Superstar Sleeze

Does this exist in full? I can’t seem to find it.

I can’t believe Hawk and Animal were not nominated in 2016 and that no one considered to throw them a vote. I wouldn’t vote for either but they are big names. Hawk always got the bigger singles opportunities than Animal. There’s a couple Flair vs Hawk singles matches but I can’t think of any Animal. Hawk got a title shot against Mutoh and has the run with Sasaki. I agree that Animal was the better in the Ring and had a good powerslam but Hawk had more presence and charisma.

Thanks so much for keeping me in the loop. How do I submit a ballot? Discord aint my thing so I appreciate you keeping me updated.

Undertaker vs Mankind - WWF King of the Ring 1996 With Goldust feud put to bed it is time to start the iconic Mankind feud. This is actually a five match series if you include the RAW match I often forget about the Survivor Series match. Mankind is probably the first star Taker made. I thought this was a step up from the Goldust feud but still in the very good camp. I like Taker enjoy his offense and his selling and I have watched a lot of this month but something keeps all his matches stuck on second gear. The beginning felt a little off to me. They were working a uptempo shine but Mankind isn’t a bump & run cowering heel like Goldust so it wasn’t as effective. I thought the transition to heat was lame. Like all of sudden Mankind took over but didn’t really earn his commanding position and Taker was overselling given Mankind’s offense. Lots of Cactus based offense like the Cactus elbow and the Discus lariat on the foot catch. It is a crutch but the chair work definitely woke me up. The Big Boot to the chair and the chair to back added some heat. Again a Swinging neck breaker as transition back to heat just doesn’t do it for me nor does a long nerve hold. Back on the outside, Cactus Elbow on to the Chair and Taker waffling him with an unprotected chair shot was sick. Taker comeback But then there was a lot of fucking around with the Urn. The whole match was predicated on how the Mandible Claw put down the Undertaker three times including the previous month in the Goldust casket match. We finally get it on and in the tussle Bearer strikes Undertaker “inadvertently” with the Urn and the Mandible Claw puts him down for a HUGE win for Mankind. All the years of Taker vanquishing the heel monster of the season really made this win by Mankind feel huge like Mankind was someone who was here to stay in the main event scene. To me this was basically the same level as Taker/Goldust except the Chair stuff and the Bearer finish notch it up. Did Bearer hit Taker by accident we will have to tune into Summerslam to find out? *** 1/2

Undertaker vs Goldust - WWF Mind Games Pretty cold in Boston and hand already freezing so this will be quick. First Taker PPV Match since the Paul Bearer turn at Summerslam. This is a tie off a loose end from this side quest which Taker failed to beat Goldust in last two matches and to build to Buried Alive next month. Very similar to Beware of Dog casket match but this is a Final Curtain match…pin fall no DQ. Upbeat shine Deadman Walking Tall running through all of Goldust cut offs. Goldust glitter bombs Taker better heat segment focused on the eyes. Standard Taker comeback: punches in the corner big clothesline oooo the one wrinkle is SUPER NODOWA~! Tombstone. These are good matches but given who is in them they are disappointing. That’s a wrap on the trilogy and really Goldust as a main event heel. *** 1/4

So when is the deadline for voting? And how does one vote?

Undertaker vs Goldust - WWF International Incident Weird to go from a Casket Match to a regular match. Not much to this one but at 12 minutes it didnt drag as much as there wasn’t much meat on the bone. Goldust played it more like he normally does cowering behind the ref and the taunts. Taker took two losses in a row to Goldust and Mankind. This was Deadman Walking Tall. Taking no shit. Chokeslam on steps could have been cool but it was more tepid than what we are used to nowadays as Goldust took it on the ass. I liked Marlena throwing her body on Goldust to protect him from the steel steps. Rings were so much noisier in 1996 makes for a better presentation. To be honest I don’t think much happened until Goldust rammed Takers back into the exposed turnbuckle and rammed steps on his back. Goldust had no qualms. Goldust didnt really get to build any heat from there. Taker made a short comeback and nailed the Tombstone when MANKIND erupted from the Ring and sucked the Undertaker to HELL! Goldust wins by DQ But Taker rips the ring from the other side and sends Mankind packing. This is the Apex of the Goldust-Mankind alliance that I wish went on way longer as there were so many cool possibilities with them, step down from Beware of Dog but not horrible more of a backdrop for Mankind angle.

WWF Intercontinental Champion Goldust vs Undertaker - WWF Beware of Dog Casket Watched their series 15 years ago and remembering thinking it was disappointing But this wasn’t half-bad. 1996 Goldust run is one of my all-time favorite runs. I love that on odd number months Undertaker wrestled Goldust and even number months he wrestles Mankind. It keeps both feuds fresh. I believe it is in the up run to this match That Goldust asks “Is that Embalming Fluid No 5 I smell” on RAW an all time great line. Goldust was moving around pretty well in this match and I enjoyed the high energy shine. Bump & run from Goldust feeding Taker. Taker moving at a good clip kicking ass. Transition to heat was messy. The Goldust tombstone should have been a big deal but wasn’t. Me and the crowd just didn’t pop for it. Cant explain why. Liked Goldust using the cord. Couple casket attempts, good cutoff on the chair shot by Goldust and powerslam. Goldust got a lot and Undertaker sold well. One too many flying clothesline attempts and Taker press slam. Tombstone! But Whats this MANKIND is in the Casket and a Mandible Claw leads to Taker being locked in the Casket and Goldust retaining. Good screw job finish they leads into Taker/Mankind feud and leads to cult favorite short lived Mankind/Goldust alliance. A good match but nothing next level *** 1/4

Diesel vs The Undertaker - WWF WrestleMania XII This match has a little bit of rep because it outperforms on paper what the typical smark would think would be a plodding snore fest. But those in the know, know both these guys can go and that I think I was actually underwhelmed. The rep on Taker is he doesn’t get good until 97. Hogwash. Watched plenty of 93 & 94, he is already great and he is a very underrated mover and seller. He may have the worst collection of opponents in history between 92-95. 96 he finally got to wrestle credible challengers. Nash acquitted himself to be a motivated big man throughout 94 and 95. This match easily exceeds the matches both men had with the esteemed Bret Hart in the prior two months. I would say this is firmly very good instead of great. I really liked the beginning of the match, high energy slug fest felt the urgency. Undertaker constantly cutting off Nash. I liked how both men were constantly moving forward. Taker sitting up on the missed elbow and landing on his feet over the top to the floor were great choices. So many moments where you think Nash would take over but the Deadman just kept coming. I liked the transition to heat missed chair shot to the post, use of the post and railing. Taker sold the ribs well. Match lost steam after that. They didn’t do too much in the heat segment. They all of sudden went from heated brawl to Clash of Titans. Double big boot. Standing 10. Saito Suplex. Standing 10. It killed the momentum and took what was a heated match and made it feel stilted. Diesel is going out the door…100% the Jacknife should have been kicked out of. They shouldn’t have let Nash protect the move. This is what they should have done. He should have went for the cover immediately and the pop would have been killer. Second Jacknife but now Diesel get cocky then a Zombie Sit-up. Third Jacknife and Nash is even cockier and then you do the Death Grip. The way they did it with Nash farting around killed the Heat of the Moment. After the second one with the Death Grip, at least let Taker into him But again another Level The Playing Field spot. Finally we get a Chokeslam and a Tombstone. it is a very good match But after the transition to heat it is like they wrestled with lid on the match instead of going all out. *** 1/2

WWF World Heavyweight Champion Bret Hart vs Diesel - WWF In Your House VI Steel Cage Trying to squeeze this in before dinner with in-laws so this will be short. The forgotten fourth match in their rivalry and clearly their worst. Survivor Series 95 which was only three months prior is a stone cold classic and I really like Royal Rumble 95 and KOTR 94 is very good as well, but this is just wrestled in slow motion and they just didnt seem to care at all. The crowd cared even less. It was clear that Diesel was going heel by this point, but not sure he had cemented his heel turn yet. For whatever reason, Bret doesnt really wrestle as a babyface instead he chooses to wrestle like a subtle heel again which served him well before against Diesel, but with Diesel clearly having more heel heat than babyface heat except one notable exception this made the match feel like it was heel vs heel. Bret was the first to use the cage to counteract Diesel's clubbering and crowding in the corner. Standard Bret chop the big man down with attacks to the knee. There is no one I like watching more grind on top than Bret but that works if his opponent is over as a babyface. It was the wrong strategy for this crowd. I think we needed Bret to provide the uptempo babyface energy whereas Diesel could play the heel role more effectively. Also I just think Bret isnt very good at cage match. Another example of this is Bret needed to crotch Diesel on the top rope to transition again a subtle heel move. For Diesel, he was using high impact slams like sidewalk slam or press slam so it felt very heelish from both. A particularly hard Bret Bump wakes up me and the crowd. Bret starts getting some babyface heat and Diesel sucks starts happening until Diesel uses a thumb to the eye and we get Diesel chants. Thats not on the wrestlers that was just fucking weird. The finish is not great either but better than the Royal Rumble finish...Diesel low blows Bret as he is trying to escape. Undertaker emerges up through ring and drags DIESEL STRAIGHT TO HELL and Bret escapes to win. The reason why it is better is because at least Undertaker is justifiably pissed that Diesel screwed him at Royal Rumble. Diesel emerges from HELL disheleved and escapes to set up their WrestleMania match. Now the top two WrestleMania matches are set and on paper a pretty damn good card. Heatless match, weirdly worked, strange low tempo, both felt like they were working heel. It also didnt seem like they were working towards something. They match did not have a feel of progression. They wrestled for like 19 minutes and then out came the Undertaker and it felt like the whole point of the match was out came the Undertaker and the match just a backdrop to that. Pretty lame match no need to watch this.

WWF World Heavyweight Champion Bret Hart vs Undertaker - WWF Royal Rumble 1996 Two big names on a Big Four PPV and it is never talked about…hidden gem or a stinker? I thought it was on pace to be a stinker but they didn’t enough in the last half that I will rate it good but I disliked the finish as well. At 28 mins and change you need to be better than good for me to watch it again. Their 1997 matches are better. The first 1/3rd and s brutally boring. Undertaker works a control segment where he tries to smother Bret with a claw around the mouth. For like 5-6 minutes not much happens. Oh I should mention this is babyface vs babyface I consider Bret the king of the babyface vs babyface match. Bret is an excellent traveling world champ who can play the subtle heel. Ultimately he does heel himself in this match but I think they tried to trade off the role of heel in the match to detriment of the match. Rather than both play subtle heel if Bret was only one to do it the match would have been better for it. Bret finally picks up the tempo and clotheslines Taker over the top rope and he lands on his feet cool spot. Taker is able to counter a couple of Bret moves before behind whipped into the steps knees first a hellacious bump that always looks like a million bucks. This changes the complexion of the match. Bret zeroes in on the leg. He is the best grinder in wrestling history. He works a great control segment. Figure-4 is a good climax. We start hearing the Rest In Peace chants. Bret goes for the protective mask or as Vince awkwardly calls it the facial appliance classic Vince call there. So Bret is playing that subtle heel well. Taker gets out using the heel of the boot. He chokes Bret with the cord and jabs him with a steel chair. They are setting up why it is ok for Bret to cheat later to justify it but it feels weird because the crowd has chosen Taker. Just when Taker has all the momentum, Bret attacks the leg again. The boo birds are out. Bret is so good in this subtle heel traveling champ role. That being said both in the first heat and second heat there is one too many leg laces. With about 5 minutes to go they kick into gear. Bret gets DDT and other Moves of Doom but Taker keeps sitting up which gets great pops. Bret never really applies the Sharpshooter so they have that in their holster for a rematch. Taker hits a couple of the spots you expect big boot and leg drop. They do the double clothesline as the level the playing field spot. Frustrated Bret yanks off the turnbuckle pad But he needs to yank off the “facial appliance” as well to maximize the impact of the turnbuckle shot which he accomplishes. He rams Taker’s face into it and Taker sells it well but really doesn’t go anywhere. It was anti-climatic. The crowd is fully on Taker’s side now. Surprisingly to me who has never seen this match he nails the Tombstone! So I know something must be up because Bret ain’t kicking out of that. Diesel pulls out the ref triggering the DQ. Rationale is flimsy at best. Diesel was runner up in the Royal Rumble as he was making his exit grumpy he lost Undertaker was making his entrance. Two Alpha Males didnt want to step aside for each other so they came to blows but the scuffle was broken up. Was that really a reason to screw Taker out of the title? Especially when it was Bret who beat him. You can say he wanted to be the one who beats Bret. It doesn’t hold water with me. I think it was a very weak ending. There were more creative ways to get themselves out of this corner. Brutally boring start and shitting finish aside, Bret’s leg work and Undertaker’s selling (which was so good, he is a very underrated seller) was really good. The body was good and the finish stretch before Diesel was strong. ***

WWF World Heavyweight Champion Shawn Michaels vs British Bulldog - WWF King of the Ring 1996 I have seen this match before recall it being quite boring. Bulldog is pretty chinlock-y in this match but it is better than I remember. In my opinion this was his last chance to show me he is more than serviceable hand in the Ring as I have seen and reviewed all his other major matches. I will still have a soft spot for him like I do all the other 90s wrestlers because that’s when I grew up But the ship has sailed on me thinking he is a great wrestler let alone a top 100 wrestler. I applaud them for having a very different match than their normal match as they just had a PPV main event a month ago so they needed to change it up. The whole two refs counting both shoulders down and now Mr. Perfect is the outside ref is such a Vince Sr - Bob Backlund angle and this match has a real throwback feel besides the he wad scissors takeover on the skin the car and the Frankensteiner on the floor the opening didnt feel like a shine but rather a heel in peril. Shawn worked the headlock and Arm in holds for a long time. The match picked up in a big way with a CRAZY BUMP from Shawn Press Slam drop to the floor. INSANE! Bulldog’s heat segment was very chinlock heavy. The work in and out of the chinlocks was fun But if he worked a body part could have brought the match up in a big way. When Shawn went for the Powerslam and then Bulldog did the reverse only for Shawn to slip out and attempt the Superkick. The match picked up in a big way. It felt like All Japan big fireworks spectacle. Missed top rope Headbutt by Bulldog. The Superplex. The Super Back Suplex weight shift by Shawn. I liked Bulldog stuffing Shawn’s second Frankensteiner attempt with a Powerbomb. The double head knocker was a good lead in to Shawn’s routine comeback. The Mr. Perfect angle was a big nothing burger. Sweet Chin Music wins it to put an end to Bulldog’s run as a main eventer from Summerslam 95 to KOTR 96 almost a year. Because WCW was red hot we don’t get Shawn celebrating we have to immediately run the angle to tell audience what they are getting in July which is the really fun 6-Man Camp Cornette Vader/Owen/Bulldog vs Shawn/Ahmed/Warrior BUT wait that doesn’t happen lol. Anyways the heel in peril and Bulldogs chinlocks mean this is sub-4 but there is a lot of fun work out of the holds even if the holds were boring and the finish stretch was good. *** 3/4

IWGP Heavyweight Champion Shinya Hashimoto vs Satoshi Kojima - NJPW 6/11/96 BABY KOJIMA~! I have never seen Kojima this young. Tenzan got a monster push in 1995 so it looks like Kojima was the new young gun getting pushed but I’m not sure if there is more context. Hashimoto’s first title defense since vanquishing the invading Takada for the championship. This is such a good Lo-fi rookie challenging for the World Title Match. Kojima is full of piss & vinegar and ready to rock. Hashimoto has been there done that and is apt to let Kojima come at him and feel him out. Kojima drawing a stalemate on the knuckle lock was a big deal. Him felling the Champion with the first lariat felt huge. Hashimoto powders on the second. Hashimoto wrestles him down into an armbar. Hashimoto seemingly wakes up when Kojima starts going for the knee. He starts throwing the Hand of Hashimoto. Like how Kojima in his exuberance ends up in a bad hold so he rope breaks. Hashimoto guzzles him in a front chancery and spikes him with a DDT when get gets too feisty. Kojima’s home stretch is fun it is all Lariats because he has not learned the Ace Crusher. His Elbow Drop isn’t as over as it would become. He looked lost on his submission attempt. OMG THE MOONSAULT! I thought obliterated Hashimoto face with his knee. Ugly moonsault you can see why he stopped doing it. Not the first but the second HAND OF HASHIMOTO! He just CLOBBERS him on receipt! Hashimoto The Destroyer kicks ass and Brainbuster for the tidy win! Fun take on the Champion vs Young Lion match *** 1/4

WWF World Heavyweighg Champion Shawn Michaels vs British Bulldog - WWF Beware of Dog Shawn was in a MOOD on this night given all the chaos around the PPV going off air and his high-strung personality this is no surprise. I didn’t see the temper tantrum in the chinlock. I cut through post-match just to get to Gorilla announcement to set up the KOTR rematch which I know most ppl like more so I must have missed that one. I know I have seen this before and thought nothing happened. Now I can write about it and never watch it again. I like Shawn/Bulldog as a pairing they have great chemistry and good stock spots. I think their One Night Only match is a MOTYC and their RAW 95 match was fun and given a lot of time. Shawn’s entrance was less exuberant than normal you. Liked tell he was pissed and he didn’t really want to be there. The more I watch Bulldog the more I think he wasn’t very good. They start off with a pretty fun Shawn shine which is the best part of the match. Oh yeah Clarence Mason subpoenas Michaels in a dumb heatless angle involving Diana. Lame. Ok back to the match Shawn works a headlock and then grabs the lightest Arn bar. It feels like they don’t think they are on TV. They do their normal Short Arm Scissors spot. Bulldog works a tame heat segment…Argentine Backbreaker was cool. Shawn’s trip and bump to the floor was sick. Shawn took the bump to railing wicked cool like he melted into it. They do a double noggin knocker. Shawn comeback. Ref bump. Sweet Chin Music to Owen. Bulldog goes for the Powerslam But Shawn back suplex leads to a double pin. Draw with a rematch at KOTR. The match wasn’t boring per se But also nothing really happened. Like I thought the reviled IYH IV Diesel vs Bulldog match was better than this. This felt like a House Show match with a fun Shawn shine, a couple crazy bumps and a screwy finish. Like sub-3 and I will never watch again but it wasn’t horrible either.

Shawn Michaels vs Yokozuna - WWF RAW 1/29/96 First review of 2026, the goal is 52 reviews this year because the MartMan is becoming MartDad soon. It has been a year since Ive watched mid-90s WWF this is such an easy breezy watch. Loved this! RAW after Michaels won the Royal Rumble. Yoko is Camp Cornette 4 Life and they are promoting Shawn/Owen for the next PPV. Ladies get yourself a man that supports you like VinnyMac supports Shawn. Shawn is such a campy mutha. He would’ve killed in Memphis. He brings so much fun to wrestling. The whole point at Yoko Boo, point himself cheer is such good bullshit. These two had good chemistry in the IYH III main event so I was excited for this. The shine was good craic. Great cat & mouse. Strong punches by Michaels and big bump early by Yoko. Liked the Moonsault as the punctuation on the babyface shine. The Harley bump off a Yoko Irish Whip and Owen working the Back was awesome! The Yoko nerve pinch was the only lame part of the match. Missed Yoko Leg Drop and missed Shawn Top Rope Splash was so good. Two Flying Burritos to knock the big man off his feet. Yoko catches him coming off the top. But Owen accidentally smokes Yoko with a Spinning Heel Kick and Sweet Chin Music is all she wrote. There is dissension in the Camp and they set up Shawn/Diesel vs Bulldog/Yoko a IYHIII rematch let’s go! Fuck all the haters. Shawn rules and everyone else drools. *** 1/2