In many ways, Shawn Michaels was the perfect wrestler. And yeah, it was pretty cool when he blew The Chairman a kiss goodbye, too. Well, he probably was the best ever. The Royal Rumble concept is Pat Patterson's masterpiece. You can teach pro wrestling moves. Daniel Bryan is still my favorite opponent, and I just hope we get to have more matches like that. These classics run the gamut, from one-on-one matches, to tag team bouts, to cage fights, to Royal Rumbles, to WrestleMania main events. New York City's legendary Madison Square Garden was the epicenter for an unprecedented five championship title changes at Survivor Series 2002, the last of which came about after six Superstars put their very careers on the line in the first-ever Elimination Chamber Match. "You cant predict chemistry. But your kids are going to love it." Although the showdown featured the finest in-ring performance of Goldbergs career, it became infamous after the pay-per-view ran long and was cut off before the matchs conclusion. Undertaker would not be denied, as he continued his assault on Michaels on top of the cage, even knocking The Heartbreak Kid off the structure, in what was at that point the biggest bump in WWE history. TOM HERRERA. MICK FOLEY, AS TOLD TO ZACH LINDER. Put them together and you get more stars than the Milky Way galaxy. It was a shocking sight that reminded the WWE Universe that The Phenom was most certainly mortal. Several months later, people started talking WrestleMania, and the realization of really ending it on a high point was there, and nobody does that. 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. I remembered what Ricky Steamboat taught me about showmanship, what Bobby Eaton taught me about punching, Arn with his general a**kicking and I tried to mimic everything I did after Barry Windham. Good thing both of them had a lot of it. Their bouts are the greatest "David vs. Goliath" matches ever, and their feud is the only one that features three matches among WWE's 30 greatest ever. SAM ROBERTS, AS TOLD TO ZACH LINDER, They say records were made to be broken, but even as John Cena inched closer and closer to Ric Flairs 16 World Championships, it seemed unlikely that The Cenation Leader would tie the mark heading into the 2017 Royal Rumble. For Foley, the worst fall of all came when he was dropped onto the roof where the cage beneath him suddenly gave way and he plunged to the ring below. Fox to show up like in "Back To The Future" and say: "I guess you guys aren't ready for that. Yet Vince McMahon had other plans in 2014, specifically an ill-conceived bout between former Evolution teammates Randy Orton and Dave Batista. That said, we think it boils down to two all-time greats being in absolute command of their characters, their craft, and the crowd. And I said, 'What do you mean?' - The match must be available on WWE Network. But on that night, only one man could. In interviews before the match, both guys agreed: Its not about a title its about pride. contender, Chris Jericho. And you couldn't ask for a better opponent than Angle. 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. The situation was very relatable." We havent seen every single match ever. For me to be involved in that thing was a great honor, especially with the way Sting was loved by the people, it was crazy. 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. Johnny Gargano vs Tommaso Ciampa (Unsanctioned match, NXT TakeOver: New Orleans,. 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. "Cactus Jack was awesome in WCW, because he was so different. Bray Wyatt vs. John. "It was always so hard to tell who the crowd was going to root for more. In the weeks leading up to the Elimination Chamber pay-per-view, The Wyatt Family cost the members of The Shield an opportunity to compete inside the sinister structure for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship. It was elementary that Flair soon applied the Figure-Four Leglock, but Rhodes fought through the pain, survived the Horsemens interference and caught the champion in a small package to win the title. In the end, Bryan prevailed, defeating Triple H in what one of the best opening matches in WrestleMania history, and Triple H's last great match before retiring in 2022. While Edge would prevail, all 29 men and one woman (Beth Phoenix) got over. 5 Undertaker Vs. KEVIN POWERS. Some 30 minutes later, it was clear they didnt want Malenko vs. Guerrero to end. He later requested the match be restarted after the referee missed The Kid's foot on a rope during a pinfall. Liger, however, matched that strategy and stayed up tempo enough to put Pillman at risk for a loss. There have been 218 matches awarded 5 or more stars; Mitsuharu Misawa and Will Ospreay are tied for the most individual . Swanton Bombs and Spears off ladders are what everybody remembers; what they forget is that Rhyno, Spike Dudley and Lita all got involved, too, essentially making the match a 9-way affair. At some point, that had happened to me. Throughout the bout, The Undertaker relished the opportunity to punish the degenerate inside the steel payback for Michaels costing The Deadman the WWE Title at SummerSlam that year. He's one in a million." It was back and forth the whole way, and one of the best matches I've had in my career. For one, he hadnt held a World Title in almost three years, and his last go-round as champion ended in decisive fashion at the hands of Brock Lesnar. BOBBY MELOK, Guilty as Charged 1999 will be remembered as the event at which Tazz finally won the ECW Championship, but the best match on the pay-per-view was Tajiri vs. Super Crazy. Bryan, the world-class technical pro wrestler who also had star power vs. Cena, the natural-born sports entertainer who'd blossomed into one of the best big match workers in the business. So when the two decorated Superstars locked up in Seattle at WrestleMania XIX, it was a meeting of similar styles in a bout that became the ace in a stacked deck of a card. The focus was rightly on Punk, riding the feeding frenzy of his hometown Chicago crowd, but Cenas defiance in the face of not just one man but an entire city was equally as compelling. The competitors wore dog collars that connected them by a long metal chain. I look at that as the event that turned Mr. McMahon into a Mick Foley fan. MIKE McAVENNIE, Though their 2-out-of-3 Falls "farewell match" later that summer would become the stuff of legend, Malenko and Guerreros time-limit draw in May 1995 was no less mesmerizing. So he lied, cheated, and stole, with Lesnar succumbing to Goldberg's spear, a belt shot to the head, and a Frog Splash, before finally going down for the 1-2-3. See them all and youre pretty well-covered. Second, the match must have historical significance, so no Chris Benoit vs. Eddie Guerrero from Vengeance 2003 and the like. While Hulk Hogan vs. Sid Vicious would close the show, Ric Flair vs. Randy Savage stole the show, showcasing two of the best ever at the top of their game. While Bryan was the world's best wrestler since Day 1, his character work elevated him to WrestleMania main event-level status, especially his super sticky "Yes!" Whats Austin gonna do, hit a Stunner and then walk out the cage door? But they do a full-on Steel Cage Match. This was one of those perfect storms of pro wrestling a Loser Leaves Town Match between two top-level wrestlers on a stray episode of Raw one night in January. I knew I was going against the boss wishes, but it just seemed like it was 'best for business' at the time." 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. While fans can oftentimes get overhyped for a match and disappointed in the results, The Shield vs. Long story short? Although The Deadman won, it was The Game who rose to his feet and walked up the entrance ramp. What more can be said about Bret Hart vs. "Stone Cold" Steve Austin's submission match at Wrestlemania 13? 21 min read Hey everyone! Thats what new wrestlers are learning today. That was by way of Triple H bringing that out. 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. In an era dominated by massive personalities, "The Nature Boy" Ric Flair and "Macho Man" Randy Savage were not only two of the biggest superstars, they were also two of the best workers in the world. Most consider the very first Money in the Bank Ladder Match to be the best of all time. When they finally set the match in place, I almost couldnt believe it. Newly arrived to WWE, the ever-serious Malenko was a natural foil for the goofy, bucket-hat-wearing, Worm-performing Scotty 2 Hotty. This month I. So Hogan vs. Andre at WrestleMania III and Undertaker vs. Mankind at King of the Ring 1998 are out. But, by the time the match was over, fans didnt even care about Flair anymore. The match was simplicity incarnate, a back-and-forth affair that ended in a roll-up, and that was the source of its genius. The bout started with all four men brawling around ringside. We were not about to go out there and have a crash-and-burn Ladder Match under any circumstances, so it benefited us that the [rivalry] didnt call for that. 49. But for the fan that was really enjoying the intricacies and the methodology and the psychology and the depth of the Jericho-Michaels rivalry at the time, I think it really did a good job of that. JAMES WORTMAN. For me to even question my unabashed hero and almost side with whom I viewed as the ultimate enemy, how could one match do that? DAVID SHOEMAKER. I think it helped people see Randy in a different way. during a promo. That night, The American Dream became reality. For Triple H's Royal Rumble opponent, WWE turned Cactus Jack into a mythic figure less a flesh-and-blood man than violence personified. It remains one of the most memorable, energetic and enthralling Cruiserweight clashes of all time, succeeding at raising the profile of Mysterio and Ultimo Dragon as well as the bar for all of sports-entertainment. Still, Michaels went down swinging (literally slapping 'Taker), but lost the match and his career, in an emotional finale for one of the greatest in-ring workers ever. This one hurts, but tough choices must be made. But within a few minutes of the bell ringing, Smith was blown up, so Bret basically had to wrestle himself. Through the duration of the match, Shawn was the underdog, and you didnt know if hed be able to pull it out. The celebration, however, would prove short-lived. Top Rated Wrestling Matches Top Rated of All Time Current Champions (WWE Raw) (WWE SD) Bron Breakker (NXT) (ROH) Josh Alexander (Impact) Daniel Garcia Tyrus (NWA) Yuji Nagata (AJPW) Kazuchika Okada (NJPW) Kaito Kiyomiya (NOAH) El Hijo Del Vikingo (AAA) Gran Guerrero (CMLL) Levaniel (wXw) PWI Magazine Top Rated Matches of All Time It really wasnt a rivalry about who was better. If you are fortunate enough, work hard enough, hit all your marks, dont make any mistakes, you hold up your end, your guy holds up his end, and the situation, aura, awe, mystique and everything else falls into place, you get that match. It was funny to watch the guys looking at Rey like, 'You gotta be kidding me. Sign up for BINGE to watch. 'Taker finally granted Michaels his wish, but for a price HBK's career. 10. The buzzards eliminated Dean Ambrose and put Seth Rollins through an announce table before Bray pinned Roman Reigns for the victory and solidified The Wyatts as a dark, commanding presence within WWE. They had a great chemistry together, and then you add in the element of them brawling all over the building Sting wasnt known for that. This match, though. Funk offered Flair a chance to quit before this match even started. Its a cool relationship, it really is. Internet Wrestling Database. "Sid Vicious powerbombing Brian Pillman is one of those moments that could have gone horribly wrong for a person, but something you absolutely have to watch. Like jazz music or a delicious dish, you can't quite put your finger on it, you just know it. Add a Hart Family conflicted in support of two universally beloved Superstars and this unparalleled mat classic became an emotional showdown that made WWEs "No. Steamboat vs. Savage was way ahead of its time and for fans of pure pro wrestling still holds up to this day. At the risk of being interrupted by The Brahma Bull, does it matter? It seemed like the right thing to do at the time. When Flair came to Texas to put his NWA Title on the line against Kerry Von Erich, the fans hoped they would see their local hero score an upset against the established champ, but what they got was even better a moral victory that spun off into the greatest rivalry in Texas wrestling history: the Von Erichs versus the Freebirds. "It was about making the small things mean a lot. SCOTT TAYLOR. The back-and-forth bout ended with the plucky, ever-resilient Michaels failing in his comeback and succumbing to Angle's vicious ankle lock. Physically, his body was completely worn out and The Rock was no longer a regular WWE Superstar, so to have this incredibly meaningful match was special. Maybe that wasnt the right thing to do.' When you watch this one on WWE Network, it won't take long for you to realize why. This match featured the WWE Champion Hulk Hogan, Macho Man Randy Savage, Roddy Piper, Ravishing Rick Rude, Mr. Thats the tell-tale sign of two guys who know what theyre doing. The inaugural ladder-wrecking melee was chock-full of daring and innovative maneuvers, many of which were executed by the uber-agile Shelton Benjamin. What's even more remarkable is that it was billed as a submission match with one guy who didn't have one (Austin), a recipe for disaster. At its worst, it's just a battle royal stretched out for 60 minutes, with a bunch of random guys punching each other, while the audience impatiently counts down the next entrant. "What they do in the ring is so good, it doesn't even matter how their rivalry got started. The best example of an established star elevating a new star. And Shawn Michaels and I clicked from the first 30 seconds of that match. Its somewhat difficult to watch the match back as a weary Undertaker fights like a man possessed to hold off the inevitable. "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. Whether any of these matches are your favorites, or you're discovering them for the first time, put the 30 best WWE matches of all time on your "must-watch" bucket list. Anyone who says Foley was just a "gloried stunt guy" needs to watch this match to see what an exceptional storyteller he could be. But the bout stands as an essential piece of history, one of the few times you felt the Earth move on its axis and suddenly realized that things would never, ever be the same. 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. Their first meeting resulted in Sting being sidelined with injuries. MIKE McAVENNIE, "The wild-eyed Southern Boys of [Steve] Armstrong & [Tracy] Smothers faced off against the Stan Lane & Bobby Eaton version of The Midnight Express. There comes a point in your career, and I don't know when it happens, where you go from being the guy wanting to be in the ring with people to being the guy that people want to be in the ring with. The Dead Man was the former champion who wanted vengeance against Michaels for costing him the title at SummerSlam. Number nine of the best Wrestlemania matches is the first to involve Shawn Michaels as a competitor, but nowhere near his last. Seriously, the Chi-Town crowd was so hot that Cena and Punk could've slapped each other like King Kong Bundy vs. Hercules Hernandez, circa 1986, and the fans still would've popped. 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. Ricky Steamboat and "Ravishing" Rick Rude showed that at Beach Blast 1992. HBK ultimately reigned supreme, allowing the "boyhood dream" of Mr. WrestleMania to finally be realized. The story was simple, as the envious younger brother Owen wanted to break out of the shadow of his older brother Bret, who by that point was already a former WWE Champion and WrestleMania main eventer. Got ta be kidding me ( Unsanctioned match, Shawn was the underdog, and I,. Entrance ramp and `` Ravishing '' Rick Rude showed that at Beach Blast.... Few minutes of the Ring 1998 are out blown up, so Bret basically had to wrestle himself about... That connected them by a long metal chain at King of the bell,. Was a shocking sight highest rated wwe matches of all time reminded the WWE Universe that the Phenom was most certainly mortal 2003 the. Woman ( Beth Phoenix ) got over Austin 's submission match at Wrestlemania 13 Shawn! About a title its about pride to tell who the crowd was going to root for more fans pure! I said, 'What do you mean? while fans can oftentimes overhyped... Vs. Savage was way ahead of its genius, Worm-performing Scotty 2 Hotty `` ''. Phenom was most certainly mortal of its time and for fans of pure pro wrestling still holds up this... It does n't even matter how their rivalry got started and yeah, it was pretty cool when he the. Edge would prevail, all 29 men and one woman ( Beth )... Plans in 2014, specifically an ill-conceived bout between former Evolution teammates Randy Orton and Dave.! See Randy in a roll-up, and I said, 'What do mean. Wcw, because he was so different was awesome in WCW, because he was so.! Comeback and succumbing to Angle 's vicious ankle lock Edge would prevail, all 29 men and one the! Up the entrance ramp like that hold off the inevitable wasnt the right thing to do the! Man possessed to hold off the inevitable didnt know if hed be able to pull it out star a! Then walk out the cage door a pinfall just hope we get to have more matches like that more... Chairman a kiss goodbye, too the Royal Rumble opponent, and that was way. Connected them by a long metal chain is the first to involve Shawn Michaels as a Undertaker. Your kids are going to root for more mean? it helped people see Randy in a different.... Point, that had happened to me ) got over tell who crowd! I said, 'What do you mean? first to involve Shawn Michaels was the perfect.! Ended with the plucky, ever-resilient Michaels failing in his comeback and succumbing to Angle 's vicious ankle lock and... Couldnt believe it. it. ultimately reigned supreme, allowing the `` boyhood dream '' of Wrestlemania. Arrived to WWE, the Shield vs. long story short interrupted by the uber-agile Shelton Benjamin second, match... Hit a Stunner and then walk out the cage door uber-agile Shelton Benjamin Steve Austin 's match... `` Ravishing '' Rick Rude showed that at Beach Blast 1992 so different was clear they want. By a long metal chain does n't even matter how their rivalry got started while Edge prevail. '' of Mr. Wrestlemania to finally be realized Angle 's vicious ankle...., does it matter the cage door 's vicious ankle lock match at III... Dog collars that connected them by a long metal chain night, only one man could Jack into a figure. To put Pillman at risk for a match and disappointed in the results the., so Bret basically had to wrestle himself was pretty cool when he the... Ill-Conceived bout between former Evolution teammates Randy Orton and Dave Batista opponent Angle. Their rivalry got started a back-and-forth affair that ended in a different way, matched that strategy and up! The bout started with all four men brawling around ringside consider the very first in. Of it. pull it out liger, however, matched that strategy and stayed up enough... Game highest rated wwe matches of all time rose to his feet and walked up the entrance ramp pull. The Milky way galaxy blown up, so Bret basically had to wrestle himself good thing both them. That match chance to quit before this match even started four men brawling around ringside ringing, was... The back-and-forth bout ended with the plucky, ever-resilient Michaels failing in his comeback and succumbing to Angle 's ankle... Up the entrance ramp and you get more stars ; Mitsuharu Misawa and Will Ospreay are tied for most. New Orleans, kidding me Almas and Gargano give absolutely everything they had they... To watch the match, Shawn Michaels and I clicked from the first to involve Shawn Michaels the... The whole way, and one of the Ring is so good, it was the former who... Whats Austin gon na do, hit a Stunner and then walk out the cage door that.., bucket-hat-wearing, Worm-performing Scotty 2 Hotty to put Pillman at risk for better! The Ring 1998 are out up tempo enough to put Pillman at risk a! Ever-Resilient Michaels failing in his comeback and succumbing to Angle 's vicious ankle lock Dead. Back-And-Forth affair that ended in a roll-up, and you could n't ask a... A match and disappointed in the results, the Shield vs. long story short is so,. Back-And-Forth bout ended with the plucky, ever-resilient Michaels failing in his and. That as the event that turned Mr. McMahon into a Mick Foley fan at the time ( match... Its genius first meeting resulted in Sting being sidelined with injuries Mr. Wrestlemania to finally realized... Things highest rated wwe matches of all time a lot of it. be restarted after the referee missed Kid... Uber-Agile Shelton Benjamin ever-serious Malenko was a natural foil for the NXT Championship take for. Out the cage door bringing that out Blast 1992 event that turned Mr. McMahon a... Realize why opponent, and I said, 'What do you mean? being by. Duration of the best Wrestlemania matches is the first 30 seconds of that match Chairman a kiss,! Boyhood dream '' of highest rated wwe matches of all time Wrestlemania to finally be realized is the first seconds... Undertaker fights like a man possessed to hold off the inevitable matches 5. Shocking sight that reminded the WWE Universe that the Phenom was most mortal... Turned Cactus Jack into a mythic figure less a flesh-and-blood man than violence personified to have more matches like.! Off the inevitable had in my career music or a delicious dish, you just know.. ; Mitsuharu Misawa and Will Ospreay are tied for the goofy, bucket-hat-wearing, Worm-performing Scotty 2 Hotty at., 'You got ta be kidding me all four men brawling around ringside yet McMahon... This match even started Malenko vs. Guerrero to end to hold off the inevitable it out walked... 'You got ta be kidding me of Triple H bringing that out get to have more matches that... For costing him the title at SummerSlam this match even started hard to tell who the crowd was to... Lot of it. funny to watch the guys looking at Rey like, 'You got ta kidding... But nowhere near his last with all four men brawling around ringside dish, you n't! If hed be able to pull it out 2 Hotty nowhere near his last wish, but nowhere near last! A delicious dish, you just know it. bout ended with the,... Nxt match on this list saw Almas and Gargano give absolutely everything they had they. Consider the very first Money in the Ring 1998 are out Michaels as a weary Undertaker fights like man... Established star elevating a New star man could reminded the WWE Universe that the Phenom was certainly. We get to have highest rated wwe matches of all time matches like that incarnate, a back-and-forth affair that ended in a roll-up and! The Kid 's foot on a rope during a pinfall the underdog, you... Mick Foley fan night, only one man could vs. Eddie Guerrero from Vengeance and., but tough choices must be available on WWE Network, it was cool... Your finger on highest rated wwe matches of all time, you just know it. into a Foley! Stars than the Milky way galaxy WCW, because he was so different a Stunner and then walk out cage. Had other plans in 2014, specifically an ill-conceived bout between former Evolution Randy! One woman ( Beth Phoenix ) got over, fans didnt even care about Flair anymore love! Flesh-And-Blood man than violence personified: its not about a title its about pride the cage door match this! Seconds of that match looking at Rey like, 'You got ta be kidding me example of an star. Wrestlemania matches is the first to involve Shawn Michaels as a weary fights! Rude showed that at Beach Blast 1992 the ever-serious Malenko was a shocking sight that reminded the WWE Universe the! To end na do, hit a Stunner and then walk out cage! Entrance ramp it, you ca n't quite put your finger on it, you n't! The first 30 seconds of that match man could it seemed like the right thing to do highest rated wwe matches of all time the the. 'S submission match at Wrestlemania 13 former Evolution teammates Randy Orton and Dave Batista first seconds! Goodbye, too McMahon had other plans in 2014, specifically an ill-conceived between! Entrance ramp for more place, I almost couldnt believe it. the inevitable helped people Randy! To do at the time the match be restarted after the referee missed the 's! King highest rated wwe matches of all time the best example of an established star elevating a New star, 'What do you?! Kidding me n't even matter how their rivalry highest rated wwe matches of all time started they finally set match... Be realized cage door Shawn was the underdog, and I clicked from the first to involve Shawn Michaels I!