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Official DVD/Match/Show Discussion Thread

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#1 ·
#7,101 ·
I find the Rumble and Ground Zero matches to be average in all honesty, and I'm not a huge fan of the WM 25 encounter though it is good. HIAC and WM 26 are definitely classics though, and the exchange in the 07 Rumble can't be overlooked in terms of a mini match. But aye I'd probably lump them in the definitely terrific chemistry category, but just under those who never produced an average or below match.

FWIW I do realise this is essentially a terribly nit-picky criteria, but I do find it fun to try and see how many pairings got consistent opportunities against one another and managed to deliver every single time.
 
#7,102 ·
Taker/HBK have the best chemistry in WWE History... Bar None.

IYHGZ 97 : ****
IYHBB 97 HIAC : ***** (GOAT Match , MOTY, MOTD)
RR 98 Casket : **** 1/4 (MOTY)
WM XXV : ***** (MOTY, MOTD, #3 GOAT WWE)
WM XXVI : ***** (MOTY, MOTD, #5 GOAT WWE)

One of only two pairs to have three ***** matches (the lone WWE representative) alongside Flair and Steamboat.
 
#7,105 ·
Honorable mention to Rey/Jericho. Loved their feud a couple of years ago, and I'm sure they had some great WCW matches even if I can't recall anything other than Souled Out and BATB 98 (which I really enjoyed) at the moment.

edit - Jericho/HBK as well, I suppose. WM19 and they 2008 matches are all amazing.

Off topic, has anyone been more consistently amazing over the past 15-20 years than Rey Mysterio?
 
#7,106 ·
Not to my recollection, its staggering how better he got since he joined WWE as he slowly adapted to his depleting athleticism and injury ridden body and slowly developed a more well rounded striking game with the occasional high spot to still keep the crowd going. Not to mention how better he got at timing and pacing his matches to perfection, throwing in some great false comebacks to keep the crowd invested and build to his eventual comeback as well as bumping and selling his arse off to get anyone and everyone over. WWE hasn't ever had a better TV match worker and his list of weekly good-great matches since 2003 and beyond is simply staggering. From Noble to Tajiri to Eddie to Finlay to Morrison to Jericho to Punk to Henry to Orton etc the list just keeps on growing.

Tenryu in Japan has been pretty awesome in the same time frame as the relentlessly violent veteran fighting anyone and everyone, but strictly in America no-one can match Mysterio for consistency. Its quite frightening how he got so much better from his WCW days where he was a dazzling high flyer with a good sense of timing, compared to what he is now: aka a complete wrestler.
 
#7,107 ·
Nice batch this round K1ngofK1ngs. I actually agree with most/I'm within 1/4* of yours. My order for the batch would be:

(****1/2)
1) Orton/Christian OTL 11
(****1/4)
2) Edge/Cena BL 09
3) Taker/Batista CS 07
4) Raw EC 2009
5) Punk/Hardy SS 09
6) Orton/Christian SS 11
(****)
7) Taker/Batista BL 07
8) Orton/Benoit SS 04
9) Benoit/Kane BB 04
10) SD EC 2010

I think I know a few matches that will be in the top 10. Taker/Angle NWO06 for sure or I'll have to kill you in your sleep ;) (hell, I might just consider that if it's not in your top 5 :p ), maybe their SD match as well (since I haven't seen that yet on your list I don't think). WM20 and BL04 Triple Threats and Batista I'm sure will be on there (I'm sure you have the Mania triple threat at ***** and I think I remember seeing you put Batista/HHH at *****). So that's half the rest of the list if I'm not mistaken. The other half... er... not sure.

My WHC Top 10 would be (I think I may have posted it a short time ago, but can't remember):

(*****)
1) Taker/Angle NWO 06
(****1/2)
2) Taker/Batista WM23 (Note: Between Taker/Batista WM23 and Batista/HHH Vengeance, I can never settle on which to put over the other. Both are even in my hands for different reasons, but ultimately... and this is no secret... I naturally enjoy a Taker match more than a HHH match, which is what it comes down to right now)
3) Batista/HHH Vengeance 05
4) Benoit/HBK/HHH WM20
5) Orton/Christian OTL 11
(****1/4)
6) Taker/Angle SD06
7) Edge/Cena BL 09
8) Benoit/HBK/HHH BL 04
9) Taker/Batista CS 07
10) Raw EC 2009

Wonder if I'm missing something. I feel like I am.

Also, K1ngofK1ng's, not sure if they were included in WWE Title matches (don't remember), but maybe you could do a separate list for all the Undisputed Title matches on TV/PPV (I'm sure there can't be more than 75 of them... I think). That would be an interesting list imo. Hell, I'd probably do it if I wanted to have nightmares about Taker/HHH KOTR again. :p

As far as best chemistry, hands down Taker/HBK. Three classics, and worst match is still very good. Not to mention their Rumble mini-match being the best Rumble ending sequence ever imo, it's those two easily for me.
 
#7,109 ·
My top 5 EC would be:

(****1/2)
1) SVS 02
(****1/4)
2) NYR 05
3) Raw EC 09
4) SD EC 11
(****)
5) SD EC 10

Edit: After that I'd have SD EC 2009, followed by Raw EC 2008. Then I have no idea what comes next.
 
#7,110 ·
The main reason why I only rank PPV matches , is that I feel the need to watch EVERYTHING that I'm ranking. What I mean by that is, if I want to include one TV match that I think is awesome, I'd have to review all the Championship TV matches in order to give the great ones justice.

There's just so fucking many of them, and they include matches such as Yoko/Crush and other AMAZING matches... Even if I'm 99.9 percent sure the match will suck, I NEED to watch it in order to give it a fair review. I HATE it when somebody rates something without actually seeing it (A staple that I think we see far too often, leading to various matches becoming overrated/ underrated).

I'm sure that if I included TV matches, we'd have Taker/Angle from SD 06, HHH/Benoit from Raw 04, HBK/Benoit from Raw 04, and the like...But if I included those, I'd feel the need to go out of my way and watch every single WHC TV match ever...Think I'm going to go look and see how many there exactly are, because if there's less than 70 or so, I might consider taking you up on that.
 
#7,111 · (Edited)
From Noble to Tajiri to Eddie to Finlay to Morrison to Jericho to Punk to Henry to Orton etc the list just keeps on growing.
I know people love to shit on Morrison, but there was a time a few years ago when he was on fire putting on great matches on a weekly basis. The IC title match on SD vs Rey when Rey was going on suspension is one of my favorite matches in recent years.

edit - I have a soft spot for the NYR05 EC match because it ended with HHH being TEN TIMES THE KING~! It was an amazing setup for the inevitable Batista/H collision at Mania as well, though.
 
#7,113 ·
My issue with Morrison is he's just not believeable enough to me in certain settings. I get they wanted to recreate the HBK Sexy Boy gimmick and get him over primarily with the women for his looks and the males for his athleticism, but to me he just wasn't good enough to be a face: the things he struggled at where covered up far better as a heel where he could rely more on douchebag behaviour and signature offence. I mean to me, he peaked in MNM (who were fucking awesome and a legit Best Team of the Decade contender for WWE) and then after that would have occasional glimpses of good showings under the Morrison character. Never really enjoyed ECW era Johnny Nitro at all.

His offence was generally pretty dire, especially when he began focusing more of forearm, knee and kick strikes. He just didn't look like a 'striker' in any respect of the word and I could never muster any interest in those matches. If he was going to stick to a babyface he should have just been a flyer with the odd traditional wrestling move to establish he had a bit of technical awareness. Whoever thought he should incorporate more strikes into his game really needs a kick in the head, everything about his look made it impossible to take his strikes seriously.

He was a really good seller when he wanted to be however. The TLC Ladder match vs Sheamus is probably the best singles ladder match the company put on since Benoit/Jericho Royal Rumble 2001. Creative and innovative use of the ladder by Sheamus, great selling by Morrison coupled by a central focus of the limb in everything Sheamus did, smart teasing and then later delivering on visually pleasing spots which were creative and also helped add to the drama with Morrison desperately needing a comeback and they at least managed to make the typically poor 'slow climb' realistic with Morrison having one leg fucked. The only really blatant choreographed spot came right at the end and looked suitably brutal, and for the most part the match was built around the ladder coming into play to incapacitate Morrison instead of elaborate spot after elaborate spot.
 
#7,114 · (Edited)
The main reason why I only rank PPV matches , is that I feel the need to watch EVERYTHING that I'm ranking. What I mean by that is, if I want to include one TV match that I think is awesome, I'd have to review all the Championship TV matches in order to give the great ones justice.

There's just so fucking many of them, and they include matches such as Yoko/Crush and other AMAZING matches... Even if I'm 99.9 percent sure the match will suck, I NEED to watch it in order to give it a fair review. I HATE it when somebody rates something without actually seeing it (A staple that I think we see far too often, leading to various matches becoming overrated/ underrated).

I'm sure that if I included TV matches, we'd have Taker/Angle from SD 06, HHH/Benoit from Raw 04, HBK/Benoit from Raw 04, and the like...But if I included those, I'd feel the need to go out of my way and watch every single WHC TV match ever...Think I'm going to go look and see how many there exactly are, because if there's less than 70 or so, I might consider taking you up on that.
I'm sure there's quite a bit for WHC and WWE Title matches... though I actually don't know why I predicted Taker/Angle SD06 since I knew you were only doing PPV matches.

For Undisputed title matches though, there surely can't be more than 70 matches in total. I mean, off the top of my head:

Jericho/Austin Vengeance 01
Jericho/Rock RR
Jericho/Maven on Raw/SD (if that was for the Undisputed Title)
Jericho/Austin NWO
Jericho/HHH WM18
HHH/Jericho/Stephanie Raw
HHH/Hogan BL
Hogan/Jericho SD
Hogan/Flair Raw/SD
Hogan/Taker JD
Taker/RVD Raw after JD
Taker/Orton Raw/SD (if match was for Undisputed Title, it was a squash)
Taker/HHH KOTR
Taker/Hardy Raw Ladder Match
Taker/Angle SD same week of Raw ladder match with Jeff
Taker/Rock/Angle Vengeance 02
Rock/Eddie Raw (if it was for title)
Rock/Benoit SD
Rock/Lesnar SS (last Undisputed Title match)

19 matches from my count if all of those were for the Undisputed title. May be missing one. I'm not sure, but Taker may have faced Jeff a week before the ladder match for the title which then lead to the ladder match, but I may be completely off on that one.

Speaking of Undisputed title, Taker's run owned. The Vengeance triple threat, the ladder match with Hardy, and the SD match with Angle were all awesome. Also I believe the RVD match on Raw was good as well, though I need to re-watch it. That's the one where RVD pinned Taker with Taker's foot on the rope, and Flair restarts the match. Of course, there were his PPV matches with Hogan and HHH... which were poor, especially the HHH match. The Hogan match at least you could've expected that being Hogan, but HHH? Even if by that point it was clear he was a shell of his former self, I'd still think he could do better than Hogan. Damn, that match was a mess.
 
#7,115 ·
Elimination Chamber matches ranked out of those I've seen.

1. NYR 2005 (****1/2)
2. SVS 2002 (****1/4)
3. NYR 2006 (****)
4. Smackdown EC 2011 (***3/4)
5. Raw EC 2011 (***1/2)
6. Smackdown EC 2012 (***1/4)
7. Raw EC 2012 (***)
8. SS 2002 (**3/4)

Haven't seen December to Dismember 06 or the 08/09 ones and I need to rewatch the ones in 2010. This also reminds of why I hate the gimmick PPVs. It feels a lot more special when a match only happens once a year at most and is an 'exclusive' match of type like the EC used to be before 08 and MITB before the PPV with the same name. Now, they happen twice a year, the list gets huge and it no longer feels special. The biggest offender is still HIAC, though.
 
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