wrestling / Columns
The Shimmy 10.01.07: The Triple H Report Card (Part Five)
Hello, ladies. You know something, ladies, the Big Andbowski is a lot like the Triple H Report Card. It can go on for weeks on end!
Yeah, that was pretty sad. Why don’t we just down to business and you can read the rest, eh? Cool.
World Heavyweight Title, Last Man Standing Match: Triple H© vs. Shawn Michaels (Royal Rumble 2004)
This is a match that often gets overlooked due to the Triple Threat Matches involving Chris Benoit later in the year. This was the rematch of their classic match at the end of 2003 only this time it had a Last Man Standing stipulation. This was a brutal match, the match that the Triple H-Ric Flair Last Man Standing Match wished it could be. It was a bloodier version of their Unsanctioned Street Fight from SummerSlam 2002 and this time the gold, and a spot at WrestleMania, was on the line. Is the double knock out finish to a Last Man Standing Match played out? Sure. But these men made it work by absolutely killing themselves out there. If anyone missed this match I definitely think it’s one worth checking out.
My Grade: A+
World Heavyweight Title, Triple Threat Match: Triple H© vs. Chris Benoit vs. Shawn Michaels (WrestleMania XX)
This is, for my money, one of the top ten (maybe fifteen if you give me a good list) wrestling matches of all time and THE greatest wrestling match of this decade. I have watched this match over a hundred times, including live, and I never get sick of it. It’s a shame that a lot of the magic of this match was killed alongside Daniel and Nancy Benoit, but that still doesn’t erase the magnificent storytelling of these three individuals. This is an edge of your seat ride, a match that can give you goosebumps (perhaps not anymore for some people, unfortunately). Sometimes when I watch it I still expect Triple H to hit that Pedigree at the end and send everyone home mad. Watching Benoit roll through the reversal and keep the Crossface locked on, just waiting for Triple H to tap has me screaming at the TV every time I watch it. The end of that show, with Eddie and Benoit embracing, both world champions, in Madison Square Garden at the biggest show of all time has always been the perfect moment in wrestling to me. I always thought that if the wrestling world had ended right there than that would be OK. I don’t know that I can really feel that way now, but it’s still a special moment regardless.
My Grade: A+
World Heavyweight Title, Final Encounter, Triple Threat Match: Chris Benoit© vs. Triple H vs. Shawn Michaels (Backlash 2004)
How many times is there a Triple Threat rematch? I wondered at the time which would be a bigger moment, winning the World Title in the main event of WrestleMania or winning the World Title in your hometown? Chris Benoit had already won the World Heavyweight Title at WrestleMania and now he returned to Edmonton to defend it. If there was one good thing that came out of the Triple H super-reign of 2002-2003 it’s that you always have that doubt in your mind that tonight is the night he wins it back, no matter how improbable it may sound. I love the moment in the match when the referee gets knocked out and Earl Hebner runs out to replace him…just as Shawn Michaels is locking in the Sharpshooter on Benoit. To steal a phrase from Pat Patterson, the Canadian crowds goes absolutely BANANNA. Many people think that this match is just as good as their WrestleMania match, and while I really don’t agree with that, it’s a close second.
My Grade: A+
Hell in a Cell Match: Triple H vs. Shawn Michaels (Bad Blood 2004)
After six months of feuding with each other and knocking one another out of the title picture, Triple H and Shawn Michaels could only resolve their issues in one way: Hell in a Cell. Much like their 3 Stages of Hell Match, I think this was rather disappointing. It had potential, but by and large it just wasn’t as good as it should have been. I think one of the main reasons was length. I believe the match almost went an hour, which was probably about twenty minutes longer then it needed to be. A lot of people also had a bad taste in their mouths at the time because this match went on last instead of the Benoit-Kane World Title Match. In retrospect, when looking at the feuds this obviously deserved the top spot, but in 2004 that was a big deal.
My Grade: C+
World Heavyweight Title Match: Chris Benoit© vs. Triple H (Vengeance 2004)
Triple H and Chris Benoit have had some really good matches. This one isn’t a bad match at all, but as would be a problem in their feud in 2004, the storyline factor of Triple H manipulating Eugene kind of took away from any epic tendencies this match had. Don’t get me wrong, I loved Eugene’s initial push in the summer of 2004. Hell, I still think he should have come out of SummerSlam as the World Heavyweight Champion instead of Randy Orton. But really, when you have two guys like Triple H and Chris Benoit that really should be able to carry a feud on their own you really don’t need the addition of a new comedy character to a big PPV match.
My Grade: B-
Triple H vs. Eugene (SummerSlam 2004)
Poor, Eugene. His character started off so hot early in 2004, but I think the fans got too much too soon. Add to that the fact that this show was taking place in Bizarro World and he didn’t stand a chance. I always thought that this should have been for the World Title (with Triple H winning it from Benoit in the Iron Man Match on Raw) with Eugene coming away with a short reign (anywhere from a day to a month) to capitalize on his popularity, but given the crowd this would not have been the place to do it. Triple H pretty much demolished him here and this would be the peak of Eugene’s career.
My Grade: C
World Heavyweight Title Match: Randy Orton© vs. Triple H (Unforgiven 2004)
Wow, talk about a match that really derailed a career. Randy Orton has managed to do pretty well for himself in WWE, but the way he looked when he was coming up the roster you would think he would have been a much bigger star than he currently is. Part of the problem was his poorly done face turn. I don’t have a problem with Orton turning face after winning the belt because he was kind of a “cool heel” anyhow in Evolution, but the follow up was horrible. And then there was this match. Truth be told I don’t remember a lot about the actual wrestling in the match. If memory serves me correctly it was pretty standard, nothing great, nothing bad. But I do remember two things: 1) I was shocked (SHOCKED I say!) that Orton and Triple H were facing each other on the first PPV of Orton’s reign, and 2) That Orton lost. Really? That’s how you’re going to kickstart your mega-feud for WrestleMania? No wonder Batista ended up taking Orton’s spot.
My Grade: B-
World Heavyweight Title Match: Triple H© vs. Shawn Michaels (Taboo Tuesday 2004)
Considering Michaels had a bum leg at the time and was only competing because the fans voted for him this was a damn good match. While not up to the standards of some of their previous encounters this match had its own charm. Personally I think they should have let HBK win the title here to make the fans think that their votes actually mattered, and then have him lose the title the next night due to Edge. It’s actually that kind of thinking that makes this match fun to watch.
My Grade: B
Classic Survivor Series Elimination Match, Winners Get Control of Raw for a Month: Triple H, Batista, Edge, & Snitsky vs. Randy Orton, Chris Benoit, Chris Jericho, & Maven (Survivor Series 2004)
This was a fun match with an eclectic group of talent. This is pretty much where Batista first starting getting some support from the crowd as the guy they’d like to see topple Triple H. Had Triple H’s team won the match Batista should have been the one guy that he didn’t need to worry about defending his title against, or so he thought. With Batista’s intentions unclear the crowd slowly began to respond favorably to the idea of a Triple H-Batista feud. As for the match itself it was your basic, fun, chaotic, Survivor Series Elimination Match.
My Grade: B+
World Heavyweight Title, Elimination Chamber Match [vacant]: Triple H vs. Randy Orton vs. Batista vs. Chris Benoit vs. Chris Jericho vs. Edge; Guest Referee: Shawn Michaels (New Year’s Revolution 2005)
This was where the crowd really voiced their support of Batista. Up in there with his fellow Evolution-mate Triple H the question on everyone’s mind was whether or not Batista would take his shot at the gold or merely help Triple H regain the title. Along the way his monster push continued as he eliminated the two Canadian Chrises. While Batista did in fact help Triple H the actions were not mutual as Triple H was in no hurry to help save Batista from a pin by Randy Orton.
My Grade: A-
World Heavyweight Title Match, Evolution Banned: Triple H© vs. Randy Orton (Royal Rumble 2005)
This is example A of why I hate concussion angles. Randy Orton was working one at the time, I believe given to him by Christian (Christian may have just followed up on it afterwards, I don’t remember). That meant that a match that could have been pretty good was reduced to Orton staggering around like a goof while Triple H hit him in the head. Having a concussion and all prevented Orton from having any interesting offense and the blowoff to their “epic” feud came off as really lame. The fans didn’t even care at this point just waiting for Batista to come at kick Triple H’s ass.
My Grade: C-
World Heavyweight Title Match: Triple H© vs. Batista (WrestleMania 21)
And here is the payoff to the Batista build. A lot of people knock this match because it was a rather predictable ending to the storyline, but you can’t hold it against the match. I think Batista surprised a lot of people with how well he hung in there with Triple H, even if this wasn’t a classic match. In the end even if it was predictable it definitely had went in the right direction and was a decent enough match for Batista’s big moment.
My Grade: C+
World Heavyweight Title Match: Batista© vs. Triple H (Backlash 2005)
The rematch from WrestleMania took place just one month later and it was a much better effort. Perhaps Batista wasn’t as nervous, or maybe it’s because they got to work with one another at house shows after WrestleMania but this match was significantly better than their WrestleMania match. This match probably did a better job at establishing Batista as a top guy than their first match did, and proved to all the doubters that Batista could indeed improve as he went along.
My Grade: B-
World Heavyweight Title, Hell in a Cell Match: Batista© vs. Triple H (Vengeance 2005)
This is how Hell in a Cell is supposed to be done. The culmination of the months’ long feud between Batista and Triple H, this match was brutality at its most base. That barbed wired chairshot to the back of Batista still makes me cringe. Batista has proven himself in brawls, and Triple H has proven himself in the Cell, making this one of the most violent matches of the year.
My Grade: A+
Only one more week to go! Next week will look at Triple H’s return from his hiatus in 2005, all of 2006, and what we’ve seen of 2007. Be here and read all about it!
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That’s it for this week, everybody. Next week I’ll finish up the Triple H Report Card. Until then, don’t die. Clark…out.
