Smackdown!

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
April 25, 2002

 

With a huge Undisputed World Wrestling Federation Championship match between Hollywood Hulk Hogan and Chris Jericho as its main event, the May 2 episode of SmackDown! emanated from the Mellon Arena in Pittsburgh, Pa.!

The show opened with tag-team action, as Rikishi and The Hurricane challenged Billy & Chuck for the Tag Team Championship. As always, the champs were accompanied to ringside by their stylist, Rico. Billy was about to get a Stink Face, but Rico pulled his man to safety. Hurricane seemingly had Chuck pinned with a bodypress, but the referee was distracted, allowing Rico to superkick the super hero! Chuck then pinned Hurricane for a successful title defense. After the bout, an irate Hurricane chokeslammed Rico, and Rikishi then gave him a Stink Face!

Lance Storm and The Big Valbowski were talking backstage when they were approached by Kurt Angle. Angle said it was a shame that the two men were two of the greatest superstars in the company, and their greatest contribution to SmackDown! thus far had been betting on Mark Henry. Angle said that on SmackDown!, he would be unveiling his real new T-shirt, and he would give one of them an opportunity to model it for him. The shirt said, "Olympic hero, it's true, it's true." And Valbowski added, "Your T-shirt sucks, and so do you!" Angle asked what Valbowski knows, since he wears a towel! Lance said he'd be happy to wear Angle's T-shirt, saying it was a fine piece of outerwear, but asked if Kurt was worried about the crowd chanting "You suck." Angle said no, since they were in his hometown of Pittsburgh, and he was their greatest hero. Speaking of Pittsburgh sports heroes, Angle said Mario Lemieux had even faked his bout with Hodgkin's Disease to get sympathy!

Moments later, Angle and Storm headed to the ring, with Storm wearing Angle's new T-shirt. And although Angle was in his hometown, the crowd chanted "You suck!" louder than ever! Angle told the crowd that Lance Storm doesn't suck -- he may be Canadian, but he's pretty cool. And why is he cool? Because he was wearing the real Kurt Angle T-shirt. The shirt had a poem on the front, and listed Angle's accomplishments on the back. Angle said because of all the writing on the T-shirt, it was only available in XXL or larger.

Angle asked Lance what he thought of the shirt, and Storm said it was just great. Angle said he knew the fans were having a bad time balancing their budget, since most were unemployed, but he told them to take the money they would normally spend on beer and porno and put it to good use. He asked who wanted to buy his T-shirt -- and suddenly, Edge's music sounded, and out to the stage he came.

Edge said he wanted to buy a T-shirt, and said so did all the fans of Pittburgh. But Edge said he thought there was a better T-shirt out there. He brought out Valbowski, who was wearing Kurt's "You Suck" T-shirt from last week's SmackDown! As Kurt's music played, the crowd chanted for the new shirt!

Kurt demanded that the music stop, and said he'd had it. Angle said he thought he would have taught Edge a lesson after kicking his ass at Backlash. He asked for another match with Edge at Judgment Day. As Kurt talked smack, Storm whispered something to him, and Angle suggested that he should instead humiliate him at Judgment Day -- by putting something on the line. Angle suggested that Edge get his head shaved if he beats him! Edge said he would do it -- but if he beat Angle, Angle would shave his head as well!

Angle said the fans would die if their Olympic Hero's head were shaved. Kurt agreed to the bout. Edge said after Judgment Day, Kurt would be red, white and bald.

Next up, Hardcore Holly took on Randy Orton in a rematch from last week's SmackDown!, when Orton upset Holly in a try-out match. Prior to the bout, footage was shown from earlier in the day of Orton getting ready backstage, when he was approached by Stacy Keibler. Stacy said she wanted to wish Randy luck, and gave him a kiss on the cheek. She then checked him out as Orton walked away.

Holly was clearly out to teach Orton a lesson in the match. Hardcore was brutal as ever, as he took it right to the third-generation superstar. Orton soon gained control of the match-up, however, and a frustrated Holly gave him a low blow, ending the bout in a disqualification. After the match, an angered Holly took Orton up the ramp and gave him the Alabama Slam onto the steel stage! Orton was out cold!

Faarooq was counting his money backstage, telling Mark Henry that it all came from his winnings on betting on him. He said Henry deserved some of the money, and Faarooq pulled a 20 out of all his hundreds for his friend! D-Von then walked into the locker room, and said that money was the root of all evil. D-Von said he would cleanse the money -- all Faarooq had to do was give it to the United D-Von Building Fund. Henry told D-Von to testify his ass out of there before he did something sinful with the collection plate. D-Von told Faarooq to step back, because lightning would strike Henry. And if lightning didn't strike, he would. Faarooq then took his 20 back, and gave Henry a 10 instead!

Back in Mr. McMahon's locker room, the Federation co-owner was playing with Stacy Keibler's stomach and saying he would show her what a real good-luck kiss was. He said he would give her all the luck in the world when he kissed her belly button -- but before he could do so, Chris Jericho entered the locker room. Y2J said tonight was his night -- his chance to regain the Undisputed Championship. Y2J said a few things had been on his mind. He was worried that Hogan would intentionally get himself disqualified. Mr. McMahon made the bout a no-DQ match-up. Jericho asked about Undertaker, who said he'd rather face Hogan at Backlash than Jericho. He asked how he knew Taker wouldn't interfere -- and McMahon said that if a RAW superstar were to be on SmackDown!, he would be suspended immediately. Jericho then asked about Triple H interfering. McMahon said if The Game laid one finger on Jericho prior to the end of the match-up, it would be career suicide for Triple H. Y2J said things were looking up for him. Vince then sat back down with Stacy -- and Jericho sat down right next to Vince, much to Mr. McMahon's chagrin! The Federation co-owner excused Y2J, and then got down to business with Stacy!

In tag action, Edge and Big Valbowski took on Kurt Angle and Lance Storm. The fight raged on, and Edge speared Angle, before Storm knocked Edge from the ring. Valbowski went for the pin on Angle, but the Olympic Hero kicked out. Kurt rallied back, but Valbowski hit a spinebuster. Val went up top, only to be armdragged by Angle. Edge hit Angle with a clothesline. Angle went for the Angle Slam, and Valbowski rolled Angle up, but the referee was distracted by Edge and didn't count the fall! Storm then superkicked Valbowski, and Angle pinned him for the victory!

Chris Jericho headed to the ring, and Y2J said that the boos of the crowd couldn't bring him down, because tonight, he was the king of the world. Jericho said last week on SmackDown!, he had defeated Triple H fair and square, earning a right to face Hollywood Hulk Has-been for the Undisputed Championship. Jericho called Triple H "The Shame," saying he would do what Triple H couldn't do at Backlash -- defeat Hogan. Jericho said tonight he would also do something that would further cement his status as a living legend -- drive a stake through the heart of Hulkamania. Y2J said Hulkamania would end tonight, saying Hulkamania wasn't running wild, it was running out of time.

As Jericho mocked Hulkamania, Triple H's music sounded, and out to the ring walked The Game. Triple H looked Jericho in the eye and smiled. Jericho asked what The Game was laughing at. Jericho said Triple H was jealous that he'd beaten him last week and that he would regain the Undisputed Title tonight and that there was nothing The Game could do about it. Y2J reminded The Game that Mr. McMahon said The Game would be committing "career suicide" if he interfered in his match. Jericho said he'd been Undisputed Champion for four months, while The Game had been champ for four weeks. He challenged Triple H to punch him in the face, but The Game just smiled. Y2J speculated that Triple H was scared of him. Jericho said Triple H and Undertaker couldn't stop him from ending Hulkamania and regaining the Undisputed Championship.

Triple H said he wasn't smiling because he didn't want to punch him; he was smiling because he knew something Y2J didn't know -- that there was no chance in hell Jericho would become Undisputed Champion tonight!

In tag action, Faarooq and Mark Henry took on Test and Christian. Henry's power moves were on display during the bout. As the men battled it out in the ring, D-Von came out and began collecting money from the fans! Henry and Faarooq went out to argue with D-Von, and Henry took the money out of his collection plate and threw it to the fans! D-Von attacked Henry from behind, and Henry chased D-Von from the ringside area! In the ring, Christian hit Faarooq with the inverted DDT and pinned him for the win.

Next up, Tajiri -- accompanied by Torrie Wilson -- defended the Cruiserweight Championship against Billy Kidman, in a rematch from Backlash. Tajiri went for the Tarantula, but Kidman tossed him to the outside. As Torrie checked on Tajiri outside the ring, Kidman went to leap onto him, and Tajiri threw Torrie in harm's way! Torrie was knocked out cold. Back in the ring, Tajiri hit Billy Kidman with a vicious kick to the head and pinned him to retain the title. After the bout, Tajiri didn't even help Torrie get back to her feet.

In his office, Mr. McMahon and Stacy were putting their clothes back on. Vince asked for a favor -- he said he needed to have a discussion with Triple H, and asked Stacy to bring The Game to his office. Stacy said she'd get him right away.

Moments later, Stacy walked into Mr. McMahon's office with Triple H. Vince excused Stacy, and told The Game that since they were still officially related until the divorce goes through, he wanted to inform him that if he stuck his nose in the Hogan-Jericho match, his career was through. Triple H just smiled at Vince and asked if he was done. Vince smiled back and said yes.

The main event of SmackDown! pitted Hollywood Hulk Hogan against Chris Jericho in a no-disqualification bout for Hogan's Undisputed Championship. Hogan used his power moves to intimidate Jericho at first, but the challenger was determined to regain the Undisputed Title. The champion went to work on Y2J's shoulder, but Jericho raked the eyes and downed the Hulkster. He mocked Hogan and laid into the Undisputed Champion.

The momentum shifted back and forth, and soon the two superstars were battling it out on the outside, where Y2J tossed Hogan into the ringpost. Jericho even leapt from the top rope to squash Hogan on the outside.

Back in the ring, Hogan "Hulked up," but Jericho was able to hit a bulldog and the Lionsault! As Jericho went for the cover, Triple H's music filled the arena, and Y2J looked towards the entranceway for The Game. Triple H walked towards the ring and joined Michael Cole and Tazz on commentary, as an irate Jericho yelled at him! Once Jericho finally turned his attention back to Hogan, the Hulkster raked Y2J's eyes and went for the big boot. But Y2J hit a DDT, scoring a two-count.

Y2J went to work on Hogan, but the champion again "Hulked up." He downed Jericho with a big boot, but as he went for the legdrop, Jericho caught him and locked him in the Walls of Jericho! Hogan finally made it to the ropes. Jericho went to the outside and grabbed a chair, nailing Hogan across the back. As he went to hit Hogan again, the Undertaker's music sounded!

A distracted Jericho looked to the entranceway and waited for Taker. But Hogan snuck up behind Jericho and rolled him up for the pinfall, retaining his title! After the bout, Triple H attacked Jericho and knocked him from the ring! The Game and Hogan stared down an irate Jericho as SmackDown! went off the air!