shawn michaels

Wrestling Recap: HBK vs. Angle (WrestleMania 21)

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The Date: 3 April 2005
The Venue: Staples Center; Los Angeles, California
The Stakes: Interpromotional grudge match

The Commentary: Jim “J.R.” Ross and Jerry “The King” Lawler
The Referee: Brian Hebner
Dave Meltzer’s Rating: 4.75

The Build-Up:
Following a remarkable return to World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) and a dramatic character change, “The Heartbreak Kid” Shawn Michaels embarked on a celebrated comeback tour. Drafted to different brands during the first roster split, Shawn first crossed paths with Olympic champion Kurt Angle in the 2005 Royal Rumble, where Angle snapped after HBK eliminated him from the match. Angle accepted Shawn’s challenge and immediately made the feud personal, mocking HBK’s theme song, recreating some of his greatest moments, and even brutalising Marty Jannetty to wind Shawn up heading into the match.

The Match:
Sadly, Kurt Angle didn’t follow-up his hilarious rendition of Shawn Michaels’ “Sexy Boy” theme by sauntering out to “Sexy Kurt” or coerce HBK’s former valet, Sensational Sherri, to accompany him to the ring for added mind games heading into this match. Though the two seemed reluctant to get into it, Shawn kicked the match off with a disrespectful slap to Angle’s face, prompting Kurt to wrestle HBK to the mat and impress his amateur and Olympic background upon the Showstopper. Shawn answered back with a headlock takedown to keep Angle grounded, keeping the hold cinched in even after Angle planted him with a back suplex. Shawn also had the wherewithal to keep his shoulders off the mat whenever Angle rolled him into a pinning predicament, but Kurt only managed to break the hold by forcing Shawn into a corner. Frustrated at being outwrestled, Angle resorted to elbowing HBK in the face, ending up in a short-arm scissors as HBK switched to targeting Kurt’s left arm. Angle resorted to muscling Shawn up, barely escaping a couple of roll-ups and backslides and ending up back in the side headlock. Once back in the corner, the match descended into a slugfest, forcing the referee to physically separate the two and giving Kurt the chance to land a cheap shot and briefly apply the Ankle Lock. HBK quickly squirmed free, however, and clotheslined his opponent (and himself) to the outside, where he tore apart the SmackDown! announce table.

After a long period of mat wrestling, Angle targeting HBK’s ankle and forced Shawn to take high risks.

Angle desperately retaliated with some uppercuts and hoisted Shawn onto his shoulders to bash HBK’s spine off a ring post rather than plant him to the floor or through the table. Angle focused on Shawn’s injured back and tossed him into the ring to hit a suplex, score a couple of two counts, and apply a bodyscissors to wear HBK down. Shawn fought back with some chops but was turned inside out off a whip into a corner and tossed with belly-to-belly suplex for another near fall, so Angle buried his knee into HBK’s lower back with a modified Camel Clutch. Ever resilient, Shawn fought to his feet and returned to the chops, prompting Angle to answer back with punches and a stiff clothesline for a two count. Angle sat Shawn on a top turnbuckle and tried for a superplex, only for HBK to frantically fight him off and miss his signature diving elbow. However, when Angle tried for the Angle Slam, Shawn countered and sent Kurt flying  outside with a back body drop before awkwardly diving on his opponent from the top rope. Angle quickly recovered and teased hitting a German Suplex off the ring apron, forcing Shawn to retaliate with a mule kick to Kurt’s balls (to a chorus of boos) and a dive from the apron to Angle as he lay prone across the announce table (which didn’t break). Both men, bleeding from the assault, struggled to return to the ring before the referee counted to ten and again traded blows, with Shawn landing his signature flying forearm and nipping to his feet to mount a comeback and finally nail his diving elbow drop and build momentum for Sweet Chin Music.

As the two busted out their biggest moves, Angle’s tenacity won out as he forced Shawn to tap out.

Angle countered with the Ankle Lock, retaining the hold even as Shawn desperately tried to roll through and even keeping it locked in for a bit when HBK grabbed the ropes. Even when Shawn countered an Angle Slam, Kurt returned to the Ankle Lock, barely kicking out when HBK rolled him up, and then countered another superkick attempt into an Angle Slam. Angle was incensed, driven to tears, when Shawn kicked out at two, so he amusingly pulled his straps up and then lowered them again before clambering a nearby turnbuckle for his picture-perfect moonsault. Naturally, Angle missed and the exhausted, injured HBK tried to capitalise by climbing the turnbuckle, only for Kurt to suddenly recover and hit an Avalanche Angle Slam…for a ludicrous near fall! Enraged and frustrated, Angle screamed in Shawn’s face and ate Sweet Chin Music, but HBK was too out of it to immediately make the cover, meaning Kurt just barely got his shoulder up before the three count. The confused Shawn was then caught in the Ankle Lock, which Kurt maintained as HBK writhed and thrashed in pain, pulling Shawn away from the ropes and applying a grapevine for additional punishment. HBK endured the agony for a ridiculously long time, but was eventually forced to tap out. This was a thrilling affair between two of the all-time greats that told a very simple story, sadly one that was prevalent during Shawn’s comeback, of HBK struggling with his lower back. While this made for a great tide-turner, I think it would’ve been better if Angle had damaged Shawn’s knee or leg on the outside and had focused on HBK’s leg rather than his back. It was fun seeing Shawn showcase his fundamentals but the extended time on the mat and with the headlock made for a slow start, especially as it didn’t have much payoff, so it might’ve been better to trim some of that and tell a story of Shawn’s agility versus Angle’s mat skills.

The Aftermath:
Following his loss to Kurt Angle in this award-winning bout, Shawn Michaels returned to his issues with WWE Chairman Vince McMahon, leading to Shawn being beaten by Vince and his son, Shane, at Backlash when Vince forced HBK to team with “God” and coerced the Spirit Squad into attacking his rival. Luckily, Shawn’s old D-Generation X buddy and former blood rival Triple H got involved, eventually teaming with Shawn to fend off the Spirit Squad and eventually the McMahons. After causing havoc with Triple H as the revived D-X, HBK made it to the main event of the following WrestleMania in a losing effort against WWE Champion John Cena. Angle embarked on one of his more questionable storylines where he made lewd and disturbing advances towards Booker T‘s wife before being traded to Raw and having a rematch with Shawn at Vengeance 2005, losing the match and entering an equally questionable feud with Eugene before returning to SmackDown! in 2006 and capturing the World Heavyweight Championship. Angle would drop the belt to Rey Mysterio at WrestleMania 22, which would be his last WrestleMania match for over ten years as he battled with substance abuse after leaving the WWE in late-2006.

My Rating:

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Great Stuff

Is this one of your favourite WrestleMania matches or did you find it a bit lacking? Do you agree that Angle should’ve focused on Shawn’s leg from the beginning or did you enjoy the story being told in the ring? Who was your pick to win at the time and which of the two is your favourite wrestler? What are some of your favourite Angle and/or HBK matches? Leave a like if you read this review and share your thoughts before, then donate to my Ko-Fi to suggest other Kurt Angle and/or Shawn Michaels matches for the site.

Wrestling Recap: Bret vs. HBK (WrestleMania XII)

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The Date: 31 March 1996
The Venue: Arrowhead Pond of Anaheim; Anaheim, California
The Stakes: 60-minute Iron Man match for the WWF Championship

The Commentary: Vince McMahon and Jerry “The King” Lawler
The Referee: Earl Hebner
Dave Meltzer’s Rating: 4.25

The Build-Up:
Thanks to his backstage power and lengthy run in the then-World Wrestling Federation’s (WWF), “The Heartbreak Kid” Shawn Michaels amassed a long list of rivals but none were more personal than Bret “Hitman” Hart. Their personal and professional antagonism was legendary even before this polarising match, which Shawn earned by winning the 1996 Royal Rumble after a troubled 1995. Much of the build focused on the two engaging in the first-ever 60-minute Iron Man match, which ultimately became the first spark that ignited a decades-long blood feud between the two.

The Match:
You might be confused at the start of this match when Shawn’s newly acquired manager, José Lothario, comes to the ring when “Sexy Boy” first plays. However, José quickly directed everyone’s attention to the far top of the arena, where Shawn dramatically rappelled down in a death-defying stunt that earned him the nickname “Mr. WrestleMania”. Once WWF Champion Bret Hart came out, Earl Hebner ran down the rules (the winner would be whoever scored the most pin falls, submissions, count outs, or disqualifications). Bret handed his shades to his son before he and Shawn tested each other’s mettle by grappling in the corner and exchanging takedowns and fundamentals, with Shawn surprisingly outwrestling Bret in the early going. When Shawn worked over his left arm, Bret countered into a headlock, keeping it locked in even as Shawn tried to shove him off. HBK quickly got his shoulders up when caught in a pinning predicament but repeatedly ended up back in the hold after desperately trying to weasel his way out of with hip tosses and wrist locks. Eventually, Shawn tossed Bret with a couple of arm drags and slapped on an arm lock, targeting the limb with leg and knee drops as the crowd faintly chanted “Boring!” Shawn scrambled out of Bret’s headlock counter with a hammerlock and modified butterfly stretch as the two continued to pace themselves, before they went at it in the corners with a flurry of punches and shoulder blocks that ended with Bret being flung outside off a headscissor.

Rest holds and submission moves dominated the early going as both men wore each other down.

Shawn returned to the arm bar back in the ring, so Bret tried to throw Shawn outside, only for HBK to flip back into the ring and surprise Bret with another takedown. Bret answered back with a knee to the gut off a whip into the ropes and then slapped on a chinlock. Shawn countered with a jawbreaker and another armbar takedown, with Bret surprisingly nipping up, slamming Shawn with a spinebuster, and almost slapping on the Sharpshooter. When Shawn frantically grabbed the ropes, a frustrated Bret clotheslined him outside only to get run into a ring post (though he avoided a super kick, unlike the unfortunate timekeeper!) Bret returned to the chinlock, they exchanged energetic clotheslines; the chinlock returned, so Shawn threw some punches to the gut, hit a dropkick, and locked on the armbar again. This time, Shawn drove his knee into Bret’s ribs and tugged on the arm for added pressure, though Bret continued to keep his shoulder up to avoid a pin fall. Bret fought to his feet and elbowed Shawn in the face in the corner to break the hold, landing some uppercuts for good measure, only to take a knee to the gut and being rammed shoulder first into the corner. Shawn doubled down by ramming Bret’s arm off the post before hitting a shoulder breaker. A double axehandle off the second rope and hammerlock slam followed before HBK rammed Bret’s injured shoulder into the corners, wrenching on the arm when Bret fought back in frustration. Shawn applied a grapevine arm lock for extra pressure, only for Bret to scramble up and stomp his way free. Too injured to capitalise, Bret found himself pounded in the corner and returned to the mat, forcing him to dump Shawn’s throat across the ropes for a reprieve. Bret catapulted Shawn into the corner to extend his recovery time but only scored a two count, though he nimbly dodged Shawn’s corner splash and punished HBK as he was tangled on the top rope to earn another near fall.

The two were evenly matched in their fundamentals despite brief bursts of energy and drama.

After a bulldog, Bret performed a weird top-rope hair pull…thing…that briefly knocked the referee down, so Shawn answered back with a powerslam for a near fall before taking a nasty piledriver for another two count that really should’ve been a three! Shawn tossed Bret off the top rope and landed a hurricanrana takedown followed by a backbreaker, though Bret wisely fled outside to avoid Sweet Chin Music. HBK immediately followed up with some crossbodies, which Bret reversed for another near fall that should’ve been a three count. The two fought over a backslide, with Shawn surprising Bret with a small package that should’ve been a fall in his favour, before executing a Perfect Plex that would’ve also made for a great three count. HBK applied a sleeper hold before being absolutely launched outside off a corner splash! Incredibly, Bret rammed Shawn into a ring post rather than take a count out, tossing Shawn into the ring to continue targeting the spine with a big back suplex off the top rope. When this still wasn’t enough for a three count, Bret applied a Camel Clutch and hit a Russian Leg Sweep after countering Shawn’s desperate top rope axehandle. Shawn took another bad tumble to the outside after being whipped into a corner, knocking down José in the process (and when Bret launched HBK at the ring steps), before Bret scored a two count off a belly-to-belly slam. Bret shut down a brief flurry from Shawn and kicked out when Shawn surprised him with another roll-up, diving on Shawn when HBK got kicked to the outside but failing to gain a count out victory. When Bret’s beautiful German Suplex resulted in a near fall, he pummelled a helpless Shawn (who goaded him from his knees) and returned to the Camel Clutch.

Following a frustrating tie ending, HBK toppled Bret for his first WWF Championship.

When Shawn fought up, both men got knocked down from a double clothesline and exchanged blows after recovering. Bret took control and landed a huge superplex but was too exhausted to make a cover and insisted on applying the Sharpshooter, which Shawn frantically fought out of, so the Hitman tried for a Figure Four Leglock and settled for a one-legged Boston Crab. Luckily, Shawn grabbed the ropes to break the hold, so Bret hit a backbreaker, only to get kicked in the face when he went for a second-rope elbow. After hitting a dropkick, Shawn hit a forearm and whipped Bret chest-first into the far corner before throwing Bret around with a flurry of moves. With Bret down off a suplex, Shawn landed his patented diving elbow drop that also failed to earn him a fall before hitting a gutwrench powerbomb and a moonsault that also didn’t result in a three count! A janky-looking diving hurricanrana also wasn’t enough, so Shawn tried for a top-rope dropkick, only to get tied up in the Sharpshooter. However, Shawn outlasted the clock for a ridiculous 0:0 tie! Fictional WWF President Gorilla Monsoon ordered sudden death overtime to determine a winner, forcing Bret to target Shawn’s injured lower back. After deftly avoiding a corner charge, Shawn glanced Bret with a desperation Sweet Chin Music before landing a fully loaded superkick from the corner to finally realise his “boyhood dream” of becoming WWF Champion, to rapturous applause and leaving a frustrated Bret to stalk to the back as HBK celebrated. While this is undoubtably a wrestling clinic and a masterpiece of storytelling, this match is a gruelling and largely tedious watch full of endless rest holds, submission holds, and stalling. The tie ending really annoys me as there were plenty of chances to give each man a victory and they could’ve achieved the same ending by finishing at three falls apiece before going into overtime, meaning it’s hard to stay invested as they just seem to be going through the motions rather than trying to win.

The Aftermath:
Following his loss, Bret Hart briefly considered jumping to World Championship Wrestling (WCW) before re-signing with the WWF and starting a career-making rivalry with “Stone Cold” Steve Austin that saw Bret slowly become an angry “heel” embittered by the downward spiral of professional wrestling. Renouncing America and forming a new incarnation of the Hart Foundation, Bret recaptured the WWF Championship from the Undertaker and continued to butt heads with Shawn Michaels. Presumably as punishment for the controversial “Curtain Call” incident, Shawn lost the WWF Championship later in 1996 but recaptured it about two months later, only to vacate the title after “[losing] his smile”. After overcoming a worrisome knee injury, Shawn’s backstage and on-air feud with Bret continued to escalate, leading to Shawn’s D-Generation X stable clashing with the Hart Foundation and HBK’s reprehensible actions turning Bret “babyface” again. Their feud led to the now-infamous 1997 Survivor Series, where they again battled for the WWF Championship, only for Vince McMahon to screw Bret out of the title after the Hitman decided to jump to WCW. Betrayed by the company and those around him, Bret punched Vince backstage and started a new, ultimately doomed chapter in WCW, harbouring an understandable grudge against McMahon, Shawn, and the WWF for decades before finally burying the hatchet with HBK in 2010.

My Rating:

Rating: 2 out of 5.

Could Be Better

Are you a fan of this long-winded classic between Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels? Do you like that both men go the distance with no falls or would you prefer to see them getting some victories? Were you surprised by Shawn’s wrestling fundamentals and to see Bret on the backfoot? Who was your pick to win at the time? Which of Bret and Shawn’s matches and moments was your favourite? What’s your favourite WrestleMania moment? Leave a like and tell me what you think in the comments and donate to my Ko-Fi to suggest more Bret and/or HBK matches for me to review.

Wrestling Recap: Razor vs. HBK (WrestleMania X)

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The Date: 20 March 1994
The Venue: Madison Square Garden; New York, New York
The Stakes: Ladder match for the Intercontinental Championship

The Commentary: Vince McMahon and Jerry “The King” Lawler
The Referee: Earl Hebner
Dave Meltzer’s Rating: 4.75

The Build-Up:
Few wrestlers has as much backstage power as “The Heartbreak Kid” Shawn Michaels back in the day. Alongside his buddies “The Kliq”, Shawn politicked his way to advantageous positions and ensured the spotlight was on him and his friends, such as “The Bad Guy” Razor Ramon. Razor and HBK feuded throughout 1993, with HBK famously being stripped of the Intercontinental Championship in September, only to declare himself the true champion after Razor won the belt in a battle royale. HBK stole Razor’s gold chains to escalate the rivalry, which culminated in the World Wrestling Federation’s (WWF) first-ever pay-per-view ladder match.

The Match:
This is one of the rare WWF matches where the competitors are both claiming to be the champion, meaning the ladder match was set to determine the “undisputed” Intercontinental Champion. Shawn entered the match with all his usual arrogance and swagger and accompanied by his hulking bodyguard, Diesel, while Razor tempted fate by walking underneath the ladder set on the rampway during his entrance. Once the bell rang, the two competitors got into a tie-up and exchanged fundamentals before Razor gave Shawn a receipt for poking him in the eye by landing a falling chokeslam. Shawn ducked some clotheslines, took control with a running neckbreaker, and sent Razor outside after being knocked down by a shoulder tackle. When Diesel helped soften up the Bad Guy with a big clothesline, the referee ejected him, much to Shawn’s chagrin, and Razor again got his comeback by clotheslining Shawn outside. HBK quickly cut Razor off when he started removing the protective floor pads and soon tossed Razor to the exposed concrete after countering a Razor’s Edge attempt in the ring! With Razor stunned, Shawn shunted a ladder into Razor’s chest. Shawn followed up by driving the ladder into Razor’s gut in the ring and then repeatedly smashing it into his ribs and across his spine as he lay prone on the canvas. Finally, Shawn threw the ladder at Razor’s back and made his first try for the belts, only for Razor to yank Shawn’s tights down (earning him a diving elbow drop for his trouble).

Razor triumphed in this slower, more methodical but nonetheless engaging ladder match.

After fixing his tights, HBK set the ladder up near a corner and used it to land a diving splash. Razor got some payback by toppling the ladder with Shawn on it, sending HBK crashing to the ropes. While scuffling in the ring, the competitors collided and fell to the mat for a breather; though Shawn recovered first, he was sent flying into the ladder in the corner when Razor reversed an Irish whip. Razor followed Shawn outside and attacked with the ladder, targeting the back and catapulting Shawn into the apparatus from the rampway. A ladder shot to the face sent Shawn tumbling from the ring and allowed Razor to climb for the first time, but HBK cut him off with an awkward diving axehandle. Both struggled up the ladder from either side before battling up the top, an exchange Razor won after suplexing Shawn from the ladder. A dropkick from HBK sent Razor tumbling soon after, however, and Shawn doubled down by hitting Sweet Chin Music to KO Razor. Dissatisfied, Shawn hit a scary-looking piledriver and crushed Razor with a ladder-assisted splash from the corner. Shawn then positioned the ladder over Razor’s downed body and made his climb, only for Razor to recover and shove HBK crotch-first onto the ropes, leaving him dangling from his ankle. Thus, Shawn was helpless to stop Razor climbing the ladder and retrieving the belts to secure the victory in this impressive early ladder match. While tame by today’s standards, there’s something very effective about building a wrestling match around a ladder rather than peppering the bout with high spots. Neither man did anything too crazy, though those ladder shots looked pretty hard and Shawn definitely got a chance to show off with his use of it as a weapon. The match did wonders for Razor, who came out of it looking extra tough from all the punishment he endured.

The Aftermath:
Now regarded as one of the greatest ladder matches in WWF history, Shawn and Razor’s WrestleMania X bout set the blueprint for many subsequent ladder matches and is generally thought to be one of Scott Hall’s greatest moments. Sadly, Razor’s reign with the Intercontinental Championship would be short-lived as Shawn helped Diesel defeat the Bad Guy for the belt a few weeks later, kick-starting Diesel’s disastrous push towards the WWF Championship. Razor won the belt back at the 1994 SummerSlam, lost it to “Double J” Jeff Jarrett at the following WrestleMania, and then became the first man to win the belt three times by recapturing it from Jarrett in another ladder match. After losing the WWF Championship to Diesel at WrestleMania XI, HBK and Razor clashed in another ladder match for the Intercontinental Championship at the 1995 SummerSlam, with Shawn capturing the belt this time. Although Razor made history again by winning the belt a fourth time, drug issues saw him suspended for six weeks and Hall jumped ship to World Championship Wrestling (WCW) following this to begin one of the greatest stories in wrestling history…

My Rating:

Rating: 3 out of 5.

Pretty Good

Did you enjoy this historic ladder match between HBK and Razor Ramon or do you think it’s over-rated? Were you surprised to see Razor absorb so much punishment? Do you think the right man won? Did you like that the ladder was more of a prop than the focus of the match? What are some of your favourite matches from these two competitors? What’s your dream WrestleMania match? Like this review and leave your thoughts before, then donate to my Ko-Fi to suggest more Razor and/or HBK matches for me to review.

Wrestling Recap: Royal Rumble 1995

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The Date: 22 January 1995
The Venue: USF Sun Dome; Tampa, Florida
The Commentary: Vince McMahon and Jerry “The King” Lawler
Dave Meltzer’s Rating: 3.5

The Stipulation: Thirty man over the top rope battle royale for a WrestleMania XI WWF Championship match
Notable Competitors: “The Heart Break Kid” Shawn Michaels (Winner/#1/Most Eliminations), Crush (#30), and Dick Murdoch (Surprise Return)

The Build-Up:
Debuting in 1988, Pat Patterson’s Royal Rumble concept became a staple of the then-World Wrestling Federation (WWF), though even this crucial event had an uphill battle in 1995, a notoriously troublesome year for the WWF. There were few major storylines heading into the Royal Rumble beyond Pamela Anderson promising to accompany the winner at WrestleMania XI, though HBK and the British Bulldog continued their rivalry in the match, a star-making performance for the unruly Shawn Michaels.

The Match:
In keeping with her promise to be present at WrestleMania XI, Baywatch (1989 to 1990; 1991 to 2001) star Pamela Anderson came out and sat at ringside of the 1995 Royal Rumble match, which saw HBK saunter out at number one and pander to the crowd. Unfortunately for the cocksure Michaels, the British Bulldog came out at number two and they immediately rekindled their rivalry from the past year. The British Bulldog showcased his power early, easily dominating HBK but opting to throw him around the ring and put a beating on Shawn rather than tossing him over the ropes with a military press. Elu Blu interrupted their brawl (to no fanfare), leading the rivals to unwittingly team up to attack the big man, though they struggled to heft Eli over the ropes. Duke “The Dumpster” Drose allowed HBK and the Bulldog to split off against their larger foes, with Drose squeezing HBK with a bearhug an Eli beating the Bulldog down in the far corner. “Gigolo” Jimmy Del Ray was out next and immediately targeted the Dumpster, causing Eli and Drose to batter him in the corner while HBK returned to attacking the Bulldog. When HBK randomly went for Del Ray, HBK almost got muscled out of the ring, only to come back with a diving double axe handle to the Bulldog. Sione was next in the ring, replacing the eliminated Jimmy Del Ray, and the competitors were left to wander about until Doctor Tom Prichard came out to avenge his partner, Jimmy Del Ray. This saw him hammer away on Eli as HBK slipped out of Sione’s press, the Dumpster struggled with the Bulldog in a corner, and Doink the Clown entered the fray. Doink immediately targeted Sione, leading Eli to join the Wild Samoan in beating down the clown as HBK choked Drose on the ropes.

A bunch of nobodies and man mountains plodded about the ring in this tedious match.

Kwang was next out as the competitors continued to race to the ring in record time, leading to more mindless brawling before Royal Rumble veteran Rick “The Model” Martel joined the action. Kwang almost got HBK a couple of times, and Owen Hart was attacked by his brother, Bret “The Hitman” Hart, on the outside on his way to the ring. Timothy Well sprinted past the downed Owen, only to be quickly tossed out by the Bulldog. HBK eliminated Drose and Prichard, Sione threw out Martel, Kwang blasted Doink off the ring apron with a martial arts kick, before Eli took himself and Kwang out of the match with a big clothesline. Bushwacker Luke was almost immediately tossed out by Shawn Michaels so he could get back into it with the British Bulldog, choking and stomping on Davey Boy Smith and taking a stalling suplex for his trouble. Eli’s brother, Jacob Blu, went after both men with some big shots but his exuberance cost him when HBK sent him tumbling out. The Bulldog tried to muscle HBK from the ring, but Shawn grabbed the ropes for dear life and gained a reprieve when King Kong Bundy plodded out to clumsily manhandle the Bulldog. HBK tried to help Bundy eject his rival but resorted to attacking the brute when his failed. Bundy then swiftly sent Mo flying over the top seconds after he entered the ring. With HBK and the Bulldog unable to lift Bundy’s bulk, Mabel came in to try his luck, eventually (and clumsily) muscling Bundy out with a bit of help from HBK, who then made short work of Bushwhacker Butch seconds later. Mabel immediately asserted himself by working with the Bulldog to try and eliminate HBK, only for Lex Luger to easily throw the big man from the ring. Despite tossing Shawn Michaels around with ease, Luger also struggled to get him out, even with the Bulldog’s assistance, as Mantaur lumbered into the match. Mantaur instantly decimated the Bulldog as HBK and Luger continued to battle, though Davey Boy got some help from Luger when HBK split off to get into it with Aldo Montoya.

Shawn and the Bulldog went the distance, with HBK winning the match in controversial fashion.

Henry O. Godwinn (who Vince laughably labelled a “favourite” to win) threw his name in the hat as the action slowed to a crawl once more with more mindless brawling and time wasting. Billy Gunn sprinted to the ring and went right for Mantaur but couldn’t get the big goof out and even his brother, Bart Gunn, couldn’t do much when he popped out next. Bob Backlund was also attacked by Bret Hart on the outside and was quickly dumped by Luger when he finally got in the ring. Steven Dunn entered as the competitors continued to mess about, fighting Godwinn before Dick Murdoch returned to the WWF and Adam Bomb popped in as Mantaur crushed Luger in a corner before Lex muscled him from the ring as Fatu and Billy Gunn busied themselves in a corner. Crush rounded out the entrants and immediately helped Murdoch dump the Smoking Gunns (who were randomly grappling near the ropes), Montoya tossed Wells soon after and, after what felt like an ice age of relentlessly pounding and choking in the various corners, Crush tossed Adam out. HBK finally got rid of Montoya and Crush got rid of Fatu after the Samoan spent some time working him over. Murdoch then impressed with a dropkick to Godwinn but ended up tumbling out when the hog farmer reversed his aeroplane spin, though Luger bested Godwinn soon after. Luger desperately fought against Crush and HBK, who formed a fragile alliance against the big man and the Bulldog, one that resulted in Luger taking a tumble (courtesy of Michaels) while hammering on Crush in the corner. HBK further convinced Crush to work over the British Bulldog, only for Crush to turn on Shawn and threaten to launch him out and the Bulldog to send Crush flying from the ring with a clothesline. Thus, HBK and the Bulldog continued from where they started, much to the delight of the raucous crowd. Although the exhausted Bulldog easily overpowered HBK and seemed to have it won following another clothesline over the ropes, Shawn held on (barely avoiding touching the floor with both feet) and blindsided Bulldog during his celebration, becoming the first man to win the Royal Rumble from number one.

The Aftermath:
This as easily one of the worst Royal Rumble matches I’ve ever seen. There were hardly any viable competitors in the match, with the entrants mostly being nobodies or disposable bodies to plod around the ring and drag things out. It didn’t help that the wrestlers were coming out every minute or so, causing the ring to fill up with bodies and leaving the competitors with little to do but stomp around and gingerly brawl near the ropes and in the corners. After his historic win, Shawn Michaels went on to face his former bodyguard, Diesel, at WrestleMania XI in a losing effort; Diesel even convinced Pamela Anderson to ditch Shawn at the event! Still, HBK spent most of 1995 as the Intercontinental Champion and repeated his Royal Rumble victory the following year, finally capturing his first WWF Championship at WrestleMania XII. WrestleMania XI also saw the British Bulldog and Lex Luger teamup to defeat the Blu Brothers and Bret Hart settle his differences with Bob Backlund. Owen Hart, the Smoking Gunns, and King Kong Bundy all made it onto WrestleMania XI as well, though the less said about Bundy’s match against the Undertaker, the better!

My Rating:

Rating: 1 out of 5.

Terrible

Did you enjoy the 1995 Royal Rumble match? If so…why? Who was your pick to win at the time? Which of the entrants do you think was most out of place? Were you surprised to see Dick Murdoch return or do you have no idea who he is? Were you impressed that Shawn (and the Bulldog) lasted the entire match? Which Royal Rumble match is your favourite and who’s your pick to win this year? Whatever you think of this awful Royal Rumble match, like the review and leave a comment and then donate to my Ko-Fi to suggest another Royal Rumble match for me to review.

Wrestling Recap: Team Raw vs. Team SmackDown! (Survivor Series ’05)

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The Date: 27 November 2005
The Venue:  Joe Louis Arena; Detroit, Michigan
The Commentary: Jerry “The King” Lawler, Joey Styles, and Jonathan Coachman (Raw); Michael Cole and Tazz (SmackDown!)
The Referees: Mike Chioda (Raw) and Nick Patrick (SmackDown!)
The Stakes: Traditional five-on-five Survivor Series match for brand supremacy
The Competitors: Team Raw (The Big Show, Carlito, “The Masterpiece” Chris Masters, Kane, and “The Heartbreak Kid” Shawn Michaels), Team SmackDown! (World Heavyweight Champion “The Animal” Batista, John “Bradshaw” Layfield/JBL, “The Legend Killer” Randy Orton, and Rey Mysterio)

The Build-Up:
After what was then known as the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) purchased World Championship Wrestling (WCW) following a steady decline, WWF Chairman Vince McMahon essentially made his company the only game in town. Seeking to keep the spirit of competition alive in what became World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), McMahon spearheaded the “Brand Split” and separated the WWE’s flagship show, Raw, and secondary broadcast SmackDown! into two distinct brands, with their own belts and pay-per-view events. While Raw and SmackDown! Superstars would interact at the “Big Four” events and have the occasional interpromotional matches, the idea of the two shows battling to decide which was the superior brand didn’t arise until this match. Unsurprisingly, Raw General Manager Eric Bischoff fired the first shot, leading his SmackDown! counterpart, Theodore Long, to invade Raw. Following an interpromotional tag team bout at Taboo Tuesday, both General Managers signed off on this match, leading to many brawls between the brands. World Heavyweight Champion Batista even suffered an injury after a Raw attack, while Randy Orton replaced Eddie Guerrero after the latter’s tragic and untimely passing.

The Match:
I was really into WWE at this time, primarily because my family had finally gotten Sky so I could watch SmackDown! Thus, I was pretty biased towards the Blue Brand and rightfully so as they had the better competitors and in-ring action, but Raw was always treated as the bigger show. This sentiment is reflected in the boneheaded decision to have the entire commentary team working this match, leading to distracting arguments between the embittered SmackDown! commentators (who also dominated the commentary as they were the superior duo) and their Raw counterparts, who were outclassed by their impassioned colleagues. Although Batista was eager to start and lead by his example, his concerned teammates convinced him to wait on the apron due to his injured shoulder, leaving upstart Randy Orton to start against Shawn Michaels, who had both upset each other in the build. They shoved each other into opposite corners before the arrogant Orton slapped HBK, prompting Shawn to slap him right back and humble the youngster with a flurry of take downs. As Tazz laid into Styles and the Raw commentary team, Orton worked over HBK for a near fall but missed a knee drop, allowing HBK to tag in Chris Masters. Masters dominated Orton with his bulk, forcing JBL to break up a pin fall and leading Orton to tag in Bobby Lashley. The two big boys charged each other and proved equally unmovable and, though Lashley crashed into the corner off a splash, he fought off the Master Lock and planted Masters with a belly-to-belly suplex. Carlito begged off when Masters forcibly tagged him in, leading Lashley to drill him with a powerslam and send him scrambling to HBK for a tag.

Big men dominated the early portion of this heated clash between the WWE’s two brands.

Shawn showed fearlessly clambered to the top rope and got tossed off and around the ring, and Lashley even planting Carlito with a Dominator when he launched a sneak attack. However, Kane Chokeslammed Lashley as he tried to hit the Dominator on Shawn, allowing HBK to easily pin the big man. Rey Mysterio took over, targeting Shawn’s leg and utilising his speed, only for Kane to again interject himself and allow Masters to take over with a military press. Kane officially tagged in as Cole and Tazz continued to spit venom at their colleagues, finally shutting down Rey’s lightning fast moves with a big boot and a back breaker. When Mysterio kicked out of a cover, Kane applied a bearhug, forced Rey to slip free and tag in the injured Batista. Batista quickly took control with some shoulders to Kane’s ribs and a Spear, blasting the entire Raw team when they rushed the ring, allowing Mysterio to hit Kane with the 619 and get him eliminated off Batista’s patented spinebuster. Though the Big Show immediately retaliated with his massive Chokeslam, Batista kicked out so Kane and the Big Show landed a Double Chokeslam to eliminate the wounded champion. JBL frantically attacked the Big Show, only to be manhandled by the giant’s pure power. Orton and Mysterio distracted the Big Show long enough to leave him prone for the Clothesline from Hell, kicking off a finisher-fest as Rey hit the 619, Orton landed the RKO, JBL hit another Clothesline from Hell, and Rey finally put the big man away with a springboard senton. The match descended into a brawl in and outside the ring, JBL tossing HBK with a Fallaway Slam on the outside and Masters failing to pin Mysterio in the ring. Carlito took over, stomping and choking Rey and slapping on a chinlock when he kicked out of a pin attempt.

Orton captured the win but was confronted by a vengeful Undertaker in the aftermath…

JBL made short work of Carlito after being tagged in, giving SmackDown! the edge. Thanks to another assist from JBL, Mysterio eliminated Masters, leaving the rattled HBK as the last man standing for Raw. Once tossed into the ring, HBK also ate the 619 but spectacularly blasted Mysterio with Sweet Chin Music off a springboard jump and then immediately bested JBL after ducking the Clothesline from Hell and hitting another superkick to even the odds. Orton stalked the exhausted HBK, who dodged an RKO and dived on Orton on the outside. A diving forearm and Shawn’s signature kip up saw HBK go on a flurry that ended with his trademark diving elbow drop. Shawn was too fatigued to make the cover, however, so he tuned up for Sweet Chin Music. Shawn was forced to waste his kill shot on JBL, though, when the spiteful Bradshaw rushed in with a steel chair, allowing Orton to hit the RKO and take the win for SmackDown! and continue his Survivor Series winning streak. As the SmackDown! commentary celebrated and the Raw team ate crow, the SmackDown! Superstars rushed the ring, to congratulate Orton. This was an okay match with some fun spots, but nothing that hasn’t been seen numerous times in similar matches. Even when guys like Lashley and Mysterio got time to shine, the focus was more on the bickering commentary, which really took away from the in-ring action. The match was further overshadowed when an ominous gong echoed, the lights went out, mist filled the aisleway, and chanting druids walked out with a casket, which flew open following a burst of lightning to reveal the returning Undertaker! Looking for revenge after Orton and his father, “Cowboy” Bob Orton, sealed him in a casket and lit it on fire the previous month, the Undertaker attacked the SmackDown! roster and glared at Orton as he watched, terrified, after fleeing up the rampway.

The Aftermath:
Naturally, this dramatic ending led to another match between Randy Orton and the Undertaker, with the two fighting in a Hell in a Cell match that saw the Undertaker emerge victorious. Orton and Mysterio went on to battle for the World Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania 22, with Mysterio winning a sadly short triple threat match to start his first, somewhat disastrous run with the big belt. The Big Show and Kane became the World Tag Team Champions and successfully defended the belts against Carlito and Chris Masters at that same event, which also saw JBL capture the United States Championship from Chris Benoit. Bobby Lashley did little of note in the months following this match, though he was in the Money in the Bank ladder match at WrestleMania 22, while Shawn Michaels became embroiled in a deeply personal feud with Vince McMahon that ended at that event. Although Raw and SmackDown! continued to compete and trade competitors, they wouldn’t meet in a traditional Survivor Series match again until 2008. The following year, the first Bragging Rights pay-per-view focused on interpromotional matches, though this only lasted two years before it was folded back into the Survivor Series and other cross-promotional pay-per-views.

My Rating:

Rating: 3 out of 5.

Pretty Good

Did you enjoy this first-ever Survivor Series clash between Raw and SmackDown!? Which show was your favourite at the time? Were you also distracted by the bickering commentary? Did you like that Orton was so successful in Survivor Series matches? Which traditional Survivor Series match is your favourite? Leave a like and tell me what you think in the comments and donate to my Ko-Fi to suggest more Survivor Series matches for me to review.

Wrestling Recap [Undervember]: Undertaker vs. Triple H (WrestleMania XXVIII)

Dr. K3 Comments

To celebrate the Undertaker’s illustrious career, I’m looking back at his WrestleMania matches against “The Heartbreak Kid” Shawn Michaels and Triple H.

The Date: 1 April 2012
The Venue: Sun Life Stadium; Miami Gardens, Florida
The Commentary: Michael Cole, Jerry “The King” Lawler, and Jim “J.R.” Ross
The Referee: Shawn Michaels (guest referee)
The Stakes: “End of an Era” Hell in a Cell match

The Build-Up:
Alongside his legendary WrestleMania streak, the Undertaker amassed an impressive list of rivalries with some of wrestling’s most talented, and notorious, names. Over the years, the Undertaker crossed paths with “The Game” Triple H many times, clashing during the Ministry of Darkness days, opposing his attempt to dominate the main event scene, and supporting him as his backstage influence grew over time. After defeating Triple H in a hastily thrown together match at WrestleMania X-Seven, the Undertaker impressed with back-to-back WrestleMania bangers with Triple’s D-Generation X buddy, “The Heartbreak Kid” Shawn Michaels. Indeed, HBK’s doubts that his friend could succeed where he failed turned out to be true when Triple H lost a brutal, show-stealing match against the Undertaker at the otherwise lacklustre WrestleMania XVII that saw both competitors fined for an unprotected chair shot. When the Undertaker returned from a hiatus to demand a WrestleMania rematch, angered that he couldn’t leave the ring under his own power, Triple H initially disregarded HBK’s encouragement to take the match and refused, not wishing to tarnish the Undertaker’s legacy. However, when the Undertaker called Triple H a coward and accused him of living in Shawn’s shadow, the insulted Triple H was goaded into accepting, demanding to face the Undertaker in a Hell in a Cell match. Shawn Michaels. whom the Undertaker had sensationally retired, was later revealed to be the special guest referee for this dramatically billed “End of an Era” match.

The Build-Up:
Living up to his nickname as “Mister WrestleMania,” Shawn Michaels sauntered to the ring first, sadly not rocking his special guest referee ring shorts. Compared to the previous year, Triple H’s entrance was far more lowkey, with him simply passing through a giant, skull-themed archway, while the Undertaker opted to emerge from behind the LED screens surrounded by the usual fog and darkness (though he was rocking an uncharacteristic, shaved head). Like before, the Undertaker and Triple H stood eye-to-eye, extended their staredown to watching the infamous Hell in a Cell lower (to Metallica’s “The Memory Remains”, no less). Once the cell was in place, the two started with a slugfest again; this time, the Undertaker dominated, though Triple H soon fought back after avoiding a corner splash. The Undertaker shut down Triple H’s flurry and tossed him outside, bashing him off the steel steps and tossing him into the mesh cage. A few hard-hitting headbutts and more tosses into the cell kept the Undertaker in control, though a bit of simply choking and whips into the ring steps didn’t hurt either. Although Triple H tried to fight back in the ring, the Undertaker shrugged off his signature knee smash and landed his trademark rope walk strike this time around. Back outside, the Undertaker bashed Triple H “right between the eyes” with the hefty ring steps, shoving them into the ring and continuing the assault as the Game lay prone across the ring apron. A desperation DDT bought Triple H time to regroup and he bashed the Deadman’s face off the steel steps, a trickle of blood on both men’s foreheads, though the Undertaker tossed Triple H off as he tried for a Pedigree on the ring steps.

A far more brutal match than last year, full of emotion and explosive near falls!

After Triple H planted the Undertaker across the steps with a massive spinebuster, he got caught in the “Hell’s Gate” and, in desperation, muscled the Phenom into a powerbomb-like slam for the first near fall. Triple H then grabbed two steel chairs and immediately attacked, stunning the Deadman long enough to drive him into the ring steps set up in the corner. Triple H followed up with more chair strikes to the Undertaker’s spine and gut, attacking so relentlessly that HBK tried to intervene. Refusing to cover the Undertaker, Triple H demanded Shawn force a submission from the battered Undertaker, who refused to stop the match, enraging the Game. After another vile chair shot, Triple H grabbed his trusty sledgehammer, this time refusing to show compassion, and dropped the Phenom with a shot. When the Undertaker kicked out, Shawn took the sledgehammer from his friend to spare the Undertaker further harm but hesitated to “end it” by calling for the bell. To keep the match going, the Undertaker slapped the Hell’s Gate onto him, earning him another shot from the sledgehammer. When Triple H went for another shot, the Undertaker kicked him in the balls and applied Hell’s Gate again, repeating the end of their last match and causing Triple H to pass out. However, with Shawn still down and referee Charles Robinson struggling to enter the cell, the match continued, but the Game unexpectedly kicked out after being hit with a Chokeslam. Furious, the Undertaker took Robinson out with a Chokeslam and tried for the Tombstone Piledriver, only to be hit by HBK’s Sweet Chin Music, drilled with the Pedigree…and to kick out at two!! Like J.R, the King, and Michael Cole, the audience were at aghast and amazed at that, perhaps the greatest false finish in wrestling history, and Triple H tossed HBK from the ring in frustration.

The Undertaker’s brutal assault ended the match but all three left as peers.

Empowered by a sudden burst of energy, the Undertaker hit his patented Snake Eyes/Big Boot/Leg Drop combination and dropped Triple H with the Tombstone Piledriver. The crowd erupted once more when Triple H kicked out and even Shawn was an emotional wreck from the scintillating action. The Undertaker and Triple H exchanged blows as they struggled up, much to the delight of the captivated fans, though Triple H emerged victorious with a Pedigree…which the Undertaker again kicked out of! Exhausted, the Undertaker stumbled towards a steel chair as Triple H reclaimed his sledgehammer, smacking the chair into Triple H’s face and gut and across his spine. Ignoring HBK’s pleas, the Undertaker continued his assault, frustrated that Triple H continued to kick out, echoing Triple H last year by yelling at him to “Stay down!” Refusing to quit, Triple H taunted the Undertaker with a crotch chop and earned himself a shot to the face with his sledgehammer. Like HBK before him, the stubborn Triple H pulled himself up using the Undertaker’s tights only to be dropped and ultimately defeated with a horrendous Tombstone Pildedriver. Relieved to see the match end, Shawn Michaels helped the Undertaker up so he could celebrate his twentieth WrestleMania win. Out of respect for his tenacious foe, the Undertaker helped HBK get Triple H to his feet and the three embraced, basking in the adulation and respect of the crowd, as the “era” finally came to an end. Although the competitors didn’t use the Hell in a Cell as much as I’d like, this was a far better match than last year’s thanks to the added emotion offered by Shawn Michaels. I liked that many spots from their previous match were repeated with a twist, and Triple H’s increased ruthlessness really sold how desperate he was to win. That Sweet Chin Music/Pedigree combo may be one of wrestling’s greatest moments and, in hindsight, this might’ve been better served as the final match for both competitors. While it’s maybe a touch too long, I liked how much more action-packed and emotionally charged the narrative was and would definitely recommend this one over the WrestleMania VII match.

The Aftermath:
Largely seen as one of the greatest WrestleMania matches of all time, this match really was the “End of an Era” in many ways as both men went their separate ways after this. Triple H got into a heated and ultimately controversial feud with the returning Brock Lesnar while the Undertaker eventually returned to the ring for an emotionally charged WrestleMania showdown with the disrespectful CM Punk. Of course, this wouldn’t be the last time that the Undertaker shared the ring with Triple H as they tangled for the “Last Time Ever” at the 2018 Super Show-Down in a very poorly received match that saw the Game emerge victorious. As bad as that was, however, things got even worse when the Undertaker teamed with his psychotic brother, Kane, to fight Triple H and Shawn Michaels in a tag team match so infamous that even the Undertaker was embarrassed about it.

My Rating:

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Great Stuff

Do you think the third time was the charm for the Undertaker and Triple H? Were you also disappointed by how little the Hell in a Cell was used? Did you think the Streak was over after that Sweet Chin Music/Pedigree combination? In hindsight, do you think this should’ve been the end of all three men’s in-ring careers? How are you celebrating the Undertaker’s debut this month? What dream match would you have liked to see him compete in? Share your thoughts below, check out my other reviews Undertaker matches, and donate to my Ko-Fi to suggest others for me to cover.

Wrestling Recap [Undervember]: Undertaker vs. HBK (WrestleMania XXVI)

Dr. K3 Comments

To celebrate the Undertaker’s illustrious career, I’m looking back at his WrestleMania matches against “The Heartbreak Kid” Shawn Michaels and Triple H.

The Date: 28 March 2010
The Venue: University of Phoenix Stadium; Glendale, Arizona
The Commentary: Michael Cole, Jerry “The King” Lawler, and Matt Striker
The Referee: Charles Robinson
The Stakes: No Disqualification Streak vs. Career grudge match

The Build-Up:
The Undertaker earned his status as a bona fide wrestling legend by the amassing an unprecedented WrestleMania winning streak (21 wins between 1991 and 2013) and sharing the ring with a smorgasbord of wrestling’s biggest names. One of the Undertaker’s most notable foes was “The Heartbreak Kid” Shawn Michaels, formally a prima donna who (in cahoots with his “Kliq” buddies) greatly influenced World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) Chairman Vince McMahon back in the day. In the past, the Undertaker and HBK made history with the first-ever Hell in a Cell match and ’Taker was ready to beat Shawn if he didn’t do business. However, the two stole the show with their iconic WrestleMania 25 clash, which came some time after Shawn’s unexpected comeback and personal growth and was regarded by the Undertaker as his best match. However, when HBK challenged the Undertaker to a rematch at the 2009 Slammy Awards, the Deadman (then the World Heavyweight Champion) refused as he believed he had nothing to prove to either himself or Shawn Michaels. HBK became obsessed with getting another shot at the Streak and, after he failed to legitimately earn a shot at the Undertaker’s championship by winning the 2010 Royal Rumble match, the desperate HBK cost the Undertaker the World title at Elimination Chamber. Enraged, the Undertaker was goaded into accepting a rematch, however he demanded not only that it be a no disqualification bout but that HBK’s legendary career would also be at stake, which HBK happily agreed to out of sheer pride.

The Match:
Although Shawn Michaels was still rocking white-hued gear for this match, he ditched the angelic attire and entrance for his more traditional, rambunctious jaunt to the ring, presenting himself as a man so determined to defeat the Undertaker that he’ll retire if he fails. Similarly, while the Undertaker again rose from the stage and was bathed in darkness and strobe lights, the Deadman’s entrance was noticeably lowkey for a WrestleMania, with him simply stalking to the ring and glaring at HBK, who again showed no fear and not only stared right back but even mocked his signature throat cut taunt. Like last time, the match started with a slugfest, with HBK using his speed and knife edge chops to lay into the Undertaker. This time, the Undertaker shrugged off the attack and landed his Snake Eyes/Big Boot combo early, crashing into HBK with a corner splash and nailing his signature rope. However, not only did HBK slip out of a Chokeslam, but the Undertaker seemed to tweak his knee on the landing, giving HBK a target. The Phenom lashed out like a wounded animal and tried to end things early with a Tombstone Piledriver, only for the rabid HBK to desperately go for the Crippler Crossface and kick at the Undertaker’s damaged knee. Shawn worked the knee with stomps in the corner, constantly shutting down the Undertaker’s enraged punches by going low and ending up dumped to the outside as a result. When the Undertaker geared up for his suicide dive, HBK took him down with a shoulder tackle to the knee but again got sent outside when he tried for the Figure Four Leglock. The Undertaker followed, noticeably limping, ramming HBK spine-first into a ring post and dropping his patented leg drop across the ring apron.

The desperate HBK pulled out all the stops to cut the Deadman down and soften him up for the pin.

However, once back in the ring, the Undertaker got caught in a Figure Four, forced to endure the pain and avoid a pinning predicament, before eventually reversing the hold. After the two traded strikes again, HBK reeling from the Undertaker’s massive shots, Shawn landed his flying forearm but got planted with a massive Chokeslam after he kipped up for a near fall. HBK squirmed out of a Tombstone Piledriver and caught the Undertaker in the Ankle Lock before transitioning to a grapevine variant for a two count, the Undertaker frantically kicking HBK’s face to get free. Shawn then clotheslined the Undertaker over the ropes but got caught in mid-air off a moonsault and planted with a Tombstone Piledriver on the outside! However, the Undertaker got distracted attacking a concerned medic and was too slow tossing HBK in the ring for a cover, so he tried for the Last Ride…only for HBK to counter into a facebuster for a two count. Eager to capitalise, Shawn’s ribs got messed up when the Undertaker countered his signature diving elbow drop, though HBK impressively flipped through the “Hell’s Gate” to try for a pinfall. Shawn then followed up by hitting a surprise Sweet Chin Music for a near fall, leading a frustrated HBK to tune up a second shot from the corner. The Undertaker clumsily countered the superkick with the Last Ride for another super close two count, much to the Deadman’s frustration and awe. After being unceremoniously tossed to the outside, Shawn was helpless as the Undertaker stripped the announce table. However, he scurried out of a Last Ride attempt and left the Phenom prone across the table with Sweet Chin Music. HBK then clambered to the top rope and smashed the Undertaker through the table with moonsault that barely hit its target and left both men winded amidst the debris.

Despite his best efforts, HBK’s career ended at the hands of the hobbled Undertaker.

Frantic, determined to win, HBK desperately forced the hobbled Undertaker into the ring and scored with Sweet Chin Music once more…for a two count! When HBK went for it again, the Undertaker answered with a huge Chokeslam and a Tombstone Piledriver, only for Shawn to kick out right before the three count, much to the amazement of the crowd and the anger of the Undertaker. Barely standing, the Undertaker dropped his straps but, at the last second, pleaded with his opponent to stay down. Too stubborn or prideful to quit, Shawn clawed his way up using the Undertaker’s tights, mocked him with a taunt, and defiantly slapped him in the face. Incensed, the Undertaker abandoned his brief moment of pity and drilled HBK with a jumping Tombstone Piledriver to score the victory, bringing Shawn Michaels’ historic career to a close and the Undertaker to 18-0 at WrestleMania. After celebrating his win, the limping Undertaker helped Shawn to his feet to voice his respect. They shook hands and hugged and the Undertaker left the ring so an emotional HBK could bask in the overwhelming response from the raucous crowd. This match addressed a few issues I had with the last one, namely that the Undertaker’s weakened leg played a greater role in the narrative, with him limping, stumbling, and falling about from HBK’s attack. A lot of the match beats were the same but sped up, and the two didn’t take advantage of the no disqualification rule to implement weapons, which was strange. The emotional hook of the match was palpable and there was a sense that HBK was desperate to win, but I would’ve liked to see him doing more to achieve victory, such as attacking the Undertaker with chairs or whatever. People always like to compare this to their WrestleMania 25 bout, and I do think that one has a slight edge, though there’s not much in it to alter my rating. Still, a fitting send-off for HBK, even if it didn’t live up to its full potential.

The Aftermath:
To celebrate the end of his illustrious career, Shawn Michaels came out to the ring the next night on Raw to deliver an impassioned speech. In it, he talked about his career and thanked those who had supported him throughout it, specifically the fans, Vince McMahon, Triple, and long-time rival Bret “The Hitman” Hart. The whole episode was a tribute to Shawn and the Undertaker even made an appearance at the end, silently tipping his hat to HBK as a sign of respect. Following this, HBK was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame and mostly stuck to his retirement, making the odd appearance on Raw, before finally returning to the ring as the special guest referee for the “End of an Era” match between Triple H and the Undertaker. Immediately following WrestleMania XXVII, the Undertaker took a hiatus. When he returned, he suffered a horrific injury and was said to be left in a “vegetative state” by an unknown attacker, soon revealed to be his twisted brother, Kane. After suffering decisive losses to his brother, the Undertaker made a dramatic return, silently agreeing to a WrestleMania rematch with Triple H, who made it his business to pick up where HBK left off. Though HBK tried to give Triple H the edge in the aforementioned “End of an Era” match, all three men embraced as equals by the finale and infamously shared the ring in a disastrous tag team match at the 2018 Crown Jewel. Following this universally mocked travesty, HBK settled into a backstage role as a trainer and producer for the NXT developmental brand, ironically placing the so-called “degenerate” as one of the WWE’s principal corporate figureheads.

My Rating:

Rating: 5 out of 5.

Fantastic

What did you think to the Undertaker’s rematch with Shawn Michaels at WrestleMania XXVI? How do you think it compares against their previous WrestleMania match? Did you like the focus on the Undertaker’s injured leg? Were you also disappointment by the lack of weapons and ringside brawling? Do you think this was a fitting final match for HBK? How are you celebrating the Undertaker this month, what are some of your favourite matches and moments of his? Whatever you thought about this match, leave a comment below, check out my other Undertaker content, and donate to my Ko-Fi to suggest an Undertaker match for me to review in the future.

Wrestling Recap [Undervember]: Undertaker vs. HBK (WrestleMania 25)

Dr. K3 Comments

To celebrate the Undertaker’s illustrious career, I’m looking back at his WrestleMania matches against “The Heartbreak Kid” Shawn Michaels and Triple H.

The Date: 5 April 2009
The Venue: Reliant Stadium; Houston, Texas
The Commentary: Michael Cole, Jerry “The King” Lawler, and Jim “J.R.” Ross
The Referee: Marty Elias
The Stakes: Singles match with the Undertaker’s WrestleMania winning streak on the line

The Build-Up:
Over his decorated career in World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), the Undertaker amassed the greatest winning streak in wrestling history – 21 WrestleMania wins between 1991 and 2013 – and battled a who’s-who of the biggest names in wrestling. One of his most notable adversaries was “The Heartbreak Kid” Shawn Michaels, once one of the biggest prima donnas in the industry who (alongside his “Kliq” buddies) held a great deal of sway over WWE Chairman Vince McMahon. The Undertaker and HBK battled on and off throughout the 1990s, making history in the first-ever Hell in a Cell match. Some time after his dramatic comeback and notable character change, HBK was embroiled in a bizarre feud with John “Bradshaw” Layfield/JBL after finding himself low on cash, which was the background to Shawn challenging the Undertaker’s WrestleMania winning streak. After defeating both JBL and Vladimir Kozlov, Shawn earned the right to battle the Undertaker at what was billed as WrestleMania’s 25th anniversary, with HBK attacking the Deadman after they teamed up on Raw. The two engaged in a war of words, with HBK expressing his respect but lack of fear towards the Undertaker and backing this up by never flinching when the Undertaker employed his signature spooky gimmicks. HBK even donned white attire that mirrored the Undertaker’s and cast himself, as a born again Christian, as the natural contrast to the Phenom’s darkness, establishing both men as uncompromising forces of nature heading into the match.

The Match:
This contrast of light and dark continued at WrestleMania 25, with Shawn Michaels descending from the heavens in his white attire while the Undertaker ascended from the stage, surrounded by lightning and flames. The visual of the two legends in the ring was enough to elicit a near-deafening buzz from the crowd, who watched with anticipation as the two danced around each other and exchanged strikes in the early going, with HBK using his speed to dodge the Undertaker’s reach and landing chops and forearm shots. The Undertaker quickly asserted himself, catching HBK’s fist and launching him into (and over) the corner, only for Shawn to pounce upon the Deadman after feigning a knee injury. Annoyed, the Undertaker overpowered Shawn and unleashed a flurry in the corner, finally dropping HBK and taking control of the match. Shawn weathered the assault and continued to fire back with knife-edge chops, only to be turned upside down off an Irish whip into the far corner and a back body drop. The Undertaker showcased his incredible strength with a military press slam and scored a one count off a running elbow before focusing on Shawn’s left arm, wearing him down for his signature rope walk. Wily as ever, HBK dodged at the last second when the Undertaker went for a running big boot, leaving the Deadman hung up in the corner, then targeted the Phenom’s left knee to chop the big man down. The crowd erupted as HBK applied the Figure Four Leglock to further punish the Undertaker’s leg, scoring a quick one count but eventually releasing the hold when the Undertaker punched him in the face.

The back-and-forth action almost ended in disaster when the Undertaker went for a suicide dive!

While HBK continued to target the knee, the Undertaker fell back on pure power, muscling Shawn into the corner for another beat down but noticeably hobbling as he landed a couple of body splashes and his signature Snake Eyes/Big Boot combination. The follow-up leg drop scored the first two count of the match and, frustrated, the Deadman called for a Chokeslam. Shawn surprisingly countered with a Crippler Crossface, maintaining the hold even as the Undertaker desperately rolled into a pinning predicament and powered up. The Deadman bought a reprieve and earned a near fall off a side slam and the two went back to exchanging blows, with the Undertaker getting madder with each strike. HBK exploded off the ring ropes for his trademark forearm shot and leapt to his feet, landing two inverted atomic drops and dropping the Phenom with a running clothesline. Even when the Undertaker snatched him out of mid-air as he went for his patented top rope elbow drop, HBK countered with a low kick and tried for the Figure Four again, only to end up the Undertaker’s “Hell’s Gate” hold! After HBK scrambled to the ropes to break the hold, the competitors tumbled outside, where the Undertaker bashed HBK’s face off the ring steps, only to miss his apron leg drop, further damaging his leg. Shawn followed up with a baseball slide but crashed and burned off a moonsault to the outside, giving the Undertaker time to catch his breath. As Shawn struggled to his feet and refused to quit, the Undertaker flew over the ropes with a suicide dive and damn-near killed himself when the “cameraman” failed to catch him! Desperate to buy the Undertaker time to recover and win by any means necessary, HBK dragged the referee into the ring to begin a ten count, only for the Deadman to (eventually) roll back into the ring, much to Shawn’s utter dismay.

The two traded finishers near the end, but it was the Deadman who came out on top.

Enraged, HBK tried for Sweet Chin Music, only to get hit with a Chokeslam and barely kick out at two! However, after slipping out of a Tombstone Piledriver and shrugging off another Chokeslam attempt, Shawn finally hit his signature super kick, only to take too long making the cover and for the Undertaker to kick out. After a defiant kip up, Shawn almost got nailed with the Last Ride, only to squirm out of it and attempt a cover, which the Undertaker reversed to finally drill HBK with his massive powerbomb…for a two count! Incensed and amazed, the noticeably groggy Undertaker uncharacteristically climbed the top rope, only to eat the canvas when HBK dodged his diving elbow drop. After both struggled up, Shawn got dropped with a Tombstone Piledriver after attempting a headscissor from the ring ropes. Unbelievably, HBK kicked out just before three, much to the distraught Deadman’s chagrin. The Undertaker dropped the straps and did his signature throat cut taunt to signal a second Tombstone Piledriver, only for HBK to desperately counter with a DDT. Shawn followed up with his diving elbow drop and summoned all his strength for another Sweet Chin Music…and another heart-stopping two count! Both men clutched at each other and returned to throwing strikes, barely able to stand and being equally matched and stubborn. Though HBK fought out of another Tombstone attempt and countered a running corner splash, his luck ran out when he went for a Moonsault and got caught in mid-air and drilled with a Tombstone Piledriver, giving the Undertaker his seventeenth WrestleMania win. I really enjoyed the story being told here of the tenacity and pig-headedness of both men, who refused to quit or stay down and kept finding the will to continue. I also liked that it wasn’t just a finisher- or spot-fest and that they sold their biggest shots as potential match enders and grew increasingly frustrated and desperate when their opponent somehow kicked out. However, it’s a shame all that focus on wearing down the arm and leg didn’t factor into the end that much.

The Aftermath:
Widely regarded by many, including the Undertaker, as one of the best matches of either man, this bout was listed as WWE’s greatest WrestleMania match of all time, and it’s easy to see why (even with that botched dive). Following their gruelling contest, both men took four months off to recuperate. When Shawn Michaels returned later that year, he re-formed D-Generation X with his long-time friend Triple H and got into it with the upstart Legacy faction while the Undertaker distracted himself capturing CM Punk’s World Heavyweight Championship in a Hell in a Cell match. At the 2009 Slammy Awards, the WrestleMania 25 match won “Best Match of the Year”, prompting HBK to challenge the Undertaker to a rematch. When the Deadman turned down the challenge, believing he had proved himself the superior, HBK became obsessed with getting another shot at the Streak. After he failed to win the 2010 Royal Rumble match and legitimately earn a shot at the Undertaker’s championship, HBK cost the Deadman the World title at Elimination Chamber, finally goading the Undertaker into a rematch but with one caveat: HBK’s star-studded career would also be on the line!

My Rating:

Rating: 5 out of 5.

Fantastic

Did you enjoy the Undertaker’s captivating match with Shawn Michaels from WrestleMania 25? How would you rate it against the Undertaker’s other WrestleMania matches? Do you think the botched dive ruined the match? Did you think that HBK would break the Streak at the time? Which match between the two is your favourite and how do you think this compares to the follow-up bout? How are you celebrating the Undertaker’s debut this year, what are some of your favourite matches and moments of his? Whatever your thoughts, drop a comment below, go check out my other Undertaker match reviews, and donate to my Ko-Fi to suggest an Undertaker match you’d like me to cover.

Wrestling Recap: Elimination Chamber Match (Survivor Series ’02)

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The Date: 17 November 2002
The Venue: Madison Square Garden; New York, New York
The Commentary: Jim “J.R.” Ross and Jerry “The King” Lawler
The Referee: Earl Hebner
The Stakes: Six-man Elimination Chamber match for Triple H’s World Heavyweight Championship

The Build-Up:
Over its many decades as the dominating force in sports entertainment, World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) has created some of the industry’s most successful competitors, changed the face of pay-per-view entertainment, and delivered some game-changing match types. In 1987, the then-World Wrestling Federation (WWF) struck it big with WrestleMania, a pay-per-view showcase that was so successful that WWF Chairman Vince McMahon strong-armed many cable companies into showing their follow-up event, Survivor Series, over the National Wrestling Alliance’s (NWA) Starrcade pay-per-view. Although the show was famous for featuring a series of ten-man elimination tag team matches, this format was shaken up in 2002 with the introduction of the “Elimination Chamber”. This was a merciless steel structure that forced four men to wait in “bulletproof pods” as two others fought in the ring, with each participant joining the match at random at regular intervals and wrestlers being eliminated by pin fall or submission until only one is left standing. At this time, the WWE’s hefty roster was split into two distinct brands, Raw and SmackDown!, and the Elimination Chamber was first introduced by Raw General Manager Eric Bischoff as a means to out-do his blue branded rival. The chamber would prove the perfect staging ground to force World Heavyweight Champion Triple H (who was in the midst of a “Reign of Terror” alongside his Evolution allies, “The Nature Boy” Ric Flair, Randy Orton, and Batista) against his five top challengers, men he had spent the previous year humiliating and destroying both in the ring and in backstage segments. While Chris Jericho, Kane, Booker T, and Rob Van Dam all had legitimate beef with Triple H, the real story heading into the match was the return of Triple H’s former D-Generation X teammate, the “Heartbreak Kid” Shawn Michaels. HBK had been famously sidelined with a career-ending back injury in 1998 and Triple H had flourished as a main event heel in the interim. Although HBK functioned as an on-air personality, he made an unexpected in-ring return in June 2002 and was set to reunite with Triple H before his friend viciously attacked him, leading to a brutal street fight at the 2002 SummerSlam that briefly took HBK off television before he dramatically returned to Raw to be the final entrant in the first of what would become an annual event match for the WWE.

The Match:
I was massively invested in wrestling by 2002. While I was mainly watching SmackDown! due to the limitations of my Sky package, I still followed Raw and caught the odd pay-per-view so I was fully aware of Triple H’s dominating run with the World Heavyweight Championship. Honestly, 2002 was one of my favourite times in wrestling just for the stars and music involved: Jericho was played to the ring by Saliva, Kane was sporting perhaps my favourite look of his and had a banging theme song, and Triple H made regular use of Motörhead both as a singles star and as part of Evolution. Things went a little extreme during this time and Triple H started absorbing other belts along the way, which was a bit of a mistake (and clearly upper management agreed as they restored the Intercontinental Championship soon enough) but it was a good way to showcase new faces in the main event scene. Some of these guys, like Rob Van Dam and Booker T, were overdue their time in the sun while others, like Chris Jericho and Kane, could easily be slotted into the title picture without any issue. Of course, the big story of the year was HBK’s incredible comeback. HBK hadn’t been an active wrestler when I started watching but his reputation preceded him and I was completely caught up in the drama and hatred that quickly brewed between him and his former best friend since it was our best shot at seeing Triple H relieved of his championship belt. I remember also feeling a lot of anticipation about the first-ever Elimination Chamber match. I’d never seen a War Games match at the time so the closest analogy I (and most people had) was the Hell in a Cell match, but I was excited about it as it was a nice twist on the traditional Survivor Series match. Triple H and Rob Van Dam kicked off the match (literally in RVD’s case) and immediately rekindled their rivalry from earlier in the year, with RVD working Triple H over with his “educated feet” and martial arts agility.

RVD impressed throughout the match but almost killed Triple H with a botched splash off the top!

RVD continued to press his advantage by back dropping Triple H out of a Pedigree attempt, over the ropes, to the raised steel floor at ringside. RVD followed up by repeatedly launching “The Game” into the chained walls of the chamber, busting him open in the process, and even hitting his backflip/monkey flip combo out on the steel and his trademark Rolling Thunder over the ropes and to the outside! Triple H was unexpectedly saved from a potential Five-Star Frog Splash off a chamber pod when Jericho grabbed at RVD’s leg but the Game ended up crotched on the top rope and taking a rolling senton to the face anyway. Triple H continued to take a beating against the chain-link walls and in the ring, but was given a brief reprieve when Jericho entered the match and got into it with RVD. Things don’t go too well for the self-proclaimed “King of the World”, however, as he got nailed with RVD’s spinning kick for a two count and then took his jumping side kick out the corner, and RVD even managed to pivot in mid-air to briefly cling to the cage and then take Jericho out with a dive off the wall! Despite the blood loss and the beating he took, Triple H walloped RVD with a clothesline; this was enough for Jericho to plant him with a back suplex and try his awesome cocky pin. Although RVD valiantly fought back, Triple H’s Harley Race-style knee strike shut him down and he and Jericho put aside their differences to pummel RVD . RVD dodged a corner splash, however, only to get absolutely planted by a DDT from Triple H. Luckily, the odds evened up as Booker T entered the fray. He rode his recent wave of momentum to go after both Jericho and Triple H and even had time to celebrate with a Spinaroonie before he and RVD went at it. Although RVD still had plenty of gas left in the tank, a couple of big side kicks from Booker T led to a near fall. Not to be outdone, RVD got a two count off a spinning heel kick before Triple H interjected himself into their fight, only to eat a Scissors Kick for his troubles. Although Jericho attacked Booker T before he could make a cover, things got seriously bad for Triple H when his throat was legitimately crushed after RVD miscalculated a Five-Star Frog Splash off a pod. RVD was then anti-climatically eliminated from the match after a Missile Dropkick from Booker T.

Kane’s rampage came to a dramatic end and HBK eliminated Jericho to go on-on-one with Triple H.

Jericho and Booker T frantically went at it as Triple H recuperated, with Booker T dodging the Lionsault and planting Jericho with his snap spinebuster for a two count. Kane was then released from his pod and started hitting everyone in sight. He easily manhandled Jericho, ramming him into the chained walls and then threw him through the pod plexiglass! Kane beat on Triple H for a little before focusing on Booker T, nailing a Chokeslam that allowed the bloodied Jericho to eliminate Booker with a Lionsault. Kane continued to pulverise Jericho on the outside before dumping him back in the ring with a military press. He easily fended off Triple H’s desperate attempts to get back into things and scored a near fall off a suplex before tossing Triple H off the top rope. Jericho countered a Chokeslam with a kick to the balls and finally knocked Kane down with a Missile Dropkick, meaning all three men were down when HBK (and his atrocious brown tights) was finally unleashed. Shawn Michaels went after Jericho and Kane like a house on fire but his momentum stalled after Kane nailed him with a Chokeslam. Kane then hit another on Triple H and caught Jericho in mid-air for a third Chokeslam. However, when Kane tried to hit the Tombstone Piledriver on Triple H, he got blasted with Sweet Chin Music from HBK, drilled with a Pedigree, and finally pinned and eliminated off a Lionsault. Jericho followed up by ramming HBK into the cage wall, drawing blood in the process and leaving him a helpless husk for him and Triple H to beat on in a heinous assault. Triple H dumped his former friend to the outside so he could grind his face against the chains and bounce him off the plexiglass. He and Jericho then took turns pummeling HBK’s bloodstained face, dumping him on the steel floor, and repeatedly smashing him off the chain-link wall. HBK mounted a brief comeback with a flying forearm and a nip-up, but Jericho put a stop to that with yet another Lionsault. However, Shawn refused to be pinned and caught Jericho off-guard with a moonsault for a near fall. Triple H then saved Jericho when HBK had him in his own Walls of Jericho submission hold and started brawling with Y2J after he tried to eliminate his hated rival. Although Jericho almost made the Game tap with the Walls of Jericho, Y2J got nailed with Sweet Chin Music and summarily eliminated by Shawn Michaels, meaning that the match came down to the two former friends going at it once again.

HBK and Triple H’s bloody brawl ends with Shawn toppling the Game and becoming World Champion!

The two bloodied, exhausted one-time allies traded punches, an exchange that ended with Triple H scoring a two count off a massive Arn Anderson-like spinebuster. HBK then found himself tossed outside again and catapulted right through the plexiglass of a pod when he dared to try and hit Triple H with a Pedigree on the steel, though is only resulted in another near fall as Shawn refused to die. Frustrated, desperate to inflict more punishment, Triple H urged HBK to his feet and the two got into a heated slugfest that ended with Shawn getting smashed with Triple H’s knee facebuster. HBK got a measure of revenge on the outside, however, when he reversed a Pedigree attempt into a catapult of his own that saw Triple H’s battered face bounce off the chain-link wall one more time. Shawn Michaels followed with his signature Diving Elbow from the top of a pod but chose to tune up the band rather than go for the pin. Triple H caught Shawn’s foot, however, and drilled him with a Pedigree but the champion was too hurt to immediately capitalise and HBK got the shoulder up at two. Triple H then tried for another Pedigree but Shawn countered with a back drop and then nailed Sweet Chin Music out of nowhere and scored the victory to an absolutely thunderous applause. He then celebrated his big comeback and title victory with tears in his eyes and under a shower of confetti. Considering no one knew what to expect from this first-ever Elimination Chamber match, this was a really good and well-paced contest. The competitors made really good use of the space to showcase how dangerous the structure is and give a taste of the athletic and innovative manoeuvres the chamber’s walls and pods could offer. While it somewhat undermined the narrative of the plexiglass being “bulletproof” to have it smashed in this first match, it worked wonderfully to showcase Kane’s brutality and Shawn’s never-say-die attitude. It’s amazing that Triple H was able to continue the match considering he could’ve been killed from RVDs freak botch, but it didn’t interrupt the flow of the match as these guys all knew how to buy him time to recover. RVD and Jericho stole the match in the early going. RVD’s athleticism and conditioning really impressed me and I was surprised to see Jericho score the most eliminations, and off the Lionsault no less! Kane got a good showing with his power game but I think more could’ve been done to help him stand out as a force of nature, but the one to watch was clearly Booker T. The guy was so popular at this point and I think the crowd would’ve been just as happy to see him or RVD get the win as much as HBK. However, you can’t take away from Shawn’s incredible comeback story. We never thought we’d see him back in the ring, much less a World Champion again, and this was a really emotional, cathartic moment for him and those who just wanted to see Triple H dethroned as champion.

The Aftermath:
Although Booker T, Kane, and Chris Jericho largely faded out of the main event scene in the immediate aftermath to this match, Shawn Michaels and Triple H were far from done with their rivalry, and poor old Rob Van Dam got caught up in the middle of it. RVD was defeated by Triple H to earn the Game a shot at the World Heavyweight Championship in a “Three Stages of Hell” match at Armageddon the following month, where Triple H regaining the belt after enduring a street fight, a steel cage, and a ladder match. While Triple H was busying stinking up the main event scene in horrendous matches with “Big Poppa Pump” Scott Steiner, Kane, Jericho, Shawn Michaels, RVD, and Booker T all competed in the Royal Rumble match and all came up short. Although Booker T earned himself a shot at Triple H’s World Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania XIX, he was resoundingly defeated despite everything pointing to a big babyface victory! Kane and RVD formed a tag team in the interim and eventually ended up at odds with each other after the Big Red Machine’s dramatic unmasking. Jericho and HBK got into an emotionally-charged feud that only got worse after Y2J’s temper tantrum at WrestleMania XIX, and Triple H went on to have lacklustre matches against Goldberg throughout 2003. HBK and Triple H rekindled their rivalry near the end of 2003. HBK appeared to defeat Triple H for the belt on an episode of Raw that was ruled a draw and the two again went to a no contest in a Last Man Standing match at the 2004 Royal Rumble. This led to HBK interjecting himself into the WrestleMania XX main event. Though he was ultimately unsuccessful, his tumultuous relationship with Triple H would continue on and off over the next few years before the two finally got back on the same page and reformed D-Generation X in 2006.

My Rating:

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Great Stuff

What did you think to the first-ever Elimination Chamber match? Who was your pick to win at the time? What did you think the the level of violence on show in the match? Were you impressed that Triple H was able to continue after his injury? What did you think to Shawn Michaels’ big comeback and championship win here? Which Elimination Chamber match or event is your favourite? Whatever your thoughts on the Elimination Chamber, feel free to leave them below or drop a c and be sure to check out my other wrestling reviews!

Wrestling Recap: Hulk Hogan vs. Shawn Michaels (SummerSlam ’05)

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The Date: 21 August 2005
The Venue: MCI Center; Washington, D.C.
The Commentary: Jim “J.R.” Ross, Jerry “The King” Lawler, Jonathan “The Coach” Coachman
The Referee: Mike Chioda and Chad Patton
The Stakes: Legend vs. Icon dream match

The Build-Up:
When you think of wrestling, it’s hard not to picture “The Immortal” Hulk Hogan. For years, the Hulkster was not just a wrestling icon, but a mainstream star who was largely responsible for putting the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) on the map. A controversial figure, to be sure, one who used his backstage power and star appeal to his advantage more than once, Hogan would later be the linchpin of the “Monday Night Wars” when he jumped to rival promotion World Championship Wrestling (WCW) and formed the ridiculously popular New World Order (nWo). During that time, many wrestlers would jump back and forth between WWF and WCW, but one who remained loyal to Vince McMahon’s company, despite the appeal of WCW, was the “Heartbreak Kid” Shawn Michaels. An equally controversial figure, HBK was known for his athleticism and arrogance, a culmination of factors that earned him a reputation as “The Showstopper”. One thing both men had in common was that they both returned to the WWF, now known as World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), in 2002 after a significant time away; Hogan due to his WCW contract and HBK due to a career-threatening back injury. While Hogan’s tenure with WWE was as tenuous as his relationship with McMahon, HBK embarked on an unexpected and much celebrated second run that saw him capture the World Heavyweight Championship, and the two finally crossed paths in mid-2005, initially as a tag team. HBK needed a tag team partner to face Muhammad Hassan and Daivari and literally begged Hogan to join forces with him. At first, it seemed this “dream team” was a match made in heaven but, after another victory over Kurt Angle and Carlito, HBK shocked everyone by delivering his patented Sweet Chin Music to Hogan. What followed was a hugely entertaining and systematic attack upon the Immortal One by his upstart opponent in which HBK attacked Hogan’s ego, backstage politics, and his hogging of the limelight. HBK famously imitated a frail, broken Hogan in a memorable backstage skit and went out of his way to rile up Hogan, who was insulted by HBK’s underhanded tactics. With tensions mounting, spilling over into verbal and physical alterations, the stage was set for this once-in-a-lifetime main event bout between two legitimate icons of the industry, though, as we’ll delve into later, it was initially set to just be the tip of the iceberg between these competitors.

The Match:
Despite everything Shawn Michaels had said and done, all the spiteful comments and him revisiting much of the egotistical jackassery that defined his early career, HBK still received his fair share of cheers and crowd support at the beginning of this match, and throughout, though it’s equally fair to say that he had done a masterful job of briefly turning heel and turning much of the crowd against him. Thus, loud and consistent chants for Hogan permeated the arena and led to a massive pop when the Immortal One made his way to the ring accompanied by the familiar tunes of “Real American” and bathed in the shadow of Ol’ Glory itself, as fired up and ready for action as the arrogant HBK, who initially lingered on the outside, refusing to let the bell ring and winding Hogan up even more. Eventually, both men stood face to face and, after milking the crowd and the anticipation, finally got into a lock up and the match immediately took a turn for the ridiculous as, when Hogan shoved HBK away, Shawn comically bounced across the ring as though knocked over by a gust of wind! Twice more Hogan shoved HBK, the second being a simple push to the chest, and again Shawn pinballed to the mat and the shock, the confusion, was visible in Hogan’s stunned expression. He had to know, even in the early going, that HBK was mocking him by over exaggerating his selling. Indeed, this seemed to be the case as Hogan tore off his bandana and tossed it HBK after the Showstopper pinwheeled across the ring and out to the floor off a simple shoulder block, playing up his frustration at Hogan’s apparently superhuman strength even as the Hulkster showed visible anger at HBK’s antics.

HBK bounced around like a madman for Hogan and viciously busted the Hulkster open.

Once back in the ring, HBK took control with a knee to the gut and some knife-edge chops in the ring corners but found himself launched into the far corner off an Irish whip and receiving some hard boots to the gut as he lay prone across the top rope, which Shawn sold as though he were being tossed up to the rafters! After landing some shots to HBK’s forehead, Hogan rammed Michaels into the top turnbuckle pad and Shawn comically backflipped out of it, selling it like a shotgun blast and only regaining control of the match after a desperate thumb to Hogan’s eye. After some more chops, Shawn tumbled head over heels and some ways up the aisle off a basic clothesline over the top rope and started swinging wildly, punch drunk, as though dazed by Hogan’s incredible power. After regrouping on the outside, Shawn was forcibly returned to the ring when Hogan powered him over the top rope and floored by more shots and another clothesline, though HBK avoided a back body drop and returned to lighting up Hogan’s chest with some chops. When Hogan avoided having his head ran into the top turnbuckle, HBK haughtily slapped him across the face a couple of times and used his speed to keep the pressure on with the chops, only to be turned inside out when launched into the opposite corner and knocked off the ring apron. This time, Hogan followed HBK to the outside and slammed him into the barricade and across the Spanish announce table for some rapid shots to the forehead and then launched the Showstopper shoulder-first into the ring post. However, HBK returned the favour by wriggling out of Hogan’s power lift and shoving him face-first into the same ring post, then doubled down by awkwardly pushing Hogan into another ring post and aggressively targeting Hogan’s head with repeated blows that, eventually, turned Hogan’s face into the proverbial crimson mask.

HBK’s underhanded ways were nothing against Hogan’s superhuman aura.

Pleased with his efforts, HBK kept the pressure on a dazed and bloodied Hogan who could barely stay on his feet much less avoid being worn down to the canvas by a tightly-knit sleeper hold. The swell of crowd support naturally saw Hogan get his second wind; he powered to his feet and dropped HBK with a back suplex to create some separation but was too weak to avoid HBK’s signature flying forearm. Riding the adrenaline rush, Shawn went for his diving elbow, but Hogan rolled out of the way and finally got back into the fight with his “Hulk Up” spot. Hogan literally rocked Shawn with a series of clubbing blows, but Shawn avoided the Big Boot with another flying forearm and inadvertently sent referee Mike Chioda tumbling from the ring, forcing Chad Patton to run in and take over. In keeping with his newfound asshole tendencies, Shawn earned the ire of the crowd by clumsily tying Hogan up in the Sharpshooter. However, Hogan crawled to the ropes to break the hold, then accidentally took Chad Patton out while frantically kicking HBK off when he went for the hold again. Visibly limping from the Sharpshooter, Hogan stumbled right into a vicious low blow and was powerless to stop HBK from cracking a steel chair right across his skull! With Hogan downed, Shawn hit his big top-rope elbow drop, revived Chad Patton, and nailed Hogan with the Sweet Chin Music…for a two count! Livid, Shawn tried to pound on Hogan with right hands but the crowd went nuts as Hogan Hulked Up again, this time scoring with the Big Boot that hit so hard that Shawn bounced to his feet, twirled around, and cartwheeled to the canvas! Hogan then showboated before scoring with the Leg Drop for the three count, much to the delight of the crowd. Afterwards, HBK interrupted Hogan’s raucous celebration and, though annoyed by the loss, offered Hogan a handshake, saying he “needed to know” if he could defeat the Immortal One. Hogan accepted the handshake, turning HBK face again, and was left to celebrate in the ring with his classic strongman poses and taunts.

The Aftermath:
Oh my, is this a crazy match! Unlike the intensity of Hogan’s showdowns with The Rock, HBK decided the best way to showcase Hogan’s vaulted superhuman persona was to bounce around the ring like a pinball! It must’ve been so shocking and annoying for Hogan to see Shawn making a fool of himself, flipping inside out from the simplest of moves and really playing up the pantomime theatrics of Hogan’s larger than life persona. These antics, however, are used more sparingly than you might have been led to believe and are standout highlights of an otherwise fairly by-the-numbers match. Hogan seems quite slow and ungainly here, not able to do much more than his usual spots and take some chops, and I really don’t think we needed two ref bumps in this one. Still, for sheer spectacle, Hogan vs. Michaels delivers an entertaining match; the crowd loved every second of it, cheering themselves into a frenzy for everything Hogan did and jeering HBK whenever he did something underhanded while still appreciating his athleticism, however over the top it may have been. Of course, this was actually supposed to be one of a series of matches between these two wrestling icons but, behind the scenes, the two struggled to come to an arrangement. HBK never wanted to turn heel and was frustrated by Hogan’s resistance to a three-match series. Thus, Shawn decided to massively oversell Hogan’s offense to make him appear truly superhuman, an act that caused much ire backstage, and cut one last promo mocking Hogan on the following night’s episode of Raw, forever putting the kibosh on another match between the two. Following this match, HBK moved into a feud with “The Masterpiece” Chris Masters and would find himself embroiled in a rivalry with Vince McMahon by WrestleMania 22, while Hogan largely disappeared from television until WrestleMania 25, after which he left WWE altogether for a largely disastrous second run in Total Nonstop Action (TNA)/Impact Wrestling. However, Hogan and HBK would cross paths again during the infamous match between Triple H and Sting at WrestleMania 2015 that saw Hogan and his nWo buddies brawl with HBK and D-Generation X.

My Rating:

Rating: 5 out of 5.

Fantastic

What did you think to the epic classic between Hulk Hogan and Shawn Michaels? Did HBK’s overselling take you out of the match or did you find it entertaining? Do you think the match needed two ref bumps or did it add to the drama for you? Were you hoping for a different outcome, and would you have liked to see another match between these two? What are some wrestling dream matches you’d like to see, or wish we’d gotten? Which SummerSlam match or event is your favourite? Whatever your thoughts on Hogan vs. Michaels, and SummerSlam, leave a comment below and be sure to check out my other wrestling content across the site.