From the Shelf- WWF Smackdown! 2-17-2000

WWF Smackdown!
2-17-2000
Fresno, CA

DX comes out and the New Age Outlaws tell the Dudley Boyz there is no chance in hell they are going to win the tag titles. X-Pac declares Kane won’t get his retribution for taking Tori and he throws some shots at Triple H for allowing the match to happen. Triple H promises hell for Cactus Jack at No Way Out and he says Cactus will spend every day after the match too beat up to live a normal life. Triple H says he has a dream of his own, and that’s to be in the WWF without Cactus Jack. Triple H apologizes to X-Pac for what happened on Monday and to make up for it, he will face Kane tonight. X-Pac says he is not impressed and he challenges Triple H to put the title on the line. Triple H says he will do it. X-Pac syas he’ll help Triple H out by facing Cactus Jack tonight. Triple H challenges him to face Cactus in a Hardcore match. X-Pac accepts as well. Triple H says the Outlaws are going to put the Tag Team Titles on the line tonight against The Rock and Big Show. He tells Kane that after their match tonight, he’ll feel like he got run over by a bus.

The Hollys tell Mark Henry that his love with Mae Young make them sick. Henry tells them to watch their mouth so the Hollys attack Henry.

WWF Championship- Triple H © w/Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley vs. Kane w/Paul Bearer
Rights by HHH to start but Kane comes back with a clothesline. Kane hammers away in the corner and he dumps HHH to the floor. Kane follows out and he chokes away on HHH. Kane hip tosses HHH off the announce table onto the floor and back in, HHH catches Kane with a DDT. Rights by HHH but Kane fights back with uppercuts. Sidewalk slam by Kane and he goes up. Flying clothesline off the top by Kane and DX comes out and attacks Kane. X-Pac goes low on Kane and hits the X-Factor. DX work over Kane and X-Pac goes after Paul Bearer. DX drags Bearer to the back as Kane gives chase. DX shoves Bearer into the trunk of the DX Express as Kane attacks. DX overpower Kane and they shove Kane into the trunk as well. DX orders the bus to leave with Kane and Bearer inside.
Match ends in a No-Contest ** ( Match was solid while it lasted but you knew there was a screwy finish coming the moment the match was booked. )

Kurt Angle vs. Chyna
Arm drags by Angle and he overpowers Chyna on the mat to start. Chyna catches Angle in a hammerlock and Angle makes the ropes to break. Chyna backdrops Angle to the floor and she stomps away. She sends Angle into the post and she drops Angle onto the barricade. Chyna sends Angle into the steps and Angle nails Chyna with the European Title for the DQ. Chris Jericho comes out and attacks Angle. Angle catches him with the Olympic Slam but Chyna goes low on Angle to save Jericho.
Winner by DQ- Chyna *1/2 ( Again, too short to mean anything and it had a terrible finish. Great start so far. )

Mark Henry and Mae Young visit the Acolyte Protection Agency and Henry tells the APA to protect Mae in the back while he takes care of business tonight.

Tazz vs. Gangrel
Backdrop by Tazz but Gangrel comes back with a clothesline. Gangrel hammers away on Tazz in the corner but Tazz comes back with a Northern lights suplex for 2. T-Bone suplex by Tazz gets 2. Gangrel rakes the eyes of Tazz but Tazz catches him in the Tazzmission. Gangrel taps.
Winner- Tazz * ( Strong win for Tazz but it seems like they have no idea what to do with him. )

Cactus Jack says he has two things on his mind heading into No Way Out. One thing is winning the WWF Title and main-eventing Wrestlemania. The second is that Hell in the Cell with be the damnest thing you have ever seen. Cactus guarentees he will go to the top of the cage and fly off, crashing through HHH. He promises to make HHH suffer and he says his mind isn’t on X-Pac so he’ll let his instincts take over.

Mae Young is kicking the APA’s ass in poker.

Hardcore Match- Cactus Jack vs. X-Pac
Cactus hammers away to start and he hits the running knee strike in the corner. Cactus slams X-Pac’s head off the mat a few times and he clotheslines X-Pac to the floor. X-Pac sends Cactus into the steps and he nails Cactus in the back with a chair. Cactus shoves X-Pac over the announce table and he hammers away on X-Pac. Cactus nails X-Pac in the midsection and head with a chair for 2. Back in, X-Pac hits a spin kick and he kicks away on Cactus in the corner. Bronco Buster misses and Cactus crotches X-Pac against the post. X-Pac starts to head backstage but Cactus gives chase. X-Pac tosses stuff in Cactus’ way in order to stay away from Cactus and they head outside where DX attacks. Cactus and HHH fight inside of the bus and HHH shoves Cactus into the trunk. The bus takes Cactus away now.
Match ends in a No-Contest **1/4 ( Even the match where there are no rules ended in a No contest? Why is this show being built around A BUS!?!?!?!!? )

Too Cool (Scotty 2 Hotty and Grandmaster Sexay) vs. Perry Saturn and Dean Malenko
Scotty and Saturn start. Knees by Saturn and he hits a back elbow. Scotty comes back with a headscissors and he dropkicks Malenko as he was coming in. He walks into a clothesline from Saturn and Malenko tags in. Reverse suplex by Scotty and he tags Sexay. Hip toss by Sexay and he hits a slam. Sexay goes to the second rope and he hits a dropkick to the back for 2. Malenko knocks Sexay down and he hits a leg lariat to Sexay. Tag to Saturn and he hits a pump handle suplex. Tag to Malenko and Sexay stacks them up in the corner. The momentum causes Malenko to fall onto the groin of Saturn. DDT by Sexay to Saturn and Scotty tags in. Small package by Scotty gets 2 as Saturn saves. Double back elbow by Too Cool and they hit a double dropkick to Malenko. Reverse atomic drop by Scotty into a superkick by Sexay. Bulldog by Scotty and he hits the W.O.R.M~!!!! Eddie Guerrero comes out and nails Scotty with a pipe, allowing Malenko to cover for 3.
Winners- Perry Saturn and Dean Malenko ** ( Fun little sprint as these four guys are starting to develop good chemistry as opponents. )

After the match, Guerrero lays out Sexay with the pipe and Rikishi comes out, limping due to the attack from Raw. Rikishi takes out Saturn and he hits a Samoan drop to Malenko. Guerrero nails Rikishi in the ankle multiple times with the pipe and Saturn puts a chair on the ankle of Rikishi. Saturn and Malenko drive the steps into the chair, crushing Rikishi’s ankle!!!!

Eddie Guerrero comes back out as he was supposed to face Rikishi. He forces Tony Chimel to announce him the winner. Guerrero and the Radicalz celebrate.

Mae Young is now smoking a cigar with the APA.

The Rock says he knows he has a big challenge with the Big Show at No Way Out but he promises to beat his candy ass. Rock says he doesn’t need Show as his tag partner since his partner is the people. He says if Show comes near the Rock he’ll give him the biggest smackdown he has ever seen.

Mae Young requests a beer from the APA as they start to get annoyed.

Edge and Christian vs. Big Bossman and Prince Albert
Bossman and Albert are back together because why not. Christian and Bossman start. Bossman overpowers Christian and tags Albert. He overpowers Christian so Edge tags in. He escapes a press slam attempt and he and Christian both hit basement dropkicks to Albert. Albert comes back with a double clothesline and Bossman tags in. Edge goes for the Spear but misses and hits the post shoulder first. Bossman wraps his arm around the post but Christian saves. Albert slingshots Edge in the ropes and Bossman works over Edge in the corner. They crack heads and Edge hits a spinning heel kick to Bossman. Tag to Christian and he hammers away on Albert. Albert blocks a hurricanrana attempt and he charges in the corner but misses. Tornado Reverse DDT by Christian and Edge spears Bossman as he was coming in. Christian covers Albert for 2 and he goes for a sunset flip but Albert blocks. Edge hits a missile dropkick to Albert allowing Christian to complete the maneuver for 3. Bossman and Albert lay out Edge and Christian post match.
Winners- Edge and Christian ** ( Crowd wasn’t that into this but the finish was hot so this was OK.)

Mae Young took all of the APA’s money, cigars, and beers but Mae says she’ll give it back if they come with her.

No DQ Match- The Hollys (Hardcore and Crash Holly) vs. Mark Henry
The Hollys double team Henry as he enters the ring to start and they work him kover in the corner. Dropkick by Hardcore but Henry comes back with a double clothesline. Henry hits a press slam to Hardcore as Mae Young sends the APA out. They hit a double powerbomb to Hardcore and Faarooq hits a spinebuster on Crash. Powerbomb by Bradshaw and Henry covers for 3.
Winner- Mark Henry * ( It was pretty much a squash for Henry and I can’t believe they had a payoff for all the stupid Mae Young skits. )

WWF Tag Team Championships- The New Age Outlaws (Road Dogg and Billy Gunn) © vs. The Rock and Big Show
The Rock attacks to start and he cleans house on the Outlaws. Big Show isn’t out yet as Rock catches Gunn with a DDT for 2 as Dogg saves. Neckbreaker by Gunn and he hammers away in the corner. Tag to Dogg and Rock catches him with a swinging neck breaker. He walks into a clothesline from Gunn and Dogg covers for 2. Chinlock by Dogg but Rock fights out. Shake, Rattle, and Roll by Dogg gets 2. Back suplex by Rock and he catches Gunn with a Samoan drop. Double clothesline by Rock and he cleans house. Spinebuster to Dogg and he hits the Rock Bottom to Gunn for 2 as Big Show’s music plays. He comes out and Rock goes after him. Show and the Outlaws lay out Rock on the floor and they drag Rock to the back. Rock starts to fight back but Triple H and X-Pac joins in on the attack. DX and Show put Rock in the trunk and DX leaves in the bus. However, Rock escaped the bus and he nails Show in the back with a 2×4 to end the show.
Match ends in a No-Contest *1/2 ( Another no-contest, another angle involving the damn bus, I’m glad this show is over. )

The 411: This show was built around two things, the DX Express and Mae Young. A stupid pregnancy storyline and a bus were the main focus of a show with less than two weeks left before a PPV. I said on the last Raw review that it seemed the creative team was trying to kill the last two weeks and peaked too soon before No Way Out and this show supports that theory. A horrible episode of Smackdown and hopefully the next episode of Raw improves upon the last couple of crappy shows.

Final Score:  4.0   [ Poor ]