DATE: October 29, 2000 LOCATION: Pepsi Center, Denver, Colorado
The altitude in Denver wasn’t the only thing causing breathless gasps tonight. From the psychological dismantling of the McMahon dynasty to the coronation of The Rock as the definitive P4P king, Extreme Rules delivered a night of shifting tides.
[[ THE POST-FIGHT INTERVIEWS: JOE ROGAN IN THE RING ]]
JOE ROGAN: “I’m here with the man who just proved the algorithms right. Rock, you just put on a 5-star clinic against the most feared street fighter in the world. You used your length, you survived the ground-and-pound, and you closed it out with two Rock Bottoms and the People’s Elbow. In the end, it was a KO. How did it feel to finally silence the critics who said you were ‘ducking’ Kimbo?”
THE ROCK: (Wiping blood from his lip, chest heaving) “Joe, the critics don’t matter. The algorithms don’t matter. The only thing that matters is the 20,000 screaming fans in Denver and the millions watching at home. Kimbo Slice came in here with a reputation; he left with a lesson. He’s tough—The Rock will give him that—but there is a difference between a backyard brawl and the Great One’s ring. The Rock didn’t just win; The Rock showed him that at this level, you don’t just fight with your fists—you fight with your soul.”
JOE ROGAN: “Kimbo, you’re still getting your bearings, but you went toe-to-toe with the #4 P4P fighter in the world. You hurt him on the ground. You survived a Rock Bottom through a table. What is the takeaway for you tonight after your first loss in the WWF?”
KIMBO SLICE: (Sitting on a stool, ice on his neck) “He’s… he’s faster than he looks on TV, man. I caught him, I felt his ribs crack under my ground-and-pound… but he just keeps coming. I ain’t making excuses. The Rock is the real deal. But Joe? Tell the Top 5 to stop running. I’m still here. I’m still the BMF. I just need one more shot.”
[[ THE MAIN EVENT WRAP-UP: LARRY MERCHANT WITH THE DEADMAN ]]
In a shocking anti-climax that left the audience stunned, The Undertaker dispatched Mankind in just 2 minutes and 2 seconds. No weapons, no long-drawn-out torture—just a cold, efficient Pinfall that moves Taker to 3-1 in their historic rivalry.
LARRY MERCHANT: “Undertaker, the fans were expecting a bloodbath. They were expecting the third chapter of a saga. Instead, you gave them a two-minute execution. Why the change in tactics? Why so quick?”
THE UNDERTAKER: (Staring into the camera, hood up) “Mick Foley has given enough blood to this ring. Tonight wasn’t about the fans’ bloodlust; it was about ending a cycle. The Deadman doesn’t need a kendo stick to prove he’s the Reaper. I took his heart, I took the three-count, and I’m moving toward the title. The saga is buried.”
LARRY MERCHANT: “Mick, you look more confused than hurt. You’re now 1-3 against the Deadman. Is the magic gone, or did he just catch you cold?”
MICK FOLEY: “I… I don’t know, Larry. I prepared for war. I prepared for the tacks and the fire. He just… he came at me like a freight train. Maybe he’s right. Maybe this cycle needs to end before one of us doesn’t walk away.”
[[ THE ANALYST ROUNDTABLE: CLOSING REMARKS ]]
JIM LAMPLEY: “What a night! We saw the emergence of a new power in Kim-Solo, who looked absolutely clinical in forcing Rey Mysterio to tap. It was a statement win for the North Korean—total control, zero waste. He is a dark horse for the title in 2021.”
LENNOX LEWIS: “I have to talk about the Rock and Kimbo. That was the ‘Fight of the Year’ contender right there. People talk about size vs. grit, but the Rock showed that elite athleticism is the ultimate equalizer. And let’s not overlook Bob Sapp. He comically failed that lift on Big Show—looking like he was trying to recreate Hogan/Andre—but that one haymaker changed the night. He stayed undefeated at 3-0! The man is a sentient avalanche.”
TEDDY ATLAS: “Lampley, we have to address the ‘Jackie Chan’ situation. The fans felt cheated. Whether it was a stunt double or just a safe strategy, the Ladder Match was a letdown. But look at the heavyweights! Vader vs. Yokozuna was a ‘Big Man Classic.’ Vader’s stamina was the only reason he’s moving on. He couldn’t hit the moonsault, but he hit the marks when it mattered.”
LARRY MERCHANT: “And finally, the Main Event. It was the anti-climax of the century. After the 5-star war between Triple H and Vince to open the show—where Vince showed the chin of a statue—to see Mankind fall in two minutes? It feels like the end of an era. The WWF is changing, Jim. It’s becoming faster, more efficient, and more dangerous.”
[[ ADMIN_NEIL NOTE: The Microsoft Simulator was spot on about The Rock’s length being the deciding factor. With Taker moving to 3-1 and Kimbo dropping to #2, the P4P rankings are about to be a total mess tomorrow morning! ]]
