10 Essential Pay-Per-View Events

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It's a marriage made in marketing heaven.

 

Back in November 1985, both the pay-per-view medium and Vince McMahon's expansionist aspirations were in their respective infancies. McMahon was coming off his highly-successful WrestleMania I closed-circuit venture, and he was clearly trying to take the concept of the wrestling supercard to new, lucrative heights. Meanwhile, the PPV industry had yet to make any substantial inroads toward gaining widespread popularity. The much-maligned head of the WWF is nothing if not an opportunist, and he theorized that a union between this new, fledgling industry and his now-national wrestling company could feasibly reap huge benefits for all involved. "Why not give it a shot?" Vince surely thought. If the project tanked, nothing much ventured, nothing much gained. The WWF certainly stood to lose a hefty wad of cashola if none of his consumers bought into the idea, but the upside was potentially enormous. With that in mind, he and his WWF corporate execs collectively held their breath on November 7, 1985, when the WWF presented the first-ever wrestling PPV supercard, a tournament-based event called "Wrestling Classics..."

 

Cha-ching! Before you knew it, the McMahon Family bank account was growing faster than you could say "hulk-a-cash." It was only two years before Vince's chief competitor, Jim Crockett's NWA, belatedly jumped on board, with the ill-fated "Starrcade '87."

 

But this feature isn't so much about the development of the wrestling-PPV junction as it is about all the great entertainment that pairing has brought us these past 17 years. Out of the more-than-200 wrestling PPVs that have taken place, I have selected the 10 most valuable for your viewing experience. These were the mega-cards that not only irrevocably shaped the landscape of the industry, but also featured the greatest amount of terrific in-ring action and enthralling storyline developments/payoffs from top-to-bottom. From the historic WrestleMania III in Pontiac, MI, to last year's 'Mania in Houston, TX, we've ranked-and-filed all the very best sports-entertainment that $29.95X10 can buy.

 

On the list, you'll find five WWF shows (they've been doing this the longest, after all), four NWA/WCW productions, and one ECW offering. We recognize that the PPV marketplace has also featured notable contributions from the likes of Herb Abrams' UWF, the LPWA "Super Ladies Super Show," the "Heroes of Wrestling," and the "Women of Wrestling Unleashed!," but we decided to pass on reliving them. We sincerely hope your disappointment is fleeting, unlike the dubious legacies of a few of these exhibitions.

 

Of course this project is sure to generate plenty of controversy, much like our "Essential Matches" compilation. Feel free to Email me if you have a criticism or a concurrence you would like to share.

 

They say that memories are the fruit of the soul, so join us as we relive almost 29 hours of the most savory ones this wacky business has ever produced. Of course it's only fitting that they all occurred -- as "Mean" Gene Okerlund would no doubt eagerly remind us -- EXCLUSIVELY on pay-per-view!

 

 

WWF WrestleMania X-7

April 1, 2001; Houston, TX

 

The financial and aesthetic pinnacle of wrestling's latest golden age was as outstandingly diverse as it was, well, outstandingly outstanding. The WWF boasted a roster with unparalleled depth, but never had it utilized its talented crew as effectively as at the 2001 installment of WrestleMania, which saw 67,925 pack Houston's Reliant Astrodome. The record-setting throng may have gone home a tad deflated by the evening's concluding angle, but they hardly had cause to feel cheated; prior to that, they witnessed the greatest hodgepodge of entertaining wrestling matches ever presented on PPV. Even the weaker among the undercard matches were very entertaining efforts that had a certain extra-special feel befitting such a legitimately momentous event. Chris Jericho and William Regal roared out of the gates with a solid-if-unspectacular IC Title bout, Eddie Guerrero and Test had a good match that followed traditional David vs. Goliath protocol, and the 20-Man Gimmick Battle Royal lightened up the mood by contributing touches of slapstick humor and nostalgiac diversion to the festivities.

 

However, it was a quintet of disparate classics that truly distinguished the extravaganza and catapulted it to best-PPV-ever status. First, in one of the most unique great U.S. matches of the past several years, Kurt Angle vs. Chris Benoit singlehandedly revived the lost art of great, precursory mat wrestling, before they finished up with a final high-impact, highspot flourish. Talk about contrast. Two matches later was the Vince vs. Shane melodrama, which set new, lofty standards for effectively incorporating soap operatic elements into the context of a sports-entertainment match. The participation of Linda, Stephanie, Trish Stratus, and Mick Foley, coupled with Shane-o'-Mac's high-flying, made this by far the most fun chapter in the everlasting McMahon Family saga. Next up was the even more enthralling -- albeit completely different -- TLC 2, which saw the Hardys, the Dudleys, Edge and Christian send the "Oh My God!" quotient soaring to unprecedented heights in a match brimming with breathtaking bumps and aerial aptitude. Then came HHH vs. the Undertaker, a clash between two behemoths that (mildly suprisingly) turned out to be well-worked, well-booked, and just about as close to a conventional "WWF Attitude-style" match as one can get. Finally, the main event provided a fitting conclusion to an event of such magnitude: Stone Cold took on The Rock in an awesome battle between the two biggest drawing cards of this generation. It was fierce, it was intense, it was heated, and it was...well, it was actually kind of a let-down there at the end, especially for a Texas crowd that greeted Austin's entrance with one of the biggest pops in wrestling history: "The Rattlesnake" tegained the title, but only after turning heel and forming a short-lived communion with former arch-nemesis Vince.

 

Nonetheless, that dash of disappointing booking couldn't put a damper on a card so majestic. For once, not only did WrestleMania live up to its epic hype, but -- by virtue of a diverse series of sports-entertainment classic -- it actually exceeded it.

 

FULL RESULTS: 1) Chris Jericho d. William Regal -- IC Title; 2) Tazz & the APA d. Right to Censor (Bull Buchanan, Goodfather, Val Venis); 3) Kane d. Big Show, Raven -- Harcore Title Three-Way; 4) Eddy Guerrero d. Test -- European Title; 5) Kurt Angle d. Chris Benoit; 6) Chyna d. Ivory -- Womens Title; 7) Shane McMahon d. Vince McMahon; 8) Edge & Christian d. Dudley Boys, Hardy Boys -- Tables, Ladders, and Chairs, Tag Team Titles; 9) Iron Shiek e. Sgt. Slaughter -- 20-Man Gimmick Battle; 10) Undertaker d. HHH; 11) Steve Austin d. The Rock -- WWF Title

 

 

NWA "Great American Bash '89"

July 23, 1989; Baltimore, MD

 

An extravaganza of terrific pure wrestling clashes that truly rocked the casbah. The NWA showcased some of the best in-ring action in the world in 1989, and this card reflected the company's then-superior product by featuring a quartet of four-star thrillers, several entertaining ancillary bouts, and a series of sensible storyline developments. Admittedly, the undercard wanted for good wrestling, but it more than compensated with a healthy quotient of occurences that are much more historically fascinating than they were contemporaneously. Brian Pillman made his NWA PPV debut, defeating "Wild" Bill Irwin; recently-arrived Skyscraper Sid Vicious drew nuclear babyface heat (comparable to Bill Goldberg in 1998) in teaming with Danny Spivey to lay waste to The Dynamic Dudes (Shane Douglas and Johnny Ace); and once-and-future arch-rivals Jim Cornette and Paul "E. Dangerously" Heyman tussled in a Tuxedo Match in one of the culminating points of the Midnight Express vs. Midnight Express feud.

 

Those noteworthy happenings completely paled in comparison to the remainder of the show. In a very good match, the still-novel Steiner Brothers battled The Varsity Club in the closing chapter of a thoroughly entertaining feud. Fresh off his classic feud with Ric Flair, Ricky Steamboat reaffirmed his greatness by carrying Lex Luger to an absolutely stellar match. Sting and the newly-arrived, green-mist-blowing Great Muta (Keiji Mutoh) squared off in a terrific TV Title Match -- the first of many between the two. In one of the best "War Games'" ever, the Freebirds & the Samoan Swat Team (including Fatu, aka Rikishi) got down 'n dirty against The Road Warriors, Bobby Eaton, Stan Lane, and Steve "Dr. Death" Williams. And, if all that wasn't enough to tear the house down, Ric Flair and Terry Funk obliterated it in the wake of a half-hour, knock-down, drag-out, old-school, double-blade-job, grisly, gruesome brawl that was made all the more legendary by the fact that Funk worked the match with an excruciating back injury. The bout was also notable for the stirring ovation the Baltimore crowd gave Flair, who was playing a babyface for the first time in almot six years and was so moved by the warm reception that he legitimately had to fight back tears prior to his bloodbath with the Funker.

 

No matter your variety of wrestling preference, this card is guaranteed to satisfy. Want workrate? Blood-and-guts? Quality storylines? The 1989 Great American Bash was a windfall of all of the above.

 

FULL RESULTS: 1) Sid Vicious and Dan Spivey won the "King of the Hill" 20-man battle royal; 2) Brian Pillman d. Bill Irwin; 3) The Skyscrapers (Vicious & Spivey) d. The Dynamic Dudes (Johnny Ace & Shane Douglas); 4) Jim Cornette d. Paul E. Dangerously -- Tuxedo Match; 5) Steiner Brothers d. Kevin Sullivan & Mike Rotunda; 6) Sting d. Great Muta -- TV Title Match; 7) Ricky Steamboat d. Lex Luger -- DQ; 8) The Midnight Express (Bobby Easton & Stan Lane), the Road Warriors, & Steve Williams d. The Freebirds (Jimmy Garvin, Terry Gordy & Michael Hayes) & Samoan Swat Team -- War Games; 9) Ric Flair d. Terry Funk -- NWA Title

 

 

WWF "Summer Slam 2000"

August 27, 2000; Raleigh, NC

 

The WWF delivered so many killer PPVs in 2000 and at the beginning of 2001 that, all things being equal, a good five or six of them are qualified enough to make this list. But this project would be pretty boring if we sacrificed its diversity, so we settled on including this show as a representative of the blow-away quality of the entire period. After all, not too many cards can boast of featuring two legitimate Match of the Year candidates -- and that was before the great Rock vs. Kurt Angle vs Triple-H main event.

 

Admittedly, the undercard was largely uneventful, save for the Steve Blackman vs. Shane McMahon Harcore Title match that saw Shane-'o-Mac enter his once-a-month bumptaking machine mode, before Blackman won by dropping an elbow from scaffolding twenty feet up. However, what immediately followed that plunder was a match that any fan of great old-school wrestling could wholeheartedly embrace as a godsend: Chris Benoit locked up with Chris Jericho in a two-out-of-three falls match that featured great build, great psychology, great moves, and every other feature that characterizes a great pro wrestling match. It's no wonder Benoit won virtually every "Most Outstanding Worker"-type poll for 2000, because his performance here was absolutely incredible, and he got some very capable help from a fellow member of the "Awesome Workers Club" on this night. The subsequent first-ever Tables, Ladders, and Chairs match made the 1-2 punch of mind-boggling greatness complete; Christian & Edge, the Dudleys, and the Hardys took bumps so brutal as to make Shawn and Razor look like a pair of senior citizens at a bridge club meeting. The match was still a novelty at this point and, as a result, it was even greater within context than their WrestleMania match eight months later. The main event capped off the essential-viewing portion of the evening, and it marked a culminating point in HHH's year-long feuds with The Rock and Kurt Angle. Furthermore, not only was it a great match, but it also had a strong ending that built the Angle-and Stephanie-McMahon-Helmsley-lusting-over-one-another-much-to-Hunter's-dismay storlyines.

 

The WWF had already virtually secured its victory in the promotional wars by this point, but that didn't stop its wrestlers from giving it their all. This card was plain exceptional -- even more so than the ten-or-so other terrific Federation PPVs from the same period.

 

FULL RESULTS: 1) Right to Censor (Bull Buchanan, Goodfather, Steven Richards) d. Too Cool & Rikishi; 2) X-Pac d. Road Dogg; 3) Eddy Guerrero & Chyna d. Val Venis & Trish Stratus -- Chyna wins Intercontinental Title; 4) Jerry Lawler d. Tazz; 5) Steve Blackman d. Shane McMahon -- Hardcore Title; 6) Chris Benoit d. Jericho -- 2-of-3 Falls; 7) Edge & Christian d. Dudleys, Hardys -- Tag Team Titles: Tables, Ladders, Chairs; 8) The Kat d. Ivory; 9) The Rock d. Kurt Angle, HHH -- WWF Title

 

 

WWF WrestleMania III

March 29, 1987; Pontiac, MI

 

A crowd of 78,000,er,93,173, an 8.0 buy rate, and a record closed-circuit cable viewing audience can't be wrong. From the opener, featuring the Can-Am Connection vs. Don Muraco & Bob Orton, to the era's ultimate box office bonanza, Hulk-Andre for the WWF Title, every single match on this card is the stuff of legend simply because of the grandiose stage on which it occurred. This was the be-all, end-all of sports-entertainment spectaculars, a fact which even much of the mainstream duely recognizes.

 

Of course most discussions surrounding WrestleMania III center around the famous main event. The legend of the Hogan-Giant match has grown to such epic (and mythical) proportions that virtually every hardcore wrestling fan is by now familiar with the captivating (and mostly inaccurate) tale. As the story goes, Andre was not only wrestling's top star, but he had never been beaten, and nobody could beat this kindly-yet-deadly heroic hulk of a human being -- fixed match or otherwise. Leading up to the showdown at the Silverdome, everyone involved nervously wondered whether the Giant would allow Hogan to beat him as planned, because in the words of Vince McMahon, "NOBODY could tell ANDRE what to do." However, this noble, selfless man -- whose massive body was exceeded only by the enormousness of his character -- recognized the end was drawing near and, in an act of sheer dignity, allowed the Hulkster to bodyslam and pin his "700-pound" frame. Well, you do have to hand it to Vince, Hulk, and the rest, because they've managed to invent a charming little folk tale. In reality, Hogan (not Andre) had been wrestling's top draw for several years, Andre had lost several times during his career, Akira Maeda had demolished Andre's unbeatable shooter reputation the year before in a real-life fight in Japan, and nobody behind-the-scenes ever doubted the outcome of the show's main event. But even all the lies and half-truths can't detract from the magnitude of a match between wrestling's two biggest drawing cards. It was genuinely legendary -- even if much of the legend currently surrounding it is anything but genuine.

 

Despite the long shadow cast by the grandiose main event, plenty else on the card managed to stand out. The aforementioned opener was good, the British Bulldogs & Tito Santana vs. Hart Foundation & Danny Davis six-man was solid (though hindered by the Dynamite Kid's back injury), and then-number-two babyface Roddy Piper's "retirement match" (Bill Cosby voice: riiiiight) against Adrian Adonis provided ten minutes of terrific sports entertainment in lieu of a traditional wrestling match. But what made WM III worth the price of admission alone for workrate freaks the world over was the famous Randy Savage vs. Ricky Steamboat Intercontinental Title bout, one of our 20 Essential Matches. Like the success of the show as a whole, the match entirely deserves the high praise. And, like everything else involved with the card, its legend only continues to expand.

 

FULL RESULTS: 1) The Can-Am Connection (Rick Martel & Tom Zenk) d. Don Muraco & Bob Orton; 2) Billy Jack Haynes DCO Hurcules Hernandez; 3) Hillbilly Jim, Haiti Kid, & Little Beaver d. King Kong Bundy, Lord Littlebrook, & Little Tokyo -- DQ; 4) "King" Harley Race d. Junkyard Dog; 5) The Dream Team (Brutus Beefcake & Greg Valentine) d. Rougeau Brothers (Jacques & Raymond); 6) Roddy Piper d. Adrian Adonis -- Hair vs. Hair; 7) Hart Foundation & Danny Davis d. British Bulldogs & Tito Santana; 8) Butch Reed d. Koko B. Ware; 9) Ricky Steamboat d. Randy Savage -- Intercontinental Title; 10) Honky Tonk Man d. Jake "The Snake" Roberts; 11) Iron Shiek & Nikolai Volkoff d. The Killer Bees (Brian Blair & Jim Brunzell) -- DQ; 12) Hulk Hogan d. Andre the Giant -- WWF Title

 

 

WCW "Starrcade '96"

December 12, 1996; Nashville Tennessee

 

What made WCW's incompetence during its final years of existence all the more frustrating was that the company was only recently removed from putting on shows like this: a card that showcased wall-to-wall entertainment, with a perfect balance between terrific in-ring wrestling on the undercard and the the aging cash cows in the main event.

 

As the artistic and storyline pinnacle of the first phase of the NWO vs. WCW storyline, the show drew WCW's highest buy rate of the year, largely on the strength of the much-hyped Hollywood Hogan vs. Roddy Piper "Battle of the Icons." The match itself was as bad as one would expect, but the hype and historical significance made it passably entertaining, and Piper's victory over Hogan marked one of the very first instances of the NWO's displaying vulnerability. The top-tier of the card also notably featured Lex Luger's victory over the Giant, which garnered the biggest pop of the night. During the bout, Sting (whose Crow-based persona was still thoroughly entertaining at this point) descended from the rafters and indiscriminately dropped a baseball bat in the middle of the ring, thereby furthering the suspense surrounding where his loyalties lay.

 

Storyline developments aside, the unequivocal highlight of the show was the undercard -- as it was on most of the era's WCW PPVs. The Ultimo Dragon and Dean Malenko put on a hold-for-hold mat wrestling clinic the likes of which only a select few have ever been capable of equalling; Jushin Liger and Rey Misterio, Jr. engaged in an exciting battle between legendary high fliers; Akira Hokuto carried Madusa to one of the better matches of her career; and, in a near-four-star Four Horsemen-themed scuffle, Chris Benoit and Jeff Jarrett brought down the house in Music City, USA. All in all, it was one of the aesthetic pinnacles of WCW's great 1996-1998 run. As well as, in retrospect, among the most frustrating.

 

FULL RESULTS: 1) Ultimo Dragon d. Dean Malenko -- J. Crown Title vs. Cruiserweight Title; 2) Akira Hokuto d. Madusa -- WCW Women's Title Tournament Final; 3) Jushin Liger d. Rey Misterio, Jr.; 4) Jeff Jarrett d. Chris Benoit -- No DQ; 5) Outsiders d. Faces of Fear -- WCW World Tag Titles; 6) Diamond Dallas Page d. Eddie Guerrero -- US Title Tournament Final; 7) Lex Luger d. The Giant; 8) Roddy Piper d. Hollywood Hogan

 

 

WWF "WrestleMania X"

March 20, 1994; New York

 

At the time, many critics hailed it as the greatest WWF PPV ever -- and with good reason: Bret Hart vs. Owen Hart and Shawn Michaels vs. Razor Ramon were two of the crowning in-ring productions in company history. One of these matches alone would make any given PPV essential viewing; the fact that this card featured both more than fortifies its must-see status.

 

The show also marked the surprising return to WWF championship eminence of "The Hitman," who pinned Yokozuna in the main event to avenge his title loss against the late Samoan at WrestleMania IX. At the time, the "smart" fans' over-under had Lex Luger pegged as the favorite to emerge with the title. After all, the WWF's promotional machine had been overzealously endorsing Lex for months, complete with a nauseously-patriotic persona and a nationwide bus tour that was the focus of Federation TV the previous summer. Unfortunately for Luger, he never quite got over on a level commensurate with his push, and due to the chicanery of guest referee Mr. Perfect, he lost by DQ on the show's undercard in a match against Yoko to determine whom would advance to the main event title match vs. Bret. The remainder of the undercard featured little else of interest, save for an entertaining falls-count-anywhere bout that saw "Macho Man" Randy Savage best Crush (Brian Adams) just months before jumping to WCW.

 

But it was the Battle of the Harts and the Ladder Match that made this vaunted card as great as it was, and everything else served as little more than an opportunity to exercise the ever-handy fast-forward button. Bret and Owen put on a 20-minute-long scientific wrestling clinic that made Owen a star as a heel and led to the great summer-long battle between the brothers. The match would have readily stolen the show on virtually any other WWF PPV, but on this night, to paraphrase "HBK," Michaels-Ramon was the show stopper. The bout remains arguably the greatest in the history of the company, and it was unequivocally the WWF's definitive match of the era. Not only was it a brutal workrate classic, but it established Ramon as a true star and elevated Michaels, then 29, to precocious legendary status.

 

FULL RESULTS: 1) Owen Hart d. Bret Hart; 2) Bam Bam Bigelow & Luna d. Doink and Dink; 3) Randy Savage d. Crush -- 2-of-3 Falls, Falls Count Anywhere; 4) Alundra Blayze d. Leilani Kai -- Womens Title; 5) Men no a Mission d. Quebecers -- DCO, WWF Tag Titles, Quebecers retain; 6) Yokozuna d. Lex Luger -- DQ, advances to WWF Title Match; 7) Earthquake d. Adam Bomb; 8) Razor Ramon d. Shawn Michaels -- Intercontinental Title, Ladder Match; 9) Bret Hart d. Yokozuna -- WWF Title

 

 

WCW "Great American Bash '96"

June 16, 1996; Baltimore, MD

 

It may have happened in close proximity to the aforementioned "Starrcade '96," but it also almost seemed to occur in an entirely different era. Just as the NWO was dawning, WCW offered up this highly-enjoyable melding of great matches and even-better angles. The next month's Bash at the Beach featured Hulk Hogan's heel turn, which makes it more famous, but the Great American Bash was by far the better all-around show.

 

On one hand, there was the PPV inception of the WCW Cruiserweight Title on PPV, which saw champion Dean Malenko fend off the debuting Rey Misterio, Jr. in a terrific match that gave the division a much-needed jump-start. On another hand, there was a very good Sting vs. Steven Regal match, which was one of Sting's last great PPV matches and only reinforced the general smart fan sentiment at the time that Regal deserved a main event-level push. And, best of all, there was a tremendous, innovative Chris Benoit vs. Kevin Sullivan falls-count-anywhere brawl that was the high-point of a new age of ECW-style brawling (only better, at least in this case) in the Big Two.

 

Benoit vs. Sullivan was the last great match on the show, but from an entertainment standpoint, the best was yet to come. The bulk of the special attraction Ric Flair & Arn Anderson vs. Kevin Greene & Steve McMichael match was largely uneventful, but the ending featured what was, at the time, one of the freshest angles in recent memory. Steve McMichael turned on Greene, joined the new-look Horsemen, and, thus, usherered in an era of WCW and the WWF constantly trying to one-up each other with shocking storyline twists and turns. It may not have been the best of its type, but it was certainly original.

 

However, it wasn't long before something else came along to overshadow Mongo's greatest moment in wrestling, because next up was the angle that singlehandedly fulfilled all the promise of the new-sprung "Outsider Invasion Angle." On the most recent Nitro, Eric Bischoff had promised new arrivals Kevin Nash and Scott Hall a match at the Bash. When Bischoff announced that he wouldn't be able to deliver on his promise, the "two members from a rival wrestling organization" assaulted WCW's VP, with Nash powerbombing him off the stage and through a table. In the same destructive swoop, Nash correspondingly crushed the WWF's hopes of competing in the Monday Night Ratings War at any point over the next year and-a-half. The angle was shocking at the time, and it made complete a PPV that ushered in a new, all-too-brief era of WCW prosperity.

 

FULL RESULTS: 1) Steiner Brothers d. Fire & Ice (Scott Norton & Ice Train); 2) Konnan d. El Gato (Pat Tanaka) -- US Title; 3) "Diamond" Dallas Page d. Marcus Bagwell -- Battle Bowl Ring; 4) Dean Malenko d. Rey Misterio, Jr. -- Cruiserweight Title; 5) John Tenta d. Big Bubba; 6) Chris Benoit d. Kevin Sullivans -- Falls Count Anywhere; 7) Sting d. "Lord" Steven Regal; 8) Arn Anderson & Ric Flair d. Kevin Greene & Steve McMichael; 9) The Giant d. Lex Luger -- WCW Title

 

 

WWF "In Your House XVI: Calgary Stampede"

July 6, 1997; Calgary, Alberta, Canada

 

The WWF may have been number two in 1997, but that didn't preclude them from delivering a mind-bogglingly great show on this cool summer's night in Calgary.

 

As Benjamin Franklin once said, "Employ thy time well if thou meanest to get leisure." Employ thy time well, indeed. This card was only two hours long (in fact, it was the final two-hour WWF PPV), and it featured a scarce four matches, but did those four matches ever make for two action-packed hours and plenty of time left over for leisure. In match one, Mankind and Hunter Hearst Helmsley engaged in a great brawl -- the best match of what was one of the best feuds in wrestling that summer. Next, the WWF debuted what was to be the nucleus of its brand-spankin'-new Light Heavyweight division, as the Great Sasuke took on TAKA Michinoku in a terrific aerial match imported straight from Japan's Michinoku Pro. The bout was supposed to establish Sasuke, then 28, as the centerpiece of the division, but his battered body was actually deteriorating by this point, and TAKA stole the show so thoroughly that the WWF rewarded him with a four-year contract shortly thereafter. Then, in his final PPV WWF Title win as a babyface on a PPV, the Undertaker took on Vader in a match that was surprisingly strong and drew terrific crowd heat. Anyone who waxes nostalgiac for the 'Taker's babyface glory days should have this bout in their collection -- it was easily one of his finest moments.

 

After that came the main event, which to this day is a top contender for "Match that Garnered the Biggest Crowd Reactions Ever on a PPV" honors. Bret Hart and his foundation drew solar-panel-type babyface heat in Hart's hometown, while their opponents -- Steve Austin, the Legion of Doom, Ken Shamrock and Goldust -- received a consonant level of boos. The match was one of the best of the year, but the Hart family's ensuing celebration (complete with Austin's interruption and "arrest") may have been every bit as entertaining, if only because it stands tall as the most genuine wrestler-fan post-match lovefest ever showcased on a PPV.

 

No doubt the card's long-term impact is very limited, but for two hours of fast-paced fun, great ringwork, and a crowd that marked out like no other, nothing beats the rage of the Stampede.

 

FULL RESULTS 1) Mankind DCO Hunter Hearst Helmsley; 2) Great Sasuke d. TAKA Michinoku; 3) Undertaker d. Vader; 4) The Hart Foundation (Bret Hart, Owen Hart, Davey Boy Smith, Jim Neidhart, & Brian Pillman) d. Steve Austin, Goldust, Ken Shamrock, & the Legion of Doom

 

 

WCW "WrestleWar '91"

February 24, 1991; Phoenix, AZ

 

The uninitiated may fail to realize that Lex Luger showed flashes of legitimate superstar potential when he was in his early-30s, that Vader was at one time the best big man worker on both sides of the Pacific, and that War Games used to be the greatest gimmick match on the face of the Earth. With those elements on full display, WrestleWar '91 was one of those cards that featured the best of early-'90s WCW and, for the most part, was devoid of the unwelcome "high concept" ideas that Dusty Rhodes and Jim Herd infamously churned out during their booking run together.

 

In fact, the card clicked on all cylinders to such an extent that even the opening match was fairly good, even though it involved the notoriously past-his-prime Junkyard Dog. Also from the "Really Interesting, In Retrospect, Given the Later Fate of the Participants" File: Bobby Eaton and Brad Armstrong wrestled the second match and turned in a very good performance with equally strong heat. Elsewhere, the undercard featured a solid contribution from "York Foundation" founding member Terry "Terrence" Taylor (accompanied by Alexandra "Terri" York) and Tom Zenk, while Japanese imports Miss A, Miki Handa, Itsuki Yamasaki, and Mami Kitamura won over the crowd despite their lack of name recognition among US fans. Stan Hansen vs. Vader -- who was in the midst of a then-half-hearted push dating back almost a year -- was another bout that certainly made bigger waves in Japan than in the US, but it was such a stiff, rugged fray that the Desert City, USA, crowd received it warmly (no pun intended) -- until the politically necessary double-count out finish.

 

Then came Lex Luger's US title defense against "Dangerous" Danny Spivey (who more recently played "Waylon Mercy" in the WWF in 1995), and to say Luger looked like a completely different wrestler than he did ten years later would be only slightly less of an understatement than, for example, stating that "Scott Steiner has pretty good muscle definition." Luger performed very well and had a dynamic in-ring presence during the match, which makes it all the more mistifying that he never again exhibited the same level of breakout superstar potential -- especially after he won the WCW World title five months later. Luger and Spivey (who was actually a better worker than Luger in their match), though, had to settle for second best match of the night standing: The card's headline attraction was the greatest War Games since the 1987 originals, as the Horsemen (Ric Flair, Sid Vicious, Barry Windham, and Larry Zbyszko -- who substituted for an injured Arn Anderson) outlasted Sting, Brian Pillman and the Steiner Brothers in a gory battle that saw both teams leave behind several pints of blood -- at least. The match was marred only by its legitimately makeshift ending, which came after Sid Vicious drove Brian Pillman's head into the top of the steel cage while hoisting him up for a powerbomb. That brought the match to a screeching halt, as management immediately sent El Gigante out to throw in the trusty old white towel for the babyface team. Luckily, poor Pillman returned to action in fairly short order, and the remainder of his WCW career was exciting, if turbulent. Pre-injury, this was one of his finest performances, as he, Windham, and Flair were particularly exceptional in carrying the match to the threshold of five stars.

 

If you're accustomed to WCW's most recent War Games efforts, you may have to see it to believe it, but the '91 version was a gloriously gory spectacle that capped off a must-see night of action.

 

FULL RESULTS: 1) Junkyard Dog, Ricky Morton, & Tommy Rich d. Big Cat (Mr. Hughes) & State Patrol; 2) Bobby Eaton d. Brad Armstrong; 3) Itsuki Yamasaki & Mami Kitamura d. Miss A & Miki Handa; 4) Dustin Rhodes d. Buddy Landell; 5) The Young Pistols (Steve Armstrong & Tracy Smothers) d. The Royal Family (Rip Morgan & Jack Victory); 6) Terrence Taylor d. Tom Zenk; 7) Stan Hansen d. COR Big Van Vader; 8) Lex Luger d. Danny Spivey -- US Title; 9) Freebirds (Jimmy Garvin & Michael Hayes) d. Doom (Butch Reed & Ron Simmons); 10) Ric Flair, Sid Vicious, Barry Windham, & Larry Zbyszko d. Brian Pillman, Rick & Scott Steiner, & Sting -- War Games

 

 

ECW "Barely Legal '97"

April 13, 1997; Philadelphia, PA

 

A show every bit as essential for what it symbolized as for the high quality of action on display. ECW's near-five-year odyssey from its days as a modest-sized Philadelphia-based indie to its emergence as a legitimate national wrestling promotion culminated with this ECW Arena card, which drew deserved rave reviews and, more importantly, succeeded enough financially to keep the company going strong for some time to come. In the process, it ostensibly proved that, through cutting-edge booking and a consistently-top-notch product, it is possible for a modern independent promotion to cultivate a nationwide grassroots following and prosper on PPV.

 

It required considerable perseverance even to reach this point. ECW initially gained renown during a period when the WWF and WCW declined to give hardcore wrestling fans the type of mature, raunchy wrestling they craved. Paul Heyman's original creative direction stepped emphatically into that breach, but by the time the Big Two started incorporating ECW's successful elements into their product, Heyman and company struggled to find ways to continue differentiating their own. However, with a diluted talent pool and many of the concepts he popularized already adopted on a national scale by RAW and Nitro, Heyman's wrestlers found a nice little niche: They simply tried harder than anybody else.

 

The ECW stars, fueled by the rabidity of their hometown crowd, turned in all-out efforts the likes of which no other talent pool could, or would, match. In particular, the wrestlers involved in the first three matches set out to make a statement, delivering performances that served up heeping helpings of high-flying (albeit often lacking-in-psychology) action. In the opener, the Eliminators -- Perry Saturn and John Kronus -- beat the Dudley Boys to affirm their self-proclaimed standing as "The Best Tag Team in the World." Next, Lance Storm and Rob Van Dam battled in a match chock-full of fun highspots. And, in one of the best aerial matches ever showcased on PPV, the Japanese Michinoku Pro imports (including TAKA Michinoku, the Great Sasuke and future Kaientai members Men's Teioh and Dick Togo) tore down the bingo hall in a six-man tag.

 

From a drawing-card standpoit, the show's arguable highlight pitted Sabu against Taz -- a match backlogged by over 18 months of hype. Though the bout had no chance of living up to the gargantuan hyperbole surrounding it, it was very solid and set the stage for a terrific post-match angle.

 

The night culminated in the most fitting way possible: Terry Funk captured the ECW Title from Raven after a sequence of events that also involved Sandman and Stevie Richards. Funk -- the resident Hardcore Legend and the man most responsible for bringing class and credibility to the company -- closed the show by celebrating in the crowd with the notoriously-faithful ECW Arena throng. It was a moment a half-decade in the making.

 

FULL RESULTS: 1) The Eliminators d. The Dudleys -- ECW Tag Team Titles; 2) Rob Van Dam d. Lance Storm; 3) Gran Hamada, Great Sasuke, & Masato Yakushiji d. TAKA Michinoku, Men's Teioh, & Dick Togo; 4) Shane Douglas d. Pitbull #2 -- ECW TV Title; 5) Taz d. Sabu; 6) Terry Funk d. Stevie Richards, Sandman to advance to the ECW Title match; 7) Terry Funk d. Raven -- ECW World Title

[bob_barron 0]

Starrcade 96?

Summerslam 2000?

WrestleWar 91

 

 

Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiight. This list kinda blows.

[treble 0]

SummerSlam 2000? That would have trouble cracking the top 5 WWF PPVs of that YEAR, let alone top 10 PPVs ever.

 

Barely Legal isn't very good, either.

[KTID 0]

Hey, I never made them up. Complaints to [email protected]

[Guest wayzing]

Starrcade 96?

Summerslam 2000?

WrestleWar 91

 

 

Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiight. This list kinda blows.

Eh, I didn't mind seeing WrestleWar'91 there.

 

As far as non WWF/WCW PPVs go AAA's When Worlds Collide would've made much more sense than any ECW PPV.

[ISportsFan 0]

Judgment Day 2000 is better than SummerSlam 2000... Eddy/Dean/Saturn, Jericho/Benoit, and Rock/HHH is just 100 straight minutes of workrate.

 

Jason

[Guest Man Of 1,004 Modes]

I'd rather see RR 2000 than SSlam 00 on the list because

 

a.) HHH/Cactus

b.) Pretty good RR

c.) Really good tables match.

d.) Taz(z) ends Angles streak in a decent match.

 

SSlam really doesn't stand out aside from TLC.

 

EDIT: Damn site is lagging me causing some typo errors. Hope most are fixed.

[SamoaRowe 0]

Summerslam 2002 was way better than Summerslam 2000.

[Tim Cooke 0]

Starrcade 1996 was the *height* of the up and down WCW card during the Bischoff era.

 

Tim

[TheOriginalOrangeGoblin 0]

Summerslam 98's a better pick than 00 IMO since it's one of the peak shows of Attiutde in it's early days.

 

Or how about Wrestlemania 1? WCW Souled 97? All better than SS00 and Wrestlewar.

[Tawren 0]

Barely Legal? Starcade 96? GREAT AMERICAN BASH 96? HAHAHAHA!

[Guest Frank The Tank]

Bash 96 was good, but doesn't belong here and Starrcade 95 smoked 96 and Summerslam 01 and 02 smoked 00. Barely Legal belongs here since it was ECW's first ppv and IMO had some good matches on their. Wrestlewar 91 definately doesn't belong on here, Wrestlewar 92 was way better. No Way Out 01 was one of the best in my mind.

[Guest PhantMan]

stop it guys, the kid tried to post something intelligent so why bash him?

[TheOriginalOrangeGoblin 0]

stop it guys, the kid tried to post something intelligent so why bash him?

He said "DISCUSS"

[Guest Megatron]

It's actually CANADIAN Stampede, not Calgary Stampede. Besides, I wouldn't have included about half of the choices that you put on your list.

[Guest PhantMan]

stop it guys, the kid tried to post something intelligent so why bash him?

He said "DISCUSS"

Ok, he needs some editing, but he still put forth the effort. the day he'll put out a book supposedly about the *history of wrestling* while really being wwf centered, then and only then he'll have earned an asswhipping.

 

it's not like message boards are known for lucid, candid wrestling commentaries, right?

[chaosrage 0]

Barely Legal isn't very good, either.

What? Every match on it was solid from top to bottom and one of them was fucking awesome (the 6 man). Two were pretty good, the triple threat and RVD/storm. But nothing was really bad. The only other PPV I can say that for is Canadian Stampede.

 

And plus it was the start of ECW.

[Tawren 0]

Barely Legal isn't very good, either.

What? Every match on it was solid from top to bottom and one of them was fucking awesome (the 6 man). Two were pretty good, the triple threat and RVD/storm. But nothing was really bad. The only other PPV I can say that for is Canadian Stampede.

 

And plus it was the start of ECW.

ECW started in 92-93, not 97.

 

PhantMan, if he wants to post something, he shouldn't post something so shitty.

[chaosrage 0]

on PPV, i meant to say

[Guest thrall585]

Summerslam 92 should be in the top 10

[chaosrage 0]

What's shitty? Everything sounds good except for WCW.

[Guest PhantMan]

Barely Legal isn't very good, either.

What? Every match on it was solid from top to bottom and one of them was fucking awesome (the 6 man). Two were pretty good, the triple threat and RVD/storm. But nothing was really bad. The only other PPV I can say that for is Canadian Stampede.

 

And plus it was the start of ECW.

yeah... the dudleyz/eliminators spotfest made me forget flair/steamboat for about 30 seconds.

[treble 0]

Barely Legal isn't very good, either.

What? Every match on it was solid from top to bottom and one of them was fucking awesome (the 6 man). Two were pretty good, the triple threat and RVD/storm. But nothing was really bad. The only other PPV I can say that for is Canadian Stampede.

 

And plus it was the start of ECW.

The 6 man was awesome, but the rest of a show was a letdown. RVD/Storm is decent, but features some of the weakest chairshots ever seen, Dudleyz/Eliminators is nothing special, ditto for Taz/Sabu, Pitbull/Douglas, and Raven/Funk. The triple threat match is ok, but not enough to save the show.

[razazteca 0]

I liked Heatwave 98 better than Barely Legal 97.

[Guest DR PHIL]

X-7-Yes

 

BASH 89-Hell yes!

 

SS 2000-No, it's a great show but it's not one of the best, plus the tlc HAD worn off by that point.

 

WMIII-Yes, if only for historic purposes, and steamboat-savage.

 

STARRCADE 96-No, That has a great undercard but a shitty upper as was the norm, definitely doesn't deserve to be here.

 

WM10-Yeah, but it's only really a two-horse show.

Keep in mind this is essential NOT the greatest, so he's basing it more on historic purpose.

 

BASH 96-No, because if we're going by essentials, I think bash at the beach with the hogan heel-turn is more necessary for the importance.

 

Can't comment on canadian stampede as I haven't seen it.

 

WRESTLEWAR 91-It's a really good show but whether or not it's one of the top?

Probably should be on there for the fact that DAN FREAKIN SPIVEY carried lex luger to a good match.

Oh and the wargames...natch.

 

ECW BARELY LEGAL-Ecw definitely had better shows but none as important, so it's ok on here.

[chaosrage 0]

The 6 man was awesome, but the rest of a show was a letdown.  RVD/Storm is decent, but features some of the weakest chairshots ever seen, Dudleyz/Eliminators is nothing special, ditto for Taz/Sabu, Pitbull/Douglas, and Raven/Funk.  The triple threat match is ok, but not enough to save the show.

Even so though, how many shows can you name where every match was at least decent along with having a match as good as the 6 man? WMX only had two watchable matches. I wouldn't ever say Barely Legal was as good as WMX and CS, but I'd still put it somewhere in the top ten.

 

I liked Taz/Sabu, I really liked the triple threat, and Raven/Funk wasn't the greatest thing ever but it was emotional. A cool ending for a PPV. That's why I would put it over something like Heat Wave, which was a great show but had the Dudleys main eventing.

 

Another thing was it showcased everything ECW was about at the time. So aside from being a good show, it's got some historical signficance.

[chaosrage 0]

SS 2000-No, it's a great show but it's not one of the best, plus the tlc HAD worn off by that point.

 

It was only the 2nd one! And it was the best.

 

I might put it on there. I don't know, Summerslam 01 and 02 were great too. It's hard to pick.

[Guest Salacious Crumb]

Uh drop the 96 WCW.

 

Take anything post-Road Wild in 97 to WWIII 97 and you'll find superior work all around.

 

Halloween Havok 97 and Clash of the Champions from this time period were excellent shows.

[Guest Choken One]

I thought he was just blending together Quality Wrestling PPV with Historical PPVs would would explain ECW Barely Legal because that was the end of ECW as we knew it.

 

Good List, I agree for the most part except SS00...and Wrestle War 1991.

 

SS 1998 was more historical and 2001 was better wrestling wise and Wrestle War 1992 had a MUCH better War Games and a great great undercard.

[KTID 0]

SS 2000-No, it's a great show but it's not one of the best, plus the tlc HAD worn off by that point.

 

It was only the 2nd one! And it was the best.

 

Actually it was the *FIRST* one.