AEW Commentator and WWE Hall of Famer Jim Ross recently discussed the Backlash 2000 PPV on the Grilling JR podcast. This episode is available to listen to at AdFreeShows.com, you can find more information about the subscription service at the bottom of this article.
During the podcast, JR would allude to then WWF Superstar Triple H ‘killing’ the career of ECW performer Taz. The ‘Human Suplex Machine’ joined WWE/F in January of 2000, appearing at the Royal Rumble PPV as a surprise opponent for Kurt Angle. Following the event, Tazz would then be pushed down the card into the Hardcore division, soon diminishing into obscurity on the roster.
Tazz vs Triple H
One of the (seemingly) brighter moments for Tazz in his run in 2000 was when he faced then WWF Champion Triple H on SmackDown, just 10 days before ‘The Game’ was due to defend his title against The Rock at Backlash 2000.
This match pitted the reigning ECW Champion against the reigning WWF Champion for the very first time ever. Tazz had won the belt by defeating Mike Awesome, a WCW contracted wrestler, in a controversial match set up by Paul Heyman to get the title off of Awesome. Mike Awesome had signed for WCW whilst still ECW Champion, and this caused a major issue for the Extreme brand.
Unprecedented
With the unprecedented match between Tazz and Triple H taking place on SmackDown, it looked like the ECW Champion might be getting a bigger push in the company than the preceding month had indicated. However, as stated by Vince McMahon in the ‘Rise and Fall of ECW’ documentary, it was pretty poor form from WWE; who many believe ‘killed’ the ECW brand that night by having Triple H beat Tazz in the fashion he did.
Did It Kill ECW?
“It didn’t do ECW any favours, but ‘kill’ might be a strong word” Jim Ross refuted on Grilling Jr. “It didn’t help anybody in that regard, except Hunter got a nice win in Philadelphia.”
JR would elaborate further, saying “Tazz was so under-utilized when we hired him for WWE. For whatever reason, he was never in political favour. You know Hunter/Triple H may have had an issue. Hunter was 6’4, Tazz what? 5’8, 5’10 or 5’9? I don’t know, but he’s under six foot.” There have been reports in the past of Triple H allegedly destroying pushes for talent that he deemed where not ‘big enough,’ another example being the alleged attempt to hold down Kurt Angle in the same era.
Human Suplex Machine
Jim Ross would elaborate further, saying “the perception was, even though Tazz could snuff out 99% of the guys on the roster? That he’s not ‘convincing.’ Well if you watch any of the ECW stuff? Tazz got over. And people believed he WAS the ‘Human Suplex Machine.’ So that was a big get for me [as head of talent relations], I was a big mark for his work in ECW. [Paul] Heyman knew how to book him.”
Ross would finish by making some scathing remarks, again seemingly aimed towards ‘The Game’ Triple H. “So, there again you get these egos involved. ‘Okay, He’s too short’ says who? The f*ck are you now Lou Thesz!? And then the other thing is, guys that haven’t been in too many real fights? Have never had their ass beat by somebody shorter than them.”
Do you think that the match hurt Tazz’s WWE career back in 2000? Check it out below and let us know your thoughts in the comments
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