Behind the scenes of WrestleMania 2000, the WWF was facing a creative crisis. With their biggest star, “Stone Cold” Steve Austin, sidelined with a serious neck injury, the company had to build its biggest show without its top attraction . What emerged was a famously overbooked event defined by the “McMahon in Every Corner” main event.
Here are the key details that happened off-camera, inside the locker room, and in the writers’ room leading up to that night in Anaheim.
đź“ś The Creative Chaos: Why a “McMahon in Every Corner”?
The decision-making behind the main event was driven by necessity. With Austin out, the WWF was forced to elevate several stars simultaneously. The solution? A Fatal 4-Way Elimination Match for the WWF Championship between Triple H, The Rock, Big Show, and Mick Foley .
To maximize the drama and the star power of the McMahon family (who were central to the “Attitude Era” storylines), management decided to put a McMahon in every corner:
- Stephanie McMahon with her husband, champion Triple H.
- Vince McMahon with The Rock.
- Shane McMahon with Big Show.
- Linda McMahon with Mick Foley .
Behind the scenes, this was seen as an overbooked mess. Critics note that by forcing every family member into the spotlight, the company took the focus off the wrestlers and the championship itself . The result was a convoluted finish where Vince infamously turned on The Rock (hitting him with a chair to help Triple H retain the title) . Commercially, the decision was strategic: it allowed the company to stretch the Rock vs. Triple H rivalry to the next month’s Backlash pay-per-view, which ended up drawing a massive buy rate .
🎨 The “Unfinished” Visuals: A Divisive Stage Design
Beyond the booking, the look of the show was a point of contention. WrestleMania 2000 marked a shift away from the traditional numbered titles (like WrestleMania XV) to a “year” branding to capitalize on the millennium hype .
However, the physical set design is often remembered as a rare visual misfire for the WWF at the time. Critics described the stage as “soul-destroying” and “unfinished” . Unlike the vibrant, larger-than-life sets the company was known for, the Anaheim production featured a ring decked almost entirely in black and smaller tron screens than those used on weekly Raw and Smackdown episodes .
🩸 The Price of History: Jeff Hardy’s Dislocated Heel
While the main event struggled critically, the Triangle Ladder Match for the Tag Team Championships is widely considered the savior of the card. The bout featured Edge & Christian, The Hardy Boyz, and The Dudley Boyz in a spotfest that revolutionized tag team wrestling.
Years later, Matt Hardy released never-before-seen backstage footage revealing the true physical cost of that match .
- The Injury: After jumping off a 12-foot ladder to deliver a Swanton Bomb to Bubba Ray Dudley through a table, Jeff Hardy landed awkwardly. He legitimately dislocated his heel .
- The Reaction: In the footage, Jeff is seen being tended to by trainers while Matt reviews the match. Despite the pain, Jeff was ecstatic, saying, “Oh man, what a feeling,” and noting he was worried the ladder might slip out from under him . Matt reflected that their childhood dream of performing at WrestleMania had come true, and the six men involved formed a “lasting bond” due to the risks they took .
🎬 The “Beyond the Mat” Distraction
One of the strangest behind-the-scenes subplots of 2000 was the release of the documentary “Beyond the Mat.” While not solely about WrestleMania 2000, the film documented wrestlers’ lives leading up to this era .
- The Conflict: The WWF, led by Vince McMahon, actively tried to suppress the film. They sent cease-and-desist letters to the distributor, Lions Gate Films, to stop ads featuring WWF intellectual property .
- The Irony: Despite McMahon publicly claiming the film was “boring” and would “disappear on its own,” the documentary went on to become a critical success . It provided a gritty, real-world counterpoint to the over-the-top presentation of WrestleMania 2000.
đź“€ What Survives Today: The DVD Extras
For fans looking to peek behind the curtain today, the DVD release of WrestleMania 2000 offers some of the most insightful commentary in WWE history.
- Triple Threat Audio: The disc includes a 3-man commentary track recorded by Kurt Angle, Chris Jericho, and Chris Benoit for their Intercontinental and European Title matches (a rare double-header where Benoit won one title and Jericho the other) .
- Axxess Footage: The DVD also features “Backstage Axxess” footage, giving fans of the era a glimpse of the chaos and camaraderie (including awkward bathroom segments with Al Snow and Steve Blackman) that didn’t make the live broadcast .
⚖️ The Legacy
In retrospect, WrestleMania 2000 is viewed as the “lost” Mania of the Attitude Era—a commercial success that was creatively overshadowed by the shows that surrounded it. While the main event booking and stage design are often criticized, the show is retrospectively saved by the revolutionary ladder match and the compelling “what if” of the Austin-less main event scene .
Is there a specific match or wrestler from this show you’d like to hear more about?