The FIVE best minutes in wrestling?

[Guest sebbeh65]

There are a bunch of topics with "Best matches", "Best interviews", "Best shows" etc, but let's focus on ONLY FIVE MINUTES! What are the best five minutes ever in wrestling? The end of a perfect match? A portion of an wonderful shoot interview?

 

Come on, let's think!

[Jingus 0]

The last five minutes of the Wrestlemania XX main event, hands-down. Benoit making HHH tap when NOBODY really expected it, at the end of a fucking awesome match, at the end of an excellent show. Unparalleled in modern wrestling history.

[Guest hasbeen]

A portion of Steamboat-Savage WMIII.

[Darth Vader 0]

Edge's title reign. -rimshot-

[tominator89 0]

Savage/Liz reunion at WM7

[Guest Coffey]

Benoit making HHH tap when NOBODY really expected it...

I don't get this. Who didn't think Benoit was going to win the title right after he won the Rumble? Just the people that wanted to remain overly pessimistic because Benoit is always "held down." Just like Mysterio this year.

 

I thought it was obvious, so did a lot of other posters here. To say "nobody" expected it is just incorrect. Yeah, some people thought that HBK was added to the match so that HHH wouldn't have to take the fall but I've been telling people for a long time that HHH isn't as bad as a lot of smarks make him out to be.

[spman 0]

Ok, it's 53 secopnds too long, but still

 

 

WWF World Champion Triple H pinned Taka Michinoku (w/ Sho Funaki & the Acolytes) following the Pedigree at 5:53 after the Big Bossman & Bull Buchanon attacked the Acolytes

 

from RAW 4/10/2000

[The Buzz 0]

For me the best recent moment was any five minutes of Sting's return at Final Resolution.

 

I think overall the Hogan heel turn to form the nWo is way up there.

[humanoid92 0]

I nominate:

 

The end of WM X with Bret regaining the Title, and being congratulated by Piper, Savage, Gorilla, Vince, etc. while Owen looks on in the aisle.

 

The chaotic ending to Savage/Flair at WM 8 followed by the post-match interviews.

 

Savage and Liz reuniting at WM 7.

 

The last five minutes of Savage/Steamboat.

 

The last five minutes of Bret/Bulldog.

 

The last five minutes of Canadian Stampede.

[World's Worst Man 0]

Any 5 minutes from the stretch run of any great 1990's AJPW match.

[MillenniumMan831 0]

Nostagicly speaking, the last 5 minutes of Warrior/Hogan from WMVI.

[JHawk 0]

The 1-2-3 Kid-Owen Hart match from KOTR 1994, from about the time Kid limps down the aisle until the final bell. The best four minutes match you'll ever see.

[CanadianChris 0]

The end of the Mankind/Rock match on the January 4, 1999 edition of Raw.

[RavishingRickRudo 0]

Yeah, HHH isn't that bad. He just made sure Benoit had a lame duck title reign and then destroyed the guy who ended up taking the title from Benoit about a month later. Great guy, that HHH. I agree that Benoit winning the title, and even in that fashion, wasn't a surprise. The win had the emotional impact of a buttered roll.

 

The last five minutes of Kawada/Taue vs. Misawa/Kobashi.

 

Kawada and Misawa lay on the ground, slowly get up, Misawa throws a punch, maybe getting some life back, Kawada blocks it and drills him with a rolling kick and knocks him to the apron. Taue, on the apron, picks Misawa up and is read to choke slam him to the floor. Kobashi hobbles on his injured leg over to stop him. The crowd heat throughout is on its highest level, reacting to everything. As Kobashi tries to stop Taue, Kawada pulls him off and then kicks his hurt leg out from underneath him. As Kobashi lays on the ground clutching his knee, Taue forces his hand around Misawas throat on the apron. Misawa desperately fights him, but Kawada runs up behind him from the inside of the ring and lariats the back of his head. Taue chokeslams Misawa off the apron, in a great visual given the camera movement.

 

Structurally, that whole sequence was perfect and it's been about a minute.

 

Now Kobashi is on the outside, CRAWLING, to get to Misawa. Kawada is on the inside taking a breather. Misawa is DEAD on the ground. Taue tries to pick him up, the crowd starts to passionately chant "Mis-a-wa" as Kobashi crawls his way over and lays himself over Misawa. Kobashi, who failed to stop the attack which had Taue chokeslamming Misawa to the outside because his knee was fucked, is doing the only thing now that he can do - put his body on the line and take a beating so Misawa doesn't have to. Taue obliges and starts to stop and chop Kobashi while he c overs Misawa. He then picks him up and throws him aside, as if to say "you're not worth my energy". Two minutes in.

 

Taue rolls Misawa back in, and at this point you have to remember that Kawada has yet to pin Misawa -ever-. So after Misawa is rolled into the ring, Kawada immediately tries to get the pin, but Misawa continues to roll all the way out to the otherside of the ring. These are stall tactics and they are brillaintly used. They sell the chokeslam. They sell the need to not get pinned from Kobashi and Misawa, and also the need to pin by Kawada and Taue. Kawada goes to the outside and immediately rolls Misawa back in. 1 - 2, no. A close pin, but everyone knew Kawada wasn't going to get it because Misawa had too much time to recover. Three minutes in.

 

Kawada then tries to go for a powerbomb, but Misawa struggles against it. To wear him down some more, Kawada does his rapidkicks to the face. At this time I should note that Kobashi has slowly made it back to his corner. He sees what Kawada is doing and crawls under the ropes and grabs on to Misawas leg, preventing Kawadas powerbomb. Taue comes in and puts the boots to Kobashi, but Kobashi still won't let go. Taue has to pull Kobashi by his hair to get him off, chops him rapidly, and then he chokeslams Kobashi while Kawada stuff powerbombs Misawa. 1-2-no. Misawa folds over. This one the crowd bought and are going NUTS. The look on Kawadas face is one of bewilderment. Four minutes in.

 

Kawada tries for the powerbomb again. He is stressing over it. What's great about this is that EVERYTHING is worked for. There is exertion on all of their faces. You get the sense that they are fighting for everything. Misawa backdrops Kawada off. Falls to a knee, and then trips Kawada so Kawada can't immediately follow up. Again, buying more time Misawa can't follow this up though and merely delays Kawada. Kawada, out of frustration, starts stomping Misawa repeatedly while holding the ropes. Kobashi crawls over and covers Misawa again and Kawada just doesn't stop. Both Taue and Kawada try to pull Kobashi off Misawa but he is fighting it, he is desperately trying to protect Misawa. This is the closest thing to a touching moment you will get in wrestling. The image of the two guys trying to force Kobashi off. I don't know if it is loyalty, regret, or will to win that has Kobashi trying to protect Misawa, but it's like he's the dog trying to protect his master.

 

For this loyalty.

 

For this dedication and passion.

 

For this admirable defense of his comrade.

 

Taue has Kobashis throat. Kawada has his waist. Chokeslam/Dangerous Backdrop Combo. Kobashi lands on his head. He's done for.

 

But he did give Misawa more time.

 

Misawa is to his feet, spinning elbow to Taue. But before he can get any momentum, he gets a ganmengiri from Kawada. There is no way Kawada is going to let his big pin slip from his grasp. 1-2-NO. Crowd is ape shit. The finish comes after another dangerous backdrop, a ganmengiri and finally -for the win- a stuff powerbomb. Kobashi tries to crawl to the rescue but Taue holds him back. It's over.

[Jingus 0]

poetry

 

Yeah, you're right, I retract my choice, that match might just be my favorite wrestling contest of all time.

 

Still, I think anyone who legit believed that Benoit was gonna make Trips tap at Mania is an overly optimistic person. That's back when nobody but Goldberg had pried HHH's hands off the belt for a year and a half and he was at the highest point of his ego trip, and even GB's reign was like a month long. For me, it was the king mark-out moment of all moments.

[RavishingRickRudo 0]

I think there is a difference between not expecting and being surprised by.

[Corey_Lazarus 0]

My favorite 5 minute period in wrestling is...my favorite moment in wrestling, and the one that made me mark out like no other moment before or since.

 

WCW SlamBoree, 1998

The Centrum in Worcester, MA

 

The Cruiserweight Battle Royale - the winner of which would go on to challenge then-Cruiserweight champion Chris Jericho immediately after - came down to two people: Juventud Guerrera and El Ciclope. Juvi and Ciclope stared at each other from across the ring, and then walked towards the ropes, still looking at each other. Juvi looks around, shakes Ciclope's hand, and then ELIMINATES HIMSELF by jumping over the top rope. As everybody is confused, especially Chris Jericho, Ciclope unties the strings in the back of his mask. He ducks his head down as Jericho looks on and Schiavone wonders why a luchadore - who the mask is so important to - is unmasking, and then...the wig comes off...he stands up...IT'S DEAN FUCKING MALENKO! Jericho looks like he just shit his tights as Malenko's cold stare turns to one of pure anger, and he just BEATS THE FUCK OUT OF JERICHO while the bell rings to start their match.

 

By far my favorite five minute moment in wrestling.

 

A good nod to the lead-up of The Chairshot Heard 'Round The World, and Taz trying to hold back tears after being eliminated by Mike Awesome and Masato Tanaka when the whole locker room came out to show their respect to him. Seeing a man who had been billed for years as a cold-blooded killing machine in the ring crying just MADE that night.

[Just John 0]

I'll go with the Hulk Hogan heel turn and NWO formation.

 

Savage and Sting are laid out in the ring, while Hall and Nash are recovering from the face comeback. Then, Hogan comes out.

 

Tony S: L-Look!

Dusty: It's Hulkamania!!

Tony: You're damn right it is!!!

 

Then Hogan enters the ring, Hall and Nash duck out while Hogan stares them down. Then, Hogan turns, and drops the big leg on a prone Randy Savage.

 

Tony: Wait... What?

Dusty: Is he the thrid man? Is he the third man?

Bobby: He's the third man!

Tony: Oh my god.

 

The Outsieders then come back in the ring and high five Hogan who leg drops Savage again. Referee Randy Anderson looks like his heart has been crushed as he watches it transpire, then Hogan grabs him by the hair and throws him out of the ring before delivering a third leg drop to Savage.

 

Dusty: You just sold your soul to the devil. I hope you like it... You'll have to look yourself in the mirror.

 

Then the ring fills with garbage as the Outsiders and Hogan pose and celebrate their victory. Gene comes out amidst the garbage to get an interview, and Hogan proceeds to rip the WWF, WCW, and the fans while declaring that this was the "New World Order" of professional wrestling.

 

And Tony Ends with the great line: "Hulk Hogan... You can go to hell. Straight to hell."

-------------------------------

 

I wish I could see what a "OAO Bash at the Beach 1996: The Hostile Takeover" thread would have looked like as this went down.

[slabinskia 0]

I'll go with the Hulk Hogan heel turn and NWO formation.

 

Savage and Sting are laid out in the ring, while Hall and Nash are recovering from the face comeback. Then, Hogan comes out.

 

Tony S: L-Look!

Dusty: It's Hulkamania!!

Tony: You're damn right it is!!!

 

Then Hogan enters the ring, Hall and Nash duck out while Hogan stares them down. Then, Hogan turns, and drops the big leg on a prone Randy Savage.

 

Tony: Wait... What?

Dusty: Is he the thrid man? Is he the third man?

Bobby: He's the third man!

Tony: Oh my god.

 

The Outsieders then come back in the ring and high five Hogan who leg drops Savage again. Referee Randy Anderson looks like his heart has been crushed as he watches it transpire, then Hogan grabs him by the hair and throws him out of the ring before delivering a third leg drop to Savage.

 

Dusty: You just sold your soul to the devil. I hope you like it... You'll have to look yourself in the mirror.

 

Then the ring fills with garbage as the Outsiders and Hogan pose and celebrate their victory. Gene comes out amidst the garbage to get an interview, and Hogan proceeds to rip the WWF, WCW, and the fans while declaring that this was the "New World Order" of professional wrestling.

 

And Tony Ends with the great line: "Hulk Hogan... You can go to hell. Straight to hell."

-------------------------------

 

I wish I could see what a "OAO Bash at the Beach 1996: The Hostile Takeover" thread would have looked like as this went down.

 

This is my pick as well.I wouldn't mind seeing the batb thread from that ppv either.There are a few other ppv threads I wouldn't mind seeing dug up like wm17,barely legal,survivor series 97 etc.

[10 Pounds 0]

The one thing I didn't liked in the Hogan turn was the "Whose side is he on ?!" / "What do you mean whose side is he on ?" from Heenan and Schiavone. Other than that it was perfect.

 

I'm going also with the WM XX finale. Seeing Benoit in the ring with Eddie was a genuinely great moment. I'm a mark too for the reaction Ric Flair gets after Arn Anderson reform the Horsemen in 1998.

[Guest wildpegasus]

Any 5 minutes from the stretch run of any great 1990's AJPW match.

 

C'mon, that's no fun. Narrow it down some.

 

 

Well, this is an impossible question to answer. Savage/Liz/Warrior at Mania is definitely up there but I think the Benoit/Malenko 99 #1 Contender match from Nitro and the Benoit/Eddie match from Nitro where Eddie frogsplashes "a knocked out" Benoit are two obvious #1 contenders for best 5 minutes ever.

[World's Worst Man 0]

 

Probably Kobashi vs. Misawa 1/20/97 then. I'm not quite sure if it all happened exactly in the last 5 minutes, but Misawa drilling Kobashi with both of his "super finishers" and Kobashi kicking out was pretty surreal. Only to then be beaten by a simple running elbow. That match probably solidified Kobashi's reputation as being a guy who could take tons of punishment and never quit.

[Naked Snake 0]

Shawn Michaels vs Kurt Angle at Mania 21....the last 5 minutes was gold.

 

Uncensored 1997. the nWo wins the match, they pose, Sting beats the shit out of everything moving, massive pop. (Side note, anyone know where I can grab this clip?)

[TheInsane 0]

The last five minutes of the Wrestlemania XX main event, hands-down. Benoit making HHH tap when NOBODY really expected it, at the end of a fucking awesome match, at the end of an excellent show. Unparalleled in modern wrestling history.

 

I agree on those five minutes. However everything was done so that Benoit would win. I would say I expected him to win in a way but I was still doubting it. KInd of like Rey Mysterio this year. everything was done so that the only logical thing to do would be to let him win at WM but I still wasnt sure he would.

[DrVenkman PhD 0]

The 1-2-3 Kid-Owen Hart match from KOTR 1994, from about the time Kid limps down the aisle until the final bell. The best four minutes match you'll ever see.

 

This was to be my answer and opinion as well. I'm sure you could pick out an awesome 5 minutes out of long matches or segments, but Owen and Waltman crammed so much good stuff into that 4 minute match. Incredible.

[Guest Monty Burns]

The 1-2-3 Kid-Owen Hart match from KOTR 1994, from about the time Kid limps down the aisle until the final bell. The best four minutes match you'll ever see.

 

Fo' sho'.

[King Cucaracha 0]

Hogan hulking up at Mania X8 and the 5 minutes afterwards, which I assume takes it to the end of the match.

 

EDIT: And the last 5 minutes from Rock/Mankind on Raw, from the moment Shamrock interferes onwards.

[Lil' Bitch 0]

The ending of Austin / Hart at Wrestlemania 13

 

Stone Cold winning the WWF title at Wrestlemania XIV.

 

The Rock winning the WWF title at Backlash with Austin's help.

 

ECW Reunion on RAW July 2001.

[CanadianGuitarist 0]

I was prime to agree with Bret at WM X, followed closely by Shamrock starting the run in on Raw on 1-4-99.

 

But the ECW reunion, was by far, BY FAR, the most I've ever marked, drunk or sober.

[David Blazenwing 0]

The last five minutes of Christian/Jarrett for the NWA title at Against All Odds 2006, including the ring filling up with fans all hoisting Christian onto their shoulders as he holds the title up. I still get goosebumps when I watch the end of that match.