Smackdown!
Grand Rapids, Michigan
March 25, 2004
THE MORE THINGS CHANGE ...
It was the beginning of a new era for SmackDown! A new leader was announced.
Several new Superstars were introduced to the roster. New opportunities were
offered for every Superstar who competed -- and survived -- the Paul Heyman era
as SmackDown! General Manager. But for WWE Champion Eddie Guerrero, the more
things have changed on SmackDown!, the more they remained the same.
When Guerrero defeated Kurt Angle at WrestleMania, he may have won the battle,
but the war appears to be far from over. After introducing himself as the new
SmackDown! General Manager, Angle declared the beginning of a new era with
SmackDown! reaching new lofty heights never attained before. And immediately, he
set out to live up to his word by announcing that he had traded Triple H back to
RAW in exchange for three Superstars who were considered among the elite on the
RAW roster. SmackDown! lost one of the best in sports entertainment in Triple H,
but by gaining Booker T and the Dudley Boyz, Angle said that he was adding
Superstars who could make an immediate impact on SmackDown! and who could help
lead the program to even greater heights. He also declared that SmackDown! would
become the land of opportunity more so than during the administration of his
predecessor.
And Angle went right to work -- providing new SmackDown! Superstar Spike Dudley
with an opportunity to win the Cruiserweight Championship from Chavo Guerrero,
and Booker T with an opportunity to win the WWE Championship from Eddie
Guerrero. However, it was Bradshaw who stole the spotlight. Moments after
declaring that the end of the APA is the best thing for him and that he would
now advance to new heights himself, Bradshaw stunned the SmackDown! audience
when he attacked Eddie Guerrero just when it seemed that Guerrero was only
seconds from victory over Booker T. Bradshaw unleashed a Clothesline from Hell
on a shocked Guerrero and left the WWE Champion lying in the middle of the ring
yet again. With Angle as the SmackDown! General Manager and a new crop of
challengers for the WWE Championship appearing -- including Booker T and
Bradshaw -- will Eddie Guerrero ever be safe? Stay tuned to find out!
Speaking of Booker T, the former RAW Superstar made it clear that the recent
transaction that brought him to SmackDown! was not a welcome one and he declared
that SmackDown! is the "minor leagues." Although he did receive an opportunity
to win the WWE Championship, he also caused quite a stir in the SmackDown!
locker room and, according to Hardcore Holly, there are many who are out to
prove that SmackDown! will be far more formidable than Booker T thinks. What
does this mean for Booker T? Who will be the next to offer him a challenge? Find
out next week on SmackDown!
It was a night of serious and sudden impact on SmackDown! as the recent roster
changes seem to have brought a whole new attitude to the SmackDown! Superstars.
What does Kurt Angle have in store for his second week as SmackDown! General
Manager? Will somebody try to take out Booker T after his statements concerning
SmackDown!? How will Eddie Guerrero react to the attack from Bradshaw? Only one
way to find out ... watch SmackDown! next week at 8/7 CT on UPN!
Match Results:
Rob Van Dam defeated Charlie Haas
Rene Dupree defeated Billy Kidman
The Dudley Boyz defeated the Basham Brothers
Chavo Guerrero defeated Spike Dudley
Eddie Guerrero defeated Booker T via disqualification