Smackdown!
Nashville, Tenessee
December 28, 2000

Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley and Jim Ross were backstage in the locker room as SmackDown! kicked off from Nashville, Tenn. J.R. asked Stephanie what she wanted, and Stephanie said that she was planning to give a mission statement on the final SmackDown! of the year 2000. She said she knew J.R. had a big mouth, and he would be sure to spread her word to audiences around the world, so her name would be synonymous with greatness, like her father's and her husband. She promised that the name Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley would be emblazened in the minds of everyone before the end of the night. She said she would start by extracting revenge against Chris Jericho, putting him in a Handicap Match against Edge & Christian. She then made a World Wrestling Federation Championship match between Kurt Angle and Buh Buh Ray Dudley. Oddly, Stephanie then made a Handicap Match with Rock & Undertaker against Rikishi! Stephanie said that tonight was her night, and that she had some resolutions to make -- but she would reveal them later, instead of to J.R.!

The opening match on SmackDown! was the first Handicap Match, as Y2J faced off with Edge & Christian, the Federation Tag Team Champions. Prior to the match, Jericho said that he would make it his New Year's resolution to never call Stephanie names again! But since it wasn't New Years yet, Y2J decided to get his money's worth, and he called Stephanie a filthy, dirty, disgusting, brutal, bottom-feeding, trashbag ho! Jericho had the match won on several occasions, but Edge & Christian used the numbers game to their advantage. Stephanie soon ran to ringside to distract Jericho. Christian then snuck up behind Y2J and hit him with the impaler for the win! After the match, Edge & Christian held Jericho down, and Stephanie slapped him across his face!

After the break, Stephanie congratulated Edge & Christian on their win. The Tag Champions told Stephanie that it was a pleasure to defend her honor.

Chris Benoit then defended his Intercontinental Championship against Matt Hardy. Ultimately, Matt went for a tornado DDT from the top rope, but Benoit reversed it and locked on the crossface for the submission win.

As the Undertaker arrived at the arena, Coach approached him and asked about the Handicap Match that night. Taker simply said that payback would be a bitch.

Footage then aired of Val Venis and Ivory of the Right to Censor dressed up as Jim Ross and Chyna, in a parody of the emotional interview with the Ninth Wonder of the World which aired on RAW. Val and Ivory insinuated that Chyna's severe injury was a good thing, since she would no longer be able to corrupt the minds of America's youth.

Backstage, Kurt Angle and Stephanie watched footage from Monday's RAW of Buh Buh Ray Dudley powerbombing Angle's brother Eric through a table. As the champion walked to the ring for the championship match, Angle said that Buh Buh broke his No. 1 rule when he put his hands on Angle's family. As Stephanie watched on, Buh Buh came within an eyelash of becoming Federation Champion after DDTing Angle onto the championship belt! Eventually, Kurt retained his title after a low blow and a small package.

After the match, an irate Buh Buh Ray assaulted Angle until Edge & Christian came down for the save. But D-Von Dudley came down to save his brother. Buh Buh then told D-Von to get the table, but after a distraction by Edge & Christian, it was Buh Buh Ray who went through the table, after being given an Olympic slam by Angle!

Backstage, The Rock arrived at the arena.

Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley then headed to the ring. She said her resolution was to get what she deserved -- the respect of the Federation Superstars. She said that her father was Vince McMahon -- the owner of the company -- and her husband was Triple H -- the greatest superstar of all time. She said her resolution had already started to come to life.

Suddenly, the sound of breaking glass filled the arena, and Stone Cold Steve Austin walked to the ring to interrupt Stephanie's speech! The Texas Rattlesnake told Stephanie that no one gave a rat's ass about her New Year's resolution. He said there was only one thing he wanted -- a shot at the World Wrestling Federation Championship! Austin said he was done playing games, and that he wouldn't step foot in the ring for a match again until he got a title match against Kurt Angle!

Stephanie denied Austin his title shot, saying she didn't think he deserved one. But when Stone Cold asked the crowd if he deserved a title shot, they responded with a loud "Hell Yeah!" Stephanie said that her opinion overrides the 18,000 people in the arena, and he would not receive his title shot.

Since he wasn't getting his shot, Austin said he would drown his sorrows with a few beers. The Rattlesnake busted open a Steveweiser in the ring and took a few sips, and then he asked Stephanie if she liked beer. He then handed her a beer and toasted to her -- spilling beer all over her outfit! Stone Cold then said that normally he didn't like to waste a perfectly good beer, but he would make an exception in this case -- and the Rattlesnake then poured an entire can of beer over Stephanie's head!

After the commercial break, Stephanie cried backstage about having been humiliated by Stone Cold moments earlier. In a moment eerily reminiscent of her father, she screamed, "I'm Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley -- dammit!"

Next up, Faarooq, Bradshaw and Jacqueline took on Bull Buchanan, the Goodfather and Ivory of the Right to Censor in six-person tag team action. Ivory won the match for her team with a roll-up. After the match, the Right to Censor continued their assault until "The One" Billy Gunn made the save.

Backstage, Test asked Albert what he was thinking on Monday night, buttering up to Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley. Albert said that he was heeding Vince McMahon's advice -- Don't cross the boss. Test said that the problem wasn't with he or Albert, but with Trish. Test then asked Albert where Trish was, and Albert said he had gotten an answering machine message from her, saying she was home for the holidays. Test then suggested that maybe she meant Vince McMahon's home.

The new Hardcore Champion -- Raven -- walked to the ring and talked about how he left Steve Blackman and Bob Holly lying on RAW, thanks to what he called the "Raven effect." Raven seemed disgusted about having to make his first title defense againt Jeff Hardy on SmackDown! The match was intense and brutal -- at one point, Jeff even brought a ladder into the ring! Raven would retain the title, however, following a DDT. After the match, Raven left through the crowd, obviously concerned about the 24-7 rule.

Kevin Kelly interviewed Rikishi about his Handicap Match against Rock and Undertaker. Rikishi said that whatever he did to Rock and Taker in the ring was hanging over Stephanie's head.

T&A then took on Too Cool in tag-team action. Too Cool had the match won after Grand Master Sexay hit the Hip Hop Drop on Albert. But with the official distracted, Test hit a top-rope elbow on Sexay, allowing Albert to get the pinfall. But after the match, Albert turned on his partner, brutally attacking Test, as Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley watched on and smiled! As Albert left, he screamed that he didn't need Test anymore!

Kevin Kelly caught up with The Rock backstage. The People's Champion said he had three New Years resolutions -- to once again become Federation Champion, to be the greatest man in sports-entertainment and to get Kevin a sex change!

The main event on SmackDown! was the Handicap Match putting Rock and Undertaker against Rikishi ... or so we thought! Even though it was indeed a Handicap match, the match was changed from one-on-two to three-on-two, when just prior to the match, Stephanie gave Rikishi two partners -- Kane and William Regal! Despite being outnumbered, The Rock picked up the win for his team, pinning Regal after a DDT. But after the match, the three men destroyed Rock and Taker. Stephanie laughed menacingly as SmackDown! went off the air