[2000-11-19-WWF-Survivor Series] The Rock vs RIkishi

[soup23]

Rock rushes down the ramp and the fight is on. He takes the fight to Rikishi but the referee interferes catching a chair that he is trying to throw Rikishi’s way and that allows Rikishi to take over on offense. Action spills to the outside and Tim White gets bumped allowing Rikishi to retrieve the sledgehammer. Rock blocks this and hits a Rock Bottom to a nuclear pop. Long pin and a dramatic nearfall. Rikishi is looking really imposing and the strongest as a heel here. Rikishi comes back and even gets heel heat going for the stinkface which is impressive. Rockss midsection is suffereing but he is able to muscle up a spinebuster and then the People’s Elbow with Rikishi doing a nice sell job off of that of all things. Rock takes a while to cover and ends up winning to a huge pop again. Rikishi is able to get his heat back after the match with the Bonsai Drop after the match. I watched this a few years ago when PTB podcast was reviewing the show and I thought it was a good match but it way exceeding expectations here and I think this is perhaps the best performance Rock has had all year. **** (7.8)

[ohtani's jacket]

Rock does some goofy, exaggerated selling of his chest but it's all right since it's the Rock and Lawler are there to drive it home on commentary. The match is okay but it's not a huge step up over a TV bout and the Benoit bout was miles better. 

[GSR]

We get a recap of what led to this match, Rikishi having dragged Rock’s name through the dirt by implicating that he was the one who orchestrated the attack on Steve Austin when in fact it was Triple H who was the one pulling the strings and behind it all.   Jim Ross says that the Rock might not be 100% but he doesn’t care because this one is personal.  Rock sprints down the aisle like you’ve never seen him move before as we get a super hot opening.  He collects a chair from ringside but really should’ve continued his attack as Tim White snatches it away from him and as he then turns around, he turns into a Rikishi superkick.  Ross reminds everyone how Rock suffered a bruised sternum as well as internal bleeding and physically can’t get healthy in a week.  Rikishi drops a big leg across the chest, he’s not going to be working on knees or arms tonight, everything is aimed at that weakened chest.  Side slam for a two count, Rock getting a shoulder up.  The Irish whip is reversed and Rock gives Rikishi a helping hand, side stepping out the way and using his momentum to send him through the ropes to the floor.  ‘The Great One’s’ not one for catching a breather, almost as if he’s running on adrenaline, as he follows him out.  Maybe he should’ve taken some time to regroup as Rikishi blocks having his head slammed into the timekeeper’s table and slams Rock’s into it instead.  In something of a rarity, White gets bumped on the outside and with no official Rikishi pulls a sledgehammer out from underneath the ring.  He’s not able to take advantage though, Rock getting the first shot in and causing him to drop it.  The ‘Rock Bottom’ takes every bit as much out of Rock as it did his opponent, and when he does manage to crawl over to make the cover, that additional time results in Rikishi kicking out.  Some hard right hands to the jaw of Rikishi as the Rock sets about ‘laying the smacketh down’ on him. Rikishi blocks a shot and headbutts him in the chest.  The hardest part of Rikishi’s body according to the King who is still living in the 1970s.  Samoan drop by Rikishi followed by a sit down splash.  The Rock kicks out to a loud pop, the crowd are really into his comebacks here.  Rikishi ‘backs dat ass up’ however all the stinkface does is fire ‘the Great One’ up, who explodes out the corner with a clothesline that turns Rikishi inside out.  He hits a spinebuster but is still clutching his chest and in some pain.  The ‘People’s Elbow’ lands and although despite not making the cover immediately, it is enough to put Rikishi away.  Post-match Rikishi drops Rock with a thrust kick followed by four Bonzai drops.  JR speculates that Rock may never be the same again and even though he won the match, he lost the war.

The crowd was red hot for the Rock, not so much for Rikishi, and played a huge part in this.  He does get his heat back post-match, but Austin handled him with ease (twice) and now Rock’s put him away too.  I’m not a star ratings guy and while I liked this, I wouldn’t go four on it.

[Zoo Enthusiast]

I really like this match.  Very fun Rock performance and I loved Rikishi’s exaggerated selling like the flip bump on the clothesline as well as on the People’s Elbow finish.  Probably not quite good enough that I’d go with a full **** boy on it but hella fun.