Ruthless Aggression Era Project: WWE Smackdown Review - November 28th, 2002 (Thanksgiving Edition)

WWE Smackdown

November 28th, 2002

Columbia, South Carolina 

THANKSGIVNG SMACKDOWN

TONIGHT: SCOTT STEINER IS HERE

PLUS: LOS GUERREROS DEFEND THE TAG TITLES AGAINST KURT ANGLE AND CHRIS BENOIT 

Ernest Miller is on commentary with Cole for tonight. I guess Taz couldn’t make it. 

Steph is out first to address whether Brock is suspended or not. Before she can say anything, Brock hits the ring and backs her up against the ropes. She leaves the ring and suspends Brock indefinitely and has security/police officers at the entrance way to remove him from the arena. 

Brock Lesnar walks out under his own power and one of the officers touches him as he’s getting in his truck and he says if they touch him again he will use their nightstick as a thermometer. 

1) Edge & Rey Mysterio vs. Matt Hardy & John Cena (w/ Bull Buchanan) 

Lots going on here. Hardy got thrown through the wall by Brock last week. Cena debuted Bull Buchanan or B squared as they’re gonna call him, as his new running buddy as he attacked Rikishi after their match. Cena has new music and more new graphics this week and this thing is coming together. The childhood in me also loves this because Rey is wearing a long cross chain necklace that I bought one similar to because of how cool I thought it was as a kid lmao. ALSO, this is Edge against two dudes who would become two of his greatest rivals so yeah. It’s kinda all over the place to begin. Commentary is making fun of Cena & Buchanan and all their lingo. 

The finish is hot with Edge spearing Cena off the apron and diving into him & Buchanan. Rey then goes for West Coast Pop but gets caught in a fucking spike powerbomb. Hardy uses the ropes to get the pin and big victory over the former tag champs. 

Match rating - **3/4

Kurt Angle asks Steph backstage if she’s okay and she says no and in other words, that she’s also been on her period. Kurt plays dumb and doesn’t catch the hint. Steph said she’s never bringing Smackdown back to Columbia again. 

Rumor is Brock has returned to the parking lot. Marc Loyd is back there and SCOTT STEINER shows up in a limo. 

2) Chuck Palumbo vs. Tajiri 

First time seeing Chuck since the squash against Brock a few months ago. Tajiri is fun here like always. Cole calls a dragon screw leg whip, “a leg sweep” but yeah Chuck slows Tajiri with that to lock in his new submission the “padlock” but it does no good. Tajiri sprays green mist in Chuck’s face and hits him with a kick for the pin.

Match rating - **

They do some bizzare shit. Torrie and Dawn are dressed as.. pilgrims. Al Wilson is dressed as a turkey. Good god in heaven. This is the infamous segment where Michael Cole randomly screams "AHHHHHH HELP!!!!" in the middle of Al talking. Torrie strips down and this is a bikini contest type deal I guess. Sorry for not paying attention to that earlier. Dawn essentially uses her whole routine to flaunt the engagement ring that Torrie's dad got her. Torrie nails her with a pumpkin pie and this turns into a food fight.. of course. This was something else. TRULY. 

3) Los Guerreros (Eddie & Chavo Guerrero) (c) vs. Kurt Angle & Chris Benoit - WWE Tag Team Championship Match

Another super fun match from these two teams. Angle & Benoit continue try to one up each other and the Los Guerreros are working their classic character/routine. They build to a Kurt Angle hot tag which is obviously amazing. Lots of moves and nearfalls. Chavo hits Benoit with the belt behind the ref's back and spears Angle to the floor allowing Eddie to cover and get the victory. Los Guerreros retain the titles. 

Match rating - ***1/4

Jamie Noble & Nidia are backstage. Scott Steiner walks up and Noble offers to shake his hand. Instead, Steiner grabs Nidia's ass and walks off!

Back from commercial, Noble hits the ring and says no one touches his Nidia unless he asks them to. BIG POPPA PUMP comes out and takes his shirt off. NOBLE DOES THE SAME LOL. Steiner destroys poor Jamie and then grabs Nidia's ass again before cutting a promo for all his FREAKS in South Carolina and continuing the tease of not knowing what show he's gonna choose to compete on. 

Backstage Stephanie is on the phone saying she wants to do whatever she has to do to get Steiner on Smackdown. Paul Heyman walks off and thanks her for suspending Brock. Steph says she didn't do it bc Paul threatened to sue her and that Big Show will defend the WWE Title tonight against a "worthy championship caliber challenger" - Heyman starts to stutter, but Steph cuts him off and sends him out of the office. "The match is made" she says. 

4) Billy Kidman vs. Crash

This was all about a squash win for Kidman who just recently won the cruserweight title. Shooting star press takes it home for Mr. Kidman. Match was fine for what it was, but no one really cared.

Match rating - *3/4

So, earlier in the night, Steph said hometown legend Fabolous Moolah would have a match tonight. And just now, she said Big Show had to defend the championship tonight. Who knew this meant we would see a Big Show/Moolah face off LMAO. Paul Heyman plays it off like he just wants to tell her Happy Thanksgiving, but then says Show sees her as Brock Lesnar and he grabs her by the throat. Heyman is talking it up and running down Brock this entire time. Show has her in position for the chokeslam when BROCK RUNS THROUGH THE CROWD AND ATTACKS BIG SHOW. Brock is suspended so this gets a huge pop. Brock F5's Show through the announce table in an awesome spot and then sets his sights on Paul Heyman. Steph sends police out though as Brock is making his way up the ramp and Heyman gets away again. They are working this Brock being suspended story very well and I love this Show/Lesnar story more than I thought I would. So simple, but so damn good for those involved.