WWF SmackDown Rewind: 11.25.99 – “The Gravy Bowl Match”

Previously on SmackDown: Triple H pesters Vince McMahon and possibly sets his office on fire, The Rock pins the #1 contender to the WWF Title in three minutes, Mankind & Al Snow take a Vegas vacation and Ivory defends her title in a hardcore match.

Let us take a look back at Raw as Vince McMahon slams a car into the DX limo and then smashes the windows with a bat. Vince is arrested and, while in cuffs, assaulted by Triple H. Vince is released, attacks Triple H with a chair and tosses him off the stage.

Back live, DX discuss that Vince is going to pay.

Fireworks! It’s Thanksgiving Day in the United States and we are celebrating in the Blue Cross Arena in Rochester, New York on UPN. Michael Cole and Jerry Lawler are on the call and Tony Chimel is our ring announcer.

We start in the ring with Jim Ross, introducing WWF Champion The Big Show. Show says he feels like the luckiest man on Earth, and this means more than anything in the world. He wishes his dad was here to see it. We’re interrupted by the Y2J countdown and Chris Jericho, saying he is Big Show’s daddy tonight and that being tall doesn’t make him championship material. He wants a no DQ championship match and Show is happy to oblige right now.

WWF Championship No Disqualification Match: WWF Champion The Big Show vs Chris Jericho

And we’re off. Show charges Jericho to the corner and pounds away at him, tossing him to ringside. Jericho leaps into his arms and is pressed back into the ring. Jericho low blows out of the corner and hits a missile dropkick. Show calls for the chokeslam and here comes Big Boss Man, the #1 contender. Show heads to brawl with him and they fight down the ramp.

As they brawl, WWF Intercontinental Champion Chyna and Miss Kitty come down the ramp, Chyna’s hand wrapped up from Jericho’s hammer attack last week. Chyna pulls out her own hammer and clocks Jericho, knocking him out and leaving. Show marches back down the ramp, scoops up Jericho for a huge chokeslam and the pin.

Big Show pins Chris Jericho to retain the WWF Championship. It was short as is everything in this era, but it was a lot of fun and the crowd dug every second of it.

Women dressed as pilgrims set up a Thanksgiving feast. I’m sure nothing bad will happen.

Triple H leads security out to the limo of Vince McMahon, Test and Shane McMahon. Vince is handed an order saying that he can’t be within fifty feet of HHH and HHH laughs at him.

After the break, we’re in the McMahon locker room. Pat Patterson and Gerald Brisco come in and question what a temporary order of protection is. Vince says it means the Outlaws will be defending their titles against the Hardys in a steel cage. It means that Triple H and X-Pac will have to face Shane and Test.

Tony Chimel introduces Mae Young and WWF Hall of Famer Fabulous Moolah in the crowd, dressed as a turkey and pilgrim respectively.

Kurt Angle vs D’Lo Brown

Angle shakes hands on the way to the ring. The fans chant “asshole” as he tells us his three I’s. His Thanksgiving gift is a fantastic performance and hope the fans give him the gift of their respect and support in return. “Happy Thanksgiving from your Olympic champion!” What a guy. Cole goes into a speech about the WWF being attacked by “a right wing coalition called the Parent Television Council” and asks the fans to write to their advertisers and sponsors and tell them how much they enjoy the WWF. We’re given the address of the U.S. Navy Commander Howington and told to write him a letter. I’m good, thanks. Now that we’ve gotten through all of that, Angle and Brown tie up. D’Lo spin kicks Kurt and hits the leg drop for a two count. Angle rolls through and catches an Angle Slam for a three count.

Kurt Angle pins D’Lo Brown. Short. I’d like to see more.

Tables are brought to ringside by the pilgrim women as we get ready for our big tradition.

Mankind asks Al Snow what’s up with his grouchy face. Snow says he hates The Rock and Mankind says they’ll get a better response if they go out with Rocky.

DX (Triple H, Mr. Ass, Road Dogg and X-Pac) talk in the locker room. HHH thinks they should lighten up and be more thankful. He has an idea and leads the crew off.

WWF European Championship: WWF European Champion British Bulldog vs Val Venis

Val greets the female members of the audience and gets horny about turkeys cooking as Moolah tries to take Mae’s alcohol away. We take a look back at Bulldog and Venis falling apart as a tag team on Monday. Val attacks and catches an elbow. Bulldog lands an extended standing suplex on Venis. Venis goes up for the Money Shot, Bulldog low blows him and Teddy Long calls for the bell. Bulldog grabs Venis and hits a running powerslam anyway, declaring the decision “bullshit.”

Val Venis defeats British Bulldog by disqualification, Bulldog retains his title. This wasn’t good but lasted all of a minute and a half, so who even cares. Not even enough time to be upset.

DX head outside the arena and see some homeless people sleeping. They laugh about trying to steal their alcohol. HHH invites them in to eat, DX-style.

WWF Hardcore Championship: WWF Hardcore Champion Big Boss Man vs Kane

This will be a Thanksgiving war, warns Cole. Tonight, SmackDown is brought to you by WrestleMania 2000 for N64, WWF The Music Vol. 4 at Virgin Megastore and Western Union Money Transfer. Big Boss Man is the #1 contender and lost in three minutes last week to The Rock before being beaten to the backstage area by Big Show earlier tonight. Maybe this will be where they make him look like a strong challenger.

They fight to ringside and right into the crowd, Kane leaping off the barricade with a clothesline. Kane rips off a barricade and gets it rammed over his head. Lawler jokes that DX should paint a dumpster red and yellow and tell the homeless folks that they’re at McDonald’s. Kane chokes Boss Man and slams his arm in a door. He slams Boss Man’s arm into the barricade as we see Tori watching backstage, Viscera coming from behind her and chasing her. Kane and Boss Man are brawling elsewhere backstage and up runs Tori. Prince Albert hits Kane from behind and Boss Man gets the pin.

Big Boss Man pins Kane to retain the WWF Hardcore Title. This was certainly a match. It wasn’t a good one, but it happened.

DX come across another lot of homeless people and invite them along.

The pilgrims continue to bring food down the aisle for our traditional feast.

The Rock and Mankind are walking and next, they’ll battle the Hollys.

This Monday, the wedding of the century. Here’s a video package on Stephanie McMahon and Test.

#1 Contender’s Match for the WWF World Tag Team Titles: The Rock ‘n Sock Connection (The Rock and Mankind vs The Hollys (Hardcore & Crash Holly)

We have the rare blue striped shirt variant of Mankind tonight. Mankind breaks down the meaning of Thanksgiving, giving “thanks” to The Rock and planning “giving” sincere apologies for ever yelling at The Rock. A fan holds up a sign that says “Wet Vagina” with an arrow pointing down. Rock gets a microphone and sees the table full of pies. Rock goes through the pies – apple, pumpkin, pecan, and poontang. He hands the pie labelled poontang to Michael and hands it to him, telling him to try some for the first time in his life. “Don’t be afraid of the poontang. When you’re ready for poontang, poontang will be ready for you.” Cole tries it, Rock says it doesn’t matter what Cole thought of it, and we smell what The Rock is cooking. 1999, friends.

Hardcore and Rock start it off as we see Al Snow and Head watching sideways on a backstage TV, Snow cursing Rock. Crash tags in and runs into a DDT. Mankind tries to dive onto Crash but is clotheslined by Hardcore. The Hollys double team Mankind for a while before Rock is tagged in and hits a People’s Elbow on Crash. That’s all it takes for the pin.

The Rock pins Crash Holly, The Rock and Mankind are #1 contenders to the WWF World Tag Team Titles. This was quick and continued the recent few weeks of making the Hollys seem ineffective, but they’ll recover.

DX has the homeless crew at a table backstage. The Outlaws talk about their favorite Thanksgiving foods as we see the pilgrims dumping mushrooms into a giant pool of gravy. I hope the pilgrims were paid well for all the work they are doing tonight.

Rikishi Fatu (with Too Cool) vs Joey Abs (with Rodney & Pete Gas)

This is our first look at Rikishi on SmackDown and we haven’t gone from “Fatu” to “Phatu” yet. Joey tries for a sunset flip and Fatu sits on him. Rikishi drops the bonzai drop on Abs and follows it up with a sitdown piledriver for an easy pin. Too Cool talk Rikishi into dancing with them.

Rikishi Fatu pins Joey Abs. Quick and impressive. Rikishi would take off really quickly.

DX continues talking to the homeless crowd, now X-Pac telling them about his favorite food. He offers them all a smell of pumpkin pie, continuing to make fun of them. HHH tempts them with a turkey leg and Cole declares a funny feeling about all of this. Glad you caught up, Michael.

The pilgrim women are stirring up the gravy.

DXs eat turkey legs in front of the homeless crew. Triple H kicks them all out.

Gravy Bowl Match: WWF Women’s Champion Ivory vs Jacqueline

Non-title. Our special referee is The Kat. Ivory pulls Jackie in and they slip around in the gravy. Jackie suplexes Ivory and gravy splashes everywhere. Ivory dodges a tackle, Jackie hits her with a facebuster into the gravy and a DDT. Kat counts the three and Jacqueline wins. Kat hands her a trophy with a golden ladle on top. Don’t be shocked, but Ivory tosses Kat into the gravy as well. Kat chokes on the gravy, the EMTs come to check on her. Ivory rips the shirt off of a very busty blonde EMT and pulls her in as well. “How embarrassing for that young lady,” notes Cole.

Jacqueline pins Ivory. This was certainly a thing that happened in 1999. Welcome B.B. to the party.

Shane and Test discuss plans.

The Godfather vs Al Snow (with Head)

The fan with the “World Wide Filth / WWF is Immoral” is ringside again. We spotlight some fans holding signs that say, “Walmart Sucks, Target Loves Head.” Godfather drops a leg and clotheslines Al outside. Snow grabs a chair and swings and misses, Godfather hitting the Ho Train.

The Godfather pins Al Snow. Another thing that happened quickly!

WWF World Tag Team Championship Steel Cage Match: WWF World Tag Team Champions New Age Outlaws (Mr. Ass & Road Dogg) vs The Hardy Boyz (Matt & Jeff Hardy with Terri Runnels)

It’s a very short cage tonight, one that is about four feet higher than the top of the ring posts. Jeff stands on the top rope and his entire chest and head are above the cage. Pinfalls, submissions or escape in this one. Jeff and Road Dogg start it out, tussling and Dogg hitting his punches as Matt suddenly starts to try to escape. Well why didn’t he do that from the beginning? All four men are in now, Jeff springboarding into Ass’s arms. Dogg moonsaults of all things off the top and both Outlaws try for pins, getting two counts. Ass slingshots Jeff into the cage and starts to climb, Matt slinging Dogg into him and knocking him down. The Hardys hit the double leg drop on Dogg and toss Dogg into the cage. Jeff goes to the top rope and nails a Swanton on Ass. Matt tries to climb out, stopping on top to moonsault on top of Dogg and his partner instead. As Lawler notes, “what an idiot.” Even a broke clock is wrong twice a day. It does get a “holy shit” chant.

Ass backdrops Jeff, who goes all the way over the cage and to the floor. The ref is down, so nobody sees. X-Pac throws Jeff back in and locks the door, Dogg climbing but being crotched by Matt. Matt climbs and X-Pac kicks him down as well, the referee finally coming to life again. Ass slides out the door and the champs retain. “Darn it,” yells Cole.

Road Dogg escapes the cage, the New Age Outlaws retain the WWF World Tag Team Titles. You know what? Despite the short cage, this ended up being a lot of fun. Go watch this one.

And now, the WWF Slam of the Week presented by THQ’s WWF WrestleMania 2000 for N64: Vince rams the DX limo with his car.

D-Generation X (Triple H & X-Pac) vs Shane McMahon & Test

We see a view backstage as Vince has let the homeless people back in and is feeding them. What a guy. All four men collide to start, Test clotheslining Trips outside. After recovering, DX double team Shane for a bit, Shane falling to Triple H’s flying knee. Lots of working over Shane. Both men get the hot tag and Test offers boots for all. X-Pac leaps into a slam, Pumphandle slam on Triple H gets a near-fall before X-Pac breaks it. Super Shane spears X-Pac outside the ring and pounds away while Test goes up top, the Outlaws running out and knocking him down with the referee not noticing. X-Pac lands the X-Factor on Test and Triple H rolls him up for the pin.

Triple H pins Test, DX defeats McMahon & Test. This was good enough. Test was hot when they let him be hot.

DX work over their opponents after the match, including a big Bronco Buster on Shane. “On Thanksgiving night and all,” moans Cole. Vince struts on the stage and points, having to stay fifty feet away. HHH pedigrees Shane and Vince is distraught. Vince heads backstage as the beatdown continues, coming back with the Hardys and Edge and Christian to even the odds. Vince waves out Kane, Crash, Hardcore, Prince Albert and others. The bodies keep running out. Steve Blackman! Val Venis! The Mean Street Posse! The gang’s all here! “Holy shit” chant as the bodies keep running out and yes, we’ve found the tables of food. APA hit people with turkeys. Food’s flying everywhere. Bubba Ray tosses a pumpkin. Matt Hardy slips on the food. Triple H has gone up the ramp to point at Vince as King declares it the greatest Thanksgiving ever before turning around to a pie in the face from Moolah. “Happy Thanksgiving from SmackDown, I think,” says Cole to close us out.

I enjoyed most of this one. A LOT was thrown into it – typical Attitude Era – but it all flew by quickly and was never given a chance to overstay its welcome. The DX homeless stuff was a bit unnecessary and was the usual “trying too hard” stuff to try to get fans to accept DX as heels. The gravy bowl stuff was crap but don’t worry, it’s going somewhere. Not anywhere good, but it’s going. The cage match was a lot of fun as was D’Lo vs Angle.

Next week: the team of Kurt Angle and Steve Blackman and some things that are not as exciting as well.