Friday, December 28, 2018

The Top 35 Matches of 2018






What's happening folks! To describe 2018 in wrestling would present one word...WOW!!! This has been a year unlike any other in many years, maybe even ever.  Continuing off of the momentum of how historic 2017 was, this year the bar was raised even higher and highlighted  many, many notable items.  Some of which included the rise of women's wrestling, the strongest indie period in years, and a historic World Title reign ending in arguably the greatest wrestling match of all-time.  This was a truly hard list to compose. One that was not taken lightly whatsoever.  There were SO many impeccable matches this year from various promotions, it's impossible to put them all in this list or even in the Honorable Mentions list.  The main list was narrowed to thirty-five, so if your favorite match isn't on here, chances are it might be in the HM section.  With all that said, let's get to it.



35. AJ Styles vs. Daniel Bryan/WWE Championship
WWE TLC '18

One of the truly gripping moments of the year was the return of the beloved Daniel Bryan from concussion-related issues that sat him out for two plus years.  When he returned, he picked up right where he left off with great matches and the Yes movement was back.  AJ Styles on the other hand was WWE Champion and held the belt for over a year when the unthinkable happened. Bryan turned heel and became champion.  This was the rematch, and goodness what a rematch this was.  This was a well put-together clinic of two of the best this generation in a textbook wrestling match.  You can't help but think this is how AJ's feud with Nakamura should've been.  



34. Will Ospreay vs. KUSHIDA/IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship
NJPW Wrestling Dontaku '18 Day 2

One of the great competitive rivalries involves two of the finest in the world, Will Ospreay and KUSHIDA.  These two fought at Wrestling Dontaku in another thrilling encounter for the Junior Heavyweight Title.  Ospreay came in as champion and fought off a very focused and determined challenger who himself is one of the mos celebrated Junior champions this generation.  This was another fantastic match between these two awesome competitors.



33. Oney Larkin & Danny Burch vs. Kyle O' Reilly & Roderick Strong/NXT Tag Team Championships
NXT Takeover: Chicago II

This year, the group of Undisputed Era dominated NXT, and they even won the Tag Team Titles twice.  At NXT Takeover: Chicago II, O' Reilly and Strong of the group defended against two grizzled, time-tested fighters in Oney Lorcen and Danny Burch.  Highly underestimated going in, the challengers made believers out of everyone by the end of the match.  While the two former ROH World Champions managed to escape with the titles, Lorcan and Burch walked away with something more from this incredible match- the admiration of NXT fans everywhere, even at the expense of Lorcan and a devastating facial injury.



32. Kenny Omega vs. Tomohiro Ishii/IWGP Heavyweight Championship
NJPW Destruction In Hiroshima '18

While everyone is talking about the great years the likes of Omega, Ospreay, and Jay White have had this year, you might wanna add Tomohiro Ishii to that list as well. His quality of matches this year has been simply excellent.  One such example was his match for the IWGP Heavyweight Title and defending champion Kenny Omega.  Their on-again, off-again rivalry typically results in quite the dazzling match, and this was no exception.  At the Destruction In Hiroshima event, the "Stone Pitbull" gave Omega his best, but once again Omega showed why he's arguably the best wrestler on planet Earth.



31. Marty Scurll vs. KUSHIDA vs. Hiromu Takahashi vs. Will Ospreay/IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship
NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 12

At Wrestle Kingdom 12, the Junior Heavyweight Title was on the line amongst four of the truly finest junior heavyweights in the world in the form of KUSHIDA, Marty Scurll, Will Ospreay, and Hiromu Takahashi.  As one would expect, these four lit up the event in a non-stop frenzied pace match.  There was no shortage of excitement with this match, as this was truly a show stealing match. Scurll came in as champion, but it was "The Aerial Assassin" that got the W in a memorable encounter.



30. Jonathon Gresham vs. Zach Sabre Jr.
ROH Final Battle '18

We are all familiar with how unique and incredible Zach Sabre Jr is in the ring. The Suzuki Gun member is considered the most technically gifted wrestler in the world today. However, he met up with another highly acclaimed technician in Jonathon Grishom.  This was their first encounter on Ameriican soil and at Final Battle '18, these two put on an absolute display of wrestling chess.  While ZSJ showed why he is who he is, Grishom earned even more respect by literally matching Sabre Jr move for move in a match that some could compare to Benoit vs. Angle at Royal Rumble nearly a decade and a half ago.  



29. Aleister Black vs. Johnny Gargano
NXT Takeover: War Games II


Two guys that have really had a great year are Johnny Gargano and Aleister Black.  These two fought in quite the charged, competitive match. Black was mysteriously attacked and was out for a couple months.  The previously beloved Gargano was exposed as the culprit and their match was quite the firestarter.  Gargano's newfound role as a heel proved to be quite the intriguing spotlight to him in the midst of arguably the best single critically acclaimed year of his career, and his chemistry with Black is borderline magic. Their match was excellent and this showed how two of the premier athletes of NXT can provide much captivation and suspense.  How cool was Black when he "absolved Gargano of his sins?"



28. Tomohiro Ishii & Kazuchika Okada vs. The Golden Lovers
NJPW Fighting Spirit Unleashed

Let's be clear: there was NO bad Golden Lovers match this year. Zero. When Omega reunited with Ibushi, it was among the most talked about moments of 2018.  One of their great matches was against Chaos members Okada and Ishii.  Okada, reeling from losing the IWGP Title to Omega and Ishii having quite the impressive year this year on his own, performed tremendously against The Lovers, but Ibushi and Omega reestablished themselves as of the finest teams in the sport and this match demonstrated that wholeheartedly.



27. Ricochet vs. Pete Dunne/Title vs. Title
NXT TV Taping 8/23/18

Nobody in the modern era of WWE has held any championship longer than how long Pete Dunne has held the UK Title.  He was hoping to become a dual champion by facing NXT North American Champion, the internationally acclaimed high flyer Ricochet.  In what was one of the finest one on one matches this entire year on NXT TV, these two displayed true pizazz against each other, and truthfully if it wasn't for the interference of The Undisputed Era, and would've had a definitive winner, this match would've been possibly the greatest NXT TV match ever. However, regardless of this, these two put on onew HELLUVA wrestling match.



26. Kenny Omega vs. Pentagon Jr.
All In

Arguably wrestling's most triumphant moment came in the form of All In, an indie event completely funded and put together by Cody and The Young Bucks.  One of the single best matches of the night was the much anticipated encounter between IWGP Heavyweight Champion Kenny Omega and one of the year's most popular luchadors, turned worldwide star, Pentagon Jr.  These two had an overall fast paced match, and gave each other all they could handle and it was as awesome as the fans chanting it.  Omega showed why he's considered the best on the planet, but Penta showed why he should be considered among the best today as well.



25. RINGKAMPF vs. Ilja Dragunov & Shingo Takagi
PWG BOLA '18 Night One

PWG's BOLA tournaments are known for producing some incredible matches throughout the tournament.  This year was no exception.  One such match was the tag team match between Dragunov and his partner, new LIJ member, Singo Takagi against WALTER (NXT's newest signee) and Timothy Thatcher, collectively known as RINGKAMPF.  Physical was the perfect word here.  All these guys are dumb hard workers, and can fight and suplex and chop and everything else VERY effectively.  This was a big time pouding affair, and one that made night one of this tournament a damn good opening night.  



24. Moustache Mountain vs. Roderick Strong & Kyle O' Reilly/NXT Tag Team Championships
NXT TV Tapings 7/12/18

Only a couple weeks after Moustache Mountain captured the NXT Tag Team Championships in the UK, they brought them back to the States in a rematch against the guys they defeated, Roderick Strong and Kyle O' Reilly of The Undisputed Era.  While their first match was very good, this one was simply captivating.  The main reason for the high acclaim was the story here.  Strong and O' Reilly working on the knee of Seven and battering him to the point where Bate had to throw in the title.  Very similar to Backlund vs. Iron Sheik or Backlund vs. Hart, this match gutted you as you were pulling so hard for the champs to persevere and overcome, but had you in your feelings when they lost.  A fantastic and compelling moment for the year.



23. Kazuchika Okada vs. Zach Sabre Jr./IWGP Heavyweight Championship
NJPW Sakura Genesis '18


Okada was in defense of his IWGP Heavyweight Championship against the winner of the New Japan Cup, Zach Sabre Jr at the excellent Sakura Genesis event.  Okada was approaching a record in terms of title defenses and length of reign, but it was definitely in danger facing the "Technical Wizard" and Suzuki-Gun member.  To no surprise, this was a different style from what Okada had been used to, as ZSJ applied his super scientific style to the finesse style of Okada.  The result was such a great match and showed why ZSJ is as superb of an in-ring performer as he is today.  As for Okada, this was yet another match that he had to adapt to a different style than what he was used to, but as usual Okada rose to the occasion and delivered another out the park performance.




22. Charlotte vs. Becky Lynch/WWE Smackdown Women's Championship
WWE Evolution '18

One of the biggest stories of 2018 in WWE involved the transformation of Becky Lynch and her epic, albeit confusing, heel turn.  Her feud with Charlotte Flair was possibly the best rivalry on the entire SD brand, and it culminated into a classic Last Woman Standing match at the first women's pay per view, Evolution.  Folks, this was absolute physicality.  Completely.  Lynch and Charlotte went through tables, chairs, kendo sticks...you name it.  This was the most intense women's encounter all year, and definitely among the most intense encounters in recent memory, regardless of gender.  Lynch may have shown she was "The Man", but Charlotte, even in defeat, showed why she's one of the best performers in the business, bar none.



21. Adam Cole vs. Lars Sullivan vs. EC3 vs. Ricochet vs. Killian Dane vs. Velveteen Dream/Ladder Match/NXT North American Championship
NXT Takeover: New Orleans

Whenever NXT delivers a Ladder Match, they always produce fantastic, memorable matches.  This one may have been the most memorable of them all.  NXT introduced the North American Championship, and for their inaugural champion, they put six of the best around in a Ladder Match, and this was simply AWESOME.  This marked the NXT debuts of Ricochet and EC3, and they performed incredibly, while the rest of the guys in it all delivered tons of punishment while also going through ladders and enduring other forms of aching brutality.  Cole came away with the title, but everybody involved raised their games to new heights here...pun intended.



20. The Briscoes vs. The Young Bucks vs. SoCal Uncensored/Ladder Match/ROH Tag Team Championshhips
ROH Final Battle '18

Staying with Ladder matches, ROH is known for having classic Ladder matches as well.  Who can ever forget El Generico vs. Kevin Steen in his farewell match from ROH?  This year, we had Tag Team Champions, SoCal Uncensored facing the legendary Young Bucks and the most celebrated tag champions in ROH history, The Briscoes.  From the opening bell, the intensity of sincere and the physicality of the page.  This had it all: tables, chairs, staple guns, of course plenty of ladders and lots of blood, as both Briscoes and Kazarian were all bloody messes by the end of the match.  Scary bumps and spots were aplenty and you can't help, much like the aforementioned match, how many years were taken off these men's careers.



19. Charlotte vs. Asuka vs. Becky Lynch/TLC Match/WWE Smackdown Women's Championship
WWE TLC '18

Perhaps the most grueling Ladder match of all this year involved arguably the three most dominant women on Smackdown in Becky, Charlotte, and Asuka.  These ladies showed the world that when it comes to intensity and combat, these women can go as hard as the men and in some cases even harder.  Becky came in fresh from a concussion and broken nose from weeks earlier but put up a hell of a fight, as did Charlotte and Asuka.  They went through tables, the security barricade, kendo sticks were involved, as were chairs.  This was a street fight with ladders.  Asuka acquired the title, but not withoiut enduring some brutal punishment, as the other two did as well. Arguably the most vicious match of the year within the women's division.


18. Kenny Omega vs. Chris Jericho/IWGP U.S. Heavyweight Championship
NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 12


What a year for both these outstanding athletes.  Omega came into Wrestle Kingdom as the inaugural IWGP U.S. Champion and had a ferocious match with the legendary Chris Jericho, who was coming in as one of the sports biggest heels.  After the brutal bloodying of Omega before the end of the year by Jericho, this match was billed as a No DQ match, and these guys turned it up.  Omega, bloodied and battered just like the attack, took the fight to Jericho and gave Jericho his ever five star match, according to Meltz.  This was a phenomenal showing the twenty-plus year veteran that showed that even at the ladder end of his career, he can hang and deliver against athletes as great as "The Six Star Cleaner".


17. Will Ospreay vs. Marty Scurll/IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship
NJPW Sakura Genesis '18

One of the most celebrated and acclaimed rivalries of this era involves Will Ospreay and Marty Scurll.  Although they've had many amazing affairs, most still have yet to reach the plateau their match at RevPro High Stakes 2016 accomplished.  However, this match at Sakura Genesis wasn't far from that peak.  This was yet another storied match between two guys that truly know each other in the ring and everything was textbook and cohesive.  Ospreay was the champion going in, and came out the champ as well, even though Scurll delivered one of his best performances in some time during this match.  As long as these two are in the game, we will likely see more magic between these two fantastic athletes.



16. Kazuchika Okada vs. Will Ospreay/IWGP Heavyweight Championship
NJPW 46th Anniversary Show

On paper, a match between Will Ospreay and Kazuchika Okada sounded like a dream match, especially for the IWGP Heavyweight Title.  That match happened at the 46th Anniversary Show, and what a match it was.  Ospreay was the challenger that was aiming to prove he was more than just a junior heavyweight wrestler.  He was a worthy contender to the throne of Okada.  There's no doubt Okada came away with tons more respect for his Chaos compadre than going in, but there's also no doubt as to why Okada is considered a modern legend in New Japan and in the business as a whole.  



15. Johnny Gargano vs. Tomasso Ciampa/Street Fight
NXT Takeover: Chicago II

If there was one person in all of NXT that has really stepped his entire game up in 2018, it's been Johnny Wrestling himself, Johnny Gargano.  While he never won the NXT Title, he provided perhaps the best matches this entire year consistently.  One such match was the Street Fight between him and former friend/partner Tomasso Ciampa.  After their stellar match at NXT Takeover: New Orleans, they attempted to step it up even more with this incredible one at NXT Takeover: Chicago II.  This had much of the same ferocity and intensity as their prior match, and was, at times, somewhat unsettling to watch.  This was shear brutality, but one that Ciampa won and survived.  Folks, there wasn't a better and more engaging rivalry in NXT, and maybe all of WWE this year than this one.



14. Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Kazuchika Okada
NJPW G1 Climax '18 Day 17

One of the greatest rivalries of this generation is undoubtedly Tanahashi and Okada.  There has never been a bad match between these two extraordinary competitors.  This was yet another master class in storytelling, psychology, and athletic showmanship, and it was in practically perfect form.  Both came in with intriguing back stories.  Tanahashi was the elder statesmen who, at forty-one, could still go and needed to get back to top form from his somewhat underwhelming 2017.  Okada was reeling from losing the IWGP Heavyweight Title to Omega just a couple months prior and was trying to get his mojo back.  With both men needing to prove something, this match was filled with captivation to see who needed it more.  While it ended in a draw, both men showed why the industry needs both these unbelieveable wrestlers.



13. The Young Bucks vs. EVIL & SANADA
NJPW Dominion '18

The almighty Young Bucks ARE tag team wrestling.  Innovators to an underappreciated art in wrestling, they have become the most attention-grabbing tag team of our current generation.  At Dominion, they collided against LIJ members, EVIL and SANADA.  Don't get it twisted, this was no walkthrough for Mark and Nick Jackson.  None whatsoever.  The highly skilled and athletic SANADA and the brawling physicality of EVIL made the Bucks work very, very hard in this match.  The Bucks persevered, but it was not without going deeper and further than they likely thought they would go when it came to two damn good talents like these two LIJ members.



12, Johnny Gargano vs. Andrade "Cien" Almas/NXT Championship
NXT Takeover: Philadelphia

Dear Lord!!!  If there was a career defining match in NXT for Gargano and Cien Almas, this was it. Almas had just defeated Drew McIntyre a few months earlier to become the champion and Johnny was...well...the underdog that would tend to come up on the short end of the stick since the brutal breakup of DIY.  This was the classic underdog vs. incredibly talented champion, and the story they told here was scintillating.  Not only did Zelina Vega and Johnny's real life wife Candice LeRae get involved, but these two took their storytelling abilities to levels NXT hadn't seen in years, if not ever.  This match was easily a new benchmark in both men's careers and raised the bar for future NXT Championship matches.



11. Hiroki Goto vs. Tomohiro Ishii
NJPW G1 Climax '18 Day 6

Two tough sons of bitches is the best way to describe Goto and Ishii.  These two are far from strangers to each other, and their match on the eighth day of the famed G1 Climax tournament was another example of how fantastic these two are at storytelling.  Goto is the celebrated journeyman. Has held everything virtually and done everything to where he's considered a legend. Ishii is the big brute that is laser focused on inflicting pain and obtaining glory.  These two provided a very stiff contest, but also extremely evenly matched as well.  Ishii picked up the huge win but best believe we all were winners by the end of this monstrous encounter.



10. Johnny Gargano vs. Tomasso Ciampa/Unsanctioned Match
NXT Takeover: New Orleans

The two former friends and partners of DIY were bound to collide after Ciampa viciously turned on Gargano at the first NXT Takeover: Chicago event.  Unfortunately, Ciampa was out with an MCL and ACL injury that kept him out for a year.  However, in this Unsanctioned Match for Johnny's NXT career, this was a dazzling display of what storytelling looks like in 2018.  Those had rivalries like Flair/Funk, Guerrero/JBL, and Styles/Samoa Joe (when in TNA) all wrapped up in this one, as this match was brutal, and at times a bit uneasy, but fully captivated you and were hypnotized by the action and the story. The betrayed underdog versus the arrogant, vicious former best friend was the anchor behind this. Even though Gargano won, this match set the stage for arguably NXT's most incredible, and personal, rivalry all year.



9. Kenny Omega vs. Tetsuya Naito
NJPW G1 Climax '18 Day 2

It doesn't get much better than these two phenomenal athletes.  Anytime Omega and Naito get together, you're simply bound to see another amazing match, and this match was no different whatsoever.  They had recently fought in the finals of G1 and it was among the greatest finals in the twenty-seven year history of the event.  This year, it was only day two, but it still served as yet another exceptional matchup between two of the best in the world.  This was damn near every bit as awesome as their unbelievable encounter last year and was a great bar for the other matches to reach.  





8. Kota Ibushi vs. Tomohiro Ishii
NJPW G1 Climax '18 Day 10

Staying with the G1, Ishii is once again on the list.  In case you're not aware, Ishii killed in this tournament.  He shined all throughout this tournament, win or lose.  One of his most fantastic encounters was against the always extremely impressive Kota Ibushi.  Ishii's super tough and rugged style against the finesse and high flying abilities of "The Golden Star" was an excellent dance for both of these highly respected competitors. This match continued to show the toughness of Ishii and the never-ending heart of Ibushi in dazzling fashion.  Stiff shots a plenty, Ibushi managed to get a big win over "The Stone Pitbull", but don't think his win was painless.  



7. Kenny Omega vs. Tomohiro Ishii
NJPW G1 Climax '18 Day 14

Once again, another match that has two people that produce magic every time they square off. In this case, it's Kenny Omega and Tomohiro Ishii.  Ishii is a stud. We all know this. Omega is the best in the world. These two can kill it on any given night.  Who will forget their epic match in Long Beach for the IWGP U.S. Title? This match was very much up there with it, if not surpassed it.  Ishii's immense physicality was a lot for Omega to overcome at times, and it was enough for the "Stone Pitbull" to pull off a massive victory over the IWGP Champion in a match that will go down in G1 history.



6. Hiromu Takahashi vs. Taiji Ishimori
NJPW BOSJ '18 Finals

The Best Of the Super Juniors tournament is considered one of the most acclaimed tournaments on the planet and really has a spotlight for the junior heavyweights.  This year was no exception.  There were several matches that were quite the spectacular match.  However, none of those matched the amazing display showed by the Bullet Club's Taiji Ishimori and LIJ's Hiromu Takahashi.  This match, at times, was a true fight, with them going into the stands, then showing off their simply tremendous technical in-ring showmanship.  The story of these two young warriors giving everything they have in the longest BOSJ match ever for the right to compete at Dominion for the Junior Title was simply compelling.  While we were really knowing more about Takahashi, Ishimori wasn't quite as known, other than his Impact run.  By the end of this match, both men's careers were raised to whole new levels.



5. Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Kazuchika Okada
NJPW Wrestling Dontaku '18 Day 2

Here we go again.  Okada and Tanahashi dancing with each other again on this list, and for very good reason.  This particular match was, in fact, for the IWGP Heavyweight Title.  This match wasn't as quick-paced or offensive minded as their match in the G1, but the storytelling here and the game of human chess was more visually stunning.  These were two modern legends at the office again showing the world how to properly tell an athletic story and make it look seamless.  Needless to say, this was another classic that will go down in the annals of NJPW history. 



4. Hiroshi Tanahashi & Will Ospreay vs. The Golden Lovers
NJPW Road To Wrestle Kingdom '18

The last big match of 2018 was this beyond thrilling match between Tanahashi and his partner Will Ospreay and The red hot Golden Lovers.  This was a set up match for their individual matches at Wrestle Kingdom 13 (Ibushi vs. Ospreay, Omega vs. Tanahashi) and folks, this was as crazy of a match athletically as you'll ever see between two teams.  While this was already a hell of a match within the first fifteen to twenty minutes, but towards the final ten or so minutes, this was absolutely spectacular.  This was non-stop, frenzied, and every single person here showed they were ready for the Tokyo Dome, win or lose.  While The Lovers showed why they're one of the single hottest teams in the business, Tanahashi and Ospreay were equally amazing here, and the chemistry between these four was brilliant.  Who wouldn't want to see these four get it on in the ring again??



3. Kota Ibushi vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi 
NJPW G1 Climax '18 Finals

The culmination of one of the most acclaimed G1 tournaments of all-time, if not the greatest, resulted in a G1 Finals we will not soon forget.  Multi-time winner Tanahashi faced Kota Ibushi in a match of teacher versus student.  Kota looked to Tanahashi to god-like levels, but his performance against his hero was among the best we've ever seen from him.  If his performance against Shinsuke Nakamura at Wrestle Kingdom 9 was his breakout match, this match officially made him a main event payer worthy of being at the top of the card.  Tanahashi is clearly a modern legend and one that will be remembered as arguably the man that saved New Japan is a lot of ways in the mid-00s.  Now, the forty-one year old "Ace" showed the younger Ibushi who boss was in there, but Ibushi stepped to that next level in a highly memorable match worthy of GOAT list conversations in today's era.



2. The Young Bucks vs. The Golden Lovers
NJPW Strong Style Evolved '18

Never have we seen a tag team match as brilliantly executed and phenomenally done at telling such a captivating story as we saw with The Young Bucks and The Golden Lovers. Omega was split between his allegiance to The Elite and his renewed friendship with Ibushi.  Even though Omega was conflicted his gave a six star worthy performance, along with Ibushi, in this match. However, Mark Jackson may have been the MVP here, with him selling a back injury and both Bucks performing masterfully, this match was one of the most beautifully told matches in many years, and has been argued that this may be the greatest tag team match this decade.  If you're not convinced by the end of this forty minute masterpiece that these two teams just delivered us a tag team master class, what are you even doing watching wrestling??





1. Kazuchika Okada vs. Kenny Omega/IWGP Heavyweight Championship/2 Out Of 3 Falls
NJPW Dominion '18

This has been called the Flair/Steamboat rivalry of our era.  This has been called the rivalry that has changed the game and set a new bar for professional wrestling.  Kenny Omega and Kazuchika Okada OWNED 2017 with their series of matches.  All of their matches have been revered as three of the greatest matches of all time.  Once it was announced there would be a 2 Out Of 3 Falls Match with no time limit for the IWGP Heavyweight Title, we all knew we were in line for quite likely a new bar being raised, them outdoing themselves even more, and perhaps the greatest wrestling match of our generation.  Folks, all were accomplished. Breathtaking. True artistry. Exhausting athletic showmanship. There are so many different ways to describe the beauty of this match. Okada became the longest reigning champion in NJPW history, as well as breaking Tanahashi's record with length of combined days, but Omega knew it was the proverbial now-or-never. After seventy-four god-level minutes, Omega finally dethroned Okada, thus ending, at least for now, the greatest rivalry and series of matches in decades.  We all witnessed the new bar set by these two extraordinary athletes, and this was not only the match of the year, this was the match of a generation.



Honorable Mentions

Omega vs. Ibushi/NJPW G1 Climax 28-Day 18
Ishii & Ospreay vs. G. Lovers/NJPW Road To Destruction '18
Black vs. Almas/NXT Takeover: New Orleans
Asuka vs. Banks/Raw 1/29
Goto vs. Suzuki/NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 12
Okada vs. Naito/NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 12
Reigns vs. Rolllins vs. Miz vs. Strowman vs. Cena vs. Elias vs. Balor/Raw 2/19
Ibushi vs. Sabre Jr/NJPW New Japan Cup '18
Omega vs. Page/NJPW Wrestling Dontaku '18
Alexander vs. Ali/WWE Wrestlemania 34
Rollins vs. Miz/WWE Backlash '18
Ricochet vs. Cole/NXT Takeover: Brooklyn IV
Ricochet vs. Dream/NXT Takeover: Chicago II
Ali vs. Murphy/205 Live 7/3
Lee vs. Takahashi/NJPW G1 USA Special
Okada vs. White/NJPW G1 Climax 28-Day 1
Tanahashi vs. Suzuki/NJPW G1 Climax 28-Day 1
Omega vs. Goto/NJPW G1 Climax 28-Day 4
Ishii vs. Naito/NJPW G1 Climax 28-Day 4
Pentagon Jr. vs. Callahan/IMPACT Slammiversary XVI
Williams vs. Ishimori vs. Fantasma vs. Johnny Impact/IMPACT Slammiversary XVI
Goto vs. Ibushi/NJPW G1 Climax 28-Day 12
Omega vs. Sabre Jr/NJPW G1 Climax 28-Day 12
Okada vs. Elgin/NJPW G1 Climax 28-Day 11
Gargano vs. Ciampa/NXT Takeover: Brooklyn IV
M. Mountain vs. O'Reilly & Strong/NXT Takeover: Brooklyn IV
Mysterio/Fenix/Bandito vs. Bucks/Ibushi/All In
Blanchard vs. Green vs. Baker vs. Rayne/All In
Bandito vs. T-Hawk/PWG BOLA '18
M. Mountain vs. A. Open/Riptide Wrestling Tournament
CCK vs. LAX/Progress Ch. 80
Ospreay vs. Havoc/Progress Ch. 64
Rousey vs. Charlotte/WWE Survivor Series '18
Ambrose & Rollins vs. McIntyre & Ziggler/WWE Hell In A Cell '18
Sotomora vs. Martinez/WWE Mae Young Classic '18
Ospreay vs. Scurll/NJPW Fighting Spirit Unleashed
WALTER vs. Bones vs. Dragunov/wXw 16K Gold
KUSHIDA vs. Scurll/NJPW King Of Pro Wrestling '18
LAX vs. OGz/Bound For Glory
Storm vs. Sotomora/WWE Mae Young Classic '18
Ricochet/Dunne/W. Machine vs. U. Era/NXT Takeover: War Games II
Dream vs. Ciampa/NXT Takeover: War Games II
Bandito vs. Janela/PWG BOLA '18
Flamita vs. Bandito/PWG BOLA '18
Bandito vs. Takagi vs. Cobb/PWG BOLA '18
Fenix vs. Omega/NEW Redemption '18
Thatcher vs. WALTER/Progress Ch. 62
Bucks vs. Briscoes/ROH Best In The World '18
Bryan vs. Lesnar/WWE Survivor Series '18
Riddle vs. Sabre Jr/PWG Time Is A Flat Circle
Ospreay vs. Ishimori/NJPW BOSJ '18
King & Bateman vs. RINGKEMPF/PWG All-Star Weekend '18
Cobb vs. Page/ROH Final Battle '18
Storm vs. Shirai/WWE Mae Young Classic '18
Sabre Jr vs. WALTER/Progress Ch. 77
Ospreay vs. WALTER/Defiant Wrestling: Stacked
RUSH vs. Park/CMLL 6/22
PCO vs. Riddle/GCW Lost In NY '18
Shirai vs. Sotomora/Sendai Girls
Viper vs. Kong/EVE Wrestle Queendom '18
Ospreay vs. WALTER/OTT 4th Anniversary
Bate vs. WALTER/Progress: Hello Wembley
Black vs. Cole/NXT Takeover: Philadelphia
Women's Royal Rumble Match/WWE Royal Rumble '18
Men's Royal Rumble Match/WWE Royal Rumble '18
CCK vs. A. Open/RevPro Summer Sizzler
Sabre Jr. vs. A-Kid/White Wolf Wrestling Total Rumble 8


In a word, 2018 has been special. In another word, historic. In one last word, fun. Trust me, there were tons more incredible matches that need to be viewed and experienced if you haven't already.  Not only did this pick the ball up where 2017 left it, which was already unbelievable as it was, it took it even further.  This could be considered the greatest year professional wrestling has had as a whole this decade, possibly in modern history.  Will 2019 repeat the same phenomenal acclaim as the past three years especially have shown? Time will tell.  All I have to say is stay tuned. It'll be TOO SWEET (oops!)  Until next time!

Saturday, December 15, 2018

Vince's House: The Best WWE Matches Of All-Time





What's happening folks? You've asked about it, and it's finally here.  It's only right that we point out the best matches in the most commercially successful wrestling promotion in the world.  While billing themselves as "sports entertainment", WWE has hardly ever been known for producing consistently game changing wrestling, but they have been known to deliver memorable moments regardless.  They have been known to occasionally produce special experiences by viewing encounters that make you feel deeply.  Yes, Hogan vs. Andre was the match that turned wrestling on its ear globally due to star power and name appeal.  Similarly, matches like Rock vs. Hogan brought a new generation of fans into the world of the super marquee match due to name and star appeal more so than the athletic anticipation of the Okada/Omega series or several others.  With that being said, there have been legit amazing matches the company has produced that weren't just about name but about actual wrestling ability mixed with fantastic storytelling.  This list will not include NXT as a list has already been made (as you can click here to view it), but instead we present thirty of the greatest matches WWE has delivered.  Without further ado, let's get into it.



30. Rey Mysterio & Edge vs. Chris Benoit & Kurt Angle
No Mercy '02

Rey and Edge on paper is a great team, but Benoit and Angle looks even better.  While Angle wasn't quite the intense machine he would later become quite yet, he was still a superb in ring wrestler as of course Benoit was as well.  This match was excellent.  Was it as fantastic as their Smackdown Two Out Of Three Falls Match? Absolutely.  This was a great tag team showcase of four dynamite wrestlers in tag team competition, and it was arguably the standout match of the night.





29. Chris Benoit vs. Kurt Angle
Royal Rumble '03

This match opened the Rumble of '03 and ended up becoming the most talked about match of the night besides the Rumble match.  Here we have two legit outstanding in ring workers in Benoit and Angle, and two guys that could outwrestle most anyone in the world, much less in WWE.  The action in the ring was compelling and it was clear that there would be nothing that would outshine the effort these two guys demonstrated.  Although Angle won, Benoit showed his ability to be a star and a main eventer that night, and it showed with a much-deserved standing ovation.






28. Undertaker vs. Triple H
Hell in A Cell
Wrestlemania XXVIII

It was billed the "End of An Era".  Two of the modern cornerstones of WWE having one last (at that time) match.  Two sure fire Hall Of Famers and two guys that have more than earned their respect within the business.  Taker and HHH continued their rivalry from a year prior when they tore the house down at Wrestlemania XVII when Taker got stretchered out, in spite of his win over "The Game".  Adding to this was Shawn Michaels being the special referee for this match and we have something special, and it was.  The story was the bigger topic of discussion more so than the action, but after all, that's what wrestling is about right?  This was a physical affair that ended with Taker winning and a memorable image of Taker/ HBK, and HHH at the ramp embracing each other to signal the end of one of the most historic eras in wrestling history.  





27. "Stone Cold" Steve Austin vs. Triple H
3 Stages of Hell
No Way Out '01

One of the most intense rivalries in WWE history involved "Stone Cold" Steve Austin and "The Game" Triple H.  Being revealed as the guy that was behind Austin getting ran down nearly a year and a half earlier, the rivalry became the most vicious feud in all the company.  The feud culminated in an epic 3 Stages Of Hell match at No Way Out '01.  The first "stage" was a wrestling match, that Austin won.  The second "stage" was a bloody street fight, in which Hunter won, and the third "stage" was a cage match, in which Hunter finally wrapped up the feud.  This match was a forty-plus minute match that was among the most physical encounters in recent memory, and took away any steam for any remaining matches that night, including Rock vs. Angle in the main event.





26. The Dudley Boyz vs. Edge & Christian vs. The Hardy Boyz
WWE Tag Team Championships/TLC Match
Wrestlemania XVII

If there were any more high-profile teams in the famous "Attitude" era than the Dudley Boyz, Edge & Christian, and The Hardyz, please present them.  This three way rivalry was the most defining tag team rivalry in many years in the company and perhaps the business as a whole.  This took three teams that were already highly successful, and made them instant legends.  Their Ladder Match at the prior Summerslam, along with the Ladder Match between The Hardyz and E&C set the stage for this intense, albeit dangerous, match.  Scary bumps a plenty, the action was beyond fierce.  With Rhyno, Lita, and Spike Dudley all getting involved, it added to the chaos that was this match, with E&C winning the belts.  At an event that was considered the greatest Wrestlemania of all-time, bell to bell, this match was among the true highlights of the evening and of many years to come.





25. Bret "Hitman" Hart vs. 1-2-3 Kid
WWE Championship
Raw 7/1/94

Before he was X-Pac, he was the 1-2-3 Kid, and was a very promising young talent.  He picked the win of wins by upsetting Razor Ramon on the premier edition of Raw, and from there his star power was slowly growing.  He challenged Bret Hart for the WWE Title on Raw, and what a performance we saw from him.  This match overachieved in many aspects.  Not because of Hart, who we all know can have a match with a broom handle and get it over, but because we didn't know the level of in-ring excellence Kid could go, but we saw it, and this stands as one of the single best matches Sean Waltman ever was part of.




24. John Cena vs. Seth Rollins vs. Brock Lesnar
WWE Championship/Triple Threat Match
Royal Rumble '15

The three hottest guys going into 2015 were Roman Reigns, champion Brock Lesnar, and Money in The Bank contract holder Seth Rollins.  Of course, you always have to put megastar Cena in any mix Vince wants.  Truth is, Rollins was knocking on that ceiling with the likelihood of crashing through it.  This was one more step getting there, as he was fantastic in this match.  You have two guaranteed Hall Of Famers in Cena and Lesnar, and a star on the cusp of absolute greatness.  While Rollins didn't win, his performance showed that he belonged in the main event and deserved to be champion.  This was a big time match and we saw great things from all three.





23. Chris Benoit vs. Triple H vs. Shawn Michaels
World Heavyweight Championship/Triple Threat Match
Wrestlemania XX

Many have considered this the greatest triple threat match in WWE history.  At the twentieth anniversary of Wrestlemania in Madison Square Garden, the main event was World Heavyweight Champion Triple H against heated rival Shawn Michaels and the winner of the 2004 Royal Rumble, Chris Benoit.  Benoit was on FIRE and the company put the battery behind him, and incorporating himself into the issue between Hunter and Shawn.  This had good wrestling, tons of aggression, and lots of blood.  Yes folks, this was bloodbath, but the story was Benoit finally breaking through the glass ceiling and grabbing that brass ring.  This match was an excellent way to end a fairly good Wrestlemania, and of course the now iconic image of Benoit and Eddie Guerrero embracing and celebrating in the ring had us all in the feels.





22. Bret "Hitman" Hart vs. Mr. Perfect
Intercontinental Championship
Summerslam '91

We always saw something special in Bret "Hitman" Hart from his days with Jim "The Anvil" Neidhart as The Hart Foundation.  Hart was legitimately seen as one of the best nall saround technical wrestlers in the business, and he was on his way to becoming a major singles star.  Only thing was he had to get past an equally great Mr. Perfect, who was the Intercontinental Champion at Summerslam '91.  This was more about Bret becoming a breakout star finally, and this was a very good one.  With the addition of Perfect working with a very badly damaged back, he helped Hart obtain a major milestone in his career.  In front of his parents at MSG, Hart broke through and this became one of the single most important matches in both men's careers.





21. "Stone Cold" Steve Austin vs. The Rock
WWE Championship/No Disqualification Match
Wrestlemania XVII

If there was a rivalry that really defined the "Attitude" era besides Austin vs. McMahon, was the equally entertaining Austin vs. Rock.  These two icons were almost always neck-a-neck with each other.  While Austin was a bigger star, Rock may have been a better star.  Whatever the case, these guys main evented the awesome Wrestlemania XVII. They had previously main evented Wrestlemania XV, and it was a good match, but this one ran laps around that one, or for that matter their match at Wrestlemania XVIX, which was also damn good.  In this case, both guys are the biggest babyfaces and Rock was the champion.  These two fought their asses off.  No, seriously, they fought like hell.  Both men lost blood, and the drama within this match and the build was just epic.  NOBODY was ready for the ending with Austin and McMahon, This ending, along with the highly intense action these two provided, made this their absolute best encounter.





20. Cactus Jack vs. Triple H
WWE Championship/Street Fight
Royal Rumble '00

Going into 2000, Triple H was on fire.  He was the leading heel, along with him being WWE Champion, he was the on-camera husband (at the time) of Stephanie McMahon (how life can imitate art).  Hunter's drive to be the leading heel in the business was captivating and you genuinely hated his guts more than once, especially his bullying of Mick Foley.  Foley summons up his notorious Cactus Jack character and boy did they tear down MSG that evening.  This match was violence, something Hunter had done a lot of before this match.  However, the blood messy champion stood toe to toe with the sadism of Jack, and defeated him by Pedigreeing him into thumbtacks.  The selling of the highly bloodied champion even though he was the winner further showed how much of an impact player he aimed to be, and this officially marked "The Game's" toughness and his ability to be that main event guy.  This not only stands as one of the best matches of the early thousands, but also one of the most pivotal in both men's careers.





19. Shawn Michaels vs. Kurt Angle
Wrestlemania XXI

It doesn't get much better, if at all, then HBK and Kurt Angle.  Two of the greatest in-ring performers of all-time met in what was arguably the best match within all of Wrestlemania 21.  This had been quite the anticipated match for some years, and it all hit at the Rumble a couple months earlier.  This was a textbook match of HBK's finesse style of wrestling with Kurt's incredible technical wrestling, and this was just amazing.  This had moments of great mat wrestling, intensity, and stellar storytelling that had enough credibility for this to be among the best modern Wrestlemania matches of the era.  Although Kurt got the win, both men received standing ovations for their excellent performances and rightfully so.





18. Bret "Hitman" Hart vs. Mr. Perfect
King Of The Ring '93

Hoping to repeat the critical acclaim of their Summerslam encounter of '91, this match was a semifinal match to determine the King Of The Ring of '93.  Folks, this match was easily the better match, as this time both men were babyfaces, but the intensity was as high if not higher than their previous encounter.  Perfect looked a lot better in this match than their prior one while Bret looked every bit as good as before.  There were teases of a heel turn by Perfect but it never surfaced.  Bret scored another win here, and it sent him to the finals against the late Bam Bam Bigelow.  However, this was not onlt the best match of the tournament, but one of the best matches of the year.





17. The Undertaker vs. Shawn Michaels
Hell In A Cell
In Your House: Bad Blood '97

The one that started it all.  This was the legendary match that introduced Hell In A Cell into our consciousness.  Shawn had been involved in a heated feud with Undertaker and this was the culmination of it.  The match was already intense with Shawn looking absolutely great here.  We had different stories within the match, including Shawn battering a photographer and him showing his unbelievable toughness, as Taker gave him one of the worst ass kickings we've ever seen Michaels take.  The bloody mess that Michaels was had him getting slammed on top of the cage, going through a table from near the top of the cell, and getting an unprotected chair shot.  This also marked the debut of Kane, in which he gave Michaels the win.  The drama all over the match, mixe3d with the sheer brutality here and the magic between the two, made this match possibly the greatest HIAC match of all time





16. Shawn Michaels vs. Mankind
WWE Championship
In Your House: Mind Games

In another case of the story being the story, HBK faced off against Mankind at Mind Games, and this was fantastic.  We hadn't seen Shawn be this physical before, as he truly took the fight to Mankind, which resulted in some pretty sickening bumps off and on during this match.  The build for this was excellent and the result was stellar storytelling here.  Mankind was just awesome here and the chemistry between the two was off the page.  The spot where Foley was trapped head first in between the ropes and still put the mandible claw on Michaels was genius.  Michaels earned the hell out of this win, but Mankind showed that he was truly the most intriguing character, heel or babyface, in the company at that time.





15. Bret "Hitman" Hart vs. "British Bulldog" Davey Boy Smith
Intercontinental Championship
Summerslam '92

This match has been billed as one of the best Intercontinental Championship matches of the nineties, and rightfully so.  This match had it all.  Emotion, great work, great storytelling, and fantastic heat.  Real life brothers-in-law Bret Hart and Davey Boy competed for Bret's I-C Title at Summerslam '92 at Wembley Stadium in what was the main event.  The first time the I-C Championship ever main evented a pay-per-view.  The story was not only the title being on the line, but Diana Hart Smith was basically in the middle, as she's the sister of Bret and the wife of Davey.  This was such a compelling match based upon all the above qualities and the perfect main event for a highly acclaimed Summerslam.  Davey defeated Bret and eighty thousand fans went complete ape shit.  However, both men were winners in this incredible match.





14. Marty Jannetty vs. Shawn Michaels
Intercontinental Championship
Raw 7/19/93

One of the most wildly popular teams of the late eighties/early nineties was The Rockers, Marty Jannetty and Shawn Michaels.  We all remember the now legendary breakup of the two.  In '93, the former friends and teammates were involved in quite the storied match on a live Raw, back when it was at the Manhattan Center.  In what was considered a big upset, Jannetty defeated Michaels to become the Intercontinental Champion for the only time in his WWE career.  HBK would later win it back, but this was a story of a ridiculed ex-team member that had a bunch to prove, and for a night, he received his rightful vindication in quite a great match.





13. Razor Ramon vs. Shawn Michaels
I-C Championship/Ladder Match
Summerslam '95

Razor and Shawn were involved in one of the most memorable rivalries over the I-C Title in the history of the championship.  They made history with their match at Wrestlemania X, but that next year at Summerslam '95, the long overdue rematch occurred.  On this occasion, this was a case of two babyfaces going after each other.  They dynamic was different, but the cohesiveness from which these guys performed together (aka chemistry) didn't change at all.  This match was almost every bit as fantastic as their original encounter, and this time HBK was able to pick up the win on this occasion in a simply thrilling match that has to be considered among the best Summerslam matches of the nineties.





12. Bret "Hitman" Hart vs. "The Rocket" Owen Hart
Wrestlemania X

God bless Owen Hart.  The late, great youngest sibling of the Hart family was a HELLUVA in-ring competitor.  He really grew into his own while feuding with his already huge name older brother Bret.  It was the classic "I'm tired of being in your shadow" rivalry between siblings, and they finally collided at Wrestlemania X. This was the first of two matches on the card for Bret so this match started everything off, and what a match this was.  We truly saw just how great Owen can be as a technician.  Many have considered him a more complete wrestler than Bret.  Be that as it may, the chemistry here was off the page, as if they were meant to face each other.  Owen shocked the world with what was considered an upset win, but this match was only the beginning of an exceptional rivalry between loving brothers.





11. Charlotte Flair vs. Becky Lynch
WWE Smackdown Women's Championship/Last Woman Standing
Evolution '18

The women's evolution was in full force in 2018.  The women's division had participated in several firsts such as the first women's Royal Rumble match, first women's Elimination Chamber, and even the first ever all-women's pay per view, EvolutionEvolution was a decent to good event showcasing the talents of the women's division from Raw, Smackdown, and NXT, along with the Mae Young Classic finals.  However, one match that night put the entire WWE on its ear, and it involved SD Women's Champion, Becky Lynch and former champion, Charlotte Flair in a Last Woman Standing match.  This was only the second one in the company (the first was Asuka against Nikki Cross in NXT), but this was easily not just the best match of the event, but the best women's division match of the year, maybe ever.  The storytelling in this match was fantastic and the brutality from these women was stellar. For nearly thirty minutes, these two ladies tore the house down, with Becky retaining the championship in a match truly worthy of gladiator acclaim.





10. Bret "Hitman" Hart vs. Shawn Michaels
WWE Championship
Survivor Series '92

We all know by now that Hart vs. Michaels became one of the most deeply personal rivalries in the sport as a whole, not just in the ring but outside the ring as well.  This feud superseded wrestling and turned into two men that just couldn't stand each other.  One of their first memorable encounters was at Survivor Series of '92. Before the beef got past kayfabe levels, these two were just two guys that respected each other's in-ring capabilities.  We saw the beginnings of what would be arguably the most controversial feud in company history, but this match was an exemplary contest between two guys who would become true legends within the sport, regardless of whether they liked each other behind the scenes or not.





9. Bret "Hitman" Hart vs. "The Rocket" Owen Hart
WWE Championship/Steel Cage Match
Summerslam '94

The rivalry between the Hart siblings of Bret and Owen reached a climatic peak with their highly memorable Steel Cage match at Summerslam '94.  The family was divided between these two and they were seated ringside as they saw these two marvelous workers compete in what has been called one of the greatest Steel Cage matches in WWE history.  This wasn't necessarily a brutal affair, but this was a riveting and intriguing wrestling match that was technical wrestling and storytelling among its highest.  We saw two of the finest not just in WWE but in the entire business competing in a phenomenal contest that resulted in Bret getting the win, but this match clearly showed that Owen had officially arrived if you didn't already believe it when he beat his brother at Wrestlemania.  Rest In Peace Owen!







8. John Cena vs. AJ Styles
WWE Championship
Royal Rumble '17

Within this generation, nobody has been more polarizing than John Cena.  Many bash him for having had two left feet, plus just generally not knowing how to legit carry a match.  Not to mention he's been Vince's poster boy for this era. However,once 2010 hit, he really started to hit his stride holding his own within matches and looking pretty good in the process.  In 2017, he faced one of the legit best on the planet in AJ Styles for the WWE Title.  This was undeniably Cena's best match in years, and he danced with a modern legend at that to assist him in this dynamite match.  Their rivalry going in to the match was already at a fever pitch, as these two had a helluva match at Money In The Bank '16 already.  This one was not only better, but it really showed AJ not only belonged in the main event, he WAS the main event.  Both men won in the eyes of the fans.





7. Razor Ramon vs. Shawn Michaels
Intercontinental Championship/Ladder Match
Wrestlemania X

The standard of all modern-day Ladder matches.  At Wrestlemania X in MSG, then-champ Razor Ramon was on a high as champion, and HBK returned from suspension but proclaimed himself as the "real" Inter-continental Champion, as he never lost the title in the ring.  This match was awe-inspiring.  For its day, this match was the epitome of what great storytelling and athletic showmanship represented for WWE.  Razor never had a match this incredible while it was another day at the office for Shawn.  It wasn't easy following the excellent match that was Bret and Owen at the start of the evening, but not only did it outdo it, but it stole the show and took the energy from every other match of the night sans the main event of Bret vs. Yokozuna.  For years, this was THE Ladder Match, and depending upon who you ask, it still is.





6. Bret "Hitman" Hart vs. "Stone Cold" Steve Austin
Submission Match
Wrestlemania XIII

There are times in wrestling where a loss in a match becomes a win with the fans and critics.  This was one such example, as Bret Hart faced rising star "Stone Cold" Steve Austin.  Austin had become red hot after he won the King Of The Ring of '96 and his now iconic "Austin 3:16" promo.  Following up on their great Survivor Series match of that year, they had an epic Submission Match at Wrestlemania XIII.  This was intense and physical.  It went another level when Austin was badly lacerated and bled quite profusely everywhere.  We saw the absolute toughness of Austin, but it was the pivotal final moments of the match that officially made Austin THAT star, as Hart locked in the Sharpshooter and Austin, absolutely pouring in blood, passed out from the blood loss and the pain without giving up.  This also signaled the greatest double turn possibly WWE history, as Austin became a babyface and Hart became a heel.  The story of this match and the physicality of this match puts this among the greatest Wrestlemania matches of all-time.





5. Bret "Hitman" Hart vs. Shawn Michaels
WWE Championship/60 Min. Ironman Match
Wrestlemania XII

The two biggest and most celebrated stars in the company in '96 were Bet Hart and Shawn Michaels.  It was only right that these two eventually collide in a big game match, only both men were babyfaces going in.  Plus, there was the fact that this match was going sixty uninterrupted minutes in an Ironman Match.  The build was simply fantastic, showing both men in intense preparation and training.  The big fight feel was in effect and the match did not disappoint.  While the first several minutes were slow, the eventual build and rise in story was climbing and when it reached its apex, it was amazing.  You really saw how off the page these two talents were and they both were fully exhibited.  This was never a fight per se, but this was a DAMN good wrestling match and at the end, HBK won his first WWE Title in epic fashion.  This ranks as one of the single best matches in either man's careers.





4. John Cena vs. CM Punk
WWE CHampionship
Money In the Bank '11

What a 2011 for CM Punk.  While it started in moderate complacency, it became the summer of Punk.  In somewhat similar fashion as in ROH, Punk OWNED the remainder of the year.  It started with the now legendary worked shoot promo that ended up defining the career of Punk, appropriately given the term the "Pipe Bomb Promo".  However, the bigger story was the fact that Punk's contract was up at midnight the night of MITB, and he stated he was leaving WWE as champion.  The match was in Chicago, Punk's hometown, and the atmosphere was among the most electrifying we have ever seen in many years.  The clear babyface from the crowd, Cena was in enemy territory.  The match itself was simply phenomenal.  Mix the very highly competitive story told along with the heavily charged energy within the Allstate Arena and this was a match nobody would soon forget, if ever.  Punk walked out the champ and the now famous image of Punk blowing a kiss to Vince McMahon as he left thought he crowd with the championship.  Folks, every single thing about this, from the promos to the match and the conclusion, was absolutely awesome. 





3. Undertaker vs. Shawn Michaels
Career vs. Streak
Wrestlemania XXVI

One of the sport's most celebrated rivalries over the years has been Taker vs. HBK.  A year after their seminal classic at Wrestlemania XXV, they did it again.  Michaels was hell bent and determined to end the streak of Undertaker.  Going about getting a match by any means.  It worked, but Michael's career was on the line.  Behind the scenes, HBK knew this time was coming and he was ready, but he was wanting to go out in a blaze of glory, and boy did he.  Easily as compelling and riveting as their prior match at WMXXV, this match was quite the show.  Michaels' last match was unbelievable, but then again, it's HBK, which he had done night-in, night-out, and there was no better a performer to end his career with than Undertaker.  One future HOFer and one current HOFer, and the magic they displayed in front of the world was one for the ages, and they showed why their rivalry is one of the most decorated in wrestling history.





2. Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat vs. "Macho Man" Randy Savage
Intercontinental Championship
Wrestlemania III

Wrestlemania III is considered the most famous WM of all-time, and the one that finally garnered them acclaim all over the world thanks to Hogan vs. Andre, but no match on that whole card was better than the legendary encounter between Ricky :The Dragon" Steamboat and the late, great "Macho Man" Randy Savage for the I-C Title.  The build for the match had Steamboat suffering from a throat injury at the hands of Savage.  However, this match was one of shear beauty as much as it was intensity.  This showed the immaculate chemistry between the two men and the story was fantastic.  It comes as no surprise that Steamboat can deliver superior matches, as does Savage.  These two together, for many years, was considered the best match in Wrestlemania history, and in some aspects, the best match in WWE history.  Depending upon who you ask, it remains this way, and that's a very credible argument.





1. Undertaker vs. Shawn Michaels
Wrestlemania XXV

If you wanna talk about epic, precise storytelling, and two of the most iconic stars in wrestling history, look no further than Undertaker and Shawn Michaels.  We mentioned earlier how incredible their Wrestlemania XXVI match was, as HBK had his career end by losing to Taker.  However, it was their incomparable match at XXV that became the new blueprint for historic wrestling matches in WWE.  This match was way different than any prior matches they had, including their aforementioned Hell In A Cell match from '97.  There was no hatred, personal issue here.  Just two guys that showed the world that they were still the cornerstones of WWE and, even with Taker damn near killing himself on a spot gone wrong, the match made you emotionally invested in the heart of HBK while not wanting the streak Taker had acquired for himself over the years.  The results had Taker defeating Michaels, but there were no losers here critically as everyone agreed they had just witnessed a masterpiece and quite likely the greatest wrestling match in WWE history.  Take a bow gentlemen.



Honorable Mentions

Cena vs. Orton/Bragging Rights '09
Bryan vs. Lesnar/Survivor Series '18
Cena vs. Edge/Unforgiven '06
Michaels vs. HHH/ Badd Blood '04
Rock vs. Angle vs. Taker/Vengeance '02
Michaels vs. Jericho/No Mercy '08
Lesnar vs. Reigns vs. Strowman vs. Joe/Summerslam '17
Hart vs. Bulldog/IYH: Season's Beatings
Jericho & Benoit vs. HHH & Austin/Raw 5-21-01
Hart vs. Austin/Survivor Series '96
Taker vs. Mankind/King Of The Ring '98
Edge vs. Angle/No Mercy '02
Cena vs. Michaels/Wrestlemania XXIII
Cena vs. Michaels/Raw 4-23-07
Cena vs. Orton vs. Michaels vs. Edge/Backlash '07
Cactus vs. Orton/No Mercy '04
Styles vs. Lesnar/Survivor Series '17
Cena vs. Rollins vs. Strowman vs. Elias vs. Reigns/Raw 2-12-18
Guerrero vs. JBL/Judgement Day '04
Rollins vs. Kingston vs. Swagger vs. Ziggler vs. Ambrose vs. RVD/MITB '14
Austin vs. Love/ Over The Edge '98
Hardyz vs. Edge & Christian/No Mercy '99
Benjamin vs. Punk vs. Carlito vs. Jericho vs. Kennedy vs. MVP vs. Morrison/Wrestlemania XXIV
Edge vs. Christian vs. Kane vs. Jericho vs. Benjamin vs. Benoit/Wrestlemania 21
Jax vs. Banks vs. Emma vs. Brooke vs. Bayley vs. James/Raw 6-27-18
Cena vs. Rollins/Summerslam '15
Edge vs. Guerrero/Smackdown 9/24/02
Cena vs. Owens/MITB '15
Batista vs. HHH/Vengeance '05
Flair vs. Michaels/Wrestlemania XXIV
Cesaro vs. Ambrose vs. Owens vs. Jericho vs. Del Rio vs. Zayn/MITB 2016
Banks vs. Asuka/Raw 1-29-18
Joe vs. Wyatt vs. Rollins vs. Reigns vs. Balor/Extreme Rules '17
Michaels vs. Angle/Vengeance '05
Cena vs. Owens/Elimination Chamber '15
Shield vs. Evolution/Extreme Rules '14
Bryan vs. Orton vs. Batista/Wrestlemania XXX
Jericho vs. Benoit/Royal Rumble '01
Cena vs. Edge/Backlash '09
Rollins & Ambrose vs. McIntyre & Ziggler/HIAC '18
Guerrero vs. Angle/Wrestlemania XX


Nobody discounts WWE's legit contribution to wrestling's most magical and unforgettable moments.  The iconic promotion has delivered more than their fair share of classics and in the years to come, hopefully this will continue in the house that Vince built. Until next time folks!