Rate the Match #7: Randy Orton versus Mick Foley @ Backlash '04

[Mr. JL]

Kurt Angle versus Chris Benoit @ Royal Rumble '03 = 9.6

The third installment (despite a few complaints) of Kurt Angle versus Chris Benoit match for the WWE Championship at the Royal Rumble takes over the leader board by leapfrogging over Chris Jericho versus Shawn Michaels to an impressive score of 9.6

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The next installment of the Kurt Angle versus Chris Benoit series... just kidding. Time for a new match-up and I think this match is most likely in the top ten list as far as post Attitude Era matches go. This match was built up beautifully for nearly 5 or 6 months and it culminated in a match for the Intercontinental Championship in Mick Foley's speacialty of Hardcore Rules. The match is brutal, violent, and bloody encounter between Randy Orton against the wily veteran Mick Foley (sporting Cactus Jack attire). This match pretty much *MADE* Randy Orton in my estimation, quite simular to how the Ric Flair versus Sting at Clash of the Champions *made* Sting.

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YouTube linksssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss if you weel
Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vP765atmXro&mode=related&search=
Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yyJv_DW2AJk&mode=related&search=
Part 3: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gpLfT5OJDGw&mode=related&search=


-----Matches Rated Thus Far-----
9.6 for Kurt Angle versus Chris Benoit @ Royal Rumble '03
9.1 for Chris Jericho versus Shawn Michaels @ WrestleMania XIX
8.9 for Rob Van Dam versus Jerry Lynn @ Living Dangerously '99
8.4 for Ric Flair versus Sting @ Clash of the Champions I
8.0 for Kurt Angle versus Chris Benoit @ WrestleMania X-Seven
6.6 for Kurt Angle versus Chris Benoit @ Backlash '01

[Xero]

7

[Dave Youell]

Glad the Rumble match tops the charts, it’s my favourite encounter from the 2 of them (Benoit/Angle)

Orton/Foley gets a strong 9.5 from me.

Mick worked really hard for this match, dropped a ton of weight and put together a really REALLY good hardcore match. When Orton lands on the tacs it was my first mark out moment in ages, as I don’t think anyone thought he was going to take that bump. The only reason this thing doesn’t get a 10 from me is because Foley has been involved in better matches of this type, such as Rumbles in 99 and 2000 and his match with Edge at Mania

[Innovator]

9, made Orton....until HHH unmade him

[Dave Youell]

Man, did you ever think about how many people Foley helped?

I mean you could argue he made:

Orton, Mania and backlash

HHH, Rumble and No Way Out 2000

The Rock, Rumble, Half time heat, No Way out 99

Edge to an extent as he went on his biggest high profile run after the match with Foley at mania

He was Austin’s first opponent after he became champ

Man he was really great at getting guys over, that’s what they are missing today, someone who can put guys over, and still look like a threat and thus not lose heat in the process

[mrslackalack]

9.2

[Theo Dious]

9. Not a perfect match, but it was spectacular to watch and shattered any reasonable expectations.

Now if I may address this:

9, made Orton....until <s>HHH unmade him</s> Orton unmade himself.

It wasn't Orton's loss of the title that dropped him to the level of midcard hell, it was himself. He and Batista had the same problem: a string of guys put them over, and when they had to cruise on that momentum, they crashed. Orton was given the legend killer gimmick and pushed to the top (probably too quickly.) He was put over by the biggest put-over machine of this century by Foley, and probably the most Foley ever put anyone over. He was the sole survivor in the Austin vs Bischoff Survivor Series match. He went over Foley AND the Rock at Wrestlemania. He was put over CLEAN by Benoit for the WHC. He lost the title to HHH, with vigorous interference from Batista and Flair, but subsequently went over HHH as the sole survivor of a Survivor Series elimination match (for the second time in a row, at that.) And then he's set up for a Wrestlemania match with the Undertaker; of course he jobbed that match, but in the following months he would get the better of him on more than one occasion. Oh, and he yet again scored a Main Event Survivor Series victory in the Raw vs Smackdown match. The fact that Orton was unable to endure periods of limelight withdrawl is his own problem, and his attitude has done NOTHING to pull him out of that. Blaming HHH for his failure to rise higher is another symptom of the "if you aren't in the title picture you're being buried" bullshit. Though he's there now, if I recall correctly, even if the storyline surrounding it blows ass. But soiling bags, harassing fellow employees, and trashing hotel rooms is not the behavior of a top star.

[Nowhere Man]

8

I was never a fan of Orton, but this match was damn good.

[Rammsteinmad]

9

Great match. The Thumb Tacs and the fall off the ramp were awesome spots where I believe Orton really earned his pay that night.

The build-up and the fued was really great as well.

:y:

[Russenmafia]

8

[Bad Company]

8.5, they just dropped the ball with Randy afterwards.

[Tazz Dan]

9.2

[McLegend]

8.5

[McLegend]

Btw I blame HHH.

[The Fugitive]

8.5

[Verbose Minch]

9.5.

I saw it live and will always have a special place in my heart.

[Mercury Bullet]

8.5

[Mr. Pierre]

9.5

[SammyG]

9.5

[Mr. JL]

8.5

[RGWhat316]

9. Probably the first match that got me a fan of Orton. He had never been in that kind of match, and he took more bumps than I thought he would. Can never forget Foley blocking the RKO, and Orton falling into the thumbtacks.

[Mr. JL]

last chance to rate

[Sephiroth]

9.5