[2000-11-02-WWF-Smackdown] Rikishi vs Chris Jericho

[soup23]

Rikishi yells at Coach and reiterates that Rock was the one responsible for running over Austin. There was some meatiness to this four minute tv match as RIkishi is busted open and it shows Rikishi being more vicious. In fact, I think I would have preferred a long term feud here between these two instead of Kane vs Jericho. Speaking of the demon, here he comes to interrupt another match but Jericho is prepared this time with a chair. Jericho gives him a direct headshot which is no sold and then Kane chokeslams Jericho. It is subtle and WWF is still not near unwatchable but for the most part of the year, all of the feuds felt like the best case scenario for the wrestlers and this match exemplifies that is no longer the case. *1/2

 

[GSR]

When Jonathan Coachman questions Rikishi as to whether he’s ready for Chris Jericho, he dismisses it saying that he’s as stupid as he looks and there’s nothing in this world he’s not ready for.  Everyone now knows the truth; he told them that ‘the Rock’ was the one (behind running over Steve Austin), he knew it, the Rock knew it and now ‘Stone Cold’ Steve Austin knows it.  He doesn’t blame Austin for stunning the Rock but warns him that he (the Rock) did it once and he’ll do it again.

We get some clips from Monday night of Rikishi laying out the Rock, Michael Cole finding it hard to believe that Rock would’ve been involved in that attack on Austin.  Rikishi cuts Jericho off with a big right hand and kicks him out of the ring where he then throws him into the metal steps.  He whips him from corner to corner, goes to ‘back dat ass up’, but Jericho gets his feet up.  Spinning heel kick and they’re back out on the floor.  Y2J rams him into the ring post, re-opening that cut he initially obtained at No Mercy and which still hasn’t had a chance to fully heal.  Some hard knife edge chops to the big man’s chest, however as he comes off the ropes Rikishi snatches a sleeper.  Jericho fights his way out of that and shoots him into the turnbuckles.  A quick schoolboy, but he would rather look for ‘the Walls’ than go for a pin.  He can’t fully turn him over so gives up and runs through some of his trademark stuff.  The springboard dropkick sends Rikishi through the ropes and as it looks like he might have this one in the bag, out marches Kane, still pissed off that Jericho spilled coffee over him.  Y2J knows he’s coming for him so grabs a chair from ringside to provide a bit of protection.  Kane no sells the chair shot and the match gets thrown out as he then chokeslams him to the mat.  Things aren’t quite finished, Rikishi dragging the lifeless Jericho over to the corner and giving him the ‘Bonzai Drop’.