[narrator] Four men, driven by one ultimate prize
and on a road with No Way Out, there can be many twists and turns.
[dramatic music playing]
[Michael] Rey Mysterio
has climbed to the top of the mountain to headline WrestleMania.
[Rey] I hope I made you proud, Eddie.
And I hope I make you even more proud when I go on to WrestleMania
and win the World Heavyweight Championship!
[narrator] One man has chosen the low road to get what he desires.
[Randy] You're looking up towards the heavens.
Eddie ain't in heaven. Eddie's down there, in hell!
You will never become World Heavyweight Champion,
never main event WrestleMania.
I challenge you for your main event spot at WrestleMania.
[Rey] On behalf of Eddie Guerrero, you're on, Randy.
[ominous music playing]
[narrator] Two superstars will travel down a familiar path.
[Undertaker] Kurt Angle, the time is drawing near.
You possess the one thing I desire,
the World Heavyweight Championship.
[Kurt] Undertaker, you've proven time and time again to be unstoppable.
But I've proven time and time again to be the best in the world.
You may be The Phenom, but I'm a wrestling machine.
[Undertaker] I have seen the best and I've beaten the best.
[Kurt] When that bell rings, I don't have a soul either.
[dramatic music playing]
[narrator] Tonight, on the Road to WrestleMania,
there's No Way Out.
[music concludes]
[narrator] And now, SmackDown presents
WWE No Way Out.
[fireworks popping]
["Deadly Game" playing]
[crowd cheering]
[Michael] Welcome to the final pay-per-view stop
on the Road to WrestleMania.
This is the sold-out 1st Mariner Arena in Baltimore,
a virtual museum of WWE history.
This is where superstar Billy Graham defeated Bruno Sammartino
for the WWE title in 1977.
Where Tito Santana defeated Greg "The Hammer" Valentine
for the Intercontinental Championship in 1985.
And where Mr. McMahon defeated his own daughter Stephanie
-just a few days before a planned wedding. -[Tazz laughs]
[Michael] And tonight, Baltimore plays host to No Way Out.
Hello again, everybody.
I'm Michael Cole, he's Tazz, the voices of SmackDown.
And, Cole, just as important, here tonight,
the World Heavyweight Championship will be defended.
And in addition, we're gonna find out who will go onto main event--
main event WrestleMania against the champion.
Huge night, baby, huge.
History in the making yet again here tonight in Baltimore,
joining us, our Spanish colleagues, Carlos Cabrera and Hugo Savinovich.
-Hey, guys. -[speaking Spanish]
[speaking Spanish]
-["Fire Storm A" playing] -[Hugo speaking Spanish]
[Michael] How about kicking things off
with the Cruiserweight Championship of the World on the line?
-[bell ringing] -[Chimel] The following contest
is scheduled for one fall,
and it is for the WWE Cruiserweight Championship of the World.
Making his way to the ring, weighing in at 215 pounds,
is the Cruiserweight Champion of the World, Gregory Helms!
[Michael] Helms not happy with general manager Long
for making this matchup, but maybe Gregory Helms
should keep his mouth shut.
Two nights ago, on Friday Night SmackDown after defeating Scotty 2 Hotty,
Helms, well, he ran his mouth again.
[inaudible dialogue]
I hope all you cruiserweights are watching in the back
because the greatest cruiserweight alive today
can do that to any of you…
-[bell ringing] -…anytime I want.
[Tazz] Well, tell you what…
[chuckles] …he put his-- Put your money where your mouth is there, Mr. Helms.
He got his rear end whooped by a bunch of cruiserweights
'cause, you know, these guys, you don't care about making friends.
Look at this. All these finishing moves by all the cruiserweight superstars.
[Michael] Remember back at the Royal Rumble,
Gregory Helms came to SmackDown from Raw
to win the cruiserweight invitational.
Since then, Gregory Helms has made no friends in the locker room
and the SmackDown superstars making sure he does not forget it.
[Tazz] Well, look, he's still running around here,
chirping away.
♪ Turn it up ♪
-["Bangin' It" playing] -[crowd cheering]
[Chimel] Introducing the challengers, first from Westbrook, Maine,
weighing in at 208 pounds,
Scotty 2 Hotty!
[Michael] For Gregory Helms, it's like going into the proverbial hornet's nest.
-♪ Turn it up ♪ -[Tazz] Oh, yeah. It is.
I mean, this is a "sudden death" situation here.
Look, you know, you're the key guy. You're the champion.
You got guys like Scotty 2 Hotty
-and Paul London… -[rock music playing]
-…and they hate you. -[Michael] Yeah. Everybody despises you.
[Chimel] At a combined weight of 369 pounds,
Paul London and Brian Kendrick.
[Michael] And you mentioned "sudden death."
Remember, the champion who just scooted out of the ring--
[Tazz] Well, he's in front of our announcer desk right now.
-Here he is. -[Michael] He does not have to be involved
in the pinfall or submission to lose that title here tonight.
-["Dojo" playing] -[Chimel] From Japan,
weighing in at 200 pounds, Funaki!
[Michael] And Funaki, former Cruiserweight Champion in his own right,
would love to win that title back here tonight.
With all superstars in the ring at the same time,
that could very well happen.
["Muy Loco" playing]
[Chimel] Psicosis and Super Crazy, the Mexicools.
[Tazz] They're not Mexicans, Cole, they're Mexicool.
I love these guys, man.
[Michael] We got two teams in there. London and Kendrick and the Mexicools.
[Tazz] Yeah. But it's every man for himself.
It don't matter, bro. It don't matter.
Tag team or not, this is for the Cruiserweight Championship here.
Some-- Something bad, but they're riding in style,
not for nothing, the Mexicools' Juan Deeres,
and that begs me for a question.
I don't know if I said that in the right way, but
where the hell do you find a Juan Deere in Baltimore?
It's crab country here! They got farms around here?
[Michael] They put 'em on a trailer and ship them over.
-[upbeat music playing] -[Tazz] That's good, Cole. Thanks.
[Michael] You asked. [chuckles]
[Chimel] Weighing in at 175 pounds, Nunzio!
[Michael] Well, Nunzio just hopped on the Verrazzano,
came across the island, hit 95 to hop down here to Baltimore.
[Tazz] Well, thanks, Rand McNally.
Anyway, another former Cruiserweight Champion in Nunzio.
["Kash Money" playing]
[Chimel] And weighing in at 200 pounds,
-Kid Kash! -[Michael] Well, here's Kid Kash.
He missed his one-on-one rematch on SmackDown this past Friday night
due to a family emergency.
So, he would love to win the championship again here tonight.
[Tazz] What a-- Kid Kash looks extremely focused,
and Helms still hasn't gotten his rear end in the ring yet.
-Look at him. Go in. -[Michael] Remember, Kid Kash
was the victim of this-- I'll tell you after these rules.
[Chimel] Ladies and gentlemen, the rules for this match are as follows,
all of the cruiserweights will be in the ring at the same time.
The first man to score a pinfall or a submission
will be the Cruiserweight Champion of the World.
[Michael] Now, Kid Kash was in a similar situation at the Royal Rumble, Tazz.
Remember the cruiserweight invitational. Kid Kash was the champion.
He was not involved in the decision and lost his title.
That could happen to Gregory Helms here tonight.
[Tazz] Absolutely. And Gregory Helms was an outsider, came here from Raw.
You know? I mean, out of nowhere, shocked everybody,
-then wins the whole kit and caboodle. -[bell ringing]
-[Tazz] And then-- -[Michael] Oh.
The matchup underway, the champion is outside the ring,
and all these cruiserweights will be in the ring at the same time.
[Tazz] Helms can't stay out there.
He's gotta get in the ring to win it or defend his title.
[Michael] Again, it's "sudden death."
First person to get a pinfall or submission will become
the Cruiserweight Champion.
And Scotty 2 Hotty singling out Nunzio with the big right hands.
[Tazz] Look at that, Scotty there, a little--
crazy little juking type of thing.
I don't know what he calls it. I like that, you know.
And now, where's Helms?
Is he still-- Is he not-- He's not even in the ring yet, huh?
[Michael] Helms is over in the far corner,
there he is right there, watching the action, lying in wait.
[Tazz] Well, not for nothing, it's kinda smart, bro. It really is.
[Michael] Well, everybody in the ring hates him.
So, stay out of harm's way, let them beat each other up.
[Tazz] That's what-- Unless there's an attempted pinfall,
you know, or submission. Then you gotta get in there, stop that.
This is "sudden death," you'll lose that title if you're on the outside--
[Michael] Oh, look at that. Paul London with that heel kick to Nunzio.
-Referee Jimmy Korderas… -[Tazz] That was nice.
…really with his hands full here tonight.
[Tazz] And look at this. Oh, watch-- Heads up.
[Michael] Oh, it's London and Kendrick working as a team.
-They are a team. -[Tazz] And you can see the speed,
and the speed and grace of the cruiserweights,
exclusive to Friday Night SmackDown.
You're not gonna see this on a Monday night, folks.
See, Helms there, still cowering on the outside.
[Michael] There goes Paul London tossed out of the ring.
This is the fourth time in the history of No Way Out…
-[Tazz] Whoa, whoa. -…where the Cruiserweight Championship
has been defended.
Kendrick and London, sent over outside the ring.
-And look at the Mexicools… -[Tazz] Heads up!
…up over the top, taking out Kendrick and London.
Kid Kash, Funaki, the only two cruiserweights left
in the ring at this point in time.
[Tazz] Nice right hand by Funaki, followed up by a second.
Kid Kash is on the-- Oh, he's shaking a little bit there, but…
-Watch out. -[Michael] Oh, Kid Kash determined
to win back the Cruiserweight Championship he lost at the Rumble.
-[Tazz] Going for a cover. Watch-- Oh! -[Michael] Funaki rolled out of the way
of that springboard moonsault.
-Bulldog! -[Tazz] Beautiful.
I don't see-- Well, I don't--
There's nobody else in there. Wait a-- Where's Helms at?
[Michael] Funaki into the cover. There's Helms,
breaking up the three-count, like you mentioned before.
And Gregory Helms, who was lying in wait, now goes to work on Kid Kash.
[Tazz] Talk about picking his spots,
that's exactly what Gregory Helms just did,
and I gotta say, it was pretty good-- Uh-oh.
[Michael] Oh, boy. Uh-oh.
Helms looking into the eye of the enemies, four of 'em.
-[Tazz] There's more coming. -[Michael] And Scotty with a right hand,
and the SmackDown superstars taking it out on Gregory Helms.
Oh, my God. "The Cocky Outcast," Gregory Helms, getting it taken to him.
[Tazz] Well, he's got the most at stake to lose in this match,
the cruiserweight title.
[Michael] But remember you do not have to beat the champion to win that title.
It's first pinfall or submission.
Gregory Helms with a kick to Scotty 2 Hotty,
and then the champion again rolls over there underneath the bottom rope.
[Tazz] And, Cole, I'll tell you, that's what makes it hard.
I've been in the ring when there's a lot of bodies in the ring, it's hard.
You can't have eyes behind your head. You don't know who's going for a cover,
who's got a submission, you know what I mean?
[Michael] Look at that. A great hurricanrana by Paul London.
[Tazz] Beautiful. Beautiful.
[Michael] Oh, and there's a drop kick by Super Crazy.
[Tazz] Yeah. Missile drop kick by Crazy, now watch out here.
[Michael] Cruiserweight action you can only see on Friday nights on SmackDown.
-Brian Kendrick, second rope. -[Tazz] Right in the mush.
[Michael] Nobody home as the Mexicools split away.
[Tazz] That was a big splat.
-Mexicool! -[Tazz] Mexicool! Look at that! Oh!
[Michael] You mentioned it was every man for himself,
but the Mexicools have been working as a team.
[Tazz] So far, they-- Oh, there's Helms.
[Michael] And Helms breaking up the three-count again,
trying to preserve his life as champion.
[Tazz] Yeah. Let's take a look at this rolling…
kinda like a mini powerbomb here by the Mexicools.
Very cool the way they did that, pardon the pun.
[Michael] Funaki into the cover. Hooks Nunzio's leg,
and it was a two-count as you saw Psicosis sent up over the top rope.
[grunts]
[Tazz] Right there, Paul London with a round kick
to the back, lower back or middle of the back, of Helms.
[Michael] Remember, our general manager of SmackDown,
Theodore Long, made this matchup after Gregory Helms ran his mouth
and said he could beat up anybody in the SmackDown locker room
-from the cruiserweight side. -[Tazz] Well, this ain't Raw,
you don't come around here and start talking all that dumb--
Our general manager, you know, Teddy Long, he'll put you in a match.
He'll make you defend it. And I'll tell you what,
Helms is looking good right now, like him or not.
[Michael] Paul London with that big forearm,
kick to the ribs of Gregory Helms. London a former champion in his own right
singling out the current champion.
-[Tazz] Look at that. Whoa! -[Michael] Oh! And Funaki, drop kick.
-[Tazz] So much action. -[Michael] Oh!
[Tazz] Everywhere you look, there's bodies flying.
-[Michael] Here's a cover by Nunzio. -He's on the ropes!
[Michael] Funaki grabbing the bottom rope.
Kid Kash with hip toss, Scotty 2 Hotty with a counter of his own.
-[Tazz] Look at this. -[Michael] Oh!
What a suplex by Scotty 2 Hotty.
[Tazz] Kip-up, and now Paul-- Helms, great timing again by Helms.
[Michael] Cruiserweight Champion with Scotty on his shoulders.
-[Tazz] Look at this. -[Michael] Oh, head bounced off the knee.
Here's the champ into the cover.
And Kid Kash breaks up the three-count.
[Tazz] And if Helms would've got the victory over Scotty there,
then he would've just left Baltimore with the cruiserweight title.
-But… look at this. -[indistinct chatter]
[Tazz] Former champ versus current champ.
Going toe-to-toe here.
Wore each other out with those punches.
[Michael] Nunzio with a big kick to Paul London.
-[Tazz] School boy! -[Michael] Here's the cover!
And both Helms and Nunzio break up the three-count.
Again, it's "sudden death," ladies and gentlemen.
[Tazz] You can't blame Scotty trying to pick up the scraps of, you know,
all the punches that affected Kid Kash.
[Michael] And here's Scotty launched over the top rope, but he hangs on.
-A right hand by the champion Helms. -[Tazz] Wow. Wow.
[Michael] And now champion and former champ,
-Helms and Kid Kash square off. -[Tazz] Watch out.
[Michael] And there goes the champion through the second rope.
[Tazz] And now Kid Kash stopping Psicosis.
Speaking of stopping, nice right hand by Scotty on the jaw of Kid Kash.
[Michael] And Nunzio working on Psicosis, Scotty working on Kid Kash.
-Paul London in trouble in the corner. -[crowd cheering]
[Michael] Funaki outside the ring along with Helms, the champion.
There's the Super Crazy.
[Tazz] Oh, wow!
I-- Looked like a heel off that apron
-by Scotty onto Helms. -[yells]
[Michael] And Psicosis in great control here.
Kid Kash counters, kick to the hamstring.
This cruiserweight action is so fast and furious.
-[Tazz] Whoa, whoa, whoa! -[Michael] Oh, Psicosis
right through the second rope!
-[Tazz] Wow. -[Michael] And Kid Kash!
-Look at that. -[Tazz] Unbelievable.
[Michael] The headscissors over the top rope by Kid Kash.
[Tazz] Beautiful, beautiful move by Kid Kash with that--
[Michael] Oh, look at that Sicilian Slice.
Nunzio, could he be moments away from winning the championship?
-[Tazz] Gonna get it. -[Michael] Into the cover, hooks the leg.
-[Tazz] He's got it! -[Michael] There's two, and Brian Kendrick
-breaking up the three-count. -[Tazz] And again, it's the speed.
Speed kills, and that's what the cruiserweights show.
Speed and ability, man. I'm telling you, it's amazing.
[Michael] Take another look at Kid Kash as he…
flies over the top rope to take out Psicosis.
[Tazz] Yeah. Flies over the top rope, did the hurricanrana.
Psicosis landed flat in the middle, on the ground, I should say.
[Michael] And look at London, launching Kendrick into Nunzio and Funaki.
-[Tazz] Again, great teamwork but… -[Michael] But look at this.
The two teammates left alone in the ring with one another.
Well, they were in the ring momentarily because now they're going
-to the top rope. -[Tazz] Whoa, whoa, whoa. Look at this.
-Bodies on the outside! The high flyers! -[crowd cheering]
[Tazz] God! [laughs] This is unreal.
What a way to kick off No Way Out.
[Michael] Super Crazy, what the hell is he doing?
[Tazz] He's not just crazy, he's a wild man.
-[Michael] Super Crazy… -[Gregory yells]
-…ramming into an elbow! -[Tazz] Oh!
[Michael] I think Super Crazy was gonna launch himself out of the ring
and the Cruiserweight Champion,
-Gregory Helms… -[Tazz] Watch out!
…went for the Shining Wizard. Nobody home.
-[Tazz] Oh, man! Beautiful. -[Michael] Spin kick to the jaw by Crazy.
Into the cover, he may win the title here.
And Kendrick breaks up the three-count. So close for Super Crazy.
[Tazz] Beautiful. Watch out. Here comes Kendrick.
[Michael] Wow! The champ in trouble. Kendrick into the cover, hook to the leg.
Shoulders down, and it's Crazy
-to break up the three-count. -[Tazz] Tell you what.
-Cruiserweight's on fire. -[Michael] Look at Paul London.
-Look at Paul London, top rope. -[Tazz] He's gonna frog it!
[Michael] Paul London landed on the sternum of Helms.
[Tazz] That is it. Helms is done.
[Michael] London into the cover, hook to the leg.
Shoulders down, and it's Scotty 2 Hotty who breaks it up.
[Tazz] Near fall after near fall after near fall.
[Michael] And the champion suffering all the punishment here.
[Tazz] Look at this, beautiful forearm, another one by London into Scotty's face.
[Michael] The champion, Gregory Helms, has no clue where he's at.
-[Tazz] Got squashed by-- -[Michael] A kick to the face by Scotty.
There goes London.
-Scotty left alone. -[Tazz] Here we go!
[Michael] Bulldog. Can Scotty do it? Can Scotty do it?
[Tazz] Scotty's gotta get to a vertical base, he's just about there.
[crowd cheering]
[Michael] Listen to the sellout SmackDown fans.
[Tazz] Will Scotty go for the-- Looks like he's gonna…
Worm time, baby.
[crowd chanting] W-O-R-M!
[Michael] Scotty 2 Hotty into the Worm,
and perhaps moments away from capturing the Cruiserweight Championship.
-[Tazz] Here we go. -[Michael] The champion in trouble.
Into the cover, hook to the leg.
-[Tazz] One! Two! -[Michael] There's one, two.
And it's Psicosis who pulls Scotty off the three-count.
[Tazz] Very smart, saved himself.
-Very smart by Psicosis. -[Michael] Psicosis into the cover.
It's Kid Kash breaking things up.
What action to kick off No Way Out here tonight.
[Tazz] Are you kidding? This is phenomenal action.
[Michael] A chop by Kid Kash. Psicosis breaking off the ropes.
-Psicosis… -[groans]
[Michael] That was just to land on his knee
and get back to his feet so quickly there.
[Tazz] I thought he twisted an ankle, actually, but he didn't.
[Michael] Kid Kash missed. Psicosis, Kid Kash now.
[Tazz] Released German, landed on his feet.
Round kick to the side of the head, I think, there.
[Michael] Uh-oh. Kid Kash setting up Psicosis.
The Dead Level! The Dead Level connecting.
Here's the cover.
-[Tazz] Moonsault! -[Michael] Moonsault by Super Crazy!
[Tazz] Saved his partner and-- Here we go!
[Michael] And Helms into the cover, hooks the leg.
-And Gregory Helms steals one. -[bell ringing]
-[Tazz] Got a big win. -[Michael] Gregory Helms steals one.
-[Tazz] Oh, my God. -[Chimel] Here's your winner,
and still Cruiserweight Champion of the World,
-Gregory Helms! -["Fire Storm A" playing]
[Tazz] How the hell did that happen? Highway robbery at its blatant best, Cole.
Are you kidding me?
[Michael] Gregory Helms had been almost completely knocked out.
It was Super Crazy with the moonsault,
and Gregory Helms took advantage to retain the cruiserweight title.
[Tazz splutters] Oh, man, come on.
Now, he's gloating now. Are you kidding me or what?
[Michael] Yeah, he was gloating all right. But here come the SmackDown superstars
-in pursuit of Gregory Helms. -[Tazz] You're not kidding.
-What's going on? -You know what's going on.
-Always taking sides is going on. -That's right, Teddy Long.
I'm not taking sides with anybody.
-Oh, yes, you are. -The thing is this, man.
I'm not 100 percent.
I'm not ready to go out there,
-and compete tonight… -[Teddy] Is that right?
-…at my best, and you know that. -Yeah, that's right.
See, look, man. I'm the greatest United States Champion of all time.
-The greatest of all times. -Hell, I'm the greatest champion
-that ever lived. -Tell him, baby.
And you want me to go out here and compete?
Look, man, the people in Baltimore, they don't wanna see me
-if I ain't 100 percent. The whole world… -Not like this. Not like this.
-Hey, I'll tell you what-- -…they don't wanna see me…
-Hey! -…if I ain't my best!
-Let's stop the drama right now. -Right.
Now, you're right. The people in Baltimore
don't wanna see you unless you're 100 percent.
-That's right. -And you know what, Booker?
You look 100 percent to me.
In fact, this past Friday on SmackDown you looked 100 percent.
I watched you get up,
you hit Chris Benoit in the back with a chair.
-That was a miracle, Teddy. -That was a miracle.
-A miracle. Hallelujah. -That was a miracle, man.
-Miracle. That's right. -You know what?
-You know, you're right. -Adrenaline--
You're right, it was a miracle. And you know what?
You look good to me, you look like you can wrestle tonight.
-It's a miracle. -Oh, wait, hold on. No.
-See, he aggravated that injury. Okay? -I aggravated it.
-He aggravated. He is-- -Come on. Come on.
-I aggravated my injury, man. -All right. No, I'll tell you what,
I'll tell you what, Teddy. I'll get down on one knee, all right?
I'll get down on two knees. Look.
You see what you're making my wife do, man?
-I am begging you, Teddy. -You see what you're making my wife do?
Just please give him more time.
-Sharmell. Sharmell, wait. -He's still injured, he's not ready.
You don't have to do that, all right?
Now, it's not appropriate for you to be down there.
Look, Teddy. You know, look, man.
If it'll make you feel better, man,
if it'll make you feel like the big man on campus,
I'll get down on one knee too, all right?
That'll make you happy, Teddy? I'll get down on one knee too.
-Help me out, babe. [groans] -Oh. Careful, baby.
-[Teddy] Okay. -[Sharmell] Careful. Careful, sweetie.
-All right, all right, all right. -Okay, Teddy, please.
-All right. All right. All right. -Please, man, just give us a chance.
-Okay, okay. I tell you-- -The only thing we're asking you, man.
I'll tell you what.
I'll give you a chance, but you got one choice.
You know what that is?
Either you wrestle Chris Benoit tonight,
or you will forfeit the United States title.
-No. Hell no. -[gasps]
You can-- Hell, no, Teddy!
-What are you talking about? -My lawyer's gonna be
-all over your ass, man! -Teddy Long, that ain't right!
-That is not right! -You in trouble, man.
-Baby, I cannot believe this. -No. You in trouble.
You in trouble, dawg.
-How could he do that, baby? -You in trouble.
The man is injured.
Baby.
We are 42 days away from WrestleMania 22.
And tonight, The Undertaker and Kurt Angle square off to see who will-- Oh, Finlay.
[crowd clamoring]
I was wondering--
Listen.
I came all the way from Ireland for a fight tonight, and I don't have one.
You know what?
If no one will take the fight to me, then I guess I'll pick a fight.
[crowd clamoring]
-[Tazz] Who's he gonna pick a fight-- -No!
-[Tazz] Come on. What-- -[Michael] What the hell?
-Wait a minute. What is this? -[Tazz] What the hell's he doing?
-Finlay! No! Help! -[Tazz] What the hell is--
-Somebody help me! -[Michael] What the hell is Finlay doing?
-No! -[Michael] Put her down.
-[sobs] I don't wanna go. -[Tazz] Oh, what-- But…
[Michael] He said he's gonna pick a fight.
-Pick a fight with Kristal? -[Tazz] Well, this isn't--
[Michael] She's not gonna put up much of a fight.
[Finlay] My name is Finlay, and I love to fight.
[Michael] Don't tell me he's gonna-- They're not coming out here.
-[Tazz] That-- Wait. What the hell? -["Love to Fight" playing]
[Tazz] This isn't Finlay's style, of course. It's not--
[Michael] Well, "not his style," he beats up juniors.
[Tazz] Well, that's different than beating up a--
[Michael] He beat up the entire junior division.
-[Tazz] Michael, that's a woman. -[Michael] Oh, come on now.
-[Tazz] This is a woman. Look at this. -[Michael] What is Finlay doing?
[Tazz] He's-- Wait a minute. You don't think--
[Michael] The poor girl was doing her job and now Finlay's gonna carry her out here…
-[Tazz] Put her down! Put her down. -…'cause he wants to pick a fight.
[Tazz] She's beating on his back
-and beating the hell-- -[Kristal screams]
[Tazz] You don't think that Finlay's gonna try to fight her.
[Michael] I don't know what to think with this guy anymore.
[Tazz] Well, wait a minute. Wait a minute. Finlay, hold on, man. What…
-[Michael] Oh, come on. -[Tazz] Are you kidding me here?
[Michael] Finlay, you gotta be kidding me.
-[Tazz] She's terrified. -[music concludes]
[Tazz] What's the-- Cole, you don't think--
[crowd jeering]
[Michael] Again, I don't know what to think with Finlay.
[Tazz] Someone's gotta stop. This is--
["Unstoppable" playing]
-[Michael] Wait a minute. -[Tazz] Whoa, whoa, whoa.
-Oh, boy. I'll tell you what-- -[Michael] Oh, my.
Here comes the 300-pound Lashley.
[Tazz] If Finlay wants a fight, he might just get one.
[Michael] And Finlay and Lashley.
-And look at Lashley with a right hand. -[Tazz] Oh!
[Michael] Who knows what Finlay was gonna do to Kristal.
[Tazz] It's not a scheduled match, Cole, it's just a fight.
[Michael] Well, Lashley coming to the aid of Kristal
because Finlay said
he wanted a fight here tonight. Well, he's getting one.
[Tazz] Oh, knee right to the groin, and again--
[Michael] Oh, that's typical Finlay, a low blow.
-[bell ringing] -[Tazz] Well, it doesn't matter now--
-Wait a-- -["Longhorn" playing]
[Michael] Oh, and what a clothesline by Finlay.
-Wait a minute. -[Tazz] It's JBL.
[Michael] Well, remember, here comes the big white limousine
JBL's scheduled to have a matchup here with Lashley at No Way Out.
[Tazz] Yeah, I know, but right now,
-Finlay is all over… -[cow moos]
…just beating the hell out of Lashley and then JBL just arrived.
[Michael] Finlay is, like you mentioned--
-And look at JBL. -[Tazz] JBL-- Oh, wait a minute.
-JBL's on hot now. Look at him. -[Michael] High-stepping it to the ring.
[Tazz splutters] He never does this.
He's like running out here.
[Michael] Well, he realizes Lashley's in trouble-- Was in trouble.
Belly-to-belly by Lashley.
And Lashley on his feet and JBL realizing--
-[bell ringing] -[Tazz] Well, here we go.
[Michael] Isn't quite what JBL thought he was getting into.
[Tazz] There's the bell, so…
[Michael] Well, here we go. The matchup is officially underway.
[crowd clamoring]
[Michael] And Lashley as Finlay is going to be escorted back to the locker room.
Thank God. Good riddance. Get out of here.
[Tazz] Yeah. That was scary there with the whole Kristal thing,
but what a fight between Lashley and Finlay.
But right now, the big picture here, we got JBL and Lashley.
[Michael] Well, JBL, former WWE Champion, held the title for ten months,
longest title reign in a decade, and that was typical JBL
with a thumb to the eye there.
[Tazz] JBL, very crafty, very smart, but look at Lashley. Oh!
[Michael] And Lashley with a right hand.
[Tazz] He's just so thick and powerful and aggressive, this Lashley.
[Michael] Lashley, a three-time national champion, four-time All-American,
he's well-versed in mixed martial arts,
and of course, Lashley is undefeated here in World Wrestling Entertainment.
[Tazz] Well, that in itself is so impressive.
But JBL right now--
But Lashley was gonna get the better here of JBL, thanks to Finlay.
[Michael] Yeah, but JBL is a crafty, wily veteran.
[Tazz] And you don't often-- You don't see that often,
when someone can mow down Lashley like that.
[Michael] Lashley quickly to his feet.
Look at that leapfrog. Talk about athleticism.
[Tazz] Amazing. The size of this athlete.
Nice duck under, club on the back of the head, now a knee,
-and club again, and a knee… -[Jillian] Stop! Stop it!
…to the midsection there of JBL.
[Michael] Tazz, Lashley is improving leaps and bounds
since he first came into SmackDown a few months ago.
-[Tazz] Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa! -[Michael] Big back body drop by Lashley.
-[Jillian] Come on. Get up! -[Michael] Remember, it was Jillian--
-Oh, JBL's image consultant… -[Jillian] Come on!
…who basically accepted this matchup after Lashley made the challenge.
-after Lashley made the challenge. -Come on, JBL! Get up!
[Michael] I don't believe JBL wanted anything to do with it.
[Tazz] Well, Cole, remember, this is something--
Remember, Lashley was in a matchup weeks back with JBL and got a victory.
He pinned JBL, I mean a little assist on the outside by, you know.
-[Michael] By The Boogeyman. -[Tazz] Yeah.
[Michael] And then remember, a couple of weeks back,
JBL snuck up from behind after Lashley picked up a victory.
[Tazz] Whoa, whoa, whoa, wait a minute. Wait a minute.
[Michael] And look at that.
Putting Jillian in front of him then striking Lashley,
-and then delivering that right hand. -Get in the ring, get off the floor.
-[Tazz] Watch out. Oh! -[Michael] And Lashley blocking it.
-[groans] -[Michael] And JBL bounced off
the steel steps. And look at Jillian with the clipboard.
-I don't know how wise that was. -[Tazz] I mean, that was gutsy,
but not too smart. I don't know what that was.
And the-- Uh-oh. What's this?
[Michael] And what a throw outside the ring.
[Tazz] Trap the arm, belly-to-belly suplex on the outside.
[Michael] That'll-- I tell you what, that'll hurt.
Let's take another look at this belly-to-belly suplex.
-Look at this. What a throw by Lashley. -[Tazz] Beautiful.
We're talking about a six-foot-seven, 300-pound JBL.
And Lashley just chucked him and threw him with ease.
[Michael] Here's the cover. Hook to the leg by Lashley,
shoulders down, kick-out at two.
Again, the impetus for this matchup
was when JBL snuck up from behind after a Lashley victory,
and delivered a Clothesline from Hell to Lashley.
-Hence, Lashley making the challenge. -[crowd cheering]
[Tazz] And now, JBL's in trouble.
Look at this-- Whoa, whoa, whoa. Can he power him over?
-That's a big boy, JBL. Look at that. -[Michael] Lashley!
That is straight power, ladies and gentlemen.
That is a 300-pound man
-that Lashley just powered over. -[crowd cheering]
[Tazz] The guy's a straight-up beast, I'm telling you.
Lashley is so powerful.
Now what?
[Michael] Now Lashley feeding off the sellout crowd.
And look at JBL from behind,
sending Lashley through the ropes, and that's where the veteran is so smart.
[Tazz] Well, that's smart. Playing possum a little bit.
-That's the veteran. -[Michael] Boot to the face of Lashley,
kidney-first, lands on the apron.
[Tazz] Well, let me-- Come on, let's face it, Cole.
JBL's far from a dummy. He knows what he's doing in there.
He knows what he's doing in life. This guy's so successful, so intelligent.
Come on. You'd love to be JBL.
-[Michael] He is a millionaire. -[Tazz] Absolutely. Watch out!
[Michael] Lashley bounced off the steel steps this time.
[crowd chanting] JBL sucks! JBL sucks!
[Michael] And a "JBL sucks" chant from the sellout crowd, his WWE fans.
[Tazz] Well, I'll tell you what. Well, that's your opinion, but--
That's your opinion, but you gotta understand JBL
is, well, you know, such a-- a very wealthy man,
and so successful former, you know, WWE Champion and to say he sucks, I--
A financial analyst, he's got a radio show,
this guy does it all, Cole. He writes books, he's an author.
Are you kidding me?
[Michael] Lashley sent back into the ring after JBL broke the count.
[Tazz] And, you know, not for nothing, Cole, he could be,
JBL could be the man who breaks Lashley's undefeated streak right here tonight.
-[Michael] Oh, very well could be. -[Tazz] Oh, my God!
[Michael] JBL for the elbow from the top rope,
the 300-pounder, into the sternum,
-shoulders are down… -[Tazz] Tell you what, he's got it.
…hooks the leg, and a kick-out at one and a half.
[Tazz] I remember the last time I've seen JBL climb to the top rope
and drop an elbow.
-[both grunt] -[Tazz] Ooh! What a forearm to the spine.
[Michael] JBL can be so vicious.
He's got that barroom brawling style.
[Tazz] Well, that's the similarities-- A little similarity between,
in my opinion, between Lashley and JBL because of that smash-mouth style, that--
You know, that fighting style.
Just that Lashley brings a little bit more of an amateur credibility factor,
but it's JBL, you can see that intensity on his face.
[Michael] Well, the veteran wearing down Lashley here,
-there's a swinging neckbreaker. -[Jillian] Yeah!
[Michael] The former WWE Champion in control
as Lashley tries to shake the cobwebs.
-There's that smile on the face of JBL. -[Tazz] Cole, let's face it.
Come on. JBL's got all the experience here.
He's been around the game a long time.
He's been very successful and all over the world knows what he's doing.
Lashley, he's gotta be careful with that,
you're looking at a guy who's salty in JBL.
[Michael] Another swinging neckbreaker as JBL continues to wear Lashley down.
[crowd chanting] Let's go, Lashley!
[Michael] And "let's go, Lashley" chants from these great SmackDown fans
in Baltimore as JBL continues to deliver thunderous elbows to the sternum.
[Tazz] Look at this. Look at this. Oh, God.
-Over and over, he's got it. -[Michael] Again a cover, shoulders down.
There's two, and Lashley rolls the shoulder out in two and a half.
[Tazz] Repetitive elbows and he still-- JBL still couldn't get the victory.
I thought he was gonna get him there.
I mean, those elbows were nasty across the throat.
[Michael] Well, JBL better have a plan B, Tazz.
-Must have a plan B. -[Tazz] I'll tell you what, man,
Lashley, you know, he's not looking so good
but then there's a right hand.
[Michael] JBL with a right.
Lashley with another right. JBL staggers a bit.
Lashley with another right hand.
And Lashley, Bobby Lashley,
maybe building momentum off the reversal.
-And look at JBL, into a sleeper. -[Tazz] Oh. Whoa, whoa, whoa.
What match are you watching, Cole?
He threw a few punches, what are you talking about?
[Michael] Thought he was starting to build momentum,
-just for a little bit there. -[Tazz] Well, you thought wrong.
Okay. Now, he's caught in a sleeper.
He didn't-- He had very little momentum, little, not a lot.
[Michael] That's why I said he was building momentum.
It means you're beginning to build, like when you use your Legos,
you build a tree, you're building from the ground up,
as JBL continues to put the sleeper on Lashley and wearing the youngster down.
-Keep him there, JBL! -What do you say, Lashley?
[Michael] And look at JBL, continuing to just cinch that sleeper in.
[Tazz] It's not just that, Cole, his putting all his weight
on the back of Lashley's head.
He's riding him. He's forcing… He's forcing Lashley to breathe.
It's very difficult when someone has that kinda hold across your throat.
[Michael] And you mention the experience factor before.
Does the experience factor really come into play when you've got a hold locked in
on an inexperienced man like this?
[Tazz] Duh, what are you asking me for? I'm just the idiot who plays with Legos.
Why don't you tell me?
[Michael] You're the goof trying to say
that I said something I didn't and look at--
[Tazz] By the way, how many championship matches have you had
-and titles have you held? -[Michael] And how many matches you've had
in the ring, and how many matches you've done this,
and how many times you've been to the dojo,
and how many times you've done this.
-[Tazz] Oh, wait. -[Michael] As JBL continues
-to wear Lashley down. -[Bradshaw grunts]
[Michael] Lashley is off his feet. JBL has the sleeper cinched in.
Referee Nick Patrick in perfect position.
See how he's making sure that it's not a choke there.
[Tazz] Well, it's-- Hey, well, I'm telling you,
Lashley's face is all contorted and squished up.
-[Michael] Into the cover. -[Tazz] Look at this.
[Michael] JBL feels he wore him down enough, and a kick-out!
[Tazz] And I'll tell you what, that's cool. You don't see that often.
You see a sleeper hold happen a lot in a match,
but you don't see a guy wear a guy down, then go for a cover real quick.
Simple but effective and smart by JBL.
[Michael] Look at JBL, that grin on his face,
measuring his man, straight boot to the temple.
[Tazz] See, what happens is, when you wear a guy down with a sleeper
then you cover him, you force him to kick out after, you know,
-he lost blood rush to his head. -You're not a superhero!
[Michael] And it looks like Lashley is really in la-la land,
doesn't quite know where he is.
[Tazz] And he really is in la-la land,
and I guess if you live in la-la land, you should know where that is,
but he doesn't live there, so he doesn't know where he is.
[Michael] And look at another kick by JBL to Lashley.
And the veteran is wearing Lashley down.
This is textbook JBL.
[crowd jeering]
[Tazz] And Cole, I'm enjoying this.
You know, I mean, this is great. I'm enjoying this.
You can watch guys beat the hell out of each other,
or you can watch the Olympics where guys that look a little girly,
you know, skating down a snowy mountain.
You can't see that at the Olympics either.
You can't see like a chick like Jillian there.
[Michael] They actually ski down the mountains and skate on a rink.
[Tazz] Yeah, but you don't see girls like that, like Jillian in the Olympics.
[Michael] No, not at all.
And look at JBL, top rope-- Oh, Lashley caught him in midair,
into a slam, and here comes Lashley!
[crowd cheering]
[Tazz] Here comes Lash-- What do you mean?
He's barely-- Well, he's on his two feet but he's-- He can't capitalize, he's hurt.
[Michael] Lashley surviving for a moment as he caught JBL
as JBL came off the top rope.
-Can Lashley capitalize? -Get up! Go get him!
[Tazz] I don't know. We're gonna find out. JBL is up to a vertical base.
[Michael] Lashley blocked the right hand, right hand of his own.
-[Tazz] Wow. Whoa! -[Michael] JBL down with that big right,
and Lashley running into JBL!
-Now Lashley is building momentum. -[Tazz] Well, yeah.
Now I definitely think the momentum is building. Definitely.
[Michael] A clothesline by the 300-pounder.
Lashley, belly-to-belly, what a throw!
[Tazz] Did that same throw on the outside.
What a big-- Look at this!
[Michael] Another throw by Lashley.
[Tazz] Beautiful suplex, beautiful belly-to-belly.
Here comes a third.
[Michael] A third belly-to-belly as Lashley is wearing JBL down.
[Tazz] Let me tell you something, that is hard to do to a man that big as JBL,
three in a row, maybe four. Make it four in a row!
I think his eye is gaffed-- is split open now.
[Michael] Something's busted open.
-[Tazz] Might've landed on his face, JBL. -[crowd cheering]
[Tazz] Takes a lot of energy to do those throws, man. I'm telling you.
-[Michael] Lashley measuring JBL. -[Tazz] He's going for the kill, my man.
[Michael] Lashley going for that Dominator.
JBL up on the shoulder but he slid through,
went for the Clothesline from Hell, got caught!
-[Tazz] He hooked him! -[Michael] Got caught!
[Tazz] Beautiful T-bone, and a hook to the leg.
[Michael] Shoulders down. It may happen here!
And JBL at two kicks out.
I thought Lashley had him off the T-bone.
-[Tazz] Well, yeah. He ducked under-- -[Michael] Wait a minute!
-[Tazz] Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. -[Michael] Finlay.
-[Tazz] What the hell? Wait a minute. -[Michael] He shoved Tony Chimel
into the ring, the ring announcer.
[Tazz] Why did he do that? What the hell is Finlay…
-[Michael] No idea. -[Tazz] What the hell's going on here?
-Hit the bell, ref! -[Michael] And knocked around the ring
-with a clothesline-- Hey, the shillelagh! -[Tazz] Oh, my God!
[Michael] The shillelagh of the skull!
-[Tazz] Holy-- -[Michael] Clothesline from Hell!
[Tazz] Right in the throat, Cole.
The throat, I'm telling you, in the clothesline.
[Michael] JBL into the cover!
-JBL steals one. -[bell ringing]
[Michael] Give me a break because of that damn Finlay!
-["Longhorn" playing] -[Tazz] Look at-- Oh, my God.
[Chimel] Here's your winner, John "Bradshaw" Layfield.
[Michael] Lashley is no longer undefeated because of Finlay.
Bottom line, Lashley was going for the victory and Finlay hit him
-with a damn shillelagh. -[Tazz] Whoa, whoa, whoa. Wait a minute.
Lashley's no longer undefeated because of that man, JBL.
[Michael] What are you talking about?
[Tazz] The-- JBL's the man who was in the match.
I understand Finlay interfered, but JBL's the guy in the match, Cole.
He hit him with that clothesline, he capitalized,
and how's it gonna look in the record book, Cole?
How's it gonna look?
[Michael] Gonna look like JBL defeated Lashley.
[Tazz] So that's why I'm correcting you. And look at him. Look at him.
JBL, eyes all bloodied up and busted.
Hell of a physical matchup as we knew it would be.
[Michael] Well, JBL looks a little worse for wear.
-[Tazz] That's nasty. Right in the throat. -[Michael] Watch the shillelagh.
-[Tazz] There it is, man. Right in the-- -[Michael] And a Clothesline from Hell
-by JBL. -[crowd cheering]
[Tazz] Right. Let's take a look at both impactful shots here.
Right in the throat with the shillelagh, and then look at this.
Zam! Right across the throat with a Clothesline from Hell.
It was very tough for Lashley to get out of that.
That's nasty. Look at his eye.
-I feel amazing. -[Tazz] He might have…
And Cole, like I said, you can watch WWE,
or you can go watch the Olympics with some people skating around on ice
and acting all silly and jumping.
[Michael] Nonetheless, no matter how you look at it,
Lashley is no longer undefeated.
JBL picks up the victory
-thanks to Finlay and his shillelagh. -[speaks indistinctly]
[Michael] Hey, Finlay said he wanted a fight,
that he was gonna pick one tonight and I believe he did.
[Tazz] I think you're right.
Well, what a match. Very, very physical contest right there.
-No doubt. -[crowd clamoring]
[Michael] And I feel so bad for Lashley. What a shame. What a shame.
[Tazz] Look, Cole, you know, winning streaks end.
What do you mean? I mean, let's face it.
The guy's a-- This Lashley, he's got a tremendous upside.
His future is extremely bright, this is just the beginning for this guy.
You gotta win, you gotta lose, that's no problem.
And I don't think Lashley's the type of guy to cry about it, Cole.
-[Michael] No, not at all. -[Tazz] This guy's a man's man.
I know him personally, I'm telling you,
-he's got a big, big upside. -[Michael] Well, give Lashley some credit.
I mean, he went toe to toe with a former WWE Champion here tonight.
It looked like he may have been on the verge of victory.
[Tazz] A former WWE Champion in JBL that he defeated once before, Lashley did,
and Lashley like, you know… [hesitates]
…you say this, he almost did defeat him again.
[Michael] See Referee Nick Patrick there
-checking out Lashley again. -[Tazz] The throat, man. His throat.
[Michael] That shillelagh to the throat cost Lashley the matchup.
-[crowd member 1] Nice job. -[crowd member 2] Yeah, Lashley.
-♪ Hi there ♪ -["Big Time" playing]
-♪ I'm on my way, I'm making it ♪ -♪ Big time ♪
♪ Big time ♪
♪ So much larger than life ♪
♪ Big time ♪
[Michael] We are indeed on the Road to WrestleMania,
the final pay-per-view before WrestleMania.
This is the sold-out 1st Mariner Arena in Baltimore, welcome to No Way Out.
["Deadly Game" playing]
[Chimel] Ladies and gentlemen, right now,
-let me introduce tonight's special guest. -[Tazz] Special guest?
-["I Walk Alone" playing] -[Michael] Oh, boy!
-[Tazz] Wait a minute. What the-- No. -[crowd cheering]
[Chimel] It's the former World Heavyweight Champion,
Batista!
[Michael] The Animal is back!
[Tazz] Oh, man. I didn't-- What a shocker here.
What a surprise.
This is awesome.
[Michael] And the sellout crowd on its feet for Dave Batista.
[Tazz] I'll tell you, Cole, I'm shocked he's here.
♪ I walk for miles Inside this pit of danger ♪
-[fireworks popping] -[Michael chuckles]
Dave Batista began his career as part of Evolution.
He learned from Triple H and Ric Flair.
At WrestleMania last year, he won the World Heavyweight Championship
and then went on to beat Triple H
not once, not twice, but three different times.
In June, he was drafted from Raw to SmackDown…
-[Tazz] Oh, yeah. -…and went on to defeat
the likes of John "Bradshaw" Layfield, and the late great Eddie Guerrero.
But remember back in early January,
Batista was forced to surrender the World Heavyweight Championship
because of a torn tricep.
It happened in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania,
at a time when Batista was at the top of his game.
[Tazz] And Cole, what a surprise.
What an ovation for the man that could quite possibly
still be champion today if unfortunately he didn't have to surrender that title,
but God, that man blew the roof off this joint. Unbelievable.
-[Michael] Batista was on cloud nine. -[Tazz] Look at the atmosphere.
[Michael] He was at the top of the mountain.
And this is the first time we've seen Batista
since he surrendered the championship in Philadelphia last month,
and he looks better than ever.
[Tazz] Hey, they don't call him The Animal for nothing, Cole.
And look at these people here, the WWE fans in Baltimore,
what a shock and what a great surprise.
-This is off the chain, baby. -[inaudible dialogue]
[Michael] He looked like an animal getting out of his cage
when he came down that ramp here tonight in Baltimore.
[Tazz] Wow. This is great.
[chuckles] I miss this guy so much, man.
-I'm so glad. -We saw Batista!
-[Batista] Yeah! -[Tazz chuckles]
[crowd cheering]
[chanting] Batista! Batista! Batista!
Oh, what's up?
[crowd cheering]
Man, thrill of a life.
Thrill of a life every time I walk out that curtain.
[crowd cheering]
I wanna make this real short and sweet so we can get along with the show.
But I'm here for three reasons.
[crowd cheering]
First reason.
First reason I'm here was honestly,
I wanna see Kurt Angle versus The Undertaker
for the World Heavyweight Championship.
-Yes, sir. I wanna see that. -[crowd cheering]
The second reason.
Second reason, not-- definitely not the least important reason…
was I just miss it.
I miss the SmackDown fans, I miss the crowd.
[crowd cheering]
[Batista] Oh, yeah, I miss the SmackDown audience.
You have no idea…
no idea how hard it is…
just sitting my ass on the couch every week
watching SmackDown… [chuckles] …hearing the roar of the crowd.
Oh, man. I miss it. It's torture.
-It's torture. -[crowd cheering]
[crowd chanting] Batista! Batista! Batista! Batista!
Batista! Batista! Batista!
Batista! Batista! Batista! Batista!
Batista! Batista!
[crowd cheering]
Third reason is…
-[crowd cheering] -[chuckles]
It's-- Oh, it's good to be back!
-I can't even tell you! -[crowd cheering]
[Batista] As I will.
The third reason is…
'cause my torn tricep, it ain't torn anymore.
-[crowd cheering] -[Tazz] Oh, yeah. [chuckles]
I'm in rehab everyday busting my ass every day.
And sooner…
sooner rather than later, I will be back.
[crowd cheering]
And honestly, I-- It doesn't matter to me who's world champion,
if it-- whether it be Kurt Angle, Undertaker,
both men who I respect very much and I would love to face
for the World Heavyweight Championship, but it just doesn't matter,
both of them, and everybody else,
no matter who it is needs to know one thing.
I will be back, and I will reclaim
-my World Heavyweight title. -[crowd cheering]
-[Tazz] Wow. -[Michael] Wow.
-["I Walk Alone" playing] -[Michael] A warning from The Animal.
-SmackDown locker room, take heed. -[Tazz] And Cole, I don't…
I don't know if that's a warning, Cole. I think that's a promise.
He seems pretty… He seems pretty focused, Batista,
that he's here for three reasons.
He wants to see Undertaker and Kurt Angle, as we all do,
but he missed the SmackDown fans,
and he's rehabbing that torn tricep. Cole, the picture is…
Batista wants what he never lost,
and that's that World Heavyweight Championship.
Who the hell is gonna stop The Animal?
[Michael] And it's gotta be tough for a champion like Batista
to know he never lost the title like you mentioned.
He had to give it up because of injury.
He will be back, he will be raring to go, he will be in true form
when he finally returns to a SmackDown ring,
and I cannot wait to be there to call the action, I'll tell you that.
[Tazz] Me too. It's just great to see…
just great to see The Animal, Dave Batista.
I gotta give my man a little-- big, little hug.
-Hey, we're behind you, brother. -[Michael] He is back.
-How great does he look? -[Batista] What's up, baby?
[chuckles]
-[Michael] How great does he look? -[Tazz] Oh, he looks phenomenal.
Hope he blows you off. [laughs]
-It'd be my luck. -Hey, man, don't shake that.
-Dave. -[laughs]
Hey, go wash your hands now, Dave.
You never know where Cole's hand's been. Little bit of a weirdo.
Yeah, you never know where that Cole's hands have been.
-You know, you're a little weirdo. -[Michael] How happy…
How happy is Batista to just be back to this atmosphere.
And what an atmosphere it is here tonight.
Sellout crowd at the 1st Mariner Arena in Baltimore.
-[Tazz] I'll tell you what-- -[Michael] Batista's soaking it up.
[Tazz] Well, Batista better get-- Speaking of soaking up,
maybe gonna soak up his hands with some hand sanitizer
after touching your hands.
-[Michael] What is your problem tonight? -[Tazz] Your hands look a little dirty.
Batista's back in the house, baby.
-I love him. [laughs] -[speaks indistinctly]
[Michael] The Animal, I cannot wait.
[song fades]
What do we got here?
Batista flapping his gums talking about who's gonna be world champion
when he returns from his injury.
Well, I can tell you right now, it won't be The Undertaker.
Nope.
And it won't be you, Kurt.
I will be the world champion when Batista returns from his injury.
And maybe I'll get a little bit of that respect that I feel that I deserve now,
the respect that I don't get from the likes of you.
Kurt, what's this I hear you telling Rey,
"Never say never, don't worry about Orton"?
Are you-- Who the hell do you think you are, man?
Who the hell do I think I am?
I'm Kurt Angle, World Heavyweight Champion.
And I'm not even focused on you tonight, Randy.
I'm focused on The Undertaker.
[crowd cheering]
[Tazz] Wow.
[Michael] Well, there's JBL in the WWE Instant Access room
-exclusively on wwe.com. -[speaks indistinctly]
-You better tear down Gorilla. -[Tazz] Better get that…
Better get that eye looked at, it's still bleeding,
gushing blood there.
[Michael] Oh, he's bragging about his victory
-over Lashley there. -[Tazz speaks indistinctly]
[Michael] After every match at No Way Out,
you'll hear from the winner in the WWE Instant Access room
exclusively on wwe.com.
[Tazz] That's a pretty cool deal
and I wouldn't mind if he knocked Josh off that chair, that would be fine.
[Michael] I think he did.
-[Tazz] Whoa, here we go! -["Paparazzi" playing]
[Michael] Well, Melina has an open challenge,
any team, anytime, that's what MNM gets right now.
[Tazz] Paparazzi's in the house, baby.
[bell ringing]
[Chimel] The following tag team contest is scheduled for one fall.
Making their way to the ring, from Los Angeles, California,
at a combined weight of 440 pounds,
they are the Tag Team Champions,
Mercury, Nitro, and Melina, MNM.
[Michael] Well, they take on Matt Hardy and a partner of his choice here tonight.
Remember, Melina said, "Hey, Matt, you scratch my back, I'll scratch yours."
[Tazz] Well, I wouldn't mind scratching Melina's back.
Oh, you said Matt? Yeah, but I get you.
[Michael] Well, Matt Hardy told Melina, "Hey, I'll take you up on your offer."
Not the offer Melina quite thought it was.
Matt Hardy wanted to offer the open challenge.
[Tazz] Well, that's a perfect segue to this entrance, the open challenge.
This is one of the greatest openings of a match,
one of the greatest entrances in the history-- Look at this, Cole.
There's the one leg up, there's the other one here.
Come on. Yo! I bet she'd have practiced that.
-Oh, wow, I-- -[Michael] Whoa. Easy now.
-I like the autumn colors. -[Tazz] Yeah, I know.
But you practice that in your hotel room, hook one leg on the armoire,
the other one on a fire extinguisher.
It'd be kinda weird if a fire extinguisher was up that high,
but who knows what kinda hotel she's staying in.
[Michael] So MNM--
[Tazz] She looks smoking hot, not for nothing.
-[Michael] You think? -[Tazz] Yeah, I know it.
Look at her. Melina looks phenomenal, as do the Tag Team Champions.
[Michael] Nitro and Mercury,
three-time WWE Tag Team Champions set for this non-title matchup.
[Tazz] Hey, she threw me a kiss before. I don't know if you saw that.
-I don't think-- -[Michael] She didn't throw you a kiss.
[Tazz] Oh, the camera didn't catch it. Threw me a kiss.
[Michael] She doesn't even know you exist.
-["Live For The Moment" playing] -♪ Oh, yeah! Whoo! ♪
[Chimel] Making his way to the ring, from Cameron, North Carolina,
weighing in at 236 pounds,
Matt Hardy.
[Michael] So the big question is, and everybody was trying to find out
throughout the day in the locker room,
who did Matt Hardy choose as his partner for this matchup?
Even though it's non-title, Tazz, it's still very important
because if Matt Hardy and his partner pick up a win,
they will be right in the…
right in the spot for the number one contendership
-for the tag team title. -[Tazz] I think the word
you're looking for is right in the hunt. Right in the hunt for the tag team title.
Whenever you can get in the ring with the champions,
and get a win on them, that'd be great.
Even if you get a loss on them, that'd be great.
Who is Matt's partner?
It's been a real hush-hush thing backstage all day.
-Who is it? -[Michael] MNM wants to know obviously.
[Tazz] Or does Matt even have a partner?
[Michael] Yeah. He said he was gonna pick somebody.
-[Tazz] Well, where is he? -["The War Dance" playing]
-[Michael] Oh, my. -[Tazz] Oh, wait a minute.
-[Michael] Oh, my. -[Tazz] Tatanka.
[Michael] Tatanka is Matt Hardy's tag team partner.
[Chimel] And his partner from Pembroke, North Carolina,
weighing in at 223 pounds, Tatanka.
[Michael] Tatanka returned last month from the Royal Rumble matchup
and we commented on how impressive he was in that match.
[Tazz] Look at this. What a shocker here, man.
Tatanka and Matt Hardy against MNM.
Well, you're right. At the Royal Rumble, I mean, Tatanka looked phenomenal.
[Michael] He's had some matchups on Velocity in recent weeks.
-But if you were MNM, Tatanka… -[whoops]
…probably the last person you expected to face here tonight.
[Tazz] Absolutely. Good choice, Matt. Real good.
And the tough deal here is for MNM.
They didn't know who they were preparing for.
They knew it'd be Matt Hardy, but they had no clue, as did we,
you know, who Hardy's partner was gonna be.
How do you prepare for it when you don't even know who you're gonna face?
[Michael] Well, MNM's trying to play it off like,
-"Uh, we're not sweating it, no big deal." -[bell ringing]
[Michael] So it's a non-title matchup.
MNM in this open challenge against Tatanka and Matt Hardy.
[Tazz] Not for nothing, but sooner or later, someone--
you know, someone's gonna get caught--
they're gonna get caught in this open challenge.
-You know what I mean? -[Michael] Exactly.
And if you get caught, you have to believe
that MNM's gonna have to put those tag team titles on the line
against the team who beat them.
[Tazz] That's a gutsy thing doing a whole open challenge thing.
I mean, especially around these parts of SmackDown.
Everybody is always ready to go at all times and,
you know, and beat somebody.
[Michael] So it's gonna be Matt Hardy starting things off against Joey Mercury.
MNM won-- And look at Melina, that's who you gotta watch out for,
-for Matt Hardy. -[Tazz] I have no problem
looking at Melina at any time.
[Michael] Yeah, but if you're Matt Hardy and you're in this matchup,
you really gotta keep your eyes on Melina sometimes
because she'll get involved.
[Tazz] I'm doing color commentary and I'm gonna keep my eyes on Melina
-even if she doesn't get involved. -Go!
[Michael] That'll add to the match,
as Mercury hammers away on Matt Hardy from behind,
-driving Matt Hardy to the… -[Tazz] Whoa, look at this.
-…to the mat below. -[Tatanka] Come on, Matt.
[Michael] Hardy was distracted by both Melina and Nitro,
-and Mercury goes on the attack. -Get up, Matt!
[Michael] Back in April of 2005, MNM won the tag team titles
in their debut on SmackDown.
Three-time Tag Team Champions.
-[Tazz] Oh! -[Michael] One hell of a year last year.
And Matt Hardy with the right hands to Joey Mercury.
[Tazz] Well, with Matt Hardy, you gotta be careful, he'll catch you.
This Matt Hardy knows-- See that feint? He knows what he's doing.
This guy has been extremely successful in the WWE, Hardy has.
[Michael] He's a former Tag Team Champion, knows all about tag teams.
-Matt Hardy, big right hand… -[Tazz] Oh!
-…knocking Mercury down. -[Tazz] Beautiful.
Beautiful straight right hand by Hardy.
Now wringing that arm, trying to disconnect
that elbow joint and shoulder, pull it out.
[Michael] Dropping that leg right across that arm,
continuing to work on the left arm.
Referee Chris Kay in perfect position.
[Matt] I'm gonna show him what he should've done.
[Tazz] How do you know he's in perfect position?
You ever referee a match?
-[Michael] No. -[Tazz] All right. Me neither.
[Michael] And Tatanka makes the tag to Matt Hardy,
and Tatanka in this matchup for the first time.
There's a kick on that left hand,
continuing to work that left arm of Mercury.
-I tell you, Tatanka… -[Tazz] Oh!
…what a tremendous competitor he was back in the day,
and what a great comeback he's been making here on SmackDown.
[Tazz] Man, I'll tell you what,
Tatanka seems to look like he's in real good shape.
A beautiful deep arm drag by Tatanka.
You don't wanna let this guy getting momentum going
with those chops he does.
He'll hit you with a zillion chops.
[Michael] Tag made to Matt Hardy, here's the double team on Nitro.
-Nitro whipped across the ring. -[Tazz] Whoa, whoa, whoa!
[Michael] Big back body drop off the double team.
Here's Mercury, runs into a double elbow.
[Tazz] Well, that's the thing here, is there gonna be chemistry
between Hardy and Tatanka?
That's the-- Look at this, check this out. And there is some-- Oh!
[Michael] So far, there has been. That was unique.
[Tazz] Whoa, yeah, there has been some chemistry here.
[Michael] And Melina gonna try to regroup the troops.
[Tazz] Matt Hardy kinda did the Tomahawk Chop thing and--
Oh, wait. Let's see here. Melina, she's trying to wake up Joey Mercury.
Well, he's awake, but she's trying to get him,
-you know, to step up here. -[Tatanka] Come on, ref!
[Michael] Yeah, Melina's the reason they're in this thing.
She made the open challenge a couple of weeks back.
-[crowd clamoring] -[indistinct chatter]
[Michael] MNM really trying to re-gather.
[Tazz] Cole, you know what it is? You know, you keep the edge on.
I mean, the champions, if you're the manager like Melina…
-[Michael] Oh! -…it keeps the edge on.
You know what I mean? Who's gonna challenge these guys?
-You know what I mean? -[Michael] Matt Hardy?
[Tazz] Duh, I get that, I'm watching that.
[Michael] And here's Nitro, hammering away on Hardy
with a big boot to the sternum.
Nitro wearing down Matt Hardy.
Tag Team Champions MNM suddenly in control.
-And look at Melina. -[speaks indistinctly]
[Tazz] Melina, I'm sure she's saying, "Hey,
it would've been better to join us, to hook up with me."
-Well, not in that fashion, but-- -You should've picked the winning team,
-like us! -[Tazz] See?
She said, "You should've picked the winning team like us."
You should've joined us when you had the chance!
[Tazz] I feel Matt wanted to go against the grain.
-One, two, three! -[Michael] You scratch my back,
-I'll scratch yours. Oh! -You think you're better than us, huh?
[Tazz] Now she's slapping their face instead of--
[screams]
[Tazz] A hellcat this one.
-[Michael] And Nitro again from behind. -Yes! Take him out, Nitro. Come on!
[Michael] And Melina's saying, "Take him out, Nitro."
-Bring him to the ground! -[Tazz] Man, she's hot and all,
but that scream is a little bit like annoying.
-Make him pay! -[Michael] Very annoying.
[Tazz] Here, she's like… [mimics shouting]
That's a little crazy. [chuckles]
-[Michael] Double team, Matt Hardy! Oh! -[Tazz] Oh!
-[Michael] Double neckbreaker! -[Tazz] Holy cow.
[Michael] What a counter by Matt Hardy and Melina's livid.
[Tazz] How the hell did he do that?
Beautiful by Matt Hardy.
Uh-oh. Oh, Tatanka tagged in.
[Michael] And Tatanka with a right hand…
-[grunts] -…dropping Nitro and Mercury.
[Tazz] Tomahawk Chop to the head, chop to the head again.
[Michael] Tatanka taking out MNM.
Well, he is in great shape, isn't he?
[Tazz] I'll tell you, he looks good, man, he's picking it up.
-[Melina speaks indistinctly] -[Michael] Tatanka off the ropes.
Oh, and another Tomahawk straight across the face.
[Tazz] I'll tell you what.
I don't remember Tatanka being this aggressive in the past.
You know, he's upped his deal here. You know what I mean? He looks great.
[Michael] And look at Tatanka, going out after Mercury.
-Oh! [chuckles] -[Tazz] Oh, God!
-What a chop. -[grunts]
[Michael] Bouncing Mercury off the barricade.
-You're right, extremely aggressive. -[Tazz] He's picked it up.
-[Michael] Oh! -[Tazz] Oh. Yeah.
-[yells] -[Tazz] Tatanka realizes, as does Hardy,
you're in there with the Tag Team Champions,
no matter what's on the line or not,
you've got an opportunity to prove yourself quick.
[Michael] And look at Melina. Melina! Referee was distracted,
stuck a thumb right in the eye of Tatanka,
and then a dropkick off the apron by Nitro.
And that damn Melina turning the tables again.
[Tazz] Well, let's take another look at that.
And I think you're right, Melina did stick a thumb in his eye.
Look at that, look at that.
[Michael] And then Nitro, watch Nitro. Right off the apron.
[Tazz] Right in the sternum actually with that dropkick.
[Michael] And suddenly MNM in control, Tatanka backed into the corner.
And this is where the Tag Team Champions are so dangerous.
They pick an opponent,
-they get him down and they isolate him. -Two! Tag!
[Tazz] Well, this is where the chemistry-- You know, the chemistry advantage for MNM…
[groans]
…is in their favor here as opposed to Matt Hardy and Tatanka.
Not to say that they don't have chemistry but…
you know, you're a sacrificial lamb now at the hands of MNM.
[Michael] Snapmare by Mercury, Mercury in control.
There's the knee driven right into the throat.
-Here's the cover, shoulders down. -[Tazz] Here we go, here we go.
[Michael] Kick-out by Tatanka at two.
But again Mercury right back on the attack with the right hands.
[Tazz] Notice how Mercury did not give Tatanka a chance,
an opportunity to breathe, roll,
or do anything to get Matt Hardy in the ring.
They're cutting the ring off. They're cutting the ring in half actually.
[Michael] And this is what MNM does so well, the frequent tags
-to keep each other fresh. -[Melina screams]
[Michael] Nitro went off the tag and there is that ridiculous scream.
[Tazz] I kinda like it. Ooh. It's a little annoying,
-but it's quite a turn on. -[Michael] Sicko.
[Tazz] I know this is getting a little weird, though.
-[Michael] You are a sicko. -[Tazz] I mean, Cole, you've never heard
a woman scream before, unless you asked them out
-on a date, but you-- -[Michael] Well, not like that.
[Tazz] Well, no. Yeah. Well, what kinda screams
do they do usually when you say, "Hey, can I buy you a drink?"
-And they go like, "Ah!" -[Michael] Yeah, right.
And look at this, Nitro with the right hands to Tatanka.
-[Tazz] What a tool. -[Michael] And look at Mercury.
The referee has got Nitro distracted
and Mercury illegally trying to rearrange the old facial features.
[Tazz] Yeah. Well, now, I'll tell you, Tatanka's in deep trouble here.
Oh, maybe not, maybe I spoke too soon. Look at this.
[Michael] Tatanka trying to battle out of the corner,
back to the middle of the ring.
Nitro kicks to the midsection and driving Tatanka to the mat again.
[Tazz] Yeah. Didn't happen today there.
[Michael] Tag made to Mercury, and MNM, the Tag Team Champions,
this is a double team.
Tatanka suffering the back end of that double elbow.
-[Melina screams] -[Tazz] Tatanka should throw--
-[Michael] Oh, enough. Please. -[Tazz] Oh, yeah. Yeah, baby, yeah.
[Michael] Here's the cover, hook to the leg,
shoulders down, kick-out by Tatanka.
-[Tazz] I'm digging that. -[Michael] You are a sick, sick man.
[Tazz] Look over at Carlos. He's laughing, too.
-Look at-- He's a freak, too, I love it. -[Melina] Wear him out, Joey. Come on!
[Tazz] I tell you, Melina, it's kinda like a…
-kinda like a call of the wild, like a-- -[crowd clapping]
[Tazz] It's like a, "Yeah, yeah."
[Michael] Keep going, keep getting yourself in deep.
[Tazz] I'm burying myself. No, I kinda like that little yell she does.
That's a little wacky and I dig it.
[Michael] SmackDown fans trying to get Tatanka back in the game.
Elbows to the midsection, Mercury again knee to the midsection.
-[Tazz] Here we go, here we go. -[Michael] Neckbreaker by Mercury as he…
There's a little snapshot motion to Matt Hardy.
Cover, shoulders down, kicked out at two.
[Tazz] It's actually called a reverse neckbreaker.
-[Michael] I called it a neckbreaker. -[Tazz] You-- No, you said snapshot.
-But right now, Mercury-- -[Michael] No, I didn't.
-I said he was making a snapshot… -[Tazz] Right, right.
-…sign with his fingers. -[Tazz] There goes Mercury. Look at this.
[Michael] Oh, he's caught in midair by Tatanka!
[Tazz] Watch out. Oof.
[Michael] Oh, and an inverted Atomic Drop! Tatanka needs
-to make a tag here and get to Matt Hardy. -[Tazz] See how quick Mercury
went for the tag, he knew he was in dire straits.
Watch out!
[Michael] Nitro lands on his feet, Tatanka with a clothesline.
-[crowd cheering] -[Matt] Come on. Come on!
[Tazz] Came up a little short there, Nitro.
[Michael] I said clothesline. Are you listening to me now?
[Tazz] Right. Nitro came up a little short.
[Michael] Nitro trying to make a tag to his corner, Mercury.
-Tatanka trying to get to Matt Hardy. -Now. Now, now, now.
-[Tazz] Listen. Here we go! -[Michael] Matt Hardy in off the tag.
Here's Matt Hardy, right hand to Joey Mercury.
-Another one by Matt Hardy. -[Tazz] There you go.
[Michael] And Matt Hardy taking it to the Tag Team Champions.
[Melina shouts indistinctly]
[Tazz] Matt's on fire, Cole. Tilt-a-whirl into a side slam.
-Spinning side slam actually. -[grunts]
[Michael] Nitro whipped into the corner by Matt Hardy.
Matt Hardy follows it up with a clothesline!
-[Tazz] Oh, watch out. -[screams]
[Michael] Double team, taking out both members of MNM!
-[yells] -[Tazz] That was sweet, man.
That was sweet by Matt Hardy.
[Michael] A win here for Matt Hardy and Tatanka to put them in the hunt
-for the tag team titles. -[Tazz] Uh-oh.
-[screams] -[yells]
[Tazz] Oh, Hardy's gonna soar, baby. Watch the leg-- No, elbow!
[Michael] Elbow delivered to the sternum.
[Tazz] Usually a leg drop. Side Effect-- Oh.
-[Michael] Side Effect to Nitro! -Twist-o!
[Tazz] I don't know if we got it all, baby.
You just heard Hardy say, "Twist-o."
You know what that means.
[Michael] Going for the Twist of Fate.
Kick to the midsection. Here comes Matt Hardy.
Mercury countered,
-missed for the clothesline -[Tazz] Ooh. Wow.
-[Michael] but right into a boot by Nitro. -[screams]
[Tazz] Again, the chemistry, the chemistry of MNM.
Come on!
[Michael] And here's the double team by the Tag Team Champions.
-[crowd clamoring] -[indistinct chatter]
-[Michael] Matt Hardy takes out… -[Tazz] Wow.
…Mercury and Nitro, trying to make a tag and he does.
And here comes Tatanka. Tatanka going up for the top rope.
[Tazz] MNM, watch out.
[Michael] Tatanka, Tatanka taking out both members of MNM.
[yells]
[Tazz] Tatanka's all amped up, look at him.
-[Tatanka yells] -[crowd cheering]
[Tazz] Everybody's screaming something, girls, Tatanka, everyone's just--
It's like nuts, like a call of the wild deal out here.
-[Michael] Tatanka on the warpath. -[Tazz] Whoa! Yeah, watch out!
[Michael] Mercury in trouble, Matt Hardy's got Nitro.
-The Twist of Fate! The Samoan drop! -[Tazz] Oh!
-Wait a minute. -[Michael] Here's the cover.
-[Tazz] Whoa, what the-- No! -[Michael] Hook to the leg. It's over!
-[bell ringing] -[Michael] Tatanka and Matt Hardy
-pick up the win! What an upset! -["The War Dance" playing]
[Chimel] Here are your winners, Matt Hardy and Tatanka.
[Michael] Hey, good choice, Matt.
[Tazz] Big time. Major league, like I'm shocked.
-Talk about an upset, you're right, Cole. -[speaks indistinctly]
[Michael] The Tag Team Champions losing in this non-title matchup,
part of the open challenge.
Matt Hardy had a partner of his choice, who was it? Tatanka,
who picks up the victory.
[Tazz] Well, he kept it a secret all day, Hardy did.
And who would've thunk it? Tatanka's the guy, gets the win,
Matt Hardy and Tatanka get the victory over MNM.
[Michael] Watch Tatanka.
The Double Tomahawk.
-[Tazz] Now look at this, here we go. -[Michael] Twist of Fate, Samoan drop.
Tatanka picks up the victory. What a shocker.
[Tazz] Very smart by Matt Hardy to nail that Twist of Fate
to prevent MNM to make a save there.
-It was perfect. -[crowd cheering]
[Tazz] Great win right there for Tatanka and Matt Hardy.
Poor Melina, she's all upset now.
[Michael] Well, maybe you should go console her.
[Tazz] Oh, I will, but I gotta sit her and carry--
-You know, carry you out here, Cole. -[Michael] Well, you aren't listening…
-[Tazz] Right, right. Well, look at this. -…to a word I say tonight, so--
[Tazz] Anyway, look, that's the big picture, not us, Cole.
You got poor MNM, they got beat out here.
[Michael] So you gotta believe that Tatanka and Matt Hardy now
are gonna be in the hunt for a tag team title opportunity.
[Tazz] Well, I don't know. I mean, maybe I guess, I would assume.
[Michael] Hey, they just knocked off the champions.
[both speaking indistinctly]
[Tazz] Hey, look, there's Hardy holding his belt, saying… [chuckles]
I guess he's alluding to the fact he wants a title shot.
[Michael] Yeah. Put that gold on the line, MNM.
[song fades]
-♪ Hi there ♪ -["Big Time" playing]
♪ I'm on my way, I'm making it ♪
[Vince] Welcome to WrestleMania.
[Tazz] Oh, my God!
♪ I've got to make it show, yeah ♪
[Ross] Welcome, ladies and gentlemen, around the world.
♪ Big time ♪
♪ So much larger than life ♪
[Gorilla] The irresistible force meeting the immovable object.
♪ Big time ♪
-♪ I'm gonna watch it growing ♪ -♪ Big time ♪
♪ And my mouth ♪
♪ Big, big, big, big, big, big, big, big ♪
♪ Big time ♪
[crowd cheering]
-["The War Dance" playing] -Forty-two days away from WrestleMania.
My favorite part of that is when you go, "Oh, my God!"
-You're so excited. I love WrestleMania. -You're an idiot,
but I do love WrestleMania. Can't wait, baby.
-It's gonna be off the chart. Can't wait. -Ladies and gentlemen,
coming up next at No Way Out,
the final pay-per-view on the Road to WrestleMania.
The United States Championship is on the line.
Finally, Chris Benoit gets his hands on Booker T.
[Tazz] And there's No Way Out. Literally.
I hate to use the name of the pay-per-view,
but it's true, Booker T's in trouble here, Cole.
[Michael] This rivalry heated up last month in the final match
in the Best of Seven series for the United States Championship,
Randy Orton substituted for Booker T against Chris Benoit.
[Booker] You know, it took a lot of hard work,
a lot of hard work to beat Benoit
in the Best of Seven series, but I did it.
[Michael] Benoit's gonna do it! Benoit's gonna do it here!
Orton's tapping out, but the referee's down!
Booker T's got the United States title.
-[Ross] What the hell? -[Michael] No! No!
And the first time in history a substitute won a championship
for another man, Booker T.
I did it all by myself and I proved
that I am the greatest United States Champion of all time.
[Tazz] Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.
-[Michael] And there's Chris Benoit. -[Tazz] Hold it, hold it.
[Michael] Chris Benoit going after Booker T.
Benoit has not forgotten what Booker T did to him last week,
robbing him of the United States Championship.
[suspenseful music playing]
[Sharmell] This groin injury, very tricky, man.
[Booker] Man, it's still throbbing like hell.
[Sharmell] Our doctor said my man just can't compete.
Booker, you remember when you first had that injury
and you had to pick a substitute?
Well, how about tonight, you pick a substitute
to face Chris Benoit?
If your substitute loses, he will lose
-the United States Championship for you. -[Booker] Oh, oh.
[Tazz] And now wait a minute. The referee's with Booker.
[Michael] And a crutch to the back. Booker T saved
-the United States Championship… -[bell ringing]
…when Sharmell hit Benoit with the crutch,
forcing the referee to disqualify Finlay.
[Chimel] The following contest is a Fatal 4-Way
Number One Contender's match for the United States Championship.
[Michael] All four men will be in the ring at the same time.
The first person to pick a pinfall or submission
will become the number one contender.
-[Booker] Oh, no! -[Sharmell] Oh, come on, come on.
-[Michael] Benoit. Benoit. -[Sharmell] Come on! Come on!
[Michael] Chris Benoit is the number one contender
-for Booker's title! -[Booker] Oh, hell no.
-[Sharmell] What? -[Booker] I ain't gonna wrestle him.
-I ain't wrestling back there. -I know, baby. I know. I know.
-Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey. Booker. Hey. -What you want, man?
-There is no way out for you. -[speaks indistinctly]
No more replacements, no more substitutes.
Now, if you can't wrestle at No Way Out, then you will forfeit
-the United States title. Yeah. -What?
-The doctor said he-- -[Teddy] All that back.
Oh, hell no!
Everybody know about the conspiracy going on here.
-[Michael] Conspiracy? -[Booker] Everybody know about Teddy Long
doing his best to get the United States Championship
from around my waist.
-[Michael] This could be you, Booker T. -[Tazz] I don't know, man.
-[Booker] Oh, no. He set me up. -[Michael] This could be you, Sunday.
-Wait, where the hell are you going? -[Sharmell] Baby?
-[Michael] Oh, come on, with a chair… -[Tazz] Oh, my God. Watch out.
…to the back of Benoit. The referee never saw it.
Benoit got screwed by Booker T again!
[Booker] Booker T will walk in the United States Champion
and he will walk out the undisputed United States Champion.
[Benoit] Yeah, I'm sick and tired of listening to you run your mouth.
At No Way Out, you're gonna tap out.
[Michael] Look at Booker T hopping around, been a damn sham.
No substitutes, No Way Out. Benoit has something to prove Sunday.
["Whatever" playing]
[bell ringing]
[Chimel] The following contest is scheduled for one fall
and it is for the WWE United States Championship.
Introducing the challenger from Atlanta, Georgia,
weighing in at 234 pounds,
"The Rabid Wolverine," Chris Benoit!
[Michael] Week after week after week, Chris Benoit has been screwed out
of the United States Championship by Booker T.
Tonight, Benoit finally will get his hands
on the United States Champion.
[Tazz] This is true, Cole, but, you know, we gotta wonder here.
-I mean, Booker T… -["Can You Dig It, Sucka?" playing]
…he's saying it was a miracle
he was able to do this past Friday Night SmackDown.
[Chimel] And being accompanied to the ring by Sharmell, from Houston, Texas,
weighing in at 256 pounds,
he's the United States Champion, Booker T!
[Tazz] Not too happy, Cole. Booker T not too happy.
[Michael] Well, moments ago, Booker T entered a last-minute plea,
a desperate plea, which fell on deaf ears, to get out of this matchup
with our general manager, Theodore Long.
[Tazz] I don't know, Cole. I mean, I-- I'm kinda digging--
-I know you're gonna go nuts on me. -[Michael] Oh.
[Tazz] I don't think it's-- In a way, I'm thinking it's not fair.
[Michael] What isn't fair?
[Tazz] Booker quite possibly-- He's claiming he's still hurting,
-and then he aggravated that injury-- -[Michael] Hey, two nights ago
he jumped up from this table, he hit Chris Benoit with a chair,
and then he danced around, doing a jig,
going up the ramp back to the locker room area.
-[Tazz] Yeah. I-- -[Michael] And he's not hurt?
[Tazz] I know he did. I know that happened,
but he claims it was aggravated when he did that.
You know, every time he,
you know, has to hit a guy with a chair or something, it's aggravated.
I guess. That's what it's all about right there, the United States title.
[Michael] What are you, Booker's PR man?
[Tazz] No, I'm just pointing out a fact, Cole.
The man said it's-- He's hurt. That's all.
-[crowd clamoring] -Wait a minute. Wait a minute.
Before you ring the bell…
I got something to say.
[crowd clamoring]
I've made up my mind.
You see, there will not be…
a United States Championship match
-tonight. -[Tazz] What?
-[Michael] Oh, come on. -[Tazz] What the hell's he talking about?
Teddy Long, come on out here, man.
See, Benoit?
I can beat you any day of the week, man,
when I'm healthy.
Best of Seven, I was up 3-0, about to finish you, man,
when I was healthy.
-See, but tonight I ain't healthy. -["MacMilitant" playing]
All you people know it.
[Michael] Oh, here comes our general manager.
Everybody out here know it.
-I'm not healthy. -[speaks indistinctly]
[Michael] Here comes Theodore Long.
And I have no idea what Booker's talking about.
He said the match is not gonna take place.
Kill that music!
-Cut that… Cut that music! -[song fades]
[Booker] Teddy Long.
Since you out here,
we gonna make this official, man.
See, tonight…
I'm going to forfeit…
-the United States… -[Tazz] What the--
-…Championship. -[Tazz] Wait a minute.
-You gotta be kidding me. -[Michael] Come on. Forfeit it?
-[speaks indistinctly] -[Tazz] What the hell…
[speaks indistinctly]
-[Michael] Told you he's gotta be hurt. -That's right.
Benoit, are you happy now?
That's right. I'm going to forfeit…
the United States Championship.
[Michael] Wow. Whatever happened to Booker out here on Friday night
on commentary saying that he'll wrestle hurt?
[both speaking indistinctly]
[Tazz] Cole. I-- I'm shocked.
That United States title means so much--
[Michael] I don't think Booker has guts.
I don't think he has the guts enough to do this.
-Bottom line. -[Tazz] Sharmell's talking to-- What?
Wow.
[crowd clamoring]
[Michael] Booker T forfeited the United States title.
[Tazz] I can't believe this.
That United States title means so much to this guy.
I mean, it was…
[Michael] General Manager Long trying to figure out what's going on
as Booker is leaving the ring.
-[Tazz] Wait a minute. -Coward!
Coward!
-[Michael] Exactly. -Coward! Coward!
[crowd chanting] Coward! Coward!
Coward! Coward!
[Benoit] Booker T, there is no way in hell
I'm gonna accept the title by forfeit!
So get your ass back in here
and take defeat like a man!
[Michael] Oh, there's a guy with guts.
That's what guts is all about.
Benoit not gonna do it the easy way.
-[Tazz] Benoit, I… I don't know-- -[Sharmell] You know what, Benoit?
This is all your fault!
[Michael] What? His-- Oh, my.
[Tazz] Well, that might have been a mistake, but I think--
[Sharmell] I mean, Booker T is more of a man
than you will ever be!
-[Michael] Oh. Uh-oh. -[Tazz] Okay. Um, Sharmell.
The title meant everything to him!
-[Michael] Uh-oh. -[Tazz] Oh, boy. This is not--
-Sharmell-- -You are--
-[Michael] Oh! And Booker T from behind! -[bell ringing]
[Michael] And General Manager Long just called for the bell.
And this matchup's underway!
Well, I-- You gotta assume it's for the United States Championship.
-[Tazz] I-- Yeah. I guess. -[Michael] Oh!
-[Tazz] Chop again. Ooh. -Move. Get him out.
-[Tazz] Booker T-- -[Michael] Well, hang on a second.
General Manager Theodore Long is out here in ringside.
[Tazz] Yeah, he confirmed it.
He just confirmed it, Teddy Long, you're right, it-- Yes.
-This is for the United States title. -Off the rope! Three!
[Michael] And this was a set up by Booker T.
Now it dawns on me. It was a straight set up by Booker T.
He suckered Chris Benoit in again, and he used his wife again
to do his damn dirty work.
-[grunts] -[Tazz] You think?
-Oh! -[Michael] And there's a high elbow
by Booker T who's in control of Chris Benoit,
and this matchup may be over before it's even started, Tazz.
[Tazz] Well, no. By the way,
Sharmell is a former Miss Black America, right?
[Michael] What does that have to do with anything?
[Tazz] Well, it's a fact, that's what I mean.
-I just wanna point it out. -[Michael] And Chris Benoit with a chop,
Booker T did not look real hurt in the opening flurry of this matchup.
And Chris Benoit, The Rabid Wolverine, the challenger,
who won that Fatal 4-Way matchup to get into this match
as Booker T again with the knees to the midsection.
[Tazz] And those high knees that he's giving, Booker T,
-that would really affect the groin… -[Michael] Ah!
-…and that-- So would that kick. -[Michael] So would that.
Tremendous flexibility there with that high leg hit by Booker T.
[Tazz] Well, the title is on the line, Cole.
I mean, Booker T doesn't want Benoit to defeat him for the United States title.
[Michael] Yeah, mystical powers when the title's on the line, huh?
[Tazz] Well, I think Booker T and Sharmell referred to it
as a miracle as far as this past Friday night.
[Michael] And Booker T driven out of the ring by Chris Benoit.
And Benoit aggressive, vicious on the attack here tonight,
finally getting his hands on Booker T.
[Tazz] Benoit not giving Booker a chance to breathe here, not at all.
-[Sharmell] Come on! Whoo! -[Michael] Booker T. Oh!
The champion driven back by a chop by Benoit.
Back into the ring, Benoit realizing he can only win the title in the ring
by pinfall or submission.
Count-out does not help Benoit here tonight.
Booker T with a kick to the ribs and the champion again on the attack.
-[Benoit grunts] -[Michael] I'll tell you, Booker T
has held 30 different titles, Tazz,
-in his career. -[Tazz] Wow.
[Michael] One of the most decorated stars ever,
four-time United States Champion, five-time WCW Champion,
-14-time Tag Team Champion. -[Tazz] Look at this.
[Michael] And what a block by Benoit, that snap suplex by The Rabid Wolverine.
[Tazz] Yeah, he blocked the vertical suplex attempt
by Booker twice,
then popped off a snap suplex.
-Here we go. Look at this, look at this. -[Michael] And Chris Benoit.
-[Tazz] Look at this. -[Michael] Oh, with that high suplex,
back to Booker T, into the cover.
Hook to the leg, shoulders down, and a kick-out.
The rivalry between Benoit and Booker T really began
a few years back in WCW
with that Best of Seven series to determine the number one contender
for the United States Championship, as Benoit delivers a right hand
-to Booker T. -[Tazz] Oh!
[Michael] Again, it continued here in the WWE,
Benoit winning the United States Championship at SummerSlam,
and then his best friend screwed him over back in October for the US title.
[Tazz] That knee right to the face. I remember that night very well.
But right now, this is it, baby.
I mean, the title's on the line here and Benoit looking good.
-[both grunt] -[Michael] And look at Booker T,
-a roll through. Look at this. -[Tazz] Whoa, whoa. Watch out.
[Michael] Benoit rolled through as well, and the right hands
-by Benoit to Booker T. -[Charles] Two! Three!
[Tazz] Look at the viciousness by Benoit, he rolled through,
he probably knew that Booker T was gonna go
for that cover using those ropes.
-Watch out. -[Michael] Chris Benoit. Dropkick,
baseball slide right to the spine, knocking Booker off the apron.
[Tazz] And again, Benoit on the prowl, on the attack.
That's the thing about Benoit.
I've wrestled Benoit several times in my career,
and what makes it so tough… so tough to compete against Chris
is that he stays on you.
-You don't get a damn chance to breathe. -[grunts]
[Michael] Right hands by Booker T to the former World Heavyweight Champion.
Benoit with a reversal, shoulder first goes Booker T into the steel steps.
Benoit loves to wear down that shoulder with a crossface.
[Tazz] But look, he's grabbing his groin, Booker is.
Look, let's take another look at this.
I don't know how this would-- Let's see here.
[Michael] And shoulder-first. Explain to me how that affects the groin.
[Tazz] I don't know. You got me.
The shoulder's nowhere-- Well, everything affects the groin, kinda.
Maybe you wouldn't know that, you not being a guy and all,
I don't know how your groin area works,
-people like you, but-- -[Booker] I hurt my groin.
-Back it up. -[Michael] Wait a minute, wait a minute.
-[Booker] I hurt my groin. I can't go. -Back it up, man, get back in the ring.
[Michael] Booker T just told Referee Charles Robinson he can't go,
his groin's been re-injured.
I'm hurt. I'm hurt. Back him off me.
-Do you want the doctor? -Back him off me.
[crowd clamoring]
[Tazz] Wait a minute. Hey, man, there's no time-outs here,
-there's no injury-- -[Michael] Not at all.
He's gotta go. Referee Charles Robinson doing the right thing.
-[Tazz] Oh! -[Michael] And Booker T,
perhaps playing possum again…
-[Sharmell] Come on, baby! -…drew Benoit in.
And look at the… look at the smile
-on Booker T's face. -[Tazz speaks indistinctly]
[Michael] So how much longer is he gonna milk this groin injury?
[Tazz] Hey, look. There's no doubt that Booker T gets the possum award.
I've got to agree with that. Let's take a look at this here.
[both grunt]
[Tazz] Definitely playing a big-time possum in a way.
[Michael] Remember, Booker T never won the United States Championship, Tazz.
[Tazz] I know that. I know that. What are you thinking? I know that.
[Michael] He injured his groin, Randy Orton was Booker T's substitute,
it was Orton, thanks to Booker T,
who pinned Chris Benoit to win the United States Championship.
[Tazz] Actually, I think that's the first time it's ever happened in WWE.
[Michael] First time in history.
[Tazz] You act like I don't know my facts. I know my facts.
I got my stuff together. Watch out here.
[Michael] Booker T. So much for the groin injury.
Pretty good flexibility in that thrust kick.
[Tazz] Cole, obviously, again, we've said he played possum but here we go.
[Michael] There's the cover, hook to the leg,
shoulders down, kick-out at two.
[Tazz] Booker T was trying to get an edge on Chris Benoit.
Now, look at this. He got his top wrist lock here
on Chris Benoit.
Oh, you know what?
I hate to jump to conclusions but I'm gonna say this,
I would assume that Booker's going for that arm to avert Chris Benoit
from using that crossface, Chris Benoit's finishing maneuver.
[Michael] Booker T, the bigger man at six-three, 250.
Chris Benoit, six foot, 220,
as Booker T continues to work on that left arm of Benoit.
The United States Champion is Booker T, the challenger is Chris Benoit.
[Tazz] You can't stay in one hold too long with Benoit.
He will get out of that hold nine out of ten times.
I'm telling you that from experience.
And now, look at this, look at the Book End, nice.
[Michael] Nice takedown by Booker T.
[Tazz] Go behind takedown, trying to get some riding time on Chris Benoit.
[Michael] Chris Benoit trying to stay moving.
[Tazz] Well, it's called a sit-out.
Instinctively, that's what-- Watch what Benoit--
He'll sit out, that's a sit-out there.
That's instinctive. It's instincts on Benoit.
And another go behind takedown.
It's sitting out, you don't wanna have the man ride you
and make you exert more energy.
[Michael] Chris Benoit back to his feet again.
[Tazz] Nice. He hooked in that leg.
He tried the arm drag out, but I think Booker blocked it.
Now, again, another go behind, full nelson now
on that surgically repaired neck of Chris Benoit.
[Michael] Booker T and Chris Benoit know each other so well.
They know each other's weaknesses, their strengths,
-the kinks in the armor. -[yells]
[Michael] Benoit trying to power out of this full nelson.
How difficult is it to power out of this hold?
[Tazz] Very tough and, you know,
Booker T's got a couple of inches in height on Benoit which makes it harder.
-But he got out of it. -[Michael] Benoit went for the reversal,
Booker T right back to work on that left arm.
[Tazz] He got a hammerlock, and Benoit knows to get out of that thing quick,
'cause he doesn't want that arm affected any more than Booker's affected--
-Uh-oh. -[Michael] Oh, look at this.
-[Tazz] Heads up. -[Michael] German suplex.
[crowd cheering]
[Michael] Chris Benoit with a German suplex,
buys himself some time, catch his breath, reset here.
-[Tazz] Like Booker got shot… -One!
…out of a damn cannon.
-Come on! -Two!
[Tazz] Referee now, he wants to get--
wants to see who gets to a vertical base first.
-Here we go. Here we go. -[Michael] And Chris Benoit going
for the crossface, Booker T on his knees.
Benoit trying to get that arm underneath the leg, which he does,
and trying to get Booker flat on his belly.
[Tazz] He's gonna get it, he's gonna get it, Cole.
[Michael] Booker T needs to stay on his knee here.
If he's flat on his belly, he's in trouble.
[Tazz] Well, Benoit-- I'm sorry. Booker T holding--
Looks like he's clasping his own hands
to prevent Benoit-- He's trying to roll through.
[Michael] And he does roll through, back to his feet.
-And spin kick to the jaw. -[Tazz] Oh, man.
[Michael] You know, these two superstars know each other so well, Tazz.
-[Charles] Two! -You got it!
[Michael] They have counters for just about…
-Three! Four! -…each other's every move.
[Tazz] There's a pure disdain, a pure hatred.
[Michael] Here's the cover, hook to the leg,
-shoulders down, and a kick-out. -Two.
[Michael] And you're right, they used to be best friends, until Booker T
-stabbed Benoit in the back. -[Tazz] You know what?
I mean, that ends though, Cole. I mean, enough
with crying best friends. That happens, you know what I'm saying?
People end up not being friends to more people, every day in life.
[Michael] Benoit. I don't know who your friends are.
-[Tazz] There's not many. -[Michael] And look at-- No wonder.
Sleeper hold by Booker T locked into Benoit.
[Tazz] Tell you what, I'm glad you're not my friend.
[Michael] And Chris Benoit tried to make it to the ropes,
Booker pulled him back to the center of the ring.
[Tazz] Sure did. And this is a good way to wear a guy down,
wear your opponent down, with a sleeper.
[Michael] United States Championship on the line, the challenger, Benoit,
is beginning to fade, down to one knee.
[Tazz] Hey, and Booker-- I'm hearing
the "let's go, Benoit" chants here in Baltimore.
Booker better be careful with that left leg
'cause if I know Benoit like I know him, he might hook that leg
and try and take down the inside single, take down Booker T.
He's getting worn out with that choke.
[Michael] And Chris Benoit in all kinds of trouble.
-Don't listen, baby! -[Michael] SmackDown fans,
sold out here at 1st Mariner Arena in Baltimore,
trying to will Benoit on, but The Rabid Wolverine is in trouble.
The look on Benoit's face is-- His face turning that crimson red color.
-[Tazz] When you get in that sleeper, man… -[yells]
…it prevents the oxygen and blood flow to the head.
That's what a choke-out does.
And that's what the sleeper is, Cole, what you want.
It's actually like a-- more or less a rear naked choke,
-and that's how you choke a guy out. -He's done!
[Michael] Benoit's body, you can see it beginning
-to go limp. -[Sharmell] He's gone, he's gone.
And down, once down, three times, the match is over.
[Tazz] And look at how Booker is putting all the weight
on back of the head and neck.
[Michael] Benoit tried to keep the arm up that time, couldn't do it.
-[Tazz] Uh-oh. Uh-oh. Uh-oh. -[Michael] If it goes down here--
-[Tazz] Is this it? -[Michael] And Benoit keeps the hand up,
-Benoit keeps the arm up. -[crowd cheering]
[Tazz] Benoit's trying to shift into another gear here, if possible.
[Michael] Back to a vertical base. He needed to get back to that base.
-There's the reversal. -[Tazz] Look at this.
-[Michael] Suplex. -[crowd cheering]
[Michael] But has the damage been done? Could be.
-[Tazz] I mean, for now… -One!
-…Benoit got out of that sleeper hold. -[Charles] Two!
[Tazz] I mean, that's the key, that's what Benoit had to do
and he did it.
[Michael] Referee Charles Robinson to a count of four.
-Five! -[Michael] Count will stop
when one man reaches his feet.
And Booker T the first to his feet, Benoit up as well.
Chris Benoit walked right into Booker T, who hung Benoit by the top rope.
[Tazz] Again, possum, played possum did Booker.
Actually, that one I think might've been out of desperation.
[Michael] And how much has the rest for Booker T helped
over the past few weeks?
Booker really hasn't been in a matchup, Chris Benoit's been in many.
[Tazz] But Cole, he's been out on an injury though.
I mean, Booker T's been out hurt, trying--
The rest helped, sure, but cardiovascularly,
it doesn't help him, nothing helped Booker.
He has-- Maybe he's not in ring shape, maybe he's got ring rust.
I don't know. He looks pretty good though.
[Michael] And Chris Benoit suffering the effects of that suplex by Booker T.
And the United States Champion beginning to build confidence
as this matchup rolls along.
[crowd clamoring]
[Tazz] Now-- Oh, here, look at this, look at this.
-[Michael] Another suplex by Booker T. -Whoo!
[Tazz] Beautiful. Nice quick pop of the hips by Booker T
and trying to wear down Benoit.
And look at Sharmell, beautiful smile on the former Miss Black America.
What a beautiful woman she is, look at her.
[Michael] Sharmell's the wife of Booker T.
-[Tazz] Blushing, and here we go. -[Michael] Right. Cover. Hook to the leg.
-Benoit at two rolls his shoulder out. -[Tazz] You know, Cole--
You know, I bet she's just as pretty on the inside
as she is on the outside. I mean, come on, what a great woman.
She damn near begged on her knees
for Teddy Long not to have her man, her husband, my man.
I mean, how many wives you know that would do that, Cole?
[Michael] Booker T begged, too, and Teddy Long said,
"I don't believe you." Put him in the match.
[Tazz] I'm sure your wife would beg to get out of a relationship with you,
but that's for another type of show.
-[Michael] That's nice. -[Tazz] A Dr. Phil type deal or something.
[Michael] And another chop at Benoit, with a chop of his own.
Booker and Benoit exchanging chops.
[Tazz] This is what you don't want.
You don't want The Wolverine to build this momentum here.
[Michael] That will stop your heart for a moment.
[Tazz] No doubt, man, no doubt.
[Michael] Booker T whipped across the ring.
Here comes Benoit into a boot to the temple,
just when Benoit was building a bit of momentum,
Booker T cut him down again.
[Tazz] I see a little-- There's a little blood on the shoulder of Benoit.
I don't who's-- That could be Booker's blood, Benoit,
I don't know. See it there?
On his left shoulder on the front of it.
Someone's got a, probably, a bloody nose or eye, or something.
[Michael] Benoit back to his feet.
Booker T measuring his man, kick to the midsection, Booker T.
-[Tazz] Booker T's feeling it now. -[Michael] Closing in.
-[Tazz] Scissor kick! -[Michael] Going for the scissor kick,
Benoit ducked out of the way, and a right hand by Benoit and a chop,
and here comes The Wolverine.
[groans]
-[Tazz] Oof! Here we go, here we go. -[Michael] Big knock down by Benoit.
Benoit again knocking Booker T down.
[Tazz] Those running back elbows are nasty.
-[Michael] Kick to the midsection. -[Tazz] Another one.
[Michael] Suplex.
And hey, paying homage to the late great Eddie Guerrero,
going for the Three Amigos,
these triple verticals by Chris Benoit.
-Can he hook in a third? And he does. -[Tazz] No doubt. Yeah. [chuckles]
-[Michael] Here's the cover. -[Tazz] Both shoulders.
[Michael] Shoulders down, hook to the leg, he's got him. No.
Booker T at two and a half.
[Tazz] That was close.
-[Michael] Wow. -[Tazz] The Three Amigos
of the late great Eddie Guerrero, no doubt.
There's a nice smile on my face, man. [laughs]
[Michael] Chris Benoit with a forearm to the side of the head.
Benoit delivering the right hands to Booker T.
-Chris Benoit hammering away on Booker T. -[Booker grunts]
-[Tazz] Oh! Oh! -[Michael] And there's a spin kick again,
heel to the jaw.
[Tazz] A jump and spin kick, or jumping leg lariat,
whatever you wanna call it,
right on the spot, right on the button,
the button being Benoit's jaw.
[Michael] And suddenly the United States Champion
-out to the apron. -[crowd clamoring]
[Tazz] Sharmell's smiling away.
[Michael] Booker T gonna go up top here. Booker T to the top rope, Chris Benoit…
-[Tazz] Stopped him. -…with the right hands.
-That'll tear a groin. -[Tazz] Well-- Uh-oh. What's this?
Oh, my God!
-Man. -One!
[Michael] Where's Benoit going? Headbutts. Headbutts.
[Tazz] Look at this. Oh, God, look at this.
[Michael] Chris Benoit will do anything
to win the United States Championship.
[Tazz] Look at Benoit. Top rope.
-[Michael] Superplex. Superplex. -[Tazz] Oh, my God.
-Wow, wow. -[Michael] Chris Benoit…
-delivering the superplex to Booker T… -One!
…Benoit crawling toward the cover. The champion's in trouble.
-[Tazz] This might be it, Cole. -[Michael] Here, the shoulders down.
-[Tazz] New champ. -[Michael] Hooks the leg. There's two.
-[Tazz] Got him! -[Michael] He got him,
and at two and a half, Booker T again kicked out.
And Sharmell taking a deep breath.
[Tazz] Wow.
I'll tell you, Booker T not looking good right now, man.
Just get him off of him!
[Michael] I thought Chris Benoit was gonna win
the United States Championship after that superplex.
[Tazz] Booker got nailed with that top rope superplex.
-[Michael] Oh! -[Tazz] Oh, man.
-[Michael] What a spinebuster by Booker T. -[Sharmell] Let's go, baby.
[Tazz] That whiplash-like motion in the back of that neck of Chris Benoit.
[Michael] And Booker T out to the apron again,
this time going to the top rope again.
[Tazz] Uh-oh, uh-oh.
[Michael] Booker does not go to the top rope often.
-[Tazz] Benoit might-- -[Michael] Oh!
And he missed as he came off the top rope with that flip.
Benoit rolling out of the way.
-[Tazz] That front flip by Booker, that-- -[Charles] One!
[Tazz] Tell you what, I don't remember the last time
I've seen the Book Man do that.
-Benoit can't capitalize, though. -Three!
[Michael] And both men are down.
Referee Charles Robinson at a count of four.
[Tazz] Booker-- Benoit has been worn out by that offense.
-Six! -[Michael] Take another look at Booker T.
Watch this high-risk maneuver, Booker does not do this often.
[Tazz] Oh, look at this front flip here, look at this deal here.
[Michael] Man.
[Tazz] Tell you what, if Benoit would've stayed right there,
-he'd have been in trouble. -[Michael] And German suplex.
Chris Benoit with the arms wrapped, the hands clasped.
[Tazz] Here we go.
[Michael] A second German suplex for Benoit.
[Tazz] Going for the hat trick. Hat trick.
[Michael] And a third delivered this time released,
and Benoit hoping to wear the champion down,
capitalized after that missed front flip by Booker T.
[Tazz] I lost count of how many suplexes Benoit's delivered to Booker.
-[crowd cheering] -[Tazz] Uh-oh.
Benoit's saying, "Turn out the lights, baby."
[Michael] Chris Benoit, the challenger, gonna go to the top rope, Tazz.
-[speaks indistinctly] -[Tazz] Oh, wait, wait. Look at Sharmell.
[Michael] Sharmell up on the apron, giving the bad mouth to Benoit.
And the distraction allowed Booker T to take advantage.
[Tazz] Oh, man.
[Michael] Sharmell providing the distraction,
Booker T took advantage.
-[Tazz] Watch out. -[Michael] Scissors kick
-to the back of the neck. -[Tazz] That's it.
-[Michael] And that is it. -[Tazz] No doubt.
No doubt, right in the back of that neck.
[Michael] It's over. The champion into the cover.
Booker T taking his time, hook to the leg.
-There's two. -[Tazz] Oh!
[Michael] Almost three, almost three but Benoit kicked out.
[Tazz] And Booker, he's probably shocked, as am I.
-[speaks indistinctly] -[Tazz] Benoit, I thought, was done.
[Michael] Chris Benoit at two and a half
managed somehow to kick out following the scissors kick.
[Tazz] I'll tell you what right now, Cole, if Booker T was 100 percent,
he would've driven that scissors kick all the way home,
-and him and Sharmell would be-- -[Michael] A hundred percent?
-[Tazz] Yeah. -[Michael] What are you talking about?
[Tazz] Well, he's not 100 percent. Let's face it, Booker T is--
[Michael] What do you mean he's not 100 percent?
He's done every flexible move he could tonight.
Spin kicks, leg thrusts, scissors kicks,
-what else do you want him to do? -[Tazz] What the hell's a "leg thrust"?
[Michael] And look at Booker T up on the top.
-[Tazz] Oh, watch out. -[Michael] Rolls through,
shoulders down, Benoit countered.
-[Tazz] Hook the leg. -[Michael] Going for the sharpshooter.
-[Tazz] Maybe. Maybe. -[Michael] Going for the sharpshooter.
He's gotta get Booker on his belly.
[Tazz] He's first gotta step through those legs.
[Michael] And again, Sharmell on the apron.
-And Sharmell went off the apron. -[Tazz] Whoa, whoa, whoa!
Wait a minute. Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.
[Michael] Hey, she shouldn't have stuck her nose where it didn't belong.
[Tazz] Well, that was accidentally-- inadvertent-- Uh-oh.
[Michael] And Benoit dead center of the ring.
-[Tazz] Here we go. -[Michael] Trying to roll Booker over.
-[Tazz] Sharpshooter. -[Michael] He's got the sharpshooter in.
The sharpshooter's in. The sharpshooter's in.
Booker, what do you say?
[Michael] Will Booker tap out? Will the champion tap out?
[Tazz] He might not have a choice.
[Michael] Shades of soon-to-be Hall of Famer, Bret Hart.
[Tazz] No doubt.
[Michael] Booker T dragged back to the center of the ring.
[Tazz] Booker T's in trouble, Cole.
-[Michael] Will Booker T tap out? -[Tazz] Holy cow.
[Michael] Into the crossface. Into the crossface.
[Tazz] You'd have thought he tapped out-- He tapped out. He tapped out.
-[bell ringing] -["Whatever" playing]
[Michael] Chris Benoit picks up the United States title.
-[Tazz] Wow. -[Chimel] Here is your winner
and the new United States Champion,
Chris Benoit.
[Michael] Finally, tonight in Baltimore at No Way Out,
justice prevails.
Chris Benoit is the United States Champion.
[Tazz] Holy cow.
How impressive to go from that sharpshooter,
change off to that crossface,
Chris Benoit, big time win, big time. [chuckles]
We have got the United States title right here at No Way Out.
Congratulations to The Rabid Wolverine.
[Michael] Chris Benoit earned it.
There's no doubt about it.
Benoit has been through so much in the last few months
and Chris Benoit earned the United States Championship here tonight.
Again, Booker T's wife, Sharmell, tried to get involved.
Benoit had the wherewithal to get rid of Sharmell.
[Tazz] Well, I think that was an accident, in my opinion.
I don't think-- You know, I don't think he meant to do that,
but Benoit never-- Check this out.
He wasn't tapping on that-- on the… on the sharpshooter,
changed off into the crossface.
-[bell ringing] -[Tazz] Booker had no option but to tap.
The new United States Champion is "The Rabid Wolverine,"
Chris Benoit.
[Michael] Chris Benoit had everything against him
coming to this matchup tonight.
Booker T feigned that he was going to… to hand over
the United States Championship via forfeit,
suckered Benoit, and again, through his wife, Sharmell,
got the upper hand in the beginning of the matchup,
and still Benoit prevailed.
[Tazz] I'll tell you what, you know, you gotta--
I kinda feel bad a little bit for Booker T.
I mean, his groin's hurting, his wife might have twisted an ankle.
I mean, you gotta feel bad for Booker at a time like this--
[Michael mimics crying]
By the way, the man never won the United States Championship,
a substitute won it for him.
[Tazz] I didn't say he won it. I know, I remember that.
But I'm just… just saying, still, you gotta feel bad,
-Booker T is hurt. -[crowd chanting] You tapped out.
[Tazz] And now he's gotta hear these people here chanting, "You tapped out."
-That's not-- I mean-- -[Michael] Well, we already heard…
we already heard "coward" tonight.
-Now, the "you tapped out" chants. -[crowd chanting] You tapped out.
[Tazz] He's hurt, the guy's hurt. Look, and she's hurt. Sharmell's hurt.
Can we get somebody to help these poor people, for God's sakes?
[Michael] Why don't you go help them?
[Tazz] 'Cause I'm working over here with you,
I can't go over there and help them.
-Her crown is falling off. This is a mess. -[crowd jeering]
[Michael] Booker T, the former United States Champion,
that goes along with the former Miss Black America,
two formers in the couple. [laughs]
[Tazz] That's nice, Cole. That's real highbrow, real professional.
You make fun of the guy after he just lost his United States title.
[Michael] I'm not making fun of the man, but the bottom line is this,
he faked an injury for God knows how long, Tazz.
He did have a legitimate injury while the Best of Seven series was going on
and then I believe, in my estimation,
that he milked that injury.
And Chris Benoit finally had justice done to him here tonight.
Look, I'm not saying that Booker T-- Oh, wait.
-[Rey] Chris! Chris! -Yes! Yes!
-[Rey] You did it. -[Benoit] Yeah.
-[Rey] Yeah. -[Benoit] Yeah.
-Damn it. Yeah! [sighs] -[Benoit] Yeah.
-Yes. -Congratulations.
God, I love you, man.
-[Rey grunts] You did it. You did it. -My time! Yes.
-[Teddy] Chris? -[Matt] Good stuff, man.
I knew you could do it. Congratulations.
-Thank you, Teddy. -Congratulations.
-Yeah. -Good stuff, Chris, making him tap, baby.
-Right, Matt. -Congratulations.
It's all you. It's all you. You deserve it, man.
-[grunts] That was good. -You deserve it, man.
-Good stuff, Benoit. -Chris.
-Way to go, Chris. -[Benoit] Yeah.
-Way to go. -Where it's at.
-Congratulations, Chris. -Yeah.
-[grunts] -Great match. Great match, man.
-You're the best, Chris. -Hey, Chris.
[all speaking Spanish]
-Yeah. -[both cheer, laugh]
-Whoo! -[man] You got it, Chris.
Chavo, Chavo.
Yeah, brother. You did it, man, you did it.
-Vickie. -Chris.
-I'm so proud. -Vickie, I did it.
-I'm so proud of you, Chris. -[Benoit sobs]
Rey, a minute ago
you congratulated me on winning the US title.
I wanna be back after you face Randy Orton and beat him…
-That's right. -…to congratulate you.
And you know damn well, Rey, you're not only doing this for you.
You're not only doing this for Chavo. You're not only doing this for me.
You're not only doing this for Vickie.
But you're doing this for Eddie.
-Ah. Ah. -[crowd cheering]
-Oh, yeah. [sighs] -Yes.
[Rey] Ah. Yeah, I'm ready.
-I'm ready. -Go get him.
-Rey. -[Rey] Can I get a hug?
-Good luck hug. -Thank you for doing this, Rey.
[Rey] Oh, God.
It's all you, Rey. It's all you, brother.
There's no question that Rey Mysterio has all the reasons in the world
to win this matchup versus Randy Orton here tonight,
especially since, as you just saw,
Eddie Guerrero's widow, Vickie, is here tonight,
as is Eddie Guerrero's nephew, Chavo Guerrero.
But keep in mind, it's not gonna be easy because Rey
-is going against The Legend Killer. -["Deadly Game" playing]
I'm telling you, I got goosebumps from Rey Mysterio.
-I-- You know-- -Cannot wait.
We're not supposed to be biased,
I can't wait to see him get his hands on Randy Orton.
I can't wait to see Rey Mysterio take Randy Orton
and do what he's gotta do, and go on to WrestleMania.
[Michael] It is a story that began at the Royal Rumble match last month,
where Rey Mysterio won the right to face the champion at WrestleMania.
-[explosions] -[dramatic music playing]
[Rey] Last year, I was left fourth in the Rumble.
-[Tazz] Oh, my God. -[Ross] And the spear.
The spear… The spear through the ropes
and Edge has eliminated Rey Mysterio.
I almost made it to the top but not quite.
This year, I wanna dedicate this Royal Rumble to my brother,
to mi hermano, Eduardo Guerrero.
[Joey] Randy Orton who came in at number 30.
Rey Mysterio who came in at number two.
One of these men is going to WrestleMania.
[Jerry] Rey hanging on for dear life here. Whoa, whoa, whoa.
[Joey] Mysterio, he did it. He did it.
-[Jerry] No way. Goodnight! No way! -[Joey] He did it, he did it.
-[Jerry] No way. -[Joey] Rey Mysterio did it.
[Lilián] Here is your winner,
Rey Mysterio.
[Michael] Rey Mysterio set a Royal Rumble record,
lasting one hour, two minutes, and fifteen seconds.
[Joey] Rey Mysterio is going to WrestleMania.
Viva La Raza.
[Rey] I just wanna say one thing. Thank you, Eddie.
I hope I made you proud, Eddie.
And I hope I make you even more proud when I go on to WrestleMania
and win the World Heavyweight Championship.
[Randy] There must have been some sort of divine intervention at the Royal Rumble
'cause there's no way you could've won that on your own.
As a matter of fact, seeing as
lightning can't possibly strike twice in the same spot,
I challenge you for your main event spot at WrestleMania.
Rey, you're looking not towards the heavens like you're looking at Eddie.
Let me tell you something, bro, Eddie ain't in heaven.
Eddie's down there in hell.
[Michael] And look at Mysterio with a low blow.
[Tazz] Good. Beat the hell out of him. He deserves it.
[Michael] Mysterio defending the name of Eddie Guerrero.
[Randy] I know, as well as Eddie knows,
in a wrestling match, I will own you.
I would beat you. I would destroy you like that.
[Tazz] Sunset flip. Uh-oh.
[Michael] And Randy Orton.
-[Tazz] He's got him. -[Michael] Orton got him.
-Randy Orton got Mysterio. -[Tazz] Wow.
[Randy] You can't beat me.
You have about as much a chance
of winning that world title match at WrestleMania
as Eddie Guerrero does coming back to life.
[Rey] You wanna challenge me for my WrestleMania title shot?
On behalf of Eddie Guerrero, you're on, Randy.
[Randy] You, Rey, are no Eddie Guerrero.
-You will never main event WrestleMania… -[fireworks screeching]
…never become World Heavyweight Champion
because you will never beat me.
-[echoing] Beat me. -[music fades]
-[crowd cheering] -["Burn In My Light" playing]
♪ Hey! ♪
[Michael] Randy Orton claims his destiny
is to win the World Heavyweight Championship.
Will Orton begin on his road to destiny tonight?
-♪ Hey! Nothing you can say ♪ -[bell ringing]
[Chimel] The following contest is scheduled for one fall,
and Rey Mysterio's opportunity
for a World Heavyweight Championship match at WrestleMania 22
is on the line.
Making his way to the ring from St. Louis, Missouri,
weighing in at 245 pounds,
"The Legend Killer,"
Randy Orton.
[Michael] For weeks, Randy Orton has verbally disgraced the memory
of Eddie Guerrero.
At one point, claiming Eddie was in hell,
and Orton admitting he used Rey Mysterio's close ties to Eddie Guerrero
to goad Mysterio into putting the WrestleMania opportunity on the line.
A disgraceful act by a disgraceful man in Randy Orton.
[Tazz] Well, Randy Orton now getting what he wants,
but you gotta be careful sometimes what you ask for,
'cause I got a funny little feeling that Rey Mysterio
is gonna pull something nasty on Randy Orton.
That's what I'm thinking.
[Michael] Randy Orton entered the Royal Rumble at number 30.
He was eliminated in the Rumble matchup by Rey Mysterio,
something Orton called a fluke.
[Tazz] Well, he should've came up being a winner on the Royal Rumble
but Randy Orton came up with plan B.
[Michael] And that is this matchup.
[Tazz] Orton looks ready though. Gotta give him that. He better be.
-[speaks indistinctly] -[crowd cheering]
Ah, man, I'm so pumped for this. Where is he? Here we go.
♪ What you gonna do When we come for you? ♪
♪ Córrele, córrele, ándale ♪
♪ What you gonna do When we come for you? ♪
["Booyaka 619" playing]
♪ Booyaka, booyaka ♪
[Tazz] Whoa. Yeah.
[Chimel] And from San Diego, California,
weighing in at 170 pounds,
Rey Mysterio.
[Michael] Tazz, have you ever seen Rey Mysterio
with a state of mind that he's been in over the past couple of weeks,
the viciousness, the aggressiveness that Mysterio has displayed
toward that man, Orton.
[Tazz] No, I have not. I've known Rey a long time, man.
I consider Rey a good friend of mine too.
And Rey has just been different. He's been real focused.
He's been really, really angry about this whole situation
and about the comments and the attitude and the disposition of Randy Orton.
[Michael] So what is at stake in this matchup?
[Tazz] But, Cole, we gotta point out, let me interrupt you,
that Randy Orton is focused.
He's-- I'm telling you, he's focused.
And when that kid's focused, when Orton's focused, he's dangerous.
[Michael] Hopefully he's focused. He suffered a concussion nine nights ago
after Rey Mysterio delivered that dropkick,
bouncing Orton's head off the steel post.
[Tazz] Well, actually, yeah, Orton's head was sitting against the post
and Rey Mysterio just rolled his feet into the skull of Orton.
It was nasty. But Orton deserved it, and he earned it.
This match could be something.
[Michael] So what is at stake in this matchup is this,
Rey Mysterio's title opportunity at WrestleMania.
The winner of this matchup will face the World Heavyweight Champion
at WrestleMania 22.
[Tazz] Well, I'll tell you what, Orton has to be careful of getting disqualified
and so does Rey Mysterio have to be careful of getting disqualified
'cause Rey Mysterio's been a hothead as of late.
[crowd cheering]
[Michael] See Rey Mysterio's daughter looking on…
-[Tazz chuckles] -…as Mysterio gets set
to go one-on-one with Randy Orton.
No Way Out has been very, very important
to Rey Mysterio and the late Eddie Guerrero.
-[bell ringing] -[Michael] Last year at No Way Out 2005,
Rey Mysterio and Eddie Guerrero won the Tag Team Championship.
In 2004, at No Way Out, Eddie Guerrero won the WWE title.
[crowd chanting] Eddie! Eddie! Eddie! Eddie!
[Michael] The "Eddie" chants from the SmackDown crowd,
-sold out in Baltimore. -[speaks indistinctly]
[Michael] A cocky, arrogant Randy Orton,
once the youngest World Heavyweight Champion ever,
against the man who defeated Orton
as one of the last two men in the Royal Rumble matchup last month,
Rey Mysterio.
[Tazz] In my opinion, the greatest opportunity,
the greatest thing at stake ever you can have
as a… as a WWE superstar
is an opportunity to go to WrestleMania to face the champion,
-and that's what's at stake here. -Back up now! One!
-[Tazz] That's the bottom line here, Cole. -[Korderas] Two!
[Michael] And the larger man, Randy Orton, backing Mysterio into the corner.
Randy Orton weighs 245 pounds.
Mysterio, 165.
-[Tazz] See, Orton's got that-- -[Michael] I cannot stand him.
-I cannot stand him. -[Tazz] He's got a cockiness.
He's got this whole attitude, this aura about him.
-[Michael] He's sickening. -[Tazz] He's very easy to dislike.
There's no doubt about it. Randy Orton's just got that thing about him.
But you can't-- You gotta-- You can't discredit the guy.
The guy's good though, Cole. I mean, youngest WWE--
-Oh, watch out. -[Michael] Takedown by Randy Orton.
Look at the front facelock of Rey Mysterio.
So if you're Randy Orton, what's your strategy, Tazz,
into this matchup, as Mysterio gets to the rope?
[Tazz] My strategy? Well, I wouldn't be too cocky,
but I think that Orton can't help that.
And I would try and ground, you know, Rey Mysterio.
-[Michael] Oh, come on now. -[Tazz] What do you wann--
A little insult to injury right there just to, you know, PO,
you know, Randy a little-- Rey Mysterio a little bit more.
Look at that-- Look at that smirk on-- Look at that face.
[Michael] Mysterio needs to make sure he keeps his emotions in check
in this matchup.
[Tazz] Well, that's exactly what Orton's doing.
He's trying to get, you know, Rey Mysterio to snap.
And Rey Mysterio has snapped the last couple of weeks, Cole.
-[Michael] He has. -[groans]
[Michael] Now, they're just-- Oh, and look at Rey Mysterio.
-Direct kick to the gut. -[Tazz] Headlock takedown.
That was a quick kick to the gut, all right.
That's a tight headlock there and a--
That's a nice headlock takedown too by Rey.
[Michael] Rey Mysterio would love to wear the bigger man down,
knock Orton off his feet, keep him off his feet for the matchup.
Orton. Up over the top of Randy Orton.
-Went for the hip toss. Rey Mysterio! -[Tazz] That's how-- And here you go.
-[Michael] Face-first bulldog. -[Tazz] See, Cole? That's the thing, man.
-He's quick. Here we go. -[Michael] Here's the cover.
Hook to the leg, shoulders are down, and at two,
-Orton kicks out. -[Tazz] Rey is so quick.
I mean, you just go for something simple like a hip toss or something,
the next thing you know, you're flying around,
getting smacked around the ring.
[Michael] That's how Mysterio won the Rumble match over Orton,
the quickness, the surprise factor.
[crowd cheering]
[Tazz] Yeah, you gotta wonder what kind of effect this had on Randy Orton.
You know what I mean? Look at him. He's out of it now.
He's got a crack on his head and a concussion a couple of weeks ago,
Cole, as you pointed out, with that steel post.
[Michael] Rey Mysterio ducks underneath the clothesline.
Springboard. Went for the crossbody. And Randy Orton ducked underneath
and suddenly Orton realizes he's in control.
-And there's that cocky, arrogant grin. -[Tazz] Hey, Randy Orton scouted, man.
He scouted Rey Mysterio.
-He knows-- Orton knows all… -[grunts]
…all of Rey Mysterio's moves quite possibly.
That's tough, man. I don't know if Rey Mysterio knows all his own moves.
-He's got a lot of them. -[Michael] Well, Randy Orton's no slouch.
Former World Heavyweight Champion, youngest ever.
Shut your freaking mouths. I don't need your help.
[Tazz] This is-- See, this is where Orton gets a little nuts.
He gets a little cocky. How does he expect these people
-not to despise him? Look at this. -Get off the throat. Let him go! One!
-Two, three, four! -[Michael] Knee right to the throat.
Referee Jimmy Korderas to a count of four. Orton utilizing the entire count.
-And "The Legend Killer," Randy Orton… -Come on.
-…he's made a career of disposing… -Orton, get him out of the corner.
…of legends,
but perhaps no bigger matchup than he's in tonight
with an opportunity to headline at WrestleMania if he picks up a victory.
And another blow to the back of Mysterio.
[Tazz] Oh, nothing fancy, nothing pretty about what Orton's doing here.
It's a straight-up beatdown by Randy Orton,
just trying to hurt Rey Mysterio,
-utilize the size difference. -[crowd chanting] Randy sucks!
[Michael] You notice how many opponents of Rey try to toy with him a little bit?
Randy Orton-- And there are the "Randy sucks" chants.
Orton is going right at Rey tonight, trying to punish him.
-[Tazz] Oh! -[crowd chanting] Randy sucks!
-[Tazz] He is, I mean, just gloating. -Who sucks now?
[Tazz] Just getting-- You know, taking his time.
It's, in my opinion, a little risky by Orton.
But again, like I said, it's hard for Orton not to act like an ass out here.
-That's who-- It's just his attitude. -[Michael] That's what he is.
He's an ass, bottom line.
He's acting like one. He is one.
[Tazz] Well, he's not-- He's being conservative, you know?
He's not rushing in there. He's staying in control and it's working.
[Michael] He's not just being conservative.
He's trying to embarrass and humiliate the man.
-Now he's toying with Mysterio. -Get him out of the corner.
[Tazz] That's just disrespectful what he's doing there.
[Michael] Rey Mysterio whipped across the ring with authority.
Did you see the force
that Orton sent Mysterio across the ring with that Irish whip?
-[Tazz] Yeah. I saw it. I heard it. -[Michael] Here's the cover.
Hooks both legs, shoulder down, kick-out at two.
And you're not gonna beat Rey Mysterio that easily,
not with everything Rey's got riding on this matchup.
[Tazz] There's a ton at stake in this matchup.
-[crowd chanting] Eddie! Eddie! -[Tazz] It's all about going to Mania.
-It's all about facing the champion. -[Michael] Oh!
-[Tazz] And that's what's at stake here. -[crowd chanting] Eddie! Eddie! Eddie!
[Tazz] Hear those "Eddie" chants here.
[crowd chanting] Eddie! Eddie! Eddie! Eddie!
[Michael] And now mocking the late Eddie Guerrero.
Give me a break.
This guy hasn't had a damn nice thing to say about Eddie Guerrero for weeks.
[Tazz] He's a jerk. He's a straight-up idiot.
I can't stand when he does that. Now, watch this now.
[Michael] Oh, and another uppercut.
[Tazz] He's calculating. He's taking his time. Oh!
[Michael] And Mysterio with a kick to the side of the head.
[Tazz] He's picking his spots and then he just got clubbed, Orton did.
[Michael] Rey Mysterio with a kick to the side of the head.
-Rey Mysterio! -[Tazz] Tilt-a-whirl.
-[Michael] Through the second rope. -[Tazz] Wow.
[Michael] Almost the way he eliminated Orton at the Rumble.
And Rey Mysterio suddenly with a breath of life here.
[Tazz] Well, can Rey-- But can Rey capitalize?
-That's the question. -[Michael] Mysterio on the apron.
Randy Orton back to his feet.
[Tazz] Watch out. Here we go. Here we go, Cole.
-Here we go. -[Michael] Rey Mysterio. Look at this.
-But Randy Orton… -[Tazz] Got caught, man.
-…just may have caught Rey Mysterio. -[Tazz] Uh-oh. I don't like this.
[Michael] Mysterio trying to counter.
-[Tazz] Watch, he's blocked it! -[Michael] No. Come on now.
-[Tazz] Watch out. He blocked it. -[Michael] No. No!
[Tazz] Oh, my God, no.
Oh, my God, no.
[Michael] Swinging Mysterio like a baseball bat into the steel post.
-That may have broken a rib or an arm. -[Korderas] Seven!
[Tazz] Randy Orton's a son of a bitch.
-[crowd jeering] -[Michael] Look at him.
You can feel the hatred from these fans.
[Tazz] Look, it's a little disturbing to watch. Watch this.
It's a little-- That's a-- That's nasty stuff right there, man.
[Michael] Rey Mysterio may have a broken arm, Tazz.
[Tazz] Gotta have tore his shoulder out too, man.
And you see Rey trying to--
[Michael] You see Orton going right for that injured arm.
-Look at this. -[Tazz] I'm not too sure I could tell.
I don't know if Rey's head might have hit that ring post.
[Michael] Randy Orton.
[Tazz] Got his damn arm wrung right on the outside of the ring,
which is-- You know, you gotta get in the ring.
I'm afraid, Cole, I think it's just a matter of time
before Orton puts the finishing touches on Rey.
Now, to an armbar, which, again,
I hate to give the guy credit but it's smart by Orton to do this.
[Michael] Well, it's that left arm that was driven into the steel post.
-And Orton is relentless. -[Tazz] And methodical.
-Orton has been nothing but methodical. -[groans]
[Tazz] And it's working, I'm telling you, and it sucks to say.
[Korderas] Rey, what do you say? Do you wanna give up?
[Tazz] He's got that hand clasped of Rey.
-He's putting all his weight forward on-- -Rey, do you wanna give up?
[Tazz] In the armpit of Rey.
[Michael] Look at the face of Rey Mysterio.
[Tazz] He's in pain. He's hurting. He's in trouble.
[Michael] It also looked like he was gonna get sick to his stomach there
for a moment. He had that look in his eye.
Imagine the pain that Mysterio must be in, that arm off the steel, and now--
[Tazz] We don't know-- You know, we don't know what kinda damage was done
to that-- to the rotator cuff, the shoulder, or his elbow.
We have no idea. I mean, you know, Rey probably don't know.
[Michael] Mysterio-- Look at the fight in Rey Mysterio.
Look at the fight in Mysterio. The elbows and the kick.
-And Rey Mysterio sliding through. -[Tazz] Whoa, whoa. Nice.
[Michael] Kick to the face. Here comes Mysterio.
-[Tazz] Come on, Rey. Oh. -[Michael] Mysterio showed
a little bit of life, but Randy Orton again--
[Tazz] He don't have enough, Cole. Orton--
Rey Mysterio don't have enough and he's-- Oh, watch it.
-[Michael] Oh, God. -[Tazz] Oh, God.
Oh, my God.
[Michael] Rey Mysterio, man, was bent in half.
-[Tazz] That's-- Oh, man. Oh, man. -[Michael] This is over.
Oh, Mysterio got the shoulder up.
Again, a cover, hook of the leg, and, again, Mysterio kicks out.
-And Orton-- -[Tazz] He's hurt.
Rey Mysterio's hurt, man. I'm telling you, Cole, he's hurt.
-[Michael] Very hurt, and-- -[Tazz] No, no, no, no.
Look at this. He's stepping on one hand to put pressure on the other arm.
-Rey, do you wanna give up? -[Michael] Watch this.
-[Rey groans] -[Michael] Watch this. God.
[Tazz] Take another look here, from this angle.
[Michael] Oh.
Driving Mysterio skull-first.
-And Orton is working on that left arm. -[groans]
[Tazz] Rey Mysterio might not have an option here, Cole, but to give up.
-He's gonna-- His arm is gonna get-- -No way.
-[Tazz] He's destroying that arm. -No way.
[Michael] I mean, it takes so much out of Mysterio's arsenal too
-when you take his arms away. -Yes!
[Michael] One thing he can't do is the 619.
The other thing he can't do is set himself up for Droppin' Da Dime
'cause he's gotta use both arms on the ropes.
[Tazz] How about… How about fighting with one arm, Cole?
You know what I'm saying? He's gonna be in there,
you know, with a-- like a one-arm man.
In a match with a guy like Randy Orton,
he's giving up a ton of size too, who's motivated, Orton is,
'cause he wants to go to WrestleMania to face the champion.
[Michael] And look at Rey with the right hand.
-[Tazz] Come on, Rey. -[Michael] Mysterio with a kick
to the… to the hamstring.
Mysterio with another kick. And Randy Orton again to the left arm.
[Tazz] Rey's trying to build momentum but he keeps getting shut down here.
-[Michael] Mysterio up top. -[Tazz] Here we go.
-[Michael] Hurricanrana. -[Tazz] Nice.
-[crowd cheering] -[Tazz] Randy right back on that--
Surely, he can't capitalize, Cole. He can't.
[Michael] Rey Mysterio trying to get some feeling back to that arm,
trying to shake, get the blood flowing back there again.
[Tazz] That's that same… That's that same left arm,
I believe, it looks like it has that same--
that Eddie Guerrero armband on, that "EG" armband.
[Michael] Watch if Rey hurt himself here in this hurricanrana.
Yeah, see how he landed on that left arm?
[Tazz] What he did was he posted, he post-- Oh, look at this.
-Oh, my God. -[Michael] Oh, come on, come on.
[Tazz] The same arm that hit that ring post that he's posted on.
-And that's what hurt it. -Get back in the ring!
[Michael] Mysterio in pain, driven out of the ring.
Randy Orton working on that left arm. Now, why this?
Why the hell are you doing this, Randy?
Not this. Come on now.
-[Tazz] No. -[Michael] Stop that.
[Korderas] Three.
-[man 1] Come on, Randy. He's a midget. -[man 2] Randy, you suck.
-[Michael] The hell is wrong with him? -[woman] Come on, Rey.
[man 3] Take him in the ring and beat him.
-[man 4] Hurt that midget, Randy! -[Tazz] Look at this.
I mean, Orton's just trying to stop-- Look at this. Oh, my God.
He's just gonna shatter his arm to smithereens out here.
[Michael] He's trying to… He's trying to permanently injure the man
is what he's trying to do, and he's enjoying it.
He's out here laughing, smiling, having a grand old time.
[Tazz] But he's still smart enough to go in the ring
and break the count and come back out.
[Michael] Yeah, because an opportunity at WrestleMania's on the line.
-That's what's up for grabs here. -[Tazz] I know.
That's what's frustrating about this guy.
-He's good. Here we go. -[Michael] Orton into the cover.
Hooks both legs, shoulders down, and a kick-out again.
[Tazz] As crappy as a human being Orton is, he's good.
[Michael] He is. Youngest World Heavyweight Champion ever.
He learned from the best in Evolution. He learned from Triple H.
And that's why he plays dirty like this 'cause he learned from The Game.
[Tazz] Well, how do you stop him, you know?
-Rey Mysterio's in a world of trouble now. -Orton. Orton, come on. What are--
[Tazz] And Orton's on the prowl after that-- Oh, look at this.
-He's gonna utilize the five-count here. -One! Two!
[Tazz] He's trying to keylock the elbow with the bottom rope.
-Ref, pull him off. -[Michael] And again-- Yeah.
Well, he has a five-count, like you said, and he utilized it.
Come on. Let him-- Get him off the ropes. One!
-[Tazz] Okay. This is going a little far. -Two! Three!
[Tazz] You can't just-- You gotta just get him out of the ropes here.
-This guy's hurt. -Come on, get him out.
[Michael] Rey Mysterio, I don't even know how he's functioning.
He has absolutely no use in the left hand.
[Tazz] I think he's focusing on emotion and adrenaline here, Cole.
I mean, Rey knows what's at stake. He knows… knows how important this is.
[Michael] Come on, Randy. End the damn match.
Enough with the showboating. Enough with the damn cockiness.
-Just end the matchup. -[crowd clamoring]
[Michael] This is what you wanted, this is what you goaded Mysterio into,
so end the damn thing.
Enough already.
[crowd chanting] Eddie! Eddie! Eddie! Eddie!
[Tazz] I mean, look at this. Now what? Now what?
I almost thought he would wanna call it. You know what I mean? Really.
[Michael] Rey Mysterio trying-- And look at the arm drag.
Arm drag by Mysterio. Orton through the ropes.
An arm drag desperation by Rey Mysterio.
[Tazz] Beautiful arm drag, and pulled that shoulder out a tad.
I mean, I don't know, maybe it's a…
maybe an even playing field if Orton's shoulder's hurt.
-[indistinct chatter] -[Michael] Rey…
-[Korderas] Two. -[Tazz] What the hell? What--
[Michael] Rey Mysterio back in the ring.
-Randy Orton knocked down by Mysterio. -[Tazz] Oh, man. Beautiful flying frog.
Come on, Rey. You gotta try and build some momentum, bud.
Come on.
Come on. Here we go. Here we go.
Oh, drop toehold.
-Face-first into the second buckle. -[crowd cheering]
[Michael] And Rey Mysterio trying to build momentum here.
[Tazz] That's not gonna help Orton's concussion any, that's for sure.
[Michael] Exactly. Great point.
Orton suffered a concussion nine nights ago.
And you know how long it takes to fully recover from a concussion, partner.
[Tazz] Yes, I do. Come on, Rey. Careful now.
[Michael] Rey Mysterio going to the top rope.
-Randy Orton back to his feet. -[Tazz] Careful.
[Michael] And a blow to the spine.
Randy Orton, just when Mysterio was building some momentum.
-[Tazz] No, no, no, no, no. Come on. No. -[Michael] Oh, no. Come on now.
Oh, not this.
[Tazz] He's got him in an electric chair position.
[Michael] Randy Orton going to the second rope.
-[Tazz] No, no, no. No! -[Michael] Come on, Rey.
-Get out of this thing. -[Tazz] Come on, Rey. Get out, man.
-[Michael] Rey Mysterio. -[Tazz] He got out.
-[Michael] Sunset flip! Wow! -[crowd cheering]
[Michael] Driving Orton to the mat below.
-[Tazz] Cover him. Cover him. -[Michael] Crawling into the cover.
-Come on, Rey. -[Tazz] Come on, kid.
Hook of the leg. He's got him. He's got him.
-[Tazz] Oh! Damn. -[Michael] At two and a half.
-[crowd clamoring] -[Michael] Damn it.
[Tazz] That might've been Rey's last shot, Cole.
That might've been Rey's last shot.
[Michael] Rey Mysterio with that desperation from the top rope,
crawled to the cover, and just couldn't quite get the three-count.
[Tazz] What a… What an effort. What an effort by Rey.
What a match. I mean, it's hard to say here.
I mean, I hate to give this guy credit, Orton.
but-- Oh, watch out.
[Michael] Rey Mysterio in this matchup
which is so important to so many people.
-[Tazz] Here we go. Oh, oh. Look at this. -[Michael] And Rey Mysterio…
-[crowd cheering] -…a little tribute to Eddie Guerrero.
So many people supporting Rey Mysterio here tonight in this matchup,
with Rey's WrestleMania title opportunity on the line.
-Mysterio taking out Orton at the knees. -[Tazz] Yes! Nice!
-Very nice. -[Michael] Come on, Rey. Come on, Rey.
[Tazz] Took out that kneecap. That was nice.
[Michael] Rey, second rope.
-Seated senton. -[Tazz] Oh!
[Michael] Rey Mysterio really kicking it into the high gear,
drawing from perhaps a higher power.
[Tazz] I think Rey's gonna do it.
Oh, what a neck snap. A rolling neck snap.
Looks like he split open that forehead a bit.
[Michael] Into the cover. Rey Mysterio with a hook of the leg.
-[Tazz speaks indistinctly] -[Michael] Shoulders are down.
-There's two. And at two and a half again. -[crowd clamoring]
[Tazz] Gotta stay on him.
Orton's hurt, man. He's not moving.
[Michael] Randy Orton in a terrible predicament here.
[Tazz] Well, Rey's got the momentum.
Look at that head, that divot in his head, in Orton's head.
[Michael] Rey Mysterio back to his feet.
[Tazz] Rey's just trying to just build some endurance up here.
[Michael] Well, he's absorbed a tremendous amount of punishment
at the hands of Randy Orton.
Orton. Uh-oh, reversal.
Rey Mysterio trying to just squirm his way out of this, and he does.
Rey Mysterio, kick to the hamstring. Back of the knee.
-[Tazz] Springboard moonsault, got caught. -[Michael] Got caught by Orton.
Caught by Randy Orton.
Mysterio driving Orton to the mat below!
[Tazz] Nice. I don't know how the hell Rey pulled that off.
But back to that arm, man. Rey can't capitalize.
[Michael] Both men down again.
Rey Mysterio crawling to the cover. Hooks the leg.
-[Tazz] He's gonna get it. -[Michael] He may do it here.
Shoulders down. No, he didn't do it.
That's two. Orton kicked out again.
[Tazz] Rey's trying, Cole. He's trying.
-[kid] Eddie Guerrero! Move! -[Tazz] God.
[Michael] Rey Mysterio giving it everything he has.
[Tazz] I'll tell you, I was almost ready to give up on Rey earlier,
but I'll tell you what, I think I'm second-guessing myself.
-Come on, Rey. -[Michael] Rey Mysterio,
do you see the look of desire in his eyes?
[Tazz] Mask or no mask, you can see--
[Michael] Look at that. Thumb to the eye by Orton.
[Tazz] Well, he just, you know…
[Michael] I don't know what to say. Oh, and there's Mysterio.
-[Tazz] Come on. There we go. -[Michael] Kick to the ribs.
-Mysterio, kick to the face. -[Tazz] Nice. Nice.
He's gotta try and keep that going. Get that momentum and rhythm.
[Michael] Rey Mysterio out to the apron, trying to climb to the rope.
Having problems with that left arm. Up to the top rope goes Rey Mysterio.
-Rey Mysterio up high. -[Tazz] Careful. Careful.
-[Michael] And Randy Orton-- -[Tazz] Oh, my God.
[Michael] What a counter. A dropkick to a flying Rey Mysterio.
[Tazz] Oh, that might have just did it.
[Michael] Did Randy Orton catch Mysterio's bad arm?
[Tazz] Let's see.
-Oh, right in the sternum. -[Michael] I believe he may have.
[Tazz] I don't know, Cole. Maybe. I don't know, man.
He caught him in the sternum mostly.
[Michael] Well, that could cause broken ribs.
-As Randy Orton… -[Tazz] Oh, my God.
-Oh, now you know what this is. -…stalks Mysterio.
[Tazz] Now, you know what…
Now, you know what Orton's getting ready for.
[crowd clamoring]
[Michael] Randy Orton with that sick smile,
-going for the RKO. -[Tazz] Come on, Rey.
[Michael] Rey Mysterio trying to use the ropes to make it to his feet.
[Tazz] Turn around, Rey.
It's been a gallant effort for Rey.
[Michael] Randy Orton lying in wait.
[Tazz] Oh, man. Come on, Rey.
-[Michael] Mysterio back to his feet. -[Tazz] Watch yourself.
[Michael] And there's Mysterio with a dropkick.
-Orton went for the RKO. -[Tazz] Right in the face.
[Michael] He caught a dropkick to the face.
-[Tazz] Oh, look at this. -[Michael] Come on, Rey. Come on, Rey.
-[crowd cheering] -[Michael] Went for the 619.
-Orton ducked underneath it. -[Tazz] Oh, no. Sleeper.
[Michael] He rolls him up, shoulders are down.
-[Tazz] No, no, no, no, no. -[Michael] He's using the ropes. No.
-[bell ringing] -[Michael] No.
-[Tazz] Son of a bitch. -["Burn In My Light" playing]
-[Tazz] Son of a-- -[Chimel] Here's your winner,
"The Legend Killer,"
Randy Orton.
[Michael] You gotta be… You gotta be kidding me.
♪ Take what's mine ♪
♪ Hey! Nothing you can say ♪
♪ Nothing's gonna change What you've done to me ♪
♪ Now it's time to shine ♪
♪ I'm gonna take what's mine ♪
♪ You're gonna burn in the light ♪
-[Michael] Watch Orton use the ropes here. -[Tazz] School boy and…
[bell ringing]
♪ They tried so hard to follow ♪
♪ But no one can ♪
[Michael] I mean, Randy Orton's going to WrestleMania.
Imagine how bad that man, Rey Mysterio, feels.
I mean, he had… he had the weight of the world
on his shoulders here tonight.
[Tazz] How do you explain what Rey's feeling?
I mean, he's gotta be--
I mean, maybe he's questioning, but what does--
I mean, putting the opportunity on the line, Cole. I mean, is Rey--
[Michael] Not even that, I mean, Rey Mysterio believes
he's let everyone down, he has to.
I mean not only the fans here in Baltimore,
not only the fans watching on pay-per-view,
but how about Eddie Guerrero's family?
I mean, Eddie's widow, Vickie, is here tonight,
-his nephew, Chavo. -[Randy] Rey!
[crowd clamoring]
[Randy clears throat]
Guess what?
I am going to the main event of WrestleMania.
[crowd clamoring]
-Where are you going? [chuckles] -[microphone thuds]
-♪ Hey! Nothing you can say ♪ -[Michael] What a jackass.
[Tazz speaks indistinctly]
♪ Nothing's gonna change What you've done to me ♪
-[Michael] I mean… -[Tazz] Rotten.
♪ Now it's time to shine ♪
[Tazz] I-- Rey Mysterio, I feel so…
I feel horrible for the guy. I…
♪ Take what's mine Hey! Nothing you can say ♪
[Tazz] What could be going through Rey's head right now? I mean…
[Michael] The bottom line, Tazz, is this, for Rey Mysterio, yeah, sure,
this is about the main event at WrestleMania.
That's what this was about.
But what about the people who were supporting Rey?
-Rey's gotta feel like he let them down. -[Tazz] Of course, I would assume.
I mean, it's a tragic thing.
It's a tragic loss for Rey.
I mean, he had the main event in the palm of his hands, Cole.
I mean, he was going to WrestleMania.
He was gonna wrestle the champion at WrestleMania.
He-- It's gone. It's done.
It's not happening for Rey Mysterio.
Done. God.
-[crowd clamoring] -[Tazz splutters]
-[Michael] I can't believe it. -[Tazz] Yeah, Cole, you gotta wonder
how Chavo Guerrero feels
and how Vickie, how Vickie Guerrero feels and…
I mean, what are they thinking? I mean what…
[crowd clamoring]
-[Michael] I mean, what an effort. -[Tazz] It was a hell of an effort.
I mean, it was a hell of an effort.
Absolutely. But…
I don't know if… I don't know if Rey Mysterio
is ever gonna forgive himself.
I mean, look at him.
He can't even… He can't even leave the ring area.
-He just… -[indistinct chatter]
[Michael] I mean, come on, Rey Mysterio lost his dream here tonight,
and in his mind, he let a lot of people down doing it.
I mean, Rey Mysterio's dream was to headline WrestleMania.
[Tazz] But most importantly, Cole, he let himself down.
-Let's face it. -[Michael] He did.
[Tazz] You know, Rey Mysterio let himself down and then…
you know, I don't know what to say. I mean…
it's horrible, tragic. It's a tragic thing. It's just--
[Michael] Rey Mysterio is screwed, let's face it.
-He's screwed. -[Tazz] I know. I know. And what-- I mean…
Most importantly-- I mean, letting all these people down…
he's gotta feel like he let himself down mostly, and just…
-Exactly. -What are these people thinking
-about what happened, you know? I mean-- -Well,
we mentioned Rey Mysterio is screwed.
I mean, let's just show you what happened. Randy Orton, as Rey went for the 619,
watch Randy Orton.
He rolls Rey up and now Orton uses the ropes.
-[Tazz] Yeah. -[Michael] He uses the ropes.
-[bell ringing] -[Tazz] You can't fault the referee,
the referee's checking Rey's shoulders, too.
But I mean, it's like…
This was Rey Mysterio's dream to go to WrestleMania,
and some-- You gotta question the wisdom of Rey actually putting
his WrestleMania title opportunity
on the line here tonight against Randy Orton.
Yeah, but that's hindsight, though. I mean--
-Exactly. -You know what I mean? It really-- I mean,
if Rey had been victorious then we'd praise him,
-right or wrong. Let's face it. -[Michael] Exactly.
-You're exactly right. -[Tazz] Look, I mean, you know.
And here's another angle of the school boy by--
-The referee couldn't see-- No. -[Michael] The referee--
[Tazz] His back is to Orton cheating and using the ropes.
And you know what?
But in the referee, you know, in defense of the referee,
he was in perfect position,
and, I mean, Randy Orton screwed Rey Mysterio here tonight.
I mean it's just-- It's a tragedy, ladies and gentlemen, and…
-I-- -…can only imagine
what Rey Mysterio's feeling.
Ran-- Look, bottom line, Randy Orton's going to WrestleMania
and he's gonna face the champion.
I mean-- But who's gonna be the champion? That's the question.
-Exactly. -We'll find that out,
you know, in a little bit. I'm shocked here, though.
-Really. I didn't expect this turnout. -It is.
[chuckles] I didn't expect this to happen.
[Michael] I mean, in Randy Orton-- There's Rey.
[Tazz] Oh, there he is.
Sorry, Chavo.
I'm sorry, man.
I let you down, man.
Damn it.
I let you down.
Vickie, I let you down, I let…
Keep your chin up.
I let Eddie down, I let Eddie Guerrero down.
-Damn it. -You didn't let anybody down.
-Yes. Yes, I did. -You didn't let anybody down.
-Yes, I did. [sighs] -No, you didn't.
I'm so sorry.
I feel like I…
-Rey, it's okay. -I let the whole Guerrero family down.
-I'm so… I'm sorry, Vickie. -I mean, I'm so sorry.
-[sobs] I'm so sorry. -[Chavo] Oh.
Rey, you didn't let anybody down.
-Did you try your hardest out there? -[sniffles]
-[Rey] I could've done better. -[Chavo] No, you couldn't.
-[Rey] I could've done better. -It's all that matters.
We still love you, Rey.
-We love you, brother. Thank you. -You did the best you could.
-I love you, man. -It's okay.
-I'm sorry, guys. I'm sorry. -[both] It's okay.
-Sorry. [sighs] -I'm sorry for you.
[indistinct chatter]
[thudding]
[dramatic music playing]
[Chimel] The following contest will be a 20-man Battle Royal
for the World Heavyweight Championship.
[Tazz] We got one more entry.
What?
-What the hell is this? Is this a mistake? -[Michael] You gotta be kidding me.
That's Kurt Angle from Raw. Kurt Angle's here on SmackDown.
And now this over the top rope Battle Royal is underway.
It has come down to this.
-Angle and Henry. And here we go. -[Tazz] Oh, man. Here we go.
-[Michael] Kurt Angle is close-- -[Tazz] He's got him.
-He did it. -[Michael] And Mark Henry.
I think it was Mark Henry that hit first. It is. Kurt Angle.
Kurt Angle is the World Heavyweight Champion.
[Kurt] I've proven time and time again to be the best in the world.
[Michael] Kurt Angle is the World Heavyweight Champion.
[Kurt] I'm a "Wrestling Machine."
[intense music playing]
[bell tolls]
[thunder rumbling]
["Rex Infernus" playing]
[Undertaker] Kurt Angle,
you currently possess the one thing I desire,
the World Heavyweight Championship.
I have seen the best,
I have fought the best,
and I've beaten the best.
You can't hide from The Deadman.
[Kurt] Undertaker,
when that bell rings,
-I don't have a soul either. -[man] Amen.
[Michael] He's the most decorated athlete in WWE history.
[intense music playing]
[Ross] He is a living legend, The Phenom,
as bad as they come.
[Kurt] And at No Way Out,
I plan on breaking your ankle in pieces.
[Undertaker] At No Way Out, you will rest in…
-peace. -[thunder rumbling]
["Medal" playing]
[fireworks popping]
[bell ringing]
[Chimel] The following contest is scheduled for one fall
and it is for the World Heavyweight Championship.
Making his way to the ring, weighing in at 237 pounds,
is the World Heavyweight Champion,
Kurt Angle.
[Michael] While Randy Orton is going to WrestleMania
as the number one contender for the World Heavyweight Championship.
Who will be the champion?
We are going to find out right now.
Here is the current champ.
He's a Wrestling Machine, Kurt Angle.
["Medal" continues playing]
[Michael] And one of the most decorated champions
in the history of the WWE, Kurt Angle,
the champion, awaiting his opponent,
the legendary Undertaker.
[Tazz] He looks ready, man. Wow.
[crowd chattering]
-["Rest in Peace" playing] -[crowd cheering]
[Chimel] And the challenger from Death Valley,
weighing in at 305 pounds,
The Undertaker.
[Michael] We are live at the 1st Mariner Arena,
sold out in Baltimore, Maryland,
one of the biggest main events in SmackDown history.
The World Heavyweight Champion Kurt Angle,
the former Olympic gold medalist at six-foot tall, 230 pounds
against the number one contender, The Undertaker,
six-foot-ten, 305 pounds.
The champion, Angle, perhaps the best pure wrestler ever.
The Undertaker, perhaps the best pure striker ever.
They are two future Hall of Famers.
And here tonight, we will determine who is the better man
and who is heading to WrestleMania as the champion.
[Tazz] And who's gonna face Randy Orton at WrestleMania as the champion.
["Rest In Peace" continues playing]
[Tazz] This is a big moment, man.
This is… This is big. Look at that. How do you deal with that?
[Michael] It is the most intimidating entrance
in the history of World Wrestling Entertainment.
The Phenom, The Undertaker.
The champion, Kurt Angle.
[Tazz] Referee Nick Patrick assigned to this championship match.
And that's what it's all about, baby, right there.
If you don't want that, you're in a wrong game.
[Michael] Nick Patrick been in many championship matches before,
perhaps none as big as this one.
-We mentioned Angle. -[bell ringing]
-[Michael] A technical wrestler. -[Tazz] Here we go!
[Michael] Undertaker, the striker. And there's the quickness of Kurt Angle.
Undertaker going right on the attack early on.
[Tazz] You're right about what you're saying about the striker
versus, you know, grappler wrestler type thing,
-but let's not mistake here. -Break the hold, break the hold.
[Tazz] The Undertaker is very well-versed in submission.
We've seen that out of The Deadman.
Whoa. Wow. Don't wanna get hit by that. Whoa.
[Michael] And Kurt Angle realizing it, the champion gonna take a breather.
You know, an interesting fact in this matchup, Tazz,
is that neither one of these men,
Undertaker or Kurt Angle, has ever tapped out.
[Tazz] Well, that's big. That's huge.
[Nick] Four.
[Michael] Kurt Angle takes his time back into the ring.
[Tazz] You gotta wrestle your pace here.
You're in there with The Undertaker, and you're the champion
and your title is on the line,
you can't just run into this guy like, you know, carefree.
[Michael] You know, Kurt Angle has made a living,
especially when he was in the Olympic Games,
of battling men bigger than him.
He knows how to wrestle his pace. There's no doubt about that.
[Tazz] Oh, no, I agree. I know that.
Kurt has always been the under-- overachiever.
But right now, he's caught on a big side headlock.
He got out of it.
[Michael] Shoulder knockdown by The Undertaker.
First cover of the matchup.
Angle kicks out at one.
[Tazz] And again, right to the arm. See how quick The Undertaker
goes right to that two on one for that arm. Ooh.
[Michael] That early cover by Undertaker
really just to send a message to the champion.
[Tazz] Yeah, that's exactly what it is.
It's just to feel what he's got in his kick-out,
just get on him real quick, well, maybe to catch him quick,
just to get in his head a little bit. "I'm here, man. I'm going for your title,"
that's what Taker is telling Kurt Angle right now.
[Michael] The Undertaker wearing down that left arm of Kurt Angle.
Very aware of the ankle lock.
Without a left arm, he can't apply the ankle lock.
[Tazz] Absolutely. You can see The Undertaker focused,
staying on that wrist, that arm. I'm assuming that's the game plan.
[Michael] Undertaker, multi-time WWE Champion.
Kurt Angle's held every title available in WWE over the years.
[Tazz] Look at this.
[Michael] And look at the strength of The Undertaker.
Undertaker just lifting Kurt Angle up.
[Tazz] God almighty.
[Michael] And still hanging on to that left arm.
Dropping the leg across the arm. That's 300 pounds.
[Tazz] And that's a-- kind of a modified short-arm scissors attack right there.
Again, talking about submission
and the ability in submission of The Deadman,
and Kurt-- He's pulling that hair a little bit.
[Michael] Are you surprised of the early tactics
-of The Undertaker in this matchup? -[Tazz] No, no, no.
I'm not surprised or anything. You kidding me? Look at this.
There's no telling what you're gonna see here in this match.
We got a keylock on that arm. Going for a cover there.
[Michael] Angle at two.
[Tazz] The two of WWE's best ever,
competing tonight live right here in color, baby.
Two future Hall of Famers in my opinion.
[Michael] Kurt Angle with the right hand. He's the champion.
The World Heavyweight Champion. Came to SmackDown from Raw
to the Battle Royal last month for the championship.
[Tazz] Kurt aden-- Kurt again, that arm is in trouble.
Undertaker has been on that arm for a few minutes here now. Uh-oh.
[Michael] Undertaker, gonna climb the ropes.
-[Tazz] Old School, baby. -[Michael] He's going for Old School
and Kurt Angle realized it,
delivered the right hand.
[Tazz] Stinging right hands, nasty, nasty brawls by Taker.
[Michael] And Angle can brawl with the best of them.
-No doubt about that. -[Tazz] Yeah, you gotta be careful.
You don't wanna throw hands with the-- oh!
[Michael] Oh. Again, working on that left arm,
rolling Kurt Angle through.
[Tazz] Yeah, The Deadman is picking his spots.
[crowd chanting indistinctly]
[Tazz] I think there's a mixed deal here, Cole.
You hear the chant, "Let's go Angle," "Let's go Taker."
[Michael] Undertaker top rope,
-Old School. -[Tazz] Old School.
[Michael] Right across the shoulder and back
of the surgically-repaired neck of Kurt Angle.
[Tazz] Uh-oh. Gotta be careful, Kurt. Gotta be careful-- Oh, whoa, whoa.
[Michael] And Kurt Angle ran right into it.
And Undertaker planted Angle.
-Into the cover, shoulders down. -[Tazz] Here we go.
[Michael] He may have it here, and a kick-out.
Uncharacteristic of Kurt Angle that time to rush into The Undertaker.
[Tazz] Plus, that second cover of the match there by The Deadman
on the arm of-- on the body of The Undertaker.
Look at this here. Whoa.
[Michael] Kurt Angle whipped into the corner.
Undertaker lifting Kurt Angle up, going for some Snake Eyes.
-And there it is. Snake Eyes. -[Tazz] He got it.
-Heads up. Watch out. -[Michael] Here comes Undertaker.
-Nobody home. -[Tazz] That was close.
-[Michael] Undertaker prevented himself-- -[Tazz] Here's a German.
[Michael] German suplex, released by Angle.
[Tazz] Not easy on a 305-pound,
damn near seven-foot monster.
[Michael] Kurt Angle still favoring that arm, into the cover.
-Shoulders are down. -[Tazz] Look!
[Michael] Kick-out at one and a half by The Undertaker.
[Tazz] Tell you what, tell you what, that might have been an opening for Angle.
And Angle knows he's going in for something here.
He's gonna try and get on the offense here a little bit.
Most of the beginning of this match has been The Deadman.
[Michael] Kurt Angle stomping away at the gut,
-the midsection of The Undertaker. -Get off of him! One, two, three…
[Michael] Both of these men, Tazz,
will take care of business by any means necessary.
[Tazz] I agree. Hey, you look. This is the--
this is to go into WrestleMania
as the World Heavyweight Champion
and face now, as we know, Randy Orton.
Big, big-big.
[Michael] What's The Undertaker always say?
-You gotta get them before they get you. -[Tazz] And I don't disagree with it.
He's in there with one of the best in Angle.
[Michael] Kurt Angle whipped across the ring.
-Off the rope-- -[Tazz] Oh, my God.
[Michael] And a high knee driving the champion to his knees.
[Tazz] Beautiful high knee, and watch out, watch out, watch out.
[Michael] This time nobody home.
Undertaker hung up top rope, now out on the apron.
[Tazz] Great quickness by Kurt Angle.
-Tremendous quickness. -[Michael] That will injure a groin.
-[Tazz] Watch out. Watch out! -[Michael] Kurt Angle
-knocking The Undertaker off the apron… -[Tazz] Oh, my God.
…and into the barricade. And suddenly the champion is in control,
buying himself some time.
[Tazz] We got ourselves a fight here, folks.
-[Michael] We knew it was gonna be. -[Tazz] Oh, yeah, big time.
[Michael] Again, this is about going to WrestleMania,
the Grandest Stage Of Them All,
being in the main event
and walking into WrestleMania in Chicago as the champion.
[Tazz] Here we go. Here we go. Oh, my God.
[Michael] Undertaker bounced off the steel steps.
Both of these men have been in main events at WrestleMania.
They know what it's about. They know about the pressure.
They know how important it is to your career.
[Tazz] Tell you what, Kurt Angle broke the count going in there,
did not wanna get a count-out. Watch this! Watch out!
[Michael] Oh. And caught by The Undertaker.
Angle caught by The Undertaker and driven spine-first,
spine-first into the post.
[Tazz] Right into your living room with that one, baby.
Did you see that? Holy smokes.
-[grunts] -[Tazz] Wow.
[Michael] I hear Kurt Angle. Did you hear him?
[Tazz] Now, Undertaker's breaking the count.
[Michael] But again, Undertaker is the challenger.
He cannot win the title outside the ring.
[Tazz] He knows that, but you can slow down
a Wrestling Machine like Kurt Angle on the outside
by doing what The Deadman did.
[Michael] Exactly.
[Tazz] You know, I had a conversation about three years ago
with The Undertaker, Cole.
And he told me that he felt, at that time anyway,
Kurt Angle was quite possibly the best ever.
And he made a point to me. He said, "You know, I would love to just beat him."
It was almost like he was trying to prove something
-and-- -[Michael] Oh!
[Tazz] And The Deadman's got nothing to prove to nobody.
But I think The Undertaker realizes what Kurt Angle is.
[Michael] Do you think he's been driven for the last few years
to get into a matchup of this proportion with Angle
and beat him at championship?
[Tazz] I definitely think so. I think so.
I mean, I hope I'm not speaking out of school here
but I think Kurt Angle is on a-- in a damn world of trouble right now also.
[Michael] That is vintage Undertaker, 300 pounds across the throat.
And remember the injured neck,
remember the surgically-repaired neck of the champion
and Undertaker knows that as well.
[Tazz] Besides the fact-- Again now, The Deadman breaking the count.
Besides the fact that Kurt Angle was just driven spine-first
to the ring post a couple of minutes ago…
-[Michael] Look at that. -[Tazz] Look at that.
[Michael] Nobody wants to win this match via count-out.
And don't make any mistake about that.
Undertaker wants to win this match in the ring
to win the championship, bottom line.
[Tazz] And so does Kurt.
You know what I'm saying? So does Kurt Angle.
-[grunts] -[Michael] Exactly.
Kurt Angle doesn't wanna take a count-out victory.
-Are you kidding me? All the pride in him? -[Tazz] There's the shot.
-A little half nelson there. Here we go! -[Michael] Here's the cover.
Shoulders down. And at two, Kurt Angle kicked out.
Undertaker believed he may have had him there.
[Tazz] Take a shot, that half nelson,
he locked that arm as he covered the body of Kurt Angle.
-Now-- Uh-oh. Uh-oh. -[Michael] Oh, my.
Kurt Angle doesn't realize what's happening.
Undertaker is stalking the champion.
[Tazz] He's gonna realize real quick, Cole.
[Michael] Kurt Angle back to his feet. Undertaker!
[Tazz] Oh, my Lord. Bruiser city.
[Michael] And Kurt Angle, kick to the knee,
and another kick to the knee.
Kurt Angle realizing that he--
-Oh, what a right hand. -[Tazz] Oh, my God.
[Michael] And that's what we talked about,
the best pure striker in the history of the game.
[Tazz] Tremendous, tremendous uppercut
to the face of Angle.
Man, that was nasty. Oh. Oh.
-[Michael] Kurt Angle taking the leg. -[Tazz] Nice, nice grip
with that beautiful low clip.
Looks that knee-- those knees-- He's capitalized on the knee
that he was working on earlier by stomping on that patella,
the front of you kneecap, of Kurt Angle--
I'm sorry, of The Undertaker.
[Michael] So much fun watching this matchup,
the two distinct styles of these two great superstars.
-And Kurt Angle working on that knee. -[Tazz] Look at this.
[Michael] Undertaker trying to battle his way out of it.
[Tazz] Working on that knee, Kurt Angle like a damn…
just like a… like an animal, man, just staying on that knee.
Here we go. Like a Wrestling Machine that he is, Kurt Angle.
[Michael] Oh, what a right hand. And again.
He had already… that leg down and that ankle area,
you wear it down for the ankle lock.
[Tazz] I think he's going for the knee, my friend.
Look at this. Right across that lateral collateral ligament
that keeps your knee in motion, that keeps your knee afloat.
The Deadman is in trouble.
Angle broke the count.
[Nick] Get in the ring.
-[Michael] Again wrapping the knee. -[Tazz] Watch this. Whoa, whoa, whoa.
-Hold on here. -[Michael] Oh, look at this. Look at this.
-A version of like a figure-four… -[Tazz] Yeah. On a ring post.
…with Undertaker wrapped around the ring post.
-[Tazz] Oh, my God. -[Michael] Referee Nick Patrick
is counting here.
[Tazz] Oh, Kurt is gonna count himself out.
-[Michael] Kurt Angle -[Nick] Five!
-[Tazz] Careful here. -[Michael] I believe he broke it.
-[Nick] Six! -[Michael] But by the count here--
Now, he breaks the count at six.
[Tazz] Well, Kurt had the wherewithal to--
Stay in the ring!
Keep it in the ring or I'll make the count. Now, stay back.
[Michael] Referee Nick Patrick reading the Riot Act to Kurt Angle.
[Tazz] Now what? Kurt didn't do nothing wrong. He broke the count.
I mean he put… put Undertaker in a lot of pain in that knee
with that figure-four in that steel post.
-[Nick] Angle, get in the ring. -[Tazz] Oh, my God.
[Michael] Now, the point of that elbow again
driven into that knee of The Undertaker.
This will take the big man off his feet.
[Tazz] Kurt Angle is just all-- Oh, oh, watch out.
-[Michael] Here's the cover by Angle. -One! One-count.
[Michael] And Undertaker at one, kicks out.
But Undertaker can hardly walk,
trying to make it back to his feet.
A right hand, but Kurt Angle continues his vicious assault.
This is textbook Kurt Angle here.
[Tazz] Hey, smart tactics on the part-- on the part of Kurt Angle.
And look at that desperation.
I don't blame The Deadman, Undertaker.
-This is nasty. This is a fight, Cole. -[Michael] Try now to fight--
[Tazz] Beating the hell out of each other here tonight, man.
[Michael] Well, it's all about the World Heavyweight Championship.
It's all about going to WrestleMania by any means necessary.
[Tazz] Well, it's all about that ankle lock too
and that's just what we might see in a little bit.
[Michael] Oh! Oh, man.
-[Tazz] Wow. -[Michael] How good is Kurt Angle?
How good is the champion?
[Tazz] You ain't gotta sell Kurt Angle to me.
I think he's phenomenal.
He's one of the best of all time.
And that's a fact in my opinion.
[Michael] He is just wearing down that leg,
-that knee, that ankle. -[Tazz] Watch out. Watch out!
[Michael] You wear that leg down,
it's gonna be easy pickings for the ankle lock.
[Tazz] Well, now Kurt Angle is in control.
For the first time, he's in total control. Oh, whoa, whoa.
[Michael] Oh, wait a minute. Undertaker countered for a moment,
but again Angle back to the knee.
Get out of the ropes. One, two.
[Tazz] How much more can Undertaker's knee take?
[Michael] Oh, what an uppercut.
-[Tazz] Watch out. -[Michael] Angle went through the ropes.
And Undertaker buys himself some time.
[Tazz] Yeah, that definitely bought himself some time but…
can Undertaker capitalize?
And can The Deadman…
[crowd chatter]
[Michael] Oh, what a knee.
Undertaker with a knee to Kurt Angle.
Undertaker, the challenger, Angle the champion.
The World Heavyweight title on the line.
[Tazz] Referee counting both men right now.
Gotta watch the count.
Four!
[Michael] And look at Undertaker,
he sends Kurt Angle into the ring to break the count.
[Tazz] Putting Kurt Angle in the same spot that he was earlier.
[Michael] Undertaker really favoring that left leg.
-[Tazz] Yeah-- Oh! -[Michael] Oh, man!
-Uses the right leg. -[Tazz] Oh, my God.
That was right in front of us. I mean, I had a bird's eye view of that.
He might've busted that ear open or something of Kurt Angle.
What a way to cauliflower your ear on the side of your damn head.
[Michael] And Undertaker on the apron, the champion in trouble.
[Tazz] Uh-oh. Oh, not again.
[Michael] Really, really favoring the leg.
[Tazz] Is he gonna go for this again? Oh, look at this.
Oh, my--
[Michael] Kurt Angle grabbed him. Kurt Angle grabbed him.
[Tazz] Whoa, whoa, whoa, he's got the ankle lock.
Are you kidding me?
-[Michael] Taker in the ankle lock. -[Tazz] Look at this.
[Michael] The referee is yelling, you gotta bring him to the ring,
but Kurt Angle is trying to break that ankle.
[Tazz] He's got the damn ankle lock, Cole.
[Michael] Angle trying to break the ankle of The Undertaker.
-Kurt Angle has got it locked in. -Three!
[Tazz] The referee is counting meanwhile.
-[Nick] Four! -[Tazz] He's up to four.
Kurt is tearing that… looking right at it, Cole, right in front of me here.
[Michael] Kurt Angle is wrenching
the ankle and the knee of The Undertaker.
[Tazz] Kurt, you gotta get up in the ring. You'll get counted out, man.
[Michael] And now Kurt Angle wisely breaks the count.
[Tazz] Wow. He breaks the count
but he might have just shattered the ankle--
[Michael] And again, back to the ankle.
Again, back to the ankle. That is the bad leg.
That is the bad leg of The Undertaker,
the one Kurt Angle has been working out all night long.
[Tazz] And the referee is counting, he's up to three.
[Michael] And look, driving his foot into that hamstring.
[Tazz] This is damn near brutal. This is unreal.
[Michael] Can you see-- Look at the position of that… of that ankle.
He's got that ankle bent around.
[Tazz] I'm looking right at it, the referee.
[Michael] He's gonna break the damn ankle.
[Tazz] Kurt, it's up to seven. Ref, get-- Kurt, get in the ring, man.
[Michael] And Kurt Angle breaks the count at eight.
[Tazz] How long can this go on? I mean, how much--
[Michael] This is vicious, absolutely vicious.
[Tazz] Effective though.
-Vicious but effective. -[Michael] Undertaker back into the ring.
Kurt Angle back in after him.
[Tazz] I'll tell you what, if Kurt Angle gets that ankle lock--
ankle lock on in the ring, it's gonna be over.
[Michael] Driving the elbow to the knee.
Again, driving the elbow to the knee.
[Tazz] Working that whole lower leg, the knee, the shin,
and especially the ankle.
Now, Kurt's got that leg laced up.
And Undertaker trying to overhook or do something,
-but he gotta be careful. -[Nick] One.
[Tazz] Don't wanna get yourself in a position where Undertaker can pop off
something like a… like a sleeper when your head's there.
The Undertaker will do that move.
[Michael] Undertaker trying to battle out using right hands to the kidney.
-Now, Kurt Angle -[Tazz] Deadman's in trouble.
-Deadman is in trouble. -[Michael] Shoulders down at two.
Kurt Angle just picking apart-- methodically picking apart the leg.
Shoulders down again.
[Tazz] Again, look at that-- oh, now with an over grip.
I feel like your ankle is not made to be twisted and torqued that way.
[Michael] No, not at all. Not at all.
[Tazz] Kurt Angle dissecting that whole leg
and twisting the ankle of The Undertaker.
[Michael] Undertaker desperately, desperately trying to--
[Tazz] And, you know-- Sorry. I don't mean to interrupt you, Cole,
but in my opinion, this is a disadvantage for The Undertaker to have such long legs.
The man's got gigantic, long legs.
There's so much room for Kurt Angle
to put different leg locks and submissions on him.
[Michael] And there's also a lot of room for Angle
to actually stay away from the body of The Undertaker
and not suffer the brunt of those blows.
There's such a distance between the leg and The Undertaker's upper body.
-[Tazz] Wait a minute. -[Michael] And look at this.
-Legs across the throat… -[Tazz] Beautiful.
…across the throat of Kurt Angle, forces Angle--
That last one was across the bridge of the nose.
-[Tazz] You think? -[Michael] Forcing Angle to break it.
[Tazz] We got a perfect shot of that.
Talk about physical. Double leg--
[Michael] Takedown and The Undertaker--
And now the right hands by the vicious champion, Kurt Angle.
-The right hands to The Undertaker. -[inaudible]
[Tazz] Beautiful double leg
and then that pounding and grounding and watch out now.
-Whoa, whoa, whoa, hold on now. -[Michael] The Undertaker here.
[Tazz] He's going for that-- Looks like he's going for a triangle--
I think he's going for a triangle choke, yeah.
He's got a triangle choke going on here, Cole.
[Michael] This is a submission maneuver.
-The Undertaker has used it in the past. -[Tazz] Yes, he has.
[Michael] He's got people to tap out in the past and pass out.
[Tazz] Excruciatingly painful hold that will choke you out.
[Michael] The champion makes it to the ropes.
Break the hold. One, two…
[Tazz] Well, that's good for Angle. You gotta let go, Deadman.
Angle, you ain't getting out of that.
I mean, I don't even know if Angle's gonna get out of that.
And Angle can get out of damn near any hold.
[Michael] Undertaker used the full five-count
before he broke the triangle choke,
but again, the damage has been done to that left leg of The Undertaker.
[Tazz] Yeah, but Cole, the…
you know, all the amount of pain that the ankle and leg
is in of The Undertaker.
Did that triangle choke affect his leg more?
[Michael] A great point.
[Tazz] Look at the effect of the triangle choke.
Kurt Angle is woozy. He can't even stand up.
You see stars with that thing.
I've never had it done on me in a match, but in training…
different types of training I've done in martial arts,
I've had it on me, it's brutal.
-Yeah. And I'm telling you the truth. -[Michael] It'll choke you out, right?
[Tazz] You feel like the top of your head's gonna blow off
and you just see stars.
And I'm not exaggerating. It's true.
[Michael] And Kurt Angle bounced off the barricade by The Undertaker,
trying to get along a little bit better on that left leg.
Right hand by The Undertaker to the champion.
Kurt Angle, the champion.
[Tazz] Kurt Angle is trying to get some separation
between The Deadman and himself.
[Michael] Oh, look out now. Watch out! Angle--
-Kurt Angle… -[Tazz] Oh, my God.
…taking out the ring announcer, Tony Chimel,
into the steel chair, and Undertaker will break the count.
-[Tazz] Yes, he will. -[Nick] Get back in the ring!
-[Michael] Oh, my. -[Tazz] Wow.
[Michael] Undertaker driving the champion right into the bell table.
[Tazz] Came in-- coming flying right at us.
Better Chimel than us.
[Michael] And Kurt Angle bounced off the apron.
Undertaker right hand to the gut!
[Tazz] Look at that punch to the face.
First it was a body shot.
-Oh, my God, nasty. -[Michael] And, oh, my.
[Tazz] Watch out, Cole. Get out of the way.
Just get out of the damn way.
[Michael] Oh, here comes The Undertaker now.
The Undertaker has had enough.
He's cleanin' house.
[Michael] And again, Undertaker back in the ring
to break up the count.
[Tazz] Now, we got The Deadman back in the ring.
Angle's right out here in front of the… in front of the Spanish announcer table.
[Michael] Referee Nick Patrick had-- wanted nothing to do with The Undertaker.
And again, The Deadman out on the attack, favoring that leg.
Ducked underneath the right hand.
-[Tazz] Look at this! Watch out! -[Michael] Angle Slam!
-[Tazz] Oh, God! Oh, my God! -[Michael] Angle Slam!
Angle Slam through the announce table.
[Tazz] Holy cow!
Explosive!
[Michael] The champion with an Angle Slam to the 300-pound Undertaker,
and he crashed through the announce table.
[Tazz] Damn near seven-foot, 300-pound Undertaker.
Did you see that Angle Sla-- Holy cow, that was unbelievable.
[Michael] Undertaker went for a right hand.
[Tazz] Let's take another look at this, Cole. Watch this.
[Michael] As we take another look, and watch how quick Angle is.
[Tazz] Man, God almighty.
Holy cow. That was… look at this, look at this, look at this, damn.
[crowd cheering]
[Michael] Both of these men sacrificing their bodies
for the ultimate goal, the World Heavyweight Championship.
And as we've been saying throughout the matchup, Tazz,
by any means necessary.
[Tazz] That's definitely happenin' right here.
Angle's in the ring.
[Michael] How the hell is Undertaker even stirring?
[Michael] I don't know. I-- Kurt…
Undertaker might get counted out over here.
[crowd chattering]
[Michael] Referee Nick Patrick at a count of six.
-Seven. -[Tazz] He's gonna get counted out, Cole.
[Michael] The count of seven,
World Heavyweight Championship on the line.
[Tazz] I'm telling you, The Undertaker is gonna get counted out.
Nine.
Don't do it, man. Don't f****** do it.
I'll keep beating this motherf***** in the ring.
-[speaks indistinctly] -You gotta do it in the ring
-or I'm gonna count him out. -Bull****!
[Michael] Kurt Angle telling the referee Nick Patrick,
"I'm gonna beat him in the ring. I don't wanna win this on a count-out."
Can you believe the champion
stopped the referee from counting out the challenger in this matchup?
[Tazz] Oh, oh, I could believe it.
It's the type of competitor that Kurt Angle is.
[Michael] Kurt Angle with the uppercut.
Undertaker may have been counted out and Kurt Angle stopped the count.
Bouncing The Undertaker off the apron.
[Tazz] I'm gonna tell you something right now.
Kurt Angle is on… cookin' on all cylinders.
He is… He is on fire, man.
[Michael] Did you see the look in The Undertaker's eyes?
They were glazed over, almost back in his head.
[Tazz] Watch out. Watch out. Oh, my God!
[Michael] Kurt Angle driven shoulder-first into the steel step.
And did you see Angle's jaw?
His chin bounced off that wood from the announce table.
[Tazz] Let's take another look at the move that I think just saved--
maybe saved Undertaker this matchup.
[Michael] Watch Kurt Angle's head here, right on that wood.
The wood driven into his Adam's apple
after he went shoulder-first into the steel steps.
[Tazz] And Undertaker is right out in front of us,
and he can't hardly even walk on that leg.
And he's stalking over the body of Kurt Angle.
-[Michael] My, what a match. -[Tazz] It's like a war zone out here.
[Michael] World Heavyweight Championship on the line,
champion back into the ring, the challenger, The Undertaker,
trying to build some momentum to get back into this matchup.
[Tazz] It's hard to build momentum on one leg though, I mean, he's hurt.
[Michael] Undertaker back into the ring.
[Tazz] Kurt's in the ring. Undertaker goes and breaks the count.
[Michael] Where's he going?
[Tazz] Hold on. Wait a minute. What…
-[Michael] What is The Undertaker doing? -[Tazz] I don't know. He's got…
[Michael] Ladies and gentlemen, you rarely see--
[Tazz] What is he doing? He's got a bad knee.
[Michael] And you rarely see The Undertaker go to the top rope,
and Kurt Angle trying to capitalize.
[Tazz] And Kurt did-- Kurt got up quick,
and popped The Undertaker with a few punches.
Uh-oh. Uh-oh.
[Michael] Oh, my. Oh, my. Oh, my.
[Tazz] Oh, you gotta be kidding. Look at this.
[Michael] Undertaker with a right hand to the ribs.
-[Tazz] Now that-- -[Michael] Kurt Angle down.
[Tazz] Look at those eyes, Cole. Look at The Deadman.
[Michael] Both these athletes have given it their all here
for the World Heavyweight Championship, and Undertaker isn't through with it yet.
And look at Kurt Angle up to the top rope.
[Michael] Watch out. Watch out. Oh, my! Oh, my!
[Tazz] I don't think he got-- don't think-- Here we go!
[Michael] Into the cover, hook to the leg.
[Tazz] He's got it. He's got him!
[Michael] And a kick-out at two and a half.
[Tazz] Ooh, wow. That was close.
[Michael] Kurt Angle cannot believe that The Undertaker kicked out.
[Tazz] Well, I don't know, that belly-to-belly,
I believe… I couldn't tell from this angle,
I believe that's what Angle was going for.
[Michael] I believe Taker landed flat on his shoulder.
[Tazz] Yeah, it-- and Kurt couldn't get him all the way over.
He's so damn huge, The Undertaker.
[Michael] Kurt Angle with that knee lift.
And there's a right hand by Undertaker, who never says die.
-[Tazz] Here we go. -[Michael] Right hands by Kurt Angle.
[Tazz] Look at that punch. Look at the snap in those punches.
[Michael] The champion right into a boot of the challenger.
[Tazz] He could've snapped-- I think that Angle's head
-almost snapped off his body. Here we go! -[Michael] Undertaker into the cover.
-[Tazz] One, two. -[Michael] Shoulders are down.
There's two, he's got him, no.
At two and a half, a kick-out by the champion.
[Tazz] What a match.
What a match for the World Heavyweight Championship.
Now, what? Uh-oh, Cole.
-[Michael] I'll tell you what. -[Tazz] Uh-oh, man. Look at this.
[Michael] Undertaker is going for the kill.
-Look at The Champion. -[Tazz] Angle has--
Angle has no clue what he's in for.
[Michael] Not at all. The champion back to his feet.
Hands around the neck, Kurt Angle in trouble.
[Tazz] Here we go.
[Michael] Went for the Chokeslam. Roll through and into the ankle lock.
-[Tazz] Watch out. Oh, my God. -[Michael] What a counter. What a counter.
-What a counter. -[Tazz] He's got that ankle.
[Michael] The ankle lock locked in on the bad leg.
[Tazz] He's got that ankle lock. He's got the ankle.
[Michael] On the bad leg of The Undertaker.
And it's locked in and Undertaker is in trouble.
[Tazz] There's no… Undertaker keeps trying to spin off,
but he can't do it, that grip, the grip of Angle.
[Michael] Kurt Angle has Undertaker center of the ring.
Will The Undertaker tap out for the very first time in his career?
Will The Undertaker tap out for the first time ever?
[Tazz] Angle screaming, "Tap, tap."
[Michael] Twisting that ankle, torquing the ankle.
-[Tazz] He's got him. -[Michael] And look at this.
[Tazz] Wait a minute, triangle choke.
[Michael] Oh, my. The triangle choke locked in again for The Undertaker.
[Tazz] Undertaker's got the triangle choke.
Are you kidding or what?
He's gonna choke him out.
-Kurt's gonna tap. -[Michael] Look at Kurt. Look at Kurt.
[Tazz] Kurt's gonna tap.
-[Michael] Is the champion gonna tap here? -[Tazz] He's gonna choke him out.
[Michael] He rolls through.
[Tazz] Rolled through to the ankle lock again.
Unbelievable spin out of that triangle choke.
You gotta give Angle credit on that.
[Michael] Angle is yelling "Tap, tap, tap."
[Tazz] That's unheard of to get out of that triangle choke.
[Michael] Is Undertaker gonna tap?
[Tazz] He's gotta tap, Cole.
The Deadman has gotta tap.
[Michael] Neither one of these men have ever submitted.
Kurt Angle with the ankle lock locked in to The Undertaker.
Undertaker rolls through.
[Tazz] Rolled through. Got out of that.
Finally, and that ankle's gotta be shot.
-[Michael] Legs gotta be shot. -[Tazz] Uh-oh. Uh-oh.
-[Michael] Look at this. -[Tazz] Check it out, man.
[Michael] Chokeslam.
A Chokeslam on one leg.
The Undertaker Chokeslam.
[Tazz] New champ. New champ. New champ. New champ. New champ here.
[Michael] Oh, Angle kicked out at two.
[Tazz] God Almighty.
[Michael] What a match for the World Heavyweight Championship
and a berth in WrestleMania.
[Tazz] How close was that?
Oh, my God. What a match.
[Michael] Undertaker…
[Tazz] Angle is not moving.
Oh, he's moving a little, but you know what I'm saying. He's hurting.
[Michael] …taking his time, stalking the champion.
Kurt Angle back to his feet.
[Tazz] Zoning in. Taker's zoning in.
[Michael] Undertaker kick to the midsection.
[Tazz] Uh-oh. Uh-oh. Last Ride, Cole.
[Michael] Going for the Last Ride.
Kurt Angle in trouble.
Rolls through, he's got it.
-[Tazz] He's got that ankle again. -[Michael] The ankle lock again.
[Tazz] This guy's unbelievable.
Angle's got the ankle lock again on The Deadman.
[Michael] Will Undertaker tap out?
[Tazz] He's gonna have to tap, Cole.
There's no signs of Angle letting go of it.
[Michael] Listen to the sellout crowd.
-[Tazz] Oh, my God. -[Michael] Kurt Angle.
[Tazz] He's salivating at the mouth.
Angle senses victory.
[Michael] How much more can Taker's leg and ankle take?
[Tazz] Look at how his damn ankle is contorted and bent up.
[Michael] It has been abused this entire matchup. Undertaker--
[Tazz] He's close to the ropes. He's close to the ropes.
[Michael] He's a fingertip away.
-Can he get there? -[Tazz] He's got it-- Oh, man.
[Michael] Angle yanks Taker back to the middle of the ring.
-And again, Undertaker powering out. -[crowd cheering]
[Tazz] How the hell is The Deadman doing this?
[Michael] How is he back on his feet?
[Tazz] Whoa, he ducked it. Heads up.
[Michael] Angle Slam. The Angle Slam!
-That should do it. -[Tazz] No doubt.
[Michael] Kurt Angle into the cover, hooks the leg.
[Tazz] Angle's going to Mania. Angle is going to Mania. Oh.
[Michael] Not yet. Not yet. Not yet.
[crowd cheering]
[Michael] Undertaker still got a life.
[Tazz] Unreal.
This battle is one for the ages, Cole.
-We knew it. We knew it. -[Michael] We said it was gonna be
the greatest main event in SmackDown history.
And it's living up to it, ladies and gentlemen.
-He's the champion. -[Tazz] Oh, boy.
[Michael] Undertaker is the challenger.
[Tazz] Oh, man.
[Michael] Angle can't believe it.
[Tazz] Oh, God. Look at this, Cole. Poof!
-[Michael] Both men going toe for toe. -[Tazz] Punch for punch.
[Michael] Right hands.
-Kurt Angle caught by The Undertaker. -[Tazz] Oh, my God.
-Angle's done. Angle's done. Angle's done. -[Michael] Going for the Tombstone.
Going for the Tombstone Piledriver.
-[Tazz] Holy cow! -[Michael] What a reversal.
[Tazz] He countered it.
[Michael] Going for a Tombstone of his own.
[Tazz] No way.
-[Michael] Undertaker countered. -[Tazz] Angle's done.
-[Michael] Oh, my Lord. -[Tazz] Watch your ankle.
-Watch your ankle. -[Michael] And again, a counter.
-Again, a counter. -[Tazz] Look at this. Oh, my gosh.
-[Michael] Again, a counter. -[Tazz] Unbelievable.
[Michael] Kurt Angle with a counter into the ankle lock.
I cannot believe this.
[Tazz] I have never witnessed an exchange like this.
[Michael] That's it. The lock again.
[Tazz] No one-- no one-- no one gets out of it
once he figure-fours that leg with the ankle lock.
[Michael] Will The Undertaker tap out for the first time ever?
[Tazz] He's gonna tap.
He's not gonna have a choice. The Deadman, Taker's gotta tap.
-[Michael] Undertaker has nothing left. -[Tazz] Look at this. He's gonna tap.
[Michael] Undertaker has nothing left.
[Tazz] Oh, man, flat in the middle of the ring. The leg is laced up.
The ankle lock's in. He's gonna tap.
[Michael] Oh, wait a minute. Undertaker got off his back.
Undertaker with his back-- Now the boots to the face.
[Tazz] Oh, my God. Oh, my God.
[Michael] Those long legs coming in handy.
[Tazz] He's kicking the hands. Trying to break those hands, he did.
He broke the grip.
[Michael] Both men exhausted, middle of the ring.
Oh, my Lord.
-What next? What next? -[Tazz] This is amazing.
You got me, this is amazing. Amazing.
[Michael] Kurt Angle from behind.
-[Tazz] Oh, my God. Oh, my God. -[Michael] Angle's got him again.
Angle's got him.
-[Tazz] That's it. -[Michael] Here's the champion.
-[Tazz] He's got it. -[Michael] Wait a minute. Wait a minute.
[Tazz] Triangle choke. He's got the damn triangle choke on.
[Michael] The triangle choke is locked in.
Undertaker countered into a triangle choke.
[Tazz] He's got that choke on tight, Cole.
Undertaker has got that in, man.
Angle's trying to get out. He's gonna get choked out.
Angle's gonna tap. He might tap out, Cole.
[Michael] And Kurt Angle may tap out for the first time in his career.
The triangle choke is locked in here, ladies and gentlemen.
[Tazz] You know what, Kurt Angle might be out right now for all we know.
Look at him. He's turning purple, man.
-[Michael] Kurt Angle-- -[Tazz] Kurt is gonna tap.
He's gonna tap out, Cole, for the first time in his career.
[Michael] Look at the arm. Look at the arm.
[Tazz] He's gonna tap. But he-- Did he tap now?
[Michael] Look at Kurt Angle's left arm.
That's what you gotta watch, ladies and gentlemen.
[Tazz] He's trying to hang on.
Kurt's gonna tap, I'm tell--
[Michael] The referee in perfect position.
-[Tazz] That triangle… He's done. -[Michael] Kurt Angle is done.
-The triangle choke-- -[Michael] He's done.
[Tazz] Kurt's going out. He's sinking. He's going out.
-[Michael] Kurt Angle's out. -[Tazz] One.
[Michael] If the arm goes down three times,
-we have a new champion. -[Tazz] Two more, he's done. There's two.
[Michael] There's two. We may have a new champion,
-ladies and gentlemen. -[Tazz] Here we go, baby. Here we go.
[Michael] And Kurt Angle kept it up.
-[Tazz] He held on. -[Michael] Wait a minute.
-He rolls through. -[Tazz] Roll through.
-He's got the choke on-- -[Michael] Look at this.
[Tazz] Triangle choke. Look at this. Wait a minute.
-[Michael] Kurt Angle pinned him. -[bell ringing]
-[Tazz] No, wait a minute. -[Michael] Kurt Angle pinned him.
[Tazz] Whoa, whoa, whoa, slow down. He didn't pin anything. He--
The Undertaker had that triangle choke on.
[Michael] Yeah, but Kurt Angle pinned him.
I believe The Undertaker's shoulders were down.
[Tazz] Taker was the aggressor. He-- Wait a minute.
He had the ho-- If we could hear this.
Well, what the hell is the deal?
Taker had that hold on, Cole. He had that damn triangle choke.
[Michael] Yeah, he did, but I think Undertaker's shoulders were down.
[Tazz] Yeah, but there was a-- Yeah, he did--
[Chimel] The winner of this match by pinfall
and still World Heavyweight Champion,
Kurt Angle.
-[Michael] Oh, my. -[Tazz] Oh, my God.
[Michael] Kurt Angle is the World Heavyweight Champion.
Kurt Angle is going to WrestleMania to face Randy Orton,
but what a match.
Undertaker can't believe it.
[Tazz] I don't blame The Undertaker, but I'll tell you what,
what a match and-- Okay, now, but the referee's decision…
["Medal" playing]
…somehow Kurt Angle came up with a pinfall victory, Cole.
How? I don't know.
Undertaker had just-- Undertaker never released the hold.
He was the aggressor, you know what I mean?
[Michael] Kurt Angle rolled through
-with that jackknife cover. -[Tazz] I know.
[Michael] Undertaker's shoulders were down.
Referee Nick Patrick counted the one, two, three.
[Tazz] Uh-oh. What-- Wait a minute.
What the hell?
I ain't done with you yet.
You might take that.
I got your number.
I'm not done with you.
[Tazz] What?
[Michael] Undertaker saying, "I got your number,"
but the bottom line is Kurt Angle's going to WrestleMania.
What a No Way Out. What a matchup.
Thanks for joining us from Baltimore.
Good night, everybody. rom Baltimore.