WWE SmackDown! - 03/06/03
Taped 03/04/02
Bridgeport, CT

• Rey Mysterio d. Jamie Noble and Tajiri in a triple threat #1 Contenders Match (Mysterio rollup Tajiri, 5:27)
  • I missed the first three segments due to a presidential speech, so these are summaries.
  • Match times via WrestlingObserver.

• Los Guerreros d. FBI (Stamboli/Palumbo) - Chavo Frogsplah Johnny, 5:12
• Kurt tried to convince Stephanie to call off Heyman/Brock in a cage tonight.
  • Stephanie ended up giving Brock a title shot if he wins tonight.

• WWE Cruiserweight Champion Matt Hardy (Version One) d. Billy Kidman in a Cruiserweight Title match (Twist of Fate, 4:01)

• I join in during Hulk Hogan calling Vince McMahon out, about 50 minutes in
  • Long story short, Vince vs Hogan in a FIGHT at WM
  • Hogan must never ever ever ever EVER wrestle again if he loses.

• Earlier today, Undertaker mentored Nathan Jones
  • Nathan ended up snapping on a jobber.
  • This was taped as the crowd was entering in and went on too long
• Undertaker (w/Nathan Jones) DDQ A-Train (w/Big Show) in 4:40
  • A-Train didn't look better than last we did this.
    • The match only turned his way when Show interfered.
  • More Ultimate Fighting Undertaker too.
  • A-Train hit the DeRailer again, then had to pin unusually for him so Undertaker could do that triangle choke.
    • This was kinda sad because Brian Hebner had to hold up on starting the count till he knew the Undertaker was ready to reverse put the move on, so there was this lingering pause.
  • Big Show had to save A-Train again, because A-Train's not capable of doing anything but jobbing to Taker in 2 minutes on his own.
  • Nathan Jones pushed down the ref to get involved and that was that.
  • Cole said that Undertaker was DQed, but Hebner gave no indication that A-Train won. Undertaker's music played.

• During the Break, A-Train and Big Show were thrown out for looking like chumps.
• Chris Benoit and Rhyno d. Team Angle (Haas/Benjamin) in a non title match (Benoit Crossface Haas, 9:49)
  • This is probably good but I don't feel like calling it.
  • Shelton and Benoit work mat to start, then Rhyno beats Haas around.
  • Benoit back in, and like last week, he's the one who gets worked on.
  • Somewhat hot tag to Rhyno - crowd wasn't hot for it yet.
  • Rhyno not showing an especially wide array of moves.
  • Off of a distraction, Shelton nails Rhyno with a superkick, Rhyno's first bump of the return.
  • Shelton puts on a straight jacket chinlock as we go to break.

• We don't seem to miss more than about :15 seconds during the break.
• Shelton and Charlie have come up with their own nice version of the GdI elevated sit.
• Longer work on Rhyno, although it seems quite hold intense.
• Rhyno takes a Russian Legsweep into a head crusher right after I say that.
• Tazz starts selling "the match should STOP NOW" as Haas adds to it with a spinning neckbreaker.
• Just as the announcers are questioning Rhyno's stamina, he hits a spinebuster on Shelton to turn it around.
• Tag to Benoit, who's much more on fire.
• Rolling Germans for Haas, and then Benoit's going for the Swandive Headbutt. 2 count with Shelton nearly late for the save.
• Haas scoots out of a Crossface attempt and ends up hooking on the Haas of Pain
  • Cole calls it. Rhyno breaks it.
• Gore on Shelton, but Charlie throws out Rhyno - and Benoit gets the Crossface on him.
• He's got a ways to go to the ropes - but he can't. (9:49)
• Earlier this week, John Cena talked.

  Brock, I'm walking again

  I'm back on my feet

  And I'm holding down the streets

  like a new pair of cleats

  sacrificing sleep

  so that in a few weeks,

  I'll look you in the eyes and unleash the beast

  about to prove you,

  the unusual

  things I can do to you

  like take my fist and drive it right through you

  I take you down Brock

  at any and all costs

  I'm megahard

  You're microsoft

  I'm a heavy hitter

  when I stop, I don't back off

  the king around here, you just another jack-off

  you seen me before, Brock, but never intense,

  I'll fill you full of holes, like a chain link fence

  Word, life.

• Tale of the Tape for Brock Lesnar vs Paul Heyman
  • Paul has no finisher.
    
• Kurt tells Paul that he will win tonight
  • Team Angle come by arguing, but he says champions deal with adversity well
  • but he's not quite doing that.
  • Paul's scared, but Kurt says no person is bigger than a team.
• South African Trip footage (1:00)
• And that's it. Well, there's the Brock/Paul flashback pieces I've been ignoring.

• The WrestleMania Flashback is LT beating Bam Bam Bigelow, for what it's worth.
• Brock Lesnar d. Paul Heyman (w/Team Angle) in a cage match via F5 in 3:11
  • Paul comes out to Team Angle's music.
  • All kinds of stalling, of course.
  • Kurt scales the far side of the cage so Brock's distracted from Shelton and Charlie running in.
  • Beatdown is on.
  • Despite Cole's claims, the steel doesn't appear to be ripping Brock's skin.
  • Paul waits out side the ring.
  • Team Angle is about a billion times more effective than last week, but screw up the superkick/German suplex combo.
  • Brock destroys both like last week.
  • They're thrown out, but Paul doesn't want to go in. He's sorry.
  • Brock comes out to get him, and Kurt jumps him from behind.
  • Brock comes back on him - throwing him face first into the cage wall, which busted him open.
  • Paul's shoved in the ring and the match gets under way about 3 minutes after the segment started
  • Cole says win by leaving the cage or pinfall - Brock could leave but opts just to close the door.
  • Paul tries to beg off and gets kicked.
  • Kurt scales the cage and gets in just as Brock lifts Paul for the F5 - there's that clip once again.
  • Kick, Olympic Slam! Paul's thrown on top - one two NO.
  • Angle takes off his shirt, because he has no straps to pull down - Anklelock on.
  • Paul crawls to the cage, but Brock grabs him by the leg and pulls him back while the Anklelock is still on.
  • Brock manages to kick Angle away after getting Paul back, but Paul takes off to climb the wall.
  • Angle again jumps Brock as he gets to Paul - punches while telling Paul to climb up.
  • Paul gets to the top of the cage, but Brock turns the tide on Angle and catches up to Paul, pulling him back in.
  • Paul's knocked down to the mat.
  • Lifted up on his shoulder, boot to Angle, F5 for Paul one two three. (3:11)
  • Angle makes a move towards Brock, but they end up having a dramatic showdown.
  • They do it right where one of the cage poles are, so we have to wait to get the inside the camera angle to get a clean look at it.
  • They'll meet next week.