411’s WWE Smackdown Report 12.23.05

Michael Cole and Tazz are in the studio as we look back at Smackdown’s best moments of the year.

First up, what’s technically a Raw moment- Batista beats HHH for the belt at WrestleMania. Not a great match, but the feud was really well done and the blowoff (Hell in a Cell at Vengeance) was superb.

In a number one contender’s match on Smackdown, JBL beat The Big Show, Booker T, and Kurt Angle. This would lead to an I Quit Match at Judgment Day between JBL and Cena that was, once again, much better than the WrestleMania encounter.

Clips of Raw in Afghanistan are shown.

Rey Mysterio defeated Eddie Guerrero on the January 6th episode of Smackdown. I’m sorry to say that I don’t remember seeing this match upon it’s initial airing. Eddie is really at his best here, wrestling a great match with a lot of hilarious cheating. Tazz and Michael Cole talk about Eddie, then show the tribute video, which is very moving.

A video package highlighting the Smackdown debuts this year is shown. It focuses on Kennedy, Kid Kash, Lashley, the Mexicools, Sharmell, MNM, and The Boogeyman. Not a bad haul, overall.

Booker T’s U.S. Title win over Chris Benoit is shown. While it wasn’t the best match these two would have this year, it did feature Benoit’s insane table crash. Talk about a guy who gives his all. We then see a clip of Booker’s heel turn, and we learn that Match 5 of the series will happen next week on Smackdown.

The Raw versus Smackdown ten-man tag is shown. Good match, they kept it exciting despite the fact that nothing was actually on the line. That’s a testament to the brand extension in and of itself.

Stills of the Orton-Taker HIAC match are shown. Not a fantastic contest, but I wouldn’t call it a disappointment. Weird way to go about things if Orton’s being groomed for a title shot, though.

Well, that’s all for tonight. Here’s hoping that everybody has a happy holiday season. I can’t let a show about the year in review go by without expressing my feelings about Eddie Guerrero once more. I only knew Eddie as a fan, but I was one of the millions to whom he brought joy. Even today, I can think about Eddie smiling, Eddie wrestling, Eddie connecting with the fans in ways that only he could, and it’s enough to bring some happiness to me. Thank you, Eddie.