Michaels/Undertaker I vs. Savage/Steamboat

[THEpapachamp]

For almost 20 some odd years Macho Man Randy Savage vs. Ricky Steamboat at Wrestlemania 3 for the Intercontinental Championship was considered the greatest match of all time..

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Until..

Wrestlemania 25 Shawn Michael vs The Undertaker I happened and many people considered this to be the greatest matchup of all time.

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So my question is..

Which Wrestlemania match do you consider the greater Wrestlemania match-up of all time?

 

[Jack-Hammer]

For me, I have to go with Taker vs. HBK and it's not really even close.

Savage & Steamboat at WM III was a great match, a show stealing match, and I don't think anyone can argue against that. Taker vs. HBK I was really just in a different league generally speaking. Savage & Steamboat in 1987 were a couple of mid-carders that put on a great match. Taker & HBK were two long time main eventers/legends that put on a match that truly had that "big match" feeling about it. I thought Taker vs. HBK I told a better story and what was behind the story just made the match feel epic. It wasn't about a championship, it was about pride and bragging rights. Two legends that've already done pretty much everything, two guys that are above any title at this point going at it over something that's become every bit as important as any title match could be at WrestleMania: The Streak. Sorry, but the Intercontinental Championship just doesn't really compare with that.

Both matches exceeded expectations but Taker & HBK just blew away expectations for their match. Both of these men were in their mid 40s in an era in which very few aspects of wrestling still feel "special" to internet fans. The match completely delivered in every measurable way.

 

[Davi323]

I 100 percent disagree. Savage/Steamboat was the better match precisely because they were midcarders trying to compete with Hogan/Andre, while HBK/Taker was two established hall of famers already. I am going to argue that because Savage/Steamboat was completely unexpected, that they didn't have nearly the pressure that HBK and Taker did, that makes it better. They did it as a matter of personal pride, not because they had a reputation to maintain, no Mr. Wrestlemania or streak to worry about. HBK/Taker was a great match, but it didn't really do anything new. They put on a show, but they did it because they had to. Savage and Steamboat put on a show simply because they could.

If I had to show someone who has never seen a pro wrestling match in their entire life a single match to demonstrate how its done right, I am not putting on HBK/Taker. It might be the second match I show them, but Savage/Steamboat is a wrestling masterpiece.

 

[Slyfox696]

I think that if HBK and Taker would have had the same match, but would have done so as midcarders, people wouldn't even begin to put this in the same level as Steamboat/Savage. In fact, I don't think I would even place it in the Top 5 of Wrestlemania matches.

Steamboat/Savage is still the greatest match of all time in my opinion. The precision of the match, the excitement, and the thrill of the contest is simply unmatched in any ring anywhere. Steamboat vs. Savage is the greatest match, not just at Wrestlemania, but of all time.

 

[thedukeofpearls]

Steamboat and Savage were given a mere 15 minutes in contrast to Michaels/Taker.

Imagine even 5 more minutes in that match.
This is not to say that Michaels/Taker wasn't a good match, but at least in my opinion, I felt that it was labeled as a main event unlike Savage/Steamboat's match which actually surpassed the main event.

 

[Benoit4ever]

Neither one is the greatest, has been kid v the undertaker is overrated and steamboat v savage was to short, Beniot v HHH v the doucebag kid was the best match, not because of doucebag but in spite of him

 

[jacdnwarrior]

I thought about this question and decided to watch the two matches. I wanted to be fair to both matchups. I'm a huge fan of Randy Savage and I'm not a fan of HBK and didn't want that to affect my views of his two matches with Taker. After seeing both WM 25 and 26, I have to say I don't think either match is as good as people hype them up to be.

Savage/Steamboat is almost too perfect, it isn't overloaded with the moves just to show off, or just a means to show great looking spots, no botched moves, not too much time spent waiting for these guys to catch their breath. Basic mat wrestling with aerial moves added in. Every move in this match served its purpose to bring you to a remarkable outcome. Each move woven to tell a story. It never disappointed me.

I watched both matches. My conclusion ? HBK/Taker WM 25 and WM 26 could be the same match. Two old guys giving their all to do a decent job at WM, with a lot of time on their hands to do it. Not much psychology there, more time spent for these guys to catch their breaths than anything else, botched moves, predictable. These matches are nowhere near as good as Savage/Steamboat. To consider them the greatest matches of all time is almost laughable to me.

 

[klunderbunker]

I think this is one of those where you can't go wrong either way. However, I'm going to channel someone (it was either Dick Vitale or Sly. I can't remember which). Last year when Duke beat Butler for the national championship, someone said that the way it stands it's a great game but if that final shot goes in it's the greatest game ever played.

Why that one? I've seen more exciting games, but they were regular season or lower level schools. Why that one? Because it was for the national championship. Shawn Michaels vs. The Undertaker happened at Wrestlemania and was a featured match. Savage vs. Steamboat was the second biggest match on the card, but it was by a LONG distance. The difference here though is as people have said: they're different kinds of matches. Shawn vs. Taker was supposed to be epic while the one from 87 just was epic and shocked everyone.

However, I'm going to go with HBK vs. Taker. If anyone thinks I'm wrong I'm not going to put up anything resembling an argument as it's by the slimmest of margins. However this is what tips it for me. I've seen a lot of wrestling. I mean a whole lot of wrestling. However, that match with Shawn vs. Taker had me glued to my screen harder than anything I have ever watched and I believed more than once that the Streak was dead. That says a lot for a match where it was relatively obvious that Taker would win. Amazing match and probably the most exciting I've ever seen.

Again though: I would never say Savage vs. Steamboat is anything less than incredible, a classic, awesome whatever you want to say. There's no wrong answer here at all.