And I'm back again with another Top 5 List. This time, I look at the five worst booking decisions in Wrestlemania history. Again, these are my opinions on these and some of you may agree while some of you may disagree with them. Go ahead and read along and enjoy!
5. Wrestlemania XVIII: Y2J vs HHH Going On Last
-This Wrestlemania was built around one match: Hulk Hogan vs The Rock. While the Undisputed Title was important as well, it just didn't live up to the magnitude that or have the same importance as the Rock/Hogan Dream Match. I am usually an advocate for the WWE Title Match going on last on the show. It is the top prize in the WWE, and it should be treated as such. But under certain circumstances, there are just matches that are so big that they should go on last.
It was the case at WM26 with Shawn Michaels career on the line. It was the case at WM28 with the Rock/Cena match. And it should have been the case with Rock/Hogan at WM18. Two of the biggest stars in wrestling history were going one-on-one for the first time in their career. It should have gone on last. By having it go on where it did, it took away a ton of heat from the HHH/Y2J match. Both HHH and Jericho have said in interviews that Hogan/Rock should have gone on last, and by not doing so it affected their match.
Showing posts with label Hulk Hogan. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Hulk Hogan. Show all posts
Sunday, March 31, 2013
Wednesday, March 27, 2013
5 Surprisingly Good Wrestlemania Matches
Hello everyone. It is time for another Top 5 list!
Today, I look at five surprisingly good matches from past Wrestlemanias. What do I mean by surprisingly good? Matches that many people probably didn't expect to be good but turned out to be rather entertaining. So this isn't a list that is going to include the likes of Shawn Michaels, Randy Savage or Bret Hart. It is a list full of wrestlers that aren't known for their in ring work, or weren't expected to put on a good match. But on the big stage of the WWE, they delivered a good match.
This isn't a list of the best Wrestlemania matches. It is a list of matches that exceeded expectations and should be given credit for it.
Today, I look at five surprisingly good matches from past Wrestlemanias. What do I mean by surprisingly good? Matches that many people probably didn't expect to be good but turned out to be rather entertaining. So this isn't a list that is going to include the likes of Shawn Michaels, Randy Savage or Bret Hart. It is a list full of wrestlers that aren't known for their in ring work, or weren't expected to put on a good match. But on the big stage of the WWE, they delivered a good match.
This isn't a list of the best Wrestlemania matches. It is a list of matches that exceeded expectations and should be given credit for it.
Saturday, March 23, 2013
The 5 Most Disappointing Wrestlemanias
Hello everyone. I'm back again with another Wrestlemania list on the road to Wrestlemania. Lots of positive feedback from the last list I did. I'm sticking with a Top 5 list again because it is short and to the point. If you expand to a Top 10 list, I feel like you are reaching for points to defend your argument.
This list looks at the five most disappointing Wrestlemanias in the WWE history. Now, this list doesn't necessarily mean the five worst Wrestlemania's of all time. I don't think many people had high hopes for Wrestlemania 9 going into it. This list looks at five Mania's that had a lot of hype around them that just either didn't live up to expectations or fell flat on their face. And at least one Wrestlemania on this list was slightly above average, but it could have been even bigger if the WWE had booked it differently. That also was taken into account when this list was made. Wrestlemania is considered the grandest stage of them all, and if the show does not live up to that hype, it is considered a major disappointment. I have a feeling if I did this same list next year, Wrestlemania 29 would be on it.
With that intro out of the way, lets take a look at this list.
This list looks at the five most disappointing Wrestlemanias in the WWE history. Now, this list doesn't necessarily mean the five worst Wrestlemania's of all time. I don't think many people had high hopes for Wrestlemania 9 going into it. This list looks at five Mania's that had a lot of hype around them that just either didn't live up to expectations or fell flat on their face. And at least one Wrestlemania on this list was slightly above average, but it could have been even bigger if the WWE had booked it differently. That also was taken into account when this list was made. Wrestlemania is considered the grandest stage of them all, and if the show does not live up to that hype, it is considered a major disappointment. I have a feeling if I did this same list next year, Wrestlemania 29 would be on it.
With that intro out of the way, lets take a look at this list.
Sunday, March 17, 2013
Wrestlemania's Top Performers
Hello everyone. Starting with this write up here, every non-RAW Review piece I write from here on out will involve some type of Wrestlemania related history. We are getting into the heart of Wrestlemania season. There is only so much I can write about The Rock not being on RAW, another HHH/Brock Lesnar match and if CM Punk will be the one to end the Undertaker's Streak. It gets repetitive sometimes. Its something we pointed out on the Creatively Endeavored Pulsecast this week.
So I will be doing a handful of Top 5 lists in the weeks to come. I might stretch some out to a Top 10 list, but that would only be for the bigger categories I might do. Stretching a list out too far can be reaching sometimes. Getting it down to the Top 5 means you are looking at the very best for whatever it is that the topic is about. Plus it leaves room for more debate about who should and should not be on these respective lists.
So I will be doing a handful of Top 5 lists in the weeks to come. I might stretch some out to a Top 10 list, but that would only be for the bigger categories I might do. Stretching a list out too far can be reaching sometimes. Getting it down to the Top 5 means you are looking at the very best for whatever it is that the topic is about. Plus it leaves room for more debate about who should and should not be on these respective lists.
Tuesday, November 6, 2012
Putting Together A Survivor Series Dream Card
Survivor Series is the next PPV on the WWE schedule. A few years ago this PPV was in danger of being taken off the PPV schedule and replaced with something else. It is a shame that the higher ups in the WWE don't see this as a big 4 PPV anymore. Maybe if the WWE actually tried pushing their mid card and gave them some depth than they could build more multi-man matches and they could actually be a big deal. But that is just a problem with the WWE as a whole.
Now the WWE treats this PPV as one of its least important on the card. The only reason last year felt different was because of The Rock. You could say that Money in the Bank is now a Big 4 PPV, bigger than the Survivor Series. But I always enjoyed the Traditional Survivor Series matches. I think they can be a lot of fun if booked properly. The one or two that they have had the past couple of years have usually been good. With the added emphasis on the tag team division, there should be no reason to take away or not get behind the traditional Survivor Series match. If the roster had any depth, it could be a fun spectacle to watch.
Now the WWE treats this PPV as one of its least important on the card. The only reason last year felt different was because of The Rock. You could say that Money in the Bank is now a Big 4 PPV, bigger than the Survivor Series. But I always enjoyed the Traditional Survivor Series matches. I think they can be a lot of fun if booked properly. The one or two that they have had the past couple of years have usually been good. With the added emphasis on the tag team division, there should be no reason to take away or not get behind the traditional Survivor Series match. If the roster had any depth, it could be a fun spectacle to watch.
Thursday, February 2, 2012
The Wrestlemania Super Bowl
It is Super Bowl week. If you watch ESPN you know that. About half of SportsCenter for the last week has been Patriots/Giants talk. My Super Bowl Preview is up so take a look at it.
Often, people say that Wrestlemania is the Super Bowl of the WWE and Sports Entertainment. There is no denying that fact. Wrestlemania is held in large stadiums every year and they either sell-out the stadium or come very close to it. The fact that the WWE can still get that many people into one place with wrestling not as popular as it once was says a couple things. It says that WWE still has a ton of loyal fans willing to come out to Wrestlemania no matter what. I went to Atlanta for Wrestlemania last year and it was a great experience. Once in a lifetime. I really wanted to go this year, but the monetary funds were not there for me. Selling out a large stadium also shows that people will travel out to Wrestlemania if the card looks like a "big time" card, like this year's certainly does. We are getting Rock/Cena, HHH/Taker, Punk/Jericho and possibly Shaq/Big Show. That looks like a mega card certainly worthy of a Super Bowl like title.
Often, people say that Wrestlemania is the Super Bowl of the WWE and Sports Entertainment. There is no denying that fact. Wrestlemania is held in large stadiums every year and they either sell-out the stadium or come very close to it. The fact that the WWE can still get that many people into one place with wrestling not as popular as it once was says a couple things. It says that WWE still has a ton of loyal fans willing to come out to Wrestlemania no matter what. I went to Atlanta for Wrestlemania last year and it was a great experience. Once in a lifetime. I really wanted to go this year, but the monetary funds were not there for me. Selling out a large stadium also shows that people will travel out to Wrestlemania if the card looks like a "big time" card, like this year's certainly does. We are getting Rock/Cena, HHH/Taker, Punk/Jericho and possibly Shaq/Big Show. That looks like a mega card certainly worthy of a Super Bowl like title.
Monday, January 23, 2012
The Top 10 Moments in Royal Rumble History
We are less than one week away from the 2012 Royal Rumble. The Rumble itself used to be my favorite PPV of the year. Most of the time it is because it usually happens around my birthday, which happens to be on the 29th. But also because the Rumble match is one of my favorite matches of the year. This year, however, I think the WWE has done a poor job of building up to the Rumble.
There are many reasons for that. One is that the Rumble winner will arguably be in the third most important match on the card. This year they fall behind Rock/Cena and the Undertaker match in terms of importance. You could argue that in the last three years the Undertaker's match has been more important than any of the WWE or World Title matches. There's also this little nugget: The last wrestler to win the Rumble match and actually win the WWE or World Title at Wrestlemania was The Undertaker at Wrestlemania 23. It almost seems like that the new "Rumble Winner" is whoever wins the Money in the Bank Ladder Matches at that PPV, since they have had a 100% success rate when cashing in. That might be part of the reason the Rumble match hasn't been booked as strongly in recent years. Hell, last year Alberto del Rio was in the first match of Wrestlemania after winning the Rumble!
There are many reasons for that. One is that the Rumble winner will arguably be in the third most important match on the card. This year they fall behind Rock/Cena and the Undertaker match in terms of importance. You could argue that in the last three years the Undertaker's match has been more important than any of the WWE or World Title matches. There's also this little nugget: The last wrestler to win the Rumble match and actually win the WWE or World Title at Wrestlemania was The Undertaker at Wrestlemania 23. It almost seems like that the new "Rumble Winner" is whoever wins the Money in the Bank Ladder Matches at that PPV, since they have had a 100% success rate when cashing in. That might be part of the reason the Rumble match hasn't been booked as strongly in recent years. Hell, last year Alberto del Rio was in the first match of Wrestlemania after winning the Rumble!
Saturday, November 12, 2011
The Top 10 Survivor Series Moments of All Time
In less than two weeks time, the WWE will present us with the 25th annual Survivor Series. This is not the 25th anniversary of Survivor Series, no matter what the WWE says.
I was going to put together a top 25 list of the best matches and moments in Survivor Series history, but my availability is really limited so I decided to narrow it down to the Top 10 moments in Survivor Series history. Even when going through a list of all the past Survivor Series, it is really tough to come up with a Top 25 list. Sure there were some good elimination matches, but they really don't stand out as good moments. This PPV always seemed to be more about the matches rather than moments. But that is not to say there haven't been some memorable moments at this PPV. I think this PPV in less than two weeks will be fun. Having The Rock on helps that out a lot. I like the idea of having at least two 5-on-5 elimination matches at this PPV. I wish they had a deeper roster so there could be more, but the WWE feels that those matches don't sell the PPV. But they normally result in some good wrestling, which is all we can ask for as wrestling fans.
With all of this being said, lets gets into this Top 10 list.
10. Survivor Series 1990: The Debut of the Gobbledy Gooker
-Hey, I didn't say these were all good memories. The WWF was hyping this "mystery egg" that was seen on WWF TV for weeks. Many people speculated on what it could be. Most people thought whatever was in the egg was something big because of all the hype it had been receiving. Well, Survivor Series came, and we got a giant turkey that became known as the Gobbledy Gooker. It was Hector Guerrero dressed in the costume. The Gooker never appeared on WWF TV again, so nobody knew if it ever had any further plans. The Gooker was booed out of the building. It is known in folk lore and WWE legend as one of the worst ideas ever. But it is still fun to talk about.
9. Survivor Series 1991: The Undertaker Defeats Hulk Hogan To Win The WWF Championship
-For anybody who doesn't know, Hulk Hogan rarely if ever lost in the 1980s and 1990s in the WWF. The only times he ever lost was to Ultimate Warrior at Wrestlemania 6. Hogan lost to Andre the Giant on the debut episode of "The Main Event," but that was with the help of a "crooked referee." The Undertaker was an unstoppable force in the WWF at the time. He was going through babyface undercard wrestlers with ease. He soundly defeated Jimmy Snuka at Wrestlemania 7. At Survivor Series, exactly one year after his debut, he challenged Hulk Hogan for the WWF Title. Although it came with the help of Ric Flair, Undertaker defeated Hogan to win the WWF Title. The crowd was stunned. There lied their hero in the middle of the ring having just been beaten for the WWF Title. Undertaker lost the Title six days later, but it was still quite shocking at the time to see Hogan lose.
8. Survivor Series 1994: Diesel Turns Face
-This turned out to be a pretty big deal in the long run, as it began the launch of the single's career of Kevin Nash. Nash, at the time known as Diesel, had been the bodyguard for Shawn Michaels for almost a year at this point. He started wrestling over the summer, and even captured the Intercontinental Championship. Fans started to get behind him because he looked cool and pretty much dominated all of his opponents. Nash's Jack Knife Powerbomb was one of the best finishers around at the time. Diesel had been growing tired of Shawn Michaels's antics for a bit, and he finally snapped at Survivor Series. He slowly stalked down Shawn Michaels before Michaels eventually left the arena. Less than two weeks later, Diesel won the WWF Championship from Bob Backlund. Diesel held onto that Title for over a year. He defended it successfully against the likes of Bret Hart, Shawn Michaels, Sid and Mabel before losing it to Hart in late 1995. This was an important event because as I said, it marked the beginning of Kevin Nash's successful singles run, which garnered him a huge contract from WCW and allowed the nWo angle to begin.
7. Survivor Series 1996: The Debut of The Rock
-Who would have thought that this young guy full of energy would go on to become one of the greatest WWE superstars of all time. Of course he didn't debut as The Rock. In his initial match, he was simply known as Rocky Maivia, and his nickname was "The Blue Chipper." He was the sole survivor of his 4-on-4 elimination match. He eliminated Crush with a crossbody and Goldust with a shoulder breaker. In the growing months fans became sick of his clean cut good guy persona, so he turned heel and joined the Nation of Domination. You knew the WWE saw something in him with the amount of hype he received from Vince McMahon and Jim Ross, but they probably didn't see The Rock taking the path he did.
6. Survivor Series 1998: Deadly Games Tournament for the WWF Title, Rock/Mankind Double Turn
-I may have this high, but I really liked the booking of this show. The Deadly Games Tournament was a unique concept that was similar to the Wrestlemania 4 Tournament. But this time, the fan favorite didn't walk out with the Title. Well, I guess The Rock was the fan favorite heading into the show. The Rock was becoming a target of Vince McMahon, similar to that of Steve Austin. But it all appeared to be an elaborate set up by Vince, Shane McMahon, and The Rock as a way to get the WWF Title on The Rock. All along it appeared Vince backed Mankind, but Mankind was not the clean-cut, corporate Champion McMahon wanted. But Vince saw that in The Rock, and that's why he screwed Mankind out of the WWE Title. Sure I was only 11 when this happened, but I didn't see the double turn coming. And I don't think most fans did either. It was good booking.
5. Survivor Series 2001: The End of The Invasion
-Just because I have this so high doesn't mean that I liked the Invasion angle. It was badly botched it isn't funny. Instead of bringing in the high priced WCW veterans, Vince McMahon brought in a bunch of mid-carders from WCW, had them align with ECW, and be lead by Steve Austin, the WWE's top star at the time. It made no sense. But Survivor Series 2001 brought an end to this abomination of an angle in what was a pretty good 5-on-5 elimination match. I consider this an important event in WWE history for a couple reasons. The obvious being that it ended the Invasion angle. But it also lead to the brand split with RAW and Smackdown, it lead to the creation of the Undisputed Championship, and it lead to Ric Flair coming to the WWE. The Invasion could have been done so much better, but this event was one of the better things that resulted from it.
4. Survivor Series 1996: Steve Austin/Bret Hart
-Survivor Series 1996 was a pretty good PPV when you look back at it. The debut of The Rock, Undertaker/Mankind, and Shawn Michaels carried Sid to one of the best matches of his career. The show also saw the first match in what became almost a year long feud between Stone Cold Steve Austin and Bret Hart. Austin had been calling out Hart for months while Hart had been away from TV. Hart returned in October and the two fought at Survivor Series in what was a very good match. These two's classic encounter at Wrestlemania 13 is considered one of the greatest matches ever, and rightfully so, but this match is no slouch either. It continued to propel Steve Austin into stardom, which showed as some fans in Madison Square Garden began cheering Austin. You can really make an argument either way as to what was Bret Hart's best feud, Steve Austin or Bret Hart.
3. Survivor Series 2002: Shawn Michaels Wins the World Heavyweight Title in the First Ever Elimination Chamber Match
-I'm glad that this year's Survivor Series is at Madison Square Garden, because as you can tell from this list, good things happen at Survivor Series at MSG. In 2002, Eric Bischoff debuted the ominous Elimination Chamber. Triple H defended the World Title in the Chamber against Booker T, Rob Van Dam, Kane, Chris Jericho, and Shawn Michaels. Michaels had just returned from a four year absence due to a back injury. He defeated Triple H in an excellent match at SummerSlam. In the Elimination Chamber, HBK was the ultimate underdog who the crowd was firmly behind. Many fans were upset that Triple H was just handed the World Title by Eric Bischoff, so they were anxious to see him lose it. The reaction Michaels got after winning the match was great. You could tell Michaels was greatful for the opportunity and thankful for the fans reactions. The match continued HBK's comeback and showed he still had it.
2. Survivor Series 1990: The Debut of The Undertaker
-Back in the 1990s, the WWF was all about the character. Look at Hulk Hogan, Ultimate Warrior, and Ted DiBiase. When The Undertaker walked down the aisle to the ring, fans were in awe of his presence. Here was this dark, ominous looking man walking towards the ring. No emotion, no expression on his face whatsoever. Sure he fit in at the time, but I doubt many people thought that The Undertaker character would have the impact it did on the WWE. Twenty years later and The Undertaker's legacy speaks for itself. He's undefeated at Wrestlemania. He's won the WWE and World Title multiple times. The mere presence of him in the ring captivates fans. The entrance is one of the best ever. I doubt many people saw this coming in 1990, but The Undertaker became a Legacy of his own in the WWE.
1. Survivor Series 1997: The Montreal Screwjob
-Come on, did you really think anything else would top this list? It's the most controversial, real life event to ever happen in the history of the WWE. If you are reading this, then you probably know the story. In 1997, Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels hated each other, on screen and off. Hart was on his way to WCW, but he was still WWF Champion at the time. Hart didn't want to lose the Title to Michaels in Montreal or Canada. A big DQ finish was planned, then Hart would either forefit the Title the next night on RAW or lose it at some point in the next few weeks to Michaels. Well, Vince McMahon didn't want that or risk having Hart show up on Nitro with the WWF Championship Belt. So McMahon, Michaels, Triple H and a few others came up with the screwjob finish. The result caused outrage among WWF wrestlers and fans, with many more questions than answers.
Many people have different opinions on the matter. Mine has always been the same. Who cares where you lose the Title. Canadian fans weren't going to think anything less of Bret Hart if he lost the Title in Montreal. And just handing over the Title the next night on RAW devalues the Title in my eyes. Having that Title doesn't mean anything to Bret? Then why should anyone else want it? Hart needed to do what was best for the WWF, but instead he did what was best for himself. I always defend Vince McMahon's actions to this day, and nothing will ever change that.
So what are your thoughts? Agree? Disagree? Will there be a Top 10 Moment at this year's Survivor Series? Feel free to share your thoughts.
Until Next Time,
Justin C
Follow Me On Twitter @JCWonka
I was going to put together a top 25 list of the best matches and moments in Survivor Series history, but my availability is really limited so I decided to narrow it down to the Top 10 moments in Survivor Series history. Even when going through a list of all the past Survivor Series, it is really tough to come up with a Top 25 list. Sure there were some good elimination matches, but they really don't stand out as good moments. This PPV always seemed to be more about the matches rather than moments. But that is not to say there haven't been some memorable moments at this PPV. I think this PPV in less than two weeks will be fun. Having The Rock on helps that out a lot. I like the idea of having at least two 5-on-5 elimination matches at this PPV. I wish they had a deeper roster so there could be more, but the WWE feels that those matches don't sell the PPV. But they normally result in some good wrestling, which is all we can ask for as wrestling fans.
With all of this being said, lets gets into this Top 10 list.
10. Survivor Series 1990: The Debut of the Gobbledy Gooker
-Hey, I didn't say these were all good memories. The WWF was hyping this "mystery egg" that was seen on WWF TV for weeks. Many people speculated on what it could be. Most people thought whatever was in the egg was something big because of all the hype it had been receiving. Well, Survivor Series came, and we got a giant turkey that became known as the Gobbledy Gooker. It was Hector Guerrero dressed in the costume. The Gooker never appeared on WWF TV again, so nobody knew if it ever had any further plans. The Gooker was booed out of the building. It is known in folk lore and WWE legend as one of the worst ideas ever. But it is still fun to talk about.
9. Survivor Series 1991: The Undertaker Defeats Hulk Hogan To Win The WWF Championship
-For anybody who doesn't know, Hulk Hogan rarely if ever lost in the 1980s and 1990s in the WWF. The only times he ever lost was to Ultimate Warrior at Wrestlemania 6. Hogan lost to Andre the Giant on the debut episode of "The Main Event," but that was with the help of a "crooked referee." The Undertaker was an unstoppable force in the WWF at the time. He was going through babyface undercard wrestlers with ease. He soundly defeated Jimmy Snuka at Wrestlemania 7. At Survivor Series, exactly one year after his debut, he challenged Hulk Hogan for the WWF Title. Although it came with the help of Ric Flair, Undertaker defeated Hogan to win the WWF Title. The crowd was stunned. There lied their hero in the middle of the ring having just been beaten for the WWF Title. Undertaker lost the Title six days later, but it was still quite shocking at the time to see Hogan lose.
8. Survivor Series 1994: Diesel Turns Face
-This turned out to be a pretty big deal in the long run, as it began the launch of the single's career of Kevin Nash. Nash, at the time known as Diesel, had been the bodyguard for Shawn Michaels for almost a year at this point. He started wrestling over the summer, and even captured the Intercontinental Championship. Fans started to get behind him because he looked cool and pretty much dominated all of his opponents. Nash's Jack Knife Powerbomb was one of the best finishers around at the time. Diesel had been growing tired of Shawn Michaels's antics for a bit, and he finally snapped at Survivor Series. He slowly stalked down Shawn Michaels before Michaels eventually left the arena. Less than two weeks later, Diesel won the WWF Championship from Bob Backlund. Diesel held onto that Title for over a year. He defended it successfully against the likes of Bret Hart, Shawn Michaels, Sid and Mabel before losing it to Hart in late 1995. This was an important event because as I said, it marked the beginning of Kevin Nash's successful singles run, which garnered him a huge contract from WCW and allowed the nWo angle to begin.
7. Survivor Series 1996: The Debut of The Rock
-Who would have thought that this young guy full of energy would go on to become one of the greatest WWE superstars of all time. Of course he didn't debut as The Rock. In his initial match, he was simply known as Rocky Maivia, and his nickname was "The Blue Chipper." He was the sole survivor of his 4-on-4 elimination match. He eliminated Crush with a crossbody and Goldust with a shoulder breaker. In the growing months fans became sick of his clean cut good guy persona, so he turned heel and joined the Nation of Domination. You knew the WWE saw something in him with the amount of hype he received from Vince McMahon and Jim Ross, but they probably didn't see The Rock taking the path he did.
6. Survivor Series 1998: Deadly Games Tournament for the WWF Title, Rock/Mankind Double Turn
-I may have this high, but I really liked the booking of this show. The Deadly Games Tournament was a unique concept that was similar to the Wrestlemania 4 Tournament. But this time, the fan favorite didn't walk out with the Title. Well, I guess The Rock was the fan favorite heading into the show. The Rock was becoming a target of Vince McMahon, similar to that of Steve Austin. But it all appeared to be an elaborate set up by Vince, Shane McMahon, and The Rock as a way to get the WWF Title on The Rock. All along it appeared Vince backed Mankind, but Mankind was not the clean-cut, corporate Champion McMahon wanted. But Vince saw that in The Rock, and that's why he screwed Mankind out of the WWE Title. Sure I was only 11 when this happened, but I didn't see the double turn coming. And I don't think most fans did either. It was good booking.
5. Survivor Series 2001: The End of The Invasion
-Just because I have this so high doesn't mean that I liked the Invasion angle. It was badly botched it isn't funny. Instead of bringing in the high priced WCW veterans, Vince McMahon brought in a bunch of mid-carders from WCW, had them align with ECW, and be lead by Steve Austin, the WWE's top star at the time. It made no sense. But Survivor Series 2001 brought an end to this abomination of an angle in what was a pretty good 5-on-5 elimination match. I consider this an important event in WWE history for a couple reasons. The obvious being that it ended the Invasion angle. But it also lead to the brand split with RAW and Smackdown, it lead to the creation of the Undisputed Championship, and it lead to Ric Flair coming to the WWE. The Invasion could have been done so much better, but this event was one of the better things that resulted from it.
4. Survivor Series 1996: Steve Austin/Bret Hart
-Survivor Series 1996 was a pretty good PPV when you look back at it. The debut of The Rock, Undertaker/Mankind, and Shawn Michaels carried Sid to one of the best matches of his career. The show also saw the first match in what became almost a year long feud between Stone Cold Steve Austin and Bret Hart. Austin had been calling out Hart for months while Hart had been away from TV. Hart returned in October and the two fought at Survivor Series in what was a very good match. These two's classic encounter at Wrestlemania 13 is considered one of the greatest matches ever, and rightfully so, but this match is no slouch either. It continued to propel Steve Austin into stardom, which showed as some fans in Madison Square Garden began cheering Austin. You can really make an argument either way as to what was Bret Hart's best feud, Steve Austin or Bret Hart.
3. Survivor Series 2002: Shawn Michaels Wins the World Heavyweight Title in the First Ever Elimination Chamber Match
-I'm glad that this year's Survivor Series is at Madison Square Garden, because as you can tell from this list, good things happen at Survivor Series at MSG. In 2002, Eric Bischoff debuted the ominous Elimination Chamber. Triple H defended the World Title in the Chamber against Booker T, Rob Van Dam, Kane, Chris Jericho, and Shawn Michaels. Michaels had just returned from a four year absence due to a back injury. He defeated Triple H in an excellent match at SummerSlam. In the Elimination Chamber, HBK was the ultimate underdog who the crowd was firmly behind. Many fans were upset that Triple H was just handed the World Title by Eric Bischoff, so they were anxious to see him lose it. The reaction Michaels got after winning the match was great. You could tell Michaels was greatful for the opportunity and thankful for the fans reactions. The match continued HBK's comeback and showed he still had it.
2. Survivor Series 1990: The Debut of The Undertaker
-Back in the 1990s, the WWF was all about the character. Look at Hulk Hogan, Ultimate Warrior, and Ted DiBiase. When The Undertaker walked down the aisle to the ring, fans were in awe of his presence. Here was this dark, ominous looking man walking towards the ring. No emotion, no expression on his face whatsoever. Sure he fit in at the time, but I doubt many people thought that The Undertaker character would have the impact it did on the WWE. Twenty years later and The Undertaker's legacy speaks for itself. He's undefeated at Wrestlemania. He's won the WWE and World Title multiple times. The mere presence of him in the ring captivates fans. The entrance is one of the best ever. I doubt many people saw this coming in 1990, but The Undertaker became a Legacy of his own in the WWE.
1. Survivor Series 1997: The Montreal Screwjob
-Come on, did you really think anything else would top this list? It's the most controversial, real life event to ever happen in the history of the WWE. If you are reading this, then you probably know the story. In 1997, Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels hated each other, on screen and off. Hart was on his way to WCW, but he was still WWF Champion at the time. Hart didn't want to lose the Title to Michaels in Montreal or Canada. A big DQ finish was planned, then Hart would either forefit the Title the next night on RAW or lose it at some point in the next few weeks to Michaels. Well, Vince McMahon didn't want that or risk having Hart show up on Nitro with the WWF Championship Belt. So McMahon, Michaels, Triple H and a few others came up with the screwjob finish. The result caused outrage among WWF wrestlers and fans, with many more questions than answers.
Many people have different opinions on the matter. Mine has always been the same. Who cares where you lose the Title. Canadian fans weren't going to think anything less of Bret Hart if he lost the Title in Montreal. And just handing over the Title the next night on RAW devalues the Title in my eyes. Having that Title doesn't mean anything to Bret? Then why should anyone else want it? Hart needed to do what was best for the WWF, but instead he did what was best for himself. I always defend Vince McMahon's actions to this day, and nothing will ever change that.
So what are your thoughts? Agree? Disagree? Will there be a Top 10 Moment at this year's Survivor Series? Feel free to share your thoughts.
Until Next Time,
Justin C
Follow Me On Twitter @JCWonka
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