The Piledriver Report 03.18.10: The Greatest Match in WrestleMania History Tournament- Round Three Results and the Elite Eight Match-ups

The field is now narrowed down to the final sixteen WrestleMania matches in the tournament. Before the results are given, I would like to thank everyone who has voted thus far. I have received 486 e-mails voting on the tournament. For this round alone, I received 220 votes. This is the most votes ever received for any round in the history of the tournament. Usually, I receive fewer votes for each round as the tournament progresses. Round One and Two had the identical number, and the third round had almost as many votes as the first two rounds combined. I am extremely grateful to all of you who voted. Thank you again.

Along with the results, I will be including how many votes each wrestler received in parenthesis. Next, will come the FOURTH ROUND match-up, which I will need you to vote on. I will end the column with the wrestlers I had picked to win in the third round.

PLEASE E-MAIL ME WHO YOU THINK WILL WIN THE ROUND TWO MATCHES BY MONDAY, MARCH 22nd, 2010 at [email protected] or by entering your choices in the Comments Section.

ROUND THREE RESULTS

HOUSTON REGION

1. Undertaker vs. Shawn Michaels- WrestleMania XXV (168) over 5. Shawn Michaels vs. Chris Jericho- WrestleMania XIX (52)

2. Randy Savage vs. Ricky Steamboat- WrestleMania III (165) over 3. Randy Savage vs. Ultimate Warrior- WrestleMania VII (55)

CHICAGO REGION

1. Bret Hart vs. Steve Austin- WrestleMania 13 (192) over 4. Brock Lesnar vs. Kurt Angle- WrestleMania XIX (29)

2. Owen Hart vs. Bret Hart- WrestleMania X (151) over 3. Kurt Angle vs. Chris Benoit- WrestleMania X-Seven (69)

NEW YORK REGION

1. Shawn Michaels vs. Razor Ramon- WrestleMania X (128) over 4. Shawn Michaels vs. Bret Hart- WrestleMania XII (92)

2. Kurt Angle vs. Shawn Michaels- WrestleMania 21 (133) over 3. Steve Austin vs. The Rock- WrestleMania X-Seven (87)

TORONTO REGION

1. Edge/Christian vs. Hardys vs. Dudleys- WrestleMania X-Seven (167) over 4. Randy Savage vs. Ric Flair- WrestleMania VIII (54)

2. Chris Benoit vs. Triple H vs. Shawn Michaels- WrestleMania XX (183) over 6. Edge vs. Mick Foley- WrestleMania 22 (36)

ROUND FOUR MATCH-UPS

HOUSTON REGION

1. Undertaker vs. Shawn Michaels- WrestleMania XXV
VS.
2. Randy Savage vs. Ricky Steamboat- WrestleMania III

CHICAGO REGION

1. Bret Hart vs. Steve Austin- WrestleMania 13
VS.
2. Owen Hart vs. Bret Hart- WrestleMania X

NEW YORK REGION

1. Shawn Michaels vs. Razor Ramon- WrestleMania X
VS.
2. Kurt Angle vs. Shawn Michaels- WrestleMania 21

TORONTO REGION

1. Edge/Christian vs. Hardys vs. Dudleys- WrestleMania X-Seven
VS.
2. Chris Benoit vs. Triple H vs. Shawn Michaels- WrestleMania XX

NOTE: This is the first time in the tournament’s history that all four #1 seeds and all four #2 seeds advanced to the Elite Eight round.

MY THIRD ROUND PICKS

HOUSTON REGION

1. Undertaker vs. Shawn Michaels- WrestleMania XXV over 12. Christian vs. Chris Jericho- WrestleMania XX

2. Randy Savage vs. Ricky Steamboat- WrestleMania III over 3. Randy Savage vs. Ultimate Warrior- WrestleMania VII

CHICAGO REGION

1. Bret Hart vs. Steve Austin- WrestleMania 13 over 4. Brock Lesnar vs. Kurt Angle- WrestleMania XIX

2. Owen Hart vs. Bret Hart- WrestleMania X over 3. Kurt Angle vs. Chris Benoit- WrestleMania X-Seven

NEW YORK REGION

1. Shawn Michaels vs. Razor Ramon- WrestleMania X over 4. Shawn Michaels vs. Bret Hart- WrestleMania XII
2. Kurt Angle vs. Shawn Michaels- WrestleMania 21 over 3. Steve Austin vs. The Rock- WrestleMania X-Seven

TORONTO REGION

1. Edge/Christian vs. Hardys vs. Dudleys- WrestleMania X-Seven over 4. Randy Savage vs. Ric Flair- WrestleMania VIII

2. Chris Benoit vs. Triple H vs. Shawn Michaels- WrestleMania XX over 6. Edge vs. Mick Foley- WrestleMania 22

THE PARTICIPANTS

Undertaker vs. Shawn Michaels– WrestleMania XXV: One of only three five star matches in WrestleMania history. Won the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Pro Wrestling Illustrated, and WWE Match of the Year in 2009. This match featured the Undertaker’s undefeated streak against Shawn Michaels’ self-proclaimed “Mr. WrestleMania” moniker.

Randy Savage vs. Ricky Steamboat– WrestleMania III: In the early years of WrestleMania, the Savage/Steamboat WrestleMania III classic was the match that all other great WrestleMania matches were judged by. This match had everything. There was a hot grudge between two wrestlers that needed to be settled. A major championship was at stake. Two of the greatest workers in the industry were facing each other in the peak of their careers. The stars were all lined up for the two men to have the match to end all matches. It was great. The work rate was awesome. The near falls had you at the edge of your seat during a time when kayfabe was still on its last legs. This match won that year’s “Pro Wrestling Illustrated” and “Wrestling Observer Newsletter” Match of the Year, as well as one of wwe.com’s Top 24 WrestleMania matches of all-time.

Bret Hart vs. Steve Austin– WrestleMania 13: While the King of the Ring “Austin 3:16” promo, helped launch the WWF career of Steve Austin, his WrestleMania 13 match-up against Bret Hart raised “Stone Cold” into another stratosphere. Their “I Quit” match help turn Steve Austin into a mega face, and turn Bret Hart into the top heel in the company in a role reversal angle. This match was only the second five star match in WrestleMania history up to this point. The match won both the “Wrestling Observer Newsletter” and the “Pro Wrestling Illustrated’s” Match of the Year. It was also named one of wwe.com’s Top 24 Matches in WrestleMania history.

Owen Hart vs. Bret Hart– WrestleMania X: Owen Hart vs. Bret Hart from WrestleMania X is quite possibly the greatest opening match in WrestleMania, if not pay per view, history. At the time, Bret and Owen were two of the top in-ring performers. Their match at WrestleMania X was a classic. The surprise ending of a clean Owen Hart victory made the match even better. This match was voted as one of wwe.com’s Top 24 greatest matches in WrestleMania history.

Shawn Michaels vs. Razor Ramon– WrestleMania X: The first WWF ladder matches took place a couple of years earlier when Bret Hart was defending his Intercontinental championship against Shawn Michaels. This time Shawn Michaels was going up against Razor Ramon in a ladder match at WrestleMania X. It was a first for the WWF’s biggest event. Shawn and Razor did not disappoint. The Shawn/Razor match set the standard for what ladder matches should be. Michaels vs. Razor won the “Wrestling Observer Newsletter” and “Pro Wrestling Illustrated’s” Match of the Year. They were also voted as one of wwe.com’s 24 Greatest WrestleMania matches of all-time. The Shawn/Razor match earned the first five star rating in WrestleMania history.

Kurt Angle vs. Shawn Michaels– WrestleMania 21: Angle vs. Michaels was what WrestleMania is all about. When you think of WrestleMania, especially in the early days, you though of dream matches. After all, WrestleMania always provided you with unique matches. Shawn Michaels was arguably the best wrestler of the nineties. Kurt Angle was arguably the greatest wrestler of the new millennium. While Kurt Angle was in his prime, Shawn Michaels was still near the top of his game as well. The match didn’t disappoint as it was named “Pro Wrestling Illustrated’s” Match of the Year, as well as being voted one of the Top 24 Matches in WrestleMania history by wwe.com.

Edge/Christian vs. Hardys vs. Dudleys– WrestleMania X-Seven: Arguably the greatest ladder match in the history of the gimmick. If the previous year’s ladder match put tag teams on the map during the WWF’s “Attitude Era,” this match cemented the three teams place in WrestleMania history. However, in order to up the ante, the WrestleMania tag team triple threat rematch was more then just a ladder match. This was billed as a “tables, ladders, and chairs” match. Everything was legal, and everything was used in this edge of your seat match. The match was named “Pro Wrestling Illustrated’s” Match of the Year, as well as being voted one of the Top 24 Matches in WrestleMania history by wwe.com.

Chris Benoit vs. Triple H vs. Shawn Michaels– WrestleMania XX: The main event of the 20th WrestleMania featured arguably the greatest Triple Threat match in the history of the promotion. All three men performed brilliantly that night giving Chris Benoit the kind of night in wrestling that his misused talent always deserved. The sight of Benoit and Eddie Guerrero embracing in the middle of the ring, as streamers came sailing down from the sky, was perhaps the greatest moment in WrestleMania history. At least until you know what happened. The match was named “Pro Wrestling Illustrated’s” Match of the Year, as well as being voted one of the Top 24 Matches in WrestleMania history by wwe.com.