WARNING: The news below features a major spoiler from the WWF Smackdown taping. If you do not want the surprise ruined, do not read the following post.
Tonight at the WWF Smackdown taping, Vince McMahon announced that he will be bringing the nWo to the WWF. McMahon said that he would not let Ric Flair kill the WWF, and therefore he (McMahon) and the nWo would kill the WWF themselves.
411wrestling.com will have complete Smackdown taping results posted shortly.
We open with the video of Vince McMahon's cryptic message last night. After the video and pyro, we are told that there is a #1 Contender Qualifyer Tournament tonight, where Rock will take on Kurt Angle, and Booker T will take on Austin, with the winners facing each other on Raw.
In the arena, Rob Van Dam comes out to challenge against the WWF's newest champion, William Regal.
RVD attacks Regal as he comes down and tosses him in the ring, where he catches him with a leaping spin kick from the top. Rolling Thunder from RVD, followed up with a spinning heel kick. RVD goes up top and hits the Five Star 1-2-3! Yes folks, it was over just as quickly as it looks.
As RVD makes his way up the ramp, the temporarily suspended Edge runs in from the crowd and Spears Regal, punching away until Security come down and force him to run away.
In the back, Vince McMahon is sitting in a darkened room. He says that we're thinking that he doesn't have the guts to do what he said he would do. Well we're wrong. He has no alternative. Tonight, he has to do something that even he will regret, and he's going to do it tonight. Fade Out.
Jacqueline comes down in her referee outfit, with Michael Cole announcing that Jacqui has in fact applied to get her "reffing license".
Jacqui immediately takes Bossman's nightstick away, not taking no for an answer. Bossman immediately tosses Rikishi over the top and goes out to whip him into the stairs. Bossman picks up the stairs and slams them down, but Rikishi rolls out of the way.
Back in the ring, Bossman chokes Rikishi in the corner, not listening to Jacqui's rules until she pries him off and threatens to DQ him. Rikishi turns around and does the same as Bossman, and gets the same lecture Jacqui gave.
Bossman slides outside and pulls Rikishi down, chopping away at his head. Back inside, Bossman hits a knee and then a few headslaps. Box-ear by Bossman and then a clothesline that flips Rikishi end-over-end 1-2-shoulder up.
Bossman hits his famous Uppercut, but the unphased Rikishi hits a Superkick. Rikishi runs off the ropes twice and smashes down on Bossman. He drags Bossman to the corner and hits the Bonzai Drop 1-2-3!
In the back, Steph is getting coffee when Lilian comes up to get some, saying that she's surprised to see Steph after the problems she and Trips had. Steph softly says that she and Triple H have no problems. In fact, her only problem is with Lilian. With that, she throws the "scalding hot" coffee on Lilian, remarking that she wasn't that thirsty anyway. Fade Out.
Scotty and Tazz start off, with Scotty hitting his trademarked moonwalk, to Tazz' applause. Scotty and Tazz reverse arm wrenches, with Tazz scoring a suplex. Tag to Spike and Albert.
Albert smashes Spike into the corner and punches away. Spike goes for the low headbutt, but Spike smashes his already injured neck. Albert picks up Spike and performs quite possibly the longest Giant Swing in recorded history. Albert follows it up by slingshotting Spike into the ropes 1-2-broken by Tazz. Tag to Scotty.
Scotty hits a back suplex and an elbow drop, then two, then three 1-2-kickout. Scotty hits a falling neckbreaker 1-2-broken by Tazz. Spike tries to leave the ring, but Scotty pulls him back in and nails him with an elbow. Vertical suplex by Scotty 1-2-shoulder up
Spike tries to fight back wit helbows, but Scotty clubs him back down. Scotty ducks a clothesline and Superkicks Spike down 1-2-shoulder up! Snapmare by Scotty with the low dropkick follow 1-2-kickout.
Kicks to the chest by Scotty, but Spike comes back with an elbow to the face. Scotty misses a splash and hits the ringpost, allowing Tazz to tag in.
Tazz with suplex after suplex on Scotty, but Albert attacks him when he goes for the Tazzmission. Albert smashes himself into Tazz in the corner and Scotty hits the bulldog. WORM by Scotty 1-2-broken by Spike!
Albert pulls Spike in the ring and goes to splash him in the corner, but Spike moves and hits a quick Acid Drop, but Tazz and Scotty are the legal men. Speaking of them, Tazz picks Scotty up on the apron and locks in the Tazzmission, pulling him into the ring and getting the victory!
In the back, Steph gloats about burning Lilian, but Trips looks extremely disinterested. Steph complains that Trips isn't communicating anymore. She claims that she is the reason he got so far. Trips may love this business, but her family *is* this business.
Trips asks what the hell Steph is doing, always talking about her father. The father that kicked her to the curb and fired her. Her father is a piece of trash, yet she worships the ground he walks on. Steph claims Trips married her for her last name, but Trips claims it was in spite of her last name. Vince never thought he was good enough for her. Steph: "Well maybe he was right...". Steph gets up and in her face, saying that perhaps everyone else was right about her. Fade Out.
The Coach asks Rock about the Rumble, being a night of the unexpected. Rock starts to talk, then realizes Coach isn't even paying attention. What, is Coach thinking about going dancing after the show? The Rock figures, since Coach likes dancing so much, and seeing as we are where we are, why doesn't Coach dance the Charleston?
Coach backs up and starts doing the Charleston, getting extremely into it, a la Carlton Banks, before Rock kicks him out, calling him a sick freak.
Anyway... yes, the Rumble was a night of surprises: Show getting slammed out of the ring, Maven eliminating Taker, and Flair beating Vince. But what happened with he and Jericho is over. Jericho is still the Undisputed Champion, and still the biggest monkey anus walking the earth.
But that was Sunday. Tonight, Rock faces Kurt Angle for a chance to take on Jericho at No Way Out, and then onto WrestleMania. We know what happened to Rock at last WrestleMania, and the one before, and the one before. But this year is different. The Rock guarandamntees that this WrestleMania will be The Rock's WrestleMania, if ya smell what the Rock is cooking.
Vince is still in his room, talking to someone. The facts are cold and hard: ever since the Rumble, Ric Flair has assumed control in the WWF. You've gotta understand that, under Ric Flair's leadership, the WWF has terminal cancer. Under Flair, the WWF will slowly die. The person he's speaking to knows what he has to do, and he can do it. Fade Out.
Booker gets in a cheap shot early, so Austin nails him right back even harder. Booker gets a side headlock and then a shoulder block to Austin. Stomps from Booker, but Austin comes back with right hands, only to be caught with another shoulder. Austin catches Booker with a spinebuster and goes to the chops. Austin with a clothesline 1-2-kickout.
Booker hits an uppercut and follows with chop after chop after chop. Austin bearhugs Booker and drops him on the ropes. Swinging neckbreaker by Austin 1-2-shoulder up.
Chops by Austin, who goes for the 10 Punch, but only gets six before Booker atomic drops him down and hits the jumping calf kick. Clothesline by Booker that sends Austin over the top and to the bottom.
On the outside, Booker rams Austin into the stairs, then again. Back inside, Booker kicks away at Austin, stomping him to the mat. Booker goes out and wraps Austin's knee around the ringpost, then the other knee.
Back inside, Booker chops Austin down at the knees and slaps him in the face. Stomps by Booker, but Austin explodes with a Spear and the mounted punches. Booker comes back with a Big Boot to the face 1-2-shoulder up.
Booker puts Austin's leg on the ropes and stomps down on the knees. Booker goes to sit on the legs, but Austin rolls and Booker lands on his tailbone. Both Austin and Booker go for clotheslines, and both get them.
Austin explodes with right hands from the corner. Lou Thesz Press by Austin, followed with stomps. Austin gives the fingers and goes for the Stunner, but Booker pushes Austin away and takes out his legs. Spinaroonie and the spinning heel kick 1-2-kickout. Booker hits a low knee and hits the Scissor Kick 1-2-shoulder up!
As Austin begins to stagger up, Booker lays in wait. Austin gets to his feet, and Booker goes for the Stunner, but Austin kicks him off the ropes and hits the Stunner as he bounces back 1-2-3! Fade Out.
In the back, Sharmell asks Ric Flair what he thinks about the things Vince is talking about. Flair has no idea what Vince is talking about, but he needs to get out of the gloom and get out here and celebrate because the WWF is moving on and moving up, cementing itself as the greatest company in this business. So if Vince wants to sit back, then just get out of the way because Flair is happy to ride this rocket.
In the arena, Kane and Show attack the Dudleys immediately as they come down, but D-Von smashes Show into the ringpost. In the ring, BuhBuh lifts Kane and D-Von runs in to slam him down.
Show runs in and headbutts both the Dudleys down, before setting up a table. In this particular match, you only need one person through the table.
Show goes to chokeslam both Dudleys through the table, but they smash him into the turnbuckle and go for the 3D through the table, but Kane moves the table at the last minute.
Kane goes up top to nail BuhBuh, but Show regains himself and runs off the ropes to hit BuhBuh, causing Kane to fall from the ringpost to the floor. In the ring, Show grabs D-Von and hits the chokeslam, but BuhBuh moves the table in time.
As Kane makes his way into the ring, Show whips BuhBuh around, causing him to nail Kane, sending him flying backwards through a table, giving the Dudleys the win!
After the Dudleys leave, Kane leaps back in the ring and gets in Show's face. Slaughter leads the refs down to break up the disagreement, but luckily Kane leaves under his own accord.
In the back, Vince continues to speak with whomever. It's a damn shame, he says sadly. Everything on earth must come to an end. He never thought it'd be like this, his world coming crashing down around him. This is his life, after all. He built this place, with help from no one. And now someone is going to take it away from him? Someone gave cancer to the WWF. It's just too damn bad. Fade Out.
Tonight's Shattered Dreams Production: "Winter must be cold for those with no warm memories." Goldust has no such problem. He has so many toasty warm memories. Now that he's back, change is not his plan. No, he has his greatest production ready, but it's only for an audience of one. His star is rising, like it or not, and his name will be remembered forever. The name of...ooooooooooh...Goldust.
In the back, Billy and Chuck discuss their prospects of being Tag Champs. Even though they remark chicks dig them, Billy gives Chuck a nice slap on the ass after their secret handshake.
In the back, Angle says that he still has a chance at going to WrestleMania as the Champion, provided he can beat the Rock tonight. He begins to go on about his history, but the fans keep interupting with "WHAT?". Finally Angle gets so fed up that he leaves the interview. Fade Out.
Trish attacks Jazz as she enters, stomping her into the corner and nailing a kick to the head 1-2-kickout. Big boot by Trish, but Jazz clotheslines her down. Jumping legdrop by Jazz, then a hairtoss and a double underhook suplex. Jazz then tosses Trish onto the ropes, and again, then tossing Trish through the ropes.
On the outside, Jazz takes Trish's broken hand and smashes it into the apron. Jazz pulls Trish back into the ring by her hair, and smashes her into the ringpost. Elbows by Trish, but she misses the splash in the corner. Jazz takes Trish down by the shoulder and locks in the armbar, using the ropes for leverage. Jazz decides not to let go of Trish of the ropes, and gets DQed because of it.
AFter the DQ, Jazz stomps on Trish's hand, then lifts her up by an underhook and finishing her off with a DDT.
In the back, VInce tells his visitor to not try to talk him out of it. If there was any other way to do this, he would. This may not be logical, or normal, but something must be done. If you care as much as he cares, you'll do it. It has to be done, and he will not be talked out of it. Fade Out.
The Y2J Countdown hits 0.00 and the Undisputed Champion makes his way down before Rock and Angle decide who will face Austin on Raw to decide who will face Jericho at No Way Out. He takes a seat at the announce table before Angle comes out, followed by Rock.
Rock gets the headlock to start, but Angle elbows out, only for Rock to hit a shoulder block. Clothesline by Rock, then an armdrag into an armbar. Angle comes back with a Fireman's Carry. Angle gets a headlock on Rock and nails him with the shoulder block. Rock hits the belly-belly throw 1-2-shoulder up.
Angle hits his own belly-belly and starts pounding on Rock in the corner. Stomps by Angle, but Rock spins around and hits some chops and an elbow. Angle ducsk the clothesline and hits the German suplex, then another. Rock elbows out of the third, but Angle goes bhind and hits the German suplex 1-2-shoulder up.
Angle chokes Rock on the ropes. Rock kicks away, but Angle tosses him over the top and to the floor. Angle goes outside with him and chops Rock over to the announce table. Angle drops Rock onto the announce table, allowing Jericho to smash Rock into the table and then into the ringpost.
Back in the ring, Angle hits Rock with a spinebuster and gets the AngleLock, but Rock crawls to the ropes. Rock comes back with right hands, but both men clothesline each other down.
Angle up first, but Rock blocks the punches and throws rights of his own. Rock comes off the ropes with a flying forearm and a DDT 1-2-shoulder up! Angle comes back with a short clothesline with the elbow drop follow 1-2-shoulder up.
Scoop slam by Angle, who looks for the People's Elbow, but Rock hops up and tosses Angle over the top to the outside. OUtside, Rock gets whipped into the barrier, but he comes back with a clothesline. Rock pulls Jericho from the table and smashes him onto the announce table. Rock smashes Angle's head into Jericho's crotch.
Back inside, Rock hits Angle with the Spinebuster and the SharpShooter, but just as Angle taps, Jericho pulls Tim White from the ring. Jericho distracts White as Undertaker runs down and gives Rock a chokeslam! Angle rolls over and Jericho points Timmy White to the ring 1-2-3!
Vince says that the WWF is going to die. It has cancer because of Ric Flair. Flair will kill the WWF. And the kind of cancer Flair gave the WWF is the slow kind. This death won't be fast. Vince won't let Flair kill what he created, because he's going to kill it first! He's going to inject his beloved WWF creation with a lethal dose of poison. If anyone is going to kill it, it will be Vince...and the nWo!
In the back, Austin says that Stone Cold just beat Booker T, which means after he beats Kurt Angle, he'll beat Jericho and go to the WrestleMania main event! As Austin talks, Angle comes up and attacks Austin, nailing him with a tea trey and then locking in the AngleLock. Fade Out
The Hurricane was no where to be seen and it looks like they might kill Jericho's title reign to make Austin a transitional champ for Triple H.
nWo? What?
The King: "Are you bilingual?" HHH: "I'm bi- a lot of things, but lingual's not one of them...Ummm, did I mean to say that?" JR: "Probably not, but we're live"
Sounds like they'll wait until next Monday to bring the nWo out. Good idea - the mere mentioning of them now will make Raw a cannot-miss show. Next Monday should be an amazing show - after Monday, your guess is as good as mine. I got my fingers crossed, though.
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my 25 says it wasn't eric..... it was nash ( i just want to take the other side of the bet.... probably was eric)... i just hope the whole angle isn't developed in one night.....
I AM THE BEST there is, was and ever will be!!!! Dont you wish that you were me??? no?.... i've got two words for ya!
I'm broker than broke right now... but I'll lay $5 that the man Vince was speaking to on Smackdown was one Hulk Hogan.
"People say that if you don't love America, then get the hell out. Well, I love America." - "Born on the Fourth of July," 1989. "One day, we will be reunited. But until then, my spirit will always be with you." - "Mortal Kombat," 1995.
"Vince then spins around in his chair and we realize that he was sitting there looking in the mirror the whole time. On the back of his chair, the nWo initials are written."
So everyone loses their money.
"You can see a million miles tonight, but you can't get very far." - Adam Duritz
Damn! That sounds like a good show! This might be the first Smackdown! I tape. So Vince is injecting the WWF with the nWo. That is just surreal. I can't wait to see this. But then again, when Mike Awesome, O'Haire and Palumbo invaded RAW, that was must see TV too and we know how that turned out. But Thursday will have a total markout moment. Over on Dave's site they say the crowd was totally confused. Like they had no idea what to think. Either way, this is the markout moment of the year. I won't be taping that Bossman match though. January 4th 1999 - The day WCW injected itself with 10 gallons of Liquid Anthrax...AKA...The day Hogan "Defeated" Nash to win the WCW title in front of 40,000.
Well, so much for not blowing the load too quickly...How can this EVER get over, with such LITTLE set-up?? I would've thought that this would've been hinted at 'till at least WM, with the letters not even being mentioned until the run-ins start...ugh. You know(damn you Nash!), For a "soap opera" style show, they sure don't know how to build any suspense, thus, nobody really cares.
Say what you will about whether reforming the NWO is a good idea, but doing it like this is probably the only way to get me to watch it. If their return were treated as a positive thing, I probably would quit watching the WWF. This is the first development in months that actually has me interested. It might be one of those quick fixes that end up being negative in the long run, but I'm willing to give it a chance.
"Worship the Hardys, but you know--eat a salad once in a while."--Stevie Richards.
"Vince then spins around in his chair and we realize that he was sitting there looking in the mirror the whole time. On the back of his chair, the nWo initials are written."
So everyone loses their money.
Damnit everything sounded good until it was revealed he was talking to himself! That has to be up there with Hogan seeing Warrior in a mirror and no one else could.
You guys are right, he blew his load too soon. Especially on a show like SD!
1- Why did they 'blow it' already? If you bring em in quickly you can build up to WM which is not that far away. If you wait until No Way Out you have beaten the 'suspense' factor to death already. Besides..let's wait and see first.
2- Damn, so already RVD is going after Regal. Somehow I'd love to see Edge totally loose it and go after Van Dam.
3- Assuming Austin wins monday he will face Jericho at No Way Out (I refuse to type it as NWO)..which means Jericho is going to win. It seems to me they are gonna put Jericho over Austin to make him more legit..(fingers crossed)
This will make for an interesting RAW. First the whole nWo thing and then Angle-Austin with Y2J probably hanging out near the ring.
"...And I use that to f*ck them some place fairly uncomfortable." "What, like the back of a volkswagen ?" -Mallrats
The fact that they trotted out Austin on Raw with nothing to say except "I don't know who I'm fighting" and the fact that the third guy in Monday's Triple H vs. Jericho promo fest was Angle (who also beat Rock in the SD main event) kinda lets me in on who is winning the match between the two next week on Raw. I know, Angle/Jericho in a heel/heel match at No Way Out makes absolutely no sense on paper, but if they hold off on the You Know What, they could sell the show around them, as well as a few strong matches involving Austin and Hunter, and have the title match be out of the spotlight so much for one show.
Eh, who the fuck am I kidding. Austin will win, unless they cop out and go with a three way... which wouldn't be so bad.
I always liked the Big Show as a face, but I'm sure that these shows don't really contribute to WWE canon....if such exists. Great show, but I really like the two hour shows. John makes a good point, though: