(Almost) 5-Star Match Reviews: Triple H vs. Cactus Jack – Hell in a Cell – WWF No Way Out 2000

Few wrestlers have seen their reputation experience so many ups and downs as Triple H. He was loathed for many years as a midcarder, despised by many for his involvement with The Kliq and the Montreal Screwjob, hated even more during the 2000s for his backstage politicking and underwhelming main-event matches, loved again when he took over NXT, and now…is starting to see his reputation sink again due to how he’s perceived to be handling WWE’s business and creative directions in 2025. But there were a few times in his career when his talent couldn’t be ignored or denied. These were short windows when he was a lot better than many people believed. The most obvious of these periods was from January 2000 to May 2001 when he was more or less on top of the mountain as the WWF’s top heel and world champion. And few people were more critical to HHH’s blossoming into a true world champion than Mick Foley and his various personas.

The Story

Triple H and Foley – as Cactus Jack – faced off for the title one month earlier at the 2000 Royal Rumble in a Street Fight. That match is often hailed as one of the best matches in WWF/E history and one of the best in both of these men’s careers. Two weeks later Triple H decided to grant Cactus one last shot at the title but with the condition that if he lost he’d have to retire. Cactus agreed but he’d get to choose the stipulation…and he chose Hell in a Cell.

This frightened the champion: Cactus/Foley still carried the weight of his most famous Cell appearance with him and it solidified him as a monster that was next to impossible to kill. If Cactus managed to leave the Cell then HHH would have a harder time maintaining control. To this end if he wanted to win he’d have to do everything in his power to tip the scales in his favor…which we will see wouldn’t work out as he intended.

The Match

This took place on February 27, 2000. It was rated ****1/2 out of five by the Wrestling Observer’s Dave Meltzer and ***** by Scott Keith.

This is for HHH’s WWF Championship. Cactus checks the cell door and finds it locked with multiple heavy chains and padlocks, meaning there’s no escape this time. HHH goes after him as the bell rings but Cactus hits first and we get an early punch exchange. Cactus wins the early brawling bits and tries to drive his face into the cell as soon as he can. HHH breaks free via back low blow and lands corner punches. Cactus fights back but HHH counters a body drop with his knee facebuster. Cactus manages to body drop him to the floor and pulls a chair from under the ring. HHH hits first through a small opening and drives Cactus knees-first into the steps. HHH literally launches the steel steps at Cactus’ head and then chairs the steps while they’re stacked atop Cactus. Back in the ring HHH chairs Cactus’ back but Cactus fights through it and bounces off the ropes…only to walk into a chair to the face.

HHH covers for a two-count, lands a DDT, and gets a few more near-falls. Cactus baits HHH into attacking and lands a kidney shot plus a chair-assisted low blow. A double-arm DDT onto the chair gets Cactus two, as does a Russian legsweep onto the chair as well. Cactus opens the chair near a corner and charges but HHH counters with a drop toehold sending Cactus into the chair face-first. The fighting continues to ringside again and HHH goes for a Pedigree onto the stairs but Cactus counters with a catapult sending HHH into the cell wall.

HHH is busted open so Cactus attacks the wound. More brawling and grinding of HHH’s head into the cell. Cactus lands a chair-assisted Cactus Elbow from the second rope to the floor. Cactus goes to use the steps but HHH dodges so the steps collide with the cell wall and creates an opening. Now Cactus is free to inflict carnage as he pleases.

Cactus, bleeding from the arm, piledrives HHH onto a commentary table that doesn’t break. Cactus starts climbing the cell but Stephanie McMahon stops him. This only stops him momentarily as he continues his rampage. Then he finds his barbed wire 2×4. HHH sees this and tries to bail but Cactus catches him. 2×4 shot to the head. HHH decides to try escaping by climbing the cell and Cactus follows him. But HHH punches him from the top which sends Cactus crashing through the ringside table. This doesn’t faze Cactus all that much as he’s climbing the cell moments later. HHH lands 2×4 shots from above and now the match continues atop the cell. More shots with the 2×4 to Cactus’ gut and back. Cactus stops one more with a low blow. the brawling continues with both guys bumping on the cage panels. HHH falls onto one panel and it partially gives way. Snap suplex by Cactus followed by another Double-Arm DDT. Cactus grabs the 2×4 and lights it on fire and hits HHH in the head with it. Cactus teases the end and attempts a piledriver. But HHH counters with a back body drop…and Cactus falls through the cell and through the ring!

Fans chant “Holy Shit” as a portion of the ring literally implodes under Cactus’ weight. HHH carefully makes it down into the ring and looks at the crowd chanting “Foley” in unison. He approaches what he thinks is Foley’s unconscious body and touches arm…and the motherfucker is moving. He’s Frankenstein’s Monster! Cactus crawls out of the hole but HHH lands two more punches followed by a Pedigree. One, two, three! HHH retains! Mick Foley has to retire!

Winner and STILL WWF Champion after 24:01: Triple H

You can watch the full match here.

Post-match they replay the match’s biggest spots as EMTs come down to help Foley up. He refuses their aid and is given a standing ovation on his way out. The final visual is of Foley basking in a moment of admiration as blood dries on his face.

Review

This might come across as blasphemous to some people but I think this match is better than their Street Fight a month earlier at Royal Rumble. Though that match was faster-paced it also had a few inconsistencies, especially with Rock coming out for only one spot instead of sticking around, the police officer removing Foley’s handcuffs, and the referee playing keep-away with Foley’s 2×4 in a match that supposedly had no restrictions on it. This match didn’t have those same plot holes: while it was a bit slower by comparison it had a better story. There were much higher stakes here compared to the Rumble. This setting played to both men’s strengths with HHH being a guy who shines in unfair situations and Cactus is naturally suited to taking tons of punishment. What it lacked in more ‘traditional’ grappling and technique it made up for with the kind of wild brawling emblematic of peak WWF Attitude Era.

But even with the more simplified action it was compelling thanks to the story dynamic. Foley, as Cactus, was fighting for his career in a situation that, at first, worked against him, both because he didn’t have access to his most reliable weapons and because he had to deal with the specter of KOTR98 looming overhead. There was this initial expectation that Cactus would find a way to the top of the cell only for HHH to padlock the door. Had Foley not opened a hole in the cell the hard way and the action remained confined to inside the cell HHH would’ve had a much easier time. But once that opening took place the match was no longer claustrophobic and turned more into a hardcore spectacle.

Once Foley grabbed his 2×4 the match reached its peak in terms of tension. There was no way of knowing what was going to happen next. As they fought atop the cell there was this constant worry that something could go wrong; no matter how much they fixed any mistakes from KOTR98 there was still this overwhelming sense that they were wrestling on a razor’s edge with the potential for serious injury constantly close by. The bumps they took atop the cell led to both pops and gasps. It was slow but nail-biting. HHH’s tease with that one panel reminded everyone that anyone could fall through the ceiling at any time. And when Foley fell through the cell this time they padded/gimmicked the ring so that he wouldn’t die this time. Yet even with the obvious protection measure this was still an incredible visual. But that wasn’t all: as scary as that spot was the sight of Cactus still moving after taking that fall made people lose their minds. For all the punishment he just endured he still had the passion and desire to keep fighting. Yet it wasn’t meant to be on this night: HHH ripped fans’ hearts out as he ended things with a Pedigree. With that Cactus lost his chance at the world title, lost his chance to headline WrestleMania, and lost his career…at least temporarily. For one moment everyone forgot the notion that wrestling retirements never stick and were left despondent at Cactus’ unfortunate fate. There was no happy ending on this night yet Foley still got one last hurrah. Yes, wrestling is a show and the people in the ring are working together. Yet this match had everyone so thoroughly convinced that Foley was going to actually retire that they suspended disbelief and watch with enthusiasm and excitement.

Final Rating: ****3/4

This was a classic match from an era mostly remembered for utter chaos that tended to put stories and raw unpredictability over in-ring quality. Triple H shined as the heel who controlled the match and Cactus Jack was the same monster as always. It wasn’t the deepest match in terms of moves but it didn’t need to be. It was carried by its story and Cactus’ desperation to find whatever tools he needed to really bring HHH down.

There were a few drawbacks, though. It took a while for things to get truly intense which caused the opening 5-10 minutes to meander. They also failed to get that same sense of isolation and claustrophobia that Michaels/Undertaker achieved in 1997: even with the chains and padlocks making for a striking visual that emphasized the “No Way Out” gimmick they just didn’t create that same atmosphere as they should have. But these are minor gripes. Few Hell in a Cell matches have truly lived up to the hype over the decades and none are as good as the first one. But only a handful have come close to achieving the same heights as that first one and this is one of them.

Thanks for reading.