5 Takeaways from WWE Backstage (January 21st, 2020)

#3 A trip down memory lane with Cactus Jack vs. Triple H from Royal Rumble 2000

Bang bang!!

This year is the 20th anniversary of the hardcore match between Champion Triple H and challenger Cactus Jack at the 2000 Royal Rumble.

Both participants reflected on the match with Triple H saying that "I was so geared up for what me and Mick were going to do". Foley revealed that he thought "it might be my last match at the time that night". He added that he's "always geared up for those hardcore matches because I know both physically and emotionally they'll take their toll."

He also felt that Triple H "deserves a great deal of credit for bringing the best out of me that day". Triple H was aware of the gravitas of facing Foley in a hardcore match because "those types of matches were Mick's forte and it was a lot of pressure to step up to his level in that kind of a match".

Christian was active in WWE during that bout and he praised the effort of both men. He claimed that "this wasn't necessarily the forte of Triple H and for him to step up his game to the level of Mick was impressive". Regarding Foley having the doubts of his career, Christian claimed that "you're only as good as your last match and I think he wanted to go out with something memorable". Christian also lauded Foley because "he put the match, the show, the crowd before himself."

The panelists also revealed their personal favorite matches with Punk claiming a match with John Cena in Houston on RAW as his favorite. He claimed that "I was so sick that it was hard to care and they (the audience) made me care." Because he was coming off his record-setting title reign, Punk felt that "this was my WrestleMania" while also praising Cena as "one of the best dance partners I've ever had".

The Anti-Diva revealed that her favorite match was on her birthday at a SummerSlam when she was going to be Divas Champion for the second time. Lynch offered up two matches, claiming that "when you have time to build a story, that's important".

She claimed to have loved her Last Woman Standing with Charlotte Flair at Evolution and her recent Hell in a Cell match with Sasha Banks.