Former WWF writer Tommy Blacha and co-host Rob Pasbani head to the landlocked city of Orlando, Florida, to recap the July 3, 2000, episode of Monday Night Raw. This episode is legendary for one of the most iconic comedic moments in Attitude Era history: Mick Foley using The Rock’s own catchphrase against him to deliver a massive \"It doesn't matter how you feel!\".
We break down the \"soft reboot\" of the summer season as Foley settles into his role as Commissioner and begins stacking the deck against the McMahon-Helmsley Faction. Tommy Blacha shares behind-the-scenes stories about the relentless pace of the era, the transition of talent from WCW, and the lack of clean finishes. We also discuss the technical masterpiece of Chris Benoit vs. Eddie Guerrero and the legitimate heat generated by Kurt Angle’s \"dirty\" Orlando insults.
Other major discussion points include:
- Shane McMahon being named the surprise #1 Contender for the WWF Championship.
- Rikishi shocking the world by defeating Chris Benoit for the Intercontinental Title.
- The emergence of the Right to Censor as Steven Richards targets the Godfather’s ladies.
- Tommy’s memories of his own failed wrestling promotion and the \"bitter lessons\" of the business.
0:00 - Intro
0:53 - Welcome to Orlando: The Landlocked Disney Trap
3:50 - The \"Story Building\" Episode: Why clean finishes were rare
5:20 - Elevating the Next Generation: Jericho, Angle, and Benoit
8:45 - Tommy’s \"51/49\" Mindset: The burnout of the relentless pace
10:14 - Behind the Scenes: Foley's early return from retirement
13:37 - Match 1: Eddie Guerrero vs. Chris Benoit
17:40 - The \"Shades of Gray\" Era: Why squash matches became passé
24:10 - MICK FOLEY’S BIG MOMENT: \"It doesn't matter how you feel!\"
31:15 - Match 2: Rikishi vs. Triple H (The \"Swallows\" Chant)
34:00 - Backstage: Foley baits and switches Triple H
36:00 - Match 3: Jeff Hardy vs. Val Venis (Taz Intervenes)
39:00 - Rudy Giuliani at WWF New York
41:00 - Match 4: Chris Jericho & The APA vs. DX (3-on-2 Handicap)
44:00 - Edge & Christian’s 4th of July sucking up to the Undertaker
47:15 - Match 5: Undertaker & Kane vs. Edge & Christian (The Last Ride)
48:30 - Match 6: Dean Malenko vs. Crash Holly (The Pop-up Powerbomb)
50:35 - RIGHT TO CENSOR: Steven Richards targets the Godfather
53:15 - Match 7: The Dudley Boyz vs. Kurt Angle & Brooklyn Brawler
56:30 - Steve Blackman vs. The Posse: Jackie Chan style beatdown
58:50 - The USA vs. Viacom Lawsuit: The $500 million shift
1:03:00 - Main Event: The Rock vs. Shane McMahon
1:05:35 - Chris Benoit joins the Faction
1:06:01 - Outro
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