WWE.com's The 100 best matches to see before you die

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http://www.wwe.com/classics/100-best-matches

The 100 in order (#1 is first):

Undertaker v. Shawn Michaels (WM25)
Bret Hart v. Steve Austin (WM13)
Ricky Steamboat v. Randy Savage (WM3, IC title)
Ricky Steamboat v. Ric Flair (Clash VI, NWA title)
Eddie Guerrero v. Rey Mysterio (Halloween Havoc 1997, WCW cruiser title)
Randy Savage v. Ultimate Warrior (WM7, career v. career)
Bret Hart v. British Bulldog (SSlam 1992, IC title)
Dudley Boyz v. Hardy Boyz v. Edge and Christian (WM17, tag title TLC)
John Cena v. CM Punk (MitB 2011, WWE title)
Bret Hart v. Shawn Michaels (WM12, WWE title ironman)
Ricky Steamboat v. Ric Flair (1989 Chi-Town Rumble, NWA title)
Steve Austin v. The Rock (WM17, WWE title)
Undertaker v. Shawn Michaels (WM26)
Kurt Angle v. Shawn Michaels (WM21)
John Cena v. Brock Lesnar (Extreme Rules 2012)
Bret Hart v. Owen Hart (WM10)
Ricky Steamboat v. Ric Flair (WrestleWar 1989, NWA title)
Bret Hart v. Mr. Perfect (SSlam 1991, IC title)
Razor Ramon v. Shawn Michaels (WM10, IC title ladder)
Ric Flair v. Terry Funk (Clash 9, I Quit match)
Randy Orton v. Mick Foley (Backlash 2004, IC title hardcore)
1992 Royal Rumble
Undertaker v. HHH (WM27)
Ric Flair v. Randy Savage (WM8, WWE title)
Chris Jericho v. Shawn Michaels (No Mercy 2008, WHC title)
HHH v. Cactus Jack (RRumble 2000, WWE title street fight)
Ric Flair v. Sting (Clash 1, NWA title)
CM Punk v. Brock Lesnar (SSlam 2013, no DQ)
Edge and Christian v. Hardy Boyz (No Mercy 1999, ladder)
Tully Blanchard v. Magnum TA (Starrcade 85, steel cage I Quit match)
Rob Van Dam v. Jerry Lynn (Hardcore Heaven 1999, ECW TV title)
Sting's Squadron v. Dangerous Alliance (WrestleWar 1992, WarGames)
Edge v. John Cena (Unforgiven 2006, WWE title TLC)
Jushin Liger v. Brian Pillman (SuperBrawl II, WCW LHW title)
Vader v. Cactus Jack (Halloween Havoc 1993, street fight)
Mr. Perfect v. Ric Flair (RAW Jan 1993, Loser Leaves Town)
Undertaker v. Shawn Michaels (Badd Blood 1997, HitC)
Shield v. Wyatt Family (Elimination Chamber 2014)
Eddie Guerrero v. Dean Malenko (Hostile City Showdown 1995, ECW TV title)
Rock v. Hulk Hogan (WM18)
Masato Tanaka v. Mike Awesome (Heat Wave 1998)
Kurt Angle v. Brock Lesnar (WM19, WWE title)
HHH v. Kane v. Chris Jericho v. Booker T v. Rob Van Dam v. Shawn Michaels (SurSeries 2002, Elimination Chamber WHC title)
Shawn Michaels v. Mankind (Mind Games 1996, WWE title)
Chris Jericho v. Rey Mysterio (Bash 2009, IC title)
Shield v. Team Hell No and Ryback (TLC 2012, TLC match)
HHH v. Shawn Michaels (SSlam 2002, street fight)
Hulk Hogan v. Ultimate Warrior (WM6, WWE title)
Rock v. Steve Austin (WM19)
Undertaker v. Mankind (KotR 1998, HitC)
Vader v. Ric Flair (Starrcade 93, WCW title)
Kurt Angle v. Brock Lesnar (Smackdown Sept. 2003, WWE title ironman)
Mick Foley v. Edge (WM22, hardcore)
John Cena v. Daniel Bryan (SSlam 2013, WWE title)
Sting v. Vader (Starrcade 1992)
Undertaker v. HHH (WM28 HitC)
Steiner Brothers v. Sting and Lex Luger (SuperBrawl I, WCW tag)
Dean Malenko v. Rey Mysterio (Bash 1996, WCW cruiser title)
Team WWE v. Team Alliance (SurSeries 2001)
Tazz v. Bam Bam Bigelow (Living Dangerously 1998, ECW TV title)
Sami Zayn v. Cesaro (NXT Feb 2013, 2/3 falls)
John Cena v. CM Punk (RAW Feb 2013)
Sting v. Cactus Jack (Beach Blast 1992, falls count anywhere)
Daniel Bryan v. Dolph Ziggler (Bragging Rights 2010)
Hart Foundation v. Steve Austin, Ken Shamrock, Legion of Doom and Goldust (Canadian Stampede 1997)
Undertaker v. CM Punk (WM29)
Steve Austin v. HHH (No Way Out 2001, Three Stages of Hell)
Roddy Piper v. Greg Valentine (Starrcade 83, dog collar)
Ultimo Dragon v. Rey Mysterio (WW3 1996, J-crown)
Ric Flair v. Dusty Rhodes (Starrcade 1985, NWA title)
Bret Hart v. 1-2-3 Kid (RAW July 1994)
Midnight Express v. Southern Boys (Bash 1990, NWA US tag title)
Undertaker v. Rock v. Kurt Angle (Vengeance 2002, WWE title)
Steve Austin v. Ricky Steamboat (Bash at the Beach 1994, WCW US title)
Money In The Bank (WM21)
Shawn Michaels v. Chris Jericho (WM19)
Diamond Dallas Page v. Randy Savage (Spring Stampede 1997, No DQ)
Harley Race v. Ric Flair (Starrcade 83, NWA title)
Sheamus v. Daniel Bryan (Extreme Rules 2012, 2/3 falls WHC title)
Midnight Express v. Fantastics (Clash 1, NWA US tag title)
Dean Malenko v. Ultimo Dragon (Starrcade 96, J-crown v. WCW cruiser)
Steve Austin v. Dude Love (Over The Edge 1996, WWE title no DQ falls count anywhere)
Sting/Brian Pillman/Steiners v. Four Horsemen (WrestleWar 91, WarGames)
Yoshihiro Tajiri v. Super Crazy (Guilty as Charges 1999)
Ricky Steamboat v. Rick Rude (Beach Blast 92, ironman)
Christian v. Randy Orton (SSlam 2011, WHC title)
Kidman v. Rey Mysterio v. Juventud Guerrera (Starrcade 98, WCW cruiser)
Nasty Boys v. Cactus Jack/Maxx Payne (Spring Stampede 1994, no DQ falls count anywhere)
Adrian Neville v. Tyson Kidd v. Sami Zayn v. Tyler Breeze (NXT Takeover: Fatal Four Way, NXT title)
Ric Flair v. Kerry Von Erich (WCCW Star Wars 1982, NWA title, cage)
Dean Malenko v. Scotty 2 Hotty (Backlash 2000, WWE LH title)
Team Hell No and Randy Orton v. The Shield (Smackdown June 2013)
Ric Flair v. Lex Luger (WrestleWar 1990, NWA title)
Cactus Jack v. HHH (RAW Sept 1997, falls count anywhere)
Hulk Hogan v. Andre the Giant (WM3, WWE title)
Natalya v. Charlotte (NXT Takeover, NXT women's title)
Shawn Michaels v. Marty Jannetty (RAW May 1993, IC title)
Great Sasuke, Gran Hamada and Masato Yakushiji v. Taka Michinoku, Dick Togo and Terry Boy (Barely Legal 1997)
Goldberg v. Diamond Dallas Page (Halloween Havoc 1998, WCW title)
Chris Jericho v. HHH (Fully Loaded 2000, last man standing)

Seen them all

ShaneU

Shocked at how low Hogan vs Rock (40) and Hogan vs Andre (96) are.

Think i'll make use of the free month of wwe network and go down this list :cool:

the groutch

Brock vs Angle Ironman should be way higher.

Liam McPoyle

Some matches on there I havnt seen so its a good reference tool.

The one that stands out as surprising is Kurt & Brock at Mania 19.

I remember been massively excited for it but been terribly disappointed.

I havnt seen it since watching it live on the night though.

Is it a good match?

All I can remember is the Lesnar faceplant.

Ageyev

Bret Hart v. Shawn Michaels (WM12, WWE title ironman)

Controversial :pac:

Fair enough list. Probably not put together by the usual Cenabots.

gerrybbadd

Shawn Michaels must be in 30 of those matches! And deservedly so

Pingi

No Steve Austin vs Savio Vega

chopperbyrne

Shawn - 12
Bret - 7
Flair - 12
Hogan - 3
Steamboat - 6
Savage - 4
Austin - 7
Angle - 4
Rock - 4
Undertaker - 8
HHH - 8
Brock - 4
Cena - 5
Punk - 4
Jericho - 5
Mysterio - 5
Malenko - 4
Sting - 6
Vader - 3
Foley - 10 (Cactus - 5) (Mankind - 2) (Dude Love - 1) (Himself - 2)
Eddie - 2
Orton - 3
Edge - 4
Perfect - 2

Benoit - 0

How many others would have more on this list if he was included?

Rjd2

So between them Kane and Big Show have managed one appearance, and that was in a six man HIAC. Damning.

DM_7

Rjd2 wrote: »

So between them Kane and Big Show have managed one appearance, and that was in a six man HIAC. Damning.

What about the team hell no matches

Rjd2

DM_7 wrote: »

What about the team hell no matches

Oops.:o

Forgot about them, Kane is still rubbish though and should retire.

Pentecost

Any other parent/child duos on there other than Flair/Charlotte? Was Nattie v Charlotte really good enough to be on that list?!

Ageyev

Pentecost wrote: »

Any other parent/child duos on there other than Flair/Charlotte? Was Nattie v Charlotte really good enough to be on that list?!

Dusty Rhodes and Goldust are on there. IRS was in the 1992 Rumble and he's Bray Wyatt's da.

chopperbyrne

Hart Foundation are on it, so Anvil and Nattie too.

Also some of the people I posted were in the 1992 Rumble and I assume some of them were in the MITB match at WM21.

Ageyev

chopperbyrne wrote:

Benoit - 0

How many others would have more on this list if he was included?

He was in the Wrestlemania 21 ladder match.

chopperbyrne

Ageyev wrote: »

He was in the Wrestlemania 21 ladder match.

Explains why they didn't list the people in the match then, because they did for other multi man matches.

Stereomaniac

That ladder match was great at the time, it was the first time they ever had Money In The Bank.

Machismo Fan

Savage vs. Warrior is very high.

Stereomaniac

I was amazed at that as well. But I am sure that's more for sentimental reasons within the WWE.

Monokne

Stunned Bret V Owen in the cage isn't there. 5 stars.

Some very strange inclusions. Dolph Ziggler V Daniel Bryan? Steamboat-Rude from Beach Blast? Austin - Steamboat? The names might be impressive, the matches not so much.

Flair - Perfect was run of the mill too.

Perhaps they just wanted to include a diverse selection of matches rather than just the 100 best matches on the network.

Dubliner28

Punk Y2J Mania 28

D-FENS

There has been 43 WWF/E champions in history, 18 of them didn't make this list.

DM_7

Bryan v Ziggler was no 2 on WWE list of best matches in 2010 behind HBK v Taker so I am not surprised to see it on this list.

Moneymaker

Machismo Fan wrote: »

Savage vs. Warrior is very high.

Definitely the best match Warrior ever had imo. And the story was fantastic.

A match doesn't always have to be a technical masterclass to be a great match.

Monokne

DM_7 wrote: »

Bryan v Ziggler was no 2 on WWE list of best matches in 2010 behind HBK v Taker so I am not surprised to see it on this list.

I have no recollection of this match whatsoever.

Monokne

Read this and it brought it all back:


1. Daniel Bryan beat Dolph Ziggler in 16:15. Neither title was at stake. Fans were chanting “Bryan” from early in the match and the crowd was hot for this. Michael Cole was pushing Bryan with the nickname “Mr. Bland.” Not sure that’s going to help get him over as historically people who the promotion pushed as not being colorful, or as boring, have never overcome the tag. They did good early matwork, with Ziggler doing amateur takedowns and riding based on his background, and Bryan working for submissions based on his training. Bryan came off the apron with a flying knee to the floor. He also did a great running dropkick. One thing I have to note is that Matt Striker was completely toned down as an announcer on the show. He oversold the Smackdown beating Raw finish, but that worked as part of the show. But the usual Strikerisms were gone. Lawler told a joke about Vickie Guerrero saying a car crashed into her because they were afraid they’d run out of gas going around her. Lawler would make fun of her weight, which would probably run their much talked about female viewership the wrong way if it wasn’t for the fact Vickie is such a great heel. Michael Cole and Striker kept putting over how beautiful she was. Lawler started making fun of Striker calling one of Bryan’s holds the cattle mutilation, as if Lawler realized that’s actually the name the hold has been given ever since he started using it. He didn’t do the move in this match. Bryan did moves like a kick to the face, a flying kick and a springboard dropkick for near falls. Ziggler went for the Zig Zag, but Bryan held the ropes, so Ziggler took the bump. Bryan used a kick to the head for another near fall. After crotching Ziggler, Bryan used a backward superplex, but Ziggler reversed in mid-air for a near fall, and then Bryan reversed that into a cradle for another near fall. This elicited a “This is awesome” chant. After more near falls, Ziggler used the famouser and the ref counted to three. However, he saw Bryan’s foot on the ropes and restarted the match. Ziggler used the sleeper but Bryan made the rope. Ziggler then started yelling at the ref, and that gave Bryan the opening for the LeBell lock. After the match, Guerrero and Ziggler were complaining to the ref, who then threw Vickie out of the match. The match was over, but it still got an easy pop. ***½

Three and a half stars sounds about right. By no means a classic.

Ageyev

D-FENS wrote: »

There has been 43 WWF/E champions in history, 18 of them didn't make this list.

The earliest WWF match is 1987. There is comparatively little pre-Hogan era stuff on the Network. Lots of Hogan's matches weren't all that good, likewise for Cena. Standards for what makes a match "must-see" changes over time anyway.

There are only 7 NWA title matches on the list...

Monokne

Cena has had a ton of 4* plus matches. Comparing his work to Hogan's does not reflect well on Hulk.

Quick skim through this list reveals 24 John Cena matches that were rated four stars or more, compared to ZERO for Hogan. Hulk was effective at drawing houses and emotion at the finish, but his matches couldn't hold a candle to Cena.

http://www.reddit.com/r/SquaredCircle/comments/2flck5/every_great_4_star_or_above_televised_match_in/

Ageyev

John Cena is comparable to Hulk Hogan in terms of longevity with the world title. True, Cena has had more good matches than Hogan but he has also had more televised matches than Hogan did during the latter's title run. Both have dominated the world title scene in their respective eras.

Part of the reason why 18-20 of the WWWF/E champions don't appear on the list is because they were pre-Hogan era and not on the Network, shifting standards or they just weren't very good.

Monokne

Ok, to put it simpler - the average Hulk Hogan match was worse than the average John Cena match, and the average Hulk Hogan big show match was MUCH worse than Cena in the same situation. Yes, Cena has had bad matches, but so has everyone. Hogan routinely had mediocre matches. Cena doesn't. Works hard every night.

Stereomaniac

Whenever John Cena has a match on a pay per view I make sure I watch the whole thing. He is very enjoyable to watch. I really was so excited for SummerSlam and even THAT was impressive.

the groutch

DM_7 wrote: »

Bryan v Ziggler was no 2 on WWE list of best matches in 2010 behind HBK v Taker so I am not surprised to see it on this list.

of all of Bryan's matches, I thought his match against Punk at Over The Limit '12 would defintely be there

Stereomaniac

The 2 singles matches that he had with CM Punk in 2012 were brilliant, if my memory is correct.

D-FENS

Ageyev wrote: »

The earliest WWF match is 1987. There is comparatively little pre-Hogan era stuff on the Network. Lots of Hogan's matches weren't all that good, likewise for Cena. Standards for what makes a match "must-see" changes over time anyway.

There are only 7 NWA title matches on the list...

Didn’t look at former NWA/WCW champs to be honest, but several champions that came after Hogan didn’t make it – Nash, Yoko, Sid, JBL, Miz, Del Rio – none except the latter could be called great wrestlers but the list isn’t really about that, just found it interesting that so many could not manage an inclusion between them, in the eyes of whoever did up the list (Would it be Joey Styles and his team or some input from higher up I wonder)

Personally, I’ve always classed Sid/HBK at Survivor Series ’96 as one of my favourite matches. I always liked Sid, despite his limited in ring abilities, and always hated him getting screwed out of a title push when he was Sid Justice in the early 90’s. And loved the pop Sid got as the heel winning the belt from that NY crowd, it’s never mentioned when people talk about that era of fans cheering for the NWO or heel Austin.

Also would have included Bret/Bam Bam from KOTR ’93 or Savage/DiBiase WM5

Stereomaniac

Don't you mean WrestleMania IV? Ha ha, sorry. Bret Hart vs. Bam Bam Bigelow was a great match. They actually did that match in The Point as well that year. It is years since I saw it, but for some reason I remember Kevin Nash vs. Bret Hart from Survivor Series 1995 as being a pretty good match back in the day? Also, in Bret Hart's book he mentions that Sid seemingly never wanted to be champion and that he couldn't wait to get the title off of him and to someone else. I could be remembering it incorrectly, but I think maybe Bret was saying how frustrating it was to lose it to someone who didn't want it.

Monokne

I've read that book four times and have no recollection of that :-!

Ageyev

Agree with Sid vs HBK. I like that match. Haven't rewatched it in ages though. The crowd were very anti-Michaels, Sid hadn't actually done anything that turned him heel until he powerbombed Jose's son through a table on Raw which I think was before the Rumble.

Sid used to fake or exagerate injuries around Spring to get time off to coach softball.

Lucifer MorningStar

Surprised not to see Kane vs The Undertaker at WrestleMania14 on there