WWF Heat 6/25/2000

Written by: Bob Colling

World Wrestling Federation presents Heat
Date: 6/25/2000
From: Memphis, TN

Matches:
1.) Hardcore Holly defeated Gangrel
2.) Mideon defeated Headbanger Mosh
3.) Essa Rios defeated Stevie Richards
4.) The Acolytes defeated D’Lo Brown & Perry Saturn

Angle Developments/Notes:
1.) Holly shoulder blocks Gangrel, but is met with a hip toss and a few strikes in the corner. Gangrel dumps Holly through the ropes to the floor. Gangrel slingshots Holly into the ring from the apron. Holly drops Gangrel throat first over the top rope and proceeds to deliver a kick to his lower midsection from behind. Holly scoop slams Gangrel and heads to the top rope. Gangrel gets his boot up to stop Holly’s momentum. Gangrel takes Holly over with an overhead suplex and a few clotheslines. Gangrel nearly wins with a backslide. Holly misses a splash in the corner and is nearly rolled up. Holly dropkicks Gangrel to regain control of the match. Holly plants Gangrel with the Falcon Arrow for the win. (**. A decent opener to the show with Holly going over in the right move. I mean, to have Holly work a competitive match with Triple H last week and then lose here would have made zero sense. They put together a quality match.)

2.) Coach chats with Crash Holly and says that Crash is the underdog for the King of the Ring. Crash scoffs at being called an underdog and tells Coach he’s lucky he’s not kicking his butt tonight.

3.) Mideon knee lifts Mosh and delivers several strikes to get the advantage. Mosh boots Mideon in the corner and comes off the ropes to hit a clothesline. Mosh splashes Mideon in the corner and delivers several strikes. Mideon dumps Mosh over the top to the floor. Mosh tosses Mideon shoulder first into the guard railing. Mosh springboards off the middle rope to clothesline Mideon off the apron. Mideon clotheslines himself and Mosh over the top to the floor. Mideon clotheslines Mosh on the floor before returning to the ring. Mideon slams Mosh and comes off the middle rope to hit a forearm drop for a near fall. Mideon misses a splash in the corner and Mosh fires away with strikes and a clothesline. Mosh drop toe holds Mideon over the middle rope and splashes onto Mideon. Mosh comes off the top, but Mideon plants Mosh with the Eye Opener (reverse DDT) for the win. (*1/2. I have no idea as to why this match was even taking place on Heat. Secondly, I don’t have any idea as to why I found myself entertained by Mideon and his work here. I’ve associated Mideon with being awful, but he did a good job working and coming across like he could get some momentum. This goes to show where Mosh is ranked in the singles ranking.)

4.) Chris Benoit was interviewed earlier in the day by Michael Cole. Benoit is reminded that he lost the WWF Intercontinental Championship to Rikishi on Smackdown. Benoit says that Rikishi winning the title was the worst thing to happen to him and tonight we’ll see why.

5.) Richards knee lifts Rios and delivers several strikes before avoiding a handspring. Rios clotheslines Richards but runs into a boot in the corner. Rios springboards off the ropes to arm drag Richards. Rios takes Richards out with a twisting dive to the floor. Richards catches Rios in the corner to hit a running powerbomb for a near fall. Richards nearly wins with a double under hook suplex. Richards gets sent chest first into the corner and Rios hits a tilt a whirl head scissors. Rios misses a splash and hits the ropes. Richards plants Rios with a powerbomb for a near fall. Rios drops Richards throat first over the top rope and hits a top rope twisting dive. Rios chops Richards several times but can’t hit a tornado DDT. Rios head scissors Richards off the second rope and comes off the top to hit a moonsault for the win. (**. Glad to see Rios getting a singles win against a bigger opponent. Rios should be a focus in the Light Heavyweight division and seems to be forgotten about for the most part.)

6.) Coach interviews Val Venis and Trish Stratus regarding Val’s match with Eddie Guerrero. Venis says he’ll do whatever he has to do in order to get where he wants to go. Venis considers Guerrero a stepping stone to his rise in the WWF.

7.) Michael Cole meets up with Linda McMahon and she’s here to confront her husband.

8.) Backstage, Stephanie McMahon is concerned about Linda confronting her father. Triple H is annoyed with having to deal with her mother now, too.

9.) Coach interviews Kurt Angle who says that he’s been thriving to be the best and notes that Coach is a fourth string commentator doing his very best. Coach will never call a major sporting event, but Angle is likely going to win the KOTR. Angle likes the idea of being a WWF World Champion a little bit better.

10.) Vince McMahon thinks it is hilarious that Linda is going to confront him while nobody else would ever do that. Triple H thinks McMahon should be a little more worried.

11.) Chris Jericho cuts a promo saying that he’s going to win the KOTR and calls Angle an ass.

12.) Bradshaw and Faarooq go after Saturn and Brown with strikes and a double shoulder block before sending Saturn to the floor. Saturn is sent into the ring steps while Brown heel kicks Faarooq in the ring. Faarooq plants Brown with a spinebuster and tags in Bradshaw. Brown comes off the ropes and is met with a big boot. Brown stops Bradshaw with a swinging neckbreaker and tags in Saturn. Bradshaw tosses Saturn with a fallaway slam. Brown saves Saturn from a powerbomb and Saturn tosses Bradshaw with a suplex. Saturn works over Bradshaw’s left knee with a knee drop and Brown leg drops the injured knee, as well. Bradshaw kicks Brown and collapses to the mat. Bradshaw shoulder blocks Brown out of the corner. Saturn and Faarooq get tagged in with Faarooq cleaning house hitting a snap powerslam on Saturn. Saturn no sells it and hits a German suplex on Faarooq. Faarooq plants Saturn with the Dominator, but Brown breaks up the cover. Brown hits the Sky High on Faarooq for a near fall. Bradshaw powerbombs Saturn and Faarooq gets the three count. (*1/2. There wasn’t much structure to this and it was fairly obvious that the Acolytes would win this.)

13.) Backstage, Pat Patterson runs into Shane McMahon and wants his father to change his upcoming match. Shane doesn’t care and doesn’t have time to deal with that.

14.) Mick Foley arrives to WWF New York.

15.) The Rock is interviewed by Michael Cole regarding the main event of KOTR. Rock insults the entire McMahon family (aside from Linda). Rock says they will have nothing left to run their mouth. He promises to become the new WWF World Champion tonight. Rock tells them to just bring it.

Final Thoughts:
A fine hour of television to provide some last minute promotion for King of the Ring. I’m still confused as to why I was entertained so much by Mideon on this show.

Thanks for reading.