WWE: Judgment Day
May 21, 2006
Phoenix, AZ
US Airways Center

The current Smackdown champions are as follows:
World Heavyweight Champion: Rey Mysterio (4/2/2006)
WWE U.S. Champion: JBL (4/2/2006)
WWE Tag Team Champions: MNM (12/30/2005)
WWE Cruiserweight Champion: Gregory Helms (1/29/2006)

One of my favorite themes for one of my favorite wrestlers who has yet to debut in WWE is the official song of the show tonight. “This Fire Burns” by Killswitch Engage.

Your hosts are Michael Cole and Tazz.

• WWE Tag Team Championship: MNM (w/Melina) (c) vs. Paul London & Brian Kendrick
  

Cole tells us that MNM has lost five straight matches to their challengers here tonight. Nitro and London start us off here with headlocks and shoulderblocks. London busts out some armdrags. They tag in and out dropping bombs on Nitro’s arm. They switch over to Mercury and Kendrick for more arm work. Tag to London, they deliver a double hiptoss and STEREO ELBOW DROPS for some throwback WWE tag team offense. As MNM regroup, London backdrops Kendrick on top of them. Mercury gets tossed back inside for a flying body press by London, but he ducks the move. Lots of heat for MNM here as they start to work over London. Melina does her PRIMAL SCREAM (that takes me back) and headscissors London behind the ref’s back. Cole complains, but Tazz says there are worse situations to be in than in between her legs. HAH! London breaks free of a chinlock by Mercury and into a double KO. Hot tag to Kendrick, but he can’t control MNM for too long as Mercury snaps his neck on the top rope. SNAPSHOT to Kendrick! Cover, 1-2-NO! London makes the save at the last second. Kendrick gets caught in another chinlock and tries fighting his way out of the MNM corner. He counters a suplex from Nitro with an inside cradle, but Mercury is sitting in the corner probably giving the ref his review of “See No Evil”. I mean, isn’t that what everyone would be talking about this weekend? Oh right, the ref needs to go over and count. By that point, Nitro is out of the pin attempt, but boy that got some heat. MNM go back to work as Mercury shows Nitro up and gives Kendrick the best stalling suplex outside of Davey Boy Smith. Looks like he hurt his shoulder though. Mercury gets frustrated when he can’t get the pinfall and throws Kendrick out to Nitro and Melina. Back inside, Kendrick is still stuck in the MNM corner. Nitro and Mercury tag in and out before putting one of their boots on the top buckle for a head smash. This backfires and Mercury eats Nitro’s boot. Nitro tags in and grabs Kendrick, but Kendrick kicks him back into Mercury. HOT TAG TO LONDON! He fights off MNM with a double clothesline and Oklahoma rolls Mercury for 1-2-NO! London even hits an awesome DROPSAULT on MNM, but Melina slides in the ring and screams in the ref’s face to interrupt the count. Well, that’s a new one. London tries to suplex Mercury from the apron, but Nitro trips him up so that Mercury lands on top for 1-2-NO! Kendrick comes back in and tosses out Nitro for a pescado, but Melina shoves Nitro out of the way. Nitro grabs London from the apron and some heel miscommunication ensues as London rolls up Mercury for the win and the tag titles. (13:43) I wouldn’t be surprised if Arn Anderson was the agent for this match. It had an 1980s vibe to it with the crowd absolutely in the palm of their hands the whole match. Great work from everybody here. Of course it would have been better with Jim Ross commentating, but that’s usually the case. ***½

Afterwards, Nitro and Melina blame Mercury for the loss and beat him up to end MNM as a regular attraction. It gets so bad that refs and even Smackdown GM Teddy Long have to come down. Melina starts shoving refs and Teddy takes a bump as well. Mercury would be suspended for violating the WWE Wellness policy which allowed Johnny Nitro and Melina to head over to RAW to become a challenger to the IC title. They will reunite in November for a feud with the Hardy Boyz, but would split up for good before WrestleMania 23.

CLASSIC KING OF THE RING CROWNING: 1993, Bret Hart defeats Bam Bam Bigelow.

• Chris Benoit vs. Finlay
  

These two had a good one in the KOTR quarterfinals back on May 5 that’s worth checking out if you don’t mind still watching Benoit matches. Pro-Benoit crowd to say the least. Very deliberate pacing to this match. The strong collar and elbow tie-up takes both men to the floor where they have to let go or be counted out. Back inside, they go nose to nose. Benoit shoots on Finlay for the Sharpshooter, but Finlay gets a leg in between Benoit’s legs and trips him up. Benoit counters to a chinlock. Finlay manages to roll him over for a two-count. As Benoit backs him into a corner, Finlay complains about eye gouging to sucker Benoit and drill him with an elbow. AWESOME. That just pisses off Benoit though as he starts chopping on Finlay. To get him to stop, Finlay takes Benoit down with a drop toe hold and puts him in a chinlock. He slaps Benoit across the face, but that’s one thing you just don’t do. Benoit slaps him back ten times harder and chops him back into a corner. Backbreaker gets two. Benoit tries to ground Finlay down into the Crippler Crossface. When he can’t make it work, he maneuvers Finlay over for a pin attempt although Finlay’s feet touch the ropes for the break. Finlay thumbs Benoit in the eye to get him to stop his chops and a short-arm clothesline gets two. Down on the mat, Finlay puts a foot behind Benoit’s head and pulls on Benoit’s arms like he just invented some sort of medieval torture device. That changes to a bow-tie lock, but Benoit flips him over to escape the hold. Benoit ducks another short-arm clothesline and hits a Hat Trick of Germans, but misses the Swandive Headbutt. He still manages to try the Sharpshooter again, but Finlay kicks him away and bails.

Finlay picks up a chair, but Benoit baseball slides the chair into him. Swandive Headbutt connects! Cover, 1-2-NO! More chops to follow, but Finlay reverses a corner whip for the Bret Hart bump and forearm shivers Benoit down. Finlay puts Benoit in a SWANK half nelson pin attempt for two. He abuses Benoit on the apron and then delivers a nasty seated senton for two. Everything Finlay does means something and the execution is almost always on point. He stretches Benoit some more and applies a really cool hammerlock dragon sleeper combination submission. Of course, Benoit refuses to give up. Finlay continues with forearm shots to the back of Benoit’s head. When Benoit starts chopping again, Finlay grabs that chopping arm and snaps it real good with his elbow. Just awesome. Some really nasty knee drops to the face and a short-arm clothesline downs Benoit enough for a nerve hold. Benoit fights up and starts the Rolling Germans again. After the second one, Finlay tries to stop him and takes an enziguri kick out to the floor for his trouble. Benoit follows him out and gives him that third German Suplex! Back inside, Benoit delivers the Three Amigos. He starts to head up top, but gets shoved off the apron into the barricade. Finlay runs Benoit into the barricade and brings him back in to run him shoulder-first into the post! Benoit looks done, but he drives Finlay down to the mat and slowly locks in the CRIPPLER CROSSFACE for the tapout. (21:11) This was old-school: deliberate pacing, wonderful storytelling, incredibly physical, and off the charts psychology where you actually felt these two were in a fight. At least in WWE, there’s just no one like them anymore. Just so good. And best of all, the crowd was into it the whole time. No “boring” chants. They reacted well to everything happening. Going forward, Benoit will take about five months off to let some nagging shoulder injuries heal and he’ll return at No Mercy in October. Good to see him taking a break on a really high note and a MOTYC from where I sit. ****¼

• Jillian Hall vs. Melina
  

During Jillian’s entrance, they use this time to show us that Superstar Billy Graham is in attendance. I understand he’s back on good terms with them now in 2016 since he signed a legends contract back in November. Johnny Nitro comes out with Melina, but the ref sends him back to the locker room. Cole reminds us that Jillian used to work for MNM as their image consultant. Jillian does the Hennig neck snap to Melina and drives her face onto the barricade, but Melina fights back and runs Jillian into the steps and takes over. She works a body scissors in the ring for a bit. Tazz says things you’ll never hear today like how hot Melina is. Over in the corner, Melina drops both knees onto Jillian to further work those ribs. She tries a weak splash from the second rope, but Jillian brings up her knees. Short comeback by Jillian and she missionary styles Melina for the win even though Melina has her hand on the bottom rope. (4:18) They are really wrapping up everything MNM here so that Nitro and Melina can have a clean slate over on RAW. ½*

Kristal comes out to talk to Melina. She’s either very stupid or next level passive aggressive because she points out that this hasn’t been a good night for her. Melina calls her a bitch and throws some elbows, but then Kristal fights back and throws some terrible elbows of her own. Man, I forgot that Kristal Marshall was actually a “wrestler”.

The US champ and #1 contender to the world title JBL cuts a promo on Rey Mysterio. THIS IS JBL’S WORLD. THIS IS JBL’S TIME. He calls himself the True American Hero when Chavo Guerrero appears in his line of sight. JBL wants to know why he’s here. Chavo says he’s here to support his friend, but JBL says NO. He’s here to watch Rey get his ass kicked over the world title just like he watched the same thing happen to Eddie. Chavo tells JBL that he will not leave here with the world title. Just for old time’s sake, Chavo points to the sky and says VIVA LA RAZA.

CLASSIC KING OF THE RING CROWNING: 1996, Steve Austin defeats Jake Roberts.

• WWE Cruiserweight Championship: Gregory Helms (c) vs. Super Crazy
  

Oh yeah! Remember when WWE had Mexicans ride to the ring on lawnmowers? Yeah, that happened. Crazy goes NUTZ on Helms to start trying to get the quick pin on him. They do the bit where ref Nick Patrick stops Crazy from a tope while he’s counting out Helms. Crazy leaps over Patrick and takes out Helms with a somersault plancha. That gets two. Helms stops a ten-count corner punch and hangs Crazy out to dry. He grounds Crazy with a couple neckbreakers and applies a crossface. More mat stuff working the neck of Crazy. Helms catches Crazy with a sleeperhold, but Crazy counters with a victory roll for two. Crazy mounts a comeback with a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker. Standing moonsault gets two. Missile dropkick scores a nearfall as well. Crazy tries a MOONSAULT, but nobody’s home. Helms looks for the SHINING WIZARD, but misses and receives a spinning heel kick. Another neckbreaker by Helms and a schoolboy out of the corner gets two. The NIGHTMARE ON HELMS STREET gets pushed back into the corner, but Helms hits a flying neckbreaker anyways for two. Helms gets launched into the corner, but counters a hurracanrana with a powerbomb and beats Crazy with the Ric Flair pin to retain his title. (9:56) This was alright, but felt just like another match on the card. **

In Teddy Long’s office, Melina and Johnny Nitro storm in looking for action. Teddy says he isn’t going to do anything about their injustices and gets slapped. All that did was get them both fired. Man, I love the “Starry Night” picture in the background. Teddy has good taste in art.

CLASSIC KING OF THE RING CROWNING: 2000, Kurt Angle defeated Rikishi.

• Kurt Angle vs. Mark Henry
  

This is the debut of Henry’s theme music that he still has to this day. Henry sets up the announce table for something sinister before Angle makes his way to the ring. He then gets on the mic and tells Angle that he hurts people. It’s what he does. Angle’s ribs are noticeably taped because HENRY HURTS PEOPLE. Angle tries to beat down Henry and wipes him out with a somersault dive from the second rope that lands him on his neck. WHAT. Henry tries to splash the sunset flip and misses. We’re on the outside as Angle thinks he’s going to suplex Henry onto the announce table. Henry elbows him back and tosses him in the ring, but Angle picks his leg and bars the knee. Henry kicks him off and drills Angle with a clothesline. Now for some Henry big-man offense. He sits down on a chinlock and we see Angle’s mouthpiece reads REVENGE. Angle fights out and runs into the WORLD’S STRONGEST SLAM, but he counters to a DDT. Why would you try a crossbody block on Mark Henry in the first place though? Tazz says only an Olympic gold medalist could come up with a DDT counter as if that’s something you would ever do in amateur wrestling. Angle punches back and hits a German suplex. DOWN COME THE STRAPS! ANGLE SLAM! Cover, 1-2-NO! Henry explodes on Angle with a clothesline and delivers the WORLD’S STRONGEST SLAM. Delayed cover gets 1-2-NO! He tries for another one, but Angle counters to an ANKLELOCK. Henry rolls him out to the floor and puts him on the announce table. He wants to splash Angle from the Spanish announce table, but Angle moves before Henry commits to the plunge. Henry posts Angle instead and gets back in the ring to win via countout. (9:11 NEVER FORGET) I feel like they could have done more, but who’s to say what condition Angle was actually in at the time. Henry needed to go over if they wanted to keep him near the main event. I mean, he did seem to be getting some decent heat here. Anyways, this was fine for what it was. Afterwards, Kurt Angle beats Henry with a steel chair and applies the ANKLELOCK with grapevine until Steve Keirn and some other agents come down to get Angle off Henry. He breaks free from those old timers and gives Henry the ANGLE SLAM onto the table, but it doesn’t break and Henry just slides off into the chairs. HA! Angle then drills Henry with a chair across the skull causing him to collapse through the table. Alright, Angle has had enough now. **½

In the back while Booker T is getting jacked for his match, Sharmell boosts his ego. KING KONG AIN’T GOT NOTHING ON YOU. She gets him all hot thinking about becoming King Booker tonight. There was no way Bobby Lashley was leaving this show as the King of the Ring. NO WAY.

They show us a cool history of the King of the Ring video which included highlights from the other matches in this year’s tournament.

The 2006 King of the Ring tournament brackets.

• 2006 King of the Ring Final: Booker T (w/Sharmell) vs. Bobby Lashley
  

Booker gets up in Lashley’s face and gets shoved down to start. They go corner to corner with a tie-up and Lashley explodes on him with a clothesline. Suplex to Booker gets two. Hey, another clothesline. Booker thumbs him in the eye to take control for some blows in the corner. Hey, another clothesline by Lashley. He misses a spear in the corner though and falls out to the floor. Booker bounces Lashley’s face off the steps and tries to get the countout victory, but nope. A kind of axe kick gets two. Booker grabs an armbar and Lashley elbows out. He blocks the SCISSORS KICK with another clothesline. Would you look at that? More elbow strikes and clotheslines by Lashley. An inverted atomic drop is followed by you guessed it. It could be DOMINATOR time, but Booker escapes and Hook Kicks Lashley back. Belly to Belly Suplex from Lashley, but Sharmell grabs his foot to keep him from trying the spear. He turns around into a superkick by Booker! BOOK END! Cover, 1-2-NO! However, Lashley catches Booker coming out of the corner and delivers a Running Powerslam for two. Booker cuts off Lashley with a Harlem Side Kick and lands the SCISSORS KICK for 1-2-NO! Another Harlem Side Kick misses and Lashley hits the SPEAR. Now Sharmell is in the ring yelling at the ref while Finlay runs down and whacks Lashley with the shillelagh. THAT DARN IRISHMAN. Another SCISSORS KICK and Booker wins the King of the Ring. (9:16) Cole seems very disappointed. I think this King Booker shtick is really about to get over though, pal. Bobby Lashley on the other hand? Nah. **

Once Booker puts on the crown, Lashley comes over and spears him through the throne. Sharmell puts the crown on Booker’s head and the cape on his shoulders to make him feel better. The crowd immediately boos the heck out of him. I love it. KING BOOKER HAS ARRIVED.

• The Undertaker vs. The Great Khali (w/Daivari)
  

Here is the PPV debut of the Great Khali, folks. Khali finds Taker’s body shots annoying and tosses him to the floor. Back in, same result. WHAT IS TAKER GONNA DO? He draws Khali to the ropes and snaps his neck on the top rope. That seemed to stagger the man. Taker ducks what Khali is throwing at him and gets in some more body shots. He headbutts the deltoids and tries going Old School, but Khali slams him down. Khali throws some decent punches in the corner and whips Taker across for a clothesline. We go to the floor where Taker goes knees first into the steps. Not that he needs to, but Daivari stomps Taker a little bit. Back inside, Khali slams UT and hits the BRAIN CHOP. Taker goes down like a ton of bricks. Khali puts his foot on Taker’s chest, but Taker sits up and mounts his comeback with more body shots. He even jumps up at Khali to land some headbutts. Time for Old School and it works this time. Khali still hasn’t left his feet. Taker comes off the ropes a few times for a bunch of clotheslines. The jumping clothesline sends Khali staggering back into the ropes for the old Andre spot. Taker unloads on Khali and Daivari panics. He gets pulled in the ring by his throat. Ref Charles Robinson tries to stop Taker and gets run clear out of the ring. Meanwhile, Daivari gets Khali loose. Taker ducks the Brain Chop and goozles him, but Khali elbows him back and boots him down. Another BRAIN CHOP connects and then Khali kicks him in the head. With his foot on his chest, Khali gets the three-count. (8:32) Probably as good a story as they could have told. Kudos to Taker making this freak of nature look way better than he actually is. *½

• World Heavyweight Championship: Rey Mysterio (c) vs. JBL
  

Rey has had some big challenges to face since winning the world title back at WrestleMania like Kane, Great Khali, and Mark Henry. But tonight, he faces the True American Hero and US champ: JBL. Crowd chants for “Eddie” as the bell sounds. JBL piefaces Rey a few times to show him total disrespect, but Rey stands right up to him. JBL puts Mysterio up in the corner when Rey grabs a headlock and talks more trash, but Rey slaps him back. JBL beats him down, but Mysterio avoids a big boot and trips JBL into the ropes for the 619. JBL rolls out, but eats a baseball slide. There’s a seated senton from the apron. Back inside, Mysterio catches JBL charging at him with a flying body press for two. Ten count corner punch leaves JBL down in the corner. Rey directs the ref’s attention away and slides into JBL’s balls. Might I add that there have been an unusual amount of crowd shots tonight. To the floor we go, Rey gets booted down and thrown headfirst into the steps. Back in the ring, JBL ends the Three Amigos by hanging Rey out to dry. He mocks Eddie Guerrero and disrespects Rey in front of his wife and kids at ringside. Fallaway Slam on the floor gets two in the ring. There’s THREE short-arm clotheslines and JBL wants to win by TKO. Wow, Rey is bleeding. Awesome. Once Rey starts to get up, JBL boots him back down. Cover, 1-2-NO! JBL grabs a chinlock and lets up when Mysterio’s arm drops twice. He covers Rey and gets two. Mysterio elbows away a back superplex and hits a moonsault press for two. Rey mounts a comeback and hits a springboard crossbody block. Tajiri kick to JBL gets two. Rey tries the bronco buster, but JBL blocks with his foot. JBL looks to finish off Rey with a powerbomb, but Mysterio counters with a headscissors and hits 619! He looks for the WEST COAST POP, but JBL pulls ref Nick Patrick into the move. JBL grabs Rey and powerbombs the crap out of him. He calls for another ref to come down (ref Charles Robinson) to count 1-2-NO! Since Robinson fails to count the pinfall on Rey, JBL decks him. JBL brings a chair in the ring that gets kicked back in his face thanks to Rey. Another 619! JBL does some goofy selling to put himself in position for the FROG SPLASH. Ref Nick Patrick wakes up and counts the pinfall to give Rey the win. (15:56)
Chavo Guerrero comes down to celebrate with the champ to close out the show. Another Judgment Day PPV, another fine main event for JBL. I think of the three this is the weakest one, but it’s still very good as Rey Mysterio is always good in the underdog role and JBL is one fine bully. ***¼

Final Thoughts: When you look at this show on paper, you may not think it’s all that great. The first two matches will more than likely catch your eye (and they are worth a look for sure), but the rest of the show to most rational middle of the road fans does not seem all that interesting. In reality, this was a fun show. I feel it got a little bit rough in the middle there, but Kurt Angle’s enthusiasm brought this show back to life for me. We got to see the coronation of King Booker, which is an awesome part of 2006. Undertaker worked a miracle with the Great Khali. Rey Mysterio got his butt kicked and still came through with the gold. There’s plenty of cool stuff to like on this show to where I can only give Judgment Day 2006 a thumbs up.