The 411 Wrestling Top Five 12.17.08: Week 1 – Feud Ending Matches

Posted by Michael Bauer on 12.17.2008

In the debut of the Wrestling Top 5 we look at the Greatest Endings.

Hello everyone and welcome to 411 Wrestling's First Edition of the Top 5 List. I am Michael Bauer and I have been asked to take on the huge responsibility of running this article on a weekly basis. Now, what we are going to is take a topic each week and all the writers here on 411 wrestling will have the ability to give us their Top 5 on said topic, plus up to three honorable mentions. At the end, based on where all these matches rank on people's list, we will create the 411 Wrestling Top 5 list. The scoring is very similiar to the Wrestler of the Week as it looks like this:

#1 Choice – 5 points
#2 Choice – 4 points
#3 choice – 3 points
#4 Choice – 2 points
#5 Choice – 1 point
Honorable Mentions will break ties, but get no points.

Also, in the case of a tie, the most votes win, regardless of where it is listed in the individual Top 5. I will also use this rule in the event that one match is mentioned more often, but is one point behind. For example, as you will see in this week's topic, one second place vote and two Honorable Mentions will defeat simply one first place vote.


So, on to this week's topic…

THE TOP 5 FEUD ENDING MATCHES

Now, as a fan of the "entertainment" known as professional wrestling, let alone a writer and analyizer, what is the main thing that sticks out in our minds will always be the epic feud. But epic feuds aren't just made by the two wrestlers involved. If that was the case, then a true clash between Ric Flair vs. Hulk Hogan would be the greatest feud ever and it couldn't be further from the truth. No, what makes a feud memorable for most fans are the matches that they compete in. But more specificly, it is that final bout, the match that ends all the hatred, that one fight in that squared circle that there is no turning back from… and nowhere else to go afterwards. You know the matches we are talking about. It is that one knock down, drag out slugfest that symbolizes all the hatred that has been built up inside of two men or teams over the course of the months prior.

So what did our great group of writers select? Let's find out…



Michael Bauer

HONORABLE MENTIONS

Ric Flair vs. Sting – The Final WCW Monday Nitro - It would be their last ever meeting, ending the entity known as WCW with it's finest feud. Weapons and cheap shots would have only bastardized its significance.

Bryan Danielson vs. Homicide – Final Battle 2006 - Even after their previous feud, they were back at it as Homicide defeated Bryan Danielson on his last chance to stay in Ring of Honor and win the RoH World Title.

5.HHH vs. Batista – Hell in a Cell at Vengeance 2005 - There was no way Batista could beat Triple H inside Hell in a Cell. We all thought that as The Animal had won twice already, including at Wrestlemania and HHH was undefeated inside the Hell in a Cell. But this match was as brutal of a Hell in a Cell as anyone had seen to this point. Everything was brought in to this match, from the steel steps, to chairs, chains, and barbed wire ball bats. Batista would end up defeating The game again before being drafted to Smackdown.

4.Erick Stevens vs. Roderick Strong – Fight Without Honor at Respect is Earned II - In Ring of Honor, a Fight Without Honor is reserved for only the hottest of blood feuds. Stevens and Strong started about being over the FIP World Title, but soon grew to a blood feud with Strong continually being able to one up Stevens. Despite one match after this one in FIP, the Fight Without Honor symbolized the end of the feud in RoH. And on a Pay Per View scene, the house was brought down with Strong once again defeating Stevens, using a plethera of weaponary.

3.Ultimate Warrior vs. Randy Savage – Wrestlemania VII - Unlike the rest of my Top 5, this match was about ending someone's career as the loser had to retire, but not a single weapon was introduced. Savage had cost Warrior the WWF Heavyweight Title at the Royal Rumble and for it he had to pay the ultimate price. He lost this match, his manager, and his career. But he regained his true love and would eventually be brough back to the WWF. The Warrior had his best match here, but man, did he looks crazy almost walking out on the match as he seemingly heard voices.

2.Jimmy Jacobs vs. BJ Whitmer – Steel Cage Showdown at Supercard of Honor II - This would probably be the most brutal match in Ring of Honor ever that was not a Fight Without Honor. This match was different than most cage matches as you could not escape. The cage door would only open so weapons can be brought into the ring. Jacobs and Whitmer would start this match in typical fashion… stabbing each other with railroad spikes. Jacobs would eventually get a barbed wire bat and after dishing enough punishment, would literally bite it. But these guys paid a heavy price. Despite winning, Jacobs ended up tearing up his ACL and had to have his boot removed before he could even leave the ring. To this day, it remains one of the craziest matches I have ever seen.

1.Edge vs. The Undertaker – Hell in a Cell at Summerslam 2008 - This match was the definition of how to end a feud. Inside Hell in a Cell, Edge brought out all the stops, hitting The Dead Man with everything he had. But that is why this match was my #1 choice. The Undertaker survived it all and in great feud-ending fashion, hit Edge with everything he had been through for the past four months, from the Con-Chair-To, to putting Edge through a set of tables, to putting him to hell off the ladder. It was one of the best Undertaker matches in some time and remains one of my favorites ever.



Jeremy Thomas

HONORABLE MENTIONS

Tommy Dreamer vs. Raven: Wrestlepalooza 1997 Tommy Dreamer had never been able to beat his rival in ECW; it was practically tradition that Raven would always win. Thus, when Raven jumped ship to WCW, they had one last match...one that resulted in Tommy finally getting the big win. It's one of my favorite ECW memories, and for that it gets an honorable mention.

Kurt Angle vs. Brock Lesnar: WrestleMania XIX - This is probably on there due to personal reasons rather then actual quality (see choice #5 for details), but I can't forget gasping and thinking "Oh My God, Lesnar killed himself" on that Shooting Star Press. That they were able to finish that match in a reasonable fashion is quite a statement.

Chris Benoit vs. Booker T: Great American Bash 1998 - This was match 8 of their best of seven series, since match seven had been thrown out for the DQ ending. This series of matches was rightly considered some of the best matches of the year, and while this wasn't any crazy gimmick match it was a great wrestling spectacle from two guys in their prime.

5.Steve Austin vs. The Rock: WrestleMania XIX - To be honest, this match wasn't as good as some of their other matches, and if you watch the documentary that came on the WrestleMania XX DVD set about Austin being rushed to the hospital the night before, you can't blame them. Still, the Rock vs. Stone Cold was a feud that epitomized the WWF during the late '90's and early '00's, and the one thing that had always seemed missing was a Rock win at WrestleMania. In February of 2003, Austing returned to the 'E by attacking Eric Bischoff at No Way Out. A week later, Rock challenged Austin on Raw to a WrestleMania match. As I said, the match itself may not have been the best in terms of quality, but the emotion of it was powerful, as Rock finally defeated Austin after delivering three Rock Bottoms. I admit that I may have this on here only because I was at WM 19 and have such fond memories of it, but it's certainly one of my top feud-ending matches.

4.The Ultimate Warrior vs. Hulk Hogan: WrestleMania VI - I'm not a big Warrior fan anymore for obvious reasons, nor am I a Hogan fan for the same. In 1990 though, I was a fourteen-year-old mark who absolutely loved both of them, and this was the most epic confrontation I could ever think of. Neither man could be called a wrestling genius, but this was quite simply the best possible match you could have had from either man, and while it may not be a five-star classic, emotion and both men turning it up as much as they could makes it pretty close in my book. If Hogan had actually retired like he'd intended to and left it there, how would we all think of him now? Quite differently, I'm sure.

3.The Undertaker vs. Mankind: Hell in a Cell @ King of the Ring 1998 - This is far from my favorite Mankind match, for the record, nor is it my favorite Undertaker match. However, everyone remembers this one, and how can you not? I bet each of you remembers when you first saw this match, how many times your jaw dropped open, and how many "Jesus Christ" or "Holy [Profanity]" exclamations you made. It's even more amazing when you consider the low expectations Foley and Taker had going into it; it was a guy who felt he sucked at cage matches vs. a guy with a broken foot. All things considered, I think they outdid those expectations, don't you?

2.Ric Flair vs. Sting: WCW Nitro 3/26/01 - Ric Flair and Sting had carried a constant on-again, off-again feud for almost 13 years throughout their time in the NWA and WCW; they allied and turned (okay, Flair turned) on each other and feuded again, and this would go on and on and on. On one particular Nitro, they would have the main event match against each other...really, nothing new. Except that this was the last Nitro, since WCW had been bought by the 'F. Sting had been gone from WCW for almost six months, but returned to do one last battle with his long-time nemesis. At the end of the match, the two embraced, knowing they would likely never lock up again. It was the last of a lot of great moments WCW would give us, and one I remember very fondly.

1.Shawn Michaels vs. Bret Hart: Survivor Series 1997 - It may not have ended the real-life feud, but it ended the kayfabe one as completely as one can possibly be ended. What's sad is that the match itself is actually a pretty good match before the ending, but that gets inevitably overlooked due to the implications this had on the wrestling world. Still, it's one you can't help but look at as one of the top matches in this category, in terms of importance at the very least.



Jake Chambers

HONORABLE MENTIONS

Hell in a Cell: Degeneration X vs. Big Show, Vince & Shane McMahon - Nothing ends a feud better than a face in a giant ass.

2 out of 3 Falls: Bryan Danielson vs. Colt Cabana (ROH - Gut Check) - Using the small package to conclusive dramatic perfection.

Loser Leaves Town: Tommy Dreamer vs. Raven (ECW - Wrestlepalooza) - ECW's most defining moment.

5.Best of Five Series, Match #5 = Steel Cage Match: Bryan Danielson vs. Homicide (ROH – The Final Showdown) - Just because this is a rarely praised feud does not mean that the blow-off match is any less epic. This match qualifies as a particularly effective feud-ending match because it combined, so clearly and creatively, aspects of the previous four gimmick matches between these two prime ROH thespians. Not only that, but Dragon won with an airplane spin in a cage match, makes sense if you think about it.

4.Hollywood Backlot Brawl: Goldust vs. Rowdy Roddy Piper (Wrestlemania XII) - Goldust was groundbreaking when he first ‘came out' against Razor Ramon, and while that feud made ‘someone' uncomfortable it was Piper who took up the fight against Goldust's mind games. In this situation, it would have been easy for Piper to come across as completely homophobic, but instead he seemed to find a good balance between defender of ‘manliness' and angry legend looking for respect. The first part of the match was brutal and fun in the Hollywood backlot alley, then it played off OJ's white Bronco masterfully for comedic effect, and finally ended in the ring with Goldust being stripped down to his lingerie and gold body paint. In the end, Piper repeatedly smashed Goldust's nuts until he could satisfyingly celebrate in the ring with his son, who like all young boys after watching this beating, will never have the audacity to go gay!

3.Survivor Series, Winner Takes All Match: WWF vs. Alliance (15th Annual Survivor Series) - A match that felt like a playoff game, and where every elimination was important to the build of tension in the ring and culmination of the feud. When it all came down to The Rock and Stone Cold, you may have thought that it didn't well represent WWF rivalry with WCW and ECW, but the Alliance stood for more than just wrestling brand names. Austin was the journeyman artist wrestler, who'd learned the business the hard way and thus represented the struggles of the wrestlers in the Alliance, their joy for wrestling and resistance to succumb to the power of the corporate system. On the other hand, The Rock was the new style of homegrown, pretty and polished WWF product, who might be incredible at his craft, but he didn't have to suffer on the road in order to build a career. In the end, of course, the WWF won in thrilling fashion, and this match was so important that ever since then most of the new wrestlers we've seen have all came up the same way as The Rock.

2.Steel Cage Match: Stone Cold Steve Austin vs. Vince McMahon (St. Valentine's Day Massacre) - Everyone wanted Vince to get in the ring with Austin, well Vince did us all one better and took the match to the cage. The Austin/McMahon feud has to be considered the most important rivalry in wrestling history and this match is more of a nucleus to the body of a feud than simply just the linear end to a ‘chase' scenario. Of course, while the feud would always live on in some capacity, the match was a grand moment of cathartic glee that was a reward for all Austin fans, as McMahon took a thorough ass kicking, and all the Vince fans got to glow with a little bit of pride as their evil hero was ever defiant.

1.WWF Title Match: Hulk Hogan vs. Andre the Giant (Wrestlemania III) - What is still the biggest and most important match in pro-wrestling history, is also the best feud-ending match of all time. At a time when Wrestlemania main events were the place for high level feuds to be settled, the build up to Hogan vs. Andre is almost indescribable to those who weren't around to experience it; a pro-wrestling match that felt truly important, like a Superbowl or marquee heavyweight boxing match. Although they would fight again, this one match was the apex of two careers and finale to a very personal conflict, as an iconic friendship was destroyed. To Andre this was finally about trying to prove his worth to the world of wrestling, as he was no longer satisfied with being a cartoon character sidekick to Hogan's superstardom. In the classic Piper's Pit, when Bobby Heenan revealed Andre as his newest charge with a challenge, young wrestling fans were forced to quickly mature. When Andre tore that cross off the chest of Hogan, we were all awakened to the ‘sport' of pro-wrestling, this wasn't just a comic book where guys like G.I. Joe always beat those wacky dudes in Cobra, this was about winning and being the best, and Andre needed to prove that he was better than Hogan, regardless of friendship or the love of the fans. When these two met, it was a bear hug that didn't just hold the match together but squeezed all of us closer to the Bermuda Triangle that is the Squared Circle, and when Hogan slammed Andre he proved that heroes can overcome the greatest odds, friendships are fleeting, and nothing matters more in the world than being a wrestling champion. As the world sighed that justice had been served on that massive slam, most of those special fans reading this today have yet to return to the real world, sucked forever into the blissfully euphoric world of lifelong wrestling fandom.



Larry Csonka

HONORABLE MENTIONS

WrestleMania 19: The Rock vs. Steve Austin - It's Rock vs. Austin, that's all you need to know.

Turning Point 2004 Steel Cage Match: XXX vs. America's Most Wanted - One of my favorite cage matches of all-time!

The Final Nitro: Ric Flair vs. Sting - One more time, the man and the man he made.

5. Wrestlepalooza 1997: Tommy Dreamer vs. Raven - Let me say that this was SO HARD to narrow down to the top five and honorable mentions. The Dreamer vs. Raven feud was always a favorite. Just when you thought Tommy would win, Raven threw another roadblock in the way and would the screw Tommy. This was the big win for Dreamer and sent Raven packing for a while.

4. WrestleMania VII Retirement Match: The Ultimate Warrior vs. Randy "Macho King" Savage - Possibly Warrior's greatest match right here. The match was just booked so well as they had you hooked the entire time. Warrior is all power, Savage tries to be quick and sneaky. Sherri helps out Savage to get him the advantage. Warrior tries to overcome the odds. The story tells itself. Then, Savage gets the elbow drop, and another, and another, and another and another. Five Macho King elbows, but that can only buy a 2 count on Warrior. The arena is insane; Warrior makes the comeback, press slam, splash and…2. Warrior's tried and true method of destroying everyone has failed. He looks to his Gods, he wants answers and then Savage takes him down. Eventually Savage and Sherri's tricks backfire as Macho about kills himself as he crashes into the railing from the top. Warrior, full of FOKE, comes back and destroys Savage with multiple shoulder blocks, and the one-footed pin.

3. WresleWar 1989 NWA Title Match: Ric Flair vs. Ricky Steamboat - 1989 is know to most fans as the "Year of the Trilogy." Ricky Steamboat returned to the land of the NWA and began an all-time classic of a feud. WrestleWar was not only an excellent match, but it was the kick off of the Flair vs. Funk feud, which helped carry the rest of 1989.

2. Survivor Series 1997 WWF Title Match: Bret Hart vs. Shawn Michaels - For simple historical significance this match makes the list. We all know the story, we all saw the match and we all know the after math. The match is still referenced to this day, and for that simple reason it makes the list.

1. Starrcade 1985 "I QUIT" US Title Cage Match: Magnum TA vs. Tully Blanchard - Since this is MY top five, this gets the nod over the screw job. This is my favorite I Quit match and is right up there with my favorite cage match as well. Magnum and Tully had one hell of a feud, battling all around the loop and Tully always getting the victory due to nefarious means, and this was the ultimate climax. An excellent match, tremendous emotion and an all-time classic.



Stephen Randle

HONORABLE MENTIONS

Bret Hart vs Shawn Michaels - Survivor Series 1997 - Doesn't make the top five because it really wouldn't have ended the feud if it hadn't been for the Screwjob.

The Rock vs Stone Cold Steve Austin - WrestleMania XIX - Stays out of the top five because it was the worst match of their three WrestleMania matches.

5. The Undertaker vs King Mabel - Casket Match - In Your House, December 1995 - This match was the culmination of, believe it or not, a year-long storyline involving the Undertaker, that began at Royal Rumble 1995 with IRS acting as part of Ted Dibiase's Corporation and stealing Undertaker's urn. The urn would change hands several times over the year, getting melted down into gold chains in the interim, and ultimately ended up in the hands of King Mabel, who had extra heat after breaking Undertaker's orbital bone earlier in the year (on a Raw that, due to the massively long beatdown that occurred on Taker, Diesel and Shawn Michaels, resulted in only two matches airing. The other match? Makin' A Difference Fatu vs Skip. How do I remember? I taped this Raw and watched it half a dozen times that week). Undertaker then defeated Mabel convincingly and finally, after years of near misses, reclaimed his urn…well, gold chains that used to be his urn. The best part? Mabel disappeared from WWE for four years after the loss, presumably because Creative finally realized that nobody, ever, was going to buy a big fat black guy who thinks he's a king as a main eventer. Of course, they tried it again twelve years later, so maybe they just thought it was the purple and black costume that was the thing holding Mabel back.

Okay, okay, all the matches in the feud sucked. I was an Undertaker mark during the New Generation days. Sue me. Not like there was anything else worth cheering for in WWE at the time.

4. Brock Lesnar vs Goldberg - WrestleMania XX - I had to put this on the list simply because of how crazy it was. The minute Goldberg, former hottest thing in wrestling, signed, all the talk was about the ultimate match with WWE's "Next Big Thing", who at the time was (arguably) the biggest draw in WWE and current hottest thing in wrestling. The build for the match was even pretty good, as they started taking subtle shots at each other without actually touching for a few months until Goldberg interfered at No Way Out. Then, the match was on, and we were all salivating at what would probably have been quite a good power vs power match. And then…well, you know what happened. Possibly the only feud ending match in history where nobody really won.

3. Stone Cold Steve Austin vs The Rock - WWE Championship - WrestleMania X7 - "But wait, that match didn't end a feud. You must be on crack." And no, it did not end the feud between The Rock and Steve Austin. But it was a feud ender nonetheless. Because, at the end of the match, after nearly four years of screwing with each other, attacking each other, being the most bitter enemies in the history of pro wrestling, and also managing to create the highest drawing Superstar in wrestling history and make WWE a billion-dollar industry giant, Stone Cold Steve Austin and Vince McMahon shook hands and became allies. Sure, they would try to recapture that feud again as part of the WWE-Alliance feud, then again as part of the Ric Flair-Vince McMahon feud, but this was really the point where the original story ended and actually came full circle, as Steve Austin finally became the Corporate Champion that he violently refused to be way back when he won the WWE title for the first time.

2. Triple H vs Cactus Jack - Hell in a Cell - WWE Championship - No Way Out 2000 - Emotionally one of the bigger feuds I've ever invested in, and also marks the time in history when I started noticing the existence of the IWC. See, I had no idea about the whole "Foley was planning to retire sooner or later" thing, so I went in thinking that there was no way that one of the hottest characters in WWE would retire, just like that, especially coming off one of the greatest matches ever at Royal Rumble 2000. In the end, this was an incredible feud, with some of the greatest build ever (including, of course, the seminal "morph from Mankind to Cactus" moment that Triple H sold as the end of the world), and topped off with an incredible match.

1. Tully Blanchard vs Magnum TA - "I Quit" Steel Cage Match - United States Title - Starrcade 1985 - Much as I hate to agree with Larry on anything, this is one of the best matches in history, let alone best match to end a feud. And when you hear it from a guy who didn't even watch NWA/WCW growing up, you know it has to be true. Still need more proof? Okay…

"Say it!" "NO!" *sound of a microphone hitting skull*

Awesome.



Damian Braun

HONORABLE MENTIONS

Undertaker vs. Underfaker – SummerSlam 1994 - Ted DiBiase has control of the Undertaker … or does he? While the set up was awesome and the ring introductions were amazing, the match sucked.

Chris Jericho vs. Shawn Michaels – Ladder Match -- No Mercy 2008 - This feud was months in the making, tied in with other storylines (Flair's retirement), had excellent promos, and was fueled by a actual sense of disdain between the two. The match is fantastic and, arguably, the greatest ladder match in the past decade. The only reason I place this in honorable mention is because we aren't really sure if the feud is decisively over. If, with some more hindsight bias, it becomes clear this was the feud ending match, it will easily become top-5.

5. Ric Flair vs. Ricky Steamboat – WCW Saturday Night Main Event (April 24, 1994)

Flair and Steamboat had a long, rivaled history that placed them across the ring at three specific points in time, early 1980s Japan, early 1989 NWA, and early 1994 WCW. While this match isn't the most notable or the most highly regarded, I believe it is a classic blow off to a feud that has gone for fifteen years. Technically this was a rematch from their underrated Spring Stampede bout which ended in a draw . Both men know each others repertoire and quickly fall into a groove that is seldom boring over the thirty minute fight. At Stampede, their match was touted as five years in the making, as an example of two professionals fighting for pride, glory, and the prestigious World Heavyweight Championship. I believe they wrestled once more on television, but after Flair had lost the WHC to Hogan. Hence, this, for me, is the blow off to a feud that spanned decades. It exposes the best attributes of both performers, and ends with Flair seizing opportunity like only he can.

4. Triple H vs. Mick Foley – Hell in the Cell – No Way Out 2000

Since 1998 King of the Ring, Foley has had an love-hate relationship with the Hell in the Cell. It dislocated his shoulder, f'ed up his kidney, broke a tooth through his nose and gave him a concussion (or two), but it also cemented him as a main event player. His hatred of Triple H was so defined that he accepted putting his career on the line in order to meet him one on one in the cage. These two were coming off the first official Match of the Decade nominee from the Royal Rumble and were firing super-hot promos at each other. The match itself was unforgettable, marked by Mick's determination to escape the cell and give fans a memorable moment. And, though he lost, Mick certainly went out with a bang bang.

3. Sting's Squadron vs. The Dangerous Alliance – WarGames – WrestleWar 1992

The Dangerous Alliance has slowly been taking over WCW, capturing the tag titles, the US title, and the World TV Title between 1991 and 1992. Rick Rude and Paul Heyman were attempting to take control of the federation, and one of their biggest targets at the time was Sting. At Clash of the Champions XVII, Sting was tricked by Medusa and beaten up by Luger the night he was set to defend the US Title against Rude. Though he made it back to the arena before forfeiting the match (and title), his injured state made him easy pickings for the Ravishing One. This was the catalyst for forming a dominant faction made up of Rude, Arn Anderson, Bobby Eaton, Steve Austin and Larry Zbyszko to usurp WCW superiority. Not one to take this lightly, Sting assembled his own group of face wrestlers who had been tormented since the Dangerous Alliance's creation (Barack Windham, Dustin Rhodes, Ricky Steamboat and Nikita Koloff). As a coalition under Sting's leadership, the two groups were set to meet at WrestleWar to finally crown a prevailing force in WCW. What better place to blow off a feud than WarGames? The match is fantastic and the last great WarGames exhibition. Everyone brings the pain, Windham and Austin commit to a great five minute opening, Steamboat gets hardcore, Medusa climbs on top the cage, and the ending marks a definitive winning team while setting up the self-destruction of the Dangerous Alliance.

2. Tully Blanchard vs. Magnum TA - "I Quit" Steel Cage Match - Starrcade 1985

I was a far too young to appreciate this in the moment. By the time I began to appreciate NWA/WCW at all, Magnum TA had long been out of commission. After reviewing the history of these two, including how Baby Doll helped Blanchard steal the US Title and how Blanchard cheated his way left and right out of every rematch, the combustion between these two began to make sense. The heat in the arena is palpable and you genuinely get the sense that these two hated each other. Blanchard reverts to cheap shots and TA reverts to old-fashioned, woodshed beating of the future Horseman. Once the broken wooden chair gets involved, you knew it was going to get ugly. One of the most vicious matches I've ever seen, it closed the door to the two's feud gave the fans exactly what they wanted in Blanchard screaming as he lost the title.

1. Bret ‘The Hitman' Hart vs. Shawn Michaels – Survivor Series 1997

This feud is just like Flair and Steamboat turned sideways. Where as this also featured two great professional wrestlers who are fighting to be at the top of the mountain, Hart and Michaels genuinely despised each other. Everybody knows the ending and its implications, but what is often forgotten is how intensely these two were at each others' throats for months leading to the event. Since Hart returned to wrestling at the previous year's Survivor Series, the two traded semi-smart verbal attacks on one another, about their families, bed partners, doing the job, etc., it was never better to be a teenage wrestling fan with internet access. When news leaked about Hart days before the event, the aura of the match heightened tenfold. The Montreal fans went crazy as the two fought all over the arena floor before the first bell even rang. The match is riveting from move to move, all the way until Shawn's fateful sharpshooter. Nevertheless, it capped the end of the Hitman era in the WWF and created the biggest heel the WWF had ever seen. It's an underrated match that can be appreciated not only for the Hart v. Michaels feud, but also its relevance to the RAW v. Nitro feud that caused McMahon to get involved.



So all said and done, here is the 411 Wrestling's Overall Top 5 Feud Ending Matches:

5.Ric Flair vs. Sting on the Final WCW Monday Nitro - 4 points (Three mentions beats any match voted #1 with no other mentions)

4.Ultimate Warrior vs. Randy Savage at Wrestlemania VII - 5 points

3.HHH vs. Mick Foley/Mankind at No Way Out 2000 - 6 points

2.Tully Blanchard vs. Magnum TA at Starrcade 1985 - 14 points

1.Shawn Michaels vs. Bret Hart at Survivor Series 1997 - 14 points (Winner via Honorable Mention Tiebreaker)