Storylines
The event featured nine professional wrestling matches with outcomes predetermined by WWE script writers. The matches featured wrestlers portraying their characters in planned storylines that took place before, during and after the event. All wrestlers were from the SmackDown! brand - a storyline division in which WWE assigned its employees, with storylines produced on the brand's weekly television show, SmackDown!.
The main event at Vengeance featured WWE Champion Brock Lesnar defending the title against Big Show and Kurt Angle in a Triple Threat match. The buildup to the match began four months prior at WrestleMania XIX, where Lesnar defeated Angle and won the WWE Championship, as Angle underwent neck surgery afterwards.[4] Two months later at Judgment Day, Lesnar defeated Big Show in a stretcher match to retain the title.[5] On the May 29 episode of SmackDown!, Big Show teamed up with Chuck Palumbo and Johnny Stamboli and defeated The Undertaker and Brock Lesnar.[6] On the June 5 episode of SmackDown!, Angle returned and Big Show attacked him, but Lesnar came to save him and challenge Big Show to a title match.[7] On the June 12 episode of SmackDown!, during the match between Lesnar and Big Show, the ring collapsed, causing the match to end in a no contest.[8] On the June 19 episode of SmackDown!, the two had a rematch but The World's Greatest Tag Team (Shelton Benjamin and Charlie Haas) attacked Lesnar, making Angle and Mr. America to run for the save, only for Big Show to chokeslam all of them.[9] On the June 26 episode of SmackDown!, the six men fought in a tag match where Big Show pinned Mr. America to win the match for his team.[10] On the July 3 episode of SmackDown!, Lesnar and Angle cost Big Show a handicap match against Stephanie McMahon and Zach Gowen.[11] On the July 10 episode of SmackDown!, Big Show chokeslammed Angle and teamed up with The World's Greatest Tag Team to defeat Lesnar.[12] On the July 17 episode of SmackDown!, Angle defeated The World's Greatest Tag Team and Big Show by help from Zach Gowen.[13] On the July 24 episode of SmackDown!, Gowen teamed with both Lesnar and Angle against Big Show and The World's Greatest Tag Team, and Big Show won for his team by chokeslamming both Lesnar and Angle.[14]
One of the featured preliminary matches was Zach Gowen versus Vince McMahon in a singles match. The hype to this match began on the May 22 episode of SmackDown!, where Gowen, whose left leg was amputated when he was eight years old due to cancer, said that he wanted to wrestle for the WWE. McMahon, however, ordered police to arrest him. On the June 5 episode of SmackDown!, McMahon challenged Gowen to get a WWE contract by beating him in an Arm Wrestling contest. On the June 12 episode of SmackDown!, McMahon kicked Gowen's leg in order to win the contest. On the June 26 episode of SmackDown!, McMahon agreed to give Gowen a contract, but only if Gowen joined McMahon's "Kiss My Ass" club. Gowen low blowed McMahon. McMahon attacked Gowen and booked him and Stephanie McMahon against Big Show, with Gowen getting a WWE contract if they won. On the July 3 episode of SmackDown!, Brock Lesnar and Kurt Angle helped Gowen and Stephanie win the match and earn his contract. On the July 10 episode of SmackDown!, while Gowen signed his contract, McMahon made a match between Gowen and himself for Vengeance. On the July 24 episode of SmackDown!, McMahon attacked Gowen during his match with Lesnar and Angle against Big Show and The World's Greatest Tag Team.
The other featured preliminary match was The Undertaker versus John Cena in a singles match. The buildup to the match began on the June 26 episode of SmackDown!, where Cena celebrated a year in the WWE. He fought Orlando Jordan and defeated him, but attacked him after the match, making The Undertaker run down for the save. On the July 3 episode of SmackDown!, The Undertaker cost Cena his match against Billy Gunn in the WWE United States Championship tournament. On the July 17 episode of SmackDown!, Cena and The Undertaker brawled in the ring. On the July 24 episode of SmackDown!, Cena taunted The Undertaker, rapping about him in a cemetery.
Another preliminary match featured SmackDown! General Manager Stephanie McMahon versus Sable in a singles match. The build up to the match begin on the June 5 episode of SmackDown!, when Stephanie's father Vince McMahon appointed Sable as Stephanie's assistant against her will. Before the Arm Wrestling Contest between Gowen and McMahon on the June 12 episode of SmackDown!, Mr America challenged McMahon to Arm Wrestling Contest instead. Sable flashed her breasts at Mr America causing him to lose against McMahon. Two weeks later on the June 19 episode of SmackDown!, Sable seduced Gowen while in Stephanie's office but dropped her act and berated him claiming he will never get with a real woman like her. McMahon stormed into the office and chased away Gowen and it was revealed to be a set up by McMahon and Sable to fool Gowen. On the July 3 episode of SmackDown!, Sable taunted Stephanie for being in the handicap match with Gowen against Big Show telling Stephanie not to worry as she can handle being General Manager instead of her. Stephanie and Gowen later won the match. On the July 10 episode of SmackDown!, as Gowen was signing his contract to officially become a WWE wrestler, McMahon and Sable interrupted and Sable took the clipboard that had Gowen's contract and hit Stephanie in the head with it. Stephanie attacked Sable backstage and her father ordered the road agents to pull her out of the room. As she was pulled out, McMahon made a match between Stephanie and Sable for Vengeance. The following weeks would see Sable and Stephanie getting into brawls before their match. Once involving a food fight and later a parking lot brawl in which Stephanie ripped Sable's top off exposing her breasts.
Another match featured was Jamie Noble versus Billy Gunn in a singles match. Gunn made his return to WWE on the June 12 episode of SmackDown! defeating A-Train in a singles match. After the match, Torrie Wilson who was the special guest ring announcer begin an on-screen relationship with Gunn and became his valet. The two begin feuding with Noble and his girlfriend Nidia. On the July 10 episode of SmackDown!, they defeated Nidia and Noble in a mixed tag team match. On the July 17 episode of SmackDown!, Noble tried to pay Wilson to spend the night with him causing Nidia to walk out on her boyfriend. This led to Noble losing his match that night to Ultimo Dragon after Torrie and Gunn distracted him. On the July 24 episode of SmackDown!, Gunn defeated Noble after using a swinging Rock Bottom like finisher. After the match, Noble demanded a rematch at Vengeance. Torrie accepted on behalf of Gunn and stipulated if Noble won she would sleep with him the following week on SmackDown!, which Noble agreed with much to Gunn's dismay.
On the July 10 episode of SmackDown!, Billy Kidman and Rey Mysterio defeated the APA, The Basham Brothers and the Full Blooded Italians in a fatal four-way match to become the #1 contenders for the WWE Tag Team Championship at Vengeance.
