Smackdown!
Chicago, Illinois
January 18, 2001

The final SmackDown! before the Royal Rumble was highlighted by a match involving the seven biggest superstars in the World Wrestling Federation -- Stone Cold Steve Austin, The Rock and the Undertaker faced off with Kane, Rikishi and Kurt Angle in six-man action, with Triple H serving as the guest referee!

Carrying a ladder, Chris Jericho headed to the ring as SmackDown! kicked off. Just 72 hours before his Ladder Match against Chris Benoit for the Intercontinental Championship at the Royal Rumble, Y2J addressed the Wolverine. He said he didn't want to wait until Sunday -- he wanted Benoit on SmackDown!

Instead of Benoit, however, Perry Saturn came to the stage. Benoit's partner in the Radicalz told Jericho that Benoit was under doctor's care and wasn't in the arena -- but Saturn said he would he happy to face Y2J! Jericho then told "Jupiter" that he didn't believe the story, but still he accepted his challenge.

The Radicalz' set-up was apparent, though, as Benoit soon ran down to interfere in the bout. The Radicalz double-teamed Jericho, as Benoit crushed Jericho's arm in the ladder, and then locked him in the Crossface!

Triple H and Stephanie were walking backstage when Stephanie saw a door with Trish Stratus' name on it. Stephanie was irate that Trish had her own dressing room!

Next up, Edge took on Buh Buh Ray Dudley.

Prior to the match, Edge said that they weren't in a posing mood, seeing as how they would be defending their Tag Team Championship against the Dudley Boyz in just three days at the Royal Rumble. The champions then showed the footage of their attack on the Dudleyz on Monday night, and said they wouldn't pose again until after they successfully defended their titles at the Rumble, when they would present a pose called "A Cold Day in Dudleyville." The Dudleyz looked disoriented as they walked to the ring -- the results of their concussions suffered on Monday night. The match ended when Buh Buh Ray gave Edge a slingshot into Christian -- who was on the apron trying to interfere -- and Buh Buh Ray rolled up Edge for the 1-2-3. After the match, Edge & Christian got a table and slammed Buh Buh Ray from the ring apron through a table on the outside!

In the parking area, Trish Stratus arrived at the arena in a stretch limo. Watching Trish arrive from her dressing room, Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley threw a fit about Trish getting a limo, a mink coat, diamond earrings and her own dressing room! The Game had to calm his wife down.

In six-person tag-team action, the Hardy Boyz and Lita faced the APA and Jacqueline. Bradshaw won the match for his team, pinning Jeff Hardy after a Clothesline from Hell.

Backstage, Trish barged into Stephanie's dressing room, where Mrs. Game was enjoying some vegetables and dip.

Trish yelled at Stephanie for embarrassing her on Monday night, putting her in a spanking match against Jackie. Stephanie yelled right back, screaming at Trish about all the gifts Trish has been receiving lately. Stephanie then said she had another gift for Trish -- and she threw the vegetable dip all over Trish's outfit! Trish then responded by shoving Stephanie to the ground! As the two women went at it, Mr. McMahon walked in and separated them. He told Stephanie to act her age, and then asked why they couldn't be one big happy family! As Mr. McMahon escorted Trish back to her dressing room, Stephanie sat on the couch in shock, after hearing her father use the word "family."

Lilian Garcia then interviewed the Undertaker. She asked the Taker about the rumors of his supposed alliance with his brother, Kane. Taker said that if he was back together with the Big Red Machine, he sure as hell wouldn't be advertising it. The Taker closed the interview by promising to win the Royal Rumble.

Mr. McMahon entered Trish's locker room to apologize for Stephanie's behavior -- and he found Trish half-naked, still cleaning herself off! Trish told the Federation chairman that she didn't want to come between him and his family, but she really did appreciate all he had done for her. She then gave the chairman a hug -- and gave Mr. McMahon's backside a little squeeze! As the owner enjoyed the hug, Federation official Dave Hebner burst into the room and told Mr.

McMahon that his guests were waiting for him in the parking lot. An irate Mr. McMahon screamed at Hebner for barging in as Trish struggled to cover herself up.

Moments later, Stephanie was seen in her locker room, watching this footage in a state of shock and unbridled anger.

In the parking area, Mr. McMahon reprimanded Dave Hebner about barging in on him and Trish. Mr. McMahon then asked someone in the limo if they were ready for the Royal Rumble, and got in the limo to talk to the person, whose identity was not revealed.

Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley then headed to the ring, and the former Women's Champion was not in a good mood. Stephanie compared Trish Stratus to a pile of garbage, and she demanded that Trish come to the ring. Trish said that Stephanie had it all wrong, and that Mr. McMahon was just a mentor to her. Trish said that she and Stephanie were the same, and that she loved the business. Trish said she would bend over backwards for the World Wrestling Federation.

Stephanie told Trish never to compare herself to her. Stephanie declared that she was the dominant female in the World Wrestling Federation, and she would prove it -- the easy way or the hard way.

Triple H then walked to the ring to interrupt the proceedings. He demanded that the two women calm down. He told Stephanie that she was above dealing with the likes of Trish. The Game told Trish to get out of the ring before he knocked her down.

Suddenly, Kurt Angle's music filled the arena.

The World Wrestling Federation Champion told Triple H to have some respect for his new business advisor. Angle called the Game an ass, and changed the topic of conversation to their showdown for the Federation Championship at the Royal Rumble. Angle also talked about how he was personally invited to attend the Presidential Inauguration on Saturday in Washington, D.C. He asked the Game where his gold medals and invitation to the presidential inauguration were. Angle said that after the Royal Rumble, Triple H also wouldn't have the Federation Championship.

Triple H then blindsided Angle, just as Stephanie and Trish started to fight as well! After Angle escaped from the Game's clutches, the two men separated the women, whose battled seemed to be just as intense as the men's!

After the break, Trish and Angle were complaining to each other about Triple H and Stephanie when Mr. McMahon walked in. The chairman excused Angle and told Trish to take the night off -- and he said he was taking the night off with her!

European Champion William Regal provided color commentary for the match between Test and Val Venis. Prior to the match, Test attacked Regal, ripping up his suit! During the match, Regal got a measure of revenge, smacking Test with a steel chair, and helping Venis to pick up the victory. After the match, Regal draped his torn suit onto the fallen Test.

Kevin Kelly interviewed Rikishi backstage. The 400-pounder -- who will enter the Royal Rumble at No.

30 -- promised to be the last man standing at the Royal Rumble.

Coach interviewed Kane -- and Kane said at the Royal Rumble, it was him against the world!

Jerry Lawler then got in the ring and introduced the Chicago Enforcers XFL cheerleaders to the crowd! But as the cheerleaders prepared to do their first cheer, Steven Richards and Ivory of the Right to Censor headed to the ring! Mr. Richards told the cheerleaders to get out of the ring, or else he and Ivory would throw them out! As the cheerleaders ran from the Right to Censor, Ivory claimed that the XFL cheerleaders were just glorified hookers!

Lawler told Mr. Richards and Ivory that he had a feeling they might come out, so he brought out a surprise of his own -- Chyna! The Ninth Wonder of the World -- who faces Ivory this Sunday at the Royal Rumble -- gave the Women's Champion a monstrous powerbomb, as The King tossed Mr. Richards from the ring!

Backstage, Kevin Kelly then asked Stone Cold Steve Austin if the Rattlesnake could resist attacking Triple H later in the night when the Game served as guest referee for the six-man match, and thus risk losing his spot in the Royal Rumble match. The Rattlesnake said he wouldn't whip Triple H's ass on SmackDown! -- but he was going to whip Kevin Kelly's ass if he asked another dumb question!

In a rematch from Monday's RAW, Steve Blackman faced Hardcore Holly. During the match, Raven came to the ring and caned both men.

Blackman fell right on top of Holly after he was caned, and was able to score the win.

Coach then asked Triple H if he would provoke Austin during the six-man tag. The Game said that he was just three days away from becoming Federation Champion for the fifth time, and he asked why he would want to attack Stone Cold.

During the break, Raven fled into a waiting limousine outside the building!

Backstage, Kevin Kelly then tried to ask The Rock a question, but The Rock said it wasn't time for questions -- it was time for whipping ass.

The main event on SmackDown! was a six-man tag match pitting Stone Cold Steve Austin, The Rock and the Undertaker against Rikishi, Kane and Kurt Angle, with Triple H as guest referee. Ultimately, Triple H and Austin went face to face and Kurt Angle shoved the Game into Austin, knocking the Rattlesnake down. An irate Triple H gave Angle a Pedigree. Austin then got up and -- since he was physically provoked -- punched Triple H! The Game and Stone Cold duked it out until Rikishi floored the Rattlesnake with a superkick. The Rock then tagged himself in and gave Angle a Rock Bottom, and Triple H counted the three as The Rock pinned the Federation Champion! After the match, Stone Cold gave Triple H a Stunner, and then the Rattlesnake and The Rock stared each other down, until the Undertaker and Kane attacked the two men! The Undertaker and Kane were the last men standing as SmackDown! went off the air!