Kevin Ridge

So I was wondering about the criteria for greatest matches versus worst matches of the year. Work rate, selling, execution and storyline purposes are under consideration. But this comes from comments about Andre the Giant versus Warrior being worse match of the year in WON for 89. But as far as yearbook setting we had Sid versus Nightstalker being the worst match for 1990 when I felt Butcher against Zeus was on a whole another level of awfulness as it just dragged out. You would think the criteria of what makes a match great versus bad is the same but I find myself not being in full agreement of that. I can watch a short 10-12 minute sprint and think it is great and matches that go 45-60 can also be best ofs. Matches like Sid/Nightstalker are awful but it only went a couple minutes which as a viewer I can get through that. If it is your heavily plugged main event of your big show and it only goes 5 minutes I can see it being under consideration for worst ever but how often does that happen? I think a huge factor to me is considering a match as worst of the year is the length of time it goes. I come back to Triple H versus Undertaker at King of the Ring 2002 as one of the worst matches I've had to sit through. It goes 24 minutes and it is just excruciating to sit though. Sluggish action through out. A long referee bump by Earl Hebner that plays into the finish. They go 8 minutes, I consider it a bad match. They go 24 of this garbage, it's my worst of the year.

Kobashi wearing the orange tights with the black stripes is the outfit that throws me off.

The ropes are so tight that they can barely do the pull down the top rope spot as someone is running them. But Hennig just takes a bad looking bump here and it is barely noticed that there was some miscommunication with DDP/Hennig. Curt walks out on DDP.

They went long on this feud. Jacky cracks Sullivan in the head with a wooden chair. Nick Patrick is confused at the splinters of wood all over the ring but still counts the pinfall for Benoit. Announcers say good bye to Sullivan in the ring.

La Parka's entrance jacket and sombrero are beautiful. He even using his sombrero as if a cape in bull fighting. WCW should have just let Tenay and Tony announce these type matches. The Heenans and Larrys just didn't have much to add plus Dusty is there so it's overkill with all these announcers talking. Rudos with the miscommunication spots highlighted by Parka's comedy. Huge stereo dives to the outside. Everyone misses top rope moves which is cute. Air Juvi! More dives. Heck of a match. I really enjoyed this one.

This was a blast. Gene starts off saying he isn’t aware of Raven being a part of WCW but the skeptic in me thinks he’s probably already hawked Raven’s arrival on the WCW hotline. Okerlund does his pondering facials when he tries to put over someone’s promo as deep in thought.

Interesting choice to open the PPV. Superkick to chair in front of Glacier’s face looked vicious. I’m wondering why Wrath is attempting a reverse Boston crab but there’s Mortis coming off the ropes with a leg drop. Cat throwing some big kicks! I don’t love it as much as you guys but it was some good fun. Again, credit to WCW for putting out match ups like this on undercard.

I’m wondering why only two sides of the ring has barbed wire before we see what is waiting on the floor. Kanemura survives a powerbomb on a barbed wire board before being put away with one on the ring mat. They went backwards there.

I hated this angle as Taz intimidates a fan into throwing his WWF Raw shirt into the ring. He then lights it on fire.

Beulah has seen Tommy go through all types of injuries but having his balls messed up is the last straw. She wants Tommy to not return.

Taz is sick and tired of having to think about RVD/Sabu and who else is going to show up on Raw. He even points the camera towards Paul E. Taz has a message for Vince later in show.

Lawler rather harsh on Dreamer’s emergency hospital visit due to the cane shot.

One of my favorite table bumps as Tod Gordon gets his pants knocked off after taking a Sabu leg drop. Lights go out and Lawler makes another appearance. Dreamer and Sandman fight off RVD and Sabu and Lawler is all along. Cornette saving Lawler is great. Dreamer’s nut shot is painfall to watch and then Cornette’s clubs him repeatedly with the racket. The Prodigy music playing over this whole highlight was too much.

Bischoff gets a drink thrown at him but still mugs it up for the camera. WCW was so lax on the policing the garbage throwing into the ring.

He had retired due to neck injury which is why he missed title match against Funk at WrestlePalooza. I watched the match he got injured which was four way elimination and it was hard to tell as Styles was playing up the neck issues during match to where you felt like it was an angle. But here is in WCW and back to being Raven’s lackey.

Right during La Parka’s entrance they show video of him using chairs in previous matches to cut away from him going to ring. La Parka blocks the top rope elbow drop! Diamond Cutter! It was DDP along under the mask. Fun and execution was excellent. Good job by DDP.

Curt Hennig claims to be a free agent which should have keyed WCW to not trust him. Flair tries to make a quick pitch to Hennig to join the Horsemen.

Triple H is more aggressive here and him and Austin just had good chemistry together in ring. He takes the loss but was able to go with Austin until getting distracted by Mankind in the end. Austin agrees to be Mankind’s partner and even gives him a hug! But you know what is coming and Mankind gets the Stunner. Mankind promises a big change next week.

Undertaker, you’re a murderer! We are just touching the surface of this thing.

They work the high spots in early but I think it’s more because they don’t get as much time as PPV. It is really is just a collection of high spots. Taka is fortunate he landed on Sasuke after slipping off ropes. The camera man didn’t trust him the second time around as they kept the camera focused on Sasuke. I preferred the PPV match better.

I looked at Bret not saying he was anti-American but pro-Canadian as dialing back heat. It went against all the promos he has been cutting in the US. I did like his overtly pro-Canadian promo though. He will be facing Undertaker for WWF title at Summerslam and if he can't win he will never wrestle in US again. I don't like them making it so obvious he would win using that type of stipulation. Bret, Owen and Bulldog have a moment to listen to Canadian National Anthem only for Austin to attack them from behind. Austin takes joy in this and the crowd seem legitimately shocked at what happened.

I’ll be one of those that really, really love this match. We have seen Bret and Hart Foundation booed since WrestleMania and as they return to Canada they get a huge ovation. Bret gives his glasses to Helen which gets a bifocals comment from Lawler. Ross flips out on Jerry for that joke. They start out with Bret and Austin which is the perfect way to get it going. The crowd is electric cheering and booing the changes in momentum through the match. Austin having fun being heel again for one night. I think everyone plays their part great as the better in ring performers get more match time and some like Anvil gets limited action. Pillman spent more time cheating as an illegal man than being a legal man in the ring. My only minor criticism is having both Owen and Austin leaving to back due to leg injuries. I think with a match of this magnitude buy guys would have “gutted things out”. Though they aren’t gone long and their eventually returns leads to climactic and satisfying finish. Bret got his huge pop but crowd were just as much behind Owen and it was his big night to get the pinfall over Austin. Bruce Hart needed to get his ass kicked. Shamrock obliges some what by firing him into the guard rail. I was chuckling at Bruce getter the better of Hawk who appeared to be sleeping on the ropes as Bruce was clubbing him in the back. Austin gets arrested after match but still manages to finger the fans. The Harts have a big family gathering in the ring. This is still one of my favorites.

Haven't seen this in ages. I thought this had got more over with the crowd but WWF fans are tough for a new act with no build up. Well, most fans would be. Crowd aren’t disrespectful but they are quiet. They do pop for Taka’s big moves and quickly rally behind him. Sasuke gets his how response with his strikes. I was glad that WWF was at least trying new things but they were really late to trying to push a Light Heavyweight division and WCW's group was much stronger at this point. Taka plays to the crowd pretty good. Sasuke is just focused on the match itself. Good match and it was nice to have a different variety of styles on show.

Calgary, is that the best you can do for your pageant winner? Bret is a big star coming back to Calgary. Had a hart time believing Austin could be held back by only Patterson and Garea. Maybe his heart wasn't in taking on five guys by himself.