EOTR Feud Of The Week: Chris Benoit vs Kurt Angle

By @Phranchize19 and @TrueGodImmortal

Some rivalries are born out of entertainment some are born because wrestlers are the best at that they do. This week we will discuss one of the best rivalries ever in Kurt Angle vs  Chris Benoit, where these two legends gave it all they head over a three year period. Two of the best wrestlers to ever lace up boots, you knew Kurt Angle and Benoit wasn’t going to disappoint from an in ring standpoint, but with the element of entertainment Kurt Angle brought it made for an even more entertaining rivalry. Whether it was about tapping out to a submission or their reluctant tag team, they would entertain the audience through the duration of their epic feud.

Best Match
It was tough to pinpoint a single match that was their best encounter, because there are so many, but this is the one we selected and I think most would agree that it's hard to argue against it.

*Kurt Angle vs Chris Benoit
WWE Championship
Royal Rumble 2003

-Hands down their best encounter. This wasn’t about entertainment. This wasn’t about fun. This was about Angle being back on the mountaintop and Benoit wanting to win the title. These two went out and put on an absolute clinic. When you think of a wrestling clinic this is the match you show people, for a few reasons. For one, Angle showcased why he was one of the best. Two, Benoit had what would likely be considered his breakthrough performance, as the standing ovation he got after the match was huge, and set the tone for him to win the Rumble the very next season. There are so many matches we could reference as their best, as they have some classics on Smackdown, at Unforgiven 2002, Backlash 2001, and many others. This feud would spawn so many great matches that it would take up the entire article. There isn't a bad match in their feud at all.

Underrated Matches
There are so many great matches that we figured we should list a couple of those, since there are no bad matches to speak of, only matches that were too short and mostly don't even count. Let's take a look at the underrated matches. 

*Kurt Angle vs Chris Benoit
2 Out Of 3 Falls/Three Stages Of Hell
Judgment Day 2001

-We were tempted to put their Unforgiven 2002 clash here in the first spot but this match was too good to ignore. You have to love every second of this. These two went out there and arguably had the best match of the night. It was simply fantastic. They never had a bad match as the two had excellent chemistry that can never be ignored, so with that being said, let's take a look at two more underrated matches in their feud.

*Kurt Angle vs Chris Benoit
Wrestlemania 17

-Another match between these two technicians that showcased exactly what you expected. Angle and Benoit went at each other with everything they had and this match tends to get slept on just because it's a part of one of the greatest events in WWE history, and in my opinion, the greatest Wrestlemania ever.

*Kurt Angle vs Chris Benoit
Ultimate Submission
Backlash 2001

-The master of the Ankle Lock. The master of the Crossface. These two went at it in an often forgotten match that showed that both men were able to compete at the highest level for over 30 minutes. This match was fun, and even went to sudden death, where Benoit pulled out the win continuing his face turn and push. I honestly think that 2001 feud between Angle and Benoit is one of the best feuds in ring wise of the last 20 years. It was consistent top tier performances over and over again, and this match was another on the list.

Who Won The Feud
I would say Angle won barely, as the high profile matches saw him get the win, including Wrestlemania 17 and Judgment Day 2001, along with their best match, Royal Rumble 2003. Benoit got the victory at Unforgiven 2002 and Backlash 2001, but it seemed that Angle had his number. This feud would end up catapulting Benoit to the next level, pushing him to become a main event level star by the time it was finished, so in reality, no one really lost this feud. It's a classic feud that needs to be remembered and appreciated for years to come.

-EOTR

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Eyes on the Ring 1:38 AM  No comment

EOTR Retro: The 5 Best WWF PPVs Of 1999

By @TrueGodImmortal

Let me be clear: 1999 was the worst year of the Attitude Era. It didn't feature a lot of great matches or shows, but it was a year of moments, for better or worse. The PPV market was booming for WWF however, and they would end up seeing big profits during this year and huge popularity. While it would be easy to pinpoint and look at the worst shows, I wanted to look at the best of the best. Let's get into it.

5. Fully Loaded 1999

-While this show wasn't the greatest, it had some upsides to it and a lot of fun moments overall. Jeff Jarrett vs Edge was a solid match, along with The Acolytes tag team match with The Hardy Boyz. I could have done without a few matches in the middle of the card, but I did enjoy seeing Triple H vs The Rock in the Fully Loaded Strap match and the First Blood main event between Stone Cold Steve Austin and Undertaker for the WWF Title. Overall, this event was solid enough, not a classic but solid enough.

4. Armageddon 1999

-I'm not extremely fond of this show as far as some of the matches, but then there are matches that I love. It's a double edged sword like with most shows from the year. I enjoyed the Tag Team Battle Royal, the triple threat for the European Title, and I thought the Chris Jericho vs Chyna match was pretty good, but there are matches here like the Kurt Angle vs Steve Blackman, the Women's match, and the 3 minute WWF Title Match between Big Show and the Big Boss Man that served no purpose. I liked Triple H vs Vince McMahon in the main event, but it went far too long and had a lot of filler in the match. My favorite match of the night however and the highlight of the show was the electric tag team title match between The Rock and Mankind vs The New Age Outlaws. A solid event, not the best, but good enough to watch again.

3. Backlash 1999

-This is the only event on here from the first half of the year, and it wasn't a bad event. With a huge main event there to carry the show, the WWF didn't see the need to put in too much effort when creating this card. Still, the opening six man tag was decent, the Hardcore title match was interesting, and the No. 1 Contenders match for the tag team titles would be good as well. While the Boiler Room Brawl between Mankind and the Big Show disappointed along with the oddly paced Undertaker and Ken Shamrock match, I have to say good things about the two best matches of the night. Triple H vs X-Pac was a really good battle and the main event of The Rock vs Stone Cold Steve Austin definitely didn't disappoint and was the match of the night. Backlash was a fun show to watch and on paper, it could have been a classic. Still, it turned out much better than a majority of the WWF PPVs on the year.

2. Summerslam 1999

-Truthfully, Summerslam is usually hit or miss, and while there were some low moments on this show, overall it was a good event. I liked the fact that the main event was a triple threat, as it allowed for three different styles to clash in one mega match. Triple H, Mankind, and Stone Cold Steve Austin went at it for 20 minutes in a really fun main event that saw Mankind walk away with the title and the win. The rest of the event is hit or miss, but I enjoyed the ridiculousness of The Rock vs Billy Gunn (minus the sight of the portly white woman's cheeks), and I thought the Tag Team Turmoil was great as well. Outside of that, the match of the night might actually be Test vs Shane McMahon, which was a surprisingly good contest. Overall, Summerslam 1999 isn't a classic (no 1999 PPV was), but it was a solid event for the worst year in the WWF Attitude Era.

1. No Mercy 1999

-While this event was far from perfect also, it was easily the most entertaining event of the year without question. Aside from having The Fabolous Moolah wrestle in her senior years, and The Godfather fighting Mideon, this show was solid all around. The show boasts one classic match, with the excellent Ladder Match between The Hardy Boyz vs Edge and Christian for the managerial services of Terri and 100,000 dollars. That match was Ladder Match perfection and it was the match of the night. However, I still enjoyed the Four Corners match, and some of the action between Val Venis and Mankind was great, while surprisingly the Chyna and Jeff Jarrett match was watchable. The main event, Triple H vs Stone Cold Steve Austin was a really good contest, and the ending set the tone for what could have been the greatest triple threat ever. All in all, this is a solid event, and the best event of 1999 without question IMO.

-True

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Eyes on the Ring 2:31 AM  No comment

Eyes On WWE: Ranking Brock Lesnar's Summerslam Matches

By @TrueGodImmortal

Summerslam is right around the corner. With things going the way they have been, Brock Lesnar is a huge focal point of the biggest event of the summer. The truth be told, Brock's event is Summerslam. He's headlined the show essentially every year since he's been back and main evented every event except one since his 2012 return. Today, we wanted to rank his matches at the Summer event. What makes No. 1? Let's find out.

7. Brock Lesnar vs Triple H
Summerslam 2012

-This match was horrible. There's not much else to say about this. Triple H wasn't in the best ring shape and Brock wasn't really able to put on a classic it seems, as it was slow paced and not exciting. Triple H was slowly dismantled and ended up losing by submission, one of the very times we've seen that happen. Brock looked slightly like a beast, but also sort of weak in the same respect. This match could have been so much better.

6. Brock Lesnar vs Randy Orton
Summerslam 2016

-This would have been the worst match, but for some reason, I'm a fan of this match and enjoyed it for about 4 minutes before the ridiculous ending. Orton got minimal offense, and this wasn't a great contest honestly overall, but I think it was slightly better than Brock vs HHH. Plus, Orton gets a thumbs up for taking the beating from Brock and being left in a pool of his own blood.

5. Brock Lesnar vs John Cena
Summerslam 2014

-The start of the Brock dominance. After some poorly booked feuds and matches, Brock ended the Streak of The Undertaker and challenged for the WWE World Heavyweight Title. This was unlike any other Cena match that we've seen before, as Brock controlled the entire pace and dominated the contest. He would eventually put Cena out of his misery and walk away with a clean victory over Cena, a huge win for Brock, making him the MAN once again.

 

4. Brock Lesnar vs The Undertaker
Summerslam 2015

-I wasn't excited for this match, but this turned out better than expected. Brock and Taker created a better contest than what they had at Wrestlemania 30. Brock and Taker went at it, and while Taker technically won, Brock actually was the one seemingly carrying his weight and the result was a pretty solid contest from beginning to end.

3. Brock Lesnar vs The Rock
Summerslam 2002

-This is a great main event. It's one of those matches that really keeps it simple, but it works very well. Brock is excellent in his role here, as the young and hungry dominant monster, while Rock is amazing as the performer who wants to hold onto what is his, but knows the challenge ahead. Brock and Rock create one of the most simple wrestling classics, and Brock is crowned as the new WWE Undisputed Champion, signaling the changing of the guard.

2. Brock Lesnar vs Kurt Angle
Summerslam 2003

-This is a slept on match for Brock in his career. Though I prefer the atmosphere of the Mania 19 contest more, this match was a solid one with Angle going above and beyond while Brock played the heel role to perfection. I wasn't a fan of how weak Brock looked in the end when he tapped out to Angle, but overall, this match is a classic. It has action throughout and with two of the best of this era in the ring on the big stage, you knew we would see something special.

1. Brock Lesnar vs CM Punk
Summerslam 2013

-The best match in Brock's Summerslam career. Hands down. This is not Brock in his prime. This is not Brock at his most athletic. This is Brock going one on one with the Best In The World. The result? An all time classic. Punk pushes Brock more than anyone we've seen in the WWE (besides Angle), and he gets one of his all time great matches out of him. Brock and Punk go 25 minutes in a brutal contest, and although Brock walks away with the victory, Punk came out of the match looking like a million bucks, giving Brock the best match of his 2nd run.

-True 

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Eyes on the Ring 1:47 AM  No comment

Eyes On WWE: The 7 Worst Summerslam Main Events

By @TrueGodImmortal

While Phranchize hit you with his 30 best matches, I'm going to switch it up a bit and give you what I consider to be the 7 worst Summerslam main event matches. Why 7? Because 5 really wouldn't be enough to fully grasp how many lackluster main events there are and 10 would be a slight bit of overkill. So 7 is the perfect number. Let's take a look, shall we?

7. Team WWE vs Team Nexus
(Summerslam 2010)

-Now, with this match, you might be surprised to see it here considering there are other matches that could have very well made this list. However, this is a pretty big disappointment. There was a plethora of talent on the show and on Team WWE and what a huge build up of momentum it would have been for Wade Barrett to be the last man standing and walk away with the victory. Essentially, this was the match we should have had at Survivor Series months later after the Nexus had run roughshod all over the WWE, taken the WWE Title and more. However, WWE refuses to give the new guys the momentum they need and ruins it with Cena going over and standing tall. Thanks a lot, WWE. Also, the Daniel Bryan return was pretty anti climatic and a bit wasted. An actual surprise name would have made this a bit better and more interesting.

6. Triple H vs Brock Lesnar
(Summerslam 2012)

-There are people who love this match. I'll pray for you poor souls. A match about 9 years in the making disappoints in every way possible. It was 9 years in the making, but 8 years too late. When HHH was in his 2nd prime during 2003-2004, and Brock gave a shit about having good matches during the same period, this could have been a classic. However, this is the most disappointing main event ever in Summerslam history. The others on the list weren't expected to be much, but I ordered this PPV and was expecting a brutal fight and a tough battle. What I got was one of the most boring matches and main events I've seen. I just kept on hoping for something good to happen and for some reason, it just never did. Brock wins the match by submission, but I would have preferred this to be much more physical and to see Brock win by pinfall and they move on from this feud because we got two more unnecessary matches after this one. Once again, if you love this match, I'll pray for you. It's awful.

5. Hulk Hogan and Ultimate Warrior vs Sgt. Slaughter, Colonel Mustafa, and General Adnen
(Summerslam 1991)

-I was a Warrior fan. I was glad to see him back. I didn't mind Hogan as a kid. I was glad to see them team up. I would soon regret that. This match is just pointless, and it only exists to have Hogan and Warrior team up on PPV and have them go over the "traitor" Slaughter and his cronies. Honestly, the more I see this match, the more I wonder what exactly motivated the WWF to even go with this instead of a more lucrative Warrior vs Hogan rematch or even a Slaughter vs Hogan steel cage main event rematch. I'll never understand it, but it's the WWE. So, of course I'll never understand it.

4. Lex Luger vs Yokozuna
WWF Championship
(Summerslam 1993)

-Imagine you have a match for the title that seems to be one of the most important main events in a while, but then it arrives and well.... it sucks. It sucks badly. You've got Yokozuna, who wasn't the best in ring performer and then you have Lex Luger.... who.... who is Lex Luger. His name speaks for itself. What doesn't speak for itself however is the fact that this match was built up like it was meant to see Luger become the next Hogan and what we got was a shitty match with a stupid DQ finish and a hilarious post match celebration for Luger winning the match.... but not winning the title. Yeah. That happened.

3. Macho Man Randy Savage and Zeus vs Hulk Hogan and Brutus Beefcake 
(Summerslam 1989)

-I mean, was there any doubt that this would make the list? I mean, anytime you bring in Tiny Lester to play Zeus and headline a show, you're in a very sad place as a company. The late 80s were a weird time as Hogan kept trying to resist losing his spot to Warrior and Savage, and this match was a testament to the nonsense of the time. Of course, Hogan and Beefcake win, but this is quite possibly the most unnecessary main event of a PPV besides Lawrence Taylor and Bam Bam Bigelow (which at least that drew headlines, unlike this one).

2. Diesel vs Mabel
WWF Championship
(Summerslam 1995)

-I don't have much to say on this one honestly. This is absolutely sad. A main event that barely goes 10 minutes to close out the 2nd biggest PPV of the year. This just shows you how horrible WWF was in 1995. To make matters worse, you didn't even have a monumental occurrence in this contest, as Diesel never hit Mabel with the Jackknife Powerbomb, which would have at least been a big moment for the crowd, who didn't seem very interested in this match. Diesel retains in an awful match and terrible main event.

1. Undertaker vs Fake Undertaker (Summerslam 1994)

-How does this make no. 1 over Diesel vs Mabel? Honestly, it's simple. This match was the biggest waste of space ever in WWE PPV history and I still can't believe they ran this entire angle. Leslie Nielson is out here looking for the Undertaker in a serious of "hilarious" vignettes? I'll pass. To make matters worse, the Fake Undertaker was a horrible wrestler and Undertaker had just returned from injury so he wasn't completely at 100% either. This was a trainwreck and an ultimate disaster, which is why it is puzzling they chose to close out the show with this piece of shit. Undertaker, you deserve better. Hell, Fake Undertaker, you deserve better than to be Fake Undertaker (well, being Chainz in the D.O.A. wasn't much better, but it was better than this). Summerslam, you deserved better than this main event.

-True 

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Eyes on the Ring 2:38 AM  No comment

Eyes On WWE: 30 Greatest Matches At WWE Summerslam (14-1)

By @Phranchize19

Of course, it's only right to close this thing out as it should be. Let's take a look at the last 14 matches on this list. What ranks no. 1? Keep reading and find out.

14. John Cena vs Randy Orton WWE Championship
Summerslam 2007

-They’ve had two title matches at this event but their 2007 match is classic. Orton pushed Cena further than any challenger had done before him. Both men relatively in their prime made for a great main event.

13. Brock Lesnar vs CM Punk
Summerslam 2013

-The Best vs The Beast. This may be Lesnar’s best outing since returning to WWE. Punk took everything Lesnar had and kept coming back for more.

12. Randy Orton vs Christian 

World Heavyweight Championship
No Holds Barred
Summerslam 2011

-Orton and Christian had amazing chemistry. Their feud sort of ended with this match and it did not disappoint. Orton gets the win in this classic.

11. CM Punk vs Jeff Hardy
World Heavyweight Championship
TLC Match
Summerslam 2009

-A gem that saw the end of Jeff Hardy and his great 2nd coming in the WWE. This was a great send off for Jeff, as he would lose the title and move on after a rematch on Smackdown. Taker returning at the end was also a good moment.

10. Shawn Michaels vs Razor Ramon
Intercontinental Championship Ladder Match
Summerslam 1995

-The return match from Wrestlemania 10. This is the only good match from that dreadful 1995 card. Shawn defeats his demons and wins this thrilling encounter.

9. Kurt Angle vs Brock Lesnar 

WWE Championship
Summerslam 2003

-This match often gets overlooked but it’s a classic. I feel it’s better than their WM match. Kurt Angle makes Brock tap out for the first time in his career.

8. Hardy Boyz vs Edge and Christian vs Dudley Boyz
WWF Tag Team Championship TLC 1
Summerslam 2000

-The first ever (officially because the “triangle Ladder Match” at Mania may as well have been a TLC match) TLC match. It was fantastic and it didn’t disappoint minus the fact that the Hardyz should’ve won this match.

7. Kurt Angle vs Stone Cold
WWF Championship
Summerslam 2001

-Kurt Angle had one of his finest performances ever. I think he raised a lot of eyebrows with his performance here. He truly looked like an American hero even though he only wins by DQ.

6. Mr. Perfect vs Bret Hart 

Intercontinental Championship
Summerslam 1991

-The first singles title match for Bret Hart against an injured Mr Perfect. When one thinks of an IC title match, this should pop up. Perfect had a serious back injury and still performed fantastically. Bret Hart gets the win.

5A. Triple H vs The Rock vs Kurt Angle
WWF Championship
Summerslam 2000

5B. John Cena Vs Daniel Bryan WWE Championship
Summerslam 2013

-I had to put two matches here. First, the triple threat match in 2000. Adding Kurt Angle to The Rock vs Triple H rivalry was genius. Kurt takes a nasty bump but finishes the match anyway. Second, John Cena vs Daniel Bryan. This is a personal favorite of mine because I was happy to see Bryan achieve the impossible all while beating the golden boy Cena CLEANLY.

4. Triple H vs Shawn Michaels
Non Sanctioned Match
Summerslam 2002

-A fight plain and simple. I had doubts coming in that HBK would have a little rust but he came through and showed out. Triple H sold this story perfectly. Shawn wins but Triple H is the only one who walks out.

3. Triple H vs The Rock 

Intercontinental Championship 

Ladder Match
Summerslam 1998

-This is the greatest one on one Ladder Match I’ve ever witnessed. This match literally was the definition of stealing the show. Triple H gets the win here.

2. Bret Hart vs British Bulldog Intercontinental Championship
Summerslam 1992

-One of the best matches ever. The first and only time that the IC title would main event this show and it exceeded the hype. Bulldog defeated his brother in law in front of his hometown crowd.

1. Bret Hart vs Owen Hart
WWF Championship
Steel Cage Match
Summerslam 1994

-Not only the greatest Cage match ever but the greatest match in the history of Summerslam. This was such a great match the story among other things makes it great.

 

-Phranchize

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Eyes on the Ring 4:39 PM  1 comment