This came up on another thread, so I thought I'd take the opportunity to explain why I seem to be the only person who likes the WWF style of three-way matches (1 fall) more than the ECW style of three way-matches (elimination).
The biggest make-no-sense reason I've heard for why people like the ECW way better is that with more falls, you get more wrestling. Like, you get the original three way match and then a bonus one on one match at the end. What? This is pro-wrestling. You get as much wrestling as the booker thinks is good that night. A 20 minute match is a 20 minute match if you get two falls or one.
Psycholgy: The psychology in a WWF three-way is so much better. You have the added dynamic of "don't let the other guy get pinned also" that adds a whole other layer to the match rather than just "don't get pinned."
Options: Everything that can happen in an ECW three-way can happen in a WWF three-way except two guys fighting one on one at the end. But you can see that in any old wrestling match. However, there are some spots that can happen in the WWF three-way that can't in the ECW three-way. Most notably is the "save" spot. Plus the "save" spot lets a wider variety of big moves and finishers be used more often.
After the fact: In am ECW three-way, all the after-match options are closed. In addition, you not only know who's #1, you also know who's #2, which kind of has the effect of burying the #3 guy. Great if it's Tazz's last match in the fed, but not so great otherwise. In the WWF three-way, on the other hand, it's not so conclusive. The guy who didn't get pinned still has an unresolved feud with the winner. The guy who got pinned still has an unresolved feud with the guy who also lost, but didn't pin him. Any two of the three-way competitors can still have a credible one-on-one match, wheras in the ECW three-way, the last two guys have already had that one-on-one match.
Just my thoughts. Why do you folks like the ECW way better (I have yet to hear of someone else who like the WWF way better).
Moe
Farooq is the man so hit your knees and start praying!
I like WWF 3ways better for the same reasons you've already listed.
"A lot of guys on this team have a lot of bark, but no bite. Guys have to just shut up and play." -- WR Keyshawn Johnson, following the playoff loss to Philadelphia
I like ECW three ways better. I don't like the way that one can become a champion without actually pinning the champion in the WWF. The WWF being all about saving face for it's stars will never go to this format, until they get rid of the I pin you, you pin me booking style.
I'll be the fence rider and say that I enjoy both styles of Three Way match. I think both should be used and just title them differently. You could have the normal Three way for the less important matches then the Elmination three way for say a title match or something along those lines.
Nothing is better than X-pac! It's all in the inflection...
My problem with the WWF triple-threats is all the near-pins and saves get kind of annoying. Plus, what's to stop two guys from making some agreement before hand to get the champ pinned by any means necessary?
Plus, what's to stop two guys from making some agreement before hand to get the champ pinned by any means necessary?
What do you mean what's to stop them? The fact that they can't share the championship.
In fact, that's another arguement against the ECW way. What's to stop two guys from making a deal to take out one guy toghether and then fighting it out between themselves.
Moe
Farooq is the man so hit your knees and start praying!
I prefer the ECW Triple Threat ELIMINATION matches. The rules of having the winner beat both guys is something the WWF should do more often.
Do you care to give any reasons for your preferance like Moe did?
I like ECW three ways better. I don't like the way that one can become a champion without actually pinning the champion in the WWF. The WWF being all about saving face for it's stars will never go to this format, until they get rid of the I pin you, you pin me booking style.
I hate hate hate hate HATE this argument. The only time I remember a title change hands in a triple threat match w/o the champ being pinned is the Angle vs Benoit vs Jericho match at WM2K, and it was done then to further push Angle as wa whiny bitch. Besides, it worked out well having Jericho and Benoit each win one w/o pinning champ Angle, and I believe Angle would have been pinned if he were just losing one of the titles.
Other than that example, the Fed has always been smart enough to have the champion involved in the fall in these matches.
"A lot of guys on this team have a lot of bark, but no bite. Guys have to just shut up and play." -- WR Keyshawn Johnson, following the playoff loss to Philadelphia
Well, Billy Gunn lost the Hardcore title some Wrestlemanias back when Hardcore Holly pinned Al Snow in a triple threat match. This was long before the 24/7 rule, of course.
and the Hardcore Title lost all credibility as a result.
As a result of that match? I think it was at it's most credible point when Al Snow and Hardcore Holly feuded over it (which came as a result of this match).
"A lot of guys on this team have a lot of bark, but no bite. Guys have to just shut up and play." -- WR Keyshawn Johnson, following the playoff loss to Philadelphia
I'm also a fan of the WWF style of Triple Threat matches for much the same reasons that Moe mentioned...the whole Pyschology of not letting the other guy pin someone.
The other thing I like about the Triple Threat is that it's probably the only time you can see Rock and HHH team up to beat on the Austin and not have either turn heel (or face) in the process since it's essentially every man for himself.
I'll be the fence rider and say that I enjoy both styles of Three Way match. I think both should be used and just title them differently. You could have the normal Three way for the less important matches then the Elmination three way for say a title match or something along those lines.
Nothing is better than X-pac! It's all in the inflection...
Scratch my back with a protractor!!
Well if you think the normal style should be for less important matches, and you think the elimination style should be used for more important matches then doesn't that mean you favor the elimination style, since it's for the important matches?
Personally, I don't which style it is, if it's an entertaining match, it doesn't matter to me if you have to pin one or two people.
I think both styles have their place. In a PPV for the WWF title it should be a 3 way dance. In a lets put as much people on Raw as possible the triple threat match under WWF rules is better.
Marge all I did was marry her. We didn't make whoopie or even mouth whoopie.
I like ECW three ways better. I don't like the way that one can become a champion without actually pinning the champion in the WWF. The WWF being all about saving face for it's stars will never go to this format, until they get rid of the I pin you, you pin me booking style.
I hate hate hate hate HATE this argument.
I don't care whether you like this arguement or not, it's a valid point. The only reasons for the WWF style is that they can be done quicker and everyone saves face.
The only time I remember a title change hands in a triple threat match w/o the champ being pinned is the Angle vs Benoit vs Jericho match at WM2K, and it was done then to further push Angle as wa whiny bitch. Besides, it worked out well having Jericho and Benoit each win one w/o pinning champ Angle, and I believe Angle would have been pinned if he were just losing one of the titles.
Other than that example, the Fed has always been smart enough to have the champion involved in the fall in these matches.
I believe Mick Foley picked up a the Heavyweight title this way. (Austin/H/Foley) I'm pretty sure it has happened in other title matches as well (not counting hardcore), but I'll have to get back to you on that.
Foley pinned Austin to win the title. HHH gave Austin the pedigree had him pinned Foley broke it up and gave Austin the double-aremd DDT and pinned Austin for the title.
I'm just not a big fan of 3 way matches period. At first I really liked them, but it just seems like they do it all the time now. Maybe I'm just dreaming though. And as a result, I favor the ECW way because in the end it comes down to two people fighting to be the winner. As for the WWF style, ok, so most of the time the champ is involved in the falls, but, there is always the possibility that he could not be involved in the deciding fall. And to me, that is really frustrating. At the same time, 3 way matches seem like lazy booking to me. As far as title matches go, how can two men be the number one contender for a title at the same time? It is the number one contender right, as in number one. I suppose some situations warrant having a 3 way match, but i fell that ultimately defending a title should come down two men going at it one on one. Of course that's not to say that there isn't room for 3 way matches. Both styles have their advantages, it really just comes to personal preference.
As for the WWF style, ok, so most of the time the champ is involved in the falls, but, there is always the possibility that he could not be involved in the deciding fall. And to me, that is really frustrating
The WWF version gives much more room for 'variation'.. You get the one-on-one part as always someone gets tossed to the outside.. The near pins and break ups add some excitement. The inevitable double team only to sucker punch one another. (Don't tell me you don't always predict when it will happen) And the fact that you can yell: "Folks, remember, the champeen doesn't have to be actually pinned to loose the title here!" "But..but..that's unfair!!" (Always a favorite when I play No Mercy with my friends, along with 'in a laddermatch pinfalls do NOT count, however the ladder CAN be used as a weapon!')
"...And I use that to f*ck them some place fairly uncomfortable." "What, like the back of a volkswagen ?" -Mallrats
Not sure if it's supposed to be a red herring or what, but they made it seem like Daniel Bryan was NOT going to be in the Royal Rumble with that "Well, the other two guys are in the Rumble, so that leaves Bray Wyatt free to have a one on one with me....