That means the only way to appreciate their historic trio of clashes is to experience the pace and exhilaration of this opening Allegro in its entirety. Watching these two work at that level for 60-plus minutes is an impressive display today, and was practically unheard of (in the WWE) then. "It all stemmed from an interview I did with Jim Ross in the WWE studios in Connecticut. And Shawn Michaels? If you tear the frickin' house down, that'll usually take care of it." "Imagine competing at a WrestleMania against your brother. In front of Bulldogs fellow Brits, Bret Hart and Davey Boy Smith got Wembley Stadium to rattle at its core, while viewers around the world teetered at their seats edge for the culmination of a squared circle chess match. "The best thing was, after the match, walking into a locker room with a bunch of guys who'd been in the business for many years and were big stars, standing up and giving this guy a standing ovation. You can watch it as a standalone amazing match and see it unfold. The backstory is that Flair was on his way out the door to return to WCW, and so this match was slapped onto Raw without a ton of promotion, but that hardly mattered: These two guys told a complete story in the ring (with the aid of Flairs manager, Bobby Heenan, who was on commentary) that somehow elevated these unusually legitimate stakes. Not only was this bout in Edge's backyard of Toronto, but it was also Cena's first foray into theunforgivingrealm of TLC Matches. Years before ECW mastered the in-your-face, crash-TV style of wrestling, these two teams introduced it to the world, as the rivalry between The Midnight Express and The Fantastics exploded in a vicious brawl. The contest brought fans on an emotional tilt awhirl thanks to a missed spear that left the undefeated Goldberg looking vulnerable for the first time in his career. At some point, that had happened to me. At the end of the match youre assuming this is the last match that either of these two guys will ever have, and neither of these two guys will ever get up again." 6. The focus was rightly on Punk, riding the feeding frenzy of his hometown Chicago crowd, but Cenas defiance in the face of not just one man but an entire city was equally as compelling. From a crash-and-burn standpoint, no, it was not going to be like that. The first Women'sMatch on this list displayed the incredible athleticism, strength and desire of two women with arguably the most impressive pedigrees in WWE. "It was very important for me in terms of redeeming myself for what I thought was a very disappointing appearance at WrestleMania XX. But the bout stands as an essential piece of history, one of the few times you felt the Earth move on its axis and suddenly realized that things would never, ever be the same. For Foley, the worst fall of all came when he was dropped onto the roof where the cage beneath him suddenly gave way and he plunged to the ring below. Instead, despite the presence of Mr. DEAN MALENKO, AS TOLD TO BRIAN PELLEGATTO, Remember earlier, when we said the long way is the best? Did we mention the vacated WWE Championship was at stake for the first and only time ever in the Rumble? and he said, 'He's halfway to 18. He won the title in June of that year, then traded it back and forth with Jeff Hardy in the fall. The only thing missing was John Williams' score, though the rapid Miami crowd more than made up for it. It was a great Vengeance in July 2002 and an unbelievable Triple Threat main event that saw WWE Undisputed Champion Undertaker, The Rock and Kurt Angle strike down upon each other with furious anger and with one anothers signature moves, including a Rock-charged chokeslam, an Angle-executed Rock Bottom and an Undertaker-driven Angle Slam. Any "best of" list is bound to stir up opinions; this one is no different. Razor Ramon defeated Shawn Michaels in WWE's first-ever televised Ladder Match, becoming the undisputed Intercontinental Champion. Flair and Funk were operating at such a high level at this point in time that they could hardly go wrong, but somehow they exceeded any expectations, elevating each others games to a sort of pro wrestling platonic ideal. With a capacity crowd chanting "Yes!," Bryan hit Cena with a running knee 26 minutes, 47 seconds into the bout. With "Dragon Slayer" sewn on his black trunks in plain white block letters, Austin delivered a performance that was anything but plain. Seeing them butt heads was very identifiable, and when they actually went at it, it was very emotional and real. JOHN CLAPP. It was funny to watch the guys looking at Rey like, 'You gotta be kidding me. Tempered glass from the pods that randomly released Superstars into the Chamber at various intervals was shattered, and bodies littered the canvas. Each one makes sense in the context of the match. While he'd still have great matches, this injury ended his legendary 2000-2001 run, when he seemingly couldn't have a bad match. Every high-spot is purposeful. ", Van Dam and Lynn first stole the show at Living Dangerously, but they upstaged that encounter with this back-and-forth Hardcore Heaven 1999 tour de force. MICHAEL BURDICK. So what makes their bout at WrestleMania 25 the greatest? MICHAEL BURDICK. Triple H picked up the "W," but both men emerged changed forever. I submitted, and everybody looks at it and goes, 'Dang, what a match!' BOBBY MELOK. CM Punk, Those words provided the backdrop of betrayal that framed the match billed as "The Best vs. Yawn. He can do all the pro wrestling stuff you want, but can also do the other stuff, and thats what was so much fun for him and I mixing and matching the two. While Hulk Hogan vs. Sid Vicious would close the show, Ric Flair vs. Randy Savage stole the show, showcasing two of the best ever at the top of their game. Every minute was full of unadulterated, wince-inducing punishment and the ECW fans loved them for it. Trust us, putting this list together was tough, and there are bound to be omissions, but these matches truly are the "best of the best," and belong on any all-time list. In fact, before this rubber match between Kurt Angle and Brock Lesnar, the WWE Universe had never seen one on SmackDown or Raw. And these wrestlers have put on many of the greatest matches in pro wrestling history. As brutal as Brock was, Cena was pretty awesome, too. He seemed to be becoming this main event-caliber guy, which is weird to think about in the perspective of 1991. "The greatest thing about that rivalry is that each week it changed, because there was no destination in sight, and one of the things that got added to it as the rivalry was progressing was Chris getting white-hot and winning the World Championship. 21 min read Hey everyone! Each of their matches had meaning. Whats Austin gonna do, hit a Stunner and then walk out the cage door? But they do a full-on Steel Cage Match. Undertaker would not be denied, as he continued his assault on Michaels on top of the cage, even knocking The Heartbreak Kid off the structure, in what was at that point the biggest bump in WWE history. Royal rumble 2001 7. TOM HERRERA. Its just one of those things that not a lot needs to be said. Some feel it was an overlong and indulgent display on the part of all three performers (especially Shawn Michaels as the anxiety-ridden ref). Now that you have the backstory, just go watch this match. The Brahma Bull Rock Bottomed him to the canvas for a three-count that was a nanosecond beyond Undertakers disruptive reach. If every championship match in WWE showed this kind of reverence, no one would ever feel like a loser in the end. Namely, Guerrero's nuanced character work, which elevated everyone around him, and Lesnar's selling, which managed to make him look vulnerable, even when wrestling a man half his size. This wasn't just the end of the Attitude Era; it was its peak. While the idea was to keep both guys in the cage, a cameraman got "injured" and needed treatment, allowing Michaels to escape. Wrestlemania X ended with Bret Hart as new WWE Champion celebrating on his friends' shoulders while the New York crowd roared in approval. Sherri Martel was immaculate, Gorilla Monsoon and Bobby Heenan were hitting on all cylinders, and the recurring shots of Miss Elizabeth in the audience were perfectly done. SHAWN MICHAELS, AS TOLD TO ZACH LINDER, What made this match so dramatic was the fact that Ric Flair claimed to the world that he had a prior "romantic" relationship with Randy Savage's wife, Elizabeth. But dont let Scottys appearances fool you: The vertical-haired half of Too Cool was a well-versed veteran by the time he and Malenko tangled over the Light Heavyweight Title. But as Bray emphatically told the Hounds of Justice, "I welcome this war!" So, to see a Ladder Match live was a big deal. They had toppled The Brothers of Destruction, Undertaker and Kane, to win the tag team championship and appeared unstoppable. Thats the blessing of 'Can you do it?' No gimmicks. She did and she didnt, maturing before the fans (and Banks) eyes into a bona fide, certified champion, while still retaining the hugs, headbands and admiration that defined her aesthetic. Triple H was a guy who was able to bring out the best in me, and thats one of the hallmarks of a great opponent. Plus, get every WWE Premium Live Event and the worlds best TV and movies. The match has it all from CM Punk's early match domination, to one of Kofi Kingston's most creative survival attempts, to Triple H's shocking elimination by his best friend, Shawn Michaels, to massive amounts of star power (Cena, Batista, Jericho), to a shocking return and subsequent victory that nobody predicted (Edge). This set the scene for the hated adversaries to beat the senses out of each other. Alberto Del Rio defeated Christian in a great match for the World Heavyweight Championship. And for good measure, Sags bludgeoned Cactus face with a shovel. I think this is one of those great cases where the same match benefitted both guys enormously. and its also the challenge of 'Whats your desire to try?' Unlike the countless spot-fest ladder matches that followed in its wake, this match stole the show because it wasn't trying to steal the show; it was trying to tell the story of a high-flying prima-donna and a wily brawler being thrown into unfamiliar territory and being forced to improvise in order to win. In a display of true grace and sportsmanship, the competitors emotionally embraced after the unforgettable match. came to a head at Starrcade 1985 in an "I Quit" Steel Cage Match. In an hour-long Iron Man match, both Michaels and Hart infamously refused to take the first fall. 1 contenders hand at the bout's outset. I suplexed Shawn from the turnbuckles into the announce table, and he turned it into a crossbody. 'Holy cow, you're right.' JEFF LABOON. Not convinced that guys took it to the extreme back then? Top Rated Wrestling Matches Top Rated of All Time Current Champions (WWE Raw) (WWE SD) Bron Breakker (NXT) (ROH) Josh Alexander (Impact) Daniel Garcia Tyrus (NWA) Yuji Nagata (AJPW) Kazuchika Okada (NJPW) Kaito Kiyomiya (NOAH) El Hijo Del Vikingo (AAA) Gran Guerrero (CMLL) Levaniel (wXw) PWI Magazine Top Rated Matches of All Time TOM HERRERA. MATTHEW ARTUS, To this day, Bret Hart vs. Shawn Michaels stands as one of the greatest rivalries in WWE history. Third, there must be a conclusive winner (s), so Shawn Michaels vs. Mankind. Undertaker would get his chance at Badd Blood 1997 in the first-ever Hell In A Cell match. At one point, The Mastodon crushed The Hardcore Legend beneath his hulking frame, prompting Mick Foleys career to flash before his eyes. And after battling in enough five-star classics, they knew each others moves like the backs of their hands. If so, finish reading this list, grab a tasty beverage, settle down in a comfy seat and immediately get eyes on the Champion vs. Champion Match featuring Daniel Bryan and Dolph Ziggler from Bragging Rights 2010. In this Friday night clash, however, the trio would finally be stopped. Finally, there are no NXT matches (we can hear you throwing your laptops now). Despite several heart-stopping near-falls, Undertaker's streak continued. Following submission attempt after submission attempt, including Sharpshooters and Figure-Four Leglocks by both Superstars, the self-proclaimed "genetically superior" newcomer hit the Hart Dungeon-trained Superstar with her vicious Natural Selection for the win. Wrestlemania 19 - 2003 Something about the late '90s and early 2000's just made for some excellent sports entertainment, and Wrestlemania 19 didn't disappoint. Title, including attempting to get himself disqualified to lose the match but not the gold. I left it out there that night. It's easy to forget, but Austin was once one of the world's best workers. Funk offered Flair a chance to quit before this match even started. When you put on a bout between two of the best wrestlers from their era, or any era, you're bound to get one of the greatest matches of all time. Not only did it feature the greatest debut of all time, but the first Hell In A Cell match remains the greatest Hell In A Cell match. It was wild and it was extreme. This was about as pure a tag team match as youre going to find. How he ever got up let alone competed again well never know. Subscribe and watch all 100 matches right now. While the "Canadian Chrises" were universally acknowledged as among the world's best workers, they were still viewed as mid-carders at the time. He's one in a million." At 44, Styles is still one of the best performers in the company and has had classic matches with the likes of Brock Lesnar, Kevin Owens, and John Cena. It really wasnt a rivalry about who was better. Interestingly, it was an incredibly uncharacteristic Shooting Star Press that nearly doomed Lesnar, yet The Beast Incarnate recovered and ravaged Angle with an F-5 for the win. Smith's victory blew the roof of the building, but Hart was the real hero here. WWE Women's Matches That Have Received 4.00 stars out of 5 Charlotte vs Natalya Event: NXT Takeover (2014) | Rating: 4.00 stars Charlotte Flair and Natalya faced off at the first-ever NXT Takeover event back in 2014. (And all of this before the post-match beatdown, which featured Lex Luger destroying a trophy with a steel chair and Sting making a run-in in slacks, which is about all you can ask for.) Top Superstar ranks as the highest-rated in WWE video game franchise history. Rocky was entertaining, and Austin was no-nonsense, but they meshed so perfectly. That said, we think it boils down to two all-time greats being in absolute command of their characters, their craft, and the crowd. In 2001, "Stone Cold" Steve Austin and Triple H were running roughshod over the WWE as the "Two-Man Power Trip," basically an evil version of the Mega Powers. These classics run the gamut, from one-on-one matches, to tag team bouts, to cage fights, to Royal Rumbles, to WrestleMania main events. Even the Cena Sucks crowd had to give it up for him at that point, and if that isnt the ultimate sign of respect, well, we dont know what is. Well, he probably was the best ever. This main event saw the changing of the guard from the Race Era to the Flair Era in the NWA, both in real life and in on-screen terms and more than that, it was the moment when the NWA entered fully into the modern era. The most harrowing moment came near the end, when Jerry Sags tested the durability of the human spine by shoving Cactus Jack back-first off a ramp onto the floor. It was a big time for me and I loved it." But within the confines of what we had, it felt like we were creating art out there." By the time he finally delivered the defining Helluva Kick to fell Neville, he had fulfilled his destiny as the champion the NXT Universe always knew him to be. SHAWN MICHAELS, AS TOLD TO ZACH LINDER, Sports-entertainment fans can be a jaded bunch. Due to overexposure, "the Devil's playground" became basic. Eddie Guerrero was the industry veteran who was in the midst of one of the greatest comebacks in pro wrestling history, after conquering his personal demons and the perception he was "just a cruiserweight." I put enormous pressure on myself to come through, and I thought I had the best all-around performer in the business in Edge to try to do that with. Smith was "high as a kite" on the plane flight, so fearing disaster, Hart meticulously prepped the match and had Smith recite it back to him. Anyway, if anything, this Rumble does have one of the better final fours with Austin, Dude Love, Rock, and Farooq. Really love wrestling? But on that night, only one man could. WWE Day 1, January 1 Cesaro & Ricochet vs. Ridge Holland & Sheamus - 2.5 The Usos (c) vs. New Day (WWE SmackDown Tag Team Championship) - 4 Drew McIntyre vs. Madcap Moss - 2.75 RK-Bro (c) vs. Street Profits (WWE Raw Tag Team Championship) - 3.25 Edge vs. The Undertaker and Shawn Michaels. "Kurt came with a reputation. TOM HERRERA. There, two of the top competitors of all time battled to a stalemate for 60 minutes. Never has that saying been more appropriate than the WWE Championship Match between Bret Hart and an up-and-coming competitor named The 1-2-3 Kid. Wrestlemania 10 12. 5 Undertaker Vs. Prior to hugging teammates or filling arenas with choruses of "Yes! Title from Blanchard, but also humiliate his opponent and, ultimately, Tullys Four Horsemen cohorts. Throughout the 2010s, the HIAC went from being a battleground where only blood feuds ended to "just another match" where any feud began. In the end, Bryan prevailed, defeating Triple H in what one of the best opening matches in WrestleMania history, and Triple H's last great match before retiring in 2022. It took place on April 1, 2001, at the Reliant Astrodome in Houston, Texas.It was the first WrestleMania held in the state of Texas.Twelve matches were contested at the event, including one broadcast . WWE 2K23 ratings: The highest-rated wrestlers. But it always could go the other way. Wrestling Worst Wrestling Matches of All Time By Craig Donofrio on March 30, 2021 SliceWrestling / Twitter When wrestling is good, it's great. Before you get out your pitchforks (or perhaps we should say "steel chairs"? What's even more remarkable is that it was billed as a submission match with one guy who didn't have one (Austin), a recipe for disaster. Luger was a bronzed god who couldnt wrestle his way out of a paper bag, while Flair was the type of preternatural genius who could have a good match against a paper bag. I didnt come around to respecting him until 2000 or 2001. For me to even question my unabashed hero and almost side with whom I viewed as the ultimate enemy, how could one match do that? Despite fits of offensive brilliance by The Straight Edge Superstar in the No Disqualification Match, The Beast Incarnate emerged victorious with an F-5 onto a steel chair and more than a little help from the nefarious Heyman. No ulterior motives, no chicanery, just four legendary competitors squaring off to find out which tag team was the best. Both guys were at their peak, both in terms of star power and workrate (yes, Austin's peak as a technical wrestler was in 1997, but as a brawler he was never better than in 2001). Following a grueling half-hour war that lived up to any of their or anyone elses previous battles, Flair finally scored a three-count over his Mr. Nice Guy rival. 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