Best Match you've seen on free TV?

["Cool Guy" Jensen]

Well, WWE usually tries to save their best, money-making matches on ppv. Whether that be true or not, WWE tries to put their best matches on ppv.

The point of this thread is... what was the greatest match you've seen on free TV? Outside of ppv?

I've watched every single episode of Smackdown since July of 2003. So, if it's on Smackdown, I'm sure to know it. I would like for you to say whether it was on Raw, ECW, or Smackdown or whatever. And if it's possible or if you remember... what was the date?

Well, mine would be...
Rey Mysterio vs. John Morrison for the Intercontinental Championship on the September 4th, 2009 edition of Smackdown: That's right! I just finished watching Smackdown, and I just realized that that was probably the greatest match I've ever seen on TV. I'm not normally a John Morrison fan, but this match turned me into a John Morrison fan. You can just see the look on Mysterio's face. He really looked like he was beating himself up for getting suspended and having to lose the IC Title. That match was just amazing!

Coming at a close second would have to be...
Matt Hardy vs. Shelton Benjamin on a late 2008 edition of Smackdown: I can't remember the exact date of this match, but I know that Hardy was the ECW Champion at the time, while Shelton was the United States Champion, if that helps. It was the opening match on that Smackdown, and it was such a beautiful match. They have such great chemistry in the ring, and the commentary during the match made the match that much better.


HONORABLE MENTION...

1. Jeff Hardy vs. Shawn Michaels on the February 11, 2008 edition of Raw: I'm not 100% sure that this was the date, but I think it was the Raw before the Elimination Chamber match at No Way Out 2008. It was the only time this match ever happened, and probably the only time it'll ever happen. It was such a solid matchup between two fantastic performers.

2. Eddie Guerrero vs. Rey Mysterio for the WWE Championship on the March 18th, 2004 edition of Smackdown: This was the final Smackdown before the 2004 WWE Draft. Rey Mysterio became the #1 contender after winning a gauntlet defeating Shelton Benjamin and The Big Show, after Benjamin had defeated Charlie Haas and Billy Gunn. This was Smackdown's main event, and I can't remember seeing a greater WWE Championship match on Smackdown, since Brock Lesnar vs. Kurt Angle in the "Ironman Match". A great back-and-forth match between two great friends and two great performers.

3. Christian vs. Tommy Dreamer in an "Extreme Rules match" for the ECW Championship on the August 4th, 2009 edition of ECW.: This wasn't necessarily the best match I've seen on TV, but it was quite entertaining to see an "Extreme Rules" match on ECW during the WWE PG rating era. No blood, but it was okay! You have two great wrestlers who know how to be extreme when it counts!

What about you? What is the best match or matches you've seen on TV? Remember... not on ppv. Thanks!

 

[The REAL Iron Chef]

All good choices so far, but my vote would have to go to a ladder match between Eddie Guerrero and Edge. And it really pains me that I can't find it on the internet anymore, because I considered it to be a classic. You had spots like you wouldn't believe, drama, and a technical prowess that rarely is matched these days. Plus, seeing Edge as a face is always a breath of fresh air. The match received a standing ovation afterward from the crowd in attendance simply due to the effort both men put into the match. However, I must say that Cool Guy and Averysean, you guys picked some real gems from WWE history.

 

[Poop Master Flex]

My favorite match I ever saw was Brock Lesnar vs. Kurt Angle in a 60 minute Ironman match for the WWE title on Smackdown. There are alot of other good ones (Jannetty vs. Michaels from 93, 123 Kid vs. Bret Hart from 94, TLC Match from Raw Roulette in '02, Shawn Michaels vs. Kurt Angle Iron Man Match, and Shawn Michaels vs. Shelton Benjamin from '05, or even Rock vs. Mankind halftime heat) but I have to give it to Kurt vs. Brock, that match was epic.

 

[brodymulder]

The Kurt and Brock ironman match was epic. I had almost forgotten about that one, but it is easily one of the best free tv matches I have ever seen.

My favorite, however would have to be the ladder match between Jeff Hardy and The Undertaker for the Undisputed Championship on Monday Night Raw. I was never really a mark for Jeff Hardy and I wasn't a huge fan of the "american badass" Undertaker, but this match was absolutely phenomenal. Not just in terms of how it looked, but because it is probably the best booking of a feud that never culminated in a PPV match. I have never heard J.R. so enthralled with what he was seeing on Raw. Everything from beginning to end kept my attention perfectly. I can still watch it to this day and get goosebumps. Simply amazing. (For a similar match, see also the Edge vs. Ric Flair TLC match)

 

[Slyfox696]

There are some that come to mind...

1) Goldberg vs. DDP - 1998. Ok, so this TECHNICALLY wasn't a free tv match...but thanks to incompetency somewhere along the line, this match was cut off on the PPV, and shown the next night on Nitro. DAMN fine match.

2) Cena vs. Michaels - 2007. This match is probably fresh in many people's mind, but what a match it was. The storytelling was superb, the transitions smooth, and the match nearly flawless.

3) Benoit vs. Hart - 1999. This was the tribute match for Owen Hart. While the wrestling style just really didn't fit the style of the time, the match was still very very good.

 

[CH David]

Gosh there really are so many.

One would have to be the Hardy Boyz vs. E&C in a ladder match on Raw right after Unforgiven 2000. The stipulation was if Edge and Christian didn't win that night, they wouldn't get a shot while the Hardyz were champions. Went back and forth, and of course saw a run in by Lita. Great match.

TLC Match on Smackdown in 2001 or 2002. Hardyz vs E&C vs Dudleyz vs Benoit and Jericho. Jeff Hardy had a crazy spot doing a leap frog over a big ass ladder onto Bubba on the announce table. Jericho and Benoit got the win, and retained I believe. It was the first 4 team TLC for WWE, so it had some fairly high expecations to uphold.

Taker vs. Jeff Hardy (I sense an unexpected pattern) ladder match on Raw. I was marking out so hard that night. I honestly felt that Jeff could have won the match, and that he was going to when he knocked the Undertaker out with those chair shots. Then after the match Jeff got Taker's respect. It was spectacular.

I know there are others. But I'm too tired to think of them right now. To be continued...

 

[X]

This is a tough one. I know I'll try to pick one match, and I'll likely be forgetting many. One match above all though that I specifically remember watching every minute of on free TV, and loving every minute of, was Chris Jericho vs. Triple H from RAW, April 17th, 2000.

At the time, Triple H was the most hated man in wrestling, and in my opinion was probably the best heel this business had seen in the near decade since. Seeing an upstart like Jericho, who was at the time massively over with the fans and had just gotten done with an exhausting feud with both Kurt Angle and Chris Benoit, get the win over Triple H...well, I freaked out. I was 13 at the time and remember just jumping up and down, pumping my fists that Triple H had been screwed by someone as awesome as Jericho for the World Title. For a minute I was freaking out, in awe at what I had just seen. Of course, Hebner gave a fast count, and the decision was eventually reversed later in the show, but the way that match came off on TV and the rest of that show was simply fantastic. Some of the shows in 2000 were just insanely good. That episode was just a perfect example of how to create a wrestling show, one with it's own standalone story that had a beginning and ending on the 2 hour program.

Still to this day, one of the most exciting matches I've seen on free TV. I'm certain I'm probably forgetting many, many classic matches in the decade + I've been watching wrestling on television, but that match jumped right into my head first and foremost. Honorable mention to TLC 3 on Smackdown. Oh shit I haven't even thought of ECW TV yet...definitely an honorable mention to the series of Masato Tanaka-Mike Awesome match ups, specifically the one from New Years Eve 2000

 

[The Doctor]

Well, a match I really, really enjoyed on free TV (I'm stopping short of labeling it the best I've ever seen, but it's the best I can remember) was Jeff Hardy vs. John Morrison for the WHC.

The match was insane, and fun. It kept me guessing the whole way through. I seriously thought Morrison had a chance at winning it! It was extremely exciting, and literally had me on the edge of my seat. I was totally sucked into the match like I'd never been sucked into one before. Fabulous.

 

[Paradox]

Wow, good thread... Well I have two matches that I thought were outstanding that I had the privilege of watching.

2007 Cena vs Michaels. This is one of the best matches I've seen period. Let alone on tv. It went for an hour, and was great, had me on the edge of my seat the entire time. I loved every second of this match. The beginning where Cena was playing the mind tricks with HBK. Like HBK was at Mania. It was one thing after another in this match. Just a great match with HBK winning after a second sweet chin music. Also I challenge anyone to try to say Cena can't go after that much. It's kinda hard to only do five moves in an Hour.

Secondly Jeff Hardy vs 'Taker Ladder match... This was another good match that I truly enjoyed. There were times when I actually thought that Jeff was going to win the match. He really showed his potential in that match. I have a feeling that if he wouldn't have left, he would have got a major push in the next little bit. Instead of Edge....

 

[HellWoo]

Hands Down, I'd go with Benoit vs. Austin on Smackdown 5/31/01.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KUTVkCvlUAk = Part 1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YP3zG9cUlLA&feature=related = Part 2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gu0bdmiuRkc&feature=related = Part 3

One of the best all time matches i've ever seen. Austin was getting awesome heat during his heel turn and Benoit really showed the World that he could be a main event wrestler in the WWE by pushing Austin to the limit. I felt it was well done because Austin did a lot of things (such as attempt a top rope move) that were uncharacteristic of what Austin was normally in the ring. The crowd was very hyped up for the match and really helped make this match one of the ages.

 

[jmt225]

Shawn Michaels vs. Shelton Benjamin in 2005 during the Gold Rush Tournament on Raw. Going into it, you knew it was going to be great, but in no way, shape, or form could you have ever imagine just how spectacular this match truly was. The pacing and flow of this match was absolutely perfect. Then the false finishes came rolling in, and holy shit about 3/4 times you thought the match was over. But it didn't end until Shelton decided to go to the apron, do a springboard, and get countered with Shawn's superkick, in one of the greatest finishes in wrestling history. I thought Shelton was legitimately knocked out after that kick, and I'm still not sure if he was or not to this day, but that was one hell of a fucking shot, and it out of nowhere. And after the match with them embracing... classic stuff.

Jeff Hardy vs. The Undertaker in 2002 for the WWE Championship in a Ladder match on Raw remains to this day one of my favorite ladder matches of all time, and one of my favorite WWE Title defenses ever as well. Jeff's selling and fire made this match. There weren't many high spots, but I and everyone in the building that night so badly wanted Jeff to win. And he came oh so close in one of the most suspenseful moments I've ever seen in a wrestling match, if not THE most suspenseful moment. Jeff was INCHES from grabbing that belt, and the place was going insane. And he sold everything so perfectly. Usually timing is REALLY off during ladder matches, but in this one? Pssh... the timing couldn't have been more perfect and it made for one of the most incredible, heart racing matches you'll ever witness.

I have to give honorable mentions to Eddie Guerrero vs. Chris Benoit on Nitro in 1995 (Benoit's debut) and Bret Hart vs. The 123 Kid on Raw in 1994. I give full credit to those matches for making me come to appreciate the technical aspect of professional wrestling. They were unbelievably awesome, and still hold up to this day, which really says something. Also, Rob Van Dam vs. Christian for the Intercontinental Championship in a Ladder match on Raw in 2003 was damn good as well.

 

[Coco]

Hands Down, I'd go with Benoit vs. Austin on Smackdown 5/31/01.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KUTVkCvlUAk = Part 1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YP3zG9cUlLA&feature=related = Part 2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gu0bdmiuRkc&feature=related = Part 3

One of the best all time matches i've ever seen. Austin was getting awesome heat during his heel turn and Benoit really showed the World that he could be a main event wrestler in the WWE by pushing Austin to the limit. I felt it was well done because Austin did a lot of things (such as attempt a top rope move) that were uncharacteristic of what Austin was normally in the ring. The crowd was very hyped up for the match and really helped make this match one of the ages.

This and a half! I love Steve Austin bunches and this was one of my favorite Austin matches ever. There was a great sense of desperation here and the crowd was just rocking this awesome brawl along. A forgotten gem that I only saw for the first time a couple years ago but loved instantly.

Other favorite free TV matches of mine include:

-RVD vs. Christain; Ladder Match for the Intercontinental Championship (September 2003): Wow is all I can say! From the entrace of Van Dam (Which as a HUGE fan of his always got me pumped! "We're back live in Chicago, and it's showtime!") to the huge pop at the end and JR screaming "Van Dam the champion! Oh my God, what a night!" this just felt huge to me. Van Dam had spent the year since his title shots in the fall of 2002 floundering in the tag division and getting squashed by Kane for the most part. The push I thought this signified went nowhere, but seeing Van Dam close the show with such a huge match, in front of such a pumped crowd, and winning the IC title back for the first time in a year felt so good as a fan. It gave me the hope I'd been waiting for and made me believe RVD was finally back on the the right track. Gives me chills every time.

-John Cena vs. Shawn Michaels; Non-title Match (April 2007); I expected a screwy finish leading to a tag match involving Rated RKO. It's what I've been conditioned to expect from Raw. Instead, we got a lengthy classic and the WWE match of the year. Cena losing his cool slowly as the match goes on... HBK not staying down... Solid ringwork all around... Just a true modern classic.

Punk's ECW title win over Morrison, Rock vs. Jericho for the WCW title in 2001, and Eddie vs. Mysterio in June 2005 are also matches I loved a lot in recent years... I could make a longer list too, but I feel I wouldn't really be doing the content justice.

 

[Freddy4190]

Punk vs Morrison where CM Punk won the title.. was absolutely amazing. The near falls, the OH SHIT! moments. Just everything.

Rey Mysterio vs John Morrison on Smackdown last Friday was fucking greatness in every way. They put everything they had into that match and you could see it. The athleticism and everything these 2 were showing was amazing too.

Cena vs Michaels.. was it like a hour long? or close to it? It was such a good move, they had such good chemistry and everything was real smooth and it was exciting. I loved it.

 

[jtbsoon2b]

Punk vs. Morrison on SD earlier this summer, this first time they wrestled. I was there live and all the near falls had me and my girlfriends dad and little brother on the edge of our seats. Also I was shocked that Punk lost to Morrison, because after all Punk is the WHC.

 

[Jonno]

RAW 97 - Pillman vs Austin
Not exactly the greatest technical wrestling bout you'll ever see but this was a really good brawl between the two. Neither man was at his best but they still managed an exciting, bloody and vicious brawl. Davey Boy, Owen and Neidhart were handcuffed to the ring posts ( I think by order of Slaughter) to stop any interference, which only added to the match.

Nitro 99 - Bret Hart vs Chris Benoit (Owen Hart tribute)
In my opinion this was Bret's first real stand out match in WCW and its no surprise that it was against Benoit. There was no storyline for this, just two great Canadians wrestling to show respect for Owen.

RAW 97 - British Bulldog vs Owen Hart
This was the final of the European title tournament (from Germany I think) and was an increadible back and forth match. Possibily the best that these two have ever done that didn't involve Bret.

 

[Mantaur Rodeo Clown]

I do remember Punk finally winning the ECW title over Morrison Coco. and yes it was awesome. God, Morrison is really the king of TV matches so far. He absolutely ran ECw with great ones such as him vs Punk and Bourne, as well as for the past few months on Smackdown, clashing with Punk again, Hardy, Mysterio, Edge, Jericho you name it.

But for the best ever? Thats a harsh call. HBK vs Cena is England was very good, but upon rewatching it on Heartbreak and Triump, I don't know if it was the absolute best. I mean they were very slow to start for my liking, and Mysterio and Morrison crammed all of that energy of 1 hour into 20 minutes. Not to say HBK isn't a great one, as evidenced by his nominations vs Shelton Benjamin in the gold rush tournament, as well as an oft forgotten 30 minute Iron Man match with Angle on Raw's Homecoming to the USA network.

Which segues quite nicely into my choice. Iron Man Match. Brock Lesnar vs Kurt Angle. WWE Championship. I really shouldnt have to say anymore. This match was absolutely great, and really just another jewel in this cracker of a feud. I won't say too much, but definately check it out.

 

[666_The_Game_666]

Raw 94 123 Kid V Bret Hart Just epic match with Bret in the prime of his carer taking on the Kid was awsome and when it ended and Bret kept in going after he told the ref his feet were on the ropes just added to the drama of the match and all the near falls by Kid just made you think he would of beat Bret Hart

Raw 05 Kurt Angle V Shawn Micheals Iron Man Match: After the match at WM21 this match was a great follow up 2 of the best performers in WWE at the time in a Iron Man Match the match HBK is known for hell it was nailbiting stuff and right at the end when HBK hit SCM and missed the fall was just wow

 

[KillBill]

Oh shit I haven't even thought of ECW TV yet...definitely an honorable mention to the series of Masato Tanaka-Mike Awesome match ups, specifically the one from New Years Eve 2000

Thats the guy, a japanese guy, I always forget his name. I remember a match they had when ECW was on TNN. It was during my feb vaca in highschool back in 2000. I went to my buddies house after, and I was like, "I just saw one of the best matches ever", and at that time I didn't know much about them. It seems like they always had amazing matches.

 

[byrnside]

I was going into this thread convinced that HBK vs Shelton Benjamin was the greatest televised match I'd seen in a long time. When HBK caught Shelton off the spring board with the Sweet Chin Music, I couldn't believe it. I've still seen very few wrestling moves that looked better, especially on RAW. I still think that's probably the best match I've seen to date [on regular TV.] But, I have to say, after reading a few of these posts a lot of you guys mentioned the 1-2-3 Kid vs. Bret Hart for the WWE title. Now granted, when I was about 8-12 I saw every RAW I could possibly see, with maybe 1 or 2 exceptions, and I guess this main event was an exception, because I have no recollection of ever seeing this one. So naturally, I just went back and watched it on YouTube. At the end, I thought it was good, the Kid getting caught in the Sharpshooter was a pretty good finish, especially for 1994. It wasnt until after the match that JR, the Macho Man, and Bret Hart all gave the Kid a standing ovation afterward that made me see this match for what it is. A great, fast-paced, "See-saw match-up!" The only thing missing was Vince on commentary to say that. Plus, the Kid at the time was still fairly new to the WWE and prime time wrestling in general, so I guess after this one he'd really showed what he could do, instead of just pulling off random upsets.

 

[Hazza270]

I'm going to have to agree with a couple of guys on here and go with Taker vs. Hardy in a Ladder match on Raw 2002. I know it wasn't necessarily the best match in the world, not even the best Ladder match in the world, but by god the emotion in that match was amazing! Probably the first time anyone saw Jeff Hardy and thought "he could be World Champion!" And the ending, with Jeff finally earning Taker's respect, am I the only one thinking he earnt his respect in real life too?