When did the cage match lose its appeal ?

[Deleted]

When the "escape" condition became the norm.

Seriously, as RD and Blade put it in the "Book of Lists", they stated that the original idea of the cage match was the culmination of a feud, and that the cage itself meant that the heel couldn't rely on any cronies if he had them.

In other words, it would've been what Jim Ross would've called a "slobberknocker".

However, this was a slow process. I think the first mistake was when the WWF debuted the "blue cage" at WrestleMania II, which is what they would use for the next 13 or so years, as the design looked pretty goofy (never mind the finish, where Hogan used King Kong Bundy's head as a footstep).

Of course, variants of the cage were constructed, with only one (Hell in the Cell) being worthwhile. I mean, the Doomsday Cage?

Finally, the booking (hell, some of the matches had the announcers say that escape was the only victory condition) was set up where people could enter the cage with ease or that the only way of winning is to "run away" from the very opponent the guy was facing.

[lookout]

Apr 26, 2010 4:10:38 GMT -5 wwerules60 said:

Because they do these lame contrived spots in them every time, like tonight Jericho could have just taken two steps and won, but he went back in to do more damage, just like every cage match now. And it just looks so stupid when someone is climbs pretty much over the top and the other guy miraculously grabs him and pulls him all the way back in the cage.

The walking out the door to win is one of the most annoying and irritating things in wrestling to me because there are literally a hundred times a match a person could just walk out. Often times just within the first one minute. It's mind boggling that vince/wwe don't think this just insults everyone's intelligence or that it's stupid. Even climbing out of the cage is stupid because there are quite a few times a match where someone is laid out good and instead of climbing out, they don't.

It needs to be won by pinfall or submission, or maybe just submission..period. It's why I absolutely hate cage matches. I can not every suspend disbelief because it's so insane and stupid that someone just doesn't walk out after hitting a move. I really can't think of anything dumber in wrestling or that exposes it more.

[giraffe4hire]

The cage match is still relevant for me, because for the simple fact that Cage matches can still have a bump off the top of the cage. Hell in a Cell no longer has bumps off or even on top of the cage. The only way you're going to get a dive off the top of a cage is a cage match itself.

[Deleted]

If I'm not mistaken, cage matches were originally used to confine a heel that kept getting counted out, relied on outside interference, or as a big blow off to a feud. So, when they just started throwing guys in there for no real reason that's when it lost interest IMO.

[Ishmeal Loves Kaseyhausen]

It is a combination of both being overused, and the pinfall/submission being the way to win. But of the two, the use of pinfall/submission hurts it more for me. I loved the dynamic of the heel trying to escape no matter what, and the face playing the "chaser," stopping the heel from escaping so he could beat the hell out of him, then escape when he was done. That killed it for me.

[4real]

When the HIAC was invented.

Still I enjoyed last night's cage match very much.

[DiBiase is Good]

I can remember the exact match I lost interest in cage matches. I can't remember what show it was on but it was the summer of 2000 and Val Venis fought Rikishi in a cage match.
It was a feud that didn't have that much build and I don't remember it being an intense feud, but they put it in a cage. That for me sealed the deal. Cage matches were always reserved for the intense feuds where only a cage could end the feud.
I don't even remember who won the match, I think Rikishi hit a splash from the top of the cage at some point but I could be wrong.

[mcstoklasa]

I don't enjoy cage matches anymore. I think they should be 'escape only' but without the stupid door on the side. You should have to climb over to escape. Last night's match suffered big time because it was so dumb and i couldnt suspend my disbelief.

[Mesousa]

Well simple: the Angle/Anderson match.

After that match, with the reaction and Angle almost DIEING, I find cage matches boring now.

[4real]

Apr 26, 2010 11:38:01 GMT -5 DiBiase is Good said:

I can remember the exact match I lost interest in cage matches. I can't remember what show it was on but it was the summer of 2000 and Val Venis fought Rikishi in a cage match.
It was a feud that didn't have that much build and I don't remember it being an intense feud, but they put it in a cage. That for me sealed the deal. Cage matches were always reserved for the intense feuds where only a cage could end the feud.
I don't even remember who won the match, I think Rikishi hit a splash from the top of the cage at some point but I could be wrong.

Val won after Tazz hit Rikishi with a television monitor

[Tom S]

Apr 26, 2010 11:42:19 GMT -5 4real said:

Apr 26, 2010 11:38:01 GMT -5 DiBiase is Good said:

I can remember the exact match I lost interest in cage matches. I can't remember what show it was on but it was the summer of 2000 and Val Venis fought Rikishi in a cage match.
It was a feud that didn't have that much build and I don't remember it being an intense feud, but they put it in a cage. That for me sealed the deal. Cage matches were always reserved for the intense feuds where only a cage could end the feud.
I don't even remember who won the match, I think Rikishi hit a splash from the top of the cage at some point but I could be wrong.

Val won after Tazz hit Rikishi with a television monitor

What a piece of garbage tazz is.

[ani]

When they got rid of the big blue cage. I really legit miss that thing

[corndog]

I have watched alot of 80s NWA cage matches on video and the internet that were just the basic wire cage, but they were interesting and made sense for a number of reasons. The main reason for cage matches was to keep the heel's buddies out, this was especially effective in the Four Horsemen fueds where their interference was constant and sometimes led to kayfabe injury. There was also the fact that there was a definitive winner, considering heels would constantly get counted out or disqualified to keep their title. A third reason is the violence and using the cage as a weapon, old school cage matches almost guarenteed blood and people will pay to see a bloody heel at the end of a match no matter what people say.

The problem these days, is one besides SES, most heels aren't even in stables and rarely form alliances, so that removes the first issue. Two fueds aren't built up like they used to be, and the WWE doesn't have heel champions as often so the formula doesn't work. Back in the day Ric Flair and other heel champions would defend their titles all over the country/territory and the same contender would get shots all over the country and usually get screwed over constantly. People would be sick of the interference and screwjob endings, so they would sign a cage match for the contender to get a good chance at winning the belt. Also the stupid door rule, that is complete garbage. Another thing is the WWE doesn't allow blading so that defeats another seller for the match. I know alot of people think blading can be bad, but when used in a payoff match such as in the cage I think it is effective and makes sense. However Ric Flair bleeding all over the place in TNA is just overkill.

[repomark]

I am a firm believer that cage matches should be escape only - and only over the top. The door just makes everyone look idiotic for going over the top.