The Top 100 American Wrestling Matches Ever

parker kent

I found this list on a random surfing session and I think it is a pretty good list. It was created in 2009, but I'm not sure anything from 2010 would have made the list anyway. It is a brilliant top 25.

Ironically it is 101 matches long, he obviously added another one in somewhere. What's your thoughts on it? I think ECW is very under represented. RVD/Jerry Lynn, Lance Storm etc had matches that deserve a place in there.

http://www.examiner.com/pro-wrestling-in-new-york/the-top-100-american-wrestling-matches-ever-the-list

101. CM Punk and Colt Cabana vs. The Briscoe Brothers – 7/23/04- Death before Dishonor 2 Night 1

100. Chris Benoit vs. Kurt Angle – 9/22/02 – Unforgiven

99. Bret Hart vs. Shawn Michaels – Iron Man Match – 3/31/96- Wrestlemania XII

98. Kurt Angle vs. The Undertaker – 2/19/06, No Way Out

97. Samoa Joe vs. CM Punk – 12/4/04, All Star Extravaganza II

96. The Ultimate Warrior vs. Randy Savage (Retirement Match) – 3/24/91, Wrestlemania VII

95. Low Ki vs. KENTA – 12/17/05, Final Battle 2005

94. Chris Benoit vs. Triple H vs. Shawn Michaels – 4/18/04, Backlash

93. Ricky Steamboat and Shane Douglass vs. Barry Windham and Brian Pillman – 12/28/92, Starrcade

92. Takeshi Morishima vs. Bryan Danielson – 9/15/07, Man Up

91. Chris Benoit vs. Dean Malenko - 8/10/96, Hog Wild

90. Bryan Danielson and Tyler Black vs. American Wolves – 4/18/09, Tag Title Classic

89. Bryan Danielson vs. KENTA - 7/23/07, Driven

88. AJ Styles vs. Chris Daniels (Iron Man Match) – 2/13/05, Against All Odds

87. Ricky Steamboat vs. Rick Rude (Iron Man Match) – 6/20/92, Beach Blast

86. Samoa Joe vs. Bryan Danielson – 10/2/04, Midnight Express Reunion

85. Steve Austin and Shawn Michaels vs. Owen Hart and Davey Boy Smith – 5/97 Raw

84. Kevin Steen and El Generico vs. AOTF – 9/19/08, Driven 2

83. Triple H vs. Chris Jericho – Last Man Standing – 7/23/00, Fully Loaded

82. Jeff Hardy vs. CM Punk (Ladder Match) - Summerslam

81. Rock vs. Triple H - 4/30/00, Backlash

80. AJ Styles vs. Bryan Danielson – 11/1/03, Main Event Spectacles

79. AMW vs. Elix Skipper and Christopher Daniels – 12/5/04, Turning Point

78. Edge vs. Chris Benoit vs. Shelton Benjamin vs. Chris Jericho vs. Kane vs. Christian – MITB – 4/3/05- Wrestlemania XXI

77. Chris Benoit vs. Chris Jericho – 2/3 falls – 8/27/00, Summerslam

76. Dean Malenko vs. Eddie Guerrero – 3/16/97, Uncensored

75. Samoa Joe and Low Ki vs. Homicide and Kenta Kobashi – 10/2/05, Unforgettable

74. Bryan Danielson vs. Nigel McGuinness -7/23/07, Driven

73. The Great Sasuke vs. Taka Michinoku – 7/6/97, IYH: Canadian Stampede

72. Cactus Jack and Kevin Sullivan vs. The Nasty Boys, 5/22/94 Slamboree

71. Chris Benoit vs. Raven – No DQ - 1/24/98 – Souled Out

70. Bryan Danielson vs. Roderick Strong –11/5/05, Vendetta

69 Kurt Angle and Chris Benoit vs. Edge and Rey Misterio – 10/20/02 – No Mercy

68 Rey Misterio vs. Psicosis – 7/7/96, Bash at the Beach

67 Do Fixer vs. Blood Generation – 3/31/06, Supercard of Honor

66 Kurt Angle vs. Shawn Michaels – 4/3/05, Wrestlemania XXI

65 The Undertaker vs. Shawn Michaels – 4/5/09, Wrestlemania XXV

64 Eddie Kingston vs. Chris Hero (Loser Leaves CZW) – 4/7/07

63 Samoa Joe vs. AJ Styles – 12/11/05, Turning Point

62 Chris Jericho vs. Chris Benoit (Ladder Match) - Royal Rumble

61 Steve Austin vs. Chris Benoit – 5/31/01, Smackdown

60 Shawn Michaels vs. Chris Jericho – Ladder Match – 10/5/08, No Mercy

59 Eddie Guerrero vs. Dean Malenko (2/3 Falls) – 4/15/95, Hostile City Showdown

58 Steiner Brothers vs. Sting and Lex Luger – 5/19/91, Superbrawl 1

57 AJ Styles vs. Paul London – 6/14/03, Night of Grudges

56 Chris Benoit and Chris Jericho vs. Steve Austin and Triple H – 5/21/01, Raw

55 Great Sasuke, Gran Hamada and Masato Yakushiji vs. TAKA Michinoku, Terry Boy and Dick Togo – 4/13/97, Barely Legal

54 Ric Flair, Arn Anderson, Barry Windham and Larry Zybsko vs. Sting, Brian Pillman, and the Steiner Brothers – War Games – 2/24/91 – Wrestle War

53 Team ROH vs. Team CZW – Cage of Death – 7/15/06 – Death before Dishonor IV

52 The Rock ‘n’ Roll Express vs. The Midnight Express - 2/25/90, Wrestle War

51 Bret and Owen Hart vs. The Steiner Brothers - 1/11/94

50Takeshi Morishima vs. Bryan Danielson – 8/25/07, Manhattan Mayhem 2

49 Eddie Guerrero vs. Brock Lesnar – 2/15/04, No Way Out

48 Low Ki vs. Bryan Danielson – 3/30/02, Round Robin Challenge

47 Ivan Koloff and Krusher Khruschev vs. the Rock ‘N’ Roll Express - 7/9/85, World Wide Wrestling

46 The Midnight Express vs. The Fantastics – 3/27/88, Clash of the Champions I

45 Steve Austin vs. the Rock – Wrestlemania (No Holds Barred) - 4/1/01, Wrestlemania X-7

44 Shawn Michaels vs. Marty Janetty (Cage Match) – 1994, Raw

43. Bret Hart vs. Shawn Michaels – 11/25/92, Survivor Series

42. Midnight Express vs. Tracy Smothers & Steve Armstrong - 7/7/90, Great American Bash

41. Triple H vs. Cactus Jack (Hell in a Cell Retirement Match) – 2/27/2000, No Mercy

40. Shawn Michaels vs. Razor Ramon (Ladder Match) – 3/20/94, Wrestlemania X

39. The Pitbulls vs. Raven and Stevie Richards (Dog Collar 2/3 Falls) – 9/16/05, Gangstas Paradise

38. Edge and Christian vs. The Hardyz vs. The Dudley Boyz (TLC) – 4/1/01, Wrestlemania X-7

37. Edge and Christian vs. The Hardyz vs. The Dudley Boyz (TLC) - 8/27/00, Summerslam

36. Bryan Danielson vs. Paul London (2/3 Falls) – 4/12/03, The Epic Encounter

35. Jushin Lyger vs. Brian Pillman – 9/4/95, Nitro

34. AJ Styles vs. Chris Daniels vs. Samoa Joe – 9/11/05 – Unbreakable

33. Bret Hart, Owen Hart, Brian Pillman, Davey Boy Smith and Jim Neidhart vs. Steve Austin, the Legion of Doom, Ken Shamrock and Goldust – 7/6/97, IYH: Canadian Stampede

32. Ric Flair vs. Leg Luger (NWA World title) – 12/26/88, Starrcade

31. Shawn Michaels vs. Jeff Jarrett (WWF Title) – 7/23/95, In Your House

30. Ric Flair vs. Sting (NWA World Title) – 3/27/88, Clash of the Champions

29. Shawn Michaels vs. Mankind (WWF World Title Match) – 9/22/96, In Your House: Mindgames

28. Kerry Von Erich vs. Jerry Lawler (AWA vs. WCCW Unification Match) -5/88

27. Samoa Joe vs. CM Punk (ROH World Title Match) – 10/16/05, Joe vs. Punk II

26. Ric Flair, Arn Anderson, Tully Blanchard, Ole Anderson, and JJ Dillson, vs. Dusty Rhodes, Nikita Koloff, The Road Warriors, and Paul Ellering (War Games) - 7/4/87

War Games follow a simple formula of heel control, then face revenge, but this one is special as its Dusty’s ultimate revenge against the Horsemen, who beat and batter him at every turn, as he brings in the former communist enemy and huge powerhouse Nikita Koloff, and the biggest tag team in the world, the Road Warriors. To add to the fun, this is the one time they could all get there hands on the nefarious manager, JJ Dillon in the match. What a rush.

25. Kurt Angle vs. Chris Benoit (WWE World Title Match) - 1/19/03, Royal Rumble

During Angle’s amazing hot streak, he had one incredible rival that stood apart in the ring and that was Chris Benoit. This was easily their best match and Angle’s best of his career, though it’s only Benoit’s second best American performance.

24. Shawn Michaels vs. Diesel (WWF World Title Match) - 4/28/96, IYH: Good Friends, Better Enemies

Why Shawn Michaels is considered by many to be the best performer ever? Exhibit A: He carried Kevin Nash to one of the twenty five greatest matches I’ve ever seen.

23. Harley Race vs. Ric Flair (NWA World Title Cage Match) – 11/24/83, Starrcade

Harley Race was the man and Flair was just an upstart, so Race went out and made a star. Think it stuck?

22. Brian Pillman vs. Jushin Lyger (WCW Cruiserweight Title Match) - 2/29/92, Superbrawl 2

The match that changed everything by bringing the New Japan juniors consciousness over to the States. A fast paced, high impact match that still manages to build a compelling story, Pillman and Lyger walked into the ring and changed the wrestling world.

21. Kenta Kobashi vs. Samoa Joe – 10/1/05, Joe vs. Kobashi

Kenta Kobashi went into NOAH and became the top draw in Japan and best worker for the first half of this decade. When he came to America, he was placed against ROH’s ace and top wrestler Samoa Joe, who proceeded to throw everything in his arsenal, and everything in a few choice Kobashi opponents’ arsenals at the Japanese legend.

20. Triple H vs. Cactus Jack (Street Fight) – 1/20/00, Royal Rumble

Cactus Jack replaced Mankind, as Foley sent his most dangerous persona against the corrupt Triple H who married Stephanie McMahon for power. This is the war that made Triple H a real main eventer and draw.

19. KENTA vs. Bryan Danielson (ROH World Title Match) – 9/15/06, Glory by Honor V Night 2

Here is where Danielson really cemented his legacy as the best independent wrestler. Facing the incredibly stiff KENTA with a badly hurt shoulder, he went out and let KENTA kick the **** out of his hurt arm, working counters and selling amazingly until he was the biggest babyface possible. KENTA had his number, so Danielson was able to liberally borrow from other opponents to take control and try and keep his title safe in a truly epic performance.


18. Nick Bockwinkel vs. Curt Hennig (AWA Title Match) – 11/86, AWA TV

Every time I see this I want more Bockwinkel. Without Vince’s raids, AWA could have put on incredible, epic matches like this constantly. It’s a shame Hennig’s prime was so short, really from like a year before this to 1991, because he really was one of the best ever at this point.

17. Bret Hart vs. Owen Hart – 3/20/94, Wrestlemania X

The best opener in wrestling history also might have the simplest and smartest story. Owen, the jealous brother, wants revenge on Bret, who he feels is stealing the limelight. Bret doesn’t want to face his brother, but finally consents to set this up.

16. Shawn Michaels vs. Razor Ramon (Ladder Match) – 8/27/95, Summerslam

The second ladder match between these two was really the third in the WWF ever. When Bret Hart invented the idea, he had more psychology in mind, but when Shawn and Razor added the bumps to that psychology, the match that followed stole the show.

15. Bret Hart vs. Owen Hart (Cage Match) – 8/29/94, Summerslam

The brothers Hart were simply the best storytellers in wrestling and when they locked up, with Owen’s history of jealousy, and his one big moment (see number 17) taken away by Bret’s title win later that evening, when they locked up again, the match was amazing.

14. Shawn Michaels vs. Undertaker (Hell in a Cell) – 10/5/97, IYH: Bad Blood Shawn

This is so great it puts even their recent Wrestlemania match to shame. Shawn bumped like a maniac for the Deadman and Taker replied by giving Shawn some of the best counters and near-victories around. The first Hell in the Cell made the gimmick that’s still relevant today.

13. Sting, Ricky Steamboat, Barry Windham, Nikita Koloff and Dustin Rhodes vs. Arn Anderson, Steve Austin, Rick Rude, Bobby Eaton and Larry Zybsko (War Games) – 5/17/92, Wrestle War

The Dangerous Alliance formed of some of Wrestling’s top heels, the first four on their list being amazing wrestlers who don’t always get their due in the ring. Zybsko isn’t the wrestler the others are, but is a true heat magnet. Against them were some amazing faces, with Sting, Steamboat, Windham and Rhodes all excellent at taking beatings and making comebacks and Koloff still an absolute beast at cleaning up. What you get in the end is the War Games with the absolute best in-ring quality.


12. Triple H vs. Steve Austin (3 Stages of Hell) – 2/25/01, No Way Out

When Austin and Helmsley finished their ages long feud, they did it in style, with three gimmick matches, in a two-out-of-three falls match. 2001 was the year Triple H was the best in the world and Austin was never a slouch in the ring, especially with storytelling and intensity. This match is truly an epic.

11. Ric Flair vs. Ricky Steamboat (NWA World Title Match) – 2/20/89, Chi Rumble

The first of Flair and Steamboat’s epic series felt like what is was- a late 80s NWA title match. It was an amazingly good one, but still only the fifth best NWA Title Match of that era.

10. Magnum TA vs. Tully Blanchard (US Title, Steel Cage, I Quit Match) – 11/25/85, Starrcade

The most brutal match ever. How often do you get I quit after the match is already in a cage. If you ever wonder how Magnum would be as a top guy if not for the accident, watch this and see the perfect Hogan with skills, or if Tully had to lead the Horsemen, realize how fully capable he was. I’ve never seen guys sell hate like these two and probably never will again.

9. Steve Austin vs. Bret Hart (I Quit Match) – 3/23/97, Wrestlemania XIII

The most famous double-turn in wrestling history came at the end of a technical masterpiece. You won’t get more subtlety or intensity than this one.

8. Ric Flair vs. Barry Windham (NWA World Title Match) - 1/20/87, NWA Worldwide

A part of the period where Windham was the top American worker and he’d go out and show it night in, night out. Here he gets Flair in my favorite hour-draw ever.

7. Ric Flair vs. Terry Funk (NWA World Title I Quit Match) – 11/15/89, Clash of the Champions IX

Pure brutality as the legendary Funk returns an older man to take back his title from a prime of life Ric Flair and gets insanely violent to try and do it. If you ever want to know how some people consider Funk superior to Flair, this is a good place to start.

6. Ric Flair vs. Ricky Steamboat (2 out of 3 Fall NWA World Title Match) – 4/2/89, Clash of the Champions VI

The most complete match of the Flair-Steamboat series and could easily be higher were it not built upon so beautifully by the finale.

5. Triple H vs. Shawn Michaels vs. Chris Benoit (WWE World Title Match)– 3/14/04, Wrestlemania XX

The best 3-way ever, with amazing roles defined for each man, an absolute masterpiece in working all three wrestlers into the match at once without anyone lying around outside and a perfect finish.

4. Bret Hart vs. Steve Austin – 11/17/96, Survivor Series

Sure the Wrestlemania match gets the hype, but this was a technically superior bout as Bret, the ultimate hero of his era, took on the Stone Cold character when he was still a sociopath bastard. This is the high of where amazing technical wrestling meets amazing WWE style and the template for Stone Cold vs. other great technical wrestlers like Benoit and Angle.

3. Rey Misterio vs. Eddie Guerrero (Cruiserweight Title vs. Mask) – 10/26/97, Halloween Havoc

Eddie is simply the best at playing a cheating, dastardly bastard of a heel and here, with him picking on the beloved, tiny flier, he came off as a bully and a coward of the highest order… which was enough to take us into the premier cruiserweight match in America, ever, as two of the best ever threw everything at one another, at the top of their respective games.

2. Randy Savage vs. Ricky Steamboat (Intercontinental Title Match) – 3/29/87 – Wrestlemania III

An intricately plotted masterpiece that made Steamboat into the ultimate conquering hero and Savage seem like a complete sadist of a villain. This was so good that even in the kayfabe world of 1987 it stole the heat of the biggest main event ever, Hulk Hogan vs. Andre the Giant, and manages to hold up better than pretty much anything else from the 80s today.

1. Ric Flair vs. Ricky Steamboat (NWA World Title Match) – 5/7/89, Wrestlewar

This match marks the end of the most legendary series in American history and the peak of the NWA style in America that had been building and evolving for more than fifty years. This is number one not because it’s a five star match with a load of history that builds on other matches, but because it’s a five star match watched without any lead in and only gets better if you’ve seen the earlier matches.

CMpunked

I have to disagree with the sentiment of not being any good matches in 2010.

Taker/hbk II and the 5th of the best of 5 tag matches would have to be pretty fair up that list.

jaykhunter

Lists are incredibly subjective. But something that stood out to me :

17. Bret Hart vs. Owen Hart – 3/20/94, Wrestlemania X

16. Shawn Michaels vs. Razor Ramon (Ladder Match) – 8/27/95, Summerslam

15. Bret Hart vs. Owen Hart (Cage Match) – 8/29/94, Summerslam

Having watched them recently; Bret/Owen @ WMX has held up extremely well over time - great mat-based wrestling, very compelling story, and excellent psychology used -- Bret trying for roll-ups, trying to get the match over with asap, and not hurt his brother, while Owen, wrestling heel for the first time, uses dirty tricks and a wilder offense, which makes complete sense. Fantastic stuff.

HBK/Razor, since it's a spot-match, the first ladder match, holds a place in history, but there have been many better ladder matches since then. It hasn't held up well have as good since it's based on 'stunts'.

Also, That cage match, wow what a stinker. The match is basically both brothers tugging at each others tights as they continually try to climb the cage. They must've done the same "oh you're almost out" "no you're not" spot about 25 times.

It's not ironic in the slightest that a list of 100 matches contains 101 matches! It's just stupid :pac:

Also, AJ/Joe/Daniels @ Unbreakable -- TNA's best match ever, is at #34? For shame. A lot of the matches listed are gimmick matches, or important stopgaps in wrestling history, but do not age well over time. Bret/Austin @ WM13 is certainly an important bout, but is pretty crap to go re-watch from a wrestling point of view. It's a brawl, and a basic one. It does feature an amazing dual-turn AFTER the finish :P If we're feeding off pure storyline or emotion etc etc then Rock vs Hogan should be in there too.

SlickRic

Steamboat is in the top 2 matches of all time, and 3 of the top 6.

damn f*cking straight he is.

it says everything about the man.

my biggest peeve is Angle/Michaels from WMXXI being only 66. farcical.

parker kent

jaykhunter wrote: »

HBK/Razor, since it's a spot-match, the first ladder match, holds a place in history, but there have been many better ladder matches since then. It hasn't held up well have as good since it's based on 'stunts'.

The match you are referring to happened at Wrestlemania 10, the one on the list was the second ladder match between Scott Hall and HBK at Summerslam 95. It was a better match than the original, more than just a spot fest.

parker kent

CMpunked wrote: »

I have to disagree with the sentiment of not being any good matches in 2010.

Taker/hbk II and the 5th of the best of 5 tag matches would have to be pretty fair up that list.

Taker/HBK this year was not as good as last years. I'm not sure it would make the list. It was very good, but it didn't have the magic of the first one. And I agree with the list rating their Badd Blood HIAC as better than the Mania clash.

But all these lists are subjective, I would not go too in depth into the ordering of anything below 20th place.

Edit: I didn't mean there were no good matches this year, just not all time great matches.

steelcityblues

Glad to see in his list that the Bret-Austin SS 96 match is ahead of the Wrestlemania one! They are both great, but I took note of Austin just after the Survivor Series clash, and not the other way around.

Wrestlemania 20 main event is a great moment and solid match, but no way is it a top 10 contender.