[2000-01-24-WWF-Raw] Rikishi & The Rock vs HHH & The Big Show

[soup23]

Why Jack isn’t there but HHH is wrestling makes no sense after Jack beat him down at the end of the Rumble match. Also odd to see HHH and Show teaming less than a month after HHH won the title from him but here we go. Rikishi comes out to tag with the Rock which is a good bit of helping his momentum build from the Rumble. Show and HHH work together well as a team and the face side is hugely over of course making this an action packed Raw finale. The NAO come out and attack Rikishi setting up the DQ. HHH goes for a chair shot on the Rock and here comes Cactus with his 2X4 which does make up for the fact he wasn’t there earlier. They clean house as we fade to black. WWE main events on tv has been really good in 2000 so far. **1/2

[Loss]

Short but hot TV match. HHH is still selling injuries from the night before, as is Foley when he does his run-in post-match. A nice touch, and look how much more heat there is then than now. Funny how that works, current WWE. Rikishi is red hot and Rock is scorching of course. Everyone looks good here. The NAO run in and attack The Rock for the DQ. I think the non-finish was the best route here, because there was no reason for anyone in this match to do a job at this point.

[GSR]

We’ve missed what happened earlier in the Show, but this is being teased as a handicap match as Rock is out first followed by HHH and the Big Show. Rikishi’s music plays and Jim Ross says how he’s obviously offered his services to The Rock as he’s his partner. Show is all over Rock to begin with until he misses an elbow drop. Rock unloads with a flurry of right hands, but Show reverses the Irish whip and catches him with a powerslam. A series of boots to the mid-section, Irish whip and this time its Rock’s turn to reverse things as he holds on and turns it into a DDT. Show breaks up the pin, he then misses a splash in the corner and Rock is able to tag his partner. Rikishi with a superkick and as he runs the ropes HHH nails him in the back. However it has no effect and a solitary right drops Hunter and sends him to the floor. Sideslam from Show on the big man. Rikishi telegraphs a backdrop (don’t they all?) and HHH with a facebuster. It doesn’t have the effect it usually does though and Rikishi just about manages to execute a Samoan drop (although he’s close to losing HHH who seems to land shoulder first). Both men make the tag and Rock is able to get the first shots in on the Big Show before nailing him with a DDT. Spinebuster on HHH, he goes for the ‘Rock Bottom’ on Show, but Hunter with a low blow. The New Age Outlaws are out to attack Rikishi and the official calls for the DQ on seeing them. HHH and Show double team Rock in the ring until Cactus Jack and his dodgy knees make one of the slowest looking saves you’ll see. Cactus levels them both with a 2x4 and he and Rock use it to clothesline Show over the top rope to the floor. HHH rushes back to the ring one more time, but Rock just clocks him with a steel chair as the show goes off air.

 

Average match, although a bad idea watching this after the HHH & X-Pac vs Rock & Big Show tag as there were a fair few similarities. I liked how, after his match against HHH and his performance in the Royal Rumble, teaming Rikishi with the Rock cemented his position at the top of the card. Mick Foley should never do anything that involves him running mind!

[Tim Evans]

Interesting to see HHH and Show teaming so soon after the title change but Show is a better heel so it works. Crowd wasn't really into this till the Rock hot tag. Match wasn't too bad till the run in city. I really don't need to see Billy Gunn's see through tights again.