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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. 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 (Mankind) 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, because 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.) The match the following evening between Triple H and The Rock ended in a completely different way - Triple H was blackmailed into saying "I quit" because Kane was about to chokeslam Chyna.

A later "I Quit Match" was held on October 19, 2003 at No Mercy 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, 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 Chavo to quit.

At One Night Stand 2008, for the first time in history, WWE featured an "I Quit" match contested between Divas, when Beth Phoenix defeated Melina. At Backlash 2009, Jeff Hardy defeated his brother Matt Hardy in an "I Quit" match after threatening to jump off a ladder onto Matt, which he did after the match. At Breaking Point 2009, John Cena faced Randy Orton for the WWE Championship. Cena won the match after he applied his STF on Orton and forced Orton to say the words "I Quit".

Matches

"I Quit" matches in World Wrestling Federation/Entertainment

"I Quit" matches in World Championship Wrestling

"I Quit" matches in Extreme Championship Wrestling

"I Quit" matches in Ring of Honor

"I Quit" matches in National Wrestling Alliance

"I Quit" matches in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling

• Note: At One Night Stand, the match between Beth Phoenix and Melina was the first ever Divas "I Quit" Match.
• Note: California has had more WWE "I Quit" Matches than any other state in the United States.

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 to the match that took place at WrestleMania 13 between rivals Bret Hart and Steve Austin. It also refers to the match 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.

External links

• WWE.com - "I Quit" Match description
• www.cagematch.net