WrestleMania XX
From Freepedia
WrestleMania XX was the twentieth WWE WrestleMania event, which took place on Sunday, March 14, 2004 in New York, New York at the world-famous Madison Square Garden. The tagline for WrestleMania XX was Where It All Begins...Again.
In celebration of the 20th incarnation of the event, WWE returned to the city and arena where the first WrestleMania took place.
The buildup to WrestleMania XX began almost immediately following the previous year's Wrestlemania XIX. Billed as The Road to WrestleMania XX, advertising for the 20th WrestleMania ran often during WWE shows and PPV events. The WrestleMania XX logo appeared on all WWE licensed shirts, DVDs, and pay-per-view posters with the tagline The Celebration You Can't Miss! appearing underneath the logo. A website was set up in September 2003 counting down the days until WrestleMania XX. The theme song to this event was "Step Up" by Drowning Pool.
WrestleMania XX was a joint-promotion PPV event, featuring wrestlers from both WWE RAW and Smackdown! In fact, in a first during the "Brand Extension" storyline, WMXX featured cross-promotional matches, in which wrestlers from both "promotions" fought each other.
Card and Results
WWE United States Championship Match (Smackdown!)
The Big Show (C) vs. John Cena
The Big Show controlled most of the match with his superior power. Cena managed to come back and hit the FU, but Big Show kicked out, which shocked Cena as nobody had ever done that before. Cena wrapped his chain around his fist and prepared to hit Big Show with it, but the referee saw the chain and ordered him to dispose of it. Cena, after mocking the ref, threw the weapon and it landed at the other side of the ring. While the ref was retrieving it to clear the ring, Cena grabbed one of his brass knuckles, nailed Big Show in the head with it, stuffed the knuckles in his shorts pocket and hit the FU for the pinfall victory. Cena won his very first title in WWE and clutched the title as the crowd went wild.
Result: John Cena def. Big Show via pinfall to become new champion
Fatal Four Way World Tag Team Championship Match (RAW)
Booker T and Rob Van Dam (C) vs. Garrison Cade and Mark Jindrak vs. The Dudley Boyz (Bubba Ray and D-Von) vs. La Résistance (Rene Dupree and Rob Conway)
This was a match in which anyone could tag anyone, even a member of an opposing team. Whoever scored the first pinfall or submission would win the match for his team, and the champions did not have to be involved in the decision for the belt to change hands.
On more than one occasion, the referee lost control of the match as all eight men battled each other outside the ring. Booker T and Van Dam retained the championship when Booker T hit the Scissors Kick on Conway and Van Dam followed with the Five-Star Frog Splash.
Result: Booker T & Rob Van Dam def. La Resistance, Mark Jindrak & Garrison Cade and the Dudleys via pinfall on Conway to retain
Singles Match (RAW)
Christian defeated Jericho thanks to interference by Trish Stratus, who turned on Jericho after the match.
Result: Christian def. Chris Jericho via pinfall
Handicap Match (RAW)
The Rock 'N' Sock Connection (The Rock and Mick Foley) vs. Evolution (Randy Orton, Batista, and Ric Flair)
Randy Orton gets the surprise pin on Foley (who was signalling for the Mandible Claw) with the RKO. This is The Rock's last match to date.
Result: Randy Orton, Batista & Ric Flair def The Rock & Mick Foley via pinfall on Foley
Interlude: WWE Hall of Fame Inductees
Hosted by Mean Gene Okerlund
Inductees: Bobby "The Brain" Heenan, Tito Santana, John "Big John Studd" Minton, Harley Race, Pete Rose (celebrity inductee), Don Muraco, Greg "The Hammer" Valentine, Junkyard Dog, "Superstar" Billy Graham, Sgt. Slaughter, and Jesse "The Body" Ventura.
Playboy Evening Gown Match (Interpromotional)
Torrie Wilson and Sable (SmackDown!) versus Stacy Keibler and Miss Jackie (RAW)
Before the match got underway, Torrie Wilson, Stacy Keibler and Sable voluntarily stripped down to their bra and panties. Miss Jackie teased doing the same, but eventually had to be "persuaded" to do so by the other divas.
Result: Sable & Torrie Wilson def. Stacy Keibler & Miss Jackie via pinfall on Jackie.
Cruiserweight Open (SmackDown!)
Rules: Two randomly chosen wrestlers start the match. When one is eliminated, he is replaced immedately with another wrestler. The current champion (Chavo Guerrero, Jr.) enters last. The winner is the WWE Cruiserweight Champion.
Ultimo Dragon and Shannon Moore started. Shannon Moore was eliminated and replaced by Jamie Noble. Ultimo Dragon was eliminated and replaced by Funaki. Funaki was eliminated and replaced by Nunzio. Nunzio was eliminated and replaced by Billy Kidman. Jamie Noble was eliminated and replaced by Rey Mysterio. Billy Kidman was eliminated and replaced by Tajiri. Tajiri was eliminated and replaced by Akio. Akio was eliminated and replaced by Cruiserweight Champion Chavo Guerrero, Jr. Chavo Guerrero, Jr. pinned Rey Mysterio with help from his father, Chavo Guerrero, Sr., to win the Cruiserweight Open and retain the Cruiserweight title.
Result: Chavo Guerrero retains via pinfall on Rey Mysterio
As an aside, when Ultimo Dragon made his ring entrance, he immediately slipped and fell down on the stage. This rather embarrassing moment was covered up by a wide-angle shot on the DVD release of the event.
Singles Match (Interpromotional)
Goldberg (RAW) vs. Brock Lesnar (SmackDown!) with special referee Stone Cold Steve Austin
During this entire match, both Goldberg and Brock, both scheduled to leave WWE after the event, were booed, heckled and jeered by the New York crowd, who even began chanting for Austin, Hulk Hogan, and Bret Hart as the match disintegrated into a dull mess. Lesnar was visibly disturbed by the crowd reaction (he was walking out on a multimillion dollar contract) and gave the middle finger to the crowd at the end of the match, while Goldberg seemed mildly amused (he worked his one-year term but did not seek an extension). Goldberg got the win with the Spear/Jackhammer. After the match, Austin delivered Stone Cold Stunners to both men to the cheers of the crowd.
Result: Goldberg def. Brock Lesnar via pinfall
Fatal Four Way WWE Tag Team Championship Match (SmackDown!)
Rikishi and Scotty 2 Hotty (C) vs. Charlie Haas and Shelton Benjamin vs. Danny and Doug Basham vs. APA (Bradshaw and Faarooq)
Result: Scotty 2 Hotty & Rikishi def. Basham Brothers, World’s Greatest Tag Team and APA via pinfall on Danny to retain
Interlude
Jesse "The Body" Ventura conducted a short interview with Donald Trump, who was sitting in the audience, about Trump supporting Ventura financially if Ventura ran for President in 2008.
WWE Women's Championship Hair vs. Title Match (RAW)
Victoria (C) vs. Molly Holly
Stipulation: If Molly Holly loses, she must shave her head.
Victoria defeated Molly Holly to retain the Women's Championship. After the match, Molly tried to run, but Victoria slammed her head on the barber's table, strapped her in the chair, and shaved her head. She awoke, then ran away in shame.
Result: Victoria def. Molly Holly via pinfall to retain
WWE Championship Match (SmackDown!)
Eddie Guerrero (C) vs. Kurt Angle
Eddie and Kurt traded the momentum back-and-forth. Eddie hit his signature Frog Splash, which only earned a near-fall, and on multiple occasions Eddie was able to escape Kurt's devastating Ankle Lock.
Late in the match, Eddie escaped the Ankle Lock, knocking Kurt Angle to the ringside floor in the process, and began unlacing his boot, seemingly to massage it. Kurt got up, his face a mask of rage, prompting the still-down Eddie to exclaim, "Oh, shit!" Eddie then made a beeline for the ropes, but Kurt was faster, and he trapped Eddie in the Ankle Lock. Eddie tried desperately to kick his way out of it with his free foot, and in the process his boot came off, as he'd intended. The distraction enabled Eddie to roll his opponent up for the pinfall, and Eddie Guerrero retained the WWE Championship.
Result: Eddie Guerrero def. Kurt Angle via pinfall to retain
Singles Match (Interpromotional)
The Undertaker (SmackDown!) with Paul Bearer vs. Kane (RAW)
This was the return of The Undertaker in his old gimmick from his Dead Biker gimmick after he was "buried alive" by Kane at Survivor Series 2003. The Undertaker began to play mind games with Kane starting in January through various video clips proclaiming that he would return. When he did, it was a dominating victory for Taker. His entrance was complete with torch-wielding druids, vintage entrance theme and the return of Paul Bearer. After a Tombstone Piledriver to Kane, Undertaker became 12-0 at WrestleMania.
Result: Undertaker def. Kane via pinfall
Triple Threat World Heavyweight Championship Match (RAW)
Triple H (C) vs. Shawn Michaels vs. Chris Benoit
Early in the match, Michaels connected with a moonsault off the top turnbuckle to the outside on Triple H and Benoit. Afterwards Michaels was busted open when he collided with the ring post, and later Triple H and Michaels threw Benoit though the Spanish announcement table. Michaels and Triple H fought in and out of the ring, busting open Triple H in the process. Triple H connected with the Pedigree and went for the pin, then out of nowhere Benoit breaks the count at two. Michaels tries Sweet Chin Music on Benoit but was thrown out of the ring. With Michaels out of the way, Triple H attempts to lock in the Pedigree but Benoit countered it into his Crippler Crossface, forcing Triple H to tap out and thus winning the World Heavyweight Championship. After the match, friend and WWE Champion Eddie Guerrero celebrated with Benoit in the ring to close the show.
Result: Chris Benoit def. Triple H and Shawn Michaels via submission on Triple H to become new champion
- Pro Wrestling Illustrated (PWI) Match of the Year 2004
Trivia
- Third time Madison Square Garden hosted the event (WrestleManias I & X were the others).
- First time WWE United States Championship was defended at WrestleMania.
- First time that a World Title was decided in a Triple Threat match and changed hands by submission.
- WrestleMania XX marked just the fifth time a WWE Champion successfully defended his championship.
- Eddie Guerrero was the fourth person to retain the WWE Championship at a Wrestlemania.
- The Handicap match is The Rock's last match to date.
- The Undertaker's WrestleMania streak became 12-0 after pinning Kane in their second Wrestlemania encounter. Kane lost then and Kane lost here.
- Their underwhelming match was both Goldberg's last match and Brock Lesnar's second last match to date.
- Chris Benoit made a record of winning the title at the main event by submission.
External links
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