|
|
Post by midwesternlariart on Mar 7, 2024 18:38:12 GMT -5
An out of nowhere classic, not because of the names involved, but in how this actually plays out.
Rock and Benoit play this incredibly close to the idea of "(shine + heat + comeback) • X factor" with Shane McMahon playing a great heat seaker second on the outside. It's surprisingly adherent to classic american wrestling principles, coming across as a hodgepodge of different characteristics of the territories vs one singular inspiration. Benoit you can pick out as a more serious and credible heel from a variety of different areas across the country whereas The Rock falling so far behind, gritting his teeth, coming forward, and risking it all on the next haymaker he's about to throw combined with all the bullshit manager work is so unmistakably Memphis.
Benoit is such a gift here and I wish we had like ten more matches of his with Shane at ringside. I don't often love Benoit as a heel, I often feel like he's at his best when he's working more like a more wild Ron Garvin style punishing, underdog babyface. He doesn't connect as a heel like he does as a babyface and that's why plugging Shane in works so well. Benoit playing up how ruthless he is, mangling and beating The Rock into corners and opening up routes for Shane O'Mac to snipe him down every time Earl Hebner turns his back to pull Benoit, this animal, off of The Rock is a perfect act. Textbook example of how to aid wrestlers through pairings to get your desired result without getting in the way of the actual action.
Benoit and Shane largely make act 2 of this match and that bit really still is the meat of what makes this great, but Rock does everything asked of him. His babyface shine in the beginning fucking rocks (don't know if I've ever seen that manager running the ring spot pay off like that), his application of the steamboat rule in the heat is genuinely stunning knowing where and to what degree to use it to build to what is an equally amazing comeback.
It's also a very selfless performance for as much ass as he kicks. The idea of Benoit using WWF bullshit to defeat the Rock sounds a bit backwards reputations being what they are, but it also takes Benoit fucking himself up on a successful diving headbutt, a kooky finish and restart, and all of The Rock's big moves including a flash rock bottom to win. not to mention how Benoit (despite all the cheating) looks like he'd still be on equal footing without it.
Spectacularly booked, expertly paced, wonderfully worked, and the action fucking rocks. Very sneakily, one of the best WWF/WWE title matches ever.
|
|
|
|
Post by elliott on Mar 7, 2024 18:59:44 GMT -5
2nd
I remember being a big fan of this back in the day. I always thought Rock had great chemistry with Benoit, Jericho & Angle.
|
|
|
|
Post by [Darren] on Mar 7, 2024 20:14:32 GMT -5
I remember liking this. It’s been years though.
|
|
|
|
Post by [Darren] on Mar 7, 2024 20:14:42 GMT -5
3rd
|
|
|
|
Post by fxnj on Mar 8, 2024 12:56:00 GMT -5
I remember watching this years ago and hating it for all the Shane involvement. There was one point where I checked the time remaining in the video wondering when the real match was gonna start, but I saw I was already halfway through and realized the entire match was gonna be like that. One of those cases where I’m happy there’s people who like it but it’s not my thing.
|
|
|
|
Post by TheDutifulWebmaster on Mar 9, 2024 9:43:22 GMT -5
An out of nowhere classic, not because of the names involved, but in how this actually plays out. Rock and Benoit play this incredibly close to the idea of "(shine + heat + comeback) • X factor" with Shane McMahon playing a great heat seaker second on the outside. It's surprisingly adherent to classic american wrestling principles, coming across as a hodgepodge of different characteristics of the territories vs one singular inspiration. Benoit you can pick out as a more serious and credible heel from a variety of different areas across the country whereas The Rock falling so far behind, gritting his teeth, coming forward, and risking it all on the next haymaker he's about to throw combined with all the bullshit manager work is so unmistakably Memphis. Benoit is such a gift here and I wish we had like ten more matches of his with Shane at ringside. I don't often love Benoit as a heel, I often feel like he's at his best when he's working more like a more wild Ron Garvin style punishing, underdog babyface. He doesn't connect as a heel like he does as a babyface and that's why plugging Shane in works so well. Benoit playing up how ruthless he is, mangling and beating The Rock into corners and opening up routes for Shane O'Mac to snipe him down every time Earl Hebner turns his back to pull Benoit, this animal, off of The Rock is a perfect act. Textbook example of how to aid wrestlers through pairings to get your desired result without getting in the way of the actual action. Benoit and Shane largely make act 2 of this match and that bit really still is the meat of what makes this great, but Rock does everything asked of him. His babyface shine in the beginning fucking rocks (don't know if I've ever seen that manager running the ring spot pay off like that), his application of the steamboat rule in the heat is genuinely stunning knowing where and to what degree to use it to build to what is an equally amazing comeback. It's also a very selfless performance for as much ass as he kicks. The idea of Benoit using WWF bullshit to defeat the Rock sounds a bit backwards reputations being what they are, but it also takes Benoit fucking himself up on a successful diving headbutt, a kooky finish and restart, and all of The Rock's big moves including a flash rock bottom to win. not to mention how Benoit (despite all the cheating) looks like he'd still be on equal footing without it. Spectacularly booked, expertly paced, wonderfully worked, and the action fucking rocks. Very sneakily, one of the best WWF/WWE title matches ever. To midwesternlariart, I heard you recently as a guest on a spotify podcast, and you were clearly very knowledgable about pro wrestling. Hmmmm, I actually remember watching this match live on TV as, in 2000, Channel 4 in England had the rights to broadcast 4 wwf ppvs in the year 2000 (rumble rumble, backlash, fully loaded, and no mercy 2000). This was the only year england has ever been able to watch premium wwf/wwe ppvs on free tv. This match took place at like 5am on Monday morning. Channel 4 chose not to renew the deal as they were reportedly appalled at the content of Royal Rumble 2000, which just goes to show how stupid channel 4 are as rr2000 is the best single-night wwe ppv ever. I remember this match being a quality bout, which was restarted by Commish Mick Foley after The Rock was screwed by Shane amd Benoit initially thought he won the belt. Mick restarting the match added a lot to this match as it helped give the match a real rollercoaster element. I wish commissioner characters suddenly appearing and immediately restarting matches where the heel unfairly won was something that happened a lot more. As a side-note,Fully Loaded 2000 was a really good ppv by wwf/wwe standards. Even Rikishi vs Val Venis was surprisingly rad, as it had the Rikishi cage spot. I don't mean to speak ill of John F kennedy, but Christian's show-opening heel promo, where he said something to the effect of "it is irrelevant whether or not the Kennedy assassination was a conspiracy or not because he would have commited suicide 5 minutes later anyway because he was in Dallas" to the Dallas crowd is a particularly well, noteworthy, promo. |
|
|
|
Post by midwesternlariart on Mar 12, 2024 1:13:50 GMT -5
An out of nowhere classic, not because of the names involved, but in how this actually plays out. Rock and Benoit play this incredibly close to the idea of "(shine + heat + comeback) • X factor" with Shane McMahon playing a great heat seaker second on the outside. It's surprisingly adherent to classic american wrestling principles, coming across as a hodgepodge of different characteristics of the territories vs one singular inspiration. Benoit you can pick out as a more serious and credible heel from a variety of different areas across the country whereas The Rock falling so far behind, gritting his teeth, coming forward, and risking it all on the next haymaker he's about to throw combined with all the bullshit manager work is so unmistakably Memphis. Benoit is such a gift here and I wish we had like ten more matches of his with Shane at ringside. I don't often love Benoit as a heel, I often feel like he's at his best when he's working more like a more wild Ron Garvin style punishing, underdog babyface. He doesn't connect as a heel like he does as a babyface and that's why plugging Shane in works so well. Benoit playing up how ruthless he is, mangling and beating The Rock into corners and opening up routes for Shane O'Mac to snipe him down every time Earl Hebner turns his back to pull Benoit, this animal, off of The Rock is a perfect act. Textbook example of how to aid wrestlers through pairings to get your desired result without getting in the way of the actual action. Benoit and Shane largely make act 2 of this match and that bit really still is the meat of what makes this great, but Rock does everything asked of him. His babyface shine in the beginning fucking rocks (don't know if I've ever seen that manager running the ring spot pay off like that), his application of the steamboat rule in the heat is genuinely stunning knowing where and to what degree to use it to build to what is an equally amazing comeback. It's also a very selfless performance for as much ass as he kicks. The idea of Benoit using WWF bullshit to defeat the Rock sounds a bit backwards reputations being what they are, but it also takes Benoit fucking himself up on a successful diving headbutt, a kooky finish and restart, and all of The Rock's big moves including a flash rock bottom to win. not to mention how Benoit (despite all the cheating) looks like he'd still be on equal footing without it. Spectacularly booked, expertly paced, wonderfully worked, and the action fucking rocks. Very sneakily, one of the best WWF/WWE title matches ever. To midwesternlariart, I heard you recently as a guest on a spotify podcast, and you were clearly very knowledgable about pro wrestling. Hmmmm, I actually remember watching this match live on TV as, in 2000, Channel 4 in England had the rights to broadcast 4 wwf ppvs in the year 2000 (rumble rumble, backlash, fully loaded, and no mercy 2000). This was the only year england has ever been able to watch premium wwf/wwe ppvs on free tv. This match took place at like 5am on Monday morning. Channel 4 chose not to renew the deal as they were reportedly appalled at the content of Royal Rumble 2000, which just goes to show how stupid channel 4 are as rr2000 is the best single-night wwe ppv ever. I remember this match being a quality bout, which was restarted by Commish Mick Foley after The Rock was screwed by Shane amd Benoit initially thought he won the belt. Mick restarting the match added a lot to this match as it helped give the match a real rollercoaster element. I wish commissioner characters suddenly appearing and immediately restarting matches where the heel unfairly won was something that happened a lot more. As a side-note,Fully Loaded 2000 was a really good ppv by wwf/wwe standards. Even Rikishi vs Val Venis was surprisingly rad, as it had the Rikishi cage spot. I don't mean to speak ill of John F kennedy, but Christian's show-opening heel promo, where he said something to the effect of "it is irrelevant whether or not the Kennedy assassination was a conspiracy or not because he would have commited suicide 5 minutes later anyway because he was in Dallas" to the Dallas crowd is a particularly well, noteworthy, promo. This is news to me, as I've never been on anyone's podcast. |
|
|
|
Post by [Darren] on Mar 12, 2024 5:34:47 GMT -5
I think restarting matches is a great way to pop a crowd and create drama for a match, if the story calls for it but a commissioner character restarting matches regularly sounds like a bad idea. Alll authority figures should just have a Jack Tunney role
|
|
|
|
Post by TheDutifulWebmaster on Mar 12, 2024 16:46:47 GMT -5
To midwesternlariart, I heard you recently as a guest on a spotify podcast, and you were clearly very knowledgable about pro wrestling. Hmmmm, I actually remember watching this match live on TV as, in 2000, Channel 4 in England had the rights to broadcast 4 wwf ppvs in the year 2000 (rumble rumble, backlash, fully loaded, and no mercy 2000). This was the only year england has ever been able to watch premium wwf/wwe ppvs on free tv. This match took place at like 5am on Monday morning. Channel 4 chose not to renew the deal as they were reportedly appalled at the content of Royal Rumble 2000, which just goes to show how stupid channel 4 are as rr2000 is the best single-night wwe ppv ever. I remember this match being a quality bout, which was restarted by Commish Mick Foley after The Rock was screwed by Shane amd Benoit initially thought he won the belt. Mick restarting the match added a lot to this match as it helped give the match a real rollercoaster element. I wish commissioner characters suddenly appearing and immediately restarting matches where the heel unfairly won was something that happened a lot more. As a side-note,Fully Loaded 2000 was a really good ppv by wwf/wwe standards. Even Rikishi vs Val Venis was surprisingly rad, as it had the Rikishi cage spot. I don't mean to speak ill of John F kennedy, but Christian's show-opening heel promo, where he said something to the effect of "it is irrelevant whether or not the Kennedy assassination was a conspiracy or not because he would have commited suicide 5 minutes later anyway because he was in Dallas" to the Dallas crowd is a particularly well, noteworthy, promo. This is news to me, as I've never been on anyone's podcast. You are German, yes? |
|
|
|
Post by TheDutifulWebmaster on Mar 12, 2024 16:54:51 GMT -5
I think restarting matches is a great way to pop a crowd and create drama for a match, if the story calls for it but a commissioner character restarting matches regularly sounds like a bad idea. Alll authority figures should just have a Jack Tunney role lol, I remember Jack Tunney on early 90's WWF programming. |
|
|
|
Post by midwesternlariart on Mar 14, 2024 12:28:47 GMT -5
This is news to me, as I've never been on anyone's podcast. You are German, yes? Nope |
|
![[Darren] Avatar](http://storage.proboards.com/6851801/avatar/hoLSxfONUDvJEOQAHSfH.jpeg)
