WWE SmackDown in 2005 featured the likes of Randy Orton, Rey Mysterio, and Kurt Angle in the main event. The Olympic Hero routinely put on Match of the Year contenders week in and out due to his incredible work rate.
2005 is also noted for the rise of John Cena. The Dr. of Thuganomics would end JBL’s year-long WWE Championship reign at WrestleMania 21. Cena would spend a few months on the blue brand before moving to RAW.
Now that we’re done with a brief recap, let’s take a look at some of the best WWE SmackDown matches of 2005 (in random order):
Rey Mysterio vs. Eddie Guerrero (WWE SmackDown – June 23)
Rey Mysterio and Eddie Guerrero had an extremely personal feud in 2005. Guerrero had turned heel against one of his closest friends, Mysterio. The two former friends fought on weekly shows and at pay-per-view events.
One of their better matches came at the June 21 WWE SmackDown taping. Mysterio had injured Guerrero’s hip a week prior. He spent the majority of the match working on the hip. Guerrero displayed some great character work as well.
Kurt Angle vs. Marty Jannetty (WWE SmackDown – March 17)
Kurt Angle, in his prime, used to make his opponent look like a million bucks. The Olympic Gold Medalist is my pick for WWE’s Wrestler of the Year in 2005. To quote Sheamus, Angle was putting on banger after banger after banger.
One such banger came against the former Rocker, in Marty Jannetty at the March 15 WWE SmackDown taping. The former tag team specialist had a brief run in Vince McMahon’s promotion in 2005.
The match was tied to Angle’s feud with Shawn Michaels at the time. Both men delivered fast-paced action. Jannetty looked incredibly good in this match. Too bad he didn’t stay long enough for what might have been a good run.
Booker T vs. Chris Benoit (United States Title Best of Seven Series Match #2 – November 29)
Booker T and Chris Benoit had an incredible series of matches in 2005. The pair collided over the coveted United States Championship on weekly shows and at PPV events. The second match in this series received praise from fans and critics alike.
The match featured some nasty bumps and high-risk spots. At one point during the match, the Rabid Wolverine ran for the suicide dive but landed hand-first on the outside. In the end, the Bookerman scored his second win of the series.
Eddie Guerrero vs. Rey Mysterio (Steel Cage Match – September 9)
Eddie Guerrero failed to get custody of Dominik at SummerSlam 2005. Latino Heat got former friend Rey Mysterio inside a steel cage at the WWE SmackDown taping on September 6, 2005.
The match featured several incredible high-risk spots, including powerbomb/hurricanrana reversal from the top rope. Guerrero attempted to win the cage by escaping the cage, but decided against it by scoring the decisive win via a frog splash.
Eddie Guerrero vs. Kurt Angle (World Heavyweight Title #1 Contendership Tournament First Round Match – April 14)
Eddie Guerrero and Kurt Angle spent 2004 squaring off against each other for the WWE Championship. The pair found themselves on the opposite side of the ring in another TV match with an entirely different stake in play.
Both men competed in the first round of the World Heavyweight Championship number one contenders tournament. This was several months before the 2005 WWE Draft, which would change the landscape of both RAW and SmackDown.
Angle and Guerrero put on a classic in front of a red-hot Chicago crowd at the Allstate Arena. The match was fast-paced, had tons of drama, and showcased some incredible character work from two of the best to grace the squared circle.
Also read: Best WWE SmackDown Matches Of 2006
