The following live coverage is being reprinted with permission from Richard Gray of WrestlingNewsWorld.com:
WWE is taping this week’s edition of Friday Night SmackDown from Atlantic City, New Jersey.
Pre-Show Note:
* The top section of the venue is tarped off. The venue is not sold out.
Dark Match:
Elijah Burke b. Jamie Noble
WWE Friday Night SmackDown (Air Date 5/02):
SmackDown begins with Theodore Long announcing that the WWE Tag Team Titles, US Title, and World Heavyweight Title will all be on the line tonight.
Michael Cole announces Mick Foley as the new SmackDown announcer.
WWE Tag Team Champions John Morrison & The Miz b. Jimmy Wang Yang & Shannon Moore to retain.
ECW General Manager Armando Estrada comes out and announces that the following will be a Colin Delaney contract match.
Vladimir Kozlov b. Colin Delaney
Mark Henry confronts Nunzio backstage. He reminds him that he is the World’s Strongest Man in an intimidating manner.
Victoria & Natalya b. Michelle McCool & Cherry
Mark Henry b. Nunzio who brought Big Show to ringside with him. After the match Big Show asks Henry was doesn’t he pick on someone his own size. Henry walks to the back.
WWE United States Champion Matt Hardy b. MVP to retain the title with a Twist of Fate.
It is announced that The Undertaker will defend his WWE World Heavyweight Championship against The Great Khali later tonight.
Mick Foley interviews Batista. They talk about his loss to Shawn Michaels at Backlash. Batista says that he lost; no excuses. Foley asks Batista if he thought that Michaels was faking a knee injury. Batista says that the thought of Michaels faking the injury makes him sick. He says if he finds out that HBK was faking the injury that he will get him.
Zack Ryder & Curt Hawkins b. Jesse & Festus
Finlay b. An unknown superstar.
The Undertaker comes out. Vickie Guerrero comes out and says that the following match will not be for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship. She also says that Undertaker’s new choke hold (the Gogoplata that they have not named) is banned.
According to both of our correspondents, Vickie Guerrero strips The Undertaker of the WWE World Heavyweight Championship because of his dangerous choke hold. She says that it is to protect the superstars.
The Great Khali came to the ring and tried to take the World Heavyweight Championship. Undertaker attacked him. Undertaker ends up locking the Gogoplata on Khali. While he is choking him out, Ryder and Hawkins come out and take the WWE World Heavyweight Championship belt. Khali ends up bleeding. Undertaker went after Ryder and Hawkins and ended up getting back in the ring and chokeslamming Khali to end the show.
Off-Air:
Vickie (with Edge), Hawkins, and Ryder leave with the belt.
