THE ROCK (C) VS. TRIPLE H

   The video package at the beginning of the event goes over how many things can happen in an hour, almost 10,000 births, 6,000 aeroplanes taking off from airports and people blinking almost 2,000 times. This leads into tonight’s main event where Triple H will have to defend his WWF Championship against The Rock for an hour. The pyro show begins before Jim Ross welcomes us to Judgement Day in Louisville, Kentucky. We go backstage where the McMahon-Helmsley faction is sat backstage. Vince McMahon says it’s Judgement night, it’s Judgement Day which sounds strange. Gerald Brisco shows up late, he’s the current WWF Hardcore Champion and he says Pat Patterson’s flight got delayed so he isn’t here. McMahon takes coffee orders before going over everyone’s matches for the night. During the night both competitors spoke to Shawn Michaels, the Special Guest referee for the match, Shawn said he and his tiny shorts will “call it down the middle” He makes his entrance first and is soon followed by Triple H, who is accompanied by his in-laws sans Linda. Triple H grabs a microphone and tells Vince, Shane and Stephanie to go relax in the back. The Rock gets the usual pop that you would expect during his entrance, I’m still pissed off that he had to wait the extra month to win the title though.

Jim Ross and Jerry “The King” Lawler are on commentary for this match, The Fink is our ring announcer.

THE ROCK © VS. TRIPLE H

(60-Minute Ironman match – WWF Championship)

WWF Judgement Day 2000 (May 2000)

 The clock begins and there’s some chit-chat as Rock and H’s go nose to nose. The Rock tells Triple H to go fuck himself and calls him a son of a bitch before shoving him. They lock up to a stalemate until Triple H shoves Rocky away.

  They go back to it and Triple H is forced back into the corner as the fans chant “Rocky”. They jockey for position in the corner and we get another shoving match. King makes a good point on commentary that they’re expending energy in the opening minutes of the match. Triple H backs off for a staredown, they circle and The Rock works a headlock in the middle of the ring as a water vendor goes past the hard camera. Shawn Michaels is there to make sure Triple H doesn’t want to tap to the headlock, Triple H counters with a top wristlock as Lawler mentions that the longest The Rock has been in the ring for a match is 30 minutes, with JR adding that the match was in fact against Triple H. From what they were saying I’m guessing it’s the 2/3 falls match from Fully Loaded. The Rock is forced down into a bridge but he is able to reverse the movement back to the headlock. Triple H sends The Rock off the ropes but is knocked down with a shoulder tackle, The Rock goes for the pin but Triple H kicks out at 2. Another shoulder block gets another 2, as does a roll up from The Rock as Triple H tries to cut him off with a knee.

  Triple H goes for a walk around ringside, Shawn Michaels keeps having to restart the count because The Rock is interrupting him and for some reason that makes it impossible to continue. We’re hitting the 5 minute mark as Triple H cautiously gets back in the ring. This time it’s Triple H that gets the headlock, The Rock tries to bring Triple H down by the hair, blocking Michaels’ view. The Rock sends Triple H off the ropes and is knocked down with a shoulder tackle. The Rock goes prone as Triple H keeps running, The Rock leapfrogs the return journey and Triple H turns around into a right hand. Triple H rolls out to the floor and utilises the count out, getting back into the ring at 7, and not without arguing with HBK. They lock up and The Rock instinctively goes back to the headlock, wrenching the hold to control the momentum. Triple H sends The Rock off the ropes, he goes prone and tries to leapfrog, but The Rock stops himself in his tracks and knocks Triple H down with another right hand. Triple H’s head is introduced to the top turnbuckle, then again on the other side. The Rock irish whips Triple H into the corner but runs into a back elbow. Triple H explodes out of the corner with a clothesline.

  Triple H uses an arm wrench on Rocky, striking the arm with the point of his elbow and taking The Rock to the corner. Triple H snaps Rocky’s arm off the top rope and connects with right hands before bringing The Rock out of the corner. Triple H connects with another right and The Rock drops like a sack of shit. Triple H stands over The Rock in an armbar, keeping focus on the left arm and trying to keep himself above The Rock as the champion makes it to his feet. The Rock breaks the hold with right hands to Triple H and sends him off the ropes. Triple H takes The Rock down with an armbreaker and covers for a nearfall. Triple H stands over The Rock with an armbar as we see the clock come back. The Rock is able to get to his feet in the armbar and he backs Triple H into the corner. Shawn Michaels starts counting and Triple H breaks the hold before 5. The Rock barely waits for Shawn Michaels to move before laying in right hands and sending Triple H off the ropes. The Rock ducks too early, Triple H kicks him but is caught with a Rock Bottom! The Rock gets the first fall in just under 11 minutes.

  Triple H slides out of the ring and The Rock follows this time. Triple H is sent into the security wall, but cuts The Rock off with a knee to the midsection as they walk back up the ramp. The Rock reverses an irish whip sending Triple H into the barrier. Shawn Michaels asks for them to go back o the ring, so they inch closer. Triple H avoids being sent into the barrier and drops The Rock across it. The Rock says hello to the fans on the other side as his head bounces off the security wall on that side. Triple H gets in the ring for a split-second and Michaels was hilarious when he noticed Triple H didn’t stay there. Triple H connects with haymakers but the running knee hits the barrier. Triple H cuts off the momentum with a right hand from down on his knees and he sends The Rock into the ring. The Rock intercepts Triple H with a right hand as he gets on the apron and brings him back into the ring with a suplex. The Rock covers but only gets a 2 count so he begins to target Triple H’s knee, wrapping it around the ring post so Triple H falls to the floor. The Rock barely throws Triple H in the ring, keeping his leg hanging over the side so he could slam Triple H’s knee into the apron. The Rock hits a shinbreaker on the ring steps and brings it back to the ring. Triple H begs off into the corner and The Rock takes mercy, laying down for Triple H to get two consecutive falls and forefitting the match.

  Of course not, he starts kicking at Triple H’s knee, bringing Triple H back down to the mat any time he stands up. Triple H reverses an irish whip but is knocked down with a clothesline. The Rock puts Triple H in a Figure Four leglock, which is a nice way for him to kill 90 seconds of the match, Triple H’s shoulders go down for nearfalls, but he gets one off the mat in time. He tries to turn the hold but The Rock is able to wrench the hold further. The Rock gets another nearfall before Triple H reverses the hold. The Rock tries to roll towards the ropes and they both hold on for dear life as Shawn Michaels forces the break. Triple H rolls out of the ring, The Rock follows and bounces Triple H’s head off the Spanish announce table and the apron. Triple H reverses an irish whip, sending The Rock into the security wall before clotheslining him down. Triple H sends The Rock into the crowd, Michaels follows and trips as he gets over the security wall and then the cameraman finally follows them. It’s too late though, as we cut to an overhead cam showing The Rock reversing the momentum and bringing Triple H back towards ringside. Triple H falls over The Rock during the brawl and a backdrop sends the champion back out of the crowd.

  Triple H brings it back into the ring as we pass the 20-minute mark, he hits a suplex on The Rock and lines him up for elbow drops before covering. The Rock kicks out at 2, so Triple H forces his shoulders down, Shawn Michaels is slow to the count and Rocky gets his shoulder up as JR and King focus on the energy he’s using just to resist the fall. Triple H keeps forcing The Rock’s shoulders down for nearfalls, he desperately hooks The Rock’s leg for another nearfall before getting to his feet. The Rock’s head meets the turnbuckle and Triple H takes some free shots at Rock’s head. The Rock fights out of the corner, kicking at Triple H’s knee. He backs himself into the ropes but Triple H uses Rock’s own momentum against him, sending him over to the floor. Shawn Michaels starts counting The Rock out, but Triple H isn’t waiting for that nonsense. He goes to the floor, but gets sent knees first into the ring steps. The Rock brings it back in the ring and drapes Triple H’s ankle over the middle rope. The Rock jumps and drives his knee into Triple H’s hamstring in a move I haven’t seen before or since. We see Triple H’s knees hit the ring steps again as The Rock uses elbow drops to Triple H’s knee before grapevining it on the mat.

  Triple H tries to fight his way out of the hold, taking some shots at The Rock’s head, but The Rock wrenches harder. Triple H breaks the hold by raking the champion’s eyes, which is effective in any situation. Triple H connects with right hands but walks into a shinbreaker and gets dropped. The Rock goes back to the Figure Four but is sent into the corner, walking into a Pedigree that evens the score for Triple H. Triple H takes an unofficial rest period before choking The Rock, Lawler says there’s no DQ, but JR corrects him as Shawn Michaels has to remove Triple H. Triple H knocks The Rock down to one knee with a right hand, The Rock reverses an irish whip but gets caught in the inside cradle and Triple H is up 2-1! Triple H has now surpassed his best friend to have the most falls in WWF Ironman match history.

  The Rock starts fighting back with right hands but gets sent through the ropes to the floor. Triple H decides he still doesn’t want the countout and sends The Rock into the security barrier before the go for a walk towards the set. Triple H knocks The Rock down from behind, but he gets sent into the set before The Rock runs through him with a clothesline. Triple H blocks a suplex and hits one of his own on the concrete entranceway as the crowd chant “Rocky” again. They start making their way back to the ring, with The Rock in front. Triple H attacks him from behind again but hits the concrete thanks to a back suplex. We reach the halfway point as Good Ol’ JR clarifies that the 2/3 falls match was both men’s longest match, not just The Rock’s. Triple H’s head is sent into the security wall and I’m starting to question the threats of count outs. I get that there’s no point if none of them can make it back by 10, but the amount of time they’ve spent out of the ring makes them questionable. We see Shawn reacting to Triple H’s back hitting the side of the ring, but that means we miss Triple H hitting the side of the ring before The Rock backdrops him on the concrete.

  The Rock brings it back into the ring, and he allows Triple H up to his feet only to knock him back down. Triple H pokes Rocky in the eye, The Rock tries to irish whip Triple H but it’s reversed and The Rock runs into a knee to the head. Triple H hits a Piledriver, the only thing that gets Lawler (almost) as excited as the Divas and covers for 3. They slowly get to their feet, Triple H knocks The Rock into the corner and kicks him in the midsection whilst the crowd call Triple H an asshole. Shawn Michaels warns Triple H not to get disqualified, giving The Rock time to run out of the corner with another clothesline. The Rock backs Triple H into the ropes with right hands. Triple H reverses the irish whip and meets Rocky with a back elbow for a nearfall. Triple H goes to the top rope and The Rock brings him back down to the mat for a double-down. Both guys get to their feet at 9 and we have a slugfest to the soundtrack of “Rocky” chants. The Rock gets the better of it, backing Triple H into the corner. Triple H reverses an irish whip, sending The Rock into the turnbuckles but he runs into a back elbow. The Rock gets a nearfall with a La Magistrale cradle, he ducks the clothesline but not the Harley Race-like knee from Triple H. Triple H covers but only gets 2!

  The Rock is cut above his right eye, so that becomes Triple H’s target for now. The Rock fights back with right hands of his own but gets sent off the ropes into a sleeper hold. Triple H tries to keep his bodyweight over The Rock, wearing him down in the hold, but he should be behind The Rock to get the full affect. The Rock begins to fade in the hold, but is able to keep his arm up when HBK checks on him. Triple H uses the middle rope for leverage on the hold as Michaels is facing The Rock. Shawn Michaels checks the arm again, it drops but The Rock starts fighting the hold on the second drop. Triple H goes back to the ropes but gets caught and Shawn Michaels starts to count, but decides to kick Triple H away from the ropes instead. DeGeneration-X face off as The Rock gets back to his feet and gets some air in his lungs. He catches Triple H with right hands, Triple H reverses an irish whip and tries to go back to the sleeper hold but The Rock counters with a belly-to-belly suplex. The Rock slowly drapes his arm over Triple H, but only gets 2. More right hands from The Rock, Triple H reverses an irish whip and ducks early, The Rock stumbles on his way to hitting a DDT on Triple H and cover, bringing the score to 3-2.

  They both roll out of the ring with 19 minutes left in the match, Triple H’s head is sent into the ring steps and dropped across the timekeepers table. Triple H sends The Rock’s head into the table and grabs a chair, but Shawn Michaels takes it off him and puts it in the ring. The one place they’ll never be able to use it(!) The Rock fights back with right hands to Triple H and sends him into the ring steps. Triple H begs off as we see a replay. Triple H reverses an irish whip but The Rock stops his momentum and runs back at Triple H with a neckbreaker. The Rock brings it back into the ring, Triple H begs off some more and gets himself in the corner with the steel chair. He kicks The Rock in the midsection and hits him with the chair, dropping a point to even the score and immediately folding The Rock up in a pin, whilst using the top rope for leverage just to be sure to go back up 4-3. The Rock is dazed and bleeding as we get to the final quarter of the match, Triple H stomps at him exhaustedly and sends The Rock off the ropes into a sleeper hold. The Rock fades as he’s in the hold but he’s able to fight it at the last second, he gets back to his feet and breaks the hold with a flurry of weak right hands. The Rock tries to get some momentum going but runs into another sleeper hold. The Rock is worked down to the mat and the cameraman decides the best angle is through Shawn’s legs. The Rock passes out to the sleeper hold bringing the score to 5-3 for the challenger.

  Shawn Michaels has to physically remove Triple H from the sleeper hold and gets into a shoving match with his old friend. That gives The Rock a minute to catch his breath and he backs Triple H into the corner with a combination of right hands. The Rock goes to send Triple H across the ring but changes direction, Triple H tumbles over the top rope to the floor, wiping out a cameraman on his way down. The Rock brings Triple H back into the ring as the fans chant for him (him being Rock). The Rock connects with right hands as we see a replay of Triple H going over to the floor again and almost miss Triple H getting a nearfall from a DDT. Triple H goes back to the top rope as we have just under 10 minutes left and he gets crotched as The Rock lunges towards the ropes. The Rock softens up Triple H with right hands, he tries to climb the ropes but Triple H knocks him down. The Rock connects with another right hand and hits the superplex for a double-down, The Rock rolls over for the cover and Triple H gets a shoulder up at 2. An irish whip sends Triple H into the ropes and he holds on, The Rock runs at him with a back elbow and right hands as everything is taking that bit more out of them. The Rock clotheslines Triple H over the top rope and sends his head off the ring steps. Triple H is caught with knees to the midsection and The Rock trips him, catapulting Triple H into the ring post. Triple H sends The Rock into the ring steps and clears the announce table to play the clock. Triple H sets up a Rock Bottom, but the champion elbows his way free. The Rock hits a Pedigree on the table, which refuses to break.

  The Rock rolls back into the ring and Shawn Michaels counts Triple H out. When we next see Triple H he’s busted open. Vince, Shane and Stephanie come back out to watch the conclusion of the match. Triple H rolls back into the ring, just beating another count out but being met by The Rock’s right hand. Triple H reverses an irish whip sending The Rock into the corner but is knocked down by a clothesline. The Rock sends Triple H off the ropes into a DDT! Shane McMahon gets on the apron, but he’s knocked down, Mr. McMahon gets the same treatment and The Rock hits Triple H with a Spinebuster. The Rock evens the score with the Peoples’ Elbow with just under 2 minutes left. Shane drags Michaels out of the ring and gets decked, Michaels knocks down Vince too and gets back on the apron. Triple H is sent into Michaels who hits the security wall and takes a nap. Road Dogg is in the ring and The Rock sends him away. X-Pac seems to jump his queue, waiting for The Rock to hit the Rock Bottom before breaking up the cover. We hear creepy children and see a video on the Titantron as Shane brings a chair into the ring. DX and the McMahons gang up on The Rock as Undertaker makes his return on a motorcycle! He knocks down Road Dogg and X-Pac before sending Triple H to the floor. X-Pac and Shane McMahon each get Chokeslammed, Vince is knocked down in the carnage, too!

  Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley tells Undertaker how disappointed in him she is. Triple H saves his wife from the Chokeslam as Shawn Michaels reappears near the ring. He sees Undertaker hit a Chokeslam and Tombstone Piledriver on Triple H so he disqualifies The Rock, giving the match to Triple H at the last second!

WINNER:

This is a very good match, they modernised the Ironman match for the Attitude Era and went fall-heavy, but they were all believable points in the match. They had enough moments to keep the crowd (and me) invested throughout the match. Shawn Michaels was the perfect referee for the match, with his history in the first WWF 60-minute Ironman match (here) and with Triple H. The chaotic ending made sense and brought The Rock back to chasing for the belt. [***¾] 7.75/10