The State Of The WWE: Part Two

Last Friday, I got to talking about the current state the WWE is in. The Armageddon PPV had just passed and Jeff Hardy became the new WWE Champion, pinning Edge in a Triple Threat match that also featured Triple H. Today, as my Christmas holiday is set to begin in about an hour, I'll dive right in and share thoughts on the Royal Rumble, No Way Out and the biggest show of 'em all, Wrestlemania 25.

Batista is apparently injured.

WWE has yet to confirm this, but from what I've read on the dirt sheets (I know, they're a joke 90% of the time, but once in a blue moon....), he has a torn hamstring muscle and will be on the shelf for 6-8 months. Of course, this means he's out of Wrestlemania and the Raw brand is missing a major superstar for the next while. One of Mania's many rumored matches was a rematch from Summerslam, Batista vs John Cena, possibly for the World Heavyweight Title. I sympathize with his situation, but this leaves a huge window of opportunity for other guys on Raw to step up to the plate. It'll be interesting to see what direction Raw takes in the coming weeks.

Speaking of Raw, there were 4 matches held last night to determine the participants of a Fatal Fourway match coming next week. The winner of that match will face John Cena at the Royal Rumble for the World Heavyweight Title. The quick results were as follows:

1. Shawn Michaels vs Kane: HBK made Kane look like a huge monster in this one, which I really liked. Shawn took a beating but squirmed his way out a chokeslam attempt, hitting a superkick out of desperation for the win.
WINNER: Shawn Michaels

2. JBL vs Rey Mysterio: I was surprised at how long this one went, considering it's only TV and JBL isn't known for long-winded matches. Must've reached the 15-minute mark at some point. JBL got the DQ win when Shawn Michaels saved him for a 619 and slapped him. See, HBK is in a storyline with JBL where he "works" for him because Michaels is "broke" due to the crappy economy in the States. He saved his employer so that JBL would advance to next week's match.
WINNER: JBL

3. Randy Orton vs Batista: Didn't happen. Batista wasn't there to sell the skull kick he got from Orton last week. Except now that Big Dave is apparently hurt for real, that kick's gonna get sold a whooooole lot longer! Orton cut a great promo after he was given the win. WINNER: Randy Orton

4. Chris Jericho vs CM Punk: Awesome match. Very back and forth with the Toronto crowd cheering Jericho, causing Jerry Lawler to once again call Canadian fans strange and different. Man I hate when he does that. Wow, a crowd cheering for the wrestler they love, who ever heard of THAT?!? Jericho got the win with the Codebreaker when Punk came off the top rope. Great counter.
WINNER: Chris Jericho

So the Fatal Fourway next week will consist of Shawn Michaels vs JBL vs Randy Orton vs Chris Jericho. Should make for some good TV. As for a winner, I see Orton taking it and facing Cena, which then tells me he won't be in the Rumble match itself. THIS in turn makes me think that Edge is a top contender to win the 30-man battle royal.

So now, let's talk Wrestlemania matches. A while ago, I discussed four bouts that I'd love to see at the biggest show of the year on the WWE Universe page on Facebook. Two matches for the respective World Championships and two "Special Attraction" matches that could only happen on the grandest stage of them all.

That was a few weeks ago. Now that certain storylines have taken place and other guys are now Champion on Raw and Smackdown, these matches may not be a reality. Well, one of them definitely won't take place because we saw it for free on TV last night! I'll give you my take on each of them as we count them down, so let's begin.....

1. WWE Championship match
Edge (C) vs Jeff Hardy

Months of build up finally lead to Hardy getting Edge one-on-one. Very back and forth until Edge focuses on Jeff's head and neck, applying various holds and eventually busting him open. Match gets taken into the crowd, near the entrance ramp ala Rock/Austin from their 1999 feud. Ref bump at about the 20:00 mark, Edge's cronies run in and beat down Hardy, prompting brother Matt to make the save with a steel chair, taking the Champ down in the process. Edge and Jeff are laid out and eventually make it to their feet. Edge, getting desperate, lunges at Hardy but takes out the ref again with a spear. Hardy goes for a Twist of Fate, but Edge counters with an Impaler DDT. He grabs the WWE Title and gets ready to hit Jeff when CHRISTIAN darts from the crowd, hits the ring and nails Edge with the Unprettier onto the gold. Hardy is up, hits the top rope and Swantons Edge as the ref counts 1............................2.......................................3. Brother Matt comes back down, they celebrate and Christian smiles at Edge from the entrance.
WINNER: Jeff Hardy, NEW WWE Champion

So here's the thing - Hardy's already won the WWE Title. This match could still be a possibility, though I think they'd probably do a gimmick match like TLC or something. Maybe have the Title vacated for some reason and these two fight for it. However, if Hardy hadn't won at Armageddon and maybe won the Rumble, that's how I'd have the match come out.

2. World Heavyweight Title match
Chris Jericho (C) vs CM Punk

Feud heats up when Punk loses the IC Title at No Way Out to former partner Kofi Kingston in a face vs face match. Backstage at NWO, Jericho runs into Punk and jokes "Hey, at least you were CONSCIOUS and lost the belt this time", refering to Unforgiven when he was taken out of the match and Jericho ended up winning. Punk is irate and attacks Jericho after his World Title defense that night and on Raw the following night. The match itself is superb and given a lot of time, roughly 25 minutes. Lots of submission moves and technical wrestling here, folks. Punk nails some serious kicks but ends up killing his leg on the ringpost outside the ring. Jericho works on it from there and keeps the Liontamer on for a good while. Punk makes the ropes and when Jericho tries a Lionsault, he hits Punk's knees face-first. Both men make it to their feet and Jericho hits a knee clip in desperation. He tries a Lionsault again but Punk snatches him mid-flight and hits the Go To Sleep. Both men are laid out again, exhausted and the fans are on their feet. Punk makes the cover but Chris kicks out. Punk goes for the knee/bulldog combo but Jericho shoves him into the ref and hits the Codebreaker, finally followed by the Lionsault. He covers but when the ref finally awakens, Punk kicks out. Fans are chanting "THIS IS AWESOME" and nearly 30 minutes have passed. They do a slugfest and Jericho hits an enziguri kick. He props Punk on the top rope and goes for a superplex but Punk falls on him and applies the Anaconda Vice to a huge pop. Jericho wiggles and tries to roll out of it but Punk stays on. Eventually, much like HBK/Angle from WM21, Y2J taps out and Punk is once again World Champ.
WINNER: CM Punk, NEW World Heavyweight Champion

I always thought the WWE needed a great PPV match between these two to settle what happened at Unforgiven this year. They've since fought a few times on Raw (like last night) but if they were given a good 25 minutes or so on PPV, I see a contender for Match Of The Year at next year's Slammy Awards. Thinking about it, this one may not be so impossible, seeing how Batista is injured. Below is what I think the WWE could do with "Stone Cold" Steve Austin heading into Wrestlemania. If the rumors are true and he struck a deal to have one more match, I figure it'd have to be against someone with HUGE heat, and Orton's a top heel. Although Jericho would make a good opponent, as well. This one features the return of two former WWE Champions, Mick Foley being the more far out chance, seeing how he's with TNA now.

3. One Night Only, No Disqualification match
"Stone Cold" Steve Austin vs Randy Orton

Austin returns for one more match after 6 years away from the ring. HUGE buildup for this. Austin makes an appearance at the Rumble and runs into Orton backstage, where they have a 'verbal exchange'. Orton ends up spitting in Austin's face and security have to hold Steve back from destroying Randy. At the end of the Rumble match, Orton is the 2nd last man eliminated after Austin drives his truck through the entrance and Orton is distracted. From there, the challenge is made by Austin, who says he'll "walk that aisle one more time to stomp a mudhole in Randy Orton's ass!!!" Orton manages to sneak attack him and hit an RKO. When Austin tries to retaliate the next week on Raw, Orton says he got a restraining order against Steve which says the match at Mania will be off if Austin attacks him. Mind games are played for weeks between both men and on the last Raw before Mania, Orton pisses off the Raw GM and the order is lifted. Austin beats the shit out of Orton to a massive pop but gets a low blow when he tries a Stunner. Orton hightails it and the match at Mania is on. Austin gets the ring rust out of his system eventually and the match opens up a bit, with Austin hitting clothelines, footstomps and the Thesz Press/front elbow combo. The match is taken outside and into the Texas crowd, where they fight on some steel rigging ala Taker/HHH at WM 17. Austin backdrops Orton off of it for a HOLY SHIT moment. Orton is busted open after a chair shot, but counters a Stunner attempt in the ring into his backbreaker trademark for a 2 count. He then focuses on Austin's neck - choking him, stomping him, multiple clotheslines and holds. He then hits a neckbreaker onto a chair and signals for the RKO. Austin counters and hits the Stunner before making the cover. Before the win though, PRICELESS hits the ring and Rhodes, Manu and DiBiase work Austin over. Suddenly, MICK FOLEY charges the ring, barb-wire bat in hand and takes them down. Orton low blows Foley and hits an RKO onto the bat. The four of them beat down Foley and Austin when..................IF YA SMEEEEEEEEEEEEELLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL, THE ROCK bolts to the ring as the crowd explodes, taking out all four in a frenzy of energy. Clotheline here, spinebuster there. DDT here, Rock Bottom there. Foley makes it to his feet and they take out Priceless, who run away in the process. Orton tries to RKO The Rock but gets a Rock Bottom. Austin and Orton eventually make it to their feet and Austin tries a Stunner, but Orton nails the RKO. He drapes an arm over Stone Cold but the Rattlesnake kicks out just barely. Orton is speechless and desperately stomps away at Austin before grabbing the chair again. Austin grabs the barb-wire bat and clobbers the chair away before hitting the Stunner to a giant pop. He makes the cover but pulls Randy's head up, choosing to hit TWO MORE Stunners before hooking the leg 1........................2...............................................3.
WINNER: "Stone Cold" Steve Austin

I admit, I totally marked out for that ending, especially with The Rock appearing to help out his greatest Wrestlemania opponent. But hey, it's the 25th anniversary of Wrestlemania, Austin's having his first match in 6 years and it's in Texas. It'd HAVE to be that huge. This last one is the most possible, in my opinion. It's a basic Smackdown vs Raw match but with a lot more history. These two had interactions at the 2007 and 2008 Rumble matches, and they'll probably tear into each next month at the 2009 one.

4. Interpromotional match
Shawn Michaels vs The Undertaker

The history of these two plays a huge part in the buildup, including their encounters during the 2007, 2008 and 2009 Royal Rumble matches. Michaels is forced to play the tweener role here, reminding people that the Dead Man has never beaten the Heartbreak Kid, citing his wins at Bad Blood 1997 and Royal Rumble 1998. The two invade each others' shows in the weeks until Mania and all Hell breaks loose during on official contract signing, which ends with HBK superkicking Taker and taunting him, only for Taker to rise up, snatch Shawn by the throat and chokeslam him through the table, before he then signs on the dotted line and drops the contract on Michaels' prone body. The match itself is excellent and fans are divided, though they seem to be more for Taker seeing how Houston is his hometown. Michaels has a counter for almost all of the Dead Man's arsenal, slipping out of chokeslam attempts and clipping his knee after a Tombstone attempt. HBK works over Taker's bad knees for a while before he misses an elbow drop. Taker then works on Shawn's back - bashing him against the ringpost, dropping several elbows, and keeping him in a backbreaker submission. He hits the Snake Eyes and goes for the big boot but HBK meets him with some Sweet Chin Music. He crawls over for the cover but Taker locks on the gogoplata. Shawn moves around alot in the move and flips over, looking for a jackknife cover but Taker kicks out. HBK is up before Taker and launches another superkick at him, but takes out the ref when Taker dodges outta the way. Shawn hits a low blow when he sees the ref is down before bringing a chair into the ring. Before Michaels tries to bash Taker's head in, he gets a chokeslam and Taker now has the chair. He waits until Michaels is up and swings. Shawn ducks and superkicks the metal into Taker's face. Seeing the ref still down but starting to stir, Shawn veers up for another superkick but Taker ducks the leg before snatching him up and hitting the Tombstone. The ref is up and makes the count 1............2...................3. The streak continues. Taker does his usual celebration routine but stares at HBK who is starting to get up. They look at each other and Taker offers his hand. The crowd in Houston pops huge when they shake and the two get a standing ovation.
WINNER: The Undertaker

So those are dream Mania matches. I think if done correctly and in the right order, those bouts, coupled with the rest of the undercard would make for arguably the greatest Wrestlemania of all-time. I've got my fingers crossed on at least two of them happening. Then I'll be happy.

Anyway, that's it for now. I've gotta take off and run some errands before getting home. I'm headed to Calgary tomorrow morning for Christmas and we'll all be back at work here on January 5th, 2009. Hope you all have a great Christmas season and a memorable New Year.

See you next year,
D.

The Slammys

So 2008 is coming to a close, and the WWE handed out Slammy Awards for the first time in 11 years last night on Raw. I thought most of the big ones were right on the money, though I'm curious as to what the voting process was, seeing how there was no mention of fan voting on WWE.com. What, a room full of executives dining on Chinese take-out decided on the best wrestlers, matches and moments of 2008? Isn't that OUR job as loyal fans? Whatever.

Here are the winners of the big Awards, along with the other nominees and my own analysis on each:

1. Superstar Of The Year
Chris Jericho - WINNER
Edge
Triple H
Jeff Hardy
Batista
John Cena

This definitely belonged to Jericho, though Edge would've been a fine choice as well. After Jericho made his return to the WWE in November 2007 after over two years away, things sorta fizzled out after his short, one-month program with WWE Champion Randy Orton. A lot of people said the momentum from his return nose-dived after that, especially when he was part of a boring but brief feud with JBL, who was also making his return to in-ring competition at the Royal Rumble. Thankfully, Jericho was used better around the time of Wrestlemania 24, where he came this close to winning the Money in the Bank ladder match and was then inserted into the Batista/Shawn Michaels feud. Afterward, the seeds were planted for one of the most heated, emotional and violent rivalries in WWE history, as Jericho began an eventual heel turn against Michaels. The two fought in PPV matches at Judgment Day and The Great American Bash, where HBK's eye became "injured" and Jericho reveled in nearly destroying the Heartbreak Kid. By this time, Y2J was the biggest heel in the entire company, next to fellow Canadian, Edge over on Smackdown. He capped off 2008's most bitter feud by winning the World Heavyweight Title twice, in September and early November. Now, he's in a main-event feud with current Champion John Cena and meets him at the Armageddon PPV on Sunday night.

2. Match Of The Year
Shawn Michaels vs Ric Flair @ Wrestlemania 24 - WINNER
The 2008 Royal Rumble match
Money In The Bank ladder match @ Wrestlemania 24
The Undertaker vs Edge, Hell In A Cell match @ Summerslam

For me, the best match of 2008 isn't even on this list, though it involved the same two people. The main event of this year's Wrestlemania, Edge vs The Undertaker for the World Heavyweight Title was my favorite match of 2008. I loved their Cell match from Summerslam and it'd probably get my vote if I was stuck with these four choices, but I see no reason why the MITB ladder match was on this list. To win an award for Match Of The Year should mean that you told a great story in the ring opposite your opponent, in a lengthy, tension-rising 1-on-1 match. The ladder match concept is a crash-and-burn fiasco; sure it's entertaining and very physically demanding, but when 7 wrestlers are involved you really aren't telling a story - you're going spot after spot and giving the fans a series of "OH MY GOD!" moments to remember. Call me old-fashioned but that's how I feel. The Shawn Michaels/Ric Flair match is certainly deserving, because emotion was the definitive name of the game with that program. Everyone knew Flair was gonna lose and he'd be retiring so the "telling a story" aspect is covered. The match itself in my opinion was pretty even between the both of them. Not HBK's best but one of Flair's better matches in recent years. Not a match I would've chosen but a respectable choice when paired with the rest of the nominees.

3. Best Finishing Maneuver
Evan Bourne's Shooting Star Press - WINNER
Big Show's Knockout punch
Randy Orton's RKO
Undertaker's Hell's Gate

I don't watch ECW so I haven't really seen much of Evan Bourne, let alone his finishing move. I think the voting on this one was based purely on the athleticism involved, because the shooting star press is probably the most dangerous move to try and do in wrestling (just ask Brock Lesnar). Kudos to the young rookie, though I would've voted for the RKO, seeing how Randy Orton was WWE Champion for the first quarter of 2008. The RKO always gets a big pop from the crowd and it's lightning-quick - Orton can hit it from out of nowhere.

4. 'OH MY GOD' Moment Of The Year
CM Punk cashes in his Money In The Bank contract, wins World Title on Raw - WINNER
Floyd Mayweather punches Big Show and breaks his nose @ No Way Out
John Cena's surprise return @ the Royal Rumble
The Undertaker sends Edge to "Hell" @ Summerslam

Couldn't agree more on this one. I remember that particular episode of Raw; Edge, then-World Champion came out bragging about beating Batista at the Night of Champions PPV the night before. Batista came out, beat the crap out of Edge and powerbombed him in the middle of the ring. Punk came out, gave the referee his MITB briefcase, hit Edge with the GTS and won the belt as the crowd exploded. It's just too bad that the WWE higher-ups didn't push Punk hard enough as Champ.

5. Extreme Moment Of The Year
Jeff Hardy splashes Randy Orton off the Raw scaffolding set on Raw - WINNER
Undertaker falls through several tables off a ladder in a match with Edge @ One Night Stand
Chris Jericho smashes Shawn Michaels face-first through a TV screen on Raw
JBL throws John Cena off the stage onto a car windshield @ the Great American Bash

Right choice again here. Hardy hitting Orton with the biggest Swanton Bomb ever was all the way back in January, and its managed to stand the test of time. I agree with the presence of two of the other nominees, but what the Hell was that JBL/Cena match doing on here? That wasn't "extreme" at all! Did you see that match?? Cena is "thrown" maybe 6 feet onto the windshield, where he still lands pretty gingerly on his side. Oh WOW! Way to take a bump, John! It's one thing if maybe he landed head-first or took a solid back bump, but c'mon! Whatever.....ANY reason just to have Cena on most of the lists, eh Vince?

So there were a few surprises and a few predictable ones, but enjoyable overall. Still wish Edge and Taker's Wrestlemania main event was at least on the list instead of filling it up with gimmick matches. But what are ya gonna do, right?

Check back here soon where I'll discuss where WWE is headed as the Royal Rumble and even Wrestlemania loom around the corner.

Keep 'em laughin,
D.

Mania Card Is Taking Shape

This year's WrestleMania is really starting to take shape. With this week's WWE TV now done (well, almost, since Smackdown airs tonight but is taped on Tuesdays, and everyone reads the spoilers) the big matches are now locked in place, but there's still room for 2-3 more under/middlecard ones. Right now there are seven, so there's thankfully gonna be a lot of hype and exposure since we're still a solid month away from this year's Granddaddy Of 'Em All. I think this year's WrestleMania is focussing on the "wrestle" part of that name, instead of a bunch of over-the-top storylines and gimmick matches. Sure, there's a mainstream celebrity attached to it in Floyd Mayweather, but that's become almost a required aspect of the biggest show of the year.

Right now, here's the current card for WrestleMania 24:

1. Triple Threat match for the WWE Championship, Randy Orton (C) vs. Triple H vs. John Cena
2. The Title vs The Streak, World Heavyweight Title match, Edge (C) vs. The Undertaker
3. Career Threatening match, Ric Flair vs. Shawn Michaels
4. Money In The Bank Ladder match, Jeff Hardy vs. Ken Kennedy vs. Shelton Benjamin vs. Chris Jericho vs. 4 other participants to be decided
5. Raw vs Smackdown match, Umaga (Raw) vs. Batista (Smackdown)
6. Playboy Bunnymania tag team match, Candice Michelle & Maria vs. Beth Phoenix & Melina
7. The Big Show vs. Floyd Mayweather

I'm super-pumped for those first 5 matches. The other two I can take or leave. The Playboy stuff is simply there to add a hot chick element to the show, when there really should have been a Women's Title defense. Fortunately, all four ladies involved know how to wrestle and should be able to show off their skills accordingly. As for the Big Show/Mayweather stuff, I'm really not all that into it, even though its a key match in promoting the show due to Mayweather's mainstream celebrity status as a boxing champion. Honestly, I could care less. Its cool that the Big Show is back, but I'm not all that interested in this program. Especially since Mayweather made the mistake of acting too cocky and arrogant and turned the fans on him, since he's supposed to be the babyface. And good God, he is annoying.

My prediction, and wish, of a Flair/Michaels match has come true, and I can't wait to see this one. This has a chance to go down as the greatest story ever told in the ring, and I don't think these two will disappoint. About 99% of the web is certain that Flair's going down in this one, and it'll be his last match, but I'm not entirely convinced. I won't make any predictions right now because its too early to tell. All I can say is this - whatever happens, it should be the main event. Granted, the focus of almost every WrestleMania has been on the World Belt, no matter how big or hyped any of the upper card matches are, but I think this needs to go on last. Just my opinion.

So with those seven matches in place, I could see 2 or 3 more added. And I have an idea of what those will be.

1. Vince McMahon/JBL vs. Finlay/Hornswoggle, OR a singles match between McMahon/Finlay
2. United States Title match, MVP (C) vs. Matt Hardy
3. ECW Title match, Chavo Guerrero (C) vs. CM Punk

Those are just an idea. If all 3 were used, that'd be a total of 10 matches at this year's show. Mania gets a span of 4 hours so I think that's enough time for all of them. Granted, 2 or 3 will have to be shorter than the rest, but that's always been the nature of the beast.

Tomorrow is the 1st of March, and we're then only 4 weeks away from WrestleMania Weekend. And the countdown continues...

Keep 'em laughin',
Derek

Its WrestleMania Season!

January has come and gone, the weather is getting warmer, the SVHL season is coming to a close, and even February is gonna be gone in a few days. Yes oh yes, its that time of the year.

WrestleMania time!

The 24th annual Super Bowl of sports-entertainment takes place on March 30 in Orlando, Florida, where over 50,000 people will see it live from the Citrus Bowl, as well as millions around the world on Pay-Per-View. And just like every year before it, this one's sure to be a huge hit. People can roll their eyes and scoff at professional wrestling all they want, but there's no denying that WrestleMania is a major household name that everyone is familiar with, and it draws attention like no other event on Earth.

It debuted in 1985, the same year I was born. Right from the very beginning, the WWE (or WWF as it was known back then and up until 2002) made it a grand event for everyone to see, and attracted the likes of celebrities, Hall of Fame athletes and world-famous entertainers to appear in various roles and appearances.

Just a few of the names that have appeared at a WrestleMania include:

- Mr. T (appeared in the main event with Hulk Hogan at WrestleMania 1)
- Muhammad Ali
- Liberace
- Alice Cooper
- Ozzy Osbourne
- Jenny McCarthy
- Pamela Anderson
- Burt Reynolds
- Little Richard
- Pete Rose
- Mike Tyson
- Lawrence Taylor
- Aretha Franklin
- Gladys Knight
- Ray Charles
- Willie Nelson
- Robert Goulet
- Donald Trump

As of now, there are several matches locked in place, including the RAW and Smackdown brand double main events.

1. WWE World Heavyweight Title Match, Edge (C) vs. The Undertaker
2. WWE Championship Triple Threat Match, Randy Orton (C) vs. Triple H vs. John Cena
3. Money In The Bank Ladder Match, Jeff Hardy vs. Ken Kennedy vs. Shelton Benjamin vs. 5 others to be decided

As well, there are other matches being discussed and predicted all over the web, such as...

a) United States Title Match, MVP (C) vs. Matt Hardy
b) Flair's Final Farewell, Ric Flair vs. Shawn Michaels
c) Finlay & Mick Foley vs. JBL & Vince McMahon

Personally, I'd love to see those other three, especially Flair and Michaels. Last week on Raw, Michaels made the announcement that the Nature Boy is (finally) being inducted into the WWE Hall Of Fame, which takes place the night before WrestleMania. From there, I could see a great storyline play out where Shawn tells Flair that he'll be honoured to induct him into the HOF, but wants to tangle with him on the biggest stage of them all - WrestleMania. For those who aren't aware, Flair is involved in a storyline where he will be forced to retire the next time he loses a match, so every bout he's in is a must-win situation. Michaels doesn't need to turn heel to invoke a match with Flair, it could simply be one life-long fan wanting to know if he has what it takes to put his idol out to pasture. I'd love to see it, and if this turns out to be the direction WWE is headed, then it should be the main event.

I've seen every WrestleMania leading up to this year's edition, and there just isn't anything like it. It isn't just "another PPV". There's something in the air, something electric, that just brings a certain atmosphere to it all. Even if you don't follow wrestling on a regular basis, even if you don't follow it AT ALL, its something to be seen.

So I'm thinking, 'What are some of the greatest matches in Mania history?' Obviously, that's incredibly difficult to narrow down. But I've thought about this a lot this week, so here is my Top Twenty List of the Greatest Matches in WrestleMania History. It took a lot of time and effort to compile this list, as anyone who knows my love of wrestling knows that I'm articulate, precise, and sometimes very critical when it comes to breaking down a match. And that's because professional wrestling is an art form. Its an action movie playing out in real life, 20 feet in front of you in the first row at the local arena. It isn't just two guys in tights throwing fake punches and bodyslams. A great match between two wrestlers should tell a story in the ring, from beginning to end.

With that, here is what I've personally come up with. They aren't in any specific order, only the dates of the Mania events go from oldest to newest. I can't even begin to fathom what my absolute favorite Mania match of all-time is.

Away we go...

The Top Twenty Greatest Matches In WrestleMania History

1. WrestleMania 3 - WWF Intercontinental Title match, Randy Savage (C) vs. Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat: Over 90,000 people packed the Silverdome in Pontiac, Michigan. This match didn't disappoint any of them. What everyone remembers about Mania 3 is the much-hyped, uber-promoted clash between Hulk Hogan and Andre the Giant for the WWF World Title, but it was this match that left a lasting impression when it was all said and done. Savage and Steamboat gave the crowd all they had in a memorable match, and blew the roof off the place when Steamboat, believed to have the spirit and will beaten out of him, surprised the Macho Man with a small package pin to win the IC Title. It was wrestling at its purest, in a time where it was all about big men with freak physiques who looked like they could sell merchandise.
2. WrestleMania 8 - WWF Intercontinental Title match, Rowdy Roddy Piper (C) vs. Bret "The Hitman" Hart: Another classic IC Title match at Mania. This time, it was a match between two guys who respected the hell out of each other. A great match that told an even greater story, and was a rare occasion that a wrestler (Hart) was split open on PPV. Back then, blood on WWF TV and on PPV was considered taboo and sort of a no-no, but a drenched Hitman still found the will to surprise Piper with a roll-up pin by countering a sleeperhold, winning his second IC Title.
3. WrestleMania 8 - WWF Championship match, Ric Flair (C) vs. "Macho Man" Randy Savage: Awesome feud. These two hated each other. Flair got Savage's blood boiling by claiming he had been dating Miss Elizabeth, Savage's wife, and even had photos to prove it. They were obviously fake, but the Macho Man was still steaming. He pounded Flair all over the inside and outside of the ring, and it was only a matter of time before Flair was now busted open. But the Nature Boy's manager, Mr. Perfect, slipped the Champ a pair of brass knuckles that knocked Savage out cold. And yet, he kicked out of a pin attempt. Going to plan B, Flair focused on Savage's leg, softening him up for a figure four leglock. Miss Elizabeth then made her way down to the ring to cheer on her husband. With her and over 60,000 screaming fans on his side, the Macho Man reared back and blasted Flair in the face with a right hand. As the Champ staggered around, Savage rolled him up and listened to the 3-count that won him the World Title. Fans cheered, Elizabeth hugged him tight, and the Macho Man was king of the mountain again. Amazing.
4. WrestleMania 10, Bret "The Hitman" Hart vs. "The Rocket" Owen Hart: Brother versus brother. The story going into this match was that Owen was jealous of Bret's larger-than-life status as one of the most beloved and respected wrestlers on the planet, and had viciously attacked him in a tag team match at the Royal Rumble two months before, turning on his brother when Bret's knee was in bad shape and the match was stopped. The back and forth action in this was incredible. Both were trained in the legendary "dungeon", where their father Stu trained many other wrestlers in their home in Calgary, Alberta. It also was the opening match of WrestleMania, and set the bar sky-high for the rest of the locker room in the rest of the card. Very mat-based in the beginning that escalated to hard-hitting moves. When Bret tried a victory roll, Owen countered it by tying Bret up in a pin and getting the surprise win himself. An awesome performance by two brothers who went on to have even greater matches as the months rolled on in 1994.
5. WrestleMania 10, Ladder Match for the vacant WWF Intercontinental Title, Shawn Michaels vs. Razor Ramon: A definite must-have on any best-of lists. The story with this feud was that both guys were claiming to be the rightful Intercontinental Champ, after WWF President Jack Tunney stripped Michaels of the belt and held a tournament for it, which Razor won. However, Shawn returned to action with his OWN belt, and Tunney decided a Ladder match would crown the definitive Champion. And both guys left the crowd on their feet. The tide turned in both mens' favors at different points in the match, and their bodies each took a hell of a beating. The big moment in this match, which is always shown when Mania history is revisited, was when Michaels stood on top of the ladder, flew down, and flattened Ramon with a body splash. But I also loved the slingshot HBK took, as well as Ramon being crunched with the steel as Michaels rolled it over top of him from the top rope. Finally, Razor was able to shove HBK off the ladder, which resulted in Michaels' foot getting stuck in the ropes. Seeing his chance, the Bad Guy scaled the ladder and grabbed the title, winning the match and having his name etched in history books.
6. WrestleMania 11, WWF Championship match, Diesel (C) vs. Shawn Michaels: I always thought this one was underrated. Its rarely brought up in conversation when discussing Mania history, probably because it was overshadowed by the "main event", which was ex-football player Lawrence Taylor fighting Bam Bam Bigelow in what was nothing more than a publicity stunt, and a bad one at that. Diesel and Shawn must've seen that themselves, so they amped up the action and told a classic story in the ring. Two former best friends going at each other's throats for the WWF Title. Shawn and Diesel's matches always told a cool, spandex-laden version of David and Goliath, except in this particular battle, David was the bad guy (that'd be Shawn). These two made the notable size difference between them obsolete, and it was Shawn who did much of the damage to Diesel. I especially liked the bulldog off the top rope, as well as the flying elbow right into the Champ's back. Diesel got his second wind and wound up putting HBK away with the Jackknife powerbomb, but this match made critics take notice of Shawn's ability to perform at a main-event level.
7. WrestleMania 12, Iron Man match for the WWF Championship, Bret "The Hitman" Hart (C) vs. Shawn Michaels: Another match that's on every critic's list of great matches. These two had some great matches in the past, most notably at the 1992 Survivor Series, but this was a much-anticipated match between two men in their prime. Hart was the fighting Champion who took on all comers, whether they be big, small, brawlers, high-flyers, or a mat technician like himself. Michaels was the guy looking to "break the glass ceiling" and win his first World Title. The object of this match was simple - the wrestler with the most falls in 60 minutes would walk out with the win and the WWF Title. So for an hour, these two told arguably the greatest story ever told in the history of pro wrestling. It went from a feeling-out process, to a here's-what-I-know game, to a submission contest, and finally to a painful stage of hard-hitting action and excitement. Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels were two men who absolutely couldn't stand each other in real life, but when it was time to get it done, there might not have been two guys who could enthrall the audience more. When Bret had Shawn locked in the Sharpshooter when the final seconds fell off the clock, it was like time stood still. Everyone was still on their feet, and debates flew around the arena as to who might get a possible decision win. After it was decided that a sudden death period was needed, Hart went back to hammering HBK down, but made the fatal mistake of walking into a superkick. It took a second one to put the Hitman away, and Shawn Michaels had finally achieved his boyhood dream of winning the WWF Title.
8. WrestleMania 13, I Quit match, Bret "The Hitman" Hart vs. "Stone Cold" Steve Austin: This match had an ever-lasting impact on the WWF and pro wrestling in general. Over the last few months, fans had been starting to silently root for the bad guys and boo the good guys, and it was the double turn that both guys did in this match that changed the landscape of wrestling forever. Hart went from the classic good guy to a despised heel, while Austin went from a law-breaking bad guy to a beloved outlaw - all in a span of 23 minutes. The match was non-stop, brutal action that resulted in Austin bleeding bad from the forehead. Hart never let up on his assault, but Austin came back with some moves of his own. Ultimately, Hart got the Sharpshooter locked in, and Stone Cold never once said "I quit!". He held on and clenched his teeth through the pain, but passed out as a result of blood loss. The Hitman got the win, but it was the Rattlesnake who got the glory. A definite classic that was responsible for the "Attitude" era, and it pretty much "made" Steve Austin.
9. WrestleMania 14, The Undertaker vs. Kane: A very anticipated match that really paid off, in my view. For months, Kane and manager Paul Bearer tormented the Undertaker, claiming that the Phenom had set fire to the family home and burned Kane's face, which was why he wore a mask. Taker kept refusing to fight his brother, but the final straw came at the Royal Rumble that year, when Kane interfered in Taker's WWF Title match against Champion Shawn Michaels, chokeslamming him into a casket and lighting it on fire! From there, a great set of mind games were played between the two "brothers", all leading up to this historic clash. The match didn't disappoint; it was a great display of two big men who had virtually identical styles. Whatever Kane dished out, Taker took. Whatever Taker could hand out, Kane felt. I think fans were really worried that Kane was going to beat his brother, because it seemed like he was impervious to anything the Dead Man did to him. One really cool spot happened outside the ring; Taker clothelined Kane over the ropes and ran off the other side, hoping to splash his brother and gain some momentum. Instead, when Taker vaulted over the ropes, Kane side-stepped him and sent him plunging through the announce table. Great spot. Taker eventually beat Kane, but it took three Tombstone piledrivers to put him away, and this was only the first of a nearly-endless list of matches between these two.
10. WrestleMania 15, WWF Championship match, The Rock (C) vs. Stone Cold Steve Austin: The first Mania encounter between these two that would eventually result in three of them. Sadly, this one really doesn't get recognized that often, which is very odd because it was an amazing match. The Rock was Vince McMahon's "Corporate Champion" and was cocky as Hell, but Austin had the support of millions and was mad as Hell. These two burned up the ring and quickly spilled to the outside, where they took turns beating each other senseless with TV equipment and guardrails holding the audience back. Eventually, Austin dropped an elbow on the Champ that sent them both through a table at ringside, and the action returned to the ring, where Rock hit Austin with a chair when the ref's back was turned. Eventually, Austin countered The Rock Bottom into a Stone Cold Stunner, and substitute referee Mick Foley counted to three. McMahon was in shock, and Austin gave him a Stunner as well before celebrating his third WWF Title win with a beer shower.
11. WrestleMania 16, Triangle Ladder match for the WWF Tag Team Titles, the Dudley Boyz (C) vs. the Hardys vs. Edge & Christian: Whenever historic ladder matches are talked about, everybody points to SummerSlam in 2000 as the start of the TLC match (Tables, Ladders, Chairs). People seem to forget that it was THIS match that started the whole "crash and bang" phenomenon of these types of matches. History says that the first TLC match was indeed at SummerSlam that year, but only because somebody stamped a different name on it. This match was, in my view, the ACTUAL first TLC match - it was just called a Triangle Ladder match until somebody came up with a catchy, clever name. This was definitely what people were talking about on the way home that night. Lots of great spots that took a lot of guts to pull off, including a Swanton Bomb on Bubba Ray Dudley that saw Jeff Hardy fly down a good 15 feet from below, straight through a table in the entrance way. Edge & Christian went on to win it, as well as the one at SummerSlam and WrestleMania 17 the next year.
12. WrestleMania 17, No DQ match, The Undertaker vs. Triple H: This was just a great, no-holds-barred, classic brawl. The build-up to this was simple but exciting. HHH basically came out on TV and said, "Hey, I've beaten everyone here, so where's my Title shot?" Undertaker shows up and says, "You've beaten everyone, have ya? You wanna beat someone, beat ME!" Simple, yet effective. And fans were just pumped for it. They wanted Taker to beat HHH down so badly. The Game destroyed Taker's motorcycle, he split him open with a sledgehammer, and really got under his skin. The match was awesome and kept the fans on the edge of their seats. Taker pounded HHH into the audience, and fought with him in the technical area, where the Game found a chair and beat the Dead Man down repeatedly. A big "Holy $&%!" moment occured when Taker grabbed HHH and chokeslammed him off the scaffold before dropping a big elbow down. Back in the ring, HHH countered The Last Ride powerbomb by snatching a sledgehammer on his way up and bringing it down across Taker's skull. Eventually, HHH tried hammering him again, this time with right hands in the corner, but Undertaker picked him up and finally drove him down with The Last Ride for the win. Very cool.
13. WrestleMania 17, No DQ WWF Championship match, The Rock (C) vs. Stone Cold Steve Austin: Out of all three of their encounters, from WrestleManias 15, 17 and 19, its usually this one that people say is their favorite. And its hard to argue, because this one tells a great story, especially in the last 10 minutes or so of the match. At this point, both of these guys were huge fan favorites, although Austin had the bigger fanbase on this night because this year's Mania was in Texas, his home state. This battle was 10 times better than their one at Mania 15, particularly because it was given more time. It didn't take long for blood to be shed, as both guys were busted open and clearly getting exhausted in the last part of the match. Soon, they were stealing each other's finishing moves, with The Rock first hitting Austin with a Stunner, and Austin later replying with a Rock Bottom. To me, things like that help keep the audience excited and it tells more of a story, because it shows the two are becoming desperate for a win. Later, Austin locks Rock in the Million Dollar Dream, which was really cool to see because it showed the Rattlesnake's obsession with winning the WWF Title, and almost foreshadowed the final moments of the match. Vince McMahon, Austin's long-time nemesis, actually helped him win the Title by giving him a steel chair and watching him bludgeon The Rock over and over and over again with it, before he made the cover and listened to the ref count to three. Incredible match, and an amazing story.
14. WrestleMania 18, The Rock vs. Hulk Hogan: The new generation vs. the old generation. Cool angle, and a great money-making match. I've never been a fan of Hogan, but there's no denying this match was anticipated by millions, and I think it paid off. The Rock did more than enough to make Hogan look good, and I was glad to see Rock drop The People's Elbow on him and get the win. The only gripe I had with the match was it's position on the card. It was the third to last one, and was BEFORE the Women's Title match. Now, no offense to the women wrestlers, but why was this one AFTER Rock/Hogan? It should've been the main event, because I'm not sure that the actual main event between Triple H and Chris Jericho lived up to its potential. Whatever. Small gripe. Though I've never agreed with the match order at most WrestleManias over the years.
15. WrestleMania 19, WWE Championship match, Kurt Angle (C) vs. Brock Lesnar: Awesome match, and Angle has to be commended for being as good as he was, considering his neck was in horrendous shape and he was actually risking paralysis by going through with it. You know that had to be on his mind the entire match. Lesnar, on the other hand, was only in his rookie year and was already main-eventing WrestleMania. The amount of butterflies and knots in that guy's stomach had to be huge. But despite the nerves and the mangled neck, these two gave the Seattle audience a great wrestling clinic. Plenty of submission moves, technical holds, and suplexes in all ways and directions. Of course, as anyone who saw this match can attest to, the big "Uh oh" in this match was when Lesnar went for a shooting star press from the top rope. This move involves jumping forward, doing a backflip, and landing square on your opponent. Well, Lesnar got the height but he didn't make the complete flip, and his head jammed into the canvas pretty hard. I remember seeing that and just going "Holy crap! Is he dead?" Amazingly, Lesnar finished the match with Angle silently coaching him, putting the Champ away with an F5 and winning the WWE Title. Unfortunately, Lesnar got a bad concussion because of the botched move and there was some concern for his health immediately after the show. He probably doesn't remember the ending of the match, but take it from me, it was good. Damn good.
16. WrestleMania 20, Triple Threat match for the World Heavyweight Title, Triple H (C) vs. Chris Benoit vs. Shawn Michaels: I know what Chris Benoit did in the last few days of his life was horrendous, unforgivable and emotionally painful, but this match was at a time when Benoit was happy, loved by millions and on top of the world. He had just won the 2004 Royal Rumble, and switched over to Raw to challenge HHH for the World Title. Shawn Michaels interjected, stating he had "unfinished business" with The Game and eventually was put into the match, too. So for the first time ever, a World Championship match at WrestleMania was decided under Triple Threat rules. And from the get-go, things were heated. Bodies flew all over the place and the action soon got heavy, as Benoit attacked HBK and HHH with everything he had, wearing them down. HHH took a breather as Michaels and Benoit went at it, each looking to take the other guy out so the focus can be shifted to the Champ, Triple H. Soon, Michaels was busted open and bled profusely, as his entire body was nearly covered in his own blood. The Game was then split open by Benoit as the action continued on the outside. In a rare act of team work, both HBK and HHH suplexed the Rabid Wolverine off one announce table and through the other. The remaining two then tore into each other, with Triple H hitting the Pedigree for a close 2-count. Benoit got back in the match, and locked a Sharpshooter on HHH. Michaels hit him with a superkick just before the Champ was about to tap out, and then lined up another. This proved to be a fatal mistake, as Benoit launched him from the ring with a backdrop. When he turned, HHH went for another Pedigree. This time, Benoit countered it into the Crippler Crossface, and a new World Champion was crowned. Definitely one of the best endings to a WrestleMania ever, especially when then-WWE Champion Eddie Guerrero came out and celebrated with his best friend. Now, four years later, its hard to look at that match without thinking of Benoit and his family's tragic deaths.
17. WrestleMania 21, The Undertaker vs. Randy Orton: Some people might read this and go "Huh?" But I really liked this match and was anticipating it a lot, because I for one thought that Orton was finally going to be the one to end the Undertaker's winning streak at WrestleMania, which at this point was 12-0. Two things told me that he might win it. They're little, subtle things but they raised a few eyebrows. For one, Undertaker was introduced FIRST. That's incredibly rare on regular WWE television, let alone WrestleMania. His opponent is introduced first and then has to see the Dead Man make his way out, getting psyched out and having his mind played with. But this time, it was Taker seeing Orton make his way out - the cocky, arrogant fighter who had all the momentum he needed to knock off the Phenom. Second, it was the offense that Orton displayed in the beginning moments of the match, hitting several hard right hands and launching Taker in the air with a back body drop. How often does THAT happen? The match itself was really good. I think they had great chemistry and really clicked. Orton countering a chokeslam with the RKO, in MID-AIR, was really cool to see. Eventually, Orton made the mistake of going for his own Tombstone and Taker reversed it, hitting it himself and racking up another Mania win.
18. WrestleMania 21, Kurt Angle vs. Shawn Michaels: Not even two seconds after this amazing match was over, wrestling analysts and fans around the world were calling this an instant classic. Two very different styles that fell into sync right away, between two guys who could make a match with a coffee cup look good. I loved everything about this match. The timing, the pacing, the counters, the reversals, the brawling, the high spots - it was all done perfectly. I don't know if even Angle or Michaels knew it would turn out that great. The last 5 minutes of this match is, in one word, incredible. Angle, who's getting desperate after failing to put HBK away with an Angle Slam off the top rope, screams at Michaels to give it up and just tap out. Shawn replies by winding up and knocking Kurt out with a superkick as the fans are screaming on their feet. Both men are laid out after tearing into each other for nearly a half hour, but Michaels manages to cover Angle for a VERY close 2-count. While HBK tries to get to his feet, Angle recovers and snatches his ankle, clamping on an ankle lock and not once letting go. He wiggles and rolls around, trying to pry Angle off, but HBK just can't do it. Finally, after being locked in this vise-like hold for nearly two minutes, Michaels taps out and Angle gets the win. Of course, its the fans who ultimately win for being witness to this match, which will no doubt go down in history, right alongside the Iron Man match from Mania 12 and Hogan/Andre from Mania 3.
19. WrestleMania 22, Hardcore match, Edge vs. Mick Foley: Best match of the night. These two worked their asses off and put their bodies through Hell, in what was IMO a pretty disappointing WrestleMania overall. I think Edge wanted to have the best match of the night so that he could show WWE management, "Hey, you wanna put the belt on Cena? Well, then I'll show you who the DESERVING Champion is!" Edge had won the WWE Title from Cena at New Year's Revolution, only to drop it back to him at the Royal Rumble. Many fans saw his 3-week reign as a fluke of sorts, but not me. Edge has always been a huge favorite of mine, and I was mad as Hell when they decided to mess with his character's dignity by having him "keep the Title warm" for Cena. And while Cena may have won the main event against Triple H that night, he DIDN'T win the best match of the night. Mick Foley really helped Edge and worked with him to create an awesome spectacle, which saw these two just beat the crap out of each other. Barbed wire, baseball bats, steel chairs, the ring steps, these two used everything BUT the kitchen sink. In the end, Edge speared Foley through the middle rope and off the apron, straight through a flaming table, in arguably the biggest "Holy $^%!" moment of the last 10 years, and gets the win. Awesome match, and one that I was still thinking about long after this so-so Mania.
20. WrestleMania 23, World Heavyweight Championship match, Batista (C) vs. The Undertaker: I was so disappointed that this was only the fourth match of the night, out of eight in total. THIS should have been the main event, because the anticipation to this one was huge. The Animal vs The Phenom. The Title vs The Streak. Instead, the main event is pretty much a rehash of Mania 22's main event, with John Cena this time making Shawn Michaels tap out to keep the WWE Title. But Taker and Batista excelled in this one to make up for the crappy match order. Hey, when the very first move of the match is a big spear to the Dead Man by the Champ, you know its gonna be good. And there was no disappointment here. A lot of critics had their mouths shut when all was said and done. Those who said it was just gonna be a bunch of "clothelines and headbutts" were sorely mistaken, because this one left the fans on their feet as these two bulls tore into each other. The Champ powerslamming Taker through the announce table was really cool, and thousands of jaws hit the floor when they both kept kicking out of each other's signature moves. Batista hits a spinebuster, Taker kicks out. Taker hits a chokeslam, Batista kicks out. The Animal hits the Batista Bomb, the Dead Man incredibly kicks out. The Phenom drops the Champion with a Last Ride powerbomb, and he kicks out. Finally, Undertaker nails the Tombstone, his Mania record is 15-0, and he wins the World Heavyweight Title. Awesome match, and its been said that this one "saved" WrestleMania 23. Not sure if I believe that entirely, but it was my personal favorite.

There you have it. My absolute Top Twenty. Sorry for the incredibly "War & Peace"-like post, but its not hard to see I'm a huge pro wrestling fan, and its easy to discuss, in length, the things you love most.

With that, Raw is on tonight and we might just see who else is going to tangle at WrestleMania 24, as well as who else is going into this year's Hall Of Fame.


Keep 'em laughin',
Derek