If Could Take Only 3 Wrestling Matches To a Desert Island...

[air_raid]

1) Royal Rumble 92 - I won't bother parroting what everyone else has said. Just track down air_raid's review of it from a while back. A masterpiece of a match and Heenan still somehow steals Man of the Match without taking a bump.

 

Plus, "PUT THAT CIGARETTE OUT!"

 

Shucks.

 

I've not exactly taken my three favourite matches, or even three from my top 5, as I've tried to tick as many boxes as possible through my choices. I've tried to get as many of my favourite guys involved and also hit three different eras of my wrestling fandom, and two of my choices have the length of match involved as a factor too.

 

(1) The Royal Rumble, 1992

 

Others have nailed the point already, and I myself am guilty of writing a hell of a lot (too much??) about this match already, as referenced above. When I rattle off my five favourite matches of all time, I actually omit this because I kind of consider it cheating, but yes, this is my favourite hour plus of wrestling television ever. The stakes are enormous, it's interesting from start to finish in spite of its length, the cavalcade of true stars throughout and intertwining storylines, the INCREDIBLE commentary, the right payoff.... it's my nirvana. I am not a giant Ric Flair fan by any means, my favourite was always Bret, but this is just a joy to watch. If I can only watch three matches ever, I NEED to take this. Christ, after enough time on the island I may very well ditch the other two and just watch this every day!!

 

(2) Bret/Owen/Smithers/Pillman/Who VS Steve Austin/Ken Shamrock/Goldust/Road Warriors, Canadian Stampede

 

Bret Hart was my favourite wrestler from my first day as a wrestling fan, and this match stands out in my memory. It warmed my heart to see him and his guys get to be the heroes, and as a lengthy match that stays compelling throughout while also giving an outstanding performance from Stone Cold, this was an easy pick from one of my favourite time periods as a wrestling fan. Again, I've gone for a match chock full of performers I love watching, enjoyable interactions, and the right ending. I still get excited watching the Hart Foundation entrances (well, four of them) to this day. Love the look on Owen's face as he comes out to thunderous cheers, love that he got to win the fall, love that Stu is involved. Plus those three lasses in the crowd that love a bit of Shamrock, that always tickles me. Bruce being a prick as always too. I just love this match.

 

(3) Shinsuke Nakamura VS A.J. Styles, Wrestle Kingdom X

 

I'm just throwing it out there ; I love New Japan. For several years, it's been my favourite promotion, and my favourite native during my time following the company closely has been Nakamura. Conversely, A.J. Styles has been my favourite wrestler on and off for much of the last 14 years, and wrestling Shinsuke was a dream match for me from the moment he first showed up in New Japan. That they only wrestled each other the once adds extra significance, of course, but if I'm only getting to watch three matches for the rest of my life, I'm hardly going to neglect New Japan, and with this match I get to have a fix of both Nakamura and of A.J. I'm so relieved they got to do this match in New Japan the once before they left - you can tell me "they might wrestle each other again in WWE" until you're blue in the face - it won't be the same.

[wandshogun09]

I genuinely meant that as a compliment, raid. There's no point in me gushing over that match when your review does it so much better.

 

Canadian Stampede's a great shout actually. As is Rock vs Triple H from Backlash 2000.

[air_raid]

It was a labour of love. Although ultimately it wasn't fair to Flair.

[Cannibal Man]

Aye, it was difficult to not put Canadian Stampede on there. Good shout though. Probably between the HHH/Cactus match, that and the Mind Games main event for me as number 3.

[Max Power]

I didn't get 'into' wrestling until the Attitude Era, so I can't really take anything with me from pre-98 as I don't really have any emotional attachment to it. So I'll go with...

 

3. Rock V Austin, Wrestlemania 17.

 

I was willing Rock to keep kicking out at the end, and was unaware that he was leaving to film whatever he went to film. As far as I was concerned, it's the two biggest stars I'd ever seen in wrestling, fighting in the main event of the biggest show I'd ever seen. Heyman on commentary with JR is fantastic too and adds a lot.

 

2. Styles/Joe/Daniels, Unbreakable 2005.

 

This was the first time I'd been privy to a TNA show after hearing good to mixed reviews. In fact, 2005 was probably their best year. Some of the spots in this thing are incredible, and the sheer athleticism on show is breathtaking.

 

1. TLC 2, Wrestlemania 17.

 

Don't disqualify me for having two things from the same show. I must have worn the tape down on this one and I pretty much know it off by heart. Jeff's Swanton off the daddy ladder, bubba going through the stack of tables on he outside. But the spot of all spots. The spear by Edge on Jeff as he hung from the belts. Fantastic.

[Ian 86]

I've skimmed through this so far and most of my initial picks have been taken. With that in mind, I've tried to pick 3 that haven't been mentioned yet (although, as I said, I've only skimmed through so appreciate I might have missed something).  For me, if I was stuck on a desert island with only 3 matches I'd want matches I enjoyed watching.  In some cases maybe the significance would play a part (TLC 2, Taker vs HHH, etc) but mainly matches I enjoyed (HHH vs Cactus, HHH vs Rock iron man, Bret vs Austin).  Who really wants to be stuck with 3 Hogan matches for all eternity just because they are 'historically significant'!?

So, my three..... 

3) HHH vs Sting - Wrestlemania 31
Definitely neither man's 'best' match from a technical point of view but two of my favourites growing up and I really enjoyed the match.  Having grown up in the 90's seeing them in a ring together still seems somehow surreal but it happened and, despite the silly ending, it was thoroughly enjoyable.  HHH was always going to win, and the ending was always going to be 'respectful' and the handshake for me is a real 'WrestleMania moment', just a shame it had to follow a weapon shot because logic.  The NWO and DX run ins added a much appreciated nostalgia boost, even if the idea of the NWO running (well, walking slowly) in to save Sting seemed a little bizarre given their history but it was preferable to Luger who I guess was the alternative.

 

2) AJ Styles vs Christopher Daniels vs Samoa Joe - Unbreakable 2005
TNA hasn't always been shit, honest.... whenever these three (or two of the three) are in the ring together it always seems to deliver and this, for me, was the best of the lot.  I'm sure there's some quality ROH/other indy versions of this match knocking around somewhere but this is the one I remember and could quite happily watch over and over again which I guess is the point of this thread...

 

3) Bret Hart vs British Bulldog - In Your House 5

One of my favourite matches ever, miles better than the Summerslam one. This was my first pick and I'm pleased I didnt notice anyone else pick it (apologies if you did!) because I absolutely love it.  IYH 5 has always a guilty pleasure and I think this match is the main reason.  I loved these two guys growing up and this always felt like a real big deal. My only slight criticism is it could have done with less Diana-cam (I guess Matilda was already booked), but even her gurning through it wasn't enough to ruin it for me.

 

Honourable mentions to a few guilty pleasures (I cant remember all the TNA event names/years) - Rock vs HHH vs Big Show (Survivor Series 99 - yeah, I said it...), HHH vs McMahon (Armageddon 99), AJ Styles vs Bully Ray last man standing, Desmond Wolfe vs Kurt Angle, Jeff Hardy vs Bully Ray (Lockdown ), Roode vs Storm (iMpact - the title match), most of Doug Williams' X title run, anything involving British Invasions vs Machine Guns vs Team 3D.  I'm sure there's others but as they're not in the three they don't count anyway.

[HarmonicGenerator]

Super podcast this week, loads of fun and a great listen. Already looking forward to part 2!

 

Do you have a list of all the matches that were talked about in the episode? Quite tempted to give them all a watch compilation style.

[kickin it wit the kliq]

Another excellent show guys, raging with myself that I forgot to contribute this week, I'm going to have to watch that Flair/Funk match now after the glowing review

[Liam O'Rourke]

Glad you guys liked it (holy crap you're on the ball, it hasn't even been on the site 24 hours yet)....HG I'll check the notes and write a list in here if you like.

[WyattSheepMask]

Thank you for not ripping my Taker/Lesnar at WM30 suggestion completely to shreds. I did acknowledge that's it's not a classic by any stretch, but everyone wills always know where they watched the streak end and that's why I picked it

[air_raid]

Fucking hell, I thought I was ahead of the curve downloading on a Saturday morning instead of waiting for Liam to post that it was up. Well, that's my Friday night sorted.

 

That's right, Friday night. Say something.

[Max Power]

Another fantastic episode chaps - THAT Chase rant being the highlight.

[HarmonicGenerator]

That's twice in a row Chase has stolen the show for me, he'll be calling himself "Mr SCG" and pointing to himself with his thumbs before long.

 

Cheers Liam, that'd be great, and will give me something to watch on the Network between Fast Lane and WrestleMania! Thanks!

[air_raid]

Good stuff.

 

Some feedback for Chase on the New Japan choices. He brought up Tana vs Okada from Invasion Attack 2013, and I fucking loved that match. I got up early to watch that show and it was so great that it basically ruined WrestleMania 29 (the same day) because it could not touch it. In particular, I was highly emotionally invested in the match at the time too. I was completely on board the Okada bandwagon and the summer before I'd seen him win his G1 in the flesh on one of my jaunts out there, and I was gagging for him to win the belt back. The go home sequence had me on the edge of my seat and I was out of my chair jumping for joy when he won. There is a possibility that it might be my favourite match in New Japan since the turn of the century. However.... for the theme of the show, I had to go with Nakamura vs A.J. I'm not just taking a great New Japan match, I'm taking it because it's A.J. and it's Nakamura, and I don't want to go without either of them for the rest of my life. I'm already losing Angle, Benoit, Eddie, Lesnar and others by virtue of my other choices.

[kidkris]

So because of my brilliant back pain and insomnia ive been listening to all kinds of podcast's & decided to give this one a whirl.

Well impressed and will be keeping track of it as i love some of the topics for discussion and im looking forward to getting involved in future shows.

\\m//