[2000-01-13-WWF-Smackdown] HHH & X-Pac vs The Rock & Big Show

[soup23]

In a nice show of unity, HHH and Pac come out to the DX theme as HHH asked X-Pac to just trust him. Steph doing the crotch chop to the pyro is pretty awful. Enjoyed WWF so far but they aren’t immune to shakiness either as Big Show is right in the middle of another heel turn here less than a year into his tenure. Show takes over on HHH and refuses to tag Rock in. Rock cleans house and the crowd is electric. There is a lot of feuds set for HHH with Rock, Show and Foley right now which makes it logical that would be the main event at Mania at this point. X-Pac gets a chair up when Rock goes for the People’s Elbow on HHH. DX is working together well tonight. Big Show takes a page out of DX’s book when he refuses a tag when Rock gets a glimmer of hope. One pedigree later, HHH pins Rock and is looking huge early in 2000. Big Show chokeslams Rock to close the show and they come up with some phony stuff about Big Show being pissed that Rock called him a jabroni. This was my least favorite outing from WWF so far in 2000. *3/4

[Loss]

This is more good angle-driven TV wrestling, a refrain that it sounds like I'll be saying again and again on these WWF matches. Show and Rock are having dissension and Show is slow brewing a heel turn, so he backed away when Rock was about to make the hot tag, which left him vulnerable to an HHH pedigree and clean pin. The match built nicely to the hot tag and HHH was a good antagonizer.

[GSR]

DX is back together after Monday night and Michael Cole says how HHH had told X-Pac to trust him. Stephanie doing the crotch chop when DX’s pyro goes off is all kinds of cringeworthy. Prior to the match commencing HHH tries to stir up trouble between their opponents, mentioning how The Rock referred to the Big Show as ‘the Big Jabroni’. Show overpowers HHH early and drops him with a big headbutt. He unloads with a series of kicks to the mid-section, whip to the corner and a side slam. The Rock offers his hand for a tag but the Big Show refuses it. X-Pac tries to attack Show from behind, he sees him coming though and throws him into the corner on top of his partner. Show with a running splash to them both, Rock again wants a tag and Show again blows him off. Facebuster as Show telegraphs a backdrop, but HHH walks right into a powerslam. Big Show signals for the chokeslam, as he raises his hand though Rock tags himself in. DX pinball for him and Rock throws X-Pac over the top rope to the outside with him taking a crazy flat back bump to the floor. ‘People’s elbow’, however as the Rock runs the ropes, X-Pac clocks him in the back with a steel chair. X-Pac goes for the bronco buster, but Rock cuts him off with a clothesline. Spinning heel kick by X-Pac for a two. HHH and Rikishi exchange blows in the middle and a double clothesline takes both men out. Rock goes for the tag, but Show walks up the apron seemingly distracted by X-Pac trying to get in the ring. A couple of stinging knife edge chops from X-Pac and a great spin kick floors The Rock. HHH with a suplex and Rock kicks out on two. Rock reverses an Irish whip into a DDT and Show is screaming at him to make the tag. As Rock crawls over about to make it, Show just pulls his hand away. Low blow from HHH, pedigree and its victory for DX. Jerry Lawler talks about how you don’t call Big Show a ‘big jabroni’ and get away with it, and Show chokeslams Rock after the match.

 

I’m glad I’ve decided to add WWF to my viewing because there is more that I have enjoyed than haven’t so far. Good TV match and I really liked the way this was booked and laid out, although HHH pretty much telegraphed what would happen in his short pre-match promo. Everyone looked good here and Show was more like what you’d want from someone his size as opposed to how he was in the World title match with HHH. Rock continues to be ridiculously over with the crowd.

[Tim Evans]

This reminded me of those early 90s Saturday Night main events where Hogan teamed with guys like Sid or Warrior and had problems. Match was fine but the story was better. Someone finally stood up to Rock's BS and it was Big show. Show was always a better heel at this time than a babyface. Another good HHH performance.

[Chess Knight]

Aw hell yeah I love a hot Attitude Era tag I've never seen. I'm in a weird spot with HHH's 2000 where I'm firmly planted on the "it's very very overrated" side but I also think people too often ignore his good tv output when talking about it. He was good here! I think his bumping is the best thing he does and it's a lot of fun seeing for him bump for someone as large as the Big Show and as over as the Rock. Rock and Show aren't getting along and I liked how they integrated it into the match without letting it swallow it up (at least until the end I guess). This is nothing spectacular but still non-stop fun and I will always think favourably of this kind of thing.