Review: WWF/WWE No Mercy 2000 DVD

 
Brett Mix’s- WWF No Mercy 2000 Review:
 

 
 

 

 

 

“X-Pac we’ve been feuding for so long, I don’t even know why I hate you in the first place…it could be your greasy hair, or your out-dated crotch chop….either way I don’t care. People want this feud to end and tonight I’m going to end this rivalry in this 15 foot high steel cage that I like to call the Y2 Jail. Then hopefully I never have to never…EEEEEEEVER hear the words “X-Pac” and “D-Generation X” AGAIIIIIIN.” -Y2J Chris Jericho
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 

 
1) Opening Contest- Dudley Boyz Invitational Tables Match: The Dudleyz (Bubba Ray and D-Von) vs Tazz and Raven vs 2 Cool vs Lo Down vs RTC (Bull Buchanan and The Goodfather)
  
 

 

One of the things forgotten about PPV’s in this time period is that not only was it good because it had attitude era matches, mega stars, solid undercards and shows, lively crowds, but the fact is JR and King were in there prime or just passing it so they made so many things enjoyable when watching all of the matches. The object of this Invitational is for two teams to start like a tag team open and then after each team is eliminated by putting someone through a table the next team comes out.
 
The two teams that started with Lo Down (Who I actually thought was awesome) which was D-Lo and Chaz against the very over 2 Cool.

2 Cool made short work and leg dropped D-Lo through a table at 3:54 to eliminate them. Basic brawling for a few minutes in that first little bit.
 

Tazz and Raven come out next…..ECW representative’s staying tight.

 
Tazz hit a Tazzmission on Scotty but Lawler’s seed broke up that predicament and the two teams brawl on the outside and there are just tables ALL over the ringside area and one set up in the ring itself at this point. Nice spot where Tazz and Raven went to suplex Grandmaster and he fell and his foot went through the table and the crowd chanted “YOU F***ED UP” which was hilarious. SCOTTY DID THE WORM UNDER A TABLE to Raven while Grand Master stood on top of that table while he did it (surprised it didn’t break) and then Raven and Tazz double suplexed Scotty through a table to eliminate 2 cool at 7:10.

This fall was obviously much better here.
 
NOW all of the sudden out come the Dudley Boyz, as after-all this IS THEIR match as they are the next team to take on Raven and Tazz. Both teams battle back and forth and the Dudley’z hit a “WHAT’S UP!?” and dominate for the majority of this “fall” if you want to call it that. D-Von doesen’t waste time and leg drops Tazz through a table and Tazz and Raven are eliminated at 9:18.
 
THE FINAL Team to come out is the Right To Censor which always got huge heel heat because they were beyond annoying (and not in the good way) It’s hilarious watching Bull Buchanan (the dullest wrestler on earth) and The Goodfather who should have never changed (just like Venis) come out in those suits holding a table in hand. The fans chanted “WE WANT Ho’s” and Lawler makes note of this and we all did even though I didn’t go as crazy for them as everyone else it was just a much more interesting character truth be told. Bull and The “GOOD” father brought the punishment to the Dudleyz as they are the final team in the Dudleyz Table Inviational and it looks like Bubba is going to slam Buchanan through a table and he does.

Match isn’t over though because the ref was down and The Goodfather hit Bubba in the head with a chair with the ref down. He goes through a table and the ref decides RTC wins until another ref thankfully says it must continue.

The Dudleyz win in the end with the 3-D to the Godfather at 12:18 to win the match.
 
Pretty fun opener, never dragged and everyone did a pretty good job here and the crowd was into it.
 
 
 

 

** 1/2

 

 

 

 
 

 

2) Y2J Chris Jericho vs X-Pac in a Steel Cage Match

 

 
Cage lowers and Y2J gets in the ring first with a mic.
 
See Jericho promo in bold at the top of the review before the match!

This feud WAS really over-done by this point but hey they were great matches.

They had competed at Unforgiven 1999, Unforgiven 2000, a First Blood match the night after Unforgiven 2000 on Raw and now a Steel Cage match (Not to mention all the WCW bouts) here and I believe there’s a spot in this match they used to show in the “Don’t try this at home.” video’s. Anyway X-Pac had his full time X-Pac heat by this point as you could tell by the groans from the crowd when he entered into the cage.

The two battled outside of the cage for a bit and then the match officially begun inside the ring. Back and forth stuff, Jericho hit some offense that included a perfect spinning heel kick but Jericho then got dominated by X-Pac for a bit driving Jericho’s head into the buckle as the crowd chants X-Pac sucks.
 
Now with X-Pac in control of the match he ran towards Jericho but got back body dropped into the cage and fell down. (That might have been the don’t try this spot) and nice of JR to point out that he’s had neck problems as I actually felt bad for him during that encounter.

X-Pac went for a pin after quickly getting up to his credit after that nasty fall but there are no pinfalls or submissions during cage matches at this time. (Which I liked better, they shouldn’t have changed that rule.)
 

Anyways X-Pac begins to climb the cage but Jericho met him from the top rope and hits a sick looking power bomb from the top turnbuckle with X-Pac on the top of the Cage.

Very good move but both men are down in pain after the move!
 
Jericho throws X-Pac into both sides of the cage and X-Pac puts his hands up for a timeout that gets followed by a Y2J clothesline. Jericho then starts to climb and kicks off X-Pac’s attack but it doesen’t last as X-Pac does get him down and Jericho falls into the top ropes which looks painful as it’s in the baby maker region. With X-Pac climbing the cage Jericho met him at the top and gave him a nice right hand. Jericho then applies the Walls of Jericho ON TOP of the cage to X-Pac!

Very cool. X-Pac then flips Jericho over from the top of the cage and he lands on the mat! Wow.
 
Pretty impressive stuff in this Cage Match.
 
X-Pac now gets cocky and begins cheering while he climbing down the cage wall but Jericho drop kicks X-Pac from inside the ring to hit him on the outside and X-Pac lands his crotch on the door! Great spot. During this Jericho quickly climbs out the door for the win at at 10:40.
 
A couple of slow moments don’t drag down the overall pace, moves and pretty great spots by both guys in this match, it deserves a lot of credit and it just makes three stars.
 

VERY, VERY good.
 
 

 

 
***

 

 

 

 

 
3) The RTC- (Val Venis and Steven Richards) vs Chyna and Mr. Ass
 
 

 

Way too many RTC entered the 2001 Rumble and they had way to many appearances on this show by this point but oh well Mr. Ass was pretty over here as he had his moments I guess you could say despite failing as a heel most times to get over. (*cough 1999, cough*)
 

Well….you know it’s not that great when you have to rely on Bad Ass Billy Gunn to carry a match.
By this point Chyna had been in playboy and the King couldn’t stop talking about it. This was the beginning of the 6 month to long Chyna-RTC feud which featured one of the most disgusting things I’d ever seen at RR 01 but you can read my review in the blogs for more on that.
 

Billy Gunn took it to Val early with some rights and lefts, it’s so different watching them two go at it in different persona’s compared to the year before in 1999 when Gunn was an outlaw and Venis had longer hair as Porn Star in the IC Division, how times have changed.

Anyways Billy and Val do most of the work in this one and they did indeed start the match. Val drops Gunn on toe top rope and tags in Richards the leader of the RTC and Gunn slams him down. Gunn tags in Chyna and then SHE slams him down and grabs him by the tie, JR says he wishes she grabbed him by the tongue.
 
JR: “It’s amazing how she can be so beautiful, and so NAKED in playboy.”
 

King: “WHAAAAAAAAAAT!?!??!”
 
Hilarious.
 

 

The RTC’s strategy was to focus on Gunn’s injured shoulder after Venis was tagged back in and we all know Val is a very, very solid worker even though I feel his RTC gimmick held him back which is why they tried different routes with him like Chief Morley and then back to a version of Val with short hair that is a jobber and LUCKY to make it to Raw to put over the new flavor of the month who never lasts.
 
Anyways double team moves by the RTC as they attack Gunn’s shoulder some more and Chyna looks disgusted on the outside of the ring. Stevie has an arm-bar which pulls on the already bruised shoulder of Gunn, very good wrestling by the RTC.
 
Billy eventually fights out of it ducks a clothesline and hits a beautiful DDT to Stevie as Lawler says. Venis wants in but Stevie is down from Gunn’s DDT. Chyna and Stevie both want in on both sides but both men were laying on the canvas,
 
Chyna gets in, Stevie doesen’t and she hits an elbow and a clothesline frollowed him a elbow after some flips. Chyna hits a running neckbraker to Val and then Bull and Goodfather come back out and Gunn fights them both off. Chyna then locks on the pedigree to Venis put Eddie hit Chyna with flowers and Venis pins chyna at 7:10.
 
This tag team match had it’s moments near the end and was just PRETTY GOOD overall.

 
Nothing more, nothing less.

 

 

 

**

 

 

 

 

 
4) Stone Cold Steve Austin vs Rikishi in a No Holds Barred Match

 

 
 
Big Pre-Match Promotional Video obvioussly as the storyline ran pretty long.
 
“I Did it for The Rock…I did it…for the People.”

 

ANYWAYS everyone knows they chose Rikishi and the company even knew it was a bad move after a few weeks so they planned for HHH to be the mastermind behind the whole ordeal to cover it up.

Either way this match was set up for No Mercy and the story here was Austin was hell bent on getting revenge and Rikishi was looking to put Austin out of the WWF even more. He said I ran him down once, I’ll do it again in that famous promo.
 
Steve Austin was a little rusty in the fall of 2000, truth be told. Like I said in the Pre-PPV notes it took him a bit of time to get back on his A game that would most definitely return thankfully.
 

Still is cool to see Austin again in 2000, such another popular era for the WWF with that disturbed theme.
 
Austin hadn’t arrived yet to the arena and Mick Foley the Commish at the time told Rikishi that if he didn’t show up then Foley would announce Rikishi the winner by default.
 
Rikishi who they tried like all hell to get over as a heel but he had such a popular FACE run in 2000 and it just wasn’t working it was one of the worst moves they ever did but I guess they took a chance and it didn’t pay off to say the least. Foley comes out after Rikishi calls him out as it looks like Austin is a “NO-SHOW” although most of the fans know he wouldn’t and chanted “AUSTIN” anyway….
 
Foley gets in the ring with Rikishi and gets on the mic.
 
All of the sudden ater a long pause Austin’s glass hits and he drives his truck into the arena and he shows No Mercy as the bell rings as the two go at it right as he gets out of the front door as it’s NO DQ. Austin with right hands and King says “AUSTIN IS BACK!” as he was in the ring and cool spot where he slams the truck door into Rikishi’s head. The fans get behind Stone Cold and he slams him into the steel steps. Austin’s first match in the WWF since a tag match in November of 1999 teaming with The Rock against The Outlaws, they didn’t say that I just remembered it as I own the 1999 Raw’s. Austin choked Rikishi with a cable behind the spannish announce table as everything in the match is legal and the ultimate ass kicker in this time is giving it to the big man and the two begin to fight into the crowd. Rikishi looks like he’s running from Stone Cold but then exchanges right hands with him and threw something in the face of Austin, perhaps a drink in his face like Austin did to Bret in the crowd at WM 13.

The Austin chants continue as Rikishi kicks at Austin’s stomach and he’s wearing a shirt and not the vest just yet. Rikishi back body drops Austin on the concrete but luckily he lands ok as he obvioussly wouldn’t have wanted to be hurt in his first match back. Austin wearing jean shorts took off his belt and started to whip Rikishi with it who was laying on the mat by the ring. Austin chokes Rikishi with a rope as he’s standing by the ring (Rikishi) but Austin is hanging him FROM INSIDE the ring. JR says the match hasn’t officially begun as a horn rang but not a bell, um ok? I heard a bell but we’ll see what happens. Austin goes to the outside and starts to take TV monitors off the table.

Isn’t that cute. God forebid he injure the man who ran him over by hitting him on the announcer’s table with a tv monitor on it.
 
Yup, That old Rattlesnake Steve Austin is kind enough to take TV monitor’s off the table to protect Rikishi despite Rikishi running him over trying to end his life. Weak but I understand why it’s done, it’s still a little funny to see though no doubt. Austin looked to FINALLY be back in shape during this match. He had a beer belly at Backlash 2000 but during the Summer must have trained hard to get back in tip top shape. Obvioussly his technical style came back a bit later but this one was just a fight.
 

Rikishi got busted open after a few vicious chair shots by The Rattlesnake. Austin almost hit Rikishi in the head with a sledgehammer twice but he ducked and Austin hit the truck. Austin used the tail gate of his truck as a weapon to bash Rikishi. Austin gets a chair he had in the back of his truck and smacks Rikishi in the head as he falls into the back of the truck! Austin starts it up and drives in reverse out of the arena while drinking a beer as the fans cheer.
 
This one has actually been more of an entertaining brawl then I remembered which is the good news although I do remember the finish being weak.
 
BUT HERE IS WHY THE FINISH MAKES SENSE…..
 
They were pushing Rikishi big time at this period of time in a program with the returning biggest star in the company, they can’t make him lose. Austin can’t either and he is relentless looking for revenge and in attempt to re-live Stone Cold’s bad ass persona he goes to run down Rikishi and he ran into the police by mistake. Several cops came to get Austin after this.
 
So NOW the cops care….okay.
 
Austin who wanted to run down Rikishi couldn’t get it done and the cops take him away as he is arrested and taken to Jail I guess.
 
Wasn’t the first time he’d been arrested on WWF TV, that’s for damn sure.
 
I originally hated the ending and the fans booed but ya know this ending did made sense for the reasons I just pointed out and the BRAWLING was MUCH better then I remembered.
 
Therefore the match ended at 9:21 in a No contest.
 
This was way better this time around and at least deserves a decent rating for the hardcore brawling and shots alone, not to mention the entertainment in the relatively short and sweet match with a different ending that while dissapointing makes sense in the long run.

 

 

 
** 1/4
 
 

 

 

 

 
5) William Regal (c) vs Naked Mideon for the WWF European Championship 
 

 

 
William Regal is an EXCELLENT worker but even HE took time to get over with the crowd (not long but a bit of time) and his character was relatively new here and he was going up against Mideon. NAKED MIDEON.

WOW, on PPV as well following Austin’s return match.
 
Pretty different change of pace here to say the least!
 
Mideon doesen’t come out NAKED which is a smart move considering this isn’t a two-three minute match.
 
Mideon who is thankfully clothed as said by both commentator’s hits some power moves to Regal early.

 
Mideon threatens to take off his shirt and the fans and broadcasters say don’t do it and he thankfully doesen’t.

Chain wrestling for Regal with a neck vice followed by an elbow and a drop tope hold to Mideon. Gotta love Regal’s offense but he got sent for the ride then slammed by Mideon twice and he hit a drop kick to Regal, fast moves for a big guy, Mideon is actually impressing me A LITTLE bit here moving like Bam Bam at times, although that’s still quite a stretch.

Regal didn’t take long to get back on the upper hand as he royally waved to the audience after slamming Mideon’s head into the canvas. Mideon fell over the top rope as Regal ducked his charge at him. Mideon then stripped! Oh god….HE takes off his shirt as the fans boo and SOME crazy ladies actually cheer. Mideon hits some moves on Regal in the corner. Regal hits a double arm suplex and then gets only a near fall out of it then slows the pace down a little with a submission hold and then threw him to the outside. While Mideon gets back in he takes off his pants to reveal his thong!

Oh good then he kisses Regal. Cherry on top.
 
I’m taking a star off this ** match as it stands right now.
 

Good god.
 
Naked Mideon now goes to the top rope and jumped off the top rope and before he does that he falls back as Regal pushes the ropes and now we get a nice shot of Mideon’s big naked ass up close. Oh great…I would of rather that shot of Trish’s ass earlier in the night but this works….. :side:
 
Regal pinned Mideon after a Regal Cutter at 6:10 to thankfully end this one, although Regal is a good wrestler and he retained the European Championship.
 
Had its moments (when Mideon was clothed) as both guys hit some impressive moves but it went on a couple of minutes to long for the pace and I didn’t like Mideon stripping at the end even if some people found it entertaining, I didn’t.
 
Not the worst thing in the world due to some solid wrestling but definately not a bright spot of the PPV. Probably the worst to this point in all seriousness.
 
  

 

*

 

 

 
 
 
6) Los Conquistadores (a.k.a. Edge and Christian) vs The Hardy Boyz (Matt and Jeff) (c) for the WWF Tag Team Championship
 
 
A LOT OF double-team tandem offensive moves in this one and I love how King treats it as if there not Edge and Christian just like he was treating Owen not as The Blue Blazer when he said his usual “WHAAAT!?” to JR seconds before he died at Over The Edge 99.
 

This time it’s funny though as he mentions lucha libre and wrestling legends like Mil Mascaras.
 

Hardyz caught Edge south of the border (I imagine it was Edge, a little hard to tell) and threw them together on the outside for MORE double team moves. This was a pretty funny and interesting angle considering the Hardyz and E and C feuded the whole year and it was great don’t get me wrong, but this was nice for a switch up and a change in the feud to freshen things up.
 
In the end Dos (a.k.a. Christian) pinned Matt after an Unprettier at 10:52 and we have new champions!

 

 
** 1/4

 

 

 

 

 

 
 
7) “The Canadian Crippler” Chris Benoit vs “The Game” Triple H

 

 

 

 
I haven’t seen this match in a awhile it, I’ve seen it twice and both times thought it legendary. It’s really too bad it probably won’t be released ever again as it’s one of the best matches in both men’s career’s.
 
I absolutely can’t wait to view this one which JR bills should be AWESOME.
 
I have heard NOTHING but good things about this match as I forget it other then the fact it’s been amazing as I haven’t seen it since around 2006 but I do remember it being a very strong wrestling match. Considering how amazing both HHH and Benoit were in 2000 this should be a pretty amazing contest and that’s just to say the very least!
 
Benoit getting slapped by Stephanie on Raw (VERRRRY HARD SLAP btw which I remember like yesterday) was shown in the pre-match package but it’s not like he murdered her or anthing after she did it, he just laughed. Sort of like Sharmell at that PPV in 06 when she did it to him and Benoit laughed it off. Or like nevermind….. Everyone knows I still respect Benoit as does the man he is facing in this match by no doubt paying tribute to him with using his move today in 2011 which I find absolutely beautiful. Trips music “My Time” at this point was great and Triple H’s music usually always is in general in his entire WWF/E career.

Trips gets a pretty good pop while Benoit gets a decent one.
 
Here we go!
 
King says that to counter Benoit’s technical ability he has the biceps and triceps and the pedigree to counter that as he is The Game but they did a wonderul job putting over Benoit’s crossface submission hold in the summer of 2000 paticularly in his feud with The Rock. The crowd chanted for Triple H and Benoit yelled at the fans. Elbow tie up to start the match.
 
Both guys viciously attacked each other by throwing one another into the corner and Benoit kicked away at the game but Trips in a very fast manner speared Benoit into the turnbuckle and then hit him with rights and lefts, Benoit attempted a spinning heel kick but Trips ducked and Hunter throw Benoit’s knee down to the canvas as he looks to methodically take it apart with some technical wrestling of his own. Trips who was kind of a tweener here after his feud with Angle and then here with Benoit slammed Chris’s knee into the ring post.
 
Both back in the ring and HHH with a drop toe hold to Benoit.
 
This match is really awesome already and that’s why it’s clear these two have such amazing chemistry. Chris Benoit can make ANYONE look like a million dollars but Triple H can only help, especially the Cerebral Assasin in HIS YEAR of 2000.

Triple H keeps attacking the knee of Benoit with all sorts of moves and JR points out he has done nothing but focus on the knee which is a great strategy. Benoit sells it like a pro obviously as King points out Triple H is actually out wrestling Chris Benoit right now!

Trips drives his knee to the gut of Benoit and he goes down holding the knee and continues his brillant selling and the fans go nuts for Triple H.
 
Hunter looks for a knee drop but Benoit counters FINALLY with a sunset flip but Trip turns around and COUNTERS that with a drop toe-hold. Trips a great student of the game and a great in ring technician was never the same after his injury in 2001 (although still good) sort of like Austin before his neck injury in 1997. He uses a “Nature Boy” Buddy Rodgers submission hold to wear down the knee some more. King points out he is REALLY giving Benoit Problems. But Chris Benoit to his credit throws Trips over the top but Trips takes him with him unfortunately for the Rabid Wolverine. Benout luckily buys himself some time by throwing Trips legs into the ring post and then drives him into the ring steps. What amazing selling by Benoit as he limps on that bad knee outside of the ring even while he goes hard against Triple H to try and get back in the match. What an awesome match this is, seriously the pace has been brilliant, the moves have been crisp, the story has been accurate and there has been no flaws with brilliant selling and great crowd support.

Honestly what else does this match need to be a classic?

 
The answer is nothing. Such technique the best technical wrestler in the Game. The Game showing why he might of been just as good as the Benoit’s in his prime and you can certainly make an argument for Hunter in 2000. To be fair.
 
This has had it all and at this rate I was wishing they could go on wrestling forever!
 
Benoit goes to work now yet still limping as the great seller he is, and goes to work on Hunter’s arm. A resourceful, effective move by the Crippler as he goes from a hammerlock into an arm-bar and a back-body suplex and gets a two. He then perfectly hits another suplex this time the Northern-Light Suplex and still gets a two. Benoit before stomping on Hunter shakes off his abuse earlier on, WOW, just wow. Little details like that just are so subtle the casual fan but the Smarks truly appreeciate it.

I love Benoit, I REALLY don’t think there’s ever been a better seller.
EVER. As I usually write in my reviews, only Bret Hart’s selling I’ve ever seen come to close to Benoit. And I consider those two the greatest of all time inside a ring. Guys like Austin, Liger, Misawa, Flair, Michaels, Steamboat, Savage and even Hunter come after.
 

Trips on the outside gets back in control as he sends Benoit’s bad knee into the steps but he doesen’t get as Benoit goes towards the announce table and drops Trips bad arm on the table, he gets back in the ring hits Trips with a third suplex and only scores a two. He tries to hyper-extend the elbow of the Game (the bad shoulder) as he continued to weaken the arm before his finishing Crippler Crossface could be locked in.

Once again, strategic brilliance here as far as wrestling goes. Jim Ross points out that Trips has to find a way to get out of Benoit’s arm-holds and go back go back to focusing on Benoit’s bad knee! ONCE AGAIN after a hammerlock to the bad arm he hits a huge suplex to the Triple H AGAIN! He goes to the top rope and hits a flying headbutt perfectly to the ARM (the bad arm of Triple H)
 

UNBELIEVABLE PSYCHOLOGY in this match!

Inside cradle by Benoit but only ges a two count. Trips does get a Slam in somewhere with a suplex of his own on Benoit as he STILL despite being in control for the majority of the bout, STILL manages to sell his bad knee. Triple H’s powerful suplex made Benoit land on his face backwards, a truly sick spot! A slug-fest breaks out and then Trips hits him with the high Harley Race like knee and then a neckbraker to Chris Benoit and 2 count as Trips gets back in control of the match.

A big time right hand bu the Game and then he sets up Benoit in the corner and climbs to the top rope in attempt to suplexplex him from the very top and he hits it beautifully and that would no doubt hurt the neck of Benoit which was already hurt.
 
I’m sorry but this match is blowing me away! Can’t stress that enough, every little thing made so much sense, it’s like the two shared the same brain an it was portrayed so perfectly it was almost better then art, it’s like a full throttle shot of dopamine being shot into the brain of a Wrestling Junkie. Any fanatic, word’s don’t do it justice.
 
Un-real in every sense here. Benoit goes for a clothesline and ducks did HHH who then went for a pedigree but Benoit countered with a Belly to belly suplex. He then went for a couple of German’s in a row and he got one as Trips’s shoulder was on the mat but his leg on the rope so no more counting, Benoit then pinned Trips again but he BARELY kicked out.
 
WHAT A WAR!
How are both guys still going at this pace like this and wrestling so brillantly in every way from a psychological standpoint among other things?
 
Benoit gets Trips in the Crossface! Benoit has his feared finishing move locked in for a LOOOONG time and Trips shows no signs of giving up despite him being in the move for a long periods of time. Triple H eventually powers out of it and gets a Samoan drop surprisingly due to his bad arm but even he sells it after he hits the power move.
 
SMH (Stephanie) runs down to the ring and slaps Benoit in the face but Triple H goes for the pedigree after Steph’s slap, but Benoit counters it into a crossface attempted and he pounds away on the back neck area on HHH but as Steph distracted the ref from the action Trips hit the low blow to Benoit.
 
After that in the end The Game Triple H pinned Benoit after a low blow and a Pedigree at 18:43 to end this hell of an encounter.
 
Trips is the best of 2000 by a long shot and he showed another reason why in his tremendous year in this somewhat forgotten classic with the best wrestler of all time in my books. (Technical ability and in ring work anyway) This was just another great example of that.
 
Absolutely breathtaking and this was about a hundred times better then I remembered. Triple H was so awesome and Benoit’s selling was a thing of beauty.

This was really THAT unbelievable, almost as good as Triple H’s match with Jericho at Fully Loaded and I’m serious. (Have that at 5 full stars)
 
Everything a tremendous wrestling match should be.
 

 

This match is in my top 50 and is simply way too good not to share if you don’t own it.

 

Enjoy!

 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DvWrKe72lGw

 

 

 

 
**** 3/4
  
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
8 ) Main Event- Kurt Angle (W/Business Executive: Stephanie McMahon Helmsley) vs The Rock (c) in a No Disqualification match for the WWF Championship
 
 
This WAS the match I had hoped for on The Rock’s DVD as I already owned No Way Out 2001’s WWF title match, but now I own Rock vs Angle on this tape as well so it’s all good! Earlier in the night Angle showed a clipped and editted promo where he “interviews” The Rock and it’s clipped and it’s SO funny like everything Angle did in 2000. This was his first big shot on PPV and while it was speculated he could have ended The Rock’s long great reign in the peak of his popularity, it wasn’t a for sure thing so when he lost it was a major shock! Angle obvioussly hilarious and liked by pretty much everybody on the IWC and the millions of fans in this era for his comedy, promo ability and the guy was an Olympic Gold Medalist who was goofy, annoying and hilarious. He could wrestle as well! Very deserving of this title shot, he comes out first and The Champion comes out next. Rock had one great run from KOTR 2000 in June of 2000 to this No Mercy PPV in October.

The NO DQ match begins with some brawling in the ring then Angle hit a chair to The Rock after a minute of brawling outside the ring in front of the announce booth. Stephanie hated Rock and Jericho during this time (more-so Rock in this period though) so of course was in his face a lot during this one while the crowd was behind The Rock appropriately so considering he was the People’s Champion. Rock hit some fast moves and while Angle walked to the back The Rock ran after him and met him with a clothesline followed by throwing his head into the monitors by the entrance way in the tech area. This IS A NO DQ match, if you didn’t know it then you’d surely know it now as he slammed Angle into the stage not once but twice! Excellent spots. Angle down still and Rock in control keeps dragging Angle by the head and now near the entrance way hit him into the gaurd rail. Angle in pains till managed to throw The Rock into a set of TV equipment in front of the stage to even the score and now the two slug it out but are both hurt from the bumps they’ve already endured in this NO DQ match for the title.

The Rock hillariously puts a cutout cardboard picture of him in front of Angle’s face and then hits a right hand.

FINALLY Angle throws Rock back in the ring and King points they don’t even have to be because it’s No DQ as we all now. Angle stomps away on The Great one in the corner and chokes out Rock with his boot on the bottom rope and while Angle destracts The Rock, Stephanie being the bitch she is choked Rocky out. They showed Trips resting his shoulder after his war with Chris Benoit watching this WAR now with Angle and The Rock backstage as he takes a big interest as his wife is involved and he wants to be a top contender with that big win over Benoit. Rock hits Angle’s knee with a steel chair as he becomes ruthless, it’s always strange seeing Rock as a crazy hardcore bastard as a babyface. Not so much when he was the cocky piece of sh*t heel in the Nation or Corporate Team but as the people’s champion it looks almost out of place. The Ref was down as Rock had a sharpshooter on Angle screamed at Rock. Fans chanted slut and when Rocky turned around Angle with a belly to belly suplex.

He then goes out of the ring and rops an elbow to Rock’s sternum as he wa hanging over the apron. Both back inside the ring Angle scores a solid right hand and poses to to the state of New York’s capital in Albany, but 14,000 plus boo him. Rocky tried to hit a flying clothesline off the rope but Angle ducked then hit another one of his own but only gets a 2 count. Very good match thus far. Angle then with a chokehold on Rock as this is the first time the pace has slowed a little bit in this entertaining WWF title match as Steph screams “COME ON KURT!” on the outside of the ring.
 
Rock eventually after a couple of minutes as the two CLEARLY needed a breather at the rate they were going.

(HEY, Benoit and Trips never took one.)
Although I guess this is NO DQ and the two have ran around more then they did. Also Rock is a great athlete but Trips and Benoit might be in a bet better condition then those although all four guys most definitely can handle a heavy load in the ring.

The Rock sends Angle over the top rope and now relentlessly slams Angle’s head onto the top of the announce booth. Heel like fashion takes a sip of the water bottle and spits it in Angle’s face. Doesen’t take the Olympic Gold Medalist very long to retaliate by throwing Rocky into the ring post. He’s back in the ring now thanks to Angle and Kurt then grabs the WWF title handed to him by SMH and Rock turns around slowly as Angle sets up to him him with he gold but Rock sets up for The Bottom but Angle fiths out and hits him with a shot to the face and Rock kicks out and the crowd goes craxy, This is looking like the climax here to what has already been a very entertaining NO DQ match. Angle on top of the rope gets caught there as Rock hits him with some rights and left.

Angle gets suplexed from the top rope by the Rock but he’s gassed and has no power to cover him just yet and when he does it’s obviously a 2 count. Steph wont shut up outside the ring screaming “Lets go Kurt, Lets go Kurt!”
 
Angle with a back body suplex almost as good as Benoit and then goes for a moonsault and he of course misses it as everyone did after he broke Holly’s arm on Smackdown.

That’s the rule with Angle, he can do that move but always HAS to miss it. Still funny to see though. Angle and Rock both make it to there feet and another slug fest breaks out which the champion out does the challenger and the fans get behind The Rock as he comes off with a big DDT to Angle but he kicks a a long 2 count. Rock with an belly to belly throw then a spine buster slam! Sets up for the People’s elbow but Steph comes in as the match is NO DQ. Rock grabs Steph and hits a Rock Bottom on here like he did at Wrestlemania 2000 and a Raw episode in the Summer of 2000, so this is the third time, it was great but not as special as the first two. He then throws the elbow pad and goes for a people’s elbow on Steph but Angle interefered. Looks to me like The Rock got carried away with Steph he took his eye of of the match. Trips came out and Attacked Angle (REMEMBER it’s NO DQ) and threw him out as the fans cheer. Trips who is a tweener pedigree’s his major rival The Rock. Trips carried Steph to the back out of harms way while Rock is down on the canvas due to the pedigree by Triple H.

Angle comes in and goes for the pin and can he do the impossible? 1…..2….ROCK KICKED OUT! Awesome stuff here in the matches climax as the fans are electrified to say the least. Excellent title match we got here.
 
Angle sends Rock to the ropes and Rock hits yet another DDT to the great one but Angle kicked out and King says it’s the heart of an olympic champion. Rock throws Angle outside of the ring into the barricade and table and then back in the ring, but Angle is tired so he goes back out of the ring and Rock throws him in YET AGAIN.
 
Angle escapes for the third time in a row which is absolutely hilarious as Rock slams his head into the table, then BACK in the ring for the 3rd time and now he will stay.
 
Angle and Rikishi battle in the entrance way as Rikishi is all stitched up from earlier in the night, weird to see heel vs heel there. So it’s worth noting that in the match, Rikishi interfered on Rock’s behalf but accidentally nailed him with a kick to stick to his HEEL tendancies I guess, that whole decision was confusing in a ton of ways, don’t get me started on the whole HHH-Austin thing er No Way Out 2001 was the best thing they ever did together.

Anyway before Rikishi’s kick to Rock, The Rock hit a Rock bottom and many thought that would of perhap been the end of the match but Angle kicked out.

In the official end Kurt Angle beat The Rock to win his first ever WWF Championship 21:01 when Angle pinned Rock after an Angle Slam after Olympic Slamming Rikishi!

He celebrates and holds the belt up high on his knees similar to what Eddie would do a few years later at No Way Out 2004. Angle was indeed was crying as well, it was a pretty cool moment and while some of the fans were shocked, booed, some even cheered as Kurt was a fast rising star just like others like Taker, Rock, Lesnar for example caught on fast.
 
Rikishi cost The Rock the title which set up the forgettable feud and match between Rock and Rikishi at Survivor Series 2000.
 
Amazing last two matches on this night!
 

 

 

 

 

****
 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
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Final Rating for WWF No Mercy 2000 = 8/10
 

 

A PPV in the Attitude Era, more specifically in the year 2000 should automatically gaurantee some success and this one delivers, IN AREAS.

You see this one didn’t hold up as well as The Rumble, No Way Out, Backlash, Fully Loaded, Summerslam, Unforgiven, etc but it was better then Armageddon, Survivor Series, Wrestlemania, King of the Ring and was probably on par with Judgment Day. This is a very good show that had some fun tables and cage matches early on, some decent matches in-between and a couple of dissapointing ones. However the main thing to consider here in the 8 official matches although there being 9 on the card is that the PPV closed with two brilliant Main Attraction matches and that puts the show over the edge, if only a little bit! I encourage everyone to get this show if you can find it. It’s a PPV in 2000! You also likely wont see Benoit vs HHH ever again on a DVD incase you download it somewhere or get this event due to obvious reasons…Pick it up.