(Photo by Gaye Gerard/Getty Images)
What makes a great match?
Remember that professional wrestling is an art form and that everyone has different taste.
Some fans are drawn in by a well-developed storyline, like that of a Mickie James and Trish Status, obsessive fan angle; while others crave hardcore blood-n-guts and wild brawling (Balls Mahoney, Vic Grimes, and New Jack need to make a living).
Many fans are impressed by work-rate, psychology, mat wrestling skill, innovative moves, speed, agility, and stiff striking, regardless of the angle that brought the two combatants together.
For the majority of us, a strong angle that logically brings together two capable in-ring storytellers and climaxes with an emotional, dramatic, technically impressive battle is the absolute best set of circumstances to leave us feeling like we’ve witnessed something special.
A great example of this convergence of both build-up and payoff is the heralded Jericho/Steamboat classic feud.
The match at WM 25 was off the charts in the work rate and quality departments and the storyline had great drama. Steamboat and the other legends sought revenge for Jericho’s heinous attacks against them.
Looking for revenge, the legends fought Jericho in a handicap match. Rowdy Piper and Jimmy Snuka were eliminated, shown that they were past their prime but Steamboat was another story.
Like Susan Boyle, no one expected the Dragon to show great technically and skill for man his age, 56.
The match was seen as one of the best matches at Wrestle Mania 25 and continued the storyline even with a rematch at Backlash.
All told, this might be one of the best examples of storyline and in-ring action melding to form a phenomenal pro wrestling moment.
However, it is possible to leave the masses believing they have witnessed a great match when an unforgettable moment is introduced.
The Hogan/Andre title match from WM III contained an epic moment in pro wrestling history. Indeed it was, but the wrestling itself was terrible due to the limitations of both men.
Andre’s were no fault of his own, being brought about by his condition at the time, as his health was quite poor. The lovable giant had no business wrestling but he was determined to pass the torch to McMahon’s next big thing, indicative of true professionalism.
Hogan, on the other hand, was limited by the fact that he’s a horrible in-ring performer and never wowed anybody with his moves. Hogan played off of emotion and self-promotion.
So while the repercussions of the contest resonated for years throughout the WWE Universe, the actual match was bland.
Still, it certainly seemed like a great match at the time and the body slam was heard all over the world.
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