WWF Smackdown 12/14/2000

Written by: Adam King

WWF SMACKDOWN
Thursday, December 14th, 2000

Taped (12/12) from the Alltel Arena in Little Rock, AR

List of WWF Champions at the time:
●  WWF World Heavyweight Champion: Kurt Angle (10/22/2000)
●  WWF Intercontinental Champion: Chris Benoit (12/10/2000)
●  WWF World Tag Team Champions: Edge & Christian (12/10/2000)
●  WWF European Champion: William Regal (12/04/2000)
●  WWF Hardcore Champion: Steve Blackman (9/24/2000)
●  WWF Women’s Champion: Ivory (11/02/2000)
●  WWF Light Heavyweight Champion: Dean Malenko (4/27/2000)

~ Smackdown comes on the air with clips from Armageddon and the Vince McMahon/Mick Foley confrontation on Raw. We then get footage of Stephanie McMahon visiting Foley and Debra earlier today and telling him she’s here to talk about Linda who she claims has been very sick ever since Vince demanded the divorce from her. Foley mentions people have told him of Linda’s condition since she won’t take his calls and feels a little responsible for her condition. Stephanie agrees and asks Foley to stop egging Vince on since he tends to take it out on those close to him. Foley says he’ll try to take it easy on Vince out of respect to Linda but doesn’t promise anything.

~ We then go to the intro with Michael Cole welcoming us to the show along with Jerry “The King” Lawler.

• Edge & Christian © vs. The Dudley Boyz – Non-Title Match

E&C both tasted tables in the six-man match on Raw and Lawler claims because of that they challenged the Dudleys tonight, nontitle of course. Bubba Ray and D’Von rush the ring and take it right to Edge and Christian and D’Von knocks Edge through the ropes while Bubba works Christian over and hits a suplex for a two count. Bubba whips Christian and hits a backdrop then D’Von tags in and goes for a whip. Christian reverses it but D’Von hits a neckbreaker for a two count. Christian whips D’Von into his corner and charges but eats a boot. D’Von knocks Edge off the apron but Edge pulls D’Von by the legs into the ringpost. Edge tags in and lays the boots to D’Von then tees off on him and hits a backbreaker for a near fall. Edge headbutts D’Von in the back before Christian tags in and D’Von fights back but Christian rakes the face. Edge tags back in and whips D’Von but D’Von comes back with a crossbody for a two count. Both men clothesline each other and start heading for the corners and Edge tags in Christian while D’Von makes the tag to Bubba. Bubba clotheslines Christian then whips him and hits a powerslam. Bubba covers and Edge tries to make the save but misses Bubba and nails Christian with an elbowdrop. Bubba plants Edge with a sidewalk slam then hits Christian with a Full Nelson bomb. Bubba slams Edge and sets him up while D’Von climbs to the top rope and hits the “Wassup” headbutt. Bubba tells D’Von to get the table but Christian stops D’Von from leaving the ring. Christian goes for a whip but D’Von reverses and the Dudleys hit the 3D. Bubba covers Christian but Edge waffles Bubba with one of the tag title belts. Edge pops D’Von through the ropes while Christian drapes an arm over Bubba for the pin. (4:29) Okay match but don’t the faces usually beat the heel champions in non-title matches? That’s usually how it works. **

~ Backstage a limo pulls up and the Stoogers come out to greet Vince McMahon as he climbs out of it. Gerald Brisco asks Vince how he is going to deal with Mick Foley when Foley walks up telling Vince he doesn’t want a repeat of what happened on Raw last Monday. Foley says he’s going to reamin Commissioner for the long haul and asks if they can somehow coexist. Vince asks Foley how can he coexist with someone who stuffed a dirty sock down his throat but tells him he’ll consider it then hobbles away as we go to commercial.

~ Back from break Kurt Angle comes out to the ring since we jus have to have our talking segment. Angle gets on the mic and says he should have earned the fans’ respect by now after surviving everything the past week but apparenlty the only way he can earn respect in Arkansas is to gain 50 pounds and have his way with an intern. Angle then says he’s out to talk about the leadership situation by saying when he gives his word it’s good while Mick Foley doesn’t want to do the honorable thing by keeping his word to resign. Angle adds Vince McMahon is completely justified in trying to force Foley out of the WWF then asks Foley how many more wrestlers must go down before Foley finally keeps his promise. Mick Foley then comes out to the ring to respond and gets on the mic telling Angle to shut his mouth. Foley says people once respected Angle for whay he did in the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta but then got to know he’s a sniveliny, whining, backstabbing crybaby. Foley admits people did get hurt in the Cell but feels it wasnt’ his fault, that Triple H got hurt not from the Cell but from cumulative injures from brutal matches. Foley also claims Rikishi wouldn’t have gotten injured had Vince not pulled the door off the Cell and if he resigned he would be rewarding Vince for bad behavior. Foley says he’s staying on his commissioner because he loves the business and the WWF and things have gotten wild but would be a whole lot worse under Vince’s watch.

Suddenly William Regal comes out to join the discussion and takes Angle’s mic saying respects him more than the “filthy pihlanderer who runs this country”. Regal then claims Foley only loves certain people in the business mentioning how Steve Austin attacked him when he quoted Hamlet yet Foley did nothing. Regal also says The Rock besmirched him dring Thankgiving and Foley still didn’t do anything, and that Austin attacked him again on Raw and once again Foley did nothing. Regal claims Foley lets the holligans run rampant while good people like them get treated like dogs. Foley admits Regal is right about not doing anything to stop the holligans from attacking him but has an idea that will make him, the fans, Angle and Regal happy. Foley gives Regal and Angle the oppertunity to get even with the men who besmirched them by having them team up against The Rock and Austin tonight. Foley then tells Regal to have a jolly good day and departs the ring after 12 minutes of this.

~ Backstage Stephanie is walking when she comes across Pat Patterson and asks if he’s seen Vince. Patterson points Stephanie the way and Stephanie walks off as we go to commercial.

~ Back from break we get an exterior shot of the Alltel Arena as the announcers buzz about the main event.

~ Backstage Vince McMahon is speaking with someone on the phone, telling him to deliver legal papers to Linda at the mansion every hour on the hour. Stephanie then comes in and asks to talk about Linda but Vince refuses to discuss it. Stephanie tries to plead her case but Vince forces her to leave saying she won’t ruin his evening. Vince then gets back on the phone and asks the person about the stocks and bonds. Weird how Stephanie suddenly cares about Linda after all the times she slapped her.

• WWF Women’s Title: Ivory © vs. Lita

Lita’s back is bothering her after the rough treatment Dean Malenko’s been giving her over the past week. Ivory then comes out and gets on the mic saying Lita won’t listen to her just like Chyna. Ivory tells Lita she can’t expect Malenko to treat her like a lady with the way she dresses then demands she change her ways before she has to change them for her. Lita starts off with a kick then applies a hammerlock before hitting a legsweep. Lita comes off the ropes and Ivory lowers the head but Lita kicks the face and hits a clothesline. Lita comes back a DDT but can’t make immediate the cover because of her hurt back and only gets a two. Lita climbs to the top rope and hits a crossbody that also gets a near fall. Dean Malenko makes his way to ringside but Lita spots him so she dives through the ropes and hits a pescado on Malenko then hammers away at him. Malenko throws Lita in the ring and Lita glares at him when Ivory suplexes her from behind and gets the pin. (1:38) Malenko then walks away looking visibly upset that Lita lost the match. Just there to adanvce the Lita/Malenko storyline.DUD

~ Backstage Mick Foley and Debra are playing hockey when Raven comes in having been summoned by Foley. Foley tells Raven he’s not a vindicitve man but reminds him how he put Al Snow out of action on Raw. Foley feels Raven should see some action tonight against someone who’s never had a hadrcore match and Raven gets excited until Foley mentions his opponent is going to be The Undertaker. Raven is not thrilled with this news as Foley dismisses him and we go to commercial.

~ Back from break Vince is in his office when Stephanie again comes in to try and speak with him, saying their family issues do affect business. You’re not kidding there. Stephanie again tells Vince that Linda is very sick, that she lost a lot of weight in one week but Vince says it was about time. Stephanie adds Linda wouldn’t talk to her but Vince calls it a blessing after years of yapping. Stephanie emphases Linda was on the bed motionless but Vince just says that rings a bell. Stephanie then tells Vince he disgusts her sometimes and storms off but Vince shrugs it off.

• “The One” Billy Gunn vs. Val Venis (w/Ivory)

Billy wants revenge for these two putting Chyna out of action with the spike piledriver on Raw. Billy rushes the ring and goes right to work on Val but Val gets the advantage. Val whips Billy but misses a clothesline and Billy whips him and hits an elbow. Billy beats on Val and whips him hard into a corner and Val bailts out to the floor but Billy goes out and whips Val into the ringsteps. Billy yells at Val while applying a chinlock then rams him into the steps again. Billy drops Val onto the barricade before throwing him back in the ring and covering for a two count. Billy chokes Val in a corner before the referee forces a break then Billy goes for a whip but Val reverses it and hits a spinebuster. Ivory hops onto the apron and tries to hit Billy with her Women’s title belt but Billy blocks it and takes the belt from her. Billy then whacks Val with the belt but that gets himself DQ’ed. (2:19) Billy then goes out and chases Ivory around the ring until the referee stops him. Ivory then helps Val to the back as Billy stands tall in the ring. DUD

~ Backstage we find Stephanie approaching Vince’s door and knocks on it until Vince answers. Stephanie pleads with Vince to talk about Linda saying the business and their family is at stake. Stephanie tells Vince he needs to go home and get back together with Linda but Vince angrily says he’s not coming home any night then slams the door into Stephanie’s face. Stephanie says if Vince won’t discuss it in private maybe they’ll discuss it in public. You mean we have to put up with a fourth segment of this?

~ Back from break Stephanie comes out to the ring to Triple H’s music and gets on the mic telling Vince she’s not leaving the ring until he comes out and talks with her and is even willing to air their personal business in public if it’ll get his attention. Backstage Vince is on the phone when Gerald Brisco barges in talking about Stephanie and Vince gets an exasperated look on his face as he hobbles out on his cane. Back in the ring Stephanie says she’s here tonight to save her parents’ marriage and before long Vince does come out to the ring along with the Stooges. Stephanie apologizes to Vince for calling him out saying it was the only way she could talk to him since he likes to attend to personal, family business in public. Don’t we know it. Stephanie asks Vince why would he want a divorce just because Linda sided with Mick Foley? Stephanie says Linda was talking about business but Vince went straight to family. Stephanie tells Vince that he and Linda have a fairytale marriage since they still date and go to the movies together and that Linda loves him and would do anything for him. Stephanie asks Vince to reconsider the divorce and to think of the marriage and the children.

Vince takes the mic and asks Stephanie if she got that ‘fairy tale’ idea from her mother. Vince then decides to give Stephanie a history lesson on her mother, that Linda grew up on the poor section of town and never lived up to the McMahon standard. Vince says he was attracted to Linda mainly because of her reputation as a ‘good-time girl’ and on their first date they had a good time in the back seat of their car. Vince tells Stephanie Linda didn’t love him, she loved his money and everything he afforded her. Vince adds Linda loved the cars, yachts, jewelry and loverall loved the good life. Vince then says as Stephanie stand before him he sees her in a different light now, that she has her mother’s eyes, hair potty mouth and even her sour scent. Vince says Stephanie is no longer “Daddy’s little girl” but a spoiled, ungrateful woman like Linda then orders her to get out of his life and stay out. Stephanie leaves the ring crying and tearfuly heads up the ramp when Vince asks her to deliver a message to Linda, that after their divorce is final there will be a new Mrs. McMahon about Stephanie’s age. The Stooges then depart the ring in disgust leaving and enraged Vince alone as we go to commercial. And you though Vince’s ego was bad before, look at what he felt would bring the raintgs back up.

~ Back from break we get a replay of Vince ordering Stephanie out of his life just like Linda. We then find Patterson and Brisco escorting Stephanie out of the building when Vince walks up asking them where they’re going but the Stooges just walk off and close the door in his face.

• The Undertaker vs. Raven – Hardcore Match

Three months into his WWF run and Raven finally gets a shot at a main event guy. Raven comes out first and gets on the mic bragging about what he did to Al Snow on Raw then tells Taker he’s like a trapped animal, most deadly when he’s cornered. Taker rides out to the ring on his motorbike and climbs in the ring as Raven readies a trash can lid. Raven takes a swing but Taker catches him with a boot the takes the lid and whacks him. Taker whips Raven into a corner and hits a clothesline then nails him with a trash can as we get a quick shot of Mick Foley and Debra watching the match form backstage. Raven rolls out to the floor and pulls out a tool box then grabs a wrench and nails Taker in the chest and in the back with it. Raven shoves Taker into a ringpost and takes another swing with the wrench but misses. Taker rams Raven into the ringsteps and into the apron then grabs him in a bearhug and rams him into the ringpost. Taker throws Raven acorss the timekeeper’s table then grabs the steps and knocks Raven in the head, busting him open. Taker starts clearing off the announce table as we again see Foley and Debra enjoying this then grabs a chair and whacks him in the head with it. Taker then powerbombs Raven through the announce table with the Last Ride and the three is academic. (3:01) Raven is left twitching in the table wreckage as Taker rides off having accomplished his mission. No, I don’t understand why they felt the need to have Taker squash Raven like that. DUD

~ The Hardy Boyz are shown walking to the ring for the next match as we go to commercial.

~ Back from break Cole and Lawler comment on their announce table being broken. They also mention The Dudley Boys will be this week’s guest hosts on Heat this Sunday.

• The Hardy Boyz vs. Chris Benoit & Perry Saturn (w/Terri Runnels)

How many combinations of the Radicalz can the Hardys possibly fight? Benoit starts off with Jeff and works him over with kicks and chops. Benoit whips Jeff into a corner but Jeff lifts himself over Benoit with the ropes and dropkicks him in the back. Jeff whips Benoit hard into a corner then takes him down by the legs and legdrops him in the chest. Jeff pops Saturn off the apron and goes for a whip but Benoit reverses and tosses Jeff under the ropes into the announce table. Matt tries to come in but the referee holds him back while Saturn hammers Jeff on the floor and rams him into the ringsteps. Saturn tosses Jeff back in the ring and Benoit stomps him but Jeff rolls him up and gets the 1..2..3? The heck?! (1:37) Yes, the match was that fast. Benoit is shocked as the Hardys run up the ramp and even they seem surprised. *

~ Backstage Vince is again on the phone saying he doesn’t care if the Stooges ever come back when Mick Foley comes in. Vince asks Foley if he’s here to co-exist with him and Foley tells him he may be the WWF owner but he’ll have to deal with him being WWF Commissioner. Foley then tells Vince that any father who treats his daughter like he did earlier is garbage and that he sucks as a human being. Foley storms out of the room and Vince takes a moment to ponder this but breaks out into a satisfied smile as we go to commercial.

~ Back from break we get a replay of Dean Malenko costing Lita the Women’s title earlier. We then find Malenko already in the ring as he gets on the mic telling Lita she’s fortunate to have had his lips pressed against hers for a moment. Malenko says if he offered his lips to every woman the line would be backed up out of town but assures Lita that his lips are for one person only. Suddenly Chris Jericho comes out to the stage and gets on the mic to tell Malenko if he wants something to kiss he should kiss his rear. Jericho says he can’t decide if his match with Kane is more painful than watching Lita get hit on by a past-his-prime nerd with the appeal of Urkel. Jericho tells “Mal-Urkel” it’s go time before charging in the ring and I guess we have a match.

• Chris Jericho vs. Dean Malenko © – Non-Title Match

Malenko gets in the first shots and whips Jericho but Jericho comes back with a flying forearm. Jericho chops Malenko and whips him into a backdrop as Eddie Guerrero makes his way out to ringside. Jericho whips Maelnko again and looks for a dropkick but Malenko fakes him out then hits a heel kick. Malenko whips Jericho but Jericho slides under him and hits an enzuigiri. Jericho goes for a whip, Malenko reverses him into a corner and charges but eats an elbow. Jericho hops to the middle rope and hits Malenko with a tornado DDT then covers him but Eddie distracts the referee from making the count. Jericho knocks Eddie off the apron then rolls Malenko up but only gets two. Jericho whips Malenko then lowers the head and Malenko goes for a Sunset Flip but Jericho rolls through it and manages to hit a powerbomb. Jericho goes for the Lionsault but Eddie decks him as he hits the ropes and Malenko covers him for the three. (1:54) Seriously, why are all these matches being cut short? Especially this one that could have been great? Did the McMahon segments really need that much time or something? *½

Anyway after the match Jericho hammers Malenko and clotheslines him over the ropes. Eddie comes in and nails Jericho from behind but Jericho comes back and puts him in the Walls of Jericho. Eddie taps out as the referees come out to break it up but Jericho doesn’t let go of the hold. We get a quick shot of Vince watching this saying it’s on the Commissioner’s watch.

~ Back from break we get a replay of Jericho putting Eddie Guerrero in the Walls of Jericho. We then find the EMTs checking Eddie out int he back with Eddie complaing about Jericho.

~ Elsewhere William Regal is standing around when Kurt Angle comes in and tells him that he’s honored to have him as a tag team partner tonight. Angle also hopes there’s no hard feelings with him about the Revolutionary War even though many of his ancestors slaughtered Regal’s ancestors and Regal seems perplexed. Angle says if they were in charge there wouldn’t have been a war because they can get along while The Rock and Steve Austin can’t co-exist and Regal agrees.

~ Elsewvere Kevin Kelly interviews The Rock but again Rock cuts him off and does the “Finally” bit. Rock says he and Austin will never be friends but tonight they have common enemies in Angle and Regal and claims to know his opponents better than they think. Rock then says he even has a story to tell and talks about how Little Regal would often fly to the U.S. to visit his friend, Little Angle. Rock says Little Regal would ask to play with Little Angle’s ball but Little Angle refused to share it and the two would argue all night until Little Rock showed up and told them what to do with the ball. Rock tells Angle and Regal to get ready for an international beating, if ya smell and so on.

~ Steve Austin is shown heading to the ring for the main event as we go to commercial.

~ Back from break Angle and Regal start heading to the ring when Kane suddenly comes out. However instead of going after them Kane apparently offers to be in their corner. Lawler mentions Angle did invite Kane over for Christmas so maybe that explains it, or not.

• Stone Cold Steve Austin & The Rock vs. Kurt Angle & William Regal (w/Kane)

Austin and Regal lockup to start and Regal gets in the first shots but Austin fires back and hammers Regal in a corner. Regal jabs the eye and goes for a whip, Austin reverses and goes for the Stunner but Regal shoves him off. However Regal wanders into the wrong corner and Rock and Austin knocks Regal back and forth before Austin whips Regal and hits a knee to the midsection for a two count. Austin whips Regal and Regal goes for a Sunset Flip but Austin tees off on him with rights. Regal tries to hook Austin’s shoulders wth his legs but Austin rolls out of it and stomps him in the chest. Angle tags in but runs right into an armdrag. Rock asks to tag in so Austin obliges and Rock gets in his shots on Angle. Rock whips Angle and hits a forearm but Angle rakes the face to stop his offense. Angle whips Rock but lowers the head and Rock hits a swinging neckbreaker for a two count. Rock rams Angle into Austin’s boot tags him in but Angle drives Austin into his corner. Regal tags in and goes for a whip but Austin reverses and applies a sleeperhold. Angle comes in but Austin catches him with a boot and knocks his and Regal’s heads together. Austin hits a snap suplex on Regal for a two count. Rock tags in and gets in a shot but Regal jabs his eyes and forces him into his corner. Angle tags in as wee see Vince McMahon watching the match from the back. Yes, Vince even has to appear during the main event.

Rock comes back and goes for a whip but Angle reverses it and Regal nails Rock from behind so Rock decks Regal off the apron. Rock catches Angle coming up behind him with a right and goes for the ropes but tumbles to the floor after Kane pulls the top rope down. Kane drops Rock onto the barricade and Regal gets in some shots before throwing him back in the ring. Angle lays the boots to Rock and whips him but Rock ducks a clothesline and fights back. Rock goes for a whip, Angle reverses him into a corner and Rock comes out looking for a Rock Bottom bur Angle elbows out of it. Rock blocks a kick into a Dragon legwhip then puts Angle in the Sharpshooter but Regal comes in to break it up as Vince feels the night will turn out well for him. Both men get to their feet and Angle charges at Rock but runs into a spinebuster. Rock goes for the People’s Elbow but Kane pulls Rock out of the ring and pops him. Austin runs over and tees off on Kane then throws him into the ringsteps while Rock climbs back in the ring but Angle and Regal double-team him. Both men whip Rock but Rock hits a flying clothesline on both men. Rock crawls to his corner and Angle grabs an ankle but Rock makes the tag to Austin. Austin takes it to both men and whips Regal into a clothesline and clotheslines Angle. Austin whips Angle and hits a spinebuster then whips Regal into a Lou Thesz Press and unloads on him. Suddenly Kane pulls Earl Hebner out of the ring then comes in and hammers Rock and Austin but they drop im with a double shot. Austin and Rock double-team Kane then Austin goes after Regal while Rock knocks Angle over the ropes with the Smackdown. Austin hits the Stunner on Regal and covers him but the referee is still out on the floor. Kane pulls Austin off and grabs him by the throat but Austin kicks Kane below the belt and clotheslines him over the ropes. Regal rolls out to the floor but Rock pops him then throws him back in and Austin hits Regal with a second Stunner to get the three. (7:43)Chaotic but fun main event plus Angle avoided taking the loss again though his team-ups aren’t winning either. **½

~ Oh but we’re not done as we find Vince still talking on the phone backstage when a floor director come in with another phone saying it’s an emergency call from Shane. Vince reluctanly takes it and talks to Shane over the phone when he suddenly gets a concerned look on his face. Vince tells Shane he’ll take the private plane home tonight and to keep him posted then hands the phone to the director saying Linda was just rushed to the hospital. Vince seems to be in tears as he hobbles over to a desk with his head down. However when Vince looks up into a mirror we see an evil look on his face as we fade to black.

Conclusion: Subpar show that was once again overtaken by Vince’s ego. Just about all of the in-ring action had to take a back seat to evil Vince’s family issues which completely dominated this show. As a result many of the matches barely clocked in at two minutes and while the main event was good Vince just had to pop in and remind us where the WWF’s focus currently is. Plus outside the McMahon family saga there was little in the way of angle advancement and a bit of odd booking in places. Then again the WWF probably doesn’t feel the rush to buld something to the Royal Rumblesince it’s a ways off. So not a bad episode but unless you’re a fan of the McMahon clan you can go ahead and skip this show.