Rey Mysterio made his first World Heavyweight Championship defense at the SmackDown-exclusive pay-per-view Judgment Day in May 2006. His opponent? John Bradshaw Layfield, the most hated villain on the brand and a constant thorn in Mysterio's side. Determined to prove that the master of the 619 was not a worthy champion, he pummeled his opponent with punishing strikes and power moves. But Mysterio fought back and ultimately retained the title, proving that size does not matter. That title bout was hardly the only contest that made Judgment Day a hidden gem of a pay-per-view. WWE Tag Team champions Joey Mercury and Johnny Nitro defended the gold against Brian Kendrick and Paul London in a spectacular opener while Chris Benoit and Finlay beat the unholy hell out of each other in an intensely physical bout. Bobby Lashley fell just short of winning the King of the Ring tournament, watching as Booker T celebrated his victory, and Kurt Angle and Mark Henry clashed in a match much better than their Royal Rumble 2006 stinker. In fact, the only dud of the bunch was Great Khali's pay-per-view debut against The Undertaker, which was as bad as it sounds but solidified the Punjabi giant as a threat on the SmackDown brand. With consistency up and down the three-hour long card, Judgment Day 2006 ranks as one of the better pay-per-view events ever produced by the SmackDown brand.
Erik Beaston is a freelance pro wrestling writer who likes long walks in the park, dandelions and has not quite figured out that this introduction is not for Match.com. He resides in Parts Unknown, where he hosts weekly cookouts with Kane, The Ultimate Warrior, Papa Shango and The Boogeyman. Be jealous.
