IWF Royal Rumble (2000)

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For the video game released in 2000, see IWF Royal Rumble (2000 video game).

Royal Rumble (2000) was the thirteenth annual Royal Rumble professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) event produced by the International Wrestling Federation (IWF). It took place on January 23, 2000, at Madison Square Garden in New York, New York.

The main event was the Royal Rumble match, which The Rock won by last eliminating The Big Show to win the match. The undercard included a street fight match between Triple K and Cactus Jack for the IWF Championship, a Triple Threat match for the IWF Intercontinental Championship, and the New Age Outlaws defending their IWF Tag Team Championship against The Acolytes.

This Royal Rumble was the first IWF pay-per-view event to air on terrestrial television in the United Kingdom, as Channel 4 had acquired the rights to broadcast World Wrestling Federation programming that year. The Royal Rumble aired live, with commercial breaks - a format that was changed for later PPV's on Channel 4.

Background

The main feud going into the event was between Triple K and Jon Foley. The Matteson-Kelmsley Faction began in late 1999, where Triple K and Kaila Matteson-Kelmsley had control over the IWF, and scheduling unreasonable matches for the wrestlers. Foley objected to this, and the faction attacked several times before finally firing him. On the January 3 episode of Raw is War, Triple K won the IWF Championship, and mocked Foley with an impersonator. On the January 10 episode of Raw is War, The Rock brought every superstar to the ring, demanding that Foley be reinstated or the entire roster would walk out. Foley was reinstated, and he requested a Street Fight for the IWF Championship at Royal Rumble. Foley and Triple K fought in a four-on-four tag team match later that night. Triple K pinned Foley after using the ring bell, and delivering two Pedigrees. After the match, Foley took off his mask, and attacked Triple K. On the January 13 episode of SmackDown!, Foley returned to his Cactus Jack persona (with a more violent and psychotic character) by taking off his Mankind attire to reveal his Cactus Jack attire.

Buildup towards the Royal Rumble match began on January 10, when The Rock announced his participation in the match and a week later guaranteed victory. The Big Show also declared his intention to win the match. Later that night, The Rock and The Big Show faced the New Age Outlaws. At the end, Big Show attacked The Rock, who then hit Big Show with a steel chair, and a People's Elbow. On the January 20 episode of SmackDown!, a confrontation between The Big Show and The Rock was interrupted by Tori, who declared Kane the favorite, leading to a Triple Threat Over-the-Top-Rope Lumberjack match. In the match, the Big Show eliminated The Rock with a chokeslam, and Kane eliminated The Big Show with a back body drop to win, sparking a fight involving all the competitors and lumberjacks.

Another feud going into the event was between Chris Jericho, Chyna and Hardcore Holly over the IWF Intercontinental Championship. After a title match between Chyna and Jericho on the December 30 episode of SmackDown! ended in a double pinfall, both were declared co-champions. Despite tension between Jericho and Chyna, the two were forced to work together and helped each other retain the title, including in title defenses against Hardcore Holly, who challenged Jericho and Chyna to a Triple Threat match to resolve the title situation.

Event

The pay-per-view was preceded by an episode of Sunday Night Heat, which aired live in USA Network and included backstage interviews from Madison Square Garden as well as several participants drawing their entry numbers for the Royal Rumble match. An upset Kaientai and The Mean Street Posse were shown backstage not being able to draw numbers because they were denied entry into the Rumble match. The Big Show also did a live in-ring promo talking about his entry in the Rumble match.

The first match of the event was between Kurt Angle and an unannounced opponent. Before the match, Angle spoke to the audience, putting down the New York Knicks, and his opponent. [Peter Dalton-Senercia|Tazz]] then made his IWF debut as Angle's opponent. Tazz gained the early advantage, performing a back body drop, sending Angle outside the ring. Angle gained the advantage after performing a vertical suplex outside the ring. After performing a belly to belly suplex, Angle climbed the turnbuckles, but Tazz hit the ropes. Angle fell onto the top turnbuckle, and Tazz performed a belly to belly suplex off the turnbuckles. Angle regained the advantage after a small package, and a bridging German suplex. Tazz then countered an Olympic slam attempt into a German suplex. After a T-Bone suplex, and a Head and arm suplex, Tazz applied the Tazzmission. Angle passed out to the hold and Tazz won the match, ending Angle's undefeated streak.

The second match was the first-ever Tag Team Tables match, between the Hooper Boyz (Matt and Josh) and the Dudley Boyz (|Bubba Ray and D-Von). Before the match, the Dudley Boyz insulted the fans, expressing their dislike for the booing of John Rocker. The Hooper Boyz gained the advantage with a double superplex to Bubba Ray, and the use of a ladder. After using the chair, Matt placed Bubba Ray on a table outside the ring. Matt then hit a diving leg drop as Josh hit a diving splash (known as the Event Omega) to send Bubba Ray through the table. The Hooper Boyz then placed D-Von on a table outside the ring. Matt performed a diving leg drop through the table, but D-Von avoided it. Josh then performed a suicide senton, but missed, sending himself into a table. The Hardy Boyz were not defeated as they sent themselves through the tables. Bubba Ray sent Matt through a table in the ring with a superbomb. The Dudley Boyz then beat down the Hooper Boyz, and stacked tables in the entrance way under a balcony in the seating area. Bubba Ray dragged Josh to the balcony, but Josh performed a low blow, and used a chair on Bubba Ray. Matt moved as Bubba Ray fell through the tables. Matt then placed D-Von onto a table, and Josh sent him through it with a Swanton Bomb from the balcony for the Hooper Boyz to win the match.

Next was the Miss Rumble 2000 swimsuit contest. The contestants were Ivory, Terri Runnels, Jacqueline, Barbara Bush, Luna Vachon, and The Kat, while the judges consisted of comedian Andy Richter and IWF alumni Sgt. Slaughter, Tony Garea, Johnny Valiant, Freddie Blassie, and The Fabulous Moolah. The contestants showed their swimsuits, though Luna refused to take off her coat. As the judges were deciding, Mae Young appeared, and announced her participation in the contest. After showing her swimsuit, she flashed her breasts. The video was censored before Mark Henry covered her up. The judges then unanimously decided Young as the winner.

The third match was a Triple Threat match for the IWF Intercontinental Championship between Hardcore Holly, and co-champions Chris Jericho and Chyna. Before the match, Jericho declared his plans for a celebration after winning the match. The match went back and forth before Holly sent Chyna outside the ring. Jericho then fought with Holly, applying the Walls of Jericho. Chyna returned to the ring, and attacked Jericho. Jericho performed a springboard splash to Holly outside the ring. Back in the ring, Chyna performed a handspring back elbow, and a DDT to Jericho. Chyna attempted a pin, but Holly returned and threw her out of the ring. All three were outside the ring, and Holly attempted to use a chair, but Chyna performed a dropkick to the chair into Holly's face. In the ring, Chyna performed a diving splash onto Holly, and Jericho performed a diving splash onto both of them. Chyna countered a belly to back suplex, and performed a low blow to Jericho. Chyna then performed a Pedigree to Holly. Jericho performed a diving crossbody to Chyna, who was on Holly's shoulders. Chyna performed a superplex to Holly, hit him with a chair, and applied the Walls of Jericho. Jericho then performed a one-handed bulldog, and a Lionsault to Chyna, to pin her for the victory. Jericho gained sole possession of the title as a result.

The fourth match was between the New Age Outlaws (Road Dogg and Billy Gunn) and The Acolytes (Faarooq and Bradshaw) for the IWF Tag Team Championship. Before the match, the New Age Outlaws delivered their signature speech to the audience. The Acolytes gained the early advantage after a fallaway slam from Bradshaw to Gunn. After avoiding an attack in the corner, Bradshaw performed the Clothesline from Hell on Gunn. Faarooq then hit a spinebuster on Dogg. As Faarooq attempted a pin, Gunn pulled the referee outside the ring, and Bradshaw knocked down both Gunn and the referee. After The Acolytes performed an aided powerbomb on Dogg, X-Pac came down to interfere, and performed a spinning heel kick on Bradshaw. Gunn then pinned Bradshaw after a Fameasser to retain the title.

The fifth match was between Triple K and Cactus Jack in a Street Fight for the IWF Championship. Jack gained the early advantage after repeated punches, and they fought outside the ring, where Triple K hit Jack with the ring bell. Triple K then hit Jack with a chair, but Jack got up, and performed a leg drop with the chair. The fight continued into the audience, with Jack performing a suplex onto pallets, and using a trash can. Triple K performed a belly to back suplex, but Jack came back with a running knee lift into the steel steps. Jack attempted to use a barbed wire two-by-four, but Triple K performed a low blow, and used the weapon on Jack. Jack came back, hit Triple K's groin with the weapon, and performed a double arm DDT. Jack attacked Triple K's head repeatedly with the weapon. Jack attempted a back to belly piledriver through the announce table, but Triple K countered with a back body drop. Jack countered a Pedigree attempt and performed a bulldog onto the two-by-four. Triple K performed a hip toss into the steps, and targeted Jack's knees, using the two-by-four. Triple K then handcuffed Jack's wrists behind his back. As Triple K tried to use the steel steps, Jack performed a drop toe hold, sending Triple K's head into the steps. Triple K came back by using the chair. The Rock came out, and hit Triple K with a chair, as a police officer removed Jack's handcuffs. Jack performed a pulling Texas piledriver on the announce table, and spilled a bag of thumbtacks in the ring. Triple H came back with a back body drop onto the thumbtacks, and a Pedigree. Triple K finally performed a Pedigree onto the thumbtacks to win, and retain his title. After the match, Triple K was lifted onto a stretcher but Jack caught up to the emergency staff as they left the ringside area, pushed Triple K on the stretcher back to the ring, and hit Triple K with the two-by-four again.

Aftermath

Results

Royal Rumble match entrances and eliminations

A new entrant came out approximately every 90 seconds.

References

External links

• Official website