Matt's Mat Musings: My 100 Favourite Wrestling Matches, Part 3
Due to feeling under the weather, I took yesterday off. But as reliably as a Hulk Hogan comeback, I'm no selling the effects of illness today to bring you the 3rd installment of my list of favourite wrestling matches of all time. I hope you enjoy it.
80) Bret Hart vs British Bulldog
WWF SummerSlam 1992
In 1989, a deal that would last 30 years was signed between Rupert Murdoch's Sky Television and the WWF. Make no mistake, wrestling was a huge part of the early success of Sky Television in the UK. WWF programming featured prominently across Sky's brands, with PPV's often being shown on the Sky Movies channels, and was a cornerstone of the new Sky Sports channel in 1991. It is thanks to the success of this partnership, that the WWF felt confident to hold one of their "Big 4" shows of the year on UK soil and as a result, 80'000 wrestling fans packed into Wembley Stadium for 1992's SummerSlam. British, and European, wrestling audiences have historically tended towards supporting the smaller but more technically focused wrestlers of each era, so it was a wise move by the WWF to eschew the usual match hierarchy, and place the promotion's secondary title, the Intercontinental Championship, in the main event slot. Bret 'The Hitman' Hart and 'The British Bulldog' Davey Boy Smith were far more popular in European then they were America at the time, and the Wembley audience treated them like megastars at this show. Thankfully Bret Hart is one of the greatest wrestlers of all time, and Davey Boy Smith was himself a gifted athlete, so the two men seized their opportunity to deliver a truly classic match. Of additional note is that Davey Boy Smith, thanks to a mix of nerves and substance abuse, completely forgot everything they had planned for the match, so Bret ended up having to lead him through the entire match. 'The Hitman' considers this match the crowning achievement of his career and it's easy to see why.
Full Match: https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x73148r
79) The Undertaker vs Shawn Michaels (Hell In A Cell)
WWF Badd Blood 1997
Traditionally, steel cage matches in the WWF were far tamer then the stipulation might suggest. The "big blue cage" employed throught the 80's and early 90's was an oddly friendly looking construct, and the rules (escape the cage to win) eschewed violence in favour of repeated escape attempts and other such schnanigans. The rivalvry between Shawn Michaels, at this point the most obnoxious but gifted man in the industry, and The Undertaker, often billed as the "conscience" of the WWF, had reached such a fever pitch that an ultimate confrontation between the two required a more intense battleground than the company's usual cage could provide. Thus was born, the 'Hell In A Cell'. A 16ft tall cage, that surrounded the ring (where "big blue" was attached to it) and immediatly created the anticipation of brutality. The subsequent match between Michaels and The Undertaker is neither the most violent. not the most spectacular, match that would take place within the Cell, but as the debut of the stipulation, it set the bar high and is still hugely entertaining over 20 years later.
Full Match: https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x7mh2y9
78) The Dudley Boyz vs The Hardy Boyz
WWF Royal Rumble 2000
Not every match needs a dramatic build up to be compelling. In January 2000, both of these teams were in a precarious position in the WWF. The Dudleys had made the jump from ECW a few months prior and had done very little of note in the interim. Meanwhile, Matt and Jeff Hardy had in the preceding October, finally made some headway in their career after spending several years as enhancement talent following an innovative Ladder Match with Edge and Christian. As a result all four men had something to prove. The unique stipulation of this match (both members of the opposing team had to be put through tables to win the match) lent the bout an unpredictable aura and the setting, Madison Square Garden, guaranteed an enthusiastic crowd. A relatively brief, but exciting, match that serves as an excellent taster for the lunacy these two teams would be involved in over the next 18 months and marked them as talent to watch.
Full Match: https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2d81nx
77) Sting vs Cactus Jack (Falls Count Anywhere)
WCW Beach Blast 1992
Mick Foley is one of my very favourite performers, of any medium, of all time and a major recurring theme of this list will be his unique ability to enhance the reputation of his opponents. This happened in both of the appearances he's made on this list so far, against The Undertaker and Hunter Hearst Helmsley, and it will happen on many of his subsequent apppearances (spoilers). But this match, against Sting in 1992, was recognisably the first occurance of this trend. Sting was facepainted superheroic figure, intended to be WCW's answer to both of the WWF's main babyfaces of the late 80's, Hulk Hogan and the Ultimate Warrior. Yet, owing to WCW's more sports focused approach, Sting was never afforded the opportunity to seem as indestrucible as either of his counterparts at their height. Subsequently, by late 1992, Sting was beginning to lose momentum as WCW's figurehead. When Cactus Jack was brought back to the company then, following a brief run the year before, it was solely with the intention of being the first in a line of "monster" heels that Sting could run through to restore his aura. Mick Foley had other plans though, and didn't see any reason that he too couldn't benefit from this match. That Sting would be reinvigorated by this match, and Cactus Jack would become a full time member of the WCW roster should stand as proof to how effectively this match succeeds. In fact, Foley would consider this his best match until he was required to do something very similar for another talent in the WWF, several years later (more spoilers).
Full Match: https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x1frusl
76) Kurt Angle & Ronda Rousey vs Triple H & Stephanie McMahon
WWE WrestleMania 34 2018
There are few riskier propositions in professional wrestling than when a celebrity from another field steps into the ring, with a close second being the involvement of non-wrestling personalities. Add to that, the untapped (and somewhat controversial) nature of intergender wrestling and honestly, no one could possibly have expected much from this match. That it went on to steal the show is a testament to the talent of all involved. This is possibly the weakest performance from Kurt Angle on this list, but he was physically far from his prime. Stephanie is excellent in her role as cowardly antagonist and provides much of the catharsis in the match but the real plaudits for this match must go to Triple H, for how wholeheartedly he sells for Rousey, and Ronda herself who proves to be one of the most gifted "rookies" of all time. She begins the match as the assumed weakest link, but by the final bell, she is the unquestionable star of not just the match itself, but WrestleMania as a whole. Great work from all involved.
Full Match: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d8WLXyX-jn4
75) William Regal vs Kassius Ohno
NXT TV (April) 2013
William Regal would wrestle the last match of his in-ring career in December of 2013 in a great match with the super athlete, Cesaro. However, Regal's commitment to "doing the right thing" is the reason that match doesn't appear on this list. Regal, suspect his career was ending, allowed Cesaro to physical dominate him to an extreme degree, in a bid to enhance his opponent's reputation. It's a great piece of work, but not one that lends itself rewatching. Far more enjoyable for me is this very similar match from earlier in the year. By this stage, Regal was very much a part-time competitor, spending much of his time in the commentary position. Kassius Ohno on the otherhand, was a hungry upstart in his prime, who saw Regal as an opportunity to prove his superiority in the ring. The eventual match between the two would provide some excellent technical wrestling, but it is the character work on display that gets it's place on this list. Regal portrays the loveable rogue to perfection, and every veteran cheapshot he takes can't help but elicit cheers. The last truly great match of a 30 year career, and a solid testament to not only Regal's body of work, but also the ethos that would lead him to be one of the more successful trainers at WWE's Performance Center.
Full Match: https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x4d3uc6
74) AJ Styles vs Abyss (Six Sides Of Steel)
TNA Lockdown 2005
TNA was always a strange beast of a promotion. Born from the collapse of both WCW and ECW in the early 2000's, TNA lacked an identity of its own in its formative years. It wasnt until it started to invest in its homegrown talent that the promotion began to fulfil it's potential, and this match in 2005 was one of it's first truly classic main events. AJ Styles is probably TNA's lasting legacy on the industry. A smaller highflyer, who under other circumstances would have been confined to cruiserweight contents, Styles sheer talent inside the ring quickly built him a reputation that would lead him to hold the NWA World Championship heading into this event. In stark contrast was TNA's other success story of the period, the monster Abyss. Standing at 6ft 10in, Abyss could easily have stood simply as TNA's answer to The Undertaker, but his clear fondness for the work of Mick Foley, lead Abyss to become truly his own beast, and developed in him a fondness for a spot of the old ultraviolence. When Styles and Abyss clashed within TNA's answer to the steel cage, the 'Six Sides Of Steel', many anticipated a spectacle but few could have expected a true classic and one of the best matches in TNA history.
Full Match: https://www.dailymotion.com/video/xyg8cq
73) Shinsuke Nakamura vs Kota Ibushi
NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 9 2015
My relationship with Japanese pro-wrestling (or "puroresu") has run hot and cold throughout my fandom of the medium. I was thrilled by the odd bout of All Japan Pro Wrestling that I was able to catch on Eurosport in the mid 90's and had a brief flirtation with Pro Wrestling NOAH in the early 2000's, but I never fully commited time to learning the intricacies of storytelling needed to cross any language barrier whether it be pro-wrestling, film, literature or indeed any artform. And then I saw Shinsuke Nakamura wrestle and became a life long convert. 'The King Of Strong Style' had been one of the mainstays of New Japan Pro Wrestling during the dark days of its mid-2000s flirtation with MMA, and as a result was already a well established talent with a hard hitting style before he turned to the darkside of heeldom in 2009. Upon that change of moral allignment, Nakamura began to develop a creativity and flamboyance that would completely rejuvenate his career. This match, against Ibushi in 2015, sees Nakamura at the peak of his powers, taking on a hugely talented, but unfocused, challenger in the form of Kota Ibushi. A quintessential retelling of the hardened veteran colliding with the feisty newcomer trope, and one of the best matches either man would ever have. Plus the version I've linked to has Jim Ross on commentary for an added bonus, great stuff.
Full Match: https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x6e8ozb
72) Mr Perfect vs Bret Hart
WWF SummerSlam 1991
Throughout the 1980's, Bret Hart had been primarily known as a tag team wrestler, even earner the somewhat cursed nickname of "tag-team specialist". Yet Hart's skills had earned him a series of one off singles matches, against the likes of Ted Dibease and Randy Savage, and by 1991 he had developed a fan following entirely seperate from his Hart Foundation tag-team with Jim Neidhart. Debuting with the WWF in 1988, Curt Hennig, wrestling under the moniker of 'Mr Perfect' had himself developed a reputation for excellence and had firmly established himself on the roster as one of it's most reliable performers. When the match between these two men was made for SummerSlam, expectations were high. However, unbeknowst to fans, Hennig was going into this match with a broken tailbone and bulging discs in his spine, yet due to his respect for Hart, 'Mr Perfect' insisted the match go ahead and puts on clinic with his opponent that would firmly establish 'The Hitman' as rising singles talent. The two men would arguably have a better match at King Of The Ring in 1993 but I will always prefer this match owing to how important it is to Hart's career and the sheer effort put forward by Hennig.
Full Match Part 1: https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x6ksmh
Full Match Part 2: https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x6kt17
71) Triple H vs Cactus Jack (Street Fight)
WWF Royal Rumble 2000
The second match between these two men on this list, and the middle part of what I consider to be a thematic trilogy. By early 2000, Hunter Hearst Helmsley had completed his transformation into Triple H, and was on the verge of achieving greatness. It is a maxim of pro-wrestling, that in order to make that final leap into being viewed as a true headliner, a rising talent must defeat an established star. Unluckily for Triple H, the two most established stars of the time, Steve Austin and The Undertaker, were both out of action at this time and an inevitable confrontation with The Rock was being saved for WrestleMania. Enter Mick Foley. By late 1999, Foley had become one of the most beloved performers in all of wrestling and his Mankind persona had morphed into a more comedic act, in part to cover for Foley's physical decline. Mick knew he was approaching the end of his career, but wanted to redeem some of his prior reputation before he retired, so he brought back Cactus Jack. For the second time in his career, a returning Cactus Jack with something to prove, was matched against Triple H. The 'Street Fight' (no disqualification, no count out) match between the two men would be the most explicitly violent bout ever conducted in a WWF ring to that point, and both men left the ring bigger stars than they entered. Perhaps a tad overlong, but undiably compelling throughout.
Full Match: https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x3fv5u9
Hopefully I'm back on a daily routine now and part 4 will be out tomorrow.
80) Bret Hart vs British Bulldog
WWF SummerSlam 1992
In 1989, a deal that would last 30 years was signed between Rupert Murdoch's Sky Television and the WWF. Make no mistake, wrestling was a huge part of the early success of Sky Television in the UK. WWF programming featured prominently across Sky's brands, with PPV's often being shown on the Sky Movies channels, and was a cornerstone of the new Sky Sports channel in 1991. It is thanks to the success of this partnership, that the WWF felt confident to hold one of their "Big 4" shows of the year on UK soil and as a result, 80'000 wrestling fans packed into Wembley Stadium for 1992's SummerSlam. British, and European, wrestling audiences have historically tended towards supporting the smaller but more technically focused wrestlers of each era, so it was a wise move by the WWF to eschew the usual match hierarchy, and place the promotion's secondary title, the Intercontinental Championship, in the main event slot. Bret 'The Hitman' Hart and 'The British Bulldog' Davey Boy Smith were far more popular in European then they were America at the time, and the Wembley audience treated them like megastars at this show. Thankfully Bret Hart is one of the greatest wrestlers of all time, and Davey Boy Smith was himself a gifted athlete, so the two men seized their opportunity to deliver a truly classic match. Of additional note is that Davey Boy Smith, thanks to a mix of nerves and substance abuse, completely forgot everything they had planned for the match, so Bret ended up having to lead him through the entire match. 'The Hitman' considers this match the crowning achievement of his career and it's easy to see why.
Full Match: https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x73148r
79) The Undertaker vs Shawn Michaels (Hell In A Cell)
WWF Badd Blood 1997
Traditionally, steel cage matches in the WWF were far tamer then the stipulation might suggest. The "big blue cage" employed throught the 80's and early 90's was an oddly friendly looking construct, and the rules (escape the cage to win) eschewed violence in favour of repeated escape attempts and other such schnanigans. The rivalvry between Shawn Michaels, at this point the most obnoxious but gifted man in the industry, and The Undertaker, often billed as the "conscience" of the WWF, had reached such a fever pitch that an ultimate confrontation between the two required a more intense battleground than the company's usual cage could provide. Thus was born, the 'Hell In A Cell'. A 16ft tall cage, that surrounded the ring (where "big blue" was attached to it) and immediatly created the anticipation of brutality. The subsequent match between Michaels and The Undertaker is neither the most violent. not the most spectacular, match that would take place within the Cell, but as the debut of the stipulation, it set the bar high and is still hugely entertaining over 20 years later.
Full Match: https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x7mh2y9
78) The Dudley Boyz vs The Hardy Boyz
WWF Royal Rumble 2000
Not every match needs a dramatic build up to be compelling. In January 2000, both of these teams were in a precarious position in the WWF. The Dudleys had made the jump from ECW a few months prior and had done very little of note in the interim. Meanwhile, Matt and Jeff Hardy had in the preceding October, finally made some headway in their career after spending several years as enhancement talent following an innovative Ladder Match with Edge and Christian. As a result all four men had something to prove. The unique stipulation of this match (both members of the opposing team had to be put through tables to win the match) lent the bout an unpredictable aura and the setting, Madison Square Garden, guaranteed an enthusiastic crowd. A relatively brief, but exciting, match that serves as an excellent taster for the lunacy these two teams would be involved in over the next 18 months and marked them as talent to watch.
Full Match: https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2d81nx
77) Sting vs Cactus Jack (Falls Count Anywhere)
WCW Beach Blast 1992
Mick Foley is one of my very favourite performers, of any medium, of all time and a major recurring theme of this list will be his unique ability to enhance the reputation of his opponents. This happened in both of the appearances he's made on this list so far, against The Undertaker and Hunter Hearst Helmsley, and it will happen on many of his subsequent apppearances (spoilers). But this match, against Sting in 1992, was recognisably the first occurance of this trend. Sting was facepainted superheroic figure, intended to be WCW's answer to both of the WWF's main babyfaces of the late 80's, Hulk Hogan and the Ultimate Warrior. Yet, owing to WCW's more sports focused approach, Sting was never afforded the opportunity to seem as indestrucible as either of his counterparts at their height. Subsequently, by late 1992, Sting was beginning to lose momentum as WCW's figurehead. When Cactus Jack was brought back to the company then, following a brief run the year before, it was solely with the intention of being the first in a line of "monster" heels that Sting could run through to restore his aura. Mick Foley had other plans though, and didn't see any reason that he too couldn't benefit from this match. That Sting would be reinvigorated by this match, and Cactus Jack would become a full time member of the WCW roster should stand as proof to how effectively this match succeeds. In fact, Foley would consider this his best match until he was required to do something very similar for another talent in the WWF, several years later (more spoilers).
Full Match: https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x1frusl
76) Kurt Angle & Ronda Rousey vs Triple H & Stephanie McMahon
WWE WrestleMania 34 2018
There are few riskier propositions in professional wrestling than when a celebrity from another field steps into the ring, with a close second being the involvement of non-wrestling personalities. Add to that, the untapped (and somewhat controversial) nature of intergender wrestling and honestly, no one could possibly have expected much from this match. That it went on to steal the show is a testament to the talent of all involved. This is possibly the weakest performance from Kurt Angle on this list, but he was physically far from his prime. Stephanie is excellent in her role as cowardly antagonist and provides much of the catharsis in the match but the real plaudits for this match must go to Triple H, for how wholeheartedly he sells for Rousey, and Ronda herself who proves to be one of the most gifted "rookies" of all time. She begins the match as the assumed weakest link, but by the final bell, she is the unquestionable star of not just the match itself, but WrestleMania as a whole. Great work from all involved.
Full Match: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d8WLXyX-jn4
75) William Regal vs Kassius Ohno
NXT TV (April) 2013
William Regal would wrestle the last match of his in-ring career in December of 2013 in a great match with the super athlete, Cesaro. However, Regal's commitment to "doing the right thing" is the reason that match doesn't appear on this list. Regal, suspect his career was ending, allowed Cesaro to physical dominate him to an extreme degree, in a bid to enhance his opponent's reputation. It's a great piece of work, but not one that lends itself rewatching. Far more enjoyable for me is this very similar match from earlier in the year. By this stage, Regal was very much a part-time competitor, spending much of his time in the commentary position. Kassius Ohno on the otherhand, was a hungry upstart in his prime, who saw Regal as an opportunity to prove his superiority in the ring. The eventual match between the two would provide some excellent technical wrestling, but it is the character work on display that gets it's place on this list. Regal portrays the loveable rogue to perfection, and every veteran cheapshot he takes can't help but elicit cheers. The last truly great match of a 30 year career, and a solid testament to not only Regal's body of work, but also the ethos that would lead him to be one of the more successful trainers at WWE's Performance Center.
Full Match: https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x4d3uc6
74) AJ Styles vs Abyss (Six Sides Of Steel)
TNA Lockdown 2005
TNA was always a strange beast of a promotion. Born from the collapse of both WCW and ECW in the early 2000's, TNA lacked an identity of its own in its formative years. It wasnt until it started to invest in its homegrown talent that the promotion began to fulfil it's potential, and this match in 2005 was one of it's first truly classic main events. AJ Styles is probably TNA's lasting legacy on the industry. A smaller highflyer, who under other circumstances would have been confined to cruiserweight contents, Styles sheer talent inside the ring quickly built him a reputation that would lead him to hold the NWA World Championship heading into this event. In stark contrast was TNA's other success story of the period, the monster Abyss. Standing at 6ft 10in, Abyss could easily have stood simply as TNA's answer to The Undertaker, but his clear fondness for the work of Mick Foley, lead Abyss to become truly his own beast, and developed in him a fondness for a spot of the old ultraviolence. When Styles and Abyss clashed within TNA's answer to the steel cage, the 'Six Sides Of Steel', many anticipated a spectacle but few could have expected a true classic and one of the best matches in TNA history.
Full Match: https://www.dailymotion.com/video/xyg8cq
73) Shinsuke Nakamura vs Kota Ibushi
NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 9 2015
My relationship with Japanese pro-wrestling (or "puroresu") has run hot and cold throughout my fandom of the medium. I was thrilled by the odd bout of All Japan Pro Wrestling that I was able to catch on Eurosport in the mid 90's and had a brief flirtation with Pro Wrestling NOAH in the early 2000's, but I never fully commited time to learning the intricacies of storytelling needed to cross any language barrier whether it be pro-wrestling, film, literature or indeed any artform. And then I saw Shinsuke Nakamura wrestle and became a life long convert. 'The King Of Strong Style' had been one of the mainstays of New Japan Pro Wrestling during the dark days of its mid-2000s flirtation with MMA, and as a result was already a well established talent with a hard hitting style before he turned to the darkside of heeldom in 2009. Upon that change of moral allignment, Nakamura began to develop a creativity and flamboyance that would completely rejuvenate his career. This match, against Ibushi in 2015, sees Nakamura at the peak of his powers, taking on a hugely talented, but unfocused, challenger in the form of Kota Ibushi. A quintessential retelling of the hardened veteran colliding with the feisty newcomer trope, and one of the best matches either man would ever have. Plus the version I've linked to has Jim Ross on commentary for an added bonus, great stuff.
Full Match: https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x6e8ozb
72) Mr Perfect vs Bret Hart
WWF SummerSlam 1991
Throughout the 1980's, Bret Hart had been primarily known as a tag team wrestler, even earner the somewhat cursed nickname of "tag-team specialist". Yet Hart's skills had earned him a series of one off singles matches, against the likes of Ted Dibease and Randy Savage, and by 1991 he had developed a fan following entirely seperate from his Hart Foundation tag-team with Jim Neidhart. Debuting with the WWF in 1988, Curt Hennig, wrestling under the moniker of 'Mr Perfect' had himself developed a reputation for excellence and had firmly established himself on the roster as one of it's most reliable performers. When the match between these two men was made for SummerSlam, expectations were high. However, unbeknowst to fans, Hennig was going into this match with a broken tailbone and bulging discs in his spine, yet due to his respect for Hart, 'Mr Perfect' insisted the match go ahead and puts on clinic with his opponent that would firmly establish 'The Hitman' as rising singles talent. The two men would arguably have a better match at King Of The Ring in 1993 but I will always prefer this match owing to how important it is to Hart's career and the sheer effort put forward by Hennig.
Full Match Part 1: https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x6ksmh
Full Match Part 2: https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x6kt17
71) Triple H vs Cactus Jack (Street Fight)
WWF Royal Rumble 2000
The second match between these two men on this list, and the middle part of what I consider to be a thematic trilogy. By early 2000, Hunter Hearst Helmsley had completed his transformation into Triple H, and was on the verge of achieving greatness. It is a maxim of pro-wrestling, that in order to make that final leap into being viewed as a true headliner, a rising talent must defeat an established star. Unluckily for Triple H, the two most established stars of the time, Steve Austin and The Undertaker, were both out of action at this time and an inevitable confrontation with The Rock was being saved for WrestleMania. Enter Mick Foley. By late 1999, Foley had become one of the most beloved performers in all of wrestling and his Mankind persona had morphed into a more comedic act, in part to cover for Foley's physical decline. Mick knew he was approaching the end of his career, but wanted to redeem some of his prior reputation before he retired, so he brought back Cactus Jack. For the second time in his career, a returning Cactus Jack with something to prove, was matched against Triple H. The 'Street Fight' (no disqualification, no count out) match between the two men would be the most explicitly violent bout ever conducted in a WWF ring to that point, and both men left the ring bigger stars than they entered. Perhaps a tad overlong, but undiably compelling throughout.
Full Match: https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x3fv5u9
Hopefully I'm back on a daily routine now and part 4 will be out tomorrow.
Comments
Post a Comment