WWF Smackdown - May 2, 2002
Show Opening Video Package:A video detailing the history of the King of the Ring tournament plays, culminating in an announcement that the largest, most star studded tournament ever will take place over the course of the next two months. The semi-finals and finals will occur at the King of the Ring pay-per-view in June and the winner getting a shot at the Undisputed Championship at SummerSlam. Tonight a 20-man battle royal will take place where the winner receives a first round bye.
Edge pinned Perry Saturn with the Edgecution in 0:06:37.
Rating: ***
The Hardy Boyz (Jeff Hardy and Matt Hardy) defeated Mark Henry and D'Lo Brown when J. Hardy pinned D'Lo with the Swanton Bomb in 0:08:43.
Rating: ** 3/4
Pre-Match:
Christian complains about how ridiculous it is that the European Champion isn't defending his title on European soil Saturday night at Insurrextion. He demands to be taken seriously and issues an open challenge...that is accepted by "The Iceman" Dean Malenko!
Christian pinned Dean Malenko with the Unprettier in 0:08:02.
Rating: ** 1/2
(Christian retained the WWF European Championship.)
Post Match:
Christian grabs his belt and scurries away as a stone faced Malenko argues with the referee over missing a blatant low blow that set up the Unprettier.
The Dudley Boys (Bubba Ray Dudley and D-Von Dudley) and Spike Dudley defeated The Holly's (Crash Holly and Hardcore Holly) and Tajiri when Bubba pinned Tajiri with the Bubba Bomb in 0:06:12.
Rating: ** 1/2
Backstage:
April Hunter exits a WWF official's office with a smile on her face. Mark Lloyd catches up to her and asks what she's so happy about. Hunter says that she'll be competing in tonight's main event and looking forward to earning a bye and ultimately becoming the Queen of the Ring.
Kurt Angle defeated Shawn Stasiak when Shawn Stasiak passed out in the Ankle Lock in 0:02:31.
Rating: ** 3/4
Video Package:
Footage of Ron Waterman training for his fight with The Undertaker. He looks into the camera and says The Undertaker's nickname "Deadman" will have a literal meaning after Saturday night.
The Big Show pinned Test with the Choke Slam in 0:02:45.
Rating: * 1/2
Backstage:
Torrie Wilson consoles a dejected Tajiri and tells him that she thinks what he really needs is a friend. She has done some scouting and has found the perfect individual and he'll be debuting next week on Smackdown.
20-Person Battle Royal:
Eddie Guerrero won a 20-man Battle Royal:
x Boss Man threw out Goldust after a double-axhandle to the back in 0:01:18
x Raven threw out Scotty in 0:02:03
x Kidman threw out Raven after a duck-down move in 0:02:33
x E. Guerrero threw out Albert after a single-leg takedown in 0:03:07
x Dreamer threw out W. Regal after an elbowsmash in 0:04:54
x E. Guerrero threw out Hurricane in 0:05:29
x Valbowski threw out Snow in 0:05:49
x Dreamer threw out Rico after a facerake in 0:06:12
x Dreamer threw out Valbowski after a bodyslam in 0:06:31
x Rikishi threw out Chuck in 0:07:19
x Tazz threw out Boss Man in 0:07:50
x Tazz threw out Dreamer after a roundhouse right in 0:09:13
x A. Hunter threw out Maven after a clothesline in 0:09:49
x Tazz threw out Kidman in 0:10:27
x Mr. Perfect threw out Rikishi in 0:10:37
x Tazz threw out Billy in 0:11:31
x Tazz threw out Mr. Perfect in 0:12:25
x A. Hunter threw out Tazz after a Japanese armdrag takedown in 0:13:28
x E. Guerrero threw out A. Hunter in 0:13:31
Rating: *** 1/4
Post Match:
The returning Eddie Guerrero stands tall in the ring and soaks in the adulation of the crowd as the show goes off the air.
Match observations:With half of the roster en route to the United Kingdom for this Saturday night's Insurrextion Pay-Per-View event tonight's edition of Smackdown afforded opportunity to those who may have been lost in the shuffle in recent weeks. The big surprise of the evening was Eddie Guerrero returning and winning a 20-person battle royal for a first round bye in the upcoming King of the Ring tournament. It's been months since we've seen Guerrero but he looked like a million bucks. A first round bye is huge considering the winner of the tournament will move on to the main event of SummerSlam to challenge for the Undisputed Championship!
Two other major storylines coming out of the battle royal were Tazz's path of rage and April Hunter's participation. The Human Suplex Machine looked like the Tazz that dominated Extreme Championship Wrestling for the better part of last decade as he accounted for five eliminations and made it to the final three along with Hunter and Guerrero. It was clear that Tazz underestimated Hunter as he bull rushed her and ended up getting taken down with a Japanese armdrag takedown before getting tossed. Guerrero's time away from the WWF didn't change his opportunistic tendencies as he immediately dumped Hunter to win the battle royal. We know that Guerrero is heading towards the King of the Ring but where will Tazz and April Hunter go from here?
Eddie Guerrero's old running buddy, Dean Malenko, also made his return to the World Wrestling Federation when he answered European Champion Christian's open challenge. It actually looked like The Iceman was going to win the title from the petulant champion but Christian was able to redirect the referee's attention long enough to hit Malenko with a low blow that setup the Unprettier.
Tajiri has had a rough go of it lately ever since losing the Cruiserweight Championship to X-Pac. Tonight he took the pinfall loss for his team in a six man tag alongside The Holly's against the Dudley clan. Later in the night camera's caught Torrie Wilson consoling her charge. Somewhat surprisingly she let it be known that she's been scouting talent far and wide and has found a friend for Tajiri and that friend will debut next week on Smackdown. She told Tajiri that her time with him has led her to appreciate foreign cultures so she's officially starting a group known as Torrie Wilson Imports to bring the best international competitors to the World Wrestling Federation.
No additional matches have been announced for Insurrextion but WWF.com has learned that Triple H's mystery opponent will be someone who is not currently competing in the World Wrestling Federation. The website's article further posited that the mystery opponent will be someone fairly well known to wrestling fans in the United Kingdom.
WWF Insurrextion on 5/4
WWF Undisputed Championship MatchTriple H (c) vs. ??
WWF Intercontinental Championship MatchRob Van Dam (c) vs. Chris Benoit
Undertaker vs. Ron Waterman
Kevin Nash vs. Chris Jericho
WWF Hardcore Championship MatchThe Sandman (c) vs. Brock Lesnar w/Paul Heyman
Kane vs. Booker T
No Disqualification MatchFaarooq vs. Bradshaw
Pre-Show MatchDiamond Dallas Page vs. Justin Credible