No Mercy 2004: One Good Cruiserweight Story Cannot Rescue a Forgettable SmackDown Pay-Per-View

Guerrero works hard to give Luther Reigns a coherent opener, but the matchup exposes the difference between an elite performer and a limited opponent. Reigns controls long stretches with basic power offense and repeated back work, which makes the middle feel longer than thirteen minutes. Guerrero's comeback has better movement immediately, and the stolen-baton finish at least connects to his lie-cheat-steal persona rather than arriving randomly. The crowd remains interested because Eddie is still one of the most popular wrestlers on SmackDown. The problem is that almost every memorable moment belongs to Guerrero trying to manufacture life around the structure. A former WWE Champion opening a pay-per-view in this pairing makes the brand's creative decline visible before the rest of the card begins.

Spike and Nunzio wrestle a technically competent cruiserweight title match in front of an audience that rarely treats the championship as important. Nunzio's dive and Sicilian Slice provide the best bursts, while Spike controls enough of the middle with arm work and simple counters to give the match a shape. The Dudley Boyz interfere repeatedly, which creates heel heat but also makes the champion look dependent on outside help. Johnny Stamboli's attempt to neutralize D-Von leads directly to Bubba sending Nunzio into the ring post and Spike stealing the pin. The wrestlers execute most of the action cleanly. The atmosphere and cheap finish keep the match from becoming more than acceptable supporting material.

Kidman and London produce the card's best complete story by making London's ribs the center of the match. London attacks with urgency because of the personal breakup, then Kidman takes control after an eye poke and repeatedly targets the midsection with kicks, a gutbuster, and submission pressure. That work matters when London later misses opportunities to sustain offense. The Shooting Star Press tease carries unusual tension because Kidman's storyline fear of the move is the entire reason the feud exists. When he finally uses it, he drives his knees into London's damaged ribs and wins decisively. The post-match second Shooting Star Press strengthens the heel turn. It is not a classic, but it is focused, physical, and meaningfully better than the card around it.

Van Dam and Mysterio provide nearly all of the match's energy, which makes the champions' control segments feel even flatter by comparison. The challengers use dives, quick tags, and tandem offense to create several promising stretches, while Duprée is solid enough when working as the more mobile champion. Suzuki's timing is rougher, and the match repeatedly slows when he controls the ring. The closing sequence briefly comes alive with Rolling Thunder, the 619, and a near West Coast Pop before Duprée trips Mysterio from the floor. Suzuki then steals the pin with illegal leverage. The finish fits heel champions, but it also ends the match just as the challengers create momentum. There is enough athletic talent for something better than this.

Angle gives Big Show a clear revenge-match structure and eventually turns a one-sided opening into something competitive. Show dominates early until Angle intentionally accepts a countout, prompting Theodore Long to restart the match under threat of removing Angle from SmackDown. From there, Angle attacks the knee with a chair and ankle work, giving the larger wrestler something specific to sell. The Angle Slam near fall and broken tranquilizer-gun callback add useful drama before Show rallies. A top-rope chokeslam gives the match a decisive and visually strong finish. The restart is artificial and the pace is uneven, but Angle's timing keeps the second half organized. It is the most traditionally well-worked match on the card.

Cena and Booker conclude a five-match series with a bout that never feels like a decisive series finale. Booker controls much of the middle with individual moves rather than a sustained target, while Cena's comeback arrives through the familiar shoulder tackle, bulldog, and Five Knuckle Shuffle sequence. The crowd reacts to Cena, but the atmosphere is smaller than the stipulation should create after four previous matches. Booker briefly threatens with the Book End and Scissors Kick before Cena counters into the FU for the clean title win. Ten minutes is enough for a decent television match, not enough for a rivalry-ending championship payoff. The result matters more than the wrestling, and the title reign lasting only days further reduces the moment in hindsight.

The mixed tag is constructed almost entirely around comedy and relationship material rather than competitive wrestling. Rico's exchanges with Bubba Ray and D-Von get laughs from the crowd, and Haas provides the cleanest conventional offense once he receives the hot tag. The women spend much of their involvement advancing the Charlie Haas storyline, while the Dudleys are reduced to supporting players inside a feud that does not suit their strengths. Rico's moonsault is a good athletic finish and gives the babyfaces a clear win. The match is not a technical disaster, but its humor is dated and the stakes are almost nonexistent. Eight minutes of acceptable execution cannot make the segment feel like pay-per-view material.

JBL and Undertaker produce a physical main event without producing a compelling one. Undertaker controls most of the match with methodical brawling, and the biggest spots are genuinely heavy: the Tombstone on the steel steps and the chokeslam through the announce table both wake up the crowd. The Last Ride stipulation creates natural movement toward the hearse, but twenty-one minutes exposes how little variety exists between those peaks. Heidenreich emerging from the hearse to attack Undertaker gives JBL another protected retention and changes the subject from the championship to a new feud. The later vehicle crash adds spectacle after the decision but not satisfaction. As the advertised closer, this is a significant event-level weakness.