Match of the Month: November

[The Brain]

As we turn the calendar into a new month it’s time for the third installment of the match of the month series. I’m looking for your favorite matches over the years from the month of November. My list is usually only WWF/E because that is what I know. Feel free to include matches from any promotion. I know Starrcade was in November at first so there are probably some good choices there. Also November to Remember seemed to be pretty big from ECW. Then of course there’s Survivor Series. While I like the old school Survivor Series events I’m not sure if many of those tag matches will make my list. They were fun matches, just not the type of classic matches I’m thinking of. Here’s my list:

Roddy Piper + Virgil + Bret Hart + The British Bulldog vs.
Ric Flair + Ted Dibiase + The Mountie + The Warlord 1991:
I said I probably wouldn’t include many of the elimination tag matches, but I really like this one. In my opinion this is the best of all the traditional Survivor Series matches. There was a lot of good talent involved here and everyone seemed to match up really well.

Bret Hart vs. Shawn Michaels 1992: I think this is an overlooked match. When most people think Bret vs. Shawn they think of either WrestleMania XII or Survivor Series 97. This was their first match against each other on ppv. Classic match.

Shawn Michaels + Ahmed Johnson + The British Bulldog + Sid vs.
Razor Ramon + Dean Douglas + Owen Hart + Yokozuna 1995:
This was the one and only wild card match in Survivor Series history. I liked this concept and I’m surprised this never happened again. It was interesting to watch enemies trying to work together as a team.

Kurt Angle vs. The Undertaker 2000: These two would have better matches than this in the future, but this was solid too. I had to include it because I love the finish with Kurt’s brother. I laughed my ass off at that.

Ric Flair vs. Triple H 2005: This is the steel cage match from Taboo Tuesday. I usually watch matches without any particular rooting interest. I hope for someone to win more for storyline purposes than actually liking him. I found myself rooting for Flair in this one simply because I wanted to see him beat Triple H. Kind of made me feel like a kid again.

My #1 match for the month of November:

Bret Hart vs. Steve Austin 1996: This was an awesome match. I think this one is overlooked because of their WrestleMania 13 match. Both were great matches with completely different styles. There was something magical in the Madison Square Garden air that night. I can’t explain it other than saying it had the big fight atmosphere. It was Bret’s first match in eight months and he didn’t miss a beat. Despite the loss Austin became a star.

Those are my choices. What am I missing? There must be some old Starrcade matches I need an education on. Let me hear your opinions.

 

[It's...Baylariat!]

A Flair for the Gold.

Ric Flair v/s Harley Race at the first Starrcade is my number one November match. Flair, who was taken out by Dick Slater and Bob Orton thanks to a bounty put up by Race, healed up, called out Race and named his quest for the NWA World's Heavyweight Title, 'A Flair for the Gold'. Race was seven times World Champion when this match took place and was past his peak by a year or so. Flair was just hitting his stride and what ensued inside a Steel Cage was a classic battle between two legends.

Flair would end up winning with a high cross body off the top rope and become the 3 time, NWA Champion.

Other matches include Flair v/s Rhodes from Starracade 86, The Night of The Skywalkers with Midnight Express and the Road Warriors, and Tully Blanchard v/s Magnum TA for the NWA United States Title.

 

[GIMH]

Love those Survivor Series 91 & 92 choices Brain. In particular the Shawn-Bret is one of my favourites and as I remember it it was champion v champion which was, and I suppose still is, pretty rare. Rest of the card was pretty meh aside from Perfect's face debut, but that match is a classic.

 

[Phoenix]

I think another that has to be added is the First Ever Elimination Chamber (2002), 6 of Raw's top guys going at it and while it's still new to us and some botch moments occured (RVD landing on Triple H's throat), it's still a greatly memorable match as it ended with HBK winning his first World Title reign in 5 years. While it still was only a month long and we haven't seen him as champion since, this match is really outstanding for a first time out and only so few Chamber matches have matched it since.

Austin vs. Triple H, 2000 - This was the match that got their brewing feud up into top gear, Austin been out for a year and Triple H (kafaybe wise) being the reason. This was basically what we wanted out of this match, a good old fashion beat 'em up. Much like the earlier mentioned memorable ending, you got the crane ending which did a different kind of ending to SS. But this was a brilliant encounter from the two veterans regardless of not having a proper ending. It's a shame that the Radicalz run in gets edited out whenever it features on DVD nowadays.

 

[shanners_03]

It just has to be the 1st ever elimination chamber match - survivor series 2002 haha was a classic loved watching it and still do plus it was shawns last title win (even if he didnt keep it long)

 

[TheLittleOne]

warrior, kerry von erich , and Legion of Doom vs Mr.Perfect and DEMOLITION (ax,smash,crash)
great pre-match promo's opened the show with high energy.. the team names in 88,89,90 were cool, upper card captain, mid card co-captain then tag team or two others.. 91's opener as mentioned in 1st post is my 2nd fav .. i wish they still did this today.. not just one

 

[Mitch Henessey]

I’m going to have to go with Ric Flair VS Triple H from Taboo Tuesday. It was such a brutal match. Both Flair and HHH beat the hell out of each other, and were bleeding like stuck pigs! I just loved the whole storyline with HHH turning on Ric Flair. Flair did such a good job of playing this broken down old man. You felt sorry for him, and hated HHH when he turned on him. They also had a pretty damn good last man standing match at Survivor Series.

 

[gasM]

HHH vs Flair at Taboo Tuesday Flair couldnt wrestle but DAMN could he make you actually care about that match...which doesnt happen often these days

 

[TheBigCheez-It]

Definetly agree with the 2002 Elimination Chamber, that was by far one of the most entertaining ones that have happened. Plus Shawn winning the title=epic.
-TheBigCheez-It-

 

[thewrestlinghero]

My favorite match in November was the first ever Elimination Chamber. At the time it was a really cool idea some people like me though it was going to be like the War games match but it wasn't.

The match for me was awesome from start to finished and when Shawn Micheals won that made the match more memorable then it already was. Also it added a lot to the hhh/hbk feud.

 

[friarferguson]

As well as the first ever Elimination Chamber, I would also go for the 20 man tag team match from Survivor Series '88. Lasting over 40 minutes this match wasn't rushed like a lot of other pay-per-view matches of the 1980s and featured some great wrestlers included Bret Hart, Arn Anderson, Shawn Michaels and The British Bulldogs. The end of the match also incorporated a double turn involving Mr. Fuji and Demolition which was very well done.

 

[byrnside]

I think, right off the top of my head, I'm going to have to go with The Montreal Screwjob. I'm sorry, but that was still a great match, in spite of the ending. Hart and Michaels brawled outside the ring for what? 15 mins? And that was before the match was "officially under way" to quote Vinnie Mac. These two would've had the match of the decade had it not been for the ending. Granted, it will go down as one of the most infamous matches of all time, but I'm saying, if the ending had gone on as it was "supposed to" with Bret reversing the Sharpshooter on HBK, the place would've gone nuts, and we would've had an instant classic. Still a good match though.

 

[NSL]

I'm just posting here to show old school ECW some love:

November To Remember 1995 - Mikey Whipwreck v. Steve Austin for the ECW strap. Austin was on his way to becoming a star, and was refining his character here before heading to WWF/E. He went to ECW, wanting the chance to put Whipwreck over, and he did just that here.

November To Remember 1996 - The Gangstas v. Eliminators v. RVD/Sabu. This was the second match of the night for The Eliminators and RVD/Sabu, after their first match went a half hour. This match went another half hour, and showed the best all 3 teams had to offer. This was one of the rare matches where the Gangstas actually resembled wrestlers. Believe it or not, this would have made my list, even if I wasn't just posting ECW.

November To Remember 1999 - Jerry Lynn v. Tajiri v. Super Crazy. Some people forget just how awesome Super Crazy and Tajiri were in ECW, and no one really gives Lynn the credit he deserves. This match put all three on display, and it paid off. It helps (to me) that Lynn got the win...