Underrated Matches
What are some matches you don’t hear people talk about that you’re a fan of?
One of the matches I remember liking is the main event of Uncensored 97. it’s a three team 12 man tag with Team Piper vs. Team WCW vs. Team NWO with a stipluation if each of them wins. The whole thing actually works and there’s nothing to it that is too far over the top that it gets ridiculous. The post match appearance by Sting and confirming that he’s WCW is awesome stuff too.
Your picks?
The 2 that come to mind for me are HHH VS Shawn Michaels from Bad Blood 2004 and Undertaker VS Shamrock from Backlash 1999. HHH VS HBK was the longest HIAC match of all time. If you liked HHH VS Undertaker at Wrestlemania 27, you’ll probably like that match. If you didn’t like HHH and Taker, you probably won’t like it. The HIAC match was the conclusion to the HHH VS HBK feud that spanned 2 years. The Shamrock VS Taker match was not well received by WWF fans in 1999, but I think it would be much better received today. This was the first time that Taker used the MMA-influenced style that he would adopt in later years. The WWF fans in 1999 did not want to see a match based around submission moves, so the match was not well regarded at the time. Opinion of it basically hasn’t changed much since because early 1999 WWF is not well regarded these days.
I’m not too familiar with TNA prior to 2010, but I’m sure there are many matches from ’00s TNA that are underrated because few people have seen them (and the so-called “IWC” is disproportionately composed of WWE fans and Indy fans, both of whom tend to have an anti-TNA bias). If the same ****1/2 match from WWE or ROH takes place in a TNA ring, we won’t hear as much about it on the Internet. I’m fairly certain that Angle didn’t suddenly stop having great matches after he left WWE and suddenly start again once I started watching TNA. Likewise, I’m pretty sure that AJ Styles has had a bunch of great matches over the years that I haven’t seen.
Macho man vs ultimate warrior at summerslam 92. This match is over shadowed by Bret vs bulldog on the same card and their epic match at WM VII. But it truly is a fantastic match filled with drama and unpredictability. Nobody knew at the time which corner mr. Perfect would be in and although it’s a tad overbooked and has a non finish, it’s an underappreciated classic in my book
Don’t ask me why but I enjoyed Goldust vs. RVD at No Way Out in 2002. I saw Goldust used some moves that I’ve never seen before and I was entertained throughout the match even though I never got the reason why he was so intrigued with Van Dam.
Christian vs. Shelton Benjamin- Survivor Series 2004. A perfect opener as both guys were giving it their all and I wish they would have done more with Christian at that time. He would have made a decent second heel to JBL in 2004.
Backlash 2000. One of my favourite matches from that year, or in fact ever, and a brilliant PPV for “the one that has to go after Mania”. This is my go-to underrated match for all these discussions.
Jericho vs. Benoit for the Intercontinental Title.
Now for 9 year old me, and to this day, the structure of the match serves perfectly to show the concept of faces vs. heels. It also subverted the classic Dusty finish. Both guys give it their all throughout this match, but Benoit is frustrated that he still can’t get Jericho to give it up. He resorts to using the belt (while the ref is down) – so the next part is obviously predictable, right? Uses the belt. Sets up the headbutt.
Now here’s the subversive part. Jericho, in a rare moment of face savviness, decides to play the game here, and grabs the belt and holds it up just as Benoit makes contact. Boom! Benoit’s busted open, Jericho’s gonna put that damn heel in his place now! Unfortunately, the ref comes to just as this is happening, so the HEEL WINS BY DQ. It was a massive deal to little me, I was furious.