Smackdown!

Detroit, Michigan
March 29, 2001

Just three days before WrestleMania X-Seven -- and just three days after Shane McMahon revealed to the world that he had bought WCW -- an explosive episode of SmackDown! emanated from the Joe Louis Arena in Detroit!

The final stop on the Road to WrestleMania began with Triple H and Stephanie walking to the ring. Mr. and Mrs. Game were flanked by a number of cops as they headed to the ring. The "cerebral assassin" reiterated his claims that he felt he was the best in the business, and said it angered him when the Undertaker said he could topple the Game. Triple H said that the Undertaker's yard was right in the middle of Triple H's ring, and that since Taker first challenged him, Triple H has been dominating the Dead Man. Triple H promised that at WrestleMania, the Undertaker would play the game, and the Undertaker would lose.

The Undertaker then headed to the stage, and said he didn't play games. As Taker made his way to the ring, Stephanie screamed that the Undertaker was violating the 25-foot restraining order, and ordered the cops to arrest the Dead Man. The Undertaker told Stephanie to shut her face, and then said he made a few calls -- to a lawyer, to a bail bondsman and to 911, because he said Triple H would soon be in need of medical help. The Taker then jumped into the ring and started brawling with the Game!

The Dead Man knocked Triple H from the ring, and was arrested by the cops for his efforts -- but as per his earlier conversation with the bail bondsman, the Taker was assured he would be out of jail within 12 hours!

The Rock arrived at the arena, and was met by Commissioner Regal. Regal said that Stone Cold Steve Austin would be at the arena soon, and Mr. McMahon had instructed him not to let anything happen to the main event at WrestleMania, so Rock and Austin would have to stay away from each other. Regal told Rock to stay in his dressing room. After referring to Regal as "the guy who drank pee last week," Rock went to his dressing room.

The first match on SmackDown! pitted the APA (accompanied by Jacqueline) against X-Pac and Justin Credible (accompanied by Albert). The Right to Censor soon came to ringside to get involved in the match, leading to Tazz getting up from the announce position to help Faarooq and Bradshaw! The APA & Tazz were still outnumbered, however, and Bull Buchanan hit a scissors kick on Faarooq, allowing X-Pac to score the pin. After the match, Steven Richards hit a Stevenkick on Tazz, and Val hit the thug with the Money Shot.

In a backstage parking area, a limo pulled into the arena. The license plate said "WCW 1." Shane McMahon then got out of the limo! The Boy Wonder walked into the arena, saying hi to Kurt Angle and Eddie Guerrero on his way in. Angle was apparently telling Eddie that he never tapped out to Chris Benoit's crossface on RAW!

After a commercial break, Shane exchanged greetings with the Hardy Boyz, and Paul Heyman joined Michael Cole for commentary. Paul revealed that Mr. McMahon had banned all references to WCW from Federation programming.

In tag team action, Benoit and Test took on Angle and Guerrero. Benoit won the match for his team, forcing Latino Heat to tap out to the crossface. After the match, Angle attacked Benoit from behind and locked him in the ankle lock!

Debra then entered Commissioner Regal's office, and Regal asked why Stone Cold still hadn't arrived at the arena. Regal told Debra that Mr. McMahon would hold her personally responsible if anything happened between the two men at the arena. Regal told Debra to use her influence to make sure that nothing happened, which Debra said was unfair.

Backstage, Shane exchanged pleasantries with Billy Gunn, who congratulated Shane on his purchase of WCW. Stephanie then walked up to Shane, irate that he has bought WCW from right under Vince's nose! She said that Vince was going to kill Shane at WrestleMania -- and Shane said he would worry about it on Sunday! Shane then walked away with a big smile on his face!

Stone Cold then arrived at the arena, and Commissioner Regal tried to tell him about Mr. McMahon's warnings, but Austin just walked away.

Mr. McMahon and Trish then walked by Shane's limo, and was irate to find it parked in his spot!

The Federation chairman was irate to find out that his son was in Detroit for SmackDown!

The sounds of broken glass then filled the Joe Louis Arena, and Stone Cold Steve Austin headed to the ring! Just three days before WrestleMania, the Rattlesnake called out The Rock! But instead of the Brahma Bull, Mr. McMahon strutted to the ring. The owner said he's had a bad couple of days, and he wasn't going to let Austin ruin the main event of WrestleMania. Mr. McMahon told Austin to get the hell out of the ring. Austin then slugged the owner, and moments later, The Rock headed to the ring!

The two men stared each other down, and Austin told Rock that he had never before been on the receiving end of a Stone Cold Stunner, and no one had ever tried to drink his beer. Stone Cold said he respected what Rock did.

Austin then asked for two beers. The Rattlesnake opened one of the beers and gave the other one to The Rock. Austin toasted to Rock's health and happiness -- and then he said, "Here's to you walking down the aisle at WrestleMania as WWF Champion for the last time!" The Rattlesnake then smacked his beer against The Rock's -- soaking the People's Champion with beer!

The Rock then grabbed the microphone from Stone Cold, and toasted to Austin's health and happiness. He then toasted to Austin's ass getting whooped at WrestleMania! Rock then smashed his beer against the Rattlesnake's!

The two men then began slugging it out! Mr.

McMahon called for reinforcements, and dozens of referees and superstars couldn't even break up the two men! Finally, Mr. McMahon called for some police officers, who separated the two superstars in the backstage area!

After a break, Mr. McMahon complained to Trish that he lost WCW to Shane, and he almost lost his WrestleMania main event, and his jaw hurt. He then looked on a monitor and saw Shane talking to Chris Jericho -- causing Mr. McMahon to run out of his locker room.

Next up, Matt Hardy took on Rhyno. Matt hit the Twist of Fate on Rhyno, but Christian interfered, allowing Rhyno to win the bout. After the match, Edge & Christian took out a ladder, but the Hardys attacked them with chairs! The Hardys then delivered a Twist of Fate and a Swanton Bomb to Rhyno! Matt then told Jeff to get the tables! That brought the Dudley Boyz to the ring, where they disposed of the Hardys, and then gave Rhyno a 3-D through a table -- revenge for Rhyno putting Spike Dudley in the hospital last week!

Backstage, Mr. McMahon approached Chris Jericho and confronted him about talking to Shane. He reminded Jericho that Jericho was under contract to the World Wrestling Federation. A laughing Y2J told "Vance" that he had nothing to worry about.

Surprisingly, the Undertaker's music then played through the arena -- surprising, since the Taker had been taken to jail earlier in the night!

But it wasn't the Undertaker -- it was Triple H, dressed as the Undertaker and riding the Dead Man's motorcycle! Standing on the stage, Triple H then had Stephanie bring him his sledgehammer. The Game smashed the bike to pieces! Triple H also threw the bike off the stage! The Game then held up his fist to mock the Undertaker!

Backstage, Commissioner Regal told Debra that Mr. McMahon wanted to see her in his office right away!

Mr. McMahon then asked Trish for a favor. He said he needed to unwind -- and then asked Trish to compete in a Bra and Panties Match against Ivory on SmackDown!

After a break, Debra went into Mr. McMahon's office. The Federation chairman told Debra that because Stone Cold and Rock hadn't stayed away from each other like he instructed them to, that he was relieving Debra of her duties as Rock's manager. Debra said that it wasn't a fair decision, and Mr. McMahon told her that sometimes life isn't fair.

Trish then took on Ivory in a Bra and Panties match. As Ivory made her way to the ring, she said there was no way she would participate in such a match -- but Trish grabbed her and the match began anyway! During the bout, Chyna walked down the ring and stripped Ivory down to her bra and panties!

In tag team action, Chris Jericho and Kane took on William Regal and Big Show. Prior to the bout, Regal promised to humiliate Jericho and win the Intercontinental Championship at WrestleMania X-Seven.

Raven would interject himself into the bout, distracting the ref and allowing Regal to nail Jericho in the head with a fire extinguisher. Regal then put Y2J in the Regal Stretch, and Jericho tapped out.

As The Rock went to leave the arena, Lilian Garcia asked him for some final words before WrestleMania. Rock said that after all the build-up, that he would put his desires ahead of his fears and would emerge victorious from WrestleMania.

Kevin Kelly then caught up with the Rattlesnake, who called the whole situation a bunch of B.S. Austin said the whole thing looks like a set-up from the beginning, but it would not stop him from his one goal at WrestleMania -- because he needs to become Federation Champion this Sunday on Pay-Per-View!