The Top 10 List: Wrestling's Greatest Rivalries

The “slam heard around the world” when Hogan scooped slammed Andre and hit the leg drop for the win. An event still talked about today, more than 20 years later, and will be talked about for another 20 years. This event proved that professional wrestling is here, and it is here to stay, whether the public liked it or not.

4) RIC FLAIR vs. RICKY STEAMBOAT
Notable Match: Wrestle War, NWA World Heavyweight Championship,  5/7/89

A rivalry that lasted over 15 years, and produced some of the best matches in 80's wrestling. These two had magic together, simply magical. Even so, a lot of people would say that their '89 Wrestle War match was the greatest match of all time. Now, that’s saying something.

Any older or classic fan will tell you they remember Flair/Steamboat and they will tell you they loved it. This brought rivalries to a whole new level. Two of the hardest workers of their time, they put their heart and soul, blood, sweat, and tears into their matches and they were amazing to say the least.

3) STONE COLD STEVE AUSTIN vs. MR. MCMAHON
Notable Event: WWE RAW, “Easy way/Hard way”speech, 3/30/98

Because I’m such a mark for the in-ring wrestling, this comes in at No 3. Where it could be argued as No. 2. And if impact didn’t play such a huge and important role in this list, it could even be at No. 1.

The WWE was getting beat down severely by WCW and kicked off the best period in wrestling; the Attitude Era. The episode of RAW that aired the night after WrestleMania 14, McMahon presented Austin the title and gave his “Easy way/Hard way” speech.

McMahon stated that Austin needed to follow rules better and be a better employee. Austin responded with a middle finger and a Stone Cold Stunner to the boss. Kicking of and ushering in the Attitude Era in the process. The Attitude Era was a giant, steaming Locomotive and Austin/McMahon was it’s Conductor. The rivalry was known as the Austin/McMahon feud..

These two together were the sole performers that carried the WWE through it’s fight. Anytime Vince and Austin were in the same ring, you could absolutely feel the electricity. This feud is the epitome of wrestling chemistry.

At the risk of sounding repetitive; week after week after week after week millions and millions tuned in to RAW is WAR to see what would happened next between these two. The typical evil boss vs. the rebel employee. An amazing feud that will never ever be duplicated, copied or topped for as long as wrestling lives. 

2) THE ROCK vs. STONE COLD STEVE AUSTIN
Notable Match: WrestleMania X7, WWE Championship, 4/1/01

Two men that invigorated and revamped the wrestling world. The best rivalry in history. The two biggest names in wrestling. Wrestling was at it’s peak and the WWE was reigning king after just defeating and purchasing rivals WCW and ECW. Rock and Stone Cold headlined three WrestleMania’s together. A classic each time.

Ask any wrestling fan who was a fan in the past 10 years and nine out of 10 will say the best rivalry? Stone Cold vs. The Rock. They had great in ring chemistry and great promo and mic chemistry. These two were destined to wrestle and hit their peak at the same time. When we are older, in our '60s, '70s, even '80s if we look back and think wrestling memories, The Rock and Stone Cold Steve Austin will for sure come to mind. Now that is and impact, and that is what wrestling is all about.

1) WWE vs. WCW
Notable Event: WWE/WCW Simulcast, The Final Nitro, 3/26/01

One thing Vince McMahon has is balls. This feud was more between Ted Turner and McMahon. Turner and McMahon Sr. crossed paths in the past and never got along too well. But on a day referred by the wrestling world as Black Saturday ignited the fuel. It was the day McMahon and the WWE took over the Saturday night time slots on Turner Broadcasting System (TBS) that had been home to Georgia Championship Wrestling (GCW).

After a stint in court between McMahon and Turner, McMahon decided to sell the company back to Jim Crockett and Turner bought it from him. Turner named his wrestling company WCW. Determined to take out his rival, Vince McMahon, Turner created a WCW show and put it head-to-head with WWE on Monday nights WCW began beating WWE, and dominated them in the ratings for 83 weeks straight. An event that almost put the WWE out of business forever.

But McMahon is one tough guy and he fought back against the billionaire. What made this so great was the company’s were fighting so hard and putting 150% into their respecitve products. And the wrestling world sat back and got to enjoy it all. Enjoying the best period in pro wrestling history, every week were two amazing shows, as both were really fighting for their place.

The world went crazy for this '90s wrestling boom. Eventually, the WWE started dominating the WCW and only got better and better and better. McMahon had the last laugh as in March of 2001 he purchased WCW and became the Czar of Wrestling.

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