Worst in the World: D-Generation X vs Brothers of Destruction-Crown Jewel

This match didn't need to happen. After Triple H and the Undertaker had one of the most brutally bad matches of 2018 at Super Show-Down not even a month earlier, nobody wanted to see them try to wrestle again. Also, nobody wanted to see Shawn Michaels come out of retirement after his fantastic sendoff in 2010, especially for a match like this. But here we are, Triple H & Shawn Michaels facing The Undertaker & Kane in 2018. The combined ages of these four at the time is 206. That's a number you'd expect to see from a match at Heroes of Wrestling. And anyone can come up with their own reason as to why this match is happening, but that would just be ignoring the actual reason.

For those of you who don't know, Crown Jewel was held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. That might not seem like important information, but you can't really discuss this match without mentioning it. Despite the numerous reasons that running shows in Saudi Arabia is morally wrong (their abuse of human rights, refusal to have women on the show, the murder of U.S. based-Saudi dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi, etc.), WWE has a ten-year deal with Saudi Arabia's General Sports Authority, and they are reportedly receiving quite a large sum of money from the country as a result. And one of the things the Saudi government wanted on their show was legends and recognizable faces to show up. At the Greatest Royal Rumble, it was apparently requested that, along with the Undertaker, the Ultimate Warrior & Yokozuna both made appearances, despite the fact that both Warrior & Yokozuna had passed away years before this event. So, with the people funding the show wanting legends and resumable some major payouts, D-Generation X vs the Brothers of Destruction happened. Shawn Michaels came out of retirement and Kane took a break from being mayor of Knox County, Tennessee to put on the Worst Match of 2018, according to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter readers. Now, I didn't watch this show when it first happened, so I've never seen this match. All I've seen from it are a few moments, and those don't look good whatsoever. So, with all that out of the way, let's get into this.

As to be expected, we get almost 9 and a half minutes of entrances from both teams. This is followed by almost two minutes of both teams staring eachother down. Triple H & Kane start the match off with...nothing. It takes a full minute for the first punch to be thrown by Triple H. Kane isn't fazed and throws Triple H into the corner. Triple H dodges a clothesline and tries to do a crotch chop, but Kane smacks him down to the mat. Kane throws Triple H to the other corner and clotheslines him before putting on a wristlock. Triple H counters and tags in Michaels, who hits a double ax handle followed by a wrist lock. Michaels chops Kane before hitting a neckbreaker. Kane sits up and goes for a chokeslam, but Michaels chops his way out of it and goes for a sunset flip. Kane blocks it and pulls Michaels to his feet. Michaels escapes and fakes a Sweet Chin Music. So far it's a bland, but uneventful match.

Taker tags in and does his throat slit taunt. Michaels responds with a crotch chop-

well, more like a belly button chop, I guess. Michaels ducks a bunch and hits more chops before Taker hits a big boot. Taker locks in a wrist lock and works over Michaels before going for Old School. Triple H knocks him off the ropes, which earns him a straight right from Kane. Kane beats down Triple H in one corner while Taker whips Michaels into another. Michaels does his famous turnbuckle bump, tying himself up in the Tree of Woe. Kane whips Triple H towards Michaels, sending him flying over the top rope. Taker then lifts up Michaels and chokes him with both hands before tossing him down and out of the ring.

DX proceeds to spend nearly 50 seconds outside the ring (because countouts aren't a thing) before both teams brawl in the ring. DX sends Brothers of Destruction out of the ring, but are quickly pulled right out with them. Taker & Kane beat down DX before Kane just kind of...walks away.

Taker beats up DX by himself before rolling Michaels back in the ring. Taker goes for Old School again and connects this time before choking him in the corner. Taker threatens the referee, which allows Michaels to dodge a big boot in the corner and make the tag. Triple H chops Taker before kneeing him in the face. Taker no sells and clotheslines Triple H before dragging him to his corner. Taker & Kane beat down Triple H in the corner before Kane bodyslams him. Triple H dodges an elbow drop from Kane and the two trade blows before Triple H hits a DDT. So far, it's nothing horrifically bad. It's just really, really bland. Michaels tags back in and chops Kane before hitting a really sad looking flying forearm. I use the term "flying" loosely, as he barely gets off the ground for it. Michaels does manage to kip up off the ground, which just makes Lacey Evans failing to do at the Royal Rumble look even worse.

Michaels follows up with two inverted atomic drops and knocks Taker off the apron. Kane blocks a body slam attempt, but Michaels blocks a suplex attempt and brings in Triple H for a double suplex. Michaels heads to the top rope and hits a nice elbow drop before calling for Sweet Chin Music. Kane blocks it and hits a chokeslam. Michaels is obviously not as good as he was when he wrestled full time, but he's still doing fairly well, at least early in the match.

Too groggy to make a cover, Kane tags out and Taker strikes away at Michaels in the corner. Taker gives Michaels Snake Eyes before hitting a big boot and a leg drop for a two count. Taker calls for a chokeslam but stops after Triple H tries to climb in the ring. Taker decks him to the outside, only to catch some Sweet Chin Music, leaving all four men down. Taker sits up and tosses Michaels out of the ring before tearing apart both announce tables. Taker throws Michaels atop the Arabic announce table before climbing up with him and going for a Tombstone Piledriver. Triple H is able to save Michaels and pull him down before tossing Kane into the ring steps. What follows is a spot I can't fully explain. Taker tries to Irish whip Triple H into the barricade and succeeds...only to then slam into the barricade himself and for Triple H walks away unharmed.

I think they were going for the idea that Trips reversed it, but the timing looked off and he hit the barricade anyway.

Triple H hops off the ring apron with a blatant flying nothing, only for Kane to catch him and chokeslam him through an announce table. By the way, this isn't listed as a no DQ match, and they've been brawling on the outside for a good two minutes at this point. Taker lays Michaels across the ring apron and hits a big boot followed by a leg drop. Taker rolls Michaels back in the ring for a near fall before he & Kane clobber Michaels for about three minutes straight. Michaels is able to fight back and knock Taker off the apron but walks right into a sidewalk slam from Kane for a near fall. Kane goes to the top rope, but Michaels pops up and knocks him back down. For the second time this match, all four wrestlers down.

Michaels is pulled out of the ring by Taker, but he is able to shove him into the ring post. Back in the ring, Kane rams Michaels into the corner before lifting him up to the top rope. Kane goes for a superplex, but Michaels fights back with punches, inadvertently knocking Kane's mask off in the process.

Kane drops down and immediately covers his face because it's 2003 again, I guess. Kane rolls out of the ring, so Michaels opts to go for a moonsault off the top rope. It goes about as well as you'd expect, with Michaels smacking his face on the floor.

All men are down yet again as Kane manages to get his mask back on. Triple H climbs back up on the apron as Michaels crawls his way back to make the tag. Trips runs wild, hitting a knee to the face on Kane before splashing him in the corner and hitting a high knee. Taker runs in just so he can take a spinebuster. Triple H goes for a Pedigree, but Taker powers out and hits a backdrop. Taker goes for a chokeslam, but Triple H blocks it and a follow-up Tombstone attempt before hitting the Pedigree. Trips throws Kane out of the ring, only to walk into Hell's Gate. Meanwhile, Michaels stumbles into a chokeslam attempt by Kane, but Michales counters it and hits Sweet Chin Music, knocking Kane onto Taker and breaking up the Hell's Gate. Taker & Kane do their sit up spot for what feels like the 20th time this match and both go for Tombstones. Michaels manages to rake Kane's eyes, allowing Triple H to slip out and kick Taker to free himself. Michaels gives both Brothers of Destruction some Sweet Chin Music. Triple H follows up with a clunky looking Pedigree on Kane and gets the three count, presumably making him the new mayor of Knox County. This match was 27 MINUTES LONG. My god, did this not need to happen.

The Verdict

I mean...what else can I really say? It was slow, plodding, dud of a match...but did you really expect it to be anything else. Anybody who thought a match featuring four men, three of which are over 50 years old, was going to be anything but this is either lying or completely delusional. Michaels wasn't god awful here, but he was clearly past his prime and definitely didn't need to come out of retirement. In short, this match didn't need to happen. But it did, and I can't think of a match more deserving of the Worst Match of the Year award

Rankings (Best to Worst)

1. Rick Rude vs Jake Roberts-WrestleMania IV
2. Too Much vs Al Snow & Head-King of the Ring 1998
3. Randy Orton vs Bray Wyatt-WrestleMania 33
4. Vampiro vs Sting-Great American Bash 2000
5. T&A vs Head Cheese-WrestleMania 2000
6. Triple H vs Sgt. Slaughter-D-Generation X: In Your House
7. Konnan vs One Man Gang-SuperBrawl VI
8. Ultimate Warrior vs Hercules-WrestleMania IV
9. Rick Rude vs Hawk-Clash of the Champions XXV
10. Shelton Benjamin vs Viscera-New Year's Revolution 2006
11. Steve McMichael vs Reggie White-Slamboree 1997
12. The Tag Team Fatal 4-Way Match-WrestleMania 13
13. Tag Team Battle Royal-WrestleMania XIV
14. The Chamber of Horrors-Halloween Havoc 1991
15. The Natural Disasters vs Money Inc.-WrestleMania VIII
16. Ivan Koloff vs Paul Jones-Clash of the Champions IV
17. ODB, Taylor Wilde, and Roxxi vs The Kongtourage-Genesis 2009
18. Ivory vs Tori-SummerSlam 1999
19. Nikita Koloff vs Bobby Eaton-Bunkhouse Stampede
20. Alex Wright vs Steve McMichael-Halloween Havoc 1997
21. Savio Vega vs Crush vs Faarooq-Ground Zero: In Your House
22. Total Divas vs Other Divas-Survivor Series 2013
23. The Oddities vs Kaientai-SummerSlam 1998
24. Hulk Hogan vs Sid Justice-WrestleMania VIII
25. Paul Ellering vs Teddy Long-Capital Combat
26. Dusty Rhodes vs Big Boss Man-Saturday Night's Main Event (10/31/1989)
27. Tyson Tomko vs Stevie Richards-Unforgiven 2004
28. Hollywood Hogan vs The Giant-Hog Wild
29. Hollywood Hogan vs The Giant-Souled Out 1997
30. Dustin Rhodes & King Kong vs Awesome Kong & The Equalizer-Battlebowl
31. Finlay & Little Bastard vs The Boogeyman & Little Boogeyman-No Way Out 2007
32. Jake Roberts vs Andre the Giant-WrestleMania V
33. Yokozuna vs King Mabel-In Your House 4
34. Dusty Rhodes vs The Honky Tonk Man-SummerSlam 1989
35. Sting & Hawk vs Meng & Kurasawa-Clash of the Champions XXXI
36. Hulk Hogan vs Randy Savage-Uncensored 1998
37. Al Snow vs Big Boss Man-Unforgiven 1999
38. Mickie James vs Ashley-Royal Rumble 2006
39. Christy Hemme vs Big Fat Oily Guy-Against All Odds 2007
40. Stevie Ray vs Konnan-World War 3 1998
41. Vampiro vs The KISS Demon-Bash at the Beach 2000
42. Team WCW vs nWo Wolfpac vs nWo Hollywood-Fall Brawl 1998
43. Vampiro vs Oklahoma-Starrcade 1999
44. Hulk Hogan vs Andre the Giant-WrestleMania III
45. Van Hammer vs Terrance Taylor-Clash of the Champions XVI
46. Junkyard Dog vs Moondog Spot-Wrestling Classic
47. Hiroshi Wajima vs Tom Magee-All Japan Pro Wrestling 1988
48. Jim Duggan vs Big Boss Man-Royal Rumble 1990
49. Meng vs Jim Duggan-Uncensored 1995
50. Jim Steele vs The Equalizer-SuperBrawl IV
51. D-Generation X vs Brothers of Destruction-Crown Jewel
52. Wendi Richter vs Leilani Kai-WrestleMania
53. Edge vs Triple H vs Vladimir Kozlov-Survivor Series 2008
54. Kevin Sullivan vs Dave Sullivan-SuperBrawl V
55. Steve McMichael vs Brian Adams-Road Wild 1998
56. Scott Hall vs Roddy Piper-SuperBrawl IX
57. PN News & Bobby Eaton vs Steve Austin & Terrance Taylor-Great American Bash 1991
58. Scott Steiner vs Sid Vicious vs Jeff Jarrett vs Road Warrior Animal-Sin
59. Hollywood Hogan vs Roddy Piper-SuperBrawl 1997
60. Batista vs The Great Khali-SummerSlam 2007
61.  Sable vs Tori-WrestleMania XV
62. Super Invader vs Todd Champion-WrestleWar 1992
63. King Kong Bundy & Jim Neidhart vs Yokozuna & Jake Roberts-Heroes of Wrestling
64. Sid Vicious vs The Nightstalker-Clash of the Champions XIII
65. The 8-Divas Tag Match-Survivor Series 1999
66. The Fabulous Freebirds vs The Renegade Warriors-Halloween Havoc 1990
67. Rick Rude vs Masahiro Chono-Halloween Havoc 1992
68. Mike Awesome vs Vampiro-Halloween Havoc 2000
69. Bray Wyatt vs John Cena-Extreme Rules 2014
70. Brothers of Destruction vs KroniK-Unforgiven 2001
71. Mabel vs The Undertaker-King of the Ring 1995
72. Wendi Richter vs The Fabulous Moolah-The Brawl to End it All
73. David Flair vs Kimberly Page-Mayhem 1999
74. The Truth Commission vs The Disciples of Apocolypse-Survivor Series 1997
75. The Bushwhacker vs The Fabulous Rougeaus-WrestleMania V
76. The Beverly Brothers vs The Bushwhackers-Royal Rumble 1992
77. Teddy Long vs Eric Bischoff-Survivor Series 2005
78. Greg Valentine vs George Steele-Heroes of Wrestling
79. Abdullah the Butcher vs One Man Gang-Heroes of Wrestling
80. Major Gunns vs Miss Hancock-New Blood Rising
81. Bradshaw & Trish Stratus vs Christopher Nowinski & Jackie Gayda-RAW (7/8/2002)
82. Triple H vs Scott Steiner-Royal Rumble 2003
83. Hollywood Hogan vs The Warrior-Halloween Havoc 1998
84. Mr. T vs Roddy Piper-WrestleMania 2
85. The Royal Family vs Clowns R' Us-Survivor Series 1994
86. The Blacktop Bully vs Dustin Rhodes-Uncensored 1995
87. Pat Patterson vs Gerald Brisco-King of the Ring 2000
88. The Four Doinks vs Team Bigelow-Survivor Series 1993
89. Sting vs Jeff Hardy-Victory Road 2011
90. Oz vs Tim Parker-SuperBrawl
91. Ultimate Warrior vs Andre the Giant-Saturday Night's Main Event (11/25/1989)
92. The Doomsday Cage Match-Uncensored 1996
93. Kane vs The Undertaker-Judgement Day 1998
94. Rebel vs Shelly Martinez-One Night Only: Knockouts Knockdown
95. Kaitlyn vs Maxine-NXT (10/19/10)
96. Sabu vs The Sandman-November to Remember 1997
97. The Bushwhackers vs Iron Sheik & Nikolai Volkoff-Heroes of Wrestling
98. James Storm vs Chris Harris-Lockdown 2007
99. John Laurinaitis vs John Cena-Over the Limit 2012
100. Ultimate Warrior vs Goldust-In Your House 7
101. Los Villanos vs Los Psycho Circus-Triplemania XXIII
102. Jenna Morasca vs Sharmell-Victory Road 2009

And now, I am finally caught up with the Worst in the World. Unless a catastrophically bad match happens between now and 2020, then this will probably the last one I'll write about for a while. But until then, thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed!