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. Fresh off a third reign as World Tag Team Champions with Jim Neidhart, Hart was clearly gifted, but no one knew if he could cut it on his own. It was funny to watch the guys looking at Rey like, 'You gotta be kidding me. It ranks in the top five matches I've had in my entire life." The Rock at WrestleMania X-Seven one of the "biggest" main events in WrestleMania history (right up there with Hogan vs. Andre), but it was also the best WrestleMania main event. I was young then, and I was in the ring with all of these guys that had taught me the business. Wed never seen that before. and its also the challenge of 'Whats your desire to try?' WWE 2K23 ratings: The highest-rated wrestlers. The animosity between Tully Blanchard and Magnum T.A. Funk offered Flair a chance to quit before this match even started. Ironically, after a wooden chair was tossed into the unforgiving steel confines, T.A. The breathless contest ended in a 45-minute time limit draw, and that enmity defined WCW until its very last match. But what better way to go out than one of the greatest tag team matches in WWE history, and the greatest "Monday Night Raw" match, period? You could truly feel that Austin and Triple H hated each other, and were both willing to stop just short of murder to win the match. Overrun segment: 2: Steve Austin, The Rock & Vince McMahon vs. The Gold Standard truly set the standard for creativity in these types of matches with such feats as a twirling powerslam off a ladder, and even using a ladder as a ramp to reach an opponent on a separate ladder. BOBBY MELOK. Two generational stars. MIKE MURPHY. The Kid, whose numerical nickname came about after he netted a huge upset victory against Razor Ramon, earned one of the earliest title opportunities in the history of Raw by doing it the hard way. And that's how you know you've told a powerful story. Fans revolted and rather than have his WrestleMania main event hijacked, McMahon relented and set up Bryan for the big bout but first he had to go through Triple H, the face of The Authority. Yet it was the record 68,237 fans inside Torontos Skydome that made WrestleMania X8s epic "Icon vs. Icon" Match truly historic. Such skill, matched with The Showoffs amazing move set, electrified the crowd inside Minneapolis Target Center. Most consider the very first Money in the Bank Ladder Match to be the best of all time. When people talk about Randy Orton, it's usually not as a hero, but he was perfect for the kind of opportunistic scoundrel villain that Christian was. Im the oldest in my family and have a little brother. Undertaker would get his chance at Badd Blood 1997 in the first-ever Hell In A Cell match. RYAN MURPHY, The Shield debuted at Survivor Series 2012 and carved a path of destruction that appeared to have no end in sight. After Neville pulled the referee from the ring as Zayn attempted to pin Kidd, the NXT Champion shockingly superkicked his friend Zayn and connected with a thrilling Red Arrow on Kidd for the victory. 1. One night stand 2006 8. "I thought I would collect on the Lloyd's of London policy that would kick in after a 450-pound man sandwiched me. Number nine of the best Wrestlemania matches is the first to involve Shawn Michaels as a competitor, but nowhere near his last. 49. The crowd obviously had a lot to do with it, but I got the Brogue Kick out of the corner, which caught everybody off-guard, then I passed out in the 'Yes!' We disagree, and believe this match delivered exactly what it promised - The End of an Era. Throw in a tag . SETH ROLLINS, AS TOLD TO ZACH LINDER, John Cena and CM Punk shared a special kind of animosity. No way out 2001 11. There was so much history, and it never manifested better than it does in this match. The Dead Man was the former champion who wanted vengeance against Michaels for costing him the title at SummerSlam. There was this kid I grew up with who came over to watch WrestleMania 13. I put enormous pressure on myself to come through, and I thought I had the best all-around performer in the business in Edge to try to do that with. Instead, they put on a clinic that to this day still keeps you on the edge of your seat, even with the sound off. Still, no matter what Austin did on this night, Steamboat was one step ahead. Its just one of those things that not a lot needs to be said. For me, thats always fun to get in the ring with a guy that has a different style than you. In the end, the madman from Japan won this battle in what was a war of many matchups between the two human highlight reels. Watch every Premium Live Event and enjoy some of your favorite WWE content on Shahid. And one of the most famous examples from this era wasn't a highspot or a 2.75-second nearfall, but a simple staredown between two of the most famous factions ever, The Shield and The Wyatt Family on "Monday Night Raw." Sign up for Peacock to watch. But while the reign was short, the match stands the test of time. Thus the much-anticipated rematch became a Career vs. Streak match, as both men had everything to lose. 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. @JOEYSTYLES, In front of more than 70,000 fans in the Georgia Dome, two Superstars who defined an era clashed in an epic No Holds Barred Match. Following The Rock and Steve Austin's showdown is no easy task, but Angle and Lesnar put on a clinic while constantly pushing each other's competitive hunger to another level. Whats Austin gonna do, hit a Stunner and then walk out the cage door? But they do a full-on Steel Cage Match. They do stuff in that match thats never been replicated. At SummerSlam 2013, CM Punk faced off against Brock Lesnar while Heyman cheered on the monster from ringside. So, the Cincinnati-born competitor tried to employ a ground-and-pound attack against the Japanese titleholder. KEVIN POWERS, Daniel Bryan was riding high on a wave of "Yes!" Survivor series 2002 5. Maybe the best, in fact. And these wrestlers have put on many of the greatest matches in pro wrestling history. Two rings, covered by a cage, no way out and a lot of hair and blood flying. Undertaker had a bloodied Michaels beaten until the lights went black, chilling organ music began, and out of the flames emerged Undertaker's long-lost brother, Kane. Wash-rinse-repeat. Their first meeting resulted in Sting being sidelined with injuries. The 11 minutes of mayhem saw the two future WWE Superstars use everything in their offensive arsenals as well as lots of steel chairs. I was so stoked to see it. Moments later, Hart locked on The Sharpshooter to capture the title, launching one of the most prolific careers in WWE history. While gimmick matches can be used to disguise weak selling and bad storytelling, that was not the case here. Brock Lesnar was the most successful rookie of all time, a 6'3, 290 lbs. The two collided on the Road To WrestleMania in a match that highlighted not only their "types" (high-flyer vs. power wrestler), but also the little things that made them two of the best ever. In the ultimate show of respect, the Deadman and the Heartbreak Kid held up The Game as they left the stadium, battered, beaten and bloodied. The grudge match had all the hallmarks of a classic brawl: arena-sprawling fisticuffs, assorted weaponry (chairs and trash cans in this case) and the prevailing sense that none of it could actually be controlled or regulated. However, it was their third clash at Starrcade 1992 that truly defined their rivalry. Although it was Jeff and Matt Hardy who claimed victory, all four Superstars received a standing ovation the next night on Raw. It seemed like the right thing to do at the time. It took place on April 1, 2001, at the Reliant Astrodome in Houston, Texas.It was the first WrestleMania held in the state of Texas.Twelve matches were contested at the event, including one broadcast . And, if the meme-ified gentleman in the front row is any indication, a moment few people thought was happening even as they watched the fateful three-count that snapped The Undertakers unblemished WrestleMania mark and instantly elevated Brock Lesnar to god-level bada** status. It was a defining moment for Michaels, who celebrated his last World Championship in his WWE Hall of Fame career. Well, he probably was the best ever. You can guess at it, but until guys get in the ring, you dont know for sure whether they have chemistry together. Halloween Havoc 1997. It was a very unique, hard-hitting match. Nashville should have booed. This was supposed to be Ricky Steamboat's cup of coffee in the big time. What if we had a WrestleMania to work with? But, in a twist nobody saw coming, The Eighth Wonder of the World ultimately found himself on the receiving end of a slam that instantly cemented the match in WWE history. Perhaps the biggest testament to that fierce conflict was their WWE Iron Man Match for the WWE Title at The Showcase of the Immortals. Jim Cornette and The Midnight Express left with the last word, as they brutally whipped The Fantastics, ensuring the rivalry would continue. I was in my 40s and he was knocking on the door. Yeah, we still dont know how he did it, either. and he said, 'He's halfway to 18. And trust us, feuds don't come much bloodier than this. The crowd was red hot for this feud. I look at that as the event that turned Mr. McMahon into a Mick Foley fan. The fact he came back for that sweet Saudi payday in 2018 doesn't take away from the finality, or the greatness, of this match. But, in a twist nobody saw coming,The Eighth Wonder of the World ultimately foundhimself on the receiving end of a slam that instantly cemented the match in WWEhistory. And the most special part is after the match, The Rock sits over Austin and they have a long conversation just the two of them. The best match is up to you, the WWE fan. 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. "The rivalry was thought of so highly in spite of the fact that Orton was a hero. No weapons. Kurt Angle was actually able to stop The Showstopper, forcing Shawn to tap out to the Ankle Lock. From start to finish it was brilliant storytelling. Hart had come back from an extended absence to work with who he felt was the WWE's best wrestler, before regaining his title from Shawn Michaels at WrestleMania 13 (yeah, so much for that). What if we had a real [rivalry] heading into a pay-per-view? By the time Rhyno helped Christian get the titles back for him and his buddy, the WWE Universe was both thrilled to see the champs retain and relieved that the mayhem was finally over. We were having a blast and the crowd was electric. Watch every Premium Live Event and enjoy some of your favorite WWE content on Disney + HotStar. 6. MICHAEL BURDICK. 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. Triple H was a multi-time champion by the end of the millennium, but still wasn't connecting with fans at a main event level. Plus, get every WWE Premium Live Event and the worlds best TV and movies. Triple H's Hell In A Cell match at WrestleMania XVIII may vary. The endgame five Savage elbow drops failing, then three huge shoulder blocks from Warrior to set up the pin was ahead of its time. WWE Women's Matches That Have Received 4.00 stars out of 5 Charlotte vs Natalya Event: NXT Takeover (2014) | Rating: 4.00 stars Charlotte Flair and Natalya faced off at the first-ever NXT Takeover event back in 2014. "The physicality and our different styles have created a great chemistry. But within the confines of what we had, it felt like we were creating art out there." Announcers Tony Schiavone and Jim Ross had trouble keeping up with the action as the teams launched tables and chairs at each other. A moment that few people thought would ever happen. ANTHONY BENIGNO. IMPACT No Surrender Quick Results - 2/24/23 (Title Matches and more!) Their three matches throughout that year were revelatory, but the grand finale in Nashville featured the most unexpected outcome of all. All are masterpieces, but with careful consideration the choice is clear Sgt. Forget it, dont set aside the ending he didnt go out on top, but this is every bit a worthy Retirement Match. JOHN CLAPP. "Usually a 2-out-of-3 Falls Match doesnt feel like three separate matches, but Austin and Triple H wrestled three separate matches back-to-back, and it wasnt even the main event of the pay-per-view. Even in defeat, Jericho stayed strong, as he lost to a simple roll-up, as the wily Michaels capitalized on Jericho's arrogance. So, to see a Ladder Match live was a big deal. Every factor was working against John Cena's favor heading into his hot-blooded Tables, Ladders & Chairs Match against WWE Champion Edge. WWE Day 1, January 1 Cesaro & Ricochet vs. Ridge Holland & Sheamus - 2.5 The Usos (c) vs. New Day (WWE SmackDown Tag Team Championship) - 4 Drew McIntyre vs. Madcap Moss - 2.75 RK-Bro (c) vs. Street Profits (WWE Raw Tag Team Championship) - 3.25 Edge vs. Top three matches of 2021: SmackDown vs. Roman Reigns; Dynamite "Grand Slam" vs. Kenny Omega; Dynamite "Winter is Coming" vs. "Hangman" Adam Page Bryan Danielson put together one of the most. MIKE MURPHY. Or at least, his WWE masterpiece. The gimmick was clever, a Three Stages of Hell match, a modified 2 out of 3 Falls match. "Chris and I were not big on going into a Ladder Match. 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 wild for all the right reasons. I identified with Bret. It was inventive and breathtaking, unlike anything that had. " RICKY STEAMBOAT, AS TOLD TO ZACH LINDER. Awesome wowed the Ohio crowd with his eye-opening agility, but Tanaka's display of heart in this classic was really something to behold. He wasn't napping in the corner either (looking at you, Roman Reigns), but carried the match. Skip the "Age in a Cage" and you've got one of the best WCW pay-per-views of all time. Just watch him in the very best match of his career against Eddie Guerrero at Halloween Havoc 1997. Nowhere was this more true than in Punk's hometown of Chicago, which featured a crowd loud enough to register on the Richter scale. But this wasn't a tag team match. 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