Smackdown!

Atlanta, Georgia
October 30, 2003

Heyman strikes back!

Even though it seemed that Paul Heyman’s tenure as SmackDown! General Manager would be a brief one, his position now appears to be stronger than ever. A week after his plan to stop the Undertaker backfired and resulted in a Buried Alive Match at Survivor Series between Undertaker and Mr. McMahon, Heyman informed Mr. McMahon on SmackDown! that his plan to knock Undertaker out of Survivor Series would falter. Not only did Heyman give Undertaker the night off from SmackDown!, but he would have every SmackDown! off until the Nov. 16 pay-per-view event.

With his back sternly against the wall after being threatened by Mr. McMahon with both termination as SmackDown! GM and death, Heyman came out swinging … and boy did he connect! After a pep talk to Mr. McMahon that seemed to stay his execution, Heyman announced the formation of Team Lesnar, which is scheduled to take on Team Angle in a Classic Survivor Series Elimination Match at Survivor Series on Nov. 16. Team Lesnar may very well be the most impressive team in Survivor Series history, as it features the WWE Champion, the U.S. Champion Big Show, Nathan Jones and Matt Morgan – the first draft pick for Heyman, who claimed to have outscooped his RAW counterparts. With a fifth partner still to be named, the foursome average nearly seven feet in height and combine for more than 1400 pounds!

Team Angle also got off to a good start as Kurt Angle drafted Chris Benoit, the APA, and Hardcore Holly for his Survivor Series squad, but after the APA, Angle, and Benoit were decimated by the members of Team Lesnar at the end of SmackDown!, it is clear that they will have to go back to the drawing board, as Survivor Series approaches. At the end of the night, Faarooq appeared to be injured and his status for Survivor Series is a question mark at this point.

In action on SmackDown!, Ultimo Dragon scored a win over Rey Mysterio, thanks to Tajiri, who knocked Mysterio out while the referee’s back was turned. After the match, Tajiri and his “friends” approached Ultimo Dragon seemingly with the intention to befriend him, but the Dragon wanted no part of Tajiri and his cohorts.

The Paul Heyman era on SmackDown! has produced one surprising turn after another … and it has only been in existence for two weeks! What will happen next? Who will complete Team Lesnar? Will Faarooq be able to compete for Team Angle? Will Mr. McMahon really have to face the Undertaker in a Buried Alive Match at Survivor Series? Only one way to find out … tune into SmackDown! next week!

Match results:
Chris Benoit & Kurt Angle defeated John Cena and A-Train

Ultimo Dragon defeated Rey Mysterio

Torrie Wilson won the Trick or Treat Costume Contest

APA defeated Brock Lesnar and the Big Show by disqualification.