Smackdown

Card Information:
 Held in: ELK'S LODGE
Location: QUEENS, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES
          on January 2004 at 8:00pm

Interview:
Austin's challenge...
Click here to see highlights.

Tonight's main event will be Stone Cold Steve Austin versus Bret Hart.

Also still to come tonight, Hulk Hogan will team with The Undertaker to face
Scott Hall and a mystery partner.


Brian Kendrick and Tajiri defeated Jamie Noble and Ultimo Dragon when Tajiri
 pinned U. Dragon after a brain buster in 0:05:27.
Rating: ** 3/4

A fast paced match, with a quick victory for Tajiri.  Nice opener.


a.P.a. and Bubba Ray Dudley defeated
Eddie Guerrero, Lance Storm and Scott Steiner when Bubba pinned L. Storm
 with the Buh Buh Bomb in 0:07:51.
Rating: ** 1/4

A big win for Bubba Dudley over Lance Storm.  This doesn't leave the morale of
the Tag Team title contenders rather high going into the Rumble.


Interview:
DiBiase verssus Maven...or not...
Click here to see highlights.

Ted DiBiase once again refuses to wrestle, sending the Big Show out to face
Maven instead.  However, DiBiase will be a part of the Royal Rumble.


The Big Show defeated Maven by countout in 0:07:18.
Rating: 3/4*

Not a particularly exciting match.  Big Show wins after DiBiase knocked Maven
out cold on the outside of the ring.


Chris Benoit and The Rock defeated Chris Jericho and Jeff Jarrett when Benoit
 pinned Jarrett after an inside cradle in 0:14:46.
Rating: ** 1/4

A few false starts for the match, but eventually things got going.  A big win
for Benoit, which must surely make him a Rumble favourite.


Interview:
The mystery partner revealed...
Click here to see highlights.

Scott Hall's mystery partner is the Big Red Machine Kane!

Scott Hall and Kane defeated Hulk Hogan and The Undertaker when Hall pinned
The Hulkster with the Outsider Edge in 0:27:11.
Rating: ** 1/4

After a gruelling match-up, Scott Hall pinned Hulk Hogan yet again!  Can he
do it at the Royal Rumble, when it will really count?


Steve Austin pinned Kurt Angle with the Stone Cold Stunner in 0:10:32.
Rating: ** 1/4
(Bret Hart no-showed.)
Click here to see highlights.

Austin was as surprised as everyone else to see Kurt Angle show up instead of
Bret Hart.  Where was the Hitman, and why, of all people, did Angle take his
place?



Card rating: **


Match observations: 

A fairly decent card leading into the Royal Rumble Pay Per View.  Perhaps there
we will answer the question of what happened to Bret Hart.

Scott Hall versus Hulk Hogan should also be an interesting match to watch,
especially now that Hall has twice pinned Hogan.  The Hulkster's only wins 
have come in arm-wrestling matches.

As of right now, the entrants in the Royal Rumble are as follows.  Please note
that these are subject to change:

Steve Austin, The Rock, Triple H, Bret Hart, Shawn Michaels, Jeff Jarrett,
Kevin Nash, Undertaker, Kane, Rob Van Dam, Big Show, Booker T, Edge, Chris
Benoit, Chris Jericho, Mankind, Kurt Angle, Randy Savage, Brock Lesnar, Rhyno,
Masahiro Chono (making his WWE debut), Ric Flair, Scott Steiner, Sting,
Ultimate Warrior, Ted DiBiase, William Regal, Tazz, John Cena and Bubba Dudley.


As you can tell, this will truly be the most star-studded Rumble ever.  Hope
you can join us!

Next Show: Royal Rumble