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The wrestling business is always evolving. Back in the days, the steel cage was the end all be all of ending feuds. With the evolution of the steel cage, we have one of the biggest attractions the WWE has to offer now – Hell in a Cell.

The cage that sits a few feet outside the ring onto the floor, has walls that were initially 15 feet and now are over 20 feet high and a roof to keep people out has proven to be the best way to culminate a heated program. This year though, it does seem a little lackluster. Though I will say, the actions of the four men involved in the two matches – John Cena, Randy Orton, Seth Rollins and Dean Ambrose – went a long way to add intrigue to this year’s show.

Really, though, you can’t blame the WWE for that TOO much. Yes they need to do a bit of a better job creating top stars, but they have been hit by the injury bug worse than a last place fantasy football team! They build Daniel Bryan, and now he’s out for months. Let’s start building Roman Reigns for a possible WrestleMania main event, but now he is out of action. Even a guy like Bad New Barrett, who it seemed was ready for a bit of a push, is out with an injury. It even goes back to unexpected departure of CM Punk to start 2014. But Hell in a Cell is still Hell in a Cell and the history of cell matches adds enough interest to make sure we watch.

So to get us ready for this year’s installment, let’s take a look at what I think are the 10 best Hell in a Cell matches of all time. These matches mostly come from events that had pretty impressive cards, but anytime the hellish structure is hanging over the ring, the crowd is just waiting for the match that brings the cage down to the floor.

 

#10

MATCH: Triple H vs Chris Jericho

EVENT: Judgment Day

VENUE: Bridgestone Arena – Nashville, TN

DATE: May 19, 2002

Our countdown starts at what was the first ever Pay-Per-View ever for the WWE, no longer the WWF. An event that saw two of the biggest names in history in the same ring as Stone Cold Steve Austin took on Ric Flair…and Big Show – Hulk Hogan’s 2002 championship run came to an end against The Undertaker - the world was first introduced to a bald Kurt Angle – and, of course, we had the cell.

In this match, Triple H and Chris Jericho ended the rivalry that gave us that year’s WrestleMania main event…well, at least the last match on the card. To culminate the program, Jericho and The Game pulled out all the stops. We had chairs, a ladder, the stairs, Triple H’s patented sledgehammer and, the cherry on top, the 2x4 wrapped in barbed wire.

We saw the end of Tim White’s refereeing career which gave us a reason to have the cell door opened during the match. Anytime the match goes to the top of the cell is a plus. I highly doubt we will see anyone taking a Mick Foley dive off of the new, taller cell - and for the sake of those in the matches thank God! – but just being on the top adds a different element to the match. On his podcast, Jericho has repeatedly said that is a different world looking down from the top of the cell, and how can you argue that? To sum up the fight in this match, we had a camera shot looking straight up from inside the ring with a drop of blood on the camera lens. You can’t script something like that.

After taking a few shots from the barbed wire 2x4, Triple H came back and hit Jericho with the Pedigree on the top of the cage for the win. The two have had great in-ring chemistry since 2000 – the only thing that could have made this match better would be adding a Jericho/Stephanie battle on the mic.

 

#9

MATCH: Brock Lesnar (c) vs The Undertaker – WWE Championship

EVENT: No Mercy

VENUE: Alltel Arena – Little Rock, AR

DATE: October 20, 2002

Everyone knows that if you want respect in the WWE and you want to be known as a top name in the game, you have to go through The Undertaker – both inside the ring and out. After just six months on the main roster, Brock Lesnar upset The Rock at SummerSlam to become the youngest WWE Champion in history. Still though, something was missing. Some thought he was still just a flash in the pan. It was smart for the WWE to put Lesnar with Taker following the Rock match to solidify Lesnar as a legit star.

Going back to Paul Heyman’s promo from this past Monday, this proved to be another example of how the career of Brock Lesnar seemed to still be pretty similar in a dominant way as it was when he started in 2002 – Lesnar beat Taker in 2002, and I vaguely remember Heyman mentioning something about Lesnar being the 1 in 21-1 or something like that.

The Undertaker gave Lesnar the biggest fight the young champion has had since coming to the WWE in March of that year but the rookie stood toe-to-toe with the phenom. Brock ended up with a clean win over The Undertaker and The Deadman’s face was bloodier than we had every seen. The way that Lesnar won the match proved that he would be a star for years to come - or at least the next 18 months before he thought the Vikings needed a new D-Tackle.

 

#8

MATCH: D-Generation X vs Vince McMahon, Shane McMahon & Big Show

EVENT: Unforgiven

VENUE: Air Canada Centre – Toronto, ON

DATE: September 17, 2006

Our #8 match involved both Vince McMahon and Shawn Michaels and also took place in Canada. Granted, we heard some expected “You Screwed Bret!” chants early in the match, but as the match went on, even the fans north of the border had to just sit back and appreciated what they were seeing.

This was a really bloody and intense battle that ended the DX vs The McMahons program from the summer of 2006. We saw screwdrivers, trash cans, Shane’s coast to coast Van Terminator rip-off and the Chairman of the Board’s head being shoved up Big Show. I think that gives you a fantastic image of just how nasty this match was.

 

#7

MATCH: Edge vs The Undertaker

EVENT: SummerSlam

VENUE: Conseco Field House – Indianapolis, IN

DATE: August 17, 2008

The 2008 SummerSlam saw a Hell in a Cell match was the end of the program that gave us that year’s WrestleMania main event…well, at least the last match on the card. You know, I swear I have heard that before somewhere…eh, probably just my imagination.

Edge and The Undertaker provided a great back and forth match here – amplified by Jim Ross on the call. We got the full TLC treatment with tables ladders and chairs and an unorthodox way for the two to get out of the cell during the match. After setting the stairs up outside, Edge jumped off and speared The Undertaker against the cell causing an entire panel of the cage to fall over. Once outside, the crowd came to their feet with Edge spearing Taker from one announce table and through another. Also, once back in the cage, The Dead Man gave Edge a chokeslam off the top rope through two tables stacked on top of each other on the outside of the ring which led to the tombstone and the win for The Undertaker.

But the best was yet to come. After deciding that he wasn’t done with the Rated-R Superstar, Taker brings Edge to the top of a ladder in the ring and chokeslams Edge straight to hell – fireball and all! Because, really, where else are you going to chokeslam someone through in Hell in a Cell? It’s not North Dakota in a Cell! Just like going to the top of the cell, fire is always a special added element to any match that makes it that much more memorable.

 

#6

MATCH: Triple H (c) vs Cactus Jack – WWF Championship

EVENT: No Way Out

VENUE: Hartford Civic Center – Hartford, CT

DATE: February 27, 2000

Speaking of fire, that smoothly transitions us to the #8 match. It’s a pretty memorable match when fire is used, on a barbed wire 2x4 nonetheless, and it’s not the most memorable part of the match…by far!

This match was billed as the WWF Championship vs Cactus Jack’s career. With that kind of a stipulation, you knew that Jack was going to do something crazy, and the fans were not disappointed. This was also the first time that Triple H found his way inside the cell. As you’ll probably be able to pick up from this countdown, it wouldn’t be his last time.

It obviously would take a lot to beat a crazy man like Cactus Jack to end his career, and it end up taking and a back drop from the top of the cell that sent Jack through the top of the cage and into the ring was what had to be done. Triple H got the win and that was the last that we saw of the man known as Cactus Jack!

In a completely unrelated note, some other fully bearded long-haired flannel wearing man named Mick Foley main evented WrestleMania the following month. Again, completely unrelated.

 

#5

MATCH: Triple H vs The Undertaker

EVENT: WrestleMania XXVIII

VENUE: Sun Life Stadium – Miami, FL

DATE: April 1, 2012

“The End of an Era” Well, both guys ended up having a few more matches so I’m not too sure how the era ended, but still. Thanks to the use of the mics on the cameras, this match may have been the most psychologically dramatic Hell in a Cell match there has been.

This was the second time that the cell has seen the biggest show of the year. The first being at WrestleMania XV in a pretty forgettable match between The Undertaker and the Big Boss Man. If having two stars as significant as Triple H and The Undertaker wasn’t enough, this WrestleMania rematch added Shawn Michaels as the special referee.

The excitement of “The Streak” always added something to Taker’s WrestleMania match, so the crowd was already on the edge of their seats with every near three count. Hearing the “STAY DOWN” “DON’T STOP THIS MATCH” among other quotes from inside the ring just added to the drama for those watching at home. Throw in the physicality of the match, the surprise debut of a hairless Undertaker and the fact that the cell itself had an entrance song – Metallica no less – and this Hell in a Cell match ranks towards the top of WrestleMania history.

 

#4

MATCH: John Cena (c) vs Alberto Del Rio vs CM Punk – WWE Championship

EVENT: Hell in a Cell

VENUE: New Orleans Arena – New Orleans, LA

DATE: October 2, 2011

No, this is not a misprint. We actually have a match in the top 10 that does NOT involve Triple H and/or The Undertaker! Obviously it would take a really good performance to keep the two biggest stars in Hell in a Cell history – Cena, Punk and Del Rio were able to do just that.

The three biggest names of 2011 provided a great back and forth…and forth (because there’s three of them) match that really made the crowd feel that any of the three could win at any time. It was Del Rio who actually locked Cena out of a cell and nailed Punk with a couple shots with a lead pipe to get the win and the WWE Championship.

The drama was just starting though as recently fired R-Truth and Miz hit the ring and destroyed everything in the cell, refs and cameraman included, with the entire locker room out and trying to get into the cell to stop them. Once again, a lot of credit goes to good ol JR for his frantic commentary to help set the mood for us to realize just how crazy this situation was.

This is the only match in the countdown since WWE started the Hell in a Cell Pay-Per-View in 2009 and I don’t think that is just a coincidence. I think that a part of what made Hell in a Cell matches so exciting before the Pay-Per-View was the spontaneity of it. The announcement that this program was going to have a Hell in a Cell match at the next Pay-Per-View added to the excitement. Now, you know that Hell in a Cell is coming up in October so a lot of the suspense is gone. I think that was another part of what made the Triple H/Undertaker match at WrestleMania XXVIII so special – it was so unexpected that we would get an additional Hell in a Cell match in a year.

 

#3

MATCH: Kurt Angle (c) vs The Undertaker vs Stone Cold Steve Austin vs Triple H vs Rikishi vs The Rock - WWF Championship

EVENT: Armageddon

VENUE: Birmingham-Jefferson Civic Center – Birmingham, AL

DATE: December 10, 2000

The end of 2000 saw a lot of solid storylines coming to an end. The question remained, which of these programs deserved to be put in the cell? Eh, might as well just throw them all in there!

The story behind it was the Mick Foley was a frustrated commissioner who wanted to put Vince McMahon’s high priced talent in more than just harm’s way by putting them all in the cell. Vince did what he could stop the match, including bringing truck down to the ring to try and tear the cage down. That didn’t work, however it did set up another big Hell in a Cell moment. Rikishi, don’t lie, you know that you read who was in this match and immediately started singing “One of These Things Doesn’t Belong” climbed to the top of the cell and ended up being tossed off by The Undertaker into whatever it was that was in the back of that truck.

The star power alone makes this match so special! How many non-Royal Rumble matches can you think of that includes THIS level of talent. Not only that, but it also started the set up for the main event for what many consider to be the best WrestleMania ever when Stone Cold and The Rock threw punches in the middle of the ring.

 

#2

MATCH: Shawn Michaels vs The Undertaker

EVENT: In Your House – Badd Blood

VENUE: Kiel Center - St. Louis, MO

DATE: October 5, 1997

It’s hard to top the original. When talking about ladder matches, people still reference Shawn Michaels and Razor Ramon at WrestleMania X as one of the best. Almost four years later, Michaels stepped into this new structure known as Hell in a Cell with The Undertaker and made history that is still talked about so fondly to this day.

Michaels and Taker set the bar high and not many have been able to reach it to this day. Michaels taking chair shot after chair shot, being “javelined” into the side of the cell and falling from the upper part of the cell to the announce table just let every cell match know that you have a lot to live up to.

Not only was the match intense, but this is where, after months of speculation, we were introduced to The Undertaker’s long lost brother, Kane. Paul Bearer led “The Big Red Monster” down to the ring who tore the door off the hinges and took out The Undertaker giving Michaels the win and a championship match against Bret Hart at next month’s Survivor Series…I can’t really remember anything special happening at that match, can you?

 

#1

MATCH: Mankind vs The Undertaker

EVENT: King of the Ring

VENUE: Pittsburgh Civic Center – Pittsburgh, PA

DATE: June 28, 1998

If you have any other Hell in a Cell match at the top of your list, you’re doing it wrong.

The match itself started on the top of the cage. Within minutes, JR made one of his infamous calls from this match, “they’re right above us folks, and I don’t like it a damn bit!” Seconds later, his fears were justified as The Undertaker threw Mankind from the top of the cage to the Spanish announce table in what is still considered one of the most famous scenes in WWE history! “Has God as my witness, he is broken in half!” Really, if you want to have a successful Hell in a Cell match, it’s always a safe bet to have JR call it! After about five minutes of trying to get Mankind on the stretcher and out of the arena, they made it almost halfway back up the aisle before Mankind jumped up from the stretcher and pretty much just said, “Nah, I’m good” and went back to the top of the cell! Aaaaaaaand about a minute later The Dead Man grabbed Mankind and chokeslammed him THROUGH the top of the cell and into the center of the ring with Mankind taking one of the most awkward looking bumps you have ever seen.

Later in the match, Mankind introduces a bed of thumbtacks in which he ended up being slammed on. Funny part of it, he didn’t fall right in the middle of the tacks, just the edge. So Mankind, being the logical thinker that he is, told the ref to tell Taker to do it again! Undertaker agreed, chokeslammed Mankind onto the tacks, and hit the tombstone for the win.

How memorable was this match? Stone Cold Steve Austin was, by far the biggest star in wrestling at that time, and possibly ever. That was the same night that he lost the WWF title for the first time to Kane. Nobody talks about that though. All they talk about is Mick Foley and how he solidified himself into the history books of the sport that he loved!

 

**Follow me on Twitter @Tadigity24 and tell me what you think and what you would like to read about**

 

 

 

 

John Cena vs Brock Lesnar … stop me if you’ve heard that one before. (Actually don’t because I know you’ve heard that one before and I would like you to keep reading!)

Yes the WWE has told us that once Brock Lesnar does come back to TV we will get him and Cena locking up for the third time since SummerSlam. Taking a deeper look at it though, it is hard to have too much of a problem with it.

When Lesnar beat The Undertaker at WrestleMania, the initial reaction was that it just didn’t make sense to have a part-time guy like Brock be the one to end the streak rather than a guy that could use it to further his career like a Daniel Bryan or Bray Wyatt. It turns out, though, that this was the start of building Brock as the seemingly unstoppable beast that they want him to be – which in turn has actually brought a little more relevance back to the WWE Championship. In the immortal words of Ric Flair, “To be the man you’ve gotta beat the man!” … … … … WOOOOOOO! (I tried not to!)

A third straight successful title defense against the standard flag-bearer for the WWE over the last decade is just a way to further the “unbeatable” character of Brock Lesnar. Not even John Cena can beat The Beast – making it that much more meaningful when someone actually does beat him.

So now it’s the same concept but a different character. Instead of using the end of The Streak to further enhance a rising star’s career, it’s beating the guy that ended The Streak. There are a lot of guys on the roster now that are ready to take that step by beating Brock or even just benefit from having a program against him.

The big rumor that has been floating out there for months now is that Roman Reigns, even with the recent injury, will be the guy to take on Brock at WrestleMania. If you’re reading this, you probably have heard that already, so you’ve thought about Reigns in the spot for months now, so I won’t bother going any further with him. But who are the others? Let’s take a look, shall we?

 

Cesaro

 

Remember him? He’s the guy that, about nine months ago, was ready to step up to the main event level. Cesaro won the inaugural Andre the Giant Battle Royal at WrestleMania by carrying the Big Show over the top robe making it look like he was picking up a stack of pillow. The next night he lets the world know that he is a Paul Heyman guy!

Well that didn’t last long! Shortly after that Cesaro was back on his own and has basically been a jobber to an extent this summer. The latest example being a two straight falls loss to Dolph Ziggler in a 2-out-of-3 falls match at Hell in a Cell.

Loss after loss after loss may be the angle to start the rise of Cesaro. He is so upset that he keeps losing that he just takes out anyone who gets in his way. The story with Brock writes itself. After some time, Cesaro crosses paths with Paul Heyman and, in so many words, tells Heyman that joining him was the start of his downfall and threatens to take him out. Enter Brock to save the day.

Some writers have said that Cesaro is good enough in the ring to have a world title match at WrestleMania. With a little mic work, he can very easily be one of the top stars. He has the following, he has the charisma, he has the look. A program with Brock could give WWE a main eventer for the next decade.

 

Dolph Ziggler

 

Dolph has the same type of problem that Cesaro has in terms of a push, but Dolph’s push has been due for years! It does look like they are going to be using him in a top level story now with his participation in the Authority vs Cena Survivor Series match. Hopefully this will just be the start for Ziggler.

A run through the members of The Authority could culminate with Triple H and Stephanie once again bringing in the hired gun in Brock Lesnar to stop Ziggler. Dolph wouldn’t have to beat Brock to get the career boost he needs, but a strong showing against Lesnar would be a strong building block for a main event character for years.

 

Bray Wyatt

 

Bray is a main-eventer now, but he’s not in main-event’s yet. The time is now!

It seems inevitable that Wyatt will, at some point, turn face. It’s just like Stone Cold Steve Austin in 1997 – he wouldn’t have to change his character at all he would just be booked differently. To say that Wyatt is golden on the mic is an understatement and he backs it up in the ring.

I can see Heyman and Brock in the ring a Monday after a pay per view show saying something along the lines of “nobody can slay this beast!” This brings out the odd two-second Wyatt video and Bray on the big screen saying that he has been slaying beasts all his life. Bray needs a program with the champion to help the sustainability of his character. This business should still revolve around wanting to be the champion. Wyatt is due for his shot.

 

Randy Orton

 

To be clear, in no way do I think Orton should be the one to beat Brock. That would be a HUGE mistake and a waste of the last 23 years of The Streak. But the pot on Orton turning face is heating up and is ready to boil over. We were teased a Brock/Orton program with an RKO on Heyman recently.

Just a quick one month program with the two would go a long way to getting Orton over as a top face – which is something the company could really use right now.

 

Ryback

 

The Big Guy is back! It appears that they are giving him another run as a single face. I watched some of the shows during his run as a top face in 2012 and the crowd was electric! Ryback is a guy that could be successful with a run with the belt!

My prediction for months now was that Kurt Angle was going to be the guy to beat Rusev when he finally comes back to WWE this year. Well, that’s not happening unfortunately. Here is the order that I could see things going : Rusev beats Sheamus for the US Title at Survivor Series – Ryback beats Rusev for the US Title at TLC – Ryback wins the Royal Rumble and goes on to feud with Brock and win the title at WrestleMania. If the crowd gets behind Ryback in the next few months the way they did in 2012, the atmosphere at Levis Stadium would be incredible!

 

What do you think? Who do you agree with? Who do you disagree with? Who did I forget? Follow me on Twitter @Tadigity24 and let me know!

First and foremost – Happy WrestleMania season everyone!

 

FastLane is now in our rearview mirror and WrestleMania is now just on the edge of the horizon. These next few weeks are set to be the most exciting of the year.

 

The excitement doesn’t seem to be contained to inside the ring. With so much going on, and potentially going on behind the scenes, I just wanted to take some time to throw my two cents in on some of the topics that have made their way to the public.

 

THE BUSHWHACKERS ENTER THE HALL OF FAME

 

For a few years in the late 80s-early 90s, Luke and Butch marched and whacked their way into the hearts of the WWF fan base. When their music it, almost everyone in the arena, and probably some watching at home, would join the two superstars from down under in waving their arms…which symbolized whacking bushes I guess. Those who are my age might also remember their performance on an episode of Family Matters as well (A CAWP??? WE HATE CAWPS!!!!!!). Simply put, The Bushwhackers were one of the more memorable teams of that era.

 

That being said, I could blink and come up with three teams more deserving of the Hall of Fame call off the top of my head – and if you give me a few minutes I’m sure that I could come up with a few others!

 

The Bushwhackers are no Fabulous Freebirds, no Demolition, and no New Age Outlaws – all teams that are clearly more deserving of a Hall of Fame bid. It’s decisions like this that have me starting the question the legitimacy of the Hall of Fame.

 

I understand that there are some wrestling legends that just have a problem with WWE and/or Vince McMahon in particular and just don’t want to be associated with the company. That’s fine. I personally don’t agree with them. Why not be recognized for your achievements?

 

That’s not the case, though, for at least two of the previously mentioned three teams. Both of the Outlaws, Road Dogg and Billy Gunn, along with the last living member of the Freebirds Michael Hayes work for company. Hard to think they have an issue with Vince now. I don’t know for sure what the mindset of Demolition is, but I can’t say I have heard a negative interview given by Ax and Smash.

 

At least Koko B. Ware now has some company in the “Most Undeserving Member of the Hall” conversation.

 

HOPE FOR CESARO?

 

At FastLane, Cesaro and Tyson Kidd long and eventful journey in the tag team division finally culminated with a win over The Usos and capturing the elusive tag team titles!

 

OK, that’s not the hope that I’m talking about for the Swiss Superman – but at least it’s something.

 

I was thinking of the situation that Cesaro has been in since WrestleMania 30 and was trying to think of a comparison of such an epic drop off after what seemed to be the start of a star in the making.

 

Then it hit me – and THIS is where the hope for Cesaro comes in. This situation is very similar to that of a situation we saw play out in 2008.

 

Figure it out yet?

 

This could be CM Punk 2.0.

 

At WrestleMania 24, Punk won a very entertaining Money in the Bank match. A few months later, he cashed in and pinned a nearly knocked-out Edge to become the World Heavyweight. To say that Punk’s first title run was uneventful was an understatement. He never headlined a pay per view as champion and ended up losing the belt by being knocked out before the match started.

 

After that, Punk went back to having nothing to do for a long time until he had a cup of coffee with the Intercontinental Championship and the tag belts with Kofi Kingston.

 

A year after winning his first Money in the Bank, Punk went into WrestleMania 25 was won the Money in the Bank match for the second year in a row. This time, Punk cashed in on top face Jeff Hardy and very quickly became one of the most hated men on the show. Punk never looked back and became one of biggest names in the business before his unceremonious departure in early 2014.

 

I’m not saying that Cesaro will be as big a name as CM Punk became, but the road traveled has been pretty similar to this point. Cesaro won the Andre the Giant battle royal last year – had a run as the new “Paul Heyman Guy” until he seemingly fell off the face of the wrestling Earth. The tag title win with Kidd is similar to Punk and Kofi.

 

Now with WrestleMania right around the corner, with WWE recently announcing that the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal will indeed be an annual event much like the Money in the Bank match was, having Cesaro win the match for a second year in a row and a character turn for Cesaro much like Punk saw in 2009 could be the start of a new star.

 

That is as long as Cesaro realizes that there are only three ropes, not four.

 

THE BIGGEST FREE AGENT IN THE BUSINESS

 

TNA, or Impact Wrestling (whatever they are this week) has never really been seen as stiff competition for WWE. A majority of the success that they have seen over the course of the last decade has come from aging WWE and WCW stars such as Sting, Hulk Hogan and Kurt Angle.

 

However you have to give them credit where credit is due – TNA has been able to help build a few stars whose only claim to fame is from their time in the Asylum and the Impact Zone. Guys like AJ Styles, Christopher Daniels, Kazarian and Chris Saban rose to the top of a TNA card but never really seemed to be a fit for WWE – at least not during their prime run.

 

One guy that had always stood out to me as someone I would like to see in WWE has recently hit the market – Samoa Joe. Joe has been a staple down in Orlando for the better part of the last decade and has created a strong fan base.

 

The reports are out there that Triple H is interested and Vince is not. Now may be a perfect time for a “let’s see what he can do” situation. With the recent wave of Indy stars that have been added to the NXT roster as of late, Joe could fit right in with that group without Vince worrying about bringing him on to Raw right away.

 

The decision is ultimately his, but if the WWE has ever been in Joe’s 5-year plan (and why wouldn’t it be) it may be now or never.

 

THE FUTRE OF THE BEAST

 

Well this is just something that keeps getting more interesting by the minute.

 

When I first started writing this piece my intent was to just talk about Brock Lesnar, contrary to every report that had been out there for the past year, was thinking about staying with WWE and not go back to UFC once his contract was up around WrestleMania.

 

That news in itself was big. To me, that opens up the main event for WrestleMania. Ever since the articles started coming about Lesnar leaving, the assumption was that whoever he was facing for the title would win. The thought of Lesnar still being with the company post-WrestleMania adds, and really creates, the element of the unknown of the match outcome which just leads to a more exciting finish for the show of shows.

 

Since then, the reports have come out that Lesnar walked out on Raw before the show ended and before he was supposed to make an appearance on the show. Word is that there was a backstage meeting with Lesnar that left the WWE World Heavyweight Champion with a bad taste in his mouth and he just left.

 

Word is that it is a business situation and not a creative situation. Unfortunately the narrow-minded internet bookers that I have talked about before decided to start a rumor that Lesnar was upset that Vince had decided not to suspend Roman Reigns for a failed drug test.

 

Thankfully those whose opinions and insights matter in the business quickly dismissed and thought of Reigns failing a test – but the question remains, what was Lesnar upset about and will it have an effect on this year’s WrestleMania main event?

 

Ah you have to love the drama before the drama!

 

What do you think? Did The Bushwhackers deserve the Hall of Fame nod? Does Cesaro still have a chance? Will we see Samoa Joe in WWE or NXT? What the hell is going on with Brock? Let me know on Twitter @Tadigity24.

We’re getting closer folks!

 

The Bay Area is getting ready to be taken over for WrestleMania week!

 

Some can say that the show is only as good as its main event. Some will also say that some of the “main events” weren’t the real main event of the show (i.e. WrestleMania 18).

 

As we get ready to see Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns close out this year’s version of The Granddaddy of Them All, let’s take a look back and find out what was the best main event (last match of the night) out of the first 30 WrestleMania’s.

 

#30

MATCH – Lawrence Taylor vs Bam Bam Bigelow

TITLE/STIPULATION – None

WRESTLEMANIA – XI

LOCATION – Hartford Civic Center – Hartford, Connecticut

 

For those of you that are relatively new to the wrestling world – yes, I am referring to THAT Lawrence Taylor!

 

The countdown starts with the worst main event on what many (including me) consider to be the worst WrestleMania.

 

Credit where credit is due though. The match itself was not all that bad. The fact that THIS match was the main event of the show was bad though. Diesel and Shawn Michaels put on a great WWF title match earlier in the night – simply having that match last would have made this show look a little better.

 

Having an outsider in the main event of the biggest show of the year is just wrong.

 

#29

MATCH – Hulk Hogan & Mr. T vs Rowdy Roddy Piper & Paul Orndorff

TITLE/STIPULATION – None

WRESTLEMANIA – I

LOCATION – Madison Square Garden – New York, New York

 

For the same reasons as the previous match, the inaugural main event finds itself towards the bottom of the pack. The fact that this was the main event in the very first WrestleMania give it a leg up on the LT/Bam Bam match. Having Muhammad Ali on the outside is a big help as well.

 

#28

MATCH – Bret Hart vs Yokozuna/Yokozuna vs Hulk Hogan

TITLE/STIPULATION – WWF Championship (both times)

WRESTLEMANIA – IX

LOCATION – Caesars Palace – Las Vegas, Nevada

 

This probably would have been a little higher had the event ended with the Bret Hart/Yokozuna match. However, they decided to continue the show and make people realize that the WWF wasn’t ready just yet to move on from the 80s and randomly give the belt to Hogan.

 

One year later WrestleMania ended with Bret Hart lifted up in a ring full of new stars as the WWF started what they called “The New Generation.” Much smarter move.

 

#27

MATCH – Hulk Hogan vs King Kong Bundy

TITLE/STIPULATION – WWF Championship/Steel Cage Match

WRESTLEMANIA – II

LOCATION – LA Sports Arena – Los Angeles, California

 

The main event of an event that technically had three main events – one for every city the event was held in. The event itself was on part with the aforementioned WrestleMania 11. Three times the cities and about one third of the excitement.

 

#26

MATCH – The Miz vs John Cena

TITLE/STIPULATION – WWE Championship

WRESTLEMANIA – XXVII

LOCATION – Georgia Dome – Atlanta, Georgia

 

The Miz was in the main event of WrestleMania…that’s really all that needs to be said for this one.

 

If it wasn’t for The Rock’s involvement this match would be a lot closer to the bottom - more so than it already is.

 

#25

MATCH – Hulk Hogan vs Sid Justice

TITLE/STIPULATION – None

WRESTLEMANIA – VIII

LOCATION – Hoosier Dome – Indianapolis, Indiana

 

A few “why”’s come out from this event.

 

1 – After nearly a decade of debating who is the biggest star in the industry, Hulk Hogan and Ric Flair were FINALY in the same organization. Why not make that the main event for WrestleMania?

 

2 – It ended up being Flair/Randy Savage for the title – why not have THAT be the main event?

 

#24

MATCH – The Rock vs John Cena

TITLE/STIPULATION – WWE Championship

WRESTLEMANIA – XXIX

LOCATION – MetLife Stadium – East Rutherford, New Jersey

 

Do you remember the movie Airheads with Adam Sandler and Brenden Fraser? One of the running jokes was that the band’s name was The Lone Rangers – how can you plural The Lone Ranger? Well, on that note, the biggest reason that this match is this low on the list is the fact that it was a rematch for a yearlong match labeled as “Once in a Lifetime.”

 

#23

MATCH – Triple H vs Shawn Michaels vs Chris Benoit

TITLE/STIPULATION – World Heavyweight Championship

WRESTLEMANIA – XX

LOCATION – Madison Square Garden – New York, New York

 

This match was great! A whole lot of back and forth…and forth…action from start to finish ending with the culmination of a man’s long journey to the top of the industry. How could a match with all of that find its way this low on the countdown?

 

…

 

…oh yeah…

 

#22

MATCH – Triple H vs Big Show vs Mick Foley vs The Rock

TITLE/STIPULATION – WWF Championship

WRESTLEMANIA – XVI

LOCATION – Anaheim Pond – Anaheim, California

 

Nothing really worthwhile to say about this match. The match had plenty of star power plus the additional element of “A McMahon in Every Corner” but really didn’t provide a memorable moment. The best takeaway from this one was The Rock hosting Saturday Night Live and the other three competitors making cameos a few weeks prior to the event.

 

#21

MATCH – John Cena vs Shawn Michaels

TITLE/STIPULATION – WWE Championship

WRESTLEMANIA – XXIII

LOCATION – Ford Field – Detroit, Michigan

 

Same situation here. Cena and Michaels put together a solid match but it was on a show that had too many other memorable moments.

 

#20

MATCH – Yokozuna vs Bret Hart

TITLE/STIPULATION – WWF Championship

WRESTLEMANIA – X

LOCATION – Madison Square Garden – New York, New York

 

The second of two title matches on the show, WWF basically righted the wrong it made the year before at WrestleMania IX. So much so that Vince himself was quick to exclaim that THIS was the start of “The New Generation” as Razor Ramon and Tatanka hoisted Hart on their shoulders.

 

#19

MATCH – Sycho Sid vs The Undertaker

TITLE/STIPULATION – WWF Championship

WRESTLEMANIA – XIII

LOCATION – Rosemont Horizon – Chicago, Illinois

 

Bret Hart’s involvement aiding his heel transition added some intrigue to this one. Really though, the main, and possibly only, reason this match is remembered is the image of The Undertaker with the belt to close a WrestleMania. LONG overdue!

 

#18

MATCH – Triple H vs Randy Orton

TITLE/STIPULATION – WWE Championship

WRESTLEMANIA – XXV

LOCATION – Reliant Stadium – Houston, Texas

 

Decent match but really The Game and The Viper had no chance. The two had the unenviable task of following what many, including me, consider to be the greatest match in WrestleMania history with The Undertaker and Shawn Michaels. They tried, but the crowd was just too blown up.

 

#17

MATCH – Chris Jericho vs Triple H

TITLE/STIPULATION – Undisputed WWF Championship

WRESTLEMANIA – XVIII

LOCATION – SkyDome – Toronto, Ontario, Canada

 

Same exact situation here. The Toronto crowd was electric for The Rock and Hulk Hogan earlier in the night. Both Triple H and Jericho has said that The Great One and the returning legend should have ended the show knowing how worn out the crowd would be. They were right, and it showed.

 

#16

MATCH – Randy Savage vs Ted DiBiase

TITLE/STIPULATION – Finals of WWF Championship Tournament

WRESTLEMANIA – IV

LOCATION – Trump Plaza – Atlantic City, New Jersey

 

This was a solid way to end the first ever WWF Championship tournament as Savage won his fourth match of the night to become the champ. If anything, it was nice to see a change after Hulk Hogan’s four year run with the belt. A change indeed … even if Hogan was in the ring to help Savage celebrate … and then win the belt back at the next WrestleMania. Gotta love change!

 

#15

MATCH – Sgt. Slaughter vs Hulk Hogan

TITLE/STIPULATION – WWF Championship

WRESTLEMANIA – VII

LOCATION – LA Sports Arena – Los Angeles, California

 

For a guy that had been back with the company for less than a year after a seven year absence, Slaughter held his own. A bloody Hogan, very taboo for the time, added a lot to this match that ended what was built as the most patriotic WrestleMania. And go figure – the American hero beat the Iraqi sympathizer.

 

#14

MATCH – Triple H vs Batista

TITLE/STIPULATION – World Heavyweight Championship

WRESTLEMANIA – XXI

LOCATION – Staples Center – Los Angeles, California

 

The beast was indeed unleashed. The classic student vs teacher battle was fantastic way to end a jam packed card. The first title win for Batista ended up being the start of a spring full of great matches between the two.

 

#13

MATCH – John Cena vs Triple H

TITLE/STIPULATION – WWE Championship

WRESTLEMANIA – XXII

LOCATION – AllState Arena – Chicago, Illinois

 

This may be a little local bias. The match was good, don’t get me wrong. But what made this match fun to watch was the atmosphere created by the Chicago crowd. I credit this event as being the start of all of the Cena hate. On behalf of the Windy City…you’re welcome!

 

#12

MATCH – Edge vs The Undertaker

TITLE/STIPULATION – World Heavyweight Championship

WRESTLEMANIA – XXIV

LOCATION – Citrus Bowl – Orlando, Florida

 

Just like WrestleMania 13, it is always a plus to have WrestleMania end with the image of the conscience of the WWE in the middle of the ring with the belt. I think that this was one of the more underrated WrestleMania’s and it was capped with a very entertaining way to keep The Undertaker’s streak alive.

 

#11

MATCH – Kurt Angle vs Brock Lesnar

TITLE/STIPULATION – WWE Championship

WRESTLEMANIA – XIX

LOCATION – Safeco Field – Seattle, Washington

 

A great match from two of the best ring generals in the business. This match had plenty of action in it. It says a lot to how entertaining this match was when the memorable moment involves Lesnar nearly breaking his neck on a botched shooting star press.

 

#10

MATCH – The Rock vs John Cena

TITLE/STIPULATION – None

WRESTLEMANIA – XXVIII

LOCATION – Sun Life Stadium – Miami, Florida

 

Once in a Lifetime…when we thought it would be seen once in a lifetime. The match was set the night after the previous WrestleMania and the match lived up to the hype. The crowd was intense and the two icons of their respective eras kept everyone on the edge of their seat from bell to bell.

 

#9

MATCH – Shawn Michaels vs The Undertaker

TITLE/STIPULATION – Career vs Streak

WRESTLEMANIA – XXVI

LOCATION – University of Phoenix Stadium – Glendale, Arizona

 

These two had a lot to live up to in the rematch of their instant class a year before. It didn’t quite make it to that level, but the added intrigue from a possible Shawn Michaels retirement added to the excitement. It was odd to see a WrestleMania end on such a somber tone, but it worked.

 

#8

MATCH – Randy Orton vs Batista vs Daniel Bryan

TITLE/STIPULATION – WWE World Heavyweight Championship

WRESTLEMANIA – XXX

LOCATION – Silver SuperDome – New Orleans, Louisiana

 

(Any chance I can get to bring up Hogan calling it the SilverDome I am going to take!)

 

I have mentioned before about matches that had to deal with going on after phenomenal matches/moments. These three had to follow what many consider to be the most shocking moment in WrestleMania history when The Undertaker’s streak came to an end. The match was really good but the reason that the crowd stayed as with it as they did was the fact that there guy, Daniel Bryan, was finally getting his due! YES! YES! YES!

 

#7

MATCH – The Rock vs Stone Cold Steve Austin

TITLE/STIPULATION – WWF Championship

WRESTLEMANIA – XV

LOCATION – First Union Center – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

 

The two biggest stars of arguably the biggest era in the industry collided for the first time with the top prize on the line. The match kept everyone on the edge of their seats until Austin reclaimed his title. If it weren’t for a lackluster rest of the card this match may have even been higher.

 

#6

MATCH – Randy Savage vs Hulk Hogan

TITLE/STIPULATION – WWF Championship

WRESTLEMANIA – V

LOCATION – Trump Plaza – Atlantic City, New Jersey

 

The Mega-Powers exploded a year after the two celebrated Savage’s WWF Championship tournament win. The two biggest names in the WWF in the 80s created a really intense back and forth match that really had you guessing who would win. At least at the time you would be guessing. Looking back, hard to think Hogan would lose.

 

#5

MATCH – Shawn Michaels vs Stone Cold Steve Austin

TITLE/STIPULATION – WWF Championship

WRESTLEMANIA – XIV

LOCATION – Fleet Center – Boston, Massachusetts

 

“The Austin Era Has Begun!” Jim Ross at it again to help create the atmosphere surrounding this match. The build-up itself was memorable with Mike Tyson getting involved as the special guest enforcer. Above all, the fact that Michaels put on this match with a back that forced him out of the ring for over four years is just inspiring!

 

#4

MATCH – Hulk Hogan vs The Ultimate Warrior

TITLE/STIPULATION – Title for Title

WRESTLEMANIA – VI

LOCATION – SkyDome – Toronto, Ontario, Canada

 

Two guys that would never really be considered the best in-ring performers put on a match that fans still talk about as one of the best. This was the first time that two fan-favorites locked up in such a high profile match up. Some thought that it would create a negative split in the crowd. Well it created a split, but that split just helped egg each side on to outdo to other side.

 

#3

MATCH – Hulk Hogan vs Andre the Giant

TITLE/STIPULATION – WWF Championship

WRESTLEMANIA – III

LOCATION – SilverDome – Pontiac, Michigan

 

Most say that the success of the WWF was based on the first WrestleMania – I say it was due to this match. The first WrestleMania planted the seed and Hogan/Andre was the blooming flower. An indoor attendance record of 93,173 people was set which was just unheard of for that time! They all came to see that match.

 

#2

MATCH – Bret Hart vs Shawn Michaels

TITLE/STIPULATION – WWF Championship/Iron Man Match

WRESTLEMANIA – XII

LOCATION – Anaheim Pond – Anaheim, California

 

Hour long matches were really a thing of the south. You hear more about NWA title matches that went an hour, but not in the WWF. Pat Patterson came up with the idea of putting Bret and Shawn in an hour long match and was flat out told it would never happen – especially at WrestleMania. “It would be impossible to keep the crowd’s attention for that long” was the reason given.

 

Something changed Vince’s mind and, in my humble opinion, I think it worked out pretty well. Not only did this turn out to be one of the most talked about matches in WrestleMania history, but it is so without a fall until an impromptu overtime period. Hard to think of two other stars in that era that could have pulled that off.

 

#1

MATCH – The Rock vs Stone Cold Steve Austin

TITLE/STIPULATION – WWF Championship

WRESTLEMANIA – XVII

LOCATION – Astrodome – Houston, Texas

 

Many consider this to be the best WrestleMania in the event’s 31 year history so it would need to top notch main event. Add together two of the biggest stars of the company’s history (both as fan favorits), the action starting before the bell rang, 68,000+ people going crazy, a very underrated commentary team of Jim Ross and Paul Heyman on the call and the unlikeliest of unlikely association of Stone Cold and Mr. McMahon and you have pure entertainment in your hands.

 

So there you have it! What do you think of the list? Should a match be higher? Lower? Where do you think this year’s probable main event of Brock Lesnar vs Roman Reigns fall? Let me know what you think on Twitter @Tadigity24 .