Wrestling Essential Wrestling Matches

Started by Big Dangerous, Jul 29, 2016, in Sports Add to Reading List

  1. Big Dangerous
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    Big Dangerous World Heavyweight Champion

    Jul 29, 2016
    I've recently had some free time that allowed me to catch the wrestling bug again, and @Yeezus recent thread got me to thinking about what I would consider must-watch matches for any wrestling fan, both casual and hardcore. I've been a wrestling fan for the majority of my life so I feel pretty good about making a compilation of matches that I feel are very important and/or just plain awesome. So here are some of my essential wrestling matches, along with some other incredibly overlooked honorable mentions, that I think every fan should watch at least once

    feel free to share your top tier matches that you think everyone should watch.



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    Stone Cold Steve Austin vs. The Rock(c)
    No Disqualifications for WWF Championship
    Wrestlemania 17 (April 1, 2001)

    This was a once in a lifetime event. Two of the absolute biggest stars, at the absolute height of their wrestling peak, on the grandest stage of them all, with the most prestigious title on the line. This was the death of the attitude era, a grueling, bloody, no-DQ war between the greatest rivals of all time.



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    Rey Mysterio vs. Eddie Guerrero(c)
    Mask vs WCW Cruiserweight Championship
    Halloween Havoc (October 26, 1997)


    If anyone questions the technical ability of Eddie Guererro or Rey Mysterio, direct them toward this match. You'll be hard-pressed to find a better display of execution between two cruiserweights. Super crisp and exciting, tons of incredible counters and pure wrestling.


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    AJ Styles vs. Samoa Joe vs. Christopher Daniels(c)
    Three Way Match for the X-Division Championship
    Unbreakable (September 11, 2005)


    One of the most impressive in-ring performances of all time. These guys put together some of the most incredible three-man work ever done in a wrestling ring and the interplay between them is astounding.



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    Kurt Angle vs. Shawn Michaels
    Wrestlemania 21 (April 3, 2005)


    The two greatest workers of all time wrestling the absolute s--- out of eachother. Watch this now.


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    Shawn Michaels vs. The Undertaker
    Wrestlemania 25 (April 5, 2009)


    The matchup the following year was special in it's own way, but this match is the tightest performance by two people who had perfected their craft over an entire career. Amazing story being told here, a real spectacle.



    will probably update in the future @WrestlingBros



    some top tier honorable mentions:
    Rob Van d---(c) vs. Jerry Lynn, ECW Television Championship, Living Dangerously (March 21, 1999)
    Rob Van d--- vs. Jeff Hardy(c), Hardcore Match for WWF Hardcore Championship, WWF Invasion (July 22, 2001)
    Shawn Michaels vs. The Undertaker, Career vs. Streak, Wrestlemania 26 (March 28, 2010)
    Shawn Michaels vs. Chris Jericho, Wrestlemania 19 (March 30, 2003)
    Shawn Michaels vs. The Undertaker, h--- in a Cell, Badd Blood (October 5, 1997)
    Triple H vs. The Rock(c), 60 Minute Ironman Match, WWF Championship (May 21, 2000)
    Kurt Angle vs. Stone Cold Steve Austin(c), WWF Championship, Summerslam (August 19, 2001)
    Kurt Angle(c) vs. Brock Lesnar, 60 Minute Ironman Match, WWE Championship, Smackdown (September 18, 2003)
    AJ Styles vs. Shinsuke Nakamura(c), IWGP Intercontinental Champion, Wrestle Kingdom 10 (January 4, 2016)
     
    Last edited: Jul 29, 2016
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  2. tomroe93
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    Jul 29, 2016
    The Undertaker vs Kurt Angle, No Way Out 2006
    Sami Zayn vs Shinsuke Nakamura, NXT Takeover: Dallas
    Adrian Neville vs Sami Zayn, NXT Takeover: [R] Evolution
    Cesaro vs Sami Zayn, NXT Takeover: Arrival
    Triple H vs Shawn Michaels, WWE SummerSlam 2002
     
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  3. CJ Poe
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    CJ Poe The Dark Vegan

    Jul 29, 2016
    Shawn Michaels vs Shelton Benjamin



    Macho Man vs Ricky The Dragon Steamboat



    I have a lot more.. I'll be back in this thread :emoji_thumbsup:
     
    Mar 29, 2024
  4. Big Dangerous
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    Big Dangerous World Heavyweight Champion

    Jul 29, 2016
    Big fan of Cesaro vs Zayn :khaled2:
     
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  5. tomroe93
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    Jul 29, 2016
    I hear their 2 out of 3 falls match in the pre-WWE Network NXT was even better, but I haven't seen it
     
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  6. Big Dangerous
    Posts: 23,832
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    Big Dangerous World Heavyweight Champion

    Jul 29, 2016
    Shawn Michaels was never my favorite when I was younger, he never drew the big money like Austin or Hogan, and he's notoriously one of the worst people in the history of the business

    but there is no one else that has had as many great matches as this man. not even close
     
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  7. Big Dangerous
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    Big Dangerous World Heavyweight Champion

    Jul 29, 2016
    You gotta watch man, both are awesome matches
     
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  8. 83837477
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    83837477 Test Account

    Jul 29, 2016
    Wrestlemania 17 Edge & Christian vs Hardy Boyz vs Dudley Boyz TLC Ladder Match
     
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  9. Big Dangerous
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    Big Dangerous World Heavyweight Champion

    Jul 29, 2016
    best of its kind
     
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  10. Chad Warden
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    Chad Warden As Ballin As Possible

    Jul 29, 2016
    Edge vs Eddie on Smackdown. It was a ladder match I believe. Great tv match.

    Jeff Hardy vs. Undertaker on Raw. Such great story telling.

    Orton vs Benoit at Summerslam is a nice simple match that put Orton over big time.

    Edge vs. Foley at WM20 (or 21?) Is the perfect 15 minute hardcore match.

    Mike Awesome vs. some Asian n----- at ECW ONS was so f---ing amazing lmao. I think Mike killed himself two years later. What a waste man, he was talented and that was a match past his prime.

    Benoit vs Finlay is an underrated gem, believe it was at Judgement Day in 2006. Based Finlay was annoying Benoit the entire match, those who have seen the match know how much of a cheeky c---- Finley is.

    Big Match John vs. Umaga, RR 2007

    Such an underrated match because wrestling at the time was almost as bad as it is now. It was a last man standing and even though Umaga took the L he looked strong as f---.

    123 Kid vs. Bret Hart on Raw
    Such a time piece. You watch it and see that it's in some f---ing community centre lmao. WWF was in just f--- my s--- up mode during that time and all of a sudden 12 year old Xpac and Bret have a classic match. The ending is great too.

    CM Punk vs. JeriGOAT, Chicago Street Fight

    This was a rare example of WWE PG not turning a street fight into a kendostick meme war. It's long and they beat each other up, no indie midget garbage. Shows how versatile both Punk and Jericho are. I prefer it over their Wrestlemania match.

    CM Punk vs. Jeff Hardy, Summerslam (TLC I believe?)

    m--- Retardy wrestles his final WWE match, and it's agreat one. That ladder spot gets me moist every single time.

    Big Show vs. Sheamus

    I know. I know. Don't laugh. This match is one of the greatest examples of two wrestlers working a dead crowd and getting them into it. For those who have seen the match, you get what I'm saying. It really should have been s---.

    Angle vs. Lesnar vs. Big Show, No Mercy (2003?)

    One of the most underrated matches of all time. Classic triple threat. The end is chaotic and amazing.

    Not the best of the best on this list but some overlooked matches for sure.
     
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  11. Kon
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    Kon

    Jul 29, 2016
    @Chad Warden Foley/Edge at mania was WM22 actually but yes it was a classic.

    I'll add some later when I'm not at work, good thread.

    Also I saw earlier tonight that sports illustrated came out with a list of the 101 best wrestlers of all time, I'm probably gonna make a thread for that when I get home or sometime tomorrow. Couldn't look at most of the list cuz it wouldn't load right on my phone but I did manage to see that Miz was at 101 lol.
     
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  12. Big Dangerous
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    Big Dangerous World Heavyweight Champion

    Jul 29, 2016
    It's not the best list in the world...some real head scratchers
     
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  13. Oldboy
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    Oldboy Administrator

    Jul 29, 2016
    Stone cold vs bret heart with the double turn is the greatest wrestling match of all time
     
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  14. Sign Language
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    Sign Language We miss you Screw

    Jul 29, 2016
    Don't know if it was mentioned, but Cena vs Punk at MITB 2011 is one of the best PG era matches of all time.

    More contributions coming soon :paulheymn:
     
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  15. Epitome
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    Epitome Quality (posting) over quantity

    Jul 29, 2016
    Austin vs Triple H- No Way Out 2001- 3 Stages of h--- Match
    Kurt Angles vs. Shane- King of the Ring 2001- No DQ Match
    Triple H vs Cactus Jack- Royal Rumble 2001- No DQ Match

    Also did nobody mention
    Foley vs. Undertaker- King of the Ring 1998- h--- in a Cell
    ???? Obviously a classic

    Will add more later these were just off the the top of my head

    Edit- also adding
    Shawn vs. Triple H vs. Beniot- WM 20 main event
     
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  16. Groovy Tony
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    Groovy Tony Grandma's baby Eddie Kane

    Jul 29, 2016
    John Cena vs Big Show for the US title

    Birth of a legend
    :lebcry:
     
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  17. Krazee D
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    Jul 29, 2016
    I see multiple iron man matches listed but you forgot the best one....

    Also THE h--- in the cell match
     
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  18. Big Dangerous
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    Big Dangerous World Heavyweight Champion

    Jul 29, 2016
    one of the rare instances of Austin putting someone over clean
     
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  19. Epitome
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    Epitome Quality (posting) over quantity

    Jul 29, 2016
    Agreed, I rewatched this match a few months ago for the first time in years and when I started it I expected the timestamp at the bottom (on the network) to be like 40 min and I was shocked when it was 15 lol They crammed so much action in that match I remembered it being way longer

    Ironic it was against Trips who imo was a way worse offender of that post quad injury
     
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  20. Groovy Tony
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    Groovy Tony Grandma's baby Eddie Kane

    Jul 29, 2016
     
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