| Date: June 27, 2004
| Venue: Norfolk Scope | City: Norfolk, Virginia
| Attendance: 6, 500 | Buys: 238, 000

Join Our Party. Or don’t. Because this show looks pretty terrible on paper. The main event is a re-match from Judgment Day 6 weeks ago with John “Bradshaw” Layfield getting a second shot at the WWE Championship held by Eddie Guerrero. Layfield won the first contest by disqualification so he was given the opportunity to name his stipulation for the re-match and he has chosen a Texas Bullrope match. To win the match you have to touch all four corners of the ring all whilst being tied to your opponent by a Texas bull rope.

The United States Championship is also set to be defended by John Cena tonight. John Cena was made to defend his United States Championship against the three top contenders in singles matches and John beat Booker T, Rob Van Dam and Rene Dupree. Kurt Angle then demanded that Cena defend his title at The Great American Bash against all four men in an elimination fatal four way match. Speaking of championships, Chavo Guerrero lost his Cruiserweight title to his father Chavo Classic in a triple threat match on Smackdown not long after Judgment Day. Chavo Classic would hold the belt for a couple of weeks until he was defeated by Rey Mysterio. A 10 man battle royal was then announced to decide a number one contender for Mysterio’s title and that match was won by Chavo Guerrero Jr. Mysterio and Chavo Guerrero battle in a Cruiserweight title match tonight.

Since pairing up with Paul Heyman, The Dudley Boyz have been unstoppable on Smackdown. They beat Rico and Charlie Haas for the WWE Tag Team Championships and have now found a new enemy in The Undertaker. Bubba Ray and D-Von have kidnapped Paul Bearer and Heyman, who is now the holder of the urn, has told The Undertaker that he is his master now and he must do as he say. Tonight The Undertaker takes on The Dudley Boyz in a handicap match but The Undertaker’s long time friend Paul Bearer will be enclosed in a “concrete crypt” and Heyman wants The Undertaker to “do the right thing” whatever that means. The only other match announced for tonight is a match between Torrie Wilson and Sable. The divas will be hosting the pay per view tonight and Sable isn’t happy that Torrie has been getting air time in the build up. The two meet tonight in singles action.

With only 5 matches announced tonight, you can guarantee more will get announced during the show. It’s worth keeping an eye on Kenzo Suzuki who was disqualified in his match against Billy Gunn on Smackdown lat week when his manager Hiroko threw powder in Billy Gunns eyes. Also Mordecai and Hardcore Holly were seen battling backstage on Smackdown last week with absolutely no explanation so expect them to be in action tonight too.

On Sunday Night Heat prior to the event Spike Dudley defeated Jamie Noble.

A video package kicks us off first hyping up the WWE Championship match between Eddie Guerrero and John “Bradshaw” Layfield, the United States Championship match between John Cena, Rene Dupree, Booker T and Rob Van Dam and then the match between The Undertaker and The Dudley Boyz. The show then kicks off with Torrie Wilson in the ring, welcoming everybody to The Great American Bash. Michael Cole welcomes us to Norfolk, Virginia, he’s joined by Tazz.

John Cena (c) vs. Booker T vs. Rob Van Dam vs. Rene Dupree – United States Championship Match

We’re opening the show with one of the few big matches on tonights card. Cena is wearing “Vick” on his jersey, presumably not Katie. Cena gives a bit of a rap before the match, he sure is over right now. The other three men come out and all four men go at it right from the off. Van Dam and Booker T take it to the outside where Booker shoves Van Dam into the barricade and then into the ring steps. Dupree lays into Cena in the ring, raking the eyes and hitting a knee to the middle section. Dupree gets himself a couple of one counts. It’s an elimination match so there will be three falls to the finish of this one. Rene gets the first near fall of the night on Cena. Cena hits an inverted atomic drop on Dupree but then falls to the outside as Rene pulls down the ropes.

Booker T rolls Rob Van Dam in the ring where Dupree hits him with a snapmare before dropping a knee on his face for a near fall. Rene applies a chinlock to RVD but Van Dam gets out of it and hits some big kicks to the face and a split-legged moonsault for a near fall. Dupree is looking for his first PPV victory of 2004. Van Dam hits him with rolling thunder for a two count. Booker T and John Cena are just stood outside the ring watching which is arguably a clever thing to do. Van Dam sends Dupree to the outside where Cena picks him up. Van Dam then dives out at both men, wiping out the two men who fought for the US title at Judgment Day. Van Dam rolls Cena back into the ring and gets a couple of near falls on the champion. Van Dam slides to the outside and rolls Booker T into the ring where Cena rolls him up for a two count.

Cena hits a powerslam on Booker T for a near fall and then rolls to the outside and throws Dupree into the ring. Dupree hits a big powerslam on Booker T and then dances the French tickler. Booker T gets up and hits Dupree with a spinebuster and then Van Dam comes off the top and hits the 5 star frog splash on Dupree! John Cena then goes up top but Van Dam kicks him off. RVD goes to the top and hits a 5 star frog splash on Booker T! Cena then rolls up RVD for the 3, eliminating Rob Van Dam from the match.

The crowd break out in a “Cena” chant. The champion rolls Dupree back into the ring but Booker T attacks Cena from behind before rolling him into the ring. Back in the ring and Booker T and Rene Dupree double team Cena. Booker hits him with a suplex, a knee drop and a kick. Dupree pins Cena but Booker T isn’t happy with him. Cena takes both men down with clotheslines, back body drops and a jumping snapmare. Cena then hits the FU on Dupree but Booker T hits Cena with the scissors kick. Booker T pins Dupree and gets the 3, eliminating Rene Dupree from the match.

Booker T immediately pins Cena but only for a two count. Booker hits a sidewalk on Cena for a near fall. There’s only two men left in this match. Booker hits a reverse elbow for another two count and then applies a chinlock. Cena battles back but Booker hits him with a reverse kick for a two count and then goes back to the chinlock. John gets out of it and hits some clotheslines, elbows and a sidewalk slam. Cena hits his 5 knuckle shuffle but Booker T kicks out at 2. Booker hits a kick and then misses with his trademark scissors kick so Cena hits him with the FU for the three! John Cena wins the match and retains his United States Championship in a fun fatal four way match! A good match that lost a bit of steam when it came down to John Cena and Booker T.

Rating: 6.75/10

John Cena is backstage and Charlie Haas and Jackie Gayda congratulate Cena on his win. Kurt Angle shows up and tells Charlie Haas how disappointed he is with him. Angle says he has a new protegé these days in Luther Reigns and he promised Luther a match tonight. Charlie better get ready because he’ll be taking on Luther next!

Sable is in a hot tub backstage. She says she’ll be interviewing people all night and the first interview is with herself. She takes on Torrie Wilson tonight.

Charlie Haas vs. Luther Reigns

A match made minutes ago by Kurt Angle between two lower carders. Charlie Haas is joined by his real life wife Miss Jackie (Jackie Gayda). Luther Reigns wheels Kurt Angle out to the ring with him. Luther is a big guy but it’s weird seeing him in trunks and not a suit. It’s Luther Reigns pay per view debut tonight. Charlie struggles to take Luther off his feet in the early going, Reigns keeps getting to the ropes. Reigns hits some left hands and kicks but Haas rolls Reigns up out of nowhere for a two count. Luther is up first and hits a boot and some stomps. Reigns drives Haas into the corner a couple of times. Reigns hits a backbreaker for a near fall. I believe this is Charlie Haas’ first ever singles match on PPV. Haas hits a couple of dropkicks but he can’t take Reigns off his feet.

Luther hits an Irish whip sending Haas all the way out of the ring. He then drops out and rams Charlie into the side of the ring before rolling Charlie back into the ring and applying a chinlock. Haas gets out of it but Luther clubs him back down to the canvas. Reigns hits a big military press for a two count and then applies a version of a single leg crab. Haas kicks him off and rolls him up for a near fall. Reigns then hits a big clothesline for a two count. This match feels like it’s gone on too long. Even Kurt tells him to wrap it up. Luther misses with a splash in the corner and Haas hits him with a t-bone suplex for a near fall. Haas hits a German suplex and bridges for a near fall. Charlie misses with a shoulder charge in the corner and Reigns hits him with a modified neckbreaker which is enough for the three. Designed to get Luther Reigns over. I prefer Haas. Not a good match.

Rating: 2.5/10

John “Bradshaw” Layfield is backstage talking himself up. He said he’s beat Eddie Guerrero at Judgment Day and he did. Tonight there are no disqualifications and today is the day of reckoning.

Rey Mysterio (c) vs. Chavo Guerrero – Cruiserweight Championship Match

This is the second PPV singles match between these two men on PPV. Chavo won the previous encounter at No Way Out earlier this year, beating Mysterio for the Cruiserweight title that night. Chavo Guerrero has been involved in all four cruiserweight title matches on PPV so far in 2004. He’s won the previous 3. Rey quickly rolls Chavo up in the early going. Chavo hits a hip-throw for a one count. Both men can wrestle, that’s for sure. Chavo applies an arm bar which Rey counters. Lots of fast paced action between the two, Mysterio hits a springboard moonsault but Chavo catches him, only for Rey to hit an arm drag for a near fall. Mysterio defeated Chavo’s father for the Cruiserweight title. Chavo has a 3-1 record on PPV in 2004 whilst Mysterio has a 1-3 record. Mysterio goes back to work on the arm of Chavo, applying armbars and hammerlocks.

Lots of counters in this match, it’s hard to keep up with. Mysterio attempts to climb to the top but Chavo dropkicks him all the way to the outside. Guerrero rolls him back into the ring and then lays in some boots to the left knee of Mysterio. He wraps Mysterio’s leg around the ringpost and then lays in some more boots. Chavo then applies a single leg Boston crab but Mysterio gets out of it with a big bulldog. Chavo hits an Irish whip but Mysterio’s knee buckles and Rey just falls to the mat. Chavo then dropkicks the champion outside to the apron before suplexing him back in for a near fall. Chavo has been a Smackdown competitor since day one of the brand split over two years ago. He goes back to the submissions, locking on a modified crab. Mysterio gets out of it with an arm drag type move.

Mysterio gets to his feet and hits some big right hands but Chavo forces him back into the corner. Mysterio hits a boot as Chavo runs at him and then follows that up with a hurricanrana. Mysterio attempts a leapfrog but his knee buckles again. Chavo suplexes Mysterio onto the top turnbuckle and then locks him up in a tree of woe. Chavo attempts a shoulder charge but Mysterio manages to get out of the way and then comes off the top with a senton to the outside. Mysterio rolls Chavo into the ring and then both men go up to the top where Chavo looks to suplex Mysterio all the way to the outside but Rey counters it into a face first throw into the ring. Mysterio has only won one singles match on pay per view since his WWE debut two years ago and that was over Jamie Noble. Chavo covers Rey for a near fall which Mysterio counters into a fall of his own for another near fall.

Chavo attempts to slingshot Mysterio into the corner but Rey lands on the middle ropes and hits Guerrero with a dropkick. Mysterio hits a springboard cross body and a side Russian leg sweep for a two count. Rey hits Chavo with the west coast pop but Chavo kicks out. The announcers didn’t sell that as Mysterio’s finisher, weird. Chavo rakes the eyes and then hits the gorybomb! Chavo is slow to cover and so Mysterio kicks out. Mysterio hits an enzeguri, the 619 and then tries for the west coast pop but Chavo catches him and locks on the single leg crab again. Mysterio manages to get to the bottom rope! Chavo tries to hit the gorybomb again but Rey counters it into a sunset flip and Mysterio gets the 3! Mysterio retains his Cruiserweight Championship tonight in a very clever match between the two.

Rating: 7/10

Torrie Wilson is in the hot tub with Billy Kidman, Funaki and Spike Dudley. The three men argue over who is the better cruiserweight and Torrie leaves to get ready for her match with Sable. Funaki ends with “God bless America”.

Billy Gunn vs. Kenzo Suzuki

Kenzo Suzuki makes his WWE PPV debut tonight. He goes up against a man that has wrestled more PPV matches than practically anybody else in history, Billy Gunn. It’s eleven years since Billy Gunn’s PPV debut in the WWE at King Of The Ring 1993. Gunn beat Suzuki on Smackdown last week by disqualification when Kenzo’s wife Hiroko threw powder in Billy’s face. Classic Japanese heel activity. Gunn takes Kenzo down in the early going and then Suzuki re-pays the favour. Gunn hits a fishermans suplex for the first near fall of the match. Gunn hits a big boot and a neckbreaker for a two count. Kenzo then hits some martial arts sweep and a knee drop before applying a nerve hold.

Billy gets out of the nerve hold  but Kenzo hits him with a knee to the gut. Gunn rolls him up out of nowhere for a two count but Suzuki takes him right back down with a chop and then another knee drop. Kenzo hits a suplex for a near fall and then applies an abdominal stretch. Billy gets out of it and the two exchange right hands and chops until Billy hits a clothesline and a big splash in the corner. Billy then goes for the Fame-asser but Kenzo gets out of the way and hits a running knee but Gunn kicks out. Suzuki hits a weak kick to the spine and Gunn then hits a tilt-a-whirl slam for a two count. Gunn motions for the fame-asser but Kenzo hits a low blow and a modified backbreaker which is enough for the three. Kenzo Suzuki wins on his PPV debut tonight. Pretty terrible match. Marginally better than the Luther Reigns match earlier.

Rating: 3/10

Paul Heyman is backstage with Paul Bearer who is tied up in a chair. Heyman tells Bearer that if Undertaker doesn’t do the right thing and pull the lever on him tonight then Heyman won’t have any problems doing it himself.

Torrie Wilson vs. Sable

This is a first time singles match on PPV between these two girls. Both have fantastic pay per view win records, Torrie has a 87.5% win record winning 7 of her 8 matches and Sable has an 80% record, winning 8 from 10. Nobody that has wrestled more than 3 PPV matches up to now has a better record than these two girls. Torrie chases Sable out of the ring in the early going. Sable gets back into the ring and Torrie takes her down. Sable hits a couple of forearms and kicks before snapmaring Torrie to the mat. Sable is a former Women’s Champion. Torrie hits a sunset flip for a near fall but Sable takes the advantage with a drop toe hold before choking Torrie on the bottom rope. These two girls teamed up at Wrestlemania XX to beat Stacy Keibler and Miss Jackie. Sable gets a near fall and then applies a chinlock.

The chinlock goes on for too long until Torrie gets out of it and hits a suplex for a two count. Torrie hits a basement dropkick and a couple of chops before the two girls knock heads. Torrie is first up and Sable seems to be out of it. The referee stops Torrie from doing anything to Sable and Torrie keeps looking to the back. Sable was playing possum though and she rolls up Torrie for the three. Torrie’s shoulders were definitely not down. That was obviously the finish though and they’re sticking to it. Terrible. It actually started quite well but then went downhill.

Rating: 2/10

Dawn Marie is backstage in her bikini by the hot tub. She interviews Rene Dupree who says he is going to protest and get a rematch for the United States Championship. Dupree asks Dawn if she’d like to see his French tickler before doing his trademark dance. Nunzio and Johnny “The Bull” Stamboli then turn up. Nunzio asks Dawn if she wants to see his 15 inches before putting his foot up on the hot tub. Nunzio then asks Dawn if he knows what they say about guys with big feet. The penny drops and Dawn leaves with Nunzio. Stamboli then asks Dupree if he’s a size 6. Good stuff.

Hardcore Holly vs. Mordecai

Looks like Hardcore Holly joins Billy Gunn and Charlie Haas in putting over the newest heels to Smackdowns roster. Remember when Holly got a WWE title shot at Royal Rumble? The two men slug it out in the early going and it is stiff. Hardcore ties Mordecai up in a crucifix position in the ropes and then lays into him. Mordecai heads to the outside, Holly follows and Mordecai throws him into his steel crucifix. Mordecai rolls Hardcore back into the ring and lays into his back. The two men slug it out with right hands and kicks. Mordecai hits a running boot for a near fall and then applies a chinlock. This is Mordecai’s second PPV match, he beat Scotty Too Hotty at Judgment Day. Hardcore Holly, Torrie Wilson and Billy Gunn are the only three wrestling tonight that were drafted to Smackdown back in 2002 and are still on the brand today.

Hardcore Holly drops Mordecai on the top rope and the two men then knock heads. Hardcore gets up and heads to the top before flying off with a clothesline for a near fall. Holly hits an inverted DDT for a two count. They should have put this match on after the Undertaker match. Break it up a bit. Mordecai hits a sit out spinebuster similar to the one Billy Kidman does for a near fall. Holly hits a dropkick for a near fall of his own. Holly goes for an Alabama Slam but Mordecai counters it into a crucifix bomb which is enough for the three. Mordecai wins but the crowd were dead for it. This should have gone after The Undertaker match and before the WWE tirle match.

Rating: 3.25/10

There’s a VT next hyping the WWE Championship match. Why is this up next? The order of the final 3 matches is completely off. Mordecai, WWE Championship and Undertaker? It should be Undertaker, Mordecai, WWE Championship. Weird.

Eddie Guerrero vs. John “Bradshaw” Layfield – Texas Bull-rope match for the WWE Championship

The rules are a bit odd in this one. It’s a disqualification if either man intentionally unties themselves from the rope? This is of course a rematch from Judgment Day where Bradshaw won by disqualification. The two men tie their left wrist up in the rope and it’s Eddie who gets the first few shots in. Eddie applies a chinlock and then chokes JBL with the rope which is completely legal. The rope has already come off Eddie’s wrist. Bradshaw lays into Guerrero with right hands before choking him with the rope and applying a sleeper of his own. To win you have to touch all four corners of the ring. Bradshaw hits somewhat of a clothesline with the rope and touches a corner. JBL touches a second corner but Eddie dropkicks him which stops Layfield from hitting a third corner. The lights are still on though.

Guerrero hits a back body drop and Eddie touches two of the corners. He can’t touch a third though as Layfield stops himself from being dragged. Bradshaw then nails Guerrero with the bell that hangs in the middle of the rope. Layfield smashes Eddie with the bell again and then ties him up in a tree of woe. Bradshaw chokes Eddie with the rope and the referee can’t stop him. Layfield takes apart the Spanish announce table and then bounces Guerrero onto the American..or is it English….announce table. Layfield sets Guerrero up for a powerbomb but Eddie counters it and lays into JBL with right hands. Eddie comes off the announce desk with a double axe handle and then bounces Bradshaws head off the apron. Guerrero then pulls Layfield into the ring post a couple of times. Bradshaw reverses an Irish whip sending Eddie flying over the announce table but Eddie picks up a chair and leathers JBL with it, busting him wide open.

Guerrero nails JBL with the chair in the middle of the ring and then walks around the corners, hitting three of them but Bradshaw stops him from hitting a fourth. Eddie lays into Bradshaw and tires hitting the turnbuckles again and he makes three but again Bradshaw stops him from hitting a fourth. JBL hits a DDT and gets round to three of the corner but Eddie stops him from hitting the fourth with a low blow using the rope. Eddie then hits his trademark three consecutive suplexes and heads to the top before diving off and hitting the frog splash! Guerrero hits three of the corners but JBL rolls to the outside which stops Eddie from hitting the fourth corner. Eddie smashes JBL into the ring steps and then goes up onto the apron but JBL pulls him down from the apron all the way into the Spanish announce table, which doesn’t give way. Layfield then powerbombs Guerrero through the Spanish announce table.

Back in the ring and JBL touches three of the corners but Eddie stops him from hitting a fourth. Layfield smashes the bell into the face of Guerrero and once again walks around the ring and hits three turnbuckles. Eddie stops him from hitting the fourth, low blowing him with the cow bell. “Cow bell to the cow bell” as Tazz says. Eddie hits the first turnbuckle and Bradshaw touches it too. Eddie hits two as does JBL, Eddie hits the third and Layfield does too, clotheslining Guerrero as he does. Guerrero swings the bell into JBL and then splashes him into corner and touching the top turnbuckle as he does. Guerrero’s music hits but I’m pretty sure Layfield touched first. Kurt Angle then comes out, wheeled by Luther Reigns. Kurt asks for a replay and the commentators act dumb (despite Tazz already saying the same as me) and we see on the replay that JBL touched the fourth turnbuckle first.

Kurt announces John “Bradshaw” Layfield as the new WWE Champion! Layfield celebrates with the title. Why isn’t this match on last? Anyway, this was a good match and I really like JBL as the new WWE Champion. Lots of possibilities here. Eddie gets a standing ovation as he leaves. Muted celebrations for JBL because of the way he won.

Rating: 7.25/10

There’s a VT next showing how we came to the match between The Undertaker and The Dudley Boyz. We then see a shot of Paul Bearer trapped in a glass cell.

The Undertaker vs. The Dudley Boyz (Bubba Ray & D-Von)

This handicap match is all about whether The Undertaker will do the right thing and pour concrete into a glass cell containing Paul Bearer. Weird that this match is the main event. With Undertaker in the ring, Paul Heyman demonstrates the concrete crypt, pouring concrete up to Paul Bearers ankles. Bubba Ray asks Undertaker if he is with them and tells him to do the right thing and lay down. Undertaker is undefeated on PPV so far in 2004, beating Kane and Booker T. The Dudley Boyz are yet to win on PPV in 2004, losing to the likes of Batista & Ric Flair, Booker T & Rob Van Dam and Rey Mysterio & Rob Van Dam. Undertaker lays down in the middle of the ring and Bubba Ray stands over him and tells him he’s been waiting for this his whole life.

Undertaker grabs Bubba Ray by the throat and then does the same to D-Von but Paul Heyman tells him that’s not doing the right thing which distracts Undertaker long enough for The Dudley Boyz to lay into him. Undertaker disposes of both Dudley Boyz and then lays into both of them on the outside of the ring. Undertaker rolls D-Von back into the ring and sets him up for old school but Heyman gets on the mic and pulls the lever, filling the concrete up to Paul Bearers waist. Bearer shouts that Undertaker will save him. Undertaker stops what he’s doing which allows Bubba Ray to crotch Undertaker into the ring post. Bubba Ray and D-Von both hit legdrops and D-Von hits some big right hands. D-Von tags in Bubba Ray who hits some right hands of his own but Undertaker plants him with a DDT. Undertaker then hits D-Von with some right hands and a big back body drop.

Undertaker exits the ring and walks towards Paul Heyman who tells him that if he takes another step then he’ll finish the job. Heyman pours the concrete in again as The Dudley Boyz lay into Undertaker around the ringside area. Bubba Ray pulls the lever back up and tells Heyman that he wants to finish Undertaker and then Heyman can finish Paul Bearer. D-Von smashes Undertaker into the ring steps and then rolls him back into the ring where he applies a chinlock. D-Von hits a flying elbow for a near fall and then both Dudley Boyz hit a double suplex. D-Von chokes Undertaker on the middle rope and Bubba hits him with a cheap shot. D-Von tags in Bubba Ray who hits some big right hands. Undertaker fights back with some right of his own and then hits D-Von with one. Bubba Ray applies a sleeper but Undertaker drops him with a side suplex.

Bubba Ray tags in D-Von and Undertaker takes him down with a big flying clothesline. Undertaker then hits snake eyes and a running boot. Undertaker hits a legdrop on D-Von and then in comes Bubba Ray but Undertaker hits him with a big splash. Undertaker hits old school on Bubba Ray and then sets D-Von up for a Tombstone but D-Von nips down and hits Undertaker with a low blow. The Dudley Boyz hit a double neckbreaker on Undertaker and Paul Heyman walks down to ringside. Undertaker sits up and looks right at Heyman but The Dudley Boyz attack. Undertaker hits Bubba Ray with a chokeslam and D-Von with a Tombstone and that’ll be it! Undertaker wins the match, beating both Dudley Boyz! He has won all 3 of his PPV matches in 2004 whilst The Dudley Boyz have lost all 4 of theirs.

Heyman tells Undertaker that it’s time for him to do the right thing and marches over to the concrete lever but a lightning bolt hits it! Undertaker then walks over to the concrete crypt and gets down on one knee, bowing to Paul Bearer. Undertaker then gets up and stares at the lever, grabs the microphone and tells Paul that he has no other choice before telling his long time manager to rest in peace. Undertaker pulls the lever and buried Paul Bearer in the concrete!

Rating: 7/10

Well that was pretty awful. The Smackdown brand pay per views at the moment are really poor in quality and although there were four decent matches on the show, it is a pay per view and fans might be accepting of one….maybe two poor matches, fans won’t buy shows if they continue to be like this. The show started off pretty strongly. I enjoyed the fatal four way match for the United States Championship as it had a different dynamic to a lot of fatal four way matches. I liked that two men stood outside to watch the action, it’s intelligent as they can’t be eliminated that way. Cena wins the match and retains his title which is great because he’s so damn over at the moment. He and Booker T ending the match makes me think that they may continue all the way into Summerslam.

Up next was a match made on the spot between Luther Reigns and Charlie Haas. I’m not totally convinced on Reigns but I’m sure he’ll get better. He gets a win over Charlie Haas who is without a partner as Rico is on the shelf. Haas needs to gain some personality if he’s going to get anywhere. Mysterio then beat Chavo to retain his Cruiserweight Championship. This was a good match and Mysterio winning clean makes me think that this should be the end of this feud. The Smackdown Cruiserweight division has plenty of depth so there will be plenty of competitiveness in this division but I don’t think there is anyone on Mysterio’s level at the moment. Kenzo Suzuki beat Billy Gunn in a pretty terrible match. This match didn’t mean that much as Gunn hasn’t been up to much as a singles competitor in a long time. Suzuki has potential but this match did not showcase it.

Sable beat Torrie in a terrible match. Torrie is not in a good run of form in 2004. Her matches at Wrestlemania and Judgment Day were terrible and this was no different. Sable wins, Torrie loses, no re-match please. Then it was Mordecai’s time to shine as he beat Hardcore Holly. Yeah, not good. Luther Reigns, Kenzo Suzuki and Mordecai all pick up big wins in bad matches. If these are the future of Smackdown then I hope the matches improve before then. There was no heat in any of these. I’m sure they’ll be pushing towards an Undertaker and Mordecai match at some point. I also don’t understand the WWE Championship match being up next. It’s for the biggest title in the company, put it on last. Especially if the title is changing hands. JBL becomes the new WWE Champion and despite all the bad press, I am a fan. I enjoyed the match and the finish was pretty original too. I controversial superstar like JBL deserves a controversial win so I’m fine with it.

In the final match of the night (I refuse to call it the main event) The Undertaker beat The Dudley Boyz in a handicap match. Undertaker looked good in this match and even cut his ties with Paul Bearer (who the commentators had to announce had not died a few days later). I literally have no idea where they go from here with this rivalry. The Dudley Boyz lost clean which suggests it’s over but I think Paul Heyman will find somebody else (Mordecai?) to put a stop to The Undertaker. Overall this was a really poor show despite four decent matches. Those matches really did save the show and the rest would’ve made for a sub-par episode of Smackdown.

Overall Rating: 48.4/100 (ranked 145th out of 166)

Match Of The Night: Eddie Guerrero vs. John “Bradshaw” Layfield
Worst Match Of The Night: Torrie Wilson vs. Sable
Surprise Of The Night: JBL wins the WWE Championship
Worst Booking Of The Night: Just the overall terribleness of this show
Superstar Of The Night: John “Bradshaw” Layfield
The Great American Bash 2004 Will Be Remembered For: JBL becoming WWE Champion and the end of Paul Bearer