|
Top-notch wrestling tournaments: photos
" `1 B. f) n1 h4 p1 s! @' k# A7 q3 ]1 I& k% o- u2 C7 N0 ~
+ o& X! ~' ]( |0 B, s) Q
5 a( n7 u- A6 p; ^; }2 S! L% f) ~- iRandy Savage and Junkyard Dog faced off in the final of WWE's initial pay-per-view, The Wrestling Classic.3 }' o/ ?+ q; z2 N/ O% j2 b( _
. ^1 R6 T; L# m; r, a' N
( e9 ~4 d% }7 I& h
" S5 z j, m0 }0 p5 l ?; GTwo tried-and-true teams, The Fantastics and The Fabulous Ones, collide in the opening round of the First Annual Jim Crockett Sr. Memorial Cup Tag Team Tournament, held April 19, 1986, in the New Orleans Superdome.0 k( b, w$ u2 P$ k) ~
- h# ^0 I' I: X) O5 O* p1 N t& j7 R- f# q: r
1 |* P0 R* r+ |9 w* e: \
Road Warrior Animal whips Magnum T.A. in the tournament final.- @; i# }! F$ ?1 c4 {4 J' N; x
6 C& k4 w6 c: \: P/ | z* Y6 z% e& K% q
% _0 A' I* j& j( a% Q
Animal's partner, Hawk, grounds Magnum T.A.'s teammate, Ronnie Garvin. LOD took home the $1 million purse that night.+ l" q- y% D- _
) r% q: M& U& [3 ~0 h/ ^! C
* w) {* N: {, I. G& S: O, d6 ^, w; G' e% _
In the second Crockett Cup, "Super Powers" Dusty Rhodes & Nikita Koloff won it all, despite the fact both men were primarily singles stars.
0 D1 e k( e/ V( d& O' [- n/ b0 p
+ \3 c& \5 r2 j0 q0 l8 A! j1 { w% _1 J/ [9 \; W4 P1 o
" s+ g0 B# W4 K0 A% V- g8 C( s8 ?- M
( e ]; o. O- N
/ @4 E7 A4 t4 h8 T6 J C
After winning the two-night tournament, Koloff & Rhodes were awarded the trophy and a $1 million check.
9 x( i* _" u. w3 E
/ N3 f$ B* p0 i' E. I, g2 p
% p- p) n t! {& c! l6 ~; x" y8 x; s6 O, a0 f1 s
. O6 a4 h# R2 T2 O" R2 x$ H2 Z6 G, V
The Powers of Pain fight their enemies-in-paint, The Road Warriors, in the final edition of the annual tag team competition.1 [+ e3 D; m4 U" g. l
) g: i8 ^+ B- T& g, w c
/ x e" D) J0 j
: \( y2 a$ D; l& ~" c0 N3 [ @( y4 }% C" wTully Blanchard wrenches the knee of Lex Luger in the 1988 Crockett Cup finale.5 t' Z& S9 w7 k, d) x+ S/ c
, q% a, j. {! {( v0 R* U {) D2 u
8 F; q5 l" y# I2 ^# |8 Q5 ^3 h8 z* k3 s, b
"The Total Package's" partner, Sting, returns the favor against Blanchard's partner in crime, fellow Four Horseman Arn Anderson.# R9 J! O% g. c/ W
K) C. P! k" {; C% d2 U& n: V) f N) f/ l
6 L1 X7 f) Z- u5 x8 g& x
One Man Gang and "Dr. Death" Steve Williams duke it out in the Pro Wrestling Illustrated/UWF Challenge Cup Tournament.
% s* I1 F4 M$ F: M3 B
8 Y" I: p# }, o( l( a& N4 C
! e+ M n! d% a' c( H9 k( x J# g* m: ]
The two bruisers were the last ones standing at the end of the seven-week tournament.. X4 J2 s/ o6 I) u
/ T$ l5 }1 r4 D, q+ x8 o. h
# u$ w4 f2 l1 t/ ]% Q6 T" K( Q, R$ z. S3 A8 z6 {
The winning Williams poses with his trophy. "Dr. Death" also sports a shirt of the tournament's sponsor, Pro Wrestling Illustrated.
" ^2 y+ s0 \# q1 z. c/ j0 s: r
$ M! a1 m) l. @# U+ J" l8 a0 m( y( B( R3 L3 h# }
" f0 w: N) y$ L- I1 T/ X# `$ u! V4 h
The WrestleMania IV tournament for the vacant WWE Championship included marquee matchups such as Andre the Giant vs. Hulk Hogan.! B" f; A7 t9 d$ B% \2 i
" _. s& `( @. q5 v! U5 p1 `5 x8 l% s# V3 j
2 s, a8 r/ R+ t+ I: A5 Q/ @
& m# ~6 r- |+ g/ ]9 f7 }* L2 N) A0 W, R4 i
: Z# X0 G# \% c8 e2 V
. j j" B$ Y8 g* I( g; j2 ~
"Macho Man" Randy Savage overcame three Superstars to earn his match against Ted DiBiase in the final round.
$ h! ?# I, P1 t( o8 I* }4 o' s- Q; q/ J9 O3 G
/ \$ D G% n" C6 T* d @/ d1 ?. L6 y0 U Z [1 S1 a
. W% M! j5 A* f( D& ~7 F! I5 u8 N) O m& M0 `9 T5 v+ U% A
) ?5 r- o9 a3 k# O# S* W! l/ ?! \$ Y% W
Savage celebrates his first WWE Championship with Miss Elizabeth.3 H& m5 u0 |( U3 c7 H- r
/ ^5 w5 m4 ?: l- t! }3 t. ^1 p
* f& j) U( I+ C" x L0 R B
/ M0 H$ o1 j0 F" \$ T: R
A member of Doom rearranges the face of a member of the New Wild Samoans. The contest is part of NWA Starrcade 1989, which featured two points-based round-robin tournaments.8 M1 X: B8 @: h% C
! o2 c" Y/ D' T& h8 s
4 v% y$ L% {% ]
+ ~, w& S3 u8 M! b9 f6 f# LOne tourney was dedicated to tandems, while the other bracket was for singles competitors like "Nature Boy" Ric Flair and Lex Luger.
9 m/ @3 V% i% n% i B5 }/ x: c) X
- f: s, H: ]* B" H
- w0 C7 D2 r. Z; J2 i4 V& g$ Z9 P( z. G, G& y- ?
Rick Steiner delivers a belly-to-belly suplex to Animal in the tag bracket.- H8 M7 o1 W- ]7 M
1 c6 J1 w. d5 k9 d, M+ a* n9 t. ~
/ N+ s: S% f1 h* |
" ^( H7 X* T9 q7 q+ J% I! h! L
The singles tournament's eventual winner, Sting, tries backsliding Naitch.9 X3 {% }6 a) P
& [9 [4 g- M4 i6 s# p8 S/ z* h
9 @3 f' u+ S d3 Q1 v* y+ q4 f0 _) u( }( l
Steve Williams and Terry "Bam Bam" Gordy, known collectively as The Miracle Violence Connection, charge the ring for the final of WCW's 1992 tournament. To the victors went the NWA World Tag Team Championship./ ^% X" M; l$ W
. I' r. k: h) q: u; ?/ K5 C' X7 A/ |
4 l( ^ t9 t4 q3 u b( C: s$ Z
8 M" z. U. H& i+ _* `Mr. Perfect fires a missle dropkick in the King of the Ring 1993 semifinals match./ T) g6 j$ O V9 l$ P% M
7 v' K" ]' t$ d2 w% U
- X. s# V# f2 |: D
" A3 B& Z o2 d( z6 \
- N, H' A, [" G4 B% j6 g, E* r
/ ]2 a: b- i0 @8 E* [
"Hit Man" prevailed over Razor Ramon to win the first King of the Ring Tournament on pay-per-view.
. I0 H5 m0 a; b
" m) m# i1 j h3 o) i# |
! P3 `+ O! i4 g _3 `
2 b2 j' t/ L3 E) s j4 q! z8 M" y5 ]% VIn the 2001 King of the Ring, Christian slams Kurt Angle head-first into the steel steps.1 f9 p& C4 P& M8 @
; }. X' P* |9 d/ }
9 f( P, B1 @' c- R: G) l3 H
2 J. g6 s, L- }+ d1 wIt's Spear vs. Gore as that year's eventual winner, Edge, collides with Rhyno.9 O# @% B! E5 q0 R
$ F7 P0 G1 l1 z* q0 U5 S6 G% Q) W& |' r2 h3 P/ A5 f2 W
+ @: ~" w. ]7 ~) |( W
Consummate ring tacticians William Regal and X-Pac trade holds in the first round of Survivor Series 1998's Deadly Game tournament to crown a new WWE Champion.
- \4 ~3 S- e" p" C5 G
( s& d4 p- p+ Y) K M! X0 e1 C+ k0 m
3 w( B: `, g) g) i- i: \+ t. B% GOther epic showdowns included a match between The Brothers of Destruction ...- i+ N% A. h2 Q! i4 g0 \& u
5 m) H& Q$ q/ t# l: E
8 W" Z- Q! E! i0 u: Q* w2 ]' T0 m- G$ g" R( o W
... and a contest between WWE Hall of Famers Mankind and "Stone Cold" Steve Austin.# \$ Y. l( K4 l1 k
& Q: }6 L7 ?8 C& [
' p( }# `4 e7 N
9 k0 d6 r7 S' ?Mankind, the presumed favorite of WWE Chairman Mr. McMahon, warred with The Rock in the final.
+ ~ N& S9 B6 t& l) h/ ?/ \ f
$ O' K3 O) m6 p, {! @( w+ ?, w2 a
( v/ F P- O$ E5 c
6 z) k- a$ F4 z, J; d' S- S, |8 ?4 p3 U+ {' c, X. V6 Z. w
! k4 V# | z9 A2 i1 P& Y, S6 a
% ?4 l# v; l% X; i
I' X) ^- u% eIn a scene reminiscent of the Montreal incident a year earlier at Survivor Series 1997, Mr. McMahon helped ensure his true chosen one came out on top.
* D+ w" U- p4 e& q6 e
& D7 |. d3 h5 V0 q
: Z1 [7 T" o3 b0 C6 b6 u
" j0 L5 N6 l1 ~+ `1 uIn the post-WCW "Era of Unification," Chris Jericho downs WCW Champion The Rock at Vengeance 2001, the site of a four-Superstar tourney to determine the first Undisputed World Champion.
* q1 _" j8 j/ s5 W: r7 v/ {6 q5 J7 }3 T
5 C: z# S6 E: G: P! ~
% f2 ? e ^' D: q+ l' W
5 E( I3 e$ X7 g7 t, E. n7 u
: V3 o2 e) g$ m) uY2J runs into trouble against his final round opposition, WWE Champion "Stone Cold" Steve Austin.
( |0 ^# I) q% J0 s7 u% q* U7 c6 j+ ]3 _
6 v4 |4 H! T% |" \9 f' _' L, y e9 D, u" Z- h9 p: ?+ s
% j6 {, G; `' N1 w. D, V- `2 [
$ G) @2 a6 t& CA stunned Austin watches as Jericho celebrates his historic win.
$ [# T! z% f& i1 s; t
. a/ H' k) _! f. A$ ]
Z7 h& x$ U4 }* n B
! f* ~8 i9 h# M3 OThe "Gold Rush" tournament of 2005 was Raw General Manager Eric Bischoff's solution for naming a new No. 1 contender for the World Heavyweight Championship. In round one, Christian puts the boots to Kane." h& F/ l5 t, G4 V! O* @
, d7 q4 |# A' w$ a; W
, K- E) Y, h4 v+ _
% _) Z& N5 ]9 f V) q% J9 H5 K. N: ^$ o3 W' B$ P
+ a2 Y+ Q) _4 m0 d3 T, D* E) p" D9 d) J3 i+ T0 A8 T
( y. C" }" \1 ^7 B2 M# q5 Q
Also as part of the first round was Shelton Benjamin and Shawn Michaels' legendary singles contest.
9 e9 v. E* b, f5 ] S6 r _! C2 K. j: Y1 x: T3 M
) q$ l1 v/ @+ P* _$ ^
) a- u: b- z7 f8 g9 C9 b) @% I' t( I8 v+ Y8 d1 R- M+ N
( ~, F0 x+ ~# ?9 t# F6 E% X1 S
) b3 G1 t2 f7 o0 `
! X$ y" ?1 V: j$ [# G6 g8 _* L1 r. x2 F( q- a: Q
. z& @8 a- C' `& R- bEdge and Chris Jericho fight in another first-round bout.
* D' u: m8 o7 f! b) V! p
( |: o4 w9 P) ]& t0 {
5 b+ P+ O( S( Z" e7 V! Q; C
( E. O% A9 ?( M9 N. H$ K; D' p/ p7 H: i
2 C! ]$ V7 V+ O7 c3 ~* K/ m6 s4 |( ^
; r: S) o' o/ r8 U1 L* e# N9 n6 O! y# m! C$ E1 ]; f
"The Ultimate Opportunist" spears his way past Y2J, earning a second-round match with HBK.% {) X6 v( C+ |) f/ H
% G3 ]! `$ t% g, d: T
5 M" E- X( t) ~1 m) T3 H4 J* M
0 s) r* k9 n9 F
# F) r6 E, h6 v( k2 F& D: }- h V3 [" ]0 B. |
* O6 x4 Q& N+ q0 c( V$ g8 a; u
3 c$ ^7 ]$ N' pIn the Gold Rush final, Lita accompanies her husband and tourney finalist, Kane, to the ring.
2 Y. `7 f" r& ~" G6 a! }
8 M# F; X0 ^# K) a/ D6 i% w$ }4 a& w. Z) R2 a. J/ [5 {
: i5 Z0 |0 @! j V* [( H
Edge strolls to the ring confidently, Money in the Bank briefcase in hand.
9 u# r5 ~# y, n6 Z" y8 c4 g6 H+ X
' ?( {( [+ ?8 V, `2 |* K, w3 x6 T$ |, E8 s
" ~- Q. A' O- G4 N4 Z' z6 v6 H
3 z8 J" u2 ~ ]- R4 p) s1 `
; `& G; c1 ^+ F. m" l. W: k4 h1 ~/ v3 g5 V
+ K2 h: L7 l! ~7 c+ S' A- S$ z3 j. F3 Z' l, w
( i$ j2 O( g( H9 @; m
Edge snares the win, and the World Heavyweight Title opportunity, thanks in part to Lita's double-crossing Kane.) ]- x5 y: H% x9 ~1 D
5 ~ g, R! `( O3 O6 m# n! `% m0 m
$ F; Q N2 ~/ @# e6 ?. j6 g# @7 O& I8 }8 @) r: F
Edge and Lita then embrace in a scene remembered well by the WWE Universe. |
|