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Smackdown! Wrestling - June 30, 2006

HugeRockStar760Posted on 06/25/06 at 18:17:36

Smackdown! Wrestling
Date: June 30, 2006
Location: Roanoke, VA

MNM (Joey Mercury and Johnny Nitro) defeated Chris Benoit and Gunner Scott when
Mercury pinned Scott after the Snapshot in 0:08:39.
Rating: ** 1/4
(MNM retained the World Tag Team Titles.)

Chris Benoit and Gunner Scott received a title shot against the current World
Tag Team Champions, MNM, to prove that they are the team that can defeat them
for the titles, as they claimed they could. Of note, Randy Orton came down to
the ring to provide guest color commentary for this match considering his
Ascension buddies were wrestling. This match was definitely close throughout,
with no team really establishing control. The point at which the momentum began
to turn happened due to Randy Orton's interference against Chris Benoit. Randy
Orton got up from his position at the announcers table and proceeded to knock
Chris Benoit off the corner of the ring he was standing on, without the referee
noticing as his attention was turned towards a 2 on 1 by MNM on Gunner Scott in
the other corner. Randy Orton was able to hit Chris Benoit with the RKO, and he
was a non-factor the rest of the match. With no one to tag out to, Gunner Scott
was not effective against the odds of the World Tag Team Champions MNM. MNM
retained their titles once again when they hit Gunner Scott with the Snapshot
for the three count.

Interview:
The new United States Heavyweight Champion, Bobby Lashley, talks with Pamela
Paulshock about becoming the new champion after defeating JBL last week.
Lashley is proud to be the United States Heavyweight Champion, but he is not
happy at how he won the title. He understands that had Batista not interfered,
and JBL had defeated him due to The Great Khali's interference, it is doubtful
that JBL would've granted him a rematch. That's just not how Bobby Lashley
operates as the new United States Heavyweight Champion. JBL deserves the
rematch because he was the reigning champion and because of all the
interference that went on in their match last week. But Bobby Lashley warns JBL
not to think that because he's giving him a rematch that he somehow believes he
does not deserve to be the United States Heavyweight Champion. Bobby Lashley
believes he could've defeated JBL for the title with no interference. This
week, there will be no excuses for either of them. Smackdown! General Manager
Teddy Long informed Bobby Lashley that Batista and The Great Khali are banned
from ringside in tonight's title match. Tonight, Bobby Lashley promises to
prove to JBL and every Smackdown! Wrestling fan that he is indeed the "Real
Deal".

[World Television Title Tournament - First Round]:
Matt Hardy pinned The Road Warrior after a flying legdrop in 0:01:08.
Rating: **

The Road Warrior has been nothing but a nuisance to Matt Hardy since before
WrestleMania XXII. Just last week, he cost him the match against Scott Steiner.
This week, Matt Hardy had the opportunity to not only get some retribution
against The Road Warrior, but also move to the next round of the World
Television Title Tournament. Matt Hardy will be well rested in the next round
because this match barely lasted over a minute. The Road Warrior had Matt Hardy
in a Gorilla Press, but Matt Hardy was able to slide out of it and surprised
The Road Warrior with the Twist of Fate. Instead of pinning The Road Warrior,
Matt Hardy climbed to the top turnbuckle and hit a flying legdrop to get the
three count. Impressive performance by Matt Hardy tonight as he is able to
rebound from his loss to Scott Steiner a week earlier to move on in the World
Television Title Tournament.

Paul Burchill pinned Chris Masters after a standing moonsault in 0:07:31.
Rating: ** 1/2

Last week, Paul Burchill defeated Carlito in a First Round match in the World
Television Title Tournament. He was helped in large part due to the referee
ordering that Chris Masters leave ringside and go backstage. This week, the
other half of the tag team of Pretty Cool, Chris Masters, looked to make Paul
Burchill pay for defeating his tag team partner Carlito. Unlike last week, the
referee did not send Carlito backstage as he did not try to interfere like
Chris Masters did last week, that is until late in the match. Paul Burchill
signalled for the Plank, but Carlito jumped on the ring apron to distract him.
This distraction allowed Chris Masters to get back to his feet and surprise
Paul Burchill with the Masterlock. Carlito got off the ring apron and laughed
at Paul Burchill. However, Paul Burchill was able to counter out of the
Masterlock with a jawbreaker. This stunned Chris Masters long enough to let
Paul Burchill hit a standing moonsault on him for the three count. Paul
Burchill has some momentum going into his match with Finlay in the next round
of the World Television Title Tournament.

Interview:
Scott Steiner is in the ring putting himself over as the man with the largest
arms in the world. He said that Matt Hardy found out just how strong these arms
were last week when he made him tap out to the Steiner Recliner. At MAYhem, he
made Kurt Angle lose his most important prized possession, even more valuable
than his Olympic Gold Medals, the World Heavyweight Championship. Scott Steiner
notes that it is no coincidence that Kurt Angle has not showed his face on
Smackdown! Wrestling television since that pay per view. Why would Kurt Angle
not seek retribution against Big Poppa Pump? Scott Steiner thinks Kurt Angle is
a scared bitch. Kurt Angle likes to call himself The Wrestling Machine. Scott
Steiner is the Sex Machine, just ask his freaks across the nation. Kurt Angle
has his Ankle Lock, Scott Steiner has the Steiner Recliner. The fact is, if he
ever applied the Steiner Recliner to Kurt Angle, he'd make him cry like the
bitch he knows Kurt Angle is! Scott Steiner says it is too bad Kurt Angle is
afraid of him because he'd love to prove everything he said to everyone
watching Smackdown! Wrestling.

Scott Steiner continues to berate Kurt Angle when from out of the crowd, Kurt
Angle jumps over the barricade and enters the ring. He surprises Scott Steiner
with a belly-to-belly suplex. He picked Scott Steiner back up and hit the Angle
Slam. From there, Kurt Angle attempted to apply the Ankle Lock but Scott
Steiner was able to kick out of it and slide out of the ring away from Kurt
Angle. The crowd cheered for the return of Kurt Angle to Smackdown! Wrestling.
Kurt Angle urged Scott Steiner to come back to the ring but Scott Steiner
decided that he'd fight Kurt Angle on his terms.

Bobby Lashley defeated John Bradshaw Layfield via pinfall in 0:21:52.
Rating: * 1/2
(Bobby Lashley retained the United States Heavyweight Title.)
[Jillian Hall interfered against Bobby Lashley.]

Bobby Lashley entered this match as United States Heavyweight Champion, but
even as he admitted, there were questions mark surrounding the match last week
in which earned his first championship reign. Being a man of good character,
Bobby Lashley didn't wait long to grant JBL a title rematch. These two put on a
brawl that spilled out of the ring and even through the crowd. The referee
officiating the match showed great respect to the importance of the match and
was lenient on the countout rules. Once Lashley and JBL were back in the ring,
the fight continued. JBL even managed to hit the Clothesline from Hell on the
United States Heavyweight Champion, Bobby Lashley. But much to JBL's surprise,
Bobby Lashley kicked out after a 2 1/2 count. Lashley would go on to hit the
Dominator and he thought he had the match won, but JBL managed to get a foot
under the ropes as they were near the ropes when the move was executed. What
ended this match was not a finisher from either wrestler, but it involved the
outside interference from Jillian Hall, JBL's manager. While Chavo Guerrero
distracted the referee, Jillian Hall grabbed a chair and entered the ring. JBL
held Bobby Lashley up for Jillian to hit him with the chair, but Bobby Lashley
managed to move out of the way and the chairshot connected with JBL instead!
Bobby Lashley looked menacingly at Jillian Hall and she got the message and
quickly left the ring. Instead of trying to hit another move, Bobby Lashley
went for the cover and by this time the referee was back on the job and made
the three count.

After the match, Bobby Lashley got on the microphone and stated that he cannot
help it if JBL hires incompetent help like Jillian Hall. Bobby Lashley wants
to move forward in his reign as United States Heavyweight Champion and that
involves none other than The Great Khali. Bobby Lashley states that the two of
them have some unfinished business resulting from The Great Khali costing him
the chance to become the King of the Ring. At The Great American Bash, Bobby
Lashley wants to defend the United States Heavyweight Title against The Great
Khali! The challenge is answered by The Great Khali and his manager Daivari.
Daivari officially accepts the challenge for The Great American Bash. According
to Daivari, not only will Bobby Lashley's United States Heavyweight Title reign
come to an end, but so too will Bobby Lashley's career come to an end! The
Great Khali grabs the microphone away from Daivari and says something in his
native language, but he does say something intelligble that sounds like "I'm
going to be the new champ." The Great Khali and Daivari go backstage as Bobby
Lashley contemplates his next opponent for his United States Heavyweight Title.

Interview:
Pamela Paulshock talks to Batista backstage, asking him why he cost JBL the
United States Heavyweight Title against Bobby Lashley. Batista said that plain
and simple it was payback for JBL interfering in his match against Chavo
Guerrero. Thanks to JBL, Chavo Guerrero can go around Smackdown! Wrestling
bragging about defeating him via countout. Batista says he respects Bobby
Lashley's ability to win the title without interference. In fact, Bobby Lashley
proved to everyone tonight that he could defeat JBL without any help. Batista
says he basically despises JBL because he acts as if he represents what
America's ideals are, and he takes offense to that. JBL is a fraud and at The
Great American Bash, Batista plans to prove that when he faces him at the pay
per view.

Shane McMahon, the new owner of Smackdown! Wrestling, pending his signature,
walks up to Batista and shakes his hand. Shane McMahon says that he cannot wait
to take ownership of Smackdown! Wrestling for many reasons, but mainly having
someone like Batista as the cornerstone of the promotion is exciting to him and
to all the fans. Batista thanks Shane McMahon for the kind words and says that
it will be a pleasure to be working for Shane McMahon. Batista just hopes that
he conducts his business differently than Vince does. Shane laughs at that and
promises to Batista, no, he guarantees that he will not be the same kind of
owner as Vince is with the WWE. In fact, Shane guarantees that he will not be
an issue as owner of Smackdown! Wrestling. Batista wonders what that means and
Shane merely tells him to watch The Great American Bash after his match to
figure out what he means by that.

[World Television Title Tournament - First Round]:
King Booker pinned Paul London with the Scissor Kick in 0:07:37.
Rating: ****

The wrestler formerly known as Booker T, King Booker, wrestled his first match
since being crowned king. It was an important match considering it was a first
round match in the World Television Title Tournament. It was against one half
of the tag team of The Hooliganz, Paul London. Paul London gave King Booker
some frustrations with his high flying style of wrestling at times. However,
King Booker managed to overcome this and take back control of this match. King
Booker won this match after hitting the Scissors Kick for the three count.

After the match, Queen Sharmell took the microphone away from the ring
announcer and announced King Booker as the winner of the match and the future
World Television Champion of Smackdown! Wrestling. William Regal also came
out to praise King Booker and told all the peasants to hail King Booker
repeatedly. The royalty of Smackdown! Wrestling left the ring to boos from
the crowd.

Batista defeated Chavo Guerrero by disqualification in 0:19:02.
Rating: ***
[John Bradshaw Layfield interfered against Batista.]

Any friendship that was there between Batista and Chavo Guerrero is gone after
Chavo Guerrero's actions the past few weeks. Batista once again had the
advantage against Chavo Guerrero as he clearly overmatched his opponent but
Chavo had moments of offense which prolonged the match for him. Batista hit a
spinebuster slam on Chavo Guerrero and signalled for the Batista Bomb by
giving the thumbs down gesture. As he picked Chavo Guerrero up, JBL entered
the ring with a chair and hit Batista with it, causing the disqualification.
However, the chairshot did not phase Batista at all as he dropped Chavo
Guerrero and turned around to face JBL. Batista grabbed the chair from JBL
and threatened to hit him with the chair, but before he could so so, Chavo
Guerrero ran right into Batista's right leg, causing him to drop to the mat.
JBL and Chavo Guerrero went on the attack. This would go on for a few moments
in the ring until Rey Mysterio made his return to Smackdown! Wrestling and
charged to the ring. He went right for Chavo Guerrero and the two former
friends began to brawl through the ring and then out of the ring. JBL watched
them brawling and was yelling for Chavo to get back in the ring. During this,
Batista had managed to get back to his feet and grabbed the chair. When JBL
turned around, he was met with a chairshot, knocking him down to the mat.
Batista picked JBL up and hit the Batista Bomb onto the chair! As Smackdown!
Wrestling came to a close, Batista stood over JBL as the crowd cheered him.


Card rating: ***
HugeRockStar760Posted on 06/25/06 at 22:06:53

The current Great American Bash card, subject to change:

MAIN EVENT
World Heavyweight Title Match:
Randy Orton (c) vs. "The Nature Boy" Ric Flair

Batista vs. JBL

United States Heavyweight Title Match:
Bobby Lashley (c) vs. The Great Khali

Semifinals and Finals of the World Television Title Tournament!

Plus, Shane McMahon officially takes ownership of Smackdown! Wrestling.