Royal Rumble
Sunday, January 23, 2000, from New York, New York
Hosted by: Jim Ross and Jerry Lawler
The 2000 Royal Rumble began with a fantastic montage showcasing Cactus Jack’s hardcore side compared to Triple H’s rise to glory with the Heavyweight Championship. A New York City Royal Rumble picture was then shown as the WWF went to ringside with Jim Ross and Jerry Lawler
Tazz defeated Kurt Angle (Knockout)
– Kurt Angle made his way to the ring and insulted the New York Knicks while he praised himself for being undefeated. A “we want Tazz” chant then began as the New York native, Tazz, made his way to the ring covered in a black towell. Angle quickly attacked the “human suplex machiene” and delivered two suplexes in a row. Tazz then delivered a belly-to-belly suplex from the top rope, however Angle got out of the count by putting his foot on the rope. Tazz delivered three straight suplexes, a belly-to-belly, belly-to-back, and a variation of the belly-to-belly followed by the Katahajamie chokehold (Tazzmission) for the win. Following the match, Angle was wheeled out on a stretcher with Lawler and Ross debating whether it was a chokehold or a sleeper.
Hardy Boyz defeated Dudley Boyz *Tag Team Table Match*
– [This match is won by driving your opposing team through tables offensivley.]
– Backstage, the Hardy Boyz told Terri Runnels to stay out of the ringside area because the match would be very hardcore. The Dudley Boyz exclaimed how much they agreed with John Rocker and told the Hardyz to kiss their rear ends goodbye. Many table attemps were reversed, mostly by the Dudleyz. The Hardyz brough a ladder into the match as they used that as well as multiple chairs. Matt then set up a table outside as both he and Jeff lept from a ladder and the top turnbuckle respectivley knocking Buh Buh out. A Both Hardyz missed leaps and fell into tables. (Those were defensive moves and therefore did not count.) Two steel steps were brought into the ring allowing the Dudleyz to place a table on top and drive Matt through it with a powerbomb. Outside by the enterance way, the Dudleyz set up two tables next to each other and place one more on top of those. Matt was then placed on the top one as Jeff and Buh Buh Ray went to the top of the enteranceway. Matt then moved off of the table as Jeff knocked Buh Buh twice with a chair to let him fall through all the tables. D-Von was then placed onto a table allowing Jeff to hit a senton bomb from the top of the enteranceway for the win.
In the backstage area, a medical technician was shown looking in Kurt Angle’s eyes to see how he was doing. All Angle was concerned about was whether or not he won the match as the technician told him he was choked out.
Miss 2000 Royal Rumble Swimsuit Competition
– [Featuring: Terri Runnels, The Kat, Luna, B.B., Ivory, Jacqueline, and Mae Young] – [Judges: Sgt. Slaughter, Tony Garea, Fabulous Moolah, Johnny Vailent, Freddy Blassie, and Andy Richter]
– Jerry Lawler was the Master of Cerimonies and introduced all the competitors. Ivory first unveiled a turquoise bikini from under a yellow WWF New York sweatshirt; Terri took off her black robe to reveil an almost clear and silver V bathingsuit; Jackie took off her black robe to reveil a very small silver suit; B.B. took off her red robe to reveal a blue and pink bikini; Luna called Lawler a stupid idiot and decided not to take her clear black jacket; finally, The Kat took off her robe to reveil a bubble wrap bikini. As Lawler was ready for the decision, Mae Young made her way down in a pink robe and took it off to reveal a purple old woman’s bathingsuit and then unzipped that to the crowd’s dismay. The WWF quickly ran a “censored” screen as Mark Henry ran down to try and cover her up. The judges unanimously decided to elect Young as the winner as she took off her top once more.
Michael Coachman was then shown at WWF New York with fans going absolutley nuts behind him. Chris Jericho and Chyna were then shown backstage arguing who would wear the belt to the ring. Earl Hebner took the belt away from both of them as the WWF reminded everyone that wrestling should be done in a ring and not on the playground.
Chris Jericho pinned Chyna and Hardcore Holly *Triple Threat Intercontinental Championship*
– After Hardcore Holly and Chyna made their enterances, Chris Jericho welcomed everyone to Madison Square Jericho. All three competitors brawled for a bit as Jericho was able to place the walls of Jericho on Holly; Chyna quickly interrupted. Jericho and Chyna did work together for a small part of the match, but after a bit they fought again. Chyna found her mark and pedigreed Holly, however he kicked out after a two and a half. After some more fighting and the referee being distracted, Chyna hit Holly with a steel chair and placed him in a Boston crab. Jericho then gave her a front facebuster and hit a Jerichosault fromt he second rope for the pin.
The Rock Interview.
– Backstage, The Rock exclaimed that he had finally come back to New York and said that Crash Holly and Headbanger Mosh were his only competition in the Royal Rumble match. The Rock then did a rant on Paul Wight and guaranteed a win in the Rumble.
New Age Outlaws pinned The Acolytes *Tag Team Championship*
– All four men brawled outside of the ring as The Acolytes took the upperhand at the beginning of the contest. The Acolytes would have gotten a three-count, however Bradshaw pulled the referee out of the ring. X-Pac then ran in but was quickly given a spinebuster as Gunn hit a famouser for the pin.
Triple H pinned Cactus Jack *Street Fight Heavyweight Championship*
– Cactus Jack immediatley attacked Triple H and pumelled him down into a corner. Both men went outside the ring where Triple H went into the steel steps and Cactus got hit with a bell. Triple H then picked up a chair and invited Cactus into the ring; Cactus ran directly towards him and got hit with an extremley hard chair shot. Cactus got up quickly, picked up the chair himself, and leg dropped it onto Triple H for a two count. Both men then went through the crowd and into the enterance way where Triple H was thrown into a pile of bricks, suplexed into a pair of wooden palletes, and thrown about 15 times into a steel enterance door. Cactus was backdropped into a steel chair (which was crushed) before regaining the upper hand and throwing Triple H into a pair of steel steps. A two-by-four covered in barbed wire was then taken from underneath the ring and then used by Triple H onto Foley’s back and stomach twice each. Cactus then issued a low blow and a double arm-DDT as the referee gave the barbed wire two-by-four to the Spanish announcers. The crowd then booed as Cactus held up Hebner by the collar and demanded to know where it was. Triple H ran into Hebner as Cactus picked up the two-by-four and drove it into his head three times and ran it across his skull. Both men ended up on a table which Triple H reversed a piledriver into a backdrop on. Back int he ring, Cactus reversed a pedigree into a slingshot and then plasted Triple H’s face into the barbwire for another two count. Triple H delivered some barbwire shots himself as he grabbed a pair of handcuffs which Cactus used to his own advantage. He was then handcuffed as Triple H kicked him twice; Triple H brought a pair of steel steps into the ring which Foley used to drop toe hold him into. Cactus began to bite him on his ear, however Triple H knocked him down and actually broke a steel chair over his back. Both men traveled to the enteranceway as Cactus got hit again and demanded that Triple H continue. The Rock then ran out and hit Triple H with a chair as a police officer ran out and uncuffed Cactus. Both men clibed the Spanish announce table which Cactus piledrove Triple H into. Foley then reached under the ring and pulled out a bag of thumbtacks which he poured all over the ring. As soon as he did that, Stephanie ran down to try and stop the match, but Cactus ignored her and fought with Triple H. As he ran into Triple H, he was backdropped into the thumbtacks and then pedigreed right outside the area. Cactus kicked out of the pinfall but was then pedigreed onto the thumbtacks; this pinfall was a three count. Triple H was loaded onto a gourney as Cactus Jack ran out of the ring to follow him. He rolled him back into the ring and smacked him with the barbed wire two-by-four as his music was played.
Back at WWF New York, Jonathan Coachman interviewed Linda McMahon who explained that things in the WWF will be handeled the McMahon way very soon.
2000 Royal Rumble (Winner Receives WrestleMania XVI Title Shot)
– [Order of Enterance: D’Lo Brown, Brian Christopher, Mosh, Christian, Rikishi Phatu, Scotty Taylor, Steve Blackman, Viscera, Big Bossman, Test, British Bulldog, Gangrel, Edge, Bob Backlund, Chris Jericho, Crash Holly, Chyna, Farooq, Jesse James, Al Snow, Val Venis, Prince Albert, Hardcore Holly, The Rock, Billy Gunn, Paul Wight, Bradshaw, Kane, The Godfather, X-Pac]
– [Order of Elimination: Mosh, Christian, D’Lo Brown, Brian Christopher, Scott Taylor, Steve Blackman, Viscera, Rikishi Phatu, Bob Backlund, Chris Jericho, Chyna, Farooq, British Bulldog, Edge, Big Bossman, Crash Holly, Test, Gangrel, Bradshaw, Val Venis, Prince Albert, Hardcore Holly, The Godfather, Al Snow, Jesse James, Billy Gunn, Kane, X-Pac, Paul Wight]
– Each man will be entering the ring every 90 seconds and will only be eliminated when one goes over the top rope and both feet touch the floor. After Mosh entered the ring, Kai en Tai ran in, but were quickly thrown over the top. Rikishi entered the ring and quickly threw two men over the top as he tombstoned D’Lo. D’Lo was then thrown out leaving Rikishi and Grandmaster together in the ring. Scotty was the next to enter the ring as all three asked the crowd if they wanted a dance. The three danced, as Rikishi double clotheslined them and threw them over the top. Rikishi then eliminated Steve Blackman and Viscera as the Big Bossman made his way to the ring but would not enter until the next man came with him. Test was next and attacked the Big Bossman outside as he entered the ring with him. After Gangrel entered the ring, Kai en Tai ran in again, but were thrown over as quickly as they came in. After Bob Backlund entered the ring, Rikishi Phatu was thrown over; Backlund was then thrown over as he went into the crowd to campaign. After entering the ring, Chyna eliminated Jericho but was quickly eliminated by the Big Bossman. After Farooq entered the ring, the Mean Street Posse followed and all jumped out after Farooq got knocked out. After Val Venis entered the ring, Funaki ran it and got thrown out. (Taka Michinoku did not enter becuase when he got thrown out last he fell directly on his face and is in the hospital.) The Rock entered the ring and quickly threw out the Bossman as Billy Gunn followed him. Paul Wight then entered the ring and eliminated two men as Bradshaw entered and fought off the following Posse; the Outlaws then eliminated him. Kane then entered the ring and chokeslammed Val Venis over the top rope. After the New Age Outlaws got thrown out of the ring, Kane got dragged out but not thrown out. X-Pac then got thrown out, however he ran back into the ring because the referees didn’t see him; Kane returned as well and got kicked out by X-Pac. X-Pac then hit the bronco buster on Wight as he got up and threw him over the top rope. The Rock and Wight were left as The Rock hit a very bad spinebuster followed by the people’s elbow. Wight then countered a throw out of the ring into a showstopper and picked up The Rock. He went to throw The Rock out of the ring, however The Rock grabbed onto the the ropes and slingshotted Wight over him to win the 2000 Royal Rumble and go on to WrestleMania 2000 in Anaheim, California.
Following the match, The Rock picked up a microphone and exclaimed “Finally, The Rock is going to WrestleMania.” As he was asking if everyone smelled what he was cookin’, Wight ran back into the ring and threw him over the top rope. The Rock’s music then hit the loud speakers again as Wight walked off.
source: Adam Silverstein
