Smackdown!

San Antonio, Texas
October 14, 2005   

Friends and Family
October 14, 2005


One legend down, one champion to go, or so Randy Orton thought as Friday Night SmackDown came on the air. Orton, along with father Cowboy Bob, hit the ring to gloat about killing the legend of the Undertaker once and for all. Randy claimed that after doing what he did, the next step was to regain the World Heavyweight Championship. This brought out Eddie Guerrero, who claimed that he wasn't done with Batista, and chastised Orton for using a chair to defeat Undertaker at No Mercy. Orton told Eddie that while he may have earned Batista's respect by not doing the same, he didn't have a victory to show for it. Randy then said he had no beef with Eddie, and was going to ask General Manager Theodore Long for a title shot. Instead, Batista's music hit, and the champion made his way to the ring. With the fans backing him up, Batista announced that he wanted to see Randy Orton vs. Eddie Guerrero in the main event of SmackDown.

The match was made, and both men fought valiantly to prove that they deserved the next opportunity at the World Heavyweight Championship. Throughout the match, momentary distractions from Cowboy Bob helped Randy gain control. As the match wound down, however, Eddie Guerrero hit the Three Amigos and looked to finish Orton with a Frog Splash. Cowboy Bob intervened again, but after Eddie tried to kick him away, Bob retaliated by pushing Guerrero off the top rope, causing a disqualification. The Ortons then attacked Guerrero and beat him down, until Batista ran out to save his amigo. After chasing the Ortons off, the Animal and Latino Heat stood in the ring together when Theodore Long came out to announce that next week, Batista and Guerrero would face the father-and-son duo in a tag team match.

Before his United States Championship Match with Chris Benoit this week on SmackDown, Orlando Jordan promised to quit if he tapped out to the Crippler Crossface again. The champion tried several times early on to secure the Crossface, but Orlando had a counter every time. On one attempt outside the ring, the challenger rammed Benoit into the ring steps, allowing him to work the midsection of the champion. Benoit would eventually hit his trademark rolling German suplexes, leading to one last attempt at the Crossface. Jordan countered again, so the crafty champion tripped his opponent instead, and locked on the Sharpshooter. Jordan did not have a counter for that, and was forced to tap out, allowing Benoit to retain the championship.

Later in the night, Benoit found out his opponent for next week would be Booker T. After Benoit defeated Jordan, Sharmell complained to Theodore Long that Booker T was a 5-time WCW Champion, and should be getting title shots ahead of 5-time loser Jordan. Long compromised with Sharmell, setting up a Fatal Four Way Match between Booker, Christian, JBL, and Rey Mysterio to determine who would be the new No. 1 Contender.

In the Fatal Four Way, all four men had a chance to dominate the opposition. Mysterio looked for the early upset of JBL, but Bradshaw narrowly escaped Rey's West Coast Pop. In the end, Mysterio and Booker were left in the ring, and Rey took control, setting Booker up for the 619. Unbeknownst to Booker, Sharmell stepped in to help her man, tripping Rey as he bounced off the ropes. This allowed Booker to hit the Scissors Kick on Rey, earning the victory and the shot at Benoit next week. When the match was over, Benoit bumped into Booker and Sharmell backstage, and told Booker about Sharmell's recent interference. Booker defended his wife, but when he asked Sharmell what Benoit was talking about, she blew the question off and tried to pump him up for next week.

This week on the Peep Show, Christian tried to get the juicy truth from Stacy Keibler regarding the rumored love triangle including former "Friends" star Jennifer Aniston. Before she could dish out the dirt, however, Stacy was interrupted by Jilliam Hall. Jillian told Stacy that a scandal like this could be huge for her career, citing other recent celebrity examples. Stacy thought Jillian only wanted to capitalize on her personal trouble, and asked what exactly was wrong with Jillian's face. An enraged Jillian went to attack Stacy, but the Babe of the Year stopped her advance, and ended up slapping the Fixer as an excited Christian looked on.

Friday Night SmackDown also saw the first appearance of the Boogeyman. While talking backstage, Palmer Canon mentioned to Theodore Long that the Boogeyman was originally part of a planned network show that ran into problems. Because of an iron clad contract, Canon was bringing the Boogeyman to SmackDown. After being introduced and reciting a creepy nursery rhyme, the Boogeyman broke a clock over his head as a speechless Long looked on.

Two other unknown men made their presence felt as well. After the team of Super Crazy, Psicosis, and WWE Tag Team Champions L.O.D. defeated MNM and William Regal & Paul Burchill in an Eight-Man Tag Team Match, the unidentified duo burst on the scene, ambushing the Mexicools and leaving the trio beaten down in the ring.

Also, the undefeated Bobby Lashley pinned Nunzio to keep his perfect record intact, and a matchless Mr. Kennedy made an appearance to make sure the fans wouldn't be deprived of his presence.

Matches

Bobby Lashley def. Nunzio

United States Champion Chris Benoit def. Orlando Jordan

Super Crazy, Psicosis, & WWE Tag Team Champions L.O.D. def. William Regal, Paul Burchill, & MNM

Eddie Guerrero def. Randy Orton (DQ)

Booker T def. Rey Mysterio, JBL, and Christian (Fatal Four Way Match)