PPV REVIEW: WWF Summerslam 2000

WWE / WWF Summerslam 2000 - Event poster
August 27, 2000
Raleigh Entertainment and Sports Arena, Raleigh, North Carolina

By the summer of the year 2000, the Attitude Era was going through somewhat of a transitional period. 


The Austin/McMahon storyline upon which the whole first half of that period had focussed was now over. Some of the more cartoonish aspects were also largely forgotten about, replaced instead with an emphasis on intensity, drama, and a brand of in-ring action that remained consistently at a higher level than at any other time in the company's history.

If Summerslam 2000 was a perfect example of anything, it was that.

Between the first ever TLC match, Jericho and Benoit tearing it up and a truely fantastic main event, this show was the apex of what had been a brilliant year for the World Wrestling Federation from an in-ring standpoint.






But don't just take my word for it. Here's what went down when Summerslam came live from Raleigh, North Carolina.

Crimes of Passion - A Film by Freddie Fellini

In place of the usual quick introductory video, Summerslam 2000 opened up with Crimes of Passion, a film by 'Freddie Fellini'.

Though the name was an obvious nod to the famous Italian film director, this surreal short film looked more like the kind of thing David Lynch might come up with if he'd spent his time working for the WWF rather than making Mulholland Drive.

It featured Classy Freddie Blassie sitting in a locker room watching highlights of the Kurt Angle/Triple H feud while girls holding up Wakaonna masks cavorted around and a fat woman sat around eating something.


If that sounds bizarre, it's because it was, but it was also awesome.


The video was followed by a graphic which revealed for the first time on PPV the new Summerslam logo that the company would use all the way until 2008.

Pyro, a crushing metal riff  and a welcome from Jim Ross followed before and Jerry 'The King' Lawler got down to calling all the action from tonight's show.

With that, it was on to our opening match.

Right to Censor (Steven Richards, Bull Buchanan and The Goodfather) vs. Rikishi & Too Cool (Scotty 2 Hotty & Grandmaster Sexay w/ Victoria and Mandy)

Too Cool were an awesome choice to open any PPV.

WWE / WWF Summerslam 2000 - Right to Censor faced Too Cool in the opening match
Super over with the audience, Scotty 2 Hotty, Grandmaster Sexay and their partner Rikishi always had the crowd eating out of the palm of their hands from the moment their music struck until the end of the match and tonight was no different.

Well, it was kind of different.

After The Godfather abandoned his pimpin' ways and became The Goodfather, two of his hos had found solace in the arms of Rikishi and accompanied him to the ring tonight. One of those hos just happened to be future women's champion Victoria. In case you were wondering, the other ho was Mandy, better known as fitness model Frostee Moore.

The two got involved in what proved to be an entertaining opener, at one point getting in Goodfather's face only for the former Kama Mustafa to hurl them to the ground.

Though this was nowhere near as excellent as some of Too Cool's other opening contests throughout the year, it still got the crowd pumped up and ready for action, even if they missed out on seeing The Worm.

As Scotty got set to drop the crowd-pleasing move, Steven Richards levelled him with a swift kick to the mush and this one was over.
Your Winner: Right to Censor

WWE / WWF Summerslam 2000 - Michael Cole interviews Hardcore Champion Shane McMahon
After a word from King and JR, we were taken back to that night's episode of Heat in which Jonathan Coachman asked an arriving Kurt Angle why he'd recently taken advantage of Stephanie McMahon. Insulted that "fourth-string announcer" Coachman had questioned his integrity, the Olympic Gold Medalist shrugged off the question and headed into the arena.

In case you were wondering what Coachman was talking about, we were shown a clip of Kurt snogging a groggy and beaten up Steph.

Back on Heat, McMahon herself arrived and asked Coach where Triple H was. The interviewer responded that Hunter hadn't arrived yet but Angle had, prompting Steph to go looking for him.

Back live in the arena, Michael Cole asked WWF Hardcore Champion Shane McMahon about his sister's well being. Unfortunately for Shane, he didn't get to give much of a response as his opponent for the night, Steve Blackman, appeared and chased him off.

Road Dogg vs. X-Pac

JR reminded us that X-Pac and Road Dogg had actually fought side-by-side to keep the DX name back at Fully Loaded 1999.

WWE / WWF Summerslam 2000 - X-Pac faced Road Dogg
They had even been partners just two months before, facing The Dudley Boyz back at King of The Ring 2000.

Now, however, they were going at it after a recent falling out which resulted in Pac accidentally sending Roadie through a table and The De Oh Double Jee abandoning his partner in a handicap match against The Undertaker.

Though it wasn’t on par with the excellent Roadie vs. 123 Kid match from In Your House 2: The Lumberjacks, this short little contest proved that the DX mainstays still worked very well together.

After a few minutes of good quality action, X-Pac broke out of Road Dogg’s patented Pump Handle Slam by levelling him with a low-blow.

One X-Factor later and this one was done.
Your Winner: X-Pac

Post-match, Pac took to the microphone and proved himself the consummate heel by declaring he and Roadie to be a great team and offering a ‘no hard feelings’ handshake to the man he just kicked in the balls.

Much to the delight of the live audience, Dogg refused to accept and beat him his former partner instead.

Who’s Hotter, Trish or Chyna?

WWE / WWF Summerslam 2000 - Val Venis and Trish Stratus prepare for their match with Chyna and Eddie Guerrero
It’s Trish Stratus, isn’t it?

Sure, but you have to admit The Ninth Wonder of the World looked pretty hot as she and her man Eddie Guerrero talked backstage about their upcoming Intercontinental championship opportunity.

Watching the action on a nearby monitor, a paranoid and self-obsessed Trish Stratus badgered Val Venis about whether she or Chyna deserved to be a centrefold model.

Having renounced his sex-obsessed ways, the Intercontinental champion told off his manager, insisting that he didn’t care who was hotter, only that he walked out of the arena tonight with the gold still firmly around his waist.

Inter-gender Tag Match for the World Wrestling Federation Intercontinental Championship
WWF Intercontinental Champion Val Venis & Trish Stratus vs. Chyna & Eddie Guerrero

WWE / WWF Summerslam 2000 - Chyna makes the hot tag to Eddie Guerrero
So far, Summerslam 2000 was three for three in terms of good matches.

Though this won’t go down in history as the greatest of all time, all four participants played their parts well to deliver a pretty solid effort that the crowd lapped up with gusto.

Somewhat predictably, Trish Stratus cost her man the match. After a fun match, The future Hall of Famer was picked up and gorilla press slammed by Chyna, who made the cover, got the fall, and became a two-time Intercontinental Champion.
Your Winner and NEW WWF Intercontinental Champion: Chyna

Afterwards, a visibly irate Val Venis blasted his manager, and not in the way that most men would want to blast her.

Clearly, that relationship wouldn’t be lasting much longer.

Radio WWF

Remember Radio WWF?

Nah, neither does anybody else, but here was Michael Cole broadcasting on it live from WWF New York with Mick Foley as his broadcast partner.

The two had guests including Trish Stratus and Chyna, the latter of whom admitted to liking Foley’s ‘worm’ after the Commissioner bust out some dancing with Too Cool.

Finally, The Rock came back to New York via telephone to deliver a rendition of Smackdown hotel.

Steph is a Smitten Kitten

Back live, Stephanie McMahon was seen gossiping with a backstage worker called Janet, who let the bosses daughter know that everyone had been talking about her kissing Kurt Angle.

Despite insisting that Kurt kissed her and not the other way round, a clearly smitten Steph admitted that the Olympic Hero was a good kisser.

WWE / WWF Summerslam 2000 - Jerry 'The King' Lawler and Jim Ross called the event Would you like some candy?

Before the next match, JR offered King some candy from a big glass jar on their table, making sure that we all knew the jar was there.

It was an odd moment, so obviously, that meant the glass jar would play a role in the next bout.

Jerry ‘The King’ Lawler vs. Tazz

Sure enough, it did.

According to the pre-match video package, Tazz had been brutalising everybody insight, leading to JR calling him a lowlife.

The former ECW star then confronted Ross and made a rather below-the-belt insult about his Bell’s Palsey.

‘I’d slap you in your face,’ said Tazz. ‘But it looks like God already beat me to it.’

Yeah, that was harsh. So harsh in fact that Jerry Lawler stood up for his broadcast partner, leading to a match with Tazz here tonight.

The video also showed us Tazz smashing JR’s windscreen in while Ross was still in the car, injuring the announcer’s eye.

Making fun of the injury, badass tough guy Tazz opted for a comedy routine for his entrance, staggering to the ring with sunglasses and a stick like a blind person.

After a few minutes of reasonable but mostly unforgettable action, the referee took a bump.

Tazz locked in the Tazmission, but JR smashed the glass candy jar in his tormentor’s face.

On cue, the referee made a miraculous recovery and counted the fall as King made the pin.
Your Winner: Jerry ‘The King’ Lawler.

Backstage, Lilian Garcia attempted to find out what Shane McMahon thought about Steph and Kurt, but once again Steve Blackman chased the hardcore champion away before he could respond.

World Wrestling Federation Hardcore Championship
WWF Hardcore Champion Shane McMahon vs. Steve Blackman

WWE / WWF Summerslam 2000 - Steve Blackman murders Shane McMahon
Though it was far from a legendary battle, this was no doubt the high point of Steve Blackman’s career.

Receiving the kind of rapturous ovation from the live crowd that today’s midcarders could only dream about, The Lethal Weapon battered Shane in the early going with some creative and entertaining offence.

Eventually, Test and Albert came out to McMahon’s rescue and battered Blackman all the way to the entrance.

However, the challenger fought back and took his attackers out with a kendo stick before chasing Shane some sixty-seventy feet up to the top of a huge scaffold structure.

Then, in a moment that would be replayed on WWE TV for years to come, Blackman waffled Shane with the Kendo stick and McMahon took an epic fall to the ground.

Blackman then hit an elbow from lower down on the scaffold and reclaimed the title.
Your Winner and NEW WWF Hardcore Champion: Steve Blackman

Post-match, Shane O’Mac was stretchered out of the arena, sending his sister Stephanie into a panic.

Kurt Angle came to console her, but when the two hugged they were disturbed by Mick Foley, who wanted to talk to Steph about Shane.

Two-out-of-Three Falls
Chris Jericho vs. Chris Benoit

WWE / WWF Summerslam 2000 - Krispin Wah puts a hurtin' on Y2J
These two had delivered some of the best matches of the year 2000 at Backlash and Judgement Day.

This two-out-of-three falls match wasn’t quite at the same level as some of their earlier meetings and could have certainly benefited from having an extra ten minutes for the two men to really go it.

Regardless, Chris Jericho and Chris Benoit did the best they could with the limited time they had, and the results were still pretty good.

In the WWF’s first two-out-of-three falls match since Rock/HHH at Fully Loaded 1998, Benoit earned the first fall by making Jericho tap to the crippler crossface.

Naturally, Jericho evened the score by making Benoit tap to the Walls of Jericho.

The Crippler then stole the third fall by using the ropes for leverage on a pin, ending the match in somewhat disappointing fashion.
Your Winner: Chris Benoit

Out in the back, Triple H arrived at the arena 90 minutes after the opening bell.

Tables, Ladders, and Chairs, Oh My!

Ladies and gentlemen, the moment you’ve all been waiting for was almost upon us.

Before we got to the groundbreaking, first-ever TLC match, we got a video package looking at how the match came together:

The Dudleyz loved pushing people trough tables. The Hardyz loved diving off ladders, and now Edge & Christian had developed a fondness for hitting people with steel chairs, causing Mick Foley to put the whole thing together into one unique contest.

TLC Match for the World Wrestling Federation Tag Team Championships
WWF Tag Team Champions Edge & Christian vs. The Dudley Boyz (Bubba Ray & D’Von Dudley) vs. The Hardy Boyz (Matt & Jeff Hardy)

WWE / WWF Summerslam 2000 - The Hardyz battled Edge, Christian and The Dudleyz in the first TLC match
Going from 0-epic in about two seconds flat, this was an absolutely spectacular match that your writer is immediately adding to his Favourite Matches of All Time list.

All six men held nothing back as they beat the living daylights out of one another and took some seriously insane bumps off from 20ft in the air, crashing through tables to the shock and delight of the audience.

At one point, Lita came in to try and help her men The Hardy Boyz, but she only managed to get herself speared by her future boyfriend Edge instead.

Not long after, Edge and Christian climbed the ladder and retained the titles, but not before they gave it all they had in an absolute classic war.
Your Winners and Still WWF Tag Team Champions: Edge & Christian

Out in the back, Stephanie McMahon tried to convince her husband that the Kurt kiss meant nothing to her and that The Game was the only man for her.

Thong Stinkface Match
The Kat (w/ Al Snow) vs. Terri (w/ WWF European Champion Perry Saturn)

WWE / WWF Summerslam 2000 - Perry Saturn tries to cover Terri's nakedness
As they came out, Terri’s man Perry Saturn tried to cover her up with a towel.

It’s a blessing that he didn’t succeed because both she and The Kat looked stunning.

I mean OK, the match was kinda dumb, but the ladies looked so good that I can’t say I care much.

After about two minutes of bodyslams and the sexually suggestive moves, Al Snow gave The Kat head and she used it to blast Terri with it.

One stinkface later, this was over.
Your Winner: The Kat

Over at WWF New York, The APA were drinking Jack Daniels, smoking cigars, stealing money out of the cash register and toasting to Vince McMahon.

If you weren’t at WWF New York but were watching the show on PPV then you could send in a copy of your cable bill showing proof of purchase to claim a free pair of sunglasses with The Rock’s logo on it.

No Disqualification Match
The Undertaker vs. Kane

WWE / WWF Summerslam 2000 - The Undertaker beats up Kane
Two weeks ago, Kane had turned heel on his brother by chokeslamming him through the ring.

Despite the announcers wanting to know why, Kane never really explained himself, instead offering a vague reason that he did it because he was a monster.

That was enough for this rematch from their bouts at Wrestlemania 14 and Unforgiven 1998.

The match itself was nothing special, but it told a captivating story.

The Undertaker declared quite boldly that he was going to ‘rip his [Kane’s] f**cking mask off' and then spent the rest of the match trying to do just that.

It’s funny that the WWF bleeped out several F-bombs on this show but left Goldberg’s in when he told Vince Russo to go f-himself at New Blood Rising, an event held around the same time as this one.

Anyway, the American Bad Ass succeeded in his mission, Kane ran off and this one was somehow over.
No Contest

Out in the back, Kurt Angle tried to call Stephanie on her cell phone, but Steph had to pretend it was Linda McMahon because Triple H was in the room. When Hunter asked to speak to his mother-in-law, Angle hung up.

No Disqualification Triple Threat Match for the World Wrestling Federation Championship
WWF Champion The Rock vs. Kurt Angle vs. Triple H

WWE / WWF Summerslam 2000 - Triple H with a sledgehammer
Yes, all this HHH/Angle/Steph stuff was building to this - a world title match in which The Rock, the actual WWF Champion, had been treated like an afterthought.

The People’s Champion barely even featured in the pre-match video.

Speaking of pre-match stuff, Kurt Angle came out first to address the fact that many people had said he should apologise for kissing Steph.

Kurt did just that.

Kind of.

He apologised for not doing it sooner and boldly declared that he’d shown Steph the kind of passion The Game could only dream of.

That brought out Hunter and this one was on.

As all good WWF main events did, this one came in three acts.

In the first act, HHH and Angle waged war on each other, resulting in the former murdering the latter by sending him through the Spanish announce table. Angle was stretchered out and The Rock made his entrance.

In the second act, Rock and HHH went at it in a straight-forward singles match. Any time you got these two in the ring together it was gold, and this was no exception.

Though it might not have been the best match they'd ever have together, the pair nonetheless delivered an excellent leading into the third and final act.

In said act, Stephanie McMahon urged Kurt Angle to return to the math and help her husband. Angle returned but instead tried to beat The Rock himself.

This all resulted in HHH accidentally decking his wife and getting pinned by The Rock, bringing this brilliant main event to a close.
Your Winner and Still WWF Champion: The Rock

Post-match, Angle picked up a prone Stephanie McMahon and carried her backstage.







Summerslam 2000 may not have been an all-time classic show, but it certainly gave us an all-time classic match in the first-ever TLC match and a classic moment in Shane McMahon falling a million feet to his doom. Both that all-out war of a match and Shane O' Mac's insane spot continue to be talked about to this day, and for good reason:

They were both awesome.

Elsewhere on the card, there was nothing on the card that was essential, must-see viewing, but it was all generally good stuff that made this year's Summerslam an enjoyable watch from start to finish.



For other year 2000 pro wrestling reviews see:

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