Which Was The Greatest IC Title Match Of All Time?

[That'sVintageMichaelCole]

Eventhough the Usual suspects on here are awesome ( and I was at SSlam 92), my favourite to watch was Benoit vs Jericho. It was 2 guys who were very very good wrestlers with a bit of extra weaponry thrown, that was used to great effect.

The Steel Chair to the face whilst Benoit did the Suicide Dive and the Uppercut with the Ladder were just 2 of the best out of many great parts of that match. Also like that Jericho won, when nobody really gave him a chance.

 

[CarlSinclair]

All worthy of anyone's vote.

For me it is a tie between Steamboat/Savage at WMIII
and
Hart/Perfect at SumSlam91.

BOTH were great technical matches that stole the show of the PPVs there were on.

I have to agree with you. When I saw the thread title , I thought of these two matches.

Steamboat and Savage for me, even now, that match held up big time.

 

[closet_fan]

Savage/Steamboat hands down. That entire match was choreographed by Savage to a T and stole the Hogan/Andre thunder.

Anyone who is too young to see it, I beg of you: Go to youtube and watch it. It will blow you away.

 

[steinerscrewdriver]

When I the title of the thread on match and one phrase came to mind, Piper vs. Hart at WM VIII and Heenan saying "what the hell, use the bell." The story those two men told in the ring that night was amazing and gripping. Hart, opening himself the hard way in that match, (so he claims) the come from behind finish using something other then the sharpshooter was as good as it gets.

Bulldog/Hart was nearly as good and the Steamboat/Savage match is also an amazing contest.

 

[dcarson108]

Hmm, I've never figured out the love for Piper/Hart. I haven't seen it in a few years so I won't judge too harshly, but I remember being too short and too much stalling. Again, I might be wrong, but that's how I remember it.

I've always had a hard time judging the Steamboat/Savage match. I started watching wrestling in 1999 and there's no doubt in-ring action changed greatly from 1987 to then in the WWE. For its time, Savage/Steamboat was incredible. However, if that match happened this week on Raw, no one would even consider it to be one f the greatest of all time. I feel people say it's one of the best because they feel they're suppose to believe that. But again, putting it up against other matches of its time, it does stand out.

As for the question, I'm leaning with Smith/Hart. Great story told in the ring, good build up, great crowd, and outstanding in ring action. However, I'm sure if I researched enough, there's a Benoit or Angle (the two guys I believe to be the best in ring performers we have ever seen) that would top this list.

 

[rajasalshi]

I know you all might be surprised by my pick but according to me the triple threat match between nitro, benjamin and carlito at vengeance was the best one....stole the show that night!!!!

 

[BigDaddyKewl]

Ravishing Rick Rude vs The Ultimate Warrior Summerslam 1989: I watched this one on DVD a couplle times over. It was a good hard hitting brawl with some power moves between the two. Warrior and Rude had great chemistry together. This match showed that Warrior was ready for the next level and would eventually be WWF/E Champion.

 

[ECW Sandman]

Two come to mind for me Ricky Steamboat/ Randy Savage WM III this match was with out question the GREATEST match ever people still talk about this match today they don't talk about the Hogan Andre match at that years WrestleMana Savage and Steamboat out shined the main event, my second pick goes to Mr. Perfect V Bret Hart Summer Slam 91 this match had roughly around the same near falls just like the Savage Steamboat match did and the out come when Bret locked in the sharpshooter after he countered the figure four leg lock from Perfect that was un believe able and made Perfect tap out great match.

 

[silverwraith720]

Rock and HHH was the first of these I've seen, and actually...the only so far. I think I need to rectify that... But when I think of the Intercontinental Title, MSG, Summer Slam, or ladder matches, that is the first one that pops in to my head. It was the end of their midcard rivalry. If I remember correctly, that was the last battle between DX and the Nation.

 

[Rammsteinerteen]

The most memorable match for the IC Title, that I have ever watched was definitely:

Randy Savage vs Ricky Steamboat WrestleMania 3

I can't believe people like to remember that shit main event with that overrated moment where Hulk slammed Andre over the incredible match that Randy Savage and Ricky Steamboat pulled off.

But it was the most memorable to me, it was not the greatest. The greatest:

HBK vs. Razor Ramon Ladder Match WM X

The match was 5*, and it was the first GREAT ladder match.

 

[Marzyk]

I'm gonna go a bit leftfield though and say....

Warrior v Honky Tonk man (SS 88) this is probably my biggest markout moment ever. QUOTE]

LOL...That was memorable. I dont know about the best IC match ever but definately the best 30 second match there has ever been. Not even Goldberg matches came close to that. NOT EVEN CLOSE .

 

[triplehbk23]

This is such a tough one to answer and i think its nearly impossible to choose 1 but To me the 4 greatest I-C Title matches were

HBK vs Razor in the Wmania ladder match
Steamboat vs Savage at Wmania 3
Bret Hart vs Davey Boy Smith at Summerslam 92
Tito Santana vs Randy Savage in the Boton Garden in 86

A lot of people forget that last one but it was Savages Championship in WWE and started a great fued betwwen the 2. Great match

 

[Shakin' Abe]

Wow, what a great thread! The IC title matches of old were classics! I voted for Razor and Michaels because it was a one of a kind match for it's time but Savage and Steamboat was AWESOME! I also loved Piper vs Hart. That was one great bit of story telling in the ring by both men. It's a bummer that the IC and US belt don't have the same quality representing it today.

 

[rk-owned2009]

Randy Savage vs. Ricky Steamboat. I'm 21 and wasn't alive when the match happened but to say I've watched it in its entirety and it hooked me 25 years later says something. 2 of the best ever put on the best WRESTLING match of WMIII and maybe ever.

 

[PagingMr.ass]

savage vs. steamboat is the classic answer, but Davy Boy pinning The Hitman across the pond was the best in my opinion.

ps. also surprised that owen vs. austin didn't get any votes. That one was huge

 

[xxxdaniel_ariesxxx]

ps. also surprised that owen vs. austin didn't get any votes. That one was huge

no, it was famous because it was the match that Owen broke Steve Austin's neck, and that's the ONLY reason that it is even remembered. If Austin hadn't have broke his neck it would have simply been a footnote in Austin's career. the back story wasn't that great (kiss my ass match?), the match its self was so-so, and if Austin hadn't have been injured it probably would have just been remembered as just another match in his long career, instead of the cause of his short career.

i don't understand how its even on the list... if a match ends with one of the participants nearly paralyzed due to the other being reckless (and Owen WAS reckless with the way he dropped with that piledriver, Austin has even said as much) than that's not a great match.

 

[wwfan]

I went for summerslam 92 bret vs bulldog, it was the only time (i recall anyway) that the IC title main evented a PPV. I know this was because ot was in Davey's home country but never the less it was a techincal masterpiece by 2 of the greatest of all time. Throww in the story of Bret's sister Davey's wife not knowing who to side for I thought this match was close to perfect! Speaking of Perfect Im really surprised the Hart Vs Perfect match didn't reiceve more votes I personally thought this was far superior to Randy Savage Vs Rick Steamboat, I dont think it's any coincedence that my favourite 2 IC matches had Bret Hart involved in my opinion he is one of the two greatest pro-wrestlers ever the other being HBK..
Dont get me wrong on then WM3 match either I would defo say it was the greatest WM IC match up but nothing compared to the 80,000 going ballistic at wembley stadium in 92..

 

[LSN80]

I wanted to vote for Hart vs Davey Boy, but I couldn't. Its easily one of my favorite matches of all time. The crowd, as you said, truly made for a phenomenal environment, which Id imagine put plenty of pressure on them to deliver. It makes me think of the Cena/Punk match at MITB in that sense. And deliver they did, especially considering that Davey Boy blew up 2-3 minutes into the match, and didn't remember his spots. In essence, Bret had carried Davey Boy to one of the greatest matches of all time. A 40 minute match with Bret essentially doing the work for both men. When Davey was the first to force a break from the Sharpshooter, I knew I was watching a classic. The pinning sequence at the end was amazing as well. I know that match will always have a special place for me and one I could watch over and again. But I couldn't vote for it for several reasons.

I voted for Steamboat and Savage, which til this day is the second greatest match Ive ever seen. The match was the one responsible for making smaller wrestlers look like legitimate threats, which they hadn't been looked at as before due to Vince's love for the bodybuilder type. It also changed the pacing of wrestling forever, as a quicker paced match became more normal rather then an abberation. Further, the match was in front of the largest crowd for a sporting event, a record that stood for over 20 years. Even as consummate professionals, you have to believe a crowd like that would give them the pressure to perform, and all they delivered was a five star classic. Its easily the best "non-main event" in Wrestlemania history, topping both HBK and Taker's match, in my mind. It was also the first time that the IC title changed hands, and like the Hart/Smith match, it had a fabulous finish. Steamboat reversing an attempted scoop slam by Sacage and catching him in a small package was a great exchange. The one honest complaint about the match was that it was around 15-17 minutes. But both men delivered from bell to bell. Savage played the heel perfectly during the match, and Steamboat the underdog babyface to perfection.

There's nothing about this match that I didn't like. The amazing atmosphere in Detroit, the way both men played up their characters, and the match itself. It exceeded every expectation I had for it. This isn't taking away from Hart and Davey Boy, because they had a match that will forever be etched into my mind. But it simply just lived up to my expectations, for the most part. Steamboat and Savage exceeded my expectations by far, and it got my vote as such.

 

[Big Sexy]

The top three for me are HBK/Razor at Mania 10, Savage/Steamboat at Mania 3, and Hart/Piper at Mania 8. Hart/Bulldog is just on the outside looking in for me simply for the fact that if that match isn't taking place in England then I don't think from a pure entertainment perspective it is as good as the other three.

Each one of the three I mentioned brings a little something better then the others. Piper/Hart told the best story, HBK/Razor had the most high spots and peak excitement, and Savage/Steamboat was the best pure wrestling match of the three.

If I have to choose one then I'm going to go with Savage/Steamboat. They went non stop for nearly 15 minutes and delivered one of the greatest matches ever. There really wasn't a boring spot in the match at any point. The atmosphere at the Silverdome and the fact that it was Wrestlemania obviously added to everything but the match was 5 stars even without any of that. Truly a classic.

 

[RicoLen]

You know? I'm kind of surprised no one's mentioned the Tito Santana vs Greg Valentine steel cage match. I mean, I guess I understand to an extent because it's such an old match, but it was for ages considered the best intercontinental match of all time as well as the best steel cage match of all time. That match hasn't exactly aged well, I'll give you that, but for it to not even be mentioned at all is a little surprising.

 

[The Brain]

no, it was famous because it was the match that Owen broke Steve Austin's neck, and that's the ONLY reason that it is even remembered. If Austin hadn't have broke his neck it would have simply been a footnote in Austin's career. the back story wasn't that great (kiss my ass match?), the match its self was so-so, and if Austin hadn't have been injured it probably would have just been remembered as just another match in his long career, instead of the cause of his short career.

i don't understand how its even on the list... if a match ends with one of the participants nearly paralyzed due to the other being reckless (and Owen WAS reckless with the way he dropped with that piledriver, Austin has even said as much) than that's not a great match.

I thought this match was very good until the accident. Obvioulsly it is mostly remembered for the accident which overshadows how good the match was. Keep in mind these two did not get to perfrom their climax. I'm sure they had a good finish planned that would have received a huge pop from the crowd. I admit it doesn't compare favorably to other matches in the poll but I think it would if they were able to finish.

You know? I'm kind of surprised no one's mentioned the Tito Santana vs Greg Valentine steel cage match. I mean, I guess I understand to an extent because it's such an old match, but it was for ages considered the best intercontinental match of all time as well as the best steel cage match of all time. That match hasn't exactly aged well, I'll give you that, but for it to not even be mentioned at all is a little surprising.

This match did cross my mind but I just don't remember it very well. It's just a little before my time. I remember seeing it once but I don't remember it well enough to include it on the list. I think this might be on a WWE dvd somewhere so I'll have to check it out again sometime.

 

[RicoLen]

This match did cross my mind but I just don't remember it very well. It's just a little before my time. I remember seeing it once but I don't remember it well enough to include it on the list. I think this might be on a WWE dvd somewhere so I'll have to check it out again sometime.

For me, it's one of those matches that I can respect as being one of the best of it's time, but I just don't see it as a best of all time match these days. I think it's been out performed many times. No fault of their own, they were amazing, it's just, the standard has been raised is all. That's what I think.

 

[Vendetta123]

I voted for Randy Savage vs. Ricky Steamboat because that match was phenomenal from start to finish.