January 19th 2005
MGM Grand Garden Arena
Las Vegas, Nevada
Live from the gambling capital of the world, live for the first time ever on a Wednesday night, Shockwave presents the 3rd Night of Champions event. Rob Van Dam challenged Kurt Angle for the Heavyweight Championship, Petey Williams put out an open challenge for his Cruiserweight title, an amazing triple threat match for the North American title and of all people, Chris Jericho and Chris Benoit teamed up to take on Tag Team Champions, America's White Trash. The sold out MGM Grand Garden Arena got to their feet as the pyrotechnics exploded to signal the beginning of a huge night in the history of the Global Wrestling Alliance!
Singles Contest
Taka Michinoku vs. Paul London
With less than four weeks left until the huge 10 man tag team battle, two of the men featured in the match went up against one another as Taka Michinoku and Paul London locked up to get the match started. Paul London put Taka into a side headlock but Taka pushed London against the ropes to break the hold but Paul shot back from the ropes and knocked Taka down with a shoulder block.
London ran the ropes as Taka jumped to his feet and boosted London high up into the air. Taka tried to catch London for a powerbomb but London caught Taka with the legscissors and hit a hurricanrana, hooked the leg for a 1.. 2.. kick out. Both men were quick to their feet but Taka was quickest and hit London hard with a running clothesline, flipping London up and over due to the intensity of the move.
Taka pulled London to his feet and went for an irish-whip that was countered by London sending Taka into the ropes. London attempted a clothesline but Taka managed to duck the move, run the ropes once more but fell victim to a standing dropkick to the jaw from the agile Paul London. London grabbed Taka's arm and leg and dragged him to the corner and began the climb, setting up the 450 splash.
As soon as London reached the top rope, Sho Funaki stormed to the ring and pushed London off of the top turnbuckle. Just as the referee was about to call for the bell, Spanky slid into the ring and exchanged rights and lefts with Funaki, but eventually clotheslined him over the top rope. Taka came back and jumped Spanky, but London got Taka from behind with a forearm and the referee finally rang the bell.
Winner: No Contest
It was then announced that the referee decided to continue the match but now as a Tag Team match featuring Spanky and Sho Funaki on their respective teams.
Tag Team Contest
Taka Michinoku & Sho Funaki vs. Spanky & Paul London
Once order had been restored, London and Funaki started off the new match with a tie up in the center of the ring. Funaki went behind London and took him down to the mat with a lifting belly-to-back suplex landing London on his chest. Funaki went to lock on a side headlock but London quickly turned Funaki over into a pinning situation where the referee counted 1.. 2.. but Taka Michinoku ran in and broke the count.
Spanky ran into the ring but was side-stepped and thrown over the top rope by Michinoku. However, Spanky held onto the top rope and landed on the apron. Spanky then climbed to the top rope and came flying off knocking both Taka and Funaki down with a flying double clothesline. Funaki was quickly to his feet but Spanky soon knocked him back down with a standing dropkick.
Taka was left in the ring on his own but dropped back to the canvas and rolled out when he saw that both Spanky and London were ready to attack. Taka checked on Funaki on the outside as London and Spanky re-grouped, ran the ropes together and both leaped over the top rope and took out their opponents in one impressive move. London rolled his fellow legal man Funaki into the ring and the match continued.
As London rolled back into the ring, Funaki was up, kicked him in the mid-section and hit him with a DDT. Funaki went for the cover but the count was broken when Taka rolled Spanky back into the ring. Funaki asked what Taka was doing but London dropkicked Funaki into Taka knocking him back out of the ring. Spanky then turned Funaki around and hit the Sliced Bread #2 for the 1.. 2.. 3!
Winners: Spanky & Paul London
Aftermath; The ring filled with the rest of the members from each team but it looked like another week of the Japanese Connection dominating with the numbers on their side when suddenly a familiar loading screen appeared on the video wall. Once the loader had completed it was time for Matt Hardy Version 1.0 to make his GWA debut. The fans went crazy as Matt Hardy stormed to the ring and helped his fellow team members clear the ring of the Japanese Connection. Matt Hardy hugged with his fellow North Carolinians and and shook hands with Spanky and Paul London, Vendetta is going to be huge!
Backstage; The Rock was setting up his office when there was a knock on the door. Stone Cold Steve Austin walked in but didn't look like he was there to make any friends. But Austin extended his hand to The Rock and The Rock accepted it and they shook hands, but before letting The Rock go, Austin pulled him in, looked him in the eye and told him that if he ever crossed him, or went against one of his decisions again, then Rock would pay the price. Austin went to leave but The Rock wouldn't let go of his hand, and pulled him back in. The Rock said that he was here to do a job and make the GWA a better place, and if that means putting a stop to Austin's powertrip, then so be it.
In the arena; The Canadian nation anthem hit and the JGP Champion came out to a chorus of boos. Petey Williams walked to the ring and grabbed the microphone, ready to call out his mystery opponent. Petey said that he believed he was the greatest JGP Champion that the company had to offer, so he was extending his hand to anyone who hoped to one day be as good as him. Without further ado, from Sin City a.k.a. Las Vegas, Nevada, Christopher Daniels went to the ring with the crowd fully behind him and even chanting his name as Petey backed off in the ring. Petey went back on the microphone and claimed that Daniels weighed too much to challenge for the title, but Daniels said that he wasn't after the title, he just wanted to prove that Petey was all talk and couldn't back up a single letter of what he says.
Non-Title Singles Contest
Petey Williams vs. 'Fallen Angel' Christopher Daniels
Daniels ran at Williams but Williams obviously didn't want a piece of the Fallen Angel and so he slid out of the ring and the chase was on as Daniels followed Williams around the ring until Williams rolled back into the ring and caught Daniels off guard with a couple of boots to the back, not allowing his opponent to get back to his feet. Williams used the top rope to jump in the air and came down with a knee to the back of Daniels knocking him down.
Williams then grabbed Daniels by the arm and whipped him hard into the turnbuckle and followed it up with a fast and hard running clothesline. Williams attempted the same move but this time Daniels was able to counter and sent Williams into the turnbuckle but Williams hit a back elbow to the running Daniels, jumped to the second rope and flew off with a crossbody but Daniels was able to catch him in mid-air.
Daniels walked to the centre of the ring and whipped Williams around, attempting a front falling slam but Williams managed to counter the move, wrapping his arm around the neck of Daniels and taking him down with a DDT. Williams then turned Daniels over for a 1.. 2.. but the Fallen Angel was not through by a long shot. Williams pulled Daniels up and whipped him into the ropes but Daniels came back strong with a flying forearm smash.
Chris Daniels then shoved Williams into the corner and then lifted him up onto the top rope and climbed up, setting up a superplex. Just as Daniels was about to hit the move, Williams hit a couple of kidney shots and shoved Daniels from the top rope and onto the mat. Williams got to his feet and flew from the top but Daniels sprung to his feet and hit a spinning heel kick knocking Petey Williams out of the air.
Daniels made the cover for the 1.. 2.. but Williams managed to put his foot on the bottom rope to break the count. Daniels lifted Williams to his feet and attempted an irish-whip but Williams countered and pulled Daniels towards him and kicked him in the mid-section. Williams then went to set up the Canadian Destroyer but Daniels lifted him up and dropped him face first onto the top turnbuckle, rolled him up 1.. 2.. KICK OUT!
A frustrated Daniels pulled Daniels to his feet and put his head between his legs and tried to hook the arms for the Angel's Wings but Williams lifted him up and over his head, ran the ropes and finally caught Daniels with the Canadian Destroyer! Williams crawled over to Daniels and made the cover but just to make sure, he put both feet on the second rope as the referee counted for the 1.. 2.. 3 to end the match.
Winner, the JGP Champion: Petey Williams
Backstage; We return to Raven's Realm of Reality and Paul Heyman entered with a piece of paper on a clipboard. Paul said that he heard everything that Raven said last week and he's here with the contract that he spoke about. Raven stepped in and said that if Rob is serious about meeting him, then it's going to be under Raven's rules only. Paul accepted the terms and asked what it would take to get Raven one-on-one. Raven paused in momentary thought and then delivered his decision. Raven proposed a tag match at Vendetta, the jock Randy Orton with his pet Rhino taking on RVD and the retirement home security officer, Terry Funk. If, and Raven empathised that it was a huge if, if RVD's team manages to win, then he will get a match with Raven at Final Four, in a match of Raven's choosing. Paul didn't look happy but understood that he had no choice, so he agreed and both sides signed the contract and the deal was on.
Global Tag Team Championships
America's White Trash (c) vs. Chris Benoit and Chris Jericho
Not surprisingly, Chris Benoit started the match for his team against Jamie Noble as Chris Jericho looked calm and relaxed on the apron. Benoit and Noble locked up and Benoit quickly took advantage and went behind Noble hitting a quick release German suplex with Noble landing on his neck and then bouncing out of the ring. Benoit got to his feet and knocked Styles off of the apron with a forearm smash.
Benoit turned towards his corner to see Jericho applauding sarcastically for his partner but Benoit just turned his back to him. Noble slid back into the ring and began to exchange rights and lefts with Benoit but Noble soon fell behind and was forced back into the corner where he fell victim to several knife edge chops across the chest turning it a beautiful shade of red.
Noble then poked Benoit in the eye and turned it around putting Benoit now in the corner and then hit him with some chops of his own. Noble began to talk trash to Benoit, giving him time to dip his head and lift him over his head and over the top rope sending him crashing outside of the ring. Styles tried to enter the ring but the referee stopped him, allowing Noble time to trip Benoit and drag him from the ring.
Jericho then entered the ring to "protest" but that simply pulled the referee away from the action with both members of America's White Trash putting the boots to Benoit on the outside. Noble and Benoit finally made their way back to the ring with Benoit being placed in the corner and choked with Noble's boot. Noble then tagged in AJ Styles and the picking apart of Benoit continued with Styles stomping Benoit.
Styles then whipped Benoit into the ropes but Benoit came back with a second wind and knocked Styles off of his feet with a vicious clothesline. Noble re-entered the ring and attempted the same move but Benoit ducked the clothesline and hit Noble with yet another German suplex, but this time he held on and rolled the move through hitting a further two suplexes taking Noble out of the match.
Benoit got back to his feet and Styles got to the top rope and jumped into Benoits boot to the mid-section. Benoit then took Styles down and locked in the Crippler Crossface! Styles looked like he was about to give up when Chris Jericho came into the ring with a title belt and hit Benoit right across the back of his head. Jericho then turned Benoit over and put Styles on top leaving the referee no choice but to count 1.. 2.. 3!
Winners, and still Global Tag Team Champions: America's White Trash
Aftermath; Jericho walked over to Benoit who was laying unconcious in the ring and began to talk trash to his prone body. Jericho then spat on Benoit and left the ring with the Global Tag Team Champions by his side.
Backstage; Steve Austin was talking to someone in his office and welcoming him to the team. Steve said that the man in question had all the intensity that he needed for the cause of running The Rock right back out of the company. The camera pulled back and the mystery man was Christian! They shook hands and toasted to a long, successful future with a couple of cold beers.
Backstage; The Rock caught up with a sweaty, but happy Chris Jericho and began to laugh with him. Rocky said that he was so impresed with what just happened, infact, he was impressed by the whole plan of taggin with the man that he hates, Benoit never stood a chance. But what The Rock thought was even better is the fact that Chris Benoit is going to face Chris Jericho at Vendetta. Jericho argued that he shouldn't have to wrestle twice in one night, and The Rock conceeded, saying that he was right. So The Rock said that he was putting Chris Benoit in the GWA World Heavyweight Championship match making it a triple threat match! Rocky thanked Jericho for helping him with the taxing decision and went on his way, leaving Jericho a pissed off young man.
North American Championship; Triple Threat Match
Eddie Guerrero (c) vs. Rey Mysterio vs. Lance Storm
A clip was shown of Rey Mysterio defeating the then North American CHampion Lance Storm in a non-title match to be declared the Number One Contender to that title. Another clip was then shown, this time from Wildfire of Eddie Guerrero defeating Lance Storm to become the new North American Champion. Rey Mysterio decided to use his title match at Night of Champions, but Lance Storm also decided to use his return match clause in his contract to make this match a triple threat.
Match Details:
Eddie and Mysterio locked up but Eddie broke the hold and put a knee into the mid-section of Mysterio. Eddie then whipped Rey into the corner and ran after him, only to have Rey use the ropes to leap into the air and over Eddie who then ran into the turnbuckle. Mysterio quickly rolled Eddie up but Storm broke the count even before the referee's hand had landed for one.
Lance Storm then threw Mysterio into another corner and began to connect with hard rights and then followed up with several chops to the chest. Storm went for a short clothesline but Mysterio ducked and ran through, turned around and jumped onto the shoulder of Storm. Storm attempted a powerbomb but Mysterio countered with a hurricanrana sending both men over the top rope and to the outisde.
Rey and Lance picked themselves up from the floor and went back to work but it wasn't too long until the Champion joined in with a running suicide dive through the ropes taking out both of his opponents in one move. Eddie pulled Storm to his feet and whipped him hard into the steel ringsteps. Eddie then tried the same move on Mysterio but Rey was able to counter and send Guerrero head first into the ring post.
As Eddie got to all fours, Lance Storm was just getting back up to his feet. Mysterio then ran at Eddie, used his back as a springboard and launched himself towards Lance Storm where he caught him with an amazing Tornado DDT crashing down on the protective mats surrounding the ring. Rey got to his feet and posed for the crowd, but Eddie was back up and hit Rey with a vicious clothesline.
Eddie then rolled Mysterio back into the ring and stepped up to the apron. Eddie then jumped over the top rope into a flipping senton landed on the base of Mysterio's spine. Guerrero then turned Mysterio over for a cover attempt but Mysterio just managed to kick out at two. Eddie noticed Lance Storm getting up outside so he ran the ropes and knocked Storm into the guard rail with a baseball slide.
Eddie then whipped Mysterio into the ropes, boosted him up but Mysterio landed on the top rope. Mysterio then moonsaulted back into the ring but Eddie caught him and slammed him down with a powerslam. Eddie again covered Mysterio but once again the challenger managed to get a shoulder off of the canvas in time to break the count. Eddie began to look frustrated, but kept the offence on Mysterio.
He picked Mysterio up for another irish whip but Mysterio countered and send Eddie into the ropes where he was tripped from behind by Lance Storm. Eddie turned to face Storm but was dropkicked in the back by Mysterio sending him face first onto the second rope. Rey ran for the 6-1-9 but Storm caught his legs and pulled him from the ring, dropping him onto his back hard to the outside mats.
Lance slid into the ring and began to work over Eddie with several stomps to his back. Storm then propped Eddie on the top rope and performed a picture perfect superplex with a floatover into a pinning attempt. The referee counted as Mysterio jumped to the top rope and hit a legdrop onto Storm breaking the count. Rey whipped Storm but both attempted a clothesline and both men crashed and burned onto the canvas.
Eddie Guerrero slowly pulled himself up by the ropes and climbed to the top rope just as slowly. He saw both Mysterio and Storm laying prone in the ring and asked the crowd for advice. The crowd screamed for Eddie to hit Storm and just as they asked, Eddie performed a Frogsplash onto Lance Storm. Eddie covered Storm for 1.. 2.. but Mysterio dragged Eddie off of Storm just breaking the count in time.
Rey and Eddie continued to fight some more with Rey pinning Eddie against the ropes when Lance Storm with a final burst of energy lifted both men over the top rope. Lance then returned the favour from earlier to Eddie with a baseball slide sending him into the guardrail. Lance then hit a back elbow to Mysterio and rolled him back into the ring and whipped Guerrero into the ring steps.
The referee left the ring to warn Storm of being disqualified when Petey Williams came through the crowd, slid into the ring and hit Mysterio over the head with his title belt. Lance Storm then rolled back into the ring as Williams left it. Storm then covered Mysterio, hooking the leg and the referee counted. Eddie tried to get back into the ring but Williams held his legs as Lance pinned Mysterio for the 1.. 2.. 3!
Winner, and new North American Champion: Lance Storm
Aftermath; Petey Williams and Lance Storm retreated up the ramp raising their title belts in the air. Eddie Guerrero stood at ringside in disbelief of losing his title without even being pinned, and Mysterio was being checked out by the referee after taking the belt to the forehead from Petey Williams.
Backstage; Chris Jericho smashed into Austin's office and said that he was already sick of The Rock. Kurt then walked in and told Jericho to stop acting like a little baby, if anyone deserves to complain about Chris Benoit being put in the title match, it's Kurt Angle. Eddie Guerrero just lost his title without being pinned, and Angle doesn't want that to happen to him. Jericho and Angle started another shoving contest until Austin broke them up and told them both to leave his office as he needed time to think.
In the arena; Michael Shane and Shawn Michaels both make their way to the ring for the contract signing to their 'retirement' match at Vendetta. The loser of that match would be forced out of the sport of pro wrestling forever. First Michael Shane signed, then Shawn Michaels put pen to paper and the match was confirmed. Shawn Michaels got up from the table and posed for the crowd, but Shane wanted to start things early and jumped HBK from behind. Shane went to irish-whip HBK but Shawn countered it and sent Michael into the ropes and went for Sweet Chin Music but Michael Shane grabbed the top rope and slid out of the ring and out of danger.
Backstage; Rey Mysterio sat with the rest of the Filthy Animals and they plotted revenge against the entire Canadian Straight Shooters. One by one Mysterio said they would work their way through them but when they get to Petey Williams, Mysterio told Kidman and Guerrera to leave him to get every last drop of pay back out of him.
Backstage; America's White Trash were getting ready to leave the arena and about to celebrate getting their title belts back, but Eddie and Chavo caught back up with them and jumped them from behind. Eddie even went as far as to put AJ Styles in the trunk of his car and slam the door shut. Los Guerreros then picked the tag titles up from the ground and walked away with them, again stealing them from the champions.
GWA World Heavyweight Championship
Kurt Angle (c) vs. Rob Van Dam
Seventy-Two days since he became the GWA World Heavyweight Championship at the previous "Night of Champions", Kurt Angle put that very title on the line against Rob Van Dam. The two men locked up but Kurt quickly went behind Van Dam and swept his legs away, taking him face first down onto the mat. Kurt then rode RVD amateur style and ended the move by slapping him across the back of the head for added insult.
After a short staredown, the two locked up again and as before, Kurt went behind RVD and went to sweep his legs but Van Dam countered and hit a Side Russion Legsweep and took Angle backwards to the mat. RVD then shoved Angle into the corner and went to work with his educated feet, hitting two shots to the chest and then a jumping reverse kick to the face knocking Angle off of his feet and into the sitting position.
Van Dam took a step back and then ran towards Angle and attempted a dropkick to the chest but Angle slid out of the way and exited the ring leaving RVD to hit nothing but the turnbuckle. Obviously that move kept Van Dam stunned for a moment which allowed Angle to take advantage with several stomps to the back of the neck followed up by a quick leg drop again focusing on the back of RVD's neck.
Angle pulled Van Dam to his feet and irish-whipped him into the ropes, grabbed him around the neck on the return trip and locked in a sleeper hold. The crowd tried to get behind the challenger but Van Dam slowly began to fade under the pressure continued by the World Champion. Suddenly, with a second wind, Van Dam got to his feet and then dropped back down to his knees catching Angle with a jawbreaker.
Angle fell back on his feet onto the ropes where Rob ran towards him and knocked him over the top with a running clothesline. As Angle began to compose himself out the outside, Van Dam grabbed the top rope and catapulted himself right over the top but Angle side-stepped him and Van Dam ate some of the guard rail. Angle quickly rolled Van Dam back into the ring for a pinning attempt 1.. 2.. kick out.
Kurt then grabbed Van Dam and whipped him into the ropes but Van Dam ducked an on coming clothesline and hit a spinning heel kick knocking Angle down. RVD then ran the ropes himself and hit the Rolling Thunder into a cover for a 1.. 2.. kick out this time by Angle. Van Dam jumped up to the top rope as Angle pulled himself to his feet but RVD had him scouted and jumped from the corner and hit a thrust kick.
Van Dam again climbed to the top rope and once again Angle was quick to his feet and jumped also to the top rope to attempt a belly-to-belly suplex but Van Dam hit a right hand knocking Angle off of the ropes and back down to the mat. Van Dam took the opportunity and hit the Five Star Frogsplash! Van Dam then made the cover but the referee wasn't there to make the count.
RVD turned to see the referee being destracted by Rhino, and as that happened Raven slid into the ring, turned RVD around and hit the Evenflow DDT! Raven and Rhino then left the scene of the crime as quick as they entered it. Back in the ring, Kurt Angle removed his straps and locked the Ankle Lock on Van Dam and the referee had no choice but to call for the bell as RVD was still unconcious from the attack.
Winner, and still World Heavyweight Champion: Kurt Angle
Aftermath; Jericho stormed to the ring and speared Angle down to the canvas. The two exchanged rights and lefts, each taking turns to get the advantage over the other. Just when it looked like it couldn't get anymore out of control, Chris Benoit ran to the ring, tearing through his two opponents at Vendetta. Benoit threw Jericho over the top rope and then did the same to Kurt Angle. Angle scrambled to grasp his title belt as Benoit looked down on the two from the ring. END OF SHOW!
Quick Match Recap:
Taka Michinoku vs. Paul London ended in a no contest
Spanky & Paul London def. Taka Michinoku & Sho Funaki
Non-Title: Petey Williams def. 'Fallen Angel' Christopher Daniels
Tag Team Titles: America's White Trash def. Chris Jericho & Chris Benoit to retain
N.A. Title: Lance Storm def. Eddie Guerrero & Rey Mysterio to become Champion
World Title: Kurt Angle def. Rob Van Dam to retain
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