Shawn Michaels vs. Triple H at Bad Blood 2004 - Thoughts?

[agent817]

So my friend and I watched this recently. He came over, and I put on my DVD of Bad Blood 2004. We agreed that we wouldn't watch the whole thing. Although we watched the first 20 or so minutes of it, I fast-forwarded it to some notable spots, like Shawn getting out the ladder and using it as a weapon, like how it's done in a video game. I then FF'ed to the spot when Shawn did his elbow drop from the ladder through the table. I think there were only 10 minutes left of the match and then hit the fast forward to get to the finish.

I remember watching the whole match a long time ago. I thought the match was objectively fine because it wasn't really bad, but it was also a drag because of how long it was. There could have been about 20-25 minutes taken off and it could have been better. It didn't need to go for more than 45 minutes. However, given that this was at a time when those brand PPV shows were prevalent, there really wasn't a lot of talent to feature on the card. It almost felt like those extra 20+ minutes were to fill time for the show.

What do you think?

[4real]

I remember hating it when I watched it live. It was too long & nothing out of the ordinary happened if I remember correctly. It felt overly choreographed too.

[Gerard Gerard]

Absolutely loved it and felt it was a fitting end to the long-running HBK vs HHH feud. Can see why it wouldn't be to everyone's tastes but it really felt like watching a modern interpretation of a Ric Flair 80s cage match.

[BorneAgain]

This was kind of micro chasm of HHH's nagging problem as a worker, even in 2004 and after when he was much improved over the lackluster 2002/2003 years. He often wanted to go epic and significant in his matches and unfortunately went to the point of self-indulgence. Cut this match in half time wise and it's a very well-paced Hell in a Cell match. As is though, it's just dragged out and hits the point of diminishing returns eventually.

His match against Batista in Hell in a Cell a year after this felt like it accomplished everything this match did in half the time and is much stronger as a result.

[chronocross]

I thought it was boring and dragged on way too long.

I also enjoyed Batista vs. HHH the following year at HIAC much more.

[tirtefaa]

The problem with most Triple H/Shawn Michaels matches is they start to blend together.

At least this was sort of the end, I know they had a title match 4 months later...but man did it get tiresome that they feuded on and off for almost 2 years straight.

[agent817]

Nov 17, 2024 12:07:24 GMT -5 tirtefaa said:

The problem with most Triple H/Shawn Michaels matches is they start to blend together.

At least this was sort of the end, I know they had a title match 4 months later...but man did it get tiresome that they feuded on and off for almost 2 years straight.

My favorite out of all their matches will always be their match at Summerslam 2002. I also thought their match on Raw at the end of 2003 was a great one. I personally enjoyed their Last Man Standing match at Royal Rumble 2004.

However, you do have a point that they started to blend together after a while. I thought their Three Stages of Hell match at Armageddon 2002 was underwhelming. I don't think I have seen their match at Taboo Tuesday 2004, but I have read that it wasn't that good.

[Renslayer]

AWFUL and self indulgent. The match was perfectly fine for the first 25 minutes, but once they added the plunder, it turned to shit.


A blood feud with all that extra shit in a cage match is something I hate with a passion

[crowley1986]

Nov 17, 2024 12:51:18 GMT -5 agent817 said:

Nov 17, 2024 12:07:24 GMT -5 tirtefaa said:

The problem with most Triple H/Shawn Michaels matches is they start to blend together.

At least this was sort of the end, I know they had a title match 4 months later...but man did it get tiresome that they feuded on and off for almost 2 years straight.

My favorite out of all their matches will always be their match at Summerslam 2002. I also thought their match on Raw at the end of 2003 was a great one. I personally enjoyed their Last Man Standing match at Royal Rumble 2004.

However, you do have a point that they started to blend together after a while. I thought their Three Stages of Hell match at Armageddon 2002 was underwhelming. I don't think I have seen their match at Taboo Tuesday 2004, but I have read that it wasn't that good.

The Armageddon match - HHH was still roughed up from the neck/throat injury in the HITC and i believe a leg injury two
The Taboo Tuesday one - HBK had a banged up leg and i believe went on a hiatus for a few months after this match

Agreed it went on far too long, another issue was this was the time they were trying to get away from the massive bump off or through the cell

[bob]

way, way too long

[fw91]

Nov 17, 2024 12:51:18 GMT -5 agent817 said:

Nov 17, 2024 12:07:24 GMT -5 tirtefaa said:

The problem with most Triple H/Shawn Michaels matches is they start to blend together.

At least this was sort of the end, I know they had a title match 4 months later...but man did it get tiresome that they feuded on and off for almost 2 years straight.

My favorite out of all their matches will always be their match at Summerslam 2002. I also thought their match on Raw at the end of 2003 was a great one. I personally enjoyed their Last Man Standing match at Royal Rumble 2004.

However, you do have a point that they started to blend together after a while. I thought their Three Stages of Hell match at Armageddon 2002 was underwhelming. I don't think I have seen their match at Taboo Tuesday 2004, but I have read that it wasn't that good.

Shawn was hurt with a partially torn meniscus and didn't return to action until being the special ref at New Years Revolution. I think I may have read that they may have had Shawn win the title at Taboo Tuesday and have it for a quick while just to sell the gimmick of the show, but went against it because of the injury.

[Deleted]

I'll give you my thoughts when it's over.

[tirtefaa]

Nov 17, 2024 16:43:01 GMT -5 fw91 said:

I think I may have read that they may have had Shawn win the title at Taboo Tuesday and have it for a quick while just to sell the gimmick of the show, but went against it because of the injury.

I don't think he would have won it, but if they really wanted to sell the gimmick, don't orchestrate a Shelton Benjamin push right before the poll, or have Ric Flair going out there insisting that the fans vote for the Steel Cage match. Besides, if they *really* wanted to give the fans a choice, don't limit it to three options for the World title, especially when Benoit had just lost the title a few months prior, and Edge was doing some of the worst work of his career. Having them team up and become tag team champions was even worse...man I really hated the circumstances of everything that happened. This was just awful.

Why not have the entire Raw roster be up for the vote for the World title? Oh that's right...Vince is pretty uncomfortable with giving the fans any real choice.

[fw91]

Nov 17, 2024 17:22:17 GMT -5 tirtefaa said:

Nov 17, 2024 16:43:01 GMT -5 fw91 said:

I think I may have read that they may have had Shawn win the title at Taboo Tuesday and have it for a quick while just to sell the gimmick of the show, but went against it because of the injury.

I don't think he would have won it, but if they really wanted to sell the gimmick, don't orchestrate a Shelton Benjamin push right before the poll, or have Ric Flair going out there insisting that the fans vote for the Steel Cage match. Besides, if they *really* wanted to give the fans a choice, don't limit it to three options for the World title, especially when Benoit had just lost the title a few months prior, and Edge was doing some of the worst work of his career. Having them team up and become tag team champions was even worse...man I really hated the circumstances of everything that happened. This was just awful.

Why not have the entire Raw roster be up for the vote for the World title? Oh that's right...Vince is pretty uncomfortable with giving the fans any real choice.

I think Shawn may have won any way he sliced it. He was the top face on RAW even if he wasn't in the main event.

[tirtefaa]

Nov 17, 2024 17:33:25 GMT -5 fw91 said:

Nov 17, 2024 17:22:17 GMT -5 tirtefaa said:

I don't think he would have won it, but if they really wanted to sell the gimmick, don't orchestrate a Shelton Benjamin push right before the poll, or have Ric Flair going out there insisting that the fans vote for the Steel Cage match. Besides, if they *really* wanted to give the fans a choice, don't limit it to three options for the World title, especially when Benoit had just lost the title a few months prior, and Edge was doing some of the worst work of his career. Having them team up and become tag team champions was even worse...man I really hated the circumstances of everything that happened. This was just awful.

Why not have the entire Raw roster be up for the vote for the World title? Oh that's right...Vince is pretty uncomfortable with giving the fans any real choice.

I think Shawn may have won any way he sliced it. He was the top face on RAW even if he wasn't in the main event.

I don't know, I heard numerous times that Shawn and Kane both advocated for not winning the title.

Either way you slice it though, it was pretty telegraphed that Shawn was going to win over Edge and Benoit.

[fw91]

Nov 17, 2024 17:37:59 GMT -5 tirtefaa said:

Nov 17, 2024 17:33:25 GMT -5 fw91 said:

I think Shawn may have won any way he sliced it. He was the top face on RAW even if he wasn't in the main event.

I don't know, I heard numerous times that Shawn and Kane both advocated for not winning the title.

Either way you slice it though, it was pretty telegraphed that Shawn was going to win over Edge and Benoit.

I meant the fan vote. Not the title.

[thegame415]

Way too long, and way too boring.