10 Greatest WWE SmackDown Endings

9. An Extreme Finale - 9 June 2005

The ECW revival of 2005 was one of the most perfectly executed angles in WWE history. The demand necessitated the storyline, the execution exceeded the expectation, and resulting PPV was a masterpiece. If only it had ended there...

Nevertheless, prior to the full-time revival of ECW a year later, WWE did a stellar job of reintroducing the extreme brand in 2005 and the build up to the original One Night Stand PPV was full of memorable moments. One such moment was the go-home show before the PPV itself.

Taking place on the 9 June edition of SmackDown, anti-ECW crusader JBL squared off with ECW original Chris Benoit in the main event. With Paul Heyman as guest commentator and a host of WWE and ECW talent surrounding the ring, the situation was a powder keg waiting to explode. Inevitably, it did just that, when Kurt Angle interfered at the first sight of a Crippler Crossface.

Soon enough, a brawl erupted between the ECW originals and the SmackDown roster, culminating in the arrival of ECW legend, Tazz (who had been viciously assaulted by Angle earlier on in the show). With gores, canes, and Tazzmissions aplenty, the show went off the air in style and set the table for one of the most epic PPV events of all time.

Contributor
Contributor

Occasional wrestler, full-time gym rat and lifelong lover of the grapple game. Would probably buy you a shot of Jack at the bar in exchange for witty banter...and preferably more Jack. @MartynGrant88 for more wrestling-related musings and weight room wisecracks!