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Official DVD/Match/Show Discussion Thread

2M views 21K replies 512 participants last post by  Starbuck 
#1 ·
#2 ·
Didn't Tito Santana beat Taker clean at a show in Mexico in like 1991?
 
#4 ·
Sting, Booker T, Goldberg & Kronik Vs Kevin Nash, Jeff Jarrett, Scott Steiner & Vince Russo - War Games - Nitro 04/11/2000

It's a War Games match in the year 2000 on Nitro and NOT on PPV featuring Vince Russo. For the WCW title. Even though it's a team match. Triple cage too. And anyone can win the match and the title BEFORE all the competitors enter the match. If someone does get the title belt from on top of the cage, they then have to LEAVE the cage to win. So someone could take it from them and win by doing almost fuck all. If you didn't think this was gonna suck from the get go, the announcer claiming that Jarrett and Sting are the two best wrestlers in the world just as the match starts should make it more clear :p. Also, why is the heel team 1 member short? Shouldn't the babyfaces have the disadvantage if there is gonna be one?

Sting and Jarrett... do some stuff. Then Steiner comes in and does some stuff, then Kronik come out and enter the match. Together. At the same time. And apparently it could have been another heel too instead of Kronik. Did they forget that War Games like, had rules and shit?

Russo comes out with a helmet because he has a concussion. And the Harris Brothers climb the cage on the outside to get Kronik who are trying to kill Steiner.

:lmao Tony tries to put Nash over as being a smart champion, saying that he asked Nash earlier what his strategy was, and apparently Nash said he would stand by the door and wait for people to come down with the belt and take it from them. So what does Nash ACTUALLY do? Runs into the ring and beats people up. LOL.

Nash is supposed to be on Russo's team, but keeps trying to kill him which is pretty funny. Then Goldberg comes in and has the chance to kill him but Russo gets the better of him. With a baseball bat, but still; Russo beat Goldberg lol.

Oh hey, Sting is in this match. He just flops around doing fuck all. BEST WRASTLER IN TEH WORLD!

Somehow everyone ends up in the second cage, which is odd because all the heels were controlling everyone in the ring one second and the next the babyfaces were somehow able to climb a ladder without being stopped. This entire match just makes NO SENSE. From the rules, the way its booked, how everyone performs... NO SENSE.

Booker T gets the belt, then gets killed on the way down and Russo gets it. Then gets kicked in the head by The Cat. And then The Cat gets a powerbomb for his troubles. Then Goldberg decides he can escape from his handcuffs. Maybe he should have done that, I dunno, 5 minutes ago? Ah well. Goldberg tries to leave with the belt, and Bret Hart slams the door into his face. Where the fuck did Bret come from? Aren't there enough guys already in the match? Nash then hugs Russo and walks out with the belt. Ok.

Only reason I watched this is because I'm downloading all the War Games matches and this finished first. Pile of fucking retarded shit.

Rating: DUD
 
#5 ·
I loved me some Tito Santana but what an interesting guy to beat Taker for the first time.

I did read an article that before Bret Hart got his singles push Vince was flirting with the idea of pushing Tito instead and make him IC champ again and give him a run with the winged eagle to expand their fan base in Mexico.
 
#6 · (Edited)
Undertaker has had an incredible string of classics at WrestleMania in the last five years. How would you guys rank his matches from WM23 - WM27? I say

1. Taker/HBK WM25
2. Taker/HBK WM26
3. Taker/HHH WM27
4. Taker/Batista WM23
5. Taker/Edge WM24

Thing is I could go back and forth on 1 & 2 being the best and 3-5 too. They are some of my favorite matches ever and I expect WM28 to be added to the mix this year. Undertaker's single performances in them are all time great performances from any wrestler ever especially WM26.
 
#10 ·
1. Taker/Michaels WM25
2. Taker/Batista WM23
3. Taker/Edge WM24
4. Taker/Michaels WM26

Haven't seen the match with HHH, and i'm not nearly as high on the WM26 rematch as everyone else, 25 was leaps and bounds better imo. I'm honestly not even a big fan of the Edge match from 24 either so it ranking 3 doesn't mean too much, it's prob on par, or slightly better than WM26 in my eyes, but not by much. Both were disappointing to me. The WM25 match was jut fantastic though, I'd go **** 1/2+ on it easily. The WM23 match with Batista was great too, one of my favorite main event title matches at WM from the last 10 yrs (along with HHH/Cena, and the Triple Threat from WM20).

WM26 as a whole was just a lackluster show to me, it was good, but for a Wrestlemania, and the card it had, it not only Could've been better, it Should've been better. The time limit for the matches were just criminal.

This year WM has so much potential, but I'm highly skeptical that the time will be spread like it should, that always seems to be the "achilles heel" for these shows, along with the odd match placement, I don't quite understand having World Championship matches going on first. Oh well though, what do I know?
 
#13 ·
vs. Shawn Michaels - WrestleMania XXV - ****1/2
vs. Triple H - WrestleMania XXVII - ****1/4
vs. Edge - WrestleMania XXIV - ****
vs. Batista - WrestleMania 23 - ****
vs. Shawn Michaels - WrestleMania XXVI - ***1/4

vs. HBK at WM XXV is just a perfect match, even though I knew there was no way HBK would end the streak just a year after retiring Ric Flair.

The match against Triple H really is my personal favorite, though I do agree with a lot of people that it has a lot of finishers and lulls, but I think that's part of the drama.

vs. Edge was a great main event, that somehow brought the crowd back to life after Ric Flair retired, Orton/HHH/Cena, and Mayweather/Big Show. It built slow, but paid off in the end.

I love the match against Batista, but not as much as I used to. I think now it serves as an introductory chapter to this series of people being determined to end the streak (along with Orton at WM 21). The match is nonstop and exciting, I just wish it had been longer.

Not a fan of WM XXVI. Thought the match was just too conventional. Leg work. Woo hoo. Masked UT's weaknesses but didn't really create an exciting match. HBK is my favorite wrestler, so please trust me when I say this match seriously underwhelmed me, and still does. It's just...there. Agree that the end is very awesome, though.
 
#15 · (Edited)
I thought WM 26 between HBK/Taker was better than WM 25. Most disagree with me but the match was great and it had a better ending.
I'm in complete agreement with you and I know a few regulars in this thread are as well, there's actually quite a nice split in terms of the established group of posters in this thread as to which is better which makes a nice change from everyone usually being in agreement regarding underrated/overrated matches and workers etc.

Personally, the selling from Taker was better than anything in both matches, though the Houston crowd are close. The legwork was really sweet with HBK busting out offence he hadn't used in a while (his version of the figure four he began using during the Flair feud in 08) and call back spots not only to last year's match (HBK faking out Taker with SCM to see if his leg was actually hurt or he was playing mind games like HBK did the year prior) but also to past Taker matches such as Michaels busting out Angle's counter to the triangle choke/hells gate which pinned him at No Way Out 2006.

The story and drama building from Wrestlemania 24 with Michaels now playing Flair was just brilliant to see unfold and some of the nearfalls at the end had me convinced the match was done, plus the actual finish itself is just the absolute best way they could have ended such a match and milked the in ring story for all its worth. What really hurts it at times is the quieter crowd than we got the year before, as well as the finisher attempts not being as believable/engaging given what both men kicked out of at Wrestlemania 25 (personally I never agreed with that, seeing as Taker's numerous nearfalls had been a regular thing at Mania since the Batista match and how big a focal point the Streak had become since).

I find the actual body of work, in ring story (WM 25 whilst not being a spotfest was to me a WWE style version of a sprint match, only with greater character dynamics and charisma to create a big match atmosphere), selling and character portrayals by both men to be infinitely superior to Wrestlemania 25, not to mention the one potential botch in 26 actually added to the match (moonsault to the injured leg). 25 was sloppy in parts to me, and despite Taker's missed dive being a great spot to build drama...it would have worked much better at 26 in hindsight given the odds of a HBK win in principle seemed greater at the time what with them finally doing the same match 2 years running which had people at the time convinced the Streak was done. The drama in the 25 match really picks up after the botched dive, but I find they hadn't progressed the story/action enough for it to really create the feeling Taker was on his last legs, after all the punishment he took and his selling to play up the Phenom was in a massive fight at 26, that spot would have probably convinced everyone HBK was set to win.
 
#16 · (Edited)
Ranking Taker's last few WM Matches:

1. Taker/HBK WM25- *****
2. Taker/HBK WM26- ****1/2
3. Taker/Batista WM23- ****1/2
4. Taker/Edge WM24- ****1/4
5. Taker/HHH WM27- ***1/2

WM25 has everything I could want in a match. It was a perfect match all around, and even the part that could've destroyed the match (Taker's mis-dive) actually ended up adding more drama and excitement to the match.

WM26's in ring action, while still excellent wasn't quite as appealing to me. However the psychology by Michaels, selling by Taker, and storytelling were all up from the year prior. That being said the match as a whole just felt like it was missing something to keep it exciting, as I actually do occasionally fall asleep during it. It also didn't feel as smooth as WM25's match did. But yeah, still Taker's second best WM match ever.

Taker/Batista WM23 is my MOTY for that year, and what a match. Nobody expected what came from those two, but they went to war and it really felt like a clash of the titans. The pace was awesome, the work was awesome, and I really thought after the Batista bomb the match would be over. Just a hard-hitting match, and I loved it.

WM24's main event, Taker/Edge was another classic. I love how they had a slower pace to start to make up for the fact Edge can't believably take down Taker at every turn, to building up to the much better pace where Edge starts countering all of Taker's big moves and turning the tables on him. The first half of the match can be a bit dull but the last half imho had the makings of a ***** match. Still all the in-ring work was amazing, and the two delivered one of the best WM Main Events of all time. Only ones I can think of that would go above it are Taker/HBK WM26, Rock/Austin WM17, and Benoit/HBK/HHH WM20 off the top of my head.

WM27... simply put was a great match in terms of storytelling. But the gaps in between the action, the not-so-great wrestling, and the fact they sacrificed so much to put the emphasis on the story really makes this match a bore to watch. The best part of the match is the tombstone by HHH followed by Taker kicking out. This match doesn't come close to a classic in my book and it's not anywhere near MOTY territory. I'm giving this match what I gave it based on the storytelling/drama, the crowd, and the fact I'm a Taker mark and probably enjoy it a slight bit more because of that than I would have without him.
 
#17 ·
Forgot to add I'd probably rank the last 5 Taker matches:

WM26
WM23
WM25
WM27
WM24

The HHH match is really strange for me, in terms of going out to tell a story about Taker being unstoppable and a force that cannot be dealt with when it comes to Mania I thought it was epic, and the finish with HHH more or less fighting with everything he had to not accept he couldn't win was really well done....but then in between some of the stalling after kickouts didn't feel as organic as we've seen in previous years, especially the reaction to the Tombstone. I had no problem with the initial reaction even if going halfway back across the ring seemed a bit OTT...but then it seemed to go on forever and I couldn't look past the absurdity of HHH essentially letting Taker back into the match when he's on his last legs. I haven't rewatched it since I saw it live and then the day after but I'm content with calling it a great match to watch live given both men's starpower and the well layed out story of proving Taker was this unstoppable bastard who won't die at Wrestlemania...but it isn't a match I can see standing the test of time on future watches compared to other Taker classics. I get the impression with every watch some of the attempts at drama would lessen in impact over time and slowly but surely the overriding match story wouldn't be enough to keep the match in the 'great' category.

I really can't rate it but if I had to, ***1/2 seems about where I'd land on a scale. Plenty of good things to enjoy in the match, just execution and the bits in between some of the spots that needed more careful attention to increase the match quality.
 
#18 · (Edited)
Taker's performance at WM26 is my single favorite performance ever from any wrestler. It was extraordinary to see live. How genius is it to have a match with so much hype and so much on the line and the man gets injured in the first 90 secs. of the match. That immediately turns this match upside down from the previous year and the sense of urgency was sooo high.
 
#19 ·
Ranking Taker's last 5 WM bouts....

1. WM XXV: *****
2. WM XXVII: **** 3/4
3. WM XXVI: **** 3/4
4. WM XXIII: **** 1/4
5. WM XXIV: **** 1/4


Don't know why 27 gets bashed so much. It's a piece of art you fuckers !

WM XXV and XXVI can be interchanged based on personal taste most times, unless you're Brett Mix, who gave WM XXV **** because it didn't have Bret....I mean because it's climax was all about kicking out of finishers with minimal storytelling ;)
 
#20 ·
Word son ! Hit me up with the channel right now, I wanna check this shit outt.

Also, doing NWO 04 tomorrow (Or starting it, I got some studying/fucking to do), and outside the last three matches, I am HORRIFIED to watch this PPV. The first half looks HORRENDOUS. But we'll see.

Join in on the chat homie, I'ma start off with asking you this one question:

Favorite Triple H match ?
 
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