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Post by elliott on Jan 5, 2018 23:22:23 GMT -5
Matt Hardy vs Edge (Cage Match - WWE Unforgiven - 9/18/2005)
First of all I'm proud of everyone here. No one has nominated an Edge match! Great shit, yall. I'll be the one to do it. This match. I haven't watched it in years but I do remember thinking it was a fucking amazing match. These two beat the fuuuuuuck out of each other and this has a super hot crowd. Something I wanted to nominate really to force myself to watch it again.
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Post by Kadaveri on Jan 6, 2018 7:16:21 GMT -5
One of the best WWE cage matches (maybe the best if we're not counting HIAC). The psychology is really strong with how Edge wants to escape the cage to win but Matt is only interesting in beating the hell out of Edge. The one time where a move off the top of the cage in an 'escape rules' match actually made sense.
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Post by thepumalives on Jan 7, 2018 15:56:53 GMT -5
I really dug this whole feud, and this cage match tops it all. They worked the stipulations perfectly and really sold the personal rivalry and hatred that they had for each other. Ill have to rewatch this one again, but it's a definite contender for my ballot. Between this feud and the Money in the Bank storyline, Edge made it as the Rated R Superstar.
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Post by superstarsleeze on Mar 24, 2020 21:29:37 GMT -5
Tenryu was right we need more Romance in Wrestling. Every time some internet fan shames romance in wrestling I roll my eyes. Love/sex/romance is the number driving force for damn near everything and it is at the basis of so many stories/narratives/conflicts. Loved the Matt Hardy/Edge/Lita triangle and easily the best work all of them have ever done. I am pretty sure this will make my list this go-around.
Matt Hardy vs Edge - Unforgiven 2005 Steel Cage Match
At the core of the first known story in Western Civilization is Helen of Troy having been abducted from her family and country taken to Troy launching an international Trojan War and a years long saga. Think of the countless, books, TV shows and movies centered around love and the crazy actions men & women alike do because of it. It is without the single strongest driving force in humanity. Love is at the heart of so much what we do as humans good and bad. So when JR says "this goes beyond boyfriend/girlfriend stuff" he is dead wrong. There is nothing greater than love.
Love is glaringly absent in pro wrestling storytelling for the most part (Randy Savage/Elizabeth being the notable exception, but there are a few others). I do think it should be incorporated more as it would increase the emotional connection of the story. That being said I don't think every angle should have a love component. I think one a year makes sense. The current Rusev/Lashley/Lana angle should be the 2020 version of this would be perfect if Lashley was not as wooden as a 2x4 and Lana was not the worst actress in the history of pro wrestling. I never realized anyone could scream so loud with no passion behind it. Anyways, Edge/Lita are such a great sleaze couple. They would get even better in 2006 feuding with John Cena. Matt Hardy still really hadnt found his public voice but he was shoot cheated on so all hed had to do was show up be angry and throw some stiff rights and the crowd would go apeshit that's what happened.
Even though neither one of these guys is a favorite of mine (I know a lot of people really like Matt, but he never connected with me), but they hit it out of the park in this match. It was a classic steel cage match asskicking. Both men were in there to fight and it wrestled for maximum violence. They blocked the steel cage shots early which really put over how important the steel cage was and whoever tasted steel first would be at a decided disadvantage. Matt Hardy hit two of the greatest right hands this side of Jerry Lawler you would ever see that really rocked Edge. I liked that once Edge got punched in the mouth, now it was time to run and escape. Up until then, he was full of piss & vinegar. That's difference between a face & heel. Edge was just as geared up as Hardy but once he faced adversity he tucked tail & ran because he is a coward at his heart. I liked how Edge needed three moves to really take control because that how fired up Matt Hardy was: the eyerake, shoving Matt Hardy off the Twist of Fate into the cage and then ramming the back of Matt Hardy's head to block the Side Effect into the cage repeatedly. This was just vicious. Every Edge blow was delivered to the head. It was shot after brutal shot to the head. It was his fist, elbow, boot, the steel cage, powerbombs into the cage. Everything targeted the head. It was Edge's greatest heat segment and one of the best all-time. Matt did a great job having the glazed over look and really milking it, but still showing signs of life.
Matt Hardy hits a desperation Side Effect. Again, just like when Hardy cracked him at the beginning with those two big time rights, Edge is headed to the hill. The first sign of trouble and he takes off. He goes for the door and Lita gets him the MITB briefcase. Hardy evades and BEATS THE SHIT OUT OF HIM. This is Lawler teeing off on Bockwinkel level shit. The CROWD COMES ALIVE FOR THIS! THEY GO NUTS! He ties him up in the ropes and unloads. Definitely the best of the match and very cathartic. Hardy rams Edge into the steel cage a bajillion times and draws BLOOD! Lita is worried tries scaling the cage but Hardy scares her off. He tries to crack Edge with the briefcase, but Edge pushes the ref into the ropes and Hardy takes a nasty spill. Best Edge spot is he spears Hardy through the ropes and into the cage. It looked awesome! Edge looks to leave, but Hardy stops him and Side Effect from the top! Lita saves Edge but getting into the cage. TWIST OF FATE ON LITA! I am 100% against man on woman violence and would be 100% against him punching her, BUT pro wrestling is wish fulfillment. It is not much different than wanting to Stone Cold Stunner your boss. It was great pro wrestling theater and catharsis. Hardy takes his eye off the prize and Edge spears him. Hardy kick out! MATT HARDY WILL NOT DIE! Edge goes for the escape. Matt Hardy rams the back of Edge's head into the cage and Edge falls from the top rope. Matt Hardy hits THE MUTHA OF ALL LEGDROPS FROM THE TOP OF THE STEEL CAGE ONTO EDGE! HOLY SHIT! HOW DID HE NOT BREAK EDGE'S FACE! WHAT A FINISH1
Incredibly violent match, it was all fists, all head shots, tons of steel cage, great escalation, great cutoffs, great use of Lita, Matt Hardy exacts his revenge on both of them, Edge is a bloody pulp, that Legdrop could have not looked better, it was safe but looked like a million bucks, he could have easily broken his face or his own ass. Love charges everything up and love supercharged this match to be one of the greatest steel cage brawls of all time. *****
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Post by bossrock on Mar 28, 2020 20:10:29 GMT -5
I watched this for the first time a few months ago and loved it. Definitely the best non-HIAC WWE cage match ever. Jeff was always more popular, but I absolutely think there was potential in a top face run for Matt. The crowd was white hot for him and he delivered an incredible, righteous beat down on the sleazy heel.
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Post by microstatistics on May 28, 2020 22:07:02 GMT -5
This has quite the reputation but I was skeptical so delayed watching it for the longest time. But it blew me away. One of the clearest babyface/heel divides I've ever seen, a unique and well executed story, violence, awesome head psychology and a climactic finish.
I dig Sleeze's review but have to disagree with his main premise. This is a revenge tale rather than a love story since all Hardy wanted was to get back at the person who betrayed him and the slimy sleazeball for making his life hell. It was personal animosity at that stage so I think JR's call is a good one. He wasn't fueled by romantic feelings and they weren't fighting over Lita (thank god for that because it would have rendered the whole thing pointless).
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Post by superstarsleeze on Jun 9, 2020 21:54:58 GMT -5
I see your point Micro that I used a poor analogy. You are right the Trojan War was fought over a woman. My point was that they are both love-based. I see where the confusion lies and I did not intend that. What I meant by was not that Matt Hardy was trying to reclaim Lita, but he was deeply hurt by being cheated on and was looking for revenge. It is love that has turned soured. If he didnt love Lita in the first place, this does not have the same passion and intensity. I am not advocating for men fighting over women because at best it is passe and at worst it is toxic/offensive. I just mean there should be more romance-based storylines because love drives so many of our decisions. When Mandy turns on Otis this year, it is going to be killer.
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Post by lemming on Nov 15, 2023 5:39:08 GMT -5
I voted this #66 this year.
Man did this match over deliver. Matt Hardy is out of this world great here as the fiery underdog babyface. After this he settled into the role of solid hand midcarder and did it well for years, but on this night he felt like he belonged on top of the card.
Hardy is out for revenge and comes in swinging - and his punches look great. Edge is rattled and early on he just wants to get of dodge, as he has no answer to Hardy's fire. That changes when Hardy takes a nasty blow to the head which gives Edge control. It's a great way of getting over Edge's slimeball heel character - until then he was just desperate to escape but when he sees Hardy is hurt, now he wants to hang around and beat up on the guy who can't really defend himself. It plays nicely off their prior match at Summerslam where Hardy came out of the blocks quickly but when the tide turned (again due to a blow to the head) Edge was able to put him away without Hardy being able to muster a comeback. Here though, he does gets a comeback and it's a corker. He has to overcome Edge using the MitB briefcase and interference from Lita all building to the most cathartic of finishes.
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