WWF Smackdown 5.17.2001

WWF SMACKDOWN
Thursday, May 17th, 2001

Taped (5/15) from Freedom Hall, Louisville, KY

List of WWF Champions at the time:
● WWF World Heavyweight Champion: Stone Cold Steve Austin (4/01/2001)
● WWF Intercontinental Champion: Triple H (4/16/2001)
● WWF World Tag Team Champions: Steve Austin & Triple H (4/29/2001)
● WWF European Champion: Matt Hardy (4/26/2001)
● WWF Hardcore Champion: Rhyno (4/19/2001)
● WWF Women’s Champion: Chyna (4/01/2001)
● WWF Light Heavyweight Champion: Jerry Lynn (4/29/2001)

~ Smackdown comes on the air with clips from Raw of the “tragedy” involving the Undertaker’s wife. After the intro Michael Cole welcomes us to the show along with Tazz as we’re just three days away from Judgment Day.

~ Things kick off with The Undertaker and Kane making their way to the ring and not looking in a good mood. Taker gets on the mic first and says on Monday someone called the Cincinnati PD saying his wife was involved in a auto accident, and that same person also called his wife to tell her that her mother was in a car wreck as well. Taker says he eventually found out both his wife and mother-in-law are fine bcause there was no wreck at all. The whole car wreck thing was a hoax? I’m shocked! Anyway Taker promises that when he finds the person behind this, what he does to him will be worse than being in a car wreck. Taker naturally suspects Steve Austin is the one behind the calls, since they are feuding and all, and points out he already warned Austin and everyone else once not to mess with his family or he’ll hurt them. So Taker wants answers from Austin, and if he doesn’t have the right answers, the rumors about mangled faces will become a reality for him.

~ Backstage the Hardys are talking with Lita about having to team up with Eddie Guerrero again tonight, wiht Jeff wondering if Eddie had his own agends. Matt reminds him Eddie has been helping them a lot lately and did sever ties with his two pals on Monday but Jeff feels that just proves Eddie can’t be trusted, while Lita brings up Chyna’s warning not to trust him. Sure enough Eddie just happens to walk into the room at that point and chuckles saying he wouldn’t trust himself either before mentioning their match is next as he departs.

• The Hardy Boyz (w/Lita) & Eddie Guerrero vs. Dean Malenko, Perry Saturn (w/Terri) & Jerry Lynn

This is the result of what happened between these two groups on Raw. I’m guessing Lynn’s only here just the Radicalz needed a third man for this match with Eddie joining the Hardys’ side and Lynn wasn’t doing anything. Come to think of it Lynn, Malenko and Saturn would have actually made a pretty cool trio, too bad the WWF never followed up on it. Saturn starts off with Jeff and pounds on him in a corner then hits an overhead belly-to-belly suplex. Jeff comes back with a jawbreaker then runs up the turnbuckles and connects with the Whisper in the Wind. Jeff decks Malenko on the apron but Saturn clotheslines him down then tags Lynn in to get in his shots before hitting an enzuigri. Lynn whips Jeff looking for a dropkick but Jeff fakes him out then grabs the legs and hits the double legdrop. Eddie is ready for a tag but Jeff tags Matt in instead and the Hardys double-team Lynn in a corner. Matt goes for a whip, Lynn reverses looking for a clothesline but Matt blocks it and hits a short-arm clothesline. Eddie again offers to tag in and Matt hesitates but does make the tag to him. Eddie goes for a whip, Lynn reverses it but Eddie slides under hhim and hits a tilt-o-whirl backbreaker. Eddie glances back at the Hardys when Lynn backdrops him over the ropes but Eddie holds onto the ropes and lands on the apron. Eddie elbows Saturn and goes for a shoulderblock but Lynn leaps over him and comes down with a guillotine legdrop. Lynn draws the Hardys in to distract the referee while Malenko and Saturn work Eddie over on the floor and hit a flapjack onto the barricade. Saturn throws Eddie back in the ring then tags in and whips him before hitting a slam and a knee below the belt. Saturn sets Eddie on the top rope then goes up for a superplex but Eddie fights him off and hits a huricanrana. Eddie tries to make a tag but Lynn comes in and cuts him off before the referee gets him back. Saturn tags Malenko and helps him hit a gutbuster then Malenko draws both Hardys in before whipping Eddie and hitting an elbow for a two count. Malenko hits a Tigerbomb then goes for the Texas Cloverleaf but Eddie counters with a rollup for a near fall. Malenko hits a clothesline then cuts off a tag attempt before tagging Saturn back in. Saturn ties Eddie in a Tree of Woe then goes out to the floor and chokes him while Malenko kicks the head. Matt and Lynn both come in and start to go at it before the referee gets them back to their proper corners. Lynn tags in and whips Eddie into a drop toehold then gets a bow-and-arrow but Eddie rolls him into a cover for a near fall. Lynn goes for a suplex, Eddie floats over him and goes for an O’Connor Roll but Lynn holds onto the ropes and both men collide on crossbody attemps. Both men crawl to their corners and Lynn tags in Malenko while Eddie makes the hot tag to Matt. Matt tees off on Malenko and hits a discus punch then catches Saturn coming in with a clothesline. Jeff comes in and drops Malenko with a right hand and the Hardys follow up with their wheelbarrow suplex. Jeff takes Malenko down by the legs while Matt hops to the middle rope and both Hardys hit a combo move. Matt whips Lynn into a corner and drops to the mat while Jeff hits Poetry in Motion. Lynn rolls out to the floor but Jeff slings himself over the ropes, connecting with a pescado on him. In the ring Matt sets Malenko up for the Twist of Fate but Saturn comes in and breaks it up with a superkick. Eddie tags himself back in and takes it to both his former buddies but Malenko and Saturn get the advantage. Both whip Eddie looking for a double clothesline but Eddie ducks it before Matt pulls Saturn out to the floor. Eddie hits Malenko with a Frankensteiner which Malenko counters into a rollup but Eddie rolls through it and puts Malenko in a move not unlike a Stump Puller. Tazz refers to this new submission as the ‘Lasso from El Paso’ and Malenko eventually taps out for the win. (6:59) Good match there from everyone involved. The shame is it didn’t actually lead to anything for the pay-per-view. ***

~ Steve Austin and Debra are shown arriving at the building as we go to commercial.

~ Back from break we find Austin talking to Debra about how he’s going to beat up Undertaker on Sunday when Commissioner William Regal comes in and tells them about the foul mood Taker is in tonight. Austin asks how Sara’s doing but Regal says the whole thing was a hoax and Austin actually acts surprised. Regal then warns Austin that Taker is blaming him of being behind it and Austin is not happy with being accused, feeing the WWF Champion doesn’t need to stoop to that level, so he denies it.

• The Big Show vs. Bradshaw (w/Faarooq)

Bradshaw wants some payback after Show attacked him during his Hardcore Title match with Rhyno on Raw. Speaking of which the announcers mention the Show vs. Test match for Judgment Day has been changed to a triple threat with Rhyno for the Hardcore Title, even though Rhyno had very little interaction with both guys. If they’re going that direction why not toss Bradshaw in there as well, since he had some beef with both heels? Anyway Faarooq joins the commentary table while his partner dukes it out wit Show and gets the advantage then goes for a whip but Show reverses it and hits a sidewalk slam. Show shoves Bradshaw into a corner and chops him then whips him into the other corner and clotheslines him. Bradshaw fights back with forearms and chops then goes for a whip, Show reverses him into a corner and moves in but eats a boot. Bradshaw hops to the middle rope and connects with a shouldertackle then clubs away at Show. Show grabs Bradshaw by the throat but Bradshaw elbows out of the chokeslam. Bradshaw comes off the ropes when Show grabs him by the throat again but Bradshaw grabs the ropes to prevent the chokeslam so Show headbutts him down then slams him. Show goes for an elbowdrop but misses it and Bradshaw clotheslines Show over the ropesr. Bradshaw goes out and whips Show into the ringsteps as Test makes his way out to the stage to observe. Bradshaw goes for a whip but Show reverses him into the barricade then looks over and sees Test on the stage when Bradshaw nails Show from behind with a forearm. Bradshaw rolls Show back in the ring and goes for a whip but Show reverses it and hits a shoulderblock. Show then dares Test to come down and get a piece of him and works over Bradshaw as Test starts to make his way down the ramp. Show knocks Test off the apron then kicks Bradshaw under the ropes but Test makes it in with the big boot and Bradshaw follows up with the Clothesline from Hades for the pin. (3:44) Not the worst match but pretty unmemorable. How come Rhyno didn’t put in an appearence to hype his participation at the PPV? *

~ Backstage William Regal has assembled a group of referees to try and keep Undertaker away from Steve Austin. Unfortunately Taker charges right through them into Austin’s lockerroom then proceeds to wail away on him. The referees try to pull Take off while Austin proclaims his innocence but Taker isn’t buying it and grabs Austin by the shirt. Austin continues to insist he had nothing to do with the hoax, that he would never mess with Taker’s wife, but he does know who did it and points the finger at Triple H. Austin points out Triple H had him ran over with a car not too long ago so he could have called everyone to set the whole thing up. Taker threatens to rip Austin’s heart out if he’s lying and Austin tells the referees to get him out of his lockerroom.

~ Back from break we get an exterior shot of Freedom Hall as the announcers buzz about Austin’s accusation and wonder how Triple H will react once he arrives and finds out his partner threw him under the bus.

~ Cole then announces a tag team turmoil match has just been added to the Judgment Day card featuring The Hardys, The Dudleys, The Acolytes, Edge & Christian, X-Factor and the two remaining Radicalz, with the last team standing at the end of the gauntlet to become the #1 contendors to the Tag Team titles. Yes, they bascially couldn’t come up with anything for these guys so they just threw them all into one match. Still you have to admit that’s a better lineup than the SummerSlam ’99 match.

~ Backstage Kane looks on as the Undertaker calls the police seargent about the phone calls on Monday and learns both calls to Sara and the police came from the same source: Triple H’s cell phone. Ooooh, the plot thickens!

~ Elsewhere backstage Johnathan Coachman interviews Kurt Angle asking if he’s chosen the stipulation for his match with Chris Benoit at Judgment Day. Angle says he couldn’t have picked a better match for this occasion and all he tells Coach is it’s a doozy.

~ Still elsewhere William Regal is talking on his phone when The Undertaker comes in and hangs up the phone. That was a bit rude. Taker then tells Regal to inform Triple H that he has a match with him tonight and demands it be no holds barred, so that way he doesn’t go to jail this close to Sunday for what he’s planning to do to Triple H tonight. Regal agrees to book the match and even says he’ll be the first to tell Triple H as Taker departs.

~ Back from break William Regal and Kurt Angle come out for the next match but first Angle gets on the mic and brags about winning the gold medals in the 1996 Olympics while the fans in Louisville haven’t won anything then promises to win his medals all over again on Sunday. Angle mentions Regal has allowed him to pick any match he wants before asking Chris Benoit to come out to hear the perfect stipulation. Benoit comes out to the stage with a mic as Angle announces their match at Judgment Day will be .. a straight-up wrestling match with no catches or crazy stipulations at all. Benoit tells Angle that idea sucks just like him and chastises his lack of creativity then claims him having the medals only prove that he’s the better man. Benoit emphasizes that they need to settle this feud between them once and for all and proposes a best-of three falls match, with the first fall being pinfalls only and the second fall submissions only. Angle agress with that idea but then asks what the third fall would be if he should cheat and steal a fall. Benoit says if that’s the case they should hang the medals from the ceiling and decide the issue in a ladder match. Angle balks at the idea at first but Benoit goads Angle into accepting, with Angle feeling the match won’t go that far. This basically tipped off Angle and Benoit splitting the first two falls, because the WWF wouldn’t advertise a ladder match in the third fall only to have one of them win in two straight, right?

• Chris Benoit & Rikishi vs. William Regal & Kurt Angle

Angle and Regal meet Benoit and Rikishi at ringside and pair off with their respective pay-per-view opponents. Rikishi tosses Regal in the ring and goes for a whip, Regal reverses but lowers the head and Rikishi hits an uppercut and a headbutt. Benoit tags in and hits a double-chop with Rikishi then pounds away on Regal. Benoit whips Regal into a corner and Regal stops himself but Benoit chops him down and hits a snap suplex. Angle tags in and Benoit goes right for the Crossface but Angle manages to avoid it. Benoit hits a snap suple then tags Rikishi in and helps hit a double elbow. Regal tags in but Benoit and Rikishi hit a double hiptoss and Rikishi follows up with the massive legdrop. Rikishi stomps Regal down in a corner and chokes him with his boot before tagging Benoit back in. Benoit hits a German suplex then holds for a second German suplex but Angle breaks up a third German. Angle tags in and drops Benoit with a right hand then hits his own snap suplex but only gets a two count. Both men exchange punches and Angle rakes the face then whips Benoit but Benoit rolls him up for two. Angle goes for a suplex but Benoit counters in midair and fall on top for a near fall. Benoit chips Angle and goes for a whip, Angle counters it into the Olympic Slam but Benoit lands on his feet and hits a DDT. Benoit makes the tag to Rikishi who takes it to both men then whips Regal into Angle in a corner and hits the butt splash on both men. Rikishi superkicks on Regal when Angle sets Rikishi up for a powerbomb but can’t seem to get him up. Rikishi counters with a backdrop then hits the sitdown splash on Angle … but only gets a two count. They’ve really killed that move as a finisher. Benoit gets a tag from Rikishi then climbs to the top rope and goes for the diving heabutt but misses it. Rikishi goes out to the floor and dukes it out with Regal while Angle plants Benoit with the Olympic Slam. Insted of covering Benoit, Angle sees a chance to reclaim his gold medals but tries to figure out how to do it. After gathering up the courage Angle reaches into Benoit’s tights but does pull out the medals. Angle celebrates finally getting his medals back and even kisses them despite where they’ve been. Ewww! However Angle gets so caught up he forgets the match is still going and Benoit reminds him by slapping on the Crossface. Angle is screaming in pain while clutching his medlas but doesn’t want to let go of them to slap to mat. Finally Angle has no choice but to drop the medals and tap out with his free hand to end the match. (5:43) Solid enough match to build both pay-per-view bouts. Benoit retakes the medals and slips them back into his tights as Angle watches from the ring, having come so close to regaining his propety only to have to wait for Sunday. **

~ Backstage The Helsmleys arrive at the building and try to greet everyone they pass by, only to be met with silence in return, so they try to figure out why they’re being shunned as we go to commercial

~ Back form break Paul Heyman is conversing with Steve Lombardi about looking forward to the no-holds-barred match when Triple H comes out demanding to know what’s going on. Heyman says the whole lockerroom hates him now and Triple H doesn’t undertstand until Heyman mentions Steve Austin accused him being behind the hoax involving The Undertaker’s wife, especially after the calls to Sara and the police came from his cell phone. Triple H is furious with his partner, calling him redneck trash, and his mood doesn’t get any better once Heyman mentions his no-holds-barred match with Taker tonight so he heads out to find him.

• Chyna © vs. Molly Holly & Ivory – Non-Title Handicap Match

Chyna essentially forced Lita into a handicap match on Monday so here’s her turn for real. Chyna locks up with Molly to start and shoves her down but misses a clothesline. Molly comes off the ropes and floats over Chyna into a waistlock but Chyna backs her into a corner to break it then wails away on her. Chyna whips Molly into a corner and Molly lifts herself up but Chyna catches her into a powerslam. Chyna dares Ivory to come in and face her but Ivory refuses so Chyna presses Molly up but Molly slips out and crawls under Chyna then tags in Ivory before rolling out to the floor. Chyna brings Ivory in the hard way then clotheslines her. Ivory tries to crawl out of the ring when Chyna cuts off her escape and sets her up for a powerbomb but takes a moment to clothesline Molly before hitting said powerbomb for the pin. (2:20) How can Lita beat Chyna on Sunday when she’s able to squash two women at once? Lita doesn’t seem too concerned as she makes her way out to the ring and raises Chyna’s hand. However Eddie Guerrero comes out to the stage and applauds both women in the ring. I sure this was going to lead to something but it would be a moot point after the pay-per-view. DUD

~ Backstage Triple H confronts Steve Austin for blaming him for the hoax involving the Undertaker with Austin telling his partner to back off. Austin says he’ll do a lot of things but would never stoop to bringing a man’s family into any feud. Triple H asks Austin what makes him think he was the one and Austin mentions all the evidence points to him so Triple H tells Austin to look him right in the eye as he insists he didn’t do it. Austin doesn’t go for it and reminds Triple H he once looked him in the eye saying he had nothing to do with him getting run down. Austin says he wants nothing more to do with him but Triple H says this isn’t over between them. Is the Two-Man Power Trip breaking up?

• Chris Jericho vs. Edge (w/Christian)

Jericho makes his way out to the ring first before E&C come out with Christian getting on the mic and bragging about the ConChairto on Raw, feeling Jericho needs a refresher on who’s who. Of course concusion jokes aren’t funny anymore with what we’ve learned since. Jericho pounds on Edge to start and stomps him down then throws him shoulder-first into a ringpost. Jericho throws Edge into the opposite post then wraps the bad arm around the top rope. Jericho whips Edge into a corner and goes for a splash but Edge ducks and Jericho hits the post and tumbles over the ropes. Edge heads out and throws Jericho into the barricade before throwing him back in the ring and covering for a two count. Edge rams Jericho into the turnbuckles repatedly then undoes a pad to expose the steel bolt underneath. Edge scoops Jericho up and looks to ram him into the bolt but Jeircho slips out and rolls him up for two. Edge nails Jericho from behind and hits a series of shots to the head before applying a Dragon sleeper. Jericho fights out of the hold and whips Edge but lowers the head and Edge hits a neckbreaker for a near fall. Edge sets Jericho on the top rope then goes up looking for a superplex but Jericho throws him off and hits a flying shouldertackle. Both men get to their feet when Jericho follows up with the bulldog. Jericho goes for a whip, Edge reverses but lowers the head and Jericho kicks him in the face then hits a standing enzuigiri for a two count. Jericho whips Edge into a corner but eats a boot, Edge hops to the middle rope and leaps off but Jerihco catches him and catapults him into the exposed bolt. Jericho puts Edge in the Walls of Jericho but Christian sides a chair in the ring then hops onto the apron and distracts the referee from seeing Edge tap out. Like always Jericho has to let go of his opponent to deal with the interference while Edge grabs the chair and readies a swing but Jericho cuts him off with a superkick. Jericho goes for the Lionsault but Edge uses the chair to block it then disposes of the chair and steals the pin. (6:53) Okay match for the most part. **½

~ Backstage William Regal is in his office when Triple H comes in proclaiming his innocence in all this nonsense but Regal won’t even look up at him. So Triple H gets his attention and reminds him who he and his father-in-law is then demands he cancel his match with the Undertaker but Regal tells him it’s not happening. Triple H then asks that the ‘no holds barred’ stipulation be removed and make it a regular match with Taker, continuing to jab at him with his finger. Eventually Regal swats Triple H’s finger away then gets right in his face, telling him he deserves the no-holds-barred match tonight and hopes Taker kicks some sense into him then orders him out of his office and Triple H backs away.

~ Back from break Lillian Garcia interviews Chris Jericho who’s still reeling from his loss to Edge earlier and can’t even think straight after all the chairshots and ConChairtos he’s been getting lately. Jericho mentions the tag team turmoil match this Sunday and decides if Edge and Christian are going to participate then he’s going to be in the match as well. Jericho admits he doesn’t have a partner yet and doesn’t even know who it will be, all that matters is they make sure Edge & Christian lose. Jericho adds if E&C think having a title shot is going to be a celebration then he’s going to spoil the party.

~ Elsewhere Stephanie McMahon is searching several lockers for something when Debra walks up to her saying she hopes Triple H gets what’s coming to him. Stephanie insists that Triple H is innocent, that the evidence only shows he was framed but Debra tells her to keep believing it.

~ Still elsewhere Hardcore Holly is on a treadmill when Molly comes up asking if he’s only fighting with Spike Dudley after talking with Crash. Hardcore says he agrees with Crash for once in his life, that the Dudleys do put women through tables and can’t be trusted no matter how nice they seem to be. Hardcore says he’s going to finish what Crash started and tells Molly she’ll thank him for this one day.

~ Again elsewhere Undertaker apologizes to Kane saying the chain match at the pay-per-view probably won’t happen because he’s going to hurt Triple H bad and after he’s done there won’t be enough of him left to have that match. Kane seems fine with it.

• Spike Dudley (w/The Dudleys) vs. Hardcore Holly (w/Crash Holly)

Both men lockup and Hardcore goes into a headlock when Spike shoves him off but eats a shoulderblock. Hardcore comes off the ropes and Spike goes for a leapfrog but Hardcore catches him into a powerslam for two. Hardcore drapes Spike over the ropes and hits the kick to the chest which sends him flying over to the floor. Crash moves in for a free shot but Hardcore tells him to stay out of his match as he throws Spike back in the ring. Spike starts to fight back and hits Hardcore with a huricanrana but Hardcore comes right back with a clothesline. Hardcore kicks Spike down and tosses him across the ring but Spike gets him with a victory roll for a two. Spike comes off the ropes but Hardcore nails him with the dropkick as Crash applauds his cousin from the floor. Hardcore sets Spike on the top rope and goes up but Spike fights him off and follows up with the double stomp. Spike kicks Hardcore repeatedly in the ribs then gets him in an Oklahoma roll but that only gets a two count. Hardcore comes back with a doble underhook into a slam but Spike pulls him by the tights out through the ropes. The referee goes out to keep the Dudleys back but that allows Crash to come in and hot shot Spike on the ropes. Crash heads out and begs Hardcore to finish him but Hardcore instead argues with him about getting involved. Spike is up and rams Hardcore into Crash to get him in an O’Connor roll but that only gets a two count as well. Unfortunately Hardcore immediately comes back with the Alabama Slam and that gets the three. (3:31) Okay match but Spike should have gone over. Hardcore gets the win but still isn’t happy with Crash interfering in his match and lets him know about it. This would have made more sense had Crash actually cost Hardcore the match. Hardcore leaves and Crash yells at his cousin but doesn’t see the other Dudleys come in behind him and eats a 3D as a result. **

~ Backstage Stephanie is helping Triple H prepare for his match as he wonders how Steve Austin set him up when Stephanie suddenly blurts out that Austin did set him up because on Monday he borrowed Triple H’s cell phone. Wow, how convient. Triple H yells at Stephanie for just remembering this now and not earlier today and feels it’s a little late to change things. Triple H grabs a chain and warns Stephanie to stay in the back because this is going to get ugly as we go to commercial.

• The Undertaker vs. Triple H © – Non-Title No Holds Barred Match

So despite the new evidence, Taker still wants a piece of Triple H before he meets Austin at the pay-per-view. Taker meets Triple H on the ramp and hammers him up the stage then rams him into the set and slams him onto the ramp. Taker kicks Triple H down to ringside then throws him into the ringpost. Taker knocks Triple H over the barricade and brawls among the fans when Triple H finally gets some offense in. Triple H sets up for a Pegidree but Taker counters with a beackdrop him over the barricade to ringside. Taker rams Triple H into the ringsteps and into the announce table and continues to pound on him, capping off with a headbutt. Triple H manages to grab the ringbell and clock Taker in the head with it then rams him into the steps and gets in his shots before before finally throwing him in the ring. Triple H hammers Taker but Taker throws him into a corner and unloads on him before stomping him down. Taker grabs the chain and wraps it around his fist but Triple H counters by kicking him below the belt. Triple H crotches Taker on the top rope then goes out to the floor and elbows Taker in the throat twice. Triple H brings the timekeeper’s chair in the ring then readies a swing when Taker grabs him below the belt. Taker works Triple H over in a corner then whips him into the opposite corner and Triple H staggers into a boot. Taker follows up with a chokeslam but decides he’s not done yet and brings the ringsteps in the ring then sets them up and brings Triple H on top of them. Just as Taker sets Triple H up for hte Last Ride off the steps … Steve Austin appears on the OvalTron telling Taker to stop and listen to him. Austin dials a number on a nearby phone and when a female’s voice answers Austin identifies her as Sara, who sounds just as lovely as she did when he called her on Monday night before hanging up. Austin admits it was indeed him who made all the phone calls but he also had a partner in crime, and sure enough Taker turns back as Triple H nails him with his fist wrapped in the chain then lays into him with Austin quickly coming out to join him and I guess that’s going to end the match. (10:00) Kane runs into the ring brandishing his own chain and clears the ring of the Two-Man Power Trip and Taker glares at them as the show goes off the air.

Conclusion: Not the worst go-home show and it tried to get everyone interested in the Judgment Day card, such as it was with it’s thrown-together feel. There was some solid wrestling to be found here and most of the matches for the pay-per-view were touched on. But it’s yet another show featuring a convulted stroyline with the same four guys as its central cast, continuing the ho-hum main event scene that’s been in place for almost seven weeks. Not to mention the swerve was obvious despite the writers trying to fool us with all the segments involving other people. (Then again maybe Austin and Triple H really were acting alone, who knows). Okay show but not one to really go out of your way to find.