Smackdown!

Bridgeport, Connecticut
March 6, 2003

We pick up with Hulk Hogan in the ring, and Vince McMahon coming out on the ramp. McMahon answered the fans chanting "a******" by calling Hogan the "a******".  McMahon said Hogan wasn't a man, but a mere shell of a man.  McMahon started to talk about what he had done for Hogan, and Hogan told him to shut up.  Hogan said McMahon didn't create Hulkamania, the fans did.  Hogan said he put the company on the map, and that was what bothered McMahon.  Hogan said everything McMahon had is because of the Hulkamaniacs. McMahon said he could have had anybody be Hulk Hogan.  Hogan pointed out that no one McMahon gave the ball to could "run to the goal line" as fast as him. Hogan challenged McMahon to a match tonight. McMahon said he didn't hate Hulkamaniacs or Hulkamania, he hated Hogan.  Vince said he hated Hogan for leaving him and going to work for Ted Turner.  McMahon said he hated him for competing against him and trying to put him out of business.  McMahon said he hated Hogan for testifying against him at the infamous steroid trial.  Hogan said if not for his testimony, McMahon would be rotting in jail.  McMahon said he plucked Hogan from obscurity, and that he owed McMahon.  McMahon said he would not have a match with him, but he would have a fight with him, and challenged him for Wrestlemania.  McMahon said if he beats Hogan, he wants it in writing that Hogan will never wrestle again.  McMahon said he would kill Hulkamania.  Hogan agreed to the fight.  He started to give him "What you going to do" catchphrase, but McMahon stopped him.  Hogan instead told McMahon to train, take his vitamins and say his "damn prayers".  Hogan tore off his shirt, as McMahon smirked at him from the ramp.

We saw that earlier in the day, Undertaker was training Nathan Jones with the help of some sparring partners.  Jones thanked Undertaker for keeping his promise of training him now that he was out of prison.  Taker showed Jones how to do a shoulderblock, but when Jones did it, he couldn't knock the sparring partner down.  Taker shouted encouragement, but when he couldn't get him down, Jones snapped and kicked the partner down and started choking him.  Taker pulled Jones off, and seemed bemused by his intensity.

A-Train, with Big Show in his corner, defeated Undertaker, with Nathan Jones in his corner, by DQ in 4:50. Show would reach into the ring during the match and distract the Undertaker, allowing A-Train to get the advantage.  Show rammed Undertaker into the ringpost at one point.  Undertaker hit a flying clothesline and the rope walk forearm shot, but Show distracted him and A-Train hit the Derailer (chokeslam powerbomb).  Undertaker grabbed a triangle choke, and Big Show got on the apron.  Jones got on the apron, and the referee went to stop him, allowing Show to run in and attack Taker.  Jones shoved the referee, getting the DQ, and attacked Show.  Undertaker and Jones beat up Show and cleared the ring.

A "Brock-Heyman Flashback" was shown, with a clip from Survivor Series where Big Show defeated Brock Lesnar, thanks to Heyman.

Stephanie McMahon ordered Big Show and Albert out of the building, to keep them out of the Heyman-Lesnar match.

Chris Benoit & Rhyno defeated Charlie Haas & Shelton Benjamin in a non-title match in 13:20 (including a commercial break).  Near the end, Benoit hit his rolling German suplexes on Haas and delivered the top rope headbutt.  Benjamin broke up the cover, and Rhyno grabbed him and tossed him to the floor.  Rhyno and Benjamin fought on the outside, while in the ring, Haas applied the Haas Of Pain (elevated deathlock) on Benoit.  Rhyno came in for the save.  Benjamin came in, and avoided an Irish whip into the corner, but was hit with a Rhyno gore.  Haas tossed Rhyno to the floor, but this allowed Benoit to grab Haas in the crossface for the tap out.

John Cena, who is now walking again, did a rap about how he was looking for revenge against Brock Lesnar in the coming weeks.

The "tale of the tape" for Heyman-Lesnar was shown, with Heyman's finishing move being "None".

Backstage, Heyman was worried about his match, while Angle told him he had to win so he wouldn't have to wrestle Lesnar next week.  Team Angle came in, upset over their loss.  Angle calmed them, then told Heyman he would win tonight, because "no one man is bigger than the team".

They aired a package on the Smackdown tour of South Africa.

The final flashback was shown, which was from last week when Lesnar selected Heyman as his opponent for the cage match tonight.

A "Wrestlemania Moment" was shown, this one featuring Lawrence Taylor defeating Bam Bam Bigelow at Wrestlemania XI.

Brock Lesnar defeated Paul Heyman in 3:09 to earn a WWE Title match with Kurt Angle for next week.  Before the match began, Angle distracted Lesnar by climbing the cage, and Haas & Benjamin got inside and attacked Brock. Lesnar was run into the cage several times, and given a flapjack.  Lesnar ducked a Benjamin superkick, which hit Haas.  Lesnar clotheslined Benjamin, then ran both members into the cage several times before dumping them through the door.  Heyman begged off as Lesnar chased him around the outside of the cage, and Angle ambushed him from behind.  Lesnar came back, and tossed Angle into the bottom of the cage.  Angle was soon bleeding.  Lesnar tossed Heyman in the cage, and the bell rang to begin the match.  Lesnar stomped Heyman and lifted him for an F5, while a bloody Angle climbed into the cage.  Angle clipped Lesnar's leg, and he dropped Heyman.  Angle hit an Angle Slam on Lesnar, and Angle tossed Heyman on top, but Lesnar kicked out at two.  Angle applied the ankle lock on Lesnar, and Heyman crawled for the door, but Brock grabbed Heyman so he couldn't escape.  Lesnar rolled onto his back and kicked off the ankle lock.  Heyman began to climb up the cage, while Angle worked over Lesnar.  Lesnar came back with a series of shoulderblocks in the corner on Angle, then went and pulled Heyman off the cage and back into the ring.  Lesnar lifted Heyman for the F5, and booted Angle as he charged at him.  Lesnar then delivered the F5 on Heyman for the pin.  Lesnar and Angle stared at each other as the show came to a close.