WWE Extreme Rules 2000
24 hours removed from Judgment Day, Monday Night RAW was live from the Conseco Fieldhouse in downtown Indianapolis. One half of the World Tag Team Champions, Shane McMahon, opened the show. McMahon said that while things didn't work out at Judgment Day, he's proud of the effort that he put up against Randy Orton and Mr. Kennedy. However, he said that he's not done with Orton yet. He wants another shot at the WWE Championship. That's when Kennedy, the other half of the World Tag champs, arrived. Kennedy said that maybe instead of Orton facing McMahon for the title, he should be facing him. "Had Randy not snuck in there and hit the RKO, I would be WWE Champion right now. So, I'm thinking...I should be the #1 contender."
Intercontinental Champion Jeff Hardy decided to make his way to the ring. "This is shaping up to be a volatile situation, J.R.!," Jerry "The King" Lawler exclaimed. Hardy said that he's been thinking about the WWE Championship for months now, but he's never gotten an opportunity for it. He was this close to winning the all-brand battle royal two weeks ago, and since McMahon and Kennedy both lost at Judgment Day, he's next in line for a title shot. RAW General Manager Jonathan Coachman interrupted the segment, stating that all three guys have a valid claim for being the #1 contender. With that in mind, he booked a Triple Threat Match for later that night. The winner would challenge Orton for the WWE Championship at the Extreme Rules pay-per-view in three weeks.
The main event was as hotly contested as the Triple Threat 24 hours ago. Orton was interviewed backstage, stating that he didn't care who his next challenge was, because they would get beaten down at Extreme Rules. Near the end of the match, McMahon and Kennedy were in a similar position as they were against Orton. Kennedy was struggling to get to his feet as McMahon prepared to attack. However, instead of charging at his partner, McMahon hesitated, then turned around to watch Hardy hit him with Whisper in the Wind. With McMahon out of the equation, Hardy hit Kennedy with a Twist of Fate, then went to the top and made contact with a Swanton Bomb. One three-count later, and Hardy was the new #1 contender. He was finally getting a chance to become the WWE Champion in three weeks. The celebration was cut short, because Orton turned Hardy around and dropped him with an RKO. RAW ended with Orton holding the title over Hardy's fallen body.
A week later, Orton called out Hardy. He stated that Hardy was a good competitor, but he wasn't WWE Championship material. "See, you're a daredevil, a risk taker. You're willing to do whatever it takes to win a match, which means you're going to make a mistake at Extreme Rules. That's when I come in, and show you why guys like me deserve to be the WWE Champion." Hardy said that he doesn't care what he has to do to beat Orton, because he will. "I'm not just going to beat you, I'm going to hurt you. And I'm going to prove to you that when there's no rules, there's nothing that can get in my way." Orton said that if Hardy really believes that, he'll give him a chance to prove it. Tonight, Hardy will face an opponent of Orton's choosing. If he wins, he'll get to pick the stipulation for their match at Extreme Rules. If he loses, Orton gets to pick. Hardy accepted, then hit Orton with a Twist of Fate.
Hardy's opponent ended up being Roman Reigns. However, he was at a disadvantage from the beginning. Orton attacked Hardy during his entrance, tossing him into the barricade and then the steel steps. Initially, it seemed like Hardy would be unable to compete, which meant that Reigns would win by forfeit. However, he got in the ring anyway. Reigns dominated the match while Orton watched it at ringside. At one point, Reigns hit Hardy with the Superman Punch, then set up for the Spear. Triple H, Reigns' opponent at Extreme Rules, made his entrance and stood on stage. Reigns was distracted long enough to give Hardy too much recovery time, and his Spear attempt was countered into the Twist of Fate. Hardy then hit the Swanton Bomb, and got the winning cover. Orton slid into the ring and tried attacking Hardy with the RKO, but for the second time that night, he was met with the Twist of Fate.
Hardy then grabbed a ladder from under the ring and slid it under the bottom rope. He then took the WWE Championship and set up the ladder. Hardy grabbed a mic and said, "So, Randy, here it is. At Extreme Rules, Jeff Hardy will be climbing a ladder...to become the WWE Champion!" Hardy then climbed the ladder and sat on top of it with the WWE title in hand, symbolizing what could happen in two weeks. "Jeff Hardy made it official. In the Ladder Match, you climb that ladder, retrieve that title, and walk out of Extreme Rules as the WWE Champion!," Jim Ross said.
With Extreme Rules only six days away, Orton opened the show as the RAW entrance stage, entranceway, and ringside area were all surrounded by ladders of various sizes. Orton said that he's not afraid of putting his body on the line in the Ladder Match, and he knows Hardy isn't afraid, either. The difference is that Orton puts his body through hell to get the job done, to win titles. Hardy puts his body through hell for the fans' entertainment, because that's all he has. "See, Jeff Hardy makes it to the highlight reel. He gives you people moments that you'll remember for the rest of your lives. But none of that's gotten him to where I am. I've been here less than five years, and I'm already a three-time world champion. Because I was meant to be a world champion. Jeff Hardy was meant to be nothing more...than a crash test dummy." Orton climbed the ladder in the middle of the ring as he told the audience what would happen this Sunday. He would climb the ladder like he's doing now, watch as Hardy destroys himself looking for his next moment, and he'll unhook the WWE Championship to retain it. And there's nothing Hardy can do about it.
In the main event, there was an Extreme Rules preview as Hardy and Triple H teamed up to face Orton and Reigns. To make it even more interesting, Coach put the match under tornado tag rules. In a tornado tag match, all wrestlers were legal at the same time. The ending came when Triple H hit a AA spinebuster on Orton, but was then met with a Spear by Reigns. Reigns went for the cover, but Hardy landed a Swanton Bomb on Reigns' back that broke up the pin. Hardy then covered Reigns for the win. RAW ended with Hardy celebrating in the ring while Orton watched him from outside the ring, nervously holding the WWE Championship. Hardy then motioned to his waist, signaling that he would win the title in six days.
At Extreme Rules, Randy Orton puts the WWE Championship on the line against Jeff Hardy in a Ladder Match. On one hand, a match like this is designed for a guy like Hardy to win. But on the other hand, this is the biggest match of his career. Can Hardy rise to the occasion and leave Extreme Rules as the new WWE Champion? Or will Orton prove that only guys like him are meant to be at the top?
