Greatest Non-Title Match In WWE History

[cubuff37]

Simple question... your opinions? Here's mine...

Triple H vs. Undertaker at Wrestlemania 27

Simply put... this match was phenomenal. The buildup was tremendous, and this is one of the few situations where the match lived up to it's hype. The match had everything... breathtaking entrances... great display of classic wrestling... unparalleled storytelling... and a genius ending that left everyone stunned (whoever came up with that ending deserves a freakin' raise). I have watched this match time and time again and every time I'm still captivated by it. The best part though was Triple H delivering the Tombstone Piledriver... I kinda wish the writers would make that the end. But regardless, it's my favorite non-title match in WWE history.

 

[hansolo]

I gotta go with HBK vs Undertaker at Wrestlemania 25... Sometimes it's hard for me to really get in to a match knowing in the back of my head that it's somewhat fake.. But that botched cameraman catch looked really bad and them continuing after... Man I can't remember the last time I enjoyed a match that much

 

[NotoriousMEAT]

Great question. Pretty hard one to answer though. So many come to mind, and instead of listing and explaining them all.. I'll just go with the first one I thought of to add to the conversation. And that would be..

Shawn Michaels vs John Cena - RAW (April 23, 2007)
Cena was WWE Champion at the time, but the title was not on the line. This wasn't the announced main event of the show, infact there were other matches that were announced during the show to take place (but due to Orton being suspended they never happened) but to work out the storyline, they just had Cena and HBK go an hour in a thrilling match with HBK surprisingly beating Cena clean.

I'm sure other Pay-Per-View matches and contests with build to them could trump this, but at the time this match took place, it had me jumping all over my room. You kept waiting for it to end, kept expecting it to end, but it never did. They just kept going. I don't know if I've ever gotten so emotionally invested in a match as I did this one.

 

[ted sheckler]

I gotta agree with Han. HBK vs Taker at Wrestlemania 25 was simply 2 masters of their craft at their very best. It was the first time since "the streak" began that I got so lost in the match that I actually started to believe HBK was going to be the one to end it.. Had me on the edge of my seat and marking out big time

 

[Fansince1992]

Have to agree with The OP here and say :

Triple H vs Undertaker at Wrestlemania 27

A lot of people will say the Shawn Michaels matches vs Taker at Mania were better but i feel "The end of an Era" match this year truly stole the Show. It wasn't the best in terms of Wrestling but the emotion and storytelling in that cell was something i will never forget.

I remember watching it live and it was edge of the seat action. I recall being really desperate for a pee during the match, and i forced myself to hold it so i didn't miss anything.

 

[RicSpade]

I really think if your going all of WWE Taker vs HBK 1, an hour spectacle where both men put it on the line, one man never lost at the big show, the other always steals the show it made for the greatest match in wwe history.

Now if your going for a non ppv, I would have to say either HBK vs Cena where it went 60 minutes or Austin vs Angle during the alliance era.

 

[j.beaner]

edge vs Eddie Guerrero on SMACKDOWN! 2003 comes to mind, i'll leave out the obvious Undertakers last 4 'mania matches.
hbk vs owen RAW, hbk vs shelton benjamin RAW, Bret Hart vs Stone Cold Steve Austin Wrestlemania 13, Shawn Michaels vs Triple H Summerslam, Shawn Michaels vs Ric Flair Wrestlemania XXIV, Shawn Michaels vs Kurt Angle WM 21, Shawn Michaels vs Chris Jericho WM XIX, Punk vs Mysterio Extreme Rules 2010
i think of all of Undertakers great matches with mankind, most werent for a championship, and his matches with kane

but all and all you asked a simple question you'll get a simple answer, my favorite would probably be Shawn Michaels vs Chris Jericho Wrestlemania XIX

 

[Inittowinit]

Austin vs Hart at Mania 13. That was the perfect match.

 

[TheHitMark-SirJoseOle]

Hulk Hogan vs The Rock, WWF WrestleMania X8​

Simply put, this match showcased Hogan's first WrestleMania appearance in almost ten years, while The Rock looked to redeem himself after three crushing WrestleMania losses. This match went outside of wrestling's confines and was covered by several mainstream outlets. With that said though, it was a good match all within itself.

It was rumored that this match was originally supposed to be Steve Austin vs Hulk Hogan, but the scuttlebutt was that egos got into the way, who really knows the validity of that statement? Obviously, Hogan didn't protest losing considering that it was The Rock that won this match.

The tagline of "Icon vs Icon" was more than fitting for this match, and the reactions both wrestlers got by the crowd at Skydome, well you just can't force that, it was the fans that created that all on their own. It truly was a mythical contest. While I think Steve Austin vs Bret Hart's WrestleMania 13 contest was a more brutal and hard fought battle in storyline terms, Hogan and The Rock was the more epic contest. It should have been the match to close out the show considering how it was the match that sold the event.

In and of itself, it was a great match as well. To be honest, I wish Hogan would have wrestled more matches like this one considering that he performed pretty well. For a man pushing 50 at that time, I thought it was a good showing. And of course, The Rock was looking awesome as always. Similar to what Andre did for Hogan at WrestleMania III, Hogan did for The Rock at WrestleMania X8. Basically, while The Rock was already a star (just like Hogan was at WrestleMania III), the win over Hogan brought The Rock to a new level in the WWF. It was such a great meeting of wrestling's past and present. Simply unforgettable...

 

[OutsiderDX]

Let's define "Non-Title"- when i hear that, I think about a match where a champion's belt is NOT on the line.

Or are you asking, any match that is not a title match?... which is would be a lame, repetitive thread, becuase all the great matches have been listed 10,000 times here. I will assume you mean a traditional non-title match.

As sad as this is, I'm pressed to think of many other decent non-title defenses- Cena vs HBK on raw. One of the few times i will give a tiny credit to Cena. It only took the greatest in-ring performer to pull a decent match from this complete garbage wrestler.

Wrestling rarely ever gives good non-title matches because they are used as a tool to fuel the blowoff / title match.

I believe the Cena / HBK match was used as a payoff to HBK for doing the job to Cena at WM.

I would love to see some other "non-title" matches people can remember.

 

[B.Ware]

I'm surprised nobody has mentioned Bret vs Owen at WM X. This match stands out so much from the rest of the card that night and much of the wrestling around that time. Simply put it's a fantastic piece of storytelling in the ring. Normally this match gets a mention when this topic is discussed.

My second would have to be Jericho vs Michaels at WM XIX. A beautiful wrestling match which has and always will hold up to the test of time.

 

[Its_A_Snake!]

Im going to go with Rodney Mack & Mark Henry vs The Hurricane & Rosey from HEAT back in 2003. What a massive, HIGHLY underrated Contest... the drive and passion we saw from Rodney Mack that night makes me wanna wax my balls.

 

[MINISTRYrising]

the best non title match has to be the undertaker vs mankind at the king of the ring in a hell in a cell match. title or non title its one of the best matches ever and go down in history as a match that change the face of the wrestling forever.

 

[I'mTheJanetty13]

I gotta go HBK/UT at WM25. Build was good and Michaels was someone who you could actually see being chosen to end the streak.

 

[HBsam31]

If we are going with a traditional non title match then I have to go with HBK/Cena from Raw. What an awesome match. I thought it was on par with the Mania match. It's also very hard for me to come up with another non title match that was good because they are usually just used as build to the major match of the feud.

 

[RicSpade]

Actually I think one of my personal favorite non title matches was career vs career Warrior vs Savage, that was a great match that Savage put a lot of effort into crafting with Warrior, and we all know Savages need for perfection in a match, it was emotional and it was amazing to see the back and forth and doubt of the Warrior followed by the big finish of multiple elbows not finishing off the Warrior and Warrior coming back to win it.

 

[Wald]

Few ones like Bret vs Owen and Savage vs Warrior come to mind but I have to go with my favourite Wrestlemania match of all time:

Bret Hart vs Steve Austin from Wrestlemania 13

That match is absolute perfection in it's pacing and execution. I don't think it has been topped since to be honest.