Iron Man match
Encyclopedia
An Iron Man match is a professional wrestling
match type that is set to go a specific amount of time, usually 30 or 60 minutes, with the competitor with the most falls at the end of that time named the victor. On the occasions of a draw, a sudden death "final fall" may be requested by either side, with the other able to accept or decline, or a legal authority can order the match to go into overtime in the case of any championship match if there is a draw.
Some Iron Man matches have an interval between falls. An example of this is the 2009 one between John Cena and Randy Orton which had a 30 second rest period after each fall, in part due to that iron man match being "anything goes" (only pinfalls and submissions counted as falls, but not count outs or disqualifications). The 2003 match between Kurt Angle and Brock Lesnar had a 15-second rest period after each fall, regardless of how it occurred.
Should the match result in a tie, sudden death overtime may be requested by either wrestler as a plot device, and it is accepted or rejected by either an opponent or an authority figure. One note of rejection of the sudden death overtime was when Shawn Michaels and Kurt Angle tied 2–2 in a 30-minute iron-man match. Shawn Michaels begged Kurt Angle to go sudden death, but Angle walked off, to the heavy boos of the audience who wanted to see how it would end.
Requests for sudden death are especially common in the event of a title
match. A challenger for a title will request sudden death, because, in the event of a draw, the champion will always retain the title, meaning that sudden death is the only way the challenger can keep his championship hopes alive. Two notable examples of this happening are when Shawn Micheals requested sudden death against Bret Hart
at Wrestlemania XII
, and when Christopher Daniels
requested sudden death against AJ Styles at TNA Against All Odds 2005
.
Iron man matches are almost always two-sided (that is, no more than two sides, such as 1v1 or tag team
, as opposed to triple-threat or fatal-four-way). However, it is possible for there to be a triple threat iron man, with the wrestler scoring the plurality of decisions being the winner.
, Bret Hart
vs. Shawn Michaels
for the WWF Championship
; 60 minutes. Neither man scored a fall in the first 60 minutes. Gorilla Monsoon
ordered the match into overtime and Shawn Michaels scored a fall 2 minutes in to win the WWF title.
Judgement Day 2000, The Rock vs. Triple H
for the WWF Championship
; 60 minutes. Shawn Michaels
is the Special Guest Referee. With the scores tied at 5–5 with only a minute or so remaining, the McMahon family interferes, but due to Shawn Michaels being with Triple H, Triple H does not get disqualified. The Undertaker makes his in ring return after an eight month absence. He went on to attack the McMahon family,Triple H, X-Pac
and Road Dogg
but was spotted by Michaels who disqualified The Rock, making the score 6–5 in Triple H's favor. Thus making Triple H the new WWF Champion.
WWE SmackDown!, September 18, 2003, Brock Lesnar
vs Kurt Angle
for the WWE Championship; 60 minutes. First of three Iron Man Matches on broadcast TV. Brock Lesnar had a huge lead 5–2 with 15 minutes remaining but Angle fights back with 2 more falls. Angle applied an Ankle Lock with 20 seconds remaining, but Brock Lesnar didn't tap. Brock Lesnar won the WWE title.
Raw
, July 26, 2004, World Heavyweight Champion Chris Benoit
beat Triple H 4–3 in the first 60-minute Iron man match on RAW after gaining help from Eugene Dinsmore in the final minute of the match.
Against All Odds (2005), A.J. Styles
vs. Christopher Daniels
; 30 minutes. The time limit expired with each wrestler having one fall. Daniels, who knew that a draw would result in A.J. keeping the TNA X Division Championship
, demanded sudden death from Dusty Rhodes
. A.J. won the sudden death fall to retain the X-division title.
Final Resolution (2007), Samoa Joe
vs Kurt Angle
; 30 minutes. Kurt Angle was up 3–2 near the end. Samoa Joe locked in Kurt's Ankle lock, but could not get Kurt Angle to tap out before the time ran out. As a result, Kurt Angle won the match and became the number one contender for the NWA World Heavyweight Championship
.
WWE Bragging Rights (2009), Randy Orton
faces John Cena
for the WWE Championship
; 60 minutes.
World Championship Wrestling
Professional wrestling
Professional wrestling is a mode of spectacle, combining athletics and theatrical performance.Roland Barthes, "The World of Wrestling", Mythologies, 1957 It takes the form of events, held by touring companies, which mimic a title match combat sport...
match type that is set to go a specific amount of time, usually 30 or 60 minutes, with the competitor with the most falls at the end of that time named the victor. On the occasions of a draw, a sudden death "final fall" may be requested by either side, with the other able to accept or decline, or a legal authority can order the match to go into overtime in the case of any championship match if there is a draw.
Rules
Iron Man matches generally operate under the same rules as any other professional wrestling bout, but instead of the match having to be over before a time limit is up, the Iron Man match goes the full length of the allotted time, with each wrestler attempting to score as many falls in that time as possible. The wrestler who has the most decisions at the end of the match is then the winner. A Decision is a pinfall, submission, count out or disqualification.Some Iron Man matches have an interval between falls. An example of this is the 2009 one between John Cena and Randy Orton which had a 30 second rest period after each fall, in part due to that iron man match being "anything goes" (only pinfalls and submissions counted as falls, but not count outs or disqualifications). The 2003 match between Kurt Angle and Brock Lesnar had a 15-second rest period after each fall, regardless of how it occurred.
Should the match result in a tie, sudden death overtime may be requested by either wrestler as a plot device, and it is accepted or rejected by either an opponent or an authority figure. One note of rejection of the sudden death overtime was when Shawn Michaels and Kurt Angle tied 2–2 in a 30-minute iron-man match. Shawn Michaels begged Kurt Angle to go sudden death, but Angle walked off, to the heavy boos of the audience who wanted to see how it would end.
Requests for sudden death are especially common in the event of a title
Championship (professional wrestling)
A Championship or "title" in professional wrestling is a recognition promoted by professional wrestling organizations.Championship reigns are determined by professional wrestling matches, in which competitors are involved in scripted rivalries...
match. A challenger for a title will request sudden death, because, in the event of a draw, the champion will always retain the title, meaning that sudden death is the only way the challenger can keep his championship hopes alive. Two notable examples of this happening are when Shawn Micheals requested sudden death against Bret Hart
Bret Hart
Bret Hart is a Canadian on-screen personality, writer, actor and Semi-retired professional wrestler. Like others in the Hart wrestling family, Hart has an amateur wrestling background, including wrestling at Ernest Manning High School and Mount Royal College...
at Wrestlemania XII
WrestleMania XII
-Other on-screen talent:-External links:**...
, and when Christopher Daniels
Christopher Daniels
Daniel Christopher Covell is an American professional wrestler, best known in the United States by his ring name "The Fallen Angel" Christopher Daniels. He is also known for performing under the ring name Curry Man. He is currently under contract with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , while also...
requested sudden death against AJ Styles at TNA Against All Odds 2005
Against All Odds (2005)
Against All Odds was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , which took place on February 13, 2005 at the TNA Impact! Zone in Orlando, Florida. It was the first event under the Against All Odds chronology...
.
Iron man matches are almost always two-sided (that is, no more than two sides, such as 1v1 or tag team
Tag team
Tag team professional wrestling is a variation in which matches are contested between teams of multiple wrestlers. A tag team may comprise two wrestlers who normally wrestle in singles competition, but more commonly are made of established teams who wrestle regularly as a unit and have a team name...
, as opposed to triple-threat or fatal-four-way). However, it is possible for there to be a triple threat iron man, with the wrestler scoring the plurality of decisions being the winner.
Reception
Because of the fixed time limit, Iron Man matches have a tendency to lose their audience in the middle of a match, with a quick flurry of action near the end. Often, an Iron Man match will have the wrestlers tied or holding a one-point advantage going into the final minutes, with one wrestler attempting to make a tying or winning pin.Match examples
WrestleMania XIIWrestleMania XII
-Other on-screen talent:-External links:**...
, Bret Hart
Bret Hart
Bret Hart is a Canadian on-screen personality, writer, actor and Semi-retired professional wrestler. Like others in the Hart wrestling family, Hart has an amateur wrestling background, including wrestling at Ernest Manning High School and Mount Royal College...
vs. Shawn Michaels
Shawn Michaels
Michael Shawn Hickenbottom , better known by his ring name Shawn Michaels, is an American television host and retired professional wrestler. He presents the Outdoor Channel show MacMillan River Adventures, and is currently signed to WWE, where he has served in an ambassadorial role since December...
for the WWF Championship
WWE Championship
The WWE Championship is a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship in WWE. It is the world title of the Raw brand and one of two in WWE, complementing the World Heavyweight Championship of the SmackDown brand. It was established under the then WWWF in 1963...
; 60 minutes. Neither man scored a fall in the first 60 minutes. Gorilla Monsoon
Gorilla Monsoon
Robert James "Gino" Marella , better known by his ring name of Gorilla Monsoon, was an American professional wrestler, play-by-play announcer, and booker...
ordered the match into overtime and Shawn Michaels scored a fall 2 minutes in to win the WWF title.
Judgement Day 2000, The Rock vs. Triple H
Triple H
Paul Michael Levesque is an American professional wrestler, professional wrestling authority figure, WWE Executive Vice President of Talent and actor, better known by his ring name Triple H, an abbreviation of the ring name, Hunter Hearst Helmsley...
for the WWF Championship
WWE Championship
The WWE Championship is a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship in WWE. It is the world title of the Raw brand and one of two in WWE, complementing the World Heavyweight Championship of the SmackDown brand. It was established under the then WWWF in 1963...
; 60 minutes. Shawn Michaels
Shawn Michaels
Michael Shawn Hickenbottom , better known by his ring name Shawn Michaels, is an American television host and retired professional wrestler. He presents the Outdoor Channel show MacMillan River Adventures, and is currently signed to WWE, where he has served in an ambassadorial role since December...
is the Special Guest Referee. With the scores tied at 5–5 with only a minute or so remaining, the McMahon family interferes, but due to Shawn Michaels being with Triple H, Triple H does not get disqualified. The Undertaker makes his in ring return after an eight month absence. He went on to attack the McMahon family,Triple H, X-Pac
Sean Waltman
Sean Michael Waltman is an American professional wrestler currently signed with WWE in their developmental program. He wrestled there under the ring names 1–2–3 Kid and X-Pac off and on from 1993–2002, World Championship Wrestling under the ring name Syxx, and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling ...
and Road Dogg
Brian Gerard James
Brian Gerard James is an American professional wrestler, currently signed to WWE as an agent and producer. He is best known for his tenure with the World Wrestling Federation as "The Road Dogg" Jesse James or simply Road Dogg...
but was spotted by Michaels who disqualified The Rock, making the score 6–5 in Triple H's favor. Thus making Triple H the new WWF Champion.
WWE SmackDown!, September 18, 2003, Brock Lesnar
Brock Lesnar
Brock Edward Lesnar is an American mixed martial artist, actor and a former professional and amateur wrestler. He is a former UFC Heavyweight Champion and is ranked the No.5 Heavyweight in the world by Sherdog...
vs Kurt Angle
Kurt Angle
Kurt Steven Angle is an American professional wrestler, amateur wrestler, and 1996 Olympic gold medalist. He is currently under contract with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, where he is recognized as a 15-time World Heavyweight Champion...
for the WWE Championship; 60 minutes. First of three Iron Man Matches on broadcast TV. Brock Lesnar had a huge lead 5–2 with 15 minutes remaining but Angle fights back with 2 more falls. Angle applied an Ankle Lock with 20 seconds remaining, but Brock Lesnar didn't tap. Brock Lesnar won the WWE title.
Raw
WWE RAW
WWE Raw ) is a sports entertainment television program for WWE that currently airs on the USA Network in the United States...
, July 26, 2004, World Heavyweight Champion Chris Benoit
Chris Benoit
Christopher Michael "Chris" Benoit was a Canadian professional wrestler whose career and life ended in a murder–suicide...
beat Triple H 4–3 in the first 60-minute Iron man match on RAW after gaining help from Eugene Dinsmore in the final minute of the match.
Against All Odds (2005), A.J. Styles
A.J. Styles
Allen Neal Jones , better known by his ring name A.J. Styles is an American professional wrestler currently working for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling...
vs. Christopher Daniels
Christopher Daniels
Daniel Christopher Covell is an American professional wrestler, best known in the United States by his ring name "The Fallen Angel" Christopher Daniels. He is also known for performing under the ring name Curry Man. He is currently under contract with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , while also...
; 30 minutes. The time limit expired with each wrestler having one fall. Daniels, who knew that a draw would result in A.J. keeping the TNA X Division Championship
TNA X Division Championship
The TNA X Division Championship is a professional wrestling championship owned by the Total Nonstop Action Wrestling promotion. It is primarily defended in TNA's X Division—a style based on a fast-paced, daredevil type of wrestling...
, demanded sudden death from Dusty Rhodes
Dusty Rhodes (wrestler)
Virgil Riley Runnels, Jr. , better known as "The American Dream" Dusty Rhodes, is a semi-retired American professional wrestler currently working for WWE...
. A.J. won the sudden death fall to retain the X-division title.
Final Resolution (2007), Samoa Joe
Samoa Joe
Nuufolau Joel "Joe" Seanoa is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, Samoa Joe. He is currently under contract with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling....
vs Kurt Angle
Kurt Angle
Kurt Steven Angle is an American professional wrestler, amateur wrestler, and 1996 Olympic gold medalist. He is currently under contract with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, where he is recognized as a 15-time World Heavyweight Champion...
; 30 minutes. Kurt Angle was up 3–2 near the end. Samoa Joe locked in Kurt's Ankle lock, but could not get Kurt Angle to tap out before the time ran out. As a result, Kurt Angle won the match and became the number one contender for the NWA World Heavyweight Championship
NWA World Heavyweight Championship
The National Wrestling Alliance World Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship in the National Wrestling Alliance. Its lineage has been traced from the first World Heavyweight Championship, which traces its lineage to Georg Hackenschmidt's 1905 title and...
.
WWE Bragging Rights (2009), Randy Orton
Randy Orton
Randal Keith "Randy" Orton is an American professional wrestler and actor. He is signed to WWE wrestling on its SmackDown brand...
faces John Cena
John Cena
John Felix Anthony Cena is an American professional wrestler, actor, rapper, and television personality. He is currently signed to WWE as a member of its WWE Raw brand....
for the WWE Championship
WWE Championship
The WWE Championship is a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship in WWE. It is the world title of the Raw brand and one of two in WWE, complementing the World Heavyweight Championship of the SmackDown brand. It was established under the then WWWF in 1963...
; 60 minutes.
World Championship WrestlingWorld Championship WrestlingWorld Championship Wrestling, Inc. was an American professional wrestling promotion which existed from 1988 to 2001. Based in Atlanta, Georgia, it began as a regional promotion affiliated with the National Wrestling Alliance , named Jim Crockett Promotions until November 1988, when Ted Turner and...
| No | Match (Length) | Score | Event, Date and Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| I | Ricky Steamboat Ricky Steamboat Richard Henry Blood , better known by his ring name Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat, is a retired American professional wrestler. He is currently signed to WWE working as a road agent. He was one of the few wrestlers who stayed a babyface throughout his career... defeated Rick Rude (30:00) |
4–3 | Beach Blast 1992 June 20, 1992 Mobile, AL Mobile, Alabama Mobile is the third most populous city in the Southern US state of Alabama and is the county seat of Mobile County. It is located on the Mobile River and the central Gulf Coast of the United States. The population within the city limits was 195,111 during the 2010 census. It is the largest... |
| II | Dustin Rhodes and Rick Rude fought to a draw for the vacant WCW United States Championship WWE United States Championship The WWE United States Championship is a professional wrestling championship in WWE. It was originally a National Wrestling Alliance and World Championship Wrestling championship, and is currently the secondary championship of the Raw brand.... (30:00) |
1–1 | Beach Blast 1993 July 18, 1993 Biloxi, MS Biloxi, Mississippi Biloxi is a city in Harrison County, Mississippi, in the United States. The 2010 census recorded the population as 44,054. Along with Gulfport, Biloxi is a county seat of Harrison County.... |
World Wrestling Entertainment/ WWE
| No. | Match (Length) | Title | Score | Event, Date and Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| I | Shawn Michaels Shawn Michaels Michael Shawn Hickenbottom , better known by his ring name Shawn Michaels, is an American television host and retired professional wrestler. He presents the Outdoor Channel show MacMillan River Adventures, and is currently signed to WWE, where he has served in an ambassadorial role since December... defeated Bret Hart Bret Hart Bret Hart is a Canadian on-screen personality, writer, actor and Semi-retired professional wrestler. Like others in the Hart wrestling family, Hart has an amateur wrestling background, including wrestling at Ernest Manning High School and Mount Royal College... (c) (61:56) Overtime |
WWF Championship WWE Championship The WWE Championship is a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship in WWE. It is the world title of the Raw brand and one of two in WWE, complementing the World Heavyweight Championship of the SmackDown brand. It was established under the then WWWF in 1963... |
1–0 | WrestleMania XII WrestleMania XII -Other on-screen talent:-External links:**... March 31, 1996, Anaheim Anaheim, California Anaheim is a city in Orange County, California. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was about 365,463, making it the most populated city in Orange County, the 10th most-populated city in California, and ranked 54th in the United States... , CA California California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area... |
| II | Triple H Triple H Paul Michael Levesque is an American professional wrestler, professional wrestling authority figure, WWE Executive Vice President of Talent and actor, better known by his ring name Triple H, an abbreviation of the ring name, Hunter Hearst Helmsley... defeated The Rock (c) (60:00) |
WWF Championship | 6–5 | Judgment Day Judgment Day (2000) Judgment Day was the second annual Judgment Day professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by the World Wrestling Federation . It took place on May 21, 2000 at the Freedom Hall in Louisville, Kentucky.... May 21, 2000, Louisville Louisville, Kentucky Louisville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kentucky, and the county seat of Jefferson County. Since 2003, the city's borders have been coterminous with those of the county because of a city-county merger. The city's population at the 2010 census was 741,096... , KY Kentucky The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth... |
| III | Brock Lesnar Brock Lesnar Brock Edward Lesnar is an American mixed martial artist, actor and a former professional and amateur wrestler. He is a former UFC Heavyweight Champion and is ranked the No.5 Heavyweight in the world by Sherdog... defeated Kurt Angle Kurt Angle Kurt Steven Angle is an American professional wrestler, amateur wrestler, and 1996 Olympic gold medalist. He is currently under contract with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, where he is recognized as a 15-time World Heavyweight Champion... (c) (60:00) |
WWE Championship | 5–4 | SmackDown September 18, 2003, Raleigh, NC Raleigh, North Carolina Raleigh is the capital and the second largest city in the state of North Carolina as well as the seat of Wake County. Raleigh is known as the "City of Oaks" for its many oak trees. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city's 2010 population was 403,892, over an area of , making Raleigh... |
| IV | Chris Benoit Chris Benoit Christopher Michael "Chris" Benoit was a Canadian professional wrestler whose career and life ended in a murder–suicide... (c) defeated Triple H (60:00) |
World Heavyweight Championship | 4–3 | Raw WWE RAW WWE Raw ) is a sports entertainment television program for WWE that currently airs on the USA Network in the United States... July 26, 2004, Pittsburgh, PA Pennsylvania The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to... |
| V | Kurt Angle drew with Shawn Michaels (30:00) | None | 2–2 | Raw WWE RAW WWE Raw ) is a sports entertainment television program for WWE that currently airs on the USA Network in the United States... October 03, 2005, Dallas, TX Texas Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in... |
| VI | John Cena John Cena John Felix Anthony Cena is an American professional wrestler, actor, rapper, and television personality. He is currently signed to WWE as a member of its WWE Raw brand.... defeated Randy Orton Randy Orton Randal Keith "Randy" Orton is an American professional wrestler and actor. He is signed to WWE wrestling on its SmackDown brand... (c) 60:00 |
WWE Championship | 6–5 | Bragging Rights (2009) October 25 2009, Pittsburgh, PA Pennsylvania The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to... |