The Smackdown! Report (03/03/06): Kurt Angle vs. Undertaker (NWO Rematch)
Submitted by Chad Matthews on Friday, March 3, 2006 at 9:55 PM EST





The Smackdown! Report (02/24/06)

The show opened with a video recap of the Undertaker-Kurt Angle feud over the World Heavyweight title. Angle won the first match at No Way Out and the rematch…is tonight…


Match 1: Tatanka vs. Booker T (w/ Sharmell)
-(CMV1 note- Sharmell joined Tazz and Cole for guest commentary). The two traded arm bars to kick off the night. Tatanka grabbed a headlock and then took Booker down with a shoulder tackle. He followed with an armdrag into an arm bar. Book got things going for himself with a knee to the gut and some knife edge chops. Tatanka no sold the chops and connected with a few of his own, but his offense was short-lived as Book caught him with a back elbow smash. He then went for an arm-wrench and hook kick combo, but Tatanka countered. The crowd proceeded to boo Tatanka and cheer Book. Tatanka with a snap suplex into a cover, but Book kicked out. Book regained control with a combo of chops and right hands, but Tatanka again battled back with chops. The 5-time WCW Champ recovered quickly and hotshotted Tatanka’s neck across the top rope. He followed with a pressing kick, but could only score a near fall. Booker then locked in a rest hold. As Tatanka made his comeback, the crowd gave a mixed reaction. Booker went for a crescent heel kick, but Tatanka ducked it and scored with another chop. More basic offense followed, and he tried to rally the crowd with a war cry and a tomahawk chop. He then ascended to the top rope looking for a flying tomahawk drop, but Booker countered and caught him with a spinning wheel kick on his way down. Book hit the axe kick and it looked to be over. However, the finish came when Tatanka got the surprising, upset victory after Boogeyman distracted Booker at 7:22. (CMV1 rating- * Ľ) (CMV1 note- decent match with a disappointing finish. Tatanka isn’t getting much of a reaction, and what he is getting is mixed. I guess the Book-Boogeyman feud will lead to something, but I’m hoping it finds its way onto the SNME card and not Wrestlemania 22).

Cole and Tazz showed the tale of the tape for Angle vs. Taker. The camera then cut to Kurt Angle taping up his knees backstage.


Match 2: Randy Orton vs. Super Crazy
-(CMV1 note- prior to this match, a video hype package for the Triple Threat World Championship match at Wrestlemania aired. Considering Orton’s performance against Mysterio at No Way Out, this should be interesting…Orton came out to new music, but I couldn’t hear it well enough to tell you about it). Orton wasted no time poking Crazy in the eye and giving him a nice dropkick. He then wailed away on him in the corner and choked him b/t the ropes. Orton w/ a snapmare followed by a jumping knee drop, but then slowed it down with a rear choke and several forearm shots to the sternum. Back to the choke he went, but soon after Crazy tried to battle back. His efforts were for naught as Orton yanked him by the hair back to the mat before going back to the choke. Super Crazy made a comeback with a dropkick to the knee and a lower one to the face. He then hit a springboard dropkick, sending Orton crashing to the outside. He then hit a running hilo to the outside. Back in the ring, Crazy scored a near fall. Then, in an impressive spot where he looked to be going for a spinning DDT from the second rope, Crazy swung the extra little bit to snap Orton’s neck across the top rope. Looking to put the match away, Crazy went for his beautiful moonsault, but Orton moved out of the way! After a 6-7 count, Orton was first to his feet, but Crazy caught him with a springboard dropkick for another near fall. Randy finally got back in business with a running clothesline. The finish came soon after when Orton pinned Crazy following the RKO at 5:56. (CMV1 rating- * ˝). (CMV1 note- solid match that featured some really nice offense from Super Crazy. If you want to make comparisons, it was basically Orton vs. Mysterio-light).

A video highlight package featuring Chris Benoit aired (CMV1 note- a very nicely put together video, as a matter of fact…made him look like a big deal for a change). Shortly thereafter, footage rolled from last week’s SD main-event, specifically pinpointing the moment when Benoit kicked the steel steps into JBL’s hand. Highlights of JBL’s hand surgery were then shown, at which point Cole and Tazz announced that Bradshaw would challenge Benoit for the United States Championship at Wrestlemania. (CMV1 note- excellent addition to the Mania card…glad they got it announced quickly).


Match 3: MNM vs. Matt Hardy and Road Warrior Animal
-(CMV1 note- again, the “mystery-partner” ordeal was used to hype the match, but the title was not on the line). Hardy started against Mercury and quickly caught him with a roll-up and a backslide for a couple early near falls. Nitro hit a nice looking break dance move into a leg drop, but was unable to keep momentum, as Hardy and Animal got their team-work on. Eventually, Melina got involved and allowed MNM to take control of the match. They proceeded to hit a double side-Russian leg sweep on Animal to keep momentum in their favor. Quick tags and nice double team maneuvers continued, as did Melina’s interference. Animal made the hot tag to Hardy, allowing V1 to clean house. Hardy hit a very nice combo of a DDT to Nitro while performing a reverse DDT on Mercury. At that point, Hardy set-up Mercury for the Doomsday Device, but Nitro interfered and caused a really shaky delivery of LOD’s patented move. The finish came when MNM defeated Hardy and Animal via Snapshot on Hardy at 7:48. (CMV1 rating- * ˝). After the match, Animal and Hardy got into a shoving match, which ended with Animal turning heel and attacking Hardy’s knee. (CMV1 note- I’m not really sure what the point of having Animal turn heel is, but I don’t think it’s a big deal. Should be interesting to see if it means that Hardy’s quest to topple MNM is over now, or if this is just a bump in the road. I personally think MNM deserve to defend the tag belts at Mania, and the Hardy-mystery partner storyline is probably the best thing they’ll be able to come up with. As for the match, it was pretty good, as Hardy and even Animal worked well w/ the tag champs).

The Wrestlemania “Big Time Moment” featured Undertaker defeating Psycho Sid to win the WWE Championship at Wrestlemania 13 (the last one in Chicago).


Match 4: Bobby Lashley vs. Finlay
-(CMV1 note- I’m looking forward to this…prior to the bout, footage was shown of Finlay costing Lashley his match, and undefeated record, against JBL at No Way Out). Finlay got a few shots in to start the bout, but Lashley got first major strike points w/ an overhead belly-to-belly suplex and a nice inverted atomic drop. The Irishman gained control with a short-armed clothesline. Soon after, Finlay got upset and grabbed a trio of steel chairs. Lashley ended up with one in his possession. They each took a swing at each other, w/ Lashley making first contact. Finlay and Lashley wrestled to a double-DQ at 2:12. (CMV1 rating- *). After the match, Lashley wailed on Finlay with right hands and a pull apart brawl ensued. (CMV1 note- it was more segment than match, but it worked well in putting over this budding rivalry. It also puts Lashley over as more of a tough guy. Easily one of the better brawls that the WWE has attempted in quite awhile and something that really makes me want to see these guys go for about 10-12 minutes. Based on their interaction tonight, these guys might make the WWE put them in a Mania match against each other, if that wasn’t the plan already).

Highlights of last week’s cat fight b/t Kristal and Jillian Hall aired. They will wrestle next week.

Backstage, William Regal attempted to talk Paul Burchill out of continuing his pirate gimmick. Burchill stuck to his roots, though, and announced that his first match will be next week on SD, and that if he had his way, he’ll be facing Regal.


Match 5: World Heavyweight Champion Kurt Angle vs. Undertaker
-(CMV1 note- the winner goes to the main-event at Wrestlemania to defend the title). Taker tried immediately to corner Angle, but the champ dodged the attempts and caught the Deadman with a few right hands. Angle went to work on Taker’s arm with an armdrag into a fujiwara armbar. Taker battled back and proceeded to go to work on Angle’s arm w/ a fujiwara armbar, proving that turn about is fair play. Angle used right hands to try and fight out, but Taker was relentless in maintaining pressure on the arm. Kurt then tried a new strategy and kicked at Taker’s legs. Again, though, it was to no avail as Taker went back to the arm and set Angle up for Old School. Taker only got as far as the top rope, as Angle crotched him on the turnbuckle and unleashed a barrage of uppercuts and shots to the gut. The offense was short-lived, though, as the Deadman went back to the arm. Angle came back with the uppercuts and cornered Taker with mounted punches, but Taker caught him unaware with an attempt at the Last Ride. Kurt somewhat countered, but Taker changed his plan in mid-move and dropped Angle crotch-first on the top rope. Taker followed with a running big boot that sent Angle crashing from the apron to the floor. We then got a dreaded mid-match commercial break, but that was to be expected (and I’d expect another one). Back from the break, Taker rammed Angle’s back into the corner of the ring and ripped the covering off the announce table. Angle blindsided him, though, and ended up tossing Taker’s head into the ring step. Undertaker came back quickly with a clothesline. Still on the outside, Taker set up Angle for the leg drop on the apron, but remembering that at NWO, Angle countered the move into the ankle lock, he rolled him over on his stomach. After dropping the leg, Taker tossed Angle back into the ring for a near fall. He then continued to work over Angle’s back and neck. The crowd, at this point, was split. Kurt, meanwhile, caught Taker with a powerslam. He followed with a vertical suplex and went to work on the back/mid-section with a body scissor. Taker fought back with mounted punches to the head and gut and followed with a knee lift. He then went for a running knee lift, but Angle moved and sent the Deadman over and onto the top rope. Angle tried to capitalize and knock Taker off the apron, but ended up getting an elbow to the face for his troubles. From the apron, Taker ascended to the top rope. Angle ran up and prevented his first attempt at high risk, but Taker knocked him down. Taker poised himself to try again, but Angle again prevented it. Angle climbed up to the top, as well, and brought the two of them crashing back to the mat with a sky high superplex for a near fall. We then got that second commercial break I figured we’d get, so I guess we expected it. Back from the break #2, Angle had synched in a rear chin lock. With Taker trying to fight back, Angle got fired up, blasted Taker with a series of right hands, and then clotheslined him over the top rope. The Deadman landed on his feet and dragged Angle out of the ring. He then tried to toss him into the ring steps, but Angle reversed and sent Taker into the steel. Back in the ring, Angle w/ an uppercut, but soon after the two traded blows. Taker took control with two consecutive splashes in the corner, followed by snake eyes. He proceeded to go for running big boot, but Angle countered and hit a release German suplex. Angle tried to follow with the Olympic Slam, but Taker countered. The counters continued when the Olympic Gold Medallist countered the chokeslam into the ankle lock, but the Deadman powered out and tried for the Tombstone. Angle reversed into an attempted Tombstone of his own, but Taker countered in kind. Finally, Kurt connected with the Angle Slam! 1…2…No! Taker kicked out, but Angle went right back to the ankle lock soon after. Again, Taker escaped and this time capitalized with a chokeslam. He didn’t make the immediate cover, though, allowing Angle to regroup and synch in the ankle lock again. Taker countered, though, and locked in a triangle choke. Angle eventually tried to counter and get the pin with the same roll-over bridge that won him the match at No Way Out, but Taker managed to escape the predicament and keep his triangle choke locked in. Angle fought his way to the ropes as the crowd really picked up in his favor. Taker then tried for a leg drop, but Kurt caught the leg and immediately switched it into the ankle lock. The Deadman inched toward the ropes to break the hold, but ended up using his leg strength to counter out. Angle tried to stay on him with another Angle Slam, but Taker countered into a dragon sleeper. The champ fought out and countered it with a DDT. He then went to the top for that gorgeous moonsault of his, but he missed as Taker rolled out of the way. Taker took advantage of Angle’s ill-fated high risk and caught him with the Tombstone piledriver. 1…2…No! Mark Henry and Davairi came into the ring and caused the DQ. Henry proceeded to place Taker on one announce table, crawl up onto the other one, and then take a running leap from one to the other for a splash onto the Deadman. Undertaker defeated Kurt Angle via DQ at 28:23, but Angle retained the World Heavyweight Championship. (CMV1 rating- ****) (CMV1 note- Excellent match that was tarnished only by the DQ finish and Mark Henry interference. Angle and Taker work really well together, people, and it’s hard to keep up with all of those counters they were doing. This is a definite TV MOTY candidate, but was not quite as good as their PPV encounter due to the finish. Still, another fantastic match. Once Mania is over, I would really like to see this feud continue. As for the Henry interference and set-up for their match at Mania, I’ll look on the bright side and say that Henry’s splash through the announce table was a nice spot and that hopefully Taker will be able to quickly carry Henry’s big ass to a decent, passable match at Wrestlemania).



All in all …This was a damn good night of watching wrestling, w/ the Angle-Taker rematch being the highlight. The main-event was preceded by three decent or better matches, plus a very nice angle b/t Finlay and Lashley…I also give them points for adding the Benoit-JBL match to the Wrestlemania card already. The only thing tonight really lacked was focus on the Orton-Rey saga leading into the main-event…Orton and Mysterio were afterthoughts, tonight, but I suppose that’s okay since the focus of the show was on their World title opponent for Wrestlemania. Tonight’s show rates a 7/10 in my book…



This week in Smackdown history… Ric Flair accepted Undertaker’s challenge for a match at Wrestlemania on the March 7th edition of SD in 2002. For a couple weeks, Flair had tested Taker’s patience, causing the Deadman to go to great lengths to get Flair to agree to face him. On this night, after Flair made the challenge, Taker decided to test Flair’s patience, making him wait until night’s end to accept his challenge. Naturally, he did accept, and the two went on to have a solid, No-DQ match at Wrestlemania X-8.


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