Smackdown!
New Orleans, Louisiana
August 24, 2000

With just three days until SummerSlam, most of the World Wrestling Federation Superstars were already thinking about the Pay-Per-View spectacular. But one superstar definitely was not – Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley. As SmackDown! kicked off from New Orleans, the former Women’s Champion appeared both irate and saddened as she made her way to the ring. Stephanie said that she always carried her title with dignity, honor and pride. She said that Commissioner Mick Foley only had one job on Monday, which was to appoint a fair and impartial referee, and he couldn’t even do that! Stephanie then declared that she wasn’t leaving until she got a rematch against Lita that night!

That brought Kurt Angle to the ring. Shame on Mick Foley, and shame on The Rock, said Kurt, and also shame on Triple H! Angle said that if it wasn’t for Triple H’s temper, then Stephanie might still be Women’s Champion. That caught the Game’s attention, and he headed to the ring. But he wasn’t in the mood to talk – he was in the mood to fight! Triple H and Angle brawled for a few moments until Commissioner Foley’s music hit.

The commish said he wanted to grant Stephanie a rematch, but he knew how much Triple H and Angle wanted a piece of The Rock. So he said he’d make a match pitting The Rock and Lita against Stephanie, Kurt Angle and Triple H. Then, realizing that a 3-on-2 match was unsportsmanlike, he said that it would be Triple H or Angle, and that Stephanie would have to decide which one it would be!

Before taking on the Goodfather, Rikishi gave the Right to Censor a look at what they will face at SummerSlam – he mooned them! Then, Rikishi called out two of his friends. Federation fans were expecting Too Cool, but instead it was the two hos! Rikishi would dominate the match, pinning Goodfather with a sit-down splash. After the match, Steven Richards tried to attack Rikishi, but the 400-pounder was able to knock Steven out and had him set up for a Stink Face when the Goodfather and Bull Buchanan saved their leader. After the match, Rikishi, Too Cool and the hos danced for the fans!

Backstage, Eddie Guerrero and Chyna debated over who should become Intercontinental Champion at SummerSlam. But they quickly put their argument aside, as they teamed up with Steve Blackman for six-person action against T&A and Val Venis. Val accidentally hit Test with Blackman’s nunchucks, allowing the Lethal Weapon to pin Test.

In the parking lot, Tazz stood ominously next to a white rental car. The car was covered with graffiti, including such messages as “Just Another Victim” and “Thug Life.” Locked inside the car was Jim Ross! As Jerry Lawler watched on from the broadcast table, Tazz swung a baseball bat and shattered the car window, bloodying J.R.! Lawler ran out back to help his broadcast partner as Tazz looked on and laughed.

Chris Jericho came to the ring with a smile on his face, and we would soon find out why.

In preparation for his two-out-of-three-falls match-up with Chris Benoit at SummerSlam, Jericho had written a little poem: “I will fight Chris Benoit on a boat, I will fight Chris Benoit on a goat. I will fight Chris Benoit when the score is tied, I will fight Chris Benoit as a blushing bride. I will fight Chris Benoit while he’s taking a quiz, I will fight Chris Benoit as the total jackass he is!” All the while, doctored pictures of Benoit in each of the situations were displayed on the OvalTron! The crowd went wild, but Benoit wasn’t phased. The Wolverine came out and showed a picture of his own, called “Y2J loses conscienceness at the hands of the Crossface.” He then told Jericho, “Prove me wrong!”

Road Dogg and X-Pac were forced to put their differences aside, as they took on the Undertaker in a Handicap Match. Before the match, X-Pac made the mistake of spitting on the Undertaker’s bike. As a result, the American Bad Ass was more fired up than usual. Midway through the match, Road Dogg just gave up on the match and headed back to the dressing room, abandoning his partner. That left X-Pac easy prey for a chokeslam and the Last Ride, as the Undertaker chalked up a victory.

Terri tried to get involved as Al Snow challenged Perry Saturn for the European Title, but Snow was too quick for her. He threw her outside the ring, but that allowed Saturn to lock him in the Rings of Saturn. After Snow submitted, Saturn went outside the ring to check on his main squeeze.

Edge, Christian and Chris Benoit faced the Hardy Boyz and Chris Jericho next. Before the match, Edge said that he and Christian wouldn’t pose again until they successfully retained their Tag Team Championship at the TLC Match at SummerSlam – and then they would then do a 37-second pose! The match ended when Jericho pinned Edge following a Lionsault, but the fun was just getting started. The Dudley Boyz hit the ring, and the three teams in the TLC Match assaulted one another with ladders and chairs! The table, however, was saved for Benoit and Jericho. As Y2J and the Wolverine battled on the top rope, their momentum carried them both off the top and through a table!

After both men had tried to convince Stephanie throughout the night that she choose them as her partner, Triple H went into Kurt Angle’s dressing room to have it out. Stephanie had to separate the two men, and seeing their strong emotions, she decided that the only fair way to choose her partner would be to flip a coin.

All night long, the Acolytes and Kaientai had been partying at a local Karaoke bar. In the final segment of the night, Taka and Funaki displayed their tough side, as they kicked some ass in the establishment!

In an interview with Kevin Kelly, The Rock vowed to emerge from SummerSlam as the World Wrestling Federation Champion.

Next up was the main event, pitting Lita and The Rock against Kurt Angle – who had won the coin toss – and Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley.

A few minutes into the match, The Rock sent Kurt Angle into his corner with an Irish whip, knocking Stephanie from the ring apron. Stephanie hit her head on the ring steps and was knocked nearly unconscious. Triple H immediately ran to ringside to bring his wife to safety. He put her on a couch in the back and called over several EMTs. As his wife began to come to, the Game went to the ring seeking revenge. That would prove to be a mistake, as The Rock, the Hardy Boyz and Lita pounded on Triple H, leaving him lying. 

It was also a mistake for another reason. As the Game was left lying in the ring, Kurt Angle went to the dressing room to check on Stephanie. He apologized repeatedly, and said, “you don’t realize how much I care about you.” Then, after giving her a hug, their eyes locked and Kurt kissed Stephanie on the lips! After a long embrace, Kurt smiled at Stephanie, and Mrs. Game looked at Kurt in shock as SmackDown! went off the air!