What happened to 3 stages of hell?

[CM Steel]

Does anybody remember the 3 stages of hell series? It was a 2 out of 3 series match with each match being different. The first fall count can be a regular match. The second no holds barred. And if it came to a third count (in which it always does) it would be in a steel cage match. But if it was for the WWF/E world championship it would go fall 1. street fight, fall 2. in a steel cage, and fall 3. would be a ladder match for the world strap.

Triple H won both of these matches years ago. The first one against Stone Cold Steve Austin in 2001 at the No Way Out pay per view. And one against Shawn Michaels for the WWE world heavyweight championship in late December of 2002. Now my question is, what happened to that match?

Even when the WWE was going with the PG rating it was nothing to extreme that the WWE couldn't handle with this match. Even if it was watered down it could still be a success if it was done right.

Now should this match be brought back to the current WWE era?

 

[frostbite2819]

there just arent enough wrestlers today who could work that kind of match. yes, some, like bryan, swagger and ziggler have the talent and stamina to do it, but are they perceived as big enough stars to even be given the chance to pull it off?
not yet.
i do agree that wwe dropped the ball with this match, as the hhh/austin 3 stages was my favorite match ever till a little nugget called hbk/angle came along.
they had many people in the 2000s capable of pulling it off like lesnar, benoit, edge, hhh, angle and y2j just to name a few. who knows why they never went back to it then, however it just wouldnt work today unless it were cena/orton or maybe punk, nobody else would be given an hour on ppv.

 

[Heartachetonight926]

Triple H and Randy orton had a three stages of hell match in 2009, right in the heart of the PG era.

[Yt]W4jnUkchhJ8[/Yt]

But to answer your question, yes I think they should bring it back at some point, but only for a rivalry that's REALLY personal.

 

[frostbite2819]

Triple H and Randy orton had a three stages of hell match in 2009, right in the heart of the PG era.

wow good memory. i honestly didnt even remember that match.
probably a reason for that tho.

 

[UrbanDynasty]

wow good memory. i honestly didnt even remember that match.
probably a reason for that tho.

Are you implying that their match wasn't good / memorable.
I thoroughly enjoyed that match no matter how "PG" it was.

 

[JWPunk]

i remember the austin/hhh and the orton/hhh match and they were great! i stopped watching for a few years so must have missed the michaels/hhh match then.

But yeah, was a great concept! the fans get the ultimate win out of it aswell cause we get to see our favourite match types, and ones finished another one begins!

i'd love to see a submission match/extreme rules/hell in the cell match
would be awesome!!

 

[SomeAreSet]

I think they've just left it on the backburner for now.They've not had an Iron Man match either since Cena/Orton in 2008,if I remember correctly.Anyway,I always thought a match like that only suited a feud that was really personal or really long-standing.Triple H-Austin was both,Triple H-Shawn Michaels was very personal.I can't think of any feuds today that's reached the level of Austin-Triple H or Triple H-Shawn Michaels.Those feuds went back for years,and Austin-Triple H involved one getting run over by a car and the other's car getting lifted 50 feet off the air and dropped.It was crazy.

If the WWE can build a feud with 2 top superstars that lasts for at least 5-6 months,then go ahead and have a 3 Stages of Hell match to settle it. A match like that can easily be done in the PG era. The stipulations for both the Austin-Triple H and Triple H-Shawn Michaels match can be done in a PG environment.I've always wanted to see something like a Last Man Standing match for the 3rd fall. Hell,the TLC pay-per-view could feature one.1st fall: Chairs match,2nd fall: Tables match,3rd fall: Ladder match. Or 2 technical wrestlers could have a 3 stages of hell where the 1st fall: Singles match,2nd fall: Submission match,3rd fall: Steel cage.

In my opinion,the match should only be made for a really good,long feud.Otherwise,I'd just leave the match in the archives.

 

[MattGuy28]

Benoit and Angle also had one at Judgment Day 2001, Singles, Submission, Ladder for Angles Medals

 

[xxxdaniel_ariesxxx]

I don't see why it can't be done in the PG environment, besides the fact that the kids who they are targeting probably don't have the attention span to truly appreciate a match that could easily go 45 minutes or more.

 

[Paralyzer Z]

Triple H and Randy orton had a three stages of hell match in 2009, right in the heart of the PG era.

[Yt]W4jnUkchhJ8[/Yt]

But to answer your question, yes I think they should bring it back at some point, but only for a rivalry that's REALLY personal.

DAMN. im starting to find amazon.com reviews unreliable since everyone in the customer review section said it was "medicore". all well i doubt there nothing more than casual fans. the match actually looks good from your video.

I think that the 3 stages of hell match should be held more often. why not? its an entertaining match and it usually delivers in terms of quality. I think that some feuds have the potential to become personal enough to lead to a three stages of hell match.

as orton and triple H proved it could work and soesnt neceesarily need blood to work. If the miz vs alex riley feud kept on going we could have eventually seen this match take place between the 2 of them. hell maybe event triple H vs cm punk could easily escalate to that level. Of all that ive seen the match type certainly is "threee stages of hell".

 

[Zeedeevel]

A lot of the reasons people say Orton/HHH 3 stages of hell is not that great is because of the 3rd fall being a stretcher match. I honestly find stretcher matches to be lame. Add in the fact that the first fall was a dq and you get a stinker. It had some nice spots and a good story behind it, but overall it just wasnt a good match.

I think if Punk feuds with HHH long enough we may get a match out of them but thats the only time I can see it coming back in the near future

 

[This Is My Name Thank You]

I think 3 Stages of Hell need to be all about a personal feud and it has to be the end matches of the feud. I would see no point in having a 3 Stages of Hell match then next week have a Hell in a Cell match. Even in this pg era it still should happen, as I think the matches are a little less predictable on who might win it. The matches also need to be chosen well too. I think if the matches are picked right then it could be a huge success. I used to play this is the SvR games, I always chose a Normal match, to see who is truly better without the cheating, a good Hardcore fight (no dq pin in the ring), now they can't win on their own so bring out the weapons. The last match was usually a Falls Count Anywhere. Since I had the hardcore match before it, I always figured the guy who got his ass beat would be in retreat mode. So why not beat him when he is running away. I think the flow of the matches can help tell the story better than 3 matches that have no real flow to them.

I also think there are plenty of the guys on the roster who could pull these matches off. Just about the entire mid card and main eveners in my eyes could do this? It’s just a matter of how it is booked. I would like to see this match come back to end a personal feud. I was hopping if CM PUNK vs Trips continues then, I hope they end it with a 3 Stages of Hell match.

 

[CM Steel]

Benoit and Angle also had one at Judgment Day 2001, Singles, Submission, Ladder for Angles Medals

I damn near forgot about this match. Mainly because it was one of those 3 stages of hell match that just wasn't that memerable. And don't expect this match between Angle & Benoit to make it on any WWE DVD, because of the whole WWE eraceing Chris Benoit from their memories.

Great match though come to remember it! But we all new who would win that match anyways due to Kurt Angle's gold medal's.

 

[Little Jerry Lawler]

That HHH/Orton one was awful as par for most of their matches.
Not too much a fan of them. It's always going to come down to the third fall which kind of ruins it. Don't really see a need for it when there are better options to finish a feud.

 

[DeathClutch]

THIS is the problem with WWE and the fans.
They bitch when storylines aren't strong enough on a personal level and then want personal level matches, Hell in a cell and Elimination Chamber matches have been ****ED out to petty feuds that didn't need such a power, strong match to suit the feud.

IF AND WHEN the time arises THEN bring it back, Punk/HHH could pull it off later in the year or maybe royal rumble even.

 

[ctln4rko]

I would like Triple H and CM Punk to bring Three Stages of Hell back in their feud. Triple H (on screen) is the big man, and he is becoming the next big man/boss behind the curtain. I bet he could convince who ever he needed to to bring back TSOH (Three Stages of Hell). Triple H has been in most of them, and so I would not be surprised if we saw another TSOH in the near future. I bet Triple H could also pull some strings and bleed sometime in the feud with Punk. I'm not saying blood makes wrestling better, like most Attitude era fans like to think, but it does give the match a feeling of real aggression and battle.

 

[MancMark]

TNA did essentially the same thing when Desmond Wolfe faced Kurt Angle in a "Three Degrees Of Pain" match. I think that was back in 2009. Anyways, that was a really great match.

I like the stipulation, but as someone else said, it has to be the match to lay the feud to rest I think. Also, you've got to find 2 wrestlers who are capable of pulling this type of thing off. The Wolfe/Angle match had both of these things.

 

[Hollywood Naitch]

I just think it is one of those matches that we don't see that often because its a VERY draining match, and it is saved for those feuds when 1 match isn't enough to end the rivalry. The Austin v Triple H 3 Stages Of Hell match is a true classic, one of the best matches I have ever seen, and having the 3 matches just showed how much these 2 wanted to destroy each other. It emphasised just how personal the feud was between the two.

There has not been that many feuds in recent years that reached that same level of intensity, which could be the reason that this match has barely been used over the last 6 or 7 years. Plus, I think the infrequency of the match being booked helps it to maintain its "special" status. It hasn't been watered down and seen too often, as some other "special" matches have.

I would pay good money to see a no-holds-barred CM Punk v Daniel Bryan 3 Stages of Hell match, or a Punk v HHH match, and I wish the Chris Jericho v Shawn Michaels rivalry had ended in a 3SOH match. That would have been a classic.

 

[Dagger Dias]

These matches are not done often due to how much larger the potential for injury becomes in this particular type of match. It is literally 3 matches in one. There were two in 2009. Randy Orton VS Triple H in WWE, and Desmond Wolfe VS Kurt Angle in TNA. Both were very well done, AND both were used in extremely intense feuds. The 3 stages of hell matches should never be used unless the feud calls for it. A feud that has lasted several months between two guys who (kayfabe) HATE each other. Jericho VS Michaels would have been perfect for it. Orton VS Christian could have ended in one. It depends on the guys involved and whether or not it would benefit the feud. The 3 stages of hell match is so rare because few feuds need it and they do not want the larger risk for injury unless it will pay off by ending a long feud in epic proportions with this match.