Eyes On WWE: 5 Wrestlers Who Should Be In The Hall Of Fame

By @Phranchize19

Wrestlemania weekend includes the pinnacle of wrestling in many ways, the WWE Hall Of Fame. WWE usually offers legends and others that were important to wrestling spots in the biggest hall of fame in wrestling. Thus far, WWE has inducted some of the best, but also some of the most undeserving people into their Hall Of Fame. I’m here to discuss today who I feel is overdue into the HOF. I will not include active competitors because we all know AJ Styles, The Undertaker, Goldust, among others will be there soon.

*Owen Hart

-Probably the most overdue induction. Owen Hart literally gave his life for WWF and that alone deserves induction. Owen was a charismatic grappler from the famed Hart family who made his mark on WWF after being given bad booking as the Blue Blazer and the partner of Koko B. Ware. Owen is a former European and Intercontinental Champion as well as one of the longest reigning tag team champions in history with his brother in law British Bulldog (more on him later), as well as Tag Team Champions with two other Hall Of Fame guys in Yokozuna and Jeff Jarrett. Owen also is one of the best King of the Ring winners in history. His lack of induction is really on his widow more than WWF so let’s hope she relents and allows her husband to be inducted properly.

*Demolition

-Before The New Day set the record for longest reigning Tag Champs ever, that record was held for some decades by Demolition. Ax and Smash are one of the greatest tag teams of all time and they are pioneers as well as three time WWF Tag team champions, so this induction hopefully will come soon.

*Dean Malenko

-This is probably the most underrated wrestler on this list. One of the greatest Cruiserweights (or junior heavyweights if you prefer this saying) of all time. Malenko is a 4 time Cruiserweight Champion in WCW as well as one of the few men to hold the WWF Light Heavyweight Championship, as well as a former US Champion and a Tag Champion with Chris Benoit. He is not only known for his contributions in the wrestling ring, but he is an accomplished trainer. Malenko has trained many wrestlers and helped them through their careers. Dean Malenko’s accomplishments are endless so he will hopefully be inducted in the HOF very soon.

*British Bulldog

-One of the greatest wrestlers of any generation. The British Bulldog’s career spans for decades. Bulldog began his career in the territory of Stu Hart (Bret and Owen Hart’s father) and married Stu’s daughter. Bulldog would then venture to WWF and form a tag team with The Dynamite Kid. They would become Tag Champs for 9 months and would be fired from WWF shortly after. Davey Boy would continue to compete in Canada and Japan until being called back to WWF as a singles wrestler. Bulldog would become an instant sensation by main eventing Summerslam with his brother in law Bret for the Intercontinental title (widely regarded as the best match in Summerslam history) and would main event many more PPVs, even as the European Champion. British Bulldog would be the first ever WWF European champion as well as hold the record for longest title reigns and most days as champion with 206 days and 253 days respectively. Bulldog would leave WWF to work for WCW on more than one occasion and would return back to WWF and win the Hardcore and European championship again. Bulldog would tragically pass away in 2002 but his wrestling legacy lives on as possibly the most famous British wrestler ever and he should be in the HOF one day.

*Chyna 

-A controversial selection to many but well deserved. Chyna would become the first woman to compete in the Royal Rumble and entered at number 30. A member of the famed D-Generation X, Chyna has a case to be inducted twice as a member of DX as well as her own career in which she is the first and only woman to win the Intercontinental Championship (on two occasions) as well as a former Woman’s champion. Chyna is a trailblazer and in a land of men, she stepped where no woman had gone before and excelled.

-Phranchize

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Eyes on the Ring 9:50 PM  No comment

EOTR Tag Team Tuesdays: 5 Classic RAW Tag Team Matches

By @TrueGodImmortal

Raw 25 is a week away and many of us are excited I'm sure. With that in mind, I wanted to briefly take a look at 5 matches that were classic during the history of RAW. RAW has had some amazing matches and the list is extensive, but these 5 choices are some of the absolute best. Let's get into it.

*TLC 4
(Kane vs Bubba Ray Dudley and Spike Dudley vs Christian and Chris Jericho vs Jeff Hardy and Rob Van Dam)

-When we look back at this match, there is a lot to discuss. For one, Kane was without his partner The Hurricane. Two, this match features three men who took part in the first three TLC matches, but with new partners. Three, this was a part of the Raw Roulette that went down, so this match was a special treat. The spots were well executed and the crowd was live for this one, as each team attempted to walk away with the RAW tag team championships, but only one man was left standing: Kane. That's right. TLC 4 ends with Kane defeating the other 3 teams to hold onto the tag titles. Of the era of RAW that many people disliked (2002-2003), this was a definite highlight.

*Owen Hart and British Bulldog vs Shawn Michaels and Stone Cold Steve Austin
(May 1997)

-This match is one of the greatest tag matches in the history of the show, but it is a stand-alone classic as well. Owen and Bulldog were the tag team champions and Austin and HBK were a makeshift team that many didn't expect to work well. This match took place on my birthday, and I remember watching this live. I was excited to see Austin and Shawn team up and what we would get is an amazing match between four men who were at the top of their game. The whole aspect of the Hart Foundation being involved and Bret Hart in the wheelchair during the match was great and the moment that HBK hit the Sweet Chin Music and the three count was made, the crowd erupted for a legendary RAW moment. The beginning, the end, and the aftermath of this match is truly classic.

*Stone Cold Steve Austin and Triple H vs Chris Jericho and Chris Benoit
(May 2001)

-One of the toughest matches to revisit for multiple reasons, this is the greatest match in RAW history IMO. It is not only the greatest match in RAW history, but in terms of tag team matches, it might be top 3 of all time. Benoit and Jericho were hitting their primes in the ring and Austin was in the middle of his greatest year in the ring while Triple H was still at the top of his game. Through 20 minutes of intense action, it seemed as if neither team would budge. Unfortunately, following Triple H suffering his quad injury, the match would end soon after, with Benoit and Jericho picking up the victory. Truthfully, I wish the Triple H injury never happened, as I believe we could have seen 2 to 3 more minutes of this legendary bout.

*Stone Cold Steve Austin And The Rock vs Kevin Nash, Scott Hall, and Hulk Hogan
(March 2002)

-The NWO was a force to be reckoned with. Austin and Rock had teamed before, but they had never seen a force like the NWO. With Nash, Hogan, and Hall going against Austin and Rock, two of the greatest ever were at a disadvantage, but they held their own for most of the match. The action was just electric, as seeing Hogan and Austin do battle, Rock and Nash, as well as Austin and Nash was a lot of fun and with Hogan vs Rock on the horizon, the finish would likely be tied into that match and sure enough, Hogan would pick up the 1-2-3 over Rock in this battle. This is still one of my favorite matches on RAW and a true dream match at that. 

*Chris Benoit, Chris Jericho, and Edge vs Evolution
(August 2004)

-A slept on match (and I think the elimination match between the teams a few months prior was just as good), this showed the volatile battles that these men would have and how the end of Evolution was fast approaching. With Edge and Orton coming off their match for the IC Title, and Benoit getting ready for his battle at Summerslam with Orton, this match was intense and would set the tone for what was to come. From Flair and Benoit trading chops to Batista imposing his will and strength, as well as Jericho adding his element of speed and skill, this match had it all. Orton picks up the win for his team after the RKO on Benoit.

-True 

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Eyes on the Ring 2:07 AM  No comment

EOTR Tag Team Tuesdays: 5 New Generation Tag Teams

By @TrueGodImmortal

Today, I wanted to do something slightly different. Sure, we talk tag teams every Tuesday, but one era of wrestling that we rarely discuss is the New Generation Era. With Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels as the top two singles stars, the tag division was full of gimmicks and interesting teams. There were no true clear cut ahead of the pack teams, but I do think some of them had better moments than the others. Let's take a look at 5 New Generation Tag Teams that made an impact.

*The Smoking Gunns 

-In a way, this team is the best of the era and it's not close. The Smoking Gunns are the most important team of the New Generation and they would be the reason we see Billy Gunn as a true tag team wrestler. Bart and Billy Gunn worked together for years in a cowboy team gimmick, which really doesn't seem to be an interesting gimmick overall, but they made it work. They lasted the entire New Generation era, going from 1993 to 1996, and they were honestly a joy to watch in the ring together. They were solid in ring guys and had a gimmick that the typical wrestling crowd seemed to love. 1995 was the biggest year for the team as they won the tag titles multiple times and had some solid matches in that time. 1996 was a little different, as Billy got injured and the Gunns lost the titles, but their feud with the Godwinns would be big for the WWF. They would turn heel and get managed by Sunny before eventually splitting. The truth be told, the Smoking Gunns are one of the best teams in WWF history so it was a must they got featured on this article.

*The Bodydonnas 

-Chris Candido is an underrated wrestler in history and his work over the years was important in the world of pro wrestling. However, one of his oddest moments came as a member of the Bodydonnas. As Skip, he worked alongside Zip and they were managed by Sunny (and eventually the weird crossdressing Cloudy.... which is still odd today). The gimmick was poorly executed, but they could actually wrestle and that made a huge difference overall. They were tag team champions before and while their reigns weren't very eventful, they stand out as one of the better teams in the New Generation.

*The Headshrinkers 

-Samu and Fatu essentially started the Headshrinkers, and I'll be honest, I wasn't a big fan of this team initially. I did enjoy their work against The Steiners at Wrestlemania 9, but all in all, the team was merely an extension of the Wild Samoans so they weren't as prevalent as they probably should have been. They would feud with Men On A Mission and Smoking Gunns during their hottest period, and eventually Samu was replaced with Sione. However, Sione and Fatu didn't have the same success as Samu and Fatu, as Samu and Fatu were tag team champions and managed to be near the top of the tag team ladder throughout their entire run. The Headshrinkers weren't legends, but they were a noteworthy team in the era.

*Owen Hart And Yokozuna

-Surprisingly, this is the best makeshift team in the New Generation Era. Owen Hart had proven himself as a singles competitor, while Yokozuna was one of the premier stars in the WWF. When they teamed up under the element of surprise, it was only a matter of time before they would run everything. Their first night together would prove to be a big deal, as Yokozuna returned at Wrestlemania 11 to help Owen defeat the Smoking Gunns. With Mr. Fuji and Jim Cornette by their side, they had two great managers and after their title win, they would reek havoc on the entire tag division for a while. After a nice 175 day reign, the two lost their belts but would get them back and lose them the same night to the Smoking Gunns. While short-lived, the Owen and Yokozuna team was one of the best of the entire era.

*The Allied Powers 

-An underrated team, the Allied Powers never quite lived up to their potential. I mean, Lex Lugar was a main event talent and the British Bulldog was right there on the cusp of the main event regularly. Together, they should have been tag team champions and running the division. However, WWF seemed hellbent on making them lose and not get a tag team title reign. It's honestly the most confusing thing about this team, as there is no reason why they didn't dethrone Owen and Yokozuna as champions. They had matches with teams like Well Dunn, The Heavenly Bodies, and The Million Dollar Corporation, but the Allied Powers were defeated by Owen and Yokozuna and then they broke up shortly after, with Luger leaving the company. I wish we could have watched this team last a little longer and win the belts, but they were still pretty noteworthy in their short time together.

-True 

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Eyes on the Ring 1:53 AM  No comment

Eyes On WWE: 6 Greatest Wrestlers To Never Win The WWE Title

By @TrueGodImmortal

Today, we wanted to take a look at the greatest wrestlers to set foot in a WWE ring, but they just couldn't walk away with a title run. All of these men are legends, but for some reason, the WWE Title seemed to escape them through the years. Let's take a look at six of the best who never managed to win a World championship in the WWF/WWE.

6. Razor Ramon 

-The Bad Guy, Razor Ramon was truly deprived of a chance to be the man in the WWE. He was one of the most over wrestlers on the roster through his tenure and when he should have been winning world titles, he was feuding with Goldust, Diesel, 1-2-3 Kid, and holding the Intercontinental Title. He's a great IC Champ, but he definitely deserved a title run.

5. Owen Hart 

-It's a shame that the overall most talented Hart brother (I said it) didn't get a title run, but for some reason, Owen wasn't as marketable as Bret. Owen was a better heel, a better talker, and nearly equal to his brother in the ring, but aside from a small feud against Bret in 1994, Owen never got the shot to carry the World Title. He deserved at least one run.

4. Ted Dibiase 

-The Million Dollar Man is one of the most surprising names to never win a championship. He was close to winning it at Wrestlemania 4 before Randy Savage defeated him in the Finals for the vacant title, but the biggest title feud was missed out on in 1990 as Dibiase vs Hogan could have drawn big money and put Dibiase over the top as a legend. I always felt that Dibiase winning the title from Warrior and being champion heading into Wrestlemania 7 would have been a much better feud and match than what both men had. It's a shame Dibiase never got one title run.

3. William Regal 

-Though he wasn't the big money draw that people would have expected him to be, the truth be told, Regal deserved a short term title reign to give him a shot at carrying the torch. He was a great character, a great wrestler, and his facial expressions helped make his promos even better. Regal is a legend in the business and in my opinion, a WWE Title or World Heavyweight Title run during his Smackdown days would have been great.

2. Jake "The Snake" Roberts 

-The most sinister star in the WWF at one point, Jake Roberts is a legend and once again, during the Hogan era, he would have been a prime time heel feud for the title. His demons might be a big reason why he never won the title, but the fact remains, the WWF should have pulled the trigger once on a Jake title run. Jake vs Hogan or Jake vs Savage for the title would have been money, and I would have loved to see the culmination of a Jake Roberts vs Ultimate Warrior feud for the WWF Title.

1. Mr. Perfect 

-The best to never win the WWE Title. Period. These days, WWE decidedly gives title reigns to just about anyone (Jinder Mahal is a WWE Champion.... but not these guys....), but Mr. Perfect was robbed of a title run. 1990 was the year. He was a prime heel and easily one of the best wrestlers then. It was the Ultimate Warrior and Hogan show then, but Perfect would have been the smartest choice for champion without question. It's a shame he didn't get a run in WCW either, and if he would have stayed healthy during his return to WWE, a week long or month long reign could have been possible in 2002. Unfortunately, his story didn't end that way. It's a shame that we never saw a Perfect title reign, because the business deserved one.

-True

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Eyes on the Ring 2:36 AM  No comment

EOTR Tag Team Tuesdays: Stone Cold Steve Austin and Dude Love

By @TrueGodImmortal

At one point, Stone Cold Steve Austin was getting ready to become the man in the WWF. He was on the path to the Intercontinental Title, but after an interesting tag team title run with Shawn Michaels as his partner, that team dissolved due to Michaels' injury, and Austin was left without a partner. With Austin having to go at it alone against Owen Hart and British Bulldog in a match for the WWF Tag Team Titles. At the time, Austin was hellbent on going at it alone, but Mick Foley (portraying Mankind at the time) was insistent on being a friend and partner to Austin. Austin kept telling Foley no, and he even gave him a Stone Cold Stunner for his trouble.

However, when the time came for the match to go down, Austin was clearly overmatched by the tandem of Owen and Bulldog. 

As the match went on and on, all of a sudden, we were treated to an appearance by an alter ego of Mick Foley, better known as Dude Love. Austin was completely shocked, but this time, he didn't reject the help of Foley. Dude Love and Austin worked together to take Owen and Bulldog to the limit and when the final bell sounded, Dude Love and Stone Cold were now the new tag team champions. It was the typical odd couple tag team booking, with Austin being hesitant to trust Dude Love, and not fully accepting him, but the dynamic was really interesting. The plan for these two wasn't clear honestly, but one could imagine they would have held on to the tag team titles for a little while longer than they did.

With a tag title reign of over 55 days, most of which the tag titles weren't even defended, Austin and Dude Love were in the history books as tag champs, but they didn't get much of a run. They did have some house show matches defending against Owen and Bulldog, and when Austin defeated Owen Hart for the Intercontinental Title, Foley had alternated back to his Mankind persona. The Austin and Dude Love tag team is one of those that could have had some potential to be great if they continued into the rest of the year against teams like Triple H and Shawn Michaels as they created D-Generation X, The Road Warriors, and maybe even Brian Pillman and someone else, or the original Hart Foundation of Bret Hart and Jim Neidhart.

Yes, this was a very short lived tag team, but the possibilities are what made me cover this team. Much like with Shawn Michaels and Stone Cold, the what ifs are so important and very intriguing. Could Austin and Dude Love have been a solid team up until the Royal Rumble when Austin was due for his huge meteoric push leading into Wrestlemania 14? That's what I believe, but still, we have their initial tag team win, the 6 man tag team match the next week on RAW (they teamed with The Undertaker to take on Bret, Owen, and Bulldog), and their various segments (including the one that led up to them teaming) to always remember. Stone Cold Steve Austin and Dude Love will not go down as one of the greatest teams ever for obvious reasons, but they are without a doubt an interesting makeshift tag team that had a temporary impact during the summer of 1997.

-True 

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Eyes on the Ring 2:20 AM  No comment

EOTR Match Of The Week: British Bulldog vs Owen Hart

By @Phranchize19

It's always exciting to see new championships created, but the European title was the first new title introduced in the WWF in over 18 years (at the time). Titles can be made or broken by their first champion and they way that they won that title.

Background
The European Title was introduced in 1997 and a tournament was held to determine a new champion. The tournament was held in Germany and came down to the British Bulldog (who's actually from Europe) and Owen Hart (Bulldog’s brother in law). In an ironic twist, these two men were not only brother in laws but tag partners and the reigning WWF Tag Team champions. The story practically wrote it self. Hints of jealousy were dropped in as well as their family ties were used to sell this story.

The Match
Owen and Bulldog would start out with basic wrestling holds. Both men sold each other's offense as well as showed great athleticism. There was chain wrestling, brawling, high flying, and taunting. Owen would eye rake his brother in law much to the dismay of the Germans. British Bulldog would come out on top after a reversal on a roll up attempt.

Phranchize Rating And Analysis
This match was perfect. The crowd was hot for Bulldog and it showed. These are two of the greatest technicians ever and they went out there and put on a show. Bulldog coming out the victor was the right move and it didn't damage Owen's credibility. The announce team did well by selling their history and selling the tension the two have had (Could've done without Honky Tonk Man even though I'm a huge fan). This was the perfect match for a new title.

Rating: 9.5/10

-C. Yates

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Eyes on the Ring 1:05 AM  2 comments