*** Official Smackdown Thread - 5th May 2006 ****

[Kam 243]

Preview:

 

A curious Cinco de Mayo

By Louie Dee

May 5, 2006

 

A lot of questions loom large as Friday Night SmackDown celebrates Cinco de Mayo in Cincinnati this week.

 

The biggest question is simply WHY, and only Mark Henry knows the answer. Last week, Henry seemingly snapped, attacking Bobby Lashley after their King of the Ring tournament opening-round match and interrupting the World Heavyweight Championship match between Kurt Angle & Rey Mysterio. He splashed Angle through a table, injuring the Wrestling Machine’s ribs. Will the World’s Strongest Man reveal any motive for his attacks?

 

Who will round out the Final Four in the King of the Ring tournament? Chris Benoit meets Finlay in the final first-round match, with the winner moving on to face Lashley in the semi-finals. Will the Rabid Wolverine or the Fighting Irishman join Lashley, Angle and Booker T in the next round?

 

Where is Undertaker? Daivari told the world last week that the Deadman is afraid of the Great Khali, who used only his bare hands to annihilate Undertaker and break his spirit. The Deadman hasn’t been seen or heard from since the attack; will that come to an end in Cincinnati?

 

Also this week, Tatanka’s initiation into the Lakota tribe will begin. Be there to celebrate this huge honor for the fierce Native American warrior.

[Guest Figure 4]

VELOCITY TAPING:

 

William Regal & Sylvan over Amish Roadkill & Casey James w/ Michelle McCool.

 

Road Warrior over Paul Birchell w/ a lady friend (?).

 

Bobby Lashley over TJ Dalton.

 

Gregory Helms over Mike Altiri (?). Mike Altiri announced from Cincinnati but appears to be Mikey Batts formerly of TNA.

 

Matt Hardy over Orlando Jordan.

 

SMACKDOWN TAPING:

 

Smackdown opened when Rey Mysterio came out to talk about being champ. JBL came out and confronted him. JBL mentions the illegal immigrant protests. blah blah blah - JBL says that he beat both him & Eddie. Rey says that he doesn't back down from a fight. JBL brings out Rey's opponent for tonight: Mark Henry. Mark Henry left the ring after a staredown so apparently that is the main event.

 

Booker T over Gunner Scott. Booker got on top of the announce table after the match and said to bad Angle got hurt because he was going to beat him.

 

Brian Kendrick & Paul London v. MNM was announced for the belts but MNM came through the crowd from behind and took them out.

 

Vignette shown on Tatanka featuring a "cleansing" ceremony with the Lakota nation. Another vignette promised for next week. Tatanka previously announced these at the WM22 breakfast in Chicago.

 

KOTR: Finlay over Chris Benoit - mostly technical mat work but pretty good.

 

Gymini w/ Simon Dean over Scotty 2 Hotty & Funaki.

 

#1 Contender match for Cruiserweight Title: Nunzio v. Kid Kash v. Super Crazy - No Contest after Great Khali took them all out.

 

Mark Henry w/ JBL over Rey Mysterio.

 

Time for the dark main event, and what was locally advertised as the main event, JBL v. Mark Henry v. Rey Mysterio. The match saw Rey pin JBL.

 

Credit: PWInsider

 

EDIT: It's already a spoiler thread, so you can't spoil a spoiler.

Edited May 3, 2006 by MrFill

[Guest SHEF]

That looks like being the worst edition of Smackdown ever, even Finlay/Benoit won't save it!

[Guest horsemansmiler]

So miffed they had a great crusierweight match and that useless dope came and wrecked it. No taker either!!!!

 

 

Mark Henry beats Rey AGAIN

 

 

Very dissapointing for SD

[Guest The Great Ahmar]

Looks a poor Smackdown, The curesweights are so unlikey!

[TPIB 62]

MNM defending the belts? You mean those aren't part of their wardrobe?

 

Seriously though, is this tag title match going to happen at Judgment Day?

[Guest Sav]

Seriously though' date=' is this tag title match going to happen at Judgment Day?[/quote']Not really hard to work out is it?

[Guest MrFill]

Not really hard to work out is it?

In other words - No.

 

WWE doesn't care enough about the tag divisions. :P

[TPIB 62]

True, when the Spirit Squad are the World Tag Champs, you know something is ****ed up.

[Guest SuperKick Kid]

Hey, Kahli took out the cruisers just like Finlay took out the midgets.

[Guest MrFill]

Hey' date=' Kahli took out the cruisers just like Finlay took out the midgets.[/quote']

So remember, in thw WWE, big = good, small = bad.

 

Rey = lucky champ, JBL = dominant.

 

Who do we think will win at JD? I'll give you two guesses, in case you chose Rey the first time. :P

[Guest Sav]

True' date=' when the Spirit Squad are the World Tag Champs, you know something is ****ed up.[/quote']

You mean the GREATEST WORLD TAG TEAM CHAMPIONS EVER?!

 

And Fill, Rey Mysterio will keep the belt at Judgment Day mark my words. Then it will be 2-0 in the Unofficial Sav vs Fill Wrestling Predictions of Pain.

[Guest Jimmy Redman]

Benoit v Finlay was really good, I enjoyed it. Smackdown wasnt too bad actually. Booker T was great again. The mainevent was good until the result. JBL is gold on the mic.

 

On the downside, Khali, Tatanka and Gymnini.

 

The booking and portrayal of Rey Mysterio REALLY makes me want to punch things. And by things, I mean the WWE Creative Dept.

[Guest The Great Ahmar]

IS it worth watching tonight then anyone?

[Guest Drake]

I gotta go with Sav.

 

This is what I would do with the whole JBL/Rey feud. Have Rey beat JBL at Judgment Day in a brutal fight.

 

Then have JBL cut some promos saying that Rey won't be so lucky next time. And that he will challenge him to a WHC match at The Great American Match. Then JBL can play mindgames against Rey and tell him that theirs a stipulation and that the match is gonna be a type of match that he (JBL) already beat a friend of Mysterio in. So they make the match a bull rope match and have a really good build up with everyone thinking that this is gonna be an easy win for JBL seing as he can out-power Rey in the Bull Rope match and at the GAB Rey pulls the unexpected win.

 

And finally Rey moves to feud with another person and drops the belt at SS.

[Guest Dickie Hyde]

Michael Cole: Ladies and gentleman, the miracle man, "Rey Mysterio"

 

That is just so so wrong.

 

JBL calling Rey an Illegal Immagrint... Legend!

[Guest Craig]

Benoit vs FINLAY was as expected, a really good match. Really enjoyed it. I liked how they had Lashley confront King Booker. Just shows confidence, thus gives people more reason to get behind him. Lashley may not be good in the ring, but he appears to be getting over, and good on WWE at least pushing him right. Oh, and King Booker was once again entertaining.

 

Why did the Great Khali have to take out the cruisers? I know they want to push the guy, but why have him interrupt a match that is building up to a title match at an upcoming PPV? They'll probably have a rematch next week, and they should most definitely have Super Crazy win that, and the title.

 

MNM vs Londrick is being booked very well. Obviously, the match is going to happen at Judgment Day, just isn't officially announced. You'd think most would realise that.

 

Why are they pushing the Gymini? I mean really, why? Are they planning on Londrick winning the titles and have these 2 take them from them? I sure hope not. London and Kendrick, or Batman and Robin according to SIMON DEAN IN GREEN, (and really, who are we to doubt SIMON DEAN IN GREEN? Unless your name is FINLAY, you have no right to doubt SIMON DEAN IN GREEN.), would do much better in a feud with Noble and Kash.

 

Why, oh why, did Mark Henry CLEANLY beat the World Heavyweight Champion? Man, I didn't think you could screw up a title reign this bad, but damn it, WWE sure have. He'll probably lose to the Great Khali next week too, or Undertaker will interfere. Rey better beat JBL. He's only beat Randy friggin' Orton cleanly. He couldn't beat Angle, and it was made to look like he was going to lose it until Henry interfered, and he can't beat Henry. Why are they even having him face Mark Henry and The Great Khali? I know their options for opponents are limited, but putting him against guys 3 times his size won't help him at all. I mean, FINLAY, Regal, or even King Booker would work as JBL's hired gun.

 

EDIT: This, my friends, is what SmackDown! is all about.

 

http://img413.imageshack.us/img413/4858/sd101na.jpg

Edited May 6, 2006 by Craig

[DC 536]

I thought Smackdown! was a decent show this week.......

 

Highlights:

 

Mark Henry sitting up with Rey on his chest, then rolling backwards and standing up in one motion while still holding Rey.....that is when the "World's Strongest Slam" should have been executed if Henry was winning cleanly..........OK Brock did the same thing with Orton....but this was Mark Henry in a good match, doing something different.

 

Booker T.....funniest guy on the show right now....a riot on the stick, this tournament has been a blessing for the T man.

 

Finlay v Benoit.....a pity the live crowd couldn't have cared less, but I loved the actual wrestling on show in this match.

 

Simon Dean was wearing green.....but let's hope that when ECW is re-launched, he becomes Nova again.....or, is allowed to work as both characters, one on each show (as they are taped the same time, it wouldn't be too hard).....Imagine the heat he'd get on the ECW shows for being the fitness guru.

 

Khali throwing Nunzio to the floor..what a bump by the midget Italian......

 

The swerve during the Tag match.....that was sweet, and great work from Milena......

 

 

 

Roll on next week for Rey v Khali.....a squash match if ever there was one.

[Guest MrFill]

First WWE TV show I've seen in ages - turned it on at the start of BENOIT~! vs FINLAY~!

 

While Benny vs Fit was a good match, I have a problem with the way Benoit works - now, I LOVE the guy, but he sells FAR too much - he was a World Champion, so he should be tough, but it seems like a running forearm to the face and he's down for ages, or a club to the shoulders. He also spends ages on the floor for some moves while the other guys get up a lot sooner.

 

MNM taking out Spanky & London works well for their heelishness, especially hitting the second Snap Shot onto Spankster.

 

Was eating breakfast when Booker was with Lashley, so I missed what was said. :(

 

Gimini aren't horrible - they can hit some decent enough moves, but it seems like they have to keep on remembering that they're "generic big men" rather than "wrestlers".

 

Khali killing the cruisers was so annoying - great way to put over a block of the talent - we get it Vince, "Big Man > 3 Little Men". Pity it makes the Cruiser strap look like a joke. Oh wait, WWE have been doing that for YEARS!

 

Rey should not have lost clean - JBL should have done something to cost him the match - it makes Rey look weak, and that is BAD for a Heavyweight Champion.

[Guest MojoPogo]

Ladies and Gentleman it appears our period of being "satisfied" with WWE coverage is well and truly over! Trust Vince and the boys to follow a period of good booking, with a couple of real clusterf*cks!

[Guest Danny Styles]

well to be honest that was a mixed show, poor booking with good booking

 

first the bad:

 

Having Rey Mysterio the Champ coming out and admitting he was about to loose last weak and was saved by an interference makes him sound weak, what's even worse was that JBL cut him just as he said that, so it wasn't really neccesary

 

Having Rey job clean to Henry was stupid as it makes the champ look weak, JBL should have cost him the match

 

Finlay beating Benoit, great match, but Benoit should have wonKhali talking..we can't understand a word the moron is saying, so don't let him talk.. he has davari for a reason and having him squash the crusers is bad enough, but thatm atch actually had implications for the cruser title, showing how bad the title is valued.

 

the Good

 

The MNM vs Spanky and London segment, it really helped MNM get more heel momentum and it was nice to see them standing for once instead of loosing, the beat down was done well

 

the Benoit vs Finlay match, old school match, great phsycology, the crowd were idiots and booed it (i have family in cincinatti who like wrestling.. i hope they wern't there :P) but i guess they don't understand a good match when they see one because an old school match with great phsycology is a rariety in the WWE.

 

Lashley! because he's just that damn good, and Booker is funny so i enjoyed that segment

 

 

but where is Burchill? has his push just been stopped for no reason???

 

really mixed show

[Nightfox 11]

Mixed show, Benoit VS Finlay was good, the rest was pooh, Smackdown is really sucking right now and needs help

[Guest Dickie Hyde]

I refused to watch the main event

[Murph 93]

Wow, you really made a difference. You should feel proud.

[Guest DanielFullard]

I refused to watch the main event

 

Thanks for telling me. I can finally get some sleep now. I feel a sense of completion