The Most Brutal Matches in WWE history: Stretcher – Batista vs Shawn Michaels, Jeff vs Matt Hardy, Brock Lesnar vs Big Show
The rules of a Stretcher Match are easy: they require that a wrestler should beat his opponent severely to put him on a stretcher and push him across a line marked on the ramp. Though these rules may appear simple, in theory it takes a h**l of an effort to win this kind of match, as it is really difficult to put a wrestler in a specific position on a gurney and then wheel it across a marked line. If a wrestler moves from the stretcher, the opponent has to start the process all over again.
A Stretcher Match is not like any other fight, as wrestlers only use this match when it is impossible to settle bitter rivalries in a normal one-on-one or even an “I Quit” match. There are no pin falls, submissions or count-outs in this brutal fight, as the only way to win is by putting your rival on a stretcher and by pushing him through a marked line.
Batista actually showed wrestling fans how tough a Stretcher Match could become when he fought with ‘The Heartbreak Kid’ Shawn Michaels in 2008. Batista fought with Shawn Michaels because Shawn retired Batista’s mentor Ric Flair at a WrestleMania match. Both wrestlers fought with great courage but it was Batista who made the final move and delivered a Batista Bomb to slam Shawn’s back hard on the ring floor. It was all over as Batista put Michael’s body on a stretcher and pushed it across the line.
When the two hardcore fighting brothers, Jeff Hardy and Matt Hardy failed to settle their differences in a normal one-on-one fighting match, they decided to take the fight to the next level by engaging in a Stretcher Match. It was a sight as the two brothers ripped each other apart in a battle of a lifetime. Jeff Hardy executed a Swanton Bomb on Matt Hardy during the match. Matt Hardy was quick to react and moved away in time. It was amazing just how Jeff landed directly on the stretcher. Matt Hardy quickly picked up a steel chair and banged it on Jeff’s head to further incapacitate him. Matt then did not take long to push the stretcher across the line and claim victory.
A Stretcher Match is considered one of the toughest matches in WWE as one requires, power, energy and calculated risk to win the fight. Simple brutal strength could land you at the losing end of the fight, as it is important to strike at the right moment to create the maximum impact. A lot of people thought that a Stretcher Match is designed for normal wrestlers and there is no chance that the 500 pounder Big Show could participate in this kind of fight.
One of the most memorable Stretcher Match was between the World’s Largest Athlete, Big Show, and the former WWE Champion and the current UFC Champion, Brock Lesnar. It was a strange match as it is almost impossible to put a giant like Big Show on a stretcher. On the other hand, it is really difficult to beat a great athlete and wrestler like Brock Lesnar. Wrestling fans were anticipating this match as it was hard to predict or even guess the result of the fight.
Both great wrestlers took the fight to the very limit but failed to put each other on the stretcher and cross the line. It seemed that the fight would drag on for ages and wrestling fans would never see the result. But then Brock Lesnar astonished every one as he went outside the arena and came back with a fork lifter. Brock Lesnar put Big Show and the gurney on a fork lifter and passed the line marked for the winner. It was a great Stretcher Match and is still remembered for the ingenuity of Brock Lesnar.
Tags: