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RAW is at the MCI Center in Washington DC on October 2nd, 2000. The show opens with a tribute to Dennis Dunn, father of executive producer Kevin Dunn, who reportedly saved the entire WWF tape library from a fire that would have ended any hope of a WWE Network. Then The Rock opens with a Marion Barry joke that kills in DC. Then Angle comes out. Then Triple H. Then Foley. Then Benoit. Then Kane. Then Rikishi. Tommy Blacha and Rob Pasbani have a name for this. They call it the variety hour. It is not a compliment. The Austin investigation finally moves an inch when Billy Gunn is brought out as the prime suspect, clears himself with a flight delay alibi, and drops the first real clue in weeks: the person who ran Austin over had blond hair. Foley announces he has solved the case and immediately leaves. Austin stuns Billy Gunn anyway. Later, Austin stuns Foley before Foley can finish announcing a suspension. Rob likes the moment. Tommy already knows the reveal is going to disappoint everyone. The best spot of the night is the Brooklyn Brawler falling over a catering table before Austin even extends his hand. The TNN numbers held steady from week one, which the hosts treat as genuinely impressive given typical first-week drop-off. The bad news is the show has less than thirty minutes of wrestling in two hours. The worse news is that for the first time, Rob is losing patience with Mick Foley as commissioner. Please support the show, and join our brand new Patreon, featuring watch-alongs for classic matches. You also get these episodes uncensored and one day early! Please subscribe at https://patreon.com/talesfromtheattitudeera Other major discussion points include: Raven takes the pin in his second week as Jericho and the Dudleys beat him, Taz, and X-Pac; Tommy sees a potential faction and explains what it could have been with the right bookingLita vs Ivory is advertised and never happens; Jacqueline attacks instead and they brawl through the locker room out to the garage where Jacqueline hits Lita with a fire extinguisher off the top of a truckEdge and Christian are steered into a hardcore title shot against Steve Blackman; Edge calls the title cracked and gross; they lose and look like herbs; Tommy explains how to take a loss without losing your heatBenoit chairs Kane during the tag match to cost them the win, setting up what should be a Benoit-Kane program; Rob asks if it goes anywhere; Tommy confirms it does notTriple H vs Angle for the number one contendership ends with Benoit interfering, Stephanie accidentally handing Angle the match, and Triple H taking a chair to the head; Triple H ends the show by turning his back on Stephanie crying in the ringSmackDown Your Vote is up to 110,000 registered voters; The Rock spoke at a Capitol Hill rally and almost told Gore and Bush where to go before settling for a much more measured ultimatum Chapter Marks 0:00:00 Cold Open 0:00:27 Welcome / RAW 10/2/00 0:02:09 Attitude Era Fizzling / WCW Context 0:08:41 TNN Ratings / Show Overview 0:11:08 Dennis Dunn Tribute / Kevin Dunn 0:12:20 Rock Opens RAW / Wrestling vs Talking 0:15:31 Rock's Marion Barry Promo 0:17:25 Angle Responds / Be Like Kurt 0:20:10 Foley / Triple H / The Variety Hour 0:25:17 Benoit / Kane / Rikishi / Tag Match Booked 0:33:32 Hardys vs Too Cool 0:35:36 Foley / Edge & Christian / Hardcore Title 0:36:17 Taz & Raven & X-Pac vs Jericho & Dudleys 0:41:43 Lita vs Jacqueline Backstage Brawl 0:43:10 Rob Loses Patience With Foley 0:44:36 Rock & Rikishi vs Benoit & Kane 0:45:53 Foley's Ultimatum / Billy Gunn Prime Suspect 0:49:12 Edge & Christian vs Blackman (Hardcore) 0:52:32 Brooklyn Brawler / Austin Stuns Everyone 0:54:52 Austin Stuns Foley 0:58:52 SmackDown Your Vote / Capitol Hill Rally 1:00:12 Triple H vs Angle (Main Event) 1:02:24 Triple H Turns Back on Stephanie 1:05:08 Patreon / Sign-Off Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

SmackDown comes from Mellon Arena in Pittsburgh on September 28th, 2000. Before Tommy Blacha and Rob Pasbani get to the show, they read a listener comment that takes about two minutes to accurately diagnose every creative problem WWF is about to run into over the next two years. Tommy cannot disagree with a word of it. Foley opens the show warning Austin to play by his rules or else. Austin responds by hiding in a phone booth backstage and jumping Road Dog in the middle of a hardcore match. Raven gets his first WWF promo and it is immediately buried by a Jericho interruption, dragged into the Taz and Lawler comedy feud, and aimed at entirely the wrong people. Rock and Triple H team up against Angle and Benoit in a main event that works as a match and means nothing as a story. Stephanie pulls a chair away from Rock at the worst possible moment. Angle slam. Three count. Tommy, still occasionally sending in material but increasingly disconnected from the room, explains what is actually happening behind the scenes: not laziness, but too many voices, a soap opera decree from management, Hollywood writers who do not know the roster, and a company so financially successful it has stopped being hungry. The people there are working harder than ever. The output is getting worse. Please support the show, and join our brand new Patreon, featuring watch-alongs for classic matches. You also get these episodes uncensored and one day early! Please subscribe at https://patreon.com/talesfromtheattitudeera Other major discussion points include: Lita introduces the new tag champions the Hardys before beating Jackie in a match that Edge and Christian have no business being ringside forSteve Blackman gets nothing from his SummerSlam moment; six weeks later he is in a throwaway hardcore match used as a vehicle for an Austin run-inTrish recruits Kane for a six-man by mentioning Rikishi; the hosts assume it leads somewhere; it does notRaven and Taz beat Jericho and Lawler after X-Pac interferes and Raven hits the DDT; the Dudleys run out after; Tommy says Raven and X-Pac should have been the teamChyna strips down mid-match to intimidate Steven Richards; the hosts note she looks exactly the same; she wins anywayStephanie pulls the chair away from Rock and hands Angle the win; Rob says the milk on the Triple H and Angle story is starting to turnChapter Marks0:00:00 Cold Open0:00:27 Welcome / SmackDown 9/28/000:03:06 Listener Feedback / YouTube Comments0:11:04 Foley Opens the Show0:19:16 Benoit / Angle / Main Event Booked0:22:40 Austin Finds Road Dog and X-Pac0:26:23 Lita vs Jackie / Hardy Tag Titles0:27:35 Road Dog vs Blackman / Austin Phone Booth0:32:32 Trish / Kane Backstage0:33:54 Taz / Raven Promo0:40:46 Jericho Interrupts / Tag Match Set Up0:42:37 Triple H / Rock Backstage0:43:15 Sunday Night Heat / MTV Discussion0:45:42 Too Cool & Rikishi vs Kane & T&A0:46:53 Jericho & Lawler vs Taz & Raven0:49:13 Rock Promo / Kevin Kelly0:50:01 Chyna vs Steven Richards0:54:42 Foley on Stage / Austin Stuns X-Pac0:58:38 Triple H / Rock Backstage0:59:48 Rock & Triple H vs Angle & Benoit1:06:23 Patreon / Sign-Off Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Raw moves to TNN. Austin is back on Monday night for the first time in almost a year. The Viacom suits need to be impressed. Tommy Blacha and Rob Pasbani review WWF RAW from Penn State University on September 25th, 2000, a show that hotshots two pay-per-view quality matches in one night and still finds time for Tommy to notice that the machine is getting too big. Austin opens the show, stuns Kurt Angle and Chris Benoit in the same segment, visits Undertaker backstage in a scene that felt like a western, and walks in on William Regal reading Shakespeare before stunning him before he can finish a sentence. The Hardys and Edge and Christian have a ladder match that Rob calls forgotten and incredible in the same breath. Edge pulls off a spear from the top of a giant ladder onto a dangling Jeff Hardy, the same spot he will use six months later at WrestleMania 17, and nobody in the building even knows it yet. Tommy, still loosely working on things for the company at this point but feeling the ground shifting, talks about what it smells like when the writing staff gets too big, the synergy people start showing up, and creative gets convoluted. He also raises the question nobody on screen seems to be asking: every time Austin stuns someone, is there a next week? Please support the show, and join our brand new Patreon, featuring watch-alongs for classic matches. You also get these episodes uncensored and one day early! Please subscribe at https://patreon.com/talesfromtheattitudeera Other major discussion points include: Kane vs Rikishi barely starts before Rikishi grabs a chair and the whole thing collapsesRaven DDTs Lawler and Bubba Ray Dudley in the same night; a Tazz and Raven alliance appears to be formingChyna cuts an emotional promo about her Playboy cover; Right to Censor immediately interrupts; Eddie Guerrero challenges them for the IC title on the spotKurt Angle reads the USA Today while Trish Stratus puts his gold medal somewhere he does not notice until he looks upX-Pac smashes a glass bottle over Jericho's face to win the first blood match; Jericho puts him in the Walls of Jericho on the announce table after the bellTriple H inadvertently helps Rock retain the title by throwing Benoit into a Rock Bottom; Benoit headbutts Stephanie on his way outChapter Marks0:00:00 Cold Open0:00:29 Welcome / RAW on TNN0:02:01 First RAW on TNN Overview0:06:40 Penn State / Show Context0:11:14 Austin / Foley / Benoit / Angle0:21:28 Kane vs Rikishi0:24:58 Austin Visits Undertaker0:26:11 Foley / E&C Backstage0:30:10 Tazz vs Bubba / Raven Returns0:36:22 Stephanie / Triple H Backstage0:38:24 Ladder Match: Hardys vs E&C0:42:58 Austin Interrogates the Stooges0:44:16 Chyna Playboy Promo / RTC / Eddie0:48:38 Angle / Trish Stratus Backstage0:49:56 X-Pac vs Jericho (First Blood)0:51:15 Austin / Triple H Locker Room0:53:20 Eddie vs Val Venis (IC Title)0:55:30 Crash at WWF New York / Regal Returns0:56:25 Rock vs Benoit (Main Event)1:00:53 Patreon / Sign-Off Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stone Cold Austin arrives at the First Union Center, attacks Kevin Kelly in the parking lot, and spends the entire night demanding answers that nobody gives him. Tommy Blacha and Rob Pasbani review WWF Unforgiven 2000 from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Their verdict: the first pay-per-view since WrestleMania that delivers good, but not great. Raven walks out during the Tazz and Lawler strap match, DDTs Lawler, Tazz wins, and Jim Ross says on commentary that Raven is not even on this roster. The ECW crowd pops accordingly. Jericho and X-Pac have the match of the night, it ends clean, no ref bump, X-Pac taps to the Walls of Jericho. Edge and Christian face the Hardys for the tag titles in a steel cage with convoluted rules, Jeff Hardy gets eliminated three minutes in, re-enters through a door, Lita does a hurricanrana from the top of the cage, and the Hardys win their first tag team championship. Triple H and Kurt Angle in a No DQ match with Foley as special referee is the most anticipated match on the card. It runs short because backstage segments ate the time. Stephanie low blows Angle. Triple H wins. The hosts describe the finish as sweaty. Tommy, who wrote for WWF during this period, observes that the writers' room was expanding, performers were becoming less empowered, and scripted lines were taking over. He ends with: "Boy, am I glad I don't work there anymore." Please support the show, and join our brand new Patreon, featuring watch-alongs for classic matches. You also get these episodes uncensored and one day early! Please subscribe at https://patreon.com/talesfromtheattitudeera Other major discussion points include: RTC, the Dudley Boyz, and the Acolytes are thrown together into an 8-man tag with a Steven kick finish; everyone looks weakAl Snow represents Italy in the Hardcore Invitational with a Tony Danza portrait and a red cloth; Blackman wins; the 24/7 rule is suspended until RAW with no clear explanationAustin and Angle meet on screen for the first time; Angle offers him an honorary gold medal; Austin tells him where to put itShane McMahon presents "evidence" involving old footage of Blackman bumping into Shamrock; Austin stuns Blackman (the hosts say this badly herbs him for a pop), then stuns ShaneRock survives the Fatal Four-Way against Benoit, Undertaker, and Kane; Benoit "wins" the title but his foot is on the rope; Foley restarts; Rock retains via Rock Bottom; the hosts hate the fatal four-way format Chapter Marks 0:00:00 Cold Open0:00:53 Welcome / Unforgiven 20000:02:03 Pay-Per-View Value / Black Box0:05:50 Card Overview / Show Impressions0:08:31 RTC 8-Man Tag0:14:29 Triple H / Stephanie Backstage0:15:41 Tazz vs Lawler / Raven Debuts0:26:34 Austin Arrives / Kevin Kelly0:27:23 Hardcore Invitational / Blackman Wins0:35:32 Austin Meets Angle0:36:32 Jericho vs X-Pac0:39:07 Foley's No DQ / Rock and Austin0:41:28 E&C vs Hardys Steel Cage0:50:17 Austin / Stephanie Locker Room0:53:36 Eddie vs Rikishi / Chyna0:57:13 Triple H vs Angle (No DQ)1:07:53 Shane McMahon's Evidence1:16:22 Tommy's Insider Take1:17:08 Fatal Four-Way / Rock Retains1:21:09 Overall Assessment1:23:45 Patreon / Sign-Off Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Kurt Angle ends the main event with an Angle Slam, a sledgehammer, a surprise kiss on Stephanie McMahon, and the line "ask your wife if I kiss like a pansy." Stone Cold cuts a pre-tape from his house in Texas that sells both hosts on Unforgiven more than anything else on the show. Tommy Blacha and Rob Pasbani recap the September 21, 2000 edition of WWF SmackDown, live from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the final SmackDown before Unforgiven 2000. The opening segment puts the entire 40-man roster around the ring while Foley plays amateur detective. Rock denies running over Austin with a Swedish Chef impression. Triple H defends himself. Angle says maybe it was SA Rios. Xpac accuses Jericho. Undertaker arrives to a big pop. Brawl. The hosts agree this works. The gay panic jokes Triple H keeps making backstage do not. Eddie Guerrero comes out with roses, delivers a speech about how Chyna is a superstar and he is nothing, reveals her Playboy cover for the first time, and gets on one knee. The crowd chants "just say no." She says yes. The hosts discuss whether this storytelling decision serves Chyna or undermines her. Please support the show, and join our brand new Patreon, featuring watch-alongs for classic matches. You also get these episodes uncensored and one day early! Please subscribe at https://patreon.com/talesfromtheattitudeera Other major discussion points include: Shane McMahon makes a surprise return two months after Blackman knocked him off a scaffold at SummerSlam and says he'll reveal who ran over Austin at Unforgiven; Triple H hears it, turns to Stephanie, and points out Shane said he was "all alone" in the hospitalJeff Hardy wore Sting facepaint as a kid and called himself the Wolverine; Edge and Christian found old footage and screened it in a dark room with a projector, then attacked the Hardys with chairsAl Snow represents Spain as European Champion with a Ricardo Montalban portrait, a pinata, and a red cloth; the Hardcore title match collapses under 247 rules and Blackman wins by kicking a garbage can into Taka's faceJericho and Lawler vs Xpac and Tazz ends in a DQ when Tazz chokes Lawler with a strap; the stipulation that those two couldn't touch before the pay-per-view is never acknowledged as liftedToo Cool forces a reluctant four-man dance on both the Acolytes and the Dudleys; Bradshaw holds out longestSmackDown Your Vote: 90,000 registered, and they give you the real number, not 100,000 Chapter Marks 00:00 Cold Open 00:28 Welcome / Milwaukee / SmackDown 9/21/2000 01:55 Show Overview 03:06 Opening Segment / Who Ran Over Austin? 06:39 Triple H Defends Himself / Gay Panic Analysis 09:08 Angle / Xpac Accuses Jericho / Stephanie Blamed 11:32 Undertaker Arrives / Brawl 14:18 Val Venis vs Scotty 2 Hotty 17:20 Backstage: Triple H / Greg Luganis Jokes 22:48 Hardys Promo / E&C Dark Room 24:19 Al Snow (Spain) vs Steve Blackman 27:54 Austin Up Next / SmackDown Your Vote 32:34 Austin Pre-Tape 33:23 Shane McMahon Returns 35:09 Triple H Catches Stephanie in a Lie 37:32 Jericho and Lawler vs Xpac and Tazz 39:42 Chyna Confronts Eddie Backstage 40:41 Eddie's Apology / Chyna's Playboy Cover 44:16 Eddie Proposes / Chyna Says Yes 48:10 Acolytes / RTC / Too Cool Dancing 49:41 Main Event 52:07 Gay Panic Spot / Undertaker's Motorcycle 53:31 Angle Slam and Sledgehammer 54:11 Angle Kisses Stephanie / "Who's Crying Now?" 57:10 Final Thoughts / Patreon 59:11 Sign-Off Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Triple H tells Kurt Angle he just wants to be friends with Stephanie, maybe go shopping for drapes. Kurt has never been more offended. Tommy Blacha and Rob Pasbani recap the September 18, 2000 edition of WWF Monday Night Raw, live from the Rosemont Horizon in Chicago, Illinois, six days before Unforgiven 2000. Also the last Raw on USA Network. The opening promo ends with Rob, as a gay man, explaining exactly why "shopping for drapes" works and why "batting on the other side of the plate than the rest of us" is the one line that doesn't. Foley books TNA and Trish against Triple H, Angle, and Stephanie, and the hosts are almost surprised it took this long to get here. William Regal makes his WWE debut at the Rosemont, which Tommy calls the single best venue to debut anyone who needs an immediate reaction. Regal sets up a dinner table, demonstrates proper napkin usage, and explains that American parents have clearly failed their children. Jericho interrupts with a fake British accent and a failed tablecloth magic trick. Xpac shows up with nunchucks. Undertaker pins the world champion in a non-title match six days before Unforgiven. The four challengers brawl to end the show. The hosts spend two minutes establishing the correct wrestling terminology for what just happened. Please support the show, and join our brand new Patreon, featuring watch-alongs for classic matches. You also get these episodes uncensored and one day early! Please subscribe at https://patreon.com/talesfromtheattitudeera Other major discussion points include: Tazz arrives as substitute ring announcer in a thug'd up suit jacket with the arms ripped off, a bow tie, and Thug Life on the back, introduces Rikishi as "6,000 pounds from the waist down," and announces the result directly into Lawler's earHugh Hefner recorded a video for Chyna's Playboy issue and could not learn Eddie Guerrero's name in however many takes, referring to him only as "the boyfriend"Eddie fakes being sick to send Chyna in to wrestle Rikishi in his place, then sprays mace in Rikishi's eyes, and Rikishi gives Chyna a bonsai drop while staring directly at EddieThe USA vs Viacom lawsuit backstory: USA claimed first right of refusal, WWE argued they did not match the deal because Viacom included $5 million in advertising that USA could not offerTommy has a detailed memory of rooting for heels as a teenager at Cobo Arena, a drunk accountant in a suit who produced a small Soviet flag from his blazer pocket, and what his mom thought of all of itThe Rosemont Horizon: 15 straight sellouts, Tommy calls it a top five guaranteed hot show venue, and WWF chose this specific building to debut Regal and switch networks for good reason Chapter marks 00:00 Cold Open02:50 USA vs Viacom Lawsuit07:42 William Regal Debut Discussion09:47 Show Starts / Stephanie Opens19:47 Acolytes Attack RTC / Dudleys vs Goodfather and Bull Buchanan21:59 Rock Promo / "Lord of Monkey Piss" / Undertaker Responds24:44 Foley Books Rock vs Taker and Kane vs Benoit / Hugh Hefner Can't Say Eddie's Name27:04 Backstage: Eddie's "Sick" / Kane vs Benoit / Ring Bell Chaos30:10 European Championship Discussion / 2004 Dark Period31:28 Backstage: Triple H, Stephanie, and Angle / "Girls Room Is Down the Hall"38:32 TNA and Trish vs Triple H, Angle, and Stephanie44:42 Angle Hugs Stephanie Post-Match / Triple H Spears Angle46:01 Eddie Wrapped in a Blanket / Tazz as Ring Announcer48:49 Rikishi vs Eddie / Chyna Caught in the Middle54:13 William Regal Debuts / Table Manners Promo56:39 Tommy's House Show Story / The Drunk Accountant with the Soviet Flag1:01:36 Jericho Interrupts Regal / Xpac Attacks with Nunchucks1:03:07 Too Cool vs Edge and Christian / Austin Pay-Per-View Promo1:04:15 Foley: "Smackdown Your Vote"1:05:08 Main Event: Rock vs Undertaker (Non-Title) / Benoit on Commentary1:05:59 Undertaker Pins Rock / Four-Way Brawl to End the Show1:08:02 Final Thoughts / Patreon / Rosemont Wrestlemania History1:10:49 Sign-Off Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Eddie Guerrero shows up at the Playboy Mansion demanding to speak to Hugh Hefner. The bodyguard thinks he means his actual mother. The door gets slammed in his face. He walks away cool. Tommy Blacha and Rob Pasbani recap the September 14, 2000 edition of WWF SmackDown, live from the America West Arena in Phoenix, Arizona. Foley books three tag matches to force the Unforgiven participants to coexist: Angle and Triple H vs T&A, Kane and Benoit vs the Acolytes, and Rock and Undertaker vs the Dudleys in a tables match. The stipulation is that if you attack your partner before the pay-per-view, your Unforgiven match is cancelled. The hosts count roughly six ways the stipulation gets broken before the night is over. Triple H and Angle team up and spend the entire match trying to outshine each other against T&A. Test takes advantage of the dysfunction, pins Triple H clean, and gets the biggest singles win of his career to that point. T&A are not given a moment to celebrate. The hosts have a lot to say about that. Edge and Christian, meanwhile, introduce the Hardys of the Future. Two elderly men dressed exactly like Matt and Jeff with the jinkos and the cutoff shirts come to the ring. Then Lita's music hits. It is a third old man. Edge says "dude, time travel rules" and he is not wrong. Please support the show, and join our brand new Patreon, featuring watch-alongs for classic matches. You also get these episodes uncensored and one day early! Please subscribe at https://patreon.com/talesfromtheattitudeera Other major discussion points include: Tazz buys a front-row seat directly behind Cole and Lawler, brings a bucket of popcorn, gets mic'd up throughout the Blackman vs Saturn hardcore match, and pours the rest of the popcorn on Cole on his way outKane and Benoit have a dysfunction problem: Benoit walks out mid-match and leaves Kane in a two-on-one situation while the hosts puzzle over who technically broke the stipulation firstVal Venis joins Right to Censor in white pants while everyone else wears black, says "I wasn't brainwashed" and "selective censorship is not wrong," and the crowd responds with a "ho" chantRock asks Lillian "do you like pie?" and the hosts have a lot of questions about the internal logic of this new catchphraseListener of the week: MKJ Comics writes in about his grandma who thought wrestling was real her whole life, called upset every time Triple H used a sledgehammer, and was buried with a John Cena wall clockPMFG weighs in: we are already in the bad creative period, the problems of 2001 started in 2000, and the Radicals died months in with no story Chapter marks 00:00 Cold Open00:22 Welcome / Phoenix / SmackDown 9/14/200003:18 Listener Comments / Jonathan on Kreski and Continuity11:25 MKJ Comics: The Grandma Who Thought Wrestling Was Real15:12 PMFG: "We're Already in the Bad Creative Period"16:00 Back to the Show / America West Arena18:29 Foley Opens / "I Answer to the Fans"18:51 Tangent: Paul Heyman 2025 / "We Don't Answer to the Fans"22:43 Opening Segment / Foley Books Unforgiven25:10 Triple H Out / Tag Matches and Stipulations Announced31:25 Kane and Benoit vs Acolytes36:39 Triple H in Foley's Office37:34 Eddie at the Playboy Mansion38:58 Chyna Packs Her Bags40:14 Val Venis / "I Wasn't Brainwashed"42:52 Rikishi and Too Cool vs Right to Censor / Eddie Interferes44:59 Test and Trish Backstage45:36 Triple H and Angle vs T&A / Test Pins Triple H50:46 Tazz Wants to Quit / Foley Books Tazz vs Lawler at Unforgiven51:27 Edge and Christian: The Hardys of the Future54:43 Blackman vs Saturn / Tazz Heckles from Front Row56:32 Edge, Christian, and X-Pac vs Jericho and the Hardys58:32 Rock Promo / Do You Like Pie?1:00:04 Main Event: Rock and Undertaker vs Dudleys (Tables Match)1:04:19 Final Thoughts and Sign-Off Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Eddie hears Chyna is going to be on the Playboy cover. The same Eddie who spent months praising his own security and confidence and pride in her. The reaction is immediate and completely inconsistent. Tommy Blacha and Rob Pasbani recap the September 11, 2000 edition of WWF Monday Night Raw, live from Phoenix, Arizona, two weeks before Unforgiven. Triple H draws Jericho as his surprise opponent and they run a fast, heated match before X-Pac runs in for the DQ. Triple H shoves him off and nobody explains anything. The DX dissolution continues, unaddressed. Later, in the Kurt Angle vs T&A match, Stephanie sneaks out despite Triple H's explicit instructions, and what follows is Tommy's unlikely standout of the night, a Looney Tunes sequence involving all three performers that works entirely because the execution is crisp and the performers are that good. Tazz, after getting knocked out by a David Hasselhoff portrait, grabs the mic and says exactly what everyone has been thinking. He can't compete with Lawler's political power. Nobody wants him here. The outsider is tapping out. Tazz has become just another victim of the WWF. The hosts find it oddly engaging. Please support the show, and join our brand new Patreon, featuring watch-alongs for classic matches. You also get these episodes uncensored and one day early! Please subscribe at https://patreon.com/talesfromtheattitudeera Other major discussion points include: - Lita wins the Women's Title from Ivory after Midian's streaking run-in provides the distraction, with the hosts noting she has no angle heading into Unforgiven despite being champion - Hardy Boys become number one contenders after Edge's interference accidentally helps them beat the Dudleys, setting up Hardys vs Edge and Christian at Unforgiven - Mick Foley announces a Fatal Four Way for Unforgiven with Rock defending against Undertaker, Benoit, and Kane, and the hosts question why Undertaker earned a shot after just getting pinned - Val Venis appears completely fine after being abducted last week, hits the Acolytes with a chair, and joins Right to Censor with no conversion promo and no explanation - Tommy opens the episode with stories from behind the scenes at the 2000 MTV VMAs, held that same week at Radio City Music Hall, including what it was like to work on a live production that made wrestling look organized by comparison - Observer notes include William Regal's debut held for time, talks with Raven about joining the company, and K-Kwik ready to debut with a plan to pair him with Road Dogg Chapters: 00:00 Cold Open 02:27 Tommy at the 2000 MTV VMAs 10:50 Back to the Show / RAW and SmackDown at the Same Venue 11:59 Perry Saturn's Travel Nightmare 12:33 Show Overview / JR Gives the Card 13:29 Foley's Opening Promo / The Austin Investigation 14:15 The Rock Comes Out 15:36 Benoit Claims #1 Contendership 16:09 WWF Name / World Wildlife Fund Lawsuit 20:52 Foley Books the Main Event 21:41 Hardys vs Dudleys / Edge and Christian on Commentary 23:44 Lita vs Ivory / Women's Title 25:22 Kurt Angle in Foley's Office 26:57 Eddie and Chyna: Earlier Today 30:52 Eddie and Chyna vs Too Cool 32:34 Eddie Attacks Too Cool / Rikishi / Chyna's Decision 35:21 Triple H Backstage 36:12 Triple H's Entrance / Chyna Reveals Playboy 40:25 Triple H vs Jericho 43:33 X-Pac DQ / DX Implosion 47:47 RTC vs Acolytes / Val Venis Joins Right to Censor 50:24 Al Snow vs Tazz 52:04 Tazz's "Tapping Out" Promo 53:54 SmackDown Your Vote / Bush and Gore 56:53 Kurt Angle vs T&A 1:01:53 Foley Books Triple H vs Angle at Unforgiven 1:02:23 Steve Blackman vs X-Pac / Jericho Interferes 1:04:20 Benoit and Kane Backstage 1:05:28 X-Pac Attacks Jericho Backstage 1:06:38 Rock and Undertaker Backstage 1:08:02 Main Event: Rock and Undertaker vs Benoit and Kane 1:10:05 Benoit Pins Undertaker / Fatal Four Way Announced 1:11:42 Observer Notes / Regal, Raven, K-Kwik 1:15:47 Creative Direction / The Road Ahead 1:16:34 Final Thoughts and Sign-Off Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Chyna confronts Eddie backstage and tells him he used her, stepped on her, and only loves the title around his waist. Eddie turns it around completely. His family. His friends. His personal wants. You were on Jay Leno three times. Third Rock from the Sun. Your magazine. Not one page. Are you going to be behind me when I face Road Dog, or is the door right there? Tommy Blacha and Rob Pasbani recap the September 7, 2000 edition of WWF SmackDown, live from Louisville, Kentucky. With Jerry Lawler sidelined from Raw, Tazz joins Michael Cole on commentary in what Tommy and Rob call a preview of the future SmackDown announce team. He roots openly for heels, steals JR's catchphrases, and corrects Cole's move calls in character. Then Lawler returns mid-show, strap in hand, and chokes Tazz out in the middle of his Brooklyn catchphrase. Steve Austin cuts a pre-tape from home, back to camera, nine months out of action. He doesn't forget and he doesn't forgive. It's a good thing the next pay-per-view is called Unforgiven. The promo doesn't fully hang together but Tommy and Rob say it doesn't need to. Austin coming back on screen is enough to make a rough episode feel like must-see TV. Other major discussion points include: Triple H beats Test and Albert in a handicap match when Kurt Angle runs in uninvited, helps Triple H win, and does the you're-welcome look from the stage despite Triple H wanting nothing to do with himRock pins Christian in the main event after Edge is taken out by Rock's own chair, with Foley inserting Kane as Christian's partner in a decision neither host can explain, and Kane chokeslams Rock through the announce table on his way outBenoit pins Rikishi after RTC distraction, and Tazz corrects Cole's move calls in character, including the moment Cole calls a Northern Lights suplex a Sherman suplexAPA and Dudleys have a bloody, joyful barroom brawl at the Have a Nice Day Cafe, cap it with a handshake bit between Bubba and Farooq, and then Kaientai shows up wanting sakeToo Cool lose to the Goodfather and Bull Buchanan and the worm is blocked for the second straight weekTommy opens the episode discussing WWE Studios, the XFL, the WWF record label, and what it looked like from the inside as WWF expanded into every possible business at once Please support the show, and join our brand new Patreon, featuring watch-alongs for classic matches. New watch along added: Gorilla Monsoon Mixtape! Previous watch alongs include RVD/Sabu vs. Hayabusa/Hakushi, Verne Gagne vs. Dick the Bruiser, Rock vs Hogan and Buddy Rogers vs. Pat O'Connor. You also get these episodes one day early! Please subscribe at https://patreon.com/talesfromtheattitudeera Chapter Marks00:00 Intro 00:32 Tommy's Consulting Role 04:51 Too Much Soap Opera 08:56 Rob on 40 Years of Fandom 11:45 Show Overview / Tazz Replaces Lawler on Commentary 17:01 X-Pac vs Jericho 18:49 Kurt Angle in Foley's Office / Angle vs Undertaker Booked 19:34 Edge and Christian Promo / "Rocker Taker" / The Rock Comes Out 22:11 The Rock Sets Up a Handicap Match for the WWF Title 23:54 Backstage: Triple H and Stephanie 25:35 Acolytes at the Have a Nice Day Cafe 26:06 Benoit vs Rikishi / Tazz Corrects Cole's Move Calls 28:09 Eddie and Chyna Backstage: "Where Was I When You Were on Jay Leno?" 35:15 APA vs Dudleys Barroom Brawl / Lawler Returns and Chokes Tazz Mid-Catchphrase 35:44 Triple H vs Test and Albert 36:51 Angle Runs In / Saves Stephanie / Triple H Wins 39:26 Chyna Backstage with Road Dog / Triple H and Stephanie Argue About Angle 44:04 Eddie Guerrero vs Road Dog 47:33 Eddie Attacks Road Dog Post-Match 48:07 Too Cool vs Right to Censor 51:21 APA and Dudleys at the Bar / Kaientai Wants Sake 53:46 Kurt Angle vs Undertaker / Benoit Interferes 54:56 Triple H and Stephanie Backstage 55:44 Stone Cold Pre-Tape: "It's a Good Thing the Next PPV Is Called Unforgiven" 57:40 Rock Ambushes Edge / Main Event Set 58:31 Main Event: Rock vs Christian and Kane (WWF Title Handicap Match) 1:01:43 Final Thoughts / Patreon Plug Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Test steps out with Trish and asks Mick Foley to wait. November 28, 1999, the night Triple H took the money, the power, and Stephanie, Test sat back. The smile on his face when those cops came. He made the call. Tommy Blacha and Rob Pasbani recap the September 4, 2000 Labor Day edition of WWF Monday Night Raw, live from the Rupp Arena in Lexington, Kentucky, airing at 11pm due to the US Open on USA Network. Foley opens the show with a full investigation, narrowing the spousal abuse complaint down to 373 suspects, then bringing out Stephanie, Angle, Chyna, and Eddie one by one. The Test reveal lands as clever soap opera with real nostalgic stakes. Triple H then immediately Pedigrees both Test and Albert in the same night and leaves them on the mat. In the IC title triple threat, Angle knocks Chyna out cold with the belt. Eddie dropkicks Angle out, turns around, and finds Mamacita laid out. He chooses her over Angle. They fall together in a heap, the referee counts three, and Eddie Guerrero is the new Intercontinental Champion. The camera pans to catch a devious grin on his face while Chyna cannot see it, a reveal Tommy and Rob say undercuts everything the pairing has built. Other major discussion points include: Christian pins The Rock with a Conchairto to close the show while Kane joins JR on commentary and delivers emo monologues about being dragged from the gutter and pain becoming your friendThe Dudleys beat the APA and Kaientai in a tables match, prompting Tommy to push for consistent rules: one member through the table ends the match, and anything requiring both should have its own nameRight to Censor kidnaps Val Venus after his promo defending personal freedom, and Lawler's RC Cola live read accidentally plays over Road Dogg's entrance promoTommy opens the episode comparing WWF's late-2000 slide to the current moment in WWE, using a JP Morgan stock analysis and a Fightful report about Netflix executive pressure on the 2025 creative team Please support the show, and join our brand new Patreon, featuring watch-alongs for classic matches. New watch along added: Gorilla Monsoon Mixtape! Previous watch alongs include RVD/Sabu vs. Hayabusa/Hakushi, Verne Gagne vs. Dick the Bruiser, Rock vs Hogan and Buddy Rogers vs. Pat O'Connor. You also get these episodes one day early! Please subscribe at https://patreon.com/talesfromtheattitudeera Chapters: 00:00 Intro 01:39 WWE 2025 vs. WWF 2000: Tommy's Exit, the TNN Move, and the Business Slide 03:44 JP Morgan Analysis / Netflix Execs Pressure WWE Creative 12:27 How to Watch on archive.org / Complete 2000 WWF Collection 15:27 Show Overview / Aired at 11pm on Labor Day 16:03 Opening Segment: Foley Investigates the Arrest / 373 Suspects 21:42 Test's Confession: "November 28, 1999" 29:24 Foley Books Triple H vs. Test / "I'm Not the Champion, But Okay" 32:45 Number One Contender's Match: Kane vs. Benoit / Rock on Commentary 37:17 Tables Match: Dudleys vs. APA / Rules Discussion 41:27 Eddie Begs Foley / Triple Threat IC Match Booked 42:27 SmackDown Your Vote / WWF Invites Bush and Gore to Debate 44:29 IC Title Triple Threat: Eddie Guerrero vs. Chyna vs. Kurt Angle 47:11 Test Hyped / Triple H and Stephanie Backstage 48:52 Eddie Explains to Chyna / Offers the Belt Back / The Devious Face 52:27 Triple H vs. Test (w/ Albert and Trish) / Angle Sneaks Up on Stephanie 57:26 Naked Mideon with Foley / The Implication 58:01 Val Venus vs. Right to Censor / "Stick It Where the Sun Don't Shine" 1:00:20 Crash and Malenko Backstage / Edge and Christian: "Genital Warts Rule" 1:02:46 Hardcore Title: Boss Man vs. Steve Blackman 1:04:40 Road Dogg and Val vs. Right to Censor / RC Cola Disaster / Val Kidnapped 1:07:15 Lawler and Jericho vs. Tazz and Mideon 1:09:25 King Rolls Up Tazz / Austin Statement Teased for SmackDown 1:11:00 Kane on Commentary / Emo Kane / "Pain Can Become Your Friend" 1:11:48 Main Event: Rock and Undertaker vs. Edge and Christian / Conchairto / Christian Pins Rock 1:14:52 Final Thoughts and Sign-Off Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Triple H and Stephanie are finally reconciling backstage when there's a knock on the door. It's the police, responding to a spousal abuse complaint. Triple H gets put in the car. Mick Foley runs up asking what about his main event. Tommy Blacha and Rob Pasbani recap the August 31, 2000 edition of WWF SmackDown, live from the Crown Coliseum in Fayetteville, North Carolina. The show opens with Stephanie explaining her whereabouts since SummerSlam, but Angle immediately counters with footage of Chyna and Triple H's hug on Raw, then footage of Chyna tending to Triple H after their match. He accuses Triple H of domestic violence, Chyna comes to the ring to defend herself, and Angle gives her the Angle Slam. Tommy and Rob call it A+ soap opera from start to finish. With Triple H in a police car, the main event becomes Eddie vs Angle one-on-one, Chyna in Eddie's corner and Stephanie forced into Angle's. Angle cheats to win using the IC title belt. Chyna beats up Angle post-match, turns to face Stephanie, who tries to talk her way out. Chyna grabs her by the hair and DDTs her to one of the loudest pops of the night. Other major discussion points include: Edge and Christian mock Monday's mini Hardies in a promoAl Snow pins Saturn with a dragon sleeper submission to win the European Championship in a match involving Head, a stopped pinfall by Teddy Long, and a finish nobody saw comingUndertaker vs Benoit for the number one contendership ends by disqualification when Kane interferesKaientai get caught laughing at the Dudleys' TLC losses, leading to the APA costing the Dudleys the match before the Dudleys table Funaki as a receiptTrish Stratus shows up to Val Venis demanding respect, Val tears into her, telegraphing his turn to Right to CensorTommy covers Sunday Night Heat: Crash Holly, Dean Malenko, Kane's mask promo targeting The Rock, and what happened to T&A and the APA Just announced! Rob and Tommy announce the launch of their brand new Patreon featuring watch-alongs for classic matches. New watch along added: RVD/Sabu vs. Hayabusa/Hakushi The first watch along includes Rock vs Hogan and Buddy Rogers vs. Pat O'Connor. Please subscribe at https://patreon.com/talesfromtheattitudeera Chapters: 00:00 Intro 2:51 Crown Coliseum, Fayetteville, NC 5:18 Tommy's Story: Steiners at a WCW Clash of Champions in This Arena 7:32 Back to SmackDown / Storyline Momentum vs Raw 7:56 Recap Focuses on Raw, Not SummerSlam 8:15 Stephanie McMahon Opens the Show: The Alibi 9:36 Kurt Angle Interrupts Stephanie 12:54 Chyna Comes to the Ring 14:34 Angle Slam on Chyna / Eddie Runs Out / Segment Analysis 15:53 Triple H Arrives at the Arena / Stephanie Slaps Him 16:43 Road Dog Promo at Fort Bragg / vs Bull Buchanan 18:58 Chyna and Eddie Approach Foley 19:41 Edge and Christian Promo / Six-Person Tag vs Hardy Boyz and Lita 23:11 Backstage: Angle Approaches Stephanie About the Kiss 24:45 European Championship: Al Snow vs Saturn 27:42 Triple H and Stephanie Reconcile Backstage 29:04 Al Snow's Post-Match Promo: "Citizens of Europea" 30:49 Number One Contender Match: Undertaker vs Benoit / Kane and Rock Arrive 32:13 The DQ Finish Problem: "Only Pinfall or Submission" Goes Out the Window 35:55 Tazz Promo / Jericho Cuts Him Off 40:00 Tazz vs Chris Jericho / Lawler Interferes 41:05 What Went Wrong with Tazz in WWF / Tommy's Take on Vince's Blind Spot 44:06 Just Joe Tells Angle About the Loud Noises / Angle Calls the Cops 44:34 Kaientai Mock the Dudleys / Dudleys vs Kaientai / APA Interfere 46:16 Backstage: Kurt Finds Stephanie / Trish Confronts Val Venis 47:20 Rikishi vs Val Venis / Right to Censor Interference 47:54 Chyna and Eddie Backstage Before the Main Event 48:25 Triple H and Stephanie Make Up / Cops Arrive with Spousal Abuse Complaint 49:24 Foley Changes the Main Event / Stephanie Forced Into Angle's Corner 50:43 Main Event: Eddie Guerrero vs Kurt Angle 51:05 Angle Wins with the IC Belt / Chyna DDTs Stephanie Post-Match 54:21 Sunday Night Heat Rundown 56:21 Closing Thoughts and Sign-Off Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Chyna knocks on Triple H's door to check on him after SummerSlam. They share a platonic hug. Eddie Guerrero walks in, shoves Triple H, and says "That's my mama." Tommy Blacha and Rob Pasbani recap the August 28, 2000 edition of WWF Monday Night Raw, live from Greensboro, North Carolina, one night after SummerSlam 2000. Triple H opened the show stranded in the parking garage, waiting for Stephanie who hasn't been seen since he accidentally hit her the night before. Kurt Angle comes to the ring and accuses him of domestic violence, then casually mentions his concussion is coming back to him. He remembers being in a hotel lobby after SummerSlam. He wasn't alone. Room A14. Wait, that was Stephanie's room. His memory is a little fuzzy. After Angle goads Eddie into defending Chyna's honor, he ends up running into the match with a steel chair anyway. The annoucers openly wonder whose side Chyna is really on. Tommy and Rob did not see this coming and loved every second of it. Other major discussion points include: Edge and Christian bring out miniature versions of all three TLC teams for their 36-second pose, complete with tiny ladders, tiny tables, and a fight between the mini Hardies and mini DudleysLita defends the Women's Championship against Jackie in the highest-rated quarter hour of the night, then eats an Edge spear post-match in what Tommy and Rob call a real test of whether her SummerSlam rub translated on its ownChyna retains the IC title when Val Venis abandons his Money Shot to yell at Trish Stratus, who had been watching at ringside the entire matchJR grabs a trash can lid and clocks Tazz at ringside, letting Blackman retain the Hardcore title in a feud Tommy and Rob agree never justified itselfThe Rock keeps the WWF title over Kane, but the Undertaker rides in on his motorcycle and choke slams Kane first, teasing a three-way championship programNaked Midian debuts as a streaker in the Al Snow and Saturn mixed tag, wearing nothing but a fanny pack and a thong 00:00 Intro and Cold Open: Eddie Guerrero Shoves Triple H Over Chyna 00:33 Welcome to Tales from the Attitude Era 00:52 Why Raw Aired at 11pm: US Open Tennis and the USA Network Problem 1:07 Tommy's Backstage Story: Vince McMahon vs the Dog Show 5:01 Post-SummerSlam Booking Philosophy and the Late Start Show 6:06 The Chyna and Triple H Reunion: Kayfabe, Reality, and the Real-Life Timeline 8:15 Mick Foley Opens the Show in Greensboro / Four Title Matches Announced 10:31 Triple H Waits in the Parking Garage / X-Pac and Road Dog Weigh In 10:54 Opening Match: Y2J and the Acolytes vs Benoit and T&A 16:35 Kurt Angle Accuses Triple H of Abuse / Room A14 Revealed 18:40 Triple H Cheap Shots Angle / Chyna and Eddie Watch from Backstage 19:03 Intercontinental Championship: Chyna vs Val Venis 23:00 Michael Cole Interviews Angle: "I Remember Stephanie's Room" 23:42 Right to Censor Promo / Too Cool and Rikishi Dance Segment 26:53 Chyna Enters Triple H's Dressing Room 29:41 Eddie Guerrero Bursts In: "That's My Mama" 31:53 Edge and Christian's Mini TLC Teams Segment 36:24 Angle Talks Eddie Into Challenging Triple H 36:53 Hardcore Championship: Tazz vs Steve Blackman / JR with the Trash Can Lid 41:54 Just Joe Gets Kicked Out / Eddie Barges In and a Match Is Made 45:14 Women's Championship: Lita vs Jackie / Edge Spears Lita Post-Match 49:14 Kane Promo: No Voice Box, New Monster Heel Direction 53:28 Patreon Plug 55:38 Chyna and Eddie Backstage Before the Match 56:03 Eddie Guerrero vs Triple H 1:00:07 Frog Splash Miss / Pedigree Attempt / Angle Runs In with a Chair 1:01:04 Chyna Saves Both Men / The Love Quadrangle Is Born 1:03:05 Al Snow and Saturn vs Cat and Terry / Naked Midian Debuts 1:05:25 Dudleys at WWF New York / The Rock Promo with Kevin Kelly 1:06:47 WWF Championship: The Rock vs Kane / The Undertaker Rides In 1:09:24 Ratings Breakdown: 4.93 Rating and 11.5 Share 1:12:46 Closing Thoughts and Sign-Off Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Kurt Angle grabs the mic before the main event and announces he has an apology to make for kissing Stephanie McMahon. He's sorry he didn't do it sooner. Tommy Blacha and Rob Pasbani recap SummerSlam 2000, live from Raleigh, North Carolina on August 27, 2000. The love triangle runs through the whole show. Stephanie tells her makeup artist backstage that Kurt is a good kisser. Angle's pre-match promo drops the line "I gave your wife the kind of passion you could never give her." Then the Spanish announce table breaks early, Angle is immediately concussed, and the main event somehow has to keep going. The match of the night is the first-ever Tables, Ladders and Chairs match between Edge and Christian, the Hardy Boyz, and the Dudley Boyz, which Tommy and Rob call a blueprint for an even better version at WrestleMania the following year. Earlier, Shane McMahon climbs 75 feet up the entrance scaffolding trying to escape Steve Blackman, takes a kendo stick to the back, and falls in one of the biggest bumps either host has ever seen. Other major discussion points include: - Chyna pins Trish Stratus to become two-time Intercontinental Champion in a mixed tag with a stipulation that creates more problems than it solves - JR pays Tazz back by smashing the same candy jar Tazz used on Lawler weeks earlier over his head to help the King get the win, though Tommy and Rob agree Tazz deserved better from the whole feud - Road Dogg and X-Pac finally collide but their slow-burn DX breakup never generated enough heat for the match to land - Jericho and Benoit put on a solid two-out-of-three falls match in 13 minutes, though Tommy argues the stipulation demands more time and the feud deserved a cleaner finish - The show opens with a Fellini-inspired David Sahadi short film that Tommy and Rob call one of the most interesting pay-per-view cold opens of the Attitude Era - Kane and Undertaker brawl on the outside with the bell never ringing, in a match the hosts agree did nothing to elevate either man --- Just announced! Rob and Tommy announce the launch of their brand new Patreon featuring watch-alongs for classic matches. New watch along added: Dick the Bruiser vs. Verne Gagne The first watch along includes Rock vs Hogan and Buddy Rogers vs. Pat O'Connor. Please subscribe at https://patreon.com/talesfromtheattitudeera --- 00:00 Intro and Welcome to SummerSlam 2000 / Raleigh, NC / Gate Figures 05:27 Card Structure Discussion and the David Sahadi Opening Film 11:44 Meltzer and Keller Review SummerSlam 14:53 Right to Censor vs Too Cool & Rikishi 19:44 Heat Recap: The Kiss Aftermath / Kurt Angle Arrives 21:01 Road Dogg vs X-Pac / The DX Breakup Falls Flat 24:26 Chyna & Eddie Guerrero Backstage / Trish and Val's Tension 30:09 Intercontinental Championship: Chyna & Eddie vs Val Venis & Trish Stratus 37:33 Stephanie in the Makeup Chair: Kurt Is a Good Kisser 38:23 Jerry Lawler vs Tazz / JR's Candy Jar Revenge 47:18 Steve Blackman vs Shane McMahon (Hardcore Championship) / The Scaffold Fall 52:22 Chris Jericho vs Chris Benoit (Two-Out-of-Three Falls) 57:08 The First-Ever TLC Match: Edge & Christian vs Hardy Boyz vs Dudley Boyz 1:03:19 Triple H Confronts Stephanie About the Kiss 1:04:03 Thong Stinkface Match: Cat vs Terry 1:08:39 Kane vs Undertaker (The Bell Never Rings) 1:11:50 WWF Championship Triple Threat: The Rock vs Triple H vs Kurt Angle 1:19:01 Overall Show Breakdown and Final Thoughts Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Kurt Angle dismisses the EMTs from Stephanie McMahon's room, tells her he really cares for her, and kisses her to close the show. Tommy Blacha and Rob Pasbani break down the August 24, 2000 edition of WWF SmackDown, the final episode before SummerSlam 2000, live from the New Orleans Arena in New Orleans, Louisiana. The whole episode builds around one question: will Stephanie pick Triple H or Kurt Angle as her mixed tag partner? The McMahon family love triangle is at full boil, and the final two minutes of the show are, as Tommy puts it, maybe the most melodramatic moment in WWE history. Chris Jericho rolls out a Benoit photoshop promo that Tommy and Rob agree is well below the level of their blood feud, complete with Dr. Seuss rhymes. Benoit fires back with his own "picture." In the Tazz/Lawler saga, Tazz spray-paints Lawler's rental car, smashes the window, and finds J.R. in the passenger seat. Other major discussion points include: - Rikishi moons Right to Censor, wins his match against the Goodfather, and teases Stevie Richards with the stink face before Bull Buchanan pulls him out at the last second to save the heat for SummerSlam - The six-person tag (Trish/Val/Test vs Chyna, Eddie Guerrero, and Steve Blackman) ends when Val's nunchuck attack on Blackman backfires and takes out Test instead - Kurt Angle pitches himself as Stephanie's partner backstage, promising the match won't last more than three minutes. Triple H then storms out when Stephanie suggests Angle made good points about the hothead thing, proving the critique in real time - Road Dogg and X-Pac lose a handicap match to Undertaker in what Tommy and Rob call the least heated angle heading into SummerSlam - A full breakdown of the SummerSlam 2000 card - The WWF's SmackDown Your Vote campaign, a partnership with MTV's Rock the Vote driven by the looming threat of censorship from the Parent Television Council --- Just announced! Rob and Tommy announce the launch of their brand new Patreon featuring watch-alongs for classic matches. The first watch along includes Rock vs Hogan and Buddy Rogers vs. Pat O'Connor. Please subscribe at https://patreon.com/talesfromtheattitudeera --- 00:00 Intro 03:29 Stephanie Demands a Rematch 09:37 Backstage: Triple H Proves Angle Right About the Hothead Thing 10:29 Rikishi Moons Right to Censor 15:17 Eddie Guerrero & Chyna Backstage 21:47 Trish Stratus & Val Venis vs Chyna, Eddie Guerrero & Steve Blackman 27:32 Backstage: Kurt Angle Pitches Himself as Stephanie's Partner 29:26 Tazz Spray-Paints Lawler's Rental Car 34:47 Chris Jericho's Terrible Benoit Photoshops 39:12 Benoit Responds with His Own "Picture" 42:13 DX vs Undertaker (Handicap Match) / The Slow-Burn Breakup That Isn't Working 44:06 Triple H Storms Out on Stephanie / SmackDown Your Vote 46:34 Saturn vs Al Snow / The Thong Stinkface Match Is Set for SummerSlam 48:55 Jericho & Hardies vs Benoit & Edge & Christian 51:01 Triple H Confronts Angle Backstage / The Rock's Big Easy Promo 53:03 Main Event: The Rock & Lita vs Kurt Angle & Stephanie McMahon 55:33 Epilogue: Kurt Angle Kisses Stephanie McMahon to End the Show 56:34 Analysis: Is This the Best SummerSlam Go-Home Angle Ever? 1:02:29 The SummerSlam 2000 Card Is Set Follow Tales from The Attitude Era on all social media http://youtube.com/@TFTAttitudeEra  http://twitter.com/TFTAttitudeEra http://instagram.com/TFTAttitudeEra http://tiktok.com/@TFTAttitudeEra Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lita wins the Women's Championship from Stephanie McMahon with The Rock as special guest referee in a main event! Tommy Blacha calls one of the greatest convoluted booked gaga matches of the Attitude Era. Tommy Blacha and Rob Pasbani break down the August 21, 2000 edition of WWF Monday Night Raw, live from the Cajundome in Lafayette, Louisiana, six days before SummerSlam 2000. The show opens with The Rock cutting a Louisiana-specific promo before Mick Foley gives him the night off and announces two title matches for the evening: Shane McMahon vs. Steve Blackman for the Hardcore Championship and Stephanie's Women's Championship defense against Lita, with The Rock serving as special guest referee. In the chaotic main event, Triple H and Kurt Angle accompany Stephanie to ringside with the Hardy Boys in Lita's corner. At the decisive moment, Angle accidentally nails Triple H with a belt while trying to interfere, The Rock delivers a Rock Bottom to Angle, and Lita hits a moonsault on Stephanie to win the Women's Championship. Earlier in the night, Shane McMahon sneaks a kendo stick into the Hardcore title match and cracks Steve Blackman across the skull to steal the championship, only for Foley to immediately book him into a rematch at SummerSlam. In their tag match, Triple H pins Farooq for the win but conspicuously hangs back while Bradshaw drops Kurt Angle with a Clothesline from Hell, planting seeds of tension between the two allies heading into Sunday. Other major discussion points include: - Mick Foley adds a wrinkle to the IC title picture: if Eddie Guerrero or Chyna pins Val Venis or Trish Stratus in their tag match, they become the new Intercontinental Champion - Kane destroys Rikishi with three vicious chair shots before Right to Censor prevents Too Cool from making the save - Jerry Lawler hides behind a pile of equipment backstage and drops it on an unsuspecting Taz to get his revenge before sliding back out to commentary - Tommy reads from both the Wrestling Observer and the Pro Wrestling Torch on why Big Show was sent home, covering conditioning concerns, attitude, and a herniated disc - Kurt Angle tells Stephanie he's thinking of leaving the McMahon family; Stephanie begs him to stay in a scene Tommy credits to writer Brian Gewirtz - Steve Austin has been medically cleared and is expected back imminently --- Just announced! Rob and Tommy announce the launch of their brand new Patreon featuring watch-alongs for classic matches. The first watch along includes Rock vs Hogan and Buddy Rogers vs. Pat O'Connor. Please subscribe at https://patreon.com/talesfromtheattitudeera --- 00:00 Intro 03:25 The Observer and Torch Debate WWF's Booking Pace 05:49 The Rock's Louisiana Promo 09:47 Foley Gives The Rock the Night Off / SummerSlam Matches Announced 14:32 Jerry Lawler Ambushes Taz Backstage 15:22 The Hardy Boyz vs The Dudley Boyz / Edge & Christian on Commentary 17:02 Val Venis & Trish Stratus vs Crash Holly & Ivory 20:15 Foley Puts the Intercontinental Title on the Line in the Tag Match 22:27 Kane Destroys Rikishi / Right to Censor Stops Too Cool 23:15 The Dirt Sheets: What Really Happened to Big Show 30:28 The Acolytes vs Kurt Angle & Triple H / Triple H Leaves Angle to the Wolves 33:06 Right to Censor Promo / Foley's Shrimp Etouffee Bit / RTC vs Too Cool & Rikishi Set 36:20 Shane's Mean Street Posse Scheme Backfires / Angle Threatens to Walk Out 38:13 Chris Jericho vs Perry Saturn / Benoit Runs Down / Angle's Olympic Wrestling Lesson 40:55 Steve Blackman vs Test (Hardcore 24/7) / Shane McMahon Wins the Hardcore Championship 43:05 Shane's Hardcore Title Problem / Foley Books SummerSlam Rematch / Edge & Christian vs DX Set 44:48 Edge & Christian vs DX for the Tag Team Championships 46:11 Main Event: Lita vs Stephanie McMahon for the Women's Championship / The Rock as Special Guest Referee 54:06 Was This the First Women's Main Event in Raw History? 58:18 Steve Austin Cleared to Wrestle / Expected Back Soon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.