C.M. Punk (artist Grant Gould © PWTorch)
SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)…
At WWE Crown Jewel we had what many are calling – and Iâ€m on their side – the Match of the Year, at least in WWE. It was the face of a previous version of WWE in John Cena against the same from TNA in A.J. Styles.
These were “The Guys†the company, including any storylines, merchandise, or media presence. Both have grown to become classy acts who are confident in who they are as characters and were able to deliver a crowd-pleasing match that paid tribute to both careers that are winding down.
Many other characters have left WWE to “Cross the Line†to TNA, or made the switch from the smaller company to the true big league. There were matches we saw that we never thought weâ€d get, especially after A.J.â€s debut. There were some matches that were left on the table, though, that we havenâ€t yet seen, or will not get the opportunity to, but it was fun to come up with five dream matches roughly from 2001-2014 era TNA vs WWE.
The Motor City Machine Guns vs. The Usos
The best home-grown TNA tag team vs. who I think is the greatest tag team of all time. The energy of the performers, the fans in the area, and the moves within the match alone could be off the charts in front of the right audience.
The story: Chris Sabin & Alex Shelley have been around as a tag team longer, and have succeeded in every promotion theyâ€ve been involved with, and still have the athleticism to wow an audience. As for the Usos, while Jimmy and Jey have not been a tag team as long, or had titles outside of WWE, theyâ€ve defended for years against the best of the best at a high level. Who is the better team?
Outcome: Usoâ€s in a match of the year contender
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Kurt Angle vs Dolph Ziggler / Nic Nemeth
While we technically had this match, we also had previously seen John Cena vs. A.J. Styles. Itâ€s about the build this match, as Nemeth is a world class mat wrestler with an incredible list of accolades, but in pro wrestling, heâ€s a guy who was known for selling and having tremendous matches through his amazing talents in telling a physical story.
There was a wrestling machine inside of the former Dolph Zigglar that could have come out. Kurt was able to turn that wrestling machine to a new dial when in TNA, and became an incredible well-rounded performer. I would have loved to see an entire program between these two, bringing that out of Nemeth.
Story: Kurt, returning to WWE, takes shots at Dolph about needing to tighten up and not be so involved with silly nonsense. Challenge him to a wrestling match and ask if Dolph can find the serious side of himself again.
Outcome: after losing the first two matches, the second an even more narrow loss than the first, Zigglar works himself up to one more match where he is able to get a clean win over Kurt, legitimizing Dolph for a new title run.
Samoa Joe vs. C.M. Punk
We did get this match in AEW, but it was tainted with backstage drama. These two made each other IWC famous. It was harder to learn about independent wrestling in the early 2000s. You had to know what sites and forums to go to online or you could read the newsstand wrestling magazines or an insider newsletter such as PWTorch.
Anyone who was involved in that scene knew a couple of names before ever getting a television debut, and those were Samoa Joe and C.M. Punk. The ROH trilogy between them sold a lot of DVDs for a small independent wrestling company. Wrestling fans of that generation were not used to seeing a one-hour Broadway, let alone two in a row for these performers.
They were showing they had the raw skills to hang with the established television stars, and it was going to be a matter of time before each would end up amongst them. They each chose different paths, as C.M. Punk, who had previously had a run in TNA, decided to try to make it in the larger and more “big show atmosphere†of WWE, where he was going to have to work his way up through the developmental program.
Samoa Joe, however, become a featured player on TNA television right away. While I watched Impact as often as I could in that era, I was hooked and started spending on a few PPVs at a time where that was tough to justify. Both became respective world champions, but to see them clash with the lights and storytelling ability WWE could provide or a Punk and Joe TNA reunion, much like the Hardys and Dudleys just had could blow the roof off.
Story: I kind of like the TNA return route. Joe could make an appearance about how successful his run was and list legendary opponents; Punk could come out to say that he was only as successful as he was because Punk decided to go to the big leagues and he let Joe run TNA. Major heel heat for Punk on this match.
Outcome: Joe wins clean as a babyface. Punk had the better career and can afford a loss to his friend.
ARTICLE CONTINUED BELOW…
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Abyss vs. Cactus Jack
We got Mick Foley in TNA, but this was far from what Foley was known for. Itâ€s unfortunate that this man who gave us fans too much of himself doesnâ€t get to have the big comeback matches. He had a couple, but seeing wrestlers learn how to have good matches into their 50s and even 60s shows the difference in how Foley sacrificed himself.
Abyss was obviously influenced as a character, but also as a performer by Cactus Jackâ€s work. The master of the death match from two different eras clashing at peak was the dream I wish Foley had been healthy for and would love to have seen this match happen in a WWE ring. Not enough people got to enjoy Abyss.
Story: Mick Foley comes back for a special appearance and is attacked by a deranged Abyss (essentially what they did to get Bray Wyattâ€s Fiend character over). Triple H tries to get ahold of Foley to apologize, but hears nothing back. After a couple of weeks with no word, Triple H only hears from kids and wife that theyâ€ve never seen him like this and he wonâ€t even verbalize himself to his family. Then, when Abyss is about to win a match in an underhanded way, Cactus Jack arrives to interfere, and set up a match between the two.
Outcome: Cactus wins as a conquering hero.
Sting vs. Undertaker
Itâ€s the match we all wanted, and the biggest dream match left on the table from the hot ’90s era – unless youâ€d make the Hulk Hogan vs Steven Austin argument. For a fan who watches the product in a similar way that I read comic books, these are the obvious two. Dark and brooding, but many times the conciseness of the promotions they were in.
The WCW years created an aura, and when Sting said he would rather go to the underdog brand than WWE, it added to it. To have finally seen Sting and Undertaker at a WrestleMania is what we wanted, but instead we got heartbreak.
Story: Icon vs Icon, baby! All we need would be a face off, one to point at a sign, and the other to nod.
Outcome: Undertaker keeps the streak I wish heâ€d never lost.
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