What constitutes a "classic" wrestling match?

[AegonTargaryen]

1)In a thread recently, I made an incidental comment that the Austin-HHH match at No Way Out in 2001 wasn't a classic, and it wasn't supposed to be. I got two negative reps for it, stating "how was that match not a classic? your fucking opinion sucks". And I was like *shrug* since the thread wasn't even about that match and since I felt like it was unquestionable that it wasn't a classic.

2)Now obviously, such matters cannot be scientifically quantified, known, or described like a bunch of chemical elements or atoms. Nevertheless, agreement can be reached and the criteria to determine "what constitutes a classic(wrestling match)" can be thoroughly summarized and expressly stated.

3)Even though I think we all have an instinctual/intuitive grasp of certain matches being a "classic", the criteria that I use to determine is as follows:-

a)Something which we've never seen before, or something which transcends whatever we had thus seen.
Examples:-
Shawn Michaels vs The Undertaker- Wrestlemania 25 and 26.
Kurt Angle vs Shawn Michaels- Wrestlemania 21.

b)Violent and brutal but almost paradoxically beautiful and elemental.
Examples:-
The Undertaker vs Shawn Michaels, Hell In A Cell.
The Undertaker vs Mankind, Hell In A Cell.

c)Something involving two(or three) wrestlers whose sheer athleticism/chemistry transforms that match into a spectacle and thus makes it eligible to be considered a "classic" .
Kurt Angle vs The Undertaker from Smackdown Sep 2003, Smackdown 2006(World Heavyweight Championship), and No Way Out 2006.
Kurt Angle vs Shawn Michaels- Wrestlemania 21.
Kurt Angle vs Brock Lesnar, Wrestlemania 19.
Kurt Angle vs Chris Benoit (various).
The Rock vs SCSA from Wrestlemania 17 and 19. (And NOT 15)

4)I have already given my criteria and a corresponding list of matches. I state it explicitly that mere brutality or violence doesn't make a match a classic, which is why I omit HHH vs Austin from NWO '01. I see that elemental beauty in Mankind-Taker and Shawn-Taker. Actually, also in the long upheaval-like match between Kane and The Undertaker from Wrestlemania 14.

Also, I'm not so sure about the Undertaker vs HHH HIAC with Shawn as the referee. I'd like your opinion on this match, as to whether you'd consider it a classic or not. (Though considering how they dubbed it the End of an Era, it had quite that element of a classic).

The Rock and Steve Austin matches from Wrestlemania 17 and 19 were truly transcendental and yet their first Wrestlemania match(WM15) wasn't, and hardly anybody reasonable or sane would wish to differ.

Nevertheless, do you agree with this criteria or the matches cited?
What criteria would you use ?
What other matches do you think were classics?

I'd like to end with recent candidates for a "classic" match:-
Punk vs Bryan from Payback(?) 2012, and also from Raw/Smackdown in 2012, if I remember correctly.
Punk vs John Cena from MITB. (self-explanatory)
Daniel Bryan vs HHH from Wrestlemania 30.

 

[J.J.]

A match like Hulk Hogan going against Andre the Giant I would consider a classic match. No it wasn't a match in a sense that both guys duked it out for 60 minutes but it's a classic because the world witnessed Hulk Hogan scoop slam Andre the Giant on the grand stage for the world to see. Something that was unheard of. One could argue that it was a classic moment but any match that has been deemed a classic over the years could be defined by a classic moment.

 

[Hem]

I'd say the main thing is the build up or the hype. I'd say that last time I felt a match get a huge build up would be when HBK took on The Undertaker or Cena Vs. Punk at MITB and even the hype to build up Cena Vs Brock/Rock was well done.

However I'd only call Punk/Cena and HBK/Undertaker true classics out of my short list. The reason is simple, they delivered in the ring and the story was able to connect with the audience which got them big reactions.

So Hype + In Ring Performance + Storyline + Audience Reaction constitute a "classic" match but I guess that probably changes from to person.

If you keep Reigns and Owens away from feuding one another but constantly crossing paths then I have a feeling that when they finally clash, it may be a colossal match which could be a classic.