WrestleMania 2000
The night after No Way Out on RAW, it was hyped up that Edge would close the show with an address to the WWE Universe. The originally scheduled main event would instead be held at the end of the first hour. Edge cut a 20-minute promo where he blasted CEO Vince McMahon and company management, calling them "puppeteers pulling the strings of wrestlers they don't like." The fans, for the most part, were agreeing with The Rated-R Superstar. Vince then came out, pissed off beyond compare. Vince said that Edge is a son of a bitch that has no right attacking the way he or management does things. Edge accused Vince of conspiring with John Cena, RAW General Manager Jonathan Coachman, RAW Senior Referee Mike Chioda, and the WWE Board of Directors for screwing him out of the WWE Championship. Vince told Edge, "Enough's enough! You want to act like a brat out of Hell, go do it somewhere else! EDGE...YOU'RE….." Edge stopped Vince and slapped his mic out of his hand. "I know the same old song and dance. You've taken down hundreds of Superstars with that annoying catchphrase, but not me. If I'm gonna leave this company, I'm doing it on my own terms. Vincent Kennedy McMahon….I QUIT!" The fans booed in displeasure as Edge hit the Edgecution on McMahon. He waited for the WWE CEO to get up (now staggering) and easily hit him with the Spear. The WWE Universe chanted Edge's name as he told Vince, "Mark my words, Vinnie Mac. You'll NEVER see Edge in a WWE ring….AGAIN!"
This was a worked shoot, according to Kevin Eck's Ring Posts. After the events of No Way Out (where Edge was eliminated first in the WWE Championship Elimination Chamber Match) Edge stormed into Vince's office and threatened to sue him for talent mismanagement. Apparently, Edge and Vince never agreed on him being the first eliminated, or even that early. Vince then told Edge to clean up and if he wanted to attack Randy Orton for eliminating him, he could do exactly that. Chioda informed Orton of his impending elimination, and also informed Cena, The Undertaker, and the other three RAW refs (Chad Patton, Jack Doan, and John Cone) so as to avoid confusion. Once Edge told Vince of his plan, it was forwarded to everyone else. Of course, this took place off-camera so the viewers watching on PPV were oblivious to what was happening. Unfortunately, the poor cameraman wasn't informed. Edge and Vince had a long conversation over coffee about Edge's contract, and Edge admitted he doesn't have the will to wrestle anymore, at least for a while. McMahon decided to give Edge time off to address any injuries or burnouts related to wrestling, and whenever he returned, the contract extension originally anticipated for him would still be around.
Edge broke most of the silence about his contract status in a phone interview with Eck two days later, not in character. When asked if the promo on RAW was a reflection of the way he viewed his treatment in the company, Edge stated: "Yes, the promo did address some issues I had with Vince and the WWE as a whole. But I wasn't blasting the company in any way. Vince and I went over every detail hours before RAW and I wasn't around the other Superstars for most of the day, which weirded them out since I'm not a locker room loner for the most part. I think he took that attack like a true sport (laughs)." When asked if he was done with wrestling, Edge clarified: "I don't see myself wrestling for a while. I'm definitely not finished with it because it's what I've always wanted to do. But recently, that spark has disappeared. At the Royal Rumble, when Cena won the title (WWE Championship), I was relieved. I really didn't think I'd make it to WrestleMania like that (laughs). But I'm proud of everything I've achieved in the WWE so far. I'm already a two-time world champion, a two-time WWE Champion at that, beaten Hulk Hogan, and got to headline WrestleMania last year. When I do come back, I'll be refreshed and ready to take on everybody again. But mark my words, Kev: Next year, at WrestleMania 17, you'll see me in the main event. Not A main event, THE main event. That's my next goal. And I can't wait to shoot for it."
I needed to get that out of the way. Now, the REAL story begins.
The night after No Way Out, RAW kicked off with General Manager Jonathan Coachman. The Coach called out 2000 Royal Rumble winner Shawn Michaels. Michaels laid out Cena with Sweet Chin Music right after he had defended the WWE Championship inside the Elimination Chamber. And HBK stunned the wrestling universe by saying that Coachman named him the new #1 contender for the title, and that the match would take place at WrestleMania. Coachman called Michaels a liar and that there was no match with Cena ever arranged. Coachman also told Michaels that listening to Batista was a stupid idea and he deserves to not even compete on April 2. That's when Cena arrived. He told Coachman that Michaels is now in WWE Championship contention like everyone else, and should be treated as such. The RAW GM agreed and booked a blockbuster main event match for the night. It'll be Michaels, Triple H, Randy Orton, Edge, Shane McMahon, and The Undertaker in a Six-Pack Elimination Challenge. The winner would earn the right to face Cena at WrestleMania 2000 for the richest prize in sports-entertainment. However, Edge backed out because he wanted to close the show with a public address. Because of that, the main event was moved to the end of the first hour, and it became a Scramble Match. In a Scramble Match, two men kick it off. And every five minutes, another Superstar enters the match. It lasts twenty minutes, and only five men can compete in the Scramble. When a Superstar is pinned or made to submit, the Superstar who scored the decision is made the unofficial winner. After the twenty minutes are up, the Superstar with the last pinfall/submission is declared the official winner.
Triple H and Undertaker got things going. McMahon came after five minutes, Orton after ten, and Michaels after fifteen. Each man scored at least one decision. With 0:20 left on the clock, and Orton having gotten the last pinfall/submission, Undertaker attempted a Tombstone Piledriver on Triple H. But The Game countered, hit the Pedigree, and pinned The Deadman to become the interim winner. It looked like it would be best friends going up against each other for the strap on April 2. But Michaels wouldn't let that happen, as he struck Triple H with Sweet Chin Music and pinned him with 0:02 left. The timer sounded, the bell rang, and Shawn Michaels was headed to Anaheim. Entering the Royal Rumble at #1, breaking the record for longest time spent in the ring, and winning. Taking Batista's shady advice and cashing in his guaranteed WrestleMania title shot at No Way Out, yet failing to become World Heavyweight Champion. And now, beating four other guys and escaping with the victory. This has been HBK's long, exhausting road to the big dance. Triple H had his head down the whole time as he slowly walked to the back. As RAW play-by-play announcer Jim Ross pointed out, "close but no cigar" has defined the past month for The King of Kings. Cena marched down the ramp and stared down Michaels. These two would lock horns in 33 days.
Wrestling pundits and critics were split on who would win. If Cena retained, it would strengthen his title reign having beaten the Royal Rumble winner. Plus, Michaels could turn heel after the match. However, if HBK won the belt, it would be a present from the WWE for nine years of putting his body on the line. HBK, along with The Undertaker, are the last outlaws on the roster. They've been around since the Attitude Era, and they're the only ones who can truly tell you how to succeed. The WWE even knows that Michaels has worked his ass off. That's why they named him the best performer never to win a world championship at the end of 1999. HBK's promos leading up to 'Mania consisted of frustration over never getting the big one, and that while he respects Cena, and even likes him to some degree, he needs to understand that his time is up on April 2. Cena responded by claiming that he doesn't put on his dog tags, Reebok pumps, and salute to the crowd/the U.S. military every night just to fail. Cena said WrestleMania means everything to him. He works harder on that day than any other, and leaves everything in the ring. The WWE Champion called The Grandest Stage of Them All his favorite event, and that it won't matter if Michaels steals the show again, he won't walk away with the gold at the end of the night.
The feud between these two was getting personal, and it only got worse at the contract signing six days before WrestleMania. Michaels stated that he respected Cena's story, even admired it. A man who simply came into the business as a fan of it all. Not in it for the money or the publicity, but to become a legend and a respected individual. HBK went on to point out that nobody on the roster has Cena's drive, determination, company pride, will, passion, or resilience. Except for Michaels himself. HBK said that when he struts to the ring with his cowboy hat and prays to God, he has the energy of the WWE Universe with him. Unlike Cena, who will never be respected enough to even get the "Let's go Cena! Cena sucks!" chants to stop.
"This T-shirt that I've been wearing for the past eight months represents what I'm about. Hustle, loyalty, respect. That isn't a catchphrase or a marketing ploy, that is my LIFE! When my music plays and I run down the aisle, I only think of the Cenation. I only think about the people that support me and root for me with pride, not the people who don't understand what I do. Shawn Michaels, you need these people in your life, because they give you confidence. And because you've stepped on people in the past, you need the WWE Universe to give you strength. And yes, they're my strength too, but they're not the only strength. And it doesn't matter if they're telling me 'let's go' or I suck, they're expressing their opinion because they're THE DAMN UNIVERSE! Whatever you say or do, Shawn, it won't matter. Because I'm concerned about those 144 hours remaining and those 144 hours only. I'm not concerned about beating you. Because I can, and I will."
Michaels stood up and went for Sweet Chin Music, but Cena ducked and went for an FU on the signing table. But Michaels exited stage left and mocked the WWE Champion with the D-Generation-X chop. Cena did the "you can't see me" and mocked Michaels by flexing his elbows. At WrestleMania 2000, it'll be John Cena defending the WWE Championship against Shawn Michaels. Will Cena overcome yet another challenge and affirm his status to HBK as the #1 guy? Or will Michaels walk away with his first-ever world championship and prove to the West Newbury native his time is now?
