WrestleMania XIX: What was the best match?

[Ruthless-RKO]

WrestleMania XIX has been praised a lot by everyone, compared a lot to WrestleMania X-Seven, which is arguably the greatest Mania ever. There was a total of9 matches on the card and IMO at least 5 of them were top matches that could have taken the main event.

You had HBK and Y2J putting on a classic, Hogan and Vince was 20 yrs in the making, The Rock and Austin battles it out at Mania for the 3rd time in 5 years and Brock and Kurt put on a good match which will mostly be remembered for the botched Shooting Star Press..

Here is the card..

1. Matt Hardy (c) (with Shannon Moore) defeated Rey Mysterio in a Singles match for the WWE Cruiserweight Championship
2. The Undertaker defeated The Big Show and A-Train in a Handicap match
3. Trish Stratus defeated Victoria (c) (with Steven Richards) and Jazz in a Triple Threat match for the WWE Women's Championship
4. Team Angle (Shelton Benjamin and Charlie Haas) (c) defeated Los Guerreros (Eddie and Chavo Guerrero) and Chris Benoit and Rhyno in a Triple Threat Tag match for the WWE Tag Team Championship
5. Shawn Michaels defeated Chris Jericho in a Singles match
6. Triple H (c) (with Ric Flair) defeated Booker T in a Singles match for the World Heavyweight Championship
7. Hulk Hogan defeated Vince McMahon in a Street Fight
8. The Rock defeated Steve Austin in a Singles match
9. Brock Lesnar defeated Kurt Angle (c) in a Singles match for the WWE Championship

Which of these matches would you say was the best of the night?

 

[byrnside]

HBK vs. Chris Jericho will probably go down in my top 5 matches of all time. I loved that story line of how Jericho was a big fan of HBK growing up and that he was through idolizing someone else and wanted to prove himself. The match itself was five stars. Jericho mimmicking HBK's moves was priceless and the meer fact that HBK had to win with a roll-up was a big boost in Jericho's career.

 

[eyesens]

I'm going with Number 8. The rock vs Stone cold, For me it was the match that stole the night. I enjoyed it alot!

 

[AwesomeAngle]

Although WM19 had a lot of great matches, Brock Lesnar vs. Kurt Angle was the best match by far. We finally got to see the only two "real athletes" in WWE battle for the WWE championship. The intensity of Lesnar and Angle in that match was unmatched by any other competitor on the card that night. Let's also remember that Lesnar was a "rookie" and Angle was competing injured and they still stole the show. Lesnar managed to survive a botched shooting star press but he still hit another F5 to get the win on Angle. And let's not forget all the great footage that came from this in "The Mania of Wrestlemania"...

 

[The Perfect Max]

Difficult to say. You know, my favourite WrestleMania of all time is in fact WrestleMania XIX because of the matches put on display:

Matt Hardy V1 (w/ Shannon Moore) vs Rey Mysterio for the Cruiserweight Championship
Would be a brilliant match if it went 5 minutes longer. However, the match put on wasn't bad at all, it was great. Rey's first WrestleMania and Matt Hardy in Mattitude (those were the days...). Anyway, I'd give that match 7/10.

Undertaker vs Big Show & A-Train in a Handicap Match
Probably my least favourite match on the card. My least favourite match in the Undertaker's streak. Although, it wasn't a bad match and the ending was good. I'd give it 6/10.

Victoria (c) (w/ Stevie Richards) vs Trish Stratus vs Jazz in a Triple Threat Match for the Women's Championship
Great women's match. My favourite women's match of all time. I love the bit with Stevie Richards and the chair. EPIC. I know it has happened before but it's funny because it's Stevie Richards. I'd give the match 8/10.

Team Angle (c) vs Chris Benoit & Rhyno vs Los Guerreros for the Tag Team Titles
Great match. Everyone took part and shined in the moment. A 7/10 is awarded.

Shawn Michaels vs Chris Jericho
Instant classic (sorry Christian). But, it was. Back and forth, back and forth and sweet chin music by Y2J. Epic. A 10/10 from me.

HHH (c) (w/ Ric Flair) vs Booker T for the WHC
Brilliant match. Booker T was the man of the match for me. Brilliant showing by him, probably his best match of his career. I give the match 8/10.

Mr McMahon vs Hulk Hogan in a Street Fight
Well, it's a Hulk Hogan match. But, it was OK for a Mr McMahon match, actually. I loved the Leg Drop (haha Hogan). However, I don't think it was as good as McMahon/Michaels WrestleMania 22. Roddy Piper was the highlight of this one. 6/10.

The Rock vs Stone Cold Steve Austin in Austin's last match ever
'Nough said. 9/10.

Kurt Angle vs Brock Lesnar for the WWE Championship
E P I C. I wonder to this day why Brock Lesnar isn't dead. Epic "wrestling" match and certainly in my top 10 'Mania matches. 10/10.

So, I think the best match on the card was the main event, Brock Lesnar challenging Kurt Angle for the WWE Championship. Back and forth, neck landing first, 3 F5's.

 

[theBusiness]

HBK vs Jericho.

That cracks my top 10 Wrestlemania match list. Jericho actually looked better than Shawn in this match, which says a lot. I feel this match is slightly overlooked due to the praise that the main event got, which I feel is a taaad bit overrated. Kurt and Brock's rematch at Summerslam was better imo. I also think Brock botching the shooting star press really hurt the match overall. If he would have landed that and pinned Kurt, that would have epic and added so much more to the match. I believe I've only watched the Rock-Austin match live, so I don't really comment on it. Although I do remember many close falls at the end.

 

[The Crock]

HBK/Jericho and Lesnar/Angle were both excellent matches, but to me, The Rock versus Stone Cold Steve Austin III stole the show. While it certainly wasn't the most impressively wrestled match, it told me a story. I was happy to see Rock finally pick up a win, but I also wanted to see a fitting ending to their feud. I grew up on Attitude Era wrestling, I grew up on Rock vs Austin, so I ate this right up. I mean, I enjoyed the match, but it was also bittersweet. I was sad to see Austin's career end, but there couldn't have been a more fitting ending, a more fitting way for Stone Cold Steve Austin to ride off into the sunset.

Stone Cold and The Rock put on a show, while it wasn't the best match of the night, it's the one that I'll never forget.

 

[skhotkieo]

I was at WM XIX and it was great 1st PPV show for me. Half of the card was main event caliber. I would say it's a toss up between Rock vs Stone Cold and HBK vs Y2J. Those were great matches. But based on fan reaction that was there, I would give the edge to Rock and Stone Cold because of their history and close pin falls that they had. You honestly didn't know when it was going to end. That would be my pick.

 

[GodCompleX]

That card was phenomenal and surpassed the hype. I loved Rock vs SCSA and Brock vs Angle but HBK vs Jericho stole the show for me as I was never a huge fan of either but that match that night was flawless and enthralling. They made me a fan that night. I pop in the dvd sometimes just to watch that match alone!

 

[avb6100]

i have two actually first one of course SHAWN MICHAELS VS CHRIS JERICHO .ACCORDING TO ME THIS IS BEST MATCH JERICHO HAD AT WRESTLEMANIA .THIS TO DISPLAYED GREAT SKILLS ATHLETICISM AGRRESION OVERRALL A GREAT MATCH. THE OTHER ONE IS KURT VS BROCK EXCEPT THAT ONE BOTCH NY LESNAR THE MATCH WAS PRETTY COOL AND SPORTSMANSHIP BY ANGLE WAS ALSO VERY GOOD.

 

[Hulk Hogan's Brother]

I think that Rock vs Austin assumes a lot more significance in hindsight as it turned out to be Austin's last match. But, despite the rumors we weren't exactly sure of it at that point of time. It is still a very good match and an extremely anticipated matchup but if Austin had announced his retirement prior to the match, it would have certainly heightened the aura around the match.

But as it stands, I would have to place it behind HBK vs Jericho. With it being HBK's return to WrestleMania and with there being a great mentor vs protege story surrounding it, this match was even more anticipated than Rock vs Austin III. I think that HBK had more chemistry with Jericho than with anyone else with the possible exception of Undertaker. This match had a fantastic story with HBK countering everything that Y2J threw at him. But at the same time Y2J did not look weak in defeat. HBK could not get the job done with the superkick and could only put him away shrewdly with a sunset flip. This is certainly HBK's fourth best WrestleMania match after his encounters with The Undertaker and the ladder match against Ramon. This is undoubtedly Jericho's best Mania match ever.

I don't like voting against Austin but in this case I would have to say that Rock and Austin were outshone by HBK and Y2J. And that is not neccesarily a bad thing because they came second only to two great performers and only after they were both past their primes.