Hey Scott,
Hey guys,
Thanks to the WWE Network, I watched every PPV ever set in Philly and ranked the top 10 greatest matches. Fun fact: ECW only held one PPV in Philly. Funner fact: I don't get out enough.
Thanks!
I haven't even clicked on it yet but I'm 100% sure Shawn-Mankind is #1. We'll see if I'm right.
I mean....I'd watch that.
ReplyDeleteAt least the WWE Network subscription would cover the post-show.
ReplyDeleteThey should make Triple H vs Bryan the opening match and have Triple H win cleanly in it. That will make the crowd excited for the rest of their show knowing the King of Kings will be in the main event.
ReplyDeleteHalfway to "Bakertown"
ReplyDeleteHey, it's what's best for business.
ReplyDeleteThat should be an interesting visual.
ReplyDeleteDeal with it!
ReplyDelete"Clearly HHH is going to pin Bryan after three Pedigrees and then he'll take care of business in the main event and beat both Orton & Batista with one hand behind his back before impregnating Stephanie at ringside on the post-show."
ReplyDeleteAs HBK is at ringside cheering him on
Three Pedigrees and a King Kong Bundy, "Count to five!" to close out the match.
ReplyDeleteI wish someone would bring that gimmick back
ReplyDeleteTriple H to beat Bryan in 15 seconds in a tribute to last year!!!
ReplyDeleteMan, just typing that I am amazed at how far Bryan has come. Opening match loss in 13 seconds to probably pulling double-duty and ending WM victorious. Blows my mind.
That would have been Big E in NXT.
ReplyDeleteYou mean crying in the corner.
ReplyDeleteFeels good doesn't it.
ReplyDeleteActually never saw Big E in NXT. Great gimmick tho. Think it'd still work today
ReplyDeleteAka. Pregnancy test
ReplyDeleteIt needs to open the show. Seriously. Daniel Bryan needs to be the first, and last guy introduced at WM.
ReplyDeleteThey've got four hours correct?
ReplyDeleteWhy don't they have the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal (what a mouthful) contested under Royal Rumble rules? I mean, I can't see Bryan/HHH, the Triple Threat, Taker/Lesnar, Cena/Wyatt, and whatever the Shield does against Kane cover the entire four hours.
Honestly I found that ECW six man tag with kaientai to be really overrated. There's a huge stretch of *hit finisher out of nowhere, 2 count, stand around, repeat* in the match that takes me out of it. I'd call the match about 3.5 stars and actually think the three way match and then title match with raven was better.
ReplyDeleteI guess that explains why his theme song starts with "3 ain't enough, man I need 5."
ReplyDeleteHe should use that gimmick again someday.
I don't know if anyone remembers, but while Big Dave was taking his 4 years off and randomly talking shit about the product, he went off on Twitter about how Bryan wasn't World Heavyweight Championship material when he cashed in MITB. That's another reason why I'm enjoying watching the fans shit all over too cool for school Batista in favour of Bryan.
ReplyDeleteI wish we could make and share playlists on the WWE network. I'm going to have to watch all these. Also, I'm really not looking forward to the day when Corrigan leaves Temple, because he's a heck of a wrestling writer.
ReplyDeleteThat's funny, Scott, happy to see you kid...right....RIGHT?!?!
ReplyDeleteYou forgot the part where Stephanie beats AJ for the title, using her COO briefcase as a defacto Money In The Bank contract shot. After all, she's got a fitness DVD to promote!
ReplyDelete...actually, Stephanie vs. AJ would be kinda awesome, even if Steph never was a great wrestler.
Bring back Brodus Clay with that gimmick as a One-Man Gang punk badass, and it would work.
ReplyDeleteNo cactus Sullivan vs nasty boys from slamboree 93? That's gotta be on the list if not top 3
ReplyDeleteI still don't have the network and have been debating about ordering WM. At this point, I'm leaning toward no. Depends on how things look in the next few weeks. I really don't want to buy this show and have HHH beat everyone.
ReplyDeleteI don't want the HHH/Bryan match to have a real finish. There is a bigger payoff down the line if they hold off.
94!
ReplyDeleteYou know what would be a better visual? Bray attacking Cena....ON A MORNING SHOW!
ReplyDeleteAnd after he beats Bryan he does commentary until the main event.
ReplyDeleteI dunno man. What's a bigger payoff that getting to go on to main event WM the same night, for the title.
ReplyDeleteMAYBE putting the title on HHH and having Bryan go over then, but we're past that point
Yeah, that's probably what should've happened a few months ago.
ReplyDelete*nods agreeably* Yeah, that's the most logical conclusion.
ReplyDeleteIt feels like they just started feuding for real two weeks ago. I get what you are saying though.
ReplyDeleteEntrances included, what you just listed could cover 2.5 hours, in my quick estimate. Only 75-80 minutes left to fill (since PPVs usually end at 9:50ish). 5 minutes of that'll be the opening video, another 5 will be America the beautiful and the announcers introducing the show. Throw in the divas match, whatever Hogan does and the random backstage nonsense, and we're just about there.
ReplyDeleteYeah the Cactus/Sullivan vs Nasties would be on my list as well. Honorable mention, Demos/Harts 2/3 falls at Summerslam '90.
ReplyDeleteThey've kinda been feuding since August outside of that stupid break from November to January.
ReplyDeleteEhhhhh, I don't know about. I recall Steph/Trish and Steph/Lita were both pretty solid matches.
ReplyDeleteI always forget to include the entrances… dammit.
ReplyDeleteYeah, pulling double duty and having Wrestlemania be, essentially, all about you with the night ending in 70some thousand people doing your chant is about as big time as it gets.
ReplyDeleteYep. Batista talked shit about WWE quite a bit during his sabbatical. Which is also why I'm loving the crowd reactions to him.
ReplyDeleteDon't forget Bryan already got the title, even though it was only a 5 minute reign. What everyone wants is for him to keep the title longer than that. Like maybe 10 minutes.
ReplyDeleteThe whole thing from August to October was just a waste. Not sure what it was supposed to accomplish since it did nothing for Orton or Bryan.
ReplyDeleteI'd argue it did give Bryan major sympathy and didn't at all make him look bad. Was it good storytelling? No but it certainly didn't kill Bryan's heat or push. He beat Orton every turn only to have outside forces screw him over.
ReplyDeleteSeriously, I REALLY don't think they'd put Bryan into the main event if they didn't plan on going all the way with him at mania.
ReplyDeleteThey've called an audible on the biggest show of the year just to get behind Bryan/satisfy the fanbase. All their eggs are in his basket. He'll go over and come out looking great
I think it did plenty for Bryan. It got the crowd behind him more than ever to the point where he's getting reactions to the same level as Rock and Austin.
ReplyDeleteThe problem is it was all completely forgotten about immediately. I'm glad they dropped all of that, including Orton's weekly level of confidence, but it was a waste. It strengthened Bryan's standing with the fans but that wasn't by design.
ReplyDeleteThis is true but it didn't happen by design. They booked something shitty and by happenstance it turned Bryan into a bigger star.
ReplyDeleteYou have more faith than I. May I borrow a little bit of yours?
ReplyDeleteSteph/AJ would be fucking fantastic, don't kid yourself. She wouldn't embarass herself if she wrestled another match.
ReplyDeleteBut I don't think she's wrestling another match.
It's hilarious to see how many people seriously think HHH is winning both matches.
ReplyDeleteYou're forgetting about the concert, the panel discussions during the ppv, the hall of fame recognition, the other concert, musical entrances for HHH, the 15 minute Undertaker match, Hulk Hogan's posing routine... they'll be like an hour for actual wrestling.
ReplyDeleteand commercials. You know there will be commercials.
ReplyDeleteNeeds more HHH.
ReplyDeleteHe needs to win the Andre the Giant Battle Royal too.
And unify the IC and US titles.
The last WM I bought featured The Rock putting on a bad comedy act and Miz walking out with the title. I put nothing past these people.
ReplyDeleteAnd didn't he flop as champ in those 5 minutes?
ReplyDeleteWait, what concert?
ReplyDeleteMaybe this time they'll have a boy? 4th time lucky!
ReplyDeleteHave Triple H come out after losing to Bryan earlier in the show and beat the piss out of him during the main event. Batista then pins Bryan to close the show.
ReplyDeleteSteph has a legit pretty damn good match against...Trish Stratus, I think it was? Correct me if I'm wrong, but Scott gave it ***.
ReplyDeleteAnd most important...the numerous B A STAR amd make a wish videos. I don't get enough of those
ReplyDeleteI think it's less "think," and more "fear" because many can easily see that happening. Because HHH.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite: Havoc '91 opener, Zenk/Douglas/Gunn vs. Eaton/Anderson/Hayes. The Philly crowd taking a rum shit all over the white meat babyfaces and Jesse Ventura's glee over it is just superb. Solid, basic tag but the heat is tremendous.
ReplyDeleteAnd I hope their next child be a masculine child!
ReplyDeleteTrish had only been around less than a year at that point and was pretty shaky out there, I don't think she carried Steph by any means in that one.
ReplyDelete"he'll take care of business in the main event and beat both Orton & Batista with one hand behind his back before impregnating Stephanie at ringside on the post-show."
ReplyDeleteWhile sodomizing Bryan's corpse a la Katie Vick.
Jesse Baker, is that you?
ReplyDeleteIt's a combination of "I'm bi a lot of things, but lingual isn't one of them" and Katie Vick in one!
ReplyDeleteNo, because I didn't say it'll happen in a garbage truck.
ReplyDeleteI can very easily picture this happening. Would set up Extreme Rules, if nothing else. ugh
ReplyDeleteThey can't possibly be so stupid as to have anything other than Bryan holding up the belts and leading 80K in YES! chants ending WrestleMania XXX.
ReplyDeleteYes, I know they've been filling in the blank with "they can't possibly be so stupid as to...." for months now, but not THIS time. THIS time they're gonna show they love me! lol
Yeah, Undertaker's fucking entrance is longer than a lot of PPV matches
ReplyDeletePeople will still bitch
ReplyDeleteNever go full Baker
ReplyDeleteYear before. The 16 second job to Sheamus was in 2012.
ReplyDeleteIt'll wipe out Batista's "has to win the WWE title at Mania" contract clause if there is one, and then Bryan can win the belt next month
ReplyDeleteYou sound like a domestic abuse victim.
ReplyDeleteI definitely remember that and yeah. Same warm and fuzzies about the fans rejecting him for a guy he crapped on on Twitter.
ReplyDeleteYep, that's the joke.
ReplyDelete"You're making me do this!"
ReplyDeleteI like how you write man. Solid article and I sure as hell appreciate a fellow wrestling fan doing all that research.
ReplyDelete"Why do you do this! If you'd just keep your mouth shut, everything would be fine!"
ReplyDeleteThat's the only other scenario I could see playing out. Batista then replaces Orton as the corporate champ.
ReplyDeleteReplace think with want, in a morbid sort of way.
ReplyDeleteI saw an Iron-Man match between Bret and Owen at the Spectrum a few weeks before Summerslam '94 that was awesome. Bret won 2-1. By far the match I've seen live in person.
ReplyDeleteYeah Bryan flopped big time as Champ, he drew exactly zero PPV buys during his title reign so WWE had no choice but to take the title off him.
ReplyDeleteWhere's Rude-Chono? j/k
ReplyDeleteThat sounds like the joke that the Browns fired their new head coach as he had been "winless" since getting hired. *thumbs up*
ReplyDeleteMy favorite part of that exchange isn't actually the "I'm bi a lot of things" part, my favorite is how he follows up with "Did I mean to say that?"
ReplyDeleteI saw that "Marathon Match" too at the Meadowlands. Ended with Bret reversing Owen's sharpshooter for the last second submission, IIRC.
ReplyDeleteI think this time they'll do it right because it's Wrestlemania. Bryan's literally their only shot at sending the fans home happy with Punk gone and Batista being shit upon. What their intentions in the big picture are, I don't know, but I'm confident they do it right at Wrestlemania.
ReplyDeleteBut where's Poochie?
ReplyDeleteHere's a random PPV location fact I figured out the other day: Was Slamboree 93 really the last WCW ppv to take place in Atlanta?
ReplyDeleteAfter that match, in the dressing room, the mayor of Philly confided in Bret that his match that night was the best match he'd ever seen, and he deserved to be WWF Champion for life.
ReplyDeleteWow, I *completely* blanked out all memory of him defending the tag team belts w/ Kane. Crazy. Thanks for the correction!
ReplyDeleteThree Pedigrees? To beat Bryan?!?!
ReplyDeleteAll HHH needs to do is pound his foot on the mat, and Bryan will fall unconscious from the shockwave.
Putting anyone other than Bryan over in the main event would be like having Andre go over Hogan at WM3.
ReplyDeleteFor $10 a month?!? They'd better!!!
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed that Hardy/Punk match but it's really out of place with the other matches. I don't think it's quite on the **** level which is why I'm sure there has to be a better match out there.
ReplyDeleteOtherwise I really enjoyed it. Short, concise, and interesting. I forgot the Rumble 2004 was in Philly. The Rumble match gives Shawn/Mankind a run for it's money but I understand why you ordered them how you did.