Professional Wrestling: 15 Dream Matches We Will Never See (Or See Again)

They are the forbidden fruit. Matches we have talked about for years and either want to see, want to see again or hoped for from different genres of the business.

As a wrestling fan of 35 years, I have had an opportunity to see and cover matches that were beyond amazing. But like every one of us, I have always wanted more. And as an old-school believer in the Iron Claw and standing drop-kick, there can never be too much "wrestling" to go around.

If the voices of Gordon Solie and Jim Ross are side by side, I am in harmony with the television screen.

We can all pinpoint when we saw a certain match or how we felt when we saw Clash of the Champions in 1988 when a man named Sting took Ric Flair to 45 minutes and a draw. Or what we thought when we saw the Montreal Screw Job or Starrcade 1983.

For those of us who can recall the old NWA and the "dog collar match" between Greg Valentine and Roddy Piper, it was the way wrestling was supposed to be, and fans were true to their heroes and villains.

These are 15 matches that would be considered the "ultimate" in wrestling, IN MY OPINION. They may have happened before and would be amazing to see again.

Others are matches that would be appealing to those of this generation and this wrestling era.

Randy Savage vs. CM Punk

The classic case of the man who set the stage and the one who continued it.

Ooooh Yeah!

Savage played the role of heel and face so well in the WWF, and later took his act to WCW.

He was World Champion on both promotions.

Punk, the best in the game today, needs no real explanation as to why he would be a great match for the "Macho Man" and the two could headline today, if that were possible.

Chris Benoit vs. Curt Hennig

Two of the best technical wrestlers of all time.

Benoit and Hennig were priceless in their matches, with their skills and ability to control the match on the mat before anything else.

While Hennig was considerably larger than Benoit, it would not have taken away from Benoit's ability to bring larger opponents to his level and use the German Suplex.

Harley Race vs. Ric Flair

I saw Flair and Race wrestle three times in my life and each time, the matches got better and better.

There are few feuds that can pick up right where they left off. This was one of them.

Flair was the cocky and arrogant ass who was always put in his place by Race, who went about his business and bloodied the younger Flair.

Their match at Starrcade 1983 was not as good as the buildup and the $25,000 bounty Race put on Flair's head to eliminate the chance Flair had of beating the NWA Champion.

Hawk vs. Animal

Tag Team partners know each other inside and out. But what happens when they turn on each other?

Hawk and Animal never faced each other, but what would have happened if they had gotten in the ring on opposing sides?

Raw power and strength unleashed. And this would have been a main event attraction anywhere.

Sting vs. Ultimate Warrior

Remember, these guys got their start in the UWF as the Blade Runners in Bill Watts' promotion.

Would two muscle-bound wrestlers be able to finesse their way through a match, or would it be a case of the two of them beating the hell out of each other?

Fans would just love it.

Andre the Giant vs. Big Show

Can we settle the question of who was the Bigger Giant?

Andre, beyond compare, was a legend.

The Big Show was once cast as Andre's son.

While Big Show is smaller but more agile, Andre was stronger and historically an icon in the business.

Arn Anderson and Bobby Roode

The original enforcer taking on the new breed of wrestler.

Roode has been closely compared to Anderson, which is a hell of a compliment.

Anderson created the "spine buster," and Roode has perfected the move as well.

If this match was for the WWE or TNA titles, it would have been awesome.

The Undertaker vs. Sting

It is the Holy Grail. The one match we ALL talk about.

Sting, the Icon taking on The Phenom.

Everyone wants to see it, but it will never happen. Sting will not make us all happy and face the Dead Man.

For all of us who have played this on XBox or any other video game, we all know how great this could be.

But unfortunately, it is not meant to be.

Arn Anderson vs. Ric Flair

This actually happened once on a WCW telecast and then again at Fall Brawl 1995, when the two were at odds over ego.

Anderson took the fight to Flair, and things simmered down after that. But the

"What if" resonated in my mind for weeks.

Anderson was just as good as Flair. You believed what he said in the ring and on the mic, and what he said in front of the camera. There are few wrestlers you wondered what they would be like with a world title on their shoulder.

Anderson is one of them.

Eddie Guerrero vs. Shawn Michaels

Two icons in the sport. There would never be a dull moment in the match.

The "Show Stopper" taking on "Latino Heat" in a match maybe few have thought of, but it has crossed my mind a few times in the past.

I like the match for its speed and the idea of true mat wrestling. I think it could be one for the ages.

Dynamite Kid vs. Chris Benoit

I know this one has been talked about before, since I have discussed it with other wrestling fans.

This would have been a headliner 20 years ago somewhere if not in the WWF.

Benoit and Kid both rose to the occasion to give us great aerial moves and unbelievable mat skills, and I can honestly say this kind of match would be a draw in terms of strengths.

Dynamite Kid could have been a singles star if he was able to continue with his career.

CM Punk vs, the Great Muta

Punk taking on Muta is a dream in itself.

And if it were to happen in Japan, then both would be immortalized for all eternity.

Muta, a former NWA champion and one of the most decorated and skilled Japanese wrestlers ever against a wrestler versed in many forms of submission and mat wrestling.

For some reason, to me it just makes sense.

Ricky Steamboat vs. Ric Flair

This match can happen over and over again and it would still make me jump for joy.

These two superstars and heroes of mine are like a ballet when they get in the ring.

That is the highest compliment I can pay them.

Both are so fluid and in tune with each other's moves. When they did the vignette and angle in the late 1970s, it was new and exciting. In 1989, when they tried it again, they picked up right where they left off.

It was breathtaking.

Chris Jericho vs. Roddy Piper

Two big mouths with tons of wrestling ability.

Jericho is a modern-day Piper in how he talks to the crowd and how he makes them live in his land of make believe.

While Piper was all over the place in his dialogues and his wrestling acumen, it cannot be denied he was one of the best ever.

Dusty Rhodes vs. Bully Ray (Dog Collar Match)

This one works because Bully Ray is the best heel in the business today and Rhodes always beat the bullies up.

Barbed wire, steel cages and dog collar and bull rope matches.

The two are about the same size and would beat the holy hell out of each other.