Shining a Spotlight 12.17.09: The Decade That Was

Posted by Michael Weyer on 12.17.2009

From the rise of Brock Lesnar and the fall of WCW to the return of Ric Flair and the birth of TNA, 411’s Michael Weyer looks back at the moments that made the last ten years so remarkable in wrestling!




No one likes to admit they're wrong but I will here. I made a mistake leaving Shawn Michaels off my list of best of the last decade last week. I was going more for impact but in terms of great battles, Shawn has given some doozies and should have been remembered for that and I apologize for leaving him off.

Ten years. It's amazing to think just how much this entire world has changed in the last decade. Economic chaos, wars, a downfall in the standing of America, terrorism spiking and more. In entertainment, we've seen revolutions in everything from movies to video games to how we listen to music. It's been a hell of a ride for all of us and makes you realize once more how we've advanced where a single decade can have such drastic changes on the world.

For wrestling, the last decade was one of incredible change. It began with the collapse of a promotion once on top of the world and another that had rewritten the rules. We had a monopoly challenged by an upstart company that continues to make strides. And we endured the single greatest tragedy/scandal the business has ever known, one connected to a disturbing rise in young deaths.

Yeah, the first decade of the 21st century truly changed the game with wrestling and it's something we all have been looking back on. At first, I was going to cover just the notable matches of the last decade but I've since realized that it's better to look back at the moments that made the decade so memorable. Some are stuff a lot of folks will remember, others are more personal choices for me. But I hope you all enjoy a stroll down memory lane and a look back at ten years that shook wrestling to the core.
　
　
2000

The Radicals: The exact details vary depend on who you talk to. But the outcome is the same. In January of 2000, Chris Benoit, Eddie Guerrero, Dean Malenko and Perry Saturn were making noise about leaving WCW. They tried to placate Benoit by letting him win the World title but it wasn't enough. So in a shocking moment on RAW, all four men suddenly showed up in the front row. It was a devastating loss for WCW, costing them four guys who could have helped the company out. The four would make an impact in WWF, especially Benoit and despite the sad ends in store, their arrival was the first sign of how amazing a year WWF was about to enjoy.
　

An Awesome Bungling: It's still amazing to consider how even WCW could blow such a prime opportunity. They managed to acquire Mike Awesome, the current ECW champion, a monster known for putting guys through tables. Naturally, ECW fans didn't react well to his leaving, giving huge heat for his final appearance, where Tazz (then with WWF) beat Awesome for the ECW title. So how did WCW handle a guy with so much heat on him? By completely ignoring his monster past and giving him a lame ‘70's Lounge Lizard gimmick which he was completely unsuited for. Even for this company, it boggles the mind.
　
Backlash: While Wrestlemania had its moments, the follow-up PPV was even better. There were slews of great moments: Benoit and Jericho engaging in a fantastic IC title bout; the Dudleyz putting Trish through a table; Malenko carrying Scotty 2 Hotty to a good match; Eddie Guerrero wearing a bow tie through his bout; and Big Show pulling out a hysterical Hulk Hogan impression while taking on Kurt Angle. But the main event was the best part as the Rock faced HHH for the WWE title and just as the McMahons were about to help Hunter win, Stone Cold hit the ring and destroyed everyone with a chair, helping the Rock win the belt. A fantastic card with a classic main event that set the bar for the year.
　
World Champion David Arquette: The moment WCW passed the point of no return. By choosing to give what had once been the most respected title in the business to a third-rate actor just to get some free publicity, the company announced to fans they'd pretty much given up. Even Arquette knew how horrible an idea this was but had to go along with it and the damage done to the company in the fans' eyes was irreparable.


　
Hardys vs. Dudleyz vs. Edge & Christian: The three teams had been rising for a while but made themselves stars at Wrestlemania with their classic ladder match. They topped it with their wilder Summerslam battle as the three-way feud was the last true highlight of the WWF tag team scene and reminded you how great the style of matches once was.
　
Angle's Rise: Even with his Olympic background, it seemed so unlikely Kurt Angle could really adapt to pro-wrestling. But he didn't just adapt, but excelled big-time. By the end of his first year, he'd held the European and Intercontinental titles at once, won King of the Ring and finally gained the WWF title as well. Through it all, he showed a great humor and character that would carry him through the next decade as one of the best workers to watch.
　
RAW jumps to TNN: After nearly two decades connected to USA, from the old weekly shows to prime-time, Vince had a bit of a falling-out with the network. That led to RAW jumping over to TNN. This, of course, would have the effect of pushing out ECW, leading to the final fall for that company. It's telling how WCW made almost no plans to retaliate, honestly believing that fans would be unable to find "RAW" on its new home. For the next five years, WWF would continue in its new home, giving the future Spike network some great credibility.
　

2001

Not With A Bang…: ECW's fall was sad to see as defections from stars combined with losing money badly so even their fanatical fan base couldn't keep it going. The company wasn't even given a final show but just folded their doors in a mass of money loss, leaving the fans jarred, although the legacy that changed the wrestling game was still echoing for a long time after.
　
The Death of WCW: Even after all the mistakes, the bad booking, the devaluing of the titles and backstage chaos, it still seemed utterly impossible to consider WCW actually going out of business. But without Ted Turner in their corner, the company was facing actual fiscal responsibility and the new bosses decided it was too much of a money-loser to keep. Eric Bischoff's attempts to find a new buyer were for naught and so WCW, its trademarks, talent and tape library of matches going back 30 years were sold to Vince for the pittance of $5 million. The final "Nitro" remains one of the most surreal moments ever in wrestling as Vince was shown live at the same time he was on "RAW," bragging about the sale, only to have Shane show up and say he had bought WCW. The matches were good with Booker T regaining the World title from Scott Steiner and, fittingly, Ric Flair and Sting putting on the final match for the company they'd given so much for. A sad end to an era that many just didn't want to accept.
　
Wrestlemania X-7: Still high on the list of the greatest PPVs ever, a fantastic card from top to bottom. From a massive Houston Astrodome, the fans were wild for the whole show. Chris Jericho beat William Regal for the IC title; Angle beat Benoit in a classic technical encounter; Shane beat down Vince in a crazy brawl with Shane flying across the ring to kick a garbage can in his father's face and Linda kicking her husband in the crotch; Edge and Christian beat the Dudleyz and Hardyz in their wildest TLC battle yet; The Undertaker smashed HHH down in a tough brawl; and the main event as Steve Austin shockingly accepted the help of Vince to beat the Rock to win the WWF title. The climax of WWF at the end of the last great wrestling push and reminded fans how great that period was.
　
The Invasion: Arguably the most bungled major gimmick of all time. Yes, it's true most of WCW's big names wouldn't take part but it's still stunning how bad Vince dropped the ball on the dream encounter. Instead of presenting WCW as a real threat, Vince just couldn't let WWF be seen as weak. The bad moves didn't help such as blowing the ECW revival by having them instantly join WCW and then putting Stephanie in charge with Shane. Having Austin join the Alliance never made sense and you never got a real sense of this group as a true threat to WWF. It could have been amazing and wonderful but instead, it just took up too much of the year and with no real happiness for fans. Just bitter disappointment that lingers today.
　
Rock vs. Booker T: The one saving grace of the Invasion was the Rock returning after doing The Scorpion King and being confronted by Booker T. After Booker (who, in his last year in WCW, had been mimicking the Rock's moves and mannerisms) ran his mouth, the Rock brought down the house by inaugurating his new catchphrase "Who…in the Blue Hell…are you?" The two had a great feud, battling it out several times in a clash of promos and matches with Rock winning the WCW title and Booker able to clash with someone worthy that made the Invasion almost worthwhile.
　
Flair Returns: The day after the Survivor Series, with Austin turning back to WWF to help them beat the Alliance, Vince was ready to strip Austin of the belt and give it to Angle. Just then, that familiar theme came over the speakers and Ric Flair strode out in a suit and a huge pop. Taking the mic, Flair almost redeemed the entire Invasion angle by revealing that he'd bought the shares of WWF from Shane and Stephanie, making him and Vince partners. Sure, that sounded better than the Invasion but still great to see Flair back in the spotlight big time.


　
Undisputed Champion Chris Jericho: After rising so fast in so little time, it was great to see Jericho finally winning the big one. Not only that but winning it twice as he beat Austin and the Rock for the WWF and WCW titles, becoming the first undisputed champion. It might have been short-lived but still great seeing Jericho win the big one.
　

2002


The Era of Honor Begins: With almost no fanfare, Ring of Honor came upon the scene and within months, had established itself as a great promotion to watch. Their mix of unique rules and the best indy talent around would lay the foundation for a company that put the sport into wrestling and continues to give fans the best bang for their buck around.
　
Hogan vs. Rock: When Vince decided to bring in the New World Order, it promised to shake things up. But no one could have foreseen that the WWF fans would welcome Hulk Hogan back as a hero, changing the plans. It led to the last true "Dream match" as Hogan and the Rock went at it at Wrestlemania in a terrific battle with the fans firmly on Hogan's side. The Rock won but Hogan was a true victor back on top once more.


　
The Brand Split: With WCW gone, Vince knew something had to be done to keep WWF unique. Splitting Raw and Smack Down was a smart move, giving each their own identity and stars. True, some moves were questionable such as having Eric Bischoff hug Vince as he took over RAW and just handing HHH a World title. But it still helped push WWF as it allowed them to work two brands at once and get fans into enjoying both.
　
Get the F Out: Even Vince McMahon can't win them all. After years of tries, the World Wildlife Fund finally managed to win a court battle arguing WWF was violating their trademark. Thus, World Wrestling Entertainment came to be, the name change shifting the company forever and still hard hearing it today.
　
The Next Big Thing: Brock Lesner was a rising star to be sure but no one expected WWE to give him the keys to the kingdom so soon. With clean wins over Hulk Hogan and the Rock, Brock was WWE champion and carried the belt to wins over the Undertaker and others. He was cut short by the Giant but kept going as a true fan favorite, a fantastic star whose future with the company seemed limitless.
　
HHH vs. Shawn Michaels, Summerslam: After four years away and with a back boasting a steel pole, most expected Shawn Michaels to be lucky to make any sort of watchable match against HHH. Instead, Michaels was reborn, turning out a match with physical activities folks hadn't seen from him in years. He went all out with flying maneuvers, dives off a ladder and more to beat HHH down. It was supposed to be one night only but HBK proved he was still the "Show Stopper" and his career was revived instantly, giving fans years more of great thrills.
　
TNA: You could understand the doubt. Starting a new wrestling promotion was a risky venture in itself. Having it be on weekly pay-per-views was even riskier. But you have to give props to Jeff Jarrett for making it work. With the connections to the NWA, a terrific base of stars and, best of all, the cutting edge X Division, TNA managed to beat the odds and survive better than anyone expected, showing WWE wasn't the only game in town.
　

2003

Goldberg in WWE: After holding out for a while, Bill Goldberg finally entered WWE and the buzz was naturally huge. A shame it didn't quite work out as his feud with Rock wasn't as good as hoped and he never came off the dominant monster he used to be. He did get a title win over HHH but it wasn't as long as most had hoped and the would-be monster moneymaker left the crowds feeling let down.
　
Angle vs. Lesner: Pitting two brilliant athletes against one another could only lead to fantastic matches. We got it in spades with these two. Angle defied the doctors to defend the belt against Lesner at Mania, losing. Angle came back much sooner than expected thanks to experimental surgery and their rematches were just as great, culminating in the match of the year, their fantastic Iron Man battle. Even as allies, they had tension and showed how well two great workers can rule over stupid gimmicks.
　
Reborn secondary titles: A bad move in 2002 was doing away with the Intercontinental title as the mid-card guys were left floundering. But WWE recognized that in a great way by reviving secondary belts for each brand. On RAW< the IC belt was brought back via a battle royal but on SmackDown, two actually smart things happened. First, they had the U.S. title be put up in a tournament, which is more validating than a battle royal. Then, they had the finals be between Eddie Guerrero and Chris Benoit, guaranteeing a worthy holder for the belt (which would be Eddie). Once more, the mid-card was able to strive toward something and give fans something extra to cheer for.
　
Raven vs. Jeff Jarrett: The culmination of TNA's first year of shows, the build-up was brilliant as Raven unexpectedly returned to beat down then-face champion Jarrett. Raven would join up with the Soldiers of the Extreme Revolution (look at the initials and you can tell Vince Russo thought it up) to attack Jarrett more, boasting of how it was his destiny to be NWA champion. The match was a huge ticket with literally hundreds of fans circling the building waiting for tickets. The battle was a wild affair with liberal interference but showed how overbooking can sometimes work. At one point, the Soldiers stormed the ring to beat Jarrett down and handcuff him. Just as Raven was about to nail him with a chair, the lights went out and Sabu appeared to smash down the Extreme Revolution. Jarrett was finally able to get the pin, ending a fantastic battle that showed what TNA could really do.
　
WWE unlocks the DVD market: In 2003, WWE finally realized the massive potential of the wrestling library at their fingers and used it. A DVD gave a view of the Monday Night War while Shawn Michaels got a disc of his best battles. But with the Ric Flair collection, WWE really showed what they could do, providing the best Flair matches and classic promos in a terrific package. It set the bar for the company and since then, their DVD showcases have been a boon for fans old and new and remind you of the great history to this business.
　

2004

Eddie Guerrero WWE Champion: After so many years of hardship, turning in great matches but nearly being overwhelmed by his personal demons, Eddie Guerrero finally was able to get to the top of the mountain. Beating Brock Lesner in a fantastic match, Eddie reigned with the WWE championship, a heartfelt celebration for fans everywhere that's a bit bittersweet today.
　
Wrestlemania XX: Emanating from Madison Square Garden, the card lived up to its hype with some truly amazing matches. John Cena made himself a true star by beating the Big Show for the U.S. title; The Rock and Mick Foley shockingly put over Randy Orton and Batista; Molly Holly being shaved bald after losing to Victoria; Eddie using chicanery to beat Angle and retain the WWE title; and Lesner and Goldberg in a battle where, with both men known to be leaving, the fans literally booed every move they made and went nuts when ref Austin Stunned them both. Of course, the main event is what's remembered as Chris Benoit finally managed to get the big one, beating HHH and Shawn Michaels in a fantastic three-way match. The final scene of Benoit celebrating with Eddie and family may be painful to watch today but still magical for its time.
　
Joe vs. Punk: In one of the single greatest trilogy of matches the wrestling world has ever seen, Samoa Joe and CM Punk engaged in a war for the ROH title that enthralled puro fans everywhere. The first two had them going Broadway in a pair of sixty-minute draws that were hailed as utter masterpieces by anyone who watched. The final battle was the best as the two men went at it whole-hog with everything from technical mastery to all-out brawling. In the end, Joe managed to get Punk to pass out to hold the title. Both men were instantly made, helping their later pushes in TNA and WWE while still giving fans a classic feud not seen in North American rings in ears.
　
The Diva Search: Yes, it was overlong, complicated and quite often stupid, eating up too much TV time. But it gave us Candice Michelle and Maria so I have to give it props.
　
Controversial Champs: The sudden elevation of JBL from mid-card tough guy to a Wall Street heel was jarring to say the least. JBL himself has noted fans weren't really into it at first and giving him the title for a long reign seemed risky. He did make it work in the end, however, a great heel champ. However, WWE did drop the ball big-time when Randy Orton managed to beat Benoit as Vince mistakenly believed fans wanted Orton to turn face. It never suited Orton at all and he not only dropped the belt fast but also fell from the main event for a while. Still, giving heels the big belts was a move that shifted WWE up majorly for the year.
　
XXX vs. America's Most Wanted: After showing they could succeed with three-hour PPVs, TNA pulled out the stops with their second show, "Turning Point." The card was good but what made it memorable was the fantastic main event as after two years of feuding, XXX and AMW would do battle in a cage with the stip that the losing team had to split up forever. The two teams showed they saved the best for last, going at it in an absolute war, bleeding buckets as they smashed each other around the cage with one crazy spot after another. The highlight of it all was Elix Skipper pulling off one of the single greatest spots of the entire decade as he walked across the top of the cage to hit a hurricarana on Chris Harris, sending them crashing to the mat below. Skipper ended up getting pinned, ending the greatest tag team match of the decade which really put TNA on the map big-time.


　
2005


Two Champions Rise: At Wrestlemania, John Cena and Batista finally got the main event champion slots long planned for them and both were able to make it work. Cena showed his unique style in battles with JBL and his move to RAW solidified him as the new face of the company and lived up to the rep big-time. Batista, meanwhile, was put over huge by HHH and helped SmackDown out as the new star. Together, they showed that WWE could truly create new stars for the audience and in a great way too.
　
Money In the Bank: At first, it seemed just a way to get a bunch of guys into a single Mania match. It turned into a brilliantly done ladder battle with moves and spots never seen before (the best being Shelton Benjamin running up a ladder to nail Jericho). But it proved to be a great addition to WWE with the briefcase offering a chance to challenge for a title at any time. The "when will it be used" question gave the title scene a new edge that's been used time and again, making MITB one of the best gimmicks WWE has produced in a long time and one that still has loads of potential.
　
Matt/Edge/Lita: The debate over how much of this was "work" and how much "shoot" still rages in the IWC but in terms of soap opera, you couldn't top this. For years, Matt Hardy and Amy Dumas were a major couple both on-screen and off. But while Matt was out injured, word hit of Amy cheating on him with Adam "Edge" Copeland and the shit hit the fan big-time. Matt appeared to freak out, putting rants against them both on his website and was fired from WWE. Edge and Lita went ahead with the fan feeling and became a huge heel couple on camera. Things got wilder with Matt making a return to beat Edge down and being hired back. Their actual feud wasn't as great as hoped, probably too much personal feelings to be pros about it. But it was still an amazing saga that blurred the lines between what was real and what wasn't in a way you just don't see anymore.

One Night Stand: Four years after they went under, ECW finally got the send-off fans wanted. The build was good and the excitement of the old ECW crowds was there as they went wild for the card with several great matches and moments. There was Chris Jericho taking on Lance Storm; Benoit vs. Guerrero; a wild three-way dance match; Mike Awesome redeeming himself in the fans' eyes with his brutal battle with Tanaka; Rob Van Dam's promo interrupted by an attacking Rhyno with the lights going out and Sabu showing up for an impromptu match; Joel Gertner still boasting the neck brace years later; Paul Heyman doing a terrific promo slamming Bischoff, Edge and JBL; the insane main event between the Dudleyz and Tommy Dreamer and Sandman boasting run-ins by the Blue World Order, Balls Mahoney, Axel Rotten and others; and the ECW locker room battling both WWE brands with Bischoff getting a great beat-down. For one night, the spirit of that amazing organization was back and in fine form.

Prime-Time Battles: WWE moved back to the USA Network big time with a three-hour "homecoming" special and got themselves back in the old groove. This paved the way for Spike to bring TNA to homes with "Impact" on Saturdays. It may not have been the Monday Night Wars but the fact another wrestling promotion had a cable deal did mean TNA was able to step up the plate more.


AJ Styles vs. Samoa Joe vs. Christopher Daniels, Unbreakable: Arguably the match of 2005. TNA wisely had this be the main event of their September PPV, knowing nothing could top it. After feuding with each other a bit over the year, the three X Division masters came together to put on an utter masterpiece, not holding back at all. There were fantastic moves, perhaps the best being Joe throwing Daniels at AJ in a corner, Daniels monkey-flipping AJ over and Styles getting Joe with a hurricarana, all in one move. After twenty stunning minutes, Styles managed to reverse an Angel's Wings to pin Daniels and win his fifth X Division title. But the true winners were the fans who were witness to this classic.

RIP Eddie: It was just unfair. After all the hardship he'd been through, after breaking free of his addictions that nearly destroyed him, just as his career seemed on the rise again, Eddie Guerrero was found dead in his hotel room just hours before he was to win the World title. WWE moved quickly turning their shows to heartfelt tributes to Eddie with workers shared memories and put on matches in memory with Benoit beating HHH and Mysterio going over Shawn Michaels. It was a tragic loss of a well-loved man. Sadly, it wasn't the last we'd endure.




2006

Edge's Rise: After pushing so long, Edge finally got into the main event big-time. He kicked it off by cashing in his MITB contract to beat a weakened Cena at New Year's Revolution. His reign was short but he kept it up with his great promo work and facing both Cena and HHH as well as beating down Mick Foley in a no-holds-barred battle at Mania. His alliance with Randy Orton was a great bit as well, showcasing the two egotistical heels brilliantly and certified Edge forever as a huge star.

RVD Blows It: For five years, fans and IWC "experts" had been saying the best thing WWE could do was give Rob Van Dam the title and a huge push. WWE finally did so as RVD beat John Cena for the WWE title and was christened the first champion of the newly born ECW. So after five years of waiting, RVD was finally given his shot at the big time…and in the space of four weeks managed to completely screw it up. Arrested for driving with pot, he was facing possible jail time and was forced to drop both titles in two days. The damage was also done to ECW which never got the chance to push RVD as its top guy and was soon derided by fans. Worst of all was that RVD had shaken his own legacy big-time by proving that some guys really can't carry the ball.

Trish Goes Out on Top: When Trish Stratus announced she was retiring, it was a surprise as she was still at the top of her game. But for once, WWE did the right thing by her. She not only won her last match against Lita to win her seventh women's championship but did it in her home town of Toronto. Even better was that she beat Lita with the Sharpshooter, a nice apology for the Montreal Screwjob and allowed one of the best women's wrestlers of her time to leave on a true high.



ROH vs. CZW: For the first time in memory, two North American wrestling promotions actually made an inter-promotional war work. The two companies were known for hard-hitting action and hot young indy stars but together, they worked true magic. The promoters didn't get hung up on who won or lost, they saw the benefits of working this for the fans. It was terrific seeing the stars of the companies go at it and also cool watching the heels and faces of each promotion working together to take on the other guys (like Chris Hero partnering with hated rival Eddie Kingston). Together, the two indies showed the big boys how a war like this can really work and provide the fans with damn good entertainment.

Angle to TNA: A late entry here and kicking myself for forgetting it. While still hot with great matches, word was Angle was getting worn down and WWE was truly worried for his health. So when he asked for his release to recover from his various injuries and the grind, they agreed. Needless to say, it was a shock when almost immediately he was signed with TNA. Some argued it wasn't right but Angle has proven he could handle the physical grind (mental and personal is a whole other issue) and be a main eventer still. More importantly, it really put TNA on a bit more higher ground, showing they could sway a star away given the right circumstances.


2007

Benoit: You can't talk about the year without this. It's still hard to believe the bitter irony: The man most held as an example of all that was good in wrestling ended up doing the sport immeasurable harm. That he could murder his own wife and son and then kill himself is still impossible to accept. The media firestorm affected the entire business and the focus on the large death tolls of workers past and present hasn't gone away. Worse is that a man once revered as a true champion has become the O.J. Simpson of wrestling and that is the legacy he'll leave behind for years to come.

The Woes of Vince McMahon: Talk about a bad year. First, Vince gets shaved bald at Mania. Then his attempt to have the death of his on-screen character be a big angle was derided by fans over the fake memorials and such. That was cut short by the Benoit tragedy as even Vince knew it was in too poor taste to do a fake death angle. He put on a tribute to Benoit only to realize he'd just spent three hours lionizing a murder-suicide. The media firestorm was horrific for him as he tried to put on as good a face as possible while being crucified by press and public. Then he tried to rebound with the "son" angle only to have that ruined by Kennedy's suspension. All in all, not the best of years for a guy who may be no saint but still has some sort of heart.

Batista vs. Undertaker: We all feared a pretty slow and stiff match at Mania between these two. Instead, we got the best match of the card as the two went all out with Taker continuing his streak winning the title. The rematches were just as good as the two just clicked wonderfully in the ring, bringing out the best in each other and providing fans with a terrific program for the main event.

Joe vs. Angle: TNA proved they could be just like WWE in one regard: Managing to blow a seemingly perfect opportunity. From the moment Kurt Angle entered TNA, the idea of he and Samoa Joe going at it seemed perfect. But TNA managed to make the feud not only classic but even boring. The matches were good but the setups were bad from wild brawls to Karen Angle seemingly abused by her husband (a bad move following the Benoit mess) and then turning on Joe to help Angle win. The result was that a feud that seemed so perfect turned into an utter mess.

Jericho Returns: After two years away, Chris Jericho made his return big-time to WWE. For weeks, a bizarre "code" was shown on screens, sending fans into a guessing frenzy. Jericho finally showed up to interrupt a Randy Orton celebration, doing a great promo to a huge pop. He kept it up in the ring, even coming up with his new Codebreaker finisher to show off like he hadn't in years. In a year where things were pretty bad for WWE, Jericho managed to make it shine.


2008

Cena's Royal Return: After months out due to injury, John Cena was still expected back no sooner than SummerSlam at best. So when the final entry in the Royal Rumble came up and Cena's music hit, the fans went insane. For someone supposedly so hated, Cena got a huge pop as he came out, knocking guys out left and right. He finally eliminated HHH to win and cap off one of the best surprises wrestling has given us in a long time.



Flair's Farewell: Leave it to Ric Flair to save his best for last. The angle of him being told he'd have to retire if he lost one match was brilliant and working Shawn Michaels into their Mania battle was well done. The match itself was an instant classic as Flair gave his all before Shawn tearfully put him down at last. The sight of Flair bowing to the crowds was heart-warming but the next night's "RAW" topped it. After Flair's heartfelt promo of thanks, he was met by an army of well-wishers, old friends and foes like Ricky Steamboat, Greg Valentine, Harley Race and a reunited Four Horsemen. The entire locker room came out to pay homage to the man who paved the way for so many of them and fans got to send Flair out in true style in a moment that made you proud to call yourself a wrestling fan.

TNA's Title Scene: TNA really enjoyed throwing some action on the belts in ‘08. Joe finally gained the TNA title in a fantastic match with Angle while Angle won the IWGP belt in a brilliant battle on free TV against Yugi Nagata. The Knockouts got new blood as Taylor Wilde pulled a shocking upset of Awesome Kong while Booker T created the "Legends" belt to add to his over-the-top persona. Some moves the company made in the year may have been bad but they still did their best to entertain fans.

Punk Cashes In: Having twice used the MITB contract to take advantage of someone and win a belt, it made perfect sense for Edge to get the same treatment. Making an appearance on RAW to boast of his success, Edge was beaten down by Batista and left lying in the ring. That brought out CM Punk who, with a single GTS, pinned Edge to win the World title. A wonderful moment on multiple levels, from Punk holding the belt to how it was done, a true highlight for any WWE fan.

Jeff Reaches the Top: As 2008 began, Jeff Hardy seemed ready to finally gain the WWE title and it was shocking when he came up short against Randy Orton at the Royal Rumble. As it turned out, it was a good move as Hardy failed the wellness policy and was suspended 60 days, forcing him to miss Mania. Worse, his house burned down with all his possessions, including his dog. But Jeff managed to rebound after all of that, rebuilding himself as IC champion and in December, was able to capture the WWE title. It may have been a short reign but still good to see him finally on top at last.


I'm saving 2009 for next week, which is my annual "gifts for fans" column. But you can still get a good look at ten years that rocked the business like never before. A decade of ups and downs, highs and real lows. It may not have always been pretty but it was still a fantastic ride we wouldn't trade for anything. And that's what wrestling should be all about, right?


For this week, the spotlight is off.