Smackdown!

Columbus, Ohio
November 14, 2002

The WWE Champion is sick of being looked at as the underdog heading into his title defense at Survivor Series this Sunday. With just three days remaining until WWE takes over a sold-out Madison Square Garden, Brock Lesnar showed that he is definitely not a paper champion that will be blown away by his huge adversary.

Even with a broken rib, the champion could not be slowed on SmackDown! After completely disregarding Paul Heyman's pleas to leave the building, Lesnar took to the ring and called out the Big Show. Once the 7-foot-2, 500-pound giant came down to face the champion, things went haywire. Lesnar bloodied Show with a torrent of steel chair shots. It looked like Show could have a painful arm injury that could help turn the tide this Sunday at Survivor Series. Brock made it clear that the championship is his, and the Big Show won't get his hands on the gold and leather without a crippling fight!

Also on SmackDown!, Chris Benoit went back and forth in blaming each other for the loss of the WWE Tag Team Championship to Edge and Rey Mysterio last week. Their argument - which was priceless to watch - got personal. Angle gloated that he had more teeth than Benoit, causing the Crippler to point out Angle's bald head! The two went back and forth for several minutes, but when the going got tough, the two hard-nosed competitors glued together.

Angle and Benoit ended up facing each other in a singles match while their opponents Sunday's Tag Team Triple Threat Elimination Match eagerly watched at ringside. But before long, Edge, Mysterio, Eddie and Chavo Guerrero all came into the ring and a classic brawl broke out! Mysterio and Edge teamed up to grasp Angle in an incredible double ankle lock, but Edge broke the hold to snap the Crossface Crippler on Benoit! Angle and Benoit managed to fight out of the jam and cleared the ring. Impressed at the sight, Angle smiled and offered a hand to Benoit. The men shook hands, and Angle even grabbed his reluctant tag team partner in a hug!

In earlier action, Eddie Guerrero came away with a win by making Rey Mysterio tap out in a breathtaking singles match that could become a match of the year candidate. Edge had a better outing than his fellow Tag Team Champion by putting Chavo away with the Edgecution. 

Jamie Noble has a lot to worry about heading into Sunday's pay-per-view. The Cruiserweight Champion lost a non-title match to Billy Kidman following a Shooting Star Press. If the outcome is the same at Madison Square Garden, Kidman will walk away from the Big Apple with the Cruiserweight Title around his waist. 

Dawn Marie continues to manipulate and play mind games with her adversary, Torrie, Dawn gave her fiancée , Torrie's father Al, an invitation for Torrie to the wedding. But when Al tried to deliver the invite, Torrie said she wouldn't attend because she knows Dawn is simply using her father as a pawn. A saddened Al turned to Dawn for some comforting that she was more than willing to give.

Match results
Edge def. Chavo Guerrero
Matt Hardy & John Cena def. Rikishi & Tajiri
Eddie Guerrero def. Rey Mysterio
Billy Kidman def. Jamie Noble in a non-title match
Kurt Angle and Chris Benoit fought to a no-contest