WrestleMania 2000

(All screen captures are the property of World Wrestling Entertainment)

WrestleMania

April 2, 2000

Arrowhead Pond

Anaheim, California

News & Notes: Triple H, Steph, Big Show, and Shane formed a truce. They worked together to humble the Rock after No Way Out. Hunter moved him to the bottom of the ladder. He competed in handicap fights. Rikishi tried to help his kin, but this only landed him on DX’s bad side. Then Hunter teased Rock with a chance to get back into the Mania main event, only to screw him again. Afterward, cracks formed in Hunter and Show’s uneasy alliance because of miscommunications. However, they still injured the Rock with weapons. Rock had enough. He wagered his career for one more shot at Mania, but Shane made himself the ref. During the bout, Vince McMahon returned! He helped the Rock win and regain his title shot. Afterward, Shane said Big Show didn’t put his shot on the line. Therefore, it’s now a triple threat for the gold.

The alliance was over. Shane, Stephanie, and Hunter bickered, so Vince compared it to a soap opera. Vince said he returned to retake control before his kids screwed everything up. So he made the main event a family affair. Vince vowed to be in Rock’s corner, despite Rocky saying he didn’t need him. This caused a power struggle. The McMahons booked Rock, Hunter, and Big Show in matches and caused chaos. Things became bad enough Hunter demanded they do the triple threat early, but there would be no rematch! After some shenanigans, Hunter won and thought it was over. But then Linda appeared. There might not be a triple threat rematch, but there will be a fatal four-way! Linda reinstated Mick Foley for one night only to fulfill his Mania dream!

Now for a quick rundown of other storylines. First, Mae Young went into labor after another attack. They brought her backstage, where she gave birth to a—hand. (This was an obscure reference to a vintage sex toy. The idea was it got lodged inside her for years. I’ll never understand Vince’s humor.) Elsewhere, Mideon found himself in debt to the APA after a card game. So he worked as their lackey for a few weeks. They used him as cannon fodder. Meanwhile, Vince punished Stephanie for slapping her mother. He put her in a match with the women’s champ, Jackie. DX seized the opportunity. They interfered to help Stephanie win and become the new women’s champion! Finally, Lawler interviewed Pete Rose on Heat. Pete swore he wasn’t there for Kane, but he carried a bat. Rose said he would autograph it for Lawler, but not until after the show.

Lilian Garcia sings the national anthem before they go to the opening video. Keith David narrates part of it. He speaks about the legacy of WrestleMania. The world witnessed the greatest main events in sports entertainment history. But that was then, and this is now. Tonight, there is a Fatal Four-Way Elimination Match for the WWF title. It involves a dysfunctional family. Plus, one man’s dream will come true, but only one can raise the gold. Triple H faces the Rock, Big Show, and Mick Foley. Welcome to WrestleMania, which creates championship lore, and legends live forever. This is the crowning achievement of sports entertainment!

Next, fireworks explode while JR welcomes everyone to the show. But then the network cuts the introductions short. They had to remove Ice T’s live performance of Godfather’s theme for copyright reasons. So they jump forward. Godfather and D’Lo are in the ring. They are facing the Big Boss Man and Bull Buchanan.

Big Boss Man & Bull Buchanan vs. The Godfather & D’Lo Brown (w/ Ice T)

Storyline: Boss Man and Albert continued antagonizing Tazz, but he got the better of them. Then Boss Man and Albert went their separate ways. Albert found a new team, so Boss Man contacted an old friend. His name is Bull Buchanan. All we know is he has a checkered past with Boss Man. Now they needed to make an impact. They chose the Godfather and attacked him twice with nightsticks and batons. Later, Boss Man and Bull faced the Acolytes, but Godfather and D’Lo paid the APA to leave. They wanted to fight Boss Man and Bull instead. It led to a wild brawl.

The Match: Godfather and D’Lo fend off Boss Man’s interference. Then they give Bull a splash and a leg drop. So Buchanan answers with a springboard clothesline and tags Boss Man. They perform a double sliding punch. Plus, they lure Godfather into the ring for a ref distraction. This allows an illegal switch before Bull puts D’Lo in a bear hug. Next, Boss and Bull double team Brown with kicks and axehandles. D’Lo fights back, but Boss Man catches him and nails a backbreaker. However, Godfather crotches Bull on the top rope, and D’Lo lands a Frankensteiner. This leads to Godfather’s tag. He avoids Boss Man’s corner charge and does the Ho Train. Afterward, Godfather and Bull fight outside, and D’Lo faces Boss Man. Boss Man surprises D’Lo with a Boss Man Slam, so Bull finishes it with a guillotine leg drop.

Thoughts: This was alright. It didn’t thrill me, but the action was decent. Plus, the finish was nice. Bull Buchanan had a great-looking guillotine leg drop. Also, the crowd reacted well to it, so I can’t say it didn’t work.

Winners: Boss Man & Bull Buchanan (9:08)

Backstage, Hunter and Stephanie compare their championship belts. Triple H admires the diamonds, so Steph compares it to her diamond ring. Then they brag about how they both came to Mania as champions. JR wonders how they can be so calm before tonight’s main event. Lawler says they have a plan.

Next, they show a clip from Heat. Tim White held a meeting about the Hardcore Battle Royal. Tonight, the hold on the 24/7 rule ends. Crash will put his title on the line, but he seems confident. Tim explains the rules. There will be a fifteen-minute time limit. The belt can change hands as many times as possible within the limit. Crash corrects Tim when he hears this, so Tim says it might not change hands at all. Whoever holds the belt when time expires is the champion.

Participants: Crash Holly, Bradshaw, Faarooq, Funaki, Hardcore Holly, Joey Abs, Mosh, Pete Gas, Rodney, Taka Michinoku, Tazz, Thrasher, & Viscera.

Hardcore Battle Royal for the Hardcore Title

Storyline: Crash Holly became overconfident after successful title defenses. He told Lilian Garcia he would defend the belt 24/7. As long as someone had an official ref, they could pin him anywhere. He soon regretted this decision. The Posse attacked him in his hotel room and a laundromat. Then the Headbangers came after him at Fun Time USA. Soon even his own cousin wanted a shot. Crash couldn’t sleep or catch a break. Any time he wrestled in a match, other wrestlers interrupted it. They chased poor Crash everywhere he went. He finally had enough. Crash suggested they settle it in a Hardcore Battle Royal, but everyone had to give him a rest before WrestleMania. Hardcore Holly accepted on behalf of the other participants, but he also slapped his cousin.

The Match: Tazz scores the first decision after a Tazplex. He scuffles with Viscera, who slams him into the post and the floor to get a three. Next, Viscera attacks the others with Kaientai’s flag, road signs, baking sheets, and trash cans. This ends when the Acolytes floor Viscera with a 2×4 and a flying shoulder tackle. But they pull Funaki on top for the pin. They wanted an easier target. However, Funaki leads everyone backstage, where the Posse and Headbangers trade pinfalls. Afterward, Tazz regains the gold with a t-bone suplex. Now Tazz fends off the Hollys until Crash whacks him with a baking sheet and pins him. Seconds remain, as Tazz grabs a Tazmission on Crash. Crash fights it, so Hardcore breaks a candy jar on his head. Hardcore covers, but the ref hesitates because he thinks the time expired. Yet he declares Hardcore the winner.

Thoughts: This was a literal and figurative mess. Then they screwed up the finish. The time-limit was supposed to expire before the three. This way, Crash escaped with his belt. However, the countdown in Tim White’s earpiece was off by half a second. So Tim had to stop his count. The ending only confused the crowd.

Winner: Hardcore Holly (New Champion) (15:00)

The ending also confused the commentators, and the replays didn’t help. Meanwhile, Crash thinks he’s still the champ and tries to leave. So Tim White chases him down and takes the belt away. As this happens, Lawler realizes Hardcore Holly used JR’s candy jar. So JR yells, “What!?”

Now we get footage from WrestleMania Access. We see superstars signing autographs. Big Show says he’s so excited he almost peed his pants! One fan begs Vince to bring Shawn Michaels back. And another one does commentary with Michael Cole. Next, they show the Undertaker greeting guests. He dressed in biker clothes and a bandanna. (That’s a different look for him. I wonder what it means.) Also, Steve Austin is there. He calls the event spectacular. Plus, the Rock says the people will take something special home.

Meanwhile, Al Snow talks to someone in a bathroom stall. He tells the guy to stop complaining because he will be part of the best entrance in history. Blackman catches Snow in mid-conversation. He asks Al what the hell he is doing. It better not be something stupid. Snow says that hurts him. He wouldn’t do such a thing at WrestleMania. But as he says this, the toilet flushes. So Blackman asks who is in there. Al blames it on faulty plumbing and assures Steve everything is fine. Elsewhere, Trish Stratus leads Test and Albert down a hallway.

This brings us to the entrances for Head Cheese vs. T&A. Snow grabs a microphone to make a special announcement. He remembers what Blackman said a week ago, so he made Steve’s idea a reality. Al introduces Chester McCheeserton! He’s a little guy in a cheese outfit. The costume has the butt cheeks cut out so he can play “Let’s Go Head Cheese” on his butt! Al even leads the fans while they do the chant. (On a side note, JR’s headset breaks during this bout, so Lawler has to fly solo for a few minutes.)

T&A (Test & Albert) (w/ Trish Stratus) vs. Head Cheese (Al Snow & Steve Blackman) (w/ Chester McCheeserton)

Storyline: Snow’s quest to get Blackman a personality continued. He sent Steve on a blind date. Snow gave him cheesy entrance music. Al even suggested they film a sci-fi TV show with either aliens or time travel. Then Al tried to bring Blackman back to his cheese roots in Wisconsin by milking a cow. Each attempt ended with Blackman lashing out against every sidekick, cow, or mascot Snow presented. Meanwhile, a new team formed. A former fitness model named Trish Stratus recruited Test and Albert. She named the duo T&A because it’s what the fans want to see. T&A needed to make an example of someone, so they chose Head Cheese. Their attacks made Snow so mad he couldn’t come up with any new gimmicks. This pleased Blackman. He worried Al would bring out a pygmy, who would play Let’s Go Head Cheese on his butt.

The Match: An early cheap shot by Albert gives T&A the advantage. They hit clotheslines and a big boot. Then Albert and Blackman trade shoulder blocks. Plus, Snow nails a slingshot leg drop, which causes a brawl. Head Cheese double teams Albert, and Blackman nails a diving headbutt. Meanwhile, Chester gets handsy with Trish. The distraction allows Blackman to nail a low headbutt. However, T&A answers with more clotheslines, a big boot, and a side slam. Afterward, Head Cheese sends Albert outside for Snow’s Asai Moonsault. Yet he returns to give Snow a Baldo Bomb. Later, Snow trips Albert, and Blackman scores a kick, but Chester distracts Steve. He tells Chester to stop harassing Trish. So T&A uses the opening. Albert press slams Steve, and Test does a flying elbow for the win.

Thoughts: This was bad. The match had no flow. It was awkward and messy. Head Cheese got good reactions on TV, but this bout might have killed any chance of continuing that trend. They silenced this hot crowd.

Winners: T&A (7:04)

After the bell, Snow apologizes to Blackman. He was right. This was a stupid idea. So Snow lifts Chester and puts him in the ring. Then Al says it’s time to cut the cheese. He holds Chester for Blackman’s kick. They also nail him with their double team finisher. (It’s a variation of the Smoking Gunns’ Sidewinder, but I don’t think Head Cheese gave it a name.)

Backstage, Mae Young helps the Kat get ready for her match. Kat sits naked at a table, but some inconveniently placed objects block any nudity from view. Every time Kat turns to talk, Mae holds up something else in the way. The fans boo, as a t-shirt, water bottles, and Mae’s arm prevent them from seeing anything. While this happens, Kat and Mae make innuendos. It’s a scene straight out of Austin Powers.

Elsewhere, Cole interviews the Dudley Boyz. Michael tries to ask a question, but D-Von cuts him off. D-Von says the WWF is always trying to put them down. They booked a Ladder Match! D-Von doesn’t like ladders, and he’s a little afraid of heights. But he will ignore this to keep the tag titles. Next, Bubba says they will take the WWF to a whole new level. And they will bring a new level of violence. Bubba also tries to say the Hardys and Edge and Christian will learn not to fuck with the Dudleys. He stops himself short of saying the word.

Triangle Ladder Match for the Tag Team Titles: Edge & Christian vs. The Dudley Boyz (c) vs. The Hardy Boyz

Storyline: The Dudleys continued their carnage. This time, they targeted Mae Young. Bubba put her through tables twice. The second one was off the stage! Elsewhere, Edge & Christian had their problems. They scorned Terri, so she made it her mission to break up their team. Terri caused drama and arguments between Edge & Christian. This came to a head when Edge & Christian asked for their title shot early. They faced the Dudleys, but Terri ruined it. So the Hardys helped them get revenge. Afterward, the WWF held a tournament for new #1 contenders. It ended with a battle royal, which the Dudleys interrupted. This left them with no contenders, so Vince created this Triangle Ladder Match. Unfortunately, tensions between the Hardys and Edge & Christian rose after a heated interview. Edge felt the Hardys were conceited. So they cost each other matches and brawled a few times.

The Match: Everyone brawls and grabs ladders. Jeff Hardy performs a Whisper in the Wind. He also tries a 450, but Bubba moves and Jeff crashes. Next, Bubba hits a senton onto a ladder with Matt underneath. Plus, Edge rides a ladder down onto Matt. This leads to a Three Stooges spot by Bubba. However, Edge and Christian flapjack D-Von on another ladder. Now everyone performs moves off the ladder. Edge spears Jeff. Bubba gives Christian a cutter. And the Hardys do a splash and leg drop. Afterward, everybody climbs multiple ladders, but they all crash and burn.

When they recover, the Dudleys introduce tables. They create a platform on top of two ladders, but they don’t use it yet. First, Bubba powerbombs Matt onto a table from the Spanish announce desk. He follows this by throwing a ladder at Jeff. This gives him an opening to grab a giant ladder and place a table beside it. It backfires because Jeff gets Bubba on the table. With Bubba prone, Jeff does a Swanton from the top of the ladder! It puts them out of commission, so Edge, Christian, and Matt fight to the top of the table platform. Edge and Christian shove Matt down onto a table and grab the belts to win.

Thoughts: This was great. They took what they started at No Mercy and turned it up a notch. It had some amazing moments and visuals. Plus, the crowd loved it. This goes a long way in establishing the three teams as stars. Also, this win leads to a much-needed attitude change for Edge & Christian. They’re about to start showing more personality.

Winners: Edge & Christian (New Champions) (23:30)

Kevin Kelly interviews Mick Foley and Linda McMahon. Will the Fatal Four-Way change lives the way the ladder match did? This could be Foley’s last match. Linda says fulfilling Foley’s lifelong dream made her glad. Then Foley says the Ladder Match shows no one is holding back tonight. This is the biggest moment of his career, and he wants people to talk about it for years. Fairy tales can come true, but it won’t be for his opponents. It’s his fairy tale.

Now it’s time for the special catfight between Terri and the Kat. Fink explains the rules. You win by throwing your opponent out of the ring. Val Venis is the referee. He wears a black-and-white striped towel, and an unfortunate new t-shirt. Val does his usual shtick. He compares himself to WrestleMania. He’s large and gets your blood pumping. But unlike Mania, Val doesn’t come once a year. He comes every night!

Catfight: Terri Runnels (w/ The Fabulous Moolah) vs. The Kat (w/ Mae Young)

Storyline: Terri said she turned on the Hardys because they didn’t visit her enough in the hospital. So JR called her a she-devil. Terri liked this moniker. She embraced her new role. Later, Gtv caught a moment between Terri and the Kat. Kat tried to sympathize with her after Edge speared Terri. But Terri didn’t care. She mocked Kat for her lack of TV time in recent weeks. This caused a feud with the Kat. Kat ruined Terri’s skirt, so Terri ripped Kat’s shirt. Then Kat gave Terri a bill for the damage, which Terri tore up. Meanwhile, Moolah had enough of Mae’s antics. She said Mae got what she deserved at the Dudleys’ hands. So Moolah and Mae picked sides in the Terri/Kat war. Finally, they appointed Val Venis as the ref. Terri, Kat, and even Mae attempted to seduce him, but Val told Mae to leave.

The Match: They shove and tackle each other, but then they switch tactics. Both women kiss Val, which leads to hair-pulling. Next, Mae climbs on the apron to distract Venis. Mae tries to undress, but Val stops her. While this happens, Kat spears Terri and throws her outside, but Val misses it. Moolah puts Terri back in the ring while Kat complains to Val. Afterward, Terri mounts the Kat and slaps her. Now Mae and Moolah fight with each other. It distracts Venis, and he misses Kat throwing Terri to the floor again! This time, Moolah drags Kat outside and rolls Terri under the ropes. When Val sees Terri in the ring, he declares her the winner.

Thoughts: At least they kept it short. Mae and Val were the most entertaining part. The rest was forgettable. A Women’s Title match would have been better, but the belt is on Stephanie. Instead, we got this pointless bout.

Winner: Terri Runnels (2:24)

After the bell, Mae gets in the ring and shoves Moolah and Terri. Moolah ends up in the corner, so Mae does a Bronco Buster to Moolah! JR calls it the oldest Bronco Buster in captivity. As this happens, Kat rips off Terri’s pants and exposes her thong. Moolah covers Terri and they retreat.

Meanwhile, the Radicalz are backstage preparing for their bout. Dean says it’s time to break those dancing fools’ legs. As he says this, Eddie tries to check his reflection in Dean’s Light Heavyweight belt. So Dean asks if Eddie is with them. Eddie says yes, but he asks if they saw the twinkle in Chyna’s eyes. Saturn reminds Eddie he isn’t the only good-looking guy in their group. Eddie knows this, but he says Chyna can’t resist his Latino heat! Elsewhere, Chyna watches the promo and calls Eddie disgusting.

Six Person Tag Team Match: Too Cool & Chyna vs. The Radicalz (Eddie Guerrero, Dean Malenko, & Perry Saturn)

Storyline: The Radicalz problems with Too Cool and Rikishi continued. This time, they caught Jericho in Chyna in the crossfire. So Jericho and Chyna teamed with Too Cool. However, Eddie kept interfering, despite having his arm in a sling. As a result, JR accused Eddie of milking the injury. Eddie’s antics led to Chyna giving him a DDT on the floor. So Eddie retaliated by luring Chyna into an attack by the Radicalz. Later, they announced this bout, which excited Eddie. He couldn’t wait to get his hands on a hot mamacita like Chyna. He even said she was as excited as he was. The comment made Chyna gag. Meanwhile, Malenko captured the Light Heavyweight belt from Essa Rios. During the bout, Eddie powerbombed Lita on the floor. Afterward, Malenko defended it against both members of Too Cool, but Eddie helped him beat them.

The Match: Scotty does a monkey flip and tilt-a-whirl backbreaker to Eddie. Then he tags Chyna, but Eddie scurries away. This leads to Chyna and Sexay landing a double suplex on Dean before dancing. Afterward, Sexay climbs, but Saturn pushes him down. Now Eddie returns. He nails a back suplex and slingshot senton on Scotty. When he finishes, Eddie dances for Chyna and gives her a cheap shot. So Sexay suplexes Eddie to the floor. This causes a brawl, and Scotty hits a double Worm! The Radicalz retaliate by taking Scotty outside. Later, Saturn lands a flying elbow. Eddie also climbs, but Scotty crotches him. It allows Chyna to tag. She cleans house and hits handspring elbows until she gets Eddie. Chyna blocks a powerbomb and hits her own, and her pants rip. But she still gives Eddie a testicular claw and a sleeper drop for the win.

Thoughts: This was a fun match. Eddie’s and Chyna’s antics made it good. The only unfortunate part was Chyna’s wardrobe failing her. But it didn’t ruin this. I still enjoyed it. Plus, I like where this leads. Eddie and Chyna are about to start a storyline that benefits both of their careers.

Winners: Chyna & Too Cool (9:38)

JR says they held a contest during the WrestleMania All Day broadcast. We see them knock on the door of the lucky winner. The WWF flew Bridget Binder and her family on a private jet and gave them front row tickets! They also enjoyed champagne and strawberries during the flight.

Next, they cut to Big Show and Shane McMahon backstage. Shane hypes up the Big Show. He says you’re looking at the reason there will be a new WWF champion. Big Show is seven-foot-two and five hundred pounds. So the old regime is out, and the McMahon-Helmsley Era is passe. Shane wishes his mom wasn’t out there, but that’s okay. With that said, Big Show speaks. He says he will unplug the most electrifying man and retire Foley for good. Plus, it’s game over for Triple H.

Then they show a recap of what happened on Heat. Kurt Angle learned Bob Backlund put him in the triple threat, so Angle put Bob in the crossface chickenwing.

Speaking of Angle, he chats with a security guard backstage. Angle explains the meaning of a Eurocontinental champion. Kurt also tells the guard to be ready. His celebration will go into the fans, so he needs protection. Kurt promises autographs for his kids if he helps him.

This leads to the entrances. Fink explains the rules. This is a two-fall triple threat. The first fall is for the Intercontinental title, and the second is for the European belt. After Fink’s explanation, Jericho welcomes everyone to WrestleMania is Jericho. He can’t promise he will win two belts, but he will walk out the ayatollah of rock and rolla! Jericho vows to give Mr. Roboto and Kirk Angel a Y2J beating they will never forget.

2 Fall Triple Threat Match for the Intercontinental & European Titles: Chris Benoit vs. Chris Jericho vs. Kurt Angle (c)

Storyline: Angle defended his titles against Rikishi and even Sgt. Slaughter in a Boot Camp Match. He escaped with his gold, but this didn’t sit well with Jericho. Chris tried to regain his Intercontinental belt. However, Bob Backlund attacked and put Jericho in the chickenwing! Kurt said Backlund was a true American hero. He would lead Angle to victory, which he did. Bob and Angle fended off challenges from Tazz and Jericho. However, someone else wanted a shot. Benoit interrupted Angle & Backlund vs. Jericho & Tazz. This led to Jericho vs. Benoit, but Angle and Backlund jumped Jericho afterward. Then they announced this bout. Angle called it a conspiracy. He ambushed Benoit and Jericho while they brawled and laid them out. Finally, on Heat, Angle learned the truth. Backlund put Angle in this triple threat to toughen him up. When Angle heard this, he used the chickenwing on Backlund.

The Match: They trade strikes until Jericho sends both men outside with dropkicks. Plus, Chris nails an underhook backbreaker on Angle. But then Benoit shoves Jericho off the apron and onto the announce table. Chris recovers and locks Benoit in a Camel Clutch, but he drops it to go after Angle. Jericho lands a stalling suplex, and Benoit tries to steal the pin! This leads to everyone attempting pins. Afterward, Angle blocks another backbreaker and places Jericho in the chickenwing! So Benoit breaks it with a dropkick and takes Angle outside. He dumps him in the crowd to keep Kurt out of the way. This allows Benoit to land a flying headbutt on Jericho. He pins him to win the Intercontinental gold.

Angle returns, and they all fight on the top rope. Benoit hits a back superplex on Jericho, and Angle attempts a moonsault. It misses, so Jericho puts Angle in the Walls. Benoit breaks it up. Later, Jericho nails a double powerbomb on Angle, but Benoit grabs Jericho for rolling Germans. Now Jericho fires back with a jumping forearm, which hits the ref by accident. While he is down, Benoit and Jericho exchange submissions, but there is no ref. Angle uses the opening to deck Jericho with a title belt. So Benoit pulls Chris outside to break the pin. Once Benoit gets Angle down, he tries another flying headbutt. Angle moves and Benoit crashes, so Jericho lands a Lionsault on Benoit. It earns him the European championship.

Thoughts: This was a well-crafted bout. I like the story they told. Angle lost both belts without getting pinned or submitting. So now he has a reason to be angry. They got the titles off him without making him look weak. Plus, the action was crisp and hard-hitting.

Winners: Benoit (Intercontinental), Jericho (European) (13:48)

Angle can’t believe what happened. Lawler says he never lost, but he is no longer a champion. Kurt yells at the ref while he hands the belts to their new owners. Angle says this is wrong! JR jokes he won’t let Bob Backlund negotiate his new contract.

Next, Cole interviews Vince McMahon. He will be in the Rock’s corner, but will Vince be a factor? Vince says he’s a factor wherever he is. But for the record, the Rock is confident with or without him. Then Cole asks if the other McMahons will affect the match. Vince says people call his family dysfunctional, and maybe it’s true. However, Vince promises to make things right tonight.

When Triple H hears this, he doesn’t like it. Hunter says it’s not about right or wrong. This is about who is best. He will show the world who the man is. Hunter won’t allow anyone to beat him because he’s that damn good! Stephanie likes what she hears.

Now it’s time for Rikishi & Kane vs. Road Dogg & X-Pac. DX enters to their Run DMC theme. JR says you can hear it on the WWF Aggression CD. JR and King also wonder if Pete Rose will do anything foolish tonight. Meanwhile, Road Dogg does his shtick. He tries out a different rhyme, but it isn’t good. When Kane and Paul Bearer arrive, Bearer tells Tori to go to hell, so she slaps him.

Kane & Rikishi (w/ Paul Bearer) vs. X-Pac & Road Dogg (w/ Tori)

Storyline: The Outlaws argued after No Way Out. Gunn mouthed off to Triple H, so DX kicked Gunn out of the group. Road Dogg teamed with X-Pac instead. They went after Too Cool and Rikishi, but Kane attacked X-Pac and made DX retreat. Later, Shane booked Kane and Rikishi in handicap fights with DX and Big Show, which they lost. Plus, Kane was supposed to face the Rock, but DX locked him in a box truck. X-Pac wrestled Rock instead until Kane broke free and chased X-Pac. Next, Kane and Rikishi cost Dogg & Pac a chance at the tag titles. So Dogg told Hunter to do something. He pitted Kane against Rikishi. However, it became a brawl with DX. The next week, the Dudleys helped DX put Kane through a table. This led to Kane & Rikishi vs. the Dudleys. Kane & Rikishi won.

The Match: DX jumps Rikishi while Kane stalks Tori. This backfires, and Rikishi gives Road Dogg a Stink Face. While this happens, Tori enters the ring to escape Kane, and she almost gets a Stink Face as well. This makes DX retreat, so Kane and Rikishi chase them. They bring them back, but DX takes control. Dogg and X-Pac score a Bronco Buster and Shake, Rattle, & Roll. However, Rikishi powers out of the pin attempt. He also gives X-Pac a press cutter. Then Rikishi rolls into his corner for a tag. Kane cleans house before Rikishi tries another Stink Face on X-Pac. This time, Tori pulls him to safety. So Paul Bearer rolls Tori into the ring, and she takes Rikishi’s ass to her face. And Kane ends it with a Tombstone on X-Pac.

Thoughts: This was short, but it was fun. It’s a nice way to pop the crowd and wake them up before the main event. So this served its purpose fine. Now let this be the end of the feud. It’s beyond time to move on and do something else.

Winners: Kane & Rikishi (4:00)

JR says the Stink Face gave Tori a terminal case of ass breath. This amuses Lawler. Meanwhile, Too Cool arrives and wants to dance with Rikishi. Kane and Paul Bearer move to the corner to let them have their moment. However, the San Diego Chicken joins them, so everyone becomes suspicious. JR and King think it’s Pete Rose. The chicken dances with Too Cool, but Kane and Bearer glare at him. When they’re done, Kane backs the chicken into a corner and looks to attack. But then Pete Rose enters the ring with a baseball bat! He tries to ambush Kane and fails. Kane chokeslams Pete, and Bearer does crotch chops over his body! Now they back Pete into a corner, where Rikishi gives him a Stink Face! Afterward, Kane takes the bat, much to Lawler’s chagrin. He also sets off his pyro.

Kevin Kelly interviews the Rock. He says this is ground zero, and it’s time, but the Rock holds up a hand to stop him. Rocky talks about everything he went through over the past twelve months. They threw everything at him, but he threw it back. And if he did it over again, he would say finally the Rock has come back to WrestleMania! It’s not about the glitz and glamour, McMahon family drama, or Foley’s last match. This is about the WWF championship. If he has an ounce of blood and sweat to spill, he will do what he does best. Rock will lay the smackdown on their candy asses. He will do it for his millions of fans because tonight is the night. If you smell what the Rock is cooking!

Afterward, they show some celebrities in the crowd. Michael Clarke Duncan is way too hyped. Martin Short doesn’t know the camera is on him, but he seems impressed by the crowd. Plus, Dustin Diamond is there. JR also spots Torry Holt from the Rams.

No DQ Fatal 4-Way Elimination Match for the WWF Title: Triple H (c) (w/ Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley) vs. The Rock (w/ Mr. McMahon) vs. Mick Foley (w/ Linda McMahon) vs. The Big Show (w/ Shane McMahon)

Storyline: Hunter said Linda was trying to screw him. He didn’t believe Foley was back for only one night. She said if Mick won, he would vacate the title and they would hold a tournament. Afterward, Foley said he hoped it would come down to him and Hunter at Mania. Meanwhile, Vince and Linda demanded Stephanie apologize for slapping Linda. She said she was sorry because she should have slapped Vince instead. Next, Rock & Vince faced Show & Shane, with Hunter and Foley as refs. The Rock’s team won, despite some shenanigans. Plus, Rock wrestled Angle. Hunter and Show both attacked Rocky, so the McMahons got involved. Later, Steph read a letter from a supposed fan who called Steph her hero. This caused another argument between Vince and Steph, so Linda had enough. She told Vince to step in and fix their family before it is too late.

The Match: Everyone brawls until Big Show tosses them around. He slams and press slams everybody, so Foley stops it with a low blow. Then they gang up on Show. Next, Foley and Hunter brawl outside with a chair while Rock faces Big Show. Shane interferes, so Rock hits him, and Foley decks Show with the chair. This allows Rock to pin Big Show and eliminate him! Now Triple H tries to form an alliance with Foley and Rock. Foley says no, but Rock tricks Hunter into thinking he will do it. Instead, the Rock and Foley double team Helmsley. It lasts until Rock hits Foley with the ring bell by accident. When he recovers, Mick pulls out the barbed wire board. This backfires when Hunter grabs it and whacks Mick in the gut. But Foley rallies. He lands a Double-Arm DDT and does the Socko Claw on Hunter.

Triple H breaks free, so Rock clocks him with the title belt and attempts a People’s Elbow. However, Mick puts the Socko Claw on Rocky! The fans boo, and Triple H breaks it up with a double low blow. Then Vince puts a chair in the ring. Rock and Mick scuffle over it and exchange DDTs. Plus, Foley and Hunter team up on Rock again, which garners more boos. This leads to fighting outside. Hunter puts Rock on the announce table, and Foley dives. But he comes up short and cracks his sternum on the announce desk. Afterward, Hunter eliminates Foley with two Pedigrees. The second one is on a chair.

Now Rock and Hunter do some crowd brawling. They also fight with a chair and the ring steps. When Triple H gets the advantage, Vince attacks him. So Shane reappears and scuffles with his dad. Shane bloodies Vince with a chair and a monitor, and the Stooges help Vince to the back. Meanwhile, Rock and Hunter fight over the barbed wire board. Shane grabs a chair and looks to interfere, but Rock catapults Helmsley into him. This opens the door for the Rock Bottom. Shane looks to stop it until Vince returns! He knocks Shane to the floor and grabs the chair. Vince turns, lifts the chair, and hits—the Rock! Hunter covers, but Rock kicks out. So Vince clocks him a second time and Hunter pins the Rock.

Thoughts: I wanted to like this. The action wasn’t bad, and they had some good moments. The problem is, all the McMahon family stuff detracted from it. It was also far too long. Plus, the swerve made no sense. This was a good match brought down by overbooked nonsense. (On a side note, this is the first Mania where the heel won the main event. The fans weren’t happy. They started throwing trash.)

Winner: Triple H (38:00)

JR asks what the hell is going on here. He watches while Vince and Stephanie hug. Lawler says Vince promised to make things right, and he did. Then the officials help the Rock to the back while Shane enters the ring. Vince points at the cut on his head and reminds Shane he did that. But he wants to make peace. This is too much for the Rock. He rushes back and gives Shane and Vince Rock Bottoms. With them down, Rock turns to Stephanie, and the fans cheer. Stephanie curses at the Rock before slapping him. So Rock gives her the Rock Bottom and People’s Elbow! JR says the Jezebel got what she deserves, but he still doesn’t understand Vince’s actions.

The Good:

• The Triangle Ladder Match was great.

• Angle vs. Benoit vs. Jericho was good.

• Too Cool & Chyna vs. the Radicalz was fun.

• I liked the Pete Rose stuff.

The Bad:

• The disappointing main event.

• Head Cheese vs. T&A was a mess.

Observations:

• They dubbed over Finkel’s introduction of Kurt Angle for some reason. Did he screw something up?

Performer of the Night:

I’m giving it to everyone in the Ladder Match. They gave an amazing performance.

Final Thoughts:

This wasn’t a good Mania, but I don’t hate it like some people. The PPV still contained some fine matches and fun moments. The disappointing main event brought this down a notch. However, this was still an enjoyable watch, for the most part. Someone on Facebook called this one of the worst Manias. It’s not even close. This was better than Mania 15. Also, I want to address a longstanding gripe about this show. Everyone complains about how there’s only one singles match. So what? If all the matches were great, no one would have said a thing. Some old territories ran entire cards with nothing but tag matches. It’s not that strange. This is such a silly thing to complain about.

Thank you for reading. My next review is WCW’s Spring Stamped 2000. Look for it next Sunday.

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