by Rick Scaia
Exclusive to OnlineOnslaught.com

In this case, the site of tapings was Ottawa, ONT, Canada, and OO Reader Jeffrey LeBlanc was our man on the scene.  If you don't want to spoil the show for yourself, then turn back now.

Otherwise, I now turn you over to Jeffrey and his report:

Hi Rick!

Here are the results from the Smackdown tapings at the Corel Centre in Ottawa on Tuesday night, which featured a title change and a returning superstar.

Dark matches:

I showed up a little late for the show, due to my job at the House of Commons (why did they have to have votes the night of the Smackdown tapings?), so I missed the first match.  I was told that it involved Scotty 2 Hotty and Albert defeating two unknown guys.  I only saw the back of their heads as they went up the ramp, so I don’t know who they were.  After the match, Albert pulled down Scotty’s pants to get a laugh out of the crowd.  OK….

Tommy Dreamer defeated Randy Orton with a powerbomb.  Orton looked pretty sharp and the guys worked well enough together, even if the crowd seemed a little bored.

Michael Cole comes out to Click, Click, Boom and Tazz comes out to his theme (no pyro, though).  Nice pop for Tazz.  They start the Heat tapings:

Rob Van Dam successfully defends the Intercontinental title by defeating Mr. Perfect with a five-star frog splash.  RVD was way over with the crowd.  The guys repeated a botched spot at one point in the match, with Perfect getting knocked out of the ring.  It didn’t look too bad to me the first time.

Big Show and Kane defeated the Dudleys.  The “We Want Stacey” chant was much louder than “We Want Tables”.  This was sort of played as a comedy match, with Bubba in particular playing the coward, shouting for his mommy.  They gave the match a lot of time, but I’m sure it’ll get clipped.  Kane got put through a table at ringside (for a Heat match?), but he and Show came back to win with a double chokeslam.

Rikishi quickly defeated Goldust with his banzai dropped.  I missed some of this match while in line for pizza.

The Big Valbowski (as Val Venis is now being called) defeated Lance Storm with the Money Shot after a pretty good little technical match that was also given 4 or 5 minutes.

Lillian Garcia comes out to sing the Canadian national anthem.  Jerry Lawler is introduced and Smackdown gets underway.    Before the theme, we get a recap of Monday’s events involving The Rock, Hogan and the nWo.  Crowd chants for Hogan.  I was also at WrestleMania in Toronto on Sunday and still can’t believe how over Hogan is. 

The show kicks off with Booker T versus Edge, with Kurt Angle doing commentary.  Inevitably, he interferes in the match after referee Teddy Long gets bumped, nailing Edge with the Olympic slam.  Booker T finishes with an axe kick for the win.

Hogan enters the arena and runs right into Vince McMahon (who is met with a giant “You screwed Bret” chant).  Vince rags on him for leaving the nWo and says that every time Hogan tries something without Vince, he falls flat on his red and yellow ass.  Ouch!  Vince also reminds Hogan that he gets to make the first draft pick next Monday.

Next segment has William Regal interrupting the APA’s card game to inform them that they could be split up in the draft.  As he exits their, ahem, office, he runs into DDP, who makes fun of Regal for losing the IC belt on Sunday.  That sets up a European title match tonight.

Finally, before the next commercial, Hall and Nash say threatening things about tonight’s match with The Rock

Trish and Lita defeated Ivory and Jazz in a tag team match.  Lita may have gotten a bigger pop than Trish, which is weird considering we’re in Canada.  Trish pinned Jazz after a bulldog to win. 

Lillian asks RVD what he thinks about the draft.  He says he doesn’t care if he ends up on Mondays or on Thursdays.  Next segment has Spike Dudley talking to a trainer in the back about how no one has ever beaten him up the way Brock Lesnar did Monday.  Way to put the new guy over, Spike.

In a bit of a surprise, William Regal regained the European championship by defeating DDP.  Christian distracted the referee while Regal used the brass knuckles to knock out Page and then locked him in an STF.  Ref gives Regal the submission win when Page’s arm drops three times.

Jericho and Stephanie come out to cut a promo about the handicap match on Monday against Triple H.  Triple H comes out to make fun of Stephanie, showing a video package of her most embarrassing moments (many of which involve Jericho, oddly enough).  Stephanie then changes the match to a triple-threat match and promises to become the first-ever female undisputed champion.  Jericho is shocked.  I’ll note that Jericho got pretty good heel heat, even though he was in his home country.

In a backstage segment after commercial, Jericho realizes he can regain the title by pinning Stephanie.

Test defeated Tajiri with a big boot.  I finally saw how both guys make those kicks sound real by slapping their pants.  

Vince informs Hall and Nash that he has ensured that the nWo will be drafted as a unit on Monday.  (Why not do this for other tag teams?)

Hurricane and Mighty Molly fought to a no-contest.  Hurricane seemed hesitant to fight Molly, even though she walloped him on Sunday and stole the Hardcore title.  Molly played heel by attacking him from behind.  Match doesn’t last long as Brock Lesnar comes out through the crowd with Paul Heyman and lays out both of them.

Backstage, The Undertaker asks Ric Flair to draft him, so he can provide Flair with more “WrestleMania moments”.

Billy and Chuck talk backstage to their new stylist, who accompanies them to the ring after commercial.  I didn’t recognize the guy, but he must be an indie worker because he interfered in their tag title match against the Hardys, helping Billy and Chuck to retain the titles.  There was an entire row of people in bathrobes and headbands just in front of us, with a “Vince screwed Billy and Chuck” sign.  (They must not know about Pat Patterson.)  We also got “Chuckie swallows” and “Billy spits” chants through the match.  Billy finished with a Fame-Asser after the stylist’s interference.

The Rock defeated Kevin Nash by disqualification when Scott Hall interfered.  The guy next to me called the finish even before the match started.  They beat down The Rock and put him through the announce table before Hogan comes out to a monster pop to make the save.  After dropping a legdrop on each guy, Hogan gets jumped from behind by… X-Pac!!!  They triple-team Hogan with a chair and Hulkster does a blade job for dramatic effect.  I imagine the show will end here.  After, Rocky comes back in the ring to help Hogan up and they pose for the crowd before leaving.  Though there were a couple of “Rocky sucks” chants during the match, he was the solid ace against Nash.

Biggest pops:  Hogan, RVD, Triple H

Most heel heat:  Stephanie, Jericho, Angle

Overall, not a bad way to spend three hours.  Keep up the good work.

Of course, big thanks to Jeffrey for his timely and detailed report...  check out SmackDown! on Thursday night, or come on back here to OO on Friday to check out the Immolator's debut as our new SD! recapper.

E-MAIL RICK SCAIA
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Rick Scaia is a wrestling fan from Dayton, OH.  He's been doing this since 1995, but enjoyed it best when the suckers from SportsLine were actually PAYING him to be a fan.

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