Halloween Havoc 1997

Halloween Havoc 1997 Review



I don't care how silly he looks; Macho Man Randy Savage should be on every wrestling poster ever.




Yuji Nagata vs Ultimo Dragon
I always look forward to seeing two Japanese wrestlers going at it, as I do enjoy NJPW, and Japanese wrestlers do seem to work the hardest. Dragon received a good reaction from the crowd. The match lasted just under ten minutes and was great while it lasted. The arm psychology was sound as it led to the finish, and we got the usual high-flying from Dragon. Good stuff to start the show with. ***1/2



Gedo vs Chris Jericho
More Japanese wrestlers is absolutely fine by me, plus Jericho spent some time wrestling in Japan so he knows how to work the style. Jericho was still in his babyface stage. It wouldn't be too long until he turned his career around with an awesome heel turn. Jericho kinda botched the frankensteiner, but aside from that this was a technically sound contest. A good match here. ***



Eddie Guerrero vs Rey Mysterio Jr.
The Cruiserweight Title is on the line. The best WCW match ever? Possibly. The best cruiserweight match in WCW? Absolutely. These guys went out there with the intention to show everyone backstage that they were the best and would steal the show, and that's exactly what they did. The match is only about thirteen minutes long, but not one second of that time is wasted at all. Eddie was great in his heel role and Mysterio hit some amazing high-flying moves that I don't think he ever used again. There's no way he'd be able to hit them nowadays. A fantastic all time classic that needs to be seen. *****


Good luck to anyone following that.


Steve McMichael vs Alex Wright
Judging by a backstage skit earlier in the night, I'm guessing this has something to do with Steve's feud with Debra. Alex got no reaction from the crowd during his entrance. A nothing match here until the finish with Goldberg interfering, and even then he took too damn long and the spear looked weak. 1/2*



Disco Inferno vs Jacqueline
What is it with Jacqueline and fighting men? She fought Chavo Guerrero in the WWE when she was Cruiserweight Champion (anyone actually remember that?). Disco stalled for a very long time to start with and it became very boring. This was quite fun once it got going and Jacqueline got her hands on Disco, but that was just the ending. Bad match with an entertaining finish. 1/4*



Curt Hennig vs Ric Flair
The US Title is on the line. Hennig is wearing one of Flair's robes for some reason. The commentators immediately downplay the US Title by saying that Flair isn't particularly gunning for it. This started off as a brawl and went on well from there until the DQ finish. Not as good as their Raw match in 1993, but it's still a nice, solid effort from both guys. The way Flair was DQ'd was a pretty cool finish too. **1/2



Scott Hall vs Lex Luger
Larry Zbyszko is the special guest referee. I don't really know why Larry was needed here. Maybe the other referees were just way too incompetent. The one in the Wright/McMichael match definitely was. Good god this was such a boring match. I had to stop myself from falling asleep. Larry seemed to be the only guy getting a reaction from the crowd. Just an awful match here and I groaned when it was restarted and it was still given a screwjob ending. DUD



Randy Savage vs Diamond Dallas Page : Las Vegas Sudden Death Match
This has the same rules as a Texas Deathmatch which is just the same as a Last Man Standing match. Don't know why it needs so many different names. The graveyard props didn't look very believable when Savage was being slammed against them, but these guys were talented enough to make it work. This was a great brawling match-up that had an exciting finishing stretch with both guys hitting their finishers and trying desperately to keep the other down. Great stuff. ****



But unfortunately we still have one match to go.



Hollywood Hogan vs Roddy Piper : Steel Cage
The World Title is not on the line for some reason. This one is usually dubbed 'Age in the Cage' and it's not hard to see why. I thought WCW would have learned their lesson after these guys stunk out the 1996 Starrcade, but I guess not. This was even worse than that and it just went on way too long. An awful way to end what had been a very good show. DUD



It's hard to decide on a rating for this one but I think I'll go with 7.5/10. The good stuff was awesome with a great opener, a good Jericho match, an all time classic with Guerrero/Mysterio, and a dramatic match with Savage/DDP. Unfortunately there's a lot to let it down like a couple of mildly bad ones and two absolutely awful ones featuring the so called main eventers of WCW. It's a recommended show but you need to skip a few things to really enjoy it.

Barely Legal 1997

Barely Legal 1997


Now that I've posted WWE's first major PPV with Wrestlemania I, it's time for ECW's first major PPV. So how does the show hold up seventeen years later? Let's find out.



The opening of the show with Joey Styles standing in the ring with everyone in the arena chanting 'ECW' is quite a spine-tingling moment considering how long it had taken ECW to get to this huge event.




The Dudleys vs The Eliminators
The ECW Tag Titles are on the line. The Tag Titles are just replicas of the WWE IC Title with the letters ECW spray painted across. The crowd really hated the Dudleys here. A tag team match is usually a good way to open up a show and this no different. It was mostly a spotfest with not a lot of substance, but I can definitely say that it was fun and the crowd loved it. Good stuff. **1/2



Rob Van Dam vs Lance Storm
Mr Pay Per View's first ever PPV match. Chris Candido was originally meant to be taking on Storm here, but he was injured so RVD was penciled in instead. RVD was pissed that he was only considered a sub and went out there with a chip on his shoulder. I think he showed everyone that he deserved to be there. A good, high-flying match that was very entertaining. It was another spotfest, but a good one. ***



Taka Michinoku / Terry Boy / Dick Togo vs Great Sasuke / Gran Hamada / Masato Yakushiji
This one should be a ton of fun. I thought Taka was in the WWF at this point. Taka's team was here as the bWo. Masato was taking the place of Gran Naniwa who couldn't make the show. They even have their own Japanese ref here. This one cut an insanely fast pace and never seemed to slow down. Just about every ECW fan was standing. Absolutely fantastic Japanese-style match in which all six guys performed incredibly. Good luck to anyone following this. The show has been stolen. A must-see match and one of ECW's best. ****3/4



Shane Douglas vs Pitbull #2 
The ECW TV Title is on the line. Douglas is accompanied by Francine. Pitbull #1 is on the crowd with a neck brace thanks to Douglas. This was a pretty dull match with both guys not looking very motivated which is strange considering how big this show is. It also went way too long at around twenty minutes. Boring stuff. *



Taz vs Sabu
This match had been built up for a year and the fans were definitely ready to see it take place. Great choice for one of the main events of the night. This was billed as the 'Grudge Match of the Century'. This just felt like a big match. Some of the action in the crowd was hard to see which was an annoyance. In the end, Sabu couldn't take Taz's  suplexes, and passed out while in the Tazmission. Great match here with two guys trying to prove who's the best. ***1/2



Terry Funk vs The Sandman vs Stevie Richards
The winner of this will face Raven for the ECW World Title in the main event. Richards has said that he was honoured to be a part of this contest. Everyone seemed very motivated here and they all brought their A-game to put on a great match. Stevie's out first from a powerbomb. Terry uses a moonsault to win and move on to Raven. Great stuff. ***1/2



Terry Funk vs Raven
ECW World Title on the line. Poor Terry seems exhausted against a fresh Raven. Funk was already busted open right at the beginning. The crowd was definitely behind Funk here. Terry got no offense here and won with help from Tommy Dreamer. Terry wins the World Title with a small package. Not much of a match but a nice moment for Funk and for ECW. *1/2



8/10. This show is obviously must-see for fans of ECW, but even if you're not a particularly big fan this was still a very good show. It was a lot of fun that was only brought down by the boring TV Title match. The Three Way Dance was great, Taz and Sabu finally had their highly-anticipated showdown, and the six man tag was just unbelievably great.

Wrestlemania I

Wrestlemania I Review


Here we are with WWE's first ever PPV and the first ever Wrestlemania. Was it a success? Well obviously or I wouldn't be doing this review right now. Let's see how good the show is.



Mean Gene Okerlund seems like a strange choice to sing the Star Spangled Banner to start the show. He wasn't bad.


Tito Santana vs The Executioner 
The Executioner was in fact Buddy Rose. Why they didn't use his proper ring name I'll never know. Santana's got to be one of the most underrated workers ever. These guys had the honor of being the first match in Wrestlemania history, and they put on an entertaining contest. It wasn't anything special but it was fun while it lasted. **



King Kong Bundy vs SD Jones
How the hell did this one manage to get away with the claim that it was only nine seconds long? I counted just over twenty. Needless to say, this was just a very quick squash for Bundy. DUD



Matt Borne vs Ricky Steamboat
Borne was of course better known as the now late, great Doink the Clown. This is a Steamboat match, so even at its worst it's still gonna be pretty good. Entertaining match, even if the finish came out of nowhere, and was more like a squash. We wouldn't see Borne again until Mania IX. *1/2



Brutus Beefcake vs David Sammartino
I feel bad for David as he had an absolutely enormous name to live up to, and unfortunately there was no way he was going to live up to that expectation. Plus he got punished for Bruno leaving the WWF. This one lasted way too long at about twelve minutes and was pretty damn boring the entire time. Only the finish was exciting with Bruno getting involved. *



Greg Valentine vs The Junkyard Dog
The IC Title is on the line. Junkyard Dog is the first person with entrance music, and the crowd went crazy for him. Another pretty dull match, but it was kept short and had a hot crowd Junkyard Dog. Still it just wasn't that good at all. The crowd seemed pissed off at Valentine's cheating finish, but the match was restarted to give JYD the countout win. *



Barry Windham & Mike Rotundo vs Iron Sheik & Nikolai Volkoff
The Tag Titles are on the line. Rotundo is of course better known for his I.R.S character and for being the father of Bray Wyatt. I think Windham was better off in the NWA. Sheik and Volkoff got some nice heat from the crowd. A short tag match but it was a lot of fun while it lasted and had a hot crowd. The fans hated the decision with the heels winning. **



Andre The Giant vs Big John Studd : Body Slam Challenge
The only way to win is to slam your opponent. If Andre loses he must end his career, and if Studd loses he must give up $15000. When talking about this show this match is brought up quite a lot, but I don't know why as it wasn't good at all. The crowd loved it at least. As much as I love Andre this was just boring. 1/4*



Wendi Richter vs Leilani Kai
The Women's Title is on the line. This one is mainly remembered for Cyndi Lauper, who was a big deal at the time, coming out in the corner of Wendi as a part of the Rock N Wrestling Connection. Fabulous Moolah was in the corner of Kai. This started off slow, but got quite exciting towards the finish. Still not much of a match though, featuring mostly hair pulling and hammerlocks. *



Mr T & Hulk Hogan vs Roddy Piper and Paul Orndorff
Here's the big one. This match is the reason why we still have Wrestlemania today and why it's the biggest show in wrestling. Vince took a gamble on Wrestlemania, and this match certainly paid it off in a very big way. The crowd was insanely hot for the match and that made it even better. The match was a ton of fun and worth watching more than once. One of the most important matches ever. ***



7.5/10. As a wrestling show this wasn't very good, but for historical significance it may be the most important show in wrestling history. It still has quite a fun vibe to it. A must-see show for every wrestling fan for sure.

Edge: Greatest Hits

Edge: Greatest Hits


This latest post of Greatest Hits was requested by my friend Stewart Lange on the Facebook group known as Yes! Yes! Yes! and it's definitely the best wrestling group you'll find there. Here's a link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/205317189578631/



So here are the Greatest Hits of the Rated R Superstar known as Edge.



Edge & Sable vs Marc Mero & Jacqueline
From Summerslam 1998. Here we have Edge's very first PPV match in the WWE. Little did everyone know that they were watching a future Hall of Famer that had sex on live TV. It's kind of appropriate that he'd debut in a tag match, just not the kind you would think. This was an entertaining match and better than I expected with a hot crowd and lots of action. **3/4


Edge vs Owen Hart
From Breakdown 1998. I guess you could call this a bit of a dream match with these guys going one on one. Edge looked like he was trying to imitate Raven with the way he sat by the rope during Owen's entrance. Edge showed fantastic athleticism here, as did Owen. This was a great little match and a forgotten gem worth checking, as this is Edge's first great singles match, thanks to the pro that was the late great Owen Hart. ***3/4


Edge & Christian vs The Hardy Boyz
From King of the Ring 1999. This is the first PPV encounter between these two awesome teams, and they would only have more as time went on. This was a short match but it was very energetic and featured one of the coolest spears you'll ever see from Edge. The crowd still wasn't totally behind them, but that would all change in a few months. Good match anyway. ***



Edge & Christian vs The Hardy Boyz : Ladder Match
From No Mercy 1999 and the managerial services of Terri are on the line along with some money. This is the first recorded Tag Team Ladder match in WWF history and it was the big chance for these guys to get over with the crowd, and they certainly succeeded there. These guys hit a ton high-flying moves that hadn't been seen in the WWF at this point in time. It may look tame compared to modern ladder matches, but this was epic for it's time and a must-see match. The crowd was silent to start with, and by the end they gave a standing ovation, showing how great this match is. WWF's MOTY for 1999. *****



Edge & Christian vs The Hardy Boyz vs The Dudley Boyz : Triangle Ladder Match
From Wrestlemania 2000. A lot of people mistake this for the first TLC match, although it is like a TLC match since there's a quite a few tables around the place. Definitely a precursor to the TLC concept. A classic match here with some great innovative moves for the time and so many replayable moments. The scary part is that they would only get better and better. Amazing stuff from these six fearless guys. ****1/2



The Hardy Boyz vs Edge & Christian vs The Dudley Boyz : TLC Match
From Summerslam 2000. Here we are, the first ever TLC match and it was in the Hardy Boyz's hometown. Still makes me wonder why E&C won the thing. This could be the greatest TLC match ever. It's between this and the TLC at Wrestlemania 17. I never wanted this match to end. It feels much shorter than 15 minutes. Edge and Christian win after taking out all other competitors. Amazing is the word to describe this. Easily the match of the night, and maybe the match of the year. *****



Los Conquistadores vs The Hardy Boyz
From No Mercy 2000 and the Tag Titles are on the line. The Conquistadores are of course Edge and Christian in 'disguise'. E&C were not allowed another shot at the Tag Titles, so they donned some lucha libre masks to fool Commissioner Foley into giving them a shot at the Titles. E&C were hilarious in their roles. A fun match as these guys knew each other very well by this point. **3/4



The Hardy Boyz vs Edge & Christian vs The Dudley Boyz : TLC
From Wrestlemania X-Seven and the Tag Titles are on the line. The second and best TLC match in history, and that's saying a lot considering how exciting those matches are. These guys were somehow able to come up with new and exciting spots different to those in previous matches and somehow make them even more memorable. The 20ft spear is a moment that is still shown in highlight videos to this day. Even the interference was well done as it kept the match exciting and added even more drama. Excellent match that will forever be remembered. *****



Edge vs Kurt Angle
From King of the Ring 2001. The finals of the King of the Ring tournament. Poor Kurt still had to face Shane McMahon later on in the night. This wasn't a particularly great match, but it was a big moment for a Edge and a nice start to his singles career. The finish was pretty exciting with a few nearfalls, but Edge came out on top with help from Shane O' Mac. **1/4



Edge vs Lance Storm
From Summerslam 2001 and the IC Title is on the line. I don't know if this counts as Edge's first IC Title reign since he won it from Jeff Jarrett a couple of years previously during a house show. The continuation of the Invasion storyline. A great match showing off the great talents of both superstars with some nice counter-wrestling and nearfalls. It might be Storm's best match in the WWE. ***1/2



Edge vs Christian : Ladder Match
From No Mercy 2001 and the IC Title is on the line. This is quite a forgotten gem, probably because it was a little underwhelming considering who was involved. This was still a great match with some nice ladder spots, but the match did go on a little long for my liking, clocking in at over twenty minutes. Still an entertaining contest though, and one that's worth a watch. ***1/2



Edge vs Test
From Survivor Series 2001 and this is to unify the WCW US Title and the WWE IC Title. This is probably Test's best match in WWE, except for perhaps his Street Fight with Shane McMahon. A great back and forth contest that featured the story of power vs speed. There was also some nice nearfalls in there with both guys kicking out of the other's finisher. Fun match. ***1/2



Edge vs Kurt Angle
From Judgment Day 2002. The loser of this match would have their head shaved bald. I love this match and it's definitely one of the best singles matches of Edge's career. It's kind of stupid that this feud started with an insulting t-shirt, but since it led to this match, I don't really care. It's quite historical too, as it started the look of Angle that we know today. A classic bout with some great back and forth action and some exciting nearfalls to add to the drama. ****1/4



Edge vs Eddie Guerrero 
From Summerslam 2002. Unfortunately the No DQ match from Smackdown isn't on the Network so I'll have to stick with this one, not that that's a bad thing. Edge's feud with Eddie was definitely a highlight of his career. The arm psychology was well done until the finish when Edge used the injured arm to spear Eddie and he barely even sold it. Still this was a great match while it lasted. ***1/2



Edge & Rey Mysterio vs Kurt Angle & Chris Benoit
From No Mercy 2002 and the newly made Smackdown Tag Titles are on the line. Their prestige didn't last that long. I haven't seen this match for almost ten years, so I've been aching to watch it again to see why it was so popular, and it's not hard to see why. This was an amazing contest, and is probably the best tag match I've ever seen. This one was filled with action from start to finish, with the final ten minutes being especially exciting. From awesome double team moves to close nearfalls, this one had just about everything you need for an awesome match. A must-see classic in my eyes. *****

Edge vs Brock Lesnar

From Rebellion 2002 and the WWE Title is on the line. A rare confrontation between these two and I also think that this was the first time that Edge challenged for the main Title belt. Edge looked great going against the monster that took out legends like The Rock and Hogan. There were slow moments like Lesnar's long bear hug, but it was exciting for the most part. A great match that made Edge look good. ***1/2

A few months after this Edge would suffer a neck injury that would keep him out for over a year, and wouldn't return until March of 2004.

Edge vs Randy Orton

From Vengeance 2004 and the IC Title is on the line. This match finally ended Orton's long reign as the champion, and put Edge back into the Title scene after being a Tag Champ for a while. I lot of people don't like this match because of it's rest holds and slow moments, but it leads to a very exciting finish that makes it worth the wait. Great match from both guys. ***1/2

Shortly after this, Edge would injure himself again and forfeit the IC Title. When he came back he embraced the jeers he had been getting from crowds, including his hometown crowd in Toronto for Summerslam, and became a heel. 

Edge vs Shawn Michaels

From Royal Rumble 2005. Edge cost HBK his shot at the World Title and injured his leg, and after that HBK cost Edge his shot at the World Title in the Elimination Chamber. That all leads to this match which I've always found quite underrated. Yes there were a few sloppy moments but this was still a very entertaining match. Edge was great in his heel role and you just wanted to see Shawn kick his ass. The abrupt finish was annoying, but still it was a great match. ***1/2

Kane vs Christian vs Chris Benoit vs Chris Jericho vs Shelton Benjamin vs Edge : Money in the Bank
From Wrestlemania 21. The first ever MITB match and still the best one. No MITB match has been able to beat this, and it might even be the best Ladder match of the 21st Century (TLCs don't count). It's tied with the HBK/Jericho match for me anyway. An amazing match with some very memorable spots, including Shelton running up a ladder and knocking Y2J off another ladder. They even managed some psychology with the work on Benoit's arm. Awesome match that needs to be seen, especially if you're an Edge fan. ****3/4



Edge vs Chris Benoit : Last Man Standing

From Backlash 2005. This feud started with Edge taking advantage of Benoit's injured arm at Wrestlemania and then attacking him on Raw. A friend told me this match was a classic. I wouldn't go that far personally, but the match was still very good with some nice spots. Edge wins by hitting Benoit over the head with a brick. Interesting and unique way to win a match. ***1/4



Edge vs Matt Hardy : Steel Cage
From Unforgiven 2005. I knew I had to include Edge's feud with Matt seeing as that lead him to becoming the Rated R Superstar. We all know the story between these two guys and Lita. Matt could have tried to hurt Edge with his leg drop off the cage, but he was a professional and landed it perfectly. Matt may have won the battle but I think Edge won the war. A great cage match with a hot crowd. ****


At New Year's Revolution 2006, Edge would become the first ever guy to cash in a Money in the Bank briefcase and would win his very first World Championship. A classic moment and a huge moment for Edge, even though he would lose it only a few weeks later at the Rumble event.



Edge vs Mick Foley : Hardcore Match
From Wrestlemania 22. Here's a match you won't see in the WWE ever again. Foley can make anyone into a star and on this night he did just that with Edge. Edge took some brutal bumps in this one like the back suplex onto the thumb tacks and an encounter with some barbed wire. The flaming table spot was fantastic and a true Wrestlemania moment in itself. An awesome match that stole the show on this night. One of Edge's best matches. ****1/4



Edge / Mick Foley / Lita vs Terry Funk / Tommy Dreamer / Beulah
From One Night Stand 2006. Here's yet another match that you won't see in the WWE again. This one was freaking insane, and I can't believe that a sixty year old Funk was able to pull off some of those stunts. Everyone performed well here, and Edge was at his sleazy best with a sexualised pin on Beulah to win the match for his team. An unforgettable clash. ****1/4



Edge vs John Cena
From Summerslam 2006 and the WWE Title is on the line. If Edge is disqualified, he loses the Title to Cena. Edge wanted to prove he could beat Cena, and Cena wanted revenge after Edge slapped his father. Cena was in his hometown and still getting booed.  A good match that had Edge in control most of the time, and these guys showed chemistry for perhaps the first time. The DQ stipulation was used well too. Good stuff. ***1/4



Edge vs John Cena : TLC Match
From Unforgiven 2006, and if Cena loses, he can never wrestle on Raw again. Also the WWE Title is on the line. Edge was in his hometown, so naturally he was cheered like a hero and Cena was booed by about 96% of the audience. An awesome TLC match here, and possibly the best one on one TLC bout. The spots were great, including the finish with Edge given an F-U through two tables. It looked amazing. Fantastic match and one of the best for both guys. ****1/2


Batista vs Edge : Steel Cage
From One Night Stand 2007 with the World Title on the line. Taker was injured so he dropped the Title to the new MITB holder Edge to start a feud with Batista. And then shortly afterwards, Edge would be injured and Khali would be brought into the picture. What a bad year. These two guys have surprisingly good chemistry together, and this may have been one of their better bouts. It did start slowly but the pace picked up as it went along. Great cage match. ***1/2


Edge was injured shortly after and had to forfeit the World Title. He wouldn't return until Survivor Series.



Edge vs Undertaker vs Batista
From Armageddon 2007 and the World Title is on the line. This looks like a kind of dream match to me. This was set up after Edge cost Taker the World Title at Survivor Series. This match featured the debut of Zack Ryder and Curt Hawkins as Edge's clones. A good triple threat match here with entertaining action that really made Edge look like the Ultimate Opportunist. Good stuff. ***1/2



Edge vs Rey Mysterio
From Royal Rumble 2008. The World Heavyweight Title is on the line. Mysterio was really just the challenger to keep Edge busy until he faced Undertaker at Wrestlemania. That didn't stop this from being good though. The crowd was really against Mysterio and they were cheering for Edge. They must have still been pissed off about the Eddie storyline. Anyway this was a great match, as there was some great offense from Mysterio, Edge was a great heel as always, and Mysterio sold the leg very well. This feud wasn't over yet. ***1/2



Edge vs The Undertaker
From Wrestlemania XXIV and the World Title is on the line. One of my personal favourite matches and probably Edge's best singles match. No one really gave Edge much of a chance here, but once he hit the spear, I think most fans thought that the Streak had ended. Luckily that wasn't the case. An awesome match featuring some great counter-wrestling and some well done nearfalls as well. A classic Wrestlemania main event and Undertaker's best Streak match until the next year's edition with Shawn Michaels. ****1/2



Edge vs The Undertaker
From One Night Stand 2008 and the World Title is on the line. If Taker loses he must end his career. Like that was going to happen on this PPV. If he was going to end his career it would have to be at Mania. Taker performed well here considering that he wasn't used to this kind of match, and Edge was at his sneaky heel best with seemingly his whole family coming out to help him. This had a nice story to it with Taker fighting off La Familia, and there were some nice spots too. A very good TLC match. ***1/2



Edge vs The Undertaker : Hell in a Cell
From Summerslam 2008. The final match for one of the best feuds of 2008. This is very close to being their best match, but I'd have to give the edge (no pun intended) to their Wrestlemania match. This match did have some awesome spots like the spear through the announce table and the chokeslam through two wooden tables. Taker finally giving Edge his comeuppance was awesome and beat him using moves that Edge used against him, such as a spear and hitting him with a camera. Fantastic match overall. ****1/2



After the Cell match Edge would take some time off and return at Survivor Series to win the WWE Title (there's no way in hell I'm reviewing HHH vs Koslov) He would then lose the Title a month later to Jeff Hardy.


From my Royal Rumble 2009 review:


Edge vs Jeff Hardy: No DQ
WWE Title on the line. Ok what was the point of taking the belt off of Edge only to put it back on him a month later? 2009 was filled with these Title changes. This whole match was here basically to start off the brother vs brother feud that worked about as well as it did in 2001. I think it was meant to originally be Christian that cost Hardy the match, but the crowd was too smart and saw it coming, so they changed it to Matt. Good choice guys. This one was a bit slow at times, but it was still entertaining and the twist of fate on the apron looked cool. It did get much better after the table spot, as the crowd really got into it and so did I. Good match. ***1/4



John Cena vs Mike Knox vs Kane vs Kofi Kingston Edge vs Rey Mysterio vs Chris Jericho : Elimination Chamber
From No Way Out 2009. Ok this was great for Edge's character but was really confusing. So because he entered a pod , he's suddenly officially part of the match that could have went to someone else? At least Y2J and Mysterio start off the match to make up for it. This is definitely one of the better Chamber matches in history, and the final two between Edge and Mysterio was a lot of fun. Edge was really an Ultimate Opportunist here. ****1/2


From my Backlash 2009 review:

John Cena vs Edge : Last Man Standing
The World Title is on the line. I liked that these guys used their history together for the storyline, with the fact that Edge could never keep Cena down. Edge absolutely hated Cena for that. This is the last PPV match these guys would have together. The story of the match was great with both guys knowing each others moveset, and having to resort to different tactics to win. Edge even broke out a sharpshooter. The AA into the audience was insane. The finish with Cena going into the stage spotlight was awesome, but unfortunately started the boring Cena/Big Show feud that no one wanted. Probably the best Last Man Standing match since Fully Loaded 2000. ****1/4



Shortly after this, Edge would injure himself and wouldn't come back until January 2010.



The 2010 Royal Rumble Match
One of the better Rumble matches in history, as the ring was never overflowing with superstars like most Rumble matches, and it was very entertaining throughout. There were some memorable moments as well like Beth Phoenix entering and eliminating Khali, and CM Punk's dominance at the beginning and then talking on the mic after every elimination was just awesome. And of course the most memorable moment of the match was Edge returning to action after months of being away and it is still a mark out moment. Awesome Rumble match. ****1/2



Edge vs Chris Jericho
From Wrestlemania XXVI and the World Title is on the line. This match had been built-up for almost a year and started when Edge was injured. Jericho started saying insulting things, like thanking him for getting injured because he was just holding him back. Ouch. The crowd started quiet for this thanks to the boring Bret/Vince match, but because both guys are so good, they were able to get the crowd into it. A fun match even though it had an abrupt finish. ***3/4



Edge vs Chris Jericho : Steel Cage
From Extreme Rules 2010. This feud continues after their great World Title match at Wrestlemania. It's also notable that these two also had a steel cage match against each other eight years previously to this one. I love how Jericho teased the escape and then decided to punish Edge some more. I think the end of the match dragged a little bit , as Edge continued to attack Jericho and it became a little uncomfortable. Other than that a great match. ***3/4



Edge kind of faded into obscurity at this point and didn't really have any direction, that is until he was made a member of the Smackdown roster, as we head towards the end of his career.



Edge vs Rey Mysterio vs Kane vs Alberto Del Rio : TLC Match
From TLC 2010 and the World Title is on the line. This was originally meant to be just Kane vs Edge, but thank god they changed it to a fatal four way. This was a fun, action packed contest with all four guys taking and delivering big bumps that you would expect from this kind of match. Even poor Ricardo took a big bump. A nice moment for Edge as well, and the long reign of Kane was finally ended. Awesome stuff all round. ***3/4



Edge vs Dolph Ziggler
From Royal Rumble 2011 and the World Title is on the line. If Edge is caught using the spear, he will forfeit the Title. No one really gave Ziggler much of a chance of winning this one, but there were some moments that made him look like a viable contender, like when he almost pinned Edge with his finisher. I loved Edge paying homage to his best friend Christian by using his finisher to win. Awesome forgotten gem that made Ziggler look like a star. ****



Edge vs Rey Mysterio vs Kane vs The Big Show vs Wade Barrett vs Drew McIntyre : Elimination Chamber
From Elimination Chamber 2011 and the World Title is on the line. This is probably my favourite Chamber match, and it might be the best one ever. There were multiple storylines woven through it, such as Drew wanting revenge on Edge for Kelly Kelly's departure, or Show wanting revenge on Barrett for all the stuff the Corre did to him. It helped that it was a ton of fun all the way through, and especially when it came down to Edge and Mysterio, because you had no idea who was going to win. Absolutely fantastic match, and one hell of a forgotten gem. ****3/4



Edge vs Alberto Del Rio
From Wrestlemania XXVII and the World Title is on the line. Sadly this would end up being Edge's final match, but what a way to go out. He left as the World Champion and his final match took place at a Wrestlemania. Not bad at all. The match was entertaining if a little underwhelming, but it was still very enjoyable, and a nice send off for the Rated R Superstar. Thank you Edge! ***1/2

Chris Benoit: Greatest Hits

Chris Benoit: Greatest Hits


Yes this may seem a bit controversial, but this is about Benoit the wrestler, not the real person. This will cover his time from WCW to WWE.


Trying to find Benoit's matches are a pain in the ass, as you can't skip to them on the streaming bar since they aren't listed. At least they're quite easy to find as there's usually a big gap on the bar where a match should be.


Chris Benoit vs 2 Cold Scorpio
From Superbrawl 1993. This is Benoit's first proper PPV appearance (I don't think Clash of the Champions counts since that's on free tv). Jesse Ventura put Benoit over in commentary, mentioning his time in Stu Hart's infamous dungeon. Both guys showed tremendous athleticism here and really impressed the live crowd. They were given plenty of time and they used it well. A great match with an awesome finishing sequence. ***3/4



Chris Benoit vs Jushin Liger
From Starrcade 1995. At this PPV it was WCW vs NJPW for the World Cup of Wrestling. I suspect that these two guys may have had some matches in Japan, so they may know each other quite well. Benoit was a member of the Four Horsemen at this point. A great match with some nice counter-wrestling, and the crowd was solidly behind Benoit, even though he was a heel. Liger nearly botched the finish but it wasn't too bad. ***1/2


Chris Benoit vs Kevin Sullivan : Falls Count Anywhere
From Great American Bash 1996. These guys really did not like each other, even in real life. They wasted no time in starting off as they went straight into the audience, using the FCA stipluation well. This felt like a war as these guys just beat the absolute shit out of each other. This is the kind of stuff you could only see in ECW at the time. Definitely a stiff contest as every shot looks real. Awesome match and one of Benoit's best early on in his career. ****1/4



Chris Benoit vs Jeff Jarrett
From Mayhem 1999. A 32 man (and one woman) tournament took place on Nitro to decide a new World Champion. Only four men remained on this night, including these two, Bret Hart and Sting. Crowd was totally behind Benoit since the show takes place in Toronto. This was a great match, but the constant interference towards the end was annoying. One of the only good Jarrett matches I can remember as Benoit moves to the finals. ***3/4



I was gonna review the finals from Mayhem 99, featuring Benoit vs Hart, but it was nowhere near what I was expecting. I thought these guys would tear the roof down, but it ended up being a standard WCW main event with awful interference that pissed me off, and a heatless crowd. Very disappointing match that doesn't deserve to be in the Greatest Hits of Benoit. Match rating is **1/2. Let's just move onto the WWE years shall we? There's gonna be a ton of Benoit vs Jericho matches to rate, and I can't wait!



Too Cool & Rikishi vs The Radicals
From No Way out 2000. Here we have the first PPV featuring the Radicals: Chris Benoit, Perry Saturn, and Dean Malenko. Eddie Guerrero was there for moral support, but left quickly when Rikishi attacked him. A good match here that showed off the skills of the Radicals, and kept Too Cool strong as well. The crowd may have not been that hot, but it didn't affect it too much. ***



Chris Benoit vs Kurt Angle vs Chris Jericho
From Wrestlemania XVI. The European and the IC Titles are on the line here, as both are held by Kurt Angle. First fall is for the IC belt, and the second fall is for the European. Angle and Jericho would go down in history as Benoit's greatest opponents, but here they were still new to each others styles, so it wasn't as great as you would think. However, this was still a damn good match, even if the crowd didn't care. Benoit wins his first Title in WWE as he hits the flying headbutt for the IC Title. Jericho won the European Title. ***1/2



Chris Benoit vs Chris Jericho
From Backlash 2000 and the IC Title is on the line. The start of a long and awesome feud here. Jericho wasn't the European Champ here and I don't know when he lost it. This was a great match filled with awesome counter wrestling, and they cut a nice pace throughout. The DQ finish does spoil it a bit, but at least they'd have future matches together. It was still an awesome match though. ****



Chris Benoit vs Chris Jericho : Submission Match
From Judgment Day 2000. I was really looking forward to this one, due to both guys being known for their submissions. You didn't get matches like this in the WWF at the time as it was during the Attitude Era which was more about hardcore matches. But these guys showed that this kind of wrestling can be a ton of fun, and put on a great contest. I especially like the Walls of Jericho submission on the ring ropes. Great stuff here. ***3/4


Chris Benoit vs The Rock
From Fully Loaded 2000 and the WWF Title is on the line. If Rock is disqualified, he loses the Title to Benoit. Looks like they decided that Benoit was good enough for a big push. God knows why they stopped it though. This was a fantastic match that showed that Benoit deserved to be a main event player in the WWF. Benoit gave Rock one of his best matches here. Benoit almost became the WWF Champ by DQ, but Foley restarted the match and Rock won it back. ****1/4



Chris Benoit vs Chris Jericho : 2/3 Falls
From Summerslam 2000. Aside from their awesome ladder match (which I'll get to soon), this seems to be their highest rated match. This is only the second time I've watched it and it was even better this time. You would never believe that these two were best friends because they looked like they had such hatred for one another. The arm psychology was very well done too. The match ended 2-1 to Benoit. Incredible stuff. ****1/2


Chris Benoit vs Triple H 
From No Mercy 2000. Benoit gave Stephanie McMahon a headbutt and is still a heel. If someone did that today they would be cheered more than Daniel Bryan. He also cost HHH the chance to face the Rock tonight, so this was personal. The psychology was very good in this match, with HHH going after Benoit's leg, and Benoit going after HHH's arm. Shocking for a HHH match I know. A fantastic match from both men. ****1/4



Chris Benoit vs Chris Jericho : Ladder Match
From Royal Rumble 2001 and the IC Title is on the line. Finally these two fearsome rivals reach their final encounter, and boy did they try to destroy each other. This isn't the high-flying ladder match that you would expect, as these guys just wanted to beat the other up. The most (in)famous moment of the match comes from a suicide dive from Benoit as he goes head first into a steel chair, and it looks absolutely brutal. It was a war, and a terrific one at that. ****1/2



The Wrestlemania X-Seven match is rated ****1/4, but I'm keeping that for Kurt Angle's Greatest Hits if I ever get round to it.


Chris Benoit vs Kurt Angle : Ultimate Submission Match
From Backlash 2001. Angle cheated to beat Benoit at Wrestlemania, so this feud had to continue which was perfectly ok with just about everyone. This is like an Iron Man match, except that you can only gain a point by a submission. Angle and Benoit for a guaranteed 30 minutes? Oh hell yeah! This was a lot like their Mania match as they started with mat wrestling then decided to go to town on one another. A terrific contest with some awesome submission wrestling. ****



A couple of months later, Benoit would injure his shoulder at the King of the Ring PPV and wouldn't return for another year.




Kurt Angle vs Chris Benoit
From Unforgiven 2002. These guys have had quite a few PPV battles together and I don't think there's a bad one among them. Angle was pissed with Benoit after Benoit laughed at Kurt while he was taking a stink face from Rikishi. Do you really need a story like that for these two guys? I could watch these guys trading suplexes and submission holds all day long. A short but fantastic contest here that featured nearfalls and great drama all the way through. One of the best of 2002. ****1/2


Can I just say that I am so happy that the Network exists so that people can watch these matches that they might have never seen before.



Edge & Rey Mysterio vs Kurt Angle & Chris Benoit
From No Mercy 2002 and the newly made Smackdown Tag Titles are on the line. Their prestige didn't last that long. I haven't seen this match for almost ten years, so I've been aching to watch it again to see why it was so popular, and it's not hard to see why. This was an amazing contest, and is probably the best tag match I've ever seen. This one was filled with action from start to finish, with the final ten minutes being especially exciting. From awesome double team moves to close nearfalls, this one had just about everything you need for an awesome match. A must-see classic in my eyes. *****



Eddie Guerrero vs Chris Benoit
Hmmm, I wonder if this'll be a good match? (Shitty sarcasm there). Anyway, these two were feuding after Guerrero cost Benoit a shot at the WWE Title. I don't think these two need a storyline to have a match. The multiple german suplexes were awesome. The Chavo run ins were a little annoying, but they suited Eddie's character. As good a match as you may expect from the two with a technically sound contest. ***3/4



Kurt Angle vs Chris Benoit
From Royal Rumble 2003 and the WWE Title is on the line. I'm still pissed off at the fact that the HHH/Steiner match was given a rematch, and this one didn't happen on PPV again. No wonder 2003 was an bad year for the WWE. Anyway enough of the negativity, because we just came out of hell and into heaven with this bout. An absolute technical masterpiece that has to be seen. Easily the Match of the Year. This might be their best contest together, and that is saying a hell of a lot. This one definitely made up for the last two blunders. I didn't want this to end, but unfortunately it had to as Angle retains with the ankle lock. After the match Benoit gets a well deserved standing ovation from the crowd. Unbelievable stuff. *****




Eddie Guerrero vs Chris Benoit
From Vengeance 2003. Someone give a medal to the guy that put this as the opener. Great idea that was always gonna end well. This was for the newly (re)made US Title, though sadly it would end up redundant for the next ten years or so. Of course this was a great match, how could it not be with these two in the ring? This is why I watch wrestling, to see two very talented guys trying to prove who's better with a very entertaining match, and that's exactly what we got here, a great, technical bout from the masters of technical wrestling. Eddie cheating towards the end was great too. A classic match. ****1/4



The 2004 Royal Rumble Match
The best Rumble ever? If you can get over the fact that Benoit won the match, then, arguably, it is. It's easily my favourite Rumble match ever. The 1992 Rumble comes close, but 2004 just beats it. For its one hour run time, it's entertaining all the way through, and, unlike most other Rumble matches, it doesn't have a dull moment. Benoit winning was also an amazing moment at the time, which has obviously been extinguished now. Amazing match that I would say is must-see, and a great example of how to book a Rumble. *****



Triple H vs Shawn Michaels vs Chris Benoit
From Wrestlemania XX and the World Title is on the line. The Wrestlemania match that WWE wishes they could forget about. Yes the emotional impact has been destroyed due to Benoit's tragic actions, but this, at least in my mind, is still one of the greatest matches of all time and easily the best triple threat ever. All three guys worked very hard to make this a memorable match, with HHH and HBK giving themselves brutal looking blade jobs to add to the drama. Benoit and Eddie Guerrero embracing after the match is still one of my favourite moments in wrestling history and the match is just amazing. One of the best. *****



Triple H vs Shawn Michaels vs Chris Benoit
From Backlash 2004 and the World Title is on the line. It's a tough task to try and make a sequel as good and memorable as the original, but this one just about managed it. It didn't have the emotional impact of the original, but the in-ring action speaks for itself. The crowd was totally behind Benoit (surprised that wasn't edited) and absolutely against HBK, as they bombarded him with the usual 'You Screwed Bret' chants. Even if this wasn't as good as the Mania triple threat, it's still one of the best three way matches ever, and an exceptional main event to cap off one hell of a show. ****1/2



Chris Benoit vs Kane
From Bad Blood 2003. This might just be Kane's best singles match of his entire career. It had some added intensity thanks to Kane's earlier attack in the night, and Benoit was still selling the pain. Benoit did a great job of making Kane look like the most powerful guy on the roster. The finish was awesome, as Benoit finally got the crossface locked in, and the crowd was just begging for the monster to submit. Fantastic match that made both guys look great. ****



Eddie Guerrero vs Chris Benoit
From One Night Stand 2005. As is usual with these two, a great match has been made. Two of ECW's best ever technical wrestlers here. It's sad that this is the last PPV match that these two would face each other in. Maybe the last match they ever had together. Just a great wrestling bout here as it should have been, showing off the wrestling side of ECW. ***1/2



Chris Benoit vs Booker T
From No Way Out 2006 and the US Title is on the line. Booker won the US Title in his best of seven series with Benoit by using a sub (Randy Orton) and Booker cheated to give Orton the win and that gave Booker the Title. Benoit wanted payback. This one did have its slow moments, but it got better and better as it went on. They were given plenty of time and they used it well. A great match. ***1/2



Chris Benoit vs Finlay 
From Judgment Day 2006. Finlay cost Benoit a shot at becoming the King of the Ring and so we have this match. I'm guessing that they needed a potential show-stealing match because that is exactly what we got here. A stiff match from two very stiff workers. These guys were given over 20 minutes to work and they used that time well to give us an awesome, drag-out, knock-down contest. Great stuff and a potential MOTYC for 2006. ****



Chris Benoit vs William Regal
From No Mercy 2006. Quite the impromptu match here. If they were smart they would have advertised this match, as it would have gotten pure wrestling fans excited for it. This was Benoit's return match. Two stiff workers going at it. Regal was busted open after a nasty headbutt from Benoit. The only thing I didn't like about this match was the amount of time it got. Should have gotten more time. Very stiff technical bout. It's not often that an impromptu match is the best of the night, although Armageddon would do the same two months later. ***1/2

Wrestlemania: Greatest Hits

Wrestlemania: Greatest Hits


Yes I know I said that these Greatest Hits posts would only be about select wrestlers, but I think it's appropriate seeing as we're fast approaching the 30th edition. I might even start doing it for the other big four shows, or even the In Your House PPVs. So here are Wrestlemania's Greatest Hits.



Mr T & Hulk Hogan vs Roddy Piper and Paul Orndorff
From Wrestlemania I. This match is the reason why we still have Wrestlemania today and why it's the biggest show in wrestling. Vince took a gamble on Wrestlemania, and this match certainly paid it off in a very big way. The crowd was insanely hot for the match and that made it even better. The match was a ton of fun and worth watching more than once. One of the most important matches ever. ***



The British Bulldogs vs The Dream Team
From Wrestlemania 2, and the Tag Titles are on the line. The Dream Team consisted of Greg Valentine and Brutus Beefcake. This Wrestlemania wasn't a good one, but this was definitely one of the bright spots and until Savage/Steamboat it was the best match in Mania history. A fast paced tag match that was a lot of fun throughout, and even featured some nearfalls and a hot crowd. Great stuff here. ***1/2



Ricky Steamboat vs Randy Savage
From Wrestlemania III and the IC Title is on the line. Without a doubt this is one of the most inspirational matches in wrestling history. It's because of this match that you see guys like Chris Jericho and some of the other smaller guys getting elevated to the top of the card and putting on show-stealing matches. Nothing was botched here and everything looked crisp clean, and featured so many dramatic nearfalls. This is quite possibly the best wrestling match in history and definitely one
of the best in Wrestlemania history. *****



Hulk Hogan vs Andre The Giant
From Wrestlemania III and the WWF Championship is on the line. Arguably the biggest match in the history of wrestling. The hero Hogan going up against the undefeated giant in Andre. This match drew 93,000 (if that is the real number) people into the Silverdome. The match isn't good, but that doesn't matter as it's all about the big match feel and the historical significance. The slam is still a goosebump-inducing moment. The match itself is about *1/2 but for what it did for professional wrestling and how important it is, it deserves *****.



Randy Savage vs Ted Dibiase
From Wrestlemania IV and this is the final match of the tournament for the WWF Title. This was Savage's fourth match of the night and Dibiase's third as he gained a BYE in the previous bout. Both guys performed well considering how tired they must have been. A solid match from both guys and a big moment for the Macho Man, even if he needed Hogan's help to win the belt. ***



Randy Savage vs Hulk Hogan
From Wrestlemania V and the WWF Title is on the line. I suppose you could say this one was a year in the making. It was gonna be hard to live up to the great storyline and build-up of the Mega Powers exploding, but I'd say they delivered. Savage was a great heel here, running away from Hogan and using Liz as a shield. A great match with Savage wearing down Hogan for most of it, and Hogan hulking up to win back his Championship belt. ***3/4




Hulk Hogan vs The Ultimate Warrior
From Wrestlemania VI. Winner takes all here as both the WWF and IC Titles are on the line. I have a deeper appreciation for whoever booked this match after watching the train wreck at Halloween Havoc 98. The crowd couldn't decide who to cheer for and were split right down the middle. This is one of the best booked matches ever as it was fun and had a big match feel throughout, when it probably should have been awful. Awesome stuff here. This match makes me feel like a kid again. ****1/4



The Ultimate Warrior vs Randy Savage
From Wrestlemania VII and the loser must retire (for a few months). This is easily Warrior's greatest match, and even one of Savage's best too. This one was a ton of fun with Savage trying everything he could to keep the Warrior down, but nothing worked. Savage even hit an amazing five top rope elbow drops and Warrior still kicked out. A definite Mania classic, and not just for what happened during the match but after. Elizabeth and Savage embracing for the first time in maybe three years was an emotional moment that capped off an incredible contest. ****3/4



Bret Hart vs Roddy Piper
From Wrestlemania VIII and the IC Title is on the line. Two faces and real life friends going at it. The blade job by Bret was thought to have been accidental until Bret revealed in his book that he and
Roddy acted like it was so that they weren't fined. The blood definitely added to the drama. The story was great with Roddy having to revert to his heelish ways to try and beat Bret, but even that wasn't enough, and he couldn't bring himself to hit Hart with the ring bell. A great, dramatic match here and one of Piper's best matches if not his best. ****1/4



Randy Savage vs Ric Flair
From Wrestlemania VIII and the WWF Title is on the line. The story here was that Flair claimed to have been a love interest of Elizabeth, and that really pissed Savage off. Flair didn't get away with his blade job here and was fined, I think, around $5000. A fun, fast paced match here that should have been the main event of this show. Both Savage and Flair performed greatly. Both guys showed great hatred for one another, making this a dramatic match. A fantastic contest. ****1/2


Let's just skip Wrestlemania IX altogether shall we? The best match there was Shawn Michaels vs Tatanka and I don't think that should be in this post.



Bret Hart vs Owen Hart
From Wrestlemania X. Without a doubt the greatest opener for any PPV ever, and also one of the greatest matches of all time. Every move is performed perfectly with no mistakes, and it all builds to an exciting climax. Both guys were brilliant in their roles, with Owen as the jealous younger sibling, and Bret as the regretful and wiser older brother. Quite possibly the best match in Mania history, and maybe the best match in the careers of both of the athletes. A must-see match. *****



Shawn Michaels vs Razor Ramon : Ladder Match
From Wrestlemania X and the winner will be crowned the undisputed IC Champion. Some people don't enjoy this one because it doesn't have the crazy bumps of later ladder matches, but you have to remember that matches like this just didn't happen at this point in time. It's still a highly entertaining contest that built drama with each and every spot the ladder was used with, and that gave Shawn his first classic match at Wrestlemania. An iconic contest. ****3/4



Let's just skip Wrestlemania XI as well.



Shawn Michaels vs Bret Hart : 60 Minute Iron Man Match
From Wrestlemania XII and the WWF Title is on the line. This is one of those matches that people either love or hate, and I'm in the camp of love. That didn't sound right. Anyway I believe this is the first televisied Iron Man match in the WWF. Admittedly some people won't like this match and will find that it's too long and even boring, but I just found myself entertained with it the entire time, including the overtime. They paced themselves incredibly well for the full 60 minutes. In my opinion it's a classic ****1/2



Bret Hart vs Stone Cold Steve Austin : Submission Match
From Wrestlemania XIII and Ken Shamrock is the guest referee. When talking about professional wrestling's all time greatest matches, a lot of different ones are thrown around in conversation. But I don't think any match (with the exception of Taker/HBK) comes up quite as often as this one and for very good reason. It contains perhaps the most intense 20 minutes or so of a match that you'll ever see, the blade job is great, it has an iconic image of Austin dripping blood while in the sharpshooter, and the greatest double-turn in wrestling history with Austin being hailed as a hero when all is said and done. These are all ingredients to make the perfect match (why does that sound like a powerpuff girl reference?) and one of the greatest of all time, if not the greatest. A masterpiece. *****




Stone Cold Steve Austin vs Shawn Michaels
From Wrestlemania XIV. WWF Title on the line and Mike Tyson is the special enforcer. This match is great considering that Shawn was wrestling with a screwed up back and that Austin was still feeling the effects on the tombstone at Summerslam. In-ring wise this isn't a classic, but because of the historical significance and the fact that it started off the Attitude Era makes it an all time classic. Great match from both guys, even if Tyson counted a little too fast for the finish. ****




Stone Cold Steve Austin vs The Rock
From Wrestlemania XV and the WWF Title is on the line. This Wrestlemania was awful and definitely one of the worst, but this match just about saved the whole thing. The first of three awesome matches at Mania. This is probably the worst of the Austin/Rock matches at Mania, but it still deserves to be on this list showing just how great these guys worked together. An awesome, brawling main event. ****




Edge & Christian vs The Hardy Boyz vs The Dudley Boyz : Triangle Ladder Match
From Wrestlemania 2000 and the Tag Titles are hanging from the ceiling. A lot of people mistake this for the first TLC match, although it is like a TLC match since there's a quite a few tables around the place. Definitely a precursor to the TLC concept. A classic match here with some great innovative moves for the time and so many replayable moments. The scary part is that they would only get better and better. Amazing stuff from these six fearless guys, who would become stars after this performance (most notably Edge and Jeff) ****1/2



Kurt Angle vs Chris Benoit
From Wrestlemania X-Seven. This match was only made a couple of days before the event, so it didn't really have much build-up, but these guys don't need any build-up to have an awesome match. It was unusual to see this kind of match at this point in time, especially with all the great mat wrestling at the start, but the crowd loved it. Both guys using each others signature submission holds was awesome. A fantastic technical encounter with an abrupt and disappointing finish. ****1/4



Shane McMahon vs Vince McMahon : Street Fight
From Wrestlemania X-Seven and Mick Foley is the guest referee. I find it amazing that a match featuring two non-wrestlers is on this list, but here we are. This match is the best example of wrestling soap opera and overbooking done right. This one was a lot of fun throughout, and Linda McMahon standing up and getting one of the biggest cheers I've ever heard still gives me chills. Great stuff. ***1/2



The Hardy Boyz vs Edge & Christian vs The Dudley Boyz : TLC
From Wrestlemania X-Seven and the Tag Titles are on the line. The second and best TLC match in history, and that's saying a lot considering how exciting those matches are. These guys were somehow able to come up with new and exciting spots different to those in previous matches and somehow make them even more memorable. The 20ft spear is a moment that is still shown in highlight videos to this day. Even the interference was well done as it kept the match exciting and added even more drama. Excellent match that will forever be remembered. *****



Triple H vs The Undertaker
From Wrestlemania X-Seven. The first (and definitely not last) Streak match on the list. Just like the Austin/Rock match at Mania 15, this is the first of three awesome matches and this is the worst of the three, even though it's still an awesome match. This was an entertaining brawl that went all the way into the crowd, where Taker would chokeslam HHH off the stage and that visual would be ruined by the cameraman showing the safety mat. The ref bump was ridiculously long too. Still it was a fun match overall, with an especially exciting finish. ****



Stone Cold Steve Austin vs The Rock : No DQ
From Wrestlemania X-Seven and the WWF Title is on the line. The second and best of their Mania series. One of my favourite matches. The two biggest faces of the last three years going one on one to find out who's the best. From start to finish this was an intense contest and the pace never seemed to slow down thoughout the entire match. The drama was awesome and the nearfalls were very close calls. One of the best WWF Title matches ever and just one of the all time classics. Absolutely fantastic match and a milestone in the careers of both superstars. *****



The Rock vs Hollywood Hogan
From Wrestlemania X-8. Icon vs Icon. Perhaps the greatest example of a crowd making a match a classic. The in-ring action wasn't terrific, but these guys got by with one of the hottest crowds ever and with sheer star power. Hogan hulking up for the first time in who knows how long is a genuine Wrestlemania moment and a great mark out moment. I wish they never tried to replicate it in 2003, to make this even more special. Still it's a great match and a Wrestlemania classic for sure. ****1/2



Shawn Michaels vs Chris Jericho
From Wrestlemania XIX. Even with their awesome feud in 2008, this is still my favourite match between these two guys, and I'd even go so far as to say that it is probably the most underrated match in Wrestlemania history. It's probably Jericho's best match ever and definitely one of Shawn's best, as it was this match that made him realise that he was still the showstopper. This stole the show on an already stacked card. An absolutely amazing contest with a great story and some of the best back and forth action you will ever see. One for the ages that deserves more recognition. *****. Jericho kicking HBK in the nuts and spitting on him afterwards is the icing on the cake.



Stone Cold Steve Austin vs The Rock
From Wrestlemania XIX. Act III of the classic trilogy of matches between the two. Rock was desperate to prove that he could defeat Austin, and so challenged him to one final match-up. This match was a great way for Austin to ride into the sunset, as he would only appear as a General Manager after this. The finish of the match was basically just a finisher fest, but it was a great one. An awesome way to close out a legendary rivalry and a legendary career. ****1/4



Brock Lesnar vs Kurt Angle
From Wrestlemania XIX and the WWE Title is on the line. These guys had a lot of pressure to follow up and close an already amazing show, but they managed it spectacularly. They had a technically sound contest that went back and forth, and they got the quiet crowd into it. The shooting star press botch is still a scary moment to watch, but it doesn't really overshadow the match that came before it. In the end both guys came out worse for wear with Lesnar's concussion and Angle needing neck surgery. Still it was a brilliant wrestling match. ****1/4



Evolution vs The Rock 'N' Sock Connection
From Wrestlemania XX. The real feud here was between Mick Foley and Randy Orton, but adding in Batista, Ric Flair and The Rock made it very interesting. Foley and Orton would get their proper match at Backlash anyway. This was an awesomely fun match, especially the Rock taking on Flair, and Flair going for his own people's elbow was just priceless. Evolution winning was a goof choice too as it made the newcomers look good. Great stuff here. ****



Eddie Guerrero vs Kurt Angle
From Wrestlemania XX and the WWE Title is on the line. These guys never really had a proper one on one feud with each other until this moment. Expectations were high due to the skills of both men, but this match definitely delivered the goods. They started  with some nice mat wrestling and moved on to hitting their signature moves in an exciting back and forth clash. Eddie proved that lying, cheating and stealing always wins the match. Fantastic wrestling match. ****1/2



Triple H vs Shawn Michaels vs Chris Benoit
From Wrestlemania XX and the World Title is on the line. The Wrestlemania match that WWE wishes they could forget about. Yes the emotional impact has been destroyed due to Benoit's tragic actions, but this, at least in my mind, is still one of the greatest matches of all time and easily the best triple threat ever. All three guys worked very hard to make this a memorable match, with HHH and HBK giving themselves brutal looking blade jobs to add to the drama. Benoit and Eddie Guerrero embracing after the match is still one of my favourite moments in wrestling history and the match is just amazing. One of the best. *****



Kane vs Christian vs Chris Benoit vs Chris Jericho vs Shelton Benjamin vs Edge : Money in the Bank
From Wrestlemania 21. The first ever MITB match and still the best one. No MITB match has been able to beat this, and it might even be the best Ladder match of the 21st Century (TLCs don't count). It's tied with the HBK/Jericho match for me anyway. An amazing match with some very memorable spots, including Shelton running up a ladder and knocking Y2J off another ladder. They even managed some psychology with the work on Benoit's arm. Awesome match that needs to be seen, especially if you're an Edge fan. ****3/4



Shawn Michaels vs Kurt Angle
From Wrestlemania 21.  I've seen this match so many times, but I still feel excited everytime I watch it. This may be the perfect example of a dream match living up to expectations. In fact it might have even exceeded a few of them. This match has already received tons of praise and there's not much I can add to it. All I can say is that it's an absolute classic that is hard to beat. It starts off with some great mat wrestling, and then the two just decide to beat the shit out of each other. Angle has HBK in the ankle lock for about two minutes when HBK submits. *****



Edge vs Mick Foley : Hardcore Match
From Wrestlemania 22. Here's a match you won't see in the WWE ever again. Foley can make anyone into a star and on this night he did just that with Edge. Edge took some brutal bumps in this one like the back suplex onto the thumb tacks and an encounter with some barbed wire. The flaming table spot was fantastic and a true Wrestlemania moment in itself. An awesome match that stole the show on this night. ****1/4



John Cena vs Triple H
From Wrestlemania 22. For almost the entirety of 2005, Cena was treated like a huge star, but in my opinion this is the match that made him 'the man'. I think this was the first time that the crowd truly turned on Cena. He'd been booed before, but nothing on this scale with the fans chanting 'fuck you Cena'. Harsh. Still this was a great match that had a big match feel to it and was entertaining all the way through. Both guys came out looking good. ****



Batista vs The Undertaker
From Wrestlemania 23 and the World Title is on the line. I remember thinking at the time that this would be a major bore, but oh man was I wrong about this and so were a lot of other people. These guys totally stole the show on this night and this would also be the start of Taker's run of amazing streak matches at Mania. Batista earned more respect with that performance. Excellent power match and it's probably my favourite match featuring Batista. ****1/4



John Cena vs Shawn Michaels
From Wrestlemania 23 and the WWE Title is on the line. This was originally meant to be Cena vs HHH, but HHH had torn his quad again, so HBK was his replacement and I actually think that that was the better choice. Cena had yet another star-making performance with Mr Wrestlemania. The piledriver onto the steps looked brutal. The finish was really exciting with nearfalls from both guys finishers and a close small package from HBK. An awesome match. ****1/2



CM Punk vs Chris Jericho vs MVP vs John Morrison vs Shelton Benjamin vs Carlito vs Mr Kennedy
From Wrestlemania XXIV. One of the better MITB matches in history here. It's a total spotfest, but it's just so much fun to watch. I thought only having two faces was a bad idea, but the most recent World Title MITB match had nothing but heels! An awesome match and just about everyone had something to bring to it. The Matt Hardy interference was very well done too and got a huge pop from the live crowd. Some other great spots include Morrison's moonsault with a ladder, a combined sunset flip and superplex, the return of the liontamer on a ladder, and Benjamin being thrown out the ring and onto a ladder, just to mention a few. Punk deserved the big win, and even if his first reign wasn't that good, he'd still have his day in the sun. I've seen it so many times and it still amazes me everytime. Love it. ****1/2



Shawn Michaels vs Ric Flair
From Wrestlemania XXIV and Flair's career is on the line. Some say that this one has lowered in quality since it took place, but not to me. I still love the fact that both guys worked their asses off, trying to pull off a brilliant match and give Flair the appropriate sendoff. Flair got to put in just about his whole move-set, which is always a good thing. I think HBK broke his ribs when he landed on the table early in the bout, so well done to him for keeping the match going. An emotionally charged classic. ****1/2



Edge vs The Undertaker
From Wrestlemania XXIV and the World Title is on the line. One of my personal favourite matches and probably Edge's best singles match. No one really gave Edge much of a chance here, but once he hit the spear, I think most fans thought that the Streak had ended. Luckily that wasn't the case. An awesome match featuring some great counter-wrestling and some well done nearfalls as well. A classic Wrestlemania main event. ****1/2



Undertaker vs Shawn Michaels
From Wrestlemania XXV.  I've seen this match countless times, and it never becomes boring even though I seem to know it inside out now. If you need an example of a perfect match, I would present this to you. To me, this is what wrestling is all about: two of the best in the business going out there with only pride on the line, to have an epic confrontation. If you haven't seen this one yet, I really do pity you, because you don't know what you're missing. The nearfalls are absolutely epic and these guys just looked like warriors by the end. In my view, the greatest match in Wrestlemania's long history. *****



Edge vs Chris Jericho
From Wrestlemania XXVI and the World Title is on the line. This match had been built-up for almost a year and started when Edge was injured. Jericho started saying insulting things, like thanking him for getting injured because he was just holding him back. Ouch. The crowd started quiet for this thanks to the boring Bret/Vince match, but because both guys are so good, they were able to get the crowd into it. A fun match even though it had an abrupt finish. ***3/4



John Cena vs Batista
From Wrestlemania XXVI and the WWE Title is on the line. The only match they had before this was their awesome Summerslam match in which Batista injured Cena. It was time to see if Cena could actually beat Batista. Batista's final Mania until this year's. A power match done very well here. Great match overall. Really could have been something special if given some extra time. ***3/4



Undertaker vs Shawn Michaels 
From Wrestlemania XXVI. The Streak vs The Career. I'm surprised that HBK has been able to stay away from wrestling for so long, as most expected him to come back as most wrestlers do. A fantastic match that was almost able to live up the original. This still had the excellent drama and exciting nearfalls of the first and an emotional moment with HBK making the final walk back to the curtain. A classic and the jumping tombstone was an awesome finish. *****



Undertaker vs Triple H : No Holds Barred
From Wrestlemania XXVII and HHH's second shot at the legendary Streak. This one seems to have some split opinions with some people loving it and some people hating it, but I thought it was great. Yes it does have it's slow moments with both guys taking a while to get up, but the drama made up for it with HHH looking at Taker as if he was from another world and that nothing could take him down. HHH's tombstone was a close call for the Streak to end. Great stuff here. ****1/4



Undertaker vs Triple H : Hell in a Cell
From Wrestlemania XXVIII. The second HIAC match in history, and luckily nowhere near as bad as the first. I think a lot of people were worried that this would be a rehash of their No Holds Barred match, but fortunately it was so much better. This is one of the greatest matches in Wrestlemania history thanks to Shawn Michaels adding more drama, and the awesome nearfalls as well. The DX Special was especially good, and I thought the match was over for sure. All three guys embracing after the match was the icing on an already delicious cake. *****



CM Punk vs Chris Jericho
From Wrestlemania XXVIII. This is a match I always seem to change my rating on, but I think I've finally reached my final verdict on it. I think this match is pretty damn underrated, but that's probably because it's on the same show as Cena/Rock and Taker/HHH. This is one of the best WWE Title matches in Wrestlemania history, and my favourite match between these two guys. The crowd didn't seem interested at first, but these guys managed to get the crowd on their feet and cheering. Awesome stuff. ****1/2



John Cena vs The Rock
From Wrestlemania XXVIII. I think the Once in a Lifetime tagline can now be ripped from this. I don't think the fact that these guys have had more that one match detracts from this one at all. It still has a huge match feel to it and these guys managed to make the match entertaining for the entire half hour. A Wrestlemania classic for sure. ****1/2



The Undertaker vs CM Punk
From Wrestlemania XXIX. Almost a year later and this is still one of the best matches of 2013. For the past seven years, the Deadman's streak hasn't failed to deliver and this is no exception. Punk looked terrific in defeat as he seemed to take Undertaker to the very limit and even outsmarted him at times, sometimes with help from Paul Heyman. Undertaker looked amazing for a 'broken down old man' as some people seemed to be calling him. An awesome match worth watching again and again. ****1/2



John Cena vs The Rock
From Wrestlemania XXIX and the WWE Title is on the line. The slammy award winner for Match of the Year. I wouldn't agree with that, but it's a phony award so it doesn't really matter. I've said in the past that I seem to have a guilty pleasure with this and the original, and that still holds true: I love this match. People complain about the slow start, but I think it builds well to the finisher fest towards the end. Ok it was quite boring at times to start with, but it did get much better as it went on. Cena hits a third AA to win the Title. Awesome match. ****

Slamboree 2000

Slamboree 2000 Review

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That may be the strangest looking wrestling poster I've ever seen. I don't really know anything about this time period in WCW, so this'll all be new to me. So let's begin.



Before the show we get a video package showing Ric Flair winning a battle royal on Thunder.


Looking at the proper video package, I have to say that the show looks awful. Why were they using Hogan's real name? Oh yeah I forgot; Vince Russo.



Chris Candido vs The Artist
Tammy AKA Sunny is out with Candido. She probably should have stayed with the WWF. The Artist is Prince Iaukea and is representing the New Blood, whoever the hell they are. Cruiserweight Title on the line here. This was quite the sloppy match-up, and the only person who seemed motivated was Tammy. Even the ring bell wanted it to end as it rang prematurely. Mediocre at best. *1/4


Not exactly the best start to a show that already looked bad.



Terry Funk vs Norman Smiley & Mystery Partner
Hardcore Title is on the line. Well at least WCW were using Funk appropriately, but it saddens me that a legend like Funk was working for this company during this time period. I assume this match was meant to be comical, and it even failed at that, seeing as Funk isn't a comedic guy. The weapons shots backstage were weak as they mainly used things made of cardboard, and it showed. Even when it got back to the ring it was bad. Overall just awful. DUD



Sean Stasiak vs Curt Henniq
Maybe Mr Perfect can save the show? Well not really but this is still the match of the night so far. I wish it had been longer than five minutes, and if it had been long enough to remove the first two matches, I would be a happy camper. Solid stuff from both guys. It did seem like a TV match, but at least it was a good TV match. **1/2


Hugh Morrus vs Scott Steiner
The US Title is on the line. Before the match, Hugh says that his new name will be Hugh G Rection. Oh dear god and I thought things couldn't get worse. Surprisingly this match wasn't god awful and was quite entertaining throughout. It still wasn't great, but it sure wasn't that bad either, and I never thought I'd say that about a match featuring Steiner from this time period. **



Kanyon vs Mike Awesome
I don't know why these guys are feuding, but Kanyon does seem pissed off at Mike for some reason. No one really explained the issue. The crowd was into this one, thanks to it's fast paced beginning, and it never really slowed down. A fun match throughout as these guys seemed motivated to put on an entertaining contest. Unfortunately Kevin Nash had to ruin things by interfering. A perfectly good match ruined by a shitty run in. This is why WCW is dead. ***



Buff Bagwell vs Lex Luger
I didn't even know that Luger was still wrestling at this time. The story is that Luger is pissed that Vince Russo owns Miss Elizabeth, so for some reason he's fighting Bagwell here. Makes sense. At least the crowd was into it. Luger seemed gassed quite quickly. Nothing much to say about this one, it was just a generic match. Nothing terrible and nothing that good. Dull stuff. It also featured yet another run in. What is it with this company and run ins? Pretty much a nothing match here. *


Shane Douglas vs Ric Flair
I thought that Shane was wrestling in ECW at this point. He probably should have been. Apparently this is seven years in the making. Still no real explanation as to why the feud is happening. Flair is wearing street clothes for some reason. Pretty entertaining match actually, as most matches featuring Flair are, and it cut a nice pace throughout. Unfortunately the interference ruins it yet again. Solid stuff while it lasted. **1/4



Sting vs Vampiro
Two similarly strange dudes going at it here. I don't know much about Vampiro, except from what I read in Chris Jericho's first book and he sounds like a bit of a dick who thought he was a huge deal. The match started well with a fast pace, but once Vampiro gained control, it definitely slowed down. Short match but it wasn't bad. **


Order Slamboree now and get a Buff Bagwell pendant! A great reason to buy this train wreck of a show.



Billy Kidman vs Hulk Hogan
Eric Bischoff is the guest referee. I can see that decision turning out well. Out of all the cruiserweights on WCW, Billy Kidman was the one to be elevated to the top? Interesting. This one started quite sloppily, but it got better as it went on. It didn't take long for Bischoff to start screwing around. Entertaining match with Hogan beating up both Kidman and Bischoff, and the crowd was into it. ***



David Arquette vs Diamond Dallas Page vs Jeff Jarrett : Triple Cage Match
Yes you read that right, Arquette is indeed in this match. World Title is on the line, and it's Arquette that's defending it! Probably the worst booking decision in WCW, even though there were a lot of them. This is like a three stages of hell match. First fall is like a Hell in a Cell match, second is like a standard cage, and third is like a ladder match except it's inside a cage. A good match here, as Arquette stayed out of the way most of the time and let the two proper wrestlers go at it. Good stuff even with the interference and the silly heel turn from Arquette. ***1/4



5/10. Well at least it wasn't as bad as I thought it might have been.  There were only a few good matches here like the main event and Kidman/Hogan, but there was a lot of forgettable/bad stuff in here too. The constant interference at the end of matches was a pain in the ass, which I'm sure was common for WCW at that time. At least the main event delivered.

Backlash 2009

Backlash 2009 Review





Jack Swagger vs Christian
WWECW Title on the line. Man, old-school ECW fans couldn't have been happy knowing that Swagger was billed as the 'ECW' Champion. This was a great choice for the opener as these guys had great chemistry and put on an entertaining match with nearfalls and counter-wrestling. Swagger showed some potential here, but he never really went anywhere until a year later. Still, this was a great match and an awesome way to start the show. ***1/2


Chris Jericho vs Ricky Steamboat
The Dragon looked absolutely fantastic at Wrestlemania, and it seemed as if he hadn't aged a day. WWE took advantage of that and gave us a match we wanted to see: Y2J going against his childhood hero. Steamboat seemed to tire out quite easily here, but Jericho covered that well enough. A very good match here, as Steamboat showed that he had what it took to hang with one of the best in Y2J. ***1/4


Steamboat gets a well deserved round of applause from the live crowd.



Kane vs CM Punk
At Money in the Bank at Wrestlemania, the final two came down to Punk and Kane. Punk kicked Kane off a ladder to win, and somehow that sets up a feud. What is it with WWE and making the MITB winners look bad and lose matches? They've been doing it for years now, and it's become tiresome. Pretty solid match, even if it felt like filler, and Punk didn't look too bad against Kane. **1/2



Jeff Hardy vs Matt Hardy : I Quit Match
I guess this feud had to continue, and I guess I'd be pretty pissed off too if someone gave me a twist of fate on a chair and nearly broke my neck. Plus burning someones dog alive isn't a nice thing to do. Yes this storyline was kinda fucked up. The problem with the I Quit match is that slows down the match pacing, and these guys need a fast paced match. They just don't look comfortable with submission wrestling. A pretty dull match until the screwed up ending with Jeff duct taping Matt to a table, and even when he begs Jeff for forgiveness, he still puts Matt through it. What a strange family. **


The Great Khali has a kisscam session with Santina Marella. Santina says she's dating with Jim Ross which was kinda funny. There was a match between Beth Phoenix and Santina, but it lasted three seconds so I'm not including it as an official match-up. Dumb segment overall.



Triple H / Batista / Shane McMahon vs Legacy
The WWE Title is on the line. If HHH's team wins, HHH leaves with the Title, if Legacy wins, Randy Orton leaves with the Title. I think they figured that HHH vs Orton was gonna bore everyone, so they went for the multi-man match to make things interesting. The match was solid to start with, but the heel heat sections just seemed to go on for ages, and they were just pretty dull. Luckily the finish was exciting. A good tag match overall. ***1/4



John Cena vs Edge : Last Man Standing
The World Title is on the line. I liked that these guys used their history together for the storyline, with the fact that Edge could never keep Cena down. Edge absolutely hated Cena for that. This is the last PPV match these guys would have together. The story of the match was great with both guys knowing each others moveset, and having to resort to different tactics to win. Edge even broke out a sharpshooter. The AA into the audience was insane. The finish with Cena going into the stage spotlight was awesome, but unfortunately started the boring Cena/Big Show feud that no one wanted. Probably the best Last Man Standing match since Fully Loaded 2000. ****1/4


7/10. This was a damn good show to follow up Wrestlemania with. The main event was tremendous, the opener was great and the WWE Title match delivered. It did drag a little bit after the Jericho/Steamboat match, but it got back on track when it got to the six man tag match. A recommended show.

Daniel Bryan: Greatest Hits

Daniel Bryan: Greatest Hits


I enjoyed the first Greatest Hits post with CM Punk, and now it's time for everyone's favourite underdog to stand in the spotlight. As with Punk, I'll be using the PPVs on the Network, and also some Raw episodes from 2013. Let's begin.



Team WWE vs The Nexus
From Summerslam 2010. This marks Bryan's first WWE PPV appearance, as he was stupidly fired for strangling Justin Roberts on TV. This was also Bret Hart's first Summerslam match since facing the Undertaker in 1997. Bryan received a nice pop from the crowd and looked great during the match as he was only eliminated by nefarious means, and got a couple of eliminations himself. The crowd was hot for this one thanks to the great build-up leading up to it. A tremendous tag team match, even if it ruined the Nexus in the long run due to SuperCena making an appearance. ****1/4



Daniel Bryan vs The Miz
From Night of Champions 2010 and the US Title is on the line. And to think, back then this match was considered the big time for Bryan. How far he's came is amazing. Bryan winning the US Title was an awesome moment and let us know that he was here to stay. This might have been the Miz's best match up to this point too. A great match that showed what Bryan could do in the ring. ***3/4



Daniel Bryan vs The Miz vs John Morrison : Submissions Count Anywhere
From Hell in a Cell 2010 and the US Title is on the line. This is the second and currently last Submissions Count Anywhere match. This was Bryan's first defense of his newly won Title. Miz and Morrison weren't known for their submission wrestling, but they still managed to help make this a great match. Morrison's dive off the stage was great, and the submission wrestling was done well too. Awesome stuff. ***3/4



Daniel Bryan vs Dolph Ziggler
From Bragging Rights 2010 and this is a Smackdown vs Raw match with both guys holding the mid-card Championships. This was easily both guys best WWE match at this point in time. This PPV sucked and is one of the worst I've seen, but this is the sole bright spot. The only thing that put me off the match was the unnecessary fat jokes towards Vickie Guerrero. Bryan and Ziggler started slowly and gradually built to an exciting finish with nearfalls and counter-moves. A MOTYC for 2010. ****1/4



Sheamus vs Daniel Bryan vs Wade Barrett vs Kane vs Cody Rhodes vs Heath Slater vs Justin Gabriel vs Sin Cara
From Money in the Bank 2011. Yes this match had the honour of opening up one of the greatest shows of all time, and boy did it do a great job of that. Looking back now, it seems strange to think that it was almost impossible that Daniel Bryan would win the thing. I was personally rooting for him to win, but in the back of my head I was almost positive that Sheamus or Wade Barrett would win it. Needless to say, I did mark out like a kid when Bryan won, and it still gives me goosebumps today. Anyway the entire match was awesome, the spots were well done, and it was never boring at all. Exciting all the way through and one of the better MITB matches. ****1/4



Mark Henry vs The Big Show : Chairs Match
From TLC 2011 and the World Title is on the line. By this point the Henry/Show feud had kind of overstayed it's welcome. Luckily this match only lasted about five minutes and consisted of a lot of chair shots. Show hits the right hand to win the World Title. 1/2*. Afterwards Daniel Bryan comes out and cashes in MITB and pins Show 1-2-3. This moment still makes me mark out, and Bryan's celebration is just awesome. ***** for the cash in.



Daniel Bryan vs The Big Show vs Mark Henry : Steel Cage
From Royal Rumble 2012. Here we have Bryan's first World Title defense and he looked like a massive underdog here as he took on two giants. This was a better match than expected, and the cage was used well by all three men. Bryan's agility won him the match as he was able to climb over the cage and Show couldn't catch up with him. Good stuff here. ***



Daniel Bryan vs The Big Show vs The Great Khali vs Wade Barrett vs Cody Rhodes vs Santino Marella : Elimination Chamber
From Elimination Chamber 2012 and the World Title is on the line. This isn't exactly a star filled match, and only Bryan looked like he had a chance of winning. That was until Santino came out of nowhere looking like an underdog. When he hit the cobra on Bryan, everyone in the arena stood on their feet, thinking they were about to see a miracle. But alas, Bryan kicked out and won the thing. This one started off boring and got better when Rhodes came in, but the momentum was lost once Khali lumbered in.The finish was exceptional though. Good Chamber match. ***1/2


A month after the chamber, Bryan would go on to Wrestlemania XXVIII and lose the World Title to Sheamus in 18 seconds. This may sound like a bad thing, but if this had never happened we may never have had the Yes Movement. The Movement started the night after Mania on Raw (which is on the Network and totally worth the watch) and Bryan has looked like a star ever since. Fans were still disappointed that Sheamus and Bryan never got a proper match, but that issue would be resolved at Extreme Rules.


From my second Youtube compilation:

Daniel Bryan vs Sheamus : 2/3 Falls
From Extreme Rules 2012 and the World Title is on the line. It has been two years since I reviewed this one, so I felt like it needed an update. Knowing that this could have been what we got at Wrestlemania 28, it's hard not to feel a sting. An awesome match that made Bryan look great, and showed that Sheamus is quite an underappreciated performer, and showed some great arm psychology. One of the best matches of 2012. ****1/2



Daniel Bryan vs CM Punk
From Over the Limit 2012 and the WWE Title is on the line. The two of these guys headlining (Cena vs Laurinaitis doesn't count) a PPV with the biggest Title on the line must have been a dream come true for a ton of fans, including myself. Bryan looked great going against the most popular guy in WWE at the time, and looked like a top star. This was an absolutely stunning match, and possibly the best of 2012. It's definitely one of the best of all time. The 'this is awesome' chants were well deserved and very appropriate. Fantastic stuff here. *****



Daniel Bryan vs CM Punk vs Kane
From No Way Out 2012 and the WWE Title is on the line. I can't remember why Kane was added to the mix, but I don't think he hindered things as much as people thought he would. Plus there was no way that Punk and Bryan would replicate their classic. This should have been the main event on this night. An awesome triple threat match here, featuring nearfalls and Yes chants. A great performance from all three guys. ****



Team Hell No vs Kofi Kingston & R-Truth
From Night of Champions 2012 and the Tag Titles are on the line. I think this was Bryan and Kane's first match as Team Hell No, and it would begin their very long reign with the Championship.The hug it out segment was pretty great. Pretty fun match with Bryan and Kane arguing while the match was going on. They only won by accident with Bryan pushing Kane onto Kofi. Good stuff. ***



Team Hell No vs Dolph Ziggler & Big E Langston
From Wrestlemania 29 and the Tag Titles are on the line. Finally Bryan gets a match at Mania that's over 18 seconds long. I did enjoy the throwback to Bryan's previous Mania match as Ziggler was almost caught out at the beginning thanks to AJ and was nearly pinned straight away. Everyone here looked motivated, even the big guys. A good match that was kept way too short. ***



Daniel Bryan vs Seth Rollins
From Raw June 9th 2013. Orton had just faced off against Roman Reigns, and now the two high-flyers are gonna go one on one. This is leading to the Tag Title match at Payback featuring these four guys. If you needed any proof that Rollins wasn't the weak link of the Shield, then this match proves it, as these guys put on a kick-ass TV match. A great back and forth encounter here, featuring nearfalls and big moves. It even earned a 'this is awesome' chant from the crowd. ***3/4



Daniel Bryan vs The Gauntlet
From Raw July 21 2013. Brad Maddox put Bryan in this match to test his skills. First up is Jack Swagger. Their match doesn't last very long with Swagger getting some offense in, and Bryan suddenly locking in the Yes lock to make Swagger tap out. Next was Antonio Cesaro and after witnessing this, I would love to see these two lock up again. An amazing back and forth match-up that could stand as a MOTYC on it's own. The small package finish was great too and that took out Cesaro. Next up was Ryback. This was a surprisingly good section and the crowd was hugely behind Bryan. Bryan won as Ryback got himself DQ'd. I'll give the whole thing ****1/2, but the Cesaro/Bryan match on its own is must see and probably about ****1/4 by itself.



Daniel Bryan vs John Cena
From Summerslam 2013. I feel so bad for not calling this the Match of the Year, but it definitely deserves like a runner up prize or a very honourable mention. What can I say about this match that hasn't already been said? This was Bryan's moment in the sun and he went over Cena completely cleanly and made himself a huge star in the process. It definitely helps that this was an amazing back and forth battle that felt like a war was being waged. Fantastic match and a fantastic moment as Bryan wins his first WWE Title, even if it was ruined by Orton. *****



Daniel Bryan vs Randy Orton 
From Night of Champions 2013. It's sad that Bryan's longest WWE Title reign lasted from this night to Raw the night after. But still this was a great match. It wasn't their best match together, but these two can do no wrong with each other as they have amazing chemistry. Some nice back and forth action and a red hot Bryan made this one awesome. A fast count gives Bryan the win and leads to the infamous abeyance of the Title. ***3/4



Daniel Bryan vs Randy Orton
From Raw December 16th 2013. By this point these guys had had a ton of matches together, but I think that this is their best one which is saying a hell of a lot. This had the ingredients of their usual great contests, like nearfalls and awesome back and forth action. Both guys looked great in the end, especially Bryan as Orton had to cheat just to get out the match so that he didn't suffer a loss. Amazing stuff here, even with the DQ finish. ****1/2