Thanks to Buck Woodward for the following recap:
Smackdown for June 2nd opened with a recap of the “Winner’s Choice” battle royal from last week, including Eddie Guerrero’s chair attack on Rey Mysterio. Kurt Angle won the battle royal, and picked Booker T’s wife, Sharmell, as his opponent for this week. The Smackdown opening then aired.
Carlito’s Cabana. Carlito, with Matt Morgan, ripped on the Edmonton crowd to kick off the Cabana. Carlito had them replay Morgan laying out Big Show with an F-5 through the announce table last week. Carlito said Big Show will not be on the show tonight, and claimed Morgan “owned” Big Show. Carlito said he “owned” his guest tonight, pointing out that he beat him for the U.S. Title on his first night with the brand. Carlito then brought out John Cena, mentioning that Cena was only WWE Champion because he hadn’t defended against him. Cena, in a Gretzky Oilers jersey, came to the ring. Cena made fun of Morgan’s stuttering. Carlito warned Cena not to make Morgan mad. Cena then made fun of Carlito, throwing in a comparison between Morgan and Michael Cole (one oils himself up while wearing spandex in public, the other, in private). Carlito, mentioning the draft, said Edge, Triple H or Shawn Michaels could be coming to Smackdown to embarrass Cena. Cena essentially said he would take on anyone. Cena then informed Carlito and Morgan that he went to General Manager Theodore R. Long earlier, and there would be a tag team match tonight with Carlito & Morgan vs. Cena and The Big Show, who Cena said would be arriving soon.
Backstage, Booker T and Sharmell went to General Manager Theodore R. Long, with Booker demanding that Sharmell be taken out of her match with Kurt Angle. The two argued, with Long saying Angle had his choice of opponent (even though Booker noted she didn’t have a contract). However, Long said he was able to add to the match, and said it would be Booker & Sharmell vs. Angle in a handicap match. Booker accepted that decision, but still wasn’t happy.
WWE Tag Team Champions MNM (Joey Mercury & Johnny Nitro, with Melina) vs. Charlie Haas & Hardcore Holly. This was a 15-minute Ironman match, in which the team with the most falls at the end of the time limit would get the win. Haas went for quick covers at the start against Nitro. Haas hit a reverse bodyblock for a two count as well, then tagged Holly. Mercury didn’t want to tag in against Holly, so Nitro had to sneak in the tag when he wasn’t looking. Holly hit a back suplex on Mercury, and kicked him in the abdomen as he was strung across the ropes. Holly chopped Mercury repeatedly, but Mercury came back with a top rope bodypress, which Holly rolled through for a two count. Holly went for an Alabama Slam, but Nitro ran in and superkicked Holly, allowing Mercury to score the first pin on Holly at the three and a half minute mark. MNM go up, 1-0.
Holly went for quick pins after Nitro tagged in, then went to work on the arm. Nitro went for a vertical suplex, but Holly floated over and rolled up Nitro for a two count. Holly went back to the arm as they went to commercial. When they came back, we saw that MNM had picked up a fall when Mercury pinned Haas after running him into a ringpost. MNM lead, 2-0.
Mercury went to ram Haas into Nitro’s boot in a corner, but Haas reversed it, and grabbed a Oklahoma roll for the pin with 5:30 left. MNM lead, 2-1.
MNM tied Haas in the ropes, but Holly ran in and freed him. MNM were trying to keep Haas in the ring and run down the clock. They tossed Haas from the ring, and when he got on the apron, knocked him back to the floor. Haas got back in, but MNM continued to keep him away from Holly, who was screaming for his partner to get to him and make a tag. Nitro stomped Haas down in their corner, but when he whipped Mercury towards him, Haas moved, and clotheslined Nitro. Haas kicked off both men, and tagged Holly with two minutes left. Holly cleaned house on MNM, and went for pins, but couldn’t get a three count. With less than a minute left, Holly went to the top rope, but Nitro shoved him down. MNM knocked Haas off the apron, then went for the Snapshot on Holly with less than 30 seconds left. Haas ran in and speared Nitro from the ring, and Holly hit Mercury with the Alabama Slam. With five seconds left, Melina ran in and threw herself onto Mercury. Holly yanked her off, but couldn’t make the cover in time, as the clock ran out. Winners: MNM, 2-1.
The Dudleys (Bubba Ray & D-Von) did a promo, surrounded by tables, wearing ECW shirts. Bubba said the only way out of New York at the PPV was through a table, and lit one on fire as D-Von yelled “Testify”. The billboard for the ECW One Night Stand PPV was then shown.
An extensive recap of the Rey Mysterio-Eddie Guerrero feud was shown, with the announcers pointing out that if either man is drafted to Raw, they will not get a chance to settle their issue.
Kurt Angle came to the ring, and got on the mic, directing his attention towards Tazz. Angle said Tazz didn’t do commentary on his match last week, and said it was because he disrespected ECW. Angle said when he made his one appearance in ECW in 1996, Tazz disrespected him. Angle had them show a clip of that night, where Tazz, at the ECW Arena, told Kurt Angle he was a “great amateur” wrestler, but Tazz was a “great professional” wrestler. Angle said Paul Heyman made Tazz say that, calling Heyman “the devil”. Angle said Tazz was a superstar thanks to the WWE, not ECW. Angle said everyone else in ECW were “morons and idiots”. Angle invited Tazz to join him and a group of Smackdown wrestlers in invading the ECW PPV. Tazz took off his sunglasses, but didn’t respond. Angle told Tazz to think about it, then turned his attention to his match. Tazz didn’t comment on what Angle said.
Kurt Angle vs. Booker T & Sharmell. The referee said Sharmell had to be in the ring for the match. Angle worked over Booker in a corner early, but Booker fired right back. Angle got control and tried to chase Sharmell down, but she ran away, and as Angle gave chase, it gave Booker the opening to attack Angle. Booker hit some chops, but missed a side kick and crotched himself on the top rope. Angle knocked Booker to the floor. Angle stalked Sharmell around the ring, and she tripped over the ring steps. Angle rolled her into the ring, then wet up for a piledriver, gyrating his hips. Booker came back in and attacked Angle, pounding him on the mat. Booker hit a Bookend, and went to the top rope, but Angle crotched him. Angle gave Booker a superplex, but hurt his back on the way down. Sharmell tried to get a pin, but Angle got a shoulder up at two. Sharmell tried to revive Booker as they went to break.
Back from the break, Angle was working over Booker with a Fujiwara armbar. Angle went into a regular armbar, but Booker fought up and punched out. Booker worked over Angle with punches and chops, but was caught in a trio of German suplexes for a two count. Sharmell jumped onto Angle’s back, but Angle flipped her off and put her in a bodyscissors. Angle caressed her face, terrifying her, until Booker broke it up. Angle ducked a Booker clothesline and hit an Angle Slam for a two count. Angle turned his attention towards Sharmell, who slapped Angle, then bit him on the nose. Sharmell slapped Angle, and tried to kick him, but Angle grabbed her in an ankle lock. Booker broke it up with a superkick. Booker hit a pair of clotheslines , then hit a spinkick. Booker went for the ax kick, but Angle ducked it and rammed Booker into Sharmell and the referee, knocking both out. Booker gave Angle a superkick, knocking him from the ring, and checked on his wife. Angle grabbed a chair and smashed Booker twice with it, then kicked him from the ring. Angle then cradled Sharmell for the pin, as the referee woke up to make the three count at the eleven minute mark. Winner: Kurt Angle.
Angle stayed on top of Sharmell, and was moving in to kiss her, as Booker came back in and ran him off.
A video package on “The Innovator Of Violence” Tommy Dreamer, to promote the ECW One Night Stand PPV, was shown.
A video package on John Cena’s media appearances in New York City from last week was shown.
Heidenreich vs. Devon Nickelson. Heidenreich came out and said he was looking for a “new friend”. He picked out a young girl from the crowd, and brought her into the ring. Heidenreich read a poem about the draft lottery and the possibility of finding new friends on Raw. The match began, with Heidenreich hitting a series of punches and a clothesline. Heidenreich hit a sideslam and got the pin in less than a minute. Winner: Heidenreich.
Heidenreich brought his new friend back into the ring to do the Heidenreich walk.
Backstage, the Divas were in the makeup area talking about the possibility of being traded to Raw. Mark Jindrak entered, saying if he is traded, it will be Smackdown’s loss. Jindrak said he hopes Smackdown gets some new Divas, saying the current crop were “old” and they needed some “hos” that “put out”. The Divas ran him off with powder and water. No, I’m not making that up.
Nunzio vs. John Bradshaw Layfield, with Orlando Jordan, Doug & Danny Basham. Tazz and Michael Cole talked about Nunzio’s ECW career as Little Guido. Cole asked Tazz if he was going to join Kurt Angle’s crew, or stick with ECW. Tazz wouldn’t answer him. JBL got on the mic, and said that wrestling is no longer a “pure sport” because of ECW. JBL blamed ECW for the “I Quit” match where JBL got busted open (still sporting stitches), since ECW popularized the hardcore style. JBL ripped on Paul Heyman, calling him a liar, and saying he blew all of his money, then blew the money Vince McMahon loaned him. JBL continued his tirade against ECW, ripping on the wrestlers and the success of the DVD. JBL said ECW would not invade his hometown of New York. JBL said he was joining with Kurt Angle and Eric Bischoff in running ECW out of business. JBL then said he would make his match with Nunzio an “ECW Rules” match.
JBL hit a boot to the face to start the match. Nunzio rolled to the floor, crawled under the ring, and came out the other side with a kendo stick. Nunzio went to work on JBL with the stick, and the Cabinet ran in. Nunzio fought them off with the stick, but it was a four on one, and JBL hit a boot to the face and a short arm clothesline. Jordan then held Nunzio and JBL blasted him with the stick and pinned Nunzio in under a minute. Winner: JBL.
Backstage, Booker T was telling Theodore R. Long that he was going to get Kurt Angle, even if he had to go to Angle’s house and get him. Long promised Booker that as long as neither man was drafted to Raw, it would be Booker T vs. Kurt Angle next week on Smackdown.
The Raw Rebound was shown, which was actually just hype for the draft lottery. The first person to be drafted will be a guest on Chris Jericho’s Highlight Reel this Monday.
John Cena & Big Show vs. Carlito & Matt Morgan. Big Show had his shoulder and ribs heavily taped. Neither Carlito or Morgan wanted to start the match with Show, so John Cena threw Carlito into the ring. Show chopped Carlito, then press slammed him out of the ring, tossing him onto Morgan. Carlito and Morgan went down in a heap as they went to commercial.
A video package on The Sandman to promote the ECW One Night Stand PPV, was shown.
Back from break, Show chopped Matt Morgan in a corner, then tagged in Cena. Cena hit an elbow in the corner, then muscled him up and over for a slam. Cena dropped an elbow on Morgan for a two count. Morgan reversed a whip and hit a boot to the face. Morgan choked Cena on the mat, then dropped an elbow for a two count. Morgan choked Cena again, then gave him a one-armed slam. Morgan missed an elbow and Show tagged in. Show clotheslined Morgan and Carlito, then flung Carlito out of the ring. Show gave Morgan a sideslam, hurting his own ribs on the move. Show stepped on Morgan’s throat in a corner, and Carlito yanked Show’s bad arm across the top rope to break it up. Morgan went after the bad ribs with kicks, and Carlito snuck in cheap shots. Carlito tagged in, and kept up the assault on Show’s ribs. Morgan tagged back in and applied a side bear hug. Show elbowed and headbutted out of it, but Morgan kicked him into his corner and tagged Carlito. Show chopped his way out of the corner, and went to chokeslam Carlito, but Morgan gave him a big boot. Show fell backwards, and into a tag. Cena cleaned house, suplexing Morgan and giving Carlito a back suplex into a powerbomb. Show came back in and clotheslined Morgan, with both men going over the top rope and to the floor. Cena gave Carlito the Five Knuckle Shuffle fistdrop and followed it with the FU for the win at the twelve minute mark. Winner: John Cena & Big Show.
Cena checked on Show, who was hurting on the floor, as the show ended.
