The Most Underrated Match of 2003

[Guest Choken One]

So ya like Pinfalls eh?

 

I'd like to introduce a nice friend of mine named

 

Steamboat/Savage WMIII.

[Guest I Got Banned for Sucking]

I fucking LOVE that match.

[bob_barron 0]

Hmmmmm-

 

Angle v. WGTT/Big Show

 

That match was booked to perfection and was one of my favourite matches of the year.

 

Rey v. Tajiri from two SD!s in September

[DMann2003 0]

I would say Angle/Undertaker from Smackdown this summer- aside from the Brock run-in at the end it was a hell of a match, and it had a special build through the night.

[Guest I Got Banned for Sucking]

The only good thing about Brock Lesnar's run-in during Kurt Angle VS The Undertaker for the WWE Championship on SmackDown! was that it built up the Kurt Angle VS Brock Lesnar One-Hour Iron Man Match for the WWE Championship that would take place in two weeks time, although seeing as that match hadn't been announced yet, it was very frustrating, although you might have thought that the rubber match might take place between Lesnar and Angle (it would have to, or it would be an unhealed wound!) with some sort of special stipulation.

 

Under-rated? What about when Rey Mysterio, Jnr. defeated Matt Hardy V1.0 on SmackDown! for the WWE Cruiserweight Championship?

[Guest Choken One]

That was kinda of disapointing...

 

It was the first time as far as I can remember that a CW match was hyped as a legit Main Event and they got 12 minutes and it kinda fell flat.

[Guest I Got Banned for Sucking]

True, but how often are you going to see Rey Mysterio, Jnr. in the Main Event slot, let alone a Cruiserweight Championship match, or vice versa?

 

Seeing as I live in Australia, I didn't actually see the match when it was on, I got a tape sent down under for me, and I thought that it was a great match.

[Adam 0]

Tawren, if you can seriously call the Steiner-Triple H match underrated, you've got rocks in your head. I MADE myself watch the match from start to finish again last night, and I was horrified. It was definately the wrost match I have seen this year, and would go close to being in my bottom five matches EVER.

[Guest BionicRedneck]

Austin vs. Rock, Mania. It was better than some of the much pimped matches from that show.

 

Brock vs. Show, Stretcher match. I laughed.

[Guest I Got Banned for Sucking]

Personally, I thought that this year's No Way Out was a great Pay-Per-View, and here's why (excuse iB briefly while he goes and collects the DVD for a reminder of the card):

 

I gave my opinions on Chris Jericho VS Jeff Hardy - Yeah, it was an enjoyable match on both behalves, and Hardy is magic when he tries, which he usually does, even when he doesn't want to (convert that all to the past tense). ***3/4

 

For the WWE World Tag Team Championships: William Regal and Lance Storm VS Rob Van Dam and Kane - an enjoyable match, this was pre-Van Dam burnout period, when Kane was stil mysterious, when William Regal was wrestling (I miss him) and when Lance Storm was actually being fucking used decently. ***

 

For the WWE Cruiserweight Championship: Matt Hardy V1.0 VS Billy Kidman - A very enjoyable Cruiserweight match-up, thanks to both. No more to say. ***3/4, pushing ****

 

Six-Man Tag Team Match: Brock Lesnar, Chris Benoit and Edge VS Kurt and (then) Team Angle, Charlie Haas and Shelton Benjamin - This match was a great idea to set up Kurt Angle VS Brock Lesnar for the Championship-that-now-matters at WrestleMania XIX, and the added elements of the given faces and Kurt's personal heels helped keep these two at bay until 'Mania. Highly-enjoyable match. ****

 

The Undertaker vs the Big Show - This has great build-up (I read 'SmackDown! from JHawk's Beak!'), and then went on to get the A-Train on the WrestleMania card, have the match have no particular meaning, blow off, and keep the Undertaker's WrestleMania win-streak intact. Enjoyable. **3/4

 

For the WWE World Heavyweight Championship: Triple H (Champion) VS Scott Steiner - The match didn't work the first time, so why do it again? Oh, that was from the Raw side, wasn't it? *1/4

 

Steve Austin VS Eric Bischoff - Highly unenjoyable match, instated only due to the two's past history and to show Austin's impending authority over the Bisch - Would've been more fitting if Austin had been instated into his Co-GM position right after this. 3/4*

 

The Rock VS Hulk Hogan - Used simply as a tool to build-up the Vince McMahon and Hulk Hogan Street Fight at WrestleMania. Not an incredibly good match, although entertaining... Of course this had to get the top spot on the card due to buildup issues, and seeing as it's Vinces feud, it's a given. **

 

I think that that's about it.

 

Overall Pay-Per-View Rating: ***3/4

 

What do you think?

[Use Your Illusion 0]

2. Brock Lesnar vs. The Undertaker -No Mercy

 

I still think this is a *** 3/4 match. It got a lot of love the night of the PPV and the next day everyone was shitting on it. Whatever.

I agree with you, ZsasZ.

 

Everybody was marking out like crazy for Lucha-Taker the night of the show, and I was *really* caught up in the drama of the match.

 

Fuck what Meltz or Keith says, that shit owned.

 

UYI

[deancoles 0]

Rhyno and Chris Benoit vs Los Guerreros,Smackdown March

Dudleyz vs Kane/Rvd vs Morley/Storm,The raw after Mania

[Guest ChrisBenoitPMW]

Triple H vs Scott Steiner - Royal Rumble

Triple H vs Scott Steiner - No Way Out

Undertaker vs Big Show - No Way Out

Undertaker vs Big Show & A-Train - Wrestlemania

Undertaker vs Kurt Angle - Smackdown

 

All I can think of right now that are underated by the internet

[PLAGIARISM! 0]

Believe me when I say HHH/Steiner at the rumble is one of the worst main event matches that I have ever seen in my life. They fired kronik on the spot for less heinousity than this.

Edited December 1, 2003 by saturnmark4life

[Insane Bump Machine 0]

Chris Benoit vs Matt Hardy, US Title Tournament. Never gets mentioned (except for Ray here and there). One of the best TV matches 2003

[PLAGIARISM! 0]

I remember enjoying that, Benoit bumps for the side effect better than anyone else I've seen. Whilst it did get good reviews, I'll throw in Haas/Benjamin v Eddy/Tajiri on smackdown. That was tremendous. Eddy working the crowd, building to Tajiri's hot tag and getting him seriously over in the process, and it's what really sold me on TWGTT as well.

[Mrnoitaull 0]

I agree with Ray and Insane Bump Machine,Benoit/Hardy match was quite impressive.

[bob_barron 0]

2. Brock Lesnar vs. The Undertaker -No Mercy

 

I still think this is a *** 3/4 match. It got a lot of love the night of the PPV and the next day everyone was shitting on it. Whatever.

I agree with you, ZsasZ.

 

Everybody was marking out like crazy for Lucha-Taker the night of the show, and I was *really* caught up in the drama of the match.

 

Fuck what Meltz or Keith says, that shit owned.

 

UYI

Keith didn't review the show.

 

Oh and Brock v. Taker SUCKED.

 

The chain was used only once, there was no blood, the interference was stupid (The FBI?) and the match was soooooooo slow.

 

Aside from one awesome match with Angle- Taker's been overrated as hell since coming back

[PLAGIARISM! 0]

Austin vs. Rock, Mania. It was better than some of the much pimped matches from that show.

Hmm, I wasn't that impressed personally, it just seemed like the standard WWE finisher based exchange with nothing out of the ordinary. Austin was visibly in agony at the end though, so it was a good effort from him to even be out there.

[bob_barron 0]

Austin v. Rock isn't that great until they get to the end. The last couple minutes are just amazing stuff and it always has me marking out

[eiker_ir 0]

I agree with Ray and Insane Bump Machine,Benoit/Hardy match was quite impressive.

 

i agree with aaaall of you, this is my pick as the underrated match of the year too

 

i love the part when Matt is bleeding and gets all pissed and does 3 side effects to Benotit and goes for the Headbutt with this crazy look in his eyes

 

awesome

[SamoaRowe 0]

I don't think I saw any great matches that didn't go unacclaimed this year. I think Big Show/Undertaker at No Way Out was really underrated, it was a good match. I also happened to see a very solid Bill DeMott/A-Train match at a Velocity taping that I attended. It went on to be my favorite match of the night (the following Smackdown didn't have anything spectacular) and it was surprisingly good considering who was involved.

[Brett Favre 0]

All of the Los Guerreros/Tajiri vs. World's Greatest Tag Team matches on Smackdown!. Those had unpredictable endings; you never really knew who was going to keep the title or lose it. Also, Kurt Angle vs. Chris Benoit the Smackdown! after the Royal Rumble Title match. The rematch they had was a good match and made me mark out when Benoit was bleeding unintentionally. Eddie Guerrero vs. John Cena latino street fight was fun, The Undertaker vs. Kurt Angle Title match, Chris Benoit vs. John Cena in the World Title #1 contender tourney finals I think is underrated. Charlie Haas vs. Kurt Angle, when Kurt made his comeback from the neck surgery. I can't think of any on the RAW side right now though....

[bob_barron 0]

In early 2003 there were tons of Team Angle/Angle v. Benoit/Edge stuff and it was all good.

 

There was also an awesome Tajiri-Noble match in early 03 that was 5-6 min of awesomeness

[TheOriginalOrangeGoblin 0]

Taker/Big Show from NWO was actually my fav match from that PPV(whoever gave the PPV ***3/4 must be high cause it's my pick for worst PPV of the year). I really liked how near the end Taker got desperate to put Show away resorting to those submission holds and eventually the triangle choke cause none of his normal stuff worked.

 

Los Guerrero's/WGTT - Velocity(sometime around February) and their SD matches

 

Rey/Hardy for the CW title I also enjoyed

 

And one that gets forgotten but had a great 2nd half is HHH/RVD from the Raw before Kane unmasked. 2nd half of that(barring the no sell of the leg) was pretty damn good.

[TheBostonStrangler 0]

The Lesnar/Big Show Stretcher Match really was a good one, and deserves more credit than it's gotten.

[Guest Ray]

Good to see some Benoit/Hardy love.

 

Something I wrote about it:

 

Nine minutes of solid, fun work from both men. Benoit working Hardy's arms early on (building to the crossface), Hardy's nose getting busted open (then Benoit attacking it with forearms, and pulling him off the apron where Hardy's face smashes into the ring, causing further damage to his face), the cocky Hardy trying to use Benoit's own move to beat him (flying headbutt, which he misses), Hardy avoiding Benoit's headbutt attempt (remembering how Benoit avoided it earlier) and Benoit countering a top rope side effect into the crossface (Hardy's accidental nose injury plays into the finish well, with the crossface applying pressure to his nose, making him more likely to tap).

 

I love how they learn to avoid the other man's moves as the match goes along. Match has lots of nice little touches which you don't always see. You can find this match on kazaa if you wanted to see it again.

 

This is why I don't like Hardy on Raw...no more matches with Benoit.

 

About Taker/Brock, I hated it...because it made Brock look like a giant BITCH. Taker owned his ass through the whole match. Brock looked like a big pussy, which a monster heel WORLD CHAMPION shouldn't. Letting Taker control most of the match was ridiculous.

[Just call me Dan 0]

Cool thing about the Angle/Brock SS encounter is, in viewing the DVD, the botched F5 reversal is edited out. the flow of the match is now great when watching it that way, and it is truly a good match. The actual match really turned me off after that happened, but when I watch the DVD, it's all good.

[iliketurtles 0]

NOBODY remembers this match it seems...Rock vs. Hurricane, No DQ on Raw back in March of this year. I watched it the other day and it actually was really enjoyable and I still got into it near the end (after the chokeslam).

 

No classic, but people don't even mention it anymore.

 

Edit: And to those who are saying Steiner/HHH was underrated...HA HA HA. Please. We are talking about good matches that doesn't get as much love as they should...not matches that should get more love because they are total disasters.

[JustJoe2k5 0]

Chris Benoit vs. Eddie Guerrero vs. Rhyno vs. Tajiri from SummerSlam '03, definitely an entertaining 4-Way match. Everyone hit their marks and the crowd responded more to the match than almost anything else on the show.