I’ve been trying to think of what kind of storyline twist could be in store for us on Sunday. I think The Rock surprising everyone and winning the Rumble would be a big surprise. I wonder if the World Wrestling Entertainment thinks that we think that Jericho is actually a face. They don’t give us much credit for having brains, so I wouldn’t be surprised if the “storyline twist” was that Jericho wins by some heelish tactic and solidifies himself as a bad guy – although we all figured that was coming, anyway. Of course, the Observer is hungry to sell newsletters and make stuff up daily, by my estimation, so this could and probably will have been just another instance when posted some B.S. rumor made up by a guy competing with the rest of the internet to keep his business thriving. BTW, to continue these discussions on other social media outlets, please follow me on Twitter @TheDocLOP or hit me up on Facebook (Doc Lop)

QUESTION OF THE DAY (49): JBL was an awesome color commentator. King hasn’t been awesome in a long time. I want a new color commentator that can actually be looked at as an upgrade. Of all the former talent lurking around, who do you think best fits the bill as the next, great color commentating former superstar/manager?

90. The New Age Outlaws vs. Cactus Jack and Chainsaw Charlie at Wrestlemania XIV
89. Shawn Michaels vs. Tito Santana at Wrestlemania VIII
88. Ravishing Rick Rude vs. Ultimate Warrior at Wrestlemania V
87. Bret Hart vs. Yokozuna at Wrestlemania IX
86. Scott Hall vs. Stone Cold Steve Austin at Wrestlemania X-8
85. Chris Benoit vs. John Bradshaw Layfield at Wrestlemania 22

90. The New Age Outlaws vs. Cactus Jack and Chainsaw Charlie at Wrestlemania XIV

Setting the stage: In January of 1998, Mick Foley (as Cactus) and Terry Funk (as Chainsaw) had a match where Foley did an elbow drop off the Raw set and onto Funk, who was laying inside a dumpster. Billy Gunn and Road Dogg came out and threw the dumpster – still containing both men – off the Raw entrance stage. So, in the weeks leading up to Wrestlemania XIV, it was determined that the New Age Outlaws would put their tag titles on the line against Cactus and Chainsaw in a Dumpster match. Mr. Ass and the Dogg fly under the radar on the all-time list of tag teams. What a great duo they were during the Attitude era. Not everything during that time was as good as people say it was, but the Outlaws certainly were.

The match: It started off and finished as a wild brawl. Foley did a rolling plancha that caught nothing but dumpster early on, allowing the Outlaws to take control. They nearly had the match won when they back dropped Funk into the dumpster, but Foley fought back. Cactus eventually got a ladder out from under the ring and tried to give Dogg an elbow drop off the top of it, but Gunn prevented it. Mr. Ass and Cactus Jack fought on the top rungs of the ladder until Chainsaw took a cookie sheet shot that stumbled him back into the ladder, tipping it over and sending Cactus and Gunn into the dumpster in the spot of the match. The finish took place backstage, where Chainsaw and Cactus combined to put the Outlaws on a palate and drive it with the help of a forklift into a dumpster. Foley and Funk won the tag titles.

The reception: The match received mixed reviews, but some notable dirt sheet writers called it a successful stuntfest worthy of a 3-star rating. I personally wouldn’t go that far, but I did think it was a very nice brawl that certainly didn’t take anything away from the event as a whole. It was a nice showcase of what all four could do in this kind of environment. Foley and Gunn going from ladder to dumpsters was a Wrestlemania moment.

CMV1 rating: **1/2

89. Shawn Michaels vs. Tito Santana at Wrestlemania VIII

Setting the stage: Shawn Michaels turned on his long-time partner, Marty Jannetty, in December of 1991, throwing him face-first threw the glass of the Barber Shop television interview set. It officially turned Michaels into a singles competitor and a heel. Sensational Sherri Martel became infatuated with him and he became her “Sexy Boy” – which of course became Shawn’s theme song with her singing the original version. Michaels also adopted the nickname, the Heartbreak Kid, during this time. At the 1992 Royal Rumble, HBK and “El Matador” Tito Santana eliminated each other, setting up a match between the two at Wrestlemania VIII. This is the kind of match that I think Wrestlemania needs to elevate newer talents. Money in the Bank has made the World Wrestling Entertainment lazy in booking their mid-card for such a big PPV. If they insist on bringing it back, then they have to compliment it with an 8-10 minute match in the mid-card. Cody Rhodes (Cody Runnels) vs. Goldust fits the bill.

The match: Michaels showed off some Ric Flair tendencies throughout the match, showcasing his skills as a heel to help get the crowd against him. He did a nice job, as did Tito in getting himself over as the clear cut fan favorite. HBK looked great in selling Tito’s offense, while he managed a steady stream of cocky mannerisms that helped build what was essentially a match with no feud into something worth watching. The two worked a fluid match that saw the momentum swing back and forth until Michaels hit what became his super kick for a near fall. HBK went out to the apron and Tito tried to suplex him back into the ring, but Michaels countered and fell on top of Tito for the pin. If you watch Dolph Ziggler from late 2009, tell me you don’t see HBK from 1992.

The reception: It certainly was not the greatest work of either man’s career, but it was solid action that got the crowd interested and helped Michaels gain some experience in front of a large audience on PPV. This was actually HBK’s first PPV match as a singles competitor, so it was a milestone for him. He did well as a heel character and Tito was as solid as ever.

CMV1: **1/2

88. Ravishing Rick Rude vs. Ultimate Warrior at Wrestlemania V

Setting the Stage: At the first ever Royal Rumble PPV, the Intercontinental Champion Warrior faced off against Rick Rude in a “Super Pose down,” the winner of which was to be determined by a fan vote. Of course, Warrior – who became the second most over babyface on the roster after Randy Savage turned heel – easily won. Rude didn’t take it too well, though, and attacked Warrior afterward. In what was the second biggest match at Wrestlemania V and second on the marquee behind the Mega Powers Exploding, Warrior and Rude clashed over the IC title. Pinch me if the IC title ever grabs second billing at a Wrestlemania again…I’ll think that I’m dreaming….

The match: Expectations were low given Warrior’s involvement. In fact, Warrior had made a habit out of simply beating up an opponent for a few minutes and going home with the title in tow. However, Rude surprised by getting quite a bit of offense in and making Warrior look quite good in the process. The ever present antics of Bobby “The Brain” Heenan were certainly on display, as well. While the match was not very long, the two wrestlers traded momentum back and forth. There were some sloppy moments here and there, but for the most part it flowed well. Rude eventually went for the Rude Awakening, only for Warrior to power out of it and hit a diving shoulder tackle. The Ravishing One got out of the ring. Warrior caught up to him and tried to suplex him back into the ring, but Heenan grabbed hold of his foot, causing Rude to come crashing down on top of him for the pin and the win. Rude won the IC title, but went on to drop it back to Warrior in a very good match at Summerslam.

The reception: It has never been nor will it ever be mistaken for a great match, but Rude was able to carry Warrior to a good first bout in what became a surprisingly good series of matches between 1989 and 1990. It has become a big part of Rude’s legacy to have carried Warrior the way he did. Only Macho Man and Hogan can claim to have had better matches with him. You might say that Rude taught Warrior how to work.

CMV1 rating: **1/2

87. Bret Hart vs. Yokozuna at Wrestlemania IX

Setting the stage: I’m not sure where to begin with this one. I guess the fact that Bret was main-eventing his first Mania is a good starting point, but you all know that. I suppose I’d rather look at this match a little bit more personally. A lot of you may have come up as wrestling fans during the Attitude era or beyond, so I ask you to recall when Guerrero, Benoit, Orton, Cena, Edge (Adam Copeland), Christian, Jeff Hardy, or CM Punk reached the pinnacle of their career in the main-event. I ask you to recall what that felt like for you, especially for those of you that were fairly young when those events happened (as in pre-20s). One of the great things about the early-to-mid 90s for me was that two stars that I had grown up watching in tag teams during the late 80s became the top guys in the World Wrestling Entertainment . The first of those was Bret Hart. I was so excited to see the Hitman try to retain the gold and had no idea how he would go about doing it. There really isn’t a similar experience that I can describe during my wrestling fandom. That was once in a lifetime given my age and the circumstances at the time.

The match: Caesar’s Palace was such a unique environment for Mania. To see a main-event take place in broad day light with the sun shining overhead was something we saw just that once in Mania history. It provided a backdrop to the match that made it seem to my young mind that Heaven was shining down on the forces of good and that the Hitman would find a way to overcome the odds. Yokozuna, though, dominated the match as most expected that he would. He was such a force. For anyone to have a chance at beating him, you had to get him off of his feet. How would Bret do that? No one knew. The excitement grew when Yoko became wobbly from multiple shots. It was like watching a huge tree start to bend from strong wind gusts. I became wide eyed, as I imagined what it would be like for the sumo to fall down. Bret finally knocked him down! Amazing! When he followed up by improbably locking on the Sharpshooter, I nearly came unglued. That dastardly Mr. Fuji, though, throwing salt in the eyes of my hero!? Blasphemy! Yoko took advantage, winning the match and the title and robbing me and Bret of our Wrestlemania moments…

The reception: The post-match nonsense with Hogan usually overshadows the Hart-Yoko match, which was actually quite good. Yoko did not appear to work overly hard, although he was in about the best shape of his career. Bret carried the match. According to Bret’s book, Yokozuna went to the finish long before he was supposed to and prevented Bret from having his comeback. I’m not sure if that’s really the case. Bret didn’t get much offense in, though.

CMV1 rating: **3/4

86. Scott Hall vs. Stone Cold Steve Austin at Wrestlemania X-8

Setting the Stage: Stone Cold was the first target of the newly reformed N.W.O. in February 2002. Vincent K. McMahon brought Hall, Nash, and Hogan back to inject the World Wrestling Entertainment with a “lethal dose of poison” in hopes of killing his own creation that he felt had gone to shit (Doc’s rare swearing moment on LOP). On their first night back, the N.W.O. cost Austin the World Wrestling Entertainment title and spray painted his back. Austin fought back by kidnapping Hall and making him his personal target. The match was set as one of the three headlining feuds of Wrestlemania behind the Rock-Hogan and Jericho-Triple H matches. At the time, it seemed like a winner on paper. I’m not sure Austin was really into this, though. The thing about Austin was, despite his brilliance from ’98-’01, the entire persona of Stone Cold was as stale as that loaf of bread that gets hidden behind the cereal boxes. When they turned him face in late 2001, his act was tired and he looked lost.

The match: Hall being back at Wrestlemania was a sight to see for fans of the early Monday Night Wars. Nash came with him to the ring to stir up trouble and he did just that. Big Sexy got involved early and often, but was never sent to the back. The combination of Nash’s antics and Hall’s savvy allowed the former Bad Guy to take control. Austin would eventually fight back despite Nash’s exploits and take him out of the equation, leaving Hall alone to fend for himself. Hall mounted a significant amount of offense throughout, but Austin made his comeback and connected with not one, but two Stone Cold Stunners in a row to get the three count. To this day, the N.W.O. entrance at Mania X-8 sends me into hyper mark-out mode. In all honestly, the New World Order’s return was handled quite well. Angles fueled by nostalgia have a short shelf life. The N.W.O. was really only at full strength for 6 weeks. Perfect.

The reception: Because it went just 10-minutes, the match never really had a chance to be a show stealer; thus, many called it a disappointment given the potential that these two had to have a really good match. History looks back on it as an unmotivated Austin feeling as if he should’ve been higher up the card and the match going right along with that attitude. It was solid, yet unspectacular…worth a watch, but nothing special or memorable.

CMV1 rating: **3/4

85. Chris Benoit vs. John Bradshaw Layfield at Wrestlemania 22

Setting the stage: Legitimately, JBL vs. Benoit was one of the matches that I most looked forward to at Mania 22 behind only the two title matches and Edge (Adam Copeland) vs. Foley. I went to that Mania with PEN15 and, as we ran down the card one last time while standing in line, it was apparent that the World Wrestling Entertainment had made the right call in going with the two former Mania headliners as the combatants in the US title match. Any time that a mid-card title gets a fair amount of hype leading into a major PPV, I get my hopes up that we might see a match worthy of making the World Wrestling Entertainment realize that the mid-card titles could and should be treated better. That’s becoming an age old argument, but it’s true. Benoit was a great US Champion because it kept him relevant. JBL was actually about to retire for the first time just a couple of months after this match, but I’m not sure he realized that just yet. Both had been in main-events in previous years, so it turned out to be a high profile match for the US title.

The match: JBL’s entrance was cool. The stage lifted up for his longhorn limousine. They did a good job of making this feel like a bigger match on the card, which is one of my favorite things about Mania 22. With a few exceptions, most of the card was treated like a big deal. For once, it was not just the main-events that came across like something special for the year’s biggest PPV. The match itself was about ten-minutes in length and featured quite a bit of good action. They each hit all of their major spots. One of the themes of the night was paying tribute to Eddie Guerrero, which both Benoit and JBL did during this match. Benoit used the rolling vertical suplexes, while JBL did the Latino Heat shimmy. JBL won the US title with a roll-up.

The reception: I liked it. It wasn’t quite as good as I was hoping it would be, as I felt it never really got out of second gear. Nevertheless, it was a good match. I thought it lacked one big near fall to really push it over the top to the 3-star mark, but some have rated it a touch better than I. I’ll say this, though: it was exactly what it needed to be.

CMV1 rating: **3/4

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