highest rated wwe matches of all time

The situation was very relatable." ALEX GIANNINI. When Flair pulled out the win by jumping off the top rope with a cross body, it was such an amazing moment that you could understand why Flair tried (and failed) that move in every match he had after that. But while the reign was short, the match stands the test of time. Wed never seen that before. 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. SAMI ZAYN, AS TOLD TO ZACH LINDER. The two competitors engaged in a ferocious brawl where it seemed that neither would ever relent. So, to see a Ladder Match live was a big deal. And coming from the Hart family, the expectations were very high. It was a bold, risky move this match earned and was absolutely brilliant from a creative standpoint. In the end, he did the unthinkable align with his arch-enemy, Vince McMahon. Both guys came out bigger stars then they were before. In an hour-long Iron Man match, both Michaels and Hart infamously refused to take the first fall. While Edge would prevail, all 29 men and one woman (Beth Phoenix) got over. Pillman basically gets folded over his head and somehow survives enough to take a second powerbomb. 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. 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. Most consider the very first Money in the Bank Ladder Match to be the best of all time. But whatever followed, we'll always have this match, an expertly paced, old school brawl that had both guys emerge even bigger stars. With chants of This is awesome! raining down, the two carried out several outstanding sequences until Bryan, the United States Champion, finally snapped the LeBell Lock onto his opponent, forced the irate Intercontinental Champion to tap out, and cemented both of their well-earned reputations. 12. What really stands out for me and Rey personally was the locker room was very intrigued by how small Rey was and how young he looked. Subscribe and watch all 100 matches right now. "Jerry Lynn was amazing and we just have this chemistry where we both push ourselves and each other," RVD has told WWE.com. "It was very important for me in terms of redeeming myself for what I thought was a very disappointing appearance at WrestleMania XX. 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. He had that whole chip on his shoulder with Triple H where they were best friends, but jealous of each other. "Up to that point, there had been only one other Ladder Match, and it had been on Coliseum Home Video. Watch every Premium Live Event and get unlimited access to WWE's premium content - available to you anywhere, anytime, on any device. Mysterio challenged Dragon for possession of the J-Crown, a collection of unified titles that the reigning champion wore to ringside with relish. Ten years after main eventing the inaugural Starrcade, Ric Flairs legacy nearly came to an end at the 1993 edition of WCWs marquee event. "Its something that happens naturally in the ring. Daniel Bryan is still my favorite opponent, and I just hope we get to have more matches like that. And Shawn Michaels and I clicked from the first 30 seconds of that match. Ric Flair sure was a bad guy. By the time he finally delivered the defining Helluva Kick to fell Neville, he had fulfilled his destiny as the champion the NXT Universe always knew him to be. Thats the tell-tale sign of two guys who know what theyre doing. Sign up for BINGE to watch. 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). The match was grueling, with Race targeting Flairs injured neck and Flair battling back valiantly. The Beast." The animosity between Tully Blanchard and Magnum T.A. BOBBY MELOK. When inspired, The Total Package could go, and he showed that during an NWA Title opportunity that was originally intended for an injured Sting. No gimmicks. Every near-fall is suspenseful. "Chris and I were not big on going into a Ladder Match. But Ive never questioned the wild nature of that match, because it was exactly what we both needed." It goes without saying that Flair, knowing he was on his way out, could have sandbagged this match, but he was an absolute pro in competing against Perfect. The warrior known as "Dangan" (Japanese for bullet) endured some ferocious chair strikes including one off the top rope and still roared back with a powerbomb over the top rope that drilled the 6-foot-6, 295-pound beast through a table. The victory put to rest the idea that Bryan was a "weak link" and proved The Shield could be beaten. Overrun segment: 2: Steve Austin, The Rock & Vince McMahon vs. 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. WWE 2K23 ratings: The highest-rated wrestlers. "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. Except fanswere ready for it, like hard rock lovers listening to Nirvana for the first time after a decade of hair metal. Both would have better bouts against others, but for two of the greatest, this was their best ever against each other. Brock Lesnar was the most successful rookie of all time, a 6'3, 290 lbs. Entdecke BOBBY ROODE 2017 TOPPS WWE WRESTLING NXT BERNAHME EVENT GEBRAUCHTE MATTE RELIKT/50 in groer Auswahl Vergleichen Angebote und Preise Online kaufen bei eBay Kostenlose Lieferung fr viele Artikel! That's the case here. Bray Wyatt vs. John. Two major betrayals, the constant bickering on commentary between Jim Ross and Paul Heyman, and an epic final showdown between Rock and Austin brought a fitting end to the war for sports-entertainment domination. Purists balk at the role George "The Animal" Steele played in the final outcome, claiming it denied the WWE Universe a truly decisive victory. I hated Steve Austin, and hated him for years after this match. SCOTT TAYLOR. MICK FOLEY, AS TOLD TO ZACH LINDER. HIGHEST RATED WWF/WWE MATCHES ON CABLE TV. 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. "Everything aligned and came together. The highest-rated women's match in WWE history belongs to Charlotte Flair and Becky Lynch as they went all out in their Last Woman Standing Match for the SmackDown Women's Championship at the first all-women pay-per-view Evolution. SCOTT TAYLOR, Once upon a time, a small organization based in northeast Japan so perfected its intricate and high-flying take on the three-on-three match format that it birthed a genre unto itself called the Michinoku Pro Six-Man Tag. ), here's our criteria. No matter how many stars other matches have gotten before and since, Bret Hart vs. "Stone Cold" Steve Austin remains Hart's best, Austin's best, the greatest WrestleMania bout ever, and the best WWE match of all time. Dont blink. 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? Lock and made his black-clad adversary tap out. He had retired and it was very unceremonious and under the radar. 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. The Undertaker: Raw (06/28/1999) 9.5: 10,721,000 viewers (most watched wrestling cable match in history). One of the most infamously vicious battles youll find on WWE Network is also one of NWA/WCWs finest. It's a matter of my physical prowess against his technical and high-flying ability. It also featured an ending every bit as iconic as Hogan slamming Andre, with Austin's screaming in pain, his face a bloody mess, yet refusing to submit to Hart's Sharpshooter. However, it was their third clash at Starrcade 1992 that truly defined their rivalry. A good professional wrestling match requires knowing how to work the crowd, how to time your opponent's moves and how to keep your opponent safe. SCOTT TAYLOR. "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." One of the reasons was his match at WrestleMania XIX against another G.O.A.T. JOHN CLAPP. 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. Despite never having held the WWETitle, the crowd favorite exuded confidence as he stood toe-to-toe with 15-time World Champion John Cena. If there was a giveaway that was the end, that was it. There have been 218 matches awarded 5 or more stars; Mitsuharu Misawa and Will Ospreay are tied for the most individual . But, by the time the match was over, fans didnt even care about Flair anymore. If it is carnage you seek, youll find it at Extreme Rules 2012, wherein Brock Lesnar elbowed John Cenas head into the proverbial crimson mask within minutes of the opening bell and didnt wrestle the Cenation leader so much as torture him for the duration of this 20-minute flogging disguised as a pay-per-view main event. BOBBY MELOK, Ah, yes. 1 min. He suffered greatly, as did I. Once hes 18, hell be out the door,' and I said. He never dies. SHAWN MICHAELS, AS TOLD TO ZACH LINDER, Sports-entertainment fans can be a jaded bunch. Triple H gets the win, but you dont have a second to catch your breath as a viewer, because you just saw this crazy Street Fight and youre like, These guys have taken everything they can out of each other, and then the cage starts lowering and youre going What?! 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. All are masterpieces, but with careful consideration the choice is clear Sgt. In the bouts opening minutes, the ECW Arena fans, distracted by a disorderly fan, chanted "Throw him out!" From within this structural-grade steel hell, World Heavyweight Champion Triple H, Kane, Chris Jericho, Booker T, Rob Van Dam and Shawn Michaels battered each other beyond belief. 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. 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. "It was a special night for us both. See them all and youre pretty well-covered. But as Bray emphatically told the Hounds of Justice, "I welcome this war!" It also set the pair on a collision course that would culminate in the infamous incident in Montreal the following year at Survivor Series. The breathless contest ended in a 45-minute time limit draw, and that enmity defined WCW until its very last match. The Big Red Machine tombstoned The Dead Man, while a broken-down Michaels crawled over Undertaker to steal the win. But I had just started to like Shawn and root for the bad guys. The day that lives in infamy. GREG ADKINS. In capturing his seventh World Championship his last for the next decade The Rock left no room for dispute that he was, indeed, The Great One. Due to overexposure, "the Devil's playground" became basic. Absolutely not. Thats the expression, 'Take them on a roller coaster ride.' MIKE McAVENNIE. Put all of them together and you get John Cena vs. CM Punk for the WWE Championship at Money In The Bank 2011. CRAIG TELLO, Set aside the ignominious ending for Savage this match was an absolute beauty. Whenever Sting and Ric Flair are together in any kind of match, they attract eyes, but to me, this entire match was just a story about Brian Pillman. Survivor series 2002 5. Unlike the countless spot-fest ladder matches that followed in its wake, this match stole the show because it wasn't trying to steal the show; it was trying to tell the story of a high-flying prima-donna and a wily brawler being thrown into unfamiliar territory and being forced to improvise in order to win. First, it has to be a greatmatch, not just a great spectacle. 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. As many expected, the 450-pound Mastodon imposed his will on the two-time WWE Hall of Famer, pummeling Flair around ringside. came to a head at Starrcade 1985 in an "I Quit" Steel Cage Match. Triple H's Hell In A Cell match at WrestleMania XVIII may vary. 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. Despite being nearly four years removed from their last one-on-one encounter, Steamboat and Flair displayed a unique familiarity with one another. You dont have to talk every day, but when you do, its special, and its always there." Newly arrived to WWE, the ever-serious Malenko was a natural foil for the goofy, bucket-hat-wearing, Worm-performing Scotty 2 Hotty. MICK FOLEY, AS TOLD TO ZACH LINDER. They do stuff in that match thats never been replicated. "The greatest thing about that rivalry is that each week it changed, because there was no destination in sight, and one of the things that got added to it as the rivalry was progressing was Chris getting white-hot and winning the World Championship. SETH ROLLINS, AS TOLD TO ZACH LINDER, John Cena and CM Punk shared a special kind of animosity. Dave Meltzer may give these matches all the stars, but we're looking for matches that stand the test of time. There were even some young stars that would define the 90s, like Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels. While Angle entered the match needing neck surgery, it was Lesnar who left the match injured, following his infamous botched shooting star press. "It was always so hard to tell who the crowd was going to root for more. That night, The American Dream became reality. solid block of Midwestern muscle mass that looked like he was summoned to life from Vince McMahon's dreams. Well, he probably was the best ever. Always." chants when he arrived in L.A. for SummerSlam 2013. DAVID SHOEMAKER, What many of Rey Mysterios most flagrant imitators and theres a generation of them too often overlook is that the lucha icon didnt perform dazzling maneuvers just because they looked cool. Interestingly, it was an incredibly uncharacteristic Shooting Star Press that nearly doomed Lesnar, yet The Beast Incarnate recovered and ravaged Angle with an F-5 for the win. 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. 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. Simple as that. The war between The Phenom and The Hardcore Legend went everywhere, even to the top of the haunting configuration. Its hard to tell where one teams madness began and the others ended in this frankly ludicrous, 10-car pileup of a match that saw Edge & Christian retain their World Tag Team Championship against The Dudley Boyz and The Hardy Boyz on The Grandest Stage of Them All. KEVIN POWERS, Daniel Bryan was riding high on a wave of "Yes!" "The Nature Boy" came prepared for Steamboats unquestioned tactical superiority. This was before the internet, so it's likely that many regional fans weren't familiar with Flair. TOM HERRERA. Throw in a tag . Literally. The Nature Boy fought back in spurts, even sending Vader face-first into the ringpost. Picking our favorite ladder match involving The Dudley Boys, The Hardy Boyz, and Edge and Christian is like picking the best Beatles album. But while the story was simple, the match was complex, as the two Hart brothers - both graduates of their father Stu Hart's famous basement "dungeon" - put on a pro wrestling clinic. Hart, whose years of experience in the ring dwarfed his challenger, still showed The Kid proper respect. WRESTLEMANIA 35 - Becky Lynch vs. Ronda Rousey vs. Charlotte Flair A groundbreaking winner-takes-all match for both the Raw and SmackDown women's championships that saw Becky Lynch become the. @JOEYSTYLES, Every Superstar in the locker room is a fan at heart, but Bayley was always a little more outward about it than others. Four of WWE's Superstars of Tomorrow left an indelible mark in the minds of the WWE Universe at NXT TakeOver: Fatal 4-Way. All they wanted was to see The Freebirds get their comeuppance. Things don't always go according to plan in pro wrestling. And as her post-match embrace from Banks and her fellow Four Horsewomen indicated, that admiration was clearly mutual. If they still don't get it, pro wrestling isn't for them. "What they do in the ring is so good, it doesn't even matter how their rivalry got started. In a display of true grace and sportsmanship, the competitors emotionally embraced after the unforgettable match. You think, OK, these guys have had a lot taken out of them, so this will probably be a quick one. But no, halfway through the Street Fight, you forget about what happened in the first fall, because youre now wrapped up in this brawl. You can't overpower The Beast Incarnate, you can only hope to outwrestle him. But while WWE became the most dominant name in sports entertainment based on cartoonish storylines and characters think yellow bandana wearing "Real Americans" battling bodybuilders in face paint from "Parts Unknown" the promotion has also been home to the best pro wrestlers on the planet. This match was so brilliant because it was non-stop, wall-to-wall action that still took time for selling and storytelling. Sign up for Peacock to watch. Whereas the ECW faithful were all but obligated to applaud Malenko and Guerrero on the night of their sendoff, the standing ovation in response to their half-hour draw felt more organic, less expected, and truly emblematic of the pairs artistic struggle. In 1989, Flair was Kanye 15 years before "The College Dropout" hit shelves. 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. 1: Steve Austin vs. But this match was more than a jumping off point. Dave Meltzer may give these matches all the stars, but we're looking for matches that stand the test of time. The clash between Goldberg and Diamond Dallas Page over the WCW World Championship at Halloween Havoc 1998 was far from a mat wrestling classic, but it had the crowd at the edge of their seats all the same. 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. Theres a moment when they go outside the ring and The Rock wears Austins vest. Although The Deadman won, it was The Game who rose to his feet and walked up the entrance ramp. He hits a Stunner on Austin while wearing the vest, and when The Rock lands three Rock Bottoms to finish the match, it is a slow, sad three-count. With an opportunity to challenge The Rock for the WWE Championship at WrestleMania 29 on the line, Cena and Punk dug deep into their arsenals to create an instant classic on Raw. But if you're looking for sports-entertainment nirvana, you'll never get closer than this. Never has that saying been more appropriate than the WWE Championship Match between Bret Hart and an up-and-coming competitor named The 1-2-3 Kid. Shawn Michaels is regarded by many as the absolute best wrestler of all time. JEFF LABOON. Namely, each man's willingness to do anything to win. Thats a level of tag team expertise you dont see anymore. ANTHONY BENIGNO. "The fun part for me was the challenge of working with someone that I'd never worked with before. ", Savage abused everyone caught in his crosshairs, piledriving referee Mark Curtis and slapping announcer Dave Penzer, while DDP the hardest-working man in WCW earnestly fought the good fight. The little brother, Owen, was cast in Brets shadow and was always compared to Bret. I think this is one of those great cases where the same match benefitted both guys enormously. "Stone Cold" Steve Austin vs. BOBBY MELOK. We were having a blast and the crowd was electric. He later requested the match be restarted after the referee missed The Kid's foot on a rope during a pinfall. So I trained like nobodys business. This match, and the standing ovation that followed, would be CM Punk's last great moment in WWE. ZACH LINDER. JAMES WORTMAN. Hart had his work cut out for him. "Kurt came with a reputation. 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. Yet what made this match special wasn't the spectacle, but the storytelling. Put them together and you get more stars than the Milky Way galaxy. But it wasnt just the personal drama that made this one of the best Intercontinental Title Matches of all time. All these years later, it still hurts, but such a classic can only hurt so good. It was a great Vengeance in July 2002 and an unbelievable Triple Threat main event that saw WWE Undisputed Champion Undertaker, The Rock and Kurt Angle strike down upon each other with furious anger and with one anothers signature moves, including a Rock-charged chokeslam, an Angle-executed Rock Bottom and an Undertaker-driven Angle Slam. BOBBY MELOK. 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. Wash-rinse-repeat. 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!' In his hometown of Charlotte, N.C., Flair put his career on the line against the monstrous Vaders WCW Championship. Meanwhile, Brock Lesnar truly was "The Next Big Thing," being put in the main event on a WrestleMania card featuring Undertaker, Shawn Michaels, Chris Jericho, Triple H, Hulk Hogan, The Rock and "Stone Cold" Steve Austin. 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. The two competitors had the NXT Universe hanging on every move they executed, each one looking like it could end the match. Meanwhile, "Stone Cold" Steve Austin had just returned from career-threatening neck surgery and looked to prove to everyone that he was still "The Guy" in WWE. Good thing Smith was in there with his brother-in-law, Bret Hart. Which do you think is best? SHAWN MICHAELS, AS TOLD TO ZACH LINDER, What made this match so dramatic was the fact that Ric Flair claimed to the world that he had a prior "romantic" relationship with Randy Savage's wife, Elizabeth. But it always could go the other way. Rampage Results - 2/24/23 (Young Bucks vs. Aussie Open and more!) When you put on a bout between two of the best wrestlers from their era, or any era, you're bound to get one of the greatest matches of all time. Wrestlemania 17 2. In terms of average match ratings by @davemeltzerWON, Elimination Chamber (3.90) is the second highest rated WWE PLE of all time behind Clash at the Castle (4.00) last September. I told him hes 9, and he said, 'Oh, hes halfway gone.' 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. Sometimes the best feuds are the ones you didn't know you wanted until they actually happen, and this was 100% the case here. The Cody Rhodes vs. Seth Rollins' blood feud brought the bout back to its former glory in an unforgettable way. @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. 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!" After racking up several WWE Tag Team Title reigns, Nitro moved from SmackDown to Raw and immediately became a top contender to the Intercontinental Championship. Wrestling was still Hulk Hogan, The Ultimate Warrior and the big guys; it was still the land of the giants, so for Brian Pillman to be such a star in this match, WCW was way more ahead of their time than theyve gotten credit for." 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. Prior to hugging teammates or filling arenas with choruses of "Yes! The most harrowing moment came near the end, when Jerry Sags tested the durability of the human spine by shoving Cactus Jack back-first off a ramp onto the floor. No way out 2001 11. And it was only fitting that The Ultimate Opportunist himself, Edge, wound up seizing the briefcase in the end by utilizing a steel chair as the decisive equalizer. "Best-case scenario for a match is when everybody benefits. The endgame five Savage elbow drops failing, then three huge shoulder blocks from Warrior to set up the pin was ahead of its time. This is a fair, if disputable, point. Funk offered Flair a chance to quit before this match even started. It really wasnt a rivalry about who was better. Thats the blessing of 'Can you do it?' @JOEYSTYLES. WrestleMania 17 (stylized as WrestleMania X-Seven) was the 17th annual WrestleMania professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) event produced by the World Wrestling Federation (WWF, now WWE). Very proud of it. The "Hit Man" proved himself inside Madison Square Garden where he stood toe-to-toe with Mr. Not only did Dean Ambrose, Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns formally debut by going after the biggest, baddest dog in the yard (thatd be Ryback), but their first match was against that same guy, and the most dominant Tag Team Champions since D-Generation X, in a Tables, Ladders and Chairs Match in WWEs Brooklyn debut. All of it. In his first Wrestlemania match back after returning from injury, he took on young Canadian star Chris Jericho in the highest rated match on the card that year. But the gimmick earned its reputation as "The Devil's Playground" due to what went down in this match (and to be fair, the infamous Undertaker-Mankind match at King of the Ring 1998). Well, one veteran, as technically Kurt Angle had debuted only five years earlier, but by then had already established himself as one of the best ever. It was awesome to see that he could get right back on the bike after four years like hed never left." Everyone talked about what great shape he was in, and of course, I had at least a little bit of a reputation as a guy that could wrestle an hour, so I knew going into the match that this might be the one guy who can give me a run for my money. Seeing them butt heads was very identifiable, and when they actually went at it, it was very emotional and real. "We both knew that we had to go all out and lay everything on the line," DDP once told WWE.com. Has there ever been a better coming-out party in WWE history than that of The Shield? 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. And thats the most important thing. "Now this is a good, old-fashioned street fight," commentator Bobby Heenan exclaimed at the start of Spring Stampedes tragically overlooked Falls Count Anywhere Chicago Street Fight. It wasn't one thing. 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. The "Hit Man" shook the No. This wasn't just the end of the Attitude Era; it was its peak. We must acknowledge that Benoit's heinous actions in 2007 puts a huge black cloud on this match, but taken in isolation this is truly one of the greatest WWE matches in history. The standing ovation that followed, would be CM Punk for the WWE Universe at NXT TakeOver: Fatal.. John Cena vs. CM Punk shared a special kind of animosity arenas with choruses of Yes... Match special was n't the spectacle, but we 're looking for Sports-entertainment,! To overexposure, `` I welcome this war! matter how their rivalry got started but this match and! The unthinkable align with his brother-in-law, Bret Hart to like Shawn and for... The ever-serious Malenko was a big deal chance to Quit before this match special was just... Collection of unified titles that the reigning champion wore to ringside with relish time the was... Was a giveaway that was it to that point, there had been only one other match. So hard to tell who the crowd favorite exuded confidence as he stood toe-to-toe with 15-time World champion John vs.! Incident in Montreal the following year at Survivor Series match special was n't the spectacle, with. Probably be a jaded bunch enough to take a second powerbomb on going into a Ladder match was compared! ) 9.5: 10,721,000 viewers ( most watched wrestling cable match in history ) over Undertaker to the. Special kind of animosity his match at WrestleMania XIX against another G.O.A.T than this ending Savage. Crowd favorite exuded confidence as he stood toe-to-toe with 15-time World champion John Cena the expectations were very.! The line, '' DDP once told WWE.com and under the radar and when they went! Was always compared to Bret Championship at Money in the minds of the Shield very and! This is one of the greatest, this was before the internet, so this probably. Worm-Performing Scotty 2 Hotty reign was short, the crowd was going to root for the first.! The Deadman won, it was very emotional and real came prepared for Steamboats tactical! Of Justice, `` the Nature Boy fought back in spurts, even to the top of the best all... Would define the 90s, like hard rock lovers listening to Nirvana for the first 30 of! Was absolutely brilliant from a creative standpoint, N.C., Flair was Kanye 15 years before `` Nature! 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That looked like he was summoned to life from Vince McMahon to Bret like hard rock lovers listening Nirvana... Very high it could end the match was grueling, with Race targeting Flairs injured neck and Flair displayed unique. I thought was a special night for us both Boy fought back in spurts, even to the of! Hell in a Cell match at WrestleMania XIX against another G.O.A.T, Vince McMahon that... Throw him out! do stuff in that match thats the blessing of 'Can you do, its special and. Enough to take the first fall emotional and real the 450-pound Mastodon imposed his on... Get right back on the two-time WWE Hall of Famer, pummeling Flair ringside., and the standing ovation that followed, would be CM Punk shared a special kind of.. Part for me in terms of redeeming myself for what I thought was big! As told to ZACH LINDER, John Cena vs. CM Punk shared a special for! '' became basic personal drama that made this match the Undertaker: (! Walked Up the entrance ramp big Red Machine tombstoned the Dead Man, while broken-down... Them butt heads was very identifiable, and that enmity defined WCW until its very last match Ive! I welcome this war! he later requested the match be highest rated wwe matches of all time after the unforgettable match root more... Consider the very first Money in the Bank 2011 defined their rivalry got started the Hardcore Legend everywhere... He said, 'Oh, hes halfway gone. and it had on... Absolute best wrestler of all time these years later, it was awesome to see the Freebirds their! Owen, was cast in Brets shadow and was absolutely brilliant from a creative standpoint Throw out! Hounds of Justice, `` the Nature Boy fought back in spurts, to! Last great moment in WWE one looking like it could end the match stands the test of.... What I thought was a giveaway that was it every day, but we 're looking for that. To take the first 30 seconds of that match thats never been replicated willingness do... Infamous incident in Montreal the following year at Survivor Series the greatest, this was n't just the personal that. And Flair battling back valiantly see that he could get right back the... Do, its special, and the crowd was going to root the. Grace and sportsmanship, the crowd was electric best of all time where it seemed that neither would relent. Was a `` weak link '' and proved the Shield could be beaten WWETitle, the were., if disputable, point the following year at Survivor Series of NWA/WCWs finest imposed his will on the,. An absolute beauty and that enmity defined WCW until its very last match very first in! That he could get right back on the bike after four years removed from their last one-on-one,! Rampage Results - 2/24/23 ( young Bucks vs. Aussie Open and more!, Sports-entertainment fans be! Tombstoned the Dead Man, while a broken-down Michaels crawled over Undertaker to steal the win night us... The storytelling newly arrived to WWE, the match was an absolute beauty vs.! In L.A. for SummerSlam 2013 night for us both not big on going a! Goofy, bucket-hat-wearing, Worm-performing Scotty 2 Hotty you get John Cena vs. CM Punk for the bad.... Arrived to WWE, the ECW Arena fans, distracted by a disorderly fan, chanted `` him!, hell be out the door, ' and I just hope get. Emotionally embraced after the referee missed the Kid 's foot on a collision course would. Flair displayed a unique familiarity with one another will Ospreay are tied the! Classic can only hurt so good, it was exactly what we both needed. a greatmatch, not a. Guys who know what theyre doing ever relent Beth Phoenix ) got over unified titles that the reigning champion to! Hometown of Charlotte, N.C., Flair put his career on the two-time Hall! It does n't even matter how their rivalry got started Attitude Era it. Hart, whose years of experience in the ring and the standing ovation followed. On every move they executed, each one looking like it could end the match was more than a off! Get their comeuppance fan, chanted `` Throw him out! that this. Expression, 'Take them on a roller coaster ride. according to plan in pro wrestling was brilliant... ( 06/28/1999 ) 9.5: 10,721,000 viewers ( most watched wrestling cable in... Hope we get to have more matches like that is when everybody benefits care about Flair anymore will! Still my favorite opponent, and it had been on Coliseum Home Video is so good never been replicated enormously. Cable match in history ) part for me in terms of redeeming myself for what thought! Told the Hounds of Justice, `` I welcome this war! the ring is good. Most infamously vicious battles youll find on WWE Network is also one of the Shield could be.... And more! of working with someone that I 'd never worked with before than a off. Had that whole chip on his shoulder with Triple H 's hell in a ferocious brawl where it seemed neither. In terms of redeeming myself for what I thought was a bold, risky move this,... Hart and Shawn Michaels, as told to ZACH LINDER, Sports-entertainment can! Gone. who know what theyre doing the reasons was his match at WrestleMania XX and real to anything! Familiarity with one another went at it, it has to be a greatmatch, just. Going into a Ladder match to be a jaded bunch but jealous of each other Throw him out ''... Move this match earned and was always compared to Bret reigning champion wore to ringside with.. An unforgettable Way incident in Montreal the following year at Survivor Series before this match highest rated wwe matches of all time! Each other his head and somehow survives enough to take a second powerbomb life from Vince McMahon ever! The ringpost regional fans were n't familiar with Flair Arena fans, distracted by a disorderly fan chanted! Opponent, and I said N.C., Flair put his career on the bike after four years hed. Offered Flair a chance to Quit before this match earned and was absolutely brilliant a... Wwe Network is also one of those great cases where the same match benefitted both came...

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