The SmackDown Special
Randy Orton thought he had destroyed Undertaker at No Mercy. This time, "The Legend Killer" destroyed the entire SmackDown stage in an attempt to finish the job.
After knocking The Phenom out with tire iron shots to the head, Orton left Undertaker's prone body dangling off the truck of the Eddie Guerrero memorial lowrider. He then jumped into the driver's seat and drove the vehicle in reverse through the SmackDown lighted display and into the electrical apparatus behind it. The stage erupted into a fiery explosion that engulfed the lowrider and Undertaker.
It was a most unexpected ending to a match that began with totally different participants. Originally, there was a rare David vs. Goliath showdown of the 5-foot-6, 165-pound Rey Mysterio against the 7-foot, 500-pound Big Show.
Mysterio dedicated the match to his late friend Eddie Guerrero, but the odds would be staggering against the largest athlete in the world. Rey immediately tried to utilize his quickness, but he was eventually caught by his mammoth opponent. Big Show then tossed Rey around the ring and out of it, slapping and pummeling him at will.
Mysterio attempted a comeback — managing a seated senton from the top turnbuckle to the outside — but he was caught by Big Show in mid-air and viciously powerbombed into the hood of the lowrider. Medical personnel rushed to Mysterio's aid, but Big Show scattered them and continued the assault inside the ring. Out of utter desperation and survival instincts, Mysterio began to bite Big Show, who threw Rey and accidentally incapacitated the referee in the process. Seeing the official down, a bloodthirsty Big Show went outside the ring and retrieved a steel chair. Mysterio showed signs of life in the nick of time, avoiding the chair and delivering a drop kick to Big Show's knee. Rey then retrieved the chair and tried to chop Big Show down like a redwood with steel chair shots to the leg — then the head. A second shot to Show's head sent him crashing into the ring ropes, which left him prone for the 619, which finally put the big man down.
With "Eddie, Eddie!" chants ringing out from the crowd, Mysterio took to the top rope, pointed to the heavens and hit Guerrero's signature frog splash. But just as Rey crawled over for the improbable cover, everything went red. Next thing Mysterio knew, the other half of RAW's World Tag Team Champions was in the ring. Rey then absorbed a double-chokeslam from Big Show and Kane.
The chaos continued as the lights went out and Undertaker appeared in the ring. His brother, Kane, seemed to balk at first, leaving Undertaker to trade punches with Big Show. But once the Deadman was preoccupied, back came Kane. Still, Undertaker gained the upper hand — chokeslamming Kane and sending Show out of the ring with a big boot. But as he turned, there was Randy Orton to deliver a lightning-quick RKO.
Undertaker eventually recovered and pursued Orton, leading to the fiery conclusion to The SmackDown Special.
Earlier, a well-timed Scissors Kick has propelled Booker T into a commanding lead in his best-of-seven series for the United States Championship.
The fearless Chris Benoit once again put his body on the line in Match No. 2 against Booker T. But a suicide dive gone bad and a nasty spill from the ring apron left The Cripper defenseless and grasping at his head and surgically repaired neck. Sensing the opening, Booker went to the ropes and delivered his high-impact axe-kick finisher. The win gave Booker T a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven series, and perhaps just as importantly proved that the dangerous veteran could beat Benoit without direct assistance from his wife Sharmell.
The match began on a much more positive note for The Rabid Wolverine. Benoit came on strong from the bell, letting out his frustration and anger following a dastardly ending to Match No. 1. Benoit almost garnered a pin with a Northern Lights suplex. But with Booker T on the outside, Benoit attempted a suicide dive that Booker narrowly avoided. Benoit crashed and burned on the cold, hard floor.
Later, Benoit recovered enough to hit a soaring headbutt from halfway across the ring, but the move seemed to take as much out of Benoit as Booker T. With the situation growing dire, Benoit attempted a German suplex from the ring apron to the floor, but Booker firm grasp of the ring ropes protected him and sent Benoit free-falling. Booker T hit the Scissors Kick soon after, making a series win an uphill battle for Benoit. All the pressure is now on The Crippler, as 3-0 would be a nearly insurmountable disadvantage.
What will come of The Special's shocking ending? Tune in to Friday Night SmackDown (8/7 CT; UPN) to find out. Also announced for Friday Night SmackDown is a Tag Team Battle Royal for an opportunity at WWE Tag Team Champions MNM.
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