Summer Slam 2000

XVI is here.

Summer Slam 2000 (Raleigh)
(Dark – Dean Malenko d. Aguila d. Taka)

Gordon Solie dies on the way to Summer Slam, some type of acknowledgement would be nice.

JR/Lawler open in the ring, Lawler, as was his custom, runs down the Alliance - which brings out Dean and Perry-- they batter Lawler down, Dean clover leafing him, and Dean becomes the guest announcer.

That ends Lawler's run, I think Dean would be great as a color man, actually, after hearing him on Benoit's DVD. Dean pushes the Alliance the entire show, largely dismissing everyone else. Perry stands behind Dean as protection and to keep JR in line.

1. No DQ: Skip McMahon d. Steve Blackman
Somehow, we have to get to the point where Shane can take some of the crazy Shane bumps that, you know, make him valuable. That’s why I picked him to do the McMahon angle.

But that’s not here – here, what the fans want is to see Skip get his ass kicked, instead, he enters, pays the official to make it a No DQ. Which doesn’t bother Blackman, he just grabs his nunchucks that he brought to the ring for his babyface martial arts pre match demonstration.

Bell sounds. Blackman approaches (Skip’s wearing his suit) and PAUL’S music begins. PAUL enters, chokeslams the hell out of Blackman, Skip puts his foot on Blackman’s chest. Skip’s got a win.

We hate that Skip.

Incidentally, Shane met Blackman at the actual event, Shane was hardcore champion. Just to give a sense of where the actual track was at the time.

2. Morley d. Kane
Morley goes over with the Liberation Falls, and then the Undertaker enters to do the heel stuff to him. Chairshot. Chokeslam. Tombstone on the chair. That Undertaker. What’s the matter with him? He’s done changed!

3. Waltman (w/Trish) d. Stevie
I’d rather put Stevie over, but he doesn’t get too many PPV shots and I have more Waltman story to tell. Some timely Trish interference aids Waltman – and the Kid gets a win. They put the boots to Stevie postmatch – drawing out Taz for the save and then Hunter the other way– they brawl – and that segues into the next match.

4. Taz (w/Stevie) d. HHH (w/Trish and Waltman)
Taz clean, Tazmission submission. Taz chokes Waltman out postmatch – both HHH and Waltman left laying at the feet of Taz, who draws the big face pop. E and C enter postmatch, both men pissed at seeing Waltman and HHH laid out. Trish cuts a promo on a groggy Helmsley and Waltman – you two better shape up – it’s not written anywhere that either of you has to stay in the Clique forever – that kinda thing. So, we’re getting closer, you know, to doing that thing that we always do with the Clique.

5. Angle d. Undertaker
Clean, Angle slam. Angle’s roll continues as he goes over the WWF Legend. Undertaker destroys something after the match. Maybe he chokeslams Hugo Savinovich through the Spanish Announce table. Undertaker unhappy, Angle unbeaten. Dean puts Angle over, everyone has to put Angle over. Angle goes to the announce postmatch, smiling at both Dean and Perry.

6. Tags: TLC 2: E and C (w/Trish) d. Hardys (w/Lita) d. Dudleys (w/Stevie)
Edge and Christian get their first tag straps in the big collision match. They’re aided by Helmsley and Waltman, who enter and tease that maybe they’ll turn on E and C – but they don’t, they help the finish – maybe a Hardy and a Dudley are each on ladders, fighting at the top while both E and C are down – and Helmsley/Waltman knock the ladders over – revive E and C – and they go to the top to get them.

Dudleys and Hardys continue their fight postmatch. We’re moving out of the 3 way program now and the Duds and Hardys are staying together.

E and C celebrate with a five second pose – they offer the Clique handsign to Hunter and Waltman – who pause, but then both accept.

They don’t mention it then, but Hunter and Waltman will come to collect the receipt from Trish the next night on RAW – they want that title shot.

7. IC: 2 of 3 falls: Chris Jericho d. Eddy Guerrero
Eddy’s doing the scary character from his most heelish days in real world WCW; Meltzer likes to say it wasn’t until the Latino Heat character that Eddy got charismatic. Respectfully, I disagree – I loved the dark, dark days of the shredded WCW Guerrero. His eyes were dead. It was excellent.

And now the show is rolling. Jericho, like Bret and Owen before him, wins his second IC title. Eddy wins the first fall on the frogsplash, Jericho gets the Liontamer submission on the second fall – and Jericho wins the third fall – Dean, leaving the announce to go to ringside specifically for this spot, has the opportunity to take Eddy's leg and put it on the bottom rope – but recall Eddys failing to help him twice – and Dean doesn’t help. Huh.

Jericho gets the big win over his longtime rival and celebrates accordingly. Eddy and Dean have words postmatch. Perry enters to calm things down.

8. WWF Title: Chris Benoit d. Rock
Benoit clean – the huge Rock push was designed to capitalize on his heat – but also to feed Benoit. This should be Rock’s last real uppercard shot. He’s just not the caliber of worker to stay up there – but Benoit gets a great match out of him, absolutely. We’ll do a spot where Rock puts Benoit in the sharpshooter…which infuriates Benoit…obviously, Benoit’s background is known by the base, and now JR can reference it, I don’t want him explicitly painted with the Hart brush yet, 'cause that would get him cheered by the folks wearing the 15 year old Hart Foundation t-shirts, but going forward now, they can connect Benoit to the Dynamite Kid, given Dynamite’s spot in the WWF pantheon and Benoit’s downright creepy similarity to him.

He reacts with anger to the Sharpshooter – and then tears the Rock apart – winning the match with the Crossface submission.

The rest of the Alliance hits the ring postmatch. They note the Dean/Eddy turmoil – but the four men stand tall as Benoit holds the WWF Title aloft. The announce wonders if anyone….if anyone can possibly stop the Crippler.

In the NWA…Nash goes over Jarrett, Booker beats Goldberg, the Great Muta returns and beats Sting. Your new tag champs, Shane Helms and Shannon Moore beat Awesome and Steiner. Lance Storm comes over from ECW and grabs the US Title, beating Kidman. And your new champ, Little Rey.

Fall Brawl – 2000 Buffalo
NWA Title: Rey Mysterio d. Shane Douglas
US Title: Lance Storm d. Billy Kidman
Tags: Helms/Shannon Moore d. Awesome/Steiner
Great Muta d. Sting

Booker T. d. Goldberg
Kevin Nash d. Jeff Jarrett
Elix Skipper d. Vampyro
Ron/Don d. Kronic


Spike gets a win in ECW, Justin beats Rhyno, Guido and Mikey win the tags, Tajiri keeps the TV, and Lynn keeps the World title.

November to Remember – 2000 Villa Park, IL.
ECW Title: Jerry Lynn d. Steve Corino
TV: Tajiri d. Super Crazy
Tags: Guido/Mikey d. Anderson/Sandman
Simon d. Swinger

Justin d. Rhyno
Kash d. Money
Spike d. Nova
Doring/Roadkill d. York/Mathews


Survivor Series is coming from Tampa. On the way, Yokozuna dies, which draws the appropriate response – and RAW moves to TNN.

The opening tag for the next couple of shows is going to be Dudleys/Hardys. So, we get some six man stuff adding Stevie and Lita (yes, the clock is ticking on Lita). The emphasis shifts from Austin/Cactus to Benoit/Angle, with that, the company moves away from the collision matches. But I like a card with some diversity – and this is a good place for the fans to get their collision fix on. So, we keep these as garbage matches. Specialty matches – particularly since the purpose of the opening tag is to pop the crowd.

We’ll get a cage match for this one. Both partners have to escape to get the win.

Recall the Undertaker attacked Morley after Morley’s win over Kane. We’re gonna get Taker/Morley. This is probably not good for Ulysses.

The Rock needs some heat back after tapping out to Benoit. We’ll bring the Outlaws out one more time. They feuded for the tag belts, recall, back in ’98. The Outlaws will clown him – make fun of his celebrity, make fun of his losing the whole Nation, make fun of his tapping out to Benoit, generally be jackasses – the Rock will say he’ll whip both their candy asses in a handicap match at Survivor Series – and they won’t call it a handicap match because it’s 2 on 1 – it’s a handicap match because Billy and the Dogg ride the short bus.

The Alliance makes some show of force – they break up a match, beat up the agents, somehow defame the good name of the WWF – who can possibly stop these guys?

Angle will enter – get in their faces – tell Benoit that maybe he beat Foley, and maybe he beat Rock – and maybe he’s a 3 time NWA Champ…

But he doesn’t have gold medals.

He’s never wrestled with a broken neck.

And he’s never beaten Kurt Angle.

Benoit seems to accept – ‘cause Benoit’s got no backstep – but Eddy, the crafty one, intervenes. Says Angle don’t get no shot just like that. The Alliance is calling the shots – and if Angle wants his – first – he’s gotta get by Perry Saturn.

Saturn attacks, suplexes Angle all over the place – the Alliance stomps Angle down – Jericho runs in – Jericho and Angle get the advantage – but the numbers get to them – and the Alliance leaves them both laying.

The Alliance! Who can stop these guys!

So, we’ll get Perry/Angle.

Jericho’s out of this momentarily. They're gonna sell Eddy/Jericho 3 all fall long, and they have him as the number two babyface in the company behind Angle, who obviously is now number one. But as they near the Survivor Series, the Alliance blows up.

This is not ideal. But I’m dealing with a couple of factors (1) We're out of Dean PPV shots after Survivor Series - and Eddy doesn't work the Rumble.

Meaning, the only chance I have to do Eddy v. Dean is now. Sure, I could have them wrestle other guys – and my second choice was to put them both in the IC match for a 3 way, but I’ll always sacrifice story for work – and Eddy v. Dean is one of the great rivalries, one of the great matchups in wrestling history – so, while I’d rather do it in a year, so it fits in the story, allowing the Alliance to further bury the WWF, instead, I’m doing it now.

That’s why all the Eddy/Dean tension (the battle royal, Eddy losing his title).

No face turn – just continue the tension between them, Dean does more announcing on TV, and starts to take digs at Eddy – it's tension that pisses Benoit off (I see Benoit shoving each guy into a locker at some point telling them to cut it out. He’s Chris Benoit, after all. This allows them to start the Eddy/Benoit relationship, Eddy's Benoit's right hand and Benoit can't believe that after all the work they've put in to get here, Eddy and Dean can't keep it together - Benoit gets them, to shake hands once, after an impassioned and violent speech, but it doesn't hold,) This is a “no honor among thieves” angle – so, say Eddy’s given the rematch against Jericho – and Dean says, wait a minute – didn’t Eddy just lose, I’m an NWA Champion, I want my shot – Eddy says he wouldn’t have lost the title if Dean had done his job – Dean said if it was his title, he wouldn’t have needed Eddy to cheat for him.

It's the fundamental problem with the Alliance - a stable needs a pecking order - but here are 3 NWA Champions who all think they're the best in the world - and now Benoit has taken the top spot, leaving Eddy and Dean to fight for scraps.

The tension causes the Alliance to lose an 8 man match (Angle, Jericho, Rock, Morley) Dean getting pinned by Angle. Eddy and Dean finally come to full on blows – Eddy says he’ll give up the IC shot to get a shot at Dean.

Benoit says fine – you two are gonna go – then you’re gonna go. But after that - he never wants to hear another word about it.

So, we get Eddy/Dean at Survivor Series, which is worth the price of your PPV dollar alone.

Too late to find an opponent for Jericho – so they say he defends…against a mystery opponent…

Curious.

In the tag title – we get the Clique on Clique match.

HHH/Waltman say they want their shot that Trish promised. E and C look to get out of it, ‘cause they’re the heels. Trish puts it off for awhile, they lose an 8 man to the Hardcore Family because of the tension. That tension finally boils over – and the two groups brawl. So, Trish says we’ll do the shot…

But, there’s a catch.

Trish shows an old clip from the video wall – it’s HHH/Waltman going over Razor and Diesel – beating them in the Loser Leaves Clique match. Trish says it’s Clique tradition to eat their own – there’s no tenure for the Clique – if you want to stay, you gotta prove yourself. That goes for all four of them.

So, here’s the deal, boys, – we’ll have the tag title match at Survivor Series – but the man who gets pinned --- he’s out of the family.

Trish puts up the handsign – says if each guy agrees, he’ll come into the center of the ring and join her – one after the other, they have to think about it – they want to push this as a lot to give up – particularly for Hunter and Waltman, who have been Clique forever – but each man goes to the ring, gives the handsign – and the five of them meet in the middle in a show of unity.

One more to go….who gets the title shot?

We’ll see a listing of the top five contenders: say, Jericho, Eddy, Angle, Taz, and Rock.

Jericho, Eddy and Angle have matches set up. Benoit just beat Rock. On RAW, Benoit goes over Taz (who doesn’t work Survivor Series) knocking him out of the PPV.

So who will it be? Benoit’s destructive – say he beats Morley (who then is attacked by the Taker) Say he beats a Hardy (that would be fun, say, Benoit v. Matt on RAW) which would lead to more Hardy/Dudley stuff. I know, here’s a Hardy/Dudley thing we’re going to add….

They kill off Stevie.

Not literally, but as close as they can come – I want Stevie jumped in a parking lot, and normally Counterfactual WWF doesn't do makeup and special effects, ‘cause that’s not wrestling – but what I could use is a beating too vicious to actually do. Stevie beaten so badly it's reasonable to think he's in a coma, he has memory loss, whatever it is.

Dudleys would think the Hardys did it, 'cause that's the program they're in - and the Clique has an airtight alibi - there's also some type of evidence the Hardys did it - they've got the long, painted hair now, so maybe some of Jeff's purple hair is found. Fans would then think the Hardys did it – but that’s not a babyface move. Hardys say they’re getting set up – but the Duds don’t buy it – that way, they don’t need the Duds heel turn, instead, they can keep them in the middle. And that’s what I need to do here.

This is headed somewhere.

Anyway, Benoit does a “Nobody can beat me” rap – but it’s not a cocky rap – it’s the seething, the viciousness, the I can not be stopped rap. This ring belongs to me. Everything in it belongs to me. It's Benoit Island.

A month before the show, when Benoit is saying he’ll take on any man in the world at Survivor Series, we go to the video wall.

On which…is Mick Foley, it’s a close up, he’s standing in a gym someplace.

The people pop, the announcers freak out – Foley says if Benoit wants to take anyone in the world on at Survivor Series – how about a Triple Crown Winner?

Crowd pops, Foley chant, announcers freak out….

Foley laughs, no, no, no – I see your confusion – no, I’m not talking about me, when I retired after Wrestlemania – I retired. So, no, it won’t be me wrestling Chris Benoit at Survivor Series, it’ll be another Triple Crown Winner.

Camera pulls back to reveal….

Steve Austin. See, ‘cause Foley holds the marker on his career – which he now rips in half. That’s how much they hate the Alliance – Foley has gone to Austin to ask for his help – to give him his career back.

At Survivor Series 2000, we’re gonna get Benoit against the returning Stone Cold Steve Austin for the strap. Austin stays out of the arenas, cutting promos on video the whole way – until the RAW before the show, when he runs in on Benoit at the end, Stunner – pours the beer over him – grabs the belt. Stone Cold! Stone Cold! Stone Cold!

So, we’ve got Benoit/Austin, Jericho against a mystery opponent, Clique v. Clique with the big stip, Eddy/Dean in the dream match, Angle/Perry, Rock in the handicap, Undertaker/Morley and the cage tag team match at the bottom. Survivor Series 2000– call your local thing!