July 26, 2004 Observer Newsletter: Raw 60-minute Iron Man match, more
The WWE will attempt to create history on Raw on 7/26 in Pittsburgh with the longest match in the 11 ½ year history of the show, a planned 60:00 Iron Man match for the WWE title between Chris Benoit and HHH.
A few years ago, the idea of doing a match that long on television would have been considered stupid. Not one was attempted in the 90s. In the 80s, there were a few famous very long matches, and two legit time limit draws, a Nick Bockwinkel vs. Curt Hennig match for the AWA title on ESPN (taped on November 21, 1986, in Las Vegas, but airing on a New Year’s Eve TV special, which, because of when it aired, is part of what made it memorable) and a Ric Flair vs. Kerry Von Erich NWA title match from Honolulu, taped February 5, 1985, airing about two months later nationally on FNN (the old Financial News Network, which at the time aired Polynesian Pro Wrestling).
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Dave Meltzer is the founder and lead writer on the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, the weekly constant when it comes to news and reviews in pro wrestling and mixed martial arts for more than 40 years. Dave also co-hosts Wrestling Observer Radio with Bryan Alvarez and had had bylines for The National, Yahoo Sports, MMA Fighting and others.