The Best of Times…The Worst of Times // WrestleMania

The SuperBowl; The World Series; The World Cup; WrestleMania: the fact that Vince McMahon’s showpiece event is regularly mentioned in the same breath as these mainstream juggernauts is testament to his vision and drive, proof that his legacy goes beyond wrestling and touches the worlds of sport and entertainment. Whichever city secures the show of shows becomes the epicentre of the wrestling word, hosting a week-long festival that draws in grap-fans from across the globe. As exciting as all of the supplementary shows are, for me, WrestleMania always remains the most significant: the grandeur of the national anthem; the first shot of the epic set design; the pageantry of the entrances. For 33 years, this show has forged some of the greatest moments in professional wrestling history, as well as some that would be better forgotten. For one last time, I roll out the best of times, worst of times treatment to examine the granddaddy of them all...

Best WrestleMania: WrestleMania 17

This is the only sane choice for best Mania ever and in my humble opinion is the GOAT of all wrestling shows. Want to know how much I love this card? I had My Way by Limp Bizkit played at my wedding (it wasn’t the first dance or anything but yeah, it was in there).

The first hour is a little slow (Kane in a golf cart though) but business picks up in hour two. Angle vs. Benoit isn’t a classic but it’s much better than it gets credit for while the battle of the McMahons over-delivers more than any match in Federation history. That pop Linda gets when she kicks her old man in the plums…wow. TLC is magical, the Edge-Jeff Hardy spear spot absolute perfection while the Undertaker and Triple H have a spirited tussle. The legends’ battle royale is harmless fun: Bobby Heenan’s last stint at a WWF commentary table the undoubted highlight. And then there is the main event: in hindsight the turn was a bad idea but many wrestling commentators were calling for it at the time. And the match itself was superb. The epoch of attitude era brawling: multiple finishing moves, big near falls and genuinely exciting punch-kick combos, this match is action movie wrestling at its finest.

Honourable Mentions: Mania 19/ Mania 31

Worst WrestleMania: WrestleMania 11

For most fans, WrestleMania 9 usually takes this category hands down but at least the Vegas show is fun to look at. True the matches are at best bang average and at worst Undertaker vs Giant Gonzales but there are good moments: sick bumps in the Steiner-Headshrinker war; respected announcers in togas; Todd Pettingill interviewing clearly pissed up fans. By contrast, WrestleMania 11 is just a bit boring. It emanates from their home state of Connecticut, a metaphor for the play it safe nature of the PPV - and features one good match: HBK doing the J-O-B for his kayfabe foe Diesel. Lawrence Taylor may have been big news in the States (and to be fair he performs pretty well here) but as an 11 year old from the UK, this felt like such a nothing main event and I can’t shake that feeling watching the card years later. Elsewhere Bob Backlund vs. Bret Hart is so poor while King Kong Bundy versus Taker is every bit as mundane as it sounds.

Honourable Mentions: Mania 2/ Mania 9

Best Match: Undertaker vs Shawn Michaels - WrestleMania 25

I was fortunate enough to be in attendance in Houston, Texas when the Deadman went to war with the Heartbreak Kid in the greatest WrestleMania match of all time. Walking into the Reliant Stadium, I knew Taker would win a; indeed, everyone I spoke to that day shared that conviction. We knew Taker’s streak was now the WrestleMania storyline and that if it was ever to be vanquished, it would be offered up to someone other than the near-retired Shawn Michaels. However, half way through this incredible, absorbing contest, I stopped believing that: I reacted to near falls as though either man could win, as did the rest of the crowd. This match shut off the “smart” part of our wrestling brains and retreated to the naïve, purity of fandom that we enjoyed as children; we didn’t question the booking of whether Micheals could or should win, rather  we just lived in the moment,. When HBK kicked out of the Tombstone I took pause and glanced around me: some fans were pumping their fists while others were shaking their heads, the emotion as real and raw as any legit sporting event. A father and son sat next to me, the former cheering on Taker, the latter supporting Michaels, shared a gasp, unable to believe the ride they were being taken on. The feeling among the thousands in attendance was mutual.

Honourable Mentions: Savage vs Warrior (Mania 7)/ Michaels vs Ramon (Mania 10)/ Dudleys v Edge and Christian v Hardys (Manias 16 and 17), Austin vs Rock (Mania 17)/ Michaels v Angle (Mania 21)

Worst Match: Al Snow and Steve Blackman vs. Test and Albert: WrestleMania 16

Al Snow is the worst good wrestler in the sport’s history: he is a pretty capable performer but his back catalogue is full of undisputed train wrecks. This is no different: his odd man team with Blackman was entertaining in skits but really struggled in the ring. This clunky mess, played out before a largely disinterested crowd and topped off by a violent attack on a little person dressed as a block of cheese (!), was better than Snow’s previous nadir (Kennel in the Cell) but only just.

Honourable Mentions: Hulk Hogan vs Sid (Mania 8)/ Undertaker vs Giant Gonzales (Mania 9)/ Sable vs Tori (Mania 15)

Best Promo: Hogan- Austin-Rock at WrestleMania 30

The best promo in Mania history started with two flubs as Hulk Hogan forgot what a) building and b) decade he was in. However, this error provided the base for a great running joke as Steve Austin and The Rock joined him in-ring to provide fans with a real life wrestling Rushmore. Comedy (love Austin’s “great to be back in the Silverdome” line), catchphrases and nostalgia proved a heady cocktail as fans laughed, chanted and cheered through this genuine once in a lifetime moment. Star power never shone so bright.

Honourable Mentions: Hulk Hogan at Mania 4 (he claims that in the event of Trump Plaza sinking, host and future Prez The Donald would abandon all materialistic possessions (!) in order to doggy paddle his family to safety: to illustrate the point, Hogan then backstrokes out of frame); Jake ‘the Snake’ Roberts- Mania 6; Pete Rose laying waste to the Boston sports’ scene at Mania 14.

Worst Promo: Rhythm and Blues- WrestleMania 6

In a bloated show, the last thing the fans in Toronto needed was a terrible tag team wasting their time with a poor, pointless promo, singing not so bad it was funny, just so bad as to be really bad. Especially frustrating was that this whole mess existed simply to set up a Bushwhackers run-in. I love cartoon wrestling but this material would drive away hardened fans, let alone non-believers.

Honourable Mention: Brutus Beefcake at Mania 4: he literally just chats waffle for 30 seconds while staring at his scissors. No clue what he was trying to do here.

Best surprise moment: Seth Rollins cashes in at WrestleMania 31.

To qualify as a truly effective surprise, the moment in question should feel spontaneous and unexpected but on closer inspection make total sense for all performers involved. Such was the case when Rollins became the first man to cash in his Money in the Bank briefcase at WrestleMania, interjecting himself into a great title bout between Roman Reigns and Brock Lesnar, not diluting the match but adding to it. All three men prospered: for Rollins, the moment was an arrival for him, a chance to close the biggest show of the year title in hand; for Lesnar, the title was dropped but as the odd man out in the fall, his aura was preserved; and Reigns maybe benefited most of all. Had he won, the crowd may have rioted and destroyed his push once and for all; by putting over his well-liked Shield alumni, he did business and lived to fight another day.

Honourable Mentions: Rowdy Roddy Piper interferes in Hogan v McMahon- Mania 19; Ronda Rousey appears at Mania 31.

Worst surprise moment: Hogan beats Yokozuna at WrestleMania 9

To the above point: if the surprise benefits no-one going forward, it really shouldn’t happen. Take this infamous night in Vegas: Yokozuna cheated to win the world title, a few grains of salt once again proving too much for a main event wrestler to withstand. Hogan, consoling the defeating Bret Hart, soon decided to enact revenge for the Hitman or ‘Merica or something and within seconds, Yoko was beaten and the Hulkster was the new champion. This match, impromptu and unadvertised as it was, didn’t boost buy rates, it made the Hit-man and Yoko look weak and cast Hogan as, at best a shrewd political mover and at worst, a conniving, attention-hungry schemer. Often fans view Hogan’s antics at Manias 6 and 18 as his most self-serving; this was far worse.

Honourable Mention: Vince turns heel (again) and re-unites the McMahons (again)- Mania 16

Quick Hits:

To sign off the series, here are some quick hits to cover the great and not so good of ‘Mania history.

Best Promoted Main Event: John Cena vs The Rock- Mania 28 (a year in the making and the biggest money show at the PPV box office).

Worst Promoted Main Event: Triple H vs Chris Jericho- Mania 18 (this was all about Steph- glad they don’t take that approach anymore…)

Best Opening Match: Bret Hart vs Owen Hart- Mania 10 (one of the underrated feuds in Fed history)

Worst Opening Match: Tag Team Battle Royale- Mania 14 (I only remember that LOD were in fancy dress and they had Sunny knocking about).

Best Set Design: WrestleMania 29 (an ode to New York: the Statue of Liberty above the ring was something else)

Worst Set Design: WrestleMania 11/13 (these could have just been any old television tapings).

Best Celebrity Involvement: Donald Trump (love him or loathe him, Trump was big business).

Worst Celebrity Involvement: Akebono (I can never unsee Big Show in a nappy).

Written by Sean Taylor-Richardson // @GrownManCenaFan

The Best of Times…The Worst of Times // Tag Teams of WWE

It has long been theorised that in the WWF/E, tag team wrestling has always been an afterthought for Vince McMahon, an unwanted diversion from the single competitors that were the true attractions of his cards. Unquestionably the tag division has never really achieved a consistent level of quality in the 30 plus years of Vince’s reign; the titles are sometimes traded with little thought or grandeur; teams can be formed and separated on a whim; and too many guys don’t wear the same colour pants. However, to write off all tag team wrestling on planet McMahon ignores the golden periods, most notably those of the late 80s and early noughties. So, grab that tag rope and reach out: here is the best and worst of WWF/E tag teaming…

Best Gimmick // Demolition

I know I’m going to cop some heat for this one but I don’t care. How can they be knock-off Road Warriors if they’re way cooler than Animal and Hawk anyway? WWF’s answer to the Legion of Doom were an iconic act that were the complete 80s cartoon wrestling package: sporting terrifying costumes and face paint and entering to a trademark theme song that is easily top 5 of all time (go on, sing it: pain and destruction…), they carried out double team manoeuvres with gusto, quickly proving too cool to be heels and slotting comfortably into the baby-face role against an array of challengers (check out the pop they garnered after three-peating as Tag Champs at WrestleMania 6: their popularity was comparable to the top single stars of their day). The act lost momentum when Crush made the duo a three-man squad but a belter of a 2 out of 3 falls match at SummerSlam 1990 was a fitting final title defence.

On a side-note, I met Demolition at London’s Wrestlecon in 2015. As I queued, I watched Messers Eadie and Darsow diligently signing action figures and memorabilia from die-hard collectors. When I pitched up to their table, 5 pints to the wind, grinning with a beer in hand, Eadie looked me over, turned to his partner and in his gravelly voice proclaimed “this guy’s got the right idea”. He promptly began to question me over which English beers he should be sampling in the hotel bar. Bursting with pride, I directed one of my favourites towards a selection of fine ales. Now whenever I hear that iconic tune, whenever I see the face paint and studded leather, I’ll always wonder: “Did he try the Waggledance?” 

Honourable mentions: The Dudley Boyz, The New Day

Worst gimmick // Jesse & Festus

Biscuits and gravy doesn’t have the same ring as pain and destruction does it? And the hillbilly attire isn’t as eye catching as black leather and hockey masks. As for Festus going postal when the bell rings…some might have found that a cute touch but I recall CM Punk saying Festus was pilled off his nut during this period and it took the best efforts of the Straight Edge Society to save him. So that means that the gimmick in question was that of a generic hillbilly and his drugged up monster mate who gets triggered by the ring bell and has no control over his actions. I bet they wished they could have just been pig farmers.

Honourable mentions: The New Rockers, The Godwinns.

Best break-up // The Rockers

Nothing else in tag team lore comes close to matching this angle, one of the Fed’s greatest ever. In early 1992, on the set of the Barbershop, Shawn Michaels followed weeks of dissension by attacking his partner, striking with a super kick before smashing the hapless Jannetty through a mirror. Adding insult to injury, Michaels spitefully tore up a poster of a team, like a distressed Take That fan on the day she found out Robbie quit the band. The attack, so vicious and violent for that era (the mirror bit, not the poster bit), firmly established the face and heel divide and generated such heat that the feud, which was  postponed for over a year while Marty navigated one of his regular spells in wrestling limbo, was re-ignited with ease on Jannetty’s return. They had a couple of classic matches in ’93 so while the pay-off may have been delayed, it was certainly delivered. So effective was the splintering of this team that it entered the lexicon of the business: when a team breaks up, fans now try to predict who will be the Shawn Michaels and who will be the Marty Jannetty of the team. As good as the team was together, it will always be remembered for splitting apart.

Honourable mention: The Mega Powers

Worst break-up // The Smoking Gunns

I’m not sure how many people reading this remember the Smoking Gunns or at least do so with any affection. They were always knocking about at the top of the tag division and for what it’s worth my non-fan Dad once caught one of their matches and deemed them “better than the usual lot” (regular readers will know that is praise indeed). However, their run came during the tag division’s lowest ebb: between 1995 and 1996, the whole division essentially consisted of cowboys, farmers and fitness gurus trying to hook up with Sunny. Given such context, when the time did come to split the Gunns up, the expectations weren’t exactly sky high and yet, due to their dominance of said division, one might expect some attempt to end the run in a meaningful way, setting them up for future success. Well, one would be wrong: despite exceedingly low expectations, fans still ended up coming away feeling disappointed. The kayfabe brothers supposedly sacrificed their blood bond in the wake of an upset Sunny abandoning the team and the upshot was a one on one match on Raw. The fairly mundane bout ended with an injury to Billy and both vanished from television, leaving the angle in limbo. When both returned, they went in entirely different directions (hello, Rockabilly) leaving this quasi-feud as the ultimate damp squib in tag-team bust-ups.

Honourable mention: The Prime Time Players (I can’t even remember why they split and in no way can I be arsed to google it).

Best match // Kurt Angle & Chris Benoit vs  Edge & Rey Mysterio (No Mercy 2002)

My first pick here was TLC at Wrestlemania 17 but whilst that match is great, with its spots and its run-ins and its carnage, it doesn’t exemplify classic tag team wrestling. However, this bout from October 2002, the finals of a tag team tournament was superb. The tournament, which featured such makeshift teams as Billy Kidman & John Cena and Mark Henry & Rikishi, was all about shoehorning solo stars into tag spots, but here it worked perfectly. From the fast paced energy of Rey and Edge to the clinical, crisp savagery of Benoit and Angle, these teams felt like they belonged and while this match didn’t have some of the classic duo spots, it served as a reminder that in the art of tag wrestling still had value in the modern age.

   

Honourable mentions: The Hart Foundation vs The Brainbusters (Summerslam 1989); The Hart Foundation vs Demolition (Summerslam 1990); TLC 1 and 2  (Summerslam 2000 and Wrestlemania 17).

Worst match // The Godwinns vs The Quebecers (No Way Out 1998)

This remains the most boring match I’ve ever seen. Say what you want about the pig farmers and the cowardly mounties, at least they weren’t dull. But by this point, the teams had decided to get serious, ditched their colourful togs and slowly, very slowly tussled for no good reason at all. I stayed up to watch this show live on Sky Sports: getting through this match in the early hours of the morning remains one of my greatest every challenges. You might be able to find a sloppier match than this but I doubt you’ll find one with less reason for existing. 

Honourable mention: The Bushwhackers vs Well Dunn (Monday Night Raw, 19^th December 1994)

Best Tag Team // Edge & Christian

My inner child loves Demolition and the patriot in is screaming British Bulldogs but the GOATs of this division are Edge and Christian. As two of the trio known as the Brood they were kind of cool but once they cut loose from Gangrel, they hit another level. Their matches against the Hardy Boyz are the stuff of legend but had they merely contented themselves with spectacular bumps off of ladders, their act wouldn’t have eventually stagnated (see RVD whose spectacular offence was never complimented by engrossing character work). Instead, they strived for more and after lifting the titles at Mania 16, they confronted the reality that their opponents were getting the bigger pops: out went the bland baby-face routine, in came the smug, smarmy comedy heel act. From the 5 second poses to their inside references on guest commentary, they became that rarity in wrestling: a comedy act that was a) actually funny and b) able to turn on the heat when necessary (see their promo at Fully Loaded 2000 when they baited the Dallas crowd with some close to the bone remarks). The natural progression to the Mania 16 ladder war was the birth of TLC at Summerslam 2000; this itself was followed by the near perfect match at Wrestlemania 17 which cemented the legacy of E and C. Indeed, it was fitting that they won all three matches between this iconic trio: the Dudleyz and Hardyz were great but Edge and Christian were that bit better.

Honourable mentions: Demolition, The Hart Foundation, The Dudley Boyz, The Hardy Boyz

Worst Tag Team // Rhythm and Blues

The Honky Tonk Man was a great act: very 80s, very kitsch and great fun. From 1987 to 1989, this guy was golden: he could pop a crowd, draw a house and he deserved that long IC title reign. When his heat started to cool, I get why they thought let’s try and get more out of this guy: put him in a tag team and let’s see what we’ve got. With the right partner, it may have recaptured the magic. But why the hell did they think Greg Valentine was the guy? True, Valentine, a grizzled vet and respected worker, could dance to the tag team tune: he was a former champion, reigning with Brutus Beefcake. But theirs was a team presented as serious heels; even Brutus played it as a tough guy here for fear of undermining the reputation of Valentine. Now Valentine made Bruti look like Brock Lesnar: here he was forced to strut and sing in a ridiculous get-up before a bemused Honky and an uncomfortable audience, all the while getting laughed at by whomever was on commentary. 

Honourable mention: Men on a Mission

Written by Sean Taylor-Richardson // @GrownManCenaFan

The Best of Times…The Worst of Times // Royal Rumble

The brainchild of Pat Paterson and everyone’s favourite PPV: as the Rumble hits 30, I look at the best and worst of the show’s history.

Best Rumble Match // 1992

I lose points for originality here but 1992 is the default pick for the vast majority of wrestling fans for good reason: it featured arguably the last great performance of Ric Flair’s career (complete with classic post-match promo); allowed Bobby Heenan to channel his comedic talents to great effect; featured possibly the greatest cast of WWF characters ever assembled in one match; and was the best example of babyface icon Hulk Hogan getting away with being a bit of a dick (why you gotta play Sid like that, Hulkster?) This was probably the night the Royal Rumble truly established itself as appointment viewing on the WWF calendar: now more than just a novelty battle royal, this match, with its drama, unpredictability and moments of consequence and significance, overtook SummerSlam and Survivor Series to become the number 2 show for Vince and the boys.

Honourable Mention: 2007

Worst Rumble Match // 2000

WWF was red hot in 2000 so bringing its greatest gimmick to its home arena of MSG should have been a sure-fire hit, Whilst the undercard was superb, the Rumble match flattered to deceive. In fact, it remains the dullest Rumble match in history, its one fun spot an impromptu dance off between Rikishi and Too Cool for which the crowd came unglued (I remain steadfast that most wrestling fans secretly favour dancing over workrate). All this match is really known for is Road Dogg hanging onto the bottom rope for an eternity and Rocky and Big Show botching the finish. Avoid.

Honourable Mention: 1991

Best Title Match at a Rumble PPV // John Cena vs Umaga (WWE Championship, 2007)

I struggled with this category: I really enjoy the Triple H and Cactus Jack's street fight at 2000 and Kurt Angle vs. Chris Benoit at 2003 is a wrestling classic. But fans expected those matches to be great: this title bout from San Antonio, contested under Last Man Standing Rules, vastly exceeded expectations. Featuring an innovative spot in which Umaga charged across the announce desks, a mighty juice job from Cena and a frankly mental finish in which the champ used the ring ropes to render his foe unconscious, this match had a bit of everything. It also secured the late Umaga his spot in the huge Battle of the Billionaires match at ‘Mania 23. A true classic and one that doesn’t always get the props it deserves.

Honourable Mention: Kurt Angle vs Chris Benoit (2003)

Worst Title Match at a Rumble PPV // Kurt Angle vs Mark Henry (World Title, 2006)

To be honest, the worst title match in Rumble history is probably Triple H vs Scott Steiner from 2003  but as I literally wrote about that last month, I feel I should vary things up. And Angle and Henry sucked so it’s fair game here.  This match, positioned last on the card, therefore going on after the Rumble and a worthier Cena vs Edge encounter, secured said slot simply because the show closing visual was to be Undertaker interrupting the pedestrian action so that he could destroy the ring. That this odd angle led to a belter between Taker and Angle is some consolation but on that fateful night in 2006, this was not Rumble worthy.

Honourable Mention: Triple H vs Scott Steiner (2003)

Best Rumble PPV // 2002

This show featured one of the best Rumble matches ever: Tripe H was a popular winner; Steve Austin had a blast delivering Stone Cold’s greatest hits; Mr Perfect returned and Maven eliminating Undertaker feels even more shocking years later than it was then. The show also had a great undercard: Jericho and The Rock tore it up in the Undisputed Title match and Vince McMahon and Ric Flair had a surprisingly solid street fight. The opening tag is innocuous fun if you watch it now on the Network but I have a soft spot for it based on the DVD release: for some reason, Taz and Spike Dudley delivered commentary on their match and seized the opportunity to mock Stacey Keibler for blowing her slapping spot; as Taz noted, the slap she sent his way would only have connected if he’d been a couple of feet taller.

Honourable Mention: 2007

Worst Rumble PPV: 2006

I’ve already buried the title match but the rest of the show wasn’t up to much either… The undercard featured JBL vs The Boogey Man which was as bad as it sounds and the Rumble itself was uninspiring. Triple H and Rey Mysterio tried to repeat Shawn Michael’s and Davey Boy’s gimmick of surviving the field from the 1 and 2 spot. 11 years may have passed but it still felt too soon to repeat this scenario; about half way through the match it became too clear this was the direction they were going in and the contest suffered accordingly. The pop for Rey after his win probably wasn’t as passionate as expected; sadly, things would only get worse in this regard…

Honourable Mention: 1991

Article by Sean Taylor-Richardson

The Best of Times, The Worst of Times // Triple H

WWE likes to use the term polarising as a positive. For years, the announce team have used this term to describe John Cena’s mixed reactions as something to be celebrated; the same approach has since been adopted for Roman Reigns. But while both Cena and Reigns certainly draw juxtaposing responses from the live crowd, when it comes to truly polarising the fan base, Triple H really is the king of kings.

To some fans, Hunter is a legendary performer and the rightful heir apparent to the WWE. For the hardcore fans, NXT, his baby, is arguably the second most beloved brand in wrestling, lagging behind only NJPW, and his recent masterstroke, reviving the War Games and filling it with ROH alumni, is testament to his ability to marry wrestling traditions with modern independent stylings. However, to others, NXT’s success glosses over his reoccurring character flaws. To some, he will always be the ultimate politician, a performer who never really matched up to the true greats and an opportunist who married the boss’ daughter, in the process forcing his way into writing meetings so that he could bury his potential opponents (his recent defeat of Jinder Mahal in India raised more eyebrows than his post-match dancing). Whichever side of the fence you fall on, one thing is for sure: when the history books are written for the WWE, Triple H will justify more than a few chapters…

Best Match: vs Chris Jericho (Raw, 17^th April 2000)

This remains one of the best matches in the (near) 25 year history of Monday Night Raw and may be the most fun match of both men’s WWE runs. Triple H has had fiercer brawls and more epic struggles of endurance but this contest was an example of what an on-point WWF/E do better than anyone else: build in a supporting cast of characters (here it was Shane and Stephanie McMahon, the APA and Earl Hebner) to present a logical yet unpredictable story. As the action intensified and the red hot State College crowd began to believe in Y2J, a ref bump triggered scenes of madness: a false finish was followed up by Triple H and Hebner physically getting into it, the distraction allowing Jericho to score the pin. The count seemed a little fast but it had reason to be: an enraged Hebner had just cause to screw Hunter. When the McMahon-Helmsley regime reviewed the footage, they immediately demanded the result be overturned which led to another entertaining segment between Hunter and Hebner. This finish might have seemed a cop-out in different circumstances but here, it played into the story perfectly and set the wheels in motion for a summer long feud.

Honourable mentions: vs Cactus Jack (Royal Rumble, 2000); vs Chris Jericho (Fully Loaded 2000); vs Shawn Micheals (Summerslam 2002); vs The Undertaker (Wrestlemania 28)

Worst Match: vs Scott Steiner (Royal Rumble 2003)

Nearly fifteen years later, this remains a huge disappointment and it was the lowest ebb in what was, arguably, Hunter’s most dissatisfying year in the business. Having been one of the most believable and engaging acts in the dying days of WCW, the signing of Scott Steiner seemed like a real coup for the WWE.  Big Poppa Pump was over like Rover, still looked like a million bucks and seemed tailor made to tangle with Triple H: his reputation would surely guarantee hard-hitting, competitive matches, right? Nope: these two didn’t click on any level. Steiner blew up early and while Triple H fared better with regard to stamina, he still wasn’t able to mask his opponent’s shortcomings. Their exchanges were ugly, the match was sloppy and the non-finish was insulting. The rematch a month later was another pointless exercise; this time, Hunter derailed the Big Booty Daddy’s hype train by pinning him in the middle of the ring. Three months after rocking Madison Square Garden on his debut, Steiner was finished while Triple H’s reputation for burials gathered pace.

Honourable mentions: vs  Henry Godwin (In Your House 5); vs Randy Orton (WrestleMania 25)

Best Feud: vs Mick Foley (1997/ 2000)

Not once, but twice, did Mick Foley play a significant role in giving Hunter a leg up the card. Back in 1997, Mankind’s star was rising while Hunter Hearst Helmsley was firmly entrenched in the mid-card.  Indeed, when Hunter won the King of the Ring it was somewhat of an upset: true, he had been earmarked for the crown a year earlier but the build to this event had been all about Foley. However, the hard-hitting nature of this match meant that both men got over and subsequent brawls at Canadian Stampede, Summerslam and on Monday Night Raw saw Triple H face off against Mankind, Dude Love and Cactus Jack in consistently excellent outings. His reputation enhanced by the Foley programme, by the year’s end Hunter was ready to be elevated and paired with Shawn Michaels: D-X was born.

A few years later, Hunter was close to the Promised Land: having risen up the mid-card and having captured the WWF title (from, you guessed it, Mick Foley), he was so close to being the man. However, he needed a statement victory to obtain that alpha male status: at this point, his wins had been tainted; he needed to pin a star cleanly and convincingly. That star was Cactus Jack: first at the Royal Rumble and then inside Hell in a Cell, Foley bumped and bled for the cause, doing clean jobs that transformed Hunter from competent heel to bad ass main eventer. Triple H was a made-man and it was Foley, more than any other, who made him.

A footnote here: there are rumours that Hunter was always quick to badmouth Foley backstage, undermining his contributions to the industry. I was lucky enough to attend the Hall of Fame in MSG in 2013: the night when Foley was inducted. As the show came to an end and the cameras stopped rolling, I noticed Hunter make a point of reaching over to Foley to shake his hand. In the same building in which Cactus Jack and Triple H had waged war their mutual respect seemed genuine.

Honourable mentions: vs Kurt Angle (2000); vs Batista (2005); vs The Undertaker (2011-12)

Worst Feud: vs Booker T (2003/ 2007)

The programme with Booker epitomised the very worst of Hunter’s career: the predominance of bad taste segments (the racial overtones of "Somebody like you…doesn't get to be a world champion" went beyond wrestling heat); the insistence in proving WWE superiority over WCW (watch Triple H’s slow motion cover following his one pedigree: seemingly there was no directive for Booker to look strong here) and the lack of clear resolution (this was their only title match: the vanquished challenger never got his redemption). Their brief feud in 2007 wasn’t as offensive but was as damaging: after successfully portraying a King for a year, Booker T had secured a main event spot. But when the King of Kings returned at Summerslam, it was clear who the true King was. Again, a lack of competitiveness in the bout spoke volumes about. Booker didn’t hang around for the trilogy; he soon left for TNA.

Honourable mentions: vs Scott Steiner (2003);

Best Title Run: WWE Champion (January 2000- April 2000)

After defeating The Big Show on an episode of Monday Night Raw, Triple H kicked off a title run that saw him truly cement himself as the best wrestler in North America at the time. His aforementioned feud with Mick Foley was the pinnacle of his reign but he had many more great bouts: a generous performance in a Smackdown battle with Rikishi was a real coming out party for the former Fatu; a Raw title match with The Rock and The Big Show was electric; and while the main event of Wrestlemania 16 was a tad disappointing, his Backlash encounter with The Great One was superb. For four months, this game really was all about Triple H.

Honourable mentions: World Champion (September 2004- April 2005); WWE Champion (April- November 2008)

Worst Title Run: World Heavyweight Champion (December 2002-September 2003)

In these ten months, Triple H didn’t achieve half of what he had managed in four back in 2000. The reign started with an underwhelming win over Shawn Michaels at Armageddon: for a match with ladders and flaming barbed wire bats, it was rather average. His series’ with Steiner and Booker have been documented while a feud with Kevin Nash was ordinary. The Goldberg programme had promise but again never really sparked to life: at Summerslam, big Bill’s coronation was senselessly delayed until the next PPV, with a potentially memorable moment stolen from the masses. The subsequent match at Unforgiven was saddled with a stipulation that telegraphed the finish: should Goldberg lose, he would have to retire. At one point, Hunter even put a cash bounty on Goldberg’s head! Unquestionably, in booking and execution, this whole contest was very 1970s. Indeed, that was the crux of the problem for Hunter here: he had stopped being himself and had instead morphed into a Ric Flair/ Harley Race tribute act. Triple H rose to prominence in the Attitude era; lazily reviving NWA tropes in the noughties wasn’t going to cut it.

Honourable mention: WWE Champion (February- April 2009)

Best Angle: The Return at MSG (7^th January 2002: Monday Night Raw)

I was at university in January, 2002 and I remember this night vividly. Our regular Friday night routine was to hit the student union, represent on the dance floor until 2am and then head home, kebab in hand, for the late night/early morning repeat of Raw on Sky Sports. This night, we literally ran home, kebab still in hand, shouting excitedly at passers-by that tonight was the night Triple H was returning! Some people even returned our drunken proclamations with high fives: that’s how over Trips was then!

His return, after 7 months out nursing his blown quad, was truly a momentous moment. His pop, described by some as the loudest sustained cheer in MSG history, served as a reminder of how good he had been in the 18 months prior to his injury. This was Triple H at the height of his powers. And his cut-off denim jacket was as cool as shit.

Honourable mention: Batista turns on Triple H (Monday Night Raw: February 21^st 2005)

Worst Angle: The Katie Vick debacle (October 21st 2002: Monday Night Raw)

There have been enough words written over this angle to last a lifetime: a recent Something to Wrestle Podcast addressed this detestable train wreck and it was revealed, to Hunter’s credit, that he at least tried to convince Vince that this was a very bad idea. Of course, his words fell on deaf ears and an attempt to court controversy amongst the mainstream merely bemused his loyal audience. Its best summed up by an exchange that occurred on air between GM Eric Bischoff and Shawn Michaels in December of that year: when Michaels referenced Vick with disdain, Bischoff asked “Does that offend you as a Christian, Shawn?”

Michaels replied: “No Eric. It offends me as a wrestling fan”.

Honourable mention: Triple H breaks JR’s arm (Monday Night Raw:  4^th October 1999)

Article by Sean Taylor-Richardson (@GrownManCenaFan)