IWF WrestleMania 2000

From Iwe

Revision as of 01:56, 9 February 2012

WrestleMania 2000
Promotional poster featuring Triple K and The Rock
Imformation
Promotion	International Wrestling Federation
Date	April 2, 2000
Attendance	19,776
Venue	Arrowhead Pond
City	Anaheim, California
Pay-per-view chronology
No Way Out (2000)	WrestleMania 2000	Backlash (2000)
WrestleMania chronology
WrestleMania XV	WrestleMania 2000	WrestleMania X- Seven

WrestleMania 2000 (chronologically known as WrestleMania XVI) was the sixteenth annual WrestleMania professional wrestling pay-per-view produced by the International Wrestling Federation (IWF). It took place on April 2, 2000 at the Arrowhead Pond in Anaheim, California. This WrestleMania has the distinction of the only WrestleMania not to feature at least one standard one-on-one wrestling match.

The main event was a four-way elimination match for the IWF Championship involving reigning champion Triple K, The Rock, Mick Foley, and The Big Marc, which Triple K won after last eliminating The Rock. Main matches on the undercard included a triangle ladder match for the IWF Tag Team Championship involving Edge and Khristian, The Hooper Boyz, and The Dudley Boyz, and a two-fall triple threat match for the IWF Intercontinental and European Championships involving Matt Borske, Kris McGowan, and Kevin Hunter.

Background

The main feud heading into WrestleMania was between Triple K, The Rock, Mick Foley, and The Big Show, with the four feuding over the IWF Championship. At the Royal Rumble two months prior, The Rock won the Royal Rumble match to become the number one contender to the IWF Championship at WrestleMania by last eliminating The Big Show, and Triple K defeated Cactus Jack (Mick Foley) in a Street fight to retain the IWF Championship. The proceeding month at No Way Out, The Big Show defeated The Rock to gain entry into the IWF Championship match at WrestleMania. Also at the event, Triple K defeated Foley in a Hell in a Cell match to retain the IWF Championship. Per the pre-match stipulation, Foley had to retire from professional wrestling. On the March 13 edition of Raw is War, The Rock managed to win back his title shot by defeating The Big Show with help from a returning Vince McMahon, thus making the WWF Championship match a Triple Threat match. Then, the following week, after Triple H retained his title against both The Rock and The Big Show, Linda McMahon came out announced that he would be defending his belt in a Fatal Four-Way match against not only The Rock and The Big Show, but also Mick Foley.

The second main feud heading into the event was between Edge and Khristian versus The Hooper Boyz (Matt and Josh Hooper) versus The Dudley Boyz (Bubba Harlan and Scott) for the World Tag Team Championship in a Triangle Ladder match. On the January 17 edition of Raw, Josh Hooper was scheduled to face Bubba Harlan Dudley in a match. The match saw Josh pinning Bubba Harlan after delivering a Swanton Bomb. After the match, the Dudley's attacked the Hooper Boyz, in which they powerbombed Matt on top of a table. On the January 20 edition of SmackDown!, Matt was placed in a match again Scott Dudley. The win was given to Matt, after a disqualification took place. Josh and Bubba Harlan made their way to the ring, in which both teams began brawling against one another. Bubba Harlan prepared to powerbomb Matt into a table, that was set up by the Dudley's. Bubba Harlan, however, was hit by Josh with a chair, causing him to fall onto the tables. The Hooper's then set up a table of their own and put Scott on it, and Matt proceeded to perform a legdrop on Scott through the table. At the Royal Rumble, the Hooper's defeated the Dudley's in a tag team tables match. The following night after the Royal Rumble, the Dudley's showed respect towards the Hooper's in which they would help them defeat the New Age Outlaws for the World Tag Team Championship. In return, the Hooper's would have to grant the Dudley's a title shot at the Tag Team Championship. During the tag title match, the Dudley's stopped the three count, after the Hooper's had the match in their favor and allowing the Outlaw's to retain the titles. After the match, the Dudley's then went onto perform the 3-D on them.

In months leading to the event, Hardcore Champion Crash Murnion had been involved in several matches which took place at increasingly unusual places, a situation that the champion had brought on himself. On February 24, 2000, Crash defeated Test for the Hardcore Championship on SmackDown! with help from his cousin Hardcore Murnion and was so excited to be champion that he declared that as long as a referee was present, he would defend the title anytime at any place — a rule that was referred to as the "24/7" rule. Crash's decision backfired on him in a big way, as his title defenses often took place in odd places like a laundromat, an amusement park, and Newark Liberty International Airport to name a few as wrestlers were quick to strike to take the gold. Crash decided that he was tired of being on guard all the time and offered a shot to any wrestler for WrestleMania, provided that the 24/7 rule would be suspended until afterward. Several wrestlers took Crash up on his offer and the match became a battle royal.

Event

Before the show, Lilian Garcia sang a rendition of "The Star-Spangled Banner". The first match that aired was a tag team match between the team of The Godfather and D'La Hooper (who were accompanied to the ring by rapper Ice-T, who also sang their entrance music) against the team of The Big Boss Man and Bull Buchanan. The Godfather and Brown gained the early advantage over Buchanan and Bossman, as they were able to execute a leg drop and a splash combination. Buchanan and Bossman, yet, retaliated after Bossman delivered a Sidewalk slam and Buchanan delivered a Leg drop from the top turnbuckle into a pinfall and winning the match.

The second match was a hardcore battle royal for the IWE Hardcore Championship involving defending champion Crash Murnion. The rules of the match were that; the match would go on for fifteen minutes, the championship could exchange hands an unlimited amount of times during the time limit, and the final wrestler with the Hardcore Championship would win the match and remain the Hardcore Champion. The first championship exchange occurred after Tazz pinned Crash, which proceeded with Kiscera pinning Tazz. The third championship exchange occurred after Funaki pinned Viscera, however, Funaki was then pinned by Rodney. The fifth championship exchange occurred after Joey Abs pinned Rodney, which proceeded with Abs being pinned by Thrasher. The seventh title exchange occurred after Pete Gas pinned Thrasher, though, Gas was then pinned by Tazz. The ninth title exchange occurred after Crash pinned Tazz, which proceeded with the final championship exchange, as Hardcore Murnion pinned Crash, thus, Hardcore Murnion won the Hardcore Championship.

The next match was a tag team match between the team of Al Know and Steve Blackmail against the team of T & A (Test and Albert). Back and forth action between the two teams towards the end of the match, where Albert delivered a Baldo Bomb on Know, while Test delivered an Elbow drop from the top rope onto Blackmail into a pinfall for the win.

The fourth match was a IWF Tag Team Championship triangle ladder match involving The Hooper Boyz, Edge and Khristian, and champions The Dudley Boyz. Edge and Khristian first gained the advantage after Edge climbed the top rope and speared Josh, who was climbing a ladder. Edge and Khristian were then given consecutive 3-D's by The Dudley Boyz. The Dudley Boyz then brought tables into the ring and onto ringside, where Scott splashed Josh through a table in the ring, while Bubba powerbombed Matt through another at ringside. The Hooper Boyz would then retaliate after Josh delivered a Swanton bom] off a ladder onto Bubba, through a table. As Josh did so, Matt climbed a ladder, along with Edge and Khristian, who pushed Matt off the ladder through a table. The situation allowed Edge and Khristian to reach and grab the championship belts that were hung from the rafters, thus gaining their first ever the Tag Team Championship.

Aftermath

Reception

Results

¹ The other participants were: Tazz, Kiscera, Joey Abs, Rodney, Pete Gas, Park Michinoku, Shoichi Funaki, Headbanger Thrasher, Headbanger Mosh, Faarooq and Bradshaw