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 Attitude Era: 5 Classic Matches From 1998

By @TrueGodImmortal

The Attitude Era was special. It was a special time in wrestling and it gave the WWF the biggest boom period it had seen thus far. Stars were made, legends were born, and the WWF would prosper beyond belief. So, it is interesting to at times look back at the biggest era of wrestling and reflect on the matches that made it special. Today, we revisit 5 classic matches from the Attitude Era that have turned 20 this year. Which matches make the list? Let's find out.

*Kane vs The Undertaker
(Wrestlemania 14)

-So, the stage was essentially set. Kane, the long lost brother of Undertaker was ready to take his sibling out for good at Mania. The story had been building up for quite some time, with Kane debuting at the Badd Blood 1997 PPV and dismantling Taker. There would be a moment where Taker would be hesitant to fight his brother, but with enough pushing, Kane finally got what he wanted, or at least what he thought he wanted. Taker and Kane would go at it for 15 minutes, giving each other everything they had. In the end, Taker would end up with the victory, but at a huge cost. Taker remained undefeated at Mania and Kane was still a strong monster who it took three tombstone piledrivers to finally beat.

*Triple H vs The Rock
(Summerslam 1998)

-In terms of the main event scene, this was probably the best match of the year, as Rock and Triple H put together a near classic match that showcased their talents and continued to fuel the bad blood they allegedly had for each other. With a Ladder in place, a beef between Chyna and Mark Henry, along with a few other elements including DX vs The Nation, this match had the potential to be a classic and it was just that. Rock would end up winning over the crowd more and more as the match went on, and the action was top notch overall. Rock hit the People's Elbow on the ladder, Triple H hit the pedigree and would eventually climb the ladder and win the IC Title away from The Rock. This was the beginning of the new era in wrestling that will have have effects later.

*Stone Cold Steve Austin vs Shawn Michaels
(Wrestlemania 14)

-Austin and HBK had impeccable chemistry. I sometimes wish we got more from the two, because they would only have two big one on one matches on PPV, one at King Of The Ring 1997 and this battle that headlined Mania. This match was the perfect storm and could have been the biggest classic we had seen. Mike Tyson was the special guest enforcer, which was a nice touch for this match. HBK was limited due to injury, but he still managed to put on a good show with Austin. This was the best match of the biggest show in WWF for the year, and it started the Austin run and momentum, so it is a must we discuss that match and moment in time.

*The Undertaker vs Mankind
(King Of The Ring 1998)

-So, with The Undertaker and Mankind having such a brutal rivalry, one that went through a Boiler Room Brawl, betrayal, and many other things in between, it was only right their last big PPV battle culminate in hell. While many would look at the match as one of the best Hell In A Cell contests, what I remember this match as is the match that put a few years on the career of Mick Foley and likely was a big factor in him retiring in 2000 for a few years. Simply put, Foley was taken through enormous pain and damage for this match and then some. With the loss of a tooth, the huge falls off the cage and through it, as well as the iconic moment where Foley is smiling through the pain, this match is easily one of the most important matches of the year and the entire Attitude Era.

*Stone Cold Steve Austin vs Dude Love
(WWF Over The Edge 1998)

-At the time, Austin was the man in the company and he was running the era essentially. Because of this, Dude Love was turned heel and sided with Vince McMahon in this pretty entertaining feud. The feud would lead to a match with Vince as the special guest referee stacking the deck against Austin, but Stone Cold would make it through just fine. Add in the physicality of the match, the Undertaker appearing and Stone Cold retaining and you have a near classic that resonates with many fans of various eras, much like the others here.

-True

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Eyes on the Ring 5:25 AM  No comment

Eyes On Wrestlemania: Best Tag Team Matches

By @Phranchize19

Wrestlemania hasn’t been big on good tag matches as of late, but it used to be a staple. Today, we are gonna discuss the greatest tag matches in this history of the show. There are some matches you might feel are missing, but these are the choices that came to mind. Honorable mention to a match True mentioned recently, The Headshrinkers vs The Steiners at Wrestlemania 9, but let's take a look at my list.

*Hulk Hogan and Mr. T w/
Jimmy Snuka vs Roddy Piper and Paul Orndorff w/ Cowboy Bob Orton
Wrestlemania 1

-While not a masterpiece in terms of technical wrestling, this match was probably the second most important match in the history of the event. The star power was strong here and it would become a classic in its own right in Mania history.

*The Hart Foundation vs Nasty Boys
Wrestlemania 7

-This is probably the best pure 2 on 2 tag match in Mania history. The Hart Foundation seemed to be on the verge of splitting and the Nasty Boys were a popular team in the world of pro wrestling, so this would definitely be an important match in Mania history.

*The Hardy Boyz vs Edge and Christian vs Dudley Boyz
Triangle Ladder Match
Wrestlemania 16

-This match was so great. This is the original TLC match (although it was intended just to be a ladder match) and these three teams stole the show. This is in the running for the best tag match in the history of the event honestly.

*The Hardy Boyz vs Edge and Christian vs Dudley Boyz
TLC II
Wrestlemania 17

-This is the best tag match in the history of Wrestlemania. The three teams upped their game from the previous year and stole the show on what is considered the greatest card of all time. It might not be the best match on this card, but it is one of the most memorable matches no doubt.

*Evolution vs Rock And Sock Connection
Wrestlemania 20

-Although this is a handicap match, this was contested under tag team rules. This match from an entertainment standpoint alone is worthwhile. Randy Orton has quite the performance in this match and it is always exciting to see The Rock in action.

*The Club vs Enzo and Cass vs The Bar vs The Hardy Boyz
Ladder Match 
Wrestlemania 33

-The returning Hardy Boyz made this match much better than it would’ve been. No disrespect to the other teams, but none of them have ladder match experience and the pop of the returning Hardys is one that will never be forgotten. The win for The Hardy Boyz made this even bigger as well.

-Phranchize

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Eyes on the Ring 1:43 AM  No comment

Eyes On WWE: Ranking The Last 6 Wrestlemanias

By @TrueGodImmortal

Wrestlemania is here. Well, not exactly, but close enough. We are on the final stop on the Road to Wrestlemania and the show is just weeks away. The rumored card is a bit disappointing, as usual, but this leads us to look back at the last few Mania events and rank them from worst to best. Where does Wrestlemania 30 rank? 31? 29? Let's take a look.

6. Wrestlemania 32 

-A lot of people give this a pass, but it doesn't deserve it. The WWE decided to stick with the horrible idea of Triple H vs Roman Reigns and while that might have been a good idea to them a year before, it wasn't a good idea at all. In addition to that, we got a really lackluster card that was the result of injuries and some bullshit booking. Nothing felt special here. The Undertaker returned for a pointless match with Shane McMahon, AJ Styles and Chris Jericho had a solid match with a bad outcome, and the best moment for me was watching Shawn Michaels (in his gear), Mick Foley, and Stone Cold Steve Austin fighting against the League of Nations. Other than that, the IC Title Ladder match was decent enough, but the Brock Lesnar vs Dean Ambrose match was a huge disappointment. Overall, it was a card that didn't have much potential and the outcome reflected that.

5. Wrestlemania 29

-I don't have fond memories of this event, but it does have some solid matches and one classic. The main event wasn't the best of course, and the three biggest matches featured two rematches that no one wanted to see, but the undercard was actually pretty good. The best match of the night should have headlined the show and that's CM Punk vs The Undertaker. This is the highlight of the entire show. As Punk and Taker put on a show, the rest of the card struggled to keep up, as Triple H and Brock Lesnar put on a subpar match and The Rock vs John Cena 2 was the most unnecessary title match ever. The Shield vs Orton, Sheamus, and Ryback was solid, Jericho vs Fandango was solid, and so was the tag team title match, but otherwise, this event was on par with the poor quality of WM32. You could flip a coin and either choice is correct. That's how bad it was.

4. Wrestlemania 33

-Last year was decent. It wasn't the best, it wasn't the worst, but the low moments would be pretty low. The main event was one of the worst in Mania history, with Roman Reigns and The Undertaker putting on one of the worst matches I've witnessed in Mania big match situations. The Brock vs Goldberg match wasn't terrible, but it wasn't that good and it was mostly just excitement over an actual match, but despite that, the high points did come during this event. For one, Seth Rollins vs Triple H gave Triple H his best Mania match since Daniel Bryan. AJ Styles and Shane McMahon put on a good show as well, and I liked the Chris Jericho and Kevin Owens match. However, the Smackdown Women's Title match, the Bray Wyatt vs Randy Orton match, and the mixed tag team match were all awful and I mostly ignored this during my watch of the show. My memories of WM33 aren't too fond or too bad, they are right in the middle. It is a decent event, but of course, nothing special.

3. Wrestlemania 28 

-I loved this Mania when it first happened. Repeat viewings have been decent, but for the most part, Wrestlemania 28 is known mostly for the triple main event that really made this a must see show. Sure, the Undertaker vs Triple H rematch wasn't built the right way, but it was the match of the night IMO and one of the most fun matches in a while. In addition to that, The Rock vs John Cena was actually a pretty damn good match, and CM Punk vs Chris Jericho is an underrated battle for Mania history. Aside from the women's tag team match and the Daniel Bryan vs Sheamus 18 seconds debacle, this is a solid Mania and deserving of this spot.

2. Wrestlemania 31 

-If I was being honest, this could have been no. 1, but it just misses the mark due to the main event. I'll be honest, I was not sold on Brock vs Reigns and I still don't understand why this match was made. It was boring to me up until Seth Rollins cashed in and etched his name in Wrestlemania history. The man who should have faced Brock, Daniel Bryan, would end up winning the IC Title in a solid ladder match, along with Seth taking on Randy Orton as well. While The Undertaker vs Bray Wyatt was mediocre, it did feature some interesting moments in the match. Triple H vs Sting was solid and nostalgic fun and I didn't mind the Cena vs Rusev match despite the outcome. Overall, this was a very good Mania with only a few small mishaps, which includes a segment with The Rock, Ronda Rousey, Triple H, and Stephanie McMahon that was foreshadowing what we see today, but it was fun at least. Mania 31 is still a very good show that I watch pieces of from time to time.

1. Wrestlemania 30

-The truth is, this has the best ending of just about any Mania. This might be the best ending of Mania besides 20 really. I mean, how often is it that WWE does the right thing? Not often at all. Well, with that, the truth is, WWE was forced to do so this go round and the result ended up being one of the best Manias in a long time. Aside from Cesaro winning the battle royal, Brock ending the streak, and the Hogan, Austin and Rock segment to open the show, there were two excellent Daniel Bryan matches that showcased why he was the best in the world. Bryan vs Triple  H was a classic and the triple threat main event gave us the happy ending that Mania desperately needed. The show was given enough time for all the matches and wrestling wise, it was a solid show, and because of what this show means, it has to be no. 1 on the list. It has to be.

-True

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Eyes on the Ring 1:39 AM  No comment

Eyes On WWE: The 7 Greatest WWE T-Shirts

By @TrueGodImmortal

When fans enter the WWE events, one thing that can almost always be seen is the merchandise. Whether wrist bands, hats, bandanas, or the standard go to, T-Shirts, fans flock to support their favorites and there is no better way to do that than shirts. With that being said, over the years in WWE, we've seen some of the most iconic shirts that made an impact just like the wrestler it was made for. Today, I wanted to rank the 7 greatest WWE shirts. Which shirts make the list? Read on to find out.

7. Macho Man's Purple Classic

-There aren't many shirts during the era that I remember, but during the 80s and beyond, I can vividly remember seeing this shirt on the old Coliseum Videos, but since the untimely death of Randy Savage, this shirt has taken on a life of its own. You can still see fans wearing this for nostalgic purposes, which proved the staying power of this iconic piece of merchandise.

6. The Rock's Just Bring It 

-My favorite thing about the Rock and his merchandise is that it was simple. A majority of his shirts kept it simple, going for a simple design on a black shirt and for me, this is the most iconic shirt from one of the greatest. Rock would wear this shirt a lot during 2000 and 2001, but he would have different editions of Just Bring It style shirts through his other runs, including his most recent in WWE, but the original is easily one of the most popular and important WWE shirts. It is the essential Rock shirt for WWE.

5. Rowdy Roddy Piper's Hot Rod Shirt 

-This shirt is essentially resurrected due to the new acquisition of Ronda Rousey and her Piper inspired merchandise, but back in the day, this shirt was iconic and it remains that. Piper was a legendary heel, and every heel needs a signature shirt. This was his signature shirt. One of the most important shirts ever in WWE history still lives on today and brings nostalgic feelings every time you see it.

4. CM Punk's Best In The World

-I remember when I got this shirt. I was excited. Beyond belief. This shirt sums up an era honestly. CM Punk was the MAN in 2011-2012 and this shirt was flying off of the shelves as soon as he walked out with it on at Money In The Bank 2011. His merchandise was so popular and he became the new merchandise king through 2011-2013, but there is no shirt more important than this one in his career. With an edgy design that catches the eye, the white shirt became an iconic piece of merchandise and anytime you think of CM Punk in WWE, this shirt comes to mind instantly.

3. The Original D-Generation X Shirt 

-While the DX merchandise has always been lucrative, it was the most simple of their merchandise to be the biggest earner. With the DX logo on the front and the silver font of "Two Words, Suck It" on the back, the shirt would fly off the shelves at WWF events and this is the second most iconic shirt of the Attitude Era. There are more DX shirts that were popular, but this one takes the cake and is a top 5 shirt of all time in wrestling and easily top 3 in WWE history.

2. Hulkamania 

-The biggest shirt of the 80s and one of the greatest in wrestling. Whether it was the red shirt with the yellow lettering or the yellow shirt with the red lettering, this shirt was the symbol for Hulk Hogan and it was the craze for most fans. The crowds would be full of yellow and red for Hogan during his prime and there is no way that this shirt can go below the top 2. In some cases, it might actually be no. 1, but Austin 3:16 was such a bigger moment that I think Hulkamania is comfortably in the top 2 of WWE shirts and top 5 of wrestling shirts all time (probably no. 3).

1. The Austin 3:16 Shirt 

-The greatest of them all. There is no shirt in WWF history that feels as important as this one and there is no shirt that has sold more units than this one during the Attitude Era. Released in 1996/1997, this shirt has seen many different styles and has always been a top seller. Austin would make the Austin 3:16 catchphrase a huge deal and every week, the WWF crowd would flock to buy this shirt and the arena would be filled with Austin 3:16. Aside from the NWO shirt, there is no shirt in wrestling history on the same level of Austin 3:16, not even Hulkamania or DX. Austin was the biggest star of the era and his merchandise moved record numbers then, making the Austin 3:16 shirt the GOAT without a doubt.

-True

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Eyes on the Ring 11:59 PM  No comment