EOTR Match Of The Week: The Undertaker vs Stone Cold Steve Austin vs Kane

By @Phranchize19

As I return this week, I wanted to continue the theme of triple threat matches. Today, I pick a triple threat which is a glorified handicap match from Break Down 1998 with Stone Cold Steve Austin, The Undertaker, and Kane doing battle for the WWF Title. Let’s get into it.

Background
Austin had just defeated Taker at Summerslam. In the weeks leading to that, it seemed as if Kane and Undertaker had come back together and were going to get the title away from Stone Cold, much to the delight of Vince McMahon. After defeat,  McMahon would attempt to challenge Undertaker and Kane to be the monsters they could be and over the next few weeks, no one, not even Austin was safe. McMahon liked what he saw and struck a deal with the Brothers of Destruction and created the Masterplan to get the title from the grasp of Stone Cold.

The Match
Austin would attack Taker during Taker’s entrance in an attempt to divide and conquer. Once in the ring with Kane, Kane would get the upper hand until Taker came to the ring. Austin would then take a pounding from the seven foot brothers for much of the match. The action would spill outside where Austin had a flurry until the stooges came in and essentially made it 5 against 1. As the match came back to the ring, there were several teases of dissension between the brothers as each man tried to pin the champion. Taker would finally have enough and attack Kane which gave Austin a glimmer of hope. Austin would then succumb to a double chokeslam and was pinned by both brothers. McMahon, who had been absent during the entire match, came down to get the title belt. As we all wondered who was the champion and winner of the match, McMahon didn’t care. He made it clear that it was no longer Stone Cold Steve Austin and that's all that mattered.

Phranchize Grade and Analysis
While not a masterpiece, this match did a good job considering its purpose. The purpose was to protect Austin while getting the belt off of him to set up a title win at Wrestlemania. Another purpose was an Undertaker heel turn, which was all but inevitable. The story being told during the match was excellent and commentary was amazing with Lawler rooting the brothers while Jim Ross would root for his best friend. Kane didn’t get much shine in this match, but I felt that he really didn’t need it. While the match was all over the place, it made for interesting TV. The teases of Stone Cold possibly winning helped the story as well, and the ending left us with a cliffhanger to close the show and the lasting image of Vince flipping off Austin. It was well worth it.

Rating: 7.5/10

-Phranchize 

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Eyes on the Ring 2:30 AM  No comment

EOTR Retro: The 5 Best WWE PPVs Of 2003

By @TrueGodImmortal 

The year 2003 was a solid year in the WWE. There were some weak events and some solid ones over the course of the 12 months, and today we are here to narrow the best of the best down to 5. What are the top 5 PPVs of 2003? Let's take a look.

5. Backlash 2003

-This is one that I felt was great overall despite a few misses. The main event was a dream match in the making and without The Rock to make it great, it wouldn't have worked. That match I'm referring to is The Rock vs Goldberg. In addition to this, The World's Greatest Tag Team (then still Team Angle) vs Los Guerreros is a great match, along with Brock Lesnar vs John Cena for the WWE Title, and the big six man tag match, all of which flow well for a solid PPV event.

4. Survivor Series 2003

-I wasn't 100% sure about this event when I was writing down my picks and choices. I remember a mediocre main event with Goldberg and Triple H. Then, I looked at the rest of the card and realized it was a solid event. From the Team Angle vs Team Lesnar match to the Team Austin vs Team Bischoff Survivor Series match, all the way to the Kane vs Shane McMahon Ambulance match, this event delivered overall (minus two matches).

3. Summerslam 2003 

-On paper, looking at the results might not be that great, but watching the show tells an entirely different story. For one, despite The Undertaker vs A-Train being your standard match, it had an element of excitement in the fallout. Shane vs Bischoff was more fun than it should have been. Kane vs RVD was solid, it just forced Kane as this monster in an overkill style. The three best matches on the card however are the fatal four way match for the US Title, the Elimination Chamber match, and of course, the Brock vs Angle title match. Overall, this was an amazing event.

2. Vengeance 2003

-There are two duds on this card. Those matches are the Sable vs Stephanie McMahon bout and the APA Invitational. The rest of the card is solid from top to bottom, and truth be told, there are quite a few matches on here that could be considered classics. The Undertaker vs John Cena match is a really good battle, but the shocker of the night comes from the epic tag team title contest between The World's Greatest Tag Team and Rey Mysterio & Billy Kidman. That match is a true classic. In addition, who could forget the excellent US Title Tournament Final with Eddie Guerrero and Chris Benoit, or the classic triple threat main event between Big Show, Angle, and Brock. Overall, Vengeance just missed the top spot, and it is a great PPV.

1. Wrestlemania 19

-The 2nd greatest Wrestlemania is the best PPV easily of 2003. It has something for everyone honestly. For the casual fan, why not watch Hogan vs Vince, or even something like Austin vs Rock 3, which was the finish of one of the greatest feuds and trilogy of all time. For the die hard fan, there's the classics like HBK vs Jericho, and of course Angle vs Brock. For those in the middle, there is Triple H vs Booker match and the rest of the undercard. Overall, nearly everything on this card was flawless and a testament to the absolutely stacked roster they had. 2003 wasn't the best year, but it is one year that Wrestlemania blew everything else out of the water.

-True 

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Eyes on the Ring 5:03 PM  No comment

EOTR Tag Team Tuesdays: 5 Of The Worst Tag Teams

By @TrueGodImmortal

When we talk about tag teams, we always tend to look at some of the best in the business. We rarely point out some of the worst. That changes today. Today, I want to take a look back at the worst of the worst.... well some of them at least. He's a look at 5 of the worst tag teams ever and why they were so terrible. Let's get into it.

*Legion Of Doom 2005

-Imagine taking the legacy of a great tag team and using it to help push a guy that did poems and seemed to molest Michael Cole as a heel. Then, imagine one original member as part of the team. And being okay with it. Animal. Heinderich. The truth is, I don't think anyone realized how sad it was to pay homage to Hawk by using HEINDERICH. Why? Why???? This team actually won the tag team titles together, but they were so terrible as a unit that it's a wonder that WWE even gave them that run. I can't even describe how terrible this whole run was.

*Harlem Heat 2000

-Imagine taking the name of one of the greatest tag teams and the legacy... And wait, I literally just mentioned a team that did the exact same thing. I still think this might have been worse. The concept of Legion Of Doom 2005 was essentially similar to this one, but not exactly the same. This team was used to break away from Booker T, the leader of the original Harlem Heat, as Stevie Ray worked with Big T, or as we know him, Ahmed Johnson. This team was a horrible idea, as both Stevie Ray and Big T seemed to be out of shape and just not able to push further in the WCW as a unit. This team should have never happened. Ever.

*Well Dunn

-I can't speak much on this team. I honestly don't understand why they were a real thing. Before they got to the WWF, they were pretty popular on the territories, and successful. Of course, WWF changed them and made them into this sad excuse of a team. As Timothy Well and Steve Dunn, they were a mostly jobber team that had little direction. Aside from a feud with The Bushwhackers, this team really did nothing in the WWF and were easily one of the most horrible teams ever.

*The Godwinns 

-I can't believe I didn't hate this team back in the day. Maybe it was my age, but I never hated them and watched most of their matches. Then I woke up. When I woke up, I realized how terrible they were. Henry O. Godwinn.... or HOG. Phineas I. Godwinn... or PIG. WWF might have the dumbest creative team in history. Who the fuck thought this was a good idea. WHO? WHO? It wasn't. The Godwinns won the tag team titles multiple times and eventually changed over to the still horrible Southern Justice tag team, but the Godwinns were just terrible. TERRIBLE.

*Tekno Team 2000 

-I just don't understand. Why. Why was this a real team. Why was this seen as a good idea. Why. Why. I just don't know. Silver. Shiny silver outfits and jackets. The team of the future. I mean... someone really thought this was a good idea. The two, Troy and Travis, were just not the two wrestlers to take the WWF into the next era... or any era really. As a team, they barely lasted and overall, they were just disappointing on some many levels. There was no way they would miss this list of horrible teams.

-True

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Eyes on the Ring 5:24 AM  No comment

Eyes On WWE: 6 Greatest Wrestlers To Never Win The WWE Title

By @TrueGodImmortal

Today, we wanted to take a look at the greatest wrestlers to set foot in a WWE ring, but they just couldn't walk away with a title run. All of these men are legends, but for some reason, the WWE Title seemed to escape them through the years. Let's take a look at six of the best who never managed to win a World championship in the WWF/WWE.

6. Razor Ramon 

-The Bad Guy, Razor Ramon was truly deprived of a chance to be the man in the WWE. He was one of the most over wrestlers on the roster through his tenure and when he should have been winning world titles, he was feuding with Goldust, Diesel, 1-2-3 Kid, and holding the Intercontinental Title. He's a great IC Champ, but he definitely deserved a title run.

5. Owen Hart 

-It's a shame that the overall most talented Hart brother (I said it) didn't get a title run, but for some reason, Owen wasn't as marketable as Bret. Owen was a better heel, a better talker, and nearly equal to his brother in the ring, but aside from a small feud against Bret in 1994, Owen never got the shot to carry the World Title. He deserved at least one run.

4. Ted Dibiase 

-The Million Dollar Man is one of the most surprising names to never win a championship. He was close to winning it at Wrestlemania 4 before Randy Savage defeated him in the Finals for the vacant title, but the biggest title feud was missed out on in 1990 as Dibiase vs Hogan could have drawn big money and put Dibiase over the top as a legend. I always felt that Dibiase winning the title from Warrior and being champion heading into Wrestlemania 7 would have been a much better feud and match than what both men had. It's a shame Dibiase never got one title run.

3. William Regal 

-Though he wasn't the big money draw that people would have expected him to be, the truth be told, Regal deserved a short term title reign to give him a shot at carrying the torch. He was a great character, a great wrestler, and his facial expressions helped make his promos even better. Regal is a legend in the business and in my opinion, a WWE Title or World Heavyweight Title run during his Smackdown days would have been great.

2. Jake "The Snake" Roberts 

-The most sinister star in the WWF at one point, Jake Roberts is a legend and once again, during the Hogan era, he would have been a prime time heel feud for the title. His demons might be a big reason why he never won the title, but the fact remains, the WWF should have pulled the trigger once on a Jake title run. Jake vs Hogan or Jake vs Savage for the title would have been money, and I would have loved to see the culmination of a Jake Roberts vs Ultimate Warrior feud for the WWF Title.

1. Mr. Perfect 

-The best to never win the WWE Title. Period. These days, WWE decidedly gives title reigns to just about anyone (Jinder Mahal is a WWE Champion.... but not these guys....), but Mr. Perfect was robbed of a title run. 1990 was the year. He was a prime heel and easily one of the best wrestlers then. It was the Ultimate Warrior and Hogan show then, but Perfect would have been the smartest choice for champion without question. It's a shame he didn't get a run in WCW either, and if he would have stayed healthy during his return to WWE, a week long or month long reign could have been possible in 2002. Unfortunately, his story didn't end that way. It's a shame that we never saw a Perfect title reign, because the business deserved one.

-True

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Eyes on the Ring 2:36 AM  No comment

Eyes On WCW: The 5 Worst WCW World Champions

By @TrueGodImmortal 

WCW was never the best wrestling company and they didn't necessarily have the greatest main event roster either.  While the undercard was usually full of talent, WCW stuffed their main event scene with older stars, random legends, and wrestlers way beyond their prime. From time to time, they would make the big mistake of putting an actual non wrestler in a position of prominence in the company. Sometimes, WCW would make those people champions. Sometimes, WCW would offer title opportunities to wrestlers who were below average. That's why I'm here today. I wanted to take a look at the worst WCW World Champions ever. Let's get into it.

5. Kevin Nash 

-Years ago, in a galaxy far far away, I was a Kevin Nash fan. Still, despite being a fan of his antics and promos, he was horrible in the ring for the most part following injuries and he has some terrible title reigns to go along with that. He had multiple reigns which resulted in horrible feuds with DDP, Scott Steiner (who just missed this list), Jeff Jarrett, Sid Vicious, and more. His first WCW Title run came courtesy of ending the streak of Goldberg, a move that I am still surprised WCW went through with. Nash was entertaining, but he was never meant to be a World Champion.

4. Jeff Jarrett

-This is when the politics of the business lead wrestlers who don't draw money to the promise land. Why in the hell was Jarrett given multiple title runs in WCW? What purpose did it serve? Who did it help? Did business pick up as a result? Did this really help WCW in the ratings war as they were getting slaughtered by the WWF? I think not. Jarrett was a decent in ring performer, but the truth is that he was mostly boring and not true World Champion material. Through the year 2000, every time Jarrett won the belt, it felt like WCW was about to go out of business. It eventually did.

3. Sid Vicious

-Despite being a prominent wrestler and liked by a few sad fans (Phranchize), Sid was garbage. Simply put. A horrible performer in the ring and an interesting promo. That's it. So, I was shocked when in 1999 and 2000, Sid entered the WCW Title picture. At a time when Benoit, Eddie, Bret, Sting, DDP, and more were available then, it was a shock that the company went with Sid. I guess he was a proven name, but he didn't draw. His feuds with Kevin Nash, Scott Steiner, and more did absolutely nothing for the company and the business, and his matches were horrendous. The fact is, Sid Vicious should not be a former WWE and WCW World Champion. Simple as that.

2. Vince Russo

-The only reason why Russo isn't no. 1 on this list is because he actually worked for a wrestling company for years. That's it. Really, this is just 1B to the 1A first choice, as they both are the most ridiculous champions ever in the wrestling world. I wish I could understand why this happened. I wish I could recall who the hell allowed this to happen besides Russo. I wish I gave a damn to discuss this more in depth to let you know just how bad this was, but I'm starting to block this out completely from my memory after I finish writing this. You should honestly do the same. If you ever run into someone who wants to discuss the Vince Russo WCW Title run or even brings this up, go very very far away from them and never return. Fuck Vince Russo.

1. David Arquette

-Do I really need to explain? Do I? No? Okay. Good. I won't. I will not. All I will say is that this was stupid and use to promote a fucking movie. They could have used a promo. A tag team match. Anything. They made David Arquette the WCW Champion. Why? I mean, seriously? WHY? WHY? WHY? Does anyone know? To make matters worse, after Arquette won the title, he ended up turning heel and helping Jeff Jarrett win the belt right after this. I mean, damn, it's bad enough that Arquette won the title, but to have him drop the belt to Jarrett and turn heel to help him win it? TOO DAMN FAR. Fuck WCW for even making this happen period. Arquette is the worst WCW Champion ever because not only did he win it for nothing, he wrestled and DROPPED IT TO JEFF JARRETT, who wasn't much better than he was (I mean Jarrett is an actual wrestler but still). WCW HAD to be ashamed of themselves. They had to be.

-True

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Eyes on the Ring 2:20 AM  No comment