It’s time to return to the Ruthless Aggression era as we review Smackdown’s first entry and what an important one it is. The talk of this one will, of course, be John Cena’s debut but he’s not the only future star we’ll get to see, Randy Orton and Batista will also face off as WWE continues to look towards it’s future with some Ruthless Aggression. The show is from Rosemont, Illinois and Michael Cole and Tazz are our commentary team.

The Beautiful People plays (the song not the group) us into the arena as Cole and Tazz introduce us to our main event tonight, Chris Jericho v Hulk Hogan!

Vince McMahon is in the ring to start the show and he’s here to introduce us to his friend, Kurt Angle. Angle makes his entrance to a loud chorus of ‘You Suck’ and embraces McMahon as they celebrate Angles defeat of Hogan at King Of The Ring. Angle calls himself the poster boy for Ruthless Aggression before running down beating Hogan and The Undertaker in the last week. Angle claims the crowd sucks and does not appreciate his talent (cue Hogan chants).

Kurt Angle reveals his wonderfully bald head and asks the crowd if it’s funny now. Kurt, of course, lost a hair v hair match against Edge prior to this. He tells the crowd he’s issuing a challenge to someone he’s never wrestled to face him and seize the moment. The challenge is answered by none other than a young John Cena who angry man marches to the ring, Angle asks the angry man who he is and of course he replies with John Cena.

Angle asks Cena what he possesses that makes him think he can take on Angle, Cena responds Ruthless Aggression before taking Angle down with a right hand and our first match is underway.

Kurt Angle v John Cena

Pre Match Thought’s: This match and prior promo is of course famous for being Cena’s first televised match, it’s exciting to see all these years later knowing what comes after, especially with what we are about to see from this version of Cena in the next few weeks. Putting that aside you know this will be a short but entertaining match so let’s get into it.

Summary: Following the bell, Cena goes right for Angle throwing him over the top rope with a clothesline and continuing the attack on the outside. Back in the ring Cena continues to lay in heavy shots and gets a two count. Angle fights back trying to lock in a Angle lock but Cena reverses. Angle hits a succession of suplexes before flooring Cena with elbows.

Cena counters another german suplex before Angle takes the initiative again with kicks in the corner, Angle gets a near fall with a suplex but Cena continues to fight. Following this Cena hits a flying shoulder tackle followed by a spinebuster but Kurt Angle just about kicks out. Cena gets another close fall after a jumping DDT following a countered Angle Slam.

Cena rolls up Angle after he went flying into the ring post but Angle kicks out again, another slam for a very very close two count. Angle manages to roll up Cena for the three and the victory. Just about! Angle refuses the handshake following the conclusion of the match.

Winner: Kurt Angle by Pinfall

Stitch’s Rating: 7/10. A fast paced, fantastic opener where Kurt Angle did everything in his power to make Cena look like star. It’s not often you see a debut where he gets so much offence in on a former world champion like Angle so it’s really good to see. A great opener for Smackdown here and the first real glimpse into the future of the Ruthless Aggression era.

Following his match Cena is congratulated backstage by some of the locker room, The Undertaker approaches Cena and asks his name, he offers Cena his hand telling him nice job. Big moment for John Cena both in and out of Kayfabe as there is no bigger approval in wrestling than one given by The Undertaker.

Billy & Chuck v Hardcore Holly & The Big Valbowski WWE Tag Team Championship

Pre Match Thoughts: A tag title match here for our second match tonight, an interesting one here. Heading into it, I’m assuming this one won’t go that long but lets see what happens. Billy and Chuck were not a bad team at all and I’m sure we can get some good action in a short time here.

Summary: The match begins with Billy and Holly, Holly gets some shots in before dropping Billy with a dropkick. Both men tag out as Val chops the living daylights out of Chuck. Chuck floors Val with a boot to the face but can’t gain much momentum. Val gets the first near fall of the match with a knee drop before tagging in Holly.

Billy and Chuck gain the advantage as the illegal man Billy kicks Holly behind the referees back, Holly is worked over in the corner as Billy and Chuck exchange tags. Holly fights back with a backwards slam and gets the hot tag to Val. Val takes down both Billy and Chuck with shoulder blocks and a neckbreaker, a spinebuster on Chuck brings Billy back into the ring but Billy and Chucks manager Rico gets involved taking a alabama slammer for his trouble. However, this enables Billy to hit a Fam-aaser for three.

Winner Billy & Chuck by pinfall

Post Match Thoughts: Squash. Nothing much to say here, a title defence for the tag champs and an okay squash that got more time than nearly all of the matches on RAW so we’ll take it.

Michael Cole and Tazz confirm that Triple H has had elbow surgery following an attack from the Undertaker, he will be out for about 2-3 weeks according to Cole. Hulk Hogan gets a cheer as he enter the building backstage to a big pop.

Lance Storm cuts a very charismatic promo where he claims that he, a proud Canadian, will defeat the American Mark Henry on behalf of the world. Very bizarre. Mark Henry follows this up by lifting a very heavy dumbell in a strong man meet up.

Mark Henry v Lance Storm

Summary: Right from the start Henry beats down Storm, he chops Storm off the top rope to the outside before throwing him over the top rope back to the inside. Henry locks in a bear hug but Storm breaks out, Henry hits what we now know as the world’s strongest slam but misses the corner splash. Lance Storm gets the win with a superkick.

Winner: Lance Storm by pinfall

Post Match Thought’s: Squash. As expected a quick win for Storm, Henry didn’t look weak and if anything looked better than Storm here (in terms of presentation, Storm carried the in-ring work) so an okay squash but a squash none the less.

The undisputed champion, The Undertaker, makes his arrival on his bike, Cole and Tazz hype up the upcoming ladder match for the title with Jeff Hardy this coming week on RAW. The Undertaker tells us he wants to get a few things straight, he shows us his title before highlighting his name on there. He tells us that no other man can lay claim to his championship, The Undertaker says that at King of the Ring he was due to defend his title one on one with Triple H so he questions why The Rock thinks he can get involved in the match (big Rocky chants here). The Undertaker shows the footage of The Rock hitting a rock bottom on him.

The Undertaker tells us he has good news and bad news. He he says the good news is that on July 11 Smackdown The Rock will return, he says the bad news is that on that Smackdown he will beat The Rock down and make him pay. He tells The Rock to watch what he does to Jeff Hardy on RAW because it will be just a sample of the brutality he will lay on The Rock.

Kurt Angle interrupts and makes his way to the ring, Angle tells The Undertaker all he does is talk to which Taker calls him a punk. Angle says he is out there for one reason, to ask that if Taker gets past Hardy on RAW he will face Taker for the title on Smackdown. The Undertaker wants that match now but Angle says he is not ready as he had a tune up match, Taker tells him it wasn’t a tune up and that he nearly lost to a rookie. Eventually Undertaker accepts his challenge, Kurt Angle asks to touch the title which Taker agrees to but tells him it’s as close as he’ll ever come to having it. Angle uses it as a distraction to get the Angle Lock on briefly before departing.

Rikishi v Test

Summary: The match begins with Test and Rikishi teeing off, Rikishi hits a belly to belly to floor Test before Test hits a clothesline in the corner. Test starts fighting the referee at one point (trying to stop a close fist punch like that never happens). Test goes for a big boot but is met by a Rikishi superkick, Test kicks out and counters the Rikishi drop with the knees. He hits a big clothesline before arguing with the referee again, Chioda is hit by Test after Rikishi throws him into him, it’s an awful ending to an awful match.

Post Match Thought’s: No rating here, it was a two minute match that had Test and referee Mike Chioda fighting just as much as Test and Rikishi. The ending was even more ridiculous, shocking all round.

Backstage Hogan meets McMahon in his office. McMahon tells Hogan that he was personally upset by Hogan’s loss to Angle especially that he tapped out. Vince mocks the pain Hogan was in and tells him he thought Hogan would cry. Hogan looks like he’s either gonna punch or kiss McMahon and tells him one day. Test, Lance Storm and Christian are backstage moaning about Americans and referees being corrupt.

Jamie Noble & Tajiri v The Hurricane & Billy Kidman

Summary: Tajiri and The Hurricane begin, Noble gets in but runs from Hurricane (the two are feuding over Noble’s Cruiserweight title). Hurricane takes down Noble on the outside before returning to the ring and taking down both Tajiri and Noble. Kidman is in as well as Tajiri and Kidman looks really good here, such a really underrated cruiserweight.

Tajiri and Noble work over Kidman in the corner with Tajiri locking in a tarantula on Kidman, having to break before the five count. Kidman manages to counter a running bulldog into a bodyslam excellently before tagging in Hurricane who unloads on Jamie Noble. Tajiri tries to save his partner but can’t stop him from being thrown over the top rope by Hurricane.

The Hurricane hits a chokeslam on Tajiri before tagging in Kidman who hits a shooting star press for the three.

Winners The Hurricane & Billy Kidman by pinfall

Stitch’s Rating: 6/10 A good short sprint between four men that really should get more time to do their thing. It was a bit of a nothing match but a enjoyable one, I’m definitely being generous with my score but I’m just excited to actually get to rate some matches.

Chris Jericho is backstage ahead of his match with Hogan, he mocks Hogan before showing footage of himself brutally attacking Edge three weeks ago on Smackdown. He tells us he has a decision tonight, to make him submit with the walls, hit the lionsault or finish off Hogan the way he finished off Edge.

Rey Mysterio is still coming soon.

D-Von Dudley & Deacon Batista v Randy Orton & Farooq

Pre Match Thoughts: This is Batistas’ debut and an earlier match here for Orton. Batista’s gimmick is that he’s D-Von’s deacon and Orton is just a squeaky clean babyface.

Summary: D-Von and Orton start us off with Orton going for a fast start but being quickly shut down by D-Von. Orton manages to hit a top rope bulldog and tags in Farooq, who goes after D-Von and gets a two count with a side slam. D-Von plants Farooq and goes to the top rope but misses the headbutt.

Randy Orton hits a crossbody on D-Von but only gets a two count, a dropkick by Orton gets another two before Batista tags in and turns Orton inside out with a clothesline. Batista follows this up with a spinebuster on Orton for the win.

Winners D-Von Dudley & Batista by pinfall

Post Match Thoughts: A quick match that does it’s job which is to get over Orton and make Batista look like a monster. Mission accomplished here as Batista looks great and Orton got some decent offence in. Not much to talk about but watchable and of course nice to look back on with the way their careers have gone.

Hulk Hogan v Chris Jericho

Pre Match Thoughts: A big main event, and I expect Hogan to go over here but he shouldn’t. This will be all about Hogan proving he’s not finished and won’t tap out to the walls and that has the potential to be enjoyable so lets see what happens. I have to say I’m not the biggest fan of the traditional Hogan matches but I go into this trying to give the match a fair chance.

Summary: The match begins with Jericho attacking Hogan, he hits some chops in the corner before Hogan hits back with a clothesline and backdrop. Hogan goes for the elbow but Jericho moves. Hogan is selling the ankle injury here so is walking gingerly.

Jericho skins the cat but is taken out by a right hand from Hogan, he then takes eight punches in the corner from Hogan before delivering a low below behind Hogan’s back. Jericho tries to pin Hogan with his foot after a side slam but gets a two, he now chokes Hogan and hits a running knee against the ropes.

Jericho hits a DDT getting a two count. He goes for an abdominal stretch following some punches, and uses the ropes but Hogan reverses and starts to Hulk up. Jericho goes flying into the ring post as the Hogan punches connect but Jericho reverses the big boot into the walls. Hogan powers out but Jericho is one step ahead again with a bulldog and lionsault but Jericho only gets a two!

Hogan fully Hulks up now with the right hands and this time the big boot connects but Jericho manages to duck out the ring and get a chair. He hits Hogan with the chair and the ref calls for the bell.

Winner Hulk Hogan by DQ

Stitch’s Rating: 6.5/10. I actually quite enjoyed this, the match was simple and played to Hogan’s strengths. Jericho was brilliant here and revelled in the bad guy role, a really good main event that went as expected but in the right kind of way. Jericho not losing clean was a pro too.

Following the match Jericho beats down Hogan with a chair until Jericho’s own countdown and music hits. Edge returns from the injury he sustained from Jericho to lay out Jericho who keeps trying to run away but Hogan acts as a one man lumberjack everytime as Edge stands tall over a beaten Jericho. The show ends with Edge and Hogan celebrating Hulk Hogan style.

Final Rating: 6.5/10 A really enjoyable show that injected a lot of freshness into the show, it’s definitely not the best Smackdown show we will go through on this series but it was more than watchable. Kurt Angle v Cena and Jericho v Hogan were the two stand outs with even the squash’s providing some entertainment. Overall a win for Smackdown and a better show than RAW this week to boot!