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Post by thegame415 on Oct 2, 2013 0:15:00 GMT -5
My friends and I have been discussing this lately. Here's the list I came up with. I want this board's opinion:
5. CM Punk - November 20, 2011 until January 28th, 2013
For historical purposes, this deserves a top 5 nod. I think Punk went all out every title defense. Even though he wasn't "the man" the first 7 months of the reign, he still delivered. Pound for pound, he has one of the best reigns in terms of matches of all time. His feuds were fun too. His promos with Rock were amazing. It did a great job building the match. Let's not forget about the great buildup to the Night of Champions match with Cena.
4. Triple H - January 3, 2000 until April 30, 2000
The title reign that made Triple H. He was so damn over as a heel. You wanted to see him get his ass kicked. At the same time, he was proving himself worthy.
Look at his PPV defenses:
vs Cactus Jack at Royal Rumble and No Way Out
vs Foley vs Rock vs Big Show at WM
vs Rock at Backlash
You also have the 10 man tag from Raw and the Jericho title match. The Rumble and Backlash matches are probably the top two matches of the year. Combine with him and Stephanie as a power hungry young couple, and you have a great reign.
3. Steve Austin - April 1, 2001 until September 23, 2001
While heel Austin may not have gotten as much heat as planned, Austin definitely became refreshing as a champ. After a sloppy defense against Undertaker Judgment Day, Austin wrestled Benoit twice in Canada and Jericho, putting those guys over as legit threats. Let's not forget his amazing feud against Angle, including the great battle at Summerslam and the redemption at Unforgiven.
2. John Cena - September 17, 2006 until October 2, 2007
As much crap as Cena takes, he truly delivered during this reign. He carried Umaga, Great Khali and Lashley to their best matches ever. He won the title in an epic TLC match with Edge. He wrestled Shawn Michaels for an hour on Raw. I think his match with Orton at Summerslam is one of the better matches between those two. The Champ truly was here.
1. Shawn Michaels - March 31, 1996 until November 17, 1996
Quality wise, did anyone deliver as much as HBK? Say what you will about him during this time, but no matter what, you knew you'd get a memorable match. He won the title in an hour long battle with Bret, something unheard of, which made for great storytelling. He faces Diesel in one of Nash's best matches ever. His feud with Bulldog was entertaining, and the KotR match was solid. His match with Mankind at Mind Games is cited by Foley as one of his best matches ever. He lost the title in what I think is Sid's best match.
Shawn delivered in the ring as champion. While I think you can argue that he didn't make money, he did all he could. He was the best thing going for WWF, and his reign should be remember as that.
Honorable mentions:
Bret Hart - March 20, 1994 until November 23, 1994
Steve Austin - March 29, 1998 until June 28, 1998
The Rock - June 25, 2000 until October 22, 2000
John Cena - April 3, 2005 until January 8, 2006
Triple H - April 27, 2008 until November 23, 2008
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Post by rapidfire187 on Oct 2, 2013 0:26:18 GMT -5
Pretty good list. I would probably have included Austin's 1998 run and left off Cena though. Austin's PPV matches with Dude Love and Taker were phenomenal during this run. I just hated how his reign ended.
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Post by The Beast Disincarnate on Oct 2, 2013 0:29:17 GMT -5
That one Edge reign was really amazing...you know the 7th...I mean the 9th...could be the 4th after all....
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Post by Deleted on Oct 2, 2013 0:32:43 GMT -5
Steve Austin - March 29, 1998 until June 28, 1998
The Rock - June 25, 2000 until October 22, 2000
Both of these IMO should have been on your list...although your intial list is pretty good minus the Cena reign.
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Post by thegame415 on Oct 2, 2013 0:36:55 GMT -5
I'm too much of a mark for a lot of Cena's in ring work.
I had a tough time not including Austin's first reign. I went up and back before deciding on the 2001 reign. He really reinvented himself during that reign, which is why I like it so much.
Had his first reign not had the one day Kane sequence, I would've ranked it number one.
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Post by Jimichiro Likes Erick Rowan on Oct 2, 2013 1:20:48 GMT -5
I'd like to read more about Triple H's 2008 title run making your honorable mentions list. Not Hating, just genuinely curious.
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Post by thegame415 on Oct 2, 2013 1:41:57 GMT -5
I'd like to read more about Triple H's 2008 title run making your honorable mentions list. Not Hating, just genuinely curious. A few of the matches: vs John Cena at Night of Champions vs Edge at Great American Bash Championship Scramble at Unforgiven Vs Jeff Hardy at No Mercy and Cyber Sunday His matches with Orton weren't awful either. He had some matches on Smackdown involving Jeff, MVP, Kendrick, and Shelton Benjamin that were great too. |
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Post by GuyOfOwnage on Oct 2, 2013 1:42:02 GMT -5
I think the biggest problem with a list ranking individual reigns is that you end up restricting yourself. Honestly, if Austin's reign went uninterrupted from WM14 to Breakdown, it'd definitely be worthy of the list, but because of Kane's one nighter, you end up with two pretty good reigns that would be awesome if only they could be combined.
I find it funny how kind history is being to The Rock, and even Cena. Back in 2000, the internet LOATHED The Rock, particularly during the June - October title run. People were just begging for Benoit, Angle, anyone to take it off him. It's even funnier to see how kind history is being to Cena. Man oh man - as much as the internet hated him during his first reign, during that year long one, people wanted his head on a stick. I'll even admit to not being the guy's biggest fan during that time, but I think it holds up better in retrospect. The Last Man Standing with Umaga, the matches with HBK, hell, he's the only guy who ever pulled a good match out of Khali. I'll even give props to the match with Lashley at the GAB. That reign has almost become underrated.
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Post by Jimichiro Likes Erick Rowan on Oct 2, 2013 1:51:46 GMT -5
I'd like to read more about Triple H's 2008 title run making your honorable mentions list. Not Hating, just genuinely curious. A few of the matches: vs John Cena at Night of Champions vs Edge at Great American Bash Championship Scramble at Unforgiven Vs Jeff Hardy at No Mercy and Cyber Sunday His matches with Orton weren't awful either. He had some matches on Smackdown involving Jeff, MVP, Kendrick, and Shelton Benjamin that were great too. You might have to do some digging, but there was a HHH/Taker Smackdown main event that I'm 90% was during that title run as well (it had a schmozz finish thanks to Vladimir Kozlov, which might've lead to Trips/Kozlov/Edge at Survivor Series). I just ask because Backlash '08 - WrestleMania 25 is probably my favorite calendar year for WWE and while I wouldn't call Triple H's title run that year a detriment, it's not one of the major reasons why I look so fondly back on that timeframe. |
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Post by thegame415 on Oct 2, 2013 3:04:59 GMT -5
I think the biggest problem with a list ranking individual reigns is that you end up restricting yourself. Honestly, if Austin's reign went uninterrupted from WM14 to Breakdown, it'd definitely be worthy of the list, but because of Kane's one nighter, you end up with two pretty good reigns that would be awesome if only they could be combined. I find it funny how kind history is being to The Rock, and even Cena. Back in 2000, the internet LOATHED The Rock, particularly during the June - October title run. People were just begging for Benoit, Angle, anyone to take it off him. It's even funnier to see how kind history is being to Cena. Man oh man - as much as the internet hated him during his first reign, during that year long one, people wanted his head on a stick. I'll even admit to not being the guy's biggest fan during that time, but I think it holds up better in retrospect. The Last Man Standing with Umaga, the matches with HBK, hell, he's the only guy who ever pulled a good match out of Khali. I'll even give props to the match with Lashley at the GAB. That reign has almost become underrated. I'm one of those guys who hated Cena during that reign. As time went on (and as I got over my 19 year-old self), i learned to love that reign. |
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Post by Instant Classic on Oct 2, 2013 3:17:25 GMT -5
Thank you for putting Cena on there!
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Post by Deleted on Oct 2, 2013 3:52:36 GMT -5
I've only been watching the past 15, but I'd say... Cena's 2006-2007 one, enjoyed Miz's quite a bit honestly and it's really the last time it felt to me like the guy with the title actually cared about having it, Triple H in early 2000, looking back on the Michaels 1996 run he did have some great matches in there (I may hate the one where he won it, but plenty of great stuff after that and it's not technically part of the reign so I won't count it against him), and... Maybe Taker in 2002 just because of how despite not having it very long he defended the thing quite a bit and there were some great matches in there and Biker Taker was a pretty awesome heel. There was also the match with Triple H that was complete shit, but they can't all be winners.
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Post by "American Cream" Dusty Loads on Oct 2, 2013 4:04:43 GMT -5
I wouldn't say Cena carried Umaga. Umaga was a tremendous talent on his own. That last man standing match was one of the best matches I've ever seen and I was in full on Cena hate mode at the time.
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Post by abjordans on Oct 2, 2013 8:43:41 GMT -5
Talking about the last 25 years on such a pro Randy Savage board and no mention of his first title reign?
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Post by "Gizzark" Mike Wronglevenay on Oct 2, 2013 9:25:50 GMT -5
4. Triple H - January 3, 2000 until April 30, 2000 The title reign that made Triple H. He was so damn over as a heel. You wanted to see him get his ass kicked. At the same time, he was proving himself worthy. Look at his PPV defenses: vs Cactus Jack at Royal Rumble and No Way Out vs Foley vs Rock vs Big Show at WM vs Rock at Backlash You also have the 10 man tag from Raw and the Jericho title match. The Rumble and Backlash matches are probably the top two matches of the year. Combine with him and Stephanie as a power hungry young couple, and you have a great reign. Didn't this reign also include that amazing Taka match? And if I remember rightly, the match where Trips beat Big Show for the title was one of Show's better matches. |
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Hank Scorpio
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Post by AdamAFL was sooooo wrong on Oct 2, 2013 11:14:42 GMT -5
I'd have to add Angle's run from October 2000-February 2001 on there as well. That's the blueprint for how to book a good chickenshit heel run. It also includes one of my favourite matches that is never spoke about the 4-way match between Austin, Rock, Rikishi and Angle at Rebellion '00. That match was great.
I'd put that on the list at the expense of HBK's title run but only because that took place a couple of months before I started watching so whilst I will have seen some matches from the run I never watched it in sequence to judge it enough. I'd also have to leave off Cena's title reign because Edge losing it to him was the point where I stopped watching WWE. I've seen a few matches from the run but I've never watched that in sequence either. I'd go:
5. JBL (June '04 to April '05)
4. CM Punk (November '11 to January '13)
3. Angle (October '00 to February '01)
2. Triple H (January '00 to April '00)
1. Austin (April '01 to September '01)
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Madagascar Fred
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Post by Madagascar Fred on Oct 2, 2013 14:05:39 GMT -5
didnt watch alot of mid-2001 WWF but I remember being NO fan of Austin's long title reign
his 98 reigns however...WHEW lady can I please have your baby??
strange thread however: from a WRESTLING standpoint, HBK96&97/Angle2k/HHH2k/Austin2k1 are up there. from an ENTERTRAINMENT standpoint, HBK in 97 and Austin in 98 are hard to top. from a BIG BIZNESS standpoint you can't top Hogan 87/88/89, Austin 98/99 and HHH/Rock 2k
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Post by Hit Girl on Oct 2, 2013 14:34:33 GMT -5
Nothing from 1998 onwards.
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