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26) Tuxedo/Bra and Panties (CMV1 examples: Harvey Whippleman vs. Howard Finkel; Trish Stratus and Lita vs. Torrie Wilson and Stacy Kiebler) – The object of said match is to remove your opponent of their articles of clothing. Interestingly, this was a match made for comedic purposes between males, but was the style of bout that carried the women’s division through the Attitude era and beyond as its most featured female match type. 25) Handicap (CMV1 examples: Team Angle vs. Chris Benoit and Brock Lesnar; Christian and Trish Stratus vs. Chris Jericho) – Since the majority end with the individual or team with less members winning, I deem this one of the most overrated gimmick matches. In the current era, the top stars routinely defeat multiple competitors at one time, damaging the credibility of the multi-man combo and the match type itself. 24) First blood (CMV1 examples: Steve Austin vs. Kane; Mr. Kennedy vs. Undertaker) – One of the key elements in a great match is the drama of the false finish. In matches such as First Blood, the drama of the near fall is dialed down several notches. Austin vs. Taker from ’99 is a great example of how two men who usually have (at least) good matches are forced down to average quality based on a gimmick. While the WWE has figured out how to outstandingly book several attraction matches, this is not one of them. 23) Parking Lot Brawl/Boiler Room Brawl (CMV1 examples: John Cena vs. JBL; Undertaker vs. Mankind) – One of the common themes in the autobiographies of wrestlers that have been involved in a match where there was no crowd (or a very small one that was not vocal) is that it was hard to have much of a match in that environment. The wrestlers feed off the crowds and often allow their reactions to dictate the moves that they call. In gimmicks such as the (insert location outside the arena) brawl, the lack of crowd involvement is quite detrimental to the presentation. 22) Scramble (CMV1 examples: HHH vs. Shelton Benjamin vs. Jeff Hardy vs. MVP vs. Brian Kendrick) – This concept has basically been a flop in the WWE because the buyrate for the PPV prominently featuring them was fairly weak, but it had potential. While none of the Scramble matches, to this point, have been particularly memorable, the idea behind it is sound. Excitement runs aplenty with so many falls within the usual 20-minute time limit, especially in the one given as an example. However, the crowd has been, thus far, unsure how to react. It just needs more time and more seasoning. 21) Gauntlet (CMV1 examples: Brock Lesnar vs. Team Angle; John Cena vs. Nexus) – Given plenty of time, these can be quite entertaining and tell a great story, but in the instant gratification company that is the WWE, the gauntlet bouts that are given enough time to develop are few and far between. Much like with handicap matches, the primary gripe is that the guy running the gauntlet too often mows through all of his competitors, making his opposition look weak. 20) Pole Match (CMV1 examples: Edge vs. William Regal with Brass Knuckles on a pole; Undertaker vs. Brock Lesnar with a biker chain on a pole) – Historically, the quality of this kind of bout has been below average or average at best. Such is the reason why I rank it so low, despite it being the type of contest that always seems to project much better on paper. Part of the reason may be that foreign objects have become so widely used in normal matches (without the user being disqualified) that they may have lost their luster. 19) Buried Alive (CMV1 examples: Undertaker vs. Mankind; Undertaker vs. Mr. McMahon) – The sheer novelty of a match that’s loser gets “buried alive” is enough to make this gimmick far more interesting than it has any right to be. It initially had that “how are they going to accomplish this without it looking ridiculous” factor. While none of them have been outstanding, they’ve each been fun to watch. It’s certainly not one to be used often (if ever again) (CMV1 note – this was written long before the decision was made to have Taker and Kane use this gimmick this Sunday). 18) Lumberjack (CMV1 examples: Kurt Angle vs. Eddie Guerrero; John Cena vs. Sabu) – A staple gimmick for decades, the lumberjack match is a go-to attraction for TV matches in the modern era. While not a style that has produced many classic matches, it is always intriguing to see what kind of interaction the competitors will have with the outside players. Unfortunately, that interaction often takes away the focus from the primary combatants, which is certainly not the intent but is almost always the result. 17) Inferno (CMV1 examples: Kane vs. Undertaker; Kane vs. MVP) – There have not been many feuds in the WWE worthy of such a unique match, as you’d have to be getting pretty personal to want to light your opponent on fire. Perhaps if the WWE one day returns to the TV-14 rating, we might see the return of the Inferno match, but in the meantime we can reminisce about the very strong efforts produced by Kane in this format. He’s the sole reason why this match ranks so highly on the list, for it is his performances that have made it so attention grabbing. However, Undertaker’s dive over the flames in the inaugural version was a sight to see and be mentioned. 16) Tables (CMV1 examples: The Dudley Boys vs. The Hardy Boys; The Rock vs. The Dudley Boys) – Thanks to those damn Dudleys, the table match has become a gimmick under which even a heavyweight title match has been contended. The Attitude era performer routinely found themselves going through the wooden, four legged devices. Surprisingly, the quality of these matches was always maintained at a high level, as the frequency with which a superstar “got wood” conditioned the audience to gasp, oh, and ah at the impending crash. Thus, the drama was sustained and several a memorable match was had in the table match format. 15) Stretcher (CMV1 example: Rob Van Dam vs. Randy Orton; Batista vs. Shawn Michaels) – The first of this sort that I ever saw was live at the 2003 Judgment Day, where Brock Lesnar and Big Show waged war in this arrangement. With low expectations, I went into it hoping to be surprised. As it would turn out, the match would challenge for match of the night and leave me shocked at the WWE’s prowess for booking it. It won’t always produce a classic match, but one thing that history has shown is that it will be used to tell a good story in a personal rivalry. 14) Casket/Coffin (CMV1 examples: Undertaker vs. Shawn Michaels; Undertaker vs. Randy and Cowboy Bob Orton) – Despite the fact that I cannot recall a truly excellent match in this format, I still have to give credit where credit is due to the Undertaker and his signature gimmick match. He knows how to work within the gimmick to get entertaining matches out of even the clumsiest, poorest of in-ring workers. Plus, there might not be another concept that fits a character so well. While there may not have been any 4-5 star performances in a casket match, there have been many memorable moments – over the top as many of them may have been. 13) Strap/Bull Rope (CMV1 examples: Eddie Guerrero vs. John Bradshaw Layfield; Stone Cold Steve Austin vs. Savio Vega) – To be honest, it was JBL that made me a believer in this kind of match being capable of producing something memorable. It was in his Great American Bash ’04 match with Latino Heat that I witnessed a match of this kind evoke emotion out of me normally reserved for a more popular gimmick. I’d seen plenty of these types of matches in the mid-card and they were always quite entertaining, but JBL-Eddie showed me that this was a gimmick that could be used very effectively higher up the card in a world title situation. I’d like to see another one in the main-event setting. 12) Two/Three Falls (CMV1 examples: Triple H vs. The Rock; Kurt Angle vs. Eddie Guerrero) – When done properly, these types of matches can be so very, very good. Unfortunately, the WWE drops the ball with these quite frequently – or, at least, they have in the past several years. The main problem with them these days is that they just are not given the amount of time necessary to develop. Triple H and Randy Orton are the only two competitors in recent PPV history to be given over 14-minutes for such a match (in the 3 Stages of Hell variation). Two-three falls in such rapid succession does not make a lot of sense. You give one of these 20-minutes (25-30 is better) and you’ll often see something that leaves you feeling as if you were told a complete, unabbreviated story. 11) I Quit/Submission (CMV1 examples: Kurt Angle vs. Chris Benoit; Steve Austin vs. Bret Hart) – A wrestler that knows how to execute submission holds effectively make these kinds of bouts a thing of beauty. I am personally a huge fan of submission wrestling. Guys like Benoit with his Crossface, Angle with his ankle lock, and Bret Hart with his Sharpshooter (I guess Cena with his STF is a lesser example) are able to bring a lot of emotion out of crowd with their submission holds. The image of Austin locked in the Sharpshooter with blood pouring down his face will be etched in my mind for decades. On the other side of the coin, the “I Quit” format allows for brawlers to shine. Terry Funk, Mick Foley, John Cena and The Rock have all prospered in such matches. 10) Last Chance/Retirement/Career/Loser Leaves (CMV1 examples: Shawn Michaels vs. Ric Flair; Batista vs. Edge) – On one hand, a match where a guy’s career or spot on a show or last shot at a title is on the line can be very dramatic. Anything that adds that kind of drama to a match is a good thing. Yet, on the other hand, these kinds of matches are typically very predictable, which is not a good thing. The pendulum between those two factors typically ends up swinging in the direction of a fantastic, drama packed, and memorable encounter, which I’d obviously take any day of the week. Raw emotion often takes over in a match like this, particularly in the Retirement format. There’s not much in the sport of pro-wrestling that I enjoy seeing more than the wrestlers getting legitimately emotional – it lends credibility to this stuff we spend so much time reading and writing about. 9) Last Man Standing (CMV1 examples: John Cena vs. Umaga; Triple H vs. Ric Flair) – This is one of those gimmicks that the WWE just flat out has learned how to expertly book in the last 10 years. The first few that they tried were a little awkward, but since then you’d have a hard time finding a LMS match that has not been at the very least “good.” One guy who thrives in this match is John Cena. I believe it has become his go-to non-standard style of contest. Whether it be against Umaga, Batista, Edge, or Randy Orton, Cena seems to have mastered the art of telling a story and get the crowd into a frenzy without the use of near falls. False finishes are more difficult to come by in a match like this, so it takes an elite performer to make it work at its optimum. 8) Elimination Chamber (CMV1 examples: Triple H vs. RVD vs. Kane vs. Booker T vs. Y2J vs. HBK; Undertaker vs. Y2J vs. Rey Mysterio vs. CM Punk vs. R-Truth vs. John Morrison) – I’ll never forget when Eric Bischoff did the first promo about the Elimination Chamber. I think I dreamed about that match off and on for a week before it actually took place. The concept is just very cool, to put it simply. Combining elements of the Rumble, the traditional Survivor Series elimination match, and Hell in a Cell, the WWE stumbled upon a smash hit that – as its own PPV – has managed to bring buys to a month that has historically struggled to get any. While there have been many that have performed well consistently in this environment, Goldberg had the most memorable outing in the Chamber in 2003. 7) Cage (CMV1 examples: Eddie Guerrero vs. JBL; Bret Hart vs. Owen Hart) – The standard cage match has spawned a lot of similar gimmicks, to the point where its usage as a top flight, feud ending environment has all but gone by the way side. I recall when the cage was the ultimate gimmick for concluding a personal rivalry. Mano y Mano, it was going to come to an ugly head when the steel surrounded the ring. Somewhere along the way, that was no longer enough for WWE brass, but that’s not to discount the impact of cage matches and the quality that they’ve continued to produce. The Attitude era produced the most cringe worthy moments for cage matches, but the storytelling that took place inside the cage was at its best in the early-to-mid 90′s. 6) Hardcore/Street Fight/Falls Count Anywhere/No Holds Barred/No Disqualification (CMV1 examples: Edge vs. Mick Foley; Triple H vs. Cactus Jack) – There’s no denying the WWE’s king of Hardcore was Foley, who virtually pioneered it in a company where such a style was anything but commonplace. Some of the most memorable matches in the last 10+ years have been of this style, which does have many variations. After becoming the norm during the Attitude era to throw the rule book out the window and have matches that were “no holds barred” without the title, the gimmick lost a lot of its luster. However, a significant decrease in its usage has made this match a nearly must-see again. Edge has proven quite adept at making this gimmick work for him in the modern era. 5) Hell in a Cell/Punjabi Prison/Lion’s Den (CMV1 examples: Undertaker vs. Brock Lesnar; Triple H vs. Batista) – In a match of this nature that has only occurred a select number of times, you can look back at its history to get a nice picture of the overall quality. That being written, it would be difficult to find a gimmick that has produced with the consistency that has Hell in a Cell. While in recent years the death defying moves on or off the top of the Cell have ceased (for obvious reasons), the wrestlers have adapted and the consistency has held steady. Randy Orton and John Cena provide an example of what this kind of match is all about, in theory. Two men, locked in an inescapable steel surrounding, fighting to see who’s the best. There have certainly been some notable duds inside its confines, but the large majority of these matches have been excellent. 4) Triple Threat/ Three Way Dance/Fatal Four way/Six Pack Challenge (CMV1 examples: Chris Benoit vs. Triple H vs. Shawn Michaels; Randy Orton vs. John Cena vs. Chris Jericho vs. Edge vs. Wade Barrett vs. Sheamus) – I remember when there was a rumor that Mankind might be included in the Mania XIV main-event with HBK and Austin, to which there was reportedly a backlash from purists who suggested that top level matches should always be one-on-one. My how times have changed. Multi-man matches have become nearly as often used as a singles match in championship situations. Since these matches maintain a lot of the key elements that a standard one-on-one encounter does, I have always found them to be a great blend of several different styles of talents. They can also allow a younger, less experienced wrestler cut his teeth in the main-event setting without having his weaknesses exposed. The WWE can book this style in their sleep, at this point. 3) Ladder/TLC (CMV1 examples: Dudleys vs. Hardys vs. Edge and Christian; CM Punk vs. Jeff Hardy) – Has there been a more popular gimmick match in this last decade and a half than the ladder match? Whether it be the end of a feud, a 6-10 man Money in the Bank at Wrestlemania, or multiple PPVs dedicated to them, ladder matches have run wild in the WWE since No Mercy 1999. One could argue that the use of the ladder has become overdone; and it surely was overdone during the latter half of the Attitude era and slightly beyond. Since, they’ve managed to find a solid equilibrium, with guys like Jeff Hardy and CM Punk showing that – even after so many years of so many ladder matches – it’s still possible to do something new and produce a match of the year contender in some variation of the ladder concept. Although, as HBK has often put it, the instances where the ladder is used as a means to tell a story rather than making the story about the ladder are few and far between. 2) Royal Rumble/Battle Royal (CMV1 examples: any of the Royal Rumbles; Kurt Angle’s World title winning battle royal in 2006) – I’ll admit it. I’m a mark for battle royals. And if I’m a mark for battle royals, I don’t think that wrestling aficionados have invented a word that would describe my feelings about the Royal Rumble style battle royal. Wrestlemania is undoubtedly my favorite PPV of the year, but my favorite match of the year is the Rumble. I remember sitting at my dad’s place in 1992 watching a tape of that year’s Rumble (in which Ric Flair survived to win the WWE title). That was the start of it for me. Some of my fondest memories in wrestling have come during the Rumble. High stakes are often a key feature of the modern battle royal. Just as the Rumble puts a title shot at Mania on the line every year, at least half of the standard battle royals in the last 5-6 years have been for a vacant world title or a title shot. 1) Ironman (CMV1 examples: The Rock vs. Triple H; Shawn Michaels vs. Bret Hart) – While the two examples used are perhaps the best known Ironman matches, it was last year’s Orton vs. Cena encounter that made me choose Ironman as my #1 gimmick. You see, the mere mention of Ironman match led me to ordering 2009′s Bragging Rights without hesitation. Only the Rumble can stake a similar claim (for me), so the difference ends up being the rarity of the match type. If I had to choose between Ironman and Rumble, I’d choose an Ironman match. I believe it to be the ultimate test of who’s the best, reserved only for those in-ring performers that are capable of doing in the modern era what I grew up watching in the NWA quite frequently: going the distance – wrestling for an hour. If two performers are capable of telling a story for 60-minutes, then they earn a respect from me that is reserved for very few wrestlers I’ve ever had the privilege of watching. Perhaps my personal favorite among the select few Ironman matches in WWE history is Kurt Angle vs. Brock Lesnar in a match that heightened my appreciation for Angle and firmly established it for Lesnar. Anyone can wrestle the above 25 gimmick matches, but very few can go for an hour… Doctor’s Orders: List columns are simple, but they do more than just provide the reader with a collection of numbered items laced with various discussion material; they allow the writer to take a walk down memory lane. Such is one of the reasons why I’ve always enjoyed being on your end, reading the list columns. I can appreciate the nostalgic properties. So, I encourage you to argue your side. Which of the gimmicks do you feel is the best? What examples would you give to argue your point? Until we meet again in feedback, I am the doctor and these have been my orders… The Road to Wrestlemania is Coming…
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