3. Triple H Defeats Big Show for the WWE Championship (Raw, January 3, 2000)
The McMahon-Helmsley Faction was looking to start the new millennium with a bang. Triple H dropped the WWE Championship to Big Show in a triple threat match at Survivor Series 1999. However, on the first episode of RAW in January 2000, the leader of D-Generation X challenged Show for the WWE Championship. The Game wanted to do it on his lonesome with DX and his wife Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley absent from ringside.
Show’s maiden WWE Championship reign was disappointing. His feud with Big Boss Man was poor, and a title change was necessary. Inevitably, Triple H curtailed Show’s underwhelming WWE Championship reign to kickstart his third WWE Championship reign.
However, Triple H’s WWE Championship run made his build to the Royal Rumble fascinating as he went on to defend the WWE Championship against Cactus Jack at the 2000 Royal Rumble in a brutal Street Fight.
