Triple H v. Cactus Jack
WWF Royal Rumble 2000
WWF Championship
Street Fight
January 23, 2000
January 23, 2000
"How much more could either of these men given us tonight?"
- Jim Ross
The dawn of the 21st century brought with it the breakout performance for the man who would carry the WWF/WWE through the coming decade and beyond. Somewhere between being labeled an undeserving champion and becoming the scourge of the Internet Wrestling Community, Triple H was the most respected performer among professional wrestling's most dedicated and demanding fans. Before injury derailed the prime of his career, Triple H was almost universally praised as a technical marvel, with toughness to match. That reputation did not materialize overnight.
Even as the WWF aggressively promoted Triple H as its champion in late 1999, it was clear something was missing. It wasn't for a lack of trying. Triple H competed in the main event at Summer Slam 1999 and later seized control of the WWF by marrying Stephanie McMahon. What was storyline in 1999 later became reality.
Still, WWF seemed to struggle to define the evil Triple H for fans. He called himself "The Game", but the handle was more useful as a punchline for his opponents. WWF knew it had something good in Triple H as its dominant, heel champion. What it couldn't seem to measure is exactly how far he could carry the ball for the company.
Enter Mick Foley, once again portraying Cactus Jack in the WWF. It was this incarnation that was tasked with bringing out the best in Triple H - the vicious and calculating "Cerebral Assassin" that fans would come to know. The stakes were high. With "Stone Cold" Steve Austin sidelined by neck surgery, WWF needed a strong foil to match up against The Rock. If this match inside Madison Square Garden was a success, Triple H would be on a path to unprecedented success in the WWF.
During this Street Fight for the WWF Championship, Jim Ross refers to Triple H as "the most technical WWF Champion" in history. That handle would not stick for much longer. As this match went on, the measures he employed became more brutal. It became apparent to most people watching that Triple H was much more than a skilled technician inside the ring. He was tough and resiliant, especially in a championship setting. This match kicked off a year of great performances that would cement Triple H as an unconventional cornerstone of the WWF.
Mick Foley's performance here was so good it became one of the signatures of his career. He would duplicate his feat of selflessness on a grander scale one month later in a Hell In A Cell match that resulted in his extremely brief retirement. In later years, Foley would take part in other hardcore classics that accelerated the careers of talented younger performers, such as Randy Orton and Edge.
When examining a decade of professional wrestling history, this serves as a perfect bookend. Triple H's era of dominance starts here. He evolved before our eyes in this match. By the time he reached WrestleMania 2000 just a couple months later, his credentials as a main event performer who would lead the WWF for years to come were secure.
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