[The Lady Killer]

There haven't been that many legit unexpected beatdowns that I can recall. BROCK/Cena is the only other one that comes to mind.

[WOOLCOCK]

Agreed, it is a pretty under utilised angle, though I guess on PPV WWE is pre-conditioned to wanting to run fairly lengthy matches less risk turning viewers away by not delivering on a match. I still think its a beautiful way to build heat in the feud and make viewers realise not every feud/match will play out like the last and in the Hardy/Edge case, one bad bump by Hardy leading to Edge relentlessly abusing him until the referee deemed it dangerous to continue was a shrewd tactic.

Will be unlikely to get anything like that again for a while, only way they could do it with their current direction would be an injury angle, though its not quite got the lasting impact of a bloody beatdown of a crowd hero.

[The Lady Killer]

I vageuly remember being a bit uncomfortable watching Hardy/Edge. Didn't Edge kick him stiffly in the head a few times?

[WOOLCOCK]

Yup, Matt was pretty much prone on the middle and bottom rope and Edge was just booting the crap out of him for a couple of minutes. Of course the bloody head and tremendous visual selling from Matt really put over the situation and the bump itself off the steel edge of the turnbuckle looked nasty in of itself.

Shame people look on it as a disappointment because as I said I think its one of the more gutsier and well worked piece of booking I've seen in some time from the company.

[The Lady Killer]

That selling was followed up by HBK flopping around making a mockery of Hogan's offense

[JoeRulz]

You know what'd be ubercool? Lesnar/Bryan. The story writes itself. It's like an upgraded version of Morishima/Danielson.

[That's irrelevant]

Originally Posted by ATF

Rock/Mankind Empty Arena was a hell of a ride, had tons of fun watching it, especially considering the circumstances.

I'm throwing star ratings for one of my personal favourite shows, No Mercy 2006:
Gregory Helms vs. Matt Hardy - ***3/4
Londrick vs. KC James & Idol Stevens (D-Sandow)- ***1/2
MVP/Jobber - DUD
Taker/Kennedy - **3/4
Rey/Chavo - ***1/4
Benoit/Regal - ****1/4 (might be overrating the match that 1st really got me into wrestling)
Fatal 4-Way - ***1/4

Looked shitty on paper but given how awesome SD was in 06, that meant nothing. For fans of stiff and bloody pure wrestling wars, Benoit/Regal is a must-watch, really underrated I see.

I don't think I've watched that PPV before. I'm going to watch it later mainly for the Benoit/Regal match that sounds pretty promising. Their match on Velocity was great, pure wrestling and would love to view their No Mercy encounter.

[WOOLCOCK]

I'm still not sure which bump is my favourite in the Shawn/Hogan match. Obviously the big boot bump where he comes off the canvas only to spin in a circle and fall back is the most memorable, but I'm a sucker for the outward flip bump off the head into the turnbuckle shot, as well as his bump off the clothesline to the floor.

Vintage cokehead Michaels that night.

[The Lady Killer]

Yeah, I'd kill for Lesnar/Danielson but it wouldn't happen. I think they could do a great David vs Goliath storyline with Danielson playing the physically outmatched babyface using his technical abilities to expose Brock's weakness (gut, I'm assuming?).

edit the one to the outside is probably my favorite

[WOOLCOCK]

Originally Posted by JoeRulz

You know what'd be ubercool? Lesnar/Bryan. The story writes itself. It's like an upgraded version of Morishima/Danielson.

Agreed. Doesn't even have to be a match where Bryan goes over, just make it the match that people will arguably remember most from his WWE career. Have it largely worked similar to the Batista match, only with 8-10 more mins added on and Lesnar obviously being far more physical and violent in decimating Bryan. Have him get a few strong nearfalls through submissions, have Lesnar sell the shock, worry and fear this guy might have his number and then put Bryan over in defeat in the best way possible: something along the lines of a Brock Lock/referee stoppage should do the trick.