Judgment Day 2000

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

Judgment Day

May 21, 2000

Freedom Hall

Louisville, Kentucky

News & Notes: After Backlash, Triple H showed up at RAW with his arm in a sling. He said it took Austin, Linda, and Hebner to screw him out of the WWF Title. Then Vince dared Austin to show up. He promised to do worse than any hit-and-run driver could do. Vince even threatened to let Hunter Pedigree Linda. With that said, Vince booked Rock in a Cage Match against Shane for the WWF championship. The Stooges refereed the bout, but Hebner helped Rocky win. Later, Vince made Rock and Hebner team against all of DX with Rock’s gold on the line. This time, Jericho aided the Rock. However, DX attacked Rock and Hebner. Hunter gave Earl a Pedigree on a chair, which made Hebner bleed from the mouth. Afterward, Rikishi, Big Show, and the Dudleys cleared the ring and took out the Stooges while DX ran.

Elsewhere, Crash Holly’s woes continued. Bulldog and one of Godfather’s hoes captured his Hardcore belt, but Crash regained it. All Crash wanted was some rest, so he paid the APA to let him sleep in their office. However, Brisco sneaked up on a sleeping Crash and pinned him! Speaking of the APA, they had another barroom brawl with Boss Man and Buchanan. But that wasn’t the only continuing feud. Terri and the Kat still hate each other. Kat and Jackie teamed to fight Terri and Ivory. Terri and Kat tussled and rolled down the ramp before Jackie helped Kat pin Terri. Meanwhile, Snow and Blackman reunited when Snow agreed to do things Blackman’s way. They defeated Kaientai. Finally, creepy vignettes aired before this PPV. They showed girls singing nursery rhymes in a dark boiler room. The words Judgment Day is coming appeared. Were these commercials or something more?

A lot can happen in one hour. Babies are born, people die, airplanes take off, and lightning strikes. Plus, people blink and think about sex! However, the Rock and Triple H won’t do these things. Their hearts will beat 7320 times. They will lose 7 pounds and suffer more hits than a quarterback. Their lives will even flash before their eyes! Hunter vows to punish and destroy the Rock. The Rock says Hunter will know he is the Great One. This one hour will determine one champion. Army Men: World War for the 3DO presents Judgment Day.

After JR welcomes everyone to the show, we go to the McMahon-Helmsley Regime’s locker room. Vince tells everyone to celebrate and enjoy the food because it’s Judgment Day! While he speaks, Gerald Brisco joins them. He wears his Hardcore Title around his waist. Vince asks where he has been, so Brisco says he had to run errands. Also, Patterson missed his flight, so he won’t be there. This doesn’t faze Vince. He tells Brisco to get coffee for them. Then Vince talks strategy with DX. Meanwhile, the Headbangers jump Brisco while he collects the coffee, but he escapes before they can pin him.

Now Kurt Angle arrives for his six-man tag. He claims teenage girls say he’s all that since he teamed with Edge and Christian, so Kurt offers them advice. Angle tells them to stay pure and abstinent. Plus, they should follow his three Is. Then Kurt introduces his partners, Edge and Christian. They carry bags, which contain costumes for their new five-second pose. (Edge and Christian stopped entering through the crowd because the fans were too handsy. So they offered a compromise. They pose for five seconds and let fans take pictures.) Edge has something special for the benefit of those with flash photography. He hopes the people of Kentucky will enjoy their jug band! They don hats and fake teeth. Kurt plays the jug, Edge has a banjo, and Christian uses a washboard. Edge even goes cross-eyed, which amuses Lawler.

Too Cool & Rikishi vs. Edge, Christian, & Kurt Angle

Storyline: Edge and Christian held onto their tag titles by any means necessary. They used the ring bell and Kurt Angle’s interference to get themselves disqualified. Edge and Christian enlisted Angle’s help because he was the only one who respected them backstage. They also issued an open challenge, which Rikishi and Big Show answered. During the bout, Rikishi gave Edge and Christian Stink Faces, so they sought revenge. They interfered in Too Cool matches and faced each member in singles competition. Edge, Christian, and Kurt even beat them up and mocked their dance. Meanwhile, Rikishi had his own issues with DX. This led to DX humiliating him. They had Pat Patterson give Rikishi a Stink Face with skid marked underwear. However, Rikishi got payback. He rubbed the soiled underwear in Triple H’s face and gave Pat a Stink Face.

The Match: Too Cool makes their opponents regroup twice. They whip Edge, Christian, and Kurt into the corner, and Rikishi squashes them. The second time it happens, Christian falls onto Edge’s crotch. Then Grandmaster celebrates with a dance, but his pants fall down! This opens the door for Christian’s ambush. Rikishi and Scotty fall victim to triple-teaming. Plus, Kurt stops the Worm. The onslaught continues until Scotty blocks a powerbomb and gives Christian a hotshot. Now Rikishi tags. He cleans house and gives Angle a Stink Face. Edge and Christian step in, but it takes a double DDT and a spear to floor Rikishi. Afterward, Scotty stops Edge from doing the Worm and shows him how it’s done. However, the chaos distracts the ref. Christian decks Rikishi with the bell and covers him, so Sexay nails a Hip Hop Drop on Christian. He pulls Rikishi on top for the pin.

Thoughts: This was a lot of fun. Plus, they had a hot crowd. These fans loved Too Cool and the Worm. The past few months made Rikishi and Too Cool into absolute stars, so Too Cool deserves a tag title run.

Winners: Rikishi & Too Cool (9:47)

Cole interviews the referee for the main event, Shawn Michaels. He calls HBK one of the most controversial figures in the WWF’s history. Shawn adds he’s also the greatest WWF champion ever. Then Cole asks if Shawn will favor anybody or call it down the middle. Everyone saw Shawn meet with the Rock and Stephanie on Heat. Shawn claims he was catching up with old friends. He will do the job they hired him to do. Yeah, Triple H is his boy, but everyone can assess his job as the ref after the main event. Next, Cole talks about some internet rumors. They say Shawn is jealous of the Rock. Shawn replies, “Well, if it’s on the internet, it has to be true!” With that said, Shawn pats Cole on the cheek and ends the interview.

Next, they show footage from Heat. Eddie Guerrero and Chyna arrived in Eddie’s love machine. Guerrero admired Chyna as she got out of the car, but Dean Malenko interrupted them. He said he would deal with Eddie later, and he told Chyna to stay out of their business. Dean said this was between him, Eddie, and Perry, but Chyna laughed. She winked at Eddie as she swore to stay out of it. Afterward, Eddie and Chyna left, so Saturn confronted Dean. He accused Dean of kissing Eddie’s ass. Saturn said Dean should have kissed the ass of the man who will win, which is Saturn.

Triple Threat Match for the European Title: Eddie Guerrero (c) (w/ Chyna) vs. Dean Malenko vs. Perry Saturn

Storyline: While Eddie continued his feud with Rios, the Radicalz started falling apart. It began when Dean and Perry both went after the Hardcore championship. This led to arguments, so Eddie tried to play peacemaker. However, he insulted Malenko by implying Dean’s anger stemmed from sexual frustration. Then Malenko and Saturn argued again after a tag contest. Eddie and Chyna attempted to help, but everyone shoved each other. Afterward, Chyna wrestled Dean for the Light Heavyweight Title, and Eddie defended his belt against Saturn. Saturn cost Chyna her match, so Chyna returned the favor. She decked Perry with a bouquet. There was a metal rod hidden inside. Later, they announced this bout, but Chyna suggested an alternative. Dean and Perry could fight to see who would face Eddie. Guerrero was the ref, but it was a setup. Eddie and Chyna attacked them and called it a draw.

The Match: Malenko and Saturn work together, but it doesn’t last long. They throw Eddie around until Guerrero scores a low blow on both men. Then Eddie performs hurricanranas on his opponents. Plus, he nails a tornado DDT on Saturn. Next, Dean hits a Tiger Driver on Saturn and attempts a Cloverleaf on Eddie. Saturn stops the latter, and they fight on the top rope. Everyone tries a superplex and fails, but Dean lands the super gutbuster on Eddie. Afterward, Saturn starts stealing finishers. He does a Frog Splash and a Cloverleaf. Eddie stops this thievery with a brainbuster. Now they brawl until we get a three-way back suplex. Sensing trouble, Chyna interferes. She uses the loaded bouquet. Dean almost prevents it, but she trips him. He falls face-first on the weapon, and Eddie cradles him for the win.

Thoughts: This was good, and it contained some nice spots. The problem is, it had little heat. (No pun intended.) This was three heels fighting each other. Sure, the fans are warming up to Eddie, but he’s not a babyface yet. I enjoyed this, but the quiet crowd detracted from it.

Winner: Eddie Guerrero (7:56)

Next, they remind everyone how Brisco won the Hardcore Title before they show Gerald hiding in a bathroom. He sneaks around to check if the coast is clear, but his own reflection in a mirror spooks him. Brisco calls the reflection a son of a bitch and punches the mirror. As this happens, the commentators whisper. They don’t want to alert anyone to Brisco’s location. Lawler also points out Gerald ripped his pants. (This entire segment was absurd, and I loved it.)

Now they recap the Big Show/Shane McMahon feud. We see footage of Big Show throwing Shane against the WWF.com sign. After the video, they cut to Shane warming up backstage. He wears a t-shirt with writing on the back. It says, “Which way did he go?” (Shane used this old Looney Tunes quote to mock Big Show.)

Falls Count Anywhere Match: Shane McMahon vs. The Big Show

Storyline: Big Show continued his entertaining antics. He dressed as Showkishi and Shownan the Barbarian. Then he asked Shane what he thought of it, but he didn’t get the answer he expected. Shane tore into Big Show. He called him a disappointment and a pea-brained waste of oxygen. Later, Big Show confronted Shane in his locker room and threatened him. Shane claimed he was only trying to light a fire under Big Show. However, someone aired footage of Shane saying he had Big Show brainwashed and fooled. So Big Show came after Shane. When Shane ran from Big Show, the fans called Shane a pussy. He rolled with it. Shane said he was like a cat. In fact, you could call him young Simba. Afterward, Shane punished Big Show with a handicap match and a gauntlet. With Big Show neutralized, everyone helped Shane give Big Show a chokeslam.

The Match: Shane dives onto Big Show and pays for it. Show rams Shane into the steps and targets his hand. Then he press slams Shane into the ring! Next, Show nails a clothesline and big boot and signals for a chokeslam. This leads to interference by Boss Man, T&A, and Trish. Show fends them off and absorbs Trish’s low blow. Plus, he chokeslams Trish over the ropes, and she lands on T&A. Afterward, they brawl down the aisle. Big Show throws Shane against the set and pulls off a piece of the structure! However, Shane hangs off the entrance and kicks Show before hitting him with an equipment case. Now Bull Buchanan attacks with a baton, as Shane climbs to get away. Once Big Show is down, they shove a speaker box onto his leg. This allows Shane to smash a cinder block on Show’s head and pin him.

Thoughts: This was short, explosive, and to the point. They filled it with enough shenanigans and gimmicked weapons to keep it exciting. Plus, Big Show looked dominant until the interference arrived, so he didn’t look bad in this defeat. It took multiple people to beat him. The victory adds to Shane McMahon’s character.

Winner: Shane McMahon (7:11)

Tom Prichard, Tony Garea, and Sgt. Slaughter free Big Show from the wreckage and help him backstage. JR and Lawler can’t believe what they saw. They say he could have a broken leg and a concussion. While they load him into an ambulance, Show says they injured his kneecap. He also says that son of a bitch is dead when he gets him.

Meanwhile, Brisco enters the referees’ locker room. He wants a place to relax, so they tell him to rest. However, the refs plot to attack him when Gerald nods off. He wakes up and yells at them.

Elsewhere, Triple H and Shawn Michaels sit down to talk. Hunter asks how Shawn’s wife and son are doing. Shawn says they’re great. Then Hunter asks if Shawn will wear those shorts when he referees the main event. He says it looks like Shawn is smuggling bananas. Shawn says he loves the shorts.

Submission Match for the Intercontinental Title: Chris Benoit (c) vs. Chris Jericho

Storyline: Jericho only made his issues with DX worse by insulting Vince and Stephanie. Then Jericho captured Benoit’s Intercontinental Title with Hebner’s help. As a result, Vince made Jericho defend the belt three times in one night. He faced Angle, Big Show, and Benoit. Triple H appointed himself as the ref in the latter. Benoit put Jericho in the Crossface, and Hunter called for the bell. He screwed Jericho out of the championship. Benoit admitted he never heard Jericho quit, but he said Triple H stopped the bout out of mercy. However, Benoit offered Jericho another chance in a Submission Match. This led to brawls between Jericho and Benoit. Meanwhile, Val Venis and Hardcore Holly also wanted a shot at the gold. Jericho and Venis tagged against Benoit and Hardcore. However, Hardcore used a chair on everybody, including Benoit. He injured Benoit’s leg with the chair.

The Match: They trade strikes and counters before Benoit nails a shoulderbreaker and a flying headbutt. Next, Jericho breaks free of Benoit’s holds and they head to the floor. We get fighting with the ring steps, and Jericho drops Benoit knee-first on them. Back inside, Jericho scores an underhook backbreaker, but he crashes into the post on a missed charge. Now Benoit targets Jericho’s shoulder. He rams him into a half-exposed turnbuckle and uses arm holds. This continues until Benoit hurts his knee on the exposed buckle. Jericho attacks the leg and removes the brace. He can’t score a Figure Four, but Jericho does the Walls of Jericho in the ropes! When Benoit escapes, he hits the rolling Germans. Plus, Benoit decks Jericho with the brace and puts him in the Crossface. Jericho fights, but Benoit reapplies the hold twice. Then he cranks on it until Jericho passes out.

Thoughts: This was great. The action had a good ebb and flow. Plus, I loved the closing moments. The finish made Benoit look brutal. It didn’t have a hot crowd, but they weren’t silent. They appreciated the effort. The fans rallied behind Jericho. (On a side note, they showed Val Venis and Hardcore Holly watching them. Val will face the winner on RAW.)

Winner: Chris Benoit (13:22)

The refs pull Benoit off of Jericho because he won’t release the hold. Then JR says the pain was too much for Jericho. Lawler says he didn’t tap out. He passed out.

After a King of the Ring commercial, Cole interviews Brisco. He asks how being the Hardcore champion has changed Brisco’s life. Brisco says his own sons and neighbors tried to pin him! Even the employees at his body shop made attempts. As they talk, two drink vendors plot in the background, so Brisco jumps the guys. He escapes once they are down.

Meanwhile, the Rock talks with Shawn Michaels. He warns Shawn not to screw him. HBK can push Vince on his ass all he wants, but the Rock doesn’t trust him. The Rock will come after Shawn if he doesn’t call it down the middle. And it won’t take the Rock sixty minutes to beat him up.

Tag Team Tables Match: X-Pac & Road Dogg (w/ Tori) vs. The Dudley Boyz

Storyline: The Dudleys made enemies out of DX when they interrupted Stephanie and Tori backstage. Stephanie admonished them, so Bubba wanted to put them through tables. Then the Dudleys aided Jericho, so Vince punished them. They faced T&A and Gerald Brisco in a Handicap Tables Match. T&A helped Brisco put Bubba through a table to humiliate him. Brisco called himself a fighter for women’s rights. He helped protect Trish, Steph, and Tori from the Dudleys. Plus, Gerald mocked Bubba with footage of the table spot. Next, DX sent X-Pac and Road Dogg after the Dudleys. The Dudleys gave them the 3D, but DX got their revenge. They let Tori splash Bubba through another table! D-Von said her sins would not go unpunished. Afterward, Vince made the Dudleys fight Rock in a Handicap Lumberjack Tables contest. DX was the lumberjacks. They attacked the Dudleys and drove them through tables again.

The Match: The Dudleys fend off DX and D-Von scores shoulder tackles. Then the Dudleys use a ref distraction to give X-Pac and Road Dogg the Wassup Drop. DX tries to retreat, so the Dudleys bring them back. Plus, Bubba stalks Tori and licks his lips. Back inside, DX controls D-Von with double-teaming and more ref distractions. Bubba gets a hot tag and the Dudleys get multiple tables. It backfires. Road Dogg puts D-Von through one with a pumphandle slam. However, Bubba catches X-Pac and powerbombs him on another table. Afterward, the ref chastises Bubba and Dogg, so they drive him through a table!

With the ref down, Brisco comes to interfere. He can’t stop the Dudleys from hitting Dogg with a 3D on the table, but there’s no ref to see it. So the Dudleys try to revive him while Brisco pulls Road Dogg out of the ring. Meanwhile, Tori grabs Bubba and attempts to slap him. It was a mistake. Bubba looks to superbomb her on a table, so Brisco rescues her. This allows X-Pac to drop Bubba onto a table with a super X-Factor. Brisco holds the ref up to witness it.

Thoughts: This was good, but not great. I’m unsure why they wrestled a normal tag encounter for half of it. Once they grabbed the tables, it became better. Also, I liked the ending. So this was still enjoyable.

Winners: X-Pac & Road Dogg (10:55)

DX leaves, but Brisco stays. He taunts the Dudleys with crotch chops, so D-Von attacks him. They get another table and hit Brisco with the 3D!

Next, the creepy vignette I mentioned earlier plays. This time, the girls sing a twisted version of “Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep”, but they don’t finish it. The network had to cut off the end because it contained a snippet of Kid Rock’s “American Bad Ass”. They also showed a message that said, “His judgment day is coming.” JR asks what that was about, but Lawler doesn’t know either.

Now it’s time for the main event. Shawn Michaels enters first, and he wears the shorts, despite what Triple H said. The commentators talk about the tension. Will HBK call it down the middle? Once Shawn arrives, we get the other entrances. Triple H brings the McMahons with him, but he sends them backstage. Hunter says he wants to make history on his own.

60-Minute Iron Man Match for the WWF Title: Triple H vs. The Rock (c)

Storyline: Triple H gloated about what he did to Hebner. Then Hunter challenged Rock to an Iron Man Match. He said Rocky couldn’t hang with him for an hour. Meanwhile, HBK returned. He stepped down as commissioner, but he said Linda made him her spokesperson. Shawn also announced he was the referee for the Iron Man encounter. When Rock came back from filming The Mummy 2, he accepted the challenge, but he said he smelled a rat. The Rock didn’t trust Michaels. In fact, neither man did. Hunter and Rock threatened HBK. Hunter told him to call it the way he should, while Rock told him to call it down the middle. Next, Vince put Rock in a submission contest against Benoit. Vince screwed the Rock out of a win, but Rock put Triple H through a table. So Hunter did the same during the Lumberjack Tables Match.

The Match: After a feeling out process, Hunter works on Rock’s arm, but Rock scores a Rock Bottom to go up 1-0. Now Rocky attacks Hunter’s knee and grabs a Figure Four. They battle back and forth and even brawl in the crowd. Next, they return to the ring, and Hunter gets two falls from a Pedigree and an inside cradle. This makes it 2-1. Rock regroups, so they fight in the aisle. Soon Triple H goes up 3-1 with a piledriver. He follows this with sleeper holds. Hunter also uses the ropes for leverage, but Shawn catches him. This allows Rock to nail a DDT to make it 3-2. This doesn’t last. Hunter clocks Rock with a chair and busts him open. The DQ ties it at 3-3, but he isn’t done. Hunter pins him with his feet on the ropes and puts Rock to sleep with a sleeper.

It’s 5-3, but Rock fights back and they scuffle on the floor. Rock sends him into the steps and the post until Hunter is bleeding. Plus, the Rock gives Hunter a Pedigree on the announce table! A count out makes it 5-4. This brings the McMahons back to the ring. Rock fends them off and nails a People’s Elbow to tie it at 5-5. Sensing trouble, Shane grabs Shawn, so HBK fights the McMahons. This leads to chaos, and Shawn gets knocked off the apron. With the ref down, DX ambushes the Rock, but the creepy vignette plays again! This time, the girls finish the rhyme. They talk about something evil coming back from the dead.

A few seconds of “American Bad Ass” plays as the Undertaker rides into the arena on a motorcycle. He attacks the McMahons and chokeslams DX. Taker turns his attention to Stephanie, but Triple H saves her. So Taker chokeslams Hunter while Shawn warns him not to do it. HBK tries to stop him as the time-limit expires, but Undertaker gives Triple H a Tombstone. Afterward, Shawn goes outside and tells the Fink his decision. He disqualifies the Rock for outside interference. Therefore, Hunter wins 6-5.

Thoughts: This was outstanding. They kept a good pace and told a nice story. The only gripe is they had to rush the finish. It appeared they waited too long to start the closing sequence, so the camera missed part of Undertaker’s entrance. It’s a minor hiccup, everything else went well.

Winner: Triple H (New Champion) (1:00:00)

The Fink announces the decision, so the fans boo. JR calls it a heartbreaker. Then Shawn leaves the ring, but the Undertaker glares at him. Shawn backs away as Taker stalks him down the aisle. Meanwhile, DX helps Triple H backstage while the commentators debate the finish. Lawler thinks the time expired before Taker’s Tombstone.

The Good:

• The main event.

• The opener.

• Benoit/Jericho.

• The Triple Threat.

• Big Show/Shane.

• The Brisco segments.

The Bad:

• I honestly can’t think of anything.

Performer of the Night:

I’m giving this to Rock and Triple H. They kept a perfect pace during the Iron Man Match. It never grew dull, and they had a hot finish.

Final Thoughts:

This is now my new pick for the best PPV of 2000, so far. It’s almost flawless. Everything ranged from good to great. Plus, it had memorable moments and fine character work. The contrast between what the WWF is doing and WCW’s programming is like night and day. (Also, I didn’t have any observations this week. I didn’t drop the section, but I didn’t want to stretch to find something.)

Speaking of WCW. My next review is The Great American Bash 2000. I get the feeling it won’t be as good as this. Look for it next Sunday.