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WrestleMania XX was the twentieth annual WrestleMania professional wrestling pay-per-view produced by World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE). It took place on March 14, 2004, at Madison Square Garden in New York City. This was the third time that Wrestlemania was hosted in Madison Square Garden The event was a joint-promotion pay-per-view event, featuring performers from the Raw and SmackDown! brands. The card for the event featured two main events. The main match for the Raw brand was a Triple Threat match for the World Heavyweight Championship between champion Triple H, Shawn Michaels and Chris Benoit. Benoit won the match, making Triple H submit via the Crippler Crossface.〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=Chris Benoit vs. Shawn Michaels vs. Triple H – World Heavyweight Championship )〕 The main match for the SmackDown! brand featured Eddie Guerrero versus Kurt Angle for the WWE Championship which Guerrero won after a small package. The event featured the return of The Undertaker, who defeated Kane after a Tombstone Piledriver. Also on the card was a match between Goldberg and Brock Lesnar with Stone Cold Steve Austin as the special guest referee. This was both Goldberg's final match with WWE and Lesnar's final match until his return in 2012. After Goldberg won the match following a Jackhammer, both men were given a Stone Cold Stunner by Austin on their way out.〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=WrestleMania XX Results )〕〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=WrestleMania XX Results )〕 WrestleMania XX was the third WrestleMania at Madison Square Garden (after WrestleManias I and X) and the fourth of five WrestleManias in the New York metropolitan area (alongside WrestleManias I, 2, X and 29).〔 The event grossed US$2.4 million in ticket sales, making the Pay-Per-View the highest grossing event ever for WWE at Madison Square Garden. More than 20,000 people from 16 countries, 48 states attended the event, which was also televised in more than 90 countries. The event generated an estimated $13.5 million of economic activity for New York City and created an equivalent of 96 full-year jobs. ==Background== The main rivalry heading into the pay-per-view was on the Raw brand, with Triple H, Shawn Michaels and Chris Benoit feuding over the World Heavyweight Championship. This would mark the third pay per view event that Triple H would defend a World Championship at Madison Square Garden. The first event was January 2000 at the Royal Rumble, where Triple H retained the then-known WWF Championship over Cactus Jack. The second event at the same arena was in November 2002 at Survivor Series, where Triple H defended the World Championship in the 1st ever Six man Elimination Chamber match, which was won by Shawn Michaels. Triple H was the champion heading into the WrestleMania XX event with the origins of the rivalry beginning on the December 29, 2003 episode of ''Raw'', when Michaels challenged Triple H for the World title in Michaels' hometown of San Antonio, Texas. As it looked like Michaels was going to win his 5th World title over Triple H, Raw General Manager Eric Bischoff got to the ring at the last minute and made the pinfall, counting to three for what would originally appear to be Shawn Michaels winning the World Heavyweight title. However, as Shawn's shoulders were on the mat at the same time as Triple H's, the match was declared a draw and Triple H would retain the championship. At the Royal Rumble event on January 25, Triple H and Michaels faced each other again in a Last Man Standing match for the title, which resulted in a draw, and, as a result, Triple H retained the title, leaving question on who was the better of the two. Also at the pay-per-view, in the Royal Rumble match, SmackDown!'s Benoit won the contest by last eliminating The Big Show.〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=Chris Benoit (spot No. 1) wins the Royal Rumble Match )〕 The following night, Michaels and Triple H were involved in an in-ring confrontation when Raw's authority figure (referred to as the "Sheriff"), Steve Austin, made his way to the ring. He stated that, although Michaels should have a rematch, he had to "enforce the law" and that even though the Royal Rumble rules gave the winner of the match a shot at "the (world) championship", there was not any specification as to which world title that was. Benoit, who at the time was a member of ''SmackDown'', then came to the ring and said he was taking advantage of that loophole and challenging Triple H for the World Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania XX.〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=Raw Results – January 26, 2004 )〕 On the February 9 episode of ''Raw'', a contract signing took place between Benoit and World Champion, Triple H. As Triple H signed his name on the paper, Michaels came out to inform Benoit that the last thing he wanted to do is rain on his parade. He then stated that he more than anybody can respect Benoit's effort to win the Royal Rumble match and earning a World title shot but suggested that Benoit could've stayed on ''SmackDown'' to take care of business while Michaels, himself, was trying to finish his 10-year issue with Triple H on behalf of the ''Raw'' brand. Benoit refused to relinquish his guaranteed title shot, resulting in Michaels superkicking Benoit and signing the contract himself for the WrestleMania match. After the two men wrestled a match marred by interference from the champion the next week, Austin decided to make Triple H's title defense a Triple threat match. On March 1, after Michaels and Benoit lost to Randy Orton and Batista, Triple H's stablemates in Evolution, the entire group attacked Michaels and Benoit, ending with Triple H nailing them with the Pedigree and rubbing his World title belt into their faces while they were laying motionless in the ring. The main feud on the SmackDown! brand was between Eddie Guerrero and Kurt Angle for the WWE Championship. In the beginning of 2004, Angle and Guerrero were allies while Guerrero feuded with his nephew Chavo Guerrero. On ''SmackDown!'' on January 29, Eddie Guerrero last eliminated Angle in a 15-man Royal Rumble style match to earn a shot at the WWE Championship. At the prior pay per view, No Way Out, Kurt Angle defeated The Big Show and John Cena in a Triple threat match to earn himself a title shot at WrestleMania on the same event where Guerrero defeated Brock Lesnar for the WWE title. On the February 19 episode of ''SmackDown!'', Angle was the special guest referee in a match between WWE Champion, Eddie Guerrero and WWE Cruiserweight Champion, Chavo Guerrero. As Eddie was about to close in on the victory, Angle stopped the 3 count and would turn on Guerrero.〔edition of February 17, 2004 of ''SmackDown!''〕 On the following week's ''SmackDown!'', Guerrero was eager to get his revenge on Angle while looking for him but when he finally saw Angle, he shoved SmackDown General Manager, Paul Heyman and his assistant Dawn Marie out of his way only for Heyman to have Guerrero escorted out of the arena by security. Guerrero was scheduled to team with John Cena to take on Chavo Guerrero and the Big Show in a tag team match on that night but due to Guerrero being escorted out of the arena, he was replaced by Rey Mysterio for the tag match, which Mysterio and Cena won. Later that night, Angle appeared and stated that he attacked Guerrero for the SmackDown! fans and for the WWE. He then referred to Guerrero as a former drug addict that shouldn't represent SmackDown! as the WWE Champion and stated that one day people will be thanking him for a champion that they could be proud of. Guerrero then came back to the arena and assaulted Angle until he got arrested by orders of Paul Heyman. As Guerrero got taken out of the building in handcuffs, Angle made some insulting comments to him until the officers drove away with Guerrero in the Police car. On the March 4 episode of ''SmackDown!'', during Guerrero's match with Heyman (while he was handcuffed), Angle interfered and knocked him down a few times until Guerrero defended himself by spitting on Angle. As Guerrero begged Angle to nail him with the WWE Championship belt, Angle did so and raised title the belt overhead to hype their match at Wrestlemania XX. This also marks the first WrestleMania to have a match billed as "interpromotional", which means that a party from ''Raw'' would wrestle a party from ''SmackDown!''. WWE owner, Vince McMahon, named three matches to be interpromotional on the episode of February 16 of ''Raw''. The first was a match a tag team match featuring SmackDown!'s Torrie Wilson and Sable, who had recently been featured in a pictorial in Playboy magazine, against Raw's Stacy Keibler and Miss Jackie, who had protested the decision made by Hugh Hefner not to feature them.〔edition of February 14, 2004 of ''Raw''〕 The next match was made at the request of Kane, and had its roots in both a shift in character for Kane and a match at the previous year's Survivor Series. Kane's storyline brother, The Undertaker, challenged Vince McMahon to a Buried Alive match. Kane, who had adopted a much more sadistic persona since being forced to unmask in June 2003, interfered in the match and buried his brother under several tons of dirt, apparently killing him.〔 On the November 20 episode of SmackDown, Kane appeared to give the eulogy for his brother, claiming that The Undertaker was no longer his brother and had died a long time before that as he no longer embraced his dark side. Two months later, Kane participated in the Royal Rumble and was eliminated by Booker T after the bell from The Undertaker's old theme music began playing and upset and distracted him. Over the following weeks, Kane repeatedly insisted that The Undertaker was "dead", only to be met with various paranormal incidents such as a rainstorm localized over the ramp on which he stood. On the last episode of ''Raw'', Kane appeared to the ring and saw an empty Casket standing in the ring but as he opened it, he saw an urn inside of it. He then grabbed the microphone and asked if that's what he's been looking forward to. He also stated it's going to take more than an empty casket and an urn to intimidate and beat him. He then stated that the Undertaker's legacy, his 11–0 WrestleMania streak and his life is coming to an end as he said "it's back to the grave for you for good". As he claimed that It's over and that he's not afraid of the Undertaker. The lights turned out but this time, the 10,000 pound wrestling ring lifted off the ground with Kane standing in it and tilted side ways, which would be the final message sent from the Undertaker before their match at WrestleMania XX. On the January 26, episode of ''Raw'', Goldberg came to the ring, and demanded a match himself against Brock Lesnar, with whom he had problems over the past two months. The night before, Goldberg was entered in the ''Royal Rumble'' match, only to have Lesnar (who, as the reigning WWE Champion, was not entered into the match) interfered, causing Goldberg to be eliminated by Kurt Angle. The following week on an episode of ''Raw'', as a result of the rivalry extending between the two programs, sheriff Steve Austin gave Goldberg the option of attending No Way Out by giving him a front-row ticket. At the No Way Out event, Goldberg was seen arriving at the arena and being escorted to his front seat by security. Then SmackDown General Manager, Paul Heyman gave a promotional in-ring segment on how ''SmackDown!'' was the better program over ''Raw''. Lesnar would come down to the ring to promote his match and to insult Goldberg. Goldberg immediately jumped over the barricade into the ring, where Lesnar performed a running shoulder block to Goldberg's stomach; however he recuperated and lifted Lesnar vertically in the air before slamming him down to perform the Jackhammer. Goldberg was then escorted out of the arena by security. During Lesnar's WWE title defense against Eddie Guerrero later that night, Goldberg returned to the arena and interfered by executing a spear, which caused Lesnar to lose the title after Guerrero nailed him with a Frog splash. On the February 22, 2004 episode of ''Raw'', Vince McMahon named the Interpromotional singles match pitting Lesnar versus Goldberg for WrestleMania XX with Steve Austin as the special guest referee. During the match between McMahon and Eric Bischoff, Lesnar appeared on Raw and nailed Steve Austin with an F-5 then stole Austin's four-wheeler.〔 A few days later on ''SmackDown!'', Lesnar stated that he appeared on Raw just to get back at Austin for giving Goldberg the front-row seat ticket and suggesting that Goldberg would attack Lesnar at No Way Out. Behind the scenes, it was widely known that the match would be Goldberg's last in WWE. Only a week before WrestleMania, however, rumors surfaced that Lesnar, too, was leaving in order to pursue a career in the National Football League. On the last episode of ''SmackDown!'' prior to WrestleMania, Steve Austin appeared to get his fourwheeler back from Lesnar only for the entire roster to get in his way by orders of SmackDown! General manager Paul Heyman. Moments later, the entire roster had decided to move aside and let Austin by to confront Lesnar in the ring. As Austin got to the ring, he and Lesnar traded punches with Austin attempting to nail Lesnar with the Stone Cold stunner only for Lesnar to escape, leaving Austin to finally get back his fourwheeler and closing in on the show with his trademark beer bash. Another rivalry that had been simmering for some time was the one featuring Mick Foley and Randy Orton. In June, following an on-air ceremony honoring Foley for his achievements, Orton and Ric Flair attacked him backstage and threw him down a flight of stairs. Foley returned in December as the replacement for Steve Austin as ''Raw'' co-general manager and gave himself a shot at Orton's Intercontinental Championship, but walked out of the match and would not face Orton even after the champion spat in his face. In January, a furious Austin declared that Foley would be entered in the Royal Rumble match and he expected him to return and wrestle, which he did by eliminating Orton (and himself) from the match. Foley was later joined by The Rock in the feud, and the reformed Rock 'n' Sock Connection challenged Orton, Batista, and Flair to a handicap tag team match at WrestleMania. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「WrestleMania XX」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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