Best Feud

Award Description:

To be given to the feud that gave us the most heated and best wrestling
match(es) of the year. In 1994, this award was split into two: North
American and Non-North American.  In 1996, due to lack of participation on
the non-NA side, it was recombined.

Previous Winners:

  1990: Doom: Ron Simmons & Butch Reed vs. Horsemen: Arn Anderson & Barry
        Windham
  1991: Doom: Ron Simmons & Butch Reed vs. Steiners
  1992: Ric Flair vs. Randy Savage
  1993: Big Van Vader vs. Cactus Jack
  1994: (NA)     Cactus Jack & partner vs. Nasty Boys
  1994: (non-NA) All Japan Women vs. JWP (& other outside women)
  1995: (NA)     Dean Malenko vs. Eddy Guerrero
  1995: (non-NA) Aja Kong vs. Manami Toyota
  1996: NWO vs. WCW
  1997: Bret Hart / Hart Foundation vs. Steve Austin
  1998: Mr. McMahon vs. Steve Austin
  1999: Mankind vs. Rock

**2000**: Triple H v. Mankind / Cactus Jack

559 first place votes
538 second place votes
523 third place votes

189  77  48 1272   Triple H v. Mick Foley (Mankind / Cactus Jack)
129  76  54  981   Triple H v. Kurt Angle
 60 132 103  902   Hardy Boyz v. Edge & Christian
 68  55  55  615   Triple H v. Rock
 35  59  66  484   Chris Benoit v. Chris Jericho
 14  24  22  186   Triple H v. Chris Jericho
  7  18  21  131   Mike Awesome v. Masato Tanaka
  8   6  23  104   Yoshihiro Tajiri v. Super Crazy
  3  12  22   95   Chris Benoit v. Rock
  1   9   6   44   New Japan v. All Japan
  5   2   2   35   Triple H v. Steve Austin
  2   5   4   33   Hardy Boyz v. Dudley Boyz
  0   5   8   31   Sting v. Vampiro
  0   5   7   29   Triple H v. Chris Benoit
  2   1   7   27   Chris Benoit v. Jeff Jarrett
  2   2   5   26   Crazy Max v. M2K
  3   2   1   23   Atlantis v. Villano III
  2   3   2   23   Kenta Kobashi v. Jun Akiyama
  4   0   1   22   SSU v. GAEA v. Nostradamus v. OZ Academy
  2   1   3   19   Tomoaki Honma v. Ryuji Yamakawa
  3   1   0   18   Bokujin Ken v. Survival Tobita
  0   2   6   18   Shane McMahon v. Steve Blackman
  0   3   2   13   Undertaker v. Kurt Angle
  0   1   5   13   Tazz v. Jerry Lawler (& Jim Ross)
  2   0   1   12   Yoshihiro Tajiri & Mikey Whipwreck v. Full Blooded Italians
  1   1   2   12   ECW v. Network
  1   2   0   11   Mayumi Ozaki v. Kaoru
  1   1   1   10   Scott Steiner v. Booker T.
  1   1   1   10   Right to Censor v. Dudley Boyz
  0   2   2   10   Booker T. v. Jeff Jarrett
  0   3   0    9   Steve Austin v. Rikishi
  0   3   0    9   Lance Storm v. General Rection
  1   1   0    8   New Blood v. Millionaires
  0   2   1    8   Sugar Sato v. Kaoru
  0   2   1    8   Sandman v. Rhino
  1   0   1    7   Stoker Iichikawa v. Taro!
  1   0   1    7   Jeff Jarrett v. Sting
  1   0   1    7   Goldberg v. Scott Steiner
  0   2   0    6   Yoshihio Tajiri & Mikey Whipwreck v. Full Blooded Italians
  1   0   0    5   Vince Russo v. Ric Flair
  1   0   0    5   Super Delfin's group v. Legion of Violence
  1   0   0    5   Steve Corino v. Dusty Rhodes
  1   0   0    5   Steve Austin v. Vince McMahon
  1   0   0    5   Rock v. Steve Austin
  1   0   0    5   Lita v. Trish Stratus
  1   0   0    5   Hayabusa v. Kodo Fuyuki
  1   0   0    5   Genchiro Tenryu v. Toshiaki Kawada
  1   0   0    5   Backseat Boyz v. Ric Blade & Nick Mondo
  0   1   1    5   Rock v. Rikishi
  0   1   1    5   Kurt Angle v. Chris Jericho
  0   1   1    5   Jerry Lynn v. Rob Van Dam
  0   0   2    4   Dudley Boyz v. Hardy Boyz
  0   0   2    4   Big Show v. Rock
  0   1   0    3   Vince Russo v. WCW
  0   1   0    3   Vince Russo v. Kevin Sullivan
  0   1   0    3   Team Crush v. Himiko
  0   1   0    3   T&A v. Hardy Boyz
  0   1   0    3   Shinya Hashimoto v. Naoya Ogawa
  0   1   0    3   Mike Awesome v. Spike Dudley
  0   1   0    3   Joel Gertner v. Cyrus
  0   1   0    3   Jeff Jarrett v. Booker T.
  0   1   0    3   Goldberg v. Vince Russo
  0   1   0    3   Edge & Christian v. Crash & Hardcore Holly
  0   1   0    3   Cat v. Mike Sanders
  0   1   0    3   Big Show v. Big Boss Man
  0   0   1    2   Yoshihiro Tajiri v. Steve Corino
  0   0   1    2   WWF v. USA Network
  0   0   1    2   Vince Russo v. Hulk Hogan
  0   0   1    2   Vince McMahon v. Parents' Television Council
  0   0   1    2   Undertaker v. Angle
  0   0   1    2   Toshiaki Kawada v. Genichiro Tenryu
  0   0   1    2   Terri v. Kat
  0   0   1    2   Steve Austin v. Mick Foley
  0   0   1    2   Steve Austin v. Chris Benoit
  0   0   1    2   Scott Steiner v. WCW Censors
  0   0   1    2   Rock v. Kurt Angle
  0   0   1    2   Rhino v. Rob Van Dam
  0   0   1    2   Radicalz v. D-Generation X
  0   0   1    2   Naked Mideon v. William Regal
  0   0   1    2   Mike Awesome v. Little Spike Dudley
  0   0   1    2   Jerry Lynn v. Justin Credible
  0   0   1    2   Hogan v. Jeff Jarrett
  0   0   1    2   Hayabusa & Jinsei Shinzaki v. Mr. Gannosuke
  0   0   1    2   Hades v. Murder Inc.
  0   0   1    2   Gerald Brisco v. Pat Patterson
  0   0   1    2   Dudley Boyz v. X-Pac & Road Dogg
  0   0   1    2   Dudley Boyz v. WWF Women
  0   0   1    2   Chris Benoit v. Revolution
  0   0   1    2   Big Show v. Shane McMahon

REJECTED

  0   1   2        "Tie" votes
  1   0   0        Chris Hyatte v. Sean Shannon
  0   1   0        Shawn Michaels v. Bret Hart (time)
  0   0   1        Triple H and anybody
  0   0   1        Latino Heat (?)
  0   0   1        Fans v. WCW
  0   0   1        Christopher Robin Zimmerman v. Rick Scaia
  0   0   1        Chris Jericho v. WCW (time)

C. JOSEPH HOFFMAN: Please tell me HHH vs. Kurt is not done just yet!

HIRO: All of the above feuds had some of the best matches this year.
Triple H vs Mick Foley was a great way to end Foley's career as well as
elevating Triple H's own. Rock vs Benoit for the title was dream come
true, and the backstage drama which saw Benoit getting some help from
Triple H (the ambush at SmackDown!) brought in some continuity into the
storyline. Jericho vs Benoit? Although there was no actual storyline other
than both basically hating each other, the promo that Jericho cut during
SmackDown! was a classic, as well as the rebutt by Benoit during the same
show.

MARK POLISHUK: That Triple H-Kurt Angle feud sure was great...hope it ends
someday.

J3R CR0WE: Cactus and HHH had some amazing matches and cut some killer
promos. Edge and Christian vs. The Hardyz will never get old, and I could
watch Benoit and Jericho feud for years!

ROBERT STRUPP: This is another tough category, but for a different
reasons. Rock vs Hunter was really the only very good top level feud, and
Edge & Christian vs the Hardyz was easily the best mid/upper-mid card
feud. There were a bunch of good feuds, but nothing that will really be
remembered a few years from now. Rock vs HHH had the advantage of having a
good part of the groundwork laid over the past 3 years.

DEVON: No other feud had the animosity of Jericho vs. Triple H.  The
Hardyz played the perfect foils for Edge and Christian.  Chris Benoit was
Rock's best feud in two years.

CHRIS OSTER: A Triple H triple crown in this category.  Can he get heat
with ANYONE? Sure looks like it.

SCOTT W.: Triple H and Mick Foley was the best feud.  Nothing like it.  
Too bad we can never have it again.  *sigh*

MARCUS SPARKS: In a weak year for feuds in general, the bloody brutal feud
between HHH and Mick Foley wins it hands down.  The Hardys/E&C didn't have
the emotional feel to it Hunter and Mick brought into their feud.  The
"brothers in paint" feud had potential, but unfortunately it was in
WCW....

JOHN C.: The HHH/Cactus Jack feud was one for the ages as they did a
remarkable job in making us believe that Jack would come out on top in the
end. Their PPV matches had me on the edge of my seat as Jack did the
J.O.B. for The Game in order to make him the most credible WWF champion in
years. I had a hard time believing that the WWF could keep me interested
in a HHH/Rock feud again but they did it this year thanks in large part to
the involvement of Steve Austin, Vince McMahon, Shawn Michaels and the
memorable Ironman match.  Edge & Christian vs. The Hardy Boyz helped to
revitalize a stagnant WWF tag team division so they get my third vote.
While HHH vs. Kurt Angle had a lot of promise, the WWF dropped the ball
with it so I had to omit it from my list.

MICHAELA FISCHER: HHH/Rock could go on forever and be great.

ANDY P. GOSS: Triple H and Jericho get top honors because they had great
heat, they had a strong storyline, everyone played the part well, it built
slowly, and the payoff was unbelievable.  Ditto Sting/Vampiro, although
that one should have ended with the match at Great American Bash -- I
mean, how do you top the outstanding visual of a man on fire falling to
what should likely be his death?  Finally, the Tajiri/Crazy feud needed no
story.  Simply put, each match built on the previous, and these guys can
feud until kingdom come for all I care.

CHRIS BURKE: Foley/HHH was the WWF’s best feud of the year, even better
than the long-simmering Rock/HHH feud.  Foley brought out the best in HHH,
and elicited a mean streak in HHH’s matches that hadn’t really been
brought to the surface yet.  Further, since Foley obviously knew he was on
the fast-track to retirement, he gave it his all in Cactus’ final series
of matches.  The interview exchanges between the two were great: HHH
always seemed to mix hatred and fear when dealing with a maniac like
Cactus.  His reaction when Foley suggested Hell in the Cell as the main
event for No Way Out combined both emotions perfectly.  Overall, a
fantastic, though short, feud.

JONAH ROSCH: I'm such a mark. Really. To go with Triple H vs The Rock...
I'm ashamed of myself. Well, almost. But it was the best feud of 2000. It
really was. No other feud had the right amount of heat, the right amount
of talent, where both wrestlers were of the same caliber. These two
elevated the level expected in the WWF for world title competition. After
years of seeing Hogan vs Slaughter and Undertaker vs Vicious as world
title matches, to have these two raise the level of expectation was a
tremendous thing.

PAULOMON McTAGGART: Y2J v. HHH was by far the most intense feud which
makes it the best.

JPM38: Mankind v. HHH gets my top spot due to the fact that it continued
even after Mankind was "retired" at No Way Out when he became the new
Commish.  Also, the AWESOME promo introducing the Hell in the Cell and
also the Radicalz hell turn was without a doubt the best segment on raw
this year. The Chrises get the nod in the 2 spot since they are both my
Canadian heroes, and they can also put on some stiff matches that make
workrate freaks like myself cream my pants. Rock/HHH got a little stale
half-way through, but the Iron Man match more than made up for it.

JEREMY SORIA: Triple H versus Kurt Angle. Played out beautifully
throughout the year. It brought back memories of old angles, but done a
lot better this go around.

RICK SCAIA: Triple H vs. the Rock is less a feud than it is a matter of
fact... these two have been foes, off and on, for something like 3 and a
half years now.  But they continue to deliver the goods:  quality matches,
good drama, and lots of entertainment.  HHH is in my #2 Feud of the Year,
too, this time against Mick Foley:  the two had a tremendous series of
matches that served as Mick's farewell to active in-ring competition.  
Number three is the Hardys vs. Edge/Christian, which was also a
year-spanning feud, pretty much, and one that delivered some incredible
matches, as well as some great angles (I LOVED the return of the
Conquistadors, for instance).

NATHAN LONEY: The Helmsley-Foley feud was the best of the year.  This was
a feud with a guy you wanted to see win, a regular guy who loved his job.  
There was also a guy who you wanted to see get his comeuppance.  It was
brutal, it had great story telling, and it MADE HHH into what he is right
now.  He'd been vicious before, but this feud fueled his heartlessness.  
Benoit and Jericho are two great young wrestlers.  They know each other in
the ring very well, and that leads to some great matches.  Same thing with
Tajiri and Super Crazy.  Two guys who work very well together in the ring.

BILL LEHECKA: If there was a better payoff to the Angle-HHH feud, I
wouldn't question it as the best feud.  I did vote for it being the best
feud of the year, however I have reservations about doing this because the
feud basically died.  It's a shame, because it was the best feud since the
Austin-McMahon feud.

MATT SPAULDING: Who among us wasn't pulling for Mick during his farewell
run against Triple H?  No two wrestlers working today have the overall
chemistry with each other that Rocky and HHH have developed, though Benoit
and Jericho are getting to that point with some equally memorable
encounters.

BLAZEJ SZPAKOWICZ: As with the best matches, most of the year's best feuds
seem to involve Triple H. His feuds against Mick Foley, Kurt Angle and
Chris Jericho should be the top three votes here. It's odd, then, that my
top vote goes to Edge & Christian vs. The Hardy Boyz. This just had a
great storyline underlying it, produced great matches and had a, you know,
resolution. Unlike some of the above. The Triple H/Foley and Triple
H/Angle feuds round out the trio. The latter would probably have won if it
had anything remotely resembling some, you know, *closure*.

LAWRENCE BENEDETTO: Pretty much all of the HHH feuds are worthy mentions.

JEFF "FRO" WAHLMAN: Come on, Cactus/HHH gave me cold chills, HHH/Rock was
just a classic clash of the titans, and HHH v.s. Angle has that
ever-evolving and constant love triangle driving it.

PHIL PRZYBYLO: Triple H should dominate yet another category.  His feud
with Foley was pure intensity.  Their varied emotional promos, their great
matches, and the passing of the "wrestling" torch (Austin and Rock hold
the sports entertainment torch) capped off a feud that started back in
June of '97.  Jericho's star never shown more brightly as the young gun
and underdog looking knock Triple H off his high horse. HHH-Jericho was a
classic feud.  One more match would've made it damn near legendary.  
Tazz, JR, and Lawler had a great mid-card feud that deserves a special
mention and got my write-in vote.

C McMURTRY: I think I will remember the HHH-Cactus Jack feud from the
beginning of the year for a long, long time. Not since Austin-McMahon and
Austin-Bret Hart had a WWF feud captivated me so much. It was also the war
that catapulted HHH to the sure fire top spot, quieting all his doubters,
and allowed Mick Foley to go out like he said he wanted: putting someone
over in great matches. Plus, we got those awesome Foley promos in the last
few weeks that will forever be tattooed on my brain.

JIMBO: Rock vs. HHH carried the WWF, it therefore deserves this spot.  
E&C vs.  The Hardyz brought some HILARIOUS moments into our TV sets.  Los
conquistadores? The Critics of Hardy's Home movies?  The Time Machine?
These were just hilarious moments.  Finally, Chris J. vs. Chris B. brought
some great technical wrestling, and some great promos from Chris J.

JBELL55146: It says a lot of the guy when the top 3 feuds I voted for all
included him. Against Foley, Against Rocky and Against Angle, all 3 feuds
had killer interviews, and all 3 had killer matches. It truly was the year
of 'The Game'