wrestling / Columns
The Top Ten 3.28.07: WrestleMania Matches
Greetings people and welcome back to another late edition of The Top Ten. Sorry about this being late, but my computer decided to completely ignore my flash drive and instead of uploading my article, it decided to erase everything on it. So needless to say, I’m quite pissed seeing that I had an abundance of crap on that drive and now they are pretty much lost forever. On top of that, I had to completely re-type this column from scratch so if it seems a little rushed or not up to my usual excellent standards, forgive me. I didn’t have time to include the reader feedback with this re-write since I had to take my ladyfriend out for her birthday, but it’ll make its return next week. Ok, enough of me whining like a little girl….or Test. Let’s get into this week’s SUPER-SIZED list.
23) Hulk Hogan & Mr. T w/ Jimmy Snuka vs. Roddy Piper & Paul Orndorff w/ Cowboy Bob Orton (WM1)
This right here is the match that made all the other matches on this list possible. Without the overwhelming success of the first Wrestlemania, there would most likely never have been another Wrestlemania and the WWE itself may have ceased to exist. This match certainly wasn’t a 5 star classic, but it drew people to watch it and it satisfied everyone who watched it back then. So whenever you marvel when watching some of the other matches on this list, remember that they probably would have never even happened without this match occurring.
22) Macho Man Randy Savage vs. Hulk Hogan (WM5)
The MegaPowers exploded at Wrestlemania 5 when The Macho Man turned on his friend, Hulk Hogan, due to what Macho felt was Hogan trying to steal his woman, Miss Elizabeth. Hogan of course denied it, but Macho stuck to his convictions and kept coming at The Hulkster full force until they collided at WM for the WWE Title. This was a great back and forth match where Macho seemed like he was going to pick up the upset win a couple times. Hogan eventually took over and dropped the big leg for the win, but Savage’s efforts couldn’t be glossed over. This was the Hulkster’s first great match (quality wise) in the WWE and a large part of that was due to Savage.
21) Bret Hart vs. Roddy Piper (WM8)
Rowdy Roddy Piper was known throughout his career for being a brawler and being unorthodox in the ring, but when he stepped in the ring with The Hitman for the Intercontinental Title at WM8, he had to change his entire strategy. Instead of trying to brawl with Bret, Piper actually tried to wrestle him and he was quite successful at it. Piper seemed to beat Bret at his own game when he locked in the sleeper in the middle of the ring, but Bret was able to kick off the turnbuckle and land on top of Piper, pinning his shoulders to the mat for the three count. This was a huge win for Bret since Piper was revered and very rarely tasted defeat during his illustrious career. This was a great display of wrestling between two legends and proved that Piper was as talented in the ring as he was on the mic.
20) Kurt Angle vs. Brock Lesnar (WM19)
Most people remember this match for Brock almost killing himself after a failed SSP attempt and that’s a shame because there was a fantastic match that preceded that near fatal incident. This match was billed as one of the best technical matchups ever in the WWE as Brock Lesnar was a collegiate champion in wrestling and Kurt was of course an Olympic Gold Medalist. These two put on a fantastic exhibition of pure wrestling and it was one of the most finely wrestled matches I’ve ever seen. Then Brock almost took his own life and the efforts of the previous 20+ minutes didn’t seem to matter. Despite the ending, this is still one of the best technical matches you’re ever going to see and it showcased just how good these two men truly were.
19) Chris Jericho vs. Shawn Michaels (WM19)
This match is a personal favorite of mine as it had two of my favorite wrestlers ever squaring off on the biggest stage of them all. A lot of people downplayed this match at the time because they felt that Jericho should have gone over and while that is certainly an understandable point, I don’t think you can ignore the quality of this match. This was a great battle between these two showmen and seeing Chris Jericho mimic HBK and give him Sweet Chin Music is one of the most glorious things I’ve ever seen. Even though some people were sour about HBK picking up the win (including me at the time), I think that he needed it being his big Wrestlemania comeback and all and Jericho got to get revenge in a HEELISH fashion after the match by kicking HBK square in the nads. Overall this was just an awesome match between two of the best performers to ever step foot in the squared circle.
18) Mick Foley vs. Edge (WM22)
This match is another personal favorite of mine because it gave Mick Foley a chance to finally shine on the Wrestlemania stage. This match completely stole WM22 by being the most brutal match ever seen at ‘Mania. These two men brutalized each other with steel chairs, thumbtacks, barbed wire, and finally a flaming table. That flaming table spot with Edge going FACE FIRST into fire is still one of the craziest things I’ve ever seen and I doubt I’ll see anything that surpasses it anytime soon. Foley finally got his Wrestlemania classic and I think we all know that after all the bumps and bruises he’s experienced during his career for our enjoyment, he deserved to shine on the grandest stage of all.
17) Hulk Hogan vs. Andre The Giant (WM3)
This match is probably the most important match in Wrestlemania, and maybe wrestling, history. This is the match that drew over 93,000 people (allegedly) to the Silverdome and that alone should warrant it a place on this list. This certainly wasn’t a technical classic, but in terms of atmosphere and importance, you’d be hard pressed to find a match that’s more monumental than this one. When Hogan picked Andre up and slammed him down, the wrestling landscape changed forever and it exploded into a worldwide phenomenon. So while it can be debated whether this match should be higher or lower on this (or any) list, I don’t think there can be any debate that this match certainly should be mentioned when talking about classic ‘Mania matches.
16) Ric Flair vs. Macho Man Randy Savage (WM8)
This match was about as personal as you can get because Ric Flair bragged about having an affair with Miss Elizabeth and promised to reveal a scantily clad photo of Liz after he won the match (which as a horny eight year old automatically made me root for Flair). This match was a great back and forth contest which saw The Nature Boy focus and Savage’s knee and dissect it to the point where Savage could barely stand. Flair seemed to be in total control and ready to set up for the figure four, when Savage was able to catch the Nature Boy in a rollup and take a page out of Flair’s book by grabbing onto the tights. This gave Savage his second WWE Title and this was a great payoff to a fantastic storyline. I’m still bitter about never seeing that Liz pic, though. Damn Macho Man.
15) Triple H vs. The Undertaker (WM17)
When I talk to people about their favorite matches not just at Wrestlemania, but in general, I often hear this match come up and it’s for good reason. This match is definitely overlooked because it was on the GREATEST WRESTLING SHOW OF ALL-TIME AND INFINITY and as such doesn’t get the props it so richly deserves. This match was just a straight up brawl that went all throughout the arena and featured some cool spots like HHH getting chokeslammed off a scaffold to the (padded) floor and HHH cracking ‘Taker in the head with a sledgehammer while in position for The Last Ride. On any other wrestling show, this match would have absolutely stolen it, but due to it being on the WM17 card it unfairly gets overlooked sometimes and hopefully more people will learn to appreciate it in years to come.
14) Kurt Angle vs. Chris Benoit (WM17)
This was the first meeting between these two and while they would go on to surpass this effort in future encounters, there is no denying that this match was pure quality. They started off the match with some nifty match wrestling, which Benoit surprisingly dominated. Frustrated, Angle decked Benoit with a right hand and it was on from there. They started punishing each other with some stiff shots and then displayed some of the best hold/counterhold sequences ever seen, which rivaled that of Flair/Steamboat. Kurt was able to pick up the win through NEFARIOUS MEANS, but this was the beginning to one of the best rivalries ever seen in the WWE and it was a hell of a way to start it.
13) The Ultimate Warrior vs. Macho Man Randy Savage (WM7)
The issues between The Ultimate Warrior and Randy Savage during early 1991 were very heated. So heated in fact, that their match at WM7 was made into a retirement match where the loser would have to leave the WWE for good (which in wrestling lingo means a couple months). These two had a surprisingly great back and forth contest which saw Savage act like a desperate man, at one point dropping eight elbows from the top rope onto Warrior in a row. Warrior was able to ward off the onslaught, though, and fight back by delivering numerous shoulderblocks until Savage was a broken and defeated man. He was so badly defeated that Warrior was able to cover him with one foot for the three count. After the match, Queen Sherri attacked Savage until Miss Elizabeth (who was sitting in the audience) came to the ring to save Savage and embrace him after nearly two years of being apart. This was an emotional moment and the perfect way to cap off a great match.
12) The Rock vs. Hollywood Hulk Hogan (WM18)
Hulk Hogan had returned to the WWE in 2002 as a member of the nWo and was soon challenged by The Rock for a match at WM18. The match was suppose to feature Rock as the face and Hogan as the heel, but the Toronto crowd had a different idea as the cheered ferociously for Hogan and unmercifully booed The Rock. No matter what heelish things Hogan did, the crowd roared with approval. The Rock seemed to have the match won after hitting Hogan with The Rock Bottom, but then the unthinkable happened and Hogan started hulking up! The entire crowd (and myself) started going wild at the sight of seeing The Hulkster hulk up once again in a WWE ring for the first time in nine years. Rocky eventually won the match with a People’s Elbow, but Hogan hulking up and bringing the SkyDome fans out of their seat is one moment that I will never forget and one of the reasons this match will go down as an all-time Wrestlemania classic.
11) The Ultimate Warrior vs. Hulk Hogan (WM6)
Hulk Hogan faced the Ultimate Challenge at Wrestlemania 6 and this match also marked the first time that two faces squared off at Wrestlemania for the WWE Title. The crowd was split 50/50 between Hogan and Warrior and this match had them on the edge of their seat during the entire duration of it. Everytime it seemed that one man had the upper hand, the other one would fire right back. It seemed like neither man could be put down for a three count. The ending came when Hogan missed the big legdrop and Warrior was able to splash him for the three count. This was monumental at the time as it seemed that Warrior was destined to be the next big thing in pro wrestling and while that eventually fizzled out, there’s no denying that this match was off the charts in terms of pure entertainment.
10) The Triangle Ladder Match (WM16)
The levels of insanity seen at Wrestlemania was upped tremendously when three of the greatest tag teams of all-time squared off in this unforgettable match. This match featured some of the riskiest high spots ever seen in a WWE ring and left the crowd in the audience and those watching at home in absolute awe of it. Seeing Jeff Hardy swanton Bubba Ray through a table or seeing Matt Hardy get pushed off a table propped on two ladders through a table on the mat are moments that will live forever in Wrestlemania lore. The Dudleys, The Hardyz and Edge & Christian put their bodies on the line in this match and set a new standard for how ladder matches should be done. Shawn Michaels may have popularized the ladder match, but these six men helped to reinvent it.
9) Kurt Angle vs. Shawn Michaels (WM21)
This match was every wrestling fan’s wet dream come true as two of the greatest in-ring performers ever squared off on the biggest wrestling show of the year. The promos and skits leading up to this match were fantastic, but nothing could eclipse the effort put forth by both men in the Staples Center. The fans had high expectations for this match and it seemed impossible to match them, but not only did they match the expectations, but I feel they exceeded them. The match started slow with both men mat wrestling each other, which HBK was able to dominate. Angle got frustrated and started to wail on HBK, ala his match with Benoit at WM17. They started going full throttle after that with HBK setting up Angle on an announce table and then slingshotting himself from the ring ropes on top of Angle. Both men were barely able to make the 10 count back into the ring, but once they did, shit got awesome. They both started throwing their best shots at each other including an Angle Slam from the top rope and a SWANK reversal of an Ankle Lock into a rollup by HBK. The ending came when Angle was able to cinch in the Anklelock on HBK in the middle of the ring and it took two whole minutes before Michaels finally tapped out. This was an amazing display that is as fun to watch today as it was during its original showing.
8) The Rock vs. Stone Cold Steve Austin (WM17)
The Rock and Stone Cold Steve Austin clashed in the main event of the best Wrestlemania ever and they put on a performance that met the show’s high standard. Austin was desperate to win back the WWE Title and The Rock wanted more than anything to keep his belt on the biggest stage of all. The match was made No DQ right before it began and all hell broke loose as the two warriors beat the hell out of each other all throughout the AstroDome. The match was going along perfectly when all of a sudden Mr. McMahon sauntered down to ringside. Everybody wondered what the hell Vince was doing at ringside given his history with both men. We soon got our answer when Vince began aiding Austin in trying to defeat The Rock. The Rock fought back valiantly, but the odds were too much as Austin repeatedly beat on Rocky with a steel chair to finally pick up the win and the WWE Title. A unholy alliance had been made and the image of Stone Cold sharing a beer with Vince after the match is one of the most surreal moments ever seen in the WWE.
7) TLC II (WM17)
The Dudleyz, The Hardyz and Edge & Christian had set the bar so high in their two previous ladder matches that it seemed impossible that they could meet the standard of those two classic matches. Not only did they match the expectations, but they exceeded them by leaps and bounds. This match featured so much crazy shit, that it is hard to keep count. Just off the top of my head I remember Rhyno goring Matt Hardy through a table, Spike Dudley delivering an Acid Drop (I refuse to call it the Dudley Dog dammit) to Christian from the ring apron through a table on the floor, Lita cracking Spike Dudley’s head with a steel chair and then taking her top off (Admit it, you’d bang Lita), Jeff Hardy giving a swanton to both Spike and Rhyno from the top of a ladder through two tables, Matt Hardy and Bubba Ray Dudley being pushed off the top of a ladder in the ring through a stack of tables on the floor, and Edge giving a spear to Jeff Hardy 20 feet in the air. That’s just some of the insane spots that were seen in this match. This match brought the term high risk to a whole new level and it’s a match that is never boring to watch.
6) Shawn Michaels vs. Bret Hart (WM12)
These two legends faced off in the first ever Iron Man match at WM12 for the WWE Title. This match was technical brilliance as both men put on an entertaining display for the full 60 minutes (and change) and kept the crowd enthralled the entire time. Many critics of the match like to point out that it was unrealistic for them to go a full hour without either man getting a pinfall and that took away from the Ironman stipulation, but I feel that just showed how evenly matched and determined both men were to not give up the first fall. After a grueling battle, HBK was able to pick up his first WWE Title after delivering Sweet Chin Music in overtime. This is a fantastic wrestling match and if you’re a fan of great wrestling action, you can’t miss this match.
5) Ricky Steamboat vs. Macho Man Randy Savage (WM3)
Whenever you think of all-time great Wrestlemania matches, this has to be one of the first to come to mind. Not only did they have an excellent storyline attached to this match, but both of these combatants put on one hell of a show in front of the Silverdome crowd. This was a great back and forth contest that saw an unbelievable amount of near falls and the crowd was left on the edge of their seat during the entire match because it seemed like it could end at any moment. The end came when George “The Animal” Steele knocked Macho off of the top rope and by the time he recovered to pick up Steamboat for a scoop slam, Steamboat was able to counter into a rollup for the three count. This is a great, timeless match that has to be viewed by anybody who calls themselves a fan of wrestling.
4) Bret Hart vs. Owen Hart (WM10)
When these two brothers clashed at the beginning of Wrestlemania 10, I don’t think that anybody could have expected just how great it turned out to be. This is one of the most entertaining non-gimmick wrestling matches that you’ll ever see. There is literally never a dull moment. It’s just straight up action for the entire duration of the match and you feel that if you blink you’re going to miss something. The ending was an absolute shock at the time as nobody gave Owen a chance in hell of beating Bret and not only did he beat him, but he beat him cleanly with a great counter to a rollup. This put the world on notice that Bret wasn’t the only talented member of the Hart family and these two would go on to have many other classic matchups after this one, but I don’t think any of them were as good as this one.
3) Shawn Michaels vs. Razor Ramon (WM10)
This match may seem tame in comparison to the crazy ladder matches we’ve seen since then, but at the time, this match featureds some of the craziest shit anybody had ever seen in a wrestling match. These two men absolutely stole the show (which is saying something considering Bret/Owen was on the same card) and this match gave birth to all the ladder matches that we see today. The bumps these two took were unheard of during that day and seeing Shawn Michaels come off the top of the ladder with a splash was one of my favorite wrestling moments as a kid. This match is one that can still be viewed today and make you cringe from all the bumps and that says a lot about its importance and staying power because we’ve seen a lot of crazy shit since then.
2) Bret Hart vs. Stone Cold Steve Austin (WM13)
This was about as personal as a match could be as Stone Cold and Bret Hart absolutely hated each other and wanted to resolve their issues with a submission match where one man would have to tell the other he quits and face the ultimate humiliation. This match was just off-the-wall intense as both men beat the holy shit out of each other. These men brawled in the ring, on the floor, through the crowd, and pretty much anywhere they could get their hands on one another. They truly made you FEEL their hatred for one another and you were instantly sucked in. This is one of those matches that I never like to be interrupted while watching it because you don’t want to take your eyes of it. It is just that damn good. The ending of this match is one of the best I’ve ever seen as Bret locks in the Sharpshooter and a bloody Austin tries to muster up all the strength he has to get out of it and has blood pouring down his face in one of the most famous images ever in pro wrestling. Austin wasn’t able to break the hold, but he didn’t give up. He instead passed out from the pain and while Bret may have won the match, Austin’s refusal to give up despite being in such overwhelming pain made him seem like a true badass. Soon the fans would turn their backs on Bret and side with Austin and this match was the reason for it. This is a historical, brilliant match that shot Austin stock into the stratosphere on his way to becoming the most popular wrestler this generation has seen.
1) Triple H vs. Shawn Michaels vs. Chris Benoit (WM20)
The greatest triple threat match of all-time. The best Wrestlemania main event ever. Perhaps the greatest match of all-time, period. These are just some of the accolades that many fans have given to this match and once you watch it, it isn’t hard to see why. These three men busted their ass for over 30 minutes to give us one of the most exciting matches I’ve ever seen. This match had everything from great technical wrestling to high risk maneuvers to tons of blood to a fantastic finish. Seeing Benoit make HHH tap out clean on the biggest show of the year to win his first World Heavyweight Championship is one of those moments that will live with me forever. This match took you on an emotional rollercoaster, but once the match was over and we saw Benoit celebrate in the ring with Eddie Guerrero, we all knew that it was well worth the ride.
Well that concludes Wrestlemania month boys and girls. I hope you enjoyed it and I hope you come back next week when the topic will be The Top Ten WCW Matches. Yes, WCW did have some great matches despite what you may think you damn WWE fanboys.
