Best (WWE) Match of the Decade

[The Cum Doctor]

I didn't even think Mania XX was the best triple threat involving those three guys.

[Carbomb]

I didn't even think Mania XX was the best triple threat involving those three guys.

 

Hmm, tough call for me, that one. From an actual standalone perspective, the Backlash re-match was probably better, but in terms of crowd expectation and the stage it was on, the first was a lot more emotional. Plus, the main reason I prefer the WMXX match is down to a simple piece of booking that was nevertheless sheer class: Triple H had been in the Crossface for so long, and HBK had been out of the picture for a while, my heart was sinking as Trips failed to tap - for so long, I (and I'm sure others) had been so long conditioned by WWE to think that that meant Benoit wasn't going to win because HBK would break it up, and we all know what happens when a finisher fails to finish the match: the guy doesn't win. Also, on the side, WWE had done a great job of working the internet by leaking that there was a possibility that Benoit wouldn't go over because they were going to put the belt on him at Backlash owing to it being in his hometown of Edmonton, Alberta.

 

So, with all that in mind, when Triple H tapped in the centre of the ring, after about two minutes in the Crippler Crossface, I jumped off the sofa with a yell and punched the air like I used to do when watching football. That was probably the last time anything wrestling did made me do anything like that.

[HarmonicGenerator]

I didn't even think Mania XX was the best triple threat involving those three guys.

 

Hmm, tough call for me, that one. From an actual standalone perspective, the Backlash re-match was probably better, but in terms of crowd expectation and the stage it was on, the first was a lot more emotional. Plus, the main reason I prefer the WMXX match is down to a simple piece of booking that was nevertheless sheer class: Triple H had been in the Crossface for so long, and HBK had been out of the picture for a while, my heart was sinking as Trips failed to tap - for so long, I (and I'm sure others) had been so long conditioned by WWE to think that that meant Benoit wasn't going to win because HBK would break it up, and we all know what happens when a finisher fails to finish the match: the guy doesn't win. Also, on the side, WWE had done a great job of working the internet by leaking that there was a possibility that Benoit wouldn't go over because they were going to put the belt on him at Backlash owing to it being in his hometown of Edmonton, Alberta.

 

So, with all that in mind, when Triple H tapped in the centre of the ring, after about two minutes in the Crippler Crossface, I jumped off the sofa with a yell and punched the air like I used to do when watching football. That was probably the last time anything wrestling did made me do anything like that.

 

You're not alone in feeling like that - I did exactly the same thing.

[Mr. Baxter]

C'mon, Austin/Rock!

[dopper]

we all know what happens when a finisher fails to finish the match: the guy doesn't win.

 

I'd disagree with that, knowing how two of the previous three WrestleMania main events ended.

 

Rock kicked out of the stunner in the WM17 main event but still went down by pinfall after chair shots, and Angle kicked out of the F5 at WM19 before going down to (what should have been the match-winning) shooting star press.

 

What made me so surprised and happy at Triple H tapping out was that it signalled what came to be the end of HHH's worst ever 16 months of selfishness and bad performances.

- Dragging out the 3 stages of hell to 45 minutes in December 2002

- Beating Booker T at WrestleMania when every rational thing pointed to the on-fire babyface overcoming the odds to prove the heel wrong

- working a programme with his mate through the summer, despite Nash being out of shape and years past his in-ring prime

- Being dominant throughout the programme with Goldberg which pretty much killed any chance of him becoming anything more than HHH's equal

 

After all that, I would have never expected him in a million years tapping out clean in the middle of the ring to anyone - let alone someone like Benoit.

[TheBigBoot]

I would have voted for Austin/Rock and HHH/Foley ahead of it. Why? Simply because wrestling overall was better in 2000/2001 than it was in 2004, and I was more into it. Plus, I think I just prefer your classic one-on-one match to triple threats. People's reasoning for not voting for the Benoit match may be as simple as that.

 

Oh definitely. I really, really liked watching that Triple Threat live but even at the time there were plenty who preferred Lesnar/Guerrero from a month before, or Orton/Foley and the Triple Threat rematch Harraga mentioned from a month later and that is just within WWE. Kobashi/Takayama from April and Kobashi/Akiyama from Departure are two others I nominated which shows what a good year 2004 was for big matches (plus I'm sure RoH/TNA fans would say Punk/Joe or something or that Triple X Cage match). I didn't vote for it but it is still a very good match though and one of the most emotional title wins I've seen thanks to the years of struggle and Benoit coming so close time and time again before.

[Carbomb]

we all know what happens when a finisher fails to finish the match: the guy doesn't win.

 

I'd disagree with that, knowing how two of the previous three WrestleMania main events ended.

 

Rock kicked out of the stunner in the WM17 main event but still went down by pinfall after chair shots, and Angle kicked out of the F5 at WM19 before going down to (what should have been the match-winning) shooting star press.

 

Sorry, should've specified "submission finisher", barring the Anglelock. Basically, wanted to point out that any submission finisher that isn't by the ropes and hasn't finished the opponent in the centre of the ring after a certain length of time doesn't usually tend to win the match.

 

I'm grateful for that bit of conditioning: it enabled WWE to truly make it an awesome moment to remember.

 

What made me so surprised and happy at Triple H tapping out was that it signalled what came to be the end of HHH's worst ever 16 months of selfishness and bad performances.

- Dragging out the 3 stages of hell to 45 minutes in December 2002

- Beating Booker T at WrestleMania when every rational thing pointed to the on-fire babyface overcoming the odds to prove the heel wrong

- working a programme with his mate through the summer, despite Nash being out of shape and years past his in-ring prime

- Being dominant throughout the programme with Goldberg which pretty much killed any chance of him becoming anything more than HHH's equal

 

After all that, I would have never expected him in a million years tapping out clean in the middle of the ring to anyone - let alone someone like Benoit.

 

Most definitely. Between Summerslam 2002 and WMXX, Triple H was at his absolute worst. I like him as a wrestler, but that particular period turned me right off him for ages. I remember the arguments on forums I'd end up having with pro-establishment fans, the ones who were always saying things like "Leave Triple H alone, he's earned his spot", etc. He may have been the only one who looked like a champion at the time, but that's because they'd booked everyone else into the ground against him, and he simply wasn't having matches worthy of a champion.

 

You're right, though, and have highlighted something for me I should have included: along with the way the match was booked, the way Benoit had been made to look like it was his time, the fact that Triple H tapping in the middle of the ring at a milestone WM and the biggest one to date heralded the end of an era - not just because Benoit was finally getting the belt, and not just because the focus was finally being taken off Triple H, but also because Trips' tapping indicated that he was finally willing to stop being such a shit.

[IANdrewDiceClay]

Austin vs. The Rock was the biggest match I can remember. It was my last year of school, and the school yard was split at these two cool as fuck superstars battled it out. It truly was the end of wrestling being a cool thing to watch, as I cant remember it ever being bigger than this point. Everyone was buzzing about it. It's strange, because after WMX7, wrestling seemed to die off in the UK. Nobody talked about it and all my mates got out of it.

[TheBigBoot]

The same thing happened with Hogan/Warrior when I was at school. Not just the kids either, everyone had a parent/uncle/teacher who felt the need to chip in with their opinion. That's actually a good point really - a lot of people's memories of a match are tied up in how they felt at the time (e.g. if you'd followed Benoit for years and supported him all that time then it made the ending to WM XX all the sweeter, especially if you disliked Triple H for the reasons Dopper & Carbomb gave then you had an added bonus). I can see the moment being a big part of Austin/Rock which is why I think it suffers a bit for me because (for the only period in the last twenty two years) I wasn't watching WWF at the time. Even then, I still like it a lot.

 

I think, the only match noone has commented on is Benoit vs. Angle despite it getting votes. I know I criticised Kurt a bit in the Wrestler of the Decade thread but that's actually my favourite Angle match and was my favourite WWE match from that year (followed by Benoit/Lesnar on SmackDown!). I liked the fact that the backstory was based around wrestling. As long as that isn't done for every match ala early RoH, I think that can be an entertaining storyline in its own right. As opponents and partners it had been emphasised that both men thought they were not only the 'better' wrestler and in fact 'the BEST technical wrestler' in the company: so they both had something to prove. But that wasn't all, as the build-up played off three significant factors in: i.) their singles rivarly and last PPV match at Unforgiven (which Benoit won) - which in turned played off their feud the previous year; ii.) Their time as a tag team, forced to work togehter by Stephanie in an attempt to give Smcakdown! 'the best tag team in the world' - all the while trying to outperform and outshine one and other - even to the extent of wrestling against each other in singles matches; iii.) The tag team's split, Angle's heel turn and alignment with Heyman and the subsequent matches and angles between Benoit and Angle in the build-up specific to this match - i.e. this last part was the build-up most PPV main events get in the month beforehand. What I liked about the match was that they were able to work things into it that basically told that story, played off their past history and previous matches (particularly the fact that Benoit had beaten Angle twice in the previous few months) and produce something that surpassed my expectations because not only was it the technical match everyone envisioned, it was far more emotional than I expected. They portrayed how even though they were both even technically, Benoit had never been to the top and captured the WWE title so he was still an underdog even when he was in control. Amazingly when you were watching it, it made you think and feel this could be the night he did - something that translated really well to the live audience... Despite common sense dictating otherwise. The way it was able to make Benoit out to be a credible threat to the title, even a time when everyone was expecting Lesnar/Angle at Wrestlemania was superb. Benoit came across so strong here that the ending made Angle look like a credible champion - something he struggled with throughout his career. The match represents the end of era since it was pretty much the final curtain for the days of the 'Smackdown! Six' when Benoit and Angle were amongst those having great matches on a weekly basis and even though people had been complaining that had started to get stale since Surivor Series (which might be the reason that excellent Four Way Elimination match from December doesn't get as much love as some of the earlier 'SD! Six' stuff, despite it being as good as them) they actually made it still seem interesting. I'm sure I could watch it now and find things to pick apart from it but at the time this was one of the most fun I've had watching a match. Another one would be Cactus/Triple H from Royal Rumble 2000 which I watched with large group of people some of whom weren't even fans, had no clue who any of the wrestlers were (like The Rock's run-in) and still ended up cheering Foley on. Speaking of audiences for it I still remember the pops for Rock's cameo and after Foley kicked out of the first Pedigree being two of the loudest I had heard. At the time I wasn't a fan of Cactus getting back up post-match to attack Trips, but in retrospect the reactions for the post match were worth it. I was going to comment on Guerrero/Lesnar but I realised I should be meeting someone in the pub now and I'm already late. So (if in the unlikely case you wanted to know my opinion on it) just take what I said about the other matches and multiply it. Wrestling can be great when it goes right.