

This is definitely Kane’s best match without the mask.įrom a psychology and pure brutality standpoint, this is one of the best (if not the best) chain matches ever. When that didn’t work, the World Heavyweight Champion focused on Kane’s knees to set up the Sharpshooter. It was a human chess match of targeting body parts as Kane worked over Benoit’s surgically repaired neck while Benoit weakened Kane’s arm to set up the Crossface. Kane truly looked like a big red machine as the Canadian Crippler repeatedly sliced his chest with blistering chops. Pulling double duty, Chris Benoit had competed earlier in the night in a Tag Team Championship match, so this brutal slugfest is a testament to his ability. Although Kane’s title reign was brief, it established him as a certified main eventer who could hang with the biggest star in the company.
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It was a ballsy move to give away the match on free TV after fans had payed to see it the night before, but it’s that unpredictability that led to WWE winning the Monday Night War. Twenty-four hours after losing the WWF Championship, Stone Cold issued his rematch clause and faced Kane in a molten hot main event.
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restrictions couldn’t hamper the intensity of this brawl as the ex-Tag Team Champions fought into the parking lot, smashing windows and shovels along the way. Whacking the Demon with a kendo stick to the melody of “Yes!” chants, Bryan played the unwavering underdog to perfection against the monster. He’s never thought of as hardcore, but the Smackdown GM wasn’t afraid to eschew chokeholds for chairshots. In his only high-profile title defense before surrendering the WWE World Heavyweight Championship due to injury, Daniel Bryan battled his former partner in an Extreme Rules match. But he damn sure tried! This cartoonish brawl has everything from a golf cart chase to Kane tossing Raven through a window. Raven defended the Hardcore Championship against two giants, and obviously, didn’t have a chance. One of my favorite matches as a kid, I forced my uncles to see it at a family party but they only cared about the Gimmick Battle Royal. Unfortunately, typical miscommunication between Team Hell No led to The Shield retaining.ġ6. Then Reigns overpowered the Flyin’ Goat and it became Kane’s turn to make the save, rallying his lil buddy from the apron until he tagged in to unleash uppercuts of doom.

When Kane finally tagged in Bryan, the supposed weak link ran wild on Rollins. One of the rare instances where Kane was the partner in peril as The Shield isolated the monster in the first half of this Tag Team Championship match. If they hadn’t been out of position for the ending, history would look back on this bout more fondly.ġ7. Our Olympic Hero smashed Kane’s skull with the bell to start the match, and then dominated him with surprising (although we know by now he’s superhuman) power moves. Not as good as their 2001 Smackdown encounter, but still WrestleMania quality. Team Hell No was Kane’s last great run and this was where it all started. It’s fun to watch them bicker in the beginning, and then slowly tolerate each other toward the end. Shelby’s therapy sessions as Kane and Daniel Bryan were forced to work together to win the titles. Who else forgot that R-Truth and Kofi were Tag Team Champions? This match was the culmination of Dr. It was the first time that someone cashed in on the same night they won the title shot.ġ9. Nope…Kane returned with his recently won briefcase and a referee, demolishing Mysterio for the title. Kane made the save to chase off Swagger, leaving Rey-Rey to feel the coast was clear.

After Rey Mysterio successfully defended the World Heavyweight Championship against Jack Swagger, the angry Okie attacked the champ afterward. How can a 54-second match make the cut? Storytelling. In honor of two decades of walking through hell fire and brimstone, here’s the definitive list of Kane’s 20 greatest matches.Ģ0.

Even now, in 2017, Kane is a central figure of Raw, destroying current superstars who grew up watching him. His character has evolved more than any other in wrestling history, certainly a major contributing factor in his amazing longevity. It feels like just yesterday Kane was ripping off the door to Hell in a Cell and tombstoning his big brother. This October marks the 20th anniversary of the Big Red Machine.
