So second pack of Sertraline means a second part to this series. For this one I’m doing it a touch different, with the theme being chronological years in reverse order… meaning that Day 1 will be a match from 2024, day 2 from 2023 etc etc… all the way until 1997 (I think?) when I finish this pack on day 28 (again, could be wrong, let’s see how my maths is…).
So as it’s Tuesday, and I pick Tuesday’s, I will be picking our first match. And after this I am hoping I will be able to get enough suggestions from others to be able to fill up my daily run through of recent years. Now Tuesday is of course NXT day, and when I think of NXT in 2024, I simply think of one man… I think it’s time, to WHOOP THAT TRICK!
Day 1 (28/5/2024): Trick Williams vs Ilja Dragunov (C) for the NXT Championship – NXT Spring Breakin (2024)
Could Trick step up once again? My GOD could he!? With one of the most rabid crowds in NXT history, they got the moment they and we all wanted. A great match that was different from their first one but still a BANGER, had the amazing Dragunov going at full throttle, and Williams keeping up with him. Ilja did amazing things in NXT, but this was Trick’s night, and the finish of this match with the call-back to their first meeting, and the mutual respect from Dragunov after … this was perfectly well done. Naturally the crowd went APE SHIT after, and we have our new NXT Champion… “from a sidekick to a champion” as Vic Joseph so fittingly said. He WHOOPED THAT TRICK for sure!
****
Stefan picked day 2 for last year, and he went with a match that was unlike any other I’d seen on TV. I can’t remember off the top of my head another tag team match that went this long on TV anyway… but fortunately, this one was as good as it was long…
Day 2 (29/5/2024): Bullet Club Gold vs FTR (C) in a 2 out of 3 falls match for the AEW Tag Team Championship – AEW Collision (2023)
Where to even begin to talk about this one? There were a TONNE of wonderful near falls in this match, far too many to mention. But the one from the former finisher of the great Briscoes was ungodly! The crowd were so into this match for pretty much all of it, and these 4 fantastic wrestlers more than played their part. The first fall went to BCG when some quick thinking from Juice Robinson saw a Shatter Machine attempt from FTR foiled, leading to Jay White hitting the Blade Runner to Cash for the 1,2,3. Fall two went to FTR after a Shatter Machine to Juice, and at that point the crowd was MOLTEN! After an ad break we went into the final stretch, where the fall ultimately went the way of the champions, as the crowd roared with delight to a sharpshooter tap out by Juice to Dax, and with 58 minutes on the clock, an all-time classic came to a wonderful end. This was quite simply, an absolutely incredible professional wrestling match. One of the best tag team matches I have ever seen, possibly THE best on reflection.
*****1/2
With the suggestions flying in now, my mate Phil has today’s offering. In recent years it was been quite the interesting time for a resurgent BritWres scene. One match though garnered more acclaimed than any before it… Many said it was one of the best ever on these shores, but what some don’t know is it was far from there first meeting. In fact in 2022 at the same event, the two greats met before and it was another match of the year contender. Lets see how it compares…
Day 3 (30/5/2024): Will Ospreay (C) vs Michael Oku for the Undisputed British Heavyweight Championship – Revpro High Stakes (2022)
Wow. This was… Phil told me he thought this was the best match in BritWres, and I was sure he meant their 2024 match… but this one? My word… A story of a challenger stepping up a weight class to take on the seemingly unbeatable heavyweight champion. But with so so much more venom added to it, starting before the math even when Ospreay made a point of going over to Oku’s family in the front row. And it continued throughout the match when both men exchanged an amazing array of attacks, much to the York Hall’s enjoyment and amazement at times. For most of this one, Ospreay laid a BEATING onto his challenger. Oku would have his moments of life, but it was never long before the Billy goat came back. But for those of you lucky enough to have seen the development of Ospreay as a wrestler, this was like seeing Will face a younger version of himself. The crowd (mostly) were right behind Oku, and they seemed to go into a hush about half way through when Oku was LAUNCHED to the outside and went flying into a heap. It should also be noted that Oku requested for no ref stoppages in the match, the idea being that he wanted to try and win first and foremost but if not, he wanted to go out on his shield. Ospreay though was like a shark who smelt blood, as he dragged a bleeding Oku back into the ring. And the beatdown followed, much to the screams of his girlfriend Amira in the crowd… Connor Mills tried to tend to Oku, and shortly after Amira threw her drink into Ospreay, earning her a hair pull from Ospreay as he dragged her from her seat, and naturally Oku exploded, and after we had a match again. Oku targeted Ospreay’s leg to set up for the half crab… and now we play indeed… as both men were bleeding, we soon had Ospreay put Oku in the half crab (at an absurd angle with his knee on Oku’s neck). Oku tries to fightback, and hits a tombstone before trying for a rainmaker, but Ospreay reversed it into a sit-out powerbomb before getting two counts via an Oscutter and a Hidden Blade. And then shit got wild… Ospreay beats down Oku, elbow pad off, but then HALF CRAB and then a STYLES CLASH from Michael Oku! Both men were left in a heap before another Half crab by Oku, and as much as he bended back… eventually Ospreay got to the ropes! There were cradle exchanges followed by super kicks by Oku, a running knee… and then he misses a frog splash… and then… the real game begins… Hidden Blade by Ospreay , one to the front… 1, 2, NO! HB (there’s a lot so the Hidden Blade is now HB)… 1, 2 but Will pulls him up! HB but Will pulls Oku up again, then another, up again, Connor Mills thinks about throwing the towel in… Ospreay asks him to… Amira and Oku’s family says NO, Amira goes to get to the hand of her man as Mills can’t bring himself to do it. Ospreay looks on like a predator looking at his prey. Huge HB, but he pulls Oku up again. Amira throws in the towel, but the ref waves it off (going back to the set pre-match stip of no stoppages), and so Ospreay throws the towel at Amira! Before Will finally has mercy and hits a big Stormbreaker for the 3. Wow. What a cunt that Ospreay is! I’m exhausted. That was… WOW! All Oku’s family and friends come in the ring after as Amira is dragged away from going at Ospreay. Ospreay didn’t just retain, he brutalised his challenger.
*****1/2
My friend Oscar, a bright young man despite being a Hammer, picked my match for 2021. A match I am pretty sure I had on my list of best matches from AEW that year, which is hardly a shock given who is in it…
Day 4 (31/5/2024): Kenny Omega (C) vs Ray Fenix for the AEW World Championship – AEW Dynamite: New Year’s Smash (2021)
Shockingly, Kenny Omega vs Rey Fenix is a very good professional wrestling match. So weird to see this match during this time period, but it still felt like AEW could do no wrong around this time, and Omega vs Fenix on TV like this was a prime example. The match was kind of a sideshow to the big angle after, as The Elite continued to go full nWo and recruit all-star after all-star to join up with their cause. But yeah of course REY FENIX and KENNY OMEGA put on a banger match!
****1/2
Stefan picked again today, and if the BCG vs FTR one isn’t the best tag match of all time, it could well be this one. Without question this is one of the best matches in AEW history so far…
Day 5 (1/6/2024): Kenny Omega & ‘Hangman’ Adam Page (C) vs Young Bucks for the AEW Tag Team Championship – AEW Revolution (2020)
It was even better than I remembered. The Young Bucks are one of the very best tag teams of modern times, Kenny Omega may be the best big-match singles wrestler of all time, but this match on this night, was the Hangman Page show. He was the crowd favourite, and really the entire build up had revolved around him, and in the match itself… it was all about COWBOY SHIT! I loved the dynamics between all 4, but even without knowing all the back story, the rasslin in this match was of a phenomenal level. The outstanding spot for me was surely the kick out at 1 by Omega, which made the crowd absolutely EXPLODE! This team, for as long as it lasted, with Page and Omega was magic. Kota Ibushi and Kazuchika Okada could both more than lay-claim to being the wrestling ying, to Kenny Omega’s yang. But when you factor in the singles world title match these two have down the line, you really can’t tell the story of either of these two men’s in-ring career, without their co-tag champion here.
*****1/4
Given it was only the anniversary of this match yesterday, me and Stefan decided it was only right I watch this one today. One of the matches of the year from NXT, in a year when NXT was the SHIT!
Day 6 (2/6/2024): Adam Cole vs Johnny Gargano (C) for the NXT Championship – NXT TakeOver: 25 (2019)
An obviously great match, that told a story of Adam Cole, despite being a bit of a dick, was in fact THE MAN in NXT. The build up had been centred around the idea that Cole had beaten Gargano in the first fall of their first match, but that Cole couldn’t do anything without the rest of the Undisputed Era. In this match there was a number of teases of Era interference, but in the end, Cole did it all by himself. Gargano’s Rebel Heart simply wasn’t enough to beat Adam Cole on this night, and the injured knee was just too much in the end. And to the delight of the TakeOver crowd, Adam Cole was FINALLY the NXT Champion!
Also, I really really miss hearing Mauro Ranallo call pro-wrestling.
*****
Mike picked today’s. And his match in the first part was maybe the match I was pleasantly surprised by the most. This time, well… we have had some incredible matches so far, and to be honest… I can’t say I was excited to watch any of them as I am for the match of today…
Day 7 (3/6/2024): Walter (C) vs Zack Sabre Jr. for the Progress World Championship – Progress Wrestling Chapter 77: Pumpkin Spice Progress (2018)
My goodness… A lot of you reading this will know Gunther. But let me tell you… WALTER… Yeah, this dude was a MONSTER! There is a certain amount of efficiency and style with Gunther, Walter didn’t give a single fuck! Zack on the other hand I feel is just a bigger, more experienced version of the wizard he was on this match form a technical wrestling point of view. “This is my Wembley” said Zack leading up to this one (having been unable to take up his Super Strong Style winning prize at Progress’ Wembley Arena show), and he certainly performed like it here! Zack tried to use his speed early, but soon Walter seemed to have him grounded… although this really was a battle of two technical wizards, one with speed and one with power. It was such a joy to see the uniqueness of the strikes and submissions from both men here, but also Walter just punching Zack in the face was great. His signature chops too did a lot of damage, but Zack Sabre Jr. did all he could to kick away at the monstrous champion… Soon Zack downed Walter, and had a decent spell off offence… before Walter wrestled his way out somehow and sent Zack flying with a GIANT chop to swat Zack away like a fly. Zack’s resistance seemed to only frustrate Walter, but ZSJ tried his best to get to the ankle, only for Walter to somehow turn it into a submission of his own…. some Zack escaped to the ring ropes, but only to get a chop to the chest. Zack though again tried to strike his way out of trouble, and did get a nearfall pin attempt, but it wasn’t long before Walter was on top again. It just seemed for everything Zack had, Walter came back harder. Zack had a Kimura lock, but Walter hit a TOMBSTONE to get out of it. Walter hit huge chops, but Zack held on each time, and continued to show defiance, Zack though did manage to get the cross-armbreaker/gogoplata locked in, but somehow Walter rolled his way towards the ropes. Zack hit huge kicks to Walter’s chest, but of course got a huge chop in return, again Zack tried the kicks, again Walter returned fire in kind. And then finally Walter got the sleeper hold, Zack showed life, kicked out of a powerbomb, took a slap to the face, they exchanged pinfall attempts, and Walter pounced on Zack with the cravat submission, more strikes from Walter, and then the big Fire Thunder slam was FINALLY enough to give the Ring General the win to retain. An almighty effort from Zack Sabre Jr., but I don’t think anyone was going to stop Walter winning this one.
Also… Jim in his Leicester top warms my heart.
****3/4
When I think of 2017 in wrestling, there is only one match for me. And for obvious reasons, the match is very special to me. Rarely in wrestling do you feel like your own dreams have come true, but for as long as I live, I will never forget the night my favourite wrestler won the WWE Championship. As a result, I’m not going to review this one, I am just going to let you all watch it with me. Enjoy.
Day 8 (4/6/2024): John Cena (C) vs AJ Styles vs The Miz vs Bray Wyatt vs Baron Corbin vs Dean Ambrose in an Elimination Chamber match for the WWE Championship – Elimination Chamber (2017)
Dream come true. The Era of Wyatt was here.
Today’s is taken from a suggestion my friend Lorraine made last time, before eventually deciding on another match. So lets get this one done today shall we? Because what a revolutionary match it was, the start of a brand new era for WWE WOMEN’S wrestling!
Day 9 (5/6/2024): Charlotte vs Sasha Banks vs Becky Lynch for the WWE Women’s Championship – WrestleMania 32 (2016)
This was exactly what it should have been. On a widely panned Mania, this was the best match for sure. A great showcase for, quite possibly, the three biggest figures in women’s wrestling of the past decade or so. And above all, 3 great pro-wrestlers. The Charlotte moonsault off the top to the outside is an absolute all-timer, a spot more than worthy of WrestleMania. The move away from Divas was long overdue, and pretty much every year since we have had absolute SLAPPER women’s matches at WrestleMania. Such great chemistry between 3 women with so much in-ring history, history that would grow and grow in the years that followed this one. Extraordinarily, currently (for different reasons) none of these 3 are active members of the WWE roster, but I for one will always be dreaming of the rematch, or more these 3 greats with an added… role model… We can only hope.
****1/4
Today I have picked a match that doesn’t seem real. Sounds like a match that would only be possible on a WWE 2K game… but it happened… in NXT of all places. I don’t think it’s still now sunk in just how weird and wonderful this match-up was, but given it contains someone who as a wrestler, I adore more than most wrestlers ever against someone who I feel like had and has so much talent, and could’ve done even more than he did… I simply had to watch this one back again.
Day 10 (6/6/2024): Tyler Breeze vs Jushin Thunder Liger – NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn (2015)
As the show opener for the first NXT TakeOver, it’s not shock the crowd was very into it, and that it was quite the spectacle. Liger doing Breeze’s lay in the corner spot, and the spot with the selfie stick was awesome, and of course this was Liger in 2015… so he wasn’t quite as high flying as he once was, but he was solid, and Breeze is equally as solid in-ring. This was just a nice, fun, bizarre match-up, and very very cool that it happened and that WWE gave this match to one of their own in Tyler Breeze, and not an established name. Liger won of course, but that didn’t really matter. I’d implore anyone to watch this match and really take in just how unique and wild it is that it even happened.
***1/2
Stefan picked another NXT one for me today. This match was a defining one in the earlier days of the black and gold brand. Safe to say these two guys have done OK since…
Day 11 (7/6/2024): Sami Zayn vs Cesaro – NXT Arrival (2014)
Just a wonderful pro-wrestling match. A joy to have Tom Phillips, Byron Saxton and the great William Regal on the call as well, and a typically hyped Full Sail NXT crowd all helped make this an absolute banger. A perfect choice to open such a historic show, with two in-ring greats who made their name outside of the fed, but became stars within it. Sami was more of the high flyer here, but Cesaro showed off his superhuman strength. I particularly enjoyed Sami trying a springboard moonsault to the outside, but Cesaro catching and slamming Zayn with total ease. Zayn showed his classic fire throughout as the crowd tried to roar him towards the finish, But Cesaro was just a wizard in this match, a beautiful reversal of a koji clutch into a stretch muffler showed the technical mastery that the Swiss had alongside his amazing strength. Cesaro got the swing for 10 rounds, before the big running uppercut in the corner and a stomp after a couple of pinfall attempts split between the two greats. Another wild sequence saw Sami counter a possible Neutralizer off the top into a hurricanrana and then he hit a Helluva kick… but Cesaro kicked out! Cesaro would beg Sami to stay down after a number of heavy strikes, and Zayn did fightback, with Zayn getting a couple of close nearfalls as the crowd were on their feet in appreciation. Zayn kicked out at ONE from a huge uppercut, which fired Cesaro up for the big uppercut again, and then the Neutralizer for the win. Excellent match!
****3/4
For today’s, I just searched out some names to see if they had a match in 2013… and I stumbled my way into THIS…
Day 12 (8/6/2024): Kazuchika Okada (C) vs Prince Devitt for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship – NJPW Kizuna Road (2013)
Really good match, obviously. I could’ve done without all THREE of Devitt’s cronies (Fale, Tama and Machine Gun) getting involved, I have been majorly scared by Bullet Club and House of Torture interference murdering some New Japan matches in more recent times. But nonetheless the contrast of Devitt’s cunning and speed of strikes, against the majesty of Okada was great to see. And this crowd naturally LOVED them some Okada, which definitely added to the feeling that despite being the champ, the odds were against the Rainmaker here… I couldn’t help but think watching this about just how many IWGP Heavyweight title reigns Devitt would have by new if he didn’t go to NXT back in the day… But maybe he wouldn’t be the performer he is today without the move? Who knows… What I do know is Okada had to do his best ‘Super Cena’ impression after a ref bump, Devitt trying to swing a chair at him, Anderson and Tama Tonga trying to double team him, and Big Fale who was thwarted by Okada’s longtime then manager Gedo long enough for Okada to hit Fale with a dropkick, and then Prince Devitt hit a tombstone, put a chair on Okada and went for the big finish… but only got a close 2 count form the revived ref. The crowd roared Okada over the line, as an exchange of moves saw Okada hit the dropkick, then a tombstone of his own and then finally the big Rainmaker for the 1,2,3. Crowd went crazy for their hero winning. Very good match.
****1/2
Another Stefan pick today, and my word… he knows me so well! On paper this is about as perfect a match up as I could think of… I am so excited to watch this one back, fingers crossed it lives up…
Day 13 (9/6/2024): CM Punk (C) vs Daniel Bryan for the WWE Championship – Over The Limit (2012)
This crowd very much put over how I felt about this match… half for Punk, half for Bryan. I really could watch these two all day, albeit without 2012 Michael Cole, with Jerry Lawler and Booker T on the call… But this was still a very good match, and stylistically very much the match that you’d imagine CM Punk and Daniel Bryan would have. Although it was maybe a little bit surprising when Punk would have his moments of being on top of the technical and submission battles in the match, which wasn’t helped by Bryan’s knee being targeted by Punk as the match went on. Punk though had injuries to carry of his own (courtesy of a match, and steel chair beatdown, with Kane that left Punk with a bandaged up arm and hurt ribs coming into this title defence)… It was pretty much 50/50 back and forth for the rest of the match, with each guy targeting the other’s injured areas. Some of Bryan’s submission holds on Punk looked absolutely brutal, as did the elbows that Punk returned in kind afterwards. The exchanges of excellent offence continued as the match went on, until finally Punk managed to reverse the Yes Lock from Bryan into a pinfall for the 3 count… Bryan was upset at the end given that Punk tapped out to the hold, but it was well after the refs count was complete. Not that it was ever in doubt, but this was a very good match.
****1/2
So for today, I just wanted to do a TNA match… So quite simply, I went through the TNA ppvs from today’s year of 2011, and liked the look of this next match. It might be crap but… I doubt that…
Day 14 (10/6/2024): Bobby Roode (C) vs AJ Styles for the TNA World Heavyweight Championship – TNA Turning Point (2011)
So before this they showed a really great video package, explaining how Roode turned heel in winning the world title from his friend and tag team partner James Storm, thus ending Beer Money, one of TNA’s biggest tag teams. This (for none TNA followers) would be akin to Triple H turning on HBK, this was a HUGE fucking deal. Mr TNA AJ Styles took exception to this, and challenged Roode to a title match, and now here we are. The match itself was great, a proper ppv main event quality match featuring two home-grown company guys fighting for the world heavyweight title. The frustrations with TNA of this era in some ways are similar to those I have with AEW now, so close to being brilliant, yet so far away at the same time… ANYWAY… Roode was so good in this match, showcasing a real variety in his moveset. It’s a wonder WWE took as long as they did to poach him, and then his challenger wasn’t too bad either I suppose… The freshly-turned heel Roode hit a low blow towards the end of the match that took out the ref and hampered AJ, Roode tried to get the pin right after but couldn’t and showed his frustrations afterwards. AJ got a cradle nearfall and an enziguri kick after, AJ got the better of a striking exchange and with the crowd firmly behind him, he let Roode really have it after with a series of strikes, kicks and chops before tossing him on the ring ropes. Styles did a suicide dive but Roode moved out the way and AJ hit the floor pretty hard. Roode got a nearfall with a fisherman’s suplex, but upon trying it again got hit with a Pele kick, AJ tried the Styles Clash but Roode then pinned AJ holding the tights for the 3. This was a very weak finish designed to build heat on the newly heel champion, and this wasn’t the end of these two’s feud, they would main event the next PPV in a 30 minute iron man match! Roode was certainly presented as a dickhead heel champion here, and AJ only lost cause he got cheated out of it, thus justifying a rematch… so … job done I guess?
***3/4
So… whenever I see my Dr, he has to ask me the standard questions each time… Have you had any thoughts about killing yourself? Have you had any urge to self harm or hurt yourself? Well… no Dr Ince I have not. But today’s match choice may be the closest thing I will do to hurting myself and self harm…
Day 15 (11/6/2024): The Undertaker (with Paul Bearer) vs Kane (C) in a Hell In A Cell match for the World Heavyweight Championship – WWE Hell In A Cell (2010)
This hurt my soul. The Undertaker is my second favourite wrestler of all time. Kane is someone who was my Undisputed Champion of my own wrestling figure fed, I also had him win the world title in my GM mode of SmackDown vs Raw 2007. So this… this was horseshit. So quick recap, Kane finally got pushed as the top dominant heel champion, he pretty much squashed Taker, then PAUL FUCKING BEARER comes back in 2010 (!?!?) to rejuvenate… or REVIVE Undertaker, so they come here to do the rematch in Hell In A Cell… And Kane and Undertaker, who famously NEVER have good matches together… then in a cell match that was for the world title in the main event of a PPV… they had a not very good match. At the time, as both me and my friend Stefan have said many times since, it was cool to see KANE be the top guy now rather than Taker, but watching back, this was so so SO bad. Just over 20 minutes of just… nothing happening. And then a finish right out of 1995 and the cartoon era of the WWF… Paul Bearer gets into the ring (Kane punched the ref’s lights out after getting frustrated at not getting the win meaning they had to open the cell door to tend to the ref and get a new one in, which is when Bearer got into the cell), lights are out by now, and he SHINES THE URN AT TAKER’S FACE… YES a LIGHT shined from the urn, BLINDED The Undertaker, Bearer gives the Urn to KANE, and from there Kane smashes Taker with the Urn, big Chokeslam, and Kane gets the win. Naturally, the crowd is SILENT… So yeah… Paul Bearer turned on Undertaker, and sided with Kane… and the next PPV an era really did end, as The Undertaker’s time as a full-timer in WWE concluded. Kane’s run as World Heavyweight Champion would end 2&1/2 months later. If these two guys, like me ARE your childhood, don’t watch this match. It’ll make you sad.
*
So after yesterday’s debacle, I wanted something fun today… and just based upon the line up to be honest…
Day 16 (12/6/2024): Kurt Angle (C) vs Matt Morgan vs Sting vs Hernandez vs AJ Styles for the TNA World Heavyweight Championship – TNA No Surrender (2009)
(just an fyi, you’ll see no Hernandez in the graphic, that’s because he cashed in his ‘feast or fired’ contract before the match started to get entered into it and to turn it into a 5 way)
So naturally, this was a wild match! Quite the array of characters to say the least… and this was a good, action-packed match, but fuck that… this match finish… was AWESOME! In similar fashion to how WCW was it’s best when they did (Goldberg for one), AEW and even New Japan have been the same before, but Total Nonstop Action was always at it’s best… when it PUSHED IT’S OWN STARS! Don’t try and be WWE/F-light… you will suck. TNA here had 5 very different options to have as their champion coming out of this one, and they went with the right one. Their own guy, one of the best of all-time, a guy who was (and still is) known as Mr TNA. Given the recent relationship developing, I hope he has a chance to go home and get his flowers once more, but this was a historic moment to close No Surrender in 2009. AJ Styles’ first TNA World title win. And the way it was done was so clever, with very clearly The Icon Sting basically anointing AJ, and him quickly making the most of the moment with the Springboard 450 on Angle to get the win. Crowd goes absolutely ape shit, fans get into the ring after, so does Christopher Daniels, confetti everywhere too. This was a HUGE moment in this promotion’s history, and so cool to see a company guy get given the big belt. Good, good stuff, and even TNA showed that wrestling, more often than not, can be booked in a way where it is very very easy to succeed, if you just give people what they want, and make good things happen.
****
Yesterday’s match ended with a hugely popular babyface finally winning the title. Today’s was similar, but this one… my word… this is a moment not just in WWE history, but in my entire childhood…!
Day 17 (13/6/2024): Edge (C) vs Jeff Hardy vs Triple H for the WWE Championship – WWE Armageddon (2008)
Can’t say Jim Ross and Tazz is a commentary duo I remember much of… But this match I do, and its finish I will never ever forget. Jeff Hardy… I can’t quite explain just how beloved and popular this guy was with the majority of the WWE audience at this time, sure since then we’ve seen people like Cody and Cena, and the grind and rags to riches story of Daniel Bryan, but none of them were the same as the love people had and some still have for Jeff Hardy. Sure… credit to Edge (who was absolutely in his PRIME era here, Rated R… and the R was for RIDICULOUSLY good at his job), and to Triple H for making this match and the moment as big as it was. This was Jeff’s night, his moment, and I still since haven’t had a moment that felt like it. The aforementioned Cody Rhodes and his WWE title win is the only thing that comes to mind for me personally as similar. Some will say Kofi was their moment, Bryan for some, most will say Cody as the years go on, but as Jim Ross so beautifully said… I will never forget the night that “JEFF HARDY HAS REALISED THE DREAM OF A LIFETIME!”
****
So today’s is… well… it’s gonna be different that’s for sure. Thanks conman… I have no idea what I’m about to see, but I’m gonna watch what I pick out, and then write for you all my thoughts… Wish me luck…
Day 18 (14/6/2024): Vampiro (C) vs Ricky Banderas in a match for the WSX Championship – Wrestling Society X: Episode 8 (2007)
First of all, PITBULL (yes MR WORLDWIDE) is guest commentator (I don’t know either, MTV I guess…). And secondly I saw Vampiro in the thumbnail of this video, and that’s what made me go for this one. Some scrolling through this episode led me to this match. I was told by Conman to go into it… basically with a fun mind, to fully enjoy myself watching this (Banderas by the way later became known as Mil Muertes in Lucha Underground). For some reason there are two coffins around the ring, one with barbed wire all over it, and another coffin which commentary was sure had EXPLOSIVES in it… The match was… well not much happened I will be honest, but the (VERY obviously fake and piped in) crowd noise helped, and as much as the setting and lighting was… different… it wasn’t quite (lol) packed as Lucha Underground say… so it looked pretty naff. They also aired a video package for a tag match later in the show mid way through this CHAMPIONSHIP match… I’m not sure I could tell you one move they did… UNTIL they fought onto a staging area, where there just so happened to be a TABLE WITH LIGHT TUBES ON IT, which Banderas powerbombed Vampiro through!!! Vampiro’s back was more red than skin, and not long after Banderas put him and Vampiro THROUGH THE STAGE… Back in the ring, the constant fake crowd noise was almost obscene at this point, I can’t imagine how silent it must have been in that arena… Next up they had various crowd shots of fans going mad (?) before Banderas chokeslammed Vampiro off the ring apron into this coffin that EXPLODED! And when I say exploded I mean something out of a Looney Tunes cartoon… smoke and fire, commentary with an absurd reaction, a fake explosion noise, the fucking camera shaking… It was fucking ludicrous… and then Banderas pinned Vampiro in the coffin with barbed wire in, and he won the Championship. Credits then rolled, and that was that. And I’m not quite sure what I just saw…
(I don’t have a fucking clue what or how to rate this stars wise. Make your own fucking mind up)
As I type this, I have earlier this evening saw a hero walk into his house to thunderous acclaim, and today’s match (chosen by my good friend Dan) had a very similar sort of feel…
Day 19 (15/6/2024): John Cena (C) vs Rob Van Dam in an Extreme Rules match for the WWE Championship – ECW One Night Stand (2006)
This was so fucking great. RVD is a GOD to this wild crowd, and John Cena was the devil. A lot of people talk about the amazing atmosphere, the dude with the t shirt at the start, the fact Paul Heyman (???) came in and counted the 3, and of course the ungodly loud ovation that greeted the finish, but this match, the actual match itself, was very very good. RVD used a chair to hit typically unique shit on Cena (Rolling Thunder on Cena on the chair included), Cena took out the Ref after refusing to break his STFU hold when RVD got to the ropes (it’s an EXTREME RULES MATCH so this was… odd…), and then eventually, Cena hit Van Dam with an FU to the outside, btu he turned right around into a Spear through a table that had been set up in the corner, by a dude who eventually revealed himself Edge, and after taking out the ref (so that’s two refs down in this one by now) the top heel in WWE got “Thank You Edge” chants… and from there Van Dam hits the 5 star, Heyman runs out and counts the 3. In a cool moment, he was announced as being ‘the NEW ECW Champion’ as opposed to WWE Champion (He would later end up having the WWE title belt, and a newly reborn ECW world title belt). And the show closes with the ECW roster celebrating with their new leader, and the new WWE/ECW Champion! Right place, right time, and the right guy. This was overbooked sure, but the result was the only one to do. This was overall, pretty good stuff.
****
So for today, my mum picked… kind of… she said the names of a few wrestlers to watch, and I filled the gaps I had in my list still with matches involving said wrestlers… and one of them was… BIG SHOW… so I went with…
Day 20 (16/6/2024): Team Raw (Shawn Michaels & Kane & Big Show & Carlito & Chris Masters) vs Team SmackDown (Batista & JBL & Randy Orton & Bobby Lashley & Rey Mysterio) in a traditional 5on5 Survivor Series elimination match – WWE Survivor Series (2005)
The fact this only went just under 25 minutes, was such a blessing. I remember the one from 2016 was almost an hour, and it was great, but the time for this one worked. And although some of the men in this match aren’t really known as “speed merchants”, I did think the pacing in this match was good. I could’ve done without what felt like way too many commentators, but the in-ring made up for it. They did make SmackDown vs Raw a big deal, but still… for what… ANYWAY, the rookie (my god) Lashley went first to HBK (after a chokeslam by Kane), with Kane next going down to Batista after a 619 from Mysterio and a Spinebuster from The Animal (who had a taped up shoulder due to an attack by Kane and Big Show previously), who in turn was eliminated fairly quickly by Kane’s tag team partner Big Show after the world tag team champions hit a double chokeslam. Raw then had a bit of a stinker with Big Show, Carlito and Masters all going out in that order. This left Raw’s HBK up against Rey, JBL and Orton. And he had the crowd on side as he got Mysterio and JBL out in quick succession, pulling a classic revival as he came from seemingly oblivion to his a pair of big super kicks to leave it at 1on1. But eventually after much back and forth, Orton (who was somewhat of a survivor series specialist around this time) finally hit the RKO to Michaels (after a JBL distraction and attempted interference) to secure the win for SmackDown. The SmackDown (mid-lower card) roster came out after to celebrate with the victorious Orton, until THE UNDERTAKER made his big return from a fiery casket before he went after Orton and took down the SD Z-list. Big time end to a PPV, and a fun match before that, not much to be upset about really.
***3/4
Today’s suggestion comes courtesy of JCH. Now he floated the idea of doing all 3 of these matches (will make sense when I reveal the match), but I want to be able to do each justice, so one day I will do a blog solely on this trilogy, but for now, here is a brief review of PART 1…
Day 21 (17/6/2024): Samoa Joe (C) vs CM Punk for the Ring Of Honor World Championship – ROH World Title Classic (2004)
My word… This was special. The over year-long reigning champion against someone yet to hold the top prize in the company. Two true OGs, before they were legends, putting on… well… a world title classic! The pacing made a lot of sense given they were going long, and it looked like a very old-school rasslin match earlier on in the match. Joe would turn aggressor and begin laying in the strikes, with Punk doing his best to get it to the ground again and slowing things down. The pace would quicken in the match after, as the atmosphere in the venue continued at a fever pitch. Joe got more strikes in after Punk tried to slow things right down, albeit Punk tried to make clear that Joe was doing little damage … but I’m not sure he was telling the truth there… again Punk tried to slow things down, but this lead Joe to take his own breather by going to the outside, and faking out to hit a fan in the front row. The champ was enjoying himself, until eventually they got back into it in the ring, with Punk seemingly having the advantage on the ground with a headlock… we had a Delayed vertical suplex from Joe for a nearfall. Joe hit a series of strikes , until Punk got an eye poke and then a headlock… he then hit some strikes of his own as commentary noted that Joe ‘looked tired’ (which is hilarious considering this match). There’s no count outs in ROH (apparently), so Joe just beat up Punk on the outside, sitting in a chair and putting his foot on Punk’s head to mock the challenger. Punk then went to do a running kick to Joe, but Joe got to his feet and Punk retreated. Joe really began to take it to Punk after, hitting a Tope to Punk on the outside! Both men continued to brawl, as Joe swung Punk into the guardrails, similar to when Joe flung Punk into the bottom of the announce table at All In 2023. Joe was taking his time now and punishing Punk. He briefly ran at Joe, only to get hit with a sidewalk slam for a 2 count. Punk got out of a Joe hold after, reversing it into a hold of his own but Joe got to the ropes to break it. Joe hit strikes in the corner, Punk reversed those (ish) with a cross body off the top and then a big boot for a 2 count. They kept making a point on commentary to say how Joe usually wins in 15-20 minutes in his matches, and that he’d never done over 25 before in his world title reign … Punk now was in control with a hold locked in, going at the knee Joe looked to have hurt during the earlier Tope. They then had a head butt exchange, I’ll let you decide who comes of it for the better… Punk was on top now though, with many nearfalls in quick succession being followed by Punk mocking Joe, who responded in kind with a back suplex. Sleeper hold by Punk… THREE times, eventually and finally inziguiri by Joe to gain an escape. Backbreaker and deep Boston crab by Joe, but Punk gets to the ropes. Joe gets some kicks in in the corner, running knee in corner, but eventually Punk hits an elbow drop for another nearfall. Punk gets Joe up on top, and hits a back superplex! Joe gets the powerslam, 2 count, Joe tears at arm of Punk but Punk gets to the ropes. Samoa Joe hits some Kawada kicks, Punk gets the reversal into a nearfall, Joe hits a powerbomb into a Boston crab and then an STF, but again Punk gets to the ropes! Punk hits a running boot to Joe. He then gets Joe up, and hits a Hurricanrana off the top for a nearfall for Punk. Heel kick by Punk, gets him down for another nearfall. Punk strikes , Joe dumps him down, tonne of reversals as they Oklahoma roll together. Crucifix nearfall for Punk, but is quickly hit with a lariat by Joe for a nearfall of his own. Reversals for both again, shining wizard by Punk for a nearfall. Low blow by Punk, Joe slams Punk and gets another submission in with a half crab, Punk again gets the ropes. Both men on the top, Punk hits the Pepsi Plunge, but falls to the outside with Joe down in the ring. Eventually with less than 5 minutes left, Punk strikes Joe with forearms, until both men connect with clotheslines and both go down in a heap. Punk with a shining wizard, then a vertical suplex but Joe hits a dragon screw. Joe gets Punk up high, and he hits a 3/4 Nelson off the top. Both men are down and exchange SLAPS, Punk hits a ddt but collapses before he can get the pin, he eventually does and gets a 2 count. And then just after that the bell rings, and this EPIC match is over! A time limit 1 hour draw. Incredible.
*****1/4
So today, it’s time for 2003. And it was my choice again so I went with a match that I know I will have plenty to say about afterwards…
Day 22 (18/6/2024): Triple H (C) vs Shawn Michaels vs Chris Jericho vs Kevin Nash vs Goldberg vs Randy Orton in an Elimination Chamber match for the World Heavyweight Championship – WWE SummerSlam (2003)
Oh boy… They HAD IT… RIGHT THERE… and yes I know they did it the next month, and yes I know they only had Bill for a year so his booking was always going to be handicapped and not long term… But COME ON MAN… this guy wrecks everyone, and then gets hit with a sledgehammer and loses… and then gets jumped afterwards… Would it REALLY have hurt to just have him win the title here? Ah well, yeah in case you didn’t already know, this match was the Goldberg show. There were only ever two guys in this match who could’ve won it, and they played it safe. A shame, and yes Unforgiven the next month is awesome, with the big Goldberg win… and this was a fine Chamber match (not quite the first one but still), but I didn’t like this finish. Maybe because I lived through the reign of terror, and quite liked Goldberg’s WWE run… to that point… but my enjoyment of this match was somewhat tempered by the impending ‘lol jokes Triple H wins again cause of shenanigans’ finish that was on the way. We did have some super cool moments in this match though… most of them from Goldberg of course (the spear through the pod, the smashing of the glass to get his hands on Triple H after Flair’s attempts to keep his man safe), but the first elimination actually wasn’t for the former WCW MEGAstar… Chris Jericho actually eliminated Kevin Nash first, and the final entrant Goldberg came into play… and it was a wrap really… in a 3 minute spell out went Orton, Michaels and then Jericho to leave only the dominant challenger, and the reigning World Heavyweight Champion… and it looked to be Goldberg’s time in WWE finally, until Ric Flair slided the sledgehammer into the ring, HHH hit Goldberg over the head as he went for the Spear, and that was that. Triple H retains with a finish that took the air out the arena, and away from a pretty hot match.
***1/4
Dom’s pick today, and just as his last pick of RVD vs Jerry Lynn was key in his fandom of ECW, today’s match he tells me was the one that got him into indie wrestling!
Day 23 (19/6/2024): Amazing Red vs Low Ki – ROH Road to the Title (2002)
They began with martial arts kicks, followed by an amazingly quick exchange of moves, and the crowd gave the match a standing ovation (less than a minute in by the way). “Holy crouching tiger hidden dragon” said the commentator, and even in the test of strength exchanges, there was just amazing athleticism on show. This really was like a matrix or mortal kombat fight but in real life! Just a non-stop, action-packed sprint of a match featuring two guys who among those who know, have the upmost of respect, but in other circles, they don’t get talked about nearly enough for me. It was a real 50/50 match with a tonne of wild exchanges and brutal kicks and moves. Towards the end Amazing Red got put back in to the ring after Low Ki sent him crashing to the outside, Low Ki went up top and was able to roll through (after Red moved out the way of a twisting senton) and hit Red with a big punch as he rushed at him, but Red hit a spin kick as Low Ki was perched on the middle rope. Red tried for a hurricanrana off the middle, but eventually Low Ki was able to hit the Ki Krusher off the top, and this finally got him the 3 count. At just over 11 minutes, this was one of the best matches of that sort of length I have ever seen.
*****
Coming up today, my Uncle Scott’s choice of… quite simply one of the most iconic matches in wrestling history.
Day 24 (20/6/2024): The Dudley Boyz (C) vs The Hardy Boyz vs Edge & Christian in a TLC match for the WWF Tag Team Championship – WWF WrestleMania 17 (2001)
Amazing. Spectacular. Incredible. Awe-inspiring. Game-changing. Car Crash. Unbelievable. IMMORTAL. Just some of the very app descriptions I could offer to this match. It’s a stunt show, because of course it is, but we had story in it too, and I particularly liked the fact each of the three teams had an honorary 3rd member, with each making a significant impact. Far too many highlights to mention them all here, but the Bubba and Matt bump through those tables was ungodly, and naturally the Edge spear to Jeff is a moment that will be being replayed long past WrestleMania 117 let alone still being talked about today. This wasn’t the first between or involving these teams and ladders, and it wouldn’t be the last either. But this was the one. On the most iconic and revered WrestleMania of all time, it is this match that is the highlight. The sacrifices these 6 participants, and the 3 added during the match for their parts too, it cannot be overstated just how much they all gave to put on the most… I don’t quite know what to call this match, but I will say if you have NEVER seen this match, stop what you’re doing immediately and find it and take it all in. And if you’ve not seen it for a while, I highly recommend going back and giving it a watch once more. Trust me, it’s everything you remember it as. Edge and Christian won of course, but really this match truly cemented and pretty much guaranteed that all of these guys would be Hall of Famers one day for sure.
***** (and frankly, anyone who says it isn’t is a fucking idiot)
Tonight’s was indeed picked by my mate Lewis, and it’s funny how it’s worked out, but the pre-cursor to yesterday’s match, is the choice for today! Strap yourself in for another classic…
Day 25 (21/6/2024): The Dudley Boyz vs The Hardy Boyz vs Edge & Christian (C) in a TLC match for the WWF Tag Team Championship – WWF SummerSlam (2000)
Whilst TLC 2 had the more insane spots, I think I preferred this one as an actual match. A wild Full nelson-atomic drop from Bubba to Christian off a ladder was one example of how the actual rasslin in this one was as good as the stunts. We also had an eerily similar spot to the infamous Joey Mercury one here too, but luckily The Hardy Boyz didn’t suffer the same fate… The crowd were naturally red hot for this one, on what was an insanely stacked show, this one being in the middle was a great shout. It was somewhat terrifying when Bubba told D-Von ‘LETS KILL THEM!’, before they proceeded to stack two tables, on top of two tables on the outside of the ring… and naturally Bubba took several chair shots from Edge right after their… construction work… Jeff and Matt, in their home state by the way, were naturally very over and did their usual share of high-flying brutality, and Matt launching Christian off the top rope and onto Edge (who was sandwiched between a ladder) was a classic example of Hardy-caused carnage. As was… Jeff hitting a Swanton to Bubba to put him through a table on the outside, or so that was the idea, sadly for Jeff, Bubba moved, and Jeff well and truly crashed and burned… oh and Jeff did so off a fucking GIANT ladder! I legitimately don’t know how this dude is still able to walk upright, let alone wrestle in 2024. Eventually, Bubba found a bizarre splurge of energy and somehow climbed the ladder… only for Edge and Christian to push over the ladder, and… remember those two tables stacked on two more tables? Yep… you know the rest… Anyway, crowd went WILD for Lita running out and stopping Edge and Christian from getting the belts, before screaming for Matt to be the hero in his home-state… but sadly for the people of Carolina, D-Von managed to tip the ladder up, and Matt had his turn to meet a table on the outside. Edge NAILED LITA… with a spear… Somehow Jeff Hardy revived from the seemingly dead, as he and D-Von climbed for the belts, and both seemed to have a grasp of a belt, with both hanging from the belts alone after Edge and Christian took the ladder away, and of course both crashed and burned. And shortly after, Edge and Christian did what they do in these, and won. Air sucked out the arena, but my word, this was incredible. And controversially, maybe, I think this was a better match than Mania 17’s. A FUCKING FANTASTIC MATCH!
*****
Today’s suggestion from Ross… I am expecting to be absolutely wild. But a lot of fun… lets see…
Day 26 (22/6/2024): Super Crazy vs Yoshihiro Tajiri – ECW Guilty As Charged (1999)
This was a very fun watch. Both guys moved absurdly fast, but the rasslin they did was all technically sound and snug too, so it was a wonderful combination. The crowd were really into it to, and more than showed their appreciation for the quality being put on for them. I find ECW always such a fun watch, I love the authentic and gritty feel, but also the little things like Joey Styles saying how the ref here spoke a bit of both Spanish and Japanese is the sort of attention to detail that I appreciate. Both guys were great equals, just when you thought Tajiri was the more technical of the two, he’d do a beautiful moonsault to the outside. This was the sort of match that I could see someone like Ospreay or Fenix have in 2024, and I think that’s a pretty big compliment. There was no point in this match that was boring, as both men kept up a fairly frantic pace. Super Crazy at one point had an inverted surfboard locked in, and kept rolling with it whilst sustaining the hold, which was particularly impressive. It was pretty impossible to be able to keep up with a move-by-move report on this one, but I will say it was very good and after this performance, if you told me either were a ECW title challenger I’d of been more than on board with it! The win went to Tajiri (after a dragon suplex with a bridge), but really THE FANS who saw this won in the end.
****1/4
Today’s… oh boy… it’s another of ones where Mum said some random wrestlers, and I filled gaps where I needed to in my list… And I make no apologies from reposting my own material here… It’s the turn of that GOD AWFUL WCW Hogan vs Warrior match… and THE FUCK am I wasting anymore of my time reviewing that shower of shit, instead I will use my words from my review of WCW’s Halloween Havoc 1998 PPV, a review I did at the start of the first pandemic lockdown, and as if life couldn’t get worse, I watched this literal HORROR show! So yeah… I will copy and paste my review of this match from then for you, and I will let you know after I have watched the match again if it was any different than I wrote it was the first time that I saw it… (using the image below as I wanted someone to do that to me at the thought of watching this again)…
Day 27 (23/6/2024): Hollywood Hogan vs Warrior – WCW Halloween Havoc (1998)
After both guys made their way out. Hogan went to the outside and as Warrior was posing Hogan could be heard saying “this guy is out of his mind, I don’t wanna do that, I could kill this guy”… Hogan took his time getting in the ring as Warrior paced around and posed to the crowd again. After Hogan got the ref to pat Warrior down, Warrior hit Hogan as the bell was rung. They starred and gestured off and paced around the ring for about 20 seconds before locking up and Hogan beat on Warrior. They exchanged arm drags, Warrior took Hogan down and to the outside with a shoulder block, Hogan took all the time he could getting back in the ring, more pacing and stare and pose offs, Hogan pushed Warrior into the corner and hit him with strikes, before holding him in the corner and stomping away, Warrior was on his knees in the battle of strength as Hogan was kicking away at Warrior as both guys had their fingers embraced as they battled, Warrior eventually made his way to his feet before Hogan kicked him down again. This,,, battle… went on for multiple minutes surely… they exchanged arm drags again before a sequence where they both kriss-crossed one another in running the ropes, why this was needed I don’t know… before Hogan met him in the middle and hit him with a scoop slam… but of course the move that put down ANDRE THE GIANT… the Warrior just got right back up and posed behind Hogan’s back… before hitting a slam of his own, Warrior hyped up the crowd before clotheslining Hogan over the ropes to the outside. Warrior went after Hogan but Hogan raked the eyes in the middle of their… I don’t wanna call it a brawl to be honest… Mike Tenay remarked that a fine wrestling match had turned into a fight… this was not a fine wrestling match FYI… They went back and forth on the outside before getting back in the ring, Hogan ran into the ref and then kneed him on the floor for good measure… ok then… Hogan hit punches to Warrior and then signalled for the other nWo members to come down… out came The Giant… he went to kick Warrior but he moved and The Giant hit Hogan instead… Warrior clotheslined The Giant to the outside as Warrior then batted away attempted interference by both Stevie Ray and then Vincent of the nWo… Warrior went on to Hogan to cover him but the ref was still down and out… Warrior tried to revive him but Hogan hit him from behind with a suplex and got a nearfall… Hogan took control again with knees to Warrior’s back… Hogan took off his workout belt and whipped Warrior with it… and then choked him with it, the ref pulled at Hogan’s hair to get him to stop or risk a DQ (YES the ref pulled Hogan away by his HAIR…), Hogan put the belt back on and then gauged at Warrior’s eyes, he powerslammed Warrior down again and missed the elbow twice as Warrior kept rolling out the way, Warrior was back on his feet but he too missed a drop as Hogan moved this time… GOD this is boring… big punches by Hogan, but one punch downed Hogan… Warrior took off Hogan’s belt and whipped him with it, he then punched him with it before listening to the ref and throwing it down… as the ref was talking to Warrior, Hogan could be seen unwrapping something, turns out it was a lighter… it appeared the lighter then went off as a small flame could be seen… it was played off as an attempted fireball by commentary as Warrior kicked away all the evidence to the outside… I don’t know what the fuck happened there or if that was planned or what… Hogan was bleeding from the head at this point and I could see blood droplets appear when Hogan was in the corner as well, so I’m guessing that was also when Hogan bladed… Warrior went to the top rope and hit the double axe handle, Hogan hit a low blow, then took Warrior down, then hit the big leg drop, then missed it a second time as Horace Hogan appeared at ringside with a chair (less than a week after Hogan’s attack on his nephew on Nitro… I could see Bischoff at the top of the entrance way as well)… Warrior did his pump up stuff… and took Hogan down a few times as Eric was now ringside, he then distracted the ref as Horace Hogan got in the ring and hit WARRIOR with the chair… the ref then turned back and saw Hogan with the cover and counted the three. WHAT?! … Horis then got back in the ring as did Eric and they all celebrated together, and Hulk told his nephew ‘you passed the test’… Horace then poured lighter fluid all over a downed Warrior… officials tried to stop it as Hogan had a lighter in his hand… the officials I think got the lighter back as soon after the heels left the ring and celebrated… Warrior just lay beaten in the ring… and barely got to his feet… This was HORSESHIT.
So… it turns out WCW claim they tried to make this storyline work, but Warrior has since said he was only brought in by them to get Hogan his win back over him… Warrior made his final WCW appearance a couple of weeks later and retired from wrestling this same year. He signed for them in May 1998 and was gone again by the November. SOME would say a fitting end to a deplorable human beings career…
With regards to the fireball spot, Hogan had flash paper, but he threw it and nothing happened, and everyone in the crowd knew right away it had botched. The paper lit for a few seconds which made it more obvious they fucked it, and after this the idea was the ring announcer was meant to put his jacket on Warrior and then he’d mount a COMEBACK?! What a terrible idea that sounds.
(Yeah… it was just as bad as I recalled)
DUD
Anyway… To follow one of the all time worst PPV matches, we have one of the most controversial. Another one where Mum said a list of guys, and I needed to fill gaps… So here is a match from 1997, one that changed wrestling forever…
Day 28 (24/6/2024): Bret Hart (C) vs Shawn Michaels for the WWF Championship – WWF Survivor Series (1997)
So… I will do my best here to mention THE MATCH ITSELF, before we talk about… the other stuff (of which I have had and still do have more than my share of opinions on)… I for one thought the Iron Man Mania match these two had was BORING… This match was… better than that I thought. It retained the feel that these two… well… hated one another (LOL), whilst sustaining the interest levels with the story they told between the ropes, and outside them too. The WWF Champion here was a GIANT crowd favourite, and without telling you he was leaving, the commentary beforehand very much built this match as some form of last stand for Bret. Shawn was just so good in this era, an asshole and at times… influenced… but he was just a master of his craft, as was his opponent here, just in VERY different ways. I can’t even imagine what it must have been like being a fan of either man, or just of WWF watching this match at the time, but I couldn’t help as it went on of feeling just a feeling in my stomach that the world was about to change in wrestling forever. I’m not a fan of some of Bret’s opinions or his actions at times during this era, but I will say it was the biggest of shames it came to this. And I will die on the hill of Bret screwing Bret, despite the deplorable creature that his then boss turned out to be, I understand why he couldn’t risk his company’s holy grail appearing on the TV of his biggest competitor. I also don’t see why Bret couldn’t have just… lost… but I digress… people were lied to and betrayed on both sides. And that’s not fun at all. Maybe we should’ve knew something was up when Jim Ross on commentary illuded to the fact that there had been rumours and speculation that “if Bret Hart loses this match, we will LEAVE the WWF”… Well… lose he did… leave he did… screwed he was… the letters of WCW he did signal to the crowd with his fingers, spit at the WWF owner of the time he did (I can forgive this one in 2024), Shawn Michaels left as WWF Champion, and as Wrestling With Shadows showed us, he proclaimed his innocence to Bret after, but really… should we have believed HBK in this era? On anything?… A dark day for the WWF and one of it’s greatest ever competitors. But I would like to finish by saying that the match took a while to start, as they brawled for a LONG period on the outside and into the crowd and stage area for some time before the action officially got underway, before finally Bret beat Shawn’s ASS into the ring, they had a pretty solid 10 minute or so match, and then a combination of Earl Hebner, Shawn Michaels, the timekeeper who rang the bell, and Shane and Stephanie’s father did what they did. And the rest is indeed history. I bet the Wrestling with Shadows producers couldn’t believe their luck.
N/A – I find this match impossible to rate as a result of the finish. I can’t fairly score it.
And that’s part 2 done! And after some thought, I have decided to bring this series to a close. I’m in a space I can once again truly relax in and enjoy my free time again, and writing every day about wrestling is becoming a bit of a chore. And when that happens it is time to stop I think. I have some BIG things coming in my WWE 2K24 Universe Mode, and some other stuff to come too… so stay tuned.
Thank You to everyone who has suggested a match in this and my previous part: Mum, Scott, Phil, Ross, Tamzin, JCH, Dom, Con Man, Stefan, Mike, Oscar, Fliss, Lorraine, Lewis, Dan… (I think that’s it, if I’ve forgot you please tell me and I’ll get you a thanks in a future blog I promise HAHA). This has been the hardest but also the best 56 days of my life in a lot of ways, and whilst I may not write about it everyday now, I will still be watching something as I take my medication accompanied by something from the wacky and wonderful world of professional wrestling!
Josh.
PS…
WE’RE HERE!