Remember when Jeff Hardy got a Title match against Taker

[Loose Cannon]

I'm talking about the ladder match on Raw. I miss stuff like that. I remember giving Jeff no chance going into the match and then like halfway through, I honestly thought he could actually pull it off. When was that? 2001?

List some other matches you enjoyed that involved a midcard guy challenging the Champ in a "one night only" type match

[sulzerdrone]

Shelton Benjamin/HHH was gold.

[DarKCentaur]

The best I remember was Jericho-HHH back in what, 2000? I remember marking like crazy when Jericho won the title, and was legitmately upset when HHH had the decision reversed and stricken from the record.

[thedamndest]

That match was awesome, especially the hand raise at the end because up until that point I don't think anybody had actually "earned" Taker's respect.

[DarKCentaur]

Then I remembered "Hah, that's something WCW Jericho would have done". I was still pissed though

[KYR]

That was the night 'Taker turned face again wasn't it?

Previous week he belt the life out of Jeff, Jeff manned up, came back for more the following week and nearly won?

[KYR]

Honourable mention match goes to Hurricane v Rock (not the champ I know but still memorable).

[Danny Electric]

Jericho v HHH, when they were both down on the floor and then HHH got up just before the ten count.

[jerichoholicninja]

TAKA Michinoku vs. Triple H around 1999 or 2000

[Jeritron]

Well that was a PPV with a build

[El Fangel]

Thats what I missed about wrestling, when you actually thought guys like Jeff Hardy could beat Taker for teh title on a monday night Raw.

Hell I remember Bubba Ray fighting Austin and giving him a chance.

[Xero]

I can't think of anyone on the current roster who could go up against a solidly established main eventer and giving them a chance.

The only one I could see is Jeff Hardy, but he needs some more solidifying.

[Jeritron]

Thats what I missed about wrestling, when you actually thought guys like Jeff Hardy could beat Taker for teh title on a monday night Raw.

Hell I remember Bubba Ray fighting Austin and giving him a chance.

It's called being young and less jaded. They had just as little chance as any of the midcarders of today did. Maybe even less.

[Xero]

I disagree. While the Bubba Ray thing is a bit of a stretch, the midcarders pre-2000 or so were book solidly and didn't seem to be insuperior to the main eventers, per say, they were just in another division.

Were there those who wouldn't have a chance against an Undertaker or Rock? Of course. But there were many more than today who would have stood a chance. An example of this would be Ken Shamrock.

[The Gold Standard]

I think what made those guys actually have a chance in our eyes was the way they built the mid card titles. When those matches were happening the mid card titles were still important. We get these less and less because the mid card titles are worthless now and it makes the superstars in the mid card division look very weak next to the Main Eventers.

I hope it starts to change, but it doesn't look promising.

[KYR]

Dare I mention Zach Gowen beating Big Show for his WWE contract? Then Lesnar...

[Savio]

I remember when Rey was champion he gave people like Khali, Mark Henry, and Kane a chance.

[Xero]

Rey was never champion.

[El Fangel]

It's called being young and less jaded. They had just as little chance as any of the midcarders of today did. Maybe even less.

Perhaps your right Jeri, though what I remember is that it seemed like Xero said, everyone was on an even playing field, just some people were after different titles.

Like I could have seen Jeff Hardy back then competeing for the Tag Title one night and The WWF the next and thinking he could win.

Now, do you honestly think that if Morrison fought Cena for the title he has a chance in hell of winning?

[Jeritron]

Bubba Ray was never on an even playing field with Stone Cold

[The Gold Standard]

If a guy like Morrison faced Cena he would get destroyed. It is something we don't want happening, but the World Title contenders are considered to be miles ahead of the mid carders.

Matches like Cena v Swagger on Raw could happen with this where the mid carder could have some advantage, but there is always that feeling that this will end and the momentum match will turn to the main eventer in the next 2 minutes and get the dominate win. Meanwhile, for example Jeff v Taker, Jeff barely lost and there was never the thought throughout the match that the momentum would swing back to Taker for the dominating win.

[Jeritron]

Rock vs Al Snow for the WWF title

[Dorkchop]

YES. I love matches like that. One of my favorites was X-Pac vs a heel Rock for the heavyweight belt. There was no way X-Pac was going to win, but eventually I thought he could have won the match.

The Jeff Hardy / Undertaker match was awesome. I think that was in 2002.

I seem to remember an awesome match like these with Shamrock and Austin. I think I'm going to try and find it.

[sulzerdrone]

It helped that in the '90s, we watched the Rock, Austin, and HHH come up gradually through the mid card and fueding with other mid carders. They weren't pushed to the moon overnight with a superman character. It made a midcarder holding their own against them in the main event at least plausible.

[The Gold Standard]

That is 100% true. I it is what WWE has gotten away from and needs to get back to that. From a business perspective, it will help Vince sell more merch if the mid carders are slowly pushed and gain popularity gradually.

[sulzerdrone]

Not to mention, as I said above, it makes it easier to move a mid-carder into the main event. It was more believable to see Owen Hart in a main event match then, than it is to see C.M. Punk in one now. They've limited their options with so few legit main eventers. You can only watch Cena/Edge so many times.

[Dave Youell]

Rikishi Vs HHH on Smackdown with that lottery that Fink messed up, Kish was on a hell of a push at the time and I thought he could do it

Any Barry Harowitz match, as everyone on the card was higher than him *slaps self on back*

[Sting Fan]

Speaking of bubba I seem to remmember him getting a title match or having a mini feud with HHH around the time he was squashing Booker, Kane RVD etc.

For some reason I was really into that and almost brought into the idea Bubba might go somewhere. I think its the same time D-Von was busy goding it up with the deacon on SD.

[RatedGSuperstar]

It helped that in the '90s, we watched the Rock, Austin, and HHH come up gradually through the mid card and fueding with other mid carders. They weren't pushed to the moon overnight with a superman character. It made a midcarder holding their own against them in the main event at least plausible.

This. It also improved the quality of the main event feuds, because so many of them already had past history -- before Triple H and The Rock were feuding for the World title, they had some great matches for the IC title during the DX vs. NOD feud.

I still remember the huge pop Jericho got for his "win that never happened." I miss that spinning heel kick that set up the lionsault. :'(

The Jeff Hardy/Undertaker ladder match was great, as was the night Jeff won the IC title from Triple H on SmackDown during the Two Man Power Trip angle.

[Loose Cannon]

YES. I love matches like that. One of my favorites was X-Pac vs a heel Rock for the heavyweight belt. There was no way X-Pac was going to win, but eventually I thought he could have won the match.


Yes, X-pac/Rock was awesome and remember, X-pac lost only when HBK came in and hit him with a chair.

[Fox]

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[The Mask]

i remember when all we got on normal tv here was heat, there was a kurt angle/essa rios fight which was actually totally awesome.