Aug 6, 2023 17:59:39 GMT Neo Zeed said:

Also Dawn Marie>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Every single female in the WWF at this time. Another big draw for ECW for me, was my first true love. My favorite girlfriends I've ever had were the ones that reminded me of her. 

Beulah was ECW babe.

I was a Francine Man in real time, but Dawn Marie is my girl in retrospect. The brief Beaulah Grunge Goddess Era was probably the apex of ECW Ladies, but she got that Tommy Dreamer stink on her soon after. I mean, how can you be into a woman that takes the side of her summer camp bully who looks like an overstuffed sausage and has no charisma whatsoever?

Nancy's run with Sandman is probably the most impactful run and it fucking sucks that she's only remembered as a victim now because she was genuinely great at what she did. 

Maybe we should gives credit. You take a transitional period in time but it's part of something bigger and you have a starting point for just wrestling chatter.

Summerslam - ecw - on and on.

Now say... let's go with Summerslam 2008. Does it even elicit a response? What even HAPPENED? Better question... where is the CUT OFF for wrestling in 2023? Like where is the LINE to retro? Like I know it's just "oh no the dad station is what I listen to"... but where would you question it's placement in HOW?

Like Evolution is that old enough? Who knew Rando last one standing. Dude WAS the future. He had moments but like wasn't his career just a chinlock essentially? People be like "he wasn't motivated". Even if he was... you're not getting more than a good run out of him. The business went crazy over him and either legit criticism since they all thought he was perfect... or was that pre cornette wwe hate that sold the shoot series?

Seriously cuz like how far back do you go to consider it "HISTORY"? Is it just an eras thing? Like CenaBatistaBrock are they the cut off point? Anything older than their careers?

Like I didn't wanna rerail the possibilities but I think SS99 deserves SOME props it probably doesn't get. I can name 2 matches here bruv. Maybe 3 if the discussion suited it. Pick a random slam after this that IS NOT 02, can you name 2 matches? Hell I'll throw you a bone... can you name one that isn't the main event? Second bone, include main events. You can't. Even if it's just me boyos... The Summerslam 99 gets the acknowledgement.

Look what it FUELED. There's still talk to this day (though most in the know know now) about Austin and HHH with doing the liberties. People remember the Test match though I never seen it more than live myself. It MUSTA been good to be universally said. Like I'm sure there's some reviews rhat was like it sux but shanes match was kinda good. Not a lot of PPVs get that. Taboo Tuesday for a lot of PPVs. They happen and disappear. Sure big 4 + wwf title change = guaranteed to be in the books... but that means something this is on page 2.

Night of Champions 2002 thread would not get as many dimes is all I'm saying.

And I'm NOT just saying that cuz the peak of my boy Billy Gunn as a singles happened here either.

Dude I just remember this is around when I first dipped toes in the iwc. Legit learned about iwc from my 8 th grade friend on his internet. My friend was like HE HAS IT IN HIS CONTRACT that trips gets a run. I didn't like that cuz I didn't want him to beat Austin (still a geek then) so when he did win the belt I was like this internet be knowing.

Then I just remembered why it sticks to me over others maybe. This had to have some association with mtv then cuz I remember Chyna calling some dude "Austin's Dad" in this video and I have no idea why it stuck to me. I gotta find that video and see if she even said that. Big Chyna memory in the vault for some reason. They also said Rock talked too much.

Was Foley and Chef boy are dee in the same level as Slim Jim? Or is it like TNA "by default" 2nd place? Ravioli why do we do this to ourselves?

People (def not me!) often criticized fruity pebbles. Is it not just another version? Did any grown ass adult who was not eating chef b now eating it cuz of wrestling? Not all wrestling fans eat ravioli but ALL ravioli eaters (both current and past tense) are wrestling fans. Promise you that.

This thread is spawning a weird off the wall draft involving individual wrestlers. I think it's too complicated though.

I was under the impression that The Rock was a walking advertisement for Fruity Pebbles. Implicitly or otherwise.

Aug 6, 2023 22:49:10 GMT @ness said:

1. Now say... let's go with Summerslam 2008. Does it even elicit a response? What even HAPPENED?

2. Better question... where is the CUT OFF for wrestling in 2023? Like where is the LINE to retro? 
Seriously cuz like how far back do you go to consider it "HISTORY"? Is it just an eras thing? Like CenaBatistaBrock are they the cut off point? Anything older than their careers?

3. Like I didn't wanna rerail the possibilities but I think SS99 deserves SOME props it probably doesn't get. I can name 2 matches here bruv. Maybe 3 if the discussion suited it. Pick a random slam after this that IS NOT 02, can you name 2 matches? Hell I'll throw you a bone... can you name one that isn't the main event? Second bone, include main events. You can't. Even if it's just me boyos... The Summerslam 99 gets the acknowledgement.

1. Taker beat Edge and chokeslammed him to bah gawd hell afterwards! Batista beat Cena, injuring him in the process. That's an easy one! That being said, it would not generate 1/10 the response this thread had.

2. Good question. CenaBatistaBrock works for me. Transition from F to E. Brand split. WM 17. SurvSer 01/End of the Invasion are also acceptable answers. Anything after that I consider modern.

3. I have to do this. Not cheating...

00: HHH/Angle/Rock, TLC w/ you know who, Taker/Kane, Benoit/Y2J, Shane/Blackman?
01: Austin/Angle, RVD/Jeff, Rock/Booker or maybe Rock vs. Booker & Shane, Jericho/Rhyno?
03: Brock/Angle, Booker/Christian? OK, you might have me here. This one is hard. I'm even drawing a blank on Trips, Taker, and HBK! 
04: Benoit/Orton, JBL/Taker, Angle/Eddie, HBK/Kane?, HHH/Eugene
05: HBK/Hogan, Batista/JBL?, Cena/Jericho, Eddie/Rey, Taker/Orton?
06: Cena/Edge, Foley/Flair, Booker/Rey? Think you got me again.
07: Cena/Lashley, HHH/Booker, HBK/Kane? It had to happen at one of these SSlams! 
08: Taker/Edge, Cena/Batista, HBK/Y2J angle?
09: Punk/Jeff

EDIT: D’oh! Just remembered 03 had an Elimination Chamber. Time to turn in my fan card?

Aug 6, 2023 22:53:12 GMT @ness said:

Dude I just remember this is around when I first dipped toes in the iwc. Legit learned about iwc from my 8 th grade friend on his internet. My friend was like HE HAS IT IN HIS CONTRACT that trips gets a run. I didn't like that cuz I didn't want him to beat Austin (still a geek then) so when he did win the belt I was like this internet be knowing.

Oh hell yeah. My contract stories are XPac's WWF return behind held up because Pac wanted a guaranteed IC or Euro Title run while WWF was hesitant to sign on and Big Show being promised a WWF Championship run + Wrestlemania main event. The latter was kinda sorta believable given what transpired? 90s internet rumors were the best. 

Aug 6, 2023 23:11:09 GMT @ness said:

Was Foley and Chef boy are dee in the same level as Slim Jim? Or is it like TNA "by default" 2nd place? Ravioli why do we do this to ourselves?

Def TNA level default distant 2nd place. Tbh HHH hawking Stacker 2 is more memorable to me than Foley selling ravioli.

Jesse the body as the ref was the highlight of this event.

Aug 6, 2023 22:49:10 GMT @ness said:

Maybe we should gives credit. You take a transitional period in time but it's part of something bigger and you have a starting point for just wrestling chatter.

Summerslam - ecw - on and on.

Now say... let's go with Summerslam 2008. Does it even elicit a response? What even HAPPENED? Better question... where is the CUT OFF for wrestling in 2023? Like where is the LINE to retro? Like I know it's just "oh no the dad station is what I listen to"... but where would you question it's placement in HOW?

Like Evolution is that old enough? Who knew Rando last one standing. Dude WAS the future. He had moments but like wasn't his career just a chinlock essentially? People be like "he wasn't motivated". Even if he was... you're not getting more than a good run out of him. The business went crazy over him and either legit criticism since they all thought he was perfect... or was that pre cornette wwe hate that sold the shoot series?

Seriously cuz like how far back do you go to consider it "HISTORY"? Is it just an eras thing? Like CenaBatistaBrock are they the cut off point? Anything older than their careers?

Like I didn't wanna rerail the possibilities but I think SS99 deserves SOME props it probably doesn't get. I can name 2 matches here bruv. Maybe 3 if the discussion suited it. Pick a random slam after this that IS NOT 02, can you name 2 matches? Hell I'll throw you a bone... can you name one that isn't the main event? Second bone, include main events. You can't. Even if it's just me boyos... The Summerslam 99 gets the acknowledgement.

Look what it FUELED. There's still talk to this day (though most in the know know now) about Austin and HHH with doing the liberties. People remember the Test match though I never seen it more than live myself. It MUSTA been good to be universally said. Like I'm sure there's some reviews rhat was like it sux but shanes match was kinda good. Not a lot of PPVs get that. Taboo Tuesday for a lot of PPVs. They happen and disappear. Sure big 4 + wwf title change = guaranteed to be in the books... but that means something this is on page 2.

Night of Champions 2002 thread would not get as many dimes is all I'm saying.

And I'm NOT just saying that cuz the peak of my boy Billy Gunn as a singles happened here either.

How in the world did I miss this post. heart emoji

Watching the Raw after Summerslam 99, idk why I just wasn't in the mood to watch that show, I feel like I've seen it before, but remember nothing about it. Mankind won the title?

We get the Test segment where he calls out Stephanie Mcmahon about to propose for marriage, then Shane comes out and Steph cuts this promo, we get the proposal, Andrew I love you, I love you too Johnny Cakes.

This was it boys. This was the moment the WWF died for me. ECW was ripping ass on TNN was all the wrestling I really needed anymore. WCW still had Bret, but this.... this is not good.

But things are so interesting now looking at it, how WCW was just dead at this point on the other channel. It was nothing at all like the vibe they all had going a year before. Back when ECW didn't even come on TV you would just read about these crazy matches with dudes jumping off of crazy balconies and going through the ring and shit, not being able to see it only reading about it. Think about it.

Interesting that WWF was killing WCW with tag team wrestling mostly here, after WCW killed their tag division in 98 look at what WWF was doing here, that was good stuff. Got to say I would have been a major mark for all the X-Pac/Kane stuff back in real time. Not a big fan of the idea of Taker and Big Show together but I'll be damned if it didn't really work watching it happen on these tapes, they pulled it off. Those two and the APA and Hardy Boyz getting the push that was all good stuff.

The Triple H beat down of Ken Shamrock was something I didn't see ever until this watch through and I'm not even mad about it, that all just worked and was a good move if you wanted to establish Triple H as a bad ass main event caliber guy. I couldn't get over how much bigger Triple H was than Ken Shamrock in that segment.

When did Essa Rios come in? I remember when I started watching again it was like damn this dude rules

Finally The Rock has come back to Iowa!

The Rock is going to take Gangre's cup of blood, pour out the blood, fill it up with monkey piss, turn that sum bitch sideways and stick it up your candy ass! If You SMEEEEEEEEEEE

Hahah they had the shit down, too funny. Where's my fucking rolling crying laughing emojis

Mancow Likes Pancakes

The Hardy Boys with Gangrel?? Nah son

If your promo starts dying all you had to do back then was say shit or ass

That does suck that I missed Jericho's debut in real time back then, would have loved that

Triple H winning the title from Mankind with The Rock burying everybody on commentary was solid gold. Awesome. So Austin drops the belt to Mankind at Summerslam in the three way with HHH, only for Mankind to drop the belt the next night to HHH. I think I read a story years ago that Austin was on his way out and just didn't think HHH was worthy of doing the job for him? So this was booked because of that?

I love how on all of these Raws when the heels end the show standing tall, they would do something after the live show cut off with the babyfaces sending the live crowd home happy. In this case we get Rock and Mankind fucking up Triple H and Shane. Did WCW do shit like that?

Aug 18, 2023 18:18:28 GMT Neo Zeed said:

When did Essa Rios come in? I remember when I started watching again it was like damn this dude rules

Couldn't remember myself. Had to look it up.

He was Aguila from Nov 97-Apr 98
Papi Chulo from Apr 98-Feb 00
Essa Rios from Feb 00-Aug 01

Aug 18, 2023 19:16:33 GMT Neo Zeed said:

So Austin drops the belt to Mankind at Summerslam in the three way with HHH, only for Mankind to drop the belt the next night to HHH. I think I read a story years ago that Austin was on his way out and just didn't think HHH was worthy of doing the job for him? So this was booked because of that?

I love how on all of these Raws when the heels end the show standing tall, they would do something after the live show cut off with the babyfaces sending the live crowd home happy. In this case we get Rock and Mankind fucking up Triple H and Shane. Did WCW do shit like that?

I've heard different stories on why HHH- The Austin story you mentioned is one. Other is either WWF or Jesse himself didn't want the show to end with the Governor of Minnesota raising a heel's hand in victory so they gave Foley the win and did the switcheroo next night on Raw.

Not sure if WCW did it but I have to mention my personal favorite post-show moment. Raw here in August 2002 ended with an post-show Flair & HHH brawl with the crowd going wild for Flair. It was better than anything on the actual show. After the show my friends and I went to some establishments not far from the building and people were WOOing in the streets of downtown Baltimore until 2 a.m. We still loved the Nature Boy here in B-More. 

I love that we're still on the fence on if it was HHH being unover (at that level) and Austin said doesn't work for me or if it was merely Ventura. And dude that was so insane seeing Austin not only go down clean like that, but to the double arm ddt. Like there's no way I expected him to stay down to that. Was it a post pedigree? Doesn't matter... that move.

My take was that Austin used Ventura as an excuse but then HBK spilled the beans and put Austin on blast on one of the internet shows. So that planned HBK/HHH angle that they teased on the launch on SmackDown was quietly dropped. Austin was beginning to get a reputation for stroking his goatee and being difficult to work with. He'd run the Undertaker program to the ground, but he didn't want to work with Billy Gunn, Jeff Jarrett or Chyna.

To be fair, this allowed them to get more juice out of Austin/HHH. If HHH beats Foley & Austin at SummerSlam with Ventura as special guest referee, there's no real out for Steve. As a casual fan, it worked for me because I was elated Mankind won and legitimised his earlier reigns that were kind of hokey. HHH choked on the big stage, but because he has the WWF in his back-pocket he was able to backdoor his way into a rematch. HHH spoils Foley's moment which gives him heat and even sows the seeds for an eventual rematch which they'd take full advantage of. In the mean time, HHH attacks Austin creating this sense of anticipation because there's no way known that HHH can beat Austin 1-1, no matter what.

I thought the WCW tag division smoked the WWF's leading into this period. The Jersey Triad, The IV Horseman, Kidman/Rey, Harlem Heat, Hennig/Windham (add Barry to the list of misspelt names, I knew there was an H there somewhere), Raven/Saturn, The Steiners etc.

While Austin, no doubt, was becoming difficult, he was absolutely correct to think Billy Gunn, Jeff Jarrett and Chyna were unworthy and time has only proved him correct.

The Triple H push was definitely forced, but Austin should have put him over at The SummerSlam (if the Ventura Theory is bullshit). Doesn't even have to be clean.

I was about two years removed from my WWF fandom so I just came here to say: XV is such a lackluster Mania. Give me Multi-Man Match 2000 Parkour Mania any day of the week.

'99 is just a terrible year for wrestling in general unless you were an ECW fan, and even then it was honestly the start of their decline. Obviously the start of WCW's as well and WWF just switching their Cessna on auto-pilot right before they played some Hungry Hungry Hippos with rival talents.

I don't know why it never even registered to me that I missed all of WCW that Summer too. I just remember the Nash/Savage pouring pourage all over each other, so bad. But Mikey, Sandman, Bam Bam? I was always like the Leo Dicaprio pointing meme whenever an ECW guy would debut in WCW or WWF, so cool. I kinda actually love Sandman in WCW as Hak. I did catch the return of Hulk Hogan somehow and just remembering how bizarre it was, I didn't know if it was cool or stupid or what to think about it. Looking back now it's pretty interesting that they would even try that that Summer. They should have ran Hogan vs Hak

Aug 26, 2023 0:59:52 GMT Neo Zeed said:

They should have ran Hogan vs Hak

Yes. Yes, they should have. Another dream match I never dreamed about til now. 

Aug 27, 2023 23:08:30 GMT Baker said:

Aug 26, 2023 0:59:52 GMT Neo Zeed said:

They should have ran Hogan vs Hak

Yes. Yes, they should have. Another dream match I never dreamed about til now. 

Watching through that Summer recently on Peacock and thinking about it now man how much better of a fit would Sandman been in the WWF? Same for a lot of ECW guys that Summer, what if Paul E. pulled the plug after Hardcore Heaven in May of that year and all those guys started integrating into the WWF roster that Summer, Van Dam, Sabu, Sandman, New Jack et al, would have fit like a glove and instantly made WWF even better. Could you imagine Van Dam hitting WWF that Summer how over he would have been like immediately? 

You just know if ECW had have folded, the vast majority of talent would have been relegated to Shotgun and duking it out in the hardcore division. Meanwhile every second segment would still revolve around Hunter and Vince.

At least when RVD eventually debuted, the coast was clear and surprise surprise he became the hottest thing in the company.