In honor of SurSeri: Matches with obvious endings

[Guest PlatinumBoy]

Some matches seem well hyped and have mystique as to who's going to win. However, some don't. Like the main event of Survivor Series 89. Andre/Haku/Brainbusters versus Warrior, Neidhart, and The Rockers. But--fire Tully and put in Heenan. The heels are out matched--but they have Andre. So have Andre lose in the first 10 seconds. Your down too 3 on 4, and one of those 3 is the Brain. So basically you had Haku and Arn vs 4 guys. Kinda obvious who would win.

[Guest LooneyTune]

I think another SSeries match that wasn't much of a shock was the Visionaires vs. The Vipers from SSeries 1990. Let's look at the vital statistics...

 

The Match Ups:

Jake Roberts vs. Rick Martel:

Despite the fact Roberts was booked strongly all the time, the fact he was "blind" and had no "vision" in his left eye pretty much gives Martel the edge.

Edge: The Visionaires 1-0

 

The Rockers vs. Power & Glory:

P&G recently formed and beat the crap out of the Rockers, and were set for a possible Tag Title reign. The Rockers never had a push (and the one-time they were to have one was canceled) and barely were able to beat jobbers. Easy one here.

Edge: The Visionaires 2/3-0

 

Jimmy Snuka vs. The Warlord:

Snuka was a JTTS and was being jobbed out to anyone who could say "I pin you" while the Warlord was still looked like a threat. Niether man was doing anything, but considering Warlord actually went onto a somewhat high midcard feud with British Bulldog and Snuka did nothing makes this an obvious.

Edge: The Visionaires 4-0

[Guest curry_man2002]

Goldberg vs HHH at unforgiven 2003

 

This was obvious because of the stipulation that goldberg must retire if he did not win. Plus it was only a matter of time before he won the title anyway.

[1234-5678 0]

It's all about Hogan

 

WM 5: Hogan vs. Savage

 

WM 2: Hogan vs. Bundy

 

WM 7: Hogan vs. Slaughter

 

Summerslam 91: Hogan/Warrior vs. Slaughter/Mustafa/Adnan

 

Hog Wild 96: Hogan vs. Giant

 

Hog Wild 97: Hogan vs. Luger

 

Havoc 96: Hogan vs. Savage

 

Superbrawl 97: Hogan vs. Piper

 

BATB 94: Hogan vs. Flair

 

Must I go on?

[deancoles 0]

You can add most matches where a big star makes his Debut/Return in a promotion(Goldberg in WWE,Hogan in WCW and Warrior at WM 12)

[JustJoe2k5 0]

Triple H winning the '02 Royal Rumble and Brock Lesnar winning the '03 Royal Rumble.

[Guest curry_man2002]

I dont know what it is but royal rumble match winners never seem obvious to me.

 

2001: I was a mark so i beleived anyone could win.

 

2002: I was still a semi-mark/semi-smark at this point so ditto from above

 

2003: I really thought jericho or HBK was gonna win

 

2004: I thought Goldberg was gonna win and when Benoit won i didnt like it because at that point i hated benoit. Plus i neally fainted because i never thought in a million years Benoit would win.

[Guest Salacious Crumb]

Triple H winning the '02 Royal Rumble and Brock Lesnar winning the '03 Royal Rumble.

The winner of the Rumble hasn't been a surprise for at least 8 or 9 years.

[Guest LooneyTune]

The last year the Rumble was a legit surprise was 1997, when Austin "won". However, one can argue that McMahon winning in 1999 was a surprise, but quite honestly, they needed some kind of swerve so that the only possible winner (Austin) didn't win again (he won 2 years in a row, so something was up).

[Just John 0]

Steve Austin vs. The Rock at WM 15.

 

Kevin Nash vs. Golberg at Starrcade 98.

[strummer 0]

Hogan v Bundy WM 2

 

Hogan v Savage WM 5

 

Hogan v Slaughter WM 7

 

Hogan and Warrior v Slaughter Col. Mustafa, Gen Agnan at Summerslam 91 (First WWF PPV that I didn' t order because of the obvious result of the main event) They even had Sid be the special referee just to add a little doubt in the result

 

Vader v Jim Duggan Starcade 94

 

Goldberg v Curt Hennig Bash at the Beach 98

[Kahran Ramsus 0]

Another obvious Survivor Series match was the King's Court vs. the 4x4s from 89.

 

Jim Duggan vs. Macho King

Duggan is fresh of jobbing the Kingship to Savage, who is getting a renewed push after jobbing to Hogan all summer.

 

Bret Hart vs. Earthquake

Yeah right. This is 89 after all.

 

Hercules vs. Dino Bravo

Hercules was a JTTS by this point. Bravo had renewed energy by hanging out with Quake.

 

Ron Garvin vs. Greg Valentine

The one possible win for the 4x4s as Valentine retired Garvin in the spring, only to have him return and eventually beat Valentine at Rumble 90.

 

 

Another one was the opener of Survivor Series 1987. Honky Tonk Man, Ron Bass, Harley Race, Danny Davis & Hercules vs. Randy Savage, Ricky Steamboat, Jake Roberts, Brutus Beefcake & Jim Duggan. The cowardly IC Champion, an aging former champion from a rival company with a dumb gimmick, a ref, and two JTTS vs. the top five faces (minus Hogan) of the time.

[deancoles 0]

Another one was the opener of Survivor Series 1987. Honky Tonk Man, Ron Bass, Harley Race, Danny Davis & Hercules vs. Randy Savage, Ricky Steamboat, Jake Roberts, Brutus Beefcake & Jim Duggan. The cowardly IC Champion, an aging former champion from a rival company with a dumb gimmick, a ref, and two JTTS vs. the top five faces (minus Hogan) of the time.

Agreed, the only surprise was Honky pinning Beefcake.

[Guest LooneyTune]

It's been a while since I've seen it, but did Honky pin Beefcake clean? I want to say he did, but my memory isn't too great.

 

the opener of the 1995 Survivor Series was kind of a dead give-a-way. On Team Faces, you had Jobber Horowitz, Jobber Jannetty, Jobber Holly, and Jobber Hakushi, while the heels had the freshly turned 1-2-3 Kid, Jobber-Skip, Jobber Radford, and Jobber Prichard.

 

It was pretty obvious the Kid would survive.

[alfdogg 0]

By today's standards, it would be considered clean. Davis kneed him in the back as he came off the ropes and Honky got the Shake Rattle & Roll.

[King Kamala 0]

King Kong Bundy Vs SD Jones: WrestleMania I (This is obvious. Surprised no one mentioned it)

 

Razor Ramon Vs Bob Backland: Wrestlemania IX

 

Demolition Vs The Colossal Connection: Wrestlemania VI (Andre The Giant could barely walk and Haku was hardly a threat. Did Andre even get in the ring during this match?)

[alfdogg 0]

He was never in legally, I assume that's what you mean.

 

Since Bundy/SD was thrown out, I'll add Marty Janetty vs Ludvig Borga from SSlam 93.

[Guest curry_man2002]

Big show vs Big boss man (december 1999)

[King Kamala 0]

Razor Ramon Vs Ted DiBiase: Summerslam 93 (Razor Ramon was getting a huge push and not only was Ted DiBiase on his way out but he hadn't done anything of note for a while except get beaten by 123 Kid.)

[Guest Ice Classic V.2]

Triple H vs. Chris Jericho- Wrestlemania X8

[UseTheSledgehammerUh 0]

As an 11 year old in 1993, I could realize what guys had a push.

 

I honestly thought Bob Backlund would breeze by Razor at WM 9, coming off his impressive Rumble lasting.

[MillenniumMan831 0]

SurSer90: The Warriors vs. The Perfect Team

 

While Mr. Perfect was credible his teammates had no prayer. The Demolition push ended w/ SummerSlam 1990 and it was clear that the LOD were Vince's new bad boys in town. Although, I will admit I didn't think it would be only The Ultimate Warrior surviving. I figured he, Tornado, and one of LOD would survive.

[Guest korndogg123]

Survivor Series '91:

Slick Ric's Squad vs Roddy's Rowdies (my names for the teams)

Flair, DiBiase, Mountie, Warlord vs Piper, Virgil, Hart, Bulldog

Four feuds in one match. Obviously Flair was gonna go over in this match. Not exactly pleased by how it ended w/ five guys all gettin DQ'd at once, but w/ Flair just breaking into the WWF and headin for that big clash with Hogan (that never even happened on TV!) a victory in this match was obvious.

 

Survivor Series '93:

All-Americans vs Foreign Fanatics

Flag waving Lex Luger push continues.

 

WM 8 - Taker vs Jake the Snake

Taker just turned face and was invincible from the very beginning and Jake was on his way out.

[Lil' Bitch 0]

Hart / Smith SummerSlam 92 - It was in Davey's hometown and the match winding up to follow the WWF Championship match confirmed The Bulldog was going over.

 

Elimination Chamber SSeries 2002 - I was going for RVD, but sadly everybody and their grandmother knew Shawn was going to win to stick it back to HHH which winded up being a meaningless one month reign so the EC win was all for nothing IMO.

[Slickster 0]

How about Goldberg's 2nd-151st matches?

 

Aside from that,

 

Awesome-Kash from LD00

 

LOD-Kane/RVD from RAW 03

 

Bigelow-Bulldog from IYH 12/95

[1234-5678 0]

LOD-Kane/RVD from RAW 03

I knew better, but didn't anyone think LOD would pull off the shocker?

[Guest Lawlerm]

You could argue that the winner of every Rumble since the 'Mania main event stip came in, and subsequently, the winner of every 'Mania event since, has been very obvious.

 

Heel champ>Face wins Rumble to get title shot>Face wins title at 'Mania...

 

A few exceptions but thats how its been for pretty much 15 years.

[Guest fanofcoils]

You can add most matches where a big star makes his Debut/Return in a promotion(Goldberg in WWE,Hogan in WCW and Warrior at WM 11)

I wish, a year fresher, a year better Warrior.

[Guest fanofcoils]

How about Goldberg's 2nd-151st matches? 

 

Aside from that,

 

Awesome-Kash from LD00

 

LOD-Kane/RVD from RAW 03

 

Bigelow-Bulldog from IYH 12/95

Bigelow-Bulldog IYH 12/95? Didn't happen. Bigelow's final WWF match was against Goldust at Survivor Series on 11/95.

[alfdogg 0]

About the last 7 or 8 Royal Rumbles.