Greatest WM Match Ever Tourney: Final Four!
We have gone from 32 down to 4 in the greatest match tourney. For previous results sift through the archives if you so choose. All four number one seeds have made it to the final four, which isn’t that much of a surprise. Here’s how it turned out.
Berzerker Bracket: 1) Hart vs. Austin @ WM13 (70%) d. 3) Michaels vs. Hart @ WM12 (30%)
Al Wilson Bracket: 1) Angle vs. Michaels @ WM21 (58%) d. 3) TLC @ WM17 (42%)
Mideon Bracket: 1) Austin vs. Rock @ WM17 (83%) d. 6) Rock vs. Hogan @ WM18 (17%)
Kamala Bracket: 1) Undertaker vs. Michaels @ WM25 (78%) d. 2) Benoit vs. HHH vs. HBK @ WM20 (22%)
Now we run both polls. They will be open for 48 hours and the finals will start up on WrestleMania Sunday.
FINAL FOUR MATCHUP #1
BERZERKER BRACKET #1. Bret Hart vs. Steve Austin @ WM13
From my column about this match: I will never be tired of seeing this match nor will I ever be tired of talking about it. I will never forget Bret using the figure four around the ring post. I will never forget when Austin cracked Bret in the back with a chair. I will never forget the sight of Austin’s blood dripping into his mouth. I will never forget the pop Shamrock got for pulling Bret off Austin. I will never forget the standing ovation Austin received after delivering the performance of a lifetime. Everybody involved in the match deserves a standing ovation because what they gave us on March 23, 1997 was a terrific match that I will never forget.
This match had everything that is good about the wrestling business. Two great competitors, a terrific storyline, an extremely high workrate, plenty of crowd heat, one of the greatest blade jobs ever and the greatest double turn in the history of the business.
VERSUS
AL WILSON BRACKET #1) Kurt Angle vs. Shawn Michaels @ WM21
From my WM21 recap: This was amazing. This did live up to the hype. This did meet all expectations. This did deliver the goods the way we all hoped it would. My God. The amount of counter holds seen in this match was unreal. It was wrestling at its absolute best. Amazing stuff here. I can’t say it enough. You didn’t know when it was going to end. There was incredible spot after incredible spot here. Finishers kicked out of, drama at the end, and everything you want in a match. The match time was great, the pacing was really good because it built up to the end and the last ten minutes were as good a finish to a match that you can have. This was a dream match for me. My two favorite wrestlers at the time – along with Benoit – working in singles for the first time ever. And they delivered. It’s interesting to note that Angle’s health was a huge question at this point as well. He managed to make it through the match and they had other matches that were very good as well. This was their best, though. I’ll never get tired of watching it.
Here’s the poll…
FINAL FOUR MATCHUP #2
The winner of that matchup moves onto the finals to face the winner of this one…
NAKED MIDEON BRACKET #1) Steve Austin vs. The Rock for the WWF Title @ WM 17
The main event for the WWF Title for the PPV that many (including myself) feel is the best PPV in WWF history. The end result sees Austin capture the WWF Title after turning heel in a grueling, fast paced match that is the culmination of the very successful Attitude era.
VERSUS
#1) The Undertaker vs. Shawn Michaels @ WM25
The 2009 match of the year pretty much all over the place saw the two longest tenured performers in WWE face off at the 25th Mania. The result was a show stealing match thanks to some of the best nearfall sequences ever and that one awesome facial expression from the Undertaker where he was like, “WHAT THE FUCK?” A classic in every sense of the word. Couldn’t find the whole match, so we’ll go with the awesome video package about it.
Here’s the poll…
That’s it. The finals are up to you now. I think it’s very difficult with these four matches, so the voting should be interesting.
I was going to post the bracket, but the site where I got them from seems to be down at the moment. I’ll try tonight.
Thanks for reading, watching and voting!
Only 2 votes for Angle/Michaels over Hart/Austin… *dies a little inside* :-(
It’s going right to the wire for the 2nd vote though. My vote just tipped it in favour of Taker/HBK.
I gotta say I went with Hart/Austin mainly because this match helped make austin a babyface. Who would go on to be the arguably the WWE’s biggest star ever. While the Angle/Michaels, a great wrestling match no doubt about it, did not have the same impact on the WWE.
Like I said before the tourney started- all the Number 1 seeds are going to be in the final 4
I wonder if i am the only person who hopes that neither HBK match makes the Final. Don’t get me wrong i’m not a HBK hater I just think alot of people who post here are too infatuated with him and need to realise that the Bret/Austin match and the Austin/Rock match both told a much better story overall. Yes it amazing to see HBK kick outa tombstones but i think mr Canton already spends enough time worshipping at the altar of HBK, lets see if enough people want to see him fail or if it’s just me (if so blame it on the southern hemisphere, we aussies get enough crap for Nathan Jones as it is.)
Rant over.
That’s just your opinion.
Though I reckon it will be *just your* opinion.
Michaels in one of the best of all time.
Deal with it.
PS – thanks for Nathan Jones ;o)
Let the record show an HBK hater just made this all about HBK. ;)
If my two votes win, I think it would be pretty indicative of the era when the Canton-ites grew up. Seems like most of us grew up at the end of the Hogan era and the beginning of the Attitude era. In my book, the final showdown will feature the four BIGGEST names of the late 80s to early 00s: Austin, Hart, Michaels, and the Undertaker. And personally, that’s how it should be.
Hart/Austin vs HBK/Taker. That’s how it should be. Hart/Austin for cementing Austin as a major star and HBK/Taker just for being that fucking awesome.
Going with Hart/Austin because it told a better story and HBK/Undertaker because it was a much better match. Contradictory? So sue me. I picked my favorites. ;)
I voted Hart vs Austin and Rock vs Austin. As much as I enjoyed all four matches I think the story at WM13 and WM17 were better and the crowd at Houston were hot as hell. Taker Michaels was great but the pace of 17 was unrelenting and was the exclamation point to my favourite era of wrestling.
I went with Angle/Michaels, as good a story two men will ever tell in the ring. I mean the match went into 3 phases…First phase was a technical amateur style wrestling match that Michaels couldn’t hold his own, on then it went to a no holds barred style of fight with aerial attacks and Angle’s awesome Angle slam on against the ring post….then it hits another level of just letting it all hang out balls against the wall leaving it all in the ring leaving the crowd to ask who wants it more. Great match…
Still go with Rock and Austin as my all time favorite match. On the biggest stage they had the biggest match of the night and delivered. I can’t express how great that is. Besides Rock’s piss poor blade job at the beginning…you couldn’t ask anymore out of those two gentleman on that night. I love the Taker vs. Michaels match, but I think it gets put on a higher level for two reasons…. 1) Because of Michaels kicking out the tombstone, having the Taker WTF look. 2) Because there hasn’t been a match of that caliber in like 4 years at least. People have gotten so use to seeing average matches, when this came it was a shock. Fact is w/o this match WM 25 would have been in the top 5 of worse WM ever IMO. So seeing this match brought back a nostalgia wrestling fans haven’t had since the “Invasion” days….just my IMO. Austin Vs Rock is almost 10 years old…and you can still remember where you were the day that happened.
ANY WINNER THAT IS NOT BRET HART VS STEVE AUSTIN WOULD B UNCIVILIZED
hart/austin all the way; i love everything about that match, the double turn, the story they tell in the ring, just 2 of the all time greats going at it, like taker and hbk. i don’t like the start of hbk/angle with hbk doing sideheadlocks, but once they go to the outside its awesome. i don’t like the story that austin/rock tells, to me its the end of the attitude era, how can austin side with vince after 2 years of kicking his ass? it would of been better for business if rock walked out as champ with austin passing the torch to rock, but the ppv was in texas and rock was going to film a movie. funny that their match at Wm 19 is both of their last singles match
Ranking these 4 matches:
1. HBK/Angle
2. HBK/Taker
3. Hart/Austin
4. Rock/Austin
In Austin vs Hart, was it a bladejob at the end or did he get busted open the hard way? I’m so not used to seeing blood splattering everywhere!
Unbelievable, Austin/Rocks which is by far the greatest match in WM history ever, is behind???
@Anonymous
Bret bladed Austin.
Without question – these are the top four. An extremely difficult choice to say the least. Angle and HBK is one of those matches that hit the nail right on the head, in regards to what a truly classic Wrestlemania match should be, in my opinion. Michaels brought the in-ring artistry and his ability to adapt to so many styles. And what a style to mesh with – Angle’s technical prowess. Art VS Science. True – HBK does get lots of praise, particularly this time of year, but shouldn’t he? He’s a major reason why so many of us look forward to Wrestlemania so much. I was watching Wrestlemania 21 at a local bar, and this was the one everyone perked up for – even the staff stopped pretty frequently to watch. I really enjoyed both athletes’ contributions to their main-event matches the year before, and this was a fitting next step. Glad it happened when it did.
some sick choices here, tough round
Angle/Michaels and ‘Taker/Michaels.
Final 2: Taker vs Micheals WM25 vs Hart vs Austin WM13
@brian f
Rock faced Goldberg the very next PPV (Backlash) and that was his final singles match.
Rock vs Golberg? Yuck! Hey Goldberg thanks for your sloppy ass wrestling. You help take out Bret Hart. What in the world did anyone ever see in Goldberg?
Does anyone know what Taker’s plans are as far as a time table of when he’ll retire?
Taker is retiring 2 wks after Wrestlemania 26
HHH is retiring after Wrestlemania 66.. He’ll probably wrestle til he’s 80
HHH will be a 56 time world champion
austin/hart is the easy winner in round 1.it served more of a purpose to wrestling than hbk/angle.wrestling is about making new stars and austin/hart made a new star.the star that redefined wrestling
the second one is reaally tough.both are very similar matches in terms of build up ya know.two of the company’s biggest babyfaces of their era going all out on each other.austin/rock had a hotter crowd and it was done to start a storyline(ie austin goes heel).hbk/taker is more of just a match to show off how great hbk and taker both are.
however to the suprise of many i go with hbk/taker.becoz austin heel turn was not successful(i still blame cocky rocky aka the rock for it as he left at a time when he would have been very useful)and becoz hbk/taker had a clean finish
i cant wait til this tourney is over
@Dave
not a hater, just think the 2 matches of his in the final 4 aren’t the best. I’d actually prefer is HBK vs Jericho had made it this far.
Rock was still around for a good couple a years after WM X-7
he came back but he left for around 6 months.he could have cemented austin as a top heel
not only is austin/hart a more influential match than angle/hbk, austin closelines hart off the railing right into the laps of 2 HOFers in tony atlas and captain lou!
Thankfully this is just a best of WM contest. A best of wrestling contest that does not include the Mulkeys, Jake “The Milkman” Milliman, or Super Porky doesn’t seem kosher.
I am glad that Hornys home is on display at WM. Santino really needs his own midget.
Its so telling that our voting came down to Stone Cold Steve Austin, Brett Hart, HBK, Kurt Angle, The Rock and The Undertaker.
This just shows who the real stars of the last 20 years have been, and proves that guys like Cena and Orton are just not at their level. For example we have a match from LAST YEAR that features two guys that have been wrestling for nearly 25 years each.
Austin/Hart and Taker/Michaels.
Predicted this to be the final anyway. Michaels/Taker probably slightly edging it.
greatest Wrestlemania match ever = WM 1… André the Giant vs Big John Studd (with Bobby Heenan)
@faceinyourcrowd
Face: You may be correct, but I would wager partially correct. It has a lot to do with age. The voters here are the same age and grew up with the same stars and Vince McMahon’s vision of sports entertainment.
If you talked to people who were 10 or more years older, like me, you would have a very different view of wrestling.
The same is true talking about today’s kiddies who like John Cena ect…
Question….
Would a giant person that was pretending he was dead and had a limited move set get over if he started wrestling today? Of course not. He would disappear faster than you can say ECW Zombie.
People would laugh at him like they do at Dr. Isaac Yankem and Glacier. But the generation that drank Vince’s Kool Aid at that time think he is the coolest thing ever
Can finally vote, and its quiet important now.
I chose HBK vs. Angle because its one of my favourite matches ever. watched it the other day and it was phenomenal. Still made me get goosebumps. Also voted for Austin vs. Rock because this was the key match of the attitude era and this was a key match at mania for me as a viewer. Great build, Great fued, Great story, Great match.
disappointed in these results…would think these would be a bit closer…
@jay
Totally fair and reasonable point.
I think HBK/Taker is winning over Austin/Rock because its much fresher in peoples minds.
There’s been so much hype about that being match of the year and the rematch that I think people are looking at it with slightly rose tinted glasses. Don’t get me wrong, its one of the best matches of recent times, but I dont think memories of it will last as long as its opponent, especially if tonights reach doesnt live up to expectations.
Austin/Rock was a match that really summed up the awesomeness of that era of Wrestling, and for me Its a real shame If it doesn’t make the final here.