*SPOILER* WWE Smackdown Taping Results from Detroit, Michigan
Submitted by Matthew Tremley on Wednesday, August 20, 2003 at 2:38 AM EST



I just got back from the Smackdown tapings in Detroit and thought I'd send along a report. The arena wasn't even close to full. The entire upper bowl on the hard camera side was tarped off and there were plenty of empty seats throughout the arena. However, the crowd was hot all night and was really into the action.

Dark Matches

Mortis v. Truth Martini -- I arrived about half way through the match but I believe Mortis's opponent was a local indy because the crowd was behind him. Anyway, Mortis got the victory with a pretty cool looking finisher. It would be best described as a reverse Electric Chair.

There was another dark match afterwards but I went for refreshments...so it's on to Velocity.

Velocity

Shannon Moore v. Billy Kidman -- This was an excellent cruiserweight match with plenty of high flying maneuvers and a lot of near falls. The crowd was really into the whole match. Kidman scored the pinfall with a sunset flip powerbomb off the top after Shannon Moore thwarted an attempt at a Shooting Star Press by Kidman.

Sean O'Haire v. Funaki -- What in the world is Sean O'Haire doing wrestling Funaki on Velocity? Oh well, this was an obvious squash match with O' Haire picking up the win with his finisher (can't remember if he's come up with a name for it yet).

FBI, Palumbo and Stamboli w/ Nunzio v. Eric Young and Bobby Brew?? -- Nothing special here. Mild heat for the FBI as they nailed the double superkick for the victory.

Shelton Benjamin w/ Charlie Haas v. Bradshaw w/ Faarooq (I guess he's back to being called Faarooq) -- This was a very good match and the crowd was hot for it. The APA was way over in Detroit. Finish came when Benjamin missed a corner splash after some interference by Haas and then Bradshaw nailed Benjamin with the Clothesline from Hell for the 1...2...3.

Michael Cole and Tazz make their way to ringside as it's time for Smackdown!

Smackdown

Smackdown opens with a video package detailing the recent history between Kurt Angle and Brock Lesnar as they show footage from the cage match and subsequent Lesnar heel turn.

Then, after the Smackdown theme music...out comes our Olympic hero, Kurt Angle to a thunderous pop.

Kurt said that he doesn't need some pathetic 58 year old billionaire to do his dirty work and that he'll exact his revenge on his own...like a man. He goes on to say that he didn't come to Smackdown for a match with Brock Lesnar, he came for a fight. He said he'll fight Lesnar or he'll fight Vince McMahon, or he'll fight them both at the same time, but he wasn't leaving until he got his fight. Cue Vince's music. After enduring the normal a**hole chants, Vince told Kurt it's not about what Angle wants, or what the fans want, it's about what he wants (was that a shoot?). Vince told Kurt if he goes anywhere near Brock Lesnar or Vince, he'll be suspended, stripped of the title, and even fired. He then says if Kurt wants a fight he'll get one, but not against Lesnar, instead it will be against the Big Show. Show comes out and Kurt meets him at the ramp. Kurt got the best of this encounter and the crowd ate it up. Security broke up the melee.

Commercial Break

We return from the break to find the Big Show trashing Vince's office in disgust over the events that just transpired. Vince tells Show to calm down because it's going to be Kurt Angle v. Big Show tonight in a falls count anywhere street fight.

Rey Mysterio w/ Kidman v. Matt Hardy w/ Shannon Moore (non title match) -- Very good match as always between these two fine athletes. However, there was a lot of extracurricular stuff thrown into the mix. After Kidman was sent to the back by the referee for having a chair in his hand on the outside, Shannon Moore made every attempt to interfere. However, Zach Gowen made his presence known by coming down to ringside and striking Matt Hardy in the back with a crutch just as Hardy was going for the Twist of Fate. This led to the 619 and a nasty looking West Coast Pop for the win. Seriously, Matt Hardy landed hard right on his melon. I was elated to see him walk off on his own power.

Commercial Break

After a replay of Hardy/Mysterio, we cut to the back to find Brock Lesnar and Vince talking. Vince says it's only fair since Kurt has a match that Brock should have a match as well and it should be against an equally menacing opponent as the Big Show. Therefore, it will be Brock vs. Zach Gowen tonight...one on one. No false advertising this time! Brock says he'll break Zach's leg.

From here we cut to a video package of the confrontation between Vince and Stephanie and her match with the A-Train from last week. My guess is they did this to explain her absense. Another video package from last week follows as they review the beatdown suffered by the Fearsome Foursome (Gunn, Torrie, Nidia, and Noble) at the hands of the Bashams and Sheniqua.

Commercial Break

We return from commercial with Michael Cole standing by the entrance ramp interviewing Zach Gowen's mother. Typical mom stuff here...why is my son facing a man twice his size?

Billy Gunn w/ Torrie Wilson and Jamie Noble w/ Nidia v. The Basham Bros. w/ Shaniqua -- Torrie looked incredible (only wish I could've been sitting closer for this one). The match was solid as all four men worked really hard. The real action however was on the outside as Torrie and Nidia went after Shaniqua only to be decapitated with a double clothesline. Meanwhile in the ring, the Bashams pulled the old switcheroo and Doug (I think?) rolled up Noble for the victory.

Backstage, Brock confronts Zach and tells him at the end of the night, he won't have a leg to stand on (aren't there better ways of getting heat on the poor kid?).

Commercial Break

We return to some footage of Brock and Spanky from last week. Brock then comes out to a mixed reaction (although it was mostly pops).

Brock Lesnar v. Zach Gowen -- Zach got a nice reaction especially after Chimel announced he was from Southwest Detroit. Brock tries to shake Zach's mom's hand at ringside until Zach hits him with the pescado. After that, it was an absolute assault by Lesnar. This one made the Spanky beatdown look like a hotly contested catch-as-catch-can match. After a vicious (and I mean vicious) unprotected chair shot to the head and an F-5 into the ringpost, Brock went to work on Zach's leg with the chair. Of course, by this time the bell had already sounded and Zach's face was a crimson mask (I guess Brock was DQ'd). Referees tried to stop Brock but to no avail. Brock went on to ambush Zach after he was carried off on a stretcher as his mother pleaded with Brock to stop the onslaught. Brock returned to the ring with the stretcher in hand and gloated to a chorus of heel heat.

Desire Video (Always cool to see that again)

Commercial Break

We return from the break with replays of the assault on Zach Gowen. This was followed by a SummerSlam video package.

John Cena then comes out and lays down an awesome rhyme ragging on Detroit. He mentioned something along the lines of Detroit being a giant crackhouse...great stuff. Then out comes his partner to kill the heat.

John Cena and A-Train v. Undertaker and Orlando Jordan -- Undertaker received a huge pop. The match itself was nothing special. The finish was somewhat botched as Taker was going for a Last Ride on Cena when A-Train booted him in the chest causing Taker to fall backwards. However, Cena didn't fall right on Taker and it took the ref like five seconds to count the pin.

Commercial Break

Backstage, Sable confronts A-Train in a disturbing segment. She thanks him for what he did to Steph and then invites him back to her hotel room (yeah right!).

Eddie Guerrero and Rhyno v. Chris Benoit and Tajiri -- Eddie and Rhyno came out in a sweet low rider to a great pop. Eddie is way over and Rhyno is a hometown talent. Tajiri came out to no reaction whatsoever and Benoit got a decent pop. The match was very good, but way too short. Rhyno pinned Tajiri after hitting the gore. Afterwards, Benoit put Rhyno in the Crossface only to be nailed with the U. S. Title by Eddie. Eddie then turned on Rhyno and hit him as well. He then popped Tajiri as well for good measure. All in all, it was a nice way to build heat for the Four Way at SummerSlam.

They showed a sneak preview for Rocky's new movie coming out in September, "The Rundown"...looks watchable at best.

Commercial Break

Main Event Time -- Kurt Angle v. Big Show in a falls count anywhere Street Fight -- Excellent main event with a couple of Holy Sh*t moments. One really cool spot happened when Show was going for a powerbomb and Angle reached down while upside down and grabbed a chair and whacked the Big Show with the momentum taking him right down on top of Show for a near fall. Another was when Angle leg dropped a chair onto a prone Big Show who was lying on the announce table (table didn't break though...somehow). The finish came when Angle reversed a Chokeslam attempt into an Angle Slam through the table for the pinfall victory. Brock Lesnar's music hits shortly after as he just stands on the stage and stares at Angle in the ring. I believe the cameras faded at this point.

Overall, another very solid effort by the Smackdown crew. It wasn't a blow away show by any means but it was a good solid show that was aimed toward Summerslam.

Biggest Pops
1. Undertaker (Motown loves the Deadman)
2. Angle
3. APA (First big stars of the night)
4. Rhyno and Eddie
5. Zach Gowen (I thought he would be higher on the list)

Biggest Heat
1. Vince McMahon (I'm sure that makes him happy)
2. Brock Lesnar (after the assault on Zach)
3. John Cena (after verbally assaulting Detroit)
4. Haas and Benjamin
5. Big Show

Credit: 1wrestling.com









*NEW GALLERY* Must See! Torrie Wilson Out PARTYING HARD in the Clubs!

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