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2000 was the best year in WWE history. Their roster was at its absolute deepest until the present day, the product was at its hottest, and the storylines and rivalries were simply the best. From both a critical and financial perspective, no promotion on earth could touch WWE in 2000. This is why, for the first time in this series, all five of the top matches of 2000 are WWE matches.
And the main reason for that is because of one man: Triple H.
2000 was the year of Triple H. it was the year during which he fully transformed into the bona fide main-eventer and left his old gimmick as a cowardly underhanded rule-breaker behind. Triple H became such a despicable heel in 2000 that fans booed anyone and everyone that opposed him. This led to some of the greatest matches in both WWE and wrestling history. That is why Triple H features in four of the five best wrestling matches of 2000.
The rest of the wrestling world – or at least, WWE’s biggest competitors – struggled to compete for critical acclaim during a year when WWE was doing so well. WCW and ECW were in dire straits, the former getting closer and closer to closing forever.
Even in Japan, a country that was rarely ever affected by WWE’s business, things were much than before. New Japan was suffering from critical failure after Inoki’s love affair with MMA caused his company to lose both money and fans. All Japan, meanwhile, suffered from an enormous internal shock as Mituharu Misawa led most of the AJPW roster to form his own company.
So which matches of 2000 were the absolute best? Read on…
#5. Triple H vs. Chris Jericho – Last Man Standing Fully Loaded 2000
Chris Jericho went into this match with something to prove. He wanted to show everyone he was as deserving as Triple H of being in the main-event. To prove that, he had to somehow overcome the remorseless Triple H while having an injured abdomen.
Triple H showed how he got the name ‘the Cerebral Assassin’ in the first part of the match. He targeted Jericho’s injured ribs, and even added insult to injury by letting Stephanie slap Jericho.
But things took a huge turn as Triple H’s ego got the best of him. After he shoved the referee, Jericho was able to recover enough to land a strategic low blow. From there, the match was perfectly even, with both HHH and Y2J fighting savagely back and forth. As the match progressed, Jericho got more opportunities to exact his revenge on HHH, including putting Stephanie McMahon in the Walls of Jericho, which he crowd clearly adored.
In the end, Triple managed to win by a narrow margin; he only had enough strength to get up to the count of ten before collapsing back to the ground. He and Jericho both went to war, and it was morbidly exciting watching them tear each other apart.
#4. 6-Pack Hell In A Cell - Armageddon 2000
This is the first and thus far only time WWE booked six men to fight inside Hell in a Cell. As a result, over thirty minutes of pure chaos and mindless fun that shows just why WWE was so white hot in 2000.
There wasn’t much rhyme or reason to the action in the match; it was wild brawling involving just the cell itself, but also various part of the set (which included scrapped cars, for some reason). But this wasn’t a bad thing; instead, it made things more dramatic and nerve-wracking.
Each time a move was teased and then hit, the audience went absolutely nuts, bewildered that these men would put themselves through such carnage. One by one, each man was busted open, showing how far they were willing to go for their craft.
Things got even more insane as one by one the wrestlers climbed to the top of the cell, which excited some fans and terrified others. This cell match had every fan on the edge of their seat as they awaited the inevitable ‘big fall’ that was expected of such a match. Which they got.
Prior to this match, the Undertaker had promised he’d ‘make someone famous’ and boy did he ever. This was the match in which Undertaker chokeslammed Rikishi off the top of the cell onto the bed of a truck.
By the time this match was over, every single one of these wrestlers looked like a bona fide star (even Rikishi, who proved his bravery by falling backward off the Cell). If anyone of these wrestlers’ star power was ever in doubt, said doubt was definitely gone after this match.
#3. Triple H vs. Cactus Jack – Hell in a Cell - No Way Out 2000
As if being a street fight wasn’t hardcore enough, Triple H & Cactus Jack chose to fight each other again. This time, it was in Hell in a Cell.
Needless to say, this match was as violent as it was exciting, with some of the most hardcore moments of the entire year taking place in this brutal match.
From a drop toehold into a chair (it’s a lot cooler than it sounds), to Triple H getting catapulted into the cell wall, to a piledriver through the announce table, to Triple H getting hit in the face with a 2x4 wrapped in barbed wire, there were enough savage moments in the first fifteen minutes to end any match seen today.
But these are two of the toughest and most badass wrestlers in WWE history, so of course they would go even farther.
Foley climbed the cell for the second time in two years, and just like in 1998, he flew off the cell and through a table. After getting up from that terrifying fall, Cactus got up and hit Triple H with the 2z4 again, after he set it on fire. Then, Triple H decided to straight up kill Cactus by dropping him through the cage and through the ring itself. And just like at King of the Ring 1998, Foley got up and continued the match. Because he is the most indestructible wrestler of all time.
This match was also said to be Foley’s retirement match (even though we all know it didn’t end that way). So when he lost, thousands of fans gave Foley a standing ovation in one of the most emotional moments of the year. His ‘retirement’ felt real and heart-wrenching, making it as much of a must-see moment as the match itself.
#2. Triple H vs. Cactus Jack – Street Fight – Royal Rumble 2000
This is one of the most hardcore brawls I have ever seen. Not only did it cement Triple H’s reputation as a remorseless savage, but it also further proved that Cactus Jack is a god that cannot be destroyed.
Triple H & Cactus absolutely brutalized each other in this legendary brawl. It only took about three minutes before weapons were introduced, and from there it was pure savagery. HHH and Cactus brawled into the crowd for a long time, before things got even more brutal. Jack then got serious, which led to Triple H getting hit in the face with a 2x4 wrapped in barbed wire…many times.
But Triple H wasn’t the only one to absorb a ridiculous amount of punishment; during the second half of the match, Triple H had his turn to demolish Cactus Jack. He does this very well by introducing both a set of steel steps…and handcuffs.
Foley then showed his guts and determination by using every trick possible, even though his handcuffs are behind his back.
But if that wasn’t enough to prove how hardcore Cactus Jack is, he got back body-dropped onto a bed of thumbtacks, before being Pedigreed. Yet somehow, SOMEHOW, Cactus kicked out of the Pedigree, only to be Pedigreed onto that same bed of thumbtacks.
Yes, that’s right: Foley went face-first into a bed of thumbtacks. The match ended with Triple H having an awful gash on his calf, and Cactus Jack having thumbtacks sticking out of his head.
If one had any doubt in Mick Foley’s toughness and willingness to put himself through whatever it took, that doubt will dissipate after you watch this great match.
1. Triple Threat TLC – E&C vs. Dudleyz vs. Hardyz – Summerslam 2000
This was one of the most genius matches ever created with one of the best storied possible behind it. Each team had a weapons specialty (Edge & Christian had chairs; the Dudley Boyz had tables, and the Hardyz had ladders), and each one would use these weapons to their advantage over the other two teams.
Thus, to settle the score, these three weapons were combined in a TLC match with the Tag Team Titles on the line.
Within seconds, this match turned into a savage beatdown involving weapons. Things were happening so quickly that one couldn’t beat to look away for a second. It was big move after big move after big move, with little time to breathe or take in what had just occurred. That is, except for the Dudleys’ signature spot where they posed and did their ‘get the tables’ spot, which an explosive reaction.
Some great spots to look out for include:
o Both Matt & Jeff hitting leg drops onto Edge from the top of the ladder
o Christian getting slammed onto a ladder with Edge already sandwiched inside it
o Jeff Hardy’s Swanton Bomb of a gigantic ladder through tables
o Matt Hardy getting thrown backwards through two tables
o Bubba Ray getting thrown off the giant ladder from inside the ring through four tables!
This match was simply carnage. It was like watching a demolition derby where people willingly put themselves through sickening punishment for the fans’ amusement. Needless to say, it must be seen to be believed.
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