This week's edition of Smackdown from The Pond in Anaheim, California opened with the Kurt Angle music video from last week, ending with a graphic stating that Angle would return tonight. They then went into the opening montage for the show.

Roddy Piper and Sean O'Haire came to the ring for Piper's Pit. Piper said that his guest this week was someone who was considered "special." Piper said that while he fought everyone 30 years, he wasn't called special. He said that O'Haire would one day be the "World champion" but he wasn't called special either. He introduced Zach Gowen. Vince McMahon came out instead and said that last week, he promised there would be changes on Smackdown and he would start that right now. He talked about Zach Gowen being an "American success story" and if anyone knew about that, it was Vincent Kennedy McMahon.

Gowen came to the ring with Mr. America. McMahon said that Gowen wanted to wrestling in the WWE and only McMahon could offer him a contract on Smackdown. He said that next week in Florida there would be an arm wrestling contest to decide if Gowen would get a contract, with McMahon representing WWE. Mr. America accepted the challenge and insulted McMahon. McMahon began to get irate but calmed himself down, instead stating that Gowen would be arm wrestling him next week. Gowen looked nervous and Vince quipped, "Don't you have two arms?" America was distracted by O'Haire, and Vince shoved Gowen backwards over Piper, who was on all fours. Vince left stating that next week Gowen had all the chances of succeeding, as a "One legged man in an ass-kicking contest."

They showed a video of Kurt Angle dousing the Alliance with a hose from a milk truck during the Invasion storyline to hype his return to Smackdown.

The Undertaker defeated Chuck Palumbo. Nunzio and Johnny Stamboli were at ringside. Anyone else notice Nunzio hardly wrestles anymore? Undertaker hit a lot of offense, including the "Old School" ropewalk until being knocked outside, where he was worked over by the FBI. Palumbo hits Snake Eyes on the turnbuckles. UT hit a chokeslam for the pin. Nunzio and Stamboli attacked him. UT grabbed Nunzio for the Last Ride, but Palumbo superkicked him. Nunzio grabbed a steel chair and was going to use it on UT as the others held him, but UT broke free and kicked it in Nunzio's face.

Michael Cole and Tazz announce that Brock Lesnar will defend the WWE championship against The Big Show on next week's Smackdown.

They aired a tribute video dedicated to Freddie Blassie. Nice touch.

WWE Tag Team champions Yoshihiro Tajiri and Eddy Guerrero defeated The Basham Brothers in a Non-Title match. The champs come out in another low rider that was presumably stolen. Tajiri hit all his old ECW spots while the storyline was that the Basham Brothers were hanging with the Tag Team champions in just their second week on Smackdown. Tajiri locked the Tarantula on one of the Bashams while Guerrero hit a frog splash off the ropes on the other. Tajiri hit a kick to the head for the pin. Entertaining.

Kurt Angle made his way to the ring with his old theme music. The crowd still chanted "You suck." Angle said he was happy to be back and asked them to play the music again. The crowd chanted again. Only in wresting could "You suck" become a term of endearment for a performer. Angle said that when he was in the hospital, one person kept visiting and calling to see how he was. The crowd kept chanting, "What?" and Angle said he even missed that. That was funny.

Angle was going to name who it was, but The Big Show's music hit and he came to the ring. Show said that it was his time now, but maybe he would give Angle a title shot once he defeated Brock. He tried to get in Angle's face but Angle quipped about Show needing breath mints. Big Show warned Angle he didn't want to face him. Angle jumped on the turnbuckles to look Big Show in the eye and said that after being in the Olympics and Wrestlemania with a broken neck, "Forgive me if I'm not exactly pooping my pants."

Show grabbed Angle for a chokeslam, but Brock Lesnar's music hit and he came to the ring. Show released Angle and backed out. Angle and Lesnar had a staredown, then embraced. Angle thanked Brock for all the concern while he was hurt and they raised each other's hands.

John Cena pinned Chris Benoit. Cena does a rap ripping on Cruiserweights and Benoit on the way to the ring. Benoit hits a ton of chops and goes for the Crippler Crossface early but Cena escapes. Cena goes for the FU but Benoit counters with a DDT. Benoit scores a two count with a flying headbutt. Benoit hit the rolling German Suplexes during a flurry of offense, but the referee gets knocked down. Cena went to use his chain since the ref was down. Rhyno grabbed it and went to his Cena with it, but connected with his own partner instead. Cena took out Rhyno and pinned Benoit.

Rikishi and Torrie Wilson defeated Jamie Noble and Nidia. The men showed off their tag team partners at the start of the match. Knoble gets taken down right away by Rikishi. Jamie gets knocked into Nidia, who goes down in the corner. Nidia takes the stinkface, setting up Torrie to hit a neckbreaker for the pin. Rikishi and Torrie danced.

They show a Tale of the Tape for Matt Hardy and Rey Misterio, Jr. Hardy outweighs Misterio by nearly 50 lbs.

Josh Matthews interviewed Rey Misterio, Jr. about his championship match tonight. Misterio said he wasn't worried about his recent groin injury. Eddy Guerrero showed up and spoke to Rey in English and Spanish, telling him to win the match and to not even think about coming to the locker room without the title. Nice touch to make the bout seem important.

Stephanie McMahon came into her office to find Vince leaving it. Stephanie tells Vince that she will give Zach Gowen a contract if he doesn't. Vince tells Steph he wants to introduce her to his new assistant, who turns out to be Sable. Stephanie made it a point to tell McMahon that Sable was the same person who sued Vince for millions in a sexual harassment suit. She accused him of being blinded by Sable shaking her assets for him. McMahon told her that was then, and this is now, and things will be changing. They walked out as Stephanie looked dumbfounded.

Rey Misterio Jr. pinned Matt Hardy to win the WWE Cruiserweight Championship. Hardy had Crash Holly and Shannon Moore at ringside. They showed Misterio's wife and children at ringside as his made his way to the ring. Moore and Crash were ejected from ringside for interfering early. Hardy worked over Misterio's knee. Hardy hit the Side Effect off the ropes, but Misterio kicked up. Hardy grabbed the championship belt from ringside, and got into it with the referee, which gave Holly and Moore a chance to doubleteam Rey. Hardy hit a legdrop off the top rope, but Misterio kicked up. Misterio, selling the knee bigtime, hit the 619 but Hardy kicked out. Matt went for the Twist of Fate, but Rey scored a rollup for the pin. Rey celebrating the victory in the ring with his son on his shoulders as the show faded out.

The commentary was excellent here as Michael Cole and Tazz played up the bout as a major deal, which is how the Cruiserweight belt should always be handled if they have any hope of it becoming anything beyond a throwaway division. Obviously this sets up the impending TV debut of Ultimo Dragon, who makes his TV debut at the Madison Square Garden Smackdown taping the end of June.

(Credit: 1wrestling)