[2000-09-18-WWF-Raw] The Rock vs The Undertaker

[soup23]

Foley says hes been out a while so he will be brief. He calls out George W Bush and Al Gore for not answering the SmackDown challenge.

 

Benoit is out for commentary for the main event. It is weird that Rock and Taker were around for so long and never had that signature match. Even Rock doing his reunion tour in 2011-2013 could have probably squeezed in a match with Taker. A nice spirited brawl with both going after each other and Taker having some motivation with the flying DDT. Ref bump and Taker hits a chokeslam but Rock kicks out. Taker then is able to hit the Last Ride to get the pin on Rock really giving himself a lot of momentum heading into Unforgiven. A strong tease for the PPV and they have built up Unforgiven really well. **

[AstroBoy]

This was pretty by the numbers stuff until the ref bump but the crowd is into it. Benoit is not that great on commentary, sounding really forced and unnatural at some different moments. Rock gets a visual fall on Taker but Hebner is down. Hebner does his irritating slow crawl over to count after Taker hits Rock with the chokeslam but Rock gets the kickout. A bit of a surprise to see Undertaker pin Rock after the Last Ride but they have done a good job pushing the vulnerability of the title as they head into the 4-way at Unforgiven.

 

*3/4

[GSR]

Chris Benoit is already out next to JR and ‘the King’ to provide guest commentary.  If that’s not a sign that he’s interfering in the upcoming match I don’t know what is!  Taker overpowers the Rock and is controlling things early before running into an elbow.  The Rock with a lariat, but Taker pulls him through the ropes to the outside.  A bit of brawling on the floor, including Taker accidentally punching the ring post.  Earl Hebner gets bumped after the Rock is whipped into him, meaning there is no-one to count the fall following Taker’s flying DDT.  Rock reverses an Irish whip, spinebuster, ‘People’s elbow’ and still no-one to make the count.  Chokeslam by Taker but as Earl now slowly crawls over it gives Rock those extra seconds to kick out.  ‘Last Ride’ and the Undertaker gets a three on the WWF World champion less than one week away from Unforgiven.   Kane heads out after the match and he and Benoit work together double teaming the Undertaker.  The Rock recovers to help Taker clear the ring of them both, before ‘Rock Bottoming’ him as the show goes off the air.

After the Kane/Benoit bout earlier in the show, the one thing I wasn’t expecting was a clean finish here.  So much for my thought that Benoit was interfering in this too!  Not much of a match, but by Rock taking the fall it does get over that he and the title are in jeopardy come the PPV.