WWF Smackdown 2/17/2000

written by Adam King

WWF SMACKDOWN
Thursday, February 17th, 2000
Taped (2/15) from the Selland Arena in Fresno, CA

List of WWF Champions at the time:
WWF World Heavyweight Champion: Triple H (1/03/2000)
WWF Intercontinental Champion: Chris Jericho (1/23/2000)
WWF World Tag Team Champions: The New Age Outlaws (11/08/1999)
WWF European Champion: Kurt Angle (2/10/2000)
WWF Hardcore Champion: Test (1/17/2000)
WWF Women’s Champion: Jacqueline (2/03/2000)
WWF Light Heavyweight Champion: Essa Rios (2/13/2000)

~ Smackdown comes on the air with the latest from DX’s reign of terror on Raw. After the intro Michael Cole welcomes us to the show along with Jerry “The King” Lawler.

We cut to the back and find a bus arriving at the building with ‘DX EXPRESS’ written above the windshield. Once the bus stops, Triple H, Stephanie McMahon and the rest of DX file out and into the building.

~ Out in the arena we find the Helmsleys leading their comrades out to the ring for our opening promo segment. Billy Gunn gets on the mic first and addresses the Outlaws’ tag title defense against the Dudley Boyz at No Way Out by telling the Dudleys it’ll take more than putting chicks through tables to beat them. Road Dogg takes the mic and says he and Billy were putting people through tables long before the Dudleys came up from the ‘minor leagues’ then makes fun of Bubba Ray’s stuttering before saying they have a snowball’s chance of winning their titles. X-Pac takes the mic and blames Triple H for having to face Kane in a no-holds-barred match at the pay-per-view but says regardless of what type of match it is Kane won’t get retribution for his stealing Tori away from him. Triple H then gets to take his turn on the mic and addresses his upcoming Hell in a Cell match with Cactus Jack by mentioning the street fight with Cactus at the Royal Rumble, calling it one of the greatest fights ever. Triple H then says Cactus’ nightmare will start at No Way Out but won’t stop after everything is said and done. Triple H claims Cactus will climb out of bed every day too beaten to walk and too crippled to play with his children plus his brains will be so scrambled he won’t even remember where he lives. Triple H mentions Cactus’s dream to main event Wrestlemania before saying his dream is a WWF without Cactus Jack. Triple H warns Cactus to savor the last few days of his career before he ends it once and for all at No Way Out. Triple H then turns to X-Pac and apologizes for their plans going awry on Raw then offers to make it up to him by taking care of Kane tonight but X-Pac isn’t impressed and suggests his WWF Championship be put on the line. Triple H is hesitant but wants to show what kind of guy he is and agrees to it, and X-Pac seems satisfied with that. X-Pac decides to return the favor by facing Cactus Jack tonight and pinning him in the middle of the ring just for him but now Triple H says he isn’t impressed and shows Cactus knocking over Tori on his way to the ring on the TitanTron. Triple H suggests X-Pac should get the job done by facing Cactus in a hardcore match and X-Pac agrees with that. Triple H then turns to the Outlaws and suggests they could impress them tonight by defending their tag titles tonight. Triple H even suggests their opponents for the match staring with The Rock which doesn’t make the Outlaws happy. However their mood changes once Triple H announces The Big Show as Rock’s partner and they take the match, feeling Rock and Show will take each other out first. Triple H finishes by saying Kane will feel like he’s been hit by a bus once he’s finished with him.

~ Backstage we find Mark Henry conversing with Mae Young about liking her coffee black as The Hollys look on. Crash calls this disgusting while Hardcore yells at Henry for his relationship with Young and Henry fires back. Hardcore calls Mae “trailer-park trash” and Henry gets in Hardcore’s face when the Hollys beat him down while Crash also knocks Mae off to the side and the Hollys leave Henry and Mae laying as we go to commercial.

~ The Wrestlemania 2000 countdown shows we’re just 7 weeks away.

~ Back from break we get a replay of the Hollys pounding on Henry after expressing everyone’s opinion on this angle.

WWF World Heavyweight Title: Triple H © (w/Stephanie McMahon) vs. Kane (w/Paul Bearer)
When the world champion (not named Big Show) is jerking the curtain you know a swerve is coming. Kane misses a right hand to start and Triple H works him over in a corner and goes for a whip but Kane reverses Triple into a corner. Kane charges and eats an elbow but comes back with a clothesline. Kane pummels Triple H and throws him through the ropes then goes out and decks him on the floor. Triple H catches Kane with a shot but Kane rams Triple H into the announce table and chokes him before throwing him back in the ring. Kane and whips Triple H but lowers the head and Triple H hits a DDT but Kane sits right up. Kane shrugs off Triple H’s shots then whips him and hits a sidewalk slam. Kane climbs to the top rope and connects with the flying clothesline and looks to have the title won. Unfortunately X-Pac and the Outlaws suddenly charge in and Kane is able to fight them off at first but X-Pac hits a low blow followed by the X-Factor and the thee DX’ers start triple-teaming Kane. X-Pac then goes out and works over Paul Bearer, beating him up to the back with the rest of DX behind him. Kane sits up again and chases after the DX crew to the back so I guess that’s the match. (~4:00) The DX’ers take Bearer out to the DX Express in the garage when the Outlaws open the baggage compartment and X-Pac stuffs Bearer inside. Kane comes out trying to make the save but X-Pac low blows him again and Kane gets overwhelmed and stuffed in the compartment with Bearer. The DX’ers tell the bus to drive off and once the bus departs the DX’ers exchange high-fives as we go to commercial. Very short match for a title bout plus it went to a sport-entertainment finish pretty quickly. The sad part is the crowd was rooting for Kane to win the title here. *

~ Back from break we get a replay of Kane and Paul Bearer being taken away in the DX Express.

WWF European Title: Kurt Angle © vs. Chyna
Angle challenged Chyna to this match afar she DDT’ed him into the floor on Raw. Angle first gets on the mic and claims millions of children cried after Chyna’s cowardly attack on Monday and that parents have called him saying their children had nightmares about Chyna attacking them as well. Angle assures his fans in Europe he’s okay and looks to represent the U.S. as Intercontinental Champion once he beats Chris Jericho. Angle locks up with Chyna to start and goes into a Fireman’s carry followed by a pair of arm drags then dances around as Chyna looks on. Angle takes Chyna down with a waistlock and applies a face lock when Chyna reverses it into a hammerlock but Angle manages to get his foot on the rope for the break. Angle charges at Chyna but gets back dropped over the ropes and Chyna goes out after him on the floor. Chyna sends Angle into the ring post then drops him onto the barricade and whips him into the steps. Chyna celebrates when Angle grabs his European belt and clocks Chyna with it getting himself DQ’ed. (2:10) Looked like it was going to be an interesting match with the mat wrestling but was suddenly cut short. Angle throws Chyna back in the ring and readies the belt for another shot when Chris Jericho runs out and unloads on Angle. Jericho goes for a whip but Angle counters into the Olympic Slam and celebrates when Chyna cuts it short with a low blow sending him rolling out to the floor. *

~ Backstage we find the Acolytes have set up an ‘APA’ office with a door that doesn’t have an adjoining wall. Mark Henry and Mae Young knock on the door and once invited they enter through it without walking around. Henry asks Bradshaw and Faarooq to look after Mae since she’s with child while takes care of business in the ring and Bradshaw asks for cash payment so Henry produces the money to ensure their services. Henry heads out while Mae takes a seat at the table to watch their poker game as we go to commercial.

~ Back from break we see the DX Express making its return to the building from who knows where. No word of where Kane and Paul Bearer were dropped off.

~ Backstage the Acolytes are engaged in their poker game when Mae Young asks to join them. Bradshaw tells her they play for money so Mae pulls out some bills and quickly gets dealt in.

Tazz vs. Gangrel
Cole announces that Mark Henry has challenged the Holly cousins to a handicap match later. Gangrel comes off the ropes to start but runs into a backdrop. Tazz whips him but lowers the head and Gangrel kicks the face and hits a clothesline then wails on Tazz. Tazz comes back with a hard shot and Gangrel sets up for a DDT but Tazz counters that with a Northern Lights Tazplex for a two count. Tazz clotheslines Gangrel and trips him with a drop toehold then hits some cross face shots and a T-bone Tazplex for two. Gangrel goes for a whip but Tazz ducks a clothesline and slaps on the Tazzmission for the tap out. (1:28) Hope you enjoyed your daily serving of squash. DUD

~ Backstage Lillian Garcia interviews Cactus Jack who says two things keep his mind occupied non-stop. Cactus says the first is his desire to main-event Wrestlemania, which he has never done before in his career. Cactus says the second s Triple H hitting him with the truth earlier and admits there are days he hurts when he gets up in the morning and when his brain feels like scrambled eggs and he has trouble remembering where he lives. Cactus says he’s not going to guarantee victory or defeat but does guarantee that win or lose, Triple H will suffer. Cactus also guarantees he will climb to the top of the cage and fly off but will crash through Triple H’s body. Lillian then brings up his match with X-Pac tonight and Cactus says he doesn’t want anything to do with X-Pac. Cactus says all his planning is for his match with Triple H so he’ll have to rely on his instincts against X-Pac and those instincts are telling him to kick X-Pac’s teeth all over Fresno.

~ X-Pac and Tori are shown heading to the ring for that match as we go to commercial.

~ Back from break we find Mae Young enjoying her poker game with the Acolytes and winning the latest pot. Mae asks then if they enjoying playing with her before asking for the next hand and the Acolytes are beside themselves.

Cactus Jack vs. X-Pac – Hardcore Rules Match
Tori comes out still wearing the neck brace but X-Pac sends her to the back. Cactus goes right to work on X-Pac and beats him down in a corner before hitting a running knee. Cactus slams X-Pac against the mat repeatedly then clotheslines both X-Pac and himself over the ropes. X-Pac starts fighting back and throws Cactus into the ring steps then whacks him in the back with a chair. Cactus is right back up and throws X-Pac across the announce table and hammers away at him. Cactus grabs the chair and jabs X-Pac with it before clocking him in the head and covering him for a two count. Cactus tosses X-Pac back in the ring but X-Pac comes back a spin kick. X-Pac kicks Cactus down in a corner then goes for the Bronco Buster but Cactus dodges it and X-Pac ends up straddling the turnbuckles. Cactus goes out and crotches X-Pac into the ring post then pulls him out to the floor and rams him into the steps. Cactus climbs to the apron looking for the elbow drop but X-Pac starts walking away from the ring to the back and you can pretty much guess what’s coming. Cactus chases after X-Pac in the back when X-Pac manages to toss a table at him followed by a chair to the face. X-Pac then takes off through the doors to the parking lot where DX is no doubt waiting to strike. Cactus follows after X-Pac through the doors and sure enough Triple H and the rest of DX ambush him. Cactus tries to fight back but the 4-on-1 odds are too much even for him and Triple H brings him to the DX Express. The two fight in the bus but Triple H shoves Cactus back out and the rest of DX get in their shots before stuffing Cactus into the baggage compartment just like they did to Kane and Paul Bearer earlier. DX gets in some parting shots and Triple H sends the DX Express on its way. (~5:20) You might be noticing a pattern developing. Match was going along fine until the weird sport-entertainment finish reared its head again. **

~ Back from break we get a replay of Cactus Jack getting a ride on the DX Express.

Too Cool vs. Perry Saturn & Dean Malenko
Cole announces Too Cool & Rikishi will face Malenko, Saturn and Chris Benoit in a six-man tag at No Way Out. They then show Eddie Guerrero attacking Rikishi on Raw and injuring his ankle with a lead pipe. Lawler mentions that Eddie has also challenged Rikishi to face him tonight despite both men’s injuries. Anyway Saturn locks up with Scotty 2 Hotty to start and gets the advantage with knee lifts then whips him into an elbow. Saturn presses Scotty up but Scotty counters with the head scissors then gets in his shots. Scotty goes for a whip, Saturn reverses it but Scotty hits the head scissors again and Malenko comes in but gets dropkicked back out. Saturn nails Scotty from behind and goes for a suplex when Scotty fights out of it but Saturn clotheslines him. Malenko tags in and blocks a hip toss then goes for a suplex but Scotty floats over and hits an inverted suplex. Grandmaster Sexay tags in and comes off the ropes with a hip toss. Sexay slams Malenko to the mat then hops to the second rope and dropkicks Malenko from behind but Saturn breaks up the pin. Sexay clotheslines Saturn on the apron but Malenko connects with a forearm then whips Sexay into a heel kick. Saturn tags in and hits an exploder suplex then tags Malenko back in and Malenko goes for a whip on Sexay but Sexay reverses him into a corner. Saturn goes for a whip but Sexay reverses him right into his partner and they both fall down with Malenko accidentally head butting Saturn below the belt. Sexay DDT’s Malenko then tags Scotty in and Scotty goes for a whip, Malenko reverses it but lowers the head and Scotty goes for a Sunset Flip. Malenko rolls out of it and goes into the Texas Cloverleaf but Scotty counters that with a roll up for a near fall. The Too Cool guys whip Saturn into a double elbow then turn and connect with a double dropkick on Malenko. Scotty hits Saturn with an Atomic Drop and Sexay super kicks him while Scotty whips Malenko into a corner. Scotty comes off the ropes with the bulldog and follows that up with the Worm. Sexay dropkicks Saturn and both men then clothesline Saturn over the ropes. Eddie Guerrero suddenly runs into the ring and clocks Scotty with a lead pipe behind the referee’s back and Malenko covers him for the academic pin. (4:00) Pretty fun fast-paced match that was crammed into four minutes. **½
Sexay tries to get payback but Eddie takes him out with the pipe as well and the Radicals work them over. Rikishi then hobbles down the ramp and Saturn and Malenko go out to meet him but Rikishi fights them off. Rikishi heads in the ring and plants Malenko with a Samoan Drop then grabs Saturn for a belly-to-belly suplex but Eddie prevents it by nailing Rikishi in the ankle with the pipe then continues to work it over while Malenko slides a chair in the ring. Saturn wedges Rikishi’s ankle into the chair a’la Brian Pillman while Malenko brings the ring steps into the ring and he and Saturn drop the steps right onto the chair. The Radicals then take Too Cool’s sunglasses and mock their post-match dance before leaving the ring. The EMTs then come out and help Rikishi onto a stretcher as we go commercial.

~ Back from break we get a replay of the Radicalz attempting to break Rikishi’s ankle with the chair and ring steps. We then see Rikishi’s ankle taped up as he gets loaded into an ambulance with Too Cool riding out with him. Eddie Guerrero then comes back out to the ring and forces announcer Tony Chimel to declare him the winner against Rikishi by forfeit. Eddie has the referee raise his hand and celebrates his ‘win’ when Dean Malenko and Perry Saturn also come out and help him celebrate.

~ Backstage Mae Young is still enjoying her card game with the Acolytes when she asks for an extra cigar and Faarooq gives her one. Mae chomps off one of the ends and asks for a light which Bradshaw provides. Mae then enjoys her cigar as Bradshaw and Farrooq continue to be incredulous at what they’re seeing.

~ Backstage Kevin Kelly interviews The Rock but Rock quickly cuts him off as usual and starts with “Finally…”. Rock talks on certain things going together like salt and pepper, bacon and eggs, and The Rock and Wrestlemania. Rock admits his upcoming match with The Big Show at No Way Out will be the biggest and hardest of his career but still promises to beat Show at the pay-per-view then go on to become WWF Champion at Wrestlemania. Rock then addresses DX booking him against the New Age Outlaws with Show as his partner calling it real cute. Rock tells Show he doesn’t need nor want him as his partner, and that he already has a partner tonight: the people. Rock warns Show not to come down to the ring or he’ll lay the biggest Smackdown on him and ends with the usual as we go to commercial.

~ Back from break we get a look at the DX Express again making its return from who knows where. We still have one more match involving DX so will The Rock be the next person on the bus?

~ Backstage we check in on the Acolytes who have finally won a hand when Mae Young suddenly asks for a beer. Faarooq warns Mae it wouldn’t be good for the baby but Mae insists her child wouldn’t mind her having one beer so Bradshaw slams a can down and the Acolytes express their disgust with Mae who starts filling her glass.

Edge & Christian vs. The Big Bossman & Prince Albert
I can’t really explain why Bossman and Albert are buddies again after the two were just feuding. Also Cole announces Edge & Christian will face The Hardy Boyz in a #1 Contenders’ match at No Way Out for the next tag title shot after the Dudleys get their turn at the pay-per-view. Bossman starts off with Christian and applies a headlock when Christian shoves him off into the ropes but Bossman hits a shoulder block. Albert tags in and whips Christian and hits a body block. Edge comes in and Albert goes for a press slam but Edge lands on his feet and dropkicks him in the face. Christian then comes off the ropes with his own dropkick and both men dropkick Bossman through the ropes. However Albert clotheslines both men and Edge rolls out to the floor but Bossman rams him into the apron. Bossman rolls Edge back in the ring and Albert pops him with a right hand before tagging Bossman back in. Edge whips Bossman into a corner and charges at him but Bossman throws him shoulder-first into the ring post. Bossman then goes out and wraps Edge’s arm around the post when Christian breaks it up with an axe handle. The referee tries to order Christian back to the corner while Albert slingshots Edge into the second rope. Bossman tags in and bends Edge over his knee before slamming him to the mat and ramming him into a corner. Both men exchange punches when Bossman whips Edge into the corner but both men end up knocking heads. Edge hits a boot then comes out with a spinning heel kick and both men manage to tag their partners in. Christian gets in some shots when Albert shoves him into his corner and charges at him but eats a boot. Christian goes for a huricanrana but can’t seem to get Albert down so he aborts it and goes for a whip. Albert reverses Christian into a corner and charges but Christian sidesteps him then hops to the middle rope and hits a tornado Slop Drop. Edge spears Bossman as Christian covers Albert but Albert powers out of the pin. Bossman pulls Edge out of the ring while Christian goes for a whip, Albert reverses it but lowers the head and Christian goes for a Sunset Flip but can’t get Albert over as Bossman holds him up from the apron. Suddenly Edge comes off the top rope with a missile dropkick on Albert that knocks him over for the three count. (4:10) Not that bad of a match actually. After the bell Bossman and Albert act like sore losers as they proceed to beat down Edge and Christian. Bossman whips Christian into a boot while Albert lifts Edge into a Torture Rack and hits a swinging slam. Albert does the same to Christian and Bossman works both men over with the nightstick for good measure. *½

~ Backstage we find Mae Young still beating the Acolytes in poker as they complain about her winning all their money, drinking all their beer and smoking all their cigars then ask what more could she possibly want? Mae offers to give the Acolytes back all their money but asks them to follow her and starts leading them somewhere as we go to commercial.

Mark Henry vs. Crash & Hardcore Holly – No-DQ Handicap Match
Henry rushes the ring but the Hollys double-team him to start and work him over in a corner before Hardcore whips Henry into a dropkick. Hardcore and Crash continue their assault and both whip Henry but Henry comes back with a clothesline on both men. Henry clotheslines Crash and press slams Hardcore when we see Mae Young on the stage sending the Acolytes into the ring to take care of the Hollys. The Acolytes take out Hardcore with a double power bomb and Faarooq whips Crash into a spine buster. Bradshaw power bombs Crash as well and Henry covers Crash and gets the three. (1:34) Almost the exact same thing they did with Chris Jericho not too long ago. DUD

~ The Rock and The Big Show are both shown backstage getting ready for the main event as we go to commercial.

WWF World Tag Team Titles: The New Age Outlaws © vs. The Rock & The Big Show
Let’s see how long this match goes before it ends up like the other two DX bouts earlier. The Outlaws come out first and as usual ignore that they’re heels while they do their usual spiel on the mic. Rock charges in the ring and goes right to work on both Outlaws without waiting for Big Show to arrive. Rock tees off on Billy Gunn in a corner when Road Dogg charges at him but Rock throws him right into Billy. Rock pops Road Dogg with a right and goes to whip Billy who reverses it but Rock floats over him into a DDT. Rock covers but Road Dogg makes the save and Big Show has yet to come out so it looks like Rock is pretty much on his own. Rock pops Road Dogg off the apron but Billy hits a sloppy neck breaker then rubs his boot into Rock’s face. Billy pounds on Rock and rams him into Road Dogg’s boot before tagging him in and Road Dogg mocks Rock before whipping him but lowers the head and Rock hits a neck breaker. Billy clotheslines Rock down and Road Dogg covers him for a two count then applies a chin lock but Rock fights out of it. Rock goes for a whip but Road Dogg counters with the juke ‘n’ jive punches then hits the shake, rattle ‘n knee drop that gets two. Road Dogg goes for a whip but Rock counters that into a suplex and Billy comes in but runs into a Samoan Drop. The Outlaws whip Rock but Rock clotheslines both of them then plants Road Dogg with a spine buster. Rock follows up with the Rock Bottom on Billy and looks to have the tag team titles won single-handedly. Rock covers Billy and the referee counts 1..2…when the Big Show finally appears and Rock pulls himself off Billy before getting the three. Rock goes out to meet Show on the ramp and manages to lay the Smackdown but the Outlaws go out as well and Rock suffers a 3-on-1 beat down as the Outlaws bring Rock back to ringside and throw him into the ring post. Show then scoops Rock onto his shoulders and carries him to the back, where no doubt the bus is waiting. (~5:00) And we have our third main match with a non-finish and the same end result. Honestly. **
As they climb the steps to the parking garage Rock begins to fight back and throws Show and Billy into the wall then takes Road Dogg over to the DX Express and throws him into the bus. Suddenly Triple H and X-Pac emerge and Rock starts getting overwhelmed as DX opens the baggage compartment. However Rock is still trying to fight them off so Show and the DX’ers continue to work Rock over as they bring him over to the other side of the bus and open the other baggage compartment. Rock is still trying to rally back against five men but eventually Show subdues Rock and DX is finally able to stuff Rock into the baggage compartment and close the door. Show and Triple H exchange high-fives as DX climbs on the bus and drive off into the night with Show waving at them. However after the bus leaves we turn and find … Rock standing behind Show armed with a 2×4? I’m guessing Rock went through both compartments or something, I don’t know. Anyway Rock breaks the 2×4 over Show’s back and has words with his fallen foe as we fade to black.

Conclusion: Definitely a weird episode of Smackdown this time around. Most of the show was centered around building angles with very little in the way of in-ring action (other than the Too Cool vs. Radicals match). The worst part was all three main matches ended in just about the same bizarre sports-entertainment finish involving the debuting DX Express which would become a significant part of the storylines for the next few weeks. You’ll also notice The Rock was somehow able to get out of the bus and they don’t even explain how. So you’re not really missing much if you pass this show up.