Five matches that shaped your wrestling fandom

[King Coconut]

3 hours ago, air_raid said:

Fuck

That fuck confused the hell out of me. I grew up with WOS so as soon as I saw the American stuff it was clear to me that it wasn't real like our stuff. But why would Bret be so annoyed if it's not real? Eh? It's still mystery.

[DCW]

1. Cactus Jack vs Triple H- Royal Rumble 2000

I'd been watching off and on since mid 99, when WWF seemed to take a stronghold in popularity in primary school. The tragic death of poor Owen Hart seemed to help drive interest in it, strangely enough. I'd noticed Foley via his promos and a completely different look/style compared to the majority of the WWF roster (me being a weird, chubby 12 year old helped on that front!) and the build-up to Royal Rumble 2000 made me a fully-fledged fan. I stayed up and watched semi-live (thanks Channel 4!) and was basically hooked completely from there until 04 or 05 when my interest waned as the show got terrible & I discovered alcohol & women.

2. The Rock vs Triple H- Backlash 2000.

Should have been the main event of Mania 2000, but nevertheless it was still a cracking buildup, match and finish. A beer-gutted, neck still healing Steve Austin making his big return, blowing up the DX Express and waddling out to clatter everyone with awkward-looking chair shots to help Rocky be crowned as THE top new babyface was brilliant. Again, another Channel 4 showing which helped, as our Sky was regularly cut off in those days. I got a 'Layeth the Smacketh Down' t-shirt in Forbidden Planet soon after.

3. Rob Van Dam vs Jeff Hardy- Invasion 2001

I was all for the invasion angle at the time. A slighly older crowd in school had a VHS of Heat Wave 2000 where RVD wrestled Scotty Anton that I'd been given a lend of and RVD became my new teenage, smarky Power Slam reading favourite. This match was like nothing I'd seen on WWF TV before. RVD was charismatic, cool and could do amazing things like the rolling thunder, van daminator and the epic frog splash. Really great, and violent match with no real build, but it didn't matter cos RVD was cool as fuck & won the hardcore title, while the rest of the invasion crew were being jobbed out. Another Channel 4 special, as we were still poor!

4. Kurt Angle vs Brock Lesnar- Wrestlemania 19

I loved Angle at the time and was so looking forward to this match. I thought we'd get a screwy finish or a really quick squash because of all the rumours about how bad Kurt's neck was. But the mad bastard went and had a great match with a rookie who didn't know his own strength or limitations, as evidenced by the botched finish. Really enjoyed this match and it was the final Mania where I can still remember the entire card from top to bottom. We had a dodgy box by this stage, so could watch live on Sky.

5. CM Punk vs John Cena- MITB 2011

The 'pipebomb' promo & the forgotten contract signing the week after with Vince & general intrigue about what Punk would do hooked me back in & I was glad it did. Excellent match, the right outcome & made a proper star out of Punk, even if he never quite reached these heights again in my opinion. I'd always check back on whatever Punk was up to after this and dip in and out of it piqued my interest.

[air_raid]

3 minutes ago, DCW said:

Again, another Channel 4 showing which helped, as our Sky was regularly cut off in those days. I got a 'Layeth the Smacketh Down' t-shirt in Forbidden Planet soon after.

Didn’t realize they had Forbidden Planet in Wigan in those days!

[Jazzy G]

That Angle Benoit match is amazing. I don't know which ones I'd pick, but it's possible that one's on the list.

@TAFKA Jonny VegasIf that Sting/Vader match took place across two rings it's possible it was at Fall Brawl '94? It was originaly a 3 way match with the Guardian Angel, but there was some silly gubbins about timers and stuff, and Big Bubba got eliminated before Sting entered the match, meaning it was just Sting Vs Vader for the majority. They did have some wars, though. A strap match, the White Castle Of Fear, the King Of Cable final. One of the rivalries in WCW for a time. Well, until Hogan turned up.

[air_raid]

@Jazzy G I imagine Vader, Sting and Arm would be involved in yours.

[Keith Houchen]

I’d say all of mine have been mentioned with the exception of Bret Hart vs Goldberg at Starrcade 1999

[TAFKA Jonny Vegas]

3 hours ago, Jazzy G said:

That Angle Benoit match is amazing. I don't know which ones I'd pick, but it's possible that one's on the list.

@TAFKA Jonny VegasIf that Sting/Vader match took place across two rings it's possible it was at Fall Brawl '94? It was originaly a 3 way match with the Guardian Angel, but there was some silly gubbins about timers and stuff, and Big Bubba got eliminated before Sting entered the match, meaning it was just Sting Vs Vader for the majority. They did have some wars, though. A strap match, the White Castle Of Fear, the King Of Cable final. One of the rivalries in WCW for a time. Well, until Hogan turned up.

Thanks mate, it was so long ago I always remembered it as having that classic spot of running clothesline etc without being able to get the bigger man off his feet before Sting finally did.

I think CTXRussomark may have told me what match it was over a decade ago but sadly I cannot remember for sure.

[Shane O' Mac Version 2]

1. Stone Cold vs. Dude Love- Over the Edge 1998

It wasn't the first match I saw, but it's the first one I remember in its entirety. Pure Attitude Era madness, brawling around the arena, Vince as the ref, the Stooges as timekeepers, Taker getting involved. Pure chaos. Pure brilliant chaos. As I started watching wrestling in 1998, a child of Attitude, this was the perfect representation of why I loved it.

2. Shawn Michaels vs. The Undertaker- WrestleMania 25

One of 3 go-to matches I have if I want to show someone wrestling for the first time. Might be a cliche' choice but both HBK and Taker were my introductions to pro wrestling. When I was in the 2nd grade, my best mate lent me a Shawn VHS and a Undertaker VHS. This was the best of both men, on the biggest stage possible, one of the best dramatic, action packed matches ever. Shame about the rest of the card.

3. Eddie Guerrero vs. Rey Mysterio Jr.- Halloween Havoc 1997

The second go-to match. I didn't watch WCW growing up, I think I first saw this match on a Rey Mysterio DVD collection once he was in WWE. But it was such a mindblowing match athletically, with the clear good guy/bad guy divide just like HBK vs. Taker was. Always gravitated towards the smaller high flier types even as a kid, before AEW, even before the Smackdown 6 and the Cruiserweight division there. Was all about the Jeff Hardys, Eddie Guerreros and Rob Van Dams back then, then when Rey made his WWE debut- I remember that whole episode of Smackdown from start to finish. Even now in 2024, he might be old, but Rey is still one of my favourites, and a massive part of my wrestling fandom.

4. TLC II- WrestleMania X-Seven

The third go-to match. Take the drama of HBK vs. Taker, the high flying and athletics of Eddie vs. Rey, add in a shitload of weapons, and you have possibly THE highlight of the greatest WrestleMania of all time. 6 guys, 3 teams, all wanting to prove themselves- as well as the run ins/cameos from Lita, Rhyno and Spike. Absolute balls to the wall carnage, and one of my favourite wrestling visuals ever with Edge's Spear on Jeff Hardy off the ladder. A car crash of epic proportions, and the standard I compare all similar match types to.

5. Matty Wahlberg vs. Caveman Ugg- PWA Black Label 2019

Some eight or so years ago, I became a fan of Australian pro wrestling. One of the early talents to catch my eye was Matty Wahlberg, known today as Grayson Waller on Smackdown. Character-wise, Wahlberg and Waller are basically the same. Cocky, brash, willing to do whatever it takes, Wahlberg filmed a 3 parts docu-series called "The 21st Century Success Story" to hype this showdown. The Wahlberg vs. Ugg main event was something that helped propel Wahlberg towards future stardom, and being scouted by WWE later in the year. Brilliant clash of styles where the perennial heel became a babyface underdog for the night against the monster Ugg.

 

 

[d-d-d-dAz]

These are the matches I reflexively think of whenever asked something like 'why do you like wrestling?'

Bret Hart v Roddy Piper

Flair v Macho Man

Both from Wrestlemania VIII, the first show I have any real recollection of watching and even as a wee whippersnapper would watch these matches on repeat. I think for much of my childhood these four would be my favourite wrestlers, and the 'type' of wrestler they represent probably still is.

Shawn Michaels v Razor Ramon

The ladder match from Wrestlemania X. I could have picked Bret v Owen, to be fair, but another show I had on constant rotation and this match in particular stuck out as being so new and fresh. I don't think there is a bigger modernisation or jump in production values/style than between Wrestlemania 9 and 10, its like decades passed between them.

Rob Van Dam v Jerry Lynn

Living Dangerously 1999. The first match that showed me a world beyond WWE/WCW. I remember being completely enthralled, and would probably say that the matches listed before this got me into WWF wrestling, this match got me into wrestling.

Triple H v Rikishi

From January 6, 2000 on Smackdown. This was either the first Smackdown ever broadcast in the UK, the first Smackdown broadcast on a Saturday morning in the UK or just the first Smackdown broadcast in the UK that I'd seen. Not sure which. I'd have been 12, waiting to watch ByteSize or some rubbish on a Saturday morning round my mates house who had Sky, and then FUCKING SMACKDOWN CAME ON. This was the first shared experience I'd had watching wrestling, which in itself was special. We were going absolutely mad for Rikishi, bouncing around the room, screaming and chanting. Just a really formative memory for me.

Honorable mentions to Undertaker v Mankind in HIAC, and the Samoa Joe v Kenta Kobashi chopfest in ROH. Out of respect for the format of the thread, I wont go into detail but bangers.

[air_raid]

47 minutes ago, d-d-d-dAz said:

I don't think there is a bigger modernisation or jump in production values/style than between Wrestlemania 9 and 10, its like decades passed between them.

I think that's only because IX was in a car park and had the dodgy Roman theme. Ignoring the difference between a stadium and MSG, VIII and X are reasonably similar except for the colour of ring ropes and swapping matadors and voodoo men for clowns and rappers. XI at least is when they start having the extra spotlight effects like flying hearts for Bret or razors for, umm, Razor, A fancy collapsing sugarglass entranceway for Diesel and a slick looking tunnel ;

OK, not every show will have Pamela coming out the tunnel but whatever.

[d-d-d-dAz]

45 minutes ago, air_raid said:

I think that's only because IX was in a car park and had the dodgy Roman theme. Ignoring the difference between a stadium and MSG, VIII and X are reasonably similar except for the colour of ring ropes and swapping matadors and voodoo men for clowns and rappers. XI at least is when they start having the extra spotlight effects like flying hearts for Bret or razors for, umm, Razor, A fancy collapsing sugarglass entranceway for Diesel and a slick looking tunnel ;

OK, not every show will have Pamela coming out the tunnel but whatever.

I don't know that I agree, and that may be in part because of my own bias because of when I'd have watched them (I think I watched 8 broadly in the same era when it came out, but 10 I may have come back to in 97ish), but I'd say Hogan v Sid Mania was still that late 80s/early 90s WWE aesthetic, whereas by Wrestlemania X it felt like (with the benefit of hindsight) that they were starting to lay the foundations of the Attitude Era. Black became the primary colour, there was more natural light, they started to pack the crowd's in a bit more (probably the MSG effect, like you say).

Wrestlemania 9 is still the maddest show. Fucking Roman cosplay in a car park. Love it.

[air_raid]

1 hour ago, d-d-d-dAz said:

I don't know that I agree, and that may be in part because of my own bias because of when I'd have watched them (I think I watched 8 broadly in the same era when it came out, but 10 I may have come back to in 97ish), but I'd say Hogan v Sid Mania was still that late 80s/early 90s WWE aesthetic, whereas by Wrestlemania X it felt like (with the benefit of hindsight) that they were starting to lay the foundations of the Attitude Era.

Well, sure, YMMV. For me the sweeping change was between Mania X and King of the Ring 94. Having only access to tapes of the teatime repeats of the PPVs with ad breaks inserted (“Atmosfear, the video board game!”) lent to me by a mate from swimming, and no weekly TV, everything seemed to get a new coat of paint overnight. There were spotlight logos everywhere! Diesel was a regular singles wrestler and had managed to already win the Intercontinental belt! The Headshrinkers were goodies! Bret had new music!… actually, that took me a little while to warm to. But the show seemed to be a bit “newer.”

Well, Rowdy Roddy Piper was on last, Gorilla was back on commentary and the Anvil turned up, but you know, swings and roundabouts.

[JimmyAnderson]

Outsiders & ??? v Lex Luger, Randy Savage & Sting (Bash at the Beach 96)

I was always more of a WCW kid than WWF, mainly because my two elder cousins who introduced me to wrestling in the first place were very much pro-WWF. So I had to be different to be them and bat for the other side. And this match was probably the first one that really meant something to me. Even though I was only five at the time, it was something I could relate to. It was two fuckers from the other side coming into my company to ruin it. It was like my two elder cousins coming to ours and trying to beat me at my subbuteo. So I think this was the match that cemented me as a fan.

Steve Austin v Owen Hart (SummerSlam 97)

As I said, I was more of a WCW fan but I did watch the WWF PPVs with my cousins and this shaped my fandom because although I was watching, and enjoying, wrestling I also always believed my dad, who told me it was all fake. They didn't really hurt each other, they didn't really dislike each other and all the rest. Then this match happened and the broken neck Austin sustained made me realise that actually they do get hurt, or at least the potential to be hurt is always there. I think it gave me more appreciation for what they go through.

DDP v Hulk Hogan v Ric Flair v Sting (Spring Stampede 99)

Ever since his fued with Savage in 97, DDP was my favourite wrestler. I was rooting for him so badly, so to see him finally become World champion made it all worthwhile. This was the match where I could tell everyone and anyone who'd listen that "I told you so". I always knew DDP was the best around. And he beat three of the greatest to ever grace a wrestling ring. He was the best!

Royal Rumble Match (Royal Rumble 2001)

This was the match that took me into the mindset of "can't be arsed with this anymore." I let out a groan and a roll of the eyes when Austin won. "Fucks sake, not again - why does he have to win all the fucking time?" And I think this is where I first started to stop watching wrestling on a regular basis. It just seemed like there was an opportunity for others to win the Rumble that year but nah, we have to stick with Austin. Obviously what followed with his main event against Rock at the greatest WrestleMania ever probably means it was the right decision but it didn't sit right with me. 

Cody Rhodes v Sammy Guevara (First match ever on Dynamite 2019)

I don't remember much about the match itself other than Sammy coming out with the fucking panda on his head and Brandi Rhodes looking absolutely stunning. But in the ten-fifteen years prior to AEW debuting, I'd probably missed more wrestling than I'd watched as I couldn't be arsed with the same faces in the same matches that we'd seen for years and years. It became a real chore to enjoy it. So this new company, AEW, was probably gonna be the last time I'd give wrestling a go. And something clicked with me, starting with this match. And I think that being a lot older, I can just enjoy this daft shit rather than getting het up about it.

[Vamp]

I was a lapsed fan for quite a few years, so I'm going to go for recent matches that were important to this stage of my fandom. This means the list is going to very EVE heavy. Sorry. 

1) Aja Kong vs. Viper - Wrestle Queendom 1

So I fell out of love with wrestling for quite a few years. I think a good chunk of that was depression sucking the joy away from my passions. Not quite sure how I stumbled upon the fact that Aja Kong was going to be wrestling in London but I decided I definitely wanted to see that. The match wasn't my favourite one on the show, but it was the reason I went. And it was good fun.

 

2) Sammi Jayne vs. Charlie Morgan - Wrestle Queendom 1

I came for Aja Kong but this match reignited my love for pro wrestling. I still remember the passion in the crowd, the insanity of Charlie Morgan diving from a balcony, the moment me and a complete stranger turned to each other and went "what the fuck," and the sheer desperation for a woman I'd never heard of to win the title. I once, very awkwardly, told Charlie Morgan (after her first retirement) that this match helped me reconnect with something that depression had taken away from me. It was the reason I went back to EVE and became a fan. 

3) Jetta vs. Kasey - She-1

There's a lot of context to this one. The She-1 was a four show tournament held over 2 days. It was fucking knackering even as a fan. You'd stand up for two days in a sweat box. It felt like a third of the wrestlers who started the tournament didn't finish it due to injury. Jetta was the lovable loser. She'd lost all 3 of her matches at the previous She-1 and had lost 2 of her matches at this She-1. The longer this match went the more desperate people were for the time to run out. They weren't desperate for Jetta to win, that wasn't going to happen, they were desperate for Jetta to just hold onto the time limit. When she finally got over the line and picked up a solitary, meaningless point by getting to the end of the time limit people went bananas. Just a perfect combination of actual long term booking, a unique story to a match, and a seriously, seriously underrated live performer. 

4) Sting at Wembley

I was a big fan of Sting in my first stage of wrestling fandom. I was largely left cold by AEW at Wembley because, it turns out, stadium wrestling isn't for me. Still, seeing Sting live was special and felt like a weird sort of closure to my first stage of fandom.

5) Stadium Stampede Wembley

Bit worried that this might just come off like I'm having a pop at AEW but I am genuine when I say that I think this match was important because I found it a boring and miserable experience. It's nothing to do with the wrestlers involved, or AEW, it's just that sitting in a stadium watching wrestling isn't for me. It made me realise that what I love about live wrestling is its immediacy and a stadium can't do that. I also felt very anxious at this point, because I felt like I had both wasted my money and not spent enough. I feel like I'm lucky to have had that experience in London so that after it was all over I could go home and have a sulk in bed rather than go back to a hotel in the US or something. 

[Kane]

Not in ny particular order:

Kurt Angle vs Beniot Royal Rumble 2003

Brock Lesnar vs Undertaker No Mercy 2002

Stone Cold vs Kurt Angle Summerslam 2001

3 Minute Warning & Rico vs Bubba, Spike and Jeff Hardy Survivor Series 2002 (My fave table match ever)

Demolition and King Duggan vs Andre & Twin Towers. Summerslam 1989 (My first ever intoduction to wrestling at 4 yrs old.