▁in ▁the ▁Royal ▁R umble ▁match ▁where ▁he ▁was ▁elimin ated ▁by ▁K ane . ▁ ▁On ▁the ▁February ▁ 1 0 , ▁ 2 0 0 0 ▁episode ▁of ▁Sm ack Down !, ▁he ▁dropped ▁the ▁European ▁Title ▁to ▁Kurt ▁Ang le , ▁ending ▁his ▁two - month ▁reign . ▁Ar ound ▁this ▁time , ▁Mor ley ▁largely ▁disappeared ▁from ▁W WF ▁television ▁programming ▁until ▁mid - May , ▁due ▁to ▁a ▁legit imate ▁neck ▁injury ▁which ▁limited ▁his ▁mob ility . ▁At ▁King ▁of ▁the ▁Ring , ▁he ▁participated ▁in ▁the ▁King ▁of ▁the ▁Ring ▁tournament ▁where ▁he ▁defeated ▁Edd ie ▁Gu err ero ▁in ▁the ▁Qu arter - Final s ▁but ▁was ▁defeated ▁by ▁R ik ishi ▁in ▁the ▁semi - final s . ▁This ▁cul min ated ▁in ▁a ▁fe ud ▁between ▁Ven is ▁and ▁R ik ishi ▁which ▁led ▁to ▁Ven is ▁turning ▁he el ▁by ▁align ing ▁himself ▁with ▁Tr ish ▁Str atus . ▁With ▁Str atus ▁as ▁his ▁manager , ▁and ▁a ▁new ▁look ▁- ▁including ▁a ▁ha irc ut , ▁white ▁bo ots ▁and ▁tr unks ▁- ▁and ▁the ▁near ▁total ▁dispos al ▁of ▁the ▁por n ▁star ▁g imm ick , ▁he ▁defeated ▁R ik ishi ▁to ▁win ▁his ▁second ▁Inter cont inental ▁Championship , ▁and ▁aligned ▁himself ▁with ▁Test ▁and ▁Albert . ▁ ▁They ▁continued ▁their ▁rival ry ▁as ▁Ven is ▁def ended ▁the ▁title ▁in ▁a ▁rem atch ▁at ▁Ful ly ▁Lo aded . ▁During ▁the ▁match , ▁Ven is ▁was ▁put