WOOLCOCK

Change that soon, its one of the best pure storytelling matches the company has put on. And it wasn't like HHH/Taker where they tried to make it 'THE MOST DRAMATIC MATCH TO END ALL MATCHES'. It was natural and was told through the character dynamics, Shawn's performance is terrific and the fact its the debut of the Cell makes all the violence feel fresh and horrifying. Its not as brutal as say Lesnar/Taker or Batista/HHH, but in some ways HBK feels like a lamb about to be slaughtered and they capture that theme perfectly throughout the match. Hell you actually start to feel some remorse for the asshole.

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Bubz

makes me laugh every time. What a boss Tak is.

Can't tell you why I've never seen it, always been meaning to, just never got around to it.

I just watched it . Incredible match. I'd go as far as to say it's one of the best ever, or at least the best WWF/E match ever. Basically what Segunda said as well as Cal's review earlier in the thread. Michaels' performance is genius, matches like this and the Mind Games match with Foley really back up the claim that he is one of the best performers to ever step into a ring. Awesome.

I'm probably gonna go watch the Taker/Michaels matches from Mania 25 and 26 now lol.

WOOLCOCK

I'd probably go HIAC > 26 >>>>>> 25 for HBK/Taker.

26 is damn close to the full 5 for me, brilliant storytelling and drama/selling in between the sequences and definitely one of the best displays of the WWE Main Event style especially compared to Taker/HHH after it which haven't come close to replicating that.

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JoeRulz

Yeah, that HIAC is the best/greatest match in WWF/E history. Just brilliant. The atmosphere, the IT factor, the storytelling, the drama, emotions, KANE... ***** easily. The G.O.A.T.

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Quote:

Originally Posted by ryanbrian TV shows are the best entertainment programmes like wrestling. My favourite TV show is RAW and SMACK DOWN. I specially like fight of Rey mysterio and Randy Ortan. It was very amazing fight with lots of stunt.

Bubz

I definitely had the 26 match above the 25 match last time I watched them. Both are brilliant though, but I seem to remember 26 having a better pace as well as better selling. Saying that though, Taker's facial expressions seriously were incredible in the 25 match.

WOOLCOCK

Taker's selling in the 26 match was the best performance in any of the HBK/Taker and HHH/Taker matches, and Shawn was a much better foil in the 26 match with the callback spots to the Flair feud (inverted figure four which he hadn't used since 2008) and the NWO 2006 finish (reverses Hells Gate into the bridging pinning position). There's also a wonderful callback to the 25 match when Taker 'hurts' his knee off of Old School and HBK to see if he's faking like HBK did the year before feigns a SCM to see if Taker really is hurt...and then immediately works the leg when he realises its legit.

The closest thing to a botch in the match also actually adds to the match as well (moonsault through the table onto the leg).

Only major downside is the 26 crowd didn't come nearly as loud as the Houston crowd and because of running the match 2 years in a row people didn't buy the earlier finishers (though that's been a staple of Taker matches at Wrestlemania since the Batista match, but its still a valid argument for preferring the 25 match even if I don't agree with it).

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geraldinhio

Dammit , now I've to watch the Bad Blood HIAC again. Been ages since I've seen it and only ever seen it once thinking about it.

Don't think I've seen Bryan Danielson vs Takeshi Morishima from Manhattan Mayhem mentioned at all in this thread. I've a lengthy review poster in the Indy DVD thread. It's one of the easiest matches I've ever given 5 stars being honest. Anyone share the same love for it? I think I'm by myself on this on.

I watched Steenerico vs The Briscoes from DBD V night 1 for the first time and was blown away. Enjoyed it much more than the ladder war. Very tempted to give it the 5 stars.

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WOOLCOCK

Its one of Danielson's best matches in the company, but I wouldn't go ***** for it. If I had to give any Danielson match the full 5 it would either be v Nigel at 6th Anniversary Show or v Strong Vendetta.

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JoeRulz

Dragon/Shima - I agree with Caida, I don't think it's *****, but I can definitely see why you see it that way. It was marvelous. The storytelling (David vs. Goliath) was cinematic/epic, and the crowd was red fucking hot.

Steenerico/DemBoys - I have it at *****. It's brutal as brutal can be. It was storytelling about hatred 101. One of the best tag team matches ever, IMO. It's impressive that they managed to be so violent, yet so smart and not over the top.

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Quote:

Originally Posted by ryanbrian TV shows are the best entertainment programmes like wrestling. My favourite TV show is RAW and SMACK DOWN. I specially like fight of Rey mysterio and Randy Ortan. It was very amazing fight with lots of stunt.

milkman7

I think if you are going to give an AmDrag match a full five it would the Low Ki match from the second show. It's fucking awesome matwork that nobody else in America could/would give you.