10 Things You Learn Binge Watching Every WWE SmackDown From 2000

5. So Many Matches Are Shockingly Short

Mick Foley Triple H SmackDown 2000
WWE Network/Peacock

Tune into Raw or SmackDown now and you're guaranteed to see some lengthy matches. Some of them will even span two segments either side of a commercial break, and the quality will be sky high. In 2000, longer matches weren't really the main priority on TV - telling stories and presenting a soap opera-style show was the focus.

It's jarring to go back and see matches starring some of your favourites last anywhere between 2-5 minutes. For example, Kurt Angle vs. The Rock on the 6 January episode of SmackDown ended via DQ in less than four mins. The longest match of nine on that broadcast? Rikishi vs. Triple H at seven minutes.

This wasn't uncommon.

So many bouts were only just getting started when someone hit a quick finish or another wrestler sprinted in for the DQ/distraction. The industry's fascination with ref bumps was insane 24 years ago too. It was a wee bit shocking when refs didn't take a dive.

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Lifelong wrestling, video game, music and sports obsessive who has been writing about his passions since childhood. Jamie started writing for WhatCulture in 2013, and has contributed thousands of articles and YouTube videos since then. He cut his teeth penning published pieces for top UK and European wrestling read Fighting Spirit Magazine (FSM), and also has extensive experience working within the wrestling biz as a manager and commentator for promotions like ICW on WWE Network and WCPW/Defiant since 2010. Further, Jamie also hosted the old Ministry Of Slam podcast, and has interviewed everyone from Steve Austin and Shawn Michaels to Bret Hart and Trish Stratus.