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KEEPING THE MEMORIES ALIVE: THE FIRST SMACKDOWN

Hello readers and welcome to the twelfth edition of “Keeping The Memories Alive“. In today’s edition, I will be reviewing the pilot edition of WWF Smackdown. The event was taped on April 27, 1999 from the Coliseum in New Haven, Connecticut. It aired April 29 on UPN. Keep your requests coming.

The show opens with a video package highlighting the events from Raw 3 nights ago, followed by the intro video.

Pyro explodes as Michael Cole and Jim Cornette welcome us. Cole mentions that this is the first time the WWF has been on network TV in quite sometime (the last Saturday Nights Main Event on FOX in late 1992).

Vince McMahon and Stephanie McMahon make their way out. Wow how innocent does Stephanie look here at 22 years old? No makeup either. The crowd starts chanting “asshole” at Vince. Vince says he wants to change. He says that from now on, he will be thanking the people who help him. Vince wants to thank Ken Shamrock, the Big Show and Steve Austin for all their help with Stephanie last week. Stephanie says she also wants to thank them. She says she couldn’t stand it last week when the Undertaker kept touching her and that she hopes the Undertaker burns in hell. The rest of the Corporation make their way out, Shane McMahon, Triple H, Chyna, the Big Boss Man and the Mean Street Posse. Now Shane gets some asshole chants as well. Shane basically calls his father a pussy for thanking people like Austin.. Shane says he don’t give a rats ass about Vince or Stephanie. Vince goes to hit Shane but HHH gets in his way. Shane tells them to just leave and they do. Shane says that his hit list currently consists of the Rock and Steve Austin. Shane makes the main event tonight, Austin and Rock vs. Triple H (who volunteered) and……. Shane then asks if there are any TAKERS…… The Undertaker is shown on the titan tron, who is very upset that Steve Austin stuck his nose where it didn’t belong Monday night. Shane says that the Undertaker will be Triple H’s partner.

Later tonight, Kane & X-Pac defend the WWF Tag Team Titles against the New Age Outlaws, Mankind vs. the Big Boss Man and Ken Shamrock vs. Bradshaw in a Street Fight.

Jeff Jarrett and Debra are shown backstage looking for Owen Hart.

We see the Blue Blazer running around backstage. He says “the WWF needs a superhero”. The voice is clearly that of Owen Hart.

Match #1: Val Venis vs. the Blue Blazer.

Tale Of The Tape: Blue Blazer (227 pounds, from parts unknown, 33 years old, 2 time WWF Intercontinental Champion). Val Venis (260 pounds, from Las Vegas, Nevada, 28 years old, former WWF Intercontinental Champion).

Before the match, Val gets on the mic. “the Big Valbowski is always up rather than down and never has an early withdraw”. Jeff Jarrett and Debra then come down and Jarrett says he will be the Blazer’s replacement but then the Blazer shows up and attacks Val from behind. Crowd is chanting “nugget“. Blazer hit’s a missile dropkick, still yet to take his robe off. Now a “we want puppies” chant has begun. Val hit’s a delayed suplex and then an elbow off the second rope. Val then does a fisherman suplex but Debra distracts the ref, which allows Jarrett to come in and kick Val in the balls, allowing Blazer to get the pin when the ref turns around. After the match, out comes Nicole Bass and boy is she nasty. Venis runs and Bass follows him to the back. The Godfather then comes out and gets his ass handed to him by Jarrett and the Blazer. Nice short thong shot of Debra while she exit’s the ring.

The Rock is shown pacing backstage, talking about making somebody’s monkey ass famous tonight.

Commercial break.

Backstage, Kevin Kelly interviews the Blue Blazer. The Blazer tells Kelly he is looking for Owen Hart and to please let him know if he sees him. He also tells all the little Blazer’s to drink their milk (Faarooq is shown walking in the background).

Match #2: The Big Show vs. Test.

Tale Of The Tape: Big Show (500 pounds, from Tampa, Florida, 27 years old, 2 time WCW Champion). Test (282 pounds, from Toronto, Ontario, 24 years old, former WWW Champion).

Both of these men are fresh out the Corporation. The Big Boss Man comes down right before the bell. Big Show does a freaking dropkick! I don’t believe I ever saw him do that, nicely done. He follows that up with the choke slam for the win in about a minute. After the match, Boss Man attacks Test but Big Show saves the day.

Do you smell what the Rock is cookin? Out comes the great one. Cornette says Rock is not scheduled on the format. The Rock makes it clear he will stick his foot up the asses of the Undertaker and Triple H tonight. He will also do the same thing to Steve Austin if he gets in his way. Out comes Austin. Steve says that no matter what, the Rock will always be a little punk kid in Austin’s eyes and he will whip his ass. Shane McMahon comes out. Shane says he loves the fact that Austin and Rock want to rip each other apart. He then reveals his master plan as the same man who just abducted his sister, the Undertaker, comes out next to him. Then comes Triple H, Paul Bearer and others. it’s the entire Corporation and Ministry. Shane declares them as the Corporate Ministry!

Commercial break.

Backstage, Kevin Kelly is with X-Pac and Kane. Kelly asks them about their loyalties as a team. X-Pac says since Kane likes things unpredictable, that’s what he will get. Kane says nothing.

Match #3: Droz (with Prince Albert) vs. D-Lo Brown (with Ivory).

Tale Of The Tape: D-Lo Brown (265 pounds, from Chicago, Illinois, 25 years old, 2 time WWF European Champion). Droz (275 pounds, from May’s Landing, New Jersey, 29 years old).

Kind of ironic D-Lo is wrestling Droz here as D-Lo was the one who accidentally paralyzed him in a match later in the year. Pretty back and forth match, nothing special. Droz takes a breather and goes outside. D-Lo launches himself over the top, taking out both Droz and Prince Albert. Albert then gets in the ring and does a version of the jackhammer to D-Lo causing the disqualification. Ivory runs like hell to the back. Droz and Albert are now about to pierce D-Lo’s face with Albert’s piercing gun. Ivory runs back with Mark Henry who clears the ring.

We see clips of Sable on several TV shows such as Regis, Howard Stern, Entertainment Tonight and Happy Hour.

Commercial break.

Backstage, Kevin Kelly interviews the New Age Outlaws. The Road Dogg says that X-Pac is his friend….. Billy Gunn interrupts him and says there are no friends when it comes to the tag team titles.

Match #4: X-Pac & Kane defend the WWF Tag Team Titles against the New Age Outlaws (The Road Dogg & “Bad Ass” Billy Gunn).

Tale Of The Tape: X-Pac & Kane (On first reign as WWF Tag Team Champions. X-Pac is 223 pounds, from Minneapolis, Minnesota, 26 years old. Kane is 326 pounds, from parts unknown, 31 years old). New Age Outlaws (506 pounds. Road Dogg hails from Nashville, Tennessee, 28 years old, former WWF Intercontinental Champion. Billy Gunn hails from Austin, Texas, 35 years old, 6 time WWF Tag Team Champion).

Road Dogg does his usual tag team champions of the world speech. I forgot how over that was with the fans. Billy seems to be all business while Dogg doesn’t want to fight X-Pac. Kane and Billy going at it, Kane getting the better of it. Kane hit’s a leg drop for the first pin attempt, a count of 2. X-Pac is tagged in and Billy hit’s a dropkick. Road Dogg is tagged in and goes for the cover but only gets a 2. Billy back in and hit’s a stinger splash. He tries another one but misses. Kane comes back in and cleans house on both Outlaws. Road Dogg manages to get in the shake, rattle and roll before a double dropkick on Kane. Kane strikes back with a double clothesline. X-Pac hit’s the bronco buster on Dogg. Gunn hit’s the fameasser on Kane but X-Pac makes the save. Match comes to an end when Gunn had X-Pac up in a press slam, Kane whips Dogg into Gunn, Gunn drops X-Pac on top to get the win. X-Pac and Kane retain the tag straps.

Backstage, we see Steve Austin lacing up his boots.

Commercial break.

We see a replay from the tag title match just moments ago.

Backstage, the Outlaws are arguing, Gunn shoves Dogg. Road agents come and break it up.

Dok Hendrix introduces the Brood, Gangrel, Edge and Christian.. It had been heavily advertised that the Brood will speak for the first time tonight. Gangrel speaks first. He talks some bullshit about feeling the gothic power. Hendrix asks Christian about their lifestyle? Christian will not comment so Edge speaks up and says “we are who we are, those who believe, follow. The freaks come out at night”. Hendrix says he thinks its just a gimmick. Gangrel says “I think you are the one who is confused….. Michael”. The lights go out. When they come back on, Michael Hayes…. Ehh, Dok Hendrix is covered in a bloodbath.

Backstage, Billy Gunn is running around screaming for X-Pac.

Commercial break.

Backstage, Kevin Kelly asks Ken Shamrock about his match tonight with Bradshaw. Shamrock says he was raised to fight and he is going to break Bradshaw’s bones tonight (Wow, Shamrock made a rhyme).

Match #5: Bradshaw vs. “the World’s Most Dangerous Man” Ken Shamrock in a Street Fight.

Tale Of The Tape: Bradshaw (302 pounds, from Sweetwater, Texas, 31 years old, former NWA North American Champion). Ken Shamrock (235 pounds, from Sacramento, California, 35 years old, former WWF Intercontinental Champion).

Shamrock attacks Bradshaw before he can even get in the ring. Bradshaw counters by throwing Shamrock into the ring steps. Both men get in the ring now, fall away slam by Bradshaw for the first pin attempt of the match, a count of 2. Shamrock slaps on the ankle lock but Bradshaw escapes to the outside of the ring where Shamrock follows. Shamrock swings a baseball bat but misses. Back in the ring now, Bradshaw hits Shamrock twice with the bat. Shamrock strikes back and chokes Bradshaw out cold with the bat for the win. Referees and agents have to come down and break the hold. Shamrock snaps and attacks Sgt. Slaughter with the bat! Pretty lame street fight……….

Backstage, Kevin Kelly interviews Mankind in the boiler room. Mankind says he enjoys everything he does, hanging out in boiler rooms, wearing his mask, carrying around a sock, etc. We hear but don’t see Billy Gunn screaming for X-Pac. Mankind says “What a whiner”.

Commercial break.

Backstage, the entire Corporate Ministry is in their locker room. Shane McMahon is the only one talking. All we hear is “the Corporate Ministry, created by me”.

Match #6: Mankind vs. the Big Boss Man.

Tale Of The Tape: Mankind (287 pounds, from the boiler room, 33 years old, 2 time WWF Champion). Big Boss Man (315 pounds, from Cobb County, Georgia, 36 years old, former UWF Champion).

Both men go at it before the bell rings. Mankind pulls socko out early and Boss Man retreats to the outside. Test comes down and tosses Boss Man back in the ring. Mankind goes for a roll up but only gets a count of 2. Boss Man again goes to the outside, away from Test. The Big Show comes down and press slams Boss Man back into the ring. Mankind applies the mandible claw for the win in a very short match.

Backstage, Billy Gunn has finally found and X-Pac and attacks him. Kane breaks it up and Billy retreats.

We see a split screen of Steve Austin and the Rock on their way down to the ring.

Commercial break.

Match #7: Triple H (with Chyna and the Mean Street Posse) & the Undertaker (with Shane McMahon and Paul Bearer) vs. the Rock & “Stone Cold” Steve Austin.

Tale Of The Tape: Triple H (260 pounds, from Greenwich, Connecticut, 29 years old, 2 time WWF Intercontinental Champion). Undertaker (326 pounds, from Death Valley, 37 years old, 2 time WWF Champion). Rock (275 pounds, from Miami, Florida, 26 years old, 3 time WWF Champion). Steve Austin (252 pounds, from Victoria, Texas, 34 years old, on third reign as WWF Champion).

Taker and HHH attack Rock before Austin comes out. Austin then comes out and is met by HHH at the bottom of the ramp. Things finally calm down and its Austin and Undertaker, Austin hit’s the Lou Thesz press but Taker is able to tag out to HHH before any damage is done. HHH is getting the better of the rattlesnake. HHH attempts a superplex but Austin counters it and hit’s a double axe handle, ala Randy Savage! Rocky is tagged in and so is Taker. Rock plants a DDT but Helmsley makes the save. Both men clothesline each other. Rock goes for Rock bottom but HHH again interferes. Austin has had enough and comes in to even up the odds. Out comes the Ministry, Acolytes, Boss Man, Mideon, causing the disqualification. Ken Shamrock, Test and the Big Show come down and clear the ring of the Ministry.. The original participants of the match are still going at it. Rock and HHH brawl into the crowd. Taker and Austin are in the ring while Shane McMahon stands outside with a chair. Vince McMahon comes down and takes out his son. Vince then gets in the ring and hits Taker but the dead man strikes back with a chair to the owners skull. Taker turns around, stunner from Austin! Shane is beating away at his unconscious father. The boy of wonder turns around, he gets the same thing! Austin starts drinking beer and revives Vince by pouring beer in his mouth while he lays in the middle of the ring as the show goes off the air.

Final Thoughts: Not a bad show, it was entertaining. This show was the guinea pig to see if wrestling could work on network television again. It was a success and the show was signed to start weekly later in the fall. It had been rumored for over a year that Vince was in negotiations with Rupert Murdoch to air a show on FOX but obviously, it fell through. At the end of the day, nothing real memorable about this show, just your usual attitude dose of McMahon and Russo. I still think together they would be awesome again but just suck without the other. Cole and Cornette were a HORRIBLE commentary team together. They just didn’t mix at all. I’ll catch ya next time.

I hope you enjoyed reading the twelfth edition of “Keeping The Memories Alive”. In the next edition, I will be reviewing WCW Fall Brawl 96. Now I ask, what would you like to see reviewed? My complete collection can be found at www.freewebs.com/jbryan1984/. Email me your feedback and requests at jbryan21408@yahoo.com.