[9.0] "Great episode of Smackdown with two terrific matches in Edge Vs. Eddie and Benoit/Angle/Mysterio. The most memorable episode of the show by far for me in all of my years of watching wrestling."

[8.0] "the first part is not so aged well, between a not good opening and a bikini contest (the maximum of exposition for women in that period) followed by a bad tag team match. the second part of the show had two bangers and the famous no DQ match between Eddie Guerrero and Edge to equalize the episode"

[10.0] "This episode of smackdown was better than the Unforgiven PPV which was just a few days prior. If I paid for Unforgiven, I'd be pissed watching this show. The eddie/edge match was like 10x better than what they did at the ppv, except for michael cole who really fucking sucks and has no clue how to announce a match like this. I have no idea how he has lasted so long in this role. And not a direct comparison but the main event here was more entertaining, or at least at the same level as the angle/benoit match from unforgiven. For the main event, it seemed like they were a little slow or off on their chemistry together for the first minute or so of the match, but then it picks up and it's fucking awesome. This show is not skippable in any way. If you are binging WWF from this era and you skip this for whatever reason, you're insane. There's also an interview bit with Lesnar which is great. Another thing I've been loving about Smackdown is the transitions. The bikini match transitioned into an actual tag team match. It was done very well. Things like that really impress me. This show was great."

[10.0] "A red hot crowd that's on fire the entire night, every match is at least entertaining and two are excellent, several stories advance and every angle feels like it matters, and it's full of stars -- hard to ask for more from a weekly TV show. Bonus: Torrie Wilson in a bikini."

[9.0] "I believe this is the show where the "Smackdown Six" was birthed. Two ****-plus matches and a hot crazy crowd."

"Crazy match for a TV show - my first time ever watching this and it delivered. When the crowd spent the entire match booing Eddie just to give him a standing ovation at the end, you know they delivered a classic."

[8.0] "This was all hits and no misses. This felt like a PPV level event and the triple threat was awesome and edge and Eddie Guerrero was great and should've main evented. Awesome Smackdown."

[10.0] "This is an outstanding Smackdown with two pay-per-view quality matches on free tv. It's really hard to ask for more than that. Edge v Eddie Guerrero is a flat out war in the best singles match they had together. It's intense, it's bloody and its a fitting end to the feud. It's a tough match to top but they came close with Rey Mysterio headlining the show with Kurt Angle and Chris Benoit in a triple threat. It is a must see show for those matches alone, particularly with the latter sadly being lost to history. It's a show that shows the kind of depth in the Smackdown roster in 2002 and why people still talk about it today. Other things of note is Brock Lesnar badly busting up the Undertaker to continue their feud into No Mercy. Rikishi and Chavo having a surprisingly decent match and a bikini contest featuring Torrie and Nidia. Okay maybe that last bit isn't that impressive, although Nidia is very funny and Torrie is very hot! And they stick around for an impromptu tag match. A good bulk of the show showcases the very best Smackdown had to offer so it deserves a 10 for that as you won't see many better episodes than this one."

[9.0] "This show had two four star matches and the only bad parts were the bikini contest and the Undertaker/Matt squash match."

[9.0] "Great episode of Smackdown we got two really good matches: Eddie/Edge and that 3 way between Angle, Mysterio and Benoit. There are two really short matches here but they serve a purpose, especially Taker/Hardy, Lesnar hitting him with the belt leaving him bloodied and stumbling around backstage was great. You can never complain when a weekly show has ****1/4 match, and a **** match while also advancing angles"

[6.0] "One of the best Smackdowns ever? I can't say that because I haven't seen enough to comprehensively judge, but I can say this was definitely a good episode of wrestling, though not an especially great wrestling show. The main-event of Benoit vs Angle vs Mysterio was the only must-see thing here, and the No DQ match of Edge vs Eddie was pretty good but took a while to get going. All other matches were forgettable, but a few segments were entertaining. Chavo vs Rikishi was fine but short, just set up for Chavo to get some heat and Rikishi to hit his signature spots and get his win back. NR. The Torrie vs Nidia striptease was cringy, but it's early 00s WWE so I can appreciate how trashy it was. Noble & Tajiri vs Billy & Chuck was another short but fine enough match. Tajiri's signature spots were all wonderful, and Noble's scummy heel work was solid. Billy sold decently (including his worked-over leg) and showed fire for his comeback. Chuck's hot tag was basic but fun. **1/4. Angle's lines with Stephanie and Mysterio were really funny, and the segment did well to build Mysterio up with the hometown fans. Funaki and Lesnar's segment was pretty entertaining once they went to the ring for the interview. Funaki's bumbling presentation was endearing, and Lesnar looked like a monster as he destroyed him. Edge vs Eddie was good but overrated. Eddie was naturally great with his end of things, but Edge was merely decent at best, offering nothing to match Eddie's athleticism or character work. The match improved for the final 5 minutes as they finally brought out some genuinely crazy ladder spots, but it all came too late to elevate the match further. ***1/4. Matt vs Taker was a quick, meaningless squash set up just to further Taker's feud with Lesnar. NR. Benoit vs Angle vs Mysterio was easily MOTN. Unlike Edge vs Eddie, this was immediately exciting and remained so for its entire length. The story of Mysterio constantly having to prove himself to Benoit and Angle, who were deadset on ignoring him and only pursuing their personal feud here, was really cool, with Mysterio coming off like a star with the nasty bumps he took and the great spots he pulled off every time he returned to the ring. Benoit and Angle were once again very impressive with their aggressive, intense, and technical styles. ***1/2"

"Edge vs Eddie Guerrero on this show was the best Ladder Match you'll ever see, that wasn't a Ladder Match. Eddie Guerrero as a heel getting a great crowd reaction was so nice to see, even after losing this match. I wish Matt Hardy vs Taker went a few minutes longer, but it was fun while it lasted, and Taker sold the post match Brock Lesnar attack very well. Eddie and Taker were both busted open on this show. This was Eddie Guerrero and Edge's 4th and last singles match together on tv. They went 2-2, each with a win against eachother on PPV and Smackdown. Great show!"

[10.0] "My goodness what a fun episode of Smackdown this was. I don't usually like to just run down the entire card chronologically but this justifies it. Chavo vs Rikishi, an amazing match founded off an amazing premise: Chavo wants to bop Rikishi with a camera like last week. But this time there's a twist: He wants to also pull down his tights and give RIkishi a stinkface! Wow. The result is lovely. Then the beauty contest comes up, Tazz is there, Billy and Chuck are there going "oh yah" to sound like they are enjoying the hot girlz, then it results in this tag match between them and Tajiri/Jamie Noble that to me is a perfect wrestling match. Now I'm not a regular match maker, but if I came in late at night and felt a bit peckish, I'd have no problem at all making a good match, and a good match for me consists of brown bread, wholemeal, but anyways back to the rest of the show, they follow up with the big Eddie vs. Edge match, obviously a barnburner. So many times in wrestling you'll be asked to think of what you're looking at as a big moment, and this is one of the times where commentary pushing it hard is really justified. Spectacular stuff, and then Undertaker squashing Matt Hardy? You know that's great too, and while I'm at it Brock murking Funaki who was just trying to get the scoop is similarly beautiful, the Brock/Taker feud is heating da fuk up. Then the main event, it was funny seeing Benoit and Angle do the usual Chain Wrestling 2 sequence but Rey was there with enough cool stuff to make it good. Damn what a show"

[9.0] "Two 4 star matches on a free episode of Smackdown? Jesus Christ, this has to be one of the best episodes of SD ever. Damn good matches they are too."

[9.0] "An incredible episode of Smackdown! This is what the glory days of Smackdown was all about. You have two of the best matches in the brand's history and this also included some entertaining stuff from the first half hour."

[10.0] "The best example of what made this show at this time so good. Must see stuff. The best wrestling show the WWE has ever had was this show from late 02 to mid 04. Great stuff all around. You have the best pure wrestlers in the country tearing it up all within a perfect two hour package. It doesn't drag on, it doesn't get boring, it doesn't fail to make sense. It is well thought out and well executed."