WWE 2004 - The Booker's Cut

[Stojy]

Evolution opening promo was solid as a starting point for the show. The “take a look at greatness” being the first line for Triple H is interesting, since Orton used that line during his 2008-2009 WWE title reigns. No idea if that was intentional, but just stood out to me for some reason. All of Evolution’s main feuds are mentioned here which is fine, and Bischoff making the matches he did for tonight is great. Obviously Joe wins the four way, we’ve got a tag title match and Triple H/Angle is a PPV worthy main event. A good start to the show.

Tag title match here seemed solid enough, ticking all the boxes. Batista looked incredibly strong for the most part, and the heel champs retain. Show and A Train don’t lose face due to The Hardyz interference, continuing that issue as well. Solid stuff.

Eh, the Christian/Trish segment didn’t quite hit the mark for me. In theory it all makes sense, but they haven’t been together on screen for long so if this is hinting at issues already, it feels way to soon. The benefit is this at least did the job of promoting the two matches they’re both involved in tonight.

I liked the video package before the Benoit interview, making this World Title program seem like a big deal. Benoit’s interview here was good, and the brawl was pretty crazy here. Didn’t necessarily expect it to get so vicious but here we are. Maybe a little to excessive with the German Suplex at the end, one big car spot with the F5 was probably enough, but this was a nice shock moment for sure, which now puts even more heat into the World Title situation.

I definitely didn’t expect to see a Trish injury angle in the Trish/Lita match, but it seems you’re using it as a vehicle to put forward more issues between Trish and Christian. I assume that’s what will happen as Christian chose to compete instead of be by Trish’s side. Again, like I already mentioned, not huge on these two having so many problems already.

I’m not sure I like the booking of the Fatal Four Way match here either. Joe/Orton felt like a natural program last week so using this double pin thing to shoehorn AJ into that situation doesn’t work for me. On top of that, this is Joe’s first match or at least first real competitive match in WWE. He’s supposed to be booked like this scary, tough guy, and then he doesn’t even get a proper win? Feels like a momentum killing type decision. Also, we’ve just had this announcement from Bischoff. A big announcement that the IC Title match will be a Triple Threat. Let that marinate, the Orton attack and brawl could have come next week. Just felt like a bit extra that probably wasn’t needed.

Triple H/Angle main event would have been fun. Seemed like a good one. Evolution coming out to help Triple H after the ref bump is expected, but what’s great is that Angle has his own teammates ready to counter act that. Probably the first time during the Evolution run that they have a legitimate team ready to face them. Angle getting the quick win was fine, and yeah, I think I mentioned last week it seemed like we were heading to an Evolution vs. Team Angle deal, and I’m okay with that.

Only other thing worth mentioning as potential feedback is I don’t think we need Eric Bischoff making his way out from the back three different times in the one show to announce matches. Probably need to think about some more creative ways to announce/book matches, whether it’s a wrestler requesting it in the back, or whatever else it might be.

An okay show here. Some things I didn’t agree with, but some I liked. I felt you only had the one car crash (pardon the pun) type segment on this show with the Benoit/Lesnar stuff, which felt like a step in the right direction after Smackdown. Looking forward to what comes next.

 

[Simply April]

WWE 2004: The Booker’s Cut


Formerly WWE: Where It All Begins Again​

Before we get back into weekly television, I wanted to reintroduce this project properly.


When this thread first started 2 years ago, it was called WWE: Where It All Begins Again. That title fit the original idea: a fresh start after WrestleMania XX, with WWE entering a new era built around Chris Benoit, Eddie Guerrero, the Draft, and a completely reshaped RAW and SmackDown landscape.


But as the project has grown, the identity of it has changed too.


This is no longer just about picking up where real-life WWE left off in 2004. This has become my own version of that year — the stories I would have told, the pushes I would have committed to, the returns I would have handled differently, and the matches I would have built if I had the book at one of the most interesting points in WWE history.


So going forward, this BTB will now be known as:


WWE 2004: The Booker’s Cut


The continuity is not changing. Everything that has happened so far still counts. WrestleMania XX still serves as the starting point. The Draft still reshaped the company. Backlash still happened. RAW is still moving toward Bad Blood, and SmackDown is still moving toward Judgment Day.


The only thing changing is the name — because this project now feels less like a restart and more like a full alternate cut of WWE in 2004.


This project began in the direct aftermath of WrestleMania XX, but it quickly became clear that this was not just going to be a simple continuation of real-life WWE in 2004. The whole point of Where It All Begins Again has been to take that post-WrestleMania reset and truly make it feel like a new era.


WrestleMania XX left WWE with two proud world champions at the top of the company: Chris Benoit as World Heavyweight Champion on RAW and Eddie Guerrero as WWE Champion on SmackDown. Both men entered this timeline carrying the emotion of their real-life WrestleMania moment, but from there, the world around them changed fast. WWE immediately shook up the roster with a major Draft, sending big names to new homes and opening the door for fresh matches, fresh feuds, and a very different spring of 2004. RAW became stacked with Benoit, Triple H, Brock Lesnar, Kurt Angle, Randy Orton, Evolution, Chris Jericho, Christian, Victoria, Lita, Trish Stratus, Big Show, A-Train, The World’s Greatest Tag Team, The Hardy Boyz, AJ Styles and Samoa Joe. SmackDown, meanwhile, became the home of Eddie Guerrero, Shawn Michaels, The Undertaker, John Cena, Goldberg, Stone Cold Steve Austin, Edge, Kane, Booker T, Rob Van Dam, Bradshaw, Rey Mysterio, Chavo Guerrero, Rikishi, Scotty 2 Hotty, Garrison Cade and Mark Jindrak. .


From there, both brands started to take very different shapes.

Monday Night RAW Update

RAW has been the more chaotic, aggressive brand since the reset, and most of that comes back to Evolution. Triple H, Randy Orton, Batista and Ric Flair have continued acting like RAW belongs to them. They may not have the World Heavyweight Championship anymore, but they still carry themselves like the power structure of the show. Batista and Ric Flair captured the World Tag Team Championships early in the timeline, Randy Orton remained Intercontinental Champion, and Triple H made it clear that he was not going to accept Chris Benoit as the true face of RAW.

The first major RAW issue after WrestleMania was simple: Triple H wanted his title back. Benoit had tapped him out at WrestleMania, but Triple H treated that like a mistake that needed correcting, not a result he respected. Benoit, to his credit, never backed down. He carried himself like a fighting champion from the start, taking on every challenge and refusing to let Triple H talk him down. Their road to Backlash was built around Triple H trying to prove that Benoit’s WrestleMania win was a fluke, while Benoit kept reminding him that The Game tapped out when it mattered most.

That brought them to Backlash, where Benoit once again had to prove himself in the main event. Triple H came in angry, focused and desperate to reclaim the World Heavyweight Championship, but Benoit survived him. In the end, Benoit walked out still World Heavyweight Champion, standing tall with the title and proving that WrestleMania was not a one-night miracle. The win gave Benoit credibility as champion, but it also moved him straight into an even more dangerous problem: Brock Lesnar. .


Lesnar’s role in this BTB has been one of the biggest changes from real life. Instead of leaving WWE after WrestleMania XX, Lesnar stayed and was drafted to RAW. That immediately gave RAW a monster unlike anyone else on the roster. Lesnar entered a heated rivalry with Kurt Angle, with both men trying to position themselves as the next true challenger for the World Heavyweight Championship. Their history made the match feel bigger, and at Backlash, Lesnar defeated Angle in a Submission Match to become the number one contender. The key detail is that Lesnar did not just beat Angle — he made an Olympic gold medalist tap. That became the foundation of his threat to Benoit.


The night after Backlash, Lesnar and Benoit finally came face-to-face as champion and challenger. Benoit stood his ground and refused to be intimidated, but Lesnar made it clear he saw the World Heavyweight Championship as his next possession. Things exploded again on RAW 4/19, when Lesnar ambushed Benoit in a brutal parking lot attack. He F-5’d Benoit onto a car, locked him in the Kimura, and even suplexed him onto another vehicle. It was not just a beatdown. It was Lesnar sending a message that Bad Blood will not be a wrestling match as much as it will be a fight for survival. .


While Benoit and Lesnar are now the clear World Heavyweight Championship program, Triple H has not disappeared. If anything, losing at Backlash made him more dangerous. On the RAW after Backlash, Triple H snapped after seeing Shelton Benjamin and Charlie Haas laughing backstage. Evolution destroyed The World’s Greatest Tag Team, leaving them battered and sending a message that nobody mocks The Game. Kurt Angle came to their defense, leading to Angle facing Ric Flair later that night. That ended with Evolution interfering, but the issue only grew. On RAW 4/19, Angle defeated Triple H thanks to help from Benjamin and Haas, officially reuniting Team Angle. Eric Bischoff then made it official for Bad Blood: Evolution vs. Team Angle in a six-man tag team match. .


Randy Orton’s story has also been one of RAW’s strongest threads. Coming out of WrestleMania, Orton was still Intercontinental Champion and still fully committed to being the Legend Killer. He originally targeted The Rock, leading to a massive confrontation where The Rock accepted the challenge only if the Intercontinental Championship was on the line. Evolution later took Rock out in a parking lot assault, which removed him from Backlash and allowed Mick Foley to step in. That turned Backlash into a brutal Hardcore Match between Orton and Foley for the Intercontinental Championship.


At Backlash, Orton survived Foley and retained the title. The story afterward was Orton bragging that he did not just beat Foley — he retired him. He claimed he had taken out both The Rock and Mick Foley, and that no legend could stop him. But that arrogance brought a new problem to RAW. On the Backlash fallout show, Samoa Joe made a shocking WWE debut by confronting Orton and beating him down. Joe did not arrive with flash or comedy. He arrived as a problem. He called himself Orton’s “Samoan nightmare” and made it clear that the Legend Killer had just found someone who was not afraid of him. .


That Intercontinental Championship picture became even wilder because of AJ Styles. AJ debuted at Backlash against Christian and scored a huge win in his first WWE match. Christian had Trish Stratus with him and tried to ruin AJ’s moment, but Styles still broke through and won with the Styles Clash. The next night, Styles beat Christian again in a rematch, proving Backlash was not a fluke. At the same time, Chris Jericho’s suspension was lifted, and Jericho immediately returned through the crowd to destroy Christian, keeping that grudge alive. .


By RAW 4/19, Bischoff put all of that chaos together by announcing a Fatal Four-Way between Samoa Joe, AJ Styles, Chris Jericho and Christian to determine who would challenge Orton at Bad Blood. The finish left both AJ and Joe standing as threats, and Bischoff made the call: at Bad Blood, Randy Orton will defend the Intercontinental Championship in a Triple Threat Match against AJ Styles and Samoa Joe. On top of that, AJ vs. Joe was announced for the next RAW, giving the brand a fresh, exciting new match between two men who already feel like game-changers. .


The women’s division on RAW has also been busy. Victoria remained Women’s Champion after WrestleMania and carried herself with more edge as the weeks went on. Lita won the right to challenge her at Backlash, but Victoria retained the championship. Trish Stratus, meanwhile, has been involved in her own story with Torrie Wilson and Christian, defeating Torrie at Backlash before shifting her attention back toward the Women’s Title scene. The Backlash fallout put Victoria, Lita and Trish on a collision course, with Victoria attacking both women and making it clear that as long as she is champion, neither of them will take her spot. Then on RAW 4/19, Trish suffered what appeared to be a serious knee injury during a match with Lita, adding another twist to the division.


The RAW tag division has become one of the deepest parts of the show. Batista and Flair are the champions, but they are being chased by several teams at once. The Hardy Boyz reunited and immediately brought energy back to the division. The World’s Greatest Tag Team have been rebuilt as serious wrestlers, especially now that they are back with Kurt Angle. Big Show and A-Train have formed a monster team, openly admitting they attacked The Hardyz and declaring that they want the World Tag Team Championships. On RAW 4/19, Batista and Flair defended against Big Show and A-Train, with the division continuing to feel unstable and dangerous.


So as of the latest RAW, the brand is moving toward Bad Blood with three major matches already confirmed: Chris Benoit vs. Brock Lesnar for the World Heavyweight Championship, Evolution vs. Team Angle, and Randy Orton vs. AJ Styles vs. Samoa Joe for the Intercontinental Championship. RAW feels violent, unpredictable and stacked with big personalities. Benoit is still champion, but Lesnar is coming. Evolution is still powerful, but Angle, Benjamin and Haas are finally standing together. Orton survived the legends, but now he has AJ Styles and Samoa Joe coming for him. That is where RAW stands heading into the next episode.

Thursday Night SmackDown Update

SmackDown has been built around Eddie Guerrero as WWE Champion, but unlike RAW, where the title picture immediately became a war between established monsters, SmackDown has felt more like a brand trying to find its new identity after the Draft. Paul Heyman has been running the show with his usual mix of arrogance and manipulation, and after the Draft, he set the tone by making the next WWE Championship challenger earn the shot through a tournament.

The tournament instantly gave SmackDown structure. Edge returned to the brand and entered the field, John Cena brought his United States Championship confidence into the bracket, Bradshaw began his new singles run after betraying Farooq, and The Undertaker and Kane were pulled back into each other’s orbit. The bracket created a lot of fresh possibilities, but it also exposed just how many combustible personalities SmackDown now has.

One of the earliest big angles on SmackDown was the breakup of the APA. During the Night of Champions episode, Rikishi and Scotty 2 Hotty retained the WWE Tag Team Championships against the APA, but the real story was Bradshaw snapping afterward. He attacked Farooq and made it clear that the old APA days were over. Bradshaw was no longer content being a tag team brawler or a hired gun. He declared that he was moving forward on his own, and since then, he has carried himself like a man who believes he belongs near the top of SmackDown.

John Cena’s rise has also been a major part of the brand. Cena is still United States Champion, but he has started to get involved in much bigger issues. In the WWE Championship number one contender tournament, Cena defeated Shawn Michaels in the first round, which should have been a star-making win on its own. Instead, it caused HBK to snap. Michaels attacked Cena after the match, bloodying him and making it clear that he did not respect Cena as a true main-event-level threat. That one moment completely changed Shawn Michaels on SmackDown. He went from dream-match babyface to bitter veteran almost overnight.

HBK’s obsession did not stop with Cena. Michaels also found himself crossing paths with The Undertaker. During the tournament semifinals, Cena faced The Undertaker, and Shawn’s interference backfired when Sweet Chin Music hit The Deadman. Cena capitalized and advanced, creating even more tension between Cena, Michaels and Undertaker. Then on SmackDown 4/15, Michaels opened the show by saying the kick to Undertaker may have been an accident, but next time he would not hesitate. Undertaker appeared, only for Kane to ambush him from under the ring and destroy him. The Undertaker/Kane issue was violently reopened, while Michaels continued lurking around Cena and the United States Championship. .

The tournament eventually came down to Edge vs. John Cena in the finals. Cena had already survived HBK and The Undertaker, while Edge had fought his way back into title contention after returning from injury. The finals were intense, but Shawn Michaels once again changed everything. HBK returned as a masked figure, revealed himself, and blasted Cena with Sweet Chin Music. Edge took advantage, hit the Spear, and stole the win. That made Edge the new number one contender for the WWE Championship at Judgment Day. The show ended with Eddie Guerrero walking out, staring Edge down, and raising the WWE Championship in his face. .

That gives SmackDown its Judgment Day main event: Eddie Guerrero vs. Edge for the WWE Championship. Eddie has already made it clear that he is not intimidated by anyone on the brand. He has also shown serious anger toward Shawn Michaels, calling him a snake and making it clear that one day he wants to put HBK in his place. That means Eddie’s road is not just about Edge. Edge may be the official challenger, but Cena, Michaels and even Undertaker’s situation are all hovering around the title picture in different ways. Eddie is still champion, but SmackDown is starting to close in on him from every side. .

The other huge SmackDown story is Stone Cold Steve Austin vs. Goldberg. Goldberg came into the brand with the same explosive intensity he had after WrestleMania, and Austin was not about to let him run through the show unchecked. Their first major confrontation became a wild scene with Shane McMahon getting involved. Shane made Austin vs. Goldberg official for Judgment Day, but the tension only escalated from there. Austin stunned Shane, Goldberg speared Austin, and then the next week, Austin arrived on his four-wheeler, broke into Goldberg’s locker room, and started a fight. Shane tried to control the situation, but his involvement only made it worse.

Now the match at Judgment Day is massive: Stone Cold Steve Austin vs. Goldberg, No Holds Barred, with Vince McMahon as special guest referee, and if Austin loses, his career is over. That stipulation immediately raises the stakes. It is not just two icons fighting. It is Austin’s future being placed in Vince McMahon’s hands, with Goldberg standing across from him and Shane McMahon already stirring the pot.

The cruiserweight division has also been one of SmackDown’s strongest pieces. Chavo Guerrero is still Cruiserweight Champion, and Chavo Classic has been right there with him, helping him survive every threat. Rey Mysterio has been chasing Chavo, and the rivalry has become personal enough that Rey challenged him to a Steel Cage Match at Judgment Day. Before that could happen, Paul Heyman forced Chavo to defend the title against Paul London. Chavo survived London and retained, which means the Judgment Day cage match is now locked in as a Cruiserweight Championship match: Chavo Guerrero vs. Rey Mysterio inside a steel cage.

The SmackDown tag division has also shifted. Rikishi and Scotty 2 Hotty came out of the reset as WWE Tag Team Champions, but their reign ended on SmackDown 4/15 when Garrison Cade and Mark Jindrak won the titles. That gives the division a new heel champion team, while Rikishi and Scotty now have a reason to chase. It also gives SmackDown another fresh act to build around while the bigger stars fight over the WWE Title and Judgment Day’s main events.

So as of the latest SmackDown, Judgment Day is beginning to take shape. Eddie Guerrero defends the WWE Championship against Edge. Stone Cold Steve Austin fights Goldberg in a No Holds Barred match with Vince McMahon as referee and Austin’s career on the line. Chavo Guerrero defends the Cruiserweight Championship against Rey Mysterio inside a steel cage. Cade and Jindrak are the new WWE Tag Team Champions. John Cena is still United States Champion, but Shawn Michaels has cost him the WWE Title shot and clearly wants him next. The Undertaker has been attacked by Kane, and that family war has been dragged back into the darkness.

SmackDown feels less controlled than it did at the start. Eddie is still standing tall as champion, but Edge has stolen his way into the title match. Cena has been robbed. HBK is becoming more arrogant and more dangerous. Austin and Goldberg are ready to destroy each other. Rey and Chavo are heading into a cage. Kane has left Undertaker laying. The whole brand feels like it is moving toward Judgment Day with several grudges ready to explode at once.

That is where things stand as WWE 2004 The Booker's Cut relaunches. WrestleMania XX created the reset, the Draft changed the world, Backlash proved that this timeline was going in its own direction, and now both RAW and SmackDown are moving toward their next major chapters. RAW has Bad Blood on the horizon. SmackDown has Judgment Day. The champions are still standing, but the pressure around them is only getting heavier.

Current Champions​

RAW​

Championship​	Current Champion​
World Heavyweight Championship​	Chris Benoit​
Intercontinental Championship​	Randy Orton​
World Tag Team Championships​	Batista & Ric Flair​
Women’s Championship​	Victoria​

SmackDown​

Championship	Current Champion
WWE Championship	Eddie Guerrero
United States Championship	John Cena
Cruiserweight Championship	Chavo Guerrero
WWE Tag Team Championships	Garrison Cade & Mark Jindrak

​

Judgment Day 2004​

May 9, 2004 — Staples Center — Los Angeles, CA
​

Match​	Stipulation / Title​
Eddie Guerrero (c) vs. Edge​	WWE Championship​
Stone Cold Steve Austin vs. Goldberg​	No Holds Barred — Vince McMahon as Special Guest Referee — If Austin loses, his career is over​
Chavo Guerrero Jr. vs. Rey Mysterio​	Steel Cage Match — Cruiserweight Championship​

​

Bad Blood 2004​

May 23, 2004 — Minneapolis, MN
​

Match​	Stipulation / Title​
Chris Benoit (c) vs. Brock Lesnar​	World Heavyweight Championship​
Evolution vs. Team Angle​	Six-Man Tag Team Match​
Randy Orton (c) vs. AJ Styles vs. Samoa Joe​	Intercontinental Championship — Triple Threat Match​

NEXT SHOW - WWE SmackDown — April 22, 2004​

 

[Simply April]

Last Week on SmackDown — April 15, 2004​

Last week on SmackDown, the road to Judgment Day took shape in a major way. The WWE Championship No. 1 contender’s tournament reached its final match as John Cena faced Edge for the right to challenge Eddie Guerrero. Cena had already survived Shawn Michaels and The Undertaker to get there, while Edge was fighting to turn his comeback into the biggest opportunity of his career. But the match ended in controversy when a masked man appeared, blasted Cena with Sweet Chin Music, and revealed himself as Shawn Michaels. Edge took advantage, hit the Spear, and pinned Cena to become No. 1 contender. After the match, Eddie Guerrero walked out with the WWE Championship and stood face-to-face with Edge, making their Judgment Day title match official.

The tag team division also changed in a big way. Garrison Cade and Mark Jindrak defeated Rikishi and Scotty 2 Hotty to become the new WWE Tag Team Champions, ending the popular champions’ run and giving SmackDown a younger, cockier team at the top. Cade and Jindrak celebrated like they had arrived, while Rikishi and Scotty were left stunned and embarrassed. The former champions clearly are not finished, but Cade and Jindrak now have the titles, the momentum, and the attitude to make themselves a real problem.

Rey Mysterio and Chavo Guerrero’s rivalry also moved closer to Judgment Day. Chavo retained the Cruiserweight Championship against Paul London, once again surviving through shortcuts and help from Chavo Classic. Rey had finally seen enough. Tired of Chavo running, stalling, and escaping every time the pressure got real, Rey challenged him to defend the Cruiserweight Title inside a Steel Cage at Judgment Day. For the first time, Chavo may have to face Rey with nowhere to hide.

The Undertaker and Kane’s war was reignited in violent fashion. Shawn Michaels opened the night bragging that if he accidentally hit Undertaker with Sweet Chin Music once, he would not hesitate to do it again. Undertaker appeared to answer him, but before the Deadman could fully respond, Kane struck from under the ring and dragged him back into darkness. The attack made it clear that WrestleMania did not end their story. Kane is still obsessed with destroying his brother, and Undertaker has been pulled back into the fight.

The danger around Stone Cold Steve Austin also grew worse. Austin and Goldberg are now set to collide at Judgment Day in a No Holds Barred Match, with Vince McMahon as the special guest referee. Even worse, Austin’s career will be on the line. Vince has made it clear that he wants to personally count Austin’s shoulders to the mat and end his career, while Goldberg looks like the weapon Vince has chosen to finish the job.

By the end of the night, SmackDown felt completely different. Edge had stolen his way into a WWE Championship match, Shawn Michaels had made his issue with John Cena deeply personal, Cade and Jindrak had taken control of the tag division, Rey Mysterio had Chavo Guerrero cornered, Kane had dragged Undertaker back into the shadows, and Austin’s career was officially in danger. With Judgment Day getting closer, the April 22 SmackDown now has to deal with the fallout from one of the most important nights of the new era.

WWE SmackDown — April 22, 2004​

SmackDown opens with blue-and-white pyro and a loud crowd still buzzing from last week’s tournament controversy. Michael Cole quickly recaps Edge becoming No. 1 contender to the WWE Championship after Shawn Michaels cost John Cena the match, which now makes Eddie Guerrero vs. Edge official for Judgment Day. Eddie Guerrero rides out in the lowrider with the WWE Championship over his shoulder, smiling for the crowd but carrying himself like a champion who knows trouble is coming. Eddie says Edge earned his way through the tournament, but he also says there is a difference between winning a fight and accepting a gift from Shawn Michaels. Eddie admits he knows better than anybody how to lie, cheat and steal, but says when the WWE Championship is on the line, he wants to look a man in the eyes and beat him. If Edge wants the title, Eddie says, then Edge needs to prove he is more than a man who got lucky because HBK wanted to hurt John Cena.

Edge comes out focused and defensive. He says he did not ask Shawn Michaels for help, did not know he was coming, and will not apologize for taking the opening when it was there. Edge reminds Eddie that his whole career has been built on bending rules and stealing moments, then says maybe Eddie is only angry because Edge might be able to play that game better than him. Eddie’s smile fades, and the two move closer before John Cena storms out with the United States Championship. Cena says Edge can dress it up however he wants, but last week he pinned a man who had just been kicked in the face. Edge fires back that Cena lost and he won, but Cena says Edge is starting to sound real proud of a win he claims he never wanted help getting.

Shawn Michaels then appears on the stage, smug and laughing at the mess he created. HBK mocks Cena for crying, mocks Eddie for suddenly acting like a saint, and tells Edge, “You’re welcome.” Edge snaps that he never needed Shawn’s help, but Shawn says Edge didn’t seem too bothered when he was covering Cena for the three-count. Paul Heyman interrupts before the whole segment collapses and says controversy creates opportunity. Tonight’s main event will be Eddie Guerrero & John Cena vs. Edge & Shawn Michaels. Edge is furious and says he is not HBK’s partner, but Heyman says if Edge had no problem benefiting from Shawn last week, he can deal with him tonight. Cena rushes HBK at ringside, Eddie gets involved, and Edge tries to get his own hands on Shawn, but the chaos causes Edge and Eddie to shove each other. HBK nearly hits Sweet Chin Music again, this time almost catching Edge, and Edge gets right in his face. The segment ends with Eddie holding the WWE Championship in the ring, Cena glaring at Shawn, Edge staring a little too long at Eddie’s title, and HBK backing up the ramp laughing because nobody in the main event trusts anybody.

Backstage, Edge corners Shawn Michaels and tells him not to think they are friends just because they are teaming tonight. Shawn smiles and says Edge should relax because HBK has already helped him more than anyone else on SmackDown. Edge warns him that if Shawn costs him momentum before Judgment Day, he will regret it. Shawn calmly tells Edge that the problem with wanting the WWE Championship is that sooner or later, everyone sees what kind of man you really are. Edge says nothing, but the line clearly lands.

Rey Mysterio vs. Chavo Classic is next, with Chavo Guerrero watching from ringside with the Cruiserweight Championship. Rey wrestles with urgency, knowing Chavo Classic has been part of every shortcut that has kept Chavo Jr. ahead of him. Classic tries to slow the match down and steal openings whenever Chavo distracts the referee, but Rey keeps moving too fast. When Chavo Jr. grabs Rey’s ankle from the floor, Rey stomps his hand, turns back to Classic, and sends him into the ropes. Rey hits the 619, follows with the springboard seated senton, and gets the clean three-count.

Rey barely has time to celebrate before Chavo Guerrero blasts him from behind with the Cruiserweight Title. Chavo shouts that Rey wanted him trapped in a cage, then tries to throw him into the steel steps. Rey slips free, sends Chavo into the steps instead, and wipes him out with a flying seated senton from the apron. Rey picks up the Cruiserweight Championship, looks at it, then lays it across Chavo’s chest instead of stealing the moment. Rey points upward, signaling the cage, while Chavo sits against the barricade clutching the title. Cole says Judgment Day may finally be the night Chavo has nowhere to run.

Backstage, Paul Heyman is in his office when Booker T walks in, frustrated that everyone else on SmackDown seems to have a clear path except him. Booker says Eddie has the WWE Title, Cena has the United States Title, Edge has a title shot, Shawn Michaels gets attention just for kicking people in the face, and Booker T is still standing around waiting. Before Heyman can answer, Rob Van Dam walks in with the same goal: he wants the next shot at the United States Championship too. There is a brief pause between them because this is not two strangers crossing paths. Booker and RVD used to stand side by side. They were former World Tag Team Champions, they won gold together, and for a while, they had each other’s backs. But that chapter is over now. They have gone their separate ways, and both men are chasing singles success on SmackDown. Booker takes offense to RVD acting like they are on the same level, saying he is a former world champion who should not have to beg for opportunities. RVD stays calm and says Booker spends too much time talking about what he used to be, while RVD is focused on what comes next. The tension rises fast, so Heyman makes the call: at Judgment Day, it will be Booker T vs. Rob Van Dam, and the winner becomes No. 1 contender to the United States Championship. Booker warns RVD that the laid-back act will not save him when he kicks his head off. RVD does not flinch. He simply says that beating Booker is exactly what will make the win worth it.

Cade and Jindrak come to the ring for a cocky championship toast, wearing suits and carrying the WWE Tag Team Championships like they have already become the face of the division. Cade says last week was not an upset, it was a correction. Jindrak says Rikishi and Scotty 2 Hotty were fun, but Cade and Jindrak are what champions are supposed to look like: young, athletic, hungry, and better. Before they can drink, Rikishi and Scotty interrupt. Scotty says Cade and Jindrak won the titles, but they did not end anything. He challenges Jindrak to fight him right now, and Heyman makes it official: if Scotty wins, Rikishi and Scotty get their rematch at Judgment Day.

Mark Jindrak vs. Scotty 2 Hotty starts with Jindrak overpowering Scotty and mocking him, yelling for him to dance while Cade laughs at ringside. Scotty keeps surviving, and Rikishi eventually neutralizes Cade on the floor. Jindrak still nearly puts Scotty away, but his arrogance costs him. Scotty slips out of a power move, hits the bulldog, connects with the Worm, and covers. Cade tries to save Jindrak by putting his foot on the rope, but Rikishi wipes Cade out. Jindrak gets up angry, charges, and Scotty catches him with a second quick roll-up for the three. Heyman confirms it from the stage: Cade & Jindrak will defend the WWE Tag Team Championships against Rikishi & Scotty 2 Hotty at Judgment Day. The new champions leave furious, suddenly looking less untouchable than they did ten minutes earlier.

A limousine pulls up outside the arena, and Bradshaw steps out completely changed. No APA shirt. No jeans. No beer. He is in a sharp suit, cowboy hat, expensive tie, and polished boots. He looks into the camera and says, “Tonight, SmackDown meets success.” Moments later, he enters the arena under new music as John “Bradshaw” Layfield. JBL says the APA was a dead-end bar fight and that for years he allowed himself to be dragged down by cheap beer, poker tables, and a partner who was satisfied with being respected instead of being rich. He says he is no longer here to be anyone’s drinking buddy. He is a main-event man, a businessman, and a wrestling god. Farooq interrupts, disgusted by what he is seeing. He says JBL did not evolve — he bought a suit, rented a limo, and started pretending that made him better than everyone else. Farooq reminds him that he stood beside him for years, fought with him, rode with him, and had his back when nobody else did. JBL looks him in the eye and says Farooq was holding him down. Farooq drops the mic and starts swinging. The brawl spills to ringside, where JBL rakes the eyes, drives Farooq into the steel steps, and rips at his APA shirt while shouting that the APA is dead. Officials rush down, and Heyman makes the match official for Judgment Day: Farooq vs. John Bradshaw Layfield. JBL says he will erase Farooq. Farooq fires back that JBL can call himself whatever he wants, but when he gets hit in the mouth, he will still fall like Bradshaw.

Backstage, Eddie Guerrero checks on John Cena before the main event. Eddie tells Cena he respects him, but he also needs him focused because Shawn Michaels is trying to turn the whole night into a trap. Cena says he is focused, but he is not blind — Edge keeps benefiting from Shawn’s dirty work and pretending he is above it. Eddie nods and says that is exactly what makes Edge dangerous. Cena tells Eddie that if Edge tries anything tonight, he will not wait for Judgment Day to handle it. Eddie says that is fine, as long as Cena remembers they need to win before they start fighting everybody.

The arena goes dark for Kane’s segment. Fire erupts from the stage, and Kane walks to the ring with a cold, quiet anger. He says Undertaker may call himself the Deadman, but Kane knows what is underneath the hat, the coat, and the legend. He says The Undertaker is his brother, and brothers bleed. Kane says Undertaker keeps coming back no matter how many times he is burned, buried or broken, so maybe the problem is that Kane has been trying to destroy him the wrong way. The lights go out, the gong hits, and Undertaker appears on the TitanTron in a dark room beside a casket. Undertaker says Kane opened the gates, and at Judgment Day, one brother walks out while the other gets sealed away forever. The graphic appears: The Undertaker vs. Kane — Casket Match.

Kane laughs at first, but the mind games continue. A casket slowly rolls onto the stage by itself. Kane walks toward it, opens it, and finds it empty. He laughs again, only for smoke to rise from inside before the lid slams shut by itself. Kane kicks the casket and tries to shove it off the stage, but the lights go out again. When they come back on, the casket is gone. Kane stands alone, surrounded by smoke and fire, screaming into the darkness while Cole says Judgment Day just became a whole lot darker.

Goldberg destroys a local competitor in under a minute, absorbing one weak punch before exploding with a Spear and finishing him with the Jackhammer. He does not celebrate. He stands over the body until “No Chance in Hell” hits and Vince McMahon walks out wearing a referee shirt under his suit jacket. Vince says that is exactly what Stone Cold Steve Austin will learn at Judgment Day. When Goldberg hits the Spear and Jackhammer, Vince says, there will only be one thing left: one, two, three. Goldberg takes the microphone and says Vince can count fast or slow, because when he is done with Austin, Austin will not get up. Goldberg finishes with “You’re next.”

Glass shatters, and Stone Cold Steve Austin walks onto the stage with a beer and a microphone. Austin tells Vince he looks real cute in his referee shirt, but at Judgment Day he is not the law, he is not God, and he is not even a real referee — he is just Vince McMahon in stripes, and Austin has whipped his ass in worse outfits. Austin walks down the ramp and gets face-to-face with Goldberg. Vince hides behind Goldberg, barking orders. Austin throws the first punch, and the fight explodes at ringside. Austin sends Goldberg shoulder-first into the steps, then slides into the ring and nearly catches Vince with a Stunner. Goldberg recovers, charges, and Austin sidesteps, nearly causing Goldberg to hit Vince. Austin flips Goldberg off and goes for the Stunner, but Goldberg shoves him off and cuts him in half with a Spear. Vince drops beside Austin and mock-counts three, then raises Goldberg’s arm over Austin’s body. For the first time in this feud, Austin is the one left down.

Before the main event, Edge is shown alone backstage staring at a monitor replaying Eddie raising the WWE Championship. HBK walks by and says Edge looks like a man already imagining how the title would feel in his hands. Edge tells him to stay out of his head. Shawn grins and says he is not in Edge’s head — the championship is. Edge turns toward him, irritated, but Shawn walks away before Edge can answer.

The main event is Eddie Guerrero & John Cena vs. Edge & Shawn Michaels. Cena wants HBK immediately, but Shawn dodges him and tags Edge in before Cena can touch him. Cena and Edge open hard, with Cena overpowering him early before tagging Eddie. Eddie and Edge wrestle clean for a moment, but the tension is obvious. Eddie outmaneuvers Edge with quick counters and a headscissors, which frustrates Edge enough that he starts fighting rougher. When Cena tags back in, HBK finally enters, but only after Cena has been softened up. Cena unloads on Shawn, but HBK rakes the eyes and sends him into the ring post, giving Edge and Michaels control. Edge and HBK isolate Cena, and the uneasy team actually works because both men are opportunists. HBK taunts Cena with chops and cheap shots, while Edge keeps dragging him away from Eddie’s corner. Cena finally powers out with a side slam and makes the hot tag to Eddie, who comes in flying. Eddie drops Shawn, knocks Edge off balance, and hits the Three Amigos on Michaels. Eddie climbs for the Frog Splash, but Edge rushes over and shoves him off balance. Cena tackles Edge through the ropes, and the match breaks down around ringside. Eddie and Edge brawl near the announce table, Cena throws Shawn back in, and suddenly Cena has HBK lined up for the Five Knuckle Shuffle. Cena hits it and lifts Shawn for the FU, but Edge shoves Eddie backward into Cena, knocking him off balance. Eddie turns on Edge, furious, thinking it was intentional. Edge insists he was only trying to get Eddie off him, but the hesitation is all Shawn needs. HBK blasts Cena with Sweet Chin Music. Eddie lunges at Shawn, but Edge grabs Eddie and throws him through the ropes to the floor. Edge looks down at Cena, hesitates for one second, then hits the Spear and covers him for the three-count.

After the bell, Edge does not celebrate right away. He knows exactly how it looks. Shawn Michaels does not care at all; he laughs over Cena’s body and pats Edge on the shoulder like they are partners. Edge shoves his hand away, but Eddie slides back in and attacks Edge before the argument can go further. Shawn tries to jump Eddie, but Cena, still dazed, grabs HBK by the ankle and drags him down, throwing punches from his knees. Both Judgment Day rivalries explode at once. Cena and Shawn spill toward the announce table, while Eddie chases Edge around ringside. Edge grabs the WWE Championship from the timekeeper’s area and backs away with it. Eddie stops in front of him, daring him to swing. Edge raises the title just enough to show he is thinking about it, then freezes. The hesitation tells Eddie everything. Edge wants the championship more than he wants to be respected. Officials rush out before Eddie can get to him. Paul Heyman appears on the stage and announces that next week, SmackDown will open with Eddie Guerrero and Edge signing the Judgment Day WWE Championship contract face-to-face, and before the night is over, John Cena and Shawn Michaels will be forced into the same ring again with nowhere to hide. The show closes with Edge at the top of the ramp holding Eddie’s WWE Championship, HBK smiling through a busted lip, Cena being restrained at ringside, and Eddie shouting, “You crossed the line, homes!” while Edge stares at the title like it is already changing him.

Quick Results​

Rey Mysterio def. Chavo Classic
Scotty 2 Hotty def. Mark Jindrak
Goldberg def. Local Competitor
Edge & Shawn Michaels def. Eddie Guerrero & John Cena

Judgment Day Matches Confirmed After This Show​

Eddie Guerrero (c) vs. Edge — WWE Championship

Stone Cold Steve Austin vs. Goldberg — No Holds Barred, Vince McMahon as special guest referee, Austin’s career on the line

John Cena (c) vs. Shawn Michaels — United States Championship

The Undertaker vs. Kane — Casket Match

Chavo Guerrero (c) vs. Rey Mysterio — Cruiserweight Championship Steel Cage Match

Garrison Cade & Mark Jindrak (c) vs. Rikishi & Scotty 2 Hotty — WWE Tag Team Championships

John Bradshaw Layfield vs. Farooq

Booker T vs. Rob Van Dam — Winner becomes No. 1 contender to the United States Championship​

 

[Simply April]

WWE RAW - April 26, 2004​

The RAW intro hits with hard red-and-black flashes of Chris Benoit clutching the World Heavyweight Championship, Brock Lesnar staring down at him with no expression, Triple H raising his arms beside Evolution, Kurt Angle locking in the Ankle Lock, Randy Orton holding the Intercontinental Championship close, AJ Styles flying through the air, Samoa Joe walking forward like a storm, Jericho fighting through security, Christian backing away with a sick grin, Victoria standing over the women’s division, and The Hardy Boyz staring up at Big Show and A-Train. The music slams into the final beat, pyro explodes across the stage, and Jim Ross welcomes everyone to Monday Night RAW. J.R. says Bad Blood is now less than four weeks away, and after what Brock Lesnar did to Chris Benoit last week, the question tonight is not whether Benoit has heart. The question is whether Benoit has enough body left to survive Lesnar. Jerry Lawler says he has never seen Lesnar look more focused, and that should scare everybody, including the World Heavyweight Champion.

Brock Lesnar’s music hits before J.R. can finish running down the show, and the reaction turns ugly fast. Lesnar walks out alone, no Paul Heyman, no grin, no bounce, just that cold, heavy march down the ramp. He is in jeans and a black shirt, looking less like a wrestler ready for a promo and more like someone arriving to finish a job. He steps into the ring and waits through the boos, not pacing, not playing to the crowd, just staring at the entrance. When he finally lifts the microphone, his first words are quiet: “Where’s your champion?” The crowd boos louder. Lesnar says last week was not an attack. It was a warning. He says he felt Benoit’s ribs give when he threw him into the car, felt his shoulder weaken, felt the champion’s body finally tell the truth even if his mouth never would. Lesnar says Benoit can tape himself up, grit his teeth and talk about fighting spirit all he wants, but bones do not care about pride. At Bad Blood, Lesnar says, Benoit is not walking into a wrestling match. He is walking into the end of his title reign. Eric Bischoff comes out quickly, trying to keep control before things explode. Bischoff says Benoit is not medically cleared to fight tonight and tells Lesnar he will not turn RAW into a crime scene before Bad Blood. Lesnar laughs at that. He says Bischoff keeps talking about medical clearance like it matters. Brock says if Benoit cannot walk down that ramp tonight, then he should walk into Bischoff’s office, hand over the World Heavyweight Championship, and save himself from being crippled in four weeks. That finally brings out Benoit. The crowd erupts as Benoit appears on the stage with the title in one hand, his ribs taped under his shirt and his shoulder clearly bothering him. He does not look fresh. He does not even look close. But his eyes are alive. He walks to the ring slowly, refusing help from agents, and Bischoff keeps telling him to stop. Benoit steps through the ropes anyway and stands directly in front of Lesnar. Benoit says he heard everything Brock said. He heard the part about broken ribs, bad shoulders and pain. Then Benoit steps closer and says, “You forgot one thing. You still haven’t beaten me.” Lesnar’s face changes just enough to show the line got under his skin. Benoit says Brock can throw him through cars, jump him from behind and try to break him before Bad Blood, but if Brock wants the World Heavyweight Championship, he has to do it bell to bell, face to face, with Benoit still breathing. Lesnar suddenly shoves him hard. Benoit stumbles but fires back with a forearm. Lesnar immediately drives him into the corner, and the place explodes. Benoit throws short punches, Lesnar clubs the ribs, and officials flood the ring before Lesnar can lift him. Benoit keeps trying to fight through them, screaming at Lesnar to come back, but Brock breaks loose for half a second and drills him with one more shot to the taped ribs. Benoit drops to a knee, and Lesnar finally smiles. Bischoff loses it and says if Benoit wants a fight so badly, he can have one — but not one-on-one and WWE won't be liable if/when Benoit gets taken to a hospital. Tonight’s main event will be Chris Benoit and Kurt Angle vs. Brock Lesnar and Triple H. The crowd roars. Bischoff says if Benoit is not cleared by the end of the night, Angle will have to fight alone. Lesnar backs up the ramp, staring at Benoit like he just got exactly what he wanted. Benoit stays on one knee, clutching the title with one hand and his ribs with the other, but he never looks away from Brock.

AJ Styles vs. Samoa Joe

After the break, AJ Styles makes his way out first to a strong reaction. J.R. reminds everyone that AJ has already beaten Christian and proved he belongs on RAW, but tonight is different because he is standing across from Samoa Joe. Joe’s music hits next, and the mood shifts immediately. Joe does not pose or rush. He walks down with that towel around his neck, eyes forward, expression blank. Randy Orton is shown watching backstage with the Intercontinental Championship over his shoulder, trying to look amused but clearly studying both men. The bell rings, and AJ and Joe circle with real tension. AJ tries to stay light, feinting kicks and looking for angles, but Joe cuts the ring off with small, nasty steps. AJ fires the first kick to the thigh. Joe absorbs it, steps forward and answers with one chop that knocks AJ back into the ropes. AJ realizes fast that he cannot stand still. He ducks under Joe’s next strike, hits the ropes and snaps off a flying headscissors that sends Joe rolling through. Joe pops up, but AJ is already moving, catching him with a dropkick that finally sends Joe to the floor. AJ runs for a dive, but Joe walks away from the line of fire, grabs AJ’s legs as he slides under the bottom rope, and yanks him hard to the floor. Joe throws AJ into the barricade, then chops him so hard the front row reacts before AJ even drops. Joe rolls him back in and starts grinding him down, using a snapmare, a kick to the spine and a heavy knee across the chest for two. AJ fights back with forearms, but Joe cuts him off with a powerslam and covers again. AJ kicks out, and Joe does not argue. He just pulls him up and keeps walking him toward deeper water. AJ slips out of a powerbomb attempt, lands behind Joe and hits a Pele kick that catches Joe on the side of the head. Joe staggers but does not fall. AJ hits the ropes and lands a springboard forearm, and this time Joe goes down. AJ covers for two. The crowd gets louder as AJ climbs to the apron and tries for another springboard, but Joe catches him in midair and turns it into a brutal uranage. Joe covers, and AJ barely kicks out. Joe pulls AJ toward the corner and signals for something dangerous, but the crowd suddenly boos as Randy Orton walks down the ramp with the Intercontinental Title in hand. Joe sees him and dares him to come closer. AJ uses the opening to roll Joe up for two. Joe kicks out, both men scramble up, and AJ catches Joe with another kick. He goes for the Styles Clash, but Joe powers out and shoves AJ toward the ropes. Orton slides in behind Joe and blasts him in the back of the head with the Intercontinental Championship. The referee calls for the bell immediately. AJ turns around, furious, and springboards toward Orton, but Orton catches him out of the air with a sudden RKO. The crowd erupts in boos as AJ bounces off the mat. Joe starts getting up, and Orton panics for one second before grabbing the title again and cracking Joe across the skull. This time Joe goes down. Orton stands over both challengers, breathing hard, trying to look like the plan was easy. He raises the Intercontinental Championship and shouts, “This is mine! This is my division!” J.R. says Orton did not prove he was better than either man. He proved he is scared of both.

Backstage, Evolution is gathered in their locker room. Triple H is not celebrating Orton’s attack. He is watching him like a disappointed older brother. Orton comes in proud of himself, holding the title and saying that is how you remind people who runs the show. Batista laughs, Flair says Orton looked like a champion, but Triple H cuts through the noise. He tells Orton not to confuse survival with control. Triple H says AJ and Joe are hungry, and hungry men do not go away because of one cheap shot. Orton’s smile fades. Triple H turns to Batista and Flair and says tonight is about reminding everyone that Evolution still runs RAW. Batista gets Charlie Haas tonight, Flair says Shelton Benjamin keeps sticking his nose where it does not belong, and Triple H says Kurt Angle made the biggest mistake of his life by dragging two young boys into a war with grown men. Then Triple H looks straight into the camera and says Angle may be teaming with Benoit tonight, but by the end of RAW, he will understand what Bad Blood is going to feel like.

Batista vs. Charlie Haas

Charlie Haas comes out focused, not scared, but with the look of a man who understands exactly how hard the next few minutes are going to be. Batista enters with Ric Flair beside him, and the size difference tells the story before the bell even rings. Haas starts smart. He does not lock up high. He goes low, chopping at Batista’s leg with kicks and quick shots, trying to make the big man turn. Batista shoves him off once, but Haas comes right back with a dropkick to the knee and a quick front facelock. Batista powers him into the corner, but Haas slips out and clips the leg again. For the first minute, Haas has Batista frustrated because he is not trying to win a power contest. He is trying to wrestle him. That only lasts until Batista catches him. Haas charges once too quickly, and Batista launches him with a hard back body drop that sends Haas crashing onto his shoulder. Batista slows everything down after that. He drives elbows into Haas’ back, throws him into the corner and crushes him with shoulder thrusts while Flair struts at ringside, shouting that this is what happens when amateurs fight Evolution. Haas keeps kicking out, and that starts annoying Batista more than hurting him. Haas fires back with a jawbreaker, ducks a clothesline and catches Batista with a German suplex that brings the crowd up. Haas cannot bridge because of the damage, but he crawls into the cover for two. Flair jumps onto the apron immediately, and Haas gets distracted just long enough for Batista to rise behind him. Haas turns around into a spinebuster that shakes the ring. Batista does not cover right away. He looks down at Haas, drags him up, and plants him with the Batista Bomb for the three-count. Flair slides in clapping, but Batista keeps holding Haas by the hair after the match. Shelton Benjamin runs down to stop the attack, catching Flair with a right hand and hitting Batista with a springboard clothesline that actually knocks him backward. The crowd pops as Shelton fires off on Batista, but Triple H appears from the crowd and smashes Shelton from behind. Evolution swarm both members of Team Angle until Kurt Angle’s music hits. Angle charges down with a steel chair, and Evolution bails before he can swing. Angle checks on Haas and Shelton, then points the chair at Triple H. Triple H backs up the ramp smiling, but the smile is tight. Team Angle is hurt, but they are still standing.


Victoria comes out with the Women’s Championship and a serious look. She says she is tired of everybody talking about Trish’s knee, Lita’s revenge, Molly’s complaints and Jazz’s anger while forgetting one thing: she is the champion. Victoria says she beat Lita at Backlash, she has carried the division, and she is not going to let her title become a background prop in somebody else’s drama. Trish Stratus comes out limping with her knee taped and says Victoria should be more concerned with the fact that Lita tried to injure her last week. Lita’s music hits immediately, and Lita storms out saying Trish is a liar. Lita says Trish was walking just fine when the cameras were off, and the only thing hurt is her ego because nobody is handing her the spotlight. Before Victoria can respond, Jazz comes out and says she does not care who is pretending to be hurt. She says she wants the Women’s Championship, and if Victoria is really as tough as she says, she should stop talking and fight somebody who hits back. Molly Holly follows, calmer but just as sharp, saying Victoria has been lucky because everyone else has been distracted. Bischoff appears on the stage and says if everyone wants opportunity, they can earn it tonight. Jazz will face Stacy Keibler, and Molly Holly will face Lita. If Jazz and Molly win, they enter the Women’s Championship conversation. Trish smirks at Lita from the ramp, still selling the knee a little too dramatically. Lita notices.

Jazz vs. Stacy Keibler

Stacy Keibler makes her entrance trying to stay positive, but Jazz is all business. The bell rings, Stacy uses her legs to keep distance early, landing a boot and trying a quick roll-up, but Jazz kicks out hard and immediately takes over. She clubs Stacy across the back, throws her into the corner and drives a shoulder into the ribs. Victoria watches from the stage with the title over her shoulder, arms crossed. Jazz hits a hard double-arm suplex, then locks in the STF. Stacy fights for a few seconds, reaches for the ropes, but Jazz sits back and gives her no choice but to tap. Jazz refuses to let go until the referee warns her. She finally releases, looks up at Victoria and points at the Women’s Championship. Victoria does not flinch, but she understands the message.

Molly Holly vs. Lita

Lita comes out angry, still staring toward the back like she expects Trish to appear at any second. Molly uses that against her from the start. Lita wrestles with fire, landing quick punches and a snap suplex, but she keeps looking over her shoulder. Molly slows her with a knee to the midsection, then goes to work with clean, mean offense: a backbreaker, a hair pull across the ropes, and a neck crank in the middle of the ring. Lita fights up and starts building momentum, hitting a clothesline, then another, then a DDT for a close two. The crowd gets behind her as she climbs for the moonsault, but Trish limps out onto the stage, clapping sarcastically. Lita freezes for half a second. Molly crotches her on the top rope, climbs up and brings her down with a superplex that leaves both women down. Molly crawls into the cover, but Lita kicks out. Trish keeps limping closer, acting innocent. Lita finally snaps, rolls out of the ring and gets in Trish’s face. Trish backs away, hands up, saying she is hurt. Lita turns to go back into the ring, and Trish suddenly moves perfectly fine, grabbing Lita by the hair and yanking her throat-first across the top rope while the referee is checking on Molly. Lita stumbles backward, Molly rolls her up with a handful of tights, and gets the three. After the bell, Lita lunges at Trish, but Trish rips off the knee brace and blasts Lita in the face with it. The crowd boos hard as Trish stands over her, no limp now, no guilt either.

Christian comes out surrounded by security, dressed in street clothes and sunglasses, soaking in the boos like they prove his point. He says Chris Jericho is not some betrayed hero and he is not some innocent victim. Christian says Jericho is obsessed because he cannot accept the truth: Christian became smarter, colder and better, while Jericho became emotional, reckless and easy to break. He says Jericho’s suspension being lifted was the worst mistake Eric Bischoff could have made, because now RAW has a loose cannon walking around pretending revenge is the same thing as justice. Christian then smiles and says that is why he brought security. Not because he is afraid, but because unlike Jericho, he has value to protect. Jericho does not come from the stage. He comes from the crowd. The arena explodes as Jericho jumps the barricade and launches himself at Christian before security can react. Jericho tackles him near the announce table and starts hammering him with punches, screaming that Christian took everything too far. Security pulls Jericho off, but he breaks free once and gets to Christian again, ripping at his shirt and throwing him against the barricade. Christian scrambles away, terrified now, hiding behind two guards while Jericho fights through bodies just to get another hand on him. Eric Bischoff storms out onto the stage furious and says enough is enough. He says Jericho and Christian have embarrassed RAW, ruined matches, attacked each other in the crowd, and turned every room they enter into a fight. So if they want to end this once and for all, they will do it at Bad Blood in a match designed to leave no excuses. Bischoff says it will not be one fall. It will not be one stipulation. It will be Chris Jericho vs. Christian in Three Stages of Hell. The first fall will be a straight wrestling match, because Bischoff wants to see who the better man really is. The second fall will be a Street Fight, because that is what this hatred has become anyway. And if it reaches a third fall, the final stage will be inside a Steel Cage, where there will be nowhere left for Christian to hide and nowhere left for Jericho to chase him except face-to-face. Christian’s expression drops as the crowd erupts, but Bischoff is not done. He says the winner will not only end the rivalry — the winner will become the number one contender and receive a World Heavyweight Championship match at RAW’s next pay-per-view, The Great American Bash.

Jericho stops fighting security for the first time and stares straight at Christian, breathing hard, eyes locked in. Christian tries to act calm, but the fear is obvious now. This is no longer just about revenge. This is about Christian being trapped in the kind of war he created, and Jericho being handed the one thing that could make all the pain worth it: a path back to the World Heavyweight Championship. J.R. says Bad Blood just got even more dangerous, because Jericho and Christian are not fighting to settle a score anymore. They are fighting to survive hell and walk out with a title shot.

The Hardy Boyz are interviewed backstage, and Matt says Big Show and A-Train made the mistake of thinking size means fear. Jeff says they have been thrown around, jumped and crushed, but they are still here. Matt says if Show and A-Train want to keep calling themselves monsters, then sooner or later monsters have to be beaten in front of everybody. Before they can finish, the camera catches a shadow behind them. A-Train attacks first, driving Matt into a road case. Big Show grabs Jeff and throws him into the concrete wall like he weighs nothing. The attack is quick and ugly. Matt tries to fight back, but A-Train boots him down. Jeff jumps onto Show’s back, but Show peels him off and slams him onto a production crate. Officials rush in, but Show and A-Train leave both Hardys down. A-Train tells them they can fly all they want, but eventually gravity wins.

Later in the show, Bischoff confronts Big Show and A-Train backstage and says they do not get paid to destroy people in hallways before matches. Big Show says the Hardys wanted a fight, so they got one. Bischoff says at Bad Blood, they can finish it in the ring. The Hardy Boyz vs. Big Show and A-Train is made official. Big Show smiles and says that is not a match. That is a funeral with a bell.


Randy Orton is walking backstage, still carrying the Intercontinental Championship like a shield, when AJ Styles steps into frame. Orton stops. AJ says Orton got one shot tonight because AJ was busy fighting Joe. Next time, he will see him coming. Orton laughs and says AJ should be thanking him because Joe was about to choke him unconscious. AJ steps closer and says Orton keeps calling himself the future, but the future does not jump people from behind. Before Orton can answer, Samoa Joe appears behind him. The crowd watching on the arena screen reacts immediately. Orton realizes he is trapped between them. Joe says nothing at first. He just stares. Then Joe says, “You hit me with that title again, I take it from you before Bad Blood." Bischoff arrives before it gets physical and says he is not letting them tear each other apart backstage. He says Orton wanted to prove he owns the division, so next week he can sit at ringside and watch AJ Styles face Samoa Joe again — and this time, if Orton interferes, he will be stripped of the Intercontinental Championship. Orton explodes, saying Bischoff cannot do that. Bischoff says he can, and he just did. AJ smiles. Joe keeps staring. Orton backs away, suddenly much less cocky than he was earlier.


Main Event - Chris Benoit & Kurt Angle vs. Brock Lesnar & Triple H

The main event gets the full big-match presentation. Triple H enters first, slow and arrogant, with Ric Flair and Batista behind him until officials block them at the ramp and force them backstage. Triple H argues, but Bischoff appears and says the main event is two-on-two, not Evolution against the roster. Brock Lesnar enters next, and the arena turns cold. Lesnar does not even look at Triple H. He looks straight down the ramp waiting for Benoit. Kurt Angle comes out first for his team, jaw tight, taped up from the ongoing war with Evolution but ready to fight. Then Benoit’s music hits, and the crowd rises. Benoit walks out with the World Heavyweight Championship around his waist, moving slower than usual, ribs taped heavily under his gear. Angle meets him halfway down the ramp and says something to him, probably asking if he is sure. Benoit nods once. That is all. Angle starts the match because Benoit is clearly not right. Angle and Triple H open with a tense lockup, and Angle immediately wrestles him to the mat, reminding everyone why Triple H hates being stuck with him. Triple H gets to the ropes and complains, but Angle stays on him. He takes Triple H down again, rides him, and forces him to scramble away. Lesnar tags himself in, and the atmosphere changes. Angle does not back down. They lock up hard, and Lesnar powers Angle toward the corner, but Angle slips under and grabs a waistlock. Lesnar elbows free. Angle shoots low and takes Brock down for half a second, but Lesnar powers up and drives him into the corner. The crowd buzzes because this is two monsters of different kinds: Brock with raw violence, Angle with technique and pride. Lesnar takes over by catching Angle off the ropes and throwing him with a belly-to-belly suplex. Triple H tags back in and starts picking at Angle, stomping the ribs, using the ropes and slowing everything down. Angle fights back with uppercuts, but Triple H cuts him off with a spinebuster for two. Lesnar tags in and punishes Angle with shoulder thrusts, then stares at Benoit while doing it. Every time Lesnar drives into Angle, he looks at the champion, daring him to tag in. Benoit grips the rope, breathing hard, wanting in badly. Angle finally creates space by ducking a Lesnar clothesline and hitting a German suplex that brings the crowd to its feet. Both men crawl. Lesnar tags Triple H. Angle dives and tags Benoit. Benoit comes in hot, pain and all. He chops Triple H once, twice, three times, then catches him with a snap suplex. Triple H rolls away shocked, and Benoit keeps coming, hitting a back elbow and calling for the diving headbutt before thinking better of it because of the ribs. Triple H uses that hesitation to kick him in the body. Benoit folds instantly. Triple H sees it and attacks the ribs like a shark smelling blood. He drives knees into Benoit’s side, tags Lesnar, and Brock steps in slowly. Lesnar grabs Benoit, lifts him with almost no effort and drives him into the corner. Benoit tries to fight out with chops, but Lesnar clubs him down. J.R. says this is exactly what Bischoff was afraid of. Lawler says this is exactly what Lesnar wanted. Benoit survives on instinct. Lesnar tries for a suplex, but Benoit slips behind and clips the knee. Brock drops to one leg, and Benoit immediately attacks, chopping, kicking, clawing his way into the match. He tries for the Crossface out of nowhere, and the crowd explodes as Brock realizes he is almost caught. Lesnar powers out before Benoit can fully lock the hands, but for the first time all night, Brock looks angry instead of in control. Benoit crawls toward Angle, but Triple H runs in and knocks Angle off the apron. The referee turns to get Triple H out, and Lesnar uses the opening to drive his knee hard into Benoit’s taped ribs. Benoit curls up. Angle storms in and tackles Triple H, and now the match breaks down. Angle and Triple H spill to the floor, trading punches near the announce table. Inside the ring, Lesnar pulls Benoit up for the F-5, but Benoit slips down behind him and shoves Brock shoulder-first into the post. Lesnar stumbles back, and Benoit grabs him again, this time dragging him down into the Crossface. The arena explodes. Lesnar is trapped in the middle, not perfectly, not cleanly, but trapped enough that his face changes. Benoit screams through the pain and pulls back with everything he has. Brock reaches, claws and drags both of them toward the ropes. Triple H tries to slide in, but Angle grabs his ankle on the floor and locks in the Ankle Lock outside the ring. For five electric seconds, both Lesnar and Triple H are trapped at the same time. Then Batista and Flair run down. Shelton Benjamin and Charlie Haas chase them from behind, and the referee has no choice but to throw the match out as the whole thing becomes a fight. Shelton tackles Flair, Haas goes after Batista, Angle keeps trying to break Triple H’s ankle, and inside the ring Lesnar finally reaches the ropes. Benoit refuses to release until officials swarm him. Brock rolls out, furious and breathing hard, while Benoit is on his knees in the ring, clutching his ribs but smiling through the pain because he got to Brock. Lesnar snaps. He grabs a chair from ringside and slides back in, but Benoit meets him with a dropkick into the chair, knocking Brock backward. The crowd erupts. Triple H breaks free on the floor and cracks Angle from behind. Batista throws Haas into the steps. Flair chop-blocks Shelton. Evolution regains control outside, while Lesnar finally catches Benoit inside. Brock lifts him and drills him with an F-5 in the center of the ring. The boos are enormous. Lesnar is not done. He picks up the World Heavyweight Championship from ringside, brings it into the ring and lays it across Benoit’s chest. Then he kneels beside him, leaning close enough for the camera to catch him saying, “You can catch me for five seconds. At Bad Blood, you have to survive me.” The show ends with chaos everywhere: Angle down on the floor, Team Angle hurt, Evolution regrouping on the ramp, and Brock Lesnar standing over Chris Benoit with the World Heavyweight Championship pressed against the wounded champion’s body. J.R. closes the show by saying Benoit proved he can still fight, but Brock Lesnar proved he may be the one man brutal enough to make fighting spirit not matter.

BAD BLOOD 2004 OFFICIAL MATCH CARD
May 23, 2004

 

[Simply April]

WWE SmackDown — April 29, 2004

Everyone Crosses the Line

SmackDown opens with a recap of last week’s chaos. Edge stands at the top of the ramp with Eddie Guerrero’s WWE Championship in his hands, staring down at the title like he is already trying to imagine his name on it. Shawn Michaels smiles through a busted lip after costing John Cena again. Cena is held back by officials, Eddie is shouting from ringside, and Paul Heyman announces that this week will begin with the Judgment Day contract signing. The final shot lingers on Edge looking down at the WWE Championship, not smiling, not celebrating, just studying it. Then the SmackDown intro hits.

Blue-and-white pyro explodes across the stage as the camera sweeps over the crowd. Michael Cole welcomes everyone to SmackDown and says Judgment Day is now only ten days away. He says the WWE Championship match already feels like it is pulling the whole brand apart. Tazz says Edge did not steal the No. 1 contender spot, but he sure stole a moment last week when he walked out with Eddie’s title. Cole says tonight begins with Eddie Guerrero and Edge making the Judgment Day title match official, and before the night is over, John Cena and Shawn Michaels will be locked in the same ring again.

Paul Heyman is already standing in the ring when the cameras settle. A table is set up in the middle with two chairs, the Judgment Day contract, and the WWE Championship placed in front of the empty seat meant for Eddie Guerrero. Heyman says SmackDown has been built on opportunity since the Draft, but opportunity means nothing without control. He says last week proved that Edge, Eddie Guerrero, John Cena and Shawn Michaels cannot be trusted to share a building without tearing it apart, so tonight begins with business. He brings out Edge first.

Edge walks out slowly in street clothes, carrying himself like a man who knows the whole building is judging him. He does not have Eddie’s title anymore because Heyman had it retrieved before the show, but his eyes find it the second he steps into the ring. He sits down, looks at the contract, then looks at the WWE Championship. He tries not to stare too long, but he does. Heyman sees it. Eddie Guerrero sees it too.

Eddie rides onto the stage in the lowrider, and the building comes alive. He steps out with the usual energy for the crowd, but once he starts walking toward the ring, the smile fades. He enters, walks past Heyman, walks past Edge, and picks up the WWE Championship. He holds it close for one second, like he is reminding Edge who it belongs to, then places it back on the table without taking his eyes off him.

Heyman says there will be no physical contact during the signing. Eddie laughs and says Heyman always starts worrying about rules after somebody else already crosses the line. Eddie turns to Edge and says he saw the way Edge looked at the title last week. He says he knows that look because he has had that look before. Eddie says he knows what it is like to want something so badly that you start telling yourself every shortcut is justified. He says the difference is that he stopped lying to himself. Edge has not. Edge leans forward and says Eddie has no right to lecture him about shortcuts. He says Eddie built an entire career on lying, cheating and stealing, then became a hero because the people decided to forgive him. Edge says he came back from a broken neck, fought his way through the tournament, and now everyone wants him to apologize because Shawn Michaels kicked John Cena in the face. Edge says he did not ask for Shawn’s help, but he will not pretend he is sorry for becoming No. 1 contender. He says that is what Eddie really hates. Eddie sees a little bit of himself in Edge, except Edge is younger, hungrier, and not afraid to take the moment when it is right there. Eddie signs the contract first. He tells Edge that at Judgment Day, there will be no masked man, no stolen title, and no excuse. Just Edge across the ring from a champion who has been doubted his whole life and still found a way to survive. Edge takes the pen, pauses, and signs his name. Heyman smiles because the match is official, but the tension does not break. Edge stands and says Eddie keeps talking about survival like it makes him special. Edge says survival does not make Eddie special. It makes him tired. At Judgment Day, Edge says Eddie will be standing across from a man who has waited too long, hurt too much, and come too far to leave Los Angeles empty-handed. Eddie slowly rises. Heyman gets between them, reminding both men that contact is banned, but Eddie keeps his eyes on Edge and says, “You want to be me so bad, homes, but you don’t know what it cost.” Edge’s face changes. The line hits him harder than he wants to show. He shoves his chair back and steps away before he can swing. Eddie does not chase him. He just picks up the WWE Championship and raises it. Edge stops on the ramp and points at the title. He does not say anything. He does not have to. The championship is already doing enough damage between them.

After the break, Rob Van Dam comes out for the opening match. He points both thumbs at himself on the stage, but there is more focus than usual in his expression because Judgment Day now has stakes for him. Cole reminds everyone that RVD will face Booker T at Judgment Day, with the winner becoming No. 1 contender to the United States Championship. Booker T then walks out and joins commentary, dressed sharp and wearing the irritated look of a man who thinks he has been disrespected for weeks. Booker says RVD is talented, no doubt, but talent and hunger are not the same thing. He says RVD smiles too much for somebody standing in Booker T’s way.

Chavo Guerrero comes out next with Chavo Classic and the Cruiserweight Championship. Chavo says he should not have to wrestle someone outside his division this close to Judgment Day, especially when Rey Mysterio has already forced him into a Steel Cage Match. He says RVD is not getting his hands on the Cruiserweight Champion tonight because the Guerrero family has enough intelligence to protect its investments. Chavo Classic steps forward, stretching his arms and acting like this was the plan all along. Chavo says Classic will give RVD a lesson in Guerrero wrestling, while Chavo himself stays fresh for Rey.

The bell rings, and RVD starts loose, bouncing on his feet while Classic tries to slow him down with a basic lock-up. Classic grabs a headlock and talks the whole time, telling RVD he is in there with experience. RVD shoots him off, drops down, leapfrogs, and catches him with a quick spin kick that sends Classic rolling to the floor. Chavo Jr. complains immediately, shouting that RVD kicked him in the face because he cannot wrestle. Booker says from commentary that this is exactly what he means about RVD: flash first, substance second. Classic gets back in and uses Chavo’s distraction to catch RVD with a shot to the ribs. He works him into the corner and lands a few short punches, but RVD reverses the whip, rolls backward, and comes up with a monkey flip that sends Classic across the ring. RVD follows with Rolling Thunder, hooks the leg, and gets two. Chavo Jr. jumps onto the apron before RVD can climb. The referee turns to Chavo, and Classic tries to sneak behind RVD, but RVD catches him with a kick without even turning all the way around. Rey Mysterio runs down before Chavo can get involved again. Chavo sees him and immediately backs away from the apron. Rey points at him, then points toward the Judgment Day sign. The moment distracts Classic, and RVD takes advantage. He knocks Classic down with a kick to the jaw, climbs to the top rope, and hits the Five-Star Frog Splash for the three-count.

RVD gets his hand raised while Booker slowly removes the headset. He walks to the apron and stares at him. RVD is still holding his ribs from the splash, but he stands and points both thumbs at himself. Booker steps through the ropes, and the crowd rises, thinking the fight is coming right now. Booker gets nose-to-nose with him and says beating Chavo Classic is cute, but Judgment Day is a different kind of pressure. RVD says Booker talks like a man who is trying to convince himself. Booker shoves him. RVD shoves him back. Officials slide in fast, keeping them apart before either man can throw a punch. Booker backs away with a cold glare, telling RVD he is going to kick him back down the ladder. RVD stays in the ring, calm but no longer smiling. Rey Mysterio slides into the ring afterward and stands beside RVD for a moment before turning his attention back to Chavo. Chavo and Classic retreat up the ramp, with Chavo clutching the Cruiserweight Championship and yelling that Rey will never walk out of the cage with his title. Rey does not chase. He simply points toward the Judgment Day sign, then makes the motion of a cage door closing. Chavo tries to look confident, but he is rattled. Cole says Chavo has escaped every bad situation so far, but the cage may finally take away the Guerrero family exit plan.

Backstage, John Cena arrives with the United States Championship over his shoulder. Josh Matthews asks about Shawn Michaels and the promise that both men will be in the same ring tonight. Cena says last week he got kicked in the face again, and he is done hearing Shawn talk about respect. Cena says HBK wants everyone to call him a legend, but legends do not hide behind masks, cheap shots, and excuses. Cena says Shawn has spent weeks trying to make him look like he does not belong. Tonight, Cena says he is done talking about belonging. He is going to show Shawn what happens when the guy he keeps trying to embarrass stops chasing respect and starts swinging.

The camera cuts to Shawn Michaels watching from a monitor. He is amused, not angry. Edge walks past him, and Shawn says Edge looked good out there, except for the part where Eddie got in his head. Edge tells him to stay out of his business. Shawn says he is not in Edge’s business. He is just pointing out what everyone can see. Edge wants the title so badly that he is starting to sound honest for the first time. Edge steps closer and says Shawn should worry about Cena. Shawn smiles and says Cena is easy. Cena is loud, proud, and predictable. Edge, on the other hand, is the one who might surprise everyone, including himself. Edge stares at Shawn for a moment before walking away.

The new WWE Tag Team Champions, Garrison Cade and Mark Jindrak, come out next with the titles over their shoulders. They are dressed like young champions who already think the division has moved on without asking anyone else. Cade has a microphone and says last week was not a fluke, no matter what the fans want to believe. Scotty 2 Hotty caught Jindrak for three seconds, and now everyone acts like the champions are in trouble. Cade says Judgment Day will not be about dancing, worms, or nostalgia. It will be about two real athletes proving that the tag division has moved into the future.

Rikishi comes out with Scotty 2 Hotty. Scotty is fired up, but Rikishi walks in front of him with his eyes locked on the champions. Rikishi does not dance. He does not smile. He steps into the ring and waits for Mark Jindrak, who tries to act confident but keeps glancing toward Cade. The bell rings, and Jindrak starts by circling, using his reach and speed to avoid getting trapped. He lands a couple of quick kicks to the leg, then backs away. Rikishi catches him the third time and drops him with a right hand. Jindrak scrambles to the corner, but Rikishi follows and crushes him with a body shot, then a headbutt. Jindrak survives by sliding outside and regrouping with Cade. Scotty claps at ringside, trying to keep the crowd going, but Cade starts jawing with him. Cade points at the titles and says Scotty should enjoy being close to them because Sunday is as close as he gets. Scotty steps toward him, and that gives Jindrak the opening. He clips Rikishi’s knee from behind as Rikishi looks out toward his partner. Jindrak finally takes control, keeping Rikishi grounded with kicks to the leg and quick tags of momentum from Cade’s distractions. Rikishi fights back from underneath, shoving Jindrak away and knocking him down with a clothesline. Jindrak gets up and charges, but Rikishi catches him with a Samoan drop. The crowd rises as Rikishi drags him toward the corner. Cade jumps onto the apron, and Scotty immediately pulls him down. The referee turns toward the commotion, trying to restore order. Jindrak crawls toward the belts, but Rikishi grabs him before he can use one. Jindrak panics, and Cade slides in from the other side with a tag title, blasting Rikishi in the back before the referee can turn around.

The referee sees Cade in the ring with the title and calls for the bell.

Rikishi wins by disqualification, but the champions do not care. Cade and Jindrak go right after Scotty. Cade grabs Scotty by the hair and throws him into the ring while Jindrak keeps Rikishi down with more belt shots. Scotty fights up, landing desperate punches, but Cade chop-blocks his knee. Scotty drops fast, clutching it. The crowd boos as Jindrak grabs the same leg and wraps it around the bottom rope. Cade stomps at it while Jindrak pulls back, both champions working together with a cold plan. Rikishi finally explodes up. Cade turns and eats a right hand. Jindrak charges and gets dropped with a thrust kick. Rikishi clears the ring, but the damage is done. Cade and Jindrak back up the ramp with the WWE Tag Team Titles raised, smiling now because they know they found something. Scotty is down near the ropes, holding his knee. Rikishi kneels beside him, trying to help him up, but his eyes stay on the champions. Cade shouts from the ramp, “You better hope he can stand Sunday!” Rikishi’s face says he heard every word.

John Bradshaw Layfield’s limousine pulls into the building. JBL steps out in the suit, the cowboy hat, the polished boots, and the smug grin. He walks through the hallway like he owns the arena. A stagehand nearly crosses his path, and JBL stops cold, waiting for the man to move first. The old Bradshaw would have shoved him aside and laughed. This version just stares until the stagehand backs away.

After the break, JBL enters the arena for what he calls “The Prosperity Address.” He says the fans are lucky because they are witnessing the birth of a true success story. He says Bradshaw was a barroom brawler, but John Bradshaw Layfield is a self-made millionaire, a market force, and the kind of man SmackDown needs at the top. JBL says Farooq represents everything he left behind: old habits, old jokes, old failures. He says Farooq was content being respected by the boys in the back, but JBL is interested in power, money, and legacy.

Farooq comes out before JBL can keep going. He walks straight to the ring without waiting for his music to play long, looking disgusted. Farooq says JBL can buy a limo, buy a suit, and buy himself a new name, but he cannot buy class. He says if JBL had a problem, he should have said it face-to-face instead of jumping him like a coward. JBL smiles and says Farooq is proving his point. Emotional. Angry. Stuck in the past. Farooq drops him with a right hand before he can finish. The crowd comes alive as Farooq pounds away, and for a few seconds JBL looks like Bradshaw again, scrambling and covering up. JBL rakes Farooq’s eyes to escape, then slips out of the ring and retreats up the ramp. Farooq grabs the microphone and says JBL can run now, but at Judgment Day, there will be nowhere expensive enough to hide. JBL fixes his hat on the stage and shouts that Farooq just made the worst financial decision of his life.

Backstage, Edge walks into his locker room and stops. The room has been altered. A cheap pair of lowrider dice hangs from the locker handle. A note is taped to the mirror that reads, “You want to steal from me? I invented it. — Latino Heat.” Beside it is a photo of Edge holding Eddie’s title last week, but someone has written “Rated Opportunist” across the bottom. Edge stares at it, and for a second he almost laughs. Then his jaw tightens. He tears the note off the mirror and throws it across the room.

The monitor in the corner flickers on. Eddie Guerrero appears on the screen, smiling just enough to get under his skin. Eddie says Edge looks stressed. He says maybe carrying somebody else’s title is heavier than Edge thought. Edge walks closer to the monitor, breathing hard, and Eddie tells him that if he wants to play games with a Guerrero, he better know the rules. Edge rips the monitor off the stand and throws it down. The screen goes black, but Eddie’s laugh keeps echoing for one second before the feed cuts out. Edge stands alone in the wrecked room, and he does not look confident. He looks consumed.

Goldberg is out next, and the reaction is loud but split because of how deeply he has become tied to Vince McMahon’s war with Stone Cold Steve Austin. Orlando Jordan is already in the ring, trying to look brave, but Goldberg runs through him almost immediately. Jordan gets in one quick flurry, then Goldberg levels him with a Spear that folds him in half. The Jackhammer follows, and Goldberg wins in under a minute.

“No Chance in Hell” hits before Goldberg can leave, and Vince McMahon walks out in a referee shirt again, this time clapping like a proud owner watching his investment work. Vince says that is what Judgment Day is going to look like. He says Stone Cold’s career is not ending because of a screwjob, bad officiating, or some conspiracy. It is ending because Goldberg is the future of destruction, and Vince will be close enough to count every second of Austin’s failure.

Glass shatters, and the arena erupts.

Austin does not come from the stage. He comes through the crowd, beer in hand, climbing over the barricade behind Vince. Goldberg sees him first and starts moving, but Austin is already there. He spins Vince around and drops him with a Stunner before Goldberg can reach him. The place explodes. Goldberg charges, but Austin slips out of the ring before the Spear connects. Goldberg checks on Vince, furious, while Austin backs through the crowd flipping him off with both hands. Austin got left down last week. Tonight, he leaves standing, and Vince is the one flat on his back in the referee shirt.

Back from break, Booker T faces Paul London. Booker is not in the mood to entertain. London uses speed early, catching him with a dropkick and a quick roll-up, but Booker slows him down with a side kick and starts working with more aggression than usual. He talks during the match, telling London he is in there with a former world champion, not some stepping stone. London fights back late and nearly catches him with a springboard crossbody, but Booker rolls through, gets to his feet, and drills him with a jumping side kick. London staggers up, and Booker ends it with the Book End. Booker does not celebrate much after the three-count. He looks into the camera and says RVD is going to learn that being cool does not make him better. It just makes him easier to knock down. RVD walks out onto the stage before Booker can leave. He does not sprint. He does not pose. He just walks to the top of the ramp and stares at him. Booker tells him to come to the ring if he wants to get hurt early. RVD says he is saving the fight for Judgment Day, but he wants Booker to understand something. Booker can call him flashy, lazy, or lucky. None of it changes that when the bell rings, Booker has to keep up. Booker steps through the ropes and starts up the ramp, but officials cut him off. RVD points both thumbs at himself, but this time there is no grin. Booker is dragged backward, shouting that RVD will not be so calm Sunday.

The arena goes dark for Kane. Fire bursts from the stage, and Kane walks out dragging a casket behind him. He does not speak at first. He drags it all the way to ringside and shoves it against the apron before stepping into the ring. Kane says Undertaker wants a Casket Match because he thinks darkness belongs to him. Kane says Undertaker keeps pretending he is death, but Kane knows the truth. Death does not wear a hat. Death does not ride motorcycles, come back from graves, or hide behind lightning. Death is final. Kane says at Judgment Day, he will make his brother final.

The gong hits.

Kane turns toward the stage, waiting. Nothing happens. Then the TitanTron shows Undertaker standing in a dim room, the same casket beside him. Undertaker says Kane can drag caskets to the ring, play with fire, and scream into the dark, but he has never understood what Judgment Day means. It is not about ending the Deadman. It is about Kane answering for everything he has done. Undertaker says Kane opened this door himself, and now he has to walk through it.

The casket at ringside slowly opens.

Kane looks down at it, angry now, not afraid. Smoke rolls out. Kane climbs down and slams it shut, shouting that he is not scared of his brother. The lights cut. When they come back on, the casket is gone from ringside. Kane stands alone by the announce table, breathing hard, searching everywhere. The gong hits one more time. Cole says Kane may not fear many things, but Undertaker has found the one place where Kane cannot control the fight: inside his own head.

Backstage, Rey Mysterio is shown walking toward the trainer’s room when Chavo Guerrero and Chavo Classic jump him from behind. Rey fights back at first, knocking Classic into a storage case and throwing punches at Chavo, but Chavo drives a knee into his ribs and uses the Cruiserweight Championship as a weapon. Rey drops to one knee. Chavo grabs him by the mask and slams him ribs-first into a chain-link equipment fence near the production area. Rey gasps and falls to the floor, clutching his side.

Chavo crouches beside him and says Rey wanted a cage because Rey thinks Chavo cannot escape. Chavo says Rey has it backward. At Judgment Day, Rey is the one trapped inside with him. Chavo stands and holds the Cruiserweight Championship over Rey’s body, while Classic shouts that this is what happens when Rey tries to embarrass the Guerrero family. Officials arrive too late, and Chavo backs away smiling, but there is a twitch in that smile. He is still afraid of the cage. He just made sure Rey will walk into it hurt.

John Cena comes out later for the main event with the United States Championship around his waist. He is all energy, but there is control underneath it. He knows Shawn Michaels wants him angry enough to make a mistake. Garrison Cade enters with Mark Jindrak, both tag champions still smug after damaging Scotty’s knee earlier. Then Shawn Michaels walks out, not dressed to wrestle, and joins commentary. Cole says Shawn has avoided giving Cena the full match tonight, but Heyman has made sure he cannot avoid being close to him.

HBK sits down at commentary and says he is not hiding from Cena. He is studying him. He says Cena is power, noise, and emotion. Shawn says that is dangerous in short bursts but easy to read if you have been in the business long enough. Cena hears some of it from the ring and turns toward the desk. Shawn smiles and waves. Cade attacks from behind before the bell has even fully settled.

The match starts with Cade using the distraction to take control. He clubs Cena across the back, drives him into the corner, and tries to wear down the neck and shoulder. Jindrak talks from ringside, telling Cade to keep Cena grounded. Shawn says this is exactly what he would do. He says Cena cannot hit the FU if he cannot get his base under him. Cena fights out of the corner with right hands, but Cade cuts him off with a knee and a swinging neckbreaker for two. Cade keeps control longer than expected, which gives the match a real purpose. He is not just a tag champion filling space. He is trying to prove he belongs in the same ring as Cena. He presses his knee into Cena’s back and pulls back on the chin. Cena pushes up, feeding off the crowd, but Cade clubs him again and sends him into the ropes. Cena ducks a clothesline and hits a shoulder tackle. Cade gets up and eats another one. Cena catches him with the side slam, and the crowd rises because they know what is coming.

Cena stands over Cade and looks directly at Shawn.

Five Knuckle Shuffle.

Cena hits it clean. Shawn’s smile fades a little. Cena lifts Cade for the FU, but Jindrak jumps onto the apron. Cena drops Cade and knocks Jindrak down with a right hand. Cade rolls Cena up from behind for a close two-count. Cena kicks out, pops up, catches Cade as he charges, and plants him with the FU. One, two, three.

Cena wins, and the crowd explodes. He stands and immediately turns toward Shawn Michaels. Shawn slowly removes the headset. He walks around the announce table and steps onto the apron, acting like he might finally get in. Cena motions for him to come through the ropes. The building is ready for it.

Jindrak slides in behind Cena and clips him from the back.

The boos come fast. Cade joins in, and the tag champions start stomping Cena down. Rikishi’s music hits, and Rikishi comes down with Scotty limping behind him. Rikishi drops Jindrak with a clothesline and throws Cade over the top rope. Scotty, still favoring the knee, gets a few shots in on Jindrak before Cade pulls his partner out. The tag champions retreat up the aisle, but the damage has created the opening Shawn wanted.

Cena pulls himself up.

Sweet Chin Music.

The shot catches Cena clean and drops him flat.

Shawn stands over Cena, breathing hard now because he came closer to getting caught than he wanted. He looks down at the United States Championship, which has slid near Cena’s side. Shawn picks it up. The crowd boos because it looks like he is going to pose with it, but Shawn pauses. He looks at the title, then at Cena. He smiles, kneels down, and lays the championship across Cena’s chest like a message.

He says, “Keep it warm.”

Before Shawn can leave, Eddie Guerrero runs down and gets in his face. Eddie tells Shawn he has spent weeks sticking his nose into everyone else’s business, and the crowd erupts as Eddie shoves him backward. Shawn backs away with his hands raised, acting innocent, and Eddie takes one step too many toward him.

Edge comes through the crowd.

The fans warn Eddie too late. Edge slides into the ring behind him, charges, and cuts Eddie in half with a Spear. Eddie rolls near the ropes clutching his ribs. Shawn looks down at Cena one more time, satisfied, then slips out of the ring. He does not need to touch the title again. His message is already on Cena’s chest.

Edge picks up the WWE Championship.

Unlike Shawn, Edge does not just look at it and put it down. He holds it. The crowd boos as he stands over Eddie, breathing hard, staring at the title like the whole arena has disappeared. He raises it slowly, but there is no smirk. No celebration. No taunt. He looks like a man trying to convince himself this is still about winning a match and not about something taking him over.

The show closes with John Cena down in the center of the ring, the United States Championship laid across his chest by Shawn Michaels, and Eddie Guerrero down near the ropes while Edge holds the WWE Championship above him. Cole says Judgment Day is coming fast, and SmackDown’s champions are surrounded by challengers who no longer care how low they have to sink. Tazz says the scary part is that Shawn Michaels knows exactly what he is doing, but Edge may not anymore.

Quick Results


Rob Van Dam def. Chavo Classic


Rikishi def. Mark Jindrak by disqualification


Goldberg def. Orlando Jordan


Booker T def. Paul London


John Cena def. Garrison Cade

Judgment Day Matches Confirmed After This Show​

 

[Simply April]

WWE RAW — May 3, 2004

“Everybody Bleeds Before Bad Blood”

Last Week on RAW


Last week’s RAW ended with Chris Benoit proving he could still fight, but Brock Lesnar proving he could still destroy him whenever he got the opening. Benoit walked into the night taped up from Lesnar’s parking lot assault, refused to surrender the World Heavyweight Championship, and stood face-to-face with a challenger who looked more interested in breaking bones than winning gold. The main event turned into chaos when Benoit and Kurt Angle battled Brock Lesnar and Triple H, only for Evolution and Team Angle to explode around ringside. Benoit managed to trap Lesnar in the Crossface for a brief moment, but Brock survived it, escaped it, and ended the night by drilling the wounded champion with an F-5 before laying the World Heavyweight Championship across his chest. The rest of RAW only added more fire to Bad Blood. Randy Orton ruined AJ Styles vs. Samoa Joe by attacking both challengers with the Intercontinental Championship, but Eric Bischoff warned him that if he interfered again, he would be stripped of the title. Christian and Chris Jericho were finally placed on a collision course in Three Stages of Hell, with the winner earning a World Heavyweight Championship match at RAW’s next pay-per-view, The Great American Bash. Trish Stratus exposed her knee injury as a weapon against Lita, Victoria found herself surrounded by Jazz and Molly Holly, and Big Show and A-Train continued trying to turn The Hardy Boyz into examples. Tonight, RAW does not feel like it is building toward Bad Blood anymore. It feels like Bad Blood has already started early.


The RAW intro hits with fast cuts of Brock Lesnar standing over Benoit, Benoit’s hand locked across Lesnar’s face in the Crossface, Triple H staring down Kurt Angle, Batista dropping Charlie Haas with a spinebuster, Orton holding the Intercontinental Championship above AJ and Joe, Christian being dragged away from Jericho by security, Trish smashing Lita with the knee brace, and Big Show chokeslamming Jeff Hardy. The pyro bursts across the stage, red and white smoke rises through the lights, and Jim Ross welcomes everyone to Monday Night RAW. J.R. says the road to Bad Blood is getting uglier by the week, and Jerry Lawler says that if last week proved anything, it is that Chris Benoit may be brave enough to fight Brock Lesnar, but bravery does not protect broken ribs.


Eric Bischoff Tries to Control RAW


Eric Bischoff opens the show with a tired, angry expression, already holding a microphone before his music even fully fades. He says last week RAW nearly lost control, and he is not letting one night of television become an injury report from top to bottom. He says Chris Benoit and Brock Lesnar will not touch each other unless he says so. Evolution and Team Angle will not turn the show into a locker-room riot unless he says so. Randy Orton will not sabotage his own challengers unless he wants to lose the Intercontinental Championship before Bad Blood. Bischoff says he is done reacting. Tonight, he is setting the rules first.


That brings out Brock Lesnar.


Brock walks onto the stage with the same cold face he had last week, wearing a black shirt and jeans, his shoulders loose, his eyes locked on the ring. He does not wait for a full introduction. He steps through the ropes, takes the microphone from Bischoff’s hand, and tells him that rules do not change what Chris Benoit is. Brock says Benoit is hurt. He says everybody saw it last week. Benoit can chop, fight, scream and bleed, but every time Brock touches him, Benoit’s body tells the truth. Brock says last week Benoit caught him in the Crossface for a few seconds, and that is all Benoit has been holding onto for seven days. Brock leans toward the hard camera and says, “Chris, if five seconds is your victory, then you’re already finished.”


Benoit’s music hits, and the building comes alive. Benoit walks out with the World Heavyweight Championship over his shoulder and heavy tape around his ribs. He is not moving comfortably, but he is moving with purpose. Bischoff immediately tells him to stop on the stage. Benoit keeps walking. Brock steps forward, ready for him, but referees and agents come between them before Benoit can climb into the ring. Benoit stays on the floor, staring up at Brock, and says Lesnar keeps talking about his ribs, his shoulder and his pain because Brock needs to believe that is enough. Benoit says Brock felt the Crossface last week. Brock knows he can be caught. Brock knows that if Benoit gets one clean hold at Bad Blood, power does not matter.


Lesnar smiles, but it is not calm. It is annoyed. He says Benoit should keep telling himself that. He says he will let Benoit keep one good memory before Bad Blood because it will make what happens there even worse. Benoit tries to get into the ring, but officials block him again. Bischoff finally snaps. He says if Benoit wants to compete tonight, he can compete, but not against Brock. Tonight’s main event will be Chris Benoit vs. Ric Flair in a non-title match. If Evolution wants to keep talking about breaking people, then Flair can try to soften the World Heavyweight Champion himself.


Triple H’s music hits before anyone can react. He walks out with Batista and Ric Flair, all three standing at the top of the ramp. Triple H says Bischoff keeps acting like he controls RAW, but every important match on this show runs through Evolution. He says Team Angle embarrassed them for one second last week, but one second does not change what this group is. Triple H tells Flair that tonight he gets to show Benoit the difference between being tough and being smart. Flair smiles, struts in place and shouts that he has forgotten more about pain than Benoit will ever know.


Bischoff cuts Triple H off and says he is glad Evolution came out, because he has another match to announce. Shelton Benjamin will face Batista tonight, and Kurt Angle and Charlie Haas are banned from ringside. Triple H laughs until Bischoff adds that Triple H and Flair are banned too. If anyone gets involved, the match is thrown out and fines start coming. Batista steps forward, cracking his neck and staring into the ring. Bischoff says RAW starts with that match right now.


Shelton Benjamin vs. Batista


Shelton Benjamin makes his entrance with purpose, not smiling, not playing to the crowd too much. J.R. reminds everyone that Shelton has been a thorn in Evolution’s side since Backlash and that Triple H has not forgotten it. Batista enters alone, which already feels strange because Evolution’s shadow usually comes with him. He takes his time stepping into the ring, staring at Shelton like this is not a match but an assignment.


The bell rings, and Shelton refuses to be bullied early. Batista reaches for him, but Shelton circles away and kicks at the leg. Batista lunges again, and Shelton ducks under, grabs a waistlock, then slides away before Batista can grab his hands. Batista turns with a scowl, and Shelton catches him with another kick to the thigh. Batista finally corners him and throws a heavy right, but Shelton slips out, hits the ropes and lands a flying forearm that staggers him. It does not drop Batista, but it wakes the crowd up.


Batista changes the match with one catch. Shelton comes off the ropes again, and Batista catches him around the ribs, drives him into the corner, and starts ramming shoulders into his midsection. The speed advantage disappears quickly. Batista throws Shelton across the ring, follows with a clothesline, then picks him up and drops him over the top rope chest-first. Shelton falls to the mat and rolls toward the apron, breathing hard. Batista does not rush. He knows he has him hurt now.


Shelton’s comeback comes from timing. Batista lifts him for a powerslam, but Shelton slips down behind him, shoves him chest-first into the turnbuckles, and catches him with a German suplex. Batista does not go all the way over clean, but he lands badly enough that the crowd buys the shift. Shelton crawls into a cover and gets two. Batista kicks out with power, but Shelton is already moving again. He hits a Stinger splash in the corner, backs up and hits a second one. Batista stumbles out, and Shelton tries for the T-Bone, but Batista elbows free. Shelton ducks a clothesline and hits a superkick to the jaw. Batista drops to one knee.


Shelton goes for the T-Bone again, and this time he gets Batista off his feet for half a second, but Batista’s size saves him. He fights down, shoves Shelton away, and crushes him with a spinebuster that turns the match cold. Batista hooks the leg, but Shelton kicks out at two and a half. Batista sits up, surprised, then annoyed. He pulls Shelton into position and signals for the Batista Bomb. Shelton blocks it by grabbing Batista’s leg, then turns the struggle into a quick inside cradle. Batista kicks out at two and pops up furious.


Batista charges, but Shelton pulls the top rope down and Batista spills to the floor. Shelton does not wait. He hits the ropes and dives over the top with a plancha that knocks Batista into the barricade. Both men are down outside, and the crowd is loud now. Batista gets up first, swinging wild, but Shelton ducks and sends him shoulder-first into the ring post. He rolls Batista back in and climbs to the top rope. Shelton comes off with a crossbody, but Batista catches him in midair. For one second, Shelton fights to shift his weight, but Batista powers through and plants him with a running powerslam.


Batista covers. One, two, Shelton kicks out again.


That is the moment Batista stops trying to win clean and starts trying to punish him. He drags Shelton up and throws him into the corner. The referee warns him when he keeps unloading with shoulder thrusts after the count. Batista breaks at four, then pulls Shelton out and lifts him for the Batista Bomb. Shelton backdrops his way free and lands awkwardly. Batista turns around into the T-Bone. Shelton finally hits it. The crowd jumps to its feet. Shelton crawls over, hooks both legs, and Batista barely kicks out before three.


Shelton cannot believe it, but he does not waste time. He gets up, waits for Batista, and jumps for another superkick. Batista catches the leg, spins him, and drops him with a brutal clothesline. Shelton folds. Batista pulls him up and hits the Batista Bomb. One, two, three.


Batista wins, but he does not look satisfied. He grabs Shelton after the bell and pulls him up again. The referee gets in his way, and Batista shoves him aside. Before Batista can hit another Batista Bomb, Kurt Angle runs down despite the ban. Charlie Haas is right behind him. Angle slides in and tackles Batista at the knees, hammering him with punches. Haas pulls Shelton out of the ring, but Triple H and Flair come down from the stage. Bischoff storms out screaming that the match is over, but now the damage is already happening. Triple H stops short of entering the ring, pointing at Angle and telling him that his temper just proved Evolution can get him whenever they want. Angle dares him to step in. Triple H does not. He backs Batista away with Flair, letting the win stand but leaving Team Angle furious.


Winner: Batista.


Christian Measures the Road to Hell


Backstage, Christian is shown watching a replay of last week’s announcement: Three Stages of Hell against Chris Jericho at Bad Blood, with the winner earning a World Heavyweight Championship match at The Great American Bash. Christian pauses the monitor right on Jericho’s face and smirks. Trish Stratus walks in, still carrying the knee brace like it is part medical equipment and part weapon. Christian says everybody keeps talking about the cage, the street fight, and Jericho’s rage, but they are missing the point. He does not need to be stronger than Jericho. He needs to be smarter for longer. Three stages means three chances for Jericho to lose control, three chances for Jericho to make a mistake, and three chances for Christian to prove he has always been the better man.


Trish says Jericho and Lita have the same problem. They think anger makes them dangerous. Christian says anger makes people predictable. He says tonight Jericho should have a preview of what Bad Blood is going to feel like, because if Jericho thinks he is walking into hell fresh, Christian plans to prove otherwise. Christian says he already spoke to Bischoff, and tonight Chris Jericho is facing A-Train. Trish smiles and says that leaves her with one more chance to make Lita limp into Bad Blood too.


AJ Styles vs. Samoa Joe II
Randy Orton at Ringside


AJ Styles enters first, moving fast but serious. He is not smiling like the new guy happy to be on RAW anymore. He looks like a man tired of having his chances stolen. Samoa Joe enters next, towel around his neck, face locked in. Joe stops at the bottom of the ramp and stares at AJ, then at the stage. He knows Randy Orton is coming. Orton’s music hits, and the Intercontinental Champion walks out slowly in street clothes with the title over his shoulder, acting like he has been invited to watch two desperate men fight for his attention. J.R. reminds everyone that Bischoff warned Orton last week: if Orton interferes tonight, he will be stripped of the Intercontinental Championship.


Orton joins commentary, leans back in the chair, and says he is only here as an interested champion. Lawler asks if he is nervous. Orton says nervous is what AJ and Joe should be, because they have to nearly kill each other for the chance to fail against him.


The bell rings, and AJ and Joe do not waste time feeling each other out like last week. AJ attacks the legs immediately, throwing low kicks and moving before Joe can answer. Joe absorbs the first two, then checks the third and backs AJ into the corner with one hard chop. AJ fires back with forearms, but Joe walks through them and throws another chop that makes AJ grab the top rope to stay upright. AJ ducks under the next shot, hits the ropes and lands a dropkick to the knee, then another dropkick to the face that finally knocks Joe down.


Joe rolls out to reset, but AJ follows with a baseball slide. Joe catches his legs and yanks him to the floor. AJ hits hard, and Joe wastes no time. He chops him against the barricade, rolls him back in and starts grinding him down with a hard snapmare, kick to the spine and knee drop across the chest. AJ kicks out at two. Orton says on commentary that this is exactly why he does not respect either man. Joe is too angry, AJ is too reckless, and neither of them understands what being champion means.


Joe hears him.


That half-second almost costs him. AJ rolls Joe up from behind for two, then catches him with an enzuigiri as they stand. Joe stumbles. AJ springboards in with a forearm and gets another close count. The crowd starts to rally behind AJ, but Joe cuts him off with a powerslam that shifts everything back. Joe covers for two. He pulls AJ up for the Muscle Buster, but AJ slips out and lands on the apron. Joe turns, and AJ springboards again, this time into a tornado DDT. Joe spikes hard, and AJ crawls into the cover. One, two, Joe kicks out.


Orton takes the headset off and stands. He does not approach the ring. He just stands with the Intercontinental Title held up so both men can see him. AJ looks at him from inside the ring. Joe gets to one knee and sees him too. Orton smiles like he has done nothing wrong. AJ turns back first and tries to stay focused. Joe does not. Joe steps toward the ropes and tells Orton to keep walking if he wants to keep breathing. Orton laughs and starts slowly backing up the ramp, holding the title above his head.


AJ sees Joe distracted and grabs him from behind. Joe elbows him off. AJ shoves him. Joe shoves back. The match starts falling apart because Orton has not touched either man, but he has still gotten inside it. AJ throws a forearm. Joe answers with one of his own. They spill through the ropes to the floor, still fighting, and the referee starts counting. AJ drives Joe into the apron. Joe throws AJ over the announce table hood. AJ pops back up and tackles Joe near the barricade. The count reaches ten.


The bell rings for a double count-out, but AJ and Joe do not stop. Orton stands halfway up the ramp laughing, but it is not a relaxed laugh. He got what he wanted, but he also sees the kind of violence coming for him. Officials separate AJ and Joe at ringside. Joe keeps shouting that AJ took the cheap shot. AJ shouts back that Joe took his eyes off the fight. Orton raises the Intercontinental Championship from the stage, and both challengers finally turn toward him at the same time. Orton’s smile fades just enough. He backs through the curtain with the title clutched tight.


Result: Double count-out.


Lita Hunts Trish


Lita is interviewed backstage by Todd Grisham, who asks about Trish using the knee brace last week. Lita does not let him finish the question. She says Trish wants everyone to believe she is hurt, but the only thing wrong with Trish is that she cannot stand losing without making herself the victim. Lita says if Trish wants to carry that brace around like a weapon, fine. At Bad Blood, Lita will take it from her and give her something real to limp about.


Trish appears behind her and smashes the knee brace across Lita’s back. Lita drops to one knee, and Trish grabs her by the hair, throwing her into a wall. Trish says Lita keeps talking like she is the tough one, but tough people do not cry when their friends leave them behind. Lita fights back, driving Trish into a table, and the two women start tearing through the backstage area. Officials pull them apart, but Lita breaks free once and gets a handful of Trish’s hair before Trish is dragged away. Trish screams that Lita will never be on her level. Lita shouts back that she will see her at Bad Blood.


Victoria vs. Molly Holly


Non-Title Match


Victoria comes out with the Women’s Championship, and she looks annoyed before the match even begins. J.R. says Victoria is surrounded by challengers, but she has not backed away from anyone. Molly Holly enters next with that cold confidence she carries when she believes everybody else is beneath her. Jazz walks out before the bell and joins commentary, not invited and not asking permission. She says Victoria and Molly can wrestle all they want, but Bad Blood is going to come down to who can take the most punishment.


Victoria and Molly start with a tight lockup, and Molly goes after the arm quickly. She tries to twist Victoria down and control the pace, but Victoria powers out and hits a shoulder block. Molly regroups in the corner, complaining about hair pulling that never happened. Victoria does not give her space for long. She charges, Molly sidesteps, and Victoria hits the turnbuckles. Molly immediately goes after the neck, pulling her down by the hair and driving a knee into the back of her head. Molly covers for two.


The match becomes Molly trying to make Victoria wrestle her pace. She uses a snapmare, a neck crank, then a sharp elbow drop. Victoria keeps fighting from underneath, but Molly cuts her off with a backbreaker and hooks the leg again. Two. Jazz says Molly is smart but not dangerous enough. Lawler asks what that means. Jazz says dangerous means ending somebody when they are down.


Victoria fires back with a clothesline, then another, then a spinning side slam that gets a strong near fall. Molly crawls toward the ropes, and Victoria grabs her for the Widow’s Peak. Molly fights out, lands behind her, and shoves Victoria toward the ropes. Jazz stands up from commentary. Victoria stops short and tells her to sit down. Molly rolls Victoria up from behind for two. Victoria kicks out, and both women pop up.


Jazz has seen enough. She slides into the ring and blasts Victoria from behind, causing the disqualification. Molly tries to get out of the way, but Jazz grabs her too and drops her with a DDT. The referee calls for help as Jazz stands over both women. Jazz picks up the Women’s Championship, looks at it, then throws it down across Victoria’s body instead of raising it. She says she does not need to pose with it yet. She will take it when it counts.


Winner: Victoria by disqualification.


Evolution Finds a Weak Spot


Backstage, Triple H is pacing while Batista stands near the locker room door and Flair tapes his wrists for the main event. Orton walks in still holding the Intercontinental Championship. Triple H asks him if he enjoyed himself. Orton says AJ and Joe are doing exactly what he wanted. Triple H steps closer and says Orton has been lucky twice. He says luck is not strategy. Orton snaps back that he is still Intercontinental Champion, and Triple H tells him to act like it.


Flair cuts in before it turns into a real argument. He says tonight is not about Orton. Tonight is about Chris Benoit. Flair says Benoit is a great wrestler, but great wrestlers can still be hurt. He says every taped rib is a target, every deep breath is a weakness, and every champion who thinks heart beats experience is lying to himself. Triple H tells Flair to leave Benoit worse for Brock. Flair smiles and says, “Worse? Hunter, I’m gonna leave him educated.”


Chris Jericho vs. A-Train


A-Train comes out first, and Christian appears behind him with Trish Stratus. Christian is not dressed to wrestle, but he looks pleased with himself. He joins commentary and says Jericho wanted hell, so tonight he gets hit by a train before he even gets to Bad Blood. Jericho’s music hits, and the crowd rises. Jericho walks fast, eyes on Christian, not A-Train. That nearly costs him immediately because A-Train attacks him as he steps through the ropes.


The bell rings with Jericho already in trouble. A-Train throws him into the corner and crushes him with a body shot. Jericho tries to chop his way out, but A-Train absorbs it and clubs him across the back. Christian says Jericho is emotional, and emotional men walk into traps. A-Train sends Jericho into the ropes and drops him with a big boot. He covers for two.


Jericho keeps the match alive by refusing to stay in front of A-Train. He rolls away from a corner splash, clips the leg, and hits a bulldog that brings the crowd into it. He goes for the Lionsault, but Christian gets up from commentary and steps onto the apron. Jericho lands on his feet instead, turns and knocks Christian down with a right hand. The crowd erupts, but A-Train catches Jericho from behind and hits a backbreaker for two.


A-Train sets for the Derailer, but Jericho slips down and kicks him in the back of the knee. A-Train drops. Jericho hits the ropes and lands the Lionsault. One, two, A-Train kicks out. Jericho immediately goes for the Walls of Jericho. A-Train fights it, but Jericho turns him halfway. Christian jumps into the ring and attacks Jericho from behind, causing the disqualification.


Christian hammers Jericho with punches, then grabs a chair from ringside. He swings, but Jericho ducks and tackles him. Jericho gets on top and starts firing shots until A-Train pulls him off. Christian uses the opening to crack Jericho across the back with the chair. The boos are loud as Christian stands over him and tells him that is stage two. Christian opens the chair and sets it near Jericho’s head, looking for the Unprettier onto it, but Lita runs down and goes straight after Trish at ringside. Trish drops the knee brace and scrambles away. Jericho fights free, grabs Christian’s legs, and nearly turns him into the Walls. Christian kicks him off and escapes through the ropes, falling backward up the ramp. Jericho is down on one knee, hurting from the chair shot, but his eyes never leave Christian.


Christian shouts from the ramp, “Three stages, Chris! You have to catch me three times!” Jericho grabs the microphone and says Christian can run in the first fall, crawl in the second, and beg in the cage, but by the end of Bad Blood, he is going through him and coming for the World Heavyweight Championship.


Winner: Chris Jericho by disqualification.


Big Show and A-Train Send a Message


After the break, Big Show is already in the ring with A-Train, who is still breathing hard from the Jericho match. Big Show has a microphone and says The Hardy Boyz like to pretend they are brave because they jump off things. Big Show says jumping does not make you tough. It just means you fall harder. A-Train says Matt and Jeff cost them the World Tag Team Championships once, and that mistake is going to follow them all the way to Bad Blood.


The Hardy Boyz come out before they can continue. Matt says Show and A-Train keep talking about gravity, pain and broken bodies because that is all they understand. Jeff says the Hardys have been thrown through tables, off ladders, over ropes and into steel, and they are still here. Matt says Big Show and A-Train may be bigger, but they are not harder to beat. Jeff says if they want to find out, he will fight Big Show right now.


Bischoff appears on the stage and makes it official.


Jeff Hardy vs. Big Show


Jeff knows the match cannot be fought straight. He uses speed immediately, ducking Show’s grip and kicking at the legs. Show shoves him away like he is swatting at him, but Jeff keeps coming from different angles. He lands a dropkick to the knee, then another to the chest. Big Show finally grabs him by the throat with one hand and throws him into the corner. The crowd groans as Jeff hits hard.


Show slows the match down. He steps on Jeff’s chest near the ropes, forcing the referee to count. He chops Jeff in the corner, and the sound echoes through the arena. Jeff drops to a seated position, and Show presses a boot into his throat. Matt tries to rally Jeff from ringside, but A-Train walks around the corner and gets in Matt’s face. Matt does not back down.


Jeff’s first real comeback comes when Show misses a splash in the corner. Jeff hits Whisper in the Wind, and Show actually goes down to one knee. Jeff climbs fast and hits a missile dropkick that knocks Show onto his back. Jeff covers, but Show launches him off at two. Jeff gets up and goes for the Twist of Fate, but Show shoves him off. Jeff hits the ropes, ducks a clothesline and comes back with a low dropkick. Show stumbles into the ropes.


A-Train grabs Matt outside and drives him into the barricade. Jeff sees it and turns toward the floor. That is all Show needs. He catches Jeff by the throat and plants him with a chokeslam. One, two, three.


After the match, A-Train throws Matt into the ring. Big Show grabs Matt for another chokeslam, but Jeff jumps on Show’s back with desperate punches. A-Train yanks Jeff down and hits the Derailer. Matt pulls himself up and swings at A-Train, but Show grabs him and chokeslams him too. The monsters stand over both Hardys. Show leans down and says, “At Bad Blood, nobody saves you.” A-Train kicks Jeff once more before they leave.


Winner: Big Show.


Benoit Refuses the Trainer’s Advice


Backstage, Chris Benoit is being checked by a trainer. The trainer tells him his ribs are not healed enough for a match with Ric Flair, let alone Brock Lesnar. Benoit says he did not ask if they were healed. He asked if they were broken. The trainer hesitates and says they might be if he keeps doing this. Benoit stands up slowly and says he has wrestled hurt before. The trainer says Brock Lesnar is not “before.” Benoit looks down at the World Heavyweight Championship, then back at the trainer and says, “That’s why I have to be worse.”


Kurt Angle walks in. He tells the trainer to give them a minute. Angle says he knows what Benoit is doing because he has done it too. He says pain can make a man sharper, but it can also make him stupid. Benoit says Angle is one to talk. Angle nods and says exactly. Angle says Brock wants Benoit to fight angry, because angry makes ribs easier to hit. Benoit says Brock wants him to quit. Angle says Brock wants him to break before the match ever starts. Benoit tells Angle that if Brock is waiting for him to break, he will wait a long time.


Angle and Benoit shake hands. The respect is there, but so is concern. Angle leaves, and Benoit takes one deep breath that clearly hurts before picking up the title and heading toward the ring.


Randy Orton Learns Next Week’s Price


Eric Bischoff catches Randy Orton backstage. Orton says he did exactly what Bischoff told him. He sat at ringside and did not touch anybody. Bischoff says Orton did what all cowards do. He bent the rules without breaking them. Orton says that sounds like intelligence. Bischoff says maybe, but next week Orton will not be sitting at ringside. Next week, Randy Orton will face AJ Styles one-on-one in a non-title match. Samoa Joe will be banned from ringside. If Orton walks out, gets counted out on purpose, or uses the title to get disqualified, he will defend the Intercontinental Championship against AJ and Joe at Bad Blood under elimination rules instead of one fall.


Orton suddenly stops smiling. Bischoff says Orton wanted to prove he is smarter than everyone. Next week, he can prove he is good enough.


Main Event


Chris Benoit vs. Ric Flair


Non-Title Match


Ric Flair enters first, robe shining under the lights, acting like he is walking into a celebration rather than a fight. Triple H and Batista try to come out behind him, but Bischoff appears on the stage and orders them to the back. Flair throws a fit, but Triple H tells him he has this. Flair nods, smiles and steps through the ropes.


Chris Benoit enters with the World Heavyweight Championship, and the crowd gives him a strong reaction. He is taped heavily, but his expression is steady. He hands the title to the referee, never taking his eyes off Flair. J.R. says Benoit has survived a lot in his career, but the concern is obvious: Ric Flair does not need to overpower Benoit to hurt him. He just needs to be Ric Flair.


The bell rings, and Flair immediately goes after the ribs. Benoit blocks the first shot and chops him hard. Flair stumbles back, and Benoit follows with another chop. Flair tries to beg off early, but Benoit grabs him and fires him into the corner. Flair flips over the turnbuckles, lands on the apron, and starts to climb to the top rope. J.R. nearly laughs because everyone knows what happens next. Benoit catches him, climbs up and throws him off with a superplex. The move hurts Benoit too, and that is where Flair finds the opening.


Flair rolls toward Benoit and drives a knee into the ribs. Benoit’s body tightens instantly. Flair sees it and stops wrestling like a performer. He starts wrestling like a surgeon. He drags Benoit toward the ropes, wraps the ribs against the middle rope and leans all his weight into him. The referee counts. Flair breaks at four, struts for half a second, then kicks Benoit directly in the side. The crowd boos hard. Flair tells them to shut up and drops another knee across Benoit’s ribs.


Benoit fights up with chops, but every swing takes something out of him. Flair rakes the eyes to stop the comeback and sends him shoulder-first into the ring post. Benoit spills to the floor. Flair follows, grabs him and drives him ribs-first into the edge of the announce table. J.R. stands up shouting at Flair, but Flair just yells back that this is wrestling. He rolls Benoit into the ring and covers. One, two, Benoit kicks out.


Flair keeps him grounded. He uses a body scissors, squeezing the ribs and pulling back on the head. Benoit’s face tightens, but he refuses to give the referee anything. The crowd starts clapping. Benoit fights the hands, turns his body and starts hammering short elbows into Flair’s leg. Flair releases and gets up, limping slightly. Benoit pulls himself up with the ropes, but Flair chops him. Benoit answers with one of his own. Flair chops again. Benoit chops back harder. They trade in the middle of the ring until Flair goes to the eyes again. He hits the ropes, but Benoit catches him with a German suplex.


Benoit holds on.


The crowd rises.


A second German suplex.


Benoit still holds on, but his ribs almost fail him before the third. Flair grabs the ropes. Benoit pulls him away, fights through the pain, and hits the third German suplex. He bridges for the cover, but cannot hold the bridge long because of the ribs. Flair kicks out at two.


Benoit crawls toward the corner and starts climbing for the diving headbutt. J.R. says he does not like this. Lawler says Benoit may be too hurt to survive landing it. Benoit reaches the top, but Flair moves before he jumps. Benoit sees it and climbs down instead. Flair charges and chop-blocks the leg. Now Flair has a second target. He goes after the knee, dragging Benoit to the middle and twisting him into the Figure-Four.


Flair locks it in.


Benoit screams, not just from the knee, but because bridging against the hold pulls at his ribs. Flair grabs the ropes behind the referee’s back for extra pressure. The referee finally catches it and kicks Flair’s hands away. Benoit turns his body, fighting with everything, and reverses the pressure. Flair breaks the hold, both men down.


Flair gets up first and tries to finish it with another shot to the ribs. Benoit catches the arm.


Crossface.


The crowd explodes as Benoit drags Flair down and locks it in tight. Flair reaches immediately, flailing for the ropes, but Benoit pulls back with his full body. Flair tries to roll, but Benoit follows. Flair has nowhere to go. He taps.

Winner: Chris Benoit by submission.

Benoit releases and rolls to his knees, breathing hard, one arm wrapped around his ribs. The referee raises his hand, and Benoit wins the match clean. But the celebration barely starts before Brock Lesnar appears on the stage.


Brock does not run. He walks. That makes it worse.


Benoit stands in the ring, daring him to come down. Bischoff rushes out behind Brock with security, yelling that this is not happening. Brock shoves one guard aside and keeps walking. The rest of security tries to block him near the bottom of the ramp. Benoit steps through the ropes and meets him halfway. Brock throws the first punch. Benoit answers. Security collapses around them, but neither man stops swinging.


Triple H and Batista suddenly hit the ring from the crowd and attack Benoit from behind as he is being pulled away from Brock. The crowd boos as Batista drives Benoit ribs-first into the apron. Kurt Angle and Shelton Benjamin sprint down, with Charlie Haas close behind. Angle tackles Triple H. Shelton goes after Batista. Haas throws shots at Flair, who is still recovering. The whole ringside area breaks open into a brawl.


Brock finally tears free from security and grabs Benoit. He lifts him for the F-5 on the floor, but Benoit slips off the shoulders, lands behind him and drags Brock down.


Crossface on the floor.


The arena erupts.


Brock is trapped again, this time with no ropes close enough to save him. He claws at the floor, his face twisted with anger and panic. Benoit pulls back, screaming through his own pain. Officials swarm them. Brock refuses to tap, but he cannot break the hold clean either. Triple H is fighting Angle near the steps. Batista throws Shelton into the barricade. Haas tackles Flair over the timekeeper’s area. Nobody has control.


Finally, security pries Benoit’s hands loose. Brock rolls away fast, holding his shoulder and jaw, furious that it happened again. Benoit is dragged backward by two officials, still reaching for him. Brock stands near the ramp, breathing hard, no longer smiling. Benoit pulls free enough to grab the World Heavyweight Championship from the floor and raise it with one hand, his ribs clearly killing him but his eyes alive.


J.R. says Benoit is hurt, but Brock Lesnar just learned that hurt does not mean helpless. Lawler says Brock still has the power, but now Benoit has gotten in his head. RAW ends with Brock backing up the ramp, Evolution and Team Angle still being separated around ringside, and Chris Benoit standing in the wreckage with the World Heavyweight Championship raised as the crowd roars.

Spoiler: Quick Results

Batista def. Shelton Benjamin
AJ Styles vs. Samoa Joe ended in a double count-out
Victoria def. Molly Holly by disqualification after Jazz interference
Chris Jericho def. A-Train by disqualification after Christian interference
Big Show def. Jeff Hardy
Chris Benoit def. Ric Flair by submission

Bad Blood Card After RAW 5/3

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[Simply April]

WWE SmackDown — May 6, 2004​

Final SmackDown Before Judgment Day​

Edge leaves Eddie Guerrero laying before Judgment Day​

SmackDown opened with a cold video package instead of going straight to pyro. The footage cut through every major issue heading into Judgment Day: Edge holding Eddie Guerrero’s WWE Championship like it already belonged to him, Shawn Michaels laying the United States Title across John Cena’s chest, Goldberg standing beside Vince McMahon as Austin’s career hung in the balance, Kane staring into smoke from an empty casket, Chavo Guerrero attacking Rey Mysterio’s ribs, JBL wiping his boots on Farooq’s past, Cade and Jindrak targeting Scotty 2 Hotty’s knee, and Booker T glaring at Rob Van Dam like a man tired of being ignored. The final shot was Edge standing over Eddie with the WWE Title raised high.

Blue-and-white pyro exploded across the arena as Michael Cole welcomed everyone to the final SmackDown before Judgment Day. Cole said Sunday night was no longer just about championships. It was about careers, pride, revenge and what SmackDown would look like after the dust settled. Tazz said the scary part was that every man on the card looked ready to cross one more line before the pay-per-view even arrived.

Paul Heyman opened the show from the ring, standing beside a podium with the Judgment Day logo behind him. Heyman said he should have been proud. He had a WWE Championship match, a United States Championship match, a Casket Match, a Steel Cage Match, a No Holds Barred war with Austin’s career on the line, a tag title match, a personal breakup between former partners, and a No. 1 contender’s match. But instead of pride, Heyman said he felt like he was managing a locker room full of people trying to destroy each other before Sunday.

That brought out Edge.

Edge walked onto the stage with Eddie Guerrero’s WWE Championship over his shoulder. He was not smiling. He was not playing to the crowd. He looked like a man who had convinced himself the belt belonged there. Heyman immediately told him to bring the championship to the ring. Edge took his time, stepped through the ropes, and stood across from the General Manager without handing it over. Heyman told Edge that being No. 1 contender did not make him champion. Edge said he knew that, but for two straight weeks, Eddie had been the one chasing him. Edge said Eddie could lie, cheat, steal and joke all he wanted, but the truth was simple: Eddie knew his time was running out.

Eddie Guerrero’s music hit before Edge could say another word. Eddie came out without the lowrider this time. He walked straight to the ring, eyes on Edge and the title. The crowd got loud as Eddie stepped through the ropes and stood inches from the man who had been carrying his championship around like a trophy. Eddie told Edge he had spent the last two weeks trying to steal the feeling of being champion because deep down, he knew he might never actually become one. Edge laughed it off, but Eddie kept going. He said Edge had fooled himself into thinking the championship would fix everything: the broken neck, the years away, the missed opportunities, the bitterness. Eddie said the title did not fix a man. It exposed him.

Edge stepped closer and said Eddie had no idea what he had survived. Eddie said that was the problem. Edge kept talking about survival like it gave him permission to become empty. Heyman quickly stepped between them and ordered Edge to return the championship. Edge stared at Eddie for a long second, then slowly handed the belt to Heyman, who immediately gave it back to the champion. Eddie held it in both hands and told Edge, “This is the closest you get until Sunday, homes.”

Heyman announced the main event before the tension could turn physical. Since Edge wanted to carry Eddie’s title so badly, he would have to stand across from the champion one last time. Tonight, it would be Eddie Guerrero & Rey Mysterio vs. Edge & Chavo Guerrero. Heyman said the match would bring together the WWE Championship issue and the Cruiserweight Championship Steel Cage Match, but he warned all four men that if anyone tried to ruin the show before the bell, there would be consequences. Edge did not take his eyes off the title. Eddie did not take his eyes off Edge.

The first match of the night saw Rob Van Dam defeat Paul London in a fast opener that gave RVD one final showcase before his No. 1 contender’s match with Booker T. London pushed the pace early, using dropkicks, quick counters and a springboard attack to keep RVD moving. RVD answered with kicks from odd angles, a rolling monkey flip and Rolling Thunder for a near-fall. Booker T joined commentary and spent most of the match dismissing RVD’s style, saying there was a difference between being entertaining and being ready for a fight with a former World Champion. Tazz pointed out that Booker sounded more bothered than confident.

London had a late burst and nearly caught RVD with a roll-up after ducking a spin kick, but RVD recovered, caught him with a kick to the jaw, and finished with the Five-Star Frog Splash. After the match, Booker stood from commentary and entered the ring. RVD got to his feet slowly, still holding his ribs from the splash, while Booker stepped close and told him that Sunday would not be about chants or hand signs. It would be about who wanted the United States Title shot more. RVD said Booker had spent weeks telling everyone what he used to be, but on Sunday, he had to prove what he still was. Booker shoved him. RVD shoved him back. Officials rushed in before they could trade punches, and Booker backed away shouting that RVD would not be smiling at Judgment Day.

Backstage, Josh Matthews tried to interview Rey Mysterio, who was still favoring his ribs after Chavo Guerrero’s attack the previous week. Rey said Chavo had spent the entire rivalry running, hiding behind Chavo Classic, using the title and taking every cheap way out. Rey said he asked for the cage because he wanted the truth. No shortcuts. No family interference. No exit unless somebody earned it. Chavo Guerrero walked into frame with Chavo Classic behind him, applauding slowly. Chavo said Rey kept talking about the cage like it was justice, but he had it wrong. The cage was not justice. It was a trap. Chavo pointed at Rey’s ribs and said Rey was walking into that trap already broken. Officials quickly got between them, but Rey did not back away. He told Chavo that Sunday, the door closes, and Chavo finally finds out what happens when he has nowhere left to run.

The WWE Tag Team Champions were up next as Rikishi defeated Garrison Cade by disqualification. Cade entered with Mark Jindrak, both men carrying themselves like champions who had learned how to get under the challengers’ skin. They kept pointing at Scotty 2 Hotty’s taped knee and smiling. Scotty came out with Rikishi, limping but refusing to stay in the back. Cole said the champions had spent two straight weeks trying to take Scotty out before the title match. Tazz said that was smart, but it also meant Rikishi was coming in angry.

Cade tried to chop Rikishi down with kicks to the leg, but Rikishi kept walking through him. Every time Cade tried to move away, Rikishi trapped him in the corner with body shots and headbutts. Jindrak eventually created the opening by distracting Scotty, forcing Rikishi to look outside. Cade clipped the knee and took control for a stretch, but he could not keep Rikishi down. Rikishi fought back, hit a Samoan drop and set up for the corner splash. Jindrak slid in with one of the tag titles and struck Rikishi in the back, causing the disqualification.

The champions immediately swarmed Scotty. Cade kicked the bad knee out from under him, and Jindrak tried to wrap the leg around the ring post. Rikishi recovered in time, dragging Cade away and knocking Jindrak off the apron. The champions retreated with the belts, but not before Cade shouted that Scotty would not be dancing on Sunday. Rikishi helped Scotty up, and Scotty tried to nod like he was fine. Rikishi did not look convinced. He looked ready to hurt someone.

The final confrontation between John Cena and Shawn Michaels came next. Security surrounded the ring, but Heyman was nowhere to be seen. This was not a contract signing. It was just the United States Champion and the challenger, one last time before Judgment Day. Cena came out first with the United States Championship around his waist. He entered the ring, took the title off, and held it in his hand while he waited. HBK came out slowly, careful but smug, stopping on the stage before making his way down.

Cena said Shawn had kicked him in the face, cost him the WWE Championship tournament, hidden behind a mask, hidden behind Edge and hidden behind tag team champions. Cena said Shawn kept talking about respect, but all he had shown was fear. Michaels laughed and said Cena was young enough to confuse patience with fear. Shawn said he had been in the ring with legends, monsters, icons and champions. Cena had power, energy and a belt, but he did not have wisdom. Shawn said Cena fought like a man trying to prove he belonged, while Shawn fought like a man who already knew he did.

Cena stepped closer and said Shawn was right about one thing. He was trying to prove something. He was trying to prove that HBK was not untouchable anymore. He was trying to prove that one of the greatest of all time could still get knocked flat by a man he looked down on. The crowd came alive as Cena held up the U.S. Title and told Shawn that Sunday would not be about history. It would be about whether Shawn could survive the same fight he had spent weeks starting.

HBK slowly stepped closer and said, “Kid, I am the history lesson.” Then he threw the microphone at Cena’s chest and fired for Sweet Chin Music. Cena ducked. The crowd exploded as Cena scooped Shawn onto his shoulders for the FU, but Michaels raked the eyes and scrambled free. Cena reached for him again, but security stepped in as Shawn slid out of the ring. Cena shoved through two guards, trying to get to him, while Shawn backed up the ramp with a smile that looked thinner than usual. For the first time in weeks, Cena had seen the kick coming.

JBL’s final message to Farooq came in the form of a “Farewell to the APA” presentation. JBL came to the ring in a suit, with a spotlight on the old APA door set up near the entrance. He said the door represented everything he had outgrown: cheap fights, cheap beer, cheap laughs and a partner who never understood ambition. JBL said Farooq could keep the memories. He would keep the future. Then he took an APA shirt and wiped his boots with it.

Farooq did not wait for his music. He came through the curtain and stormed down the ramp. JBL tried to meet him at ringside, but Farooq hit first, and the fight was on. Farooq drove JBL into the barricade and sent him over the announce table. JBL scrambled, grabbed a microphone from ringside and struck Farooq in the head to stop the attack. He followed with a Clothesline from Hell on the floor, then stood over him and straightened his suit. JBL leaned down and told Farooq that Sunday would be a funeral for the man he used to be. He left through the crowd as officials checked on Farooq, but Farooq pushed them away and tried to stand. He did not get the last shot, but he refused to stay down.

Kane came out later with the arena dark and a casket already sitting beside the ring. He said The Undertaker wanted everyone to believe Judgment Day was about fear. Kane said he was done being manipulated by smoke, gongs and old memories. He said Undertaker was not death. He was flesh, and flesh could be burned, beaten and buried. Kane opened the casket and shouted into it, daring Undertaker to appear.

The gong hit.

The lights went out, and when they came back, The Undertaker was standing in the ring behind Kane. Kane turned around and the fight exploded. Undertaker threw right hands, backed Kane into the corner and clotheslined him over the top rope. Kane tried to drag Undertaker out, but Undertaker grabbed him by the throat and drove him against the apron. The brawl moved toward the casket, and Undertaker almost forced Kane inside. Kane fought out with elbows, but the crowd rose as Undertaker sat up and reached for him again. Kane stumbled backward, not running exactly, but leaving faster than he wanted to. Undertaker stood beside the casket and slowly closed the lid. Cole said Kane had talked all night about fear, but when the casket opened, he was the one who backed away.

Vince McMahon held what he called a referee training session for the No Holds Barred match between Goldberg and Stone Cold Steve Austin. Vince came out in a referee shirt, with Shane McMahon playing the role of Austin. Vince practiced fast counts, slow counts, ignoring rope breaks and checking Goldberg’s shoulder with more concern than he would ever show Austin. Vince laughed as he counted Shane down after a fake Spear, then said that was exactly what would happen Sunday when Austin’s career ended.

Glass shattered, and the building erupted.

Austin came through the crowd, not the stage, and slid into the ring behind Vince. Shane tried to warn him, but Austin caught Shane first and dropped him with a Stunner. Vince froze. Austin turned him around and kicked him in the gut. Before he could hit the Stunner, Goldberg hit the ring. Austin saw him coming this time and moved. Goldberg nearly collided with Vince, stopped himself, and turned straight into Austin’s middle fingers. Austin swung, Goldberg swung, and the fight broke out. They traded shots until officials flooded the ring. Goldberg broke through and went for a Spear, but Austin sidestepped, and Goldberg crashed shoulder-first into the turnbuckles. Austin finally caught Vince with the Stunner, dropped to the mat beside him and counted his own three. Goldberg recovered too late, furious, while Austin backed up the ramp drinking beer. Cole said Austin could not touch Goldberg forever, but on this night, he reminded Vince who he was trying to screw with.

Before the main event, Edge was shown alone backstage staring at the WWE Championship on a monitor. Shawn Michaels walked by and said Edge looked like a man who had not slept since touching that title. Edge told him to keep walking. Shawn smiled and said he would, but left him with one warning: “At least I know what kind of man I am when I cheat. You’re still pretending.” Edge did not answer. He just kept staring at the screen.

The main event brought together two of Judgment Day’s biggest title matches as Eddie Guerrero & Rey Mysterio faced Edge & Chavo Guerrero. Rey came out first, taped around the ribs but moving with purpose. Eddie followed with the WWE Championship, handing it to the referee but keeping his eyes on Edge. Chavo entered with Chavo Classic, clutching the Cruiserweight Title and pointing at Rey’s ribs. Edge came last, walking slower than everyone else, focused only on Eddie and the championship.

The match started with Rey and Chavo, and Chavo immediately targeted the ribs. Rey fought back with speed, using quick kicks and a headscissors to send Chavo outside. Chavo Classic tried to calm his son down, but Rey launched himself over the ropes and wiped both Guerreros out. Rey came up holding his ribs, which gave Chavo the opening later. Back inside, Chavo drove knees into Rey’s midsection and tagged Edge, who entered with no interest in Rey beyond hurting Eddie by hurting his partner.

Edge slowed the match down and kept looking across the ring at Eddie. Every stomp on Rey felt like a message. Rey finally escaped after countering a back suplex and making the hot tag. Eddie came in fast, dropping Chavo, knocking Edge off balance and hitting the Three Amigos on Chavo as the crowd counted along. Eddie climbed for the Frog Splash, but Edge rushed in and shoved him down. Rey came back with a springboard seated senton to Edge, and the match broke open.

Chavo went after Rey’s ribs again near the ropes. Rey fought him off and set him up for the 619, but Chavo Classic grabbed Rey’s leg. The referee turned to Classic, and Chavo tried to use the Cruiserweight Title. Eddie saw it, cut him off and pulled the belt away. Edge then slid in with the WWE Championship from ringside, trying to use Eddie’s own title behind the referee’s back. Eddie turned around just in time.

Edge swung.

Eddie ducked.

The belt blasted Chavo instead.

The crowd exploded as Edge froze. Eddie dropkicked Edge through the ropes, then pointed Rey toward Chavo, who was draped across the middle rope. Rey hit the 619, stumbled from the pain in his ribs, but still launched himself with the springboard splash. Eddie followed with the Frog Splash. One, two, three.

Eddie Guerrero & Rey Mysterio defeated Edge & Chavo Guerrero, and for a moment, the champions and challengers seemed to have traded momentum. Rey rolled to the floor holding his ribs, but he was smiling through it. Eddie stood with the WWE Championship in the ring while Edge sat outside, stunned that his own shortcut had backfired.

But Edge was not done.

As Eddie checked on Rey near the ropes, Edge slid back in and attacked from behind. The cheers turned to boos as Edge clubbed Eddie down and grabbed the WWE Championship again. For a second, it looked like the same ending as the last two weeks. Edge raised the title like he was going to hit him. Eddie turned, saw it coming, and dared him to do it.

Edge hesitated.

That hesitation said everything. He wanted to swing. He wanted the title badly enough to think about it. But he also knew Eddie could see right through him. Edge lowered the belt, dropped it beside Eddie, backed into the corner and waited. Eddie pulled himself up using the ropes.

Then Edge charged.

Spear.

Eddie folded in half and went down beside the WWE Championship.

Edge did not stop there. He backed into the corner again, breathing hard, eyes locked on the champion. Eddie tried to push himself up, and Edge hit a second Spear. This one left Eddie flat. The crowd booed as Edge picked up the WWE Championship and stood over him.

Around ringside, every Judgment Day issue was still alive. Rey was on one knee pointing toward Chavo, who clutched the Cruiserweight Title and stared back with fear under the anger. Booker T and RVD were shown being separated backstage after another argument near the interview area. Cade and Jindrak watched from a monitor with their titles, while Rikishi stood beside a limping Scotty. Cena paced in his locker room with the U.S. Title in his hands, while HBK smiled at a monitor. Vince was being helped through the back while Goldberg stormed beside him, still furious about Austin.

The final live shot stayed on Edge and Eddie.

Edge raised the WWE Championship high above the fallen champion. He did not smile. He did not taunt the crowd. He stared at the title like nothing else in the building mattered. Cole said Edge may not be champion yet, but he had left the champion laying. Tazz said Sunday would answer the real question: whether Edge was just desperate, or whether he was finally ready.

SmackDown faded out with Edge standing over Eddie Guerrero, the WWE Championship in his hands one last time before Judgment Day.

Quick Results​

Rob Van Dam def. Paul London

Rikishi def. Garrison Cade by disqualification

Eddie Guerrero & Rey Mysterio def. Edge & Chavo Guerrero

 

[Simply April]

FINAL JUDGMENT DAY 2004 CARD​

May 9, 2004 ​

Los Ángeles, CA ​

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[Stojy]

I haven't left any feedback in awhile but always, have been reading along when I can and have managed to catch up. The Judgment Day card is STACKED, maybe even TOO stacked for a B PPV. Austin/Goldberg with Vince as the ref in a No Holds Barred match with Austin's career on the line, a Casket match AND a Steel Cage match. Not sure we need 3/8 matches on the card being gimmick matches to be honest. That's more from a booking perspective, and I guess saving some things for your Manias, Summerslams, big four PPV's. With that out of the way, one things for sure, you don't book a boring PPV, and JD is sure to be a spectacle.

The Eddie/Edge feud kind of intertwined with the Michaels/Cena feud because of the VERY interesting dynamic of Michaels' heel turn, but then HBK also getting inside the head of Edge has been fantastic. Really great character work, and whilst I don't expect Edge to win, there's plenty to work with here. The rest of the cards build has been solid enough but wanted to specifically call out the JBL/Faarooq stuff. I love the attention you've given The APA break up, and whilst it might mean JBL's ascension up the card is slower in real life, it's made the break up feel like a bigger deal which is something I always thought lacked in real life.

Finally, man some of these AI banners are hilarious. Chavo, JBL and Faarooq don't look like each other at all lol. Anyway, that's all for now, will be reading JD whenever it's posted.