The frills were minimal, the pace was fast beginning to end, it goes down quicker than an actual cup of coffee and the showcase was meant to be on the back-to-basics efficiency that settled the often-bizarre rivalry preceding it. ANTHONY BENIGNO, We defy you to think of the Hell in a Cell Match without picturing The Undertaker throwing Mick Foley off the side of the demonic structure and onto a table below. KOFI KINGSTON, AS TOLD TO ZACH LINDER. The animosity between Tully Blanchard and Magnum T.A. Thats how I learned by listening to these guys, my mentors. From a crash-and-burn standpoint, no, it was not going to be like that. Both duos represented four of WCWs most popular stars at the time, making this a unique and rarely seen battle of fan favorites. You can trace the moment NXT became must-see television to the second the final bell rang in this jaw-dropping 2-out-of-3 Falls Match between Sami Zayn and Cesaro. Two rings, covered by a cage, no way out and a lot of hair and blood flying. "Its a masterpiece." "It was an incredible match, and if you watch it back now, it still holds up like a great movie. Despite the fact that both Superstars were (and are) better known for their explosive, OMG-inducing acrobatics, the match quickly turned into a gritty battle of wills, wherein Zayn seemed to correct, one by one, the mistakes that had previously kept him from the title. As a fan, knowing he was coming back to have a match was probably the most excited Id ever been. MATTHEW ARTUS, To this day, Bret Hart vs. Shawn Michaels stands as one of the greatest rivalries in WWE history. The Undertaker and Shawn Michaels. At SummerSlam 2013, CM Punk faced off against Brock Lesnar while Heyman cheered on the monster from ringside. Alas, from a business standpoint, it killed the Attitude Era. When inspired, The Total Package could go, and he showed that during an NWA Title opportunity that was originally intended for an injured Sting. So, to see a Ladder Match live was a big deal. used it to his advantage, forcing Blanchard to quit and reclaiming the U.S. "I thought I would collect on the Lloyd's of London policy that would kick in after a 450-pound man sandwiched me. For another, he was facing AJ Styles, who was 3-0 against Cena as a singles competitor going back to their first battle seven months earlier. Some 30 minutes later, it was clear they didnt want Malenko vs. Guerrero to end. ZACK RYDER, AS TOLD TO ZACH LINDER. So Hogan vs. Andre at WrestleMania III and Undertaker vs. Mankind at King of the Ring 1998 are out. "I wouldn't have necessarily predicted beforehand that Orton and Christian would have been so great together. The match has it all from CM Punk's early match domination, to one of Kofi Kingston's most creative survival attempts, to Triple H's shocking elimination by his best friend, Shawn Michaels, to massive amounts of star power (Cena, Batista, Jericho), to a shocking return and subsequent victory that nobody predicted (Edge). Shawn Michaels is arguably the greatest in-ring performer ever, period. The athletic Charlotte captured the NXT Womens Championship against a ring veteran, giving the WWE Universe a taste of what wasto come in the Women's Division. "Chris and I were not big on going into a Ladder Match. 1 Many big names have already been revealed, so. While these matches come from different eras, they all have one thing in common: They have earned their place in history as the greatest ever. Maybe the best, in fact. 1 contenders hand at the bout's outset. "The Nature Boy" came prepared for Steamboats unquestioned tactical superiority. May 10 th, 1999 - 8.1 The highest rated episode ever of Raw and. "The Nature Boy" Ric Flair and "Macho Man" Randy Savage, Razor Ramon vs. Shawn Michaels for the Intercontinental Championship in a ladder match. Yet Vince McMahon had other plans in 2014, specifically an ill-conceived bout between former Evolution teammates Randy Orton and Dave Batista. WWE's first Hell in a Cell Match is best known for giving us our first glimpse of Kane, who tore the door off the notorious structure to get his hands on The Undertaker, costing his brother the match. Consider this: the Hell In A Cell match was once the ultimate stipulation. And when that identity is put on the line in a match, it makes that bout incredibly personal. All are masterpieces, but with careful consideration the choice is clear Sgt. The match ended with one of the greatest conclusions in WrestleMania history, as Triple H tapped out to Chris Benoit, followed by the emotional Benoit celebrating his first (and only) World title win beside his best friend, Eddie Guerrero. For example, the most famous spot, when Edge speared a dangling Jeff Hardy from a ladder. The run-up to this match included some of the greatest hairdos and outfits ever worn in wrestling history, and the match certainly lived up to such sartorial expectations. "The year before, one of our camera guys, Stu, asked how old my son was. What made TLC II so excellent is it is a painstakingly and let's be honest, painful assembly of jaw-dropping moments that coalesce into a single story. Pro wrestling fans chanting "this is awesome!" You could make the case that this was the best of their three WrestleMania matches because they knew each other so well at this point. It was over-the-top and cartoony in the best way, and resulted in a bout that ended with a bloody Flair getting rolled up by Savage for the 1-2-3. The fact that its my personal favorite and Randys personal favorite, given all the great matches hes been through, is pretty telling. That was not the case in 2014. In a match that can be considered one of the finest displays of technical wrestling ever, Perfect worked over Hart and thought he had retained his title, only for the "Hit Man" to kick out of the Perfect Plex. With both Brock and Angle coming from standout amateur wrestling backgrounds, it's no surprise these two elite athletes took their battle to the mat at first, before The Anomaly poured on the pure strength to wear down his opponent. Throwing caution to the wind, both teams pushed their bodies to the limit in a Ladder Match display the likes of which the WWE Universe had never seen before. In the midst of complete disorder with bodies flying everywhere, Kane hurled Seth Rollins off the top rope and into the waiting RKO of The Viper. JOHN CLAPP. Flair and Funk were operating at such a high level at this point in time that they could hardly go wrong, but somehow they exceeded any expectations, elevating each others games to a sort of pro wrestling platonic ideal. Enter Mick Foley. At its best, the Rumble is one cohesive story made up of several smaller stories that not only manages to entertain fans for more than an hour, but also elevate all 30 men involved. They should have pleaded for Ricky to do something about it. I am fortunate to have those things happen more times than not in my life, which is why I am continuously, unbelievably thankful and amazed at what I was fortunate enough to be a part of. Both guys came out bigger stars then they were before. It says a lot about Flair the institution, but the match speaks even more loudly about the potential of Curt Hennig the hero a role which he played here better than he ever did. "The fun part for me was the challenge of working with someone that I'd never worked with before. Watching these two work at that level for 60-plus minutes is an impressive display today, and was practically unheard of (in the WWE) then. It has been said a great wrestler can make a broomstick look good. The gimmick was clever, a Three Stages of Hell match, a modified 2 out of 3 Falls match. Every minute is momentous. SCOTT TAYLOR. MIKE MURPHY. If every championship match in WWE showed this kind of reverence, no one would ever feel like a loser in the end. The Rock is one of the greatest feuds in WWE history because it featured one-half of the proverbial "Mount Rushmore of Pro Wrestling." You can watch it as a standalone amazing match and see it unfold. This match was not only innovative, but it had great action that lands it on the list of the best ladder matches in WWE history. Good thing both of them had a lot of it. It seemed like the right thing to do at the time. There's more, but that's the beauty of this match. Any of the above can make a match one of the best ever. SCOTT TAYLOR. Perfect, Andre the Giant, Jimmy Snuka, Dusty Rhodes, Ted Dibiase, Jake Roberts, and even the Intercontinental Champion Ultimate Warrior. Smith's victory blew the roof of the building, but Hart was the real hero here. When fans needed a new hero atop the NWA, it turned out to be The Nature Boy himself. So while Michaels vs. Hart at WrestleMania XII isn't perfect, it belongs on this list for its unprecedented display of pure athleticism and emotional storytelling. The Undertaker was so battered that he could not exit under his own power; in fact, he had to be carted away. Bret Hart had better matches, but they were against better opponents. I just, for whatever reason, couldnt feel the moment that night. Instead, they put on a clinic that to this day still keeps you on the edge of your seat, even with the sound off. 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. That was the blessing and the curse of the whole thing. For my money, this is one of the absolute best matches of all time. DAVID SHOEMAKER. Pinfalls, submissions and even disqualifications played a hand in the final result, which was highlighted by Angle fighting desperately and futilely for a comeback in the final 15 minutes. Each one makes sense in the context of the match. Plus, theres a barbed-wire 2x4 in the ring. 6. I look at that as the event that turned Mr. McMahon into a Mick Foley fan. And I said, 'What do you mean?' "For whatever reason, he was really good at adapting to different guys' styles. The highest-rated NXT match on this list saw Almas and Gargano give absolutely everything they had as they did battle for the NXT Championship. The wince-inducing clash established that Hell in a Cell was WWEs most sinister stipulation when both rivals took the fight atop the structure before HBK tumbled off the side of the Cell and through the Spanish announce table. Yawn. I wasnt able to do that at WrestleMania, so I approached Backlash with Randy in a completely different manner. Such skill, matched with The Showoffs amazing move set, electrified the crowd inside Minneapolis Target Center. And when the champion finally prevailed despite a spirited effort by the challenger, they embraced as a sign of respect. The speedy and technically-gifted Kurt Angle gave Brock Lesnar some of the toughest tests of his career, the most memorable of which was their rivalry-defining classic at WrestleMania XIX. 2. I was in my 40s and he was knocking on the door. Rampage Results - 2/24/23 (Young Bucks vs. Aussie Open and more!) Sign up for Peacock to watch. This match was iconic before the bell even rang, because on a deeper level it represented two schools of pro wrestling. Here is, perhaps, the pinnacle of that adage, with Daniel Bryan finally winning the WWE World Heavyweight Championship that had been hook-and-crooked out of his hands for eight months. I think this is one of those great cases where the same match benefitted both guys enormously. Did we mention the vacated WWE Championship was at stake for the first and only time ever in the Rumble? Mr. Money in the Bank, Randy Orton, entered the arena with a knowing grin. To be sure, Michaels' return match against Triple H at SummerSlam 2002 is a Top 50 contender, but was aided by the "Non-Sanctioned" gimmick. But it always could go the other way. Though reviled by much of the WWE Universe for his anti-U.S. angst, Bret still had a very strong sect of support in the north. He knew I'd been Cactus Jack, but had no idea that there was this Dude Love character I'd wanted to be when I was 17 or 18 years old. "Believe me, even as the referee was making the three-count, even as I was surrounded by the potpourri of burnt hair, charred flesh and blood, as I was losing, I realized I was having that defining WrestleMania moment." Lock and he got [disqualified]. MICK FOLEY, AS TOLD TO ZACH LINDER. When you watch this one on WWE Network, it won't take long for you to realize why. In the end though, it was Flair who emerged the winner and consequently the champion. The Brahma Bull Rock Bottomed him to the canvas for a three-count that was a nanosecond beyond Undertakers disruptive reach. 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. 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 match must be available on WWE Network. Brock Lesnar was the most successful rookie of all time, a 6'3, 290 lbs. "It was a lot briefer than some of the other confrontations I'm known for. Nothing to fall back on but both men's raw talent. All they wanted was to see The Freebirds get their comeuppance. I think everybody sort of feels 25 is a smidge better than 26, but not enough to bother anybody. " Not only was this bout in Edge's backyard of Toronto, but it was also Cena's first foray into theunforgivingrealm of TLC Matches. MICK FOLEY, AS TOLD TO ZACH LINDER. The Beast from the East answered with plenty of punishment of his own, including the "Oh My God!" Triple Hs third attempt at ending The Undertakers legendary WrestleMania winning Streak ranks high among the most emotional wars waged on The Grandest Stage of Them All, with Satans Structure serving as an all-too-appropriate battleground for the carnage. Christian's been around a long time and Randy Orton's a third-generation Superstar who is so natural. When they finally set the match in place, I almost couldnt believe it. Luger was a bronzed god who couldnt wrestle his way out of a paper bag, while Flair was the type of preternatural genius who could have a good match against a paper bag. ANTHONY BENIGNO, The Hart Foundations opposition was in enemy territory in summer 1997 when Bret Hart led Owen Hart, British Bulldog, Jim Neidhart and Brian Pillman into war against "Stone Cold" Steve Austin, Ken Shamrock, Goldust and The Legion of Doom in The "Hit Mans" hometown of Calgary, Alberta, Canada. But at Survivor Series 2001, the war finally hit the ring when 10 of the biggest, baddest Superstars came to fight for their respective companies. Maybe "The Nature Boy" thought that getting inside "Macho Man's" head would make Savage lose focus, get disqualified and in doing so, fail to win the WWE Championship. Forget it, dont set aside the ending he didnt go out on top, but this is every bit a worthy Retirement Match. BOBBY MELOK. Unfortunately, a cruel twist of fate would force Bryan to vacate the title soon after, starting a chain of events that would ultimately lead to his retirement. "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. 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. I submitted, and everybody looks at it and goes, 'Dang, what a match!' The Rock and Stone Cold Steve Austin. "You cant predict chemistry. This wasn't just a mindless gore fest. From an all-time classic to a modern masterpiece, Andrade 'Cien' Almas and Johnny Gargano take second place on the list with a rating of 9.65 from 673 votes. Two generational stars. Wed never seen that before. It was how the future WWE Hall of Famers seemingly turned back the clock by a decade, delivering some of the most jaw-dropping maneuvers and counters weve ever seen out of the two men. But then the most unlikely of challenges appeared in the form of Chris Benoit and Chris Jericho. 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. Ricky Steamboat and "Ravishing" Rick Rude showed that at Beach Blast 1992. Sadly, Owen's life would end in tragedy just a few years later, while Bret's historic first WWE run would end in controversy. The high spots (and there are many) aren't just there to pop the crowd. Both men were in full command of their craft and characters, telling a story of a hero trying to win the right way and a vicious psycho who'd do anything to win. Every high-spot is purposeful. Bryan defeated incumbent champion Randy Orton and potential usurper Batista in a bout that and this isnt an exaggeration the WWE Universe willed him to in the first place by way of sheer fan support. 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