World Wrestling Federation – Rebellion 2000 – 2nd December 2000
One of the downsides of losing a large portion of my recent work and having to go back over shows to review them again is that I have to sit through this event again. It was the second of the 2000 UK-exclusive pay-per-view shows, and if I’m completely honest with you, really wasn’t much good. The main events were decent at least – with Undertaker facing Chris Benoit and Kurt Angle defending the WWF Championship against The Rock, Rikishi and Steve Austin in a fourway. It’s slim pickings amongst the rest of the card, although we do have Survivor Series rematches pitting Chris Jericho against Kane and Ivory against Lita in there. Jim Ross and Tazz are in Sheffield, UK.
Commissioner Foley and Lt. Commissioner Debra arrive in a taxi as the show starts (talk about setting a bad example) – and head straight into the arena. Mick says that HHH refused to make the trip to the UK because he wasn’t booked in the main event. They’ve also added a No DQ stipulation to the scheduled title match – bringing out an irate Kurt Angle. Debra (with Foley feeding her lines and walking her through it because she’s so awful) tells him to deal with it…
SIDENOTE – Debra is horrible with a live microphone. Absolutely appalling. And though he’d get better in the coming years, at this point Tazz is a horrendous colour commentator too. The signs for this show aren't promising
T&A vs Edge & Christian vs Dudley Boyz – Elimination Table Match
At Royal Rumble 2000 the ‘Table Match’ stipulation was presented as a pretty kick ass gimmick match – with the Hardyz and the Dudleyz contesting a hell of a fight. By this point it’s been so devalued that it’s only real use is in matches such as this (or at No Mercy in October) – packing as many guys and/or as many table bumps as possible into a match early on the card to get the crowd pumped. Bubba Ray and D-Von may be marked men here, having feuded with both their opposition teams at some point.
The Dudleyz join forces to put the big Albert on the mat in the opening minute. In turn Test comes in to help his partner…before T&A bring in the first table. Edge & Christian are watching this happily, smirking to themselves as Albert boots the aforementioned table into Bubba and D-Von’s faces. Test makes it worse by booting Bubba’s lights out…prompting Edge to tag in, take a couple of cheap shots, then tag out again. Back suplex/neckbreaker combo from the Dudleyz to Albert…and in sneak Edge & Christian to powerbomb him through a table. T&A are eliminated at 04:26. Christian spearheads his team’s attempt to isolate D-Von, dragging out another table only for Dudley to baseball slide it into his face. Referee Tim White misses a hot tag to Bubba Ray (because tag rules apply in a Table Match, where he’d already let Edge & Christian illegally eliminate someone), so D-Von drops Christian with an inverted DDT and tags Bubba anyway. Edge puts him down with the Spear…and they set up to parody the Wassup Headbutt. It’s countered at the last – meaning Edge dives into his own partner’s crotch! Christian saves Edge from going through the table, only to be picked up for a 3-D through it in his place! The Dudley Boyz win at 09:56
Rating - * - The crowd were awesome, and probably deserved better than these guys going through house show spots at a tedious pace. Edge & Christian made an attempt to entertain with some comedy, but by and large this was just time killing between the two big table bumps.
Lita does her best to give Debra a run for her money in the ‘worst promo ever’ stakes as she tells Michael Cole she’s excited to be in the UK to challenge Ivory
Ivory vs Lita – WWF Women’s Title Match
This is a rematch from Survivor Series, where we saw Ivory retain her championship but in controversial circumstances. She gave Lita a bloody eye, and in the end needed the assistance of Steven Richards and the title belt to defeat her. Will Lita get revenge, and her Women’s Title back tonight?
Lita wastes no time – sprinting to the ring straight into a spear on the defending champion. Ivory is overwhelmed by her non-stop offence, and it takes a distraction from Steven on the apron to finally bring her into the match. The challenger is throttled in the ropes…but has the match won after dropping Ivory with the Twist Of Fate. Instead of covering she dives into a tope suicida on Richards. That was a costly error, because she tries to re-enter the ring Ivory covers – and with a little assistance from Stevie she gets the pinfall at 02:56
Rating - DUD - Their Survivor Series Match was fun in a slightly uncoordinated and clumsy way. This retained those executional shortcomings, but had no redeeming features to speak of, and so wound up being a sloppy, uninteresting mess. Their measly three minute time allocation didn’t help either. This show ended up going so short that it really wouldn’t have killed whomever was booking this to let them have just a little more time.
The Rock kills some time by reeling off his catchphrases.
Steve Blackman vs Perry Saturn – WWF Hardcore Title Match
The Hardcore Title has rather faded from prominence since the novelty of the 24/7 gimmick wore off earlier this year. Blackman is still Hardcore Champion, using his martial arts prowess to dominate the division. Tonight his challenge comes from Perry Saturn, who has left girlfriend Terri Runnels at home so he can concentrate fully on getting his hands on the belt.
Saturn jumps Blackman during his entrance, quickly beating him into the mat to showcase just how serious he is about winning the belt tonight. He evades Steve’s martial arts kicks then tosses him outside, flattening him with a pescado for 2. Blackman retaliates with a suplex on the floor and heads under the ring for some weaponry. He takes it to Saturn with a baking tray…only for Perry to drop toehold him into a trash can! JUMPING BAKING TRAY SHOT gets 2 for Saturn! Blackman is in real trouble, desperately trying to win with a backslide, and then finding Saturn capable of blocking whatever martial arts strike he throws at him. He winds up getting beaten onto the apron, and takes another baking tray shot to the face as he tries to skin the cat back in. TOPE SUICIDA BLOCKED WITH A BAKING TRAY SHOT! Saturn is in trouble and lets off a fire extinguisher to keep Steve at bay. Blackman hits a drop toehold on the chair…and pulls out the martial arts sticks (which get a bigger reaction than Saturn’s entrance). Saturn takes a beating with the sticks, but nearly snatches the win with a small package. THRUST KICK INTO A CHAIR! Blackman retains at 06:02
Rating - *** - This wound up being one of the best matches on the whole show. It didn’t reinvent the wheel, but it told a great story and was contested with great speed and intensity (a welcome change from the rest of the show). Saturn’s determination to win the title was the focal point here. He’d left Terri at home, and started with real purpose. He had Blackman’s martial arts tricks countered, was trying dives to the floor and would always come back to pinfall attempts. Ultimately though, he couldn’t get the job done, and Blackman escaped by the skin of his teeth.
William Regal dishes out some back handed compliments to his British fanbase – which aren’t received well.
Elsewhere Undertaker arrives, some 40-minutes after the show went on the air. Then again, since Foley couldn’t be bothered to arrive before bell-time, why should he?
William Regal vs Crash Holly – WWF European Title Match
Despite being consistently entertaining, Regal just didn’t seem to catch on. He bounced around defending his European Title in forgettable filler matches without ever getting involved in major feuds or looking like advancing his own career. His opponent for the evening is the ever-popular Crash, who will be looking for a major upset on Regal’s home turf.
Regal voices his displeasure to the live crowd that they aren’t giving him bigger pops than Austin or Rock. Crash has heard enough and decides to get the fight started…only for William to dismissively launch him into the ringpost. The challenger struggles to complete with Regal’s rugged physicality and size advantage. NECK DROP back suplex gets 2. He stays on the neck, applying a stranglehold and utilising additional leverage from an illegal foot on the rope. Crash tries to quicken the pace…only to be hilariously dropped on his face as he goes for a headscissors. Regal pins him to win at 04:33, but the ref didn’t see Crash’s foot on the ropes. Molly Holly points it out…and the match restarts. Molly Holly dives into the ring with a missile dropkick as Regal pursues her – and Crash pins for the win at 04:39
Rating - DUD - The match was total fluff. Regal did his best, but they were basically sent out and told to kill a few minutes before the silly finish. A real waste of Regal wrestling in the UK…
Regal is furious, and steals the belt before walking out. Crash is the new European Champion, but it doesn’t look like he’ll be returning to the US with the gold.
Kurt Angle is hanging out backstage with Chris Benoit. He asks the Crippler for his ‘support’ in the main event, and offers him a title shot in the future for doing so.
Eddie Guerrero/Dean Malenko vs Billy Gunn/Chyna
This is a continuation of the lengthy feud between Eddie, Billy and Chyna. Guerrero was engaged to Chyna, before being exposed as a cheat thanks to the mysterious ‘GTV’. Billy Gunn, recently back from shoulder injury, was on hand to comfort and support his friend. He was also looking to make an impact in the singles division, and did so by defeating Eddie for the Intercontinental Title. Now we have Guerrero who wants his belt back, Chyna who wants to beat the crap out of Eddie – and Dean Malenko is here too.
Did Chyna lose her bags for this show? I’ve never seen her wrestle in white gear before. Eddie sneak attacks both her and Billy to get the match started, and sets about using his speed to get the better of The One. He tries to pick apart Gunn’s knee, although it doesn’t look too successful as Billy scoops him up for an emphatic tilta-whirl slam. Malenko skips in to lend his partner a hand…and in comes Chyna for STEREO PRESS SLAMS! Dean is so damn talented he even makes Chyna seem like a decent wrestler – to the extent that it’s almost convincing when she rocks him with the Handspring Elbow. Guerrero sweeps her legs and pummels her in the corner, amidst some unbelievably chauvinistic commentary barbs from Tazz. Chyna is cut off from her partner as The Radicalz begin putting on a tag team masterclass. Just when all seems lost she sinks an ‘accidental’ boot into Malenko’s groin, then plants him with a DDT to make the hot tag to Billy. Jackhammer on Dean, followed by the Fame Asser – with Eddie diving in to break the fall. One & Only wins it at 07:26
Rating - ** - Nothing but a brief, formulaic tag match. However, the workrate on display meant it was considerably more enjoyable than a number of other matches on the show. Malenko and Guerrero are good enough that they can coast along in house show mode and still be tremendously entertaining (and still wrestle circles around most of the WWF roster). Malenko, in particular, looked exceptionally smooth in the ring – to the extent that his exchanges with Chyna were damn good. I’ve not seen Chyna look any better in fact.
Kane vs Chris Jericho
This is our second Survivor Series rematch of the evening. On that evening we saw Y2J fight valiantly, despite suffering from a painful back injury, but ultimately came up short against the Big Red Machine. Kane has made it clear that he is jealous of Jericho’s looks, talent and popularity – and won’t stop until he has permanently disfigured the young Canadian.
The early momentum is with Jericho, who hits a Cactus clothesline to take the pair of them to the floor. A springboard dropkick knocks the monster off the apron again, and Y2J has him on the run. He takes one risk too many though, seeing his crossbody attempt caught and countered with a devastating powerslam for 2. Kane hammers at Jericho’s face, then splats him face-first into the mat as he continues his quest to disfigure him. Jericho keeps getting up, despite repeated punches to the face, and in the end has to be choked out by the Big Red Machine just to keep him down. He lines up the diving lariat, only to be crotched over the turnbuckles. Kane shoves him away as he goes for a super rana…but the resilient Jericho reacts to counter the lariat in mid-air with a dropkick. Walls Of Jericho attempted – and just as at Survivor Series Y2J just can’t apply it on a man of his size. Lionsault instead, only for Kane to get the knees up. Chokeslam wins it for Kane at 08:05
Rating - ** - Most of this was lifted straight out of their Survivor Series match, making it a somewhat tamer and less dramatic, house show version of the same bout. I dig the cat-and-mouse dynamic the two had going on, but this was so recycled and noticeably inferior to their ppv match the previous month that it just wasn’t in the same league. Their feud would conclude at Armageddon…
Jericho vents his frustration at another loss to Kane by attacking him on the stage with a steel chair. Walls Of Jericho applied under the Titantron, with officials feverishly trying to pull him away
Backstage Trish Stratus makes fun of Lita for her stupid promo and failure to beat Ivory tonight. It leads to a scrap, which spills into the female locker room – and ends with a shot of Ivory in her underwear.
Bull Buchanan/Goodfather vs Hardy Boyz – WWF Tag Title Match
After Unforgiven, and their memorable Steel Cage victory over Edge & Christian it seemed like the Hardyz were finally set for a lengthy run as Tag Champions. Sadly it wasn’t to be, as they became bogged down with Los Conquistadors (E&C in masks) then Right To Censor. This evening would be as good a time as any to recapture the gold
Val Venis ominously accompanies the champions to the ring. We instantly see what this match will come down to, as Bull and Goodfather look to use their power – only for the Hardyz to skip away from them and hit tandem dives to the floor. Jeff takes Buchanan off his feet with a satellite headscissors, and gets up into a clubbing cheap shot from Goodfather on the outside. The champions try to cut Jeff off from his brother…but fail due to sheer complacency, allowing Matt into the match. Goodfather swings one of the title belts, connecting with his own partner! However, Bull is so tough that he quickly recovers, and Right To Censor are back on top dominating Matt Hardy. Ho Train missed by Goodfather, enabling the hot tag to Jeff who lays out both opponents with Whisper In The Wind. Poetry In Motion takes out Buchanan…followed by the Twist Of Fate on Goodfather! Swanton Bomb nailed, but Val dives off into the Money Shot on Jeff. The ref didn’t see it, and RTC retain at 08:05
Rating - * - This lacked the energy and quality of the Radicalz tag match earlier, hence my lower rating. Matt and Jeff were working hard, but the reality is Bull and Goodfather are rather limited and just don’t excel in this kind of formulaic tag environment (which makes the decision to put the belts on them puzzling – even if RTC were over).
Edge & Christian are feeling the effects of their Table Match loss earlier…as Kurt Angle enters their locker room. He wants their ‘support’ in the main event, and looks unhappy when they decline
The Radicalz attack Undertaker backstage, destroying his left leg just moments before his match
Chris Benoit vs Undertaker
It’s clear that the Crippler plans on using this trip to London to give his career a major boost with a victory over the Undertaker – now a ten year WWF veteran. Both have been in and around the WWF Title picture this year, so it will hurt Benoit that Taker was booked into the six-man Hell In A Cell Match at Armageddon later this month whilst he misses out. A victory over Undertaker (who now enters with an injured leg) would bolster his WWF Championship prospects for 2001.
Undertaker barely manages to limp into the arena…and Benoit is attacking his bad leg before he can even get into the ring. Undertaker hits a press slam, but hunches over after hitting it and is slow to follow up, such is the pain he’s in. He hits the Old School rope walk, and again collapses in pain after hitting the move. Can he inflict enough damage to beat the Wolverine before his knee gives way? Benoit dives off the apron at him, only to be caught and driven into the ringpost. The Deadman is doing his best to soften up his opponent’s back in preparation for a Chokeslam or a Last Ride that he may not even be able to execute. Bearhug applied, but Benoit finally wriggles off Taker’s shoulders and lunges into a dropkick to the bad knee. He stays on the leg and actually has the Phenom backing off and crawling for the ropes. Toehold applied, twisting the knee in an unnatural angle…and when he can’t keep Undertaker on the mat he simply puts him back down with another dropkick to the limb. Figure 4 locked in for a good minute…until Taker counters and puts the pressure on Benoit’s back again by rolling over. Both men are really beaten up at this stage, and Benoit’s body appears to give way under him as he hoists the Deadman up for a back suplex. FLYING WOLVERINE TO THE KNEE! Just as Benoit looks to have it won, Undertaker small packages him for three at 12:17
Rating - *** - This was MOTN for me, and very possibly the best Undertaker singles match since he returned at Judgment Day. His selling was patchy, but Taker did go out of his way to make Benoit look strong. Although the finish was sudden, I think it too helped Benoit, as it showed he had Undertaker in such pain that he just wanted to win the match and get out of the ring – rather than try to dominate his opponent with a Tombstone or Last Ride as he normally would. Undertaker also showed a genuine ability to WRESTLE with a great technician like Benoit – and it was that ability that would go on to massively elongate his career, producing classics against the likes of Kurt Angle and Shawn Michaels.
Kurt Angle vs Rikishi vs The Rock vs Steve Austin – WWF Title No DQ Match
I’ve been down on this show (with good reason), but this is still a seriously jacked main event. The Rock, Steve Austin and Rikishi all have issues with each other stretching back months, whilst poor Kurt will be desperate just to escape Sheffield and this dangerous No DQ environment with the belt still around his waist. All four of these guys will be in the Armageddon six-man Hell In A Cell, so this presents an opportunity to inflict serious damage, and maybe even grab the title before we even get to Birmingham, AL for the final ppv of 2000.
We have a four-way brawl from the outset, with Austin nearly defeating Angle with an early spinebuster. He then gets dragged out of the ring into a slug-out with Rikishi – bringing the Samoan into the ring so both he and Rock can beat him up. Kurt tries to leave, only to be blind-sided halfway up the aisle by a charging Rocky. Back in the ring Rikishi drops the Great One with a running butt splash…but unlike Survivor Series Rock is able to block the Stinkface with a low blow. People’s Elbow on Rikishi, only for Angle to catapult himself in and try to steal the victory. The babyfaces clear the ring…and an excited gasp emerges from the Sheffield crowd as Rock and Austin face off for the first time! STUNNER NAILED! Again Kurt is on hand to try to steal the win! Austin stomps him into the ground, and doesn’t see The Rock crouched behind him! ROCK BOTTOM…gets 2 as Rikishi drags the ref out of the ring! OLYMPIC SLAM! But with the ref outside the ring with Rikishi Kurt has nobody to count his fall. Edge & Christian run in to provide Kurt with some ‘support’, and end up being chased around the ring by a rampant Stone Cold. ROCK BOTTOM ON RIKISHI! Edge slides in to break it! The Radicalz appear at ringside to prevent Austin winning after he drops the near-unconscious Rikishi with a Stunner. OLYMPIC SLAM ON RIKISHI! Angle retains at 08:49
Rating - *** - I’m sure the live crowd were extremely disappointed at such a brief main event (although given that only one match on the whole show went longer than ten minutes, maybe they shouldn’t have been too surprised). However, the brief runtime of this one actually made it feel very unique and vibrant. You don’t get to see main event WWF guys in (what was essentially) a spotfest too often. They went 100mph from the opening bell, quickly moving into a flurry of big spots and heated false finishes. The interference was predictable (at some point you feel like Kurt deserves a clean title victory), but actually made the last couple of minutes seem even more chaotic. On a lousy show this was actually a really fun main event – speaking with hindsight fourteen years later, and without having paid to buy a ticket or watch it on ppv.
The Rock and Steve Austin share a few beers to drown their championship frustrations. They know they’ll be reconvening inside the Hell In A Cell in a weeks time…
Tape Rating - * - A really lousy ppv, populated with brief house show matches, and talent working well within themselves looking to collect their paycheck and go home with minimal damage. That wouldn’t be a problem, but when you’ve asked people to pay (this was a ppv in the UK) they are entitled to far more for their money. Most of the card was a forgettable mess of phoned in matches that really aren’t worth your time watching. Sure there are a few guys working hard – and the top two matches were pretty good, but this event really isn’t one I can recommend.
Top 3 Matches
3) Steve Blackman vs Perry Saturn (***)
2) Kurt Angle vs Rikishi vs The Rock vs Steve Austin (***)
1) Undertaker vs Chris Benoit (***)