Review: WWE Intercontinental Championship DVDs (Both Titles)

 

Brett Mix’s- “The Best of the Intercontinental Championship” (1 Disc) Review:

 
 

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-This DVD was an early attempt by the WWE of capturing the best of the IC title on DVD. Instead we get a couple of good matches, three other rare and pointless ones and one misleading title. Thankfully they just released a three disc proper IC title set. However this was the first one they released a few years ago and consisted of 5 matches, that’s it!

 

-It says The Best of the IC title but this was an early WWE project hosted by Gorilla Monsoon who says Skinner vs Bret Hart is a blockbuster. You can tell this DVD is trash.
Matches:`

 

1) “The Heartbreak Kid” Shawn Michaels (c) vs Crush for the WWF Intercontinental Championship -Sheffield, England April 1993
Shawn Michaels and Crush both had a good match together around this time period at the King of The Ring.

This one took place in England and Randy Savage, Jim Ross and Bobby Heenan were broadcasting.

Crush took down Michaels by shoving his face forward while Savage pointed out Michaels was chewing on his gum in a rather cocky fashion.
/
Michaels with a side headlock to Crush but with his power he is able to sit the Champion on the top turnbuckle. Crush kept a side headlock on HBK but Shawn shot a forearm in and ducked Crush the first time, leaped onto him the second time and Crush grabbed him in a bearhug. Michaels poked Crush in the eye to get out. Michaels irishwhipped into the corner, avoided the contact, off the ropes and Crush hit him with a back breaker.

Shawn Michaels lower back had taken a beating by the big man. Crush got a clothesline from Shawn but he didn`t move as it didn`t seem to phase him. Crush then with his power scooped up Michaels and with a millitary press he extended his arms. Michaels was in complete control by Crush and he slammed him down inside the ring. Crush then clotheslined Shawn Michaels outside the ring. They were really trying to put over Crush`s strength and Michaels bumping like a feather helped that out. Crush charged into the corner and hit nobody as Michaels was able to bury his knee into Crush.

Shawn Michaels slammed Crush`s head into the steps and then pushed him into the ring post.

Shawn Michaels dropped a double axehandle to Crush from the top as the big man came back in the ring.

Shawn with a big righthand to Crush

Michaels then again dropped from the top a few times and it dropped his elbow on Crush. Shawn Michaels dropped an elbow to the front region of Crush and then went from a front facelock into a DDT. Shawn Michaels with a latteral press and then a nearfall. Shawn Michaels with a rear chinlock. Shawn Michaels tried to wear down Crush more and more and he tried the superkick and Crush had him well scouted clotheslined him down. Shawn Michaels in trouble as Crush hit him with a big boot and then a vertical suplex. Crush then with a big leg drop to the chest of the Champion.
Shawn Michaels rolled out of the ring and Crush forgot to cover him while he had the chance
.
Shawn Michaels grabbed his belt and left the ring area as Shawn Michaels was counted out and kept his title. Crush then hit a backbreaker on Shawn Michaels again to end the thing.

Heenan calls it global warfair, RIP Crush.

 

** 1/2

 

 
2) Bret “Hitman” Hart (c) vs Skinner for the WWF Intercontinental Championship -WWF Prime Time Wrestling August 1992

 

We all know the 5 star Classic Skinner put on with Bret’s brother Owen at Wrestlemania 8 the year of this match. Lets see what he can do with Big Brother.

This match took place around the time of the SS 92 classic with Bret and Davey Boy, not sure why this was put on the DVD second as this match took place about a year after the first one on the DVD set did.
Bret Hart was working with Skinner here and seeing this on a DVD it`d seem random but then again this whole DVD kind of took that approach as it all was pretty random.
Bret Hart immediately took down Skinner with a nice side headlock takedown a move we see from him often and a move he applied so expertly.

Nice way to get the match going and from there The Hitman took it to Skinner with the side headlock down on the mat. Bret then to his feet got pushed to the ropes by Skinner who was in the headlock and also to his feet.

Savage was hilarious with that voice on commentary saying that the Hitman has got plans for Skinner, and it is not going to be Dinner.

Bret off the ropes landed a shoulder block and then off the ropes Skinner botched a leapfrog and Bret looked at him as if to say What are yoi doing, wow. Bret then went back to his side headlock. Bret then got taken to the outside as he charged towards Skinner and he missed him through the side ropes. An opening for Skinner. Bret hurt his elbow on the outside.
Skinner jumped off the apron with a double axehandle to Bret. Skinner then with a right hand to Bret who was outside on the ground. Skinner in the ring with Bret held him up and twisted him over before he choked him hard after a snap takedown.

Skinner raked the face of Bret and began biting his face. Skinner choked him out near the ropes with his boot and grabbed the ropes for more levvveeeerage says Savage.
Skinner with an irishwhip and caught Bret with an 3/\stretch. I agree with Bobby Heenan when saying that I’m surprised Skinner knew that move. In all seriousness Skinner was a decent wrestler in other territories and not under this gimmick filled Federation. (Sound familiar?) Bobby Heenan asks Randy Savage who made the Abdominal Stretch famous? Savage replies in a heartbeat “Wilber Snyder.” Heenan is amazed Savage knew, but Mr. Poffo has been in the business his whole life, just not these days, which is sad

Skinner kept the hold on Bret Hart using the ropes for leverage, trying to weardown Bret and his mid-section. Hart reversed the abdominal stretch eventually but Skinner took him out of the ring as he flipped him over with his body weight. Skinner dropped his hands on Bret Hart. Skinner kept up with right hands and then off the ropes Bret hit a sunset flip on Skinner who was giving Bret all he could handle. Skinner scooped up Bret and hit a big shoulder breaker.
Skinner signalled he was going to finish him off.

Skinner off the top rope caught a shot to the mid-section by The Hitman. Bret then with a mule kick and then buried a shot to the mid-section before a side russian legsweep and a nearfall with a lateral press. Bret irishwhipped Skinner to the corner and Skinner caught him with a big boot in the corner of the ring. Skinner lifted up Bret’s legs and kicked him in the mid-section.
Skinner attempted a leglock on Bret but he reversed it into a perfectly executed Sharpshooter which won him the match and he retained his title.

In the end Bret Hart won with his hold.

This match started out extremely sloppy but it got better as it went along but Bret could only do so much in the typical Heel beatdown for the majority of the story that the match told.
Not terrible but very average kind of like this DVD.

 

 

 

 

 

* 1/2

 

 

 

 

3) “The Heartbreak Kid” Shawn Michaels (c) (With Diesel) vs Marty Jannetty for the WWF Intercontinental Championship -WWF Monday Night Raw July 1993

 

 

Just to be clear…

THIS IS NOT THE MATCH from The Best of Raw DVD released in 2008 from May of 1993. This is the match from July of 1993 on Raw.

The two often get confused similar to the two Shawn Michaels matches in 2004 on Raw with Chris Benoit. This is because they both were good, and they both happened on the same show (RAW) not too far apart from one another.
A little confusion comes into play here because that Raw match in May was said to be of voted the Match of the Year in 1993 that was on the Raw DVD. However this match here in July on another review I read said this was the match of the year, and from many fans I talk to they say this July Match was better.
Either way, I own them both, will review them both (eventually) and then I will decide for me, but its safe to say the five star Bret Hart-Curt Hennig match was the MOTY in 1993 from King of the Ring. You don’t even have to think it was five stars to agree on that, it was the match of the year and it’s my all time favourite match. One I can watch at any given time, over and over.

Onto this one.

So far in there 1993 series, Michaels and Jannetty had competed in a match at the Royal Rumble. I rate that one three stars, it had a good climax but was sloppy in parts. Then of course the attraction I elluded to earlier from Raw in May 1993 which I know I have over three stars and I will give an official rating when I re-watch it.

Then there’s this one.

This took place in the Summer of 93 before Shawn went into a program with Hennig for that years Summerslam.
This was on Monday Night Raw.

The Seven Foot bodygaurd of HBK was outside the ring, shades and all in Kevin Nash.
Jannetty knew this was his big shot at not only revenge on the former teammate who betrayed him, but a chance at the gold.

Shawn Michaels attacked Marty Jannetty from behind to get things going while Jannetty was talking to referee Earl Hebner. Michaels slammed Marty’s head into the top of the buckle. Michaels hit an elbow to the head of Marty and then as Marty Jannetty bounced off the ropes from a backbody drop, Jannetty landed on his feet. Michaels hooked the arms but again Marty Jannetty landed on his feet and then hit a clothesline and then Marty got a couple of nearfalls after a cradle and the like.
Marty Jannetty’s quickness took Shawn to the outside.

A great offensive exchange to begin this match with a lot of reversals making Marty Jannetty look good.
Shawn took a walk around the ring in an an attempt for the champ to re-group. Shawn back in and he had to listen to “Marty” chants. You could just tell Michaels was going to be big when looking back at this, the start of his big push. Michaels kept a side headlock on Marty and then he pushed HBK off and then Michaels couldn’t do a hiplock on Marty, and Marty Jannetty avoided the superkick.

Marty Jannetty showed here he knew Michaels moves very well.
A very fast match, counter after counter, made for exciting television. Marty Jannetty cornered Shawn and then Hebner broke it up and Michaels raked the face of Marty Jannetty and he drove his head into the top buckle. Marty Jannetty irishwhipped to the corner and Michaels took a chance landing in the corner chest first, an arm-drag by Marty Jannetty and then a scoop slam. Ross states he’s never seen Marty Jannetty so quick, neither had I.

Marty Jannetty brought his A game for this one, that Marty Jannetty with an armbar to Michaels wearing him down. To this point Jannetty had applied so many counters and offensie maneuvers, as well as nearfalls and now he’s trying to maintain the leverage by making sure HBK didn’t get to this vertical base. Eventually Shawn Michaels off the ropes drove his elbow into Marty Jannetty. After Shawn irishwhipped Marty Jannetty to the corner, Marty put up a boot to the face of Michaels. Marty Jannetty going for it all leaping from the top in attempt to put the Champion away but Micahels landed on his feet, Jannety then stood up and hit a DDT.
Marty Jannetty had done it, he’d won the title.

But the decision was reversed after the commercial break as Michaels had his feet on the ropes. McMahon, Heenan, Monsoon and Savage talked to the official and they decided to reverse the devision.
Brawling between Marty Jannetty and Michaels resumed outside the ring. So they went at it again.

Shawn Michaels caught Marty Jannetty with a sleeper hold.

Marty Jannetty seemingly was in control of the match and it would take a miracle for HEEL Michaels to come back. Shawn eventually not only got out of it on his vertical base but hit a counter move with a back suplex. They kept stating Mr. Perfect was keeping an eye on the match.
Marty Jannetty charged into Shawn in the corner and he hit Marty Jannetty with an elbow and then drove him to the outside over the top rope.
Michaels now regaining his composure took a breather as he had bought himself some time. Shawn then took a walk and Marty Jannetty went in the ring, HBK followed him.
Both men bounced off the ropes, they collided and went to the ropes again and then both men bumped into each other again and Marty Jannetty was the only one in the ring. Shawn fell outside the ring and JR stated this might be a bad break for Marty Jannetty as if HBK was counted out then he doesen’t lose the title.

Another commercial break.

Marty Jannetty caught a double axehandle from Shawn Michaels. HBK then with a nearfall.

Marty Jannetty had controlled the match up until this point and now Shawn was in control with a side headlock on the mat pacing themselves for the climax one would assume.
Jannetty battled to his feet and hit Shawn in the abdomen with striking blows, off the ropes for leverage but Michaels hit a knee to the mid-section of Marty Jannetty. Shawn then applied a front facelock on the mat to Marty Jannetty while the fans continued to cheer him on.
Marty Jannetty to his feet tried desperately to get out of Shawn’s front facelock and then Michaels with an unfair advantage using his feet on the ropes.v
Shawn kept the hold on with extra pressure off the ropes, made the front facelock that much more effective. Diesel to this point other then helping Shawn back in the ring had not interfered. Shawn kept the front facelock on Marty Jannetty.
Michaels was lifted up by Marty Jannetty with an unorthadox atmomic drop on the top rope. Marty Jannetty with a righthand and a well placed flying elbow to Michaels. Another irishwhip and Shawn looked for a powerbomb but Marty Jannetty hit a modified Frankensteiner and caught a nearfall. Marty Jannetty irishwhipped Michaels in but HBK with his quickness moved and Marty Jannetty hit his face in the turnbuckle.
Shawn off the top had a crossbody reversed and Marty Jannetty with another nearfall! Jannetty was so close so many times and then hit a dropkick to HBK! Shawn got tied in the ropes and Marty Jannetty hit some right hands and then Marty Jannetty leaped up but fell to the outside as Michaels ducked.
What a back and forth war, reversal after reversal, counter after counter!

Both men sweaty and down. Michaels covered him with one arm and Shawn retined the title!

Excellent.

One of the best matches for certainn in early Raw history.

 

*** 1/2

 

 

 

 

 

 

4) “The Heartbreak Kid” Shawn Michaels (c) (W/Diesel) vs Mr. Perfect for the WWF Intercontinental Championship -WWF Summerslam 1993

 

 

 

Hennig

had better chemistry with Bret but his with Shawn was pretty good as well.

Perfect got an amazing pop as he usually did as a babyface in 1993. Michaels was an up and comer and you could see the potential greatness.

Michaels and Perfect’s styles mixed very well together and Diesel the Giant bodyguard of HBK was on the outside looking on.

The two locked up in the beginning and both just strictly tried to out wrestle the other man. Perfect went for Michaels and he ducked under after a slide and after a collision it seems both didn’t know who got the worst of that exchange but the beginning of the sequence looked nice enough so it made up for any confusion. Perfect got the BETTER of it and hit HBK with a standing hammer lock, HBK countered with a head scissors but Perfect would have none of that and he got out of that predicament.HBK and Perfect then circled around each other as the two had there moments thus far of out wrestling the other man. Michaels punded on Hennig in the corner but Hennig reversed it with a chop into the corner and then Michaels got sent to the corner by Hennig but he reversed it in a moonsault attempt, Perfect moved out of the way they hit HBK with a clothesline but only got a two.
Nice reversals, counters in this match up.
Michaels got caught in an arm bar by Hennig again. Once Shawn Michaels went to the top trying to escape the arm bar, Mr. Perfect hit a brilliant arm drag take down from the top rope! Once grounded again the arm bar, the left arm to be specific of Shawn Michaels was locked in by Perfect. HBK then went for a drop kick but Perfect sent him over the top to the outside of the ring and the fans roar. Heenan can’t believe it and Mr. Perfect has been in complete control of the match. Michaels while on the outside took advantage of Perfect taking his time and hit him in the jaw. Michaels jumped off the top of the ropes to the outside with a double axe handle.
Michaels relentlessly attacked Perfect’s lower back with elbow drops and blows once inside the ring. Heenan points out the arrogance and confidence of Michaels as he whipped Hennig into the buckle and McMahon intelligently points out as Hennig’s back sustained more damage with the pressure of the turnbuckle padding hitting his back. Michaels then did it again and this time only harder.

‘McMahon questioned if the official might stop the match at this point while Michaels stomped on back using the top rope for leverage. Michaels then hit a back breaker and while Shawn had him in a stretch, Heenan said “SNAP HIM LIKE A SLIM JIM!” Oh, that’s too funny.
Percfect though, sore back and all and Mr. Perfect had a history of sore backs so this was good smart, psychology by Michaels battled out of Michaels holds and Hennig hit an upper cut and leap fogged over Michaels then hit him with a solid drop kick! Perfect reached deep down and hit a back body drop to Michaels out of desperation still selling the back. Michaels then got hit with an atomic drop and Hennig’s knee into Michaels but he only got a two.

Perfect with an unbelievable right hand after those sequence of moves but only gets a two count. Michaels went for a hip toss but Perfect rolled him over and went for a backslide but the two stand there in the middle of the ring looking to over power the other. Michaels then got caught and Mr. Perfect hit the Perfectplex but Diesel pulled Shawn to the ropes and the ref didn’t see it. Hennig then fought Diesel on the outside of the ring.
Shawn rolled into the ref and the official Earl Hebner fell down.

In the end at 11:20 of the match, Michaels retained the IC Title when he won by countout after Diesel threw Mr. Perfect into the steel steps.

Was nice for HBK to have this kind of inssuarance with Big Daddy Cool there at ringside to bail him out of a potential loss and this helped Shawn’s character at the time.
This was one fine match but with a bit more time, less sloppiness and a better ending could of been a classic at the pace they were going. Not enough time for a great story to be told but I liked Shawn’s gameplan, Perfect’s selling and the chemistry mixed in with solid wrestling inbetween.
Great match, just couldn’t match very high expecations.

The ending pissed the fans off, that’s for sure. Quite the same as Luger-Yokozuna main event the very same night.

 

***

 

 

 
5) “The Heartbreak Kid” Shawn Michaels (c) (W/Diesel) vs “Hacksaw” Jim Duggan for the WWF Intercontinental Championship -WWF Raw: May 1993

 

What a match this is going to be!

Shawn Michaels and “Hacksaw“ Jim Duggan circled the ring. Duggan did a good job at getting the crowd to “HO“ like he always did. Even if that`s all he could do in the WWF. I heard he dd more in his mid-south days, too bad he didn’t show it in New York.

Well Duggan circled the ring and made sure Shawn was ready while HBK went to the outside and said “Get off of me.“
Shawn Michaels stood outside the ring while Duggan got the fans to chant USA which would be okay if it didn`t take up the first five minutes of TV time on Raw. One lady in the audience was freakishly patriotic.

Both men finally tie up and Duggan hit a knee to Shawn Michaels and then as HBK ducked a clothesline he caught one off the other side. Duggan hit three. Shawn Michaels then oversold like always which is most of the time funny and he went to the outside to catch a break.

Shawn Michaels staying away from Duggan at any oppurtunity.

Shawn kicked Duggan but he caught the leg turned him around and landed some left hands followed by a right and Shawn Michaels oversold the blows some more and fell on the ground outside the ring. Shawn said that is all.

Michaels left the ring area and walked to the back but Duggan caught him and landed another punch. Duggan scooped up Michaels and brought him in the ring.

Back from the break, Duggan irishwhipped Michaels to the corner and then Shawn lifted up a boot catching Hacksaw in the head. Shawn Michaels dropped the elbow a series of times, hooked the leg and got a two. Shawn Michaels with a sleeper on Duggan.

Shawn Michaels kept the sleeper on even back at there feet but Duggan elbowed out. Off the ropes Duggan with a shoulder block and some momentum but Michaels hit a knee to the gut of Duggan. Shawn Michaels then made sure Duggan fell to the outside by avoiding his charge. Michaels leaped off the apron and landed a double axehandle to him on the outside.

“USA“ chanted some more and Duggan met Michaels back in the ring, Duggan going only on momentum and landed rights but Shawn eventually slammed his head into the turnbuckle. Shawn Michaels then choked out Duggan on the top rope raking his head across it and then a snap takedown followed by a reverse chinlock.

The hold was eventually broken and Duggan put on the breaks and sent Michaels into the top of the turnbuckle. Duggan with lefts and then another right at the end. Duggan went to the top and hit Shawn with a series of punches (something he had done virtually the whole match) and irishwhipped Shawn to the ropes and scooped him up. Hacksaw slammed him down. Shawn Michaels was down. Hacksaw signalled for the end.

Duggan clotheslined Michaels and he fell outside to the floor.

Duggan chased Michaels near the entrance way and both men fought out on the floor. Shawn Michaels was clotheslined over the steel railing and Duggan got back in the ring and won by countout.

Decent TV match at best.

 

 

* 1/4

 

 

 

 

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Final Rating for The Best of The Intercontinental Championship (1 Disc) DVD = 2.5/10

 

This set obviously doesen`t hold up very well compared to the new sets we`re used to with a ton of great matches on it. I deducted about 5 points for the title not being true. The best of the IC title? Please. One of these amtches in Jannety and HBK were one of the best but they ddn’t even put the best one from Raw on this set! Anyway I could completely trash this set with the random match selection, the fact that there were only 5 matches, or the terrible fact its short and there is no documentary or anything. However a lot of these matches give you that old school Pre-New Generation feel that I love going back to, so it`s not all bad I guess. One good thing about the set is Randy Savage’s commentary as well as Heenan which made for an underrated tandem from the booth. Get only if you can find it cheap.. And by cheap I mean 5 dollars or less. The REAL Best of IC title 3 Discs will be reviewed next by me.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Brett Mix’s- WWE “The History of the Intercontinental Championship” 3 Disc Review:

“Tonight, you’re going to find that out one athlete to another! You can’t be with MEEEE, No….History Beckons The Macho Man!”  -Randy “Macho Man” Savage at Wrestlemania 3 THE Pre-Match Promo (The Greatest IC Champion of all time in my mind and according to WWE.com)

 

 

 

 

-This DVD asked for fan participation on selecting the IC title matches placed on the DVD via online voting.

 

-The menu screen was done very nice with shots of the great IC Champions over the periods of time.
-Despite these two Canadian’s having a great history with the title belt, there were no matches of now deceased wrestler’s- Owen Hart and Chris Benoit on this DVD. Owen’s only shot on the DVD was him botching a piledriver against Austin where-as Benoit is not on due to obvious reasons.
-This DVD was hosted by Todd Grisham who would give us insight and a back story on what was going on in the Federation/Company with the IC title in-between the time period of the matches they showed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Disc 1 Matches:

 

The 1980’s:

 

 

 

1) Pat Patterson (c) vs Ted Dibiase for the WWF Intercontinental Championship -Madison Square Garden: October 1979
(Forgive the placing of Patterson knee level to Dibiase on the pictures, I swear that’s just how it happened, although Pat himself wouldn’t mind it I’m guessing. Anyway, onto the DVD!)

A young Vince McMahon is doing the commentary from the World’s Most Famous Arena, the natural choice of location for any Wrestling event in the Federation back in this time period.
Ted Dibiase….. DiBiase had a short stint with Vince McMahon’s World Wrestling Federation in 1979.

This was after he was in Mid-South and was trained by the Funks, he was awarded the short-lived WWF North American Championship, becoming the title’s first champion. On June 19th, 1979, he lost the North American Championship to Pat Patterson, who unified the title with the South American Championship to become the first-ever WWF Intercontinental Champion.

Here in October of 1979 this was obviously before DiBiase had another half decade in Mid-South and before he was The Million Dollar man in the WWF in the mid-late 1980’s which he is best known for.

This bout Main Evented the show.

Very old-school here.

Patterson was more known here obviously, being the Champion and the HEEL while DiBiase was more of the generic babyface going for the gold in this match and Ted Dibiase seemed annoyed with Patterson and his ways from the opening bell in this match, of course Howard Finkel is there and thankfully is now a Hall of Famer as of 2009 and rightfully so. Sort of a dead crowd to say the least.

After about a century we finally get some action as Patterson was avoiding any contact with Ted Dibiase and to say he was “waiting it out” would be an understatement.

The match finally began.

Dibiase opened it up by charging at Pat Patterson in the corner of the ring and opening up with right hands to the Champion, to the fans delight in New York City. Pat Patterson took an irishwhip to the buckle and bumped hard in the corner before recieving stomps by Ted DiBiase who had enough of Patteron’s tactics to begin. Patterson just took his jacket off and followed that by a walk to buy yet more time. The fans were on his case and he just waited it out a little longer before finally going back int he ring and Ted Dibiase grabbed his arm. Dibiase yanked the left arm of Patterson and began to go to work on it by drilling his knee into the shoulder joint a number of times and then slapping back the arm. Dibiase had an armbar locked in on the Champion for an extended period of time to slow things up a bit after his beginning attack. Patterson still was in the armbar and on his back couldn’t get out as Ted Dibiase made sure it was locked in well and fired more shots to the head of Patterson with both hands before slamming him down to the canvas and scoring the match’s first nearfall.

A knee drop to the face by Dibiase and another nearfall before he picked up Patterson and slammed him head first into the mat from his knees.

Patterson always seemed to be on his knees.

Pat Patterson irish-whipped DiBiase this time to the corner out of desperation and when charging to the corner missed Ted DiBiase and he hit his shoulder in the corner of the ring. Was this the beginning of the end, McMahon questioned?

DiBiase irish-whipped Patterson to the ropes this time and then caught him in an abdominal stretch.

DiBiase broke it after a sustained amount of punishment had been done to Patterson only to irish-whip him to the ropes once breaked and slap it on again. A rake of the eyes by the desperate champion broke the hold for Patterson who bought himself time to move in on DiBiase and land some hard shots in the corner. A chokehold by Patterson in the corner and this was his first real bit of offense in this match. DiBiase raked Patterson in the face back and then slammed his hands on the mat as Ted DiBiase seemed furious with Patterson. DiBiase shook his head and landed a dropkick on Patterson, went for another and landed on the back of his head.
Pat Patterson grabbed Brass Knuckles and pinned DiBiase despite not using them, he used the ropes for leverage as he grabbed onto DiBiase’s tights and retained the title at 7:54.

This had a REAL old-school feel, not many will like or even tolerate the slow pace of this one but for what they did, it worked, especially when you consider it’s the WWF in the 1970’s.
Some alright substance in the match, a basic formula, pretty decent for what it was.

 

 

* 1/4

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2) Ken Patera (c) vs Pedro Morales for the WWF Intercontinental Championship -Madison Square Garden: October 1980

 

Pedro Morales was one of the best Intercontinental Champion’s of ALL time. He was the challenger in this one. However this two time holder held the title for over two years when counting in the number of days to all his reigns. He competed in many classic matches in the 70’s and 80’s and suited this belt quite well but as said was not Champion during this match.

Morales was extremely over with the crowd and when he attacked Champion Ken Patera as soon as he got in the ring, everyone in MSG was screaming. That is what a Sports Entertainer is supposed to be able to do, get everyone out of their seat making noise and Morales could do that in a matter of seconds.

As said he attacked Ken Patera and the match was underway, the crowd was hot!
Kan Patera starting walking up the entrance way and Ken Patera who had gotten a lot of HEEL HEAT on the mic before the match was now furious and the fans ate it all up as we see how over Pedro Morales is. (Surprising because Ken Patera gave some of the most horrid interviews in wrestling history) Check out youtube. Mean Gene couldn’t hold back his laughter for some of them.

A young McMahon again on commentary.

Ken Patera came back to work and going for a kick he was turned around by Pedro Morales who was still hot and rakes the face before giving him a huge swing which took him down and made Patera dazed. Pedro Morales choked out Patera under the bottom rope. Patera did hit Morales in the mid-section with an elbow and then back to his vertical base Patera was able to unload on Pedro Morales.

Patera threw Morales over the top rope to the outside.
Pedro Morales was down on the concrete and Ken Patera slammed him on the floor which was pretty special for back then, even if he did do it well below today’s standards. Ken Patera went back in the ring like a natural heel to pose in front of the crowd who did not appreciate this. Patera now in control just tossed Morales into the ring post in the corner of the ring shoulder first and he landed on his head on the mat, and McMahon said “THAT has to be it for Pedro Morales.”

Morales tried to get on his feet and McMahon couldn’t believe it but Patera took him to the mat intelligently with a front facelock. Ken Patera the IC Champion tried to ground Pedro Morales who had a ton of energy and wear down the challenger with this front facelock but Morales and his legs kept kicking to try and exert energy from this MSG crowd who was more then willing him on. Patera kept asking the official if Pedro Morales had gave in but he hadn’t. Pedro got to his knees and attempted to pick up Patera but he got taken right back down by Patera in the front facelock as he kept is slapped on.

THIS TIME Pedro Morales was able to suplex Patera with his great strength by not only countering the facelock but having the ability with that strength to elevate Patera over his head and back to the mat, this got him a two count and more importantly scored Pedro Morales some time to get it back together as he slowly got back to his feet. Ken Patera did as well and Pedro connected with a couple of shots to the gut. As in the last match on this set when DiBiase slammed his hands on the mat for momentum in a furious babyface rage, Pedro Morales does the same thing here to a much bigger reaction. Morales smacks Patera down and he shakes his head as if he’s had enough in the corner but Pedro Morales wanted to keep giving him more punishment and he rakes the face yet again.
Pedro now got rakes and then Ken Patera slowly hit a vertical suplex but Patera wasted a bit of time not covering the challenger Pedro Morales according to Vince McMahon.

Patera dropped the elbow to the high shoulder of Pedro Morales that had been hurt earlier in the match against the ring post and he only got a two. The fans tried to urge Pedro Morales on but Patera kept on the offense with kicks to the shoulder and then with both men vertical he slapped on a bearhug. Ken Patera looked to show he had more strength and wear down the challenger who to this point had so much energy, Pedro Morales had a lot in the tank but this move was taking a lot out of him as they were both down on the mat and Ken Patera seemed determined to keep it locked in.

I really like how both of there styles were relatively similar as workers, Pedro Morales is more of a brawler but the way these two clicked in the ring it seemed very much alike outside of course the allignment characteristics.
Pedro Morales and the crowds life were being sucked out of this long lasting bearhug by Ken Patera who was dead-set on retaining this title.

Another old school match on the DVD with a slower pace but this one is telling a nice story with much more crowd involvment so it’s easier on the eye.

Both men back to there vertical base and Pedro Morales slapped the ears of Patera which broke the hold. Viciously Ken Patera struck with a ton of blows to the head of Pedro Morales and then went for a pinfall but got a nearfall. Pedro Morales was kicked at and then delivered a few hard forearm shots by Ken Patera.

Both men traded blows and Pedro Morales knew he had to hit something or it’d be a matter of time so he struck Patera in the corner with hard shots and continued to rake the Champ’s face. Morales shoved the ref down and Patera kept on him with forearm shots. Patera then threw the official away as both men kept knocking one another down. All of the sudden both men tossed the ref out of the ring together, you can see where this is heading. Pedro Morales locked on a submission hold and the official called for the bell likely disqualifying both guys.

The famous Shawn-Austin KOTR 97 finish but just done a bit worse, and 17 years before.

Both men didn’t go over the other to keep this hot feud going and for the match they worked, they did it wonderfully as I elluded to above, a nice story. The only thing not nice, the finish but at least that was logical. Fink announced that both men were Disqualified at 16:19 of the bout and both men couldn’t keep their hands off each other. Pedro Morales jumped onto Patera who was being held back by a ton of superstars including Pat Patterson.
Pretty good match here, just a bad ending. Morales won the IC title a couple months later though.

 

 

** 1/4

 

 

 

 

 

3) Pedro Morales (c) vs “The Magnificent” Don Muraco (W/Captain Lou Albano) for the WWF Intercontinental Championship -Madison Square Garden: December 1982

 

Gorilla and Vince on commentary, not a bad tandem!

 

Pedro Morales WAS the champion now in this one and it’s good to see another match with him on the set, the last one was great.

Don Muraco who has gone as THE ROCK, here he was the Magnificent Muraco with legenadary and long time WWF manager, Captain Lou Albano. Pedro Morales was over as ever in this match as well in MSG especially as champion, he got a tremendous roar of approval according to McMahon who has done all three matches on this DVD set to this point.

Listening to Monsoon say “Thank god” when Albano was taken to the back was hysterical.

Muraco and Morales ready to tie up from late 82 in MSG for the IC title, I’m ready for this. I’ve always liked both guys.

Both men lock up in the middle of the ring, neither wins the power exchange. A lot of power likely to be shown in this one, Muraco told the people to shut up and all this did was make Morales even more over because now everyone in New York wanted to see him get his by Pedro Morales.

Both tied up yet again and this time Pedro Morales backed Muraco to the rope, a clean break but both men kept locked in one another sort of like Lesnar-Goldberg in this building 22 years after this only the fans didn’t piss on this contest.

Another tie up as neither men gave anything power wise, all of the sudden Pedro Morales with a side headlock to Muraco as it is a standing one and he turns the forearm for leverage, he was backed to the ropes by Muraco desperate to break the lock, another clean break. Both men shove each other off and stand there with there eyes locked and yet another tieup, back into the side headlock by Pedro Morales.

Muraco just pushed him off as we see this one gradually beginning to build but in a slow way, neither man giving another one an inch. Pedro Morales with his third side headlock of the bout and he tried elbowing off, didn’t work so he raked the face. Muraco dropped an elbow but missed one on Pedro Morales who caught him with an uppercut and Muraco went for a walk. Pedro Morales waited in the ring as Muraco was a bit hesitant to come back in the ring and he needed a breather.

Don Muraco with a grin on his face as he came back in the ring. Both men standing there, and eventually tie up AGAIN for about the fourth or fifth time in the match and yet again a clean break. Both men not wanting to make a mistake which explains the cautious action of both. Muraco elbowed Pedro Morales in the lower abdomen which was risky and was somewhat of a low blow, official didn’t see or it would of been a low blow-DQ. Muraco asserting himself with gut shot, an abdomen drop right on his knee to Pedro Morales and his mid-section. Morales got his head snapped across the bottom rope by Muraco. Monsoon points out Don Muraco’s offense is pretty innovative, Muraco snaps Pedro Morales over and gets a two count.

Pedro Morales into a facelock by Don Muraco wanting to wear him out a bit more. A bit of a slower, methodical pace to this match taking the fans out of the contest. Muraco makes this front facelock NOT last an eternity but scores a nearfall right after and then drops his knee into the higher body of Pedro Morales. Don Muraco hits a standing vertical suplex to Pedro Morales and was looking to win the IC title but somehow Morales kicked out. Don Muraco grabbed Pedro Morales by the head and tossed him over the top rope, he went out to the front row and hit his head on a chair according to McMahon. Muraco had REALLY taken it out of the Champion here.

Your typical HEEL Challenger wearing down the Face champion.

Muraco then scooped up Pedro Morales and rammed him into the Steel Rail on the outside before giving him more kicks in the abdomen. Muraco in very good shape and then he posed on the top turnbuckle to a chorus of boo’s from MSG. A possible countout was perhaps coming but the official was distracted.

Pedro Morales got suplexed inside the ring from the apron by Don Muraco who couldn’t believe he only scored a two when the knee of Pedro Morales came up at two and hit Don Muraco in the forehead which bought him time to fight back with an elbow to the gut. Pedro Morales rakes the face of Muraco despite him kicking at Pedro Morales and landing a dropkick to Pedro Morales which sent him outside the ring yet again!

Pedro Morales hit a steel chair his first time thrown out.

Pedro Morales had his back slammed the second time against the steel by Muraco.
This time he hit his head on the concrete on the way out.

Even still he came back in to fight some more but Muraco charged Pedro Morales into the post and a kick to the chest. This was a big time beatdown now by Don Muraco who wouldn’t let Pedro Morales gain an inch here making any comeback attempt seem unlikely. Morales mad slammed a red shair to the steel and the fans got noisy.

Morales broke the count and he rakes the face of Muraco in the process.

Back in the ring the fans were fired up as he threw out left hands to Don Muraco with left hands to the jaw. Morales sent Muraco to the outside for a change of pace and retaliation. More shots by Pedro Morales to get even and he broke his own count so he could deliver more punishment to Muraco outside the ring. Pedro Morales on the ring apron slammed Muraco face first into the corner.

Pedro Morales in control and after more shots gave Muraco a backbody drop after irish-whipping him to the ropes. Pedro Morales in control after he had sustained a ton of punishment earlier on. Pedro Morales with a face rake and then in the corner threw big shots. Muraco hammered the official after Pedro Morales did and they rang the bell.

Just a LITTLE RIDICULOUS that two matches in a row on this DVD set end the same way when the ending didn’t need to be done again, no matter who was in there, there’s other ways of getting a finish. Both men wanted to get at one another still after the bell rang.

Such a shame it needed to end the way the last one did considering this one started slow, each man wanted the upper hand and the first half was controlled nicely by Muraco, the second half was intriguing as it was controlled by fan favourite and reigning IC Champon Pedro Morales.

I loved the pacing, everything made sense but how it ended, AGAIN which is pretty ridiculous. I know it was normal for every match in the 80’s to end strangely but for the sake of the IC title DVD set, both Pedro Morales matches ending in a double DQ at 14:27.
Always nice seeing RARE gems like this, no matter what its result at the end of the day.

Great material here, this was a GOOD wrestling match with realistic pacing and you could really FEEL what both men tried to accomplish.

You can REALLY see why this was put on the set, even called a CLASSIC by Todd Grisham. It’s not for everyone but you can really RESPECT the work from both guys.

 

A memorable clash!

 

 

 

***

 

 

 

4) “The Magnificent” Don Muraco (c) (W/Captain Lou Albano) vs Jimmy “Superfly” Snuka (With Buddy Rogers) for the WWF Intercontinental Championship in a Steel Cage Match -Madison Square Garden: October 1983

 

 

They show a great promo by MUraco before the match.

 
You’ve all heard it. A young Mick Foley caught a ride to MSG for this one and was inspired to do the same one day and take it to new levels, an awesome story told many times but why not once more before this one?

Todd Grisham states that besides Foley getting thrown off the Cell, this might be the most overplayed footage in WWE history, Snuka’s famous splash off the Cage onto Don Muraco.

Monsoon is doing this match, not McMahon for the first time on this set.

They show a good HEEL promo by Don Muraco done backstage with Vince McMahon the day of the bout which was a nice touch to this DVD.

Don Muraco and Snuka both played there allignment perfectly which delivered a great blend for this clash.

The Steel Cage Match back then was billed as the most brutal match in wrestling and then it certainly was.

Snuka got the best of Muraco early with a couple of shoves and then the two tied up in the center until finally near the ropes where Superfly gave Muraco some shots and chops to the delight of the crowd. Muraco pulled the door open out of desperation but Snuka caught up to him and slammed his head into the top buckle before hitting more shots to Don Muraco.

Snuka kept on Muraco with more turnbuckle shots and a chop to the front ropes, but Muraco hit a knee to the gut of Snuka before a sling shot to the side of the cage of Snuka. Muraco pulled out all the stops in desperation to get back in this match and this busted open the Superfly. Jimmy Snuka`s bloodied face was grated across the cage by the Magnificent Muraco.

The Magnificent Don Muraco threw Snuka into the corner but Superfly was able to bring up a knee of his own to bring Muraco down. Snuka climbed to the top but Muraco got to his feet and stopped him. Muraco had Snuka up in a half fireman`s carry on the top rope. Muraco had Snuka up high. Snuka hit him with a hard forearm shot and Muraco layed down in the middle and Snuka had a chance to perhaps splash on him but he didn`t. Snuka at this point was bloodied and Don Muraco got back up and knocked him off the top. Muraco was in a position to get out and he couldn`t get out the door because Jimmy Snuka irishwhipped him into the corner turnbuckle head first.

Snuka sent Muraco into the side of the Cage and then leaped up and landed a hard shot to the head of Don Muraco. Muraco now busted open. Superfly with a powerslam to Don Muraco. Snuka went up to the top and instead of a headbutt (due to the blodloss) he hits a flying forearm from the top to Don Muraco. Snuka then with a hard right hand to Muraco`s bloodied head multiple times. Snuka then DOES hit a vicious headbutt despite the blood loss and this time he lands outside the CAGE to win the match!

No one can believe it! Both men bloodied and Snuka wasn`t going to take this. Muraco had won the match and Superfly hit a big suplex to knock a bloodied Champion down and out in the center of the ring.
Superfly Up…..He does it!

20,000 go bannana`s according to Monsoon in MSG!

Historical significance and a bout for its time bumps up the rating slightly.

 

 

 

** 3/4

 

 

 

 

 

5) Tito Santana vs Greg “The Hammer” Valentine (c) (With the “Mouth of the South” Jimmy Hart) for the WWF Intercontinental Championship in a Lumberjack Match -Madison Square Garden: March 17th, 1985
Enter Tito Santana. Arrrriba, and I never want to hear Todd Grisham say that again but Tito Santana is a Hall of Famer, a loyal WWF competitor who inspired a Latino fanbase.
He was the first ever person to be in the ring in a Royal Rumble match with Bret Hart.

He was the first ever person to open a Wrestlemania with the Executioner. Infact Tito appeared in almost every one of the first half of the Wrestlemania`s as he was always a good hand for Vince McMahon.
He was a great worker as well and he suited the Intercontinental title division, nicely.

A man that also was inducted the same year as Tito Santana, was one of my all time favourites and one of the most underrated workers in all of Wrestling, Greg “The Hammer“ Valentine.

Valentine was a stiff worker and could go with just about anyone like Santana so this is why there matches worked well. Here we see a Lumberjack between the two, from Madison Square Garden just weeks before the original Wrestlemania that would also take place from this venue.

An underrated rivalry here!

Make no mistake about it, these two had some incredible wars over the years.

Several superstars such as Big John Studd among others like King Kong Bundy, Junyard Dog, Matt Bourne, Ricky Steamboat, Rocky Johnson surrounded around ringside for this Lumberjack match.

Greg Valentine wasted no time to get things going with hard shots to Santana. Tito Santana down on the canvas was forced elbow drops to the head by Valentine who hit a chinlock, Valentine then slingshotted him to the ropes but Tito Santana came back with a reversal shot and a series of right hands before sending The Hammer into the corner.

Valentine went to the outside and the wrestlers made sure they put Valentine back in the ring. Tito Santana dropped an elbow to the throat of Valentine. The Hammer backed up in the corner and kicked Santana who spinned him around and hit an atomic drop before a high knee lift. Tito Santana in control all of the sudden and MSG in his favor.

The outside competitors made sure Greg The Hammer came back in yet again and inside the ring Santana continued to dominate as he hit him with a series of rights on the top turnbuckle until Valentine regrouped and eventually picked up Santana on top of him and hit an atomic drop. Tito Santana wouldn`t stay down long and tried to get back at Valentine and he left the ring but the wrestlers didn`t attack lim like they would these days and they simple just throwed him back in the ring again.

Tito Santana hit a knee lift to the face of Greg Valentine once back in the ring. Tito Santana jumped from the second rope and dropped the elbow to the back of the neck and Valentine continued to sell Santana`s offense like a pro. Tito Santana only got a two count and then slammed Valentine`s head to the mat as he grabbed a fistful of hair. Valentine fell to his back and left the ring one again until Ricky the Dragon Steamboat picked him up and made sure he had to get back in the ring with Tito Santana.

Valentine shook his head asking for forgiveness but Santana would have none of that here. Santana charged towards Greg Valentine in the corner but he had perfect timing when raising the boot to catch Santana square in the jaw but it only got Greg the Hammer a two count in an attempt to reatain his title on a move lik that. Valentine used the ropes for leverage as he dropped those stiff forearm shots over Santana`s throat. Valentine pulled Santana up by the hair but he jut dropped him and got yet another nearfall and you see Greg Valentine frustrated. Valentine pulled up the legs of Tito Santana and then dropped his body weight in the gut, and then Valentine kicked Santana`s bad knee.

Remember in one of the worst promo`s of all time by the Executioner when he said he was going for Tito Santana`s bad leg, at Wrestlemania 1. Well I tried to forget that promo but as mentioned this match is within two weeks of the original Mania so Santana`s knee was still hurt. Infact Santana had knee problems only because of Greg The Hammer Valentine.

Valentine tossed out Santana and kicked to make sure he stayed outside the ring. Valentine got Santana up from in the ring while he was standing outside the apron and hit a chinlock before a stiff chot along the chest of Tito Santana. You could always hear Valentine`s shots, something I always liked about him. Valentine`s big body weight came crushing off the top with yet another chop to the back of Santana. Valentine stayed right on Santana`s legs and then kept slapping Tito Santana. The Hammer dropped the knee to the hamstring of Tito Santana. Valentine tried to get a Figure Four on Santana which would of been lights out, but Tito Santana hit a counter-rollup which scored him a two.

Both men to there feet going toe to toe in a slugfest as the fans got to there feet and MSG popped. Valentine got the better of that as you might of been able to guess. The Hammer sent him to the corner and gave him shots the mid-section and jaw. Tito Santana countered by going all the way down, back first to the mat to spring Valentine into the corner hitting head first. This move bought him some time. Tito Santana hit Valentine with a couple of forearm shots and Valentine fell to his back. Santana and Valentine both hitting hard right hands, and even lefts by Tito Santana who hit a series of lefts followed by an eventual right and Valentine flopped down face first. The Lumberjacks started pushing one another and Santana let go of another right and then he hit a big snapshot vertical suplex. Tito Santana had the crowd in his favor and right now he had battled his way back in the match against Valentine but still only could score himself a two.

Tito Santana dropped his knee into the hurt face of Greg Valentine and then a knee drop to the back of The Hammer`s head. Tito lifted the legs of Valentine and went for a figure four of his own but Valentine kicked out of it and then went outside the ring but the superstars made sure he got sent back in the ring. Tito Santana irishwhipped Valentine and caught a hard forearm shot. Tito Santana started to slap on the Figure Four and when he got it locked on the place popped and Big John Stuff with the official distracted pulled Valentine to the ropes so he could gain an advantage and the official could break the hold. Tito Santana went after Studd as he knew. valentine capitalized from behind and hit a forearm shot into the back of Tito Santana. Valentine then hit more head shots hard to the head of Tito Santana.

Tito Santana still managed to battle back with rights and this slugfest was now officially a war. Tito Santana missed a right hand and Valentine hit a side headlock followed by a shoulder block and Valentine`s body weight landed on Santana and Valentine got the three count as they both knocked into each other. Just falling on top of him Valentine got him. In the end Greg “The Hammer“ Valentine retained the IC title over Tito Santana in a longer match that went at least over 15 minutes.

Well this was certainly a contest that was pretty unique and hard to describe, if you have never seen it then wait till you do and you will understand more what it is all about.

This is another one of those slower, old school matches but you had to love the feud, you had to love the final five minutes. This was pretty great overall for what it was you just need to be open minded to truely appreciate the greatness this brought out.

 

 

*** 1/4

6) Tito Santana (c) vs Randy “Macho Man” Savage (With Miss Elizabeth) for the WWF Intercontinental Championship -Boston Garden: February 8th, 1986 

 

 

Now the pace picks up because as Grisham mentions on the DVD it’s enter, the Macho Man. His agility for the man of his size was unbelievable especially when you consider his aerial attacks, his offensive combinations of flying double axe-handles to the floor or canvas, clotheslining a person over the top rope swinging them back while he jumps from the ring out to the floor over the top rope, and of course his flying elbow drop.
This is the first time on the entire DVD set that a match is not from MSG, however it`s still in a GARDEN, the old Boston Garden which saw a ton of great matches over time including this one.

For this set, it`s now time to Enter, The Macho Man. It doesen`t last as long as it could but who`s going to complain when you get two Randy Savage matches on a DVD set these days, I for one will not.

 

Randy “Macho Man” Savage first faced Tito Santana for the Intercontinental Championship in October of 1985 and won by a countout. In promo’s Savage stated that Santana was nothin but garbage comparitevely speaking to the Macho Man using a garbage can as a prop. Hilarious interivew that you can see on youtube and I believe his DVD as well.

Savage later received a rematch on Feb the 8th at the Boston Garden, and certainly made the most of it as we`ll see here.
Macho was captivating audiences with his unique charisma and that reognizable voice, also with how he acted in and out of the ring either on his own or with his valet, Elizabeth.

Bottom Line- Fans had an opinion on how he acted whether they loved his MACHO Attitude or hated his arrorgance, which is why he was so over. He was supposed to be headlining Wrestlemania 2 the month after this but Hogan thought it`d be best to put Bundy so he told managment that would be better. Either way, both Savage and Bundy got to headline Mania with Hogan over time.

I`m glad in a way though because Savage stayed in the IC Division and would completely run the show all through 1986 facing everybody, starting on this night.

Here we go, Tito Santana vs Randy The Macho Man Savage for the IC Title in Boston! Tito Santana was the reigning Champion and Savage the challenger.
This still took place in a time where especially in McMahon`s company the matches were a tad slower, which is why the Savage-Steamboat match is an immediate classic at Wrestlemania 3, (and for many other reasons) so this was definately a great change of pace in this time period.

A turning point for sure in not just the IC division but the World Wrestling Federation as far as overall workrate was concerned.

The best commentary duo ever did this match in Gorilla Monsoon and Jesse “The Body” Ventura. Some argue that Jim Ross and Jerry Lawler of the late 90’s, or Heenan and Monsoon are the best tandem and you wouldn’t be far off with any of those suggestions but this was in my opinion the best all around commentary duo which helped the mid-late 80’s in the WWF be exactly what it was, great. Ventura’s unique voice mixed in with his wrestling knowledge, wit and improvisation commplimented Monsoon’s great babyface play by play style and the two were always fun. They never ignored the action and were sometimes a step ahead.
Tito Santana stared at Randy Savage who oozed with charisma and confidence as he took off his blue robe, he was in yellow trunks, while Santana the Champion was all business in red trunks. Elizabeth in a blue dress went outside the ring and the bell rang and this epic from the Boston Garden was about to begin, I could dig it.
Randy Savage was built up here by Monsoon and Ventura as a legit person that could take the title from Tito Santana. This is a match of matches set to take place, Savage springboarded out from the outside apron to the inside to perhaps warm up and intimidate Tito Santana all at the same time and then he points at Tito Santana letting him know it’s awesome, gotta love Macho’s enthusiasm.

Savage and Santana lock up in the middle of the ring and Santana pushes him off having one the first test of stregth and Savage looks at the crowd to see if they notice.

Tito Santana looked on at Savage who said don’t shove me boy and then the two locked up again. Savage pushed off to the ropes and then tied up again and both were intense and determined. A go behind by Savage and then Santana with a nice go-behind and Savage looked for a way out and got right to the ropes to break the hold. The feeling out process was nicely done here and you could feel the prestige of the title by the way both men prepared themself for this match.

Randy Savage went for a walk and came back in and tied up again this time with a side headlock on Santana and he goes into a headscissors on Savage and then he grabs onto the ropes gets up and goes outside the ring to the top to play to the crowd. Savage hopped over the top and went for a walk around the ring, I loved how Savage did this. Randy would do this until he got the momentum and when he did he hit an elbow to Santana and then Tito Santana argued Randy Savage hit him with a thumb to the eye. Randy Savage escaped from Santana arguing with the official and when outside the ring to tell Elizabeth something, Tito Santana followed him!

Boston popped as Tito Santana landed a right on Savage and then another followed by an uppercut with the forearm. Savage avoids being pushed into the ringpost and Ventura calls it a cheapshot, hillarious. Savage lands a shot and throws Tito Santana into the ring, Savage lightning quick jumps up to the top rope.

The action gets quick now as Savage leaps off the top rope with a double axehandle and Santana waited for it and blocked it by planting the big right hand and followed it up with a series of shots to Savage and a powerslam. Tito Santana went for the flying elbow off the side ropes and Savage left the ring, Jesse Ventura points out how smart Randy Savage was to avoid that move and leave the ring, Savage had the Champion scouted. I love Randy Savage, I love Jesse Ventura, I can’t tell you how much I love both of them on the same page, it makes for great TV.

Savage’s ring smarts are evident once again when he sneaks under the bottom rope back inside the ring and waits for Tito Santana to follow him and once in he drops a shot on his head to regain the upperhand in the match. Savage irishwhipped Santana and lifted the boot but Santana lifted him up and turned him around for an atomic drop. Tito Santana wanted a three count but Macho Man got his foot on the ropes, and he got up and rakes the face of Tito Santana. Macho Man in a bit of pain, showed signs of being quicker then Tito Santana but he was taking a breath. Savage then from the blindside, ran across the ropes and dropped the double axehandle and then got a nearfall on Santana.
Tito Santana got hit with a big clothesline righ underneath the chin by The Macho Man and he couldn’t believe he was just two. Macho Man flew off the top and landed the double axehandle this time to the head and this time he hooked the leg and absolutely couldn’t believe he only got a two. Macho Man looked crazy and what else is new. Tito Santana answered back with right hand’s but not a lot behind them, then Savage resorted to raking the face of Tito Santana. Randy Savage threw Santana outside the ring and then dropped the double axehandle from the top rope to the back of the neck of Tito Santana outside the ring. Jesse Ventura points out you need him in the ring to win the title, Savage tried to get him right back in but Santana blocked a shot from Savage and rammed Macho Man’s head into the topturnbuckle. Tito Santana wrenched Savage back over the ropes and delivered some forearm shots across the sternum of Macho Man. Tito Santana stomped on Savage when he came back in the ring, Santana connected with a flying elbow shot to the head of Savage. Tito Santana with a nearfall after nearfall, four times with in a quarter of a second but Macho Man had his foot on the ropes. Tito Santana irishwhipped Macho Man to the corner and he hit back first and then as Santana crushed into Macho Man in the corner he ran into his knee up high and Santana fell back first. Savage covered Santana got a two, and then Tito Santana’s force pushed Macho Man on top of Davis, and then Santana hit a roll-up and Davis got a slow two count.

Macho man got up and went for a knee drop to Santana and hurt his left knee as Tito Santana avoided the collision. Savage limped and Santana targetted the leg of Savage! Tito Santana played to the crowd perfectly here and then kicked at the leg, this would be a follow up for the figure four. Savage was pulled up by Tito Santana who worked on the leg and pulled Savage’s left leg up and it elevated him from his back in the corner.
Tito Santana locked on the figure four!

What action! Fans go crazy as Chico has his trade-mark finisher on Macho after weakening his legs, this is what he had been looking for.

Boston goes crazy as Savage tried to roll and he MADE IT. Jesse Ventura praises Savage for making it to the ropes and he limped outside the ring apron. Santana went for a suplex from inside the ring to the outside and he brought him in and landed it perfectly. Santana went for another figure four attempt and Macho Man hit a nice counter move and kicked him out. Macho Man went back into his tights looking for a weapon. He missed Santana with the initial shot but connected on the second as he was brought back in with a back body suplex by Tito Santana.

Savage landed it and threw his weapon outside the ring as he got the three count! New Champion! Macho stole the match!

 

In the end the Macho Man Randy Savage became the new Intercontinental Champion when he used a weapon from his trunks to hit Tito Santana with in the head out of desperation to pull out all stops.

Excellent Match. Tons of quality, everything was logical.

History made in the Boston Garden’s, the same venue Bret Hart would have a terrific match with Ricky Steamboat in the same year.

Dave Meltzer rated this match four stars in 1986 and I`ve always been a fan of it and its significance, I`m definitely more of a fan of the clash in styles and the story told which is why I am so high on it as well. Such a gem.

 

 

****

 

 

 

 

 

7) Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat (With George “The Animal” Steele) vs Randy “Macho Man” Savage (c) (With Miss Elizabeth) for the WWF Intercontinental Championship -WrestleMania 3

 

 

Why did they not show Savage`s awessome, epic thirty second promo before the match WHERE he says his most famous line in History beckons the macho man:….

Yet they expose Steambat`s terribe mic skills and show his.

Oh well. At least the match is here.

 

Nearing the two hour point of the event at Wrestlemania 3…..

You could just feel it in the air, as the dark sky overshadowed the dome the mood was about to change and an epic match was upon.

SO it’s safe to say you could really feel the spectacle of Wrestlemania 3 by the atmosphere which was beyond amazing for this next contest in paticular.

 

For the stage to be set with a lot of hype, considering all the Savage promo’s, and the show its MOST CERtINLY on…this one better deliver. The buildup had been done absolutely magnificent by both Savage and Steamboat, and then for them to both come through and pass expectations it remains a classic and one of the most talked about matches to this day!

What this match did was inspire so many, it stole the show. Hogan-Andre sold it, this stole the biggest show of ALL time. Relatives, friends alike will still talk about THIS match from March of 1987 even if they do not follow Wrestling anymore. That kind of thing does not happen too often and I have seen this firsthand.

This was the ultimate peak of the career for both Savage and Steamboat, they went out there and arguably did more in under fifteen minutes then Flair and Steamboat did in there 1989 trilogy where most of those matches were double this length. Obvioussly that series and this match are incedibally hard to compare due to the different nature of those matches, and I consider at least two of them better then this match. (Chi Town Rumble and Wrestlewar 89) However this one is rated the same as those at an even five stars. All of them are perfect.

Savage had crushed Steamboat’s larynx with a ringbell weeks before and this feud was getting RED Hot in every way, by the time this match took place it had been long awaited.

That would be the driving focus of this match (larynx of the Dragon), where as in the other corner Steele loved Liz and this just made Savage more paranoid and more determined to put that team away.

Savage had been champion for a long time and came out in all his glory in an entrance I consider to be one of the best in wrestling history, the robe, the music, the girl, the atmosphere with the giant crowd, the night sky in the dome, and the buildup to this match in this red hot feud was fantastic.

They brought in a new style to McMahon’s company, it’s as if Savage and Steamboat brought the NWA workrate to McMahon’s company for this night.

This match is magic. Steamboat chants dont stop.

Everything worked so well, absolutely everything clicked, everybody still talks about it to this day and the match wasn’t even as long as a single episode of your favourite sitcom, infact it was about eight minutes shorter!

Macho was in his red robe and pointed at both Steamboat and Steele as he took off his IC title that he had defended like a Champion for so long, the bell finally rang, Liz and Steele were outside the ring area, Steamboat and Savage were inside and the match begun!

Here we go in a major way!

Wrestlemania 3 needed match like this to deliver, and not only did this do just that, but everything and more. Especially since it followed Koko vs Butch Reed, a very slow and dull match.

Randy Savage went for a sneak attack but Steamboat turned around in time and then Randy Savage put his arm in the air signalling for a test of strength and to say these two were in front and center of the Wrestling world in this momnent in time would be a massive understatement.

Ricky Steamboat hit a nice hiplock to Savage after a go-behind as a nice counter. Savage was frustrated and he decided to then kill two birds with one stone as he not only went out for a walk like we usually see him do but he took Liz by the hand as apparently she was in the wrong place and to close to Animal which was a side story to the match.

Savage with an irishwhip to the Dragon, went for a reverse elbow shot but Steamboat ducked and hit a beautiful deep armdrag, off the ropes through the legs and another deep armdrag by the Dragon! (As he did so well time and time again)

Nice offensive exchange by Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat, seriously awesome stuff!

 

Then Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat elevated Savage up by the throat first! Revenge time.

The Dragon is paying Savage back with a choke! The Pontiac Silverdome goes crazy.

Savage went for a walk as he knew his title reign was in jeopardy. Macho Man eventually got back in the ring and dropped a double axehandle to Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat. Randy Savage got The Dragon to chase him outside the ring and then levelled him in the mid-section, choked him out and hit him with a clothesline.

Ventura says Savage is the best in all of Wrestling.

Well this was in his absolute PRIME. Hard to argue, I’d say only Flair came close around then.

Savage took on all competitors and choked out Steamboat in the corner of the ring. Savage took on all competitor`s at the time, had ducked nobody.

Randy Savage charged towards Ricky Steamboat in the corner and found nobody home and Steamboat hit a wristlock. Leverage expanded Steamboat to throw an arm ringer on Macho Man and then with a method to his madness dropped the arm over the top rope. Inside the middle of the ring, Steamboat tweaked the arm and dropped a hard shot on the left arm.

Macho Man with a handfull of hair sent Ricky Steamboat to the ropes and he planted Steamboat a reverse elbow shot which bought himself more time to work with.

Macho Man elevated Ricky Steamboat outside the ring after the elbow shot to the face! Fans in Michigan got behind Steamboat but Savage had just bought himself some time after all that terrific offense from Steamboat! Savage held onto his arm that was worked over by Ricky Steamboat and he sold the arm well.

Savage again with a handfull of hair, dropped the elbow into the Larynx of Steamboat! Fine line here, Monsoon speculated on why Savage didn’t do this right away where as Ventura explains you need to find openings, catch people offgaurd and do things to make room for other things. I always love when Ventura says that whenever watching this match that I’ve no doubt seen near 200 times now, it’s short enough (and certainly good enough) to watch it that many times. It was perfectly logical and suited the psychology of Randy Savage in this match because he didn’t want to be obvious with his gameplan, but went straight into the playbook once finding The Dragon at a vulnerable state in which he did not hesitate to attack the injured larynx of the Steamboat.

Perfect storytelling!

Ricky Steamboat hung onto the bottom rope on the apron as Savage ruthlessly dropped knee shots into the high back of Ricky Steamboat. Savage was intense and dedicated to doing whatever he had to on the biggest stage of them all. Ricky Steamboat brought back in over the ropes by Savage with a snap takeover, an elbow drop and a hook a nice amateur move by Macho Man.

 

A kneedrop and Savage wasted no time hooking him after these recent offensive attack! The Macho Man only got a two count and picked Steamboat by the hair, went to hit him in the top of the buckle but the Champ rammed Savage head first. Ricky Steamboat got Detroit behind him yet again and he throw a hard forearm shot to Savage, everything on the line and Savage got tied up in the ropes. This was Ricky Steamboat’s chance! Savage tied up and then with Ricky Steamboat charging towards him The Macho Man was able to lift up his right leg and kick Steamboat on the mid-section buying him time to get out of the ropes. Savage was motivated to staying in the upperhand but The Dragon pulled out the armdrag and the broadcasters were absolutely right when saying no one did an armdrag like Steamboat. It was his defining offensive move, no one in Wrestling History did one better then the Dragon.

This is one of my favourite sequences of the entire classic confrontation!

Randy Savage was hell bent on elevating Steamboat over the top rope after he got stuck in the ropes and when going for a head of hair like he naturally would, Steamboat said “No” and hit one of those picture perfect armdrag’s. Now try and keep up as this is where it gets good. REAL GOOD.

Things were about to turn from innovative, to revolutionary, to LEGENDARY with the pacing in this battle.

After the armdrag of the Dragon he got a shoulderblock and a nearfall, Monsoon points out the beyond insane speed. Ricky Steamboat got caught with the momentum and Savage bouncing off the ropes hit a high knee to Steamboat. Savage threw Ricky Steamboat over the top but he pulled himself back in, hillariously Savage looked back at Ricky Steamboat and he simply clotheslined him over the top. The Animal Steele helped Ricky Steamboat on the outside.

You have to get up pretty early to outsmart the Macho Man said by Ventura and Monsoon even agreed, they sure gave Savage some props despite being the heel.

Ricky Steamboat got knocked on the outside by Savage as he pushed him down, staying on the back of Steamboat. Savage always found an opening whenever he hurt apart of the opposition. Ventura is irate that Steamboat wasn’t counted out but the official gave him a pass due to Savage’s offense on the outside. The Animal threw Ricky Steamboat back in the ring. Macho Man threw him right back over the top as soon as he got back in! Randy Savage jumped from the top rope in a picture perfect shot from the stadium and he dropped a double axehandle to Steamboat to the larynx of Ricky Steamboat. Savage then looked on top of his game and ready to retain but he went out and broke the count and threw him back in.

What’s this, Savage wanting to retain the title like a man? Savage then with bombs away, right between the eyes this time with a double axehandle drop from the top rope to the inside this time, and then an elbow, and a two count. Savage then hit a clothesline and from outside hit a running elbow and then got a series of nearfalls.

Nearfall after nearfall, Savage couldn’t put Steamboat away.

Classic, textbook suplex by Randy “Macho Man” Savage but he couldn’t put him away!

The crowd goes crazy when Ricky Steamboat hits a punch and Monsoon states “this is beyond wrestling ability, this is guts personified” as he tried fighting back. Macho Man raked the eyes and then hit a beautiful gutwrench suplex. Ventura wanted Hebner to stay consistent with the counting as he found it a bit slow.

Steamboat fought back with chops to Randy Savage and then hit a backdrop to the outside and the place exploded as Savage fell to the outside hitting the floor. The Dragon then broke the count as Savage was down on his knees, obvioussly not worrying if he lost the match by countout to keep the title.

In a familar replay of this match whenever wee see highlights of this epic, Steamboat flew off the top with a hard shot to Savage. Now at this point Randy Savage had thrown everything to Ricky Steamboat so he was desperate.

BUT NOW, now there was a fine line. Steamboat was the agressor. Ricky Steamboat hit a hard shot from the top to retaliate and then got a nearfall as Savage’s leg was on the rope. The Dragon still on the attack down in the middle hit a chop to Savage. Randy kept kicking out and Steamboast kept chopping.

Macho Man tried to get to the outside to save himself but Ricky Steamboat kept on the attack with more shots to the face hitting him off the apron.

Savage snuck back in but Steamboat followed him to the outside and then sunsetflipped inside the ring and tried to pull Savage down for a pinning attempt after the Sunset flip. Savage tired to hold onto the ropes but he used his legs to knock Steamboat in the head from both sides to break the count!

Amazing action! I Love Jesse’s color analysis line about sometmes you have to do things to make openings for other thing in matches, so true. And for anyone thinking a certain match isn’t telling a story properly they should just remember that one line.

Steamboat with another pinning attempt. Ricky Steamboat with a double leghook and flipped his body over Savage in a unique pinning attempt, no one could believe the battle this was.

Jesse Ventrua says “This is one of the greatest battles I have ever seen in my life.” Certainly nt an exagerato mas the bout featured Macho and The Dragon in their prime in front of the biggest WWF crowd in hstory at Mania to boot! 19 nearfalls in this 14 minute match, plus, great psychology, work-rate and story-telling as well. You could feel the hatred and the crowd was red-hot throughout the whole experience.

 

 

 

Steamboat with a Crossbody off the ropes!

Steamboat with another roll-up and two and the buzz was certainly in the air. Everyone was talking. Steamboat with a suplex and then a slingshot into the post, hooked the legs from behind, but Savage kicked out with his legs. Steamboat again, Savage kicked out. This time Savage rolled Steamboat up, AMAZING back and forth but Ricky Steamboat kicked out.

Out of desperation the “Macho Man” Randy Savage with a leverage move hooking the tights ramming STEAMBOAT this time into the post. Randy Savage with two reversals throwing Steamboat to Hebner was down and out. Clothesline by Savage. Another powerful clothesline.

Macho is going to the top! Macho is going to the top!

Time stood still here.

A moment for the ages, the beautiful scenery catching Macho Man’s elbow drop from the top where the camera zoomed in on 93, 000 in the Silverdome as Randy Savage in the peak of his career hits a picture perfect Macho Man Elbow Drop! He got him!

Savage should have it here but there is no referee, Dave Hebner was still out. Savage was exhausted and slapped some life into him. Macho then resorted to grabbing the ringbell, the same bell that he put the Dragon out of commission with. The Animal snatched the bell but Savage hillariously kicks him in the head.

Savage grabbed the bell and was about to leap off the top but The Animal pushed him off the top and the bell rammed Savage in the head this time! Savage slowly got to his feet but The Macho Man was taken over by a small package by The Dragon!

History has been made! Wow.

 

The finish came at 14:35, YES JUST 14:35! Steamboat was the NEW IC CHAMPION.

Standing ovation by 93, 000 fans, Liz in tears. Randy Savage couldn’t believe it.

One of the best stories I’ve ever seen in front of me in the world of Pro-Wrestling, and this moment will last forever.

A match that will stand the test of time and LIVE for EVERY Wrestling Fan worldwide forever.

 

Classic is another word you could use for this match, and that is an understatement.

It holds a special place for everybody and for me it is a top 5 match of all time and certainly one of the best ever at Wrestlemania.

Steamboat ended up getting revenge on Savage by taking the one thing that meant even more to him then Elizabeth, his Intercontinental title. After all those memorable promo’s.

The Steamboat victory gave us the cream of the crop promo, May 11th 1987, Savage’s very best so everyone can be thankful.

History Beckons this match.

A 1980’s Masterpiece!

One of the greatest matches EVER and the very best for the IC title. Top 5 match of all time.

 

 

*****

 

 

 

 

 

 

8 ) Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat (c) vs The Honkeytonk Man (With Jimmy Hart) for the WWF Intercontinental Championship -WWF Superstars June 1987

 

Ricky Steamboat the IC Champion for a few months and one of the greatest wrestlers of all time, infact I consider Steamboat third best in North America insde the squared circle only behind Benoit and Bret, thus making him the greatest American wrestler in the ring ever. Michaels, Guerrero, Austin, Flair, Hennig, Hunter, Taker, Angle, Savage, Anderson, Pillman, Mysterio and Bockwinkel are al up there for Americans a well as well as a dozen others.
The Honkeytonk Man was a gimmick and a HEEL who would stop at nothing to cheat his way to victory. I was never a fan of him, and he`s just a real piece of shit behind the scenes, making fun of Bret`s stroke in a youtube video. Honky you got no class and were damn lucky for everything you got in the WWE. I hope this piece of trash never gets inducted but he likely will.

Vince McMahon is back on commentary now and we’re at WWF Superstars in mid 1987 when Wrestling was at its peak during the 80’s BOOM.

¸
The Honkeytonk Man wasted no time here.

Steamboat had his head slammed into the top of the turnbuckle. The Honkeytonk Man tossed him over the top and Steamboat held onto the top rope and hit Jimmy Hart on the outside which obviously got a huge pop as the old school fans loved any action against the little runt with the mega phone.

The Dragon was breathing fire as he backdropped The Honkeytonk Man man back first over the rope now. Inside the ring The Dragon kept on the back of The Honkeytonk Man and hit a beautiful back suplex. A hard chop and two snap takedown’s, followed by a forearm shot. Steamboat moved around the ring so well. Steamboat rammed The Honkeytonk Man’s head into the top turnbuckle.

You can always count on a Ricky Steamboat match to have a good one.

This did juust that.

Ventura speculated it was The Honkeytonk Man’s victory over Jake “The Snake” Roberts a few months back at Wrestlemania 3 that got him this chance to face Steamboat for the title.

Steamboat was in control though and hit a hard elbow pushing The Honkeytonk Man to the ropes and irishwhipped him to the side ropes with another chop.

Steamboat with a series of hard forearm shots, The Honkeytonk Man reversing things with a round house right but Steamboat ducked and then pushed The Honkeytonk Man to the corner, rolled him over but Honkeytonk fired him head first into the buckle!

This bought The Honkeytonk Man some momentum. Lucky you could say as all he was doing was kicking out but it was all fast. The Honkeytonk Man snapped Steamboat’s head into the top rope and that was smart due to the injured larynx and his opponents had him well scouted due to Savage injuring Steamboat. There was a weakness there for the Champion. The Honkeytonk Man hit Steamer down and missed an elbow drop from the top!

The tide had turned again, Steamboat chopped away at The Honkeytonk Man and irishwhipped him to the ropes, ducked down and caught a boot. Front facelock by The Honkeytonk Man but The Dragon saved himself with a backdrop. The Honkeytonk Man thrown into the corner by Steamboat who hit him with a steam roller and downstairs with upstairs shots. What offense, fast stuff here.

Good quality.

Steamboat from the top hit a hard chop to the head of The Honkeytonk Man but Jimmy Hart had the official distracted.

Steamboat dropkicked The Honkeytonk Man into Jimmy Hart and the place went crazy!

The Finish was very unique here.

Steamboat rolled up The Honkeytonk Man but Honkeytonk used the middle rope for leverage to pin HIM at the same time and it appears Steamboat’s back was against the mat and that was the fall the official was calling.

This was short, the ending out of no where but the crowd was hot, the action was full, the performers did well, it was back and forth, it was fun, this was a very, very good match but I could of done with a few more minutes and because of that flaw I take some marks off.

Still liked it for certain.

 

 

 

** 1/2

 

 

 

9) The Ultimate Warrior vs The Honkeytonk Man (c) (with Jimmy Hart) for the WWF Interconinental Championship -WWF Summerslam 1988

 

Todd Grisham just needed to give the ending to this match away! (End sarcasm)
This match did though make the Warrior and his Goldberg like push ten years before.

 

 

 

The following is “From WWE.com”

-Back on August 29, 1988, the first-ever SummerSlam’s Intercontinental Title Match was supposed to pit reigning champion Honky Tonk Man against Brutus “The Barber” Beefcake. However, due to an injury suffered at the hands of Outlaw Ron Bass, Beefcake was unable to compete. Even though a replacement challenger had yet to be named, an overconfident Honky Tonk Man was so convinced that he would emerge victorious that he claimed not to care who he opposed. Having spent nearly 15 months as the Intercontinental Champion, the tone-deaf Elvis-garbed Superstar certainly had reason to strum on his “gee-tar” and feel “Cool, Cocky, Bad.” However, on this particular night, his cockiness would prove to be his undoing.
No one in Madison Square Garden knew of relative newcomer Ultimate Warrior as his “Unstable” theme first permeated the Mecca of sports-entertainment, but neither our fans nor Honky Tonk Man would ever forget him. Regardless whether or not Honky Tonk realized immediately that he was in trouble, he didn’t even have time to react to his face-painted powerhouse. It took just mere seconds, a gorilla press slam and a splash to bring the capacity crowd to its feet.and end the longest Intercontinental Championship reign in record time.

Alright, so the match ended when Warrior splashed him at 0:31 to become the new IC Champion.

As read above it was too entertaining to be a DUD but it was fun for what it was and certainly significant in both guys career.

History Beckons the Warrior!? No, but he made his mark. This deserved a spot on the DVD becase it ended his reign and it was only 31 seconds.

 

1/2* 

 

 

 

10) The Ultimate Warrior vs “Ravishing” Rick Rude (c) (with Bobby Heenan) for the WWF Interconinental Championship -WWF Summerslam 1989

 

Rude and Warrior had a great rivalry and Rude carried Warrior to some good matches in this year and this is one of them. At Wrestlemania 5 despite Rude being the better worker in the minds of many he still UPSET The Warrior when Heenan helped him defeat The Ultimate Warrior for the IC title and on this night he’d defend against The Warrior.

 

Rude: “What I’d like to have right now….is for all you FAT……Ugly…..Summerslam Sweat Hogs….to move out of the way while I show the ladies what a REAL MAN LOOKS LIKE!” Ventura says “He’s talking about you Schiavone!

Warrior then runs to the ring to a great ovation and Heenan and Rude look intimidated. Rick Rude begins the match with a kick to the mid-section but it didn’t even phase the Warrior as he kept saying NO even after right hand blows. Both guys duck each others clotheslines until The Warrior clotheslines Rude over the top rope, and when Rude sunsetflips back into the ring The Warrior landed on top of The Ravishing one. The Crowd continued to go nuts as Warrior elevated Rude up high and to the outside. The Warrior then hit Rick Rude with the IC Title outside the ring and what Ventura then said was one of the most hilarious things I’ve ever heard on commentary and also one of the smartest/wittiest. His delivery is amazinng as well.

Ventura: THAT SHOULD BE A DISQUALIFICATION HE HIT HIM WITH THE TITLE!

Tony S: Yeah but it’s outside the ring…..

Ventura: SO WHAT!? What are you going to tell me next Schiavonne, you can SHOOT SOMEONE as long as it is outside the ring!

Tony S: Well no….

Ventura: You’re even dumber then MONSOON!

Typical Jess, outsmarting the face play by play guy whether it be Gorilla, Vince or Tony.

Warrior contonied to dominate Rude inside the ring after outside the ring with blows and suplexes among other things. The Ultimate Warrior looks very good in this match and as if he is capable of carrying a match with not only nice moves but good work ethic and charisma, you can’t say that all the time!

Hilarious spot after an atomic drop he did The Rude pose. Rude out smarted him though and dropped the Warrior down and Rick Rude attempted to get in control of the match as he drove his forearm into the Kidney area of the Warrior.
Rick Rude with a vertical suplex but only a two. He continued to wear Warrior down with a reverse chinlock on Warrior but he continued to bounce back up.

Rude went for the Rude Awakening but the Warrior pulled the hands off of him and then Rude out of desperation locked on a sleeper as he jumped on the Warrior’s back to apply it. The Warrior didn’t go to sleep due to his super powers and hit a jaw breaker. The ref went down after a collision and Heenan tried to get Rude up. While Rude continued to try and keep Warrior down he wouldn’t give in and he’d come back up and followed that up with clotheslines followed by a Power Slam. No ref to count the three though until Warrior dragged Joey Marella towards the center of the ring. Warrior then picked up Rude and hit him with a pile driver but still no Ref.
FINALLY Marella moves over as the fans cheer but Rude gets his foot on the rope and Heenan marks out on the outside. Warrior hits Rude with a power slam but then when Rude was going to get hit with a splash from the Warrior and Rude gets his knees up and hits the Warrior in the stomach with his knees. Rude then worn down in this tremendous battle looks to lock Warrior with a powerbomb/piledriver of sorts and drove him head first into the canvas in a sick looking move. Warrior kicked out though and the fans went insane and this has been a GREAT MATCH. Rude went for a high risk move and drove his hand into the head of Warrior but he kicked out.

Roddy Piper came to the ring and the fans were going insane and Rude hit a piledrvier on Warrior but Ultimate Warrior STILL kicked out. Ventura wondered what the hell he was out there for….as the match continued. Rude posed in front of Piper giving Warrior time to get up. Piper tells Rude to kiss his behind.

Rude then posed in front of Piper as Warrior gets up behind him and lifts him with a suplex from the top belly to back and then with a shoulder block followed by a power splash after he lifted towards the heavens.

So in the end, the Warrior pinned Rude at 16:02 to re-capture his IC Title.

The fans go insane.

WHAT A MATCH THIS WAS, WOW.

One of the best in both guys career, this was truly a great paced match and it was never boring for an instant, everything was booked perfectly. I could not say the same for their cage match which main evented Summerslam 1990 the next year, that was very medicore and under-whelming.

A true gem!

 

 

One of the last classics of the 1980’s!

 

 

 

****

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 ——————-
Disc 2 Matches:

 

The 1990’s:

 

11) Bret “Hitman” Hart vs Mr. Perfect Curt Hennig (c) (with The Coach) for the WWF Intercontinental Championship -MSG: WWF Summerslam 91

 

 

Loved how both these second generation wrestlers felt the need to one-up the other man at the beginning of this bout. The moves came off very crisp and expertly applied. They both shared some incredible offense that would be repeated (and done better) at KOTR 1993 two years later.

This match is probably remembered more though by most fans which isn’t exactly a travesty seeing as its also another fine piece of art. This is the best match of the PPV and it’s no secret, so you know you got a keeper whenever this one comes on. Mr. Perfect actually wrestled this match with a bad back and Bret points this out in his documentary on his DVD and THAT just goes to show how good of a guy Mr. Perfect really was. Some of the spots in this match were just right out of no where, unpredictable to say the least. That’s what made it so exciting. With the unpredictability came technical brilliance and athletic one-upmanship throughout the entire duration crafting the story in this excellent encounter. Awesome back and forth action. Just when you thought it was over after the Perfectplex….it wasn’t. Amazing.

They continued the match and Bret got back in control and began to go back to Hennig. The commentary in this match is also hillarious and I thought I should point that out as Piper and Heenan did a great job, as did Monsoon as the guy inbetween them both. Heenan saying that Piper’s parents used to leave the city while Piper was at school or that Hart’s parents snuck in the building was both hysterical. Bret at the beginning of the match out matched Hennig by hitting him with agressive hiptosses that Perfect couldn’t match. Later in the match the Champion of course still looked dominant slugging it out with Hart and knocking him off the apron into the steel barricade. Hart though like a Warrior came back in the ring and battled back and forth. That’s when the reversals really started to come into play and these two had the audience in the palm of there hands. Bret locks in the Sharpshooter and before its even locked in fully Perfect quits at 18:04 of the match.

We got a new Champion!!!! An impressed Stu and Helen applaud there son as he has won the IC Title at a huge show in front of a huge crowd that enthusiastically had chanted “Lets Go Bret” during the entire match. They had just witnessed a classic. We all did. Was pretty, “perfect”, but the best was yet to come believe it or not. Bret Hart says if this was it….if it all ended here….this moment was good enough. Touching and a Great match between two great wrestlers and more importantly friends. The true meaning of doing the honors, nicely done Hennig. Mr. Perfect only lost it twice to this point and both times were at Summerslam, the year before to Von Erich and this time to Hart in what would be one of the most famous matches in both men’s career and Summerslam history! Second straight Summerslam Bret is in a **** 1/2 match.

Stu applauds his son.

 

 

A Classic!

 

 

**** 1/2

 
12) Davey Boy Smith The British Bulldog (with Lennox Lewis) vs Bret “Hitman” Hart (c) for the WWF Intercontinental Championship -WWF Summerslam 1992

 

Bret told Vince that if they had the match they’d steal the show and Vince said “Alright show me, you’re on last.”

They did.

Bret insisted this go on last to Vince, he agreed and hasn’t looked back on this classic.

This is arguably the greatest match in Summerslam history.

A ton of momentum on the side of one Davey Boy Smith which certainly goes without saying.

Bret kisses his IC title and Heenan speculates if he’s infact kissing it goodbye?

This is arguably one of the biggest carry-job’s in history.

Afterall, there is a reason this is Bret Hart’s favourite match.

Bell sounded and both competitor’s circled around the other while excitement built in anticipation.

Bulldog was cleary the underdog despite the spectacle being in his stomping yard in the UK. Hart was the seasoned veteran and defending champion, the more accomplished veteran and thus he was the favourite.

One way or another, Bret Hart was going to not only help put his brother-in-law over, but make this a match he could be proud of.

The opening stages were rather basic.

It consisted of a stare-down followed by a pushing war to show both men came to play. Bulldog held Bret in side headlock and after Bret leapfrogged Davey Boy he connected with a shoulderblock dropping the Hitman to the floor.

Next we’re treated to a nice little exchange of side headlock takedown’s followed by legscissors as a counter from both competitors.

Bret with a roll-up flipping Daveyboy backwards from the ropes scoring a two. Fast action early on to set the pace here to a very dramatic Main Event that had that special feeling in front of such a large audience at night in a more-then-large Stadium.

The Hitman attempted a small package but Bulldog had none of that.

 

 

It became apparent for Hart to weardown Davey Boy with a weardown side headlock.

A nice chain-counter by Bullog into a hammerlock but Bret quickly countered with an arm-ringer, Bulldog did a series of flips out of it and then went into a hammerlock on Davey Boy.

Off the ropes Bulldog slingshotted Bret to thecorner and then torked the arm elevating him way up.

Hart seemed just a popular in this venue. Off the ropes Bulldog hit a crucifix on Bret and got a two. Bulldog then wore down Bret with an armbar. A slam to Bret then back into a backwards wristlock on the mat which also seemed logical to get Bret’s slugging fists weaker.

Bret off the ropes out of desperation kneed Davey Boy and Bret stomped on him some more before dropping the elbow and going into a sleeper.

Bret now the aggressor held Bulldog who attempted yet another crucifix but Hart fell backwards slamming Bulldog to the mat before another sleeper. Hart hit a shoulderblock before Davey Boy flipped him over.

Bulldog irishwhipped Bret hard to the corner, this time out of the other corner Bret got his boots up meeting Bulldog. Bret then appropriately hit a running bulldog. Bret slammed Davey Boy headfirst to the mat.

Bret elevated Bulldog to the outside using his own momentum against him. Bulldog standing outside the ring was taken down very dangerously by Bret but Bulldog didn’t protect himself.

Again, this just showed what a Pro Bret was.

Bret rammed his back into the post and back in the ring he slingshotted him to the corner hard, Bulldog kicked out but Bret was now focusing on the back. The Hitman with a hard forearm European Uppercut then a beautiful textbook dropkick.
Bret with a nice back bodydrop to Davey Boy that scored Hart a two. Bret with knee to the injured back before another weardown sleeper.

Out of no where Davey Boy managed a backslide but Bret kept on Bulldog and his bad back hitting a back breaker before a hard elbow focused on the back from the top. Bret dragged Davey Boy by the hair down the mat.

All throughout the match they zoomed in on Diana Hart-Smith looking concerned to add the dramatic effect.

Bulldog battled out of a sleeper time and time again and the crowd supported him.

Bret catches Bulldog in a sleeper off the ropes in mid-ring. Bret finally got taken to corner by Bulldog using his power game. Utilizing it effectly he managed to drop Bret from the air dangerously landing on ther ropes.

Little factors like that took away from how brilliant this match was actually structured.

Bulldog got a series of nearfalls and then Bulldog hit a nice standing suplex on the Hitman scoring him a two.

 

The Climax had arrived.

Bulldog sent Hart hard sternum first to the buckle and nobody bumps better in the business then Bret. Bulldog set upBret for the running Powerslam and Hart kicks out!

Bulldog can’t believe it.

Bulldog was caught out of nowhere from Bret as he applied a waistlock by the ropes before a release German and a nearfall.

Bullog set up Bret up high dropping him with a Superplex. Bulldog got a two. Out of nowhere Bret puts more strain on the back of the bulldog with a Sharpshooter and

Diana was now in tears.

Off the ropes Bulldog out of the hold countered a sunset flip attempt and it was all over as Davey Boy hooked the legs to win the match at 25:40 to one of the loudest pops the history of wrestling.

Savage-Steamboat, Bret-Hennig, Savage-Santana, Bret-Bulldog, Michaels-Ramon, Austin-Owen, Benoit-Jericho.

The IC title is a fan favourite because of classics like these.

Davey Boy owes Bret a cold one. Perhaps the biggest carry job ever.

 

 

**** 3/4

 
13) “The Heartbreak Kid” Shawn Michaels (c) (W/Diesel) vs “The Bad Guy” Razor Ramon In a Ladder Match for the WWF Intercontinental Championship -MSG: Wrestlemania X

 

 

This is an IC title classic from Madison Square Garden and this one might be the very best.

It was innovative, revolutionairy and is often talked about weekly if not daily everywhere still to this day.

Shawn Michaels and Scott Hall brought in new ways to do a Ladder Match, and this match is the main reason that this gimmick match still puts on countless classic’s today.

This match took place on the same night as the amazing Bret and Owen Hart match so it had a tough act to follow. Anyone who got Wrestlemania X agreed that it was worth the price just for those two matches alone and even just ONE of them most fans would love to see, for them to both happen on the same night is downright incredible.

There were two belts hanging from above as both men claimed to be the real IC Champion, this match would determine the official and undisputed IC Champion once and for all. First person to get both titles is Champion and yes, you can use the Ladder as a weapon.

I’ve came around on this match, I used to claim it was one of the most overrated matches in history, I still feel there is a select fanbase who do tend to overrate this match to this day, but it is a classic well deserving of praise so there is no problems there.

So it’s safe to say I both enjoy and appreciate this one a lot more now then I did in the last decade, it was only the first few years and these days when I can truely enjoy it. As foon as Jericho-Benoit happened at the 01 Rumble I thought it was better then this one in every way, and I still believe that.

However this one isn’t far off and neither is there Summerslam 95 match a year later for that matter, but this is the here and now. This is the match that Dave Meltzer gave five stars right away and many Wrestling historian’s praise just like Savage-Steamboat.

Here we go, it’s Michaels, it’s Ramon, it’s the Wrestlemania X Ladder Match for the IC Title!

This is the match where Vince McMahon uses his “UnnnnnBEEEEELieeeevaaaableeeeeee” line about a hundred times.

Shawn Michaels ties up with Ramon and hooked the leg but Ramon kicked him off, off the ropes Shawn couldn’t hit a hiplock and he hit a thumb to the eye of Razor and then did a flip back but Razor didn’t let this offense from Shawn phase him and he hit a Rock Bottom of sorts to Shawn Michaels and the place popped. Back up immediately (a very fast moving match) Michaels ran off the side ropes and ducked two clotheslines before hitting a swinging neckbreaker in his favor! Shawn not with an offensive move after Ramon got one. HBK then went to slam Razor’s head to the top but Razor did it to him before a shoulder block. Razor charged right back for Shawn but he elevated him over the top rope to the outside. Razor caught a big clothesline from Diesel a few minutes into the match and this wasn’t fair obvioussly.

Earl Hebner had to do something so he decided to throw out Nash. Kevin Nash aka Big Daddy Cool the bodygaurd of the Showstopper was thrown out of the Garden and the big man was mad. It`s down to Shawn and Ramon, one on one now after Diesel hit a clothesline on Ramon.

Shawn Michaels should seemingly be in control but this distraction bought Hall time and Razor hit a right hand. A big right in the corner, Ramon irishwhipped Michaels to the corner and he flipped upside down before going back to the center of the ring and Razor Ramon hit a clothesline to the outside on Michaels. Razor with a hard shot and then moved the mat by the ring. The concrete exposed and Michaels hit some kicks to Ramon out of desperation before throwing him back in the ring. Both men exchanged right hands.

Razor Ramon had Shawn Michaels set up for the Razor`s Edge but Michaels countered and intelligently backdropped Razor Ramon over the top rope, not only countering Razor`s finisher but backdropping him over the top rope on the exposed concrete back first in the process!

Awesome stuff.

Shawn Michaels had boughten himself more time. Michaels then headed to the Ladder set up in the entrance way now with Hall down. Michaels scooped up the red Ladder and then brought it towards ringside. Ramon went back in meanwhile while Michaels dragged the Ladder near the ring. Razor Ramon got up and hit Shawn with an uppercut. Adrenaline pumping for Razor for him to withstand the backdrop onto concrete and get up and maintain an offense. Razor had the ladder but Shawn all of the sudden hit a baseball slide to Razor into the Ladder!

Shawn used the Ladder as a weapon against The Bad Guy!

Michaels repeatedly hit the mid-section intelligently of Ramon taking out the air of the Bad Guy which would of course then make it difficult for him to climb the Ladder, good psychology by Shawn. Shawn had worked over Ramon with that back shot on concrete, the baseball slide into his face, and multiple Ladder shots to the mid section and then he scooped up the Ladder and slammed it on Ramon`s back. Razor gasped for air over the top rope and Shawn threw the Ladder at Razor Ramon and it hit his back!

Shawn tried to open the Ladder as he had Razor where he wanted him.

HBK set up the Ladder mid-ring. Michaels climbed the Ladder and Ramon caught the ankle of Michaels. He also caught Shawn`s tights exposing his ass for the 43rd time in a Wrestling Match. Don`t worry, I don`t count that was just an estimate.

Shawn kicked him off and bare assed he dropped an elbow to Ramon from the top of the Ladder. McMahon says he made a YOU KNOW WHAT of himself.

Shawn Michaels moved towards Ramon and slammed him back first on the bad back straight on the canvas!

Michaels flew off the Ladder onto Razor Ramon with a SPLASH! Again, this is one of those highlights areial moves shown in a ton of videopackages just like Muraco off the Cage, or Savage in the air at Wrestlemania 3. All three were IC title matches.

 

 

Shawn climbed the Ladder again and this time the powerful but hurt Ramon got to his feet and shook the Ladder and Shawn Michaels bounced off hitting his throat on the top rope and he went flying.

McMahon oversold what was going on in the match but it was perfectly executed, especially for its time. Michaels irishwhipped Razor to the ropes, he ducked, then off the second rope a double collision. Both men down, as is the Ladder and hanging above the match is the Ladder. Another nice visual image, good shot of them all laying down in a war.

Shawn Michaels got up and placed the Ladder into the corner vertical. Michaels wanted to use the Ladder as an offensive weapon but Hall reversed the irishwhip and sent HBK into the Ladder in the corner and he went flying to the outside and over. Shawn Michaels then got rammed with the ladder horizontal by Hall twice. Shawn Michaels went sailing into the ring post after another hard Ladder shot by Razor.

Razor down and catapolted Shawn Michaels into the Ladder and he hit it, held on and fell back. Ramon threw Shawn Michaels back in the ring and grabbed the Ladder.

Razor Ramon rammed The ladder right into the jaw of Shawn Michaels and he went sailing over the top rope. Not many can sell a shot like that like Hickenbottom could and he just fell out to the bottom.

Razor climbed the Ladder and almos

got to the top but Shawn Michaels jumped off the top rope and he stopped Scott Hall from climbing to the top as he leaped off and made sure Razor Ramon fell off. Both men tried to climb at the same time now with the Ladder up again, Shawn was a step higher. Razor Ramon suplexed Michaels off the top of the Ladder! The Ladder snapped but Shawn Michaels was down. Razor Ramon set the Ladder up again. Shawn dropkicked the Ladder and sent Razor off of it. HBK set up the Ladder in the middle or went to but he just pushed it over and it fell on Hall. Michaels then irishwhipped Razor and he ducked and then Shawn caught the superkick off the side ropes to Razor`s jaw and Hall appears to be out! Michaels had Hall down and HBK signalled that it was over. Michaels set up Razor for his own Razor`s Edge but he turned it into a Piledriver which would be just as effective you`d think. Michaels pulled up the Ladder that was twisted and bent.

Michaels, the Heartbreak Kid from the corner dropped down with the Ladder onto Razor in the center of the ring! Great move. Shawn Michaels opened up the Ladder again and put it in position. Ramon was under the Ladder for the second time and Shawn Michaels climbed up. Razor pushed up and got to his feet and Ramon shook the Ladder and bounced off the side ropes and pushed the Ladder! Shawn Michaels fell off! HBK fell off groin first onto the top ropes and then got his foot stuck in the ropes!

 

New York City was behind him!

Razor who had been down and out had all the time now to climb to the top!

Razor Ramon climbed the Ladder!

In the end Razor Ramon defeated Shawn Michaels by capturing the IC title at 18:47.

This match put both men on the map, especially Shawn Michaels, setting up his upcoming babyfacce run n the coming years.

One of the greatest matches ever.

Extremely significant and one of the most famous matches ever in Wrestling History.

A Wrestlemania Classic and a Golden match for the IC title. Probably the second best to Savage-Steamboat.

 

 

**** 3/4

 

 

 

14) “Double J” Jeff Jarrett (with The Roadie) vs “The Bad Guy” Razor Ramon (c) for the WWF Intercontinental Championship -WWF Royal Rumble 1995

 

I just have to say that I’ve always been a huge fan of this match!

I’ve always loved the feel I get, I thought these two had awesome chemistry and this was there best match together.

The PPV kicks off when Double J’s theme hits the pa system as Lawler and McMahon welcome everyone to the show and he gets his natural heat as expected.
Double J, the challenger strutted in the ring as his music came to a close.
“The Bad Guy’s” music then hit the pa and out walked the reigning IC Champion Razor Ramon. This was Razor’s second IC title defense at a Royal Rumble event, and in all three Rumble events to this point he had been in a title match and not the Rumble match itself. Razor Ramon would never enter a Royal Rumble in his entire career, although in the next year (1996) he does do a RUN IN to attack Sean Waltman.

Ramon gets an awesome ovation as expected!

The Bad Guy and Double J stare each other down before the match begins.

Razor Ramon ducks a clothesline after a hard charge by Jarrett then Razor Ramon rocks Double J a few times with right hands until Jarrett hits his jaw, runs off the ropes but gets caught in mid air by Ramon who slams him backwards and then scoops him up and gives him a form of a chokeslam! Nice action early and the crowd is into it.

The Roadie helps out Jarrett on the outside as he takes a brief walk and a breather after the attack of the champion Razor Ramon.

Razor Ramon then waited for Jarrett to get back in the ring and then when he did he had to wipe off his sweat with a towel. Double J with a hiptoss to Razor and then he struts inside the ring as The Roadie did outside the ring. Double J with a go behind and then Razor with one and then Jarrett with an armdrag takedown followed by another strut. Jarrett points to his head as if he has the smarts to outdo Razor no matter what happened, Ramon then hit a top wrist lock then Jarrett countered it into a hammerlock, then Razor got him then Jarrett dropped Razor Ramon with a drop toehold. Razor in front of his own homestate fans then got embarassed by Jarrett as he slapped him as he went on top of him after the drop toehold. Jarrett was the confident challenger outdoing Razor Ramon in the chain wrestling to start the match.

This was the first of three Championship matches of the night.

Jarrett with a side headlock then pushed to the ropes and Razor caught him with a big right hand and then sent him to the outside and Razor Ramon did his usual stomp on the canvas taunt and the fans went wild. Jarrett walked around outside the ring before coming back in and then he eventually did. Jarrett called Razor Ramon a chicken and taunted him when the two went for a test of strength. This was just good old fashioned old school GOOD guy vs BAD GUY formula as Razor Ramon held a wrist lock showing his power and then went into an armbar. Razor then slapped at Jarrett’s head to get back at him but Jarrett got up and performed a ton of great dropkick’s, excellent timing.

Double J then with Razor on the middle rope caught him with his body weight to suck the life out of Razor Ramon and then he clotheslined him and got a nearfall. Jarrett irish whipped Razor into two turnbuckles until he missed a spinning kick, Razor then missed with an elbow and Jarrett got a nearfall out of it. Good action. Jarrett then slapped on a sleeper to give the two a breather and it also followed the story of the match with Jarrett trying to suck the life out of Razor Ramon. Razor got to his feet as the Florida crowd cheered him on and then Jarrett went for a hiptoss but Razor Ramon blocked it, reversed it in unique fashion and then hit a backslide but got a nearfall, Double J got up and hit Razor with a clothesline and got a nearfall of his own. Double J then got irish whipped by Razor and Ramon tried for a backbody drop but Jarrett hit a sunset flip and got a nearfall, and then Razor in this predicament lowered down and got a nearfall, then Jarrett turned the tide and got a nearfall, Double J with another dropkick to Razor Ramon and then a near fall!

WOW that was a crazy sequence, just added to the quality of this awesome IC title match.

Double J Jeff Jarrett with an uppercut then leaped on top of Hall and slapped on a sleeper! Razor got out of it with an irish whip, Jarrett ducked and came off the other side of the ropes and hit a neck breaker. Jarrett had clearly been the aggressor in the match despite it going back and forth at times, either way its fun stuff!

Jarrett with some more near falls using his feet on the ropes at times. Jarrett whipped into the buckle but Razor ducked and pulled on Jarrett’s legs from the outside and he hit his groin region into the ring post. Razor up from the second rope on the inside and hit a flying clothesline but only got a two count. Great match, again, it’s just awesome stuff. Razor Ramon went for a clothesline but Jarrett had it scouted and sent Razor Ramon to the outside!

Behind the officials back The Roadie took the leg out of Razor Ramon on the outside and he was down while the official continued to count. Tim White went to ten and then rang the bell as the fans booed as Double J won by countout. Jarrett was mad because he won by countout and didn’t get the title.

Double J got on the mic and said these people didn’t pay there good money to see Double J win this way, he came here to win the title. Jarrett said Ramon would be a coward if he left this way while Tim White was telling him to leave because the match was over. Jarrett said he ain’t no Chico, he ain’t no bad guy, he is just a CHICKEN. Ramon then pushed the ref off and sold the leg from the Roadie’s attack and then he limped towards the ring.

The match was going to continue, great!

Jarrett said he was smart for doing this because now he was going to break his leg and win the title! Razor limping still irish whipped Jarrett to the corner then with a small package only got a two count. Jarrett then took advantage of the injured left leg with an atomic drop, dropping The Bad Guy to the mat. Jarrett then slammed Ramon’s leg on the canvas. Nice psychology by Jeff Jarrett who was a great no worker no matter what anyone says, played a great heel as well. Jarrett continued to slam Razor’s leg on the mat and then put it on the ropes and dropped his body weight down on Ramon’s leg.

Razor limping in a ton of pain still was able to score with some roundhouse right’s, and then he in one of his signature moves went to the top rope and went to land back with a back suplex to Jarrett but, Double J countered in mid-air due to the bad leg but only got a two. Both men up and Jarrett knocking the wind out of Razor Ramon with a nice clothesline. Razor Ramon got to his feet first. Razor signalled that this was the end of the match with his most famous taunt and set up for a Razor’s Edge in desperation but Jarrett got out of it due to Razor’s leg going out and then Jarrett hit a small package on Razor Ramon for the win!
In the end Jeff Jarrett won the IC title over Razor Ramon at 18:03 when he defeated Razor Ramon with a small package after Razor Ramon’s leg collapsed on him.

An awesome ride, a forgotten gem.
****

 

 

 

 
15) Stone Cold Steve Austin (c) vs The Rock for the WWF Intercontinental Championship -WWF In Your House: D-Generation X -December 1997
A reason the IC title was thought of so high here was because as pointed out by Todd Grisham before the match Stone Cold was just a little popular around this time to say the least.
“Just a little bit” and not in 50 Cent’s kind of way. Infact in a much bigger way as he was by now the #1 draw in all of Wrestling even ahead of any WCW stars including Sting, Hogan, Savage, Page, Bret and any WWF star in Taker, Shawn, HHH, Sable or Foley. All of whom were mega stars at the time.

Austin 3:16 shirts can be seen pretty much on every 2nd person if not every person and for all the signs in attendance I’d be shocked if less then 80% weren’t Austin related and I’m being serious.

Just un-like anything you would ever see, it was scary how over he was, he was the WWF at this point in time before Rocky Maivia came into his own. But you first started to see some of Rock and his own brilliance when he feuded with Austin, bringing the best out of each other Smart booking to have them against eavh other.

 

It was just crazy in these times which is another reason that made the 1998 Royal Rumble so PREDICTABLE because not only did the undercard for the WWF blow at the time but how could Austin NOT win? Nobody was even close to on his level. Foley and his three personalities, Owen and Undertaker perhaps.

It was confusing as it was to see him in an IC title match here despite the popularity but it helped The Rock get over more to feud with him as Rock was coming into his own as well.
Rocky was hated by EVERYBODY but in a few months the fans slowly started taking a liking to him as he became a natural heel as leader of the Nation, but as of now everyone really hated The Rock and really loved Steve Austin.
Why is that relevant?

Well because that set the stage for a red hot atmosphere at this event that people just couldn’t wait for.

Side Note: This was the highest voted match by fans for the ENTIRE DVD set which is understandable, it’s RARE (although I already own it), and it features two of the top draws of this generation.
Here we go!

The Rock came out with The Nation to the Nation theme and “Rocky Sucks” chants filled the arena like they would for the next half year in 1998. Just a sign of things to come.

The Glass hit and the place erupted and Steve Austin after a minor delay rolled out in a Truck and Lawler screamed his familar high pitched “WHAAAAT!?”

The Rattlesnake was unpredictable. This was the show he destroyed the nation on his truck cracking the shield, stunning the on the truck etc.
Steve Austin came out of his 3:16 truck in his vest and to a loud roar stepped on top of the back, then the top and jumped into the ring and it was on!

Stone Cold didn’t hesitate once in the ring and didn’t take off his vest and landed right hands on the soon to be “Great One” and the fans ate it up. Austin landed right’s and then got Rocky in the corner and proceeded to land right’s on The Rock in the corner.

That was until The Nation came in and stomped on The Rock, he stepped into the Lion’s Den as Ross said and Jim Ross put over how tough Austin was and how brave he was for doing so. See, Austin at this point was more-so then ever billed as the toughest SOB because this was just a few months after the Owen accident at Summerslam which broke his neck.

Some people think they just called him the toughest SOB for a nickname, that wasn’t the case. As he stated in his old VHS tapes, it happened to be true and he proved it.

Austin was subjected to being more of a brawler and less of a technician but he was still mega over and it worked fine.

The Nation here though proceeded to stomp on Austin and the match had not started so there was nothing the referee could do about it.

The Official finally got them out of the ring and JR Screams “GOOD GOD” as D-Lo was backdropped over the top rope by Austin but onto his 3:16 Truck!
Awesome!

D-Lo Brown’s legs cracked the windshield glass as his back hit the hood. Stone Cold then went ontop of his truck and Stunnered D-Lo to the delight of the crowd as they popped huge, ate it all up! Very cool moment there. Everybody in attendance continued to eat this up.

Stone Cold Steve Austin got back in and Rock landed a kick and followed it up with right’s to Austin.

The Rock and Austin had been beginning a feud that would go down as one of the most legendary feuds of all time and this was just the beginning chapter, the whole IC title over the bridge thing was also seen in this feud with the infamous “Beeper 3:16” incident which I personally love.

Austin and Rock exchanged right hands in the ring and Stone Cold hit a shoulder block, Rock avoided a collision and then Steve hit the Lou Thesz press and again the place just went crazy. Stone Cold still had his vest on which was a bit different and then Rock somehow managed to rollup Steve’s legs but only got a nearfall. Austin then rolled up Rock as he flipped him over and only a nearfall.
Steve Austin then irishwhipped Rock to the ropes and he reversed it and proceeded to send Austin over the top to the outside. This was ironic because it was how Austin would eliminate The Rock to win the 98 Rumble just a month later. “Rocky Sucks” was chanted as Farooq beat on Austin on the outside of the ring area with a few shots and the fans hated this obvioussly. Outside by the Truck Farooq stood backfirst against Austin’s door while holding Steve up for a potential chairshot by Kama, (Charles Wright who you might know as Papa Shango, or Moustaffa, or The Godfather, or the Goodfather) as he went to hit Austin he ducked and levelled Farooq in the head with the chair, Ross says “Goodnight Farooq.”
Austin the irishwhipped Kama (aka The Godfather aka Papa Shango) into the door of the Truck and the glass smashed again. It’s safe to say an element of this match that was one of the most entertaining was not just because of Austin’s popularity at the time and the fact it was a sign of the greatness of things to come between the two, but it was Austin’s interaction with The Nation and his Truck! Just great stuff.

Inside the ring Rock stomped on Austin who yes was still in full gear and the fans got behind the Rattlesnake chanting his name. Rock sent Austin to the side ropes and landed a reverse elbow to Steve. Rock brought up his legs and gave him a cheapshot in the groin behind the official’s back. Austin slowly got to his feet and Ross says “Maivia with a righthand!” This was the last PPV where he wanted to have the Maivia name. Rock cornered him and landed right hands. Stone Cold fought back with righ hands but it was short lived as Rock scooped him up and slammed him. Rock was gradually improving in the ring around this time.

What’s this!?

The People’s Elbow! Without the build up and to no response though and just a nearfall.

Austin was in a sleeper by Rock and the fans chanted “3:16!” and Rock’s eyes were hilarious in reacting to the chant as he held the Texas Rattlesnae in a sleeper. Side headlock by Rock but Steve fought out with an elbow but off the ropes Rock hit a knee shot to the gut of Austin to keep on the offense. Rock with another slam to Austin and then another people’s elbow attempt but he didn’t hit Austin. This bought Stone Cold time to get up and land kicks on Rock. Austin went for the Stunner but Kama got on the apron and distracted him, Stone Cold knocked Kama off but landed a Stunner on the wrong man! Austin hit the Stunner on the referee! Rock then got brass knuckles on his hand behind Steve’s head and he patiently waited for Steve Austin to turn around and when he did he hit the Stunner.

Another official came out and counted the three and Austin retained the title!

Austin fought off the Nation and overcame the odds, tougher then a government mule says Ross.

Probably a ** 1/4 match in all seriouness but the fact it never was slow, had an amazing atmosphere with the crowd due to how over both were on opposite ends of the sprectrum, it is an early rare clash of the two biggest names in one of the greatest rivalries ever, the Nation interaction with the Truck the entire match, and a sign of things to come bumps it up a good 1/2*.
Oh and the fact he kept his VEST on the entire match until his celebration!

 

Very Fun.

 

** 3/4

 

 

 

 

16)  The Rock (c) (W/The Nation) vs Triple H (w/Chyna and DX) in a Two out of Three falls match for the WWF Intercontinental Championionship -WWF In Your House: Fully Loaded 1998

The Rock had been on top of his game, Champion for over half a year and was getting more entertaining as a Heel and Leader of the Nation by day, even popular that fans began cheering him slowly although Summerslam 98 was more of a turning point for that from Smarkville America in MSG. Helmsley was the top face of D-X now and mega over, the sympathetic face that everyone wanted to see take the IC Strap off Rocky, since Shamrock’s hundred attempts failed.

This match had a 30 minute time limit. That’s key to remember and very relevent as this match would end up going the length and ending in a draw. Oh did I spoil it for you?

Well the only good thing here is that it made the LADDER match more anticipated (For Summerslam 98) as you’re guaranteed a winner there, which very well have been the motivation to make it a “LADDER MATCH” in the first place. Apologies, I don’t know the exact reasons gimmick matches were given out on PPV’s from 10 years ago, but I try. I actually do have a very good memory especially when it comes to Raw’s from back in the day so this actually kind of upsets me although I do remember a lot of the build up.

Speaking of “build up” these guys do an excellent job of that.

HHH and The Rock have feuded for so long whether it be for the IC title in late 96, early 97, or all of 98, or 99…2000…2002 (briefly)…but nothing was better then there work in 98 and 2000.

Some could argue 98 over 2000 because of how long it was, but HHH wasn’t as good of a worker in 98 (he was even injured after Summerslam which hurt the feud considerably) and in 2000 they main evented. It’s no contest in my mind, 2000 easily.

This match dragged a bit in areas I remembered. These two did some good things as you’d expect but this one had a slower pace. The Rock applied a headlock for 2 straight minutes, a FEW times during this bout and the “BORING” Chant was even hear on some occasions. He did this likely because he knew it’d end in a draw so he wanted to wear down Hunter and kill some time.
Helmsley came out to a good pop here as this was when the face stable, “D-X” was really picking up.

Rock came out to a mixed reaction but his heel heat was so strong that it overshadowed any of the fans he was getting at the time.

D-X and The Nation had such a tremendous rivalry in 1998 that it was only natural for the two leader’s to go at it here and this is a gem if only for the reason that its rare. A good selection for this DVD.

Everything just seemed good in this time, the crowd, the action, the character’s, even JR and The King were never better and it made that match great in that sense where it seems like you get to re-live those day’s. A good nostalgia rush.

The Rock and Triple H were set to go and HHH seemed calm and cool chewing gum as the babyface, while Rock’s face was “EYES WIDE” in full heel mode. Rock opened the match by kicking HHH in the gut and landing right hands on the soon to be Game. Trips fought back landing right’s of his own once back on his feet after a brief moment off them due to Rock’s early work.

A slugfest in the attitude era wasn’t a very unpredictable sight but it ended shortly here when Rock kicked Helmsley who bent down momentarily and then hit a Spinebuster. Rock landed a righthand and maintained a vertical advantage on Helmsley because he kept delivering shots to Hunter. Rock sent HHH head first into the buckle. Typical Heel working over the Babyface early. Rock scored with right hands to Hunter in the corner. Rock then irishwhipped Helmsley to the other corner with his back hitting hard. Helmsley bought himself time as Rock took his eye off the ball as he looked at the fans who were obvioussly on his face. Helmsley hit a clothesline.

Triple H`s first real offense in a bit of time. Chyna behind the official from the outside hit Rock in the head. Helmsley then went to Pedigree Rock and Rock hit a backdrop to HHH. HHH then got up and backdropped Rock over the top to the outside.

This match was a little strange. No offense really shown by ONE man all of the sudden, just back and forth and the spots were a little different. The two battled up the entrance way.

Helmsley slammed Rock onto the concrete near the Fully Loaded stage sign. Helmsley landed more right`s as Mike Keota encouraged them both to go back to the ring but Helmsley threw Rock into the steel barricade in the entrance area. Nearing the side of the ring HHH continued some shots to Rock and eventually the Great One reversed an irishwhip near the front row and sent Helmsley into the ring steps but he didn`t bump very hard. Rock landed more right`s to HHH and scooped him up levelling his upperbody on the barricade chest first. Chyna looked concerned as Hunter was down and Rocky stomped on Helmsley on the outside. Rock then grabbed Helmsley by the head and slammed him into the apron that way and then he repeated it. `Rocky Sucks` chanted about.

Rock back in the ring continued the succession of right hand`s to Hunter Hearst Helmsley. Aggressively and of course in angry fashion due to the negative chants Rock took his ANGER out on arguably his greatest rival in Helmsley. Rock irishwhipped Hunter to the corner and then landed a clothesline. Rock got a nearfall. Both men got to there feet but Rock clearly in control kicked Hunter back down into the corner and then proceeded to choke him out on the bottom rope. Chyna glared at Rocky from the outside and inside Rock kept on his vicious beatdown irishwhipped Hunter into the corner but Trips countered off the corner with momentum hitting a swinging neckbreaker buying him time and the fans cheer.

Helmsley now back to his feet landed right hands to Rock and snapped on a vertical suplex to Rock. Helmsley then drove his knee into the face of Rocky, hooked th eleg and got a two. Helmsley with pure hatred for the Nation leader got on top of him and landed more shots. Helmsley shoved Rock to the corner and hit chops and more right hands. Helmsley wanted to be Flair here in a sense you could imagine. Rock and Helmsley then went in a sequence where they`d exchange chops in the corner with one another before Rock irishwhipped Hunter to the side ropes and he fell over the top onto the floor.

Okay, this was one was getting good at this point in the last couple of minutes.

The pace picked up big time but the offense remained a tad slow if that makes the least bit of sense. Rock landed a vertical suplex to Helmsley on the outside of the ring. Rock got back in and then out to break the count and Helmsley had the oppurtunity to rest a bit and that`s what helped him counter Rock`s head driving into the steps attempt.

Mark Henry came from the back and dropped all of his bodyweight on Hunter with a big splash behind the refs back. Henry walked to the back, Billy Gunn came running out to a loud roar to save HHH (Remember Gunn) yeah I don`t think he`d do that these days.

Rock landed more right hands and threw HHH back in the ring. Rock got a nearfall in the ring and he looked frustrated with the typical HEEL look. “Oh my god. I can`t believe I didn`t win the match in the middle without a finisher on a PPV! This is outrageous.“

Rock with a neckbreaker and more stomps. I always loved Rocky`s stomps. Dwayne Johnson got another nearfall and this is SLEEPER number one. Time for the weardown game. (No pun intended)

A reverse chinlock, into a side headlock bought both men some time. They deserved the rest as it was a pretty good pace throughout despite as noted the slower offense. No real psychology by either man other then to be number one. That is what the feud was all about and it translated in the ring.

Rock kept this headlock on long and eventually after nearing the two minute mark Helmsley elbowed out of it and scored a righthand. Gee, I wonder if Rock will knock Hunter down slowing down his comeback….one of the biggest Cliche`s in wrestling.

Oh it happened….

Cool.

Rock then elbowed HHH to the outside before sending him headfirst into the steel gaurd rail. Rock choked out Hunter with cords on the outside. Rock sent HHH back in the ring and magically HHH fought back and sent Rock to the ropes but Rock spinned around three times and went to hit a nice DDT that he naturally hit Shamrock with a lot in 1998, but this was flat out sloppy. It sucked. But Rock made up for it by spinning extremely fast, it was kind of funny actually. Rock slapped on sleeper number two now.

The first one was LONG.

The second one is LONGER.

Brace yourself for that pause but the two conditioned themselves for a pretty interesting climax to an otherwise good wrestling mastch.

Helmsley landed right hands on Rock out of no where again but off the ropes Rocky gets back in control and hits Helmsley face first driving him into the canvas but only getting a two count again. The Rock can clearly be seen calling HHH to push him back down and off the ropes ducking a clothesline bouncing off the other one…he surely does. HHH hit Rock with shots and then sent him to the ropes landing a a high knee shot. Helmsley off the ropes again and this time The Rock elevated Triple H up and he landed throat first on the top ropes.

Both men down now! The Godfather then came out. Outlaws followed him and made sure he got to the back to please the fans. Translation = Lets give Rock and HHH a breather but keep the fans interested with this side-story in the background. Oh well, it worked. Rock once back up kicked at HHH in the corner of the ring and pulled him in close for a clothesline. Helmsley was down in a way that a Wrestler would be in a Video Game when all of his `power`  ran out. Fatigued, down and out. The Rock then proceeded to Lay the Smackdown or at least that was his intentions. D-Lo came out while Chyna distracted the official but HHH knocked him off the apron, told him to suck it and then hit him with the European title.
HHH turned around into a Rock Bottom though and Rock scored the first fall.

A brief rest period was given now and it`s interesting to note that just 22 months later these two would compete in match like this, but twice the length, an hour long Ironman match which is just awesome at Judgment Day 2000. One of the best matches from either man, especially looks good on Rock`s resume as Hunter has had more classics naturally.

Rock beatdown Helmsley some more who we all were to believe was down and out typically. Rock sent HHH into the steps. After Rock sent HHH into the security railing he came charging towards Rock (again out of no where) and landed a clothesline. Rock down catapolted HHH up face first into the announcer`s table. Rock then in control after a brief offensive move from Hunter. (Pretty much the story of the match)

The Rock sent Helmsley back in the ring.

Rock scooped him up and slammed him to the canvas. The Rock marks in attendance then got to there feet as Rock hit the People`s elbow. Love him or Hate him, everyone thought this was entertaining in 1998. Everyone. Rock irishwhipped Hunter and he ducked and then landed a clothesline on Rock. The Elbow by Rocky obvioussly didn`t have the force it did later I guess. Helmsley bought himself time. Chyna hit D-Lo on the outside to again keep us entertained while both men were down. The official was distracted and X-Pac came out and hit an X-Factor on Rock driving him head first into the mat.

HHH covered Rock but just a two count as the audience surely thought this would of tied up the score.

Good swerve.

HHH rolled out of the ring and grabbed a Blue Steel Chair. Rock kicked HHH in the gut and the official should keep his eye on the action. Rock hit the ref with the chair as HHH ducked when Rock swung. Rock hit Helmsley down and Chyna came in and then hit a lowblow on Rock!

Chyna then hit Rock with a DDT on the chair. So instead of matbased wrestling and psychology were used to seeing from Hunter during his tenure in the Federation to this point we`re subjected to seeing spot after spot, brawling then spot, then brawling.

It was good fun no doubt, but a little mat action could of been used here. Anyway, HHH tied it up with a pinfall around the 25 minute mark.

The second rest period ended and we`re in the final 5 minutes in a tied match for the IC title. HHH went for a cover and Hebner running out only got a two but we are lead to believe he would of got a three if he has been quicker.

HHH in the third and deciding fall took it to Rock outside the ring. HHH sent Rock back in the ring and hit a facebuster after irishwhipping Rock to the ropes and then a hard clothesline gets him another nearfall. Rock with a Samoan drop countering HHH`s charge with shades of the High Cheif, Dwayne`s Grandfather. Rock hit right hands on Hunter in the ring, but Helmsley shot back with some of his own.

Both men in the middle of the ring slugging it out. Rock went for as Rock Bottom but Helmsley hit the Pedigree! The place pops but the bell rings when Helmsley covers Rock and the fans boo. Time limit as expired.

After that action description and analysis this is an easier way to sum up the results of this one by just throwing it out there.

Here’s how it went down:
The Rock pinned Triple H after a Rock Bottom 20:21 to get the first fall with help from Nation Member, D-Lo Brown.

Triple H pinned The Rock after Chyna interfered and hit a DDT at 25:23.

Two falls within 5 minutes but nothing within the first five. And nothing within the next 5 either.

In the end the time limit expired right after Triple H hit a Pedigree, Rock retained the title at 30:00, however the fans weren’t jumping for joy when it was announced it was a “DRAW.”

This match was indeed unique if you cared to read through any of what I was rambling about you can see why.

It is difficult to rate because it was just so different.

As said I would of liked a bit of psychology but it was the attitude era, it was a spot after spot type match that is pretty fun though no doubt.

We should credit the endurance of borh men here more then anything.

A pretty great match. Different but great for Rock, one of his first REAL good matches in this sense.
Nice addition to this DVD for sure as this would end up being a great feud, long lasting in whether it was for the IC title or the WWF title.

 

 

*** 1/4

 

 

 

 

17) Jeff Jarrett (c) vs Chyna In a “Good Housekeeping” match for the WWF Intercontinental Championship -WWF No Mercy 1999

 

Leading up to their match at No Mercy, Jarrett would taunt Chyna and hit her with random household objects.

He also began a gimmick where he would degrade women shortly before this.

Jarrett demanded 300,000 – 500,000$ USA Money to wrestle Chyna since his contract had expired the night before.

The idea here was that Jarrett was going to abuse Chyna with household objects, because that’s where she belonged….the Kitchen.

It begins on the outside with a brawl.

Big spots include Chyna jumping off the ring apron and Jarrett quickly moved out of the way and she crashed and burned through a table but Jarrett only got a near fall.
Double J with a big trash can shot on the outside.

Jarrett then picked up with some objects that were so unrecognizeable that even JR and King didn’t know what it was. Jarrett hit Chyna’s head off of a ironboard. Haha, what a degrading match. Jarrett threw Chyna over the top rope and then Miss Kitty and Jarrett start to make a CAKE and Jarrett goes to throw the powder in Chyna’s eyes but it backfired and goes in Double J’s.
Miss Kitty then gets slopped by Chyna, then Jarrett hit a Figure Four on Chyna.

Chyna got to the ropes though and Kitty gave Jarrett another object but Chyna caught him with a low blow coming off the top. She grabbed clamped Jarrett’s junk with a household item and Ross calls it Strategic. I’d rather see Flair/Steamboat as far as strategic goes but that’s another story. Chyna then grabbed the Kitchen SINK and hits Jarrett and he kicks out.
Lawler asked Miss Kitty if she was alright, stay away Jerry…stay away.

Jarrett countered the pedigree and threw Chyna into Teddy Long and he’s down. Jarrett lays Chyna out with the belt and wins the match. At least he thinks he did. Jarrett walked to the back with Kitty until Teddy Long said that he can’t win a match using the IC Title because it wasn’t a HOUSEHOLD Item. (The gimmick of the match)
With Jarrett having Long in the Figure Four, Chyna knocks out Jarrett with his Guitar.

Chyna is the first FEMALE Women’s IC Champion!

Chyna wins at 8:37 and Jarrett was out of the WWF.

Goodbye Woman Abusing Jarrett and Hello Slap Nuts VERSION 2000.

It only cost Vince half a million for this to happen. Not bad.

Also not nearly as good as the Unforgiven match with them two. I think it is safe to say Jarrett has as much chance at being in the Hall of Fame as both Warrior and Benoit.

It is a shame though, because all three of those careers deserve the hall of fame. Especially Warrior and Benoit if were talking strictly wrestling.
* 1/2

 —————-

 

Disc 3 Matches:

The 2000’s:

 

 

18 ) Kurt Angle vs Y2J Chris Jericho (c) (w/Chyna) for the WWF Intercontinental Championship -WWF No Way Out 2000

 

 

This one was put on Y2J’s DVD.

Angle has the European title here and cuts a good promo on the Hartford Whalers, pretty hilarious.

Angle was so funny back in the day. Ever since he got vicious in 2004 he wasn’t the same.

Chyna gets her own entrance for some reason as a manager. Yeah she was really over but come on…

This bout opened the PPV that was a very good one.

Chris Jericho gets the POP everyone was waiting for and finally he was taking the right approach in the right company.

 

 

Jericho got on the mic and called KIRK ANGEL a jackass. (Who the hell didn’t have a mic before their match in the attitude era, Road Dogg, Jarrett, Godfather, everyone)

For some reason these two could never put on a classic. In my opinion the chemistry could of been there but I just never saw it with these two. This is arguably their best one on one match in North America.

Fans chant Y2J very loud. Angle scores with a shoulder block but it’s Jericho slamming Angle twice followed by a slap by Jericho. Jericho hit a reverse elbow and caught a series of chops by Jericho. Angle holds onto the top rope to avoid a collision and then hit a resourceful drop toe-hold to Jericho taking him out. Angle charged towards him and then he tripped Angle to the outside.

A nice springboard dropkick to Angle by Jericho.

Both men brawl on the outside. Angle’s face bounced off the steps and Jericho with a moonsault hit Angle right in the face catching him with a boot.

Both guys off the top rope and a belly to belly suplex from Angle to Jericho in this back and forth match.

Kickout by Jericho. Angle with a side headlock to Jericho. Jericho kicks Angle in the mid-section. A waistlock and a belly to belly suplex now by Angle on Jericho but Y2J kicks out. Kurt Angle keeps the hard right hands going.

Jericho gets out, Angle looks for a hurricanrana but Jericho powerbombs Kurt Angle and then the tork on the left arm hurt Jericho.

Angle follows up on the injured arm.

Great strategy trying to hyper-extend the elbow. Good solid wrestling. Jericho reached the ropes but the damage had been done. Jericho sent Angle sternum first into the corner and then ducked a running bulldog.

Angle hits the Angle-Olympic SLAM! Only a two.

Angle grabbed a belt but Tim White took the belt away. Jericho put the walls of Jericho on Angle now. Kurt Angle desperately tried to crawl to the topes and he got there.

Chyna got involved into the steel steps. Tim White checking on Chyna. Jericho hits a Lionsault but Angle got the belt up and Angle gets the three.

In the end at 10:14 Angle got the win over Jericho by cheating becoming the NEW IC Champion. Now he had both titles.

This match was a great opener for the 2000 edition of No Way Out, good length.

 

 

 

***

 

 

 

 

 

19) Y2J Chris Jericho vs “Latino Heat” Eddie Guerrero (c) vs X-Pac in a Triple Threat Match for the WWF Intercontinental Championship -WWF Smackdown! October 2000

 

It seems like whenever the WWE is GOING to put on a Chris Benoit match on any DVD they replace him with Eddie, sure enough this could be another one of those times.

Instead of a number of possible Benoit-Jericho bouts they go with Eddie-Jericho and even X-Pac here.

A rare TV match which is always a nice addition to any DVD even though it of course most of the time isn`t going to be fantastic when it`s a TV match but at least they put these on DVD.
It`s certainly safe to say all these guys styles complimented each other wonderfully, should be a quick match here and I don`t know if I`ve ever seen this one till now, if I did back then I don`t remember it.

Eddie got great heel heat, X-Pac had his own style of heat by this time and Jericho was overwhelmingly the fan favourite in this clash just a couple weeks before No Mercy 2000.

Eddie came in with his usual walk and was the reigning champ going into the three way dance!
Eddie Guerrero stayed back when Jericho knocked down X-Pac a few times. Eddie Guerrero broke up the kickout after a clothesline from Jericho to X-Pac. Jericho with a leapfrog to Eddie then sent him flying. Jericho hit a spinning heel kick to Eddie that took him to the outside ring apron where Jericho hit a dropkick to the outside. Jericho then sent X-Pac flying.

With both men out, Jericho baseball slid to the outside knocking down Eddie, X-Pac knocked down Jericho on the outside. X-Pac held Jericho for Eddie Guerrero to deliver shots on the outside. Back in the ring on the inside, X-Pac and Eddie Guerrero continued taking it to Jericho.

X-Pac and Jericho had bad blood as they were about to go at it at the upcoming No Mercy PPV and had been feuding at the time.

In the corner Jericho was getting kicked at by both HEELS and the fans chanted for Y2J. X-Pac then went for the Bronco Buster and he hit it. Eddie Guerrero loved it which was funny. Eddie and X-Pac then caught blows by Jericho and he hit a reverse elbow against Eddie Guerrero. Jericho took down Eddie and rolled him over by X-Pac hit a shot to the gut on Jericho. X-Pac chopped Jericho against the ropes and asked for Eddie Guerrero`s help to double irishwhip Jericho and they hit a double clothesline. Eddie Guerrero then backstabbed X-Pac with a clothesline. Small Eddie chants in attendance after that.

Jericho sent Eddie Guerrero to the corner. X-Pac then got knocked down by Jericho, and Chris came off the ropes with an elbow. Jericho whipped Eddie into the corner and hit a running faceplant and clotheslined X-Pac over the top to the outside. Jericho slammed Eddie down and hit the Lionsault! X-Pac came in and hit the X-Factor to Jericho after a low blow. Eddie pushed X-Pac out of the ring and Eddie Guerrero covered Jericho for the victory to retain the title.
Very good match, but it only lasted about five minutes if that and it should of got more time but this was before they went to commercial breaks on regular occasion during tv matches.

Short and fun but again, it`s spot on this DVD is a bit strange unless they`re going for the RARE match type feel on recent DVD releases.

 

** 1/4

 

 

20) “The Game” Triple H (c) vs Jeff Hardy for the WWF Intercontinental Championship -WWF Smackdown! April 2001

 

Todd Grisham said this was almost like David vs Goliath.
I remember watching this one live and it`s a match you don`t forget because of the upset.

At this time Triple H was on top of his Game (no pun intended) and had just come off one of the most dominant years ever in Pro-Wrestling.
Had he not been injured not too long after this it`s downright scary to think what else he could of been capable of.

Jeff Hardy was popular, he was a daredevil but not many people ever would of thought he could go over Helmsley at this point, especially for a TITLE.

So that is what made this match memorable.

Nice addition to the set, it was a big moment for Jeff.
The Hardyz and Lita teamed up against Stone Cold, Triple H and Stephanie on the week`s April edition of RAW, and the fallout led to a match between Triple H and Jeff Hardy for the Intercontinental Championship. Hardy was upset with how the RAW match went, and wanted to take it out on Triple H. Stone Cold and Stephanie weren’t even in the arena, so Triple H was on his own.

Jeff obviously came out to a big pop.

The Game came to the ring confident and why shouldn`t he be was what he was likely thinking in the kayfabe world of Wrestling of course.

 

The match began very quickly as HHH wasted no time attacking Jeff in the middle of the ring, the Power Trip had bad blood with the Hardy Boyz around this time as pointed out.

Jeff Hardy took a ton of hard shots from HHH that came fast and furious. HHH was irate that Jeff layed his hand on Steph earlier on in the night. HHH choked Jeff out a bit and grabbed him by his hair as he took down Jeff with a couple of hard shots.

There we so many quality TV matches in this year on this show for the WWF. HHH took Jeff to the outside of the ring, but when Jeff Hardy came back in he hit a hurricanrauna and then a series of dropkick`s to the Game. HHH then slowed down Hardy`s offense with a Pedigree attempt but he flipped HHH down and then dropped the legs inbetween HHH`s legs. Jeff Hardy went for a pinfall and got a nearfall. The crowd remained hot as Jeff Hardy hit HHH with shots at the top buckle but HHH shoved him off. HHH went for Jeff in the corner and then whipped him into the corner but Jeff with a desperation corkscrew moonsault and got a two!

Both men getting to there feet and HHH viciously shoved Jeff out of the ring under the bottom rope to the outside. HHH walked up to Jeff who was down on the mat and Hunter went to ram Jeff into the steps, Hardy blocked it and planted HHH face first into the steps. Jeff Hardy charged across the barricade to run into Hunter but he caught him in mid-air and slammed Jeff onto the floor but didn`t get all of it. Jeff then went to fly again off the apron onto HHH but he drove Jeff onto the thin mat on the floor that had no give. This time they did that spot well, and now Hunter the IC Champion was back in control.

Triple H irish-whipped Jeff Hardy into the steel steps wearing down the underdog even more making it seem that much more unlikely he`d pull off an upset. HHH came in the ring and picked up Jeff however he battled back with guts and determination with right hand`s. HHH caught a high knee to the face of Jeff Hardy off the side ropes. Hunter gave him a succession of hard right hand`s. HHH then slowly pulled up Hardy and choked him out on the middle rope. HHH then in the corner gave Hardy another hard shot. Heavy shots, HHH was picking his spots and choked Jeff out with his boot in the corner and they kept going back to Stephanie in the back watching on.

HHH irish-whipped Jeff Hardy into the corner turnbuckle. Hunter with a sleeper on Jeff Hardy off the side ropes and the Cerebral Assasin kept it locked on in a big way to wear down Hardy some more. Jeff Hardy caught a desperate jawbreaker to buy him time. Jeff Hardy then hit a side russian legsweep to HHH. Jeff crawled to the corner of the ring and up top he went for a Swanton attempt but HHH shoved Tim White into the ropes and that forced Jeff Hardy to lose his balance and fall. HHH shoved the referee down as he warned him. You don`t mess with The Game back then.

HHH up top was about to superplex Jeff off the top.

Matt Hardy who was thought to be gone from the building came running out and hit HHH with a chair.

Jeff Hardy hit the Swanton Bomb!

In the end Jeff Hardy became the NEW Intercontinental Champion to an amazing pop as it wasn`t expected obvioussly after he pinned HHH after the Swanton Bomb.
This match is a tad overrated by some but it definitely was pretty good, especially for a TV match and the ending was great. A solid 5-7 minute IC title match.

A feel good upset.

 

 

** 1/2

 

 

 

 

21) Jeff Hardy vs Rob Van Dam (c) in a Title Unification Ladder Match (European and Intercontinental) -WWE Raw July 2002

This is another underrated gem that I`m glad was added because it was rare. Merging the European title. 1997-2002. Bulldog won the first European title match against Owen Hart in a classic Raw match. Unbelievable tournament finals from Germany. Amazing really.

The third straight TV match on the IC title DVD which is good.

I rememember watching this one live as well. Bischoff made the decision to get rid of the European title so this match is historic, Bischoff was new on Raw at the time.

Both men had a chance to leave with the IC title.

RVD came in the IC Champion and this was Jeff Hardy`s second ladder match on Raw in just three weeks as he had already wrestled Undertaker for the Undisputed title before this.
Jeff Hardy was in tough against RVD who is from Michigan and that`s where this match was located, both men extremely popular.

A nice go-behind by Jeff Hardy after a waistlock by RVD good beginning and the fans cheer. RVD with a side headlock then ducked Jeff Hardy`s leap and hit a reverse elbow. Jeff got sent to the corner but hit a hurricanrauna to RVD off the top turnbuckle which he pushed off for leverage. Jeff Hardy clotheslined RVD over the top to the outside. Jeff Hardy then set up a Ladder on the outside but RVD hit Jeff with a baseball slide into the Ladder onto Hardy. Van Dam then flipped onto Jeff on the outside.

Rob Van Dam set up the ladder climbed it but Jeff knocked RVD off the Ladder. Jeff dropped the legs into RVD, tried to climb it but RVD pushed him off. RVD had the Ladder in hands but Jeff dropkicked it out of his hands.

 

Both guys picked up a Ladder and ran into each other twice and RVD`s got knocked out of his hands. Rob then did a spinning heel kick to Jeff Hardy into the Ladder. Rolling thunder by Van Dam smashing into the steel Ladder of Jeff Hardy. Rob Van Dam on top of the ladder but Jeff hit a Side Russian Legsweep.
Jeff hit a Swanton on to RVD off the top of the

Jeff Hardy had a chance to climb the Ladder nw.

Once up RVD jumpep up top and fought with Jeff at the top.

RVD with a nice sunset flip over the top of the Ladder with great impact to Hardy. RVD put Jeff on top of the Ladder and hit another rolling thunder.

The males chanted RVD, while most girls screamed for Jeff.
Great stuff.

These two had great wars in 01 in these types of matches, this was an underrated one in 2002. RVD climbed the Ladder but Jeff set up one as well. Both men inches away as they were on top of the Ladders, RVD kickd Jeff off his. RVD then hit a modified version of the Five Star Frogsplash off the top.

RVD went to the top of the ladder and grabbed the IC title at around eight minutes.

One of the forgotten Ladder matches that didn`t make the Ladder DVD but I`m glad it made this one as once again it`s yet another rare match that was very good!

Better then their Summerslam 01 bout in ways.
***

 

 

 

22) Injury – Return Match! (For Edge) Randy Orton (c) vs Edge for the WWE Intercontinental Championship -WWE Vengeance July 11th, 2004
To say this match got a lot of time to work, would be an understatement.

You either love this one or you hate it.

I love it! Orton had been IC Champ since Dec 03 pinning RVD after a ddt off the turnbuckle in the Main Event on Raw. Now 7 months of re-storing credibilty to the title he defended it against a returning Edge.

Lets go Orton is chanted right away by a large chunk. Edge never got his 2002 pops in 2004 so they turned him heel not before long, hell he was even booed as a babyface in his hometown of Toronto the following month at Summerslam in a Triple threat against Batista and Y2J.

Add in the fact Orton had a ton of potential here mae fans love Orton. His entrance and swagger were way too cool. JR and King ignore the chants. Then King mentions the bandwagon in the crowd, finally.

There’s an obvious 90-120 second pause in the middle while Orton continues to weardown Edge with a reverse chinlock and the fans get on his case, but outside that I felt everything was neccessary.

Orton comes out to the Evolution theme, Edge has his basic “You think you know me, know me” that he used before picking up Rob Zombie.

Orton’s long reign as IC Champion had been building not only himself up, but the IC title’s credibility as well. The days where Macho Man Randy Savage, The Honkytonk Man, Pedro Morales among others who held the IC title for a long time and defended it time and time again seemed to be coming back here with Orton. (Also Mr. Perfect, Bret, Shawn, Rock, Owen etc)
That’s how it seemed anyway, seeing as of this writing there’s hardly been a credible IC reign since this one.

Randy Orton had his fans here, his character was catching on, where-as Edge was a bit stale upon returning and was rather blah as a babyface, he’d late go HEEL but this match took place in a time where he was about to go in a transitional period, so the crowd is split here.

Edge had that look on his face when Orton came out, as if to say “So you think you’re the new thing around here?” you could easily see that line directly in front of you as Orton did his pose with the IC title. Randy Orton’s entrance looked awesome around this time.

Edge and Orton tied up in mid-ring and there were a ton of noticeable “lets go Orton” chants which Lawler and Ross at first ignore. Neither man gained an advantage on the intial tie-up. Edge got caught in a side headlock by Randy Orton and Edge willed his way out of it with an over-head wristlock into a side headlock of his own onto the Champion.

A nice little feeling out stage here, Orton sent Edge off the ropes but he bounced back from the other side hitting a shoulder breaker on Orton in mid-ring to which many fans boo. Orton looks frustrated and Edge gets caught by Orton who slaps on a wristlock. Edge tries to power out of it and eventually does hitting an arm-ringer on Randy Orton and then another side headlock, off the ropes, Orton with a leapfrog, Edge ducks, and then off the ropes Edge gets the better of Randy Orton once more with another shoulder block.

Some fans boo, yet again. Orton psyched out Edge by going in for a tie-up but hit a knee to the abdomen of Edge, then a kick to the lower back. Edge in mid-ring got a side headlock by Orton, the two criss-cross and off the ropes Edge leaped over Orton and hit a shoulder block once more, into a side headlock takedown. Edge now on the canvas had Orton temporarily in a pinning position but Orton got his shoulder off the mat. Down on the canvas Edge kept the sleeper locked on Orton wearing down the Champion some more.

Randy Orton back to his vertical base and he sent Edge to the ropes and he hit a series of shoulder blocks to Orton until he had enough and walked around the ring saying he had enough of this. Edge then went up the ramp and hit a forearm to the back of Orton’s head, Edge did not want to win by countout or he wouldn’t get the title. More hard shots by Edge outside the ring until he sent Randy Orton back inside. Edge irishwhipped into the ropes and Randy Orton elevated Edge high over the top rope to the floor buying himself some time.

Edge now down on the mat and the official began to count until Randy Orton himself broke the count. Orton slammed Edge’s head into the bottom of the canvas.

Orton then suplexed Edge from the outside apron into the ring, slamming him back first on the canvas, which gets some applause from the split-crowd.

 

Another nicely executed offensive move from the Champ, which scores him a nearfall. Orton then raked the face of Edge with his boot. Randy Orton with a hard uppercut sending the challenger down to his knees, and Orton then choked him out on the middle rope. Orton with a kick to the mid-section of Edge a couple of times. Randy Orton dropped an elbow into the throat of Edge in vicious fashion two times and then posed, some of the crowd cheer. Orton with a snapmare takeover into a reverse chinlock, meanwhile holding the elbow of Edge directly over his head, a unique submission hold. Edge battled out slowly but met another kick by Orton, but off the ropes Edge came flying at Randy Orton out of desperation with a flying forearm and then a couple of quick shots to the head of Orton.
Edge charged to Randy Orton and hit him with a running clothesline taking him over the top rope landing directly on the floor. Orton grabbed his IC title on the outside but Edge hit a baseball slide to Orton levelling him down on the floor, then Edge with a high impact clothesline to Randy Orton on the outside of the ring. Edge pulled up Randy and tossed him back inside the ring.

Edge from the top rope hit a nice missile dropkick from the top rope, and it scores him a two. Lawler points out the fans are cheering for Orton and Ross is forced to now agree. Finally.

Edge is signalling for the spear and Randy Orton caught him with a high kick to the face. Out of the corner Randy Orton then hit Edge with a modified backbreaker and it got him a two count.

Some “Lets go Edge” chants break out as Orton works over the challenger, Randy delivered an elbow to the esophagus of Edge who’s head hung upside down outside the ring apron. Orton then choked out Edge on the bottom rope some more, wearing down the Champ. Randy Orton dragged Edge back to mid-ring and choked him out once more before kicking Edge in the head.

Orton grabbed Edge by his hair and then delivered a slap before a legdrop on the top of Edge’s neck. Orton threw Edge into the corner but Edge caught Orton coming in with a high boot to the jaw. Orton with a righthand to Edge and then he buried his knee into abdomen of the challenger. Edge tried to fight back but it didn’t work.

Every time Edge gained momentum, Orton shut it down. Orton dropped the knee onto the back of Edge’s head and then he choked him out on the bottom rope again.
Randy Orton in mid-ring with a textbook standing dropkick gets him a two count. Randy Orton then in mid-ring using leverage slapped on a reverse chinlock on Edge gripping his neck.

This was one of the spots mid-match which seemed to drag, but I felt it followed the story accordingly because Randy Orton was going to do anything to wear down the Challenger here, who he knew had great conditioning.

Edge to his feet hit Orton with some fists to the head but Orton dropped him yet again and then this time hit legdrop, a nearfall followed by more vicious, striking blows to the neck of Edge by Randy Orton.

Orton went back into the side headlock, and as the fans got on his case he just soaked up in the Heel Heat he was recieving, which means he was doing his job.

The sleeper had been slapped on for a good 90 seconds and the “boring” chants come out, and now Orton slaps on a bodyscissors on Edge on top of the reverse chinlock.

Edge was beyond daed at this point.

Edge finally out hit a desperation cross-body out of no where got him a two. A roll-up by Edge gets him another two count, then out of no where Randy Orton delivered a nice clothesline to Edge. Orton with a high risk move now came off the top perhaps looking for a double axehandle drop, but Edge in mid-air hit him with a high impact dropkick and the place erupts.

Both men down.
Edge now gets irishwhipped by Orton, reverses a hiplock, went for a swinging neckbreaker and hit it on Orton to buy himself time. Both men spent and down now and the official began to count.

At the count of eight, both men from there knees exchange blows with righthands to one another, a slugfest broke out, Edge caught Orton off the side ropes and hit him with a side russian legsweep and got a two count out of this. Randy Orton slowly tried to get to his feet and off the ropes, Randy Orton went for a dropkick but Edge made a U-Turn at the ropes and grabbed on, Edge then catapolted Randy Orton into the top turnbuckle and then dropped Edge back first as he planted him to the canvas. Edge gets a two.

Edge climbed to the outside apron and began to climb to the top turnbuckle, from there Orton caught him with a hard forearm shot. Orton with slow rights, and then met Edge up top. Randy Orton going for a Superplex on Edge from up high gets dropped by Edge face first hung up on that top rope out of the front facelock and Orton had his head planted on the turnbuckle.

Edge then with a flying crossbody but Orton rolled through and got a two. Edge went for Orton out of the pinning attempt and Orton hit Edge with a thumb to the eye, Ross says “Thank you Ric Flair” as Orton may have learned it from Naitch himself.

Edge with an inside cradle as Orton came towards him but got a two count. Edge argued with the official and Orton grabbed the tights but only got two himself on an inside cradle.

Randy Orton though did get the best of this predicament hitting another standing dropkick, but just another two count. Orton sent Edge to the ropes, and Edge hit a unique looking DDT after several small reversals and still just a two.

The crowd is loving this now.

Edge in the corner went up high on Orton and landed blows and on the sixth Orton elevated Edge in the air and he hit face first on the top buckle clotheslining him back, Orton covered him and got a long two, pretty exciting stuff here.

Orton signalling for the RKO but Edge pushed him into the corner and now signalled for the spear, Orton leapfrogged Edge and he crashed into the corner face first into the second turnbuckle.

Orton then went for the RKO but Edge countered it into a backslide and got just a two count. Orton with a righthand to Edge and an irishwhip gets reversed as Orton crashed into the exposed turnbuckle this time.

Edge hits the SPEAR!

In the end Edge became the NEW Intercontinental Champion at 26:36 after he finished Orton off with his spear, huge pop considering the split crowd.

I remember always wanting Orton to retain the title, and looking back he probably should have considering the fans opinion on Edge at the time, and the fact I don’t believe Orton was ready to become World Champion just yet. The WWE definitely dropped the ball on the ending here I feel, but still, it was a terrific match.
A Classic as far as I’m concerned, I loved this old school material brought back to life, completely refreshing to Pro-Wrestling! LOvE IT!

 

 

**** 1/4

 

 

 

 

23) “Nature Boy” Ric Flair (c) vs “The Game” Triple H in a Steel Cage match for the WWE Intercontinental Championship -WWE Taboo Tuesday 2005

 

It went as follows…
Voting: Steel cage match 83%, Submission Match 13%, Regular Match 4%
I could have swore that everyone was going to pick the regular match! Yeah, I am being sarcastic, not sure why that was even an option here. How the hell did it een get 4% I wonder…..

Okay, The IC Title is on the line but I remember in the pre-match package HHH said it was a piece of shit. For that reason it probably shouldn`t of made the cut to this DVD. All joking aside, it still made the IC title belt look bad. He’s saying that Flair being IC Champion was worthless.

YAY WWE, lets just bash every title while we’re at it. I have an idea. Lets make TWO WORLD titles, hell three…oh wait….they already do. Or did. But they do this right after they made the IC title mean something again with long Orton and Shelton reigns, then it went to Carlito and Flair and it became essentally worthless again. Sounds about right.

Besides, you would think a guy at the age Ric Flair was at the time being IC Champion would be impressive in itself.

Anyways besides that being ridiculous, this match was ridiculous as well. But in a good way, there’s no way Flair should of had that kind of endurance at this age but he did. Hunter helped him a lot, the same way he helped Dave Batista have the best match in his career a few months before this in the Hell in a Cell at Vengeance.

He set the pace well, they both did. Working together for that long should of been able to help both guys especially with how similar they were as HHH crafted himself like the Nature Boy.
Flair sold very often and was bladed early. Ric yelling “JESUS CHRIIIIST” when Triple H hits him was hysterical in this match.

Triple and Ric Flair had a great feud going here.

This match took place on November the 1st, 2005 at Taboo Tuesday and Joey Styles and Jerry Lawler did the commentary for this Cage match.
This one was a war!

Triple H and Ric Flair exchanged shots and sent one another face first into the cage arena.

Ric Flair cracked HHH in the skull with a chair inside the Cage and the place popped!

Of course in a Cage match with Flair you expect him to come and fight back. However the climax was much more then a back and forth battle, it was a WAR.
Pure hatred, Pro-Wrestling at it’s finest from a story telling point of view. I think this match is better then the Survivor Series encounter.

Flair FINALLY won in the end by escaping through the cage door at 23:45. Triple H did a lot of jobs (clean ones also in the year 2005 to Benoit, Batista etc.)
Epic.
Arguably Flair’s best match of the decade, infact I do consider it so.

 

 

 

**** 1/4

 

 

 

24) Rob Van Dam (MITB) vs Shelton Benjamin (c) for the WWE Intercontinental Championship and Money In the Bank Briefcase- Winner Take All Match at WWE Backlash 2006

 

Two amazing athletes putting it all on the line here, trying to steal the show, and that is exactly what they did.

Shelton stole the show at Backlash the year before with Jericho, this is a lot like that match but a few minutes longer and not the opener.

Shelton capable of stealing the show was always an underrated talent, kind of had a cocky heel swagger here wearing shades to the ring, thank god they dropped that big MOMMA manager routine they had going.

Fans completely into Rob Van Dam.

Shelton Benjamin and Rob get ready to go as fans chant EC Dub. Shelton with a quick go-behind and then a front face-lock, some slaps to Van Dam and he slaps his hands together as if to say there ya go, it is that easy.

Both men tie-up and an arm-ringer by Shelton into an overhead wristlock, Van Dam flips up reverses it into an armbar of his own. Shelton springboards off the ropes and flips back off the ropes out of the arm-ringer, slaps his hands together as if to say no problem once again.

Benjamin leaped over Van Dam, RVD with a big kick up, a spinning kick, an arm-drag takedown and then and another one, Ricky Steamboat like.

RVD poses as the fans chant.

Shelton chopped RVD in the corner. Rob Van Dam kicks Shelton to the outside and Bejnamin took his time coming back in the ring.

RVD with his educated feet dropped Shelton with clotheslines and went for the rolling thunder but Shelton ducked out.

Rob Van Dam with a high risk, cross-body over the topr rope dropping on Shelton Benjamin. Rob Van Dam was then caught on the apron and Shelton with a sunset flip on RVD converted into a powerbomb on the floor.

Fans with their first fecal chant of the match and I concur.

AN absolutely-breath-taking spot.

Shelton wearing down Rob Van Dam back in the ring with a reverse chinlock even though the crowd gets behing RVD. Rob Van Dam hit with a perfectly executed back-breaker by Shelton.

Benjamin working over the back of RVD.

Shelton exposing the vulnerable back of Rob Van Dam even more with a Camel Clutch.

Lawler gets on the case of Ross for plugging so many wrestlers. Scoop slams by Shelton.

Then Rob finds a break and tries a rolling thunder for a second time and this match had it twice and on the second time it was countered into a Samoan Drop.

Benjamin leaped to the top turnbuckle. Amazing vertical leap and Superplex to Rob Van Dam gets him a nearfall. A body-scissors and a reverse chinlock, grounding him. Ross points out that from this poisition he would have a hard time kicking at Shelton.

Rob Van Dam moves out of the way and Shelton hits a Stingers Splash into the corner. Rob Van Dam with a european uppercut and now RVD with a rolling thunder connects on Sheltom kicks out.

Rob Van Dam drops Van Dam and hits a split-legged moonsault off the top. Rob Van Dam with a monkey fip then a heel kick.

Rob Van Dam went for a five star and got nothing, Shelton hits a huge DDT and Rob Van Dam kicks out somehow, someway.

Shelton off the top leaps onto RVD but Rob Van Dam used the own momentum off the topé. A kickout. RVD throws the case at Shelton, RVD covers Shelton!

What a match!

 

In the end at 18:42 RVD retained his case and won the IC title in a borderline classic and very unorthadox match between two extremely, extremely athletic competitors.

Unreal action.

This match was exactly what you would want from these two.

Superb.
****

 

 
25) Johnny Nitro (with Melina) vs Shelton Benjamin (c) vs Carlito in a Triple Threat match for the WWE Intercontinental Championship -WWE Vengeance 2006

 

Three very good athletes, this could be an aerial war, and it is a triple threat!

Carlito and Shelton meet yet again at Vengeance for the same title they battled for the last Vengeance, and this time with Johnny Nitro added in to make some spots better.

The match began relatively quickly when the reigning Champion Shelton Benjamin tried to catch Carlito off gaurd by rolling him up and scoring a nearfall.

Shelton then knocks down Carlito with a clothesline and scores a nearfall. Carlito counters an offensive move from Shelton and gets a two from a roll-up. Carlito tries yet another roll-up because that is how he beat Shelton the year before for the IC title. Carlito with a side headlock takedown and then Nitro came back in the ring and Shelton backdropped Carlito who backdropped Nitro.

Nitro came back in the ring and Shelton kicked Carlito by mistake.
Johnny Nitro kicked Shelton in the corner. Nitro got kicked by Benjamin and Carlito clotheslined Shelton over. Carlito catapolted Johnny Nitro over the top rope to the outside and Melina screamed. Carlito pulled Nitro out of the way when Carlito went to flip off the apron. Nitro rammed Carlito into the post and said, now that is cool, Now that is funny. Shelton kicked Johnny Nitro and slammed him on the mat. Melina’s screaming is beyond annoying although I’m sure that’s the idea.

Nitro and Benjamin were slugging it out and Carlito jumped off the top rope with a springboard moonsault to nail both of them. Awesome move.
Small “Carlito” chants broke out. Carlito covered Johnny Nitro and he was barely able to kick out. Both up to there feet Carlito hit a chop on Nitro. Nitro with a counter into a Russian Legsweep onto Carlito. Nitro covered Carlito a couple of times and got nearfalls, and made sure Benjamin stayed on the outside.

Nitro irish-whipped Carlito to the ropes.
Carlito came off though and hit a hurricanrauna to Nitro and the fans applaud.

Carlito bounced off the ropes and Shelton launched him in the air and Carlito’s face smacked into the canvas. Shelton hit a backdrop to Nitro over the top to the outside. Shelton landed shots to Carlito and then after a suplex got a two count.
A double axehandle from Nitro to Shelton and then he threw him to the corner. Shelton picked up Nitro and slammed his head in the corner with Snake Eyes. Melina put Nitro’s foot on the bottom rope which stopped Shelton’s pinning attempt.

 

Carlito with a victory roll on Shelton but he only got a two. Carlito showing great aerial moves in this match.
Johnny Nitro was sent into the corner by Carlito and he flipped Shelton over for Carlito to dropkick him. Nice move.

Some good stuff in this match and Nitro speared Carlito in the corner after that Monkey Flip dropkick.

Nitro went to superplex Carlito but Benjamin shook the ropes. Carlito slapped Johnny Nitro, then Johnny Nitro scooped Shelton who scooped Carlito and it was a triple superplex from the top and the fans went crazy! Johnny Nitro got a two on Carlito.

Johnny Nitro with a right hand to Shelton and then a hard irishwhip to Shelton in the corner who got a boot up on Carlito. Carlito with an inside cradle on Nitro but Shelton broke it up. A double reverse elbow by Carlito to both Shelton and Nitro who double irishwhipped him to the ropes. Carlito was the star of this match.

Nitro hit Carlito but he eliminated him over the top rope. Shelton hit an enziguri to Carlito but only got a two count.

Carlito was able to get up and hit the Backstabber to Shelton. Nitro pulled Carlito out of the ring though and covered Shelton and we got a new Champion.ç

Very solid and entertaining, gets a good amount of time to work with as well.
In the end Nitro pinned Benjamin after a Back-cracker by Carlito at 12:09 to become the NEW IC Champion.
Though his reigns would mean more if he could hold onto the title for a good amount of time as I seem to recall him losing this IC title back and forth with Jeff on Raw or MNM losing/winning the tag titles every 2nd Smackdown back in 05/06 as well.

Great stuff in the match for sure, but WWE titles are tossed around more then whores in Las Vegas these days.

 

 

 

***

 

 

 

26) Umaga (c) vs Jeff Hardy for the WWE Intercontinental Championship -WWE Great American Bash 2007

 

 

 

Before the match Jeff Hardy got wished luck by his brother Matt only for Candice to walk to the back for a ridiculous comedy segment, either way the point is Jeff got some motivation heading into this title match with Umaga.

Umaga was the reigning champion in this match going in so we’ll see if that changes by the time the match ends considering how often that title belt changes these days.

Umaga dominated in the early going and even though Jeff Hardy hit a sit down jaw breaker, Umaga quickly retaliated with a nice Samoan drop. He then continued to beat on Jeff while the crowd got behind Hardy chanting for him the same way they did for his brother earlier in the night.

Umaga was even in control shortly after the early stages whipping Jeff into both buckles with an Irish whip then kept keeping him grounded with those Samoan chops and punches followed by a claw to the trap muscle as he held on but the crowd was loud getting behind Jeff Hardy unlike at WM 24 when they didn’t really get behind Batista with this move. Jeff fights out of it but Umaga keeps it locked in. Jeff eventually battled his way out of the hold after a couple minutes and on his third try to attempt to scoop Umaga he does but Umaga lands on him.

So Umaga continued to dominate landing on him twice. He has been in total control of the entire match up this point as he lands on him again using the top rope for leverage. He attempts it a fourth time and Jeff puts his knees up and Umaga got caught in the crotch region. Even though Jeff hit his first official big move Umaga hit a side walk slam and Jeff kicked out at 2 to stay in the match. Umaga then climbed to the top rope and jumped off with a diving headbutt but Jeff moved out of the way to buy him some time and the fans really got behind him again.

Jeff got to his feet first then hit Umaga with some right hands and then a spinning heel kick followed by a DDT. Umaga went running for Jeff but he pulled the top rope down to which he fell over to the outside and Jeff with a baseball slide to keep Umaga on the outside and then flies over the top rope on top of him quickly.

Back in the ring Jeff goes for a sunset flip and then a drop kick to the face to Umaga but he kicked out at 2 just before JR thought there might be a new IC Champion.

Umaga showed his relentless attack more by beating Jeff in the corner and Jeff quickly got out of that predicament by hitting him with a cork screw and then Jeff hit his Swanton Bomb but Umaga still kicked out at 2 and some were shocked.

Jeff goes for a twist of fate and then recieved a kick by Umaga who turned around followed by a huge Samoan Spike.

Umaga in the end retained his title at 11:20 when he hit that move after running his leg into Jeff in the corner.

Great battle here in the mid-card, pretty entertaining and well wrestled. Jeff fought back in the middle to end but Umaga dominated the early going for a large portion of time and then ultimately the end with some fast power moves.
In the end at 11:20 Umaga defeated Hardy to retain the IC title.
Neither one of the Hardy brothers were successful on the night.

 

This match was very good.

 

 

** 3/4

 

 

 

 

27) Jeff Hardy (c) vs Y2J Chris Jericho for the WWE Intercontinental Championship -WWE Monday Night Raw March 2008

 

 

 

Last match on the DVD.

Jeff Hardy was the IC Champion entering this match on Raw.

Jeff and Jericho have had some GEMs before at No Way Out 2003 among other events and this is a memorable IC title match on this edition of Monday Night Raw. Chris Jericho had been a seven time IC Champion heading into this match, he was looking to record an eigth reign which would be a RECORD as no man has held the title that many times.
Jeff got a wonderful ovation as expected and Jericho got some good heat as well, both men were scheduled to be in the MITB ladder match at WM 24 but Jeff didn’t make that one.
Another TV match on the DVD which I am fine with.

The bell rang and the match was on! You can probably expect commercial breaks in this one because it is infact the year 2008 and that’s what is normal from the WWE these days.

Chris Jericho the challenger for the title began the bout by tying up with Jeff Hardy in mid-ring but Jeff got to the ropes. Hardy and Jericho got physical and personal in a hurry. Jericho took him down viciously, both guys traded right hands. Jericho then hit a chop on Jeff and irishwhipped him however Jeff hit a float over and then got kicked in the chest by Jericho.

Y2J charged to Jeff Hardy and hit a clothesline over the top rope.

First commercisal break
When back we see Jericho wearing down Hardy with a sleeper. Chris Jericho irish-whipped Jeff into the corner, charged towards him and hit nobody as Jeff moved out of the way and Y2J fell to the outside. Jeff hit a baseball slide into Jericho. Jeff ran across the barricade but Jericho pushed Jeff Hardy’s head and his face cracked the announce table! Jericho springboarded into the ring over the top rope off the outside of the apron splashing on Hardy but only got a two count.

Chris Jericho then picked up Jeff Hardy and slammrf him with a back breaker. Jericho drove his elbow into the abdomen of Hardy while he kept pressure on Jeff’s back. Chris Jericho raked the eyes of Jeff Hardy. Jericho choked out Jeff on the middle ropes. Jericho stood on the back of Hardy’s head. Jericho charged towards him but Jeff came off with a desperation clothesline. Both guys down, Jeff bought himself a bit of time. Jeff Hardy with a running forearm shot to Jericho.

Y2J couldn’t connect with a clothesline and Jeff hit a corkscrew moonsault and only a two. Jericho then hit a Northern Lights Suplex, and only a two count as Jeff bridges out, and Jeff with a roll-up and a near fall. Jeff rolled Jericho up again and just a two. Jericho from the top rope elevated himself from the top but Jeff hit a roll through, Jericho reversed a twist of fate and slammed Jeff down. Chris Jericho hit a Lionsault on Jeff Hardy. Jeff Hardy just kickd out.

I think King and JR put over how good this match was a bit too much. It was good but not as good as they were pointing out.

Jericho slapped on the Walls but Jeff countered it into an inside cradle and a two. A running enziguri missed, Jeff hit the twist of faste. Jeff took off his shirt and missed a Swanton Bomb. Chris Jericho was able to get out of the way and then Jericho hit a code breaker and became the NEW IC Champion!

In the end Jericho became a record eight time Intercontinental Champion when he won the bout. Jericho went for the walls, Hardy countered with an inside cradle and a nearfall. Jericho missed a running enzigur and then a twist of fate. Hardy missed a Swanton and then Jericho ht a code breaker for the win! Big pop.

 

Good to end this DVD with another TV match and it was a good one at that, pretty significant as well.

 

 

***
——————————————————————

Final Rating for The History of The Intercontinental Championship (3 Disc) DVD = 8.5/10
So now we get finally get a PROPER IC title set. This set is a must own if you don`t already own the first few matches on Disc 2. Even still there`s a ton of great matches on the set, 27 matches in total and most of them extremely good. A great insight on the history of the IC title, a belt which provided some of the best matches over the years and launched the career`s of superstars as you`ll see in this set. I`d say it`s worth it for sure, it was nice to see them do a proper DVD for this belt. Some matches could of been changed but for the good material you get, it is indeed worth it. I`d suggest picking it up today no matter what the price.