No Mercy (2005) - Aftermath

Aftermath

The rivalry between Batista and Eddie Guerrero ended after Guerrero unexpectedly died due to a heart failure on November 13, 2005. Their feud was planned to continue, as Guerrero would have gone back to his villainous character.

The Undertaker would not be seen on-screen until Survivor Series after being burned inside a casket at the event. After being the sole survivor in his elimination match, Randy Orton celebrated his victory with his father, "Cowboy" Bob Orton, and wrestlers from the SmackDown! brand. During the celebration, druids brought out a casket and set it up in an upright position. Lightning then struck the casket and set it on fire. Undertaker emerged from the flaming casket and attacked the SmackDown wrestlers. The Ortons, however, escaped the attack. This set up a Hell in a Cell match, a match that is contested in a roofed cage inside the ring, between Randy and Undertaker at Armageddon. Undertaker defeated Randy and ended their storyline that had lasted nearly one year.

After successfully retaining the WWE United States Championship at the event, Chris Benoit started a rivalry with Booker T. Booker defeated Benoit for the title on the October 21 edition of SmackDown! to begin their feud. The following month, on the November 24 edition of SmackDown!, a match between Benoit and Booker for the title ended in a no-contest after both men's shoulders were on the mat while pinning one another. Theodore Long then vacated the title and announced that the two would face off against one another in a "Best of Seven series" for the title, in which the winner would be the man who won four matches over the other first. Booker defeated Benoit in the first match at Survivor Series, and eventually won the vacant title after Randy Orton, Booker's replacement due to a legitimate injury to his ankle at a house show, defeated Benoit in the seventh and final match in January. Booker began his fourth reign as United States Champion.