The Best Compromise

[gasM]

In wrestling there's always a distinction between a 5 star match and a money drawing match. For example at Wrestlemania 3, Savage vs Steamboat was by far the superior wresting match, but Hogan vs Andre was the main event because that's the match that drew 90+ thousand people (officially).

So can anyone remember a time when the money drawing match was also considered the best match on the card?

 

[Aquaman6686]

Off the top of my head, both of the HBK/Undertaker WrestleMania matches, and the Triple Threat World Championship match at WrestleMania 20.

 

[OYDK]

John Cena vs CM Punk at MITB 2011 off the top of my head. I'm sure there are a TON of others, but I'm having a brain fart right now.

 

[Mustang Sally]

Wrestlemania 19. The main event consisted of Brock Lesnar vs. Kurt Angle ....and it was one of the best matches I've ever seen in addition to being the top one on a superior card.

This was the match in which Brock botched the Shooting Star Press and I remember being scared to death while realizing he wasn't going to complete the move.

But the superior wrestling abilities of both men made this the best contest on the card....in terms of money matches and performance.

 

[Prince Vee]

The match I could think about when reading this is just an epic battle, not to say the least, Streak vs Career. The Undertaker vs Shawn Michaels at the grandest stage of all, Wrestlemania!

Cheers!!

 

[Hem]

The first match that came into my mind was the final match between HBK & The Undertaker at WM. The match had an amazing story, great wrestling, and a huge stipulation.

As far as such matches are concerned with huge stipulations I would put Ric Flair Vs. Shawn Michaels in that list as well.

CM Punk Vs John Cena at MITB

Brock Lesnar Vs. John Cena in Brocks first match in the WWE after returning.

 

[rbv13]

There are so many cases where the top billing match doubled as the bout of the night. I'll toss out Hart vs. Smith from London during SummerSlam. It seems as if Bret regularly carried the shows while he was the headlining.

 

[BaconBits]

Brock Lesnar vs. John Cena at Summerslam. It wasn't a technical masterpiece by any means, but it was certainly the best match of the night as far as storytelling went.

 

[BestSportsEntertainer]

In the last two years, these are the matches that were both the draw and the best in-ring match.

WrestleMania 30 - Daniel Bryan vs. Randy Orton vs. Batista

Extreme Rules 2014 - The Shield vs. Evolution

Payback 2014 - The Shield vs. Evolution II

Hell in a Cell 2014 - Seth Rollins vs. Dean Ambrose - Hell in a Cell

Survivor Series 2014 - Team Cena vs. The Authority

Fastlane 2015 - Roman Reigns vs. Daniel Bryan

WrestleMania 31 - Seth Rollins vs. Brock Lesnar vs. Roman Reigns

Payback 2015 - Seth Rollins vs. Dean Ambrose vs. Roman Reigns vs. Randy Orton

Out of the last two years, only 8 out of 24 money-drawing matches have been the best in-ring match that night.

The best in-ring match is subjective, and so is the money-drawing match to a certain degree. Feel free to disagree.

 

[willross]

Hulk Hogan vs Ultimate Warrior at Wrestlemania 6...easily!!!

When you get into the later Wrestlemania's, you can't really say any one match was thr draw because around WM20 is when Wrestlemania truly entered Super Bowl territory of that the name is the draw.

 

[AustinHartLesnarHBKTaz80]

STONE COLD vs THE ROCK - Wrestlemania X7 for the WWF championship in 2001!!

This was the highest grossing Wrestlemania ever at that time and it was during the peak of the attitude era and the prime of both Austin and The Rock.

***** match and box office attraction with two mega legends headlining.

Great time to be a wrestling fan!

 

[FlairFan2003]

That is the one problem with Manias....they are usually built around at least 2-3 different matches that get almost equal promotion and storyline.....Savage-Steamboat was a huge part of WM 3, their storyline dominated WWE TV for months....each of the last Taker-HHH matches were end of show worthy matches in terms of hype and storyline and made a huge impact on the success of those shows....WM 24 was built almost equally around Flair-HBK, Triple Threat, and Edge-Taker.

It's hard, at least with Mania's, to say clearly that the last match or main event was clearly the biggest draw.

 

[FromGlasgow]

I also think a lot of people has a distinction over what a 5 star match is, For me a 5 star match is a perfect combination of everything and a match that looks real with a good storyline not just the amount of endless acrobatic spots and false finishes that are done.
Can't think of an example off hand but theres been loads of times ive prefered the undercard matches to the main events particuarly when Cena or Orton has headlined a few years ago and someone like Daniel Bryan is on the undercard.

 

[Sexcellence of Sexecution]

Austin vs. The Rock at WrestleMania 15
I think their match at 17 was even better, but it also had a much stronger undercard (TLC II, Taker/HHH, Angle/Benoit). WM15 was almost entirely about the main event, and it definitely delivered. Rock/Austin was the best match on the show, and it was the reason people ordered the show in the first place.

John Cena vs. CM Punk at MITB 2011
This match is maybe the best example of a huge buildup and payoff. Easily my favorite match in the last 10 years at least.

Hogan vs. Warrior at WrestleMania 6
The epitome of a WrestleMania main event that lived up to the hype. The two biggest babyfaes, the two champions, a classic match. Mania 6 was another show built entirely around one match, and the mach delivered in a big way.

John Cena vs. Brock Lesnar at Extreme Rules 2013
Brock's return to the WWE, and one of the best matches of all-time. The build emphasized Brock's realism and legitimacy and the match did as well. It seemed more like a real fight.

The First Ever Elimination Chamber at Survivor Series 2002
Couldn't even tell you what else was on the show. Shawn Michaels completes his comeback by winning the World Title. A great match and a great moment.

Triple H vs. Cactus Jack in a Street Fight at Royal Rumble 2000 and in a Hell in a Cell Match at No Way Out 2000
One of my favorite feuds. Again, these were the two most heavily promoted mathes on their respective shows and they were both home runs. They drew money, were crazy to watch, and they established Triple H as a top guy while giving Cactus jack one last run in the main event scene.