hold Tazz while he hit him in the head with the chair! Then Regal hit the Besmircher onto the chair and Raven DDT'd Tazz onto it! Regal told the ref to count or he would "be working at McDonald's in the morning". The ref counted 1 . . . 2 . . . then a sudden burst of music hit, distracting the ref. Regal looked shocked as he started to recognize the music-it was Ken Shamrock! Shamrock ran into the ring and hit Regal with the Belly to Belly. Then Shamrock took down Raven and locked in the ankle lock! Raven started tapping out! Shamrock grabbed the chair and pummeled Regal with it! Ken then threw Raven out of the ring. Then Shamrock walked out of the ring, eyeballing Tazz all the way up the ramp.
Backstage Vince tried pumping up The Big Show verbally. Vince told Show to obliterate his son!
Shane's music hit and he came to the ring. Shane had a kendo stick in hand. Then Show came to the ring. The Big Man walked right into the ring and grabbed the Kendo stick from Shane's hand and pulled him into the Show Stopper! Then Show pinned Shane! But Show was not finished; he went out of the ring and got a chair. Show set up the chair and Chokeslammed Shane through it! Then Show hit the Final Cut onto the chair. And another Show Stopper – again – onto the chair! Then Show pummeled Shane with the chair! After Shane started bleeding profusely, Show picked him up and military pressed him out of the ring through the announcers' table. Then Show walked away; but as he was walking up the ramp, Finkle made an announcement that due to what happened the decision was reversed and Shane is still the Light-Heavyweight Champion! This infuriated the Show. He went back to ringside and picked up Shane. Then Show gave Shane a Show Stopper through the Spanish announce table!
Backstage Edge and Christian left the McMahon room smiling. Then Triple H and Stone Cold entered. Vince told Stone Cold that he could not let Triple H be the guest referee as he was going to suggest because it would be unfair. Austin started to protest but Vince stopped him. An irate Rattlesnake left the room, and Triple H conversed with Vince.
The Rock's Music hit and he came to the ring. Rocky held his title high, and put it over his shoulder when Austin entered. Stone Cold slid into the ring and attacked Rock immediately. Austin threw Rocky into thropes and hit him with a press and knuckle. Rock pushed Stone Cold off and stood up. The two fought to the outside of the ring where Austin grabbed a chair! Rock ducked the chair shot and hit Austin with a spinebuster. Then Rock locked in the Sharpshooter on the chair! Austin held his head in pain, but would not tap. The ref made Rock release Austin because they were outside and falls count only in the ring. Rock put Austin in the ring. Rock picked up Austin and got him ready for the Rock Bottom! Stone Cold, reversed it into the Stunner, but Rock pushed Austin into the ropes and hit him with another spinebuster! Then Rock went for The People's Elbow and hit it! Rock went for the pin, and Austin kicked out! Then Rock got up and measured up Stone Cold for a Rock Bottom! But Triple H's music hit and Hunter ran to the ring! Rock managed to hit the Rock Bottom on Stone Cold but not enough time to go for the pin, so he hit Hunter with the Rock Bottom too! Rocky tried to pin Stone Cold, but he kicked out! Triple H stumbled to his feet and Rock hit him with a Stunner! Then Austin was up and Rock hit him with a Pedigree! The Rock pinned Austin and kept the title!