Let's Talk About Gimmick Matches - Submission

[D-Man]

For our next installment of our discussions about gimmick matches, I'd like to focus on what has always been an exciting, brutal, feud-ending contest... the submission match.

Arguably the greatest submission match of all time would have to be "Stone Cold" Steve Austin vs. Bret "Hitman" Hart from Wrestlemania 13 (pictured above). It was a perfectly executed gimmick match that capped off one of the greatest rivalries in Wrestlemania history. It was exciting, technical, bloody, brutal, and told an amazing story.

What do you guys think? What makes submission matches so exciting (or not exciting ) to all of you? What were some of your favorite submission matches? Or your least favorite submission matches? Or any other memories you might have in regards to submission matches? As a matter of fact, have there been any feuds or just random superstars that you wish would compete in a "dream submission match"?

Let's get some good feedback here.

 

[jmt225]

I don't think any gimmick match has ever been better used than the Submission Match at Wrestlemania 13 between Steve Austin and Bret Hart. That match is the perfect example of someone getting put over while losing, and in this very rare case, that guy getting put over went on to become arguably the biggest name in WWE History, and if you ask me, it's because of that match. You'll never see a gimmick match better than that one, in my opinion.

So, yeah, obviously that's my favorite and I'm definitely in support of Submission matches, perhaps more so than any other match. Submission moves are one of the very few things in professional wrestling that makes the business feel real. When somebody has a good submission, you just sit there knowing that shit has to hurt on some level, so you try it with your friends and in most cases.... they actually do hurt, lol.

Anyway, other than Austin vs. Hart, my other favorite Submission match has to be the 30 Minute Ultimate Submission match between Chris Benoit and Kurt Angle at Backlash 2001. Such an epic match. Back and forth action with arguably the two best grapplers in WWE history. I loved every second of it.

 

[IrishCanadian25]

Great call, jmt. And another great thread choice, D-Man.

The allure of the submission match is the fact that somebody can be pinned by fluke, whereas a submission indicates a wrestler's cognitive decision to concede the victory. Oddly enough, not the case with Austin vs Hart, though, because Austin never conceded the match.

For my favorite submission match, I will go to WAR GAMES - The Match Beyond.

War Games was a double cage match with no rules, but the match could ONLY end when a member of the team said "no more, I quit.". The neat aspect of that was you weren't just losing the match for yourself, but for 4 other guys as well.

Submission matched reek of finality. Done right, its the ultimate blowoff to a well build feud.

 

[Mr. TM]

Not only is it my favourite submission matches, Wrestlemania 13 provided one of my favourite matches all together, especially of Stone Cold's resume.

The match happened when I was only ten, but I still remember it. I was on top of the world, as Stone Cold had been an asshole to Bret, still am hurt when he cheated to win the Royal Rumble against Bret. I do remember hating it when the crowds after this moment were cheering Stone Cold, and I wondered why. Certain guys are geared towards submissions, Jericho, Angle, Regal, but as they are in different spots on the roster and in different companies, so I am not sure the next time we will get to see a great submission match.

 

[markmeout]

I hate submission matches, they awalys seem to be so dull, have little intresting spots, and feature fat slobs like show or performers who have fake submissions as finishers. On the other hand I loved the wm13 match between austin and hart. This match had two excelent performers that brought intrest into the ring and didn't put on a boring technical show. They had so much carisma that it was infectious. Honestly these two could make any match the best back then. I loved this one match, I'm not too hot in any other submission match especially ones featuring the fat expletive big slow.