With This Ring #69

With This Ring #69: King of the Ring 2000
 
Ryan and Cindy roll on, looking at the 2000 edition of King of the Ring. In this edition we once again see a very stacked, although shoddily booked tournament along with some other big time matches. Among the topics we discuss:
Lot of talk about the PPV and tournament in general and how only 3 matches in the entire 32 person tournament lasts past 5 minutes.
How by rebooking only slightly, you could have a much better tournament with the same 8 guys, or subbing two guys from the Fatal 4-Way tag match.
We look at the end of peak Too Cool.
The quick appearance of Shaft (Samuel L. Jackson) in WWF and somehow led to a Hardcore Evening Gown match between Brisco and Patterson.
Kurt Angle being the proper choice for King and how it helped give me my AIM screen name.   
The main event being a good enough Sports Entertainment ga-ga match.
The night after-Raw where Vince says he’s going away to be a genetic jackhammer and how it was probably time to lower our McMahons for a little while.
Mick Foley making his comeback and the WWF finally getting a fan friendly authority figure and what it leads to.  
 
All this and much more. Enjoy!

With This Ring #68

Ryan and Cindy roll on, hitting the Judgment Day 2000 PPV. In this edition we go to Louisville for a nice six match card, culminating in a classic Iron Man match. Among the topics we discuss:
Focus on how the upper card is still the McMahon Helmsley Faction taking on the Rock and Friends. 
The evolution of Edge & Christian into full pretty-boy heels and their budding friendship with Kurt Angle to form Team ECK. 
Too Cool and Rikishi taking on the mantle of big show openers. 
The continued growth of Eddie Guerrero along his Mamacita. 
Fun garbage brawl between Shane McMahon and Big Show.
The Intercontinental Title hot potato between Chris Jericho and Chris Benoit, culminating in a Submission match.
X-Pac and Road Dogg, still being confused for main eventers, take on the Dudley Boys in a table match and need Gerald Brisco’s help to gain a victory.
The Rock and Triple H face off in an Iron Man match, with Shawn Michaels and his booty shorts refereeing. 
The psychology of the Iron Man match and how it stacks up against previous Iron Man matches.  
The Undertaker returns and looks a bit different. 
KId Rock lending the Undertaker his new theme music, his performance on Raw and Cindy learning about Joe C.
All this and much more. Enjoy!

With This Ring #67

With This Ring #67: Backlash 2000
 
Ryan and Cindy start the next WWF season much the same way we finished the old one, with the Rock feuding with Triple H and the McMahons. In this edition we go to Backlash, which had 5 singles matches, none of which were Terri vs. The Kat, putting it a tick above WrestleMania from the get go. Among the topics discussed:
The start of the Vince Russo/Eric Bischoff tenure in WCW, and how that led to Mike Awesome, WCW wrestler, defending the ECW title against Tazz, WWF wrestler and how that was displayed on WWF TV.
Chris Jericho’s brief earliest WWF title run. 
The promise of Stone Cold Steve Austin. 
The chemistry between Eddie Guerrero and his Mamacita. 
We again talk about how misplaced X-Pac and Road Dogg are in the tag division. 
Dean Malenko and Scotty Too Hotty having a notable Light Heavyweight Title match.
SHOWESTER MANIA RUNNING WILD BROTHER!
The Rock and Triple H having their usual Sports Enterainment Spectacular in a match that seemed more WrestleMania main event than the WrestleMania main event. 
 
All this and much more. Enjoy!

With This Ring #66

Ryan and Cindy reach the Granddaddy of them all, WrestleMania 2000. Before getting there though we look at the Rock’s first stint of hosting SNL, and his special guests at the show. We then go to an eventful Raw in Chicago, where most of the WrestleMania card is set up. We have a lengthy discussion of the WWF Aggression CD, before heading to the Arrowhead Pond in Anaheim. Further topics discussed:
Ice-T adding a little importance to an uneventful opener. 
The run of the 24/7 Hardcore title and a fun garbage brawl. 
Another nothing happening tag match between the new T&A, Trish Stratus (or her new team of Test and Albert)
The pinnacle of the WWF Tag Team division in 2000 as we get the first (of more to come?) Triangle Tag Team Ladder match
A bit of a cool down with Kat and Terri
Eddie Guerrero being elevated as Latino Heat
Kurt Angle vs. Chris Benoit vs. Chris Jericho getting 15 minutes
Pete Rose making his third WrestleMania appearance 
A long, long, long main event, featuring a short Big Show appearance, a slightly out of shape Mick Foley coming up short and who cares about the Rock and Triple H, WE HAVE A MCMAHON IN EVERY CORNER!
 

With This Ring #65

Ryan and Cindy continue their journey through 2000, picking up when the 4 WCW Radicals appeared as guests of Mick Foley on Raw all the way up through No Way Out and then continue on the Road to WrestleMania. Topics include:
How the Radicals first night in the ring went, and how they followed it up with a historic Raw 10 man tag.
Kurt Angle earning his first piece of Championship gold in the build to the show, and his attempt to add to his trophy case.
The Dudley Boys helping to phase out the New Age Outlaws and take control of the Tag division.
Two very unremarkable last minute additions that last 3:30 and 45 seconds respectively. 
Edge and Christian and the Hardy Boys match up for a straight-up tag match, the last time that would actually happen on PPV.
Kane is back with Paul Bearer…but he’s got a new coat!
The Radicalz show off their heel chops against Too Cool and Rikishi, a shocking hot act.
Big Show takes on the Rock to wrestle in the Main Event of WrestleMania and Shane McMahon is back. 
Triple H and Cactus Jack again do battle, this time at Hell in a Cell for Triple H’s title against Mick Foley’s career.
The fallout the night after and the following few weeks to assure us we do not get Triple H vs. The Big Show for the WrestleMania main event.
Enjoy!

With This Ring #64

Ryan and Cindy begin a new year and head to Madison Square Garden for the 2000 Royal Rumble! Topics discussed include
Going over the end of 1999 with the McMahon/Helmsley Era in full swing resulting in Mick Foley being fired and then rehired.
Mankind becoming Cactus Jack at a very special Smackdown from Chicago.
Kurt Angle getting more and more of a push, and the big debut of Tazz in the WWF.
The brutal nature of the Tag Team Table match, definitely showing a new side of the Dudley Boys and continuing the push of the Hardy Boys and Jeff’s penchant for jumping off high spots.
The Miss Royal Rumble Swimsuit competition, featuring bubble wrap and 80 year old puppies.
A very meh triple threat match that if anything, should prove that Chris Jericho is over, even in New York City.
A rushed tag team title match that goes a whole 2:30.
An all-time classic World Title match, with Triple H firmly established as the top Heel
A very middle of road Rumble, with a star-making performance for Rikishi, a good ending with the Rock and Big Show and a whole lot of nothing going on in the middle (Test as the Ironman?!?)
Enjoy the show!

With This Ring #63

With This Ring #63: Armageddon 1999
Ryan and Cindy look back at the end of 1999 and go over Armageddon and the year in general. Topics include: 
We open the show talking about the infamous Stephanie/Test wedding and how the main event of the PPV comes from the fallout of that wedding, and the noticeable absence of Test from the main event
We discuss the show opening Tag Team Battle Royal, and how its an effective opening match
We talk about the build-up for Kurt Angle and the re-emergence of Rikishi.
We talk about another “classic” women’s match, a four way evening gown pool match and the winner’s memorable celebration
We look at the build-up of Kane’s relationship with Tori, wrestling X-Pac in a decent cage match,
We discuss Chris Jericho taking on Chyna and what happens as a result
The Rock n’ Sock being on a holding pattern, taking on the New Age Outlaws
With talk about the brief run of main eventer Big Boss Man in 1999
We discuss the very long Vince McMahon/Triple H match and the real and storyline fallout
Mankind is forced to take on Santa Claus in a Boiler Room Brawl
Enjoy the show!

With This Ring #62

Ryan and Cindy celebrate the Thanksgiving tradition, Survivor Series 1999! 
The cartoon super-villain ways of the Big Boss Man continues, as he begins feuding with the Big Show because the Big Show’s dad (not Andre) is dying from cancer.
The reformed DX and their difference now as a heel group to protect the World Champ
Mankind shifting from the Rock to Al Snow and the deterioration of his in-ring abilities. 
Having main-event level Survivor Series matches on Smackdown and then not having the new heel faction take part in a Survivor Series match. 
The Survivor Series starting with four pimps against the Dudley Boyz and Acolytes. 
The debut of Kurt Angle and how his character is played.
A confusing Survivor Series match with the classic team of Gangrel and Steve Blackman!
Steve Austin gets run over by a car and the reason behind his year long absence. 
Chris Jericho getting cheered, despite heeling it up against Chyna.
The Big Show dominating his tag match, but not getting his hands on the Big Boss Man.
The World Title match and the surprise third entrant into the match.
We end with a look at the first Thanksgiving Day Smackdown, leading to the first Smackdown food fight.
Enjoy!