Savage vs Warrior ainec! I cried my eyes out when I watched this as a kid.

Hart-Austin

Savage-UW

Austin/Hart

Savage/Warrior tells a better story.

Bret/Perfect

SOUTHEAST REGION MATCHUP #2

#2 SEED: RIC FLAIR VS. RICKY STEAMBOAT (CLASH OF THE CHAMPIONS ‘89)

Whole match: http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xl2...hampions_sport

I decided to seed all of the Flair vs. Steamboat matches more properly during the re-seeding, so they’re no longer staggered all within one region. This, the second match of their 1989 classic trilogy, didn’t have any real trouble eliminating Rey vs. Psicosis in the first round.

VERSUS

#7 SEED: KURT ANGLE VS. CHRIS BENOIT (ROYAL RUMBLE 2003)

Whole match: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TynOBAg6vQo

Benoit/Angle reached the Round of 32 with a hard-fought win over 1997’s Malenko vs. Ultimo cruiserweight match.

Chris Benoit, still searching for his first world title, gained a title shot at the Royal Rumble by defeating Big Show on Smackdown to become #1 contender. I don’t have to tell you that few superior mat wrestlers to these two have ever existed. Benoit and Angle work really well together and put on a dramatic, well-booked title fight that was one of the highlights of 2003.

VOTING ON THIS MATCHUP IS NOW OPEN. THE POLL ON IT WILL CLOSE AT 8:03 P.M. ON TUESDAY THE 31ST.

Flair/Steamboat, this one for me is close.

Flair/Steamboat, this one for me isn't close.

Oh and the deadline on Flair/Funk vs. Flair/Sting just lapsed. Flair/Funk squeaks by and advances to the Sweet 16.

I like that Angle/Benoit match more than most.

Benoit/Angle.

I have a pretty good guess as to how many of the matches in this matchup that anguyen has watched.

(But I'll count the vote.)

Flair/Steamboat, even less close for me than for LKJ.

Flair vs Steamboat, even less close for me than True North...I think this is seeded too low.

I just couldn't see putting all four Steamboat matches as #1 seeds. Their relative strength would go down to more like this level because there would be backlash from the youngsters.

Flair/Steamboat

It's really close for me because I love Flair/Steamboat and Angle/Benoit, but I'm gonna have to go with Elimination Chamber.

Okay that one was pretty funny.

Flair-Steamboat

Tough decision but I vote for Bret vs Perfect '91. Easy vote for Bret vs. Austin though.

SOUTHWEST REGION MATCHUP #1

#2 SEED: SHAWN MICHAELS VS. THE UNDERTAKER (WRESTLEMANIA XXV)

Whole match: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fojhN94-pkk

HBK and The Undertaker dealt with a tough draw in round one, a very popular HHH vs. Cactus Jack match, but won quite easily. It's a real player in this thing.

Even with both of them in their 40’s, Shawn Michaels and Undertaker put in one of the best matches I’ve ever seen. As good as their rematch was a year later, I don’t think anyone would so much as hesitate to put this one noticeably higher in rating the two. Despite the fact that we know how unlikely it is for Taker to lose the streak, these two really made you suspend disbelief for a lot of the match and make it seem like it was going to be impossible for either one of them to actually lose. In aiding that, it also contains one of the best false finishes I can ever remember seeing in a match.

VERSUS

#7 SEED: BRET HART VS. STEVE AUSTIN VS. VADER VS. THE UNDERTAKER (1997 IYH: FINAL FOUR)

Whole match: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RbrjgC9vjIQ

Final Four, not even on the original bracket of this tournament, got subbed in midway through the first round and laid waste to the famous 6-man tag from Bash at the Beach. The competition gets stiffer this round.

These were the last four guys in the Royal Rumble match, a match that saw Steve Austin get dumped out in fourth place and then run back into the ring and win the thing anyway because no referee saw his feet touch the floor. This was going to be for the title shot at WrestleMania, but Shawn Michaels lost his smile and tearfully gave his belt back, so this match became a WWF title match instead.

Electric match, Stone Cold at the top of his heel game but right about to turn face in a big way, Bret Hart conversely about to turn heel for the first time since his early Hart Foundation days. Vader puts in, unquestionably to me, his finest outing in his WWF career. This is a damn fine match.

VOTING IS NOW OPEN ON THIS MATCH. POLLS WILL CLOSE AT 10:19 A.M. ON WEDNESDAY THE 1ST.

Easy vote for HBK/Taker, though I'm glad that Final Four got some face time in this thing. It really is a very good match.

Hammer is about to drop on a pretty easy win for TLC over Bret/Perfect '91, by the way. Will update the bracket/spreadsheet soon.

HBK/Taker

I like the Final Four a lot, a very underrated match. Still, it's not in the league of HBK/Undertaker.

Taker-HBK