When was the piledriver buried worse than this?

[June]

After watching Bret Hart vs Jerry Lawler from King of the Ring 94, I was annoyed at how they devalued the once controversial pile driver.

In this match Lawler whom is renowned by many as the King of the Piledriver, executed not 1, not 2 but 3 piledrivers on Bret Hart, and was not able to secure victory. Am I the only one here annoyed by this?

I feel this is the best example of the piledriver being buried, but I'd love to hear of other examples.

[Brad]

I agree with you here. Growing up in the south, specifically near the Memphis Territory, we were lead to believe that the piledriver was the end all be all in finishes.

[gravedigger3]

I think hogan getting up immediately after Takers first tombstone was horrible, I would maybe understand if he kicked out at 2 but to get up right after just shows what kind of a man Hogan is

[June]

Jan 18, 2012 16:04:37 GMT -5 gravedigger3 said:

I think hogan getting up immediately after Takers first tombstone was horrible, I would maybe understand if he kicked out at 2 but to get up right after just shows what kind of a man Hogan is

I tend to give this example a pass, considering Hogan was basically a superhero facing off against a demon zombie. Not a knock on either man, but I wouldve expected more realistic action out of Lawler and Hart.

[Deleted]

I've watched that Bret/Lawler kiss my foot match several several times and I still don't understand why they had Lawler land 3 piledrivers only for Bret to kick out.

Weird...I have no clue.

[June]

This match not only buried the piledriver, but also Jerry Lawler and Hakushi. I did not understand the booking at all.

[jasonphoenix1]

Jan 18, 2012 16:03:07 GMT -5 Brad said:

I agree with you here. Growing up in the south, specifically near the Memphis Territory, we were lead to believe that the piledriver was the end all be all in finishes.

That is why they banned it as being the most "DANGEROUS" move. So yes when I see a piledriver (done right) it kills me to see someone kickout of it with power.

[jakksking1]

Its hard to believe that they had 2 legends and 2 excellent wrestlers in a kiss my foot match. Bret had a very weird stretch there with feuds with Lawler, Hakushi (awesome match) and Jean Pierre Lafayette, and not much of it made sense.

[Deleted]

Jan 18, 2012 20:02:41 GMT -5 jakksking1 said:

Its hard to believe that they had 2 legends and 2 excellent wrestlers in a kiss my foot match. Bret had a very weird stretch there with feuds with Lawler, Hakushi (awesome match) and Jean Pierre Lafayette, and not much of it made sense.

That's the era where Vince was refusing to acknowledge Bret as being the #1 attraction and was making him take a backseat so he could push Diesel through the roof.

[June]

I can see why they would push Diesel as world champ, But wasting Bret on pirates and hog farmers is silly. I think Lawler could have gotten some great matches out of Diesel, and Bret should have feuded with DiBiase's Corporation at that time.

[Nivro™]

How many times did Hawk get piledriven and just stand back up. Ive seen a couple guys do it.

[Deleted]

Jan 18, 2012 21:49:37 GMT -5 June said:

I can see why they would push Diesel as world champ, But wasting Bret on pirates and hog farmers is silly. I think Lawler could have gotten some great matches out of Diesel, and Bret should have feuded with DiBiase's Corporation at that time.

And evil dentists...

But keeping with the piledriver topic, does anybody remember when HBK hit Undertaker with a piledriver on the stairs during Hell in a Cell? OUCH!

*sorry the quality sucks but its the only youtube video I could find of just the piledriver.

[Deleted]

it was weird for sure.I gotta go back and watch this again actually

[June]

Jan 18, 2012 22:08:47 GMT -5 Nivro™ said:

How many times did Hawk get piledriven and just stand back up. Ive seen a couple guys do it.

The no-selling is part of the Road Warrior gimmick in the same vein as Hogan and Taker as mentioned earlier. I know it's a double standard, but Bret and Lawler were 2 totally different types of workers, and it's inexcusable to me that Bret Hart whom by all accounts is a perfectionist that aimed to make every match as believable ad possible, would take 3 piledrivers and kick out.

[Deleted]

Jan 18, 2012 22:52:51 GMT -5 June said:

Jan 18, 2012 22:08:47 GMT -5 Nivro™ said:

How many times did Hawk get piledriven and just stand back up. Ive seen a couple guys do it.

The no-selling is part of the Road Warrior gimmick in the same vein as Hogan and Taker as mentioned earlier. I know it's a double standard, but Bret and Lawler were 2 totally different types of workers, and it's inexcusable to me that Bret Hart whom by all accounts is a perfectionist that aimed to make every match as believable ad possible, would take 3 piledrivers and kick out.

May or may not have been Bret's idea. Maybe they were punishing Lawler for something or the Road Agent thought it would create drama. Who knows!?

[June]

I just found an even better example of the piledriver being devalued. I can't upload the video onto here from my iPhone, so lookup the freebird piledriver incident from Georgia Championship Wrestling.

[Deleted]

Jan 18, 2012 22:17:49 GMT -5 @bashcrashwiley said:

Jan 18, 2012 21:49:37 GMT -5 June said:

I can see why they would push Diesel as world champ, But wasting Bret on pirates and hog farmers is silly. I think Lawler could have gotten some great matches out of Diesel, and Bret should have feuded with DiBiase's Corporation at that time.

And evil dentists...

But keeping with the piledriver topic, does anybody remember when HBK hit Undertaker with a piledriver on the stairs during Hell in a Cell? OUCH!

*sorry the quality sucks but its the only youtube video I could find of just the piledriver.

HBK delivered a great piledriver....... recently only he and UT were allowed to do them in WWE.well i suppose Champ In Law would have been too if he wanted.

[jammer311]

Tommy Dreamer vs. RVD at November To Remember 97. RVD bounces at least 2 - 3 feet high in the air from it. Yes, it looks cool, but kind of takes away the point of driving the head into the mat with a piledriver.

[June]

Jan 19, 2012 19:42:54 GMT -5 @jammer311 said:

Tommy Dreamer vs. RVD at November To Remember 97. RVD bounces at least 2 - 3 feet high in the air from it. Yes, it looks cool, but kind of takes away the point of driving the head into the mat with a piledriver.

Another fine example of ECW defying logic. They killed the chair shot, the power bomb, and the fans perception of what a good promo should consist of.

[jammer311]

Jan 19, 2012 19:52:17 GMT -5 June said:

Jan 19, 2012 19:42:54 GMT -5 @jammer311 said:

Tommy Dreamer vs. RVD at November To Remember 97. RVD bounces at least 2 - 3 feet high in the air from it. Yes, it looks cool, but kind of takes away the point of driving the head into the mat with a piledriver.

Another fine example of ECW defying logic. They killed the chair shot, the power bomb, and the fans perception of what a good promo should consist of.

What?!?! ECW killed wrestling?!?! Noooo. Ask any 'smart mark' and they will tell you that ECW MADE wrestling.

Because Jake "The Snake" Roberts hitting the DDT just once on a person and getting the pin isn't as good as Raven and Tommy DDTing each other 8 times in a match before they have a winner.