Ironman Match
 

Aight so I purchased the history of the WWE Championship a couple of days ago and watched Hart vs. Michaels in the Ironman match and it got me thinking.

THe only other ironman matches I can remember are Rock/Triple H and then Kurt/Brock. Oh wait there was also Benoit/Triple H

But my question is in today's wrestling time whether it be WWE or TNA do you think the guys are in well enough shape to go an hour straight? Cause to me they seem too flashy and not able to last as long.

In WWE I can see Benoit still being able to do it but I can kinda see Orton, maybe Edge being able to do one. In TNA... Christopher Daniels. Styles might last 40-45 minutes before he gets winded.

Just randomly thinking here. Thoughts? Opinions? Unoriginal flames?:p

I'm sure most could probably wrestle an iron man match. I think there are very few guys who could keep it entertaining for the whole 60 minutes though. Guys that come to mind are Helms, Christian, RVD, Daniels, Shelton, King Booker, Benoit, Angle if he's in good health.

Other guys who could manage a decent iron man match are Edge, Kane, Finlay, Regal, Lashley, Sting (He is getting up there in age, but is in really goos chape right now), AJ Styles (I don't like him, but I'm sure he can do more than 4 minute spot monkey matches).

Wreslting in general has been about flash first, then substance if you got it (for years it has).... Mainly in the WWF/E it has. It takes more than just wrestling for an hour. You gotta pull out some unique and different moves becuase if you don't, people will get bored. I think this is why there have been so few iron man matches in the past 10 years (Some of the reason has to do with peoples' attention spans). There are few guys who can entertain the whole time.

Someone like Masters could not entertain for 60 minutes.

^

I'm gonna throw in two names as well. Maybe, just maybe, Samoa Joe and CM Punk. I think both could pull off an entertaining 60 minutes.

I think Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin could do one

*note Skippord would ejaculate all over the place if such a match were to occur*

To be honest I dont know if any current wrestlers of TNA or WWE (or ROH for that matter) could pull of a good 60 minute Iron Man match. 60 minutes of a high level of entertainment? I just dont see it, and theres alot of people who could put on long, entertaining matches but I cant see any 60 minute Iron Man matches being that good.

Most 60 minute matches aren't overly entertaining for the whole 60 minutes. Matches back in the day used to generally last longer, but there were more "rest holds", which a lot of fans of both the IWC/smart fan and total mark variety give wrestlers shit for using nowadays.

Styles and Daniels had a 60+ minute iron man match. I have it on the best of the X Divison vol. 1. and HBK and Angle had one on the first Raw back on the USA network ( or was that 30 min?)

It was 30 minutes, but it was still called an Iron Man Match.

I think HBK could go for another Iron Man Match.

It could have something to do with their ***** 60 minute match from 2004....just maybe

Angle vs HBK could pull a good 60 mins. They rocked the fucking house for 30.

It is not as much about conditioning, as it is ring skill. You have to have a large moveset, and also great psycology. To drag out the match you have to work body parts and sell it the whole match.

Guys who I know have done more than an hour who haven't been mentioned yet:

Doug Williams
Spanky
Low Ki
Chris Hero

I dont think its about who could do more than an hour, I think its about who could make them good. Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels managed to make 60 minutes work with 0 pinfalls or submissions. Whereas people who came after had to rely on multiple falls to keep things interesting.
John Cena and Batista and just about everyone on the roster physically "could" have an ironman match but it would SUCK. I could picture it having 10 falls, nothing but impact moves and fists, and probably 40 minutes of rest holds.

My vote goes to Edge vs HBK in an iron man match. It takes 2 to tango in one of these. I felt Rock/HHH didnt stack up.

Personally I felt that Rock/HHH was a very decent ironman match because of the drama that was involved in it, it wasn't as great a wrestling match as the HBK/Bret match, but the emotion and storytelling was still top notch IMO.

I hated the Brock/Angle one for some reason, can't put my finger on why, just didn't think it was that good.

Do you think the WWE will ever do a 60 minute draw match again?

Brian Danielson.

Colt Cabana.

No.

Honestly, I don't think WWE allows its guys enough freedom anymore to reach an hour without being a really boring match.

As already said I think the guys who could come close would be HBK/Angle

Although didn't Taker/Angle do 45 mins earlier this year?

Personally I really feel that Angle/Joe should go for an hour draw, protects both guys then

I'd say a halfhour draw.

IMO, hour draws shouldn't come right away. They need to be built... They show that the two guys know each other really well.

Plus, if they go for an hour, the second match will be a hellish follow up.

Well they managed to follow up Punk and Joe quite well...

Touche'.

And I suppose both guys have the build up going in.

Honestly, I would just have the two go head on for say, 35, 40 minutes, and have the match just be brutal... And eventually, neither man can get back up and they're both counted down....

Granted, WWE did that awhile back with HBK and HHH, it's not a commonly used ending... It serves the purpose of a draw, makes both guys look tough, and leads major build up for their next match.

I would guess that physically, almost anybody could do 60 minutes. I'm sure they can all go for a 60 minute run so doing a match would be possible. Just think, a lot of the time they'll be on their back, resting against the rope, the guard rail exetera.

But as stated the key is keeping it interesting. That's where the problem lies as most newer guys doing know two shits about carrying a match. Cena can barely go for 10 even with somebody carrying him.

I think HHH, HBK, Edge, Angle, Christian, Jarrett, Sting could all put on a decent 60 minute match but it's got to be with somebody else who can go.

I loved the Brock/Angle match. It was brillant when Brock hit Kurt with a chair during the match.

Excellent match.

I liked that match too. I also loved how Brock used the chair on Angle costing himself a point to hurt Angle which helped him get a pinfall or two.

Bryan Danielson

And some of those guys were 90 minutes+

I think some of the talents mentioned and I also think Benoit could easily do it again.

Samoa Joe and CM Punk have apparently had some classic 60+ minute matches. Bryan Danielson and Brian Kendrick apparently have, as well. If that's any indication, then I'm going to say Paul London would be able to work an hour of solid entertainment. Don't ask me why, but I can see Idol Stevens being able to work an Iron Man Match, as well.

I think Iron Man Matches have equally as much to do with charisma as they do ring skill.

I'm pretty sure Austin Aries and Brian Danielson had a 75 min 2-out-of-3 falls match a couple years ago in RoH.

Testing the Limit, would have gotten MOTY if Joe and Punk didn't do their draw and the rubber match