Should HHH or HBK won at WM 20?

[Montana]

Did Chris Beniot deserve to go over at WM 20? Yes, he had all the momentum on his side going into the match, but looking back, did the wwe make a mistake by having Beniot go over?

They knew at WM 20 they had a good crop of young talent (Cena/Orton) that would make their rise to the top shortly. They still had a fair amount of veterns on the roster.

 

[straight_edge76]

Beniot should have won. Regardless of what has happened since then you cannot say he didn't "deserve" to win. He was billed similarly has HBK was going into his Ironman match with Bret Hart at Wrestlemania 12. Not having Beniot win would have taken away from the match. Benoit finally becomming the World Champion, something alot of people thought should have happened years earlier. IMO he made Raw better at a time when Smackdown dominated in quality IMO.

 

[Airfixx]

Considering many peeps consider Eddie & Benoit celebrating together a 'WM moment' then I'd say it was a good call.

You think otherwise Montana?

I don't really understand how this part...

They knew at WM 20 they had a good crop of young talent (Cena/Orton) that would make their rise to the top shortly. They still had a fair amount of veterns on the roster.

...equates to it being a mistake?

 

[Montana]

Well, i have mixed feelings on this. I feel guys like Stone Cold/John Cena, guys like that should win their first championship at Mania. I don't feel guys like Beniot/Mysterio should win their first belt at mania. Not really to discredit Beniot, but maybe someone like a HBK or HHH simply deserved it more. They knew Beniot was a one dimensional character before having him win the rumble and all that. Yes the wwe is in a bit of a transitional phrase during that time but you still your anchors with the company Undertaker, HBK, HHH, Kurt Angle, Brock (one could argue) Goldberg, Big Show, Booker T, RVD, Kane, Eddie G, and others. So with my comment on the "younger guys" stepping up, they really didnt need to build up a vetern as a star.

I almost feel his WM win was wasted. So i guess my feelings on it, are that it's not that Beniot didnt deserve it. But I feel HBK or HHH deserved it more so. HBK take 4 years off, came back strong and could have really cemented his return with a big win at mania. HHH was still trying to get out of the Rock/Austin shadows. Then you have a midcarder in Beniot beating them. Just some food for thought and discussion.

 

[Great One]

First off his name is BENOIT. And yes, it was basically the WWE giving all the internet fans what they wanted. And I'd say it was probably the most 'passionate,' win, so to speak, of all time. I mean the guy worked fucking 20+ years for that moment, seriously.

 

[Airfixx]

Well, i have mixed feelings on this. I feel guys like Stone Cold/John Cena, guys like that should win their first championship at Mania. I don't feel guys like Beniot/Mysterio should win their first belt at mania. Not really to discredit Beniot, but maybe someone like a HBK or HHH simply deserved it more. They knew Beniot was a one dimensional character before having him win the rumble and all that. Yes the wwe is in a bit of a transitional phrase during that time but you still your anchors with the company Undertaker, HBK, HHH, Kurt Angle, Brock (one could argue) Goldberg, Big Show, Booker T, RVD, Kane, Eddie G, and others. So with my comment on the "younger guys" stepping up, they really didnt need to build up a vetern as a star.

I almost feel his WM win was wasted. So i guess my feelings on it, are that it's not that Beniot didnt deserve it. But I feel HBK or HHH deserved it more so. HBK take 4 years off, came back strong and could have really cemented his return with a big win at mania. HHH was still trying to get out of the Rock/Austin shadows. Then you have a midcarder in Beniot beating them. Just some food for thought and discussion.

...I understand now, I see what you're saying, but my previous justification aside, I think wrestling needs the occasional success story like Benoit's in 2004. All but the most brainwashed fool could see just how good Benoit was and to see him tough it out in the Rumble and make good of the title shot, to me, somewhat 'legitimises' (for want of a better term) the SPORT in this here sports entertainment STORY. (Did that make ANY sense at all? LOL)

I also think it reflects pretty well on the title in hindsight to see a name like Benoit - A 'pure' wrestling type - in a list of modern-era champions.



I'm curious, given the broader sentiment of the topic, how would you have felt about Jeff Hardy getting his first world title at this years WM (rather than as many have said on IWF "wasting" his big moment, and arguably a BIG fan-pleasinf moment, at a lesser PPV)?

 

[xtremebadass]

Well, even when they moved Benoit to Raw after the Rumble, right off the bat I thought it just didn't fit into the direction they were going for. Sure it was cool with him and Eddie at the end, but in the long run, Benoit didn't have that great of a title run afterwards. HHH and HBK's rivalry was much more important than Benoit's WMXX run. They should have focused more on HHH or HBK winning. If you ask me, Benoit shouldn't have even been in it, I wasn't crazy about a triple threat match at Mania, I didn't really like the match, just a personal problem, I know everyone loved it, but I am not a fan of 3 ways at Mania and didn't believe Benoit was a worthy main eventer in the WWE. Orton beat him for the belt and Benoit never even got a rematch, that probably says something about him as champ. I mean, Kurt didn't win a Rumble ever, they could have had him win and go onto Mania andfight Guererro. Bottom line, I believe HBK should have won because WMXX was supposed to be historic and what better of a way to crown Mr. WrestleMania the champ at WMXX?

 

[Moonlight Drive]

Who won what?

 

[Montana]

I also think it reflects pretty well on the title in hindsight to see a name like Benoit - A 'pure' wrestling type - in a list of modern-era champions.


I'm curious, given the broader sentiment of the topic, how would you have felt about Jeff Hardy getting his first world title at this years WM (rather than as many have said on IWF "wasting" his big moment, and arguably a BIG fan-pleasinf moment, at a lesser PPV)?

I do agree with the fact, it's nice to see someone like Benoit win the belt after his struggle. Especially the Entertainment/wrestling getting back to the basics. In that respect it was nice.

A great question in regards to Jeff Hardy, because that was exactly when i was thinking when i was writing this. But in my opinion, Jeff Hardy's situation was different. Hardy's struggled in the wwe for 10 years, made himself a name in the wwe. Hardy didnt jump ship to the wwe, and continue to make a legacy for himself, Jeff Hardy started about as low as you can start. So in that respect, I would have given serious consideration to have Jeff Hardy win his first belt at Mania. I didn't feel Benoit/Mysterio had the same struggle within the wwe. And i also think Jeff Hardy is the type of guy that they can build around and use in the main event for years to come. (where as they werent) That's why i would say Hardy's would be WM worthy. But maybe im a hypocite.

 

[Moonlight Drive]

I agree with you about Jeff Monty. It would've been a brilliant culmination to the storyline to have Jeff somehow lose at Armageddon (perhaps Edge stealing the victory after a Swanton to Trips) then manage to go from a low number to win the Rumble and defeat the champion at Wrestlemania.

As for Benoit, it was right for him to win. Triple H had been champion for most of the past 2 years, and Shawn didn't need the belt. It provided an emotional victory and memorable 'mania moment (even if we'll never see it mentioned on WWE TV) and it was well deserved. Benoit was a 20 year veteran who'd always been putting on great matches, and it was about time he got the strap.

Just at the mention of Rey, he didn't need to win the title at Wrestlemania. I agree it was well deserved, but I didn't feel the emotion that I did with Benoit, HBK or any of the others who won their first title at Wrestlemania.

 

[Evil Austin]

Well, even when they moved Benoit to Raw after the Rumble, right off the bat I thought it just didn't fit into the direction they were going for. Sure it was cool with him and Eddie at the end, but in the long run, Benoit didn't have that great of a title run afterwards. HHH and HBK's rivalry was much more important than Benoit's WMXX run. They should have focused more on HHH or HBK winning. If you ask me, Benoit shouldn't have even been in it.

I agree with pretty much that part of what you said XBA; I know that Benoit worked hard for everything he will always be one of my favorite alongside Eddie but he time didn't suit him well with the spotlight being on the HBK and Triple H feud at the time and that was much more important. I mean years from now no one will remember his reign; I barely do...I mean I remember the match but barely a raw segment or a match with him as the champion. But that's just me.

I also agree that he shouldn't have been in it and for a huge WM XX type PPV I think it would have been much better if it were Benoit still winning the Rumble but to face Eddie in the Main Event. Kurt to face someone else and for the WHC Title HBK to face Triple H. That would have been better imo/

 

[CenaMark54]

No, Benoit winning was right. They needed someone to transition the belt to Orton and it created a pretty good moment in the process. Plus, if I remember correctly, Benoit was pretty over at the time.

 

[Airfixx]

I mean years from now no one will remember his reign; I barely do...I mean I remember the match but barely a raw segment or a match with him as the champion. But that's just me.

ARRRRRRGGGGHHHH.... Why does no-one ever acknowledge Benoit/Orton @ that years Summerslam? IMO, one of the best matches of the year (one of those classic wrestle 'til you drop matches synonimous with the classic IC battles like Bret/Perfect, Savage/Steamboat etc.), not to mention the catalyst for the split of Evolution.

I also agree that he shouldn't have been in it and for a huge WM XX type PPV I think it would have been much better if it were Benoit still winning the Rumble but to face Eddie in the Main Event. Kurt to face someone else and for the WHC Title HBK to face Triple H. That would have been better imo/

That wouldn't have worked so well:

1. Why would he CHOOSE to gun for his friend's title, when there's a tyranical heel running rampant?

2. You think they'd have got his victory over anywhere near as well if he'd beat Eddie rather making the completely dispised HHH TAP?

3. After the amount of times they'd faced, IMO adding another person to the mix was necessary to freshen up the HBK/HHH saga... UNLESS they'd maybe decided to do a HIAC blow-out at WMXX (IMO by the time they did it at Bad Blood a couple of months later, it had run out of steam... Hence it's the match betwen them that people rever the least).

4. You wouldn't have got the classic end of night 'moment'.

 

[Beer Money Army]

no.. Benoit earned that WM 20 win...

i was disappointed the way he lost it.. Not that he losted it to orton(that orton/benoit match was **** imo great match).. but the fact that orton lost it a month later was very to man that Benoit has beaten numerous times of 2004...

I felt that hurt benoit as it hurt orton...

Maybe eddie guerrero title win could of been saved at mania 20 instead of NWO..

But then again everyone would of knew eddie was going win due to the fact lesnar was leaving the company to nfl...

 

[straight_edge76]

At First honestly, I thought they would wait until XX for Eddie to win but then Lesner was leaving, still I didnt expect him to lose at NWO. I remember watching that match when I was in 8th grade....one of my favorites