Survivor Series 2000

Summer Slam is here.

Survivor Series 2000 (Tampa)
(Dark – Aguila d. Killings)

JR introduces his special guest commentator - Mick Foley. Bang, Bang!

Skip’s music hits; he and PAUL~ enter. Skip calls out Young Lawler and Taylor. Skip says that as he waits for daddy to keel over in his applesauce, as apparently he's been in some assisted living facility since XV, and leave him the family business, Skip says he's started to have his accountants go over the books – and there are some expenditures that simply cannot be justified any longer.

He tells Lawler and Taylor that he’s not exactly sure who they are, but he knows they are getting paid a salary – he pulls out their contracts – and since they have yet to win a match, that means that in a company full of losers – they are clearly the biggest losers of all.

So, he has a proposition for them: they can either be fired right now in this ring – and they will be fired not with a pink slip…..but with a chokeslam… (Paul looks menacing)

….or, they can accept an offer to transfer their wrestling contracts to personal services contracts for Skip.

Skip can always use more help. Food tasters. Someone to wash his Benz. Do his dry cleaning. Man servants, really. Brian and Scotty. Man servants. They can take the next ten seconds to decide.

They take the deal.

So, whenever you see Skip, trailing behind him, in some type of demeaning uniforms, Taylor and Lawler. It’s very disrespectful.

1. Cage Match: Hardys (w/Lita) d. Dudleys
Duds bring some tables to the ring. Hardys able to escape – there’s a spot where Lita climbs into the cage – she takes the big bump on top of the Dudleys, say as they were about to put Matt through the tables. So, both Hardys escape – say, all four men are climbing the cage simultaneously – and the Hardys drop…

But for some reason, the Dudleys decide to stay on top of the cage…they didn’t try to win (recall, it's a double escape match) they threw the match…why didn’t they fall….instead…they’re climbing back down into the cage…

See, it’s a trick – so now, they’re alone with Lita in the cage – they 3D her through a table. And that wraps Lita up. Well, until 2005 when that thing happens. She goes to Smackdown and vanishes from the Counterfactual. Dudleys get revenge for what they think the Hardys did to Stevie.

So, obviously, this program continues.

2. Undertaker d. Morley
This is not a result with which you, fan of the workrate, are pleased. Heel ‘Taker gets some heat back after losing to Angle, they need him rolling to Mania. It’s a good, little match. Solid undercard work from The Abolitionist as he feeds the guys with programs.

3. Rock d. Outlaws
Rock pins both guys simultaneously, couple of Rock Bottoms. It’s a squash, Rock has to get the some heat back. Rock’s got the mainstream mojo going, of course, and if, say, JR referred to him as he pinned the former tag champs simultaneously as “A legend in the making.” that wouldn’t bother me. I say, a “legend” in the making.

Not too subtle there.

4. Angle d. Saturn
Okay, heat things up a bit – Alliance member Saturn puts Angle over clean – and Angle’s unbeaten streak rolls on, it’s now 1 year since his match against PAUL, and he has yet to lose (more importantly, he’s learned how to wrestle by this point) so now, he’s actually the better worker in the match – he and Perry suplex the hell out of each other – and when he wins, the announce plays it up as Angle fighting off the Alliance. And – how much longer until Kurt Angle gets a title shot – those kinda things. They're doing the slow build with Angle, they got him hot early, and now they want him on simmer until ready for the boil. Angle starts calling out Benoit at every opportunity – after this match, he should make the motion for the belt.

5. Eddy d. Dean

It’s all workrate, give them 24 minutes, they tear the building down. Eddy wins with the roll up – and then extends his hand to Dean – who refuses to accept it. Dean walks off – and that burns Eddy up. That’s Dean’s last PPV match ever, by the way, we’ll deal with that on RAW. Eddy’s one of the ten best workers who ever lived, Dean’s maybe top 25.

6. Tags: Edge and Christian d. HHH/Waltman
Okay, we’re booking here. HHH and Waltman are the de facto face team, no turn, but they've booked them as the aggrieved vets and E and C as the punky heels, swaddled in awesomness. Trish is staying right down the middle. We see how the vets are trying to keep their spots, see how the kids are trying to take over – so we root for the vets – who gain control – Hunter hits the Pedigree on Edge – Hunter has the fall ---

…when Waltman comes off the top rope with the legdrop to wipe him out.

Which, one recalls, was how Waltman turned heel on Razor almost a decade before. I enjoy the references.

Edge covers HHH for the fall. E, C, Waltman, and Trish stomp HHH out – they stand over him and do the Clique symbol – Trish shows the video wall – says that when they were showing old Clique clips – there’s one they left out --- and they show the clip of Hunter taking out Michaels.

Trish says that it was time the Clique cut some dead weight – and there’s no weight deader than Triple H. They leave Hunter laying in the ring.

7. IC: Steve Regal d. Chris Jericho
And here’s your mystery opponent match. We get the whole Regal spot from before he got fired. They have the British guy intro him – they tell the ruffians in the crowd to pay homage – they say the Queen has sent Regal as a special emissary to take Her Gold from the Canadian Jericho.

Regal’s back for good now, although, obviously he only has a small stretch where they use him much. He’s clean, in great shape, and can go, daddy.

It’s the same Regal character that we used before in the Counterfactual, which is basically his WCW character – they have to sell the weird mixture though – since he’s a legit tough guy, wrestling in the carnivals of Blackpool since he was 14, and his style is stiff and unusual. But he is also haughty and prim and royal. JR sells the mixture of all of it – Regal uses the ropes as leverage as he takes Jericho’s title. Regal smirks, has his man put the belt on him, avoids the fans as if they are diseased. Regal always looks as if he has just smelled something very offensive.

8. WWF Title: Benoit d. Austin
Fun. When Austin came back from the neck surgery, he came back ready to go. His stuff with Benoit during this stretch was sweet, he did some of the Austin brawling stuff – but also went back to the in-ring impact stuff, taking and throwing suplexes – just being a wrestler again. It was in this stretch when Benoit hit Austin with 10 consecutive german suplexes on TV, a helluva spot considering Austin just had the surgery. It was great – so this match totally brings the noise – it’s Austin’s return after a year away and he’s wrestling the total heel Benoit – so the crowd is hot for it – and then when Benoit gets Austin to tap to the crossface – good god – he’s beaten Foley, Rock, and Austin – who could possibly stop this wrecking machine? Really good fucking match. Think Benoit screaming at guys to submit when they are in the crossface. Benoit screaming, just screaming at Steve Austin as he tightens the hold.

Two pieces of business – the full Alliance enters the ring after the match, Perry’s hot ‘cause he lost, Eddy and Dean won’t look at each other – everyone scowling as Benoit holds the belt aloft. But there is no joy in the celebration – the four men all scowling , three of them upset – and Benoit, who is always scowling.

They exit and Austin eventually recovers – so the fans can give him the loser’s standing ovation – Austin does his beer salute, as far as we know, this is a one shot deal, JR and Foley put him over, he came back to face Benoit, his career belongs to him again, but now that he has lost, it's entirely possible that this is the last we'll see of Steve Austin – and then he is attacked from behind by Regal.

Regal, getting some payback – recall Austin punked Regal out in his only PPV match during his first WWF run. Austin beat him then poured the beer on him – so they give Regal that spot here. Regal levels Austin with the IC belt – stomps Austin out – puts him in the Regal Stretch – then takes a swig of Austin’s beer – makes the “ugh, American swill” face – and spits it out on Austin. Tough night to be a face – as that’s how the show ends - Regal smirking over the bloody Austin.

In the NWA…Nash gets a tag win over his partner turned rival Goldberg. DDP beats Funk. A loss for Jarrett. A win for Douglas. Booker goes over Steiner. Helms and Moore keep the tag titles over Jimmy Yang and Billy Kidman. Lance Storm keeps his TV title over Jamie Noble, and Little Rey keeps the world title over Kaz Hayashi, in a superduper match.

Starrcade – 2000 DC
NWA Title: Rey Mysterio d. Kaz Hayashi
US Title: Lance Storm d. Jamie Noble
Tags: Helms/Shannon Moore d. Jimmy Yang/Billy Kidman
Booker T. d. Scott Steiner

Shane Douglas d. Bam Bam Bigelow
Devon Storm d. Jeff Jarrett
Terry Funk d. DDP
Nash/Palumbo d. Goldberg/Luger


The first event of 2001 – is the last event for ECW.

ECW shuts the doors in January with Guilty as Charged in Queens. A win for Justin Credible – who tells the crowd to look for him in New Orleans in a couple of weeks – Tommy Dreamer beats the Sandman, the last time you’ll see the Sandman in the Counterfactual. Your final ECW tag champs…Spike Dudley and Rhyno, who take from Guido and Mikey. Your final ECW TV champ…Tajiri, who keeps in another great match against Super Crazy. And your final ECW Champ…RVD, who retakes over Jerry Lynn. Everyone cries as the boys take a bow in the ring following the match. Paul E takes the mic – tells the fans that the spirit of ECW will live on – and he promises that if they just look hard enough, they’ll be able to find the next phase in the Hardcore Revolution.

E-C-W…E-C-W…E-C-W…E-C-W…

Guilty as Charged – 2001 Queens
ECW Title: RVD d. Jerry Lynn
TV: Tajiri d. Crazy
Tags: Spike/Rhyno d. Guido/Mikey
Dreamer d. Sandman

Justin d. Corino
Kash d. Money
Anderson d. Doring
Nova/Roadkill d. York/Mathews


The Royal Rumble is coming up from New Orleans.

Tags….We get Hardys/Dudleys again, winners go to Mania. This is now super hot, with the Stevie and now Lita angles. They're gonna do the title match out of this too, there's an E/C RAW title defense over the Duds – the Hardys will run in to beat the Dudleys down – and they and E/C will effectively team up for a moment to stomp out the Dudleys – Taz makes the save – Taz suplexing all four guys – the Duds and the Hardys regrouping to continue brawling.

Which gets us to an E/C program with Taz. They’ll call him out the following week, they’ll clown him, he lost to Foley, he lost to Angle – people say Taz is bad, people say he’s the King of Hardcore – but it’s E and C who ripple with awesomenemnity, while it’s Taz who is always flat on his back.

Taz is less mad about that than you might think. Says he’ll find a partner, and challenge E and C to a nontitle next week.

It’s next week – and the partner – is Raven.

Raven debuts in the WWF, he and Taz beat E and C in the nontitle – so they make the match for the Rumble. We get some backstage stuff with Taz, Raven and the Dudleys, the Duds are broken up over what happened to Stevie, they visit him in the hospital, that kinda thing. They hate those fucking Hardys. Raven and Taz say, don’t worry about the tag titles, they just aren’t important right now – your job is to kill those Hardys for what they did to Stevie – Stevie was Family, Stevie was ECW – you know, Bubba, Raven says, you know Bubba – this wouldn’t have happened if you had more numbers behind you….

“What do you mean?”

Raven: You guys really need to talk to Paul E.

Duds aren’t happy about this – look, we’re glad to see you here, but we never want anything to do with that guy again. We’re all brothers – but when we left ECW, we left ECW – me and DVon have a new life now, we’re Hardcore forever – but we’ve found a home in the WWF.

Raven and Taz say that’s okay, they understand – you just avenge Stevie now, take care of those Hardys while we take care of E and C for you. They have that same conversation as many times as we have to so they can make the point.

We can even get a weird little 8 man, with the Ring Boys reuniting against the Hardcore Family.

Taz is a New York thug, with that veteran professional wrestler, don’t disrespect the ring thing going. He’s the human suplex machine. Joey Styles used to call him the most miserable son of a bitch on the planet. Very far removed from the jokey analyst character he does now. Raven’s Kurt Cobain. That’s the gimmick. He’s a heroin user, in constant emotional pain that he medicates by beating people up.

They continue the Skip McMahon angle. The Outlaws lose, say to Taz/Raven, Skip and PAUL~ enter (w/Lawler and Taylor brining them food or valeting their cars, whatever) and repeat the angle with the Outlaws. And again, they accept the deal, rather than get fired/beaten down by PAUL~

The reason it gets heat, even though we don’t like the Outlaws, for example, is that, like with everything Skip does, it shows a lack of respect for the business – we don’t like the Outlaws, and they’re jobbing out, but they were champs – and for Skip to make them his personal assistants, that’s just wrong. It’s offensive, how little regard the eventual owner has for his own company. It’s not his plaything – it’s our WWF. Skip says we’ll see he and his staff in New Orleans.

Undertaker beats Al on RAW. ‘Taker’s rolling onto Mania now, he chokeslams Al after a match, says “Hey Snow – you still aren’t worth talking to in the locker room.” Undertaker’s pissed that Al has a win over him, wants to even the score.

We get a spot where Morley attacks the entire Alliance – he gets paired off with Saturn – and the two will meet at the Rumble – winner gets a spot at Mania.

The IC is Regal defending against Austin, of course, coming off Survivor Series. Regal taunts Austin, he’s got the IC belt now, it’s Austin who is flat on his back in the ring, covered in beer. Austin says he’s always heard the British liked to get other men from behind, but he hadn’t ever experienced it before.

Regal’s pompous, Austin’s Austin. They hook it up.

Two more.

Right after Survivor Series, they announce a little tournament – winner gets the title shot at Mania. Very small tournament. 4 guys. We’ll get 2 matches at RAW, finals at the Rumble. Winner goes to XVII. Lotta weight here.

We get Angle/Dean first. Angle goes over clean, which continues his unbeaten streak at a year and a half, and gives him his biggest ever win. He’ll go to the Rumble to face…

The Rock, who goes over Eddy clean. Rock’s biggest win ever. Rock pinned both Outlaws, then beats Eddy – and he stays hot – and no one is as hot as Angle. We do face/face, Angle/Rock at the Rumble – winner main events at XVII. Building, Building, Building…

Eddy and Dean both losing leads Benoit to bring the Alliance in the ring – Eddy and Dean begin arguing again – then start taking shots at each other – Benoit suplexes both guys to break up the fight – then takes the mic and screams at them to go home. GO HOME, GO HOME, GO HOME, GO HOME.

Benoit says Eddy and Dean are the greatest wrestlers alive – and they are killing the Alliance with their bickering. They aren’t focused, they’re losing – and Benoit doesn’t want to see them until they get their shit together. How many roads did they have to travel to get here. How many steps did they have to climb. How many hours in backwater gyms in front of a dozen people who only wanted to see some yak take her top off? Now here they are, at the top of the world, I've got the WWF World Championship belt around my waist - and you two are making my life miserable. GO_ _HOME!

Eddy and Dean leave. Benoit continues to seethe – and he’ll need that, because at the Rumble, he meets Jericho.

A reminder of the backstory – Jericho once took the NWA Title from Benoit. Which he’ll remind Benoit of multiple times. But this is the Hart Foundation storyline. Jericho wants Benoit to confront who he is, and also give us the full groundwork for the Benoit character, who obviously is going to be with us for awhile.

Jericho’s got videotape, he’s got photographs they show on the big screen. Jericho takes a trip to Calgary to talk to people about Benoit, and we’ll watch clips of that every week.

We learn how Benoit left Edmonton at 16 to move in with the Hart family, how he idolized Dynamite – Jericho shows how Benoit not only looks like Dynamite in the ring, but physically he looks like Dynamite “Hey Benoit, here are five pictures, four are the Dynamite Kid and one is you – can you pick yourself out?” Jericho confronts Benoit after Dean and Eddy are gone – says where is this Alliance you’re talking about? Jericho says we talked about this, Chris – you and me and Lance – we talked about one day carrying on the Stampede name – Dynamite Kid, WWF Champion; Davey Boy Smith, WWF Champion, Bret Hart, WWF Champion, Owen Hart, WWF Champion --- and here you are Chris – here you are – you are the WWF Champion – Jericho tells Benoit that even though we haven’t been friends in years, when you beat Cactus Jack at last year’s Wrestlemania – when you held up that title belt the way that we always talked about – the first thing I did was call up Lance, and the two of us got choked up, Benoit. Dammit, Chris – stop this Alliance stuff – you aren’t in ECW…you aren’t in the NWA….you’re in the World Wrestling Federation….

You’re home, Chris. You’re home. This is Hart Country. You and me, Chris. H2K. H2K. H2K. H2K….

(A chant would be nice. I love this stuff. This, this is the stuff I love. )

Jericho offers his hand – I’d like if Benoit’s eyes were watering a little bit – and then of course he blasts Jericho, beats him down.

But that’s the backdrop. Benoit/Jericho. The legacy of the Hart Foundation at the top of the card.

And we’ve got an interesting little show here. Benoit/Jericho for the WWF Title, Regal/Austin for the IC, Angle/Rock, winner goes to Mania for the strap – all big time singles matches. E and C defending the tags against Raven and Taz, and another Hardys/Dudleys, big time tag matches. Add Undertaker/Al and Morley/Perry underneath..call your cable company! Royal Rumble 2001!

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!