He called for unity. He cried for solidarity. He begged for his Superstars to do what was good for SmackDown! In the end, after months of head-games and favoritism, all SmackDown! General Manager Paul Heyman got was a taste of his own medicine � and a Stunner.
On SmackDown!, Stone Cold Steve Austin made an appearance to reclaim his prized ATV and to send a message that when he officiates the match between Brock Lesnar and Goldberg at WrestleMania, he will not be pushed around. By the end of the evening, every single member of the SmackDown! roster seemed to get the message, some in a harder way than others. Before Austin�s entrance, Heyman went man-to-man to ask them to defend their show from a RAW intruder. He even lined the entrance ramp to the ring with SmackDown! Superstars to prevent Austin from getting his hands on Lesnar, Heyman and the ATV. However, much to Heyman�s chagrin, when it was time to take action, his very own roster did show solidarity and unity � but by letting Austin through and then leaving the arena. In perhaps the biggest slap to Heyman�s face, the very last man to let Austin by was the Big Show � a one-time Heyman confidant � who actually encouraged Austin to go after Heyman and Lesnar.
Seconds later, Austin had his ATV back and proceeded to gain a measure of revenge by bloodying Lesnar and giving Heyman the customary Stunner. As WrestleMania fast approaches, it is clear that Stone Cold was unaffected by weeks of mind games and antics by Lesnar. In fact, the Rattlesnake appears stronger than ever. The question that remains is what becomes of Heyman as SmackDown! General Manager? Was this a mutiny or a simple sign of respect for a legend like Austin? Stay tuned to find out!
The final SmackDown! before WrestleMania also featured many of the participants in the upcoming pay-per-view extravaganza in top form, particularly those defending Championships on Sunday. Big Show was victorious in a Handicap Match where he looked about as mean as he has ever looked before. However, judging by John Cena�s victorious effort against Rhyno, it seems as if their match for the U.S. Championship on Sunday is going to be nothing short of a dog-fight. Eddie Guerrero also enjoyed an impressive victory, as did Rikishi & Scotty 2 Hotty � who defeated former WWE Tag Team Champions the Basham Brothers. At the end of his match, Guerrero proclaimed that he will not only win his WrestleMania match against Kurt Angle, but he will then, �lie, cheat and steal more than ever before!�
SmackDown! also revealed that the upcoming Cruiserweight Open at WrestleMania has the chance to get out of control in a hurry. What started as a singles match between Rey Mysterio and Jamie Noble quickly escalated into an Eight Man Tag Team Match when several participants in the Open interfered to try to gain the edge before WrestleMania. By the end of the match on SmackDown!, all 10 Cruiserweights were in the ring fighting it out. With nine hungry challengers ready to do anything to win the Cruiserweight Championship, can Chavo Guerrero survive what could be the biggest match of his life? Find out at WrestleMania, and watch SmackDown! next week to see all of the fallout!
The Road to WrestleMania XX is over and the next stop for all of the Superstars of World Wrestling Entertainment is Madison Square Garden for WrestleMania on Sunday at 7/6 CT, exclusively on pay-per-view. Will Eddie Guerrero or Kurt Angle be the WWE Champion? Who will be the U.S., Cruiserweight and WWE Tag Team
Match Results:
John Cena defeated Rhyno
Rey Mysterio, Funaki, Billy Kidman & Ultimo Dragon defeated Akio, Sakoda, Tajiri & Jamie Noble
Eddie Guerrero defeated Shelton Benjamin
Big Show defeated John Walters & Arch Kincaid in a Handicap Match
Rikishi & Scotty 2 Hotty defeated the Basham Brothers
The Rock came to Bridgeport to celebrate the life of Mick Foley and the fact that WrestleMania will be where it all begins � again, for the Rock �n� Sock Connection. By the end of the evening, it looked as if the pay-per-view event could be the end for this legendary duo if Evolution has their way. As much as the Foley/Rock tandem still represents one of the most formidable tag teams to ever enter the ring, Evolution still has strength in numbers � and on RAW, it showed when Evolution destroyed the Rock 'n' Sock Connection, ruining The Rock's "This is Your Life" segment to honor Mick Foley.
While Evolution has all of the confidence in the world heading into Sunday�s pay-per-view event, it is Christian who has perhaps earned the right to be cocky above all others. Despite her absence from RAW to continue rehabilitation, Trish Stratus played a central role in Christian getting the best of Chris Jericho not once, but twice. After an earlier sneak attack by Christian on Jericho while Jericho spoke with Stratus on his cell phone, Jericho lost his match to Steven Richards when Stratus's music suddenly started playing and Jericho turned to look at the entrance ramp ... only to find that it was Christian who was entering the arena. With Jericho's back turned, Richards rolled him up for the pinfall victory. Jericho may have a score to settle with his former best friend at WrestleMania, but with his mind seemingly more on his love interest than his upcoming match
Elsewhere on RAW, perhaps the most stirring single moment during the Road to WrestleMania took place at the beginning of the evening when a casket was placed in the ring. The site of the casket brought out Kane, thinking that perhaps the Undertaker was lying inside. Kane�s efforts revealed an urn inside the casket that led to an angry declaration that it will take more than an urn to defeat Kane at WrestleMania. And the powers from beyond proved that Kane will face more than just an urn at WrestleMania when the lights dimmed, the gong sounded, and the earth moved, literally. Kane was stunned when the very ring below his feet was lifted in the air, proving that Kane will face more than an angry opponent at WrestleMania, but the spirit and soul of the Undertaker who Kane thought he had finished off. In six days the dead will rise �AGAIN
Also on RAW, Stone Cold Steve Austin dropped a bombshell when he announced that he would go to SmackDown! This week to reclaim his ATV that was towed thanks to Brock Lesnar a week ago. With Austin and Lesnar in the same arena just days before WrestleMania, anything can happen. Don't miss SmackDown! to see exactly what happens when Stone Cold brings his brand of law enforcement to SmackDown!
The Road to WrestleMania is over for the Superstars of RAW. Next stop: Madison Square Garden where WrestleMania XX comes to you live this Sunday exclusively on pay-per-view. Who will leave the biggest stage of them all with Championships hoisted in the air? Will the Rock �n� Sock Connection be able to overcome perhaps the biggest odds they have ever faced? Watch WrestleMania to find out � and see all of the fallout from WrestleMania XX on RAW next week, live from the Continental Airlines Arena in New Jersey at 9/8 CT on Spike TV!
Match Results:
La Resistance & Garrison Cade & Mark Jindrak defeated The Dudley Boyz & Booker T & Rob Van Dam
Randy Orton, Ric Flair & Batista defeated Rosey & the Hurricane
Chris Benoit defeated Matt Hardy
Molly Holly defeated Lita
Steven Richards defeated Chris Jericho
