SURVIVOR SERIES 2000: POST-MATCH PART 1

MATCH: Ultimate Warrior vs. Gen RESULT: Ultimate Warrior via Pinfall (12:44)

---

[[ IN-RING INTERVIEW: JOE ROGAN ]]

JOE ROGAN: (Standing with the Ultimate Warrior, who is still breathing heavily, face paint smeared with sweat) I’m here with the winner, the Ultimate Warrior! Warrior, a lot of people looked at the age gap here—the fact that Gen is an underground relic—and expected a two-minute squash. But that was a tactical war. He had you in some positions we’ve never seen you in. How did you survive the technical prowess of the “Old Master”?

ULTIMATE WARRIOR: (Snarling, chest heaving) Joe Rogan! The heavens do not count the years! They only count the WILL! Gen… he is a ghost from a time when men fought for breath, not for belts! His hands are like ice, but my blood… my blood is the FIRE OF DESTINY! He reached for my soul, but he found only the POWER OF THE WARRIORS!

JOE ROGAN: (Turning to Gen, who is being helped up by officials, looking remarkably calm despite the loss) Gen, you’re ranked #21 in the world for a reason. Tonight, you proved that age and illness are just variables. You had the Warrior on the ropes with those pressure-point strikes early on. Do you feel that tonight was a “passing of the torch,” or do you still have more names on your list?

GEN: (Voice raspy but steady) The Warrior has strength… but he has no silence. I came to see if the “modern era” had found a way to defeat time. He didn’t defeat time tonight. He only defeated a man. My list… is not yet empty.

---

[[ RINGSIDE: THE HBO BOXING DESK ]]

JIM LAMPLEY: A fascinating start to the evening here in Kansas City. The Ultimate Warrior moves to 3-1, but Larry, it wasn’t the blowout the Vegas odds suggested.

LARRY MERCHANT: (Adjusting his glasses, looking unimpressed) Jim, it was a classic case of a young, strong guy who doesn’t know what he’s doing against an old, skilled guy who can’t do what he knows. Gen is a master—he’s a philosopher of violence. If he was thirty years younger, the Ultimate Warrior would be a stain on the mat right now. But in this “sport,” if you can call it that, eventually the muscles win out over the mind. It’s the tragedy of the aging athlete.

LENNOX LEWIS: I have to disagree slightly, Larry. Gen’s defense was brilliant. He was parrying power shots that would have knocked out a Heavyweight. But you saw the finish—the Warrior just overwhelmed him with pure physical volume. In boxing, we call that “bullying the vet.” It’s not pretty, but it’s effective. Warrior showed he can take a punch, but he still lacks the technical IQ to be Top 10.

JIM LAMPLEY: Speaking of Top 10 aspirations, we move from the “Old World” vs. “New World” to a battle of two icons trying to reclaim their glory. Bret “The Hitman” Hart vs. “Macho Man” Randy Savage.

LARRY MERCHANT: This is where the night gets serious, Jim. We’re talking about the Heavyweight division—the “Shark Tank.” Bret Hart is 32, a technical wizard, but he’s coming off a loss to Yokozuna. Savage is 37, and frankly, he looks like a man who knows his clock is ticking.

LENNOX LEWIS: The footwork is going to be the key here. Bret is the “Excellence of Execution,” he’s going to try to chop Savage down, take out the legs. Savage is erratic, he’s explosive. If Savage can’t catch Bret early with that diving elbow, I think the Hitman’s youth and that Sharpshooter are going to be too much.

LARRY MERCHANT: It’s a desperation match, Lennox. Neither of these men can afford to be 1-2 or 2-2 in this climate. Especially with Zangief and the Street Fighters lurking. If you lose tonight, you’re not just losing a match—you’re losing your relevance.

JIM LAMPLEY: The Heavyweight hunt continues. Hart. Savage. Next!

---

[[ ADMIN_NEIL NOTE: The “Gonzaga” software actually favored Gen slightly in technical points, but the Warrior’s “Damage Dealt” metric was through the roof. If Bret Hart wins this next one, he’ll be just one big win away from a Top 5 Heavyweight ranking. ]]

MATCH: Bret “The Hitman” Hart vs. “Macho Man” Randy Savage RESULT: Randy Savage via Count-Out (18:12)

---

[[ RINGSIDE INTERVIEW: JOE ROGAN ]]

JOE ROGAN: (Standing near the wreckage of the Spanish announce table) I’m here with the victor, the “Macho Man” Randy Savage! Randy, that was one of the most grueling, back-and-forth Heavyweight battles we’ve seen all year. Bret was dissecting you for fifteen minutes—he literally had you on this table ready to end your career. How did you find the spatial awareness to counter him twice in that high-stress environment?

RANDY SAVAGE: (Voice raspy, eyes wild, gasping for air) Dig it, Joe Rogan! The madness… it’s a living thing! Bret Hart thought he had the Excellence of Execution, but he forgot about the ELEVATION OF ADRENALINE! He tried to put me through the wood, yeah, but the Macho Man doesn’t go down for the count when the stars are aligned! I felt the heat, I felt the pressure, and I turned the table on him! A win is a win, and the Macho Man is climbing that P4P mountain, OH YEAH!

JOE ROGAN: (Turning to Bret Hart, who is being attended to by trainers, looking devastated) Bret, you had this match in the palm of your hand. You dominated the technical exchanges, but the decision to go for the announce table finish seemed to backfire. Do you regret trying to “insult” Savage with that move instead of staying in the ring and working for the Sharpshooter?

BRET HART: (Wiping blood from his lip, shaking his head) It wasn’t about the insult, Joe. It was about finishing a dangerous man. I underestimated how much “Macho” was left in the tank. I had him beat… I know I had him beat. Losing by count-out on the floor? That’s a bitter pill. I came here to prove I’m Top 5. Tonight, I just proved that in this sport, one mistake at ringside is all it takes to lose everything.

---

[[ RINGSIDE: THE HBO BOXING DESK ]]

JIM LAMPLEY: A heart-stopping finish to a technical masterpiece. Randy Savage survives, moving his record to 2-1, but Larry, a count-out win in a match this big… does the “Gonzaga” software respect that?

LARRY MERCHANT: (Smirking) It shouldn’t, Jim. It was a “pro-wrestling” finish. Bret Hart was the better fighter tonight. He out-boxed him, out-grappled him, and out-thought him until that moment of hubris at the announce table. Savage didn’t “beat” Hart; Hart beat himself by playing with his food. In boxing, if you’re ahead on the cards and you get caught in a fluke, it’s a tragedy. That’s what we saw here.

LENNOX LEWIS: I don’t know, Larry. You have to give Savage credit for the “Dog” in him. He was being dismantled. His ribs were gone, his leg was being worked on. To have the presence of mind to reverse a power-bomb on the outside and get back in the ring at the count of nine? That’s veteran savvy. That’s why he’s a legend. He found a way to win when he had no right to.

JIM LAMPLEY: Regardless of the “how,” the Macho Man stays alive in the Heavyweight hunt. But now, gentlemen, we move to the match that has been shrouded in darkness all evening. The WarGames. 4-on-4. The cage is lowering.

LARRY MERCHANT: And look at the teams, Jim. It’s a farce! The two biggest stars in the industry—Triple H and Stone Cold—are sitting in the back or out of the building because of a “backstage brawl.” If I’m a fan who paid for a ticket to see the Rattlesnake, I’m feeling robbed.

LENNOX LEWIS: It’s a massive void, Larry. But look at who’s filling it. The Big Show, Kane, X-Pac, and Ron Simmons. That is a lot of meat in one cage. But they’re going up against the “Street Fighters”—Zangief, Sagat, Ken, and Blanka. Guile is sitting out, playing the General, watching his troops.

LARRY MERCHANT: I’ll say it again—I think Vince McMahon got cold feet. He saw Zangief dismantle those “warm-up” fighters and he didn’t want to see his #1 assets, Triple H and Austin, get their limbs torn off before the World Cup. He’s sent in the “Expendables” to do the dirty work. If the Street Fighters win this, the “WWF Mafia” is going to have a serious credibility crisis on their hands.

JIM LAMPLEY: It’s a war of styles. The monsters of the ring versus the legends of the street. The cage is locked. The “Match Beyond” is next!

---

[[ ADMIN_NEIL NOTE: Savage’s win keeps him in the hunt for the WrestleMania Heavyweight Title shot, but Bret Hart’s P4P index might actually stay higher because he dominated the majority of the fight. Up next: Can the Wrestlers’ “Monsters” handle the speed and “Yoga-style” offense of the Street Fighters? ]]

MATCH: Team Street Fighter vs. Team Wrestler RESULT: Team Street Fighter via Pinfall (Sagat on Big Show)

---

[[ IN-RING INTERVIEW: LARRY MERCHANT ]]

LARRY MERCHANT: (Microphone in hand, looking skeptical) I’m standing here with the victorious Street Fighters. A “statement” win, perhaps, but a messy one. Guile, congratulations on the victory. You could have ended this much earlier when Zangief had Kane pinned, but then your man Ken Masters comes in with a steel chair, hits Kane, but clobbers Zangief in the process, breaking up his own teammate’s pin. Give me your thoughts—is this the military precision you promised?

GUILE: (Stiff, arms crossed) A win is a win, Merchant. In the fog of war, friendly fire happens. The objective was completed: the Wrestling Team is broken. I’ll deal with the disciplinary issues in the barracks.

LARRY MERCHANT: Well, let’s ask the “disciplined” one. Zangief, you entered second and quite literally demolished everything in your path. You were a one-man rescue squad, switching targets to keep Kane and Big Show off your smaller teammates. Was it Guile’s strategy to use you as a human shield, or did you just decide to play hero? And while you’re at it, what do you think of Ken’s “help” with that chair?

ZANGIEF: (Towering over Larry, huffing) My muscles are for the protection of my comrades! Guile said “Neutralize the Giants,” so I neutralize! I take Kane, I take Big Show. It is what I do! As for Little Ken… (glances at Ken) …he has the spirit of a tiger, but the aim of a blind donkey. He is lucky I have thick skull, or his chair would be in pieces and my head would be flat!

LARRY MERCHANT: (Turning to Ken Masters) Ken, you look offended. But the tape doesn’t lie. You blundered. The strategy was for you to check X-Pac while Sagat and Big Show were isolated. Did you stop that pin on purpose because you wanted to keep fighting, or was it just a rookie mistake? Was this a “Masters Solo Project,” or did you just forget which team you were on?

KEN MASTERS: (Visibly fuming, stepping toward Larry) A rookie mistake? Are you kidding me? I’ve fought in more countries than you’ve had hot meals, Larry! I saw Kane moving—I thought he was going to kick out, so I took the shot! I’m a high-octane fighter; I don’t sit around waiting for a three-count. We won, didn’t we? Maybe if the “experts” at the desk spent less time analyzing and more time in a dojo, they’d understand split-second instinct!

LARRY MERCHANT: (Dryly) Instinct usually involves hitting the other guy, Ken. (Turns to Sagat) Sagat, you got the pin, but you looked… diminished. You looked slow, perhaps still feeling the effects of that brutal war with Adon or the beating Ryu gave you in the boondocks. You almost got pinned by the Big Show yourself. If Zangief hadn’t rescued you three times, you’d be the one losing the war. What do you think of this strategy that left you alone with a 500-pounder while your teammate was busy sabotaging pins?

SAGAT: (Looking down at his scarred chest, voice a low rumble) The Big Show is a mountain… but mountains can be toppled. My body is weary, yes, but my “Tiger Knee” still finds the mark. Guile’s strategy was sound—isolate the threat. Zangief is a brother-in-arms; his strength is my strength. As for the “hiccups”… the King of Muay Thai does not care how the victory comes, only that he is the one standing over the fallen.

---

[[ RINGSIDE: THE HBO BOXING DESK ]]

[The camera pans back to Jim Lampley and Lennox Lewis as the Wrestling Team—Kane, Big Show, X-Pac, and Farooq—all shove the camera away and storm out of the arena in silence.]

JIM LAMPLEY: A bitter exit for the Wrestlers, but a historic night for the Street Fighters. Lennox, that was twenty-five minutes of pure, unadulterated chaos.

LENNOX LEWIS: It was a mess, Jim. Zangief was the MVP. Without him, the Street Fighters would have been crushed early. Ken Masters showed a lot of heart but zero discipline. You can’t have “friendly fire” in a cage match of this magnitude. But in the end, Sagat’s experience told. He took the punishment and waited for the opening.

[Larry Merchant slides back into his seat, still looking agitated.]

LARRY MERCHANT: It’s symptomatic of the whole night, Jim. This “WarGames” was a shell of itself because the two biggest stars were pulled out. And now, we head into the Co-Main Event. The UWC Title. The “Holy Grail.” Hogan vs. Kurt Angle.

JIM LAMPLEY: The first-ever Undisputed Champion. The man whose name will be etched alongside the greats.

LARRY MERCHANT: (Leaning in) Let’s be honest, Jim. This is exactly what the “WWF Mafia” wanted. They pulled The Rock and Ken Shamrock out of the 4-way to make it a one-on-one. Why? Because you can’t control a 4-way. Hogan could have been pinned by luck or a fluke. But in a one-on-one? They get the “Ideal Situation.” I suspect Vince was in cahoots with Triple H to attack the Rock, and I wouldn’t be surprised if Shamrock was “encouraged” to pull out. They want Hogan as the first face of that belt for the ratings…

LENNOX LEWIS: (Quickly interjecting) Larry, Larry… let’s keep it to the tactical side! We don’t want the lawyers in the ring before the fighters. Tactically speaking, Jim, this is a nightmare for Kurt Angle. He’s the better wrestler, the better technician, but he’s fighting the “Immortality” of Hogan in a match where the world expects the Hulkster to win.

JIM LAMPLEY: It’s the ultimate test. The Olympic Gold Medalist versus the Icon of an Era. The luck factor is gone. Only the elite remain. The Holy Grail is on the line… next!

---

[[ ADMIN_NEIL NOTE: The tension at the announcer’s desk is as high as the ring! Larry is lucky Lennox cut him off—Vince McMahon was reportedly seen glaring at the monitors during that “Mafia” comment. Up next: Hogan vs. Angle. Can Kurt’s technical wrestling overcome the pure power and momentum of the Hulkster? ]]