Your Five Favorite Wrestling Matches

[Highway61Revisited]

Not the five best you’ve ever seen, your five favorites. Those that will stand the test of time for you for personal reasons, workrate reasons, any reason!

Mine:

1. Kenta Kobashi vs. Samoa Joe (10/1/2005)
- Sadly this one isn’t on the internet, but, it’s a must see. Go to www.rohwrestling.com right now and buy Joe vs. Kobashi. It’s worth it, I’m sure they even have a sell going on right now! It’s arguably the best worker of the ‘90s going up against a guy with one of the strongest bodies of work this decade. Kenta’s not what he used to be, but this is 25 minutes of absolute fantastic, stiff, intelligently paced stuff. Case in short: this one was awesome. It was also the only time that Kobashi has wrestled a singles match in America. ROH sealed me forever as a fan with this match.

2. Mitsuharu Misawa/Kenta Kobashi vs. Akira Taue/Toshiaki Kawada (12/3/93)
- This one began a life-long love affair with puroresu. Most got hooked after seeing 6/3/94, but this was the one that did it for me. AJ in the mid-90s was, in my opinion, the greatest wrestling promotion there has ever been. This is the perfect example of just why that was.

3. Jerry Lawler vs. Terry Funk – Empty Arena Match (5/81)
- Memphis was ECW before ECW was cool. Shortly after I began trading tapes I knew of Terry Funk as insane garbage wrestler and Terry Funk, NWA champion, but when I found Terry, “Crazy as Hell Dude Who Wants to Kill Jerry Lawler”, I was in love. The intensity comes through even your computer screen when Funk is yelling for Lawler, showing you why even if Terry were an average worker; he still would have brought fans to the seats. Portion two of this one can be found on the side bar.

4. Bret Hart vs. Owen Hart (3/20/94)
- Growing up in Georgia, my heroes as a kid were the Four Horsemen, not Hulk Hogan. However, I started taking interest in the WWF once Ric Flair went there in late-’91. The man Ric Flair lost his WWF Title to during his last run? Bret Hart. A life-long favorite was born and this storyline really captured my imagination as a seven-year-old wrestling fan. This match is the perfect blend of everything that I look for in a wrestling match, particularly the psychology. We’ve all seen it, but my god, it’s so good.

5. Bret Hart vs. Steve Austin (11/17/1996)
- Yeah, the WM 13 match was more important historically and more epic. But this is such a better wrestling match and what it does for Austin, convincing the crowd that he can hang right there with the Hitman was just as important in November of '96 as anything.

This other than the Bret/Owen match and maybe three-to-four others is one of the best pure wrestling matches I’ve ever seen in the WWF and it really showcases Austin before the injuries deteriorated him to a brawler (and probably the best person to ever work within the confines of the WWF/EStyle.)

[JMello]

I'm going to name the first 5 that pop into my head, because there's way too many to mention.

1. Royal Rumble 1992 - Ric Flair wins (whom I hate), but it was an awesome Rumble, Shawn Michaels grows as a heel, Hulk Hogan for the first time that I know of showed a side I didn't like, which allowed Flair to win
2. Diamond Dallas Page vs. Raven - I can't remember which one of their series of matches this was, but I remember "He's used everything but the kitchen sink, what's that, oh my god a kitchen sink!!" I really enjoyed the match and the Diamond Cutter ranks among my favorite finishers of all time.
3. JBL vs. The Big Show - No Way Out 2005 - The match itself wasn't that impressive, but when you can surprise me, I'm impressed. I was fully surprised by the way in which JBL retained the title and it made it all worth while.
4. Survivor Series 1991(I think) - All the Survivors from the earlier matches met at the end, Hulk Hogan, Ultimate Warrior, and Tito Santana against a slew of mid-level bad guys. Of course you know who won, but at 10 years old, yeah, I was happy.
5. TLC II - Wrestlemania 17(??) - The original was cool, but with interferences from Lita, Spike, and Rhyno, this one surpassed the first. I really enjoyed the match and for some reason it sticks out.

Ask me again tomorrow, you'll probably get some different matches, but these stuck out for some reason.

[hofclemens]

The year they did the survivors at the end was 1990 and I remember really liking that too. I think it came down to Tito, Warrior and Hulk for the faces and and of course they had to send Tito packing so Warrior and Hogand survived

[LWPD]

highway61revisited said:

Not the five best you’ve ever seen, your five favorites. Those that will stand the test of time for you for personal reasons, workrate reasons, any reason!

My tastes can change rapidly. Here's a snapshot of my favorites by genre on this particular night:

70's Style

Jumbo Tsuruta vs Harley Race 6/11/77...two of my all time favorites in a Match of the Decade candidate. HR in his prime...JT before he was truly the ace. A great story of the gaijin legend battling a future legend to be.

Early 80's Pre-VKM/Hulkster/National Expansion Era WWWF

Sgt Slaughter vs Pat Patterson 5/4/81...Patterson was magic when it came to crowd psychology...early 80's Slaughter was a near god-like heel (and remains highly underrated)...my favorite garbage style match of all time

80's Japan

Jumbo Tsuruta vs Genichiro Tenryu 6/5/89...the best heavyweight match I had seen up to that point...another Match of the Decade candidate

National Expansion Era 80's WWF

Randy Savage vs Ricky Steamboat WM III...long before I became someone who helped take WWE public...I was just a kid who marked for the Macho Man and was against my friends who watched the show beside me cheering for Steamer...a great match for it's time...and a sentimental favorite...loses context outside it's time frame and angle build up (everything does)

80's JCP

Tully Blanchard vs Rick Steamboat 11/22/84...TB was a great natural heel...Steamer the consummate face...here they put together something special that stands the test of time...honorable mentions go to the Tully/Magnum I Quit...and Ric Flair vs Terry Funk 11/15/89

90's Japan

Mitsuhara Misawa vs Toshiaki Kawada 6/3/94...Match of the Decade candidate...defines the post Tsuruta King's Road style at it's peak

90's WCW

Vader vs Sting 2/21/93...this was the Leather Strap Classic,,,these two always worked really well together...but the finish wasn't what I expected and remains a personal favorite...Vader/Sting was better than Flair/Sting

Lucha

Atlantis vs Villano III 8/4/00 (mask vs Mask)...a battle of legends...with their very identities on the line in the form of the mask...tremendous story telling in the Mexican tradition

[mft]

hofclemens said:

The year they did the survivors at the end was 1990 and I remember really liking that too. I think it came down to Tito, Warrior and Hulk for the faces and and of course they had to send Tito packing so Warrior and Hogand survived

You know, I really liked that Survivor Series that year where the survivors from the previous elimination matches teamed up in the main event. I thought it was a great concept.

[Highway61Revisited]

lwpd said:

highway61revisited said:

Not the five best you’ve ever seen, your five favorites. Those that will stand the test of time for you for personal reasons, workrate reasons, any reason!

My tastes can change rapidly. Here's a snapshot of my favorites by genre on this particular night:

I definitely hear this, I watched some Mid-South and Hogan puro today, so, if you asked me now that list would now include Hogan/Hansen 4/1/90 and Dibiase/Flair from Mid-South TV.

The only two that aren't changing are the top two and one isn't at all the best I've ever seen, but being in the arena for Kenta Kobashi both nights is the most amazing expierence I've ever had as a wrestling fan and Joe/Kobashi will forever be my favorite match.

The reasons for the latter are listed above as it's the match that ignited my puro obsession. Those four were magic together and 6/9 blows 12/3 out of the water but it's always got a special place in my heart.

A few things on your list:

1) Harley Race in his prime just isn't seen enough. Harley is arguably the greatest American worker that's ever lived. He's facing Jumbo, so, I think we all know the result on that one.

2) Tsuruta/Tenryu is most likely the match of the '80s but I think Flair/Windham from Battle of the Belts II gets overlooked in this department. Flair/Steamboat is remembered from the '80s but Windham was arguably his best in-ring opponent. One of my favorite things on the Flair DVD is the Worldwide match between those two.

I don't know if I think that match (BOTB II) lives up to the Steamboat/Flair three from '89 but it's a good one and criminally overlooked.

[Pete]

Like my five favorite anything, this will change monthly, daily, or hourly, depending on my mood...

This is also not in any order.

Boot Camp Match: Sgt. Slaughter vs. The Iron Sheik, 6/16/84 - I have been DYING for this to get an official WWE release somewhere so we can have it in pristine quality--best WWF match of the '80s and possibly the best match in that company's history. A total ECW-style garbage brawl, but the great thing about it is that *everything makes sense.* Every weapon--the riding crop, Sarge's helmet, and of course the loaded boot--is there for a reason rather than magically appearing under the ring. Sarge bumps like a maniac, both men bleed buckets, the heat is absolutely nuclear, the execution and timing is all perfect. The quintissential blowoff match.

NWA World Heavyweight Title: Terry Funk vs. Jumbo Tsuruta, 6/11/76 - Jumbo would get my pick for the greatest worker of all-time. He was as good as a rookie in 1974 as Kurt Angle was and was cranking out MOTYCs as late as 1992 (and would have kept going if he hadn't gotten sick). Here he puts on a wrestling clinic with a sort of overlooked NWA World Champion. The ideal NWA World title match: champion comes into the territory, makes the young kid look great, goes over in the end. Booking that keeps both guys strong and makes both guys look better in the end--how about that. Best glimpse of Terry in a strict technical contest, but the glimpses of the trademark punchdrunk selling and wild bumps are there to enhance rather than overshadow the match.

PWF Heavyweight Title: Billy Robinson vs. Giant Baba, 7/24/76 - Total Robinson mark that I am, he had to show up on here somewhere. Baba got hammered online for years because when AJPW tape trading was in full force in the '90s, he was doing 6-man comedy matches and looking godawful in them. Well, Baba always looked awkward, his chops never looked that great, and he always had those 8-inch pythons, but the man at one time could go. Great psychology throughout--each man "learns" counters to each other's moves throughout the match and then the other guy counters those counters later on. And Baba hitting the Neckbreaker Drop at the end=markout city. Great move.

AJPW Triple Crown: Mitsuharu Misawa vs. Toshiaki Kawada, 6/3/94 - Little more needs to be said about this match. But screw it: Misawa was the best AJPW worker of the '90s--better than Kobashi (at the time) and Kawada (at the time). Every single major AJPW star (except Hansen...maybe) had their best match with him during that time. He was the glue that held the Four Corners together. Best combination of great moves + psychology of the bunch. People often say "the wrong guy went over" in this match, but Misawa was the top babyface and Kawada, by AJPW standards, the top heel in the company. It's what the fans wanted and they got it after a 35-minute war.

Bret Hart vs. Owen Hart, WrestleMania X - Best opening match ever? Twists and turns galore throughout the match, with both guys countering the Sharpshooter and near-falls out the wazoo before the big upset at the end. Bret and Owen were pretty much the only two bright spots in a decaying company in 1994.

[Shon Maxx]

In no particular order:

-Savage/Warrior (WM7): My favorite Savage match and a memorable one. Being a fan of both at the time, I was concerned that this was the last time I'd see one of them. No complaints at the end.

-Any Bret Hart Match.

-Royal Rumble 05: Wrestlers mock each other after eliminations, Hassan getting tossed out by the entire ring, Batista and Cena both going out but the match gets restarted. My friends and I can watch this over and over again.

-Any Hardy Boys/EC Ladder or TLC match.

-Brock Lesnar/Kurt Angle (WM 19)



Take care,

Jay

[GalactiKing]

I'd have to think for a while for 5 but I will mention two
Flair vs Steamboat..Wrestlewar 89. 30+ minutes barely feels like 10 it just goes so well
and
Magnum TA vs Tully Blanchard's I Quit match. Still one of the most violent, brutal and fun matches I've ever seen.

[Chad Olson]

How did I miss this post?

I'm too lazy to look up dates, but here's mine (subject to change depending on the day!) in no particular order:

Kroffat & Furnas vs. Kobashi & Kikuchi - I believe this won match of the year in 1992. Crazy amounts of heat in this. I requested multiple viewings of this at GalactiCon for Night at the Matches. The announcer's enthusiasm led to Mark dubbing this "the DDT match!"

Tsuruta vs. Tenryu - others have mentioned this, I'm just agreeing!

The Funks vs. Sheik & Abdullah - Tag finals from 77? The match where Terry blades his forearm. Awesome!

Austin vs. Hart - I think the double turn at WrestleMania came off so well, but I liked the wrestling of the Survivor Series match better. I can't decide, so I'm choosing both.

Cactus Jack & Kevin Sullivan vs. the Nasty Boys - Falls Count Anywhere Match at Slamboree in Philly. This was the blowoff of two tag team feuds: Cactus & Maxx Payne vs. the Nastys and the Sullivan Brothers vs. the Nastys. Crazy, stupid brawl all over the place that I loved. I even violated the cardinal rule of PPV watching, never call someone during a show! I called Tim after the match raving, and he told me to shut up and call later.

[Highway61Revisited]

Interesting list, Chad.

Glad to see the RWTL finals from '77 get some love. That's some really fantastic stuff.

I'm surprised to see the lack of Misawa/Jumbo from 1990 in here though. The 6/8 and 9/1 matches are absolutely fantastic, I must have been brain dead not to post those in my original list.

As well as Kobashi/Kawada and a few others. Ah, well, it's different night.

[Chad Olson]

Like you said, different day, different list. I could easily swayed to include either Misawa & Jumbo matches. It's like when my girlfriend asks me what my favorite song, CD, or band. "It depends" is the standard answer. Ever see "High Fidelity?" I think it also applies to wrestling matches....

[GalactiKing]

It's also so hard just to pick 5. I haven't seen a lot of the great Japan matches either so my list definitely wouldn't match up with those who have.

[TDalton]

Tough call with the limit of 5. No particular order.

Ric Flair vs. Ricky Steamboat
2/3 Falls match from the 1989 series My favorite of their 89 bouts.

Ric Flair vs. Terry Funk
I Quit match from NY Knockout - I was 3rd row ringside and it was the most brutal non-blood match ever.

Dan Kroffat & Doug Furnas vs. The Footloose (Kawada/Fuyuki)
6/5/89 - same card as the previously mentioned Jumbo/Tenryu match. Two 5 star bouts on the same card. The Kobashi/Kikuchi match against the Can-Ams is close, but I still like this one a little more.

Pat Patterson vs. Sgt. Slaughter
Alley Fight from MSG (although they ran these around the horn, and the one I saw in Rochester was great as well).

Johnny Powers & Ernie Ladd vs. The Sheik & Pampero Firpo
C'mon - you know Johnny Powers is showing up on my list somewhere! Simply the greatest heel turn of all-time!

[Stu]

Sheesh, this is hard, but here goes:

(in no particular order, and minus the dates)

-Flair vs. Steamboat from WrestleWar '89 (lord it was cheesy how they portrayed Steamboat as a family man, but what a match!)

-When Kobashi finally beat Misawa in NOAH, I pretty much marked out, can't remember the date, but with all that back history, was just awesome.

-As others have mentioned, the Misawa-Kawada match...just watched that again, just fantastic.

-Here's one for you fellers, that 10-15 minute chop fest between Kawada and Sasaki. Good lord those boys just killed each other!

-And I'll cast my vote for Misawa over Jumbo in the classic passing of the torch moment.

Limiting this to five is quite difficult. As a modern times runner up, I'd nominate Danielson vs. KENTA in ROH from end of last year...this is my cheap way to get in a plug for ROH (still a bit spotty, but getting better all the time!).

[Highway61Revisited]

Interesting stuff, Stu.

I'd have to go with Tim on the Steamer/Flair 2/3 falls COTC match. But any of the three they had are winners.

The Kobashi/Sasaki match really jumped out at me on your list. I remember not really caring for it when I initially saw it and thinking some things really just didn't do it for me but I'll give it a re-watch one of these days.

The Kobashi/Misawa 3/1/03 match is fantastic and it's great to see it get some love.

If you haven't seen it, Stu, check out the Danielson/McGuinness match from Unified (8/12?) last year. That's fantastic stuff.

[Stu]

Thanks for the feedback Highway! I actually own "Unified" too, and I agree, the McGuiness-Danielson match is another modern classic. Poor Nigel's head is all I have to say about that one.

I went hogwild and bought a lot of ROH's DVD's from 2006, which just so happened to be a banner year for the "little engine that could" promotion. I guess I was just so elated that somebody in this country was booking wrestling logically around the concept of wrestling as sport, I lost my senses!

I just ordered their PPV and the 2 Japan shows, and am really looking forward to seeing those as well.

I wonder in twenty years if we'll look back as fondly on some of the ROH "classics" as we do in other matches in this thread. I hope so, as that would mean the promotion continued to gain traction and grew.

[mwjergs]

I'd have to list matches that I've actually been to live. In no order in particular.

1) Kevin Sullivan v. Chris Benoit in a Falls Count Anywhere match at the Balto. Arena. I forget which GAB it was. They fought all over the arena and into the bathroom. Great fall with a fantastic finish of a Superplex off a table.

2) Ric Flair v. Jack Brisco - 83' -Balto. Arena. Angle was Brisco won a mini-tourney and got to face the NWA champ. A solid scientific matchup.

3) Lightning Kid (X-Pac) v. "Hard Rock" Ricky Blues - MEWF (Indy) in Dundalk, MD I believe. This was a really good light heavy match. This was around the time I saw the Kid on ESPN on Global. They really went all out in this one.

4) Tito Santana v. Greg Valentine - Cage Match - Tito wins the IC belt in a thrilling match

5) Tony Garea, Jay Strongbow, Jimmy Snuka, Bob Backlund, Andre v. Billy Graham, Sgt. Slaughter, Mr. Fuji, Ray Stevens, Don Muraco (Elimination style match - Garea and Strongbow get carted off and then the faces fight back and get the duke) Why is is here? Well it was the first main event I ever saw live. First time I saw Andre. I was hooked.

[Highway61Revisited]

HIGHWAY61's TOP 5 LUCHA 1990s

1. El Hijo del Santo/Octagon vs. Art Barr/Eddie Guerrero 11/6/1994
2. Octagon/El Hijo del Santo/Rey Misterio Jr. vs. Fuerza Guerrera/Psicosis/ Blue Panther 3/16/95
3. Negro Casas/ Atlantis/ Ultimo Dragon/ El Dandy/ Mascara Magica/ Shocker/ La Fiera/ Brazo De Oro vs. El Hijo del Santo/ Dr. Wagner, Jr./ Felino/ Scorpio, Jr./ Black Warrior/ Kevin Quinn/ Satanico/ Silver King 4/18/97
4. Chris Benoit vs. Villano III (1/26/97
5. Rey Mysterio, Jr. vs. Psicosis 9/22/95