MIKE McAVENNIE, "The wild-eyed Southern Boys of [Steve] Armstrong & [Tracy] Smothers faced off against the Stan Lane & Bobby Eaton version of The Midnight Express. 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. 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. Savage and Steamboat wrestled in a fast-paced, athletic classic that never slowed down for even a second during its entire 15-minute runtime. Watch every Premium Live Event and get unlimited access to WWE's premium content - available to you anywhere, anytime, on any device. One of the most storied rivalries in wrestling history reached one of its high points at Starrcade 1985, as Dusty Rhodes battled back from a broken ankle suffered at the hands of Ric Flair and The Four Horsemen to challenge for "The Nature Boys" NWA World Title. Whereas the ECW faithful were all but obligated to applaud Malenko and Guerrero on the night of their sendoff, the standing ovation in response to their half-hour draw felt more organic, less expected, and truly emblematic of the pairs artistic struggle. 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. The situation was very relatable." SAM ROBERTS, AS TOLD TO ZACH LINDER, There may not be another match that embodied WWEs Attitude Era more than "Stone Cold" Steve Austin and Dude Loves battle for the WWE Championship at Over the Edge 1998. The greatest double-turn ever. WWE 2K23 is revealing the ratings for each of its wrestlers, and there are definitely some surprises. There had never been another WrestleMania match quite like this and, perhaps, there never will be. The Beast." Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, and TLC II at WrestleMania X-Seven. It was a cool dynamic to see Sting try to take the fight to Cactus Jack." Thats the tell-tale sign of two guys who know what theyre doing. 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. Perfect, Andre the Giant, Jimmy Snuka, Dusty Rhodes, Ted Dibiase, Jake Roberts, and even the Intercontinental Champion Ultimate Warrior. But while the reign was short, the match stands the test of time. "But then you think, 'Hes been away for four years. From WrestleMania 30 to ECW Hardcore TV #97, weve reviewed everything available on WWEs groundbreaking streaming platform, and done our very best to rank its greatest 100 matches to celebrate the three-year anniversary of its launch. The match didn't lie to fans Guerrero couldn't beat Lesnar. What more can be said about Bret Hart vs. "Stone Cold" Steve Austin's submission match at Wrestlemania 13? 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. Every single minute of this bout was intense and every competitor added his own wild moments to the highlight reel in a mad scramble for the coveted Money in the Bank briefcase. I got a little overwhelmed seeing the magnitude of the occasion, being in the Garden, having The Rock as my tag team partner and a legend like Ric Flair as my opponent. It wasn't one thing. 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." So, when Stu said that, that was the point where I started thinking about retiring. ly/FUTDRAFT19 MOBL OYUNLAR N: bit. @JOEYSTYLES, Every Superstar in the locker room is a fan at heart, but Bayley was always a little more outward about it than others. It wasn't your typical 2-out-of-3 Falls Match. TOM HERRERA. When fans chanted "this is awesome," it was awesome. There have been 218 matches awarded 5 or more stars; Mitsuharu Misawa and Will Ospreay are tied for the most individual . Not fairly. GOLDUST, AS TOLD TO ZACH LINDER AND NICKY SAMPOGNA. He never dies. Double-crossing Tazz was a very bad idea, unless you enjoyed getting suplexed onto your head. Due to overexposure, "the Devil's playground" became basic. 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. Of course, the No. PES DRAFT PES 2019 ! The frills were minimal, the pace was fast beginning to end, it goes down quicker than an actual cup of coffee and the showcase was meant to be on the back-to-basics efficiency that settled the often-bizarre rivalry preceding it. The "Hit Man" shook the No. Its WWE.coms biggest list ever, and the definitive guide to the 100 best matches available on WWE Network. Whether any of these matches are your favorites, or you're discovering them for the first time, put the 30 best WWE matches of all time on your "must-watch" bucket list. "Jerry Lynn was amazing and we just have this chemistry where we both push ourselves and each other," RVD has told WWE.com. A deafening crowd. So I trained like nobodys business. There's no doubt that part of the match's power is cringe-watching Rhodes wrestle with a completely torn pectoral muscle, his solid purple chest ultimate proof of just how much he wanted to defeat Rollins. Magnums goal was not only to win back the coveted U.S. Shawn Michaels was the cowardly heel who had managed to escape Undertaker's clutches. Top Superstar ranks as the highest-rated in WWE video game franchise history. Following The Rock and Steve Austin's showdown is no easy task, but Angle and Lesnar put on a clinic while constantly pushing each other's competitive hunger to another level. ", 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. Perhaps the biggest testament to that fierce conflict was their WWE Iron Man Match for the WWE Title at The Showcase of the Immortals. Shawn Michaels, before his 1998 injury, was one of the greatest in-ring performers of all time. This was before the internet, so it's likely that many regional fans weren't familiar with Flair. I always tried to embrace my little brother, and Bret always did what he could to be a big brother to Owen. Johnny Gargano vs Tommaso Ciampa (Unsanctioned match, NXT TakeOver: New Orleans,. The highest-rated women's match in WWE history belongs to Charlotte Flair and Becky Lynch as they went all out in their Last Woman Standing Match for the SmackDown Women's Championship at the first all-women pay-per-view Evolution. In fact, before this rubber match between Kurt Angle and Brock Lesnar, the WWE Universe had never seen one on SmackDown or Raw. 25. Every factor was working against John Cena's favor heading into his hot-blooded Tables, Ladders & Chairs Match against WWE Champion Edge. He won the title in June of that year, then traded it back and forth with Jeff Hardy in the fall. 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. Its also the ideal moment in WCW history modern enough to feel vital but old enough to still feel totally raw. However, the event was stolen by two veteran wrestlers Shawn Michaels and Kurt Angle. 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. Hart had come back from an extended absence to work with who he felt was the WWE's best wrestler, before regaining his title from Shawn Michaels at WrestleMania 13 (yeah, so much for that). These classics run the gamut, from one-on-one matches, to tag team bouts, to cage fights, to Royal Rumbles, to WrestleMania main events. It's all of the above and so much more. Their first meeting resulted in Sting being sidelined with injuries. A lot of people loved Christian and had been waiting for him to have that moment in the main event, and he turned out to physically be the perfect match for Randy Orton. So what makes their bout at WrestleMania 25 the greatest? All are masterpieces, but with careful consideration the choice is clear Sgt. Some stole the show, while others were part of classic cards that were great from top to bottom. From within this structural-grade steel hell, World Heavyweight Champion Triple H, Kane, Chris Jericho, Booker T, Rob Van Dam and Shawn Michaels battered each other beyond belief. Due to the influence of indie wrestling and ECW, pro wrestling was dominated by more high spots and less selling in the late 1990s and early 2000s, a trend many argue continues to this day. This website uses cookies. Plus, get every WWE Premium Live Event, your favorite shows, new movies, live sports, and more. He and his brothers-in-arms were seen as kings in competition against their five American foes. From a crash-and-burn standpoint, no, it was not going to be like that. But some of the best moments in pro wrestling history involve a third party, and theres no match that balanced three separate sets of motivations better than this one. While Angle entered the match needing neck surgery, it was Lesnar who left the match injured, following his infamous botched shooting star press. Like jazz music or a delicious dish, you can't quite put your finger on it, you just know it. "Its a masterpiece." "After the match, we sat in a room by ourselves and just sat there quietly. 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. 2. "It was like the fans in Madison Square Garden sensed something was coming, but it was almost like they thought, 'No way, theyre not going to do this.' The highest-ever rating is seven stars, awarded to Kazuchika Okada vs Kenny Omega at Dominion 6.9 in Osaka-jo Hall in June 2018. BOBBY MELOK. KOFI KINGSTON, AS TOLD TO ZACH LINDER. JEFF LABOON. Smackdown - 4 Matches Most frequent ratings: 4.5 Stars - 88 Matches 4.75 Stars - 23 Matches 5 Stars - 8 Matches Highest Rated Years: 1987: 1 Match 1992: 2 Matches 1993: 1 Match 1994: 5 Matches 1995: 3 Matches 1996: 3 Matches 1997: 3 Matches 1998: 2 Matches 1999: 1 Match 2000: 5 Matches 2001: 9 Matches 2002: 6 Matches 2003: 1 Match 2004: 3 Matches PETER ROSENBERG, AS TOLD TO ZACH LINDER, In an epic clash on The Grandest Stage of Them All, WWE Champion Hulk Hogan attempted to defend his title in an encounter that would determine if there was indeed a force in the universe as strong as Hulkamania namely, the power of then-Intercontinental Champion The Ultimate Warrior. And it has rarely ever worked better than Eddie Guerrero vs. Brock Lesnar at No Way Out in 2004. 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). At the risk of being interrupted by The Brahma Bull, does it matter? The match itself stands as an iconic clash between WWE's past and present, and a display of the indomitable will of the WWE Universe. The day that lives in infamy. I knew I was going against the boss wishes, but it just seemed like it was 'best for business' at the time." You can trace the moment NXT became must-see television to the second the final bell rang in this jaw-dropping 2-out-of-3 Falls Match between Sami Zayn and Cesaro. While Flair was the highlight, all 29 other guys delivered the goods. An Angle Slam by the gold medalist himself ensured Undertaker would not leave Detroits Joe Louis Arena with the WWE Undisputed Title, though neither would Angle. 6. I wasnt able to do that at WrestleMania, so I approached Backlash with Randy in a completely different manner. And the most special part is after the match, The Rock sits over Austin and they have a long conversation just the two of them. The story was simple, as the envious younger brother Owen wanted to break out of the shadow of his older brother Bret, who by that point was already a former WWE Champion and WrestleMania main eventer. Royal rumble 2001 7. WWE's first Hell in a Cell Match is best known for giving us our first glimpse of Kane, who tore the door off the notorious structure to get his hands on The Undertaker, costing his brother the match. This, just four weeks after Punks most trusted advisor cut him down at the knees right when it appeared he was poised to win the WWE Championship contract at the Money in the Bank pay-per-view. "To get to start that match off was awesome. With both Brock and Angle coming from standout amateur wrestling backgrounds, it's no surprise these two elite athletes took their battle to the mat at first, before The Anomaly poured on the pure strength to wear down his opponent. "It was a lot briefer than some of the other confrontations I'm known for. Top Rated Wrestling Matches Top Rated of All Time Current Champions Roman Reigns (WWE Raw) Roman Reigns (WWE SD) Maxwell Jacob Friedman (AEW) Bron Breakker (NXT) Claudio Castagnoli (ROH) Josh Alexander (Impact) Daniel Garcia (PWG) Tyrus (NWA) Yuji Nagata (AJPW) Kazuchika Okada (NJPW) Kaito Kiyomiya (NOAH) El Hijo Del Vikingo (AAA) While fans can oftentimes get overhyped for a match and disappointed in the results, The Shield vs. John Cena vs Shawn Michaels - Monday Night Raw (April 27, 2007) The first in the list of John Cena best matches is The Champ vs The Heart Break Kid! @JOEYSTYLES. "The greatest thing for me was Kurt knew he had the background of an Olympic wrestler and I was the pro wrestler, and he knew we had to merge those two worlds. I just, for whatever reason, couldnt feel the moment that night. JOHN CLAPP. What makes it even more impressive is there were no gimmicks (HIAC or Casket) and no stakes (like HBK's career), besides of course, Undertaker defending his streak and the pride of victory. The conquering of The Streak. Instead, they put on a clinic that to this day still keeps you on the edge of your seat, even with the sound off. Woooooooo! RYAN MURPHY, The Shield debuted at Survivor Series 2012 and carved a path of destruction that appeared to have no end in sight. That changed on May 21, 2001, when the duo challenged Austin and Triple H for the belts on "Monday Night Raw.". The little brother, Owen, was cast in Brets shadow and was always compared to Bret. "The Dragon" knew how Flairs stylin and profilin was a source of confidence and pride. Despite the fact that both Superstars were (and are) better known for their explosive, OMG-inducing acrobatics, the match quickly turned into a gritty battle of wills, wherein Zayn seemed to correct, one by one, the mistakes that had previously kept him from the title. Wrestlemania 20 10. Few title wins have felt like a validation of the people as much as they did the champion, but this one, with Bryan celebrating as confetti and YES! chants rained down around him, certainly did. Austin lost, but became a hero. Unquestionably, watching a Peoples Champion on the verge of electrifying millions through other avenues go toe-to-toe with a sports-entertainment legend who had lost his way to the vices of "Hollywood" and a New World Order is appointment viewing. There comes a point in your career, and I don't know when it happens, where you go from being the guy wanting to be in the ring with people to being the guy that people want to be in the ring with. "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. DEAN AMBROSE, AS TOLD TO ZACH LINDER, As the old adage goes: "Its not whether you win or lose, but how you play the game.". If youre a fan of tag team wrestling then you must watch The Steiner Brothers World Tag Team Championship Match against Sting & Lex Luger at SuperBrawl I. "Stone Cold" Steve Austin vs. I told him hes 9, and he said, 'Oh, hes halfway gone.' But while WWE became the most dominant name in sports entertainment based on cartoonish storylines and characters think yellow bandana wearing "Real Americans" battling bodybuilders in face paint from "Parts Unknown" the promotion has also been home to the best pro wrestlers on the planet. Then by order of WWE Commissioner Gorilla Monsoon they were forced to take it even further. Kurt helped me and showed me how I can look like a better wrestler, reversing moves and getting out of holds and things of that nature. MIKE MURPHY. And for good measure, Sags bludgeoned Cactus face with a shovel. Its very innovative and not dated at all. And coming from the Hart family, the expectations were very high. Unfortunately, a cruel twist of fate would force Bryan to vacate the title soon after, starting a chain of events that would ultimately lead to his retirement. The breathless contest ended in a 45-minute time limit draw, and that enmity defined WCW until its very last match. "If youre gonna get beat by a guy, you might as well get beat by his best move. But compared to what you see on TV today, The Southern Boys versus The Midnight Express is advanced trigonometry." Just watch him in the very best match of his career against Eddie Guerrero at Halloween Havoc 1997. 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. In the weeks leading up to the Elimination Chamber pay-per-view, The Wyatt Family cost the members of The Shield an opportunity to compete inside the sinister structure for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship. 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. Brock Lesnar and CM Punk are two of the greatest "Paul Heyman Guys," both in real life and in storyline terms. contender, Chris Jericho. Who knows? @JOEYSTYLES, In front of more than 70,000 fans in the Georgia Dome, two Superstars who defined an era clashed in an epic No Holds Barred Match.
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