[loopydate]

SEPTEMBER 25, 2003 - SmackDown!

Just three days away from Unforgiven, we open the show with a triangle tag-team match, pitting three teams looking to get into the hunt for the WWE Tag Team Titles against each other. It's the World's Greatest Tag Team versus the FBI's Chuck Palumbo and Johnny Stamboli versus Rikishi and Scotty 2 Hotty. Haas and Palumbo start. Haas takes the early lead before tagging in Rikishi. The big man levels Palumbo with a kick. Palumbo tags in Stamboli. Double back elbow on Rikishi, who tags in Scotty. Scotty hits a superkick. Stamboli tags in Shelton Benjamin. Shelton fights out of a waistlock to hit his Dragon Kick for the victory!

Shannon Moore and Billy Gunn have been virtually invisible this month as higher-profile matches and feuds have taken up all the TV time. This match was almost all Gunn's from the opening bell. Not exactly a wrestling clinic, both men botch a handful of moves, but in the end, it's the Fame-ass-er that picks up the win for Gunn.

The next match should be the technical match-up that the last one wasn't. Chris Benoit takes on Chris Kanyon in a battle of WCW alumni. Excellent back-and-forth match with both men getting in a bunch of offense. In the end, though, the Crippler was just too much, picking up a pinfall victory following his Swandive Headbutt.

The Basham Brothers defend their WWE Tag Team Titles against the team that beat them in a non-title match last week, the Backstage Bullies. Once again, the new team works like a well-oiled machine, tagging in and out quickly, beating up on both Bashams as though they hadn't paid their dues. Shaniqua hops up onto the apron to distract Bradshaw (who, you'll remember, has a grudge after she injured Faarooq two weeks ago). Danny charges Bradshaw, but 'shaw dodges, and Shaniqua is knocked from the apron by her own man. Clothesline From Hell! New WWE Tag Team Champions! Afterwards, Shaniqua apologizes profusely to her men, but the Bashams lay her out. "DAMN THEM! WHAT A COWARDLY ATTACK, TAZZ! BUT THAT'S JUST VINTAGE BASHAMS!"

Up next, two of the fastest-rising stars on SmackDown! compete. It's Edge versus Rhyno! Both men brawl to start, and the referee winds up bumping. Rhyno hits a huge lariat, but can't get the pin because the ref is out. Edge fights out of a suplex, then slams and hits a backbreaker on Rhyno. Two count followed by a powerbomb that gets two more. Rhyno hits a huge piledriver! "ONE! TWO! RHYNO'S GOING TO-- NO!" Edge kicks out. A frustrated Rhyno misses a clothesline and walks into the Edgecutioner! Rhyno finally tastes defeat after three straight victories. Afterwards, Rhyno takes the ref down again, this time intentionally.

Backstage, Kurt Angle is warming up for our big tag-team main event. Undertaker approaches him and tells him that he has his back against Big Show and Brock Lesnar.

Our second title match of the night pits the Cruiserweight Champion Tajiri against Rey Mysterio and the man who injected himself into the title picture last week, Billy Kidman. Excellent high-flying action all around. Kidman and Rey team up a bit against Tajiri, taking him down with an avalanche in the corner. Rey uses the "every-man-for-himself" mantra to take Kidman down with a dropkick. Rey goes for an elbow, but Kidman dodges. Tajiri tries to go up top, but is taken down by Kidman. Kidman hits the Shooting Star Press on Tajiri! We have a new Cruiserweight Champion!

Eddie Guerrero is just three nights away from getting his hands on his nephew Chavo, and Sean O'Haire is preparing for a huge grudge match against John Cena. But these two go one-on-one next! Eddie controls most of the early-going, but O'Haire hits a spinebuster to take advantage. Just as Eddie starts to fight back, he's hung out to dry by an interfering Chavo, which lets O'Haire land the Prophecy for the victory. Afterwards, Chavo and O'Haire double-team Eddie, leaving him laying.

After Eddie and O'Haire are cleared of the ring, Chavo now has to face off against the Doctor of Thuganomics John Cena. Chavo starts the match with a series of kicks to Cena, but he goes to the well once too often and eats a flying shoulder tackle. Vintage Cena! Two count only. Spear! Vintage Cena! Two count only. Cena slams Chavo. He goes for it again, but Chavo slides out of it. Chavo hits a couple of suplexes to press the advantage. Another tackle by Cena, followed by a lariat. F-U! Cena picks up the win! After the match, Sean O'Haire hits the ring with a chair and busts Cena wide open.

Backstage, Paul Heyman is with his two star clients - the WWE Champion Brock Lesnar and the United States Champion Big Show. The two have huge singles matches at Unforgiven, but tonight they stand united to decimate Kurt Angle and Undertaker!

It's time for our tag-team main event! Angle and Lesnar start the match. Lesnar takes an early advantage with a big shoulderblock. Tags in Show. Double backdrop, and Angle could have touched the rafters ('cause... Big Show is... tall... never mind). Angle and Show brawl for a bit before Angle manages to suplex the big man! Tag to Undertaker. The two Unforgiven opponents brawl for a moment before Lesnar tags in. Lesnar takes advantage with some brawling before UT tags in Angle. A-Train and Matt Morgan come down the ramp to ringside, A-Train holding a chair. Heyman distracts the referee long enough for Train to hit Angle with the chair, allowing Lesnar to hit the F-5 for the win. Now it's a four-on-two, but the Backstage Bullies emerge from the crowd! Heyman's clients are chased off as we fade to black.

Unforgiven is this Sunday night, but what does the card have in store? John Cena and Eddie Guerrero were both mercilessly attacked by their Unforgiven opponents. Do Sean O'Haire and Chavo Guerrero have the edge in their respective matches? Brock Lesnar picked up a pinfall victory over his challenger Kurt Angle with the assist from A-Train and Matt Morgan. Is this the leg up he needs to beat the Olympic Hero? Undertaker and Big Show got their hands on each other in the tag match, but neither one has to be satisfied that they didn't pin the other. These two will battle it out at Unforgiven, and the United States Title hangs in the balance!