Triple H vs. Cactus Jack - Street Fight
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| "What have I gotten myself into?" WWF |
The year 2000 was one of the biggest for the WWF. The Attitude Era was arguably at its peak, wrestling was at its most popular, and a new wave of top stars were firmly seating themselves at the top of the mountain. Winning the WWF Championship for his third time was the arrogant, ruthless Triple H, ushering in the new year as champion. Aligning himself with the bosses daughter, Stephanie McMahon, the McMahon-Helmsley regime was the ultimate power trip, with nobody standing in their way. With all of this power and control, surely Triple H was viewed as the King of The Mountain, right? Despite it all, there were still detractors that looked at him as someone who did not belong standing shoulder to shoulder with the likes of Steve Austin and The Rock as the faces of the company.
Speaking of "standing in their way," one of the most respected and beloved figures in wrestling found himself directly opposing Triple H's regime, Mick Foley. Under the guise of Mankind, he managed to transform himself from the maniacal madman to a beloved underdog, earning respect through constant punishment and endlessly endearing performances. The Rock 'n' Sock Connection now behind him, Mankind found himself alone against the world, specifically, against the McMahon-Helmsley regime. Unafraid to go with the nuclear option, the tyrannical regime fired Mankind from the WWF, robbing Foley of his livelihood just to get their kicks.
As if firing Foley wasn't already harsh enough, Triple H spent the following weeks tormenting Foley in whatever ways they could think of. From kicking him out of the building for just sitting backstage to airing humiliating skits with a phony Mankind to mock his injuries. They even went as far as to bring that same phony Foley to the ring for Triple H to berate and humiliate him in front of everyone. The humiliating and torment got so bad, Foley's friend and former tag partner The Rock stood inside a ring surrounded by the entire WWF locker room, demanding that Foley be reinstated. The relented, with Foley setting his sights on Triple H's title the moment he was welcomed back.
What seemed like the perfect storybook return turned into another crushing defeat for Foley, as Triple H was able to dispatch Mankind en route to his title match at the Royal Rumble. On the following SmackDown, Foley relented that Mankind was not tough enough to beat Triple H for the title at the Rumble, with the champion standing smug and confident in the centre of the ring, knowing he was able to put this chump in his place. Wanting to make sure the fans got their money's worth, he assured them that Triple H would have a worthy opponent for the Rumble, revealing his replacement right then and there.
To the absolute horror of Triple H, that replacement was none other than Cactus Jack.
Stripping away the pieces that distinguished Foley as Mankind to reveal the iconic "Wanted: Dead" shirt, the expression of the champion quickly turned as he realized who stood before him. Many years prior, Cactus Jack took a younger, less experienced Triple H to the limit, beating him in every single match they had. With one simple act, the entire complexion of the match changed. What was previously a basic, almost predictable at this point, championship defence, suddenly turned into a fight for survival. Triple H was no longer facing the lovable punching bag in Mankind, he was now tasked with defending his gold against the dangerous, relentless Cactus Jack.
In a WWF World Heavyweight Championship match at the Royal Rumble 2000, the stakes of an already dangerous Street Fight have been elevated to near-lethal proportions.
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| This have quickly gone from bad to worse. WWF |
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| "The Game," Triple H. WWF |
Slowly shedding his Degeneration X skin, Triple H was on a quest that few others would have seen in his future when he made his WWF debut in 1995. Slowly but surely, through setbacks and questionable gimmicks, the former Hunter Hearst Helmsley re branded himself to Triple H, showing a sharper edge and a more vicious attitude that his previous blue-blood appearance let on. By 2000, he was already a 2 time WWF World Champion, winning both titles in 1999 for a combined 71 days as champion. Lacklustre through a modern lens, it's hard to see these reigns as anything that would be establishing a top guy, but the Attitude Era was filled to the brim with short reigns and hotshotting titles.
By 2000, it was clear they had plans for this "young up-and-comer." His partnership with Stephanie McMahon is not one to take lightly, as he would be partnered with her outside the ring in only a few months time. Behind the scenes, he was endearing himself more and more to Vince McMahon as well, spending as much time as he could with the boss of the company. But even still, there were questions and doubts surrounding this guy. "Really?" many people thought, "this guy is our champion? This guy is a main event player?" There were legitimate doubts as to whether Triple H should be, or could be, received at the same level as a Steve Austin or The Rock, with every attempt being made to seat him in a position of prominence.
Little did the company know, that this man would be the one to change his fortunes...
"Triple H was on a quest that few others would have seen in his future when he made his WWF debut in 1995."
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| Jack and Barbed Wire. IWA Japan |
Better known as Mick Foley, he spent his career being defined by how violent he was able to be within, and sometimes around, the confines of a wrestling ring. Already seen as something of a journeyman by the time he made it to the WWF on a full time basis in 1996, Foley seemed like a jagged-edged block trying to fit inside a polished hole, his exploits in the rings of Japan as well as rival WCW being the stuff of legend. Barbed wire, thumb tacks, explosions and fire, all were things that the WWF had never seen or experienced before. With Foley's inclusion in the roster, it was only a matter of time before the level of violence began to increase.
There’s a lot of hay made about the legendary “Three Faces of Foley,” a man that is able to seamlessly and effortlessly pull off three different gimmicks whenever the match requires it.
Dude Love is a pushover, a comedic goof that is tailor-made to be a punching bag and the butt of the joke. Little more than the comic foil and a McMahon stooge at his most popular, the Dude is as intimidating as a bouquet of violets.
Mankind is, somehow, both deranged and loveable, and far and away Mick’s most dynamic character. Able to seamlessly transition from vicious psycho to beloved underdog over the course of his career, Mankind may be the most “Foley” of his three faces.
And finally, there’s Cactus Jack. A man that can be best described with one word; Psychopath. If you are tasked with facing Cactus, you’d be foolish to not bring a revolver, as that’s probably the only sure-fire thing that will take this man down. A glutton for punishment and as vicious as they come, Jack was forged in violence and bred for war. You’d be hard pressed to find someone willing to go as far as Cactus Jack would be willing to go within the confines of a wrestling match.
If there was anyone in the WWF that could push Triple H to his limits, it would be Cactus Jack. Not on the basis of technical wrestling, those tactics often falling to the wayside during a street fight, but from a level of pure violence. If Triple H showed one sign of weakness, one moment of hesitation, one ounce of fear, Jack would eat him alive. Staying on his toes and doing whatever it took to put Jack down would be Triple H's only method of survival. It should go without saying that Jack knows this, and is prepared to do whatever it takes to push the champion past his limits.
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| Violence personified. WWF |
"A glutton for punishment and as vicious as they come, Jack was forged in violence and bred for war."
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| Staring down certain disaster. WWF |
Standing in stark contrast to Jack's confident strides to the ring, Triple H is careful and approaching with caution, not sure what to expect as he nears his opponent, already against the ropes, goading him to enter. Jack stares a hole through Triple H, who slowly passes through the ropes, his cautious eyes never leaving Jack. They meet in the middle, with Jack standing at a bit of a hunched angle, his body perpetually bent from the wars he's endured over the years. Sharing a silent (for us viewers) exchange, Jack barks at Triple H, his eyes darting back and forth, trying to assess his surroundings and find any way to save himself. Extending his arms wide to say "go ahead, take your best shot!" Jack obliges, swinging and connecting with the first shot of the match.
Triple H makes a valiant attempt to trade punches with Jack, but his efforts are in vain, with Cactus getting the better of the exchange and sending Triple H to the corner head first. Hunter marches to a neighbouring corner, with Cactus following and getting sent in for his troubles, with "The Game" firing off heavy shots, but Cactus rebounds out with an elbow that crowns Triple H. Firing off a barrage of punches, Triple H is slumped in the corner, sliding to the floor when Jack re approaches his foe.
These opening moments are extremely telling, setting the tone for the rest of the contest. Jack is vicious and determined, wanting to get Triple H at every chance he can, with H already seemingly on the backfoot, trying to find every opening he can to mount offence on his vicious challenger. Jack slides out to the floor, initially looking as if he is going to soar with a dive, but he instead slides under the bottom rope, snatching Hunter with a swinging neckbreaker on the floor. Triple H tries to climb back inside the ring, with Jack inside and going for a leg drop across the bottom rope.
Back on the floor, Jack drags Triple H around and sends him head first into the solid steel steps first, then the ring bell. Taking a moment to collect himself, Jack turns his back, leaving H to gather himself. Big mistake. When he returns to collect Triple H, he is instead crowned with the ring bell, falling into the ring steps as Triple H tosses a steel chair inside the ring, rolling in to stand his ground. With a sick grin on his face, Jack slides inside the ring, eyes locked on Triple H, charging in to challenge Hunter and his weapon, only to get the chair clattered upside his head.
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| Rung his bell with a bell. WWF |
Making the most of the time given to him, Triple H goes to the corner to try and remove the turnbuckle, but he turns around to find Jack on his feet, charging in and crushing Triple H down to the canvas. Laying a chair across his face, Jack drops a leg across the steel, sandwiching Hunter's face against the canvas. A cover is made, but Triple H is out early. Jack stays on him with stiff punches to the head, the conventional rules of wrestling left at the wayside. Rolling to the floor for air, Jack follows Hunter outside, only to get sent into the barricade for his troubles. Trying to send Jack into the crowd, Triple H takes a running start but ends up getting back body dropped out into no mans land.
Out into the sea of people now, Jack stalks and assaults Hunter around the arena, their brawling leading them to the entrance way, with Jack sending Hunter crashing into a stack of bricks in the ramshackle New York back alley set. Stacking a pair of rickety old pallets up, Jack drills Triple H with a vertical suplex on the unforgiving wood, braining him with a trash can when he gets to his feet. With Hunter back vertical again, if not groggy, Jack shoots him into the warehouse door entrance set, dribbling his head off the corrugated metal. Dragging Triple H out of the entrance set, Jack steps past the pallets and grabs a side headlock to maintain control on Hunter, only for Triple H to use this position to back suplex Jack onto the garbage can, crushing it flat.
It's at this point that Triple H grabs at his left calf, blood covering the small bit of exposed skin between his boot and knee pad. The vertical suplex on the skids opened up a deep, long gash on his leg, the first bit of bloodshed seen in this match.
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| May need some dental work after this one. WWF |
Back ringside now, Cactus crushes Triple H against the steps with a disgusting running knee, nearly sending himself over the top of the steps from his momentum. With Triple H in the ring, Cactus digs under the ring and retrieves one of the most heinous, horrific weapons the WWF has ever seen, a barbed wire covered 2x4. The wire is coiled around the lumber, thick and heavy, the barbs shimmering off of the arena lights. For many wrestling fans, the WWF faithful especially, this is the very first time they've seen barbed wire in the context of a wrestling match. The wild, unpredictable nature of the coiled razors brings a completely new level of violence to this match, something few have ever experienced. Cactus Jack, on the other hand, is acutely, vividly aware of what barbed wire is capable of.
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| A flesh-mangling implement of war. WWF |
Back inside the ring, referee Earl Hebner tries to plead with Jack to not used the barbed wire, despite this being a street fight, Hebner is trying to not see someone bleed out under his watch. Shoving the ref aside, Cactus steps forward with the board, only for Triple H to crack him in the gonads, desperation taking over in attempt to save his skin-literally. With Hunter now brandishing the steel-clad lumber, he drills Jack in the torso repeatedly, his shirt getting caught on the barbs with each strike and coming slightly unwound, looking like a vicious tornado attached to the end of a tree.
Limping around the ring, Triple H holds the board above his head, lining up a kneeling Cactus Jack on the canvas, but he eats a punch in the gut, the wind getting knocked out of him as he folds forward, dropping the board at his feet. Thinking on his feet, Cactus drills Hunter in his own gonads with the board, the barbs narrowly missing Triple H's family jewels. A double arm DDT drills Hunter face first into the canvas, with Hebner removing the board from the ring, leaving it for Spanish commentator Hugo Savinovich to hide under his table. Maybe if Hebner was in the ring, this pinfall would have been three, but his time outside gave Triple H enough time to recover, getting out at two.
Back on his feet, Cactus begins searching around the ring for the barbed wire but finds nothing. Getting in the face of Hebner, initially he feigns ignorance, holding his hands out to say "I don't know where it went!" It's not until Cactus grabs Hebner by the scruff that he folds like a lawn chair, stooging out Hugo in seconds. To ringside goes Cactus, demanding his implement of war. Hugo refuses initially, catching a right hand for his troubles. His announce table partner, Carlos Cabrera, is quick to retrieve the board from under the table, not wanting to meet a similar fate. This board, however, is tightly wound once again. Odd.
Hebner tries to tell Cactus to not use the barbed wire, despite this being a street fight, but he backs him into the corner, only for Triple H to charge and crush Hebner, with Cactus moving out of the way in time. Cracking Hunter in the head with the barbed wire, Cactus parades around the ring with the weapon held high before dropping it back down onto the skull of the champion. Now leaking crimson, Triple H lays in the ring helpless as he gets covered for a pinfall, but manages to escape in time.
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| Tough landing. WWF |
Staggering around the ring, Jack lands a home run shot on the head of Hunter, his face stained and pouring as he desperately crawls and falls to the floor. Jack follows him out and lands heavy right hands into the wound of the champion, rolling him onto the announce table, completely helpless. He attempts a piledriver, but Triple H has enough left in the tank to hold fast, instead getting Cactus up and over with a back body drop through the table.
Back in the ring again, Triple H staggers with each punch he lands, the combination oh his leg injury and his rapid blood loss starting to catch up with him. He goes for a pedigree, but Cactus double legs him and slingshots him into the corner, dropping him face first into the barbed wire bat with a bulldog. Another cover is made, but he's free at two. Backing the champion up against the ropes, Cactus charges with a lariat, sending both of them up and over the top rope, with Hunter stumbling and crashing into the barricade chest and throat first.
Creating distance, Cactus lines Triple H up and charges him, trying to crush him against the apron, but Hunter is able to think on his feet. A desperate hip toss shifts Jack's momentum on a dime, sending him legs first into the heavy steep ring steps with vicious impact. Not content with the damage he's done, Hunter grabs Cactus and shoots him into the stairs, the top and bottom sections coming apart as Jack flies a good 10 feet from the point of impact.
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| Bone crushing impact. WWF |
Honing in on the bad wheels of Jack, Triple H chop block's him down twice, once outside the ring, and once when Jack is caught up in the ropes. Using the barbed wire bat, he cracks Jack's leg with the vicious weapon, trying to destroy his leg entirely. Quickly slipping outside, he retrieves a small black bag from ring announcer Howard Finkel, revealing a pair of handcuffs to be inside. The have a lengthy chain on them, with Triple H able to cuff Jack's hands behind his back. With Jack utterly defenceless, Hunter cracks him over and over again in the head with punches and stomps.
Sliding in the top half of the steps, Hunter muscles them over his head, aiming to crush Cactus outright. stepping to his victim, Cactus is able to trip up Triple H with a drop toe hold and trip him up, with Triple H falling forwards, landing face first on the steps! Able to fend off Triple H with a boot to the face and a "elbow drop," more of a shoulder attack to the groin, Cactus crawls and bites the face of Hunter while he's down on the canvas! Attacking him like a rabid animal, Hebner, despite this being a street fight, pulls Cactus off of the face of Triple H.
Hunter is able to get to his feet and fight back, breaking the chair across the back of Cactus, sending the head piece flying into the crowd. Stumbling out of the ring and up the entrance way, Jack tries to escape his attacker, knowing he's no good with his hands tied behind his back. Turning to face Triple H, he eats a chair shot to the head, falling to his knees. Defiant, even in the face of certain disaster, he bellows for Triple H to brain him with the chair again, challenging him to land the killing blow. Winding up, he swings for the fences, only for The Rock to appear with a chair of his own! Cracking Triple H in the head, he drops the champion like a shot, coming to the aid of his former tag partner.
With a New York police officer in tow, he unlocks the cuffs on Jack, evening the odds once again. Stalking a crawling Triple H, he chases the champion around the ring with punches to the face over and over, sending him staggering back to the announce tables. Back on top, Jack pulls Triple H in and stuffs him with a vicious piledriver, the table standing firm beneath the impact.
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| Your feet feeling a bit tingly, pal? WWF |
Pulling the lifeless Hunter back to the ring, Jack digs beneath the ring and pulls out a, quite frankly, fucking massive burlap sack, dropping millions, and i mean millions of thumb tacks into the ring. Previously in the back, Stephanie McMahon comes to the ring to distract and watch out for Triple H, her husband-to-be. With both men vertical, Jack drills Hunter with right hands over and over, each shot staggering Triple H closer and closer to his shimmering, skin-piercing doom. Taking a running start, Jack charges for the killing blow, only for Hunter to back body drop him into the tacks instead!
Landing flat on his back, he rolls out, but his back is covered in hundreds of glistening tacks. Pulling Cactus in, Triple H spikes him with the Pedigree, but Jack gets out! How in the world?! Bellowing in the face of Hebner, Hunter can't believe it, but he'll be even more shocked to find Cactus Jack getting to his feet when he turns back around. Booting him in the gut again, Hunter pulls him in for another Pedigree. But this one is somehow even worse. Holding the arms of Jack tight, he spikes him face first into the thumb tacks.
Shoving him over to his back, Hunter covers for three, a defiant, declarative win for the champion.
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| The killing blow. WWF |
"Defiant, even in the face of certain disaster, he bellows for Triple H to brain him with the chair again, challenging him to land the killing blow."
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| Moral victories still count somewhere. WWF |
With Jack's eyebrows glistening with the shine of multiple tacks, he lays there in a heap, Triple H rises, then falls, landing across the ring from his fallen foe. He falls to the floor in from of Stephanie, sucking back pounds of air as a stretcher is brought out to help him leave. Not content with how the match ended, Cactus Jack, the absolute madman, climbs out of the ring and follows the stretcher as it leaves up the ramp. Commandeering it from the medics, he rolls it back to the ring and dumps Hunter off, the champion landing chest first on the apron.
Back in the ring once again, with Hebner trying to desperately restore order, Jack brandishes the barbed wire bat and cracks Hunter in the skull once again. Standing tall in the ring, if not more beaten and bruised than he was when this match first started, Jack raises a fist in the air. Not the winner and not a champion, he was able to get the better of Hunter in the end, and to him, that's what matters.
For this, and so much more, Triple H vs. Cactus Jack in a Street Fight is a 5 star match.
Until next week. Be well, stay safe, and love one another.
cliffmorganwstl@gmail.com
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