He said it best himself. Finally, The Rock is going to WrestleMania. As many fans predicted, Rocky Maivia came out on top in the annual 30-Man Royal Rumble to win a shot at the WWF World Heavyweight Title at WrestleMania 2000. The Rock entered as number 24 and approximately 15 minutes following that, he used the Big Show’s own momentum against him to secure the coveted spot.
Kane, The Rock, The Big Show and X-Pac were the final four Rumble competitors on a pay-per-view that as a whole, stands out as one of the best booked events the WWF has put on in the last year or so. As Kane slipped out and brawled with the New Age Outlaws outside the ring, the officials did not see X-Pac get thrown out. The lightening-quick member of D-Generation X, returned to the ring to eliminate Kane. X-Pac, himself was given the boot just 20 seconds later.
The Rock and Big Show squared off. Rocky slammed The Big Shown down and hit him with the People’s Elbow to the delight of the Madison Square Garden crowd. The Rock went to hurl The Big Show over the top rope but the mammoth giant stopped him with a choke hold. Holding The Rock in the air, The Big Show pointed to the crowd asking them which side of the ring he should pitch him out on. As The Big Show ran toward the ropes with a dangling Rock in tow, The People’s Champ carried The Big Show over the ropes but grabbed onto them pulling himself back onto the ring apron. The Rock was the last man standing though an incensed Big Show clocked Rocky from behind with a forearm shot while he was cutting a celebratory promo in the ring. Big Show flung The Rock over the top rope saying “It’s not over yet!”.
The Rock’s most likely opponent at WrestleMania – current WWF champ Triple H – fought off a ruthless challenge by Cactus Jack (Mick Foley) to retain the title in a no rules street fight match. Though still not as intense or gory as similarly themed matches in Japan or the ECW promotion, chairs, a 2/4 wrapped in barbed wire, handcuffs and thumb tacks came into play.
His forehead cut open by the 2/4 wrapped in barbed wire, Triple H evened the odds by handcuffing Cactus Jack. A stumbling champ beat Cactus unmercifully with a steel chair as The Rock had done at last year’s Rumble. The two fought back to the entrance way which was decked out to resemble an alley complete with graffiti, trash cans and bricks on the ground. Absorbing a chair shot to the head, the demented Cactus Jack begged Triple H to hit him again. That’s when The Rock appeared flatting Triple H with a chair of his own then disappeared. A “police officer” unlocked the cuffs and Cactus piledrove Triple H on the Spanish announce table.
Rolling Triple H back into the ring, Cactus reached under the ring and pulled out a bag filled with thumb tacks which he scattered all over the mat. A concerned Stephanie McMahon came to ringside. Cactus went for a running clothesline. Triple H backdropped Cactus onto the thumb tacks and Pedigreed him. Remarkably, Cactus Jack kicked out at two. Triple H did it again but this time on the pile of thumb tacks. He got the three count and the win.
Thumb tacks stuck in his face, forehead, arms and legs, Cactus Jack halted the medical staff from taking Triple H away on a stretcher. He pushed it into the ring. The stretcher tipped over and Triple H’s head slammed into the side of the ring. Cactus Jack picked up the 2/4 wrapped in barbed wire and smashed Triple H in the head with it before he was wheeled out again.
- The next WWF pay-per-view is No Way Out on February 27th.
WWF Royal Rumble 2000 Results
- On Sunday Night Heat it is revealed that The Mean Street Posse and Kaientai are out of the Rumble line-up. They aren’t pleased about it. They feel they’ve been discriminated against because they are rich and Japanese. Where’s Johnnie Cochrane when you need him, eh?
Kurt Angle Vs Tazz
- The WWF really took their sweet time debuting the former ECW Heavyweight Champion. They wanted to showcase him just right. That’s funny considering that Tazz basically gets his butt kicked in this match. He really doesn’t come off looking too great. Fans who don’t know of Tazz’s history in ECW may be left wondering what all the hype was about. Angle is all over the normally combustible Tazz. The fans chant ECW! ECW! Tazz mounts a late comeback. A suplex clinic wears down Angle for Tazz’s submission move (the Kazahajima). Angle is out like a light. Tazz is declared the winner. The announcers say the move might be illegal in the WWF. Angle is given oxygen as he’s transported to the back on a stretcher.
- Winner: Tazz at 3 minutes and 18 seconds.
- Match Rating: 6 / 10.
The Dudley Boyz Vs The Hardy Boyz (Tag Team Table Match)
- First off, this is not the FIRST tag team table match ever. The first in the WWF sure. Not in other federations like ECW. Anyhow, Buh Buh delivers a toned down in-ring promo without stuttering. That speech therapy has done wonders, folks! Now if we could sign up Ahmed Johnson, we’d be cooking. A ladder, steel chairs and of course…table upon table are employed. Jeff Hardy does his running dive-of-the-ringside-barrier move. Too bad Buh Buh shoved a table into his face. The Dudleys position a table across the ring stairs in the center of the ring. Matt Hardy is powerbombed through it. The Dudleys set up four tables near the entrance way that’s underneath a balcony. Buh Buh and Jeff fight up through the crowd to the balcony. Jeff low blows Buh Buh. Poor Buh Buh falls off the balcony through a table. Jeff does a Senton Bomb off the balcony onto a table and D-Von below. Great planning and innovative spots.
- Winners: The Hardy Boyz at 10 minutes and 18 seconds.
- Match Rating: 8 / 10.
- Angle is examined in a dressing room. He claims that since the match was called, he didn’t really lose so his undefeated streak is still intact.
Miss Rumble 2000 Competition
- Ivory is right. Someone should put a stop to this juvenile, sexist crap. Why is there never a male strip match or swim suit competition? Hardly seems fair does it? Hmmmm. Hey, I love seeing a great looking women as much as the next guy however it has its time and place. Pro Wrestling is not the place, people. I wonder if the WWF has ever thought about the fact that they are killing their future market because some parents won’t let their young kids grow up watching this kind of content? Hmmmm. Just when you think the WWF can’t stoop any lower as far as the way they depict women goes, Mae Young bares her breasts on pay-per-view. The WWF attempted to block out Young’s body with a huge CENSORED graphic. It didn’t work and now thousands of people are temporally blinded throughout North America and The United Kingdom. Sick. Sick. Sick. Sick. Oh, yeah. The judges (Sgt. Slaughter, Johnny Valentine, Freddie Blassie, Moolah, Tony Garea and Andy Richter from the Conan O’Brien show) give the win to Mae Young. How special.
- Winner: Mae Young.
- Match Rating: N/A.
Hardcore Holly (challenger) Vs Chris Jericho (champion) Vs Chyna (champion) (Three Way – Intercontinental Championship Match)
- Holly and Jericho take it easy on Chyna throwing off the believability factor and ruining some key spots by softballing the delivery. Chyna spends most of the match heaved in and out of the ring. Chyna locks The Walls Of Jericho on Holly. Jericho bulldogs her from behind. A Lionsault and Jericho is the undisputed Intercontinental Champion.
- Winner: …and still WWF Intercontinental Champion, Chris Jericho at 7 minutes and 31 seconds.
- Match Rating: 4 / 10.
The New Age Outlaws (champions) Vs The Acolytes (challengers) (WWF World Tag Team Title Match)
- All that build up for a two minute bout? Give us a break. What gives? Faarooq has the win at 1:57. X-Pac interferes pulling out the ref. Bradshaw is tied up with X-Pac and Road Dogg. Mr. Ass hits the Fame-Asser on Faarooq. Match? What match?
- Winners: …and still WWF World Tag Team Champions…The New Age Outlaws at 2 minutes and 39 seconds.
- Match Rating: 2 / 10.
Cactus Jack (challenger) Vs Triple H (champion) (WWF World Heavyweight Title – Street Fight Match)
- Winner: …and still WWF World Heavyweight Champion…Triple H at 26 minutes and 55 seconds.
- Match Rating: 9 / 10.
Royal Rumble Match
- Highlights:
- Kaientai and The Mean Street Posse jump in again and again and get tossed out again and again. On his last tumble, Taka smacks his head on the concrete floor. He’s shipped off to the hospital.
- Too Cool and Fatu end up alone in the ring. They do their dance number until Fatu clotheslines them out. Fatu dominates the first half of the Rumble. It takes six wrestlers to fling him out.
- Bob Backlund, Chyna, Chris Jericho, The Acolytes are unexpected Rumble surprises taking the places of Kaientai and The Mean Street Posse.
- Road Dogg spents a large part of the Rumble lying on the mat with his legs and arms wrapped around the ropes so he can’t be kicked out easily.
- Gunn is the one who threw out Road Dogg.
- Chyna took out Jericho. A second later, Bossman knocks her out too.
Royal Rumble Times Name Time In Time Out D’Lo Brown Start 6:10 Grand Master Sexay Start 7:44 Mosh 1:32 5:18 Christian 3:14 5:33 Rikishi Phatu 4:53 21:30 Scotty Too Hotty 6:43 7:44 Steve Blackman 8:42 9:28 Viscera 10:15 11:58 Big Bossman 12:18 37:12 Test 14:02 40:40 Bulldog 15:30 30:54 Gangrel 17:15 40:57 Edge 18:59 33:57 Bob Backlund 20:49 23:06 Chris Jericho 22:38 26:39 Crash Holly 24:17 39:24 Chyna 25:52 26:41 Faarooq 27:32 27:56 Road Dogg 28:59 48:08 Al Snow 30:30 47:54 Val Venis 32:08 44:03 Prince Albert 33:49 45:16 Hardcore Holly 35:22 47:20 The Rock 36:52 Winner Billy Gunn 38:37 48:24 The Big Show 40:19 51:54 Bradshaw 41:44 42:19 Kane 43:28 50:07 Godfather 45:00 47:44 X-Pac 46:37 1. 48:44 2. 50:27 - Winner: The Rock at 51 minutes and 54 seconds.
- Match Rating: 10 / 10.
- Total Event Time: 2 hours and 45 minutes.
- Overall Event Rating: 10 / 10.