Text By Jed Shaffer

What if...Rikishi Wasn't the Guy Who Ran Over Stone Cold Steve Austin at Survivor Series 1999?

Part II
(Part I is available here)

Smackdown: Oct. 12, '00

Smackdown opens in the parking garage; a black pick-up truck is parked, pointing towards the garage door. Inside, Michael Cole says, Steve Austin has been waiting since morning, in silence, for Mick Foley to show up. Cole pimps the big matches for the evening--Triple H & Road Dogg vs. Benoit & Perry Saturn, Angle against Kane and The Rock defending the WWF Title against Val Venis--but it is the sit-down interview with The Undertaker (and the possibility of him showing up) that trumps all.

The Undertaker appears distraught, his eyes weary, his face slack and exhausted. Jim Ross sits across from him nervously, although whether that's because of the spectre hanging over that The Undertaker could've possibly attempted to kill Jim Ross' good friend, or the security hanging back, it's impossible to tell.

"Undertaker, thanks for joining us," says JR coldly. "Some time has passed since RAW and Mick Foley naming you the number one suspect in running down Stone Cold Steve Austin like a damned dog. What are your thoughts since Monday?"

Undertaker glares at JR for a moment, a threat of violence for JR to cut the sass obviously on the tip of his tongue. Instead, Undertaker bites it back. "It's no secret that Austin and I, we don't get along. We've beaten each other up, we've drawn blood ... we're not friends. But how in the hell Mick Foley could stand in that ring on Monday and accuse me of attempted murder, just because me and Steve ain't friends, I think he's out of his goddamn mind."

"So you're saying Mick Foley is wrong? That you didn't run down Steve Austin in cold blood?"

"I'm saying he's either an idiot or a liar." Undertaker leans forward; immediately, the security guards tense up. Undertaker spares a glance around, but continues on, looking JR in the eye. "Look; Foley says I did it because Austin done beat me a few times. If that's the best he has, then how come I didn't try to run over Shawn Michaels? How come Kane never tried to run over me? Foley's been whacked in the damn head too many times. If this is the best he's got to put me on the hook, Foley's gonna find his case falling apart real quick like ... it's either that, or he wants it to be me."

"What do mean by that? Are you trying to say the WWF Commissioner is trying to frame you?"

"I know he's your boy, just like Austin, so everything I'm sayin' is goin' in one ear and out the other, but the fact is that this stinks like [bleep], JR."

"So you're saying this is a set-up. That Mick Foley, of all people, is trying to frame you."

"See, JR? Not payin' a damn bit of attention. No, that ain't what I'm sayin'. What I'm sayin' is that, like everything else in this business, this is all about politics. Triple H wants to get at the WWF Title and run the company? He marries Vinnie's little girl. Vince has to get the belt off someone before he leaves the company? Ring the bell, Earl. This ain't no different; Mick's been around, he knows how to plays politics. There's big pressure to get the guy who did this, big pressure from the McMahons to get this over and done. Mick knows who did it, the McMahons know who did it ..." The Undertaker sits back, crosses his arms across his chest. "See, the problem is, the guy who did it, it don't fit what they want. The suits--the McMahons--they need certain people in certain places. You take people out of them places, and that bottom line looks a little lower then it should. Take too many people out of their places, and that bottom line bottoms out. That's what this is; Foley knows who did it, but that person can't be fingered. He's worth too much scratch. But The Undertaker ... he ain't worth the powder to blow to hell. Undertaker don't do nothin' but injure people and end careers. I made Mick Foley two years ago a household name by tossing him down twenty feet ... I made Hell In A Cell's reputation as a career-killing match ... I got an undefeated streak at WrestleMania ... I've put more people in wheelchairs then polio ... but I ain't the mainstream media type. I don't fit the bill to go on Saturday Night Live, or the Tonight Show, or go meet Presidential candidates. So Vinnie Mac says I'm expendable, and Foley points the finger."

"So then, who's the wheelman? If you're just a patsy, who drove the car?"

Undertaker shakes his head and rolls his eyes. "Jesus, son, you take a chair shot recently? Do I gotta spell it out for you? Who went to a couple Presidential conventions? Who's Hollywood lookin' at for movies? Who gets the audience to play sing-a-long like a goddamn campfire? Who became the big star, the man of the hour with Austin gone? Wasn't me. Hell, I was enjoying a nice, fat suspension when Survivor Series rolled around. I didn't come back till May of this year. So, who had the most to gain, and who gained the most? One guy, JR ... one guy. One guy gained the world, and helped this company's bottom line get fat as a hog."

JR is speechless for a moment, holding Undertaker's gaze. "Are you saying ... are you saying The Rock did it?"

"Hey, I ain't got the evidence, so what I'm tellin' ya is just how the chips fall from where I'm sitting. But just ask yourself ... who had something to gain by taking out Austin? Who had the opportunity and the chance to do it? And who are they blaming? If you can honestly say the answer to all that is me ... then I'd say the suits have done their job. You see, me, I just beat up Austin a couple times. Who threw Austin off a goddamn bridge? Who put together a plan with Vince McMahon to screw Austin out of the title two years ago? Certainly wasn't me."

"I'm positive Steve's gonna be at Smackdown. Will you? Will you try and discuss this with him and defend yourself?"

"Foley asked me not to come to Smackdown. Personally, I don't think it's because he's concerned for my safety, or to keep Austin from doing anything bad; I think he knows he's got jack-[bleep] on me, and he don't want me stirrin' the pot by comin' to Smackdown and talkin' to Austin. He knows we're big boys and we can take care of ourselves, and me takin' care of myself means takin' this bull[bleep] accusation and killing it dead." Undertaker leans forward, his eyes suddenly steely and assured. "Mark my words, though, Jim Ross." He levels a finger at JR, eyes squinted just a little. "I'm rollin' in to Raw come Monday. I got things to say that Austin and Foley need to hear."

Austin, of course, hears none of this, sitting in his truck, waiting. Police come up and try to reason with him, telling him that if he is laying in wait to run someone over, it's premeditated, and that's a class-A felony. Austin's response is to roll up the window. Jim Ross manages to get a moment of Austin's attention as the segment switches to the next match on the docket, the Radicalz/Triple H & Road Dogg match. Triple H and Road Dogg fell Benoit and Saturn, with Triple H getting the pinfall over Saturn; Benoit, however, swoops in and locks Triple H in a Crippler Crossface until referees break up the melee. No sooner is the fight broken up and Triple H is back in the locker room then Stephanie gets in his face.

"You know this never would've happened if I was out there with you!" she protests. "I'm a necessary component! Since you put me on the bench, you--"

"Stephanie, what part of 'no' don't you understand? I'm not putting you in danger out there."

Stephanie glares at Triple H. "Oh, I understand completely." Stephanie turns and leaves, slamming the door behind her in a huff.

When Smackdown comes back from commercial, Foley is walking to the ring. The crowd is swinging even closer to turning on Foley entirely. Foley doesn't even try to appeal to the crowd's good nature; he just gets down to business.

"Well I guess I followed through on Monday night, and I delivered the man who ran over Stone Cold Steve Austin." This is met with a hailstorm of boos. Foley looks out on the crowd, his shoulders slumped and his expression heavy and worn. "And logic would say I should be feeling pretty good about it; instead, to tell you the truth, I feel a little bit sick ... because I have a feeling this whole thing isn't over. Instead, I have a feeling it's just beginning. Maybe cause the investigation hasn't produced concrete proof against Undertaker, but this whole situation has me worried all to hell, especially with Undertaker's promise to be at Raw. And this brings up a problem; I know that Stone Cold is out in our parking garage with some pretty bad intentions running through that mind. What I want to say to him, to please come out of that garage ... and come down to this ring, because, Stone Cold, I can help you with this. I can deliver The Undertaker. Now, Steve, I have got all night, if need be I will sit in this ring until you come down. But until then, I will be waiting, so if somebody could give me their chair, I'm gonna go on a little Austin strike here. We're all gonna wait for Stone Cold to come on down. And this will be your episode of SmackDown!--'Mick Foley Sitting in the Middle of the Ring'--unless Stone Cold Steve Austin decides to make his presence know, but Steve, if you're there ..."

The TitanTron shows Ross still at Austin's truck door, pleading with him. "Dammit, you owe it to yourself to get outta that truck and get in the ring and listen to what Mick's got to say! Give him the benefit of the doubt, dammit!" Austin thinks a moment longer, then swings the door open wide, gets out and marches through the arena down to the ring, skipping the poses and the posturing. Foley has to track him left and right as Austin paces in the ring like a keyed-up tiger in a cage.

"Stone Cold, I wanna thank you for coming down to this ring. I wanna say one thing, I know you're sitting out there all night in your parking lot, and you've got some damn bad intentions in your mind. I made the mistake a couple weeks ago of trying to tell you what to do ... and I've now learned that nobody tells Steve Austin what to do. So I'm no longer telling you, Steve, I am asking you: if you are thinking about running down Undertaker like he did to you, don't do it. First off, Steve, I don't think the guy's dumb enough to show up tonight knowing you're looking for him. And second, you run down Undertaker, then it's no longer a wrestling matter, it's a police matter and you will go to jail. So as commissioner of the WWF, I'm asking you ... please don't do it. As somebody who's known you for ten years, I'm asking you, please don't do it.”

Austin finally speaks, getting right in Foley's face, a homicidal snarl permanently etched into lip. "You talk about deliverin' Undertaker, well I just got one little problem with that, Mick. You say 'I've known Stone Cold Steve Austin for ten years'. You know me, you say?”

"I like to think I do, Ste--"

"Then cut the crap, Mick!" Austin holds up the fist not holding the microphone, ticking off fingers as he lists names. "Vince McMahon; hates the living hell outta me. Triple H; dropped a cinder block on me, wanted to cripple me cause it was 'his time'. Big Show; slides into Stone Cold's place, wins the WWF Title. Shane or Stephanie; they's Vince's stump-dumb kids. Ya got Test, maybe tryin' to impress Vince by taking me out. Even my own wife, she wants me at home more often and she's sick of the road. Shawn Michaels, Jake Roberts, there's a million guys who ol' Stone Cold has pissed off over the years enough to maybe make one of 'em jump behind the wheel of a car and try and make me into roadkill." Austin now holds up one solitary finger. "So the one guy you narrow it down to is Undertaker, a guy who was home nursin' a bum wheel, servin' a suspension. A guy with no motivation at all." Austin's hand drops; Austin's face goes stone blank as he looks Foley in the eyes. "What's the evidence?"

Foley stammers. "Well, Steve, I don't have--"

"You ain't got nothin' because there ain't nothin', Mick. You can say Undertaker did it till the I drink all the Steveweisers on Earth, but I don't buy it for a second. Show me somethin' ... show me what was in that envelope you got on Monday, maybe I'll buy it then. But now? Uh-uh!" Austin leans in close to Foley. "So you know what I'm gonna do? I'm gonna be at Raw on Monday, and ol' Stone Cold is gonna start interrogating people the old fashioned way. I see Hardcore Holly, I'm gonna beat his ass ... I see Chyna, I'm gonna beat her ass ... Dudley Boys? Them's another two asses right there. Rikishi? If my foot don't get lost in his fat ass when I'm kickin' it, there's another. And another and another and another until someone tells me what I wanna hear, you got that?"

"I can't let you do that, Steve. I can't allow you to come to Raw and disrupt it like that."

The crowd comes unglued, expressing their hatred by chanting "asshole" at Foley. "Or what, Mick? I'm already suspended for god knows how long."

Foley exhales loudly. "You're putting me in an uncomfortable place, Steve. If you can't play along, I'm gonna have to ..." Foley exhales again, looking out onto the crowd that is now fully turned on him. "I'll have to ban you from WWF events entirely until the investigation has run its course."

Austin steps back, jaw unhinged in surprise. He thinks about it for a moment, paces a little, then stops in front of Foley. "Well, you do what you gotta do, Mick, and I'm gonna do--" Austin nails a kick in Foley's gut, grabs his head and snaps off a picture-perfect Stunner. The crowd erupts in cheers as Austin stomps up the ramp, making sure to give the unconscious Foley a double-bird before disappearing behind the curtain.

Backstage, security meets Austin to escort him out of the arena. On the way out, Austin encounters Kurt Angle and Stephanie McMahon; the two exchange tense stares before security shoves Austin along. Angle mutters "Jeez ... what's his problem? Was just gonna give him a handshake!" to Stephanie as they continue to head to the ring for Angle's showdown against Kane. The match goes Angle's way, courtesy of some bottom-rope holding while pinning Kane, and he and Stephanie celebrate their victory to the chagrin of the crowd. Angle caps off the night, and Smackdown, with a post-match attack on The Rock after he defeats Val Venis to retain the WWF Title.

Raw: Oct. 16th, '00

Raw's card--coming from none other then the Joe Louis Arena, the arena where 11 months prior, Austin was run over--is stacked with Triple H taking on Kane, and a big six-man tag of Edge, Christian and Kurt Angle against The Rock and The Hardy Boys, all in anticipation of Sunday's No Mercy pay-per-view. But the crowd, and indeed, the entire roster, is on key waiting to see if either Austin will break the ban and show up at the arena, or if The Undertaker will make good on his promise to show up and confront Foley.

A limousine pulls up in the parking garage. Before anyone can speculate, Kurt Angle is on top of it, meeting it's occupant, Stephanie, and offering to carry her bags to the dressing room. Triple H is visibly bothered by Angle still lingering around his wife, and likewise, his wife accompanying him to the ring. Whe Kurt leaves, Triple H asks Stephanie to sit down for a discussion.

"I can understand you wanting to have a career, all right?" says Triple H. He takes ahold of her hands, trying to keep himself calm as well as her. "Do your own thing, but ... I thought we went over this this weekend, I thought we had this all taken care of."

Stephanie pulls her hands away, a sneer on her lips. "Well, if you remember correctly, I told you that I would reconsider ... the same way that you reconsidered letting me be in your corner, but since you won't ..." Stephanie stands up, her arms crossed. "I mean, Hunter, the WWF is my business, okay? It's my life, and since I can't help you, then I'm gonna help Kurt."

"Look at what happened last week, Steph. Kane nearly laid you out. What if--"

"Yeah, but he didn't get it done, Hunter. I'm fine."

Triple H sighs. He stands up and takes her by the shoulders. "Steph, understand this: if something happens to you, I don't know what I'm gonna do!"

Steph lets the silence linger a moment, looking into his eyes with thinly veiled resentment. "Well, I guess that's just a chance we're both gonna have to take."

When Raw comes back from commercial, Angle is in the dressing room, Triple H having left, consoling Stephanie and discussing their plans for No Mercy. As Angle is proudly boasting how WWF gold would be even better then his Olympic gold, Hunter pops back in. Both Angle and Stephanie pop up, keeping a couple feet between each other. Stephanie is quick to defend herself and Angle. "Hunter, this is a business meeting. This is strictly business."

"We're just talking, Hunter," Angle adds.

Hunter's response is cool, calculating, deadly. "Leave us alone for a second."

"Hunter, it's just business, and I think Kurt should be able to stay." Hunter's gaze is focused on Angle, but he speaks to Stephanie. "I wasn't talking to Kurt ... I was talking to you. Leave us alone for a second." When Stephanie finally leaves, Triple H stares at Angle, his jaw clinched. "Have a seat." Angle sits down, but Triple H remains standing. "Two things, Kurt. I don't approve of Stephanie accompanying you to ringside. She's in harm's way coming to the ring with you. That makes her your responsibility. If she gets hurt, it's on your head. And second ... this business relationship ... it better stay just that. You try and push it to anything beyond a business relationship, and it will be the last thing you ever do." Triple H leaves before Angle can even form a rebuttal, and therefore doesn't see Angle smirking.

The bad night--seemingly another in a chain of them--continues for Triple H, as he takes a pounding in his match against Kane. When Benoit comes down to the ring to guest on commentary, the chance to pummel his newest rival is too much to resist, and Triple H clocks him. Unfortunately, Benoit retaliates by grabbing a chair and waffling Triple H as he has Kane in position for a Pedigree. Benoit cinches in the Crossface, making Triple H tap, but Benoit refuses to let go until a gaggle of authorities have to pry Benoit's arms off Triple H's head.

When Raw comes back from commercial, Michael Cole is in the ring and introduces Mick Foley to a now full-fledged chorus of boos. Foley tries to wave to the crowd, but all he gets is middle fingers and vicious hatred. Cole shakes his hand and begins the interview by saying; "Mick Foley, first let me ask ... how does it feel to have the WWF audience turn on you for pursuing this investigation?"

Foley takes his time in answering, partly because of emotion, and partly because the crowd starts an "asshole" chant. "You know, Michael Cole, it feels like crap," he says. "I didn't ask to be Sherlock Holmes, and I didn't ask for the answer to be unpopular. The McMahons made me Commissioner, and as such, finding out who ran over Austin fell into my lap. I have no control over what I find. Yet, the WWF audience has decided to kill the messenger, as if I'm to blame for the man who did this."

"Well, let's discuss the man who you say is the number one suspect, The Undertaker. Let's discuss the case. You say--" Cole interrupts himself, putting his hand up to his earpiece. "Wait a moment, Commissioner. I'm being told--The Undertaker is here! The Undertaker is in the arena!"

The TitanTron switches from the ring to a camera in the parking garage as the motorcycle of The Undertaker pulls in. Security immediately swarms the American Badass, but Foley shouts for them to back off and let Undertaker by. Undertaker gives the security force dirty looks as he passes by and makes his way to the ring to explosive fanfare. Undertaker grabs a microphone and glares at Cole. "You can leave now, boy." Cole does so without hesitation.

"Look, I understand you're angry," says Foley. "But the facts--"

"The facts," says Undertaker, pointing one leather-gloved finger in Foley's face, "are that you're a piece of [bleep] corporate suit, Foley. The fact is, one week ago, you saw the evidence, the culprit's name was right there in front of you, and in spite of it all, you pinned it on me. The fact is, you're ruining my career for reasons I, and just about anybody else with a pulse, can't figure out."

Foley snaps, his eyes wild with that Cactus Jack edge in them. "That's enough! I've heard enough crap from you! Maybe you've forgotten who I am, but I am the WWF Commissioner. Nobody pulls my strings, Undertaker, and nobody intimidates me, least of all you! I reviewed the evidence, and the only person it could be is you!"

"The only person it could be, or the only person you want it to be?" Foley's eyes narrow to a squint. "Yeah, I know what you think: Rocky did it, and he's being protected. You know and I know that's a load of crap. We both know what the evidence says."

"That's funny, Mick, cause, with the exception of you ... nobody even knows what the evidence is. Sure makes it awfully convenient for you to name a suspect of your choosing when nobody else can see the evidence to contradict you."

The music of The Rock breaks into the argument, and the People's Champion comes out to, for the first time in a long time, a mixed reaction. Rocky pauses on the stage to look at the portions of the audience he hears giving jeers, then makes his way to the ring and immediately gets in Undertaker's face. Foley, instead of trying to keep the peace, stands back, allowing the confrontation to occur. It is The Undertaker who breaks the silence. "I don't remember you being invited to this party, boy. This is an issue between me and Foley."

The Rock slowly takes his sunglasses off and perches them in the collar of his shirt. He speaks slowly, clipping off each syllable as sharply as if with a pair of scissors. "The Rock begs to differ. Smackdown, last week ... Undertaker, number one suspect ... Jim Ross asks you who you think did it ... you say? The Rock. No evidence. No motive. Just accusations. The Rock notices you say that's what Mick Foley is doing to you. So The Rock thinks either you've been hit in the head too many times, or maybe ... maybe, Undertaker, you're the worst liar The Rock has ever seen."

The Undertaker stares at The Rock, the crowd noise--anticipating a full-blown brawl--building in the background, Foley standing back and letting it all unfold. "If you're feelin' froggy, Rocky, you can jump. Just remember who you're jumpin' at. I make people famous in ways they don't wanna be famous."

The Rock grins humorlessly. "The Rock's already famous. In fact, The Rock could probably make you more famous just by beating your jabroni ass."

Undertaker grins back, equally as humorless. "And your wantin’ to become famous is what I think helped make you run over Stone Cold Steve Austin. You see, Rock, Mick Foley has evidence. He won't show anybody the evidence. He won't do that because he knows points in a direction he don't wanna look, a direction the McMahon clan don't want him looking in. Your direction. So he gets to protect his buddy and keep the WWF vaults burstin' at the seams with cash, and Undertaker gets sent up the river instead. Everybody goes home happy. 'Cept for me." Undertaker looks past Rock over his shoulder, glaring at Foley, who is sneering right back. "The problem is, Mick Foley ain't no detective; he's a broken-down, retired wrestler. If he was a detective, he'd know that, since I was on suspension, I couldn't have been here a year ago. I was too busy enjoyin' myself at a biker rally in Flagstaff."

Rock's eyes narrow; Foley's, however, go wide. "Say what?" asks Foley.

Undertaker steps away from Rock to look at Foley more directly. "Yeah. Apparently, when you decided to orchestrate this little frame-up, you forgot to check alibis, and mine, Foley, is airtight. Phoenix. Biker rally. About a hundred or so Hells Angels, just outside of Flagstaff, Arizona, they got my back. I suggest you call a few ... I can get ya the numbers." Undertaker steps up on Foley, who looks around frantically. "So ... since your 'number one suspect' can back up his side of the story ... time for you to come clean, Mick Foley." Foley backs into the corner, surprising himself when his back hits the turnbuckles. "Fess up, Foley. What do you got on me? Or ..." Undertaker advances a little more, but turns his head to look at Rock. "I should ask, what do you have on someone else?"

When Undertaker turns back to look at Foley, Foley jabs a thumb in Undertaker's eye, sending him staggering into a Rock Bottom. No sooner is Undertaker's back on the mat then Foley and Rock slide out and make tracks under cover of the security force. As soon as Foley gets to the safety of his office, he orders Rock under 24-hour security, and upgrades all officers into riot gear and fully-armed, with orders to detain Undertaker and/or Steve Austin on sight, by any means necessary.

Before the main event is due, Stephanie McMahon introduces Kurt Angle to a decidely tepid reaction ... an improvement over the past year, but by no means positive. "And now, I'd like to introduce you to the man who, this Sunday, will defeat the Rock to become the new WWF Champion: Your Olympic Hero and mine, Kurt Angle!"

Angle takes the microphone proudly, reminding everyone he is an Olympic champion. "You know something, Steph, everyone's making such a big deal out of this being the arena where Stone Cold Steve Austin got run down last Survivor Series. Like that's something to brag about! I mean, yes indeed, this arena is famous, but not for Stone Cold Steve Austin. Detroit, this arena is famous for the national television debut of Your Olympic Hero here in the WWF." The crowd issues a few half-hearted boos to the unbridled display of ego.

"And Kurt, this arena which is located in Detroit. Isn't Detroit also known as the motor city?"

"Yes, indeed it is, Steph, it's true, it is. And how fitting that this city is called the Motor City, because this is the city where the Rock just happened to one year ago, hope in his car and mow down Stone Cold Steve Austin!" This draws hearty boos from the crowd.

"You know, Kurt, it sounds like the Rock has a lot of excuses. But this Sunday, Rocky will have no excuses, except for maybe me, when you defeat the Rock and become the World Wrestling Federation Champion! It's true; I will lead you to victory just as I did my husband, Triple H!"

"Thank you, Steph, and I know you will! I know you will. But the only difference is, I will have accomplished the European, Intercontinental, King of the Ring and WWF titles, all within my first year in the business! That's because of the Three I's, Stephanie."

"That's very impressive."

"Well, for Triple H, it obviously took him a whole lifetime to achieve, regardless ... Rock, it shouldn't come as a big shock to you when you do lose your title to me this Sunday at No Mercy. Because Rock, you're about to be accustomed to losing. I mean, you may be a five-time WWF Champion, you may be the Most Electrifying Man in Sports Entertainment (whatever that means!), but Rock, you're about to embark on a losing streak starting right here tonight in Detroit. And I won't just be beating you for the title on Sunday, Rock, because I can ... no, somebody needs to stop you. Somebody needs to knock you down, Rocky, for being the criminal you are. You have no integrity ... and I'm pretty sure you have no intelligence, judging by your shirts. You're ... you're ... scum! And I'm gonna wipe you off the foot of the WWF at No Mercy! It's true, it's damned true!" While the message is coming from a sanctimonious twit like Kurt Angle, it resonates with the crowd nonetheless, and they give him a warm, if not whole-hearted, reception as Angle awaits his partners.

Because of the altercation with The Undertaker, the main event becomes a curiosity in audience reaction: The Hardy Boys are cheered like normal, but their partner, The Rock, is received with raw hatred, even moreso for showing up with a detatchment of SWAT guards and Mick Foley in tow. And while Angle's vow to eliminate the scum that is The Rock gives him some temporary currency with the crowd, his partners get no slack, being booed as viciously as ever. When Stephanie waffles Jeff Hardy as he's atop the turnbuckle with a tire iron, leading to Angle getting the pinfall victory, the crowd is not happy ... but when Angle and Stephanie bid a quick retreat, leaving Edge and Christian to attack The Rock, the crowd cheers it on. Nobody notices, in the commotion, that one of the riot guards has broken away from the detatchment, until he removes his helmet to reveal Steve Austin. Austin sneaks up on Foley and waffles him with the baton, then tries to go after Rock before Rock, who has fought off both Edge and Christian, slips out to the safety amongst the phalanx of riot guards. Austin gives Rock a glare as he backs up the ramp in the safety of his security force; when Foley tries to slide in behind Austin, Austin turns and delivers yet another Stunner to the Commissioner.

Smackdown: Oct 19, '00

Fans showing up hoping to see Austin or Undertaker at the final Smackdown before No Mercy end up disappointed; the all-points-bulletin on their heads put out by Mick Foley is stepped up to a ridiculous level, with guards in riot gear carring tazers and rifles are positioned at every entrance, turning Cleveland's Gund Arena into a police state. The huge main event--a fatal-four-way non-title match between Chris Benoit, Kurt Angle, The Rock and Triple H--can't take away from the disappointment of Austin and Undertaker being banned from the arena, and when Foley comes out to address the crowd at the start of the show, the crowd nearly breaks into a riot, with some audience members throwing garbage.

"When I took this job some months ago, I thought it would be fun. I'd get to be in front of the fans, without having to get thrown off of cells or driven into thumbtacks." Foley sighs and looks out at the crowd mournfully. "Little did I know that, when Stone Cold Steve Austin returned from his injuries, he would make my job a living hell. I've tried to do the right thing in the course of his investigation ... I've looked at the evidence impartially and followed the leads only in the directions that the evidence suggests ... I've tried to serve in the best interest of Steve Austin and justice itself, but it seems that I can't satisfy anybody. I've tried to protect Steve Austin from himself, I've followed the evidence currently available; everything I've done, you all would do in my position. And yet, I'm the bad guy, not The Undertaker. Austin attacks me, and you think that's just swell." Foley's eyes turn cold, his gaze resentful as he peers out at the crowd. "Well, come Monday, every one of you ... every one of you fans, Stone Cold Steve Austin, Jim Ross, Michael Cole, everybody who's questioned my investigation will owe me one hell of an apology. On Sunday, you see, at No Mercy, Vince McMahon will be there, and I will be presenting him with all of the evidence I've collected. The following night, we will show the world the evidence we've collected against The Undertaker, and Vince McMahon will deliver his judgment, and we can all put this nasty matter behind us once and for all."

The oppressive level of security succeeds in keeping the troublesome Austin and Undertaker out of the arena, but drama explodes all around him on the inside, as all four members of the fatal four-way main event complain to Foley about being booked in such a match. Foley dismisses all of them with a wave of his trademark gavel, telling them he has a headache over the Austin investigation and just wants some peace and quiet. Foley's dismissals of the participants' appeals puts Stephanie into the unenviable position of having both a business associate and her husband involved as opponents in the match; despite both men telling her not to come to ringside, Stephanie vows to do the right thing, never mentioning what the right thing is.

Shortly before the match, Kevin Kelly catches up with The Rock backstage. "Rock, you haven't addressed the crowd for the past two weeks. What do you have to say?"

The Rock stares at Kevin Kelly until Kelly hands over the microphone and leaves. He stares at the camera for a few seconds, suddenly whips his head back, lingers, brings the microphone up to his lips and says; "Finally, the Rock has come back to Cleveland!" The crowd unleashes their venom on Rocky, who seems visibly confused when an old chant suddenly pops up: "Die, Rocky, die". He indulges the crowd for only a second, then just pushes along. "You see, over the past two weeks, the Rock has had a lot on his mind. The Rock's been getting a lot of dirty looks over the past two weeks; people keep looking at The Rock, saying 'Rocky ... didja do it? Didja run over Austin?' And every time The Rock hears that ... it kinda knocks The Rock speechless. The Rock and Steve Austin, Steve Austin and The Rock ... two men who don't like each other. But no matter what, no matter what, The Rock is not that kind of man. The Rock doesn't need to take shortcuts like that ... The Rock, in case you forgot, is the Great One, the People's Champion." The crowd rebuts this last statement, but Rock doesn't let it derail him. "You don't know how much that hurts The Rock, to have his people so confused, so angry. That makes The Rock angry, that makes The Rock's been confused ... but there's been one man to help the Rock snap out of it. And that man ... is Kurt Angle. So Kurt Angle, thank you for helping the Rock. After all your trash-talking for the past two weeks, after attacking the Rock from behind, the Rock is now not thinking about Steve Austin or The Undertaker or his lies, he's thinking about you. The Rock is thinking about you, Kurt Angle; thinking about beating the Olympic mucus from out of your smug, smiling face! And you see, Kurt Angle, over the past two months, The Rock has gone through a lot of opponents, one of which is Kane, all seven feet, 350 pounds, who comes out and says 'I am the big ... red ... monster!' Another man, by the name of Chris Benoit who comes down and says 'Just prove me wrong!' And now the Rock faces a man who comes out and says ..." Rocky adopts a vapid smile, vacant eyes, and his voice perks up like a child. "'Drinking milk has calcium and it's good for your bones! And drinking milk is also very good for your healthy body, oh it's true, it's true.'" His smile fades into a scowl, his eyes once again piercing. "You see, Kurt Angle, this Sunday night at No Mercy, let the Rock explain to you exactly what he's gonna do and only in language that you can understand." Once again, Rocky uses the bright, happy, vacuous voice. "You see, Kurt Angle, you and the Rock, we're gonna have a WWF title match, in which many moves are gonna be executed: an arm bar, a wrist lock, and many other moves. But, you see, the Rock has a very special move he's gonna execute just for you, Kurt. You see, the Rock is gonna take his boot! And then the Rock is gonna turn it horizontal, or sideways, just the way you like it, or so the Rock has heard. And then, Kurt, in one swift motion, the Rock"--in between words, Rocky's voice goes back to his normal condescending tone--"is gonna take his boot, and stick it straight up your candy-ass! You see, Kurt Angle, you think you're special just because you've got your three I's, do you you think you're really special because you cashed in on the services of one Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley; a two dollar ... no, fifty cent ... no, buy-two-get-one-free, does anybody have change for a nickel, rented slut? You see, Kurt Angle, this is not the Olympics. You're not facing the Romanians, you're not facing the Bulgarians, you're facing the Rock, the Brahma Bull, a man who has no quit, a man who has no fear. So Kurt Angle, bring your gold medals ... Stephanie, bring your dirty panties...- but above all else ... but above all else, just like tonight, at No Mercy this Sunday, just ... bring it. If ya smell … what the Rock is cookin'!"

Until the end of the main event, Stephanie's loyalties are not tested. When Rocky has a winning pinfall attempt at Triple H, however, Stephanie interferes, grabbing his foot. Rocky chases her until Benoit clocks him with a clothesline on the floor, but Angle sneaks over and gets the pin on Triple H, something Stephanie sees and makes no move to stop. Immediately after scoring the pin, Benoit slides in and puts Triple H in the Crossface again, while Angle goes after Rocky; however, Rocky counters and ends up putting Angle in a Sharpshooter. Stephanie merely shrugs as authorities come in to try and break things up. Benoit releases his hold and, before authorities can separate him, he nails Rock, puts the Crossface on him for a few seconds, then releases and makes his way back up the ramp smiling, the last man standing for the evening.

No Mercy: Oct. 22, '00

Throughout the bulk of the pay-per-view, Mick Foley sits in a closed office, pouring over the confidential documents pertaining to the Austin investigation, sweating as he awaits the arrival of Vince McMahon. Through the opening Dudley Boys Tag Team Invitational match, through Chris Jericho's victory over X-Pac in a steel cage, and through a Right To Censor/Billy Gunn & Chyna match, Foley sits in his office, armed guards at the door as if the arena were a top secret military fortress, paying no attention to the action on the monitor. His attention is only diverted when a production assistant comes up after William Regal's European Title defense against Mideon to alert him that Vince's limo is now just arriving. Foley bolts up out of his chair, tells his security guards to follow him and makes tracks for the parking garage.

As soon as Foley and his entourage disappear, the door to the maintenance closet across the hallway cracks open; Steve Austin's head pokes out, surveys the hallway. When he's assured himself it's clear, Austin steps out, a walkie-talkie in hand. "I'm in," he says into the walkie-talkie as he enters Foley's office and closes the door behind himself.

Immediately, his eyes settle on the desk and the scattered paperwork. Austin scans each document, and with every passing word he sees, his eyes grow wider and wider. Finally, a voice comes over the walkie-talkie, a rough, Texas voice. "Whatcha got? Found anything?"

Austin is slow to respond, his eyes locked on the papers in his hands. Finally, after the voice asks him again, he grabs the walkie-talkie with one hand, triggers the send button and says; "Yeah, I did. Just like you said."

"We're on, then?" Austin's eyes narrow, his hand tensing up, creating odd creases and crinkles in the paperwork. "You're goddamn right, it's on," Austin replies.

With the crowd on his side, Triple H takes the fight to Benoit with a ferocity like never before; Benoit, in turn, does not shrink down, matching Triple H's intensity step for step. Benoit works the arm with armbreakers, hammerlock suplexes, and wears out Triple H with suplexes, while Triple H stuns the crowd--and Benoit--with a new depth of technical prowess, hitting counters and high-impact offense like never before. The unexpected presence of Stephanie finally proves the decisive factor, as her distraction of the ref allows Triple H to use a low blow to stop the seemingly inexorable force of Benoit, hit the Pedigree, and score the pinfall. Triple H rejoices as he makes his way back to the locker room, but Benoit, dazed but awake, glares at Triple H from the ring with an evil smirk.

Just before the main event is set to begin, the cameras turn to follow someone coming down a stairwell in the audience: The Undertaker. He takes a seat in an empty seat in the front row, beer in hand, lazily leaning back until Mick Foley and his security force storms out and confronts him. Foley insists Undertaker leave the arena, but Undertaker silently counters by producing his front row ticket. Foley stews, and Undertaker rankles him more by offering that Foley can leave one of his sentinels to post next to him if it will make Foley feel better. Foley grudgingly agrees--posting two armed guards on either side of Undertaker--and storms back to the back, allowing the main event to proceed.

Kurt Angle, accompanied by Stephanie, comes to the ring as confident as ever; The Rock, by contrast, is nervous, casting glances over and over at Stephanie and The Undertaker. Rocky's nerves about Undertaker prove useless, as Undertaker only contributions to the proceedings are generic yells of "C'mon!" and "Get 'im!", and purposefully psyching out the security, like shifting in his seat as if he's going to stand up. The jitters over Stephanie quickly prove reasonable, as she asserts her presence by distracting the ref at crucial moments, including a moment when Rocky has Angle in a Sharpshooter and Angle is tapping. Stephanie's interference finally backfires and Rock catches her in a Rock Bottom; the attack draws out Triple H, who attacks Angle on the outside, and nails Rocky with a Pedigree for good measure. Angle can only get two off the unintended assistance. Rocky manages to halt any Angle offense with a spinebuster, setting up the People's Elbow. But, out of the corner of his eye, sees Undertaker reach into his jacket; the security immediately tenses up and tells him to freeze. Rock's attention completely goes to watching security trying to keep the Deadman from doing anything rash; Rocky lobs insults at him from the ring, causing Undertaker to stand up and hurl insults back, which only makes the security force--which has now grown, the ringside security having shifted from position to back up the pair holding down The Undertaker--more insistent.

With both Rocky and the ref's attention diverted, nobdy notices Austin storming down the aisle, steel chair in hand. Austin slides in and pounces, blasting Rocky in the back with the chair. The ref, down on the floor trying to assist the security team, never sees Austin repeatedly blast Rocky, a look of crazed bloodthirst in his eyes, almost literally foaming at the mouth with rage. Again and again and again and again, Austin rains down chair shots on Rocky's arms, legs and body, until Rocky doesn't move. Austin tosses the chair, rolls out and marches back down the aisle, two-fingered salute held high in the air to the cheers of the audience. In perfect synchronicity, Undertaker voluntarily walks up the steps to leave the arena; the ref gets back in the ring, in time to see Angle cover Rock, and makes the count. Three slaps of the hand later, and Kurt Angle is the new World Wrestling Federation Champion. Paramedics come to the ring to check on Rocky, while Foley confronts Austin in the aisle, only to get a pair of middle fingers in the face and a punch on the jaw. As Austin stomps on Foley, the security force seizes Austin, who is dragged away laughing maniacally, triumphantly, yelling; "I ain't done, ya sons of bitches!".

To be continued....