#107: The Rock vs. Triple H, WWE Judgment Day (5/21/2000).
This is a 60 Minute Iron Man Match for Rock's WWE Championship, with Shawn Michaels as the special guest referee.
In 2000, WWE booked their second ever Iron Man match, between two of the promotion's biggest and brightest young stars. At Backlash the previous month, The Rock overcame the odds of the McMahon/Helmsley regime to defeat Triple H to regain the WWE Championship. In typical Triple H fashion, he wanted a rematch. But this time, it would be in a 60 Minute Iron Man match. For The Game, this wasn't just about regaining his prized possession - this was about finding out who truly was the better man. He questioned if Rock could even hang in the ring that long.
Leading to the event, Commissioner Shawn Michaels returned to WWE, and announced himself as the guest referee for the match. Makes sense, since Shawn himself won the inaugural Iron Man match at WrestleMania 12 against Bret Hart. Triple H reminds Shawn that even though they have a past together in DX, he will not hesitate to hurt his friend if he doesn't call the match the way it should be called.
Rock, meanwhile, reminds Shawn of the last time he refereed a title match between he and Triple H: on Smackdown, in 1999, when Shawn superkicked Rock and cost him the match. He also promises an ass whipping should any shenanigans appear. Anticipation was high for this match. Could these two tremendous athletes compete in such a high bar match like this?
The bell rings, and the hour has started. Both men start out by staring the other down, and talking some trash. They get face to face, as Jim Ross talks of how much has happened in this rivalry between the two young studs. Both men lock up, and neither man gets the advantage first. They trade control in the corner, and they shove each other back. The crowd is popping big, and these guys aren’t even doing much yet!
The Rock gets a side headlock in on Triple H, and The Game gets out of it, grabbing the wrists of the champion and pushes him to the mat. The Rock stands himself back up and goes to do the same to Triple H, before going back to the side headlock. Rock with several shoulder tackles and a roll up attempt, and Triple H rolls to the outside. Shawn holds Rock back, as Triple H gets back into the ring. They lock up once again, and now Triple H looks to control the pace with a side headlock.
A shoulder tackle follows, and Rock gives Triple H a hard right hand, which sends the challenger to the outside again. Triple H argues with Shawn, who insists on counting. Shawn tells him he has to count, showing how fair he’s being so far. Both men circle each other again, and another lock up sees Rock get the side headlock again. Triple H goes for a leapfrog, and Rock knocks him down with a punch. He sends Triple H into the corner, but The Game explodes out with a clothesline.
He twists the arm of Rock, attacking the shoulder now. Hard right hand follows. Triple H gets the arm of Rock tied up, as he looks to cause more damage. Rock is back to his feet, and he punches at Triple H. He sends him off the ropes, and Triple H comes back with an armbar takedown. Now on the mat, he goes back to hyperextending the arm. Rock gets back to his feet and he sends Triple H into the corner. Rock unloads with punches to The Game, before sending him into the ropes. Triple H hits a knee to the head, and then Rock catches him in the Rock Bottom out of nowhere! Shawn counts, and Rock gets the first fall!
Score: The Rock (1), Triple H (0).
Triple H rolls to the outside, and Rock follows him quickly. He brings Triple H up towards the entrance way, and sends his head into the barricade. Now he brings him back to ringside and sends him into the barricade again. Now going back up the entrance way, Triple H looks to fight back by punching Rock in the gut. Rock sends him into the steel barricade next. Triple H reverses Rock and drops him chest first on the barricade. Triple H smashes his head off the barricade, followed by some punches.
He goes to drive a knee into Rock’s body, but the champion moves and Triple H hits his knee off the top. He’s able to recover and get Rock back into the ring. Rock grabs Triple H and suplexes him into the ring from the apron. He brings Triple H to the ring post and swings his leg into the steel post. Next, he swings it into the apron. Rock lifts Triple H up and drops him knee first into the steel steps! Rock is more calculated here than normal. I love it!
Rock stomps at Triple H’s leg, and brings him down with a shoulder tackle. Rock gets the Figure Four Leglock in on Triple H in the middle of the ring! Jim Ross talks on commentary about how much energy Triple H is expending to reverse the hold, and how that will play a factor in the later parts of the match. He does indeed reverse the pressure, and both men get to the bottom rope to break the hold. Both men are on the outside now, and Rock sends Triple H’s head into the announcer’s table. Triple H irish whips Rock into the barricade, and follows with a clothesline.
Triple H tosses Rock over the barricade, and they fight among the fans now. Shawn is right there with them. Triple H back body drops Rock back over the barricade. He brings Rock back into the ring, and he stomps at Rock’s head. He gets a suplex in, and follows with a series of standing elbow drops to the chest. He gets several nearfalls off of Rock, as he uses his upper body strength to try and hold Rock’s arms down. Triple H attacks Rock in the corner, and the champion tries to fight back by attacking the knee of The Game.
Triple H throws Rock to the outside, and Rock hits the announcer’s table on the way out. He goes to irish whip Rock into the steel steps, but Rock counters and sends him into them knee first! Back in the ring, Rock gets Triple H’s leg hanging on the ropes, and he drops all his body weight onto it. Rock continues his assault of the leg, as he grapevines the knee to apply more pressure. Triple H rakes the eye to break the hold. He tries to fight back, and Rock once again drops Triple H’s knee across his own. He goes for the Figure Four, but Triple H sends him into the turnbuckle, and then hits the Pedigree out of nowhere! Shawn counts, and that’s the next fall!
Score: Triple H (1), The Rock (1).
Triple H gets a Greco Roman chokehold on Rock next, which Shawn breaks up. Triple H punches away at Rock. He goes to send Rock into the ropes, but Rock counters and sends him instead. Triple H comes off, and gets Rock in a small package for the surprising pin!
Score: Triple H (2), The Rock (1).
Rock seems to be out of it after that initial Pedigree. He tries to fight back against Triple H, finally dropping him to the mat. Triple H grabs Rock and sends him to the outside, though. Triple H sends him head first into the barricade, and now both men head up towards the stage area. Rock is stumbling on his feet, and Triple H comes up with a hard clothesline to the back of the head. Rock irish whips Triple H into the steel stage, and hits a clothesline. Rock brings Triple H to the walk way, and goes for a suplex, but Triple H hits one instead, dropping Rock on the concrete floor.
Both men are back up, walking back to the ring. Triple H goes to grab Rock, but Rock counters with a back suplex on the floor. We reach the 30 minute mark, and this is now officially the longest match either of these men have had in their careers. Rock and Triple H continue their assault on the outside, with Rock hitting a back body drop on the concrete to Triple H. Now back in the ring, Rock stomps on Triple H’s body. A hard right hand drops the challenger to the mat. Triple H comes off the ropes with a facebuster, and then follows with a piledriver, and that’s enough for the next fall.
Score: Triple H (3), The Rock (1).
With the score this divided, the clock is now the enemy of The Rock. Triple H gets Rock in the corner and stomps away at the ribs of the champion. Rock explodes out of the corner with a clothesline. Triple H takes control back with a back elbow that drops him. Triple H goes to the top turnbuckle now, but Rock grabs his arm and drags him back down to the mat. Both men are down, as Shawn begins to count. Both men are back up, and Rock unleashes heavy right hands to the head of The Game. Triple H sends him into the opposing corner, and Rock hits a back elbow, followed by a cradle pin for a 2 count.
Triple H hits a high knee off the ropes for another close 2 count. Both men are back up, and they continue to punch at each other. Rock comes off the ropes, and Triple H gets a sleeper hold submission locked in. Triple H uses the ropes for extra leverage, and Shawn isn’t able to see it right away. Rock tries to fight out of it, and Triple H uses the ropes again. Shawn catches him and kicks his legs off the rope. He confronts Shawn about it, and Rock tries to fight back. Triple H goes for the sleeper again, but Rock counters with a belly to belly suplex.
Rock comes off the ropes with a hard DDT out of nowhere, and that’s enough for a fall!
Score: Triple H (3), The Rock (2).
Rock grabs Triple H and sends him to the outside. He bounces his head off the steel steps. He lifts Triple H up and drops him onto the timekeeper’s table. Triple H grabs a steel chair, and Shawn takes it out of his hands. Rock fights back with right hands, then sends Triple H into the steps, knocking them over. Triple H throws Rock into the barricade, but Rock comes back with a swinging neckbreaker on the floor. Back in the ring, Triple H backs into the corner, and grabs the steel chair and hits Rock right over the head with it! Shawn calls for the bell, and disqualifies Triple H!
Score: The Rock (3), Triple H (3).
Triple H immediately takes advantage of the chair shot, and pins Rock, using the ropes for extra leverage. Shawn doesn’t see it!
Score: Triple H (4), The Rock (3).
Smart heel move by The Game. Rock has been busted open by the chair shot. Triple H puts the sleeper hold back in on the Rock, and that’ll cause even more blood to pour out of his head. Rock fights his way back up to his feet, but Triple H is quick to get the sleeper back in. He puts all his weight onto Rock, and Shawn checks on him. After dropping his arm three times, Rock is out.
Score: Triple H (5), The Rock (3).
Triple H keeps the hold on, looking to get another consecutive fall, but Shawn forces him to break it by pulling him up by his hair. Triple H shoves him back several times, and Shawn shoves him right back! Rock unloads with punches to the head, sending Triple H flying into the corner, and over the ropes onto a camera man! Rock brings him back into the ring, and gets him in the corner with punches. Triple H counters with a DDT, and Rock kicks out. Triple H goes to the top rope now, and Rock runs into the ropes to drop Triple H right on his crotch. Rock punches at Triple H’s head like a punching bag, and follows him up there. Triple H headbutts him back to the mat. He goes to stand, and Rock is right back up there. He hits a Superplex from the top to the mat below! Rock barely gets a cover in, and Triple H barely kicks out. More punches from The Rock, and he clotheslines Triple H to the outside again.
He smashes Triple H’s head off the steps and drives his knee into the midsection. He catapults Triple H face first into the steel ring post. He grabs Triple H, who reverses Rock into the other set of steel steps, knocking them over now. With Rock down, Triple H now tears apart the announcer’s table. He grabs Rock and leads him over to the table. Now on top, Triple H sets up for a Rock Bottom on the table, but Rock fights back and he hits the Pedigree onto the table! It didn’t break, but Triple H’s face came right down on it!
Rock slides into the ring, as Shawn begins to count. Triple H is busted open bad now, as Shawn counts him out, giving the fall to Rock!
Score: Triple H (5), The Rock (4).
The McMahons are making their way back to ringside now. They each look concerned. Shawn begins the count again, and Triple H barely gets back inside the ring. Rock immediately punches away at Triple H in the corner, and explodes with a clothesline. Rock ducks a DDT, and hits one of his own. Shane gets on the apron to distract Rock, who knocks him down. The same thing happens to Vince. Rock hits the Spinebuster, as the crowd explodes. He pulls the elbow pad off, as X Pac and Road Dogg come down to ringside next. Rock hits the People’s Elbow to Triple H, and gets the fall!
Score: The Rock (5), Triple H (5).
The score is tied, with 2 minutes to go! Shane McMahon pulls Shawn out of the ring, and he responds with a punch to the head, along with one to Vince! Road Dogg enters the ring, and Rock knocks him down. X Pac comes in as well, as Triple H sends Rock into the ropes, knocking Shawn off the apron. Rock comes off with a Rock Bottom, as DX double teams him.
Music begins playing, and the sound of three little girls reciting a prayer plays overhead. In the ring, Triple H signals for Shane to bring in a chair, as the beatdown continues. Commentary has no clue what this music is. Shane hits Rock over the head with a chair, as the girls say “now back from the dead.” The crowd roars, as The Undertaker rides out to ringside on a motorcycle! It’s his first on screen appearance since September of 1999. He’s been out with an injury, but he’s back – and he’s a biker now!
Triple H hits the Pedigree on Rock, as Undertaker enters the ring to a massive pop. He attacks X Pac and Road Dogg, then sends Triple H to the outside! A chokeslam to Shane, as the clock returns to the screen. 35 seconds left! A hard right hand to Vince! A chokeslam to X Pac, followed by a punch to Road Dogg! Stephanie gets in the ring, and she gets grabbed for a chokeslam, but Triple H intervenes. Undertaker hits a chokeslam to Triple H, as Shawn gets back to his feet. He gets on the apron, trying to stop Undertaker, who now hits a Tombstone as the buzzer goes off! The time has expired!
Absolute chaos, as Shawn speaks to Howard Finkel. He tells him what the final decision is. Undertaker looks on from the walk way. Finkel gets on the mic and announces “ladies and gentlemen, as a result of a disqualification, due to outside interference, the winner of the fall…Triple H.” Damn. Shawn didn’t see any of the McMahon’s interference, but he saw Undertaker chokeslam Triple H with one damn second left on the clock. Due to that, Triple H has won the World Wrestling Federation Championship in a matter that many would label as controversial.
Score: Triple H (6), The Rock (5).
There’s a ton to take in from this one, so I’ll get this out of the way first. This match alone is one of my all time favorites to watch. The Iron Man Match is one of my favorite stipulations in wrestling, and I believe it was never done better than when these two pulled it off during wrestling’s hottest era. The problem with Shawn Michaels and Bret Hart’s Iron Man Match form WrestleMania 12 was the pacing. That hurt the match significantly. Here, the pacing was the best part of the match.
Everything was laid out so well, and it all made sense. The match started off slow, and gave the performers a chance to find their groove. Then, as the time went on, it got more intense, and both men got creative with how they each got falls. Having 11 total falls happen here also kept the match lively for the fans. Going 60 minutes in the first Iron Man match with no falls only works if the pace is done right, and even two great performers like Shawn and Bret couldn’t get it right – in my opinion.
How these two kept the intensity so high throughout is a testament to their abilities. Triple H doing this isn’t much of a surprise, due to the fact that he was an absolute beast around this time. But for The Rock to go the distance, and change up his offensive style, says a lot about his adaptability in the heat of the moment. I was very impressed with how Rock wrestled this match. He could’ve just punched and kicked, and busted out the same old offense of the time. But he went above and beyond to make this match that much more unpredictable.
The way that Triple H would abuse the rules to get consecutive falls was genius. It’s little things like that that can take these kinds of matches from good to great. Shawn was a fair referee here, but the intrigue of what he could do added to the suspense of the match. There was enough straight wrestling with typical Attitude Era style brawling to keep things interesting for the fans. All in all, what you have here is an exceptional contest and in my opinion, the best match of the Attitude Era. In my eyes, it was pretty close to flawless...until the final 2 minutes.
That closing section was a shit show of bad timing, and how everyone involved pulled it off the way they did is nothing short of miraculous. I don’t know who messed up the timing of the interference spots, but they should be smacked. Everything from the final fall that Rock got until the bell came off incredibly rushed, and you could tell when some of them were standing around waiting for spots. Alas, once The Undertaker made his return, you kind of forget about the chaos and just enjoy the bat shit craziness going on.
The problem with the timing was how it was presented. If you watch closely, Undertaker does indeed chokeslam Triple H with one second on the clock, which justifies the disqualification that gave Triple H the win. However, what you see on screen is Undertaker hitting the Tombstone on Triple H as the buzzer goes off, and then Shawn rings the bell. It was all very confusing, and kind of hurt the match at the very last moment. That one misstep in timing keeps this from being devoid of problems.
Even still, for 58 out of the 60 minutes presented, Triple H and The Rock absolutely knock it out of the fucking park. The Attitude Era isn’t known for long attention spans, but these two had the audience on edge for an entire hour. The wrestling was great, the brawling was done right, and a nuclear hot return at the end distracted you long enough to make you forget that even in great matches like this, the performers can lose track of time.