Eyes On Smackdown: 20 Classic Matches From Smackdown (Part 1)

By @Phranchize19

Today, we start our two part look at 20 classic Smackdown matches to honor the 1000th episode of Smackdown coming up shortly. Phranchize will kick us off with his list of 10 classic matches before True gives us another 10 tomorrow. Which matches make our list? Let's get into part 1.

*Kurt Angle vs Brock Lesnar 
Iron Man Match 
WWE Championship 
September 18, 2003

-This might be the greatest match in the history of Smackdown. Two of the best ever in the ring for an hour and they literally tore the house down. The best Ironman match in WWE history perhaps? It's that good.

*Edge vs Eddie Guerrero 
No Disqualification Match 
September 26, 2002

-Edge was in a quest to prove he was a main event guy and this match was a huge stepping stone in proving that. One of the most underrated matches in both men’s careers, but easily a top 5 Smackdown match period.

*Triple H vs The Rock 
WWE Championship 
August 26, 1999

-Triple H had not too long ago won the WWE title and was the biggest heel in wrestling. The Rock, by virtue of Austin being on the shelf off and on was the top babyface in wrestling. This match was the first ever WWF title match in smackdown history and would be a catalyst to arguably one of the greatest feuds in wrestling.

*John Cena vs Shinsuke Nakamura 
No. 1 Contenders Match For WWE Championship 
August 1, 2017

-Two legends collided for the right to go to Summerslam as the number 1 contender. This was a dream match of sorts and it lived up to the expectations. Nakamura got a much needed victory and Cena made Nakamura look like he belonged.

*Team Hell No and Randy Orton vs The Shield 
June 14, 2003

This was a huge because it marked the first time ever that The Shield had been defeated in 6 man action. Up to that point, no three man combination had come close to defeating The Shield and the pop Daniel Bryan got for overcoming his “weakest link” demons still stands as one of the best moments of Smackdown history. 

*Chris Benoit and Chris Jericho vs The Dudley Boyz vs The Hardy Boyz vs Edge and Christian 
TLC 3 
May 24, 2001

-This match made history as the first TLC match to not only be featured on free TV, but also to include 4 teams. TLC had only been featured at Wrestlemania and Summerslam up to that point so this was huge deal. The match did not disappoint as Benoit and Jericho added a new element to the match that people had not yet seen and walked away victorious.

*Carmella vs Natalya vs Charlotte vs Tamina vs Becky Lynch 
Money In The Bank Match 
June 20, 2017

-History was made yet again and this was the first MITB match on network TV. This was a rematch from the first ever Women's MITB match 2 days prior so in essence, we got two MITB matches in a span of 3 days. Carmella would make history by being the first and so far only multi-time MITB winner for women.

*John Cena vs Eddie Guerrero Parking Lot Brawl 
September 11, 2003

-Eddie and John Cena put on a fight in a parking lot brawl. The match was to be contested around a circle of cars with no rules. It was the first of its kind and of course Eddie gets away with “cheating”, but John would come out of this match as a huge threat and a semi main event player.

*JBL vs Eddie Guerrero 
Steel Cage Match
WWE Championship 
July 15, 2004

-Eddie Guerrero and JBL had a GRUESOME feud. It was about the WWE title but things got way too personal (and at times uncomfortable) but it all came to a head in this match. These two put on a stellar Steel Cage match and garnered more heat for new main eventer JBL while continuing the rivalry between Eddie Guerrero and GM at the time, Kurt Angle. The best Steel Cage match in the history of Smackdown? It has a claim for that title.

*Kurt Angle vs Edge vs Chris Benoit vs Eddie Guerrero 
No. 1 Contender For WWE Championship 
December 5, 2002

-4 men who have become synonymous with the show were invovled in the Smackdown No. 1 Contenders match and they would not disappoint. 4 different styles but a true classic match that took a lot out of all of these men. So much action was packed into this and it really put Smackdown on the map as WWE’s “wrestling show” for sure. It still owns that title.

-Phranchize

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Eyes on the Ring 8:43 PM  2 comments

Eyes On Elimination Chamber: The 5 Greatest Elimination Chamber Matches

By @TrueGodImmortal

As Elimination Chamber approaches, we wanted to continue discussing the Chamber matches of the past, and what better way than to revisit the best Chamber matches in the history of the match. There have been a number of solid ones, so after discussing the worst, it's only right we discuss the best of the best. Let's take a look at the 5 greatest.

5. 2010 World Heavyweight Championship Elimination Chamber 

-I didn't have the highest hopes for this Chamber, but it was pretty good overall. I watched the build and got excited about what was to come in this match from an in ring perspective, but it was obvious that Undertaker wasn't going to walk out of the Chamber with the title. The participants would be Taker, Chris Jericho, John Morrison, Rey Mysterio, R-Truth, and CM Punk, and this match would lead to future feuds heading into Wrestlemania. Truth was eliminated first, Punk was eliminated by Rey, and that would lead to their feud. The final two would be Taker and Jericho, and HBK would show up to cost Taker the match and the title in a thrilling finish. Jericho wins a very good Chamber match that went over 35 minutes. It was great action throughout the match and the finish put it over the top.

4. 2003 Summerslam Elimination Chamber 

-I really didn't have a fond memory of this match at one point. I didn't like the ending and I'll be honest, it felt as if the match served no purpose in truly getting Goldberg over anymore. He had been undefeated in WWE until this match, but watching it back, it's a really solid Chamber match. The only person who didn't add much to it was Kevin Nash, but he was eliminated very quickly as expected. Randy Orton, Chris Jericho, and Shawn Michaels however kept the action ablaze and fun, as we watched all three do great work along with Triple H. Goldberg wasn't a bad piece to the match, but he was definitely a secondary figure who would end up serving only to put over Triple H in the end, taking a pinfall loss (his first in WWE) courtesy of a sledgehammer.

3. 2009 World Heavyweight Title Elimination Chamber 

-When No Way Out was still an important PPV, the Chamber was an essential piece of the show. This match would be a shocker in a way, with Edge entering in the match after losing his title early in the night. The lineup for the match didn't jump off the screen, as Mike Knox and Kane didn't appeal to me, but Jericho, Mysterio, Edge (who took Kofi Kingston's place), and Cena made up for that. Both Kane and Knox were eliminated fairly early, and the final four would put on a classic show. Cena would be eliminated earlier than expected, meaning we would have a new champion for sure. After Jericho went out next, we got about 7 minutes of top tier action from Mysterio and Edge, with Edge taking the win and the World Heavyweight Title.

2. 2008 No Way Out Elimination Chamber 

-There were two Chamber matches at this event and they would both be solid. However, the RAW Chamber (for the no. 1 Contender spot at Mania) match was just slightly better. There was something about the lineup that really made the action flow well, with Chris Jericho, Shawn Michaels, Umaga, Jeff Hardy, and Triple H all putting in work (along with JBL) to deliver a great match. This is a classic Chamber match, with Triple H standing tall at the end after a great sequence with Jeff Hardy. I would have liked the match to go a little longer, but for 24 minutes, this was an exciting battle.

1. 2002 Survivor Series Elimination Chamber 

-This is the standard. Period. The greatest Chamber match and one of the best matches in Survivor Series history, if not the best. Honestly, there is something about this match that feels more than nostalgic. It holds so much within it that it is a moment in time for wrestling. Along with the fact that Shawn Michaels would return to wrestling officially (in the worst pair of wrestling tights ever), it would mark the first time he was in the ring with guys like RVD, Booker T, and Chris Jericho. That was a great moment in itself along with the action that carried this match. Going almost 40 minutes, this match was building to something big, and the culmination gave us just that as HBK would hit the Sweet Chin Music and pin Triple H to win the match and the title to one of the loudest reactions I've ever heard in WWE history. That, along with the match itself easily makes it the best Chamber match and it's not even close.

-True

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Eyes on the Ring 12:38 AM  2 comments

Eyes On Elimination Chamber: 5 Worst Chamber Matches

By @TrueGodImmortal

With Elimination Chamber coming soon, we wanted to take a look back at the event and the match that takes six contenders and puts them through another form of hell. However, the competitors aren't the only ones who go through hell. There have been some instances where the fans have gone through hell watching some of these matches and today, I'm here to talk about those times. That's right, let's get into talking about the 5 worst Elimination Chamber Matches.

5. 2011 Smackdown Elimination Chamber 

-I'll be honest. I think this match managed to end a little bit better than some of the others on the list, but to be fair, the rest of this match was pretty standard and boring. Perhaps it was the cast that was a part of the Chamber? Maybe. Drew McIntyre, The Big Show, Kane, and Wade Barrett really don't scream out classic match, especially at the time. While I did enjoy the last battle between Edge and Rey Mysterio, the match itself overall was pretty boring. Still, Edge wins and walks into Mania as champion, but little did we know.... It would be the last match for Edge. That's bittersweet looking back.

4. 2013 Elimination Chamber 

-Good lord. The Jack Swagger experiment. If not for the fact that two of the others had high expectations (and the second choice was just awful and worse), I would put this at no. 1 honestly. It was a solid match for the most part, but once it became clear who was winning.... It was all downhill from there. Anytime you have Randy Orton, Daniel Bryan, and Chris Jericho in a match, they should win. Not Jack Swagger. Jack Swagger didn't deserve to win this match and the fact that this match was essentially secondary, maybe third in importance on the card.... It says a lot. Swagger wins to a bit of indifference from the wrestling world and this is one of the worst decisions the WWE made........ in early 2013 at least.

3. 2010 RAW Elimination Chamber

-With a pretty standard match set in place with opportunities to shine for Ted Dibiase and Kofi Kingston, I found this match to be a bit boring for the most part honestly. Sheamus came in as the WWE Champion, but with Mania around the corner, it was clear he wasn't leaving the Chamber with the title. The match came down to Triple H and John Cena and being that this was 2010, Cena won. What takes the match down in quality is the fact that Batista came out and got a match for the title with Cena, making the Chamber match pretty pointless in seconds. It had solid action, but just not enough to be engaging the entire duration.

2. 2015 Intercontinental Title Elimination Chamber 

-So, the 2015 Elimination Chamber show was pretty rough in general. I mean, let's be real. After we watched the previous years and the great matches in the Chamber, this might have been the worst way to bring the Chamber full circle. Daniel Bryan was forced to relinquish the title, which was annoying, and then the choices to replace him were pretty subpar. Mark Henry, Ryback, Sheamus, R-Truth, Dolph Ziggler, and Wade Barrett felt more like a match during the second hour of RAW than a PPV main event and Ryback winning basically drove that feeling home. It had some good moments however with Sheamus, Ziggler, and Truth, but overall, this was an awful match.

1. 2015 Tag Team Elimination Chamber

-So when this became a special in the summer, no one could have expected the first ever tag team Chamber match. Well, even if you did, you wouldn't have expected it to end up so poorly. This was one of the weirdest matches anyway, as we saw teams like Lucha Dragons and The Ascension be wasted and a horrible Kalisto spot that took far too long to get to. Honestly, I was glad to see the New Day retain, but everything else about this match was awful. It was a good concept in theory, but the execution was terrible. This is the worst Chamber match without question.

-True 

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Eyes on the Ring 12:29 AM  No comment

Eyes On Royal Rumble: 5 Best Surprise Entrants

By @TrueGodImmortal

The Royal Rumble is coming up and this year, there are no rumored surprise entrants on tap for the company. However, in the past, there have been plenty of surprise entrants and huge returns at the Royal Rumble that catches everyone's attention and today, I wanted to take a look at the 5 best surprise entrants in over the long history of the Rumble.

5. Rob Van Dam
(2009 Royal Rumble)

-With the Rumble set in Michigan,  the home state of Van Dam, this was a surprise that some expected, but for the most part, it was a true surprise. RVD came out to a nice ovation and would last around 15 minutes in the match. No one expected him to win of course, but it was really fun to see RVD back in a WWE ring. I would have liked to see that surprise return lead to a long term return and a big feud, but it wasn't to be at the time. Still, this was a great return for the Rumble and a nice moment for all the fans of RVD.

4. Mick Foley
(2004 Royal Rumble)

-Foley was flirting with getting back into the ring and after being embarrassed by Randy Orton, it would lead him to getting back to where he was most comfortable: the squared circle. After taking out an entrant in the Rumble, Foley walks out to the surprise of the crowd, and the ovation is thunderous. Orton looked completely shocked at the return of Foley, and when Foley got into the ring, he had no motivation besides eliminating Orton and stopping him from reaching the Mania main event. Foley would end up eliminating himself while taking Orton out, but his mission was complete.

3. Booker T
(2011 Royal Rumble)

-Diesel was a big entrant, but for me, Booker T was a bigger entrant. Diesel was expected by many, but Booker T didn't seem possible at the time. He was a part of TNA for years prior and seemingly left the WWE on less than great terms, but when his music hit, the crowd went absolutely nuts and Booker returned triumphantly. He didn't last very long in the Rumble, but his impact was felt and we got to see everything from Booker that we loved in his prime.

2. Edge
(2010 Royal Rumble)

-We saw this coming a mile away. Edge had been injured for months and he would be ready to make his return as the Rumble got closer and many people saw this one before it happened. Still, it was a great moment to see Edge get this type of push fresh off a serious injury, and he had his sights set on one man: Chris Jericho. Edge would manage to do that and then some, as he would walk away with Chris Jericho not winning the Rumble.... but as the winner himself. Edge would make the most triumphant return at the Rumble and cash a ticket on the Road To Wrestlemania to become the no. 1 contender.

1. John Cena
(2008 Royal Rumble)

-The biggest surprise entrant ever. Cena was injured. He was gone. No one saw this coming. Most thought he would end up missing Wrestlemania or was in danger of missing it at least, however, that wasn't the case at all. As the clock hits 0, the crowd is silent waiting with hushed excitement to see how is the last entrant. As Cena's music hits, the crowd goes wild for a moment, before realizing who the final entrant actually is (they would boo Cena some more after it settled), but the truth is, the shock of seeing Cena months before he was due back set a huge ripple through the wrestling world. To make it even more special, Cena wins the Rumble, giving him the most shocking win in the Rumble and making him the best surprise entrant in the history of the event.

-True

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Eyes on the Ring 1:42 AM  No comment

Eyes On WWE: The Top 5 Kurt Angle Feuds

By @TrueGodImmortal

Kurt Angle is back in the ring and it seems as if he might be back for good. If this is the case, there's a lot of matches and feuds I would love to see Angle have. However, his legacy is solidified already through the feuds he's taken part in throughout his career. Today, we look at the 5 best Kurt Angle feuds. Let's get into it.

5. Kurt Angle vs Stone Cold Steve Austin 

-These two were polar opposites, and it worked. Throughout the first few years that Angle was in WWF, he crossed paths often with Austin. From their short lived partnership that wasn't really a partnership to their great feud in late 2001, these two had great chemistry and put on great matches during the entire Alliance run. The best match remains Summerslam 2001, one of the most intense encounters in the company at that time. Angle vs Austin wasn't the greatest feud, but I would consider it the feud of 2001, which says a lot about the quality of it.

4. Kurt Angle vs Shawn Michaels 

-Angle had wrestled so many in WWE by the time 2005 came that it was pretty evident he would eventually cross paths with HBK. Their feud was short, but well done, from the "Sexy Kurt" deal to the returns of Marty Jannetty and Sensational Sherri, all the way to their classic matches through the year. Their Wrestlemania 21 encounter was epic, and their Vengeance 2005 battle was almost as good. Their October 2005 RAW Ironman contest was also solid, showing that two of the best to do it can take things even higher when in the ring together.

3. Kurt Angle vs Edge 

-Once up on a time, Kurt and Edge were friends on TV. They were teaming up together and they had comedic chemistry. However, when it came time for the two to feud, they proved they were better enemies than friends. Edge and Angle put on a number of great matches over the years, from their King of the Ring 2001 Final to their underrated Backlash 2002 match and of course their epic Judgment Day 2002 Hair match. These two raised the bar every time they battled and their feud is one of my personal favorites, because they pushed each other to the limit in every single match.

2. Kurt Angle vs Chris Benoit 

-We just discussed this feud on the site in more length, but it was tough to not put this one at the very top. Angle and Benoit had immense chemistry and would put on some amazing matches over the duration of their legendary feud including classics at Unforgiven 2002, Backlash 2001, and of course, their best match at Royal Rumble 2003. Other great matches took place in this feud on the golden era of Smackdown, and of course their Wrestlemania 17 encounter was enjoyable, as was their Judgment Day 2001 match. There are so many great matches in this rivalry that if you had this at the top of your list, I wouldn't be mad. It's legendary. 

1. Kurt Angle vs Brock Lesnar 

-I chose this as the best because it was magnetic every time they faced off. 2003 was built around Brock vs Angle and that made the year great for Smackdown overall. Their Wrestlemania 19 encounter was a near classic, and considering the fact that Angle was injured badly, it's a shock that this match was as good as it turned out. Their next battles, which took place at Vengeance in a triple threat with Big Show, as well as their Summerslam match were both classics. They would cap off their nearly year long feud with an amazing Ironman match on Smackdown that went the full 60 minutes. Brock and Angle together was magic and their feud definitely takes the top spot here.

-True 

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Eyes on the Ring 7:56 PM  No comment

EOTR Tag Team Tuesdays: 5 Classic Ruthless Aggression Tag Team Matches

By @TrueGodImmortal

Today, for Tag Team Tuesdays, I wanted to continue looking at classics and greatness. With that being said, the Ruthless Aggression is the greatest era in wrestling and after covering Attitude Era Tag Teams, it was only right I return with a look at 5 classic tag team matches from the Ruthless Aggression era. Let's take a look at five classic tag matches from the best era of wrestling.

*Edge And Rey Mysterio vs Kurt Angle and Chris Benoit
(No Mercy 2002)

-I can't say enough about this match honestly. For two makeshift tag teams, you would have never expected their chemistry to be so solid. However, that was 100% the case here. Edge and Mysterio worked very well together and took Angle and Benoit to the limit, but it wasn't enough. There are so many great sequences throughout this match, and the ending was poetic with the tapout to give Angle and Benoit the distinction of becoming the first ever Smackdown Tag Team Champions. This would kick off the short lived but honestly legendary tag team feud with Rey/Edge, Angle/Benoit, and Los Guerreros as they would trade tag team titles and have multiple classics over the course of one month. I'll get to another of those classics in just a minute. Still, this match is always worth 20 minutes of your time, as it might be one of the greatest tag team matches EVER.

*Kane (and The Hurricane) VS RVD and Jeff Hardy vs Bubba Ray and Spike Dudley vs Chris Jericho and Christian
(RAW, October 2002)

-To many, this is known as TLC 4. RAW in the Ruthless Aggression era was pretty subpar overall, but this match was one of the bright spots in this era. It was supposed to be Kane and The Hurricane teaming up on an episode of RAW Roulette against tag team specialists and TLC veterans Jeff Hardy, Christian, Bubba Ray Dudley, who were without their usual partners. With Edge, Matt Hardy, and D-Von Dudley all on Smackdown, the three veterans of the stipulation got to pick their partners, and they didn't disappoint. Jeff picked RVD, Christian picked Chris Jericho, and Bubba picked Spike Dudley (okay maybe his choice was a bit disappointing), and Kane was left without a partner as the match kicked off. The Hurricane was attacked backstage and Kane went at it alone. After a long battle with a number of great spots and moments, Kane climbed the ladder and took down the belts, retaining the tag titles in one hell of a battle and one hell of a contest. TLC 4 was insane and doesn't get enough credit in tag team wrestling.

*Edge And Rey Mysterio vs Kurt Angle and Chris Benoit vs Los Guerreros
(Survivor Series 2002)

-Now, we can get back to the legendary era of Smackdown. There are so many matches I could reference, including a classic 2 out of 3 falls match on Smackdown between two of these teams, but this one was special. It was a shock, because as an elimination match, I fully expected the Guerreros to get eliminated first, but to my surprise, they didn't. The team eliminated first was my pick to win, Angle and Benoit, but I think it all played out the right way, because it took those two out of the tag title picture and put them back into the hunt for singles competition. The Guerreros picked up the win and surprised everyone, but the match itself was a true classic.

*Team Angle vs Eddie Guerrero and Tajiri
(Judgment Day 2003)

-It's impossible to talk Smackdown in 2003 without talking this match. Chavo got injured and Eddie was without a partner so going into this match, he needed a new partner. Look no further than Tajiri. Tajiri and Eddie together seemed like a bit of a stretch but together they worked in perfect harmony. Add in Team Angle and a Ladder to the mix and this was a recipe for a classic match. Through 15 minutes of hard fought action, some exciting spots, and all around great wrestling, these four men gave the world a classic and we got new tag champs in Tajiri and Eddie.

*The Hardy Boyz vs MNM vs Dave Taylor and William Regal vs Brian Kendrick and Paul London
(Armageddon 2006)

-The ending of the Ruthless Aggression era came shortly after this match, and this is the best match to end this list off on. What was originally supposed to be a standard two on two tag team match got turned into a Fatal Four Way tag team ladder match and the match woud end up changing a lot. Joey Mercury suffered a vicious injury through this match, and while that remains a highlight, the match itself was a great contest to watch. With each team bringing their best, it was a toss up on who could win, but momentum proved to be on the side of Kendrick and London, as they walked away with the win and the tag titles. The contest was a great way to close out the era of tag team wrestling in the Ruthless Aggression era, as tag team wrestling wasn't the same for nearly 10 years. That's why the Ruthless Aggression era was so great. It put a focus on what needed to be focused on.

-True

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Eyes on the Ring 3:56 AM  No comment