Ranking 10 WWE Matches That Turned Wrestlers Into Superstars
6. Triple H Vs. Cactus Jack - Street Fight (Royal Rumble 2000)
Fans can quibble all they want over whether Triple H was actually a load-bearing superstar in the mold of Stone Cold or The Rock during the Attitude Era, but the fact remains that Hunter was at least one of the top guys during what was arguably the most popular era in company history.
But it took a while for The Game to catch on as an independent act, as he initially had a difficult time moving out of Shawn Michaels' shadow, and an even harder time leapfrogging the clear Numbers 1 and 2 in the company. But damn it all if he didn't give it his best shot at the New Millennium's first Royal Rumble.
As he'd done one year earlier, Mick Foley was in a position to inject a little venom into a fellow wrestler's persona. Here he had an opportunity to lend Triple H's "Cerebral Assassin" nickname some credibility.
This street fight was a showcase for Trips' ruthlessness as well as his storytelling abilities, as he methodically matched hardcore wits with one of the all-time greats. But more than that, this match kicked off what would become perhaps his most celebrated year in WWE and solidified his position as a constant contender for the WWE Championship.