The Greatest Hits of the WWE
I think this is definitely the biggest Greatest Hits post I've ever done and probably ever will do. Not only will it feature the most critically acclaimed matches like the Mind Games main event or the No Mercy 02 tag match, but also the biggest moments from Hogan body-slamming Andre to the Undertaker's legendary Streak coming to an end.
This'll be a long one, so sit back, relax and enjoy the read. Let me know in the comments if I missed any of your favourites or if you disagree with any placements (I have a feeling the Benoit matches might ruffle some feathers).
Mr T & Hulk Hogan vs Roddy Piper and Paul Orndorff
From Wrestlemania I. This match is the reason why we still have Wrestlemania today (or mainstream wrestling in general) and why it's the biggest show in wrestling. Vince took a gamble on Wrestlemania, and this match certainly paid it off in a very big way. The crowd was insanely hot for the match and that made it even better. The match was a ton of fun and worth watching more than once. One of the most important matches ever. ***
Ricky Steamboat vs Randy Savage
From Wrestlemania III and the IC Title is on the line. Without a doubt this is one of the most inspirational matches in wrestling history. It's because of this match that you see guys like Chris Jericho and some of the other smaller guys getting elevated to the top of the card and putting on show-stealing matches. Nothing was botched here and everything looked crisp clean, and featured so many dramatic nearfalls. This is quite possibly the best wrestling match in history and definitely one
of the best in Wrestlemania history. *****
Hulk Hogan vs Andre The Giant
From Wrestlemania III and the WWF Championship is on the line. Arguably the biggest match in the history of wrestling. The hero Hogan going up against the undefeated giant in Andre. This match drew 93,000 (if that is the real number) people into the Silverdome. The match isn't good, but that doesn't matter as it's all about the big match feel and the historical significance. The slam is still a goosebump-inducing moment. The match itself is about *1/2 but for what it did for professional wrestling and how important it is, it deserves *****.
Harley Race / Hercules / Ron Bass / Danny Davis / Honky Tonk Man vs Ricky Steamboat / Jake Roberts / Brutus Beefcake / Jim Duggan / Randy Savage
From Survivor Series 1987. The first ever Survivor Series event and this is the opening match of this new PPV concept. In turn that makes this the first ever traditional Survivor Series match, one that would lead to another twenty seven years of fun, meaningless matches. The match was a lot of fun and the crowd was really hot throughout. The pacing of the match was good as well as it was never really slow and there was always something going on. Good stuff. ***1/2
The 1988 Royal Rumble Match
From the 1988 Royal Rumble surprisingly enough. This is the first ever Rumble match and the rules are a bit different to a modern Rumble match. There were only twenty guys involved and it was a pretty meaningless match. The only thing the winner got was the pride in knowing he'd beaten nineteen other men. Bret Hart and Tito Santana had the honour of being the first two participants ever, and Butch Reed had the honour of being the first elimination ever. The match was pretty fun even if it was only made up of mid-carders, and Hacksaw Jim Duggan becomes the first winner, something that seems to be mentioned all the time. ***
Hulk Hogan & Randy Savage vs Ted Dibiase & Andre the Giant
From Summerslam 1988. The first ever main event of Summerslam, that lead to a hell of a lot more. I assume that this is Dibiase and Andre trying to get revenge for their defeat at Wrestlemania. Jesse Ventura is the referee for some reason. An entertaining match that felt like a big deal. The crowd was hot for it too. Overall it was a good match with a very memorable ending, as Liz shows off her underwear to distract the bad guys and give the Mega Powers the big win. ***
Randy Savage vs Hulk Hogan
From Wrestlemania V and the WWF Title is on the line. I suppose you could say this one was a year in the making. It was gonna be hard to live up to the great storyline and build-up of the Mega Powers exploding, but I'd say they delivered. Savage was a great heel here, running away from Hogan and using Liz as a shield. A great match with Savage wearing down Hogan for most of it, and Hogan hulking up to win back his Championship belt. ***3/4
Hulk Hogan vs The Ultimate Warrior
From Wrestlemania VI. Winner takes all here as both the WWF and IC Titles are on the line. I have a deeper appreciation for whoever booked this match after watching the train wreck at Halloween Havoc 98. The crowd couldn't decide who to cheer for and were split right down the middle. This is one of the best booked matches ever as it was fun and had a big match feel throughout, when it probably should have been awful. Awesome stuff here. This match makes me feel like a kid again. RIP Warrior. ****1/2
The Rockers vs The Orient Express
From the 1991 Royal Rumble. I'd heard a lot of great things about this match, and I wasn't disappointed. The match started straight away with an unbelievable pace that was awesome to watch. The great pace continues as the match goes on. Such a fantastic tag match with some awesome double team moments. I'm pretty sure the show has just been stolen. One of the best tag matches I've ever had the privilege of watching. ****1/2
The Ultimate Warrior vs Randy Savage
From Wrestlemania VII and the loser must retire (for a few months). This is easily Warrior's greatest match, and even one of Savage's best too. This one was a ton of fun with Savage trying everything he could to keep the Warrior down, but nothing worked. Savage even hit an amazing five top rope elbow drops and Warrior still kicked out. A definite Mania classic, and not just for what happened during the match but after. Elizabeth and Savage embracing for the first time in maybe three years was an emotional moment that capped off an incredible contest. ****3/4
Bret Hart vs Mr Perfect
From Summerslam 1991 and the IC Title is on the line. This isn't the only match between these two you'll see in this post. Perfect was coming in with an injured back and was in a lot of pain, but he really wanted to put Bret over because he respected him. And because of that, we got this classic battle. An amazing back and forth technical battle, even if the ref kind of screwed up the finish a little and rang the bell way too early. Classic stuff. ****1/2
The 1992 Royal Rumble Match
Then only Rumble to ever have a Championship on the line. This is universally considered to be the greatest Rumble of all time, although I do prefer the 2004 edition myself. It is a fantastic Rumble though and had everything you could want from like huge stars such as Hogan, Savage, Flair, Roberts, Taker, Piper and others. It was never boring and fun all the way through and gave Ric Flair a huge career moment as he won the thing. Amazing match that has to be seen. ****3/4
Randy Savage vs Ric Flair
From Wrestlemania VIII and the WWF Title is on the line. The story here was that Flair claimed to have been a love interest of Elizabeth, and that really pissed Savage off. Flair didn't get away with his blade job here and was fined, I think, around $5000. A fun, fast paced match here that should have been the main event of this show. Both Savage and Flair performed greatly. Both guys showed great hatred for one another, making this a dramatic match. A fantastic contest. ****1/2
Bret Hart vs British Bulldog
From Summerslam 1992 and the IC Title is on the line. Quite possibly the best match in Summerslam history and even wrestling history. Bret says that this is his favourite match, and it's not hard to see why. Bret basically carried this whole match and managed to get an all time classic out of the Bulldog who wasn't ready for a match of this caliber. The huge crowd helps as well. Just an amazing technical match, that made Bulldog look great and made Bret look like the best in the world (sorry Punk). Amazing match that led to Bret winning his first WWE Championship a few months later. *****
Bret Hart vs Shawn Michaels
From Survivor Series 1992. This match really showed a changing of the guard in the WWE. These guys showed that they didn't have to be huge muscled up superstars to carry a show and also have the best match on the show. Four years before their Iron Man match and these guys were still having classics. Fantastic match. Probably their second best together and that's saying something. Bret made Michaels look great. ****1/2
Bret Hart vs Mr Perfect
From King of the Ring 1993 and the winner would go onto the finals of the tournament. I thought it would have been impossible for these guys to top their Summerslam match, but they managed it here. This time both guys were faces coming into this one, so it was a bit different from their usual matches where Perfect was the heel. From bell to bell this was just a brilliant technical clinic and there wasn't a botch or a sloppy moment to be found. They given a lot of time and they used every minute of it well. Incredible stuff. ****1/2
Bret Hart vs Owen Hart
From Wrestlemania X. Without a doubt the greatest opener for any PPV ever, and also one of the greatest matches of all time. Every move is performed perfectly with no mistakes, and it all builds to an exciting climax. Both guys were brilliant in their roles, with Owen as the jealous younger sibling, and Bret as the regretful and wiser older brother. Quite possibly the best match in Mania history, and maybe the best match in the careers of both of the athletes. A must-see match. *****
Shawn Michaels vs Razor Ramon : Ladder Match
From Wrestlemania X and the winner will be crowned the undisputed IC Champion. Some people don't enjoy this one because it doesn't have the crazy bumps of later ladder matches, but you have to remember that matches like this just didn't happen at this point in time. It's still a highly entertaining contest that built drama with each and every spot the ladder was used with, and that gave Shawn his first classic match at Wrestlemania. An iconic contest. ****3/4
Bret Hart vs Owen Hart : Steel Cage
From Summerslam 1994. The best steel cage match ever? Quite possibly. The best one without any blood? Absolutely! The drama was amazing as the crowd went crazy whenever either guy would try to climb out of the cage. Their brilliant chemistry together showed as well and there were every move hit perfectly. The superplex from the top of the cage looked fantastic and safe as well which was great. Another terrific contest from the Hart brothers and a MOTYC/all time classic to boot. *****
Shawn Michaels vs Jeff Jarrett
From In Your House 2. Man, Shawn gave us so many memorable matches from the IYH PPVs starting with this one (and more to come). This is easily Jarrett's best match in WWE, but I've not really seen any of his TNA stuff so I don't know if anything topped this (I highly doubt it). Jeff was in his hometown and was still getting booed by the crowd. There's tons of heat for this one, and the pacing is just excellent. A phenomenal back and forth match here, that is must-see in my book. ****1/2
Shawn Michaels vs Razor Ramon : Ladder Match
From Summerslam 1995 and the IC Title is on the line. I have to admit that I prefer this one to their Wrestlemania match. The ladder bumps were just as good as the original match, but this one had a lot more psychology to it thanks to Shawn's injured leg. In fact I would have given this one the full five stars if it wasn't for Shawn's temper tantrum at the very end. Kind of ruins it for me. Still this was an excellent match and probably the best one on one ladder match ever. ****3/4
Bret Hart vs British Bulldog
From Seasons Beatings IYH. Quite a forgotten classic here. Over three years since their classic Summerslam bout and they were still putting on amazing matches together. This time there's not really any historical value, but there's enough action to make a highly recommended watch. Just the fantastic technical match that you would expect from these two as Bret retains with a nice roll-up that he got from Chris Jericho. A MOTYC for 1995. ****1/2
Shawn Michaels vs Bret Hart : 60 Minute Iron Man Match
From Wrestlemania XII. This is one of those matches that people either love or hate, and I'm in the camp of love. That didn't sound right. Anyway I believe this is the first televisied Iron Man match in the WWF. Admittedly some people won't like this match and will find that it's too long and even boring, but I just found myself entertained with it the entire time, including the overtime. They paced themselves incredibly well for the full 60 minutes. In my opinion it's a classic and the boyhood dram has indeed come true for HBK. ****3/4
Shawn Michaels vs Mankind
From Mind Games IYH. Before Backlash 2004, Mick Foley described this as the greatest match of his career. I personally prefer his Royal Rumble 2000 match, but this is a very close second. These guys showed remarkable chemistry and went out there and put on what might be the Match of the Year for 1996. Even the DQ ending couldn't ruin it. The work on Mankind's leg was well done too. One of the greatest matches of all time and one of the best ever for the WWF Title. See this one immediately. *****
Stone Cold Steve Austin vs Bret Hart
From Survivor Series 1996 and the winner will be the No.1 Contender for the WWF Title. This was also Bret's comeback match. I think this one gets overlooked quite a lot thanks to the amazing I Quit match at Wrestlemania 13, but this deserves some recognition for being almost as brilliant, and perhaps the best match of 1996. This felt like a war and featured a great mix of technical moves and even some brawling. By the end, both guys looked like the greatest wrestlers on the planet, and they might well have been. Awesome stuff. *****
Bret Hart vs Stone Cold Steve Austin : Submission Match
From Wrestlemania XIII and Ken Shamrock is the guest referee. When talking about professional wrestling's all time greatest matches, a lot of different ones are thrown around in conversation. But I don't think any match (with the exception of Taker/HBK) comes up quite as often as this one and for very good reason. It contains perhaps the most intense 20 minutes or so of a match that you'll ever see, the blade job is great, it has an iconic image of Austin dripping blood while in the sharpshooter, and the greatest double-turn in wrestling history with Austin being hailed as a hero when all is said and done. These are all ingredients to make the perfect match (why does that sound like a powerpuff girl reference?) and one of the greatest of all time, if not the greatest. A masterpiece. *****
Bret Hart / Owen Hart / Brian Pillman / Jim Neidhart / British Bulldog vs Stone Cold / Ken Shamrock / Goldust / Legion of Doom
From Canadian Stampede IYH. The other matches tonight may have been awesome, but this is why this event is remembered so fondly. The pop that the Hart Foundation gets from the audience is absolutely spine-chilling and one of the loudest crowd reactions I've ever heard. Not only that but the match was awesome all the way through its entire twenty-five minute runtime and the atmosphere was incredible with crowd making the whole building shake with their cheers. One of the coolest and most memorable matches in the history of professional wrestling that should be viewed by every fan. Amazing. *****
Undertaker vs Shawn Michaels : Hell in a Cell
From Badd Blood IYH. The first ever Cell match and the winner goes on to face the WWF Champion at Survivor Series, thus leading to the Montreal Screwjob. This was easily Taker's best match up to this point, and it wouldn't be topped for another twelve years, strangely enough with Shawn Michaels. Both guys were awesome in their roles with HBK as the cowardly heel and Taker as the monster. An all time classic match that never had a dull moment and also gave us the debut of Kane as he tombstoned his brother. Amazing match. *****
Bret Hart vs Shawn Michaels
From Survivor Series 1997. One of the most historical matches contested for the WWF Title even if it's for all the wrong reasons. Every wrestling fan knows the story here and if you don't then I assume that you've been living under a rock your whole life. The match itself is pretty decent and was mostly a brawl, but of course it's the ending that everyone remembers. One of the most controversial moments in wrestling history. **3/4
Stone Cold Steve Austin vs Shawn Michaels
From Wrestlemania XIV. Mike Tyson is the special enforcer. This match is great considering that Shawn was wrestling with a screwed up back and that Austin was still feeling the effects on the tombstone at Summerslam. In-ring wise this isn't a classic, but because of the historical significance and the fact that it started off the Attitude Era makes it an all time classic. Great match from both guys, even if Tyson counted a little too fast for the finish. ****
Stone Cold Steve Austin vs Dude Love
From Over the Edge 1998. Vince was trying to put all the odds against Austin by making himself the special referee for the bout. Luckily Austin had Undertaker in his corner. This was an overbooked match but it was overbooked to perfection and made it a very exciting contest. These guys had an awesome brawl that went all over the place. One of Austin's best matches and a MOTYC for 1998. The Attitude Era at its best. ****1/2
Undertaker vs Mankind : Hell in a Cell
From King of the Ring 1998. This is the match that made me a fan of professional wrestling and it's still one of the most infamous matches in WWE history. The image of Mankind being thrown off the cell and then through the cell will stand the test of time as one of wrestling's most enduring images. Possibly the most brutal match of all time thanks to just two spots. Don't forget about the thumb tacks that came later. Incredible. ****1/2
The Rock vs Triple H : Ladder Match
From Summerslam 1998 and the IC Title on the line. Two years later this could have main evented any show in the WWE. These guys were still mid-carders, but this was the match that showed that they would one day become superstars. An exciting ladder match that was a ton of fun all the way through and the fans at MSG loved it too. A show stealing performance from both guys and a match that will go down in history as one of their best. ****1/2
Stone Cold Steve Austin vs The Rock
From Wrestlemania XV. This Wrestlemania was awful and definitely one of the worst, but this match just about saved the whole thing. The first of three awesome matches at Mania. This is probably the worst of the Austin/Rock matches at Mania, but it still deserves to be here since it was their first big match together and it showed just how great these guys worked together. An awesome, brawling main event. ****
Edge & Christian vs The Hardy Boyz : Ladder Match
From No Mercy 1999 and the managerial services of Terri are on the line along with some money. This is the first recorded Tag Team Ladder match in WWF history and it was the big chance for these guys to get over with the crowd, and they certainly succeeded there. These guys hit a ton high-flying moves that hadn't been seen in the WWF at this point in time. It may look tame compared to modern ladder matches, but this was epic for it's time and a must-see match. The crowd was silent to start with, and by the end they gave a standing ovation, showing how great this match is. WWF's MOTY for 1999. *****
Triple H vs Cactus Jack : Street Fight
From Royal Rumble and the WWF Title is on the line. This is most definitely an easy contender for the best match of both of these guys' careers. HHH was made into a star thanks to Foley here, and unfortunately he let it go straight to his head and we're still suffering from it. Anyway this is still an all time classic featuring some brutal moments. There was a throwback to the 99 Rumble as HHH handcuffed Cactus and beat him with a chair. The pedigree onto the thumbtacks still looks absolutely insane, and I can't believe that anyone would take a bump like that. An all time great for sure. An absolute war. *****
Triple H vs Cactus Jack : Hell in a Cell
From No Way Out 2000. If Cactus loses this match, his career must end. I don't think this is the five star classic match everyone calls it, but it's damn close and still an awesome match. Cactus falling through the cell will be an image that will live on forever. The stuff with the barbed wire bat was pretty damn cool as well. HHH wins with a pedigree. Foley started his career with Cactus Jack, and he ended it with Cactus Jack. Until he came back a couple of weeks later. ****1/2
Edge & Christian vs The Hardy Boyz vs The Dudley Boyz : Triangle Ladder Match
From Wrestlemania 2000 and the Tag Titles are hanging from the ceiling. A lot of people mistake this for the first TLC match, although it is like a TLC match since there's a quite a few tables around the place. Definitely a precursor to the TLC concept. A classic match here with some great innovative moves for the time and so many replayable moments. The scary part is that they would only get better and better. Amazing stuff from these six fearless guys, who would become stars after this performance (most notably Edge and Jeff) ****1/2
The Rock vs Triple H
From Backlash 2000. This is probably the most memorable match from their awesome feud besides the Iron Man match. The odds were stacked against the Rock as HHH was basically running the company and Shane McMahon was the guest referee. The double Rock Bottom through the announce table looked awesome. The fans were already hot for this one but they just about blew the roof off when Austin returned. Fantastic match overall. ****1/4
Triple H vs The Rock : 60 Minute Iron Man Match
From Judgment Day 2000. Shawn Michaels was the ref for this match. For everyone who has heard so much about this match but has never seen it, you will not be disappointed. Every minute felt like it was adding to the match and it was never dull or boring, unlike some other Iron Man contests. The match ended 6-5 to HHH , as Undertaker made his goosebump-inducing return and got the Rock disqualified. Just brilliant and probably the best Iron Man match in WWE history. ****3/4
Chris Jericho vs Triple H : Last Man Standing
From Fully Loaded 2000. Jericho cost HHH a Title match and had been insulting Stephanie McMahon for weeks, so HHH was gonna get some payback. This is, without a doubt, Jericho's break out match and the one that made him a star. He may have came out as the loser, but that didn't matter as he'd put on an amazing performance against the Game. The story was incredible with Jericho giving everything he had to try and beat HHH, only to come up short at the end. The best Last Man Standing match ever and a career highlight for both athletes. Amazing stuff. ****3/4
The Hardy Boyz vs Edge & Christian vs The Dudley Boyz : TLC Match
From Summerslam 2000. Here we are, the first ever TLC match and it was in the Hardy Boyz's hometown. Still makes me wonder why E&C won the thing. This could be the greatest TLC match ever. It's between this and the TLC at Wrestlemania 17. I never wanted this match to end. It feels much shorter than 15 minutes. Edge and Christian win after taking out all other competitors. Amazing is the word to describe this. Easily the match of the night, and maybe the match of the year. *****
Chris Benoit vs Chris Jericho : Ladder Match
From Royal Rumble 2001 and the IC Title is on the line. Finally these two fearsome rivals reach their final encounter, and boy did they try to destroy each other. This isn't the high-flying ladder match that you would expect, as these guys just wanted to beat the other up. The most (in)famous moment of the match comes from a suicide dive from Benoit as he goes head first into a steel chair, and it looks absolutely brutal. It was a war, and a terrific one at that. ****1/2
Stone Cold Steve Austin vs Triple H : 3 Stages of Hell
From No Way Out 2001. First match is a standard contest, second match is a street fight, and the final match is a steel cage. These guys had been feuding for ages and it was finally going to culminate here. HHH won the first fall which showed he was the better wrestler, while Austin won the second fall and showed that he was the better brawler. Both guys were exhausted by the time the third fall started. An absolutely fantastic match the lasted about forty minutes. Both guys came out looking like legends. I don't know why HHH was given the win since Austin was going to the main event of Mania. Maybe it was to fuel his heel turn. Still, an amazing match and one of the best ever. *****
The Hardy Boyz vs Edge & Christian vs The Dudley Boyz : TLC
From Wrestlemania X-Seven and the Tag Titles are on the line. The second and best TLC match in history, and that's saying a lot considering how exciting those matches are. These guys were somehow able to come up with new and exciting spots different to those in previous matches and somehow make them even more memorable. The 20ft spear is a moment that is still shown in highlight videos to this day. Even the interference was well done as it kept the match exciting and added even more drama. Excellent match that will forever be remembered. *****
Stone Cold Steve Austin vs The Rock : No DQ
From Wrestlemania X-Seven and the WWF Title is on the line. The second and best of their Mania series. One of my favourite matches. The two biggest faces of the last three years going one on one to find out who's the best. From start to finish this was an intense contest and the pace never seemed to slow down thoughout the entire match. The drama was awesome and the nearfalls were very close calls. One of the best WWF Title matches ever and just one of the all time classics. Absolutely fantastic match and a milestone in the careers of both superstars. *****
Stone Cold Steve Austin vs Kurt Angle
From Summerslam 2001. Now this is one hell of a forgotten gem. This one made Kurt Angle look like an absolute star. It may have ended in DQ but the DQ worked in terms of storytelling as Austin got himself DQ'd because he knew that he couldn't beat Angle on this night so he had to take the easy way out and attack all the refs. Angle kicked out of three stunners for god's sake! That was unbelievable to see. A fantastic contest that definitely deserves more recognition. A classic. ****1/2
Chris Jericho vs The Rock
From No Mercy 2001 and the WCW World Title is on the line. This is the first time that these guys fought each other on PPV and thankfully not the last. This is definitely their best match together, even if they did try to top themselves a few times in the future. A nice moment for Jericho as he wins his first World Title in one of his best matches. These guys cut an amazing pace and there was just non-stop, back and forth action from bell to bell. A fantastic match. ****1/2
The Rock / Undertaker / Kane / Chris Jericho / Big Show vs Steve Austin / Kurt Angle / Shane McMahon / Booker T / Rob Van Dam
From Survivor Series 2001. This was billed as 'Winner Takes All' to finally end the long, botched invasion storyline that everyone fondly remembers. This might be the best traditional Survivor Series match ever. It was a long one lasting forty-five minutes, but it never became boring and was just about always entertaining. The crowd was hot for it too which made it even better. The final two with Austin and the Rock was great as well. An appropriate way to end what should have been a great storyline. Awesome match and I loved it. ****1/2
Stone Cold Steve Austin vs Chris Jericho
From Vengeance 2001 and the Undisputed Title is on the line. Both guys had already been in a match at this point so they must have been pretty exhausted. Because of that the match wasn't too great but it was still pretty solid. Booker T interfered to give Jericho the victory and the Undisputed Championship which he would still brag about years later and for good reason. Who else beat the Rock and Austin on the same night? **3/4
The Rock vs Hollywood Hogan
From Wrestlemania X-8. Icon vs Icon. Perhaps the greatest example of a crowd making a match a classic. The in-ring action wasn't terrific, but these guys got by with one of the hottest crowds ever and with sheer star power. Hogan hulking up for the first time in who knows how long is a genuine Wrestlemania moment and a great mark out moment. I wish they never tried to replicate it in 2003, to make this even more special. Still it's a great match and a Wrestlemania classic for sure. ****1/2
Triple H vs Shawn Michaels : Unsanctioned Street Fight
From Summerslam 2002. I don't think anyone was expecting the quality of match that we received on this night. Shawn had been out for over four years with a major back injury, and everyone questioned whether or not he would be able to even go a full match. We needn't have worried. Shawn showed us that he was better than ever before and it seemed like he had never been gone and showed no signs of ring rust. Amazingly, Shawn would give us another eight years of classic matches and moments. The match itself is absolutely fantastic with HHH working on HBK's back most of the time and he looked like the biggest heel in the company. An all time classic and possibly the best Summerslam match ever. *****
The Rock vs Brock Lesnar
From Summerslam 2002 and the Undisputed Title is on the line. Even though Brock had only been in the WWE for a few months at this point, it was his time to become the man. This one started straight away and they wasted no time in giving us an exciting, fast-paced match. The fans were really against the Rock here as he was heading back to Hollywood and the fans felt betrayed by it. An awesome match that made Brock look like an unbeatable monster. ****
Kurt Angle vs Chris Benoit
From Unforgiven 2002. These guys have had quite a few PPV battles together and I don't think there's a bad one among them. Angle was pissed with Benoit after Benoit laughed at Kurt while he was taking a stink face from Rikishi. Do you really need a story like that for these two guys? I could watch these guys trading suplexes and submission holds all day long. A short but fantastic contest here that featured nearfalls and great drama all the way through. One of the best of 2002. ****1/2
Edge & Rey Mysterio vs Kurt Angle & Chris Benoit
From No Mercy 2002 and the newly made Smackdown Tag Titles are on the line. Their prestige didn't last that long. Since buying the Network I've now watched this match dozens of times and I just can't get enough of it. This was an amazing contest, and is probably the best tag match I've ever seen. This one was filled with action from start to finish, with the final ten minutes being especially exciting. From awesome double team moves to close nearfalls, this one had just about everything you need for an awesome match. A must-see classic in my eyes. *****
Undertaker vs Brock Lesnar : Hell in a Cell
From No Mercy 2002 and the WWE Title is on the line. One of the better Cell matches in history but also one of the most brutal with Undertaker's blade job looking absolutely sick. He lost a ton of blood in this one. This one didn't need big spots or moments like previous Cell matches did. All it needed was two big guys beating the absolute shit out of one another. Even Paul Heyman took some licks here. By the end, Brock looked like a beast and a star. ****1/4
Triple H vs Shawn Michaels vs Kane vs Chris Jericho vs Booker T vs Rob Van Dam : Elimination Chamber
From Survivor Series 2002 and the World Title is on the line. Here we have the very first Chamber match in WWE history. You never can beat the original (except in 2011). Until I read Jericho's Undisputed book, I never knew that a lot went wrong with this match. Kane came out earlier than he was supposed to, HBK came out later than he was supposed to and this meant that they had to improvise most of the action, so it's amazing that it's as good as it is. It didn't help that HHH also injured his larynx. HBK winning was a nice, feel-good moment and finally put HHH's reign to an end (well for a month at least). All in all it's still an excellent match worth watching. ****1/2
Kurt Angle vs Chris Benoit
From Royal Rumble 2003. I'm still pissed off at the fact that the HHH/Steiner match was given a rematch, and this one didn't happen on PPV again. No wonder 2003 was an bad year for the WWE. Anyway enough of the negativity, because we just came out of hell and into heaven with this bout. An absolute technical masterpiece that has to be seen. Easily the Match of the Year. This might be their best contest together, and that is saying a hell of a lot. This one definitely made up for the last two blunders. I didn't want this to end, but unfortunately it had to as Angle retains with the ankle lock. After the match Benoit gets a well deserved standing ovation from the crowd. Unbelievable stuff. *****
Chris Jericho vs Shawn Michaels
From Wrestlemania XIX. Even with their awesome feud in 2008, this is still my favourite match between these two guys, and I'd even go so far as to say that it is probably the most underrated match in Wrestlemania history. It's probably Jericho's best match ever and definitely one of Shawn's best, as it was this match that made him realise that he was still the showstopper. This stole the show on an already stacked card. An absolutely amazing contest with a great story and some of the best back and forth action you will ever see. One for the ages that deserves more recognition. *****. Jericho kicking HBK in the nuts and spitting on him afterwards is the icing on the cake.
Stone Cold Steve Austin vs The Rock
From Wrestlemania XIX. Act III of the classic trilogy of matches between the two. Rock was desperate to prove that he could defeat Austin, and so challenged him to one final match-up. This match was a great way for Austin to ride into the sunset, as he would only appear as a General Manager after this. The finish of the match was basically just a finisher fest, but it was a great one. An awesome way to close out a legendary rivalry and a legendary career. ****1/4
Brock Lesnar vs Kurt Angle
From Wrestlemania XIX and the WWE Title is on the line. These guys had a lot of pressure to follow up and close an already amazing show, but they managed it spectacularly. They had a technically sound contest that went back and forth, and they got the quiet crowd into it. The shooting star press botch is still a scary moment to watch, but it doesn't really overshadow the match that came before it. In the end both guys came out worse for wear with Lesnar's concussion and Angle needing neck surgery. Still it was a brilliant wrestling match. ****1/4
Eddie Guerrero vs Chris Benoit
From Vengeance 2003. Someone give a medal to the guy that put this as the opener. Great idea that was always gonna end well. This was for the newly (re)made US Title, though sadly it would end up redundant for the next ten years or so. Of course this was a great match, how could it not be with these two in the ring? This is why I watch wrestling, to see two very talented guys trying to prove who's better with a very entertaining match, and that's exactly what we got here, a great, technical bout from the masters of technical wrestling. Eddie cheating towards the end was great too. A classic match. ****1/4
The 2004 Royal Rumble Match
The best Rumble ever? If you can get over the fact that Benoit won the match, then, arguably, it is. It's easily my favourite Rumble match ever. The 1992 Rumble comes close, but 2004 just beats it. For its one hour run time, it's entertaining all the way through, and, unlike most other Rumble matches, it doesn't have a dull moment. Benoit winning was also an amazing moment at the time, which has obviously been extinguished now. Amazing match that I would say is must-see, and a great example of how to book a Rumble. *****
Eddie Guerrero vs Brock Lesnar
From No Way Out 2004. Definitely an all time classic here, and a genuinely heartwarming moment in wrestling history, especially now that Eddie is no longer with us. This is a guy who worked hard to get where he was and here he was finally rewarded with the biggest moment in his career. Probably one of the greatest matches of all time, and for good reason, as both guys looked incredibly motivated. Check this one out if you haven't seen it already. ****3/4
Eddie Guerrero vs Kurt Angle
From Wrestlemania XX and the WWE Title is on the line. These guys never really had a proper one on one feud with each other until this moment. Expectations were high due to the skills of both men, but this match definitely delivered the goods. They started with some nice mat wrestling and moved on to hitting their signature moves in an exciting back and forth clash. Eddie proved that lying, cheating and stealing always wins the match. Fantastic wrestling match. ****1/2
Triple H vs Shawn Michaels vs Chris Benoit
From Wrestlemania XX and the World Title is on the line. The Wrestlemania match that WWE wishes they could forget about. Yes the emotional impact has been destroyed due to Benoit's tragic actions, but this, at least in my mind, is still one of the greatest matches of all time and easily the best triple threat ever. All three guys worked very hard to make this a memorable match, with HHH and HBK giving themselves brutal looking blade jobs to add to the drama. Benoit and Eddie Guerrero embracing after the match is still one of my favourite moments in wrestling history and the match is just amazing. One of the best. *****
Randy Orton vs Mick Foley : No Holds Barred
From Backlash 2004 and the IC Title is on the line. Mick calls this his favourite match of his career, and it's not hard to see why. These guys managed to put on a brutal match whilst also putting Orton over in a huge way. I've seen this match a few times now, and the spot with the thumb tacks still makes me mark out and wince as I see how many thumb tacks were in the back of Orton. An amazingly fun match and also one of the best hardcore matches that you'll probably ever see. This one is definitely recommended viewing. A war for the ages. ****3/4
Triple H vs Shawn Michaels vs Chris Benoit
From Backlash 2004 and the World Title is on the line. It's a tough task to try and make a sequel as good and memorable as the original, but this one just about managed it. It didn't have the emotional impact of the original, but the in-ring action speaks for itself. The crowd was totally behind Benoit (surprised that wasn't edited) and absolutely against HBK, as they bombarded him with the usual 'You Screwed Bret' chants. Even if this wasn't as good as the Mania triple threat, it's still one of the best three way matches ever, and an exceptional main event to cap off one hell of a show. ****1/2
Kane vs Christian vs Chris Benoit vs Chris Jericho vs Shelton Benjamin vs Edge : Money in the Bank
From Wrestlemania 21. The first ever MITB match and still the best one. No MITB match has been able to beat this, and it might even be the best Ladder match of the 21st Century (TLCs don't count). It's tied with the HBK/Jericho match for me anyway. An amazing match with some very memorable spots, including Shelton running up a ladder and knocking Y2J off another ladder. They even managed some psychology with the work on Benoit's arm. Awesome match that needs to be seen, especially if you're an Edge fan. ****3/4
Shawn Michaels vs Kurt Angle
From Wrestlemania 21. I've seen this match so many times, but I still feel excited everytime I watch it. This may be the perfect example of a dream match living up to expectations. In fact it might have even exceeded a few of them. This match has already received tons of praise and there's not much I can add to it. All I can say is that it's an absolute classic that is hard to beat. It starts off with some great mat wrestling, and then the two just decide to beat the shit out of each other. Angle has HBK in the ankle lock for about two minutes when HBK submits. *****
John Cena vs JBL
From Wrestlemania 21. As far as star ratings go, this is probably gonna be the worst one here, but I think it deserves a place since it was a historical moment with Cena's first big Title win. The match was slow and plodding but worth watching once for Cena's victory. *1/4
John Cena vs JBL : I Quit
From Judgment Day 2005. The expectations weren't that high for this one since their Wrestlemania match was so boring, but without a doubt they definitely exceeded any and all expectations with this bloody brawl. Cena's blade job was sick (although overshadowed by Eddie Guerrero's the previous year) and one of the worst I've seen. One hell of a brawl and one of the better WWE I Quit matches I've seen. Cena had truly arrived at the big time. ****1/4
Shawn Michaels vs Kurt Angle
From Vengeance 2005. The rematch that everyone wanted to see. I don't think there was any way that they could have topped their all time classic Wrestlemania match, but they were damn sure gonna try here. That German suplex on the announce table looked awesome. What I love about this is that you could watch this and the Mania match back-to-back, and see two different matches. Not as good as the original, but still a very worth sequel, as Shawn gets his win back. ****1/2
Batista vs Triple H : Hell in a Cell
From Vengeance 2005 and the World Title is on the line. When it came to standard singles contests, these guys didn't have very good matches, but in this environment they excelled. Their feud had reached a boiling point and the HIAC was the only way for it to finally end. This was pretty brutal and they even ended up using a barbed wire steel chair which looked awesome. When Batista got the win, he looked like the top dog of the company. An amazing match overall. ****1/2
Shawn Michaels vs Hulk Hogan
From Summerslam 2005. Here we have Icon vs Icon and pretty much a dream match come true, even if only one of the combatants is in fighting condition. I think the story is that Shawn was originally booked to win, but Hogan used his politics to change that decision and give himself the win. Shawn got his own back by completely overselling Hogan's offense and it was hilarious to watch. I think the match itself was really good and very entertaining, mainly thanks to Shawn wrestling himself. Good stuff. ***1/2
Undertaker vs Kurt Angle
From No Way Out 2006 and the World Title is on the line. I would describe this as Taker's best non-gimmick, non-Wrestlemania match. Taker finally got to use his MMA style against an opponent and it worked very well, especially against a technical master like Angle. One hell of a back and forth match where you didn't know who was going to win. Maybe the WWE MOTY for 2006. If only we'd gotten a rematch. ****1/2
Edge vs Mick Foley : Hardcore Match
From Wrestlemania 22. Here's a match you won't see in the WWE ever again. Foley can make anyone into a star and on this night he did just that with Edge. Edge took some brutal bumps in this one like the back suplex onto the thumb tacks and an encounter with some barbed wire. The flaming table spot was fantastic and a true Wrestlemania moment in itself. An awesome match that stole the show on this night. One of Edge's best matches. ****1/4
John Cena vs Triple H
From Wrestlemania 22. For almost the entirety of 2005, Cena was treated like a huge star, but in my opinion this is the match that made him 'the man'. I think this was the first time that the crowd truly turned on Cena. He'd been booed before, but nothing on this scale with the fans chanting 'fuck you Cena'. Harsh. Still this was a great match that had a big match feel to it and was entertaining all the way through. Both guys came out looking good. ****
Edge vs John Cena : TLC Match
From Unforgiven 2006, and if Cena loses, he can never wrestle on Raw again. Also the WWE Title is on the line. Edge was in his hometown, so naturally he was cheered like a hero and Cena was booed by about 96% of the audience. An awesome TLC match here, and possibly the best one on one TLC bout. The spots were great, including the finish with Edge given an F-U through two tables. It looked amazing. Fantastic match and one of the best for both guys. ****1/2
John Cena vs Umaga : Last Man Standing
From Royal Rumble 2007. At New Year's Revolution these two had a damn good match, but with a match that had no rules they put on a show stealing performance. This is easily Umaga's best match during his time in WWE, and it was a sign that Cena could wrestle and put on a great match. An awesome no holds barred style of match, and Cena managed to pick up the win and still made Umaga look strong in the process, since he had to be made to pass out with the ring ropes around his throat. Great stuff here and one of the best Last Man Standing matches I've seen. ****1/2
Batista vs The Undertaker
From Wrestlemania 23 and the World Title is on the line. I remember thinking at the time that this would be a major bore, but oh man was I wrong about this and so were a lot of other people. These guys totally stole the show on this night and this would also be the start of Taker's run of amazing streak matches at Mania. Batista earned more respect with that performance. Excellent power match and it's probably my favourite match featuring Batista. ****1/4
John Cena vs Shawn Michaels
From Wrestlemania 23 and the WWE Title is on the line. This was originally meant to be Cena vs HHH, but HHH had torn his quad again, so HBK was his replacement and I actually think that that was the better choice. Cena had yet another star-making performance with Mr Wrestlemania. The piledriver onto the steps looked brutal. The finish was really exciting with nearfalls from both guys finishers and a close small package from HBK. An awesome match. ****1/2
Shawn Michaels vs Randy Orton
From Survivor Series 2007. HBK isn't allowed to use the superkick or he will lose the match and won't get a rematch. If Orton is DQ'd or counted out, he will lose the WWE Title to HBK. This match was great because both guys had to go against their usual strategies. It was great to see HBK busting out submission moves like the ankle lock or the crossface or the sharpshooter. The psychology was brilliant. HBK tries to go for a superkick, realises he can't, and eats an RKO for his hesitation. Awesome match. One of the best of 2007 and the match of the night. ****1/4
Shawn Michaels vs Ric Flair
From Wrestlemania XXIV and Flair's career is on the line. Some say that this one has lowered in quality since it took place, but not to me. I still love the fact that both guys worked their asses off, trying to pull off a brilliant match and give Flair the appropriate sendoff. Flair got to put in just about his whole move-set, which is always a good thing. I think HBK broke his ribs when he landed on the table early in the bout, so well done to him for keeping the match going. An emotionally charged classic. ****1/2
Edge vs The Undertaker
From Wrestlemania XXIV and the World Title is on the line. One of my personal favourite matches and probably Edge's best singles match. No one really gave Edge much of a chance here, but once he hit the spear, I think most fans thought that the Streak had ended. Luckily that wasn't the case. An awesome match featuring some great counter-wrestling and some well done nearfalls as well. A classic Wrestlemania main event. ****1/2
Batista vs John Cena
From Summerslam 2008. This was a pretty huge match at the time, since these were two of the biggest names in the WWE, and yet they had never really had any fights, except for the ending of the 2005 Rumble. They showed with this match that they had great chemistry together, and would go on to have a good feud in 2010 as well. Batista did injure Cena here though and put him out of action for a few months. Still it was an excellent contest. ****
Undertaker vs Edge : Hell in a Cell
From Summerslam 2008. The final match for one of the best feuds of 2008. This is very close to being their best match, but I'd have to give the edge (no pun intended) to their Wrestlemania match. This match did have some awesome spots like the spear through the announce table and the chokeslam through two wooden tables. Taker finally giving Edge his comeuppance was awesome and beat him using moves that Edge used against him, such as a spear and hitting him with a camera. Fantastic match overall. ****1/2
Shawn Michaels vs Chris Jericho : Unsanctioned Match
From Unforgiven 2008. I think history has shown that HBK + Unsanctioned Match = awesome. In storyline terms, Jericho absolutely deserved this beating. He injured Shawn's eye, punched his wife and then showed no remorse for it. An ass kicking was definitely coming his way. The great thing about these two guys is that they make you believe in their feud. They make it seem so real. I could've done without Lance Cade's interference, but at least it made Jericho look like more of a bastard. A physical, psychological, all out war. Fantastic stuff that is must see. Great finish with Jericho unable to take anymore punishment, and Shawn still punching away at him. Just awesome. ****1/2
Chris Jericho vs Shawn Michaels : Ladder
From No Mercy 2008 and the World Title is on the line. The best feud of 08 finally comes to a head in this amazing match. In this era of wrestling, ladder matches were all basically spotfests with little psychology, so this was a pleasant surprise as they managed to mix in big spots while also telling a brilliant story. You could feel the hatred with every single ladder shot and Jericho even lost a tooth in the melee. The best one on one ladder match since the days of HBK/Ramon. Might even be the match of the year. A phenomenal contest and a modern classic. ****3/4
Undertaker vs Shawn Michaels
From Wrestlemania XXV. I've seen this match countless times, and it never becomes boring even though I seem to know it inside out now. If you need an example of a perfect match, I would present this to you. To me, this is what wrestling is all about: two of the best in the business going out there with only pride on the line, to have an epic confrontation. If you haven't seen this one yet, I really do pity you, because you don't know what you're missing. The nearfalls are absolutely epic and these guys just looked like warriors by the end. In my view, the greatest match in Wrestlemania's long history. *****
John Cena vs Edge : Last Man Standing
The World Title is on the line. I liked that these guys used their history together for the storyline, with the fact that Edge could never keep Cena down. Edge absolutely hated Cena for that. This is the last PPV match these guys would have together. The story of the match was great with both guys knowing each others moveset, and having to resort to different tactics to win. Edge even broke out a sharpshooter. The AA into the audience was insane. The finish with Cena going into the stage spotlight was awesome, but unfortunately started the boring Cena/Big Show feud that no one wanted. Probably the best Last Man Standing match since Fully Loaded 2000. ****1/4
Chris Jericho vs Rey Mysterio
From The Bash 2009. Jericho's IC Title is on the line and Mysterio's mask is on the line as well. Two minutes into the match and Rey goes head first into the barricade. Ouch. I can't believe that Rey kicked out of that huge springboard codebreaker. Amazing action with some awesome counter-wrestling. Easily match of the night, and if Taker/HBK hadn't happened, it would likely be match of the year as well. Mysterio's second mask was a great idea and a great end to the story of Jericho wanting Rey's mask. Fantastic match. ****1/2
John Cena vs Triple H vs Shawn Michaels
From Survivor Series 2009. I originally thought that DX would team together to try and take out Cena and failing as SuperCena emerged, but thankfully they went a whole different route with it. HBK's sudden superkick to HHH was amazing and totally unexpected. The rest of the match was a ton of fun with many nearfalls and false finishes to keep things exciting. One of my favourite triple threat matches. ****
Undertaker vs Shawn Michaels
From Wrestlemania XXVI. The Streak vs The Career. I'm surprised that HBK has been able to stay away from wrestling for so long, as most expected him to come back as most wrestlers do. A fantastic match that was almost able to live up the original. This still had the excellent drama and exciting nearfalls of the first and an emotional moment with HBK making the final walk back to the curtain. A classic and the jumping tombstone was an awesome finish. *****
Team WWE vs The Nexus
From Summerslam 2010. This marks Bryan's first WWE PPV appearance, as he was stupidly fired for strangling Justin Roberts on TV. This was also Bret Hart's first Summerslam match since facing the Undertaker in 1997. Bryan received a nice pop from the crowd and looked great during the match as he was only eliminated by nefarious means, and got a couple of eliminations himself. The crowd was hot for this one thanks to the great build-up leading up to it. A tremendous tag team match, even if it ruined the Nexus in the long run due to SuperCena making an appearance. ****1/4
Edge vs Rey Mysterio vs Kane vs The Big Show vs Wade Barrett vs Drew McIntyre : Elimination Chamber
From Elimination Chamber 2011 and the World Title is on the line. This is probably my favourite Chamber match, and it might be the best one ever. There were multiple storylines woven through it, such as Drew wanting revenge on Edge for Kelly Kelly's departure, or Show wanting revenge on Barrett for all the stuff the Corre did to him. It helped that it was a ton of fun all the way through, and especially when it came down to Edge and Mysterio, because you had no idea who was going to win. Absolutely fantastic match, and one hell of a forgotten gem. ****3/4
Randy Orton vs Christian
From Over the Limit 2011. This PPV was pretty shitty up until this point, and these guys totally saved the show. They already had an awesome match on Smackdown, but they most definitely managed to top themselves here. This was an awesome match with a lot of counter-wrestling, and it was never boring and always entertaining. Christian had almost no chance here, but when he hit the spear I thought he had won the Title. Orton got an RKO out of nowhere to retain. Awesome match. ****1/4
CM Punk vs John Cena
From Money in the Bank 2011 and the WWE Title is on the line. What can I say about this match that hasn't already been said? It's one of those matches where you need to have the volume turned way up to enjoy it even more, due to the awesome crowd. One of the best WWE Title matches of all time and one of the best matches of the entire decade. Sadly the impact of the storyline was lost once HHH decided to ruin it himself. Still this will be a match that can be enjoyed for years to come and if you haven't seen it, find it right now. *****
Randy Orton vs Christian : No Holds Barred
From Summerslam 2011 and the World Title is on the line. A fantastic feud ends here in spectacular fashion. This is my favourite match from this feud. It's easily Christian's best singles match and one of Orton's best as well. This was insanely entertaining and exciting all the way through and they used the No Holds Barred stipulation well as they used a ton of weapons and Christian went through a total of three tables. A fantastic match with a sick ending as Christian is RKO'd onto steel steps. ****1/2
CM Punk vs John Cena
From Summerslam 2011 to decide who the Undisputed WWE Champion was. There was no way in hell that these guys were gonna be able to replicate the MITB classic, but they damn sure tried their best. Both guys being Champion made things interesting, and their insane chemistry only added fuel to the fire. HHH wasn't needed here though. The counter wrestling was great and kept the match unpredictable until the controversial finish. Classic stuff. ****1/2
CM Punk vs Alberto Del Rio
From Survivor Series 2011. I think by this time, everyone knew that Del Rio just wasn't gonna cut it as the top champion. Thankfully they realised that Punk should be the top guy (behind Cena) and so started the 434 day reign of Punk. This was an awesome match that had the crowd's attention throughout. A great way to start an historic Title reign. ***3/4
Undertaker vs Triple H : Hell in a Cell
From Wrestlemania XXVIII. The second HIAC match in history, and luckily nowhere near as bad as the first. I think a lot of people were worried that this would be a rehash of their No Holds Barred match, but fortunately it was so much better. This is one of the greatest matches in Wrestlemania history thanks to Shawn Michaels adding more drama, and the awesome nearfalls as well. The DX Special was especially good, and I thought the match was over for sure. All three guys embracing after the match was the icing on an already delicious cake. *****
CM Punk vs Chris Jericho
From Wrestlemania XXVIII. This is a match I always seem to change my rating on, but I think I've finally reached my final verdict on it. I think this match is pretty damn underrated, but that's probably because it's on the same show as Cena/Rock and Taker/HHH. This is one of the best WWE Title matches in Wrestlemania history, and my favourite match between these two guys. The crowd didn't seem interested at first, but these guys managed to get the crowd on their feet and cheering. Awesome stuff. ****1/2
John Cena vs The Rock
From Wrestlemania XXVIII. I think the Once in a Lifetime tagline can now be ripped from this. I don't think the fact that these guys have had more that one match detracts from this one at all. It still has a huge match feel to it and these guys managed to make the match entertaining for the entire half hour. A Wrestlemania classic for sure. One of the biggest matches in wrestling history. ****1/2
Taken from the Daniel Bryan Greatest Hits post:
Daniel Bryan vs Sheamus : 2/3 Falls
From Extreme Rules 2012 and the World Title is on the line. It has been two years since I reviewed this one, so I felt like it needed an update. Knowing that this could have been what we got at Wrestlemania 28, it's hard not to feel a sting. An awesome match that made Bryan look great, and showed that Sheamus is quite an underappreciated performer, and showed some great arm psychology. One of the best matches of 2012. ****1/2
CM Punk vs Chris Jericho : Chicago Street Fight
From Extreme Rules 2012 and the WWE Title is on the line. This is another match that is pretty damn underrated, as most people seem to remember Sheamus/Bryan and Lesnar/Cena rather than this forgotten gem. Both guys wore street clothes which added to the drama. Jericho was great as a heel here, going from threatening Punk's sister to pouring beer on Punk. An awesome street fight filled with nice weapons spots, nearfalls, and both guys came out looking like a million bucks. ****1/2
John Cena vs Brock Lesnar : Extreme Rules
From Extreme Rules 2012. It had been eight years since Lesnar had been in the WWE, so it was exciting to see him back again. Everyone was wondering what the match would be like since it was Lesnar's first in a long time, but I don't think anyone was prepared for what we got. The whole match felt real, as if it was a shoot fight. Every move looked painful (yes even the AA) and the first ten seconds gave us one of wrestling's most shocking moments when Brock legitimately busted Cena open. Cena winning is still dumb and I still don't know why they went with it. Still apart from a dumb booking decision this is a must see battle. ****3/4
Daniel Bryan vs CM Punk
From Over the Limit 2012 and the WWE Title is on the line. The two of these guys headlining (Cena vs Laurinaitis doesn't count) a PPV with the biggest Title on the line must have been a dream come true for a ton of fans, including myself. Bryan looked great going against the most popular guy in WWE at the time, and looked like a top star. This was an absolutely stunning match, and possibly the best of 2012. It's definitely one of the best of all time. The 'this is awesome' chants were well deserved and very appropriate. Fantastic stuff here. *****
CM Punk vs John Cena
From Night of Champions 2012. In my opinion, this should have been one of the main events of Summerslam, but unfortunately Lesnar/HHH wasn't allowed to be upstaged. Cena was in his hometown and was still being booed. As expected, these guys gave us another awesome match, and I didn't even mind the cop out ending the match was that good. They've had better, but I don't think we'll ever get enough of seeing Punk and Cena go one on one. ****1/2
The Shield vs Ryback & Team Hell No : TLC Match
From TLC 2012. The only TLC match to only count pinfalls and submissions. Here we have the Shield's PPV debut. This was originally meant to be CM Punk vs Ryback for the WWE Title, but Punk was injured so it was changed to this match. His injury may have been a blessing in disguise as it gave the Shield a chance to show their stuff and that may have turned them into stars straight away. An amazing match that was fun all the way through and featured some brutal bumps. Rollins is lucky he wasn't injured. The Shield had arrived. ****1/2
CM Punk vs The Rock
From Royal Rumble 2013 and the WWE Title is on the line. This match was pretty huge at the time and was pretty much a dream bout, so big that it came after the Rumble, and it definitely deserved to with a good build up. Punk's amazing 434 day Title reign came to an end here. The ending with the Shield interfering did hurt it a little bit, but this was still a great back and forth match that had that big match feel throughout. Rock hits the People's Elbow to win the Title for the first time in over ten years. ***1/2
The Undertaker vs CM Punk
From Wrestlemania XXIX. Almost a year later and this is still one of the best matches of 2013. For the past seven years, the Deadman's streak hasn't failed to deliver and this is no exception. Punk looked terrific in defeat as he seemed to take Undertaker to the very limit and even outsmarted him at times, sometimes with help from Paul Heyman. Undertaker looked amazing for a 'broken down old man' as some people seemed to be calling him. An awesome match worth watching again and again. ****1/2
John Cena vs The Rock
From Wrestlemania XXIX and the WWE Title is on the line. The slammy award winner for Match of the Year. I wouldn't agree with that, but it's a phony award so it doesn't really matter. I've said in the past that I seem to have a guilty pleasure with this and the original, and that still holds true: I love this match. People complain about the slow start, but I think it builds well to the finisher fest towards the end. Ok it was quite boring at times to start with, but it did get much better as it went on. Cena hits a third AA to win the Title. Awesome match. ****
CM Punk vs Chris Jericho
From Payback. I can't believe I've only watched this match once (As of this writing I've watched it about six times). It seems like the kind of match I would back and watch again and again (You did dummy). I hope this isn't the last time we see these guys square off because they seem to get better and better each time they fight. This was Punk's return after a couple months away, and what a way to return in his hometown of Chicago with a huge reaction. He was also sporting the Wolverine look he still has today. I loved the finish with Punk hitting two Go to Sleeps to win. Terrific match and easily one of the best matches of 2013. Excellent stuff. ****1/2
CM Punk vs Daniel Bryan vs Rob Van Dam vs Christian vs Sheamus vs Randy Orton
From Money in the Bank 2013. This was billed as an All Star MITB and it was definitely that, as everyone here has a definite star and had a good chance of winning. It also had the very highly anticipated return of RVD, and he showed absolutely no ring rust here. The clear cut favourites were both RVD and Bryan, so it was quite unexpected to see Orton pick up the win. We all know how that turned out. This match is relevant for starting the Heyman/Punk feud that had it's very high points, but also it's low points. Sheamus suffered a pretty bad leg injury that has kept him out of action for some time. Everyone in this match looked awesome, and just about all of them took some painful looking bumps. Awesome match, and almost as good as the original. ****1/2
CM Punk vs Brock Lesnar : No DQ
From Summerslam 2013. I've already heaped so much praise onto this match, but I'm gonna add some more, because this is my fifth time watching it and it's still one of the best matches I've ever seen. The intensity is off the charts, and both guys looked extremely motivated. Lesnar deserves more credit for his work in the ring, such as his trash talk because it can make a match that little bit better, and it was awesome here. It's just a shame that the Punk/Heyman storyline didn't end here and ended up going on for way too long with guys like Curtis Axel and Ryback. Anyway this is still quite easily the Match of the Year and the only other match coming close is the next match on the set. Absolutely fantastic stuff here. *****
Daniel Bryan vs John Cena
From Summerslam 2013. I feel so bad for not calling this the Match of the Year, but it definitely deserves like a runner up prize or a very honourable mention. What can I say about this match that hasn't already been said? This was Bryan's moment in the sun and he went over Cena completely cleanly and made himself a huge star in the process. It definitely helps that this was an amazing back and forth battle that felt like a war was being waged. Fantastic match and a fantastic moment as Bryan wins his first WWE Title, even if it was ruined by Orton. *****
The Shield vs The Wyatt Family
From Elimination Chamber 2014. You know you've got a money match when the crowd is chanting 'this is awesome' before the bell has even rang. For months this had been a dream match for all wrestling fans, and it was finally given to us on this night. I was worried that it wouldn't live up to the hype, and I was right, it didn't. It totally exceeded the hype in every way possible. This probably should have been the main event and is still the Match of the Year for most fans including myself. There was never a dull moment and both teams looked awesome in the end. Once again Roman Reigns stood out on his team and even Luke Harper stood out on his. An absolute modern classic that needs to be experienced. *****
Daniel Bryan vs Triple H
From Wrestlemania XXX. Can I just mention how absolutely badass HHH's entrance was? His best yet. Seeing almost the entire arena erupt in Yes! chants was a sight to behold. The match itself was awesome and delivered everything expected and more. The shoulder psychology was very well done and was used later on the night too which is cool. Everyone was worried that HHH would somehow bury Bryan again, but luckily he put the little goat over in grand fashion and got the show off to a fantastic start. Best Mania opener since Bret vs Owen. ****1/2
Undertaker vs Brock Lesnar
From Wrestlemania XXX. Looking back now that it has been a month since Mania, I'm happy with the way the Streak ended. Sure the match was very disappointing and not up to the Undertaker's usual Mania standard, but the shock of the finish (which I've now watched over a dozen times) was an amazing moment and there wasn't a wrestling fan that wasn't shocked by Lesnar's win. Lesnar was the right guy for the win and now hopefully WWE will use him better. ***1/4
Daniel Bryan vs Batista vs Randy Orton
From Wrestlemania XXX and the WWE World Title is on the line. I wasn't sure how good this one was going to be due to an injured Bryan, but it was much better than I thought it was going to be. Bryan, of course, was the total star of the match. That announce table spot looked scary and Orton looked as if he really injured himself coming down on the monitor. The final few nearfalls were nail-biting and it genuinely felt like any one of the three could leave with the Title. A classic Wrestlemania main event and a classic moment with Bryan's rise to glory. ****1/2
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