Background
The main feud going into the event was between Triple H and Mick Foley. The McMahon-Helmsley Faction began in late 1999, where Triple H and Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley had control over the WWF, and scheduling unreasonable matches for the wrestlers. Foley objected to this, and the faction attacked several times before finally firing him. On the January 3 episode of Raw is War, Triple H won the WWF Championship, and mocked Foley with an impersonator. On the January 10 episode of Raw is War, The Rock brought every superstar to the ring, demanding that Foley be reinstated or the entire roster would walk out. Foley was reinstated, and he requested a Street Fight for the WWF Championship at Royal Rumble. Foley and Triple H fought in a four-on-four tag team match later that night. Triple H pinned Foley after using the ring bell, and delivering two Pedigrees. After the match, Foley took off his mask, and attacked Triple H. On the January 13 episode of SmackDown!, Foley returned to his Cactus Jack persona (with a more violent and psychotic character) by taking off his Mankind attire to reveal his Cactus Jack attire.
Buildup towards the Royal Rumble match began on January 10, when The Rock announced his participation in the match. The following week, The Big Show announced that he will win the match, and The Rock guaranteed he will win. Later that night, The Rock and The Big Show faced the New Age Outlaws. At the end, Big Show attacked The Rock, and The Rock hit him with a steel chair, and a People's Elbow. On the January 20 episode of SmackDown!, The Big Show confronted The Rock. Kane and Tori came out, and Tori claimed that Kane was the favorite. The three fought, and were scheduled for a Triple Threat Over-the-Top-Rope Lumberjack match later. In the match, The Big Show eliminated The Rock with a chokeslam, and Kane eliminated The Big Show with a back body drop to win, sparking a fight involving all the competitors and lumberjacks.
Another feud going into the event was between Chris Jericho, Chyna and Hardcore Holly over the WWF Intercontinental Championship. On the December 30 episode of SmackDown!, a title match between Chyna and Jericho ended in a double pinfall. On the January 3 episode of Raw is War, both were declared co-champions. Afterwards, Holly challenged Chyna for the title, and Jericho helped her retain. Jericho and Chyna were forced to work together, and this created tension between them. The title situation would be solved in a Triple Threat match between Jericho, Chyna and Holly.
Read more about this topic: Royal Rumble (2000)
Famous quotes containing the word background:
“... every experience in life enriches one’s background and should teach valuable lessons.”
—Mary Barnett Gilson (1877–?)
“They were more than hostile. In the first place, I was a south Georgian and I was looked upon as a fiscal conservative, and the Atlanta newspapers quite erroneously, because they didn’t know anything about me or my background here in Plains, decided that I was also a racial conservative.”
—Jimmy Carter (James Earl Carter, Jr.)
“Pilate with his question “What is truth?” is gladly trotted out these days as an advocate of Christ, so as to arouse the suspicion that everything known and knowable is an illusion and to erect the cross upon that gruesome background of the impossibility of knowledge.”
—Friedrich Nietzsche (1844–1900)