In the spring of 2005, Triple H made Batista a star by putting him over in three consecutive World Heavyweight Championship matches. He then graciously stepped aside and let both The Animal and fellow youngster John Cena enjoy the exposed spotlight that came with their main event pushes. When he returned he targeted an unlikely adversary: his longtime friend, and lifelong idol, "Nature Boy" Ric Flair. Ashamed by the complacency of Flair and the satisfaction that the all-time great felt from winning a secondary title such as the Intercontinental Championship, Triple H vowed to put the old dog out of his misery. At Taboo Tuesday, he would challenge his Evolution teammate for the title in a steel cage match, as voted on by the fans. A bloody, old-school match in which drama and violence made up for the lack of death-defying high spots, the contest played to both men's strengths. The master storytellers were able to take the fans on an emotional rollercoaster, holding them in the palm of the hand all the way until the finish, where Flair was able to best his younger opponent by countering a Pedigree and blasting him with a series of chair shots before walking through the door for the win. http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xy3wb9_triple-h-vs-ric-flair_sport Why is a slower, more methodical match between two guys past their physical primes a better match than those featuring Kurt Angle, Chris Benoit and Edge? The answer lies in the brutality and violence that existed in the Flair-HHH match as opposed to the others. Cage matches were meant to be violent feud enders and, though the feud between Flair and Triple H continued into another month, it was most representative of what a great steel cage match should be, regardless of when and where it takes place.
Erik Beaston is a freelance pro wrestling writer who likes long walks in the park, dandelions and has not quite figured out that this introduction is not for Match.com. He resides in Parts Unknown, where he hosts weekly cookouts with Kane, The Ultimate Warrior, Papa Shango and The Boogeyman. Be jealous.
