Found an old notebook over the weekend chock full of lists. I rated Quarterbacks with my own idiosyncratic method, offensive baseball players with an equally bizarre formula, and most importantly. a bunch of wrestling-related countdowns I made for other forums in what looks to be around 2008. So I'm guessing the wrestling lists were for either for OWW or 411Mania. Among them were my Top 25 Raw and Top 25 Smackdown Matches plus a ton of unranked Honorable Mentions. I'll probably post the two lists later this week. Maybe I will also watch and review all those matches starting with...

Rey Mysterio vs. Chris Benoit vs. Kurt Angle- Smackdown 9/26/02

This is during the Glory Days of the Smackdown Six when SD was churning out a "**** match" or two just about every week. I remember liking this match a lot, but can recall no particular details.

Just realized this took place on the same show as the best, and most famous, Edge/Eddie encounter. Meaning this Smackdown was a PPV quality show. 

Yeah, I can totally see why I rated this one of the Top 25 Smackdown matches of all time. They wrestled at a breakneck pace with everything you want in your wrestling- cool moves, crazy bumps, counters on top of counters, nearfalls, hard hitting, even some grappling, and a hometown hero in Rey since this match took place in San Diego. They basically crammed 30 minutes of action into an 8 minute match, but in a good way. 

Nov 11, 2020 4:39:26 GMT Baker said:

Found an old notebook over the weekend chock full of lists. I rated Quarterbacks with my own idiosyncratic method, offensive baseball players with an equally bizarre formula, and most importantly. a bunch of wrestling-related countdowns I made for other forums in what looks to be around 2008. So I'm guessing the wrestling lists were for either for OWW or 411Mania. Among them were my Top 25 Raw and Top 25 Smackdown Matches plus a ton of unranked Honorable Mentions. I'll probably post the two lists later this week. Maybe I will also watch and review all those matches starting with...

Rey Mysterio vs. Chris Benoit vs. Kurt Angle- Smackdown 9/26/02

This is during the Glory Days of the Smackdown Six when SD was churning out a "**** match" or two just about every week. I remember liking this match a lot, but can recall no particular details.

Just realized this took place on the same show as the best, and most famous, Edge/Eddie encounter. Meaning this Smackdown was a PPV quality show. 

Yeah, I can totally see why I rated this one of the Top 25 Smackdown matches of all time. They wrestled at a breakneck pace with everything you want in your wrestling- cool moves, crazy bumps, counters on top of counters, nearfalls, hard hitting, even some grappling, and a hometown hero in Rey since this match took place in San Diego. They basically crammed 30 minutes of action into an 8 minute match, but in a good way.

Perhaps you've stumbled onto the when, why, where of how I was conditioned to generally dislike matches that would go 20+ minutes. All that extra time feels especially gratuitous when the SD!6 routinely made magic in less time.

Baker-man got me curious now...

Starting post-Vengeance 2002 when the pieces of the SD!6 all technically ended up on SmackDown! whether via debuts (Rey) or transfers from RAW (Eddie & Benoit):

23.07.2002
WWE SmackDown #154
Conseco Fieldhouse
Indianapolis, Indiana

1.) Rey Mysterio defeats Chavo Guerrero (5:52)
2.) Steel Cage: Edge defeats Chris Jericho (13:14)

Think this is Rey's showcase debut. Probably closer to a *** than a ****, but whatever... Would probably still take it over anything on WWE, NXT, AEW, etc. today. I'm giving the cage match main event a pass too since it featured Edge and I think an interfering Rey doing his dive off the top onto the interfering Un-Americans.

///

30.07.2002
WWE SmackDown #155
Charlotte Coliseum
Charlotte, North Carolina

3.) Rey Mysterio defeats Tajiri (7:15)
4.) Chris Benoit & Eddie Guerrero defeat Edge & The Rock (12:59)

Disqualify these if you must for inclusion of Tajiri and Rock, but a couple more ***+ matches heavily featuring SD!6ers clocking in under the 15-minute mark.

///

06.08.2002
WWE SmackDown #156
Richmond Coliseum
Richmond, Virginia

5.) Edge, John Cena & Rey Mysterio defeat Chris Benoit, Eddie Guerrero & Kurt Angle (10:03)
6.) WWE Undisputed World Heavyweight Title #1 Contendership: Brock Lesnar (w/ Paul Heyman) defeats Hulk Hogan (10:03)

Five sixths of the SD!6 featured in another ***+ match, elevating young Cena. Inclusing non-SD!6ers Brock & Hogan as further proof epic matches don't need 20+ minutes.

///

13.08.2002
WWE SmackDown #157
KeyArena
Seattle, Washington

7.) Edge & Rey Mysterio defeat Chavo Guerrero & Eddie Guerrero by DQ (6:06)
8.) The Rock defeats Chris Benoit (11:28)

The prequel to the SD!6's epic tag feuds, and a final Benoit/Rock bout when Rock's TV matches feel particularly important.

///

20.08.2002
WWE SmackDown #158
Crown Coliseum
Fayetteville, North Carolina

9.) Edge & The Rock defeat Chris Benoit & Eddie Guerrero (11:46)

Almost everyone always seems to want to forget Chavo was the sixth and assign his credit to someone else (most usually Brock)... So fuck it, let's assign it to Rock pre-SummerSlam. I recall digging this random tag as much as the low key awesome Rock/Eddie title match on RAW a few months prior.

///

25.08.2002
WWE SummerSlam 2002
Nassau Coliseum
Uniondale, New York

10.) Kurt Angle defeats Rey Mysterio (9:25)
11.) Edge defeats Eddie Guerrero (11:44)
12.) WWE Undisputed World Heavyweight Title: Brock Lesnar (w/Paul Heyman) defeats The Rock (c) (15:58)

GOAT PPV opener ever, Edge/Eddie plant the seed for something greater to grow, and Chavo credit-stealers Rock/Brock all prove 20+ is totally unnecessary to have ****+ matches (or ***+ in the case of Edge/Eddie). I exclude Benoit here because I recall really not being a fan of Benoit/RVD in real time. Maybe that was because I'd set the bar of expectation way too high though going in.

///

To be continued later!

Nov 11, 2020 9:12:57 GMT 🤯 said:

Baker-man got me curious now...

Starting post-Vengeance 2002 when the pieces of the SD!6 all technically ended up on SmackDown! whether via debuts (Rey) or transfers from RAW (Eddie & Benoit):

23.07.2002
WWE SmackDown #154
Conseco Fieldhouse
Indianapolis, Indiana

1.) Rey Mysterio defeats Chavo Guerrero (5:52)
2.) Steel Cage: Edge defeats Chris Jericho (13:14)

Think this is Rey's showcase debut. Probably closer to a *** than a ****, but whatever... Would probably still take it over anything on WWE, NXT, AEW, etc. today. I'm giving the cage match main event a pass too since it featured Edge and I think an interfering Rey doing his dive off the top onto the interfering Un-Americans.

///

30.07.2002
WWE SmackDown #155
Charlotte Coliseum
Charlotte, North Carolina

3.) Rey Mysterio defeats Tajiri (7:15)
4.) Chris Benoit & Eddie Guerrero defeat Edge & The Rock (12:59)

Disqualify these if you must for inclusion of Tajiri and Rock, but a couple more ***+ matches heavily featuring SD!6ers clocking in under the 15-minute mark.

///

06.08.2002
WWE SmackDown #156
Richmond Coliseum
Richmond, Virginia

5.) Edge, John Cena & Rey Mysterio defeat Chris Benoit, Eddie Guerrero & Kurt Angle (10:03)
6.) WWE Undisputed World Heavyweight Title #1 Contendership: Brock Lesnar (w/ Paul Heyman) defeats Hulk Hogan (10:03)

Five sixths of the SD!6 featured in another ***+ match, elevating young Cena. Inclusing non-SD!6ers Brock & Hogan as further proof epic matches don't need 20+ minutes.

///

13.08.2002
WWE SmackDown #157
KeyArena
Seattle, Washington

7.) Edge & Rey Mysterio defeat Chavo Guerrero & Eddie Guerrero by DQ (6:06)
8.) The Rock defeats Chris Benoit (11:28)

The prequel to the SD!6's epic tag feuds, and a final Benoit/Rock bout when Rock's TV matches feel particularly important.

///

20.08.2002
WWE SmackDown #158
Crown Coliseum
Fayetteville, North Carolina

9.) Edge & The Rock defeat Chris Benoit & Eddie Guerrero (11:46)

Almost everyone always seems to want to forget Chavo was the sixth and assign his credit to someone else (most usually Brock)... So fuck it, let's assign it to Rock pre-SummerSlam. I recall digging this random tag as much as the low key awesome Rock/Eddie title match on RAW a few months prior.

///

25.08.2002
WWE SummerSlam 2002
Nassau Coliseum
Uniondale, New York

10.) Kurt Angle defeats Rey Mysterio (9:25)
11.) Edge defeats Eddie Guerrero (11:44)
12.) WWE Undisputed World Heavyweight Title: Brock Lesnar (w/Paul Heyman) defeats The Rock (c) (15:58)

GOAT PPV opener ever, Edge/Eddie plant the seed for something greater to grow, and Chavo credit-stealers Rock/Brock all prove 20+ is totally unnecessary to have ****+ matches (or ***+ in the case of Edge/Eddie). I exclude Benoit here because I recall really not being a fan of Benoit/RVD in real time. Maybe that was because I'd set the bar of expectation way too high though going in.

///

To be continued later!

Never mind, guess we're going through a quasi sleep regression... Because it's later now apparently!

...

27.08.2002
WWE SmackDown #159
Mohegan Sun Arena
Uncasville, Connecticut

13.) WWE Heavyweight Title #1 Contendership Series Match #1: Eddie Guerrero defeats Edge (7:53)
14.) WWE Heavyweight Title #1 Contendership Series Triple Threat Match #4: The Undertaker defeats Chris Benoit and Kurt Angle (8:50)

Edge & Eddie continue to build to their masterpiece, and Benoit replaces Rock to help give Taker and Kurt their second greatest triple threat match of the year in a surprise twist main event.

///

10.09.2002
WWE SmackDown #161
Target Center
Minneapolis, Minnesota

15.) Chavo Guerrero & Eddie Guerrero defeat Edge & John Cena (7:01)
16.) Kurt Angle defeats Rey Mysterio (8:25)

After a week without anything standout memorable featuring any of the SD!6, we're back this week. Edge downgrades tag partners from Rey a few weeks back while Rey rehashes the GOAT PPV opener with Kurt.

///

17.09.2002
WWE SmackDown #162
World Arena
Colorado Springs, Colorado

17.) Los Guerreros (Chavo Guerrero & Eddie Guerrero) defeat Edge & Rikishi (5:40)
18.) Billy & Chuck defeat Chris Benoit & Kurt Angle (6:55)

Edge arguably further downgrades tag partners in his continued feud with Los Guerreros, and Billy & Chuck have their last meaningful hurrah against thestrange bedfellows tag team pairing of Benoit & Angle. A preview of the next month's tag tournament that will go on to cement the SD!6's status as a thing.

///

22.09.2002
WWE Unforgiven 2002
Staples Center
Los Angeles, California

19.) Eddie Guerrero defeats Edge (11:48)
20.) Chris Benoit defeats Kurt Angle (13:58)

Some debatable **** goodness in under 15 minutes as Edge/Eddie improve on their SummerSlam outing, and Kurt/Benoit live up to at least their WrestleMania X-Seven outing. On the HeAT beforehand, Rey/Chavo have a ***+ clinic in under 10 minutes, which arguably should've made it onto the PPV proper.

///

Let's see if this Basterd will stay down now!

Nov 11, 2020 9:58:56 GMT 🤯 said:

Nov 11, 2020 9:12:57 GMT 🤯 said:

Baker-man got me curious now...

Starting post-Vengeance 2002 when the pieces of the SD!6 all technically ended up on SmackDown! whether via debuts (Rey) or transfers from RAW (Eddie & Benoit):

23.07.2002
WWE SmackDown #154
Conseco Fieldhouse
Indianapolis, Indiana

1.) Rey Mysterio defeats Chavo Guerrero (5:52)
2.) Steel Cage: Edge defeats Chris Jericho (13:14)

Think this is Rey's showcase debut. Probably closer to a *** than a ****, but whatever... Would probably still take it over anything on WWE, NXT, AEW, etc. today. I'm giving the cage match main event a pass too since it featured Edge and I think an interfering Rey doing his dive off the top onto the interfering Un-Americans.

///

30.07.2002
WWE SmackDown #155
Charlotte Coliseum
Charlotte, North Carolina

3.) Rey Mysterio defeats Tajiri (7:15)
4.) Chris Benoit & Eddie Guerrero defeat Edge & The Rock (12:59)

Disqualify these if you must for inclusion of Tajiri and Rock, but a couple more ***+ matches heavily featuring SD!6ers clocking in under the 15-minute mark.

///

06.08.2002
WWE SmackDown #156
Richmond Coliseum
Richmond, Virginia

5.) Edge, John Cena & Rey Mysterio defeat Chris Benoit, Eddie Guerrero & Kurt Angle (10:03)
6.) WWE Undisputed World Heavyweight Title #1 Contendership: Brock Lesnar (w/ Paul Heyman) defeats Hulk Hogan (10:03)

Five sixths of the SD!6 featured in another ***+ match, elevating young Cena. Inclusing non-SD!6ers Brock & Hogan as further proof epic matches don't need 20+ minutes.

///

13.08.2002
WWE SmackDown #157
KeyArena
Seattle, Washington

7.) Edge & Rey Mysterio defeat Chavo Guerrero & Eddie Guerrero by DQ (6:06)
8.) The Rock defeats Chris Benoit (11:28)

The prequel to the SD!6's epic tag feuds, and a final Benoit/Rock bout when Rock's TV matches feel particularly important.

///

20.08.2002
WWE SmackDown #158
Crown Coliseum
Fayetteville, North Carolina

9.) Edge & The Rock defeat Chris Benoit & Eddie Guerrero (11:46)

Almost everyone always seems to want to forget Chavo was the sixth and assign his credit to someone else (most usually Brock)... So fuck it, let's assign it to Rock pre-SummerSlam. I recall digging this random tag as much as the low key awesome Rock/Eddie title match on RAW a few months prior.

///

25.08.2002
WWE SummerSlam 2002
Nassau Coliseum
Uniondale, New York

10.) Kurt Angle defeats Rey Mysterio (9:25)
11.) Edge defeats Eddie Guerrero (11:44)
12.) WWE Undisputed World Heavyweight Title: Brock Lesnar (w/Paul Heyman) defeats The Rock (c) (15:58)

GOAT PPV opener ever, Edge/Eddie plant the seed for something greater to grow, and Chavo credit-stealers Rock/Brock all prove 20+ is totally unnecessary to have ****+ matches (or ***+ in the case of Edge/Eddie). I exclude Benoit here because I recall really not being a fan of Benoit/RVD in real time. Maybe that was because I'd set the bar of expectation way too high though going in.

///

To be continued later!

Never mind, guess we're going through a quasi sleep regression... Because it's later now apparently!

...

27.08.2002
WWE SmackDown #159
Mohegan Sun Arena
Uncasville, Connecticut

13.) WWE Heavyweight Title #1 Contendership Series Match #1: Eddie Guerrero defeats Edge (7:53)
14.) WWE Heavyweight Title #1 Contendership Series Triple Threat Match #4: The Undertaker defeats Chris Benoit and Kurt Angle (8:50)

Edge & Eddie continue to build to their masterpiece, and Benoit replaces Rock to help give Taker and Kurt their second greatest triple threat match of the year in a surprise twist main event.

///

10.09.2002
WWE SmackDown #161
Target Center
Minneapolis, Minnesota

15.) Chavo Guerrero & Eddie Guerrero defeat Edge & John Cena (7:01)
16.) Kurt Angle defeats Rey Mysterio (8:25)

After a week without anything standout memorable featuring any of the SD!6, we're back this week. Edge downgrades tag partners from Rey a few weeks back while Rey rehashes the GOAT PPV opener with Kurt.

///

17.09.2002
WWE SmackDown #162
World Arena
Colorado Springs, Colorado

17.) Los Guerreros (Chavo Guerrero & Eddie Guerrero) defeat Edge & Rikishi (5:40)
18.) Billy & Chuck defeat Chris Benoit & Kurt Angle (6:55)

Edge arguably further downgrades tag partners in his continued feud with Los Guerreros, and Billy & Chuck have their last meaningful hurrah against thestrange bedfellows tag team pairing of Benoit & Angle. A preview of the next month's tag tournament that will go on to cement the SD!6's status as a thing.

///

22.09.2002
WWE Unforgiven 2002
Staples Center
Los Angeles, California

19.) Eddie Guerrero defeats Edge (11:48)
20.) Chris Benoit defeats Kurt Angle (13:58)

Some debatable **** goodness in under 15 minutes as Edge/Eddie improve on their SummerSlam outing, and Kurt/Benoit live up to at least their WrestleMania X-Seven outing. On the HeAT beforehand, Rey/Chavo have a ***+ clinic in under 10 minutes, which arguably should've made it onto the PPV proper.

///

Let's see if this Basterd will stay down now!

Part III:

...

24.09.2002
WWE SmackDown #163
San Diego Sports Arena
San Diego, California

21.) No Disqualification: Edge defeats Eddie Guerrero (16:41)
22.) Triple Threat: Rey Mysterio defeats Chris Benoit and Kurt Angle (8:43)

The show/matches Baker-man mentioned that kicked this whole deep dive off. Quite possibly the greatest episode of SmackDown! ever? At the very least, it's very well positioned in the Top 10 SD! episodes of all time.

///

01.10.2002
WWE SmackDown #164
Cajundome
Lafayette, Louisiana

23.) Rey Mysterio defeats Chris Benoit (10:50)

On the same card, Kurt/Edge go 20+ minutes in a match that I'm willing to be me in real time thought was way too long and plagued by Edge's awkward soft offense. Despite all his amazing contributions, Edge was definitely in competition with Chavo for my least favorite or most meh of the SD!6.

///

15.10.2002
WWE SmackDown #166
Air Canada Centre
Toronto, Ontario

24.) WWE Tag Team Title Tournament Semi Final: Chris Benoit & Kurt Angle defeat Los Guerreros (Chavo Guerrero & Eddie Guerrero) (10:45)

Aside from Brock & Tajiri's epic outing, the tag title tournament hadn't produced anything really memorable until this match. Do we call this Act I of the SD!6 tag feuds?

///

22.10.2002
WWE SmackDown #167
The Pyramid
Memphis, Tennessee

25.) WWE Tag Team Title #1 Contendership: Edge & Rey Mysterio defeat Los Guerreros (Chavo Guerrero & Eddie Guerrero) (7:12)
26.) Chris Benoit defeats Kurt Angle (8:18)

Another PPV caliber SmackDown! with Edge & Rey bouncing back from their No Mercy tag title tournament final loss to Kurt & Benoit with a win over ol' rivals Los Guerreros. Meanwhile, the strange bedfellow tag champs meet in the main event in an Unforgiven rematch.

///

29.10.2002
WWE SmackDown #168
Van Andel Arena
Grand Rapids, Michigan

27.) Edge defeats Chris Benoit (12:21)
28.) Eddie Guerrero defeats Kurt Angle (13:20)
29.) WWE Heavyweight Title: Brock Lesnar (w/Paul Heyman) (c) vs. Rey Mysterio - No Contest (4:00)

I'm going to start sounding like a broken record as we wade deeper into the thick of the SD!6 era and Paulie keeps giving away PPV quality "good shit" on free TV. Edge and Eddie swap dance partners from earlier in the summer/fall to advance the overarching SD!6 tag feuds. Rey tries to defend Chavo's honor as the TRUE sixth against FAKE sixth Brock, and Brock makes a moment out of a match by murdering Rey. On this week's Velocity, Chavo proves he shouldn't be slept on as he takes my favorite pre-ROH Indy star Tyson Dux through a clinic.

///

12.11.2002
WWE SmackDown #170
Nationwide Arena
Columbus, Ohio

30.) Edge defeats Chavo Guerrero (6:04)
31.) Eddie Guerrero defeats Rey Mysterio (16:11)
32.) Chris Benoit vs. Kurt Angle - No Contest (6:30)

All six in singles action against each other. Kurt vs. Benoit in yet another match against each other, but then again... Consider the complaint. Eddie/Rey remind us what they can do together between 1997 and 2005, and Chavo finally gets a singles match on SmackDown! to help handhold Edge through some respectable action without the assistance of a ladder.

///

17.11.2002
WWE Survivor Series 2002
Madison Square Garden
New York City, New York

33.) WWE Tag Team Title Three Way Elimination: Los Guerreros (Chavo Guerrero & Eddie Guerrero) defeat Chris Benoit & Kurt Angle and Edge & Rey Mysterio (c) (19:26)

In just a half minute under the 20-minute bar, the SD!6 write the masterpiece that will define their "era".

///

19.11.2002
WWE SmackDown #171
Hartford Civic Center
Hartford, Connecticut

34.) Chris Benoit defeats Chavo Guerrero (4:47)
35.) Kurt Angle defeats Eddie Guerrero (9:41)
36.) WWE Heavyweight Title: The Big Show (w/Paul Heyman) (c) defeats Edge by DQ (6:55)

Heyman doesn't take his foot off the pedal. Benoit gives Chavo Chavo's second singles match on SmackDown!, and I vaguely recall Chavo busting out a brainbuster in this one that didn't look nearly as impressive as the No Mercy 64 animation for the same move. Meanwhile, Kurt & Eddie start warming up for WMXX and Edge puts up an admittedly compelling performance against Big Show.

///

26.11.2002
WWE SmackDown #172
Carolina Center
Columbia, South Carolina

37.) WWE Tag Team Title: Los Guerreros (Chavo Guerrero & Eddie Guerrero) (c) defeat Chris Benoit & Kurt Angle (17:30)

Square in the middle of Act II (?) Los Guerreros finally get their day as the only real and proper tag team in the SD!6, getting their turn as the tag champs. Would this have been a Thanksgiving episode? Vaguely recall loving this title defense and thinking it was epic in real time. Perhaps because its duration was pushing dangerously close to the 20-minute mark?

///

15.12.2002
WWE Armageddon 2002
Office Depot Center
Sunrise, Florida

38.) Chris Benoit defeats Eddie Guerrero (16:46)

We skip over the free TV Fatal 4-Way that deserves the love it gets because it was 23+ minutes. Our next noteworthy SD!6 sub-20 match is this one. Perhaps suffering from the same high bar of expectations problem that Benoit/RVD did at SummerSlam, Benoit/Eddie isn't remotely close to being as good as it should've been. I mean, it's not bad by any stretch... Just not the ****+ beaut we were all expecting in real time. They'll somewhat redeem themselves the following year with the reinstated United States title on the line.

///

17.12.2002
WWE SmackDown #175
St. Petes Times Forum
Tampa, Florida

39.) WWE Heavyweight Title: Chris Benoit defeats Kurt Angle (w/Paul Heyman) (c) by DQ (9:43)

I don't think I realized before looking back how often Heyman threw Benoit/Angle at us. Guessing this DQ win is what sets Benoit up for his RR2003 title shot. Anyway... I'm now worrying all the Benoit/Angle TV matches have blurred together in my head, but regardless I'm certain you won't find a single one under ***+ stars and not worth your 10 minutes.

...

And that's pretty much all she wrote for 2002 and the SD!6 writing their mission statement about how you don't really need more than 20 minutes to put on an incredible match. In fact, their small handful of matches that did go over 20 minutes could've probably been tightened up to come in just at or under that mark. And at least those matches had multiple falls to help break things up.

Nov 11, 2020 4:39:26 GMT Baker said:

Found an old notebook over the weekend chock full of lists. I rated Quarterbacks with my own idiosyncratic method, offensive baseball players with an equally bizarre formula, and most importantly. a bunch of wrestling-related countdowns I made for other forums in what looks to be around 2008. So I'm guessing the wrestling lists were for either for OWW or 411Mania. Among them were my Top 25 Raw and Top 25 Smackdown Matches plus a ton of unranked Honorable Mentions. I'll probably post the two lists later this week. Maybe I will also watch and review all those matches starting with...

Rey Mysterio vs. Chris Benoit vs. Kurt Angle- Smackdown 9/26/02

This is during the Glory Days of the Smackdown Six when SD was churning out a "**** match" or two just about every week. I remember liking this match a lot, but can recall no particular details.

Just realized this took place on the same show as the best, and most famous, Edge/Eddie encounter. Meaning this Smackdown was a PPV quality show. 

Yeah, I can totally see why I rated this one of the Top 25 Smackdown matches of all time. They wrestled at a breakneck pace with everything you want in your wrestling- cool moves, crazy bumps, counters on top of counters, nearfalls, hard hitting, even some grappling, and a hometown hero in Rey since this match took place in San Diego. They basically crammed 30 minutes of action into an 8 minute match, but in a good way. 

Actually watched this recently myself on a random whim to watch the Rey DVD. A quality triple threat hot off the heels of Unforgiven 02 which had a Benoit/Angle match I had completely forgotten about. This felt more like a Benoit/Angle match, with Rey playing a very effective third wheel with some brilliant double team defence reversals. It really was a PPV quality match and a brilliant showcase of the SmackDown Six - one of the best periods of WWE television.

I remember Shin wasn't too into it because of the Brock-Taker, Billy and Chuck storyline and other nonsense but if you just clip those matches you've got some quality wrestling.

Nov 11, 2020 14:09:18 GMT Big Pete said:

Nov 11, 2020 4:39:26 GMT Baker said:

Found an old notebook over the weekend chock full of lists. I rated Quarterbacks with my own idiosyncratic method, offensive baseball players with an equally bizarre formula, and most importantly. a bunch of wrestling-related countdowns I made for other forums in what looks to be around 2008. So I'm guessing the wrestling lists were for either for OWW or 411Mania. Among them were my Top 25 Raw and Top 25 Smackdown Matches plus a ton of unranked Honorable Mentions. I'll probably post the two lists later this week. Maybe I will also watch and review all those matches starting with...

Rey Mysterio vs. Chris Benoit vs. Kurt Angle- Smackdown 9/26/02

This is during the Glory Days of the Smackdown Six when SD was churning out a "**** match" or two just about every week. I remember liking this match a lot, but can recall no particular details.

Just realized this took place on the same show as the best, and most famous, Edge/Eddie encounter. Meaning this Smackdown was a PPV quality show. 

Yeah, I can totally see why I rated this one of the Top 25 Smackdown matches of all time. They wrestled at a breakneck pace with everything you want in your wrestling- cool moves, crazy bumps, counters on top of counters, nearfalls, hard hitting, even some grappling, and a hometown hero in Rey since this match took place in San Diego. They basically crammed 30 minutes of action into an 8 minute match, but in a good way. 

Actually watched this recently myself on a random whim to watch the Rey DVD. A quality triple threat hot off the heels of Unforgiven 02 which had a Benoit/Angle match I had completely forgotten about. This felt more like a Benoit/Angle match, with Rey playing a very effective third wheel with some brilliant double team defence reversals. It really was a PPV quality match and a brilliant showcase of the SmackDown Six - one of the best periods of WWE television.

I remember Shin wasn't too into it because of the Brock-Taker, Billy and Chuck storyline and other nonsense but if you just clip those matches you've got some quality wrestling.

Shin wouldn't have known good SmackDown! wrestling from this era even if it had been nibbling at the hint of his pubes.

Not even the SD!6 were greater than whatever Brock was doing week in and week out.

And now you've got me wishing we'd seen a brief program pitting Billy & Chuck against strange bedfellows Brock & Taker. Maybe blow off is a Biker Chain Match Gay Bar Brawl!?

Only if you toss Sara into the mix and that bag of popcorn as well. I remember that was his Jerry Seinfeld moment. You know that I'm Out Of Here GIF? Yerrrr

I also remember Industry used to shit on this era for giving away PPV quality matches but I say if you got it flaunt in. How many PPV matches do you expect to get out of that? 8-10? Who is to say they'll be as over? As fit? And everything else? Companies need to strike while the iron is hot instead of dragging everything out and making the matches boring as a result.

The only time it was a problem was when Brock Lesnar decided he was a member and started having MotYC with Benoit and Mysterio only to face off against Holly at the PPV. Then Raw did the same thing when they had an awesome HBK/HHH matches and all the subsequent rematches (that didn't include Benoit) kind of sucked.

Would anybody be up for a Top Smackdown Matches countdown? Or we could do Raw if PW prefers the red brand?

Nov 12, 2020 1:14:47 GMT Baker said:

Would anybody be up for a Top Smackdown Matches countdown? Or we could do Raw if PW prefers the red brand?

Both? See which brand emerges as PW's preeminent brand?

Shin is wrong on this one. Billy & Chuck (and later Matt Hardy Version 1) added flavor to peak Smackdown. I don't recall Brock/Taker being a bad feud either. If nothing else, they had Hell In A Cell. Their first PPV match was decent too iirc. 

Great work chronicling peak Smackdown 🤯 . Well, aside from hand waving the best match of them all (December 4 way) because it was "too long." I'll have you know an Angle vs. Edge vs. Benoit vs. Eddie match can never be "too long."

There was more 2002 on my Top 25 Smackdown matches list than anything else by far. 9 matches in total with the earliest airing in May. And it still feels like too few. The "problem" is when there is a good/great match every week, they all kind of blend together. Whereas a good match during a down period is likely to stand out a lot more in my memory. 

Big Pete Unforgiven 2002 was my favorite Benoit/Angle match up to that point (even above the Raw cage match!). Agree with you about Rey being the third wheel in what was basically another Benoit/Angle match. Watching it yesterday. I thought Rey played the odd role of "babyface pest." But you can never go wrong with Angle/Benoit, and I liked how Rey took a bunch of huge bumps to logically keep him out of the match. The one where Benoit just chucks him to the floor got a legit verbal reaction from me. 

I bumped the old Countdown thread to put forth the idea of a best Raw/Smackdown Matches Countdown. So I'm not going to divulge my lists just yet in case PW decides to play along. I did, however, watch another of my Top 25 Smackdown matches.... 

Rey Mysterio/Edge/John Cena vs. Chris Benoit/Eddie Guerrero/Kurt Angle- Smackdown 8/8/02

Pretty sure this was the first time the Internet Dream Team joined forces. Nearly everybody on the 'net considered Kurt/Eddie/Benoit the 3 best wrestlers in WWF at the time. It wasn't even really up for debate. The big debate came in rating them 1-2-3. It's wild how quickly Rey & Cena got over. Rey had only been with the company for two weeks, and Cena a month, yet I (and others) totally accepted them as credible opponents for Team Best In The World. Of course, Cena would soon fail, only to rise even higher in the future. Anyway....

8 minutes into this 10 minute bout I am wondering why I ever considered this a Top 25 SD match of all time. The bulk of those 8 minutes were Team Internet Darlings working over Cena. It was a perfectly fine beatdown because it's Angle, Benoit, and Eddie in 2002. But there are dozens of SD tags with perfectly cromulent face in peril segments. There was nothing to suggest this is a Top 25 SD match of all time....

Then Cena made the inevitable hot tag and they kicked into one of those red hot, balls to the wall multi-man finishing sequences WWE has been good at for a long time. Big moves were countered and hit by everyone. This also had one of the best 619ings I've seen, as Angle found a very clever, very "Kurt" way of taking the move, leading to Rey pinning Kurt for the win. 

Verdict- Not sure this would hold up as a Top 25 Smackdown match of all time, but it's still worth watching. 

Nov 12, 2020 1:36:11 GMT 🤯 said:

Nov 12, 2020 1:14:47 GMT Baker said:

Would anybody be up for a Top Smackdown Matches countdown? Or we could do Raw if PW prefers the red brand?

Both? See which brand emerges as PW's preeminent brand?

I'd prefer doing one at a time, but I'll leave it up to the good people of PW. 

Then my vote is for SmackDown!!

I'm on a SmackDown kick right now, so that's an easy choice.

Aw yeah bitches bring on the SD SIX and Brock/Angle IM talk.

First point of order.

Best SmackDown theme?

I feel like System's guy Marilyn Manson has the inside running. Beautiful People felt tailor made for Pro Wrestling with that explosive chorus and that sweet operatic bridge into it. The only knock is that the Beautiful People felt so over-played at that point, I don't necessarily associate it with SD.

The original is iconic but on it's own is just a bunch of gibberish set to loud music. It's a guilty pleasure but it's difficult to argue for other than it being the Neil Armstrong of the SmackDown themes.

I liked how down-beat the 2003-04 theme was. Just enough hype to qualify as a Pro Wrestling song, but didn't feel like an explosion of noise. It helps that the graphics supported it as well, with all the wrestlers looking pensieve in the locker room.

It took a few versions, but Rise Up by about 2007 was actually one of the few aspects I liked about the show.

After that there were a slew of themes I forgot until Green Day's Know Your Enemy which maybe the most generic Green Day song of all-time. I spose it's better than the 2008-2010 songs which weren't memorable at all.

Of all the extremely generic songs that have come around since, I hated the 2015 one the least with the 2016 song just beating 2014 as my least favourite. 2016 had this drone to it I found frustrating, like it was stuck in second gear trying to get into 5th.

So a slight lean to 2003-04 with Beautiful People just missing out.

The 2004 one always was a favorite of mine. The video used with it for the intro was like My Way, it just clicked both visually and audio.

Drawing a blank on most Smackdown themes. I watched more Smackdown than Raw in the 2000s, but usually recorded Smackdown, and likely fast forwarded through the intro 9 times out of 10. Only ones I remember are other Manson's Beautiful People, which has to be my de facto #1, and that awful one which was just like duh duh duh duhduhduh over and over again. Fwiw Raw themes largely sucked too. 

Looks like Top Smackdown Matches it is. I'll start a separate thread for it later tonight or tomorrow. Not expecting a big turnout, but we'll go through with it anyway.

What do you want do- Ballots of 10? 25? Somewhere in between? I vote for 25. 

I'm going to try rewatching my Top 25 from the last time I did this before I vote. One match is definitely getting booted. Maybe I'll check out a few other fondly remembered/hyped matches as well. And maybe, just maybe, I'll finally watch the Brock/Angle Ironman Match for the first time. I missed it in real time because our power was out due to a stupid hurricane and never bothered to watch the whole thing because, like, it's an hour. 

21 years of Smackdown. 21 matches just because it's an awful number to use.

Brock wrestled 78 matches on SmackDown!, so I say 78.

-_-

Billy & Chuck (c) vs. Hulk Hogan & Edge- Smackdown 7/4/02- Tag Title Match

In the immortal words of Arn Anderson, I don't want to toot my own horn, but toot toot. Gotta give myself the old Barry Horowitz pat on the back for having the testicular fortitude to include this on my Top 25 Smackdown match list from 2008. It also made my Top 10 Hogan match list when we did that countdown a while back.

This segment begins in fine fashion with Hogan entering a WWF ring to Real American for the first time since way back in 1993. Even my dumbass lifelong Hogan hating self popped for the return of Real American when I watched it back in the day. I just knew i was in for a treat. Hogan also enters waving the Stars and Stripes on this 4th of July Smackdown episode. Yuge pop for The Hulkster! "Hogan" chants would continue throughout the match.

Heels get heat on Edge after the opening babyface shine segment. Chuck hits his beautiful Chuck Deluxe suplex and his awesome punches. They do a great job of milking the hot tag. Best part of this was Edge fighting it off a Billy sunset flip attempt, inching closer and closer to the tag, only to be taken over mere centimeters away from The Hulkster. The hot tag finally does come a short time later and I'm expecting the usual Hogan finishing sequence. Swerve! Hogan does hit Billy with the punches and big boot. But the leg drop is intercepted by a Chuck superkick! Then we get a cool finishing stretch with some neat wrinkles and a few false finishes before Hogan & Edge join forces with a double big boot followed by back to back leg drops for the emphatic win. Hogan wins his first WWF Tag Title, and Edge his 8th. This would sadly be the last time Billy & Chuck held the tag titles.

Verdict- Hogan & Edge vs. Red Pants Party > Rey/Edge/Cena vs. Benoit/Eddie/Angle. No regrets! About rating this as a Top 25 SD match of all time. Not only will it likely remain on The List, it has already risen two spots from the last time I did this. 
================
Just realized how strong Edge's 2002 push was. He got to team with his childhood hero "The Immortal" Hulk Hogan, win feuds over Angle & Jericho, then wrestle some combination of Angle/Benoit/Guerrero nearly every week for months. It's a testament to the Edgester that grumpy internet fans never turned on him for being "overpushed."

I can't help wondering what mid 2000s WWE would have looked like if Edge wasn't out over a year with injury. I can't see him winning the title in 2003, but I bet he main events a PPV or two opposite Brock, and likely wins his first World Title a year or two before he did in reality. Fwiw I've always considered Edge's injury the end of the Smackdown's Golden Era.
================
Also just realized the July 4, 2002 Smackdown is another all time great SD episode. The tag match I just reviewed was neither the main event nor the best match on the show! Both of those honors go to Angle/Taker. This show also had The UnAmericans getting nuclear heel heat and Jericho vs. Cena in Cena's 2nd televised match. 

I watched a lot more Smackdown than Raw during the 2000s. Yet I rarely watched SD live. For years, including during the Smackdown Six Golden Age, I would record it, and watch it a day or two later. I watched the 7/4/02 episode on a Saturday and got so hyped that I made the last second decision to attend a Frederick, MD house show that very day. The house show kinda sucked, but the outdoor venue was a something different, and this was the first time I ever saw Ric Flair live. So yay for that. 
=================
*Also watched HBK/Leif from '96, which I rated as a Top 50 Raw match in 2008. I'll either cover that one tomorrow, or continue this Smackdown kick, likely with the aforementioned Angle/Taker match from 7/4/02.  

Nov 13, 2020 2:40:03 GMT 🤯 said:

Brock wrestled 78 matches on SmackDown!, so I say 78.

-_-

He was 25 when he won the belt and made it a SD exclusive title.

Nov 13, 2020 10:53:46 GMT @ness said:

Nov 13, 2020 2:40:03 GMT 🤯 said:

Brock wrestled 78 matches on SmackDown!, so I say 78.

-_-

He was 25 when he won the belt and made it a SD exclusive title.

So we're voting for 25 then?

FYI here were all the MotW from my 1999 project.

X-Pac/Kane vs. New Age Outlaws – 29/4/99 – 3/10
The Rock vs. Triple H – 26/8/99 – 3/10
Rock n Sock vs. Shane McMahon/Triple H – 2/9/99 – 2/10
Unholy Alliance vs. Rock n Sock Connection – 9/9/99 – 3/10
Shane McMahon vs. Joey Abs – 16/9/99 – 3/10
Vince McMahon vs. Triple H – 16/9/99 – 3/10
New Age Outlaws vs. Rock n Sock Connection 23/9/99 – 3/10
Edge & Christian vs. Hardy Boys – 30/9/99 – 3/10
Edge & Christian vs. Hardy Boys – 7/10/99 – 4/10
The Rock vs. Val Venis – 7/10/99 – 4/10
Rock n Sock Connection vs. New Age Outlaws – 14/10/99 – 3/10
Steve Austin vs. Val Venis – 21/10/99 – 4/10
Edge & Christian vs. Too Cool – 28/10/99 – 3/10
Hardy Boys vs. Too Cool – 4/11/99 – 3/10
HHH/X-Pac/New Age Outlaws vs. The Rock/Kane/Test/Shane McMahon – 11/11/99 – 3/10
Edge & Christian vs. Too Cool – 18/11/99 – 3/10
The Hardy Boys vs. New Age Outlaws - 25/11/99 – 4/10
HHH/X Pac vs. Shane McMahon/Test – 25/11/99 – 3/10 – Wicked post match segment
Big Show/Hardy Boys vs. X-Pac/New Age Outlaws – 2/12/99 – 4/10
Mankind vs. Al Snow – 9/12/99 – 3/10
Mankind vs. Al Snow – 16/12/99 – 3/10
Jeff Hardy vs. Matt Hardy – 16/12/99 – 4/10
Al Snow vs. The Rock – 23/12/99 – 3/10
Jeff Hardy/Christian vs. Kaientai – 23/12/99 – 3/10
Al Snow vs. Jeff Hardy – 30/12/99 – 4/10

No major endorsements there but that 7/10/99 match is the one that's endured these past 8 years since watching it.

Here's a couple more guides. The WWE.com came out around 2018, I was hoping they had a few more 2010s matches to track down but no luck. I like the look of the Wrestling Estate list, there's plenty on there I haven't seen or haven't seen in 15 odd years.

WWE.com Top 15 Best SmackDown Matches Of All-Time

1. Edge vs. Eddie Guerrero - 26/9/02 - No DQ

2. Brock Lesnar vs. Kurt Angle - 18/9/03 - Iron Man

3. The Shield vs. Randy Orton & Daniel Bryan & Kane - 14/7/13

4. The Bludgeon Brothers (Luke Harper & Erick Rowan) vs. Kofi Kingston & Xavier Woods - 21/8/18 - No DQ

5. Edge & Rey Mysterio vs. Eddie Guerrero & Chavo Guerrero - 24/10/02

6. John Bradshaw Layfield vs. Eddie Guerrero - 15/7/04 - Steel Cage

7. John Cena vs. Shinsuke Nakamura - 1/8/17

8. Rey Mysterio vs. Matt Hardy - 5/6/03

9. Eddie Guerrero vs. John Cena - 11/9/03 - Parking Lot Brawl

10. Carmela vs. Becky Lynch vs. Charlotte Flair vs. Natalya vs. Tamina - 27/6/17 - Money in the Bank

11. Kurt Angle vs. Booker T - 26/7/01

12. Triple H vs. The Rock - 26/8/99

13. Alexa Bliss vs. Becky Lynch - 17/1/17 - Steel Cage

14. Eddie Guerrero & Tajiri vs. Shelton Benjamin & Charlie Haas - 29/5/03

15. Jeff Hardy vs. Triple H - 12/4/01

The Wrestling Estate SmackDown Top 20

1. Edge and Rey Mysterio vs. Kurt Angle and Chris Benoit - 7/11/02
2. Chris Benoit & Chris Jericho vs. Edge & Christian vs. The Hardy Boyz vs. The Dudley Boyz - 24/5/01 - TLC
3. Shawn Michaels vs. Rey Mysterio - 29/1/10
4. Steve Austin vs. Chris Benoit - 31/5/01
5. The Undertaker vs. Kurt Angle - 3/3/06
6. Brock Lesnar vs. Kurt Angle - 18/9/03 - Iron Man
7. Edge vs. Eddie Guerrero - 26/9/02 - No DQ
8. Eddie Guerrero & Tajiri vs. Shelton Benjamin & Charlie Haas - 29/5/03
9. Rey Mysterio vs. Chris Benoit vs. Kurt Angle - 26/9/02
10. Rey Mysterio vs. Eddie Guerrero - 6/1/05
11. Edge vs. Kurt Angle - 3/10/02
12. Kurt Angle vs. Rey Mysterio - 23/1/03
13. Eddie Guerrero vs. John Cena - 11/9/03 - Parking Lot Brawl
14. Edge vs. Rey Mysterio - 5/6/09
15. John Bradshaw Layfield vs. Eddie Guerrero - 15/7/04 - Steel Cage
16. Rey Mysterio vs. Chris Jericho - 10/7/09
17. Christian vs. Randy Orton - 6/5/11
18. Rey Mysterio vs. Matt Hardy - 5/6/03
19. Charlie Haas and Shelton Benjamin vs. Chris Benoit & Edge - 30/1/03
20. Brock Lesnar vs. Hulk Hogan - 8/8/02

Nov 13, 2020 11:25:21 GMT Big Pete said:

FYI here were all the MotW from my 1999 project.

Steve Austin vs. Val Venis – 21/10/99 – 4/10

No major endorsements there but that 7/10/99 match is the one that's endured these past 8 years since watching it.

Austin vs. Val is the 1999 Smackdown match that endured for me. It was the lone 1999 SD match to make my list the last time I did this. I watched and reviewed it on the old PW. Sadly, it did not hold up, and won't be making my list this time around. Pretty sure it only stood out back in the day because it was long for a 1999 WWF tv match due to Val putting up more of a fight than I was expecting.

Nov 14, 2020 11:57:43 GMT Big Pete said:

Here's a couple more guides. The WWE.com came out around 2018, I was hoping they had a few more 2010s matches to track down but no luck. I like the look of the Wrestling Estate list, there's plenty on there I haven't seen or haven't seen in 15 odd years.

WWE.com Top 15 Best SmackDown Matches Of All-Time

1. Edge vs. Eddie Guerrero - 26/9/02 - No DQ

2. Brock Lesnar vs. Kurt Angle - 18/9/03 - Iron Man

3. The Shield vs. Randy Orton & Daniel Bryan & Kane - 14/7/13

4. The Bludgeon Brothers (Luke Harper & Erick Rowan) vs. Kofi Kingston & Xavier Woods - 21/8/18 - No DQ

5. Edge & Rey Mysterio vs. Eddie Guerrero & Chavo Guerrero - 24/10/02

6. John Bradshaw Layfield vs. Eddie Guerrero - 15/7/04 - Steel Cage

7. John Cena vs. Shinsuke Nakamura - 1/8/17

8. Rey Mysterio vs. Matt Hardy - 5/6/03

9. Eddie Guerrero vs. John Cena - 11/9/03 - Parking Lot Brawl

10. Carmela vs. Becky Lynch vs. Charlotte Flair vs. Natalya vs. Tamina - 27/6/17 - Money in the Bank

11. Kurt Angle vs. Booker T - 26/7/01

12. Triple H vs. The Rock - 26/8/99

13. Alexa Bliss vs. Becky Lynch - 17/1/17 - Steel Cage

14. Eddie Guerrero & Tajiri vs. Shelton Benjamin & Charlie Haas - 29/5/03

15. Jeff Hardy vs. Triple H - 12/4/01

The Wrestling Estate SmackDown Top 20

1. Edge and Rey Mysterio vs. Kurt Angle and Chris Benoit - 7/11/02
2. Chris Benoit & Chris Jericho vs. Edge & Christian vs. The Hardy Boyz vs. The Dudley Boyz - 24/5/01 - TLC
3. Shawn Michaels vs. Rey Mysterio - 29/1/10
4. Steve Austin vs. Chris Benoit - 31/5/01
5. The Undertaker vs. Kurt Angle - 3/3/06
6. Brock Lesnar vs. Kurt Angle - 18/9/03 - Iron Man
7. Edge vs. Eddie Guerrero - 26/9/02 - No DQ
8. Eddie Guerrero & Tajiri vs. Shelton Benjamin & Charlie Haas - 29/5/03
9. Rey Mysterio vs. Chris Benoit vs. Kurt Angle - 26/9/02
10. Rey Mysterio vs. Eddie Guerrero - 6/1/05
11. Edge vs. Kurt Angle - 3/10/02
12. Kurt Angle vs. Rey Mysterio - 23/1/03
13. Eddie Guerrero vs. John Cena - 11/9/03 - Parking Lot Brawl
14. Edge vs. Rey Mysterio - 5/6/09
15. John Bradshaw Layfield vs. Eddie Guerrero - 15/7/04 - Steel Cage
16. Rey Mysterio vs. Chris Jericho - 10/7/09
17. Christian vs. Randy Orton - 6/5/11
18. Rey Mysterio vs. Matt Hardy - 5/6/03
19. Charlie Haas and Shelton Benjamin vs. Chris Benoit & Edge - 30/1/03
20. Brock Lesnar vs. Hulk Hogan - 8/8/02

Yikes! Only 2 matches from the first list and 6 from the second overlap with my Top 25 from 2008. Second list picked the wrong Angle/Edge and Angle/Taker matches.

Here were my Smackdown Matches of the Year from when I did this in 2008....

1999: Steve Austin vs. Val Venis- 10/21/99
2000: Rikishi vs. Triple H- 1/6/00
2001: Steve Austin vs. Chris Benoit- 5/31/01
2002: Kurt Angle vs. Edge vs. Chris Benoit vs. Eddie Guerrero- 12/5/02
2003: Brock Lesnar vs. Chris Benoit- 12/3/03
2004: Undertaker vs. John Cena- 6/24/04
2005: Kurt Angle vs. Rey Mysterio- 2/10/05
2006: Chris Benoit vs. Randy Orton- 1/27/06
2007: Rey Mysterio vs. Chavo Guerrero- 9/7/07

And the year by year breakdown....

1999- 1
2000- 1
2001- 2
2002- 9
2003- 4
2004- 1
2005- 3
2006- 2
2007- 2

A guy on Youtube also came up with a Top 50 Smackdown match list. This one is broken up into highlight videos of 5. Here is their Top 5... 

We're doing this.

Send me a list of your favorite Smackdown matches. 25 if you can make it. If not, just send in what you can. 5, 10, 15, whatever. 

Tentative deadline is Saturday December 12th. 

Nov 13, 2020 4:44:34 GMT Baker said:

Also just realized the July 4, 2002 Smackdown is another all time great SD episode. The tag match I just reviewed was neither the main event nor the best match on the show! Both of those honors go to Angle/Taker. This show also had The UnAmericans getting nuclear heel heat and Jericho vs. Cena in Cena's 2nd televised match. 

For a minute there I thought the July 4th 2002 episode of Smackdown also had baby Batista's near decapitation of young Randall Orton. That would have put the 7/4/02 episode right up there with the sublime Halloween 2002 episode when it comes to GOAT Smackdowns. Alas, Batista's brutal clothesline came a week earlier on 6/27/02. Still worth sharing though...


====================
Continuing to go through my Top 25 Smackdown match list from 2008....

Undertaker vs. Great Khali- Smackdown 8/18/06- Last Man Standing Match

The way I remember it, this was miracle match with Taker delivering an all time great carry job on par with anything Flair, Michaels, or Bret ever did. Taker bumped and sold like a champ. This, coupled with the Last Man Standing layout, played to Khali's lone strength of looking big and intimidating. Let's see if it holds up....

It does! It basically went exactly how I remembered. Taker took a beating. Khali looked big and bad. Crowd was into it with "Undertaker" and "Khali Sucks" chants. Khali's manager Daivari (I had completely forgotten about the Khali/Daivari pairing) ran interference for his large charge. All 3 men were rammed into props on the stage before Taker gets thrown off said stage in a big bump. Khali even had one nice sell. Taker had put him in the Triangle Choke. Khali beat the 10 count but then fell back down again. I have no idea how "realistic" it is, but my all time favorite sleeper sell is Big Show selling the aftermath of a Taker sleeper like he was tired. So this Khali collapse worked for me. Taker also had a cool flurry of rapid fire punches. Taker eventually gets trapped in the ropes, Andre style. Khali hits him with a barrage of giant chops. But Taker again beats the 10 count. Then we get a decisive finish. Taker wallops Khali with two chair shots to the dome. Khali is busted open! Taker puts an exclamation point on the beatdown with a big chokeslam. Khali fails to answer the 10 count. Undertaker is your winner!

Verdict- This one held up. May or may not be a Top 25 Smackdown match of all time, but Taker carrying Khali to a memorable match stands out a lot more in my mind than, say, the 5th best Angle/Rey match. 
=====================
Triple H (c) vs. Rikishi- Smackdown 1/6/00- WWF Championship Match

HHH had just regained the WWF Championship from Big Show on Raw. He had to defend the title on this show against the winner of a lottery. The lottery was supposed to be rigged, but doofus Howard Finkel messed it up, and Rikishi's name was drawn. HHH sold the segment like a champ and made 'Kish look like a badass in this match, helping to get red hot newbie Rikishi even more over in the process. I remember hanging on the edge of my seat watching this in real time. This is where Rikishi went from a fun novelty act to a potential main event superstar. Let's see if it holds up....

Meh. Yes and no. It was sort of another Rey/Edge/Cena vs. Benoit/Eddie/Angle in that I spent most of the match thinking "How did this ever make my list??" But it does pick up towards the end with Rikishi hitting some big moves while HHH just barely hangs on in front of an increasingly hot crowd. A desperate HHH takes the coward's way out by hitting 'Kish with the title belt right in front of referee Tim White for the DQ. Rikishi makes his own save in the post match to a big pop. 

Verdict- Accomplished its job of getting Rikishi (even more) over, but will drop some spots. To be fair, I had it really high the last time I did this.

Backdoor Brocktober countdown here we come?

My pick of the 1999 SmackDown matches, it's the infamous third round match of the Terri Invitational Tournament match between The New Brood and Edge and Christian (or is that Christian and Edge? Chimel...).

The video includes the entire segment, so you get Edge and Christian coming out through the crowd. You also get the Matt and Jeff's spin on the Brood entrance which may have been cooler than the original where they all just giggled like schoolgirls coming out of the fire. Terri saunters out to the entrance ramp and makes it a tornado tag team tournament. It's a best of five series and currently Edge and Christian (the babyfaces) are 2-0 up.

Fast opening with Edge and Christian on top. They do a variation of the Hardy Boyz step stool spot where Christian hits a big time body splash into the corner. They follow up with a flapjack spot where they ram Matt into Jeff. They follow it up with what I'm dubbing the wheelbarrow splash or whatever their Blades of Glory style move is. You'll know it when you see it.

Christian throws Matt into the outside and they brawl towards the ramp. Christian tries to whip Matt back into the ring, Matt reverses and sends Christian into the apron, Matt charges in, Christian tries to back toss but Matt hits the ricochet DDT for what surely has to be the Gastrol GT Clip of the Week! The spot is slightly worse than I remember it with a brief pause before the DDT (I remember it being Halloween Havoc 1997 levels of smooth) but it's still neat.

Matt climbs the top turnbuckle and hits Edge with a flying forearm just as Edge was gearing up for a powerbomb on Jeff. They hit their own variation of the step stool spot and Matt follows up with his version of the Clothesline From Hell! It's more like a Clothesline From Home For Infinite Losers if you catch my drift and Edge non-surprisingly kicks out at 2. Nice double suplex from the Brood on Edge, but still only a 2.

The match is losing some steam here, Edge ducks a double clothesline before taking both guys out with his own. Everybody struggles to their feet, Edge whips Jeff into the ropes but Jeff slides underneath, runs along the barricade and whipes out Christian who was stirring on the outside. Matt and Jeff continue to dominate Edge in the middle before Matt goes up for a second rope leg drop. The crowd barely reacts and there's a few people in the front row who look bored.

The Hardyz whip Edge into the corner. Edge knocks Matt away with a big boot before charging Jeff with a clothesline and Jeff takes that big inside-out bump to wake the crowd up. Matt attacks Edge from behind but not before Christian finally rejoins the action. The Hardyz turn their attention to Christian, attempt a Double Back Body Drop, but Christian turns into into a Double Reverse DDT to another nice pop.

Later on Christian whips Jeff into the ropes, Jeff avoids the clothesline but runs straight into a spear by Edge. Another near-fall and the crowd is getting into it. Edge and Christian perch Matt onto the top rope. They hit a nice variation of the superplex where Edge puts Christian into an Electric Chair position for more height. As soon as they crash to the ground, Jeff hits a Swanton Bomb on Christian, throws Edge out of the ring and both Hardyz pin Christian.

TL;DR - Everytime these two teams were in jeopardy of losing the crowd, they'd come back with an impressive spot to reel them back in. I see it more as a honorable mention and it would probably struggle to make a Top 100 SmackDown matches, but it's just two very good tag teams getting themselves over before they were pushed to the moon.