Top 3 Matches-Ever

[Jacarr]

Hey guys my second thread here, just thinking of this yesterday while i posted something regarding a summerslam moment which ahd to do with one of my favorite matches, im sure this has been done in some way shape or form but would like to discuss.

Now i would like everyone to give their 3 favourite matches of all time and why.

1. first off i have to go with HBK Taker from Wrestlemania 25- Alot older then i was when i used to watch during the attitude era where i got excited over alot, so this brought me back to the good old days, surprising nearfalls and at one point the first tombstone i figured it was over and couldnt believe he kicked out, i figured after those two huge bumps they both took on the outside they were going to try to end it quick and that already made the match, anyways hbk already superkicked taker and taker hit all his finishers, so of course we would see a second superkick and we did, but then we seen a second tombstone anyways just a great match couldnt believe it.

2nd-Austin Rock from X-7
So much electricity in this one, not much to explain, the finishers and kickouts and shear determination, crowd energy, everything from start to the incredible finish, finished quite dirty but still, austin heel turn, and the rock told austin that at wrestlemania he cant stop cant stop the rock!! and he barely did, unblievable match

3rd- Austin & Angle from summerslam 2001- Angle was hot as hell at this point and the whole match was crazy, i was pulling for an angle win sooooo badly, it was just a great match, angle kicking out of 3 stunners, his relentless quest the whole match to win, not giving up and having austin beat so many times and getting screwed at the end, classic just classic, won it the next month but wasnt the same as if he won it that night i dont believe.

anyways u guys get the idea im sure so have at er!

 

[youngbullzeye]

1.Rock vs Hogan WM-18 Icon vs Icon this match gave me so much goosebumps if you watch the match the fans were preety much down the line half was Rock half was Hogan it obviously wasn't a wrestling clinic but was a really unforgettable match

2.Brock vs Angle 60 min. iron man match SD-This is one of the best if not the best match to be on free tv as also any match ever granted they had already fought at WM but this match was just great from the opening bell to last seconds matches like this between 2 wrestlers of thier caliber dont happen every day so when they do happen you better cherrish it.Out of all the iron man matches this has to be the greatest.

3.HHH vs Goldberg vs Nash vs HBK vs Y2J vs Orton SS 2003-This was the second EC ever i feel this one was better than the original and that is always hard to do as you try to make different spots for wrestlers i think what also makes it better than the original is the star power Goldberg,HHH,HBK,and Y2J were doing really good Nash was still a decent worker and we were watching the rise of a young kid named Randy Orton

 

[Miss Flawless]

1. HBK vs Undertaker - Wrestlemania 25: Oh man. I have explained myself so many times about this one. But let's just put it in one word...epic.
2. HBK vs Kurt Angle - Wrestlemania 21: Great match. It combined the mat wrestling style of Kurt Angle and the highflyer style of HBK. I loved this match. I thought both of them pulled the match off really well.
3. HBK vs HHH vs Chris Benoit - Wrestlemania 20: (Is it weird that all my favourite matches include HBK? LOL, I guess he's that good.) I liked this one cause Shawn had his poop pants on (lmfao) and he won the WHC belt, I really don't care how long he held it, and that he only held it once since he returned, but I was super happy and super emotional cause he's my favourite wrestle of all time, and it was a great moment for me.
Edit: LMFAO. I get dumb in the summer. Thanks for telling me my mistake guys!!

Yeah so, it's a tie for 3rd place for me. When HBK won the title from HHH at the first ever elimination chamber. THATS when I got all emotional and stuff...but HBK vs HHH vs Benoit was a great match too, actually I just re-watched it to refresh my dumb summer brain, it was amazing.

 

[rokuma]

3. HBK vs HHH vs Chris Benoit - Wrestlemania 20: (Is it weird that all my favourite matches include HBK? LOL, I guess he's that good.) I liked this one cause Shawn had his poop pants on (lmfao) and he won the WHC belt, I really don't care how long he held it, and that he only held it once since he returned, but I was super happy and super emotional cause he's my favourite wrestle of all time, and it was a great moment for me.[/QUOTE]

Actually, Shawn didn't win the World Heavyweight Title there and he didn't have the brown pants. This was where Benoit won his first WWE Title. The match where HBK won the World Title for the last time was the first Elimination Chamber.

 

[Ming]

Shawn Michaels VS Undertaker- Wrestlemania 25 This match was amazing so many near falls and great moments this was the only time I thought The Streak was going to end.

Shawn Michaels VS Bret Hart- Wrestlemania 12 This was the first ever Ironman match and I know a lot of people say that nothing happened for 50 minutes but things did happen, some guy outside the ring took a superkick because Bret Hart dodged it, HBK took a high risk by jumping him from the top turnbuckle when he was outside the ring and not to mention the fact that it was an HOUR long this must've been so tiring. the last 10 minutes plus overtime were pretty exciting.

The Rock VS Stone Cold- Wrestlemania XIX Now I know that this isn't the third best match of all time but of all the matches I've seen, I've never been so happy because as a die hard Rock fan it was great to see him win his last encounter with Stone Cold in what for me is the greatest rivalry of all time.

 

[tripsfan1]

Now this is an entertaining thread which I will enjoy reading everyones opinions. My top (3) matches of all time are as follows:

1) Mankind Vs. Taker-HIAC at KOTR-98-This match may not have been the most technical match but the bumps and spots in this match were insane. I mean everyone truly thought Mankind was "dead". This was historic and was as "extreme" as it gets. I can watch this match again and again...

2)Stone Cold vs. Bret Hart-WM 13(I quit)-Now this match just made Austin's career and was definitely one of his premier performances in his career. Made Austin the toughest "SOB" there was at the time..Truly epic....

3)Edge/Christian v Hardyz v Dudleyz-Now this match brought legitimacy back to tag team wrestling and honestly this might be one of the most entertaining matches ever. The spots and acrobatics in this match have never been duplicated, and on the grandest stage of them all..Damn that was wrestling at its finest, why can't they do that shit today????

A few honorable mentions are: Angle/HBK-WM-21-a technical masterpiece, Bret Hart vs. HBK-WM 12-Ironman match-This was HBK's coming of age match and it was as solid a performance for both as either have ever had. HBK's 1st and best WWE title, Triple H/Austin-3 stages of hell-no way out(2001 I think)-what a brutal match with great buildup, and lastly HBK/Taker (HIAC at IYH/Bad Blood)-this created the most brutal and exciting type of match and the ending with Kane ripping the door off the cage, just classic.....

 

[Poop Master Flex]

@Isha I don't remember HBK winning the world title at wrestlemania 20, must have been after Benoit won it and the cameras went off..... lol just messin with ya.


Anyways it looks like we're only counting WWE matches so here are mine.

1) Bret Hart vs. British Bulldog @ Summerslam '92. This was probably my favorite match in WWE history. Being a Bret Hart fan growing up this match holds special significance because even though Bret lost the match, it was the reason why he became champion and showed people that Bret had what it took to be a main eventer. Outside of that the match was just a work of art with great psychology, great technical prowess and it was all heightened by the fact that you didn't really know who would win, the match could have went either way and with Bulldog getting the clean win just capped off an amazing bout where 2 great wrestlers were given the time to show what they could do.

2) Kurt Angle vs. Chris Benoit @ RR03: This was my favorite match of BOTH wrestlers. This match was the definition of a wrestling clinic, and even though you KNEW Angle would win, they did a great job of making Benoit look like he belonged in the Main Event. The match was just a great back and forth, old school wrestling match that I love. Great action, great effort on both guys, and a great crowd reaction throughout the entire match. At the end the fans gave them both a standing ovation, that says it all right there.

3) HHH vs. HBK @ Summerslam '02. Its funny that even though Wrestlemania is the biggest event of the year, the Summerslams usually have the better matches. This match was just plain awesome. It was the return of HBK in 4 years and the guy put on a match so good you would swear he was wrestling somewhere the whole time. This match was a very emotional match and had masterful psychology throughout. With HHH working HBK's back to HBK's comeback throughout the match to watching HBK do all the moves he did before to HBK pulling off a surprise pinfall and finally HHH hitting him with the sledgehammer, this match was an emotional rollercoaster from bell to bell and had me on the edge of my seat throughout. This match had everything from brawling, to wrestling, to psychology, and most of all, it saw the return of one of the greatest wrestlers ever, frankly you couldn't ask for a better welcome home party than that.

 

[BestForTheBusinesso9]

Great thread, first off I'd just like to list a few that are outside of the top 3 but that should be worth mentioning. The first two TLC matches were incredible and really took tag-team wrestling to the next level. The submission match between Bret Hart and Stone Cold at Wrestlemania was another one of my favorites right outside of my top 3, this one was just such a launching pad for Stone Cold and also helped solidify Bret's heel turn. Razor and Shawn Michaels in the ladder match was just so different and so cool. Almost any of Kurt Angle's matches in the mid 2000's could be on this list. I personally like the matches he had with Benoit during this time frame, technical masterpieces. Some of the first matches that got me interested in wrestling were the matchups between Ric Flair and Ricky Steamboat but for the purposes of this I'm going to stay a little more modern. I'll also through in a little ROH and TNA, as the Joe-Punk II in ROH and Joe-Daniels-Styles matches from TNA were both very very good. With that being said here is my list:

3) Owen Hart vs. Bret Hart(Cage Match, Summerslam 1994)
I've never been a huge Bret Hart fan, he was always the face that was easy to dislike for me, and Owen Hart seemed cool to me. His heel promos on Bret during this time were about as good as you could get. The match had all the buildup and with the family involvement you believed what you were seeing.

2) Undertaker vs. Shawn Michaels(Wrestlemania 25)
I honestly believe that you can make a case for three Shawn Michaels and Undertaker matches as the top 3. The first Hell in a Cell was an amazing match, I think Meltzer might have even given it 5 stars. Then the last two Wrestlemania matches were just unbelievable. I think Undertaker was in much better physical condition for this one and was able to do more which is why I ranked this one ahead of Wrestlemania 26. Every time one of them hit a finisher everybody watching lived on every drop of the referees hand.

Shawn Michaels vs. Bret Hart(Ironman Match, Wrestlemania 12)
I tried to not let my personal feelings get in the way of choosing these matches, but their hasn't been a match that has had me more into it than this one. First you have the face vs. face, and Bret Hart was the guy. At the same time everyone knew that it was Shawn Michaels turn, and when he pinned Bret I don't know if there has been a better mixture of emotions than that. As gay as it sounds I literally cried when I saw the ending, because everyone watching was living their own "boyhood dream" through Shawn. Just an amazing buildup and for once the actual match lived up to the hype.


Just to add, I'm not big on "spot" matches but the Undertaker-Mankind Hell in a Cell was pretty damn impressive too.

 

[Judah's Lion]

lots of good matches already listed: i'd agree with all of them so far.

just to name 3 different matches that are among my favorites and haven't been listed yet as of this typing:

Hogan vs. Warrior at Mania 6 -- this wasn't a wrestling clinic, but i can't remember a time before this when two faces met for the WHC. and the title vs. title was also a first. this is one where i wasn't sure who would win. as far as storyline buildup, impact it made on wrestling, etc, this one has to be in there.

HBK vs. Razor Ramon at Mania 10 in a ladder match -- this is incorrectly regarded as the first ladder match. that honor actually goes to HBK and Bret Hart. however, this was the first televised ladder match and was the culmination of some brilliant writing and epic feud between the two. this set the bar for every ladder match to follow, including those amazing ones involving Team Extreme, E & C and the Dudley Boys.

Austin vs. McMahon at St Valentine's Day Massacre in a steel cage -- another match that was not a wrestling clinic. but c'mon, who wasn't cheering for Stone Cold finally getting his hands on McMahon, in a steel cage no less, and beating the crap out of the one man that had continuously screwed him for so many months? just another example of great writing that built over time and added to an electric feud.

 

[ccotreau1]

Here are my top 3 matches (in no specific order):

1. Razor Ramon vs Shawn Michaels Ladder Match for Intercontinental Title at Wrestlemania X. This match is what made the Ladder Match as good/popular as it is today. Without this match, I doubt we will have the Money In The Bank Ladder Match at Wrestlemania, nor would we have the Money In the Bank Pay Per View. Razor and HBK put on an amazing showing in this match.

2. Clowns R Us (Doink the Clown, Dink, Pink, Wink) vs The Royal Family (Jerry Lawler, Sleazy, Cheesy, and Queasy). I know that this match has gotten bad reviews, but I was always a fan of Doink the Clown, and this match is what really drew me to watch wrestling, believe it or not. Just the thought of clowns wrestling a royal figure just kept me interested to see what else they could offer.

3. Bret Hart vs Shawn Michaels in the Iron Man Match at Wrestlemania XII is one that I loved because it showed how tough both men were. They went the whole hour without scoring any falls on each other, and like the last one, was another reason I kept interested because of the toughness of these 2.

 

[conici]

Hart v Hart - WM10 First real brotherly feud really good technical match

HBK v Undertaker - WM25 I don't think I really need to explain my pick for this one

The Rock v Stone Cold-One of the biggest if not biggest rivalry in wee history all 3 matches where great but I will have to go with the second one because it put alot of people through a loop with McMahon and austin

 

[minionofdarkness]

1. Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat and Randy "Macho Man" Savage, it stole the show at WM3, and pissed off VKM because the focus was supposed to be on Andre and Hogan.

2. Undertaker and Mankind at KOTR 98. For the wow factor. We had never seen a man thrown 20 ft from the top of the cage onto a table. Then he gets chokeslammed through the cage with a chair underneath him. Oh yeah, and what about that tooth in his nose.

3. Undertaker and HBK (WM 25 or 26, take your pick). How can anyone choose between the 2? So why not have a tie between these 2 matches? These 2 matches have raised the bar for other great WM matches for years to come, just like the Dragon and Savage did over 20 years ago.

 

[gtajoker01]

my top 3 favorite matches. hard one.

1. Kurt angle vs shawn michaels- An awesome feud between 2 actual wrestlers classic matches and awesome rivalry.

2. misawa vs kobashi- awesome match, one of the greatest those 2 went out there and put their careers,bodies and their own lives on the line.

3. Kurt angle vs chris benoit- I loved the rivalry period. classic matches, awesome promos and very good wrestling. it also saddens me I probably will never get to see that kind of feud every again.

 

[Optimist Prime]

1.Rock vs Hogan WM-18 Icon vs Icon this match gave me so much goosebumps if you watch the match the fans were preety much down the line half was Rock half was Hogan it obviously wasn't a wrestling clinic but was a really unforgettable match

Great call with this one. Although the crowd was certainly not 50/50. If you remember or have watched it recently on Youtube...Hogan, who was a major heel at the time was cheered by literally everybody in the building while WWE's major face at the time, The Rock was being booed with every move he made.

I would have to go with these as my favorites:

1. Hulk Hogan Vs. The Ultimate Warrior - Wrestlemania VI - 1990: For somebody who grew up as a child in the 80's and early 90's...there was nothing more exciting than this match. This was the first time ever in the history of the business that two high profile faces would square off against one another. Title for Title. Two wrestlers who barely ever lost...and basically never without interference. What was a kid to do? Who were you supposed to root for? It was one of the hardest decisions a child has ever had to make. This was like Superman Vs. Batman live right in front of you.

2. Ultimate Warrior Vs. Randy Savage - Wrestlemania VII - 1991: Very strange that somebody like the Ultimate Warrior, who had barely any in-ring technical or high flying wrestling ability, could put on two of my favorite matches of all time...but that's just how the circumstances had it out to be. This match was absolutely incredible. I loved both of these wrestlers and even though Macho Man was a heel at the time...it didn't prevent me from not wanting either of these guys to retire. The Retirement stipulation gave it an even more intense feeling...not to mention the fact that Macho King Randy Savage had just laid down 5 consecutive Flying Elbow Drops. As a child this was the most devastating thing ever. Wrestlers just didn't kick out of finishing moves the way they do today. It was highly unlikely. And 5 finishing moves in a row?!? There was no way. Everyone just assumed it was over for the Warrior. That is...until he kicked out. Absolutely amazing. Jumping up and down! It was like nothing else.

3. Razor Ramon Vs. Shawn Michaels - Wrestlemania X - 1994: If it were for just pure old school wrestlers with a great wrestling performance being put on...this would be first on my list. But the other two get an edge because of what involved and how it affected the youth of that age. This match, though, certainly had it's greatness as well. Two belts hung nicely from the ceiling. It opened with Shawn Michaels coming out with Big Daddy Cool Diesel...teasing the fans by almost walking under the ladder...but waving his finger as to say "just kidding". Then the "Bad Guy" would come out with no fear...walking directly under the ladder with no quams whatsoever. The match them went on between the two where they both gave the fans everything but the kitchen sink...including a Shawn Michaels ass-shot for the ladies (and some men? ) All around great match up that was so amazing...Gorilla Monsoon (soon after President Jack Tunny disappeared into the night) had a rematch made out of no where for Summerslam 95.

 

[red ass skull muhfukkah]

1. Shane McMahon vs Kurt Angle- KOTR Street Fight. I'm not sure why this is my favorite match. A great wrestler Kurt Angle just brawling with the guttsiest member of the roster at the time. Twice Shane didn't go through the glass and landed straight on his head, then the finish with the Angle Slam off the plywood on the top rope, I loved it. Just a true testament of how good a match shane good put on, and he always gave it that real look.

2. Rob Van Dam vs Brock Lesnar- KOTR Finals. Just a great match between two great wrestlers. RVD was in his prime and Lesnar was just coming into his prime. Good pace and a great balance between the two, Lesnar the Powerhouse and RVD the Highflyer, and they just meshed so well. To me this match made both of them.

3. Bret Hart vs Mr. Perfect- KOTR. Honestly didn't mean to pick all KOTR matches just happened for some reason Anyway this is in my view the best match between the two. Two of the best in-ring story tellers in the business. Hart and Perfect always kept an amazing pace and every movement was spot on, almost a perfect match, pardon the pun. If this match hadn't been in the middle of a KOTR Tournament more people would talk about it then the SS match they had imo.

Honorable Mention= Bret Hart vs Owen- SS Steal Cage Match.

 

[kurt_angle_no1fan]

My favourite 3 matches I can watch over and over again...

1 - Bret Hart vs The British Bulldog (Summerslam 92)
I'm a big Bret Hart fan, I routed for him in this despite been English. The match had 90,000 fans and from start to finish was just a masterclass. Brets best ever match IMO and he carried a drugged up Davey!!!

2 - Armegeddon HIAC 2000
Whats not to like about this match? 6 of the biggest stars at that moment in the same ring. It was brutal and action packed. Love it when Rock and Austin star at each other across the ring and get it on. The crowd was hot!

3 - The Rock vs Steve Austin (Wrestlemania 17)
Fast paced, 2 biggest stars in WWE at the time, the 15 or so chairshots, the heel turn, Vinny Mac getting involved, the handshake. I dunno why but this match felt real to me! I actually pittied The Rock taking all them bumps!

Just missed out - Hart vs Austin (WM13). A classic.

 

[gremmlinsmith]

Alright, here we go.

HM: Randy Orton vs. Chris Benoit SummerSlam 2004- Orton's first ever WHC, and a clean win over arguably the best technical wrestler in the game at the time. Orton reversing the Crossface into the RKO was one of the most beautiful things ever.

3) Rock vs. Hogan WM X-8- As a huge nWo mark , I loved the match but not the way it ended.

2) Kurt Angle vs. HBK WM 21- Such a wrestling clinic it isn't even funny. I loved the ending, Angle catches SCM into the Ankle lock.

3) Steamboat vs. Savage WM 3- Stole the show away from The Slam Heard Round the World. Set the bar for all WM matches.

 

[kingofkings1984]

Far too many matches to choose an ultimate top 3 but the 3matches i tend to re-watch more than any are:


1) Rock v Austin mania 17- whenever these two icons got together for a promo/match it was always electric. the chemistry these guys had together was through the roof and given the fact the stage was wrestlemania, massive arena, crowd was hot throughout and a shocking twist ending this would have to be my first pick. think ive watched this match about at least 30 times!

2) Hulk Hogan vs Ric Flair- November 30th (i think)1991 MSG show- this match was the first ever meeting of the two guys who owned the 80's in their respective territories. The actual match has everything these guys have to offer and there are no suprises with each ones routine but it was classice stuff, the msg crowd as always is hot.

3) Rick Steamboat vs Ric Flair- wrestlewar 89'- think most pro's use this as ther greatest match to watch, and tbh ANY flair/steamboat encounter was as good as this. but this one stands out to me personally and have studied it about 10times over the years since gettin my hands on it.

 

[Decarow]

1.) Angle vs HBK Mania 21- It's literally a wrestling clinic. Such an amazing match that led to a pretty good feud. Still can't believe HBK tapped.

2.) Batista vs John Cena I Quit Match- I'm sorry if you disagree, but I love this match. It was two powerhouses going at it with everything they had.

3.) Undertaker vs Orton WM21- It was Orton's first feud since Evolution, and it went all year long (started at Mania and went until Armageddon, people usually expect feuds to go the other way around haha) and every match was good. Especially this match. Orton countered the chokeslam with an RKO and everybody thought it was over. Then a kick out. Then Orton picked Taker up for a Tombstone then the reversal and the streak continued.

2. Rob Van Dam vs Brock Lesnar- KOTR Finals. Just a great match between two great wrestlers. RVD was in his prime and Lesnar was just coming into his prime. Good pace and a great balance between the two, Lesnar the Powerhouse and RVD the Highflyer, and they just meshed so well. To me this match made both of them.

I respect your opinion. I really do. But for real? It was like 5 minutes long. 4 minutes of Lesnar DESTROYING RVD. Then RVD tries a quick comeback, Lesnar catches his crossbody and hits the F5 and it's game over. Not really a memorable match besides the fact that it gave Lesnar the shot at Rock's title at SummerSlam (which he won). I actually watched this match 2 hours ago while waiting on my ramen noodles to cook. That's how short it was.

Which brings me to my honorable mention. Brock vs Rock at SummerSlam. I love the ending. It was so exciting.

 

[LongLiveTheStreak]

1. Shane McMahon vs Kurt Angle- KOTR Street Fight. I'm not sure why this is my favorite match. A great wrestler Kurt Angle just brawling with the guttsiest member of the roster at the time. Twice Shane didn't go through the glass and landed straight on his head, then the finish with the Angle Slam off the plywood on the top rope, I loved it. Just a true testament of how good a match shane good put on, and he always gave it that real look.

Great point about this match my friend! Just watched it for the 1st time, I couldnt believe my eyes. I had no idea that it took 4 or 5 suplexes to put Shane through the glass twice. But it just misses my top three. And they are:

3. 2001 Royal Rumble Match. What's not to like about this rumble match. Almost too many highlights to remember-Drew Carey, Kane's 11 eliminations, the hardcore action, etc... This ppv was on my 17th birthday-or maybe the day after, I didn't watch it live. But I took my favorite wrestler Austin's win as a priceless b-day gift.
2. Stone Cold vs. The Rock, Wrestlemania XV That's right, WM15 not 17. Forgive me for leaving WM17'S main event out, but I really saw that heel turn coming-belive it or not. But watch the one from WM15, its really good. Maybe I feel this way because this was the 1st ppv I watched live and back then, Austin winning this meant everything to me.
1. Shawn Micheals vs. Undertaker Wrestlemania 25 Well, everything about this match has been said over and over again. If the streak ever ends, a part of me will die with it.LONG LIVE THE STREAK

 

[Megatron]

I'm assuming we're going favorites, so...

Eddie Guerrero vs. Brock Lesnar - No Way Out 2004 This match, oh, this match was something special. You had Brock, the champion and monster, who was out there wanting to let Eddie know that he wasn't good enough. He constantly reminded him of it throughout the match. And you have Eddie, the underdog, who was trying to achieve his first ever World Championship. Add that with the MASSIVE reaction that Goldberg got when he interfered, and the great ovation Eddie got when he hit the frog splash, this is probably my favorite match ever.

Triple H vs. Batista - Vengeance 2005 One of the few GREAT matches that Trips had during this time period, but this match was awesome. You had Batista, who was out trying to prove that his first two wins weren't a fluke and that he could beat the 'dirtiest player in the game' in one of the most brutal matches in WWE history. And Triple H was out there trying to prove that those wins WERE a fluke and that he wouldn't get beaten again by the guy that he mentored. Really helped put Batista over as a champion, imo.

John Cena vs. Shawn Michaels - Wrestlemania 23 These guys gave us a half hour of greatness a few years ago. You had Cena, who had defeated the other half of DX, Triple H, at the previous years WM, and he wanted to get the other member out as well. Then HBK wanted to get another World Title, having not held one since 2007, and had to go through the man who had held the title since Unforgiven. It had everything set up perfectly, and these two answered the challenge with a great main event.