WWF King of the Ring 2000 6/25/2000

June 25, 2000
Fleet Center
Boston, Massachusetts
Attendance: 15,388
Buy Rate: 1.19
Announcers: Jim Ross and Jerry Lawler

Quarterfinals:

1) Rikishi (Solofa Fatu) defeats Chris Benoit by disqualification after a chair shot at 3:25

Qualifying Matches: Rikishi defeated Scotty 2 Hotty (Scott Taylor) and Shane McMahon; Chris Benoit defeated X-Pac (Sean Waltman) and Road Dogg (Brian James)

Fun Fact: Rikishi defeated Chris Benoit for the Intercontinental title on the 6/22 Smackdown, but Rikishi’s shoulder was destroyed in the process. Benoit worked his shoulder the whole match, giving Rikishi a huge bruise in the process, and after the match Benoit beat on it with a chair and finished him with a Crossface on the bad arm.

Scott: Huh? The first tournament match is a complete mystery. The fact that we have a full eight-man tournament on PPV is cool, if not rare anymore. Then you look at the matchups, and they’re all completely messed up. First, we have two over guys on opposite sides. Rikishi is becoming one of the more popular faces, and Benoit is a bad ass after these last two PPVs against Chris Jericho. So, that do they do with them? Put them in a three-minute nothing match, and then Benoit gets disqualified by bashing Rikishi with a chair. There was a back story, as Rikishi had defeated Benoit on Smackdown to win the Intercontinental title. That wasn’t the issue, it was the fact they put them in the opener, and gave them no time. I wasn’t getting a 1995 KOTR feeling, but this opener just gave me a feeling that this tournament was going to be horribly mismanaged. So, Benoit is now out of the tourney after one round, even though he’s almost the hottest heel on the roster right now. Rikishi will now sell a shoulder injury into the next round after Benoit slapped the Crossface on post-bell. Grade: 2

Justin: Heading in to the match with a beat up shoulder, it would have been fine to have Rikishi job here to establish Benoit as even more of a serious badass by once again putting over his finisher. Instead, they go totally against Benoit’s character by having him snap and beat Rikishi with a chair, drawing the lame DQ. Of all the KOTR blunders throughout the years, this tournament is the most glaring, because there was so much talent just waiting there to be paired off, but the booking team went in this convoluted ass-backwards way, almost eliminating the matchups everyone was waiting to see right off the bat. The odd choices all around end up killing the tournament’s heat and this match is on the top of the list. Benoit could have come out of this a monster heel to set up next month’s PPV, but instead they played the cliché “plucky underdog” route and it ended up gutting this tournament. Grade: 1.5

2) Val Venis (Sean Morley) defeats Eddie Guerrero with a Fisherman’s Suplex at 8:04

Qualifying Matches: Val Venis beat Jeff Hardy and Al Snow (Al Sarven); Eddie Guerrero defeated Chyna (Joanie Laurer) and Matt Hardy

Fun Fact: Over the past month, Val Venis has gone over a major makeover and attitude change, the first of what will become many over future years. He has his same look here, but eventually would sport a short hairstyle, white tights, new work-out/porn music, a meaner, less porn-oriented attitude and a brand new manager in Trish Stratus. Also, Eddie Guerrero shaved his mullet.

Scott: Now things are really making no sense. Before we get to why, the match itself is very good, as Val is getting back to his late-98 workrate and really bringing the goods. Latino Heat is very over, and busting his ass since dislocating his elbow in January. Val has retained the services of Trish Stratus, which brings cat fight tension outside with Chyna. The match is good, with excellent suplex counter-maneuvers in the climax. Val hits the Fisherman’s suplex for the win. So, semifinal #1 is set. Now for what makes no sense. Instead of Chris Benoit vs. Eddie Guerrero, we get Rikishi vs. Val Venis. You can formulate your own theories, because frankly I don’t have any. Again, take nothing away from either of those guys as wrestlers, but to not have Benoit vs. Guerrero as a semifinal is stupid. I don’t wanna hear either that Vince didn’t want either of them to job to Angle, or that they’re both heels. If that’s the way he was going, that blows. It is 2000, who gives a shit who is bad or who is good. Ugh, too frustrating. Grade: 3

Justin: In what would end up being the best match of the fist round, the bizarre upsets continue as the tournament moves along. If Vince really wanted to have face/heel matchups, why not mix up the brackets and have Jericho and Angle in the finals, since they were the consensus favorites heading in. As good of a push as Rikishi was getting, everyone knew he wasn’t winning the thing, so after the first round, everything was obvious. The result here makes some sense, as they were rebuilding Val for a big push, but because of the result of the opener, you give up a solid second round thriller for the sake of a face fighting a heel. I would have been happy with Venis vs. Guerrero or Venis vs. Benoit, but Rikishi really fouled things up. And, now that I think about it, this face vs. heel stuff is bullshit, since Val and Eddie were basically both heels at the time, and they are facing off. Now, you could argue that because of Chyna, Eddie was a tweener, leaning towards face. Well, if that is true, then do Eddie vs. Benoit to pick up the workrate. The whole tournament is just an exercise in poor booking. All that aside, this is actually a fun match and it was nice to see Val picking up the workrate again and getting back into the mix. Eddie makes a quick exit here, but good days are ahead for him as the year progresses. Grade: 3

** Pat Patterson is looking for dresses to wear for his Hardcore Title match tonight. Don’t ask. **

3) Crash Holly (Michael Lockwood) defeats Bull Buchanan (Barry Buchanan) with a roll-up at 4:07

Qualifying Matches: Crash Holly beat Hardcore Holly (Robert Howard) and Albert (Matt Bloom); Bull Buchanan beat Perry Saturn (Perry Satullo) and Steve Blackman

Scott: The only true upset of the tourney is Crash, who’s having a great year as Hardcore Champion. He steals a win from another up and coming heel, Bull Buchanan. As expected, Bull kicked the crap out of little Crash. But on a missed Scissors Kick, Crash rolls him up for the upset pin. Whoo! Does anyone care what’s going on so far? What the hell happened to the great PPV action of 2000? This feels very 1999-ish. Great characters, but booking that makes no sense whatsoever. Crash moves on to face the winner of the next match. Yeah, like he’s going to win that one. This match was OK for what it was. Grade: 2

Justin: I am not going to harp on the booking decisions until the final analysis, where I will detail what I would have done with the brackets, but this was another questionable decision. I can fully understand putting these guys in the tournament, as they were showcasing their younger stars, but it wasn’t necessary to have them facing off first round. Crash has had a great 2000, much better than anyone would have expected upon his debut. Bull is still looking for niche, as his union with Boss Man was pretty much done by this point, and would find a solid spot on the card by the end of summer. This match is OK, but was really too quick to mean anything. Grade: 1

** Vince runs into his wife Linda, and says there will be no shenanigans in the six-man tag match tonight. **

4) Kurt Angle defeats Chris Jericho (Chris Irvine) with an Angle Slam at 9:50

Qualifying Matches: Kurt Angle beat Bubba Ray Dudley (Mark Lomonica) and Bradshaw (John Layfield); Chris Jericho beat Edge (Adam Copeland) and Test (Andrew Martin)

Fun Fact: Since his debut at the end of 1999, Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley has always expressed a schoolgirl-like interest in Kurt Angle, and always went out of her way to protect his interests, and as 2000 was moving along, he began taking a concern over her interests as well. Things start pretty innocently, but as we reach August, things between Angle and the Helmsleys get a little heated.

Scott: The No Way Out re-match is our last quarterfinal match. Why, for the love of God, are these two fighting in the quarters? I can’t understand this at all. This heel/face shit isn’t flying right now. No one cares, if you can deliver them, give us matches that are, in my new lingo, “workrate buffets.” This match was not the best between these two, but it was still solid, and the best match so far. This match also begins the storyline triangle between Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley, Triple H, and Kurt Angle. Stephanie has become smitten with the Olympic hero, and alas she runs in this match and Jericho plants a wet one on her. That’s just enough distraction for Angle to hit the Angle Slam for the win. Now, you’re telling me they couldn’t set the tourney up so you can have Angle, Jericho, Benoit, and Guerrero in the semifinals? At that point no one would care who won, because at least the four best move on. It also makes the tourney less predictable. Now, you have Rikishi/Venis, and Angle/Crash. Wow, not exactly the NCAA Tournament Final Four there, eh? This match was great, but they’ve done better. Grade: 3.5

Justin: A pretty good match here that features the advancement of what would become a major summer storyline, but as good as everything is; it still couldn’t mask the moronic booking decisions concerning the tournament as whole. Ever since being screwed out of the World Title on Raw, Jericho became a huge thorn in the side of the Champ, and had become public enemy number one on Stephanie’s hit list. Here, she makes it a point to come down and ensure that Jericho fails to advance to the second round, and as a nice result, ensures Kurt moves on. Now, if they really wanted to get the point across, this should have been the finals, and you have Stephanie screw Jericho out of the crown after being even closer to it, which would add much more heat and would have meant a better overall tournament. Argh. Anyway, the Angle-Stephanie-Triple H triangle would be the driving storyline force over the summer, so this match is probably the most important on the card in that respect. All in all we have a good match here as Angle moves on and Jericho goes home with the short end of the purse. Grade: 3

** Yet another segment with the McMahons, as Vince and Shane are taking up some camera time. **

** We go to WWF New York as Mick Foley, new haircut and all, is at the bar and Ivory is tending it. **

5) Edge & Christian defeat T&A, the Hardy Boys and Tool Cool in a Four Corners Elimination match to win WWF Tag Team Titles

Eliminations:
Matt Hardy pins Test (Andrew Martin) after Jeff Hardy hits a Swanton Bomb at 3:41
Christian (Jay Reso) pins Matt Hardy with an Impaler at 7:55
Edge (Adam Copeland) pins Grandmaster Sexay (Brian Lawler) after a belt shot at 14:11

Fun Fact: Too Cool upset Edge & Christian on the 5/29 Raw with a little help from Kid Rock’s miniature friend and accomplice Joe C. Joe was a known huge wrestling mark. It was reported that he was legitimately psyched to be involved in the segment which saw him hit Christian with a hockey stick, giving the unlikely duo of Too Cool their only Tag Team Championship.

Scott: We take a breather from the tournament with an elimination match. Edge and Christian are the best team in this group right now, as the Hardys are a notch below at the moment, but they’ll catch up. Too Cool are the fluky tag champs, winning the straps on the May 29 RAW in Vancouver. This wasn’t a bad match, with a lot of good action. I think it seemed obvious that E & C were winning the belts back, but the other interesting scenario going through a lot of peoples’ minds was if Grandmaster Sexay would heel out on Scotty 2 Hotty when they were one of the last two teams left. That didn’t happen, but the former champs cheating to win was not a surprise. The tag team situation continues to be top notch. This match wasn’t great, but it still proved a point: Edge and Christian are at the top again, but anybody can knock them off. Grade: 2.5

Justin: A fun little affair that proved one point: you may be able to get a quick upset, but Edge & Christian are dominating the tag division, and everyone else is just one step behind. Ever since they located a personality in April, E&C have been rolling and have become one of the best parts of the show on a weekly basis. The ridiculous lines and quick witted comments, in addition to their five-second poses, had fans around the world dying from laughter. Add that to their solid in ring skills and risk taking nature, and they became the number one tag team in the Federation, and nearly became division killers, meaning they were so good that they overshadowed the rest of the teams, who were all extremely good as well, but just not as good. The match here is pretty good, but seemed like another excuse to squeeze multiple teams onto the PPV, since they could have easily gone with E&C vs. Too Cool, but that is the story of 2000, as there is so much talent, a lot of multi-way matches were needed to get it all on the card. The rumored Too Cool breakup doesn’t happen here, or ever, as they would stick together for a while before injuries would sideline them again as 2000 rolls along. E&C are back on top of the tag team world, and all seems right again. Grade: 3

Semifinals:

6) Rikishi defeats Val Venis with a Belly-to-Belly Suplex at 3:15

Scott: I am so pissed off right now. We could have had Benoit vs. Guerrero in this spot, but just because they’re both heels, we get this? Come on. This is really turning into 1999 again. We get rid of all the talented guys so we can get all 80s with this face/heel shit. So we get this for a little over three minutes. Benoit and Guerrero would have gone at least ten minutes, minimum. I’m not totally dumping on the match, it was all right for what it was, but it just pains me to think what it could have been if 2000 logic was used, instead of 1986 logic. The only thing that saves this was at least they used psychology. After Benoit wrenched Rikishi’s arm with the Crossface, Val takes a chair and bashes the crap out of his shoulder. So Rikishi goes into the finals with a severely bruised shoulder, and Val is becoming a pretty good heel. He’s actually a better heel than when he debuted in 1998. Grade: 2

Justin: The booking ineptitude continues, as the one-armed Rikishi earns the first spot in the finals. The match here sets up a great feud that takes place over the following weeks, but the buildup wasn’t worth blowing the KOTR brackets on for sure. I guess if you are looking for positives, Val comes out looking like a nasty heel and Rikishi gets some sympathy heat, but this wasn’t the time for character development like that. That is what TV time is for, not PPVs that people pay for. Grade: 1.5

7) Kurt Angle defeats Crash Holly with an Angle Slam at 3:58

Scott: There’s really nothing to say here. No upset, as it almost is laid out like a Superstars squash from the 80s. Crash gets some token offense in, but Kurt takes over, beats the snot out of him, and that’s that. One thing about Crash though. He may have lost the match, but he saves us during the next mess. Grade: 1.5

Justin: Just so unnecessary. While the win was good for Angle, the booking team did him no favors by having him beat Crash to get to the finals and then face a decimated Rikishi in the last round. Just not an impressive run in what could have been an amazing trek to the finals with wins over Benoit, Eddy and Jericho that could made him look even more amazing. Instead, he squashes Crash in four minutes and moves on to a heatless final. Grade: .5

8) Gerald Brisco and Pat Patterson (Pierre Clemont) wrestle to a no-contest in a Hardcore Evening Gown match for the WWF Hardcore Title when Crash Holly interferes and pins Patterson at 3:07 to win the WWF Hardcore Title

Fun Fact: Gerald Brisco defeated Crash Holly for the Hardcore Title while Holly was sleeping on the 5/18 Smackdown. The backstory is the APA were paid by Crash to protect him while he got some sleep because the 24/7 rule was killing him. However, they ended up leaving the office later on, and Brisco capitalized on the opportunity. Here are the details (courtesy CRZ): Backstage, Gerald Brisco tells Jim Korderas to make his count “quiet as a church mouse.” Oh, man, don’t tell me….Brisco creeps up on Holly, once again directs Korderas to make a silent count, puts a finger on Crash’s chest – he almost wakes up – Brisco tries again. Silent count – 1, 2, and 3 – Korderas makes the “ring the bell” pantomime, Brisco makes the celebration pantomime, and the commentators are whispering this whole time. Surreal. On his way out, Korderas trips over a chair, making a lot of noise, waking up Holly – whoops. Over the following weeks, Brisco would also defend the title 24/7, watching out for everyone, including concession vendors and even the referees. After a brief futile feud with the APA, Crash set his sights on getting the title back, and he would take the title back on the 6/12 Raw after Patterson’s interference backfired. On Smackdown that week, we saw Brisco and Patterson searching all over New York City for Crash, who was there looking for John Shaft. He would find him, and the segments went throughout the entire show, ending with Shaft knocking out Patterson. On the 6/19 Raw, Brisco would interfere in Crash’s KOTR match against Hardcore Holly. After giving Crash the win via DQ, Brisco attacked him again and pinned Crash for the title. Later in the show, while they were celebrating, Patterson whacks Brisco over the head with a champagne bottle and pinned him to win the title. On Smackdown that week, Brisco tried to find Patterson, and it included them dressing as women to hide from each other and other homosexual escapades. Brisco would find Patterson and they engaged in a brawl that involved them ripping their dresses off, and Vince McMahon happened to walk by. Since they were embarrassing the Facgime, Vince decided to humiliate them and force them to face off in an Evening Gown match at the PPV.

Scott: Now, the Hardcore Title 24/7 defense storyline is still very funny and entertaining. This however isn’t. It’s bad enough both these guys are way past their prime, but to dress up like women? I’m sure the ribs in the production meetings were hilarious. We the fans in the arena and at home didn’t think so though. Thankfully, Crash Holly comes in, lays out Patterson and wins the title. Let’s move on so these thoughts of Patterson and Brisco with lipstick on leave my head forever. Grade: .5

Justin: Man, what a fucking mess this show has degenerated to. Where are the great storylines, workrate and undercard matches from PPVs past? We go from Benoit and Jericho destroying each other last month to two AARP members rolling around in shit stained underwear and leave it to JR to coin the name “Poop Stain Patterson”. The Patterson/Brisco union was hilarious in 1998, still kind of funny in 1999 but old and stale in 2000, yet here they are, battling over titles. Just a mess, and thankfully, Crash gets the title back and ends this mess in short order. Grade: 0

9) Road Dogg (Brian James), X-Pac (Sean Waltman) & Tori (Terri Poch) defeat the Dudley Boys in a Handicap Tables Dumpster match when DX closes the dumpster on the Dudleys at 9:45

Fun Fact: The Dudleyz/DX feud would continue to heat up big time after Judgment Day. However, throughout the course of the next few weeks, it seemed like DX would always get the upper hand. One memorable moment took place on the 6/12 RAW, when the Dudleyz faced the McMahon men in a Tables match. Just as Vince was about to go for a ride, DX would interfere and helped lay a beatdown on the Dudleyz. To put icing on the cake, Tori even put Bubba Ray through a table…twice. The first time, she actually went a bit too far and the table fell over. Bubba was able to make it look liked he moved in time, but still, you could tell it was botch, and an unnecessary botch, at best. With all the beatdowns the Dudleyz took from DX, you had to believe that this match was theirs for the taking.

Scott: OK, now everyone who knows me knows I am the biggest D-Generation X fan around. I own six T-Shirts. I have two pillows. I own the video. I crotch chopped everybody I saw. I was a huge Triple H fan. However, I have my tolerance. By mid-2000, it’s time to move on. The Dudleys are one of the most over teams in the company, and they have to job two PPVs in a row to two guys who haven’t been over in at least a year? This isn’t the New Age Outlaws. Move on. Instead, after putting both guys through tables, they chase Tori into the dumpster, and the guys close it. Duh! How lame. The match itself was OK, but the Dudleys should have won this one. Sure, they put Tori through the table, but what does it matter? Neither Road Dogg nor X-Pac will sniff those tag titles, so why have them go over? Grade: 2

Justin: Another tag team battle in a year that is filled with them. Dogg and X-Pac continue their hot streak by beating the Dudleys in a bizarre over-stipulationed match. After putting woman after woman through tables, the Dudleys had their sights set on the green goddess of D-X, Tori. Tori had managed to elude the brothers for nearly two months, but they finally get their hands on her after losing this match. Actually, the frustration must have been boiling over, since they end up injuring Tori legitimately, and putting her on the shelf for a while with a messed up shoulder. The D-X crew’s run would last a few more months before dissolving for good, but the Dudleys were in a more precarious spot. They were still featured as one of the top teams in the Federation, but they had not won a PPV match since the won the titles at No Way Out. More alarming is that three of those losses came to T&A and D-X, not exactly top notch tag teams. Just more weird booking decisions on a show overflowing with them. Grade: 2

Final:

10) Kurt Angle defeats Rikishi with a Superplex at 5:56 to win 2000 King of the Ring

Fun Fact: Kurt Angle would be the final King of the Ring to be coroneted in a ceremony with a crown and robe, which he received the next night on Raw.

Scott: Anybody pick Rikishi? Anybody? I didn’t think so. Angle, who already won the European and Intercontinental titles, beats Chris Jericho, which he’s done already, and two mid-carders to win a tournament he didn’t need. This wasn’t enough for him. This was chump change. On top of the crappy booking, Angle doesn’t even go after Rikishi’s injured shoulder, which was beaten down in the previous two matches. What’s the point then? If anybody needed the win in the tournament, it’s Eddie Guerrero. He’s had to play catch-up with his other Radical buddies due to his elbow dislocation suffered one week into being here. Benoit didn’t need it, and Jericho didn’t need it, but jobbing them out in the first round made no sense either. It’s time for Angle to move on and get in with the big boys. He soon does, which is good. In fact most of the studs in this tourney move on to bigger things next month. Eddie is still European Champ, so he’s fine where he is. A second straight year of a full eight-man tourney on PPV, and just like the year before, it sucks. Grade: 2

Justin: Man, what could have been an incredible tournament turned into a joke and a textbook example of ignorant booking. It’s great that Angle picks up the win here, but when you look back in time and see the brackets, how the hell are you supposed to be impressed that two of his wins were against Crash Holly and Rikishi? He should have fought Benoit and Guerrero or Venis and Jericho and then you have him claim he defeated all the top young talent and deserves to be in the Main Events. Instead, you have insipid booking where no one looks good in the end as Benoit looks stupid for getting DQ’d, Jericho is a moron for being distracted by Stephanie, Rikishi is garbage because he got cheap wins and then was decimated in the finals, Venis goes nowhere after losing to Rikishi, Eddie is stuck in neutral and Crash looks like a jobber who got a fluke win. This was just a wasted opportunity on all levels. Angle would take advantage of the situation by forcing his way into the big picture, but his cheap wins here certainly didn’t help things one bit. Grade: 2

11) Rock (Dwayne Johnson), Undertaker (Mark Callaway) & Kane (Glen Jacobs) defeat Triple H, Vince McMahon & Shane McMahon when Rock pins Vince with a Rock Bottom at 17:54; Due to pre-match stipulation, Rock wins WWF World Title

Fun Fact: After Judgment Day, The Undertaker made his full-time return to the WWF, and made his presence known by harassing the Facgime, especially Vince and Triple H. On the 5/29 RAW, Taker and Rock would face off in a Lumberjack match, but a few minutes into the match, they immediately set their sights on the lumberjacks. They would eventually be outnumbered, but Kane would make his return and lay everyone out, including Triple H. On Smackdown that week, Triple H, Shane, and Vince, without knowing what each other was doing, made promises to Kane, Rock, and Undertaker, respectively, that if each man won their respective matches that evening, they would become the #1 contender at the KOTR. Well, all three were successful, and the Facgime realized they created a mess. On the 6/5 RAW, Rock, Kane, and Taker faced off in a triple threat with the winner being the #1 contender and would face Triple H later on in the evening. Trips interfered and actually helped Rock win the match by laying out Kane and Taker with a chair. However, Rock would lose later in the evening due to Taker and Kane’s interference. The next week, Rock, Taker, and Kane were in the ring ready to explode when Linda McMahon came out and told the three to unite and take down the Facgime. Vince and company came out to protest her recent actions and her appearance that evening, and Linda responded by making the main event for the PPV. On the 6/19 Raw, the World Title stipulation was added in dramatic fashion, as Vince received a fax from his wife, CEO Linda (courtesy CRZ): “Just for the record…just for the record, I truly love my wife. Now I won’t deny that my wife and I have had some personal problems of late…I won’t deny that my wife – Ms. Goody-two-shoes – has been meddling in my business. I won’t deny that my wife sent this FAX, given to me by Brisco and Patterson just before I came out here. I won’t deny that in this FAX my wife reminds me that she’s the CEO. I won’t deny that in this FAX, my wife figuratively questions the size of the Faction’s testicles, complaining that we always interfere in matches, that we constantly take advantage of others, and that we’re just not fair. Well, my wife, the CEO, proposes that, in the six man tag team match at the King of the Ring this Sunday, that instead of Kane, Undertaker and Rock competing to see who’s #1 Contender, my charming, darling, wife/CEO states that Kane, Undertaker and Rock should actually be competing for the WWF Championship this Sunday. Furthermore in this FAX, my wife, in a personal attack, questions whether or not my grapefruits shrunk to the size of raisins! Well I’ll tell ya what – if either Shane, Triple H or myself defeat either Kane, Undertaker or Rock this Sunday, then as Triple H stated, he will defend the WWF title in July against the winner of the King of the Ring. IF, HOWEVER, Kane, Undertaker or Rock defeat either one of the three of us this Sunday at the King of the Ring, then that person will unquestionably be the World Wrestling Federation champion!” H gets ready to rush Vince, but Shane manages to hold him back. “However–” off mike he says “easy, don’t become a hothead” in Triple H’s direction. “However, tonight, Kane, Undertaker and Rock will have to EARN this championship provision – all three individuals must be victorious in their respective matches here tonight, so therefore in a Handicap match up, the Hardy Boyz will square off against Kane – in yet another Handicap match up, Bull and Bradshaw will square off against the Undertaker. It’s Bull & Boss Man face the Undertaker, later on In This Very Ring tonight, the team of T&A in a Handicap match up will square off against the Rock. Now, just to make sure that everything is fair tonight, there will be no interference in any of these three matches from anyone in the Faction or anyone in the locker room, whatsoever. Now I ask you, Linda, how’s that for a giant set sized of grapefruits, huh? How’s that?” Triple H asks Vince if he’s lost his mind. Well, as expected, Kane, Taker and Rock all won their matches, and the unique stipulation was set for the PPV. On the 6/22 Smackdown, these teams met in the Main Event, but within minutes, Bull Buchanan, D-X, Kurt Angle, Edge, Christian, Val Venis and T&A all came out and interfered, which led to Vince pinning Rock with his own People’s Elbow. The whole thing was a mess, but it was done to add some mystery to the Main Event, and make it seem like Vince or Shane actually had a chance in this thing.

Scott: We have had five solid PPV main events in a row to start 2000. Awesome title matches with great psychology and slick action. Then, we get this overbooked clusterfuck. What the hell was this? We get a six-man tag match with the world title on the line? With the stipulation that if anyone on Rock’s team gets the pin on anybody on the McMahon/Helmsley team, that person would be WWF Champ. So every pin the faces get is broken up by their own guy. Rock winning the match is fine, but after Backlash and Judgment Day, another Rock/Triple H match was fine with me. Why did there have to be all these guys in the match? The title stipulation was too much. Maybe have Kane & Taker vs. Vince & Shane or something. There were just too many people involved. I don’t know what solution to come up with. They should have saved Taker for another month, and put Kane in something else. I really don’t know. All I know is that this was a mess. Again I’m fine with Rock winning the belt, but pinning Vince? If it was to tease a Triple H face turn, OK. As we see later in the year, that didn’t happen. The action was average, but choppy. The end was stupid, but at least the year’s main event run gets back on track after this. Grade: 2

Justin: Well, a pretty fitting ending to this stupid show. As if the booking wasn’t questionable enough already, we now have Rock winning the title back from Vince McMahon in a ridiculous six-man tag match. Now, let us go step by step with this thing. First of all, Kane hasn’t even been on PPV since Wrestlemania, and he somehow is now in the World Title mix. Undertaker didn’t wrestle between August and May, and he is now in the World Title mix. Vince and Shane McMahon are fun to watch in the ring, but they really need to be nowhere near a World Title match. That leaves the usual: Rock and Triple H. So, here is the problem; both men are still hot, but we are beginning to get a little stale at the top of the card, as we are basically seeing the same match we have seen since March. So, they throw in four other guys to mix it up, but it is still the same shit, because those four just don’t belong in there at all. We needed some fresh blood in the mix, and the KOTR tournament had the chance to do that, but they pissed that away too. Rock pinning Vince was stupid and unnecessary, and leaves us in a weird spot, as Triple H is technically no longer the Champion, but can claim he was never beaten. I like Scott’s point about this leading to Triple H’s face turn, since Vince screwed him over, but since that idea is aborted, this thing looks terrible in hindsight. Rock is now a cheap champion and Triple H is a screwed former champion. Just weird decisions all around, as seems to be the case on this night in Boston. Grade: 2

Final Analysis:

Scott: Except for the iffy ending at Wrestlemania, every show top to bottom in 2000 has been exceptional, with good in-ring action, logical booking, and great main events. Then, we get to this show. Everything that worked from Royal Rumble to Judgment Day didn’t work here. The workrate was average, the booking was stupid, and the main event was a catastrophe. Why is it that every year the King of the Ring kills any momentum the WWF has after Wrestlemania? At least since the advent of monthly PPVs in 1995, the only year where a KOTR show actually advanced storylines was Steve Austin’s win in 1996. That main event was awesome, and Austin winning started a legacy. Other than that, this show hasn’t really been good since Owen Hart’s win in 1994. This bump in the road is forgotten, and we get back on track next month. Final Grade: D+

Justin: I don’t know what to say that I haven’t said already. I guess the booking team deserves a mulligan here, since they were on fire for 2000 leading into this show, but it is a sign on a disturbing trend, as the team is afraid to mix up the top of the card, and instead leaves the same stale characters on top, while the undercard beat each other in meaningless matches. Things aren’t too bad as of right now, but they are heading down a slippery slope, for sure. Anyway, this is the way I think the brackets should have gone (using the eight guys they chose): 1st Round: Jericho d. Buchanan, Benoit d. Rikishi, Guerrero d. Venis, Angle d. Crash Holly; 2nd Round: Jericho d. Benoit in another war, Angle d. Guerrero in a solid ten minute match; Finals: Angle d. Jericho clean in about ten minutes of action. Now, you have a legit KOTR who went through stiffer competition in the latter rounds. Plus, Jericho, Benoit and Guerrero all look better, and you really haven’t hurt anyone’s credibility. To make more time for the matches, you eliminate the Hardcore fiasco and cut the Hardys and T&A out of the Tag Title match, and there you go, a better tournament with more productive results. Anyway, we will give the creative team a chance to redeem themselves, but they shouldn’t be proud of their performance here. Final Grade: C-

MVP: Kurt Angle
Runner Up: Rock
Non MVP: The rest of the main event/Tournament
Runner Up: Brisco & Patterson

All Time PPV Active-Wrestler Roster

Tito Santana
Buddy Rose
?Special Delivery? Jones
King Kong Bundy
Ricky Steamboat
Matt Borne
Brutus Beefcake
David Sammartino
Greg Valentine
Junkyard Dog
Barry Windham
Mike Rotundo
Iron Sheik
Nikolai Volkoff
Andre the Giant
Big John Studd
Leilani Kai
Wendi Richter
Paul Orndorff
Roddy Piper
Mr. T
Hulk Hogan
Corporal Kirschner
Adrian Adonis
Dynamite Kid
Randy Savage
Ivan Putski
Davey Boy Smith
Moondog Spot
Terry Funk
Don Muraco
Bob Orton
George Steele
George Wells
Jake Roberts
Fabulous Moolah
Velvet McIntyre
Ted Arcidi
Tony Atlas
Brian Blair
Jim Brunzell
Bret Hart
Jim Neidhart
Hillbilly Jim
King Tonga (Haku)
Pedro Morales
Bruno Sammartino
Danny Spivey
Jim Covert
Russ Francis
Bill Fralic
Ernie Holmes
Harvey Martin
William Perry
Hercules
Uncle Elmer
Dory Funk, Jr.
Rick Martel
Tom Zenk
Billy Jack Haynes
Hillbilly Jim
Haiti Kid
Little Beaver
Lord Littlebrook
Little Tokyo
Harley Race
Jacques Rougeau
Raymond Rougeau
Danny Davis
Butch Reed
Koko B. Ware
Honky Tonk Man
Jim Duggan
Ron Bass
Judy Martin
Dawn Marie
Donna Christanello
Sherri Martel
Noriyoi Tateno
Itsuki Yamazaki
Rockin? Robin
Ax
Smash
Tama
Boris Zhukov
Jim Powers
Paul Roma
One Man Gang
Rick Rude
Ken Patera
Bam Bam Bigelow
Ultimate Warrior
Sam Houston
Sika
Bobby Heenan
Barbarian
Warlord
Big Boss Man
Marty Jannetty
Shawn Michaels
Arn Anderson
Tully Blanchard
Conquistador Uno
Conquistador Dos
Blue Blazer
Mr. Perfect
Scott Casey
Akeem
Red Rooster
Ronnie Garvin
Bushwhacker Butch
Bushwhacker Luke
Mr. Fuji
Dusty Rhodes
Jimmy Snuka
Zeus
Earthquake
The Genius
Sapphire
Sato
Tanaka
Kerry Von Erich
Crush
Hawk
Animal
Undertaker
Tugboat/Typhoon
Sgt. Slaughter
Kato
Mountie
Virgil
Dustin Rhodes
Shane Douglas
Brian Knobbs
Jerry Sags
Genichiro Tenryu
Koji Kitao
General Adnan
Irwin R. Schyster
Ric Flair
Berzerker
Skinner
Blake Beverly
Beau Beverly
Repo-Man
Owen Hart
Tatanka
Nailz
Kamala
Samu
Fatu
Razor Ramon
Yokozuna
Rick Steiner
Scott Steiner
Bob Backlund
Papa Shango
Jerry Lawler
Max Moon
Carlos Colon
Doink
Lex Luger
Giant Gonzalez
Mr. Hughes
Billy Gunn
Bart Gunn
Jimmy Del Ray
Tom Pritchard
1-2-3 Kid
Ludvig Borga
Diesel
Adam Bomb
Keith Hart
Bruce Hart
Black Knight
Blue Knight
Red Knight
Robert Gibson
Ricky Morton
Mabel
Mo
Bastion Booger
Pierre
Kwang
Great Kabuki
Bob Holly
Luna Vachon
Dink
Alundra Blayze
Bull Nakano
Ted DiBiase?s Undertaker
Wink
Pink
Queasy
Sleazy
Cheesy
Eli Blu
Jacob Blu
Duke Droese
Timothy Well
Stephen Dunn
Mantaur
Aldo Montoya
Henry Godwin
Dick Murdoch
Lawrence Taylor
Hakushi
Roadie Jesse Jammes
Savio Vega
Kama
Hunter Hearst-Helmsley
Barry Horowitz
Skip
Bertha Faye
Isaac Yankem
Waylon Mercy
Dean Douglas
Goldust
Rad Radford
Aja Kong
Tomoko Watanabe
Lioness Azuka
Sakie Hasegawa
Kyoko Inoue
Chaparrita Asari
Ahmed Johnson
Buddy Landel
Takao Omori
Doug Gilbert
Squat Team #1
Squat Team #2
Vader
Steve Austin
Phineas Godwinn
Marc Mero
Mankind
Leif Cassidy (Al Snow)
Bradshaw
Jose Lothario
Jim Cornette
Mark Henry
Doug Furnas
Phil Lafon
Rocky Maivia
?Diesel?
?Razor Ramon?
Flash Funk
Executioner
Perro Aguayo
Canek
Hector Garza
Jerry Estrada
Fuerza Guererra
Heavy Metal
Pierroth
Sultan
Mil Mascaras
Cybernetico
Latin Lover
Mosh
Thrasher
Ken Shamrock
Great Sasuke
Taka Michinoku
Chainz
Miguel Perez
Jose Estrada
Jesus Castillo
Brian Christopher
Scott Putski
Max Mini
El Torito
Patriot
D-Lo Brown
Nova
Mosaic
Tarantula
Kurrgan
Sniper
Recon
Jackyl
Steve Blackman
Kane
Butterbean
Battalion
Tom Brandi
Pantera
Ricky Morton
Robert Gibson
Scott Taylor
Aguila
Sable
Sho Funaki
Dick Togo
Mens Teioh
Dan Severn
Head
Val Venis
Golga
Giant Silva
Jacqueline
Edge
Gangrel
Paul Ellering
Christian
Duane Gill
Steven Regal
Vince McMahon
Tiger Ali Singh
Blue Meanie
Test
Chyna
Big Show
Tori
Shane McMahon
Nicole Bass
Debra
Jeff Hardy
Matt Hardy
Michael Hayes
Crash Holly
Albert
Ivory
D-Von Dudley
Bubba Ray Dudley
Chris Jericho
Kurt Angle
Shawn Stasiak
Pete Gas
Rodney
Joey Abs
Mae Young
Terri Runnels
Prince Albert
Miss Kitty
Barbara Bush
Tazz
Chris Benoit
Perry Saturn
Dean Malenko
Eddie Guerrero
Essa Rios
Gerald Brisco
Pat Patterson

PPV Rest in Peace List

“Special Delivery” Jones (Wrestlemania)
Adrian Adonis (Wrestlemania III)
Haiti Kid (Wrestlemania III)
Little Beaver (Wrestlemania III)
Junkyard Dog (Summerslam 1988)
Big John Studd (Wrestlemania V)
Sapphire (Summerslam 1990)
Bad News Brown (Summerslam 1990)
Dino Bravo (Wrestlemania VII)
Andre the Giant (Summerslam 1991)
Texas Tornado (Royal Rumble 1992)
Hercules (Royal Rumble 1992)
Elizabeth (Wrestlemania VIII)
Sensational Sherri (Wrestlemania IX)
Ludwig Borga (Survivor Series 1993)
Captain Lou Albano (Royal Rumble 1995)
Dick Murdoch (Royal Rumble 1995)
Rad Radford (Survivor Series 1995)
Bertha Faye (Survivor Series 1995)
Bam Bam Bigelow (Survivor Series 1995)
Chris “Skip” Candido (Summerslam 1996)
Yokozuna (Survivor Series 1996)
Terry “Executioner” Gordy (IYH: It?s Time)
Brian Pillman (IYH: Ground Zero)
Rick Rude (IYH: Bad Blood)
Hawk (Judgment Day 1998)
Gorilla Monsoon (Wrestlemania XV)
Owen Hart (Backlash 1999)
Davey Boy Smith (Royal Rumble 2000)
Luna Vachon (Royal Rumble 2000)

Next Review: Fully Loaded 2000