Their greatest match was long ago, and since this is wrestling, we can't say we've definitely seen their last match. But what was the last great (or at least very good) match for these wrestlers:
Ric Flair
The cage match against HHH at the Taboo Tuesday show. Or Cyber Sunday? Whatever.
Kurt Angle
He’s probably had others since, but the last one I can remember is the Samoa Joe series in TNA.
Shawn Michaels
Well considering his retirement match against Undertaker was damn near *****, that would be the obvious choice.
Steve Austin
His retirement match against Rock.
Bret Hart
I’m tempted to say Montreal, but he had a good one with Flair at Souled Out after that.
Hulk Hogan
He’s never had a good one.
I would have considered Ric Flairs "retirement" match against HBK to be his last great match.
ReplyDeleteWhat's with the Hogan hate, it's like it's 2002 Scott again, he didn't have any technical masterclasses, but to say Hogan never had a great match (Rock, Savage, Andre, Warrior, Perfect, Mcmahon) is a huge stretch.
And if you don't wanna go Austin/Rock at XIX, it would have to be the Austin/Flair "Wrestling Match" from Raw the week before he walked out. Such an awesome match.
ReplyDeleteBret's last great match was against Benoit. As for Flair, I'd say it was his last WWE match with Shawn at WM 24.
ReplyDeleteChris Benoit in that Kennel from Hell handicap match.
ReplyDeleteI know Scott is just being snarky, but Hogan-Warrior at Mania 6 was a great match.
ReplyDeleteI am offended by you trying to change the past....his opponent was clearly Dancin' Stevie Richards, the ORIGINAL King of Swing (suck it, Cesaro!)
ReplyDeleteFor Hogan, maybe the cage match with Flair?
ReplyDeleteIn before someone else mentions "Just look at his Japan work"
ReplyDeleteHogan worked his ass off in 2002. We just rewatched his whole run and I enjoyed the hell out of it. He was bumping around, busting out superplexes and getting chucked around the ring as he tried to keep up with younger guys. Maybe his most inspired year ever post 1988sh.
ReplyDeleteThe angle/hardy match from no surrender 2010 is a forgotten gem
ReplyDeleteI know Hogan's match with The Rock at X8 is somewhat polarizing, but it's a great, legendary match. Few matches in the history of wrestling have had that "big match" feel and delivered from an excitement standpoint...
ReplyDeleteFlair - Shawn @ WM24
ReplyDeleteAngle - He had a sweet match vs. Jarrett a few years ago (The one with the brutal Angle Slam off the stage), idk dont really watch much TNA
HBK - Taker @ WM26 (who seriously wrote this list)
Austin - Rock @ WM19 (Honestly who sent this list in!)
Bret - Benoit on Nitro in 99
Hogan - Rock @ WM18
Half of these were too damn obvious (Flair, Shawn, Austin, etc.) Hall, Nash, Kane, Big Show, that would have been better
Cmon give him more credit than something from 94
ReplyDeletePerhaps he's referring to their cage match at Uncensored '99.
ReplyDeleteSurprised you didn't go with when you and The Giant double teamed him.
ReplyDeleteHogan/Rock was pretty epic at least, so I'd go with that for Hogan. His other matches were pretty awful after that though, particularly the HHH match where he won the title and his match with Shawn.
ReplyDeleteBret Hart / Benoit on Nitro (Owen Tribute show) was definitely his last.
Was the Rock/ Hogan match a GOOD match, though? I love watching it but it is solely due to the crowd's reaction.
ReplyDeleteI'll give him the Rock match from Mania.
ReplyDeleteI'm always torn on that. Not a good MATCH from a technical standpoint but it's certainly a special MOMENT. If you're going by huge moments, Hogan has a ton of them.
ReplyDeleteI think it was
ReplyDeleteLol id hope not
ReplyDeleteHogan vs. Michaels is not a great match but a great spectacle (just like so many of Hogans matches, including the one against The Rock).
ReplyDeleteCanadian Stampede was also just an average match, turned into 5 stars by the crowd reaction. I don't know why Hogan/Rock isn't allowed to have the crowd reaction help too. Exact same thing in my opinion.
ReplyDeleteinterestingly enough most matches that come to my mind that do have the same feel also have Hogan in them.
ReplyDelete(the most recent one I can think of is Rock vs. Cena I. you can really sense how much the crowd is anticipating the match - especially when the two recreate the "look into crowd"-spot-, even popping for the opening bell)
I think so... they did what they had to do. It was well worked in that sense. They didn't need to do anything more...worked the crowd perfectly.
ReplyDeleteOn top of that, he put over The Rock, Brock Lesnar, and Kurt Angle (he even TAPPED out to the ankle lock), and gave Edge a rub by winning the tag belts with him. I think he put more people over in that six month run than the entire 1990s.
ReplyDeleteYep, it was a very inspired run. His match with Triple H was better than I remembered as well.
ReplyDeleteHogans last great match was probably vs Slaughter at wm7. Or maybe kind of sort of the BatB 96 match. That first wcw flair match was good too. But for a great match I'd say mania 7
ReplyDelete"Bret Hart / Benoit on Nitro (Owen Tribute show) was definitely his last. That's a match that does not get talked about much."
ReplyDeleteI'm certain there's a valid reason for that...
I always had a soft spot for Hogans 2002 run. The Rock match was fun and of course the match with Vince in 2003 due to the classic bloody grin.
ReplyDeleteIt actually was pretty good because Hogan actually worked his ass off. I'd say it was close to a legit 3 star match
ReplyDeleteThe Canadian Stampede was just an average match? LOL OK
ReplyDeleteIf you use the stupid theory of "Play the match on mute and take the crowd out of it", then yes. But the crowd absolutely does play a factor, so they made both matches great.
ReplyDeleteHe later put Triple H over too in a (much shittier) match on Smackdown right before KOTR, but it wasn't like Hunter needed it.
ReplyDeleteI think only Jericho got f'ed over by Hogan's 2002 run, because I remember Hogan pinning him like three or four times. But that was "Everyone gets to pin Jericho!" time in WWE.
Flair had a good cage match against Orton and a decent match against Big Show for the ECW title.
ReplyDeleteHogan-Angle was good too.
ReplyDeleteFlair at BATB was better than Slaughter. So was Rock at 18.
ReplyDeleteExactly.
ReplyDeleteThe Benoit match was obviously Bret's (and better than the Flair bout, IMO).
ReplyDeleteAngle had some KILLER matches with Styles in 2009 and 2010, and the cage match vs. Ken Anderson was by far Anderson's best career match. Great blowoff.
The slaughter match was hogans best WWF match to me. Rock match was Hogans last "great match" but its not better than the savage one.
ReplyDeleteBecause we're just talking match quality, not drawing money
ReplyDeleteHogan's last great match will be whatever his next one is... brother!
ReplyDeleteSting vs. Hogan in TNA had no right to be as good as it was .
ReplyDeleteI believe Hulk's last great match (and not a "nostalgia pop / garbage" style match) was Flair at BATB 94.
ReplyDeleteRock/Hogan was an basic match with an A+ crowd. Hogan/Andre is a terrible match, but great moment. Hogan/Warrior is a great match. Hogan/Vince is a garbage nostalgia match. Hogan/Perfect had some decent matches. Hogan/Savage is a good match.
ReplyDeleteI liked Flair's I Quit Match vs. Foley at Summerslam 2006. I still think the HBK match was his last great one though.
ReplyDeleteHogan/Rock was pretty good.
ReplyDelete"These 24 inch pythons say you better start referring to the Smackdown Seven BROTHA!"
ReplyDeleteWhat are we defining as great? ****+?
ReplyDeletePlus more people care about Hogan-Rock.
ReplyDeleteThat Taboo Tuesday '05 cage match is nuts. It's like Flair and HHH took a time machine back to 1985. Like it's a legit ****+ bloody brawl with a clean as a sheet (for a no DQ cage match) ending.
ReplyDeleteNO BUMPS BROTHER!
ReplyDeleteMore importantly, it got Hogan out of his heel role which no one wanted.
The Desert Storm Match at MSG is better, too. WM7 is hurt by an absolutely awful performance by Adnan.
ReplyDeleteI'd say yes. Hogan did as much as his body would allow--Im' surprised he was even able to put himself in the Sharpshooter. And come on, Hogan busting out a Rock Bottom was awesome. I know it's not quite like doing a shooting star press, but when was the last time Flair, as much I love him, gave you an offensive surprise like that?
ReplyDeleteI don't quite like completely separating a match from the crowd. Sometimes a crowd just sucks and it can't be helped, but...drawing the crowd in is one of the fundamental jobs of a wrestler. It's one reason why I'm not overly enamored with Dean Malenko. He's talented, but he tended to work like he was sparring in an empty gym rather than in an effort to entertain an audience.
I dont think I've ever seen it. I must rectify this immediately.
ReplyDeleteI always thought of Brock as Hogan's last great match.
ReplyDeleteLast GREAT Hogan match? Probably Hansen in Japan 24 years ago. He's had a lot of really good ones since then, though.
ReplyDeleteIt's funny, because Adnan was halfway decent in the AWA right before he jumped, then came to the WWF looking old, tired and completely disengaged. No wonder they brought back the Iron Sheik to add some spice to the team, because Adnan was a zero in the charisma department at that point.
ReplyDeleteYeah there is always that to debate.
ReplyDeleteIt really depends on what your qualifications are for a match to be called "great". Is it the work alone? The flow of the match and resolution? The booking? The angle? and so on.
To play devils advocate, Rock/Austin at WM X7 is basically a punchy-kicky brawl with some token big moments, and few pretty noticeably blown spots and lots of laying around.
The Rock/Hogan match is basically the same template. Is the execution of the work alone really THAT much better on Austin/Rock? Neither match is particularly ambitious in terms of the work. So right there we're separating those two matches based on other facets.
Hogan's last great match was the one with Flair at Halloween Havoc in the cage. A little overbooked but vastly entertaining.
ReplyDeleteIt was really, really well laid out. The pacing leading up to the false finishes, the Hulk Up moment, and Rock's coming through in the end were planned perfectly. It told a good story and hid the physical limitations of Hogan, and I don't remember more than one or two obvious botches.
ReplyDeleteA bad match would have lost the crowd, but that crowd started hot and got nuclear by the end of the match.
Their follow-up at Survivor Series (or was it Armageddon?) was pretty good, too. Also bloody, and Flair goes Floyd Mayweather on HHH's groin, giving him about 35 low blows.
ReplyDeleteHogan vs. Goldberg (when Goldberg wins the WCW title) and Hogan vs. Rock (WM18) were both great for everything but the actual wrestling.
ReplyDeleteI was there for Rock-Austin at WM19 and ... I don't know, even after re-watching it on TV, I've never seen it as a "great" match, or even "very good." It was OK. The only real memorable parts were Rock putting on Austin's jacket and Rock doing 2-3 Rock Bottoms to win it. It kind of reminds me of Rock-Cena from WM29 in that there were a lot of finishers and stealing the other guy's finisher, but not much leading up to that. Not exactly a great match. Obviously I'm in the minority with that opinion.
ReplyDeleteSo do you view dead ass crowds as better matches? Im not following
ReplyDeleteSo is THAT why you love Raw every week?
Hogan/Jericho on Smackdown was probably his last good match; the Angle match was okay, too.
ReplyDeleteKurt Angle's last great match was from the Monday Night Wars Impact against AJ Styles in 2010- but according to Meltzer he's having great matches all the time.
ReplyDeleteActually I also think so. Best matches were WMXV and Backlash 99, because they had a great backstory with Austin vs Vince. WMX7 was a great match, but was lacking the story, WMXIX was just to pop the buyrate (which didn't helped).
ReplyDeleteAny of his AJ matches are great.
ReplyDeleteWith Angle nearly killing himself.
ReplyDeleteNo punching! Haha I think Flair broke the rule more than once
ReplyDeleteThe last truly great Flair match was the TLC match against Edge.
ReplyDeleteI love that match. Brock killed Hulkamania dead. I knew Brock was for real when he wiped Hogan's blood on his chest.
ReplyDeleteDon't sleep on Hogan vs. Luger from Nitro, and Hogan had a bunch of good matches on Smackdown in 2002.
ReplyDeleteAngle had a really good TV match very recently with Styles, Scott gave it 4 stars if I recall.
ReplyDeleteHe was in a bunch of cool tag matches on Smackdown.
ReplyDelete