Australian Pride

When your booked against the Patriot what do you expect? And the ridiculous booking for the HBK/Undertaker match required it to be the last match on the show. And after that the first Hell in a Cell match was worthy of main event billing ahead of a flag match. Besides, Bret/Taker and Bret/HBK were both the main events of their respective shows.

I never said that the last great Title match was in 1989, i said it might be the best since the start of the PPV era, and my other pick for best ever (Bret/Davey Boy) was from 1995. The question was two-toned - best recently, and then best since the start of PPV. And as for the 3-ways, i did say that it was just my opinion that they are 'gimmicks' matches, but i can see where your coming from. And really, if you think about it they are technically no-DQ matches because you cant get DQ'ed or counted out in them.

They never quite held all the titles at the same, but at one point they had the Euro (davey boy), IC (owen) and tag titles (owen/davey boy). They lost the Tag belts to Austin/Michaels on Raw prior to KOTR 97 and then Owen dropped the IC belt at SummerSlam 97 before Bret picked up the World Title later that night. They had a damn good run, that's for sure. Hell, they had so much heat that they could even turn a natural heel like Vader babyface.

Okay, so it looks like Benoit and HHH will face off in a one-on-one match with no gimmicks included. Some outside interference is probably a certainty, but i dont regard that as a gimmick. It's likely to be a great wrestling match, at about 40 minutes in length. So when was the last great one-on-one WWF/E title match to include no gimmicks? And what is the best non-gimmick WWF/E title match of the PPV era? Eddie/Brock was probably the best World title match in recent memory, but overall i'd have to go with either the Hogan/Savage WM5 classic or Bret Hart/Davey Boy Smith from IYH December 95. (For the record i consider special refs and three way matches to be gimmicks, but you all may disagree)

Yeah, the original video release here in Australia didnt have that match on it, which is why I forgot about it. I havent looked into it lately to see if there is a newer version with the full show on it, because i have heard it is a great match.

So what is the Hitmans best PPV title defense? I would have to say his cage match with Owen, followed by his 95 defense against Davey Boy and the 92 Survivor Series match with Shawn.

I voted for the Sharpshooter, but only because I was/am a massive Bret mark. If the Rock was still doing his shitty version of it on a regular basis i would have chosen the Crossface instead. One question - is the STF the exact same thing as the Regal Stretch (which isnt on the list)? I'm having trouble remembering.

True, the Smart Marks love him. But Casual fans couldnt care less if he was on TV, if they would start caring, then we would get to see him on TV. If he was 10 inches taller and 50 pounds heavier then we would see him on TV.

But even back then WWF had it's faults - Backlash 2000 featured possibly the best Light Heavyweight title match ever (Scotty vs Dean Malenko), which the crowd was completely in to, and yet the title was downgraded and wasnt seen on PPV again for months (maybe over a year). Thrown in the non-elavation of Chris Jericho, who was also on fire but constantly losing to HHH and Benoit, and there were some serious problems. Still, wrestling wise they were untouchable, as almsot every PPV that year was good value. (Armageddon being an exception)

Gotta go with Tajiri. And why the hell he was moved from Smackdown to Raw is one of the great mysteries.

It looks like it - probably to put over the 'family aspect' of the Hart Foundation, you know the whole all for one and one for all type of thing.

If they get a shot they will likely be given the Bob Holly/123 Kid (from 1995) type of push where they are completely written off but then pull it off somehow. Probably because the Undertaker will provide a distraction.

I think Big Shows first title run has to be the worst. He won a match that he wasnt even supposed to be a part of, and he needed Vince's help to do it. His matches after that were absolutely crap as well. JBL may prove to be the worst, but i cant vote for him until he loses the title. Only after he loses the title can you really judge how good/bad his run was.

The corporation screwing Mick Foley out of the world title by playing a copy of him saying 'I quit, I quit, I quit" was pretty clever. The corporation (again) screwing HHH out of the world title by pretending they were going to destroy Chyna so he would quit against the Rock. Chyna turning on him after was very unexpected. And their reunion/turn at WM15 was a shocker as well. Does the Rock rock bottoming Davey Boy Smith onto a freshly cut tray of dog crap count? (Rock was a face) Brian Pillman ringing the bell at a Cold Day in Hell cost Stone Cold the belt after he had stunnered the Undertaker.

Just dont end it with the Rock/Mankind "pin under the forklift finish". I always though a cool spot would be to set the guy up in one of the seats where the crowd normally sit, and then have the other guy jump off the top rope over the security railing and onto the guy sitting in the 'crowd'.

I could see a Regal/Eugene match happening, but other than that i have no idea. Hardy/Kane will most likely happen in some form, and La Res will defend against someone (please not Hurricane/Rosey!). I think the inter-gender match is an interesting idea, but when was the last time Stevie Richards wrestled on PPV?

I can understand people just wanting to read through the threads - when i signed up here i had no idea what i was doing. Wait up, i've got 80 posts in the hole and still have no idea!

When Benoit feuds with someone, he proves how tough he is by wrestling people. Guerrero proves how tough he is by stealing limos and pouring beer into their hats, and finding other underhanded ways to embarrass them. I find Benoit far more entertaining. I agree that the wrestling side of things should take priority, but unfortunately the majority of the audience doesnt see it that way and would easily rate Eddie as the more accessible champion. I've always found Benoit matches to be more entertaining that Eddie's, but i have to admit that with his overall character and ability Eddie has a better chance at lasting in the main event bracket and restoring pride in the WWE title than Benoit would if he was on Smackdown.

Bradshaw, is that you? Just because you don't want to 'think', don't shit on people who do. I think its actually everyones favourite necrophilia advocate - HHH.

Wouldn't you be a little upset if someone killed your father before he got to see your first child? He might have been relying on having Paul around to babysit while he was having a match.

(4) Bret Hart vs Steve Austin, WrestleMania 13 (2) Bret Hart vs Steve Austin, Survivor Series 1996 Even though i have heard nothing but good things about Eddy/Rey i have unfotunately never seen it and thus cannot vote for it.

HHH probably saw the big pops Kane was getting because of that angle and wants it for himself! Stranger things have happened in WWE land.

Isnt Stepanie in charge already?

I dont know why everyone is getting so upset about JBL as World Champ. Yes, he does suck in the ring, but there are several bright sides to the equation: 1) JBL can cut a decent promo, and having the title will give him some much needed credibility to back it up. 2) Eddie's title chase has to be more entertaining than JBL's. Eddie was getting a bit stale going into the Bash, but now he (and his popularity) should be revitalised. 3) If/when Eddie does win the title back it will make him look even better. Every champion has to lose at some stage, and the second title run is the one that proves they really are the top man.

His match with the Undertaker at WM17 was good (but not great).