For my latest “Favourite Five” I’m going to look at five of my most memorable title changes. The list is exclusively WW(F)E and WCW bouts as it happens. I think that’s because whilst I enjoy Japanese and Mexican wrestling, as well as enjoying North American territories (usually after they’d disappeared) I’ve always been more emotionally attached to those two companies in terms of long-term regular viewership. And as you will see, my choices are not always about excellent matches but are about the emotion and the timing of the title changes as well.
Davey Boy Smith (Intercontinental Title, SummerSlam 1992)
Oh for the days when I was only just into my teens and the idea that a MEGA show would be booked in a wrestlers “hometown” and he would get a title shot didn’t immediately scream “title change”. I’m fairly certain that I was already “wise” to the pre-determined nature of wrestling by this point in my life, but I had nowhere near the knowledge of the in’s and out’s of it as a business as I suppose most viewers have today. In hindsight it’s a classic wrestling play. But this list is not about how I would feel now, but more about how I felt then.
The show was taped the day before it aired on Sky, so the result was already known and had been heavily publicised in the middle pages of the tabloid newspaper that sat invitingly on the dining room table. My dad had told me the result was in there and I was determined not to find out before watching the show. On a couple of occasions throughout the day I almost cracked and opened up the newspaper, but I didn’t. As the show unfolded before my eyes on the TV I got more and more excited and when I realised that Bret Vs Davey was going on last I was shocked. The Intercontinental title match going on after the World Title ? Unheard of to me.
As I watched the match itself the drama was palpable as I sat there hoping, praying that Davey Boy could please the whole country by defeating his Brother-in-law Bret. The relief and joy when he got that three count saw me leaping and jumping around the living room. Davey Boy had done it.
Shawn Michaels (European Title, One Night Only)
Five years on from SummerSlam 1992 and the WWF’s first ever UK only pay-per-view. I was lucky enough to be In the crowd for this one at the Birmingham NEC and it was actually the day before I moved to Birmingham for the start of my University life. By now I was “smarter”. Davey Boy Smith never lost in England; that was wrestling law. Things weren’t going to change here. The idea that he would lose to set up a mega-money rematch at a future UK ppv never even entered me head. Still, I was one of the few in attendance who was firmly behind HBK, hoping against hope that he might actually do it. And despite all the logical evidence to the contrary I started to believe as the match went on. I distinctly remember turning to my mates after a few minutes and saying to them that HBK was going to win this. And I was thrilled as it turned out that he did. As my fellow Brits were throwing plastic cups and waste paper into the ring, I was cheering myself giddy. It was a truly memorable moment.
The story behind the match is an interesting one as well, with Davey being told he would win only for Shawn to pull a power-play in the days leading up to the event and successfully argue that a win for him could be followed by a re-match that would draw big money for the company; of course a little incident in Montreal put pay to any thoughts of that.
Goldberg (WCW World Title, Nitro)
I had to sneak a WCW title change in here and it was between Ron Simmons shocking the world by defeating Big Van Vader for the title and this one. This just won the day. It’s amazing to think that this wasn’t some kind of long-term plan thought up by WCW, but in fact a knee-jerk reaction to starting to be challenged in the Monday Night ratings war by the WWF. Well ok, perhaps it’s not that amazing knowing what we do know about the WCW booking philosophy, but hey…
Goldberg himself only found out he was challenging for the title when he heard commentary on Thunder announcing the match for the following Nitro. And yet despite the lack of any appreciable build up, Goldberg Vs Hulk Hogan was THE match every WCW fan wanted to see. It didn’t really need much more. Yes, the company threw away a small fortune by giving it away on free TV but that just made it all the more memorable for me. A white-hot atmosphere generated by rabid fans in the Georgia Dome added tons to it as well. The action was basic, but everything was invested with emotion and drama. The now slightly cynical fan in me wondered if Hogan would pull a power play, but it transpired that this was actually Hogan’s idea, who wanted to show WCW officials that he could still put on a show. When Goldberg hit his moves and got the pin, everything just erupted. This was wrestling at it’s simplest…and most effective.
Mankind (WWF World Title, RAW)
As it was pre-taped, we knew this one was coming. Famously Eric Bischoff ordered Tony Schiavonie to give away the result on the live Nitro to dissuade fans from tuning in. Just as famously, hundreds of thousands of viewers took the opportunity to switch to Raw to see it. I’d been a fan of Mick “Cactus Jack” Foley since his WCW days and to see him reach the pinnacle of the profession here was just one of those nice moments that happen all too rarely. It wasn’t a great match, but it was one of the most enjoyable ones. For once, knowing what was coming made things even more sweeter. Foley’s celebrations, and those of the accompanying DX boys, were genuine and heartfelt and that shone through. A magical moment.
Eddy Guererro (WWE World Title, No Way Out 2004)
I’d been a fan of Eddy Guerrero since seeing him in action at the wonderful AAA When World Collide pay-per-view. Still, at his size and with the North American business being as it was there was never any danger of him ever becoming a world champion. It was a pleasure to see him in ECW and he wowed the crowds in the Cruiserweight division in WCW. He had occasional forays into the heavyweight division but he was never going higher in Atlanta. When he signed for the WWE I was thrilled, but even then you didn’t hold out any hope that he would become a main eventer. When he was fired it seemed as if his career would stall, but he cleaned up, got his act together and was re-hired.
Even after all of that, the idea of Eddy Guerrero, World Champion seemed a pipe-dream but he battled on, got over and made it impossible for the company to ignore him. I dared to dream that he might unseat the mighty Brock Lesnar, who lets not forget had destroyed the likes of The Rock, Hulk Hogan and The Undertaker during his reigns. The setting of No Way Out in an area with a heavy Hispanic community pointed to this being Eddy’s night, as did Lesnar’s troubles with a man called Bill Goldberg. But there was still the doubts that Eddy was too small to be champion in Vince McMahon’s eyes. When Goldberg interfered and Eddy subsequently DIDN’T get the victory I began to fear the worse, but that was all part of the plan. When Eddy hit the Frog Splash and got the pinfall the crowd erupted and as the celebrations continued I don’t mind admitting I got a little emotional myself.
– By Matthew Roberts