The match didn't lie to fans Guerrero couldn't beat Lesnar. It's one of those magic things where its hard to point out why it worked so well. The clash between Goldberg and Diamond Dallas Page over the WCW World Championship at Halloween Havoc 1998 was far from a mat wrestling classic, but it had the crowd at the edge of their seats all the same. So when something happens that truly surprises them, you know its a moment that many will carry with them forever. Perfect. GREG ADKINS. The Game then shocked the WWE Universe when he nailed Bryan with a Pedigree and served him up to The Viper, who quickly pinned Bryan and closed the night as the new WWE Champion. Their clash at WrestleMania 21 was inevitable and highly hyped up to be one of the greatest wrestling matches anyone would ever see. 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. Kurt Angle was actually able to stop The Showstopper, forcing Shawn to tap out to the Ankle Lock. Heres the deal: Those are my teachers that were in that match Larry Zbyszko, Arn Anderson and Bobby Eaton. When Flair pulled out the win by jumping off the top rope with a cross body, it was such an amazing moment that you could understand why Flair tried (and failed) that move in every match he had after that. Perhaps there's no greater example in WWE history than Bret Hart vs. British Bulldog at SummerSlam 1992. And it was only fitting that The Ultimate Opportunist himself, Edge, wound up seizing the briefcase in the end by utilizing a steel chair as the decisive equalizer. Dave Meltzer may give these matches all the stars, but we're looking for matches that stand the test of time. "For whatever reason, he was really good at adapting to different guys' styles. "But then you think, 'Hes been away for four years. Third, there must be a conclusive winner (s), so Shawn Michaels vs. Mankind. The high spots (and there are many) aren't just there to pop the crowd. 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. There was so much history, and it never manifested better than it does in this match. There's more, but that's the beauty of this match. And then Barry Windham, Ricky Steamboat, Sting and I were on the same team. The match was a clash of styles, but in a good way. Their three matches throughout that year were revelatory, but the grand finale in Nashville featured the most unexpected outcome of all. From an all-time classic to a modern masterpiece, Andrade 'Cien' Almas and Johnny Gargano take second place on the list with a rating of 9.65 from 673 votes. 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. The Undertaker was so battered that he could not exit under his own power; in fact, he had to be carted away. Mysterio challenged Dragon for possession of the J-Crown, a collection of unified titles that the reigning champion wore to ringside with relish. Thats the blessing of 'Can you do it?' "My statement for this match was, 'I want to retire, and I want to go out the way I came in, as Cactus Jack having the type of matches that I made my name doing.' But it wasnt just the personal drama that made this one of the best Intercontinental Title Matches of all time. The loathed "Nature Boy" earned both the ire and respect (begrudgingly) of WWE fans as he entered the 30-man clash at No. We both wanted to just slug it out. 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." Good thing both of them had a lot of it. The only thing missing was John Williams' score, though the rapid Miami crowd more than made up for it. Its also the ideal moment in WCW history modern enough to feel vital but old enough to still feel totally raw. Steve Austin. "Being inside WarGames is intimidating. If you tear the frickin' house down, that'll usually take care of it." Two rings, covered by a cage, no way out and a lot of hair and blood flying. But, in a twist nobody saw coming,The Eighth Wonder of the World ultimately foundhimself on the receiving end of a slam that instantly cemented the match in WWEhistory. BOBBY MELOK, Ah, yes. Steamboat vs. Savage was way ahead of its time and for fans of pure pro wrestling still holds up to this day. It also pitted the two men most associated with the HIAC match in a final battle within that demonic structure, which even got its own entrance music, "Memory Remains" by Metallica. I said, 'I dont want to miss my kids growing up.' DEAN MALENKO, AS TOLD TO BRIAN PELLEGATTO, Remember earlier, when we said the long way is the best? The Nature Boy entered at #3 and, despite having at least 10 years on most of his opponents, wrestled at full speed for more than an hour without ever needing to take a breath. Yawn. Christian's been around a long time and Randy Orton's a third-generation Superstar who is so natural. May 10 th, 1999 - 8.1 The highest rated episode ever of Raw and. Liger, however, matched that strategy and stayed up tempo enough to put Pillman at risk for a loss. I remembered what Ricky Steamboat taught me about showmanship, what Bobby Eaton taught me about punching, Arn with his general a**kicking and I tried to mimic everything I did after Barry Windham. Two generational stars. Still, Michaels went down swinging (literally slapping 'Taker), but lost the match and his career, in an emotional finale for one of the greatest in-ring workers ever. In 1989, Flair was Kanye 15 years before "The College Dropout" hit shelves. But this wasn't a tag team match. No ulterior motives, no chicanery, just four legendary competitors squaring off to find out which tag team was the best. 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. The two collided at No Way Out 2001, on the road to WrestleMania, in the finale of a blood feud that felt as big as any WrestleMania main event. ANTHONY BENIGNO. During the discussion, Lee commented on possibly becoming the AEW world champion . New York City's legendary Madison Square Garden was the epicenter for an unprecedented five championship title changes at Survivor Series 2002, the last of which came about after six Superstars put their very careers on the line in the first-ever Elimination Chamber Match. Ironically, after a wooden chair was tossed into the unforgiving steel confines, T.A. So Hogan vs. Andre at WrestleMania III and Undertaker vs. Mankind at King of the Ring 1998 are out. To be sure, Michaels' return match against Triple H at SummerSlam 2002 is a Top 50 contender, but was aided by the "Non-Sanctioned" gimmick. I look at that as the event that turned Mr. McMahon into a Mick Foley fan. It was back and forth the whole way, and one of the best matches I've had in my career. The crowd was on its feet as Cesaro muscled Zayn into the air for a European uppercut and Neutralized him to win the bout, and stood in amazement at the epic match they had just witnessed. Newly arrived to WWE, the ever-serious Malenko was a natural foil for the goofy, bucket-hat-wearing, Worm-performing Scotty 2 Hotty. The "Hit Man" shook the No. At one point, The Mastodon crushed The Hardcore Legend beneath his hulking frame, prompting Mick Foleys career to flash before his eyes. It was around that 14-minute mark, but I think, in a way, that allowed people to enjoy it even more, because you could take a casual fan and say, 'You have your doubts about wrestling? MICK FOLEY, AS TOLD TO ZACH LINDER, The reputations of Ric Flair and Lex Luger as in-ring performers are firmly established. You might have a brother who always wants to be better. Which do you think is best? Nobody moved like him or had that deranged 'never say die' attitude like he did. WrestleMania 17 (stylized as WrestleMania X-Seven) was the 17th annual WrestleMania professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) event produced by the World Wrestling Federation (WWF, now WWE). KOFI KINGSTON, AS TOLD TO ZACH LINDER. With "Dragon Slayer" sewn on his black trunks in plain white block letters, Austin delivered a performance that was anything but plain. I think this is one of those great cases where the same match benefitted both guys enormously. "Its something that happens naturally in the ring. Yes, you read that right. The endgame five Savage elbow drops failing, then three huge shoulder blocks from Warrior to set up the pin was ahead of its time. 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. Ric Flair sure was a bad guy. A head-on attack would have been moot, but Rey created opportunities in ways other competitors could not. All these years later, it still hurts, but such a classic can only hurt so good. Some feel it was an overlong and indulgent display on the part of all three performers (especially Shawn Michaels as the anxiety-ridden ref). Their first meeting resulted in Sting being sidelined with injuries. Yet Vince McMahon had other plans in 2014, specifically an ill-conceived bout between former Evolution teammates Randy Orton and Dave Batista. and seemed almost disinterested in the action. "It was a special night for us both. But that interview with J.R. did such a great job of building Cactus Jack into something bigger than he actually was. Perhaps the biggest testament to that fierce conflict was their WWE Iron Man Match for the WWE Title at The Showcase of the Immortals. 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 was a pitch-perfect old-school championship bout, a match that felt big not because of the effects or the stage, but because everybody in the arena so fully believed that this was the most important match ever. Ungraded & graded values for all '22 Panini Chronicles Draft Picks Rise Above Basketball Cards. 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. 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. Triple H's Hell In A Cell match at WrestleMania XVIII may vary. Nothing to fall back on but both men's raw talent. But if you're looking for sports-entertainment nirvana, you'll never get closer than this. The best example of an established star elevating a new star. When you watch the match, you have a feeling that the only people who truly know its the end are Austin and The Rock. Here is the list- WWE Top 10 Bloodiest Match of all the time in WWE history. 25. This angle got him over, but he was still a sniveling heel of the Edge or Seth Rollins variety, not the cold-blooded killer, a la Jake Roberts, WWE needed as a foe for The Rock. If you know someone who doesn't "get" pro wrestling, show them this match. He's one in a million." Every minute is momentous. SCOTT TAYLOR, Once upon a time, a small organization based in northeast Japan so perfected its intricate and high-flying take on the three-on-three match format that it birthed a genre unto itself called the Michinoku Pro Six-Man Tag. "The rivalry was thought of so highly in spite of the fact that Orton was a hero. Shawn Michaels after his 2002 return is arguably the greatest in-ring performer ever. WWE Iron Man matches dont happen often, especially on weekly TV programming. The most brutal brawl of all. ANTHONY BENIGNO. I told him hes 9, and he said, 'Oh, hes halfway gone.' ANTHONY BENIGNO. JOHN CLAPP. We disagree, and believe this match delivered exactly what it promised - The End of an Era. Everyone seems to remember the bookend moments of their instant-classic rivalry, such as Punks hot-fire pipe bomb where he took Cena to task for his perceived dominance and trashed WWE itself for imposing a glass ceiling over underappreciated mid-carders, and of course, The Second City Saints kiss-off goodbye to Mr. McMahon with the title in hand. To truly appreciate "Macho Man" Randy Savage vs. Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat's Intercontinental Championship match at WrestleMania III, you have to watch the card in its entirety. SHAWN MICHAELS, AS TOLD TO ZACH LINDER, Sports-entertainment fans can be a jaded bunch. The run-up to this match included some of the greatest hairdos and outfits ever worn in wrestling history, and the match certainly lived up to such sartorial expectations. In an era dominated by massive personalities, "The Nature Boy" Ric Flair and "Macho Man" Randy Savage were not only two of the biggest superstars, they were also two of the best workers in the world. Simple as that. They needed each other and wrestling wouldnt be what it is today without 'Stone Cold' Steve Austin and The Rock, and this match was the culmination of that." Undertaker had a bloodied Michaels beaten until the lights went black, chilling organ music began, and out of the flames emerged Undertaker's long-lost brother, Kane. 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. Of course, the No. I submitted, and everybody looks at it and goes, 'Dang, what a match!' This match was so brilliant because it was non-stop, wall-to-wall action that still took time for selling and storytelling. If the match would still be a classic with the sound off, it makes the cut. Randy Savage and DDP go hardcore, Ultimo Dragon and Yuji Nagata light up Las Vegas, Chris Jericho endures a struggle with Gedo and the Nature Boy brawls with Mr. Not because the guys were doing "movez" or no-selling high spots, but because they told a story. KARA MEDALIS, Its startling how quickly certain matches can shift from the territory of mindless fun to almost wince-inducing brutality. Their rivalry culminated in a Ladder Match on the Nov. 20, 2006, edition of Raw. Kurt can do anything. Well, one veteran, as technically Kurt Angle had debuted only five years earlier, but by then had already established himself as one of the best ever. There was a special energy there. For example, the most famous spot, when Edge speared a dangling Jeff Hardy from a ladder. It was an all-time moment in his career, but given Bret Hart's love of pro wrestling, we bet he preferred what happened earlier in the show: his match versus his brother Owen Hart. BOBBY MELOK. Wed never seen that before. This was supposed to be Ricky Steamboat's cup of coffee in the big time. ANTHONY BENIGNO, We defy you to think of the Hell in a Cell Match without picturing The Undertaker throwing Mick Foley off the side of the demonic structure and onto a table below. No gimmicks. Even in defeat, Jericho stayed strong, as he lost to a simple roll-up, as the wily Michaels capitalized on Jericho's arrogance. But for the fan that was really enjoying the intricacies and the methodology and the psychology and the depth of the Jericho-Michaels rivalry at the time, I think it really did a good job of that. Brock Lesnar defeated CM Punk in a blistering battle, which was one of the finest match-ups of either man's career. 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. 49. Though Vader escaped the Figure Four, Flair was able to take out the giants weakened knee and pin him to win the title and continue his epic career. Maybe the best, in fact. ANTHONY BENIGNO. Good thing Smith was in there with his brother-in-law, Bret Hart. For me, thats always fun to get in the ring with a guy that has a different style than you. Watch every Premium Live Event and get unlimited access to WWE's premium content - available to you anywhere, anytime, on any device. After racking up several WWE Tag Team Title reigns, Nitro moved from SmackDown to Raw and immediately became a top contender to the Intercontinental Championship. There was brawling, wrestling, the most palpable antipathy between two performers feasible, and an undisputed victor that somehow didnt demean the loser at all. 5 Undertaker Vs. The first match rated more than five stars by Meltzer was Ric Flair vs Ricky Steamboat in 1989. The buzzards eliminated Dean Ambrose and put Seth Rollins through an announce table before Bray pinned Roman Reigns for the victory and solidified The Wyatts as a dark, commanding presence within WWE. The speedy and technically-gifted Kurt Angle gave Brock Lesnar some of the toughest tests of his career, the most memorable of which was their rivalry-defining classic at WrestleMania XIX. Most consider the very first Money in the Bank Ladder Match to be the best of all time. "The year before, one of our camera guys, Stu, asked how old my son was. Long story short? Thats how I learned by listening to these guys, my mentors. But your kids are going to love it." SCOTT TAYLOR. While both guys could play heel or face perfectly, Naitch was at his best as the bad guy, while Savage was the good guy you loved to root for, especially when he's fighting for the honor of his valet (and real-life wife) Miss Elizabeth. Maybe "The Nature Boy" thought that getting inside "Macho Man's" head would make Savage lose focus, get disqualified and in doing so, fail to win the WWE Championship. This is a fair, if disputable, point. And I said, 'What do you mean?' While Flair was the highlight, all 29 other guys delivered the goods. Naturally, Flair targeted Rhodes' ankle from the get-go, sending Dusty scrambling into the Atlanta crowd to recover. 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. Every minute was full of unadulterated, wince-inducing punishment and the ECW fans loved them for it. For my money, this is one of the absolute best matches of all time. He's tough as hell. No, Davey Boy Smith wasn't a broomstick, but he was a power wrestler who was at his best when getting the hot tag, while his tag team partner, "The Dynamite Kid" Tom Billington, did the work. A flamboyant, cocky and dastardly grappler that was an expert in his craft and he knew it. What resulted was 15 minutes of nonstop, rapid-fire collisions, dives and triple-team maneuvers that simply havent been duplicated on pay-per-view since. Rude had the bout expertly planned out, as he tried to gain an insurmountable lead, going up 3-1 within the first 10 minutes of the half-hour-long contest. JOHN CLAPP. WWE SmackDown Results - 2/24/23 (Firefly . So, to see a Ladder Match live was a big deal. Meanwhile, "Stone Cold" Steve Austin had just returned from career-threatening neck surgery and looked to prove to everyone that he was still "The Guy" in WWE. 12. SAM ROBERTS, AS TOLD TO ZACH LINDER, They say records were made to be broken, but even as John Cena inched closer and closer to Ric Flairs 16 World Championships, it seemed unlikely that The Cenation Leader would tie the mark heading into the 2017 Royal Rumble. Pinfalls, submissions and even disqualifications played a hand in the final result, which was highlighted by Angle fighting desperately and futilely for a comeback in the final 15 minutes. Announcers Tony Schiavone and Jim Ross had trouble keeping up with the action as the teams launched tables and chairs at each other. But by the time his third match against Ricky Steamboat for the World Title came around, fans just couldnt deny how great "The Nature Boy" was inside the ring. It was a defining moment for Michaels, who celebrated his last World Championship in his WWE Hall of Fame career. Unforgiven 2006 15. 6. Or should we say, Cactus Jack. Finally, there are no NXT matches (we can hear you throwing your laptops now). While his "Yes!" After a three-count by special guest referee Triple H, Bryan hoisted the title in victory.

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