WWF Smackdown 4/13/2000

written by Adam King

WWF SMACKDOWN
Thursday, April 13th, 2000
Taped (4/11) from the Ice Palace in Tampa, FL

List of WWF Champions at the time:
WWF World Heavyweight Champion: Triple H (1/03/2000)
WWF Intercontinental Champion: Chris Benoit (4/02/2000)
WWF World Tag Team Champions: Edge & Christian (4/02/2000)
WWF European Champion: Eddie Guerrero (4/03/2000)
WWF Hardcore Champion: Crash Holly (4/03/2000)
WWF Women’s Champion: Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley (3/30/2000)
WWF Light Heavyweight Champion: Dean Malenko (3/13/2000)

~ Smackdown comes on the air with clips of the Rock’s bloody cage match on Raw to earn his title shot. After the intro Michael Cole welcomes us to the show along with Jerry “The King” Lawler.

WWF European Title: Eddie Guerrero © vs. Rikishi Phatu
After Rikishi comes out to the ring Eddie makes his way out and presents Chyna with a jar full of flowers. Eddie gets on the mic and says him losing the European title to an Islander from Samoa would be a disgrace and that Rikishi may have the biggest rump in the world but he has the biggest supply of Latino Heat. Eddie has Chyna get Rikishi’s attention so he can get in the first shots but Rikishi just shrugs off the blows and comes back with a series of rights. Rikishi whips Eddie and drops him to the mat then whips him again and hits a power slam. Rikishi whips Eddie into a corner and clotheslines him down then climbs up the ropes for the Banzai Drop but Chyna smashes the jar of flowers in Rikishi’s face. Rikishi is down as Eddie crawls over to cover him but only gets a two count. Eddie lays the boots to Rikishi and comes off the ropes with an elbow knocking Rikishi through the ropes. Rikishi lands on his feet on the floor but Chyna clotheslines him before throwing him back in the ring. Eddie goes out to the apron and slings himself over the ropes into a hilo but Rikishi powers out of the cover sending Eddie flying through the ropes. Chyna helps Eddie back in the ring and Eddie dropkicks Rikishi’s knee then starts kicking at the knee. Rikishi fights back again and whips Eddie into a backdrop then hits a Samoan Drop. Rikishi whips Eddie into a corner and connects with the running butt splash and Eddie slumps to the mat. Rikishi readies for the stink face when Chyna comes in but Rikishi catches her and Chyna starts begging off. That allows Eddie to dropkick Rikishi from behind but that causes Rikishi to squash Chyna in a corner. Rikishi super kicks Eddie then turns back to see Chyna down in the corner and proceeds to give her the stink face. Rikishi scoops Eddie up for the sit-down pile driver but Chyna low blows Rikishi for an intentional DQ. (5:08) After the match Chyna yells at Eddie for not preventing the Stink face. **

~ Backstage we find the Helmsleys and Shane McMahon celebrating their destruction of The Rock on Monday. Shane suggests they could have even more fun tonight and Triple H promises to take out anyone in their way. We then cut out to the parking lot to find a limo pulling up and The Rock climbing out with a bandaged forehead. The Helmsleys and Shane watch Rock’s arrival and decide to let the fun begin as we go to commercial.

~ Back from break Triple H and the others come out to the ring as Cole mentions Vince McMahon is not here tonight. Shane takes the mic first and talks about the carnage on Raw and emphasizing Rock’s blood oozing onto the mat. Shane tells Triple H he’s proud that he’s WWF Champion and his brother-in-law and the two of them share a hug. Stephanie takes the mic and gets emotional over this scene then mentions an upcoming surprise Vince has for Triple H. Stephanie decides to spoil it and tells Triple H that Vince wants to be in his corner when he defends the WWF Championship against The Rock. Triple H responds to that by saying he’s honored but isn’t sure he wants a glory hound like Vince to steal his thunder. Triple H suggests Vince can have a front row seat when he destroys Rock’s dreams for good and does it all by himself. Triple H says he taught Rock a lesson on how much blood, sweat and tears it takes to be champion and every time Rock comes back he will teach him that same lesson until Rock realizes he can’t beat him. Eventually Rock makes his way out to the stage to offer a rebuttal on the mic but first decides to take in the cheers. Before Rock can say anything Triple H cuts him off and talks about when their title match will actually take place, teasing having the match tonight but decides instead to have it in Washington DC at Backlash. Rock admits Triple H beat and bloodied him on Monday but despite that he still walked out with a shot at his title. Rock brings up Vince being in Triple H’s corner at the pay-per-view saying nothing will stop him from beating him. Triple H reminds Rock that he unloaded half his blood on Monday and must currently be at only 60% to 70% but regardless of his condition the two of them will go at it tonight. Triple H says it won’t be for the championship but it will be a six-man tag with Rock and the Acolytes against himself, The Big Bossman and Bull Buchanan. Rock asks Triple H if that’s the best he can come up with but of course cuts him off with his “It doesn’t matter” line. Rock promises that he’s going to walk out of Backlash the new WWF Champion then wraps up with the usual stuff. A 20 minute interview just to learn that Bossman and Buchanan are going to be in another main event.

~ Back form break we get a look at the Tampa skyline and an exterior shot of the Ice Palace.

~ We then get footage of Al Snow and Steve Blackman (reluctantly) visiting a nursing home for seniors earlier today and Blackman assumes they’re there to offer handshakes and autographs for the old folks. Snow says not exactly and once the two of them arrive at the cultural hall Blackman is shocked to find he’s been booked as the entertainment. Snow hands Blackman some 3×5 cards of material he’s written then tells him to knock ’em dead, just not literally.

The Hardy Boyz vs. Chris Benoit & Dean Malenko
Matt Hardy and Malenko lockup to start and Malenko goes for a whip but Matt reverses it and hits a hip toss. Matt trips Malenko with a drop toehold then whips him into a corner and charges but Malenko sidesteps him. Malenko gets in his shots then tags Benoit in and whips Matt into a corner and Benoit whips Malenko into Matt but Matt sidesteps it. Matt goes for a kick but Benoit spins Matt right into a dropkick from Malenko. Matt stumbles into a German suplex and Benoit holds on for a second German but Matt fights out of a third then pops Malenko off the apron. Benoit dropkicks Matt through the ropes and Malenko works him over on the floor before throwing Matt back in the ring. Benoit whips Matt into a corner and charges but eats an elbow and Matt hops to the middle rope and hits a flying bulldog from behind. Matt tags Jeff in and the Hardy’s whip Benoit into a double elbow followed by their combo move. Malenko comes in but Jeff takes him down while Matt hops to the middle rope and the Hardy’s hit their combo leg drops. Jeff takes it to both Radicals and goes to whip Benoit but Benoit reverses it looking for a power bomb. Jeff tries to fight out of it when Malenko manages to make a blind tag then climbs to the top rope and hits something like a Doomsday Device on Jeff. Malenko covers Jeff but the referee is too busy with Matt to make the count so Malenko lays the boots to Jeff. Malenko hits a back suplex then tags Benoit in to take over and Benoit hits a snap suplex followed by a leg drop. Benoit hits a backbreaker for a two count and Jeff tries to crawl to his corner to tag out but Benoit prevents it and makes his tag to Malenko. Malenko whips Jeff into a corner and hits a clothesline then hammers away on him. Benoit tags back in and both men hit a head butt then Benoit hits a short-arm clothesline and whips Jeff into an elbow. Benoit tags Malenko and whips Jeff into a drop toehold then holds him down while Malenko dropkicks the face. Benoit tags back in and goes for a suplex and Jeff flips out of it but Benoit comes back with a chop. Benoit whips Jeff hard into a corner and nails him from behind with a forearm. Benoit sets Jeff on the top rope then goes up and goes for a back superplex but Jeff manages to shift in mid-air and lands on top of Benoit. Both men start crawling toward their corners and Benoit tags in Malenko while Jeff makes the hot tag to Matt. Matt hammers on Malenko and whips him into a backdrop and Benoit comes in but gets back dropped as well. Matt clotheslines Malenko but Malenko comes back with a leg lariat and covers Matt when Jeff makes the save. Matt elbows Malenko into a corner while Benoit chops Jeff in the other corner and whips him toward Malenko but Matt drops to the mat and Jeff hits the Poetry in Motion on Malenko. Benoit clotheslines Matt and Jeff nails him with a forearm and goes for a whip but Benoit reverses it and tosses Jeff over the ropes. Malenko slams Matt to the mat and covers him but Jeff climbs to the top rope and breaks up the pin the Swanton Bomb. Jeff dropkicks Benoit while Matt drapes an arm over Malenko and collects the three for the pin. (6:51) Very good tag match here with some nice moves on both sides. ***½

~ Backstage Shane McMahon and Triple H meet with Kurt Angle and agree with him getting screwed at WrestleMania. Shane decides to offer Angle a chance at once again holding some gold by booking him in a tag team title match tonight and Triple H tells Angle they’ve even handpicked The Big Show as his partner. Angle happily accepts this opportunity but after he departs Triple H and Shane snicker at what Show has planned as we go to commercial.

WWF Hardcore Title: Crash Holly © vs. Perry Saturn
Saturn brings a trash can full of weapons out to ringside and heads in the ring armed with a crutch. Crash heads out to throw in the rest of the weapons but that allows Saturn to go out and get in the first shots. Saturn drops Crash onto the apron and goes for a whip but Crash reverses and sends him into the ring steps. Crash rolls Saturn in the ring and snap mares him to the mat then dropkicks him in the head for a near fall. Crash goes for a whip and Saturn reverses it but Crash comes back with the head scissors for another two count. Crash sets a road sign on the mat and looks to DDT Saturn into it but Saturn slips out of it into an arm wringer. Saturn whips Crash but Crash ducks a clothesline and leaps up only to get power bombed onto the road sign. Saturn grabs a trash can lid when Crash floats over him into a Sunset Flip attempt but can’t get Saturn over. Saturn whacks Crash with the lid and sits on his shoulders but Crash counters into his own rollup for a two. Saturn reverses back into his own cover but Crash clocks him with the lid for a cover but that only gets a two count. Crash comes off the ropes but runs into a flapjack and Saturn grabs the crutch and breaks it on Crash’s back. Saturn follows up with a leg drop for a near fall then scoops Crash up and rams him into the turnbuckles. Saturn grabs a cookie sheet and takes a swing at Crash but Crash sidesteps and the sheet bounces into his face. Crash hammers away on Saturn in a corner and connects with a tornado DDT but that only gets a two count. Crash grabs the cookie sheet but Saturn super kicks it into his face and that gets the three for the title! (3:10) Saturn celebrates his title win when Tazz runs in the ring with referee Jim Korderas and grabs the cookie sheet then whacks Saturn in the face with the cookie sheet and covers him for another title change! (3:31) Tazz celebrates his win but Crash waffles him with the cookie sheet and gets the three to regain the belt. (3:45) Crash then grabs his belt and takes off while Tazz and Saturn duke it out with the referees having to separate them. So to recap, in the span of 45 seconds Saturn held a title, Tazz became a three-time Hardcore champion and Crash left as a five-time Hardcore champion. And they wonder why people quickly got annoyed with this 24/7 thing. *½

~ Back from break we get more footage of Steve Blackman at the nursing home doing comedy with Al Snow’s jokes. Blackman reads a joke about airline food, saying he hadn’t seen peanuts that bad since Charles Schults was alive and Snow laughs hysterically but the others are silent except for one person who says “you stink, black man!” Huh?

WWF World Tag Team Titles: Edge & Christian © vs. Kurt Angle & The Big Show
Angle failed to win the belts with Hardcore Holly last week so let’s see how he fares with Show. Angle comes out first and gets on the mic saying his quest to regain championship gold comes to an end tonight because he has the most dominant force in the WWF as his partner which guarantees bringing home the titles. The Big Show then makes his way out to the ring … but is dressed up as a Scotsman sporting big red eyebrows. Angle is shocked at his partner and asks him what he’s doing and Show responds with a terrible Scottish accent. Angle asks Show to be serious about their title opportunity but Show continues talking about beating the “wee fairy sissy boys” much to his dismay. Edge starts off with Show and gets in the first shots but Show shrugs them off and tosses Edge across the ring. Christian comes in and chop blocks Show’s knee then E&C both dropkick him into a corner. Christian drops to the mat and Edge launches off Christian hitting the flying cross body then E&C reverses positions with Edge on the mat. Christian launches off Edge but this time Show catches him and press slams him. Edge climbs up to the top rope and leaps off and Show catches him in a choke but before he can hit the choke slam Christian makes the save. Show turns around and grabs both of them by the throat then head butts them before whipping Christian into a corner. Show then whips Edge into Christian … but decides to prance around the ring causing Angle to tag himself in. Angle orders Show to the corner and charges at E&C but the two flapjack Angle onto the turnbuckles and hit another flapjack onto the mat. Christian hammers away on Angle and tags Edge in then slams Angle to the mat and E&C hit a double head butt for a near fall. Christian tags back in and chops Angle then whips him but lowers the head and Angle kicks the face and clotheslines Christian down. Angle looks for a tag only to see Show dancing on the apron when Edge comes up and hits a bridge suplex for a two count. Edge whips Angle but Angle hits a belly-to-belly suplex then nails Christian with an elbow. Angle turns toward Show and asks what he’s doing before slapping him in the face. Show doesn’t appreciate that and charges in the ring pounding on Angle and throwing him through the ropes. Show continues beating up his own partner up the ramp as the referee makes the 10 count for the champs. (3:03) Edge and Christian quickly clear out of the ring while Show throws Angle back in and power bombs him. Not much of a match but had its funny moments. **

~ Backstage Chris Jericho walks up to two women with their backs to him and asks if they’ve seen the Godfather but the two women turn out to be Stephanie and Tori. Jericho realizes his mistake and tries to apologize but after he leaves Stephanie and Tori take exception to being mistaken for the Godfather’s women.

Bubba Ray Dudley (w/D’Von Dudley) vs. Albert (w/Test & Trish Stratus)
Bubba wants revenge for Albert putting him through a table on Raw. Albert attacks Bubba as he slides in the ring and works him over in a corner then chokes him. Albert whips Bubba into the opposite corner and charges but eats a boot and Bubba hops to the middle rope and connects with a flying shoulder tackle for a two count. Trish hops onto the apron as Bubba goes for a whip and Albert reverses it and Bubba stops himself before he runs into Trish on the apron. Bubba tries to slap Trish but misses then turns back into a boot from Albert for two. Albert whips Bubba in a corner and hits a sidewalk slam for another near fall then slams him to the mat. Albert hops to the middle rope but misses an elbow drop. Bubba comes back with a clothesline followed by a DDT for a two count. Bubba goes for a whip and Albert reverses it but lowers the head and Bubba kicks the face. Bubba leaps up but Albert counters into a power bomb for a two count. Albert whips Bubba but Bubba ducks a clothesline and hits his version of a Diamond Cutter for the three. (2:31) Watchable. D’Von celebrates his half-brother’s win but Test pulls him off the apron and clotheslines him down while Trish pulls a table out slides it in the ring. Test sets the table up and sets Bubba up for a power bomb through it but D’Von comes in the ring with a chair and whacks Test in the back for the save. D’Von clocks Albert in the head and places him on the table while Bubba climbs to the top rope and splashes Albert through the table. *

~ Backstage Chris Jericho tries to apologize to Stephanie and Tori for confusing them with the Godfather’s women but goes on to say they’re almost as attractive as the women only a little wider in the hips. Oops. Stephanie responds by wishing Jericho good luck in his match against X-Pac … and his partner the Road Dogg. Stephanie tells Jericho no hard feelings and Jericho is not happy with this as we go to commercial.

~ Back from break we find Wade Boggs in the crowd tonight.

~ We then get more footage of Steve Blackman earlier today bombing in his comedy act at the old folks home with one of the residents tells Blackman he stinks again. Al Snow tells Blackman to go to the heckle card to respond and Blackman reads off a “your mamma” joke comparing her to Bigfoot but the heckler says her mother died in ’64. Blackman finally has enough of this and breaks out his nun chucks for some action as the heckler says bring it on.

Terri Runnels & The Fabulous Moolah vs. The Kat & Mae Young
Yes, this feud just refuses to end, especially after the makeover Terri gave Kat on Raw. Terri and Kat start off with cat fighting and eventually Kat puts Terri in her corner allowing Mae to choke her. Terri crawls under Kat and reaches her corner to tag in Moolah who has words with Kat only to get slapped. Moolah snap mares Kat around the ring by the hair then slaps her around as Terri asks to tag back in. Moolah obliges and Terri does her devil thing then sits on Kat’s shoulders but Kat rolls her up for a two count. Kat throws Terri through the ropes and chases her on the floor but Terri grabs a glass and throws water at her. Terri throws Kat back in the ring and Kat tags Mae in so Terri makes her tag to Moolah and those two go at it. Moolah sort of hits a pair of monkey flips and then goes for a third but Mae grabs the ropes to block it. Mae knocks Moolah down and works her over in a corner when Terri nails her from behind but Mae no-sells it. Mae throws Terri down in a corner when Kat comes in and the two give Broncobusters to their respective foes. Terri rolls out to the floor while Mae throws Moolah across the ring by the hair and Kat spears her. Mae caps off with an elbow drop and gets the three to finally end this. (4:16) And you thought the cat fight at WrestleMania was bad. DUD

Chris Jericho vs. Road Dogg & X-Pac (w/Tori) – Handicap Match
Jericho gets on the mic and does his greeting then mentions insulting Stephanie McMahon earlier, saying he was going to apologize but since he’s getting screwed anyway he might as well run with it and calls Stephanie the most filthy, dirty, disgusting, brutal, bottom-feeder he has ever seen. Jericho starts off with Road Dogg when X-Pac tries to get in a quick shot but Jericho catches him with a chop. Jericho pounds on Road Dogg and goes for a whip, Road Dogg reverses it but Jericho hits a flying forearm. X-Pac comes in and nails Jericho with a spin kick and the DX’ers double-team Jericho before X-Pac heads out. Road Dogg whips Jericho into a corner and charges but eats a boot and Jericho hits a spinning heel kick. X-Pac comes in and Jericho sets him up for a power bomb but Road Dogg breaks that up with a clothesline. Jericho is down as X-Pac goes for the Bronco Buster but Jericho moves and X-Pac straddles the turnbuckles. Road Dogg whips Jericho and Jericho slides under him when Road Dogg comes back with the juke ‘n jive punches but misses the big right. Jericho goes for the Walls of Jericho but X-Pac breaks that up with a kick and goes for the X-Factor but Jericho counters with a power bomb. Jericho holds on for the second power bomb and connects with the Lionsault and Road Dogg tries to make the save but elbow drops X-Pac by mistake. Jericho drills Road Dogg with a bulldog then knocks X-Pac off the apron with the springboard dropkick. Tori comes in the ring looking to slap Jericho but Jericho blocks it and puts her in the Walls of Jericho. However Road Dogg breaks it up and X-Pac hits the X-Factor allowing Road Dogg to get the three. (2:24) Jericho loses to DX again. This mainly served as the beginning of the never-ending battle between Jericho and Stephanie but still had some decent action for the short time it lasted. **

~ Back from break we find Triple H and Shane McMahon berating Earl Hebner for his past officiating actions and Shane is ready to fire him. However Triple H suggests probation instead feeling Hebner could make it up to them then warns Hebner if he makes one more bad call he’s fired before dismissing him.

~ We then get more footage of Al Snow and Steve Blackman earlier today showing them leaving the nursing home. Snow yells at Blackman for using his nun chucks on the elderly and the two climb in their car as a siren is heard. This angle was really running out of gas at this point and they really needed to pull the plug on it.

~ Back in the arena Stephanie McMahon makes her way out to the ring but with her is some energetic blonde. Stephanie gets on the mic suggesting the fans have a hard time looking at the wrestlers’ svelte, hard bodies when it’s even tougher for all of them to look back at the fans who she calls fat, lazy and cellulite-ridden. Stephanie mentions she’s the Women’s Champion and thus represents all the women plus the men and their fat kids. Stephanie decides to perform a public service for everyone and introduces the blonde as her personal trainer, Muffy, who tries to get everyone to do jumping jacks. Don’t get too excited, though, Muffy only makes one other appearance on Heat before she disappears without a trace.

~ Backstage The Rock starts making his way to the ring for the main event and is joined by the Acolytes. Rock then asks Bradshaw and Faarooq if they’re man enough to tell him if the McMahons bought them off and Faarooq says they’re man enough to tell Rock nothing. Bradshaw adds Rock will just have to trust them as we go to commercial.

The Rock & The Acolytes vs. Triple H (w/Stephanie & Shane), The Big Bossman & Bull Buchanan
Joy, Bossman and Buchanan in another main event. Rock asks the Acolytes to let him start against the Bossman and knocks him over the ropes with the Smackdown. Buchanan comes in but Rock clotheslines him down and tosses him over the ropes then turns toward Triple H, daring him to step in the ring against him. However that allows Bossman to blindside Rock with a right hand and Triple H tags in stomps Rock down in a corner when Earl Hebner pulls him off and gets in his face about it. Rock exchange punches with Triple H and goes for a whip but Triple H reverses it and hits the high knee. Buchanan tags in and works Rock over then whips him but Rock ducks a clothesline and drills him with a DDT. Rock then tags in Faarooq who clotheslines Buchanan and Bossman then pops Triple H and tags in Bradshaw. Both Acolytes whips Buchanan into a double spine buster and Bradshaw hammers away on him with elbow drops. Bossman makes the save but Bradshaw knocks him through the ropes to the floor then gets in a shot on Triple H. Bradshaw climbs to the top rope and connects with a flying shoulder block on Buchanan that gets a two count. Bradshaw goes for a whip but Buchanan reverses it into a boot then runs up the ropes and springs off for the clothesline. Buchanan whips Bradshaw but lowers the head and Bradshaw clubs him in the back and hits a neck breaker. Bradshaw hits a second neck breaker then tags in Faarooq who goes for the ropes but Shane grabs his ankle from the floor. Faarooq has words with Shane but Bossman nails him from behind and whip him into a big boot. Buchanan follows up with an Axe Kick for a two count then slams Faarooq to the mat and elbow drops him. Bossman tags in and throws Faarooq through the ropes and Buchanan comes off the apron with an axe handle. Buchanan and Triple H both whip Faarooq into the ring steps before Buchanan tosses him back in the ring. Faarooq starts fighting back and comes off the ropes but runs into a boot that gets Bossman a two count. Bossman hits a knee lift before tagging Triple H back in and Triple H pops Bradshaw drawing Rock in the ring and distracting Hebner for a double-team. Triple H stomps Faarooq down in a corner and chokes him with his boot when Hebner pulls Triple H off him and the two start having issues. Shane also hops on the apron and barks at Hebner then shoves him but Hebner shoves him back off to the floor. Triple H and Hebner have their shoving match when Faarooq recovers and whips Triple H but lowers the head and Triple H hits the face buster. Triple H goes for the Pedigree but Rock comes in and breaks it up with a clothesline. Faarooq tries to crawl to his corner and Triple H grabs his leg but Faarooq still makes the hot tag to Rock. Rock hammers away on Triple H with clotheslines and goes for a whip, Triple H reverses him into a corner but Rock comes back out with a clothesline. Rock sets Triple H up for a Rock Bottom but Buchanan breaks it up and all six men then come in the ring to go at it. The Acolytes clears Bossman and Buchanan out from the ring while Rock and Triple H get back to their feet and Triple H quickly realizes realizes he’s surrounded by his opponents. Road Dogg and X-Pac charge in the ring but the Acolytes take them down and they end up spilling out to the floor and I guess that’s the match (~9:00) Meanwhile Rock works Triple H over and hits the Smackdown then whips him into a spine buster. Shane suddenly comes in and nails Rock from behind but it has no effect and Rock chases Shane out of the ring. Shane tries to flee into the crowd but Rock catches him and rams him into the announce table taking the top off. Rock cracks Shane onto the table with a monitor then goes up and hits a Rock Bottom through the table! Rock heads back in the ring and has a stare down with Triple H on the ramp and that’s the show. **

Conclusion: Slightly better show than Raw but still middle-of-the-road territory. A few angles started to get built toward Backlash and the in-ring action ranged from the great Hardy’s/Radicals match (to only real reason to check this show out) to the abysmal women’s tag match with the rest of the contests somewhere in the middle. Plus the main event saw Rock get one back on the Regime, though that’s still no excuse to include the Big Bossman and Bull Buchanan. So I’d say thumbs in the middle leaning slightly up but things would really start heating up with the next show.