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Post by Old Baby on Oct 2, 2015 9:15:49 GMT -5
There are obvious ones like Warrior beating Hogan at WM6, but I'm looking for examples that are more obscure.
Example #1: I think Steamboat and Flair both peaked in '89 with their trio of great matches for the NWA World title. Both guys would go on to have more great matches. Flair won several more World titles, plus RR '92, but IMO nothing they did after would match the genius of their Chi-Town Rumble, CoTC, WrestleWar trilogy.
Example #2: I think Randy Savage peaked at WM7. Again, he won something like 5 more World titles, but this match was just pure art. He went in as perhaps the biggest heel in the company, told a brilliant story in the ring, and walked out as perhaps the biggest babyface in the company and reunited with his girl. Nothing he did afterward was nearly this satisfying.
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Post by Raskovnik on Oct 2, 2015 9:19:54 GMT -5
Bryan at Wrestlemania 30. What I consider a five-star match against Triple H, then going on to win the title after all the bullshit he went through leading up to it in the main event. It was beautiful, and why I don't even care about the subsequent reign or what they've done with him afterwards, because WWE tends to be incompetent with f***ing everyone, or even the politics behind the scenes. It was such a cathartic moment that we got to be a part of.
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Post by Aboutreika18 on Oct 2, 2015 9:32:10 GMT -5
Chris Jericho in 2008, maybe around the classic No Mercy ladder match with HBK.
That heel run cemented him as one of the best around, IMO, even though he won the Undisputed Championship in 2001, this was him at his very best.
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Post by TOK Hehe'd Around & Found Out on Oct 2, 2015 10:47:49 GMT -5
I'd say both Punk and Cena had their apex at MITB '11. Best match of both of their careers, they were booked as layered characters who could both be seen as face and heel by different audiences, and how they acted throughout the entire match/aftermath is going to be exactly how they're going to be remembered.
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auph10imitated
Dennis Stamp
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Post by auph10imitated on Oct 2, 2015 10:50:22 GMT -5
There are obvious ones like Warrior beating Hogan at WM6, but I'm looking for examples that are more obscure. Example #1: I think Steamboat and Flair both peaked in '89 with their trio of great matches for the NWA World title. Both guys would go on to have more great matches. Flair won several more World titles, plus RR '92, but IMO nothing they did after would match the genius of their Chi-Town Rumble, CoTC, WrestleWar trilogy. Example #2: I think Randy Savage peaked at WM7. Again, he won something like 5 more World titles, but this match was just pure art. He went in as perhaps the biggest heel in the company, told a brilliant story in the ring, and walked out as perhaps the biggest babyface in the company and reunited with his girl. Nothing he did afterward was nearly this satisfying. I have to go with Wrestlemania 8 with Savage, he still had Jake Roberts and Flair feuds in him after his retirement, both brought out the awesomeness in him. After WM 8 he just floundered for two and a half years, his only other great match was SS 1992. WCW had the DDP angle but like most WCW runs, it never matched the original WWF run. Im inclined to say Bret Hart at Wrestlemania 13 too - he had some good matches after it that year, but that was truly his top. He slowly slid down the totem pole afterwards.
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Post by ronnie2hotty on Oct 2, 2015 10:50:00 GMT -5
Miz: 2011
His title reign and WrestleMania win was, and will always be, his peak.
He was at the top of his game in all aspects at that time. I can't really blame the "Cena Effect" on his loss of momentum. It was the right time for him to lose the title, but his program with a not-quite-ready-to-be-babyface Alex Riley was bad. It has been all downhill from there.
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Post by Old Baby on Oct 2, 2015 11:20:53 GMT -5
Miz: 2011 His title reign and WrestleMania win was, and will always be, his peak. He was at the top of his game in all aspects at that time. I can't really blame the "Cena Effect" on his loss of momentum. It was the right time for him to lose the title, but his program with a not-quite-ready-to-be-babyface Alex Riley was bad. It has been all downhill from there. That will always be a shame IMO. I know a lot of people hate him, but he reminded me a lot of a young Roddy Piper. Great with the obnoxious heel bit and pretty decent in the ring.
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Post by Nickybojelais on Oct 2, 2015 12:32:35 GMT -5
Triple H in 2000. I don't think his character, performance or his look was ever better before or after this period.
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Woo
Hank Scorpio
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Post by Woo on Oct 2, 2015 16:20:03 GMT -5
Courtney Rush had her great angle where she tricked Sara Del Rey into being her tag team partner and they had such a beautifully unexpected Shimmer tag team title win that is one of my favourite feel-good moments in wrestling. Then Sara got signed to the WWE, they had to drop the belts to the Canadian Ninjas at a non-Shimmer event and Courtney's never been able to fully bounce back.
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willyjakes
Don Corleone
Dingleberry Don
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Post by willyjakes on Oct 2, 2015 16:23:35 GMT -5
Bret Hart probably around 1991-1992 as a singles star
Curt Hennig 1990
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NOwave
Don Corleone
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Post by NOwave on Oct 2, 2015 16:39:00 GMT -5
I’ve always felt this was a way to separate the “good” wrestlers from the “great” wrestlers”: If your peak could be measured in years, instead of a single match, you’re much more deserving of the “Great” label.
Example: Ric Flair- I think you can expand his peak from just the Steamboat feud in ’89 to about 1983 (beating Harley Race for 2nd NWA title) thru 1993 (after his feud with Savage in WWF)
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Woo
Hank Scorpio
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Post by Woo on Oct 2, 2015 16:46:50 GMT -5
Bret Hart probably around 1991-1992 as a singles star Curt Hennig 1990 You think Bret Hart peaked before he had his Wrestlemania and Summerslam matches with Owen that some would give 5 stars too?
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Post by Instant Classic on Oct 2, 2015 16:54:24 GMT -5
Orton in 2009.
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Reflecto
Hank Scorpio
The Sorceress' Knight
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Post by Reflecto on Oct 2, 2015 18:43:48 GMT -5
Chris Jericho in 2008, maybe around the classic No Mercy ladder match with HBK. That heel run cemented him as one of the best around, IMO, even though he won the Undisputed Championship in 2001, this was him at his very best. Not only that, but 2008-09 could also be seen as HBK's peak, even with his previous run. The run from the Flair/HBK match at Mania 24 to Taker/HBK at Mania 25 might be the single best year between storylines/wrestling there is (HBK/Jericho, right to JBL/HBK, right to Undertaker/HBK- all three very good.)
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Post by Captain Stud Muffin (BLM) on Oct 2, 2015 19:09:30 GMT -5
Came here to post this. To go with a different wrestler than I'll go with Kane in 2010. That reign was his proper compensation for his one day title run. His promos was very good and brooding as I remember his first promo after winning the title and standing in a dark ring with ominous music in the background. Kane had not lost too much of a step yet then and was still moving around enough to put a decent matches. Obviously Mark Henry in 2011 goes without saying. The Hall of Pain was all he needed and that intensity and momentum carried him during that run. Got to give Cole props for selling the hell out of the victory and the fact that Mark beat Randy Orton as clean as can be adds to the impact.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on Oct 2, 2015 19:20:47 GMT -5
Bret Hart probably around 1991-1992 as a singles star Curt Hennig 1990 You think Bret Hart peaked before he had his Wrestlemania and Summerslam matches with Owen that some would give 5 stars too? If anything I'd say he peaked in 1997, because he was still great in the ring AND he became one of the best talkers in wrestling. Once he turned heel, he never did have anymore true classic matches, because of his injuries and his vicious heel style of destroying the legs which consumed his matches. Then he went to WCW and yeah.
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Emmet Russell
King Koopa
Quieter
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Post by Emmet Russell on Oct 2, 2015 21:52:28 GMT -5
Punk peaked at MITB 2011.
Taker at WM 24.
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Post by paperbackhero on Oct 3, 2015 6:59:08 GMT -5
There are obvious ones like Warrior beating Hogan at WM6, but I'm looking for examples that are more obscure. Example #1: I think Steamboat and Flair both peaked in '89 with their trio of great matches for the NWA World title. Both guys would go on to have more great matches. Flair won several more World titles, plus RR '92, but IMO nothing they did after would match the genius of their Chi-Town Rumble, CoTC, WrestleWar trilogy. Example #2: I think Randy Savage peaked at WM7. Again, he won something like 5 more World titles, but this match was just pure art. He went in as perhaps the biggest heel in the company, told a brilliant story in the ring, and walked out as perhaps the biggest babyface in the company and reunited with his girl. Nothing he did afterward was nearly this satisfying. I have to go with Wrestlemania 8 with Savage, he still had Jake Roberts and Flair feuds in him after his retirement, both brought out the awesomeness in him. After WM 8 he just floundered for two and a half years, his only other great match was SS 1992. WCW had the DDP angle but like most WCW runs, it never matched the original WWF run. Im inclined to say Bret Hart at Wrestlemania 13 too - he had some good matches after it that year, but that was truly his top. He slowly slid down the totem pole afterwards. I agree with Bret Hart and Mania 13...he was on the decline after that. I think Savage peaked at Mania 4...I didnt like any of his work after that. I thought his Jake matches and Flair matches were lackluster. Not a thing from WCW ranks. Don Muraco peaked in 83 or 84...weight gain. British Bulldgs in 86, Piper at Mania 3, Owen Hart in 91, Road Warriors in 87, right after War Games...they eventually got exposed.
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Post by willywonka666 on Oct 3, 2015 10:13:12 GMT -5
I have to go with Wrestlemania 8 with Savage, he still had Jake Roberts and Flair feuds in him after his retirement, both brought out the awesomeness in him. After WM 8 he just floundered for two and a half years, his only other great match was SS 1992. WCW had the DDP angle but like most WCW runs, it never matched the original WWF run. Im inclined to say Bret Hart at Wrestlemania 13 too - he had some good matches after it that year, but that was truly his top. He slowly slid down the totem pole afterwards. I agree with Bret Hart and Mania 13...he was on the decline after that. I think Savage peaked at Mania 4...I didnt like any of his work after that. I thought his Jake matches and Flair matches were lackluster. Not a thing from WCW ranks. Don Muraco peaked in 83 or 84...weight gain. British Bulldgs in 86, Piper at Mania 3, Owen Hart in 91, Road Warriors in 87, right after War Games...they eventually got exposed. I think the Road Warriors were still doing great until possibly sometime in 89, or right through their wcw/nwa run They have always been my favorite team and they went on to cement their success by winning the WWF tag titles, but by 92 it wasn't the same, and frankly I didn't find them quite the same in the WWF in general
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Post by paperbackhero on Oct 3, 2015 10:30:12 GMT -5
I agree with Bret Hart and Mania 13...he was on the decline after that. I think Savage peaked at Mania 4...I didnt like any of his work after that. I thought his Jake matches and Flair matches were lackluster. Not a thing from WCW ranks. Don Muraco peaked in 83 or 84...weight gain. British Bulldgs in 86, Piper at Mania 3, Owen Hart in 91, Road Warriors in 87, right after War Games...they eventually got exposed. I think the Road Warriors were still doing great until possibly sometime in 89, or right through their wcw/nwa run They have always been my favorite team and they went on to cement their success by winning the WWF tag titles, but by 92 it wasn't the same, and frankly I didn't find them quite the same in the WWF in general Agreed on the WWF run. Magic was gone.
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