Smackdown

Card Information:
 Held in: THE SPECTRUM
Location: PENNSLYVANIA, UNITED STATES
          on February 2005 at 8:00pm

Interview:
The Angry Champion...
Click here to see highlights.

Brock Lesnar calls out Shane McMahon, leading to a street fight being signed
for later tonight.


Matt Hardy pinned Funaki with the Twist of Fate in 0:07:51.
Rating: **** 1/4

Prior to his Cruiserweight Title shot at No Way Out, Matt Hardy defeats the
champion's tag team partner Funaki.


Evolution (Batista and Triple H) defeated Booker T and Goldust when HHH pinned
Goldust after hitting him with a foreign object in 0:21:00.
Rating: ** 1/2

The Sledgehammer came into play, as Triple H nailed Goldust with it to get the
win, but can the Game take down Booker T on Sunday, in order to take his title?


Interview:
The nWo's Orton and Steiner...
Click here to see highlights.

Randy Orton and Scott Steiner prepare for their upcoming tag match, as Steiner
challenges Goldberg to a match at No Way Out.


Shawn Michaels and Goldberg defeated nWo (Randy Orton and Scott Steiner) when
Michaels pinned Orton after a piledriver in 0:14:43.
Rating: *** 3/4

HBK gained the upper hand for Sunday, as he pinned Randy Orton following a
devestating piledriver.  After the match, Goldberg got on the mic, and made
the announcement that he was accepting Steiner's challenge for No Way Out.


Ted DiBiase defeated The Undertaker by disqualification in 0:18:32.
Rating: *** 1/2

Defeat for the Taker, after he attacked the referee.  As he continued to beat
on Ted DiBiase after the match, the Big Show raced to ringside and attacked
the Dead Man with a steel chair.  Three shots to Taker's head put him down,
but not for long as he soon sat back up again, causing the nWo's Million $
Team to run for the hills.


Interview:
The Big Red Blood-Covered Machine....
Click here to see highlights.

Kane announces that he will face Steve Austin in a first blood match at No Way
Out on Sunday.


Edge, Val Venis and Lance Storm defeated
Kurt Angle, Steven Richards and William Regal when Edge pinned Angle after
a top-rope Frankensteiner in 0:15:53.
Rating: ****

After another great match, Edge managed to pin Kurt Angle yet again, leaving
the former Olympian even more frustrated that ever before.


No-Countout-No-DQ-Match:
Brock Lesnar pinned Shane McMahon with the F-5 in 0:09:34.
Rating: ****
Click here to see highlights.

Another fantastic match saw Brock Lesnar avenge his defeat from last Monday on
Raw.  Afterwards, Hollywood Hogan ran down to the ring to double team Shane O
Mac with Lesnar, but it was Chris Benoit who made the save with the help of a
steel chair.  Benoit then vowed that he would once again become Champion at No
Way Out.



Card rating: *** 3/4


Match observations: 

A rather good night of action leading into No Way Out, as Brock Lesnar got a
big win over WWE Commissioner Shane McMahon, prior to his ladder match with
Chris Benoit for the title.  Shane had better hope that he heals up fast, as
he'll need to be at 100% to deal with Hollywood Hogan on Sunday.

The Big Show proved that he had no fear for the Dead Man here tonight, as he
attacked the Undertaker following Taker's fight with Ted DiBiase.  Of course,
when the Dead Man is fresh, it may be a whole different story, as he attempts
to make the 7ft, 500lb monster rest in peace.

Two more matches were made official for the PPV here tonight.  We knew that
there was a Stone Cold/Kane match in the works, but tonight it was confirmed
that it will be a first blood match, much like it was the very first time that
these two went one on one.  Also signed was Goldberg vs Scott Steiner, as Big
Poppa Pump looks to avenge his 24-second defeat on Raw last Monday.

We saw plenty of previews for No Way Out here tonight, as Triple H faced Booker
T in a tag team match, and a six man tag match showed previews of Angle versus
Edge and Val Venis/Lance Storm versus Steven Richards/William Regal.  We also
got to see the number 1 contender to the Cruiserweight Title, Matt Hardy in
action against Funaki.  Whoo will emerge victorious on Sunday, who will go to
Wrestlemania?  Tune in to find out.

Next Show: No Way Out