Matt's Mat Musings: My 100 Favourite Wrestling Matches, Part 5
Thanks for bearing with me. This one was a bit tougher to write then I would have expected but at least I had the madness of Lucha Underground to keep me going. As a warning, it only gets weirder from here.
60) Triple H vs Shawn Michaels vs Chris Benoit
WWE WrestleMania XX 2004
It is difficult to look back on any match that involves Chris Benoit, with the knowledge of the tragic events that would unfold in 2007. Yet I cannot simply erase the fact that through the late 90's and early 00's, I was a hugely passionate fan of the man's work. When Benoit won the Royal Rumble in January 2002 and earned himself a championship match at WrestleMania I was over the moon and the subsequent inclusion of Shawn Michaels in the match upped the stakes considerably. I was utterly convinced at the time that the Triple Threat stipulation of the match was only being used as a way to stop Benoit from finally winning the big one and I watched this match on the edge of my seat. That 3 of the best wrestlers in the world would have an excellent match together is of little surprise, but the story that unfolds and the way it concludes was monumental for me at the time. I may not be able to view it with the same eyes in 2020, but in 2004 I was balling my eyes out at the final bell and in the immediate aftermath. Seeing real life best friends Chris Benoit and Eddie Guerrero end the show in the ring together was a special moment but the events of the following few years make it a truly heartbreaking moment in time.
Full Match: https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x5cc8yw
59) Triple H vs Shawn Michaels vs Rob Van Dam vs Kane vs Booker T vs Chris Jericho
(Elimination Chamber Match)
WWE Survivor Series 2002
Similarly to that original Hell In A Cell match in 1997, genuine innovation in pro-wrestling can be quite rare, with the Cell itself having antecedants in a variety of WCW cage match stipulation. The Elimination Chamber however was something entirely unique. Throw in six of the companies top talents at the time and anyone could conceiveably have won this match. The potential danger of the Chamber itself adds a level of drama to the match, as well as the injuries that occur along the way. There would be "better" Elimiantion Chamber matches in the following 18 years, but not that felt quite as special as this.
Full Match: https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x4voava
58) Undisputed Era (Adam Cole, Roderick Strong, Kyle O'Reilly & Bobby Fish) vs Imperium (WALTER, Marcel Barthel, Fabian Aichner & Alexander Wolfe)
WWE Worlds Collide 2020
The most recent match on this list, is not one I had a lot of enthusiasm for going into it. The dynamics of pro-wrestling storytelling lend themselves naturally to the traditional good vs bad moral allignment, even good vs good can work with the right characters or story. However a match where two villains (or in this case two teams of villains) face off requires extra work to get the audience invested without permanently altering either character (or set of characters) and this was painfully obvious in the build up to the Undisputed Era vs Imperium match. Imperium. being made up of larger (and yes, "foreign") competitors, but the Undisputed Era (despite their ironic popularity with a certain subset of fans and collective talent) are just so obnoxious that they would be an ill fit for the role of underdog in this match. I had no doubt going in that this would be a good match, maybe even a great one, it just wasn't one I was looking forward to. However, sometimes chance can intervene to make a good match great and a great match, a classic. Approximately 5 minutes into this match Alexander Wolfe, a member of Imperium, is legitimately knocked out and removed from the match causing the remaining 7 competitors to rework the match on the fly. With Imperium now at a man disadvantage, and the Undisputed Era exploiting their extra man at every opportunity, the European team suddenly becomes the firm crown favourites and this match evolves into something truly special. Just listen to those crowd reactions for WALTER in the home stretch. Excellent work from all involved and thankfully Wolfe suffered no long term injury.
Full Match: https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x7r3jzu
57) Pentagon DARK vs Black Lotus Triad (Gauntlet Match)
Lucha Underground (S3E13)
So just as a quick refresher, Lucha Underground is a mash up of pro-wrestling and telenovela aimed primarily at a Latin American audience, that features some of the most athletically gifted wrestlers in the world in state of the art match-ups. In the previous Lucha entry on this list, Prince Puma and Johnny Mundo wrestled 'All Night Long' in some of the best high flyer you'll ever see, now let's get weird and delve into the characters of Lucha Underground. Pentagon Jr was a Mexican ninja with a proclivity for random acts of violence, particularly aimed at people's arms. After a string of losses, Pentagon Jr became the student of a 'Dark Master' (who was revealed to be the split personality of the show's color commentator, Vampiro) and eventually (after defeating Vampiro in an ultaviolent confrontation and further bondage themed training, dont ask) evolved into his final form, Pentagon DARK. He's basically the show's more beligerant version of the 'Stone Cold' Steve Austin character, just replace stunners with arm breakers. Meanwhile, in a seperate yet equally bonkers series of events, the Black Lotus was a female assassin seeking revenge against the show's promoter, Dario Cuerto, for the death of her parents. Cuerto however manipulates her into instead killing Lucha veteran character, El Dragon Azteca and as a result earning the ire of his student, El Dragon Azteca Jr. Black Lotus and El Dragon Azteca Jr were set for a climatic showdown, when for absolutely no reason, Pentagon appeared and broke both their arms. Lotus would return several episodes later with a team of her fellow assasins in tow and cost Pentagon a vital match. All of that wondeful nonsense leads us to this Gauntlet match, in which Pentagon will have to face each member of the Triad in order to get to Black Lotus. Intergender wrestling isn't for everyone, but when the female talent involved includes current WWE stars Kairi Sane and Io Shirai, and the male competitor treats them as a serious challenge, a unique and compelling form of storytelling unfolds. Lucha Underground is great you guys.
Full Match: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zD-nGhN_YmI
56) The Shield (Roman Reigns, Seth Rollins & Dean Ambrose) vs The Wyatt Family (Bray Wyatt, Luke Harper & Erick Rowan)
WWE Elimination Chamber 2014
Since their debut in late 2012, The Shield had been the most dominant unit in the WWE. Conceived as a method of getting 3 of the the companies most promising roookies, valuable experience on the main roster, they originally played the role of hired goons. Inevitably though, the talent of Rollins, Ambrose and Reigns and the strength of their booking, The Shield became one of the most popular teams in company history. In stark contrast, Windham Rotundo was on his last opportunity. His debut as Husky Harris had been a flop and as he didn't fit the traditional molf, the company was considering letting him go. It was through Rotundo's own creative insticts that he made the transformation into the enigmatic swamp preacher, Bray Wyatt, and revitalised his own career. Partnering up with the equally unique performers, Luke Harper and Erick Rowan, the group known as The Wyatt Family enjoyed success in NXT before moving up to the main roster, where some of their mystique was lost. With two dominant trios teams present on the roster, it was only a matter of time before their paths crossed. The confrontation was teased out for several months before the match itself was made, but when these two teams collided, they didn't disappoint.
Full Match: https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x4v8crb
55) Mick Foley, Edge & Lita vs Terry Funk, Tommy Dreamer & Beulah (Hardcore Rules)
ECW One Night Stand 2006
Throughout the 1990's, ECW rose to success through a combination of veteran talent and newcomers colliding in either state of the art technical wrestling, or violent spectacle. When ECW was resurrected by the WWE (following the latter's acquisition of the former in 2001) it was a remarkably faithful tribute to the original company. However, as a one night show involving returning ECW wrestlers, both the storytelling and talent building qualties of the promotion were not spotlighted. One year later and thanks to the success of the original show, and Mick Foley's ability to convince Vince McMahon trust his instincts, we get this intergender 6 person tag match that really captures the magic of ECW. Earlier in the year, Foley and Edge had been involved in a brutal feud that ultimatley saw Foley turn to the dark side due to how impressed he was with Edge. His subsequent diatribes against Paul Heyman and ECW, and unprovoked attacks on Tommy Dreamer, led to the return of Foley's "mentor" Terry Funk leading to a proposed tag team collison with Foley and Edge facing off against Funk and Dreamer. Throw in the inevitable interference of Lita leading to the return of ECW favourite Beulah, and the stage was set for the last true ECW-style match to take place under the branding and a fitting send off to the promotion's original ethos.
Full Match: https://www.dailymotion.com/video/xy9fy7
54) Bryan Danielson vs Homicide
ROH Final Battle 2006
In August 2005, Bryan Danielson was a respected, but not particularly exciting, midcard performer in ROH. By December 2006 he was widely regarded as the best wrestler in the world. What unfolded during Danielson's 15 month run with the ROH Championship, following a surprise victory in September 2005, was the quintessential case of a performer getting himself. Danielson abandoned any considerations of what was "cool" at the time and instead committed fully to being a smarmy, wrestling nerd in basic ring gear who entered the ring to Europe's "The Final Countdown". He never should have gotten over however the sheer mastery he displayed in the ring, and the excuberence with which he played the part of overconfident champion, slowly but surely earned him the respect of almost everyone who saw his work. He became my favourite wrestler the first time I saw him win a championship match after 56 minutess of back and forth with a small package rollup and has remained so ever since. Yet every championship reign has to come to an end, and with the preceding 6 months of storytelling, it was very clear to all involved that Homicide would be the man to defeat Danielson. Surprisingly then considering how obvious the outcome was, and that Danielson had a severe shoulder injury going in, the match itself is a near perfect championship handover, with Danielson's overconfidence slowly being shattered by Homicide's toughness and determination. A great piece of work by both men, but one of Danielson's crowning achievements in ROH.
Full Match: https://www.bilibili.com/video/av13414922/
53) The Rock vs Steve Austin (No Disqualification Match)
WWF WrestleMania X7 2001
'Stone Cold' Steve Austin and The Rock are undeniable 2 of the 3 biggest stars in the modern history of wrestling and while the latter man may have experienced most of his success away from the ring, it is only a testament to how "over" Austin was that he eclipsed even the most charismatic sports-entertainer of all time. This is also the first time in company history that the same match up headlined more than one WrestleMania and, despite a poor build up, one Limp Bizkit promo video later the hype levels going into the bout were peak. This match is also the climax of the 'Attitude Era' of the WWF and features all of the bells and whistles of that time period, most prominently a match style with a huge influence on character and brawling. My pick for the greatest WrestleMania main event of all time. Well, second greatest (foreshadowing).
Full Match: https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x14z88j
52) Johnny Gargano vs Adam Cole (Best 2 Out Of 3 Falls Match)
NXT Takeover: Dallas 2019
Another match on this list that was significantly enhanced for me by being in live attendance. Adam Cole and Johnny Gargano had spent most of the 2010's as two of the hottest prospects on the US independent scene. Yet owing to both men being much smaller than the traditional WWE competitor, the prospects of their success on the main stage were relatively slim. It is a tribute then to the talent and determination of both Gargano and Cole that they found themselves in the position to have this match in the main event of a show in front of 15'000 rabid fans, and they did not disappoint. Nearly 40 minutes of excellent wrestling, psychology and storytelling in front of a crowd that loved every second and on a personal level, I'll never forget the emotional rollercoater the teenage Johnny Gargano fanatic sat in front of me went on amidst a sea of ironic, hipster Adam Cole fans. Magic.
Full Match: https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x75cxvq
51) The Undertaker vs Shawn Michaels
WWE WrestleMania 25 2009
The "greatest match in WWE history" is undeniably a tremendous piece of work. By 2009, Michaels and The Undertaker were the last true veterans (both men starting their careers in the 1980's) in the business who could still perform at a high level. While the Undertaker's winning streak at WrestleMania had begun to be somewhat of an albatross for the drama of his matches, if anyone could steal a victory it was Shawn Michaels (who ahead of this match had never lost to Undertaker). The two men constuct an immaculate, old-school pro-wrestling match that tells a compelling story of grit and determination and provides ring work on par with anything else in the world at the time. The only reason this match isn't higher on the list is that neither man has ever broke into my Top 5 favourite wrestlers, and realistically I never believed the Undertaker would lose. Still, a brilliant piece of business, even if I don't feel it quite deserves the reputation it has garnered over the years.
Full Match: https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x6ckqzb
We're into the Top 50 now where I reveal just how biased I am. Spoilers, expect a lot more of Mick Foley, Kurt Angle and Daniel Bryan (Danielson).
60) Triple H vs Shawn Michaels vs Chris Benoit
WWE WrestleMania XX 2004
It is difficult to look back on any match that involves Chris Benoit, with the knowledge of the tragic events that would unfold in 2007. Yet I cannot simply erase the fact that through the late 90's and early 00's, I was a hugely passionate fan of the man's work. When Benoit won the Royal Rumble in January 2002 and earned himself a championship match at WrestleMania I was over the moon and the subsequent inclusion of Shawn Michaels in the match upped the stakes considerably. I was utterly convinced at the time that the Triple Threat stipulation of the match was only being used as a way to stop Benoit from finally winning the big one and I watched this match on the edge of my seat. That 3 of the best wrestlers in the world would have an excellent match together is of little surprise, but the story that unfolds and the way it concludes was monumental for me at the time. I may not be able to view it with the same eyes in 2020, but in 2004 I was balling my eyes out at the final bell and in the immediate aftermath. Seeing real life best friends Chris Benoit and Eddie Guerrero end the show in the ring together was a special moment but the events of the following few years make it a truly heartbreaking moment in time.
Full Match: https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x5cc8yw
59) Triple H vs Shawn Michaels vs Rob Van Dam vs Kane vs Booker T vs Chris Jericho
(Elimination Chamber Match)
WWE Survivor Series 2002
Similarly to that original Hell In A Cell match in 1997, genuine innovation in pro-wrestling can be quite rare, with the Cell itself having antecedants in a variety of WCW cage match stipulation. The Elimination Chamber however was something entirely unique. Throw in six of the companies top talents at the time and anyone could conceiveably have won this match. The potential danger of the Chamber itself adds a level of drama to the match, as well as the injuries that occur along the way. There would be "better" Elimiantion Chamber matches in the following 18 years, but not that felt quite as special as this.
Full Match: https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x4voava
58) Undisputed Era (Adam Cole, Roderick Strong, Kyle O'Reilly & Bobby Fish) vs Imperium (WALTER, Marcel Barthel, Fabian Aichner & Alexander Wolfe)
WWE Worlds Collide 2020
The most recent match on this list, is not one I had a lot of enthusiasm for going into it. The dynamics of pro-wrestling storytelling lend themselves naturally to the traditional good vs bad moral allignment, even good vs good can work with the right characters or story. However a match where two villains (or in this case two teams of villains) face off requires extra work to get the audience invested without permanently altering either character (or set of characters) and this was painfully obvious in the build up to the Undisputed Era vs Imperium match. Imperium. being made up of larger (and yes, "foreign") competitors, but the Undisputed Era (despite their ironic popularity with a certain subset of fans and collective talent) are just so obnoxious that they would be an ill fit for the role of underdog in this match. I had no doubt going in that this would be a good match, maybe even a great one, it just wasn't one I was looking forward to. However, sometimes chance can intervene to make a good match great and a great match, a classic. Approximately 5 minutes into this match Alexander Wolfe, a member of Imperium, is legitimately knocked out and removed from the match causing the remaining 7 competitors to rework the match on the fly. With Imperium now at a man disadvantage, and the Undisputed Era exploiting their extra man at every opportunity, the European team suddenly becomes the firm crown favourites and this match evolves into something truly special. Just listen to those crowd reactions for WALTER in the home stretch. Excellent work from all involved and thankfully Wolfe suffered no long term injury.
Full Match: https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x7r3jzu
57) Pentagon DARK vs Black Lotus Triad (Gauntlet Match)
Lucha Underground (S3E13)
So just as a quick refresher, Lucha Underground is a mash up of pro-wrestling and telenovela aimed primarily at a Latin American audience, that features some of the most athletically gifted wrestlers in the world in state of the art match-ups. In the previous Lucha entry on this list, Prince Puma and Johnny Mundo wrestled 'All Night Long' in some of the best high flyer you'll ever see, now let's get weird and delve into the characters of Lucha Underground. Pentagon Jr was a Mexican ninja with a proclivity for random acts of violence, particularly aimed at people's arms. After a string of losses, Pentagon Jr became the student of a 'Dark Master' (who was revealed to be the split personality of the show's color commentator, Vampiro) and eventually (after defeating Vampiro in an ultaviolent confrontation and further bondage themed training, dont ask) evolved into his final form, Pentagon DARK. He's basically the show's more beligerant version of the 'Stone Cold' Steve Austin character, just replace stunners with arm breakers. Meanwhile, in a seperate yet equally bonkers series of events, the Black Lotus was a female assassin seeking revenge against the show's promoter, Dario Cuerto, for the death of her parents. Cuerto however manipulates her into instead killing Lucha veteran character, El Dragon Azteca and as a result earning the ire of his student, El Dragon Azteca Jr. Black Lotus and El Dragon Azteca Jr were set for a climatic showdown, when for absolutely no reason, Pentagon appeared and broke both their arms. Lotus would return several episodes later with a team of her fellow assasins in tow and cost Pentagon a vital match. All of that wondeful nonsense leads us to this Gauntlet match, in which Pentagon will have to face each member of the Triad in order to get to Black Lotus. Intergender wrestling isn't for everyone, but when the female talent involved includes current WWE stars Kairi Sane and Io Shirai, and the male competitor treats them as a serious challenge, a unique and compelling form of storytelling unfolds. Lucha Underground is great you guys.
Full Match: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zD-nGhN_YmI
56) The Shield (Roman Reigns, Seth Rollins & Dean Ambrose) vs The Wyatt Family (Bray Wyatt, Luke Harper & Erick Rowan)
WWE Elimination Chamber 2014
Since their debut in late 2012, The Shield had been the most dominant unit in the WWE. Conceived as a method of getting 3 of the the companies most promising roookies, valuable experience on the main roster, they originally played the role of hired goons. Inevitably though, the talent of Rollins, Ambrose and Reigns and the strength of their booking, The Shield became one of the most popular teams in company history. In stark contrast, Windham Rotundo was on his last opportunity. His debut as Husky Harris had been a flop and as he didn't fit the traditional molf, the company was considering letting him go. It was through Rotundo's own creative insticts that he made the transformation into the enigmatic swamp preacher, Bray Wyatt, and revitalised his own career. Partnering up with the equally unique performers, Luke Harper and Erick Rowan, the group known as The Wyatt Family enjoyed success in NXT before moving up to the main roster, where some of their mystique was lost. With two dominant trios teams present on the roster, it was only a matter of time before their paths crossed. The confrontation was teased out for several months before the match itself was made, but when these two teams collided, they didn't disappoint.
Full Match: https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x4v8crb
55) Mick Foley, Edge & Lita vs Terry Funk, Tommy Dreamer & Beulah (Hardcore Rules)
ECW One Night Stand 2006
Throughout the 1990's, ECW rose to success through a combination of veteran talent and newcomers colliding in either state of the art technical wrestling, or violent spectacle. When ECW was resurrected by the WWE (following the latter's acquisition of the former in 2001) it was a remarkably faithful tribute to the original company. However, as a one night show involving returning ECW wrestlers, both the storytelling and talent building qualties of the promotion were not spotlighted. One year later and thanks to the success of the original show, and Mick Foley's ability to convince Vince McMahon trust his instincts, we get this intergender 6 person tag match that really captures the magic of ECW. Earlier in the year, Foley and Edge had been involved in a brutal feud that ultimatley saw Foley turn to the dark side due to how impressed he was with Edge. His subsequent diatribes against Paul Heyman and ECW, and unprovoked attacks on Tommy Dreamer, led to the return of Foley's "mentor" Terry Funk leading to a proposed tag team collison with Foley and Edge facing off against Funk and Dreamer. Throw in the inevitable interference of Lita leading to the return of ECW favourite Beulah, and the stage was set for the last true ECW-style match to take place under the branding and a fitting send off to the promotion's original ethos.
Full Match: https://www.dailymotion.com/video/xy9fy7
54) Bryan Danielson vs Homicide
ROH Final Battle 2006
In August 2005, Bryan Danielson was a respected, but not particularly exciting, midcard performer in ROH. By December 2006 he was widely regarded as the best wrestler in the world. What unfolded during Danielson's 15 month run with the ROH Championship, following a surprise victory in September 2005, was the quintessential case of a performer getting himself. Danielson abandoned any considerations of what was "cool" at the time and instead committed fully to being a smarmy, wrestling nerd in basic ring gear who entered the ring to Europe's "The Final Countdown". He never should have gotten over however the sheer mastery he displayed in the ring, and the excuberence with which he played the part of overconfident champion, slowly but surely earned him the respect of almost everyone who saw his work. He became my favourite wrestler the first time I saw him win a championship match after 56 minutess of back and forth with a small package rollup and has remained so ever since. Yet every championship reign has to come to an end, and with the preceding 6 months of storytelling, it was very clear to all involved that Homicide would be the man to defeat Danielson. Surprisingly then considering how obvious the outcome was, and that Danielson had a severe shoulder injury going in, the match itself is a near perfect championship handover, with Danielson's overconfidence slowly being shattered by Homicide's toughness and determination. A great piece of work by both men, but one of Danielson's crowning achievements in ROH.
Full Match: https://www.bilibili.com/video/av13414922/
53) The Rock vs Steve Austin (No Disqualification Match)
WWF WrestleMania X7 2001
'Stone Cold' Steve Austin and The Rock are undeniable 2 of the 3 biggest stars in the modern history of wrestling and while the latter man may have experienced most of his success away from the ring, it is only a testament to how "over" Austin was that he eclipsed even the most charismatic sports-entertainer of all time. This is also the first time in company history that the same match up headlined more than one WrestleMania and, despite a poor build up, one Limp Bizkit promo video later the hype levels going into the bout were peak. This match is also the climax of the 'Attitude Era' of the WWF and features all of the bells and whistles of that time period, most prominently a match style with a huge influence on character and brawling. My pick for the greatest WrestleMania main event of all time. Well, second greatest (foreshadowing).
Full Match: https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x14z88j
52) Johnny Gargano vs Adam Cole (Best 2 Out Of 3 Falls Match)
NXT Takeover: Dallas 2019
Another match on this list that was significantly enhanced for me by being in live attendance. Adam Cole and Johnny Gargano had spent most of the 2010's as two of the hottest prospects on the US independent scene. Yet owing to both men being much smaller than the traditional WWE competitor, the prospects of their success on the main stage were relatively slim. It is a tribute then to the talent and determination of both Gargano and Cole that they found themselves in the position to have this match in the main event of a show in front of 15'000 rabid fans, and they did not disappoint. Nearly 40 minutes of excellent wrestling, psychology and storytelling in front of a crowd that loved every second and on a personal level, I'll never forget the emotional rollercoater the teenage Johnny Gargano fanatic sat in front of me went on amidst a sea of ironic, hipster Adam Cole fans. Magic.
Full Match: https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x75cxvq
51) The Undertaker vs Shawn Michaels
WWE WrestleMania 25 2009
The "greatest match in WWE history" is undeniably a tremendous piece of work. By 2009, Michaels and The Undertaker were the last true veterans (both men starting their careers in the 1980's) in the business who could still perform at a high level. While the Undertaker's winning streak at WrestleMania had begun to be somewhat of an albatross for the drama of his matches, if anyone could steal a victory it was Shawn Michaels (who ahead of this match had never lost to Undertaker). The two men constuct an immaculate, old-school pro-wrestling match that tells a compelling story of grit and determination and provides ring work on par with anything else in the world at the time. The only reason this match isn't higher on the list is that neither man has ever broke into my Top 5 favourite wrestlers, and realistically I never believed the Undertaker would lose. Still, a brilliant piece of business, even if I don't feel it quite deserves the reputation it has garnered over the years.
Full Match: https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x6ckqzb
We're into the Top 50 now where I reveal just how biased I am. Spoilers, expect a lot more of Mick Foley, Kurt Angle and Daniel Bryan (Danielson).
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