Smackdown!
The MCI Center, Washington, DC
March 8, 2001

SmackDown! opened with a Tag Team Championship match as the Hardy Boyz -- who won the titles on Monday's episode of RAW IS WAR -- defended against former champions the Dudley Boyz. The Dudleys were able to hit Jeff with the 3-D -- but as the ref was about to make the three-count, Christian ran down and pulled the ref out of the ring. As Buh Buh screamed at Christian, Matt Hardy snuck up behind and nailed Buh Buh with a neckbreaker. Jeff then pinned Buh Buh for a successful title defense! After the bout, an irate Buh Buh and D-Von pulled Christian into the ring, where they gave him a "wassap!" headbutt, and then Buh Buh powerbombed Christian through a table!

In a backstage locker room, Mr. McMahon was on the phone with someone, saying that he was very proud of Monday's humiliation of Trish Stratus. The Federation chairman said he also had some major humiliation in store for SmackDown!, which would be even better that what he did on RAW, since it was personal.

Debra then walked into Mr. McMahon's locker room. Debra said she disliked the way Mr. McMahon degraded Trish on RAW, saying it was no way to treat a lady. Mr. McMahon said he had the utmost respect for women. The chairman then said that unlike Debra, who deserved respect, Trish was trash! But the owner said he got carried away, and he apologized to Debra.

Debra also told the chairman that she was upset about managing The Rock, who will face her husband -- Stone Cold Steve Austin -- at WrestleMania! Mr.

McMahon said he was shocked on RAW when Debra resigned and said she wanted to go back to managing. The owner said he wanted to reward Debra for all her hard work, and he decided to allow her to manage the Federation Champion! Mr. McMahon said that he now understood the personal conflict, but he had always thought of Debra as a goal-oriented career woman. He told Debra to go back to Texas to be a housewife if she really wanted to, but he said he thought she could do a good job. Debra said it was an uncomfortable situation, but she was up for the challenge. Before Debra left, Mr. McMahon told her that he really admired the necklace she was wearing.

Next up, Chris Jericho defended the Intercontinental Championship against Val Venis of the Right to Censor. Ivory joined Michael Cole and Tazz on color commentary for the bout, and Cole confronted her with locker-room rumors that Chyna is considering a comeback, possibly even challenging Ivory for the Women's Championship at WrestleMania! Ivory said that Chyna might want to re-think that, considering what she had done to Chyna in the past. Jericho was soon knocked outside the ring, where he was attacked by members of the Right to Censor! But the APA came out to help Y2J! With the ref distracted, Mr. Richards jumped into the ring and nailed Y2J with a Stevenkick, but Jericho kicked out at two! Jericho then hit a Lionsault onto Venis to win the match and retain his title!

"Hermie" then interviewed Kurt Angle, asking Angle if he had any regrets about breaking Scotty 2 Hotty's ankle on RAW. Angle said his only regret was how long it took to break Scotty's ankle! As Angle was talking, Grand Master Sexay -- Scotty's partner -- started screaming at him, and Sexay had to be restrained. Angle told Sexay that he couldn't last five minutes with him, since he was an "Olympic freakin' champion!" One of the men holding Sexay back -- Test -- took offense to Angle's words, and Test challenged Angle for later in the night on SmackDown! Angle accepted the challenge, and promised to break Test's ankle just as he broke Scotty's!

Back in Mr. McMahon's locker room, the Federation chairman spoke to Trish Stratus on the phone. Apparently, Trish was on her way to the arena, with Linda McMahon accompanying her!

Chris Benoit then walked into the Radicalz' locker room, where Eddie Guerrero, Perry Saturn and Dean Malenko were talking. Benoit turned his back on the three men and challenged Guerrero to attack him. Guerrero ran at the Wolverine, but Saturn and Malenko held him back! Benoit mocked Guerrero, but Saturn and Malenko wouldn't allow Guerrero to get near the Wolverine. Benoit then told the three men that if they wanted a piece of him, to meet him in the ring in a Gauntlet Match. Benoit promised to take out all three men.

In another locker room, Stone Cold Steve Austin talked to his wife, Debra.

The Rattlesnake told his wife that she had been tricked by Mr. McMahon, and that he was in a very uncomfortable situation.

Next up, Benoit took on Saturn, Malenko and Guerrero in a Gauntlet Match, where he faced all three of his Radicalz partners in consecutive matches. Benoit won the first fall, forcing Saturn to tap out to the Crossface. The Wolverine also won the second fall, pinning Malenko with a roll-up. Before Guerrero walked to the ring, Malenko and Saturn brutally attacked Benoit from behind. Guerrero then got into the ring and nailed Benoit with a suplex and a frog splash to win the match.

Mr. McMahon and Trish then walked to the stage, and Trish wheeled out Linda McMahon, who was still in a catatonic state. The chairman said that even though Linda was heavily medicated, she could still hear everything he was saying. Mr. McMahon said that every Monday and Thursday, he instructed the workers at the sanitarium to wheel his wife in front of television so she could watch her husband run the Federation. He said he could only wonder what Linda was thinking on RAW when he told Trish to remove her clothes. He said that in doing so, Trish had earned his loyalty and respect, something Linda never had.

Mr. McMahon said that Linda had seen a lot on Monday, but he thought she still needed to see more. The chairman then took Trish in his arms and kissed her passionately, right in front of his estranged wife!

Next up, Test took on Kurt Angle in a special challenge match. The Olympian won the non-title match, pinning Test after an Olympic Slam! After the bout, Grand Master Sexay attacked Angle. But Angle recovered, and locked Sexay in the ankle lock! Sexay was saved by Test, who nailed Angle with a huge boot to the face!

Backstage, Al Snow was shown on the phone with Mick Foley, where he revealed that Mr. McMahon had put him into a match against William Regal, and that he would become Federation commissioner if he won the bout!

Next up, William Regal faced Al Snow in a match to determine who would become the new commissioner of the World Wrestling Federation! Regal soon aggravated Snow by knocking one of Snow's midgets off the ring apron. As Al went to check on his little friend, Regal snuck up from behind and slammed him for the pinfall! William Regal is the new commissioner of the World Wrestling Federation! After the bout, Regal suplexed one of the midgets for good measure!

Triple H and Stephanie then arrived at the arena, only to run into Trish and Linda backstage! Stephanie was thrilled to see her mother, and Triple H was also happy to see his mother-in-law. A catatonic Linda could only sit in her wheelchair and stare into space as her daughter and son-in-law exchanged pleasantries with her.

The Game and his wife then walked to the ring, and the only thing on Triple H's mind was WrestleMania, and the fact that he believes he belongs in the main event.

The Game said that in his seven years in the World Wrestling Federation, he had beaten everyone who had come along to get to where he is today -- including both Rock and Stone Cold, the men who will face off in the main event of WrestleMania. The Game said he didn't understand how it was that he had defeated everyone in the Federation, and yet wasn't in the main event of WrestleMania!

One superstar took exception to Triple H's claims of dominance -- the Undertaker! Taker said two things -- first, that Triple H was trespassing in his yard, and second, that Triple H had never beaten him! The Undertaker said that he had been dominating for the past decade of destruction! Taker said that while Triple H was clawing his way to the top of the mountain, Undertaker was burying people underneath the mountain! The Taker said that he wasn't the People's Champion or the Rattlesnake -- he was the Dead Man, and the Game had never beaten him!

The Taker said he didn't like Triple H, he didn't respect Triple H and he didn't fear Triple H. The Game then tried to hit the Taker, but the Dead Man blocked it and knocked out the Game!

Backstage, Haku and Rikishi talked about how they were going to take out The Rock in their Handicap Match later in the show. Rikishi said that he had run down Stone Cold with a car, and tonight he would follow orders which someone had given him, and take out The Rock. Rikishi then said he would also follow orders to stick his ass in Mrs. Austin's face!

Hermie then interviewed The Rock. The Federation Champion said he didn't need Debra or any other manager -- especially for the biggest match in his career. Rock asked Debra one question -- Could she accept the fact that at WrestleMania, she couldn't stop The Rock from whipping her husband's candy ass?

The main event on SmackDown! was a Handicap Match pitting Haku and Rikishi against The Rock, accompanied by Debra. Amazingly, the People's Champion won the match, pinning Haku after a Rock Bottom! After the bout, Rikishi attacked The Rock and floored him with a Banzai Drop. Debra then got into the ring to save Rock, and Rikishi yelled at her. Haku then held her in the corner, preparing her for the Stink Face. But as Rikishi went for the Stink Face, Stone Cold ran to the ring to come to his wife's aid, knocking out Haku and Rikishi! As Austin left the ringside area, Debra checked on The Rock, who was still feeling the after-effects of the Banzai Drop.