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Armageddon 1999 altered the landscape of the World Wrestling Federation dramatically as we headed into the new millennium. The world bore witness to Hunter Hearst Helmsley’s rise from perennial contender to instrumental mastermind leading the company as the WWF Heavyweight Champion and its on-screen co-chief political power. The loss of main-stay top guys like Steve Austin, the Undertaker, and Shawn Michaels created a power vacuum that Triple H sought to usurp.
It all started to come together on the November 29th, 1999 edition of Raw is War when Triple H interrupted the marriage ceremony of Stephanie McMahon and Andrew ‘Test’ Martin, to reveal that only a few days ago, he himself had married an intoxicated Stephanie in a drive-through Las Vegas wedding. Stephanie was distraught, and both the groom, Test, and his best-man, Shane McMahon, went after HHH. They were quickly cut off by the reformation of D-X as the New Age Outlaws and X-Pac came to HHH’s aid. The result was a broken nose for Test, and a severe beating to Shane that left him in the hospital for several weeks. Vince McMahon was the only man left to defend his daughter’s honour, and he chose to do so in a No Holds Barred match at Armageddon, with the stipulation that if HHH loses, he must annul his marriage to Stephanie. HHH agreed.
As the end of the match drew near, Vince McMahon stood tall over a bloody and broken HHH with a sledgehammer in hand, ready to deal his form of justice to the man who had wronged him and his daughter. Stephanie then entered the ring and demanded that she be the one allowed to deliver the final blow. Vince agreed…only… she can't bring herself to do it. One moment is all he needs, and HHH saw the opportunity and he pounced. Grabbing the sledgehammer from Stephanie, he nails Vince McMahon with it, knocking him unconscious. HHH wins, but when you think it can’t get any worse for the chairman, it does.
Stephanie slowly breaks out into a smile and then embraces her husband, revealing that she had fallen in love with HHH against her own wants and wishes, but she couldn’t help herself. He’s everything she wants in a man. She says Vince is not half the man HHH is. He was always telling her what to do. He was always using the family to further his own ends. He had even sacrificed her to the Undertaker last year. She hated him, and at Armageddon he got what he deserved. Stephanie slaps her father and storms out of the ring. Vince is distraught and, along with Shane, leaves the arena. A press release several hours later reveals that Vince is taking an indefinite sabbatical and asks for privacy at this time, leaving HHH and Stephanie to run the show.
And so the McMahon-Helmsley Era began..
—-
At Survivor Series 1999, Stone Cold Steve Austin was due to face WWF Champion Triple H and the Rock in a triple threat match for the belt. However, early in the show DX and HHH confronted Austin backstage and led him towards the Parking Lot where an unknown assailant ran Austin over with a car. The Big Show took Austin’s place in the main event and won the title! His first WWF Heavyweight Title. Whilst fingers were pointed everywhere about who could have run down Austin, those answers wouldn’t be given until almost a year later, the night after Survivor Series 2000. As far as Big Show goes, he would feud briefly in an uncomfortable program involving Big Show’s deceased father, until HHH re-focussed on the heavyweight title after his war with Vince was over. On the first Raw is War of 2000, DX distracted the referee allowing HHH to hit a low blow and a Pedigree combo to pin the Big Show and become the World Wrestling Federation Heavyweight Champion for the third time in his career.
Having forged alliances with several other members of the locker room outside of just DX and his wife; with the Big Bossman, Prince Albert, the Dudleys, the Mean Street Posse, and even a manipulated Kane all serving their purpose to keep HHH’s enemies in line. With the removal of several potential obstacles, HHH then turned his attention to the last two potential problems. The Rock ‘n’ Sock Connection. He forced the two men to face off in a pink slip on a pole match where the loser will be FIRED. A reluctant Rock wins the match and Mankind says his goodbyes.
HHH and Stephanie spend the next few weeks tormenting the entire locker room until the 10th January, 2000 episode of Raw is War where the Rock leads the roster out to the ring to stage a walkout if the McMahon-Helmsley couple don’t agree to their terms. He demands they reinstate Mick Foley. He demands that they stop with the ridiculous handicap and stipulation matches and with firing everyone that they just don’t like. HHH relents. Mankind returns, demands a match at the Rumble for the title against HHH, Rock enters the Rumble itself, and the power-hungry couple finally “eat a slice of the Rock’s homemade humble pie”.
The road to the Royal Rumble was much rockier than HHH had expected for the McMahon-Helmsley Faction, with in-fighting involving DX and the introduction of a particular ‘cute’ Olympic Hero by the name of Kurt Angle. Stephanie had shown favour to Angle several times, even against her husband’s wishes, prompting HHH to try to end the undefeated streak of the only Olympic Gold Medallist in the history of the WWF. Kurt heads into his first Royal Rumble undefeated, looking to earn a spot in the main event of WrestleMania. Will Triple H be able to steady the McMahon-Helmsley ship, retain his title against the reborn Cactus Jack, and consolidate his power? The WWF Heavyweight Champion is always a marked man, but HHH has, more than anyone else - with perhaps the exception of his wife - painted a big red target on himself with the constant abuses of power that almost saw the whole locker room walk out.
The McMahon Helmsley Era may have begun, but will it persist?
Royal Rumble 2000 January 23, 2000 // Madison Square Garden // New York City, NY
>> A video package opens the show capturing the recent tensions caused by the power trip of Triple H and Stephanie McMahon since they took control of the company. Mankind was fired and only brought back when the entire roster threatened a walkout, with a title match at the Royal Rumble thrown in for good measure. Since then, Mankind became Cactus Jack once again, to tap into the more violent and sadistic side of his psyche. Their title match has since become a Street Fight, and Jack has promised all sorts of pain for ‘The Game’.
>> Jerry Lawler and Jim Ross welcome us to ringside, run down the card, and announce that the opening match has been changed to a Royal Rumble qualifier match, where the winner will earn a place in the 2000 Royal Rumble.
>> KURT ANGLE is out first with a microphone in hand, letting everyone know that he had the intelligence to request for this match to give him the opportunity to enter the rumble, which he had previously been denied entry to. The integrity to be a man of his word and face a mystery opponent. And the intensity to win this match and then go on to win the Rumble match too, and earn a shot at the WWF Heavyweight Title at Wrestlemania, all in one night. He tells New York he will be their Royal Rumble Olympic Champion, and be the true American Hero they all desperately need him to be. The lights turn orange and a pulsating symbol flashes on the screen as the ‘Human Suplex Machine’ TAZZ makes his entrance to a gigantic reaction from his hometown crowd.
>>Royal Rumble Qualifier: Tazz def. Kurt Angle via referee decision after Angle was rendered unconscious by the Katahajime. [03:16] >> The Hardy Boyz are backstage watching a monitor showing a replay of their table bumps at the hands of the Dudleyz on the last episode of Smackdown. Elsewhere, Michael Cole catches up with Tazz who says that Angle was just the first in a long line of victims
>>Tag Team Elimination Tables Match: The Hardy Boyz def. The Dudley Boyz in a violent and brutal encounter that saw shattered tables, broken bodies, and high-flying high-octane action. Jeff Hardy’s daredevil nature was on full display as he hit a Swanton Bomb from the balcony to get the win. [10:17] >> Kurt is backstage being attended to by an EMT. He asks what happened, did he win? He discovers he was choked out, so no, he did not win. He declares “that’s illegal” and therefore he’s still undefeated. The EMT shrugs and Kurt grabs his gear, storming past him, muttering something about how Stephanie will fix this. Lawler agrees with Kurt, whilst JR is having none of it.
>> Miss Rumble 2000 Swimsuit Contest: This featured your regulars; Ivory, the Kat, B.B, Terri, Jackie, Mae Young, and Luna was thrown in for good measure. Usual antics occurred and Mae Young was the winner because she showed off some prosthetic breasts. Ahem. Moving on.
>> CHRIS JERICHO and CHYNA have been joined at the hip since a controversial double-pin situation left the two as co-champions. If either of them lose it, they both lose it, so they have been interfering in one anothers matches to ensure the belt isn’t lost - even if that means hitting your co-champion so they win by disqualification, or kidnapping your co-champion, strapping them to a chair, and attacking their THUMB with a hammer! Anything for the gold, ey!? The Kat has been dragged along for the ride and before the match was getting frustrated with Jericho’s selfishness. Experiencing a brief moment with him alone, she told him to, for the first time in his life, do the right thing by Chyna and then walked off, leaving him puzzled.
>> Kurt catches Stephanie McMahon heading into her dressing room. She says she’s busy until she turns and notices who it is. She smiles. He says “you’re always doing right by me Steph, but that Tazz, he choked me out. He can’t do that! I’m undefeated!”. Steph says she agrees, and that’s why she is reversing the decision. Kurt Angle is the winner by disqualification, therefore he will enter the Royal Rumble, and she’ll make sure that Tazz is let go. Kurt is delighted and hugs her only for HHH to open the door at that very moment wondering where she’s got to. Kurt says “Hey Hunter, good luck in your match. I’ve no doubt you’ll be the champion I face at WrestleMania.” He offers HHH a handshake but is ignored. HHH pulls Stephanie into the locker room and shuts the door. Angle shrugs and resumes being utterly delighted at his re-entry into the Rumble Match.
>> Kurt Angle approaches a road agent backstage and says he hasn’t got his Rumble number yet. Turns out there is only one number left to pick from the tombola set up in the canteen. Kurt takes the piece of paper out, unfolds it, and is completely dejected as we see that he has drawn entry number one. He storms off complaining about being set up as we head to the Fink, who explains the rules. Ninety second intervals, and the Shawn Michaels rule (over the top rope and both feet MUST TOUCH THE FLOOR - we call that foreshadowing).
>> 30 Man Royal Rumble Match: The Rock defeats 29 other men to earn himself a match in the main event of WrestleMania 2000 against the World Heavyweight Champion. [51:51]
Notable moments from the match include:
KURT ANGLE entered at #1 and was able to survive until the final four, mostly because TAZZ interrupted his entrance and beat him within an inch of his life, including putting him through a production table off top of the ramp with a powerbomb before security arrived and forced him to leave. JR remarked that Tazz was clearly unhappy at Stephanie reversing the result of their match, and with good reason! Lawler is appalled.
TEST made quite a mark on the early portion of the Rumble eliminating THRASHER (#3) D’LO BROWN (#2), STEVE BLACKMAN (#8), and CHRISTIAN (#4) before he came up against the formidable PRINCE ALBERT who dropped Test with a scissors kick before tossing him out.
TOO COOL, that is GRANDMASTER SEXAY (#5) and SCOTTY 2 HOTTY (#7), were fortunate to stay in the ring whilst all of this was going on around them, and even more fortunate that when Prince Albert turned his attentions to them, they were joined in the ring by RIKISHI (#10). He saved his partners and the three members of Too Cool disposed of Prince Albert before realising they had time to do a quick dance off. Rikishi then tossed both of his partners out, although they showed no hard feelings and Scotty and GM Sexay danced their way back up the ramp.
The BIG BOSSMAN (#11) came out next and he and Rikishi had a big stare down before brawling all over the ring. The ring started filling around them but they paid the new entrants no mind as they continued to focus solely on one another. That was to their detriment as the combined efforts of EDGE (#12). The BRITISH BULLDOG (#13), GANGREL (#14), and CRASH HOLLY (#15) toppled both men over to the outside. They continued fighting as referees tried to escort them up the ramp and away from the action. As they did, Kurt Angle was finally making his way to the ring, stumbling as he went, only to take a SAVATE KICK from Rikishi for simply getting in his way.
AL SNOW (#18) was this year's quickest elimination as he entered the ring, immediately charged at Crash Holly clotheslining him up and over, but also taking himself over the top in the process.
The ring continued to fill up with no eliminations until THE ROCK (#24) showed up. He bumped into the struggling Kurt on his way down and helped him out, tossing him into the middle of the ring as he stalked the outside. ROAD DOGG (#17) and MR ASS (#23) attempted to get everyone united against the People’s Champion but it inevitably failed when the APA, FAAROOQ (#16) and BRADSHAW (#20) attacked the New Age Outlaws, and threw them both over the top rope.
The MEAN STREET POSSE were removed from the Rumble by HHH and Stephanie McMahon as punishment for failing to deal with Kane and the Acolytes over the last month, but they showed up anyway to eliminate the APA. Ultimately, this was a flawed plan, as Rodney and Joey Abs took powerbombs onto the ringside steel steps, and Pete Gas was double powerbombed onto the ring apron.
THE BIG SHOW (#26) was here to right the wrongs he had felt at the hands of the McMahon-Helmsley Era, but also at not being given a rematch, and for The Rock calling him a jabroni that he would just throw over the top rope with ease. So, of course, Show went straight for the Rock, but the two were either side of a sea of people brawling in the middle of the ring. They eliminated every last one of them until only The Rock, The Big Show, Kurt Angle and MARK HENRY (#25) remained in the ring with only four more entrants left to go. Henry took down The Rock and Kurt Angle right away, with a belly-to-belly slam leaving Kurt to slide outside the ring and hope to be forgotten. Henry then turned and faced the Big Show, charging at him, but The Big Show was quick to react and toppled the World’s Strongest Man over the top rope, leaving only him and The Rock in the ring.
The Rock and Big Show stare one another down as the next entrant’s music hits. FUNAKI (#27) of KAI-EN-TAI is out, sprinting towards the ring. The Rock holds his hand out to the Big Show telling him to wait. He points at Funaki and as he slides into the ring he is put down immediately with a Rock Bottom. Big Show then grabs him off the canvas and hits a Chokeslam. The Rock applauds and then looks like he’s about to hit the People’s Elbow, but Big Show grabs Funaki from the canvas and throws him over the top rope. The two men face off again and the crowd is electric, but it is punctuated by a rather quick follow up entrant, as KAI-EN-TAI’s music hits once again, and this time it’s TAKA MICHINOKU (#28)! He sprints to the ring and the exact same thing happens. Rock Bottom. Chokeslam. People Elbo-nope, Big Show tosses TAKA out again and they face off. No music interrupts this time and the two brawl it out, with Big Show getting a grip of the Rock and taking control.
KANE (#29) is out next accompanied by Tori, followed by X-Pac (#30). Kane lays everyone out and Kurt Angle finally looks ready to slide in of his own volition, before he notices Big Show stirring. The two behemoths come to blows but Kane is not backing down and he actually has the Big Show reeling before a low blow from X-Pac drops the Big Red Machine to one knee. X-Factor just pisses him off and Kane goes after Pac. He goozles him and looks ready to Chokeslam him when TORI SLIDES INTO THE RING! ANOTHER LOW BLOW ON KANE! Big Show eliminates Kane, and then Kurt Angle grabs X-Pac from behind and tosses him out to, leaving only three; Kurt Angle, The Big Show, and The Rock. Tori and X-Pac flee the scene as Kane is left distraught (or so Lawler assumes, since the mask isn’t emotive).
Kurt Angle puts up a valiant effort fending off Big Show and The Rock, but is unable to overcome them, as when he almost has The Rock over the top, Big Show clubs him from behind and then launches him up and over. Rock scores a spinebuster and a People’s Elbow. He looks to throw Show out of the ring, but he can’t lift him up! Big Show fights back with punches to the gut AND THEN BIG SHOW HITS A CHOKESLAM! Big Show now looks to dispose of the Rock, lifting him up and running toward the ropes. Looking to eliminate him the same way he did Kurt Angle. HOWEVER, BOTH MEN TUMBLE OVER! At the last second the Rock hooks the ropes and saves himself and replays DO NOT show the Rock’s feet touching the floor because they didn’t, okay? Okay? Good! The Rock has a date with the WWF Champion in the main event of WrestleMania 2000. Will HHH still have the belt two months from now?
Royal Rumble Qualifier: Tazz def. Kurt Angle via referee decision to earn a spot in the Royal Rumble match. This was later reversed by Stephanie McMahon, claiming it should have been a disqualification against Tazz.
Tag Team Elimination Tables Match: The Hardy Boyz def. The Dudley Boyz.
Mae Young won the Miss Rumble 2000 Swimsuit Contest
Triple H may have retained the title at Royal Rumble - proving that he could not only survive the violent and sadistic nature of Cactus Jack, but that he could match it too - but the toll it took on both men left them out of action for several weeks, during which Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley led the show on her own, causing several issues for Triple H upon his return. The first of which was Kurt Angle, the Olympic Hero that still maintained - despite his TKO loss to Tazz at the Rumble - that he was undefeated, cosying up to his new bride in his absence. HHH had laughed it off when Steph called Kurt ‘cute’, but HHH’s two weeks off after the Street Fight gave Kurt ample opportunity to spend time with her. In the continued absence of both Vince and Shane, Stephanie held all the power, and continued to use it to her advantage.
The Rock had outlasted twenty-nine other men in the Royal Rumble match, eliminating The Big Show last to guarantee himself a spot in the main event of WrestleMania against the World Wrestling Federation’s Heavyweight Champion. Or so we all thought. Stephanie’s interpretation of this was that not only had Kurt Angle been unfairly attacked, both by Tazz and by Rikishi, therefore calling into question the legitimacy of his elimination, but that The Rock would have to defend his right to the WrestleMania main event against both The Big Show and Kurt Angle at No Way Out if he was unable to defeat them both tonight…
RAW IS WAR #348 January 24th, 2000 // First Union Center // Philadelphia, PA >>The first RAW after the Royal Rumble was not quite the night of celebration that The Rock had hoped for. Firstly, STEPHANIE MCMAHON-HELMSLEY announced that both her husband and Mick Foley were not here tonight after going to war last night in a Street Fight. She said it showed the kind of man HHH was that he never backs down from a fight and that he is the only man fit to wear the WWF Heavyweight Title because he is “THAT DAMN GOOD”. In a surprising turn of events, Stephanie said that as one half of the most powerful couple in wrestling, maybe she should be a world champion too, as she set her sights on the WWF Women’s Title, making a match against THE KAT for later in the show. She said the Rumble Match was marred with controversy, due to the attack by Tazz, who had since been fired for his actions, and then she sought to address THE ROCK. He beat her to the punch and showed up to dress her down, saying the only belt she needs is the one “your daddy should’ve used to straighten you out” before offering to do it himself. KURT ANGLE’s music then hit as he came out to tell The Rock to show some respect to a lady. That didn’t go too well so Stephanie said she had an idea and made the main event of tonight a High-Stakes No DQ Tag Team Match with The Rock facing Kurt Angle AND THE BIG SHOW. The stakes? If The Rock and his partner lose then The Rock will have to defend his Mania main-event spot against both Kurt Angle AND The Big Show at No Way Out. The Rock thinks on it, but finally he accepts.
>>Edge & Christian def. KAI-EN-TAI. Neither team were able to impress at the Rumble, but this was a high-flying affair that showed why everyone is so excited about the Canadian duo’s future as they beat KAI-EN-TAI in a very fast, athletic contest. Edge scored the pinfall over Funaki after the DOWNWARD SPIRAL. [04:37]
>> KANE is seen trashing the backstage area looking for Tori and X-Pac, seeking retribution on the duo after Tori turned on Kane last night during the Rumble match, nailing him with a low blow that brought about his elimination. Eventually, Kane confronted Stephanie backstage whilst she was talking with Kurt - Angle stood between the two but evidently wanted no part of Kane. Stephanie said she sympathised with Kane but she hadn’t seen either Tori nor X-Pac tonight. She pauses and says "but on Smackdown, it will be Kane against X-Pac". Kane stormed off whilst Angle looked relieved.
>> Test def. D’Lo Brown. Looking to distance himself from the embarrassment of Stephanie’s betrayal and the constant beatdowns at the hands of the McMahon-Helmsley Faction and its assorted cronies, TEST had a decent outing in the Rumble, and continued to rebuild here as he made short work of D’LO BROWN with a Big Boot and a Pumphandle Slam finishing this one in under four minutes. [03:53]
>> This time it was the NEW AGE OUTLAWS that Stephanie would book into a match against their will, making them defend the titles against the impressive Hardy Boyz - who she said had earned a title shot after the way they overcame The Dudleyz last night. Billy was less than impressed, but Kurt - still hanging around - said that Steph was doing them a favour since The Hardyz would be nowhere near 100%. Road Dogg nods and agrees, but Billy just says “Hunter wouldn’t be happy with this”.
>> Elsewhere, Michael Cole caught up with The Hardyz and Terri and informed them that they would be getting their tag title opportunity tonight against the New Age Outlaws. Matt says the road to get here, to this moment, has been relentless, but they have no plans on slowing down now.
>> Rikishi w/ Too Cool def. Prince Albert. There were no hard feelings between the three members of Too Cool after RIKISHI eliminated the other two, but PRINCE ALBERT felt differently about the three of them eliminating him. Sadly for Albert, this wasn’t the night to get his own back as Rikishi handled this one with ease, getting the pinfall after the Rikishi Driver. After the match the trio looked to get their groove on, but when the lights dimmed, THE BIG BOSSMAN ran into the ring and laid out Rikishi with the nightstick. He then turned his attention to Scotty and Grandmaster lariats and side slams galore before crushing their sunglasses for good measure. Albert looked at one moment that he might intervene and help his former ally but instead he made his way to the back. [03:28]
>> CHYNA was backstage being hounded by the WWF Women’s Champion, THE KAT, who was desperate to know where Chyna’s head was at. “Why did you basically hand the Intercontinental title to Jericho last night, huh?” Before Chyna can answer, CHRIS JERICHO arrives and asks if he can have a word…in private. Kat takes her leave, reminding Chyna that she has a title match to get ready for if Chyna can make the time. Chyna says she’ll be right there, but when she turns around to talk to Jericho they are attacked by Hardcore and Crash Holly. Officials quickly break things up, but Chyna took the brunt of that and looks worse for wear. JR reminds us that Jericho and Hardcore Holly will face off later tonight, for the Intercontinental title.
>> WWF Tag Team Titles Match: The Hardy Boyz def. The New Age Outlaws (Road Dogg & Billy Gunn) via disqualification when BUBBA RAY and D-VON DUDLEY ran in and attacked The Hardyz. Jeff and Matt had put on a good showing despite still feeling the effects of last nights tables match at the Rumble, but the tag team champions would retain their belts and laugh their way to the back. After the Dudleyz were finished with the Hardyz they turned their attention to Terri, who was checking on Jeff. With a wild look in his eye, Bubba Ray ordered his brother to get a table, and they proceeded to powerbomb her through it from the top turnbuckle. EMT’s and referee’s ran to the ring and Terri was stretchered out of the arena, with the Dudleyz disappearing through the crowd looking proud of themselves. [06:46]
>> JR and Lawler remind us of all the things Kane has been through, culminating in the betrayal by a woman that Kane had loved. Probably for the first time. It all began at WrestleMania XV, nearly a year ago, when Chyna and DX turned on Kane and unceremoniously ejected him from The Corporation. Then he thought he found a friend in X-Pac, teaming together and even winning the WWF Tag Team Titles, along with finding his voice and a girlfriend in Tori. That didn’t last very long as X-Pac turned on Kane to rejoin his former DX cronies. After that, he used Tori to manipulate Kane to do HHH’s bidding, before Tori finally revealed her true colours and hit Kane with a low blow, reuniting with X-Pac at the Royal Rumble.
>> THE ROCK is backstage with Michael Cole as the arena erupts around them. Cole asks The Rock about his match against The Big Show and Kurt Angle coming up next, asking the burning question: “Who is going to be your partner tonight?”. The Rock adjusts his sunglasses and looks down at Michael before announcing that he has thought about it long and hard - “don’t get excited Cole” - and he had a few ideas; King Kong Bundy, George Hackenshmidt, maybe even you Michael…” Cole looks up at him eagerly, “or maybe not. But whoever The Rock’s partner is it doesn’t matter because The Rock is going to walk down to the People’s aisle, climb on into the people’s ring, and then layeth the smacketh down on both of their candy asses, partner or no partner.”
>> No Disqualification Tag Team Match: The Big Show & Kurt Angle w/ Stephanie McMahon def. The Rock & Tazz. Stephanie accompanies Kurt to the ring with her brand new women’s title over her shoulder. She grabs a microphone and announces that this tag team match has now become a No-Disqualification match, and then she takes a seat at the commentary table. The Rock is out next, and he comes armed with a microphone saying he knew what Stephanie would do, but he’s always going to be one step ahead of her. The arena is plunged into orange and a pulsating light with several beeps that can only mean one thing. Kurt Angle’s face is a picture as TAZZ storms out from the back with Stephanie complaining that "he can’t be here, he’s not supposed to be here!" JR says it’s no disqualification so anything goes! Tazz hits the ring and Angle decides he isn’t sticking around, and Tazz gives chase through the stands. That leaves The Big Show and The Rock to face off in the ring, and they both just start laying into one another, Big Show looking dominant, but The Rock refusing to give up. The end of the match comes as Rock hits a Rock Bottom on the big man and then sets up for the People’s Elbow, only to get interrupted by Stephanie. He drags her into the ring and prepares to hit the Rock Bottom but Big Show is up and he quickly attacks the Rock from behind. A Showstopper puts the Rock down for the three count, and it looks like Rock will have to defend his WrestleMania main event spot against both Big Show and Kurt Angle at No Way Out. [11:08]
>> After the match Big Show goes to leave but Stephanie calls him back, telling him to take The Rock out of the picture. He hesitates and she tells him if he wants a title shot, he'll do as he's told. He deliberates, looking like he might lose his temper with Stephanie, but then decides to drag the Rock out of the ring. He clears the announce table, and then slams The Rock through it with a Show Stopper as the show goes off the air to JR’s cries of “oh the humanity” and Lawler wondering what happened to Kurt and whether he’s okay!
QUICK RESULTS
Edge & Christian def. KAI-EN-TAI
Test def. D’Lo Brown
Rikishi w/ Too Cool def. Prince Albert w/ The Big Bossman
SMACKDOWN #24 Jan 27th, 2000 (Baltimore Arena in Baltimore, Maryland)
>> The show opens with a replay of the ending to the RAW Main Event where Big Show not only pinned The Rock, after a distraction from Stephanie McMahon, but then laid him out with another Chokeslam, this one through the announce table. Michael Cole and Jerry Lawler welcome us to Smackdown and tell us that just like on RAW, HHH and Cactus Jack are still recovering after their hellacious battle at the Rumble, and The Rock won’t be here tonight either. Lawler asks who the hell IS here tonight? Cole runs through the confirmed matches for tonight; in the main event, Kane gets his shot at redemption versus X-Pac after Tori betrayed Kane and sided with DX. Also, Chris Jericho defends the Intercontinental Title against the British Bulldog, and with the Road Dogg absent due to a virus, ‘Bad Ass’ Billy Gunn faces the Godfather in singles action, next!
>> ‘No Chance…’ hits on the P.A, but it’s not the owner of the WWF, it’s his wife, the CEO, LINDA MCMAHON! She spoke at the Royal Rumble about introducing some “checks and balances” due to the way her daughter and son-in-law had been running the company in the continued absence of Vince McMahon. She immediately calls out STEPHANIE who obliges. “What are you even doing here, mom? You’re not usually the attentive type.” Stephanie gives her mother grief, but Linda reveals that she won’t be doing the overseeing, she will be appointing someone in her place to make sure that there isn’t another potential roster mutiny! The segment finishes with Linda telling her daughter to get her act together or there will be consequences. Stephanie looks shaken as her mother leaves her stunned in the ring.
>>The Godfather (w/ ‘The Ladies’ - this is the USA network, gotta be respectful!) def. Billy Gunn. Cole reminds us that a win here over BILLY GUNN, a champion, would give Godfather and his partner Val Venis a tag team title opportunity, so this is a big match for the GODFATHER, who puts on a show for his ladies. He goes through the usual gears before one of his ladies climbs onto the ring apron asking Billy for a kiss. Lawler offers to take Gunn’s place as Billy succumbs to the fiery vixen. As he goes in for the kiss., Godfather is ready. He whips Gunn around, hoists him up, and then drops him with a Death Valley Driver for the victory. He and Val Venis will get a tag team title shot when Road Dogg returns. [04:37]
>> KURT ANGLE is backstage with a moody Stephanie as he tries to calm her down and tell her everything is going to be fine. Her mood seems to improve slightly, but they are immediately interrupted by BIG SHOW. He wants to make sure that Stephanie is going to be able to keep her word with her mother getting involved. Stephanie reassures him her mother isn’t a problem and at NO WAY OUT, both Kurt and the Big Show would face the Rock in a triple threat match to determine who will face her husband at WrestleMania. “Or Cactus..” Show adds, winking and leaving Kurt to deal with a freshly angered Stephanie!
>>Edge & Christian def. Too Cool via disqualification. Almost a repeat of what happened to the Hardyz on RAW. Bubba Ray and D-Von Dudley hit the ring and attacked Edge and Christian, with Bubba telling his brother to “get the tables’”. The Hardyz then hit the ring to prevent any table action, sending the Dudley Boyz packing. [03:31]
>> HARDCORE HOLLY is backstage with his cousin CRASH apologising for his temper getting the better of him on RAW when he attacked and laid his cousin out with an Alabama Slam. Crash is having none of it saying, “Cousin, I love you, but you’re the worst!!” He tells Bob he’s already got a new partner, prompting Hardcore to say “Oh yeah? Well so have I. And they’re much better than you ever were!!”
>> The MEAN STREET POSSE are the next to barge into Stephanie’s office uninvited, and this time she loses her rag with them. When asked what they want, they stutter and stumble and Stephanie has no time for them, booking them in a match against TEST and the ACOLYTES. The kicker? If they lose, they’re fired. They leave, totally dejected. Stephanie says she’s actually starting to cheer up, and she remembers that she got Kurt a gift other than making sure Tazz never steps foot in a WWF ring again. Kurt looks giddy, although slightly less so when she reveals that she has booked him in a title match against WWF European Champion Val Venis. Kurt says it’s not quite the prize he had in mind, but he figures he doesn’t mind collecting all of the titles on his way to the top. Kurt admires his medals and looks pretty damn content. Cole wonders what prize Kurt might have had in mind, but Lawler’s having none of his insinuations.
>>Test & The Acolytes (Bradshaw & Faarooq) def. The Mean Street Posse (Rodney, Joe Abs, and Pete Gas). This was as definitive as it gets with none of the Posse able to muster any real offence against the giant three men across the ring from them. Test murders Pete with a big boot, and then Bradshaw and Faarooq nail their respective finishers on Rodney and Joey Abs. This one is done within a minute, and the Mean Street Posse are gone! [00:48]
>> CHRIS JERICHO and CHYNA arrive backstage together after the commercial break and Lawler is gobsmacked. He still doesn’t understand why Chyna, after all that happened between the two when they were co-champions, would GIVE Jericho the Intercontinental Title, and then come out for his matches and arrive with him!
>> RIKISHI is backstage, telling Boss Man that he’s had enough of the cheap shots and that he may been used to being the biggest and baddest man, but that time has long passed, and Rikishi Fatu is the baddest man on the planet. Rikishi says if Boss Man is “actually man enough” to face him next week on RAW he better watch out, “because it’s time to squash this beef.”
>>Crash Holly & Viscera def. Hardcore Holly & Mark Henry. The Holly’s were mostly a non-factor during this match as their respective ACTUAL super heavyweight partners totally dominated the match. Viscera took Bob’s head off with a rolling kick, and the World’s Strongest Slam incapacitated Crash. Henry tried a splash off the second rope but missed, allowing Viscera to hit his running splash for the victory. Viscera grabs the barely conscious Crash and slings him over his shoulder, carrying him to the back. [03:52]
>> THE KAT confronts Chyna backstage, with things getting heated fairly quickly between the two. Kat says Chyna didn't support her last week and that's why she lost the title. Chyna reminds her she got attacked but Kat aint listening. She says “you’ve changed” and accuses Chyna of being brainwashed "or something". Chyna says she’s "never been more sure of what she wants". When Jericho showed up, Kat stormed off, leaving him to ask "what the hell was that all about?"
>> AL SNOW is backstage apologising to someone off-camera. He wants them to know that he’s sorted his head out, and he regrets how he’s been since “you know, the book…”. The camera pans to reveal CACTUS JACK, who is here tonight after all. Jack says he appreciates Al’s words but that right now he had some business to take care of. Jack begins to walk away with Al asking where he’s going. “To the ring.”.
>> Stephanie and Kurt are in Steph’s office. Steph is mortified that Cactus is here whilst Kurt is preoccupied with admiring his new title and strategically placing his medals around the belt. “I can’t believe this. He’s not even cleared to be in the ring.” Kurt looks around as Stephanie begins to leave, asking if she needs his help. “Thanks, but I can handle old Mick Foley”, and she heads out as Kurt turns back to all his gold.
>> Cactus makes his way to the ring with a lead pipe in hand, saying he had three things to get off his chest and then he’d be on his way. He said his match at the Royal Rumble may have been the greatest match of his career, but he couldn’t win the gold. He said that he knew his days were numbered at the top and he wanted to go out with a bang. He said he had a new found respect for Triple H after both men went to hell and back, showing a sadistic side and a love for violence he didn’t think Hunter had in him, but he added that HHH was wrong about one thing. It wasn’t Jack’s blood that was flowing at the Rumble, and it wasn’t Jack who was still laid up at home recovering from the brutality. He wants to go out on top, and after having enjoyed himself at the Rumble despite losing, he asks the crowd if they think he and Triple H should go another round. As they roared their approval, Stephanie McMahon marched to the ring telling Jack to go home, and to make some other plans because Triple H had nothing left to prove after beating him at the Rumble at his own game. Cactus asks if she’s got HHH’s balls with her, since he’s still at home. Stephanie slaps him for that, but immediately cowers when she sees the look in his eye. Kurt hits the ring but misses a clothesline and gets clotheslined up and over to the outside. Cactus grabs the mic and tells HHH he’s ready to finish what the two of them started. Kurt tries to console Stephanie but she immediately heads to the back.
>> X-Pac w/ Tori vs. Kane ends in a NO CONTEST. Choosing to only arrive at the Parking Lot ahead of his match, a car containing X-PAC and TORI screeched to a halt and they hopped out the back and began to head to the ring, only to be cut off by an enraged KANE. Tori screamed and ran back to the car but X-Pac wasn’t quick enough and was grabbed and thrown straight through a car windshield. Kane wasn’t done there as he climbed up and then Chokeslammed X-Pac onto the broken windshield, before heading towards the car. Tori slammed the doors shut and screamed at the driver to GO. He sped out of there as Kane lumbered after them with X-Pac seriously hurt in the parking lot. The show came to a close with Lawler crying out for medics and the police to arrest Kane for what he’s done!! Cole is more understanding, saying X-Pac “played with fire and got burnt. For everything that DX has done to Kane over the past two years, he finally got some measure of revenge.”
QUICK RESULTS
The Godfather (w/ The Ladies) def. Billy Gunn.
Edge & Christian def. Too Cool via DQ.
Test & the Acolytes def. The Mean Street Posse
Crash Holly & Viscera def. Hardcore Holly & Mark Henry
SUNDAY NIGHT HEAT #79 Jan 30th, 2000 (Baltimore Arena in Baltimore, Maryland)
>> Michael Cole welcomes everyone to the show and introduces his NEW commentary partner for Sunday Night Heat - Steven Richards! Kevin Kelly found himself moving to the role of backstage interviewer because he absolutely sucks. Anyway, Steven has ditched the ‘Blue Order’ look and bought himself a new suit and even pressed it. Perhaps a tad overdressed for Heat, but you can’t say he doesn’t look good. He tells Cole how delighted he is to be here, and he can’t wait to get started. Cole introduces the card, with TWO title matches. TEST defends the Hardcore Title against GANGREL, and KURT ANGLE will defend his newly won European Title in the main event against former European and Intercontinental champion, D’LO BROWN. Up first, however, THE ACOLYTES take on the debuting HAAS BROTHERS.
>>The Acolytes (Bradshaw & Faarooq) def. The Haas Brothers (Russ & Charlie). This one didn’t go very long as the Haas brothers couldn’t cope with the power of their larger and much more experienced opponents. Charlie, the older brother, looked for several takedowns and submission attempts but was ultimately unsuccessful inside of three minutes. Bradshaw hit the Clothesline from Hell on Charlie and Faarooq ensured Russ couldn’t break up the pin.[02:55]
>> We get a recap of the key moments from both RAW and SMACKDOWN; Big Show laying out the Rock with a Showstopper through the announce table, and then Kane doing the same to X-Pac on Smackdown with a Chokeslam through a broken windshield. Cactus made his return and challenged Triple H to go another round after their hellacious battle at the Royal Rumble. Finally, after all of the McMahon-Helmsley Era’s abuses of power, the CEO of the WWF, Linda McMahon, returned on Smackdown to tell her daughter to get her act together, because after the roster threatened to walk out a few weeks ago, she believes the only solution is to enforce some checks and balances to things.
>> THE HARDY BOYZ are backstage with Kevin Kelly giving their formal introductions to the camera. In a stilted interview, Kelly doesn’t get a whole lot out of the brothers aside from their origins wrestling in their backyard since they were fourteen. Jeff says that they’ve done worse things to their own bodies than The Dudleyz could even begin to imagine, and a couple of sneak attacks won’t derail them. They warn Bubba and D-Von to watch their own backs, because “now we know what you’re capable of, the gloves are coming off.”
>> Cole plus next weeks’ edition of Monday Night Raw as both Triple H and The Rock will be back, and there will be scores to settle for both of them. No Way Out is four weeks away but we already know that The Rock will defend his right to a place in the WrestleMania main event against The Big Show and Kurt Angle in a triple threat match, but will HHH agree to Cactus Jack’s suggestion at going another round? Finally, who would want to take up Linda’s offer to oversee things and have to deal with Triple H, Stephanie, and DX’s antics every week? We’ll find out more next week.
RAW IS WAR #349 Jan 31st, 2000 (Pittsburgh Civic Arena, Pittsburgh, PA)
>> This week’s episode opens immediately to HHH and Stephanie. “What the hell Steph? I’m gone for one week, and now not only is your mom getting involved all of a sudden, not only do I have Cactus Jack wanting a rematch, somehow now I also have THREE potential challengers for the title at WrestleMania? Give me a break.” She tells him it’s all under control, that she and Kurt have a plan, but the mention of our Olympic Hero sends HHH through the roof. He questions why Kurt’s been lingering around like a lost pup whilst he’s been recovering but she has no answer for him. HHH storms out and declares that he’s heading to the ring, as we head to the usual RAW intro.
>> Jim Ross and Jerry ‘The King’ Lawler welcome us to another edition of Raw is War, live from the Pittsburgh Civil Centre, and as ever, “we’ve got one hell of a show ahead of us”. JR runs through tonight's matches, with the New Age Outlaws defending the WWF Tag Team Titles against The Godfather and Val Venis - King perks up at that. Elsewhere Edge and Christian look to settle the score with those “DAMN DUDLEYZ”. Before he can say anything else, HHH’s music hits.
>> HHH heads to the ring and he’s not happy, not one damn bit. He says he’s got a few things to get off his chest. “First and foremost, Jack… my wife was right when she said that you don’t deserve a rematch. You thought I wouldn’t be able to live with you in your element but, Jack.. I thrived. Everything you threw at me, all the violence and sadistic intention you could bring, it just wasn’t enough. At the end of the match, when all was said and done, once again I proved that I am the Game, and I am that damn good.” He adjusts the belt on his shoulder and smiles to himself. “You said I was wrong about one thing, that it was my blood that stained the ring that night, and you’re right, you carved me up and you made me bleed. You were right about something else too Jack, I found something inside of me that I never knew existed before, because when I looked down through a crimson mask at my bloody leg, I couldn’t help but realise that… I kinda like the pain too. You came out here last week and you said you wanted to go another round…well…”
WELLLLL… WELL IT’S THE BIG SHOW. HHH wasn’t best pleased about the perfectly timed interruption, but perhaps realising the value of Big Show as an ally, he gestured for Big Show to enter the ring and speak his mind. Show thanked HHH and said that he knows that this ends with him taking the title from HHH at WrestleMania, but that until that day, he doesn’t see why they can’t work together. He says last week he put The Rock through the announce table for HHH whilst Hunter was “resting”, and tonight, in the main event, he intends to finish the job. Cue, The Rock.
The crowd erupts as Rock tells Big Show and HHH that he has no intention of waiting until the end of the show to get a piece of the Big Slow, he intends to do it now. He takes his shirt off and starts walking to the ring when HHH, surprisingly, plays peacemaker. He says this is his show, not The Rock’s, and if he was refusing to follow instructions, he would have no choice but to indefinitely suspend him…probably beyond No Way Out, meaning he would lose his WrestleMania opportunity. He says he’s all about being fair, and since the fans were robbed of a tag team match last week, he would make it up to them. Tonight, it wouldn’t be Big Show versus The Rock, it would be Big Show and Triple H, versus The Rock and Kurt Angle. “Triple H, dress it up however you like, The People’s Champ doesn’t care who you line up, because he’ll just go ahead and knock them down.” Rock leaves as Big Show looks pleased with the opportunity to also get his hands on his other opponent at No Way Out in the Olympic Hero, Kurt Angle.
>> Stephanie and HHH have resumed arguing backstage in their office, with Stephanie asking why he would put Kurt with The Rock as HHH explains “it’s a test of loyalty, Steph. You said Kurt’s helping us, well, then he should have no issue taking a hit for the team.” Stephanie is in disbelief but quickly snaps out of it as the door is almost kicked off its hinges by KANE. HHH cuts him off immediately and says X-Pac and Tori aren’t here, “Pac’s in the hospital after what you did to him on Smackdown… but I know you’ve got a bit of steam to work off so you’ve got a match. Against Viscera!” Kane growls but then departs. “We seriously need to get a handle on things around here Steph, I need you in my corner, even if we disagree.” Steph smiles and reassures him that of course they’re still a team, and all of her decisions were with him and the McMahon-Helmsley Dynasty at the forefront of it all.
>>Kane def. Viscera. Viscera opened the match by immediately going for the rolling kick, but Kane totally no-sold it and then proceeded to throw Viscera around the ring. A bearhug slowed Kane down briefly but once he fought out of it, he made light work of the artist formerly known as Mabel. Kane fired back and then finished it with a Chokeslam. JR added that “HHH may have made this one to help Kane blow off some steam, but there’s no way he’s forgetting, and certainly not forgiving, what that jezebel Tori and her scumbag boyfriend X-Pac did to him.” “JR!”
>> Chris Jericho is lacing up ahead of his non-title champion versus champion match against WWF Light Heavyweight Champion Essa Rios when Chyna walks in. He says she’s been dodging his calls all week and she just shrugs and says she’s here now. He laughs it off and says he’s glad she’s here, because they make one hell of a team. Chyna apologises for The Kat’s recent behaviour and how her attention has been divided, “Kat isn’t happy that my priorities have changed”. Jericho looks a tad confused as she goes on to explain that after the Rumble, she had some loose ends to tie off, but that her focus was completely on Jericho’s match tonight. At that moment, THE KAT decides to enter the locker room, scream, and then promptly leave. Chyna looks like she wishes the ground would eat her alive as she apologises and then chases after The Kat. Jericho looks as confused as ever, shakes his head, and returns to lacing up his boots. The King decries that “women always mess with your head” as we head to a commercial break.
>> After the break, THE BIG BOSSMAN appears in a pre-recorded vignette addressing Rikishi. We see the two men at the Royal Rumble coming to blows, and then last week when Bossman interfered after Rikishi defeated Prince Albert, laying the samoan out with the nightstick. Last Smackdown, Rikishi challenged Bossman to a match, but Bossman had other ideas. “Rikishi, the dancing samoan, trading off of a name you didn’t build, from a family that would be ashamed to see what the Fatu name has become under your supervision. I attacked you because you stand for everything I hate, everything that is wrong with the World Wrestling Federation. Around here, I am the law, and against you Rikishi, when the time is right, justice will be served. Ain’t that right, Bull?” Bossman turns to a shadowy figure looming behind him, shrouded in darkness, as the vignette cuts away. Rikishi is seen backstage watching a monitor. “Bossman, you better bring more than just words the next time you come for me.”
>> Head Cheese (Al Snow & Steve Blackman) def. Too Cool (Scotty 2 Hotty & Grandmaster Sexay). A rather reluctant Steve Blackman makes his way to the ring to join Al Snow who happens to be setting up a selection of meats and cheeses at ringside. He invites Too Cool to try his array of cheeses, BEFORE JUMPING THEM. Midcard dastardly behaviour gets a pass as, much to Blackman’s frustration, Al manages to get a large swathe of the crowd chanting ‘Cheese Head’ which is close enough for me man. Scotty gets to hit The Worm on Al - JR seems to still want to call it The Caterpillar but he’ll get there - but Blackman breaks up the pin, gets the eventual hot tag, and kicks Too Cool to metaphorical death before catching Scotty in a Guillotine Choke for the submission victory.
>> After a brief hype video for wwf.com the feed doesn’t immediately return to RAW, but instead to a hooded figure with a dense orange fog around him. Tazz. He looks murderously at the camera before pulling back his hood to reveal his face. “I heard that this was where everybody goes to make a name for themselves, well, **** that. All I see is a bunch of oiled-up schmucks that never paid their dues. I paid my dues for thirteen years to get that shot at the Royal Rumble, and bro I delivered. I choked out an Olympic Gold Medalist, why? Because I could, and because I can’t stand people who get **** handed to them on a golden ****** platter. These new era McMahon’s want to fire me? Fine. I’ve been fired before. They want to rewrite history? That’s fine too, because there’s a god damn ************ storm coming and you can shelter from it, you can run and hide, but sooner or later it’s going to catch up with you, and Tazz is gonna cut you down.”
>> The Acolyte’s are backstage as Bradshaw pitches his latest concept to Faarooq. “Look man, you said it yourself, we should be paid for the dirty work we do around here. Cleaning up everyone’s mess in the ring.” Faarooq doesn’t look totally sold on the idea. “Look, I even made a sign - A…P…A, the Acolyte Protection Agency! What do you think!?” Bradshaw holds up his handmade sign - basically a piece of paper with the letters ‘APA’ on it. Faarooq looks at the piece of paper intently, deep in thought, but before he can reply, Crash Holly enters the locker room demanding their help. “I’ve got money” he says, before throwing down a boatload of cash. Faarooq and Bradshaw turn to one another and smile, accepting his money, and asking how the APA can be of assistance to him.
>> Chyna finally catches up with The Kat backstage and restrains her, demanding to know what the hell is going on with her. Kat tries to get away but has no chance of overpowering her former ally. “Look, you picked your bed so now you can go lie in it, but Jericho is using you, and it’s just hard to see someone you cared for get blindsided and kicked to the curb.” Chyna is visibly shocked and takes a step back. “Cared for?” “Yes, as in past-tense, as in, get your hands off of me because we are no longer partners, and we are no longer friends.” Kat wrenches free from Chyna and leaves, with Chyna standing there gobsmacked.
>>Hardcore Holly def. Crash Holly. We don’t have to wait too long to find out why Crash was talking to the Acolyte’s - I mean, APA - as Hardcore is about to beat his cousin when the APA gets in the ring. They wait a moment, as Crash gets nailed with the Alabama Slam, before Bradshaw takes Hardcore’s head off with the Clothesline From Hell. The referee calls for the bell and Hardcore wins by disqualification, but the Faarooq wants in on the action and kills Hardcore with a brutal Dominator. Crash starts to stir and smiles as he begins to realise what happens, but then Bradshaw wipes him out too with a Clothesline From Hell and the Holly’s are both left prone in the ring.
>> HHH finds Kurt backstage asking a random backstage staff member if they’ve seen Tazz at all. HHH calls him over and sets him at ease right away by saying he has personally ensured that the arena security has everything covered and that Tazz can’t get in. “That’s what was supposed to happen last week!” “Well, Kurt, I don’t know what to tell you except I wasn’t here last week, and now I am.” Kurt seems to calm down a touch and thanks HHH, saying how he’s a legitimate athlete, not a criminal street fighter. HHH says he understands and that as long as he and Kurt are on the same side, he protects those that help him. “Hunter, look I get it, the big pitch, but I’ll save you some time. I came to the World Wrestling Federation for that title right there around your waist, but…” Kurt exposes his own title, “I’m content for now being the champion of a whole freakin’ continent…and after I beat either The Rock or The Big Show at No Way Out, I’ll look you in the eye, and face you man to man in the main event of WrestleMania, and I’ll shake your hand at the end of it because I respect you.” HHH nods and says that’s all he needed to hear, slaps Kurt on the shoulder and walks off.
>>Edge & Christian def. The Dudley Boyz. Before the match we cut backstage to find The Hardy Boyz laid out in their locker room. Bubba and D-Von were relentless in this match, dominating for large swathes as they isolated Christian in their corner. Edge continually tried to draw the referee’s attention to the Dudleyz repeated underhanded tactics and rule breaking, but Hebner was having none of it. Bubba eventually misses a diving senton bomb allowing Christian to make the hot tag to Edge, who cleans house. Christian dives to the outside to take out Bubba whilst Edge measures D-Von, hits him with the SPEAR~! and then the Downward Spiral for the win. After the match, Edge looks to celebrate with Christian but Bubba slides in and jumps Edge from behind. Christian tries to make the save but he too gets cut off and Bubba gets a wild look in his eye before addressing his brother. “D-VON! GET THE TABLES!” Edge gets tossed from the ring and Bubba takes Christian for a ride from the top turnbuckle with a BUBBA BOMB through a table. The Hardyz limp to the ring to make the save but The Dudleyz just laugh at them and leave of their own accord. “King, these damn Dudleyz are going to get what they deserve one of these weeks!”
>> The Rock is backstage with Jonathan Coachman. The Rock asks him his name several times before emphatically revealing that “IT DOESN’T MATTER WHAT YOUR NAME IS”, and it has never been more true than right now. Rock kicks Coachman out of camera shot and addresses the crowd. “Big Show! Last week you took The Rock out with a Showstopper!! Stephanie McMahon pulled your little strings and fired up those two little brain cells and…” Rock screws up his face and roars. “BIG SHOW. CHOKESLAM. Congrats, you laid The Rock out. One…Two…Three and you got a shot at The Great One at No Way Out. The Rock thinks you see this as your stepping stone, but The Rock has never…and The Rock means never…been anyone’s stepping stone, least of all for a knock-off Andre” He gets serious again. “Triple H, you want to stick your plus-size nose in the Rock’s business once again, well let the Rock tell you this. Whether it’s the Intercontinental Title, the Tag Team Titles, the Heavyweight title, or some half-assed attempt to get the jump on The Rock the end result will always be the same. The People’s Champion walking out, standing tall, with all of The Rock’s fans chanting his name…” (ROCKY! ROCKY!) “If ya smell…what the Rock is cooking.”
>>The Rock & Kurt Angle def. Triple H w/ Stephanie McMahon & The Big Show. In our main event of the evening, the odds looked like they were stacked up against the Rock by HHH, but Hunter forgot to factor in one rather major detail. Kurt Angle, our Olympic Hero, still strongly believes that he is undefeated in the WWF, and when The Rock made the proverbial ‘hot tag’ to Kurt Angle, Kurt completely forgot himself and when he found himself in the ring with the Big Show, he wasn’t about to take a loss for anyone. Whilst the Rock and HHH rehashed their battles from last year on the outside, Kurt was busy dodging the Big Show’s strikes before ducking under the big man and hitting the Olympic Slam out of nowhere. Angle looked around but made the pin anyway, and secured the unlikely victory for this team. HHH stops hammering away on the Rock just long enough to realise that Kurt is celebrating in the ring with Stephanie demanding an answer from him. HHH joins them in the ring, but their debate doesn’t last long as Rock attacks HHH from behind who falls into Stephanie and knocks her to the outside. Kurt looks shocked and immediately takes the Rock down and grabs the ankle lock. The Big Show is up and grabs Angle by the throat. SHOWSTOPPER! HHH checks on Stephanie and helps her up, but quickly grabs a chair when he sees THE ROCK IS UP! Big Show turns around, ROCK BOTTOM! An eyebrow is raised and an elbow pad goes flying, but HHH INTERCEPTS ROCK WITH A CHAIR SHOT! “Bah Gawd!” ‘Bah Gawd’ indeed, JR. Rock gets busted open the hard way with HHH standing tall over all three of his contender’s.
‘Whole Lotta Groove’ hits and HERE IS CACTUS JACK! HHH does his best “I can’t believe it!” face as Cactus rushes the ring. The two men brawl, trading right hands until Jack gets the advantage. Stephanie encourages Angle to get involved but he says “no way Steph, that guy is a maniac!” and he heads to the back licking his wounds. Both men go over the top rope with a Cactus Clothesline and Jack decides now is time for a barbed wire 2x4, but HHH finally gets his wits about him and gets himself out of there. Jack, not satisfied with letting the 2x4 go to waste, slides into the ring and NAILS The Big Show with it, who is immediately bleeding from above the eye. JR and Lawler cannot believe the violence on a Monday Night, as Jack stops short of setting it on fire to check on The Rock.
The show goes off the air with HHH and Stephanie leaving with their tails tucked, Big Show and the Rock bleeding, and Cactus Jack in the middle of it all, loving every second of it.
Triple H returning and being annoyed at Stephanie for some of her decision making is smart. Adds some issues to their relationship, even if they could potentially only be temporary.
Triple H’s promo on Cactus Jack was written pretty well and got the point across. Enjoy the idea of Triple H and Show working together, the interruption from Rocky was fine, as was Triple H holding his authority over Rock’s head. Love the booking of the tag match alter with Angle being partnered with The Rock. Assuming this will be a swerve, with Angle quickly befriending Triple H and turning on Rock but we’ll see. Opening segment was solid.
A filler tag title defence here with The Outlaws. Smart to play off the ho distraction again, but this time it doesn’t work. Well booked.
Stephanie sticking up for Kurt in the back is typical. Kane barging in was okay, although kind of weird he’d just be booked in the match with Viscera and then happy to leave. Typical stuff from Triple H here, trying to find somebody big to beat up Kane for X Pac.
Kane basically squashing Viscera is one hundred percent the right call. Nice.
I’m intrigued on how this angle with Jericho/Chyna ends. Chyna seemingly putting Jericho first since the Rumble really caught me off guard. The Kat not being happy and Chyna not taking Jericho’s calls, now, I get the feeling it’s all a plan to screw Jericho, but maybe I’m over thinking it. Either way, appreciate you making what was a pretty terrible angle somewhat intriguing.
Pretty good Bossman promo here. The bit on Rikishi’s family and the Fatu name was especially deep which is a nice for an angle like this. Clever way to introduce Bull Buchanan to here it seems.
Haha yes, Head Cheese shenanigans. Let’s go. Meat and cheese display to allow Al to get the early advantage works for me. No issues with them getting the win, they are probably more fun to book, even if Too Cool were super over at this time.
I’m split on the Tazz promo. General attitude and coming across like a bad ass was good. I think the idea was for him to swear and show how edgy it is, but the amount of curse words here felt overdone, which made the whole thing feel forced and tacky by the end. Still like the booking of Tazz, this is more just feedback on the execution of this particular promo.
Jericho/Rios was a solid enough match that Jericho was always winning. It’s more about the angle with Chyna appearing late, which distracted Jericho, showing that she’s still split between the stuff happening with The Kat. As I mentioned previously, interested to see how this continues to progress. Oh and the Powerbomb spot on Lita was awesomely brutal.
Acolytes becoming APA here sounds good to me, and Crash Holly as the first customer just fits perfectly.
The Kat/Chyna segment here was interesting. The way I read things previously, it felt like Chyna chose to be with Jericho, so the idea of Jericho using her feels a bit awkward and not accurate to me. This has more been coming across as The Kat being jealous. Another nice segment to continue the interesting angle though.
Crash vs. Hardcore here is clearly just an avenue for The APA to do their thing which is fine as you need to establish that gimmick. It did come across as odd that they took out Crash as well, seemingly with no real provocation.
Love Kurt being worried about Tazz being in the arena, really puts over Tazz as a bad dude. Trips an Angle seemingly making friends here before the main event sounds like bad news for The Rock.
Even with the loss here, The Dudleyz come out of tonight looking terrific, having gotten one over on both Edge and Christian and The Hardyz. Good stuff in the tag division here.
Rock’s interview was fine to hype the main event, although the knock off Andre line just felt weird. Didn’t really hit for me.
Whoa, didn’t expect this booking in the main event, but Angle wanting to keep his ‘undefeated’ streak intact, so actually getting the win for his team feels kind of awesome. Good stuff here, and the ending with all hell breaking loose, resulting in the return of Cactus standing strong works. A good ending.
Really enjoying this so far, and this was another good show. We don’t see a lot of BTB’s from this time, due to how strong the year 2000 was most likely. However, ‘Mania was not good this year, so looking forward to seeing you make a better one.
SMACKDOWN #25 Feb 3rd, 2000 (Joe Louis Arena, Detroit, Michigan)
>>Michael Cole and Jerry ‘The King’ Lawler welcome us to this week’s edition of Smackdown hot on the heels of a Monday Night Raw where cracks began to really show in the McMahon-Helmsley Era. Not only did HHH lose in the main event, but Cactus Jack ran interference to make sure The Rock wouldn’t find himself on the end of another Big Show beatdown orchestrated by The Game. Cole tells us that tonight’s card is stacked, with The Rock taking on Kurt Angle, D’Lo Brown versus Al Snow, The Dudleyz take on the makeshift tag team of Jeff Hardy and Edge whilst their partners are out injured, and WWF Hardcore Champion Test will be defending his title in a fatal four way against Prince Albert, Hardcore and Crash Holly. Up first…
>>The man who stood tall in the ring at the end of RAW kicks us off here tonight as CACTUS JACK heads down the aisle with ‘Barbie’ along for the ride (for the uninitiated that would be a 2x4 wooden plank wrapped in barbed wire). Cactus gets the cheap pop out of the way before getting to serious business.
“Triple H, we didn’t really get a chance to properly catch up last week did we? You were out here talking about going another round and then you didn’t quite get to really finishing what you were saying… and then, well, you know...it just didn’t feel appropriate to ask after everything fell apart for you at the end of RAW, but I’m here now, and I’m asking... What’s it gonna be Hunter?” Foley waits for HHH whilst the crowd get their ‘Hunter Sucks’ chants out of the way. “Are you..”
HHH’s music hits and cuts off Jack as here comes the WWF Champion flanked by his wife, and the New Age Outlaws. JR notes that we still have no X-Pac or Tori. “Dude, Jack, Mick, whoever the hell you are this week, you’re right, I was going to suggest something truly crazy like…going another round…”The crowd roared their approval. “...but after having some time to think about it, why would you actually get another shot? If I gave you another shot, how different would it really be to every other opportunity you’ve had? Sure, you might make me bleed with whatever weapons you can find, but to what end Jack? You're not the guy, you don’t win the big one, you climb and you climb but it always ends the same way for you - with someone much better knocking you back down where you belong. Someone like me. Really Jack, I’m doing you a favour. You’re much more suited to the climb than you have ever been suited to the top.”
“HHH, we have wildly differing versions of getting to the top, and certainly a different method of staying there. Let’s play a little game, shall we? Behind door one we have a man who has had opportunities handed to him at every turn in the road, and behind door two we have a man who has had to scratch and claw and fight for every single chance he gets.” Mick roared passionately. “Now, who is who? I’ve been looking HHH, oh believe me I have, but I don’t see any opportunities being handed my way. Triple H, if I’ve had one opportunity snatched away from me I’ve had a hundred, so I know just how this one goes. I guess really you only leave me one course of action left to take….” Foley drops the mic and picks up Barbie, although HHH quickly interjects and tells him to calm down and hear him out.
“I could snap my fingers, have you escorted out of here, suspend you indefinitely, and make the world forget all about Cactus Jack. BUT…the theme of the McMahon-Helmsley Era is fairness and so I want to give you a chance - a glimmer of hope. That’s what you thrive on right? That chance at being known the world over as the very best? Well, tonight Cactus Jack, you’re going to get that chance when you run the D-Generation X gauntlet. If you manage to survive that, perhaps I’ll reconsider my plans for No Way Out.”
HHH looks ready to leave but Jack aint done yet.
“Hunter, you seem to be a couple sheep short tonight, but, sure, send them all to the slaughter, sacrifice everything and everyone around you to hold on to that title. You may have just come to realise that you ‘kinda like’ the violence, but I am violence incarnate. That’s why I walked out after our match at the Rumble when you had to be escorted out on a stretcher, that’s why it will eat you alive every single day that for everything you threw at me, you weren’t the man to keep me down. DX? The McMahon-Helmsley Era? We’ve had power hungry authority figures before in this country, and each and every one of them fell. This new era of yours? It’s already crumbling before our very eyes before it has even got off the ground…” Stephanie angrily snatches the microphone from her husband to interject.
“Cactus, your pathetic little mind games won’t work. DX and the McMahon-Helmsley Era is set to become the most dominant and most successful faction in history. In two months we have defeated my father, my brother, we took the title from a giant and then brought him into the fold, my husband defeated one of the sickest individuals, willing to sacrifice everything, at his own game, and come No Way Out we will remove The Rock from the title picture once and for all. There is nothing we can’t do, there is nobody that can stand in our way, and tonight when D-X kicks your ass, there will be nothing that you can do about it.” DX turns to leave once again but Cactus still isn’t quite done.
“Oh but Stephanie, there is always something to be done. I know the devils’ work is never done, but ol’ Cactus’ days are pretty long too. I’ve suffered more pain than most men can imagine, and that the rest could handle. I have sacrificed everything throughout my fifteen year career and I’m not about to stop now. I’m sure you’ve got some surprise or plan tonight, maybe a few new inductees into the DX clan eh? Well whatever and whoever you’ve got, Cactus Jack and his little friend here are ready. I’ve dreamt about that WrestleMania main event since I was just Mrs. Foley’s little boy, and now I’m all grown up and closer than ever. Why would I stop now? It’s just getting good. At the Royal Rumble we went to hell and back, but the next time that we meet in this ring, one of us won’t be coming back.”
HHH takes the microphone again to have the last word.
“Be careful what you wish for Jack.”
>>Too Cool w/ Rikishi def. Supply & Demand (Val Venis & The Godfather) w/ ‘The Ladies’. Venis and Godfather came up short against the WWF Tag Team champions on RAW, and unfortunately it would be back to back losses for the duo. Not quite on the same page for most of the match, they struggled to ever really assert their dominance over their much smaller opponents. Scotty managed to hit The Worm but was immediately crumpled by a charging HO TRAIN SPLASH in the corner from The Godfather. Venus went up for the Money Shot but was shoved off by Sexay to the outside barricade! Godfather looked for the Death Valley Driver finish but couldn’t live with both Sexay and Scotty at the same time. The babyfaces hit a double suplex on Godfather and then a Hip Hop Drop / top rope splash combo secures the win for Too Cool. After the match, Too Cool invited Rikishi into the ring for the usual dance off but THE BIG BOSSMAN hits the ring. He lays out both Scotty Too Hotty and GM Sexay but Rikishi is ready for him. A superkick knocks him back and he stumbles into the corner, but just as Rikishi is about to get ready for the Stinkface, BULL BUCHANAN slides in and catches Rikishi unaware with a DEVASTATING SCISSORS KICK! Booker T would be proud. He then tosses the Bossman the nightstick and Scotty and Sexay get levelled. Rikishi gets up, Bossman measures him, and blasts him with the nightstick too. Too Cool are laid out whilst Bossman and his new protogé Bull Buchanan enjoy their handiwork. [03:57]
>>Stephanie McMahon is walking backstage and runs into Kurt Angle. “Hey Steph, did you know I made my debut in this very arena? And now I’m the European Champion AS WELL as being an Olympic Gold Medalist. It’s true.” She looks impatient and rather annoyed as she asks him what the hell happened on RAW? “You were supposed to finish the job on The Rock, Kurt, not win him the damn match!” “Look Steph, he tagged me in, I couldn’t exactly just let The Big Show pin me, could I? Can’t go against the ‘three i’s’ Steph - integrity matters.” She sighs and shrugs, but warns him that HHH isn’t happy about it at all. “Well, tonight you have a chance to make it right in there with The Rock, eliminate him, and then it’s smooth sailing. Okay?” “I got it, Steph. God.” Kurt looks slightly concerned and asks her if she’s “going to tell HHH about their plan?”. “When the time is right Kurt, and not a second sooner.” She leaves and Kurt looks concerned for all of a second before going right back to admiring all of his gold.
>>The Rock arrives at the arena to the biggest pop of the night (no decibel meter im afraid). Cole promotes The Rock’s new book, available everywhere that has taste, buy it now!
>>D’Lo Brown def. Al Snow w/ Steve Blackman. This week Al does away with the cheeses and presents Blackman with a variety of wines to try whilst Snow takes on D’Lo. A rather uneventful year for D’Lo thus far, having been eliminated second at the Rumble, and then he was soundly defeated by both Test and Kurt Angle since then. Tonight was his chance to get back to winning ways and the rapid onset of drunkenness to Steve Blackman was the opportunity he needed. Steve was enjoying himself with the wines at ringside, forgot that he was supposed to be providing additional commentary, and ends up costing Al the match when he tries to climb onto the ring apron as Al is going up the turnbuckle causing Snow to get crotched on the top rope. D’Lo pounces immediately with a stalling suplex onto the wounded Al, and then follows it up with the Low Down for the three count. [05:44]
>>HHH is backstage with the New Age Outlaws. Stephanie is conspicuous by her absence. Cole comments on it saying since Stephanie turned on her father at Armageddon in December, she and HHH had been inseparable until the fall out from the Rumble caused some internal friction that Cactus alluded to earlier. Roadie and Gunn seem to have a couple of reservations as they ask HHH about the plan for the DX Gauntlet. “Look guys, just trust me on this, we’re going to put the final nail in Cactus’ coffin tonight.” Billy chimes in. “Look Hunter, we’ve followed you through thick and thin, but we don’t like this second-class citizen feeling we’ve been getting since you won that title.” Roadie joins in. “Yeah man, it’s like Bill says, we just want to be involved is all.” HHH sighs and relents, telling them “if it all goes right tonight, we’ll eliminate multiple targets and clear the way for DX to reign supreme, is that good enough for you guys.” The Outlaw’s look satisfied with it, but Billy has one more thing on his mind. “What about Linda?” Roadie nods. “Bill’s right, she’s been too quiet since she made those threats man, far too quiet.” “Nothing but empty threats. Guys, she’s a non-factor, and if she ever becomes a factor, we’ll deal with her like we dealt with her old man.”
>>In their brand new office sits the APA. They still have the makeshift door but they’ve added a makeshift bar and a couple of recliners. Smoking cigars and playing cards they are less than impressed when an irate Crash Holly starts pounding on the door. “Damnit, what is it?” hollers Faarooq. Crash enters and starts complaining that he wants a refund after they attacked him last week! “No refunds!” says Bradshaw before immediately pointing to a handmade sign backing up his point. “Well…then…gosh, I dont know. I hired you to take out my cousin, not to attack me as well!” Bradshaw smiles. “You’ve got to be clearer in your instructions man, we just thought you wanted it to look like you didn’t set your cousin up.” Crash pauses and rubs his chin, thinking hard. “You know, you just gave me a great idea!”
>>HHH and The Outlaws are backstage once more. The camera slowly pans around the room to reveal that they are with Pat Patterson, Gerald Briscoe, and two OUTRAGEOUSLY MUSCULAR, and quite unhinged, newcomers - and another man - all of whom we are quite unfamiliar with. Lawler certainly is. “Boys, let me introduce you to Damien, BJ - Gunn sniggers - Payne, and the man who made this all possible, Christopher…”. “Daniels. Hunter, it’s my pleasure. These boys are no joke. I call them Pest Control because, well, you know…” “Yeah, that’s great man, look, guys, this isn’t about the victory. I want Cactus Jack to hurt and I want him to know that he’s in a war, alright?” The two men grunt, the stooges look wholly unaware of what’s going on around them, and the Outlaw’s look at one another sceptically. Whilst Roadie and Gunn hand out DX shirts to the new inductees, HHH thanks Christopher and shakes his hand. The man draws HHH in and says quietly that this is just what he could get on short notice” he glances around… “if you’re ever in the market for upgrades, I got you covered.” HHH says he’s good, but a flicker in his eyes says so much more. Patterson pipes up asking “can we keep these?” prompting a hard slap from Briscoe as we go to commercial.
>> After a brief commercial break, we return backstage, this time with The Big Show who is speaking with Kevin Kelly. Kelly asks him about this alliance he seems to have forged with HHH, despite it being HHH that took his title last month. Big Show says he is “all about doing what’s best for business, and what’s best for business is making sure that at No Way Out - The Rock and Kurt Angle fall prey to the largest athlete in the WWF. After that, who knows, perhaps HHH and I will develop a different kind of understanding, but until then, it’s all about playing the long game.” He walks off and Kev sends us back to ringside.
>>The Dudley Boyz def. Edge & Jeff Hardy. Before their entrance we saw Jeff and Edge going over a couple of things ahead of this match, but that didn’t help them against an incredibly well-oiled tag team like The Dudleyz. “Tag team specialists they may be in their own right, but Jeff and Edge don’t have the kind of chemistry with one another that they do with their brothers!” Well said, Michael. Jeff flies high but Edge gets distracted by D-Von on the outside, and when Bubba blocks a Swanton bomb with his knees, a Bubba Cutter and a second rope back senton finish this one. Edge checks on Jeff after the match and D-Von warns Jeff that he’s next whilst Bubba tells Edge that they’re gonna leave him til last. Lawler is impressed with The Dudleys' tag team credentials and wonders if this mean-streak puts them into contention. Cole asks who else will be left to challenge for the belts if the Dudleyz keep putting teams on the shelf. [06:12]
>>The Big Red Machine, KANE, is walking backstage, when THE NEW AGE OUTLAWS attack him from behind with. The duo overwhelms Kane at first but as he starts to fight back THE NEW INDUCTEEs (Damien, BJ Payne, and The Stooges) join in. Kane throws wild punches at anything he can reach - one catching Patterson in the gonads, and another rocking Briscoe’s jaw - but Kane is unable to fight to his feet. At that precise moment, X-PAC decides to show up, complete with neck brace and a permanent grimace. Tori is there and she hands him a steel chair. Pac unloads on Kane who does his best to cover up but gets repeatedly hit in the ribs and the face. Pac winds up for a final swing as Kane tries to sit back up, half managing it, but the pain in his ribs is too much. Pac smiles and brings the chair down one final time, this shot leaving Kane down as blood starts to leak from behind the mask. DX then flees the scene as staff members begin to arrive. Tori spits on Kane and then departs with Pac as Michael Cole is having a coronary at ringside about the heinous actions of “this harlot and her scumbag boyfriend and everyone else involved in D-Generation X. They make me sick.”
>> THE KAT is seen leaving the McMahon-Helmsley office with a cheshire cat grin spread across her face. King is more intrigued in what she’s wearing, but Cole wonders what the hell that meeting could be about. “I hope it’s because she wants to join us on commentary Michael, wahoo!” “I suspect it’s probably got something to do with either Chyna or Chris Jericho, or both of them King, neither of whom is here tonight after Jericho picked up a minor injury on Monday Night Raw in his match against Essa Rios.” “I’m not sure I’d want Chyna as my nurse!” The feed cuts to a video package of the match earlier this week between Essa Rios and Chris Jericho as Cole confirms that both Jericho and Chyna will be back on next week's Monday Night Raw to face Essa Rios and Lita in a mixed tag team match, with Lita in particular eager for revenge after Chyna brutally powerbombed her on the floor.
>>Cactus Jack runs the DX Gauntlet. Cactus is out first with HHH and the newly expanded D-Generation X following closely behind. Roadie looks sad, probably because he doesn’t get to do his usual entrance shenanigans. Hunter grabs a microphone and explains what’s going to happen. “Jack, you were right about the new recruits, how’d you like them? Don’t worry, you’re going to get real familiar with them real soon but before that I wanted to give you a final chance to just walk away. Walk away Jack, and I promise you safe passage out of here.” Cactus shakes his head and gestures for HHH, or anyone, to come down and fight him. HHH feigns disappointment. “Alright, you asked for it.” HHH gestures to new recruit BJ PAYNE who looks overly amped and sprints down to the ring. Cactus is ready for him.
Cactus Jack def. BJ Payne. Payne ran in with all the good intent in the world, but immediately got pegged back with the fast right hand blows from Jack. Jack looks to end it early with a Double Arm DDT and DROPS BJ hard. 1…2…3. BJ Payne is eliminated. [00:55]
Cactus Jack def. Road Dogg. Roadie is next and immediately goes for the Shake Rattle ‘n’ Roll, stunning Cactus before the right hand knocks him down. Dogg hits the shaky knee drop but only gets a two count. HHH isn’t pleased and tells Roadie to stay on him, not pin him. He tries, but the distraction from HHH’s berating is enough to give Jack a chance to fire back. He drives Dogg back into the corner, pummels him, running clothesline, and then follows all of that up with the running knee into the corner. Roadie staggers up and a Double Arm DDT finishes him as well. [02:01]
Cactus Jack def. Billy Gunn. HHH was about to send Damien into the ring when Gunn comes flying in and blindsides Cactus before he can get up from the pin on Roadie. Roadie distracts the referee complaining about a fast count as Gunn chokes Cactus with the ropes. The referee eventually gets Road Dogg out of the ring and before Cactus goes blue he intervenes and threatens to disqualify Gunn. Gunn is unsure but he breaks the hold, with HHH once again furious on the ramp. FAME ASSER!! Gunn hits it out of nowhere but Foley kicks out just before three. Gunn looks for it again but Cactus counters with a back body suplex and a succession of side control right hands. Jack is up first and we get a “you punch I’ll punch” spot that Billy gets the better of. Kick to the gut and Gunn tries the brainbuster but he can’t get Jack up, inside cradle by Cactus! One…Two…Three!! Cactus gets the surprise pin on Mr. Ass who cannot believe it. He remonstrates with the referee as HHH sends the gigantic Damien down to the ring. [03:06] Cactus Jack def. Damien. The referee is less tolerant of Gunn’s attempt to distract and so he threatens to DQ Damien if Gunn doesn’t get out of the ring. Foley is still down as Damien enters the ring so Billy decides to leave the ring and head to the back. The match starts to take a toll on Cactus who, up until now, had been able to fire back and withstand the punishment, getting three rather quick victories. That wasn’t the case with the behemoth Damien who handles Jack, who is no lightweight, with real ease. He keeps Jack cornered and throws a lariat whenever he sees a spark of life, otherwise he just keeps grinding him down with stomps and falling headbutts. HHH is rather pleased as he tries to tell DX that’s what they should have done. However, don’t speak so soon Hunter because Damien abandons his rather successful gameplan of keeping Jack grounded when he points to the top turnbuckle, looking for a splash. He leaps and finds nothing but canvas when Jack rolls away. The referee begins to count both men down and Damien is up first, but Jack isn’t much behind and we get another “you punch, I punch” spot but this time Jack is able to get the better of Damien, firing him back, and after an irish whip into a running knee to the gut that knocks Damien down. Foley tries the Double Arm DDT but gets back body dropped out of there. Jack is up but gets clotheslined, up again and ducks the clothesline attempt, MANDIBLE CLAW!!! “IT’S SOCKO TIME!!!” “Argh, no, not that nasty filthy smelly sock!!”. Damien doesn’t have any counter for this as he succumbs to the Mandible Claw and he taps out. HHH is now raging, and he orders Patterson and Briscoe down to the ring together. “Since you’re doing so well, how about we up the stakes” shouts an irate HHH at Jack who flashes his toothless grin back at the champion. [04:20] Cactus Jack def. The Stooges (Pat Patterson and Gerald Briscoe). Cole reminds us that Pat Patterson was the first ever Intercontinental Champion, but Lawler mocks him saying “yeah, and Briscoe was a great Tag Team Champion, but that was thirty years ago Michael!” The Stooges circle Jack and try to play the numbers game but Jack quickly launches a knee at Briscoe and then hits the Cactus Clothesline to Patterson, sending both men to the outside. Jack warns HHH to stay up the ramp as he launches Pat around ringside into the barricade.. Briscoe is now on the apron but his diving clothesline attempt completely misses Cactus and wipes out Patterson instead. Cactus throws Briscoe into the steel steps and then drags Patterson back into the ring. He sets him up, points at HHH, and then drops the first ever IC Champ with the Double Arm DDT. One..Two..Three. [01:41]
“If HHH was angry before, he’s absolutely livid now.” It’s X-Pac who gets the brunt of this rage as he demands that Pac go down there and handle this. Pac argues and repeatedly points at his neck, with even Tori arguing for HHH to consider Pac’s health. HHH shakes his head and warns him that he either goes down there or he’ll deal with him. Pac shakes his head. Looking to the Outlaw’s for backing, but getting none, he heads down to the ring as Cactus laughs and also shakes his head.
Cactus Jack def. X-Pac w/ Tori. Pac walks around the outside trying to decide when to slide in and also, what to do when he gets in there. Tori goes around the other side and climbs up onto the apron trying to distract Cactus who completely ignores her. Pac sighs and slides in. MANDIBLE CLAW!! X-Pac taps! He taps! Pac wastes no time and he taps and flees the ring as soon as Jack breaks the hold. LOW BLOW!! Tori fought free of the referee and NAILED Cactus with a low blow that dropped him like a sack of spuds. The referee looks around and calls for a disqualification. “But against who?” asks Lawler. HHH rips off his jacket and storms to the ring, now ready to handle this one himself with Cactus down and writhing in pain. The referee tells him it’s a disqualification for the low blow but HHH says “Yeah, against Tori, she was the next entrant!” The referee looks at him in disbelief but shrugs and decides to let this one go. [00:11] HHH def. Cactus Jack. Cole is aghast that the referee believed HHH, saying “Folks, HHH is using every play in the book here to stack the deck against Cactus Jack, and it looks like now that Jack is down, finally The Game is ready to get in the ring. There is no way that Tori was going to be in this match, but what can the referee do?” Cole carries on ranting for a little while as Lawler tries to get him to calm down, although only succeeds in upsetting him further at HHH’s actions. Meanwhile, HHH toys with Jack who is still down and only just starting to catch his breath. HHH mocks Jack as he gets to one knee, only for Cactus to suddenly look at HHH and smile. “He was milking it!!” cries Lawler. HHH’s shock is all the time Jack needs and now both men are brawling around the ring unloading on one another. Jack tries a piledriver but gets back body dropped. HHH tries for the running knee but Cactus ducks, with both men knowing the other’s repertoire! HHH looks for the spinebuster but gets caught with a running DDT that Jack clearly stole from the Undertaker. Jack is up first and he’s readying Socko. If you thought the interference was over you’d be dead wrong as now Stephanie climbs onto the apron and spouts some abuse at Cactus who turns to her, AND RE-INTRODUCES HER TO SOCKO!! She drops off the apron to break the hold and the referee jumps out to quickly check on her. In the ring HHH is up and Jack turns around into KICK.WHAM.NO!! Foley reverses with a back body drop of his own and then measures the champion. MANDIBLE CLAW ON HHH!!! The referee is still with Stephanie as HHH furiously tries to escape. Only one thing for it. LOW BLOW! HHH kicks Jack in the nuts forcing the hold to break. He wipes his mouth as best he can before KICK.WHAM.PEDIGREE! Cactus is out, HHH calls for the referee, and we get the elementary one…two…three. “Cactus did his best, but when HHH changes the rules on the fly you can’t do anything about it.” “That’s why he is The Game, Michael, he makes the rules!” HHH goes and checks on Stephanie and both of them leave, presumably to wash their mouths out. The rest of DX, including the new inductees have gone, and Stephanie and HHH celebrate their victory with Cactus still down in the ring. [03:49]
>>THE ROCK is backstage with Kevin Kelly who doesn’t even get a chance to annoy The Rock as he gets the mic snatched out of his hands.”Finally…The Rock has come back…to Detroit!” He talks about The Big Show putting him on the shelf but did Show really expect him to be one and done with The Rock? “OH NO!” He tells Show that he has gone and earned himself a permanent vacation at the Smackdown Hotel, he won’t ever get tired of beating his ass and kicking him back to Atlanta where he belongs with the rest of the jabronies. Rock then turns his attention to Kurt Angle. “Kurt, you got the opportunity of a lifetime last week where you got to team up with The Great One, side by side with the People’s Champion, and it might be the first time since you got here that you didn’t stink up the joint. Whilst The Rock was whupping Triple H’s ass, you beat The Big Show. The Rock was impressed.” He pauses as the crowd chant ‘Angle sucks’ - they’ll get there. “However, what didn’t impress The Rock was you trying to break the People’s ankle after you attacked The Rock from behind. Well The Rock doesn’t do sneak attacks. The Rock will look you right in your olympic eyes before he kicks your monkey ass all around Detroit…if you smellllllll…what The Rock…is…cooking.” (Somehow this never, and The Rock means ever, gets old.) >>Kurt Angle def. The Rock via SHENANIGANS! It seemed like destiny that this match was never going to get a clean finish. Angle came out with a microphone telling the crowd how delighted they should be to be in the presence of a Gold Medallist AND the WWF European Champion. He tells the crowd that if they apply themselves and follow the three i’s then they too can make something of themselves. Lots of boos that immediately turn into cheers as THE ROCK heads down to the ring. A fist fight to open up this one but Kurt takes the early advantage with lots of “chain wrestling and joint manipulation”. Thanks Michael. The Rock channels the power of the people and fights back but gets caught with a sleeper. Cole is impressed with Angle’s dominance…at wrestling. Yep, make sense of that. The referee checks Rocky’s arm but there’s still fight in the Brahma Bull who fights out with elbows to the gut, runs the ropes and FLYING CLOTHESLINE! Both men are down but Rock nips up and stalks Angle. Off the ropes he goes and Rock hits the wrap around DDT “Old School Rock tonight on Smackdown!” for two. Angle blocks a Rock Bottom attempt and switches for a German Suplex but gets an elbow in the jaw. Rock measures Kurt. ROCK BOTTOM!
Big Show decides this point is where he will intervene in the match in full view of the referee. The Rock sees him coming and instead of covering Angle he knocks Big Show off the apron before he can get in the ring. Rock sees that Angle is still down and heads outside to grab a chair which he uses to SMASH Big Show upside the head with it. “A little bit of retribution for The Rock!” Rock slides in with the chair - which the referee obviously confiscates - but this buys Kurt ALL THE TIME HE NEEDS and he catches a distracted Rocky out of nowhere with the Angle Slam!! Kurt hooks him deep and gets the pinfall. [08:54]
Angle doesn’t get time to celebrate though as The Big Show is up and heading into the ring. Kurt considers trying to test the waters with The Big Show but the giant is not in the mood for conversation as he lunges for Kurt who rolls out of the ring just in time. Leaving The Rock in the ring Big Show starts to laugh. He roars and waits for the inevitable. As The Rock gets to one knee he fires off a punch but it’s caught. Show grips Rock by the throat and tells him “You brought this on yourself Rock. Always running your mouth, but now what have you got to say?” “Just…Bring…It…”. The crowd roars as Big Show lifts him up…WHACK! Big Show suddenly drops The Rock and stumbles to one knee. He turns around. WHACK! WHACK! Two more shots drop the giant and KURT ANGLE is the man wielding the chair! “Can you believe it, King! Kurt Angle just saved The Rock!” Angle looks at The Rock and then tosses the chair on the ground before sliding out of the ring. “Kurt Angle once again a thorn in HHH’s side, who you have to believe is behind Big Show being out here. HHH wanted Big Show and Angle to take out The Rock, but it backfired spectacularly tonight!” Cole and Lawler sign off as The Rock, with a confused look and a raised eyebrow, watches Kurt Angle head to the back.
QUICK RESULTS
Too Cool w/ Rikishi def. Supply & Demand (w/ The Ladies)
D’Lo Brown def. Al Snow w/ Steve Blackman
Hardcore Title: Test def. Crash Holly, Prince Albert, and Hardcore Holly
I didn’t mind opening the show here with Cactus and honestly there were bits of the promo here I liked and bits I thought could have been better. When Cactus was getting intense and talking about being violence incarnate, DX gauntlet being set up, and the overall direction heading to a most likely Triple H/Cactus is all really good stuff. Where my issues come in are Cactus is the vicious side of Foley, I don’t think he should be coming out and starting with a cheap pop. I’m also not entirely sure the whole “you never win the big one” angle really works when you’re talking to a multiple time WWF Champion. Angle works a lot better with somebody who, well, hasn’t won the big one and hasn’t been champion. I still think overall this segment was good, but there were bits in here that basically it almost felt like they didn’t fit with the rest, and didn’t need to be here.
Too Cool retaining the titles here was fine. I never really got behind the Supply and Demand team, and judging by the comments of them not being on the same page, maybe they’ll be splitting soon? I think it’s for the best. The aftermath here with Bossman and the (potentially debuting?) Bull Buchanan coming in and beating them down is fine to continue the Bossman/Rikishi program.
Stephanie being annoyed at Kurt for last week is a nice reaction to what went down. Can’t wait to see Triple H’s reaction to be honest. You’ve definitely piqued my interest with this plan they have that Triple H doesn’t know about. Very interesting stuff.
The Rock’s here. Yay. Fun fact, I do own that book.
Multiple thoughts on this next match. Firstly, I like D’Lo so always happy to see him get a win. Secondly, I appreciate that you’re trying to include some of the goofy Head Cheese antics in here. Blackman getting drunk on the wine just seems really out of character here though. He was always the serious one out of the two so kind of feels a bit out of character and doesn’t make much sense to me. Snow bringing in wine feels like something he’d very much do though.
Really enjoyed the segment with The Outlaws having some questions, and not liking being simply background characters to this regime. The added element of Linda McMahon’s threat adds some drama to. This was really good.
I know this is small and picky but I think the beauty of The APA’s office is how makeshift it is. Not sure I’m a big fan of them having recliners and a bar in there. Anyway, Crash’s question here is completely valid, and The APA saying no refunds is fun. Am intrigued by Crash’s idea. Another good segment here.
Hardcore Title match would have been the standard mess. A good defence for Test I guess, although wondering how the explanation from The APA’s interference ties in to Crash’s idea.
Really like the idea of Triple H recruiting more members of DX to take care of Cactus during the gauntlet tonight. Christopher Daniels helping recruit these guys certainly came out of nowhere, but I don’t mind it. It’s an interesting way to introduce him for sure.
The Big Show interview here was perfectly solid, explaining his current motivations and what not.
Nice booking here, putting over The Dudleyz with another big win, whilst Jeff and Edge don’t really lose anything, because they aren’t wrestling with their normal partners. Smart stuff.
The attack on Kane from DX was unexpected, but fine. The image of blood leaking from the back of the mask is a memorable one for sure. Nice to see X Pac and Tori back also.
Hmm, wonder what The Kat is so happy about? Mixed tag for next week sounds fun too.
I thought you booked the gauntlet really well. Cactus looks like a beast working his way through the entirety of DX, including the new recruits. After the Outlaws concerns earlier, the way Triple H treated X Pac here is a really nice touch. Could see DX eventually rebel as they’re constantly treated as lesser than Triple H. Trips deciding to join the match, and even then still needing interference and distractions to get the win makes Cactus look strong. It’s typical this era, deck stacked against the babyface stuff, and the heels eventually get up. Booked well, and continues this program nicely. Assuming Linda will have to step in to get Cactus the rematch he wants at No Way Out moving forward.
The Rock’s promo was solid enough to promote his issues with Show and Angle. They’ve never really acknowledged Big Show as from WCW at this point, so the line about beating him back to Atlanta seemed really odd and didn’t fit, but outside of that minor point, this was fine.
Angle getting a win over Rock at this point of time is HUGE, even if it was thanks to a distraction from Show. Big stuff from Kurt here. The aftermath with Show getting involved, and then Kurt probably involuntarily making the save is a good ending. Builds tension between he and Triple H potentially, which feels like the long game here at this stage. A well booked ending to the show, hyping this Triple Threat program heading to No Way Out.
I figured I’d just quickly take this moment to mention a couple of things about the formatting. Would love for you to do something, whether it’s colours, bold, italics, just something that makes actual dialogue stand out from the other text. It all kind of just falls in as one big blurb, would be much easier to read if it stood out. And also, a pet peeve of mine has always been the result of the match being written and given away before I read the match. Takes away something from the experience of reading the match.
Smackdown was an okay show. Some things really hit for me, and others didn’t, but enjoying this overall and looking forward to how the No Way Out and then Mania cards come together.
