Smackdown!

Fresno, California
August 19, 2004

 

A SURROGATE DEFENSE


John Bradshaw Layfield has had better nights.

Still recovering from major injuries suffered during SummerSlam, JBL lost his ten-gallon hat and then was painfully separated from his back brace and neck halo by an enraged Undertaker Thursday night on SmackDown!

Still, the one thing JBL held on to happened to be his most prized possession:

The WWE Championship.

After catching SmackDown! GM Theodore Long at a very bad time early in the show, JBL was forced to put his WWE Championship on the line against Undertaker in the main event in Fresno.

But since JBL was in no shape to compete, Long designated JBL Chief of Staff Orlando Jordan to wrestle the Deadman. If Jordan lost the match, JBL lost the Championship.

And while Jordan proved a worthy opponent, his inexperience began to show as the Phenom connected on a big chokeslam and eventually a massive Tombstone.

But before Taker could earn the certain three-count, JBL managed to get a grip of the referee’s leg, pulling him out of the ring. The intentional disqualification secured a win for the Undertaker, but more importantly, it guaranteed JBL would retain the WWE Championship.

Undertaker made sure JBL paid for his meddling, tearing off his back and neck supports before planting the WWE Champion right next to his trusted employee with another chokeslam.

Also on SmackDown!, United States Champion Booker T evened his best-of-five series with John Cena in a tightly-contested match. Booker T, who guaranteed last week he would win the next three showdowns, used a well-timed backslide and a little bit of leverage from the ropes to get the crucial victory.

In other big news, Long announced that Kurt Angle would face nemesis Eddie Guerrero in a Best-of-Three falls match next week on SmackDown!


The match was made after Latino Heat inadvertently detailed Long’s beloved 1989 Lincoln Town Car with a metal pipe. Guerrero was under the impression the car belonged to Angle, who now might pay dearly for his parking lot rouse.

Paul Heyman finally introduced the WWE to Heidenreich at SmackDown! The giant but seemingly unstable Superstar wasted no time in making his presence felt, pummeling announcer Josh Mathews in a fit of unbridled rage. Will Heidenreich live up to the hype?


MATCH RESULTS:

Rob Van Dam defeated Kenzo Suzuki, but was then greeted with a brutal double-team from Suzuki and a meddling Rene Dupree.

Angle def. Rey Mysterio in a match that was also part of Angle’s punishment for ruining Long’s car.

U.S. Champion Booker T def. John Cena

Billy Kidman def. Chavo Guerrero.

Undertaker def. Orlando Jordan via D