My Top Ten WWE Matches Of All Time

Note: I have Updated this article and deleted the old one so I apologize to anyone who may have commented on the previous version.  This is a long article so sit back and relax.

Over the years many different people have had their own opinions of what “The Greatest Match of all Time” was.  I have heard so many different matches named that you could fill a years worth of PPV event with the list. 

Some great matches have been mentioned on this site as being the all time best match from Hulk vs Andre to Rock vs Austin.  I’ve even heard some argue that the Rey vs Eddie Ladder match was the greatest match they had ever seen.

No matter what, there is always going to be different opinions on this topic, and there will never be a unanimous decision on the matter either. 

That’s what is great about sports entertainment; people will bond over their differences and their similarities.  This is how it is with all sports.  I’ve seen a Cubs fan marry a White Sox fan, a Bears fan buy a Packers fan a beer and even a Yankees fan hug a Red Sox fan. 

This article will be dedicated to what I believe are the top ten matches of all time:

10. Hulk vs. Andre for the WWE Title

When people packed into their seats for Wrestlemania III they knew they were in for a treat.  Wrestlemania was now an established yearly event with its third outing and the headlining match was designed to go down in history as one of the all time greats in the industry. 

The Irresistible Force meets The Immovable Object. 

The Largest Arms in the world taking on the Giant of the WWE. 

I wonder what was going through the minds of those in attendance as they watched their two Super Human guides take them on a journey.  As Hogan and Andre squared off many people felt it was impossible for Hulk to slam the Giant. 

As the match progressed we saw Hogan try and fail at lifting the behemoth over his head.  Things began to look grim for the Hulkster, until the roar of the crowd brought out the Hulkamaniac.  As Hogan recovered and began mounting an offense it looked as if he would try one last time to slam his nemesis to the ground.  SUCCESS. Hogan drops Andre to the ground and the Drops the big leg for the 1 2 3.  A historic moment etched in time by two of the all time great showmen.

9. Rock vs. Austin (not one match in particular, but all of them)

The Rock and Stone Cold had one of the greatest feuds in history.  The two met on many, many occasions all across the globe to deliver some of the best matches the WWE had to offer. 

The Rock was the charismatic People’s Champion while Stone Cold Steve Austin was the Redneck, beer drinking Texan.  It was a match made in heaven.  The two had such great chemistry that they headlined Wrestlemania three separate times.  One of their most heated encounters came at Wrestlemania 17.  Stone Cold was the Royal Rumble winner and the Rock was the Champion.  As the two fought the crowd went back and forth cheering both men. 

It was Mr. McMahon who made this match so controversial when he interfered causing The Rock to lose to Austin and lose the Title.  The Rock left shortly after to film The Mummy Returns but he wouldn’t be gone long as he returned to face Austin at Mania two more times after WM17.

8. Kurt Angle vs. Brock Lesnar for the WWE Title

Kurt Angle, an Olympic Gold Medalist went face to face with the 2000 NCAA heavyweight champion and two-time NCAA All American Brock Lesnar in a match for the ages.  It had been years since two established, professionally trained wrestlers of this kind had faced off.  They had a great match going back and forth, appearing at times that either man could win. 

Fans were stunned when Lesnar ascended the ropes and botched a shooting star press in one of the craziest moments in wrestling history.  As everyone watched Lesnar thinking he had broken his neck and ended his career, only to see him get up and eventually F-5 Angle to win the WWE Championship. 

After the match the two gladiators embraced in a rare moment. Angle expressed his true respect for The Next Big Thing and opened his arms to his nemesis.  This match was undoubtedly one of the most memorable in both men’s careers. 

7. The Hardys vs. The Dudleys First Tag Team Tables match

For years people have been talking about the TLC matches between the Hardys, E&C and The Dudleys.  But one match that I found more entertaining was the Tag Team Tables match The Hardys had with The Dudleys. 

The match was the first of its kind in the WWE and showcased the two best tag teams at the time doing what they did best, high risk moves in hardcore style matches.  This match was not for the Tag Titles but for something more important, respect.  The Hardy Boys had only been in the WWE for a few years at that point and had not been in the business as long as The Dudley Boys. 

That didn’t stop Matt and Jeff from winning the match though.  Despite every man in the match going through at least one table a piece, The Hardys managed to pull out the victory in The Dudleys environment when Jeff Swanton Bombed Bubba Ray through two tables form atop the entrance way. 

This match was the most exciting match of the evening and has unfortunately been overshadowed by the three way TLC matches that came after.

6. Ric Flair vs. Randy “Macho Man” Savage for the WWE Title

Many people have talked about the Feuds between Flair and Hogan and Hogan and Savage, but some forget the saga between Randy Savage and Ric Flair.  At Wrestlemania 8 Ric Flair defended his WWE Title against Randy Savage in a very brutal and personal match. 

Flair had been claiming up to that point that he had slept with Macho’s real life wife Elizabeth, and had even gone as far as showing fake pictures of the two together.  Randy was furious and that showed in the match.  They went back and forth for over twenty minutes, trading blows and holds, until Savage prevailed and won the match and his second WWE Title. 

In real life Savage was having marital problems and in 1992 Randy and Elizabeth called it quits for real.  This had a negative effect on Savage for years to come, but the match that he had with Flair before all his personal issues arose was one of, if not his best match of his whole career.

5. Shawn Michaels Winning the Royal Rumble

I know these lists tend to lean more towards matches that end in pinfall or submission but I can’t help but love the first Royal Rumble victory Shawn Michaels had in 1995.  He was the first person to enter at number one and last the entire match.  

The British Bulldog deserves the same credit as he was the second man in and lasted til being the last person eliminated, so technically he did the same thing as Shawn, but Shawn won the match and that’s why I put it on the list. 

This Rumble was full of surprises from the return of Adam Bomb to the WWE to Shawn having the whole arena thinking he had been eliminated.  He is truly a legend in the making and his first Rumble win was a big stepping stone to becoming the performer he is today.

4. Bret Hart vs. Mr. Perfect for the Intercontinental Championship

Bret Hart has had many different adversaries over the years, but few match up to the technical ability of the Hitman the way Mr. Perfect did.  These two stole the show during the 1991 Summerslam event.  The match went for 24 minutes and took everything out of both men. 

We saw two of the greatest technicians in the history of the business square off for a mid card title that night but the atmosphere was that of a World Championship match.  With the Hitman’s parents at ringside, he had to pull out the victory and win the belt. 

When Mr. Perfect hit the Perfectplex everyone was sure it was over, and then Bret kicked out, something no one had done when hit with The Perfectplex.  Shortly after that Bret started working over Hennig’s leg until finally locking on the sharpshooter and getting the win. 

The match was so heated that Bret even ripped off Mr. Perfect’s singlet when he tried to escape the ring.  This will go down as maybe the best Intercontinental Title match of all time.

3. The Undertaker vs. The Undertaker from Summerslam 1994

This may not have been the most technical match, or even the most exciting, but it was one of the most memorable.  After the Undertaker disappeared, we began seeing another Undertaker in the WWE. It was hard to tell sometimes if it was the same person with the hair in the face look he had at the time, but never the less it was a thought people had.  Then the real Undertaker returned wearing purple gloves instead of his trademark grey and it was inevitable that the two phenoms would go face to face. 

At Summerslam 94 they faced off in a match that would determine who the real Dead Man was.  As the two squared off it became apparent who the real Undertaker in the WWE was as we saw the purple glove wearing Icon drop his opponent head first into the mat for the win. 

This feud was made better by the great promo skills of Paul Bearer who is quite possibly the greatest manager in WWE history, maybe tying with Mr. Fuji.

2. Hulk Hogan vs. The Ultimate Warrior  IC and World titles  

The thing I find most interesting about this match is that most people don’t realize that both titles were on the line that night.  The Warrior took on Hulkamania in a match for the ages.  The two Future Icons fought a hard match with both men hitting their respective finishers only to see the other kick out. 

After Hulk “Hulked” up and got the advantage, The Warrior began drawing his own power from the crowd, and the ring ropes.  As Hogan stood astonished that his blows had no effect on the painted faced Warrior he knew his time was coming to and end as Warrior lifted Hulk above his head, only to drop him down and hit the big splash for the pin. 

The Warrior won his first World Title that night but the icing on the cake was the presenting of the Title by Hogan, thus passing the torch to the new face of the WWE.  The Warrior would fall of the map shortly after but his legacy will stand in the annals of wrestling history forever.

1. Bret Hart vs. Owen Hart in a Steel Cage Match

Undoubtedly the best brother vs. brother feud was Bret and Owen Hart.  The feud lasted for years with the two facing off on many occasions.  The most memorable to me was the Steel Cage match the two had in Madison Square Garden. 

It was during the days of the big blue grid style cage.  Owen had a one to nothing advantage over Bret going into the match after beating him at Wrestlemania 10.  Bret had gone onto win the WWE title and Owen had become bitter.  The two locked up in a match that can only be described as mayhem. 

The two Hart Dungeon graduates both utilized the Sharpshooter as a finisher so it was natural to assume that they both knew a counter to the maneuver.  Bret got the advantage late in the match, reversing his brothers Sharpshooter into his own and holding it for over two minutes before releasing and making his way through the cage door. 

I am a huge Hardy fan and I though their feud was great but the best Brother on Brother feud in history is the Hart brothers by a large margin.

Thanks for reading and feel free to share your thoughts