So hasnt been done in a while from what I can see. Decided to watch tough enough 2015 for the first time this past week and they asked the contestants what their favourite match was. Took me awhile to actually think what mine would be.
The first ever TLC is my favourite at Summerslam 2000 between The Dudleys, Edge and Christian and The Hardys.
Non gimmick match took me a lot longer to think of but Im going to have to go with Shawn Michaels vs Undertaker at Wrestlemania 25 even if the result was as obvious as tomorrow coming.
Austin vs The Rock at Mania 17, and I doubt anything will ever surpass that match to me. As an 11 year old, Stone Cold was the be-all-end-all for me and I absolutely hated The Rock. Looking back on it now as a "smarter fan," I can see why some would probably look down on this match somewhat, especially considering the ending, but for nostalgic purposes, I doubt anything will ever rank above this in my mind.
Gimmick match; Elimination Chamber at New Year's Revolution 2006.
I did not see that ending coming. I honestly don't even know why I got the PPV. I was bored, had extra money, and thought "fuck it, the show will probably suck but there's nothing better to do right now." I ho-hummed through the promos of Carlito saying that it's time for new blood to be champion, and Eric Bischoff nervously introducing the event as if he knowingly had a sniper's scope locked on him. Cena won, and I was all "Great, Cena wins AGAIN! This will be the last PPV I ever buy." Then Vince came out, and he stammered out his statement that the show was not over yet. When Vince said "Because this man just cashed in his money in the bank", I lost my mind. I hadn't marked out in ages, and Edge taking the belt from Cena in a superbly heel manner endeared the WWE to me when I was about to give up on them.
Non-gimmick match; Hayabusa, Great Sasuke, and Tiger Mask IV vs Ogawa, Kakihara, and Mossman at The Giant Baba Memorial Show, May 2nd 1999.
I honestly prefer the Japanese style of ring-work. These men go in there with a massive amount of celebrity stardom, and they still gave 110%. They put on a show like it was their last. Hayabusa, Sasuke, and Tiger Mask are pro-wrestling immortals, and Ogawa, Kakihara, and Mossman were still able to perform to a level where they weren't outshined. I've seen great matches that had me at the edge of my seat, this match just feels special. If I could only watch one pro-wrestling match for the rest of my life, it would be this one.
Non gimmick match took me a lot longer to think of but Im going to have to go with Shawn Michaels vs Undertaker at Wrestlemania 25 even if the result was as obvious as tomorrow coming.
An argument I seemingly have to revisit over and over is that predictability doesn't equate to bad storytelling. Sure, we all love a good swerve, but often enough things are predictable because they're logical. Ain't nothing wrong with an obvious result.
The same can be said for my own favourite match. We all knew that Sami Zayn wasn't going to retire, but that didn't change the roller coaster that was his match against Neville, title vs career at NXT R Evolution. Saying that makes me sound young, I know, but as great as Steamboat vs Savage was in my childhood and Austin vs Rock was in my adolescence, I'm a little more difficult fan to please these days. It takes alot to get me on the edge of my seat. This one did that.
I have trouble articulating my love of this match, because an article that I read a year or so ago broke it down to a literary level and anything I write about it just seems trite. Keep in mind I read this three years after seeing the match, and it just articulated my own love for the match perfectly;
The only exception I have with the article is that it has no mention of Corey Graves. Why is he important? R Evolution was his first night on the job at the commentary desk. He was a little rough around the edges but showed a lot of promise, but that's not even the story. Due to multiple concussions, Corey announced his retirement from in-ring competition, which he did fighting back tears during the pre-show. Renee squeezed his hand. It was very sweet.
So there's Corey, with the fresh wound of leaving his in-ring life behind him, calling Sami Zayn's potentially last match of his career. A big factor going into the match was Sami his refusal to take shortcuts to get ahead and completely lacking a killer instinct that Neville professed. Suddenly, a ref bump, and Sami finds himself wielding the NXT title as a potential weapon. Sami sells the conflict really well here, but Corey Graves does it better. From the booth, he's pleading with Sami to do it. Level Neville (heh) with the title and save your career. He's not being callous or hoping for a "heel turn" here. Corey cannot handle the thought of seeing Sami retire after Corey himself had to. This was a first class story that was underlined by real emotion, both on and off camera.
This is one of those topics I could probably change my mind about several times, but I'm gonna' go with the Lawler/Idol steel cage hair match. The match itself wasn't all that great, not one of their best, but it built toward a brilliant ending that nearly sparked a riot. So many great things were going on: Lawler losing not just his hair, but his specialty match; Rich hiding under the ring for hours with a bucket of chicken and a case of beer; Idol and Rich again posting Lawler after sidelining him with the same move months prior; Idol's guarantee to refund the fans their money if he lost; Paul E. Dangerly inciting the crowd by showing off Lawler's cut hair while skipping around with a big shit-eating grin; fans trying to climb the cage while the police tried to restore order; and Idol's awesome promo after the match, "I grew up in Las Vegas rolling the dice and spinning the roulette wheel, Jack. I’ve been a gambler since the day I was born, and I’ll be a gambler to the day I die!. This match stands as a great moment in one of wrestling's most legendary feuds.
As far as non-gimmick matches, I'm choosing Flair-Steamboat at WrestleWar '89. It's hard picking any one of the '89 trilogy as their best match but I'm going with that one because of the aftermath. All their bouts were superb but the finale had the bonus of Funk pile-driving Flair through a table, turning The Nature Boy babyface and sparking another terrific feud.
An argument I seemingly have to revisit over and over is that predictability doesn't equate to bad storytelling. Sure, we all love a good swerve, but often enough things are predictable because they're logical. Ain't nothing wrong with an obvious result.
The same can be said for my own favourite match. We all knew that Sami Zayn wasn't going to retire, but that didn't change the roller coaster that was his match against Neville, title vs career at NXT R Evolution. Saying that makes me sound young, I know, but as great as Steamboat vs Savage was in my childhood and Austin vs Rock was in my adolescence, I'm a little more difficult fan to please these days. It takes alot to get me on the edge of my seat. This one did that.
I have trouble articulating my love of this match, because an article that I read a year or so ago broke it down to a literary level and anything I write about it just seems trite. Keep in mind I read this three years after seeing the match, and it just articulated my own love for the match perfectly;
The only exception I have with the article is that it has no mention of Corey Graves. Why is he important? R Evolution was his first night on the job at the commentary desk. He was a little rough around the edges but showed a lot of promise, but that's not even the story. Due to multiple concussions, Corey announced his retirement from in-ring competition, which he did fighting back tears during the pre-show. Renee squeezed his hand. It was very sweet.
So there's Corey, with the fresh wound of leaving his in-ring life behind him, calling Sami Zayn's potentially last match of his career. A big factor going into the match was Sami his refusal to take shortcuts to get ahead and completely lacking a killer instinct that Neville professed. Suddenly, a ref bump, and Sami finds himself wielding the NXT title as a potential weapon. Sami sells the conflict really well here, but Corey Graves does it better. From the booth, he's pleading with Sami to do it. Level Neville (heh) with the title and save your career. He's not being callous or hoping for a "heel turn" here. Corey cannot handle the thought of seeing Sami retire after Corey himself had to. This was a first class story that was underlined by real emotion, both on and off camera.
You forgot the best bit: a wrestling crowd legitimately begging a face to take the high road. Sami looks at the belt, looks at Neville, looks at the crowd - they're all screaming at him not to do it. Just... stupendous.
You forgot the best bit: a wrestling crowd legitimately begging a face to take the high road. Sami looks at the belt, looks at Neville, looks at the crowd - they're all screaming at him not to do it. Just... stupendous.
Tears flowing. It's a shame that Full Sail has kinda devolved into chanting a bunch of inside jokes when there's clearly some passionate wrestling fans there. When they buy in, it's hook and sinker, but moving most of NXT's big moments to TakeOvers outside of Florida has maybe made Full Sail indulge themselves.
Best bit #2; Post match, Sami going for a handshake, which Neville kicks his hand out of the way and hugs him, mirroring Neville's victory over Sami for Number 1 Contendership to Bo Dallas' title.
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