[The Beast Incarnate]

.... I rank Austin-Trips high :hhh

I get what you're saying too. If Punk somehow managed to pull a *** 1/2+ match out of the incredibly shitty Ryback , he would probably move up a spot in my GOAT rankings and I'm not joking at all. Khali is a better worker than Ryback. You know it's sad when the only thing close to a good match that Ryback has had is his *** match with Punk at HIAC which everybody hates besides me anyways.

HE'S HORRIBLE !

[Jack Evans 187]

Originally Posted by #PaulHeymanGuy

Worst year for the company (match-wise) ?

For me, I'd have to say it's either 98 or 99. I can't think of 5 **** matches from 1999 , and I can't think of that many great matches from 98 either. My MOTY for 98 is Taker-Shawn from the Rumble, while my 99 MOTY would just so happen to be.... I have no idea. It's so pitiful it's actually insane. I'd have to come out and say either Rock-Foley from the Rumble, or potentially Austin-Taker from Fully Loaded.

However the "ratings" (I feel dirty whenever I use that word) were the highest ever at this point. My question is, why? Are causal wrestling fans and a huge majority of so called "smart" fans just attracted to really dumb shit ? I watch wrestling for great storytelling in the ring most of the time, so how did everybody here feel when a whole bunch of dumb shit was going on in 99 while the matches were terrible ?

Again, ratings have no bearing on what is good and what is bad as a fan. The NWO got great ratings, and the NWO sucked balls.

This is essentially why I don't look back at the Attitude Era and don't think of how"amazing" it was. It was a fun time certainly but whenever I see the year 1998 or 1999 attached to a match I rarely ever get excited. Random great ones that pop in my head are Trips/Rock Ladder Match from SSlam '98 and... well I'm not coming up with anything else honestly. haha

EDIT: Rock/Austin & T.I.T. Ladder Match of course.

[Clique]

Love the No Mercy Ladder Match. Other top matches for me from 1999 - Rock/Mankind Rumble, Rock/Austin Backlash, Taker/Austin Fully Loaded, RVD/Lynn Living Dangerously, and Bret/Benoit Owen Tribute. HHH/Rock had an extremely good Cage Match at the Rebellion PPV too.

[Choke2Death]

Bret/Benoit and Rock/Foley I Quit are both ****1/2 for me.

Two random ratings:
Rey Mysterio vs Super Crazy - SD 21/7/05 (***1/4)
Eddie Guerrero vs Chris Benoit - SD 21/7/05 (***1/2)

[The Beast Incarnate]

I don't have a single WWF match from 98-99 above **** 1/4.

Seriously. After BB97, as far as I'm concerned the next **** 1/2+ match was when the RR 00 match between HHH and Foley happened. Then all of 2000 happened, which happens to be one of the best if not THE best year(s) in company history.

[Hohenheim of Light]

Originally Posted by #PaulHeymanGuy

Khali is a better worker than Ryback.

[Obfuscation]

Originally Posted by #PaulHeymanGuy

.... I rank Austin-Trips high :hhh

I get what you're saying too. If Punk somehow managed to pull a *** 1/2+ match out of the incredibly shitty Ryback , he would probably move up a spot in my GOAT rankings and I'm not joking at all. Khali is a better worker than Ryback. You know it's sad when the only thing close to a good match that Ryback has had is his *** match with Punk at HIAC which everybody hates besides me anyways.

HE'S HORRIBLE !

I wouldn't claim Khali is better. Ryback is merely green in these situations. Much like Goldberg. We'll have to see where Punk can make the match go. We all know something involving The Shield is in tow, too.

Originally Posted by Clique

Love the No Mercy Ladder Match. Other top matches for me from 1999 - Rock/Mankind Rumble, Rock/Austin Backlash, Taker/Austin Fully Loaded, RVD/Lynn Living Dangerously, and Bret/Benoit Owen Tribute. HHH/Rock had an extremely good Cage Match at the Rebellion PPV too.

RVD vs Lynn was at 5 stars when I watched it a year ago. I'm being serious. I loved it THAT much

Forgot to name Austin vs Rock from Backlash. Great match. My second match from them favorite behind WrestleMania 19.

Undertaker vs Austin first blood is

[The Beast Incarnate]

Okay, maybe I was a little harsh with the whole "Khali" thing, but think again ! The guy will be in 3 PPV main events straight with some of the greatest workers of all time (Punk and Cena) and he still can't produce fuck all. The guy has been wrestling for like EIGHT YEARS at this point ! Plus Khali has these few matches ;

vs Cena (JD 07, ONS 07)
vs HHH (SS 08)
vs Mysterio vs Batista (UNF 07)

All *** matches that are just as good as anything Ryback has done. Seriously.

[Obfuscation]

Cena/Khali is tolerable enough, iirc. Don't like the other two. If I had to think of a Khali match that I thought was shockingly "good", then I would mention his match vs Undertaker Last Man Standing on Smackdown in 2006.

Ryback has only worked so many matches during the time he appeared on Tough Enough - now though. Don't think he was signed right away either. Point being he's green. When you only squash guys in 2-3 matches you aren't gonna know many tools in a match. Especially when you're thrust in a match that would go 10+ minutes. He might never improve past this. He's a solid enough monster at least. I'll give him that. And he can walk. Khali can't even do that due to his enormous size.

[Hohenheim of Light]

Ryback is fine in the ring. He's not setting the world on fire or anything, but he does what he is meant to do well.