Storylines
The event featured seven professional wrestling matches that resulted from scripted storylines. Results were predetermined by WWE's writers on the SmackDown! brand, while storylines were produced on WWE's weekly television show, SmackDown!.[4][5]
The main event at Judgment Day was between John Cena and John "Bradshaw" Layfield (JBL) over the WWE Championship in an "I Quit" match. The previous month at WrestleMania 21, Cena defeated JBL to win the WWE Championship.[6] On the April 7 episode of SmackDown!, SmackDown! General Manager Theodore Long scheduled a series of number one contenders matches, after JBL, Eddie Guerrero, Rey Mysterio, Big Show, Booker T, and Kurt Angle all demanded a WWE Championship match.[7][8] The first match that Long announced was between JBL and Rey Mysterio.[7][8] Mysterio was disqualified, after Eddie Guerrero interfered and attacked JBL, resulting in JBL winning the match.[7][8] The following week on SmackDown!, Guerrero and Kurt Angle were scheduled for the second contender's match.[9][10] Angle advanced to the finals, as he went on to defeat Guerrero.[9][10] Later during the program, Cena unveiled a spinner version of the WWE championship. Before the unveiling, however, JBL came out wearing the original WWE championship.[9][10] On the April 21 episode of SmackDown!, Booker T and Big Show were booked in another contenders match. After the match ended in a double disqualification, Long booked JBL, Angle, Booker T, and Big Show in a fatal four-way elimination match for the following week.[11] JBL won the match, after he last eliminated Angle and having the right to face Cena at Judgment Day for the WWE Championship.[12][13] On the May 5 episode of SmackDown!, Cena proposed that he would defend the championship against JBL in an "I Quit" match.[14] He also told JBL "I am gonna beat the hell of you for everything that I stand for", and ends the segment by saying "The last two words to come out of your pathetic mouth will be I Quit". Two weeks later, on the May 19 episode, JBL faced Scotty 2 Hotty, which Scotty won after JBL was disqualified. After the match, however, JBL attacked Scotty and demanded that he say "I quit." JBL continued the assault, choking him with a leather belt, Scotty said "I quit."[15] That same night, Cena defeated The Basham Brothers (Doug Basham and Danny Basham) in a handicap match.[15] During the duration of the match, JBL, who was at ringside, yelled at Cena, telling him to say "I quit."[15]
One of the featured preliminary matches was Rey Mysterio versus Eddie Guerrero in a singles match. One month prior to Judgment Day, at WrestleMania 21, Mysterio defeated Guerrero.[16] In the weeks that followed, Guerrero and Mysterio were challenged by MNM (Joey Mercury, Johnny Nitro, and Melina) to defend the WWE Tag Team Championship, which Guerrero and Mysterio accepted. MNM defeated Guerrero and Mysterio to win the WWE Tag Team Championship.[17] On the April 28 episode of SmackDown!, Guerrero and Mysterio were given a rematch for the WWE Tag Team Championship. During the match, however, Mysterio accidentally performed a flying body press on Guerrero which led to Guerrero abandoning Mysterio, but returned as the fans urged Guerrero to come back.[12] MNM retained the belt after pinning Mysterio for the win.[12] The following week, Theodore Long booked a Street Fight between Mysterio and Guerrero's nephew, Chavo Guerrero Jr. Mysterio came out as the winner of the match.[14] After the match (which Mysterio won), Chavo, Mercury, and Nitro attacked Mysterio, which prompted Guerrero to come out and clear the ring.
The other featured preliminary match was Kurt Angle versus Booker T in a singles match. On the April 28 episode of SmackDown!, Angle, Booker T, Big Show and JBL took part in a fatal four-way match to determine the number one contender for the WWE Championship, which JBL won. During the match, Angle hit Booker T with a steel chair to eliminate him. Booker came back and hit Angle with a chair to cause him to be eliminated.[12] The following week, Angle challenged Booker T to a match at Judgment Day, which Booker accepted. Prior to that, Angle had insulted Booker T's wife, Sharmell, which led to Booker T attacking and accepting Angle's challenge.[14] On the May 12 episode of SmackDown!, Angle admitted he would like to have "perverted sex" with Sharmell.[18] That same night, Angle and Booker T were scheduled in a match, which led to Angle leaving the ring and going backstage to Sharmell. Booker T went backstage and found Sharmell on the floor crying. This led to Angle attacking Booker T from behind and pushing him towards a pair of steel lockers.[18] The following week, Long suspended Angle and demanded that Angle apologize for his actions.[15] Angle apologized, but admitted that he actually kissed Sharmell and let her fondle his "private parts" before Booker T made his way to the locker room.
