The Smackdown! Report (02/17/06): Angle and Taker vs. MNM and Mark Henry
Submitted by Chad Matthews on Friday, February 17, 2006 at 9:58 PM EST





RIP Johnny Grunge…


The Smackdown! Report (02/17/06)


Match 1: Rey Mysterio vs. Sylvain
-Rey got first strike points when he cut a pre-match Sylvain promo short with a running dropkick and a plancha to the outside. Back in the ring, Mysterio connected with a springboard Seated Senton and proceeded to show great intensity by using a barrage of right hands to maintain full momentum. He continued his offensive onslaught with a tilt-a-whirl head scissor before tossing Sylvain into the corner and attempting the Bronco Buster. However, Sylvain moved out of the way and eventually hit a stalling back drop. Looking to wear down the smaller, faster superstar, Sylvain then locked in a bear hug. Mysterio battled out of it with a thumb to the eye and looked to regain control, but Sylvain hit a spinebuster. Grenier then went for a scoop slam, but Mysterio countered and dropped him into 619 position. The finish came when Rey connected with the 619 and followed with the Drop of the Dime to pick up the win. Mysterio defeated Sylvain at 5:40. (CMV1 rating- ¾ *). After the match, Randy Orton came to the top of the ramp and said that Rey was lucky he gave him a concussion last week…b/c if he hadn’t, he would’ve come down there and kicked his little ass. He turned his attention to Eddie Guerrero, saying that he had to give credit where credit was due. After all, Eddie had main-evented a Wrestlemania…Rey Mysterio is no Eddie Guerrero, though, and Rey Mysterio will never main-event Wrestlemania or win the World Heavyweight Championship. (CMV1 note- Sylvain sucks…You know, the majority of the net has a hunch that Randy is going to win, but I disgress…booking 101 suggests otherwise. The show before the PPV, the heel says that the face isn’t going to win. I’d say that means Rey IS going to win. They’ve also got Eddie’s wife and nephew Chavo scheduled to be at ringside for the Orton-Mysterio match at No Way Out…again suggesting that Rey is going to win. That match Sunday has got some real unpredictability about it, I’ll tell you that. I look forward to it. I think it’ll be a helluva match filled with tons of emotion and crowd heat. The end result, though? I’m thinking Orton wins cheap, earning himself a shot at the title, but Teddy Long will back Rey up and we’ll end up seeing Orton vs. Angle vs. Mysterio at Wrestlemania, which is a good route to go. The three of them could milk their feud for months upon months).


Backstage, World Heavyweight Champion Kurt Angle approached Rey Mysterio and told him that he shouldn’t let what Randy said get to him. For crying out loud, no one ever thought Rey would main-event on Smackdown or much less win the Royal Rumble, but he did! Angle said it’d be an honor to face him at Wrestlemania. At that point, the World’s Most (Incorrectly Labeled) Strongest Man showed up and said he’d take out both Angle and Undertaker tonight in the main-event.


Match 2: Orlando Jordan vs. Boogeyman
-(CMV1 note- OJ came out and issued an open challenge to anyone on the roster). The finish came when Boogey squashed Jordan via his one and only move, the pump-handle slam. (CMV1 rating- ¼ *). (CMV1 note- a bad wrestler squashed by a horrible wrestler…that’s fun).

Backstage, Paul London, Nunzio, the Mexicools, Funaki, and Brian Kendrick were chatting about something (probably never getting pushed or respected) when CW Champ Greg Helms walked through their circle and told them to watch and learn.


Match 3: Cruiserweight Champion Gregory Helms vs. Scotty 2 Hotty
-(CMV1 note- title on the line…Tazz and Cole made mention of the fact that it was supposed to be Helms vs. Kash, but that Kash was taking care of a family emergency). Helms dominated the early part of the match with basic offense, but Scotty came back with basic offense of his own. Scotty took control with a falling back drop. More basic offense followed until Helms gained the upper hand with a Billy Kidman-esque standing fireman carry into a back head crash. Helms taunted the crowd a little bit, hit a vertical suplex, and then did Y2J’s old one foot on the chest cover. Scotty kicked out, obviously, and went on to make his comeback, which featured a second back drop and a near attempt at the Worm. However, the worst finishing move currently seen on SD never got a chance to happen, as the champ drilled Scotty with a clothesline. The finish came soon after when Helms pinned Scotty after a Shining Wizard at 4:38. (CMV1 rating- ¾ *). After the match, Helms continued to beat down the former member of Too Cool, but the babyface cruiserweights made the save. Funaki hit a running bulldog, London hit a dropsault, Kendrick hit Sliced Bread #2, Nunzio hit drop kick from the second rope, Crazy hit a springboard moonsault, Psicosis hit a standing leg drop, and Scotty capped it off with the Worm. In other words, Helms got his ass kicked. (CMV1 note- pretty basic match, but great post-match stuff featuring the finishers of all the babyface CW’s)

A video package aired that quickly highlighted the Undertaker’s career.

Backstage, Teddy Long informed Helms, who was getting tended to by a physician, that he’d be defending the CW title at No Way Out against Scotty, London, Kendrick, Super Crazy, Psicosis, Kid Kash, and Funaki.

Further backstage, Paul Burchill (or should I say, Captain Burchill?) was preparing for an interview when MIS-TERRRRR KEN-NEDY…KENNEDY showed up and made fun of his pirate gimmick. Kennedy seemed to think that people were going to laugh Burchill out of the ring, but Paul whipped out a sword and held it to Ken’s throat. Kenny backed away and said that, on second thought, the gimmick would be huge…Ha, line of the night: “It’s gonna be huge…it’s gonna be hot…We need a pirate in this business”


Match 4: JBL (w/ Jillian Hall) and Finlay vs. Chris Benoit and Lashley
-(CMV1 note- Booker T joined Cole and Tazz for commentary, and I, for one, love that. Book has a career as an announcer post-wrestling). Benoit and Finlay started it out with a lengthy lock up into a standoff. They then traded basic submission holds before Benoit countered a leg lace and drop kicked Finlay. A test of strength followed, with Finlay cheating out of it and going for an armbar. Benoit battled out and started in with the chops and forearm shots. He then went for a baseball slide, but Finlay moved and sent Benoit in b/t the ring and the apron. Finlay proceeded to distract the ref while JBL repeatedly stomped Benoit’s right hand on the ring steps. Back in the ring, JBL tagged in and continued assaulting the hand. Finlay tagged back in and hit an uppercut on Benoit’s injured arm/hand. After a Finlay scoop slam, JBL tagged back in and tried for a vertical suplex. However, Benoit countered out and hit a snap suplex. He then got the hot tag to Lashley, who came in and quickly had an awkward sequence with JBL. He recovered a bit with an overhead belly-to-belly suplex and some Lesnar-esque shoulder thrusts. JBL regained momentary control with a thumb to the eye before tagging Finlay, who came in and got dropped with a Lashley-big boot. Lashley continued his roll, but soon after found himself on the outside, where he got nailed with a Layfield big boot. We then got a dreaded mid-match commercial break, but that was to be expected. Back from the break, Layfield locked in a sleeper hold on Lashley. Bobby tried to battle back, but Finlay caught him with a knee to the back, which JBL followed with a clothesline. Finlay tagged in and immediately hit a series of uppercuts. Lashley got fired up though and went wild with right hands before getting a lukewarm tag to Benoit. The Rabid Wolverine took to both heels, with back body drops and snap suplexes. Finlay poked him in the eye and tagged in JBL, who went for a short-armed clothesline only to have it countered into three rolling German suplexes. Benoit eventually locked in the Crossface, but Finlay broke it up and tossed him out of the ring. The Irishman tried to toss Benoit into the ring steps, but the Crippler countered and sent Finlay into the steel instead. Benoit looked to get back in the ring and finish off Bradshaw, but Book got up from commentary and clobbered him over the back with a steel chair. The finish came when Benoit gingerly made his way back into the ring only to get dropped and pinned following a JBL Clothesline from Hell. JBL and Finlay defeated Benoit and Lashley at 14:37. (CMV1 rating- ** ½) (CMV1 note- solid tag bout with a good finish that helped give the final hype what’s likely to be the last Benoit-Booker match for quite some time. I expect Benoit to win the payoff this Sunday and carry the US strap into Mania against whom I’m hoping will be JBL. I also expect the match this Sunday to be very good).


The video highlight package of Bret Hart’s career signifying that he’ll be the top member of the 2006 HOF class was shown. (CMV1 note- being that Bret is one of my favorites of all-time, I can’t wait to see him at the HOF ceremony…hopefully, I’ll be able to find tickets and actually go to the ceremony).


Match 5: Simon Dean (w/ the Gymini) vs. Matt Hardy
-(CMV1 note- before the match, Dean cut a promo on the live audience, calling them fat and what not). Very early in the match, both Gymini got involved and were ejected from ringside. Dean got a little bit of offense in, but Hardy made a quick comeback and eventually picked up the victory via the Twist of Fate. Hardy defeated Dean at 3:12. (CMV1 rating- ½ *). (CMV1 note- solid while it lasted, but too short to amount to much. Nice to see Hardy get the win, though)


A video package aired quickly highlighting the career of Kurt Angle.


Backstage, Matt Hardy approached Melina told her he’d thought about her proposition from last week. Hardy said he’d decided to find a tag team partner for No Way Out and challenge MNM to their tag straps.

Cole and Tazz ran down the card for No Way Out (Taker vs. Angle, Orton vs. Rey, Book vs. Benoit, Helms vs. CW division, Hardy and ? vs. MNM, and Bobby vs. JBL).


Match 6: World Champion Kurt Angle and Undertaker vs. WWE Tag Team Champions MNM and Mark Henry
-Angle and Taker had a hard time deciding who was going to start, but Angle conceded and let the Deadman begin the match against Mercury. They played a quick game of big man-small man before Mercury tried to gain control with several right hand shots. However, Taker got him in a neck hang position and tossed him over toward Henry, signifying that he wanted the World’s Strongest Man. Angle blind-tagged himself in when Henry and Taker were grappling, but it didn’t work out in his favor. Henry clobbered him and tagged in Nitro. Nitro tried to maintain momentum for the heels, but Angle countered a Stinger Splash and gave him a release German suplex. Henry and Mercury tried to interfere, but Taker caught Henry on the apron with a big boot sending him to floor. He then grabbed Mercury and tossed him over the top rope and to the floor. Angle followed suit and did the same to Nitro. Taker and Angle stared each other down as the tag champs struggled on the outside. Just as it seemed that Taker and Angle might get into it, Henry came out of nowhere and knocked both of them outside the ring. We then got a dreaded mid-match commercial break, and I guess that was to be expected. Back from the break, the heels were in control of Kurt Angle. Angle eventually countered a rear chinlock from Nitro into a jawbreaker, but Mercury tagged in and hit a jumping knee drop. Henry then tagged in and executed some of his lumbering offense. Angle made things exciting for a second when he tried to apply the ankle lock out of nowhere, but Henry hit an (amazing ) fist drop. Mercury tagged back in and locked in a sleeper hold, but Angle battled back with a back suplex. Angle then tagged in the Undertaker who dropped all the heels, highlighted by a big boot to Nitro and snake eyes on Mercury. He proceeded to splash MNM in opposite corners and go for a chokeslam, but Henry intervened and clobbered the Deadman. Davairi got involved and choked Taker while Henry distracted the ref. Henry followed with a scoop slam for a near fall. Cheap heel tactics followed until Mercury and Nitro hit a double suplex. Nitro then tagged in Henry, who dominated until Taker caught him with a running DDT. Taker signaled for a chokeslam, but Angle tagged himself in and went suplex crazy. Henry tried to attack, but Taker struck him with a big boot, allowing Angle to make Mercury tap to the ankle lock. Angle and Taker defeated MNM and Henry at 15:38 (CMV1 rating- ** ½). After the match, Undertaker gave Henry a chokeslam and a Tombstone (which was pretty impressive). Angle seemed pretty shocked that Taker could Tombstone Henry and the show faded to black with Kurt and Taker staring a hole through each other. (CMV1 note- solid tag match that tied the earlier tag bout for match of the night and gave the main-event for NWO some good final hype. A lot of people have complained of the Angle-Taker match not being hyped very well, but honestly I think we should be thanking our lucky stars that we’re getting to see it at all. It could’ve just as easily been Angle vs. Henry II. Besides, I imagine the WWE’s mindset behind the hype for the World title match was that Angle vs. Undertaker will sell itself. Frankly, I agree with them…there wasn’t a whole lot more they could’ve done given that both are babyfaces. I feel this Sunday’s match, by the way, has the potential to go four stars and be the year’s first legit PPV MOTY candidate from the WWE. I wouldn’t be surprised to see Henry get involved and create a dusty finish, though), so don’t be too bumped out when that happens).





All in all …In terms of PPV hype I thought it did a nice job of getting me ready to see No Way Out. They scaled back the hype for the Rey-Orton match, but stepped up the hype for Angle-Taker w/ those video packages and their game of one-ups-manship in the main-event. They also continued to nicely build toward the Book-Benoit and Lashley-JBL bouts. Finally, the other two matches added should be solid, as well. Animal is likely to be Hardy’s tag partner, but Hardy is good enough and will work well enough with MNM to hide his weaknesses (unlike how it was with Heidenreich). The CW title angle is actually kind of intriguing. Helms vs. the CW world is working for me, and will continue to be interesting if they keep it going for awhile. As for the wrestling on tonight’s show, it was adequate with the two solid tag team bouts. I’ll go 6/10 for tonight, overall…



This week in Smackdown history… John Cena defeated Booker T in the semi-finals of the tournament to crown a #1 contender to the WWE Championship at Wrestlemania 21 on the February 17th edition of SD in 2005. Of course, the history b/t the two had stemmed back as far as late May 2004 and included a best-of-five series for the US title. Cena went on to NWO and beat Kurt Angle in the finals and proceeded to cap off his road to the title with a victory over 9-month champion, JBL, at Wrestlemania.



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