Smackdown!

Memphis, Tennessee
June 22, 2000

The McMahon/Helmsley Faction came to the ring as SmackDown! kicked off from Memphis, Tenn. Triple H said that although he disagreed with Vince’s decision to put his Federation Championship on the line this Sunday at King of the Ring, he would reluctantly agree to it. Although he was mad that he could theoretically lose the title without being pinned, he said he would triumph because the Federation Championship is the most important thing in his life.

Vince disagreed with that statement. He said that the most important thing in one’s life shouldn’t be a title, or money, or even health or happiness - it should be family, family values and love. Vince said that although he had issues with his wife, son, daughter and son-in-law, he still put them aside in the name of love. He also said that love means putting forth challenges to your family, and announced that he would team with Shane and Triple H that night to take on Rock, Kane and Undertaker - a preview of Sunday’s King of the Ring! That decision angered Shane, Triple H and Stephanie, who left Vince alone in the ring.

Shane was already in his limo when Triple H and Stephanie caught up to him backstage. Triple H convinced Shane to stay, saying “If I’m doing it, you’re doing it.”

Trish Stratus made her ring debut in the first match of the night, as the sultry diva teamed with T&A to take on Lita and the Hardy Boyz in six-person tag-team action. The Hardys were on fire, and Jeff even nailed a Swanton Bomb onto both Test and Trish! But Albert would break up the pinfall, and soon scored with a huge slam on Lita, allowing Trish to register the pin.

Backstage, Gerald Brisco searched for Pat Patterson, obviously seeking revenge after his fellow associate stole the Hardcore Championship on RAW.

As famed rocker Jerry Lee Lewis watched from ringside, Edge & Christian came to the ring, both dressed as Memphis’ favorite son - Elvis! Christian was the “fat Elvis,” and Edge was the “really fat Elvis!” The two entitled their pose “Hunka Hunka Edge & Christian!” But rock and hip-hop would soon clash, as Christian took on Grand Master Sexay. Sexay nailed the Hop Hop Drop, but Edge interfered and seemed to have helped Christian win the match, until Scotty 2 Hotty interfered and helped Sexay grab the victory in his hometown!

As Dean Malenko received a massage in the locker room from several lovely ladies, Terri entered and asked the Light Heavyweight Champion to be her partner that night. Nearby, Brisco continued his search for Patterson, and in the DX locker room, the Faction mulled Vince’s announcement of the six-man match that night.

This Sunday on Pay-Per-View, Eddie Guerrero will be one of the eight men in the King of the Ring Tournament when he takes on Val Venis. But on SmackDown!, Eddie had to defend his European Championship against the Big Boss Man. After the Boss Man floored Chyna, Val attacked Eddie with a nightstick. Boss Man covered Guerrero for the pin, but Chyna interfered at the last moment, costing Eddie the match but saving his championship.

Terri entered the women’s locker room and informed The Kat that there would be a mixed tag team match that night, and that Kat better find a partner. As the two spoke, Pat Patterson - dressed in drag and hiding from Brisco - watched on from a couch in the women’s locker room!

Kurt Angle was walking backstage and reading the new WWF Magazine - which features him on the cover - when he happened to bump into Stephanie. Stephanie congratulated Angle on the cover and wished him luck at King of the Ring - to which Angle replied, “I can’t wait to win King of the Ring so I can beat your husband and become World Wrestling Federation Champion!”

Rikishi and Chris Benoit will meet in the quarterfinals of the King of the Ring Tournament this Sunday, but on SmackDown! the two met for Benoit’s Intercontinental Championship. After a hard-hitting affair, Rikishi scored with a belly-to-belly suplex and a sit-down splash to become the new Intercontinental Champion! As Too Cool and Rikishi celebrated after the match, Benoit viciously attacked all three with a steel chair. He then congratulated Rikishi by locking him in the Crippler Crossface!

After Chris Jericho interfered in his match with Triple H on HEAT, Hardcore Holly was out for revenge against Y2J on SmackDown! It looked like the Big Shot would get just that, as Stephanie interfered and knocked Jericho out with her Women’s Championship. But somehow, Y2J roared back, and defeated Holly with a Lionsault!

Backstage, The Kat caught up to Taka and asked him to be her partner against Terri and Malenko. After some initial confusion, Taka agreed.

Malenko took Taka out early in the match, leaving Kat without a partner - until Memphis’ own Jerry Lawler got up from the broadcast table to help Kat out! As the arena filled with “Jerry” chants, Lawler pounded on Malenko, and Kat was able to roll up Terri for the 1-2-3. After the match, Malenko laid out Lawler, enabling Terri to deliver a Bronco Buster on the King. The poor guy. 

Gerald Brisco continued his search backstage for Pat Patterson, and ran into Howard Finkel, who told Gerald that Pat was in the women’s locker room, and gave him an idea how to find him.

In a one-on-one preview of Sunday’s Handicap Table-Dumpster Match, Road Dogg took on D-Von Dudley. The Road Dogg was able to score the pin after X-Pac interfered and delivered the X-Factor. Buh Buh Ray was able to grab Tori after the match, but as D-Von set up the table, X-Pac attacked Buh Buh with a 2x4 and Tori escaped. Not content to let the table stay in one piece, the Dudleys put ring announcer Tony Chimel through the table!

Howard Finkel’s plan for Brisco was for Gerald to dress up in drag to enter the locker room! Gerald did so, and attacked Patterson in the women’s locker room. As the two battled into the hallway, Vince McMahon walked by, and said that if the two liked fighting in dresses so much, then they would fight in an Evening Gown Match for the Hardcore Championship at King of the Ring!

The main event was up next, and Vince definitely had a plan - he forced Rock, Kane and Undertaker to fight nine other superstars before the Faction even got in the ring! The Brahma Bull, Big Red Machine and American Bad Ass fought off Bull Buchanan, Road Dogg, X-Pac, Edge, Christian, Kurt Angle, Test, Albert and Val Venis as the Faction watched on and laughed. Finally, with the Undertaker and Kane incapacitated, Triple H stunned The Rock with a Pedigree, and Shane delivered a flying elbow off the top rope. Finally, Vince executed the “Vince’s Elbow,” and pinned The Rock! Mocking The Rock, the Faction smelled what they were cookin’ as SmackDown! went off the air!