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Under rated stuff


tom

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Well said. Although I'd also add that his contribution in the '04 Rumble was great, if only for this spear.

 

In terms of underrated storylines, it may be because I was caught at the right age but the HHH/Stephanie/Vince angle at the end of '99 had me absolutely hooked on the programme. I wished DEATH on HHH for ruining Stephanie and Test's big day, and when Stephanie betrayed her own father I couldn't believe my eyes. I still value that storyline very highly even if it wouldn't grab me as much now as it did then.

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Austin/Benoit/Jericho - KOTR 2001 - It was overshadowed by the fact that there was an insane streak of 5-star matches happening on free TV that month (TLC III, Angle/Benoit Cage Match, Austin/Benoit) and Benoit's miraculous night at Judgement Day, but this is definitely top 3 Triple Threats for me. An astounding match from start to finish, the part where Austin is out after Booker's interference is amazing. Austin was shit-hot at this time, going batshit about keeping the title, and we all know Jericho and Benoit's title journey. It's one of those matches which really shows how important and prestigeous Championships can be.

 

Sorry, have to disagree, particularly about the bit in bold. I thought the the vanilla midgets looked out of their depth in a match that had totally the wrong dynamic for either of the (still) underdog babyfaces to shine. Benoit had TWO million-times better singles with Austin earlier that month, and Jericho had the best matches of his life (outside of his work with Michaels and HHH in 00) later that year. The pinfall came out of nowhere and killed the crowd (who had come alive following the Booker run-in) dead.

 

I think the stadium Manias over the years have seen some awesome midcard matches play out to quiet crowds. HHH/Sheamus, Rey/Rhodes and Finlay/JBL were the matches that sprung to mind, but there could be more.

 

HHH's Smackdown run in 2008 is class and never discussed in the bright lights it deserves. Staler than stale on Raw, he suddenly came alive with fresh opponents and new coloured ropes. His run on PPV was nearly flawless. He plays a nice bit-part in the Edge/Vickie drama leading to a choice match at the Bash. You have BROKEN GLASS ARM WRESTLING to build to Khali's second best match ever at Summerslam. His Scramble at Unforgiven with all those midcarders is a blast. No Mercy marks the start of a run with Jeff Hardy where the two had a stream of impossibly good matches against each other that were always different and always ace. That went through Cyber Sunday and culminated with Jeff winning the belt at Armageddon, including a fucking amazing singles match with Jeff Hardy at the end of a 60-hour taping that entertained an absolutely knackered crowd in Manchester that I was a part of. Okay, Kozlov was a mountain too high at that point in his career, but the rest sparkled like it was 2000.

 

His character brought a sense of fun from the DX run over to his singles persona, it was an ace mix. It peaked with the shithot Smackdown chamber in Feb 09, and died with the cripplingly brutal match with Orton at Mania. Coincidentally, this was the feud that brought him back to Raw and ended the hot streak.

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Jeff Hardy's 2006- 2009 run is very under-rated in my eyes, I loved the guy. The Intercontinental Title series with Johnny Nitro, reviving The Hardys during a period where Matt was generally likable and was on fire when it came to his in ring work (see MVP feud) and the big thing with Triple H at the end of 2007 to get his title shot at the Rumble. Royal Rumble 2008 as a whole was amazing (Every one has been since '07 imo) with the big Jeff Hardy/Randy Orton WWE Title match being a huge thing. The build to it was wonderful, with this Desire Style Music Video for that "Rooftops" song being made for him was a highlight. He had some all around fun clashes with Umaga including the Steel Cage match from Raw in Jan 2008 and the Falls Count Anywhere one at One Night Stand.

 

It was such a shame he was such a mess personally and got suspended twice as that was alot of time where there could have been some classic matches that we missed out on, he missed Wrestlemania 24 during the biggest part of his career on the Raw side which was a shame. When they moved him to Smackdown during a period that hadn't had as much in ring talent since the Late 2002/2003 period of the blue brand is when he was at the top of his game. The title win and the matches with Edge, Triple H and The Undertaker, followed by the classic last big feud of his career with CM Punk is what we are missing right now with him not on the WWE side.

 

If the current "Era" began at Wrestlemania 21 with the Cena/Batista title wins, I feel that Jeff Hardy is one of only four huge potential game changing babyfaces (The others are Cena, Batista and Orton for his 2011 Smackdown work), Triple H, Shawn Michaels and The Undertaker not included in this point due to them not being new acts. Jeff was marketable to a large degree as well, his two Raw World Title matches on PPV were huge successes. The Royal Rumble hadn't had Cena advertised and did a good buyrate, and the second was No Way Out 2008 that had his mug on the cover and adverts and was the biggest B Level PPV since the return of D Generation X (The numbers were still close, the last before these two to outdraw was Unforgiven 2003 for Goldberg's title win. The numbers that NWO 2008 drew though haven't been matched since however). I'd love for him to come back, if he's sorted out personally now that he has a wife and a kid. He's still young, there's time.

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Mickie James throws a Trish Stratus appreciation party

 

And its counterpart

 

Mickie James has a gift for Trish Stratus

 

I fucking loved these at the time and just watching them back now, i still think they're as good. Mickie absolutely nails it in both segments, the crowd are way into it in both and both segments come off just perfectly. I'd say probably the best divas work ever in regard to an angle pushing a story. But, i guess that isn't exactly mighty praise. Anyway, the only thing i think has ever rivaled it since is when LayCool held a buffet for Mickie James, which would also be worthy of this thread.

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Good shout on the Mickie James stuff, PMDW (sorry, can't adjust to the new name). James was brilliant in that entire feud, coming across like a proper mental case. I was lucky enough to go to Mania 22 and the crowd were right behind her for the match and she lapped it up for all it was worth. As an aside, I'd almost erased Ashley from my mind, but watching those links again reminds me how much she looked like she just needed a good bath.

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I think JBL's entire main event run is underrated, due to the decline in business it caused, and the fact that he was no Lesnar. The fact that he went in a matter of weeks from midcard tag team wrestler to main event champion in a couple of months is astounding. The initial booking of it was woeful, but JBL's body of work was definitely up to par. By the time WM21 rolled around he was greatly over, the perfect foil for Cena to win the title, and he delivered very good matches in 2005 with Cena, Batista, and a criminally underrated battle with Rey Mysterio at No Mercy.

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Just been watching the best of Saturday nights main event and there was a few forgotten gems on there, stuff I forgot all about.

 

The three best from that DVD are the following:

 

Perfect vs Santana - forgot all about it, perfect was champ and what a beast of a match it was, completely awesome and the emotion of Santana being robbed was mint.

 

Bulldogs vs hart foundation - need to re-watch more of their matches, this particular one is where ax & smash come down to cause bother. Great match a lightyears ahead of it's wwe time.

 

Savage vs Andre - for me, a mile better than any of the hogan/Andre matches. Savage played the small man very well indeed, Andre played the beast very well and sold the 'scared of snakes' thing perfectly. Loved his reactions when bobby was looking under the ring for Damien after Jake popped down to say 'hi'.

 

 

Mabel vs Yokozuna - because it was pure shit

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I think JBL's entire main event run is underrated, due to the decline in business it caused, and the fact that he was no Lesnar. The fact that he went in a matter of weeks from midcard tag team wrestler to main event champion in a couple of months is astounding. The initial booking of it was woeful, but JBL's body of work was definitely up to par. By the time WM21 rolled around he was greatly over, the perfect foil for Cena to win the title, and he delivered very good matches in 2005 with Cena, Batista, and a criminally underrated battle with Rey Mysterio at No Mercy.

 

JBL's title run is highly rated within the IWC. Theres shitloads of love for him on here.

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I think JBL's entire main event run is underrated, due to the decline in business it caused, and the fact that he was no Lesnar. The fact that he went in a matter of weeks from midcard tag team wrestler to main event champion in a couple of months is astounding. The initial booking of it was woeful, but JBL's body of work was definitely up to par. By the time WM21 rolled around he was greatly over, the perfect foil for Cena to win the title, and he delivered very good matches in 2005 with Cena, Batista, and a criminally underrated battle with Rey Mysterio at No Mercy.

 

JBL's title run is highly rated within the IWC. Theres shitloads of love for him on here.

Really? I have to confess I've never seen it. I know he got lots of love as a commentator, but his in-ring return in 08 was mostly met with apathy. I remember on here in 04 when he won the title, people were livid. Maybe he's better viewed in retrospect.

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JBL was in a rough position there. Guerrero admittedly died on his arse. JBL never got put over by a Lesnar or someone like that, like Guerrero did. He went from midcard act and got thrown a hot patato after Guerrero died on his arse. Guerrero did horribly as champion. JBL picked up the belt during a poor run of business. There's the big difference.

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