Matches that raised the bar

[mrbooker]

In my opinion their are matches that raise the bar that when you watch them as they are happening for the very first time you just go wow that was one hell of a match you are psychologically drained and wonder what the hell can top that I have never seen/felt anything like that frm wrestling in my life.

I would like break it into groups

Singles Overall(psychology, match quality,hype)
Singles Match Quality
Singles Hype
Tag Team


For me Singles Overall hands down HBK vs Undertaker I i hope i dont have to explain

Singles Match Quality HBK vs Bret Heart when talking about raising the bar you are talking about two guys who kept a crowd hot for an hour straight.

Singles hype its a tie for me with Hogan vs Ultimate Warrior or Hulk vs Rock, one was two larger then life faces colliding and the other the leader of two generations its tough both raised the bar as far as the anticpation of a match, and everyone in the building they new they were watching something special. As far as two larger then life individuals i dont think we will ever see a bigger match then Hogan vs Warrior the business wont ever be as big to allow it to happen

Tage team much like HBK vs Taker I, hands down i have to go with Edge & Christian vs the Hardy Boyz say what you want about calling them spot monkeys, or wanting to shyt on the hardy's for what they are now that match raised the bar not only for ladder matches, not only for "spots", but for tag teams themselves and just how over tag teams could get with fans, and that tag team wrestling was not only alive it was flourishing at that point

 

[a member of wwe universe]

Single taker's streak
HBK vs Taker 1 and 2 set the bar hands down. After their epic performance back to back at mania, it really force the wwe to book a quality opponent for taker at mania for the remaining years that taker has. For the second match, there was long term build up, emotion, and a reason of why the fan should care about the match. For the first match, the match was unbelievable and hbk performance was able to make ppl think taker's streak was in jeopardy.

This was why it was stupid where guys like barrette and shamemus was even mentioned to be taker's opponent. They wouldve been subjected to heavy criticism and negativism.

Triple threat
Benoit vs hhh vs hbk defines what a triple threat main event is all about, atleast from a wrestling match perspective. It made the other triple threat world title match at wm24, wm25 look pathetic. The quality of the match was excellent, period. There was anticipation and emotion involves. I thought the storyline was booked very nicely.

 

[pete7489]

One match I actually enjoyed was gregory helms vs shelton benjamin for us title a few years back. Just one of those matches were I could not guess the outcome and I enjoyed it from start to finish. I know this won't match any others but this was one I can remember.

 

[Lazerball]

for singles its too easy to say taker vs HBK, that was too recent. id have to say it was HBK vs bret hart in the iron man match. that match had the hype, it had the energy, it had the skill of two of the most talented, hell, it had the most talented in HBK.
i like that triple threat was mentioned, cause ive always found it to be one of the best match types when its done well, and id have to say my fav, and one of the better ones was taker vs rock vs angle, taker coming in the match as champ, angle jus getting added to the match, it was a great story to be told, and the match was jus off the hook.

 

[dashing]

HBK v Angle at WM21 was a brilliant match, so many twists and turns and the finale of the match where Angle has the ankle lock...I just watched that part again now and it I was on the edge of my seat despite knowing what happens.

I can see why people say HBK Undertaker too, I slightly prefer the first match but yeah, too obvious a choice.

I think at least 95% of answers to this thread are going to include HBK arn't they? And so they should too!

 

[dizzle1119]

The last televised match I saw that raised the bar was the clinic Michaels put on against John Cena a couple years back on RAW. Didn't that match go almost an hour? Amazing.

The last PPV match I saw that raised the bar was Michaels vs Taker 1. That match was, simply put, larger than life.

The last tag team matches I saw that raised the bar would have to be The Machine Guns vs Beer Money in their best of 5 series on Impact. Those matches were incredible, and they're proof positive that tag team wrestling is still cool.

I don't want to chime in with my thoughts on the biggest build up. I'm 32 years old and I've been watching since I was a kid. It'd be hard for me to pick an "all time" greatest build. I've seen so many good ones that it wouldn't be fair to pick only one. The build for Michaels vs Hart was great. The build for Hogan vs Warrior was great. I could go on about this all night...

 

[R.K.O]

For me it's the Hardyz vs Edge and Christian vs Dudleys TLC matches.

Those matches defined tag team wrestling at it's very best during the point of time and helped established the TLC match which is so popular that it has it's own PPV right now. It raised the bar of ladder matches even more and made people expect awesome spots whenever it comes to ladder matches. In that match it raised tag team wrestling's bar so high that it couldn't be replicated even now with team like Beer Money and MCMG.

 

[TM Punk]

From a singles stand point... I really don't know. taker vs hbk 1 was the last singles match that raised the bar. but what match raised the bar before that match? i think that before that match, the standard bearer would have to have been steamboat vs savage WM3. Those two singles matches have set the bar so high, they will not be topped.

As far as build up goes there are really two that come to mind. The build up for The Rock vs SCSA at WM17 was unlike anything anyone has ever seen. BUT imo, the build up for Hollywood Hogan vs Sting is the best build up to a match/confrontation professional wrestling has ever seen. The fact that Sting went from being this colorful charismatic character, to black and white and not speaking a word of anything for over a year, and always looking down from the heavens... i dont know... its just awesome.

tag teams... i dont really need to say it but TLC2 WM17. Just watched it twice.

 

[MrAdam87]

The Hardy Boyz v E&C V Dudley Boyz TLC match had a phenomenal build up with each team somehow demolishing the other with there favoured weapon for weeks on end until finaly Foley comissioned the very firs 'Table, Ladders and Chairs, Oh My!', it was gravy to an otherwise fantastic tag team division and the match itself blew me away.

Singles is like most have said also Taker and HBK II.

And best build up for me personally was Rock v Hogan at WM. Iconic.

 

[dashing]

As far as build up goes there are really two that come to mind. The build up for The Rock vs SCSA at WM17 was unlike anything anyone has ever seen. BUT imo, the build up for Hollywood Hogan vs Sting is the best build up to a match/confrontation professional wrestling has ever seen. The fact that Sting went from being this colorful charismatic character, to black and white and not speaking a word of anything for over a year, and always looking down from the heavens... i dont know... its just awesome.

That whole angle was incredible and was paced so well. WCW on the whole was pretty awful but the NWO storyline and then the rebirth of Sting was the greatest wrestling storyline ever. It's just a shame the eventual match between Hogan and Sting was average.