by Peter Kostka

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Welcome to part one of the Wrestlemania Trifecta, where I will review the past 3 Wrestlemanias in the next three weeks leading up to this year’s extravaganza. Yes, I know Wrestlemania 19 is more than three weeks away, but I’m following WWE time, where 30 days = 3 weeks.

Just want to get some things out of the way first:

- If you live in the DC/Mid-Atlantic/Northeast area like I do, you are digging out from the huge Presidents Day blizzard that hit on Monday as I write this introduction (on Tuesday afternoon). Where I live (Fall River, MA), we got about 16 or so inches and it would have been a bitch to clean up, but A) My landlord has a snow blower and B) the wind kept a lot of it off the walkways, leaving a manageable amount to shovel. I’d go sledding down the big-ass hill at the park near my home, but it’s a school vacation week so it is probably PACKED with people.

- To the person(s) who are sending me some virus called “goldfish”: You must think I’m an idiot or something. It’s sad to see that the hackers and troublemakers of the internet have such a lack of creativity nowadays.

- I’d just like to give a quick plug to the two feds that have their forums hosted here at TSM. First, we have the Smarks Wrestling Federation, with some people very talented at creatively writing matches and promos, and the OaOast, a more “laid back”, less involved fed than the SWF, but very fun and well run nonetheless. Check them out if you would like to join or just read the well written cards and promos these two groups crank out. WWE could take a hint from these guys.

- Oh, and since its Friday, happy 24th birthday to my and Dames’ personal goddess, Jennifer Love Hewitt. I will watch HeartBreakers 24 times to celebrate.

Ok, let’s get going to this week’s review.

WWF Wrestlemania 2000

The WWF was in the middle of one of the greatest years wrestling-wise it had ever had in 2000, and this was the Wrestlemania for the new Millennium. The WWF looked back at the past 15 events on a special called “Wrestlemania All Day Long” hosted by Michael Cole and Ivory which went from noon to showtime. I have the tail end of it on my tape and it is a very interesting look at the past shows since there really is no kayfabe here; guys like Pat Patterson and Vince himself speak pretty candidly about everything that happened, from the Iron Man match at 12, to Mike Tyson’s appearance at 14. I believe the full show is on the WM 2000 DVD and there a condensed version came with the Wrestlemania book that came out and with the WM X-8 DVD (which is how I got it).

- Lilian Garcia sings the “Star Spangled Banner.” Too bad she can’t ring announce as good as she sings.

- We are LIVE from The Pond in Anaheim, California. Jim Ross and Jerry Lawler are at ringside.

- Opening Match: The Godfather and D’Lo Brown (w/Hos) vs. Big Bossman and Bull Buchanan

Background: D’Lo and Godfather were put together as a tag team to give them something to do, I guess. Bull (before he BOOYAH-ed his way to the unemployment line) was a friend of the Bossman’s brought in to kick ass.

Ice-T (who raps Godfather’s theme on “Aggression”, the WWF’s hip-hop album) raps Da Pimps down to the ring. D’Lo slugs away on Bull to start things off and hits a jumping heel kick. Bossman tries to enter, but Godfather clotheslines him down. D’Lo tags him in and they double team Bull, but Godfather misses an elbow allowing him to tag out to Bossman. Bossman slugs away, but gets whipped into the corner and kicked down for 2. D’Lo tags in, but gets run into Bull’s boot. He tags in and D’Lo delivers the 10 punch in the corner and whips him, but Bull runs up the buckles and clotheslines D’Lo down (his only innovative move, it seems. It looks cool, though.) Bossman comes in on a blind tag and Bull trips D’Lo onto the ropes. Bossman and Bull slide outside the ring and punch him down. Back in, Bossman pins for 2 and they work over D’Lo. Bull whips him hard into the corner as D’Lo is Pimp in Peril. Bossman tags in, a double team elbow gets 2 and Bull puts on a bearhug. At least they’re letting the good workers go at it for most of the match. Bossman tags in and D’Lo fights back, but is backbroken for 2. Bull tags back in and goes up, but Godfather shakes the ropes, crotching him. D’Lo goes up and hits a hurricanrana (they are releasing this guy?) and hot tags Godfather. He hits a BAAAAAAACK body drop on Bull and clotheslines Bossman, and then whips him into his partner. Bossman reverses another whip, but a blind charge misses and Godfather hits the Ho Train. D’Lo tags and goes up, but Bull pushes him off and Godfather takes him outside to brawl. D’Lo hits a dropkick on Bossman, but runs into the Bossman Slam and a Buchanan top rope legdrop (BOOYAH!) finishes things for the heels.

Not a bad opener. Now the two better workers are going to be/have been fired. That’s WWE Logic for you. 6.5/10

- HHH and Steph sit on the couch and stroke their belts. A preview of their wedding night, perhaps?

*Fanfare plays as Kofi Annan walks to the podium*

“Mr. Kostka, that last joke was yet another example of the unity that the Internet Wrestling Community shows in their dislike for Hunter Hearst Helmsley and Stephanie McMahon. In these times of uncertainty and strife, it is refreshing to see that such unity between people of different races and classes still exists. I salute you! The French may have not liked it, but they’re irrelevant anyway.”

*Fanfare plays as Annan leaves the stage.* (God bless Conan O’ Brien)

- Tim White lays down the law for the participants of the Hardcore Battle Royal: 15:00 time limit, the man with the belt at the end wins.

- Hardcore Battle Royal (for the Hardcore title)

Participants: Tazz, Viscera, Mean Street Posse (Rodney, Pete Gas and Joey Abs), Hardcore Holly, Kaientai (TAKA Michinoku and Funaki), the Headbangers (Mosh and Thrasher), APA (Faarooq and Bradshaw), and Crash (C)

Huge brawl to start and everyone heads outside to load up the plunder except for Tazz, who suplexes Crash for the pin. Tazz slides out and brawls with Viscera, but he gets rammed into the post and pinned. Everyone smacks each other with assorted weapons and Tazz and Hardcore brawl. Crash is busted open a few minutes in. Viscera tries to defend himself, but the Posse tries to get the upper hand and the APA joins them, but decides to beat up the Posse instead. Viscera chokes Crash and Bradshaw hits everything in sight with a trashcan. Hardcore knocks Viscera down and gets 2. Mosh jumps on him for another 2. Kaientai work over Vis and Pete Gas has tapped an artery. Kaientai and Viscera go in the ring, but the APA follow them in and beat up Kaientai as Viscera goes up. The APA slams him off and tosses Funaki on top for the pin with 7:45 left. Apparently he used some Yen and sake to get their services. Taka decks his partner and it’s a Benny Hill chase to the back. The Posse whips Funaki into some barricades and Rodney gets the pin, but Joey suplexes HIM and gets the pin himself, but is run over by a cart pushed by Thrasher, who gets the pin. Everyone goes back to the arena with 6 minutes left. Pete Gas grabs an extinguisher and hits Thrasher, getting the pin. Tazz leads him back to ringside and tosses him into the post. A suplex gets Tazz’s 2nd win of the match with 4:40 left and Hardcore tosses him into the steps. He gets 2 and the clock disappears as Mosh gets 2. The clock reappears, but it’s been accelerated by about a minute as now there is 3:28 left. In the ring, the Hollys beat on Tazz and Crash knocks his cousin down, but Tazz knocks him down and gets a two count. Bradshaw continues to beat on Joey Abs on the outside as Hardcore knocks Tazz down, but Crash tries to steal the pin, which Hardcore breaks and chokes him as we reach the 2 minute warning. Tazz suplexes Crash and Hardcore powerslams Tazz, but Crash breaks and gets 2 himself, and Tazz reverses the pin for another 2. Hardcore dropkicks him down for yet another 2 as we have 60 seconds left. Tazz suplexes Hardcore out and Crash hits him with a sign and gets the pin. Tazz locks in the Tazzmission with 30 seconds left. Hardcore comes back in with a jar and hits Crash with it, then goes for the pin as the clock winds down. White counts 2 and stops, but the bell rings and Hardcore is declared the winner. Apparently the finish was HORRIBLY blown since I guess they should have had a few seconds more and Crash was to have won. Everyone (even JR and the King) is confused. Crash won the title back the next night to fix things.

Well, save for that last bit, it was “entertaining crap” as Keith would say. 6.5/10

- We take a look at the happenings at Axcess and Al seems to have a surprise for everyone taking a dump in the Men’s room, much to the dismay of his partner. Trish’s T leads T&A to the ring.

Al Snow and Steve Blackman vs. T & A (w/Trish Stratus)

Background: In the ongoing mission to get Steve Blackman over (Shane’s pet project, I believe), he was paired with Snow and played sort of a reluctant partner in a comedy team. Al wanted to call them “Head Cheese” (since he has Head and all), but Steve didn’t like the idea. Of course, T & A was over solely because of Trish.

Al’s “surprise” is a midget in a cheese costume named Chester McCheesieton, who slaps his butt to the tune of “Let’s go Head Cheese!” *clap, clap, clapclapclap*. The crowd is less than receptive. Test beats on Blackman to start, but gets kicked down. JR’s headset goes out, leaving Lawler to handle things himself. He ogles Trish instead of calling the match, of course. Snow tags and lays the boots in, but Test takes him down with a clothesline and tags Albert. They double team him and Albert gets a two count. Snow is whipped into the corner, but he puts on the breaks and clotheslines Albert. Albert grabs his leg, but Snow hits an enziguri for 2. JR is finally back with us. Blackman tags in and shoulderblocks Albert down, but he reverses a whip and knocks Blackman down. He retaliates with a legsweep and Snow tags and comes in with a slingshot legdrop. Test comes in and boots them down as Chester chases Trish around. Test gets backdropped out and Albert presses Snow, but Blackman chop blocks him. Snow dropkicks Test back to the floor and Head Cheese clotheslines Albert for 2. Snow hits a suplex and they double team him some more and Blackman hits a headbutt off the top for 2. The crowd is totally dead at this point. They work him over some more but Albert manages a suplex and tags Test. He clears house, sidewalk slamming Snow for 2 as Albert tosses Blackman. T & A (eventually) suplex Snow for 2, as Blackman breaks. Snow hits an Asai Moonsault off the apron onto Albert and they hit the backbreaker/legdrop combo, but Albert breaks and hits the Baldo Bomb on Snow. He slams Blackman and presses Test onto him, but Snow breaks. The midget chases Trish some more as Snow trips up Albert, allowing Blackman to superkick him, but he gets pressed and Test delivers the elbow off the top for the pin. Snow and Blackman beat up the midget in frustration.

Ugh, it’s not as bad as Scott Keith makes it out to be, but it was a pretty heatless, slow and boring contest. JR even admits it, saying “these two teams just couldn’t get it together here.” 3/10

- Mae and the Kat spoof the last scene in Austin Powers, using different objects to cover up Kat’s naughty bits as she prepares for her match with Terri. Michael Cole talks to the Dudleys about the next match.

- The Dudley Boyz (C) vs. Edge and Christian vs. The Hardy Boyz (Triple threat ladder match for the tag team titles)

Background: E&C and the Hardyz have had an issue ever since No Mercy 1999, where they faced off in a tag ladder match in the finals of the TIT tournament. The Dudleys faced the Hardyz in a tag table match at the Royal Rumble (whose review I’ll put up at TSM in the near future). The next logical step was to put these three teams together and see what they can do. This is TLC without the C.

E&C jump the Hardyz as the Dudleys make their entrance and the three teams brawl in the aisle all the way to the ring. Christian dropkicks Matt as Edge spinkicks D-Von and Matt goes after Christian. Buh Buh slaps Jeff’s chest HARD in the corner and whips him, but Jeff hits the Whisper in the Wind. Buh Buh reverses a whip, but gets BAAAAAACK body dropped. Christian brings in a ladder as a “Tables!” chant rises from the crowd. Christian sets it up and climbs, but Matt pulls him off and tries, only to have Christian pull him off. E&C beat on D-Von and Matt tosses a ladder into Buh Buh’s face in the corner. Jeff hits Poetry in Motion on Buh Buh, but when Christian tries the same, D-Von shoves the ladder back in his face. The Hardy’s clothesline Edge with a ladder and slam D-Von on another. Matt goes up and hits a yodel elbow and Jeff DDT’s Buh Buh. Jeff puts him on a ladder and tries a 450 splash, but hits nothing but ladder. Christian hits a reverse DDT on Matt and puts a ladder on top of him as Buh Buh puts a ladder on Jeff and hits a fat ass senton off the top. Edge sets up a ladder and tips it onto Matt. D-Von slams Edge and hits a legdrop off the top while Buh Buh puts a ladder on his head and does the old Three Stooges bit, swinging it into everyone’s face, but E&C dropkick it back into his kisser. Edge puts it in the corner and E&C flapjack D-Von into it. Buh Buh and Matt brawl on the outside and Christian sets up a ladder near the ropes, climbs, and dives onto them, drawing the first “holy shit” chant of the match. Jeff climbs, but Edge goes up and spears him off. Edge tries, but Matt delivers a crucifix powerbomb to stop that. Matt climbs, but D-Von slams him off and goes, but Christian throws another one at him to get him down. Christian climbs and Buh Buh sets up two ladders next to him and follows, then takes him down with a Bubba Cutter! Another “holy shit” chant.

The Hardys recover and hit a yodel legdrop and splash combo off ladders onto Buh Buh, but Christian javelins Jeff out and Edge tosses Matt. Christian and D-Von climb, but Edge follows them up and E&C hit a superplex off the ladder. That draws a “holy shit” chant, too. E&C climb with the Hardys and they throw each other off. Another “tables” chant breaks out as everyone climbs, and Christian and Jeff splat to the outside and Buh Buh gets knocked off, but bounces off the ropes, knocking the other 2 ladders over, crotching Edge and Matt on the top rope. The Dudleys hit a con-ladder-to on Christian then 3Ds Edge. The Dudleys realize it’s time for wood (there was no “D-VON!! GET THE TABLES!!” yet) and go out for tables. They set up a scaffold by putting a table between two ladders under the belts but the Hardy’s stop them from climbing. Buh Buh sets up a table in front of the Spanish table and D-Von sets one up in the ring. Buh Buh drags Matt out and climbs onto the Spanish table and D-Von puts Jeff on his table. D-Von climbs a ladder, but goes through the table himself and Buh Buh powerbombs Matt off the Spanish table through the table on the outside. Buh Buh heads to the aisle and Jeff tries a rail walk, but he just throws a ladder in Jeff’s face. Buh Buh introduces the Superladder and sets it up in the aisle, then puts a table under it. He drags Jeff to it, but Christian hits Buh Buh with the bell, causing him to flop onto the table. Jeff throws Christian into the barrier and climbs the Superladder, and then delivers a goddamn Swanton off it onto Buh Buh!! WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO JEFF HARDY!! Why does he suck so much now? We get replays of that and a big “holy shit” chant as everyone recovers. Back in, D-Von slams Matt and climbs, but Matt pulls him off and hits a Twist of Fate. Matt and Christian climb onto the scaffold, but Edge meets them and tosses Matt off through a table and grabs the belts for the win.

It’s really a toss-up between this one and TLC I in the “best match these guys have had” category. This one had a nice flow and introduced some things that would be used in future matches. 10/10

- Kevin Kelly talks to Linda and Mick about the main event and Mick promises that “fairy tales do come true.”

Special Catfight: Terri (w/Moolah) vs. The Kat (w/Mae Young) (Special ref: Val Venis)

Background: Eh, just the typical “who is the bigger slut” feud. Innuendos get said, shirts get ripped off. You know how it goes. The winner is the lady who throws her opponent out of the ring.

Val cuts a promo saying both Wrestlemania and he are the biggest extravaganzas out there (that joke doesn’t really work, I think), but while Wrestlemania only comes once a year, he comes every single night (hyuk, hyuk.) Terri is wearing a black nylon body stocking and Kat is wearing a fishnet body stocking. They both hit on Val (hope he has plenty of penicillin stocked), and Terri tackles Kat down. They do the typical chick fighting thing and Val pulls Terri off and she kisses him. Kat does the same and Terri does some hair drags (probably the closest to a wrestling move you’ll see from these two). Kat spears her down and Mae gets the hankerin’ for some flashing and hops on the apron. As Val is busy saving everyone’s dinner, Kat tosses Terri out and Moolah puts her back in. Mae chases Moolah into the ring and kisses Val as he tries to stop her (tastes like scotch, Super Polydent and cabbage soup, probably). Kat tosses Terri again, but Val is busy retching to see. Moolah drags Kat out and puts Terri in for Val to see and he calls for the bell, declaring Terri the winner. Mae attacks Moolah and Terri then gives them Bronco Busters (salmon, she tastes like salmon, BAH GAWD!!). Kat tears Terri’s pants off, giving us the most skin seen in the match.

Well, JR said before the match that the star system should be thrown out for this one. I’ll agree with that. DUD.

- Eddie talks to the rest of the Radicals and promises to give Chyna some of his Latino Heat (the debut of his catchphrase). Chyna is disgusted.

- The Radicalz vs. Chyna and Too Cool

Background: Eddie is smitten with Chyna, but she doesn’t date rudo dick heel slime balls apparently (not that that is bad to BE one, mind you). Perry and Dean just want to beat Too Cool up.

Eddie offers Chyna his shirt as a token of his affection, but she just kicks it aside (bitch). Eddie and Scotty start and Eddie gets a headlock, but gets whipped, flipped over and Scotty hits a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker. He tags Chyna, but Eddie scurries to his corner and tags Dean. She clotheslines him down but Dean reverses a whip and goes for a piledriver, but Scotty clotheslines him down. Chyna tags Sexay and they suplex Dean, then dance for a bit. Dean tags Eddie and Sexay hits a backdrop suplex and goes up, but Perry pushes him off and tags in. He lays the boots in, tags Dean, and they clothesline Sexay down. Eddie tags back in and hits a snap suplex but puts his head down and Sexay tags in Scotty. Eddie hotshots him onto the ropes and hits a tope, then tries to infect Chyna with some Latino Heat. Sexay tries to come in and that allows Eddie to attack Chyna, ramming her head into the buckle. Scotty punches him and Sexay suplexes Eddie clear out of the ring. Perry and Dean come in, but Too Cool take them down and Scotty hits a double Worm. They do after Eddie, but he wraps his arms around the referee’s legs and hides. Eddie is so awesome. Scotty goes into the crowd as Chyna goes for Eddie, but he bails. The crowd really gets on him, too. Eddie hits a European uppercut on Scotty and tags Perry, who kicks him down and drops an elbow off the top. Eddie tags back in and goes up, but Scotty crotches him and hits a superplex and tags Chyna. Eddie scoots through Chyna’s legs on his knees and his partners come in, but Chyna takes care of them with some handspring elbows and a double low blow. Eddie jumps her and goes for a powerbomb, but Chyna escapes (splitting her pants in the process) and powerbombs Eddie. She puts on a Testicular Claw, and then presses Eddie. She hits a rear naked choke drop for the pin.

Pretty fun contest. Eddie’s heel antics made it all the better to watch. 7/10.

- Shane fires up Show and we see how Bob Backlund made Kurt’s match for both his titles. Kurt talks to a security guard and offers autographs for an increased security force after he wins to protect him from his rabid fans.

(Note: The next match review comes from my Most Memorable Matches of 2000 review)

Kurt Angle (C) (C) vs. Chris Benoit vs. Chris Jericho (Two fall triple threat match)

Background: Who cares? It’s the Canadian Gods vs. the American God!! Angle holds both the European and Intercontinental titles, so he’ll have to defend them both in this match. The first fall is for the IC title and the second is for the European title.

First fall:

Benoit jumps Angle on the outside before he could take off his belts and tosses him in the ring. Jericho knocks them both down and clotheslines Angle. Benoit chops Jericho for a bit, but Jericho flips out of a suplex and dropkicks both Benoit and Angle down. Jericho tries a springboard, but Benoit knocks him down. Benoit works over Angle on the apron and Jericho springboard dropkicks them both to the floor. Benoit gets sent into the steps via Angle who, back in the ring, belly-to-bellies Jericho for 2. Benoit clotheslines Angle down, but Jericho breaks the pin. Benoit and Jericho share in some choppy goodness and Jericho hits a double underhook backbreaker on Angle and goes upstairs, but Benoit shoves him off onto the Spanish table. Benoit suplexes Angle for a pair of 2 counts. Jericho comes back in with a dropkick and boots down Angle. He hits a missile dropkick, but Benoit breaks the pin and backbreakers Jericho, but Angle breaks up that pin. Angle and Jericho mix it up, and Jericho bulldogs him down for 2. Angle takes down Benoit and Jericho locks in a camel clutch, but breaks it to knock down Angle. He hits a suplex, and Benoit tries to steal the pin but Jericho breaks. Angle whips Jericho into Benoit and Jericho tries a roll-up, but Benoit blocks it and Angle dropkicks him in the face. Angle locks in a crossface chicken wing (he was being “coached” by Bob Backlund at the time, but he turned on him on Heat), but Benoit breaks, dumps Angle, and tosses him into the crowd to make sure he stays out. Benoit hits the Swandive on Jericho for 3 and the IC title.

Second fall:

Benoit immediately tries to pin Jericho again, but Angle is back in and breaks it. Angle suplexes Benoit for 2 and goes up for an Anglesault, and Jericho crotches him, but Benoit crotches Jericho. Benoit goes up and back suplexes Jericho off and Angle tries to take advantage by Anglesaulting Benoit, but he moves. Angle and Jericho get two counts on Benoit. Jericho gets the Walls on Angle, but Benoit breaks it and knees Jericho in the gut. Angle and Benoit slug it out and Angle slams Benoit and then whips Jericho into the corner. Jericho avoids a Benoit charge, knocks Angle down and spinkicks Benoit out. Jericho gets the double powerbomb on Angle, but Benoit breaks the count and delivers the ROLLING GERMANS~! but Angle clips him to break the count. Benoit hits a dragon suplex on Angle, but mess up the pin since Angle slipped from his grasp. Jericho breaks but bumps the ref and Benoit locks in the Crossface. He releases to yell at the ref and Jericho locks in the Walls, but Angle hits him with the European title. Angle and Benoit pound away again and Benoit hits another German and goes up for the Swandive which misses and Jericho Lionsaults Benoit for the pin. Angle is understandably miffed at losing both titles without being pinned.

Pretty sweet little match there. Benoit and Jericho would have a lot of “pretty good” matches in 2000. 8.5/10

- Cole talks to Vince and he says Rock is confident and that Vince will “make it right” tonight. HHH promises victory to Mrs. HHH (who looked 1000x better then than she does now. Just my opinion).

- X-Pac and Road Dogg (w/Tori) vs. Rikishi and Kane (w/Paul Bearer)

Background: Tori used to be Kane’s girlfriend, but she turned on him and joined DX. He’s wanted to get his hands on them for a while and Rikishi joined him in his quest. On Heat, Pete Rose was interviewed, and he promised he would not get involved, but clutched a baseball bat as he said so.

Tori slaps Paul and Kane goes after her as X-Pac and Road Dogg beat up Rikishi. X-Pac goes after Kane as Rikishi squashes Road Dogg in the corner and gives him a Stinkface. Kane sets Tori up for one, but X-Pac drags her out. DX decides to call it a night, but Kane and Rikishi go after them. Back in, X-Pac kicks Rikishi in the corner and hits a Bronco Buster. Road Dogg tags in and hits his punches and kneedrop for 2. X-Pac comes back in and hits more kicks and chops, but Rikishi his a Samoan neckbreaker and tags Kane. He boots Dogg down, hits a BAAAAAAACK body drop on X-Pac, and clotheslines Dogg out. He tosses X-Pac into the corner and Rikishi goes for a Stinkface, but he rolls out. Rikishi kicks Dogg down and Paul rolls Tori in. She gets a Stinkface and Kane Tombstones X-Pac for the pin.

All righty then. That didn’t have much of a point, did it? 3/10

- Too Cool runs in and Rikishi dons THE GLASSES~! The San Diego Chicken runs in also, wanting to dance too. Kane looks at him funny as JR and King believe its Pete. Everyone busts a move as Kane keeps his eye on the bird. After they finish, Kane stalks the chicken and chokes him, but the real Pete Rose runs in with the bat. He gets chokeslammed (again) and Rikishi gives him a Stinkface. Quick, someone get this to Bud Selig!!

- Rock cuts a promo for the main event, knowing that the year long wait is almost over and he will be champ and we see some celebrities at ringside, including Martin Short and French Stuart.

- Big Show (w/Shane McMahon) vs. Mick Foley (w/Linda McMahon) vs. The Rock (w/Vince McMahon) vs. HHH (C) (w/Mrs. HHH) (Fatal Four-way Elimination Match for the WWF Title, No DQ)

Background: The McMahon family was tremendously screwed up at this point. Steph married HHH and sent her father into exile in December, Shane went with Show and tried to get his slice of the pie, and Linda was the grieving mother. Vince returned about a month earlier and gave his support to put Rock in the main at Wrestlemania. Shane put his man Show in and Linda, wanting to please the fans and fulfill a dream, put Mick Foley in the match. Each McMahon appears in his/her participant’s corner.

The four pair off to start, with Rock facing Show and HHH and Mick mixing it up. Mick slugs away in one corner as Show knees Rock in another. Mick drives a knee into HHH’s face and Show clotheslines both down, and then cleans house, pressing Rock and HHH and headbutting Mick. Mick tries a sleeper, but Show just squishes him on the mat. Rock slugs away, but Show reverses a whip and hits a sidewalk slam. HHH jumps off the top right into a chokeslam attempt, but Mick low blows Show. All three slug away on him, then take turns clotheslining him, with Rock delivering the final blow. They all stomp him, but HHH and Mick decide to brawl. Mick hits a Cactus clothesline, sending them both out. Show boots Rock down as Mick drives a chair into HHH’s gut. Rock punches Show, but Shane grabs his leg and Rock smacks him down and Mick hits Show in the back with the chair. Show stumbles into a Rock Bottom and is eliminated. Good riddance. Vince and Steph wave bye-bye.

HHH tries to enlist Mick into beating up Rock, but like France, he refuses. HHH tries to convince Rock to beat up Mick instead, and he agrees, only to turn on him seconds later. The Rock and Sock Connection clothesline him down and Mick tosses him. They follow and Mick whips HHH into a Rock lariat. Mick gets the bell and tosses it to Rock, but he accidentally hits Mick instead and HHH tosses him onto the steps. HHH drops him on the barrier as Mick gets a barbed wire 2x4. Back in, he tries to hit HHH, but he low blows Mick and hits him with it. Rock comes back in and slugs, but HHH tosses him again and turns into a double-arm DDT. Mick gets Socko and puts on the Claw. Rock gets the belt and smacks HHH with it. He goes for the elbow, but Mick decides to screw friendship and puts the Claw on Rock, to a mixed reaction. HHH low blows them both, but gets clotheslined by Rock who in turn gets clotheslined by Mick for 2. Mick hits a double-arm DDT on him for another 2 and Mick gets a chair, but Rock kicks it back in his face. Rock DDTs him, but HHH breaks the pin. Mick and HHH boot Rock and double team him for a 2 count. They hit a suplex and HHH drops a knee for another 2. Rock tumbles out and they follow, but Mick gets whipped into the steps and he punches HHH. He chokes him with a cord, but Mick hits him with the steps. HHH puts Rock on the Spanish table and tells Mick to hit an elbow. He goes to the second buckle but lands horribly short of Rock. HHH covers by just jumping on Rock a few times. Back in, HHH hits a Pedigree, but Mick kicks out at two. HHH hits him with a chair and Pedigrees him on it to end Mick’s career for good. Mick salutes the crowd, but decides to give HHH a parting shot with the wire.

Rock crawls onto him for 2 and then clotheslines him out. They fight near the entrance and Rock hits a suplex. HHH goes into the set and they fight through the crowd back to ringside, with HHH getting backdropped over the barrier. HHH goes into the timekeeper’s table and Rock gets the steps, but HHH hits them with a chair (JR: “Jesus Chr..iminy!!”) HHH piledrives Rock on the steps and covers back in, but only gets 2. Slugfest and HHH blocks a Rock Bottom attempt and goes for the Pedigree near the ropes, but Rock backdrops him out. They go back into the crowd and HHH takes control when they go back to ringside. Rock reverses a whip, sending HHH into the barrier then hits a spinebuster. Rock brings HHH to the American table and suplexes him through it. Vince encourages Rock as Shane sneaks back to ringside and HHH drop toe holds Rock into the steps. Vince attacks HHH, tossing him into the post, but Shane clubs him down and hits him with a monitor. Vince recovers and beats on his son, but Shane low blows him and gives him a chairshot. Vince blades and the Stooges help him to the back. Back in the ring, Rock punches HHH and DDTs him for 2 and hits a tilt-a-whirl powerslam for another 2. HHH gets a knee buster and hits Rock with the 2x4. Shane comes in with a chair as HHH goes for a Pedigree, but Rock counters and slingshots him into Shane, then Rock Bottoms Shane. Vince charges back down and knocks Shane out of the ring and gets a chair. Vince winds up….and hits Rock. HHH covers, but Rock kicks out at 2. Vince hammers him again, and that’s enough for HHH to retain.

A lot of people were shocked at the WWF going against Wrestlemania tradition of having the face win in the main event and that is where most of the negative opinions of this show come from. I would have had Rock win, but I guess the writers wanted the McMahons reunited as heels more than a Rock title run. Not a bad match before the finish, though. 7.5/10

- Steph hugs daddy as the trash fills the ring. Shane tries to make amends with Vince as Rock sprints back in and Rock Bottoms the McMahon men. Steph mouths off at him and delivers a slap, then gets Rock Bottomed and People’s Elbowed for her attitude.

The Verdict: Pretty good for a Wrestlemania, awesome for a PPV. The card kind of drags towards the middle and there were a few pointless matches (Kat/Terri, DX/Rikishi and Kane), but the amount of good/awesome matches balance that out.

Final Score: 7.5/10 (not an average)

Next week: My favorite PPV of all time, Wrestlemania X-7.

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