This was probably the most memorable show I've ever attended:
https://prowrestling.fandom.com/wiki/ROH_Joe_vs._Kobashi
That was towards the tail end of my wrestling fandom until it was rekindled by AEW last year. I own the DVD and I can tell you that watching it on DVD really doesn't do justice as far as the crowd heat. The chops in that match seriously sounded like shotgun blasts in person and the oohs and ahhs from the crowd were geninue. Early 00s ROH was something special and its a shame what it has turned into.
Never been to a PPV but I've been to quite a few Raw and Smackdowns in the late 90s. This show below was memorable as it was by far the hottest crowd I've ever experienced in person. The building was legitimately shaking at times and my ears popped repeatedly from the chants. Its really scary how hot the WWF was during this time period. Also, Rikishi was extremely over in 2000, probably just about on par with Austin and Rock and its a shame how a poorly timed heel turn completely cut him off.
WWF @ Orlando, FL - Arena - January 4, 2000 (12,652; sell out)
Smackdown! - 1/6/00 - featured an opening video package showing how Triple H won the WWF World Title from the Big Show on Raw; included a backstage segment in which Stephanie McMahon, with Triple H, addressed X-Pac, WWF Tag Team Champions Billy Gunn & the Road Dogg, blamed them for not beating the Rock and getting him fired; Stephanie said X-Pac could redeem himself by facing Show and Gunn would face the Acolytes in a handicap match; as the DX members argued, Stephanie said Triple H had already agreed to defend the title against anyone on the roster, picked at random, later in the broadcast; hosted by Michael Cole & Jerry Lawler; featured a backstage segment in which WWF IC Champion Chris Jericho and Chyna, with Miss Kitty, argued; included an outdoor shot of security shown watching for any appearance of Mankind, with the order to arrest him if he appeared; featured footage of "Mankind" (Dennis Knight) touring Universal Studios, with Triple H and Stephanie then discussing arresting Mick Foley if he shows up at the arena; moments later, Tori walked in and asked if she could use the restroom; included a backstage segment in which Stephanie told Road Dogg that Triple H would determine his match for the night; moments later, Road Dogg accidentally walked in as Tori was in the restroom; featured a backstage segment in which Triple H said Kurt Angle would face the Rock; included a segment of Mankind at Universal Studios, scared by the Jaws ride; featured footage of Mankind being asked to leave Univerrsal Studios because the rides were closed; included a backstage segment in which Triple H and Stephanie discussed his random challenger later in the show; featured footage of Mankind going to get on the Back to the Future ride at Universal Studios; included a backstage segment in which Stephanie addressed the entire roster and introduced Triple H, who said picking his opponent at random was his chance to be a leader to all of them; moments later, Stephanie drew the name of Andre the Giant, with Triple H joking that he would kick Andre's ass if he were there; Stephanie drew a second name, with it being the Fabulous Moolah; Triple H then asked Howard Finkel to draw the name, with Finkel falling into the tumbler and knocking all the balls over the carpet; Finkel then picked one at random and said it was Rikishi, with the entire room then chanting "Rikishi;" featured footage of the real Mankind confronting the fake Mankind at Universal Studios and assaulting him outside the Back to the Future ride:
X-Pac defeated the Big Show via disqualification at 1:09 after Show shoved referee Mike Chioda out of the way while assaulting X-Pac in the corner; after the bout, Show dropped Chioda with the chokeslam, no-sold X-Pac hitting him with a steel chair, and manhandled him before referees swarmed the ring; Show then shoved Chioda to the floor
Hardcore & Crash Holly defeated WWF IC Champion Chris Jericho & WWF IC Champion Chyna (w/ WWF Women's Champion the Kat) at 4:25 when Hardcore pinned Jericho with a suplex into a powerslam, moments after Chyna dropped Jericho with a clothesline on the floor and rolled him back into the ring
The Acolytes defeated WWF Tag Team Champion Billy Gunn via disqualification in a handicap match at 2:04 after WWF Tag Team Champion the Road Dogg interfered; after the match, the Acolytes assaulted the New Age Outlaws and fought with them into the crowd; moments later, Kane was shown in Triple H and Stephanie McMahon's office demanding a match with Road Dogg; following the commercial break, Triple H and Stephanie informed Road Dogg of his match against Kane, with Triple H saying he would have to let Gunn go if he interfered in the match
Kane (w/ Tori) pinned WWF Tag Team Champion the Road Dogg at 5:07 with the chokeslam and tombstone; stipulations stated WWF Tag Team Champion Billy Gunn would be fired if he interfered in the match; Kane attacked Road Dogg in the aisle and around ringside for a few minutes before the bout officially began; X-Pac briefly appeared late in the match, distracting Kane from the aisle
Kurt Angle defeated the Rock via disqualification at 3:44 when Rock fought off interference from Steve Blackman and hit both Blackman and Angle with Blackman's kendo stick; prior to the bout, the Rock cut a promo on his win over DX during Raw; moments later, Angle cut his own promo noting his undefeated streak and said he should be the true people's champion; Rock went on to tell Angle to shove his medals up his ass; after the contest, Rock dropped Angle with the Rock Bottom; after Rock left the ring, Angle celebrated his victory until the Rock returned, hit the spinebuster, and landed the People's Elbow; moments later, Triple H was shown backstage, upset that Angle remained undefeated
Edge, Christian, & Jeff Hardy (w/ Terri Runnels & Matt Hardy) defeated Al Snow & the Dudley Boyz when Edge pinned D-Von Dudley with the Downard Spiral at 3:09; Matt's fingers were heavily taped; after the bout, Snow hit both Dudleyz with Head
Test pinned WWF Hardcore Champion the Big Bossman in a non-title match at 4:04 after an interfering Albert accidentally dropped Bossman with a bicycle kick in the ring; Test wore a protective facemask for the bout but had it removed mid-way through as Albert assaulted him on the floor; after the bout, Bossman and Albert argued for the loss
Taka Michinoku & Sho Funaki defeated the Mean Street Posse in a handicap match at 3:02 when Funaki pinned Rodney with a roll up after Taka hit a missile dropkick; prior to the bout, Triple H told Stephanie McMahon the Posse's match was a reward and he hoped they could get their first tag team win
Rikishi (mystery opponent) defeated WWF World Champion Triple H (w/ Stephanie McMahon) via disqualification at 7:11 after the champion hit Rikishi with the title belt; Scotty 2 Hotty & Grandmaster Sexay escorted the challenger to the entrance stage before the contest; Stephanie provided guest commentary for the match; during the bout, X-Pac, WWF Tag Team Champions the Road Dogg & Billy Gunn were shown watching on backstage, enjoying seeing Triple H be beaten up; late in the match, Triple H hit Rikishi with a steel chair behind the referee's back but the challenger kicked out at 2; after the contest, Triple H repeatedly struck Rikishi with a steel chair, as referees ran out to the ring, but Rikishi repeatedly got back to his feet; after Triple H and Stephanie left ringside, Too Cool came out to celebrate with Rikishi
Sunday Night Heat - 1/9/00 - included a backstage segment in which Triple H and Stephanie McMahon gave the Headbangers a match against Too Cool; featured a Kurt Angle / Steve Blackman video recap with recent comments from Stephanie McMahon and Triple H; featured an in-ring promo by the Acolytes regarding their tag team title match with the New Age Outlaws at the Royal Rumble; included a week in review music video to the tune of System of a Down's "Sugar":
WWF European Champion Val Venis pinned Albert at 3:13 in a non-title match with the fisherman's suplex after the Big Bossman's interference backfired and he accidentally hit Albert with his nightstick
Steve Blackman pinned Buck Quartermaine at 4:05 with a kick to the chest
Too Cool defeated the Headbangers at 5:32 after Grandmaster Sexay pinned Thrasher with the Hip Hop Drop; after the bout, the Headbangers attacked Too Cool and hit the Stage Dive on Scotty 2 Hotty
The Godfather pinned Gangrel at 4:23 with the Ho Train and Pimp Drop after Luna, who came out mid-way through the match, accidentally sprayed red fluid in Gangrel's face; Luna had been tied up backstage by the Godfather's hoes earlier in the show
gonna be years before rasslin' comes back smh
I'm basically just waiting for them to cancel Summerslam cos it's looking quite likely, and the NZ show has been indefinitely postponed. They didn't cancel it, which is nice, but I bet it won't be taking place till 2021, cos our borders are still closed.
