Guest BionicRedneck Report post Posted September 18, 2002 OK, so I just re-watched the Austin/Benoit match from Edmonton, and there is no doubt in my mind that this was WWF MOTY, yet it never gets mentioned. It is over 20 minutes of great action given away for free on SmackDown, yet the 3 stages of Hell match is one everyone calls MOTY. Benoit/Austin was miles better. The match is awesome. Benoit is great in it, and the crowd heat is super. The real star of the match is Stone Cold Steve Austin. For me, he was Wrestler of the year, and this was one of his best performances. His whole performance throughout the match was incredible, everything from his facial expressions to his selling were done to perfection, it was truly a case of a supreme performer at the height of his powers. I mean he took 10 German suplexes!! the biggest star ever doesn't need to do that-that is desire. Hopefully Austin will return at some point, there simply isn't a better all-rounder in the business. Anyway, what other forgotten classics are there? the only other I can think of is the outstanding Owen/Bulldog European Title final from RAW... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Kotzenjunge Report post Posted September 18, 2002 Um, only the marks thought Austin/HHH was MOTY. Almost any smark thinks the real MOTY was Austin/Benoit. I didn't see it, so I can't say one way or another. A match I always loved was Scotty/Malenko at Backlash 2000. Fo sheez, Kotzenjunge Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest BionicRedneck Report post Posted September 18, 2002 Actually, on this board I have heard many people say HHH/Austin, Angle/Austin, Rock/Austin are MOTY, but I don't often see many talk about Austin/Benoit. Oh, and Dean did a great job with Scotty. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest cabbageboy Report post Posted September 18, 2002 I'd say Raven/Rhino last year was a dynamite match that was forgotten about 5 minutes after it happened. Owen and Bulldog is a match I desperately need on tape, does anyone have that? I got flooded out the week it happened and only saw the clips of it on the weekend shows. Speaking of Deano Machino, how about his match with Disco Inferno at BATB 96? I always loved that match for whatever reason. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Rob Edwards Report post Posted September 18, 2002 Austin/HHH V Jericho/Benoit never gets the rep it deserves (outside sk) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest kingkamala Report post Posted September 18, 2002 Rock Vs Mankind Vs Ken Shamrock Cage match(Breakdown 98) Test Vs Shane McMahon (Summerslam 99) Shane McMahon Vs Steve Blackman(Summerslam 2000) Edge Vs Owen Hart(Breakdown 98) Christian Vs DDP (Wrestlemania X-8) Booker T Vs Scott Steiner(Mayhem 2000) Jung Dragons Vs Knoble and Karagias Vs Filthy Animals(Final Nitro) Three Count Vs Jung Dragons Triple Ladder Match(New Blood Rising) Raven Vs Perry Saturn(Fall Brawl 98) Ric Flair Vs Curt Henning( World War 3 97 ) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Agent of Oblivion Report post Posted September 18, 2002 I've got a million of 'em. Bret/Owen vs. Steiners-Wrestlefest 94 Flair vs. Bret-Ironman, (just because it's kind of rare) Bret vs. Owen-Ironman (a little scarcer) Bret vs. Piper-WM 8 Bret vs. Bob Backlund-94 Survivor Series Bret vs. Jean-Pierre Lafitee-IYH 4 HBK vs. Jeff Jarrett-IYH 2 HBK vs. Vader-96 Summerslam HBK vs. Mankind-RAW, fall 96. Mankind/Vader vs. Owen/Bulldog-WM 13 Benoit vs. Angle-Cage match, Smackdown Benoit vs. Malenko-Hogg Wild-96 Malenko vs. Scotty Taylor-Judgment Day 2000 Rockers vs. Orient Express-91 rumble Bret vs. Mr. Perfect-93 KOTR Austin vs. Marc Mero-96 KOTR HHH/X-pac/Benoit/Malenko/Saturn vs. Rock/Foley/Too cool/Rikishi, RAW Feb. 2000 that's just the tip of the iceberg.. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Anglesault Report post Posted September 18, 2002 Actually, on this board I have heard many people say HHH/Austin, Angle/Austin, Rock/Austin are MOTY, but I don't often see many talk about Austin/Benoit. Oh, and Dean did a great job with Scotty. HHH/Austin...Rocok/Austin...Benoit/Austin...Angle/Austin. Nah, no pattern there! Vince: We don't need him, we have BROCK! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Tim Cooke Report post Posted September 18, 2002 "Austin/HHH V Jericho/Benoit never gets the rep it deserves (outside sk)" With good reason. The match was average. Bunch of stuff that Trips thought evoked good nearfalls that hurt the match horribly. Benoit and Austin looked good, but that's no surprise. Tim Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest bps "The Truth" 21 Report post Posted September 18, 2002 I miss Austin. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest BionicRedneck Report post Posted September 18, 2002 I enjoyed HHH/Austin Vs Benoit/Jericho, but I would say it DOES get a good rep on the net. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Anglesault Report post Posted September 18, 2002 I miss Austin. Vince: What are you kidding? You can't miss Austin! You have Brock and Edge to watch! Damnit, you WILL LIKE THEM! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest RickyChosyu Report post Posted September 18, 2002 Redneck, I've been pimping Austin/Benoit for about as long as it happened, but maybe I was the exception. Benoit/Guererro from last year was also an underrated match that never gets mentioned. It took place on a Raw in Las Angeles a few weeks before WM X7, and was the blow-off to the "Benoit leaves the Radicalz" feud that turned him face. Great match with both guys pulling out all the stops, including Benoit's Tope To Nowhere that was just insane to pull out in a TV match. If you want one that never gets talked about, try Ultimo Dragon/ Rey Misterio Jr. from WW III '96, which is better than any of the stupid X Division garbage that some people cream themselves over. Awesome selling for Rey who took all kinds of punishment but never let the match get borring, and some really well-structured spots that built upon each other throughout the match. Great stuff. I agree that Disco/Dean is good, too, but Rey/Dean from the month before totally smokes it. WCW had some boss junior matches in '96-97. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest HartFan86 Report post Posted September 18, 2002 I miss Austin. A-Fucking-Men. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Trivia247 Report post Posted September 18, 2002 Austin vs Benoit was match of the Year material last year not because of the wrestling in it, but the heated build up, Austin's heel turn in full swing, Benoit in his Hometown and was thought to be one of the top faces to take on Austin for the World title before the KOTR. Everything just fit right. WWE has forgotten how to get everything cooking to make their events great. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest RickyChosyu Report post Posted September 18, 2002 There was almost no build-up to Austin/Benoit. Austin was feuding with Jericho, but gave the title shot to Benoit on Raw in Montreal, and then used the SS '97 finish to retain. Benoit asked for a re-match on Smackdown! and got it. The match was great because it had the two best workers in North America at the time, wrestling to the best of their ability. Their Raw match, for example, was all part of the same "memorable feud" but that one is no more than a footnote to their encounter on Smackdown! The difference is, the Raw match was ok, and the Smackdown! match was the best match to come out of North America that year. People remember the better match, because it featured better wrestling. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest bps "The Truth" 21 Report post Posted September 18, 2002 Didn't Benoit get the SD! match after there was a RAW Where both he and Jericho had matches, and Vince would pick the more impressive one? And Benoit beat Rhyno, Jericho beat Big Show for the HC title, then Rhyno came out and beat Jericho. So Vince gave the shot to Benoit for beating Rhyno, who beat Jericho. There was like a one show build up to the Benoit/Austin match...it was just laughably bad. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest BionicRedneck Report post Posted September 18, 2002 I would say the wrestling in it, is what made it the MOTY. Austin's all-round performance was unmatched for the rest of the year. Just awesome. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest RickyChosyu Report post Posted September 18, 2002 The Endless German Suplexes kind of bother me. At the time, it was still farely new and cool, but it still killed the credibility of that move dead, to the point that it became Benoit's equivalent to the ten-punch; no purpose within the match, aside from letting the stupid rubes count to ten. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Trivia247 Report post Posted September 18, 2002 I remember when Austin was at ringside doing commentary during a Show with Benoit vs Angle in a Cage and Benoit started the Locomotive German Suplex over and over, and Austin was freaking out. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest BionicRedneck Report post Posted September 18, 2002 The 10 German spot was pretty sick. Austin look knocked silly afterwards, its was fairly dangerous to take those moves with a suspect neck. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest bob_barron Report post Posted September 18, 2002 The buildup was- On RAW Benoit and Jericho both had matches and Vince would pick one to face Austin. Benoit beats Rhyno, Y2J beats Show for the HC Title but loses 2 secs later to Rhyno. Vince picks Benoit. On RAW Austin has Benoit in the crossface and Vince "Montreals" him. So on SD! they had the rematch. I think Benoit v. Austin is a great match and all but I don't think its ***** or better then the tag title match or TLC3. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest bob_barron Report post Posted September 19, 2002 I don't miss Austin at all BTW. I mean this is the guy who in his last month- 1)Beat up the whole RAW roster 2)Had the most one sided feud ever with Ric Flair and the nWo 3)Peed on Arn Anderson I'm glad he's gone and I really hope he doesn't come back if we have to see more matches like him v. Booker T from RAW. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest razazteca Report post Posted September 19, 2002 Saturn vs Snow on Jakk or Metal for the Euro or Hardcore title not sure which one it is, good match anyway WCW SuperBrawl - 6 man cruiserweight elimation match WCW Greed - Mysterio & Kidman vs Skipper & Romero Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest wolverine Report post Posted September 19, 2002 Austin vs. Benoit from Smackdown was BY FAR the best men's match last year. Better than any of Mutoh's bullshit, that's for sure. I would rate it a strong ****1/4. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest bob_barron Report post Posted September 19, 2002 My MOTY from last year always changes but TLC2/3, Benoit/Y2J v. HHH/SCSA, HHH v. SCSA and SCSA v. Rock are all like up there. Plus I loved the Rock v. Jericho series too. So hard to choose!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Anglesault Report post Posted September 19, 2002 I don't miss Austin at all BTW. I mean this is the guy who in his last month- 1)Beat up the whole RAW roster 2)Had the most one sided feud ever with Ric Flair and the nWo 3)Peed on Arn Anderson I'm glad he's gone and I really hope he doesn't come back if we have to see more matches like him v. Booker T from RAW. I feel Austin restrained himself. If I was Steve Austin, the man who saved the company in 98, and carried it on my back in 2001, and my reward in 2002 was to job in the midcard of Wrestlemania to a drunk, (Before he changed it) and to then move on to feud with the BIG SHOW, I would be livid, in fact, I would walk out into that ring, with a handful of mics and assorted other shit like that, and just rip the Klique a new one, rip comic boy Brian Gerswitrugnvdfgdjkf apart, rant about how the head booker has personal interests in the product, and call Vince McMahon a senile old man who has totally lost all touch with the company. And I would do it until Vince McMahon (or JR, or Shane, hell, Steph) came out to forcibly REMOVE me from that ring. So yeah, Austin was mild. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Incandenza Report post Posted September 19, 2002 I miss the 2001-era Austin. I don't miss the unmotivated sack of shit that he was in his last couple of months in the WWE. The guy only had two good singles matches this year--against Angle on Raw for the #1 contender spot at No Way Out, and against Flair in what ultimately turned out to be his last match. Add in all the things that Bob said, and I don't miss THAT Austin at all. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Anglesault Report post Posted September 19, 2002 I miss the 2001-era Austin. I don't miss the unmotivated sack of shit that he was in his last couple of months in the WWE. The guy only had two good singles matches this year--against Angle on Raw for the #1 contender spot at No Way Out, and against Flair in what ultimately turned out to be his last match. Add in all the things that Bob said, and I don't miss THAT Austin at all. He did what he had to do. At the rate things were going, he was going to be "Montreal" in the very near future, so if I was him, I would have given Vince "Fuck You" and went out in a blaze of glory. So, one out of two aint bad. On a side note, let's evaluate the people Vince decided were more important than Austin. Waltman and Hall: Fired Hogan: Whatever it is he's doing Nash: Hurt himself walking HHH: Having a Tepid run as the fake world champion. Brock: Can't hold Austin's jock, not over. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest treble charged Report post Posted September 19, 2002 One of my favourite TV matches that always gets overlooked was between Austin and Shamrock from a Raw in September 1998. Up until the ending, which was a Undertaker/Kane run-in, followed by a Rock/Mankind run-in, it was a very solid match. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
