Welcome everyone to this community article, written by subscriber Runn O. He’ll take it from here, enjoy the piece!
In front of the star ratings for the matches, you’ll either see “HR”, “R” or “RTA”. “HR” means the match is highly recommended ; “R” means the match is recommended ; “RTA” means recommendation to avoid. In case nothing appears, the match is watchable but nothing spectacular.
Samoa Joe (April 21 2016 – August 20 2016)
Televised matches: 4
Record: 3-1
My match ratings:
Samoa Joe (c) def. Finn Bálor – NXT Live Event April 21 2016 (N/R)
Samoa Joe (c) def. Finn Bálor in a Steel Cage Match – NXT TakeOver: The End (***¾) *R*
This reign wasn’t bad in particular. Actually, it was quite good. Joe won the belt at a random NXT live event (out of all places). And four months later, he eventually dropped the title to Shinsuke Nakamura. Both of his title defenses were great and he always cut some brilliant promos on TV but having him win the title in a godd*mn live event out of all places just ruined this reign right at the start and downgrade the overall rating.
Rating: 7/10
Shinsuke Nakamura (August 20 2016 – November 19 2016)
Samoa Joe def. Shinsuke Nakamura (c) – NXT TakeOver: Toronto (****¼) *HR*
After one hell of a debut against Sami Zayn at Dallas, Nakamura wrestled Austin Aries at TakeOver: The End in another great match up. Finally at Brooklyn, the belt would find it’s way around the waist of The King of Strong Style. Then, Nakamura was wrote off TV by Joe setting the rematch between the two in which we saw the ending of the reign. Good reign but too short, both of his matches are highly recommended so that’s that.
Rating: 5/10
Samoa Joe (November 19 2016 – December 3 2016)
Televised matches: 3
Record: 2-1
My match ratings:
Samoa Joe def. Shinsuke Nakamura (c) – NXT TakeOver: Toronto (****¼) *HR*
Shinsuke Nakamura def. Samoa Joe (c) – NXT December 7 2016 (***½)
One question: Why the hell do you need to put the belt back on Joe? That doesn’t make any sense, at least to me. This reign wasn’t terrible, but it was extremely pointless and unnecessary.
Rating: 2/10
Shinsuke Nakamura (December 3 2016 – January 28 2017)
Televised matches: 3
Record: 2-1
My match ratings:
Shinsuke Nakamura def. Samoa Joe (c) – NXT December 7 2016 (***½)
Shinsuke Nakamura (c) def. Samoa Joe in a Steel Cage Match – NXT December 14 2016 (***¼)
Bobby Roode def. Shinsuke Nakamura (c) – NXT TakeOver: San Antonio (***¾) *R*
Poor Nakamura, both of his reigns individually didn’t even last a hundred days. I have a feeling his first reign was slightly better, but still, both were too short. Next.
Rating: 3/10
Bobby Roode (January 28 2017 – August 19 2017)
Televised matches: 7
Record: 6-1
My match ratings:
Bobby Roode def. Shinsuke Nakamura (c) – NXT TakeOver: San Antonio (***¾) *R*
Bobby Roode (c) def. Kassius Ohno – NXT March 15 2017 (***½) *R*
Bobby Roode (c) def. Hideo Itami – NXT TakeOver: Chicago (****) *HR*
Bobby Roode (c) def. Roderick Strong – NXT July 5 2017 (***¾) *R*
Drew McIntyre def. Bobby Roode (c) – NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn III (****½) *HR*
Now, we’re taking! After a brief game of hot potato between Joe and Nakamaura. We finally got ourselves another great, or should I say… GLORIOUS (no pun intended) NXT Title reign in Bobby Roode. This man was just awesome on TV with his heel character along with his tremendous mic skills. Roode’s reign came to an end in August when McIntyre took the title from him in a fantastic main event. None of his matches were bad and I have no reason why this isn’t a ten. This is what a perfect Championship Reign should ve.
Rating: 10/10
Drew McIntyre (August 19 2017 – November 18 2017)
Televised matches: 4
Record: 3-1
My match ratings:
Drew McIntyre def. Bobby Roode (c) – NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn III (****½) *HR*
Drew McIntyre (c) def. Adam Cole – NXT January 3 2018 (***½) *R* [Taped on November 17 2017]
So, we all know Drew won the belt from Roode in August at Brooklyn. But since winning the belt, Drew had only one successful televised title defense (two if you count that fun hidden gem with Adam Cole that was tape but didn’t air until 2018). McIntyre never failed to deliver in the ring as well. This reign was great despite being a little bit too short.
Rating: 7/10
Andrade “Cien” Almas (November 18 2017 – April 7 2018)
Andrade “Cien” Almas (c) def. Johnny Gargano – NXT TakeOver: Philadelphia (*****) *HR*
Andrade “Cien” Almas (c) def. Johnny Gargano – NXT February 21 2018 (****) *HR*
Aleister Black def. Andrade “Cien” Almas (c) – NXT TakeOver: New Orleans (****¼) *HR*
Not to take anything away from Andrade, though. But before all of this happened, he was stuck in the midcard of hell for probably forever. That was until they decided to pair him with Zelina Vega, leading to his shocking win over the NXT Title in November. Soon afterward, he would go on to have arguably the 2018 Match of the Year against Johnny Gargano before losing the belt to Aleister Black in another great match at New Orleans. Andrade was (and still is) such a spectacle to watch in the ring, and pairing Zelina with him was literally a perfect fit.
Welcome to my blog. This is the start of a new series, where I’ll be looking back at the history of WWE World Titles (not counting ECW) and ranking all the World Title reigns since the “Modern Era”. The “Modern Era” goes all the way back to the birth of Hulkamania in 1984, and that’s where we’ll end. Today we look back at the year 1993, and we’ll continue to go back from here.
In front of my star ratings for the matches, you’ll either see “HR”, “R” or “RTA”. “HR” means the match is highly recommended ; “R” means the match is recommended ; “RTA” means recommendation to avoid. In case nothing appears, the match is watchable but nothing spectacular.
WWF CHAMPIONSHIP
Yokozuna (April 4, 1993)
Televised matches: 2
Record: 1-1
My match ratings:
Yokozuna def. Bret Hart(c) – WrestleMania IX (***)
Hulk Hogan def. Yokozuna(c) – WrestleMania IX (DUD)
At WrestleMania, Yokozuna won the WWF Championship from Bret ‘Hitman’ Hart… only to lose it minutes later to Hulk Hogan because reasons. Nothing else to say about this reign, if I can even call it that.
Hulk Hogan (April 4, 1993 – June 13, 1993)
Televised matches: 2
Record: 1-1
My match ratings:
Hulk Hogan def. Yokozuna(c) – WrestleMania IX (DUD)
Yokozuna def. Hulk Hogan(c) – King of the Ring 1993 (*1/4) *RTA*
I have no idea why this needed to happen. Business was awful in the WWF at this point due to the scandal, and it was more than time to choose another path. The prior year, 1992, was (and still is) one of the years with some of the best and most consistent WWF/E World Title Matches in history, with Ric Flair, ‘Macho Man’ and Bret Hart putting on classic after classic and exciting Federation fans with stuff they’d never seen before. For some reason, in 1993 Hogan wins it back in a match he wasn’t even apart of… wrestles zero televised and/or house show matches… buries the title belt over in Japan… and then drops it back to Yokozuna in his final match with the company. It felt like the company took ten steps back from 1992 to 1993. This was awful and, above all, absolutely pointless.
Rating: 1/10
Yokozuna (June 13, 1993 – March 20, 1994)
Televised matches: 12
Record: 8-4
My match ratings:
Yokozuna def. Hulk Hogan(c) – King of the Ring 1993 (*1/4) *RTA*
Lex Luger def. Yokozuna(c) by CO – SummerSlam 1993 (**3/4)
The All-Americans def. The Foreign Fanatics – Survivor Series 1993 (**1/2)
Yokozuna(c) def. The Undertaker in a Casket Match – Royal Rumble 1994 (1/2*) *RTA*
Yokozuna(c) def. Lex Luger by DQ – WrestleMania X (1/4*) *RTA*
Bret Hart def. Yokozuna(c) – WrestleMania X (**1/2)
There’s no question what this reign was all about: Yokozuna destroys Hulk Hogan on the way out, only to then put over the company’s “next Hulk Hogan”, Lex Luger at WrestleMania. Unfortunately, the company booked Luger like a complete idiot in the build-up to ‘Mania, and by the time Royal Rumble came the fans wanted Bret Hart in that spot instead of Luger. Which means that Yoko’s reign was, by default, sort of building up to nothing. You could say that. However, it was not bad at all. Yoko was a fantastic worker and he had some solid fun matches during this reign, particularly the bout against Lex at SummerSlam (apart from the super dumb finish). This reign also suffers from a lot of weird gimmicks, such as the finish to the Hogan match to that very strange match with Undertaker. Then, Yoko finally dropped the gold to Bret Hart in the main-event of WrestleMania X, after having defeated Lex Luger earlier that night. Because apparently someone thought having Yokozuna wrestle twice in the same night was a good idea! Anyway, solid reign that got much better once Jim Cornette arrived in the summer, but like I said earlier it kind of was ultimately building to nothing.
Rating: 4/10
ALL-TIME CHAMPIONS RANKING
Steve Austin (WWF Championship, 29/03/1998 – 28/06/1998 10
The Rock (WWF Championship, 25/06/2000 – 22/10/2000) 10
Welcome to my blog. This is the start of a new series, where I’ll be looking back at the history of WWE World Titles (not counting ECW) and ranking all the World Title reigns since the “Modern Era”. The “Modern Era” goes all the way back to the birth of Hulkamania in 1984, and that’s where we’ll end. Today we look back at the year 1994, and we’ll continue to go back from here.
In front of my star ratings for the matches, you’ll either see “HR”, “R” or “RTA”. “HR” means the match is highly recommended ; “R” means the match is recommended ; “RTA” means recommendation to avoid. In case nothing appears, the match is watchable but nothing spectacular.
Bret Hart def. Yokozuna(c) – WrestleMania X (**1/2)
Diesel def. Bret Hart(c) by DQ – King of the Ring 1994 (****1/4) *HR*
Bret Hart(c) def. The 1-2-3 Kid – RAW July 11 1994 (****1/2) *HR*
Bret Hart(c) def. Bob Backlund – Superstars of Wrestling 1994 (***3/4) *R*
Bret Hart(c) def. Owen Hart in a Steel Cage Match – SummerSlam 1994 (*****) *HR*
Bret Hart(c) def. Owen Hart – Action Zone September 28 1994 (****1/4) *HR*
Bob Backlund def. Bret Hart(c) in a Submission Match – Survivor Series 1994 (***1/4) *R*
This was originally supposed to be Lex Luger’s title reign, but Luger had cooled off by Royal Rumble and the company went back to the good ol’ reliable “Hitman”. And boy, was that the best thing that could’ve happened. Not only was Bret in the middle of that spectacular storyline with his brother Owen that eventually culminated at SummerSlam, but look at that list: out of his nine matches as champion (plus the one with Owen earlier at WrestleMania), eight were rated and seven are recommended. That is absolutely incredible. A beautiful story with Owen, an absolute classic on RAW with The 1-2-3 Kid, two technical masterpieces with veteran Bob Backlund and a classic match with Diesel that unquestionably put Diesel over as the next champion and the next face of the company in the eyes of Vince McMahon… this reign was just spectacular. No question what this gets.
Rating: 10/10
Bob Backlund (November 23, 1994 – November 26, 1994)
Televised matches: 1
Record: 1-0
My match ratings:
Bob Backlund def. Bret Hart(c) in a Submission Match – Survivor Series 1994 (***1/4) *R*
After his impressive run in the late 1970s, Bob Backlund won his second WWF Championship at Survivor Series 1994 only to transition the belt to Diesel, the next top guy in the company… at a house show. That’s one way to get your top guy over, huh!? There’s not much to say about this reign, anyway.
Rating: -/10
ALL-TIME CHAMPIONS RANKING
Steve Austin (WWF Championship, 29/03/1998 – 28/06/1998 10
The Rock (WWF Championship, 25/06/2000 – 22/10/2000) 10
Welcome to my blog. This is the start of a new series, where I’ll be looking back at the history of WWE World Titles (not counting ECW) and ranking all the World Title reigns since the “Modern Era”. The “Modern Era” goes all the way back to the birth of Hulkamania in 1984, and that’s where we’ll end. Today we look back at the year 1995, and we’ll continue to go back from here.
In front of my star ratings for the matches, you’ll either see “HR”, “R” or “RTA”. “HR” means the match is highly recommended ; “R” means the match is recommended ; “RTA” means recommendation to avoid. In case nothing appears, the match is watchable but nothing spectacular.
WWF CHAMPIONSHIP
Diesel (November 26, 1994 – November 19, 1995)
Televised matches: 18
Record: 12-4 (2 draws)
My match ratings:
Diesel def. Bob Backlund(c) – MSG Nov. 26 1994 (N/R)
Diesel(c) draw. Bret Hart – Royal Rumble 1995 (***1/2) *R*
Diesel(c) def. Shawn Michaels – WrestleMania XI (***1/4)
Diesel(c) def. Sycho Sid by DQ – In Your House 1 1995 (1/2*) *RTA*
Diesel(c) def. Sycho Sid in a Lumberjack Match – IYH 2: The Lumberjacks 1995 (1/4*) *RTA*
Diesel(c) def. King Mabel – SummerSlam 1995 (DUD) *RTA*
Diesel(c) & Shawn Michaels def. The British Bulldog & Yokozuna in a Winners Take All Tag Team Match – IYH 3: Triple Header 1995 (**3/4)
The British Bulldog def. Diesel(c) by DQ – IYH 4: Great White North 1995 (*) *RTA*
Bret Hart def. Diesel(c) in a No Holds Barred Match – Survivor Series 1995 (****3/4) *HR*
People have been calling this reign the worst WWF Championship reign in history for years now. It’s definitely down there, but I wouldn’t say it was the worst. I would also argue it wasn’t Kevin Nash’s fault, as he was booked to win the belt at a house show and saw his first PPV title match after that end… in a draw. One would imagine the company would book this dominant champion a bit better, wouldn’t you think? With that said, though, he does have four matches recommended to avoid in the list, which is not good. And when I say they are not recommended at all, I am not kidding… stay as far from those matches with Sid, British Bulldog and especially Mabel as you can! He did have an awesome entrance, though, so there’s that. And also, to Nash’s credit, when he was there with Shawn Michaels and especially Bret Hart (at Survivor Series), he delivered. The Survivor Series bout is Nash’s personal favorite in his entire career, as it tells indeed a spectacular story and the two wrestlers sell their asses off like true pros. It is quite the match. Apart from that, though, this was bad. Really bad. Worst ever, though? I wouldn’t say that.
Rating: 2/10
Bret Hart (November 19, 1995 – March 31, 1996)
Televised matches: 10
Record: 8-1 (1 draw)
My match ratings:
Bret Hart def. Diesel(c) in a No Holds Barred Match – Survivor Series 1995 (****3/4) *HR*
Bret Hart(c) def. The British Bulldog – IYH 5: Season’s Beatings 1995 (****1/2) *HR*
Bret Hart(c) draw. The Undertaker – Royal Rumble 1996 (***1/4)
Bret Hart(c) def. Diesel in a Steel Cage Match – IYH 6: Rage in the Cage 1996 (**3/4)
Shawn Michaels def. Bret Hart(c) in an Iron Man Match – WrestleMania XII (****1/2) *HR*
There is no question why Bret Hart won back the WWF Championship at Survivor Series: Diesel’s reign was not doing well, and the WWF quickly put the belt back on the good ol’ reliable ‘Hitman’, who had the job to transition it to the hot Shawn Michaels at WrestleMania. In other words, Bret Hart was just a transitional champion. With that said, however, he did a fantastic job while he had it. The match with Diesel was an absolute masterpiece, followed by another one with Davey Boy Smith at December’s Season’s Beatings PPV. After that, Bret was used to set up WrestleMania’s semi-main-event between The Undertaker and Diesel, retaining against both men on PPV in January and February respectively, due to run-ins from the other individual. And then came the Iron Man bout, where Bret put Shawn Michaels over after more than an hour of pure wrestling perfection. Many people complain about the fact that zero falls didn’t help the match, and I agree, but no one can say they didn’t put on an absolute classic inside those ropes. Despite being just a transitional reign, this was really good while it lasted.
Rating: 8/10
ALL-TIME CHAMPIONS RANKING
Steve Austin (WWF Championship, 29/03/1998 – 28/06/1998 10
The Rock (WWF Championship, 25/06/2000 – 22/10/2000) 10
Steve Austin (WWF Championship, 01/04/2001 – 23/09/2001) 9
Triple H (WWF Championship, 03/01/2000 – 30/04/2000) 9
Kurt Angle (WWE Championship, 15/12/2002 – 30/03/2003) 9
Welcome to my blog. This is the start of a new series, where I’ll be looking back at the history of WWE World Titles (not counting ECW) and ranking all the World Title reigns since the “Modern Era”. The “Modern Era” goes all the way back to the birth of Hulkamania in 1984, and that’s where we’ll end. Today we look back at the year 1997, and we’ll continue to go back from here.
In front of my star ratings for the matches, you’ll either see “HR”, “R” or “RTA”. “HR” means the match is highly recommended ; “R” means the match is recommended ; “RTA” means recommendation to avoid. In case nothing appears, the match is watchable but nothing spectacular.
WWF CHAMPIONSHIP
Shawn Michaels (March 31, 1996 – November 17, 1996)
Televised matches: 24
Record: 19-4 (1 draw)
My match ratings:
Shawn Michaels def. Bret Hart(c) in an Iron Man Match – WrestleMania XII (****1/2) *HR*
Shawn Michaels(c) def. Diesel in a No Holds Barred Match – Good Friends, Better Enemies 1996 (****3/4) *HR*
Shawn Michaels(c) draw. The British Bulldog – Beware of Dog 1996 (**1/2)
Shawn Michaels(c) def. The British Bulldog – King of the Ring 1996 (****) *HR*
Shawn Michaels(c) def. Vader – SummerSlam 1996 (***3/4) *R*
Shawn Michaels(c) def. Mankind by DQ – Mind Games 1996 (****3/4) *HR*
There’s no question Shawn Michaels deserved to win the WWF Championship around this time. And his reign, at least in terms of match quality, was absolutely incredible. First of all, the Iron Man Match with Bret Hart at WrestleMania, where Shawn won the title after a spectacular pro wrestling bout. Then came the absolutely awesome street fight with Diesel (in Kevin Nash’s final WWF televised bout), followed by the storyline with The British Bulldog and his wife Diana. The SummerSlam bout with Vader, despite being ridiculously overbooked, was great as well and words aren’t enough to describe the title match Michaels had with Mick Foley in September. Finally, he dropped the gold to Sycho Sid in MSG, after taking Sid to one of the best matches of the big man’s career. Yes, this reign was impressive in terms of match quality. However, there’s absolutely no art in watching a grown man literally throwing a tantrum against British Bulldog because the match was cut short, or against Vader because he happened to forget a spot. After all, *professional* wrestling is the name of the game.
Shawn Michaels def. Sycho Sid(c) – Royal Rumble 1997 (**)
Wonder why the December PPV was called ‘It’s Time’? That was because Vader was supposed to win the WWF Championship instead, but Shawn Michaels didn’t want to work with him and Sycho Sid got the belt instead. He only won the title in order to drop it back to Shawn Michaels in his hometown of San Antonio at the Royal Rumble 1997, before the WrestleMania title match against Bret Hart… which also ended up not happening. Shawn Michaels in the 1990s was indeed something else! As far as Sid goes, he had good matches with Bret and Shawn (who else) throughout his reign before losing it back to Shawn. He would find himself back with the title in his hands just a few weeks later, as well as the main-event of WrestleMania 13 against The Undertaker. As for his first reign, it accomplished what it had to accomplish. It wasn’t bad.
Rating: 4/10
ALL-TIME CHAMPIONS RANKING
Steve Austin (WWF Championship, 29/03/1998 – 28/06/1998 10
The Rock (WWF Championship, 25/06/2000 – 22/10/2000) 10
Steve Austin (WWF Championship, 01/04/2001 – 23/09/2001) 9
Triple H (WWF Championship, 03/01/2000 – 30/04/2000) 9
Kurt Angle (WWE Championship, 15/12/2002 – 30/03/2003) 9
Welcome to my blog. This is the start of a new series, where I’ll be looking back at the history of WWE World Titles (not counting ECW) and ranking all the World Title reigns since the “Modern Era”. The “Modern Era” goes all the way back to the birth of Hulkamania in 1984, and that’s where we’ll end. Today we look back at the year 1997, and we’ll continue to go back from here.
In front of my star ratings for the matches, you’ll either see “HR”, “R” or “RTA”. “HR” means the match is highly recommended ; “R” means the match is recommended ; “RTA” means recommendation to avoid. In case nothing appears, the match is watchable but nothing spectacular.
WWF CHAMPIONSHIP
Shawn Michaels (January 19, 1997 – February 13, 1997)
Televised matches: 1
Record: 1-0
My match ratings:
Shawn Michaels def. Sycho Sid(c) – Royal Rumble 1997 (**)
After losing his first WWF Championship to Sycho Sid at Survivor Series 1996 in Madison Square Garden, Shawn Michaels got his rematch in his hometown of San Antonio at the Royal Rumble 1997. Michaels won the match and regained the title… and then infamously lost his smile after suffering his 15,268th “career ending injury”. Ah, 90s Shawn Michaels!
Rating: -/10
Bret Hart (February 16, 1997 – February 17, 1997)
Televised matches: 2
Record: 1-1
My match ratings:
Bret Hart def. Steve Austin, The Undertaker and Vader in an Elimination Match – Final Four 1997 (****1/4) *HR*
The Royal Rumble match in 1997 ended with controversy, as Steve Austin was eliminated but came back to the match without the referees seeing his elimination. He managed to win the match, but WWF President Gorilla Monsoon booked a match for the February In Your House PPV featuring Austin and the three wrestlers remaining in the Royal Rumble Match at the time of Austin’s missed elimination: Vader, The Undertaker and Bret Hart. Once Shawn Michaels lost his smile and vacated the title, the match was contested over the belt instead. The four managed to have a physical and brutal fight (where eliminations could happen via pin/submission or tossing the opponent over-the-top-rope), and ultimately ‘The Hitman’ captured the WWF Championship. His reign would not be long, however, as the company saw themselves forced to change some of the top matches at WrestleMania 13 due to the Shawn Michaels situation: the main-event over the WWF Title became Sid against Undertaker instead, while Bret Hart went on to battle Steve Austin in arguably the greatest match in professional wrestling history (my personal favorite). Bret would drop the gold to Sycho Sid on the following night’s episode of RAW thanks to interference from ‘Stone Cold’. A weird but understandable situation.
Sycho Sid(c) def. Bret Hart in a Steel Cage Match – RAW March 17 1997 (***1/2) *R*
The Undertaker def. Sycho Sid – WrestleMania 13 (*1/2)
Booked against a corner, Vince McMahon’s WWF put its top belt back on Sycho Sid heading into the main-event of WrestleMania 13 against The Undertaker. Sid defeated Bret Hart on RAW in a really solid match to capture his second WWF Title, before being confronted by ‘Taker immediately afterwards. Sid would retain the gold in an even better bout against ‘The Hitman’ on the go-home edition of RAW before WrestleMania, in a steel cage match, before dropping the belt to The Undertaker in a typical WWF-ish “monster vs monster” kind of match. This reign didn’t have to be anything special, as it was literally a last-minute decision, but it wasn’t bad and has two really solid matches in it.
Rating: 3/10
The Undertaker (March 23, 1997 – August 3, 1997)
Televised matches: 15
Record: 10-5
My match ratings:
The Undertaker def. Sycho Sid – WrestleMania 13 (*1/2)
The Undertaker(c) def. Mankind – Revenge Of The ‘Taker 1997 (***3/4) *R*
The Undertaker(c) def. Steve Austin – A Cold Day In Hell 1997 (***1/4)
The Undertaker(c) def. Faarooq – King of the Ring 1997 (**)
The Undertaker(c) def. Vader – Canadian Stampede 1997 (***1/4) *R*
Bret Hart def. The Undertaker(c) – SummerSlam 1997 (****) *HR*
After defeating Sycho Sid at WrestleMania, The Undertaker went on to have arguably the greatest reign of his career. During this point, the storyline with Kane had already started, and the WWF teased it for most of that year. Throughout this reign, Undertaker went on to have a fantastic match with Mick Foley, an incredible hard-hitting contest with Vader, an interesting PPV match with Steve Austin and an average match with Faarooq. The highlight of this reign would be its ending, though, as Undertaker dropped the gold to Bret Hart after an awesome match at SummerSlam thanks to Shawn Michaels, which would then set up the first ever Hell in a Cell Match. Which would also feature the debut of Undertaker’s brother, Kane. This reign was fantastic, the stories were engaging, the matches were solid and consistent, and overall the reign is quite possibly ‘The Deadman’s best.
Rating: 8/10
Bret Hart (August 3, 1997 – November 9, 1997)
Televised matches: 12
Record: 6-4 (2 draws)
My match ratings:
Bret Hart def. The Undertaker(c) – SummerSlam 1997 (****) *HR*
Bret Hart(c) def. The Patriot – Ground Zero 1997 (***1/2) *R*
Bret Hart(c) def. The Undertaker by DQ – One Night Only 1997 (****3/4) *HR*
Oh, this reign. This very infamous reign. You all know what happened on the last night, so I will focus on the rest of the reign. Bret Hart won his last WWF Championship in the middle of his awesome Canada/USA feud, beating Undertaker after a spectacular match at SummerSlam. A really good match with The Patriot followed, as then WWF actually parted ways with Bret for him to contact WCW in September. As a result, Bret would go on to have multiple DQ/no-contest finishes, as Vince understandably didn’t want him going over other WWF wrestlers. That did give us a spectacular rematch with The Undertaker at One Night Only, however, a true five-star classic without a proper finish. And then came the final match at Survivor Series (which actually wasn’t Bret Hart’s final date, as he was still going to be around until the December PPV, but it is what it is…) where Shawn Michaels won the WWF Championship in Canada. Everyone remembers this reign for its final night, but you really should check out the rest of it. Four recommended matches out of four rated is impressive, but it featured a lot of non-finishes. It was still a really good reign overall, though.
Rating: 7/10
ALL-TIME CHAMPIONS RANKING
Steve Austin (WWF Championship, 29/03/1998 – 28/06/1998 10
The Rock (WWF Championship, 25/06/2000 – 22/10/2000) 10
Steve Austin (WWF Championship, 01/04/2001 – 23/09/2001) 9
Triple H (WWF Championship, 03/01/2000 – 30/04/2000) 9
Kurt Angle (WWE Championship, 15/12/2002 – 30/03/2003) 9
Welcome to my blog. This is the start of a new series, where I’ll be looking back at the history of WWE World Titles (not counting ECW) and ranking all the World Title reigns since the “Modern Era”. The “Modern Era” goes all the way back to the birth of Hulkamania in 1984, and that’s where we’ll end. Today we look back at the year 1998, and we’ll continue to go back from here.
In front of my star ratings for the matches, you’ll either see “HR”, “R” or “RTA”. “HR” means the match is highly recommended ; “R” means the match is recommended ; “RTA” means recommendation to avoid. In case nothing appears, the match is watchable but nothing spectacular.
WWF CHAMPIONSHIP
Shawn Michaels (November 9, 1997 – March 29, 1998)
Ken Shamrock def. Shawn Michaels(c) by DQ – D-Generation X 1997 (*3/4) *RTA*
Owen Hart def. Shawn Michaels(c) by DQ – RAW Dec. 29 1997 (***1/2) *R*
Shawn Michaels(c) def. The Undertaker in a Casket Match – Royal Rumble 1998 (***1/2) *R*
Steve Austin def. Shawn Michaels(c) – WrestleMania XIV (**3/4)
No matter how good Shawn Michaels was inside the ring (he was one of the best ever), this was the absolute peak of backstage dickhead Shawn Michaels. He was just not fun to watch at this point, cutting fourth wall-breaking promos such as “I don’t do jobs for anyone”, turning the European Title into a prop along with his Kliq buddy Triple H. After the incidents with The British Bulldog in October and with Bret Hart in November, Shawn’s career-ending injury in 1998 couldn’t have happened to a nicer guy. Even The Undertaker, of all people, was sick of ‘The Boy Toy’. His match with Bret was fantastic until its final moments and so were the matches with Owen Hart and ‘Taker. His match with Steve Austin was rather average, mostly due to Michaels wrestling with a crippled back, while in his match with Ken Shamrock at the December PPV it’s quite clear Michaels isn’t even trying. I’m not a fan of this reign or this particular stage of HBK’s career.
Rating: 4/10
Steve Austin (March 29, 1998 – June 28, 1998)
Televised matches: 10
Record: 3-2 (5 draws)
My match ratings:
Steve Austin def. Shawn Michaels(c) – WrestleMania XIV (**3/4)
Dude Love def. Steve Austin(c) by DQ – Unforgiven 1998 (****) *HR*
Steve Austin(c) def. Dude Love in a Street Fight – Over the Edge 1998 (****1/2) *HR*
Kane def. Steve Austin(c) in a First Blood Match – King of the Ring 1998 (***1/4)
At WrestleMania XIV, Steve Austin finally won his first WWF Championship. From there, he immediately cut debuted the new title belt, cut that “corporate” promo with Vince and started that awesome feud with Mick Foley. Their match at Unforgiven was fantastic, and ended with Austin counting his own pinfall for the win. Austin’s win would be turned into a DQ loss the following night on RAW by McMahon, however, and that would result in a rematch with Foley at the next PPV. That rematch at Over the Edge, with Vince and the stooges in control and with fellow babyface The Undertaker as the special outside enforcer, was even better. Their matches were, without question, some of the best “sports entertainment” smoke-and-mirrors bouts in wrestling history. His first reign would come to an end at the next PPV, King of the Ring, against Kane due to The Undertaker. I agree with Austin losing the title in order to win it back at the next WrestleMania, but I don’t understand why Kane needed to win the belt for a day! Still, this reign was absolutely fantastic. Is there any question which rating this gets? What?
Rating: 10/10
Kane (June 28, 1998 – June 29, 1998)
Televised matches: 2
Record: 1-1
My match ratings:
Kane def. Steve Austin(c) in a First Blood Match – King of the Ring 1998 (***1/4)
Steve Austin def. Kane(c) – RAW June 29 1998 (***1/2) *R*
I don’t have much to say here. The match where Kane drops the title to Austin on RAW is recommended, though, especially that insane pop Austin gets when he regains the gold. Apart from that, there’s really nothing else to say about this title reign.
Rating: -/10
Steve Austin (June 29, 1998 – September 27, 1998)
Televised matches: 10
Record: 5-4 (1 draw)
My match ratings:
Steve Austin def. Kane(c) – RAW June 29 1998 (***1/2) *R*
Steve Austin(c) def. The Undertaker – SummerSlam 1998 (**1/4)
The Undertaker and Kane def. Steve Austin(c) – Breakdown 1998 (**)
Just one night after losing the title, Steve Austin was once again the WWF Champion. This reign featured that spectacular ‘Highway to Hell’ feud with The Undertaker heading into SummerSlam, that unfortunately resulted in a rather flat match thanks to Austin knocking himself out for real in the bout’s early minutes. The next PPV would see Austin lose the title, getting pinned by both Kane and ‘Taker at the very same time. The title would be vacated and result in the Deadly Games Tournament at Survivor Series, which would crown Steve Austin’s antagonist heading into WrestleMania XV.
Rating: 7/10
The Rock (November 15, 1998 – January 4, 1999)
Televised matches: 12
Record: 7-4 (1 draw)
My match ratings:
The Rock def. Mankind – Survivor Series 1998 (**3/4)
The Rock(c) def. X-Pac – RAW Nov. 23 1998 (***1/2) *R*
Mankind def.* The Rock(c) – Rock Bottom 1998 (***1/4) *R*
Mankind def. The Rock(c) – RAW Jan. 4 1999 (****) *HR*
I think we can all agree that this swerve in the Deadly Games Tournament a Survivor Series 1998 was, withou any question, Vince Russo’s best swerve in his entire career. The Rock won the WWF Title for the first time in his career against Mankind, who was orginally Vince McMahon’s chosen guy and had eliminate Steve Austin, which would then lead to Rock’s feud with Foley. That feud unquestionably helped The Rock a lot, perhaps more than any other, and cemented ‘The Great One’ as a main-eventer for life. This reign wasn’t Rock’s best, but it was perhaps his most important one.
Rating: 7/10
ALL-TIME CHAMPIONS RANKING
Steve Austin (WWF Championship, 29/03/1998 – 28/06/1998 10
The Rock (WWF Championship, 25/06/2000 – 22/10/2000) 10
Steve Austin (WWF Championship, 01/04/2001 – 23/09/2001) 9
Triple H (WWF Championship, 03/01/2000 – 30/04/2000) 9
Kurt Angle (WWE Championship, 15/12/2002 – 30/03/2003) 9
Welcome to my blog. This is the start of a new series, where I’ll be looking back at the history of WWE World Titles (not counting ECW) and ranking all the World Title reigns since the “Modern Era”. The “Modern Era” goes all the way back to the birth of Hulkamania in 1984, and that’s where we’ll end. Today we look back at the year 1999, and we’ll continue to go back from here.
In front of my star ratings for the matches, you’ll either see “HR”, “R” or “RTA”. “HR” means the match is highly recommended ; “R” means the match is recommended ; “RTA” means recommendation to avoid. In case nothing appears, the match is watchable but nothing spectacular.
Mick Foley (January 4, 1999 – January 24, 1999)
Televised matches: 5
Record: 3-2
My match ratings:
Mankind def. The Rock(c) – RAW Jan. 4 1999 (****) *HR*
The Rock def. Mankind(c) in an I Quit Match – Royal Rumble 1999 (***3/4) *R*
Welcome to the Vince Russo era, I hope hot potato is your game of choice! With that said, though, this reign will be talked about for years and years to come. Mick Foley is, unquestionably, the best challenger for the WWF Championship in history. That match with Shawn Michaels in 1996 is a thing of beauty, Dude Love’s feud with Steve Austin in 1998 was absolutely incredible, and so would Cactus Jack’s feud with Triple H later in 2000 be one of the best ever. He won the title on RAW to one of the best pops in wrestling history, and then went on to lose the belt back to The Rock at the Royal Rumble in a good (yet VERY uncomfortable) I Quit Match. Was it way too short? Yes. But it also created moments for the ages.
Rating: 6/10
The Rock (January 24, 1999 – January 31, 1999)
Televised matches: 3
Record: 2-1
My match ratings:
The Rock def. Mankind(c) in an I Quit Match – Royal Rumble 1999 (***3/4) *R*
Mankind def. The Rock(c) in an Empty Arena Match – Halftime Heat 1999 (****1/4) *HR*
This reign lasted less than a week, but it ended with one of the most fun matches in pro wrestling history. A match that also proves an empty-arena show can work, if the wrestlers are charismatic enough to make it work. Then again, there’s only one The Rock and one Mick Foley. I can’t give this reign a proper rating, though.
Rating: -/10
Mick Foley (January 31, 1999 – February 15, 1999)
Televised matches: 3
Record: 2-1
My match ratings:
Mankind def. The Rock(c) in an Empty Arena Match – Halftime Heat 1999 (****1/4) *HR*
Mankind(c) draw. The Rock in a Last Man Standing Match – St. Valentine’s Day Massacre 1999 (***1/4)
The Rock def. Mankind(c) in a Ladder Match – RAW Feb. 15 1999 (***3/4) *R*
Well, Foley was champion again just a few days later. He kept the title for a number of weeks, retained via no-contest in a Last Man Standing Match against The Rock on PPV, only to lose the next night in a Ladder Match to set up Rock and Austin for WrestleMania. Foley was very important at this point in getting The Rock over, but this reign was just another really short one. And not even close to being as legendary as the first one.
Rating: 3/10
The Rock (February 15, 1999 – March 28, 1999)
Televised matches: 7
Record: 2-2 (3 draws)
My match ratings:
The Rock def. Mankind(c) in a Ladder Match – RAW Feb. 15 1999 (***3/4) *R*
Steve Austin def. The Rock(c) – WrestleMania XV (***3/4) *R*
After months of multiple title changes, the belt was FINALLY on The Rock heading into WrestleMania XV and the match with Steve Austin. This was a very important reign in The Rock’s career, perhaps even the most important, as he got to play the role of Steve Austin’s antagonist in his very first WrestleMania main-event. Rock proved he had everything to be a top guy in the industry during this reign, and he got his first reign as a babyface the following year. From there, there was no stopping ‘The Great One’.
Rating: 7/10
Steve Austin (March 28, 1999 – May 23, 1999)
Televised matches: 8
Record: 5-1 (2 draws)
My match ratings:
Steve Austin def. The Rock(c) – WrestleMania XV (***3/4) *R*
Steve Austin(c) def. The Rock in a No Holds Barred Match – Backlash 1999 (****1/4) *HR*
The Undertaker def. Steve Austin(c) – Over the Edge 1999 (**3/4)
After beating The Rock at WrestleMania to capture the WWF Title, Austin went on to end the feud with The Rock in a great No Holds Barred bout at Backlash. After said match, Austin immediately started a feud with The Undertaker’s Ministry of Darkness. At Over the Edge, on a night where Owen Hart died while the show was on the air, the company couldn’t even call an audible and have Austin win to send the home (somewhat) happy… he lost to a “deadman”. This was still a fantastic reign, but that ending leaves quite the bad taste.
Rating: 8/10
The Undertaker (May 23, 1999 – June 28, 1999)
Televised matches: 8
Record: 4-3 (1 draw)
My match ratings:
The Undertaker def. Steve Austin(c) – Over the Edge 1999 (**3/4)
The Undertaker(c) def. The Rock – King of the Ring 1999 (*1/2) *RTA*
Steve Austin def. The Undertaker(c) – RAW June 28 1999 (***1/4)
At this point in The Undertaker’s career, he was killing it with his ‘Ministry of Darkness’ gimmick. However, I really feel like this was totally unnecessary. Another title change in a year full of them, ‘Taker won it in the night Owen Hart died for real (which also doesn’t help it), had it for a month and retained in a really weird match against The Rock at King of the Ring, before losing it to Steve Austin the following night. That win got a huge pop, and is just beautiful to see, but I didn’t really get why Austin had to drop the belt for a month only to win it back the next month. Especially on the night Owen Hart died, with ‘The Deadman’ ending the night on top. Ouch.
Rating: 3/10
Steve Austin (June 28, 1999 – August 22, 1999)
Televised matches: 5
Record: 3-1 (1 draw)
My match ratings:
Steve Austin def. The Undertaker(c) – RAW June 28 1999 (***1/4)
Steve Austin(c) def. The Undertaker in a First Blood Match – Fully Loaded 1999 (****1/4) *HR*
Mankind def. Steve Austin(c) and Triple H – SummerSlam 1999 (**3/4)
After that brief Undertaker reign, the gold was back where it should’ve been all along. Steve won the title in a really good moment on RAW, and continued the feud with The Undertaker up until their spectacular First Blood contest at Fully Loaded. After that, Austin went on to defend the gold against both Triple H and Mankind at SummerSlam, where he’d drop it to Mick Foley in a bout that featured Jesse ‘The Body’ Ventura as the guest referee. This was another great Steve Austin reign, though it really didn’t need to be interrupted.
Rating: 6/10
Mick Foley (August 22, 1999 – August 23, 1999)
Televised matches: 2
Record: 1-1
My match ratings:
Mankind def. Steve Austin(c) and Triple H – SummerSlam 1999 (**3/4)
Triple H def. Mankind(c) – RAW Aug. 23 1999 (***)
There’s not much to say here, if anything at all. After winning at SummerSlam, Mick Foley transitioned the gold to Triple H on the following night’s episode of RAW.
Another month, another brief reign in the WWF. This time it was Triple H’s turn, who won his first WWF Title from Mankind in August, only to lose it to Vince McMahon on an episode of SmackDown in September. Once again, too short and too weird to be anything special.
Rating: 2/10
Vince McMahon (September 16, 1999 – September 20, 1999)
Triple H def. The Rock, Mankind, Big Show, Kane and The British Bulldog in a Six Pack Challenge – Unforgiven 1999 (***1/4)
Triple H(c) def. Steve Austin in a No Holds Barred Match – No Mercy 1999 (****) *HR*
Big Show def. Triple H(c) and The Rock – Survivor Series 1999 (**1/2)
The belt was once again in Triple H’s hands, but once again not for long. After winning the vacant title at Unforgiven and retaining over ‘Stone Cold’ Steve Austin in a great match at No Mercy, he dropped it to The Big Show in a three way at Survivor Series. This reign was slightly more memorable than his first one, but still nothing special.
Rating: 3/10
Big Show (November 14, 1999 – January 3, 2000)
Televised matches: 16
Record: 10-3 (3 draws)
My match ratings:
Big Show def. Triple H(c) and The Rock – Survivor Series 1999 (**1/2)
Big Show(c) def. Big Bossman – Armageddon 1999 (1/4*)
Triple H def. Big Show(c) – RAW Jan. 3 2000 (**1/2)
This reign also felt a bit weird, coming in as a late replacement at Survivor Series to win the WWF Championship. A feud with Big Bossman would follow, as well as many short matches against undercarders and midcarders on TV, before dropping the gold back to Triple H in the first RAW of the year 2000. If you missed this reign, you missed nothing.
Rating: 1/10
ALL-TIME CHAMPIONS RANKING
The Rock (WWF Championship, 25/06/2000 – 22/10/2000) 10
Steve Austin (WWF Championship, 01/04/2001 – 23/09/2001) 9
Triple H (WWF Championship, 03/01/2000 – 30/04/2000) 9
Kurt Angle (WWE Championship, 15/12/2002 – 30/03/2003) 9
Welcome to a new series on my blog. Usually I write the articles you see here, but in order to further engage with my YouTube subscribers and make them feel even more apart of the SmarKDown community, I will also accept articles made by them. This one is written by Runn O. He’ll take it from here, enjoy!
In front of the star ratings for the matches, you’ll either see “HR”, “R” or “RTA”. “HR” means the match is highly recommended ; “R” means the match is recommended ; “RTA” means recommendation to avoid. In case nothing appears, the match is watchable but nothing spectacular.
Adrian Neville (February 27, 2014 – December 11, 2014)
Televised matches: 22
Record: 18-4
My match ratings:
Adrian Neville def. Bo Dallas (c) in a Ladder Match – NXT Arrival (***½) *R*
Adrian Neville (c) def. Bo Dallas – NXT Vengeance: March 27 2014 (***¼)
Adrian Neville def. Tyler Breeze – NXT August 14 2014 (***½) *R*
Adrian Neville (c) def. Sami Zayn, Tyler Breeze and Tyson Kidd – NXT TakeOver: Fatal 4-Way (****½) *HR*
Adrian Neville (c) def. Tyson Kidd – NXT October 2 2014 (***½) *R*
Adrian Neville (c) def. Sami Zayn – NXT November 13 2014 (***½) *R*
Sami Zayn def. Adrian Neville (c) – NXT TakeOver: R-Evolution (*****) *HR*
When Neville won the NXT Title, it was a breathe of fresh air in the NXT Title picture. The start of this reign was okayish but after the match at the first ever TakeOver event, this was where his reign truly excel with great matches after great matches every months. Seriously, take a good look at how many “R” or “HR” he got. Neville was one of the if not the most consistent NXT Champion ever and I see no problem giving him a nine at all.
Rating: 9/10
Sami Zayn (December 11, 2014 – February 11, 2015)
Televised matches: 3
Record: 2-1
My match ratings:
Sami Zayn def. Adrian Neville (c) – NXT TakeOver: R-Evolution (*****) *HR*
Sami Zayn (c) def. Adrian Neville – NXT January 14 2015 (***¾) *R*
Kevin Owens def. Sami Zayn (c) – NXT TakeOver: Rival (****) *R*
Sami Zayn was more than deserving of the NXT Championship when he won it at R-Evolution. A title defense against Neville in a not-quite memorable-yet-good TV match would follow before Zayn dropped the belt to his “former best friend”, Kevin Owens in a match full of compelled storytelling. Sure, this reign maybe short and consists of only two defenses (both of which are recommended, by the way), but you can’t deny it was a hell of a short reign!
Rating: 7/10
Kevin Owens (February 11, 2015 – July 4, 2015)
Televised matches: 17
Record: 12-3 (2 draws)
My match ratings:
Kevin Owens def. Sami Zayn (c) – NXT TakeOver: Rival (****) *R*
Kevin Owens (c) def. Finn Bálor – NXT March 25 2015 (***¾) *R*
Kevin Owens (c) draw. Sami Zayn – NXT TakeOver: Unstoppable (***½) *R*
Kevin Owens def. John Cena – Elimination Chamber 2015 (****½) *HR*
John Cena def. Kevin Owens – Money in the Bank 2015 (****½) *HR*
Finn Bálor def. Kevin Owens (c) – Beast in the East 2015 (****½) *HR*
After turning heel on his best friend Sami Zayn, Owens captured the NXT Title at TakeOver: Rival approximately three months after his debut. Owens then started a mini-feud with Alex Riley in what would turn out to be a nice program between the two. At TakeOver: Unstoppable, Owens absolutely murdered Zayn and wrote him off TV again. Around that time, Owens also debuted on the main roster and started a feud with the the then U.S. Champ: John Cena and actually went over him in Owen’s first match on the main roster. His reign came to an end in Japan when Finn Bálor dethroned him. It wasn’t an incredibly long reign or anything but it was fantastic. The program with Cena really elevated Owens a lot (and I mean A LOT) and Owen’s heel persona and promos were always spectacular to watch.
Rating: 10/10
Finn Bálor (July 4, 2015 – April 21, 2016)
Televised matches: 14
Record: 12-2
My match ratings:
Finn Bálor def. Kevin Owens (c) – Beast in the East 2015 (****½) *HR*
Finn Bálor (c) def. Kevin Owens in a Ladder Match – NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn (****½) *HR*
Finn Bálor & Samoa Joe vs. Dash & Dawson in a Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic Tournament Semi-Final Round Match – NXT TakeOver: Respect (***¼)
Finn Bálor & Samoa Joe vs. Baron Corbin & Rhyno in a Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic Tournament Final Round Match – NXT TakeOver: Respect (***¼)
Finn Bálor (c) def. Apollo Crews – NXT November 4 2015 (***¼)
Finn Bálor (c) def. Samoa Joe – NXT TakeOver: London (****¼) *HR*
Finn Bálor def. Apollo Crews – NXT February 3 2016 (***½)
Finn Bálor def. Neville – NXT March 2 2016 (***½) *R*
Finn Bálor (c) def. Samoa Joe – NXT TakeOver: Dallas (***½) *R*
Samoa Joe def. Finn Bálor (c) – NXT Live Event April 21 2016 (N/R)
Bálor won the belt in his hometown, Japan (I know he’s from Ireland, but still), and successfully defended it at Brooklyn in an amazing ladder match against Kevin Owens. Bálor then found himself teaming with Samoa Joe in a quest to become the winner of the inaugural Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic. The partnership with Joe didn’t last long, as Joe quickly turned on Bálor, resulting in a string of great matches between the two, which ultimately saw Joe beat Bálor for the title at an NXT Live Event in April. The end of this reign came out of nowhere, but lacks an importance due to it taking place at a live event, therefore preventing me from giving this a perfect ten.
Welcome to my blog. This is the start of a new series, where I’ll be looking back at the history of WWE World Titles (not counting ECW) and ranking all the World Title reigns since the “Modern Era”. The “Modern Era” goes all the way back to the birth of Hulkamania in 1984, and that’s where we’ll end. Today we look back at the year 2000, and we’ll continue to go back from here.
In front of my star ratings for the matches, you’ll either see “HR”, “R” or “RTA”. “HR” means the match is highly recommended ; “R” means the match is recommended ; “RTA” means recommendation to avoid. In case nothing appears, the match is watchable but nothing spectacular.
WWF CHAMPIONSHIP
Triple H (January 3, 2000 – April 30, 2000)
Televised matches: 32
Record: 19-11 (2 draws)
My match ratings:
Triple H def. Big Show(c) – RAW Jan. 3 2000 (**1/2)
Triple H(c) def. Cactus Jack in a Street Fight – Royal Rumble 2000 (*****) *HR*
Triple H(c) def. Cactus Jack in a Title vs. Career HIAC Match – No Way Out 2000 (****1/2) *HR*
Triple H(c) def. The Rock, Mick Foley and Big Show in an Elimination Match – WrestleMania 2000 (**3/4)
The Rock def. Triple H(c) – Backlash 2000 (****) *HR*
In Armageddon 1999, Triple H defeated Vince McMahon after interference from Stephanie McMahon, who turned on her dad. From there, the couple started a The Authority like run (only you know, much better) where they screwed all the babyfaces, including putting The Rock and Mankind in a pink slip match where the loser would be fired. On the first RAW of 2000, Hunter defeated The Big Show to win the WWF Championship. The McMahon-Helmsley Faction was now on top of the world. Foley eventually came back after The Rock threatened to walk out on the company with all the other babyfaces, and the two went on to have a spectacular feud that truly elevated Triple H to main-event status for life. Their Street Fight in MSG is a thing of beauty, and their Hell in a Cell Match the following month was a great way to end the story… sort of. At WrestleMania, instead of defending the gold against The Rock, Big Show and Mick Foley were added into the match for some reason, and the bout just wasn’t that great. Triple H retained and kept the title for one more month, dropping it to The Rock at Backlash instead in front of a very hot crowd in Washington. Apart from that unnecessary and weird WrestleMania match, this reign was perfect.
Rating: 9/10
The Rock (April 30, 2000 – May 21, 2000)
Televised matches: 7
Record: 4-2 (1 draw)
My match ratings:
The Rock def. Triple H(c) – Backlash 2000 (****) *HR*
Triple H def. The Rock(c) in an Iron Man Match – Judgment Day 2000 (****1/2) *HR*
By the time The Rock won the title, fans were more than ready to get The Rock’s very first run with the WWF Championship as a babyface. His win at Backlash was a moment for the ages, but then for some reason… he dropped the title back to Triple H, just to win it back a few weeks later in a tag match. He does have two highly recommended matches out of two, though, which is really impressive but I just can’t understand all these title changes.
Rating: 4/10
Triple H (May 21, 2000 – June 25, 2000)
Televised matches: 8
Record: 4-3 (1 draw)
My match ratings:
Triple H def. The Rock(c) in an Iron Man Match – Judgment Day 2000 (****1/2) *HR*
The Rock, The Undertaker & Kane def. Triple H(c), Vince McMahon & Shane McMahon – King of the Ring 2000 (**)
Why put the title back on Triple H, only to then put it back on Rock at the next PPV in a tag team match where Vince eats the pin? There’s nothing to say about this title reign, it shouldn’t even have started to begin with. At least the Iron Man Match was great, though.
Rating: 2/10
The Rock (June 25, 2000 – October 22, 2000)
Televised matches: 35
Record: 20-13 (2 draws)
My match ratings:
The Rock, The Undertaker & Kane def. Triple H(c), Vince McMahon & Shane McMahon – King of the Ring 2000 (**)
The Rock(c) def. Chris Benoit – Fully Loaded 2000 (****1/4) *HR*
The Rock(c) def. Triple H and Kurt Angle – SummerSlam 2000 (***1/4)
The Rock(c) def. Chris Benoit, The Undertaker and Kane – Unforgiven 2000 (***1/2) *R*
Kurt Angle def. The Rock(c) – No Mercy 2000 (****1/4) *HR*
Now we’re talking! After all those unnecessary swerves and title changes, the title was finally where it should’ve been all the way since WrestleMania. The Rock was without any question the hottest babyface in the world at this point, and if you don’t have chills watching him make his entrance at this time you probably have no soul. Business was REALLY good with Rock on top, even with Steve Austin still out due to injury. Rock had some amazing matches with Kurt Angle and Chris Benoit on PPV, hilarious interactions with the likes of Edge, Christian, Angle, Commissioner Foley, Triple H, Stephanie and others on TV, and I’m gonna stop before I stay here all day talking about this awesome title reign! The matches delivered, the crowds were great, every episode of RAW was can’t miss, and it was fun. Guess what this gets?
Rating: 10/10
Kurt Angle (October 22, 2000 – February 25, 2001)
Televised matches: 37
Record: 19-13 (5 draws)
My match ratings:
Kurt Angle def. The Rock(c) – No Mercy 2000 (****1/4) *HR*
Kurt Angle(c) def. The Undertaker – Survivor Series 2000 (**3/4)
Kurt Angle(c) def. Steve Austin, The Rock, Triple H, The Undertaker and Rikishi in a HIAC Match – Armageddon 2000 (****1/4) *HR*
Kurt Angle(c) def. Triple H – Royal Rumble 2001 (***1/2) *R*
The Rock def. Kurt Angle(c) – No Way Out 2001 (****3/4) *HR*
If you were a World Wrestling Federation fan back in 2000, it was quite clear Kurt Angle had everything to be one of the biggest stars in the entire industry. Here was a legit Gold Medal winner, without any doubt the toughest guy in that entire locker room, playing the role of a milk-drinking idiot. And loving it! Once he started being booked as the badass he is, his matches eventually became more intense and overall better, but they were still pretty good at this point. He was hilarious to watch, had the perfect timing, the perfect facial expressions and had a legitimate background that made you believe he could very well kill the other guy if he wanted to. If only he had been booked that way during this title reign. This was still great, but not even close to being at the level of his run with Brock Lesnar in 2003, for example.
Rating: 7/10
ALL-TIME CHAMPIONS RANKING
The Rock (WWF Championship, 25/06/2000 – 22/10/2000) 10
Steve Austin (WWF Championship, 01/04/2001 – 23/09/2001) 9
Triple H (WWF Championship, 03/01/2000 – 30/04/2000) 9
Kurt Angle (WWE Championship, 15/12/2002 – 30/03/2003) 9
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