Review: WWF/WWE Wrestlemania 2000 DVD

Brett Mix’s- WWF Wrestlemania 2000 Review:

 

“Fairytales can come true, but they won`t! Not for you, but for me…Mick Foley headlining Wrestlemania…bang bang!” -Mick Foley

 

-WWF Wrestlemania 2000 took place on Sunday April 2nd, 2000 at the Arrowhead Pond in Anaheim, California in front of 19,776 fans.

 

-This was the 16th Annual WWF Wrestlemania event.

-This WrestleMania has the distinction of the only WrestleMania not to feature at least one standard one on one wrestling match.

-Jim Ross and Jerry Lawler did commentary.

-Before the show, Lilian Garcia sang a rendition of “The Star-Spangled Banner”.

-Triple H’s win was the first time a fan favourite was not Heavyweight Champion by the end of a Mania.

-This was the second year in a row HARDCORE Holly won the Hardcore title.

-The nine men who competed in matches for the Intercontinental, European and World Tag Team Championships at WrestleMania 2000 – Kurt Angle, Chris Benoit, Chris Jericho, Edge, Christian, the Dudleys and the Hardy Boyz – were all making their in-ring WrestleMania debuts.

-Now onto the PPV……………

 

 

 

 

 

1) Opening Contest- The Big Boss Man and Bull Buchanan vs The Godfather and D’Lo Brown (with Ice-T and The Godfather’s ho’s)

The Big Boss Man made his sixth Mania appearance here. It would also be his last.

Dull Buchanan makes his first and last. (Spelling error by all means on purpose)

Apparently Pimpin ain’t easy man, that is what Ice-T would tell us about 200 times anyway, during D-Lo and Godfather’s entrance.

Bull Buchanan and D-Lo Brown to begin as they circle around one another. Yes, Wrestling is still apart of the show.

Right hands by D-Lo land there mark, he ducks Bull and then off the ropes delivered Buchanan a heel kick. Godfather ran in and knocked a coming in Bossman.

D-Lo catches Godfather with a tag and told him he sucked. Godfather slams him to the mat, nice team work as D-Lo dropped the leg. A reverse elbow from Godfather to Bull and he misses hitting the mat. The Big Boss Man tagged in and he roughs up Godfather some until he is reversed to the corner and Godfather is in control while the crowd chants Bossman sucks.

A high heel kick from Godfather lands its mark on The Big Boss Man. Of course this is all after “We Want Puppies” chants.

The Big Boss Man battles on D-Lo now who tags in, and back in comes Bull Buchanan who gets his head slammed to the top turnbuckle by D-Lo who then goes up and lands shots in the corner with the crowd cheering behind him. D-Lo knowns The Big Boss Man off where he was and Bull turns the match in his favor with a high clothesline. Bull with a slam, back up is D-Lo who lands some rights but is dropped with a droptoe hold from Bull.

Bull and Bossman both double slide out of the ring and catch a hung D-Lo on the middle rope with a slap to the face, nice double team work.

Back in is The Big Boss Man to isolate D-Lo Brown the smaller of the two which is a sound strategic strategy. Bull gets a boot to D-Lo and then a nearfall. Bull irishwhipped D-Lo hard to the corner and then dropped him on the big boot of The Big Boss Man. Bossman and Bull drop D-Lo with a double reverse elbow shot off the ropes.

Godfather wanted in the ring in a bad way, Bull kept D-Lo in their own corner isolating him a little more. Buchanan with a standing bearhug on D-Lo Brown. D-Lo Brown gets help from the crowd to get out of the hold, dropping forearms and off the ropes he runs right back into a reverse elbow by Bull. One of the biggest tag team cliche’s you’ll see when a guy gets out of a submission only to run right back into that dreaded elbow.

The Big Boss Man has the crowd all over him and he goes to work on D-Lo who flies for a crossbody on Bossman but he stops it and Bossman hits a backbreaker on D-Lo in mid-air which got him a two count. The Big Boss Man tags in Buchanan who drops a double axehandle from the top. Buchanan then another backbreaker to D-Lo Brown. A big disection of one man here from Bossman and Bull.

Godfather who hadn’t been tagged in quite some time shook the ropes dropping Bull up top as he now lost his balance. This allowed D-Lo to capitalize with a desperate move and he caught Bull up high and slammed him to the mat. Godfather in with a hottag, a back bodydrop to Bull and an elbow to The Big Boss Man. Godfather gaining serious momentum dodged a Bossman charge and now he signalled for the Ho Train and hit it. Godfather tags in D-Lo and Brown slaps Buchanan off the apron. D-Lo dropkicks Bossman but off the ropes this time Bossman hit the sidewalk slam.

Buchanan then added to the punishment dropping a leg from up top which would do it.

After the match Bossman and Bull chased the Ho’s.

In the end at 9:05 Bull and Bossman were declared the winners.

This match was your pretty basic, standard tag match with the Heels isolating D-Lo and the Godfather here and there, the climax was close but then they ended up picking up the win.

Some nice material here and there, it worked as an opener, I think the Ho’s helped the casual fan (and lord knows there was a ton back then) in this era get into the show quickly.

 

**

 

 

 

2) Crash Holly (c) vs Hardcore Holly vs Tazz vs Viscera vs Joey Abs vs Rodney vs Pete Gas vs Taka Michinoku vs Funaki vs Headbanger Thrasher vs Headbanger Mosh vs Farooq vs Bradshaw in a 15 Minute Hardcore Invitational for the WWF Hardcore Championship

This was innovative and implemented the 24/7 Hardcore rule which was entertaining, for awhile.

Here he had everyone gunning for him at the big show, the belt could switch as many times as it needed to, as long as a ref was present, but the person who was champion at the end of the 15 minutes would then be declared Champion.

Those were the rules, simple enough.

Tazz is out first, this is going to be a lot of hardcore mayhem, with some fun here and there. Popcorn fun they call it.

Big Vis then comes to the ring. The Mean Street Posse come to the ring for the Mania wrestling debut, not just sitting there as fans like during the Shane match the previous year. Hardcore Holly’s music hits and he joins the group, he is a former champion and a favourite for this match.

Kai En Tai now come out, as does the Headbangers. (Wow I thought they were gone by this point in time, guess not)..

Bradshaw and Farooq, the hard-hitting APA come out to a sound pop from California. The defending Champion coming in, Crash Holly gets a nice pop as he carries a scale to the ring with him.

24/7 Rule in effect.

In order for Hardcore to remain fresh during this paticular era, they really needed something like this with the 24/7 rules and characters in the match to keep things going.

Tazz immeidately put away Crash Holly and now he was temporarily the Hardcore Champion. A ton of brawling around this took place outside the ring, only Tazz took advantage of it right away. Now Big Vis took advantage of the situation in another big way slamming Tazz to the floor and we have a new Hardcore champion yet again.

Mayhem still spilling out all over ringside, everyone brawling with weapons galore and now Big Vis held the title just a few minutes into the fifteen minute match. Crash busts his cousin open. Bradshaw goes trashcan friendly and drops it on a Posse Member and then some more. Crash is scooped up by Vis and he drops him on the floor.

Bradshaw drops anyone he can see with a fying pan and this gets a warm response from the blood thirtsy fans in attendance. Tazz meets him with one and then Hardcore Holly drops Vis to the floor with a pan shot to the head, he gets a two and is upset about it. Mosh tries to pin him but Vis threw him off. Thrasher drops Crash behind the action, meanwhile Mosh continued to work on Vis. Taka came with a weapon, Funaki hit Vis who had Taka in the back with a trashcan lid.

Ten minutes remaining, five in.

Big Vis is the reigning hardcore Champion, a pretty entertaining pace and the crowd love it when they show a closeup of a Posse Member who was busted open. Tazz gets hit in the head by Hardcore Holly with a piece of metal. Tazz and Holly slug back and forth. Vis drops the Headbangers on both sides of the ring and then more before posing with a pan in hand to a chorus of boo’s.

Bradshaw and Farooq who were over in a big way by this point in time both took Vis off the top and he splashed in the ring. Farooq with a 2X4 hits on Vis until Bradshaw hits a shoulder breaker from the top. They cover the Champion Vis but so does Kai En Tai!

Swerve, Funaki is now hardcore champion. He runs to the back and everybody chase him as the Posse rough up Kai En Tai. Rodney of the Posse wins the title, Joey Abs beats on him and now he is Champion. Thrasher pins him and now is champion, he gets a number of shots from anyone around since he is Champion. Pete covers Thrasher after a shot with the Fire Extinguisher to complete the triology of Posse members winning the title. Pete was full of blood so this meant something to him.

Tazz drops Pete with a belly to belly suplex on the floor, Tazz wins back the title and the crowd cheer. Mosh couldn`t realize his dream on Tazz.

Crash is now busted open. Action remaining everywhere and often. Inside the ring the defending hardcore Champion Tazz was joined by the Holly cousins. Two minute warning.

Hardcore Holly with a powerslam on Tazz but Crash breaks it up. Hardcore Holly with a dropkick to Tazz but he kicks out with a minute left. Tazz lands a nice suplex on Hardcore Holly. Crash with a shot to the head of Tazz and then Crash gets the three.

Hardcore Holly fuming on the outside. Tazz slapped on the Tazzmission on Crash and as he wont go out, Hardcore Holly comes in the ring with a candy jar, smashed it over the head of Crash and then Holly covered Crash.

Right at the buzzer Hardcore Holly got the three, while some felt he didnt at the fifteen minute mark. Hardcore Holly is declared the winner.

In the end at 15:00 Hardcore Holly became the new Hardcore Champion after pinning his cousin Crash in the center of the ring after knocking them down with the candy jar.

This match was just senseless fun. Nothing deep, just an enjoyable ride, was quite lengthy for this type of match but still fun.

The best part of all this, was of course when Bob Hardcore Holly told off Micheal Cole, which only some can remember.

 

 

** 1/4

 

 

 

3) T & A (Test and Albert) (with Trish Stratus) vs Head Cheese (Al Snow and Steve Blackman) (with Chester McCheeserton)

Trish Stratus’s first ever PPV in the WWF let alone an event like Wrestlemania.

Who wasn’t happy to see her outside of maybe Elton John?

Al Snow and the Lethal Weapon Steve Blackman came to the ring, they were complete opposities but this was the WWF in the year 2000, and EVERYBODY seemed to be a tag wrestler.

Chester McCheeserton was introduced by the eccentric Al Snow. A midget as a human block of Cheese ran out and everyone got images of the Gooker once more.

Basic tag match here.

Test and Albert up against Head Cheese. Blackman and Snow were all about there gimmick, T and A was all about Trish. Evens itself out.

But the action is in the ring. Test and Blackman begin the match and Steve Blackman kicks at Test and Jim Ross`s headset has some difficulties. Lawler does his best to improvise.

Faster action goes on inside the ring as Test clotheslines Snow. Test sends Albert hard into Al in the corner and then Test sends Snow into the boot of Albert. Al fights back on Albert in the corner and Snow drops him with a clothesline, and then a spinning heel kick taking down the bigger Albert. Snow almost at a three but Test interupts the count. Al holds Albert while Steve Blackman tags in and then kicks at Albert`s mid-section.

Steve Blackman scores a shoulderblock on Albert with additional leverage from the ropes. Albert though runs over Steve Blackman this time hitting a shoulderblock and down goes Blackman. Albert charged to Steve Blackman and he took down the leg of Albert. Al Snow comes in and then Test drops Snow. Al Snow drops Test to the outside, Steve Blackman holds Al up and he drops on Albert.

This match is a bit everywhere right now. Doubleteam work by Head cheese. Al Snow drops Albert with a vertical suplex met with some additional kicks. Steve Blackman back in having isolated Albert and he drops from the corner with a Headbutt.

Crowd is absolutely dead for this match. Blackman kicks at Albert`s back. The late Test runs in and clears house, nailing Snow with a sidewalk slam. T and A scoop up Snow and drop him with a double powerbomb. Test covers and Steve Blackman breaks the count before dropkicking Albert to the outside. Steve Blackman on Test in the ring, Al Snow with a moonsault over the ropes to the back dropping on Albert.

Ross says the match can be bowling shoe ugly.

Steve Blackman and Snow not able to win as Albert came in and broke up the count on Test after he was legdropped by Steve Blackman. Albert with some good power drops Blackman down and then sends his partner Test crashing into Blackman, Al Snow this time interupts it by dragging him to the outside. Snow and Test outside the ring. Steve Blackman slammed hard by Albert. Test catches him with an elbow drop from the top corner.

In the end at 7:05 T and A were the winners after Test covered Steve Blackman.

This match was fine with some good action here or there, however the flow wasn`t there, not put together in the best way at all. Pretty sloppy but no where near bad.

Another Heel goes over which was questionable, to say the least with it now being three in a row at the biggest show of the year.

 

**

 

 

4) Dudley Boyz (c) vs Hardy Boyz vs Edge and Christian in a Triangle Ladder Match for the World Tag Team Championship

Matches like this only happened because of how successful the No Mercy 99 Ladder match was, proving more that it was an all time classic.

This one went even further in certain areas which made it excellent as well, and saved a rather lackluster Mania card where there was nothing but heel victories, and tag matches with a thong stinkface match in the middle.

All this during one of the hottest periods for Wrestling ever, at there biggest show of the year. Go figure.

Jim Ross set the bar pretty high at the beginning of the match, saying we’d see perhaps more high risk then ever before. Usually when they do things like that, it’ll backfire in the company’s face, but this was a paticular exception.

This match was voted the “Scariest match of the year” by Wrestling Weekly.

Jeff Hardy went under all three Ladders set up in the entrace way, obviously not supersticious.

Matt Hardy and Christian began in the ring while everyone brawled outside the ring, Christian got the better of that exchange. Edge went to work on D-Von Dudley. Action everywhere in this match that it’s hard t concentrate on any two men at once.

Bubba slammed everyone and then asked who the man was? Christian pulled down Matt Hardy who climbed the ladder. Edge and Christian cornered D-Von Dudley and he began to fight back. Edge set up a Ladder in the corner and Matt threw one to the face of Bubba Ray. Jeff then leaped off Matt driving into the face of Bubba Ray.

The Ladder was used as a weapon by everybody. Matt slammed D-Von spine first on the ladder, Jeff layed on top of D-Von Dudley to keep him there and Matt flew off the top with an elbow to the sternum of D-Von Dudley on top of the Ladder. Jeff with a front facelock to Bubba into a DDT.

Jeff Hardy placed Bubba Ray on top of the Ladder and went to the top rope and hit a 450 splash which did not connect with anyone as Bubba moved out of the way. It was disturbing to here his legs crash with the Ladder.

Bubba Ray then jumped off the top landing back first on the Ladder, more “Holy Shit” chants from the crowd.

Edge in the corner dropped down with the Ladder driving it through Matt Hardy. D-Von Dudley scoop slammed Edge. D-Von dropped the Ladder on Edge in the corner and D-Von Dudley dropped a leg on top of Edge onto the Ladder. Bubba choked out Matt in the corner while Jim Ross praises the innovation from the match.

Bubba Ray Dudley then wore the Ladder on his shoulders and took out everyone in the match until Edge dropkicked him. Edge and Chrisitian double irishwhipped D-Von Dudley to the ropes and sent him face first into the Ladder placed in the corner of the ring.

Edge and Christian climbed the Ladder but D-Von Dudley tried to stop him until Edge threw him out of the ring. Christian from a Ladder in the ring jumped off from the Ladder with a crossbody to the outside on Bubba and Matt.

Jeff Hardy was on top of the Ladder now but Edge speared him from the top turnbuckle. Nice spot that they’d do better at Wrestlemania X7.

Matt with a huge powerbomb to Edge. D-Von Dudley scoop slammed Matt from the ladder to the canvas. D-Von Dudley climbed the Ladder but Christian tossed a Ladder at his back. Bubba Ray then set up a Ladder next to a fatigued Christian. Bubba set up yet another, three Ladders with Christian in the middle.

Bubba from the top grabbed Christian and performed a modified version of the 3D from the top of the Ladder.

The Hardyz pushed both ladders to the corner.

Jeff and Matt climbed to the top for some double offense.

Jeff and Matt both plunge from Ladder’s onto Bubba far down on the mat.

Some nice tandem offense by the Hardyz until Edge got back in the ring and threw Jeff outside the ring onto the concrete.

Christian and D-Von Dudley climbed the top of a Ladder in the corner and Edge set one right up beside them, and began to climb it. Edge and Christian then double suplexed D-Von Dudley from the top of the Ladder to the mat. Bubba Ray on the outside got rammed into the steel steps by Matt Hardy.

More “Holy Shit” chants from all the carnage in and out of the ring, in this terrific match.

Jeff and Matt moved the Ladders and then Edge and Christian began climbing the Ladders, both teams on both sides, both challenging teams. Christian and Jeff got elevated to the mat, then Edge and Matt went off with a side russian legsweep from the top.

Bubba Ray then tried to position the Ladder to the center of the ring.

Fans chanted for Tables.

All three teams began to climb the Ladders.

Matt Hardy and Christian both got elevated to the outside of the ring and they fell on the concrete over the top rope.

Wow.

I got goosebumps as I wrote this out, re-watching that. Bubba then got knocked off and off the ropes pushed both Jeff and D-Von off the Ladders and they landed groin first on the top rope.

Christian somehow got back in the ring and he met a Ladder sandwhich by the Dudleyz.

Bubba hit the 3D on Edge as D-Von Dudley set him up. Despite being a heel team, both Dudleyz were extremely over as were there moves. Or when they went for a table which got the pop of the match.

Bubba set a table by Ross and he asks what he was doing over here, while Bubba hilariously just gives him a stare.

The Dudleyz then set up a table on top of two Ladders in the middle of the ring.

Bubba and D-Von then set up a platform but Matt and Jeff stopped them from climbing and the fans booed this. Not just because the Dudeyz were over and would soon turn babyface, but because they wanted to see a table spot.

Bubba set up another table, as did D-Von Dudley beside the two Ladders with one table still platformed on top.

Outside the ring Matt hardy got rammed face first into the steel steps by Bubba Ray. Then Bubba set up tables outside the ring. Jim Ross then watched on as Bubba had Matt hardy on top of the Spanish announce table and powerbombed him through a wooden table. Just before that D-Von Dudley went for a diving headbutt from the top of the Ladder through Jeff Hardy on the table but D-Von Dudley ended up crashing head first through the table.

Jeff then flew as he ran across the barricade but Bubba sent the Ladder right into the face of Jeff in mid-air, wow. Pretty violent, to say the least.

Bubba Ray then brought a GIANT Ladder near the entrance way. Bubba went under the ring for another table and set it up right next to the Giant Ladder.

Bubba grabbed Jeff by the hair and he dragged him towards the Ladder. Christian then rung Bubba’s head with a ring bell. Jeff threw Christian into the fence by the barricade, Jim Ross calls him Matt.

Jeff rips off his shirt, and with Bubba laying on the table, Jeff climbed to the top of the Ladder.

This was the first time Jeff Hardy did an insanely high bump, and he performed a Swanton Bomb on top of Bubba Ray Dudley off the Ladder through a table. Massive “Holy Sh*t” chants.

Back in the ring now, Christian and Matt climbed both opposite ends of the Ladder. Matt and Christian climbed on the table. Edge crawled up from behind Matt and as he stood up Edge flipped Matt over off the table through another table on the canvas.

Ross screams “Edge and Christian! Edge and Christian! Edge and Christian!” as they both grab the straps standing on top of the platform.

So in the end Edge and Christian were the ones to gain the titles from the rafters at 22:29 winning the Triangle ladder match for the WWF Tag Team Championship.

This one was ultimately a pretty incredible achievment. They just kept pushing it to the limit and was a bright spot on Wrestlemania.

Every team after this match was at the very least, respected.

 

 

****

 

 

 

5) Terri Runnels (with The Fabulous Moolah) vs The Kat (with Mae Young) in a Catfight with special guest referee Val Venis

So Val Venis has Terri in hand, drops her which is perhaps the only bright spot of this match when he sees the Kat.

The match is on!

The Kat takes her down. Mae and Moolah were all over this match, a little bit more then I would of liked. Terri gives kat some slaps and now Moolash is chased by Mae! Mae grabs Terri for a moment until being dragged back by Val.

Venis gets a kiss from Mae, Kat throws Terri out of the win so she should have won but Val was distracted by Mae and her tongue.

Now Terri Runnels throws her out and Val declared Terri Runnels as the winner after he turned around and saw who was in the ring.

In the end at 2:25 Terri won the match.

Mae and Kat have had enough of this. First we get a Bronco Buster from Mae Young on Moolah. Now Kat stripped Terri Runnels to a thong.

Another Wrestlemania diva`s match, another DUD.

This match is only worthwhile if you’re going to spank the frank, if not, skip by all means…

 

 

DUD

 

 

 

 

6) Too Cool (Grand Master Sexay and Scotty 2 Hotty) and Chyna vs The Radicalz (Eddie Guerrero, Perry Saturn and Dean Malenko) in a Six-person Intergender tag team match

 

 

Back to some Wrestling now.

Technicians like Guerrero and Malenko can always bring a smile to my face, even though not many things have thus far tonight through this show.

Eddie winks at Chyna, the following night she`d dig his Latino Heat, not tonight though.

Guerrero so sure of himself taking off his clothes and then tossing them at Chyna. Hearing how Ross says Grand Master Sexay is just amusing to say the least.

Scotty 2 Hotty and Eddie lock up. Guerrero with a shoulder breaker and ducks a leapfrog from Scotty but then is monkey flipped. Scotty dropped Guerrero with a backbreaker then danced over to Chyna. Eddie begged for a tag and caught Malenko.

Chyna drops Malenko with a clothesline. Chyna and Grand Master Sexay doubleteam Malenko dropping him with a Suplex. Grand Master Sexay and Chyna begin to dance.

Grand Master Sexay still feeling it runs off the ropes and catches Malenko with an elbow shot, now a scoopslam to Malenko. Eddie tags back in and this time is elevated back to the mat by Grand Master Sexay with a back suplex. Grand Master Sexay flies high but Saturn from the apron he shoved Grand Master Sexay before he could hit the hip-hop-drop.

Saturn hits Grand Master Sexay with a dropkick. Saturn now puts on the Master`s bandanna. Malenko and Saturn drop Grand Master Sexay with a clothesline. Dean Malenko tags in Eddie Guerrero as if to say teach him a wrestling lesson.

A nice quick, snapshot vertical suplex from Eddie Guerrero to Grand Master Sexay. Grand Master Sexay lands a reverse elbow off the ropes and tagged in Scotty who comes in and is clotheslined back into the ropes by Eddie with quite the hot shot. Eddie Guerrero gaining some momentum in the tag match on Scotty 2 Hotty here. Eddie with a side suplex applied nicely. Guerrero springboards in with a moonsault over the top rope down on Scotty. Eddie being Edddie does gilarious facial expressions and asks the crowd what he thinks.

Eddie grabbed Chyna and rammed her heard into the top ring post which gave Scotty a chance to fight back. Grand Master Sexay suplexed Guerrero from the inside out and he dropped to the floor. Scotty threw Saturn to the corner and then gave him a bulldog and its time for the infamous WORM.

Scotty 2 Hotty, W-O-R-M and he hits it. A double worm. Scotty unwinds on Eddie coming back in the ring and he begged the official to let him go by actually distracting him. Malenko and Saturn begin to take apart Scotty outside the ring. Brilliant job by Eddie.

Chyna wants to know what is going on here as she thinks perhaps Eddie pulled another one past her. Eddie drops Scotty with a shot and back in comes Perry Saturn who hits a thrustkick on Scotty 2 Hotty. Saturn from up top drops an elbow into the side of Scotty and in again comes Eddie Guerrero.

Eddie from up top has Scotty down, Scotty runs into the ropes and Guerrero drops groin first to the top turnbuckle. Scotty 2 Hotty joins him up high in the corner and lands a textbook Superplex off the top. Both bodies down and Grand Master Sexay has the crowd clapping in succession getting them into the match and pulling for Scotty. Scotty makes the hot-tag just barely even though Eddie had tried to prevent it.

Chyna comes in to a loud pop and she cleans house on the Radicalz bouncing them every which way. Chyna with a back flip and splash into Saturn then more into Malenko. Chyna then lands a double lowblow on both men, Eddie comes in and drops Chyna with what was to be a powerbomb but Chyna landed and then dropped Eddie with one of her own. Chyna grabbed Eddie by the jewels for an act of revenge and then scooped him up above her showing great srength throwing him to the floor.

Chyna with a sleeper and then she drives Eddie back first to the mat, Chyna gets him!

In the end at 9:38, FINALLY a Babyface team goes over as Chyna and 2 Cool were declared the winners after Chyna scores the three count on Eddie Guerrero.

This match was a lot of fun here, nothing over the top but an enjoyable tag match.

 

 

** 3/4

 

 

 

 

7) Kurt Angle (c) (c) vs Chris Benoit vs Chris Jericho in a Two-fall Triple Threat match for the WWF Intercontinental (first fall) and European Championship’s (second fall)

To say the WWF got a lot better roster wise, in just one year would be an understatement. Look at the talent all making there Wrestlemania debut here in just this one match together.

Angle, Jericho and Benoit.

Any time you got them on the lineup it should be great.

Jericho comes out first and rips on Angle and Benoit on the mic getting the crowd fully behind him.

The Crippler comes out and he means business.

Angle follows and the match is on, first fall will be Angle`s IC title, anyone can score a pin-submission on anyone here and that person getting the first decision is the IC Champion.

 

 

 

Fall 1:

Kurt Angle attacked by Benoit on the outside as he wasted no time allowing the bell to ring. Jericho lands a chop on Angle and then a clothesline. Jericho went for Chris Benoit in the corner and Angle got back on Jericho`s case until Chris Jericho dropped him with a dropkick. Jericho goes to springboard off the side and went to dropkick Angle off the apron but Benoit throws him off his game. Benoit seeing Angle there kicks at him and this allows Chris Jericho to NOW springboard dropkick into BOTH instead of just one.

Jericho would like to thank Benoit for this.

Jericho hits a baseball slide on Benoit out of the ring and Angle drives Jericho into the steps. Back in the ring a suplex to Jericho by Angle scores him a two once Benoit breaks it up. Chris Benoit drops Kurt Angle with a clothesline. Jericho chops Benoit into the corner of the ring. Jericho buried the knees high into Angle and then hits him with a textbook picture pefect backbreaker on Angle. Jericho up high was pushed by the Crippler off the top landing face first to the outside was Chris Jericho.

Chris Benoit with a beautiful suplex to Angle and then another one after both of these suplexes scored two counts for an eager Benoit wanting the IC title from one Kurt Angle.

Jericho comes back in and takes apart Angle and Benoit. Angle reverses an irishwhip sending Jericho into the corner, but Jericho leaps up and hits a flying dropkick to Angle and the count is interupted by Benoit. Benoit coming in viciously drops a backbreaker on Jericho and Angle breaks it up before it even becomes a pinning attempt. Angle now with a gutwrench suplex to Benoit. Angle stomps on Benoit before going over to Jericho who wins a slugfest between the two.

Chris Jericho hits a running bulldog onto Angle and drives him headfirst into the mat, Angle kicks out. Chris Benoit drops chops on Jericho into the corner, vicious hard ones from the Crippler as you`d expect. Angle comes up from behind and suplexes Benoit back to the mat, Jericho again stops the count, neither of the three wanted the other two to get the first fall for the IC title.

Chris Jericho mid-ring slaps on a camel clutch to Benoit. Angle interupts this and Jericho then gets angry and hits a standing vertical suplex on Angle. Jericho kicks at both guys. Angle missed a big boot from Jericho, and then Angle hits Chris Jericho with a beautiful belly to overhead suplex by Angle. Benoit up and stops the count. Benoit got an inside cradle on Jericho falling down, Angle dropkicks Benoit off to save his strap. Angle irishwhipped by Chris Jericho and then Chris turns a suplex attempt into one of his own, until Angle counters with a frontface Chicken Wing he must of learned a bit earlier from Bob Backlund. Fans chant for Y2J as Angle tried to retain his Intercontinental title this way in the Chickenwing. Benoit with a dropkick interupts the submission, Benoit elevated Angle to the outside over the barricade and into the first floor taking the Champion temporarily out of it.

Benoit comes crashing from the top onto Jericho with a flying headbutt, Benoit is the NEW IC Champion! The crowd pops somewhat.

 

 

Fall 2:

The match continues and Angle is frustrated he just lost his IC title to Benoit having not being beaten himself by Benoit.

Angle slams Benoit to the mat and goes up high but Jericho stops him where he is standing up there. Benoit now with shots to both coming from behind. Benoit has Jericho and he falls back hurting his own spine-neck region falling back to the mat hard. Jericho did get the worst of that as well.

Angle now resourceful, adapts to his environment and spots two guys down. Kurt goes for his trusty moonsault and hits nobody as Benoit and Jericho would not want to even test that.

No nearfalls available for the Olympian. Jericho slaps the Walls on Angle now and he culd perhaps win the European title but Benoit breaks it up with a clothesline. Benoit hits a running knee on Jericho off the ropes and stomps some more on Jericho in the corner. Angle back up drops right hands on Benoit before a scoopslam. Chris Jericho hit with shots by Angle. Sent to the corner Jericho ducks a Benoit clothesline and then hits a spinning heel kick to Benoit. Jericho catches Angle in a series of powerbombs holding on twice for great strength. Jericho where he wants to be for the moment until he runs into Benoit who would of broke the count, Benoit hits a German and holded on like a pitbull, all three by Benoit as he released Chris Jericho to the mat after a hattrick of suplexes from the Crippler.

Benoit with a beautiful Northern Light Suplex to Angle but just a two count. Jericho hit Benoit with a chop but Jericho flew off the ropes knocking down the official with Benoit not in the way. Jericho runs right into the Crossface by Benoit!

Benoit would be Champion AGAIN but the official was down.

Now Jericho slaps the Walls on Benoit. Angle grabbed the European title and hit Jericho in the head with it with the official down.

Angle covers Jericho but Benoit dragged Jericho to the floor breaking the count. Benoit and Angle battle it out and King rips on Edmonton which is great. Benoit hitting another suplex to ground Angle.

Benoit goes for another headbutt which won him the IC title taking Angle out. Jericho springboards in hitting a moonsault on Benoit, and he got him!

In the end at 13:35 Jericho won the European title off of Angle after he pinned Benoit.

Angle is in shock as he was not in either decision but he lost both title belts.

Why the IC title was decided first here, I have no idea.

Either way this match here was pretty good for sure, given who was involved that was a no-brainer.

This match had some nice spots, but delivered nothing much else in a deep way which is something you would of loved to see from these guys. Still a very fun mix of spots.

 

 

** 3/4

 

 

8) Rikishi and Kane (with Paul Bearer) vs D-Generation X (X-Pac and Road Dogg) (with Tori)

Pete Rose got his third consecutive Kane beatdown here and thankfully his last during the match.

Bell rings and X-Pac goes after Tori who was grabbed by Kane. Inside the rign Rikishi looks to back it up in the face of Road Dogg. He does.

Rikishi then signalled for the Stinkface on Tori getting her in a corner of the ring all to himself. X-Pac saved her as the crowd boo. DX look to leave.

Kane with a shot to his former tag partner from moons ago in X-Pac bringing DX back to the ring. Road Dogg dropped by Rikishi. Rikishi then catches a spinning heelkick from X-Pac. X-Pac with a high shot on Riksihi in the corner. X-Pac dropped a Bronco Buster on Rikishi but X-Pac heat was now out and in full motion here and now by this time.

A tag to Road Dogg who stings Kish with some jabs, and then a flying forearm off the ropes to Rikishi drops him. A kneedrop off the corner allows Rikishi to kick out. X-Pac back in lands high kicks and chops but then Rikishi drops him with a Samoan drop. Kane tagged in delivered shots to both Road Dogg and X-Pac with a big boot. X-Pac then hit a back bodydrop from Kane. Kane irishwhipped Pac back first to the corner of the ring slamming himself back first. Rikishi goes to back it up on X-Pac now. Rikishi caught Road Dogg with a thrustkick as Tori pulled X-Pac ot of harms way. Kane chokes Tori who runs in and now Kane pushed her to the corner. Rikishi now goes for the Stinkface on Tori and he gets her.

Kane sets up X-Pac for a tombstone and he gets it.

In the end at 4:16 Rikishi and Kane won the match after Kane hit the tombstone on X-Pac and got the three, after Rikishi gave Tori a Stinkface.

Very basic and not very fun.

 

 

* 1/4

 

 

 

9) Main Event- Triple H (c) (with Stephanie McMahon) vs The Rock (with Vince McMahon) vs Mick Foley (with Linda McMahon) vs The Big Show (with Shane McMahon) in a Fatal Four-Way Elimination match for the World Wrestling Federation Championship

I don’t think there’s any doubt who most people would say the year 2000 belonged to.

However almost everybody thought The Rock was winning here, and if not him then Mick Foley with an outside chance.

People were in for a good shock.

If you were pinned or eliminated, you are gone.

The Rock gave us a good promo that made you truely believe he was going to be the man tonight.

This one was going to be good and the Main Event of Wrestlemania feel would be there due to the biggest stars of a popular era fighting it out, all at once.

Big time feeling once the bell rings and the crowd are brought to their feet.

The Big Show and Rock pair off as does Mick Foley and the Game who break out in a cross-ring slugfest. Foley lands hard shots at the Game, Foley living his drem delivered a running knee to the face of Triple H and then did his BANG BANG as the crowd react.

Big Show runs at HHH and Foley and drops both with a double clothesline after having choked out Rocky in the corner. Show drops Foley and Hunter with additional scoopslams. Show picked up Rocky now showing the power he had and he drops Rock down to the mat. Show then with a Gorilla Press on Hunter, Show meausuring Foley before slapping on a headbutt. Show choked out Rock in the corner of the ring. Foley grabbed ahold of Show and falling back Show drove the air out of Foley.

Rock starts to fight back on Big Show but off the ropes he is caught and Show drops Rock with a sidewalk slam. Show catched HHH from the corner by the throat and as we was about to drop Triple H with a chokeslam Foley kicked him in the groin. Foley now with a taped fist delivers punshment to Show, all three men focusing on the biggest man who had dominated in the early stages.

Foley hits a clothesline, Show stands, Rock tries and Show drops. Shane looks worried oun the outside. All three guys stomp on Big Show until HHH breaks up the unity and levelled Foley. Foley runs at Hunter and clotheslines him over the top to the floor. Show with a chair in hand drove it deep into the abdomen of the Game. Rock turns around as Show has him where he wanted for a moment, that was until Mick hits Show with a chair and he is sent into The Rock.

The Rock hits a Rock Bottom to The Big Show!

So now at 4:50 The Big Show was Pinned after a Chair shot to the back by Foley and a Rock Bottom by The Rock to a loud roar. One down.

Three men left. Show had dominated the early stage of the match until all three men turned around on him.

Now it should get interesting with the three legit guys the majority of people thought COULD win here.

Vince waves at his son as Show does the long walk to the back.

Foley and Hunter and Rock all stand in the ring togethr. Unity was questioned between everybody with three people left. Hunter said to Foley they shold take apart The Rock. Foley then said NO and bring it. Hunter then goes for Rock to take apart Foley. Rock listens to HHH as if he was going to but instead he dropped Hunter and the place explodes. Good stuff.

Mick Foley and The Rock beating down Triple H. Both men give the other a turn to strike him hard to the mat with a big shot. Triple H in a bad way against two guys here so it made the chances of Helmsley retaining look very slim.

A double clothesline to the outside floor and now we got all three men brawling outside the ring. Rock stomps on Hunter and delivers a big righthand. Foley has the face raked and Hunter reverse irishwhipped by Foley into a big charging clothesline by The Rock. Mick threw Rock a ringbell to hit Hunter with outside the ring. Rock goes to hit Hunter and as HHH ducked, he hit Mick.

Mick struck with the ring bell and now Foley had to question what he needed to do to win now. Can he keep being a friend or could hazzards like this happen. Foley knew he had to leave it to himself when he gets back into the action.

As for now Rock and HHH go at it some more, until Foley brings the barbedwire into the ring. Triple H knew it so well from months previous and he ducks Foley hitting him with a lowblow in the corner. HHH with the bat strikes Foley in the abdomen. Rock fought back on Triple H coming back inside the ring. Rock irishwhipped to the ropes and Hunter sent him flying over the top rope to the floor.

Mick Foley lands a doublearmed ddt to Triple H and now grabs the Sock to a huge pop! Mick Foley going for his dream here attempts to slap the Sock on Triple H who is slowly up and does so. HHH caught in a bad way by Foley, Hunter turns around only to find The Rock knocking him down. Rock was about to hit a Peoples Elbow on Triple H but Foley blocked it to some boos as he put the Sock on the Rock. A lowblow from the game and all three men are down.

Lawler suggests McMahon could not be taking a chair over to his Wife Linda. Just wait another year Jerry.

Foley drops Triple H and then Rock, only a matter of one second between him and one step closer to his dream. Foley irishwhipped by Rock to the corner, Foley ducks a swing from Rocky and now drops him with a double armed DDT.

It is great to see the crowd so behind Mick Foley despite them touching the golden boy of the company at the time. (The Rock)

It is called RESPECT.

Rock lays the smack down on Foley some more dropping him with his own DDT but Hunter interupted the count. Triple H knew he was the one that wanted to end Foley and his career. Hunter knocks down The Rock.

Now it was time for Hunter and Foley to properly go one on one here.

A square down between Helmsley and Foley in the center of what there red hot feud was boiling down to. The final chapter. They wanted to take out Rock first. Foley hits a high knee which is not the popular decision with the crowd obviously. Hunter drops a knee on Rocky and got a two out of it.

Foley drops Rock with a forearm to the outside of the ring. Carnage everywhere. Outside the ring Hunter drives Rock face first into the announce table once again. Mick has Rock set up on an announce table, Foley leaps off the top attempting to drive him in with a double axehandle. Table does not snap. Hunter then drives his leg onto Rock through the table and it finally gives in as some sarcastic applauds are heard.

Foley might of took himself out of the match crushing hi sternum from crashing down hard into the table.

Triple H hits Mick Foley with a Pedigree and Foley kicks out to a big pop.

Hunter just would not believe this, grabbed a Chair in hand and smacked Mick straight in the head with a big chairshot from the Game. Hunter now sets up Mick Foley for a second Pedigree, this time on the chair and he hits it.

Foley was then “retired” at 19:40 when Hunter Pinned him after a Pedigree and another Pedigree onto steel chair. The crowd is shocked and they boo, the boos soon turn into cheers for the career of one Hardcore Legend, Mick Foley.

Foley gets a loud ovation for a great career, but he’s not done quite yet.

Mick Foley drops The Game with one last shot before leaving.

Now Rock has his chance as he covered the Game but Hunter kicks out.

The Rock and Triple H were left as the final two, just as one might assume they would before the match.

One of these two men would leave the Champion.

Back to his feet is Hunter, and Rock drops him back down with series of slow righthands due to Rocky being fatigued. Rock with a thunderous clothesline to Hunter over the top rope to the floor. Rock drags Hunter near the staging area to brawl just like he did the year before with Austin.

Rock suplexed Hunter on the concrete. The Rock sent Hunter face first into the steel and then he clotheslines him inside out charging in. The Great One drags Hunter now back into the fans and nearing ringside but through the crowd who get a great view of the two superstars fighting it out for the title at Mania. Hunter is backdropped by Rocky over the barricade landing rough on the floor with a mat overtop of it.

Triple H sent headfirst into the table of the timekeeper. Rock with Steel Steps in hand gets then hit with a Steel Chair by Triple H into the Steps, into Rocky. Triple H with some great retaliation moves on top of The Rock.

The Rock then in position for perhaps a Pedigree or Piledriver onto the Steel Steps, Hunter elects to drop Rock on his head on the steel steps, Rock is going to be out now!

Triple H sends a dazed Rock back inside the ring. That was a good piledriver spot as it seemed like The Rock could not go after something like that. It made the place pop loud when Rock kicked out after the first pinfall attempt from Hunter back inside the ring. Triple H drops a shot on Rock, he drops some back as well. Rock reversed to the ropes has Helmsley in position for a Rock Bottom.

Triple H countered it into a Pedigree, but The Rock stops that as he backdrops him over the top rope out to the floor to a loud ovation. Rock buys himself a moment here to rest after the Piledriver on the steps. Rock followed The Game outside the ring and hit a clothesline on him dropping him over the barricade.

Rock and Hunter brawl more into the crowd, it was STILL the Attitude Era afterall.

Hunter hilariously rips a fans hat off who was screaming things at ringside. Hunter with another shot to the head of Rock before he is sent to the side and Rock spinebustered him hard onto the floor. The Rock takes the monitors off the announce table and he suplexes Triple H onto the table and they crash through it. What carnage screams Ross!

The action between the McMahon Sons break out as Shane returns ramming Vince into the monitor. This was of course supposed to throw us off and then give Hunter and Rocky time to gr-group.

Some Austin chants are head as Shane O Mac knocks the Vin man down with a tv monitor shot to the head. Crowd thought perhaps Steve would of made a comeback here at Mania.

Vince is up and not to pleased with Shane as he drops him with a few shots. Shane runs to the back but Vince drops him some more.

Finally with action back in the ring Rock gets a long two count on Trips. Off the ropes Triple H hit a facebuster on Rock sending him to the corner. Hunter with a barbedwire bat went for a shot on Rock and dropped him. Triple H goes for a Pedigree and is catapolted up by Rock as HH flies into Shane with a chair in the corner.

Rock then hit a Rock Bottom on Triple H. Vince comes back and chases Shane who had a chair out of the ring. McMahon picks up a chair and goes to hit Triple H perhaps, instead drops The Rock.

Fans still wanted Rock to kickout and he did to a loud roar! Vince then drops Rock again once more with a chair to the skull. Triple H retained and looking at the fans reaction to this was priceless.

In the end at 36:28 Hunter put away The Rock after two Chair shots to the head by Vince McMahon who turns heel here. Helmsley, a heel retains the WWF title in the main event at Wrestlemania, shocking everyone in attendance and watching from home.

This match overall was structured good to get Big Show out, and I really liked the story between Foley, Rock and Triple H and now they put all of that together with Hunter retiring Foley.

It did tend to drag when Rock and Hunter went one on one, they have shown us in the past they could do much more and much better then they did here when going one on one.

Still a very good Main Event here and original in its own right, perhaps outside the typical McMahon swerve.

 

 

*** 1/2

————————————————————————-

 

 

Final Rating for WWF Wrestlemania 2000 = 6/10

This Mania would of came off a lot better with the likes of Steve Austin, The Undertaker and a more balanced card.

The finish was fine, not every Mania can have a fan friendly ending and this made Backlash that much better, but it was the Heel’s going over all night which is what ultimately got redundant, and way SO MANY tag matches.

Still, it had some good like the Ladder match, the triple-threat and the main event. This is a solid show but rather mediocre as far as Wrestlemania is considered.