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WrestleMania 2000 a flop

John Powell

 

It was supposed to be sports entertainment’s greatest event of the year. It was supposed to the best the WWF has to offer. It wasn’t.

WrestleMania 2000 from The Pond in Anaheim, California, will go down as one of the worst WrestleManias the World Wrestling Federation has produced in its 15-year history of broadcasting the flagship spectacle. The only one-on-one match being the ludicrous Cat fight between Terri and The Kat, the other congested WrestleMania bouts suffered from constant stalling of one form or another as wrestlers lay prone for extended periods of time or engaged in low-impact brawling on the outside of the ring so that the audience could direct their attention to the other participants. This approach left many WWF superstars looking foolish for selling holds longer than they needed to.

Ironically, the first-ever All-Day-Long pre-show recapping the history of WrestleMania for eight hours prior to the premiere wrestling event was better than the card itself. Highlights of every WrestleMania were shown and past Mania participants added their insight such as Sgt. Slaughter describing the threats that he and his family received before WrestleMania 7 where he portrayed an Iraqi sympathizer in the ring while the real-life Gulf War was going on. Honourable tributes were paid to former WWF superstars like Andre The Giant and Rick Rude who have passed on. One hopes the WWF plans more All-Day-Long intros for its other annual events like SummerSlam, Survivor Series and The Royal Rumble. Hosts WWF commentator Michael Cole and former WWF Women’s Champion, Ivory, as well as the WWF production staff, deserve congratulations for making the All-Day-Long show the highlight of this year’s WrestleMania experience.

Overshadowed by a hopelessly recycled McMahon family feud, the WrestleMania main event didn’t live up to the WWF’s usual standards. Clocking in at a plodding thirty-six minutes and thirty-one seconds, the convoluted Four Way Elimination bout for the WWF World Heavyweight Title had fans tapping out, pleading for it to conclude some time this century. Mick Foley’s controversial return after “retiring” at the last WWF pay-per-view seemed pointless. An expected storybook ending for the hardcore wrestling legend’s career didn’t materialize. He walked away with cheers from an appreciative crowd but without the World Wrestling Federation title belt. Foley’s last, last match turned out to be a dud compared to his admirable effort in the Hell In A Cell – Retirement Match with Triple H. If this was indeed Foley’s final match, he ended his illustrious professional life in the ring on a very low note.

Accompanied by a supporter from the McMahon family in each of their respective corners, Triple H, The Rock, The Big Show and Mick Foley squared off. The Big Show was first to be sent packing at just under five minutes into the bout when the former Rock And Sock Connection tag team double-teamed the big man. Foley hit The Big Show with a steel chair across the back from outside the ring. The Rock executed the Rock Bottom for the pinfall.

In the corner of The Rock, Vince McMahon mockingly waved goodbye to his son Shane and The Big Show. Show yelled out…”You son of a b-tch! This isn’t over!”, to McMahon as he was escorted away by a phalanx of WWF officials.

Triple H sought to strike an in-ring deal with first Mick Foley and then with The Rock to help him finish off their Rock And Sock partner. Foley declined. The Rock accepted though as soon as Triple H turned his back, The Rock nailed him from behind. Foley and The Rock double-teamed Triple H until a miscue by The People’s Champion saw a ring bell intended for Triple H’s head hit Foley. Foley and The Rock co-operate back in the squared circle. Foley locked on Socco as The Rock used the WWF World Title to bash Triple H in the head. As The Rock went for The People’s Elbow, Foley put the Mandible Claw on The Rock.

It was Foley and Triple H’s turn to double-team The Rock much to the displeasure of the fans. Triple H set The Rock up on the Spanish announce table. Foley dived off the ring apron with a flying elbow smash. He missed The Rock entirely and bounced off the table violently. Foley did bring his barbed wire 2/4 into play though Triple H used on The Rock as well. No one bladed.

Vince McMahon slipped a chair in the ring. Triple H used the chair to Pedigree Foley and to the shock of millions, pinned him. Angry fans, who were quiet as a church congregation for the almost all of the lifeless WrestleMania card, voiced their obvious dislike at the turn of events by letting out deafening boos. They chanted Foley’s name in tribute to him as he left for the dressing room.

Shane McMahon snuck back to the ringside area to attack his father. While The Rock and Triple H laid in the middle of the ring for an unbelievable six minutes or more, Shane and Vince brawled. The focus switched from the match at hand to another public McMahon family fight. Shane chair shot Vince to the head and he bladed. Unstoppable as Hulk Hogan once was, McMahon got up to pound his own son. Vince and Stephanie hugged in the middle of the ring, the assumption being that the WWF President sees much of himself in his daughter and is proud of her. The Rock dove back into the ring dishing out The Rock Bottom to Shane, Vince and Stephanie after she slapped him for hurting her dad.

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