Match of the Week: Steve Austin vs Rock (Backlash 99)

 Match of the Week: Steve Austin vs Rock (Backlash 99)

This match is one forgotten gems they had together. In my opinion, this match is far superior than their Wrestlemania 15 encounter. Going into the match the following happened:

- while Rock got his rematch, Steve Austin wanted his custom smoking skull world heavyweight belt back
- McMahons stacked the odds against Austin with Shane McMahon as referee of the match. Stipulations tacked on if Austin touched him he would be DQ'd and lose the belt
- Vince and Shane McMahon now at each other throats over power
- Rock and Austin battle on the bridge which Rock threw Austin over and into the river along with the "title"
- turns out Rock didn't toss smoking skull belt. He was wearing it and held mock funeral for the belt. Austin gained revenge steamrolling Rock's car. Both fought which Austin sent Rock down to the grave. Shane McMahon bashed Austin from behind with a shovel and is left as the last visual of holding smoking skull belt high in the air over Austin and Rock going to the show.
- before the show started match is made into no holds barred.

At least Austin and Rock made sense while McMahons feuding bit confusing. Then again its Russo style booking.

As for the match both took no hold barred rule seriously at they brawled and tore everything down in their path from fencing, equipment, and announce tables. One of my favorite visual moments when Rock got hold of camera mocking Austin only eat a stunner on top of announce table. The overbooking kicked in trying screw Austin few times. Vince would enter the foray sending one of Hebners as referee of the match and KO'ing Shane with a belt. Steve Austin gave Rock another stunner then a belt shot to retain the title and is shown holding both winged and smoking skull belt at same time.

Another wild fun brawl between the two and would get to pinnacle of it few years later.

WWE Backlash 1999 Stone Cold vs The Rock (No... by tweety-adnan

The next night on RAW Rock would turn full blown face again leaving The Corporation while Steve Austin save Stephanie McMahon from clutches of The Undertaker whom he kidnapped at end of Backlash.

RIP Prince

This year brutally sucked in deaths. So many favorites and respected people leaving this world. Prince is one my favorite. His musical ability is super uncanny. Going miss him. RIP Prince.

My silly tribute to him in this picture

Match of the Week: Kurt Angle vs Shane McMahon (2001 WWE King of the Ring)

Back after hiatus and had great Wrestlemania weekend. I watch another classic Shane McMahon bump, this time, live when he went for elbow drop on The Undertaker from top of Hell in the Cell and ended up crashing through announce table. Throughout the years when Shane gets in the ring to battle he found a ways to get on highlight reel with his crazy stunt spots. One of his infamous matches is the crazy match against Kurt Angle at 2001 WWE King of the Ring.

The picture said it all. Both battle each other in the street fight brutally beating each other the entire match. The famous spot was Angle suplexing Shane multiple times on the plexiglass trying get it to break. Post match causality left Angle with broken tailbone and Shane lucky to be alive after nearly killing himself landing on his head when the glass didn't break.

At the end you give Shane McMahon props and respect for willing put his body on the line each and every time for the dangerous spot he perform,

Shane McMahon vs Kurt Angle Street Fight King... by suverier_sabu

Ken Anderson Must Be Biggest Idiot in Wrestling

The title said all. Never have someone given a chance to be a main eventer only to piss it away in both WWE and TNA. He was loud, obnoxious, and clear on the mic. He can work around the ring. He was destined to be main eventer in the big time. But his story shows how bad he blew it.

When he debut in WWE he shined and just when things looking up he got hurt. These things happen. He recovered and given Money in the Bank win at Wrestlemania. Things really looking up but nope, got derailed by injury bug again resulting Edge beating him for Money in the Bank to get it away from him. Recovered and about receive main event push as being Vince McMahon illegitimate son. Then came one final mistake. He went public saying he never used steroids. What happen two weeks later? Got popped for failed drug test resulting in suspension and changing of WWE plans. That killed any trust of him being a main eventer relegating him to midcard status. He got sloppy on wrong person name Randy Orton effectively ending his disappointing WWE tenure. Went to land of misfits on TNA where they take anyone to put on TV and PPV whether old, drunk, drugged up, and willing take late paycheck. He was able main event on smaller scale company with TV and PPV show that try to act big but failing each time becoming champion twice. Yet cracks shown where he just shell of himself and more of loudmouth joke. Just things winding down he expected get another shot at main event. What happen? He showed up and wrestle when he is in no condition to against their longest tenure guy, Eric Young where it was reportedly terrible and cut from TV. At Young instance, TNA drug tested him (the same company that put Jeff Hardy out to wrestle in no condition) and he failed ending his TNA tenure. In silly parting shot Ken Anderson responded "Fuck TNA."

No Anderson fuck you. They gave you opportunity when no one wants touch you after your failed WWE effort putting the title on you twice. When given a chance you found a way to blow it. Whether its ill-timed injuries to opening your big mouth to your sloppiness. You somehow piss off the big players in the respected companies and you crossed another one of your last opportunity.

So many times in wrestling there wrestlers that got the rug pulled under them due to booking. Except for Ken Anderson he pulled the rug under him by himself when on verge of launching to the top. He end up stranded on the pad. He now coined the term "Ken Anderson'd" when it comes to wrestlers who blew their potential main event status.

Hayabusa

Sad Hayabusa passed away. He's one of my all-time favorites to grace the ring. My first Japanese wrestling tape I ever got was FMW 4/30/98 and 5/19/98 shows. He stood out way more and became huge FMW fan as result. His feud with childhood friend and rival Mr. Gannosuke is one of underrated feuds in wrestling. He always brought the best out of everyone he faced such as Masato Tanaka, Tetsuhiro Kuroda, and the late Kodo Fuyuki. A freak ring accident left him paralyzed ending his in-ring career. Despite it all he continued to be in wrestling in some form. The guy loved this business. Being true fighter he worked hard through his paralysis and last year able to walk unaided. Like a phoenix he risen from re-birth from being ace of a company through serious injuries to promoting and have new career in singing. Rest in peace Hayabusa and may you be re-born and rise again.

Match of the Week: Daniel Bryan vs Jack Swagger/Antonio Cesaro/Ryback (WWE RAW 7/22/13)

Match of the Week: Daniel Bryan vs Jack Swagger/Cesaro/Ryback (WWE RAW 7/22/13)

Last week Daniel Bryan announced his retirement as years of in-ring punishment finally caught up to him. I was fortunate to watch him live in person few times. One of the times was this live RAW I attended. This was build to Summerslam which then champion John Cena handpicked Bryan as his opponent. On this night they had contract signing and Daniel Bryan got booked in a gauntlet match against three wrestlers to showcase he truly belong on WWE PPV main event. I called this RAW moment "30 Minutes with Daniel Bryan" because he wrestled 30 minutes or more on main event of RAW. Think about it and put this in mind. They put Daniel Bryan to wrestle on RAW main event for more than 30 minutes minutes. Before this match the last time I remember RAW given lot of time to wrestler(s) in a match was Shawn Michaels and John Cena in near hour battle.

This entry feature the photos I took of this match. His first match was against Jack Swagger who vanquished him in three minutes with a Yes Lock. His second opponent is Swagger's partner Antonio Cesaro as they had hard-hitting back and forth match with Bryan winning after countering Cesaro's Swiss Miss into inside cradle. TV timing have it for almost 15 minutes. Match was good on TV, but far superior live in person. Being there live I can tell this match of the year candidate while the two commercial breaks took it away. His last opponent was Ryback who bullied and dominated a tired Bryan in the match. Bryan made small comeback only get knocked back down. Ryback set up a table outside the ring only get met with flying Daniel Bryan. It started another comeback ending with Bryan putting Yes Lock on Ryback which he used the ropes to break it. He went for one too many high risk move as Ryback catches and counter with powerbomb on the floor. He powerbombed him again this time through a table resulting DQ and victory to Daniel Bryan. The match reached around 10 minutes. In the post match John Cena saved Daniel Bryan beating Ryback up. At the end of the gauntlet Daniel Bryan lasted more than 30 minutes.

You think that was end of this? Wrong! This post RAW dark match featured John Cena taking Mark Henry. The Shield came out attacking both wrestlers with Daniel Bryan making the save. The match turn into six men tag with John Cena, Mark Henry, and Daniel Bryan taking on The Shield which ended in a DQ. On that night he wrestled in four matches in likely total of 40-45 minutes.

There are moments you have to be there. This is one of those moments. Thank you Daniel Bryan!

Match of the Week: Christian vs Chris Jericho (Wrestlemania 20)

Match of the Week: Christian vs Chris Jericho (Wrestlemania 20)

It started with $1 Canadian bet between best friends on who can nail one of hottest woman wrestler. Turns out to be a mistake when one started develop feelings for her thinking its more deep than friends. His best friend try snap him out of it saying she's not interested. His best friend is also saying she got an eye on someone which is him. This led to split between friends duking it out for her affections at Wrestlemania. The potential love interest wander down cheering on the one who is love sick for her. Got involved only get thrown to the corner. When the one smitten with love checked on her she inadvertently elbowed him into a rollup and loss to his former best friend. She consoled him only slap him few times and went to his "best friend" side with a kiss to remember. At the end the asshole get the girl while nice guys finish last. Love hurts.


[#wrestlemania XX] Christian vs. Chris Jericho by JerichoNetwork