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Worst in the World: Shane McMahon vs Eric Bischoff-SummerSlam 2003

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(Special thanks to Otter Empire for suggesting this match. If you'd like to see a match covered on the Worst in the World, leave a comment down below.)

SummerSlam 2003 is a mixed bag of a show. Kurt Angle vs Brock Lesnar. That's good. Triple H going over Goldberg in the main event even though he had a groin tear. That's bad. A fatal 4-way involving Eddie Guerrero, Chris Benoit, Tajiri, and Rhyno. That's good. La Résistance...existing. That's bad. And Shane McMahon vs Eric Bischoff...that''s also bad. Thrust in the middle of Shane's feud with Kane, we were all subjected to this match-up between El Hijo de Mr. McMahon himself and the Co-Raw General Manager in Bischoff at the 16th edition of SummerSlam. Bischoff would never be confused for a serious in-ring competitor, usually only wrestling for storyline purposes, while Shane, who has had some legitimately good matches in his career, really needs the right opponent to have a watchable match. And Eric Bischoff is not that person. Let's get into this.

Bischoff's out first in his full karate gi because if you've ever listened to his commentary in WCW, you'd know that Eric Bischoff FUCKING. LOVES. KARATE.


Bischoff grabs the mic and starts to thirst over Linda McMahon. And yes, if you're wondering, this is the feud that gave us the infamous, awkward, incredibly uncomfortable moment where Bischoff went to the McMahon's house, called Linda a "rather big breasted beauty", pinned her arm behind her back, forcibly kissed her, and said she should "show him the bedroom." Vince McMahon wrote that segment. What a weird human being. Bischoff basically pulling a Shawn Michaels, saying he & Linda went at it "again, and again, and again, and again." This match is gonna get me demonetized, isn't it? Shane finally here's enough and makes his entrance before taking the fight right to Bischoff before the bell rings. Shane beats down Bischoff in the corner before eventually tossing him out of the ring. Bischoff tries to leave, but Shane follows him out and continues to beat down outside the ring, throwing him against the barricade and repeatedly rolling back in the ring to break the referee's count.

The ringside beatdown continues with Shane slamming Bischoff into the announce table before Jonathan Coachman basically appears out of nowhere and smashes a chair across Shane's back. The referee calls for the bell for the obvious DQ, but Bischoff & Coach prevent it, with Coach going as far as to just steal the actual bell.


Bischoff grabs the mic and says he's making the match a No Disqualification, Falls Count Anywhere match before calling Shane a piece of shit and telling Coach to throw him into the ring steps. Coach obliges. Bischoff makes the cover, but Shane kicks out at two. Back in the ring, Bischoff makes the decision that Coach should do commentary for this match, telling the production team to shut Jim Ross & Jerry Lawler's mics off before giving Coach the mic. Bischoff gives Shane a kick to the gut as Coach mocks him & JR before Bischoff gives him two more and kick to the head for good measure. Bischoff goes for another kick, but Shane catches him with a kick to the gut before freeing himself from Coach and hitting a DDT on Bischoff. However, the comeback is cut short when Coach gives him a low blow.

But suddenly, the glass shatters. The other Co-General Manager Stone Cold Steve Austin comes down to the ring. Coach says he doesn't work for Austin and taunts him, due to Austin not being allowed to get physical with anyone unless they provoke him. Coach acts like an annoying child, holding his finger close to Austin's face will saying "I'M NOT TOUCHING YOU!" before Shane shoves Coach into Austin. That's enough provocation for Austin, who stomps a mudhole in Coach alongside Shane before the two give him a double back elbow and toss him out of the ring. Austin grabs the mic and demands JR & Lawler's mics be turned on.

Shane props up Bischoff Weekend at Bernie's style and forces him to slap Austin, which allows Austin to flip him the bird and give him a Stunner. Shane makes the cover...but pulls Bischoff off the mat before the three. Shane throws Bischoff out of the ring and lays him across the Spanish announce table before hitting the Leap of Faith elbow drop off the top rope. Shane makes the cover, gets the three, and the win. Austin celebrates with Shane in the ring as the two share a few beers.

The Verdict

Alright, I'm going to keep it a buck fifty with you all...this match is not really that bad. Yeah, it's just a lot of brawling, with maybe three actual wrestling moves done, one of which was done by someone who wasn't even in the match. Nobody's going to confuse this for a Zack Sabre Jr. technical masterclass. But for what it is, I personally didn't find anything wrong with it. When Shane McMahon is the best worker in the match, you'd expect some kind of disaster, but nothing was botched the story they told was fine. It might go on a little too long, but this is going towards the higher end of the list.

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. Brock Lesnar vs Roman Reigns-Greatest Royal Rumble
  4. Shane McMahon vs Eric Bischoff-SummerSlam 2003
  5. The Tag Team Gauntlet-Extreme Rules 2010
  6. Randy Orton vs Bray Wyatt-WrestleMania 33
  7. Vampiro vs Sting-Great American Bash 2000
  8. T&A vs Head Cheese-WrestleMania 2000
  9. Triple H vs Sgt. Slaughter-D-Generation X: In Your House
  10. Konnan vs One Man Gang-SuperBrawl VI
  11. Ultimate Warrior vs Hercules-WrestleMania IV
  12. Rick Rude vs Hawk-Clash of the Champions XXV
  13. Shelton Benjamin vs Viscera-New Year's Revolution 2006
  14. Steve McMichael vs Reggie White-Slamboree 1997
  15. The Tag Team Fatal 4-Way Match-WrestleMania 13
  16. Tag Team Battle Royal-WrestleMania XIV
  17. The Chamber of Horrors-Halloween Havoc 1991
  18. The Natural Disasters vs Money Inc.-WrestleMania VIII
  19. Ivan Koloff vs Paul Jones-Clash of the Champions IV
  20. ODB, Taylor Wilde, and Roxxi vs The Kongtourage-Genesis 2009
  21. Ivory vs Tori-SummerSlam 1999
  22. Giant Baba vs Bulldog Bob Brown-WrestleRock
  23. The Reverse Battle Royal-Impact! (10/26/2006)
  24. Jerry Blackwell vs Boris Zhukov-SuperClash II
  25. Nikita Koloff vs Bobby Eaton-Bunkhouse Stampede
  26. Alex Wright vs Steve McMichael-Halloween Havoc 1997
  27. The Great Khali vs Kane-WrestleMania 23
  28. Savio Vega vs Crush vs Faarooq-Ground Zero: In Your House
  29. The Shockmaster vs Awesome/King Kong-Starrcade 1993
  30. Total Divas vs Other Divas-Survivor Series 2013
  31. The Oddities vs Kaientai-SummerSlam 1998
  32. Hulk Hogan vs Sid Justice-WrestleMania VIII
  33. Paul Ellering vs Teddy Long-Capital Combat
  34. Dusty Rhodes vs Big Boss Man-Saturday Night's Main Event (10/31/1989)
  35. Tyson Tomko vs Stevie Richards-Unforgiven 2004
  36. Kane vs The Great Khali-SummerSlam 2009
  37. Hollywood Hogan vs The Giant-Hog Wild
  38. Hollywood Hogan vs The Giant-Souled Out 1997
  39. Dustin Rhodes & King Kong vs Awesome Kong & The Equalizer-Battlebowl
  40. Finlay & Little Bastard vs The Boogeyman & Little Boogeyman-No Way Out 2007
  41. Jake Roberts vs Andre the Giant-WrestleMania V
  42. Yokozuna vs King Mabel-In Your House 4
  43. Dusty Rhodes vs The Honky Tonk Man-SummerSlam 1989
  44. Sting & Hawk vs Meng & Kurasawa-Clash of the Champions XXXI
  45. Hulk Hogan vs Randy Savage-Uncensored 1998
  46. Al Snow vs Big Boss Man-Unforgiven 1999
  47. Mickie James vs Ashley-Royal Rumble 2006
  48. Christy Hemme vs Big Fat Oily Guy-Against All Odds 2007
  49. Stevie Ray vs Konnan-World War 3 1998
  50. Vampiro vs The KISS Demon-Bash at the Beach 2000
  51. Team WCW vs nWo Wolfpac vs nWo Hollywood-Fall Brawl 1998
  52. Vampiro vs Oklahoma-Starrcade 1999
  53. Hulk Hogan vs Andre the Giant-WrestleMania III
  54. Van Hammer vs Terrance Taylor-Clash of the Champions XVI
  55. Junkyard Dog vs Moondog Spot-Wrestling Classic
  56. The Undertaker vs Goldberg-Super ShowDown 2019
  57. Hiroshi Wajima vs Tom Magee-All Japan Pro Wrestling 1988
  58. Jim Duggan vs Big Boss Man-Royal Rumble 1990
  59. Meng vs Jim Duggan-Uncensored 1995
  60. Jim Steele vs The Equalizer-SuperBrawl IV
  61. The Undertaker vs Giant González-WrestleMania IX
  62. Sting vs Tony Palmore-Battle 7
  63. D-Generation X vs Brothers of Destruction-Crown Jewel
  64. Wendi Richter vs Leilani Kai-WrestleMania
  65. Goldberg vs Brock Lesnar-WrestleMania XX
  66. Edge vs Triple H vs Vladimir Kozlov-Survivor Series 2008
  67. Kevin Sullivan vs Dave Sullivan-SuperBrawl V
  68. Steve McMichael vs Brian Adams-Road Wild 1998
  69. Scott Hall vs Roddy Piper-SuperBrawl IX
  70. Boris Zhukov vs Paul Samson-Beach Brawl
  71. Kane vs The Great Khali-Breaking Point
  72. Hollywood Hogan & Dennis Rodman vs Diamond Dallas Page & Karl Malone-Bash at the Beach 1998
  73. PN News & Bobby Eaton vs Steve Austin & Terrance Taylor-Great American Bash 1991
  74. Scott Steiner vs Sid Vicious vs Jeff Jarrett vs Road Warrior Animal-Sin
  75. Hollywood Hogan vs Roddy Piper-SuperBrawl 1997
  76. Batista vs The Great Khali-SummerSlam 2007
  77.  Sable vs Tori-WrestleMania XV
  78. Super Invader vs Todd Champion-WrestleWar 1992
  79. Brock Lesnar vs Cain Velasquez-Crown Jewel 2019
  80. King Kong Bundy & Jim Neidhart vs Yokozuna & Jake Roberts-Heroes of Wrestling
  81. Sid Vicious vs The Nightstalker-Clash of the Champions XIII
  82. The 8-Divas Tag Match-Survivor Series 1999
  83. The Fabulous Freebirds vs The Renegade Warriors-Halloween Havoc 1990
  84. The Knockouts Gauntlet-One Night Only: Live! 2016
  85. AJ Styles vs Frank Trigg-No Surrender 2008
  86. Rick Rude vs Masahiro Chono-Halloween Havoc 1992
  87. Mike Awesome vs Vampiro-Halloween Havoc 2000
  88. Bray Wyatt vs John Cena-Extreme Rules 2014
  89. Brothers of Destruction vs KroniK-Unforgiven 2001
  90. Mabel vs The Undertaker-King of the Ring 1995
  91. Wendi Richter vs The Fabulous Moolah-The Brawl to End it All
  92. David Flair vs Kimberly Page-Mayhem 1999
  93. The Truth Commission vs The Disciples of Apocolypse-Survivor Series 1997
  94. Daffney vs Miss Hancock-Bash at the Beach 2000
  95. The Bushwhacker vs The Fabulous Rougeaus-WrestleMania V
  96. The Beverly Brothers vs The Bushwhackers-Royal Rumble 1992
  97. Teddy Long vs Eric Bischoff-Survivor Series 2005
  98. Greg Valentine vs George Steele-Heroes of Wrestling
  99. Abdullah the Butcher vs One Man Gang-Heroes of Wrestling
  100. Major Gunns vs Miss Hancock-New Blood Rising
  101. Bradshaw & Trish Stratus vs Christopher Nowinski & Jackie Gayda-RAW (7/8/2002)
  102. Triple H vs Scott Steiner-Royal Rumble 2003
  103. Santina Marella vs Vickie & Chavo Guerrero-Extreme Rules 2009
  104. Kevin Nash vs Scott Steiner vs Goldberg-New Blood Rising
  105. Hollywood Hogan vs The Warrior-Halloween Havoc 1998
  106. Mr. T vs Roddy Piper-WrestleMania 2
  107. The Royal Family vs Clowns R' Us-Survivor Series 1994
  108. The Blacktop Bully vs Dustin Rhodes-Uncensored 1995
  109. Team Dos Caras vs Team El Canek-Leyendas Mexicanas 2017
  110. Pat Patterson vs Gerald Brisco-King of the Ring 2000
  111. The Four Doinks vs Team Bigelow-Survivor Series 1993
  112. Sting vs Jeff Hardy-Victory Road 2011
  113. Oz vs Tim Parker-SuperBrawl
  114. Brock Lesnar vs Braun Strowman-Crown Jewel 2018
  115. Brock Lesnar vs Ricochet-Super ShowDown 2020
  116. The Mighty Maccabee vs The Iron Sheik-Maccabiah Mania II: Shekel Slam
  117. Van Hammer vs Doug Somers-Halloween Havoc 1991
  118. Ultimate Warrior vs Andre the Giant-Saturday Night's Main Event (11/25/1989)
  119. Jeff Jarrett vs Sting-Halloween Havoc 2000
  120. The Doomsday Cage Match-Uncensored 1996
  121. Kane vs The Undertaker-Judgement Day 1998
  122. Rebel vs Shelly Martinez-One Night Only: Knockouts Knockdown
  123. Kaitlyn vs Maxine-NXT (10/19/2010)
  124. Sabu vs The Sandman-November to Remember 1997
  125. Seth Rollins vs "The Fiend" Bray Wyatt-Hell in a Cell 2019
  126. Michael Cole vs Jerry Lawler-WrestleMania XXVII
  127. The Bushwhackers vs Iron Sheik & Nikolai Volkoff-Heroes of Wrestling
  128. James Storm vs Chris Harris-Lockdown 2007
  129. John Laurinaitis vs John Cena-Over the Limit 2012
  130. Hulk Hogan vs The Giant-Halloween Havoc 1995
  131. Ultimate Warrior vs Goldust-In Your House 7
  132. Los Villanos vs Los Psycho Circus-Triplemania XXIII
  133. Jenna Morasca vs Sharmell-Victory Road 2009

Thanks for reading! Be sure to share if you enjoy and leave any suggestions for matches you'd like to see covered on the Worst in the World. Next week, I go back to Halloween Havoc to take a look at a match featuring a legendary rivalry...twelve years after it happened. Until next time...


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