WWE Road to Wrestlemania 21
Smackdown! House Show Results
March 5, 2005 in Danbury, CT
By: Ian Clare, rajah.com reader

Hey I just got back from the House Show in Danbury, CT. The event was suppose to be held on Monday but due to a horrible snowstorm it was held today. Here is what went down at the show.

The lights dim and out comes Chimmel to the Smackdown! theme to get the night
underway. He gets us to stand for our national anthem and introduces a local DJ who tells us to enjoy the show. This brings out Smackdown’s GM Teddy Long who runs down the card and leads us into match 1:

Match 1: Hardcore Holly & Charlie Haas vs. Joey Matthews & Johnny Nitro with Melina

Joey, Johnny, and Melina looked like young Hardy Boyz with Lita. Anyways they were not really well over with the crowd. Before the match started everyone was telling Joey and Johnny they suck. Holly grabbed the mic and said they Suck and Melina blows. Pretty funny. The match was pretty solid, with Haas and Holly being dominant for a while at the start, before Haas was tripped up, and momentum switched around. Haas was pretty much taking a beating in this match, with Nitro and Mathews getting over well as heels. Haas eventually got the hot tag in, and Holly pretty much took over from there, ending the match with a pin after the Alabama Slam on Matthews. Winners: Hardcore Holly & Charlie Haas

Match 2: Mark Jindrak vs. Luther Reigns

As Jindrak made his entrance Luther ambushed him from behind and the match began. Luther dominated with powerful moves and bodyslams. With Luther in control he took off the turnbuckle pad. Jindrak recovered and delivered a Stinger Splash in the corner and the proceeded to win with a rollup. Winner: Mark Jindrak

Match 3: Cruiserweight Championship: Paul London vs. Chavo Guerreo

Another solid match Chavo got some good heat on his entrance and London got a nice pop. In the ring London dominates with 2 hurricarans, and a missle drop kick off the top rope. Then Chavo gets a few chops in and throws London into the ropes, London counters with a dropsault kick and prepares to finish the match with the 450 Splash but Chavo moves and he London lands on both feet. When Chavo gets up London knocks him down and he taunts the crowd. At this time Chavo rolls him up and holds the rope to get the pinfall victory. Winner and still CW Champ: Chavo Guerrero

Match 4: WWE Tag Team Championships:

Eddie Guerrero & Rey Mysterio vs. The Bashams Bashams come out to good heat. Then Eddie and Rey come out in an awesome blue low rider to one of the loudest pops of the night. This was another solid match the Bashmans dominated at the beginning destroying Rey Mysterio. Eddie wants the tag so he pull the tag rope from the corrner to the middle (funny thing) as the ref yells at him. Finally Rey capitalizes and tags in Eddie who takes out Danny Basham with the 3 amigos suplex. As the ref is yelling at Mysterio to get back to the corner the Bashams switch places and Doug is in the ring and rolls Eddie up and gets a count of 2 and half. The Basham’s think they have it won, trying to get the ref to raise their hands, the ref waves it off and the match is still on. While they’re distracted, Eddie tossed Rey, who does a double dropkick to the Bashams, setting them both for the 619, which is followed by a Frog Splash from Eddie for the clean pin. Winners and still Tag Champs: Eddie and Rey

Now it was Intermission Time and T-Shirt Time and then the show continued.

Match 5: Booker T vs. Heidenreich

Heidenreich plays his crazy act well and got major heat. Booker got a nice pop and the match is underway. Well as I said Heidenreich can act his part but he can’t wrestle. I wanted this match to end but both got in a little offense. In the end Booket T wins via DQ when Heidenreich saves himself from a Booker T kick by putting the referee in front of him to stop it. After the match Heidenreich goes to get in a few cheap shots only to get a Booker T kick instead. Booker then did the Spinneroonie to a nice pop before he left ringside. Winner: Booker T

Match 6: Miss Smackdown! Best Body Contest:

Dawn Marie vs. Miss Jackie vs. Michelle McCool vs. Torrie Wilson vs. Joy Giovanni

All the divas got a nice pop except for Dawn who got a little heat. Here is how the contest went down. Dawn unrobed first revealing a nice zebra print bikni top with matching thong, and imagined this she didn’t get that much of a pop. Then Joy dropped her robe showing off a pink and blue bikini while taunting us like she was going to moon us. Now Miss Jackie disrobed and she was wearing a tight black swimsuit earning her a little pop from the crowd. Michelle then revealed her bikini to no pop. Now Torrie disrobed to a big pop and she had on a black and pink bikini set. The crowd decided Torrie with the loud pop and Torrie won. Of course Dawn is mad and attacks Torrie who gets knocked down, and the other divas save her. Before Dawn gets out of the ring Miss Jackie spanks her, and then all the divas hug and pose for the crowd. Winner: Torrie Wilson

Match 7: United States Championship Match:

John Cena vs. Orlando Jordan

Cena comes out to an amazing pop wearing a Danbury Trashers personalized jersey. He talks about losing his US Title and says tonight he will kick Orlandos @$$. OJ comes out with the US Title (the spinning one) and gloats about the fact he is champ. The match gets underway and Cena dominates OJ. Within a few minutes into the match JBL comes out to save OJ and beats down on Cena. Winner by Disqualification: John Cena

As JBL and Orlando stump away at Cena, Theodore Long comes out and says he doesn’t want to disappoint the Danbury crowd so he is making a main event tag match, it will now be Orlando and JBL against John Cena and … The Big Show, who comes out to a huge ovation.

Match 8: JBL and Orlando Jordan vs. John Cena and The Big Show

This match was a nice way to end the evening. At first no one wants in with Cena so JBL starts off against Big Show. JBL and OJ double team the Big Show behind the refs back. Then Big Show clears house and Cena is now in the ring with JBL. Both men get a few moves in and JBL almost wins with a neckbreaker. JBL tags in Orlando and now Cena and OJ are the legal men. JBL trys to get a cheap shot on Cena but Big Show chokeslams JBL and they fight outside. In the ring OJ goes for a clothsline, Cena ducks and hits the FU followed by the 5 Knuckle Shuffle for the win. Winners: John Cena and Big Show

Biggest Pops: 1. 1. John Cena 2. Big Show 3. Eddie and Rey

Most Heat: 1. JBL and Orlando Jordan 2. The Bashams 3. Heidenreich

Hope you enjoyed the report and let me tell you it was a good show and I give it an 8/10. It was a fun night and the crowd was hot. I would say the arena was 95% filled (the O’Neill Center only holds about 3000) and every seat was filled except for one of the section’s last row of seats. I can’t wait till WWE comes back!!!

WWE house show in Danbury, Connecticut, 3.5.05
Written by Erik Carlson, rajah.com reader

You know how they say that the best things come to those who wait?... I'm just referring to the snowstorm postponing the show last Monday, that's all. I will say that everybody there just that huge on John Cena. Pretty much expected. New England city, after all. I must have been the only one in attendance not from the greater Danbury area or even from Brewster, which is just over the CT/NY border.

Like that's stopped me from enjoying a show before.

Theodore Long comes out first to go over tonight's card.

Hardcore Holly & Charlie Haas d. Joey Matthews & Johnny Nitro (w/Melina Perez)
I liked how Melina entered the ring during the intro. She did a full split along the apron, then pulled herself under the rope. Now THAT'S hot, and so is her ass, for that matter. lol Just as they were getting started, a "You suck" chant broke out. Holly gets on the mic: "They say you suck, but she (Melina) swallows!" That was just too funny. I tried to follow up with that chant. No luck. Now, I would have expected Holly to smack Nitro around like he owned him. He didn't, but he was getting Matthews good. Isn't Matthews the veteran of the two? (I know, he's the prodigy.) Haas got in there, and if I remember right, he suffers getting thrown into the ringpost shoulder first. For Matthews and Nitro, Tag Team Wrestling 101 then takes over for about 7 or 8 minutes. (Funny I call that a college course, since the show was at WestConn.) When it came time, Holly tagged in and took her home, finishing Matthews (I think) off with the Alabama Slam.

About this time, I notice something: the bald guy manning head of security tonight looked awful familiar... Hey, it WAS Steve Austin. Well, that was cool. Would have liked to shake his hand, but it didn't happen tonight. Moving on...

Mark Jindrak d. Luther Reigns
This one started off rather quick. Reigns didn't wait for his cue to come out and just steamrolls Jindrak in the aisle. It was over rather quick, too. Reings was on cruise control when he decides to remove the turnbuckle pad. He was gonna hit Jindrak with Snake Eyes, but Jindrak slides off and pushes Reigns into the bolt. A schoolboy later, we're done. Reigns was hot after that. He chased after Jindrak back up the aisle. To be continued.

Cruiserweight Title Match: Chavo Guerrero d. Paul London
Both of them put together a nice series of WCW cruiserweight style wrestling. London particularly, with a nice mix of arm drags and a hurracanrana, among other things. Chavo knew what he had to do: slow things down, work on a limb. When London got going again, he took to the air, but Chavo wouldn't let the 450 come off. London would try for a rollup, but Chavo reversed it, and for added measure, grabbed the rope. Clearly, London was dejected. (Wouldn't you be?) He did slap some hands as he was leaving. Mine included. I even told him, "Keep your head up. You'll get him."

Tag Team Title Match: Eddie Guerrero & Rey Mysterio d. The Basham Brothers
I don't think the crowd could decide whether to do an Eddie chant or a 619 chant. (Both were done, twice each.) Rey gets on the mic and suggests "Eddie! 619!" Yeah, that was a good idea. Props to Rey for thinking of that. Of course, being the wiseass that I am, I tried doing a 203 chant. (Danbury's area code.) How'd I know that wouldn't catch on?... Oh, because it never does. The Bashams were clearly rattled in the opening, but they would settle things down and go to work on Rey. During that time, Eddie and Brian Hebner were bickering like a married couple over Eddie sometimes letting go of the tag rope. At one point, Eddie also does his tag rope retie trick. lol With all the arguing about it, it was bound to happen. So he does that, and it didn't work. Later on, towards the end, the Bashams pulled a switch. It didn't work, either; Danny only got 2 on Eddie on the rollup. Both Bashams kept coming for Eddie as they built for the finish. Rey would give Eddie a nice assist after he got himself regrouped, which helped Eddie get both of them draped onto the second rope. Rey pulled off the 1238. (619 times 2) Doug fell to the outside, and Danny fell into position for the Frog Splash.

The T-shirt giveaway (no launch, as there was no bazooka tonight) was done before the intermission. I gotta say, Tony Chimel's got a good arm.

Booker T. d. Jon Heidenreich by DQ
As Heidenreich was coming out, I made the circle to one side of my head with a finger (You know, the screwy motion) and making cuckoo noises. For all intents and purposes, this was a short match, as well; about 6-8 minutes long, I think. Nothing really special happened during the body of the match. The end: way different story. As soon as the moment presented itself, Heidenreich grabbed a chair. Probably the one Ricky Steamboat was sitting in. (Yeah, I saw that, too, that he was there sitting with Chimel and Fit Finlay.) He was looking to tee off on Booker, which would have been the DQ there, as it was gonna be a blatant shot right in front of Nick Patrick. Booker was able to dodge it and do a leg sweep to send Heidenreich face down into the chair. He got back to his feet, and Booker was looking for a superkick. Heidenreich used Patrick as a shield. He called for the bell. It was obvious why, but the facial expression he had as he was explaining his decision to Booker was funny. A few different descriptions come to mind: a Fellini drama, sad clown, someone that just ate a bad oyster. Take your pick, or you can come up with one of your own. There was some extracurrilular work here, too. Heidenreich looked for one more shot on Booker, but Booker was ready for it, then dropped the Axe Kick on him. As Heidenreich was leaving, he looked more out of it as usual. He was rolling around, grabbing and hugging the chair like a teddy bear, stuff like that. I was like "Awwww, you let Little Jonny down." and "Why don't you write a poem about this?"

Diva Best Body Contest: Torrie Wilson d. Michelle McCool, Miss Jackie, Joy Giovanni & Dawn Marie
Basically, it's just your generic Diva segment on SmackDown. The order everybody's listed is the reverse order of entry, and as the pattern suggests, the last person entered is the winner, as she's the most popular of the group. Dawn Marie spent a lot of time in Chimel's face, suggesting that she thinks that she's the only one that's the shit. (Typical heel actions. You know the drill.) She attacks Torrie after she won, but the other girls were solidly backing Torrie, so Dawn decided to live to be the bitch another day.

United States Title Match: John Cena d. Orlando Jordan by DQ
As I mentioned at the top, everybody was decidedly behind Cena. I know I mentioned before that I'd expect that in a New England city, but I know that's true no matter where you go. (The hits for his page on the site tells me that.) Anyway, tonight's jersey, albeit not a throwback but still worth mentioning, is brought to you by the Danbury Trashers. Cena gave props to the Trashers, calling them a bunch of fighters. He then says that there's a problem, referring to how he lost the US belt on SmackDown, and that he's gonna solve it tonight. This only lasted a few minutes; JBL didn't hesitate to jump in and give Jordan a hand.

Long also didn't hesitate to come out. He said that he saw right through was he was doing: trying to take Cena out before WrestleMania. He decided to change this into a tag team match, throwing in Bradshaw's would-be opponent for tonight.

John Cena & The Big Show d. John Bradshaw Leyfield & Orlando Jordan
Cena was gonna start the match, but Show wanted in there early, so Cena obliged before anyone locked up. Bradshaw had a hell of a time in there with him. I don't know if he thought Jordan was gonna fare any better when he tagged him in. Or maybe he just wanted out. Hmm... yeah, that's gotta be it. In a nutshell, they couldn't do anything with the big guy. Cena was the one that took the punishment during the rest hold portion of the match. I'll even take it a step further in saying that there was no hot tag; Show just got fed up with camping out in the corner. He stomped on the ringsteps to get the crowd going with claps. (Three times.) Then, like I said, he got fed up with waiting, especially since Bradshaw and Jordan were doubling up on Cena, so he went in and cleaned house. He thought chokeslam on Bradshaw, but Jordan rushed after him. He ends up getting hit with one as a result. All regrouped now, Cena comes back in, pumps up the Reeboks, hits him with the F-You, and deals out the Knuckle Shuffle.
Smart move in changing the main event to this. You should send the fans home happy.
As things were wrapping up and Cena was playing up to the crowd, Tim White came out to ringside, surveying things, saying hello to whoever came up to him. Myself included. I got to shake his hand. It was all good.

At this point, I saw that it was only 9:30. "Cool, I can stop and get something to eat at Burger King in Brewster on the way home."

This wouldn't be complete without the Three Stars

Third Star: Paul London
Second Star: Eddie Guerrero & Rey Mysterio
First Star: John Cena (Bar none.)

E.C.
Carlson 3:16 Wrestling