Recap by: PWInsider.com & Buck Woodward
Smackdown for August 18th, the final edition before Summerslam, opened with a recap of how Family & Child Services took away Dominick last week, leaving Rey & Angie Mysterio heartbroken, and Eddie Guerrero smirking. The Smackdown opening then aired, and the announcers informed us that, in a rematch from last year’s Summerslam main event, we would see Chris Benoit vs. Randy Orton tonight.
Eddie Guerrero, a serious look on his face, came to the ring. The fans chanted “Eddie sucks” as Guerrero got in the ring, which contained a ladder. Guerrero talked about Mysterio challenging him for custody of “his son” last week at Summerslam, and how Mysterio called him a “chickens***”. Guerrero said the only way to settle this dispute was a Ladder Match. The camera showed a briefcase hanging above the ring. Guerrero said the case would contain custody papers for Dominick, and whoever got it would get Dominick forever. Guerrero said he would win because he loved his son, and said Rey Mysterio has been “lying to my son” all his life. Guerrero said Rey had taken away the “privilege” of being a Guerrero. Guerrero said he was going to win the match, not to hurt Rey Mysterio, but for every father out there. Guerrero, now sitting atop the ladder, promised to bring “Dominick Guerrero” home to “Papi”.
After the break, Jillian Hall was in the ring, personally handling the ring introduction of MNM.
Joey Mercury & Melina (with Johnny Nitro & Jillian Hall) vs. Booker T & Sharmell. Booker started off with Mercury, hitting a shoulderblock and reversing a hiptoss attempt. Booker chopped Mercury to the mat, then slammed him and hit a kneedrop. Mercury hit a couple of elbows, but Booker floored him with a superkick. Melina tagged in, saying she wanted Sharmell, and she obliged. They two ladies locked up, and Melina hit a knee in the corner. Sharmell reversed a whip and rammed her into the turnbuckles. Sharmell whipped Melina hard into the opposite corner and rammed her into the turnbuckle again. Melina raked Sharmell’s eyes, and tagged in Mercuury. Sharmell raked Mercury’s eyes and tagged in Booker. Mercury missed some punches, and Booker poked him in the eyes. Booker hit some chops, then delivered a back kick for two. Booker charged into a Mercury boot, and Joey followed up with a neckbreaker before applying a sleeper. Booker battled out, but Mercury elbowed him. Mercury went for another neckbreaker, but Booker shoved it off and hit a flapjack. Booker hit an ax kick, then did the spinarooni. Booker forced Melina to tag in, then held her and tagged in Sharmell. Sharmell hit a forearm, then a clothesline, but Melina kicked out at two. Melina hit al elbow to the gut, but Sharmell ducked a clothesline and hit a cross bodyblock for two. Melina kicked Sharmell on a backdrop attempt, then choked her on the mat. Melina worked over Sharmell on the ropes with a bodyscissors. Sharmell battled back with some shots to the gut and shoved Melina to the mat, but Mercury broke up the cover. Booker came in and cleaned house on Mercury and Nitro (who had gotten on the apron). Booker started fighting Mercury and Nitro on the floor. In the ring, Jillian tripped Sharmell as she was bouncing off the ropes, sending her face first to the mat. Melina covered Sharmell, using the ropes, for the pin at the seven minute mark, while Nitro held Booker’s leg to keep him from breaking up the cover. Winners: Joey Mercury & Melina.
Backstage, Sharmell was getting on Booker T’s case, saying Booker left her “high and dry” during the match. Booker tried to point out what happened, but Sharmell just verbally berated him and walked off. Booker looked angry, but didn’t say anything.
Backstage, Chris Benoit was warming up, when Orlando Jordan came up to him, bragging about how he was going to knock out Benoit at Summerslam this Sunday. Benoit acted amused by Jordan, then got serious and told Jordan he would be tapping out at Summerslam. Benoit walked off, and after thinking about it for a moment, Jordan got a worried look on his face.
In yet another backstage segment, Animal told Heidenreich that he “has what it takes” and said he had the same “heart” that Hawk did. Animal said it was time for the final step, and put a set of LOD spiked shoulderpads on Heidenreich. Animal said that Heidenreich was now officially a part of the Legion Of Doom.
Candice Michelle came out to act as guest ring announcer for the next match.
WWE Tag Team Champions Road Warrior Animal & Heidenreich vs. Ruffington Fierce & Johnny Devine. I’ll be damned if I could make out what Michelle called the opponents. Heidenreich hit a clothesline and a powerslam on Ruffington, then forced in Devine. Animal tagged in and hit a shoulderblock, then they took turns clotheslining him. Animal hit a powerslam, and then they hit the Doomsday Device for the win at the two minute mark. The announcers referred to Animal & Heidenreich as the “Legion Of Doom”. Winners: Road Warrior Animal & Heidenreich.
Smackdown’s #1 announcer, Funaki, interviewed JBL. They showed footage of JBL attacking Batista during his match with Christian last week, laying out Batista with a chair. JBL said that he “welcomed” Batista into “his world”, making reference to No Holds Barred, which is the stipulation for their Summerslam match. JBL once again referred to Batista has having a million dollar body and a “nickel brain”. JBL said he guaranteed he would leave with the World Title at Summerslam. JBL said he was going to demonstrate how brutal a No Holds Barred match could be tonight, and revealed that he had picked Funaki to he his opponent. Funaki was not happy with this development, as JBL told him the match would be taking place now.
Steve Romero interviewed Randy Orton, who talked about beating Chris Benoit a year ago in the same building to become World Champion. Orton said that was his destiny, and his destiny now was to defeat the Undertaker at Summerslam.
John Bradshaw Layfield, with Orlando Jordan, vs. Sho Funaki, No Holds Barred. JBL pounded Funaki at the start, then hit a fallaway slam. JBL took him to the floor, threw him into the ring steps, whipped him with a belt, and choked him with a camera cable. JBL hit some shoulderblocks to the back on the floor, then tossed him into the steps again. JBL mocked Funaki, then tossed him into the ring and hit him with a chair. Batista ran in and gave him a spinebuster. Batista then hit JBL across the back with a chair. JBL rolled out of the ring, and Batista pointed at Jordan with the chair to keep him away. JBL and Jordan left up the aisle, as Batista said JBL was good at “running his mouth and running away”. Batista said this “million dollar body and nickel brain” would kick JBL’s “ass” at Summerslam. Result: No contest at the five minute mark.
Rey Mysterio vs. Simon Dean. Dean came out and said he would sell Rey a “family pack” of the Simon System, for half off, due to the “shrinking” size of his family. Rey hit him with a forearm and a pair of dropkicks, then pounded him in a corner with punches. The referee backed him up, allowed Dean to get a shot in. Dean hit a kick to the gut and dropped Rey headfirst into the turnbuckles. Dean hit a shoulderblock to the back, then dropped a pair of elbows. Dean hit a side slam for a two count. Dean put Rey in an over-the-shoulder backbreaker, but Rey got out and hit a springboard bodypress for two. The fans were doing the Wave in the crowd. Rey dropkicked Dean’s legs out, then dropkicked him in the head. Dean hit a shot to the gut, then went for a side slam, but Rey flipped out of it and armdragged Dean into 619 position. Rey hit the 619, then delivered a springboard legdrop to the back of the head for the win at the three minute mark. Winner: Rey Mysterio.
The Raw Rebound was shown, focusing on Shawn Michaels and Hulk Hogan. In highlights from Shawn’s promo, none of the Bret Hart mentions were shown, although we did see Shawn’s Sharpshooter.
The Peep Show. Christian talked about how he was going to interview the man who took the World Champion to the limit last week … himself, referring to himself as the “hometown hero”. The Mexicools drove out on their lawnmowers, interrupting the segment. The Mexicools got in and started bouncing on the furniture and playing with the items on the set, ticking off Christian. Super Crazy punctured the inflatable chair. Juventud mockingly apologized, while Psicosis spraypainted another chair. The Mexicools jumped Christian and beat him down, with Crazy hitting a dropkick to the face. Crazy gave him a moonsault and Psicosis gave him a top rope legdrop. Juventud then gave Christian an elbowdrop off his couch and his partners counted a “pin” on Christian. The Mexicools then delivered their catchphrase while sitting on the couch.
Josh Mathews interviewed Rey Mysterio, asking him if he was “seeing Eddie Guerrero” in the ring when he was beating on Simon Dean. Rey said he wasn’t seeing Guerrero, but he was feeling him all the time because of who he wasn’t seeing. Rey talked about Dominick being in foster care, and called Guerrero a “son of a b****”. Mysterio said Eddie might be Dominick’s father, but Dominick is a part of his family. Mysterio said after Summerslam, Dominick is coming home to his “real father”, him.
The Summerslam card was reviewed.
Randy Orton vs. Chris Benoit. They went to commercial after the ring entrances, and when we came back, Orton had Benoit in a side headlock, which Benoit reversed into a top wristlock, then armdragged him to the mat. Orton took Benoit down with a fireman’s carry takedown, then put Benoit in a side headlock again. Benoit went into an armbar, then grabbed a double leg for a Sharpshooter, but Orton kicked it off. Orton hit a shoulderblock, but Benoit armdragged him twice and put him in an armbar. Orton went back to the headlock, but Benoit got out and hit some chops. Orton poked Benoit in the eyes, then rammed him into the turnbuckles, but Benoit responded in kind, hit some chops and headbutted Orton down for a two count. Benoit chopped Orton, but Orton responded with a forearm uppercut. Benoit ducked a clothesline and went for the Sharpshooter again. Orton struggled, not letting Benoit turn it over, and tripping out of it. Orton started favoring his back. Benoit grabbed Orton’s legs again, and worked to turn him over, but Orton made the ropes. Orton rolled to the floor for a breather as they went to break.
Back from commercial, Orton was punching Benoit to the mat, but missed a dropkick, and Benoit went for the legs again. Orton struggled, but Benoit managed to finally secure the Sharpshooter. Benoit dropped to one knee in the hold, and Orton squirmed, but made the ropes to force the break. Orton grabbed Benoit by the tights and pulled him shoulder first into the ringpost. Orton then pulled Benoit across the second rope and DDT’d him for a pair of two counts. Orton hit a kneedrop for two, then pounded Benoit with forearms across the chest. Orton applied a rear naked choke, and raked Benoit’s face. Orton tried twice for a powerbomb, couldn’t get Benoit over, and instead DDT’d him for a two count. Benoit fired back with chops, but Orton nailed him with a lariat for a two count. Benoit and Orton traded shots, with Benoit getting the better of it, but Orton kicked him in the gut and whipped him hard into the opposite corner. Benoit bounced right out of the corner, and collided with Orton, who had fallen to the mat from the force of his own whip.
Both men were slow to get up, and they traded right hands and forearms. Benoit knocked Orton to the mat twice with running elbows, then hit a knee to the gut and a powerdrive elbow for a two count. Benoit chopped Orton, but Orton reversed a whip and went for the RKO. Benoit shoved it off, and grabbed Orton in a waistlock. Benoit hit three consecutive German suplexes. Benoit hit Orton with a top rope headbutt, and Orlando Jordan ran to ringside. Benoit dropkicked Orlando off the apron, but it distracted Benoit enough to allow Orton to hit the RKO for the win at the twenty minute mark. Winner: Randy Orton.
As Orton celebrated his victory, the lights went off, and Undertaker’s bell tolled. When the lights came back on, Undertaker was in the ring, which was filling with smoke. Undertaker gave Orton a chokeslam, and stood over him. Undertaker held out three fingers (signifying three days until Summerslam) and made a slashing motion across his throat. Undertaker walked off, and Orton, slowly sitting up, smiled and began pointing to his head as if he had figured something out. Undertaker just stared at him from the ramp as the show ended.
