Fully Loaded 2000

July 23rd from Dallas, Texas.

Attendance: 16,504
Buys: 420,000

 WWF had a good run on PPV in 2000 until the previous months KOTR, will Fully Loaded rebound here or keep the down trend going?

Test & Albert, Trish Stratus Vs. Hardyz/Lita
 Albert has the upper hand Vs. Matt but when Test is in he is knocked off the top and Matt hits a leg drop. Lita tags in when Trish is in but she goes and tags Albert in. Poetry in motion and a double suplex to Albert then Hardyz and Lita suplex Test and Trish, crowd are on fiy-ah as the tops are removed. Albert does a double underhook suplex on Jeff, who fights out of a Pump Handle Slam when Test is in but Test is soon in control. Matt tags in after Test misses an elbow but he gets Pump Handle Slammed. Lita tornado DDTs Test then a crossbody to the outside on Albert, she gets 2 off a hurricanrana on Test but her momentum is stopped by an Albert cheapshot then Test Powerbombs her and Trish bulldogs her, weird watching Trish before she was good. Lita gets the 3 via moonsault at 13:11. PM - Trish whips Lita as T&A attack Hardyz, jeez sore losers much? ***1/2 - Damn good opener where something was always happening meaning it was never boring. Thoroughly enjoyable.

Edge tells Commissioner Foley that Christian has food poisoning.

Tazz Vs. Al Snow
 Al starts better until Tazz rakes the eyes, superkick by Snow. Tazz hits a Brooklyn Slam (I hate when people explain something which can come across as patronising but I shall explain anytime someone uses Hardcore's Alabama Slam I put there place in place of Alabama) out of the corner. Snow registers a 2 after a leg drop and moonsault from the top. Snow gets head, oi-oi, but
Tazz chop blocks him. Me tinks there's a boring chant, fans spirits may of been buoyed by that opener. Snow does his underhook headbutts but Tazz hits a suplex. Snow tries to roll to avoid Tazzmission but Tazz keeps it locked in and Al taps at 5:21. *1/2 - Short and inoffensive but on the flip it did feel HeAt level and not PPV worthy. I seem to remember Al wrestling at I think Unforgiven 2003 in a match to announce RAW or something but I can't think of any other PPV appearance after this bar a make up the Rumble numbers one. (Did he even have one of them?)

We hear Christian being sick then someone annoys HHH by sending Stephanie flowers, the card makes it sound like Angle did it .... for The Rock. (Longish time wrestling fans will get that reference, hard to believe was 16 years ago, but it would of made more sense had Rikishi sent the flowers, I swung for a homer and got a ball to the noggin)

European Title - Eddie Guerrero (c) (w/ Chyna) Vs. Perry Saturn (w/ Terri Runnels)

 You know when you buy something and get something with it that you don't necessarily want well that's how I think WWF felt with Saturn and to an extent Malenko when they got Benoit and Guerrero from WCW (Not even Dean's fantastic Backlash showing saved him, show me anyone not named Benoit and maybe Angle, though not 100% there based on 2000 Angle, who could take Scotty 2 Hotty to a **** match). Eduardo is in complete control including hitting a slingshot senton and a top rope hurricanrana. Saturn does hit a powerbomb but after a tornado DDT by Eddy the top of Saturn's head is cut. Eddie does a brainbuster and annoyingly Saturn is soon back up, at least sell for a little bit. Chyna and Saturn break the announce table, you may of heard about that in Jericho's book. Perry elbow drops Eddie's back for .... 3? Huh? at 8:10. ** - Meh, average, you get the message i'm sure. 

Christian is found pouring water into a toilet to simulate the sound of being sick, weird camera angle. Mick says the Tag Title match is on.

WWF Tag Titles - Edge/Christian (c) Vs. Acolytes 

 Cheap heat promo by the Champions, JFK would've killed himself had he spent five more minutes in Dallas. Bradshaw comes out and says about Edge and Christian cutting a cheap heat promo and then he goes and cuts a cheap yay for the local city promo, pot-kettle-black, though this may be Bradshaw's best promo though that's like saying you're Cleveland Browns best ever player (Without the initial JB or ON). Poetry in motion w/ a splash but Bradshaw catches Christian and hits a fallaway slam. Acolytes in control, Powerbomb to Edge as there's a 'USA' chant. Bradshaw is playing face-in-peril, E&C go for a double superplex but are pushed down. Faarooq in, Spinebusters and Clotheslines From Hells all round but the Acolytes win the match via DQ, but not the titles, as Edge uses a blatant belt shot at 5:28. *1/2 - I don't like Lame-O, as E&C would say, endings, kind of pointless really. (Doesn't that sum up the Acolytes perfectly though)

Backstage Angle attacks Takers knee with a wrench.

IC Title - Steel Cage - Val Venis (c) (w/ Trish) Vs. Rikishi

 Val tries to leave early but Rikishi throws him down. Val gets some shots in on the legs then throws Kishi into the cage but is soon being beat down in the corner but a low blow avoids the Stinkface then he sends Kishi about 1080' with a clothesline. Val is nearly out of the cage but Kishi pulls him back in. Val is cut from the cage. Samoan drop, running butt bump and a bonzai drop but  Val gets his foot on the rope. Rikishi goes to leave but Trish channels Terry Gordy to stop him. The Money Shit gets 2. Hereeeeee's Lita with a belt and she whips Trish, I half expect the ref to make it a tag match, 10 seconds to guess who it is. Val is down, taking the ref out, and we get the move of the PPV as Rikishi goes all Superfly and splashes Val off the cage, put a folk in Val he is done! Rikishi goes to leave but Tazz hits him with a camera and Val gets the 3 at 14:08. *** - I am tempted to go 1/2 more but that ending man, urgh. The first 14 minutes were good and fair does to Val showing nerves of steel taking that dive from Kishi. (Possibly does deserve that 1/2 even with the ending, when/if I re watch I shall have a think about it)

Harvey Whippleman takes HHH to Kurt's room where we hear a scuffle then Jericho comes out and HHH is shown laid out. Then in the ring Shane McMahon calls out The Rock, who agrees with Dallas that Shane's a pussy. Benoit is on the titantron and he's cut up Rocks clothes. Diving Headbutt to the Leopard Print, my gawd!

Mark Calaway Vs. Kurt Angle 

 Kurt is KOTR and Bikerman is coasting since '99. Angle trashed Calaway's bike and attacked the knee on SMACKDOWN! and earlier tonight, will Mark sell it? Calaway rides down during Angle's entrance and is in control from the off though there's been no bell yet. When they get in the ring Kurt gets in a couple of shits (I assume/hope that's a typo) but is soon big booted and suplexed. Wrench to the knee by Kurt, maybe now it'll be sold, but Calaway still has the advantage. Knee shots by Kurt as the crowd shouts 'Kurt Sucks' prompting Jerry to shout 'Kurt Does Not Suck' which makes JR chuckle. Kurt has *gasp* sustained offence. Chokeslam by Bikerman rendering Kurt's work pointless and to add insult to injury it's finished with a Last Ride at 7:34. * - Basically an extended squash which is something a man in Kurt's position shouldn't be put in. If the knee had been sold then maybe i'd of bumped it. (After 6 years Taker finally started trying and they had a corker at No Way Out 2006) (Wait i've already added comments? this is a directors cut of a directors cut i've gone all Blade Runner up in here!)

Last Man Standing - Triple-H Vs. Chris Jericho 

 The second of the triple main events, Tazz/Snow may of been the first one. Jericho has taped ribs, DDP should sue for gimmick infringement. Jericho is on top, hits his second rope dropkick and a spinning back elbow off the top. HHH sends Jericho ringside and hotshots his ribs on the barricade, this is followed by mid-section work by HHH which gets a thumbs up from me and probably a shake of the head from Bikerman. Usually a abdominal stretch gets a tut from me but it makes sense here, Jericho hip tosses out of it. HHH blocks the Lionsault by putting his knees up. Jericho does a crotch chop but Hunter is all oh no you didn't and does the Pedigree, Jericho is up at 9 as HHH lies across the tope rope. HHH gets shots in with a chair and tries a chair assisted Pedigree but is lowblowed. Jericho may of sent HHH's mind to JR Ewing's office with a chair shot that busts HHH bad. Jericho is on top, bulldog on the chair then HHH does his whipped over the top spot. They do a double TV monitor bit and are both up at 9. Jericho applies the Walls and doesn't break it when HHH makes the ropes, Walls to Stephanie now. HHH misses with a Sledgehammer shot and Jericho has it and gets HHH in the mid-section. They do a back suplex through the table which if I remember right was called on the fly due to Chyna breaking the other table earlier, the one they originally planned to use, HHH is up at 9 but Jericho is down for the count at 23:08. **** - Some people may not like the slow pacing, especially Hunters early offence, but I enjoyed the match as a whole.

WWF Title - The Rock (c) Vs. Chris Benoit (w/ Shane McMahon) 

 Benoit has one of Rock's torn shirts on. Benoit gets a cheap shot in as Shane causes a distraction but soon Rock is on top. Gutwrench gutbuster by Benoit as he is getting a foot in the match, when the challenger heads up top he is crotched and back superplexed back to ring level. Benoit registers 2 counts from a belt shot and a snap suplex but then runs into a powerslam which gets the Champion a 2 count. Shane gets involved a couple of times, he low bridges Rock to outside and later hits a couple of clotheslines at ringside after Rock applies a figure four after a leg whip. Not sure if Rock meant to powerbomb Chris and fell backwards or was actually going for a hotshot but that's what he does. Chris hits the Swan Dive for 2 then Rock blocks Chris' punches and hits his own then a Peoples Elbow only gets 2 after a spinebuster. Shane uses a chair to wipe out Earl Hebner then when he comes to Rock has the chair, Crossface to Benoit as Earl calls for the bell at 19:29 and awards Chris the Title via DQ due to him thinking Rock hit him with the chair but Commissioner Foley comes out and restarts the match, Rock has been busted open by Shane. Germans get Benoit 2 then he applies the Crossface but Rock gets a rope break, he tries for another but is Rock Bottomed for 3 at 2:39. ***1/2 - I enjoyed it even with the silly(ish) DQ stuff for the original ending to the match. I seem to remember Shane trying to unite HHH/Angle over the fact they hated Rock had the championship but that ploy failed to as Rock retained at SummerSlam. (He did try to get their focus on Rocky but the Angle/Steph stuff vetoed that heading into the 'Slam)

20 / 40 - .500 may seem average but rather than an average PPV where every match has the same score we have a PPV with some cracking matches and a few short duds, nothing is actively bad. I have read some observations that the veterans all beat the newcomers in the three main events but that's misleading really as giving Benoit the title would've been a mistake at this point in time so Rock kind of had to go over but in the mean time Benoit was given a respectful match he didn't look out of his depth at the main level, HHH didn't necessarily have to win the LMS match as Jericho did have more to gain but again Jericho looked HHH's equal before going down and lets not forget had an injury going in which almost saves face in a way however the Kurt/UT match/squash was unforgivable, not to be dramatic or anything, it's not just the fact Angle, the man who won KOTR last month and would be in the Title match the next month, lost it's the way he lost that was bad. The PPV delivers in four matches here - the last two matches, the IC and the opener based on these matches and the fact that the rest is short inoffensive stuff Fully Loaded 2000 gets a big thumbs up from me.

SummerSlam 2000

August 27th, Raleigh, North Carolina
Attendance: 18,124
Buys: 570,000

I like the opera style opening video which focuses on the brilliant love triangle angle.

Right To Censor (Goodfather/Bull Buchanan/Stevie Richards) Vs. Too Cool
 Rikishi is accompanied by two ladies, I think they were some of Goodfather's Ho's, one of them is Victoria/Tara. Scotty has the better of Bull to start then combines Shawn Michaels and Michael Jackson, by doing a kip up and moonwalk also Michael Michaels would be an awesome name. Goodfather throws down the ladies, 'save the hoes' chant. Stevie powerbombs Sexay for 2 but he is soon crotched up top and superplexed. Rikishi in, to the crowds approval, and cleans house. II Cool each do a running corner butt bash but Bull hits a Scissors Kick before 'Kish can do the Stink Face. Scotty sets up for The Worm with a bulldog but during the Worm Stevie Superkicks him for the 3 count at 5:11. ** - Short but the crowd liked it so ** seems fair. 

Shane O'Mac is interviewed then runs when Steve Blackman appears. (Like me when a Blackman match comes on *cue laughter with thigh slapping* but I jest as I don't mind Blackman)

Road Dogg Vs. X-Pac 
My review starts with DX explodes until 2006 but I think they had another short run around Survivor Series time ( I may be getting mixed up with 1999 there because the only one I remember around SS 2000 time was Road Dogg being w/ K-Kwik), some reviews are ones I wrote a while ago but am only just typing up. X-Pac takes Road Dogg then spins on him but he responds by kicking X-Pac in the booty sending Pac ringside. X-Pac avoids a corner splash bu Dogg avoids the Bronco Buster. Pac gets 2 off a heel kick then they both hit signature moves as Pac hits Bronco Buster and Dogg does his dancing punches. X-Pac avoids Pump Handle Slam with a low blow and an X-Factor gets the 3 count at 4:40. Post match Road Dogg does an R Rated Pump Handle Slam. *1/2 - Not much time to do much which they didn't. Time frame of this review can be traced as it was done two days after X-Pac suffered his Bronco Buster injury.

IC Title - Eddie Guerrero/Chyna Vs. Val Venis (c)/Trish Stratus
 Title on the line in a tag match, why take a bad WCW concept? Val is IC Champion but if Trish loses the fall he loses the title. Val gets an early 2 on Eduardo. Chyna in and they hit Val with a double flapjack. Trish cheap shots Chyna allowing Val some offence until he misses an elbow and is DDTd. Eddie in with a 2 count off a springboard hurricanrana. Trish tags in with kicks on a downed Eddie but he catches her foot and tags in Chyna. Trish and Val go for a double clothesline on Chyna but Eddie pulls Val out of the ring and a military press slam to Trish gets Chyna the 3 count and Vals IC Title at 7:13. ** - Average as yet another match gets little time, i'd rather have less matches with more time than more matches with less time, I don't get why Val of all people was protected in this fashion.

Jerry Lawler Vs. Tazz
 Tazz was beating up jerkers and jobbers and now commentators, he's a baaaaaad man. Jerry is defending the honour of good ol' JR here, Tazz put JR in a car and smashed the window in thus injuring JRs eye. Tazz is out with a cowboy hat and stick like a blind man so Jerry pops him one. Scoop slam then fist drop by Jerry but Tazz responds with punches and kicks whilst  bad mouthing JR. Tazz heads up top?! but misses a swanton type move and is piledriven but no sells it, ridiculous even more than usual given a man with Tazz's neck, Ref Bump! Tazzmission is applied but JR gets up from his desk to a pop and hits Tazz with a jar of sweets or something and King gets the 3 count at 4:23. *1/2 - Yet another short match am I watching a RAW is WAR disguised as Summer Slam.

 Shane is again interviewed and again runs when Blackman appears.

Hardcore Title - Shane McMahon (c) Vs. Steve Blackman
 Steve was a no charisma karate dude but did find his niche in the Hardcore Division. Steve throws Shane a kendo stick but he throws it back. The chase is on as Shane bails, they fight in the crowd. Pump Kick off the barricade by Steve then some trashcan lid shots. Shane is placed in a trash can then Steve enters Tommy/Marky/Ringo mode and hits the can like drums. We get a bit like Judgment Day now as Test & Albert help Shane which gives him the advantage now it's 3-on-1 (Well as Albert's one it's still just kind of 2-on-1 *cymbal clash*). They fight to the entrance where Steve fights off T&A as Shane climbs the titantron which leads to one of my favorite falls as Shane is knocked off the top of the structure and falls like a dead weight through some equipment and Steve puts an exclamation point on it by hitting an elbow from halfway off the structure for the 3 count. *** - Boosted for the fall, my mate at the time had SummerSlam recorded off Sky Sports or whatever and to explain the fall to me he threw a wrestling figure down some stairs, that reminds me I once threw a BBB figure onto his roof, maybe WCW had annoyed me at the time, I wonder if it's still there? Another figure related story, I had a Konnan figure and he no longer figured in my plans so I 'killed him off' by having him take a Shawn Michaels Badd Blood style fall off a hamster cage.

2-Out Of-3 Falls - Chris Benoit Vs. Chris Jericho
 Did Benoit face anyone in 2000 or 2001 not named Chris or Kurt? Benoit is rocking the black tights as he means business. The 3 C's all fall through the ropes, Benoit and Chioda may of landed on their heads. Benoit hits a shoulder breaker, I thought he was going for the Tombstone for a moment. Jericho taps out to the Crossface at 3:14 (1-0), yes Benoit did a shoulder breaker so you could say he built to the Crossface but a Submission in 3:14 is weird. Benoit targets Jericho's shoulder. Germans are hit but Jericho rolls through one into the Walls Of Jericho and Benoit taps at 8:37 (1-1). They both get 2 counts, Benoit's coming off a full nelson suplex, is that ever seen outside of Japan? Top rope hurricanrana gets Jericho a 2 count. Benoit counters a roll up and gets a rope assisted 3 count at 13:19. *** - Booking held this one back, a 3 fall match going 13:19 is ridiculous, I didn't like the quick submissions or the cheap ending. Booking is meant to help not hinder talent, yet another thing taken from WCW tonight. (*** seems a tad tight, I shall watch again soon as these guys could do *** in their sleep)

WWF Tag Team Titles - TLC - Edge/Christian (c) Vs. Dudleyz Vs. Hardyz
 The first official TLC in WWE history as WM 16 was billed as Triangle Ladder. I shall list the big bumps in order as not much else happens. Hardyz powerbomb Bubba off a ladder. Christian is Bubba Bombed off a ladder, Jeff falls off a ladder that see-saws into Matt, a ting like that smashed Joey Mercury's face in 2006. Waaassssup off a ladder, 3D tough a table to Christian as Dudleyz are standing tall, they stack four tables ringside but when they re-enter the ring Edge beats them with a chair. Hardyz beat on Edge including Jeff doing his leapfrog over a ladder legdrop. Jeff ascends a bigger ladder at ringside, it seems level with the titles and it's at ringside, then Swantons himself through two tables as Bubba moves. Bubba goes up the ladder then straight back down as Edge and Christian tip the ladder sending Bubba flying through the four tables at ringside, I loved that when I was younger. E&C have a clear path to the titles until Lita comes out and tips them over. Matt heads up but is tipped off backwards through a table ringside, I personally wouldn't be able to that. Edge takes out Lita with a Spear ringside, she either does or very nearly bangs her head on a ladder. Jeff and D-Von are hanging from the belts then both come down, that was like the old show Gladiators. Edge and Christian climb the ladder and retain the Championships at 14:48. ****1/2 I am aghast at that time, they sure crammed a lot in. Entertaining car wreck, though I must say I do feel bad for enjoying this match what with the damage their bodies took. I think I prefer this to the Mania 17 effort. 

Stinkface Match - The Kat (w/ Al Snow) Vs. Terri Runnels (w/ Perry Saturn)
 This match is to let fans have a breather. Kat wins after she uses Head.

Acolytes are in WWF NY, better than them being in Raleigh.

Undertaker Vs. Kane
 Kane Chokeslammed Taker through the ring because he's a monster! Is this the first one on one between Biker Taker and Kane? Kane debuts new attire here, he may be a monster but he knows to change fashion with the times. This is less a wrestling match, ha, and more a fight as Deadman is going for Kanes mask. Taker attacks down the aisle, uses a chair then manages to tear the mask as part of it is hanging. Kane misses a shot with the steps so Taker throws them at him thus busting Kane. Punches by Kane but Taker spears him and goes for the mask again, he throws him down then shows he has the mask in his hands as Kane retreats up the aisle covering his face, he almost fell over Takers bike, it went 6:32. JR says there was no bell but there was, no countout result is made so I guess a no contest is official. When I was 10 I wore out the pause button on my VCR trying to see Kane's face. Call it **.

WWF Championship - The Rock (c) Vs. Triple-H V. Kurt Angle 
 HHH-Kurt-Stephanie were in a love triangle. Kurt says he gave Stephanie passion HHH never could. HHH beats on Angle and there's been no bell yet Rock hasn't come out. You know the older Don't Try This At Home stuff where it shows HHH and Angle on a table that breaks well this is where it happens and Angle is knocked loopy, here's Rocky. I wonder if Rock and HHH have to improvise for a bit or if Angle was to be KOd for a bit anyway. HHH hotshots Rock and punches Angle on the stretcher until Rock gets Hunter, he slingshots him into the SummerSlam set. Stephanie checks on Kurt then soon she accidentally hits HHH with the WWF Title, Rock grabs her but gets lowblowed. HHH gets his Sledgehammer and hits Rock in the ribs. Facebuster gets HHH 2 after he'd worked he midsection for a bit, HHH has been on top for a while but when he heads up top he is superplexed. Backstage Kurt tells Steph he'll help Hunter. Belly-to-belly gets Rock a 2 count. Kurt's here and gets Rock Pedigreed but he stops HHH's pin and goes for his own, Kurt may think he's back in Atlanta. Rock Bottom gets 2 as HHH pulls Rock out. Kurt gets the sledgehammer after Stephanie brings it in, HHH punches Stephanie and Angle hits him with the sledgehammer. People's Elbow to HHH gets Rock the 3 count at 20:10, not including the pre-bell stuff. *** - It was okay but there wasn't much to it maybe if Angle hadn't be hurt it would've been better. (WWF were lucky Rock/HHH were so used to each other, that could of been a disaster)

22.5 / 45 - Score is low due to the booking I think more than anything as the first bunch of matches were let down with the time allocation, an improvement could've been say take out King/Tazz and split the time between two matches or tape it onto the Jericho/Benoit match which would've no doubt made that better. I do like it though overall as it's a PPV I could easily watch in one go, maybe I'm a tiny bit biased as it's 2000 and I used to watch this on a loop as a kid but to be fair nothing was actively bad just as I say the timing of some matches. It has a good homestretch though from the Hardcore match to the end. Thumbs Up.

My review method - I write them in a book then type onto computer w/ a cup of coffee and Happy Days.