Best Match to Fit the Storyline

[HeenanGorilla]

Which match in WWF/E history do you feel best fit the storyline leading up to the match? There was a recent post asking if Steamboat/Savage from WMIII holds up over time. I feel that the storyline going into the match must be known to give the match its due. Seeing the match itself without any back story could take away from it.

Many times throughout history, there would be a storyline where two guys would be FURIOUS at each other, or at least one would be furious at the other. (Savage wanting to kill Flair for disrespecting Elizabeth, for example) Too many times, you would have a guy who was ready to kill the other one---irate in interviews, fuming on TV leading up to their PPV match where he would finally gets his hands on him and tear him limb from limb....only to have them start the match with a tie up or test of strength. What?!? You spend weeks showing how mad you are and now you want to "work the arm"?

I guess you can go with matches that fit the characters, like the Jailhouse Match with Boss Man and Mountie. They would certainly make sense. But, I would also like some matches where one or both of the combatants went in steaming and the match actually reflected those angry feelings.

 

[TheICChampion]

Hmmm... I guess for me that would be...WM17 The Rock vs. Stone Cold for the WWE title. Both men made it clear that they absolutely "needed" the title, and you could feel it. Plus you saw them do absolutely anything they could to try and get the win, including Austin teaming up with Vince (because I guess he wanted the title so bad that he was willing to team up with the man he tortured and had a huge feud with only a year or so prior). But anyway, it was a knock-down, drag-out, 45 minute brawl that imo was one of the best matches I've seen.

 

[IT Factor]

I didn't watch regularly enough back in the 80s to even bring up moments from that era. Although I did like the build up to the Andre/Hogan WM 3 match. It had a lot of steam going in and delivered exactly what WWF needed: a new star.

My favorite matches would have to be those in which a competitive rivalry actually built towards something epic with a good mix of storyline & action. Austin/Rock always had that great build that told a story and kicked ass in the ring. Also, WCW had that back when DDP feuded with Macho Man. Those matches always seemed edgy and competitive with both guys looking strong and telling us great stories. You don't see much of those type of storylines anymore partly because the art of promo, storyline, and in-ring action has diminished due to "entertainment" taking top priority. I like being entertained as much as the next fan but WWE goes overboard these days. There is too much emphasis on being a character rather than portraying something real which sets apart the past wrestling from today's soap opera non-sense.

 

[zhaff2004]

The Rock Vs Brock Lesnar from Summerslam 02. They went back and fourth in the buildup to the match, with even ol trips getting involved. It was all about the young upstart challenging the veteran, claiming that Rocky has lost it and isn't in the younger Lesnar's league. As soon as Rocky's music hit, you see him come out, spread the title across the stage and absolutely bolt at full speed to the ring and immediately attack brock. Great start to a great match that began a great era in wrestling.

 

[ccotreau1]

I would also include the Eddie Guerrero vs Rey Mysterio match at Summerslam with the custody of Dominic on the line. That storyline, as odd as it was, was personal from the get go, and you know that Eddie couldn't beat Rey Rey, and Rey was willing to risk his son in storyline to prove he was better than Eddie inside the ring, which IMO, I loved Eddie more than Rey

 

[MC_Live]

Anything Jericho vs. HBK, especially from the 2008 feud of the year. They always tore the house down, and told great stories every time.

 

[BigThunder]

I'd have to say that the epic Austin/Bret clash at WM has to fit the bill perfectly. It had a great build, which set up the double turn beautifully. Good wrestling is the art of making people crave seeing a match. It's what, accidentally or deliberately, the Bryan-HHH clash is doing right at the moment (and which every other WM XXX isn't doing as well).

 

[LODemolition]

Some of my favorites are Hogan vs Savage, Flair vs Savage, Bret vs Austin, and The Rock vs Austin.

My absolute favorite storyline to this day though was Bret vs Owen. It was a storyline that didn't just concern the brothers, but the entire Hart family. It all began at Survivor Series '93 where Owen ran into Bret while bouncing off the ropes. That caused Owen to be rolled up by Shawn Michaels and eliminated in their traditional elimination match.

Bret and Owen seemed to have patched things up and faced The Quebecers at the '94 Royal Rumble. Bret couldn't make the tag throughout the match and after the ref called the match due to Bret's injury, Owen kicked out Bret's injured leg from under him, and left the ring. Owen issued challenge after challenge to Bret for WrestleMania even though Bret co-won the Rumble. Bret declined for weeks before finally giving in. Owen got the win with a victory roll in one of the best WM matches in history. In my opinion, it was at the very least the best opening match in WM history.

Later in the night at WrestleMania X, Bret defeated Yokozuna to become WWF Champion again. In June, Owen won King of the Ring (with Jim Neidhart's help, who sided against Bret) to earn a title shot at SummerSlam. They faced off in a fantastic cage match, and Bret retained to even the score.

Then at Survivor Series, Bret defended against Bob Backlund in a submission match. Bret had Davey Boy Smith in his corner and Backlund had Owen in his. After the Bulldog was knocked out, Owen convinced his mother Helen to take his place and eventually to throw the towel in when Backlund had Bret locked in the crossface chicken wing. Bret lost the WWF Championship and Owen celebrated.

At the Royal Rumble the following January, Owen interfered in Bret's championship match against Diesel, costing him the chance to win his 3rd WWF Title. The Hart brothers had several more matches, which Bret came out on the winning side of before the feud finally fizzled out. It lasted for over a year before they finally wound up burying the hatchet. 20 years later, it's still the measuring stick to me as far as how a wrestling storyline should play out.

 

[NegativeFeedback]

Gotta go with Undertaker vs. Shawn Michaels #2. That match was just perfect considering the story that preceded it. You had Shawn be obsessed with taking down the streak, risking everything. There was nothing more perfect than Shawn kneeling at Taker's feet, with Taker screaming "STAY DOWN!!" and then Shawn slapping Taker across the face. It was his way of saying "Do what you gotta do". I loved it. I'll always consider it better than the original despite popular opinion saying otherwise. The story during that match was just too damn good.

 

[sbattsjr]

Macho man vs Ultimate warrior. The build was fantastic with Mach costing warrior the belt to slaughter, with the feud ending when warrior retired macho

 

[MMA Mark]

The Shield vs The Wyatt Family at Elimination Chamber. It felt like Armageddon.

Most of the Lesnar vs Cena match at Extreme Rules, up until the end. It was a brutal, one-sided beatdown that made Lesnar look like the monster that he is. And then... one shot with the chain and an AA later and they ruined it.

 

[LiarsDice]

I didn't watch regularly enough back in the 80s to even bring up moments from that era. Although I did like the build up to the Andre/Hogan WM 3 match. It had a lot of steam going in and delivered exactly what WWF needed: a new star.

What new star? Hogan's star was already as high as it would ever go and Andre was already a legend. That was the point of the match. Not to create a star, but to see 2 larger than life legends collide for the "first time". Just like The Rock vs Hogan 15 years later.

Anyway, I think that the build to the Bret vs Shawn Iron Man match was met brilliantly with the actual match. The build was all about them being better than the other, and Shawn's boyhood dream to be champion, and the match was a wrestling clinic (if a little slow in places), that showed two amazing athletes trying to best the other, but being completely evenly matched.

Honorable mention goes to Shawn vs Hunter Non-Sanctioned match at Summerslam 2002, and their feud that followed. Those guys just beat the hell out of each other in the ring and out, and it really played into the whole hatred/revenge thing they had going on at the time. Then later it all got forgotten in favour of DX reuniting because kayfabe doesnt exist and everyone knew they were friends anyway. Stupid internet....

 

[JJ15776]

Many times throughout history, there would be a storyline where two guys would be FURIOUS at each other, or at least one would be furious at the other. (Savage wanting to kill Flair for disrespecting Elizabeth, for example) Too many times, you would have a guy who was ready to kill the other one---irate in interviews, fuming on TV leading up to their PPV match where he would finally gets his hands on him and tear him limb from limb....only to have them start the match with a tie up or test of strength. What?!? You spend weeks showing how mad you are and now you want to "work the arm"?

Well, yeah. You're still looking to win the match. Have you ever followed boxing or MMA? The same thing happens there. Two opponents will be furious with each other, have to be held apart at press conferences, talking about how they're going to destroy each other...and then then bell rings and they're both throwing jabs as they feel each other out. So we know it makes sense for wrestlers to do that in a scripted match, since it happens in real life in unscripted fights. Afterall, it's just sound strategy. No matter how angry you are, it's just stupid to recklessly rush into an exchange. You only do that if you think aggressively overwhelming your opponent is your best chance to win, which, again, is ultimately the goal of any match.

The Shawn Michaels vs. Ric Flair match was definitely one that fit the storyline. HBK sort of reluctantly giving his all, but doing what he needed to do at the end to win, especially with the "I'm sorry, I love you" before the sweet chin music. The best retirement storyline/match in the history of the business.

 

[Waylon Mercy]

I'd have to say that the epic Austin/Bret clash at WM has to fit the bill perfectly. It had a great build, which set up the double turn beautifully. Good wrestling is the art of making people crave seeing a match. It's what, accidentally or deliberately, the Bryan-HHH clash is doing right at the moment (and which every other WM XXX isn't doing as well).

My thoughts exactly. The lead-up to this match was off the charts. Austin was on fire with his promos cutting into Bret's character, while Bret conveyed his disgust with Stone Cold's attitude beautifully. Austin was disrespecting the Hit Man, and the audience was eating it up. Bret had walked away from wrestling for a much-needed break, and during that time Stone Cold kept goading him into returning to face him man to man. When Bret finally did return, the "hatred" between the two characters was palpable. If this lead-up wasn't enough, the match itself was a work of art. These two told perhaps the most compelling story ever in a wrestling ring. Who could have predicted that Austin would emerge from that the fan favourite, while Bret ended up being vilified for taking out his frustrations on him? One of my all-time best moments in WWE history, for sure.

 

[The Warlord]

Austin/Hart at WM13 hands down. Both guys working stiff at a relentless pace with alot of emotion. Loved the attitude and middle fingers from Austin. That feud started out very intense and the match lived up to it plus some.

By the way, great thread. Original...I like it.