WrestleMania Rewind : WrestleMania XVI - Four-way Elimination Match

The Rock, Triple H, Big Show and Mick Foley, headlined a four corner elimination match for the WWE Title, in Wrestlemania 16. All four superstars were, at some point in the preceding year, involved in the WWE title picture. The Rock was feuding with the Big Show, who had questioned The Rock's legitimacy as the winner of the Royal Rumble. Mick Foley on the other hand, had been retired by Triple H earlier that year in the Hell at the Cell pay-per-view, and came out of retirement to work the match at Wrestlemania.The bad blood between the wrestlers was complimented by the divisive tendencies that had sprung forth in the McMahon family ranks. Leading to the match at Wrestlemania, each wrestler had a McMahon backing him. The Rock was backed by Vince, while it was a natural angle for the rebellious Stephanie to take her husband Triple H's side. Shane Mcmahon was in the corner of the Big Show, while Linda McMahon had brought back Mick Foley/Cactus Jack from retirement to compete in the match.

#1 The Build-up

The Rock had won the 30 man over-the-top-rope Royal Rumble event in controversial circumstances earlier that year, by virtue of bundling the Big Show over the top rope while getting back into the ring himself. The Big Show however, disputed The Rock’s victory as he claimed that The Rock’s feet had touched the ground first. This accentuated the feud between the two wrestlers, leading up to a match at the No Way Out pay-per-view that the Big Show won, hence replacing The Rock as WWE Champion Triple H’s opponent at Wrestlemania. The Rock retorted with a re-match victory over the Big Show at Monday Night Raw, and the main event at Wrestlemania 16 was changed to a triple threat match.

Mick Foley, who had lost to Triple H in a grueling title v.s career match for the WWF Title at Hell in a Cell, was recalled from retirement by Linda McMahon to represent her, thus making the main event at Wrestlemania 16 a four-way elimination match.  On the road to Wrestlemania 16, Vince and Shane McMahon would customarily get involved in matches involving The Rock and the Big Show, thus making the main event as much an in-fight between the McMahon family, as it was a war between the wrestlers.