Smackdown!

Charlotte, North Carolina
April 27, 2000

Three days from Backlash, “The Hive” in Charlotte, N.C., was the site of an emotionally charged SmackDown!

Things kicked off with some Latino Heat, as Eddie Guerrero and Chyna took on Val Venis and Essa Rios. The action went back and forth until Rios took advantage of a referee’s missed tag to finish off Guerrero with a moonsault. For good measure, Lita added one of her own.

Finally, The Rock was back in Charlotte, and had a lot on his mind, challenging the McMahon-Helmsley regime to throw whatever they had at him. Triple H, accompanied by DX and the McMahons, came out, claiming he’s bored with kicking The Rock’s ass and stating he’ll take the night off to watch the Road Dogg battle Christian. If Edge interferes in the match, Triple H will strip he and his brother of the Tag Team Titles.

Vince then grabbed the mic, announced that his son, Shane, will be the special referee for the main event at Backlash and reminded The Rock that he can’t trust anybody. The Rock’s response? A GUARAN-DAMN-TEE that Stone Cold Steve Austin was at SmackDown!

Outside the building, The Rock took off in a limo. The McMahon-Helmsley regime found two Stone Cold foam fingers on the front of the DX Express.

Dean Malenko’s actions on HEAT earned him another shot at Scotty Too Hotty’s Light Heavyweight Championship in a match that couldn’t wait until Backlash. Malenko attacked Scotty before the bell, and was aggressive throughout the bout until Scotty blocked Malenko’s attempt at a superplex and nailed the challenger with a missle dropkick. But Scotty’s best efforts went for naught when Malenko used the ropes for leverage to steal a pin to regain the Light Heavyweight belt.

Back in the DX bus, Triple H received a page that read 3:16. Mr. McMahon suddenly felt a little uneasy.

T & A tuned up for their Backlash match against the Dudley Boyz with a bout against the Holly cousins. But the Dudleys had their eyes on Trish from backstage. Hardcore went to finish off Albert with a splash, but was overruled by an overzealous Crash, who subsequently missed his attempt. A flying elbow from Test finished off Crash, but things were far from over. The Dudleys attacked T & A with chairs and Buh Buh Ray dragged Trish to the ring. Buh Buh was poised to finally drive Trish through a table, but she escaped again by caressing Buh Buh into another trance! Albert then took Buh Buh for a ride and through the awaiting table.

Backstage, the McMahon-Helmsley regime reassured Mr. McMahon by agreeing to search for Austin’s whereabouts. But things were far from reassuring after Shane and Mr. McMahon found a cardboard cutout of the Texas Rattlesnake and beat it up.

The team of Chris Jericho and Tazz faced Perry Saturn and Intercontinental Champion, Chris Benoit. Jericho gained the momentum heading into his title shot at Backlash after pinning Benoit with his springboard moonsault.

More McMahon panic as Shane tripped and fell on a pile of beer cans.

The match between Christian and the Road Dogg began outside the ring with a Road Dogg attack. Back in the ring, Christian took control until Road Dogg grounded him with a clothesline. The D-O Double G made a serious statement by beating Christian with the pumphandle slam but continued to assault him after the match. As a result, the referee reversed the decision and awarded the bout to Christian.

Backstage the McMahon-Helmsley regime heard noises coming from a closed room. Thinking it was Austin, Triple H busted down the door, only to find, a JVC KaBoom Box blaring the sound of Stone Cold’s theme off of Aggression. The KaBoom Box became the target of Triple H’s fury.

Hell bent on softening up the Big Show before Backlash, Kurt Angle recruited the Big Boss Man and Bull Buchanan to help him get the job done. The Big Show countered with the help of Rikishi Phatu for a three-on-two Handicap Match. Unfortunately for Angle, the Big Show will be at 100 percent come Sunday as he finished off Buchanan with a chokeslam after Rikishi’s “Stinky Face.” To make doubly sure, the Acolytes thwarted Angle and Co.’s post-match efforts by running them back to the locker room. Show and Rikishi then donned the shades and busted the move.

Triple H and Shane attacked someone in the men’s room who they thought was Austin, but it was a bald facility worker in the wrong place at the wrong time.

It was the Hardcore Championship match that stole the show as Jeff Hardy challenged his brother, Matt. What made it more insane was the involvement of Tazz, Saturn, Hardcore and Crash Holly. Crash interfered, hit Matt in the head with the lid of a trash can and regained the Hardcore belt per the 24-7 stipulation.

Mr. McMahon received a special delivery: Four yards of cement to be poured on a Corvette!

Mr. McMahon and Triple H accused Jim Ross of talking to Stone Cold on his cell phone. J.R. said he was just talking to his cousin!

Steve Blackman, sans Al Snow, went one-on-one with the Godfather. The pimp went to finish off Blackman until Snow hit the Godfather with numchucks, causing the disqualification.

In the back, the McMahons and Triple H heard a haunting rattling sound from underneath a leather jacket. With horror, Shane discovered it was a live rattlesnake!

An on-edge McMahon-Helmsley regime hit the ring and demanded that Stone Cold show his face. After an anxious few minutes, Triple H called out The Rock. The “Great One” answered and stood at the entrance ramp, saying he always keeps his promises. Suddenly, Stone Cold appeared, seated in a crane outside the building, and claimed that the only side he’ll be on at Backlash is his own! With a stunned McMahon-Helmsley regime looking on, Austin dropped a cinderblock on the DX Express, causing the bus to burst into flames!