Must See Matches

[Guest Dazed]

So, what are the quintessential WWWF / WWF / WWE matches? Give as much detail as possible, and I'll edit this post to reflect each year's best matches, whether they be obvious choices or forgotten favourites.

 

 

===

The old Match Reviews thread can be found here

[Guest Loss]

Do these need to be matches from 2004 only?

[Guest Dazed]

There's two clues in the first post. See if you can spot them

[Lil' Bitch 0]

Savage / Steamboat | Hogan / Andre - WM 3

 

Savage / Hogan - WM 5

 

Rude / Warrior - SS 89

 

Hogan / Warrior - WM 6

 

Sting / Flair - GAB 1990

 

Savage / Warrior - WM 7

 

The 1992 Royal Rumble

 

Hart / Piper | Savage / Flair - WM 8

 

Savage & Hart / Flair & HBK - Grudges, Gripes, & Grunts

 

Hart / Smith - SS 92

 

Flair / Vader - Starrcade 93

 

The 1994 Royal Rumble

 

Hart / Hart - WM X / SS 94

 

Michaels / Ramon - WM X / SS 95

 

Hart / Nash - SSeries 95

 

Flair / Sting / Luger - Starrcade 95

 

Hart / Michaels - WM XII

 

Michaels / Nash - IYH 7

 

Michaels / Smith - Beware of Dog

 

Michaels / Foley - Mind Games

 

Hart / Austin - SSeries 96 / WM XIII

 

Team USA Vs. The Hart Foundation - Canadian Stampede

 

Austin & Michaels / Hart & Smith - RAW July 97

 

Hart / Undertaker - SS 97

 

Michaels / Undertaker - BB 97

 

Guerrero / Mysterio - HHavoc 97

 

Austin / Michaels - WM XIV

 

Austin / Foley - OTE 98

 

Foley / Undertaker - KOTR 98

 

Austin / Undertaker - SS 98

 

Goldberg / Page - HHavoc 98

 

Rock / Foley - RAW January 1999

 

Rock / Foley - RR 99

 

Austin / HHH / Foley - SS 99

 

Benoit / Hart - Nitro Oct 1999

 

HHH / Foley - RR, NWO 2000

 

Rock / HHH - Backlash, Judgment Day, SS 2000

 

Rock / Angle - NM 2000 / NWO 01

 

Benoit / Jericho - RR 01

 

Austin / HHH - NWO 01

 

Flair / Sting - the final Nitro

 

Austin / Rock | HHH / Undertaker / TLC II - WM XVII

 

Benoit & Jericho / Austin & HHH - RAW May 01

 

Austin / Benoit - SD May 01

 

TLC III - SD May 01

 

Austin / Angle - SS 01

 

Rock / Jericho - NM 01

 

Rock / Hogan - WM XVIII

 

Guerrero / RVD - Judgment Day 02, RAW June 02

 

Angle / Rock / Undertaker - Vengeance 02

 

Edge / Jericho - SD July 02

 

HHH / HBK | Rock / Lesnar - SS 02

 

Edge / Guerrero - the SD follwing Unforgiven 02

 

Lesnar / Undertaker - NM 02

 

Angle / Benoit - RR 03

 

Angle / Lesnar - WM XIX | SS 03

 

HBK / Y2J - WM XIX

 

Guerrero / Benoit | Angle / Lesnar / Show - Vengeance 03

 

Angle / Undertaker - SD in September 03

 

Team Austin / Team Bischoff - SSeries 03

 

Benoit / Lesnar - SD December 03

 

HHH / HBK - RAW December 03

 

The 2004 Royal Rumble

 

Guerrero / Lesnar - NWO 04

 

Angle / Guerrero | Benoit / HHH / HBK - WM XX

 

Foley / Orton - Backlash 04

 

Benjamin / Orton | Benoit / Kane - BB 04

 

Benoit / Orton - SS 04

 

 

Whew.

[Guest LooneyTune]

Since I'm on a Jannetty-high, the 2 Jannetty vs. Michaels matches from 1993 (5/17/93 I think & 7/19/93) on RAW are pretty damn good, with the latter being the 1993 MOTY.

[Blade2kxx 0]

how could we forget the HOT Chicago 10-Man?

 

HHH/X-Pac/Benoit/Saturn/Malenko vs. Cactus Jack/Rocky/Too Cool/Rikishi

[Guest the_last_rites]

bret hart v perfect from KOTR 93 was great

[Guest krazykat72]

Savage/Hart 10/87 and Savage/Michaels 4/92

 

See Randy work with 2 up and comers and really make both look credible (and sell his ass of in both matches, which really makes it look like the challengers have a shot)

 

Hart/Michaels 11/92

 

Rockers/Brainbusters SNME 2/3 Falls, SNME 11/88 (I think)

 

Rockers/Orient Express 1/91

 

Michaels/ Jarrett 7/95

 

Michaels/ Ramon 8/94

 

Michaels&Nash vs. Ramon/1-2-3 Kid 10/94

 

Hart/123 Kid 4/94

 

Hart/Flair 1/93 Marathon Match

 

Michaels/ O. Hart 2/96

 

MIchaels/ DBS 6/96 (KOTR far >>> Beware of Dog)

 

Savage/ Steamboat 11/86 (put an ending on it and it's better than 3/87)

 

-Paul Jacobi-

[Guest Loss]

Savage/Hart 10/87 and Savage/Michaels 4/92

 

See Randy work with 2 up and comers and really make both look credible (and sell his ass of in both matches, which really makes it look like the challengers have a shot)

Much agreed, especially on Savage/Bret. That was SUCH a smart, well-worked match with a unique approach to body part psych.

[Guest Dynamite Kido]

Dibiase vs. Bret Hart - MSG 1991

 

-This match is like a breath of fresh air. It's about 24 minutes in length and they do a great job in this one. I would recommend this to any wrestling fan.....a really good technical match. Very impressive.....

[MARTYEWR 0]

There's two clues in the first post. See if you can spot them

Hmmm, I'll say your mentions of "WWWF/WWF" and "each year". Do I win a prize?

 

As for matches not mentioned in the big list posted, I'd also add Hulk Hogan vs. Brock Lesnar from Smackdown in August 2002. This was a great showing of the old hero vs. young lion storyline that the WWE tries to do, but doesn't always succeed with. I really liked the ending, not so much with Hogan submitting clean, but the blood was necessary. It was a symbol of what had never been done to Hogan, so that made Lesnar look very special at that time. I'd argue that he really started getting over at this point, even if Hogan had fallen to the midcard around this time. This also got Lesnar real hot for the SS 02 match against the Rock.

[HarleyQuinn 0]

- 1992-10-27 IC Title: Davey Boy Smith© vs Shawn Michaels

- 1994-01-22 Tag Titles: Quebecers© vs Bret & Owen Hart

Note: Very underrated match that is usually only known for the heel turn.

- 1995-07-23 IC Title: Jeff Jarrett© vs Shawn Michaels

- 1997-03-03 European Title: Owen Hart vs Davey Boy Smith

- 1997-05-26 Tag Titles: Davey Boy Smith & Owen Hart© vs Steve Austin & Shawn Michaels

[ISportsFan 0]

how could we forget the HOT Chicago 10-Man?

 

HHH/X-Pac/Benoit/Saturn/Malenko vs. Cactus Jack/Rocky/Too Cool/Rikishi

That was in Dallas on 2/7/00.

 

The 8-man in Chicago before Backlash 2004 was also good--Evolution v. Benoit/Michaels/Foley/Benjamin.

 

Jason

[Tawren 0]

Sting / Flair - GAB 1990

WCW.

 

Flair / Vader - Starrcade 93

 

WCW.

 

The 1994 Royal Rumble

 

Terrible. Not as bad as the coming years, but not good at all.

 

Flair / Sting / Luger - Starrcade 95

 

WCW, and not even the best match on that show.

 

Hart / Michaels - WM XII

 

Ugh. 65 minutes of them doing next to nothing but getting praised because "It's long OMG classic!".

 

Hart / Undertaker - SS 97

 

Terrible. The One Night Only match was miles ahead of this.

 

Guerrero / Mysterio - HHavoc 97

 

WCW.

 

Goldberg / Page - HHavoc 98

 

WCW.

 

Rock / Foley - RAW January 1999

 

Terrible. The Rumble and Valentine's Day Massacre matches are both better, but those aren't exactly good either.

 

Austin / HHH / Foley - SS 99

 

Attack of the boring, mindless three way brawl! Terrible.

 

Benoit / Hart - Nitro Oct 1999

 

WCW.

 

 

Flair / Sting - the final Nitro

 

WCW.

 

Austin / Rock | HHH / Undertaker / TLC II - WM XVII

 

TLC2 and HHH/Undertaker are both terrible matches. HHH/Undertaker is a wacky mindless brawl with boatloads of slow spots, and TLC2 is a spotfest that is nowhere near as good as it's predecessor.

 

TLC III - SD May 01

 

Terrible. Better than TLC4, but still not good at all.

 

Angle / Rock / Undertaker - Vengeance 02

 

Terrible. Finisher-burning city, wow. That's must-see.

 

Edge / Jericho - SD July 02

 

Tons of lying around mixed with the usual stuff. Not bad, not must-see.

 

HHH / HBK | Rock / Lesnar - SS 02

 

HHH/HBK is one of the greatest examples usable for how much HBK sucks. He no-sells 20 minutes of back work and then they hit the super-contrived spots, followed by an exciting roll up for the win! WOW! Brock/Rock isn't exactly a classic either.

 

Edge / Guerrero - the SD follwing Unforgiven 02

 

A nothing 10 minutes followed by 10 minutes of contrived spots and spotty selling. Bad.

 

Angle / Lesnar - WM XIX | SS 03

 

These aren't terrible, but they are nowhere near must-see. Little story mixed with the usual Angle selling doesn't make must-see.

 

HBK / Y2J - WM XIX

 

The biggest Y2J burial of 2003. Don't forget weak offense, more HBK no-selling, and the wrong guy winning.

 

Guerrero / Benoit | Angle / Lesnar / Show - Vengeance 03

 

Guerrero/Benoit is almost fun, and the 3 way is finisher after finisher after finisher. Neither are anywhere near must-see. And you left off the best match of the card, the Mysterio & Kidman vs Haas and Benjamin tag.

 

Team Austin / Team Bischoff - SSeries 03

 

40 minutes of nothing plus 5 minutes of HBK sloppily fighting three men and being made to look unbeatable until a run-in ending doesn't exactly make good.

 

HHH / HBK - RAW December 03

 

Overrated to hell, with more pointless chops and the traditional same old stuff from both men followed by an inconclusive finish. Terrible.

 

The 2004 Royal Rumble

 

Not as bad as 2002 and 2003, but nowhere near good. Benoit does nothing even though he should be the focal point, plus looooong boring stretches and no actual good wrestling.

 

Angle / Guerrero | Benoit / HHH / HBK - WM XX

 

Angle/Guerrero is fun. The triple threat is one of the most overrated matches ever, simply because Benoit won. HBK contributes nothing. Some fun moments but little in the way of good.

 

Foley / Orton - Backlash 04

 

Contrived, pointless spot city. I really don't get the appeal of this.

 

Benjamin / Orton | Benoit / Kane - BB 04

 

Benjamin/Orton was the usual stuff, nowhere near must-see. Kane/Benoit was good, but again, unless the definition of must-see is around ***1/4, this isn't it.

[Hunter's Torn Quad 0]

Instead of lots of complaining and moaning about someone else's selections, how about providing some of your own ? You know, since that is the point of the thread after all.

 

As for matches I'd recommend seeing, I'd go with Cobra v Black Tiger, from MSG in January 1984. It's on the undercard of Hogan beating the Iron Sheik. It gets overlooked a lot, which is criminal. It's got some really great wrestling, a few hot aerial moves, which the crowd pop for, commentators putting both men over, and a clean finish.

[Tawren 0]

Instead of lots of complaining and moaning about someone else's selections, how about providing some of your own ? You know, since that is the point of the thread after all.

No problem, boss.

 

Undertaker vs Bret Hart, One Night Only 1997

Maybe Taker's best match ever. Both men do a great job of selling damage, particularily Taker who does a mighty fine job with the leg. Bret also has lots of good control segments and leg work. Finish sucks, but everything else is great.

 

Owen Hart vs British Bulldog, 2/26/97

European tournament final. Perfect story of oneupsmanship chock full of sweet attempts to outdo the other. Crisp as hell and does a great job of establishing the title as important, as well as making both men look like gold.

 

Steve Austin vs Bret Hart vs Undertaker vs Vader, Final Four 1997

Probably the first really great brawl in the WWF, and up there with the best. Violent, stiff, bloody, with off the charts heat. They do a good job of mixing in the unique stipulation of Rumble-like rules. Austin is the pissed off jerk, and comes back for one of my favorite finishing sequences in WWF history.

 

Taka Michinoku vs Great Sasuke, Canadian Stampede 1997

Must-see just for proof that cruiserweights can get over with a crowd that doesn't know them, because the crowd is silent for the start but is going insane by the end. Plus, lots of wacky moves including killer kicks to the face, a tope, a beautiful plancha, and of course the thunder fire bomb to finish it.

 

Shawn Micheals and Diesel vs 123 Kid and Razor Ramon, 10/94 Action Zone

Non-stop action for 15 minutes, plus great use of the usual US tag formula. This is easily up there with some of the often-pimped tag matches such as HHH/Austin vs Benoit/Jericho 5/21/01. Star of the match is 123 Kid with great selling. Lots of swank offense and the 2 guys that you wouldn't think would put on a great performance (guess which) wrestle one of the best matches of their lives.

[Guest LooneyTune]

Tawren has a point. The person listed a bunch of WCW matches when the title says WWWF/WWF/WWE, but about half the matches he insulted I don't agree with the bitching. TLC II was not suppose to be a WRESTLING match. It was an awesome spot fest, and thats how I look at it.

 

The WM XX Triple Threat was no way *****, but I wouldn't call it the most over-rated match ever. That honor goes to the * Brock/Angle Iron-Man that everyone shits their pants over.

[Lil' Bitch 0]

Just for the record, I only read the title and posted my list in general.

[Guest The Shadow Behind You]

Who shits their pants over that? Most people save for a few well known idiots pissed on the Iron Man match.

 

Which Iron Man was Better? (sorry if this takes from the intent of the thread)

 

Benoit/HHH Or Brock/Angle?

 

I say Benoit/HHH but that's likely because it was live and not taped...either one was anything good.

 

Here's a couple Missed Matches

 

Bret Hart Vs Bob Backlund-Series 1994

Bret Hart Vs Hakushi-IYH #1

Bret Hart Vs Nash-Rumble 1995

 

Steve Austin Vs Ric Flair-June 2002 Raw (I'm not saying it's a ***** match, I'd put it at ** but it's historical because it was Austin's last real match match since Rock/Austin III was a glorified brawl with little workrate)

 

Steiner Brothers Vs Money Inc.- Cage Match (not sure when and where it can be found)

 

Hulk Hogan Vs Harley Race-SNME 1987

 

TWGTT VS Los Guerreros-Early 2003 Smackdown

 

The World's Greatest Tag Team Vs Eddy Guerrero and Tajiri-Blackedout Smackdown '03

 

TWGTT Vs Kidman and Mysterio-Vengence 2003

 

Eddy Guerrero Vs Rey Mysterio-Smackdown 2004

 

Kurt Angle Vs Rey Mysterio Vs Chris Benoit-Smackdown 2002

 

Chris Benoit Vs John Cena-Smackdown 2003

 

Paul London Vs Jamie Knoble-Velocity 2004

[Guest LooneyTune]

Just for the record, I only read the title and posted my list in general.

Still was a good list, and the avatar of Funaki rules I guess someone in Old School shall start a Best WCW Matches List.

 

Money Inc/Steiners Cage I have on tape somewhere. It was televised on the 1993 Summerslam Spectacular show the week before the Summerslam PPV (also on the show was Backlund vs. HBK, which was mentioned in the IC Title DVD thread I think). It aired on 8/22/93.

[res37618 0]

Shawn Micheals and Diesel vs 123 Kid and Razor Ramon, 10/94 Action Zone

Non-stop action for 15 minutes, plus great use of the usual US tag formula. This is easily up there with some of the often-pimped tag matches such as HHH/Austin vs Benoit/Jericho 5/21/01. Star of the match is 123 Kid with great selling. Lots of swank offense and the 2 guys that you wouldn't think would put on a great performance (guess which) wrestle one of the best matches of their lives.

Definitely agree with that one . . . . that match is also on the WWF Slamfest video that was released in late '95 or early '96. If you can find the tape, pick it up, it's worth your time and money.

[Guest Loss]

I would disagree that TLC III is a bad match. I think it's a very good match, actually, showing some terrific selling by Benoit, and Edge and Christian are great heels here. Jericho is excellent here as well, taking some sick bumps and understanding his role in the story of the match. The other TLC matches I don't care much for, but Benoit and Jericho were so good in this match and Edge and Christian were a machine. In terms of telling a good story, and doing it effectively, this is quite awesome. Jeff Hardy and the Dudleyz are, as usual, good for only the occasional high spot, but Matt seems to be more interested in doing something more inspired and different. Check out his exchanges with Jericho. One of the best spots of the match is when E & C go for a conchairto, only for Benoit to put his hands up instinctively, leading to Edge & Christian doing the move on his already-injured ribs. Benoit's selling of that spot is sublime. I would only put this at about ***1/2 or so, but to write it off as bad isn't accurate.

[Lil' Bitch 0]

Shawn Micheals and Diesel vs 123 Kid and Razor Ramon, 10/94 Action Zone

Non-stop action for 15 minutes, plus great use of the usual US tag formula. This is easily up there with some of the often-pimped tag matches such as HHH/Austin vs Benoit/Jericho 5/21/01. Star of the match is 123 Kid with great selling. Lots of swank offense and the 2 guys that you wouldn't think would put on a great performance (guess which) wrestle one of the best matches of their lives.

 

There's a HBK / Nash Vs. Waltman / Hall match on Best Hits From The Heartbreak Kid video (94 - 95). Is it the same match as the one stated above or a different one?

[MillenniumMan831 0]

I have 2 Shawn Michaels CVs and that match is on neither. It is on Slamfest 95 (Other matches are Luger/Diesel, Kid/Yoko, and a couple others, just a 60min quickie).

[Guest LooneyTune]

Speaking of that tape, Luger/Diesel had a match that had no right to be that good. I don't know who slipped them work-rate pills, but they had a pretty darn good match. IIRC, it originally aired on Monday Night Raw sometime in July '94.

[cawthon777 0]

Shawn Micheals and Diesel vs 123 Kid and Razor Ramon, 10/94 Action Zone

Non-stop action for 15 minutes, plus great use of the usual US tag formula. This is easily up there with some of the often-pimped tag matches such as HHH/Austin vs Benoit/Jericho 5/21/01. Star of the match is 123 Kid with great selling. Lots of swank offense and the 2 guys that you wouldn't think would put on a great performance (guess which) wrestle one of the best matches of their lives.

 

There's a HBK / Nash Vs. Waltman / Hall match on Best Hits From The Heartbreak Kid video (94 - 95). Is it the same match as the one stated above or a different one?

Same match.

[cawthon777 0]

I have 2 Shawn Michaels CVs and that match is on neither. It is on Slamfest 95 (Other matches are Luger/Diesel, Kid/Yoko, and a couple others, just a 60min quickie).

The tape he was talking about came out in early 95, I believe. Shawn hosts the tape as a heel and it covers KOTR 93 vs. Crush all the way up to fall 94 when he and Diesel were tag champs. 2 hours long. Pretty good tape.

[pochorenella 0]

I'm in disagreement on many of Tawren's remarks on his first post, but I don't feel like bitching over how he clearly dislikes pretty much every Shawn Michaels match.

 

I feel like mentioning the TAKA vs Sasuke rematch they had the day after Canadian Stampede. Pretty terrific match that I think gets ignored over their previous encounter.

 

And sorry if I missed somebody mentioning them, but I don't see both Edge/Rey vs Benoit/Angle SD!Tag Title matches anywhere. Must see for 2002 without a doubt.

[UseTheSledgehammerUh 0]

Team Austin Vs. Team Bischoff is the 2003 MOTY.

 

You need to rewatch it. There's like one rest hold the entire match, for 15 seconds. ITS ALL ACTION.

[pochorenella 0]

Team Austin Vs. Team Bischoff is the 2003 MOTY.

 

You need to rewatch it.  There's like one rest hold the entire match, for 15 seconds.  ITS ALL ACTION.

You're forgetting that that match featured Shawn Michaels prominently in the final stages, so that pretty much disqualifies it as being a MOTYC, with all that unnecessary blading, kip-ups, or no-selling that Shawn supposedly does. Remember its cool on this board to hate Shawn Michaels.

 

I absolutely loved that match, BTW.