Fully Loaded 2000

Fully Loaded 2000 was the third and final Fully Loaded professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by World Wrestling Federation (WWF). It took place on July 23, 2000 at the Reunion Arena in Dallas, Texas.
The main event was a standard wrestling match for the WWF Championship. The Rock defended the title against Chris Benoit. The match stipulated that if Rock was disqualified, he would lose the title. He got disqualified. As a result, Benoit won the title. However, the WWF Commissioner Mick Foley restarted the match. Rock then pinned Benoit after a Rock Bottom to retain the title.
The undercard featured Triple H versus Chris Jericho in a Last Man Standing match, The Undertaker versus Kurt Angle, Val Venis versus Rikishi in a Steel Cage match for the WWF Intercontinental Championship, Edge and Christian versus Acolytes Protection Agency (Faarooq & Bradshaw) for the WWF Tag Team Championship, Eddie Guerrero versus Perry Saturn for the WWF European Championship, Tazz versus Al Snow and Hardy Boyz (Matt and Jeff) and Lita versus T & A (Test and Albert) and Trish Stratus in a mixed tag team match.
==Background==
Fully Loaded featured professional wrestling matches that involved different wrestlers from pre-existing feuds, plots, and storylines that were played out on Raw is War and SmackDown—World Wrestling Federation's (WWF) television programs. Wrestlers portrayed a villain or a hero as they followed a series of events that built tension, and culminated in a wrestling match or series of matches.
The main rivalry heading into the event was between The Rock and Chris Benoit over the WWF Championship. At King of the Ring, Rock won the title from Triple H in a six-man tag team match, when Rock and his partners The Undertaker and Kane defeated McMahon-Helmsley Faction (Triple H, Vince and Shane McMahon). On July 3 edition of Raw is War, the WWF Commissioner Mick Foley announced that Rock would defend the title against Shane McMahon later that night. Rock defended the title against McMahon in the main event, which was interrupted by Benoit, who attacked Rock during the match. On July 10 edition of Raw is War, Rock and Benoit competed in a standard wrestling match. Although Benoit seemingly won the match after McMahon's interference, but the referee Earl Hebner disqualified Benoit, due to McMahon's interference. On July 13 edition of SmackDown, Foley forced Benoit to wrestle Eddie Guerrero and Chyna in a Handicap match. Benoit lost by disqualification again and attacked Hebner, causing Rock to offer Benoit, a WWF Championship title shot at Fully Loaded.
Another predominant rivalry heading into the event was between Triple H and Chris Jericho. At King of the Ring, Jericho kissed Triple H's storyline wife Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley, resulting in McMahon, costing him the King of the Ring tournament quarter-final match against Kurt Angle. On June 26 edition of Raw is War, Jericho's match with Triple H's faction D-Generation X member X-Pac was interrupted when Triple H and DX attacked Jericho. Later that night, Jericho interfered in a Triple Threat match pitting Triple H against The Rock and Kurt Angle. Jericho attacked Triple H, costing him the match. On June 29 edition of SmackDown, McMahon demanded the WWF Commissioner Mick Foley to make a match between Triple H and Jericho that night. Foley responded by making a six-man tag team match, pitting Triple H and his DX teammates Road Dogg and X-Pac against Jericho and Dudley Boyz (Bubba Ray and D-Von). DX won the match. On July 3 edition of Raw is War, Foley announced that Jericho and Triple H would wrestle in a match at Fully Loaded. On July 17 edition of Raw is War, Foley made Jericho and Triple H's match, a Last Man Standing match.
A third predominant rivalry heading into the event was between The Undertaker and Kurt Angle. On July 3 edition of Raw is War, Angle helped his Team ECK teammates Edge and Christian in retaining the WWF Tag Team Championship against The Undertaker and Kane, by attacking Undertaker and getting them disqualified. After the match, he apologized for hurting Undertaker. However, on July 10 edition of Raw is War, an enraged Undertaker challenged Angle to a match but Angle proposed the match to take place at Fully Loaded and escaped on a scooter. This made an official match between the two at Fully Loaded.
At King of the Ring, Edge and Christian defeated defending champions Too Cool (Grand Master Sexay and Scotty 2 Hotty), Hardy Boyz (Matt and Jeff) and T&A (Test and Albert) in a Four Corners Elimination match to win the WWF Tag Team Championship. On July 10 edition of Raw is War, Edge and Christian were scheduled to defend the Tag Team Championship against Acolytes Protection Agency (Faarooq and Bradshaw) but they got themselves out of the title match when Christian faked that he was sick. Edge agreed to compete in a singles match against Bradshaw, which Edge won. On July 13 edition of SmackDown, Edge once again refused to defend the Tag Team Championship against APA, as Edge claimed that he had been injured after being attacked by The Rock. As a result, Faarooq and Christian competed in a singles match, which Faarooq won, but after the match, Edge and Christian attacked Faarooq. On July 17 edition of Raw is War, the WWF Commissioner Mick Foley announced that Edge and Christian would defend the title against APA at Fully Loaded.
At King of the Ring, Hardy Boyz and T & A competed in a Four Corners Elimination match for the WWF Tag Team Championship, won by Edge and Christian. On July 2 edition of Sunday Night Heat, T & A and their valet Trish Stratus defeated Hardy Boyz and their valet Lita in a six-person elimination tag team match. On July 3 edition of Raw is War, Lita and Stratus managed their respective clients Jeff Hardy and Val Venis in a match, which Venis won after interference by Tazz. This continued as Hardy Boyz and T & A continued to interfere in each other's matches while Lita and Stratus also continued their rivalry, leading to a six-person tag team match between the teams of T & A and Stratus and Hardy Boyz and Lita at Fully Loaded.
At King of the Ring, Rikishi defeated Val Venis in the semifinal round match of the King of the Ring tournament. After the match, Venis attacked Rikishi, further injuring him. On July 6 edition of SmackDown, Venis defeated Rikishi, after interference by Tazz, to win the WWF Intercontinental Championship. Venis and Rikishi competed in several matches against each other, leading to a Steel Cage match between the two for the Intercontinental Championship at Fully Loaded.
On July 17 edition of Raw is War, Dean Malenko challenged Divas Jacqueline and Ivory and offered to defend the WWF Light Heavyweight Championship, but Chyna answered the challenge and Eddie Guerrero managed her. During the match, Malenko's The Radicalz teammate Perry Saturn interfered by attacking Guerrero, causing Chyna to leave the ring and check on Guerrero. She got counted-out. As a result, Malenko retained the title. On July 20 edition of SmackDown, Guerrero defeated Malenko and Saturn in a Triple Threat match to retain the WWF European Championship. After the match, Saturn attacked Guerrero. On July 23 edition of Sunday Night Heat, the WWF Commissioner Mick Foley announced that Guerrero would defend the European Championship against Saturn at Fully Loaded.
==Event==
Before the event aired live on pay-per-view, a Sunday Night Heat pre-show aired featuring four matches. In the first match, Taka Michinoku defeated Essa Rios by pinning him after performing a Double Underhook Brainbuster, which he calls Michinoku Driver. In the second match, Steve Blackman defeated Funaki to retain the WWF Hardcore Championship by pinning him after hitting him with a kendo stick. In the third match, Dean Malenko defeated Crash Holly to retain the WWF Light Heavyweight Championship by pinning him after performing a Powerslam. In the final match of the show, Dudley Boyz (Bubba Ray and D-Von) defeated Lo Down (D'Lo Brown and Chaz) when D-Von pinned Chaz after performing a Flapjack Cutter Combination, which they call 3D.
===Preliminary matches===
The first match was a six-person mixed tag team match pitting Hardy Boyz (Matt and Jeff) and Lita against T&A (Test and Albert) and Trish Stratus. T & A dominated earlier part of the match by using their size and strength against Hardy Boyz, until Hardy Boyz took control of the match by using their speed and used high-flying moves. The match went back and forth, as both Divas Lita and Stratus were tagged into the match on numerous occasions. Hardy Boyz started dominating the match when Jeff performed a High-Angle Senton Bomb, which he calls Swanton Bomb, on Test, and Matt performed a Front Facelock into Cutter, which he calls Twist of Fate, on Albert. Lita was then tagged in, who hit numerous maneuvers on T & A, until Stratus was tagged in. She hit several moves on Lita, until Lita finished Stratus with a Superplex and performed a Moonsault, which she called Litasault, to win the match. After the match, T & A attacked Hardy Boyz while Stratus whipped Lita with her leather belt.
The second match was a standard wrestling match between Al Snow and Tazz. Snow dominated earlier part of the match by hitting several moves on Tazz before going for Head. Tazz took advantage of the situation and attacked on Snow's left knee and injured it. Tazz focused on Snow's injured leg and continued to attack it throughout the match. Tazz proceeded by suplexing Snow, and tried to apply a Half Nelson Choke, which he called Tazzmission, but Snow countered it. However, Tazz applied Tazzmission again and hurt Snow, forcing him to tap out.
The next match was a standard wrestling match for the WWF European Championship. Eddie Guerrero defended the title against Perry Saturn. Before the match started, Guerrero's valet Chyna knocked down Saturn before chasing Saturn's valet Terri out of the arena. Guerrero began the offensive as Saturn was knocked outside and taken down by Chyna. Guerrero took advantage of the situation by dominating Saturn throughout the match. After a back and forth match, Guerrero eventually knocked Saturn outside the ring, who attacked Chyna outside the ring. Terri came back while Saturn used her as a shield. She kicked Guerrero in the groin while Saturn tossed Guerrero into the ring and performed a Diving Elbow Drop on Guerrero to win the European Championship.
The fourth match was a tag team match for the WWF Tag Team Championship. Edge and Christian defended the titles against Acolytes Protection Agency (Faarooq and Bradshaw). Prior to the match, Christian had been declared unable to compete due to food poisoning, but Commissioner Foley ordered the match to take place after discovering Christian's deception. As the match started, Acolytes started attacking Edge and Christian. Christian tried to attack a high-flying attack on Bradshaw but Bradshaw countered it by performing a Fallaway Slam. Acolytes continued to dominate the match and the big men overpowered Edge and Christian throughout the match by using their size and strength and power moves until Edge hit Faarooq with the Tag Team Championship belt. As a result, Edge and Christian were disqualified and retained the title as a title could not change hands on a disqualification. Acolytes attacked Edge and Christian after the match and continued to attack them throughout the ringside area and the backstage area.
The next match was a Steel Cage match for the WWF Intercontinental Championship. Val Venis defended the title against Rikishi. As the match started, both men tried to escape the cage on numerous occasions and stopped each other from escaping the cage. Rikishi eventually performed a Seated Senton, which he called Banzai Drop to get a near-fall. Venis's valet Trish Stratus interfered in the match by smashing the door of the cage into Rikishi's head. Venis took advantage and performed a Diving Splash, which he called Money Shot, on Rikishi for a near-fall. Lita then came out and avenged the earlier attack by attacking Stratus with her leather belt. Rikishi took advantage and performed a Diving Splash onto Venis from the top of the cage. Rikishi was injured a lot and he slowly started moving for the cage door to escape but Tazz interfered in the match by entering the cage and attacking Rikishi with a television camera. Venis took advantage and pinned Rikishi to retain the Intercontinental Championship.
===Main event matches===
The sixth match was a standard wrestling match between The Undertaker and Kurt Angle. Undertaker rode on his motorcycle during Angle's entrance and started attacking him in the ringside area. Undertaker and Angle fought each other in the ringside area before entering the ring where Undertaker dominated Angle by attacking him with maneuvers and stopped his own pinfall attempts by pulling up Angle. Angle eventually gained control in the match by attacking Undertaker's leg and working on it. Undertaker tried to perform a Chokeslam on Angle but Angle recovered it by attempting to perform a submission maneuver on Undertaker's leg. However, Undertaker countered it and chokeslammed Angle and followed by performing an Elevated Powerbomb, which he calls Last Ride, to win the match.
The final match on the undercard was a Last Man Standing match between Chris Jericho and Triple H. Throughout the match, Triple H attacked in Jericho's chest and ribs and tried to injure him and used many of his maneuvers to knock out Jericho but Jericho got up after being nearly defeated. Jericho and Triple H continued to exchange maneuvers and used several foreign objects on each other. Jericho eventually made Triple H bleed by attacking with chair shots on Triple H's head. Triple H eventually tried to escape the ring and Jericho chased him outside the ring and was thrown into the steel steps. Triple H then tried to perform a Double Underhook Facebuster, which he called Pedigree, on Jericho onto the steel steps but Jericho countered it and then both Jericho and Triple H attacked each other with monitors and were nearly knocked out. The two eventually returned to the ring where Triple H tried to hit Jericho with a Pedigree, but Jericho countered it into an Elevated Boston Crab, which he calls Walls of Jericho. Triple H tapped out but the match could not end in a submission, so Jericho did not release the hold. Triple H went for the ropes and caught hold of them but Jericho did not release it and brought Triple H inside the ring where Triple H's storyline wife Stephanie McMahon interfered and broke the hold. As a result, Jericho applied Walls of Jericho on McMahon, allowing Triple H to hit Jericho with a sledgehammer. Jericho eventually grabbed the sledgehammer and attacked Triple H in the ribs until both of them fell into a table. Triple H suplexed Jericho into it and both men fell down. Triple H got up at 9 count while Jericho stayed down until 10 count. As a result, Triple H won.
The main event was a standard wrestling match for the WWF Championship. The Rock defended the title against Chris Benoit. The title could change hands on a disqualification. Benoit and Shane McMahon taunted Rock by coming to the ring with his shirt and sunglasses. Rock and Benoit wrestled in a back and forth match, with both men attacking each other with several maneuvers. Benoit eventually performed a Diving Headbutt on Rock but was hurt and was unable to go and attempt a pinfall. This allowed Rock to perform a Spinebuster and The People's Elbow on Benoit, but McMahon distracted the referee, allowing Benoit to kick out at 2. Benoit continued to attack Rock until Rock brought a chair into the ring to attack Benoit but dropped it. However, McMahon brought another chair into the ring and hit the referee with it. Rock mocked Benoit by applying The Cripler Crossface and Benoit tapped out to the hold. However, as the referee recovered, he disqualified Rock because he did not see McMahon hitting him with the chair. As a result, Benoit won the title but the WWF Commissioner Mick Foley came out and restarted the match. Rock and Benoit continued to battle each other until Rock performed a Rock Bottom to win the match and thus retained the WWF Championship.
==Aftermath==
The rivalry between The Rock and Chris Benoit slowly died, as Shane McMahon formed a villainous alliance consisting of Benoit, Kurt Angle, a returning Big Show and Edge and Christian. Shane's faction started dominating WWF, as Big Show took out The Undertaker on July 24 edition of Raw is War, Benoit took out Chris Jericho on July 27 edition of SmackDown and Edge and Christian took out Jeff Hardy on July 31 edition of Raw is War. On August 3 edition of SmackDown, Big Show and Benoit defeated The Rock and Kane in a tag team match and Big Show took out Kane after the match by chokeslamming him through a hole in the stage. However, the faction started losing its domination on August 7 edition of Raw is War when Jericho cost Benoit a WWF Championship title shot in a No Disqualification match against Rock and Undertaker attacked Big Show after a six-man tag team match pitting Matt Hardy and Acolytes Protection Agency (Faarooq and Bradshaw) against Big Show, Edge and Christian. On August 10 edition of SmackDown, Jeff Hardy returned as Hardy Boyz (Matt and Jeff) and Dudley Boyz (Bubba Ray and D-Von) attacked Edge and Christian after Edge and Christian retained the WWF Tag Team Championship against Dudley Boyz by getting disqualified. As a result of the circumstances, on August 17 edition of SmackDown, a Two out of three falls match was announced between Benoit and Jericho to take place at SummerSlam and the WWF Commissioner Mick Foley announced that Edge and Christian would defend the Tag Team Championship against Dudley Boyz and Hardy Boyz in a Tables, Ladders and Chairs match at SummerSlam. At SummerSlam, Benoit defeated Jericho in a Two out of three falls match. Later that night, Edge and Christian defeated Hardy Boyz and Dudley Boyz in the first-ever Tables, Ladders and Chairs match to retain the title.
On July 31 edition of Raw is War, the WWF Commissioner Mick Foley scheduled Triple H and Trish Stratus against The Rock and Lita in a mixed tag team match. Triple H was teaching Stratus a move in the backstage, to which Triple H's storyline wife Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley suspected Triple H on having an affair with Stratus, that angered Stephanie. Later that night, Rock and Lita defeated Triple H and Stratus, and after the match, Rock put Triple H onto Stratus. On August 3 edition of SmackDown, Triple H apologized to Stephanie and informed her that she was his true love. Stephanie forgave him and the two embraced. Foley announced that Triple H, Stephanie and Kurt Angle would compete against Dudley Boyz and Lita in a six-person mixed tag team match. Triple H, Angle and Stephanie won the match and after the match, Triple H became jealous of Angle when Stephanie hugged Angle after winning the match. On August 7 edition of Raw is War, Triple H and Angle both requested Foley to be considered for a WWF Championship match and Foley announced that the two would compete against each other to determine the #1 contender for the title. Later that night, Chris Benoit and Shane McMahon demanded Chris Jericho to be punished for costing Benoit, a WWF Championship title shot against The Rock. Foley responded by adding Jericho into the #1 contender's match. The match ended controversially, as both Angle and Triple H pinned Jericho. After the match, The Rock attacked Angle, Triple H, & Stephanie McMahon with Rock bottoms. On August 10 edition of SmackDown, Foley announced that Rock would defend the title against Angle and Triple H in a Triple Threat match at SummerSlam. At SummerSlam, Rock defeated Angle and Triple H in a Triple Threat match to retain the title.
==Results==
*The Hardy Boyz (Matt and Jeff) and Lita defeated T & A (Test and Albert) and Trish Stratus in a Mixed Tag Team match (13:12)
*Tazz defeated Al Snow (5:20)
*Perry Saturn (with Terri) defeated Eddie Guerrero (with Chyna) to win the WWF European Championship (8:10)
*The Acolytes (Faarooq and Bradshaw) defeated Edge and Christian by disqualification in a WWF Tag Team Champions match (5:29)
*Val Venis defeated Rikishi in a Steel cage match to retain the WWF Intercontinental Championship (14:10)
*The Undertaker defeated Kurt Angle (7:34)
*Triple H defeated Chris Jericho in a Last Man Standing match (23:11)
*The Rock defeated Chris Benoit to retain the WWF Championship (22:09)
==Other on-screen talent==
;Commentators
*Jim Ross
*Jerry Lawler
*Carlos Cabrera
*Hugo Savinovich
;Ring announcer
*Howard Finkel	
;Referees
*Mike Chioda
*Chad Patton
*Jack Doan
*Jimmy Korderas
*Teddy Long
*Tim White
*Earl Hebner
==See also==
*List of WWE pay-per-view events
*WWE Event History
*Fully Loaded
==DVD release==
* Fully Loaded 2000 on DVD
==External links==
* Fully Loaded 2000 at CAGEMATCH.net
* Fully Loaded 2000 at Online World of Wrestling
* on WWE Network
Category:World Wrestling Entertainment pay-per-view events
Category:Fully Loaded
Category:2000 pay-per-view events
Category:Events with Steel Cage matches
Category:Events with Last Man Standing matches