Royal Rumble (2000)

Infobox Wrestling event
name=Royal Rumble (2000)


promotion=World Wrestling Federation
date=January 23 2000cite web |url=http://www.twnpnews.com/information/rumble.shtml |title=WWF Royal Rumble PPV Results History |publisher=TWNP |accessdate=2008-04-04 ]
venue=Madison Square Garden
city=New York, New York
attendance=19,200
lastevent=Armageddon (1999)
nextevent=No Way Out (2000)
event=Royal Rumble
lastevent2=Royal Rumble (1999)
nextevent2=Royal Rumble (2001)

Royal Rumble (2000) was the thirteenth annual Royal Rumble professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by the World Wrestling Federation (WWF). 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. Matches on the undercard included a Street Fight between Triple H and Cactus Jack for the WWF Championship, a Triple Threat match for the WWF Intercontinental Championship, and the New Age Outlaws against The Acolytes for the WWF Tag Team Championship.

This Royal Rumble was the first WWF 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.

Background

The main feud going into the event was between Triple H and Mick Foley. The McMahon-Helmsley Faction began in late 1999, where Triple H and Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley had control over the WWF, and scheduling unreasonable matches for the wrestlers. [cite web |url=http://www.lordsofpain.net/reports/raw/raw12-13-99.html |title=WWF RAW is WAR Results |date=1999-12-13 |publisher=Lords of Pain |accessdate=2008-04-04 ] Foley objected to this, and the faction beat him down several times before finally firing him. [cite web |url=http://www.lordsofpain.net/reports/smackdown/smackdown12-23-99.html |title=WWF Smackdown Results |date=1999-12-23 |publisher=Lords of Pain |accessdate=2008-04-04 ] [cite web |url=http://www.lordsofpain.net/reports/raw/raw12-27-99.html |title=WWF Monday Night Raw Results |first=Calvin |last=Martin |date=1999-12-27 |publisher=Lords of Pain |accessdate=2008-04-04 ] On the January 3 edition of "Raw is War", Triple H won the WWF Championship, and mocked Foley with an impersonator.cite web |url=http://www.lordsofpain.net/reports/raw/raw1-3-00.html |title=WWF Monday Night Raw Results |first=Calvin |last=Martin |date=2000-01-03 |publisher=Lords of Pain |accessdate=2008-04-04 ] On the January 10 edition of "Raw is War", The Rock brought every superstar to the ring, demanding Foley to be reinstated or the entire roster would walk out. Foley was reinstated, and he requested a Street Fight for the WWF Championship at Royal Rumble. Foley and Triple H fought in a 4-on-4 tag team match later that night. Triple H pinned Foley after using the ring bell, and delivering two Pedigrees. After the match, Foley took off his mask, and began to beat down Triple H. [cite web |url=http://www.lordsofpain.net/reports/raw/raw1-10-00.html |title=WWF Monday Night Raw Results |date=2000-01-11 |publisher=Lords of Pain |accessdate=2008-04-04 ] On the January 13 edition of "SmackDown!", Foley returned to his Cactus Jack persona (with a more violent and psychotic character) by taking off his Mankind attire, and revealing his Cactus Jack attire.cite web |url=http://www.lordsofpain.net/reports/smackdown/smackdown1-13-00.html |title=WWF Smackdown Results |date=2000-01-13 |publisher=Lords of Pain |accessdate=2008-04-04 ]

Buildup towards the Royal Rumble match began on January 10, when The Rock announced his participation in the match. The following week, The Big Show announced that he will win the match, and The Rock guaranteed he will win. Later that night, The Rock and The Big Show faced the New Age Outlaws. At the end, Big Show attacked The Rock, and The Rock hit him with a steel chair, and a People's Elbow. [cite web |url=http://www.lordsofpain.net/reports/raw/raw1-17-00.html |title=WWF Monday Night Raw Results |first=Nick |last=Ponton |date=2000-01-17 |publisher=Lords of Pain |accessdate=2008-04-04 ] On the January 20 edition of "SmackDown!", The Big Show confronted The Rock. Kane and Tori came out, and Tori said she thinks Kane was the favorite. The three fought, and were scheduled for a Triple Threat Over-the-Top-Rope Lumberjack match later. In the match, The Big Show eliminated The Rock with a chokeslam, and Kane eliminated The Big Show with a back body drop. Kane won, and all three and the lumberjacks started to fight. [cite web |url=http://www.lordsofpain.net/reports/smackdown/smackdown1-20-00.html |title=WWF Smackdown Results |date=2000-01-21 |publisher=Lords of Pain |accessdate=2008-04-04 ]

Another feud going into the event was between Chris Jericho, Chyna and Hardcore Holly over the WWF Intercontinental Championship. On the December 30 edition of "SmackDown!", a title match between the two ended in a double pinfall. [cite web |url=http://www.lordsofpain.net/reports/smackdown/smackdown12-30-99.html |title=WWF Smackdown Results |date=1999-12-30 |publisher=Lords of Pain |accessdate=2008-04-04 ] On the January 3 edition of "Raw is War", both were declared co-champions. Afterwards, Holly challenged Chyna for the title, and Jericho helped her retain. Jericho and Chyna were forced to work together, and this created tension between them. The title situation would be solved in a Triple Threat match between Jericho, Chyna and Holly.

Event

References

External links

* [http://www.wwe.com/shows/royalrumble/history/198811411/ Official 2000 Royal Rumble website]