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 Wrestlemania: 6 Underrated Mania Matches

By @TrueGodImmortal

Wrestlemania has always had a number of great matches and moments. However, some matches tend to be slept on in terms of the overall card and today, as Mania nears, I wanted to look back at a few underrated matches from the card. What matches make my list? Keep reading to find out.

*The Steiner Brothers vs The Headshrinkers
Wrestlemania 9

-I will be real: Wrestlemania 9 is awful. It's one of the worst shows in Mania history, but the truth remains that one of the better matches in the history of the event went down. The match of the night features these two teams going at each other for supremacy, and it was a fun contest. The match was given 15 minutes and they made sure to maximize their time for sure. The Steiners would win, but both teams put on quite the show and were the highlight of an otherwise lackluster event.

*Kurt Angle vs Chris Benoit
Wrestlemania 17

-There are better matches from these two. There are more classics in their catalog together. However, there is no other Mania match that features these two one on one. The year prior they were involved in a triple threat that disappointed a little bit, but this match made up for that in a major way. The action was hard hitting and a technical masterpiece, with Angle walking away with the victory. I was shocked that Angle won this match, but it was still a very solid contest and should be mentioned more when talking Mania matches.

*The Undertaker vs Ric Flair 
Wrestlemania 18

-At one point, I thought both Taker and Flair were beyond their primes and this match wouldn't be good. I was sadly mistaken. This match showcases Taker as a brutal heel, and features enough nostalgia despite him dominating through the duration. Flair doesn't get in much offense, but he does have a great moment when Arn Anderson pops in to hit Taker with a spinebuster. That would end up being a top moment at the event and it made this match even more memorable. Taker would win this cleanly, but it was a great match to watch overall.

*JBL vs Finlay
Wrestlemania 24

-I loved Mania 24, and a big reason for that is because of the wrestling. One of my favorite matches from Mania 24 is the opener, which features Finlay and JBL going at it with everything they had. It was a short but sweet Belfast Brawl that went down and got a bit brutal considering. JBL and Finlay went at it for 9 minutes, but they fit a lot into that short time. When it was all said and done however, JBL would finish the match victorious, pulling off a solid win to open WM24.

*CM Punk vs Randy Orton
Wrestlemania 27

-I could have chose Cody vs Rey Mysterio, but I don't like that match as much as this one. WM27 was a horrible show in many ways, but there are a few matches on the undercard that made up for the big time matches that truly disappointed. One of the matches that fit that description is this encounter between Orton and Punk. Punk was always good in big match situations and this was no different. Orton came with his A game and we got a solid match in the middle of the card that ended with Orton winning via RKO of course. If only this match was given a few more minutes, it would have been even better I'm sure. 

*Seth Rollins vs Randy Orton
Wrestlemania 31

-The most memorable moment of WM31 for Seth isn't this match. It is the MITB cash in at the end of the main event, but this match is actually his best work. I still believe this is the best match from the card and the action throughout was pretty fun. Seth went toe to toe with Orton and attempted to take him down, but Orton just kept coming. The end of this match features one of the greatest RKO reversals of all time as Seth went for the Curb Stomp, but Orton reversed it in mid air and landed one of the most fluid RKOs ever. Orton wins, but Seth would have the last laugh at the end of the show. Still, this was a really good match that doesn't get enough credit.

-True

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Eyes on the Ring 2:41 AM  3 comments

EOTR Previews: WWE Survivor Series 2017

By @TrueGodImmortal

A few weeks ago, I was not really interested in Survivor Series, and I really didn't plan on watching the show. WWE had given us lazy matches for the show like Brock Lesnar vs Jinder Mahal (who the fuck wants to see that?), Alexa Bliss vs Natalya (boring), and Dean Ambrose and Seth Rollins vs The Usos (that wasn't bad at all). The problem with the card was that it highlighted all of the booking issues that both Smackdown and RAW had. For some reason, the WWE had a much needed change of heart, and they would end up switching over a lot of the matches and making changes to most of the card. Now, the Survivor Series card is looking like the best card for the event since 2002. With that being said, today I wanted to take a look at the card and provide a preview of the stacked lineup for the show. Let's take a look.

*Kickoff Match
Cruiserweight Championship
Enzo Amore vs Kalisto

-While this match isn't one I'm excited for, I'm glad they moved it to the kickoff show. The fact is, the WWE doesn't seem to know what to do with the division and for 205 Live. There are rumors of Hideo Itami coming over to join that brand and while a KENTA vs Cedric Alexander match really is appealing for the belt, that's not likely at all. The biggest issue here is that Kalisto is not popular, and while Enzo is really good for the division in terms of drawing interest, the biggest problem now is that the matches have taken a hit as Enzo isn't as good as the rest of the roster in the ring. Still, this match will be virtually insignificant and will see Enzo retain his title and move on to whoever is next, which should be a Cedric or maybe even an Itami if he debuts soon. It's time to move on from this unnecessary feud.

*Intercontinental Champion vs United States Champion
The Miz vs Baron Corbin

-While I did say this card is stacked, I think the biggest thing about this match is the promo ability of Miz. In terms of the actual in ring action, this match doesn't excite me at all and I'm sure a lot of fans feel that way. I would have loved to see someone else as US Champion to face Miz but Corbin is doing decent in his role so far, and with that, I think he might pull off the victory here. Miz should walk away with the win, but with my thinking, I expect the RAW side to dominate the wins in the matches, so Corbin hits his finisher after about 10 minutes and picks up a clean win over Miz.

*Women's Team RAW vs Team Smackdown Match
RAW (Asuka, Alicia Fox, Sasha Banks, Bayley, Nia Jax) vs Smackdown (Becky Lynch, Carmella, Naomi, Tamina, TBD)

-Charlotte was originally the 5th member, but she's now moved to the Smackdown team. What is intriguing about this match is the fact that they didn't just put Natalya in her place and there will be a 5th member decided this Sunday. A lot of speculation has it being Paige, while most think it'll be Natalya or even Lana, but that leaves this match in a bit of suspense.... for that reason only. The RAW side is stacked and to be very honest, they should win due to one name and one name only: Asuka. Asuka hasn't been promoted like she should be and I predict she will eventually win the Women's Title, so what better way to begin her push than to make her the sole survivor in this match? If the WWE wants to do the right thing, they need to make Asuka the sole survivor for RAW in dominant fashion.

*Women's Champion vs Women's Champion
Alexa Bliss vs Charlotte

-This is a match I'm definitely looking forward to. This should be an excellent match between the two biggest women in the WWE over the last year basically. Charlotte was the top heel on RAW all last year and Bliss has thrived in that role this year. Honestly, it's impossible to really know how this match will play out, as there is literally nothing behind it minus a brief encounter on Smackdown where Bliss lays Charlotte out backstage. I would assume that Charlotte rides this wave of momentum to a victory over Bliss, as I don't really see Alexa walking out with a big time win here. Still, all I want to see here is both of these ladies put on a show that we remember for months to come. I think they are capable.

*Tag Team Champions vs Tag Team Champions
Cesaro and Sheamus vs The Usos

-This could end up as a match of the night. This is a huge match in general, but it's made bigger by the fact that The Bar is at the top of their game. Cesaro is comfortable in his role and I think he's been responsible for the success of the team, but Sheamus isn't a slouch at all. The Usos are the best team in the company and with these four men in the ring, we could witness a possible classic. If these two teams are given about 16 minutes to go out and perform, I think we might be amazed by the final result. I expect this to outshine a majority of this card and be a diamond in the rough for the night. Be on the lookout for this match.

*RAW vs Smackdown
The Shield vs The New Day

-You know, in the heyday of The Shield, we saw them go against so many great teams and great trios including the Wyatt Family and Evolution. However, the biggest act in the WWE since The Shield disbanded is The New Day. The New Day have been one of the biggest acts in the company and with the reunion of The Shield, it's only right that we get The New Day vs The Shield since The Shield might not be together much longer. I think we all know what the outcome of this match will be, but I think they will give this match at least 18-20 minutes and we'll see a lot of great action and near falls. The New Day will for sure take The Shield to the limit and I actually think this match could be better than the contests between The Shield and Evolution, as well as some of The New Day vs The Usos matches, and that's exactly what you want. Give us a tough battle with an ending that comes out of nowhere and we might have a classic in the making. However, we know The Shield will win this match. It's pretty obvious. Just book The New Day strong in a losing effort and there are no complaints from me.

*RAW vs Smackdown 5 On 5 Match
RAW (Triple H, Kurt Angle, Braun Strowman, Finn Balor, Samoa Joe) vs Smackdown (Shane McMahon, Bobby Roode, Randy Orton, John Cena, Shinsuke Nakamura)

-In reality, this is the most stacked Survivor Series match ever. Ever. This is not up for debate. It's a fact. Finn Balor, former Universal and NXT Champion. Samoa Joe, former NXT Champion and a current legend. Braun Strowman, who is one of the hottest acts in the company. Kurt Angle in his 2nd match back, who is a former WWE Champion and a true legend in this business. Triple H, one of the greatest to ever do it. That's just on the RAW side. Smackdown has Shane McMahon and Bobby Roode, who are a bit of a weak link for the team, but truthfully, when you have legends like Randy Orton, Shinsuke Nakamura, and John Cena on your team, it makes up for it. The facts remain, this match is STACKED by itself and enough to sell this entire event, but I think there a ton of elements that will make this a clusterfuck that's still entertaining. There is the chance that Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens ends up interfering and costing the Smackdown team the match, along with an appearance from Kane to help eliminate Braun Strowman, and maybe, just maybe a heel turn from Jason Jordan on Kurt Angle. This match has so many elements to it that I expect something epic and also a disaster. An epic disaster. Still, that's going to be entertaining to watch, and I expect Team RAW to win this and lead to a storyline between Triple H and Kurt Angle, which I don't think anyone wants to see, but it's rare WWE gives us a lot of what we want in succession. Team RAW wins this match with the sole survivor being Triple H.... I'm calling it now.

*Universal Champion vs WWE Champion
Brock Lesnar vs AJ Styles

-Once upon a time, Brock Lesnar was a good wrestler. Once upon a time, Brock Lesnar was one of the best performers in the company. That time is gone. However, it's not they Brock can't perform at a high level, it seems like he just doesn't want to. His one on one matches have been standard and nothing special, and his best matches come when he's involved in triple threat or fatal 4 way matches. However, he's facing the best wrestler in the company, AJ Styles. Can AJ make Brock wrestle again? Can AJ force Brock to find something other than the F-5 and Suplex City moveset? That's going to be the real question. Brock hopefully doesn't get winded 7 minutes in, and we can get a good 15-20 minute main event from both of these men. I think Brock might win, but I actually think there is a bigger upside to this match if AJ wins. Brock gains nothing from a win and loses nothing in a loss, so I would say let these two have a really good match, and force AJ to hit three flying forearms in a row to pin Brock, which could be a great way to make Brock still look strong, but give the well deserved win to Styles. I mean, knowing WWE, Brock will win convincingly, but after all the work that AJ has put in, it's time for him to get rewarded even more. I hope AJ can get a great match out of Brock and I hope he wins this battle. Survivor Series is going to be a great show I'm sure, and I just hope we get enough great action to justify the hype now after they built it up much better recently.

-True 

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Eyes on the Ring 3:18 AM  No comment

Eyes On Survivor Series: 10 Most Memorable Moments

By @Phranchize19

Survivor Series is one of the big 4 PPVs that WWE usually tries to go all out for. Survivor Series had lost its luster for a while but it has attempted to pick back up over recent years. Here are the 10 most memorable moments of this event.

10. The Debut Of Rocky Maivia

-The man known as The Rock is a worldwide phenomenon and in 1996 at Survivor Series, we were all introduced to him. The blue chip third generation star came out and amazed with his performance. His athleticism was unparalleled. Even though he was a cookie cutter babyface, people were quite intrigued as to where he would go from this strong outing. I think he did alright in his career following this.

9. The Debut Of The Undertaker

-Ted Dibiase’s Million Dollar Team had the million dollar acquisition of The Undertaker. While the WWF was still in its goofy character stage, this character of a western mortician stuck in a way that I don’t think anyone could imagine. Taker debuting is an all time classic moment.

8. Bret Hart vs Shawn Michaels 
Survivor Series 1992 Main Event

-Long before the Montreal screwjob, Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels were leading the post Hogan era of WWF. This was significant due to the fact that WWF was in transition from the Hogan era. It was quite surprising to see Vince go with Bret Hart as the face of the new era because he usually picked the bodybuilder larger than life sized guys but Bret was a relatively smaller champion. Conpounded with the up and coming Shawn Michaels, who also was a small competitor, this was not your typical WWE main event but this match was simply fantastic.

7.  The Shield Debut

-Arguably one of the greatest factions of all time debuted at this event in 2012. Roman Reigns, Dean Ambrose and Seth Rollins would interfere in the main event and cause utter destruction. These three men are now the top guys in WWE and it all began on this night.

6. Goldberg defeats Brock Lesnar 

-Brock Lesnar has been built to be unbeatable, so many people (myself included) assumed there was no way a man who hasn’t wrestled in 12 years was going to beat the most unbeatable wrestler we’ve seen in years. We all thought Goldberg was gonna be in Suplex City and it was gonna be over but boy were we all wrong. Not only did Goldberg defeat Lesnar, he defeated him QUICKLY and DECISIVELY. The crowd erupted. This was such a shocker and honestly it was needed because we all thought the same old predicable outcome was coming.

5. Never Before Never Again

-Who would’ve thought two of the most charismatic entities in wrestling history would face each other. Who would've thought they would even team together? Well at Survivor Series 2011, that’s what we got. The Rock and John Cena TEAMED up to take on Miz and R Truth. Building hype for their eventual Wrestlemania 28 showdown, it was smart to keep people's minds on it with a match like this.

4. Debut of Kurt Angle

-The Olympic gold medalist made his debut at survivor series 1999. Kurt Angle would go on to have a hall of fame career and become one of the absolute best wrestlers of all time. This debut wasn't very eventful, but it was solid enough to let people know he had arrived.

3. Debut of Sting

-Sting is arguably the greatest wrestler that had never worked for WWE. At Survivor Series 2014, that all changed. Sting came out and the internet broke as the crowd erupted and things were never the same. Sting decided that it was time to finally make the jump and The Icon was finally in the building to our surprise and enjoyment.

2. The Rock Turns Heel 

-Survivor Series 1998 needed a big ending and what better way to end it off than having your new big time face completely surprise everyone by turning heel and winning the WWF Title, while also joining forces with the McMahon family? That was completely unexpected and exciting for many of us. This was also a career changing move for The Rock.

1. The Montreal Screwjob

-You knew this was coming. This is the most important moment because it changed a lot. Bret Hart left WWF. Vince became a heel after this. Shawn became champ and DX got stronger. Survivor Series has had a lot of great moments but this is the top of the mountain.

-Phranchize

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Eyes on the Ring 11:35 PM  No comment