Barry Buchanan
AJPW celebrates its 31st anniversary, headlined by Toshiaki Kawada facing Don Frye.
Royal Rumble (2003) was the sixteenth annual Royal Rumble PPV. It was presented by PlayStation and took place on January 19, 2003 at the Fleet Center in Boston, Massachusetts. As has been customary since 1993, the Royal Rumble match winner received a match at that year's WrestleMania, for his choice at either the WWE Championship or the World Heavyweight Championship. Six professional wrestling matches were featured at the event. The main event was the annual 30-man Royal Rumble match, which featured wrestlers from both brands. The primary match on the Raw brand was Triple H versus Scott Steiner for the World Heavyweight Championship. The predominant match on the SmackDown! brand was between Kurt Angle and Chris Benoit for the WWE Championship. The featured match on the undercard was a Royal Rumble qualification match between Brock Lesnar and The Big Show.
WrestleMania X-Seven was the seventeenth annual WrestleMania PPV and was presented by Snickers Cruncher. It took place on April 1, 2001 at the Reliant Astrodome in Houston, Texas. The event was the first WrestleMania held in the state of Texas. A record-breaking attendance for the Reliant Astrodome of 67,925 grossed US$3.5 million. The main event was a No Disqualification match between Steve Austin and The Rock for the WWF Championship. The main matches on the undercard featured Triple H versus The Undertaker, the second Tables, Ladders, and Chairs match for the WWF Tag Team Championship, and Vince McMahon versus Shane McMahon in a Street Fight. With WWE's acquisition of long-time competitor WCW and "Stone Cold" Steve Austin joining forces with storied rival Mr. McMahon.
Royal Rumble (2001) was the fourteenth annual Royal Rumble PPV. It was presented by MCI's 1-800-COLLECT and took place on January 21, 2001 at the New Orleans Arena in New Orleans, Louisiana. The main event was the Royal Rumble match. Kane set a record for the most eliminations and the match saw Drew Carey enter the Royal Rumble. Featured matches on the undercard included a ladder match between Chris Jericho and Chris Benoit for the WWF Intercontinental Championship and a singles match between Kurt Angle and Triple H for the WWF Championship.
Insurrextion (2000) took place on May 6, 2000 at the Earls Court in London, England. The main event was a Triple Threat that saw The Rock, Triple H, and Shane McMahon compete for the WWF Championship, Eddie Guerrero defended the European Championship against Chris Jericho, Edge & Christian defended the Tag Team Championships from The Hardy Boyz. Crash Holly defended his WWF Hardcore title against The British Bulldog (In the Bulldog's final PPV appearance), and 6 more matches filled out the under card.
SummerSlam (2000) was the thirteenth annual SummerSlam PPV. The event was presented by Chef Boyardee and took place on August 27, 2000 at the Raleigh Entertainment and Sports Arena in Raleigh, North Carolina. The main event was a Triple Threat match for the WWF Championship involving champion The Rock, Triple H, and Kurt Angle. One of the predominant matches on the undercard was Kane versus The Undertaker. Another featured match was the first Tables, Ladders, and Chairs match for the Tag Team Championship involving champions Edge and Christian, The Hardy Boyz (Matt and Jeff), and The Dudley Boyz (Bubba Ray and D-Von).
Armageddon (2000) was a professional wrestling PPV that took place on December 10, 2000, at the Birmingham-Jefferson Civic Center in Birmingham, Alabama. It was the second annual Armageddon event, and the only WWE pay-per-view event ever to be held in the state of Alabama. The main event match of Armageddon 2000 was a six-man Hell In A Cell match for Kurt Angle's WWF Championship. The challengers were The Undertaker, The Rock, Triple H, Rikishi, and Stone Cold Steve Austin. Ivory defended the Women's championship in a Triple Threat match against Molly Holly and Trish Stratus.
Survivor Series (2000) was the fourteenth annual Survivor Series PPV. It was presented by 3DO's Warriors of Might and Magic and took place on November 19, 2000 at the Ice Palace in Tampa, Florida. The main event was a No NQ match between Stone Cold Steve Austin and Triple H which spilled to the backstage area. The undercard featured Dudley Boyz and Hardy Boyz versus Edge and Christian and Right to Censor in a four-on-four Survivor Series elimination match, Kurt Angle versus The Undertaker for the WWF Championship, Ivory versus Lita for the WWF Women's Championship, The Rock versus Rikishi, William Regal versus Hardcore Holly for the WWF European Championship, Kane versus Chris Jericho, The Radicalz versus D-Generation X in a four-on-four Survivor Series elimination match and Steve Blackman, Crash Holly and Molly Holly versus T & A and Trish Stratus in a Six Person Mixed Tag match.
Rebellion (2000) took place on December 2, 2000 at the Sheffield Arena in Sheffield, England. The main event was a Fatal Four-Way match for the WWF Championship between Kurt Angle, Rikishi, Steve Austin and The Rock. Undertaker competed against Chris Benoit, Right to Censor defended the Tag Team Championship against the Hardy Boyz, Kane fought Chris Jericho, William Regal defended the European Championship against Crash Holly, Steve Blackman defended the Hardcore Championship against Perry Saturn, and Ivory defended the Women's Championship against Lita.
King of the Ring (2000) was the eighth annual King of the Ring PPV. The event was presented by Subway and took place on June 25, 2000 at the Fleet Center in Boston, Massachusetts. The main event was a six-man tag team match between McMahon-Helmsley Faction (Triple H, Vince and Shane McMahon) and the team of The Rock, Kane and The Undertaker. Triple H's WWF Championship was defended in the match. The undercard featured the 2000 King of the Ring tournament. The 2000 edition was the largest King of the Ring tournament, with 32 competitors taking part.
Unforgiven (2000) was the third Unforgiven PPV. The event was presented by RC Cola Edge and took place on September 24, 2000 at the First Union Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The main event was a Fatal Four-Way match for the WWF Championship. The Rock defended the title against Chris Benoit, The Undertaker and Kane. The undercard featured Triple H versus Kurt Angle in a No Disqualification match, Eddie Guerrero versus Rikishi for the WWF Intercontinental Championship, Edge and Christian versus Hardy Boyz in a Steel Cage match for the WWF Tag Team Championship, Chris Jericho versus X-Pac, a 10-Minute Hardcore Battle Royal for the WWF Hardcore Championship, Tazz versus Jerry Lawler in a Strap Match and Right to Censor versus Dudley Boyz and Acolytes Protection Agency in an eight-man tag team match.
Backlash 2000 took place on April 30, 2000 at the MCI Center in Washington, D.C.. It was the second event under the Backlash chronology. The main event was a singles match for the WWF Championship with Shane McMahon as special guest referee, in which The Rock (aided by Stone Cold Steve Austin) faced Triple H. Featured matches on the undercard included Chris Benoit against Chris Jericho for the WWF Intercontinental Championship and a six-man Hardcore match for the WWF Hardcore Championship.
No Mercy (2000) was the third No Mercy PPV. It was presented by Presto and took place on October 22, 2000 at the Pepsi Arena in Albany, New York. The main event was a No NQ match for the WWF Championship where The Rock defended the title against Kurt Angle. The other main match was a No Holds Barred Match between the returning Stone Cold Steve Austin and Rikishi. The undercard featured Triple H versus Chris Benoit, Hardy Boyz versus Los Conquistadores for the WWF Tag Team Championship, William Regal versus Naked Mideon for the WWF European Championship, Right to Censor versus Chyna and Mr. Ass in a tag team match, Chris Jericho versus X-Pac in a Steel cage match, Acolytes Protection Agency and Lita versus T & A and Trish Stratus in a six-person mixed tag team match and a Dudley Boyz Invitational Tables match.
The best bouts of Perry Saturn & John Kronus against the likes of The Steiner Brothers, The Gangstas, The Dudley Boyz and more of the most hardcore teams around.
