Your Favorite Match From WrestleMania 17

[The Brain]

It seems the overwhelming majority of our forum members think WrestleMania 17 is the best mania of all. Naturally for an event to be considered the best ever that event would have to have a few great matches. Which of the five big matches from WM17 was your favorite? I guess you could pick something besides the five I’ve listed although I can’t imagine why.

I have a feeling my pick will end up being the minority but I’m going with the McMahon match. It’s funny because I was against this match when it was announced. Back then I didn’t care for those kinds of matches. I didn’t like the idea of two non wrestlers taking a spot on the mania card. I was very wrong because that was an outstanding match. It’s natural for people to think action is the most important part in pro wrestling but drama is just as important; probably more important. The McMahon match was full of drama. Sure the storyline about Linda be sedated was a little far fetched (understatement) but everyone involved in that match played their role to perfection so it didn’t matter. Father vs. Son. Daughter sides with Father while Son defends Mother. Then you have Trish as Vince’s emotionally abused mistress who Stephanie hates despite siding with Vince. Throw in Foley as the ref and the WCW purchase and this match had all kinds of angles. Trish slapping Vince and brawling to the back with Stephanie was great. The highlight of the match was when Vince forced Linda into the ring and sat her in a chair to watch him destroy Shane. When Vince had his back turned Linda stood from her seat to a thunderous ovation. I was in the Astrodome that night and Linda rising from her seat was the pop of the night. After that Foley got a little revenge on Vince before Shane hit the coast to coast for the win. It was the first time we saw that move in the WWF and it was quite a sight.

I don’t care how old Vince was. I don’t care how little in ring experience Vince and Shane had. I don’t care that it was a promoter vs. his son. That was an awesome match that told a great story. The fans were into it the whole time. It was a perfect WrestleMania match. In a card full of great matches it was a bunch of non wrestlers that stole the show.

 

[latinoheat8979]

WM 17 is in my top 5 WM's of all time along with 6,8,12 and 22. The event really had no bad matches. From the great opener for the IC title RVD vs William Regal all the way to the main event of Austin vs. Rock the show was very good.

As for my favorite WM 17 match, it has to be TLC 2. The spots in that match were ridiculous especially Edge spearing Jeff Hardy off the top of the ladder. I was ohhhing and awwwing the whole match it was so great and exciting! Although I was pulling for the Hardy Boyz it was great seeing E&C win the belts.

A close 2nd favorite match was the gimmick battle royale. Seeing all those old faces I grew up watching in the ring together was fun and brought back many great memories. Bobby Hennan and Mean Gene doing commentary just added to that match. I was cool seeing the Iron Shiek win it and afterward Sgt. Slaughter putting him in the cobra clutch.

 

[HBKperfect23]

A lot of great matches to choose from. I am going to go with Austin vs. Rock. The hype for this match was done perfectly. Ill still youtube the "My Way" video every once in awhile. Cant say it doesn't get me hyped up. I just couldn't see either man losing. The best match they ever had together. The ending with Austin turning heel and siding with Vince is something I never saw coming.

It is hard to choose against TLC 2 (by far the best TLC match of the series), the technical masterpiece Benoit and Angle put on, and even McMahon/McMahon (for the reasons Brain pointed out). Even Regal/Jericho and Taker/HHH could be argued for as top matches. This card was stacked top to bottom.

 

[Aquaman6686]

Rock/Austin II, all the way. Even though I find this WrestleMania to be insanely overrated, there's no overrating the impact this match had. Austin's heel turn was the best moment of his career and set up the best run of his career as well, even though the heel turn was far too short-lived. Nobody saw it coming and the Astrodome practically exploded in disbelief.

 

[The Fabulous Rougeau's]

For me this is simple. Rock is my favorite wrestler of all time, and his matches against Austin are part of my favorite all time Mania matches. This match had both wrestlers mega over and delivered in great attitude era fashion. Fantastic swerve ending which makes the match that much more memorable.

 

[TheLittleOne]

i think alot of the Uber- high rating for this Mania is due to it being the first WM in a Dome since wm8 & wm6.. that alone just makes the whole event feel special.. Plus benoit vs Angle was close to perfect... HHH vs Undertaker was a Believable brawl / match.. the TLC2 stole the show like steamboat/savage did but not for its "pure" wrestling... BUT.. ROCK AUSTIN... they began a feud in 1997..this was 2001, they both were household names.. the hype was perfect.

i just would have enjoyed seeing a wcw star interfere in the shane vs vince match to begin the invasion angle which was an Epic Failure..(another topic)

 

[EastCoastFan]

For me it was TLC 2. So many great spots, I can't pick the best one.

Austin vs. Rock was a good match overall, but the ending left a bad taste in m mouth. Austin going heel and drinking beer with his long-time arch-nemesis? I remember watching it with friends and we were all wondering "What just happened here?"

 

[Wolf Pac]

Austin vs. Rock II. I may be a little bias here cause both men are my top two favourite wrestlers of all time, but I absolutely loved everything about this match. The build up and the hype was great, I'll never forget the sitdown interview with Jim Ross on Smackdown and Austin telling Rock that "he needs the title, he needs it more than he will ever know", that one line sold the story for the match perfectly. Like HBKperfect23 I also youtube the Austin/Rock promo that plays to "My Way" (my favourite WM theme song of all time) every once in awhile. The match itself was also great, the two men brought everything to each other, we saw them go hardcore in parts of the match, something we've never really seen them do before, they brought back old submission finishers and classic Wrestlemania match finishes like the Piper-Hart one from WM 8 and the Austin-Hart one from WM 13. I totally never saw the heel turn from Austin coming after the match, that's one of my favourite heel turns of all time, and it speaks a lot about how much passion Austin had for the WWF Title and how much he wanted it if he would go and align himself with his long time arch-nemesis just to get it back.

 

[HBsam31]

I loved the McMahon's storyline. Linda standing up from her chair got such a amazing reaction from the crowd, and like The Brain said, it just had a little bit of everything a great Mania match needs. That being said, my favorite match on the card was Angle/Benoit. I remember showing all of my friends this match every time they came over. I had a copy on VHS. Watching them exchange holds, and chain wrestle at the beginning of the match, and hearing the crowd respond each time made this match unique. Just a great technical match, and off all the great matches on this card this one always just stuck out a little more for me.

 

[fenderjapan]

It was the perfect Wrestlemania, and kind of the blueprint for Wrestlemania's change from just the biggest ppv event of the year to the massive spectacle that it has become. Yes, there were big stadium Wrestlemanias before but 17 created the precedent that Wrestlemania was now going to be balls-out in terms of production every year. Apart from 04-06, all Wrestlemanias since have been in major stadiums.

In terms of the best match...there was something for everyone. Hardcore matches, technical wrestling matches, a nostalgia match, a showdown between the two biggest icons of wrestling...

My favorite was Shane vs. Vince, though. We got a crazy shane spot, Linda's awesome crotch blow to Vinnie Mac...it was intense.

 

[Aquaman6686]

For me it was TLC 2. So many great spots, I can't pick the best one.

Austin vs. Rock was a good match overall, but the ending left a bad taste in m mouth. Austin going heel and drinking beer with his long-time arch-nemesis? I remember watching it with friends and we were all wondering "What just happened here?"

It might have been a bad taste for you and your friends, but it was a great moment for me and most of mine, since Austin finally became interesting. It was a shocking moment and it could have made WWE a ton of money if they'd kept going with it.

 

[The Eighties]

I'm usually not a spot match guy but TLC 2 was just an incredible combination of spectacle, athleticism, excitement and drama, every possible insane spot you could think of was pulled off and then some you hadn't even thought of, with Lita, Rhyno and Spike adding a little extra to the carnage.

 

[Pedigree1]

Wow definitely hard to choose so many great matches on that card definitely the best mania of all time. I really liked the McMahon vs McMahon story line. Told an incredible story and i was jealous of vince making out with trish. Damn she is so fucking hot. My favorite moment of that match was when Linda stood up and kicked Vince right in the grapefruits.

But my favorite match is SCSA vs the rock. Granted SCSA vs Rock 1 was a great match but part 2 still my favorite of all time. When it was announced as a no DQ match i went what the hell?? That title match,SCSA I really have never seen him like that ever. Dude was just straight up violent in that match. He would do anything to win N E Thing. When Vince came down,and handed Steve the chair it was like Austin making a deal with the devil himself.

He just destroyed the rock with that steel chair shot after shot. I absolutely love that match and the whole card!

 

[Mr. HD]

Stone Cold vs The Rock for the WWF Championship.

The two greatest names in the Attitude Era competing for the WWF Championship. They came a long way since their first WrestleMania encounter 2 years prior. Rock grew enormously as a face and Austin was arguably the greatest WWF superstar. There was no heel/face conflict. The two most popular stars loved by the fans competing for respect, competing for honor, and competing for the richest prize in the WWF. As a kid, I loved both Rock and Austin. I hated choosing sides.

The build up, the promos, the video package, the venue, the commentary and the match itself. Everything about it made it so special and gave the main event that big fight feel. One of the greatest feuds of all time. I don't think there's ever gonna be a rivalry like that again.

 

[Elchicano15]

I would have to go with the Undertaker/Triple H match that apparently we're supposed to forget about LOL. I thought it was a great back and forth match. Great moments include the brawl going out to the crowd, the toss out over the audio stand, and the first attempt of the last ride when Trips grabs the sledge hammer and whacks Taker on the head.

The rock/austin 2 match was good as well from start to finish. But I voted still for Taker/Triple H. What I enjoyed from the Austin/Rock 2 match was the commentary between Heyman and J.R. (I miss both on commentary) They acutally had a great connection but JR sounded like he really was getting pissed with Heyman and I loved how JR got so emotional and was yelling by the time the match ended. It was a great Mania. I just watched it again a few days ago. I enjoyed Bradshaw's pep/talk speech as well in the APA office before their match with RTC. It showed me he was going to be something on the mic.

 

[Matty~!]

Despite a pretty crummy finish Rock v Austin all day long, the card over all is just a fantastic show in the history of WWF/E there's nothing on there that distracts from the show overall even Chyna destroying Ivory had it's place!

 

[Judah's Lion]

so tough to choose. for me, it's like a multiple-way tie. i'll have to narrow them down.

Angle/Benoit was amazing, of course. but since i consider their match at Royal Rumble 2003 to be better than this one, maybe one of the best matches in either man's career, i'll put a line thru this one.

TLC 2 was also amazing. so was the first tag team ladder match at No Mercy between the Hardy Boyz and E&C, the table match at Royal Rumble between the Dudley Boyz and Hardy Boyz, the triangle ladder match at Mania the year before this one and the first ever TLC match at SummerSlam. i'll pass on this one just because i liked the progression of these teams and the amazing feuds and matches that happened. even though the "parts" of this progression were amazing, if pushed i'd have to say that the "sum" of the progression was greater than the "parts".

Rock/Ausin. i know this match gets lots of praise. it should. it was incredible. so were their matches over the IC title and their previous world title match at Mania 15. those matches were pretty hardcore too. no dq rules most of the time. this match at Mania 17 is definitely the best encounter between the two men. i loved how they added the submissions and traded finishing maneuvers. the heel turn was fresh and unexpected. the only reason this one doesn't get my vote is only because we saw this match before and would see it again.

Triple H/Undertaker. see above. we hadn't seen these two really wrestle before, but we've seen them quite a bit since. twice more at Mania in fact.

i'm gonna go with Vince/Shane as my favorite match from this amazing Mania event. we'd never seen this mach before and haven't seen it since. Vince's matches typically aren't the prettiest, but i love the storylines in his feuds. this was no different. great story going into the match and great story telling during the match. Linda McMahon for sure had a mega reaction for simply standing up. the coast 2 coast shot was amazing.

great thread and tough call, but i'm gonna stick with my gut on this one. over 10 years later and this is still the match i remember most and enjoy most. guess it's not such a tough call after all.