'I Quit': The most humiliating words any WWE Superstar could ever say, but in this type of match the only way to win is to get your opponent to utter those two words.
With John Cena and Rusev facing one another in this intense and viscous match up at Payback, we take a look back at the history of one of the WWE's most brutal matches, The I Quit Match.
Debut: Starrcade 1985
The first ever I Quit match in wrestling history was at the NWA Starrcade event in 1985. Magnum T.A would beat Tully Blanchard in what was one very bloody match. The match was for the coveted NWA United States Heavyweight Championship. Magnum would win the match after using a piece of wood with a nail on it to pierce Blanchard's forehead, Blanchard would scream 'Yes, Yes' through the mic which meant that he had quit and Magnum would win the U.S Championship.
ECW
The land of Extreme also had a select few I Quit matches over the years. The first one was back on January 23rd 1993 where Terry Funk would defeat Eddie Gilbert in what was called a Texas Death Match. Tommy Dreamer went on to compete in two I Quit Matches in ECW and he went on to win both of those contests. The last I Quit Match in ECW was back at ECW Guilt As Charged in 2001 where Dreamer beat C.W Anderson in what was one bloody war!
WCW
WCW would also have a few I Quit matches during the company's history. In fact all five I Quit Matches that WCW had were all within the space of a year. The first was back at Mayhem back in November 1999 which Goldberg would beat Sid Vicious in. And the last one was WCW Thunder in August 2000 where Norman Smiley would beat M.I Smooth and retain the WCW Hardcore Championship.
WWE: 90s
The first ever I Quit Match in WWE history was back at WrestleMania XI (only ever I Quit Match to ever take place at a WrestleMania) where Bret Hart would beat Bob Backlund. Bret Hart would win that match and become the first man to win an I Quit Match in WWE History.
The Rock and Mankind would meet in an I Quit Match at the 1999 Royal Rumble in which the WWE Championship was put on the line. The match was brutal and both men went through hell in that contest. During the match, The Rock would handcuff Mankind and keep delivering chair shot after chair shot which would end up knocking Foley out. The Rock would win the match but it would later be revealed that he had used a pre-recorded message of Foley saying 'I Quit'.
The Rock would compete in another I Quit Match on the very next night after the 1999 Royal Rumble, but this time he faced Triple H. The Rock would go on to win that contest as-well due to Triple H being forced to say the two words to save Chyna from being choke-slammed by Kane.
WWE: 2000s
The WWE's next I Quit Match would take place at No Mercy 2003 where it was Father vs Daughter where Mr McMahon would face Stephanie McMahon. The match was fairly entertaining but they did all they could to make it work. The match was mainly about the drama surrounding it especially with the fact that Mr McMahon would even beat up and humiliate his own daughter just so he could have full control of the WWE. In the end Mr McMahon himself would win the contest after his wife (Stephs Mum) would throw in the towel which ultimately meant she quit.
In 2005 at Judgement Day, John Cena would compete in his first ever I Quit Match where he would defend the WWE Championship against the man he had previously won it from at WrestleMania XXI, JBL. The match was brutal, violent and best of all, very, very bloody! JBL's wicked chair shots would bust Cena open very badly and JBL would dominate most of the contest. Towards the end of the match, both men were fighting on the top of the stage and Cena was able to gain the upper-hand after sending JBL crashing through a table of off a backbody drop. Cena would then send JBL crashing through a ton of glass on the stage which would bust up the Texan very badly. Cena would force JBL to say 'I Quit' after JBL was left bloody and battered and was about to be on the receiving end of a beating from a wrench from Cena. This would be Cena's first victory in an I Quit Match.
Mick Foley and Ric Flair would both meet at the 2006 Summerslam PPV event. Both legends went full out in what was one bloody and emotional I Quit Match. Seeing Ric Flair get a bit 'hardcore' with the 'Hardcore Legend' himself was great to watch. Barbered wire and trash-cans were just some of the weapons which were used throughout the contest. Mick Foley would be forced to say the two humiliating words though after Flair threatened to attack Melina (Foley's manager at the time) which ended the brutal contest.
At One Night Stand 2008, for the first time ever two Divas would compete in an I Quit Match. Beth Phoenix and Melina would show the WWE Universe that they both could endure such incredible pain. Both Divas put on an intense match up which featured them both using a variety of different submission holds. However in the end Beth Phoenix would force Melina to utter the two words.
In 2009 two of the WWE's all time biggest stars met in an I Quit Match. At Breaking Point, John Cena would challenge Randy Orton for the WWE Championship. The match was one of the best in the yearly Cena v Orton series. Randy dominated most of the match after handcuffing Cena to the the ring pole. Orton would torture Cena with continuous kendo stick shots and chair shots. Eventually Cena found freedom and he was able to lock Orton into the STF whilst still having the handcuffs on. Orton would shout-out 'I QUIT, I QUIT', thus giving Cena the win.
John Cena would continue to show dominance in I Quit Matches. At Over The Limit 2010 he would face Batista in what was one hell of a war between two gladiators! One spot even involved both men falling of one of the ramps in the crowd. In the end Cena was able to make 'The Animal' scream 'I Quit' after threatening to deliver an Attitude Adjustment of off a car. However Cena still delivered the wicked AA after the match had ended.
Cena's last I Quit Match was back at Over The Limit 2011 when he was able to beat The Miz and successfully retain his WWE Championship. The match was pretty lacklustre and the ending was a perfect example of terrible booking. However Cena has still never been beaten in an I Quit Match yet in his WWE career. But he is set to compete in his fifth at Payback. Will Cena go 5-0 at Payback, or will Rusev make Cena finally give up?
More: Full Extreme Rules review
With John Cena and Rusev facing one another in this intense and viscous match up at Payback, we take a look back at the history of one of the WWE's most brutal matches, The I Quit Match.
Debut: Starrcade 1985
The first ever I Quit match in wrestling history was at the NWA Starrcade event in 1985. Magnum T.A would beat Tully Blanchard in what was one very bloody match. The match was for the coveted NWA United States Heavyweight Championship. Magnum would win the match after using a piece of wood with a nail on it to pierce Blanchard's forehead, Blanchard would scream 'Yes, Yes' through the mic which meant that he had quit and Magnum would win the U.S Championship.
ECW
The land of Extreme also had a select few I Quit matches over the years. The first one was back on January 23rd 1993 where Terry Funk would defeat Eddie Gilbert in what was called a Texas Death Match. Tommy Dreamer went on to compete in two I Quit Matches in ECW and he went on to win both of those contests. The last I Quit Match in ECW was back at ECW Guilt As Charged in 2001 where Dreamer beat C.W Anderson in what was one bloody war!
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WCW would also have a few I Quit matches during the company's history. In fact all five I Quit Matches that WCW had were all within the space of a year. The first was back at Mayhem back in November 1999 which Goldberg would beat Sid Vicious in. And the last one was WCW Thunder in August 2000 where Norman Smiley would beat M.I Smooth and retain the WCW Hardcore Championship.
WWE: 90s
The first ever I Quit Match in WWE history was back at WrestleMania XI (only ever I Quit Match to ever take place at a WrestleMania) where Bret Hart would beat Bob Backlund. Bret Hart would win that match and become the first man to win an I Quit Match in WWE History.
The Rock and Mankind would meet in an I Quit Match at the 1999 Royal Rumble in which the WWE Championship was put on the line. The match was brutal and both men went through hell in that contest. During the match, The Rock would handcuff Mankind and keep delivering chair shot after chair shot which would end up knocking Foley out. The Rock would win the match but it would later be revealed that he had used a pre-recorded message of Foley saying 'I Quit'.
The Rock would compete in another I Quit Match on the very next night after the 1999 Royal Rumble, but this time he faced Triple H. The Rock would go on to win that contest as-well due to Triple H being forced to say the two words to save Chyna from being choke-slammed by Kane.
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The WWE's next I Quit Match would take place at No Mercy 2003 where it was Father vs Daughter where Mr McMahon would face Stephanie McMahon. The match was fairly entertaining but they did all they could to make it work. The match was mainly about the drama surrounding it especially with the fact that Mr McMahon would even beat up and humiliate his own daughter just so he could have full control of the WWE. In the end Mr McMahon himself would win the contest after his wife (Stephs Mum) would throw in the towel which ultimately meant she quit.
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| Image: WWE.com |
Mick Foley and Ric Flair would both meet at the 2006 Summerslam PPV event. Both legends went full out in what was one bloody and emotional I Quit Match. Seeing Ric Flair get a bit 'hardcore' with the 'Hardcore Legend' himself was great to watch. Barbered wire and trash-cans were just some of the weapons which were used throughout the contest. Mick Foley would be forced to say the two humiliating words though after Flair threatened to attack Melina (Foley's manager at the time) which ended the brutal contest.
At One Night Stand 2008, for the first time ever two Divas would compete in an I Quit Match. Beth Phoenix and Melina would show the WWE Universe that they both could endure such incredible pain. Both Divas put on an intense match up which featured them both using a variety of different submission holds. However in the end Beth Phoenix would force Melina to utter the two words.
In 2009 two of the WWE's all time biggest stars met in an I Quit Match. At Breaking Point, John Cena would challenge Randy Orton for the WWE Championship. The match was one of the best in the yearly Cena v Orton series. Randy dominated most of the match after handcuffing Cena to the the ring pole. Orton would torture Cena with continuous kendo stick shots and chair shots. Eventually Cena found freedom and he was able to lock Orton into the STF whilst still having the handcuffs on. Orton would shout-out 'I QUIT, I QUIT', thus giving Cena the win.
John Cena would continue to show dominance in I Quit Matches. At Over The Limit 2010 he would face Batista in what was one hell of a war between two gladiators! One spot even involved both men falling of one of the ramps in the crowd. In the end Cena was able to make 'The Animal' scream 'I Quit' after threatening to deliver an Attitude Adjustment of off a car. However Cena still delivered the wicked AA after the match had ended.
Cena's last I Quit Match was back at Over The Limit 2011 when he was able to beat The Miz and successfully retain his WWE Championship. The match was pretty lacklustre and the ending was a perfect example of terrible booking. However Cena has still never been beaten in an I Quit Match yet in his WWE career. But he is set to compete in his fifth at Payback. Will Cena go 5-0 at Payback, or will Rusev make Cena finally give up?
More: Full Extreme Rules review
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