Most Influential Match Ever

[Guest Austin3164life]

I've just tought of these matches off of the top of my head. Some had immense crowd reactions, whereas some others were just the total packages. Which matche(s) really shaped pro-wrestling like never before?

[Guest the incomparable]

It's tough to say what the most influential match ever is. I would break it down into eras. The following is strictly my opinion now. It may change if I thought about it longer. Hogan / Andre was the most influntial match of the the Hulkamania 1980's through early 1990's. Bret / Yokozuna from Wrestle Mania X was the most influential match of the mid 1990's. Yes the match was poor, but it cemented Bret as the WWF's go to guy for the next few years. Hart / Austin from Wrestle Mania 13 was the most influential of the attitude era, and was cemented by Austin / Michaels from Wrestle Mania 14. Assuming that the attitude era is over, I don't think that there has been a match that one could point to in recent times that would be argued as the most influential match of post attitude.

[Guest NazMistry]

If you want to talk about matches shaping wrestling, Hogan Vs. The Iron Sheik Jan 23rd 1984.

This is THE match that kickstarted Professional Wrestling into the Big time.

But from the list, I'd say Austin-Rock at WM17. Simply because it defined the Era of Attitude, and it officially ended the Era Attitude in my opinion.

From that match on, the WWF/WWE has struggled.

It was like Hogan-Warrior from WM6 ending HulkaMania. But simply because Austin-Rock made more money, i'll give it the edge.

[Guest bob_barron]

What about Dude Love v. Austin??

 

I voted Austin v. Bret WM13

[Guest Coffin Surfer]

The Dynamite Kid/Tiger Mask I matches in the early 80s.

[Guest AlwaysPissedOff]

Bob has a point. Austin/Love established the current WWE style of wrestling that we are so used to now.

[Guest La Parka Es Mi Papa]

What about Micheals/Ramon ladder match?

[Guest Respect The 'Taker]

What about Micheals/Ramon ladder match?

I agree, the HBK - Razor ladder match set the standard for ladder matches, it made the thing cool and spawned so many spin-off's it's not funny.

 

But in terms of its impact, i voted Bret - Austin WM13, the match which made Austin's career IMO.

 

This has been the Taker Mark

[Guest AlwaysPissedOff]

What about Micheals/Ramon ladder match?

Well, in terms of impact on the WWE, HBK/Razor really wasn't all that important expect in relation to the ladder match. Not saying it wasn't important, but there have bene plenty that have had more significance to them.

[Guest nWoScorpion]

INFLUENCIAL? I PICK NONE OF THESE MATCHES. Most of them are hyped up matches people were dying to see. Not for insperation. Insperation is probably HHH wrestling with his quad ripped in half (like i care for him, but thats still influential). Or Benoit wrestling 3-4 weeks with a near broken neck in june 2001.

[Guest bob_barron]

That's not insperation son-

 

That's inspiration

[Guest Shaved Bear]

i said the Hart Foundation, because it really ignited set off the feud that eventually led to the attitude era

[Guest nWoScorpion]

That's not insperation son-

 

That's inspiration

You prove I can't spell unless I spell check. Next Case.

[Guest CanadianChris]

Influential? Gotta be Austin/Hart. Made Austin, turned Bret Hart and paved the way for his departure, introduced the "WWF Style," laid the groundwork for "Attitude"...the list goes on and on.

 

Half of those matches don't even belong on this list, though...Rock/Hogan? C'mon. Fun match, but hardly influential on anything.

[Guest I Fear Hogans Air Guitair]

I voted Austin VS Bret.

[Guest EC F'N W]

I voted Hart Foundation vs. Austin, etc. I get goosebumps/tears everytime i watch it, Bret rules, 'nuff said.

[Guest CanadianChris]

I voted Hart Foundation vs. Austin, etc. I get goosebumps/tears everytime i watch it, Bret rules, 'nuff said.

Yeah, but what did it ever influence? How did it alter the course of history?

[Guest I Fear Hogans Air Guitair]

Hart Foundation VS Austin, etc was a very solid match but it did nothing to change the course of history. As I said before I voted Bret VS Austin that made austin A star and changed the course of history. I almost voted HBK VS Bret because I remember as a kid watching My two favourite wrestlers battle it out two see who was number 1 (I was a mark at that stage).

[Guest Your Olympic Hero]

I'm another who agrees with Dude Love vs. Steve Austin... but from that list, I'll have to go with Austin vs. Bret. Great, great feud.

[Guest converge241]

Austin Hart. it cemented the shades of grey era that the WWF was slowly flirting with in Austin and the NWO in WCW by having the double turn. And set the template for the WWF style match as well.

[Guest The Flying Dutchman]

Chris Benoit vs. Kurt Angle at Wrestlemania X-7 may end up being one of the most influential matches of all time. It hasn't had enough time yet, but with the highly positive crowd reaction to the amateur wrestling style and the fact that it pretty much heralded the beginnings of the new more psychological WWE style that's starting to show through.

[Guest converge241]

wow! thats an interesting theory dutchman. I never thought of that.

[Guest kingkamala]

Austin Vs Bret Hart, there's no way WWE/F could repeat that today take one of there top faces and one of there top heels and do a successful double turn

[Guest Boseephus Jones]

I think a lot of people are confusing most important match with most influential match. For example Bret and Austin's match made Austin's career, but it didn't change how other wrestlers looked at their matches.

 

The most influential would be the WMX ladder match. It introduced hardcore into the main stream and allowed WWF to go deeper and deeper into the genre. It brought a lot of stiff work in too, as before that wrestling was pretty much void of stiff wrestling in North America (in the main stream). Many matches still contain elements of that match (and not just ladder matches).

 

This really spawned the attitude era if you ask me, Austin and Bret ushered in its arrival.

[Guest MrRant]

I think the most influential wrestling match was the first one.

[Guest godthedog]

I think a lot of people are confusing most important match with most influential match. For example Bret and Austin's match made Austin's career, but it didn't change how other wrestlers looked at their matches.

 

huh? have you WATCHED wrestling in the past 5 years? that match set the standard for main-event level matches that continues to this day. that match is the reason that every main event level match starts off (hell, almost any match in the wwf) with lots of punching, has no actual build in pacing (just basically stays on the same level of intensity throughout the match, except at the very end when it's turned up a bit) & has brawling between all the wrestling spots. matches that start with chain wrestling & move to big spots via holds are now the exception, not the rule. there's a HUGE difference between the average match 6 or 7 years ago & the average match today.

[Guest converge241]

exactly GTD exactly

 

like i said before too it was the architect for the shades of grey that the WWF turned into

[Guest Boseephus Jones]

Point definitely taken, but I hope you see where I'm comin' from. I feel the Shawn and Razor match led to the type of violence and stiff spots that were used in such matches as Bret vs. Austin.

 

But I totally see what you mean by the pacing.

[Guest Slingshot Suplex]

Superstar Billy Graham defeating Bruno Sammartino for the WWF title because Graham's character was a forefather to what we got later.Muscular,colorful......he set a new standard.

[Guest Midnight Express83]

As of that list: Austin vs Hart. As of the current WWF/E era: Its Austin vs Foley at Over the Edge 98. But....

 

The most influential match ever in my opinion is a tie with Billy Graham vs Bruno Samartino for the WWWF World title Where billy wins with the Flair roll up, before it was even called that. He not only changed the whole heel book, he made the tweener book, and gave the promo style of Rocky, Flair, AND Hogan. Second would be Tiger Mask vs Dynamite Kid. They made the whole Lightheavyweight style. It wasn't just skinny people do the same things that the top of the card was doing, they were making a style the Ligers and Benoits would own now a days.