A red-hot angle. It was a very unique, hard-hitting match. Scarier than a ladder, more dangerous than a cage, and more vicious than a street fight, the Hell In A Cell was a match where wrestlers who hated each other could finally settle their score, at risk to their lives. "After the match, we sat in a room by ourselves and just sat there quietly. Undertaker and Triple H felt less like a wrestling bout, and more like Anakin Skywalker vs. Obi Wan Kenobi at the end of "Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith." It's all of the above and so much more. If there was a giveaway that was the end, that was it. "For whatever reason, he was really good at adapting to different guys' styles. What really made this match so special was how these rivals tirelessly one-upped each other in a series of viciously creative, momentum-swinging maneuvers before "The Champ" reclaimed his throne by throttling Edge with an Attitude Adjustment off a ladder and through two stacked tables. SAMI ZAYN, AS TOLD TO ZACH LINDER. Rampage Results - 2/24/23 (Young Bucks vs. Aussie Open and more!) Title, including attempting to get himself disqualified to lose the match but not the gold. 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. That was the same move that actually dislocated John Laurinaitis elbow in Japan in '91, and now [I had] to trust that this is going to work out fine from greater heights. We were not about to go out there and have a crash-and-burn Ladder Match under any circumstances, so it benefited us that the [rivalry] didnt call for that. However, the event was stolen by two veteran wrestlers Shawn Michaels and Kurt Angle. 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? - WWE.com recognizes sports-entertainment as ultimately subjective. chants when he arrived in L.A. for SummerSlam 2013. The challenge with triple threat matches is they frequently become contrived, as one guy has to sell a move by staying out of the ring for several minutes at a time, while the other two fight. GREG ADKINS. So many of the greatest matches are two top-tier performers going toe-to-toe in the ring thats what wrestlings built on. It really wasnt a rivalry about who was better. Ungraded & graded values for all '22 Panini Chronicles Draft Picks Rise Above Basketball Cards. Their three matches throughout that year were revelatory, but the grand finale in Nashville featured the most unexpected outcome of all. JOHN CLAPP. "I was told in no uncertain terms by Mr. McMahon that there would be no Pedigrees into the thumbtacks, but I just decided I would take it and apologize later. chant helped make him the biggest babyface on the planet, it was the other biggest babyface on the planet, WWE Champion John Cena, who picked him as his challenger for the main event of SummerSlam 2013. The first match rated more than five stars by Meltzer was Ric Flair vs Ricky Steamboat in 1989. 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. A deafening crowd. The match was highlighted by one of the most hardcore spots ever to be condoned in WWE, when Mick Foley took two shots with a flaming barbed wire 2 x 4 from Terry Funk before falling through a. Instead, despite the presence of Mr. That said, we think it boils down to two all-time greats being in absolute command of their characters, their craft, and the crowd. Title. 25. I didnt want to do that and be like George Costanza. The Human Suplex Machine clotheslined Bigelow through the timekeeper's table, and later T-Bone Tazzplexed him off the entrance ramp and onto the steel guardrail. In many ways, Shawn Michaels was the perfect wrestler. In ranking these moments, its tough to top "Stone Cold" Steve Austin siding with the Devil himself and becoming Mr. McMahons corporate champion at the close of WrestleMania X-Seven. Razor Ramon defeated Shawn Michaels in WWE's first-ever televised Ladder Match, becoming the undisputed Intercontinental Champion. A technical classic. Both would have better bouts against others, but for two of the greatest, this was their best ever against each other. They should have pleaded for Ricky to do something about it. Flair for the WWE Championship would be enough of a draw for most fans, this was McMahon Land after all, so the two were also feuding over Flair's less-than-gentlemanly treatment of Miss Elizabeth, who Flair "dated" before Savage ("She was mine before she was yours!"). In the first-ever meeting of the men who would become WCWs signature rivals, Sting and Flair battled back and forth, displaying uncanny technical prowess and in-ring ability. In the end, though, it was Mr. Pay-Per-View who dealt the final blow with a soaring Five-Star Frog Splash. TOM HERRERA. 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. This wasn't just a stunt, it made sense because Hardy had the belts, was 10 feet in the air, and spearing him was the only way for Edge to save the match. Most consider the very first Money in the Bank Ladder Match to be the best of all time. Royal Rumble (2000) The 2000 Royal Rumble gets off to a fantastic start with Taz making his WWE pay-per-view debut against Kurt Angle. They should have screamed. Before you get out your pitchforks (or perhaps we should say "steel chairs"? His bout with Jericho was "just" a match. Swanton Bombs and Spears off ladders are what everybody remembers; what they forget is that Rhyno, Spike Dudley and Lita all got involved, too, essentially making the match a 9-way affair. This match was iconic before the bell even rang, because on a deeper level it represented two schools of pro wrestling. [Announcers] Dusty Rhodes and Jim Ross kept making mention of the fact that 'Flyin'' Brian was by far the smallest guy in the match and still, getting the best of his opponents throughout the match. 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. Is it a little premature to declare Cody Rhodes vs. Seth Rollins from Hell In A Cell 2022 an all-time classic? samantha jones news anchor 12' x 18' 4" x 1 5/8" Dollamur Flexi-Roll Wrestling Mat READ DESCRIPTION USED New (Other) $1,259.30 Seller: . You can watch it as a standalone amazing match and see it unfold. 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. MITCH PASSERO, "I always wanted to be a Paul Heyman Guy. With "Dragon Slayer" sewn on his black trunks in plain white block letters, Austin delivered a performance that was anything but plain. 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. The two Intercontinental Titles were hanging above the ring, and Razor Ramon was my favorite at the time. Rob Van Dam vs. Jerry Lynn is like the sports-entertainment equivalent of the Arturo Gatti vs. Micky Ward boxing rivalry. The Kid, whose numerical nickname came about after he netted a huge upset victory against Razor Ramon, earned one of the earliest title opportunities in the history of Raw by doing it the hard way. 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. 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. There is no greater test of a wrestler's stamina than an Iron Man Match. But the shadow of the epic showdown at King of the Ring has lingered ever since. Lock and made his black-clad adversary tap out. 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. If it is carnage you seek, youll find it at Extreme Rules 2012, wherein Brock Lesnar elbowed John Cenas head into the proverbial crimson mask within minutes of the opening bell and didnt wrestle the Cenation leader so much as torture him for the duration of this 20-minute flogging disguised as a pay-per-view main event. GREG ADKINS. We disagree, and believe this match delivered exactly what it promised - The End of an Era. It was elementary that Flair soon applied the Figure-Four Leglock, but Rhodes fought through the pain, survived the Horsemens interference and caught the champion in a small package to win the title. 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. KEVIN POWERS. The insane match between Mike Awesome and Masato Tanaka was one of the craziest pro-wrestling displays ever recorded, but in reality, the entire card was stupendous. What feverish mind dreamed up the atrocities that unfolded during TLC II? Thats damn near impossible, unless youve somehow been to every single mat contest since George Hackenschmidt won the World Title in 1905. Despite never having held the WWETitle, the crowd favorite exuded confidence as he stood toe-to-toe with 15-time World Champion John Cena. What more can be said about Bret Hart vs. "Stone Cold" Steve Austin's submission match at Wrestlemania 13? MICHAEL BURDICK. MICK FOLEY, AS TOLD TO ZACH LINDER, The reputations of Ric Flair and Lex Luger as in-ring performers are firmly established. It was the main event of the second-biggest PPV of 1992 in front of more than 80,000 of Smith's fellow Brits at Wembley Stadium. Luger ultimately lost via count-out leaving the ring to save The Stinger from a Horsemen attack but he emerged as both a hero to the people and a legitimate big-time player. That night, The American Dream became reality. Has there ever been a better coming-out party in WWE history than that of The Shield? Prior to hugging teammates or filling arenas with choruses of "Yes! "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. BRAD "HITMAN" HART vs STONE GOLD STEVE AUSTIN. Wrestlemania 19 3. One night stand 2006 8. MATTHEW ARTUS, Fifteen years before the advent of WWEs Attitude Era, the sports-entertainment world witnessed true mayhem at the National Wrestling Alliances first Starrcade event. He had that whole chip on his shoulder with Triple H where they were best friends, but jealous of each other. Perfect with the Intercontinental Title hanging in the balance. We definitely did our job that night. "The Nature Boy" came prepared for Steamboats unquestioned tactical superiority. Shawn Michaels vs. Kurt Angle found two of the best, at their best, in a battle to see who was best. "I'm on record as saying that its probably impossible to wrestle a perfect match, but I think it's as close as I ever got. They always had their issues, but neither could deny that the other brought out his best. Johnny Gargano vs Tommaso Ciampa (Unsanctioned match, NXT TakeOver: New Orleans,. Sometimes the best feuds are the ones you didn't know you wanted until they actually happen, and this was 100% the case here. 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. CRAIG TELLO. 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." Pillman basically gets folded over his head and somehow survives enough to take a second powerbomb. I wasnt able to do that at WrestleMania, so I approached Backlash with Randy in a completely different manner. At a time when pro wrestling in general, and WWE specifically, had lost the raw authenticity that makes the business "beautiful" (in its own absurd and grotesque way), Rhodes vs. Rollins felt real. Even the World Titles were reversed as The Rock entered with the WCW Championship and "Stone Cold" Steve Austin captained the WCW and ECW Alliance while WWE Champion. Summerslam 2002 4. The match feels real at least as real as a fight between two guys forced to climb a ladder as both guys used the ladder as a weapon to win, not as a prop to pop the crowd. KARA MEDALIS, Its startling how quickly certain matches can shift from the territory of mindless fun to almost wince-inducing brutality. There was brawling, wrestling, the most palpable antipathy between two performers feasible, and an undisputed victor that somehow didnt demean the loser at all. With an opportunity to challenge The Rock for the WWE Championship at WrestleMania 29 on the line, Cena and Punk dug deep into their arsenals to create an instant classic on Raw. It made me feel like we had seen the last of Shawn Michaels, and it was very sad. Yeah, we still dont know how he did it, either. ZACH LINDER. Here now, an A-to-Z guide for both novices and longtime squared-circle diehards alike for what to watch. Early on, I was schooled on putting in time, especially working with Flair. Two rings, covered by a cage, no way out and a lot of hair and blood flying. It wasn't one thing. One of the reasons was his match at WrestleMania XIX against another G.O.A.T. Instead, they put on a clinic that to this day still keeps you on the edge of your seat, even with the sound off. Go in there, do your thing and feel it.' It's one of those magic things where its hard to point out why it worked so well. So, to see a Ladder Match live was a big deal. With the odds stacked against him Neville didnt have to be pinned or submit to lose the NXT Title the championdid everything he could to remain the face of NXT, solidifying his spot in the NXT record books. ZACK RYDER, AS TOLD TO ZACH LINDER. But on that night, only one man could. The Wyatt Family at Elimination Chamber 2014 over delivered even the wildest expectations. 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. Not only was Steve Austin vs. One had the flash and showmanship, the other was pure grit and desire. But this match was more than a jumping off point. Halloween Havoc 1997. However, something's gotta give, and Heyman betrayed "The Best In The World" for "The Beast Incarnate," instantly creating a main event-level feud for SummerSlam 2013. Absolutely not. Flyin' Bryan added altitude to his arsenal that elevated the contest into a truly memorable encounter. By the time Rhyno helped Christian get the titles back for him and his buddy, the WWE Universe was both thrilled to see the champs retain and relieved that the mayhem was finally over. The storyline went that Michaels was willing to do anything to get his rematch against Undertaker, including eliminating his best friend Triple H from the Royal Rumble and costing Undertaker the title at Elimination Chamber. Both men knew it would, as they threw their best at one another in this grueling 60-minute contest. But within a few minutes of the bell ringing, Smith was blown up, so Bret basically had to wrestle himself. Is this guy old enough to drive a car?'. But while the story was simple, the match was complex, as the two Hart brothers - both graduates of their father Stu Hart's famous basement "dungeon" - put on a pro wrestling clinic. 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. from the opening bell. Seriously, the Chi-Town crowd was so hot that Cena and Punk could've slapped each other like King Kong Bundy vs. Hercules Hernandez, circa 1986, and the fans still would've popped. SCOTT TAYLOR. This wasn't just the end of the Attitude Era; it was its peak. As brutal as Brock was, Cena was pretty awesome, too. It was a game-changer for the industry. The animosity between Tully Blanchard and Magnum T.A. 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. 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. 1 post 0. "I was 13 years old when this match happened, and I cannot state enough how much of a Bret Hart fan I was. "Everything about Bret and Owen Hart was a situation anybody with siblings could identify with. Lock and he got [disqualified]. And these wrestlers have put on many of the greatest matches in pro wrestling history. The fact it was against Triple H (whose "Reign of Terror" in 2003 was still fresh in fan's minds) made it that much more tense. 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. ANTHONY BENIGNO, It was statement enough that the Intercontinental Championship Match was the main event at SummerSlam 1992 (which also featured Ultimate Warrior vs. Randy Savage for the WWE Title). But you can't teach chemistry; you either have it or don't. 'Taker finally granted Michaels his wish, but for a price HBK's career. solid block of Midwestern muscle mass that looked like he was summoned to life from Vince McMahon's dreams. Such skill, matched with The Showoffs amazing move set, electrified the crowd inside Minneapolis Target Center. At SummerSlam 2013, CM Punk faced off against Brock Lesnar while Heyman cheered on the monster from ringside. However, the debut of The Devil's Favorite Demon, as iconic as it was, shouldn't overshadow one of the most brutal confrontations in either The Phenom's or HBK's legendary careers. The best example of an established star elevating a new star. Plus, theres a barbed-wire 2x4 in the ring. Despite being a multi-time NWA/WCW champ, with multiple hour-long classics under his belt, Flair wasn't connecting at a main event-level with the WWE fans. The greatest double-turn ever. 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. Triple H was in the midst of his 2000-2001 run as the WWE's resident big bad, when he seemed physically incapable of having a bad match. ANTHONY BENIGNO. Youd be foolish not to rush to relive it. 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. Rey's a very special performer, as we all know. While Savage vs. 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. "Everything aligned and came together. So he lied, cheated, and stole, with Lesnar succumbing to Goldberg's spear, a belt shot to the head, and a Frog Splash, before finally going down for the 1-2-3. Good thing Smith was in there with his brother-in-law, Bret Hart. If every championship match in WWE showed this kind of reverence, no one would ever feel like a loser in the end. Ric Flair sure was a bad guy. Shawn Michaels after his 2002 return is arguably the greatest in-ring performer ever. It's fair to say that Shawn Michaels and The Undertaker dominate it. The Brahma Bull Rock Bottomed him to the canvas for a three-count that was a nanosecond beyond Undertakers disruptive reach. The WWE 2K23 ratings reveal is in full swing, and there are all sorts of juicy numbers floating around. John Cena vs. CM Punk is not only the best match of either man's careers or even the best match of the 2010s. However, it was their third clash at Starrcade 1992 that truly defined their rivalry. In his first Wrestlemania match back after returning from injury, he took on young Canadian star Chris Jericho in the highest rated match on the card that year. If the match would still be a classic with the sound off, it makes the cut. Rocky was entertaining, and Austin was no-nonsense, but they meshed so perfectly. 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. "But even I, Bret Harts staunchest supporter, found it hard to not get behind Austin in that match. Unforgiven 2006 15. So WrestleMania 22 with Edge was realistically my last chance to try to carve out that spot in my legacy. Maybe that wasnt the right thing to do.' The match was grueling, with Race targeting Flairs injured neck and Flair battling back valiantly. Whenever Sting and Ric Flair are together in any kind of match, they attract eyes, but to me, this entire match was just a story about Brian Pillman. In interviews before the match, both guys agreed: Its not about a title its about pride. 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. While Edge would prevail, all 29 men and one woman (Beth Phoenix) got over. "It might not have necessarily been a great idea for Austin to even have this match. We both wanted to just slug it out. "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. It also set the pair on a collision course that would culminate in the infamous incident in Montreal the following year at Survivor Series. The two competitors engaged in a ferocious brawl where it seemed that neither would ever relent. If you are fortunate enough, work hard enough, hit all your marks, dont make any mistakes, you hold up your end, your guy holds up his end, and the situation, aura, awe, mystique and everything else falls into place, you get that match. That brought a lot more to the match on a technical level. 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. Yes, NXT has produced some of the best matches of the past decade, but it has always been positioned as a developmental promotion for the main roster, thus we chose not to include it and focus entirely on the main roster product. The bout soon reached its end with Tanaka's tornado DDT onto two steel chairs, leaving the ECW faithful both staggered and elated by the wanton destruction they witnessed in a short period of time. MICK FOLEY, AS TOLD TO ZACH LINDER. And you couldn't ask for a better opponent than Angle. Among the best bouts of WCWs pre-Nitro era, Stings victory in the finals of the King of Cable Tournament was a dramatic encounter that highlighted the strengths and weaknesses of both competitors and became the most talked-about match of the event. Hart had his work cut out for him. 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. 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. 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. 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