Written by: Adam King
WWF SMACKDOWN
Thursday, September 21st, 2000
Taped (9/19) from the Bradley Center in Milwaukee, WI
List of WWF Champions at the time:
● WWF World Heavyweight Champion: The Rock (6/25/2000)
● WWF Intercontinental Champion: Eddie Guerrero (9/04/2000)
● WWF World Tag Team Champions: Edge & Christian (6/25/2000)
● WWF European Champion: Al Snow (8/31/2000)
● WWF Hardcore Champion: Steve Blackman (8/21/2000)
● WWF Women’s Champion: Lita (8/21/2000)
● WWF Light Heavyweight Champion: Dean Malenko (4/27/2000)
~ Smackdown comes on the air with Mick Foley standing in the ring and most of the WWF roster surrounding it. That’s followed by the intro as Michael Cole and Jerry “The King” Lawler welcoming us to the show while explaining Foley is about to open his own investigation on who ran down Stone Cold Steve Austin last November. Yes, this is how we begin the final build for Unforgiven in three days.
~ We then see The Rock making his way to the ring to join the group as Foley gets on the mic to kick us off. Foley says no one has stepped forward to admit he ran down Austin so he’s decided to make a few predictions. Foley first asks who had the most to gain from Austin’s absence and mentions two wrestlers running neck and neck. Foley talks on how one of them saw his popularity and merchandise sales skyrocket ever since Austin went down and feels this may not be a very popular decision but his first suspect is his former tag team partner, The Rock. Rock climbs in the ring as Foley gives him a chance to explain to the world what he was doing at Survivor Series. Rock reminds Foley he already told him he didn’t do it, just like he told the cops and just like he told Austin himself. Rock then asks Foley if he’s having trouble understaning English so he tells him in Swedish and Chinese as well. Rock says in any laguage he didn’t do it, and he’d still be WWF Champion regardless of what happened to Austin. Foley says he didn’t think Rock did it but there is another one who saw his career skyrocket in Austin’s absence, one who won WWF Championships and put him in retirement before calling Triple H in the ring. Triple H takes the mic and admits he did set Austin up but it was for a beating, not to get ran over by a car. Triple H claims he doesn’t eliminate his enemies by running them down, he looks in their eyes and beats them down. Triple H then suggests Foley is looking at this all wrong, that the person isn’t cold-blodded but mearly a bad driver and that women aren’t good drivers. Triple H then says there’s no one more closer to a woman than Kurt Angle and Angle doesn’t appreciate that remark as Foley invites him in the ring to plead his case before the Milwaukee crowd. Angle takes the mic and asks if Foley thought about motive then asks what motive he could have to run over Austin since he beat tougher guys in the Olympics and has no reason to take out a beer-drinking poor role model. Angle then accuses Essa Rios (he’s still around?) of being the guilty one, feeling Austin maybe stole his green card. Essa climbs in the ring and rambles something in Spanish on the mic which Angle “translates” as a confession. Angle then feels Triple H and DX are the ones behind this and that brings X-Pac in the ring to defend DX’s honor.
X-Pac mentions another suspect, someone who came into the WWF around that time and got off to a mediocre start then claims the tape will show Chris Jericho behind the wheel. Jericho comes in the ring to join the discussion and says it wasn’t him but it wasn’t X-Pac either since he was too busy setting Austin up in the parking garage. Jericho suggests someone hated Austin more than anyone whose issues went beyond business and became personal when Austin attacked her father, her nerdy brother and evetually husband then names the “sleazy tramp” Stephanie McMahon. X-Pac has to hold Triple H back as Stephanie comes in and Foley asks her if she is capable of vehicular homicide. Stephanie calls this unfair because she, Vince and Test were on the scene when Austin was loaded in the ambulance. Stephanie mentions someone who wasn’t here when Austin went down, the man who abducted her, the Undertaker. Taker makes his way in and Foley asks if it’s true and Taker says it’s true … that Stephanie is indeed a sleazy tramp. Most of the guys in the ring try to keep Triple H back but that allows Angle to attack Taker from behind. Everyone then starts pairing off with their respective opponents while Essa Rios just seems happy to be there. The referees pour in the ring to try and seperate everybody as this segment finally wraps up after 20 minutes that went nowhere. And you though Raw had all the long pointless talkathons.
~ Just before we go to commercial Cole announces a six-man main event has been made for tonight’s show which sees The Rock, The Undertaker and Triple H teaming up against Chris Benoit, Kurt Angle and Kane. I guess the bookers feel having Triple H teaming with other babyfaces will complete his own face turn or something.
- Scotty 2 Hotty vs. Val Venis (w/Steven Richards)
Cole announces all four Right To Censor guys will face the Dudleys and the Acolytes in an 8-man tag at the pay-per-view. So to preview that we have yet another Too Cool/RTC battle. Val gets in the first shots and works Scotty over in a corner but Scotty revrerses position for his offense. Val comes out of the corner but Scotty slams him to the mat before clotheslining him over the ropes. Scotty goes for a baseball slide but misses it and Val rolls in the ring but Scotty rolls over him back in and hits a superkick that gets a near fall. Scotty looks over to see Bull Buchanan and Goodfather coming out when Val nails Scotty from behind then whips into a corner and clotheslines him. Val hits a vertical suplex for a two count as Grandmaster Sexay comes out to even the sides a little. Val slams Scotty then hops to the middle rope and goes for an elbowdrop but misses. Scotty starts fighting back and caps it off with a hard right hand and goes for a whip. Val reverses it and Richards grabs Scotty’s ankle but Scotty still backdrops Val over the ropes. Scotty brings Richards in the ring the hard way then whips him into a corner and connects with the bulldog. Scotty looks to hit the Worm but Val interupts him and hits a Fisherman’s Suplex that gets the pin. (2:37) Val continues stomping away at Scotty after the bell when Sexay comes in looking to get him some of Val. However Goodfather nails Sexay from behind then whips him a corner and Buchanan nails him with a clothesline. Goodfather follows up with the Ho Train on Sexay while Val slams Scotty and the RTC leaves Too Cool laying. *
~ Backstage we find Triple H telling Stephanie how proud he his of her after she pinned Test last Monday. Stephanie says she had help when Triple H says teaming with Kurt Angle was like having two women on his team. Stephanie doesn’t understand so Triple H goes into how Angle is like certain types of guys and not regular guys. A delivery guy then drops off some flowers for Stephanie and Triple H reads the card to find that Angle sent them. Stephanie calls it thoughtful of her friend but Triple H wonders if Angle was unable to find any pansies.
~ Back from break the Hardys make their way to the ring with Lita looking to hype their cage match on Sunday. Matt gets on the mic first and tells Edge & Christain the embarassment will end for the Hardys and begin for them. Before Matt can say much else Edge & Christian appear on the OvalTron wearing funny wigs and crazy blazers. Christian says he and Edge have embarassed the Hardys many times and this Sunday in the cage will be the last time. Edge gets excited but Christian calms him down saying tonight they want to showcase the Hardys’s talnets through film. E&C proceed to show clips of the Hardys during the early 90′s when they were known as High Voltage and Wolverine and make fun of their mic skills and pre-match dancing. Eventually the Hardys and Lita have enough of being embarassed again and take off backstage to find the tag champs. That was actually pretty funny.
We then cut backstage as the Hardys and Lita find the room E&C were broadcasting from but find no sign of them. Christian then appears and shoves Matt and Lita down while Edge comes in and nails Jeff from behind with a chair. Matt tries to get back to his feet but Chrsitian also grabs a chair and E&C nail Matt with the double chairshot. E&C then give the fallen Hardys some parting words saying they can’t beat them before they take off.
- WWF Hardcore Title: Steve Blackman © vs. Al Snow
Snow’s European Title isn’t on the line but that’s not going to stop Snow from representing Spain tonight as he comes out to a flamenco theme dressed as a matador and gives Lawler a picture of Ricardo Montalban. Blackman makes his way out when Snow nails him with a pinata then whips him and connects with a clothesline. Snow stomps away at Blackman then heads out to bring in some weapons and hits Blackman with a trash lid. Snow then picks up the steps when Blackman whacks them with a chair causing them to fall on top of Snow. Blackman tosses Snow in the ring then grabs his fighting sticks when Perry Saturn runs in with his own referee. The 24/7 Rule lives. Saturn waffles Snow and Blackman with a stop sign then hits a Northern Lights suplex for a two count. Saturn sets Blackman up for a suplex when Test comes in with his own referee and nails Saturn with a trash can. Test goes after Blackman who wails on him in a corner when Albert comes in and nails Blackman from behind. T&A whip Blackman into a corner then Test whips Albert into an Avalance on Blackman and hits a big boot. Snow whacks Test with a trash can and Saturn dukes it out with Albert while Blackman just watches nearby. Blackman then reclaims his sticks and attacks everyone he sees until Snow stops him with a trash lid shot. Saturn knocks Blackman through the ropes when Crash Holly comes out of the crowd with his own referee. Crash waffles Blackman with a handicap sign and covers him as his referee counts but only gets a two count. The Kaientai guys run in the ring but bypass Blackman and attack everyone else with their Japanese flags. Everyone starts spilling out to the floor when Saturn takes several of the guys out with a Asai moonsault. The cargane continues on the outside while Blackman beats up on Taka and Funaki with a trash lid in the ring. Blackman tosses a can to Taka who catches it before Blackman superkicks it into his face to grab the pin. (3:38) Blackman walks off with his title intact while Snow seems disappointed at losing his chance for double gold. A train wreck as you’d expect. DUD
~ Cole then hypes the Smackdown Challenge to George Bush and Al Gore who still have yet to respond to it. We then get pre-taped comments from fans at a voting booth on why the candiates should debate on Smackdown. Cole also mentions the Smackdown Your Vote campaign has registered over 90,000 new voters thus far.
~ Back from break we get another pre-taped message from Stone Cold Steve Austin from his home in Victoria, Texas. Austin says he isn’t surprised the man that ran him down last November hasn’t come forward to confess of his crime so he will roll into Unforgiven and open his own investigation as well as the biggest can of whoop-(*bleep*). Austin says in his book, every WWF wrestler is a suspect and it’s guilty until proven innocent in his court of law.
~ Back at the arena … Shane McMahon comes out, making his first appearence since his uber-bump at SummerSlam. Shane gets on the mic and thanks everyone for their cards and well-wishes as he’s recovering from the pay-per-view. Shane then talks about his match with Steve Blackman, how he chased him up the TitanTron into the stratosphere and hit him with a kendo stick until he plummeted and crashed through the tech area. Shane says the next thing he remembers is waking up in a hopsital room all alone and scared out of his mind until the doctors felt his injuries weren’t as bad as previously though so they sent him home to rehabilitate. Shane says that he was enduring the pain when a profound influence came over his life in the form of Steve Austin. Shane claims he’s inspired by Austin coming back this Sunday after getting ran over by a 2000-pound speeding car and if Austin can overcome his monumental obstacles, then he can overcome his own little challenges as well. Shane says that’s why he’s volunteering his services to help Austin find out exactly who it was that ran him down. Shane feels there’s some who doubt his sincereity so he decides to show footage of that incident from Survivor Series, pointing out that Vince, Stephanie, Test and himself were the first ones on the scene after Austin went down which proves his family had nothing to do with it. Shane promises the driver will face Stone Cold’s court of law then mentions someone whose history leads him to believe that he was the one took Austin out deliberately. Shane says he’s going to reveal who took Steve Austin out this Sunday, not only to Austin but to the entire world. At least this segment didn’t take up another 20 minutes.
~ Backstage we find the Hemlselys watching the monitor with Triple H asking Stephanie if she caught what Shane said. Stephanie feels Shane really does know who was behind Austin’s hit-and-run but Triple H points out Shane said he was in the hopsital all night after the pay-per-view by himself when Stephanie claimed to be with him. Stephanie feels Shane had a bad concussion and wouldn’t remember his own mother was in the room and Triple H says that he believes her. But does he?
- Chris Jericho & Jerry “The King” Lawler vs. Tazz & X-Pac
If you’re wondering why Lawler and Tazz are allowed to touch each other before the pay-per-view, Cole explains the Zero Tolerance policy between them has been waived for this match. Jericho charges after X-Pac who bails out to the floor while Tazz clubs Jericho from behind to start us off. Tazz whips Jericho but Jericho comes back with a flying forearm followed by a bulldog and gets a two count. Jericho tags in Lawler but Tazz quickly backs away and makes the tag to X-Pac, not wanting any of Lawler. X-Pac shows off some kung-fu moves but Lawler responds with a right hand and X-Pac kips up not appreciating it. Both men lockup when X-Pac forces Lawler into a corner and works him over with forearms but Lawler reverses positions and gets in his shots. Lawler goes for a whip but X-Pac reverses and lowers the head and Lawler grabs X-Pac for a piledriver but Tazz comes in to break it up. X-Pac kicks Lawler down in a corner then goes for the Bronco Buster but Lawler gets his foot up and nails X-Pac below the belt to block him. Jericho gets the tag and nails X-Pac with clotheslines then goes for the ropes but Tazz nails him from behind. Jericho decks Tazz off the apron but X-Pac hits him with the spinkick then tags Tazz in to take over on him. Tazz whips Jericho into a corner and charges then catches Jericho’s kick but Jericho nails him with an enzuigiri then makes the tag to Lawler. Lawler pops Tazz under the ropes then catches X-Pac with a right hand. Lawler whips X-Pac who tries to go for the spinkick again but Lawler ducks it and connects with another right. Lawler goes for the piledriver again but Tazz brings a leather strap in and whips Lalwer with it for a DQ. (2:52) Not a bad match but didn’t have enough time to really get good since they felt neither side can take a pinfall. *½
Tazz then slaps the Tazzmission on Lalwer but Jericho makes the save then tosses Tazz through the ropes. Jericho takes the strap and whips away at X-Pac with it and X-Pac flees the ring with Jericho behind him. Lalwer watches them depart but doesn’t see Tazz back in and Tazz starts choking Lalwer out with the strap. A number of referees come out to break it up and Tazz laughs at Lawler as he heads to the back as well.
~ During the previous match Cole announced Mick Foley, no doubt inspied by the Hardcore title match earlier, just signed a “Hardcore Open Invitational” for Unforgiven where a bunch of former Hardcore Champions can take on Steve Blackman for the Hardcore Title in a 10-minute match.
~ Backstage we find Chyna once again angry with Eddie Guerrero, yelling at him for pretending to be sick on Monday and making her go out to the ring to face Rikishi for him. Eddie insists that he really was sick but Chyna isn’t having it, especially since he left her alone to take a Banzai Drop when all he had to do to protect her was walk down to the ring when Rikishi asked but didn’t. Eddie responds by saying he didn’t know Rikishi was really going to hurt her since the two of them are good friends, plus he’s the one Rikishi really wanted and him going in the ring would have made things much worse. Chyhna isn’t buying it and throws a bottle against a door while saying she’s sick of all his lies and sick of his temper. Chyna tells Eddie he’s not the same person she fell in love with and storms out of the room while Eddie throws a fit.
~ Back from break Jim Ross has replaced Jerry Lawler on commentary as Lawler is being attended to by the EMT’s. We also get a replay of the latest Eddie Guerrero/Chyna meltdown as Cole mentions they’re still arguing backstage.
~ Speaking of which Eddie heads to the ring with a bushel of roses and I guess we’re getting even more talking time. Eddie gets on the mic and talks about doing a lot of wrong to Chyna and wants to clear the air in front of everyone. Eddie begs Chyna to come join him in the ring and at least hear what he has to say before she walks out of his life. Chyna does make her way to the ring and Eddie gives her the roses, which Chyna uses to smack Eddie in the head. Eddie tells Chyna he understands her anger then claims he though she was sliding away and didn’t want to lose her. Chyna tells Eddie she’s heard all this before then starts to leave but Eddie stops her and almost takes a backhand. Eddie begs Chyna off then tries to get her to understand that everything he said and did was purely out of love. Eddie calls Chyna a superstar that has everything before asking what he could offer that she doesn’t already have and Chyna responds by saying all she wanted from Eddie was love. Eddie promises that she’ll have all his love and admits he’s been jealous and overprotective and he freaked out when he heard about her Playboy photo spread. Eddie says it was because Chyna was the only thing he had and now he has to share her with the rest of the world. Eddie promises to be more supportive of Chyna instead of being jeaous and to be the best life partner she ever had. Eddie wants to prove it to Chyna and has her Playboy cover shown on the OvalTron while telling her she’s awesome and should be proud of herself because he’s proud of her. Chyna smiles as the two embrace but just when this segment is about to end happily Rikishi comes out to the stage and gets on the mic to add his two cents.
Rikishi says he and Milwaukee have nothing but love for Chyna but can’t say the same about the snake next to her. Rikishi says he could have really hurt Chyna on Raw but chose not to because the two of them are buddies like that. Rikishi also says he gave Eddie a chance to come in the ring and help her but chose not to so he’s no good for her. Eddie angrily tells Rikishi to butt out of his business and leave but Rikishi responds by telling Eddie to shut his mouth. Rikishi then says he has something to show Chyna, which he got from a friend who works at the Playboy headquarters, and goes into how Eddie has a funny way of showing his support for Chyna. Rikishi tells Eddie he’ll see him at Unforgiven and leaves as a security tape appears on the OvalTon showing Eddie being denied entrance to the Playboy building. Eddie begs the two guys to arrange a meeting with Christy Hefner hoping to stop Chyna’s pictures but they don’t budge. Once they mention the magazine is coming out Monday Eddie throws a tantrum and gets dragged out of the building. Back in the arena Eddie has a sheepish look at being busted while Chyna is sad again and decides this is the last straw. Chyna starts to leave when Eddie begs her not to walk out, that he wasn’t thinking straight but Chyna won’t have it. Eddie drops to his knees pleading with Chyna to stay with him and rants on how he can’t live in a world without her. Chyna starts to head out when Eddie reaches in his pocket and pulls out a ring then asks Chyna to marry him! Chyna is stunned by this latest development and doesn’t know how to respond as the crowd chants “Just say no!” After some time Chyna tearfully tells Eddie that she will marry him and they embrace as the crowd boos loudly. Eddie slips the ring on Chyna’s finger and the two leave together as we finally move on. While this angle was advanced nicely, the two segments lasted a combined 20 minutes. Why even bother having matches on this show anyway?
~ Backstage we find Kane pacing around as he awaits the six-man match later on as we go to commercial.
- The Acolytes vs. Bull Buchanan & The Goodfather (w/Steven Richards & Val Venis)
I guess we’re running really late because this match is already in progress when we come back from break. Bradshaw and Buchanan are battling while Goodfather whips Faarooq into a corner looking for the Ho Train but Faarooq sidesteps it and clotheslines him down when. Val pulls Faarooq out to the floor and throws him into the steps then lays the boots to him when Too Cool runs out and goes after Val. In the ring Bradshaw covers Buchanan but Goodfather makes the save and the RTC’ers double-team Bradshaw. The RTC’ers whip Bradshaw into a shoulderblock then whip him again but Bradshaw ducks a double clothesline. The Too Cool guys trip Goodfather while Bradshaw nails Buchanan with the Clothesline from Hades for the pin. (0:48 shown) I can’t rate incomplete matches, though it’s not like this one would even break one star. NR
Bradshaw doesn’t get much time to celebrate when Goodfather attacks him and clotheslines him over the ropes. Val then hits Scotty with a Blue Thunderbomb while Goodfather takes Sexay out with a Death Valley Driver but the Dudleys run in to turn the tide and they and the Acolytes clear their PPV opponents from the ring. The Too Cool guys then want to do the post-match dance and invite the Dudleys who in turn invite the Acolytes. After some convincing Bradshaw and Faarooq relent and all six men don the shades to commence the dance.
~ Back from break we get a promo announcing next week is the “Season Premiere” of Smackdown on UPN. Austin returns, Chyna talks about her Playboy cover, and lots of surprises are promised.
- The Rock, The Undertaker & Triple H (w/Stephanie) vs. Chris Benoit, Kane & Kurt Angle
Just five matches tonight, and I guess we’re lucky to even get these with all the talking taking up this show. Triple H and Benoit start for their teams as they lockup and jockey for position before ending up in a corner. Both men break when Triple H slips out of the corner and gets in the first shots then stomps Benoit down. Benoit fights back with kicks then goes for a whip but Triple H reverses it and connects with the high knee. Triple H then comes off the ropes but Benoit hot shots him on the top rope then chops Kane to tag him in. Kane responds by grabbing Benoit by the throat and Angle tries to separate them only for Kane to uppercut him. Triple H comes up and clotheslines Kane over the ropes then works over Angle. Triple H whips Angle into a corner and goes for the Pedigree when Angle takes him down by the legs. Triple H kicks and into the buckles but Angle falls forward headbutting Triple H below the belt and Triple H quickly backs away from him. Benoit and Taker both tag in and lockup when Taker shoves Benoit into a corner and wails on him with punches. Taker whips Benoit into the opposite corner and hits a sidewalk slam then whips Benoit again and hits a boot. Taker hits an elbowdrop for a two then grabs Benoit’s arm and walks the top rope before clubbing his back. Taker turns and decks Angle but Kane snaps his neck on the ropes and Benoit follows up with a back suplex. Benoit knocks Taker into the ropes and Taker ends up tangled in them allowing Benoit to get in some free shots. Kane tags in and gets in his free shots but Taker frees himself from the ropes and catches Kane with a boot. Kane responds with a clothesline then whips Taker but lowers the head and Taker drills him with a DDT. Rock gets the tag and wails away on Kane with rights then goes for a whip but Kane reverses and hits a boot. Kane works Rock over in a corner when Rock tries to fight back but Kane quickly stops that with an uppercut. Kane goes for a whip, Rock reverses it and hits a spinesbuter but Benoit comes in and clotheslines Rock. Kane plants Rock with a powerslam then smacks Angle to tag him in. Rock again rallies back and goes for a whip but Angle counters with a side suplex as Stephanie applauds. Angle hammers away on Rock and goes for a whip but Rock counters with an overhead belly-to-belly suplex.
Triple H and Taker both reach out for a tag when Rock tags in Triple H who stomps Angle down in a corner. Triple H goes for a whip when Angle reverses him into a corner but Triple H comes back with a neckbreaker. Triple H goes for another whip and Angle reverses it but lowers the head and Triple H hits the facebuster. Triple H covers Angle when Benoit makes the save with an elbowdrop then gets in a shot on Rock as well. Rock comes in and tees off on Benoit then knocks him over the ropes with the Smackdown and goes after him. Rock rams Benoit into the steps then brings him over to the the announce table but Benoit rams Rock into it. In the ring Triple H nails Angle with the Pedigree but Kane comes in and plants Triple H with a chokeslam. Taker is in and pounds on Kane then clotheslines him over the ropes as this match has totally broken down. Taker demands Triple H tag him in then looks over and see Benoit and Kane double-teaming Rock on the apron. So Taker heads over to save Rock and goes after Kane and Benoit as six referees try to somehow restore order. Kane and Benoit disappear backstage and Rock is down on the stage when Taker heads over to his motorcycle and rides up the ramp looking to run Rock over. Rock rolls out of the way at the last second and Taker rides behind the curtain with Rock following him, leaving Triple H and Angle to finish the match up as Stephanie climbs on the apron. Angle rakes the face and goes for a whip but Triple H reverses it and Angle ends up knocking Stephanie off the apron to the floor. Angle is shocked at what he did to his friend when Triple H rolls him up from behind and grabs the pin. (9:13) Match was going along fine until it fell apart near the end. **
Triple H celebrates pinning his rival by mocking Angle’s posing on his knees and pretending to cry then goes over to tend to Stephanie when Angle comes up and plants Triple H with an Olympic Slam. Stephanie is shocked at what her friend just did to her husband but Angle shows no remorse as he brings a sledgehammer in the ring. Angle readies a swing at Triple H as Stephanie begs him not to do it but Angle doesn’t listen and nails Triple H right in the chest with the hammer. Wow, Triple H suffering a sledgehammer attack? Angle continues stomping away at Triple H when Stephanie spins him around looking to slap him but Angle blocks it and responds by kissing her all the way to the mat. Stephanie is in disbelief as Angle has a grin on his face then gets on the mic and asks the fallen Triple H who’s crying now. Angle leaves Triple H laying in the ring and Stephanie tends to him as we fade to black.
Conclusion: All I have to say is the WWF didn’t seem to want to even try this week as this was all about filling the last two hours before the pay-per-view. We only got about 20 minutes of actual wrestling, half of which was used by the okay main event and the rest by irrelevant matches, and the remainder of the show was taken by endless promos and talking segments. Many of those segments could have easily been slimmed down and be just as effective in advancing the angles and hyping the supercard, especially the opening 20 minutes about the Austin mystery that went nowhere. The only memorable parts were Eddie’s proposal to Chyna and Triple H receiving a beatdown for a change. Other than that I’d call this one of the worst Smackdowns I’ve reviewed to this point.