10 Fascinating WWE Survivor Series 2004 Facts
6. Carlito Had To Be Protected Due To Injury
WWE immediately began pushing Carlito (at the time "Carlito Caribbean Cool") upon his debut on SmackDown in October 2004. In his first televised match, he defeated John Cena for the United States Championship through underhanded means, and a feud was born. There was also the little storyline detail where Cena was stabbed in the kidney at Carlito's behest, but that was merely a minor occurrence.
The two were set to be on opposite teams at Survivor Series. However, one week before the show, Carlito suffered a separated shoulder during a house show match while working with Hardcore Holly. To work around the injury, a vengeful Cena chased Carlito out of the building before the match began, resulting in a countout/forfeit loss for the apple-spitter.
Cena pinned Carlito in a very brief match two nights later on SmackDown to regain the belt, and Carlito wouldn't return to the ring until spring 2005.