Raw Deal - Raw recap for June 5, 2000

RAW

Backstage, Michael Cole interviews WWF chairman Vince McMahon. Vince says that had it not for Triple H's ego, there would not be three #1 contenders for the WWF Championship, and if people around here started listening to him, there would not be these kind of problems. Vince then has Gerald Brisco carry his bag.

Triple H and Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley head to the ring to start tonight's show. Triple H tells the fans to shut up, then says that never before in the history of the WWF has the WWF Championship meant so much for so many or been so hotly contested, and that one cannot blame everybody for wanting it, as holding the WWF Championship means one has beaten the best there is, which is what it is all about, and being the undisputed best that there is. He says that there have never been so many people wanting to be the absolute best that there are three #1 contenders - Kane, The Undertaker and The Rock - to the championship, all of whom have the dream to stand in the ring and lay claim to beating him to become the champion. He says that while the competition is fierce, he thrives in it, and the hotter it gets, the more he loves it, as competition turns him on. Triple H then says that "big, huge inflated egos" turn him off, and while he has heard that he has a big ego, he says he should have the biggest ego on the planet due to how good he is, but he does not, as the claim to the biggest ego on the planet is reserved for just one man: WWF chairman Vince McMahon. Triple H says that Vince's ego is so big that it has become a problem, and that him and Stephanie entertaining taking over the company three or four months ago was not such a bad idea after all. Vince McMahon shows up, then Triple H says "Hello, Dad," only for Vince to take the microphone. Vince says he believes in the law of the jungle and that he believes that the bigger, stronger and smarter will eat the weaker and less fortunate one day, and that it is not Triple H's time, for while Triple H is "pretty damn good," the best thing he has ever done for his career is enter the World Wrestling Federation under his tutelage and guidance and marry his daughter Stephanie. He tells Triple H not to get ahead of himself, for regardless of whether his time comes, he made him and can break him. Triple H takes the microphone back and tells Vince that while he may have made the monster, the monster can take over any time he wants, and it was only a short time ago - last December at Armageddon - when he was kicking his ass all over the place. Triple H then shoves Vince McMahon, who takes his suit jacket off before Triple H takes his jacket off. As Vince and Triple H are about to square off, Shane McMahon shows up and says that both of their egos are out of control and that they need to relax. He says that both men's egos are so big that there is more than one #1 contender while Triple H wants to make his own matches and Vince wants to take Triple H in a fistfight. Shane then says Vince is not the only one with great ideas and that he should be running the company, which Vince and Triple H take offense to, and Shane responds by saying he is a giant killer and will kill their giant egos. Shane gets clotheslined by Vince and Triple H, and both of them get slapped by Stephanie in turn. The Rock then shows up and says that instead of a family feud, the owner of a multi-million dollar company or even the WWF Champion, he sees three of the biggest steaming, stinking, smoldering pieces of monkey crap being slapped around by "a walking two dollar slut." The Rock then says he realizes there are two other #1 contenders for the WWF Championship, but he is also a #1 contender, too, and he wants his title shot tonight. He says that he has two options: sit in the back and wait until Triple H is ready to face him, or get in the middle of the ring and whip Triple H's ass all over Rochester, New York. Kane shows up and tells The Rock that he has it all wrong, for he is the #1 contender and he wants his title shot tonight. The Undertaker then shows up and says that in all of his years in WWF, he has never seen so many assholes gathered in one place, and that with allies like the ones he has, Triple H does not need enemies. He says that while everyone else has issues, he does not give a damn, and he wants a title shot even if that means everyone faces Triple H at the same time. Vince proposes that Kane, The Rock and The Undertaker have a shot at Triple H and the WWF Championship in a Triple Threat Match to decide an undisputed #1 contender for the title, with the winner facing Triple H for the WWF Championship tonight.

Val Venis and T&A (Test and Albert) beats Too Cool (Grandmasta Sexay, Scotty 2 Hotty, Rikishi). During the match, referee Teddy Long is distracted on the outside. Trish Stratus gets on the apron with one of her boots, but Grandmaster Sexay catches her. When Test charges at Grandmasta Sexay, Sexay hits him with a back elbow and then hits him with the boot. As the referee is still distracted, Val Venis hits Grandmasta Sexay with one of the tag team title belts. After the match, both teams brawl, and Too Cool comes out on top with Val Venis almost getting the Stinkface when Trish Stratus confronts him. Trish slaps Rikishi after Venis rolls out of the ring, and she ends up getting the Stinkface instead. Too Cool then celebrate in the ring.

Backstage, Vince McMahon praises Triple H and Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley for making everything look believable, and Triple H apologizes to Vince. Vince says that if Triple H is sorry, then he is sorry. Shane McMahon then says "families gotta hug," then everyone hugs. Crash Holly then tries to run into the proceedings with a chair, but Gerald Brisco slams the nearby door on him without so much as looking back.

Chris Benoit beats Road Dogg with a German suplex bridge pin to qualify for the King of the Ring Tournament after The Dudley Boyz (Bubba Ray and D-Von Dudley) rush in and distract Road Dogg. After the match, Bubba Ray grabs Tori from behind as Tori checks on Road Dogg, and D-Von takes out Road Dogg before setting up a table on the outside. Bubba Ray is about to powerbomb Tori through the table when X-Pac hits him with a blow, and X-Pac and Tori flee with Road Dogg.

Backstage, Michael Cole interviews Gerald Brisco and Pat Patterson when Crash Holly sneaks up from behind the curtain and attacks Patterson with a plastic soda bottle carrier.

Backstage, Kevin Kelly interviews Kane. Kane says that in tonight's Triple Threat Match, there are no allies, and when it comes to the WWF Championship, he does not have a brother in The Undertaker.

Crash Holly heads to the ring. He calls Gerald Brisco and tells him to get to the ring and wrestle him after saying he promised his mother he would not get upset. Pat Patterson shows up and says that if he wants the WWF Hardcore Champion, he will give him to him. Patterson then introduces Brisco, who heads to the ring for an impromptu match but runs away from Crash when Crash runs after him.

Gerald Brisco retains the WWF Hardcore Championship against Crash Holly despite Pat Patterson running in to bring a pair of poop-stained underwater into the ring only for Crash to use it as a weapon against Brisco. Brisco gets the pinfall after kicking a stop sign into Crash's face from the corner while the underwear is still around his head, and Pat Patterson gets on top of Gerald Brisco to ensure Brisco retains the title.

Backstage, Michael Cole interviews The Undertaker. The Undertaker says Kane is "damn right" when Kane said he had no allies and no brother in tonight's Triple Threat Match.

WAR ZONE

Triple H guests on commentary for the next match.

The Rock beats Kane and The Undertaker in a Triple Threat Match to face Triple H for the WWF Championship later tonight after Triple H attacks The Undertaker throughout the match before attack him and Kane with a chair. After the match, Triple H hits The Rock in the head with the chair.

Eddie Guerrero and Chyna beat The Godfather and Dean Malenko after Eddie counters a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker with an inside cradle despite Eddie Guerrero being surrounded by The Godfather's hos on the outside.

Hardcore Holly beats Faarooq to qualify for the King of the Ring Tournament.

Backstage, Kurt Angle apologizes to Edge and Christian for how they lost the WWF Tag Team Championships last week, then says he has good word that if they beat The Dudley Boyz (Bubba Ray and D-Von Dudley), they will have defended the honor of Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley and that Stephanie may be in just a good enough mood to give Edge and Christian another tag team title shot.

Before the next match, Christian says that Rochester, New York is known for three things: the best chili dog in New York three years in a row, the home of a sports team that Christian is unable to identify, and being the home of Kodak. Kurt Angle says he finds it very ironic that "the Kodak moment" originated in a town with very unattractive people, then Edge leads into the five second pose "for the benefit of those with teeth."

Edge, Christian and Kurt Angle beat Chris Jericho and The Dudley Boyz (Bubba Ray and D-Von Dudley) in a six-man tag match following an Angle Slam to Bubba Ray Dudley. After the match, Jericho and the Dudley Boyz attack Edge, Christian and Angle, then Jericho puts Angle in the Walls of Jericho and make him tap out while Bubba Ray frantically looks for - and finds - a table undeneath the ring. Bubba Ray and D-Von set it up, then put Angle through the table with a Dudley Death Drop.

The Hardy Boyz (Jeff and Matt Hardy) beat The Big Boss Man and Bull Buchanan. After the match, Bull Buchanan gets frustrated with The Big Boss Man and shoves him, then The Big Boss Man attacks Buchanan from his behind with his nightstick.

Backstage, Triple H tells the rest of The McMahon-Helmsley Faction that that there will be no screw-ups and that he will beat The Rock on his own. He tells everyone in the room not to interfere in his match tonight.

Backstage, Michael Cole interviews Triple H, who says that he does not say anything he does not need, and that there is no need for the Faction and that he will prove he is "that damn good" and that he can beat The Rock on his own. When Michael Cole tells Triple H that the referee for the match is Earl Hebner, Triple H says that it will not matter who the referee is, as all the referee needs to do is make the three-count. Michael then interviews Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley and mentions that she has yet to defend the WWF Women's Championship. Stephanie asks Michael Cole who he is to say who she defends the title again and when, as she has no number one contender, unlike Triple H. This leads Ivory and Jacqueline to show up and confront her over a title shot, and Stephanie announces that on SmackDown, there will be a women's battle royal and that she will successfully defend the championship against whoever wins it because she is "that damn good."

Triple H retains the WWF Championship against The Rock. During the match, The McMahon-Helmsley Faction shows up and surrounds the ring, and Shane McMahon gets shoved off the ring apron by referee Earl Hebner. The Rock fights off the Faction as they get on the apron, and he is soon able to hit Triple H with The People's Elbow. X-Pac tries to pull Hebner out of the ring, but Hebner kicks him. "Road Dogg" Jesse James then confronts Hebner on the apron, and Triple H whips The Rock into Hebner before The Rock hits Triple H with a DDT. The Faction soon gets into the ring and attacks The Rock before Shane McMahon hands Triple H a chair, then The Undertaker and Kane show up and lay out The Faction. The Rock hits The Undertaker with a chair, then The Undertaker choke slams The Rock before stomping on Triple H, taking out X-Pac, Road Dogg and Shane McMahon, then leaving. Triple H then barely covers The Rock to retain. After the match, The Undertaker knocks Triple H out of the ring.

Layin' da SmackDown - SmackDown recap for May 25, 2000

Police officers are stationed around the inside of the ring as WWF Chairman Vince McMahon makes his way to the arena, where he tells Gerald Brisco that if The Undertaker shows up, he will have him arrested for trespassing. Vince tells Shane that tonight will not be a repeat of Monday night, then The Undertaker nearly runs down Vince, Brisco and WWF co-owner Shane McMahon. Vince, Shane and Brisco are forced to flee up a flight of stairs. Vince eventually makes it to the ring and yells at the police for not being backstage when The Undertaker nearly ran him over, then calls out The Undertaker. The Undertaker eventually shows up minus his motorcycle, then Vince asks The Undertaker "Who the hell do you think you are?" after his actions backstage and asks him if he thinks he is a badass who lives by his own rules before stating that he will pay for thinking that tonight. Before having the police arrest The Undertaker and carry him away in shackles, Vince tells The Undertaker that he was one of the happiest individuals ever at Judgment Day after The Undertaker single-handedly cost The Rock the WWF Championship, saying that he would rather enjoy that even thought Triple H would have beaten him anyway. He then asks The Undertaker how it feels to have cost The Rock the WWF Championship, and says he should not turn his back on The Rock any time soon. He then addresses his actions on Raw, saying he would have had him arrested for trespassing then, except he was not as prepared for him then as he is now. He then tells The Undertaker that he is not under contract and that he walked out on him, and Vince says that nobody walks out on him. He then says that since The Undertaker is standing in his ring on his property, he is trespassing, and orders the police to arrest him. The Undertaker takes the microphone from Vince, then asks Vince if he talks to his wife, WWE CEO Linda McMahon, anymore, saying that if he did, he would know that Linda signed him to "a big, fat contract" that gives him "lots of years and lots of zeroes," which means that Vince gets the pleasure of paying him lots of money to "kick [his] stank ass." Vince then tells the police to arrest The Undertaker for attempted vehicular homicide. One of the policemen says he would be happy to do that, but he would also have to arrest Vince on the grounds of assaulting a police officer. He then tells Vince and The Undertaker to work their problems out on their own, much to the chagrin of Vince, who yells at the police, telling them he hired them to do a job. Vince then comes face-to-face with The Undertaker, who goes for a choke slam on Vince only to be hit in the back with a steel chair by Shane. This has no effect, and Shane and Vince run up the ramp to the stage.

Before the next match, Edge informs the fans that earlier tonight, he and Christian issued an open challenge to any team in the World Wrestling Federation that they had not beaten, then says that they have beaten everybody. Christian says they are lacking competition, and as Edge and Christian asks where some of the teams formerly in the WWF went, Eddie Guerrero and Chyna show up.

Eddie Guerrero and Chyna beat Edge and Christian by disqualification after Christian shoves referee Jimmy Korderas. Edge and Christian retain the WWF Tag Team Championships. After the match, Christian tries to hit Chyna with one of the tag team title belts, but Chyna ducks and Eddie and Chyna get the upper hand, forcing Edge and Christian to retreat.

Backstage, The Acolytes Protection Agency (Faarooq and Bradshaw) catches Crash Holly in their headquarters shaking a an of beer - and mistaking it as him masturbating - and Crash opens the can of beer, shooting it into Faarooq's face. Bradshaw tells Faarooq "Remember, he's just a boy!", then tells Faarooq "Kill him!" after he opens a can of beer and finds that it too has been shaken up.

WWF Chairman Vince McMahon tells Gerald Brisco to head to the back of the building and keep his eyes open for The Rock, asking him to let him to let him know if The Rock shows up. WWF co-owner Shane McMahon also asks Brisco to keep his eyes open for The Undertaker.

Bradshaw guests on commentary for the next match.

Faarooq beats Crash Holly in a hardcore match.

Gerald Brisco is seen waiting for The Rock backstage.

Another limousine shows up at the arena in front of Gerald Brisco, and Triple H and WWF co-owner Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley walk out of it. Brisco tells them what has happened recently with WWF Chairman Vince McMahon.

Before the next match, Chris Jericho says that tonight's match is to determine a #1 contender for the WWF Intercontinental Championship, and he contends that in the eyes of every single Jerichoholic, he is still "the Ayatollah of Rock 'n Rollah." Suddenly, Hardcore Holly shows up, followed by Val Venis.

Hardcore Holly beats Val Venis and Chris Jericho in a Triple Threat Match to become #1 contender for the WWF Intercontinental Championship after hitting a leg drop on Jericho as he pins Venis.

Backstage, Triple H and WWF co-owner Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley talks with WWF Chairman Vince McMahon, who says that they will get even with The Undertaker tonight. Gerald Brisco shows up and tells Vince that he has gotten word that The Rock is on his way to the arena. Vince tells Triple H he has this under control, as he does not want to anger The Rock and he knows what he is doing.

Backstage, WWF Chairman Vince McMahon and Gerald Brisco meet up with The Rock. Vince tells The Rock that they have had their differences in the past, then mentions that The Undertaker cost him the WWF Championship. To show him that there are no hard feelings, he wants him to take the night off. Before The Rock leaves, he smacks Vince in the face from the back of the limousine. The Undertaker is then seen nearby, entering the building behind Vince and Brisco.

Matt Hardy beats Essa Rios after Essa Rios inadvertently knocks Lita off the ring apron. After the match, Essa Rios powerbombs Lita in the middle of the ring before hitting her with a top rope moonsault. Jeff Hardy and Matt Hardy run back into the ring and beat up Essa Rios before carrying Lita to the back.

Backstage, WWF Chairman Vince McMahon tells the rest of The McMahon-Helmsley Regime he is glad that The Rock is gone, because he can now come up with a plan to get rid of The Undertaker. Triple H proposes they find somebody who can look The Undertaker in the eye and take him down, preferably a giant killer. Everyone agrees that WWF co-owner Shane McMahon is a shoo-in to get rid of The Undertaker.

Too Cool (Grandmasta Sexay and Scotty 2 Hotty) and The Dudley Boyz (Buh Buh Ray and D-Von Dudley) beat D-Generation X (X-Pac and "Road Dogg" Jesse James) and T&A (Test and Albert). During the match, Albert is whipped into referee Teddy Long, taking him out in the corner. Rikishi Phatu shows up and beats up D-Generation, allowing The Dudley BOyz to hit the Dudley Death Drop on X-Pac for the win. After the match, Too Cool, Rikishi and The Dudley Boyz dance in the ring, with Too Cool and The Dudleys trading glasses beforehand. Buh Buh Ray is seen dancing the Macarena before really getting down.

Backstage, Triple H fires up WWF co-owner Shane McMahon for his confrontation with The Undertaker.

Before the next match, Kurt Angle says that last Monday night, he came to the realization that preaching abstinence and posing with friends is all fun and good, but he is an Olympic gold medalist and the best in the entire world. He says that none of the fans could possibly understand the goals and the high standards that he sets for himself, and says that it has been too long since he last had championship gold around his waist. He realizes that tonight, the people here do not have much to live for, but they will remember this night forever when they witness the crowning of a new Intercontinental Champion.

Kurt Angle beats Chris Benoit by disqualification after Hardcore Holly shows up and smacks him in the head with a steel chair. Chris Benoit retains the WWF Intercontinental Championship. After the match Benoit fights back against Hardcore HOlly and hits him with his own steel chair.

Bull Buchanan beats Al Snow after The Big Boss Man hits AL Snow in the back with a nightstick. After the match, The Big Boss Man hits "The Lethal Weapon" Steve Blackman with a nightstick to the side of the head.

Backstage, WWF co-owner Shane McMahon tells the rest of The McMahon-Helmsley Regime that he wants no interference and that he wants to beat The Undertaker on his own.

Before the next match, Shane McMahon says he has been dominating in the World Wrestling Federation and that tonight will be The Undertaker's judgment day much like Sunday was for Big Show, then rolls the footage of how he won against Big Show at Judgment Day. Shane then warns The Undertaker to stay in the back, as he does not want any of him. The Undertaker shows up on his motorcycle, anyway.

Shane McMahon vs. The Undertaker ends with D-Generation X (Triple H, X-Pac, "Road Dogg" Jesse James) attacking The Undertaker. Suddenly, The Rock shows up and fights off DX along with The Undertaker. Shane falls victim to a Tombstone Piledriver as The Rock knocks Triple Hout of the ring. The Undertaker gets back on his motorcycle and chases The McMahon-Helmsley Regime to the back.

Raw Deal - Raw recap for May 22, 2000

RAW

WWF Chairman Vince McMahon shows up to start tonight's show. Vince says that judgment day is the day that the world is supposed to come to an end and everyone is judged by the way they live their lives, and that the world ended for several Superstars last night. He then says it is clear that the McMahon-Helmsley regime is living correctly, as they were rewarded greatly and they rewarded themselves with one of the greatest parties of all time. He apologizes for anybody looking less than their best, including himself, and says that the rest of the regime will be here tonight. He says that X-Pac and "Road Dogg" Jesse James "set the tables" for The Dudley Boyz (Buh Buh Ray and D-Von Dudley) and beat them at their very own game, his own son Shane McMahon single-handedly defeated Big Show, and Triple H single-handedly proved why he is "The Game" when he defeated The Rock for the WWF Championship, even though The Rock employed the services of The Undertaker. He then says it has been nice without The Undertaker, who walked out on his contract some time ago, and states that if The Undertaker shows up tonight, he will have marshals waiting to arrest him since he is no longer under contract. As far as The Rock is concerned, he is not so sure that The Rock will show up tonight and if he is big enough of a man to swallow his pride and appear tonight, but in case he does, The Rock will face him in the ring tonight...almost. Instead, The Rock will be facing Road Dogg, X-Pac, Shane McMahon and Triple H at the same time in one match. He then says at Judgment Day, the McMahon-Helmsley took the WWF Championship from The Rock, and tonight, they will simply take what is left.

Backstage, WWF Chairman Vince McMahon is tailed from behind by The Rock, who proceeds to attack him. Vince begs The Rock off, but to no avail, and he throws him into a limousine. Vince yells at The Rock for doing this, and The Rock hits Vince with a trash can lid before the limo drives off.

The Rock waits in the parking lot for the rest of the McMahon-Helmsley regime.

Before the next match, Trish Stratus says it has come to her attention that women love The Hardy Boyz (Jeff and Matt Hardy), their rainbow hair and their high-flying moves, then says that she does not and that "those boys" will face her men. She then says they will see how hard they really are when she is done with them.

T&A (Test and Albert) beat The Hardy Boyz (Jeff and Matt Hardy) after Trish Stratus distracts the referee so that Test can hit Jeff Hardy with a top rope elbow drop and place Albert on top of Jeff Hardy.

The Rock continues to wait in the parking lot for the rest of the McMahon-Helmsley regime.

Eddie Guerrero retains the WWF European Championship against D'Lo Brown. During the match, The Godfather shows up with his hos, distracting D'Lo so that Eddie can retain the title. After the match, The Godfather beats up D'Lo Brown.

A black limousine carrying X-Pac, "Road Dogg" Jesse James and Tori shows up at the arena, and Gerald Brisco warns X-Pac, Tori and Road Dogg of what has happened between The Rock and WWE Chairman Vince McMahon. Suddenly, X-Pac and Road Dogg are attacked from behind with a pipe by The Rock, who throws them into a truck and traps them inside.

Before the next match, Kurt Angle says he has only one thing to say tonight: the New York Knicks are going down in the NBA Finals after they defeat the Indiana Pacers. Christian says Indiana is known for two things: a rich, storied basketball history and choking, whether it is Bobby Knight choking his players or the Pacers choking in the playoffs. Edge says they have decided to embrace Indiana tradition with a five-second pose called "The Big Choke", where Edge pretends to be Bobby Knight and Angle and Christian pretend to be choked Indiana University players.

Edge, Christian and Kurt Angle beat Too Cool (Grandmasta Sexay, Scotty 2 Hotty, Rikishi Phatu) after Edge hits Scotty 2 Hotty with one of the tag team title belts.

The Rock waits backstage for more members of the McMahon-Helmsley regime.

WWF CEO and co-owner Linda McMahon and Kane are on the cover of the current issue of Business Week.

Another black limousine with WWF co-owner Shane McMahon shows up. Gerald Briscoe warns Shane of The Rock, but Shane does not listen to him.

Shane McMahon shows up. He says he is not afraid of Big Show, and proceeds to make fun of him. He says that last night was a wonderful night and that he has set up a pictorial of what happened between him and Big Show last night to put up on the TitanTron. Shane brags about his victory and how the Big Show took a ride in the "WAHHHHmbulance," all while the crowd chants "Shane's a pussy!" Shane asks the fans to refer to him as "Shane The Giant Killer," and says that if Big Show were to miraculously walk into the ring against him again, history would repeat himself and he would become "The King of Sting." As Shane is about to leave, The Rock shows up and attacks Shane. The Rock and Shane brawl their way through the crowd and into the backstage area.

Chris Benoit retains the WWF Intercontinental Championship against Val Venis by disqualification after Hardcore Holly hits Benoit in the head with a steel chair. After the match, Hardcore Holly hits Venis in the head with a steel chair. As Holly leaves, Chris Jericho's theme hits, and Jericho attacks Holly in the head with a steel chair from behind.

In the parking lot, Gerald Briscoe waits for Triple H.

WAR ZONE

The Dudley Boyz (Buh Buh Ray and D-Von Dudley) beat The Big Boss Man and Bull Buchanan.

In the parking lot, Gerald Briscoe is still waiting for Triple H.

Backstage, Crash Holly confronts The Acolytes Protection Agency (Faarooq and Bradshaw) for not providing him an hour's worth of protection and demands his money back. When they refuse to take Crash seriously when he says that this is a breach of contract and Crash threatens to take his anger out on them, Crash Holly pours a beer on Bradshaw's head and storms off. Bradshaw then goes after Crash.

In the parking lot, Gerald Briscoe calls Triple H, but loses him due to a bad signal. He then throws the cell phone into a nearby concrete wall.

King of the Ring will be live on pay-per-view June 25th!

Bradshaw beats Crash Holly in a hardcore match.

A third black limousine shows up, and Triple H and WWF co-owner Stephanie McMahon come out. Gerald Briscoe warns Triple H and Stephanie about The Rock.

Gerald Briscoe tells Triple H and WWF co-owner Stephanie McMahon about what has happened so far tonight in their dressing room. Triple H says The Rock will not surprise him and that he is not a hard man to find, and as the three of them leave, The Rock comes out of hiding, revealing that he has heard everything that has been mentioned.

In footage from last night, Michael Cole interviews "The Heartbreak Kid" Shawn Michaels. Shawn says he has called the match down the middle and did the best job that he could. He says that all he saw after he was knocked out was The Undertaker attacking Triple H, and says he is sick and tired of people coming down on him every time he is asked to do a job, as he can't seem to make everybody happy, and if anybody does not like it, that is too bad.

As Essa Rios walks out with The Godfather and his hos to the ring, Lita chews him out.

Before the next match, The Godfather says that while Dean Malenko is known as the man of a thousand holds, his hos know a thousand positions. He offers Malenko the choice between a wrestling match and any of his hos. Malenko asks if he can have two, then walks off with two of the hos. Saturn then attacks Essa Rios from behind.

Perry Saturn beats The Godfather and Essa Rios in a two-on-one handicap after Lita pushes Essa Rios off the top rope.

Backstage, Triple H, Gerald Brisco and WWF co-owner Stephanie McMahon look for The Rock.

The Rock shows up. He says that Triple H brought everything he could last night at Judgment Day, but regardless of what he brought, it did not matter, for after all they have been through, Triple H brought it all and he brought it back. He says they made history, and while Triple H walked out with the WWF Championship, he never beat him. The Rock tells Triple H to enjoy the WWF Championship, for in due time, he will be WWF Champion again. He then talks about The Undertaker's return at Judgment Day, and while The Undertaker did the right thing, he did it at the wrong time: on The Rock's time. As for tonight, WWF Chairman Vince McMahon found out the hard way that he cannot simply finish him off, X-Pac and "Road Dogg" Jesse James are still trapped in a truck and WWF co-owner Shane McMahon has simply left the building. As for Triple H, he could have ambushed him backstage, but he decided to wait until now to call him out so he can kick his ass all over Indianapolis, Indiana. Triple H and WWF co-owner Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley show up, and Triple H tells The Rock that they went through hell yesterday, and admits they gave all they had and that they made history when they did what nobody else could do: go for 60 minutes and set the world on fire. He then says yesterday was The Rock's judgment day, and that The Rock was punished while he was rewarded, and that he felt it all slide out of The Rock as those 60 minutes ended. He says The Rock cannot hang with him, as he is the best there is, and while The Rock can say he never beat him, there are two men here tonight staring each other in the eye and one of them is a loser while the other is a winner. Triple H says that after all was said and done and the smoke cleared, he was the undisputed WWF Champion. The Rock simply tells Triple H "Just bring it." Triple H then takes off his jacket and heads to the ring, and after he cautiously enters the ring, both he and The Rock brawl. X-Pac and "Road Dogg" Jesse James run into the ring, as does Shane McMahon, but The Rock fends them all off. Gerald Brisco helps WWF Chairman Vince McMahon into the ring, but The Rock hits him with a Rock Bottom. Afterwards, the numbers game catches up to The Rock. As the McMahon-Helmsley regime places steel steps into the ring, The Undertaker shows up. The Undertaker fights off each member of the McMahon-Helmsley regime, including Vince McMahon, one by one, and nearly runs Vince over on his motorcycle before riding around the ring. Vince chases everyone back to the back, then Triple H nearly hits The Rock with a Pedigree on the steel steps. The Rock counters with a back drop before clotheslining Triple H out of the ring, and both men fight on the announce table before The Rock puts Triple H through it with a Rock Bottom to end the show.

Layin' da SmackDown - SmackDown recap for April 13, 2000

Before the next match, Eddie Guerrero hands Chyna a glass vase full of roses, then says that as a true European Champion from Europe, it would be a disgrace to the European Championship if it were to fall into the hands of an islander from Samoa. He asks if anyone knows where Samoa is, then tells Chyna that while Rikishi may have the biggest ass in the world, he has the biggest supply of Latino heat in the world.

Rikishi Phatu beats Eddie Guerrero by disqualification, and Eddie Guerrero retains the WWF European Championship. During the match, Rikishi inadvertently elbows referee Mike Chioda in the face, and while Chioda is down, Chyna counters a potential Banzai Drop onto Eddie by smashing the vase of roses into Rikishi's face. Rikishi manages to kick out at two afterwards, however. Later in the match, Chyna tries to hit RIkishi with a low blow from behind only for Rikishi to notice her. Eddie drop kicks Rikishi, but Rikishi squashes Chyna in the corner. Rikishi lays the Stinkface on Chyna, and when he goes for a spike piledriver on Eddie, Chyna hits Rikishi with a low blow to end the match.

Backstage, Triple H is feeding WWF co-owner Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley grapes when WWF co-owner Shane McMahon and Triple H agree that last Monday night was pretty fun and that they can do more of the same if anyone gets in their way tonight. Shane proposes they go out and have even more fun than they did on Raw, and Stephanie says they should make WWF Chairman Vince McMahon - who is not here tonight - proud. Suddenly, The Rock is seen entering the arena with his head bandaged, and Triple H responds by saying "Let the games begin."

Triple H and WWF co-owners Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley and Shane McMahon show up. Shane recaps the events of last Monday's Raw and says that Triple H was true to his word when he said he would turn it up a notch by having The Rock lay at their feet "with the lifeblood of The Rock's blood oozing onto the mat." Shane tells Triple H that was a proud moment, and congratulates Triple H while saying he is proud is WWF Champion. He also says that he is proud that Triple H is his brother-in-law. Stephanie says Triple H and Shane get her so choked up, and says they are going to make her cry as she is emotional just like WWF Chairman Vince McMahon. She knows Vince is watching at home right now, and while she knows he wanted to keep this as a surprise, she announces that when Triple H defends the WWF Championship against The Rock, Vince is going to be in Triple H's corner. Triple H says he is both honored and flattered that Vince would do that, but he does not want Vince coming in thinking he can steal his thunder, as he wants to do this his own. Nevertheless, Vince can be in his corner with a front row seat to the match. Triple H then says he gave The Rock a lesson in what it takes to be a real WWF Champion and to be the best on Raw, and says it takes a lot of sweat, a lot of tears, and "a whole lot of [The Rock's] blood." He tells The Rock that if he keeps coming back, he will keep teaching him that same lesson, and if it takes him a million times, he will teach him that lesson over and over. He then says it does not matter how much sweat comes out of his body, how many tears comes from his eyes and how much blood pumps out of his body, it will all be for nothing, as he will never be WWF Champion because he cannot beat him. Suddenly, The Rock shows up, and Triple H tells The Rock that he knows he is in front of his home state to talk about his chance at becoming WWF Champion, and says he has thought long and hard about when and where to give him his shot. He admits that Tampa, Florida would be "a hell of a place," but then says the match is so big that they might as well make it a bigger place because the match is so important. He then proposes they do it in Washington, D.C. - the site of Backlash in three weeks. The Rock says that Triple H did it all to him on Monday night and left him laying in a pool of his own blood and barely able to stand, but as sure as Triple H is "surrounded by a silver spoon jackass and by a bargain basement bitch," he walked out with his shot at the WWF Championship. He tells Triple, Shane and Stephanie to bring on Vince McMahon, and since they will be in Washington, D.C., they might as well bring on Congress, the Senate, the Vice President, the President, and even a dug-up George Washington., as there is nobody who will be able to stop him from whipping Triple H's candy ass. Triple H says The Rock is full of himself for somebody who lost half his blood on Monday night, and says that The Rock isn't even at 60 to 70% of his best right nowHe then says it does not really matter what percentage he is at, because tonight, it will be the two of them. Shane whispers something in Triple H's ear, then Triple H tells The Rock it will not be for the WWF Championship. He then tells The Rock to round up The Acolytes (Faarooq and Bradshaw) and bring them to the ring with him while he brings The Big Boss Man and Bull Buchanan for a six-man tag team match. The Rock asks Triple H if this is the best he can come up with, then tells him it doesn't matter because at Backlash, he promises to the people that he will whip Triple H's candy ass and walk out WWF Champion.

We see footage from earlier today where Al Snow and "The Lethal Weapon" Steve Blackman head to a nursing home, where Blackman finds out that he has to perform stand-up comedy.

The Hardy Boyz (Jeff and Matt Hardy) beat The Radicalz (Dean Malenko and Chris Benoit) following a Jeff Hardy Swanton Bomb on Dean Malenko during a pinfall attempt as referee Tim White is distracted by Chris Benoit.

Backstage, Triple H and WWF co-owner Shane McMahon tell Kurt Angle that they were wrong about him and that they agree that he was screwed at WrestleMania. They give him an opportunity to win the WWF Tag Team Championships when he teams with Big Show tonight.

Perry Saturn beats Crash Holly after superkicking a cookie sheet into Crash's face to win the WWF Hardcore Championship! After the match, Tazz runs into the ring with referee Jimmy Korderas in tow, and smashes the cookie sheet into Saturn's head to win the Hardcore Championship from Saturn. Crash then grabs the cookie sheet and smashes it into Tazz's head, and wins the WWF Hardcore Championship back from Tazz. Saturn and Tazz then go at it, and referees have to run in to restore order.

Back at the nursing home in footage from earlier today, Al Snow is the only person laughing as Blackman does not have the chops for stand-up comedy.

Before the next match, Kurt Angle says that tonight, his quest to reacquire championship gold has come to an end, as he the has the one partner guaranteed to bring home the tag team titles in Big Show. When Big Show arrives, however, he arrives to "Rowdy" Roddy Piper's music in a kilt and a beret, eating a donut and drinking bottled water. Backstage, Triple H and WWF co-owner Shane McMahon laugh it up. Angle asks Big Show what he is doing, and Big Show speaks in a Scottish accent as he says he is trying to have a little fun. Angle says he is here to win championship gold, but Show says that while he is here for championship gold, he is also here to show everyone what is underneath his kilt. Angle tries to persuade him not to do it as there are children present, then the next match begins.

Edge and Christian retain the WWF Tag Team Championships against Big Show and Kurt Angle by count-out after Kurt Angle slaps Big Show for not taking the match seriously only for Big Show to beat him up outside of the ring.

Backstage near a water cooler, Chris Jericho asks Tori and WWF co-owner Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley where The Godather is. Jericho walks away when he finds out he is talking to Tori and Stephanie and not two of The Godfather's hos.

Buh Buh Ray Dudley beats Albert. After the match, Test attacks D-Von Dudley, then Trish Stratus pulls a table out from underneath the ring. Test sets the table up in the middle of the ring, while D-Von Dudldey grabs a steel chair and smashes it into Test's back before he can put Buh Buh Ray through the table. After a steel chair head shot to Albert, Buh Buh Ray splashes Albert through the table from the top rope.

In the locker room, Chris Jericho apologize to Tori and WWF co-owner Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley. Stephanie wishes Chris Jericho luck in his match against X-Pac tonight, then tells him that he will also be facing "Road Dogg" Jesse James during that match, effectively making Jericho's match a 2-on-1 handicap match.

Wade Boggs of the Tampa Bay Devil Rays is seen in the front row.

We see more footage from earlier today of "The Lethal Weapon" Steve Blackman's attempts at stand-up comedy at the nursing home. After telling a woman who says he sucks at stand-up that her mother is so hairy that Bigfoot takes pictures of her, the woman responds by saying "My mother died in '64...you heartless bitch!" Blackman finally snaps and pulls out his nunchaku, much to the disappointment of Al Snow.

The Kat and Mae Young beat Terri Runnels and The Fabulous Moolah.

Before the next match, Chris Jericho welcomes everyone to "Tampa is Jericho," then says that he has seemingly insulted WWF co-owner Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley when he mistake her for one of The Godfather's ho. He says that he was going to apologize in the ring, but since he has been put in a 2-on-1 handicap match and is about to be screwed anyway, he might as well get his money's worth. He then says that The Rock and all the Jerichoholics were correct in calling Stephanie a "bargain basement bitch." Jericho then calls Stephanie "the filthiest, dirtiest, most disgusting, skankiest, brutal, bottom-feeding trash bag ho" that he has ever seen in his life while Stephanie and Triple H watch from backstage.

D-Generation X (X-Pac and "Road Dogg" Jesse James) beat Chris Jericho in a 2-on-1 handicap match. During the match, Tori gets involved, but Jericho catches her hand as she tries to slap him and puts her in the Walls of Jericho. Road Dogg then kicks Jericho in the back of the head so that X-Pac can hit X Factor for the win while WWF co-owner Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley and a friend of hers watch backstage

Backstage, WWF co-owner Shane McMahon chews out referee Earl Hebner and threatens to fire him from last week while Triple H watches. Triple H stops Shane and puts him on probation, and tells him that if he screws up again, he is fired.

We see footage from earlier today where Al Snow and "The Lethal Weapon" Steve Blackman are leaving the nursing home. Al Snow tells Blackman he cannot go around hitting elderly people with his nunchaku, but Blackman says "She annoyed me."

WWF co-owner Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley shows up with her friend from earlier. Stephanie says she understands how hard it is for the fans to look at the WWF Superstars and their hard bodies, and says it is a lot tougher for them to look out at all of the fans. She and her friend call the fans "fat, lazy, cellulite-ridden people," and says that they make her sick. Stephanie says she represents not only all the women out there, but also all the men "and your fat kids, too." Stephanie then decides to do a public service, and introduces her friend, who happens to be her personal trainer - and now the fans' - Muffy. As this goes on, The Rock asks The Acolytes (Faarooq and Bradshaw) backstage if they are man enough to tell him whether or not Triple H bought them off, but Faarooq tells them they are man enough to not tell him anything and Bradshaw says he is just going to have to trust them.

Triple H, The Big Boss and Bull Buchanan vs. The Rock and The Acolytes (Faarooq and Bradshaw) ends in a no-contest. During the match, referee Earl Hebner shoves Triple H out of the corner as he is taking the boots to Faarooq, and WWF co-owner Shane McMahon confronts Hebner from the apron and verbally berates him. Hebner responds by pushing Shane off the apron before making it clear to Triple H that he is the referee of the match and will be calling it right down the middle. Later on in the match, X-Pac and "Road Dogg" Jesse James get involved but The Acolytes fight them and get them out of the ring, leaving The Rock and Triple H by themselves in the ring. The Rock hits the spinebuster on Triple H, but when Shane hits The Rock from behind, The Rock chases Shane to the commentary table and puts him through it to end the show.

Raw Deal - Raw recap for March 6, 2000

RAW

WWF co-owner Shane McMahon and Big Show show up. He recaps what happened in last Thursday night's main event on SmackDown, and says he does not know if Big Show hitting Triple H in the head with a steel chair was an accident. What he does know, however, is that Triple H shoved him to the mat after the match. He says it is personal between him and Triple H and that it is a family matter, now that Triple H is part of the McMahon family. With The Rock, it is just business, and he took care of business by keeping The Rock from going to WrestleMania as part of his plan to keep The Rock from elevating and dominating like "Stone Cold" Steve Austin. With Triple H, however, it is personal due to how he made himself part of the family by marrying his sister, WWF co-owner Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley, and drove WWF Chairman Vince McMahon out of the WWF, and goes so far as to accuse Triple H of hypnotizing Stephanie into walking and talking like him and even dressing like "a cheap slut." Shane says he looks forward to WrestleMania, as Big Show will pick Triple H and choke slam him into the mat to become WWF Champion. As for tonight, he will enjoy seeing Triple H take on Rikishi in a non-title match to soften him up for WrestleMania. Suddenly, Triple H and Stephanie show up, and Triple H says that it hurts him to know how Shane feels about him, and that they should be closer as they are brothers. As far as WrestleMania is concerned, he considers it a bit ironic as WrestleMania is "the biggest show that there is" and that WrestleMania will be a long, humiliating night for Big Show when he proves that Big Show is not even in his league. Stephanie says that as long as Triple H and Big Show are softening each other up tonight, then Big Show will have to face Kane in the first match of the night. Stephanie then responds to the "cheap slut" comments by slapping Shane in the face.

We see footage from earlier today where The Mean Street Posse (Rodney, Pete Gas, Joey Abs) pose as room service to take the WWF Hardcore Championship from Crash Holly in his hotel room. Unfortunately, all three of them fight each over the title as referee Tim White tries to count the pinfall, and Crash escapes again. Pete Gas then eats the food that the Posse showed up with.

Big Show beat Kane by disqualification after The Rock runs in and hits Big Show with a Rock Bottom. During the match, Triple H and WWF co-owner Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley are seen watching the match backstage. After the match, Kane hits Big Show with a choke slam.

"Sexual Chocolate" Mark Henry tells Mae Young not to come to the ring with him in his match against The Dudley Boyz (Buh Buh Ray and D-Von Dudley), but Mae Young says that if Mark Henry is going down against The Dudleys, so is she.

We see another vignette for The Acolytes Protection Agency (Faarooq and Bradshaw).

"Sexual Chocolate" Mark Henry beats D-Von Dudley after Mae Young hits Buh Buh Ray Dudley with a Bronco Buster. After the match, Buh Buh Ray shoves Mae Young to the ground before Mark Henry galls victim to a Dudley Death Drop. Buh Buh Ray then grabs Mae Young as D-Von pulls out a table, then Buh Buh Ray powerbombs Mae Young into the table.

D-Generation X ("Road Dogg" Jesse James and X-Pac) beat Too Cool (Grandmaster Sexay and Scotty 2 Hotty) by disqualification after Kane shows up and attacks DX before chasing Tori and X-Pac to the back. Before the match, it is announced that "Bad Ass" Billy Gunn will have major shoulder surgery in Birmingham, Alabama this Tuesday and that his condition is still unknown. It is also announced that "Sexual Chocolate" Mark Henry has accompanied Mae Young to the hospital following the powerbomb through the table earlier in the show.

Before the next match, Kurt Angle says that when he looks into the crowd tonight, he realizes that with his success, he could end up a nobody like everyone in the crowd. He does not want that to happen, and he does not want to end up a "has-been" like Chris Jericho, who he calls "a has-been former champion" and a "potty mouth with no moral values." Jericho shows up and tells Angle that he may have the Intercontinental Championship, but he has bad breath and a bad case of body odor, and says he would look like he does now than look like a "30-year-old, never-kissed-a-woman Olympic geek who still lives at home with his mommy." He calls Angle a jackass before stating that Angle will get a beating he will never, ever forget again.

Chris Jericho beats Kurt Angle by disqualification. During the match, Chris Jericho inadvertently hits referee Teddy Long with a cross body meant for Kurt Angle, and Teddy Long is taken down. Jericho tries to revive Teddy Long, and Angle tries to use the European Championship as a weapon. Jericho boots Angle before he can hit him, and puts Angle in the Walls of Jericho. Angle reaches for the bottom rope, but suddenly, someone gets in the ring. That someone is Bob Backlund, who puts Jericho in the crossface chicken wing and has to be pulled off Jericho by referees. Afterwards, Kurt Angle raises Backlund's hand.

WAR ZONE

Rikishi Phatu beats Triple H by disqualification after WWF co-owner Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley places a steel chair in the ring and jumps on the apron to distract referee Earl Hebner only for Triple H to get caught using the steel chair as a weapon. During the match, Big Show and WWF co-owner Shane McMahon are seen watching the match from backstage. After the match, The Rock runs into the ring and hits Triple H with a Rock Bottom before placing Triple H in the corner so Rikishi can hit the Banzai Drop. Afterwards, Grandmaster Sexay and Scotty 2 Hotty dance with Rikishi.

After the match, Big Show and WWF co-owner Shane McMahon decided to go find Triple H and convince him of something.

Before the next match, Al Snow is seen talking to a backstage worker, saying that he wants streamers and an army of midgets carrying platters of cheese as "The Lethal Blackman" Steve Blackman heads to the ring. Al Snow leaves, then Blackman shows up and tells the backstage worker that if any of that happens, he will rip his throat out. Al Snow comes back and says he has plans for him, then Blackman tells the worker not to do it again.

Al Snow and "The Lethal Weapon" Steve Blackman beat The Hardy Boyz (Jeff and Matt Hardy).

Big Show and WWF co-owner Shane McMahon meet with Triple H and WWF co-owner Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley, and Shane proposes that they put The Rock in a Steel Cage Match with Chris Benoit. Triple H says that is a good idea, but he wants The Rock to be crippled. Stephanie makes the match official, but tells Shane to stay out of their business for the rest of the night. Shane tells Stephanie to do the same.

Terri Runnels guests on commentary for the next match.

The Radicalz (Perry Saturn and Dean Malenko) beat Edge and Christian. During the match, Terri Runnels gets near Edge and tries to help him up at ringside, but Dean Malenko knocks Edge into Terri, and Terri grabs ast her ankle. Malenko then double teams Christian with Saturn as Eddie Guerrero distracts referee Jack Doan to get the win. After the match, Terri skips away, revealing she was never hurt.

Crash Holly retains the WWF Hardcore Championship after Crash knocks Viscera through the door of The Acolytes Protection Agency's (Faarooq and Bradshaw) door and The Acolytes attack him. After the match, Bradshaw knocks out Crash with a forearm, then he and Faarooq argue over who won the last poker hand.

Backstage, Michael Cole interviews The Rock. He tells WWF co-owners Shane McMahon and Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley that there was no way he was not going to reacquaint Big Show and Triple H with the Rock Bottom, and that putting him in a steel cage with Christ Benoit will not solve their problems. He loves the steel cage, and that his agenda is out there for the world to see and he has nothing to hide.. He says Shane and Stephanie may have a hidden agenda going into tonight's steel cage match, but the only thing being hidden is his boot up Chris Benoit's candy ass.

"Sexual Chocolate" Mark Henry is seen comng back form the hospital, and he barges into The Dudley Boyz' (Buh Buh Ray and D-Von Dudley) dressing room only to get attacked.

WrestleMania 2000 is four weeks away!

Chris Benoit asks the rest of The Radicalz (Perry Saturn, Dean Malenko, Eddie Guerrero) to let him face The Rock on his own before the next match.

The Rock beats Chris Benoit in a steel cage match despite interference by Triple H, who gets knocked off the cage wall by The Rock and into Big Show as The Rock climbs out of the cage. During the match, Big Show and WWF co-owner Shane McMahon show up to get a closer look at the match and distract The Rock. Shortly afterwards, Triple H and WWF co-owner Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley also show up to get a closer look. After the match, Big Show and Triple H get The Rock back into the steel cage as Shane directs traffic, and Triple H grabs a steel chair. Big Show and Triple H pummel The Rock, but The Rock ducks another steel chair shot to the head meant for him and Triple H, and The Rock manages to escape as he forces Shane to climb to the top of the steel cage for his safety.

Layin' da SmackDown - SmackDown recap for March 2, 2000

The Radicalz (Chris Benoit, Perry Saturn, Dean Malenko) beat Too Cool (Grandmaster Sexay and Scotty 2 Hotty) and Chris Jericho. Before the match begins, it is announced that the current issue of Raw Magazine, which features Chyna on the cover as well as the cover article, is on newsstands now. During the match, Eddie Guerrero tries to get involved, but Chyna stops him. Malenko tries to attack Chyna from behind only to get immediately forearmed, and Jericho and Chyna brawl their way up the ramp with Malenko. Eddie Guerrero gets on the apron and distracts referee Jack Doan as Grandmaster Sexay goes for the Hip Hop Drop, and Benoit hits Grandmaster Sexay with the top rope diving headbutt for the win.

The Rock sends Mideon into a table backstage.

A black limousine parks in front of the arena, and WWF co-owner Shane McMahon and Big Show walk out of it.

Jeff Hardy beats Essa Rios by disqualification after Lita gets caught hitting Jeff Hardy with a moonsault off the top rope. Essa Rios retains the WWF Light Heavyweight Championship. After the match, Essa Riso chews Lita out for costing him the match, then Lita slaps him.

Al Snow and "The Lethal Weapon" Steve Blackman are at a bar for a blind date for Blackman. It turns out that the blind date is from Al Snow's therapy group and is a big fan of "Head Cheese."

"The Lethal Weapon" Steve Blackman's blind date talks her head off at a restaurant.

WWF co-owner Shane McMahon and Big Show show up. Shane tells the fans that he missed them, and says that life is all about timing, and that timing is what his return at No Way Out was all about. He says that The Rock got what he deserved, and was denied his #1 contendership for the WWF Championship at WrestleMania, and that the footage was so good, he decided to do it again the next night on Raw. Shane says he cannot allow The Rock to dominate the World Wrestling Federation like "Stone Cold" Steve Austin, and that his father WWF Chairman Vince McMahon made a mistake when he did not squash Austin as he climbed the ladder of success. He says that he will not make the same mistake with The Rock, which is why he did what he did. He says the WWF does not need a champion that raises an eyebrow, is a prima donna, or drops something known as "The People's Elbow;" instead, the WWF needs the most ferocious athlete in the world today in Big Show. Shane then asks Big Show what he will do now that he is #1 contender for the WWF Championship, and Big Show says that he will win the WWF Championship at WrestleMania. The Rock then shows up, and tells Shane and Big Show all they have done to him is piss him off, and while he is not going on to WrestleMania to win the WWF Championship, he still stands as The People's Champion. He may have nothing to gain, but he has nothing to lose, either, and he might as well entertain and amuse himself tonight. To do that, he will take Shane and Big Show and kick their candy asses all over the arena. Shane says The Rock does not want another choke slam from Big Show to put him through the mat, and while he admires The Rock's fortitude, he wants none of him, either. However, if The Rock wants to take them both on at the same time in the ring, they would be more than happy to accommodate their request. Suddenly, Rikishi Phatu shows up, and tells The Rock that he does not need his help to beat "those two jabronis," but there are two things the people want to see tonight: Big Show taking The Rock Bottom and Shane McMahon's face taking his bottom. The Rock says the tag team match is on, and Shane's face will be between Rikishi's cheeks while his boot will be up Big Show's candy ass.

As D'Lo Brown plays WWF SmackDown on the Sony PlayStation in the locker room, Kurt Angle talks about how he plans to retain the WWF Intercontinental and European Championships for a long time. All of a sudden, Sgt. Slaughter shows up and tells D'Lo Brown that The Godfather is looking for him. D'Lo Brown turns the PlayStation off and walks away, and Angle takes exception to Sgt. Slaughter interrupting him, especially since he was a fan of Sgt. Slaughter growing up. When Angle says he is disappointed in him, Sgt. Slaughter says he still carries his gear, and Angle, taking this as a challenge, thinks that Sgt. Slaughter has lost his intelligence along with his intensity and integrity. Sgt. Slaughter tells Angle he will take him through basic training.

Crash Holly retains the WWF Hardcore Championship following a failed ambush by Prince Albert and The Big Boss Man.

Back at the restaurant, "The Lethal Weapon" Steve Blackman's keeps talking and talking when Blackman orders dinner.

Lillian Garcia interviews Crash Holly backstage. Crash says he is the greatest Hardcore Champion that the WWF has ever had, and to prove it, he will defend the title 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. If anyone can get a sanctioned WWF referee to follow them out and get the pin on them, the title is theirs. Title defenses can happen anywhere, but nobody is taking the title because he is the greatest. (This beings the "24/7 rule" of the defense of the WWF Hardcore Championship, which becomes one of the greatest things the title will be known for.)

Terri Runnels shows up before the next match begins.

D-Generation X ("Road Dogg" Jesse James and X-Pac) beat Edge and Christian after Terri Runnels slaps Edge, distracting Christian and allowing X-Pac to hit the X Factor for the win. After the match, Christian shoves Edge down, starting a brief argument between them.

We see a vignette for The Acolytes Protection Agency (Faarooq and Bradshaw).

WWF co-owner Shane McMahon and Big Show barge into D-Generation X's (Triple H, X-Pac, "Road Dogg" Jesse James) locker room.

Test beats Viscera after Viscera exposes a turnbuckle only for Test to ram Viscera head-first into it.

WWF co-owner Shane McMahon and Big Show are seen walking out of D-Generation X's (Triple H, X-Pac, "Road Dogg" Jesse James) locker room.

"The Lethal Blackman" Steve Blackman is annoyed by Al Snow and a piano player playing and singing "Personality."

Before the next match, Kurt Angle says he can remember when he was a little kid how Sgt. Slaughter was everything a hero was supposed to be: a man of intensity, integrity and intelligence. Unfortunately, Angle feels he represents "the three B's:" bald, bloated and a bonehead. He says the good news is that there is a new American hero for all the kids to look up to, and that is him.

Kurt Angle beats Sgt. Slaughter.

Kurt Angle wildly celebrates his win backstage, throwing popcorn everywhere and screaming in front of a janitor who has to clean it up.

The Dudley Boyz (Buh Buh Ray and D-Von Dudley) beat Kane by disqualification after Kane puts D-Von Dudley through a table set up by Buh Buh Ray and originally intended for Kane.

At the local restaurant, "The Lethal Weapon" Steve Blackman has already left, telling his blind date that he had a brain aneurysm. Al Snow ends up being a better match for the blind date.

WrestleMania 2000 is five weeks away!

Lillian Garcia is on a payphone when Crash Holly shows up. Lilian asks Crash Holly if he is going to sleep in the hotel with the WWF Harcore Championship, and Crash Holly says he has to because he is the greatest WWF Hardcore Champion ever. As Crash puts his bags in the trunk of his car, The Mean Street Posse (Rodney, Pete Gas, Joey Abs) attack Crash only to fight each other over the WWF Harcore Championship.

Before the next match, Shane says that as much as he would enjoy laying the smack down on The Rock from end of the ring to the other, there is a change in tonight's line-up. He feels bad for the fact that The Rock will never touch the WWF Championship gold, and says that he will be replaced in tonight's main event by Triple H.

The Rock and Rikishi Phatu beat Big Show and Triple H after Big Show accidentally smacks a steel chair into the head of Triple H. After the match, WWF co-owners Shane and Stephanie McMahon argue, then Triple H shoves Shane away from Stephanie only to be scared off by Big Show.

Layin' da SmackDown - SmackDown recap for February 24, 2000

Before the next match, Hardcore Holly confronts Crash Holly in the locker room for challenging Test for the WWF Hardcore Championship, saying the title is named after him. Crash says he shares the same last name as he does, and that he can be more hardcore than Hardcore ever will be before shoving him to the floor.

Crash Holly beats Test to become the WWF Hardcore Champion after Hardcore Holly - who has been watching from the stage - walks down the ramp with a steel chair and hits Test in the head with a chair shot seemingly intended for Crash.

In the DX Express, WWF co-owner Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley and Triple H have a team meeting with the rest of D-Generation X (X-Pac, "Road Dogg" Jesse James, "Bad Ass" Billy Gunn), Tori, and The Radicalz (Chris Benoit, Dean Malenko, Perry Saturn, Eddie Guerrero). Billy Gunn gets to face Buh Buh Ray Dudley tonight, while Saturn and Malenko have a tag team match. Benoit gets to take on Kane tonight, while Triple H, X-Pac and Road Dogg will take care of Too Cool (Grandmaster Sexay, Scotty 2 Hotty, Rikishi Phatu). Triple H then says that Cactus Jack is off-limits to everyone but himself.

Big Show shows up. He says he lies awake at night, not understanding why the fans constantly boo him. Two months ago, people cheered for him. Now he wants to know what has changed, and asks if he has changed that much in two months. He says he likes The Rock and supports him, but at the same time, The Rock insulted him by calling him a jabroni, and while it may be funny to the fans, he considers it an insult and he will not put up with it. As he keep saying he is not a bad guy, Big Show also talks about losing the WWF Championship to Triple H and not getting a rematch despite doing everything Triple H wanted him to do, as well as how he won the Royal Rumble Match instead of The Rock. He then says he got screwed due to a few incompetent referees, then says he was trying to win back the fans by proving he won it, and if he has to prove it one more time, he will do it. He shows the footage of the finish to the Royal Rumble Match again - the second time from a different angle and the third time in slow motion - and says his feet did not touch the mat before The Rock's. He then says the fans would cheer loudly for a loser instead of the actual winner, and says he does not understand how the fans can do this. He asks if anyone can explain how this is right, then Kurt Angle shows up. He says he has been listening to what Big Show has been saying, and wants to shake his hand, which he does. He shames the fans for booing Big Show for having a little bit of integrity, and says some people in the WWF do care about the rules as well as what is right and wrong. Angle then tells a story to prove that point about how in 1992, he was training for the Olympic Games in Munich, Germany. All of a sudden, Chris Jericho and Chyna show up before Angle can get further into the story. Jericho welcomes everyone to "Nashville Is Jericho," then mentions how "an Olympic hero with no neck and a ridiculous giant with no testicles" is something you do not see everyday before talking how about "Kirk Angel" made Big Show seem entertaining recently and that he wishes Kurt Angle would shut the hell up. Jericho then says he will give Angle a Y2J beating he will never, ever forget again at No Way Out, and Angle tells Jericho that if he has a problem, they should have their match tonight. He then proposes a tag team match against himself and Big Show, and says that Jericho will never find someone who lacks the intelligence to team up with him. Suddenly, The Rock shows up, and Big Show covers his ears as The Rock speaks. The Rock tells Chris Jericho that while tag team wrestling is not in his repertoire, he will team with him as long as he can get "that Olympic goof" Kurt Angle to know his role and shut his mouth. He could care less about Angle, however, as he is only teaming up with Jericho to get his hands on Big Show. He tells Big Show he has heard his complaints and seen his footage, and tells him that he is absolutely right. He says his feet did touch the ground first, that he did call him a jabroni, and his fans do boo Big Show. He then says the fans boo Big Show and do not give him the respect he deserves for a reason, and has some footage of his own of the one thing Big Show thinks he does best. The footage is The Rock making fun of Big Show raising his hand up and yelling in the locker room that was recorded earlier in the day, and the footage is shown again from a different angle and in slow motion. The Rock then says the fans Big Show because he whines, bitches, moans and complains. He realizes Big Show is seven feet tall, 500 lbs. and the biggest threat to his career. He then tells Big Show to forget about the crowd, as he should be focused on how to keep him from kicking his candy-ass and going to WrestleMania.

Players from the Tennessee Titans football team are in the front row tonight.

We see a video package on the brief history of the Hell In A Cell Match.

Before the next match begins, Perry Saturn, Dean Malenko and Eddie Guerrero attack Kane before being ejected from the ringside area by referee Jimmy Korderas.

Kane beats Chris Benoit by disqualification. During the match, Tori shows up and slaps Paul Bearer, and Paul Bearer grabs at Tori only to be struck from behind by Chris Benoit. This ends the match, but Kane slowly stalks Tori up the ramp. Suddenly, X-Pac shows up and shoots Kane in the face with a flamethrower, and EMTs immediately have to tend to Kane.

Al Snow, "The Lethal Weapon" Steve Blackman and The Radicalz (Dean Malenko and Perry Saturn) beat Edge, Christian and The Hardy Boyz (Jeff and Matt Hardy) after the action at ringside distracts Christian and leaves Jeff Hardy vulnerable. After the match, The Hardy Boyz and the team of Edge and Christian argue in the middle of the ring, and Matt Hardy slaps Edge in the face. This starts a brwawl between both teams, and referees and officials have to rush into the ring to break everything up. During the match, it is mentioned that Kane ahs been transported to a local medical facility.

D-Generation X (Triple H, X-Pac, "Road Dogg" Jesse James) beat Too Cool (Grandmaster Sexay, Scotty 2 Hotty, Rikishi Phatu) after Triple H smacks a steel chair into Rikishi's injured ankle and X-Pac pulls Road Dogg away from the Hip Hop Drop. Throughout the match, The Radicalz (Chris Benoit, Perry Saturn, Dean Malenko, Eddie Guerrero) are seen watching the match on a television monitor backstage. After the match, DX continues to attack Too Cool, and The Radicalz continue to make fun of what is happening to Too Cool.

Grandmaster Sexay and Scotty 2 Hotty help Rikishi into the trainer's room.

The Godfather and D'Lo Brown beat The Big Boss Man and Prince Albert. During the match, it is announced that Kane has been transferred to the burn ward of a local medical facility. Later on in the math, Tazz shows up and attacks both Boss Man and Prince Albert as referee Jack Doan is pre-occupied with D'Lo Brown, allowing The Godfather to hit the Pimp Drop for the win.

Jim Ross interviews Cactus Jack in the ring. Cactus Jack says that when he looks back, he thinks of three WWF Championship, eight WWF Tag Team Championship, being the very first WWF Hardcore Champion, being the king of the Japanese deathmatches, writing New York Times #1 best-seller and having his own Chef Boyardee ravioli commercial. He says he has done everything he has ever set his sights on. He admits that he finds it hard to move around in the mornings after putting his body on the line every night, and told Vince McMahon that he consider hanging the boots up because of it. He was embarrassed of his performance in the ring, and while he funny and "The Rock 'n Sock Connection" was "pretty damn good," but when he looked at his goals, he never set out to make people laugh; he set out to be Cactus Jack. He talks about his career changed after seeing "The Thrilla in Manila," and says it was "The damnedest thing [he] had ever seen in his life" and ended with Joe Frazier sitting on the stool unable to complete the last room. He says he saw himself in Joe Frazier, and saw a guy who had given up his all for fifteen years, and if he had hung up the tights that, nobody would have thought any less of him except for himself, as he did not want to finish his career "sitting on a stool." This led to the match between him and Triple H at Royal Rumble, and he lost to Triple H as he was the better man and just a little bit better. He then challenged Triple H to Hell In A Cell, and mentioned that the last time Hell In A Cell happened, he got two teeth knocked out, knocked out for the first time in his career, a dislocated shoulder and jaw, fourteen stitches below his lip, two broken legs, and kidney damage that wouldn't make him feel the same for ten weeks. He says it was without a doubt the worst beating of his life and the greatest day of his career. Jim Ross leaves the ring, and Cactus Jack says that after all that was done and he tried to stick his tongue through the hole in his lip, he got up and finished the match. Cactus Jack then says that the last five or six retirement matches he has seen were a couple of guys who were prostituting their names and careers for a few extra dollars or to take a six-week vacation, but the two greatest things he has in his life are his name and his word, and he has given his word that No Way Out will be his last match if he loses. He is fully prepared for that match to be his very last, and he realizes that by looking in the crowd, tonight may be the last time he has a chance to talk to the fans. He thanks everyone who believed in "the 22-year-old kid diving off the apron in Texas," everyone who stood up in Worcester, Massachusetts when he won his first WWF Championship, and everyone who bought Have A Nice Day. He cannot guarantee he will win at No Way Out, but he can guarantee he will not end his career sitting on a stool, as he will go down swinging or he will not go down at all. Cactus Jack then tells Triple H that win, lose or draw, he will climb up to the top of the cell and come down on top of him. For the Mankind fans, he says "Have a nice day," and for the Cactus Jack fans, he says "Bang bang!" Cactus Jack is about to walk up the ramp when WWF co-owner Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley is seen on the stage. Stephanie says Cactus Jack is a dreamer and a very passionate man, but so is she, and last night, that dream turned into a nightmare when Mankind drove a wooden beam through the front windshield of the DX Express. Stephanie says that Cactus Jack caused over $5,000 worth of damage, and she had to pay well over $350,000 for the DX Express. She then says that at No Way Out, Cactus Jack will be the one who pays with his career when Triple H beats him in Hell In A Cell. She also has a warrant for his arrest, and says he should start paying tonight. Stephanie then brings out four police officers, who pulls out a pair of handcuffs. Cactus Jack allows himself to be handcuffed and to go quietly, then Triple H shows up to watch Cactus Jack being arrested.

Cactus Jack is placed in a jail cell by police as they try to work things out with Triple H and WWF co-owner Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley.

Johnathan Coachman reports that Kane has suffered second-degree burns to his neck as well as vision problems, and that doctors will be running more tests to find out the extent of his injuries. It is also reported that Kane's mask has saved him from suffering even worse injuries.

The police hand Triple H and WWF co-owner Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley the keys to Cactus Jack's cell.

Triple H and WWF co-owner Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley taunt Cactus Jack with the key to the cell and a box of pizza.

"Bad Ass" Billy Gunn beats Buh Buh Ray Dudley by disqualification after D-Von Dudley pulls the top rope down as Billy Gunn is about to go off the ropes to hit the Fameasser. After the match, D-Von whips Billy Gunn into the steel steps, then pulls a table out from underneath the ring. After a brainbuster from D-Von, "Road Dogg" Jesse James shows up and hits Buh Buh Ray with a low blow as he ands on the table, and Billy Gunn puts Buh Buh Ray through the table with a Fameasser after Road Dogg knocks D-Von out of the ring.

Triple H kicks at the walls around the cell Cactus Jack is in, revealing that the steel cage Cactus Jack is in is connected by chains to the DX Express. He then threatens to drag Cactus Jack "from here to Hartford."

Kurt Angle and Big Show beat Chris Jericho and The Rock by disqualification after Chyna hits Big Show in the back with a steel chair to no effect. The Rock saves Chyna from a choke slam, then hits Big Show with a Rock Bottom before Jericho puts Big Show in the Walls of Jericho. Referees run in to restore order, then Jericho gets back in the ring so he and Chyna can brawl with Angle and put him in the Walls of Jericho, while Big Show and The Rock take a brawl of their own to the back. Big Show eventually puts The Rock through a backstage window, and Triple H and WWF co-owner Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley give Big Show the thumbs up before getting in the DX Express, which drags the cage with Cactus Jack in it on its way out of the arena.

Layin' da SmackDown - SmackDown recap for January 27, 2000

Before the next match, "Bad Ass" Billy Gunn tells Al Snow that if he has a shot in Hell at beating him, then everyone still has two words for him: suck it. Backstage, Al Snow asks "The Lethal Weapon" Steve Blackman if he has heard the news, and says that after he beats Billy Gunn, they will get a tag team title shot on Raw. Blackman says he is glad that Snow is taking something seriously after the "Head Cheese" chants from this week's Raw. Snow then puts bunny ears on Blackman's head to propose the team name of "Snow Bunny," but he can tell that Blackman does not like it, and decides to stick with "Head Cheese."

Al Snow beats "Bad Ass" Billy Gunn by disqualification to earn himself and "The Lethal Weapon" Steve Blackman a shot at the WWF Tag Team Championships on Raw. During the match, "The Lethal Weapon" Steve Blackman shows up with a Kendo stick and tries to hit Billy Gunn with it, but Billy Gunn kicks him and uses it against him before smacking Snow with it in full view of referee Jimmy Korderas.

Backstage, Triple H tells WWF co-owner Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley that tonight is not going as planned and that tonight will not go down the same way that this week's Raw did. Stephanie says it is okay, as The New Age Outlaws ("Road Dogg" Jesse James and "Bad Ass" Billy Gunn) will have no problem defeating Al Snow and "The Lethal Weapon" Steve Blackman. She says the real problem is The Rock and Rikishi, but Triple H says there will be no alliance between them as they will be facing each other tonight. Big Show enters the room and tells Triple H that he has proof that he won the Royal Rumble Match, and produces photographs. They are a bit fuzzy, and Triple H asks for something more tangible, such as an eyewitness. Triple H also asks Big Show that he has a match tonight.

This week's four collectible "Presidential Smackdown!" TV Guide covers - featuring The Rock, Triple H, Mankind and Chyna - are available on newsstands now!

Cactus Jack shows up with a steel pipe in his hands. He may be Cactus Jack, but he is no idiot. There were eight guys in the back waiting for him, so he came with a pipe. In some ways, one of the biggest triumphs and greatest matches in his life as well as probably wrestling history was last night's match with Triple H, but it was also a disappointment because he did not win the WWF Championship. He saw a side of Triple H he did not see that was more rougher and more sadistic, and Triple H proved his was the WWF Champion and "the game." However, it does not matter whether you win or lose; it's how you maim "the game." Cactus Jack goes on to stay that Triple H made some predictions that only halfway came true, as there was blood staining New York City, but it was Triple H's, as he busted his head open and beat him into unconsciousness. He says Triple H looked like he survived a trip through Hell while he looked like he just had a pretty good time, and he thinks Baltimore, Maryland and the SmackDown fans around the world deserve another good time, and he challenges Triple H to another match right now. Triple H's music hits, but WWF co-owner Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley shows up instead. Cactus Jack says this isn't what he had in mind, and Stephanie cays Cactus Jack is pathetic for salvaging his reputation after Triple H beat him at his own game. She says Triple H wanted to come out here, but they both thought about it and realized there is no point as Triple H is just as crazy, sadistic and tough as Cactus Jack. Cactus Jack admits Triple H is "a hell of a man" and Stephanie "a hell of a woman," but there is no way the two of them will produce an heir as Triple H has "absolutely no testicles." Stephanie immediately slaps Cactus Jack in the face for that comment, but Cactus Jack likes it. He wants to slap the taste out of Stephanie's mouth, but instead, he will play a game called "Slap me again and find out what happens." He dares Stephanie to lay it in and find out what happens next, and scares Stephanie out of the ring in the process. He then says he wants to follow her back to the hole she crawled out of, find Triple H and beat the living crap out of him, but the sight of her and Triple H makes him sick, so he will go against his better judgment and get out of town just this once. However, he tells her to send a message to Triple H: if he wants to finish what they started, he is ready.

This Sunday on Halftime Heat: "Stone Cold" Steve Austin makes his first television appearance since being injured!

We see footage from during the commercial break where Cactus Jack leaves the arena.

Hardcore Holly is talking to cousin Crash Holly backstage, saying that the family is worried about them and that they need to get back together. Crash says he is happy with his partnership with Viscera at the moment, but Hardcore Holly proposes taking Viscera out.

Before the next match, Edge and Christian wish Terri Runnels a speedy recovery and stating that they have The Hardy Boyz' (Jeff and Matt Hardy) back. They hope The Hardys are watching tonight, because they are going to defeat The Dudley Boyz (Buh Buh Ray and D-Von Dudley).

Edge and Christian beat The Dudley Boyz (Buh Buh Ray and D-Von Dudley). After the match, The Dudley Boyz continue to attack Edge and Christian, and Edge falls victim to a Dudley Death Drop, as does Christian. Buh Buh Ray Dudley then pulls a table from underneath the ring, and Edge is laid on top of it before Christian is powerbombed into Edge and through the table from the apron by Buh Buh Ray.

Backstage, Triple H tells WWF co-owner Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley to calm down, as Cactus Jack is no longer in the building. As he continues to talk to Stephanie, Kane busts into the room demanding X-Pac and wanting him now. Triple H tells him X-Pac is not here, and that he will get him on Raw. Stephanie then tells Kane that this will happen if he can beat Big Show tonight. Kane leaves the room.

Viscera beats Hardcore Holly. During the match, Crash Holly shows up and watches from ringside with a look of concern on his face. Afger After the match, Crash gets on top of Viscera, and Hardcore kicks Viscera in the leg before Hardcore and Crash double-team him and clothesline him out of the ring. The Hollys are back together.

Backstage, Triple H and WWF co-owner Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley meet with Big Show again. As Big Show takes his photographs back, he tells them he is doing them a fgavor, and tells them not to abuse the privilege.

Kane vs. Big Show ends in a no-contest. During the match, X-Pac shows up and chases Tori around the ring. He grabs her Tori, but Kane gets out of the ring and almost choke slams Tori when Big Show hits Kane with a double axe-handle. Billy Gunn and Triple H show up and join X-Pac and Big Show in ambushing Kane beofre throwing Kane into the steel steps. During the brouhaha, the referee is also taken out. Triple H grabs a steel chair and smashes it into Kane's head. Kane is forced to watch as Big Show choke slams Kane before Kane is tied to the ring post. X-Pac then tells Kane "The X-Pac-Tori Christmas story." He skips straight to the part in the hotel room where Tori seduced him, took off her clothes until she was standing there totally nude before bragging about how hot Tori was. He then talks about how Tori ripped his clothes off before kissing him all over and proceed to "take him for a ride until the break of dawn." He tells Kane he hopes he enjoyed the store, then he tells Tori she can do whatever she wants. Tori almost leaves the ring, but then she stands in the corner, walks towards X-Pac and kisses him on the lips. Kane is forced to watch as he is tied to the ring post. Kane is betrayed again, this time by Tori.

We see footage during the commercial break of Kane leaving the arena.

The Godfather and D'Lo Brown vs. Too Cool (Grandmaster Sexay and Scotty 2 Hotty) ends when Scotty 2 Hotty does the Worm and The Godfather decides that if they want a party, they will get one. As everyone - including The Godfather's hos - get in the ring to party, "Sexual Chocolate" Mark Henry and Mae Young show up, and use the opportunity to announce that Mae Young is pregnant. The crowd cheers, as do the hos, but D'Lo, The Godfather and Too Cool are absolutely disgusted.

Backstage, The Mean Street Posse (Rodney, Pete Gas, Joey Abs) are making fun of the news of Mae Young's pregnancy when Tazz passed by. They then proceed to make fun of how short Tazz is when Tazz turns around and challenges all three of them to a match.

Test retains the WWF Hardcore Championship against Gangrel after Luna Vachon inadvertently hits Gangrel with a snow shovel - before being powerbombed into a nearby piano by Test - before Test elbow drops Gangrel in a pile of cardboard boxes in the loading dock of the arena.

Backstage, The Mean Street Posse (Rodney, Pete Gas, Joey Abs) argue over who faces Tazz, whose name they constantly butcher.

No Way Out is live on pay-per-view on February 27th!

Tazz beats The Mean Street Posse (Rodney, Pete Gas, Joey Abs) in a 3-on-1 handicap match after Pete Gas taps out to the Tazzmission. After the match, Tazz is blindsided from behind by Kurt ANgle, who tosses Tazz into the ring and slams into the mat before putting him into a Tazzmission of his own.

The Hollys (Hardcore and Crash Holly) talk backstage. Crash hopes that Hardcore won't be jealous of him, because he plans to do something tonight that Hardcore could not: win the WWF Intercontinental Championship.

Chyna shows up to watch from ringside for the next match. (This is the first appearance of her pyrotechnics bazooka, which she fires into the air from the stage.

Before the next match, Chris Jericho welcomes everyone to "Baltimore Is Jericho," then says he does not blame Hardcore Holly for being jealous of his cousin Crash Holly, because he would be jealous if his cousin was Saturday morning cartoon star Elroy Jetson. Tonight, he is going to give Crash a horrible and savage beating that he will never, ever forget.

Chris Jericho retains the WWF Intercontinental Championship against Crash Holly. During the match, Hardcore Holly hits Chris Jericho in the head with the Intercontinental Championship, then kicks Chyna in the face when she approaches him. Chris Jericho kicks out and manages to lock in the Walls of Jericho, and when Hardcore Holly gets on the apron, Chyna stops Hardcore from climbing into the ring to help Jericho retain. After the match, Chyna hands the Intercontinental title to Jericho and raises his hand in victory.

Before the next match, it is announced that The Rock will guest star on Star Trek: Voyager on UPN on February 9th. The Rock then says he appreciates what Rikishi did for him on Raw, but tonight is a different night and a different show. He says Rikishi will stand in the center of the ring, surrounded by the millions of The Rock's fans chanting The Rock's name. He then mocks Big Show's complaining that he won the Royal Rumble Match, and tells Big Show that if he wants to investigate something, he should take all the evidence he has and stick it all up his candy ass.

Rikishi beats The Rock by disqualification. During the match, Rikishi inadvertently runs The Rock into referee Earl Hebner, sandwiching Earl Hebner into the corner. Rikishi hits the Banzai Drop, but Big Show gets into the ring and clotheslines Rikishi, ending the match. Big Show then attacks The Rock and choke slams him in the middle of the ring. Triple H then shows up and hits Rikishi with a Pedigree. WWF co-owner Stephanie McMahon-Helmlsley shows up to get a closer look then, Too Cool (Grandmaster Sexay and Scotty 2 Hotty) run in and fight off Triple H and Big Show only to be immediately decimated and put in a double choke slam by Big Show. Triple H, Stephanie and Big Show celebrate in the middle of the ring, then Triple H punches out referee Earl Hebner.

Raw Deal - Raw recap for January 24, 2000

RAW

Triple H and WWF co-owner Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley show up to start tonight's show. Stephanie talks about how last night, Triple H once again proved to the world that he is The Game when he defeated Cactus Jack at his own game: a brutal, bloody, barbaric Street Fight. As the fans continue to call Stephanie a slut, she says that the WWF Championship should never have been defended in a demeaning manner, but with Triple H being the true fighting champion that he is, sunk to Cactus Jack's lowest low and rose to the occasion and remain the WWF Champion. Triple H takes the microphone and tells Cactus Jack he is not here to put him over, but admits he is the most sadistic freak he has ever stepped into the ring with in his life. He brought it all to Madison Square Garden, and every trick he had, he brought it to Royal Rumble, and while he may have left it all in Madison Square Garden, he left a piece of his leg and pints of his blood in New York City, but not the WWF Championship. As sadistic as Cactus Jack was, he was that much more sadistic. Last night, he went to a level he had never been to in his life, and he liked it. He stayed the man, The Game and the WWF Champion. However, he could not help but notice that as he rolled out of the hospital that Cactus Jack was rolling in and that he was going to be there a lot longer than he was, and says Cactus Jack will not be here tonight. At WrestleMania 2000 on April 2nd, he will face The Rock with the WWF Championship on the line. He tells The Rock he has ten weeks, and tells him to get in the best possible shape he can be as he will be at the top of his game, and they will battle in Anaheim, California and he will walk out the man. Suddenly, Big Show shows up and stares Triple H down in the ring before reminding him that he never gave him a rematch for the WWF Championship, as he knows that if he were Triple H, he wouldn't give him a rematch, either. He then tells Triple H he does not like him, then says everybody knows what happens to people he does not like. He then says he is here because a crime has been committed, and that he was robbed of a Royal Rumble victory. He says he is a nice guy and he does not lie, but last night at Royal Rumble, he went over the top with The Rock on his shoulders, and The Rock's feet touched the floor first. He then asks Triple H a favor: if he can prove to him, Stephanie and the fans beyond a shadow of a doubt pure proof on film that The Rock's feet hit the floor first, that he gets a one-on-one match with The Rock, with the winner going on to WrestleMania to face Triple H, where he plans to get his rematch. Triple H tells Big Show to show him the proof, and it is all his. The Rock then shows up, and stops at the stage. He tells Triple H that his days as WWF Champion are numbered, and at WrestleMania, he is just going to kick his monkey ass. As for Big Show, whom he immediately proceeds to mock, it does not matter if his feet touched the floor first or where they touched, as there is no instant replay and the only thing that matters is that he has won the Royal Rumble Match, he is going on to WrestleMania, and he stands before everyone as The People's Champion. Triple H tells Big Show that they have a common problem in The Rock, and proposes that they team up against The Rock and a partner of his choosing, assuming The Rock can "find one of those jabronis" and get them to tag with him. If he cannot find a partner, they will have a 2-on-1 handicap match. The Rock says if there is someone who wants to tag with him, that is fine, but he does not need a tag team partner, and they will both smell what The Rock is cookin'.

The Hollys (Hardcore and Crash Holly) stand in front of the women's locker room. Crash tells Hardcore he doesn't have the guts to go into the women's locker room, but he does it anyway. When he goes in, Chyna gets out as everyone else is screaming, and Chyna tells Hardcore Holly that if he is that desperate, then he will learn respect for her and the rest of the women in the locker room. Hardcore Holly says that he is the big shot, and if it wasn't for him, she would be the Intercontinental Champion by now. Hardcore Holly then punches Chyna in the face, but he is attacked from behind by Chris Jericho. Referees and officials have to restore order. Crash laughs at Hardcore Holly, and he too gets decked by Hardcore.

Backstage, Al Snow tells "The Lethal Weapon" Steve Blackman that they are a perfect pair and that they need to take it to the next level with a team name. He puts Blackman in a cape and a black wig in an attempt to dress him like Dracula, saying he has "the personality of a dead guy." Blackman does not like the idea, and Snow proposes the idea of Blackman carrying a small wheel of cheese to the ring, as they will go by the name of "Head Cheese." Blackman thinks the idea is ridiculous, and Snow pulls out a Hungry Hungro Hippos box, proposing the name "Head Games." Blackman walks away frustrated.

Edge and Christian vs. Al Snow and "The Lethal Weapon" Steve Blackman ends when Edge is injured followed byu a a combination backbreaker-leg drop from Snow and Blackman during the match. Val Venis shows up to check on his future brother-in-law, as does B.B. B.B. gives him mouth-to-mouth resuscitation before Edge is helped to the back. During the match, the crowd chants "Head Cheese," much to the displeasure of Blackman.

Crash Holly is reluctant to follow Hardcore Holly to the ring, saying he will find a new tag team partner. Hardcore Holly tells Crash to do what he has to do while he does what he has to do.

Chris Jericho retains the WWF Intercontinental Championship against Hardcore Holly. During the match, Chyna shows up, and when she tries to grab Hardcore Holly by the leg, he beats her up before grabbing a steel chair to hit her with it. Jericho takes the steel chair away and attacks him before sending him back into the ring, bringing the steel chair with him. Jericho gets tied up in the ropes, and as the referee is pre-occupied, Chyna hits Hardcore Holly with a Pedigree into the steel chair, allowing Jericho to get the win. After the match, Chyna raises Jericho's hand and gives him the Intercontinental title.

Michael Cole interviews Terri Runnels and The Hardy Boyz (Jeff and Matt Hardy). Jeff says last night was brutal, but now it is time to forget about the pain and think about the titles. Matt says they are all about defying the odds, as they did it last night and they will do it tonight. Suddenly, The Dudley Boyz (Buh Buh Ray and D-Von Dudley) show up, saying The Hardys kept them up all night last night by beating them at their own game and taking them to the extreme before shaking their hands in a show of proper respect. They also make it known that if the Hardys win the tag team titles, they get the first shot. Jeff says they've got it. They also tell The Hardys not to hesitate to call them if they need a hand.

The World Wrestling Federation reminds viewers to keep the action in the ring, not at home or at school.

Crash's tag team partner is revealed to be Viscera.

Crash Holly and Viscera beat Too Cool (Grandmaster Sexay and Scotty 2 Hotty).

At WWF New York in Times Square in New York City, Jonathan Coachman is surrounded by fans as he advertises the venue.

Kane beats X-Pac by disqualification. During the match, Tori gets in the ring to avoid a brawl between Kane and X-Pac at ringside, and X-Pac gets in the ring and forces himself on her. Kane checks on a screaming Tori, then X-Pac brings a steel chair into the ring and smacks Kane in the back with it while Tori is still in his arms.

Backstage, WWF co-owner Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley tells Triple H not to compete tonight when Tori and Kane barge in, demanding to know where X-Pac is. They are told that X-Pac is gone and has already left.

WAR ZONE

The Hardy Boyz (Jeff and Matt Hardy) vs. The New Age Outlaws ("Road Dogg" Jesse James and "Bad Ass" Billy Gunn) for the WWF Tag Team Championships ends in a no-contest. Not long after the match begins, The Dudley Boyz (Buh Buh Ray and D-Von Dudley) show up and set up a table at ringside before watching the match. When The Hardy Boyz have the match won, Buh Buh Ray drags referee Mike Chioda out of the ring before they hit The Hardy Boyz with the Dudley Death Drop. They then bring the table into the ring, and Terri Runnels gets into the ring to plead with the Dudleys. It doesn't work, and D-Von threatens to punch her in the face. Buh Buh Ray asks D-Von why he would want to do that when they can put her through a table. Buh Buh Ray puts Terri through the table with a a sit-out powerbomb from the top rope. Referees and officials rush into the ring to check on Terri.

Terri Runnels is fitted with a neck brace and placed on a stretcher. Kurt Angle shows up and says things like what happened to Terri is really bad and should not happen, but goes on to say that what is worse is that he was choked out by Taz last night. He says that it is not really his fault and that he is some sort of street thug who was not raised correctly and therefore lacks integrity. As he speaks, Terri Runnels is rushed to the ambulance. He is here to clear the air and to say that no apologies are necessary, and his undefeated streak is still intact (despite being beaten last night). Unfortunately for Angle, Taz (whose name is now spelled with two Z's) comes back. Angle insists that the Tazmission is an illegal hold, but Taz rushes up to Angle and puts him in it again. Tazz ends up choking Angle out, and referees and officials have to pull Tazz off Angle.

This week's TV Guide features four collectible covers of The Rock, Triple H, Mankind and Chyna.

Michael Cole interviews The Rock, who says that his tag team partner tonight is himself, and he will beat Big Show and Triple H on his own.

The Acolytes (Faarooq and Bradshaw) beat D'Lo Brown and The Godfather.

Back at WWF New York in Times Square in New York City, Jonathan Coachman reports on fan reactions on tonight's show.

Jerry "The King" Lawler introduces the contestants of the Miss Royal Rumble 2000 swimsuit competition: The Kat, Jacqueline, B.B., Ivory, Luna Vachon and Mae Young. Mae Young is crowned the winner of the contest, and is given the crown and a bouquet of flowers. Lawler jokes that the flowers are not wilted like the "puppies" she showed to everyone last night, but Mae Young counters by saying her puppies are real. This leads to everyone else accusing each other of having a boob job, which leads to a brawl that referees and officials have to break up as clothes get ripped off. Mae Young then says the people want to see her "puppies" again. Everyone in the ring tries to stop her from disrobing, and when she shows her breasts, "Sexual Chocolate" Mark Henry has to run in and cover Mae Young up again.

Triple H and Big Show talk backstage about how nobody wants to tag with The Rock, and propose that they destroy The Rock together and put an end to him once and for all.

We see footage from earlier today of Droz in a wheelchair. This is his first appearance on WWF programming since being injured. (Despite the hopes that Droz will be back, Droz is bound to a wheelchair for life and is forced to retire.)

Test vs. The Big Boss Man ends as soon as it begins when Boss Man is attacked with a nightstick by Stevie Richards, who is mimicking Test. Stevie Richards offer to shake his hand, but Test hits him with a pump handle power slam followed by a top rope elbow drop.

Michael Cole reports that Terri Runnels is in a local medical facility. Her injuries and condition are not yet known, but updates will be forthcoming.

Before the next match, Rikishi Phatu shows up to team with The Rock.

The Rock and Rikishi Phatu beat Triple H and Big Show by disqualification after The New Age Outlaws ("Road Dogg" Jesse James and "Bad Ass" Billy Gunn) run in and attack Rikishi. After the match, Tripel H punches out Earl Hebner before Cactus Jack runs to the ring. The Rock fights back against Triple H and Big Show, and Cactus Jack evens the odds with a 2x4.