"I quit" match
An "I Quit" Match is a type of professional wrestling match in which the only way to win is to make the opponent say the words "I quit" (usually into a microphone). Generally, whenever a wrestler knocks down his opponent with a move or inflicts a submission move, he will grab the microphone and ask the opponent to say "I quit!", and the opponent (at least early in the match) will make some kind of retort. "I Quit" matches are commonly used to settle kayfabe grudges and embarrass rivals, since saying "I Quit" is usually a sign of admitted inferiority.
History
The first "I Quit" match was in the NWA/WCW at Starrcade on November 28 1985 when Magnum T.A. defeated Tully Blanchard in a very bloody match (with a cage around the ring). Near the end of that match, Magnum used a piece of wood to pierce Blanchard's forehead. At that point, Blanchard screamed "YES! YES!" into the microphone, indicating that he was quitting the match. Since the match was also an NWA U.S. title match, Blanchard lost the title to Magnum T.A., who was also the previous champion.
One of the most famous "I Quit" matches took place on January 24 1999 at the Royal Rumble between The Rock and Mankind in the World Wrestling Federation. The match lasted just over 20 minutes and was especially brutal, ending after Foley took eleven unprotected and undeflected chair shots to the head while his hands were handcuffed behind his back. The Rock eventually won the match, but it was later revealed that Foley was completely unconscious and The Rock had played a tape of Foley saying "I quit" over the PA system. During that time the Rock was the heel and Foley was the face. (The trick did not escape Foley's attention, however; in the buildup to his "I Quit" match with Ric Flair in 2006, Foley avoided saying the words "I quit" during any on-screen appearances or promo spots -- taking to instead spelling out the words -- to prevent Flair from taking advantage of his words the same way The Rock did.)
A later "I Quit Match" was held on October 19 2003 at No Mercy 2003 between WWE owner Vince McMahon and his daughter (also then-SmackDown! GM and then baby-face), Stephanie McMahon, with Vince taking the win when then baby-face, Linda McMahon threw in the towel for her daughter. John Cena retained his WWE Championship by defeating John "Bradshaw" Layfield in an "I Quit" Match at Judgment Day on May 22 2005. At SummerSlam 2006, Ric Flair defeated Mick Foley in an "I Quit" match by threatening Foley's valet (Melina) with a barbed wire bat, forcing Foley to quit. An "I Quit" match on the October 20 edition of SmackDown! between Rey Mysterio and Chavo Guerrero saw Rey Mysterio lose when Chavo Guerrero repetitively hit Mysterio's (legitimately) injured left leg with a steel chair, forcing him to quit. A second "I Quit" match took place between Rey Mysterio and Chavo Guerrero on the September 7 edition of SmackDown!, with Rey Mysterio hitting Chavo's left knee repeatedly with a steel chair after Chavo was crotched on the turnbuckle and hung over the apron in a Tree of Woe variation-in a similar manner that forced Rey to quit the first time around-forcing him to quit.
Matches
"I Quit" matches in World Wrestling Federation/Entertainment
| No. | Match | Event, Date and Location | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| I | Bret Hart defeated Bob Backlund |
WrestleMania XI April 2 1995 Hartford, Connecticut | ||
| II | The Rock defeated Mankind to win the WWF Championship |
Royal Rumble January 24 1999 Anaheim, California | ||
| III | The Rock defeated Triple H retain the WWF Championship |
WWF RAW January 25 1999 Jacksonville, Florida | ||
| IV | Vince McMahon defeated Stephanie McMahon[1] | No Mercy October 19 2003 Baltimore, Maryland | ||
| V | John Cena defeated John "Bradshaw" Layfield to retain the WWE Championship |
Judgment Day May 22 2005 Minneapolis, Minnesota | ||
| VI | Ric Flair defeated Mick Foley | SummerSlam August 20 2006 Boston, Massachusetts | ||
| VII | Chavo Guerrero defeated Rey Mysterio | SmackDown! October 20 2006 (taped October 15 2006) Los Angeles, California | ||
| VIII | Rey Mysterio defeated Chavo Guerrero | SmackDown! September 7 2007 (taped September 1 2007) Cincinnati, Ohio | ||
"I Quit" matches in World Championship Wrestling
| No. | Match | Event, Date and Location | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| I | Bill Goldberg defeated Sid Vicious | Mayhem November 21 1999 Toronto, Ontario, Canada | ||
| II | Roddy Piper defeated Creative Control (Gerald and Patrick) (Handicap Match) |
WCW Monday Nitro December 6 1999 Milwaukee, Wisconsin | ||
| III | David Flair defeated Terry Funk | WCW Monday Nitro February 7 2000 Tulsa, Oklahoma | ||
| IV | Dustin Rhodes defeated Terry Funk (Bullrope Match) | Uncensored March 19 2000 Miami, Florida | ||
| V | Norman Smiley defeated M.I. Smooth to retain the WCW Hardcore Championship |
WCW Thunder August 22 2000 (aired August 23 2000) Tulsa, Oklahoma | ||
"I Quit" matches in Extreme Championship Wrestling
| No. | Match | Event, Date and Location | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| I | Terry Funk defeated Eddie Gilbert (Texas Death Match) |
ECW Show January 23 1993 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | ||
| II | Tommy Dreamer defeated The Sandman | ECW Show October 1 1994 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | ||
| III | Shane Douglas defeated Pitbull #1 to retain the ECW World Television Championship |
ECW Hostile City Showdown March 15 1997 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | ||
| IV | Tommy Dreamer defeated C.W. Anderson | ECW Guilty as Charged January 7 2001 New York, New York | ||
"I Quit" matches in Ring of Honor
| No. | Match | Event, Date and Location | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| I | Alex Shelley defeated Jimmy Jacobs | Joe vs. Punk II October 16 2004 Chicago Ridge, Illinois | ||
| II | Jimmy Rave defeated Nigel McGuinness The referee stopped the match after McGuinness refused to say "I Quit" when Rave attempted to break his leg |
Battle of the Icons January 27 2007 Edison, New Jersey | ||
"I Quit" matches in NWA
| No. | Match | Event, Date and Location | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| I | Magnum TA defeated Tully Blanchard | Starcade 1985 November 28 1985 Greensboro, North Carolina and The Omni in Atlanta, Georgia. | ||
| II | Ric Flair defeated Terry Funk | Clash of the Champions November 15 1989 Troy, New York. | ||
Variations
"I Respect You" Match
An "I Respect You" Match is similar to an "I Quit" Match - there are no countouts, submissions, disqualifications, or pinfalls; however, to win the wrestler must have his opponent say the words, "I respect you." The first "I Respect You" Match was made by Brian Pillman, who once wrestled in World Championship Wrestling, as a challenge to WCW booker Kevin Sullivan. This match became infamous when Pillman lost by saying "I respect you bookerman!" thus breaking kayfabe.
No Disqualification Submission Match
This term refers solely to the match that took place at WrestleMania 13 between rivals Bret Hart and Steve Austin and between Bret Hart and Bob Backlund at WrestleMania XI (the term "I Quit" match had not yet been coined). It is merely an earlier form of the "I Quit" match, as the match had to be won through the submission of your opponent, though not through the use of exact phrase "I quit" (or over a microphone as in later versions of the match). However, weapons were involved and completely legal in the match. Bret Hart won at WrestleMania 13 after applying the Sharpshooter onto Steve Austin, who refused to submit and instead passed out from the pain and blood loss (Austin had begun bleeding earlier in the match when his head came into contact with the guard rail.
- Note: The match between Hart and Austin at WrestleMania 13 received a 5 star rating (the highest rating a match can receive) from Wrestling Observer's Dave Meltzer, one of only four WWF/E matches to receive the rating.
Notes
- ^ Stephanie McMahon remains the only female competitor of an 'I Quit' Match as of 2007. Stephanie could also make pinfalls in the match.