wrestling / Columns
The Top Ten 3.11.08: Surprisingly Good Matches
Good day folks and welcome back to another exhilarating edition of The Top Ten. So this week’s Top Ten List was suppose to feature The Top Ten Spotfests, but after seeing some of you guys request for this list in the comments section, I decided to go with this topic this week. I ranked this list not in the order of how good the match was, but rather how much I believe it surprised us in its non-sucktitude. This is going to be a quick column this week so none of my usual witty banter and keen observations. Don’t cry, it’ll return next week. To the list!
Honorable Mention: The Undertaker vs. Kurt Angle (No Way Out ’06)
Ok, raise your hand if you thought this match was going to be as great as it was. Liars. I don’t think any of us expected a match this good from a beat down Kurt Angle and an aging Undertaker. Most of us were hoping that they would recapture the magic of the Smackdown match they had from a few years ago, but this match far exceeded that one. You had Undertaker, who was hell bent on capturing the World Title against Kurt Angle who refused to let anyone even dream about taking his title. It was just an awesome affair that saw Taker beating the crap out of Kurt, but Kurt would keep fighting back and everytime it seemed as though Taker was about to put Kurt away, Angle would find a way to counter it(including the AWESOME counter from the Tombstone into the Anklelock). Although the match ended with a screwy, non-sensical finish, it didn’t take away from the greatness that preceded it. This match proved why Kurt Angle is the one of the best ever and Undertaker is probably the best big man to ever set foot in the squared circle.
Honorable Mention: The Big Show vs. Ric Flair (ECW, 7/11/06)
When this match was first announced, most people were immediately ready to declare it the worst match of the year. After all you had an obviously aging Ric Flair pitted against The Big Show, who isn’t exactly known for his workrate, so it seemed that this match was destined for failure. The first opening minutes of this contest stuck true to that theory as both men were lumbering around and barely doing anything exciting outside of Show busting Flair open with some brutal headbutts. That all changed when Flair gave Show FOUR low blows in a row including one that Joey Styles called “the most blatant low blow in wrestling history” when Flair punted Show right in the marbles. From there, Flair got a baseball bat covered in barbed wire and smacked Show across the head with it. He then got a garbage can and smacked Show so hard in the head, it echoed throughout the arena for seconds. Flair then smacked Show right in the gut with a steel chair and after getting only a two count, took out a bag filled with thumbtacks and spread the tacks all around the ring. He gave Show three brutal chairshots to the head which made the big man collapse on top of the tacks. That just pissed The Big Show off and he flattened Flair with a clothesline and then locked in a Cobra Clutch to get the submission. This was a brutal and highly entertaining affair, especially since most people sharted all over it before it even began.
Honorable Mention: John Cena vs. Umaga (New Years Revolution ’07)
Everybody knows about the classic that these two had the Royal Rumble, but leading up to their first meeting, many people thought this match was going to be horrible. It featured Umaga, who was still very unproven at that point and didn’t seem like main event material, against John Cena, who the IWC just LOVE to bash. So people were ready to dismiss the match before even viewing it. While this match was nowhere near as good as their Royal Rumble encounter, it was tons better than anyone thought it would be and actually got people excited to see a rematch between the two. Umaga looked like an absolute beast and for the first time since winning the WWE Title, Cena seemed vulnerable which made the match that much more interesting. I believe that this is the match that made people start to respect Umaga and it was the Royal Rumble match that made everyone see that he was the real deal and certainly worthy of being in the main event.
10) Test vs. Shane McMahon (Summerslam ‘99)
By now, we all know that given the right stipulations, Shane McMahon can put on one hell of a match. That wasn’t the case in 1999 as Shane never had a chance to shine in the ring and his opponent, Test, was a highly unproven commodity. This had all the makings to be a train wreck, but instead what we got was a hotly contested and thrilling match. Test started the match strong, even pressing slamming Shane onto The Mean Street Posse, who were sitting in the crowd. After The Posse helped Shane gain control of the match, The Boy Wonder proceeded to dish out some punishment including smashing a portrait (with glass and all) over Test’s head. Test was soon able to recover and seemed to be ready to put Shane away, until The Posse interfered once again and laid Test out on an announce table. From there, Shane debuted the flying elbow off the top rope through the announce table and the crowd went NUTS. It seemed like that was all for Test, but he was able to kick out. The Posse tried everything in their power to help Shane win, but their antics were stopped when Patterson & Briscoe came down to the ring and started kicking The Posse’s asses. Once The Posse was out of the equation, Test proceeded to give Shane a Pumphandle Slam and then a elbow off the top rope to finish him off. This was a fantastic match that kept the crowd excited and surprised just about everyone with how great it was.
9) The Undertaker vs. Randy Orton (Wrestlemania 21)
Leading up to this match, Randy finally went back to his heelish ways instead of being the bitch ass Orton that HHH had punked out and regained some of the edge that made him so popular in the first place (including a SWEEET RKO on the lovely Stacy Keibler). He challenged the Deadman to a match at Wrestlemania because he figured if he ended The Deadman’s historic Wrestlemania streak, then nobody could ever deny that he’s truly a Legend Killer. This match was a lot better than anyone ever expected with both men busting their ass to provide one hell of an entertaining bout. Even though Randy came very close to ending the streak, he fell victim to The Tombstone and became just another number on ‘Taker’s historic streak. This encounter was a pleasant surprise and helped elevate Wrestlemania 21 into one of the most memorable ‘Mania’s yet.
8) The Undertaker vs. Batista (Wrestlemania 23)
I think that this match just about surprised the hell out of everybody as most people didn’t have high expectations for this match. These two men were determined to prove all the naysayers wrong and produce a great match and they definitely delivered. The match was packed with lots of brawling, intensity and drama. There were a couple times that it seemed like Batista might actually end the WM undefeated streak of The Deadman, but ‘Taker was once again able to pull it out on the grandest stage of them all. I believe this match was vastly underrated by some people, but as time goes on it will become more greatly appreciated. A great big man brawl that proved that The Undertaker doesn’t have to be in the ring with a technical marvel in order to produce a great match.
7) Steve Austin vs. Vince McMahon (St. Valentine’s Day Massacre)
This match helped prove that Vince McMahon is willing to do ANYTHING to put on a memorable match. I think this is probably Vince’s best effort ever in the squared circle because there wasn’t numerous run-ins (except at the end) and other shenanigans to distract from the match. For the most part, it was just Austin and Vince one-on-one and this time there wasn’t going to be anymore goons swarming the ring to gang up on Austin. There was no escape for Mr. McMahon and there was going to be hell to pay. Austin beat the holy Jesus out of Vince that included a NASTY bump through an announce table from the top of the cage by the Genetic Jackhammer. Vince, as always, had a plan and that plan was the 500 pound Paul Wight(you know him as The Big Show) who debuted and proceeded to beat the tar out of Austin with the power of the ponytail. I love the ending that saw Austin still win the match by being thrown through the cage by Show and Vince’s backup plan backfired right in his face.
6) Shane McMahon vs. Vince McMahon (Wrestlemania 17)
In an event that featured such legendary matches as Rock/Austin, Angle/Benoit, Undertaker/HHH and TLC II, who knew that this match would be able to match the lofty standards set by those classics and still be talked about to this day. This was a match where Shane was fighting for the honor of his mother after Vince had basically flaunted his affair in front of her and then drugged her up so that she couldn’t retaliate. Father and son had an intense battle that saw Shane crash through the announce table after missing an elbow drop and also saw Shane debut the Van Terminator in a WWE ring. This match also featured Trish Stratus turning on Vince, Mick Foley beating down Vince, and Linda rising from her sedated state to kick Vince square in grapefruits. Poor Vince.
5) Ric Flair vs. Edge (Raw, 1/16/06)
I’m sure that many of you, like myself, were thinking, “What the fuck” when reading that Ric Flair was scheduled to take on Edge in a TLC match for the WWE title. Ric Flair had never been in a ladder match EVER in his illustrious career, so all of us were expecting a train wreck. What we got was a pleasant surprise as these two went out and put on one hell of a match. Edge’s splash from the ladder in the ring to a prone Flair on a table set on the outside of the ring is one of those highlights you’ll see for years to come in the WWE. When Flair dumped Edge off the ladder and through a table set on the outside, you really thought that the Nature Boy was about to capture his 17th world title. Edge was able to recover(with help from the slut-tacular Lita) and retain his title, but the winner of the match didn’t matter because it was just a thoroughly entertaining match that none of us were expecting.
4) The Undertaker vs. Diesel (Wrestlemania 12)
In 1996, The Undertaker didn’t have many good matches unless it was with someone named Mick Foley. So when he was set to face Diesel, who didn’t have many good matches unless it was with someone named Shawn Michaels, it seemed like a disaster waiting to happen. But instead what happened was that these two put on a very entertaining big man match that was miles better than anyone ever expected. I think what made this match so good was Diesel going into total dickhead mode, which made him infinitely more cool and also made the crowd hate him that much more. His dickish attitude helped get the crowd into the match and his cockiness made the fans clamor to see The Deadman drop him on his head. Diesel actually dominated the majority of the matchup and was able to hit two Jackknife Powerbombs on ‘Taker, but after each one, he pandered to the crowd which probably cost him the match. The Deadman was able to recover and deliver The Tombstone for the three count, much to the delight of the crowd. This was a match that proved that The Undertaker is a great big man and that Diesel, at least during this portion of his career, could get it done in the ring.
3) Stephanie McMahon vs. Trish Stratus (No Way Out ’01)
How could a match that featured two untrained (at the time) and inexperienced women turn out to be not only decent, but pretty damn good? I don’t think we’ll ever know, but on this night Trish and Stephanie put on a match that far exceeded the expectations of everybody watching. Mind you, this wasn’t a classic or anything but compared to the shitfest that most of us were expecting, this was a pleasant surprise. These two brutalized each other and Trish showed some flashes of the athleticism that would propel her to being one of the best women’s champions of all-time. The matched ended when William Regal gave Trish the Regal Cutter behind the ref’s back which allowed Stephanie to pick up the pin. This match is a testimony that when you get two people in the ring that are determined to put on a good show, no matter what limitations they might have, they will accomplish their goal.
2) Hulk Hogan vs. The Ultimate Warrior (Wrestlemania 6)
This match had no right to be good. After all it featured two of the most charismatic, yet worst, workers in the history of professional wrestling. It should have been a disaster of epic proportions (ala Brock/Goldberg at WM20). But it wasn’t. Not only did they have the crowd in the palm of their hands, but they put on an above average match which, when coupled with the electric atmosphere, made for one of the most memorable matches in ‘Mania history. Hulk Hogan faced the Ultimate Challenge at Wrestlemania 6 and this match also marked the first time that two faces squared off at Wrestlemania for the WWE Title. The crowd was split 50/50 between Hogan and Warrior and this match had them on the edge of their seat during the entire duration of it. Everytime it seemed that one man had the upper hand, the other one would fire right back. It seemed like neither man could be put down for a three count. The ending came when Hogan missed the big legdrop and Warrior was able to splash him for the three count. This was monumental at the time as it seemed that Warrior was destined to be the next big thing in pro wrestling and while that eventually fizzled out, there’s no denying that this match was off the charts in terms of pure entertainment.
1) Shawn Michaels vs. Triple H (Summerslam ’02)
It seems a bit weird to place two of the best in-ring performers of all-time at the top of a “surprisingly good matches” list, but you have to remember that 2002 was a different time for both men. Triple H had returned from a quad injury earlier in the year and many IWC pundits claimed that The Game had “lost it” and no longer was the same wrestler who put on classic match after classic match in 2000 and 2001. Shawn Michaels was returning after a 4 year absence due to a back injury and many people worried that Shawn was no longer physically capable of putting on the “showstopping” matches that he did before the injury. Everyone was happy to see Shawn return to the ring, but many worried that not only was he going to make a fool of himself after being out of the ring for 4 years, but also were concerned about his well being since it was a very serious injury he was returning from. Everyone’s concerns were put to rest when HHH and HBK went out and put on an absolute classic much to the surprise and wonderment of everybody. They could have taken it easy as the in-ring return of HBK was enough to draw the fans in, but I think that both men wanted to prove to a negative public that they were still capable of putting on a classic match. This match reminded everyone why Triple H was so highly regarded in the previous years and made everyone realize that Shawn Michaels is truly a wrestling god amongst men. For him to come back from such a serious injury and have a match that great was truly phenomenal. And HBK went on to prove that this match was no fluke by having numerous other classic matches in the years to follow. But this was the match that started his comeback and made us all believers in the awesomeness of HBK again.
Check out all these great columns by my 411 brethren:
-Andy Clark’s “Shimmy”
-Ari’s “Column Of Honor”
-Sean, Alex and David’s “Triple Threat”
-Bayani’s “Truth B Told”
-Weyer’s “Shining The Spotlight”
-Byers’ “Cheap Wrestling for Cheap People”
-Larry and Geoff’s “4R’s”
-Fact Or Fiction
-Sat and Uncle Trunx’s “High Road/Low Road”
-Phill Feltham’s “Quick Talkdown”
-Sarnecky’s “Piledriver Report”
-Slimmer’s News Report
-Hidden Highlights
-Carapola’s “That Was Then” and “Friendly Competition”
-The Fink’s Payload
-Gamble’s “Just ‘Spose”
-Cook’s “Ask 411”
-Wilcox’s “Thoughts From The Top Rope”
-Meehan’s “Meethinks”
-Sforcina’s “Evolution Schematic”
-Prag’s “In Defense Of?.”
-Wrestlers of the Week
-Randle’s “Wrestling News Experience”
-Linkous’ “Why I Love Wrestling”
-Double M’s Rasslin Report
-News To Start Your Weekend
-Dunn’s Rawtopsy, Smackdown Breakdown, & ECW eXperience
-Your News, Larry’s Views
-Zac Calhoun’s “The Ripple Effect”
-Joe Estee’s “Keys To The Game”
-Halden’s “You’re An Idiot And Here’s Why”
-Buy……OR SELL!!
-Chris Lansdell “The Way I C It”
-Alex Barcham’s “Hitting Below The Beltway”
-T.G. Corke’s “The Seventh Dimension”
-Magnus Donaldson’s “Cut To The Crap”
-Tim Haught’s “Pro Wrestling Pundit”
-William Bumgarner’s “What Were They Thinking?”
-Jarrod Westerfield’s “Viral Dose Of Reality”
You’ve sucked me dry people (That’s what she said…..HA!). Be sure to leave your comments and come back next week when I flip the coin and look at The Top Ten Surprisingly Bad Matches. Don’t worry, I’ll do that Spotfests list. Eventually.
