SmackDown 17th April 2003 John Cena vs Chris Benoit
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00:00Yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, Chris Benoit, I hope you're listening.
00:19Don't you ever tell me who I can and can't respect.
00:24You wind up in surgery with another broken neck.
00:30At least you all set when you get your release.
00:34If you ever go broke, rent the space between your teeth.
00:40No, you don't like what I'm saying?
00:43I don't care, you get flipped off.
00:46Don't ever judge me, dude.
00:48You just a dynamite rip off.
00:52Yo, you's a rabid wolverine, but you missing a fang.
00:56I tie strings to acorns, so I can let my nuts hang.
01:03You ready to settle this?
01:05Then come on out and fight me.
01:07I ain't allergic to your rabies, dog.
01:10Go ahead and bite me.
01:11John Cena showing no respect.
01:16Like a coach.
01:17I heard you love that coach.
01:19No, that was the enough one.
01:22Right.
01:23Following is the number one contender's final match scheduled for one fall.
01:29Making his way to the ring from Edmonton, Alberta.
01:32Weighing in at 229 pounds, Chris Benoit.
01:37This is the finals of the number one contender tournament that started
01:41a few weeks ago, set up by General Manager Stephanie McMahon.
01:44We will determine tonight who goes to Backlash to meet Brock Lesnar in ten days
01:50for the WWE title.
01:53And let's talk about this, Kaz.
01:55How big is this matchup for these two individuals?
01:59It's humongous.
01:59It's a humongous matchup.
02:01You got to have the butterflies, both men, collar and elbow tied up.
02:05Trying to get some position on each other.
02:06Quick arm drag by Chris Benoit.
02:09This is huge, man.
02:09You get a shot if you win this against our champion Lesnar, Brock Lesnar at Backlash.
02:14It's big.
02:15Chris Benoit's road to the finals.
02:16He defeated the H-Rank and also John Cena's road to the finals.
02:20Defeated Eddie Guerrero and The Undertaker.
02:23And here we go tonight, Benoit and Cena to determine the number one contender.
02:27Remember, it's worth saying again, Cole, he defeated The Undertaker.
02:30Great point.
02:31Help from the FBI.
02:32I know, I know, I was there, I seen it.
02:35Hammerlock right there by Benoit.
02:36This is when you gotta be careful with Benoit.
02:38You don't want to let Benoit out wrestle you.
02:40You gotta try and fight Benoit.
02:42He's a great tactician in there.
02:44Speaking of the FBI, an update on Nathan Jones.
02:46EMT's attending to Nathan Jones in the locker room area.
02:49We understand that the ankle could possibly be broken of Nathan Jones
02:53following that three on one assault.
02:56I respect John Cena's skill in the ring.
02:58He's a tremendous up and coming superstar.
03:01His time may indeed be now.
03:03But I do not respect the way that John Cena treats the other superstars.
03:06He showed no respect tonight for Chris Benoit and Brock Lesnar.
03:09And John Cena showed no respect for the WWE title.
03:13That's great.
03:14My opinion is it ain't about being a nice guy, Cole.
03:17You don't win championships by being a nice guy.
03:19You can be a class act, a professional, it ain't about being nice.
03:23You make a great point, Taz.
03:24It's all about the WWE Championship.
03:29Both these athletes, similar size, are very close in stature and weight.
03:33A low blow.
03:33Did you see that?
03:34Yes, I did, but- Here's the cover.
03:36Hook of the leg on Benoit.
03:37But in Ryan Hector's defense, Cena grabbed Hector and
03:40blinded Hector so he didn't see the low blow.
03:42A smart by John Cena, clever, clever.
03:45A veteran maneuver by a damn near rookie.
03:49He's got that rear chin lock locked in, John Cena does.
03:52Benoit makes it back to his feet following the low elbows to the gut of John Cena.
03:58Again, Cena may be in trouble here, but right back on top of Benoit.
04:03And again, Cena quickly, shoulders down.
04:05Smart, puts the knee across the bicep John Cena did on Benoit to avoid Benoit
04:10from grabbing the rope, making Chris Benoit kick out and exert more energy.
04:15And Cena also drove his hand into the skull of Benoit,
04:18keeping the head of the man.
04:19That hurts, when you get your knee thrown into your skull, it pretty much hurts.
04:22This crowd has been alive all night.
04:25And suddenly it is alive again for
04:27the Rabid Wolverine trying to will Chris Benoit back into this matchup.
04:31After the low blow, Cena took control and Benoit's trying to battle back.
04:36Excellent through the arena.
04:40Paraparalyzing chops by Benoit.
04:43Watch those Germans, Benoit's dangerous.
04:47John Cena, a great counter.
04:49He got him.
04:50And Benoit almost got caught.
04:52That's what you gotta- Almost.
04:54Crossface, he got it.
04:56Realizing the danger of the crossface, John Cena scrambled for the ropes.
05:00Scrambled, desperately scrambled for the ropes.
05:02He's seen his title shot disappear there.
05:04If that crossface locked in, watch out, Benoit.
05:07Watch out, peanut like move through the second rope.
05:11Chris Benoit sacrificing his own body to just take out John Cena and
05:15inflict pain on Cena, to weaken Cena, to try and defeat him.
05:20Chris Benoit, John Cena, battling it out for a trip to Backlash.
05:24Who's gonna beat Lesnar?
05:25We're gonna find out next.
05:28And Benoit to the cover, hook of the leg on Cena.
05:30And Cena just kicks out.
05:32It has been wild and wooly during the break.
05:35On the line, number one contendership.
05:37Cover again.
05:37And again, Cena kicks out.
05:39During the break, Chris Benoit has been relentless on John Cena.
05:43Cover after cover, high impact move after high impact move.
05:47It is Chris Benoit versus John Cena.
05:50The winner to face Brock Lesnar at Backlash in ten days on pay-per-view.
05:55And you hear after asking Cena, do you give up?
06:00We'll call Chris Benoit with that key lock, that top wrist lock locked in on
06:04John Cena wearing down that left limb of Cena.
06:08You see how much this title shot means to Benoit.
06:11A couple of quick pin covers by Chris Benoit when he sees the moment in
06:15this matchup.
06:16Benoit wants to get to Backlash to meet Lesnar, as does Cena.
06:19But right now, the Wolverine's in control.
06:21Yeah, if you're Benoit, you need to wear down.
06:23That's what he's doing, wear down Cena, wear down that left arm, stay on him.
06:27He's burying those knees in the gut, though.
06:30The veteran Chris Benoit, trained in the legendary Stewhart Dungeon in Calgary.
06:35Looking for a shot at the WWE Championship.
06:38But the upstart John Cena, looking to make it to Backlash instead.
06:42Cena hopes to take control.
06:44Benoit's in trouble.
06:45Cena is all over Benoit.
06:49Working on the throat, it looks like possibly the neck area of Chris Benoit.
06:53Yeah, he is.
06:54Cena's shingled out the neck, he's got a helmet.
06:56Hook of the leg, and Benoit kicks out.
06:58We saw it last week.
07:00John Cena recognizes when there's an injury.
07:02The Undertaker's elbow, goes right to work on it.
07:04This week, the surgically repaired neck of Benoit, Cena goes to work again.
07:08Said it last week, I'll say it this week.
07:10John Cena, I dig Cena.
07:12He's got that take no prisoners attitude.
07:14You see it in those eyes of Cena.
07:16He's got a deep dark look in his eyes.
07:18Take no prisoners.
07:19You got a man hurt, you keep hurting.
07:21You know he's got an injury, you pinpoint it like a shark.
07:24Smells that broken water, you go get it.
07:26I'll tell you something right now.
07:27John Cena's out here demanding respect.
07:29If he knocks off Chris Benoit and gets to Backlash,
07:32he's gonna have a whole hell of a lot of respect.
07:34And if he knocks off Lesnar at Backlash, look out.
07:37A front face lock applied by John Cena.
07:40It takes a lock hold to beat a man like Chris Benoit.
07:43But Benoit's neck injury and that surgery he had a long time ago is well documented.
07:47Benoit turning the tables.
07:48Now the chops from the Robin Woodbury.
07:50Chris Benoit is beginning to feel it tonight in Norfolk.
07:54And what a drop toe hold into the second turnbuckle.
07:57Not often you catch a veteran like Benoit, a crafty veteran,
08:01and with a wrestling move like that, a drop toe hold into that turnbuckle.
08:04Very impressive by John Cena.
08:06You know what they do call about Cena?
08:09He's a veteran.
08:11I'm sorry, he's a student of the game.
08:12He follows the game.
08:13He knows, wow.
08:17Right up, right back to the necks.
08:18Right back to that neck.
08:19Don't say Cena.
08:20He's a student of the game.
08:22He followed a great sport.
08:25He knows a man's weakness, knows his style.
08:27It's amazing, there's so many similarities, not only between Benoit and
08:30Cena, their work in the ring, but also between John Cena and Brock Lesnar.
08:33Cena, cover, hook of the leg on Benoit, and Benoit kicks out.
08:37Cena can't believe it.
08:38You said there's similarities between Lesnar and Cena?
08:40Yeah. I don't get it.
08:41Well, they're both pretty much rookies, but
08:43they don't act like rookies in the ring.
08:45They show tremendous veteran sense, both of them.
08:48Listen to Benoit.
08:50He's in pain, screaming.
08:51Benoit moaning in agony, as Cena continues the pressure.
09:00What a form, right there to the rib kidney area.
09:03Driving forward, blows, what a suplex.
09:07This, ladies and gentlemen, could be the turning point of this match.
09:11Here's Benoit getting himself out of harm's way with that back suplex,
09:16high and tight on Cena's neck and shoulder area.
09:20The first man to his feet will build momentum that could go a long way in
09:24determining who goes to Backlash to meet Brock Lesnar for the title.
09:28You gotta figure Lesnar's backstage or somewhere watching this match on a monitor
09:31on a TV set, watching both these athletes.
09:34Cena's gonna face him back there.
09:35If you're Lesnar, who would you rather face?
09:37I'd rather plead the fifth on that one.
09:41I can't answer that.
09:42I don't know.
09:42You got a better Benoit, the unpredictable, the untalented Cena.
09:46Running elbow, and a snap suplex.
09:48Shane's in the middle of a kick right there.
09:50Cover again, shoulders down.
09:53And John Cena almost, almost pinned by Benoit.
09:57You don't wanna stay down, man.
09:59You gotta kick out.
10:00For all the models here to move on to the championship title match.
10:03John Cena taking control.
10:04Chris Benoit, wow.
10:07John Cena, cover, hooks the leg.
10:09Cena's going to Backlash.
10:10No, not on that.
10:12That was close.
10:13That was close.
10:14And now perhaps the frustration beginning to set in.
10:17Exactly, that's what Cena needs to keep his cool, chill out a little bit here.
10:21I mean, I think Cena caught Benoit off his game by trying to out wrestle Benoit.
10:26I think Benoit, in my opinion, thought Cena would try and out fight him.
10:29What a forearm.
10:32And you make a good point.
10:33If Cena gets frustrated, German suplex.
10:36If Cena gets frustrated, the better Benoit will take control.
10:39They got wings, baby.
10:42Wolverines can fly.
10:45Chris Benoit climbing to the top rope, high risk maneuver.
10:49And what's Benoit- He's going.
10:51And Cena went out of the way.
10:53Cena saw it coming.
10:54John Cena looks to seize the moment.
10:57Over on the roll.
10:58Rolls Benoit, shoulders are down.
11:00And Benoit almost got caught again.
11:02Rolls face, you got it, Cole, it's in.
11:06The cross face is in.
11:08It's locked in.
11:09Will John Cena tap out?
11:10Will Benoit be going to Backlash?
11:13Cena's done, Cole, he can't get to the rope.
11:14Cena's done, I'm telling you, he can't get to the rope.
11:19Cena desperately, desperately reaching for the rope.
11:22Reaching with his right hand.
11:23Desperately trying to get there.
11:24His championship hopes hang in the balance.
11:27Cena's in pain.
11:28He's so close, but yet so far, and he got there.
11:32Cena got there.
11:33The cross face is broken.
11:35And now Benoit shows frustration.
11:37Like him or not, you gotta respect John Cena's mental toughness right there.
11:41And the heart and resilience.
11:43But perhaps Benoit felt Cena fading in the cross face.
11:46That's what you gotta love about Benoit.
11:48He don't go to the referee and bitch and moan.
11:49He gets right back on his opponent and beats the car out of him.
11:53I like that about Chris Benoit.
11:54Going for a German suplex again.
11:55John Cena, grab the rope to counter.
11:57The elbows to the temple area.
12:00With the cross face again.
12:02Harry Cox.
12:02The Death Valley Drumming.
12:04No more elbows right now.
12:05Benoit, look out, shoulders down.
12:07Shoulders down.
12:08He's got it.
12:09Cena got it.
12:10Cena's been plastered with backlash.
12:13Here is your winner and the number one contender, John Cena.
12:20You're alive.
12:22This is basically.