THE MOSS COVERED THREE HANDLED FAMILY CREDENZA
ARTICLE #10
OCTOBER 22, 2001
Wrestlemania’s Unforgettable Matches
WWF Intercontinental Title: Randy Savage (c) w/Elizabeth vs Ricky Steamboat w/George Steele 3/29/87
Steamboat took Savage down early and Savage bailed out. Steamboat dominated Savage early with simple, but fast-paced offense. Savage caught Steamboat as he reentered the ring and gained an early near fall. Steamboat worked on Savage’s left arm, including using the top rope as a weapon. Savage fought back with an elbow and threw Steamboat over the top rope to the floor. Savage elbowed Steamboat in the throat and stomped him. He snapmared Steamboat back into the ring and gained a couple near falls. Steamboat scored with a series of blows and briefly tied up Savage in the ropes. Steamboat hit a cross bodyblock for a near fall and scored two more near falls in very fast-paced action. Savage went to throw Steamboat over the top rope but Steamboat held on, although Savage then clotheslined him over the top to the floor. Savage gave Steamboat a top rope axhandle and gained a near fall after an elbow strike. Savage rammed Steamboat’s neck onto the top rope for a near fall and gained another near fall after an atomic drop. Savage suplexed Steamboat for a near fall and gained another with a gut wrench suplex. Steamboat fought back with chops and backdropped Savage over the top rope to the floor. Steamboat scored with a chop off the top rope for a near fall. Steamboat gained another near fall after a chop. Steamboat sunset flipped Savage into the ring for a near fall. He slammed Savage and catapulted him into the corner for another near fall. They traded rollups for near falls. Savage sent Steamboat shoulder-first into the ringpost. Savage went to whip Steamboat into the corner but Steamboat collided with the ref. Savage gave Steamboat a top rope elbowsmash and went for a pin but the ref was still out of it. Savage grabbed the ring bell but Steele took it from him. Savage got the bell and went to pounce on Steamboat from the top rope, but Steele pushed him to the canvas. Savage attempted a slam but Steamboat rolled him up and pinned him at 14:12 to win the title. A great match with a fast pace that they maintained for a remarkable period of time. Many near falls had little significance, but their simple inclusion was an impressive aspect of this match by 1987 standards. ****3/4
This was the climax of a feud that had taken place for several months, I believe dating back to 9/86 when Savage attacked Steamboat to the extent that Steamboat was stretchered out of the arena. At this time, Wrestlemaina had evolved into the end/beginning of the WWF’s “annual” booking cycle more or less. The WWF had its share of solid workers, but relied more on showmanship and gimmicks, thus workrate wasn’t emphasized and few standout matches were produced. Steamboat and Savage were both in their prime around 1987 and were two of the best workers in North America. This match was so undeniably great that even the tabloid magazines gave it best match honors ahead of the much-ballyhooed but atrocious Hogan-Andre main event. In fact, it would remain the best match in WWF history until at least 1992 (Hart-Bulldog Summerslam) or 1994, when Wrestlemania X produced two of the best matches in WWF history. While I still greatly enjoy watching this match on tape, I don’t know if a match of this type would hold up well in today’s environment. There were few spectacular moves by today’s standards and more insignificant near falls than you would see today. However, the match had a few strengths that may very well be timeless. First, the intensity was very strong on the part of both men. They fought at about as fast a pace as one could imagine without a lucha or cruiserweight style being incorporated. Also, they used the top rope more often than in most matches of that era in the U.S. While many near falls lacked significance, the quantity of them was very much a novelty and this also gave the match a sense of urgency that fans could get into. Overall, a nearly textbook 80s match.
Bret Hart vs Owen Hart 3/20/94
They traded offense on the mat and Owen reacted egotistically to his escape of a headlock. A mat wrestling exchange ended with Bret sending Owen through the ropes to the floor. Owen slapped Bret and drew good heat. They continued the theme of Owen holding his own on the mat but Bret ultimately out-wrestling Owen. Bret rolled up Owen for an early near fall and maintained the advantage on the mat. Bret monkey-flipped Owen into the ropes and clotheslined him over the top rope to the floor. Bret confronted Owen in the ring and slapped him. Bret gave Owen a crucifix for a near fall and went back to an armbar on Owen. Owen finally scored with a spin kick on Bret. He stomped Bret out of the ring and rammed his back into the ringpost. Owen whipped Bret hard into the corner and continued to weaken Bret’s back with a camel clutch. Owen belly to belly suplexed Bret for a near fall. Owen gave Bret a flying bodypress off the middle rope but Bret rolled through and gained a near fall. Owen German suplexed Bret for a near fall and gained another near fall after a legdrop. Owen tombstoned Bret but missed a top rope headbutt. Bret finally regained the advantage, gaining near falls with a Russian legsweep and a second rope elbow. Owen fought back with an enzuguiri. He attempted to apply a sharpshooter and Bret countered with a failed sharpshooter attempt of his own. Bret hit a tope but hurt his knee in the process. Owen attacked Bret’s injured knee, including ramming his leg three times into the ringpost. Owen used a dragon screw and applied a figure 4 leglock. Bret fought back and whipped Owen hard into the corner. He legdropped Owen for a near fall and gained another near fall after a bulldog. Bret piledrove Owen for a near fall but still sold his injured knee. Bret gave Owen a top rope superplex for a great near fall. Bret applied a sleeper but Owen mule kicked him low to break the hold. Owen then successfully applied a sharpshooter on Bret. However, Bret escaped and seamlessly applied a sharpshooter of his own but Owen reached the ropes. Bret attempted a victory roll but Owen blocked it and rolled up Bret for the pin at 20:18. Each time I watch this match I enjoy it more. Not an all-time classic because not all of the work was cutting edge or even modern at times, but everything they did had flawless execution and the attention to details was similar to a big All Japan match. Owen’s best match and one of Bret’s best. ****3/4
It seemed like the legacy of this match, at least where I live, really grew following Owen’s death. That’s one of the few positives that came out of such a tragedy, as this match was largely overshadowed by the epic first ladder match between Razor Ramon & Shawn Michaels. The fact that the Bret-Owen classic is often underrated is somewhat symbolic of Owen Hart’s career. For much of his career, especially his early years, he was one of the most underrated workers in wrestling. In his early years, he was one of the best high flyers in wrestling and actually a better worker than Keichi Yamada before Yamada took off as Jushin Liger. Bret was always a solid worker, but seemed to catch fire in 1991 after his classic match against Curt Hennig. He was generally regarded as a top 10 or top 20 worker in 1994. Also, the storyline of Owen being in Bret’s shadow wasn’t too much of an exaggeration. To my knowledge, this was Owen’s only pinfall victory over his more famous older brother, and in turn the biggest victory of his career. Appropriately, it was also the best match of his career and created one of the fondest memories of Owen for wrestling fans worldwide.
Ladder Match for the WWF Intercontinental title: Razor Ramon (champion) vs Shawn Michaels (challenger) 3/20/94
Many fans still call this the greatest match in WWF history. While it is the most historic great WWF match ever, the 1995 rematch between these two was actually a hair better because it was better laid out. Still, this was a standard-setting match for the WWF and ladder matches in general. The match started with several cool exchanges in quick fashion. The highlight of this segment saw Razor attempt his Razor's edge, but Michaels backdropped him out of the ring and onto an exposed section of the concrete floor. Diesel, Michaels' bodyguard, interfered early on and was ejected. There were so many creative and breathtaking spots with the ladder. Michaels did a splash off the ladder at one point, and did another splash by falling onto the ladder, which in turn fell onto Ramon. However, the highlights saw Michaels act as a human highlight reel as Ramon tore him apart. He threw Michaels into the ladder in a corner, and Michaels sailed onto the floor. Ramon knocked the ladder over and Michaels twice fell onto the ropes: the first time neck-first and the second time crotch-first. Ramon also catapulted Michaels into the ladder outside the ring. In between moves, the pacing was excellent for the most part with both men selling the damage well. The end came after Michaels fell off the ladder crotch-first onto the top rope and got entangled in the ropes. Ramon seized that opportunity to climb the ring and retrieve both championship belts (including Shawn's fake belt), thus winning the match in 18:44. The greatest match in Wrestlemania history. *****
It’s too bad that as time progresses and as more and more spectacular moves are incorporated to ladder matches, this classic becomes less revered by many fans. Back in 1994, this match was a true standard setter and was the match against which future ladder matches would be judged. Michaels came through with the performance of his life, described by many as a “human highlight reel” in terms of bumps. As for Razor Ramon, his work was just peaking at this time and his steady, nearly flawless work served as a glue between Michaels’s spectacular moves. Ramon was the perfect counterpart to someone like Michaels- able to dish out a ton of punishment, power-oriented yet able to keep up in quick technical exchanges. Going into this match, many experts feared that their ladder match would be too reminiscent of the “climb and fall” mentality characteristic of WWF cage matches. However, the ladder proved to be more of a strength than a detriment as both men created many unique (at the time) spots, both spectacular yet punishing, centered around the ladder. Also, while no blood was shed, this match was much more hardcore in nature than all but a few WWF matches around that time, so the match to a certain extent was a trailblazer of the future WWF style. Add to that fact that Ramon vs Michaels remains (arguably) the best Wrestlemania match ever in 2001 contributes to its historical significance. Around 1994, the WWF was starting to emphasize workrate to a greater extent, even if that aspect progressed slowly for a while. It was the first truly ***** match in WWF history.
Submission Match: Bret Hart vs Steve Austin 3/23/97
This was arguably the second best match in Wrestlemania history and arguably the best match in the careers of both men. It was also historic in that it signaled the end of the Bret Hart face era and the beginning of the Austin era in the WWF. Ken Shamrock was the guest referee for this match. Austin charged Bret at the bell and the action quickly spilled outside the ring and into the crowd. Both men traded the advantage during this stretch, with the highlight being Bret clotheslining Austin while he was sitting on the ringside barricade. The fight continued with generally basic offense, but also with a great level of intensity. Bret worked on Austin's leg for a couple minutes but Austin turned things around with a stone cold stunner. However, Bret soon regained control and hooked Austin in the figure four leglock around the ringpost. Austin knocked Bret silly with a chairshot. Austin then used a few submission holds to try to gain the win. Austin attempted a sharpshooter but Bret cut him off. The action spilled outside the ring again, and Bret maintained the advantage as Austin's head began to bleed like a pig. Austin mounted an inspired comeback climaxing with a superplex. However, at 20:20 Bret applied the sharpshooter as blood gushed out of Austin's forehead at an alarming rate. Austin was briefly able to escape the hold, but Bret quickly reapplied it. Austin "passed out" and Shamrock awarded the match to Bret at 22:03. After the match, Bret continued his assault on Austin's leg and had to be physically restrained by Shamrock. And so began the modern era of the WWF. Nothing innovative in terms of the work, but great intensity and a very good storyline. ****3/4
While the slogan wouldn’t exist for several more months, this was the first match that truly symbolized the “WWF Attitude” era. With its brawling through the crowd & around ringside, its bloodshed and the unusual dynamics (at the time) of Austin’s and Hart’s turns, this match was a trend setter for the next couple years in the WWF. It was also the most hardcore match in Wrestlemania history up to 1997 and remains one of the bloodiest matches in WWF history entirely due to Austin’s blood loss. From a historical standpoint this match rates very highly because it launched the Austin era in the WWF, which was characterized by record-breaking business and Austin becoming, briefly, the hottest merchandise-seller in wrestling history, even beating out Hulk Hogan. With this match the Bret Hart era as the WWF’s most consistent face came to an end. Bret’s work and accomplishments as a face were so significant that his heel turn remains one of the most memorable ever from my viewpoint. Another important fact that this was perhaps the best match in the careers of both Austin and Hart.
NEXT ISSUE: Masato Tanaka vs Mike Awesome: The ECW Classics
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