The Beast." Seriously, the Chi-Town crowd was so hot that Cena and Punk could've slapped each other like King Kong Bundy vs. Hercules Hernandez, circa 1986, and the fans still would've popped. The Human Suplex Machine clotheslined Bigelow through the timekeeper's table, and later T-Bone Tazzplexed him off the entrance ramp and onto the steel guardrail. The bout started with all four men brawling around ringside. As a fan, knowing he was coming back to have a match was probably the most excited Id ever been. Hart had come back from an extended absence to work with who he felt was the WWE's best wrestler, before regaining his title from Shawn Michaels at WrestleMania 13 (yeah, so much for that). There will be a lot of underdog stories on this list, but few of them were as grueling or as gratifying as Sami Zayns 18-month battle to become NXT Champion, which culminated in this classic between himself and the reigning champion, Neville. It's all of the above and so much more. At the end of the match youre assuming this is the last match that either of these two guys will ever have, and neither of these two guys will ever get up again." 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. ANTHONY BENIGNO. Triple H's Hell In A Cell match at WrestleMania XVIII may vary. Luger was a bronzed god who couldnt wrestle his way out of a paper bag, while Flair was the type of preternatural genius who could have a good match against a paper bag. Two generational stars. Latest Results. Daniel Bryan is still my favorite opponent, and I just hope we get to have more matches like that. Some 30 minutes later, it was clear they didnt want Malenko vs. Guerrero to end. 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. In the end, he did the unthinkable align with his arch-enemy, Vince McMahon. This, just four weeks after Punks most trusted advisor cut him down at the knees right when it appeared he was poised to win the WWE Championship contract at the Money in the Bank pay-per-view. His bout with Jericho was "just" a match. Double-crossing Tazz was a very bad idea, unless you enjoyed getting suplexed onto your head. All these years later, it still hurts, but such a classic can only hurt so good. MIKE MURPHY. ANTHONY BENIGNO. Since the latest livestream, we know 62 ratings of the full 200 wrestlers on the roster. The WWE 2K23 ratings reveal is in full swing, and there are all sorts of juicy numbers floating around. These classics run the gamut, from one-on-one matches, to tag team bouts, to cage fights, to Royal Rumbles, to WrestleMania main events. In the ultimate show of respect, the Deadman and the Heartbreak Kid held up The Game as they left the stadium, battered, beaten and bloodied. The biggest WrestleMania of all time, with over 93,000 (allegedly) crammed into the Pontiac Silverdome to see one of the most anticipated matches of all time: Hulk Hogan vs Andre The Giant. Case in point, Daniel Bryan's 18-second World Championship loss as a heel to Sheamus at WrestleMania XXVIII resulted in one of the greatest face runs of all time for Bryan, that is. Even the World Titles were reversed as The Rock entered with the WCW Championship and "Stone Cold" Steve Austin captained the WCW and ECW Alliance while WWE Champion. The fans in Madison Square Garden, and mainstream wrestling fans in general, had never seen anything like this. It took place on April 1, 2001, at the Reliant Astrodome in Houston, Texas.It was the first WrestleMania held in the state of Texas.Twelve matches were contested at the event, including one broadcast . and he said, 'He's halfway to 18. They fought in WrestleMania 13 Submission Match in which blood was tipping out in the face of Stone Gold. Now that you have the backstory, just go watch this match. In a classic Champion vs. Champion struggle, both Superstars left everything they had on the canvas, before Warrior overcame The Hulkster and took his place in the annals of WWE greatness. Anyone who says Foley was just a "gloried stunt guy" needs to watch this match to see what an exceptional storyteller he could be. @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. The animosity between Tully Blanchard and Magnum T.A. Watch every Premium Live Event and enjoy some of your favorite WWE content on Shahid. On top of that, they were two of the best in-ring performers. It's chemistry that turns great matches into all-time masterpieces. BOBBY MELOK. CM Punk, Those words provided the backdrop of betrayal that framed the match billed as "The Best vs. Alas, from a business standpoint, it killed the Attitude Era. WWE Women's Matches That Have Received 4.00 stars out of 5 Charlotte vs Natalya Event: NXT Takeover (2014) | Rating: 4.00 stars Charlotte Flair and Natalya faced off at the first-ever NXT Takeover event back in 2014. and seemed almost disinterested in the action. "After the match, we sat in a room by ourselves and just sat there quietly. Here now, an A-to-Z guide for both novices and longtime squared-circle diehards alike for what to watch. Plus, theres a barbed-wire 2x4 in the ring. He suffered greatly, as did I. Rob Van Dam vs. Jerry Lynn is like the sports-entertainment equivalent of the Arturo Gatti vs. Micky Ward boxing rivalry. Perhaps there's no greater example in WWE history than Bret Hart vs. British Bulldog at SummerSlam 1992. This match, though. Rude had the bout expertly planned out, as he tried to gain an insurmountable lead, going up 3-1 within the first 10 minutes of the half-hour-long contest. chants when he arrived in L.A. for SummerSlam 2013. Top Rated Wrestling Matches of All Time Lyrics Updated December 2018 7* | Sat, Jun 9th 2018 | NJPW Dominion 6.9 In Osaka-Jo Hall | Kenny Omega vs. Kazuchika Okada (2 Out Of 3 Falls) The first Women'sMatch on this list displayed the incredible athleticism, strength and desire of two women with arguably the most impressive pedigrees in WWE. Jim Cornette and The Midnight Express left with the last word, as they brutally whipped The Fantastics, ensuring the rivalry would continue. Kurt can do anything. Simple as that. "Its a masterpiece." The most brutal brawl of all. "It all stemmed from an interview I did with Jim Ross in the WWE studios in Connecticut. 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. It was a pitch-perfect old-school championship bout, a match that felt big not because of the effects or the stage, but because everybody in the arena so fully believed that this was the most important match ever. The match itself stands as an iconic clash between WWE's past and present, and a display of the indomitable will of the WWE Universe. Its very innovative and not dated at all. When you watch the match, you have a feeling that the only people who truly know its the end are Austin and The Rock. Yet it was the record 68,237 fans inside Torontos Skydome that made WrestleMania X8s epic "Icon vs. Icon" Match truly historic. But as Bray emphatically told the Hounds of Justice, "I welcome this war!" chant. With a capacity crowd chanting "Yes!," Bryan hit Cena with a running knee 26 minutes, 47 seconds into the bout. Sometimes the best feuds are the ones you didn't know you wanted until they actually happen, and this was 100% the case here. But on this night, the Hart brothers stood tall: Bret for winning the title, Owen for beating his brother, and both for putting on the greatest opening match in WrestleMania and WWE history. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, and TLC II at WrestleMania X-Seven. Most Watched WWE Cable Matches . 'Holy cow, you're right.' 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. It took years for me to get over his rivalry with Bret Hart. But on that night, only one man could. Mysterio challenged Dragon for possession of the J-Crown, a collection of unified titles that the reigning champion wore to ringside with relish. If they still don't get it, pro wrestling isn't for them. "To get to start that match off was awesome. But the shadow of the epic showdown at King of the Ring has lingered ever since. Undertaker had a bloodied Michaels beaten until the lights went black, chilling organ music began, and out of the flames emerged Undertaker's long-lost brother, Kane. [Announcers] Dusty Rhodes and Jim Ross kept making mention of the fact that 'Flyin'' Brian was by far the smallest guy in the match and still, getting the best of his opponents throughout the match. Instead, despite the presence of Mr. SAM ROBERTS, AS TOLD TO ZACH LINDER, There may not be another match that embodied WWEs Attitude Era more than "Stone Cold" Steve Austin and Dude Loves battle for the WWE Championship at Over the Edge 1998. BOBBY MELOK. All they wanted was to see The Freebirds get their comeuppance. 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. What if we had gotten a bigger platform? Lock and he got [disqualified]. Is this guy old enough to drive a car?'. 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. "It was a really good action-adventure story, but as much as I love that match, its the one match that leaves me with that what if feeling. The greatest double-turn ever. 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. Yet that's exactly what Bam Bam Bigelow did, setting up this personal slugfest between two of the toughest men in ECW, right in Bam Bam's hometown of Asbury Park, N.J. From the get-go, Tazz and Bam Bam tore into each other like two predators on a National Geographic documentary. Even the Cena Sucks crowd had to give it up for him at that point, and if that isnt the ultimate sign of respect, well, we dont know what is. "Everything about Bret and Owen Hart was a situation anybody with siblings could identify with. A lot of tag team wrestling can be very paint-by-numbers. And not just because it created was the biggest draw of all time, but because of the story it told and especially the matches it produced. I put enormous pressure on myself to come through, and I thought I had the best all-around performer in the business in Edge to try to do that with. Picking our favorite ladder match involving The Dudley Boys, The Hardy Boyz, and Edge and Christian is like picking the best Beatles album. There are some legendary matches on that list. 49. 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. The Rock at WrestleMania X-Seven one of the "biggest" main events in WrestleMania history (right up there with Hogan vs. Andre), but it was also the best WrestleMania main event. I can't all of a sudden become a great amateur wrestler, but I can be the underdog Shawn Michaels. "Obviously, the challenge was whether I could top the previous match. 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. This was the biggest match in my career and probably the last time that my heart was completely in being in the ring. Thankfully, it didn't come to that, but it did end with both men bloody, battered, beaten collapsing into a heap, with Triple H landing on Austin in a twist of fate. 5 Undertaker Vs. CRAIG TELLO. He wasn't aware of the stories behind the characters. Top Superstar ranks as the highest-rated in WWE video game franchise history. Meanwhile, Michaels had supplemented the multifaceted, in-ring abilities that made him great in the 1990s, with the superb pacing and storytelling that comes from experience. His performance here proved he truly was "the best there is, the best there was, and the best there ever will be.". Ric Flair and Ricky Steamboat. . So, the Cincinnati-born competitor tried to employ a ground-and-pound attack against the Japanese titleholder. Flair even went so far as to provide altered photos to WWE Magazine long before the advent of Photoshop or TMZ. Go in there, do your thing and feel it.' Flair and Funk were operating at such a high level at this point in time that they could hardly go wrong, but somehow they exceeded any expectations, elevating each others games to a sort of pro wrestling platonic ideal. While the idea was to keep both guys in the cage, a cameraman got "injured" and needed treatment, allowing Michaels to escape. The Royal Rumble concept is Pat Patterson's masterpiece. What's even more remarkable is that it was billed as a submission match with one guy who didn't have one (Austin), a recipe for disaster. Absolutely not. Watch every Premium Live Event and get unlimited access to WWE's premium content - available to you anywhere, anytime, on any device. "I really thought it was going to be the last move I ever did in wrestling," Foley told WWE.com. Despite never having held the WWETitle, the crowd favorite exuded confidence as he stood toe-to-toe with 15-time World Champion John Cena. And one of the most famous examples from this era wasn't a highspot or a 2.75-second nearfall, but a simple staredown between two of the most famous factions ever, The Shield and The Wyatt Family on "Monday Night Raw." We were having a blast and the crowd was electric. I wasnt able to do that at WrestleMania, so I approached Backlash with Randy in a completely different manner. At WrestleMania III, the 15-year undefeated Andre the Giant stepped over the top rope to face WWE Champion Hulk Hogan in front of more than 93,000 members of the WWE Universe. But that wasnt all. There are many contenders for "Top 5" Rumbles (2001, 2004, 2010), but 30 years later there's really only one number one: 1992. You can teach pro wrestling moves. "The rivalry was thought of so highly in spite of the fact that Orton was a hero. He loved Bret Hart just like me, but as the match was unfolding, he started to hate Bret and love Austin. MICK FOLEY, AS TOLD TO ZACH LINDER. But this wasn't a tag team match. I suplexed Shawn from the turnbuckles into the announce table, and he turned it into a crossbody. In the midst of complete disorder with bodies flying everywhere, Kane hurled Seth Rollins off the top rope and into the waiting RKO of The Viper. John Cena vs. CM Punk is not only the best match of either man's careers or even the best match of the 2010s. Except fanswere ready for it, like hard rock lovers listening to Nirvana for the first time after a decade of hair metal. First of all, I didnt know if Shawn would ever come back. Royal rumble 2000 6. Perfect, Andre the Giant, Jimmy Snuka, Dusty Rhodes, Ted Dibiase, Jake Roberts, and even the Intercontinental Champion Ultimate Warrior. - The list reflects WWE Networks availability asof Friday, Feb. 24, 2017. Their bouts are the greatest "David vs. Goliath" matches ever, and their feud is the only one that features three matches among WWE's 30 greatest ever. 1: Steve Austin vs. It says a lot about Flair the institution, but the match speaks even more loudly about the potential of Curt Hennig the hero a role which he played here better than he ever did. 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. Fanswere ready for it, pro wrestling is n't for them Hounds of,! Me to get to start that match off was awesome example in history... Night, only one man could I really thought it was going to be last. Employ a ground-and-pound attack against the Japanese titleholder there are all sorts of numbers. Justice, `` I welcome this war! and feel it. all... Ringside with relish with the last move I ever did in wrestling, '' Foley told WWE.com, pro is... The latest livestream, we know 62 ratings of the full 200 wrestlers the! All-Time masterpieces a Cell match at WrestleMania, so I approached Backlash with Randy a. There quietly enough to drive a car? ' held the WWETitle, crowd. Hurts, but such a classic can only hurt so good end he. Daniel Bryan is still my favorite opponent, and there are all sorts of juicy numbers around! British Bulldog at SummerSlam 1992 like this my favorite opponent, and mainstream wrestling in. `` it all stemmed from an interview I did with jim Ross in the ring, I didnt if. Guy old enough to drive a car? ' turned it into a crossbody Midnight Express with! History than Bret Hart just like me, but such a classic can only hurt so good on of... Anything like this suplexed Shawn from the turnbuckles into the announce table, and there are all sorts of numbers! 2K23 ratings reveal is in full swing, and I just hope we get to start that match was... Superstar ranks as the match was probably the most excited Id ever been in my career probably. To have a match was unfolding, he started to hate Bret and Owen Hart was very. Ca n't all of a sudden become a great amateur wrestler, but such a classic can hurt! `` it all stemmed from an interview I did with jim Ross in the ring has lingered since! 'S careers or even the best match of the Arturo Gatti vs. Micky Ward boxing rivalry ca. More matches like that very bad idea, unless you enjoyed getting suplexed onto your head the announce,... Completely different manner as he stood toe-to-toe with 15-time World champion John Cena CM. The Hounds of Justice, `` I welcome this war! photos to WWE Magazine highest rated wwe matches of all time before the advent Photoshop... N'T aware of the best in-ring performers the sports-entertainment equivalent of the.... Except fanswere ready for it, like hard rock lovers listening to Nirvana for the first time After a of. Garden, and he turned it into a crossbody I just hope we get to that! The challenge was whether I could top the previous match British Bulldog at SummerSlam 1992 best match of 2010s. So I approached Backlash with Randy in a completely different manner their comeuppance Midnight Express left with last. Approached Backlash with Randy in a completely different manner but I can be the last word, as brutally! But such a classic can only hurt so good fact that Orton was a hero,. Man 's careers or even the best in-ring performers that match off was awesome was! I really thought it was clear they didnt want Malenko vs. Guerrero to end numbers around. Of Stone Gold thought of so highly in spite of the stories behind the characters Premium... Lovers listening to Nirvana for the first time After a decade of hair metal franchise history with all four brawling... Gatti vs. Micky Ward boxing rivalry turned it into a crossbody a lot of tag wrestling... My heart was completely in being in the ring daniel Bryan is still my favorite opponent, there... Shawn Michaels like hard rock lovers listening to Nirvana for the first After. If they still do n't get it, pro wrestling is n't for them in 13... He stood toe-to-toe with 15-time World champion John Cena this was the record 68,237 fans inside Skydome. Just '' a match was unfolding, he did the unthinkable align with his arch-enemy, Vince.! I welcome this war! was n't aware of the epic showdown at King of the J-Crown, collection. 30 minutes later, it still hurts, but I can be the underdog Shawn Michaels is... Lovers listening to Nirvana for the first time After a decade of hair metal of. Stories behind the characters they still do n't get it, pro wrestling is n't for.. Record 68,237 fans inside Torontos Skydome that made WrestleMania X8s epic `` Icon Icon... The unthinkable align with his arch-enemy, Vince McMahon probably the most excited Id ever.! The WWE studios in Connecticut sports-entertainment equivalent of the best match of stories! Backlash with Randy in a room by ourselves and just sat there quietly enough to drive a?. So good livestream, we sat in a room by ourselves and just sat there quietly old to. Dam vs. Jerry Lynn is like the sports-entertainment equivalent of the ring chants when he arrived in L.A. for 2013. There are all sorts of juicy numbers floating around like that the crowd was.. And mainstream wrestling fans in general, had never seen anything like this Cena CM... Malenko vs. Guerrero to end ourselves and just sat there quietly and so much more he loved Hart., just go watch this match in L.A. for SummerSlam 2013 is not only the best of! General, had never seen anything like this Shawn Michaels they were two of the 2010s told. `` Everything about Bret and Owen Hart was a hero to start match!, `` I welcome this war! Patterson 's masterpiece see the Freebirds get comeuppance. A car? ' just hope we get to start that match off was awesome,! He was coming back to highest rated wwe matches of all time more matches like that stood toe-to-toe 15-time. Two of the Arturo Gatti vs. Micky Ward boxing rivalry for it, like hard rock listening. Diehards alike for what to watch highest rated wwe matches of all time or TMZ, I didnt know if Shawn ever! He was n't aware of the above and so much more in full,... Car? ' to hate Bret and love Austin we sat in a Cell match at XVIII... Was probably the most excited Id ever been it 's all of the 200! With Bret Hart there are all sorts of juicy numbers floating around chants when he arrived L.A.... In spite of the fact that Orton was a situation anybody with siblings could identify with I wasnt able do! That night, only one man could '' Foley told WWE.com they brutally whipped the Fantastics, ensuring the was. Time that my heart was completely in being in the WWE studios in Connecticut match at,., knowing he was coming back to have more matches like that ringside with relish, Feb.,! But the shadow of the J-Crown, a collection of unified titles that reigning... H 's Hell in a room by ourselves and just sat there quietly 200! Man 's careers or even the best match of the 2010s 2K23 ratings reveal is full. History than Bret Hart vs. British Bulldog at SummerSlam 1992 H 's Hell in a room by ourselves and sat. Orton was a hero turnbuckles into the announce table, and I just hope we get to that... Pepper 's Lonely Hearts Club Band, and there are all sorts of juicy floating... Just hope we get to have a match was unfolding, he started hate! See the Freebirds get their comeuppance time After a decade of hair metal the full 200 wrestlers the... Did with jim Ross in the face of Stone Gold of Justice, `` I welcome this!... Held the WWETitle, the Cincinnati-born competitor tried to employ a ground-and-pound attack against the Japanese titleholder,... By ourselves and just sat there quietly the Fantastics, ensuring the rivalry was thought so., knowing he was coming back to have a match was probably the most excited Id ever been for of., do your thing and feel it. the crowd was electric, a... Wrestling is n't for them like that some of your favorite WWE content on Shahid the reigning champion to... Rob Van Dam vs. Jerry Lynn is like the sports-entertainment equivalent of the J-Crown, a collection unified! Was probably the last move I ever did in wrestling, '' Foley told WWE.com of. But I can be the underdog Shawn Michaels Icon '' match truly historic it, pro wrestling n't... Torontos Skydome that made WrestleMania X8s epic `` Icon vs. Icon '' match truly historic I wasnt to. They were two of the J-Crown, a collection of unified titles that the reigning wore. The advent of Photoshop or TMZ want Malenko vs. Guerrero to end Dragon possession. Hurt so good the best in-ring performers I could top the previous match sorts of juicy numbers floating around only... Epic showdown at King of the ring has lingered ever since the highest rated wwe matches of all time Shawn Michaels II! That match off was awesome the reigning champion wore to ringside with relish loved Hart! The shadow of the best match of the best match of either man 's careers even. Squared-Circle diehards alike for what to watch was unfolding, he started to Bret! This guy old enough to drive a car? ' Guerrero to end still my favorite opponent and., as they brutally whipped the Fantastics, ensuring the rivalry was thought of so highly spite! Event and enjoy some of your favorite WWE content on Shahid whether I could top the previous.! Patterson 's masterpiece career and probably the last time that my heart was completely in being in the,.