Countdown to WrestleMania 2000

WrestleMania 2000

Anaheim, Calif., The Pond
Sunday, April 2, 2000.

 

There is only one WrestleMania and it's finally here! WrestleMania weekend has arrived and SLAM! Wrestling is jacked to the max. This year's Fatal Four Way main event looks like four times the fun. On Sunday, The Big Show, Mick Foley and The Rock try their darndest to pry the WWF World Heavyweight Championship from the hands of The Game - Triple H. Wrestling what he says will be his last match, Mick Foley is the odds on favorite to emerge victorious but didn't everybody say that when he fought Triple H in the Hell In The Cell - retirement match - a short time ago? The special WrestleMania - All Day Long - broadcast is sure to bring back some fond memories to those who have lived and breathed professional wrestling their entire lives and introduce the newbies to the pomp and circumstance that is WrestleMania. To see what SLAM! Wrestling's turnbuckle heads think of the scheduled match-ups, check out our Countdown To WrestleMania.

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WWF World Heavyweight Title - Elimination Match

Triple H (champion) Vs Big Show (challenger) Vs Mick Foley (challenger) Vs The Rock (challenger)

SLAM! Predictions

Greg Oliver: There are only two possibilities: The Rock emerges as champ, or Mick Foley wins, and gives up the title Monday on RAW. I'm going with The Rock winning, with a championship assist from Foley.

John Powell: As with most WrestleMania main events, anyone with a half a brain can figure out the conclusion. There would be nothing more historic or crowd-pleasing than a Mick Foley win. Foley's dream of being in the WrestleMania main event comes true. He wins and surrenders the belt the next night on Raw and gets the WWF Commish post for his troubles. A tournament to find a new champ begins. The tourney concludes at BackLash with Triple H reclaiming the title. The WWF and its fans are back at square one preparing for The Rock's return and championship run this summer or fall. Any other questions?

Alex Ristic: If I have to be 100 per cent honest, this Wrestlemania is shaping up to be one of the least interesting, with the exception of a few matches. This ain't one of them. While the WWF could go ahead and pull a swerve, giving the belt to the Big Show already proved to be less than popular among the fans, and if the Rock is going to film the Mummy 2, that leaves it down to Triple H and Mick Foley, the headlining match for the last 2 PPV's - Yawn. While those matches were great, I'm sure people don't necessairily want to see it over again - because there would probably be a re-match the next night on RAW. Give it Mick, as Vince is said to be loyal to those who are loyal to him.

Nick Tylwalk: Yes!!! WrestleMania!!! The one event big enough for us, the suffering WCW writers, to have our say! The one event big enough for me to add lots of exclamation points to everything I write! Well then... Who comes out of this monster match with the strap? For months I thought it would be the People's Champ, but now Hollywood is calling. Triple H? Sorry Game, you've had a nice run. Big Show? Not unless you want to return to those thrilling days of yesteryear when he defended the belt against Big Vis. No, I'm calling for Show to exit first, then The Rock, leaving Mick Foley to pin Hunter and make his dream come true. I also anticipate a swerve or two from the McMahon clan, and maybe even the return of a certain angry bald guy. And if that happens, I fully expect JR to pass out.

"Hardcore" Chris Gramlich: .

Ryan Robson: What's up with the lack of singles matches this WM? Usually a four-way no-holds match would suck ass, but the fact that these four have worked so many matches together and are so fluid together should make for an exciting spectacle. Expect a great deal of both wrestling, brawling and interference but in the end Cactus will win the belt only to abdicate the next night. Foley deserves it, the fans want it and the Rock has to go be a movie star (odds are he'll do better than both Hogan, Piper and Sting put together).

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WWF Intercontinental - European Title - 2 Fall Match

Kurt Angle (champion) Vs Chris Jericho (challenger) Vs Chris Benoit (challenger)

SLAM! Predictions

Greg Oliver: This should be very entertaining. I expect Angle to retain the I-C title, losing the Euro title in the first fall to Jericho.

John Powell: Yeah, I have seen the BackLash posters too but somehow I don't believe the WWF sees Jericho as world title material just yet. Jericho regains the I.C. title setting the stage for a Jericho - Benoit feud that should - break the walls down!

Alex Ristic: Ah, the real meat of WresltMania. Someone's getting jobbed out of a belt, and it looks to be Benoit. Angle, while impressing the WWF brass, isn't a main-eventer yet, so dropping both titles doesn't make sense if they want to keep him in the spotlight. Look for him to keep the European title. The interesting aspect comes down to Y2J and Benoit. All signs point to an eventual elevation of Jericho into main event status soon, sooner than Benoit anyway. If Jericho has the I-C belt, it'll be tough for him to fight for the major, so he may actually lose the other title to Benoit, giving more credibilty to the Radicals in the process. Plus, Jericho's face is on the poster for the next PPV, making it seem like he'll be headlining that one - title shot maybe?

Nick Tylwalk: No doubt Angle will be spending all weekend trying to get to the bottom of the conspiracy that has him putting up both halves of his EuroContinental title. He's really going to be furious when he leaves WrestleMania with only the gold around his neck after dropping the IC belt to Jericho and the European strap to the Crippler. But being the gracious guy that he is, I'm sure Angle will still offer to be our champion the next night on Raw.

"Hardcore" Chris Gramlich: Kurt (what's my) Angle has really come into his own. If it wasn't for his immense improvement both on the mic and in the ring he'd probably lose both the belts, but he really should hold on to at least one. This match should be excellent, all three are gifted wrestlers who compliment each other. There will probably be a ton of near falls, a million suplexes and great wrestling. I expect Benoit to win the Euro belt and Angle to hold on to the IC. Look for Jericho to get screwed again, but there is a method, Jericho is definitely heavyweight material, he's already progressed beyond either of these belts.

Ryan Robson: Ok, so the deal is Euro title on the line for the first fall, and the IC title for the second? So here we go, Even though Benoit is the best wrestler in the world today, he will not walk away with any gold. Jericho wins the first fall and the Euro title after a big time spot. Benoit is completely out, and Angle pins Jericho with some suplex-pin combination to keep the IC title.

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WWF World Tag Team Title - Ladder Match

The Dudley Boys (champions) Vs The Hardy Boys (challengers) Vs Edge, Christian (challengers)

SLAM! Predictions

Greg Oliver: Finally, Edge & Christian will become WWF tag champs. Sure, they'll be feuding with each other by SummerSlam, but they deserve a run with the belts, however short it will be.

John Powell: Though I wish it was Edge or Christian, I have a feeling that the "mini Sabus" (as my good pal Chris Gramilich calls them) - The Hardy Boys - are in line for some WWF gold. Make sure to have a box of Kleenex ready when Edge and Christian finalize their break-up. Sniff. Sniff. Boo. Hoo.

Alex Ristic: While promising to be one of the more exciting matches, I wish it wasn't for the belts on the line, because you know this is one where there's no hope in hell of the title changing hands - and even if it does it'll last a week. It's well known Edge is being pushed for singles competition down the road, so why give him and Christian the belts only to lose them relatively quickly - you may do that to make an angle more intersting, but outside of the Hardyz, Edge and Christian don't have an angle right now. It's well known that the WWF pushes bigger guys, so the Hardyz won't get it, and even if they did, without outside interferecne from a manager, or some kind of distraction, how would they fair against future match-ups with the Acolytes? Dudleys to keep the straps - ang give a whooping with the ladder to boot.

Nick Tylwalk: If any match on the card can steal the thunder from the main event (except for The Kat and Terri, but that's for a different reason...), this is it. Insane bumps are a given, but the outcome isn't. Assuming that Edge and Christian's recent pseudo-heel turn is for real and it really is every team for itself, I'm saying Dudleys all the way.

"Hardcore" Chris Gramlich: This match will be sick, probably the closet you can get to ECW without actually being in ECW. Anyone familiar with The Dudley's bouts with Sabu/RVD know what to expect in this one, considering the Hardy's owe everything in their repertoire to Sabu and RVD. Don't forget about Edge and Christian, though. They can go. Look for the Dudley's to keep the straps, although I wouldn't be terribly surprised if Edge and Christian snuck one out.

Ryan Robson: I think that this will be the site for the heavily rumoured Edge/Christian split. This match will be unbelievable, possibly upstaging the ladder match between Hardys and Edge/Christian. Hardys win after Edge bolts on Christian, and Christian gets pinned after a senton bomb.

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Under card matches

Match	Greg Oliver	John Powell	Alex Ristic	Nick Tylwalk	Chris Gramlich	Ryan Robson
Kane, Rikishi Vs X-Pac, Road Dogg	Kane & Rikiski	Kane and the fat guy	Rikishi's Butt	Kane, Rikishi	X-Pac, Road Dogg	X-Pac, Road Dogg
Too Cool, Chyna Vs The Radicals	The Radicals	The Radicals (If there is any justice in this world.)	The Radicals	The Radicals	The Radicals	Too Cool & Chyna
The Cat Vs Terri Runnels	The Cat	Any sex-starved viewers out there.	Whoever's the most naked.	Terri Runnels	The Cat	Jerry Lawler (PUPPIES! PUPPIES!)
T and A Vs Al Snow, Steve Blackman	T and A	T and A	T and A	T and A	Al Snow, Steve Blackman	T and A
Godfather, D'Lo Brown Vs Big Boss Man & Bull Buchanan	The Pimps	Big Boss Man & Bull Buchanan	BBM & the new BB	Boss Man, Bull Buchanan	Big Boss Man & Bull Buchanan	Godfather & D'Lo
Hardcore Title - 15 Man - Battle Royal	Who's even in it? Gimme a Holly.	Tazz	Tazz	Tazz wins the Hardcore Title Battle Royal... or I'll burn my bright orange Tazz shirt!	Tazz	Tazz

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WWF WrestleMania 2000 will be broadcast live on home satellite and pay-per-view through Viewer's Choice in Canada. Check with your local cable company for availability.

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Full coverage of WrestleMania 2000