NationStates Jolt Archive

I love professional wrestling. LOVE it. (N.B. I know it’s fake, feel free to not point that out like its news) I love it like a fat kid loves cake. Like a millionaire loves off-shore banking. Hell, I love it like a Frenchman loves surrendering. Its great moments form some of my favorite memories.

I remember my father letting me stay up late to watch Wrestlemania III and seeing Hulk Hogan body slam Andre the Giant. I remember seeing The Undertaker throw Mick Foley off the roof of the steel cage at Hell in a Cell. I can recite Austin 3:16 from memory, know the answer to the question “Are you ready?” and have been to the Land of Extreme.

Because I’m a giver (no, no, it’s true), I’ve decided to share with those of you who might not be similarly blessed a list of what I consider to be the Ten Greatest Moments In Professional Wrestling:

10. Degeneration-X Reunion – Hunter Hearst Helmsley and Shawn Michaels. They had had a good run as ‘Degeneration X’ in the late ‘90’s, becoming one of the most popular tag-teams ever. Split apart by injuries and jealousy, they reunited in 2006, provoked chaos and disorder, drove Vince McMahon to a nervous breakdown, and generally proceeded to “do whatever we want, whenever we want”

9. ECW One Night Stand, 2005 – Extreme Championship Wrestling had gone bankrupt in 2001. Vince McMahon bought it shortly after that and brought it back as a one-night pay-per-view in 2005 to test the waters for a revival. 3 hours of Singapore Canes, 2x4’s wrapped in barbed wire, power-bombs through flaming tables and chair shots. Plus getting to see all the old favorites one more time, how can you not love that?

8. Shawn Michaels enters Royal Rumble at #1, wins – The Heartbreak Kid was the first man to enter the ring. 29 competitors at one minute intervals later, he was the last man standing, the only man to accomplish that until Chris Benoit.

7. Tommy Dreamer finally beats Raven – After fighting the evil slacker Raven for the better part of two years and persevering through everything thrown at him(sometimes literally) Dreamer, ECW’s meta-babyface finally gets his revenge…and the girl.

6. D-X forms - Hunter Hearst Helmsley and Shawn Michaels. This faction formed as a response to the shenanigans of Bret Hart and the Hart Foundation. One of the most popular factions in the business, they were loud, crude, disrespectful and funnier than hell, an attitude that led directly to the Number 5 Moment, i.e…

5. The Montreal Screwjob – Bret Hart v. Shawn Michaels for the Championship Title. Bret was on his way to another company, but didn’t want to lose the title before he went. He claimed that since he was Canadian, losing in Canada would be an ‘irreparable blow to the nation’s psyche.’ Seriously. So a devious plot involving a secret last minute script-change was hatched. One quick three-count and a rung bell later, Bret has a grudge to carry for twenty years.

4. Terry Funk/Sabu Barbed-Wire Match – Terry Funk is the Father of hardcore wrestling. There’s nothing that the man hasn’t done, except maybe manage to stay out of the emergency room. Sabu once gashed his forehead open in a match and then sealed it with Super-Glue so he could compete again later that night. What are you going to do with these two, except replace the ring ropes with barbed-wire? By the end of the match, the two were literally tied to each other. It took almost as long to cut them free of the wire as it did to have the match.

3. Austin 3:16 – “You sit there and you thump your bible and you say your prayers, and it didn't get you anywhere. Talk about your Psalms, talk about John 3:16... Austin 3:16 says: 'I've just whipped your ass'!!” And with that, ‘Stone Cold’ Steve Austin was born, and a new era in professional wrestling arrived.

2. Hulk Hogan body slams Andre the Giant at WM III – Andre the Giant was 7’4 and weighed roughly 500 lbs. In 15 years, he had not been defeated in a wrestling ring. And then he was matched up against the Hulkster for the Championship. Hulk Hogan narrowly avoided the big boot, scooped the monster up (tearing his lateral in the process) and put him on his back in front of 93,173 people.

1. The birth of Hulkamania – What’cha gonna do, brother? What’cha gonna do when Hulkamania runs wild…on YOU!? Hulk Hogan. Terrible movies and personal problems aside, the man is a wrestling icon. With the possible exception of the McMahon’s, no one person has done more to popularize professional wrestling. And he did it all by ‘training, saying my prayers, and taking my vitamins.’ And then he’d Hulk Up, tear his shirt, and hand somebody their ass.

a Top 10 Wrestling moments list without mention of the Hardy Boyz? Unthinkable!

The Ultimate Warrior vs Hulk Hogan.

Bring on the Brits.

I'm old enough to remember Big Daddy v Giant haystacks on a saturday morning

This forum will now go the way of the SciFi Channel, in presenting pro wrestling...

Greatest moment of pro wrestling? When they cancel it.

Greatest moment in Pro wrestling is like asking about the Greatest Moments in Dentistry.

a Top 10 Wrestling moments list without mention of the Hardy Boyz? Unthinkable!

I thought about including the first TLC match, but it got edged out, as it were, along with Ric Flair's retirement match.

This forum will now go the way of the SciFi Channel, in presenting pro wrestling...

If nothing else, it'll be a change from endless debates on abortion, guns, and religion. I work with a couple of guys who are the living image of The Comic Book Guy from The Simpsons and they continue to be disgusted that the SciFi Channel 'sold out' and shows ECW on Tuesdays.

If nothing else, it'll be a change from endless debates on abortion, guns, and religion. I work with a couple of guys who are the living image of The Comic Book Guy from The Simpsons and they continue to be disgusted that the SciFi Channel 'sold out' and shows ECW on Tuesdays.

I already figured the SciFi Channel was dying when they stoped showing classic SciFi movies and started showing the endless stream of cheesy giant monster movies starring has-been actors.

..oh, and endless Stargate.

Where's the first TLC match? Come on. I don't even really like wrestling anymore, but that was epic as hell.

I liked the one where it wasn't fake.

Oh wait...

An inestimable point has to be on November 11, 1947 when George "Gorgeous George" Wagner made his first TV apperance, and established THE standard for the modern theatrical spectacular known as pro-wrestling.

Am I the only one who think the whole wrestling thing is homoerotic? I mean you do have guys in tights basically molesting each other.....

I already figured the SciFi Channel was dying when they stoped showing classic SciFi movies and started showing the endless stream of cheesy giant monster movies starring has-been actors.

..oh, and endless Stargate.

Whats wrong with stargate?

Am I the only one who think the whole wrestling thing is homoerotic? I mean you do have guys in tights basically molesting each other.....

Maybe.

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b360/--was--/poster9.jpg

Am I the only one who think the whole wrestling thing is homoerotic? I mean you do have guys in tights basically molesting each other.....

you say that like its a bad thing.

Barry Horowitz Wining

I don't think it's a love of surrendering for the French, more of a compulsion. Also, Andre the giant was about7 foot, not 7'4.

I liked the one where it wasn't fake. Oh wait...

How clever, you've managed to point out the completely obvious in a rather passive-agressive way.

Am I the only one who think the whole wrestling thing is homoerotic? I mean you do have guys in tights basically molesting each other.....

I suppose you could make that argument, if you were inclined. It's still not nearly as gay as two-man luge, or ice dancing.

Whats wrong with stargate?

Nothing.

It's 200 hours of it a week that becomes rather trying.

I suppose you could make that argument, if you were inclined. It's still not nearly as gay as two-man luge, or ice dancing.

Oh trust me, wrestling is gayer. At least with ice dancing there's an art to it, and with two man luge, they're not trying to subdued their partner and pin them down to be on top. Yea, wrestling is gayer.

Oh trust me, wrestling is gayer. At least with ice dancing there's an art to it, and with two man luge, they're not trying to subdued their partner and pin them down to be on top. Yea, wrestling is gayer.

You might as well say that the center/QB formation in football is gay then.
There is an art to wrestling too, and it's dangerous, which makes it manly, not gay.

You might as well say that the center/QB formation in football is gay then.


Nope. Your still not trying to subdue the other guy and get on top of him.

Am I the only one who think the whole wrestling thing is homoerotic? I mean you do have guys in tights basically molesting each other.....

No you are not. Its disgusting. Thats why I like female wrestling...:D

Oh and american football is also very very gay...all those guys in tights gropping each other... YUCK!!!

This is a top ten for the US...right?

Becuase I dont see anything about Mexican or Japanese pro wrestling and I can think of a couple that could be in the first 5.

Also...your number five has me confused.

It wasnt a pin... But The ref called the bell when the Heartbreaker kid applied the sharpshooter to the Hitman...Bret didnt tap out or gave up, but the ref called for the bell anyway. :upyours:

I'm not a fan of pro wrestling, but I still remember fondly that I stayed up late (only time I disobeyed parents to watch TV after dark) to watch Hogan and Andre the Giant go at it.

Rowdy Roddy Piper taking on the nWo.

Tazz vs Sabu (any one of them)

DX without Shaun Michaels

This is a top ten for the US...right?

Becuase I dont see anything about Mexican or Japanese pro wrestling and I can think of a couple that could be in the first 5.

Also...your number five has me confused.

It wasnt a pin... But The ref called the bell when the Heartbreaker kid applied the sharpshooter to the Hitman...Bret didnt tap out or gave up, but the ref called for the bell anyway. :upyours:

Yeah, this is a pretty American list because to be honest the only thing I know about Japanese wrestling is that Mick Foley used to work for them, and the only thing I know about Mexican wrestling is that Rey Mysterio, Psicosis, the Guerreros come from there.

Yeah, this is a pretty American list because to be honest the only thing I know about Japanese wrestling is that Mick Foley used to work for them, and the only thing I know about Mexican wrestling is that Rey Mysterio, Psicosis, the Guerreros come from there.
And what about Big Daddy?

http://img91.imageshack.us/img91/4950/bigdrx9.gif

Mick Foley as General Manager.

The Rock and Sock Connection.

Chris Jericho ripping into Stephanie McMahon.

The Rock ripping into everybody.

Chris Benoit winning the Royal Rumble(Yes, despite the WWE's best efforts, he hasn't been erased from MY memory. )

Rey Mysterio winning the World Title.

Austin Deconstruction

Piper's Pit vs. The Highlight Reel

:)

This thread is shockingly bereft of Ric Flair mentions. Ric Flair is the man!

Incidentally, he's still under contract with the Fed. We know he won't be wrestling anymore, but I can't help but notice that Raw still seems to be lacking a GM (or am I wrong? I missed the last one). Flair would make a kickass GM.

This is a top ten for the US...right?

Becuase I dont see anything about Mexican or Japanese pro wrestling and I can think of a couple that could be in the first 5.

A few I can think of:
The 1978 tag team match of Giant Baba and Antonio Inoki vs Tiger Jeet Singh and Abdullah the Butcher
The infamous 1986 Dump Matsumoto vs Chigusa Nagayo hair match
The December 1999 reunion of the Crush Gals

Yeah, this is a pretty American list because to be honest the only thing I know about Japanese wrestling is that Mick Foley used to work for them, and the only thing I know about Mexican wrestling is that Rey Mysterio, Psicosis, the Guerreros come from there.

You should definately check out the Japanese wrestling.

...I can't help but notice that Raw still seems to be lacking a GM (or am I wrong? I missed the last one). Flair would make a kickass GM.

No, Vince is still MIA from Raw as of 7/07. I think they're trying to salvage the 'Who Killed Vince' storyline from last summer that was scotched by Benoit.

As for Flair, I wouldn't be at all surprised to see Flair installed as GM in the next couple of months. William Regal comes off suspension soon, and I could see some kind of match being made with the winner becoming GM. Flair could be behind the scenes and use a proxy(say Batista)who would hand over the position once he won.

I don't watch pro wrestling anymore. I used to when i was like 8-9-10 years old but i stopped around that time.
Though I heard ages ago the person who "played" Eddie Guerro (spelling?) was killed...

As for Flair, I wouldn't be at all surprised to see Flair installed as GM in the next couple of months. William Regal comes off suspension soon, and I could see some kind of match being made with the winner becoming GM. Flair could be behind the scenes and use a proxy(say Batista)who would hand over the position once he won.

Yeah, I could see that happening too. The thing that sticks out in my mind is Flair's last appearance (I forget which show it was) where Vince ever-so-politely had security eject him after his challenge to Jericho to have a good old fashioned street fight. I think the crowd really wanted to see that and if such a match does happen, I'd put my money on Flair taking him on himself outside the arena. At least, that's what I would do if I were in McMahon's shoes. Late in his career, Flair (who is, for the record > Hulk Hogan) started doing a lot of unorthodox shit and I think a street fight would be a good homage to that. God knows the idea of it got more than enough pop from the audience, who I'm sure would also appreciate Flair as a GM.

I'd put these in my top ten. I didn't bother to put them in any order, though. Very US-centric too.

1. 4 Horsemen
During the time when factions was all the rage, these 4 old-school guys ruled all that was to rule in WCW. Also, they had Ric Flair as a member. Whooooo!

2. Bret "Hitman" Hart's championship reign
The fighting champion put his title on the line every week for our enjoyment and not every pay-per-view as it is today. He was truly a fighting champion.

3. Wrestlemania I
The granddaddy of them all. It is one of the reason pay-per-view works. Also, it completely revolutionized the way werestling works.

4. Hulkamania
It's gotta be in your top ten.

5. Ultimate Warrior's retirement
Two giants going at it, the looser retiring. What a spectacle.

6. The advent of the Cruiserweight (or lightweigt) division
Bring in the luchador! High-flying antics not seen since the days of Coco B Ware.

7. WCW vs WWE
The rating war between those two brought a golden age of wrestling with a lot of fun things to watch.

8. NWO
Hulk Hogan turns heel! OMG. Incidentally, you can replace it with Degeneration-X, Hart foundation or any other faction. I just liked this one.

9. Midget match
Those were hilarious back in the day and are still good for a chuckle.

10. TLC match 1
This one had it all. It was awesome.

I forget a great deal, such as the first ironman match, cage match and the royal rumble, but these ten stand out in my mind.

my best moments in WWE

no particular order.

any Undertaker - Mick Foley match.
say what you will, what Mick Foley went through... HURTS!!!

Chris Beniot and Rock Matches.

Jerry Lawler and Andy Kaufman :p

Chyna Gorilla pressing... well... anyone!

Hardcore Holly and the Hardcore championship :p

"Get the 'F' out!" Renaming WWF to WWE.

Triple H tearing his leg muscle.

and two I barely remember
one was a wrestler's Support staff - a scantily clad woman, won the hardcore title when she was knocked out and ended up falling on the champion. the look on her face was classic. her 'Pimp' immediately grabbed her and pinned her for the win. (Hardcore Champion was 24/7... meaning anytime, anywhere the champion could be pinned and the title taken away.)

another one was recent. a new Female Wrestler (forget her name) won the women's championship on her first try due to a series of mistakes. they let her keep her belt and defend it. but even WWE.com noted on her bio for a while that her winning the title on the first attempt was a fluke.

There can be only one greatest moment in pro wrestling... the moment it gets cancelled.

There can be only one greatest moment in pro wrestling... the moment it gets cancelled.

Pro wrestling serves a very important function in American society. Much like Santa Claus, you know your all grown up when you figure out its not really real.

I don't watch pro wrestling anymore. I used to when i was like 8-9-10 years old but i stopped around that time.
Though I heard ages ago the person who "played" Eddie Guerro (spelling?) was killed...

His full name was Eduardo Gori Guerrero Llanes. He passed away in November 2005 of heart failure. His former drug problems were a contributing factor.

this one:
http://www.vincentchow.net/wp-content/uploads/2008/07/wrestlingundie.jpg

I think the crowd really wanted to see that and if such a match does happen, I'd put my money on Flair taking him on himself outside the arena. At least, that's what I would do if I were in McMahon's shoes.

'Never say never' is a good rule thumb for the WWE, but I think Flair is pretty serious about being retired. I think he saw the writing on the wall(the man is in his 60's, after all)and decided to go out on top while he could. I'm going to stick with him using a proxy.

this one:
http://www.vincentchow.net/wp-content/uploads/2008/07/wrestlingundie.jpg


bwahahahaha! Really makes you wonder how much these guys are getting paid to stick their heads down other people's trunks lol