[2000-09-07-WWF-Smackdown] Chris Benoit vs Rikishi

[soup23]

Tazz on commentary here, this is just the beginning. Austin is starting to be mentioned more and more with his return looming. Rikishi is still getting good reactions even if his positioning is down the card from the beginning of the year. Benoit has a great ability of packing a lot of action into these four minute matches as we had some shifts here and it felt like a legitimate match until the RTC run in. With the RTC distraction, Benoit hits a German for the win. **

[AstroBoy]

Good match. Two guys who know how to work a hard-hitting physical match that feels like a real contest. Benoit uses a northern lights suplex which Cole calls a german suplex and Tazz, in a sign of things to come, makes fun of Cole. Sidenote that I like Tazz on commentary here. He is annoying and grating in a good way, at least to me, though your mileage may vary. The finish allows Benoit to hammer away at Rikishi until he can use the german to secure a win.

 

**

[GSR]

Benoit slumps down in the corner after a running clothesline, but before Rikishi can ‘back dat ass he rolls under the bottom rope to the outside.  Rikishi follows him out, however ‘the Crippler’ reverses the whip sending Rikishi crashing into the ring steps.  Belly to back suplex on the 350lber.  Diving headbutt off the top and even though he hooks the leg, Rikishi kicks out of the cover.  Benoit hits a Northern Lights suplex which Michael Cole erroneously calls a ‘German suplex’ and “the idiot” is quickly corrected by Tazz.  Cole almost sarcastically thanks him for his analysis, to which Tazz tells him to do his job the right way and do what Vince pays him for.  Go Tazz!  Benoit is slow on the climb when heading up top and a Rikishi right sees him tumble to the mat.  He gets a couple of near falls after a belly to belly and then a Samoan drop, and just as it looks like he’s got this under control out runs Bull Buchanan and The Goodfather from the Right to Censor.  Benoit takes advantage of their interference picking up the win with a German suplex.  Too Cool are out to help Rikishi but they make the mistake of attacking ‘the Crippler’ as he is leaving and he returns to the ring to team up with the RTC.

The Benoit Northern Lights suplex on Rikishi never ceases to amaze me.  Not sure what to make of Tazz at the moment; correcting Michael Cole is great, but the maniacal laugh seems so forced and unnatural.