-[dramatic music playing] -[narrator] For 30 men,
no other night in their life is as important as tonight.
While 29 will fall,
one will be given the chance of a lifetime.
The chance to become World Wrestling Entertainment champion.
Most have never been there, gazing from afar at the gold,
never closer to them than the sun,
-and never as reachable as tonight. -[crowd cheering]
[narrator] This may be their only chance.
So, they will fight until the last drop of sweat hits the canvas,
until they have seized their opportunity for distinction,
or until their bodies succumb to the anguish.
There are those who have been to the top,
experiencing the WWE's most coveted prize.
But to have been to Eden, and tasted its fruit,
may be worse than never having been there at all.
Tonight these men are ravenous wolves on the hunt,
championship junkies fixated on victory.
Tonight 30 men are pitted against each other one
with singular purpose, one common goal.
If WrestleMania is the showcase of the immortals,
then tonight the Royal Rumble is the first step to ultimate glory.
-[upbeat rock music playing] -[narrator 1] And now,
1-800-COLLECT presents the WWE Royal Rumble.
[crowd cheering, applauding]
[Ross] Welcome, everyone, to the Royal Rumble!
Welcome to the Battle of the Bayou
as 17,137 have sold out
the New Orleans arena.
I'm Jim Ross alongside Jerry "The King" Lawler.
We're sold out in WWE New York.
And we welcome you, around the world,
to what should be a historic night in the annals
of the World Wrestling Entertainment.
[crowd cheering, applauding]
[Jerry] What a night this is gonna be. Are you ready to rumble?
-[dramatic music playing] -[crowd cheering, applauding]
[Ross] The tag-team championship about to be decided.
Bubba Ray and D-Von Dudley to challenge Edge and Christian,
and the Dudleys with those concussions, healing from them.
No way they are at 100%, King, but they are here,
-and the Dudleys are ready to fight. -[bell dinging]
[announcer 1] The following contest scheduled for one fall
is for the World Wrestling Entertainment tag-team championship.
In the ring, the challengers at a combined weight of 556 pounds,
D-Von, Bubba Ray, the Dudley Boyz!
[Ross] Well, King, as we remember the Dudleys were double concerto'd
last Monday night by Edge and Christian,
both suffering serious injuries from where we sat.
But Bubba Ray and D-Von are here, needless to say.
[Jerry] Well, they have always had more brawn than brains.
["You Think You Know Me" by Jim Johnston playing]
[Jerry] Uh-oh! It's time to read them off of this.
[announcer 1] Their opponents at a combined weight of 462 pounds,
the World Wrestling Entertainment tag-team champions,
-Christian and Edge. -[Ross] And last Monday night
here's exactly what we were talking about.
Edge and Christian with an assault, an attack, a mugging.
Looks like the WWE tag-team champions just gave you two the night off.
[both laughing]
[Ross] Double concerto, steel to skull, and last Thursday night on SmackDown.
[Jerry] As if D-Von wasn't unpretty enough.
[Jerry] He got a nice unprettier,
and then Bubba Ray got introduced to his own table.
-Hey, this is already started, J.R. -[bell dinging]
[Ross] Here we go. Tag-team titles on the line.
The bell has sounded, and we are officially off and running
here at the 2001 Royal Rumble.
And Edge and Christian gotta regroup here in the very early going.
[Jerry] A couple of smart champions for you.
Watch your back, fellows. Look out. Here they come.
-[Ross] Bubba Ray and D-Von… -[wrestlers grunting]
…who under normal situations would not even be competing tonight…
Come on, pussy. Come on, you punk.
…due to the heinous assault at the hands of Edge and Christian,
and those steel chairs.
[Jerry] There's absolutely nothing norm about Bubba Ray and D-Von.
You know that. You saw their parents. There's no way they could be normal.
-[Ross] Yeah, right. -[Jerry] What?
[Ross] Nice neck breaker on Edge by D-Von Dudley,
the cover and near fall.
[Jerry] You actually never thanked Edge and Christian
for the expense they went through to bring the Dudley parents here to TV.
[Ross] Oh, shame on me.
[Jerry] Right, I mean, that was-- I enjoyed meeting them.
[Ross] In my view, the Dudleys gotta end this thing quickly
if they're to have any chance of winning the tag-team titles here.
And another lateral press, and another near fall.
[Jerry] Now, why is that your view? Because they have concussed?
-[chuckling] -[Ross] Exactly, exactly.
[Jerry] They don't even know they are concussed, J.R.
[Ross] The more their heart rate gets up, the more that they are fatigued,
the more problems I believe that the Dudleys will have
with those head injuries.
There's another lateral press, and the Dudleys going for it early here.
[Jerry] J.R., I looked up it in the encyclopedia,
my medical encyclopedia that I have at home…
-[Ross] Yes? -…and the definition of a concussion
-is a bruised brain. -[Ross] Right.
[Jerry] You think the Dudleys got brains? Come on!
There's nothing to bruise in there.
[Ross] Edge and Christian, the five-time tag-team champions
have great success in big match environments.
[Jerry exclaims]
[Ross] They have won high-profile matches at SummerSlam, King of the Ring,
-and last year's WrestleMania. -[groans]
[Ross] And look at Bubba Ray already feeling…
-Eat this! [grunts] -…the effects of that assault
with the steel chairs last week, holding his head.
And the Dudleys may be operating on borrowed time.
And maybe they are not.
-Maybe this will be… -[grunts]
…the night that the Dudleys finally regain the tag-team titles.
-[groans] -[Ross] Nice sidewalk slam.
Hook of the leg, and yet another near fall.
Several near falls here in the early going of this matchup.
[Jerry] D-Von, the resemblance to his mother is amazing.
-[Ross] Will you stop that? -[Jerry] The same goatee. [laughs]
[groans]
[Jerry] J.R., are you trying to buy that wasn't really their parents?
[Ross] Bingo. Nice power slam. And D-Von again going for the cover.
-[grunts] -[Ross] Got another near fall.
[Jerry] You think Edge was lying through his multiple teeth?
-[Ross] If I-- Indeed I do. -[Jerry] Come on.
[wrestlers grunt]
[Jerry] I'm telling you-- Oh! Look at that shot!
[Jerry] Right to that head. That concussed head.
[Jerry] Boy, D-Von went down like a ton of bricks.
[D-Von] What do you think of that, Bubba. His head hurts.
-[grunts] -[Jerry laughs] Bubba is not liking that.
But I guess it's better D-Von than him right now.
-[grunts] -[Jerry] I'll tell you something, J.R.,
Edge and Christian got a point to prove here.
-[groans] -[Jerry] Whoa!
[Ross] Nice suplex by Christian.
Again dropping D-Von on the back of his head,
not bad strategy at all by the five-time tag-team champions.
-[referee 1] Cut it out! -[Jerry] Not bad?
-It reeks of awesomeness. -[groans]
[Ross] A lot about our champions reek, but that's another story for another time.
[D-Von grunts]
-[Ross] Downstairs. -[Christian grunts]
[Ross] Into the side Russian leg sweep by Christian.
[Jerry] Sometimes I think you are jealous of these young guys, J.R.
-Look at their hair, their muscle. -[Ross] Yes, it's about their hair.
And all of their teeth. All 30 or 40 of them.
-[Bubba] Come on, man! -[Jerry] Wait a minute.
-You only have 32 teeth? -[Bubba] Shut your mouth!
Edge may have a couple more, but 32 teeth?
-How many you have? I don't know. -[Ross] What'd you do?
Are you looking at Mr. Ed?
-[Bubba yells] -[Ross] Hard shot to the head by Christian
as D-Von and the tag-team champions corner here.
[clamoring indistinctly]
[Jerry laughs] Look at this.
Bubba Ray is so stupid, he's keeping the referee distracted.
[Ross] No tag made.
-[grunts] -[Ross] But referee, Mike Chioda…
[wrestlers clamoring]
…wants them to keep on cooking here with Edge and D-Von
in this tag-team championship matchup on a night where--
-No, no, no! -[Jerry] Oh, man.
[Ross] Championships will be decided here tonight,
-no doubt. Neck breaker. Cover. -Oh, hey!
[Ross] And Bubba Ray in for the save, if you will.
[Jerry] Edge and Christian,
all you gotta do is keep dropping D-Von on his head,
and eventually that brain will be more and more bruised.
That little, bitty pea brain floating around in there
-will be more and more bruised. -One, two, three, four…
[Ross] Edge and Christian, yes, with a no more, no-- non-tag.
What's so hard about tagging?
[Jerry] Well, I mean, you know, it's like a double play in baseball.
You know, you don't actually have to touch the base,
if you're there where you could touch it.
Now, anyway, same thing, they could tag but it's wasted motion.
[Ross] Snapmare takeover, the reverse chin lock.
Thirty men will enter the Royal Rumble.
No doubt there will be some surprises in that.
[Jerry] There are gonna be surprises, all right.
-Count on that. -[Bubba] Come on, D!
[wrestlers grunt]
[Ross] I got a feeling what one of those surprises may be,
but it's only speculation, and we'll--
[Jerry] What do you mean, "You got a feeling?"
What is it? Come on. Let me in on it now.
[Ross] It's just-- I'm not gonna go where you go.
It's just speculation. And we'll find that out.
-[crowd cheering] -[wrestlers grunt]
[Jerry] Look out.
Poor D-Von. There's the take-down. Legs hooked.
[Ross] And boy, that was a very close near fall.
And it would seem to me that the Dudleys are beginning
to fade here somewhat.
Certainly Bubba Ray would love to get a tag, but…
Hey, Bubba, I'm breaking him like a twig!
-[Jerry chuckles] -You're next, Bubba!
[Jerry] I love it when Edge talks trash.
-[Ross] Does it keep you aroused? -[Jerry] What?
[Jerry] What?
[Ross] Well, you said you love it. How much do you love it?
[Jerry] Well, I just like it when he talks trash
-to D-Von and Bubba Ray, you know. -[Ross] Nice tag.
Three!
[Ross] That's memorable in this match, a legal tag.
Another shot to the back of the head and neck of D-Von Dudley.
-[Jerry] J.R., these Cajuns want tables. -[groans]
[Ross] The Dudleys are famous for their tables,
no doubt about that.
[Jerry] I thought they wanted to go to the restaurant,
and have some of that famous gumbo…
that you and I enjoyed earlier today.
[Ross] Gumbo is the best in the world, in New Orleans.
Hey!
[Ross] And D-Von Dudley separated from his brother.
Punch him, punch him.
[Ross] Perhaps more ways than one as this match progresses.
-No, no, no! No! -[Ross] And attempted pile driver.
[Jerry] That would have finished D-Von off.
-[Ross] Christian up top. -[Jerry] Hey! Look out! [exclaims]
[Ross] Edge catapulted right into his brother.
-There's the roll-up on D-Von. -[Jerry] Oh, my gosh.
-[Ross] That was a near fall. -[Jerry] Uh-oh.
[Ross] And a double take-down from the clotheslines by both these men.
-[Jerry] And Christian is down as well. -One!
-[Jerry] This is bad. -Two!
[Ross] Referee, Mike Chioda, using that ten count.
[Jerry] Edge has nobody to tag.
[Ross] Which could be a benefit obviously for the champions
who cannot lose the titles in disqualification,
or-- or count-out.
-And there's the tag. -[crowd cheering]
[Ross] Bubba got the tag. Hey, wait a minute.
[Jerry] What?
[Ross] Referee didn't see the tag. He didn't see those other non-tags either.
[Jerry] I didn't see it.
[Ross] I don't call that consistent officiating in my book.
-[Jerry] Do you see those chairs? -[Ross] Wait a minute.
-Two chairs. Oh, my God, no. -[Jerry] It's the old concerto. [exclaims]
[Ross] They've got D-Von down. Double clothesline.
D-Von, you've gotta make the tag. D-Von has got to make the tag here.
-[airhorn blaring] -[crowd cheering, applauding]
-[Ross] D-Von avoided disaster… -Come on! Move!
-…and a double chair shots by ducking. -D-Von!
[Jerry] Look at Bubba Ray. He wants in there so bad he can taste it.
-He's within range. Oh, there's the tag. -[Ross] The tag finally made.
How much gas is left in the tank of the concussed Bubba Ray Dudley.
[Jerry] Well, looks like he's got the pedal to the metal.
-[groans] -[Ross] By God.
-Christian up in the lights. -[groans]
[Ross] A hot shot on Edge.
-[Jerry] Oh, no. This is really bad now. -[groans]
[Ross] Bubba bomb!
[Jerry] Hey, man, I think we're looking at concussed champions.
-[groans] -[crowd cheering, applauding]
[Jerry] Oh, no. Listen!
[Ross] Edge in a precarious position here.
-[growls] -[Jerry] Whazzap! Bubba!
Look out! No!
[Ross] The shot down south on the Pontchartrain.
-[airhorn blaring] -[Ross] Ah, here we go.
[crowd cheering, applauding]
[Jerry] I think he just ordered a table for two.
[Ross] I don't know how wise this is for D-Von to be getting that table.
Wait a minute. Christian around, trying to cut off D-Von Dudley.
[Jerry] You can't blame him. Look out.
[Ross] Edge has got the tag-team title belt.
There's the roll-up. That could be enough.
-[Jerry speaks indistinctly] -[Ross] No, no. Bubba didn't get three.
[Jerry] Two and three quarters.
-Hey, wait a minute. Unprettier time. Oh! -[Ross] But D-Von is in.
-[crowd chanting] 3D! -[Jerry] Not the 3D.
[Ross] They are looking for the 3D.
Oh, there's the spear by Edge, taking Bubba Ray out of the play.
-And a huge DDT by D-Von. -[Ross] Oh, come on! It's gonna be over.
No, no! Bubba kicked out.
[Jerry] Come on, ref. Can you count to three or not?
[Ross] Bubba Ray kicked out as the hand was coming down for three.
[Jerry] Now, wait a minute.
We have a little plan here from Edge and Christian.
They got a little show-stopper of their own.
-Oh, yeah! -[crowd cheering]
-[growls] -[Jerry] Whazzap!
-[Jerry laughs] -[Ross] Oh, this is heinous.
[Jerry] What do you mean "heinous"?
-That's good for the-- Oh, Look out. -[Ross] Oh, the roll-up.
D-Von pushed Edge off the top,
and Edge's head went south of the beltline on Christian.
-[airhorn blaring] -[crowd cheering]
-[Ross] Edge in trouble! -[Jerry exclaims]
[Ross] 3D, 3D!
D-Von has got the cover! And we've got new tag-team champions.
-The Dudleys have done it! -[dramatic music playing]
-[Ross] Those damn Dudleys have done it! -[announcer 1] The winners of this match,
and new World Wrestling Entertainment tag-team champions,
-the Dudley Boyz! -[screams]
[Ross] Bubba Ray and D-Von!
Those damn Dudleys are the new WWE tag-team champions!
[Jerry] Oh, what a sick celebration.
Look at this, J.R. Those are our new WWE champions?
[Ross] Overcoming concussions, double chair shots,
the Dudley Boyz are back on top of the tag-team mountain.
[Jerry cheers] Whazzap! Oh, man.
[Ross] Well, Edge and Christian tried to end it with the concerto.
[Jerry] Yeah, but somehow D-Von was able to duck out of the away,
look at the way he does it.
[Ross] And then we saw plumage, fallen Dudleys.
-And it cost Edge and Christian. -[whimpers]
[Ross] D-Von shoving Edge right into Christian.
-And that led to the demise and the 3D. -[airhorn blaring]
[Jerry] And now, unfortunately after this, we have new tag-team champions.
[Ross] I have gotta hand it to the Dudleys. They sucked it up,
they played hurt, they overcame the odds, and they are the tag-team champions.
-Yeah! -[crowd cheering]
[Ross] If you weren't with us on heat earlier tonight,
we got a huge surprise, King, with the arrival tonight here
in New Orleans of Drew Carey.
[Jerry] Oh, Drew Carey, one of my favorite comedians
of all time from Cleveland, Ohio. We all know that Cleveland rocks.
And this guy really rocks. He needs to come out here.
Can we make a place for Drew to let him sit right here with us,
and watch up close and personal, and see how we do WWE pay-per-views?
Drew Carey's Improv All Stars on pay-per-view this Saturday night.
And he's here to see how the WWE does pay-per-view.
Drew, come out here, right here, I got a seat for you.
Ladies and gentlemen,
I wanna take you back to heat on MTV earlier tonight.
Mr. McMahon cleared up the controversy regarding the altercation
involving Stone Cold and Triple H last Thursday night on SmackDown
-"in the interest of fairness." -All about fairness.
In the interest of fairness, no matter what,
"Stone Cold" Steve Austin will compete in the Royal Rumble match here tonight.
[crowd cheering]
However, Triple H should not be penalized, because let's face it.
Yes, Triple H physically provoked Austin on SmackDown,
but it wasn't intentional.
Kurt Angle shoved Triple H into "Stone Cold" Steve Austin.
So, therefore, in the interest of fairness,
Triple H will in fact get his shot
at the World Wrestling Entertainment championship here tonight.
Well, I think Mr. McMahon made the right call there
-in the interest of fairness. -Oh, you too.
Well, I've been telling you all along that Mr. McMahon is all about fairness.
And now, all is right with the world.
Stone Cold, and the Royal Rumble, and yes, Triple H
will challenge Kurt Angle for the WWE title.
Of course, Triple H will have his wife in his corner.
And of course, you know who's gonna be--
-Hey, wait a minute. -I've been thinking about it all week.
I know you hate Trish Stratus.
Well, I don't like her very much myself, all right?
But I gotta know tonight with the two of you at ringside,
this is not gonna interfere in this match. Steph, I am wrestling
for the World Wrestling Entertainment championship tonight.
And I am not gonna let anything stand in my way.
Hunter, that's exactly why I'm going out there.
I know what the WWE championship means.
And if Trish tries to stick her nose, or any other part of her anatomy
into that match, I will definitely take care of Trish.
She will not be a factor.
And you will bring home the WWE championship.
-[knocking] -Come in.
-Hey! Hey, Drew. -[Drew] Hey.
Heard you were going to be here. How've you been?
-Haven't seen you since the show. -Hey, meet my wife.
-This is Stephanie McMahon Helmsley. -Oh, wow.
-It's a mouthful. How are you, Drew? -Hey, did you marry the boss's daughter?
-When did that happen? -You know I did.
About a year ago.
I'm sorry, I haven't been watching as much
since I've working so hard.
Hey, guess who I ran into? Kamala.
-Kamala? -I ran into him at the airport.
-Do you know he sings? -Yeah, I heard that.
You know, Drew, I kind of got a little busy going on here.
-I got a big championship match. -Oh, okay, I'm sorry.
Hey, do you know where I can find Vince McMahon?
What do you want with my dad?
Oh, you know, I'm doing a big pay-per-view special
coming up on Saturday before the Super Bowl.
-Oh, yeah? -Yeah.
Doritos presents Drew Carey's All Stars Improv show.
-[laughs] That's great! -Yeah, it's gonna be really great.
Yeah, we're gonna be in Vegas.
So, I wanted to talk to him 'cause he's so good
at doing pay-per-views and promotions.
I thought I could pick his brain a little bit,
-get some advice. -I'm not sure, you know, where my dad is,
but you know, I heard that you were actually
kind of a ladies' man, Drew.
Yeah, there's a lot of good-looking women around here.
There is, certainly.
I mean, the WWE Divas are the sexiest women in the world,
but you know, while you're waiting for my dad,
why don't I take you to one who's a big fan of yours?
-Oh, really? -Yeah, her name's Trish Stratus.
-Oh, no kidding. -Oh, yeah.
Her dressing room's right around the corner.
You can't miss it. Big, giant gold star. She's got her name on it.
-Oh, okay. -You know what?
-Why don't I take you to it? -Okay.
Hey, she's not seeing anyone or anything, is she?
No. Hunter, you need to concentrate. I'll see you later.
-See you, bud. -See you in a bit. Take it easy, man.
Oh, come on, man, just show me yours. I'll show you mine if you show me yours.
No, that ain't right. That ain't right at all.
-You don't know about that. -But this is us though, you know?
You win.
This is between us, and nobody else, you know?
If I show you mine, you'll show me yours.
-Hey. -All right, you go first.
Here you go.
No big deal. Sure, man.
There's mine.
[laughs] Damn, That's gonna be interesting.
-[laughs] -To say the least, huh?
-Wow. -Goodness.
-You might oughta drink another beer. -I think I'm going to have two.
-Yeah, you might should. -Yeah.
-[sighs] -[knocking]
Yeah?
Hey, listen, guys. We're friends, right? Right? Huh?
I'll tell you, this Royal Rumble match, you get in my way,
I'm just gonna have to throw your butts over the top rope.
-You got it? -[crowd laughing]
-And they call us drunks. -Damn.
-[laughs] What's wrong with him? -[upbeat rock music playing]
[Ross] Yeah, "damn" is right. The Royal Rumble here tonight, King.
And certainly momentarily, we're gonna go to the ladder match
to determine the intercontinental champion.
[Jerry] Oh, what a match this is gonna be.
We've been listening to Y2K shoot his mouth off.
But I'm afraid that it's gonna be shut up tonight
by that ravenous wolverine.
[Ross] Here's how these two young Canadians
got together for tonight's matchup.
Chris Benoit, Chris Jericho, a heated rivalry,
-a tremendous rivalry that is building. -[dramatic music playing]
And it is peaking right here, right now before our very eyes.
[Jericho] Benoit, at the Royal Rumble, I want a title shot.
[Benoit] I'll give you any kind of match you want.
You and I are gonna face each other for that intercontinental championship
in a ladder match.
[Benoit] It will be me standing over your prone defeated body.
Prove me wrong!
-[crowd cheering, applauding] -[upbeat techno music playing]
[dramatic music playing]
[Ross] And here comes the challenger, Chris Jericho,
for the intercontinental title.
And King, Jericho assaulted by Chris Benoit, Perry Saturn
last Thursday night on SmackDown.
You gotta wonder what kind of shape Jericho is in here tonight.
[bell dinging]
[announcer 1] The following contest is the ladder match
for the World Wrestling Entertainment intercontinental championship.
Introducing first, the challenger from Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada,
-weighing 227 pounds, Chris Jericho! -[crowd cheering]
[Jerry] The 1-800-COLLECT presents the WWE Royal Rumble
from the sold-out New Orleans arena tonight on pay-per-view.
1-800-COLLECT, it's the easy way to save.
[Ross] Again, thanks to Chris Benoit, and his pal, Terry Saturn.
Last Thursday night on UPN SmackDown, Chris Jericho was hammered.
-[upbeat rock music playing] -[Ross] His left arm took a beating.
And that could be a huge factor in this matchup tonight.
[announcer 1] His opponent from Edmonton, Alberta, Canada,
weighing 229 pounds,
the World Wrestling Entertainment intercontinental champion, Chris Benoit!
[Jerry] J.R., it sounds like you're trying to give Y2J
some sort of an excuse for the beating he's about to receive.
If he's not 100%, all he's got to do is go to Vince McMahon,
and say, "I don't wanna be in this match tonight."
"I'm not ready to face the rabid wolverine."
-But no, he's here. -[bell dinging]
[Ross] Jericho not gonna walk away from a fight.
I'm not making excuses. Just telling it like it is.
And Jericho and Benoit with the intercontinental title
hanging high above the ring.
The only way to win this match is to secure the ladder,
which is on the outside of the ring. Bring it in, climb it,
and retrieve the intercontinental title belt.
-No pinfalls, no submissions. -[wrestlers grunt, groan]
[Ross] No count-outs, time limits, or disqualifications.
It's real simple, you get the ladder, you climb it
and retrieve the championship belt, and you are the man.
[Jerry] Yeah, but you know what? You make it all sound easy.
-Look at this. [laughs] -[Jerry] Oh, look out here.
Benoit attempting to expose that injured arm of Jericho
who is fighting frantically to prevent the crippler crossface.
[Jerry] Look out, incoming Jericho. And there you go.
[Ross] And a kickout by Benoit.
[Jerry] What was the first thing you said you have to do to win this match?
Just the first little part.
-[Ross] Bring the ladder in the ring. -[Jerry] There you go!
And you make it sound like that's gonna be easy to do.
I got a prediction for you, J.R.
I don't think that Chris Jericho is ever even gonna be able
to touch that ladder.
I think the rabid wolverine will finish Jericho off
-before the ladder even comes into play. -[Ross] Well, you might be right.
But the bottom line is you still gotta--
I think the belt is still a little bit out of Benoit's reach.
-Wouldn't you agree? -[Jerry] Oh, I'll agree with that.
But what I'm saying is Benoit will finish off Jericho.
[Ross] Shoulder breaker.
[Jerry] And then go out, and get the ladder,
-and go up there unopposed. -[Ross] Well, that could happen.
I'm not gonna argue that point.
That is a possibility, there's no doubt about that.
[Jerry] I talked to Benoit earlier,
and he said that's his intentions, full intentions.
He wants to prove a point here. He is sick and tired of Y2J.
[Ross] The last time the intercontinental was defended
in a ladder match here on pay-per-view was at SummerSlam '98
when Triple H defeated The Rock in a ladder match.
And Jericho-- Uh-oh. Benoit had that well scouted,
and Jericho used the ropes to springboard looking for the drop kick, I would assume.
That's about as close as Jericho is gonna get to that ladder.
At least he is out of the ring.
It was just under one year ago…
that Chris Benoit debuted with the radicals.
As Chris Benoit now headed toward that ladder,
and Jericho right behind his fellow Canadian.
-[Jerry] Ah, here we go! -[growls]
[Ross] Old Jericho with that left shoulder and arm exposed
ran right into the ring post, which is solid steel.
[Jerry] If I were Benoit, I would have gone over there,
and slapped that crippler crossface on that hurt arm right now.
[Ross] Now, if you were Benoit, you'd be missing a tooth.
-And you're not. -[Jerry] My teeth are perfect.
I've got almost as many as Edge.
-Watch this. Look out. -[Ross] Baseball slide not successful.
Benoit going again, driving Jericho into the ring steps.
And it seems as if Benoit is about a step ahead
of his challenger here tonight at the Royal Rumble.
[Jerry] Okay. Maybe you were right.
Maybe that beating from Benoit and Saturn did take a little bit out of Y2J.
But I was right. Y2J should've not--
He should have backed out of this match tonight.
[Ross] And Benoit-- This may be a short one as Benoit…
-gonna climb the ladder here. -[Jerry] Go, wolverine.
[Ross] And retrieve the intercontinental belt.
There's Jericho trying to make sure that doesn't happen. Oh, no.
And Benoit driving Jericho backwards.
And now, Jericho has got the opportunity to go for the ladder,
but apparently, he doesn't feel that Benoit is in a--
[wrestlers grunt]
[Jerry] Now, that's the whole idea here, J.R.
You gotta pretty much incapacitate your opponent
to have enough time to climb that ladder, and get that belt.
Worst thing you wanna do is get stuck at the top of the ladder,
and have your opponent catch you up there. Then you're completely at his mercy.
-[Ross] And it looks like-- -[Jerry] Oh, no. Speaking of at his mercy!
[Ross] Jericho is gonna use the ladder as a weapon.
-[Benoit groans] -And right into the head of Benoit.
Jericho's left arm dropping at his side,
but Jericho wisely used that ladder, much like a tag-team partner,
or a secret-- Well, not a very secret, but a public weapon, if you will.
-[Jerry] I don't think that's fair. -[Ross] Oh!
[Jerry] You're not supposed to have a tag team partner in this match.
[Ross] It was a figure of speech.
[Jerry] The crowd already acting as the 11th man for him here.
Not quite 11. It's what? More like 17,000 something, isn't it?
[Ross] Over 17,000 selling out the New Orleans arena.
And we wanna welcome our fans who are seeing it live
in over 70 countries, including Australia, South Africa, Mexico.
[Jerry] Seventy countries, J.R.?
I didn't know there were 70 countries on Earth.
How many can you name?
[Ross] Did you not make good grades in Geography down in Memphis?
-[Jerry] Yes. -[Ross] Well, you must not have.
[Jerry] Yeah, I knew all about west Memphis,
-east Memphis, south Memphis. -[Ross] All right. And Jonesboro.
And then downstairs,
and a kick to the solar plexus by Chris Jericho.
Jericho now starting the wear down process.
The ladder-- Oh, my God. Oh, my God.
Jericho catapulted face first into that ladder.
[Jerry] That's it.
I think now Jericho, he may be missing a tooth.
He's always made fun of Benoit.
Jericho may have lost a bicuspid on that. [exclaims] Oh, my gosh.
-[Ross] Benoit attempted a toupee. -[airhorn blaring]
[Ross] A head first suicide dive that did not pay off.
And the culprit, that steel chair lying near Benoit's head
-with a dent in it. -[Jerry] Unbelievable. Benoit, what?
Well, first of all, we're gonna see
Chris Jericho get introduced up close to the ladder.
And then watch this chair shot. And better yet, listen.
Oh, damn. Man.
Sounds like an air to air missile, wasn't it?
[Ross] And you can't learn that in wrestling school,
-how to take a chair shot to the face. -[Jerry laughs]
Well, maybe you can. Let me teach you, J.R.
[Ross] Oh, missed class.
-I did mine by correspondence course. -[Jerry] That's what I thought.
I still say Jericho's gotta have a loose tooth
-after hitting that ladder with his mouth. -[screams, groans]
[Ross] The intercontinental champion put out to dry on this security wall
by the challenger for the intercontinental title.
[Jerry] Yeah, you may have enough time. Do you feel lucky?
-[Ross] What is Jericho doing here? -[crowd cheering]
[Ross] Benoit hanging up here.
-Oh! -[Jerry] Oh!
[Ross] And Jericho with the miscalculation.
Benoit able to avoid the contact of that steel ladder,
-and Chris Jericho got the brunt of it. -[Jerry] Yep, life is tough,
and it's even tougher when you're stupid like Jericho.
Can I see it one more time?
Can I have our producers give us one more shot of that?
-Oh, wait a minute. -[Ross] Oh! What a shot. My God.
[Jerry] That was good, but you know what's great?
That steel chair shot. Benoit flying through there. Listen.
Oh! [chuckles]
[Ross] Man, that's still at the contact of the XFL.
-[Jerry] Oh! -[Ross] Another shot to the face.
-[pants] -[Ross] And this is…
[Jericho groans]
[Jerry] Yeah, that's the same chair he hit you in the head with, Chris.
[Ross] Another savage shot with the steel chair to the spine
of the challenger for the intercontinental title.
Normally, Benoit would go for the crippler crossface here,
and try to put Jericho away,
but that's not the stipulations in this matchup.
Only one way to win,
and that's to retrieve the intercontinental title belt
hanging high above the ring. And there you see it.
[Jerry] And there you see Benoit taking care of business.
He's got Jericho down, he's got the ladder in the ring,
setting the ladder up.
I don't think this match is gonna last much longer.
Wait a minute now. You can't reach it from the corner.
[Ross] And I can also tell you that we're making our debut tonight
-on Arab Radio and Television. -[Jerry] "Arab Radio and Television"?
[Ross] I wonder if our friends there know what a slobber knocker is…
'cause we're seeing one right here.
-[groans] -[Ross] Uh-oh.
And the ladder again.
Jericho being tossed into the ladder like he was a javelin.
[Jerry] How does Jericho absorb so much punishment?
Why does he?
Why would he wanna pick a fight with the rabid wolverine?
If I had to pick a fight with anybody,
I think Benoit may be the last guy I'd pick a fight with.
[Ross] Well, we know that they have a great personal rivalry,
but I think it's all about the intercontinental title.
Uh-oh!
This time it's Benoit who gets reintroduced to that ladder.
-[groans] -[Jerry] Oh! What a high drop kick.
[Ross] That ladder has been an equal opportunity offender here
thus far tonight.
[Jerry] Yeah, that's the funny thing about that ladder.
It don't care who wins.
[grunts]
[Ross] Another shot to the head by Jericho.
Both of these men are outstanding young competitors.
[Jerry] No!
[Ross] And the ladder pumped up in the corner of the ring.
Jericho, one leg through one rung of the ladder.
-Oh, my God. -[grunts]
[Ross] Jericho higher than the top turnbuckle.
[Jerry] What about Benoit?
He's the one that's stuck in that ladder. Oh, watch yourself.
-[wrestlers groan] -[Ross] Both men down. Both men.
Jericho putting his body on the line as well as his adversary,
the intercontinental champion.
[Jerry] Oh, no, Benoit. He's got to be hurting really bad.
We better think back to last year's WrestleMania
where Christian robbed Chris Jericho for the intercontinental title.
[Jerry] Watch this again. Watch.
Oh! Right between the legs of the rabid wolverine.
There may be no more little wolverines in the future.
[Ross] Jericho again trying to use that ladder.
-See what he's gonna do. -[groans]
And a drop kick right back in Jericho's face.
Benoit with the drop kick.
Drop kicking the ladder right back in the teeth of Chris Jericho.
[Jerry] Now what? Come on, wolverine. Get that ladder up. Climb it.
[Ross] What an unorthodox matchup are these ladder matches.
-[groans, grunts] -[Ross] Nice suplex there.
Of course, the ladder matches, in my opinion,
made famous by Shawn Michaels.
[Jerry] Oh, yeah. Some great ladder matches.
Was a ladder match Shawn's original idea?
[Ross] I don't know if it was his idea, but he perfected it.
He did it as well as anybody I have ever seen.
And certainly, Edge and Christian, the Hardys, the Dudleys.
We have seen their TLC matches.
But this may be taking it to yet another direction in another level.
[Jerry] Takes a weird mind to think up a ladder match.
-[exclaims] -[Ross] Oh.
Talk about the Dudleys' concussed state,
these two young men are rattling their brains.
They hate each other. It's as simple as that.
We can say this is for the intercontinental title.
Oh!
But even if that belt wasn't hanging up there,
these guys would still be beating the hell out of each other
-just like they are. -[Jerry] Oh! Oh, no!
-[Ross] Amazing. -[Jerry] That did it.
[Ross] That was amazing offense.
Unorthodox offense with the use of the ladder by Chris Jericho.
[Jerry] Did that catch Benoit right under the chin or what?
-[Ross] I think it did. -[Jerry] A huge upper cut.
[Ross] You could bite your tongue in half. Let's see this.
Oh!
-Maybe that sig-- Oh! -[Ross] Look at that shot.
The missile drop kick, and Jericho may have hurt himself there.
Jericho holding that left knee.
His left arm was mangled last Thursday night on SmackDown.
[Jerry] He may be hurt, but he's not hurting as bad
as the wolverine right now.
-Here we go. -[Ross] Here we go.
The end may be near.
It could be Jericho's night to regain the intercontinental title.
[Jerry] Better do something there, Benoit.
[Ross] Jericho's pain gotta be riveting through his body.
Jericho delivered-- Oh, man. Oh.
Listen to those shots right to the kidneys.
-[Jerry] I hear them. -[Ross] Oh, my God. Oh, my God.
The suplex from the inside out over the top rope.
And Chris Jericho landed on his head right in front of us.
[Jerry] That just shows you, I said these guys hate each other.
They are proving it every second of this match.
Benoit just tried to drop Jericho completely.
Well, he didn't try.
He dropped him over the top rope backwards on the top of his head.
[Ross] Jericho with the faraway look in his eye.
Look at this. Look at this.
-Oh! -[Jerry] Man, oh, man.
[Ross] Jericho right out of our screen, dropping straight out of sight.
-[Jerry] How is he gonna get up from that? -[Ross] I don't think he will.
And Benoit climbing the ladder.
Jericho put up a great fight here.
-Benoit-- -[Jerry] Reach up, you've got it.
-[Ross] Benoit, one more rung. -[Jerry] Almost got it.
-Uh-oh! -[Ross] But there's Jericho.
Jericho kicked down.
[Jerry] Kick him again! Get the belt!
[Ross] Benoit climbing on top of that ladder.
About a ten-foot ladder. What the heck? Good God almighty.
[Jerry] What is Jericho doing?
[Ross] Jericho's got a modified version of the octopus.
-[Jerry] Oh, my God! -[Ross] He's pulling back.
-Look at the torque on top of the ladder. -[groans]
[Jerry] Damnit.
[Ross] Jericho is trying to break Benoit in half.
[Jerry] He can't win the match this way. He can't tap out.
-[Ross] Oh, no. -[Jerry] Watch it.
[Ross] Jericho shoving Benoit off the top of the ladder.
Benoit landed on his head.
-Jericho-- -[Jerry] Oh, look at that.
[Ross] Oh, my God! Just touched the gold,
and that may be as close as Jericho gets tonight.
[Jerry] Good God.
How did the wolverine have the strength to push that ladder over
after being racked up by Jericho the way he was?
-[Ross] What a hellacious exchange. -[Jerry] Look at this. Look at this.
-Oh, man! -[crowd cheering]
[Ross]This is our Wile E. Coyote cam.
Now, watch Benoit tipping the ladder over to make sure Jericho didn't go
that one more rung, and get the intercontinental title.
I thought Benoit landed on his head, but he landed on his hips.
[Jerry] I love those shots from up above. This is not a roadrunner cartoon.
Those are real human beings in there falling like that.
-[wrestlers grunt] -[Ross] This is amazing. The will to win.
The will to become the intercontinental champion
is simply overwhelming here at the Royal Rumble
between these two young men, Benoit from Edmonton,
Jericho from Winnipeg.
-[Benoit pants] -[grunts]
[Ross] Uh-oh. Oh, wait. The crippler crossface.
Benoit will rip, he will tear Jericho--
-[Jerry] It's over. He tapped out. -[Ross] It's not over.
-[Jerry] It is over. -[Ross] It's not over, King.
The only way to win is to climb the ladder, and get the belt.
[Jerry] Look at the referee!
The referee's just shaking his head, saying,
-"There's nothing I can do about it." -[Ross] He's absolutely right.
[Jerry] Benoit, this match is not over. You gotta climb the ladder.
[Ross] If Benoit can incapacitate Jericho,
and make his way up the ladder so much easier.
[Jerry] Let him go and climb the ladder!
[Ross] And that may be just enough. That may be just enough.
What is Benoit doing here?
I thought Benoit would go right up the ladder on that exchange.
[Jerry] I told you he wants to finish Jericho off.
[Ross] Right into the post.
Left shoulder and arm again being focused on by the rabid wolverine,
and reigning intercontinental champion.
[Jerry] This is about more than just that intercontinental title, J.R.
These guys would like to end each others' careers here tonight.
[Ross] Benoit, face first, I know that time,
right into the ladder. He tried to block it.
-But to no avail. -[Jerry] Now what?
-Get up, you son of a bitch! -[Jerry] Uh-oh.
[Ross] And Jericho with some strong words to his rival here.
And again, Jericho using the ladder.
[wrestlers grunt]
[Ross] Jericho now setting the ladder up in the corner
as far away from the intercontinental title belt.
[Jerry] Yeah, but Benoit is a smart guy.
Every chance he gets, he uses his hand to try to block
that ladder and lessen the blow.
But some of these shots, he hasn't been able to block.
Man on man.
Why are they climbing so far away from the…?
By God, they're high above the ring near the edge of the ropes.
Oh, you've gotta be kidding me.
That will be the damnedest super superplex in captivity.
And Jericho knocked right back into the middle of the ring.
[Jerry] Now, you're too far away from the championship belt.
[Ross] Oh, my God. He's about to do it. You've got to be kidding. No!
No, don't do it.
King, Benoit standing on the top of the ladder.
-[Jerry] Oh! -[Ross] Oh!
Jericho avoided the head butt.
Benoit head butted the canvas from the top of the ladder.
[Jerry] It's over ten feet up there.
-Now what? -[Ross] Take a look over there.
Take a look one more time at the impact.
Look at the impact here.
The man's, Benoit's head right into the canvas.
-And then Jericho right back up. -[Jerry] Jericho's foot right into the--
[Ross] Benoit's… Oh, he's trapped!
-[Jerry] Oh. -[Ross] And he's turning it!
Oh! Oh, my God!
Benoit turned the ladder over with Jericho near the top.
And Jericho hung up with a hotshot right off the top rope.
[Jerry] That's it. That's gotta do it.
All you've got to do, Benoit, is set that ladder up, and climb it.
[Ross] This is the damnedest match I think I've ever seen.
[Jerry] Now what?
I don't think Benoit realizes, but Jericho is going for a chair.
I saw him.
Oh, it's the coyote cam again. Look at this.
-Oh! -[Ross] Oh!
Benoit, look at Jericho, who's got the chair.
-Oh, right in the spine. -[Jerry] I knew it.
[Ross] Another shot in the spine. Oh, what a kick to the face by Benoit.
And Jericho turned the ladder over. Benoit bounced.
And by God, he bounced off the top rung all the way to the floor.
[Jerry] This is like a demolition derby, J.R.
These guys are crashing into themselves and everything.
It's unbelievable.
[Ross] Jericho has a shot here with Benoit down to climb the ladder.
-[Jerry] Get up, Benoit. -[Ross] Can Benoit do it?
Or can Jericho do it, one arm and all?
[Jerry] Get up there, wolverine.
Forget about climbing the ladder. Just climb in the ring. Get up there.
-[Ross] Jericho, one more step. -[Jerry] He's got it.
[Ross] One more step.
-[crowd cheering] -[bell dinging]
-[Ross] Jericho, Jericho, Jericho -[upbeat rock music playing]
[announcer 1] The winner of this battle,
and New World Wrestling Entertainment intercontinental champion,
Chris Jericho!
[Ross] Man, what do you think about
the WWE intercontinental championship matchup?
-[Jerry] I can't believe this. -[Ross] Good God, what an effort.
What an effort by both men, King.
[Jerry] We have new tag-team champions, we have a new intercontinental champion,
and tonight is just getting started.
[Ross] And we've got more titles to be decided.
Chris Benoit out of his element.
He is a mad wrestler. Maybe the best in the game.
But this was far from that, and Y2J rose to the occasion.
He climbed the ladder,
and Chris Jericho is the new intercontinental champion.
[Jerry] Oh, man.
[Ross] Take another look at the closing moments of this matchup.
[Jerry] I wanna see that flying chair shot one more time.
This one maybe my favorite.
Whoa!
[Ross] Unbelievable.
-And here is the closing moments. -[Jerry] This is what did it right here.
[groans]
[Ross] I guarantee you with all due respect to Chris Benoit,
Chris Jericho deserves to win this match tonight with his effort.
And there you see how it was finally done.
There's your new intercontinental champion.
My God, what a match! What a Royal Rumble!
So, anyway, I've got the two shows,
-and it's going okay. Want some? -Oh, no, thanks.
Oh, okay.
Look, Mr. Carey, it's a great thrill to meet you.
Nice to meet you too. It's a real thrill.
-Yes. -I mean, you're really beautiful.
Thank you. But you know what? I'm kind of involved with someone.
-So… -"Kind of involved"?
-No, I'm involved with someone. -Oh. Is it serious? I mean…
I don't know who this guy is, but you know,
if you're looking to make a step up, and--
-You know, I got two shows… -[chuckles]
-…and I think I'm doing pretty-- -[door opening]
-Ooh! -Hey.
[door closing]
-[Vince] How you doing? -Vince McMahon, Drew Carey.
-Real pleasure to meet you. -Yeah.
What's--
-I see you met Trish, huh? -Yeah, yeah.
Oh, I'm here 'cause I'm doing a big pay-per-view event, you know,
coming up on Saturday, and I--
You know, you're the king of the pay-per-view,
-so, I… -I heard all about it.
Drew Carey's Improv All Stars this Saturday night.
-Yeah, it's gonna be pretty good. -Yeah. Mm-hmm.
-So, how good is it gonna be? -Oh, it's gonna be great.
We're gonna have a lot of improv stuff,
and you know, was just talking to Trish here.
-Saying hello. -I'm all about it.
Yeah, well…
I was wondering if you'd give me some advice on how to promote better
-and get some advertising for it. -Yeah, yeah.
You do improv, and how about tonight--
What if tonight you do a little improv for us?
See, what if tonight you actually participate
in the 30-man Royal Rumble match here tonight?
-[chuckles] What? -[Vince] Yeah.
-That's crazy. -Yeah. No, no, no, no, no.
You wanna impress WWE fans? You want to impress Trish?
Hey, listen, I won the Royal Rumble.
-Oh, did you? -Yeah.
Well, you know, I don't wanna get hurt or anything,
I don't wanna be limping out to my improv, you know, special.
You don't think that there's any chance of me getting hurt or anything?
Nah. You know, we're a lot of fun. We're about fun.
-I mean, you know-- -It would be very impressive.
I don't wrestle, but I don't know how to act either,
-and I got a show. [laughs] -[chuckles]
-So, Trish, what do you think? -I'd be very impressed.
-I mean, wow. [chuckles] -Yeah?
-Yeah. -Well, yeah.
-I'll give it a shot. What the hell. -Oh, you're in, man.
-Thanks. -Congratulations.
And I know one thing, you're gonna be a real big hit.
-Oh, thanks. -Yeah.
Trish, you mind if I chat with you for a moment?
Okay. It was nice meeting you. I'll talk to you later, I'm sure.
-[Vince] We'll receive you a little later. -Okay. Thanks, Mr. McMahon.
-It's a pleasure. -[Vince] Right.
-[Ross] I can't believe this. -[door closing]
[whistles, exhales]
-[Jerry] Drew Carey in the Royal Rumble? -[crowd cheering]
It's like I've been sitting here talking to a wall.
You're not listening to me. This is not the best thing.
I'm worried about this. I mean, if you're not gonna listen to me,
at least listen to what the doctors have to say.
Billy, I get it, okay?
And I don't give a damn what the doctors say.
Ivory has given me no choice. Look what I did to her on SmackDown.
I feel good, Billy. And after tonight, Right to Censor,
it's gonna have the right to take her to a medical facility.
I'll let you worry about the other 29 guys you have to face tonight,
and stop worrying about me.
Yeah, look… [sighs]
Chris Jericho, congratulations on a hell of a ladder match.
New intercontinental champion. How do you feel?
How do I feel? How do I feel? How the hell do you think I feel?
Chris Benoit is one of the toughest bastards
I have ever faced in the WWE. But tonight, after all that happened,
I am once again the intercontinental champion
for the third time.
And Crippler, I guess in front of all these Jerichoholics,
and in front of the world, tonight, I proved you wrong.
Well, let's don't forget Drew Carey's Improv All Stars
this Saturday night on pay-per-view.
But the big story here tonight is that Drew Carey is gonna be
in the Royal Rumble.
And King, he's a buddy of yours from Cleveland.
I don't know if that's a good move, quite frankly.
Nice knowing you, Drew. [laughs] This is gonna be great.
-Drew Carey in the Royal Rumble. -[scoffs]
Who would have thunk it, quite frankly? And ladies and gentlemen,
the WWE women's title will be decided momentarily
between the challenger, Chyna, and the champion, Ivory.
[Jerry] Well, I know there's a lot of concern
about the health of Chyna, but I'll tell you what,
she looked great on SmackDown this past week.
She did a number on Ivory,
and I expect her to do the same thing here momentarily.
[Ross] Well, ladies and gentlemen,
this whole issue started with a career shortening spike piledriver.
[somber music playing]
When it first happened in the ring, I lost feeling in my arms.
-[pensive music playing] -[Chyna] After the MRI was taken,
they were showing that I had three ruptured disks in my neck.
At that point, I was basically given two options.
The first option was to…
never wrestle again.
The second option was surgery where they would fuse my neck, and…
basically never step into the ring after that again either.
All the obstacles I have overcome…
…all the steps in my life…
…all the steps that I've taken in my life,
they are all wrong thanks to the Right to Censor.
Now, I can make a change. I can fight a good fight.
I can do what's right.
I hate them. They have taken my life from me.
Well, I've been going through a lot of extensive therapy on my neck.
I know I'm not at 100%, but definitely working towards recovery.
Does anybody here really care if Chyna steps back into the ring again?
I think that Chyna is afraid of me, and afraid to get in the ring with me.
And I'm so sure of it that I am willing to lay my title
on the line at Royal Rumble to prove it.
-[Ross] There's Chyna. -[Jerry] What?
-[Ross] King, there's Chyna. -[Jerry] What the heck?
What's she doing out here?
[Ross] And Lita with the twist of fate on Ivory.
[Chyna] You issued a challenge to me for your precious little women's title
knowing that I wouldn't show up,
knowing I wasn't 100% physically well.
I accept your challenge,
and I will be there Sunday at the Royal Rumble.
[Jerry] Chyna gets a chance at revenge against Ivory at the Rumble Sunday.
-[sirens wailing] -[upbeat music playing]
[Ross] And we are back and ready to go for the women's title.
The first time that Chyna has ever attempted
-to win the women's championship. -[bell dinging]
[announcer 1] The following contest scheduled for one fall
is for the World Wrestling Entertainment women's championship.
Introducing first, accompanied by Steven Richards,
from the Right to Censor,
the World Wrestling Entertainment women's champion, Ivory!
Well, King, we heard from these yahoos in heat,
and certainly, you were knee deep in this situation
-last Thursday night in Chicago. -[Jerry] Well, that's right.
I tried to introduce the Chicago Enforcers XFL Cheerleaders,
and these two idiots came out to interrupt my little surprise for everybody.
I had another surprise. Chyna came down and that's what I said.
Chyna looked 110% to me last Thursday.
-Hey, we're all gonna find out. -[Ross] But we know she's not.
-At least we don't think that she is. -[crowd cheering]
[dramatic music playing]
[announcer 1] Her opponent and challenger, the ninth wonder of the world, Chyna.
[Jerry] Come on, Chyna, blow us away.
[Ross] We all saw her on Sunday night on MTV's heat
when Ivory issued the challenge to the ninth wonder of the world, Chyna.
And Chyna officially accepted the challenge…
last Thursday night on UPN's SmackDown.
[Jerry] She looks about 120% to me right now. Whoo-hoo!
[Ross] I think that Ivory is sexually repressed,
and I think that she is 30 days a month premenstrual.
[Jerry] You think so?
I told you the only difference between Ivory and a pit bull is lipstick.
-Oh, here we go. Oh! -[bell dinging]
[Ross] I don't like Ivory's chances here, and look at Chyna standing six feet tall,
closer-- Oh, my God. Closer to the 200-pound mark.
[Jerry] Pull her hair out by the roots, Chyna.
That'll be great.
You know, Ivory may feel worse than Benoit after Benoit's match
a while ago in that ladder match. I hope Ivory feels worse.
[Ross] Chyna hammering Ivory like a little rag doll,
the little preen wanna-be. What an Irish whip that was.
[Jerry] Well, Ivory is not gonna get any sympathy whatsoever from me.
I hate this Right to Censor group, every one of them. Look out!
-Man, oh, man! -[Ross] Man, what a move there.
A snapmare off the top rope by Chyna on Ivory, and…
might be a wise move for Steven Richards here at ringside
just to go ahead, and wave the white flag, so to speak.
[Jerry] Yeah, just take off that stupid white shirt of yours,
and wave that around.
But I think even if he did, Chyna is not gonna stop. Look at this.
[Ross] Waving those white socks, and Chyna stomping away at Ivory here.
And this match is for Ivory's women's title.
[Jerry] I got news for you, you can tell-- Oh, my gosh, what a shot. Wow!
-[crowd cheering] -[Jerry] Chyna is really enjoying herself.
And rightfully so. Oh, no. Look at-- Where you going there?
[Ross] Chyna wants to punish and torture. Ivory's trying to run away.
[Jerry] Ivory wants to run, doesn't she? Stop her. Somebody stop her.
[Ross] Well, Ivory trying to run away like a scalded dog here.
And Chyna right out amongst them.
[Jerry] Well, you're half right. She's a dog.
[Ross] Over 17,000 have sold out the New Orleans arena here tonight.
[crowd cheering, chanting] Chyna, Chyna!
[Ross] And Ivory and Chyna…
[crowd chanting] Chyna, Chyna, Chyna!
…in the midst of a course through that crowd.
Oh, look at the strength of Chyna.
-[Jerry] Yeah! -[Ross] What a military press.
[Jerry] Drop her. Drop her right on her ugly face.
Look at Chyna, with ease, woman-handling…
the women's champion.
[Jerry] Well, I think that Chyna is going a long way
toward erasing any doubts anybody had about her health.
[Ross] And Chyna is liking this. Big smile on her face.
It's good to see Chyna smiling again with everything under control,
and Chyna tossing Ivory back in the ring.
[Jerry] Well, also, J.R., this is a testament to the will,
and the drive that Chyna had.
I mean, she rehabbed 24 hours a day after suffering three ruptured disks.
I mean, she worked on that 24/7 to get back in physical condition.
[Ross] Chyna recently on the cover of Playboy magazine.
-[Jerry] Oh, yeah. -[Ross] Well over a million copies sold.
-Her book is about to come out. -[Jerry] And look at that!
[Ross] And white socks about to come in…
-[Jerry] Yeah! -…at a clothesline.
[Jerry] Finish him off!
[Ross] And Chyna just tossed Steven Richards into the ring.
-No disqualification because of that. -[Jerry] Good.
[Ross] And Steven deposited outside in the recycle bin.
[Jerry] I'm telling you, Chyna has been waiting for this
for a long time.
She's not gonna take no for an answer from anybody.
-Nobody is gonna stop her tonight. -[Ross] The end is near for Ivory.
And Chyna with a whip-- Well, Chyna-- Handspring.
Wait a minute.
[Jerry] What's wrong with Chyna?
[Ross] I don't know. Wait a minute. Wait, what?
Chyna holding her head.
Oh, my God.
She's not moving her hand.
-[Jerry] What is this? -[Ross] Ivory…
-Ivory gets her hand over her. -One, two, three!
-[bell dinging] -[sirens wailing]
[Ross] Oh, my God.
[announcer 1] The winner of this match, and still women's champion, Ivory!
[Ross] Ivory-- This is--
Okay, so, Ivory wins, but let's not forget about Chyna's head.
Just look at her right arm, look at her right hand.
[Jerry] Hang on. Wait a minute. Hang on.
[Ross] King, what… Oh, my God.
King gonna check.
-[crowd clamoring] -[referee 2] EMT! Come on!
Come on!
-[Ross] Chyna not moving. -[crowd clamoring]
[Ross] We got John here.
Go get paramedics. Go get paramedics. Do something.
[referee 2] EMTs! Come on!
[Ross] She was attempting that handspring.
She is lying motionless.
[crowd chanting]
[Ross] Chyna in the ring. I just pray that she has not…
severely re-injured herself here. What must she be thinking?
What must be going through the mind of Chyna now?
Certainly not about a title or…
who wins and who loses here.
EMTs at every event helpful here at ringside.
Putting the cervical collar on Chyna whose right hand has been in that position
since she landed.
Folks, we'll try to see where we only can guess
where she got hurt.
Chyna had everything under control, obviously.
Watch her neck.
Something happened perhaps in that last revelation…
revolution, I should say. Excuse me. And that…
Well, that was almost like a whiplash or a snap of the neck, but…
Poor hand. Look at her arm.
Her hand has been in that exact position since she hit the canvas.
Now, being strapped to this gurney.
We'll be going to Chyna… She's trying to talk.
What could she even be remotely thinking?
How could one even assume or contemplate what she's thinking
in this predicament.
Certainly, an uneasy feeling has fallen over this…
this capacity crowd here tonight in New Orleans.
And the King is joining us back here at ringside.
-[Jerry] J.R., see, I tried to-- -[crowd cheering, applauding]
[Jerry] I tried to talk to her,
and see if she had any feeling at all in her hand.
She couldn't even speak.
-[fan 1] We love you, Chyna! -[fan 2] We love you, Chyna!
[Ross] But my God, King. You know, we can only imagine what--
Well, I mean she was not--
I don't know if she was able to move or whatever.
She wasn't moving.
She was moving her eyes, and trying to speak,
but no words were coming out.
I think I-- I don't know if she hit Ivory's elbow,
or if she hit into the turnbuckle,
but obviously, the back of her neck got hit.
We did the replay to try to find out. Obviously, we're only guessing.
But it was in the middle of that last flip.
Let's take another look at it here on our monitor what we think we saw here.
She had everything under control, obviously.
-Right here, I think. -[Jerry] Oh!
[Ross] It almost was like a whiplash or something,
and it didn't seem to be that much contact.
But you can see from the time she went down,
she didn't move. Not once.
And even her hand was-- I was holding her hand up.
She couldn't even move her fingers.
Well, we have medical attendants, like I said earlier,
always on call in here.
Now, there you see Chyna being taken out of here,
which has certainly put a damper on what thus far has been
an emotional night, and certainly this is not without emotion,
but not the kind of emotion that we're looking for.
[Jerry] Certainly not.
[Ross] Now, you're looking outside, ladies and gentlemen,
at downtown, New Orleans.
We are in the shadow of the magnificent Superdome.
-[crowd cheering] -[Ross] Oh, there you see it.
Here, at the sold-out New Orleans arena, and still a tragedy again here.
Terrible mishap with Chyna
that we will certainly keep you updated on.
Jen! Jen! I need you to fix my hair.
I've got like a bobby pin loose or something.
-I don't know. It's kind of coming-- -Wanna fix that bobby pin?
[chuckles] Here, sit down, you need more touching up than I do.
[chuckles] Hey, Trish, speaking of touching,
if you get involved in Triple H's championship match tonight,
I will have no problem touching you.
Stephanie, why would I waste my time getting involved in your affairs?
I have my own affairs to worry about.
[chuckles]
Mr. Carey, here's the gear Mr. McMahon told me
to give you for your match tonight.
-Oh, great. Thanks. -Sir!
Oh, I guess this makes me an official wrestler now, huh?
[laughs] Yeah. [whistles]
Oh, who is the goofy guy in the mask? Hey, how you doing?
Drew Carey, nice to meet you. I'm doing a thing tonight.
I'm a wrestler too now.
All right. Cool.
Man, this one's grouchy.
-I'm so excited. -We won, one of us got--
-I am going into the Royal Rumble. -No, no. I'm going into the Royal Rumble.
-I am going into the Royal-- -I'm going to the Royal Rumble.
Tiger, listen, it said the winner of the fall--
No, one moment, please. I don't listen.
Please, whoever I'm gonna choose, my brother, either you or you,
it's gonna be the best decision for us all.
-Understood? -No disrespect, Tiger.
But I have more experience.
I have been in the Royal Rumble four times.
-Understood? -I can win it.
But I'll make the decision. Thank you.
I'm sorry to barge in on you, but there's been a change of plans.
-Unfortunately… -What, change of…?
I'm going to take this decision away from you, Tiger,
because quite frankly, neither one of you is gonna go in the Rumble.
You've been replaced.
"We've been replaced"? By who?
It doesn't matter, you've been replaced.
-Replaced? -Oh, geez, not again.
-You gotta be kidding me. -I understand.
You know what?
I understand a man of your distinction, this may be tough news,
-but that's the way it is. -Mr. McMahon, if I may?
What great superstar are you thinking of replacing my guys with?
[sighs]
-Drew Carey. -[Jerry] Oh.
Drew Curry?
Who is Drew Curry?
-[upbeat rock music playing] -[Ross] And ladies and gentlemen,
our big fans in WWE New York have the opportunity to chime in
with who they think will win
-the WWE title matchup here. -[crowd cheering]
[Ross] And here are some of their votes.
Definitely, I think Triple H is gonna win the championship match tonight.
He's just evil and bad to the bone.
And he's gonna have everybody working with him, the McMahons.
And you watch, he's gonna pull it off.
Triple H is gonna win because he's the best.
He is the best, he is the man, he's The Game.
I think Kurt Angle is gonna win tonight 'cause he's a real champion,
'cause it's true, it's true.
Well, I think Triple H is gonna win because, of course, you know,
he is The Game. And Kurt Angle is way out of his league.
And Triple H is going to be the five-time WWE champion. It's true.
Triple H is gonna kick Kurt Angle's butt.
He's The Game, he's the best, no doubt about it.
Kurt angle is gonna win it tonight. He's a man of integrity, intelligence.
I mean, come on, he's an Olympic hero.
I think Kurt Angle is gonna win it because he has the three Is.
Intensity, integrity, intelligence, baby. Whoo!
[breathes heavily]
[grunts]
Indeed, the intensity pouring out of the body of The Game.
That match is next, King.
You talking about putting on a game face? The game is ready.
And will The Game become a five-time champion?
Or can Kurt Angle continue this awesome run?
There you see, the reigning WWE champion.
Big match, big matchup, the biggest, and it's time now.
[pensive music playing]
[Kurt] Your Olympic hero just completed
the single most dominant year in World Wrestling Entertainment history.
[Triple H] Kurt Angle, you are the still the champion
because I have allowed it.
Mr. Angle must defend his WWE championship at the Royal Rumble event
against the number one contender, Triple H.
[Jerry] How is Triple H the number one contender?
I have no problem facing Hunter at the Rumble.
But I do have a problem with going up against the McMahon family.
Since a McMahon will not be in my corner, I decided to get the next best thing.
Trish?
What are you doing?
Volunteering your services to be in Kurt Angle's corner?
What are you doing, Trish?
You know what? I've been bad. I've been really bad.
In fact, I think that I have been so bad
-that I deserve a spanking. -[crowd cheering, applauding]
Oh, my God! I can't believe it! [grunts]
Trish! [groans]
[groans]
[Jerry] And a little friction here, to say the least. Oh, look at Steph.
[Stephanie] Tonight, I'm gonna take out the biggest piece of trash
I've ever laid my eyes on.
Trish Stratus, come down to this ring right now.
As far as the WWE is concerned,
I am the dominant female.
[Trish] Mr. McMahon and I, we are just friends.
Enough, both of you. Steph, you are above this.
You do not need to be dealing with the likes of her.
[Kurt] Triple H, I would like to think that you have a little more respect
for my new business advisor than that.
I know something else that you won't have after this Sunday.
And that's my World Wrestling Entertainment championship.
It's true. It's damn true.
[Jerry] Triple H attacking Angle from behind.
Stephanie and Trish.
Oh, my God! Cat fight! Cat fight! Whoo-hoo!
Trish and Stephanie going at it. Triple H shot to the chest.
What an explosive situation, Sunday, King, at the Royal Rumble.
Triple H and Kurt Angle meet for the title.
But what about what's gonna happen outside the ring?
Stephanie will be in Triple H's corner, Trish in Kurt Angle's corner.
The WWE title on the line, Sunday at the Rumble.
[Kurt] Triple H, you may be The Game,
but there is no way that you are taking my title from me
at the Rumble.
[Triple H] Kurt Angle, I will be
the World Wrestling Entertainment champion.
And there is not a damn thing you or anybody else can do about it.
-["The Game" by Motörhead playing] -[crowd cheering]
[Ross] And we are back live. The WWE title…
is here, it's now.
And these two men are ready to, by God, get it on.
♪ It's all about the game And how you play it ♪
♪ All about control And if you can take it ♪
♪ All about your debt And if you can pay it ♪
♪ It's all about pain… ♪
[Ross] You can feel the intensity of The Game.
Accompanied by his wife as they approach this very ring.
♪ I am the pain And I know you can't take me… ♪
[Jerry] 1-800-COLLECT presents the WWE Royal Rumble
from the sold-out New Orleans arena tonight on pay-per-view.
1-800-COLLECT, the easy way to save.
And right now, I'm sure Kurt Angle is thinking about
how is he gonna save his WWE title tonight from that man, The Game. [chuckles]
[Ross] Ladies and gentlemen, we don't wanna downplay Chyna's injury.
We hope to get an update tonight. It may be tomorrow night on RAW on TNN.
We will be live from Lafayette, Louisiana's Cajun dome
as we turn now our business to the richest prize
-in sports entertainment. -[bell dinging]
[announcer 1] The following contest scheduled for one fall
is for the World Wrestling Entertainment championship.
In the ring, accompanied by Stephanie McMahon Helmsley
from Greenwich, Connecticut, weighing 260 pounds,
the challenger, The Game, Triple H!
[Ross] Triple H has had great success in the Royal Rumble.
Last year, he was the WWE champion.
And what a bloodbath he was involved in,
successfully defending the title against the legendary Cactus Jack.
But this is an athlete of an entirely different persuasion.
[upbeat music playing]
[announcer 1] His opponent, accompanied to ringside by Trish Stratus,
from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, weighing 229 pounds,
the World Wrestling Entertainment champion, Kurt Angle!
[Jerry] Oh, my God, J.R. Kurt angle and The Game.
And if that's not enough.
Trish Stratus and Stephanie McMahon Helmsley.
Did you see the way those two cats are eyeing each other?
[Ross] Look at this. King, do you think Mr. McMahon was a little jealous
when he saw Drew Carey talking to Trish alone,
and then encouraging Drew Carey to enter the Royal Rumble here tonight?
[Jerry laughs]
-[Ross] What, am I wrong? -[Jerry] No, no.
I think you're right on the money. I think it's gonna be great.
[Ross] Certainly are.
[Jerry] Poor Drew.
Oh, look at that outfit that Trish is wearing.
-Does she have those diamond earrings on? -[Ross] Oh, yeah.
Guess who bought those and the fur coat. There she is. Well, you know,
what must poor Linda McMahon be thinking in her sedated state.
One of the classiest, most intelligent charming human beings
-I have ever met. -[bell dinging]
[Jerry] Don't worry, I don't think that vegetables do much thinking.
I think she's kept heavily sedated, J.R.
[Ross] That's sad.
Ladies and gentlemen, the WWE title at stake here.
Kurt angle has had an awesome run.
The most dominant first year in history.
Winning every championship,
including the title at the survivor series.
Triple H, both these men are not
what you would call fan favorites.
So the audience reaction--
fireman carry takeover by Kurt Angle.
I am a big fan of both of these guys.
Anybody with any intelligence would respect what they have
accomplished and their athletic abilities.
I agree.
Kurt angle is three I's.
Well, that's arguable.
Not only that, you have got
to respect what their ability
and picking women to be in their corner.
Wow.
Shoulder tackle by Triple H, the challenger.
Yeah.
Man, oh, man.
Hip lock takeover by Kurt Angle.
And angle measuring Triple H and
nails the challenger over the top.
Angle, of course, representing
the united states in the 1996
Olympic games down in Atlanta.
And won the gold medal.
Look at Stephanie.
The intensity on the face of Stephanie, too.
In freestyle wrestling.
First American to ever do that in his weight.
[crowd chanting]
[Ross] It's these Cajuns. I'll tell you what they think of Kurt Angle.
Don't get him riled up.
Let's see a shot of Trish. I call Trish the baseball girl.
Why is that?
Apparently she won't play without a diamond.
[laughter]
Man, you may be right there.
Or a mink coat.
Hard right hand by The Game who traditionally takes that right hand
and it's not for the aesthetics.
I asked Trish how you get a
mink coat like that one she was wearing.
She said, well, you find a wolf and skin him.
Wow.
I think she obviously was referring to the love of Mr. McMahon.
Speaking of Mr. McMahon, did you see when Trish
dug her fingernails right into Mr. McMahon's--
-well, his, uh… Hey. -[Ross] His ass?
Nice, high drop by Kurt Angle.
-[Jerry] You did see it, didn't you? -[Ross] Oh, yeah.
The world saw it.
Nice arm wringer by Kurt Angle.
And the crippler roman knuckle lock taking down The Game
as 17,137 look on here in New Orleans.
And again, thank you very much wherever you are around the world
in over 70 countries
enjoying this event live.
[Jerry] I'll tell you what we didn't get to see.
We didn't get to see Mr. McMahon give Trish that spanking.
Oh, baby.
[Ross] Why in the hell would you want to see that?
Huh?
Suplex.
And Angle has got a variety of suplexes
and they all are effective and they all hurt.
And there's another one. Triple H who has had
some lower back problems in the last couple of months.
We understand he's at 100% tonight.
But that may be short-lived.
There's the cover.
Three suplexes and a near fall.
[Jerry] Triple H has lower back problems,
but Trish has obviously got no upper front problems.
You saw all these suplexes that Kurt Angle is doing.
And you remember how many-- How many… how many times did
Kurt Angle suplex "Stone Cold " Steve Austin?
[Ross] Double digits, I know that.
And Angle out there to hammer The Game.
[grunting]
[Ross] Un-Olympic-like right hands.
This is a page, so to speak, out of The Game's book.
Reverses. Angle on the outside. And angle…
[crowd member] Get him, boy! Come on, get him!
…being hammered.
And right back into the steel this time.
[Jerry] Well, I just know this, that Kurt Angle…
-[indistinct clamoring] -[Jerry] …he's got-- probably
more impressive credentials than any athlete that ever
has come into the World Wrestling Entertainment.
-Come on, get up, Kurt! -[Ross] Can't argue that point at all.
[Jerry] But he still feels he doesn't get the respect
that he deserves, even though he is the champion.
Tonight he's out to earn that respect.
[Ross] Well, if Kurt Angle defeats The Game here tonight,
he should be given a hell of a lot more respect
because The Game is as good as there are-- as there is.
In my book, there was no one better in 2000 than Triple H in the business.
[Stephanie] Get him, Hunter!
[Ross] Angle meeting The game with a right hand.
-[grunts] -[Ross] Staggering the challenger
who has, thus far, Trish and Stephanie--
-Nice drop toe hold. -[groans]
[Ross] Have been somewhat quiet.
-[pants] -[Ross] Leg grapevine.
-[screams] -[Ross] And The Game
-ripping at that knee… -Yeah!
-[Ross] …of Kurt Angle. -[Kurt grunting]
-[Ross] And the leg grapevine. -[Jerry] Speaking of knees getting ripped.
[screams]
[Ross] This move's been around
-for about 40 years. I saw an old tape… -No.
[Ross] …from the '50s of the late "Nature Boy" Buddy Rogers
using that same maneuver very effectively.
[Jerry] Okay, okay, J.R. Enough of that '50s crap.
Nobody even remembers Buddy Rogers.
Let's talk about the '90s and the year 2001.
What is poor Drew Carey getting himself into…
-[Ross] Oh, nice, flip whip. -[Jerry] …to be a target in the…
-to being in the Royal Rumble tonight. -[Ross] You know, Drew's a nice guy,
-jovial guy. -[Jerry] He's great.
But, I mean, you know--
-But he's-- -[Ross] All I can say is
he should watch more television and watch more Royal Rumbles.
If he did, he wouldn't be so gullible
to be willing to get in this environment with 30 men.
[Jerry] Let me tell you what's gonna happen.
I can tell you from experience, J.R, we don't have--
[Ross] Nice enzuigiri by Kurt Angle.
[Jerry] We don't have to go back to the '50s.
We'll go back to the '80s
and tell you that I made a huge name for myself
by dropping poor ol' Andy Kaufman on his head--
[Ross] There's a cover! Here we go and--
[Jerry] Andy Kaufman was a big TV star. Dropped him on his head.
They talked about it all over the world for 20 years.
Can you imagine what somebody's gonna do tonight to Drew Carey
to make a name for themself?
[Ross] And they made a movie about it that eight people saw.
-[Jerry] Yeah. -[Kurt grunting]
[Jerry] I can see Steve Blackman taking a kendo stick
and knocking poor Drew Carey's head straight off his shoulders.
[indistinct chatter]
[Ross] Triple H isolating the left leg of Kurt Angle.
And that has become his focus, and a hard right hand
as The Game measures Angle. Angle on one leg tries to counter.
-[grunts] -[Ross] Is countered back.
-[crowd exclaim] -[Ross] And Triple H over the top!
-[Jerry] Man! -[Ross] A whole lot of force
and velocity there by Kurt Angle.
-And Stephanie with a concerned look… -Get up, Hunter!
[Ross] …on her face as her husband
challenging Kurt Angle for the WWE title.
And there's a lot of controversy why Triple H is even the number one contender.
-[Jerry] Listen to this. Listen. -[grunts]
[Jerry] The impact into that-- Uh-oh. Wait a minute.
Triple H got-- trying to get offense here.
Oh, this could be bad! Oh, man!
[Ross] That is bad indeed for The Game.
[crowd clamoring]
[Ross] His face just got
-up close and personal with the ring post. -[crowd clamoring]
[Jerry] Stephanie's got to be big-time concerned about this.
Come on, Hunter!
[Ross] Angle limping badly.
[grunts]
[Ross] Right hand by… by Kurt Angle.
-[Jerry] Oh, yeah! Oh, man. -[metal clattering]
[Ross] And The Game going for the ride as Kurt Angle pulling out…
-[pants] -[Ross] …all the stops he can.
And angle may sense that…
that his time obviously in jeopardy, maybe more so.
Maybe that knee is hurting worse than we know.
[Jerry] Gotta hand it to Kurt Angle.
He's not trying to be on the defensive.
I mean, you know, Kurt Angle, he doesn't have to win this match.
He just gotta avoid losing.
But he's giving it everything he's got. He's on the offensive.
-He's taking it to The Game. -[Stephanie] Come on, Hunter!
[Ross] Kurt Angle getting tougher and tougher…
-[grunts] -[Ross] …better and better every week.
And that's a scary thought for all these superstars.
[Jerry] Speaking of superstar,
I'll tell you who was the big winner this weekend.
Our new president, George W. Bush.
Did you see him hanging all over Kurt Angle at the inauguration?
He's trying to get the rub off Kurt.
-I'll tell you, Kurt is a star, J.R. -[Kurt grunting]
[Ross] Kurt providing the rub for George W.
-[Jerry] Uh-oh. -[Ross] And Triple grabs that chair.
Let's go! Stephanie's got the referee distracted.
-Hey, ref! -[Jerry] Oh!
-[crowd clamoring] -[Ross] Did you hear that steel
cracking the knee of Kurt Angle?
[Jerry] I heard it. Look at the way that chair
is bent right around the leg of Kurt.
[Ross] And Stephanie McMahon manipulated the referee
right out of position
-because that would have been-- -[Jerry] Look at that chair, J.R.
[Ross] That would have been a disqualification, King,
if it had been detected.
[Jerry] How is Kurt Angle able to stand? Trish, get over there and do something.
Listen, listen.
-Oh, man. -[Ross] Well, that's sickening.
That is a sickening thud.
And Angle's damaged left knee,
even in worse shape now.
[referee] Hey! Get in here!
[Ross] And Kurt Angle, he can barely stand up.
[crowd clamoring]
[Jerry] What's Triple H going to do here?
-[groans] -[Ross] And the Cerebral Assassin,
Triple H very calculating now with his strategy.
And I would be very surprised to see The Game focus on
any other body part of Kurt Angle but the left knee.
[Jerry] Speaking of strategy, Stratus! Trish, get over there and do something!
Make yourself useful.
I mean, Kurt is in a bad, bad way right now.
-[Ross] With a bad, bad wheel. -[Jerry] Look out.
-[Ross] Oh! Nice chop block. -[Kurt groaning]
[Ross] You get a bonus for that in the XFL, I'm sure.
Take-down by The Game
and Kurt Angle holding that left knee.
And the referee just asking, "Do you want to give it up?"
-And Angle is saying no. -[Jerry] Watch it from behind.
[Ross] And another knockdown.
Man, Triple H has got this thing right in the palm of his hand.
[Kurt breathing heavily]
[Ross] His whole game plan is unfolding here…
-[groans] -[Ross] …as The Game
just torturing Kurt Angle and focusing on the left knee
in every imaginable form.
[Jerry] I can assure you this is not unfolding the way Kurt had anticipated.
Oh, no.
-Oh, my gosh. -[Ross] Angle again being punished
as The Game directed that elbow right to the knee joint.
And the knee of Kurt Angle has been traumatized
by this onslaught of The Game.
[Jerry] Well, that's why they call him The Game.
He made a believer out of you and I a long time ago, J.R.
[Ross] No doubt about it.
[Jerry] He's in the process of making a believer
-out of Kurt Angle now. -[Ross] And all due respect
to Kurt Angle's amateur accolades,
his success here in the WWE,
it still remains to be seen if he or anyone is on The Game's level.
[Jerry] The thing about Triple H, he just got that mean streak in him.
I mean, he's just relentless.
[Ross] Look at this, Kurt's in the old Indian deathlock.
[Jerry] He enjoys hurting people, and especially hurting Kurt Angle right now.
[Ross] Or should I say Native American deathlock?
-No. [grunts] -[Ross] Angle.
-At some point in this match, King… -[Triple H] Come on, Angle! Huh?
[Ross] …Kurt Angle, a young man, has got to evaluate…
-[Triple H grunting] -[Ross] …"Do I jeopardize my career
-with a serious knee injury… -Come on!
[Ross] …or do I continue to fight here?"
And both of these men fighting as hard as they can.
-Come on! -[Ross] Angle desperately trying to fight
-his way out of this predicament. -[both grunt]
[Jerry] He's just throwing desperation punches, you're right.
That's part of that intensity that Kurt Angle is so famous for, J.R.
[Ross] Angle barely able to stand, but you gotta hand it to the champion.
He's fighting back with all he has.
[Jerry] He's handing it to The Game right now, big right hands.
-Uh-oh. Telegraph. Oh, man. -[crowd cheering]
[Ross] The face frontal by The Game. Going for the cover.
Here we go! And a kickout.
The near fall. And The Game putting on the pressure.
And another near fall
as the champion, less than a count away,
on two occasions, from losing his title.
-[groans] -[Jerry] Uh-oh. You're right.
So much pressure, so much punishment.
Oh, my gosh, being delivered to that left leg of Kurt Angle.
[Ross] That time, right down on the knee cap.
[pants]
Referee, senior referee Earl Hebner
who has, quite frankly, no love lost for either of these men.
-It's a good thing he's in this match. -[Jerry] I know.
[Ross] He's our most experienced official, and he could care less who wins it.
[Jerry] Well, I'll tell you one thing. He could quit wasting his time
by asking Kurt Angle if he wants to give up.
I can tell you this. Kurt angle may not win this match,
but he's not going to lose it by submitting.
He's not going to give up. That's just not in his vocabulary.
[Ross] You're probably right, but he has to do his job.
And look at this. Again, using the ropes for more leverage,
The Game driving his weight right down on that knee joint.
-[Jerry] Uh-oh. -[Ross] And Kurt Angle
may be moments away from relinquishing the title.
-[crowd cheering] -[Ross] And The Game--
-[Jerry] A figure-four-- -[Ross] Figure-four leglock.
[crowd clamoring]
[Ross] The figure-four leglock by The Game.
What do you say?
[Ross] A time-tested submission maneuver.
[Jerry] I'm going to tell you something. I'll tell you from experience,
one of the most painful maneuvers in wrestling.
[screams]
[Ross] And The Game likes dishing out the pain.
[Jerry] And you can see… you see that… that right leg,
the right ankle of Kurt Angle,
that's where the pain is being delivered. Right there.
[Ross] The late Gordon talked about the seven pressure points.
Oh! There we go, the cover! And Angle almost forgetting
-his shoulders are down. -Come on, ref, count him!
[Ross] This move puts severe pressure
on seven different parts of the lower anatomy.
[Jerry] Your opponent uses your own leg.
You're almost… Your leg is almost broken over your own leg.
-It's unbelievably painful. -[Kurt screaming]
[Ross] That's a hideous thought. And look at The Game.
[Jerry] Yeah, nah, nah, you gotta-- This is not showing any integrity.
-What's this? Trish, what you doing? -[crowd cheering]
-[Ross] Trish in the ring. -[Jerry] Hey, wait, Stephanie!
[Ross] Trying to get the referee's attention.
[Jerry] Oh, boy! Here we go!
-[Ross] Oh, who-- Oh, my God! -[Jerry] Oh!
Here we go, J.R!
Oh, my gosh. Not that pretty face-- Oh!
[Ross] Stephanie ramming Trish's head into the…
-the announce table! -[Jerry exclaiming]
[Ross] And Stephanie straddling Trish Stratus.
[Jerry] Oh, my gosh. Look out!
[Ross] Look out, Carlos and Hugo.
[Jerry] Get over here! I mean-- Wait--
Oh, hey!
[Ross] Uh-oh. Here comes Mr. McMahon.
-[Jerry] Hey, girls! -[Ross] Here comes the chairman.
[Jerry] Stephanie, here comes your dad. Trish, here comes your boyfr--
I mean, here comes-- No, wait!
-Look out! -No, no. No, no, no.
-[Jerry] Vince! Separate 'em. -[Ross] Good God almighty.
-[Jerry] Look out! Look out, Vince! -[Stephanie] I'll kill her!
-I'll kill her! -[Ross] That's the chairman's daughter!
[indistinct clamoring]
[Ross] Whatever she is.
-[Jerry] Oh, this is bad. Vince! -No, dammit!
Get control of yourself!
-I'll make her-- -[Vince] Get control of yourself!
[shouting indistinctly]
[Jerry] Vince is trying to be the peacemaker. Oh, they--
-[Ross] These women are-- -[Jerry] This is bad.
This is looking like White Trash City.
[Ross] And in the ring, Kurt Angle is down.
Triple H's attention on his wife.
[Jerry] I feel like I'm in a trailer park.
[Ross] I don't think Triple H can believe what he's seeing.
[Jerry] Vince, restore some order!
[crowd clamoring]
-[Jerry] Has anybody got any digni-- -[Ross] Uh-oh.
[Jerry] Oh, my God!
[Ross] Mr. McMahon with Trish over his shoulder.
[Jerry] Oh! He's the boss. He's a take-charge man.
-[shouting indistinctly] -[Ross] Wait! Wait, there's Stephanie.
[Jerry] Look out! Vince! Vince!
-[crowd clamoring] -[Jerry] Look at-- Oh!
[Ross] And… and-- Oh, my God!
Trish right on top of Mr. McMahon!
[Jerry] Don't say that. Don't say that.
Please-- [speaking indistinctly]
[Ross] And Stephanie choking Trish Stratus.
-[Jerry] Oh, my God. -[Vince] No!
-No! -[Ross] This crowd standing here,
and the match in the ring
-has literally stopped. -[Jerry] Take charge, Vince!
[crowd clamoring]
-[Ross] Oh, man, this is… -[Jerry] It's embarrassing--
Oh, look out! There's Stephanie again!
[Ross] This has gotta be a McMahon family embarrassment.
And I pray to God that Linda McMahon is not seeing this.
[Jerry] Vince, please, billionaires don't act like this!
[Ross] And Kurt Angle is catching a hell of a break here, King.
Oh, don't-- Triple H is looking at his wife
and his father-in-law and that crazy McMahon family.
And Angle has just been given a reprieve,
at least temporarily.
-Oh! Inside cradle! Inside cradle! -[Jerry] Hey!
-[Ross] No, it's not over. -[Jerry] Oh, my God.
You're right, Kurt Angle used that time to recuperate,
and he almost pulled a quick one on Triple H.
[Ross] And the knee to the-- The elbow to the knee, I should say.
-[exclaims] -[Ross] Another elbow drop.
And The Game right back on that knee.
[Jerry] I was gonna-- I was gonna say,
we should get a camera in the back, but maybe we shouldn't.
-[Kurt grunting] -[Jerry] Oh! Look out.
[Ross] Oh, The Game headfirst into the… the ring post.
[Jerry] You think Mr. McMahon is embarrassed
that he had that dirty laundry aired here in front of the world?
-[grunts] -[Ross] Dirty laundry is right.
And Kurt Angle now playing into Triple H's game
with those right hands.
[Jerry] I think I saw some of Trish's laundry.
[Ross] Whoa! DDT! DDT by the champion.
-Kurt Angle with the DDT. -[Jerry] This may do it.
[Ross] Hooks the far leg and got a near fall.
-Man, this is-- Oh. -[grunts]
[Ross] Business unfolded, but not in a wrestling match,
and I don't think that serves Angle well.
-[Jerry] Oh, my God. Oh, man. -[Ross] Inverted atomic drop.
Oh, what a beautiful belly German suplex.
Oh! The near fall, belly-to-back suplex, with a nice bridge there by Angle.
[Jerry] How close was that, J.R.?
[Ross] About half a count away
from Kurt Angle putting away The Game.
-[Jerry] Look out! -[Ross] Side Russian leg sweep.
Nicely done. The Game had things firmly in control
until his wife and Trish Stratus had their altercation
-that brought out Mr. McMahon. -[Jerry] Altercation?
That's like the… like the best way you could possibly describe that.
-That was… -[Ross] What's Angle doing here?
-[Jerry] Oh! -[crowd cheering]
[Ross] Looked like a low blow to me. Referee apparently thought not.
[Jerry] I can't believe it. Wasn't that right in front of the referee?
Why is this-- Why is this Hebner not doing something about that?
-[crowd cheering] -[Jerry] Jim, can you tell me why?
[Ross] I have no idea.
-Modified version of the razor's edge. -[crowd] One, two…
[Ross] No! He got it! No, no, no.
Two and a half! The Game can't believe it.
[Jerry] Wait, wait, wait!
[Ross] And Kurt Angle's left shoulder keeps popping up!
And a third time. This time the right shoulder came up.
[Jerry] J.R., even you've got to admit that would have been a travesty
for Triple H to win the title after giving that low blow
to Kurt Angle right in front of the referee.
[Ross] I can't deny that.
And obviously the referee thought it was on the thigh
apparently because he did not make that call.
-[crowd cheering] -[Jerry] Uh-oh.
[Ross] And here we go. Pedigree time.
And Angle senses that and counters.
-[Jerry] Oh! Oh! -[crowd] Oh!
[Ross] And angle's head inadvertently right down in the crotch.
[Jerry] I thought maybe you'd think that was in the thigh, also.
[Ross] That was not in the thigh. But it wasn't intentional either.
At least I don't think it was.
[Jerry] Got a lot of intelligence there in that young man.
You never know what's intentional and what's not intentional from him.
Oh, man.
[Ross] Angle's got a golden opportunity here.
[Jerry] Kurt! Kurt! You are not a high flyer, Kurt!
You are not a high flyer. Oh! He is a high flyer!
[Ross] Angle hit the moonsault!
[Jerry] Yes, you are a high flyer, Kurt Angle!
[Ross] But he hurt his knee.
Angle took a chance with a high-risk move.
[Jerry] He already hurt Triple H even more.
-He's got this thing won. -[Ross] There's the cover!
-[crowd cheering] -[Ross] Good God, how close…
how close can it be?
[Jerry] My gosh. Look at this move.
Have you ever seen a more beautiful move by Kurt Angle?
-[Ross] Unbelievable athleticism. -[Jerry] Moonsault, whoa, man!
[Ross] Great height and hang time by Kurt Angle,
but I feel ill-advised considering the condition of his knee.
And there's another part of Triple H's anatomy
that's bothering him now, and you can take it from there.
[Jerry] His thigh, right? Oh, look out! Oh! Oh, man.
[Ross] And The Game inadvertently taking out the referee there.
[Jerry] That did more than take out the referee.
That poor… poor Earl Hebner, one of my best friends,
he got his head rammed right into that guard railing out there.
[Ross] Kurt Angle with the right hands, but the referee is down. And-- Oh!
-Man, oh, man, did Angle meet that post. -[Jerry] You don't think-- You don't--
You don't think either one of these guys will take advantage
of the fact the referee is down, do ya?
-[Ross] Yeah, you better believe it. -[Jerry laughing]
-Just who more. -[crowd clamoring]
[Ross] Angle tossed back in the ring by The Game.
And the title is on the line here. And now The Game,
uncharacteristic, going away from his traditional game plan.
[Jerry] Is he going to become a highflyer, also?
-[Ross] It worked for Kurt Angle. -[Jerry] Uh-oh.
-Look out! -[Ross] Oh, look at Angle!
Torn from the ropes. torn off with the arm drag.
What a hellacious offensive move!
Man, that's worth another look there.
[Jerry] That may have done it for Triple H, but there's no referee.
[Ross] There's a cover.
[Jerry] Count-- count now. One, two…
We could have counted to 10.
[Ross] There must be so much chaos in the locker room area,
we really need another referee out here.
[Jerry] I think Earl Hebner busted his face right into that wall over there.
-[Ross] I'll bet you're right. -[shouting indistinctly]
[crowd clamoring]
Get your ass up. What the hell's wrong? Hey!
[speaking indistinctly]
-[Ross] Kurt angle. -Let's go.
[Jerry] Watch it, Kurt. Uh-oh. There you go.
[Ross] Trying to revive, for lack of a better term, the official.
-And-- Oh! -[Jerry] Oh!
-[Ross] Earl Hebner. -[Jerry] Good grief.
[Ross] Earl Hebner's head. Earl Hebner--
Earl Hebner's down.
'Cause Hebner went right into the ridge of the steps.
[Jerry] Earl Hebner's head, his shoulder, his side, his whole body.
He's finished.
[Ross] Hebner I thought was starting to stir a little bit there.
-[crowd member] Get him, Triple H! -[Jerry] He stirred himself
right into that-- those metal steps.
Now what?
[Ross] And the referee-- With a referee down--
[Jerry] Don't show him a hammer, you idiot.
Our timekeeper waving a hammer in front of Triple H.
[Ross] The Game has the title belt
with no referee in sight.
-Ooh! Now, look at him! -[crowd clamoring]
[Ross] Oh, my God! What an overhead belly-to-belly suplex by Angle.
And what these men are fighting for is lying in the ring, the title.
[Jerry] The title that Triple H went out to get
and hit Kurt Angle right in the head with.
And now, I think Kurt is intending to return the favor.
Come on!
Come on, you stupid bastard.
[Jerry] Oh, look out, Triple H. Uh-oh.
[Ross] Angle about to hear this bell.
Pedigree!
-[Jerry] Look out! That's it! -[Ross] Pedigree! Pedigree!
-[crowd cheering] -[Ross] There's the cover.
-But there's no referee… -[Jerry] One, two,
-three… -[Ross] …inside of the ring.
-[Jerry] Four? -[crowd clamoring]
[Ross] Angle had the same predicament earlier
with no referee in sight,
and now Triple H experiences the same fate.
[Jerry] Yeah, you like both of these guys. Why don't you go up and count?
-[Ross] I'm not an official. -[crowd cheering]
[Ross] Hey, wait a minute! Wait a minute! It's Stone Cold!
-[Jerry] What? Oh! -[Ross] Stone Cold!
[Jerry] What is the Rattlesnake doing out here?
[Ross] Stone Cold assaulting The Game!
[Jerry] Why? What's he doing?
[Ross] Stone Cold beating the living hell out of Triple H!
[Jerry] Hebner, look at this.
-[Ross] The referee is still down. -[Jerry] Oh, no.
No, no, no!
[Ross] Right between the eyes! Right between the eyes!
-With the title belt! -[vuvuzela honking]
[Ross] The Rattlesnake has struck The Game right between the eyes!
[Jerry] Yeah. But we've still got Earl Hebner knocked completely senseless.
What's happening now? Uh-oh.
[Ross] The Game has been busted open
-thanks to "Stone Cold" Steve Austin. -[crowd] Austin! Austin! Austin!
[Ross] And Austin put the referee back in the ring.
[Jerry] That damn rattlesnake. Hey, he's not through!
-No! Not this! [exclaiming] -[crowd cheering]
[Ross] The stunner! Stone Cold stunner!
[Jerry] The flip off and then the stunner.
[Ross] The title belt and Austin getting some retribution
-against The Game. -[crowd cheering]
[Jerry] Look at Kurt.
I can assure you that damned rattlesnake has been--
he's been looking forward and thinking about this for weeks.
[Ross] Angle's got the cover! Angle's got the cover!
But there's still a-- The referee is still down.
He is still down.
[Jerry] Uh-oh. Here we go.
[Ross] The Game is motionless.
-Will this be… -[crowd] One, two…
-[Ross] That's two. -[crowd] …three!
-[Ross] And it's over! -[bell ringing]
-[crowd cheering] -["Medal" playing]
[announcer] The winner of this bout
and still World Wrestling Entertainment Champion,
Kurt Angle!
[Ross] Well, Triple H, a few weeks ago,
cost Stone Cold the WWE title.
And by God, tonight, Stone Cold has cost The Game
that same piece of gold.
[Jerry] I'll tell you one thing.
You can say what you want to about "Stone Cold " Steve Austin.
Yes, his reputation precedes him.
He's probably the toughest SOB ever in the WWE.
But I wouldn't want to be in his shoes when Triple H comes to.
[Ross] Stone Cold coming… Shocking us all out of nowhere.
Assaulting Triple H here at the Royal Rumble.
With thunderous right hands.
And then a shot right here.
Boom! Right between the eyes!
[Jerry] And that laid Triple H open.
And then, to add insult to injury, flipped him off and then the stunner.
-[crowd cheering] -[Jerry] Oh, man.
[Ross] Austin just cost The Game perhaps the WWE title.
[Jerry] And I don't know if Triple H even knows exactly what happened.
Hey, Game!
It was… it was Austin!
-[Ross] He knows who it was. -[Jerry] It was that damn rattlesnake.
[Ross] And he knows why Austin was out here, too.
[Jerry] Austin had no business interfering in this match,
a match of this importance the WWE title.
[Ross] And Maivia got just what he deserved.
He cost Austin the title on Raw several weeks ago.
And now he knows how it feels.
[Jerry] So you condone somebody like Trip--
somebody like Triple H getting screwed out of the title
because of outside interference?
[Ross] Just like you condoned
-what happened to Austin… -Austin!
[Ross] …a few weeks ago, and The Game is livid.
-He is furious. -[Jerry] I'm telling you,
I wouldn't want to be "Stone Cold " Steve Austin right now.
Well, all I know is that Kurt Angle has retained the WWE title.
And we are just moments away, ladies and gentlemen,
from the 30-man Royal Rumble.
Do we have an update on Trish and Stephanie?
Has Mr. McMahon been able to separate them yet?
-Well, I'll tell you what… -[huffs]
[Ross] …there is the man that has drawn number 30.
This will be the last man we see
entering the Royal Rumble here tonight.
[Jerry] Write it down. He is my odds-on favorite.
[Ross] But how do you count out this man?
[Jerry] Oh, wait a minute. He may be my favorite.
[Ross] The American Badass is ready to whip some.
[crowd cheering]
Rock, we are now just moments away from the Royal Rumble match,
30 superstars, an opportunity to face
the World Wrestling Entertainment Champion at--
Finally, The Rock has come back to New Orleans!
[crowd cheering]
The Royal Rumble 2001, the biggest Royal Rumble in history.
All shapes, all sizes, all colors.
It's so fitting that we are right here in New Orleans
because the Royal Rumble 2001 is like one big pot of jambalaya.
[crowd cheering]
All shapes, all sizes,
from Crash to Rikishi, Kane to The Undertaker.
And speaking of Kane and The Undertaker.
Everybody wants to ask the question, are Kane and The Undertaker together?
Are Kane and The Undertaker together?
Well, quite frankly speaking, if Kane and The Undertaker are together,
then every man is gonna be in trouble.
But The Rock is sick and tired of asking that question,
answering that question.
Is Kane together with The Undertaker? Is The Undertaker together with Kane?
Kane wants to buy The Undertaker a box of chocolates.
The Undertaker wants to tickle Kane's big red nipple.
Who cares what they want to do?
[audience cheering]
'Cause the fact of the matter is this. The Undertaker and Kane,
they are gonna be together tonight, all right.
Together getting both their monkey asses kicked right over the top rope.
[audience cheering]
Royal Rumble 2001, every man for himself.
It could come down to anybody. The Rock and Bull Buchanan.
The Rock and Perry Saturn.
It could even come down to The Rock and "Stone Cold" Steve Austin.
[audience cheering]
Oh, the possibilities, they're endless. The result will still be the same.
Is that The Rock walking down the People's Aisle,
getting in the ring and body after body
after body over the top rope, whipping ass all over the Big Easy, on to WrestleMania.
If you smell…
-what The Rock is cookin'! -[audience] What The Rock is cookin'!
[cheering]
[Ross] Well, ladies and gentlemen, the time is now.
Thirty men, one prize, on their way to WrestleMania. The Royal Rumble.
[announcer] It is now time for the Royal Rumble match.
-[Ross] Thirty men. -[Jerry] Thirty men will be
in the Royal Rumble. It's going to be every man for himself.
[Ross] The only way to be eliminated is to be thrown over the top rope.
-[Jerry] You've got no friends. -[Ross] And both feet touching the ground.
[Jerry] No allies in this match.
The last man standing gets a first class ticket to WrestleMania.
A title shot against the World Wrestling Entertainment Champion.
But it's going to be every man for himself.
[Jerry] This has got slobberknocker written all over it.
[Rikishi] The world was shocked when they found out that I was the one
who ran down "Stone Cold" Steve Austin.
When they found out that I turned on The Rock.
[Ross] And here's the man that will be number 30
in the 30-man Royal Rumble.
[Rikishi] I'll be the last man standing, because you know why?
I'm going to be throwing people left and right, over the top.
And on my way to WrestleMania to become the WWE Champion.
[Jerry] This is a bad man.
Kane is seven foot tall, 326 pounds.
He has to be considered a favorite in the Royal Rumble match.
[Kane] It's me, Kane, versus the world!
[Ross] The Big Red Machine may wipe them all out.
[Undertaker] That's my yard out there, and I'm the big dog that runs that yard.
[Ross] 6'10", 325 pounds of American badass.
[Undertaker] There's 29 other men in that Rumble.
They are going to find out if they try me, I will make them famous.
The safe bet is on the dead man.
[Ross] Thirty men in the Royal Rumble. The Rock's got his eyes set on winning it.
[Rock] The Rock has a dream, and he's going to the Royal Rumble.
And body after body after body over the top rope, one man left
standing in the middle of the ring. One man left standing.
And that one man is The Rock.
-[Jerry] He's got a dream, J.R. -[Rock] The Rock, one more time,
on top of the mountaintop.
WWE Champion.
[commentator] Stone Cold is absolutely possessed,
obsessed with being World Wrestling Entertainment Champion.
-[Ross] The stunner! It's over. -[Jerry] Hey, hey, look.
[Ross] The Game has screwed Stone Cold out of the WWE, by God, title.
[commentator] Stone Cold is possessed. Possessed.
[Jerry] It's Stone Cold! Look out, he's got a chair!
Austin has cleaned house.
[Stone Cold] Vince McMahon, answer my question.
Is "Stone Cold" Steve Austin in the Royal Rumble?
-You're in. -[Jerry] What?
[commentator] Austin is in the Rumble match.
[Stone Cold] I'm going to raise more hell
in that Royal Rumble than anybody has ever seen.
And that's the bottom line because Stone Cold said so.
[Jerry] He's P.O.'d and he's going to raise a lot of hell.
Rock and Stone Cold talking trash.
Will it be The Rock? Will it be Austin?
Wait a minute. Undertaker and Kane!
[Jerry] You forgot about the brothers.
[Ross] Double chokeslam!
[Jerry] Are the Undertaker and Kane working together?
They're the last man standing here.
But who's gonna be the last man standing in that ring in the Royal Rumble?
Who will win the Royal Rumble?
[Ross] Thirty men fighting for one prize.
[Jerry] It's going to be every man for himself.
[Ross] Thirty men competing for the opportunity to wrestle the WWE champion.
[Jerry] On the biggest, the greatest stage of them all.
-[Ross] WrestleMania. -[Jerry] Who will win the Royal Rumble?
[announcer] Ladies and gentlemen,
here are the rules for the Royal Rumble match.
In just a moment, those superstars who drew numbers one and two
will enter the ring, and the match will begin.
Then, every two minutes thereafter, another superstar
enters the match according to the number he drew.
It is every man for himself.
And elimination occurs when a superstar is thrown over the top rope
with both feet touching the floor.
The last superstar remaining in the ring after all 30 have entered
will be declared the winner and will go on to face
the World Wrestling Entertainment Champion at WrestleMania.
["No More Words" playing]
[Ross] Uh-oh. Here comes number one.
[Jerry] The unfortunate one, if you ask me.
[Ross] And it's… it's Jeff Hardy.
[Jerry] He's having a seizure.
Oh, no.
J.R., even you've got to admit,
very unlucky number, one, in the Royal Rumble.
[Ross] Well, as a matter of fact, in 1995, Shawn Michaels came in
number one, King, and won this event.
So maybe it won't be
as a lot of people compare Jeff Hardy with HBK.
-[Jerry] Uh-oh. -[alarm blaring]
[Ross] And here comes the big Bull himself.
Bull Buchanan representing Right to Censor.
-And Bull must be in a fighting mood… -[bell ringing]
[Ross] …because he's not wearing his necktie.
[Jerry] You've got that right.
And poor old Jeff Hardy is going to suffer at least two minutes
of hell here at the hands of Bull Buchanan. Uh-oh.
[Ross] So these men will compete against each other for two minutes,
that is unless
-one is thrown over the top rope… -[Jerry] Oh, yeah.
[Ross] …and both their feet touch the floor.
[Jerry] I didn't even think about that.
Hey, look out. Oh, man.
[Ross] Head scissor takeover by Jeff Hardy.
These entrants, the order of entry
-was drawn at random… -[Jerry] Oh, man.
[Ross] …with the exception for Rikishi.
[Jerry] Yeah, Rikishi fortunate enough to become number 30.
And like I said, J.R., he had enough going for him
by weighing over 300 pounds.
It's gonna be hard enough to be thrown over the ring, but,
being the last one to enter, what an advantage.
[Ross] And Rikishi won the right, he earned the right
several weeks ago, to be the last man in this matchup
as Bull Buchanan had on his mind to eliminate Jeff Hardy.
But, that was not to be on that exchange.
-And a hard body shot. -[grunts]
[Ross] Oh, man. Right into the young man from North Carolina who fights back.
Jeff Hardy giving a lot of size and power and strength away here.
And Bull Buchanan teetering now on the top.
[Jerry] Can Hardy get the Bull over? That's what it's all about.
Get that opponent out of the ring.
This would be a huge advantage for Jeff Hardy if he could get the Bull,
or if Bull could get his opponent, Jeff Hardy, out right here,
then have about a minute of rest.
[Ross] Remember, a new opponent will come every two minutes.
Oh.
[Ross] Jeff Hardy, number one in the rumble. Bull Buchanan, number two.
[Jerry] What about Jeff Hardy's hair?
[Ross] And in, uh, less than 10, we'll find out who's number three, King.
[Jerry] Here we go.
-[Ross] Oh, man. -[audience] … four, three, two, one.
[Jerry] These two guys have survived the first two minutes.
-[buzzer blaring] -["No More Words" playing]
-[Jerry] Hey! -[Ross] Wait a minute.
That's… that's Jeff Hardy's brother Matt.
[Jerry] A huge advantage for the Hardy Boyz here.
[Ross] The Hardy Boyz…
-[Jerry] Sorry about your luck, Bull. -[Ross] …drawing one and three.
And Bull Buchanan sandwiched in between.
[Jerry] Now I'll bet these guys-- oh.
-[Ross] It's almost like a handicap match. -[Jerry] Yeah.
Nobody would be glad to get numbers one and three.
-But now, I bet the Hardys are-- -[Ross] Double clothesline!
-[Jerry] Look at this. -[Ross] Every man for himself here.
And now it's down to Matt and Jeff Hardy on this exchange.
[Jerry] You don't think they're going to fight, do you?
[Ross] You're damn right I do. It's every man for himself.
[Jerry] If I were them I would just sit there and wait for my opponent
-to come in and double-team him. -[Ross] Brother versus brother.
Man versus man.
-And every brother for himself. -[yells]
[Ross] And Matt Hardy…
[Jerry] I guess you're right because this is all about the title.
Being the main event at WrestleMania.
[Ross] You better believe that.
And it can't get any better than that for anybody in this profession.
Starts hard right hand, and--
Nice suplex by Matt Hardy and his brother Jeff.
How many times perhaps have they gone at it in the… in the early days
when they were training
-to make it here in the WWE. -[Jerry] Oh!
[Ross] I can promise you, I think I can say honestly that
they never dreamed it would come down to this at the Royal Rumble.
[Jerry] They certainly know each others' moves.
I just can't help but think, what's Lita thinking right now?
Uh-oh, look out!
I like to think of Lita every chance I get. [chuckling]
[Ross] I know you do, as Matt Hardy trying to hold on for dear life.
Remember, both of your feet have to touch the floor.
Matt is on the top.
[audience] …eight, seven…
[Ross] And our fourth competitor will be out soon.
[Jerry] Well, this could be the best thing that ever happened to both these Hardys.
I think now they've decided
we're better off if we double-team this guy.
Whoever it's-- Who is it?
Uh-oh. Oh, it's Faarooq.
-Oh, my gosh. -[Ross] Of the APA.
Faarooq and the Hardys now.
[Jerry] I don't know if even double-teaming Faarooq is going to help.
-Oh, what'd I tell ya? -[Ross] And Faarooq
just ran right through the brothers Hardy.
And this big APA member--
Ooh, man! Talk about a stud, and Faarooq…
[Jerry] See you, Matt.
-[Ross] Scooping up Matt Hardy. -[Jerry] Thanks for coming.
[Ross] And Matt Hardy fighting desperately.
[Jerry] He's still in. Look out!
[Ross] And Jeff with a misstep from his brother, Matt.
And Faarooq now holding Matt-- Jeff Hardy up over the top rope.
-[Jerry] Better do something. -[Ross] There goes Jeff.
And Jeff holding on, right back on the apron. Oh, my.
[Jerry] Oh, my is right-- Hey, look out! Jeff saved his brother Matt.
[audience cheering]
-[Ross] Brothers walked into that-- -[Jerry] Oh, man!
[Ross] But not the Rumble.
-[Jerry] Twist of fate. Look at that! -[Ross] Swanton!
And the Hardys working together here.
The Swanton.
And Faarooq eliminated by both Matt and Jeff Hardy.
-And wait a minute. And there's-- -[Jerry] Uh-oh.
[Ross] Matt tried to eliminate Jeff. It's every man for himself as we said.
-[Jerry] Oh, boy. -[Ross] Oh, I think Jeff didn't like that.
-But that's the rules of the game. -[audience cheering]
[Jerry] Now what? Are they going to fight or just undress?
[Ross] I think they are going to fight, King.
[Jerry laughing] Let's go, boys. Get it on.
Oh, here we go.
-Oh, yeah! -[Ross] Oh, man! What a right hand.
And the Hardys exchanging those hard right hands.
You can hear the thud.
[audience] …nine, eight…
[Jerry] Who's coming in next? Do you have a list of the order?
Or is it going to be a surprise to you and I as well?
-[Ross] It's random, King. -[Jerry] Oh, look out! Oh, man!
-What a shot! -[buzzer blaring]
[Jerry] Uh-oh.
["Trash Talk" playing]
[Ross] I can't believe he did it.
-Drew Carey is out here. -[Jerry yelling]
Drew, don't do it! This is suicide.
[Ross] One of the biggest stars in all of Hollywood.
A man with a couple of weekly television shows.
A guy who's going to have his own pay-per-view Saturday night.
[Jerry] I'll tell you what. If Drew lives through this,
he deserves to have everybody watch his pay-per-view this Saturday night.
[Ross] If I was Drew, I would hang around and sign some autographs.
[Jerry] Yeah, that's a pretty good idea, Drew, don't hurry. Don't rush anything.
Look, somebody's got a sign over there already.
[Ross] Listen to the crowd chanting for Drew Carey.
You never know what's going to happen.
And by golly, you never know what's going to happen in the
Royal Rumble as Matt Hardy almost got eliminated there.
[Jerry] Come on, ref. Get Drew in the ring.
I want to see how he can handle himself against the Hardys.
[Ross] You are sadistic.
[Jerry] I'd like to see Drew-- Try a hurricanrana, Drew!
[Ross] He's in the ring. Drew Carey in the ring now.
[Jerry] Drop kick, Drew.
[Ross] Drew Carey encouraged to get in this by Mr. McMahon.
[Jerry] Take your glasses off. You're not a Dudley!
[Ross] I still think Mr. McMahon, the old jealousy-- oh, my God!
Look at the Hardys.
They just get higher and higher. And the ref-- Oh!
Matt Hardy eliminated his brother and Jeff pulled off
his shirt around his waist.
[Jerry] Drew has done it! He's--
Do you realize if this was over, Drew would be going to WrestleMania?
[Ross] I shudder to think of that, but--
-Look at Drew Carey. -[Jerry] You're the man, Drew.
-[audience] …five, four… -[Jerry] For about another five seconds.
-[Ross] For the time being. -[audience] …three, two, one.
[Ross] Maybe somebody will take it easy on him.
[buzzer blaring]
[Ross] Oh, my God, oh, my God, oh, my God.
-["Burned" playing] -[Jerry] Hey, Drew! Hey, Drew!
[Ross] There ain't no easy way here.
[Jerry] Earth to Drew.
[Ross] This man is seven feet tall and 330 pounds.
[Jerry] I think… [Ross] The Big Red Machine, Kane.
[Jerry] …Kane is about to become famous.
He's going to be on the news.
He's gonna be on the front page of the New York Post.
[Ross] Drew Carey is asking for assistance.
I hope he's got good insurance with the Screen Actors' Guild.
[Jerry] I can see it now, Access Hollywood,
Entertainment Tonight, the E! Network.
Hey, Drew.
Look at Drew. He's calling for the Hardys to come back.
[Ross] Drew Carey has been left all alone at the Royal Rumble.
He's all by himself.
And the Big Red Machine is a carnivore.
[Jerry] I don't think Drew understands what he's gotten into here tonight.
Big Red Machine is a carnivore, and Drew Carey is a big old pork chop.
Drew is starting to sweat Crisco.
[Jerry] Drew, what do you think his blood type is? Ragù?
We'll find out. He's actually got a smile on his face.
Drew, do you realize-- This ain't no sitcom, Drew.
[Ross] Thank God Drew Carey is wearing black pants.
-[Jerry exclaiming] -[Ross] Oh, my God!
[Ross] He's going to singe that flattop.
[explosion booms]
[Ross] Drew just experienced some hellfire and brimstone.
[Jerry] At least take your glasses off.
[Ross] Oh, yeah. That's going to work.
[Jerry] Well, good sportsman. At least Drew is a good sportsman.
[Ross] Kane, cocking that head, looking at Drew.
[Jerry] Hey, he's offering money. That's a good idea.
[Ross] Drew Carey is trying to buy his way out of this thing. Uh-oh.
That ain't going to work.
The Big Red Machine wants to win the Royal Rumble.
-And Drew Carey is a speed bump. -[buzzer blaring]
-[Jerry screaming] -[Ross] Oh, my God. Wait a minute.
-Don't do it. -[Jerry] Look at this.
[Ross] It's Raven.
Raven just inadvertently saved Drew Carey's behind.
-[Jerry] The hardcore champion. -[Ross] And look at Drew Carey.
Drew Carey is getting the hell out of there.
[Jerry] He's smarter than I thought.
[Ross] Drew Carey just eliminated himself.
That leaves Raven with the Big Red Machine.
And I don't like Raven's chances.
[Jerry] Look at Drew Carey. He got out unscathed.
Is he ever happy.
-Yeah, you get up! You tell 'em. -[Jerry] Yeah!
[Ross] Drew Carey's heart-stopping experience in the Royal Rumble
at least ended with him able to leave here of his own accord.
[audience cheering]
[Ross] That leaves Raven and Kane.
-[grunts] -[Ross] Oh, my God!
Kane just manhandling Raven and taking Raven down.
Now Raven's on the outside.
-But he's gotta go over the top. -[Jerry] Give me another--
Where's Drew Carey? Is Drew Carey gone?
I mean, he really deserves for everybody
to watch Drew Carey All-Star Improv, Saturday night. Look out!
I'll bet Kane wishes he had one of those a few times in his life.
[Ross] Well, Drew Carey survived this pay-per-view.
Will he survive his own Saturday night?
-And-- -[Jerry] Wait a minute. What is this?
Al Snow. Al Snow!
-[Ross] Where did he come from? -[Jerry] Is he in the Royal Rumble?
Did his number come up? What's the deal here?
[Ross] Al Snow is definitely in the Royal Rumble.
[crowd cheering]
[Ross] We haven't seen Al Snow in weeks thanks to Raven.
-When Raven-- -[Jerry] I mean, is he a participant?
-We didn't hear the-- -[Al Snow] Get off me! Get off me!
[Ross] The cinder block several weeks ago from Raven--
[audience] …seven, six, five, four, three…
[Jerry] Wait, I don't think Al Snow is actually in this rumble, is he?
-The referees are holding him out. -[buzzer blaring]
[Jerry] Oh, he's in.
[Ross] Well, now he's official, as if it mattered.
[Jerry] Oh! He just jumped the gun, I guess.
[Ross] It's turned into a hardcore Rumble.
No disqualifications, as you all know,
that have watched the Rumble over the years.
[Jerry] Poor Drew Carey got out just in time, didn't he?
[Ross] He damn sure did.
[Jerry] You gotta admit this is a little different than most Royal Rumbles.
-Now what? -[Ross] Well, this ain't exactly improv
-or-- -[Jerry] What the heck?
[Ross] What the hell is Al Snow--
[Jerry] Oh, don't tell me, not that bowling ball again.
-[Kane groaning] -[Ross] Ooh! Kane just got nailed.
I don't know what's in that bag, that bowling bag. I assume…
-Uh. It is a bowling ball. -[Jerry speaking indistinctly]
-That is a 16-pound bowling ball! -[yells]
[Ross] The seventh pin was picked up.
Oh! And what a shot by Kane.
[Jerry] Man, oh, man.
[Ross] Looks like a tornado has blown through New Orleans
or a hurricane, more aptly, here in the Big Easy.
And nothing is easy with Kane.
-[grunts] -[Ross] Kane is so dominant.
[Jerry] Every time I hear the word tornado,
I think of trailer parks.
Every time I think of a trailer park, I think of what happened
out here between Stephanie and Trish. Have we have an update on-- Oh, look out!
-Hit him again! -[Ross] Shot by Al Snow. I…
[Jerry] Oh, man.
[Ross] You hear that thud there right to the skull of Kane.
-[Kane grunting] -[Ross] And again.
-[Jerry] I can't believe-- -[Ross] Kane is not even off his feet.
This big son of a-- He's a-- Kane won't go down.
[Jerry] We're seeing it all tonight, aren't we, J.R.?
[Ross] And I'll tell you, this has been an amazing Royal Rumble.
-[Kane grunting] -[Ross] Oh!
Kane tried to block it but I don't think to any avail there.
-Kane is down. -[audience] …five, four, three, two…
-And here comes perhaps… -[Jerry] Somebody.
[buzzer blaring]
-["Saturnal" playing] -[Ross] Perry Saturn.
Perry is not in the rumble.
-My God, what-- -[Jerry] Whoa, man.
[Ross] What is she not wearing?
[Jerry] I know it's cold here in New Orleans,
but I think they are a little nippley here tonight.
-[Ross] Perry Saturn looking at his fate. -[Jerry] Hey.
Drew Carey, if you want to know how to do a successful pay-per-view,
take some notes.
[Saturn grunting]
[Ross] Kane, the executioner.
[Jerry] Just get plenty of puppies. Yoo-hoo.
Oh! Look out.
[Ross] Saturn over the top rope.
-On the Big Red Machine Kane. -[yells]
[Ross] It's a good strategy by Saturn trying to take the legs out
and destroy that vertical base of the seven-footer.
-[Jerry] Oh, my gosh. -[Ross] But can Saturn get it done?
Saturn looking with the submission move, but there's no submission.
But you can certainly incapacitate Kane.
[Jerry] Speaking of incapacitated, poor old Raven and Al Snow
are both on-- Oh, there, Raven is back up now.
Is he going for the sleeper on…
[Ross] Oh, Raven the hardcore champion.
[Jerry] He's not going to put the sleeper on Kane.
[Ross] And the drop kick to the kneecap by Saturn.
-[Kane grunting] -[Ross] Another shot right to the face.
[Saturn grunting]
[Ross] And Kane now.
-[Kane grunting] -[Jerry] Oh, my gosh.
-[audience cheering] -[Ross] He's got such power.
-[Jerry] Oh! -[Ross] My God, what strength.
-[Jerry] Look at Al Snow. [laughing] -[Ross] Al Snow right back on Kane's back.
-[Jerry] Ooh. Oh, my gosh. -[Ross] But not for long.
And then Raven decides to mount the Big Red Machine
with a sleeper hold. And there's the knees.
[Jerry] All of these guys are just trying to get Kane.
They can't even get him off his feet! But he will not go down-- Finally.
[Ross] Finally, Kane went down to his knees.
-It took three men… -[Raven grunting]
[Ross] …with stop signs, road signs, chop blocks
and more to get Kane down.
[Jerry] And I'd be willing to bet even these three men couldn't get Kane
-over the top rope in this rumble. -[audience] Ten, nine, eight…
[Ross] Well, that is their challenge, oh! And whomever else comes here.
[audience] …five, four, three, two, one!
-[Ross] Oh, and the-- -[buzzer blaring]
-[audience cheering] -["Drums in the Night" playing]
[Jerry] Oh, boy!
[Ross] Oh, now we're really going to get hardcore.
[Jerry] You've got that right!
[Ross] Of course, there's the Lethal Weapon, Steve Blackman.
[Jerry] He's got those sticks with him. I knew he would. Oh, ow, look out.
Watch it, Raven! [grunts]
-[Ross] Blackman using those sticks… -Come on!
[Ross] …of which he is very proficient.
-Ow, ow! -[Jerry] Oh!
-Ow, ow, ow. -[Ross] Every man for himself.
Because you know Blackman and Al Snow are good friends.
[Jerry] Watch it, Perry.
-[grunts] -[Jerry] Yow!
[Ross] There are no friends in the Royal Rumble,
as we saw with the Hardys, the brothers earlier.
[Jerry] Everybody wants to be in WrestleMania,
and they want a shot at the title, and this is the way you get it.
-Win this Royal Rumble. -[wrestlers grunting]
-[Ross] Kane hammering Steve Blackman… -[Kane grunting]
[Ross] And you see the action all over the ring, look at the debris!
[Jerry chuckling]
It's a hardcore Royal Rumble.
-I never thought I'd see the day, J.R. -[Kane yelling]
[Ross] Al Snow there--
All these men are hardcore. But again, the stakes cannot be higher.
You're guaranteed to be in the main event at WrestleMania.
[Ross] And you will meet the WWE Champion
if you can win this Royal Rumble here tonight.
Oh!
[Ross] Raven knocked down. Look at Blackman and Saturn.
No love lost there, but they're trying to eliminate Kane.
[Jerry] Yeah, Kane's back on his feet. We already saw how tough it is
to get him off his feet. He's back up there now.
[grunts]
[Ross] Looks like all four of these guys could…
could get on the same page and eliminate Kane.
That would be the smartest thing they could do.
-[Jerry] You've got that right. -[audience clamoring]
[Jerry] I hate to agree with you, J.R., but you're right about that.
[audience] …seven, six, five, four…
[Ross] Here comes our-- another competitor.
-Number 11 by my calculation. -[buzzer blaring]
["Turn It Up" playing]
-[Jerry] Oh-ho! It's Grand Master Sexay! -[crowd cheering, applauding]
[Ross] Grand Master dancing his way into the ring,
goes right into the hardcore fray.
[Jerry] He danced his way right into the hearts
-of all these Royal Rumble participants. -[wrestlers grunt]
[Ross] Blackman hammering at Kane, and Kane is still standing.
Al Snow. There goes Al Snow!
Grand Master going to eliminate Snow here.
[Jerry] The Grand Master certainly is fresh.
Well, until that shot to the head by Perry Saturn.
That'll make you a little woozy.
[Ross] It doesn't snow in New Orleans very often,
but we almost saw some there, King.
[Jerry] Yeah! Oh, yeah! Oh, man!
[Ross] Pounding.
Oh! Oh, man. That shot right to the head of Saturn.
[Jerry] What else is in Blackman's little black bag there?
[Ross] And again, Raven mounting Kane from behind.
And Grand Master's got Blackman's nunchucks.
[Jerry] And he's using them on Steve Blackman.
[Ross] Kane, with the second and third row, Kane, still in this thing.
He didn't go over the top. Oh, my God! Kane's now got a can.
-[Jerry] Look out! -[audience exclaiming]
[Ross] Oh, Grand Master knocked over the top by Kane!
-The Big Red Machine is going crazy here. -[Jerry] He's on a rampage now.
[Ross] Kane has risen from the dead.
-[Jerry] Oh, look out, Steve! -[Ross] And there goes--
And Blackman holds on.
He's gotta try to pull up-- But not for long.
[Jerry] Well, he held on for a second there.
[Ross] My God, Kane is cleaning house, King.
[Jerry] Well, good. That house could stand a little cleaning.
-Get a broom or a mop. -[Ross] Kane eliminates Al Snow.
-Oh, what a shot! Raven, bye-bye! -[audience cheering]
[Ross] Perry Saturn and Kane.
[audience] …five, four, three…
[Ross] Oh, I don't like the Radicalz' chances here.
-[Jerry] I don't either. -[buzzer blaring]
[Ross] And Saturn gone, and Kane is dominant!
-[Jerry] Wait a minute. What the hell? -["Cool, Cocky, Bad" playing]
[audience cheering]
-[Jerry] Look at this, J.R.! -[Ross] Oh, it's the Honky Tonk Man.
-[Jerry laughing] -[airhorns blaring]
[Ross] We told you there would be some surprises.
[Jerry] What-- It's the greatest intercontinental champion of all time.
[Ross] Drew Carey, and now the Honky Tonk Man.
[Jerry] That must be who Mr. McMahon was talking to
-in that big, huge limo. Look out! -[Ross] It could have been. I'm not--
[Honky Tonk Man] Thank you very much. You're a beautiful audience. Thank you.
[Jerry] He's going to grace us with a song!
Thank you very much. You are a beautiful audience. Thank you.
[Jerry] The Honky Tonk Man is back. And he brought his guitar.
[Honky Tonk Man] Thank you so much. Now, wait a minute, big fellow.
You just stand over out of the way.
I got a little bit of business I need to take care of
so give me a second. Okay?
[Jerry] We haven't seen the Honky Tonk Man--
Now, what would the Royal Rumble be
without the greatest intercontinental champion of all time?
-[Jerry] There you go. -[audience cheering]
-[airhorn blaring] -[Jerry] Look at that hair, J.R!
I know you want to hear me sing my song.
-[crowd cheering] -[Jerry] Yeah!
And I never let my fans down.
-Turn the music on! -[Jerry] I think we're gonna--
Let's all sing together. Here we go.
[Jerry] All right, J.R. Come on, clap your hands. Can you sing?
-["Cool, Cocky, Bad" playing] -Turn it up loud. You know the words.
[Ross] I can't sing a lick and I don't--
[Jerry] You know the words! Listen. Here we go.
[laughing]
[Honky Tonk Man] ♪ I got long sideburns ♪
♪ And my hair slicked back ♪
♪ I'm coming to your town In a pink Cadillac ♪
♪ I'm just a Honky Tonk Man ♪
[Jerry] ♪ Just a Honky Tonk Man! ♪
♪ I'm just a Honky Tonk Man ♪
[Jerry] ♪ Just a Honky Tonk Man! ♪
♪ I'm just a Honky Tonk Man I'm cool, I'm cocky, I'm bad ♪
-[Jerry] Yeah, you are. Wait a minute! -[Ross] Oh!
-Oh! -[audience cheering]
[Ross] I guess Kane is tired of the song.
-[airhorn blaring] -[Jerry] He's a music hater.
[Ross] Kane is like… He says, "No." Kane's shaking his head.
-[Jerry] What the-- -[Ross] Good grief.
[Jerry] Kane?
-[Ross] The Honky Tonk Man… -[Jerry] No, look out!
[Ross] …is gone. Thanks to Kane.
-[Jerry] He hated that song. -[Ross] And Kane is all business.
[audience] …five, four, three, two, one…
-[buzzer blaring] -["Electrifying" playing]
♪ If you smell what The Rock is cookin'! ♪
[Ross] It's The Rock!
-He's got number 13! -[audience cheering]
[airhorns blaring]
[Ross] Lucky number, or maybe not, 13. The Rock and Kane.
-And The Rock right in Kane's face. -[Jerry] The smack is being laid down now
on the Big Red Machine.
-Oh! -[Ross] The Rock knocking down Kane.
I mean, exploding.
[Jerry] There goes Ka-- Oh, wait a minute.
-[Ross] Kane put on the brakes. -[Jerry] Wow. What a shot.
[Ross] The Rock won in 2000
-after entering number 24. -[audience chanting indistinctly]
[Ross] Can he win in 2001 entering number 13?
[Jerry] Over 17,000 people chanting for The Rock.
I'll tell you one thing.
Kane didn't like hearing the Honky Tonk Man's song.
But I bet he even hated worse hearing The Rock's entrance music.
[Rock groans]
[Ross] Kane with the reverse elbow on The Rock.
Remember, you gotta be thrown over the top.
And both feet gotta get on the-- touch the floor, I should say.
And Kane has been dominant.
It seems like every year someone really steps up
and dominates this Royal Rumble.
And apparently, or at least to this point, King, it has been Kane.
[Jerry] How many men did Kane single-handedly eliminate so far?
-Seven or eight? -[Ross] I think so. Exactly right.
[Jerry] And you gotta count Drew Carey in there too.
[audience chanting indistinctly]
[Jerry] He ran for his life when he saw Kane.
[Ross] Another entrant about to come
-as The Rock just got knocked down… -[groans]
-[Ross] …by the Big Red Machine. -[audience] …four, three, two, one!
[buzzer blaring]
-[siren blaring over speaker] -[Ross] Oh, no!
It's the Goodfather. Nothing good about this father.
Entering in number 14, his teammate, Bull Buchanan,
entered number two, and was eliminated by the Hardys.
-[Jerry] Look out, Rock! -[Rock grunts]
-[Jerry] There you go. -[Ross] The Rock hammering the Goodfather.
-[Rock yells] -[Ross] Whoa!
-Can't connect on the clothesline. -[Jerry] Look at that! [laughing]
[Ross] Just laid the SmackDown on the Goodfather.
Oh, and Kane just knocked down The Rock.
Kane almost crushed The Rock with that right hand.
[Jerry] Goodfather lasted a total of about ten seconds
before he got checked into the SmackDown Hotel,
courtesy of The Rock.
-[Ross] Well, they got good room service. -[Jerry chuckling]
[Ross] And Kane hooking up The Rock…
-[Kane grunting] -[Ross] Oh, my God!
Right into a huge suplex by the 300-pounder.
[groans, breathes heavily]
-[Ross] And Kane almost-- -[Kane grunts]
[Ross] I thought he was going to go for a cover.
[Jerry] I did too.
[Ross] That's not going to do you any good.
[Ross] He's choking The Rock. And again, no disqualifications here.
-[audience chanting indistinctly] -[groans]
[Ross] Kane, a carnivore, chewing on a piece of Rock burger.
[Jerry] Rock burger?
-[Ross] Rock back up, picked up by Kane. -[Rock grunts]
-more accurately, and Rock fighting back. -[audience cheering]
[Ross] You know, The Rock will never quit on you.
He knows what's at stake here.
-The Rock wants to go to WrestleMania. -[Rock grunts]
-[Ross] Oh! And so does Kane. -[grunts, groans]
[Ross] Who wants it more badly?
-[audience] …eight, seven… -[Jerry] Well, we heard The Rock
talk about all the men he was going to throw out,
bodies left and right.
So far, he's eliminated the Goodfather. Who's next?
[buzzer blaring]
-[Jerry] Whoa! -["If You Dare" playing]
-[Ross] Whoa! Here comes Tazz. Uh-oh. -[audience cheering]
[Ross] Tazz, he made his debut last Royal Rumble.
[Jerry] Ah! He ran right into the hands of Kane!
[Kane grunts]
-[Ross] And Tazz sat up on the top-- -[Jerry] Look out! Whoa!
-Oh! -[Ross] And Tazz is hammered.
Tazz never got out of the blocks, thanks to Kane.
-[Jerry] Man, Tazz! -[audience clamoring]
-[Ross] And The Rock has been left… -[Kane grunts]
[Ross] …with this big red assassin.
-[groans] -[Jerry] Boy, unfortunately for Tazz,
I think he should have taken his time running down to the ring.
He ran right into the hands, those big mitts, of Kane,
and then got pushed right up over the top rope.
-[Ross] Tazz has got a lot of guts. -[Jerry] Uh-oh!
[Ross] He came to fight. But this was not his night.
[grunts]
[Ross] Right hand. The Rock trying to fight desperately out of the corner.
Kane-- Oh, Rock trying to scoop Kane up. Remember, Kane is almost 330 pounds.
-[audience cheering] -[Jerry] Here he goes.
-[audience cheering] -[Rock] Come on!
[Ross] Rock muscling Kane with all he's got.
[Jerry] Can he get him? Can he get him?
[Ross] Kane trying to hold on. But it may not be enough.
-[yells, grunts] -[Ross] The Rock had Kane by the hair,
and Kane retaliates.
[pants]
[groans]
[both grunt]
[grunts]
[Ross] The Rock and Kane.
-[Kane yells] -[Ross] The Rock--
Ooh! Kane came in at six, The Rock came in at 13.
There's the Samoan drop, and another competitor on their way.
[audience] …two, one!
-[Jerry] Who's it going to be? -[Ross] We are halfway home.
-[buzzer blaring] -[audience cheering]
[Ross] And here comes the second acolyte, the second APA.
-Good old Bradshaw. -[Jerry] He's coming in
at an opportune time with The Rock and Kane down.
-He could really capitalize here. -[wrestlers grunt]
[Ross] You have won't have to hunt Bradshaw to fight him
-because he likes to fight. -[Jerry] This Bradshaw is the one man
that's big enough to really take advantage of this situation.
[Ross] Bradshaw's got to be 6'7" or 6'8", over 300 pounds himself.
Uh-oh! Watch it. And now Rock joining Bradshaw.
-That's smart. -[Jerry] Very smart.
-[Ross] They're trying to eliminate Kane. -[Jerry] Whoa!
[Ross] There's a shot.
-[Jerry] Oh, my God! Oh, my God! -[audience exclaiming]
[Ross] The clothesline from…
all the way from hell, from Bradshaw, right on The Rock's face.
[Jerry] Bradshaw and The Rock were united there
for a total of about three seconds.
[Ross] Bradshaw trying to incapacitate Kane.
Easier said than done.
And now Bradshaw turning his focus on The Rock,
who just suffered from that Bradshaw clothesline. Oh!
[Jerry] Well, Bradshaw feels that he would like to go to WrestleMania
-and get a shot at that title. -[audience cheering]
[Ross] Anybody with a heartbeat wants that. Another knock-down.
This time, Rock is knocked down by Kane. And look at this carnage.
These three superstars knowing full well what's on the line.
[Jerry] Uh-oh.
[Ross] What opportunity awaits them if they are successful here tonight?
-[Kane yells, grunts] -[Bradshaw groans]
[Jerry] Kane with the upper hand now on both of these,
both The Rock and Bradshaw.
Kane has been the dominant player in this Royal Rumble match tonight, King.
-Without a doubt. -[Jerry] I've got to agree with you there.
[audience] …seven, six, five…
[Jerry] We are five seconds away from finding out who's…
who's gonna be next here.
-[buzzer blaring] -["Emergency" playing]
[Ross] Oh, and here comes another big, young stud.
-The 6'8", 350-pound Albert. -[Jerry] Oh!
[Ross] And Albert showing no intimidation of Kane or The Rock.
[Jerry] You know what, every time I see Albert, I like him
because he… he makes me think of Trish.
-[grunts] -[Jerry] And I love to think of Trish,
how Trish is doing.
[Ross] Oh! Kane getting right back in Albert's face.
It's four men now in the rumble.
[Jerry] J.R., you got any updates on Trish?
[Ross] I have not.
-Albert came in at number 17. -[grunts, groans]
-[Kane grunts] -[Bradshaw groans]
[Jerry] Are you sure you don't have an update on Trish?
-[Ross] King, it's all about this match. -[Jerry] What about Stephanie?
-[wrestlers yelling] -[Jerry] Update on Stephanie?
[Ross] And Kane now hammering on The Rock.
As-- Oh, look at Bradshaw. Bradshaw about to be eliminated by Albert.
[Jerry] J.R., if I didn't know better, I think you were ignoring me.
[Ross] And you're right. Oh! Uh-oh! Look out here, The Rock, Kane.
-[Jerry] We got The Rock about to-- -Kane underneath The Rock.
-[Jerry] We got Bradshaw about to-- Oh! -[audience cheering]
[Ross] Kane trying to elevate The Rock over the top.
[Jerry] Bradshaw's got one foot on a-- Uh-oh, oh!
[Ross] Bradshaw gone. No, he's not.
-[Bradshaw groans] -[Ross] Bradshaw!
[Jerry] I think Albert thinks Bradshaw is gone.
Look out. There goes The Rock.
[Ross] No. They got two referees out here
to make sure that both these, uh… the feet hit the floor.
-And Rock again. -[Jerry] Albert!
-[groans] -[Jerry] Guess who's back in there.
[Ross] Bradshaw hammering Albert. Maybe should have helped him.
-[Jerry] Ooh, man! -[Ross] Bradshaw loves that clothesline.
-That brought him to the dance. -[grunts]
[Jerry] I love this, J.R. Every man for himself.
And it only comes once a year. It's like Christmas. Royal Rumble!
[Ross] What a shot there. Bradshaw knocking down this 350-pounder.
-[buzzer blaring] -[Jerry] Who is it? Who is it?
["How Do You Like Me Now" playing]
[Jerry] Uh-oh.
[Ross] Oh, what do you think of the Hardcore Holly now?
[Jerry] Yeah, how do you like him now? Here he comes.
[Ross] Here's another guy that likes to fight.
[Jerry] He's not going to make any friends.
[wrestlers groan]
[Ross] Rob Holly never walked away from a fight in his life.
-That's why they call him hardcore. -[Jerry] Oh! He went down hard.
[Ross] I'm sure he's just sorry he missed all the hardcore action earlier.
-[Jerry] Look out! Man! -[Ross] Albert Bomb.
But no pinfalls, remember.
And as we have seen, with all these hardcore weaponry,
there is no disqualifications in this Royal Rumble match-up.
[Jerry] Big Albert right back to work on Kane.
And I think that's smart. [chuckles] If I were these guys, like you said,
Kane's been so dominant, somebody-- they need to team up,
even though it's every man for themselves, and get Kane out of here somehow.
[Ross] Kane may be… Kane may be leaving us here.
[Jerry] Uh-oh! So may be The Rock.
[Ross] And Bradshaw, and Hardcore Holly double-teaming The Rock.
[Jerry] I thought it was every man for himself,
but it looks like Hardcore Holly and Bradshaw are working together.
[Ross] The Rock is going to be gone. No, he-- Rock's on the apron.
Holding on to the rope.
[Jerry] He's holding on to that rope for dear life.
-[Ross] Exactly. -[Rock groans]
[Ross] Rock hooked the bottom rope and held on to it as tightly as he could.
-The Rock is still in it. -[Jerry] Oh!
-Big boot from Albert. -[Albert yells]
-[Jerry] Whoa! Man! -[Ross] What a scissors kick by Albert,
knocking down Kane.
-[Jerry] That was impressive. -[Ross] That is saying something.
Very impressive move by Albert.
[Jerry] We saw six men in here a while ago, trying to get Kane
off his feet at the same time and Albert did it with one foot.
[Ross] Can you imagine what it would mean to the career of a young guy
like Albert to win this thing and go on to the Royal Rumble?
As The Rock trying to behead Bradshaw with his own--
-Kane over! There goes Kane! -[Jerry] Here he goes!
Let him go! Throw him, push him, kick him, do anything, bite him!
[Ross] The Rock's got Kane on that apron.
[Jerry] Kick him! There you go! You got him!
[Ross] Kane almost out. Both feet got to touch.
-[buzzer blaring] -["Get Rowdy" playing]
♪ Oh, you didn't know You better call somebody ♪
-♪ The D-O-Double G and K-Kwik get rowdy ♪ -[Jerry] Uh-oh!
[Ross] Here comes K-Kwik, the young rookie,
in his first Royal Rumble.
I wonder if he even knows what he's getting into.
[Jerry] I'm going to tell you something. This kid's impressive. Very impressive.
I've seen him in action. He ain't afraid of anybody.
-[grunts] -[Jerry] Oh!
He may not be as tough as everybody, but he ain't afraid of anybody.
-[K-Kwik groans] -[Ross] Albert manhandling K-Kwik.
Kane paired up with The Rock. Hardcore Holly with Bradshaw.
The ring beginning, King, to fill right back up.
-[Jerry] Oh, yeah. -[K-Kwik yells]
[Jerry] And you've got some guys in there that are absolutely huge
when you talk about Kane, Albert, Bradshaw, and The Rock, of course.
He's no small potatoes himself. Ow!
[Ross] A never-ending fountain of aggression here
as these superstars continue to compete
for the right to meet the champion at WrestleMania.
[Jerry] That's what it's all about. You're right.
Certainly everybody wants to go to WrestleMania.
But to be in the main event at WrestleMania, oh, man!
[Ross] Bradshaw again had some time on the apron.
And there's a low blow by Hardcore Holly on Kane.
Somehow, these guys have got to-- Oh, look out.
The Rock with K-Kwik on his shoulder.
[Jerry] Boy, all this talk about WrestleMania,
I know one person that's very, very disappointed
that he won't be defending the title at WrestleMania,
-and that's Triple H. -[Ross] Well, that just breaks my heart.
-[Kane yells] -[Ross] Oh, man. Double impact.
Hardcore Holly and K-Kwik…
-[Jerry] Man, oh, man! -[Ross] …just got planted.
[Jerry] That big, huge boot got planted right into the side of Kane,
courtesy of Bradshaw.
[Ross] Kane has been in a long time. The Rock…
[audience] …six, five, four, three…
[Ross] The Rock trying to hold on here.
-[Jerry] Who is it? Who we got? -[buzzer blaring]
-[siren blaring over speaker] -[Jerry] Oh, no!
[Ross] Kane has officially been in this match for 30 minutes.
[Jerry] I think there are way too many Right to Censor members.
-[grunts] -[Ross] I can't argue that.
[Jerry] And unfortunately, that whole group seems to be growing.
[grunts]
-[Ross] Kane has been in 30 minutes. -[Jerry] Look out, Val! [laughing]
[Ross] That's a hell of a feat for a 330-pounder.
And Val Venis just got drilled with that spine buster.
And look at Hardcore Holly having his way with The Rock,
-who's also got to be fatigued. -[Jerry] Oh, yeah.
[Rock groans]
[Jerry] Rock's been in there a long time now but,
you know, Rock laid down a lot of smack himself,
talking about who all he was going to throw out, left and right.
[groans]
[Jerry] He's got his hands full.
-[yells] -[Ross] Holly choking The Rock.
Now, you can tell the pain, the fatigue beginning to set in here.
K-Kwik. Oh, steered by Bradshaw. Thinks he's back at Abilene Christian.
[Jerry chuckling] Oh, man.
We've got guys laying out everywhere.
[Val groans]
[Ross] And a hard right on Val Venis.
-[Val yells] -[Jerry] Oh, my gosh.
-[Ross] Val Venis was the… -[Jerry] He almost knocked his head off.
-[Ross] …the 20th man to enter. -[groans]
[Ross] The only thing we know for sure is that Rikishi will be number 30
[Jerry] Whoa, we can't say this Royal Rumble
hasn't been without surprises.
The Honky Tonk Man and Drew Carey. [laughing]
[Ross] We've got some more studs that we have yet to see,
including The Undertaker and "Stone Cold" Steve Austin among others.
[grunts]
[Ross] Oh.
-[Val yelling] -[Ross] Val hammering The Rock.
[Val grunting]
[Ross] Our next entrant is about to be revealed.
[audience] …four, three, two, one!
-[Jerry] I love this rumble, J.R. Uh-oh. -[buzzer blaring]
-["Promenade" playing] -[Jerry] Hey!
[Ross] It's the European champion.
[Jerry] Well, there's gonna be a little class
added to the Royal Rumble this year.
You know what? Things may calm down now. We may get a little civility
-restored to the rumble. -[Ross] I doubt it.
-William Regal-- -[Jerry] A little good will.
[Ross] There ain't no good will in a Royal Rumble.
And there ain't been no good will here tonight in New Orleans.
[Jerry] Look at William Regal. Hello, William!
Oh, man.
[Ross] Regal folding up old K-Kwik like an accordion.
-[wrestlers grunting] -[Jerry laughing]
[Ross] And now William Regal is, the south paw,
drilling Bradshaw in the corner.
[Jerry] Well, he's just spreading his form of good will.
[grunts]
[Ross] Spread pretty thin if you ask me. And Regal.
Look out, Val.
[Jerry] Man.
What a shot by The Rock.
[Ross] A spine buster on Val Venis.
But it's not about pinfalls or submission.
[Jerry] And that's not going to throw anybody over the top rope there,
but it'll sure as heck soften them up, won't it?
How many we got in there right now at once, J.R.?
Three, five, seven.
[Ross] I see about eight.
By my tabulation.
-[Ross] I could hardly-- -[Jerry] Val Venis got The Rock!
-[Jerry] It's about to be seven. -[Ross] Val has got The Rock.
-[Ross] The Rock holding on. -[Jerry] Hold on, Rock.
[Ross] And Bradshaw should have-- And Bradshaw should have helped
Val in my estimation.
[Jerry] No. Nobody wants to help Val or any member of the Right to Censor.
[Ross] You make a good point.
The APA is every man for himself.
[Jerry] Maybe he'll help him out. That'd be a good idea.
Goodbye, Val. Thank you for coming.
-[Ross] Yeah, we'll see you later. -[Jerry] Yeah, come on.
[Ross] If Bradshaw has his way.
The Rock teetering on the top rope.
[Jerry] I'm going to tell you something.
The Rock, for all that smack he's been laying down with his mouth,
he has been in precarious situations all night.
Get up, Rock.
Oh, God!
[buzzer blaring]
[Ross] Bradshaw almost beheaded by Venis.
And there's Test, number 22.
[Jerry] Hey, Albert.
Albert, it's your former partner.
And I emphasize the word former.
Look out, William Regal!
[Ross] And there goes William Regal.
The Rock has been in here for a little over 20 minutes now.
[Jerry] And that's not good for international relations.
[Ross] Well, this is not the United Nations.
[Jerry] Well, William Regal would have been an excellent--
he would have been an excellent participant at WrestleMania.
[Ross] These former partners, Test stomping away at old 8 and 3/8.
[Jerry] Say it. Say it, J.R. Say it.
[Ross] He's stomping a mudhole in him.
And Bradshaw hammering. Now here's a--
Regal's face, Regal can't believe he was besmirched.
-[Jerry] I ca-- -[Ross] He was molested.
[Jerry] I can't believe he was besmirched either.
[Ross] It's a shame.
[Jerry] Look at The Rock, he's almost out again.
[Ross] The Rock again. They've rocked it.
Oh, man! What a shot by Test.
The Rock on one leg here holding on. Whoa.
[Jerry] If that had connected, Rock would be out on the floor.
Look at Kane down now.
[Ross] Rock back in the ring. You can see there.
[Jerry] It's tough to withstand the test of time in the Royal Rumble.
The longer you're in there, the more abuse and punishment you take.
[Ross] King, the fatigue factor has got to be just overwhelming.
[Jerry] Right. I don't care who you are.
Kane, The Rock, these guys started like a house afire, but
look at them now.
Kane quick landed down on The Rock.
Kane stumbling around in there.
[Ross] Oh! And Kane tries his hand on The Rock.
Bradshaw again going over but he lands on the apron.
Again, you gotta have both feet touching the floor.
[Jerry] Let's get Val Venis out. That'll make me happy.
[Ross] Go ahead there, hardcore.
[crowd chanting]
[Jerry] What have we got, J.R.? Who is it?
-[buzzer blaring] -["Crank It Up" playing]
-[Jerry] What? -[Ross] Whoa!
[Jerry] Oh, my God!
♪ Yes, it's a big bad show tonight ♪
[Jerry] He's back! And he's mad!
[Ross] The Big Show!
[Jerry] Oh, look at this!
[Ross] The Big Show! Towering over everybody in the ring.
[Jerry] Oh, my gosh!
-[Jerry] There goes Test! -[Ross] There goes Test.
-[Jerry] Kid Quick. -[Ross] Oh, my God.
-[Jerry] No! -[Ross] Oh, my God.
Kid Quick dumped out.
And Bradshaw. I mean, look at Albert looking up.
[Jerry] And look at this.
[Ross] And going down at the hands of The Big Show.
[Jerry] Oh.
[Ross] Bradshaw, the shot.
-[Jerry] It's The Big Show. Look out! -[Ross] 500-pounder.
Just drilled Bradshaw.
[Jerry] Oh, yeah. Get him.
[Ross] It's like a man playing with children.
-[Jerry] Ooh. -[Ross] A one-armed chokeslam.
[Jerry] How many chokeslams is this?
[Ross] Good God Almighty.
[Jerry] Oh!
[Ross] Oh! One arm chokeslam by The Big Show.
[Jerry] He's chokeslammed everybody except Kane and The Rock.
And I think they are next.
[Jerry] What a surprise, The Big Show is back.
-[Ross] The Big Show, bigger than Kane. -[Jerry] Yes!
[Ross] My God! My God!
Kane just got manhandled.
[Jerry] And The Rock is next.
[Ross] It's The Rock's turn. And the low blow.
-[Jerry] Whoa. -[Ross] The Rock with the low blow.
[Jerry] Look at this.
[Jerry] No way.
No. He didn't go-- He didn't get-- He got him!
[Jerry laughing]
[Ross] And The Big Show eliminated by The Rock!
Look at the carnage The Big Show inflicted.
And then it was The Rock that took The Big Show out of the game.
[Jerry] Unbelievable. No, wait.
-[Ross] Look out. -[Jerry] What are you doing?
[Ross] What the hell are you doing, you big son of--
[Jerry] What are you doing? Big Show, this is our--
-[Ross] What are you doing? -[Jerry] What is-- Our announce table.
-[Ross] We've got to work here. -[buzzer blaring]
[Jerry] Look out, J.R.
[Ross] I think you and I may want to move out of the way here.
[Ross] The Rock.
Here comes-- Crash Holly is in.
I don't know if that's the story here.
[Jerry] I don't know what the story is. I can't see anything.
[Ross] Wait a minute. Rock has not been eliminated.
[Jerry] No, wait.
-[Ross] Rock just-- -[Jerry] No, don't do it! [yelling]
[Ross] By God!
The Rock has been broken in half by The Big Show.
The Rock has been broken, by God, in half by The Big Show.
[Ross] Oh, my-- Rock is going to need some medical attention here.
Kane now being quadruple-teamed!
The Big Show, he was a destruction machine
before he was eliminated by The Rock.
And now The Rock is--
The Rock may have been eliminated, but not officially.
King, his head has just been ripped off of him.
Here's another shot of The Rock eliminating The Big Show.
And here's the retaliation.
[Jerry] Talk about a pissed-off sore loser.
[Ross] The Big Show came back. We hadn't seen him in months.
And was dominant until he ran into The Rock, King.
-[Ross] King, can you hear me? -[Jerry] I can hear you. Can you hear me?
The referee said that The Rock is not eliminated
-if he can get back in the ring. -[buzzer blaring]
But he's definitely knocked out.
[Ross] If he can't get back in, he's eliminated.
["Rollin' (Air Raid Vehicle)" playing]
-[Jerry] Who's gonna come out now? -[Ross] Business is about to pick up here.
[Jerry] Oh, my God! Rock! Rock, it's The Undertaker.
[Ross] Five men are trying to get Kane out.
And Kane is fighting all five of them off.
And here comes The Undertaker.
Will he help his brother?
Or will he eliminate his brother?
[Jerry] Say it again, J.R. Business is picking up. Oh!
[Ross] The Undertaker picking off all these men.
[Jerry] The Rock is still down here.
[Ross] Rocky can't get back in the ring, he's going to be out of the Royal Rumble
and he can forget about being in the main event at WrestleMania.
[Jerry] Oh, look at this stare-down.
[Ross] Kane eliminated Crash Holly.
[Jerry] Is it fair? Can I help The Rock a little bit?
Try to get him out?
[Ross] The Undertaker eliminated Crash's cousin Hardcore.
Rock and Bradshaw is gone. Albert is gone.
Val is gone. And now what? And now what?
[Jerry] Oh, my God.
[Ross] The Undertaker and Kane.
[Jerry] This is it, J.R. This is the moment of truth.
It's brother versus brother.
We're going to find out if they are on the same page.
Are they going to tear each other apart?
[Ross] It started with brother versus brother.
-[Jerry] Rock, look at this. -[Ross] Early on with the Hardyz.
And it may end with brother versus brother here.
Kane has been here 40 minutes.
And Taker, The Undertaker, 120 seconds.
Less than two minutes.
[Jerry] And look at them. They are still staring. Here we go.
Look at this.
Ref, can you help?
I'm not touching him.
-[buzzer blaring] -[crowd chanting]
[Ross] The Rock still trying to get up here.
["U Look Fly Today" playing]
[Jerry] Oh, this is a bad time to be Scotty 2 Hotty.
Now make a-- make a U-turn, kid.
[Jerry] His hat is standing up higher than ever right now, isn't it?
[Ross] Yeah. His eyes are big.
Scotty 2 Hotty knows what it's all about here.
Look at this shot.
My God, Kane and The Undertaker.
[Jerry] Let me tell ya something. Scotty, you'd be crazier than
Drew Carey to get in that ring right now.
[Ross] It's like two giant men looking to fight over the last chicken leg.
[Jerry] Oh, Scotty.
[Ross] Poor Scotty 2 Hotty. Oh!
Well, maybe they will make it quick, but it won't be painless.
[Jerry] Well, if it's quick, at least it will be merciful.
[Ross] Uh-oh. One arm slam.
This is-- I don't want to say fair.
It's all fair. It's every man for himself.
Oh, no. It did--
-[Jerry] Uh-oh. -[Ross] It shouldn't come to this.
Kane and The Undertaker are on the same page, King.
[Jerry] Without a doubt.
[Ross] And The Rock is still lying here in front of us.
He's in another orbit.
The Rock has-- I don't know if he even-- we need some medical help.
There goes Scotty 2 Hotty which is somewhat academic
when we saw him announced here with Kane and the Undertaker in the ring.
And The Rock--
The Rock has to be out of this thing. He has to be eliminated.
And perhaps for his own good.
-[Jerry] Well, he's not eliminated, J.R. -[Ross] I know. But I'm talking about,
not technically, but in reality,
how can he compete in the condition that he's in?
[Jerry] Rock, I don't know if it's a wise idea
to go back in that ring. Not right now.
[Ross] Undertaker and Kane are anxiously awaiting the next victim.
[glass breaking]
["I Won't Do What You Tell Me" playing]
[Ross] It's Stone Cold!
My God, look at the-- Austin, Kane, The Undertaker.
This ain't going to be pretty, King.
[Jerry] But it's going to be good!
[Ross] And The Game!
[Jerry] What?
[Ross] Triple H from behind!
[Jerry] What?
[Ross] Assaulting Stone Cold .
The Rock rolling back in the ring.
Triple H--
[Jerry] Triple H returning the favor from earlier tonight.
The Rattlesnake should have expected this.
[Ross] Austin cost Triple H the title earlier tonight.
And now The Rock is hammering Kane.
[Jerry] And The Rock is back in.
[Ross] And The Undertaker is hammering The Rock.
[Jerry] I don't think we've got enough cameras to show all this, J.R.
[Ross] We've got no monitors.
We're having a hell of a time following the action.
Austin went face first by Triple H.
And both of them said-- Triple H has no business here.
[Jerry] Oh, my gosh.
[Ross] Triple H and Austin fighting in the back.
[Jerry] I gotta say this may be the biggest mistake
that The Rock has ever made by getting back
in the ring with The Undertaker and Kane.
[Ross] And Kane and The Undertaker
are physically dissecting the People's Champion.
[Jerry] You realize that--
[Ross] Austin has been busted open.
[Jerry] And he's never even gotten into the ring.
[Ross] Austin is still in the Rumble.
But Austin has been busted wide open at the hands of The Game.
[Jerry] Oh, my gosh.
Oh, my gosh.
-[Ross] The Rock-- -[buzzer blaring]
[Ross] There's another competitor.
[Jerry] Wait a minute.
[Ross] It's one Billy Gunn sprinting to the ring.
One Billy Gunn.
[Jerry] He's coming in to The Rock's rescue, at least momentarily.
Even though it is every man for himself, this is good for The Rock.
[Ross] Only two men are left by our calculations.
One of them will be Rikishi.
And you see the officials trying to get The Game off Austin.
And Stone Cold has been eliminated by Triple H.
I don't see how Austin could get back in this game.
He's been busted open
by-- at the hands of Triple H.
[Jerry] I think the game is over. At least Austin's game.
Look at that. Oh, my God.
He is a bloody mess. What did Triple H do to Austin?
What did he hit him with?
[Ross] Austin's chances to go to
WrestleMania aren't worth a damn right now.
And quite frankly, neither are The Rock's.
The dominant alpha males here are The Undertaker and Kane.
[Jerry] I was afraid of this.
I was afraid if Kane and the Undertaker were together,
if they were reunited, it was going to be bad for everybody.
And it is.
[Ross] This crowd is absolutely in shock, as are we.
And The Rock fighting back.
Somehow, some way, The Rock and The Undertaker.
-[Jerry] Oh! -[Ross] My God! What a DDT.
I've never seen a DDT ever like that in my life.
[Jerry] I can't believe that didn't finish The Rock off.
[Ross] I can't believe it didn't break his neck.
And Kane hammering at the one Billy Gunn.
And we're inside 10 for the man
-that's going to come out number 29. -[crowd chanting]
[Ross] Well, we know Rikishi is number 30. Who is this?
[buzzer blaring]
["Danger in the Jungle" playing]
-[Jerry] Who is it? -[Ross] Wait a minute.
-[Jerry] What? -[Ross] What the hell? That's Haku.
[Ross] Haku?
[Jerry] Haku?
[Ross] One of the baddest animals you'll ever see.
And Haku going right for The Undertaker.
[Jerry] The thunderous headbutt.
[Ross] What a chop on Kane.
I'm going to tell you what. If any one man in the world
could go one-on-one with Kane and The Undertaker, you're looking at him.
[Jerry] Look at Austin.
[Ross] Austin has been busted open from ear to ear.
Thanks to Triple H.
The Game had the title won tonight,
but thanks to the Rattlesnake it didn't go down.
What has gone down is the Rattlesnake's chances of going
to WrestleMania to meet the champion.
[Jerry] Yeah. But let's face it. These brothers, Kane and the Undertaker,
I mean they are literally just kicking ass, J.R.
[Ross] What's going to happen if it gets down to only The Undertaker and Kane?
[Jerry] Well, that's where your guess is as good as mine.
-Haku, I can't believe-- -[crowd chanting]
[Jerry] Yeah, welcome back.
I don't think this is the welcoming committee
that he was expecting, Kane and The Undertaker.
[Ross] It's a damned shame that Austin got busted open by a guy
that wasn't even in the Royal Rumble.
-[Jerry] No, no, J.R. -[Ross] It's a damned shame.
[Jerry] No, it's a damned shame that Austin brought this on himself
by interfering with Triple H's match.
-[Ross] How the hell could you say that? -[Jerry yelling indistinctly]
[Ross] Three weeks ago Austin had the title won and Triple H cost him the title.
What's he supposed to do?
[Jerry] You gotta let bygones be bygones.
[Ross] You can, and Austin will never forgive anybody
and you know that as well as I do.
[Jerry] Well, he's paying the price tonight, isn't he?
-[Ross] He damn sure is. He damn sure is. -[Jerry] That's right.
[Ross] And The Undertaker rocking Haku.
And The Rock now hammering at the one Billy Gunn.
And we know who number 30 is.
-[buzzer blaring] -[Jerry] Oh!
Yes, it's my odds-on favorite.
That was before I realized that
The Undertaker and Kane were working together here.
[Ross] If they are working together.
-[Jerry] What do you mean if they are? -[Ross] Officially.
Well, I don't know that.
[Jerry] Well, you don't know, what's the matter--
What's the matter with your eyes, J.R.?
[Ross] Oh! Well, Rikishi taking his time.
That ain't bad strategy.
And Austin-- and Rikishi trying to assault Austin.
Wait a minute.
Austin has some fight left in him.
Austin ain't finished.
There's some fight left in the Rattlesnake.
[Jerry] I thought that snake was done for. He's not. He's in the ring.
[Ross] Austin is up! Austin is in!
-Who's going to WrestleMania? -[Jerry] Look at that!
[Ross] My God, Austin is on fire!
The Rattlesnake, how is he doing this?
Oh! Austin has lost a ton of blood.
He's been assaulted by one of
the baddest bastards in the world, Triple H.
But the Rattlesnake is not going to stay down.
[Jerry] One of these men that we're seeing in this ring right now is
going to go to WrestleMania. Is it going to be The Rock?
Is it going to be The Undertaker? It ain't going to be Haku.
[Ross] Austin just eliminated Haku.
-[Jerry] What about Kane? -[Ross] We are down to six.
[Jerry] My gosh, this is draining, isn't it, J.R.?
[Ross] Kane has been in this match over 50 minutes.
The Rock has been in this match
over 36 minutes by our tabulation.
[Jerry] 50 minutes, 5-0 for Kane?
-[Ross] Rikishi going for a ride. -[Jerry] Whoa!
-[Ross] That's 400-plus pounds.
[Jerry] Yeah. But you're going to have to get him higher than that.
You have to get him over that top rope somehow.
[Ross] No love lost between The Rock and The Undertaker.
[Jerry] I don't think there's anybody in that ring single-handedly
that's got enough strength to get Rikishi over the top rope.
-There goes The Rock. -[Ross] The Rock on the top rope.
The Rock held on. The Rock held on.
[Jerry] He's still there, Undertaker. The Rock is still with us.
[Ross] And Rikishi back up. Oh. Headbutt.
Oh, Undertaker taking himself out of the game.
RikishI's head obviously harder than The Undertaker's.
[Jerry] You've got that right.
That's not a smart move there, Undertaker.
-[Ross] You know, this is one-- hang here. -[Jerry] Hey!
[Ross] And The Undertaker eliminated!
[Jerry] Can you believe it?
What a kick from Rikishi!
[Ross] Rikishi just eliminated The Undertaker from the Royal Rumble.
[Jerry] Unbelievable.
The big dog just got run out of his own yard.
[Ross] The Rock with a smackdown on Rikishi but it's reversed.
Wow, that Rikishi, fresh.
[Jerry] I told ya, I'm sticking with my pick, Rikishi, he's the man.
[Ross] And Kane hammering a bloody battered "Stone Cold" Steve Austin.
Five men are left. Who's going to WrestleMania?
[Jerry] Well, you know, a lot of grudges are being settled
here tonight in this Royal Rumble.
Look at Rikishi going after The Rock.
-[Ross] Oh, god. You can't do it. -[Jerry] Oh, yeah.
-[Ross] The Rock is up. -[Jerry] Hey, wait a minute. Rikishi!
[Ross] And the low blow!
The Rock caught Rikishi with the low blow.
-[Jerry] Oh, no. Oh, no! -[Ross] And Rikishi--
The Rock has eliminated Rikishi.
[Jerry] I knew it! I knew Rikishi couldn't do it!
[engine revving]
[Jerry] I'm picking-- I'm picking-- Kane, Kane.
[Ross] The final four. Yeah, Kane. You switched horses.
[Jerry] Look at this.
[Ross] And Austin, a stunner here.
[Jerry] Two of the final four have
been in this match for well over half an hour.
[Ross] The one Billy Gunn with the Famouser on Stone Cold
who has lost one hell of a lot of blood thanks to Triple H.
[Jerry] Hey!
[Ross] And there he goes. The One.
[Jerry] Oh, my God!
[Ross] It's down to three.
Kane and The Rock.
[Jerry] It's a three-for-all, J.R.
[Ross] Stone Cold.
[Jerry] A three-for-all.
[Ross] My God, Kane and The Rock have been in this match longer than anyone.
But Austin has been assaulted and lost all that blood.
[Jerry] Austin is the most battered. He's lost the most blood of anyone.
[Ross] Kane is approaching one hour in this hellacious match.
And Austin and The Rock have locked eyes.
[Jerry] I think Austin, if I were you, I would just step over the
top rope and live to fight another day.
-You've got to be kidding. -[Ross] Look at Austin.
He's looking straight at The Rock.
The Texas Rattlesnake and The Rock--
Rock and Austin have locked eyes.
[Jerry] Oh, my God!
[Ross] And it's going to be on right here.
[Jerry] Oh, I've been waiting for this for a long time.
[Ross] Stone Cold and the People's Champion.
Rock and Austin.
Oh. Right hands.
-[Jerry] Oh! -[Ross] Right hands.
-[Jerry] Whoa! -[Ross] Smackdown!
And the Rattlesnake knocked down by The Rock.
[Jerry] I don't know if The Rock can believe he won that exchange.
But you gotta realize-- you know what's coming.
I know what's coming but I don't think Stone Cold does.
Oh, wait.
[Ross] Rock going for The Rock Bottom.
[Jerry] Here it is!
Stunner!
[Ross] Got the stunner!
My God, what a stunner.
Austin reaching down into the bottom of his guts.
-[Jerry] Can you believe it? -[Ross] And the stunner!
These three men, they want it as bad as anything in life itself.
Down to their damned bones.
[Jerry] Kane is back up.
No. The Rock.
[Ross] And Austin fighting back at Kane.
How is the Rattlesnake doing this?
How is Kane doing this?
[Jerry] Oh, no. Look at this.
[Ross] Piston-like rights by Austin.
[Jerry] I can't believe it.
I would have given up Austin for dead, but he's come back and
opened up the biggest can of whoop-ass ever.
[Ross] Low blow by Austin.
And the right hand by The Rock.
And another one.
Now The Rock is fighting back.
And Austin raked the eyes.
[Jerry] Oh, this is great.
[Ross] And The Rock Bottom! Rock Bottom!
[Jerry] I love the Royal Rumble!
[Ross] What a Rock Bottom on a battered and bloody Stone Cold.
[Jerry] Austin, he's reopened. That head of his is bleeding badly now.
[Ross] There's no telling how much blood Austin has lost.
-[Jerry] Kane. -[Ross] Kane is back up.
My God, he's been here over an hour.
[Jerry] Kane has been in this Rumble the longest.
But I still think he has the advantage.
He's still my pick.
Kane.
[Ross] Kane went out between-- yeah, that was through the ropes.
Kane is still in it.
[Jerry] Yes, he is.
[Ross] Kane has not been eliminated.
He went between the ropes and not over the top.
He almost wasn't my pick.
[Jerry] But he's still in, right?
[Ross] Kane is still in.
[Jerry] I want to make this clear. Through the ropes.
Kane is still in the Rumble.
Oh, man.
[Ross] And Austin and Rock.
Austin and Rock with the right hands.
And neither man, by God, is going to go down.
[Jerry] You hear those shots?
[Ross] Two of the biggest Superstars
beating the holy hell out of each other in the Royal Rumble.
You've got to love it.
[Jerry] Here goes The Rock!
[Ross] The Rock is going over!
[Jerry] Oh!
[Ross] And Rock just raked Austin's eyes and bought himself some time.
What a reprieve there.
[Jerry] I've been waiting for years to see this, J.R.
The Rock and the Rattlesnake.
Who's the man?
Hey.
[Ross] Kane is back.
-Austin over. -[Jerry] Hey. Hey!
[Ross] Kane eliminated The Rock but Austin is on the apron.
[Jerry] The Rock is out!
[Ross] Kane thinks he's won.
[Jerry] He tried to eliminate them both but he only got The Rock.
-[Ross] It's Austin and Kane left. -[Jerry] Look out!
[Ross] We're down to two.
Who's going to WrestleMania?
[Jerry] Come on, Kane! You can do it.
Don't give up now.
Not after all this.
Whoo! He's got him.
[Ross] Chokeslam coming up.
[Jerry] Goodbye, Rattlesnake. Whoa!
[Ross] The chokeslam.
Kane may have taken the last bit of fight
out of that Texas rattlesnake with that chokeslam.
[Jerry] Oh, look at that face.
I can't believe it.
Kane, you've been in there over an hour but you can do it.
-[Ross] Yes. -[Jerry] Yes!
[Ross] It may be academic here. Look at this.
Kane signaling that the end is not near, the end is here.
[Jerry] But is it now?
You've got to admit Kane is the most dominant man you've ever
seen in the Royal Rumble.
[Ross] I cannot deny that. I can't disagree with that at all.
Oh, oh. Oh, my God.
The low blow. Austin out of desperation.
[Jerry] Well, this shows you there's
nothing these men won't do to win this Royal Rumble.
[Ross] Austin with an XFL-like punt
right below the belt line and bought himself some time.
And by God, how much more can the
human anatomy take from either of these two men?
[Jerry] Come on, Kane. You can do it.
Kane is still in.
He's just standing on the floor.
Come on, Kane.
-[Ross] Kane eliminated The Rock… -[Jerry] Where you going, Kane?
-[Ross] …along with Stone Cold. -[Jerry] What are you doing?
-[Ross] And Kane now-- -[Jerry] He's bringing some artillery.
[Ross] A steel chair.
[Jerry] A little weaponry. It's fair. Anything goes.
[Ross] And there's nothing anybody can do about it.
Austin pulls himself up.
[Jerry] Use that chair, Kane, knock him
not just over the ropes but into the third row at ringside.
-You can do it. -[Ross] Oh, my God.
Austin with a kick, right hands.
Where does he get it?
[Jerry] I don't know. How does he do it?
[Ross] Kane reverses Austin.
Tombstone, tombstone.
[Jerry] Get him!
[Ross] Austin fights off the shoulders.
[Jerry] Stunner!
Austin got the stunner!
But he's got to throw Kane over the top rope.
[Jerry] That was a dumb move, Austin.
Now you've got to try to get Kane up and over the top rope.
Austin crawling for that chair.
[Jerry] What's he going to do? Pick him up with a chair?
That ain't going to work.
How much left can these two men have in their bodies?
Austin's got the steel chair.
[Jerry] Look at Kane. He's a monster.
[Ross] My God. Kane is up.
My God. Kane is up.
-[Jerry] Austin, you're not a monster. -[Ross] The chair shot.
[Jerry] He didn't even knock him off his feet.
[Jerry] Oh!
-[Jerry] No! -[Ross] Shots to the skull!
-Austin got a-- -[bell ringing]
[Ross] Kane is out! Stone Cold!
Stone Cold!
[announcer] Here is your winner, "Stone Cold" Steve Austin!
[Jerry] I knew he could do it.
[Ross] Stone Cold is going to WrestleMania!
[Jerry] I knew the Rattlesnake would win this thing!
Unbelievable.
[Ross] The battered and bloody Rattlesnake has fought his way back.
Has fought his way through hell itself to go to WrestleMania.
["I Won't Do What You Tell Me" playing]
[Ross] My God, they are on their feet in New Orleans.
[Jerry] Look at this. He's bloody.
He's battered.
But he's going to WrestleMania.
[Ross] The toughest son of a bitch has done it.
[Jerry] Look at this.
Not one, not two, but three chair shots and then this.
That did in Kane.
That won it for the Rattlesnake.
[Ross] My God, what a night.
What a night.
And look at Austin's reaction.
"Oh, my God! I've done it."
A year ago he had spinal surgery.
He's fought his way back.
[Jerry] All the way to WrestleMania.
That's where "Stone Cold" Steve Austin is going.
[Ross] What a WrestleMania.
The Rock here still at ringside.
[Jerry] Well, what a story, J.R.
[Ross] What a night.
What a Royal Rumble.
But by God, "Stone Cold" Steve Austin will be in the main event
at WrestleMania.
[Jerry] Oh, hell yeah!
He opened the biggest can of whoop-ass ever and it took him
right to WrestleMania.
[Ross] It has been Royal Rumble 3:16.
Stone Cold is going to WrestleMania!