WWF Heat 7/30/2000

Written by: Bob Colling

World Wrestling Federation presents Heat
Date: 7/30/2000
From: San Antonio, TX

Matches:
1.) WWF Light Heavyweight Champion Dean Malenko defeated Scotty 2 Hotty to retain the title
2.) Big Bossman defeated Al Snow
3.) Rikishi defeated Test by disqualification
4.) Sgt. Slaughter defeated Funaki
5.) Chyna defeated WWF Intercontinental Champion Val Venis by disqualification

Angle Developments/Notes:
1.) Malenko takes Hotty down to the mat with a drop toe hold and keeps control with a headlock. Hotty takes Malenko over with a snap suplex and does a moonwalk. Malenko atomic drops Hotty and tries for the Cloverleaf, but Hotty counters with an inside cradle for a two count. Hotty trips Malenko from the floor and misses a top rope crossbody. Malenko beats on Hotty with right hands to keep control of the contest. Malenko takes Hotty over with a snap suplex for a near fall. Malenko knee lifts Hotty in the midsection and delivers a few more kicks to the midsection. Malenko continues to work over Hotty with stomps in the corner. Hotty takes Malenko over with a back suplex and both men are down. Hotty trades right hands with Malenko followed by a flapjack. Malenko sends Hotty chest first into the corner, but Hotty comes back with a rollup for a two count. Hotty takes Malenko over with a backslide for a two count. Malenko tries for a suplex, but Hotty counters with a side Russian leg sweep. Hotty heads to the top rope, but Malenko cuts Hotty off. Malenko tries for a superplex, but Hotty blocks it. Hotty tries for a sunset flip powerbomb and plants Malenko! Hotty misses a bulldog as Malenko blocked it. Hotty counters a powerbomb and hits the bulldog on the second attempt. Hotty proceeds to hit the Worm! Hotty tries for a suplex into the ring, but Malenko counters with a rollup and puts his feet on the ropes to retain the title! (**1/2. These two work very well together and the matched flowed at a good pace. I liked the counters as it tells the story of these two knowing each other rather well. A solid defense for Malenko and I’m enjoying his title run.)

2.) Backstage, Just Joe meets up with Taka Michinoku and Funaki. Joe has been working on his Japanese. Joe speaks some Japanese and then walks off offended by what they said. Taka and Funaki look confused.

3.) Snow beats on Bossman outside the ring to start the match. Bossman stops Snow with a big boot in the ring. Snow elbows his way out of Bossman’s grip. Snow works over Bossman with right hands in the corner. Bossman shoulder blocks Snow and taunts the crowd. Bossman rams Snow into the corner face first and back first. Bossman misses a splash in the corner and Snow hits a back suplex. Snow goes to Head while Bossman grabs his nightstick. Bossman swings and misses allowing Snow to hit Head. Snow tries for a sunset flip, but Bossman uses his nightstick to pin Snow. (1/2*. I didn’t really care for this.)

4.) Backstage, Mick Foley is talking to himself when Test and Albert enter the scene. Test doesn’t like the idea of a g-string in his face from Rikishi. Test couldn’t get a date for two days thanks to Rikishi and his stink face. Foley tells Test that he went 19-years without a date. Foley grants Test a rematch with Rikishi as long as there isn’t interference.

5.) Backstage, Just Joe walks up to Sgt. Slaughter and tells Slaughter that Taka and Funaki were praising Japanese schooling and children being better than America. Slaughter doesn’t like that and tells Joe to warn them about talking about America like that.

6.) Backstage, Just Joe walks into Taka and Funaki stretching. Joe says that Slaughter isn’t happy with them for what they were saying. Joe tells them they shouldn’t be making fun of Slaughter and that will lead to a fight.

7.) Backstage, Chyna walks into Mick Foley’s office and suggests that Val Venis should defend the WWF Intercontinental Championship against her because Rikishi is wrestling after a cage match at Fully Loaded. Foley thought Chyna was talking about Pat Patterson or Tito Santana, but finally picks up on the request and grants the match for Chyna.

8.) Test hammers away on Rikishi to start the match. Rikishi takes Test over with a belly to belly suplex and more right hands in the corner. Rikishi misses a clothesline and hits a swinging neckbreaker. Test pummels Rikishi with right hands and distracts the referee to allow Albert to get a few shots in. Albert holds Rikishi, but Test nails Albert with a big boot off the apron. Rikishi hits a Samoan Drop and a running back splash in the corner. Test drops in the corner and Rikishi goes for the Stink Face. Rikishi delivers the Stink Face and kicks Albert. Test nails Rikishi with a big boot, but the referee has called for the bell. After the match, Test and Albert beat on Rikishi until Too Cool run into the ring and make the save taking on T&A. (1/2*. I can appreciate the angle development as Test once again will go at least two days without a date.)

9.) Backstage, Just Joe meets with Sgt. Slaughter again and tells him that Funaki and Taka were making fun of him. Joe thinks that they want a fight and Slaughter tells Joe that he’ll go get his gear and see them in the ring.

10.) Funaki is begging off from Slaughter before the bell. Slaughter takes Funaki down to the mat and stomps on Funaki. Funaki gets tossed into the corner and Slaughter beats on Funaki followed by a back elbow. Slaughter drops Funaki throat first over the top rope. Slaughter nails Funaki with a short arm clothesline and tries for the cobra clutch, but Funaki bails to the floor. Slaughter sends Funaki and Taka into each other and clotheslines Taka. Funaki kicks Slaughter and hits a superkick. Funaki pummels Slaughter right hands on the mat. Funaki snapmares Slaughter to the mat and tries for a crossbody, but Slaughter catches Funaki with a backbreaker. Slaughter hits another backbreaker for a two count. Slaughter clotheslines Funaki and locks in the cobra clutch. Taka gets yanked into the ring from the apron and sent into Funaki again. Slaughter tosses Taka over the top and locks in the cobra clutch to win the match. (*. This was mostly your yearly “hey Slaughter is a legend and can get a win over a low midcard guy!” segment.)

11.) Venis has taped ribs for this title match. Venis works over Chyna with right hands in the corner and chokes Chyna to keep control of the match early on. Chyna runs out of the corner to hit a couple of clotheslines. Chyna forearms Venis, but Venis rams Chyna into the corner a few times. Chyna sends Venis back first into the corner and Venis rolls to the floor. Eddie Guerrero cheap shots Venis on the floor and rolls Venis back into the ring. Chyna kicks Venis in the ribs to maintain the advantage. Chyna takes Venis over with a snap suplex. Chyna misses a splash in the corner and Venis tosses Chyna to the mat. Venis drops Chyna with a right hand. Chyna fires back with right hands, but Chyna delivers a kick to the chest. Venis knee lifts Chyna, but runs into a drop toe hold. Chyna hits a handspring back elbow into the corner followed by a clothesline for a near fall. Chyna beats on Venis with a strike to the ribs a few times. Venis plants Chyna with a spinebuster. Eddie Guerrero gets on the apron and is decked by Venis. Chyna low blows Venis and knocks Trish off the apron. Chyna plants Venis with a DDT, but Perry Saturn slides in and attacks Chyna causing a disqualification. After the match, Eddie Guerrero enters the ring and attacks Saturn. Saturn is met with a double flapjack and is clotheslined over the top to the floor. (*1/2. I’m digging Val Venis with Trish and the match here was fine enough, really. I’m guessing we might see a Saturn/Chyna issue moving forward.)

Final Thoughts:
Heat continues to be a consistently solid show every week.

Thanks for reading.