SmackDown became one of WWE’s most-watched weekly televised programming just a year into its existence. The blue brand retained fan interest and curiosity throughout 2000. It also delivered solid matches featuring some of the biggest names in the company at the time.
The blue brand gained new workers in Eddie Guerrero, Dean Malenko, Chris Benoit, and Perry Saturn as well. The Radicalz had jumped from WCW to WWE in search of new and better opportunities. They soon found themselves in main event action on both RAW and SmackDown.
Vince McMahon also brought in former ECW household name Tazz to work full-time for his promotion. The Human Suplex Machine made his WWE debut at the 2000 Royal Rumble PPV event. He would be featured in some high-profile matches before leaving the ring to focus on commentary.
That being said, let’s take a look at some of the best WWE SmackDown matches of 2000.
Triple H vs. Tazz (April 20)
Triple H and Tazz collided in a rare Champion versus Champion match at the April 18, 2000, WWE SmackDown taping. The Game and the Human Suplex Machine entered the ring as the WWE and ECW Champions respectively.
Most people refer to this match as the on-screen burial of ECW and Tazz, in particular, by Vince McMahon. That being said, Triple H did a good job selling Taz’s offense. Ironically, it was Tommy Dreamer who (inadvertently) cost his fellow ECW member the match.
The Rock vs. The Dudley Boyz (March 9)
The Rock spent the first few months of the new millennium in a heated feud with Triple H over the WWE Championship. The Great One frequently found himself against the odds, courtesy of the McMahon-Hemsley regime.
The evil faction pitted Rocky in a 2-on-1 Handicap Tables Match against The Dudley on WWE SmackDown. This match took place in the lead-up to WrestleMania 2000. All three told a fantastic story inside the ring.
Rocky managed to put Bubba Ray through a table, but lost the match after the duo caught him for a 3D through another table.
Kurt Angle vs. Steve Austin vs. The Rock vs. The Undertaker (December 7)
Four of the biggest names in the industry collided at the December 5 WWE SmackDown taping. The main event featured Kurt Angle in a title defense against The Rock, Steve Austin, and The Undertaker.
All three challengers took turns beating the life out of the Olympic Hero. The Great One and the Rattlesnake also had their epic stare-down in a major foreshadowing of their WrestleMania X-7 main event the following year.
The Rock & The Undertaker vs. The Dudley Boyz (September 14)
The Rock and The Undertaker entered into a brief alliance for this tag team tables match against The Dudleyz. This bout took place just ten days before the fatal four-way WWE title match at Unforgiven 2000.
All four men kept the crowd thoroughly entertained in this tag team match-up. Taker and Rocky lost the match due to a miscommunication. After the match, the Deadman put the Great One through the table.
Triple H vs. Chris Benoit (WWE SmackDown – February 3)
Triple H and Chris Benoit had an awesome feud in 2000. Both men delivered some great matches on televised shows and at PPV events. One of their better matches against each other came at the February 1 WWE SmackDown taping.
The Rabid Wolverine kicked off his WWE run in a great back-and-forth match with The Game. The only drawback that came from this match was the unnecessary referee bump. Triple H picked up the win over Benoit in their very first singles encounter against each other.
Also read: Best WWE SmackDown Matches Of 2001
