Two, count them, two five-star matches this week in WWE. What? No! What?

But in all seriousness, kudos to all participants of the NXT ladder match for the North American Championship and to Johnny Wrestling and Fuck Ciampa.

Its a fun week on Yeti Outta Nowhere as the Yeti and Jason Tiller spend almost 2 hours breaking down Wrestlemania Weekend’s crazy, the RAW and Smackdown Live after and they also preview the Greatest Royal Rumble.

Check out our sponsors!

Go to our Patreon site and become a patron! As little as 5 dollars a month can help us expand our brand to new heights. Running a podcast takes quite a bit of time, effort and resource. We have a lot of items on our wish list, including getting our very own .com domain, opening an online store and so much more. For as little as 5 dollars a month, you can help us realize our dreams. And for your money, you can get exclusive content, a 10 Count Blog T-shirt, and even your own MONTHLY segment on one of our shows. It’s all at patreon.com/10countblog.

10 Count Podcast is proud to partner with Collar and Elbow Brand Clothing! A company for wrestling people with passion. Check out their entire lineup by clicking the photo above. It’s some of the most comfortable clothing you can buy. It’s made from high quality materials and fits like a glove. Brought to you by one of the most passionate men and greatest minds in the wrestling business, Al Snow. Check them out at collarandelbowbrand.com and use the Promo Code 10COUNT to get 10 Percent off your purchase.

Also, don’t forget to check out our newest partner, 105.7 The Ride WUZR in Vincennes. Click the picture above to visit their website and check out some of the great things they have going on.While you’re there click on the 10 Count Blog link on the right hand side of the page and hear every episode of 10 Count Pod, Yeti Outta Nowhere and the Drunk Tank!

10 Count Blog is on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and Pinterest. You can also check out 10 Count Podcast on iTunes, Soundcloud ,Google Play Blubrry, Stitcher, TuneIn and more! Be sure and check out our other shows “Yeti Outta Nowhere” With Tommy ‘The Yeti’ Cook and Alan Angel, and also YouTube Exclusives “The Fun House” hosted by Michael Madrox and 10 Count Toys. Get your official 10 Count Blog Merchandise at our Spreadshirt Shop!

Happy Wrestlemania Day and Happy Rusev Day!!

      Today is it! The Show of Shows will take center stage and I am hyped. I am also hyped to relive the Greatest Wrestlemania Match of All Time. Note that Takeover matches are not included for obvious reasons. Matches are ranked based on these criteria: Critical Acclaim for both critics and fans, historical significance, the electricity of the crowd, the timing and pacing of the match, psychology, the buildup, and of course, as Finn Balor would say, the fookin’ wrestling.

 

Here’s a Look at the whole countdown:

 

HM: Triple H vs. The Undertaker- 28

HM: Eddie Guerrero vs. Kurt Angle- 20

HM: Brock Lesnar vs. Roman Reigns- 31

HM: Shawn Michaels vs. Razor Ramon- 10

HM: Daniel Bryan vs. Triple H- 30

10: Bret Hart vs. Shawn Michaels- 12

9: The Rock vs. Hulk Hogan-X8

8: Shawn Michaels vs. The Undertaker II- 26

7: Randy Savage vs. Hulk Hogan- 5

6: The Rock vs. Steve Austin- X-Seven

5: Randy Savage vs. Ricky Steamboat- 3

4: Triple H vs. Shawn Michaels vs. Chris Benoit- 20

3: Bret Hart vs. Owen Hart- 10

#2 was Bret Hart vs. Steve Austin at Wrestlemania 13. This was discussed in depth on the latest Yeti Outta Nowhere episode by myself, Blaine Black, and Jason Tiller. Check it out if you haven’t already!

The Greatest Mania match of all time is…….

#1. Shawn Michaels vs. The Undertaker

Wrestlemania 25

You may have figured this one out already, so I apologize for my predictability. But then again I DON’T apologize because this match is one of, if not, the greatest matches in WWE history. Even the almighty Dave Meltzer says it would’ve been WWE’s (at the time) 5th 5-Star Match if the Deadman hadn’t have nearly killed himself on a dive to the outside. Suicide aside, this match had so much going on for it that it is hard to know where to begin.

     I suppose the best place to start is with THE negative of this match. As picutred above, the Undertaker attempted a Tope Suicida, in which he came up short. The plan was for the “cameraman” (Sim Snuka, FKA Deuce) to catch Taker. instead, Taker lightly brushed the ropes on his way out which ruined his trajectory, leaving both Snuka and Michaels out of range. Taker fell directly on his head in front of their feet. This wasn’t anyone’s fault (although WWE must have deemed it Snuka’s fault, as he was released soon after) but luckily the Phenom was well enough to continue.

       The story of this match is one of my favorites ever told. These two wrestled in the first Hell in a Cell match in 1997 and had met sparsely since. Their last encounter prior to this feud led to the first retirement of Michaels in 1998. After Mr. Wrestlemania left his showstopping days behind him, the Undertaker took over the role in his place. Now both in the twilight of their careers, Michaels decided to settle the debate once and for all: Who was the real Mr. Wrestlemania. Both of these performers had nothing left to prove but everything to lose. These two threw everything at each other and proved to anyone who doubted them that they still could go.

      In one of the best finishing sequences ever, Michaels battled through a Tombstone to mount a massive comeback and leave Taker on the ropes. He went for a moonsaulting Leap of Faith, only to be caught mid jump by the Undertaker, who kept his undefeated streak alive with an authoritative Tombstone Piledriver.  The best part of this match was that it was, unknown to anyone at the time, the beginning of the end for Shawn Michaels. He would let the thought of getting another crack at the Undertaker consume him for the next year, until he finally weaseled his way into a rematch, losing the match and his career in the process (refer to Day 8 for the full write-up). Match mechanics, fan support, and psychology are through the roof on this match. There will never be another match like it, and it is highly possible that there will never be a match better than it.

This week’s episode is all about the biggest wrestling event and gathering of wrestling fans in the world – Wrestlemania. And since it’s late when we’re posting this. No witty banter. Just a basic “Thank you, we love you” and…

Check out our sponsors!

Go to our Patreon site and become a patron! As little as 5 dollars a month can help us expand our brand to new heights. Running a podcast takes quite a bit of time, effort and resource. We have a lot of items on our wish list, including getting our very own .com domain, opening an online store and so much more. For as little as 5 dollars a month, you can help us realize our dreams. And for your money, you can get exclusive content, a 10 Count Blog T-shirt, and even your own MONTHLY segment on one of our shows. It’s all at patreon.com/10countblog.

10 Count Podcast is proud to partner with Collar and Elbow Brand Clothing! A company for wrestling people with passion. Check out their entire lineup by clicking the photo above. It’s some of the most comfortable clothing you can buy. It’s made from high quality materials and fits like a glove. Brought to you by one of the most passionate men and greatest minds in the wrestling business, Al Snow. Check them out at collarandelbowbrand.com and use the Promo Code 10COUNT to get 10 Percent off your purchase.

Also, don’t forget to check out our newest partner, 105.7 The Ride WUZR in Vincennes. Click the picture above to visit their website and check out some of the great things they have going on.While you’re there click on the 10 Count Blog link on the right hand side of the page and hear every episode of 10 Count Pod, Yeti Outta Nowhere and the Drunk Tank!

10 Count Blog is on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and Pinterest. You can also check out 10 Count Podcast on iTunes, Soundcloud ,Google Play Blubrry, Stitcher, TuneIn and more! Be sure and check out our other shows “Yeti Outta Nowhere” With Tommy ‘The Yeti’ Cook and Alan Angel, and also YouTube Exclusives “The Fun House” hosted by Michael Madrox and 10 Count Toys. Get your official 10 Count Blog Merchandise at our Spreadshirt Shop!

     Only three more entries left! Do you feel it? Do you taste it? Can you hear it? Can you envision it? Most importantly, do YOU SuhMEEEEEEEELLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL….what the Yeti is typing? Note that Takeover matches are not included for obvious reasons. Matches are ranked based on these criteria: Critical Acclaim for both critics and fans, historical significance, the electricity of the crowd, the timing and pacing of the match, psychology, the buildup, and of course, as Finn Balor would say, the fookin’ wrestling.

Here’s a Look at the List so Far:

HM: Triple H vs. The Undertaker- 28

HM: Eddie Guerrero vs. Kurt Angle- 20

HM: Brock Lesnar vs. Roman Reigns- 31

HM: Shawn Michaels vs. Razor Ramon- 10

HM: Daniel Bryan vs. Triple H- 30

10: Bret Hart vs. Shawn Michaels- 12

9: The Rock vs. Hulk Hogan-X8

8: Shawn Michaels vs. The Undertaker II- 26

7: Randy Savage vs. Hulk Hogan- 5

6: The Rock vs. Steve Austin- X-Seven

5: Randy Savage vs. Ricky Steamboat- 3

4: Triple H vs. Shawn Michaels vs. Chris Benoit- 20

     And taking the Bronze…

#3. BRET HART VS. OWEN HART

WRESTLEMANIA 10

 

     Anytime you see the short ramp of MSG you know you’re in for a helluva show. And while there was some…questionable material in WM10, this opening contest pretty much stole the show (depending on who you ask). This non-title bout pitted two of the best technicians and showmen against each other in a slugfest that was sure to draw the imaginations of everyone in attendance. Oh, and by the way, they’re brothers, too.

     Keeping with yesterday’s theme of people being forgotten by history, Owen Hart was one of the best of all time. And if you dispute that, you cannot dispute that he is one of the best to never win a world title. And if you’re still in denial, he is the greatest two time Slammy winner ever. Regardless, I love watching Owen Hart work because when he needs to go he GOES. He is so out of place in the 90’s. He would have been much better suited for the Attitude Era due to his flashier delivery and his character. And we may have seen that if it were not for his untimely death in 1999. Regardless, Owen vs. Bret was always something in the back of every fans mind, but FINALLY we got to see it. And, boy howdy, did it deliver.

 

     Bret would not let Owen exit the ring in the early going as Owen, playing the heel, boasted about how he was the better brother. Jerry Lawler was very quick to tell you about Stu Hart (the pairs’ father) and also about how frail their mother was. Commentary did not do much for this match, but it also really did not need much help. Back and forth, arm drags, submissions, working the legs, and kicks galore…this is a student of the game’s dream match.

     As I mentioned before, Owen wasn’t given a fair shake while he was active and he isn’t given his due place now. Going back to watch this match serves as almost a coronation, as Owen finally wins a big time match and gets the monkey off of his back. And while there are plenty of good Owen matches and even more good Bret Hart matches, this match will always be Owen’s big moment.

Well let me tell you something, brother…The Yeti never intended to fall behind on the best Countdown list in Pro Wrestling…but The Yeti got attacked at his house by a mean case of Salmonella. I’ve been too busy making frequent trips between my bed and my toilet to even want to think about wrestling. Nevertheless, I have returned, and lucky for you I have twice as much good news. Today, you’ll be receiving the 5th AND 4th Greatest ‘Mania matches of all time, brothers and sisters. Note that Takeover matches are not included for obvious reasons. Matches are ranked based on these criteria: Critical Acclaim for both critics and fans, historical significance, the electricity of the crowd, the timing and pacing of the match, psychology, the buildup, and of course, as Finn Balor would say, the fookin’ wrestling.

Just in case you’re new or you have fallen behind (like me), here’s a reminder of what you’ve missed.

 

HM: Triple H vs. The Undertaker- 28
HM: Eddie Guerrero vs. Kurt Angle- 20
HM: Brock Lesnar vs. Roman Reigns- 31
HM: Shawn Michaels vs. Razor Ramon- 10
HM: Daniel Bryan vs. Triple H- 30
10: Bret Hart vs. Shawn Michaels- 12
9: The Rock vs. Hulk Hogan-X8
8: Shawn Michaels vs. The Undertaker II- 26
7: Randy Savage vs. Hulk Hogan- 5
6: The Rock vs. Steve Austin- X-Seven

 

One day overdue…here’s the beginning of the top 5…

 

#5. Randy Savage vs. Ricky Steamboat

Intercontinental Championship

WrestleMania 3

 

It is hard to even know where to begin with this one. This wasn’t a year long feud culminating. This wasn’t a spotfest. This didn’t have the attention of the mainstream media coming into Mania like Hogan and Andre did. This was a wrestling match. This was so pure down to its core that you can’t help but wonder how we have strayed so far from formulas like this today. And don’t get me wrong, I am a huge supporter in the argument that wrestling today is just as good as it was back in the New Generation’s time, but this is isn’t about being better or worse. It is just wrestling, plain and simple.

 

The Macho Man and his wife Elizabeth were looking to put Ricky Steamboat and George “The Animal” Steele away for good after Savage had tormented him for some time. Steamboat obviously did not get the memo, however. Being referred to as a “Johnny Come Lately” by Jesse Ventura on commentary, Steamboat arm dragged and small packaged Savage to death. Just when Savage began to get the upper hand and began looking for his aerials, Steamboat put an abrupt end to the nearly year long Intercontinental title reign of Savage with a quick roll up.

       Savage oozes charisma and it is a shame that there aren’t a few people as good as him today. And if wishes were fishes I’d love to see him work some promos today with some of the better cutters. On the other hand, I don’t have a doubt that Steamboat could still go if he wanted to. His technical prowess will never be matched. And as much as Savage gets credit for his promos and his character work, he should be thrown in the mix more for his in-ring work as he hung in the with one of the best ever.

       While this match won’t be as memorable as the match later in the evening with the Slam Heard Round the World, everyone watching at home and everybody watching in the Silverdome (Brother) surely still remembers this classic bout. There is one match that sort of gets lost in history for a couple of reasons. But that isn’t going to stop it from being in my top 5. #4….

 

 

 

#4. Triple H vs. Chris Benoit vs. Shawn Michaels

World Heavyweight Championship

WrestleMania 20

If this were my personal list, this would be #1 and nothing could touch it. This match has some great accolades attached to it: Far and Away the match of the night and year, Best Triple Threat Match of all, Best WrestleMania Main Event of All Time,  and simply, one of the Greatest Matches of All Time. Those are all debatable, but what isn’t is the fact that this match will never be mentioned again on WWE programming, for obvious reasons. When it comes down to it, WrestleMania 20 is a sore spot for a lot of Ruthless Aggression Era fans who now know the fates of the night’s biggest stars: Eddie Guerrero and the aforementioned Chris Benoit.

The build for this match was pretty simple: HHH and Shawn Michaels were best friends and now they are not. They get the main event of WrestleMania until Benoit wins the Royal Rumble (from #1) and decides to spoil the party. Two foes looking to take the piss out of each other and one guy looking to beat both of them to make himself one of the best ever. Simply put, this match was brutal.

       Michaels and HHH were bloody messes by the end of this match, which beautifully mixed brute violence with technical mastery. What this match really thrived off of was one crucial element: psychology. You could tell by body language and eventually by actions and moves that Benoit, in the other two’s minds, wasn’t supposed to be there. This was Triple H and Shawn Michaels’ moment to shine. Benoit was a threat to vision that the other two had of finally duking it out to see who would be the best of all time. Three of the best ever to lace up a pair of boots absolutely tore the house down that night thanks to those number of crucial match elements. In the end, the Rabid Wolverine put The Game in the Crossface to secure the World Heavyweight Championship.

      The hugs after the match really ended up speaking volumes. The one everyone likes to talk about was Benoit’s embrace with Eddie. Nobody knew at the time that they would both be gone in the next three years. The one that gets forgotten, and rightfully so, is Benoit’s embrace of his son Daniel and his wife Nancy. Like I said, looking back on this is so bittersweet, mainly bitter, but at the time, this match, and post match celebration are both the essence of what defines a WrestleMania moment. Benoit, the ultimate underdog and the fan favorite finally reaped what he had sewn after a long time in the business. Benoit had finally made it to the top. If only it ended there.

It is a shame that this match cannot officially be in the conversation for the best WWE match ever, because I think it would take the cake or at least have a good shot. Maybe, as time goes on, we will feel less guilty for thinking back on a match that really tied together the career of one of the best wrestlers ever to walk the Earth.

10 Count Blog is on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and Pinterest. You can also check out 10 Count Podcast on iTunes, Soundcloud ,Google Play, Blubrry, Stitcher, TuneIn and more! Be sure and check out our other shows “Yeti Outta Nowhere” With Tommy ‘The Yeti’ Cook and Alan Angel, and also YouTube Exclusives “The Fun House” hosted by Michael Madrox and 10 Count Toys. Subscribe to out Patreon to get exclusive merchandise and rewards. Get your official 10 Count Blog Merchandise at our Spreadshirt Shop!

 

10 COUNT 10 DAY COUNTDOWN:

The Yeti’s 6th GREATEST WRESTLEMANIA MATCH

OF ALL TIME

BY TOMMY COOK

 

        The presses here at the 10 Count Blog have gotten a little rusty of late, so I (The Yeti) have decided to take some bumps and will be pulling my hair out and staying for the next ten days before Wrestlemania 34 to give the people what they want: something to read! With this years’ Grandest Stage chock full of matches to rival some of the greatest of all time, I figured I would jog everyone’s memory and take a look at the best matches of the past 33 Wrestlemanias. There were a ton of good matches to sift through, so I looked at around 20 that I knew would be shoe-ins and have narrowed it down to TEN (sorry to the rest). Also, note that Takeover matches are not included for obvious reasons. Matches are ranked based on these criteria: Critical Acclaim for both critics and fans, historical significance, the electricity of the crowd, the timing and pacing of the match, psychology, the buildup, and of course, as Finn Balor would say, the fookin’ wrestling.

Here’s a Look at the List so Far:

HM: Triple H vs. The Undertaker- 28

HM: TLC II- X7

HM: Eddie Guerrero vs. Kurt Angle- 20

HM: Brock Lesnar vs. Roman Reigns- 31

HM: Shawn Michaels vs. Razor Ramon- 10

HM: Daniel Bryan vs. Triple H- 30

10: Bret Hart vs. Shawn Michaels- 12

9: The Rock vs. Hulk Hogan-X8

8: Shawn Michaels vs. The Undertaker II- 26

7: Randy Savage vs. Hulk Hogan- 5

And now….#6….

#6. THE ROCK VS. STEVE AUSTIN

WWF CHAMPIONSHIP

WRESTLEMANIA X-SEVEN

 

      Still viewed as one of, if not, the best Wrestlemanias/PPVs of all time, X-Seven will always stand out for a multitude of reasons, even if it is just by its name alone. X-Seven, for a lot of people, will be the night that Stone Cold sold his soul to the devil. And while this match was a No DQ match, there was enough wrestling to keep “old school” fans happy. And to add to that, there DAMN sure was a good enough story to couple with that.

 

       The No DQ stipulation was a surprise addition to the match last minute, but not one single person in the Astrodome minded one bit. Mind you, Rock/Austin was to the Attitude Era as Hogan/Savage was to the New Generation. These two were destined to collide on a huge stage after years of feuding. And I am dead sure that these two loved every second of it. No pairing, whether friends or foes, has ever had as much chemistry as Rock and Austin. These two, along with McMahon, carried WWF on their back from 1998-2001. Fans finally had the opportunity to see these two finish their squabble, and it was going to be violent as hell. 

 

       And it was. Much blood was spilled as these two had the slobberknocker of a lifetime. The match was a straight up fight with no end in sight…until things got complicated. Out strolls Mr. McMahon, looking spent after a brutal match with Shane-O Mac (which he lost). Stone Cold’s sworn enemy did the unthinkable; Mr. McMahon saved Austin. McMahon pulled Rock off of a guaranteed three count to save the match, turning Austin heel for the first time in years, but, more importantly, also aligned him with his arch nemesis (or the devil himself, as Jim Ross would go onto say). Oh yeah, and Stone Cold also hit poor Rocky with SIXTEEN consecutive chair shots for Godsakes. It was a shock ending, as indicated by the confused cheers at the end of the match by the Houston crowd. With one flip of the switch, the landscape in WWE changed in dramatic fashion.

 

 

       The next few weeks would see the formation of the Two-Man Power Trip, which came to be thanks to interference by Triple H in a Steel Cage rematch the next night on Raw. McMahon, Triple H, and Steve Austin dominated WWE, leaving poor Rocky in the dust for a while.

 

      This match has everything, and if it weren’t for a bland crowd reaction to one of the most shocking moments in WWE history, it might be higher on this list. But you can’t get everything right…or can you?

Happy Easter, Happy April Fool’s Day, and Happy Days Ahead in the next week. Only 7 days will pass between now and WrestleMania, and I could not be more excited. The presses here at the 10 Count Blog have gotten a little rusty of late, so I (The Yeti) have decided to take some bumps and will be pulling my hair out and staying for the next ten days before Wrestlemania 34 to give the people what they want: something to read! With this years’ Grandest Stage chock full of matches to rival some of the greatest of all time, I figured I would jog everyone’s memory and take a look at the best matches of the past 33 Wrestlemanias. There were a ton of good matches to sift through, so I looked at around 20 that I knew would be shoe-ins and have narrowed it down to TEN (sorry to the rest). Also, note that Takeover matches are not included for obvious reasons. Matches are ranked based on these criteria: Critical Acclaim for both critics and fans, historical significance, the electricity of the crowd, the timing and pacing of the match, psychology, the buildup, and of course, as Finn Balor would say, the fookin’ wrestling.

Here’s a Look at the List so Far:
HM: Triple H vs. The Undertaker- 28
HM: TLC II- X7
HM: Eddie Guerrero vs. Kurt Angle- 20
HM: Brock Lesnar vs. Roman Reigns- 31
HM: Shawn Michaels vs. Razor Ramon- 10
HM: Daniel Bryan vs. Triple H- 30
10: Bret Hart vs. Shawn Michaels- 12
9: The Rock vs. Hulk Hogan-X8
8: Shawn Michaels vs. The Undertaker II: 26

And quite deservedly so, our #7 spot is…..

 

 

 

#7. John Morrison, Trish Stratus, and Snooki vs. Dolph Ziggler, Layla, and Michelle McCool

WrestleMania 27

      The shortest entry on my list may surprise you. Yeah, I’m sure that it will surprise many people that it isn’t in the top 5, but this is my opinion. Snooki’s all time great performance on the Grandest Stage of the All has left fans clamoring for more years after the fact. Hopefully, with the impending return of Jersey Shore to MTV, we will finally have our prayers answered.

Clocking in at a whopping 3 minutes and 16 seconds, it truly speaks to how something can change your life so quickly. But not quite as quick as you forgetting it was April Fool’s Day.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Real #7…

 

#7. THE MEGA POWERS EXPLODE
HULK HOGAN VS. RANDY SAVAGE FOR THE WWF CHAMPIONSHIP
WRESTLEMANIA 5

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOH YEAAAAAAAAAAAAAuuuuuHHH!!!!!!!! LET ME TELL YOU SOMETHIN’, BROTHER!!! If you listen to Yeti Outta Nowhere then you have been forced to hear my awful impressions of these two. Most wrestling fans will pull one of these two impressions (or maybe Stone Cold or the Nature Boy) out of their bag. Speaking of impressions, don’t get the impression that WM5 was any good. It wasn’t. The match before the main event was The Red Rooster vs. the late, great Bobby Heenan, who wasn’t exactly known for his wrestling. Also, Mr. Fuji wrestled on this bloated 14 match card. But those matches were never supposed to be great (I don’t think). One match that was a surefire success in the wings was Hogan/Savage, brought on by Hogan’s run-ins with Savage’s wife/valet Miss Elizabeth. And let me tell you BROTHER…Hulkamania was runnin’ wild in Trump Plaza on that fateful evening.

As the Mega Powers collectively exploded, so too did the fans, who had been waiting an awful long time to see these two go at it for the title. Something people forget when talking about the Hulkster is that he could actually wrestle when he had to. There should never be a doubt in anybody’s mind that Randy was an excellent worker. So when these two got together it was sensational. Never have I enjoyed arms drags and punches more. There was nothing insane. No Tope con Hilos. No ladder spots. No interference. Just a good ol’ ground and pounder…minus some of Macho’s offense. Watching wrestling from the ‘80s and early ‘90s really makes you appreciate wrestlings roots. People who grew up watching wrestling then probably just wonder what the hell happened for it to get where it is now.

Something I have not mentioned yet in any of the previous editions was the commentary. I think I could listen to Gorilla Monsoon and Jesse Ventura argue about the legality of different moves back and forth forever. Monsoon especially was great at putting this match over. And I really don’t feel like Jesse was playing a character. He just seemed like…himself. Maybe that why I enjoyed it so much.

This match was a fitting payoff to a great feud that had captivated audiences for nearly a year. AND THIS WAS THE PAYOFF, THERE WERE DEFINITELY NOT ANY HOGAN/SAVAGE MATCHES AFTER THIS SO PLEASE DON’T GO LOOK. SERIOUSLY. JUST LET THIS BE THE PAYOFF MATCH. Ugh. Zeus and Buster Douglas…gimme a break. But on the bright side, Wrestlemania is less than a week away!

   10 COUNT 10 DAY COUNTDOWN:
#8 of the10 BEST WRESTLEMANIA MATCHES OF ALL TIME
BY TOMMY COOK

      The presses here at the 10 Count Blog have gotten a little rusty of late, so I (The Yeti) have decided to take some bumps and will be pulling my hair out and staying for the next ten days before Wrestlemania 34 to give the people what they want: something to read! With this years’ Grandest Stage chock full of matches to rival some of the greatest of all time, I figured I would jog everyone’s memory and take a look at the best matches of the past 33 Wrestlemanias. There were a ton of good matches to sift through, so I looked at around 20 that I knew would be shoe-ins and have narrowed it down to TEN (sorry to the rest). Also, note that Takeover matches are not included for obvious reasons. Matches are ranked based on these criteria: Critical Acclaim for both critics and fans, historical significance, the electricity of the crowd, the timing and pacing of the match, psychology, the buildup, and of course, as Finn Balor would say, the fookin’ wrestling.

Here’s a Look at the List so Far:

HM: Triple H vs. The Undertaker- 28
HM: TLC II- X7
HM: Eddie Guerrero vs. Kurt Angle- 20
HM: Brock Lesnar vs. Roman Reigns- 31
HM: Shawn Michaels vs. Razor Ramon- 10
HM: Daniel Bryan vs. Triple H- 30
10: Bret Hart vs. Shawn Michaels- 12

9: The Rock vs. Hulk Hogan-X8

And my #8 Spot goes to…

 

 

#8. CAREER VS. STREAK
SHAWN MICHAELS VS. THE UNDERTAKER II
WRESTLEMANIA 26

      As much as I love a good sequel, I enjoy a good retirement match more. Ric Flair vs. Shawn Michaels may have made this list if Ric had actually stayed retired, but I can’t say I fault him for that. Nonetheless, when people are discussing the greatest feuds in WWE history, this does not get mentioned enough. It is a beautiful work of art. After Mr. Wrestlemania drops an L to Mr. Undefeated, Michaels does nothing but torment himself for a year, wishing he could have another go at the Undertaker’s undefeated streak at Wrestlemania. He costs the Deadman his World Heavyweight Championship, and, in turn, the Undertaker looked to take Michael’s soul. The Undertaker vs. Shawn Michaels II was ready and raring to go.

All of the negatives first here; it was a little clunky at the start. But other than being cold out of the gate, this had no flaws. What you had was a fight for Wrestlemania supremacy. And this was a fight. Michaels let the Undertaker have it in the early going, even driving the Phenom through a table. In the end, however, it was the Undertaker who finally put Michaels to rest, albeit, as Jerry Lawler said, “…as defiant as ever.” The last few minutes of the match and everything that followed were hard to watch. Shawn gave it his all and could still go (I think he could still go now, but I digress) but it is better to go out on top than to go out in TNA.

      This was not the better of the two (hint), but it was a finality to a storyline that took the fans’ emotions everywhere. It was a payoff to over a year’s worth of struggle and hardship for one of the most beloved entertainers of all time. Watching the closing minutes of Shawn Michaels career, as odd as it seemed at the time, was almost therapeutic. You knew at the end of this match that the Shawn Michaels character was finally going to have nothing left to prove because he had just laid everything on the line and came up short. Even though he went out on his back, he was going out on top.

       Even though he retired at age 44, Michaels was still in his prime. His moves were crisp and fluid, and his ring IQ and psychology were still near the top of the crop in WWE. And while nobody wanted to see Michaels go, there could have been no better way he could have done it. Excuse me while I cry now that our #8 article is over.

 

10 Count Blog is on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and Pinterest. You can also check out 10 Count Podcast on iTunes, Soundcloud ,Google Play Blubrry, Stitcher, TuneIn and more! Be sure and check out our other shows “Yeti Outta Nowhere” With Tommy ‘The Yeti’ Cook and Alan Angel, and also YouTube Exclusives “The Fun House” hosted by Michael Madrox and 10 Count Toys. Get your official 10 Count Blog Merchandise at our Spreadshirt Shop!

Shhhhh! Be vewy, vewy quiet. We’re hunting Papa Smurf.

This week on the 10 Count Podcast Jason, Bo Sawyer, Blaine Black and Cole Adams take Indianapolis by storm; and by storm we mean quite literally. The snow was deep and flying. You’ve never seen so many slide offs in your life. We also may or may not have had to push a car out of a parking spot and up a hill. It was rough, y’all.

Our show this week is the road trip from our humble town of Vincennes to the metropolis of Indianapolis for ICW. We talk about everything from anonymous sources, to dumb stories and we have to remind ourselves a few times that we have someone in the car who’s underage and we have to at least pretend to be good.

It’s a great show and if you like silly, this is the episode for you.

Check out our sponsors!

Go to our Patreon site and become a patron! As little as 5 dollars a month can help us expand our brand to new heights. Running a podcast takes quite a bit of time, effort and resource. We have a lot of items on our wish list, including getting our very own .com domain, opening an online store and so much more. For as little as 5 dollars a month, you can help us realize our dreams. And for your money, you can get exclusive content, a 10 Count Blog T-shirt, and even your own MONTHLY segment on one of our shows. It’s all at patreon.com/10countblog.

10 Count Podcast is proud to partner with Collar and Elbow Brand Clothing! A company for wrestling people with passion. Check out their entire lineup by clicking the photo above. It’s some of the most comfortable clothing you can buy. It’s made from high quality materials and fits like a glove. Brought to you by one of the most passionate men and greatest minds in the wrestling business, Al Snow. Check them out at collarandelbowbrand.com and use the Promo Code 10COUNT to get 10 Percent off your purchase.

Also, don’t forget to check out our newest partner, 105.7 The Ride WUZR in Vincennes. Click the picture above to visit their website and check out some of the great things they have going on.While you’re there click on the 10 Count Blog link on the right hand side of the page and hear every episode of 10 Count Pod, Yeti Outta Nowhere and the Drunk Tank!

10 Count Blog is on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and Pinterest. You can also check out 10 Count Podcast on iTunes, Soundcloud ,Google Play Blubrry, Stitcher, TuneIn and more! Be sure and check out our other shows “Yeti Outta Nowhere” With Tommy ‘The Yeti’ Cook and Alan Angel, and also YouTube Exclusives “The Fun House” hosted by Michael Madrox and 10 Count Toys. Get your official 10 Count Blog Merchandise at our Spreadshirt Shop!

 

10 COUNT 10 DAY COUNTDOWN:

#9 of the 10 BEST WRESTLEMANIA MATCHES OF ALL TIME

BY TOMMY COOK

NOTE: This Article was written by Tommy “The Yeti” Cook. Catch his Show “Yeti Outta Nowhere” on the 10 Count Network on iTunes, Soundcloud, and Google Play.

 

   The presses here at the 10 Count Blog have gotten a little rusty of late, so I (The Yeti) have decided to take some bumps and will be pulling my hair out and staying up way too late for the next ten days before Wrestlemania 34 to give the people what they want: something to read! With this years’ Grandest Stage chock full of matches to rival some of the greatest of all time, I figured I would jog everyone’s memory and take a look at the best matches of the past 33 Wrestlemanias  (in my humble opinion). There were a ton of good matches to sift through, so I looked at around 20 that I knew would be shoe-ins and have narrowed it down to TEN (sorry to the rest). Also, note that Takeover matches are not included. Matches are ranked based on these criteria: Critical Acclaim for both critics and fans, historical significance, the electricity of the crowd, the timing and pacing of the match, psychology, the buildup, and of course, as Finn Balor would say, the fookin’ wrestling.

 

Here’s a Look at the List so Far:

 

HM: Triple H vs. The Undertaker- 28

HM: Eddie Guerrero vs. Kurt Angle- 20

HM: Brock Lesnar vs. Roman Reigns- 31

HM: Shawn Michaels vs. Razor Ramon- 10

HM: Daniel Bryan vs. Triple H- 30

10: Bret Hart vs. Shawn Michaels- 12

And now, The #9 spot goes to…

 

#9. THE ROCK VS. HULK HOGAN

WRESTLEMANIA X-8

 

       I think the term dream match is overused in wrestling today. There are obviously matches that we all want to see with people who will never have to opportunity to drop gloves, but they aren’t all dream matches. But, in 2002, the word dream match was an understatement for a match like this. Icon vs. Icon, Hogan vs. Rock. These were the two fan favorites of two different generations of fans. A meeting of the two sort of signified the changing of the guard in the midst of the Attitude Era. Make no mistake about it, Toronto was about to behold THE dream match.

      I won’t lie, this wasn’t the best wrestling match. In terms of match quality, almost every match yesterday’s honorable mentions are better than this. I even think the highly overshadowed and underrated main event of HHH/Jericho was a better wrestling match. But, look in the criteria. Electricity. You will never hear another crowd go absolutely crazy for any match as this one (not even a Daniel Bryan match). I’m not saying this was a bad match by any stretch, but The SkyDome never quieted and never took their seats. They were uproarious through the entire match. The crowd almost had to join the IBEW they were so electric (I’m not a father yet but I am full of dad jokes. HMU if that’s your thing).

     And, oddly enough, the hot Canadian crowd was behind heel Hollywood Hogan. The other genius part of this bout was the “turns”. Hogan says himself that Rocky made the call for Hogan to play face on the fly when he heard the reactions the Hulkster was getting. Rock is the GOAT when it comes to being in tune with the audience and being able to feel what is working and what isn’t. And by golly, Hogan playing the face catapulted this match to new heights.

       Hogan was with the nWo at the time, while the Rock was teaming with arch enemy Stone Cold to try to disband said group, consisting of Kevin Nash, Scott Hall, and Mr. America. After the match, which was won by the Rock, Hall & Nash kicked Hogan out of the nWo and beat him down. The Rock made the save and helped Hogan officially turn face again for the first time in nearly six years. While Hogan hung around for a few more years after this, this was most definitely the highlight of the run. The Rock himself was on his way out in just a little over a year. And while he clocked in quite a few more electrifying performances after this, Icon vs. Icon was the beginning of the end. So those two, knowing their time was short, made history.

       There have been several dream matches that have been good since (Styles/Cena, The Shield Triple Threat, & Mojo Rawley vs. Zack Ryder ;)….) but there will never be a better dream match than Rock vs. Hogan on the Grandest Stage of Them All. And that’s what the Yeti’s cookin.

Two spots down and eight more to go. Are you satisfied with the list so far? Are you worried that I have forgotten your favorite match? Harass me on Twitter @TommyCookWVC or on Facebook @TommyCookBIZ. And be sure to listen into the next edition of Yeti Outta Nowhere, with scheduled special guests, including TSW Wrestler & 10 Count Mob Boss Jason Tiller, and TSW Hall of Famer Blaine Black!!!!!

 

10 Count Blog is on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and Pinterest. You can also check out 10 Count Podcast on iTunes, Soundcloud ,Google Play Blubrry, Stitcher, TuneIn and more! Be sure and check out our other shows “Yeti Outta Nowhere” With Tommy ‘The Yeti’ Cook and Alan Angel, and also YouTube Exclusives “The Fun House” hosted by Michael Madrox and 10 Count Toys. Subscribe to out Patreon to get exclusive merchandise and rewards. Get your official 10 Count Blog Merchandise at our Spreadshirt Shop!