Pro Wrestling Love Vol. 14: Best WWF Matches of Attitude Era 1998-2001 (Steve Austin, The Rock, Mick Foley)

Hey Yo Stud Muffins & Foxy Ladies,

Pro Wrestling Love vol. 14:

The Greatest Matches of WWF 1998-2001

Objective:  Break up the Greatest Match Ever Project (hosted at gwe.freeforums.project.net) into more manageable chunks to help me build my Top 100 List for the project.

Motivation: Contribute to the discussion around these matches to enrich my own understanding of pro wrestling and give a fresh perspective for old matches and even hopefully discover great pro wrestling matches that have been hidden by the sands of time.

Subject: This fourteenth volume of Pro Wrestling Love begins the Top 12 countdown of the best matches to take place in the World Wrestling Federation from 1998-2001. To me, this is the Attitude Era, I think some people would tack a year on at the beginning and end, but I would argue 1997 and 1998 are two very distinct landscapes. The year 1997 had Bret Hart & Shawn Michaels as the focal point and both were gone in 1998. In 1998, Stone Cold Steve Austin won the title and never looked back. The year 2001 saw WWF buy their competition, WCW and it also Austin’s last full time year. The year 2002 feels like more of a transition year and the first year where they really tried to capitalize on nostalgia with first the New World Order and then Hulk Hogan.   You can revisit past Pro Wrestling Love Volumes at ridingspacemountain.blogspot.com. You can check out the full version of these reviews in ProWrestlingOnly.com by going to the forums and finding the folders associated with the date of the match.

The Unholy Alliance

The Greatest Match of World Wrestling Federation 1998-2001

#6. WWF World Tag Team Champions Steve Austin & Triple H vs 

Chris Benoit & Chris Jericho RAW 5/21/01

One of the best tag team matches in the history of WWF during the electric Stone Cold 2001. I understand why Austin and everybody is down on this run because people didn’t want to see Austin as a heel, but fuck it I love it. I loved the paranoid lunatic character in and out of the ring. He reminded me of 1997 Macho Man just an absolute Wildman. The World’s Most Dangerous Man. He is the one who sets the tone for the match. Everybody has to raise their energy level to match Austin’s. Because of that this match was just dripping with urgency. Austin made Benoit & Jericho earn that shine. I have covered late 90s WCW and WWF at this point and conspicuous by his absence on these lists is Jericho. Besides the Fall Brawl match with Eddie, Jericho has not had many stand out moments. Here Austin & HHH let Jericho shine. However, that being said Benoit was the star of his team. His chop exchanges with Austin were badass. I loved the mid-match climax with Benoit hitting a superplex and then applying Crossface, only for HHH to save and hit Benoit with a chair. It was interesting that Benoit was the face in peril. I think he is a better seller than Jericho, but he is undoubtedly a better hot tag also. The fourth man, HHH did a great job contrasting from Austin’s desperate psycho maniac by being a cowardly, weasly heel. They complemented each other so well.  Benoit was great vacillating between selling and hope spots. I loved that they used the false tag to great effect here. Austin is totally out of control and throws Benoit back in for the Pedigree! But there’s no ref and Jericho finally gets involved with a missile dropkick. Austin is wild-eyed and beside himself. Jericho hot tag is great; I really like the Thesz Press into the Walls of Jericho. This is the famous HHH blows out of his quad match. In an incredible feat of manliness, finishes the match out. He even takes the Walls of Jericho on the announce table. Wow! Great finish stretch that is total chaos. Diving headbutt! Stunner! Lionsault! Benoit tackles HHH! Urgency and energy was perfect! The pacing and escalation were incredible! One of the best tag team matches in WWF and one of the best RAW matches of all time.

#5. WWF World Heavyweight Champion “Stone Cold” Steve Austin vs Dude Love 

Over The Edge 1998

WWF Match of the Year, 1998

One of those matches that was great before the bell even rung. There are too many funny lines from Pat Patterson as he was introducing Gerry Brisco, Vince McMahon, Dude Love and even his non-introduction of Stone Cold. For me, it was the advertising of Brisco Bros Body Shop in Tampa to a live audience in Milwaukee and a national audience on PPV with Pat punctuating that it was worth the drive. It was just so absurd. 

Austin is on trial in McMahon's trumped up kangaroo court. He has to deal with McMahon as the referee, the rules changing mid-match, Patterson & Brisco at ringside and eventually McMahon doing what we all expected: refusing to count. All the while, Foley and Austin are having the Attitude Era Brawl for the ages. Once, the Dude applies his Mandible Claw this match is kicked into overdrive and never looks back. Stone Cold is so cool isnt he. He just has so much energy. You cant your eyes off of him when he is making a comeback. There is so much vim & vigor behind it. What's surprising is he even kept up with Foley in the crazy bump scorecard. Foley had that nutty bump off the guardrail and then the Cactus Elbow from the car to the concrete, but Austin was bumping all over those cars especially the one where Foley shoves him off the Stunner was crazy. I think demolition derby with their bodies and the cars still holds up. It is the best use of a set ever. It feels organic. So many of the "toys" in other matches feel planted. This was just the set and they started taking bumps on the set. I loved McMahon during this section every two count, he was either pissed or relieved depending on who was kicking out. I cracked up seeing Brisco behind the action with the ring bell ready to ring it at a moment's notice. I loved Austin's mini-comeback after blading. Like he was so enraged that he was bleeding that he was really going to whoop ass only to have Foley back drop him out of a piledriver. The Cactus Elbow eats nothing but pure concrete. It was great that headed home soon after this. Patterson trips up Austin and this gives Dude Love a couple nearfalls based off the exposed top turnbuckle and a steel chair. However when Austin kicks a chair into Dude Love's face, McMahon is worried. Austin hits a home run swing on the cranium of Mrs Foley's Baby Boy. But McMahon refuses to count and then Foley accidentally cracks McMahon in the skull with the chair. Then the fireworks really go off. STUNNER! Mike Chioda 1-2-Patterson pulls him out and decks him! The fix is in! MANDIBLE CLAW! Patterson in 1-2-Taker pulls him out and Taker sends PAT PATTERSON STRAIGHT TO HELL Chokeslam through the announce table. Brisco tries his hand, but bad idea, Gerry. Taker takes the reincarnated Jim Thrope & our friend, Gerry Brisco and SENDS HIM STRAIGHT TO HELL! STUNNER! Austin pulls McMahon over and takes his hand and makes him count the three! Best overbooked finish ever! Before I forget, I gotta give a shoutout to this crowd. They ruled. They loved Stone Cold so much and were behind 100% from the beginning to the end of the match. The Stunner was so over. This is such an overbooked masterpiece and really shows what pro wrestling can do better than pretty much any other form of entertainment in terms of absurd drama. 

#4. WWF World Heavyweight Champion “Stone Cold” Steve Austin vs Kurt Angle Summerslam 2001

As a huge WCW fan, I was hopeful for the impending invasion and asked my parents to buy this PPV. At this point, Vince realized WCW was sorely lacking in starpower and wanted to keep Austin as a heel so he switched Austin over to WCW. They made it work from a kayfabe perspective. Austin’s switch is really logical from a paranoid psychopath’s perspective. Vince’s hug of Angle is enough to drive the insecure Austin over the edge because he thought he was going to be replaced. Even though as a 12 year old I knew the end was nigh for WCW and that invasion would be watered down, I was happy I ordered this PPV because this match was one of the best matches I have ever seen in my life up to that point. I did not order many PPVs and this was before the DVD box sets that started coming out in 2003 and before Youtube in 2006. So it was a real treat to watch a real instant classic.

Kurt Angle up to this point was kind of a dopey heel that thanks to his Olympic credibility had enough to hang in the main event with HHH and The Rock. Now that he was babyface and defending the honor of the WWF, he needed to shed that image and become an asskicking hero. This match is how you make a star. Angle came out of this match looking like a million bucks and one tough son of a bitch. Austin was an unhinged, reprehensible bully. Austin cheated like a muthafucka for the while match I do want to point that Austin got no real reaction during his entrance. It was eerie, the biggest star in wrestling history was being treated like a vanilla midcarder. I think fans were really struggling with Austin’s new character they still loved him, but hated his actions. The first Stunner and not a peep! Is it the fact they are in California (notoriously quiet wrestling crowds). Regardless, I was loving all this.  Austin was a cheater, psycho, a coward and a bully all wrapped up into one awesome heel package. The blood in this match maybe the best use of blood in wrestling. I think blood can enhance but here it was invaluable in getting over Angle’s struggle over to reclaim the World Championship for WWF. It was a full crimson mask. This was not the dopey clown that was a bumbling idiot in love with Stephanie or wearing little cowboy hats. THIS WAS A MAN! The crowd does become more invested in Angle as Austin beats the holy hell out of the bloody Austin. My favorite moment is when Angle applies the Anglelock outside the ring as Austin is trying to escape over the barricade and has a crazed look in his eye as he drags Austin back in the ring. He is trying to out-crazy Austin. This is the best example of babyface fire from Angle as he is throwing Austin all over the place and hitting a beautiful moonsault. The Million Dollar Dream was a ballsy move by Austin to slow the match down at a such a fever pitch, but Angle was so over at this point that crowd was still super into it. It was a chance for the heel to sap the energy of the runaway freight train babyface. Trade Stunner and Angle Slam down the stretch. Austin nails the ref to escape with the belt. The finish and a pedestrian beginning keep this from going any higher on my list and this will probably just miss my  overall Top 100. Still this is a classic and two great performances coming together in a badass match that features great babyface/heel dynamics.

#3. WWF World Heavyweight Champion “Stone Cold” Steve Austin vs Chris Benoit Smackdown 5/31/01

They are in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, Chris Benoit’s hometown. This has the feeling of the old touring NWA Champion facing the hometown hero. However unlike Flair or Race, Austin is a completely different beast. He is a psychopathic, paranoid champion. Austin just like Flair or Race knows how to shine up a babyface. He is wildly flailing around as Benoit does what Benoit does best kick ass. I love that Benoit went for the Crossface not once, not twice, but thrice early in the match. It shows he is looking for the win early and often. In a match of this magnitude, there is no reason to use anything but your best weapon, but it is still too early and Austin still has strength and wits about him. Benoit is applying the full court press suffocating Austin. Austin is great tumbling and stumbling all around ringside. Austin is able to stymie Benoit because Benoit has injured ribs, but just like the Russians at Stalingrad Benoit just keeps marching forward. Benoit ends up eating the championship belt on a diving headbutt and he has a cut under his eye. Always disturbing to watch. Benoit kicks out! Big pop and this is the big transition. Austin goes for the heat-seeking Sharpshooter to big boos. When Benoit breaks and applies his own, the crowd pops huge! I love pro wrestling! Austin’s trick knee acts up and rears up and whacks Benoit in the balls. Austin needed that shortcut. Huge “Lets Go Benoit” chant. Superplex after a ballshot bums me out. I hate when the ballshot is not respected. The Crossface outside the ring! Austin’s selling is impeccable. Then in the spot of the match Austin hits the nastiest front suplex on Benoit on the announce table on the injured ribs. Huge Austin Sucks chant! Austin is trash talking Benoit while kicking ass. Great heat segment. Until the Rolling Germans, ten of them and Austin wants a timeout. The finish is the best they can do. They wanted to keep the title on Austin. So they let Benoit beat the shit out of Vince with a chair and then Austin gets the cheap rollup. It tugs on all the same strings as a touring NWA champion, but I thought this was a totally fresh take updated for 2001. The crowd is tremendous! One of the best WWF TV matches in history and a perfect confluence of characters, story and location.

#2. WWF World Heavyweight Champion The Rock vs “Stone Cold” Steve Austin – Wrestlemania XVII

WWF Match of the Year, 2001

I watched this match last night not expecting it hold up even though I have watched many times of the year. I thought I had just got caught up in all the hoopla and the spectacle, but nope this is a badass match and definitely one of the greatest matches to take place in pro wrestling history. The year 2001 was "Stone Cold" Steve Austin's reaffirmation that he was one of the greatest wrestlers to ever live. He burned out in a short amount of time, but by God did he burn bright. I am surprised in my previous reviews (I watched a lot of these matches two years ago) that I did use the term "Perpetual motion" because that to me sums up Stone Cold's 2001. He was perpetual motion. But it was not wasted motion or excessive motion. It was always motion with purpose and with urgency. The difference between urgency and desperation is a fine line and this match Stone Cold Steve Austin crossed the line into desperation. That in my mind is the difference between a babyface and a heel. To me, Austin's real value was always turning himself up to eleven. In 2001, I think this was something he was struggling with personally. Was he as good as he once was? Would he be as over? Did he take what he had to be The Man? Especially given how hot The Rock was. He was not coming back to a company that was hurtin'. He was not coming back to a company that desperately needed a top babyface they had The Rock. You bet your ass, Steve Austin the person had some doubts about himself. I think it was genius to turn this into a storyline because it was so believable. But do it in a way that is so pro wrestling. Take something thats a seven and dial it to an eleven by getting Mr. McMahon involved and that heinous attack at the end with a steel chair to really sell it. To me it was not just smart booking, it was smart in-ring storytelling. Thats what puts this match over the top. Every plot point in this match fuels Steve Austin's insecurities and self-doubt until it explodes into that fiery rage of the heinous steel chair attack on The Rock's prone, limp body. Honestly, no matter who is opponent was on this night would have taken a backseat to the drama of Stone Cold character, but I thought this was The Rock's best performance as a babyface and as a wrestler. I really enjoy the Rock. I dont think he is a great wrestler and I dont he is a bad wrestler. He is kind of strange because he feels so different and has become so successful at not being a wrestler, which is so odd. Here, Rock really shows that babyface fire. I love his reactions to Stone Cold's jaw jacking and flipping him off. He was matching Stone Cold's energy and thats what this match needed. I loved the jumpstart to the match. Austin jumps The Rock it is a borderline sneak attack because the Rock has barely taken off the championship belt. It is gamemanship. It is an unwritten rule that you sort of look your opponent in the eye and lock up. Austin is a desperate man and desperate men do desperate things. Austin proves that by picking up that championship belt and trying to nail The Rock. Austin is not a confident man. Also, I love the drama swirling around this match being changed to a No DQ match at the last second. Austin is perpetual motion in this match both on offense and bumping & selling. He wrestles this match huge remember this is at the Astrodome. The culmination of all his hard work. Taking WWF from almost going bankrupt to their first Dome show since 1992. Watch him go for that patented FU elbow. He is out of control but everyone wait at the top can see him throw his body around. I love those big Arena Rock motions. There is a part where he is taking Rock's offense and he is doing the best discombobulated selling you will ever see. Just flailing all over the place. Another moment that just dawned on me was he took a suplex he pops up to keep fighting because that's his nature, but then all the pain stuns him up against the ropes. I love that delayed register. More people need to use that. It makes sense when you first get hit, it is kinda rush and you wanna fight back. Then like a wave it crashes over you. Also, the transitions in this match are just money. They all happen because the wrestler in control takes their eye off the prize. Austin is fiddlefucking trying to get the turnbuckle pad off and Rock knocks his ass down. The Rock is jawjacking with the ref and Austin blasts him with the ring bell. They pull out all the stops here too. Double juice, lots of great throwbacks to Austin/Bret. I love the Sharpshooter sequence because they are both bleeding, but notice the little things. Austin needs to use the ropes to break the hold. Rock can break the hold with his strength. Thats the difference between a heel and babyface. People forget often that one of the main reasons a heel becomes a heel is becomes he realizes he is not good enough to best the babyface. Thats what is happening in this match. Austin was worried that he was not good enough but as the match progresses it is becoming more and more evident that this is not just a cause for concern, but actually the truth. Thus he has to resort low down, cheap tactics to win. Thats how you become a heel. The Rock hits the Stunner and this draws out Vince McMahon. It is clear that Austin at least wanted to try to win this fight on his own, but now the situation is getting too dire. McMahon who has a lot invested in Austin is out to insure that he wins. Austin is not too proud to beg. There are so many great moments in the finish stretch of this. McMahon's face after he pulled the Rock off Austin after Rock had Austin pinned from the People's Elbow and that famous McMahon gulp that leads to the chase scene that ends in a Austin steal of a Rock Bottom. The slow realization that Austin and McMahon have joined forces. Jim Ross was so crucial here because he is Steve's best friend. You can actually listen to him go through through five stages of grief as he is witnessing what is happening. You can see Austin become more and more unhinged with each kickout. The Stunner and kickout was especially good. The Rock is valiant here and comes close with a Rock Bottom, but the odds were too stacked against him. I think what makes this finish so good. It is one extra Stunner that does the Rock in or one extra chair shot. Austin goes ballistic in a way that you never see a wrestler go. Wrestlers usually one chair shot. If it is multiple, there is a pause in between swings. They need to line up make sure they hit the right spot, the opponent has to brace himself. There was none of that here. Austin was in a frenzy. He saw red. It is not singular climax we are so used to seeing wrestling. It is about the journey of the character, Stone Cold Steve Austin, as you can watch him lose all grip on his own sanity. So powerful. Then of course the moment none of us believe we would see, the anti-establishment asskicker shaking the hand of Corporate Satan. Desperate men do desperate things. 

As good as Austin was, nothing was going to touch this match. 

#1. WWF World Heavyweight Champion Triple H vs Cactus Jack 

Royal Rumble 2000 Street Fight

WWF Match of The Year, 2000

It feels wrong that Stone Cold did not secure the top spot. Six out of the seven top matches from this era feature Steve Austin. He is the biggest star of the era and the best wrestler of the era. Yet, I couldn’t pull the trigger. There is no doubt that this is not just the best match of this era, but one of the best matches of all time.

Is there anyone better at selling Mick Foley's transformation into Cactus Jack than HHH? He knocked it outta the park in 1997 and again in 2000. I had never seen the video package before the match and it really shows how well the WWF was clicking at the time. It can be stated enough how important Mick Foley was to that roster. He was just so damn loveable in a way that Austin and Rock could never be. He was the underdog that everyone could rally around. He was also sadistic enough to be used to cement championship reigns (Taker 1997, Austin 1998, Rock 1999 and HHH 2000). Undoubtedly, HHH needed more help than the rest of those wrestlers who grew organically from a groundswell of support. HHH was the first of many artificially pushed wrestlers, which is now the commonplace in the WWE. He was also an interesting experiment in pushing a heel hard as a mainstay in the main event besides one off stints with Superstar Graham and Yokozuna, the WWF had never attempted before. It was an innovative paradigm shift that I think was worth the experimentation even if not everyone agrees with the results. There was no better wrestler to cement the position of the new ultimate bad guy than the ultimate underdog, Mankind. After HHH fired Mankind and then was forced to reinstate when presented with a locker room walkout, he beat the living shit out of Mankind. Only for Mankind to announce, Triple H would instead be facing Cactus Jack and that angle looked red hot with HHH selling fear perfectly and Cactus opening a can of whoop ass.

This match was one of my favorites growing up, but I have not watched it probably 4 or so years. It holds up in a big way and it remains one of the best 2000s WWF/E matches of I have ever seen. Upon this viewing, I realized that was HHH's performance not Cactus' that makes this match so incredible. Don't get me wrong when you have a match as excellent as this one, both wrestlers are wrestling at a very high level. The way Cactus was wrestling, so aggressive, so sadistic, so forward, he could have easily heeled himself. HHH sold, bumped and stooged his way to one of the best heel performances ever. It was as if the Creature of the Black Lagoon was unleashed upon the most vile, reprehensible human. Normally, you would feel sympathy for HHH, but not in this case because he was so cowardly after he had been such a prick to Cactus. In a lot of ways this match reminded me of the Foley/Orton match, but what makes this one better is HHH's performance in ensuring Cactus is always 100% the babyface. In fairness, I think the Orton match did exist to set up Orton's face turn in August of 2004. I love the beginning shine of the match where Cactus just kicks HHH's ass for a good 10-15 minutes. There is a great moment where HHH swings the ring bell wildly and then runs for the high ground of the ring with a chair. You can sense his fear. Foley just shakes off the bell shot and then takes a wicked chair shot to the face and shakes off that. It is that horror movie moment when HHH realizes he will not be able to keep the incensed monster down. He is selling and bumping the whole way for Cactus. The Barbed Wire 2x4 was an excellent climax to the babyface shine. It got a great pop, it was a great escalation in violence, it allowed for a mini battle over an item within the larger scheme of the match. There was drama over who would score the big blow and then HHH bled buckets. Cactus getting the nearfall off the bat shot to the face was excellent. I thought it was a little weak that they did the back drop off the piledriver and instead of going to heat segment they regressed back to the barbed wire bat, which seemed like a step backwards instead of forward. Cactus took his two usual, nasty, nasty, nasty knee related bumps into the steps and HHH went to town driving the barbed wire bat into the knee. HHH's staggered selling never relented and he looked someone trying to survive by any means necessary rather than a proud champion exactly as a heel should be. I liked the handcuffs in this match because it actually set up for a really nice run of hope spots: headbutt to the balls and biting HHH in the cut. If you did not believe it before, you did now Catcus Jack hates this muthafucka and will do everything in his power to hurt and maim him. The Rock was definitely necessary and a perfectly acceptable way to get the handcuffs off Jack. The thumbtacks was another great way to escalate the violence. Stephanie was effective in distracting Cactus long enough for HHH to back drop Cactus into tacks so not a clean victory. The first Pedigree kickout was HUGE! Really put Cactus and the match over. Pedigree onto the tacks still after the six times I have seen it makes me cringe, grimace and a little queasy. Helmsley retained the championship, but it was a Pyrrhic victory as he is stretctered out only to have Cactus catch up to him and slam him back out.

I think the one misfire was that they should have had Stephanie or someone physically interfere to set up the rematch, but still Cactus did get his heat back and HHH looked like he was barley alive by the end of it so it is a small critique.

Overall, holy shit, this was fucking awesome. Even better than I remember it, which was just a violent street fight. It is so much more. It builds so well to the mid-match climax of the barbed wire bat then to the handcuffs and finally to the finish with thumbtacks. The characters are perfect. Cactus is a crazed monster that is always moving forward whether it is being slammed with a chair or handcuffed. He was out to destroy HHH. That's the difference between the bump machine of the early 90s and this Cactus, who has matured as a performer. He did not have this match by himself like he did with Sting. His bumps made sense, but more importantly he was out to hurt HHH and win the match. HHH knocked it out of the park in this one as he gave one of his best heel performance. He looked completely overwhelmed by the all out assault of Cactus. He was sold it like he shit a brick and he tried to hide behind weapons, but nothing was doing for him until he got a lucky break using Cactus' own momentum into the steel steps and then following that right up. Cactus took the vast majority of the match, but HHH earned his stripes by taking this beating. The heat segment was great and still featured a bunch of hope spots. The finish was a perfect climax to the his violent masterpiece. Holds up 100% and this match is HHH's and Mick Foley's best match.

Pro Wrestling Love vol. 13: Best of WWF Attitude Era 1998-2001 (Steve Austin, The Rock, Mick Foley)

Hey Yo Stud Muffins & Foxy Ladies,

Pro Wrestling Love vol. 13:

The Greatest Matches of WWF 1998-2001

Objective:  Break up the Greatest Match Ever Project (hosted at gwe.freeforums.project.net) into more manageable chunks to help me build my Top 100 List for the project.

Motivation: Contribute to the discussion around these matches to enrich my own understanding of pro wrestling and give a fresh perspective for old matches and even hopefully discover great pro wrestling matches that have been hidden by the sands of time.

Subject: This thirteenth volume of Pro Wrestling Love begins the Top 12 countdown of the best matches to take place in the World Wrestling Federation from 1998-2001. To me, this is the Attitude Era, I think some people would tack a year on at the beginning and end, but I would argue 1997 and 1998 are two very distinct landscapes. The year 1997 had Bret Hart & Shawn Michaels as the focal point and both were gone in 1998. In 1998, Stone Cold Steve Austin won the title and never looked back. The year 2001 saw WWF buy their competition, WCW and it also Austin’s last full time year. The year 2002 feels like more of a transition year and the first year where they really tried to capitalize on nostalgia with first the New World Order and then Hulk Hogan.   You can revisit past Pro Wrestling Love Volumes at ridingspacemountain.blogspot.com. You can check out the full version of these reviews in ProWrestlingOnly.com by going to the forums and finding the folders associated with the date of the match.

FIVE STARS!

Honorable Mentions

Stone Cold Steve Austin vs Vince McMahon – St. Valentine’s Day Massacre Steel Cage Match

WWF World Champion Triple H vs Vince McMahon – Smackdown 9/16/99

Going back and watching Attitude Era TV and you will understand how awesome the Mr. McMahon character is. We all know about the classic McMahon heel character and there is no better match to showcase that than  hos blowoff steel cage match against Austin in February 1999. However, what is an underrated is how damn good walking tall babyface defending his family honor, Vince McMahon is. I think the HHH vs Mr. McMahon match from Smackdown is legitimately great and is a hidden gem.

WWF World Champion The Rock vs Mankind – RAW 1/4/99

Mrs. Foley’s Baby Boy wins the big one! It is the feel good moment of the Attitude Era. I don’t need to say more.

WWF World Tag Champions Dudleyz vs Hardyz vs Edge & Christian – Wrestlemania X-7

WWF World Tag Team Champions Chris Benoit & Chris Jericho vs Dudleyz vs Hardyz vs Edge & Christian – Smackdown 5/24/01 TLC

The last matches out. As with all TLC matches these are super fun car crash stunt show daredevil matches.

The Twelfth to Seventh Best Matches of WWF from 1998-2001

#12. Owen Hart vs Ken Shamrock – Fully Loaded 1998 Dungeon Match

Owen Hart wrestled this match in Zubaz short. FIVE STARS!

This is an incredibly compelling and gripping five minute sprint. Shamrock needed more of these. This takes place in the vaunted Hart Family Dungeon. It is a shoot-style (ok as shoot style as WWF would get). It feels like a bar room brawl. Part of this match’s charm is how well it is shot. It close up and tight. It feels gritty and real. The work is so snug. They worked the throws, strikes and slams into the wall so organically. The best part was the straight front kick from Shamrock that sent Owen flying into the wall. Owen cheats like a muthafucka with a low blow, lead pipe and then the dumbbell finish. Owen was at his self-congratulating best here. All the cheating protected Shamrock for the Lion’s Den rematch at Summerslam. So stiff, so explosive, a great five minute sprint with unique camera work and atmosphere.

#11. Kurt Angle vs Shane McMahon – King Of The Ring 2001

I can already hear my good buddy, Charles (the head & founder of ProWrestlingOnly.com) groaning at this selection. So here’s my defense. Kurt Angle was touted as an Olympic Gold Medalist. But he never wrestled as one from his debut through 2001. He was presented as a cowardly heel who bumped and was outsmarted by babyfaces. Even, when he played babyface he sold like any other wrestler would. He is not Brock Lesnar. He is not Ronda Rousey. He did not wrestle like an Olympic Wrestler. If you take people’s criticism of this match to its logical conclusion only Brock Lesnar should have been able to Kurt Angle. Still, how do you cover for the fact that Shane McMahon the pudgy, untrained Greenwich-born boss’ son can hang with a conventional pro wrestler, Kurt Angle.

We need to bear in mind Kurt Angle already had two matches going into this match as he was taking part in the King of the Ring tournament (lost to Edge in the finals). Kurt takes ShaneOMac down with ease, but you have to remember Angle is the heel. So there’s an established narrative of the overconfident heel being shown up by the babyface during the shine that’s what happens here. Angle leaves himself in a prone position and Shame wisely punts him in the ribs and reigns down haymakers. That requires no skill, but it will injure Angle. That gives Shane an opening. When Angle begins his comeback, gets on his bike and turns into a track meet, again no wrestling skill. Then he goes aerial with the barricade. This is an established strategy against shooters most famously used by CM Punk at Summerslam 2013 against Brock Lesnar. Then he goes for a Kendo Stick and brains him! This match is totally credible. He is taking advantage of Angle’s overconfidence and using weapons, a totally valid offensive strategy. My main criticism of the match is that Shane sucks at selling. He is so bad at selling that he is in over his head and eliciting sympathy. This would have skyrocketed up the charts. Shane’s weapons-based dominance comes to an end when he eats trash can on a Shooting Star Press. He went for a home run and got burnt. This is when the match famously goes up the entrance ramp. I had seen the famous moment when Angle throws Shane through the glass on Don’t Try This Home ad. I did NOT know that the first time he tried IT DID NOT BREAK AND HE LANDED RIGHT ON HIS HEAD! HOLY SHIT! Then when they went through they both got cut up really bad. Did they use real glass? Those are two crazy muthafuckas! Wow! That’s Foley-level batshit insanity. The rest of the match is still brutal. I liked Shane getting one last hope spot courtesy of a lowblow, again a credible way to put Shane on offense. Angle beating the tar out of him with a piece of table and the Super Angle slam is a great finish. It is too bad Shane is not every a little but sympathetic. One of the best individual Kurt Angle performances, sadistic on top and vulnerable when he needed to be. They did a great job coming up with smart, credible ways to get Shane on offense and that breaking glass window spots were insane. Awesome brawl.  

HOLY SHIT! HOLY SHIT! HOLY SHIT!

#10. WWF World Tag Team Champions Edge & Christian vs Hardyz vs Dudleyz
Summerslam 2000 TLC

The Hardyz vs Edge & Christian Ladder Match at No Mercy 1999 innovated the car crash, stunt show, daredevil matches that are now a staple of WWF programming. It is here at Summerslam that they cemented this genre’s place in the WWF forever. Now TLC has a PPV named after is and almost all major PPVs have a match like this to fill out the card and get a lot of people on the show. So why did this one make the list as opposed to the other two that were merely honorable mentions. The difference is the finish. The Mania finish is a crazy series of three massive highspots, but the actual finish is anti-climatic. Here I think each elimination of a person is smart and spectacular. These are fun Summer action, blockbusters. Don’t overthink them. Just enjoy.

#9. WWF World Heavyweight Champion Mankind vs The Rock – Royal Rumble 1999 I Quit Match

WWF Match of The Year, 1999

The only match of this countdown that I watched live. I was an odd child for many reasons, but one of the myriad was that I hated asking my parents to buy me stuff. I told you I was weird. The one exception would be wrestling Pay Per Views, but I was judicious. I still only wanted them to buy the special ones. Like Spring Stampede 1998, a meaningless PPV for many people, but Macho Man Randy Savage was challenging for the World Championship for the first time since I became a fan. He won too! The less said about the next night on Nitro the better (I still have the Nitro match on VHS from when I recorded Nitros). The next PPV I was interested was a Royal Rumble. What is not to love? 30 WRESTLERS! That’s a kid’s dream. Plus it was the height of Austin vs McMahon and my favorite character, Mr. McMahon was going to be in the Royal Rumble! I was sold! I told you I was a weird kid. As a by-product, I did get to watch this match. Man, it has stuck with me since and always thought this was one helluva brawl. It is famous for Rock giving Mankind like 15 unprotected steel chair shots to the head while Foley is handcuffed in front of his family. It is brutal to watch, but also compelling.

I am going to do this review backwards. The screwjob finish is about the only way out unless you want to completely shatter a heel's credibility. Theres no way you can have a babyface say I Quit. So why not just play the tape of Foley saying I Quit at the beginning of the match. Well, there was a lot of enmity between the two. The Rock really did hate Foley at the time so you think he would want to dish out some pain after being humiliated earlier in the month losing to Foley. I'll give them a pass on the finish. I think was serviceable and what needed to be done. 

Now the chairshots. They were brutal and plentiful. I lost count. It is definitely one of the more brutal things you will ever see in wrestling. To have his kids front row for Mick Foley's Masochistic Theatre of Pain is weird. I have never read his book. I think I listened to him once on Austin's podcast, but I kinda forget the deal. I think he had a shoot grudge with The Rock afterwards. I have a hard time believing The Rock went into business for himself. It just seems very much in Foley's nature to invite this level of sick pain. It is definitely one of the nastier ways to end a match. 

Now the electrocution bump. Horrible setup. The Rock just climbing up there for no reason. Foley takes the bump, sparks fly. Cool bump and the lights go out. Shane-O Mac sells it by coming out to stop the match. The Rock gets all indignant that he is going to make his fat ass say I Quit. I liked the People's Elbow on the chair. The ballshots were great hope spots in the handcuffs.  

Everything before Foley Masochistic Theatre of Pain (electrocution bump and chairshots) was awesome! Like they were well on their way to a classic. Great babyface shine. Foley was rocking. Rocky was bumping. I loved stuff like Rock whipping Foley into the steps for his first bit of offense after the Mankind onslaught, he gets cocky and starts jaw-jacking on commentary. Foley attacks him. Rocky had only hit one move. He had NOT cemented advantage and he paid for it. Great stuff! Loved the Double Arm DDT and Mr. Socko early. Great climatic way to end the shine. It is definitely in Foley's nature to want more pain. He lives for pain and it is not enough. The Rock's heat segment was entertaining as hell. Ringing the bell in the ear, singing a little bit, Evian Spew on Foley. Then Foley's hot comeback which leads to the electrocution bump. 

Great, hate-filled beginning, terrible setup for the big bump, good stuff directly after the big bump, sick, self-indulgent Foley's Theatre of pain is way too much and the screwjob finish is serviceable. Overall I think this is WWF MOTY for 1999 (terrible year) and still a really interesting match to watch. ****1/4

#8. Dudleyz vs Hardyz – Royal Rumble 2000  Tables Match

In my mind, this is the smartest Tables match in history and the best of all the “car crash” matches. What helps this match so much is that every single spot was motivated by trying to put someone through the table to win the match. It was not crazy spots for the sake of crazy spots.  They were trying to win the match the whole time and as a by-product they were entertaining the fans.  This match is also helped by the rules. You have to put your opponent through a table and the partners have to go through consecutively, which means that there is a lot of misses so a lot more table carnage. People are just flying through tables at a break-neck pace. There are so many awesome, badass spots in this. The finish is spectacular with Bubba falling from the balcony through the table and then Jeff Hardy swandives onto Devon through table. The Hardyz were a good looking tag team and were always gonna be over with the women. To get them over with men they needed to prove their mettle against gnarly monsters in violent bouts and this did that in spades. Definitely check this one out!

#7. “Stone Cold” Steve Austin vs Triple H – No Way Out 2001 Three Stages of Hell

I’ll try not to write a review as long as this match. :P Actually, one of the reasons I picked this countdown to do was because I am sick and don’t feel like writing much. There is not much in-depth analysis necessary for Attitude Era matches. However, this is a looooooong match. Actually the reason, why it is number 7 and not higher and also not in contention for being a candidate to make the top 100 matches of all time is because it is a loooooooooooooooooooooooooooong match. Did I mention this match is really, really fucking loooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooong?

All kidding aside, the first two falls are humdingers and feature some really good wrestling. The first fall is a straight wrestling match. Stone Cold’s return in late 2000 brought traditional wrestling to forefront and this will be seen in the next volume where four of the six matches feature Stone Cold in 2001. What this does so well is mix traditional wrestling with hate and urgency. Austin is a totally house of fire from jump and HHH is overwhelmed. It really sets the tone for the match. Love that the first chance he gets HHH goes for the Pedigree and it really puts over his desperation. There is really great arm psychology set up by Austin hitting single-arm DDT out of the Pedigree attempt. Tenacious is how I would describe Austin. He always gives maximal effort. We get double limb psychology! When did I wake up in Crockett? HHH chop blocks the leg. There is a great moment where HHH looks to wrap Austin’s leg around the post only for Austin to use his leg to pull HHH shoulder-first into the post. Amazing! The double limb psychology really makes this first fall a total treat. KICK WHAM STUNNER! You honestly didn’t need another two falls. This was an incredible match unto itself.

The next fall is a street fight. The story of this fall is how the hell does HHH figure out a way to hit his kill shot, the Pedigree when Austin is wrestling like a lunatic. HHH was on his bicycle trying to run from the crazed Austin. He was wrestling like a man possessed. I really liked Austin doing the Garvin stomp but with a steel chair! We really are in Crockett! HHH finds his opening via barbed wire covered 2x4. He goes for the Pedigree on the announce (while selling the arm!), only to be back dropped on the Spanish Announce Table, which explodes. The ring bell sets up another Pedigree attempt, but again HHH takes a gnarly back body drop this time from the ring to the floor. Finally, third time is a charm, it is ‘ol Sweet Lady Sledge that is enough to put Austin down to hit a Pedigree. Loved the escalation and how Austin was constantly fighting back and HHH was fighting through it but with weapons to earn the Pedigree. Another tremendous fall.

Unfortunately, there is a third fall in the steel cage. It just drags. The street fight was a spirited, fast-paced brawl. This is one of those methodical, drawn out HHH snoozefests. Things get especially shaky with them each kicking out of the other’s finisher. Remember how hard HHH tried to use the Pedigree and he finally got the second fall. Remember how one Stunner in the first fall spelled Game Over. Yeah, I didn’t like that. They both go for weapon shots and nail each other simultaneously and Trips falls on Austin. I will say the finish at least fits in with the overarching narrative. Austin’s loss here before Wrestlemania X-7 feeds his self-doubt which leads to his heel turn at Mania. The first two falls are tremendous some of the best wrestling either man has done in his career. Sadly they ran out of gas in the third fall.

Pro Wrestling Love vol. 10: Greatest WWF Matches of 1993-1997 (Bret Hart, Shawn Michaels, Steve Austin)

Hey Yo Stud Muffins & Foxy Ladies,

The long-waited conclusion to the Greatest Matches of WWF in 1993-1997 countdown, which I had been putting off due to needing time to watch Mind Games and Wrestlemania XIII again.

Pro Wrestling Love vol. 10:

The Greatest Matches of WWF in 1993-1997

Objective:  Break up the Greatest Match Ever Project (hosted at gwe.freeforums.project.net) into more manageable chunks to help me build my Top 100 List for the project.

Motivation: Contribute to the discussion around these matches to enrich my own understanding of pro wrestling and give a fresh perspective for old matches and even hopefully discover great pro wrestling matches that have been hidden by the sands of time.

Subject: This tenth volume of Pro Wrestling Love finishes the Top 12 countdown of the best matches to take place in the World Wrestling Federation from 1993-1997. The timeline covers the Bret/Shawn/New Generation of the WWF. Bret Hart began the year of 1993 as World Champion. In addition, Hulk Hogan left in 1993. The year 1997 sees the last Bret Hart title reign and Shawn Michaels ends the year as the Champion. 1997 was the last year before the Attitude Era and Stone Cold took off.  You can revisit past Pro Wrestling Love Volumes at ridingspacemountain.blogspot.com. You can check out the full version of these reviews in ProWrestlingOnly.com by going to the forums and finding the folders associated with the date of the match.

Ratings: The top two matches of this list are mortal locks for my list. Numbers three through five are definitely in contention for the Top 100. The sixth match will not be making the list.

C'mon did you expect any other image to be the lead image?

Top Six Matches of World Wrestling Federation from 1993-1997

#6. WWF World Heavyweight Champion Diesel vs Bret Hart 

Survivor Series 1995 No DQ Match

In my opinion, this is Bret Hart’s personal masterpiece. As mentioned above, I think one of Bret Hart’s greatest strengths is having compelling face vs face matches, more often than not by playing the subtle heel. He really showed his high wrestling IQ in understanding the nuances of face/heel dynamics in the Royal Rumble ’95 match where he had to make the new babyface champion, Diesel, look like a hero without heeling himself too hard and also come up with compelling ways to take control of the match over the much larger Diesel. Here, they build on that great foundation by delivering one helluva fight.

Unlike most face vs face matches, one wrestler does not play subtle heel for the entire match but instead they take turns and they weave such a great story that it never undercuts the characters or the match. Nash begins the match as the slasher movie stalker and there is an impending dread with every blow he strikes against the Hitman. Then on a dime, Bret is able to turn heel mid-match and make Nash the sympathetic babyface by attacking the knee and eventually tying his feet up in the corner with the mic cable, which is the spot that I always remember from this match. Credit to Diesel for great job selling his leg and for such a logical ending to the heat segment with Diesel crotching Bret Hart on the top rope to end a great heat segment. The finish stretch is excellent with Diesel selling the leg and Bret coming up with creative ways to hit his signature spots. Bret goes all out at the end with two massive bumps crashing and burning on a pesacdo and being slingshotted off the apron through the table. I am not a huge fan of the finish, which is why this match will not make the Top 100. It is a possum finish where Diesel believes Bret is easy pickins’ after these two hellacious bumps and is caught with an inside cradle. The reason I don’t like is because those bumps were hellacious and I feel the finish undercuts those bumps. I think this is a great demonstration how to work babyface vs babyface in very compelling fashion.

#5. WWF Intercontinental Champion Shawn Michaels vs Razor Ramon - Summerslam 1995 Ladder Match

WWF Match of the Year, 1995

The take away moment from this match is when Razor just lets the standing ladder fall on Shawn’s decimated left knee. To me, this is the greatest WWF match where body part psychology is the main hook of the match. One of the things WWF does especially well is create narratives outside the scope of body part psychology. I think too often wrestling fans conflate psychology with body part attack and body part selling. Targeting a body part and selling a body part is just one aspect of psychology. It is an aspect that can be immensely emotionally gripping watching your hero overcoming an injury and answering the question can he or she successfully complete the comeback.

That all being said it is refreshing that WWF showcase a match every once a while that is built around body part psychology and in my estimation that could have not chosen a better wrestler to execute the selling than Shawn Michaels. I think Bret is a great seller even underrated, but as we have seen from Shawn Michaels’ Rockers run that when he is on that there are very that can touch him in the selling game. On top of that, Shawn Michaels was not alone in this match, Hall was great in control and never was better on offense. Shawn’s comeback was perfectly pitched. It is a very gradual progression to gaining control…not too energetic…not too subdued. In addition to the great body part psychology, there were so many great callbacks to the original Ladder match at Wrestlemania X that you would think this is All Japan and Giant Baba was booking. Like in the previous I discussed it is the finish that is holding me back from giving this full marks. It is not for the reason you expect that it is a blown finish. Even if Shawn executed the finish correctly on his first attempt I would not be too enamored with it. It was too contrived and drawn out. As I mentioned in my analysis of Shawn Michaels’ work this is when it became too cinematic and took me out of the moment. This is a nitpick and does not completely devalue the amazing work leading up to the finish where Razor and Shawn weave callbacks from Wrestlemania X with excellent leg psychology from both men (Razor in control and Shawn selling) that this is easily one of the all-time WWF classics and it is one of the few times in the history of entertainment where I believe the sequel is better than the original.  

#4. Shawn Michaels vs The Undertaker – Badd Blood 1997 Hell In A Cell Match

There is no match better at creating the horror movie atmosphere than this match. The Undertaker is the ultimate slasher movie monster stalking his prey. However, unlike the slasher movies, the Undertaker is not the villain he is the avenging hero seeking to exact revenge against the biggest douche in the history of the WWF and maybe even pro wrestling. Shawn Michaels was at the height of his heel powers just so eminently hateable. Yet at every pass, Michaels was able to escape his punishment and in fact seemingly found ways to antagonize The Undertaker even more by hitting him with steel chair after steel chair and using the newly formed D-Generation X to keep him out of trouble. Thus Hell In A Cell was constructed for the first time to finally deliver the punishment that the Heartbreak Kid so richly deserves.

The beginning of the match goes exactly as a fan would expect. Undertaker delivers helluva ass-whuppin’ to Shawn Michaels. It is pitch perfect. I think what this match does so well is actually create a logical Shawn Michaels heat segment. The monster babyface is in my opinion the hardest role to play and it is a very rare role in general. How do you garner sympathy on the Deadman especially against the smaller, cowardly Shawn Michaels? I loved how Michaels needed three big spots in order to garner control. Each of the spots was using Undertaker’s momentum and mass against him. Then once he had control, Shawn Michaels was not using typical spots to hold The Undertaker down. He was climbing the cage and crashing down with all his weight down on Taker. He was piledriving Taker on the steel steps. He was going the extra mile because he knew his hold on the match was tenuous at best. I love matches where there is this type of tension. You know you are just one zombie sit-up away from Taker whupping his ass. We know it. Taker knows it. Most importantly, Shawn knows it and he is wrestling with that desperation. Then it happens the Sweet Chin Music->Zombie Situp. Shawn’s reaction is awesome and he wants to get the Hell Out of Dodge.

They accomplish this smartly by having Michaels accidentally wipe out a cameraman when he was backdropped over the ropes. Michaels then throws a temper tantrum as this was a play off Michaels’ shoot temper tantrums in matches and the worked temper tantrum in the Mind Games match. I have heard this as interpreted as a Michaels’ escape plan, but I don’t think it was premediated in kayfabe sense. It was accident and Michaels took out his frustrations on the cameraman and continued his heat segment on Taker. It was the Sweet Chin Music->Zombie Situp that makes HBK want to get on his bicycle and ride and it just so happened that the cameraman was getting medical attention. The ending is perfect and revolutionary. So many incredible, iconic spots. I love how they make sure Taker gets his revenge by caving Michaels’ brain with a steel chair and he finally gets his receipt for Summerslam. Then Kane debuts! What an amazing finish! Kane debuts in the most epic fashion possible and that little bastard Michaels, a bloody pulp, somehow reaps the rewards. Just great booking, Michaels takes the ass whupping we want to see, but comes out with a ton of heat and it sets up the big Undertaker vs Kane feud. A terrific match that is so creative and revolutionary with two excellent characters that hit it out of the park.

Greatest finish ever?

#3. WWF World Heavyweight Champion Shawn Michaels vs Mankind – Mind Games 1996

WWF Match of the Year, 1996

It is such a shame that this match has such a lame finish. It is such an anti-climatic lamedown. It could be the Greatest WWF Match of All Time if it didn’t.

“Think shoot, but work” is a great motto from “Stone Cold” Steve Austin on his philosophy how to work. This match epitomizes that mantra. It is raw and organic. What makes this match so special is how it combines brawling and psychology. Everything is smart & logical without feeling planned or contrived. Everything feels intense & chaotic without feeling mindless & aimless. It never drags, but it never throws too much at you. It is a very sticky match in the sense that everything sticks with you. Vince McMahon must love this match because it has so many iconic moments, from Shawn jumping up and down on Foley while the floor mat is on Foley to the amazing ending table spot. My favorite sequence of the match is when they executed a worked shoot centered around Shawn’s predilection for temper tantrums in the middle of a match. It turns into a heated brawl. I really love how Foley yanks Michaels down from behind in the claw. It was intense and uncomfortable. Not to be outdone, Shawn really lays in fucking brutal back elbows into Foley’s head. There were so many stiff shots in the match. I thought Shawn was firing off live rounds and even Foley strikes looked rough. There were other great chaotic moments with Shawn leaping over the announce table to tackle Foley. Such an exciting fight! Shawn looked amazing fighting on top, probably his best offensive performance of his career. He was really taking it to Mankind and that work over Foley’s leg was top notch! He even threw in a dragon leg screw! There is a great character moment when Michaels has Mankind in a half crab, Paul Bearer places the urn on the apron next to the ropes to give Mankind that extra incentive to grab the ropes. There are so many great little things throughout this match. I loved the transition out of Shawn control segment when Mankind’s knee gives out and he falls back and this hot shots Michaels. Perfect confluence of what happened and bringing the match to the next step. The next iconic moment is Foley stabbing his own knee with a pen to get feeling back in it. Great deranged, psycho moment. Foley targets Michaels’ head due to his concussion history. Michaels really wrestled out of his mind. So many great decision and sold like a million bucks. I love how Shawn needed three big hits to EARN control of the match again. Foley goes ass over tea kettle on a knee into the ring steps, then a drop toehold into the steps and then in a fight on the apron Foley eats the ring post. I love how bang bang this match is. No downtime, but never overdone. Mankind gets his head caught in the ropes and Shawn looks to press the advantage, but Mandible Claw! Mankind becomes obsessed with getting the claw so Shawn retaliates by destroying the Claw hand. The Claw hand is rendered completely ineffective the rest of the match. Just great escalation. So Mankind has to resort to Cactus Jack moves like the Double Arm DDT and piledriver since he cant use the hand. Mankind has an amazing mid-match freak out when he cant put Shawn away. Shawn’s comeback is red hot; he really clobbers him with that forearm. The finish stretch is incredible, Shawn rocking, the insane table spot and then Shawn Van Dam hitting the craziest Sweet Chin Music ever. God, if Shawn just got the 1-2-3 in that moment instead of Vader, Sid and Undertaker getting involved. Lets forget the finish and just remember the good times of this incredible match. So many long brawls will peter out, but this match just builds and builds. So many logical matches feel contrived, but this match feels like a shoot for the most part, just raw emotion. A true masterpiece!   

#2. Bret Hart vs Owen Hart – Wrestlemania X

WWF Match of the Year, 1994

Brother vs brother is there a simpler, more natural story than that? Any man who has a brother knows the story. We love one another, but there is always a little bit of competitive fire between the two if not a whole lot of competitive fire. Owen plays the insecure snot little brother with a fierce inferiority complex. The way he celebrates the break from the collar and elbow tieup always get me. The flip side is how humiliated he is when Bret makes him fall out of the ring. Owen comes back in and slaps him. He is the consummate insecure brat. Bret plays the calm older brother perfectly. He just wants to outwrestle his young brother not hurt him. So often we forget that wrestling is not about injuring your opponent. It is about pinning your opponent’s shoulders to the mat for a three count or forcing a submission. There is no reason to hurt one another. However, tempers flare and that’s when the heat comes out. Owen is not wrestling to win. He is wrestling to hurt. Bret responds in kind. Bret is peppering in hope spots while Owen is crushing it on offense. The Tombstone Piledriver spot was out of this world. Great transition to Bret Hart re-taking control when Owen goes for the home run shot of the top rope diving headbutt. That’s where this match excels so much is escalation. Since Owen escalated this from hold-counterhold by attacking Bret with high impact moves. So Bret returned in kind by hitting the Fives Moves of Doom, but it was an out of nowhere Enizguiri that turns the match back in Owen’s favor. When Bret jams his knee, this match goes into overdrive playing into how Owen turned heel in the first place during the Quebecers match when Owen kicked “Bret’s leg out from under his leg”. Owen does the Hart family proud with this leg work and Bret sells like a million bucks. Good payback spot where Bret gets the enziguiri as his receipt. The commentary did a great job putting over how this would affect Bret’s world title shot later that night. He should just cut his losses and focus on the title match. But any brother knows how important it is to win against their brother and he wont give up. Owen has crossed the line it went from winning a match to injuring Bret now. Bret returns in kind. He holds nothing back. PILEDRIVER! TOP ROPE SUPERPLEX! Bret has gone from cradles & armbars to dropping his brother on his head. Owen one ups this when his trick knee acts up and he heel kicks Bret in the balls. He goes from wanting to humiliate his brother to becoming so desperate he hits him in the testicles. Is there anything more low down and pathetic than that? I love that nobody has ever broken Bret’s Sharpshooter, but since Owen is not as proficient at it, Bret is able to break it. He applies his own, but Owen makes the ropes. Bret goes for the Victory Roll, but Owen kneels down on his shoulder to win the match!

I love how each man is transformed throughout the match. It is such amazing, organic character work. Bret’s face at the loss is perfect. He is like I cant believe that little fucker pinned me. Owen’s reaction is also priceless at his victory. Maybe the best character work in American history.   

#1. Bret Hart vs Stone Cold Steve Austin – Wrestlemania XIII Submission Match

WWF Match of the Year, 1997

 This is Bret Hart's Five Act Masterpiece. 

Act One: Brawl Outside sets the mood, establishes this a fight. 

Act Two: Bret works the knee. Is there anybody you would rather see work a control segment than Bret Hart. Steve Austin is such an amazing seller. So much energy! So much flailing! We get the rhythm of the match and its a submission match and the Sharpshooter is always looming. 

Act Three: Austin's first desperation comeback with the steel chair. He tries to win the match with conventional submissions (moss-covered three-handled-family granduza and the Boston Crab). 

Act Four: Austin is busted wide open. Bret beats the shit out of him and is almost taunting him in the way he is not putting Austin away and is instead dishing out excessive punishment like he is running up the score. Bret is turning heel and you want to see Austin open up a massive can of whoop-ass. 

Act Five: Austin, bleeding profusely, makes a furious comeback that includes nutshots, middle fingers and trying to choke out Bret with with an electrical cord,  but Bret hits Austin with the ring bell. Then it all climaxes in that amazing moment that is seared in all wrestling fans' minds with Austin fighting through the Sharpshooter, blood squirting from his head, passing out from the pain. 

The reputation that precedes this match is so gargantuan what could you possibly say that has not been said in the past. We all know the historical import of this match. I would go as far as to assert this is the most historically important match in Vince McMahon Jr's WWF. Everything, the superstars, the live events, the TV shows, the merchandise that after this match now for over twenty years was made possible by this match. Very rarely can we point to such a singular match or singular moment where a Superstar is born that is literally going to save a company, lead them from the brink of bankruptcy so that in fours years, they buy their biggest competition and run a major Dome show. What is even more rare is how this match is the perfect confluence of history and art. Think of Hogan vs Iron Sheik and Hogan vs Andre, massively important matches, but as works of art they certainly leave the wrestling fan wanting more. How about matches like Slaughter vs Sheik an absolutely amazing bloodbath, but mostly forgotten to history because ultimately, it was NOT that important or influential, it was a last gasp of a dying era. So what we see here above all else is the magical intercourse of history and art. The resulting climax is true gratification.

It is a boring selection, but there's a reason it is boring, this is the Greatest WWF Match of All Time. 

The TV Show that Changed My Life

WELCOME TO RAW IS WAR JULY 28, 1997

I was/am a WCW diehard through and through, but I have been going through all of the 90s WWF in order for me to rate the my Favorite 52 matches of the WWF, but given that this day 15 years ago I became a wrestling fan. I thought I would review a show I really have no recollection of, mostly because I was watching WCW instead.

We get some generic late 90’s nu-metal/metalcore and some pyros to kick off the night. I am always amazed by the amount of signs in 1997 and general rabidness of the fans. Everything so much more subdued at RAWs nowadays. There was a real buzz with each show back then. “It’s the greatest spectacle in sports entertainment today. It is Monday Night Raw”- Vince McMahon at this point only a color commentator always puts over his product strong, I am glad something never change

Hart Foundation hits the ring en force with Canadian and British flags. Good ‘Ol JR is out to conduct the interview. Brian Pillman’s antics are always a joy to watch and his Loose Canon gimmick is one of my favorites, too bad he was a cripple by this point and would pass away a mere three months later. HUGE USA chant before Bret gets to talk. Bret assails the American justice system pointing out the OJ case and states Americans will do anything to screw you. FORESHADOWING~! Paranoia about screwjob is the main gist of the promo especially as his real life arch-nemesis Shawn Micahels has been appointed the special guest referee. Bret is pissed about Shawn’s promo last week, where he railed on Canadians in a truly hilarious manner. Shawn Michaels from July 1997-March 1998 was untouchable on the stick. “America is one big giant toilet bowl.” –Bret Hart, wit is not the Hitman’s forte. Finally transitions to his match against Patriot tonight, Pittsbugh starts a Penguins chant. Hart is challenging Patriot to match tonight. Not an all-time great promo, but effective put over all the key aspects of the match coming up and riling up the crowd. The best part of this segment was the continuity everything built on last week. Hart was pissed about Michaels and Patriot’s actions last week and brought them up. Nowadays, it feels like all the episodes occur in a vacuum. 

Hype tag title match, a Shawn Michaels promo, Crush vs Faarooq and Ahmed Johnson is back. Los Boriquas vs LOD. Debut of Truth Comission.

Los Boriquas vs Legion of Doom

Los Boriquas is probably the worst stable of the ill-fated Gang Warz of 1997. A bunch of Puerto Rican clones that dress exactly the same with the same build. McMahon missed the whole point of a stable, which is have slightly different characters that are held together by some common bond so that each team member contributes something different. The Boriquas are just mediocre wrestlers that really did not stand out in anyway. LOD was getting pretty old and stale plus Hawk being to really suffer from those personal demons. Decent LOD CHANT. LOD dominates early and not selling any for the Boriquas. Wow, during commentary McMahon hypes a million dollar giveaway, which was a gimmick they recently tried a few years back. I didn’t know they tried it in 1997 too, especially with the company on the verge of bankruptcy. Oh yeah, there is a match…it is good thing Hawk just no sells shit because when he does try to sell; he totally sucks at it. The Boriquas were under the leadership of Savio Vega, a decent wrestler of the WWF since about 1993 and true Puerto Rican legend. So LOD takes their heat segment and then they are like just fuck it. Throw everybody out. So the Boriquas come in for the disqualification. In a memorable feud from my childhood, the Godwinns (formerly portrayed as goofy Hilbilles, now portrayed as nasty rednecks) come out to attack and literally drop slop on Hawk. Yep, after this segment, it is amazing that I became fan. Thank God for WCW is all I have to say. That was my first Boriqas match and I think that will be my last.

1997 King of the Ring Hunter Hearst Helmsley (not exactly Triple H, yet_ and Chyna (before all the plastic surgery looking very, very butch) are backstage to speak about his feud with Mankind. At Canadian Stampede, HHH had his first truly great match. I just watched it yesterday and was blown away by how good it was. I will have to do a review for the whole show because I just watched it in its entirety and it lives up to the hype of being one of the greatest PPVs ever. So HHH starts off the cheap heat of Mankind are you bitching and moaning about getting beat by a woman as Chyna has been the impetus for Helmsley gaining the advantage. Then he makes fun of Vader’s weight, them’s fighting words. Vader is going to fuck him up seven ways from Sunday. VADER~! Hits the ring with Paul Bearer, but before he can get down there. Mankind, dressed as a cameraman, attacked HHH. Very good brawl ensues and that’s what the WWE needs now some fuckin blood feuds. Im tired of all this bullshit and plied together matches. Give me two muthafuckers that hate each other and I will be happy. Mankind gets the nominal victory as Helmsley heads for the concession stands.

Truth Commission vs Flash Funk/ Bob Holly/Jesse James

Truth Commission was South Africa’s contribution to the Gang Warz. The same problems plagued them  as the Boriquas. The other team was the Jobber’s contribution to the Gang Warz. This was before Jesses James became Road Dogg and after Flash Funk was 2 Cold Scorpio and Bob Holly well he always sucked. Gorilla Monsoon is out, he seems so anachronistic in Attitude Era WWF. Funk had a pretty good match with Leif Cassidy in late 1996, but the gimmick really limited his ability to get over. Scorpio (Funk’s other gimmick) usually was having the best matches in ECW in 1995-96. Funk had some good aerial offense and Jammes follows that up with a cross-body block before the Commission takes over with some cheating. Kurrgan makes his debut, he was the focal point of the stable as he was over 7 feet tall and the stable was designed as a vehicle to get him over. Jammes is taking the beating and no one in the crowd gives two shits. Kurrgan wins with a freakin sidewalk slam that was possibly the worst debut ever. They needed put them over more strongly. They did nothing, but basic moves with mimimal intensity. There were no spots that stuck with you and said “Oh Fuck, that was damn brutal”

Patriot vignette. 1997 WWF was such a chaotic place. You had edgy attitudes from Stone Cold Steve Austin and Shawn Michaels. Then you have this cartoony Patriot character, which seems more at home in 1985 or sadly in 2010 then in Attitude Era. He cut such a hunky-dory promo “I don’t think I like you very much, Bret Hart” FEEL THE HATRED~!

Faarooq vs Crush

PLEASE MAKE IT STOP!!! Not another Gang Warz match. I LOVE stables, I really do, but McMahon very rarely books stables and this why because he doesn’t get it. Crush, is a legit ex-convict, was the leader of the white biker gang, Discples of Apocalpyspe with clear White Supremasict overtones. Faarooq, a legit Florid State football legend, is the leader of the Nation of Domination, which was an out and out Black Power group. I can see why the DOA were over with crowd because they looked like badasses, but they all sucked the meat missile and also suffered from the problem of being clones. I think if the put the LOD in the DOA that might have had something. Out of all the Gangz, the Nation was the best because each member had a unique personality plus it spawned The Rock. Yes, the Gang Warz did spit out one of the Greatest Stars in wrestling history. Faarooq with basic power offense, but Crush catches him with a powerslam off the middle rope. Crush and Savio Vega were actually former members of the Nation, but both got fired by Faarooq, which caused all the spin-off Gangz. A backbreaker gets one for Faarooq so we get some choking. This is borrrrrrrrring. Ahmed Johnson is one scary looking badass. Piledriver by Crush, JR lets us know that is one sucky piledriver. Given the fact that the piledriver has been banned so long, they could give it to a heel have him “cripple” some people and really get them over. While I was thinking of this, a clusterfuck broke out and the Boriqas joined in the fracas. Austin/HBK/Hart Foundation stuff all rocked, but good God the WWF mid-card in 1997 sucked so hard.

Remember those nasty, filthy Godwinns well they have a tag title match tonight against the Champs Steve Austin and Dude Love (Dude Love was an alter-ego of Mankind, shit like that is why wrestling can be really fuckin cool). A favorite staple of 90s booking was the Wacky Odd Couple Tag Teams that win the titles, but don’t get along.

WWF World Tag Team Champions “Stone Cold” Steve Austin & Dude Love vs the Godwinns

So the Godwinns suck in pretty much the same way each time, they are just really boring. Austin won the tag titles with another partner he didn’t care much for, Shawn Michaels, but then as was the case often in 1997, Shawn got injured, did not want to job or lost his smile. I can never remember. So they stripped him of his half of the title and Austin was forced to choose a new partner, but the thing is Austin is a total sociopathic misanthrope, but well-meaning Dude Love foisted himself on Austin. The Hart Foundation members, Intercontinental Champion Owen Hart and European Champion British Bulldog are out to guest commentate. Ya see the tag team Austin/Michaels originally beat was Owen and the Bulldog, which is definitely a top 5 tag team match of 1990’s in WWF. Dude Love is pretty over, but not as over as resident take-no-shit, kick-all-asses “Stone Cold” Steve Austin. Austin, basically, single-handedly saved the WWF in its war with WCW. Also, Austin has a match at Summerslam against the Intercontinental Champion Owen Hart, add in the fact that Austin/Hart feud has been going on since last Fall just add all that sizzle I love in wrestling.   

Big brawl to start, Austin & Dude have the early advantage. Owen is sometimes forgotten on the All-Time Heel list. He wrestled the majority of his career from late 1993 until his unfortunate death in 1999 as a heel and was very good at garnering heat with his cocky, immature gimmick. Godwinns had a nice double team move as one of them bodyslammed the other on top of Dude Love. Hot tag to Austin after a short heat segment, but the crowd still pops huge for Austin’s offense. He finishes Phineas I Godwinn (get it?) with a Stunner, but Henry O. Godwinn (get it?) shoves Austin out. Owen takes this opportunity to hit Austin upside the head with his belt triggering a DQ. Brawling ensues and LOD hits the ring to get them a piece of the Godwinns. Too short of a match to mean anything with nothing too eventful Really just there to trot out Austin and promote the upcoming Owen/Austin match.

Ace Darling vs Devon Storm

This was during McMahon’s ill-fated attempted at a light-heavyweight division to mimic WCW’s wildly successful cruiserweight division. However, McMahon never pushed it seriously he attempted to use AAA talent, but that deal felt through. Then he tried to bring Great Sasuke and his boys, but Sasuke is an egotist. McMahon and Sasuke had wildly different views on wrestling booking. So here are two indy chumps, as McMahon continued to attempt to peddle light-heavyweight division only to have it become a joke for Gillberg, a parody of Goldberg. Anyways, in the pervious segement, legit UFC fighter, Ken Shamrock with all the personality of a potted plant heard that British Bulldog challenged him to arm-wrestling contest. So Shamrock strolls down with a table,

And amazingly does not crush the jabronis. Instead the jabronis have a one minute match. Who gives a fuck?

Ken Shamrock vs British Bulldog in Arm Wrestling Contest

This is better than a contract signing I give them that. Shamrock is best known as a UFC legend from the early days of the promotion, but after it seemed like the UFC would not survive the 90s Shamrock tried his hand in pro wrestling. In Japan, where worked and shoot fighting aren’t as separated, Shamrock had dabbled in pro wrestling. In May, he made his debut against fellow legit badass Vader in a stiff, hard-hitting contest. However, it was all downhill from there because the guy has second grade level grasp of the English language. SO you think hey lets just make him a silent badass that steamrolls the competition or get him a manager. Nope, lets instead book it so he has every match won, but he SNAPS~! And wont let go of the hold so that he ends up getting disqualifies. This effectively made Shamrock look like a fuckin moron and his opponent like a loser. Net gain both guys looks worse. Anyways, Shamrock was not necessarily a bad worker, he never had any classic matches ( he did take part in the 10-Man tag match at Canadian Stampede), just an unremarkable one. As part of his push, he was programmed in a feud against the Hart Foundation, the hottest heel act in the company. With Bret challenging for the World Title against Taker and Owen defending against Austin, Bulldog was what was left for Shammy. During this segment, McMahon tries to give away a million bucks. The awesome part is that Sunny is on my screen. Sunny was my second crush after Kelly Bundy. Fun Fact that is buried on page 5 of a review of a random RAW IS WAR from 1997, I am rewarding my true die-hards. So arm-wrestling contests are not every thrilling so I am going to keep talking about Sunny. She is my choice for greatest female promo and it is a shame that feel by the wayside due to drugs and alcohol. If she could have stayed clean and been given some decent wrestlers to get over she could have been one of the all-time great managers. Not surprisingly Bulldog headbutts Shammy right before losing, beats him up with a chair and then spreads dog food all over him (ok that last thing was surprising.) This set up the stupid stipulation that whoever lost their match at Summerslam would eat dog food.

Goldust vs Billy Gunn

Im a huge Goldust fan and think the original concept is one of the best characters in the history of wrestling. His entrances certainly rank up their too. However, he definitely lost some of his edge when they turned him babyface in early 1997. Marlena is smoking hot. Goldust is the transvestite, bizarre thespian son of the “American Dream” Dusty Rhodes. The Bizarre One was programmed against the equally nuts, “Loose Cannon” Brian Pillman. If Pillman wins, he gets Marlena’s “services” for 30 days (get your mind out of the gutter), If Goldust wins, Pillman has to wear a dress.  Billy Gunn was not yet a New Age Outlaw, but the Honky Tonk Man’s protégé. Another one of those weird juxtapositions as the Goldust gimmick is incredibly edgy for 1997, while Billy Gunn looks at home in 1985. Gunn sucks as a wrestler and Goldust is kinda boring in the ring nless he is in there with somebody to carry him. I am not expecting much. Early on, Gunn messes with a boxer at ringside and gets KO’d for his troubles. Pillman is out to attack Goldust and then attack him with the mannequin. Marlena tries to save by choking him out. Decent segment to remind the crowd this feud exists.

Hype the Undertaker/Bret Hart WWF World Title Match at Summerslam

No Undertaker on the show, instead they went with other wrestlers blowing smoke up his ass. Which is a great idea because when it comes his other wrestlers especially heels it really puts him over as a big deal in wrestling. This is in the middle of the second biggest angle of 1997 as Paul Bearer, Undertaker’s long-time manager, revealed Undertaker murdered his family by setting their house on fire, BUT his brother KANE survived.

Bret Hart vs Patriot

My boy, Shawn Michaels is out to provide guest commentary as Bret Hart gets some cheap heat by asking for the Canadian National Anthem to be played. Of course, when the Patriot asks for the Star-Spangled Banner to be played, Hart attacks Patriot in the midst of the song. I would be remiss to mention that Patriot has the music that would become Kurt Angle’s. Shawn Michaels is an equal-opportunity asshole and mocks the Patriot’s mask. For those not in the known, Bret Hart is one of the greatest wrestlers in the world ever taking part in more wrestling classics than just about naybody not named Ric Flair or Shawn Michaels. Given this is a RAW main event, I  am not expecting an all-time classic, but it should be a step-above all the stuff so far. While Hart is choking Patriot,  Hart has the time to flip off a fan. I miss that Attitude. Michaels points out Hart’s hypocrisy when he attacked Patriot from behind. Hart takes it to the Patriot on the outside, but this allows Patriot to hit the Patriot Missile off the top rope (lying shoulderblock). Hart begins his destruction with a ringpost figure-4 (a great-lookin move) followed by Bret’s stock offense: backbreaker, Russian legsweep, headbutt to the lower back, second-rope elbow drop. Lots of punching and kicking from Bret, surprisingly, I am used Bret working babyface, though. Ref bump off a dragon suplex attempt by Patriot, but Hart cconnects with the piledriver, but there is no ref. Oh the humanity. Hart drops the leg on the Patriot and he goes for the cover, but Michaels pulls Hart off him. Thus Patriot gets the duke over Hart with a roll-up takes to a distraction from  Michaels. It is a Bret Hart match; it is the most entertaining match on an otherwise lackluster card, but still too much punching and kicking for my liking. Booking makes sense in the long-run, gives Patriot a huge win to establish him as a player and give him a reason to challenge for the title once Hart wins it at Summerslam (SPOILER ALERT). Though Patriot could have used some more offense, still kinda squashy.

Endshot is Hart wanting to get a piece of Michaels as he mocks him behind security and the Undertaker makes his only live appearance.   

Overall, this show pretty much sucked, but it did something very right. The show played off continuity well and each match at Summerslam had a segment devoted to it to remind the viewer what would be happening at the PPV. There was not much advancement, but that is to be expected on a go-home show like this. I thought it was very serviceable, but the major storylines were so interesting that they kept my attention. My complainants were the Gang Warz sucked up too much time. I was amazed at the time devoted to in-ring action albeit most of it sucked, but nowadays promos rule the roost. We need to get back to more action!