Post by Woo on Jun 20, 2009 22:26:20 GMT -1
So I'm going to continue this again. I was a big fan of the WWE during 2004, the first half especially. It felt like Vince was FINALLY giving us what we wanted and there were lots of good matches, on SD especially. So many good matches in fact that I am going to do a Top 10 and annoying still won't be able to include some of my favourites like HBK vs HHH vs Benoit from Backlash, Shelton vs. Chrisian from SSeries, Shelton vs Y2J at Taboo Tuesday or The Dudleyz vs. London, Kidman & Rey Mysterio from Summerslam.
Anyway onto the top 10!
10. Rey Mysterio (c) vs. Chavo Gurrero- No Way Out, Cruiserweight Championship
This wasn't your usual CW match in that it wasn't a spot fest and amazingly it got a lot of time. As a result it was great and Chavo got the deserved win on a great night for the Guerrero family.
9. Billy Kidman vs. Paul London- No Mercy
Kidman had accidentally injured Chavo in a match with the shooting star press and then began to fall out London leading to this match. Again like the above match this got 10 minutes and the two guys did not disappoint. Kidman was hesitant to hit his SSP on Paul but in the end did it anyway for the win. Then the EMT's came down and put London on a stretcher and Billy turned full blown heel by hitting another SSP on the defenceless London. Awesome heel turn!
Now this SHOULD have lead to a great feud between Kidman, Chavo and London with both Guerrero and Paul after Billy, but instead they gave the damn belt to Spike..... and then Funaki...... wtf?
8. Gauntlet for the WWE Championship- Smackdown
So after Wrestlemania (or maybe No Way Out?) Eddie needed someone to defend the title against so there was a gauntlet set up with the winner getting a title shot the same night. Up first we had Haas vs Shelton, then Shelton vs Rey and then Rey vs Eddie (wow, Eddie beat Rey, that almost never happens!) and every match varied from good to amazing. God SD ruled here.
7. Eddie Guerrero vs. Kurt Angle- WWE Championship, Wrestlemania XX
These two also fought at Summerslam and SD this year, but their Mania one is still best imo. A great match, though I am still not sure if I like the end with the shoe trick. Oh well.
6. Christian vs. Y2J- Wrestlemania XX
Outstanding feud, great match and a brilliant heel turn with Trish at the end. Both guys hit all their best moves and the CLB even used his brothers Edgecution at one point...... however JR refuses to learn anybody's finisher names so he pretty much no-sold everything. Say what you want about Cole, but he would have called this match much better. I jumped out of my chair when Christian won as I thought that it would be the start of the push Cage needed to be become a proper main eventer. Sadly it didn't happen.
5. Brock Lesnar (c) vs. Eddie Guerrero- No Way Out 2004
Eddie winning the title would have been great by itself, but this was a great match too. An amazing feel good moment when Eddie wins and celebrates in the crowd.
4. The 2004 Royal Rumble
Everyone says the 1992 Rumble is the best, some like 2001, but imo this years is easily up there with the best. There is so much to enjoy here- Taker's gong going off and scaring Kane, Foley taking out Test and then returning for revenge on Orton, Nunzio hiding at ringside, Goldberg killing Nunzio with a spear only for Lesnar to run out and screw him over, Big Show looking like a million bucks and Benoit's win was well deserved.
3. HHH vs. HBK vs. Benoit- World Championship- Wrestlemania XX
Possibly the best Mania of all time and imo absolutely the best main event in Mania history.
2. HHH vs. Shelton Benjamin- Raw
This was fantastic. I loved Triple H at the start of the match patting Shelty's cheeks in a patronising way, only for Benji to do the same to him later on. And then HHH gestures that Benjamin was "this close" to falling to a Pedigree and later after a school boy Shelton gestures that HHH was "this close" to getting pinned. Of course Benjamin would go on to score one of the biggest upsets ever and the crowd's pop was off the charts. Great moment.
1. Randy Orton (c) vs. Cactus Jack- Intercontinental Championship, Backlash
Foley reckons this is the best match he's ever been in and he may be right. It was fantastic. The year-long feud leading up to to Backlash was probably the best I have ever seen and Foley really brought his A-game here. Orton taking the thumbtacks spot was a huge shocker and on this night Foley (much like he did to HHH 4 years prior) made Randy into a star.
So what's your favourite match from 04?
Anyway onto the top 10!
10. Rey Mysterio (c) vs. Chavo Gurrero- No Way Out, Cruiserweight Championship
This wasn't your usual CW match in that it wasn't a spot fest and amazingly it got a lot of time. As a result it was great and Chavo got the deserved win on a great night for the Guerrero family.
9. Billy Kidman vs. Paul London- No Mercy
Kidman had accidentally injured Chavo in a match with the shooting star press and then began to fall out London leading to this match. Again like the above match this got 10 minutes and the two guys did not disappoint. Kidman was hesitant to hit his SSP on Paul but in the end did it anyway for the win. Then the EMT's came down and put London on a stretcher and Billy turned full blown heel by hitting another SSP on the defenceless London. Awesome heel turn!
Now this SHOULD have lead to a great feud between Kidman, Chavo and London with both Guerrero and Paul after Billy, but instead they gave the damn belt to Spike..... and then Funaki...... wtf?
8. Gauntlet for the WWE Championship- Smackdown
So after Wrestlemania (or maybe No Way Out?) Eddie needed someone to defend the title against so there was a gauntlet set up with the winner getting a title shot the same night. Up first we had Haas vs Shelton, then Shelton vs Rey and then Rey vs Eddie (wow, Eddie beat Rey, that almost never happens!) and every match varied from good to amazing. God SD ruled here.
7. Eddie Guerrero vs. Kurt Angle- WWE Championship, Wrestlemania XX
These two also fought at Summerslam and SD this year, but their Mania one is still best imo. A great match, though I am still not sure if I like the end with the shoe trick. Oh well.
6. Christian vs. Y2J- Wrestlemania XX
Outstanding feud, great match and a brilliant heel turn with Trish at the end. Both guys hit all their best moves and the CLB even used his brothers Edgecution at one point...... however JR refuses to learn anybody's finisher names so he pretty much no-sold everything. Say what you want about Cole, but he would have called this match much better. I jumped out of my chair when Christian won as I thought that it would be the start of the push Cage needed to be become a proper main eventer. Sadly it didn't happen.
5. Brock Lesnar (c) vs. Eddie Guerrero- No Way Out 2004
Eddie winning the title would have been great by itself, but this was a great match too. An amazing feel good moment when Eddie wins and celebrates in the crowd.
4. The 2004 Royal Rumble
Everyone says the 1992 Rumble is the best, some like 2001, but imo this years is easily up there with the best. There is so much to enjoy here- Taker's gong going off and scaring Kane, Foley taking out Test and then returning for revenge on Orton, Nunzio hiding at ringside, Goldberg killing Nunzio with a spear only for Lesnar to run out and screw him over, Big Show looking like a million bucks and Benoit's win was well deserved.
3. HHH vs. HBK vs. Benoit- World Championship- Wrestlemania XX
Possibly the best Mania of all time and imo absolutely the best main event in Mania history.
2. HHH vs. Shelton Benjamin- Raw
This was fantastic. I loved Triple H at the start of the match patting Shelty's cheeks in a patronising way, only for Benji to do the same to him later on. And then HHH gestures that Benjamin was "this close" to falling to a Pedigree and later after a school boy Shelton gestures that HHH was "this close" to getting pinned. Of course Benjamin would go on to score one of the biggest upsets ever and the crowd's pop was off the charts. Great moment.
1. Randy Orton (c) vs. Cactus Jack- Intercontinental Championship, Backlash
Foley reckons this is the best match he's ever been in and he may be right. It was fantastic. The year-long feud leading up to to Backlash was probably the best I have ever seen and Foley really brought his A-game here. Orton taking the thumbtacks spot was a huge shocker and on this night Foley (much like he did to HHH 4 years prior) made Randy into a star.
So what's your favourite match from 04?
