What are the Best Three WWE Old School Matches of All Time?

[mont3818]

MODERATOR COMMENTS
Normally I do not do this, but I feel it's warranted here. I've noticed some spam posts in here and it being removed from this thread. The protocol is to name your three favorite matches from the OLD SCHOOL WWE. Now, I'll consider anything before 2000 Old School. No Cena, Orton, Kofi, etc. That's not Old School. And also list the REASONS for your picks. If you don't do that, you will receive a spam INFRACTION. This is considered the 'warning' for spamming, so any punishment given will be an infraction from this point forward.

That being said, happy posting and I am looking forward to your responses.

The Lariat

Besides any Rock/Austin or Hardys/Edge&Christian matches, which THREE matches do you think are the best of all time? I know that's a broad question.

To me, there were a lot of really good matches in the mid-90s that Bret and Shawn put on (against each other and other people) and a couple of Hogan matches sorta stick out. Or course you could put in some Taker, Angle, and maybe even a Benoit match in there but for right now these three stick out a lot for me, although I have to watch the last two again to be sure:

Bret Hart vs Owen Hart in a steel cage for the wwf championship @ SS 94
This is probably the best cage match in history, they have such great chemistry together. It must have been wild to watch this live.

Randy Savage vs Ricky Steamboat for the IC championshio @ WMIII

Steve Austin vs Triple H 3 stages of hell @ No Way Out 2001

 

[Jsaturn14]

Your right, this is very broad, but that is what makes it so good because there are so many fricken choices people can have for this! Good thread, and I am surprised nobody has come up with it before! Now onto my list, which will probably change tomorrow.

3: Bret Hart vs Owen Hart (Wrestlemania 10)

I saw that you put their cage match from 94 on your list, but IMO this was the better match between the two of them, and the absolute best opening contest to a WM ever. This match had the build-up, and the anticipation that they could have easily faltered under the pressure of putting on a 5 star match, but they didn't and they absolutely delivered a classic. Owen winning at the end was a huge shocker IMO as I absolutely did not think Bret would lose. Great way to build-up Owen and continue the feud on.

2: HBK vs HHH (SummerSlam 2002)

The return of the showstopper, the main event, the icon, and the absolute best in-ring performer the wrestling world has ever seen. NOBODY knew how Shawn would do in this match. After 4 years out of the ring it would have been a miracle if he had just got through the match to begin with, but instead it was like he had wrestled yesterday. These two put on an absolute clinic on how to put on a great match, get the fans into it, and how to tell a story in the ring. An absolute classic match and the best match of the night on a night loaded with great matches.

1: HBK vs Bret Hart (The Iron Man Match at WM 12)

I have heard a lot of people complain about this match: "It was just big spot, rest hold, big spot, rest hold" "It had to go into overtime!" but to me this is the greatest match of all time. Any way you measure a match: The anticipation of the match, the promos leading up to it, the build-up, telling a story in the ring, the crowd involvement, the in-ring action, this match had it all, and it had it at a 10 star level. How could you have one of these two great's win in regulation? Now that would have been the unbelievable thing. The fact that they had to go into overtime only cemented how amazing both men were, and how much they wanted to win that night. I never ever get bored watching this match, and I don't think I ever will.

Now of course this list is subject to change, I could easily put HBK vs Taker, HBK vs Angle, TLC II, Rock vs Austin at WM 17 in there, but for right now, this is my list.

 

[marklouis]

Great question. Off the top of my head, I would say (in no particular order):

HBK v HHH Hell in a Cell-Bad Blood 2004: Culmination of a great rivalry. The storytelling for just about 2 years between these 2 was top notch. The match itself was brutal-both guys gave everything they had. Best Hell in a Cell match ever, and that has to count for something.

HBK v Kurt Angle Wrestlemania 21: The 2 best in the world putting on an absolute clinic on the biggest stage of them all. Being a huge HBK fan, I was pissed that he lost, but the match was so great, it was hard to be too upset.

Bret Hart v Stone Cold Wrestlemania 13: This match was a seminal moment in the company's history. It sent Stone Cold on the path to being the biggest star in the world, set Hart on a path to becoming a heel and eventually leaving the company. I was rooting for Hart at the start of the match, but by the end I was with Stone Cold.

A close 4th would be the Iron Man Match between HBK and Hart.

 

[rayisawesomeness]

1. WM 20 - Chris Benoit vs. Triple H vs. Shawn Michaels
Loved the match with a passion. It was a mixture of hardcore wrestling, hard hitting wrestling, and technical wrestling. So much emotion was in that match that it just boggles my mind.

2. No Mercy 2008 - Shawn Michaels vs. Chris Jericho
This one is a bit bias because I LOVE their '08 feud so much. This one was probably the greatest Ladder match that I've ever seen. A true dream match that finally came true in 2008.

3. WM 22- John Cena vs. Triple H
There is no other match in the HISTORY OF PROFESSIONAL WRESTLING that had the big fight feel (Yeah, I said it). I love this match just as much as the other two and I'd watch it any day of the week. Sadly, the WWE totally killed this match by putting them in pointless matches on Raw and in a mad amount of triple threat/fatal four way/etc. matches.

 

[pessimism101]

Hmmm...

3) Hulk Hogan vs. The Rock - Wrestlemania X8
I was there live and while the wrestling wasn't the greatest, the crowd was on fire and made the match a Hell of a lot better than it was.

2) Undertaker vs. Shawn Michaels - Wrestlemania 25th Anniversary
It's been a long time since I've spend the majority of a match on the edge of my seat waiting to see what will happen.

3) Bret Hart vs. Mr. Perfect - SummerSlam 1991
One of the most technically sound matches I've ever seen.

Plus, I have to give props to Leif Cassidy vs. Flash Funk - In Your House: It's Time
This is one of the best undercard matches I have ever seen and is, by far, one of the most underrated matches ever.

 

[mister_b1LL]

I'm gonna give it to you straight. These best matches will be the first ones that come off the top of my head, but I still think they will be worthy of the title B.O.A.T.

1: Bret Hart vs. Owen Hart WrestleMania X. In my opinion I still think it tops Steamboat/Savage as the most technically savvy match in WWE history. You know how people watch movies with their friends that they've already seen and they spend the whole time saying "Oh watch this!" or "This part is good!" This is a match I can watch again and again and find a new surprise everytime I watch it. Never ceases to amaze me.

2: Eddie Guerrero vs. Brock Lesnar No Way Out 2004. The emotions were way to high for me during this match and that's why I regard it as a BOAT match. Eddie was my favorite wrestler when he was alive and for him to finally get the brass ring was a wonderful sight for me to behold.

 

[kc2788x]

There are a lot of good matches back in the days! Too many to remember them all, but the 3 that comes to mind

Wrestlemania XI the "I quit" match between Bret "the hitman" Hart and Bob Backlund, These 2 had such a great feud (it shows Bret can work with just about anyone) Two classic wrestlers that are also submission specialist! And Roddy "Rowdy Piper was the guest referee, what more could you ask for!

Wrestlemania X Owens match at the top of the program and with Bret getting a title shot later on in the evening, what a match it was, finally Owen stepped out of Brets Shadows only to see in the end Bret defeated Yokozuna to once again be champ (with a little assist by the Rowdy one himself)

Wrestlemania 13 Austins submission match with "the hitman" and Ken Shamrock the special guest referee, Can anyone say this match didn't live up to the hype? It made Austin who he is today! Austin making the challenges and Bret accepting, although, it does cross my mind, what would've happened if Austin won "the match" with "the hitman"? Would he gain this much popularity? I was reading the new Wrestlemania magizine and Austin stated that it was this match with "the hitman" that made him who he is today! And I believe so too!

Honerable mentions; The Iron man match between the hitman and Shawn Michaels!

 

[NikNitro24]

OK I wouldn't be surprised if someone came along and posted all HBK matches on here. I'm one of those guys who would do that, but in order to supress that, I post others.

Shawn Michaels vs. Undertaker [WrestleMania 25]: This match was classic in every sense of the word. I have no doubt in my mind that this match will finally oust the infamous Hogan/Andre WM3 match as the greatest of all time. The built-up was chilling and and came out being the Lord of Darkness vs. the ultimate Soldier of God. It was amazing.

Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat vs. Chris Jericho [Backlash 2009]: I LOVED this match. It proved that the only thing Steamboat had lost was a little hair on his head. Seriously, he had not lost a beat and he straight up SCHOOLED Y2J. And, it was also an incredible technical clinic (obviously not as grand in scale as Angle/HBK at WM21, but still). The elder Steamboat was able to match the young Jericho blow for blow in every aspect.

Randy Orton vs. John Cena [Bragging Rights / No DQ Iron Man Match]: I'm really going out on a limb with this one because, at the time, I wasn't a fan of either guy and I still really liked the match. It had a sweet build-up and a spectacular ending.

 

[scorpioking1026]

Very interesting thread. A lot of choices to choose from.

1) HHH vs Rock Ladder Match at Summerslam 99: I personally believe that this is the match that pushed both into the main event. Rock was with the Nation and HHH was with DX at the time. Burtal match with blood. The only drawbacks being Mark Henry and Chyna being at ringside and interfering.

2) The first MIB at WM 21: With the likes of Jericho, Christian, Edge, Benoit, Kane and Benjamin, you were guaranteed a great match and they delievered. It is hard to make a new concept like this a tradition, especially at WM of all places, but they did it and I for one will be forever thankful

3) HBK vs Undertaker Hell in the Cell: Who better to have compete in the first HIC? These two did a phenominal job of pushing the "Attitude Era" into the main stream with this match. With all the battles that these two have had throughout their careers, this match will always be the one that remember most. Sure WM 25 was good but can you really compare it to this?

 

[Slyfox696]

The ignorance is so rampant in this thread, I was almost tempted to not post. There hasn't been a match in the WWE in the last five years that would belong on a greatest of all time list, and yet outside of the traditional answers, those are what people are posting. Since people are generally posting 3, I will do the same.

3. The Ultimate Warrior vs. Randy Savage - This match is the very definition of the word "epic". Two warriors going at it with their careers on the line, the drama and intrigue were through the roof, and without a doubt, was the clear highlight of Wrestlemania 7. This match was so good, and so intense, and the ending with Miss Elizabeth was so well written, fans who just 30 minutes before had absolutely hated the Macho Man, were crying as he held Miss Elizabeth and walked off into retirement. Now THAT'S good storytelling.

2. Bret Hart vs. Steve Austin - Outside of the match at Wrestlemania 3, I feel this is the greatest match in Wrestlemania history. This match wasn't a wrestling match, which had two wrestlers entertaining the crowd. This was a fight, between two men who hated each other, and it was REAL. Okay, it wasn't REAL, but the match itself, unlike 99% of wrestling matches, actually seemed real, like these were two guys who legitimately hated each other and would do anything to win.

1. Ricky Steamboat vs. Randy Savage - Considering this is the greatest match in North American history, perhaps all-time, this is the obvious number one. The match is completely flawless in every aspect of pro wrestling. From believable match, to great workrate, to incredible storytelling, to the controlled chaos which makes wrestling so fun, this match is the shining example that all matches should strive for.

 

[gd]

HBK v HHH Hell in a Cell-Bad Blood 2004: Culmination of a great rivalry. The storytelling for just about 2 years between these 2 was top notch. The match itself was brutal-both guys gave everything they had. Best Hell in a Cell match ever, and that has to count for something.

I'm sorry, but this is a ridiculous choice. That was much closer to the worst HIAC match of all time. It was entirely too long and a complete snoozefest. I doubt it was even in the top 3 of HHH/HBK matches of all time. Definetly shouldn't be near a list like this.

As for me, hmmm, not sure.

I'll just give you my #1, and I gotta go with Austin/Hart from WM 13. Greatest Wrestlemania match of all time between 2 of the biggest stars ever. As a wrestling fan, it's impossible not to enjoy that match from start to finish.

 

[NWODXRULES1]

3. HIAC match Shawn Michaels vs. Undertaker- This was an amazing match. While the Mankind/Taker match gets talked about most, this is the best HIAC match of all time. The storyline and buildup was great and Taker's "evil" brother Kane debuts.

2. Bret Hart vs. Steve Austin at Survivor Series- Most people go with the WM match, but this was my favorite. The ending was great and imo pushed Steve Austin into the main event.

1. Shawn Michaels vs. Razor Ramon at WM X- This has 2 of my favorite wrestlers in my favorite kind of match. The moves they pulled off were really high risk for the time and should be in the top 5 for b.o.a.t.

 

[pyrusane]

I'm going to look at this from two different perspectives, both the quality of the match and the importance of the match. With the three I've chosen, I tried to find a good balance overall.

3) Ricky Steamboat vs. Randy Savage, WM3 - Quite possibly the greatest match ever, in terms of the story told in the ring and the quality of the match. I am a little bit biased, as this match was the culmination of the feud that originally made me a wrestling fan. However, this is widely regarded as one of the greatest matches in the history of Wrestlemania, and for very good reason. Savage and Steamboat were at their best against each other, and that showed here.

2) Bret Hart vs Steve Austin - This is the match that finds the balance between quality and significance. Not only did these two put on a hell of a good match, this is seen as the breakout match for one of the biggest stars the industry has ever seen.

My choice for number one is a little bit odd, I think. While not a great match, it is certainly a match that had a huge impact on wrestling history.

1) Hulk Hogan vs The Iron Sheik - Whether you love Hogan or hate him, no one can deny the impact he has made on the business. The single biggest icon of the 80s, as well as a powerful factor in the Monday Night Wars over a decade later, Hogan's name is synonymous with professional wrestling. You can mention the name Hulk Hogan to anyone, be it a die hard fan or someone who has never seen a single match, and they will know who he is. And Hogan's legacy began with this match. While far from a technical classic, the poor quality of the match is overshadowed by its place in history. When Hogan powered out of the camel clutch and dropped the leg on The Iron Sheik, he began what was quite probably the single most important WWF title reign ever.