Smackdown April 26 2001

Taped in Denver, CO

Opening Promo with Kurt Angle

• Angle hypes his match with Shane at Backlash.
• Tonight, in accordance with Vince McMahon’s wishes he will continue his WCW challenge. So one more time he is calling out any former member of WCW.
• Chris Benoit’s music hits. Angle does not look enthusiastic about this matchup.

Kurt Angle vs. Chris Benoit

• 12 minute match to open Smackdown
• Typical technical match between these two.
• Raven makes his way to ringside through the crowd.
• Benoit counters the Angle Slam with a crippler crossface. Raven tries to get in which distracts the ref.
• Jericho comes down the rampway and pulls Raven out of the ring.
• Benoit releases the crossface and hits a suicide dive that takes out Raven and Jericho.
• While the ref is occupied Shane McMahon comes in on Angle’s blindside and nails him with a chair
• Benoit climbs to the top rope and hits the swan dive headbutt for 3.

Outside a limousine pulls up and Vince McMahon gets out followed by Steve Austin, followed by Eddie Guerrero wearing a referee shirt. McMahon suggests they meet in his office to discuss the plan for tonights main event.

COMMERCIAL

A Special Video Look at the career of The Undertaker focusing on his World Title wins over Hulk Hogan and Sycho Sid.

In the back Vince confirms that Eddie will be the special referee in the Austin-Kane match tonight. In addition despite their weakened states after the past couple of shows Triple H and Undertaker will be in action tonight as well. Triple H will go one-on-one with William Regal and the Undertaker will wrestle Albert.

Perry Saturn vs. D-Von Dudley

• 7 minute match
• ECW style brawl
• Dean Malenko is absent after Kane threw him into a ringpost on Monday. Bubba is at ringside
• On the TitanTron we see X-Factor beating up Spike in the dressing room. Bubba leaves to save him.
• Saturn slides behind a slam attempt and hits a reverse neckbreaker. Rings of Saturn ends it.

COMMERCIAL

In the back William Regal guarantees Mr. McMahon he will take care of Triple-Haitch tonight. He does have a small request of Mr. McMahon. Instead of falls count anywhere at Backlash as he had previously ordered he would like to have Y2J in a straight wrestling match. Mr. McMahon says as a reward for his loyalty, of course he can beat Jericho twice at Backlash.

Elsewhere, The Dudleys are helping Spike up and guarantee the camera man they will put all three X-Factor asses through tables this Sunday.

Even elsewhere, Stone Cold Steve Austin tells Eddie Guerrero if he does his job right tonight he is sure to be a number one contender to any title in the WWF. Just don’t try taking his.

COMMERCIAL

William Regal vs. Triple H

• 7 minute match
• Good match that spills outside and sees William Regal work over Hunter’s back for much of the match.
• Regal tries to use the Power of the Punch but Hunter catches him with a spinebuster.
• They both get up slowly and Triple H grabs Regals legs and slingshots him into the buckle. Pedigree ends it.

In the back, Vince McMahon is not happy by what he sees.

Elsewhere, Chris Jericho is talking to Chris Benoit. He can’t help but wonder if maybe Raven hasn’t gotten into Benoit’s head a little. Benoit didn’t seem to hesitate hitting him with that suicide dive earlier. Benoit says nobody gets into his head and Jericho was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. Just like on Monday.

COMMERCIAL

WWF Hardcore Title- Rhyno (c) vs. Steve Blackman

• 6 minute match
• Much less of a squash than Rhyno’s recent hardcore outings.
• They fight to the backstage area.
• Blackman gets a near fall off a martial arts kick.Blackman tries to irish-whip Rhyno into a wall but Rhyno reverses it and after Blackman hits the wall Rhyno grabs him by the head and puts it through the glass covering of a nearby fire extinguisher. He then uses the extinguisher to hit Blackman between the legs which is enough for 3.
• Rhyno meets up with Show in the Hallway and Show tells him to enjoy this moment because his time as Hardcore Champion is running out. Rhyno wants to know what makes Show hardcore? Being handed a World Title on a silver platter before ever paying his dues? Getting pushed to the top of WWF on his first night without paying dues? Being fat and out of shape and uncommitted? Rhyno paid his dues in a bingo hall and gave 100% in front of 150 fans. On Sunday he will show The Big Show what hardcore really is.

COMMERCIAL

In the back, Raven does one of his old-school style promos where he promises to expose Chris Benoit to pain on Sunday. But just as much as that he is looking forward to Benoit inflicting pain on him and remembering who he is. He’s not some patsy for the fans, he’s a bad-ass hurting machine and the sooner he comes back to that realization the better it will be for everybody.

Promo Time with RTC

• Stevie, Bull and Ivory are in the ring.
• Stevie tried to fight the good fight for all of us. But were we grateful? No. So from now on he’s not fighting the good fight. He’s fighting to win. And if there’s one guy in the ring who is not a winner, it’s Bull Buchanan.
• Bull looks confused. Then he looks hurt when Stevie kicks him in the chin. Ivory gets a sadistic smile and kisses Stevie passionately on the lips.

COMMERCIAL

Albert vs. The Undertaker

• 5 minute match
• Obviously a power match
• Albert sets Taker up for a superplex. Taker shoves Albert off the buckle and follows with a big clothesline.
• Chokeslam finishes it. Justin Credible and X-Pac both get Last Rides

In the back, Vince is once again displeased.

COMMERCIAL

In the back, Chris Benoit is seen talking to Shane McMahon. He had his WCW experience and it wasn’t a good one. Why would he want to sign a WCW contract now. Shane says it’s pretty simple. Shane says he owns 50% of WCW and 25% of WWE. That means he has the authority concerning any wrestler under WCW contract, whereas Vince would have none. He can’t fire them, he can’t make their lives miserable and most importantly he can’t keep them under a glass ceiling. Benoit looks to be pondering it, then looks confused. “What do you mean you own 50% of WCW?”

Stone Cold Steve Austin vs. Kane w/ Special Guest Referee Eddie Guerrero

• Match never really happens as before it can get started Eddie simply attacks Kane from behind.
• Austin and Eddie beat Kane down in the ring.
• BONG! The Undertaker makes his way to the ring and clears the ring of Eddie and Austin.
• Undertaker then retrieves the WWF Title and stands in the middle of the ring.
• “Time to Play the Game” Hunter makes his way to the top of the ramp and stares down Undertaker.
• Austin is caught at ringside between his two backlash opponents and we’re out of time

Fade to Black…

Final Backlash Card

WWF Title- Stone Cold Steve Austin vs. Triple H vs. The Undertaker

Street Fight- Kurt Angle vs. Shane McMahon

Hardcore Title- The Big Show vs. Rhyno

Intercontinental Title- William Regal vs. Chris Jericho

European Title- Perry Saturn vs. Test

Eddie Guerrero vs. Kane

Raven vs. Chris Benoit

6-Man Tables Match- X-Factor vs. The Dudley Boyz