WWE was heading into WrestleMania 23 with both main events set in stone with almost two months to spare. Unheard of.
For the PPV before Mania, No Way Out 2007, WWE pitted both pairs of champion and challenger against each other. CAN THEY COEXIST.
Psychologically, this match isn’t exactly as sound as the others on this list, but it does have two pretty huge bullets in the chamber. It’s a match featuring the four biggest names in wrestling at the time, in front of a white hot crowd.
There’s a stretch in this match that Cena in his prime vs Taker in his prime and treasure it because you’ll never get it again. While some might sniff at the idea of a PPV being main-evented by a tag match that, on paper, should be main-eventing an episode of Raw, rest assured that all the lads give it socks and it’s more than worthy of your time.
Also just bloody look at the names in this match, jeez. JEEZ.
Action Zone was a short-lived hour-long WWF show that aired in addition to raw for less than two years in the mid-90s.
While it eventually became just a Raw recap show before its cancellation, WWF initially tried to launch it with some blockbuster matches.
The main event of episode one was WWF Champion Bret Hart vs Owen Hart. The main event of episode two, Shawn Michaels and Diesel defending their tag titles against Razor Ramon and the 123 Kid, an all-kliq supershow which saw the four best friends go out there and sell like they literally refused to do for anyone else.
The action is so fast, Shawn is EVERYWHERE (also look at that hair great googly moogly), the 123 kid is throwing more spin kicks than a glitchy copy of Street Fighter 2, Razor’s throwing the 123 kid INTO Shawn Michaels and even Diesel moves faster than three miles per hour which is F**KING SAYING SOMETHING.
The crowd are molten hot and crazy loud for the whole thing, making it an absolute treat to watch even if it’s a total pain in the arse to track down.
4. The Usos vs Luke Harper and Erick Rowan
Ah yes, 2 out of 3 Falls tag team wrestling being absolutely exceptional again.
Not all of his WWE years were great, but 2014 was a sensational year for the late, great Luke Harper.
The Wyatts vs The Shield at Elimination Chamber, winning the IC title, being part of Team Cena vs Team Authority at Survivor Series, the ladder match against Ziggler at TLC, and then there’s this, The Usos defending their tag straps against Harper and Rowan at Battleground, and what a showcase for Harper.
Erick Rowan’s great at what they use him for, brief bursts of explosive power, but the match hangs on Harper’s shoulders, spending 80% of the match as the legal man, and working as the base for most of the Usos’ intricate spots, and boy do those spots build.
Like many 2 out of 3 falls matches the first two falls are speedier than average, but the third is false finish city and they completely capture the crowd right up until the Uso retention, which arguably shouldn’t have happened but never mind.
It’s just a shame that the rest of show is so throwaway.
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