WingedEagle

This is true and accurate. But I'd also like one opportunity to pop for Sting having a moment on WWE TV. Depending when Batista returns and how long the Evolution reboot lasts, it could be as simple as having Flair return as manager to help lay out a babyface heading into another big tag match. Bryan says they're not showing up empty handed, and if Evolution has Flair in the fold there's only one way to counter that. And then send him off to the network.

Last year for Bryan isn't too much of a stretch. Week to week, month to month I can't think of how many other stars' years compare that favorably. Perhaps not as many reached MOTY level as some other candidates, but the sheer number of good or better matches was something special.

My first reaction is it had to be Kawada in '94. But then what about Kobashi in '93? Or Misawa/Taue in '95? I dunno how to pick the best of the bunch from one of those 4 over that period.

I feel exactly the same way. I used to hit all the big shows in NY and since '08 haven't been to one until buying tickets for the NJ crew coming over next month.

I love the idea. At worst it'll be a great reference and reason for us to go back and rewatch certain things that aren't as time consuming as some classic matches.

I thought 400K was shockingly positive. I would've expected something in the range of a 60-75% drop in domestic PPV buys. The hardware point is definitely interesting. I've got a PS3 which makes it easy, and if I didn't probably would've sprung for a Roku or the most cost effective means to have it on tv. But if I was limited to phone/ipad/computer? Definitely wouldn't be a fan. Curious if they can get a read on how many potential customers are in that boat where the hardware makes it an issue. Or maybe I'm just jaded and watching on a small screen isn't the issue for some customers.

Hart/Bulldog definitely belongs here. I remembered it being a WWF all timer, then when I hit it as part of the '92 rewatch it was nothing of the sort. Another from that year for me was Piper/Bret at Mania. Good match, but I thought Savage/Flair was clearly better.

Do we have any idea how this was addressed in commentary as the matches and style were progressing?

Ax was slow as hell. Smash's offense on a quick tag FELT like demolition. He came in and wrecked ish up. At least it felt that way when I was 8-9.

CORRECT. Put it in Sumo Hall in '91 and its magic. This? Garbage.

I think Summerslam is the better match right up until the finish. Mania is vastly superior on that note as well as for storyline purposes that I can can see why some may think of it more highly because of that. Finishing counts!

I can't argue with that point, but I love the way Nakamura rocks the look, the MJ pants and the whole gimmick. Absolutely mark for his gimmick all of the time. It doesn't exactly jibe with how he worked the Sakuraba match, but I think he's pretty consistent in his style and approach once the bell rings every time out that it doesn't take away from the overall presentation.

I don't recall the date offhand, but if it helps, check out the one where Danielson's eye is injured.

Man I LOVED this one. At the end of the year it was kind of overshadowed by some of the IWGP title and G1 matches, but last January this was so exciting and different from anything going on in the Tanahashi/Okada realm that I was sure it'd be a top MOTY finisher. No complaints that it didn't get there, but this built incredibly well and was so smartly laid out.

Did he ever even meet her? Or was he just saying she's overrated?

Pretty sure the answer is no. But for those of us invested in the product at the time, this was as hot and awesome as it gets. I can understand someone who came along later or was out of the loop then not being as invested or finding this as amazing as it came off at the time. Post-Mania with the Foundation, HBK coming back and Austin a bigger focus get most of the '97 love, but man those Raws leading into Mania were something else. You had Shawn giving up the belt, Hart unofficially going heel and cursing out Vince on live television, Austin raising hell every week. Things took off like never before here. It all played into how the match at Mania came off.

Fair point, Magnum/Tully is nowhere near any GOAT list for me, though I think its awesome. That heat and violence is off the charts. I feel like I'd appreciate it a ton more if I were growing up and following the product at that time. Maybe then I'd look at it like that era's Bret/Austin.

Ouch. Enjoy the next month. Shut it all down after that.

This has to end. I passed the bar many years ago. No reminders.

Rock/Cena was the finish I was most adamant about going into the match, because there was no talk that Rock had signed up for any more matches. The moment he won you knew they were doing it again in NY, but right up until then I was sure Cena was going over.

I think Lana would be better served with a character like Titus. Opportunity for some solid chemistry there. The Rusev thing is not going to work. If you want a Russian heel (I know, he's from Belarus, but we know the deal), go for a Putin-type heel and have someone in a suit that carries himself like a big deal with great facials who is carried by someone strong on the mic. The save, foreign menace of the month isn't very 2014 HD.

The Bryan doc on the network blew me away. One of the best things they've ever produced. I'd go so far as to say they'd be well served dedicating an hour of Raw to it. Doing something this great once or at most twice a year for someone on the roster is how you lock them in at a certain level. My wife couldn't care less about wrestling and she found the entire thing riveting. This type of work needs a bigger stage.

Given the results of the DVDVR poll, I don't expect a lot of support on this one, but what about the Duggan/Dibiase 1000 gimmicks on a pole match from Mid South? Recently watched it for the first time on the WWE's Mid South set and it wasn't at all the classic I was anticipating. This is probably a case of the match being built up to such impossible standards through hearing about it over the years, but I expected the violence of Tully/Magnum mixed with Cactus/HHH and some all time heat. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed the hell out of it. But when it was done I thought I'd watched a really great brawl, not an all time classic.

I didn't want to go that far initially without thinking back to what else would be on that level, but as it was airing this is exactly what I was thinking.