March
Year 3
Week 1
Only a few days removed from the Elimination Chamber PPV and just weeks away from WrestleMania, another LIVE edition of Friday Night Smackdown opens from San Francisco, CA!
In-Ring Segment
The show begins with the entrance of... H.E.R.O.! The "Cali Dragon" shocked everyone last week when he completed a heel turn, attacking partner Hitman Jack after a match last week on Raw and then taking a deliberate DQ loss to the "Lethal Canadian" on the previous Smackdown when he struck him with a sledgehammer. Fans have been clamoring to know why H.E.R.O. turned evil so suddenly, but it appears we will get our answers tonight! H.E.R.O. climbs into the ropes amidst the chorus of boos, but he looks out at the crowd with a confident smirk.
H.E.R.O.: "I'm sure you all are demanding some sort of explanation for my actions recently. Well... I don't feel like I HAVE to explain myself, because I feel like the reasons are as clear as day. But... just because I know there's some of you... most of you, probably... that don't pack the intelligence nor the clear vision to see what's going on, I'll break it down for you."
The insults draw murmurs from the antsy San Francisco crowd. The Long Beach native isn't getting a very warm reception in his home state, but he continues.
H.E.R.O.: "I'd been attached to Hitman Jack for a while now... but last week, something just clicked in me as I watched him beat Alpha on Raw. I just knew... that if I continued alongside him, that he would end up holding me back. Holding me back from my true potential. You see... Hitman Jack is just another one of those so-called 'superstars' that are fine just toiling in the midcard for years and years and never actually making an impact. Has he held a World Title? NO! What am I doing staying loyal to someone who would never elevate me... nor elevate his own career. It's a waste of time! I'M BETTER THAN THAT! I mean seriously... look at what I did in the Royal Rumble. I eliminated NINE competitors from the match and basically served as the 'Ironman' for the duration of the match. Did I win? No but... I proved to everyone how DANGEROUS I can truly be. I showed everyone... especially Hitman Jack... that I've surpassed him already. Fighting for the Tag Team Championships? I understand holding gold is ideal in this business... but at what cost? So I have to squeeze my way through tag teams each week? Always saddled with some dead weight out of 'loyalty'?! The only loyalty in this business is loyalty to YOURSELF. I have the desire to one day be a World Champion. And I need a support system or ally that is going to ENHANCE my abilities, and MAXIMIZE my potential. I don't want to be limited to the 'sidekick'. I am... and always WILL be... a prime-time, main-event caliber conqueror!"
The crowd is stunned at H.E.R.O.'s words and he continues after a short pause.
H.E.R.O.: "Never forget... I'm the HERO! I'm the STAR! I'm the guy who DESERVES to have his name at the top of the card. And starting now... I plan to run through ANYONE who dares to get in my path... including the pathetic Hitman Jack! So watch out, world... the HERO is here, and I'm going to SAVE YOU ALL!"
H.E.R.O. raises his arms into his signature "O" gesture, but the crowd responds with angry jeers. They do not like this arrogant side of the "Cali Dragon", but apparently he's turning to the dark side to push himself farther up the rankings. We will see if his strategy works, but for now the crowd does not like him! The segment ends with that same confident smirk on H.E.R.O.'s face!
H.E.R.O.: "I'm sure you all are demanding some sort of explanation for my actions recently. Well... I don't feel like I HAVE to explain myself, because I feel like the reasons are as clear as day. But... just because I know there's some of you... most of you, probably... that don't pack the intelligence nor the clear vision to see what's going on, I'll break it down for you."
The insults draw murmurs from the antsy San Francisco crowd. The Long Beach native isn't getting a very warm reception in his home state, but he continues.
H.E.R.O.: "I'd been attached to Hitman Jack for a while now... but last week, something just clicked in me as I watched him beat Alpha on Raw. I just knew... that if I continued alongside him, that he would end up holding me back. Holding me back from my true potential. You see... Hitman Jack is just another one of those so-called 'superstars' that are fine just toiling in the midcard for years and years and never actually making an impact. Has he held a World Title? NO! What am I doing staying loyal to someone who would never elevate me... nor elevate his own career. It's a waste of time! I'M BETTER THAN THAT! I mean seriously... look at what I did in the Royal Rumble. I eliminated NINE competitors from the match and basically served as the 'Ironman' for the duration of the match. Did I win? No but... I proved to everyone how DANGEROUS I can truly be. I showed everyone... especially Hitman Jack... that I've surpassed him already. Fighting for the Tag Team Championships? I understand holding gold is ideal in this business... but at what cost? So I have to squeeze my way through tag teams each week? Always saddled with some dead weight out of 'loyalty'?! The only loyalty in this business is loyalty to YOURSELF. I have the desire to one day be a World Champion. And I need a support system or ally that is going to ENHANCE my abilities, and MAXIMIZE my potential. I don't want to be limited to the 'sidekick'. I am... and always WILL be... a prime-time, main-event caliber conqueror!"
The crowd is stunned at H.E.R.O.'s words and he continues after a short pause.
H.E.R.O.: "Never forget... I'm the HERO! I'm the STAR! I'm the guy who DESERVES to have his name at the top of the card. And starting now... I plan to run through ANYONE who dares to get in my path... including the pathetic Hitman Jack! So watch out, world... the HERO is here, and I'm going to SAVE YOU ALL!"
H.E.R.O. raises his arms into his signature "O" gesture, but the crowd responds with angry jeers. They do not like this arrogant side of the "Cali Dragon", but apparently he's turning to the dark side to push himself farther up the rankings. We will see if his strategy works, but for now the crowd does not like him! The segment ends with that same confident smirk on H.E.R.O.'s face!
Announcer's Table Segment
The cameras switch over to the announcer's table where Michael Cole & Jerry "The King" Lawler discuss H.E.R.O.'s promo briefly. Then, Michael reminds the viewers of two big scheduled matches tonight... a first-round matchup in the Women's Championship Unification Tournament and a qualifying match for the Money in the Bank Ladder match! He and Jerry share their excited thoughts about both potential matches and who could be competing.
And finally, Michael remarks about the night's opening match... a non-title champion vs. champion match between Angus and Quinn Cadbury! The World Heavyweight champ against the Intercontinental champ! And that match... is right now!
And finally, Michael remarks about the night's opening match... a non-title champion vs. champion match between Angus and Quinn Cadbury! The World Heavyweight champ against the Intercontinental champ! And that match... is right now!
Angus vs. Quinn Cadbury
The twang of the first guitar chord and the exploding stage pyro causes a huge eruption of cheer from the crowd... as Angus makes his entrance! The gigantic World Heavyweight champ strolls to the ring, title belt hanging leisurely over his humongous shoulder, and prepares for a match tonight. Just a few days ago, Angus outlasted 5 other contenders to retain the World Title in the Elimination Chamber but takes on the "English Gentleman" this evening. Angus climbs into the ring and raises his title with a confident roar, drawing a huge ovation from the fans. Next, Angus waits patiently for his opponent and Quinn's music plays to announce his arrival. But... Quinn doesn't appear right away. The "Irish Giant" stands annoyed as the seconds pass without a showing... but then Quinn attacks him from behind! The blindside assault knocks Angus down and Quinn sends a flurry of angry stomps into the champ's back and face! The crowd boos for the dirty move and this match is underway in a stunning manner!
Angus staggers back to his feet and Quinn is waiting to continue the fight. But as Cadbury races over... Angus responds with a nasty uppercut! The massive punch sends Quinn flopping to the mat, and Angus follows up by walking over his chest, putting all of his weight onto Quinn's torso. The "English Gentleman" responds with a few punches of his own, and then whips Angus into the corner. Quinn roars and races into the corner for a running punch... but Angus reverses with a big boot! Angus follows up with a kick to the gut and a bull-rope double clothesline, but Quinn manages to drop the "Irish Giant" with a reverse DDT off the top rope and impressively lifts his foe up to deliver a piledriver!
The champions trade punches again, but Angus makes a big moment when he whips Quinn hard and sends him careening over the top rope! Outside the ring, Angus smashes Cadbury's head off the announce table and follows up with an immediate clothesline. The action returns to the ring, where a frustrated Quinn catches the "Irish Giant" with a running forearm. He then bounces off the ropes for another running maneuver but Angus counters with a big back body drop. Another back-and-forth flurry of punches happens before Quinn whips the "Irish Giant" into the ropes, but Angus counters with a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker! Sensing a chance to finish the match, Angus lifts Cadbury up for his finisher... but Quinn wiggles free and delivers a DDT counter!
The next part of the match features an interesting contrast of styles. Angus continues to land big moves that cause more damage but drain his energy, while Quinn tries to chop the big man down by focusing on moves that attack the legs. The strategy seems to work a little for the Intercontinental champ, but the pain suffered from Angus's power moves begins to wear him down. The match turns when Angus delivers a nasty headbutt from behind, dazing his foe. The "Irish Giant" follows up by slamming Quinn's knee into the mat and using his massive fists to send punches right into his temple. When Quinn staggers to his feet, Angus quickly snatches him... and applies his signature Irish Squeeze! The hold compresses Quinn's torso and leaves him writhing and gasping for air. Somehow, Cadbury finds enough energy to counter the hold and escape... but the damage is done! Angus quickly follows up, lifting the weakened champ... and sending him crashing to the mat with his Cliffhanger finisher! The "Irish Giant" goes for the cover and scores the 1-2-3 count for the victory!
The fans cheer as the self-proclaimed "fighting champion" beats Cadbury in impressive fashion!
WINNER: Angus
Angus staggers back to his feet and Quinn is waiting to continue the fight. But as Cadbury races over... Angus responds with a nasty uppercut! The massive punch sends Quinn flopping to the mat, and Angus follows up by walking over his chest, putting all of his weight onto Quinn's torso. The "English Gentleman" responds with a few punches of his own, and then whips Angus into the corner. Quinn roars and races into the corner for a running punch... but Angus reverses with a big boot! Angus follows up with a kick to the gut and a bull-rope double clothesline, but Quinn manages to drop the "Irish Giant" with a reverse DDT off the top rope and impressively lifts his foe up to deliver a piledriver!
The champions trade punches again, but Angus makes a big moment when he whips Quinn hard and sends him careening over the top rope! Outside the ring, Angus smashes Cadbury's head off the announce table and follows up with an immediate clothesline. The action returns to the ring, where a frustrated Quinn catches the "Irish Giant" with a running forearm. He then bounces off the ropes for another running maneuver but Angus counters with a big back body drop. Another back-and-forth flurry of punches happens before Quinn whips the "Irish Giant" into the ropes, but Angus counters with a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker! Sensing a chance to finish the match, Angus lifts Cadbury up for his finisher... but Quinn wiggles free and delivers a DDT counter!
The next part of the match features an interesting contrast of styles. Angus continues to land big moves that cause more damage but drain his energy, while Quinn tries to chop the big man down by focusing on moves that attack the legs. The strategy seems to work a little for the Intercontinental champ, but the pain suffered from Angus's power moves begins to wear him down. The match turns when Angus delivers a nasty headbutt from behind, dazing his foe. The "Irish Giant" follows up by slamming Quinn's knee into the mat and using his massive fists to send punches right into his temple. When Quinn staggers to his feet, Angus quickly snatches him... and applies his signature Irish Squeeze! The hold compresses Quinn's torso and leaves him writhing and gasping for air. Somehow, Cadbury finds enough energy to counter the hold and escape... but the damage is done! Angus quickly follows up, lifting the weakened champ... and sending him crashing to the mat with his Cliffhanger finisher! The "Irish Giant" goes for the cover and scores the 1-2-3 count for the victory!
The fans cheer as the self-proclaimed "fighting champion" beats Cadbury in impressive fashion!
WINNER: Angus
Backstage Segment
The show returns from its first break and we are treated to a video, showing an encounter that happened during the break. The video shows a dejected Quinn Cadbury walking backstage, nursing the bumps & bruises earned in his opening loss to Angus. Suddenly, the Intercontinental champ is confronted... by Rusty! The "2 Xtreme" superfan walks up aggressively, and everybody knows why. At the PPV a few days ago, Quinn interfered in Rusty's Cruiserweight Title match, striking him with the title belt and assisting Paulie Dominos to victory. It has since become known that Quinn acted alone and Paulie D. had no involvement in the dirty deed. But everyone... including a very angry Rusty... is wondering why the "English Gentleman" did such an underhanded move.
Rusty: "Hey, Quinn! We gotta talk about something, you little jerk!"
Quinn: "Ahh, Rusty... can this wait for another time? I'd like to see if I have internal bleeding."
Rusty: "No, we are dealing with this RIGHT NOW. You know what you did on Sunday. Why are you costing me my championship?"
Quinn: "Well, let me explain it to you so that your feeble little brain can understand it. You and I participated in a battle royal to earn a spot in Sunday's Elimination Chamber. I thought that I would be the favorite to win, but then your little grimy hands and muddy boots somehow caused me to slip and fall to the floor. So since you ruined my chance to challenge for the World Heavyweight Title... I decided to ruin your title reign."
Rusty: "Wow, the action of a perfectly secure individual. You're an absolute joke. So now that you've ruined my title reign... I'm going to ruin yours! I want an Intercontinental Title match!"
Suddenly, Quinn bursts into laughter (although needing to wince between laughs) and eventually gathers his compsure. Rusty maintains his angry stance as Cadbury replies.
Quinn: "You? Intercontinental contender? I don't think that's bloody appropriate. You're not worthy of challenging for this championship? It's reserved for those special competitors who check a lot of boxes. You... don't check any of those boxes? I looked into your past and was shocked that you are even on the WWE roster. Just for comparison - I was professionally trained, YOU fought neighborhood friends in a backyard. I was granted a lucrative contract to join this company... you intruded into restricted areas until they decided to let you stay. You want to discuss a joke? YOU are the joke!"
Rusty: "Oh yeah? Well I will prove that I can challenge for the title. Next week, I'll have a match. Any match, any opponent - your choice! If I win, I get an Intercontinental Title shot. Agreed?"
Quinn: "Any match or opponent of my choosing? You fool! Ha ha! Of course I agree to those terms. Now... leave me alone. I can feel my kidneys melting."
Cadbury gives one final gesture of disrespect and walks off. Rusty watches him leave with a scowl, but slowly the scowl becomes a confident smirk. Who will Rusty face next week to earn a title match?
Rusty: "Hey, Quinn! We gotta talk about something, you little jerk!"
Quinn: "Ahh, Rusty... can this wait for another time? I'd like to see if I have internal bleeding."
Rusty: "No, we are dealing with this RIGHT NOW. You know what you did on Sunday. Why are you costing me my championship?"
Quinn: "Well, let me explain it to you so that your feeble little brain can understand it. You and I participated in a battle royal to earn a spot in Sunday's Elimination Chamber. I thought that I would be the favorite to win, but then your little grimy hands and muddy boots somehow caused me to slip and fall to the floor. So since you ruined my chance to challenge for the World Heavyweight Title... I decided to ruin your title reign."
Rusty: "Wow, the action of a perfectly secure individual. You're an absolute joke. So now that you've ruined my title reign... I'm going to ruin yours! I want an Intercontinental Title match!"
Suddenly, Quinn bursts into laughter (although needing to wince between laughs) and eventually gathers his compsure. Rusty maintains his angry stance as Cadbury replies.
Quinn: "You? Intercontinental contender? I don't think that's bloody appropriate. You're not worthy of challenging for this championship? It's reserved for those special competitors who check a lot of boxes. You... don't check any of those boxes? I looked into your past and was shocked that you are even on the WWE roster. Just for comparison - I was professionally trained, YOU fought neighborhood friends in a backyard. I was granted a lucrative contract to join this company... you intruded into restricted areas until they decided to let you stay. You want to discuss a joke? YOU are the joke!"
Rusty: "Oh yeah? Well I will prove that I can challenge for the title. Next week, I'll have a match. Any match, any opponent - your choice! If I win, I get an Intercontinental Title shot. Agreed?"
Quinn: "Any match or opponent of my choosing? You fool! Ha ha! Of course I agree to those terms. Now... leave me alone. I can feel my kidneys melting."
Cadbury gives one final gesture of disrespect and walks off. Rusty watches him leave with a scowl, but slowly the scowl becomes a confident smirk. Who will Rusty face next week to earn a title match?
Backstage Segment
The cameras switch back to the live action, where we venture backstage and see Smackdown interim GM Triple H strolling down the hallway. "The Game" seems to be searching for someone and finally finds them... Guy Justice! Triple H walks over and garners his attention.
Triple H: "Hey, Guy! How are you doing?"
Justice: "I'm doing well, Hunter. What can I do for you?"
Triple H: "I just wanted to tell you, face-to-face, how impressed I was with your performance in the Elimination Chamber this past Sunday. I know you were the latest addition to the match, so you had the least amount of time to prepare... but you did a fantastic job."
Justice: "Thank you. I appreciate that."
Triple H: "We are starting to see big things for your future here in the WWE."
Justice: "I agree."
Triple H: "So I was hoping to spice things up a bit as we head towards WrestleMania. I was planning an ECW Title match next week on Smackdown... and I'd like to offer it to you. What do you think? Hitman Jack versus Guy Justice for the ECW Championship! Sounds like a great idea to me."
Triple H smiles brightly and holds his hand out to offer a handshake. Justice considers the proposal for a moment and then responds.
Justice: "That does sounds like a great idea. But... I'm going to turn it down."
Triple H: "Wait... what?! But why? I'm offering you a title match!"
Justice: "Please don't be offended, I mean no harm. I've just... discovered a 'truth' that permits be to take caution with that offer."
Justice gazes off into the distance for a moment, gathering a deep thought, and then continues.
Justice: "Something tells me I need to aspire higher. The 'truth' will set me free... it will set us all free. Thanks again for the offer. Good luck with the rest of the show."
The "True Savior" finally shakes Triple H's hand, which catches the "Cerebral Assassin" by surprise. Justice exits the scene and leaves a confused Triple H behind as the segment ends!
Triple H: "Hey, Guy! How are you doing?"
Justice: "I'm doing well, Hunter. What can I do for you?"
Triple H: "I just wanted to tell you, face-to-face, how impressed I was with your performance in the Elimination Chamber this past Sunday. I know you were the latest addition to the match, so you had the least amount of time to prepare... but you did a fantastic job."
Justice: "Thank you. I appreciate that."
Triple H: "We are starting to see big things for your future here in the WWE."
Justice: "I agree."
Triple H: "So I was hoping to spice things up a bit as we head towards WrestleMania. I was planning an ECW Title match next week on Smackdown... and I'd like to offer it to you. What do you think? Hitman Jack versus Guy Justice for the ECW Championship! Sounds like a great idea to me."
Triple H smiles brightly and holds his hand out to offer a handshake. Justice considers the proposal for a moment and then responds.
Justice: "That does sounds like a great idea. But... I'm going to turn it down."
Triple H: "Wait... what?! But why? I'm offering you a title match!"
Justice: "Please don't be offended, I mean no harm. I've just... discovered a 'truth' that permits be to take caution with that offer."
Justice gazes off into the distance for a moment, gathering a deep thought, and then continues.
Justice: "Something tells me I need to aspire higher. The 'truth' will set me free... it will set us all free. Thanks again for the offer. Good luck with the rest of the show."
The "True Savior" finally shakes Triple H's hand, which catches the "Cerebral Assassin" by surprise. Justice exits the scene and leaves a confused Triple H behind as the segment ends!
Women's Championship Unification Tournament - Bracket:
Women's Championship Unification Tournament
Smackdown 1st Round: Audrey Vega vs. Michelle McCool
After a hot start to the recently-announced Women's tournament, we have our first 1st-round matchup in the Smackdown region... pitting the "American Woman" against Michelle McCool! The winner of tonight's battle will advance to the Smackdown semifinals against current Women's champ Eve Torres, who is there due to a champion's-advantage first-round bye. In fact, just before the entrances begin... the cameras spot her waiting for this match with a front-row seat! The champion will be getting an close-and-personal view of seeing her next opponent in action!
Audrey makes her entrance first and draws a good cheer from the San Francisco crowd, who loves her positive attitude and impressive wrestling skills. Next, Michelle makes her way to the ring and receives a near-opposite reaction but she scoffs at the disapproving crowd. The bell rings, and the tournament continues with tonight's fight!
Determined to score a quick victory, Audrey goes on the offensive right away. Two sharp kicks to the gut sends the early message, but she follows up with a nice series of maneuvers. Audrey drops Michelle with a facebuster and then hits a bulldog from behind. With Michelle on the mat, Vega nails her with an elbow drop to the back of the head... and then slams her foe's face hard into the mat! But the early advantage drains a lot of energy, and the veteran McCool rallies back. Michelle counters a running move with a tackle press, immediately following up with stiff punches. Michelle then delivers a dirty kick right to Audrey's spine, and then tosses her into the corner to hurt her with a clothesline. Audrey staggers to her feet but walks into a big boot that sends her tumbling to the mat again. Michelle gets adventurous, and ascends the nearest turnbuckle for a big move idea! Michelle balances herself, leaps off for a twisting flying senton... but Audrey moves at the last second and Michelle crashes into the mat!
Both women take a moment to breathe from the hurried start to the match, but when they rise back up, Audrey takes control by countering with a DDT. She then hits an athletic cartwheel moonsault, followed by a rolling fireman's carry. Audrey drags Michelle to the corner, where she delivers a vicious set of chops to the chest. The ladies then get into a series of chain wrestling, where both of them try to establish the leverage needed for the next move. Finally, McCool gains the upper hand and delivers two big boots back-to-back to daze her foe. Audrey responds with a running arm drag, Michelle fires back with a bulldog but then Audrey's athleticism begins to take over. After knocking Michelle down, Audrey scales the top rope... and squashes her opponent with a flying body splash! Michelle staggers back to her feet, but walks right into a hurricanrana... and the "American Woman" takes a moment to fire up the crowd!
Sensing the chance for victory, Audrey locks in a sleeper hold to drain more energy from her fading opponent. With Michelle writhing on the mat, Audrey positions herself... and delivers her Rock & Roll signature senton! She lifts the woozy Michelle up... and drops her with her flipping, finishing Sunrise Slam! The referee counts 1-2-3 for the ensuing pinfall, and Audrey wins!
The "American Woman" receives a huge cheer from the crowd and she beams as the official raises her hand! Audrey is moving on in the tournament, and looks over to see her next opponent. Eve, watching from the front row, applauds her rival mockingly. Audrey glares at the champ in response, adding more fuel to their rivalry. Audrey and Eve will fight in the semifinals in 2 weeks... with the Women's Title and a spot in the Smackdown finals on the line!
WINNER: Audrey Vega
Audrey makes her entrance first and draws a good cheer from the San Francisco crowd, who loves her positive attitude and impressive wrestling skills. Next, Michelle makes her way to the ring and receives a near-opposite reaction but she scoffs at the disapproving crowd. The bell rings, and the tournament continues with tonight's fight!
Determined to score a quick victory, Audrey goes on the offensive right away. Two sharp kicks to the gut sends the early message, but she follows up with a nice series of maneuvers. Audrey drops Michelle with a facebuster and then hits a bulldog from behind. With Michelle on the mat, Vega nails her with an elbow drop to the back of the head... and then slams her foe's face hard into the mat! But the early advantage drains a lot of energy, and the veteran McCool rallies back. Michelle counters a running move with a tackle press, immediately following up with stiff punches. Michelle then delivers a dirty kick right to Audrey's spine, and then tosses her into the corner to hurt her with a clothesline. Audrey staggers to her feet but walks into a big boot that sends her tumbling to the mat again. Michelle gets adventurous, and ascends the nearest turnbuckle for a big move idea! Michelle balances herself, leaps off for a twisting flying senton... but Audrey moves at the last second and Michelle crashes into the mat!
Both women take a moment to breathe from the hurried start to the match, but when they rise back up, Audrey takes control by countering with a DDT. She then hits an athletic cartwheel moonsault, followed by a rolling fireman's carry. Audrey drags Michelle to the corner, where she delivers a vicious set of chops to the chest. The ladies then get into a series of chain wrestling, where both of them try to establish the leverage needed for the next move. Finally, McCool gains the upper hand and delivers two big boots back-to-back to daze her foe. Audrey responds with a running arm drag, Michelle fires back with a bulldog but then Audrey's athleticism begins to take over. After knocking Michelle down, Audrey scales the top rope... and squashes her opponent with a flying body splash! Michelle staggers back to her feet, but walks right into a hurricanrana... and the "American Woman" takes a moment to fire up the crowd!
Sensing the chance for victory, Audrey locks in a sleeper hold to drain more energy from her fading opponent. With Michelle writhing on the mat, Audrey positions herself... and delivers her Rock & Roll signature senton! She lifts the woozy Michelle up... and drops her with her flipping, finishing Sunrise Slam! The referee counts 1-2-3 for the ensuing pinfall, and Audrey wins!
The "American Woman" receives a huge cheer from the crowd and she beams as the official raises her hand! Audrey is moving on in the tournament, and looks over to see her next opponent. Eve, watching from the front row, applauds her rival mockingly. Audrey glares at the champ in response, adding more fuel to their rivalry. Audrey and Eve will fight in the semifinals in 2 weeks... with the Women's Title and a spot in the Smackdown finals on the line!
WINNER: Audrey Vega
In-Ring Segment
The show returns from commercial break and we observe the entrance of... Eric Executioner and Mr. Black! The "Narcissist" and his sinister caretaker make their way to the ring. Mr. Black has a pleased, evil smirk on his face while Eric is frowning deeply. They climb into the ring and prepare to address the crowd, which has been jeering them nonstop. Mr. Black accepts a microphone and gets ready to speak. He seems to be fairly calm... while Eric seems to be more on edge. Mr. Black helped his other client, Women's champ Eve Torres, claim victory at Sunday's PPV while Eric unfortunately was the 2nd man eliminated in the World Heavyweight Elimination Chamber match. The "Narcissist" has been determined to win back the title since he lost it to Angus after the "Irish Giant" cashed in his Money in the Bank briefcase... but he's fallen short in both attempts so far. Mr. Black, soaking in the fans' boos, begins to speak.
Mr. Black: "Ahh... thank you so much for the wonderful welcome. We just wanted to make an appearance tonight to address a few concerns. Now, of course... I am extremely pleased with the performance of my other client, the reigning and dominating Women's Champion... Eve Torres! My other friend here, Eric Executioner, will be back on top very, very soon and we have..."
Suddenly, an infuriated Eric steps forward and snatches the microphone out of Mr. Black's hand. Is Eric going to actually speak?! The "Narcissist", who had been known to handle his own affairs before aligning with the creepy manager, has not actually spoken on camera for more than a year! Mr. Black is aghast at Eric's behavior, but Eric sure enough begins to bark.
Eric: "I'm done sitting around and letting someone else decide my fate! I've been patient as I've followed Mr. Black's guidance, but now I see that I need to take a more active role in handling my own issues. I didn't get the job done at Elimination Chamber - I can own up to that. But that is NOT going to happen AGAIN! I AM going to win back the World Heavyweight Title... no matter what it takes. In fact, I honestly believe that I am the ONLY person capable of taking down that chubby, overgrown oaf. I DEMAND a World Heavyweight Title rematch! I've won it at WrestleMania before... I'm gonna win it at WrestleMania again!"
The crowd is stunned as Eric's fury and Mr. Black's jaw remains slightly ajar as he intently observes his client. Eric seethes as he stares daggers directly into the camera. But a moment later... Antonio Jordan's music hits! The "Mastermind" walks out onto the stage, drawing a huge ovation from the crowd! Antonio was the man who eliminated Eric from the Chamber and finished as runner-up overall. He seems to have a little issue with Eric's claims, and fiercely addresses his rival.
Antonio: "Hold up, hold up... you? YOU are the only person capable of winning the World Heavyweight Title? Come on, man... you CAN'T be serious! Either... you're stupid... or you're blind. Did you even watch the Chamber match on Sunday? I PINNED you, and I was the last man standing alongside the actual winner of the match. Yeah I didn't win it either... but I'm sure as HELL in a better position than you. If anyone should be the #1 contender and facing Angus at WrestleMania... it should be ME!"
The crowd cheers with approval, which elicits an angry response from Eric. He gestures towards the crowd to shut up, and shakes his head towards Antonio. The tension continues to grow as the rivals glare at each other from afar... but suddenly, Triple H's theme plays! The interim GM makes his way onto the stage and tries to diffuse the situation.
Triple: "Whoa, whoa, gentlemen... let's cool our jets here a little bit. I think you both have legit claims to challenge for the World Title... but there's also a few others I would consider as well. As General Manager, I not only have to manage the day-to-day operations of the blue brand but I also need to put out an entertaining product. Sitting here TALKING about who deserves a title shot isn't the way to solve things. The way to solve things... is in that ring there! So tonight, I've got an idea for an exciting #1 contender's match. Now... like I said, there's a few others I would put on the radar for possibly getting a shot to challenge Angus on the grandest stage. So... in the main event, there will be a Fatal 4-Way Elimination match for the #1 contender spot. Antonio and Eric... you will compete in that match... along with... Ace... and Hitman Jack!"
The crowd whoops it up for the huge names, and the announcement draws interesting reactions from the two rivals. Antonio looks pumped up, while Eric snarls angrily. Four of Smackdown's best fighting it out to see who gets a title match?! You can't beat that! Triple H wraps up his comments.
Triple H: "So of course, the last man standing will be the #1 contender... and officially be scheduled to face Angus at WrestleMania for the World Heavyweight Championship! Good luck tonight, gentlemen... but only one of you will be victorious!"
"The Game" exits with a pleased grin on his face, and the camera re-focuses on the expressions of the two rivals. Antonio is smiling confidently, while Eric trembles with boiling anger! Four men will fight for a shot against the "Irish Giant", but only one of them can survive! Who will it be???
Mr. Black: "Ahh... thank you so much for the wonderful welcome. We just wanted to make an appearance tonight to address a few concerns. Now, of course... I am extremely pleased with the performance of my other client, the reigning and dominating Women's Champion... Eve Torres! My other friend here, Eric Executioner, will be back on top very, very soon and we have..."
Suddenly, an infuriated Eric steps forward and snatches the microphone out of Mr. Black's hand. Is Eric going to actually speak?! The "Narcissist", who had been known to handle his own affairs before aligning with the creepy manager, has not actually spoken on camera for more than a year! Mr. Black is aghast at Eric's behavior, but Eric sure enough begins to bark.
Eric: "I'm done sitting around and letting someone else decide my fate! I've been patient as I've followed Mr. Black's guidance, but now I see that I need to take a more active role in handling my own issues. I didn't get the job done at Elimination Chamber - I can own up to that. But that is NOT going to happen AGAIN! I AM going to win back the World Heavyweight Title... no matter what it takes. In fact, I honestly believe that I am the ONLY person capable of taking down that chubby, overgrown oaf. I DEMAND a World Heavyweight Title rematch! I've won it at WrestleMania before... I'm gonna win it at WrestleMania again!"
The crowd is stunned as Eric's fury and Mr. Black's jaw remains slightly ajar as he intently observes his client. Eric seethes as he stares daggers directly into the camera. But a moment later... Antonio Jordan's music hits! The "Mastermind" walks out onto the stage, drawing a huge ovation from the crowd! Antonio was the man who eliminated Eric from the Chamber and finished as runner-up overall. He seems to have a little issue with Eric's claims, and fiercely addresses his rival.
Antonio: "Hold up, hold up... you? YOU are the only person capable of winning the World Heavyweight Title? Come on, man... you CAN'T be serious! Either... you're stupid... or you're blind. Did you even watch the Chamber match on Sunday? I PINNED you, and I was the last man standing alongside the actual winner of the match. Yeah I didn't win it either... but I'm sure as HELL in a better position than you. If anyone should be the #1 contender and facing Angus at WrestleMania... it should be ME!"
The crowd cheers with approval, which elicits an angry response from Eric. He gestures towards the crowd to shut up, and shakes his head towards Antonio. The tension continues to grow as the rivals glare at each other from afar... but suddenly, Triple H's theme plays! The interim GM makes his way onto the stage and tries to diffuse the situation.
Triple: "Whoa, whoa, gentlemen... let's cool our jets here a little bit. I think you both have legit claims to challenge for the World Title... but there's also a few others I would consider as well. As General Manager, I not only have to manage the day-to-day operations of the blue brand but I also need to put out an entertaining product. Sitting here TALKING about who deserves a title shot isn't the way to solve things. The way to solve things... is in that ring there! So tonight, I've got an idea for an exciting #1 contender's match. Now... like I said, there's a few others I would put on the radar for possibly getting a shot to challenge Angus on the grandest stage. So... in the main event, there will be a Fatal 4-Way Elimination match for the #1 contender spot. Antonio and Eric... you will compete in that match... along with... Ace... and Hitman Jack!"
The crowd whoops it up for the huge names, and the announcement draws interesting reactions from the two rivals. Antonio looks pumped up, while Eric snarls angrily. Four of Smackdown's best fighting it out to see who gets a title match?! You can't beat that! Triple H wraps up his comments.
Triple H: "So of course, the last man standing will be the #1 contender... and officially be scheduled to face Angus at WrestleMania for the World Heavyweight Championship! Good luck tonight, gentlemen... but only one of you will be victorious!"
"The Game" exits with a pleased grin on his face, and the camera re-focuses on the expressions of the two rivals. Antonio is smiling confidently, while Eric trembles with boiling anger! Four men will fight for a shot against the "Irish Giant", but only one of them can survive! Who will it be???
Money In The Bank Qualifying Match:
Krizz Torture vs. Joseph T. Lutte
The announcers chat briefly as the ring gets setup for the next match, and Michael Cole and Jerry "The King" Lawler wrap up the most recent developments for the viewers. Then, they preview the next match... a qualifying match for the Money in the Bank Ladder match! Three Smackdown members will get spots in the match, and one of them will be determined right now!
"Throw up your rawkfist..." signals the entrance of Krizz Torture, and the "2 Cool" superstar heads to the ring to compete for a spot for the briefcase! Krizz was unfortunately the first man eliminated in Sunday's Elimination Chamber match, and he looks especially determined to win tonight to put himself potentially in title contention again. Next, that familiar AC/DC theme hits the speakers and the arrogant Joseph T. Lutte strides confidently to the ring. The "Fantastic Frenchman" was also a participant in the Chamber match this past Sunday, but ended up as the second runner-up after being pinned by champ Angus. Tonight, the wealthy European could earn his first chance to compete in the coveted ladder match if he can defeat a long-time rival!
The bell rings and the match begins with some intense trash talking. Joseph & Krizz chirp at each other, noses inches apart, and prepare to fight. Then, Joseph surprises Krizz with two quick punches and the action gets underway. After a brief bout of chain wrestling, Joseph takes control with a bulldog. He follows up with a nasty kick to the spine, and catches a rising Krizz with a running head takedown. Krizz counters with a kick to the gut, followed by a modified atomic drop that sends Joseph crashing into the top rope chest-first. Joseph then takes the upper hand right back, planting his foe with the same suplex twice and then climbing the top turnbuckle... to deliver a flying superkick!
A back-and-forth battle ensues, highlighted by Krizz hitting a clothesline and a powerbomb. Joseph drags Krizz to the corner to deliver a few stiff chops to the chest... but Krizz reverses to deliver his own chops... but then Joseph reverses him and sends one more chop! Finally, the fast-paced battle features a big moment... when Joseph knocks Krizz into the ropes, but "2 Cool" ducks the clothesline and pulls the top rope down to send Lutte tumbling down to the floor below!
The action continues outside the ring, but a frustrated Joseph gains the upper hand. He angrily slams Krizz's face off the announce table, and then follows up with an inverted powerbomb. Lutte rolls his foe back into the ring to damage him more - landing a suplex and rubbing his boot into Krizz's forehead. Joseph makes his well-known "money" gesture, and when Krizz staggers to his feet... Joseph slams him down with his Blind Ambition signature! Unfortunately, Krizz has more left in the tank, and reverses an Irish whip into the corner. Krizz lifts Joseph onto the top rope... and chokeslams him hard to the mat! He then hits a DDT and both men lay on the mat to recover briefly.
Then, for some unknown reason... Eric Executioner starts heading down to the ring! The crowd watches the "Narcissist" approach the ringside area, but what is he doing out here? Is Eric back to his old annoying ways? The silent, sinister monster controlled by Mr. Black seems to be fading away and the former vain, selfish version of Eric seems to be returning! Back in the ring, neither man notice the intruder and Krizz hurts Joseph with a standing chokeslam and a bulldog right after.
The next part of the match reveals what Eric is doing out here. In the ring, Krizz and Joseph bicker as they both want to win and this match shows how evenly-matched they truly are. Sure enough, the argument causes pain... for the referee! A wayward punch strikes the official, and now Krizz & Joseph are fighting without observation... and an intruder close by! Eric notices the referee knocked out, and slides into the ring. Krizz & Joseph finally notice that he had arrived, and all 3 of them stand opposed in fighting stances. But... Eric doesn't attack either man! A sly grin creeps over his face, and the boos from the crowd begin to reign down. The "Narcissist" isn't out here to help anyone... he's here to just cause distraction! The referee begins to recover, and Eric chuckles as he slithers back out of the ring undetected! Krizz and Joseph eye him with tired, annoyed expressions as they try to return their focus to the match. Joseph gains control and hits a fireman's carry slam, and attempts a pin. But before the referee can try to count it... Eric's up on the apron distracting him! Again, the "Narcissist" seems to only be here to bother two former rivals for no reason!
Angry, Joseph ends the pinfall attempt and continues to brawl, gaining control again when he hits a running knee into Krizz's forehead... which causes a wound to open! Blood slowly spreads across Krizz's brow and he seems to be too dazed to fight back. With Eric still annoying the official, Joseph takes advantage and positions Krizz in the corner... and sends a dirty Family Jewel signature kick right to the exposed groin! Krizz crumples to the mat in extreme pain, and then Joseph applies a pin... with his feet on the rope for leverage! Eric finally leaves the distracted referee alone, and the official notices a pinfall attempt! But due to Eric's interruption, the referee fails to notice Joseph's illegal move... and counts the 1-2-3! The "Fantastic Frenchman" has qualified for the Money in the Bank Ladder match in the weirdest and cheapest way possible!
After the match, Joseph celebrates the win and the cameras pan over to get Eric's reaction. But the "Narcissist" is just laughing heartily and shows that he didn't care at all who won! This new (old?) side of Eric heads backstage pleased with his actions as the jeers flood the arena!
WINNER: Joseph T. Lutte
"Throw up your rawkfist..." signals the entrance of Krizz Torture, and the "2 Cool" superstar heads to the ring to compete for a spot for the briefcase! Krizz was unfortunately the first man eliminated in Sunday's Elimination Chamber match, and he looks especially determined to win tonight to put himself potentially in title contention again. Next, that familiar AC/DC theme hits the speakers and the arrogant Joseph T. Lutte strides confidently to the ring. The "Fantastic Frenchman" was also a participant in the Chamber match this past Sunday, but ended up as the second runner-up after being pinned by champ Angus. Tonight, the wealthy European could earn his first chance to compete in the coveted ladder match if he can defeat a long-time rival!
The bell rings and the match begins with some intense trash talking. Joseph & Krizz chirp at each other, noses inches apart, and prepare to fight. Then, Joseph surprises Krizz with two quick punches and the action gets underway. After a brief bout of chain wrestling, Joseph takes control with a bulldog. He follows up with a nasty kick to the spine, and catches a rising Krizz with a running head takedown. Krizz counters with a kick to the gut, followed by a modified atomic drop that sends Joseph crashing into the top rope chest-first. Joseph then takes the upper hand right back, planting his foe with the same suplex twice and then climbing the top turnbuckle... to deliver a flying superkick!
A back-and-forth battle ensues, highlighted by Krizz hitting a clothesline and a powerbomb. Joseph drags Krizz to the corner to deliver a few stiff chops to the chest... but Krizz reverses to deliver his own chops... but then Joseph reverses him and sends one more chop! Finally, the fast-paced battle features a big moment... when Joseph knocks Krizz into the ropes, but "2 Cool" ducks the clothesline and pulls the top rope down to send Lutte tumbling down to the floor below!
The action continues outside the ring, but a frustrated Joseph gains the upper hand. He angrily slams Krizz's face off the announce table, and then follows up with an inverted powerbomb. Lutte rolls his foe back into the ring to damage him more - landing a suplex and rubbing his boot into Krizz's forehead. Joseph makes his well-known "money" gesture, and when Krizz staggers to his feet... Joseph slams him down with his Blind Ambition signature! Unfortunately, Krizz has more left in the tank, and reverses an Irish whip into the corner. Krizz lifts Joseph onto the top rope... and chokeslams him hard to the mat! He then hits a DDT and both men lay on the mat to recover briefly.
Then, for some unknown reason... Eric Executioner starts heading down to the ring! The crowd watches the "Narcissist" approach the ringside area, but what is he doing out here? Is Eric back to his old annoying ways? The silent, sinister monster controlled by Mr. Black seems to be fading away and the former vain, selfish version of Eric seems to be returning! Back in the ring, neither man notice the intruder and Krizz hurts Joseph with a standing chokeslam and a bulldog right after.
The next part of the match reveals what Eric is doing out here. In the ring, Krizz and Joseph bicker as they both want to win and this match shows how evenly-matched they truly are. Sure enough, the argument causes pain... for the referee! A wayward punch strikes the official, and now Krizz & Joseph are fighting without observation... and an intruder close by! Eric notices the referee knocked out, and slides into the ring. Krizz & Joseph finally notice that he had arrived, and all 3 of them stand opposed in fighting stances. But... Eric doesn't attack either man! A sly grin creeps over his face, and the boos from the crowd begin to reign down. The "Narcissist" isn't out here to help anyone... he's here to just cause distraction! The referee begins to recover, and Eric chuckles as he slithers back out of the ring undetected! Krizz and Joseph eye him with tired, annoyed expressions as they try to return their focus to the match. Joseph gains control and hits a fireman's carry slam, and attempts a pin. But before the referee can try to count it... Eric's up on the apron distracting him! Again, the "Narcissist" seems to only be here to bother two former rivals for no reason!
Angry, Joseph ends the pinfall attempt and continues to brawl, gaining control again when he hits a running knee into Krizz's forehead... which causes a wound to open! Blood slowly spreads across Krizz's brow and he seems to be too dazed to fight back. With Eric still annoying the official, Joseph takes advantage and positions Krizz in the corner... and sends a dirty Family Jewel signature kick right to the exposed groin! Krizz crumples to the mat in extreme pain, and then Joseph applies a pin... with his feet on the rope for leverage! Eric finally leaves the distracted referee alone, and the official notices a pinfall attempt! But due to Eric's interruption, the referee fails to notice Joseph's illegal move... and counts the 1-2-3! The "Fantastic Frenchman" has qualified for the Money in the Bank Ladder match in the weirdest and cheapest way possible!
After the match, Joseph celebrates the win and the cameras pan over to get Eric's reaction. But the "Narcissist" is just laughing heartily and shows that he didn't care at all who won! This new (old?) side of Eric heads backstage pleased with his actions as the jeers flood the arena!
WINNER: Joseph T. Lutte
Video Segment
The show returns from its final break of the evening and we are shown a video from a party thrown a few nights ago. It was a celebration for... Paulie Dominos's Cruiserweight Title victory! Now even though the win was party due to interference, it has been shown that Paulie benefited from it unknowingly. The win gave Paulie D. his first official title reign since joining the WWE's main roster.
The video takes place at brightly-colored night club, where Paulie can be seen celebrating with some alcoholic beverages and lots and lots of dancing! It's clearly a very "Jersey Shore"-style party, and the new champ is loving it alongside his personal friends!
But a portion of the video draws interest, as we see... his sister Jersey Jenny sadly watching the party unfold! The "Shore's Princess" also had a title match on Sunday, but hers did not have the same results as she lost to Eve Torres. So even though Paulie is celebrating like crazy... she doesn't seem to be in the celebrating mood. "Mr. Amazing" notices his sister and saunters over to chat with her.
Paulie: "Hey Jenny! What's up? Isn't this party GREAT?!"
Jenny: "Yeah Paulie, it is pretty great. I'm happy for you."
Paulie: "Happy for US!"
Jenny: "Happy for us?"
Paulie: "Yeah, sis! I know you didn't win your title match... but it's not a competition between us. A win for me... is a win for BOTH of us!"
Jenny: "Well... that's a nice sentiment. Still doesn't feel good to lose, ya know?"
Paulie: "Oh, I hear you, for sure. But... didn't you hear that announcement about the Women's tournament?"
Jenny: "Well, YEAH... of course I did!"
Paulie: "Well... there you go! You want a chance to prove to everyone how good you are? WIN the whole freakin' tournament, baby sis!"
Jenny's frown turns upside down and you can see her smile a little. She nods her head.
Jenny: "Yeah... you're right. I am going to win the whole thing! Those BITCHES have no idea what's coming their way! Ha ha!"
And with that, Jenny leaps off her seat and joins the party. Someone hands her a drink and she begins dancing with the crowd. The video comes to an end as the party scene keeps thumping... and those Jersey Shore fists pump up and down in celebration!
The video takes place at brightly-colored night club, where Paulie can be seen celebrating with some alcoholic beverages and lots and lots of dancing! It's clearly a very "Jersey Shore"-style party, and the new champ is loving it alongside his personal friends!
But a portion of the video draws interest, as we see... his sister Jersey Jenny sadly watching the party unfold! The "Shore's Princess" also had a title match on Sunday, but hers did not have the same results as she lost to Eve Torres. So even though Paulie is celebrating like crazy... she doesn't seem to be in the celebrating mood. "Mr. Amazing" notices his sister and saunters over to chat with her.
Paulie: "Hey Jenny! What's up? Isn't this party GREAT?!"
Jenny: "Yeah Paulie, it is pretty great. I'm happy for you."
Paulie: "Happy for US!"
Jenny: "Happy for us?"
Paulie: "Yeah, sis! I know you didn't win your title match... but it's not a competition between us. A win for me... is a win for BOTH of us!"
Jenny: "Well... that's a nice sentiment. Still doesn't feel good to lose, ya know?"
Paulie: "Oh, I hear you, for sure. But... didn't you hear that announcement about the Women's tournament?"
Jenny: "Well, YEAH... of course I did!"
Paulie: "Well... there you go! You want a chance to prove to everyone how good you are? WIN the whole freakin' tournament, baby sis!"
Jenny's frown turns upside down and you can see her smile a little. She nods her head.
Jenny: "Yeah... you're right. I am going to win the whole thing! Those BITCHES have no idea what's coming their way! Ha ha!"
And with that, Jenny leaps off her seat and joins the party. Someone hands her a drink and she begins dancing with the crowd. The video comes to an end as the party scene keeps thumping... and those Jersey Shore fists pump up and down in celebration!
Backstage Segment
Just before the night's main event, we catch a short interaction just outside the entrance area. There, we see Eric Executioner and Mr. Black having a tense squabble.
Mr. Black: "You can't go backwards now. You need to stick to your... training."
Eric: "No. I've got this. I can do it. I'm gonna win tonight, and then I'm going to win back the World Heavyweight Title at WrestleMania."
Mr. Black: "But Eric, I..."
Eric: "Please, you've gotta listen to me. I've trusted you... now you need to trust me."
Eric pats his manager on the shoulder and heads into the curtained area. The camera slowly focuses closer on Mr. Black as his expression evolves into suspicion just before we switch over to the ring!
Mr. Black: "You can't go backwards now. You need to stick to your... training."
Eric: "No. I've got this. I can do it. I'm gonna win tonight, and then I'm going to win back the World Heavyweight Title at WrestleMania."
Mr. Black: "But Eric, I..."
Eric: "Please, you've gotta listen to me. I've trusted you... now you need to trust me."
Eric pats his manager on the shoulder and heads into the curtained area. The camera slowly focuses closer on Mr. Black as his expression evolves into suspicion just before we switch over to the ring!
MAIN EVENT:
World Heavyweight #1 Contender's Match
(Fatal 4-Way Elimination)
Antonio Jordan vs. Ace vs. Eric Executioner vs. Hitman Jack
The fans buzz for the night's final bout, as one of four top contenders will earn a chance to face Angus for the World Heavyweight Title at WrestleMania! Antonio & Ace were recent #1 contender's, while Eric is still fighting to win the championship back. Hitman Jack has not been in the World Title scene yet, but his recent breakup with H.E.R.O. has started to reveal how talented the ECW champ truly is. The elimination-style match will settle it out in the ring tonight!
The crowd whoops it up for the "Mastermind" as he makes the first entrance for the match, and he seems ready to prove himself with a big win as he fell just short of actually winning the title at Sunday's PPV. Next, the fans continue to cheer as Ace makes his way to the ring, confident and cool. The crowd reaction finally turns when Eric's Beastie Boys theme plays and the "Narcissist" heads out. It came as a massive shock earlier when he spoke for the first time in over a year, and then interfered in the Money in the Bank qualifying match to show that he is ignoring Mr. Black's advice and reverting back to his old demeanor. But Eric is still a major problem to handle in the ring, so regardless of how he acts, he is still a favorite to win tonight. And finally, a surprising huge ovation goes up for the "Lethal Canadian", who showed incredible resiliency and honor in taking on the Tag Team champs in a Handicap match at Raw on Monday. He & H.E.R.O. were supposed to challenge for the Tag Team Titles against Alpha & Omega, but a shocking heel turn by H.E.R.O. and breakup between them left Hitman to compete in the scheduled title match alone. He nearly won the match several times before finally succumbing to the outnumbered scenario, but earned the champions' and the fans' respect in a major way. Could the ECW champ find a way to rocket up the rankings right now?
All four men gather in the ring in their respective corners and await for the bell. When it dings... Eric goes on the attack! The "Narcissist" delivers a running shoulder block onto Antonio, kicks Ace in the gut and tosses him hard into the corner and ducks a clothesline from Hitman to deliver a massive punch! A big start from Eric wows everyone, but Antonio quickly responds with a DDT. Ace and Hitman battle it out and the "Ultimate Superstar" plants Jack with a suplex. Next, Eric whips Ace into the corner so hard that he falls to the mat from the impact. Antonio then plants Eric with a running powerslam as Hitman lands an elbow drop on Ace. Eric then delivers two huge chops, one on Antonio and another on Hitman while pressing them against the ropes!
The 4-way bout seems to be pretty even, but the first elimination happens due to some underhanded tactics. Ace is fighting Eric while Hitman & Antonio trade blows. Ace knocks Eric down with an STO and seems to be gaining the upper hand. Ace then tries to lift Eric up for another move... but the "Narcissist" delivers a low blow! Ace staggers back in pain and... Eric snatches him by the throat! Quickly, he slams Ace down with his Final Verdict chokeslam finisher... and pins him to eliminate him! The crowd is stunned as we are suddenly down to 3!
The battle continues and is still an evenly-matched fight. Antonio gains the upper hand, hitting a back suplex on Hitman and a gutwrench powerbomb on Eric. Soon after, Antonio & Eric form a brief alliance when they punch Jack in the face simultaneously. Antonio then knocks Eric into the ropes, places him so he's leaning on the 2nd rope... and then springboards off his back to snap Eric's neck on the rope! Eric flops back into the mat as Antonio lands on his feet outside. But before the "Mastermind" can climb back in, Hitman slides out and goes on the offensive! Hitman clotheslines hard and whips him hard into the steel steps. Jack slides back in and catches a woozy Eric with a powerslam while Antonio recovers outside... and the "Lethal Canadian" savors the moment where he is standing tall!
Hitman's overconfidence costs him, as Antonio grabs his ankle to pull his attention... and then the "Mastermind" quickly ascends the apron and pulls Hitman's neck onto the top rope! Antonio slides back into the ring and tries to gain control, but Eric & Hitman team up to deliver a double neckbreaker. The trio move their fight outside the ring, where Antonio & Hitman start to focus on weakening Eric. "America's Favorite" slams Eric down with a powerslam, while Hitman damages him more with a belly-to-belly suplex. While the "Narcissist" recovers on the floor, Antonio starts to target Jack. The highlight was Antonio slamming Hitman's head right off the announce table... and then deciding to undress the table itself! The "Mastermind" places Hitman on top of the table and seems to be considering a big move... but suddenly, Eric appears and tosses him back into the ring!
A few moments later, all 3 men are trading blows again but they are starting to show exhaustion. And the one taking advantage of it is... Antonio Jordan! The "Mastermind" shows impressive skill in managing two opponents, and scores the next elimination in crowd-pleasing fashion. Antonio nails Eric with his signature Star-Spangled Suplex, and then perfectly times catching Hitman with his American Dream finisher! Antonio covers Hitman and gets the 1-2-3 to eliminate the "Lethal Canadian"!
The match is now boiled down to two, and it happens to be the men directly claiming to be worthy of the World Heavyweight Title shot. They both realize the stakes, and a huge brawl breaks out. The action spills ringside and the referee seems to be having trouble monitoring it. Antonio again gains the upper hand, and notices that... the announcer's table was still ripe for being used! He had meant to utilize it on Hitman earlier but could now use it on the final remaining foe! The referee barks orders at the two that go ignored, and Antonio manages to get Eric to lay on the exposed table. The "Mastermind", riding the crowd's bubbling excitement, decides to climb the nearest turnbuckle! He balances himself, ignoring yet another directive from the official... and leaps off to crash Eric through the table with a huge elbow drop! The fans howl wildly as both men lay in the broken mess!
A few moments later, both rivals were back on their feet and ready to fight... but suddenly, the bell rings! The referee signals for it and explains his decision to the ringside announcer. The message is relayed to all... the referee had counted them out! They had been battling outside the ring for a long time, and apparently ignored the ref's pleas to return back to the squared circle. Chaos reigns as the crowd, Antonio and Eric are very confused by the controversial decision! We were supposed to get a confirmed #1 contender tonight... but now what?! The show comes to a strange end as Antonio & Eric glare at each other intensely!
RESULT: Double-Countout Draw
The crowd whoops it up for the "Mastermind" as he makes the first entrance for the match, and he seems ready to prove himself with a big win as he fell just short of actually winning the title at Sunday's PPV. Next, the fans continue to cheer as Ace makes his way to the ring, confident and cool. The crowd reaction finally turns when Eric's Beastie Boys theme plays and the "Narcissist" heads out. It came as a massive shock earlier when he spoke for the first time in over a year, and then interfered in the Money in the Bank qualifying match to show that he is ignoring Mr. Black's advice and reverting back to his old demeanor. But Eric is still a major problem to handle in the ring, so regardless of how he acts, he is still a favorite to win tonight. And finally, a surprising huge ovation goes up for the "Lethal Canadian", who showed incredible resiliency and honor in taking on the Tag Team champs in a Handicap match at Raw on Monday. He & H.E.R.O. were supposed to challenge for the Tag Team Titles against Alpha & Omega, but a shocking heel turn by H.E.R.O. and breakup between them left Hitman to compete in the scheduled title match alone. He nearly won the match several times before finally succumbing to the outnumbered scenario, but earned the champions' and the fans' respect in a major way. Could the ECW champ find a way to rocket up the rankings right now?
All four men gather in the ring in their respective corners and await for the bell. When it dings... Eric goes on the attack! The "Narcissist" delivers a running shoulder block onto Antonio, kicks Ace in the gut and tosses him hard into the corner and ducks a clothesline from Hitman to deliver a massive punch! A big start from Eric wows everyone, but Antonio quickly responds with a DDT. Ace and Hitman battle it out and the "Ultimate Superstar" plants Jack with a suplex. Next, Eric whips Ace into the corner so hard that he falls to the mat from the impact. Antonio then plants Eric with a running powerslam as Hitman lands an elbow drop on Ace. Eric then delivers two huge chops, one on Antonio and another on Hitman while pressing them against the ropes!
The 4-way bout seems to be pretty even, but the first elimination happens due to some underhanded tactics. Ace is fighting Eric while Hitman & Antonio trade blows. Ace knocks Eric down with an STO and seems to be gaining the upper hand. Ace then tries to lift Eric up for another move... but the "Narcissist" delivers a low blow! Ace staggers back in pain and... Eric snatches him by the throat! Quickly, he slams Ace down with his Final Verdict chokeslam finisher... and pins him to eliminate him! The crowd is stunned as we are suddenly down to 3!
The battle continues and is still an evenly-matched fight. Antonio gains the upper hand, hitting a back suplex on Hitman and a gutwrench powerbomb on Eric. Soon after, Antonio & Eric form a brief alliance when they punch Jack in the face simultaneously. Antonio then knocks Eric into the ropes, places him so he's leaning on the 2nd rope... and then springboards off his back to snap Eric's neck on the rope! Eric flops back into the mat as Antonio lands on his feet outside. But before the "Mastermind" can climb back in, Hitman slides out and goes on the offensive! Hitman clotheslines hard and whips him hard into the steel steps. Jack slides back in and catches a woozy Eric with a powerslam while Antonio recovers outside... and the "Lethal Canadian" savors the moment where he is standing tall!
Hitman's overconfidence costs him, as Antonio grabs his ankle to pull his attention... and then the "Mastermind" quickly ascends the apron and pulls Hitman's neck onto the top rope! Antonio slides back into the ring and tries to gain control, but Eric & Hitman team up to deliver a double neckbreaker. The trio move their fight outside the ring, where Antonio & Hitman start to focus on weakening Eric. "America's Favorite" slams Eric down with a powerslam, while Hitman damages him more with a belly-to-belly suplex. While the "Narcissist" recovers on the floor, Antonio starts to target Jack. The highlight was Antonio slamming Hitman's head right off the announce table... and then deciding to undress the table itself! The "Mastermind" places Hitman on top of the table and seems to be considering a big move... but suddenly, Eric appears and tosses him back into the ring!
A few moments later, all 3 men are trading blows again but they are starting to show exhaustion. And the one taking advantage of it is... Antonio Jordan! The "Mastermind" shows impressive skill in managing two opponents, and scores the next elimination in crowd-pleasing fashion. Antonio nails Eric with his signature Star-Spangled Suplex, and then perfectly times catching Hitman with his American Dream finisher! Antonio covers Hitman and gets the 1-2-3 to eliminate the "Lethal Canadian"!
The match is now boiled down to two, and it happens to be the men directly claiming to be worthy of the World Heavyweight Title shot. They both realize the stakes, and a huge brawl breaks out. The action spills ringside and the referee seems to be having trouble monitoring it. Antonio again gains the upper hand, and notices that... the announcer's table was still ripe for being used! He had meant to utilize it on Hitman earlier but could now use it on the final remaining foe! The referee barks orders at the two that go ignored, and Antonio manages to get Eric to lay on the exposed table. The "Mastermind", riding the crowd's bubbling excitement, decides to climb the nearest turnbuckle! He balances himself, ignoring yet another directive from the official... and leaps off to crash Eric through the table with a huge elbow drop! The fans howl wildly as both men lay in the broken mess!
A few moments later, both rivals were back on their feet and ready to fight... but suddenly, the bell rings! The referee signals for it and explains his decision to the ringside announcer. The message is relayed to all... the referee had counted them out! They had been battling outside the ring for a long time, and apparently ignored the ref's pleas to return back to the squared circle. Chaos reigns as the crowd, Antonio and Eric are very confused by the controversial decision! We were supposed to get a confirmed #1 contender tonight... but now what?! The show comes to a strange end as Antonio & Eric glare at each other intensely!
RESULT: Double-Countout Draw
Week 2
Friday Night Smackdown opens another LIVE episode from San Antonio, TX... with less than 3 weeks to go until WrestleMania!
GM Office Segment
The show begins in Triple H's office, where an argument is already underway! On one side of the desk, Eric Executioner & Mr. Black voice their anger over last week's controversial double-countout decision. In the 4-way main event to determine the new #1 contender for Angus's World Heavyweight Title, Antonio and the "Narcissist" were the remaining two but were both counted out after a lengthy brawl outside the ropes that also included Antonio putting Eric through the announce table. On the other side of the GM desk, Antonio Jordan & Audrey Vega share their concerns over the same issue. "The Game" is desperately trying to maintain order as four voices shout over each other. Finally, Triple H bellows over everyone.
Triple H: "Alright, alright, ENOUGH! I hear your concerns and I share them. I'm just as upset as you are. In fact, the referee in question has already been reprimanded. What would you like me to do?"
Eric: "You need to schedule another match. Me versus Antonio. Tonight!"
Antonio: "Yes, Hunter. Let me destroy this fool again and claim my WrestleMania title shot."
Eric: "Me? The fool? Ha! You must be out of your mind."
Antonio: "Nah man, my mind is clear. Whatever it is, Hunter... just make sure it's something decisive. I don't want people to get confused and think that anybody but ME is worthy to take on Angus."
Triple H: "Give it a rest, you two. Handle your business in the ring. But yes, Antonio... I do agree with you that we need to re-schedule the match with a more decisive stipulation. I don't want the assigned referee to cause anymore problems."
The "Cerebral Assassin" thinks for a moment and then chuckles as an idea comes to his head.
Triple H: "I think I've got it. How about tonight's #1 contender's match... between Antonio Jordan and Eric Executioner... is held inside a steel cage?! I think that's a pretty good way to avoid any issues and should be quite decisive. One of you... is going to face Angus at WrestleMania for the World Heavyweight Title. First one to escape the cage... gets the title shot! Now, all of you... get out of my office. I've got a full show to run!"
Satisfied, Antonio & Eric both nod confidently but then catch the other's glance. An intense staredown takes place for a second, before Audrey and Mr. Black both drag their respective allies away from the confrontation. The pairs each leave the room and Triple H is left on his own. Hunter smirks and shakes his head as the segment comes to a close!
Triple H: "Alright, alright, ENOUGH! I hear your concerns and I share them. I'm just as upset as you are. In fact, the referee in question has already been reprimanded. What would you like me to do?"
Eric: "You need to schedule another match. Me versus Antonio. Tonight!"
Antonio: "Yes, Hunter. Let me destroy this fool again and claim my WrestleMania title shot."
Eric: "Me? The fool? Ha! You must be out of your mind."
Antonio: "Nah man, my mind is clear. Whatever it is, Hunter... just make sure it's something decisive. I don't want people to get confused and think that anybody but ME is worthy to take on Angus."
Triple H: "Give it a rest, you two. Handle your business in the ring. But yes, Antonio... I do agree with you that we need to re-schedule the match with a more decisive stipulation. I don't want the assigned referee to cause anymore problems."
The "Cerebral Assassin" thinks for a moment and then chuckles as an idea comes to his head.
Triple H: "I think I've got it. How about tonight's #1 contender's match... between Antonio Jordan and Eric Executioner... is held inside a steel cage?! I think that's a pretty good way to avoid any issues and should be quite decisive. One of you... is going to face Angus at WrestleMania for the World Heavyweight Title. First one to escape the cage... gets the title shot! Now, all of you... get out of my office. I've got a full show to run!"
Satisfied, Antonio & Eric both nod confidently but then catch the other's glance. An intense staredown takes place for a second, before Audrey and Mr. Black both drag their respective allies away from the confrontation. The pairs each leave the room and Triple H is left on his own. Hunter smirks and shakes his head as the segment comes to a close!
Backstage Segment
The show transitions to another backstage area, this time one of the locker rooms. The camera is zoomed in on a postcard, which reads "Congrats! You are invited to participate in a Money in the Bank qualifying match!". Suddenly, the postcard gets crumpled up and tossed in the trash and the camera pans back to reveal... Krizz Torture! The "2 Cool" superstar looks dejected as he sits in a chair, obviously disappointed over losing his chance to qualify for the prestigious ladder match when he was defeated by Joseph T. Lutte.
A few seconds later, another person enters the room... Rusty! Krizz's former tag partner arrives for the evening and has a big match later tonight. Rusty agreed to face a mystery opponent of Quinn Cadbury's choosing... and if he wins, he gets an Intercontinental Title shot at WrestleMania! Rusty seems to be in a good mood but notices that Krizz is a little depressed. He walks over and addresses his old friend.
Rusty: "Hey man! How have you been?"
Krizz: "I'm good... I guess. Little upset over losing my match last week but... ya know."
Rusty: "I do know how you feel. Just had the Cruiserweight Title ripped away from me. Upset isn't a strong enough word, ha ha!"
A small grin breaks over Krizz's face and Rusty pats him on the shoulder.
Rusty: "Man... it's been so long. Sorry to hear about you and Antonio falling apart."
Krizz: "It's alright, man. These things happen. It happened to us!"
Rusty: "Yeah it did. Hard to handle that much ego!"
Krizz: "Ha ha, yes you are correct."
Rusty: "Well... we are still friends, right?"
Krizz: "Of course."
Rusty: "You know... I have a big match tonight. I wouldn't mind... having a friend nearby, if you catch my drift. I'm not exactly sure what I'm about to face tonight, so having some insurance might be a good idea. No pressure though! Would gladly have you back in my corner anytime."
Krizz: "Hmm... I'll consider it."
Rusty: "Sounds good. Have a good show, man. I'll see you around."
Rusty grabs his gear and heads off into a changing room. Krizz gives him a final glance and then looks ahead. A smile creeps over his face as the segment ends!
A few seconds later, another person enters the room... Rusty! Krizz's former tag partner arrives for the evening and has a big match later tonight. Rusty agreed to face a mystery opponent of Quinn Cadbury's choosing... and if he wins, he gets an Intercontinental Title shot at WrestleMania! Rusty seems to be in a good mood but notices that Krizz is a little depressed. He walks over and addresses his old friend.
Rusty: "Hey man! How have you been?"
Krizz: "I'm good... I guess. Little upset over losing my match last week but... ya know."
Rusty: "I do know how you feel. Just had the Cruiserweight Title ripped away from me. Upset isn't a strong enough word, ha ha!"
A small grin breaks over Krizz's face and Rusty pats him on the shoulder.
Rusty: "Man... it's been so long. Sorry to hear about you and Antonio falling apart."
Krizz: "It's alright, man. These things happen. It happened to us!"
Rusty: "Yeah it did. Hard to handle that much ego!"
Krizz: "Ha ha, yes you are correct."
Rusty: "Well... we are still friends, right?"
Krizz: "Of course."
Rusty: "You know... I have a big match tonight. I wouldn't mind... having a friend nearby, if you catch my drift. I'm not exactly sure what I'm about to face tonight, so having some insurance might be a good idea. No pressure though! Would gladly have you back in my corner anytime."
Krizz: "Hmm... I'll consider it."
Rusty: "Sounds good. Have a good show, man. I'll see you around."
Rusty grabs his gear and heads off into a changing room. Krizz gives him a final glance and then looks ahead. A smile creeps over his face as the segment ends!
Women's Championship Unification Tournament - Bracket:
Women's Championship Unification Tournament
Smackdown 1st Round: Jersey Jenny vs. Kelly Kelly
The first match of the night gets ready to kick off, and it will finalize the semifinals matchups for next week! With Natalya's victory on Superstars last night, that leaves only tonight's battle as the remaining 1st-round fight. The respective Raw & Smackdown women's champions will be in action next week and the winners of the four semifinal matches will face off in the Raw & Smackdown finals just days before WrestleMania. Tonight, the "Shore's Princess" begins her quest to regain the title by facing off against Kelly Kelly!
Jersey Jenny makes her entrance first and gets ready to fight for the remaining semifinal spot. Next, Kelly Kelly's music plays but she doesn't appear right away. A moment later... she attacks J.J. from behind! The crowd boos the blindside assault and this one is off to a surprising start!
Jenny gets back to her feet and starts sending punches in retaliation, followed by a nasty chop and grinds her foot into Kelly's face in the corner. Off the ropes, Jenny tackles her foe and punches her more. J.J. then climbs the turnbuckle to attempt a flying move... but Kelly reaches him to kick her down! Angry, Jenny again tackles her opponent and delivers even more vicious punches!
A back-and-forth battle covers the middle portion of the match. Kelly drops Jenny with a bulldog and follows up with an elbow drop, while the "Shore's Princess" lands a fist drop, a Russian leg sweep and then bashes her foe's head repeatedly into the mat! The battle continues as both females desperately want to move on in the tournament with a win.
In the end, Jenny gains the upper hand and puts the match away. A chaotic battle takes place in the corner, as each of them try to leverage themselves into control. But J.J. comes out on top in the encounter, and smashes into Kelly Kelly with a double axe handle strike. Quickly, she rides the momentum into her Paid Tab signature... and then punches Kelly's lights out with her Beautiful Knockout finishing combo! J.J.'s dangerous left hand sends her foe flopping to the mat, and she covers for the 1-2-3 pinfall!
Jenny celebrates the win as she officially moves to the semifinals of the Women's tournament! But just a few moments after the win, her celebration is cut short by... the appearance of Eve Torres! The reigning Women's Champion and a rival of J.J. saunters out onto the stage and taunts her! Jenny, feeling confident from her victory, dares her to come down to the ring! Eve chuckles in an evil manner and continues to annoy J.J.! But all that matters tonight is that Jersey Jenny is victorious and moves one step closer to WrestleMania!
WINNER: Jersey Jenny
Jersey Jenny makes her entrance first and gets ready to fight for the remaining semifinal spot. Next, Kelly Kelly's music plays but she doesn't appear right away. A moment later... she attacks J.J. from behind! The crowd boos the blindside assault and this one is off to a surprising start!
Jenny gets back to her feet and starts sending punches in retaliation, followed by a nasty chop and grinds her foot into Kelly's face in the corner. Off the ropes, Jenny tackles her foe and punches her more. J.J. then climbs the turnbuckle to attempt a flying move... but Kelly reaches him to kick her down! Angry, Jenny again tackles her opponent and delivers even more vicious punches!
A back-and-forth battle covers the middle portion of the match. Kelly drops Jenny with a bulldog and follows up with an elbow drop, while the "Shore's Princess" lands a fist drop, a Russian leg sweep and then bashes her foe's head repeatedly into the mat! The battle continues as both females desperately want to move on in the tournament with a win.
In the end, Jenny gains the upper hand and puts the match away. A chaotic battle takes place in the corner, as each of them try to leverage themselves into control. But J.J. comes out on top in the encounter, and smashes into Kelly Kelly with a double axe handle strike. Quickly, she rides the momentum into her Paid Tab signature... and then punches Kelly's lights out with her Beautiful Knockout finishing combo! J.J.'s dangerous left hand sends her foe flopping to the mat, and she covers for the 1-2-3 pinfall!
Jenny celebrates the win as she officially moves to the semifinals of the Women's tournament! But just a few moments after the win, her celebration is cut short by... the appearance of Eve Torres! The reigning Women's Champion and a rival of J.J. saunters out onto the stage and taunts her! Jenny, feeling confident from her victory, dares her to come down to the ring! Eve chuckles in an evil manner and continues to annoy J.J.! But all that matters tonight is that Jersey Jenny is victorious and moves one step closer to WrestleMania!
WINNER: Jersey Jenny
Backstage Segment
The show returns from commercial break and we venture backstage, where we see a very arrogant H.E.R.O. strolling down the hallway. Last week, the "Cali Dragon" revealed his motivation for turning heel and breaking up with Hitman Jack, claiming that he was being held back due to his alliance with the "Lethal Canadian". Sure enough, as H.E.R.O. walks down the hall... he crosses paths with his former friend! Hitman Jack is warming up and pulling on his elbow pads, seemingly prepping for a match later tonight. His back is to H.E.R.O. and the "Cali Dragon" stalks around him with an evil smirk. Finally, H.E.R.O. steps into Hitman's eyesight and Jack scowls at him.
H.E.R.O.: "Ahh... the glorious Hitman! I'm surprised you still want to show your face around here after losing that Tag Team Title match. In a Handicap match?! I can't believe you went through it. What... a... JOKE!"
Hitman: "You're right... if you were in the match with me, I wouldn't have gotten that close to actually winning."
H.E.R.O.: "Ha! Glad to see you still have your sense of humor."
Hitman: "What do you want? You realize that our issues are still unresolved. Don't make me have to handle business right here, right now."
H.E.R.O.: "Well... I don't want to embarrass you in back-to-back weeks. So I'd be careful making threats that you can't back up!"
Hitman scoffs and tries to ignore his former ally. H.E.R.O. notices that he's getting dressed in his ring gear and he gets curious.
H.E.R.O.: "What are you up to? I can't imagine that you actually have anything to do now that I've moved on from your dead weight."
Hitman: "Ha... well, in fact... I do have something tonight. Something big. I'm... in the Money in the Bank qualifying match tonight!"
H.E.R.O.'s expression switches from arrogant to shocked.
H.E.R.O.: "Hold up... YOU are getting a chance to get into the Money in the Bank Ladder match?!"
Hitman: "Yep. I was invited because I'm not a snobby jerk like you. And... I plan on winning tonight AND claiming the briefcase at WrestleMania. While you... well, you keep doing... whatever it is you're doing."
Hitman grabs the rest of his ring gear and walks away, smirking at H.E.R.O. The "Cali Dragon" is stunned and slowly becomes infuriated as the segment comes to an end!
H.E.R.O.: "Ahh... the glorious Hitman! I'm surprised you still want to show your face around here after losing that Tag Team Title match. In a Handicap match?! I can't believe you went through it. What... a... JOKE!"
Hitman: "You're right... if you were in the match with me, I wouldn't have gotten that close to actually winning."
H.E.R.O.: "Ha! Glad to see you still have your sense of humor."
Hitman: "What do you want? You realize that our issues are still unresolved. Don't make me have to handle business right here, right now."
H.E.R.O.: "Well... I don't want to embarrass you in back-to-back weeks. So I'd be careful making threats that you can't back up!"
Hitman scoffs and tries to ignore his former ally. H.E.R.O. notices that he's getting dressed in his ring gear and he gets curious.
H.E.R.O.: "What are you up to? I can't imagine that you actually have anything to do now that I've moved on from your dead weight."
Hitman: "Ha... well, in fact... I do have something tonight. Something big. I'm... in the Money in the Bank qualifying match tonight!"
H.E.R.O.'s expression switches from arrogant to shocked.
H.E.R.O.: "Hold up... YOU are getting a chance to get into the Money in the Bank Ladder match?!"
Hitman: "Yep. I was invited because I'm not a snobby jerk like you. And... I plan on winning tonight AND claiming the briefcase at WrestleMania. While you... well, you keep doing... whatever it is you're doing."
Hitman grabs the rest of his ring gear and walks away, smirking at H.E.R.O. The "Cali Dragon" is stunned and slowly becomes infuriated as the segment comes to an end!
Rusty vs. ???
The next match could determine a title match for WrestleMania, if Rusty can defeat a mystery opponent! The "2 Xtreme" superfan confronted Intercontinental champ Quinn Cadbury last week, demanding answers for why the "English Gentleman" interfered in the Cruiserweight Championship and cost Rusty the title at the last PPV. Quinn told Rusty he wanted to ruin his title reign as Rusty had ruined his shot to qualify for the Elimination Chamber match, and Rusty responded that he then would want to ruin Cadbury's title reign. But Quinn felt Rusty wasn't worthy of a title shot, so the Chicago native offered a deal to earn a title shot against an opponent of Quinn's choice. So tonight, we will see who Quinn recruited to face Rusty... and if Rusty can actually pull off the win!
Before any entrances for the match participants commence... Quinn makes his own entrance! The Intercontinental champ struts down to ringside and will join the commentary team for the match! Cadbury immediately makes disparaging remarks against Rusty, referring again to how he entered the WWE as a sneaky fan and was allowed to stay. Quinn compares it to his own background as a highly-trained European grappler with a long history of success. Michael Cole and Jerry "The King" Lawler shrug off Quinn's disrespectful comments and prepare to welcome tonight's combatants.
Rusty makes his entrance first, drawing a huge cheer from the San Antonio fans. He seems extremely focused and ready for the match, no matter who walks out to face him. Rusty waits in the ring as the next moments pass, tension growing as everyone waits to see who will appear. Finally... Vincent Serum's theme plays! Rusty's jaw drops as the "Vicious Vampire" stalks his way to the ring! Serum, who has shown a sudden aggressive side and has targeted Ace on numerous occasions, enters the ring and stares daggers into his foe. Quinn comments that he found it easy to convince Serum to wrestle on his behalf, noting that he seemed to be in a trance-like state when he inquired. Rusty re-focuses as he knows he has to take on the London behemoth... and beat him... in order to challenge Quinn! The bell rings and the match begins.
Rusty sprints over and starts the match off quickly, dropping Serum with a rolling head takedown, locks in a sleeper hold and then slams Serum's head into the mat. Rusty seems confident he can do it... but suddenly, the "Vampire" is back on his feet! The towering Serum grabs Rusty by the neck and begins a long dominant streak of moves. Rusty desperately tries to counter his moves, but the "Vicious Vampire" appears to be ready to deliver a large amount of damage.
Quinn laughs heartily as Serum methodically decimates his smaller foe. The crowd starts to boo ceaselessly, watching this sad display as the "Vicious Vampire" takes pleasure in hurting the 3-time Cruiserweight Champion. It seems like it's only a matter of time before Serum claims the easy win... but suddenly, Rusty finds an ounce of energy and delivers an unexpected spinning heel kick! Not only that, but Serum falls backwards from the impact... and crashes into the referee! The official tumbles to the mat in pain and everybody in the ring is on the mat.
Suddenly... KRIZZ TORTURE appears! The "2 Cool" superstar enters from the crowd and slides into the ring! The fans are unsure how to react as he stands there, and Quinn starts complaining loudly about his intrusion. A moment later, Krizz smiles in Quinn's direction... and grabs a staggering Serum! Krizz gives his signature smoke taunt, lifts the "Vampire"... and slams him hard into the mat with his Torture Rack finisher powerbomb! The fans erupt as Krizz is here to help his former best friend out! Rusty was recovering on the opposite side of the ring and had rolled over to see what was happening... and his jaw drops! Krizz delivers the move and then makes a gesture towards Rusty, inviting him to do what he needs to do to win!
Rusty... stunned, hurt but now rejuvenated... smiles and runs over to deliver his signature Rusty Bumper! Then, as Krizz exits the ring to avoid any issues with the referee, Rusty climbs to the nearest turnbuckle! The crowd is now cheering wildly as Rusty prepares for his flying finisher! Despite the pain causing him to wince as he balances himself, Rusty leaps... and crashes into Serum with the Rusty Wheel! The "2 Xtreme" superfan goes for the cover, with Quinn screaming "NO!" on commentary, and the referee counts 1... 2... 3!!! Rusty did it! Rusty gets an Intercontinental Title shot at WrestleMania!!!
The fans go crazy with delight as Rusty celebrates, and Krizz enters the ring to raise his hand proudly! Is 2 Cool 2 Xtreme back together again?! Quinn rips off his headset and stomps away angrily, as Krizz helped Rusty prove himself with the victory!
Serum staggers to his feet and Rusty, despite still recovering, offers the "Vicious Vampire" a handshake! The sign of good sportsmanship goes unmet though, as Serum ignores the gesture and walks away almost like a zombie. Rusty and Krizz glance at each other in confusion... but then raise their arms to celebrate again for the adoring crowd!
WINNER: Rusty
Before any entrances for the match participants commence... Quinn makes his own entrance! The Intercontinental champ struts down to ringside and will join the commentary team for the match! Cadbury immediately makes disparaging remarks against Rusty, referring again to how he entered the WWE as a sneaky fan and was allowed to stay. Quinn compares it to his own background as a highly-trained European grappler with a long history of success. Michael Cole and Jerry "The King" Lawler shrug off Quinn's disrespectful comments and prepare to welcome tonight's combatants.
Rusty makes his entrance first, drawing a huge cheer from the San Antonio fans. He seems extremely focused and ready for the match, no matter who walks out to face him. Rusty waits in the ring as the next moments pass, tension growing as everyone waits to see who will appear. Finally... Vincent Serum's theme plays! Rusty's jaw drops as the "Vicious Vampire" stalks his way to the ring! Serum, who has shown a sudden aggressive side and has targeted Ace on numerous occasions, enters the ring and stares daggers into his foe. Quinn comments that he found it easy to convince Serum to wrestle on his behalf, noting that he seemed to be in a trance-like state when he inquired. Rusty re-focuses as he knows he has to take on the London behemoth... and beat him... in order to challenge Quinn! The bell rings and the match begins.
Rusty sprints over and starts the match off quickly, dropping Serum with a rolling head takedown, locks in a sleeper hold and then slams Serum's head into the mat. Rusty seems confident he can do it... but suddenly, the "Vampire" is back on his feet! The towering Serum grabs Rusty by the neck and begins a long dominant streak of moves. Rusty desperately tries to counter his moves, but the "Vicious Vampire" appears to be ready to deliver a large amount of damage.
Quinn laughs heartily as Serum methodically decimates his smaller foe. The crowd starts to boo ceaselessly, watching this sad display as the "Vicious Vampire" takes pleasure in hurting the 3-time Cruiserweight Champion. It seems like it's only a matter of time before Serum claims the easy win... but suddenly, Rusty finds an ounce of energy and delivers an unexpected spinning heel kick! Not only that, but Serum falls backwards from the impact... and crashes into the referee! The official tumbles to the mat in pain and everybody in the ring is on the mat.
Suddenly... KRIZZ TORTURE appears! The "2 Cool" superstar enters from the crowd and slides into the ring! The fans are unsure how to react as he stands there, and Quinn starts complaining loudly about his intrusion. A moment later, Krizz smiles in Quinn's direction... and grabs a staggering Serum! Krizz gives his signature smoke taunt, lifts the "Vampire"... and slams him hard into the mat with his Torture Rack finisher powerbomb! The fans erupt as Krizz is here to help his former best friend out! Rusty was recovering on the opposite side of the ring and had rolled over to see what was happening... and his jaw drops! Krizz delivers the move and then makes a gesture towards Rusty, inviting him to do what he needs to do to win!
Rusty... stunned, hurt but now rejuvenated... smiles and runs over to deliver his signature Rusty Bumper! Then, as Krizz exits the ring to avoid any issues with the referee, Rusty climbs to the nearest turnbuckle! The crowd is now cheering wildly as Rusty prepares for his flying finisher! Despite the pain causing him to wince as he balances himself, Rusty leaps... and crashes into Serum with the Rusty Wheel! The "2 Xtreme" superfan goes for the cover, with Quinn screaming "NO!" on commentary, and the referee counts 1... 2... 3!!! Rusty did it! Rusty gets an Intercontinental Title shot at WrestleMania!!!
The fans go crazy with delight as Rusty celebrates, and Krizz enters the ring to raise his hand proudly! Is 2 Cool 2 Xtreme back together again?! Quinn rips off his headset and stomps away angrily, as Krizz helped Rusty prove himself with the victory!
Serum staggers to his feet and Rusty, despite still recovering, offers the "Vicious Vampire" a handshake! The sign of good sportsmanship goes unmet though, as Serum ignores the gesture and walks away almost like a zombie. Rusty and Krizz glance at each other in confusion... but then raise their arms to celebrate again for the adoring crowd!
WINNER: Rusty
Backstage Interview
After a brief commercial break, the show comes back and we head to the interview area. There, Lillian Garcia prepares to ask a few questions to... World Heavyweight champ Angus! The "Irish Giant" is still rocking an unbeaten streak and holding Smackdown's top prize, and is fresh off a "champion-vs.-champion" victory over Quinn Cadbury last week. Tonight, he should find out his next opponent and his WrestleMania matchup after the #1 contender's main event, but he's here tonight to discuss a few things.
Lillian: "Hello everyone! I'm very pleased to have World Heavyweight Champion Angus with me tonight. Later, Eric Executioner & Antonio Jordan will face each other in a steel cage match to determine the #1 contender and your opponent for WrestleMania. What are your thoughts on tonight's match and your potential challenger?"
Angus: "Aye, Lilly... to be fair, it really doesn't matter who wins the #1 contender match tonight. I am, and have always been, a FIGHTIN' champion. I proved it at Royal Rumble. I proved it in the dreaded Elimination Chamber. And at WrestleMania... I'll prove it again."
Lillian: "You have been rivals with Eric for several months, since your shocking Money in the Bank cash-in. Lately, he has shown a change in demeanor that more closely resembles how he acted before aligning himself with Mr. Black. How do you feel about Eric's change in behavior?"
Angus: "Aye, I have noticed him acting differently. I think it's more honorable that he's sticking up for himself against his terrible manager, but being a selfish, annoying fella isn't going to be good enough to beat me."
Lillian: "You've been one of the fan favorites here on Smackdown, but so has Antonio Jordan. In fact, some say that he may be even more popular than you. What are your thoughts on the fan support for him, in the event he is victorious tonight?"
Angus: "Well, Lilly... I know I've got the fans on my side, but if Antonio Jordan does win tonight... then I suppose they are going to have to pick a side. But no matter what, I'm going to do whatever needs to be done to win and retain this championship."
Lillian: "Strong words from a strong man! Thank you Angus for your time."
Angus nods and the camera focuses in on him. A thoughtful expression comes over the champ's face as the interview segment ends!
Lillian: "Hello everyone! I'm very pleased to have World Heavyweight Champion Angus with me tonight. Later, Eric Executioner & Antonio Jordan will face each other in a steel cage match to determine the #1 contender and your opponent for WrestleMania. What are your thoughts on tonight's match and your potential challenger?"
Angus: "Aye, Lilly... to be fair, it really doesn't matter who wins the #1 contender match tonight. I am, and have always been, a FIGHTIN' champion. I proved it at Royal Rumble. I proved it in the dreaded Elimination Chamber. And at WrestleMania... I'll prove it again."
Lillian: "You have been rivals with Eric for several months, since your shocking Money in the Bank cash-in. Lately, he has shown a change in demeanor that more closely resembles how he acted before aligning himself with Mr. Black. How do you feel about Eric's change in behavior?"
Angus: "Aye, I have noticed him acting differently. I think it's more honorable that he's sticking up for himself against his terrible manager, but being a selfish, annoying fella isn't going to be good enough to beat me."
Lillian: "You've been one of the fan favorites here on Smackdown, but so has Antonio Jordan. In fact, some say that he may be even more popular than you. What are your thoughts on the fan support for him, in the event he is victorious tonight?"
Angus: "Well, Lilly... I know I've got the fans on my side, but if Antonio Jordan does win tonight... then I suppose they are going to have to pick a side. But no matter what, I'm going to do whatever needs to be done to win and retain this championship."
Lillian: "Strong words from a strong man! Thank you Angus for your time."
Angus nods and the camera focuses in on him. A thoughtful expression comes over the champ's face as the interview segment ends!
Money in the Bank Qualifying Match:
Jester Price vs. Hitman Jack vs. Zach Wesley
The next match gets set to begin, as one of these three competitors will earn a chance to fight for the coveted Money in the Bank briefcase at WrestleMania! Smackdown's newest rookie, the "Lethal Canadian" and the always dangerous Wesley will battle it out to join Joseph T. Lutte, Big Juan Santos and Travis Roarke as the 4th of 6 eventual qualifiers!
The "Toughest Comedian Alive" makes his jovial entrance, gyrating his way to the ring with a cocky smile behind his shiny aviator sunglasses. Next, the crowd erupts for the ECW champ and he strolls to the ring ready for battle. Finally, the "Mohawked Maniac" heads to the squared circle, snarling at his two opponents and towering over them in size and strength. The bell rings and we are underway.
Noting the size difference, the match begins with Jester & Hitman forming an alliance to attack their larger foe. After a few double-team moves and coordinated strikes, Zach is on the mat and the other two share a high-five. But then... Hitman powerslams the "Comedian" and the brief alliance is done! Jack whips Jester into the corner, and when Zach staggers to his feet... Hitman whips him right into Jester! Both men collapse to the mat off the impact and Hitman tries for the cover on Jester! The referee counts 1... 2... and Jester forces a break by placing a foot on the rope!
Hitman focuses on Jester, delivering another powerslam and a follow-up elbow drop... while a frustrated Zach exits the ring. The "Maniac" reaches under the ring... and pulls out a chair! He re-enters the ring and holds it menancingly. Zach attempts to hit both opponents... but misses! As payback, Hitman & Jester team up again to drop Zach with a double-team gutbuster! Hitman eyes the chair and proceeds to smash Jester with it! Zach gets back on his feet and gives some payback when he plants Jack with a fallaway slam. But soon after, the chair comes into play again when Hitman jams it into Zach's stomach... and then DDT's him onto the object!
Sensing a chance to win, Hitman tosses the "Maniac" outside the ring... and catches a staggering Jester with his Jack Flash signature and transitions right into a pin! The ref counts 1... 2... and Zach breaks it up with a boot right to Jack's back! Hitman doesn't want the moment to be completely ruined... so he damages the "Maniac" with his Lethal Hit finisher! He then gives a belly-to-belly suplex to Jester onto the prone chair, throws a hard shoulder in Zach to knock him off the apron and tries to pin Jester again! The ref pats the mat for 1... 2... and Jester kicks out! Hitman can't believe that he had two legit chances to win and was still not able to get it done!
A moment later... H.E.R.O. appears on the stage, holding a chair! The crowd is shocked but the "Cali Dragon" quickly makes his way to the ring! Three-way matches are traditionally No DQ, so H.E.R.O. can get involved with no repercussions. And sure enough, after smirking at a stunned Hitman Jack... he smashes his weapon right into his former friend's face! H.E.R.O. drags the "Lethal Canadian" outside the ring, where they engage in a heated, emotional brawl! Meanwhile, Zach and Jester continue to fight each other in the ring but trade big moves with no victory yet. Finally, H.E.R.O. ends the brawl on top after slamming Jack into the floor with a vicious snap suplex. The "Cali Dragon" walks away satisfied with his intrusion, while the crowd jeers his exit. Hitman writhes on the floor in pain as the match continues.
Eventually, the action spills outside the ring completely and Hitman gets himself back involved, angrily tossing Jester into the steel steps. They dislodge from the ringpost, and Jack decides to pick them up... and smash them into Zach's face! The crowd whoops it up as Hitman growls, pissed off from the emotion of the brutal match and the assault from H.E.R.O.! Zach and Jester recover and target the "Lethal Canadian", delivering a double dose of pain to weaken him. Zach delivers an elbow right to the chin as Hitman lays near the apron, and Jack rolls into the ring. Then, the "Maniac" turns against Jester and briefly continues their brawl outside!
Zach and Jester take their fight back inside the squared circle... but Hitman greets them with two vicious chair shots! He then places Jester's left foot inside the chair and stomps on it to cause serious damage to that limb! Hitman then notices... the steel steps sitting nearby! Somehow in his brawl with Jester, Zach brought the bulky object into the ring but didn't get a chance to use it. Getting evil thoughts... Jack snags them and positions himself to send a painful message! Zach staggers to his feet first and receives a mouthful of steel... and then the "Comedian" is given his own dose of metal! The crowd buzzes as Hitman gets ready to put this match away. He first grabs Zach and knocks the "Maniac" out with his Jack Flash signature... and then quickly pounces on Jester for a Lethal Hit finisher! Jack covers the "Comedian" and the referee counts 1... 2... 3!!! Hitman Jack survived a brutal 3-way match, including a mid-match attack by new rival H.E.R.O., and found a way to win!
Hitman celebrates proudly as the win inserts him into the Money in the Bank Ladder match! Zach rolls out of the ring and stomps away angrily, while Jester slowly manages to rise up to his feet. Jack walks over and offers a handshake to the "Comedian" for a good-natured gesture. Unfortunately, Jester slaps his hand away and walks off, grumbling under his breath. Jack is stunned at first, but the crowd's support warms him back up! Hitman will compete at WrestleMania for the coveted briefcase!
WINNER: Hitman Jack
The "Toughest Comedian Alive" makes his jovial entrance, gyrating his way to the ring with a cocky smile behind his shiny aviator sunglasses. Next, the crowd erupts for the ECW champ and he strolls to the ring ready for battle. Finally, the "Mohawked Maniac" heads to the squared circle, snarling at his two opponents and towering over them in size and strength. The bell rings and we are underway.
Noting the size difference, the match begins with Jester & Hitman forming an alliance to attack their larger foe. After a few double-team moves and coordinated strikes, Zach is on the mat and the other two share a high-five. But then... Hitman powerslams the "Comedian" and the brief alliance is done! Jack whips Jester into the corner, and when Zach staggers to his feet... Hitman whips him right into Jester! Both men collapse to the mat off the impact and Hitman tries for the cover on Jester! The referee counts 1... 2... and Jester forces a break by placing a foot on the rope!
Hitman focuses on Jester, delivering another powerslam and a follow-up elbow drop... while a frustrated Zach exits the ring. The "Maniac" reaches under the ring... and pulls out a chair! He re-enters the ring and holds it menancingly. Zach attempts to hit both opponents... but misses! As payback, Hitman & Jester team up again to drop Zach with a double-team gutbuster! Hitman eyes the chair and proceeds to smash Jester with it! Zach gets back on his feet and gives some payback when he plants Jack with a fallaway slam. But soon after, the chair comes into play again when Hitman jams it into Zach's stomach... and then DDT's him onto the object!
Sensing a chance to win, Hitman tosses the "Maniac" outside the ring... and catches a staggering Jester with his Jack Flash signature and transitions right into a pin! The ref counts 1... 2... and Zach breaks it up with a boot right to Jack's back! Hitman doesn't want the moment to be completely ruined... so he damages the "Maniac" with his Lethal Hit finisher! He then gives a belly-to-belly suplex to Jester onto the prone chair, throws a hard shoulder in Zach to knock him off the apron and tries to pin Jester again! The ref pats the mat for 1... 2... and Jester kicks out! Hitman can't believe that he had two legit chances to win and was still not able to get it done!
A moment later... H.E.R.O. appears on the stage, holding a chair! The crowd is shocked but the "Cali Dragon" quickly makes his way to the ring! Three-way matches are traditionally No DQ, so H.E.R.O. can get involved with no repercussions. And sure enough, after smirking at a stunned Hitman Jack... he smashes his weapon right into his former friend's face! H.E.R.O. drags the "Lethal Canadian" outside the ring, where they engage in a heated, emotional brawl! Meanwhile, Zach and Jester continue to fight each other in the ring but trade big moves with no victory yet. Finally, H.E.R.O. ends the brawl on top after slamming Jack into the floor with a vicious snap suplex. The "Cali Dragon" walks away satisfied with his intrusion, while the crowd jeers his exit. Hitman writhes on the floor in pain as the match continues.
Eventually, the action spills outside the ring completely and Hitman gets himself back involved, angrily tossing Jester into the steel steps. They dislodge from the ringpost, and Jack decides to pick them up... and smash them into Zach's face! The crowd whoops it up as Hitman growls, pissed off from the emotion of the brutal match and the assault from H.E.R.O.! Zach and Jester recover and target the "Lethal Canadian", delivering a double dose of pain to weaken him. Zach delivers an elbow right to the chin as Hitman lays near the apron, and Jack rolls into the ring. Then, the "Maniac" turns against Jester and briefly continues their brawl outside!
Zach and Jester take their fight back inside the squared circle... but Hitman greets them with two vicious chair shots! He then places Jester's left foot inside the chair and stomps on it to cause serious damage to that limb! Hitman then notices... the steel steps sitting nearby! Somehow in his brawl with Jester, Zach brought the bulky object into the ring but didn't get a chance to use it. Getting evil thoughts... Jack snags them and positions himself to send a painful message! Zach staggers to his feet first and receives a mouthful of steel... and then the "Comedian" is given his own dose of metal! The crowd buzzes as Hitman gets ready to put this match away. He first grabs Zach and knocks the "Maniac" out with his Jack Flash signature... and then quickly pounces on Jester for a Lethal Hit finisher! Jack covers the "Comedian" and the referee counts 1... 2... 3!!! Hitman Jack survived a brutal 3-way match, including a mid-match attack by new rival H.E.R.O., and found a way to win!
Hitman celebrates proudly as the win inserts him into the Money in the Bank Ladder match! Zach rolls out of the ring and stomps away angrily, while Jester slowly manages to rise up to his feet. Jack walks over and offers a handshake to the "Comedian" for a good-natured gesture. Unfortunately, Jester slaps his hand away and walks off, grumbling under his breath. Jack is stunned at first, but the crowd's support warms him back up! Hitman will compete at WrestleMania for the coveted briefcase!
WINNER: Hitman Jack
Backstage Segment
The final commercial break ends and the show returns with a trip to the locker room, where we see an angry Ace pacing the room. The "Ultimate Superstar" has been given numerous opportunities to either win a title or qualify for a title match, but he has been thwarted in his efforts every time... most often by Vincent Serum, although the reasons still remain unknown. He isn't scheduled to compete tonight, but he's here to observe the show and plot his next move. A moment later, Rebel Ford walks in! Rebel & Ace have been allies for a few months, since Ace returned to Smackdown in October to save an injured Rebel from an attack by then-champ Eric Executioner. The "Revolutionary Brawler" approaches his partner with a smile.
Rebel: "Hey pal! What's going on?"
Ace: "I'm just so damn pissed off, that's what's going on! Screwed out of the Intercontinental Title. Screwed out of earning a spot in the Chamber match. Hell... looks like I'm about to be screwed out of WrestleMania. The biggest show of the year and the biggest name in the WWE isn't even on the card? Pathetic."
Rebel: "Those are all legitimate gripes... but I bring some good news. How does this sound... Rebel Ford & Ace... WWE Tag Team Champions?!"
Ace: "Hmm... you have my attention."
Rebel: "So I know you've seen that there's been two big breakups on Smackdown recently. That has opened the door for some new teams to move up the rankings. We have a legitimate chance to be the new #1 contenders for the Tag Team Titles."
Ace: "I'm liking what I'm hearing... go on!"
Rebel: "And also, I know you watched that Handicap Tag Team Title match last week. Did you see how Hitman Jack almost beat them by himself? Those Japanese guys are vulnerable right now! If Hitman could almost win alone, we can surely defeat them as a team!"
Ace: "I love it! That sounds great. Go set it up!"
Rebel: "Well guess what... it's already in the works! Number 1 contender's match, next week on Smackdown! We win, we're in for a Tag Team Title shot!"
Ace: "You sly little devil. You knew this whole time and didn't open with that news?!"
Rebel: "Hey... I had to pump up the drama! We got this!"
The two share an excited handshake as the segment comes to an end!
Rebel: "Hey pal! What's going on?"
Ace: "I'm just so damn pissed off, that's what's going on! Screwed out of the Intercontinental Title. Screwed out of earning a spot in the Chamber match. Hell... looks like I'm about to be screwed out of WrestleMania. The biggest show of the year and the biggest name in the WWE isn't even on the card? Pathetic."
Rebel: "Those are all legitimate gripes... but I bring some good news. How does this sound... Rebel Ford & Ace... WWE Tag Team Champions?!"
Ace: "Hmm... you have my attention."
Rebel: "So I know you've seen that there's been two big breakups on Smackdown recently. That has opened the door for some new teams to move up the rankings. We have a legitimate chance to be the new #1 contenders for the Tag Team Titles."
Ace: "I'm liking what I'm hearing... go on!"
Rebel: "And also, I know you watched that Handicap Tag Team Title match last week. Did you see how Hitman Jack almost beat them by himself? Those Japanese guys are vulnerable right now! If Hitman could almost win alone, we can surely defeat them as a team!"
Ace: "I love it! That sounds great. Go set it up!"
Rebel: "Well guess what... it's already in the works! Number 1 contender's match, next week on Smackdown! We win, we're in for a Tag Team Title shot!"
Ace: "You sly little devil. You knew this whole time and didn't open with that news?!"
Rebel: "Hey... I had to pump up the drama! We got this!"
The two share an excited handshake as the segment comes to an end!
MAIN EVENT:
World Heavyweight #1 Contender's Match (Steel Cage)
Antonio Jordan vs. Eric Executioner
The fans fire up for the night's main event, as we will finally have a decisive choice of who will face Angus for the World Heavyweight Title at WrestleMania! Last week, a 4-way elimination match was held and the "Mastermind" and the "Narcissist" were the last standing. After Antonio leaped off the turnbuckle and crashed Eric through the announce table, the referee made a controversial decision... draw by double countout! This led to a needed rematch, and interim GM Triple H decided they would settle it... in a cage match! First to escape faces the "Irish Giant" for Smackdown's top prize at the biggest PPV of the year!
Antonio makes his entrance first and the crowd roars in approval, as they desperately want to see "America's Favorite" challenge for the title. Last WrestleMania, Antonio also had a huge moment as he defeated Joseph T. Lutte to claim his first Intercontinental Title but now he's got bigger goals in mind. Next, Eric's music hits and the crowd welcomes him with a chorus of boos. The "Narcissist", who had been relegated to a silent monster after mentoring from Mr. Black, comes out alone tonight and has been more vocal as of late. It has been odd to see Eric revert back to his arrogant, selfish persona but so far has maintained the alliance with Mr. Black, much to the sinister manager's dismay. Both men enter the caged ring and look around for a moment, absorbing the importance of the battle they are about to partake in. The bell rings and the war is on!
Both men approach each other at first, shooting daggers into the other's eyes with fierce stares. The tension grows as the fans await the first strike, but neither man is willing to back down. Finally... the punches fly! The early part of the match is actually fairly normal and very evenly-matched, highlighted by Eric slamming Antonio's face into the cage wall and the "Mastermind" responding with a sickening-sounding chop. Next, Eric plants his rival with a sidewalk slam & elbow drop combo... and decides to make a climb! Eric gets a hand to the top before Antonio catches him and pulls him back down to the mat. But then... Antonio quickly starts to scale the wall! Eric is stunned at first, but recovers enough to drag Antonio back down to the mat.
The back-and-forth battle continues, with Eric delivering a two-handed chokeslam and slamming Antonio's head into the cage wall again but the "Mastermind" counters with multiple headbutts, a running knee to the face... and locking in his Fourth of July leglock! Eric manages to break the hold and answers back with a gut kick... and chokeslams his foe literally right onto the top turnbuckle! Antonio's body contorts weirdly from the impact, but he keeps fighting back. Jordan grabs Eric by the head and slams his face into the cage wall, but the "Narcissist" delivers an atomic drop... and then slingshots Antonio hard into the cage!
The battle finds its way to the corner nearest the door. Eric lifts Antonio onto the top rope and delivers an impressive superplex! The impact of the move knocks the cage door ajar... and a race for the exit commences! Eric has the lead as he crawls desperately for the gateway, with a weakened Antonio trailing just behind. Finally, Eric reaches out for the open space... and Antonio grabs his ankle! Eric loses his leverage and the "Mastermind" is able to drag him back into the ring! The referee's close the door again and the fight rages on!
The fans are giddy from the exciting match, as neither man is able to maintain the upper hand for long. Antonio delivers a variety of suplexes while Eric plants his foe with a big spinebuster off the top turnbuckle... and again sends Antonio crashing into the cage wall. The "Narcissist" tries to damage him more by locking in his Hung Jury signature submission! Antonio doesn't tap out, which wouldn't matter anyway, but manages to build up enough strength to break the hold with a massive powerbomb! Both men lay in pain on the mat as the crowd whoops it up!
Eric and Antonio slowly crawl to sitting positions and eye each other menacingly. It seems like they both have the same idea and suddenly... a race for the win breaks out! Eric heads for the cage door, while Antonio quickly makes his way to the top of the cage! They are step-for-step and it seems like it's going to come down to a photo finish! A second later, Eric tumbles out the open door and Antonio drops from the cage... and the bell rings to signal a winner! The referee confirms his observations with the ringside crew... and announces Eric Executioner the winner! A replay is shown on the big screen and Eric's feet contact the floor a split second before Antonio, but the result is clear. The crowd boos and Antonio is distraught that he came so close to winning the title shot! Instead, it's an exhausted "Narcissist" who celebrates weakly as he leans against the cage, knowing he's got another shot against the "Irish Giant"!
And sure enough, a moment later... Angus appears! The World Heavyweight champ lumbers out onto the stage, and makes eye contact with his rival. Eric stares back and a grin forms on his face. It's Angus versus Eric for the World Heavyweight Title... at WrestleMania! The intense staredown between the behemoths is the final image of the show!
WINNER: Eric Executioner
Antonio makes his entrance first and the crowd roars in approval, as they desperately want to see "America's Favorite" challenge for the title. Last WrestleMania, Antonio also had a huge moment as he defeated Joseph T. Lutte to claim his first Intercontinental Title but now he's got bigger goals in mind. Next, Eric's music hits and the crowd welcomes him with a chorus of boos. The "Narcissist", who had been relegated to a silent monster after mentoring from Mr. Black, comes out alone tonight and has been more vocal as of late. It has been odd to see Eric revert back to his arrogant, selfish persona but so far has maintained the alliance with Mr. Black, much to the sinister manager's dismay. Both men enter the caged ring and look around for a moment, absorbing the importance of the battle they are about to partake in. The bell rings and the war is on!
Both men approach each other at first, shooting daggers into the other's eyes with fierce stares. The tension grows as the fans await the first strike, but neither man is willing to back down. Finally... the punches fly! The early part of the match is actually fairly normal and very evenly-matched, highlighted by Eric slamming Antonio's face into the cage wall and the "Mastermind" responding with a sickening-sounding chop. Next, Eric plants his rival with a sidewalk slam & elbow drop combo... and decides to make a climb! Eric gets a hand to the top before Antonio catches him and pulls him back down to the mat. But then... Antonio quickly starts to scale the wall! Eric is stunned at first, but recovers enough to drag Antonio back down to the mat.
The back-and-forth battle continues, with Eric delivering a two-handed chokeslam and slamming Antonio's head into the cage wall again but the "Mastermind" counters with multiple headbutts, a running knee to the face... and locking in his Fourth of July leglock! Eric manages to break the hold and answers back with a gut kick... and chokeslams his foe literally right onto the top turnbuckle! Antonio's body contorts weirdly from the impact, but he keeps fighting back. Jordan grabs Eric by the head and slams his face into the cage wall, but the "Narcissist" delivers an atomic drop... and then slingshots Antonio hard into the cage!
The battle finds its way to the corner nearest the door. Eric lifts Antonio onto the top rope and delivers an impressive superplex! The impact of the move knocks the cage door ajar... and a race for the exit commences! Eric has the lead as he crawls desperately for the gateway, with a weakened Antonio trailing just behind. Finally, Eric reaches out for the open space... and Antonio grabs his ankle! Eric loses his leverage and the "Mastermind" is able to drag him back into the ring! The referee's close the door again and the fight rages on!
The fans are giddy from the exciting match, as neither man is able to maintain the upper hand for long. Antonio delivers a variety of suplexes while Eric plants his foe with a big spinebuster off the top turnbuckle... and again sends Antonio crashing into the cage wall. The "Narcissist" tries to damage him more by locking in his Hung Jury signature submission! Antonio doesn't tap out, which wouldn't matter anyway, but manages to build up enough strength to break the hold with a massive powerbomb! Both men lay in pain on the mat as the crowd whoops it up!
Eric and Antonio slowly crawl to sitting positions and eye each other menacingly. It seems like they both have the same idea and suddenly... a race for the win breaks out! Eric heads for the cage door, while Antonio quickly makes his way to the top of the cage! They are step-for-step and it seems like it's going to come down to a photo finish! A second later, Eric tumbles out the open door and Antonio drops from the cage... and the bell rings to signal a winner! The referee confirms his observations with the ringside crew... and announces Eric Executioner the winner! A replay is shown on the big screen and Eric's feet contact the floor a split second before Antonio, but the result is clear. The crowd boos and Antonio is distraught that he came so close to winning the title shot! Instead, it's an exhausted "Narcissist" who celebrates weakly as he leans against the cage, knowing he's got another shot against the "Irish Giant"!
And sure enough, a moment later... Angus appears! The World Heavyweight champ lumbers out onto the stage, and makes eye contact with his rival. Eric stares back and a grin forms on his face. It's Angus versus Eric for the World Heavyweight Title... at WrestleMania! The intense staredown between the behemoths is the final image of the show!
WINNER: Eric Executioner
Week 3
Friday Night Smackdown opens LIVE from New Orleans, less than 2 weeks away from WrestleMania!
In-Ring Segment
The show begins with an excited welcome for... World Heavyweight champ Angus! The "Irish Giant" strolls confidently to the ring with the big gold belt draped over his shoulder and nods stoically towards the cheering crowd. The gigantic fella climbs in and thanks a crew member for the microphone. Last week, Eric Executioner defeated Antonio Jordan in a cage match to become the new #1 contender, setting up Angus's WrestleMania title defense against his top rival.
Angus: "Aye... I suppose my title match for WrestleMania is set. Myself against Eric... it doesn't get any bigger or better than that! I've been working hard for a long time to reach this stage, and now it's nearly here. I'm ready for the challenge... and I'm going to WIN on the show of shows! A humble boy from Ireland, I would only dream of moments like this. But now that the moment is near... it's very surreal. Standing here... holding this title... and ready to FIGHT to keep it... I can't think of any place I'd rather be!"
The crowd responds with a raucous cheer for the emotional moment and Angus nods in appreciation. Unfortunately, the proud moment is ruined... by the appearance of his rival and the sinister Mr. Black! Eric's Beastie Boys theme brings about a chorus of boos from the New Orleans crowd, and a second later the evil duo step out onto the stage. The "Narcissist" wears a arrogant smile while Mr. Black just glares at Angus. After the boos die down a bit, Eric addresses the champ directly.
Eric: "You say that you are 'ready for the challenge' but... I'm going to warn you that THIS one is going to be much different. You surprising me with the Money in the Bank cash-in? Disrespectful obviously, but you caught me off-guard. Our No DQ match at the Royal Rumble? Brutal but again I was not properly prepared. The Elimination Chamber? That stupid Antonio and Justice ruined my chance to even go toe-to-toe with you. But this time... at WrestleMania... this time is different. I have a new mindset. I'm done sitting back and letting things get decided for me. I'm going to handle my own business MYSELF. And at WrestleMania... I'm taking back what's MINE. That World Heavyweight Title? It belongs to ME. I'm the greatest champion Smackdown's ever had. You... you are just a temporary placeholder. I've won in a WrestleMania main event... and I'm going to do it again!"
The crowd responds with another round of boos, as Angus grins and scoffs at Eric's threats. The "Irish Giant" takes a deep breath and replies.
Angus: "You can show up at WrestleMania and TRY to take this title. You can appear at the grandest stage and COMPETE for a chance to bring the belt home. But... it will NOT happen. Aye... at WrestleMania, I'm going to step my game up to a new level... on the biggest stage of them all. You will not be able to handle what I'm going to bring to the table. You thought our Royal Rumble match was brutal? You don't even know how BRUTAL I can be, fella. Listen here... you better start training for a WAR... because when I'm done with you, I'll be standing here holding this same title... and you'll feel destroyed!"
The crowd cheers for Angus and the response draws an angry glare from the "Narcissist". Eric and Angus lock eyes and the tension rises as they shoot metaphorical daggers at each other. This is going to be an intense battle in less than two weeks... with the World Heavyweight Title on the line!
Angus: "Aye... I suppose my title match for WrestleMania is set. Myself against Eric... it doesn't get any bigger or better than that! I've been working hard for a long time to reach this stage, and now it's nearly here. I'm ready for the challenge... and I'm going to WIN on the show of shows! A humble boy from Ireland, I would only dream of moments like this. But now that the moment is near... it's very surreal. Standing here... holding this title... and ready to FIGHT to keep it... I can't think of any place I'd rather be!"
The crowd responds with a raucous cheer for the emotional moment and Angus nods in appreciation. Unfortunately, the proud moment is ruined... by the appearance of his rival and the sinister Mr. Black! Eric's Beastie Boys theme brings about a chorus of boos from the New Orleans crowd, and a second later the evil duo step out onto the stage. The "Narcissist" wears a arrogant smile while Mr. Black just glares at Angus. After the boos die down a bit, Eric addresses the champ directly.
Eric: "You say that you are 'ready for the challenge' but... I'm going to warn you that THIS one is going to be much different. You surprising me with the Money in the Bank cash-in? Disrespectful obviously, but you caught me off-guard. Our No DQ match at the Royal Rumble? Brutal but again I was not properly prepared. The Elimination Chamber? That stupid Antonio and Justice ruined my chance to even go toe-to-toe with you. But this time... at WrestleMania... this time is different. I have a new mindset. I'm done sitting back and letting things get decided for me. I'm going to handle my own business MYSELF. And at WrestleMania... I'm taking back what's MINE. That World Heavyweight Title? It belongs to ME. I'm the greatest champion Smackdown's ever had. You... you are just a temporary placeholder. I've won in a WrestleMania main event... and I'm going to do it again!"
The crowd responds with another round of boos, as Angus grins and scoffs at Eric's threats. The "Irish Giant" takes a deep breath and replies.
Angus: "You can show up at WrestleMania and TRY to take this title. You can appear at the grandest stage and COMPETE for a chance to bring the belt home. But... it will NOT happen. Aye... at WrestleMania, I'm going to step my game up to a new level... on the biggest stage of them all. You will not be able to handle what I'm going to bring to the table. You thought our Royal Rumble match was brutal? You don't even know how BRUTAL I can be, fella. Listen here... you better start training for a WAR... because when I'm done with you, I'll be standing here holding this same title... and you'll feel destroyed!"
The crowd cheers for Angus and the response draws an angry glare from the "Narcissist". Eric and Angus lock eyes and the tension rises as they shoot metaphorical daggers at each other. This is going to be an intense battle in less than two weeks... with the World Heavyweight Title on the line!
Tag Team #1 Contender's Match:
Rebel Ford & Ace vs. Big Juan Santos & Mack Wheeler
The first match of the night is a big one, as we will determine the new #1 contenders for the Tag Team Titles! There has been a lot of drama in the tag team division lately, with two prominent teams breaking up recently and new teams ascending while the champions themselves struggled to defeat a single man in a rare 2-on-1 Handicap title defense. Tonight, superstar teams will face off to earn a title shot against Alpha & Omega!
The crowd whoops it up for the separate entrances of the first squad, the ultra-talented Rebel Ford & Ace, both former World Heavyweight Champions! Rebel and the "Ultimate Superstar" defeated the Bullet Boyz a few weeks ago, proving that they are worthy of moving up the rankings. Next, Big Juan Santos and Mack Wheeler make their individual entrances and draw an fairly warm welcome from the fans. The Raw-based grapplers are fresh off a strange victory on Monday's show, where they fought DMK in a 3-on-1 Handicap bout where WWE champ David Degenerate won with a small package rollup. Besides that, they were also victorious over the Bullet Boyz on last week's episode of Superstars which also made them legitimate contenders as well. Both teams get settled in their respective corners, but Big Juan & Mack share a jubilant high-five and seem especially fired up for tonight's battle. The bell rings and we get underway!
Rebel comes out swinging to start, punching Big Juan and following up with a Samoan drop off the ropes. The "Mexican Brute" responds with a stiff gut kick and tosses his foe into the corner. There, he places Rebel in the tree of woe position and uses his big boot to choke him. When the "Revolutionary Brawler" staggers back to his feet, Big Juan greets him with a big spinebuster. The "Grande y Mal" behemoth tags out to his partner but when Mack enters, Rebel knocks him into the ropes with a punch. Rebel then grabs Mack by the legs and slingshots him into the ropes and puts his knees up to force Mack to land with a sharp drop onto them! The "Human Semi" rises up clutching his back in pain and Rebel catches him with a running dropkick. Needing a breather, Rebel heads to his corner to tag in Ace.
Ace sprints in, reverses two move attempts into two massive chops and follows up with a punishing sidewalk slam, and goes for a pin! The referee counts 1... 2... and Big Juan dives in to break it up! Frustrated, Mack rallies back with a big belly-to-back suplex and a painful running punch before tagging out to his ally. Big Juan races in but Ace whips him into the ropes and plants him with another sidewalk slam, and covers him! The ref counts 1... 2... and an exhausted Mack breaks it up just in time! Ace then tosses the "Mexican Brute" into the corner, tags in Rebel and together they perform a double-team maneuver where Rebel bounces off the ropes to deliver a dropkick to the back while Ace simultaneously performs a falling brainbuster. Rebel then taunts his foe in the corner and when Big Juan runs at him, he slides his legs through the ropes and nails him with his Nose Job kick. A running neckbreaker and a flying axe handle off the turnbuckle has Big Juan reeling.
The "Mexican Brute" gets angry and counters by punching Rebel repeatedly, driving his big fists into Rebel's temple. Rebel staggers into the ropes, but Big Juan follows up by pounding a forearm into his foe's back. Next, a massive big boot sends Rebel crashing into the mat. An excited Mack asks for a tag and his partner obliges. The "Human Semi" steps in, stalking the wounded Rebel as he prepares for a big move. He lifts Rebel and whips him into the ropes... but the "Revolutionary Brawler" reverses with a desperate jawbreaker! Both men lay on the mat for a moment to catch their breath as the crowd buzzes with excitement.
Rebel crawls to the corner and tags in Ace, who starts a huge rally. He delivers a hanging DDT with Mack's feet dangling off the top rope, a belly-to-back suplex and then tackles the "Human Semi" to deliver a flurry of punches. The "Ultimate Superstar" roars and taunts as the crowd expects him to put the match away right now. Mack staggers to his feet and Ace walks over... but Mack reverses the move attempt and is able to tag in his fresher partner! Ace groans in frustration at the missed opportunity and isn't prepared to face a charging "Mexican Brute". Big Juan plants him with a belly-to-belly suplex and follows up with a running shoulder block to turn the tide!
Despite the brief rally, Big Juan's inexperience costs him again. Feeling overconfident, he allows Ace to escape to his own corner for a tag and a rejuvenated Rebel flies in to deliver his signature Guard Breaker! Ace wants back in, and Rebel tags him. The "Ultimate Superstar" impressively lifts Big Juan and drops the dazed behemoth with his Royal Flush finisher! Ace goes for the cover while Rebel races across the ring to occupy Mack, and the official pats the mat 3 times to give them the win!
The crowd whoops it up as Rebel & Ace score the win and officially claim the right to challenge Alpha & Omega for the Tag Team Titles! The superstar duo raises their arms proudly to celebrate!
WINNERS: Ace & Rebel Ford
The crowd whoops it up for the separate entrances of the first squad, the ultra-talented Rebel Ford & Ace, both former World Heavyweight Champions! Rebel and the "Ultimate Superstar" defeated the Bullet Boyz a few weeks ago, proving that they are worthy of moving up the rankings. Next, Big Juan Santos and Mack Wheeler make their individual entrances and draw an fairly warm welcome from the fans. The Raw-based grapplers are fresh off a strange victory on Monday's show, where they fought DMK in a 3-on-1 Handicap bout where WWE champ David Degenerate won with a small package rollup. Besides that, they were also victorious over the Bullet Boyz on last week's episode of Superstars which also made them legitimate contenders as well. Both teams get settled in their respective corners, but Big Juan & Mack share a jubilant high-five and seem especially fired up for tonight's battle. The bell rings and we get underway!
Rebel comes out swinging to start, punching Big Juan and following up with a Samoan drop off the ropes. The "Mexican Brute" responds with a stiff gut kick and tosses his foe into the corner. There, he places Rebel in the tree of woe position and uses his big boot to choke him. When the "Revolutionary Brawler" staggers back to his feet, Big Juan greets him with a big spinebuster. The "Grande y Mal" behemoth tags out to his partner but when Mack enters, Rebel knocks him into the ropes with a punch. Rebel then grabs Mack by the legs and slingshots him into the ropes and puts his knees up to force Mack to land with a sharp drop onto them! The "Human Semi" rises up clutching his back in pain and Rebel catches him with a running dropkick. Needing a breather, Rebel heads to his corner to tag in Ace.
Ace sprints in, reverses two move attempts into two massive chops and follows up with a punishing sidewalk slam, and goes for a pin! The referee counts 1... 2... and Big Juan dives in to break it up! Frustrated, Mack rallies back with a big belly-to-back suplex and a painful running punch before tagging out to his ally. Big Juan races in but Ace whips him into the ropes and plants him with another sidewalk slam, and covers him! The ref counts 1... 2... and an exhausted Mack breaks it up just in time! Ace then tosses the "Mexican Brute" into the corner, tags in Rebel and together they perform a double-team maneuver where Rebel bounces off the ropes to deliver a dropkick to the back while Ace simultaneously performs a falling brainbuster. Rebel then taunts his foe in the corner and when Big Juan runs at him, he slides his legs through the ropes and nails him with his Nose Job kick. A running neckbreaker and a flying axe handle off the turnbuckle has Big Juan reeling.
The "Mexican Brute" gets angry and counters by punching Rebel repeatedly, driving his big fists into Rebel's temple. Rebel staggers into the ropes, but Big Juan follows up by pounding a forearm into his foe's back. Next, a massive big boot sends Rebel crashing into the mat. An excited Mack asks for a tag and his partner obliges. The "Human Semi" steps in, stalking the wounded Rebel as he prepares for a big move. He lifts Rebel and whips him into the ropes... but the "Revolutionary Brawler" reverses with a desperate jawbreaker! Both men lay on the mat for a moment to catch their breath as the crowd buzzes with excitement.
Rebel crawls to the corner and tags in Ace, who starts a huge rally. He delivers a hanging DDT with Mack's feet dangling off the top rope, a belly-to-back suplex and then tackles the "Human Semi" to deliver a flurry of punches. The "Ultimate Superstar" roars and taunts as the crowd expects him to put the match away right now. Mack staggers to his feet and Ace walks over... but Mack reverses the move attempt and is able to tag in his fresher partner! Ace groans in frustration at the missed opportunity and isn't prepared to face a charging "Mexican Brute". Big Juan plants him with a belly-to-belly suplex and follows up with a running shoulder block to turn the tide!
Despite the brief rally, Big Juan's inexperience costs him again. Feeling overconfident, he allows Ace to escape to his own corner for a tag and a rejuvenated Rebel flies in to deliver his signature Guard Breaker! Ace wants back in, and Rebel tags him. The "Ultimate Superstar" impressively lifts Big Juan and drops the dazed behemoth with his Royal Flush finisher! Ace goes for the cover while Rebel races across the ring to occupy Mack, and the official pats the mat 3 times to give them the win!
The crowd whoops it up as Rebel & Ace score the win and officially claim the right to challenge Alpha & Omega for the Tag Team Titles! The superstar duo raises their arms proudly to celebrate!
WINNERS: Ace & Rebel Ford
Backstage Segment
The show returns from commercial break and we follow H.E.R.O. as he walks purposefully down the hallway. The "Cali Dragon" interfered in the Money in the Bank qualifying match last week, attacking former partner Hitman Jack. Despite the mid-match assault, the "Lethal Canadian" rallied back to win the match and put himself in the prestigious ladder match. H.E.R.O. briskly walks and finally finds... Triple H! Smackdown's interim GM is chatting with some crew members and H.E.R.O. impatiently taps him on the shoulder. Hunter turns to see who is interrupting, shakes his head in disgust and then turns back to excuse the crew members back to their jobs. "The Game" takes a deep breath and then responds to his bothersome intruder.
Triple H: "Yes? Can I help you?"
H.E.R.O.: "You need to put me in the Money in the Bank qualifying match tonight. There's only one spot left and I want it. You NEED to put me in the match tonight and I'll win. I'll qualify for Money in the Bank, then I'll scale the ladder to win the briefcase... and then I'll be one huge step closer to becoming a World champion."
Triple H: "I see... that easy, huh?"
H.E.R.O.: "Obviously. I mean... I'm clearly a more talented wrestler and more charismatic than that wet paper towel Hitman Jack and even HE'S qualified to compete in the match. So if that useless dude can qualify... then it should be easy for me. Come on, put me in the qualifying match!"
Triple H: "Ha ha ha... interesting assessment there. Hmm... well I suppose it couldn't hurt putting you in the match to qualify. You're in the Money in the Bank qualifying match tonight."
H.E.R.O.: "Yes! I knew you'd see it from my viewpoint. That's great. Wait... who would I be facing?"
Triple H: "Oh, your opponent? Well, you said it was going to be easy so... it shouldn't matter, right?"
H.E.R.O.: "Yeah, right. Good joke. Seriously though... who am I facing tonight?"
Triple H: "You'll find out at match time. A person more talented than a wet paper towel should be just fine, I suppose!"
Hunter bursts into laughter, pats the "Cali Dragon" on the shoulder and exits the scene. H.E.R.O.'s jaw drops slightly, but then his mouth becomes an angry frown. He seethes in anger for a moment, but then shakes it off and re-focuses. H.E.R.O. is getting a chance to get into the Money in the Bank Ladder match... but who is he facing? Who will he have to defeat?
Triple H: "Yes? Can I help you?"
H.E.R.O.: "You need to put me in the Money in the Bank qualifying match tonight. There's only one spot left and I want it. You NEED to put me in the match tonight and I'll win. I'll qualify for Money in the Bank, then I'll scale the ladder to win the briefcase... and then I'll be one huge step closer to becoming a World champion."
Triple H: "I see... that easy, huh?"
H.E.R.O.: "Obviously. I mean... I'm clearly a more talented wrestler and more charismatic than that wet paper towel Hitman Jack and even HE'S qualified to compete in the match. So if that useless dude can qualify... then it should be easy for me. Come on, put me in the qualifying match!"
Triple H: "Ha ha ha... interesting assessment there. Hmm... well I suppose it couldn't hurt putting you in the match to qualify. You're in the Money in the Bank qualifying match tonight."
H.E.R.O.: "Yes! I knew you'd see it from my viewpoint. That's great. Wait... who would I be facing?"
Triple H: "Oh, your opponent? Well, you said it was going to be easy so... it shouldn't matter, right?"
H.E.R.O.: "Yeah, right. Good joke. Seriously though... who am I facing tonight?"
Triple H: "You'll find out at match time. A person more talented than a wet paper towel should be just fine, I suppose!"
Hunter bursts into laughter, pats the "Cali Dragon" on the shoulder and exits the scene. H.E.R.O.'s jaw drops slightly, but then his mouth becomes an angry frown. He seethes in anger for a moment, but then shakes it off and re-focuses. H.E.R.O. is getting a chance to get into the Money in the Bank Ladder match... but who is he facing? Who will he have to defeat?
Backstage Segment
The camera switches over to a scene just outside the women's locker room, where we see a distraught Jersey Jenny sitting on a large crate near the doorway. Last night at Superstars, J.J. suffered a shocking loss to Natalya and therefore was knocked out of the Women's tournament. Her goal of reclaiming the Women's Title is over for now so her emotional state is to be expected. A few moments later... Paulie Dominos appears! The new Cruiserweight Champion and J.J.'s brother walks over jovial but immediately notices his sister's sad expression.
Paulie: "Hey sis! What's with the long face?"
Jenny: "Come on, Paulie... you know why."
Paulie: "Losing last night?"
Jenny: "Duh."
Paulie: "Yeah I understand. Definitely sucks."
Jenny: "Yep. I can't believe I lost! I was sure I was gonna run through the whole tournament!"
Paulie: "Yeah... I was pulling for you hard. Sometimes things just don't go your way. You gotta remember... I lost A LOT before I won this Cruiserweight Title. In fact... I'm still a little shocked I have it! Ha! You just gotta keep working hard. You've already been Women's champ already and you're not even through a full year! You'll have good things happen again... trust me!"
Paulie offers a hug and his sister smirks and accepts it, giving him a tight embrace. The camera zooms in on the touching moment... but when it zooms back out, Dylan Dynamite is standing there! The "Dynamite Kid" and Raw-branded grappler is here on Smackdown tonight! Paulie senses a new presence and his sister's concerned scowl gets him to turn around.
Dylan: "Ahh... a great moment. Well... I've got business to take care of. Care to chat?"
Paulie: "What do you want, bro?"
Dylan: "That title belt around your waist. That's what I want. You just won it and you now need to defend it. I'm a former Cruiserweight champ and I want a title match. Think you're confident enough to take on a submission specialist like myself?"
Paulie considers the offer and glances at his sister, who raises a fist and gestures that she's got his back. Paulie smiles and responds to his new challenger.
Paulie: "Hell yeah, bro. Let's battle it out next week. I'd love the challenge and the chance to prove to everyone I can keep this title to myself."
Dylan: "Great. See you next week, champ."
The two share an competitive look and Dylan walks off. Paulie turns back to his sister and she offers a high-five, which he meets with glee as the segment ends.
Paulie: "Hey sis! What's with the long face?"
Jenny: "Come on, Paulie... you know why."
Paulie: "Losing last night?"
Jenny: "Duh."
Paulie: "Yeah I understand. Definitely sucks."
Jenny: "Yep. I can't believe I lost! I was sure I was gonna run through the whole tournament!"
Paulie: "Yeah... I was pulling for you hard. Sometimes things just don't go your way. You gotta remember... I lost A LOT before I won this Cruiserweight Title. In fact... I'm still a little shocked I have it! Ha! You just gotta keep working hard. You've already been Women's champ already and you're not even through a full year! You'll have good things happen again... trust me!"
Paulie offers a hug and his sister smirks and accepts it, giving him a tight embrace. The camera zooms in on the touching moment... but when it zooms back out, Dylan Dynamite is standing there! The "Dynamite Kid" and Raw-branded grappler is here on Smackdown tonight! Paulie senses a new presence and his sister's concerned scowl gets him to turn around.
Dylan: "Ahh... a great moment. Well... I've got business to take care of. Care to chat?"
Paulie: "What do you want, bro?"
Dylan: "That title belt around your waist. That's what I want. You just won it and you now need to defend it. I'm a former Cruiserweight champ and I want a title match. Think you're confident enough to take on a submission specialist like myself?"
Paulie considers the offer and glances at his sister, who raises a fist and gestures that she's got his back. Paulie smiles and responds to his new challenger.
Paulie: "Hell yeah, bro. Let's battle it out next week. I'd love the challenge and the chance to prove to everyone I can keep this title to myself."
Dylan: "Great. See you next week, champ."
The two share an competitive look and Dylan walks off. Paulie turns back to his sister and she offers a high-five, which he meets with glee as the segment ends.
Women's Championship Unification Tournament - Bracket:
Women's Championship Unification Tournament
Smackdown Semifinal:
Eve Torres {c} (w/ Mr. Black) vs.
Audrey Vega (w/ Antonio Jordan)
The fans rev up for the next match, which is the final semifinal match in the Women's tournament... and a title is on the line! So far, Divas champ Brittany Black and former friend Maryse are in the Raw final and Natalya's victory last night on Superstars has set one-half of the Smackdown final. The only thing left to be determined is who will carry the Women's Championship into that battle, either current champ Eve or fan favorite rookie Audrey Vega! Eve has been reigning since winning the title back in December, whereas the "American Woman" has been impressive but has yet to claim the belt.
Audrey enters first to a raucous crowd, who cheers her and her boyfriend Antonio Jordan as they head to the ring. The so-called "America's Sweethearts" seem pumped for Audrey's title shot and she stays loose as she waits for the champion. A moment later, Eve's music hits and she enters to boos! The Women's champ strolls to the ring with the sinister Mr. Black accompanying her, and seems very confident as she climbs into the ring and gives her rival a nasty look. The referee gets tonight's title match ready and calls for the bell!
Audrey starts out very aggressive, catching the champion off-guard and delivering several big moves to start things off. Eve gets in a few shots herself, but those blows seem to just bounce off the determined challenger. Antonio cheers for his girl loudly, and draws an angry response from Mr. Black on the opposite side of the ring. An argument ensues and the shouting begins to distract the women and annoy the referee. Unable to maintain order, the referee makes a decision... and sends the managers away from ringside! Antonio is disappointed but exits peacefully, while Mr. Black bickers with the official angrily. Reluctantly, the creepy mentor stomps away and the crowd cheers his exit loudly!
Losing their managers seems to majorly affect Eve, as she appears shaken by Mr. Black's absence. Audrey begins to dominate the match as the champ can't seem to re-focus. But finally, Eve's anger boils over and it allows her to rally back. First, she gouges her opponent's eyes and follows up with a bulldog. With Audrey down on the mat, she delivers a stiff elbow to the back... and then taunts and slaps her right across the face!
Audrey fights back, countering with a hip toss. She then whips the champ into the corner, pulls her out... and tosses her through the turnbuckles and into the ring post! When Eve staggers out, Audrey capitalizes and drops her with an athletic hurricanrana. Then, Audrey decides to risk climbing the turnbuckle... but it pays off as she crashes into Eve with a flying body splash! The action then spills outside as the rivals tackle each other to the floor. They brawl out there for a while as the referee shouts out his count at regular intervals. Sensing a chance to score a cheap victory, Eve tosses Audrey into the announce table and slides back into the ring! She begs the referee to speed up his count as he shouts 9, and Audrey tries to shake off the pain. Suddenly, she realizes the situation... and dives into the ring to prevent the countout! She is relieved but when she stands back up... she receives a dropkick for her trouble!
Angry over failing to trick her foe, Eve dominates the next portion of the match and tries to put her away. But Audrey is resilient and is able to counter with a falling facebuster to stun the champ. Both ladies lay on the mat for a moment and the "American Woman" is the first to her feet. Recognizing a chance to do something big, she lines herself up... and successfully delivers her Rock & Roll signature move! Eve gasps for breath from the impact and staggers up to her feet. When she does, Audrey is ready... and slams her down with her flipping Sunrise Slam finisher! The crowd's eyes go wide as Audrey goes for the cover! The referee slides in to count 1... 2... 3!!! The crowd erupts into a huge roar as Audrey has beaten Eve... and is the NEW Women's Champion!!!
Audrey sits up and she is in complete shock! She did it! She won the match and the title! The referee walks over and presents her with the title belt... and after staring at it in astonishment for a moment, she then snatches it and raises it up! The crowd is going wild for the upset victory and the emotion starts to show on her face! Eve slowly climbs back to her feet and the reality of the situation sets in. Audrey notices her rival struggling to stand up nearby and walks over. Audrey gives her a slight assist and then extends her hand for a handshake! Unfortunately... Eve smacks the gesture away and leaves dejectedly. Audrey is disappointed that her good sportsmanship was refused, but then her attention turns back to her new title belt. Audrey is the Women's champ and will face Natalya in the Smackdown final next week!!!
WINNER (and NEW Women's Champion): Audrey Vega
Audrey enters first to a raucous crowd, who cheers her and her boyfriend Antonio Jordan as they head to the ring. The so-called "America's Sweethearts" seem pumped for Audrey's title shot and she stays loose as she waits for the champion. A moment later, Eve's music hits and she enters to boos! The Women's champ strolls to the ring with the sinister Mr. Black accompanying her, and seems very confident as she climbs into the ring and gives her rival a nasty look. The referee gets tonight's title match ready and calls for the bell!
Audrey starts out very aggressive, catching the champion off-guard and delivering several big moves to start things off. Eve gets in a few shots herself, but those blows seem to just bounce off the determined challenger. Antonio cheers for his girl loudly, and draws an angry response from Mr. Black on the opposite side of the ring. An argument ensues and the shouting begins to distract the women and annoy the referee. Unable to maintain order, the referee makes a decision... and sends the managers away from ringside! Antonio is disappointed but exits peacefully, while Mr. Black bickers with the official angrily. Reluctantly, the creepy mentor stomps away and the crowd cheers his exit loudly!
Losing their managers seems to majorly affect Eve, as she appears shaken by Mr. Black's absence. Audrey begins to dominate the match as the champ can't seem to re-focus. But finally, Eve's anger boils over and it allows her to rally back. First, she gouges her opponent's eyes and follows up with a bulldog. With Audrey down on the mat, she delivers a stiff elbow to the back... and then taunts and slaps her right across the face!
Audrey fights back, countering with a hip toss. She then whips the champ into the corner, pulls her out... and tosses her through the turnbuckles and into the ring post! When Eve staggers out, Audrey capitalizes and drops her with an athletic hurricanrana. Then, Audrey decides to risk climbing the turnbuckle... but it pays off as she crashes into Eve with a flying body splash! The action then spills outside as the rivals tackle each other to the floor. They brawl out there for a while as the referee shouts out his count at regular intervals. Sensing a chance to score a cheap victory, Eve tosses Audrey into the announce table and slides back into the ring! She begs the referee to speed up his count as he shouts 9, and Audrey tries to shake off the pain. Suddenly, she realizes the situation... and dives into the ring to prevent the countout! She is relieved but when she stands back up... she receives a dropkick for her trouble!
Angry over failing to trick her foe, Eve dominates the next portion of the match and tries to put her away. But Audrey is resilient and is able to counter with a falling facebuster to stun the champ. Both ladies lay on the mat for a moment and the "American Woman" is the first to her feet. Recognizing a chance to do something big, she lines herself up... and successfully delivers her Rock & Roll signature move! Eve gasps for breath from the impact and staggers up to her feet. When she does, Audrey is ready... and slams her down with her flipping Sunrise Slam finisher! The crowd's eyes go wide as Audrey goes for the cover! The referee slides in to count 1... 2... 3!!! The crowd erupts into a huge roar as Audrey has beaten Eve... and is the NEW Women's Champion!!!
Audrey sits up and she is in complete shock! She did it! She won the match and the title! The referee walks over and presents her with the title belt... and after staring at it in astonishment for a moment, she then snatches it and raises it up! The crowd is going wild for the upset victory and the emotion starts to show on her face! Eve slowly climbs back to her feet and the reality of the situation sets in. Audrey notices her rival struggling to stand up nearby and walks over. Audrey gives her a slight assist and then extends her hand for a handshake! Unfortunately... Eve smacks the gesture away and leaves dejectedly. Audrey is disappointed that her good sportsmanship was refused, but then her attention turns back to her new title belt. Audrey is the Women's champ and will face Natalya in the Smackdown final next week!!!
WINNER (and NEW Women's Champion): Audrey Vega
Backstage Segment
After a brief commercial break, the show returns and the buzz from Audrey Vega's title win is still resonating throughout the arena. We are treated to a short video segment that occurred during the break. Audrey is walking backstage, carrying her new title, and is greeted with a round of congratulations and happy hugs from some of the roster members and backstage crew. She smiles meekly as she appreciates the impromptu celebration and then lights up when she sees... Antonio Jordan! Her supportive boyfriend appears and locks her in a big hug, drawing more emotion out of the newest champion. She backs up a second, wipes her eyes and Antonio confirms that she's okay. The happy champ confirms that she's good and excuses herself to enter the women's locker room.
The camera zooms in on Antonio, who watches her enter the room with a smile on his face. The "Mastermind" then turns around and the camera picks up an interesting expression on his face. Antonio seems to be fired up by Audrey's victory and after nodding confidently, he exits the area purposefully. What is on his mind? The video segment fades out to transition to the next segment.
The camera zooms in on Antonio, who watches her enter the room with a smile on his face. The "Mastermind" then turns around and the camera picks up an interesting expression on his face. Antonio seems to be fired up by Audrey's victory and after nodding confidently, he exits the area purposefully. What is on his mind? The video segment fades out to transition to the next segment.
Backstage Segment
The camera switches over to another backstage area... but something odd is happening. The camera is positioned far away from its intended target, almost as if it's being filmed secretly. The image is out of focus for a second, but then adjusts properly and zooms in. We are finally able to see Mr. Black standing in the doorway of a backstage room. The camera is positioned down the hallway, so we are unable to see into the room. He seems to be talking to someone. We can barely hear him but a few comments are picked up.
Mr. Black: "... no, you're gonna have to trust me... your time is coming... you're just going to have to be patient... I understand... yes... believe me, everything is going according to plan..."
The conversation seems to come to an end as Mr. Black gives a good-bye gesture and the door closes. The sinister manager adjusts his tie and begins to walk in the direction of the camera. To avoid being spotted, the camera re-positions and loses sight of him. Who was he talking to?! The segment fades out as the next match is about to begin.
Mr. Black: "... no, you're gonna have to trust me... your time is coming... you're just going to have to be patient... I understand... yes... believe me, everything is going according to plan..."
The conversation seems to come to an end as Mr. Black gives a good-bye gesture and the door closes. The sinister manager adjusts his tie and begins to walk in the direction of the camera. To avoid being spotted, the camera re-positions and loses sight of him. Who was he talking to?! The segment fades out as the next match is about to begin.
Six-Man Tag Team Match:
Rusty, Krizz Torture & Guy Justice vs.
Quinn Cadbury & Bullet Boyz
The fans get excited for the next match, a huge 3-on-3 tag battle that features the Intercontinental Champion and the unlikely contender that will face him at WrestleMania! Last week, Rusty faced Vincent Serum with the stipulation of an Intercontinental Title match on the line if the "2 Xtreme" superfan was able to pull off the upset. Even with champ Quinn Cadbury being disrespectful on commentary, Rusty received a little help from old friend Krizz Torture to score the win and earn the title shot. It seems like the 2 Cool 2 Xtreme partnership may be re-forming, and tonight they join up with the "True Savior" to face Quinn and the former 3-time Tag Team champs!
Rusty, Krizz and Justice all make their individual entrances, drawing an interesting array of responses from the crowd. A huge cheer for Rusty followed by lukewarm responses for his teammates make it interesting. Next, the "English Gentleman" and the foster brother duo earn major jeers from the New Orleans fans and it will be interesting to see them all work together for the first time. Rusty will start the match off against his newest rival, and the ref calls for the bell to signal the official start!
Rusty starts off very aggressive on the champ - punching him repeatedly, purposefully slamming his head into the mat and delivering a sling blade move. Quinn staggers into the ropes near the opposition corner but Justice snatches him by the arms! In a precarious position, Quinn can't stop Rusty from connecting a punch to the gut and a nasty headbutt to the forehead! Krizz wants some of the action already and Rusty tags him into the match. The "2 Cool" superstar catches an angry & sprinting Quinn with a back body drop, and then tosses him into the corner. There, he lifts the Intercontinental champ up onto the top rope... and slams him back down with a massive chokeslam! Feeling the confidence, Krizz delivers his signature Cool Drop onto the damaged "English Gentleman"... and then hurts him more with the Torture Rack finishing powerbomb! He goes for the cover... but Tony Bullet races in to break it up! The champ is getting decimated in the early part of this match!
Quinn finally is able to fight back, countering a move and sending Krizz into his own corner. There, he delivers a nasty chop to the chest and then tags in Craig Bullet. Together, he and Craig perform a snapmare & kick to the spine double-team move. The "High-Flyin' Criminal" continues to ride the momentum, knocking Krizz down with an enziguri and a dirty rake to the back. Krizz flops onto the mat near the ropes, and the athletic Craig gets an idea. He exits the ring onto the apron and prepares to perform a springboard maneuver. But just as he leaps onto the rope... Rusty sprints over and punches him down to the floor!
Outside the ring, Krizz and Rusty attack Craig viciously to weaken him. The ref begins a long count and is able to reach 8 during the course of the brawl. Craig escapes and slides back into the ring, hoping for a countout win. As Craig begs the ref to count faster, Justice sends a little trash talk in his direction. Angry, Craig walks over and performs a stunner move right onto the top rope to knock the "True Savior" off! Krizz meanwhile slides back in to beat the count and the match continues. Angry over Craig's attack, Justice drags him outside and he & Krizz put a beatdown on the "Criminal". Krizz rolls the beaten Craig back into the ring, tags in Rusty and they perform a double-team elbow off the ropes. Rusty then tags in a hungry Justice for his first in-ring action!
Justice plants Craig with an exploder suplex, but the "Criminal" counters with a hurricanrana. Justice fires back with a flurry of punches and follows up with a big suplex... and attempts a pin! The ref pats the mat for a count of 2, but Tony dives in to break it up in time. Determined to finish off Craig, he nails him with a belly-to-back suplex and then snatches his foe to deliver his signature Harsh Truth! Sensing a chance to win right then, he races over to clothesline Tony off the apron! He attempts to do the same to Quinn... but the "English Gentleman" pulls down the top rope and sends him tumbling to the floor below! Quinn & Tony then attack the "True Savior" in retaliation, giving Craig time to recover.
Justice is able to fight off the non-legal competitors, while Craig attacks Krizz & Rusty from their apron spots. Craig laughs as they fall down to the floor, but when he turns around... a smirking Justice slams him down with a huge belly-to-belly suplex! Rusty leaps back onto the apron and begs for a tag, and Justice obliges. The "2 Xtreme" superfan races over and delivers his Rusty Bumper signature to damage the "Criminal". Then, when Craig staggers to his feet, Rusty grabs him to perform his Rusty Nail signature! Rusty goes for the cover as a massive brawl breaks out between the other 4 guys! The referee slides in to count 1... 2... and Craig somehow manages to kick out!!! The ring action is chaotic with everyone fighting intensely and it takes a while for the referee to restore order. Finally, Craig plants Rusty with a desperate hurricanrana and heads to the corner to tag in Tony, while Rusty crawls to tag Krizz back in.
Krizz is ready to face off against Tony, and a big tornado DDT off the top turnbuckle seems to damage the "Sneaky Villain". The "2 Cool" superstar quickly follows up with his Head Rush signature, and as he makes his famous smoke taunt, his tag partners race over to fight Craig & Quinn! With the other occupied, Krizz delivers his finishing Torture Rack powerbomb and goes for the undisturbed pinfall! The referee counts the 1-2-3 cleanly for the win!
The crowd erupts into huge cheers as Rusty, Krizz and Justice raise their arms in celebration! Another huge win for Rusty as he prepares to face Quinn at WrestleMania for the Intercontinental Title! While the 3 fan favorites celebrate together, Quinn sharply yells at Craig & Tony as they exit the area. The Bullet Boyz scoff at the arrogant champ, but the "English Gentleman" is furious that he couldn't work well together with them. The juxtaposition of Quinn's frustration and Rusty's elation makes for an interesting image as the show heads to commercial break!
WINNERS: Krizz Torture, Rusty & Guy Justice
Rusty, Krizz and Justice all make their individual entrances, drawing an interesting array of responses from the crowd. A huge cheer for Rusty followed by lukewarm responses for his teammates make it interesting. Next, the "English Gentleman" and the foster brother duo earn major jeers from the New Orleans fans and it will be interesting to see them all work together for the first time. Rusty will start the match off against his newest rival, and the ref calls for the bell to signal the official start!
Rusty starts off very aggressive on the champ - punching him repeatedly, purposefully slamming his head into the mat and delivering a sling blade move. Quinn staggers into the ropes near the opposition corner but Justice snatches him by the arms! In a precarious position, Quinn can't stop Rusty from connecting a punch to the gut and a nasty headbutt to the forehead! Krizz wants some of the action already and Rusty tags him into the match. The "2 Cool" superstar catches an angry & sprinting Quinn with a back body drop, and then tosses him into the corner. There, he lifts the Intercontinental champ up onto the top rope... and slams him back down with a massive chokeslam! Feeling the confidence, Krizz delivers his signature Cool Drop onto the damaged "English Gentleman"... and then hurts him more with the Torture Rack finishing powerbomb! He goes for the cover... but Tony Bullet races in to break it up! The champ is getting decimated in the early part of this match!
Quinn finally is able to fight back, countering a move and sending Krizz into his own corner. There, he delivers a nasty chop to the chest and then tags in Craig Bullet. Together, he and Craig perform a snapmare & kick to the spine double-team move. The "High-Flyin' Criminal" continues to ride the momentum, knocking Krizz down with an enziguri and a dirty rake to the back. Krizz flops onto the mat near the ropes, and the athletic Craig gets an idea. He exits the ring onto the apron and prepares to perform a springboard maneuver. But just as he leaps onto the rope... Rusty sprints over and punches him down to the floor!
Outside the ring, Krizz and Rusty attack Craig viciously to weaken him. The ref begins a long count and is able to reach 8 during the course of the brawl. Craig escapes and slides back into the ring, hoping for a countout win. As Craig begs the ref to count faster, Justice sends a little trash talk in his direction. Angry, Craig walks over and performs a stunner move right onto the top rope to knock the "True Savior" off! Krizz meanwhile slides back in to beat the count and the match continues. Angry over Craig's attack, Justice drags him outside and he & Krizz put a beatdown on the "Criminal". Krizz rolls the beaten Craig back into the ring, tags in Rusty and they perform a double-team elbow off the ropes. Rusty then tags in a hungry Justice for his first in-ring action!
Justice plants Craig with an exploder suplex, but the "Criminal" counters with a hurricanrana. Justice fires back with a flurry of punches and follows up with a big suplex... and attempts a pin! The ref pats the mat for a count of 2, but Tony dives in to break it up in time. Determined to finish off Craig, he nails him with a belly-to-back suplex and then snatches his foe to deliver his signature Harsh Truth! Sensing a chance to win right then, he races over to clothesline Tony off the apron! He attempts to do the same to Quinn... but the "English Gentleman" pulls down the top rope and sends him tumbling to the floor below! Quinn & Tony then attack the "True Savior" in retaliation, giving Craig time to recover.
Justice is able to fight off the non-legal competitors, while Craig attacks Krizz & Rusty from their apron spots. Craig laughs as they fall down to the floor, but when he turns around... a smirking Justice slams him down with a huge belly-to-belly suplex! Rusty leaps back onto the apron and begs for a tag, and Justice obliges. The "2 Xtreme" superfan races over and delivers his Rusty Bumper signature to damage the "Criminal". Then, when Craig staggers to his feet, Rusty grabs him to perform his Rusty Nail signature! Rusty goes for the cover as a massive brawl breaks out between the other 4 guys! The referee slides in to count 1... 2... and Craig somehow manages to kick out!!! The ring action is chaotic with everyone fighting intensely and it takes a while for the referee to restore order. Finally, Craig plants Rusty with a desperate hurricanrana and heads to the corner to tag in Tony, while Rusty crawls to tag Krizz back in.
Krizz is ready to face off against Tony, and a big tornado DDT off the top turnbuckle seems to damage the "Sneaky Villain". The "2 Cool" superstar quickly follows up with his Head Rush signature, and as he makes his famous smoke taunt, his tag partners race over to fight Craig & Quinn! With the other occupied, Krizz delivers his finishing Torture Rack powerbomb and goes for the undisturbed pinfall! The referee counts the 1-2-3 cleanly for the win!
The crowd erupts into huge cheers as Rusty, Krizz and Justice raise their arms in celebration! Another huge win for Rusty as he prepares to face Quinn at WrestleMania for the Intercontinental Title! While the 3 fan favorites celebrate together, Quinn sharply yells at Craig & Tony as they exit the area. The Bullet Boyz scoff at the arrogant champ, but the "English Gentleman" is furious that he couldn't work well together with them. The juxtaposition of Quinn's frustration and Rusty's elation makes for an interesting image as the show heads to commercial break!
WINNERS: Krizz Torture, Rusty & Guy Justice
Backstage Interview
The show returns from break and we head to the interview area, where Lillian Garcia is waiting patiently alongside Parker & Coop! The former Olympians aren't on the card tonight but are here for an interview.
Lillian: "Hello everyone! I'm joined tonight by Tommy Parker and Joey Cooper, our resident Olympic duo here on Smackdown. Gentlemen... hello!"
Parker: "Hello Lillian, it is..."
Coop: "... very glad to see you this evening."
Lillian: "Over the past few months, you two have been on a fairly lengthy losing streak. Although you are former 2-time Tag Team Champions, you haven't been able to score a win in either tag team or singles matches. Could you explain your odd record of futility?"
Coop: "Well, you see Lillian... we always push ourselves..."
Parker: "... to be better and better each time we hit that ring. Sometimes things just don't..."
Coop: "... go our way. That's a natural thing to happen in wrestling sometimes. We know..."
Parker: "... that our time is coming again. We will soon be Tag Team Champions..."
Coop: "... again! We have a few tricks up our sleeve..."
Parker: "... and we will be prepared to use them when the time is right! We are..."
Coop: "... as committed as ever to this unit and our continuous..."
Parker: ".... goal of success!"
Lillian nods as she seems impressed by their positivity. But suddenly, a frown covers both of their faces as they look past her. Lillian is confused but then turns her head to see why. The camera pans back to reveal the snickering face of... Jester Price! The "Toughest Comedian Alive" covers his mouth as he chuckles and then speaks through the laughs.
Jester: "Look at these two! They're like if Olympic mascots had twins!"
Lillian: "Excuse us, Jester but we are trying to conduct an interview."
Jester: "An interview? With these idiots? I'd get a more interesting conversation with my pet goldfish... AFTER I flushed it down the toilet! I mean, seriously... they must shop for their wrestling gear at Toys R' Us! And their fashion sense is just as out of business as Toys R' Us is! Ha ha!"
Parker & Coop shake their head at the terrible jokes and glance at each other. Seemingly having the same thought, they give Jester an annoyed eye roll and exit the interview. Jester continues to chuckle and point at them, which is now annoying even the mild-tempered Lillian. Jester calms his laughs as he notices Lillian's disgust.
Lillian: "You know... your jokes aren't that funny."
Lillian leaves the scene too and Jester is taken aback from the comment. He gazes off past the camera, considering what she said.
Jester: "Wait a minute... am I... not funny?"
He ponders for a second... and then shakes his head and chuckles.
Jester: "Nah! I'm hilarious!"
Jester laughs at himself as the awkward segment comes to an end.
Lillian: "Hello everyone! I'm joined tonight by Tommy Parker and Joey Cooper, our resident Olympic duo here on Smackdown. Gentlemen... hello!"
Parker: "Hello Lillian, it is..."
Coop: "... very glad to see you this evening."
Lillian: "Over the past few months, you two have been on a fairly lengthy losing streak. Although you are former 2-time Tag Team Champions, you haven't been able to score a win in either tag team or singles matches. Could you explain your odd record of futility?"
Coop: "Well, you see Lillian... we always push ourselves..."
Parker: "... to be better and better each time we hit that ring. Sometimes things just don't..."
Coop: "... go our way. That's a natural thing to happen in wrestling sometimes. We know..."
Parker: "... that our time is coming again. We will soon be Tag Team Champions..."
Coop: "... again! We have a few tricks up our sleeve..."
Parker: "... and we will be prepared to use them when the time is right! We are..."
Coop: "... as committed as ever to this unit and our continuous..."
Parker: ".... goal of success!"
Lillian nods as she seems impressed by their positivity. But suddenly, a frown covers both of their faces as they look past her. Lillian is confused but then turns her head to see why. The camera pans back to reveal the snickering face of... Jester Price! The "Toughest Comedian Alive" covers his mouth as he chuckles and then speaks through the laughs.
Jester: "Look at these two! They're like if Olympic mascots had twins!"
Lillian: "Excuse us, Jester but we are trying to conduct an interview."
Jester: "An interview? With these idiots? I'd get a more interesting conversation with my pet goldfish... AFTER I flushed it down the toilet! I mean, seriously... they must shop for their wrestling gear at Toys R' Us! And their fashion sense is just as out of business as Toys R' Us is! Ha ha!"
Parker & Coop shake their head at the terrible jokes and glance at each other. Seemingly having the same thought, they give Jester an annoyed eye roll and exit the interview. Jester continues to chuckle and point at them, which is now annoying even the mild-tempered Lillian. Jester calms his laughs as he notices Lillian's disgust.
Lillian: "You know... your jokes aren't that funny."
Lillian leaves the scene too and Jester is taken aback from the comment. He gazes off past the camera, considering what she said.
Jester: "Wait a minute... am I... not funny?"
He ponders for a second... and then shakes his head and chuckles.
Jester: "Nah! I'm hilarious!"
Jester laughs at himself as the awkward segment comes to an end.
MAIN EVENT:
Money in the Bank Qualifying Match
H.E.R.O. vs. ???
The fans gear up for the night's final match, which will determine the final competitor for the Money in the Bank Ladder match! So far, Big Juan Santos, Travis Roarke and Brett Diamond from Raw and Joseph T. Lutte and Hitman Jack from Smackdown have qualified for the WrestleMania bout, leaving only one Smackdown spot remaining. Earlier tonight, H.E.R.O. confronted interim GM Triple H and demanded a spot in tonight's qualifying match but "The Game" did not reveal the opponent. Rumors have been circulating throughout the show about who it might be.
First, H.E.R.O. makes his entrance and gives the booing crowd a snobby look as he climbs into the ring. The "Cali Dragon" has remained arrogant despite his recent heel turn, although he has yet to produce anything but an annoyance to former friend Hitman Jack. Last week during the 3-way Money in the Bank qualifying match, he attacked the "Lethal Canadian" with a chair mid-match but somehow still didn't prevent Jack from winning. Tonight, he gets his own chance to qualify for the prestigious match with the coveted briefcase on the line.
H.E.R.O. waits impatiently for his opponent and an anxious buzz ripples through the crowd. Suddenly, the answer is revealed... as that familiar Rise Against theme song plays, and ANTONIO JORDAN comes out! The crowd explodes into cheers and H.E.R.O. is shocked, as he has to go through one of Smackdown's top-ranked contenders! Antonio heads to the ring, confident and smirking at his astonished foe. Both men get ready to do battle, and the bell rings to kick the match off!
Antonio dominates the first part of the match as the "Cali Dragon" still can't seem to focus from the shock of his opponent's reveal. The great start unfortunately doesn't last as H.E.R.O. recovers, changes his mindset and rallies back. Antonio reverses a whip into the ropes and sends H.E.R.O. dangling on the apron. The "Mastermind" backs up and attempts to tackle his foe off... but H.E.R.O. pulls down the top rope and sends his opponent tumbling to the floor!
Outside the ring, Antonio slams H.E.R.O.'s head off the announce table and fires up the cheering crowd with a taunt! But behind him, the "Cali Dragon" kips up to his feet! H.E.R.O. races over and tosses Antonio hard into the nearby steel steps! Determined to do more damage in the ring, H.E.R.O. lifts his weakened foe and rolls him back in. But just before H.E.R.O. can re-enter himself... Hitman Jack's music hits! The crowd erupts into deafening cheers as the ECW Champion strolls down to ringside with a conniving smirk on his face! The "Cali Dragon" is stunned at first but then turns to anger as he doesn't want this intruder ruining his shot. The "Lethal Canadian" approaches and is just taunting his rival, daring him to try and attack. Sure enough, the distraction works as H.E.R.O. sprints over and throws wild, furious punches! Hitman absorbs the blows but doesn't fight back, knowing that could cause a disqualification. After tossing Jack hard into the barricade, H.E.R.O. taunts the crowd as they boo him heavily.
The distraction served one key purpose that seems to escape H.E.R.O.'s attention during his assault. Antonio, who had been weakened from the match up to that point... is now nearly fully recovered and waiting in the ring! The "Cali Dragon" again taunts the crowd as he slithers into the ring, forgetting completely about his opponent. H.E.R.O. turns to see a valiant Antonio waiting and throws a wild defensive punch... but the "Mastermind" catches his arm! Antonio then delivers his signature Star-Spangled Suplex, dazing the rookie! When H.E.R.O. staggers to his feet, Antonio quickly snatches him and plants him with a crowd-pleasing American Dream finisher! He goes for the cover and the referee counts 1... 2... 3!!!
The crowd blows the roof off with shouting as Antonio celebrates proudly! Thanks to Hitman Jack's distraction and his advantage in experience, he pulls off the win and will compete in the Money in the Bank Ladder match!
First, H.E.R.O. makes his entrance and gives the booing crowd a snobby look as he climbs into the ring. The "Cali Dragon" has remained arrogant despite his recent heel turn, although he has yet to produce anything but an annoyance to former friend Hitman Jack. Last week during the 3-way Money in the Bank qualifying match, he attacked the "Lethal Canadian" with a chair mid-match but somehow still didn't prevent Jack from winning. Tonight, he gets his own chance to qualify for the prestigious match with the coveted briefcase on the line.
H.E.R.O. waits impatiently for his opponent and an anxious buzz ripples through the crowd. Suddenly, the answer is revealed... as that familiar Rise Against theme song plays, and ANTONIO JORDAN comes out! The crowd explodes into cheers and H.E.R.O. is shocked, as he has to go through one of Smackdown's top-ranked contenders! Antonio heads to the ring, confident and smirking at his astonished foe. Both men get ready to do battle, and the bell rings to kick the match off!
Antonio dominates the first part of the match as the "Cali Dragon" still can't seem to focus from the shock of his opponent's reveal. The great start unfortunately doesn't last as H.E.R.O. recovers, changes his mindset and rallies back. Antonio reverses a whip into the ropes and sends H.E.R.O. dangling on the apron. The "Mastermind" backs up and attempts to tackle his foe off... but H.E.R.O. pulls down the top rope and sends his opponent tumbling to the floor!
Outside the ring, Antonio slams H.E.R.O.'s head off the announce table and fires up the cheering crowd with a taunt! But behind him, the "Cali Dragon" kips up to his feet! H.E.R.O. races over and tosses Antonio hard into the nearby steel steps! Determined to do more damage in the ring, H.E.R.O. lifts his weakened foe and rolls him back in. But just before H.E.R.O. can re-enter himself... Hitman Jack's music hits! The crowd erupts into deafening cheers as the ECW Champion strolls down to ringside with a conniving smirk on his face! The "Cali Dragon" is stunned at first but then turns to anger as he doesn't want this intruder ruining his shot. The "Lethal Canadian" approaches and is just taunting his rival, daring him to try and attack. Sure enough, the distraction works as H.E.R.O. sprints over and throws wild, furious punches! Hitman absorbs the blows but doesn't fight back, knowing that could cause a disqualification. After tossing Jack hard into the barricade, H.E.R.O. taunts the crowd as they boo him heavily.
The distraction served one key purpose that seems to escape H.E.R.O.'s attention during his assault. Antonio, who had been weakened from the match up to that point... is now nearly fully recovered and waiting in the ring! The "Cali Dragon" again taunts the crowd as he slithers into the ring, forgetting completely about his opponent. H.E.R.O. turns to see a valiant Antonio waiting and throws a wild defensive punch... but the "Mastermind" catches his arm! Antonio then delivers his signature Star-Spangled Suplex, dazing the rookie! When H.E.R.O. staggers to his feet, Antonio quickly snatches him and plants him with a crowd-pleasing American Dream finisher! He goes for the cover and the referee counts 1... 2... 3!!!
The crowd blows the roof off with shouting as Antonio celebrates proudly! Thanks to Hitman Jack's distraction and his advantage in experience, he pulls off the win and will compete in the Money in the Bank Ladder match!
Post-Match Segment
The crowd continues to cheer for Antonio, and it's a great cherry on the cupcake for America's Sweethearts! Earlier, Audrey Vega captured the Women's Title in a huge moment and now Antonio's going to WrestleMania to fight for the briefcase! What a night for the proudly American couple!
But suddenly, the cheers turn to shock as... Eric Executioner appears! Antonio has his back turned to the ramp, and the "Narcissist" sprints down to the ring... with a steel pipe! The #1 contender for the World Heavyweight Title clearly has some unfinished business with the "Mastermind" and slides in. Before Antonio can defend himself, Eric strikes with the weapon right across the back! Eric delivers a few more punishing shots to the back as Antonio groans in pain! It's an ugly scene and the crowd jeers Eric mercilessly for the vicious attack.
But then, just as quickly as he appeared, Eric exits through the crowd! He seems to be a man on a mission and the camera follows him briefly as he vanishes to the backstage!
But suddenly, the cheers turn to shock as... Eric Executioner appears! Antonio has his back turned to the ramp, and the "Narcissist" sprints down to the ring... with a steel pipe! The #1 contender for the World Heavyweight Title clearly has some unfinished business with the "Mastermind" and slides in. Before Antonio can defend himself, Eric strikes with the weapon right across the back! Eric delivers a few more punishing shots to the back as Antonio groans in pain! It's an ugly scene and the crowd jeers Eric mercilessly for the vicious attack.
But then, just as quickly as he appeared, Eric exits through the crowd! He seems to be a man on a mission and the camera follows him briefly as he vanishes to the backstage!
Backstage Segment
A few seconds later, the cameras transition to the parking lot where we see Angus leaving for the evening. The World Heavyweight champ had a little argument with his rival to start the show but was not on the match card. It seems to be calm in the area until...
... Eric strikes from behind! The "Narcissist" has now attacked both of his fiercest rivals in a matter of minutes! Eric wails on the unsuspecting champion with the same pipe he used on Antonio, leaving Angus hurt on the concrete. Eric squats in closer to Angus's face and the camera picks up his words.
Eric: "You wanted me to be ready for a WAR? Well... I am, buddy. You may not even make it to WrestleMania... but if you can show up, I'm going to take your title away."
Eric stomps Angus's face with his boot and stands up tall. The "Narcissist" stares down at the injured champion as the show comes to a close!
... Eric strikes from behind! The "Narcissist" has now attacked both of his fiercest rivals in a matter of minutes! Eric wails on the unsuspecting champion with the same pipe he used on Antonio, leaving Angus hurt on the concrete. Eric squats in closer to Angus's face and the camera picks up his words.
Eric: "You wanted me to be ready for a WAR? Well... I am, buddy. You may not even make it to WrestleMania... but if you can show up, I'm going to take your title away."
Eric stomps Angus's face with his boot and stands up tall. The "Narcissist" stares down at the injured champion as the show comes to a close!
Week 4
With only two days left until WrestleMania, Friday Night Smackdown brings a LIVE episode to Cleveland, OH!
In-Ring Segment
The show opens with the entrance of World Heavyweight champ Angus! The "Irish Giant" is going to defend his title in two days at WrestleMania against Eric Executioner, who has been feuding with him since Angus cashed in his Money in the Bank briefcase on him a few months ago. Angus comes down to the ring, and he looks furious! That should not be a surprise as the "Narcissist" attacked him in the parking lot to conclude last week's show, and the champion does not take lightly to that! He enters the ring and begins speaking quickly.
Angus: "I am not going to waste time chatting. There's business to take care of. I DEMAND that tool Eric Executioner comes out here to face me RIGHT NOW!"
The crowd is stunned at the champ's forceful words, and he stares daggers at the entrance and impatiently waits for his rival to appear. Several anxious moments pass with no response, but then... Eric's music hits! The crowd welcomes him with boos and the "Narcissist" strolls onto the stage with a stoic expression. Angus waits to see if his rival will speak, but Eric just stands on the stage and glares. Finally, an impatient champ continues.
Angus: "Aye... you dirty gobshite! How dare you attack me in the parking lot last week! You think that will annoy me or weaken me before Sunday? Aye... you're wrong! You have just made me even more ANGRY than I was before!"
The crowd continues to be stunned by Angus's fury, and a smirk forms on Eric's face.
Angus: "You fella... you may think that you can beat me up in the parking lot. You can beat me up in the cafeteria. You can beat me up at the grocery store, the swimming pool... anywhere! But no matter what... you will NOT be able to pin me down! This Sunday... I'm keeping this World Heavyweight Title! And if you're willing to fight me anywhere... then let's make a little change to our match. I'm proposing to face ya Sunday... in an... Extreme Rules Falls Count Anywhere match! You want to fight outside the confines of the ring! Then prove it on Sunday... and accept my challenge, ya dope!"
The fans buzz with excitement as they await Eric's response. Angus wants to bring all the weapons and environment options into play on Sunday! A few moments later, the "Narcissist" replies.
Eric: "Extreme Rules? Falls Count Anywhere? I'd LOVE to beat you on Sunday in that kind of match. Your streak... and your title reign... ARE OVER!"
The two men glare as the crowd reacts to the news. The World Title will now be on the line Sunday in a dangerous, brutal match type! All weapons and locations will be legal on Sunday! The intense staredown concludes the furious opening segment of the show!
Angus: "I am not going to waste time chatting. There's business to take care of. I DEMAND that tool Eric Executioner comes out here to face me RIGHT NOW!"
The crowd is stunned at the champ's forceful words, and he stares daggers at the entrance and impatiently waits for his rival to appear. Several anxious moments pass with no response, but then... Eric's music hits! The crowd welcomes him with boos and the "Narcissist" strolls onto the stage with a stoic expression. Angus waits to see if his rival will speak, but Eric just stands on the stage and glares. Finally, an impatient champ continues.
Angus: "Aye... you dirty gobshite! How dare you attack me in the parking lot last week! You think that will annoy me or weaken me before Sunday? Aye... you're wrong! You have just made me even more ANGRY than I was before!"
The crowd continues to be stunned by Angus's fury, and a smirk forms on Eric's face.
Angus: "You fella... you may think that you can beat me up in the parking lot. You can beat me up in the cafeteria. You can beat me up at the grocery store, the swimming pool... anywhere! But no matter what... you will NOT be able to pin me down! This Sunday... I'm keeping this World Heavyweight Title! And if you're willing to fight me anywhere... then let's make a little change to our match. I'm proposing to face ya Sunday... in an... Extreme Rules Falls Count Anywhere match! You want to fight outside the confines of the ring! Then prove it on Sunday... and accept my challenge, ya dope!"
The fans buzz with excitement as they await Eric's response. Angus wants to bring all the weapons and environment options into play on Sunday! A few moments later, the "Narcissist" replies.
Eric: "Extreme Rules? Falls Count Anywhere? I'd LOVE to beat you on Sunday in that kind of match. Your streak... and your title reign... ARE OVER!"
The two men glare as the crowd reacts to the news. The World Title will now be on the line Sunday in a dangerous, brutal match type! All weapons and locations will be legal on Sunday! The intense staredown concludes the furious opening segment of the show!
Women's Championship Unification Tournament - Bracket:
Women's Championship Unification Tournament
Smackdown Final: Audrey Vega {c} vs. Natalya
The first match of the evening will decide who is taking the Women's Title into WrestleMania against Divas champ Brittany Black... and a chance to unify the two belts! Last week, Natalya defeated Jersey Jenny and Audrey Vega pulled off the biggest upset, winning the Women's Title for the first time in a victory over Eve Torres. So tonight, the "American Woman" will put her new title on the line against a 3rd-generation veteran to determine who will represent Smackdown in the tournament championship this Sunday!
Natayla enters first, garnering a negative reaction for the Hart Foundation progeny. She scoffs at the fan's distaste and gets ready to fight for the title. Next, Audrey's music hits and the crowd goes wild... especially when she appears with the title around her waist! The response for the newest Women's Champion is awesome, and she can barely stay focused on the task at hand with all the support. Both ladies gear up for battle, the referee holds the belt up for all to see and calls for the bell!
The champ gets off to a dominant start, including a bulldog and a cartwheel moonsault. She attempts to place Natalya on the top turnbuckle for her next move, but the Hart Dynasty daughter counters with a kick to the face... and a flying cross body! Natalya then wraps Audrey's head in a leg scissor hold and delivers a sharp elbow to the skull. Audrey rallies back, delivering a falling facebuster and then catches Natalya with a hurricanrana pinning combo! The referee counts 1... 2... but the veteran kicks out! Natalya issues a little trash talk but the champion responds with a vicious slap. The strike sends Natalya staggering into the ropes, and Audrey sprints over... but her clothesline attempt is countered and she goes tumbling down to the floor below!
The determined females brawl harshly outside, trying hard to damage each other enough for victory. Audrey slams Natalya's head off the announce table. She then attempts another hurricanrana, but Natalya counters it into a powerbomb! The veteran then slams the champ's head off the ringpost and rolls her back into the ring. Natalya decides to climb the turnbuckle on her way back into the ring... but Audrey recovers quickly and slams her down from the top! The "American Woman" then scales the turnbuckles herself, and crashes into her dazed foe with a flying cross body!
The back-and-forth battle continues, with both ladies gaining the upper hand for a bit. Audrey is able to knock her challenger down and applies a single-leg Boston crab submission, but Natalya battles out. But the submission hold weakens her and the champ pounces on the opportunity, following up with a standing split leg drop. Fired up, Audrey quickly lines up and... delivers her Rock & Roll signature! Natalya staggers to her feet, and the "American Woman" grabs her and plants her with her Sunrise Slam finisher! She goes for the cover, and the referee counts 1... 2... 3!!!
Audrey wins the match, defends her title and will compete at WrestleMania! The crowd whoops it up for her, and she raises her title belt high! Audrey notices her defeated opponent nearby, and offers a handshake as a sign of good sportsmanship. Unfortunately, the frustrated Natalya smacks the gesture away and walks away upset, leaving the happy champ alone to celebrate! She will face Raw's Brittany Black to try and unify the two title belts!
WINNER (and still Women's Champion): Audrey Vega
Natayla enters first, garnering a negative reaction for the Hart Foundation progeny. She scoffs at the fan's distaste and gets ready to fight for the title. Next, Audrey's music hits and the crowd goes wild... especially when she appears with the title around her waist! The response for the newest Women's Champion is awesome, and she can barely stay focused on the task at hand with all the support. Both ladies gear up for battle, the referee holds the belt up for all to see and calls for the bell!
The champ gets off to a dominant start, including a bulldog and a cartwheel moonsault. She attempts to place Natalya on the top turnbuckle for her next move, but the Hart Dynasty daughter counters with a kick to the face... and a flying cross body! Natalya then wraps Audrey's head in a leg scissor hold and delivers a sharp elbow to the skull. Audrey rallies back, delivering a falling facebuster and then catches Natalya with a hurricanrana pinning combo! The referee counts 1... 2... but the veteran kicks out! Natalya issues a little trash talk but the champion responds with a vicious slap. The strike sends Natalya staggering into the ropes, and Audrey sprints over... but her clothesline attempt is countered and she goes tumbling down to the floor below!
The determined females brawl harshly outside, trying hard to damage each other enough for victory. Audrey slams Natalya's head off the announce table. She then attempts another hurricanrana, but Natalya counters it into a powerbomb! The veteran then slams the champ's head off the ringpost and rolls her back into the ring. Natalya decides to climb the turnbuckle on her way back into the ring... but Audrey recovers quickly and slams her down from the top! The "American Woman" then scales the turnbuckles herself, and crashes into her dazed foe with a flying cross body!
The back-and-forth battle continues, with both ladies gaining the upper hand for a bit. Audrey is able to knock her challenger down and applies a single-leg Boston crab submission, but Natalya battles out. But the submission hold weakens her and the champ pounces on the opportunity, following up with a standing split leg drop. Fired up, Audrey quickly lines up and... delivers her Rock & Roll signature! Natalya staggers to her feet, and the "American Woman" grabs her and plants her with her Sunrise Slam finisher! She goes for the cover, and the referee counts 1... 2... 3!!!
Audrey wins the match, defends her title and will compete at WrestleMania! The crowd whoops it up for her, and she raises her title belt high! Audrey notices her defeated opponent nearby, and offers a handshake as a sign of good sportsmanship. Unfortunately, the frustrated Natalya smacks the gesture away and walks away upset, leaving the happy champ alone to celebrate! She will face Raw's Brittany Black to try and unify the two title belts!
WINNER (and still Women's Champion): Audrey Vega
Backstage Segment
The show returns from commercial break and we transition backstage to observe a conversation between Rusty, Krizz Torture and Angus! Rusty and Angus have had a fairly friendly relationship for a while, and Krizz has recently shown to be likely re-aligning with his former tag partner too. The conversation is in progress.
Rusty: "You saw the card, right? Me and you against Eric and Quinn?"
Angus: "Aye, yes I did. Good for us... we get to put our hands on those dopes before Sunday."
Rusty: "Yeah! They both have no idea what's coming."
Angus: "Aye, well... I just need to warn you about Eric. His antics lately have been a tad... aggressive. You're gonna need to protect yourself."
Rusty: "I can handle it. I'm not gonna let him hurt me. Plus... I've got Krizz to back us up. We're good!"
Angus laughs heartily and Rusty joins in. They share a confident handshake and walk down the hallway, out of frame. Krizz trails behind them... but has an ambiguous expression on his face. Is he confident? Confused? Annoyed? Pleased? The hard-to-read look on his face ends the segment as he walks towards the other two!
Rusty: "You saw the card, right? Me and you against Eric and Quinn?"
Angus: "Aye, yes I did. Good for us... we get to put our hands on those dopes before Sunday."
Rusty: "Yeah! They both have no idea what's coming."
Angus: "Aye, well... I just need to warn you about Eric. His antics lately have been a tad... aggressive. You're gonna need to protect yourself."
Rusty: "I can handle it. I'm not gonna let him hurt me. Plus... I've got Krizz to back us up. We're good!"
Angus laughs heartily and Rusty joins in. They share a confident handshake and walk down the hallway, out of frame. Krizz trails behind them... but has an ambiguous expression on his face. Is he confident? Confused? Annoyed? Pleased? The hard-to-read look on his face ends the segment as he walks towards the other two!
Tag Team Championship:
Alpha & Omega (w/ Master Kimoto) {c} vs. Rebel Ford & Ace
The second match of the night is also a title match, as the Japanese luchadors put the belts on the line against the superstar duo of former World Heavyweight Champions! Alpha & Omega have been reigning as champs since their victory at Survivor Series, and haven't even suffered a loss together since Master Kimoto re-emerged as their exclusive mentor. But they might be facing their toughest task yet, as Rebel and the "Ultimate Superstar" have taken advantage of a thinning tag division to claim a shot for the titles! The fans are giddy with excitement to see a huge title match just a few days short of the biggest PPV of the year!
Rebel and Ace each make their separate entrances, drawing big cheers from the Cleveland crowd. The fans are especially loud for Ohio-native Rebel, who is wrestling a title match in his home state. Next, the Japanese luchadors head down, stretching and warming up their bodies in their usual pre-match routine. Master Kimoto gives words of encouragement for his students and they prepare to defend their titles. Across the ring, Rebel & Ace share a jubilant high-five and seem very fired up for tonight's opportunity! The bell rings and we get underway.
And... the action starts quickly as Rebel sprints over and decks Alpha with a running knee! The "Revolutionary Brawler" delivers a flurry of punches to continue the hot start. He attempts to whip Alpha into the corner... but he gets reversed into a hurricanrana pin! Rebel is stuck under the move and Ace has to race in to break it up at a count of 2! The Japanese duo mean business tonight! Rebel and Ace breathe a sigh of relief and re-focus.
The competitors trade moves for a while as the talent is evenly matched. Alpha climbs the ropes for a flying maneuver... but Rebel ducks and sends his foe crashing into the mat with a wild miss! This gives Rebel a chance to catch a breather, as he slides over to tag in Ace. The "Ultimate Superstar" runs over to follow up but walks right into a desperate jumping heel kick from Alpha. The masked luchador is able to escape to his own corner for a tag, and Omega makes an immediate impact. When Ace staggers to his feet, Omega blinds him with green Mystery Spray! He quickly follows up with their Tatsumaki finishing combo which ends in a hurricanrana pin! The referee counts 1... 2... and Ace forces a break by grabbing the nearest bottom rope!
Frustrated, Ace angrily tosses Omega into his team's corner and delivers two nasty chops across the chest. He then tags in Rebel and they perform a nice double-team move. Rebel follows up with a snapmare & chest kick combo, but Omega rallies back. The blue-clad luchador climbs the nearest turnbuckle and leaps off... but Rebel escapes again and Omega flops to the mat after a miss! Rebel clearly has them scouted and the luchadors start to show signs of frustration. Omega does manage to knock Rebel down and retreats to his corner to tag in his partner.
But before Alpha can re-enter the ring, Master Kimoto shouts angrily at his students and both of them gather for a mid-match chat. The exact words can't be picked up by the cameras, but it's obvious the elder mentor is absolutely furious with their performance so far. The luchadors nod meekly as they get scolded, and Omega returns to the apron as Alpha remains to receive final instructions. On the other side of the ring, Rebel tags in a rejuvenated Ace... and he sprints over to clothesline Omega from his perch!
The attack seems to be the final straw for Master Kimoto as he bursts into another round of angry shouting directed at his students. Finally, he points wildly towards the timekeeper's area... gesturing towards their title belts! What is Master Kimoto asking Alpha to do? A moment later, it becomes clear... that he asked Alpha to use them as a weapon! This Tag Title match is a standard match - why is he asking him to use the title belts illegally?!
Alpha enters the ring with one of the title belts and the referee gets into an argument with Master Kimoto over this odd tactic. Ace looks at a nervous Alpha with a concerned expression, wondering if the quiet luchador is actually going to follow this evil command. The tension begins to grow as Ace approaches carefully, unsure of what's going to happen. But then... Alpha attacks and swings the title belt in his direction! Anticipating it, Ace deftly ducks under the object and Alpha flies past off-balance. But his momentum can't be stopped... and the title smacks directly off the referee's temple!
It's now chaos, as Master Kimoto's jaw drops and Alpha immediately shows signs of regret. He can be seen apologizing to the referee... but the official signals for the bell! The Tag Team champs have been disqualified! They have suffered their first loss since Master Kimoto has returned, and it's because he ordered them to perform an illegal act! Rebel and Ace are confused and also upset... because they won the match, but not the titles! The DQ decision means Alpha & Omega keep the titles!
The Japanese luchadors sulk away from the ring, again being scolded by their enraged mentor while Rebel & Ace stand unsatisfied in the ring. The fans boo the result for good reason - what a terrible way to end this match!
WINNERS (by DQ): Ace & Rebel Ford
*Note: Titles cannot change hands due to a disqualification, so therefore Alpha & Omega are still Tag Team Champions*
Rebel and Ace each make their separate entrances, drawing big cheers from the Cleveland crowd. The fans are especially loud for Ohio-native Rebel, who is wrestling a title match in his home state. Next, the Japanese luchadors head down, stretching and warming up their bodies in their usual pre-match routine. Master Kimoto gives words of encouragement for his students and they prepare to defend their titles. Across the ring, Rebel & Ace share a jubilant high-five and seem very fired up for tonight's opportunity! The bell rings and we get underway.
And... the action starts quickly as Rebel sprints over and decks Alpha with a running knee! The "Revolutionary Brawler" delivers a flurry of punches to continue the hot start. He attempts to whip Alpha into the corner... but he gets reversed into a hurricanrana pin! Rebel is stuck under the move and Ace has to race in to break it up at a count of 2! The Japanese duo mean business tonight! Rebel and Ace breathe a sigh of relief and re-focus.
The competitors trade moves for a while as the talent is evenly matched. Alpha climbs the ropes for a flying maneuver... but Rebel ducks and sends his foe crashing into the mat with a wild miss! This gives Rebel a chance to catch a breather, as he slides over to tag in Ace. The "Ultimate Superstar" runs over to follow up but walks right into a desperate jumping heel kick from Alpha. The masked luchador is able to escape to his own corner for a tag, and Omega makes an immediate impact. When Ace staggers to his feet, Omega blinds him with green Mystery Spray! He quickly follows up with their Tatsumaki finishing combo which ends in a hurricanrana pin! The referee counts 1... 2... and Ace forces a break by grabbing the nearest bottom rope!
Frustrated, Ace angrily tosses Omega into his team's corner and delivers two nasty chops across the chest. He then tags in Rebel and they perform a nice double-team move. Rebel follows up with a snapmare & chest kick combo, but Omega rallies back. The blue-clad luchador climbs the nearest turnbuckle and leaps off... but Rebel escapes again and Omega flops to the mat after a miss! Rebel clearly has them scouted and the luchadors start to show signs of frustration. Omega does manage to knock Rebel down and retreats to his corner to tag in his partner.
But before Alpha can re-enter the ring, Master Kimoto shouts angrily at his students and both of them gather for a mid-match chat. The exact words can't be picked up by the cameras, but it's obvious the elder mentor is absolutely furious with their performance so far. The luchadors nod meekly as they get scolded, and Omega returns to the apron as Alpha remains to receive final instructions. On the other side of the ring, Rebel tags in a rejuvenated Ace... and he sprints over to clothesline Omega from his perch!
The attack seems to be the final straw for Master Kimoto as he bursts into another round of angry shouting directed at his students. Finally, he points wildly towards the timekeeper's area... gesturing towards their title belts! What is Master Kimoto asking Alpha to do? A moment later, it becomes clear... that he asked Alpha to use them as a weapon! This Tag Title match is a standard match - why is he asking him to use the title belts illegally?!
Alpha enters the ring with one of the title belts and the referee gets into an argument with Master Kimoto over this odd tactic. Ace looks at a nervous Alpha with a concerned expression, wondering if the quiet luchador is actually going to follow this evil command. The tension begins to grow as Ace approaches carefully, unsure of what's going to happen. But then... Alpha attacks and swings the title belt in his direction! Anticipating it, Ace deftly ducks under the object and Alpha flies past off-balance. But his momentum can't be stopped... and the title smacks directly off the referee's temple!
It's now chaos, as Master Kimoto's jaw drops and Alpha immediately shows signs of regret. He can be seen apologizing to the referee... but the official signals for the bell! The Tag Team champs have been disqualified! They have suffered their first loss since Master Kimoto has returned, and it's because he ordered them to perform an illegal act! Rebel and Ace are confused and also upset... because they won the match, but not the titles! The DQ decision means Alpha & Omega keep the titles!
The Japanese luchadors sulk away from the ring, again being scolded by their enraged mentor while Rebel & Ace stand unsatisfied in the ring. The fans boo the result for good reason - what a terrible way to end this match!
WINNERS (by DQ): Ace & Rebel Ford
*Note: Titles cannot change hands due to a disqualification, so therefore Alpha & Omega are still Tag Team Champions*
Interview Segment
A brief commercial break is followed by a pre-taped interview segment. The three Smackdown qualifiers for Sunday's Money in the Bank Ladder match - Joseph T. Lutte, Hitman Jack and Antonio Jordan - each conducted separate interviews with the same interviewer, and discussed their upcoming match for the briefcase. The video shows the interviewer asking the question and then all three
Interviewer: "What would winning the Money in the Bank briefcase mean to you?"
Joseph: "It would give a true champion like moi a chance to capture a championship I deserve. The WWE or World Heavyweight Championship would be the next step for me. Plus... I almost won the briefcase from that idiote Angus. It's only a matter of time now."
Hitman: "I'm not sure. It would be a pretty crazy accomplishment though. I think it would just validate what I'm capable of. I don't think people know how talented I really am. The briefcase would give me a chance to show them."
Antonio: "Man... it would be incredible. I've been fighting to win a World championship for so long. I've held the WWE Title once... ONCE! Can you believe that? It would give me finally a chance to fight for the title I want, when I want."
Interviewer: "Observing your opponents in the match, where would you rank your prospects for winning the match?"
Joseph: "Extremely high. I mean... look at moi! A perfect specimen like moi deserves the briefcase. I'd be the most dangerous homme in the WWE!"
Hitman: "I'd say... fairly strong. I'm confident in my abilities. I can get it done."
Antonio: "I'm the favorite. I know I am. That's why fools like Eric Executioner are attacking me after the match like he did last week! He knows I'm next. I'm winning that briefcase and I'm cashing in very, very soon."
The interview fades out as the next match gets ready... and it will feature all three of them!
Interviewer: "What would winning the Money in the Bank briefcase mean to you?"
Joseph: "It would give a true champion like moi a chance to capture a championship I deserve. The WWE or World Heavyweight Championship would be the next step for me. Plus... I almost won the briefcase from that idiote Angus. It's only a matter of time now."
Hitman: "I'm not sure. It would be a pretty crazy accomplishment though. I think it would just validate what I'm capable of. I don't think people know how talented I really am. The briefcase would give me a chance to show them."
Antonio: "Man... it would be incredible. I've been fighting to win a World championship for so long. I've held the WWE Title once... ONCE! Can you believe that? It would give me finally a chance to fight for the title I want, when I want."
Interviewer: "Observing your opponents in the match, where would you rank your prospects for winning the match?"
Joseph: "Extremely high. I mean... look at moi! A perfect specimen like moi deserves the briefcase. I'd be the most dangerous homme in the WWE!"
Hitman: "I'd say... fairly strong. I'm confident in my abilities. I can get it done."
Antonio: "I'm the favorite. I know I am. That's why fools like Eric Executioner are attacking me after the match like he did last week! He knows I'm next. I'm winning that briefcase and I'm cashing in very, very soon."
The interview fades out as the next match gets ready... and it will feature all three of them!
Hitman Jack vs. Antonio Jordan vs. Joseph T. Lutte
A Triple Threat match featuring the three Smackdown qualifiers for the Money in the Bank Ladder match will give us a tiny preview of the chaotic match this Sunday! Only one man can claim the briefcase, so tonight's match could give us a good idea of who will have the most momentum. Although the qualifiers from Raw will also be in the match, it will be good to see which of the blue-brand grapplers may be in line for a huge victory!
The crowd whoops it up for the first entrant, as ECW champ Hitman Jack strolls to the ring confidently. The "Lethal Canadian" has seen an uptick in popularity since his breakup with H.E.R.O. and seems to have the upper hand in the growing feud with his former ally. Next, the crowd continues to cheer for another fan favorite as the "Mastermind" makes his way down. Antonio seems pumped for tonight's bout as he walks the ramp... but suddenly, Joseph attacks him from behind! The "Fantastic Frenchman" clotheslines his old rival from behind and the crowd is stunned. What a way to start the match off!
Hitman doesn't appreciate the unwarranted assault, and he slides out of the ring to interject. But his attempt to step in proves to be costly, as Joseph kicks him in the gut... and then lifts him up to deliver his Moneymaker finisher! We are seconds into the match, and the wealthy European is standing tall over his opponents! The moment doesn't last though, as an angry Antonio quickly drops Joseph with an impactful DDT! Hitman also recovers soon and all 3 men brawl viciously outside the ring, and the crowd is loving the strange yet exciting way to begin!
After the wild fight makes it way to the ring, minor alliances form as they try to hurt each other. Antonio and Hitman team up to deliver a double wheelbarrow slam, but then the "Lethal Canadian" and Joseph attack Antonio with several submission holds and kicks to the head. The "Mastermind" becomes furious again, and uses his anger as fuel to go on a rampage of suplexes and slams. After one big move, he attempts a pin on Joseph... but Hitman breaks it up! Riding the momentum, Antonio plants Joseph with his signature Star-Spangled Suplex and catches Hitman with his American Dream finisher! The "Fantastic Frenchman" woozily fights back, but Antonio manages to toss him out of the ring. Sensing a chance to win, Antonio slides into a pin on top of Hitman and the referee counts 1... 2... and the "Lethal Canadian" powers out to keep the match alive!
The action spills outside again and the big moves ramp up. Antonio hits the Star-Spangled Suplex on Joseph, but Joseph delivers his signature Blind Ambition on Hitman. Then Antonio plants Jack with another American Dream, but Joseph whips Antonio into the barricade. It's an incredible fight, but a minute later... H.E.R.O. walks down to the ring! The "Cali Dragon" has jealousy on his mind and anger in his face, as he wants to intrude in this match with the Money in the Bank qualifiers. He couldn't beat Antonio last week, so now he's here to distract, annoy and cause a little mayhem!
It becomes clear what H.E.R.O. plans to do... prevent any of them from getting a pinfall! First, Antonio hits his Knee Deep signature on Hitman and an American Dream on Joseph, but the "Cali Dragon" slides into the ring to bust up the ensuing pin attempt! Then, the "Lethal Canadian" damages Lutte with his Lethal Hit finisher... but H.E.R.O. breaks his pinfall up too! H.E.R.O. continues to stalk the ring, looking for any other ways to cause problems. The three competitors keep fighting each other and try to ignore the intruder, determined to claim the key victory. Hitman slams Antonio's head into the ringpost... and causes a bloody wound to emerge on his forehead! Hitman rolls the "Mastermind" back into the ring but spots his former partner hanging nearby. Jack and Joseph glance at each other, seem to share the same thought... and decide to attack an unsuspecting H.E.R.O.! The "Cali Dragon" gets driven away and he exits the area dejected and upset.
With the intruder gone, the match can finally return to its normal exciting state. Hitman whips Joseph hard into the steel steps, and then plants him with a huge suplex right onto the floor. The "Lethal Canadian" then decides to enter the ring, hoping to finish off the bleeding Antonio. Jack lifts the wounded "Mastermind" off the mat, and whips him into the ropes. He tries a move... but the sly Antonio times a perfect reversal! When Hitman spins around, Antonio delivers yet another American Dream! The bloody "Mastermind" crawls into a cover and the referee counts 1... 2... 3!!!
The crowd erupts into cheers as Antonio has pulled off a huge win just days before WrestleMania! Bloody and woozy, but victorious, Antonio allows the referee to raise his arm. The other two men are disappointed, but Joseph especially sends an icy glare towards him. Antonio proves that he might be resilient enough to bring down the briefcase this Sunday!
WINNER: Antonio Jordan
The crowd whoops it up for the first entrant, as ECW champ Hitman Jack strolls to the ring confidently. The "Lethal Canadian" has seen an uptick in popularity since his breakup with H.E.R.O. and seems to have the upper hand in the growing feud with his former ally. Next, the crowd continues to cheer for another fan favorite as the "Mastermind" makes his way down. Antonio seems pumped for tonight's bout as he walks the ramp... but suddenly, Joseph attacks him from behind! The "Fantastic Frenchman" clotheslines his old rival from behind and the crowd is stunned. What a way to start the match off!
Hitman doesn't appreciate the unwarranted assault, and he slides out of the ring to interject. But his attempt to step in proves to be costly, as Joseph kicks him in the gut... and then lifts him up to deliver his Moneymaker finisher! We are seconds into the match, and the wealthy European is standing tall over his opponents! The moment doesn't last though, as an angry Antonio quickly drops Joseph with an impactful DDT! Hitman also recovers soon and all 3 men brawl viciously outside the ring, and the crowd is loving the strange yet exciting way to begin!
After the wild fight makes it way to the ring, minor alliances form as they try to hurt each other. Antonio and Hitman team up to deliver a double wheelbarrow slam, but then the "Lethal Canadian" and Joseph attack Antonio with several submission holds and kicks to the head. The "Mastermind" becomes furious again, and uses his anger as fuel to go on a rampage of suplexes and slams. After one big move, he attempts a pin on Joseph... but Hitman breaks it up! Riding the momentum, Antonio plants Joseph with his signature Star-Spangled Suplex and catches Hitman with his American Dream finisher! The "Fantastic Frenchman" woozily fights back, but Antonio manages to toss him out of the ring. Sensing a chance to win, Antonio slides into a pin on top of Hitman and the referee counts 1... 2... and the "Lethal Canadian" powers out to keep the match alive!
The action spills outside again and the big moves ramp up. Antonio hits the Star-Spangled Suplex on Joseph, but Joseph delivers his signature Blind Ambition on Hitman. Then Antonio plants Jack with another American Dream, but Joseph whips Antonio into the barricade. It's an incredible fight, but a minute later... H.E.R.O. walks down to the ring! The "Cali Dragon" has jealousy on his mind and anger in his face, as he wants to intrude in this match with the Money in the Bank qualifiers. He couldn't beat Antonio last week, so now he's here to distract, annoy and cause a little mayhem!
It becomes clear what H.E.R.O. plans to do... prevent any of them from getting a pinfall! First, Antonio hits his Knee Deep signature on Hitman and an American Dream on Joseph, but the "Cali Dragon" slides into the ring to bust up the ensuing pin attempt! Then, the "Lethal Canadian" damages Lutte with his Lethal Hit finisher... but H.E.R.O. breaks his pinfall up too! H.E.R.O. continues to stalk the ring, looking for any other ways to cause problems. The three competitors keep fighting each other and try to ignore the intruder, determined to claim the key victory. Hitman slams Antonio's head into the ringpost... and causes a bloody wound to emerge on his forehead! Hitman rolls the "Mastermind" back into the ring but spots his former partner hanging nearby. Jack and Joseph glance at each other, seem to share the same thought... and decide to attack an unsuspecting H.E.R.O.! The "Cali Dragon" gets driven away and he exits the area dejected and upset.
With the intruder gone, the match can finally return to its normal exciting state. Hitman whips Joseph hard into the steel steps, and then plants him with a huge suplex right onto the floor. The "Lethal Canadian" then decides to enter the ring, hoping to finish off the bleeding Antonio. Jack lifts the wounded "Mastermind" off the mat, and whips him into the ropes. He tries a move... but the sly Antonio times a perfect reversal! When Hitman spins around, Antonio delivers yet another American Dream! The bloody "Mastermind" crawls into a cover and the referee counts 1... 2... 3!!!
The crowd erupts into cheers as Antonio has pulled off a huge win just days before WrestleMania! Bloody and woozy, but victorious, Antonio allows the referee to raise his arm. The other two men are disappointed, but Joseph especially sends an icy glare towards him. Antonio proves that he might be resilient enough to bring down the briefcase this Sunday!
WINNER: Antonio Jordan
Post-Match Segment
Antonio continues to celebrate weakly, and the crowd honors his efforts with loud cheers. But seemingly out of nowhere... Eric Executioner appears! The "Narcissist" quickly enters the ring... and he's holding that lead pipe! The crowd's cheers turn to a low murmur, as they cannot believe that he is here and could attack Antonio again. Antonio senses something wrong but doesn't turn around. A second later, Eric drives the weapon hard into Antonio's back! The "Mastermind" crumples to the mat in pain, and combined with the exhaustion from the match, he seems to be completely out!
Eric delivers another shot for good measure, and then stands over his rival. Eric has a match later tonight and is supposed to be focused on fighting Angus, not settling old scores for whatever reason! The crowd starts to boo quite loudly as the show heads into its final recess of the night!
Eric delivers another shot for good measure, and then stands over his rival. Eric has a match later tonight and is supposed to be focused on fighting Angus, not settling old scores for whatever reason! The crowd starts to boo quite loudly as the show heads into its final recess of the night!
Interview Segment
Smackdown is back from commercial and we are shown another pre-taped interview segment. An interviewer recently sat down with Intercontinental champ Quinn Cadbury and Rusty, who are scheduled to meet for the title this Sunday. The segment shows both of them settling into the chair and responding to the questions. The scene keeps switching back and forth between the separate interviews to compare their responses.
Interviewer: "This Sunday, you compete in the Intercontinental Title match. What would a victory mean for you?"
Quinn: "What would a victory mean for me? Is that a serious question? I AM the Intercontinental Champion. It would mean that I'm the bloody best technical wrestler on Smackdown. It would mean that I've embarrassed an unworthy challenger on the grandest stage possible. A victory would mean... normalcy."
Rusty: "Winning the Intercontinental Title? Oh man... it would be... incredible. A dream come true. A... validation of all my hard work. It would... it would mean a lot."
Interviewer: "You have a tough opponent to face. How would you describe him?"
Quinn: "Ha ha! You mean that terrible, out-of-shape boor? I honestly cannot believe that HE is MY WrestleMania opponent. It's... bloody disrespectful, that's what it is."
Rusty: "Quinn? Oh, just your run-of-the-mill arrogant jerk. He's just one of the many that pass through the WWE. But... I'm gonna shut him up."
Interviewer: "How would you describe your relationship with the fans? The various crowds and dedicated observers of WWE programming?"
Quinn: "They never understand how good they have it with me as their Intercontinental Champion. You can't get any better than me! Their hissing and shouting and overall unpleasantness doesn't lead me to respect them in anyway. But I don't perform for them... I perform for MYSELF. This is my career anyway... I should be the one to decide whether I'm truly a success or not."
Rusty: "The fans? Oh, they're great. I kinda... see myself in them. I've been to countless WWE events growing up. I idolized everyone. It's a fantastic world we live in, getting to wrestle in front of thousands of fans in the various arenas we travel and the millions watching at home. I feel like everybody kinda... feels like I'm living their dream. I wanted to be a professional wrestler for so long. I know I kinda sneaked my way into the company, but... I just feel like I belong. And I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world."
Interviewer: "Where do you see your career taking you after Sunday's match?"
Quinn: "Well... as much as I could reign as Intercontinental Champion forever, it's probably a stepping stone for me. World championships, worldwide fame, you name it. My name on billboards, my face on posters. The sky is the limit!"
Rusty: "It would be amazing to win on Sunday. I don't know what would happen to my career. I'm just living in the moment. I've already had some success here in the WWE, probably more than you would expect from a guy like me. Three Cruiserweight Titles, the ECW Title, Tag Team Titles... adding an Intercontinental Title would be the cherry on top. It's a huge accomplishment. Right now there's some kid in Chicago watching our show and wishing he could be Intercontinental champ one day. That kid... is me. That was me! But there's gotta be others just like me. I'd love to... make that dream come true."
Interviewer: "Thank you for your time."
Quinn: "Of course. I'm sure this was a big moment for you, meeting someone like me."
Rusty: "Thank you! This has been great. Do you have tickets for Sunday? I could hook you up!"
The segment fades out as the next match is set to begin!
Interviewer: "This Sunday, you compete in the Intercontinental Title match. What would a victory mean for you?"
Quinn: "What would a victory mean for me? Is that a serious question? I AM the Intercontinental Champion. It would mean that I'm the bloody best technical wrestler on Smackdown. It would mean that I've embarrassed an unworthy challenger on the grandest stage possible. A victory would mean... normalcy."
Rusty: "Winning the Intercontinental Title? Oh man... it would be... incredible. A dream come true. A... validation of all my hard work. It would... it would mean a lot."
Interviewer: "You have a tough opponent to face. How would you describe him?"
Quinn: "Ha ha! You mean that terrible, out-of-shape boor? I honestly cannot believe that HE is MY WrestleMania opponent. It's... bloody disrespectful, that's what it is."
Rusty: "Quinn? Oh, just your run-of-the-mill arrogant jerk. He's just one of the many that pass through the WWE. But... I'm gonna shut him up."
Interviewer: "How would you describe your relationship with the fans? The various crowds and dedicated observers of WWE programming?"
Quinn: "They never understand how good they have it with me as their Intercontinental Champion. You can't get any better than me! Their hissing and shouting and overall unpleasantness doesn't lead me to respect them in anyway. But I don't perform for them... I perform for MYSELF. This is my career anyway... I should be the one to decide whether I'm truly a success or not."
Rusty: "The fans? Oh, they're great. I kinda... see myself in them. I've been to countless WWE events growing up. I idolized everyone. It's a fantastic world we live in, getting to wrestle in front of thousands of fans in the various arenas we travel and the millions watching at home. I feel like everybody kinda... feels like I'm living their dream. I wanted to be a professional wrestler for so long. I know I kinda sneaked my way into the company, but... I just feel like I belong. And I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world."
Interviewer: "Where do you see your career taking you after Sunday's match?"
Quinn: "Well... as much as I could reign as Intercontinental Champion forever, it's probably a stepping stone for me. World championships, worldwide fame, you name it. My name on billboards, my face on posters. The sky is the limit!"
Rusty: "It would be amazing to win on Sunday. I don't know what would happen to my career. I'm just living in the moment. I've already had some success here in the WWE, probably more than you would expect from a guy like me. Three Cruiserweight Titles, the ECW Title, Tag Team Titles... adding an Intercontinental Title would be the cherry on top. It's a huge accomplishment. Right now there's some kid in Chicago watching our show and wishing he could be Intercontinental champ one day. That kid... is me. That was me! But there's gotta be others just like me. I'd love to... make that dream come true."
Interviewer: "Thank you for your time."
Quinn: "Of course. I'm sure this was a big moment for you, meeting someone like me."
Rusty: "Thank you! This has been great. Do you have tickets for Sunday? I could hook you up!"
The segment fades out as the next match is set to begin!
MAIN EVENT:
Rusty & Angus (w/ Krizz Torture) vs.
Eric Executioner & Quinn Cadbury (w/ Mr. Black)
The fans buzz for the final match, as the World Heavyweight champ teams up with the "2 Xtreme" superfan to face off against the "Narcissist" and the Intercontinental Champion! The match combines two of the major feuds heading into Sunday's PPV, and it will be an interesting preview of those title bouts. Eric earned his #1 contender spot after a bit of controversy, but since then has been brutally attacking his rivals with a lead pipe (including earlier tonight)! At the start of tonight's show, Angus offered a stipulation for their title bout... an Extreme Rules Falls Count Anywhere match! So not only will the two behemoths settle their grudge match on the WrestleMania stage, but they could end up fighting all over the arena! The other feud is between Rusty and Quinn, as highlighted in the previous segment. The "English Gentleman" is offended to have to face an opponent he deems unworthy, whereas Rusty is simply happy to have an incredible opportunity. The juxtaposition of their personas and their wrestling styles will make for an interesting battle!
Rusty and Angus make their entrances, with Krizz Torture joining Rusty for support. The "2 Cool" superstar has been helpful to his old pal lately and seems willing to re-form their popular team. Next, Quinn strolls to the ring as cocky as ever and ignores the crowd's intense hatred. But when the "Narcissist" heads down to ringside... he is carrying that lead pipe! Mr. Black stands confidently alongside his client, who glares menacingly at the ring. Angus watches him intently, eyes on the weapon in his hand. A moment later, Eric sprints down to the ring! He swings the pipe wildly but Rusty and Angus fight it out of his hands and initiate a brawl outside the ring! Quinn races over and all 4 men trade blows before the match has even officially begun!
Rusty and Quinn's fight eventually enters the ring, while Angus and Eric continue to fight. Rusty clotheslines Quinn over the top rope... but turns around to face an angry "Narcissist" with the pipe in hand! Eric sprints over and shoulder blocks Rusty down to the mat. He then grips the pipe like a baseball bat, and ignores all warnings from the referee to cease the use of it. Eric takes a swing... but Rusty avoids it and delivers a jumping heel kick to counter! The pipe flutters away, and the referee picks it up to remove it from the ring. But as he goes to do so... an irate Eric blasts him to knock him down! The "Narcissist" isn't even interested in the match itself... he just wants violence!
Sensing trouble, Rusty tags out to Angus and entrusts the "Irish Giant" to handle his rival. Angus goes on the warpath, and beats up Eric badly for the next few minutes! Eric then fights back a bit, while the hurt referee finally manages to remove the weapon from the ring. Angus ventures close to his own corner with his mind on more fighting... but suddenly, Rusty reaches in and tags himself in! The "2 Xtreme" superfan is confident enough to face Eric himself!
Unfortunately for Rusty, Eric isn't interested in trading blows with him. Instead, the "Narcissist" exits the ring and continues to brawl with the World Heavyweight champ. That prompts Rusty to go after Quinn, and they clash on the other side of the ring! It is complete chaos and the injured ref has lost complete control of this match.
Finally, a decisive and violent moment ends this strange match. Rusty re-enters the ring to check on his partner... but again comes face-to-face with Eric... who is holding that darn lead pipe! Rusty is paralyzed with fear and the "Narcissist" runs over and smokes him with the weapon! The overwhelmed official calls for the bell, signaling the DQ against Eric!
WINNERS (by DQ): Rusty & Angus
Rusty and Angus make their entrances, with Krizz Torture joining Rusty for support. The "2 Cool" superstar has been helpful to his old pal lately and seems willing to re-form their popular team. Next, Quinn strolls to the ring as cocky as ever and ignores the crowd's intense hatred. But when the "Narcissist" heads down to ringside... he is carrying that lead pipe! Mr. Black stands confidently alongside his client, who glares menacingly at the ring. Angus watches him intently, eyes on the weapon in his hand. A moment later, Eric sprints down to the ring! He swings the pipe wildly but Rusty and Angus fight it out of his hands and initiate a brawl outside the ring! Quinn races over and all 4 men trade blows before the match has even officially begun!
Rusty and Quinn's fight eventually enters the ring, while Angus and Eric continue to fight. Rusty clotheslines Quinn over the top rope... but turns around to face an angry "Narcissist" with the pipe in hand! Eric sprints over and shoulder blocks Rusty down to the mat. He then grips the pipe like a baseball bat, and ignores all warnings from the referee to cease the use of it. Eric takes a swing... but Rusty avoids it and delivers a jumping heel kick to counter! The pipe flutters away, and the referee picks it up to remove it from the ring. But as he goes to do so... an irate Eric blasts him to knock him down! The "Narcissist" isn't even interested in the match itself... he just wants violence!
Sensing trouble, Rusty tags out to Angus and entrusts the "Irish Giant" to handle his rival. Angus goes on the warpath, and beats up Eric badly for the next few minutes! Eric then fights back a bit, while the hurt referee finally manages to remove the weapon from the ring. Angus ventures close to his own corner with his mind on more fighting... but suddenly, Rusty reaches in and tags himself in! The "2 Xtreme" superfan is confident enough to face Eric himself!
Unfortunately for Rusty, Eric isn't interested in trading blows with him. Instead, the "Narcissist" exits the ring and continues to brawl with the World Heavyweight champ. That prompts Rusty to go after Quinn, and they clash on the other side of the ring! It is complete chaos and the injured ref has lost complete control of this match.
Finally, a decisive and violent moment ends this strange match. Rusty re-enters the ring to check on his partner... but again comes face-to-face with Eric... who is holding that darn lead pipe! Rusty is paralyzed with fear and the "Narcissist" runs over and smokes him with the weapon! The overwhelmed official calls for the bell, signaling the DQ against Eric!
WINNERS (by DQ): Rusty & Angus
Post-Match Segment
Rusty rolls out of the ring in pain and gets help from Krizz Torture, who assists his pal to the back. Quinn also exits the area, recognizing that his fight will need to wait until Sunday. That leaves two enraged rivals and Angus climbs into the ring to confront Eric after his vicious attack on Rusty. The "Irish Giant" steps up to attack but Eric threatens him with the pipe! Angus holds back, seemingly aware of what could happen if he continues to pursuit the brawl. The two stand opposed in fighting stances, breathing heavily and glaring at each other.
The camera zooms in and notices Angus's eyes peeking up at the large WrestleMania sign hanging overhead near the ring. The "Irish Giant" raises his huge fist... and points at the sign! Eric turns his head slightly and notices the sign out of his peripheral vision, and a sly smirk comes over his face! The show comes to a close with these two glaring intensely at each other. What is going to happen in their war on Sunday? Who's leaving with the World Heavyweight Title?!
The camera zooms in and notices Angus's eyes peeking up at the large WrestleMania sign hanging overhead near the ring. The "Irish Giant" raises his huge fist... and points at the sign! Eric turns his head slightly and notices the sign out of his peripheral vision, and a sly smirk comes over his face! The show comes to a close with these two glaring intensely at each other. What is going to happen in their war on Sunday? Who's leaving with the World Heavyweight Title?!
March Show Results |
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