Smackdown!

Mobile, Alabama
January 11, 2001

World Wrestling Federation chairman Vince McMahon strolled to the ring as SmackDown! kicked off from Oakland, Calif. Mr. McMahon stated for the record that he had nothing to do with Stone Cold Steve Austin being screwed out of his shot at the Federation Championship on RAW IS WAR by Triple H. Mr. McMahon said that he was just as shocked as the fans were at Triple H's actions, and that he had personally reprimanded Triple H that very morning. Mr. McMahon then spoke of the history between Triple H and Stone Cold, and revealed that Stone Cold had sustained a concussion on RAW after Triple H nailed him with the lead pipe.

Mr. McMahon stated that the rivalry between Triple H and Stone Cold would end immediately. In the interest of safety, Mr. McMahon said that he had declared a 24-hour cooling off period, and told the two men not to show up at SmackDown!

The chairman then said that in the interest of fairness, he would consider putting the Rattlesnake in the 30-man Royal Rumble. Also in the interest of fairness, Mr. McMahon said that Kurt Angle would defend his Federation Championship against the No. 1 contender ... Triple H! He said he chose Triple H not because he's his son-in-law, but simply because Triple H is that damn good.

Mr. McMahon said that since neither Stone Cold nor Triple H would be in the arena, he had set it up so that the two men could join the fans via satellite on the OvalTron, although only Triple H had taken him up on his offer. He then welcomed Triple H and Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley on the OvalTron.

Mr. McMahon said he couldn't condone the Game's actions on Monday night. Triple H said he wouldn't change a thing, and that his rivalry with Stone Cold wouldn't be over until he put the Rattlesnake in a hospital bed with a broken neck, ending his career. Stephanie added that Austin had gotten what was coming to him. She then thanked her father for giving her husband the title shot. Triple H then said that Angle has only been the Federation Champion since October because he allowed him to be, and the Game promised to reclaim his title at the Rumble. Triple H then told Vince he was a genius for not allowing him and Stone Cold to be in the same building, because if they were there, Triple H said he couldn't help but kick Austin's ass once again.

Backstage, Edge & Christian searched for Kurt Angle, but the Federation Champion was nowhere to be found.

In six-man tag action, the Hardy Boyz and Billy Gunn took on Val Venis, Bull Buchanan and the Goodfather of the Right to Censor. Ultimately, Steven Richards interfered, hitting Matt Hardy with a Stevenkick, and allowing Val to pick up the pin.

Lilian Garcia interviewed the Undertaker about the Fatal Fourway main event on SmackDown!, pitting him against Rikishi, The Rock and Kane, with the winner earning the No. 30 spot in the Royal Rumble. The Taker promised to win the match, and to dominate his yard in the Rumble match.

Next up, Test took on K-Kwik. Test picked up the win after a huge boot to the face. As Test celebrated the win at the top of the entranceway, he was attacked from behind by William Regal!

In a backstage locker room, Taka and Funaki made advances towards the San Francisco Demons XFL cheerleaders!

The Coach then interviewed World Wrestling Federation Champion Kurt Angle about his match against Triple H at the Royal Rumble. Angle said he resented that people thought he would lose his title to Stone Cold on RAW. He questioned Triple H's claims that the Game had allowed him to be champion for the past three months -- after all, he pointed out that he had defeated Triple H inside Hell in the Cell.

Kurt said that the one problem he had with the match at the Royal Rumble was going against the McMahon family -- specifically, the fact that Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley would be in the Game's corner. Kurt then introduced the woman who will be in his corner at the Royal Rumble -- Trish Stratus!

In six-man tag-team action, the Dudley Boyz and Chris Jericho took on Edge, Christian and Chris Benoit. Prior to the match, Edge took off his Oakland Raider jerseys to reveal a Baltimore Ravens jersey! They said that the Ravens would "totally curbtail" the Raiders this Sunday in the AFC Championship game, and as members of the Raiders booed from ringside, they presented a five-second pose called "Any Given Sunday," showing the Raiders getting their asses kicked!

Also prior to the match, Chris Jericho demanded an Intercontinental Title match against Benoit at the Royal Rumble. Benoit accepted the challenge, and said he would give Y2J whatever kind of match he wanted, because there was no way Jericho would climb the ladder to the top of the World Wrestling Federation at his expense. Jericho said he would do just that -- and he said that the match at the Royal Rumble would be a Ladder Match!

After only about a minute of fast-paced ring action, Stone Cold Steve Austin crashed the party and knocked out all six men with chairs! He demanded that Vince McMahon come out, which the chairman did. Austin told Mr. McMahon he wanted the answer to just one question -- will Stone Cold be in the Royal Rumble match? The chairman simply replied, "You're in." The Rattlesnake then told Vince to go to the locker room and tell the other 29 superstars that he was pissed off, and that he would raise more hell in the Rumble match than ever before!

He promised to deal with Triple H after he won the Royal Rumble.

Moments later, Mr. McMahon went into his locker room, where Trish Stratus was waiting for him. Mr. McMahon said he couldn't believe everything that had happened that night. He asked Trish what she was doing, volunteering her services to be in Kurt Angle's corner. Trish admitted that she had been a very bad girl -- and said that she thought she deserved a spanking! A smiling Mr. McMahon said he definitely agreed.

The main event on SmackDown! was the Fatal Fourway match, with The Rock, Kane, Rikishi and the Undertaker going at it for the right to enter the Royal Rumble match at No. 30. Ultimately, Kane suffered a chokeslam at the hands of the Undertaker and a Rock Bottom at the hands of The Rock -- but it was Rikishi who capitalized, planting his 400-plus-pound frame on Kane's chest to earn the right to enter the Royal Rumble at No. 30! But after the match, an irate Kane destroyed his three opponents, leaving them lying in the ring as SmackDown! went off the air.