As a wrestling fan, you already know wrestling is all about rivalries, and the intensity and storyline is a major factor why wrestling is undoubtedly one of the greatest sports entertainment in the world. Some matches stand out from others based on the storytelling, athleticism, and fan engagement that help these matches remain unforgettable.
In this article, we will discuss the best 10 truly memorable matches. To compile this list, we considered various factors, such as storytelling elements and athletic feats like technical holds, high-flying maneuvers, and power moves. Finally, we considered the crowd’s engagement and the overall impact of each match on history.
The matches we will describe to you in detail defined not only careers but have also left a lasting impact on professional wrestling. Let’s dive into these matches and see why they are the top 10 wrestling matches of all time.
| Match | Event | Year |
| The Undertaker vs. Shawn Michaels | WrestleMania 25 | 2009 |
| Bret Hart vs. Stone Cold Steve Austin | WrestleMania 13 | 1997 |
| The Rock vs. Hulk Hogan | WrestleMania 18 | 2002 |
| Ric Flair vs. Ricky Steamboat | Clash of the Champions VI | 1989 |
| Shawn Michaels vs. Razor Ramon | WrestleMania 10 | 1994 |
| Kenny Omega vs. Kazuchika Okada | NJPW Dominion | 2018 |
| Triple H vs. Cactus Jack | Royal Rumble | 2000 |
| John Cena vs. CM Punk | Money in the Bank | 2011 |
| Sasha Banks vs. Bayley | NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn | 2015 |
| The Hardy Boyz vs. The Dudley Boyz vs. Edge & Christian | TLC II, WrestleMania 17 | 2001 |
1The Undertaker vs. Shawn Michaels (WrestleMania 25, 2009)
The Undertaker vs Shawn Michaels at Wrestlemania 25 is widely recognised as one of the greatest professional matches of all time. The match was filled with masterful storytelling from beginning to end, The narrative centered on Shawn Michaels who was the smaller, agile wrestler who had to overcome The Undertaker’s gigantic size and undefeated streak.
Fans were emotionally invested throughout the match, and a series of near-falls, like Michaels kicking out of Undertaker’s Tombstone piledriver, added to the drama and suspense. The shocked look on the Undertaker’s face after this happened amplified the match in an instant, with fans chanting for both superstars and cheering them on as the match continued in its dramatic form.
Jim Ross, the commentator for the match summarized everything with the line “As a wrestling fan, how can you ask for anything more?” The match concluded with Undertaker executing his signature Tombstone Piledriver on Michaels successfully expanding his winning streak at Wrestlemania to 17-0.
2 Bret Hart vs. Stone Cold Steve Austin (WrestleMania 13, 1997)
The Bret Hart vs. Stone Cold Steve Austin Submission Match at WrestleMania 13 makes our list as one of the best wwe matches of all time. This claim is backed by many factors including the storytelling that captured our hearts, perfectly executed double turn, brutal brawling and technical skill. A “double turn” was the highlight of this match which transformed Bret Hart from a beloved fan favorite for many years into a villain and elevated Steve Austin who was a traditional heel to the status of a hero.
Hart’s relentless attacks on Austin’s pre-existing knee injury and use of many submission holds and strikes to inflict pain effectively turned the audience against him. Austin’s relentless spirit on the other hand, cemented his image as a tough, uncompromising anti-hero. He refused to submit to Hart’s Sharpshooter and we saw him eventually passed out from the pain rather than tapping out.
This match was a catalyst for the “Attitude Era” and Austin’s rise to superstardom as a defiant rebel. Jim Ross’s commentary further increased the intensity of the match.
3 The Rock vs. Hulk Hogan (WrestleMania 18, 2002)
The Rock vs Hulk Hogan at Wrestlemania X8 is considered one of the best matches not because of the technical skills displayed but for the crowd’s adoration for Hulk Hogan, even though the initial plan for the match was to have him as the villain. The fans adored Hogan, cheering on his every move, even when he performed actions typically associated with the heel, such as delivering a low blow or using his belt as a weapon.
Nobody could have guessed the reaction of the crowd and it ended up forcing the wrestlers to throw away the original match plan and go with something closer to what the crowd wanted. While it is most remembered for its pre match stare down between the stars and post match celebrations where Rock and Hogan showed mutual respect of one another.
4 Ric Flair vs. Ricky Steamboat (Clash of the Champions VI, 1989)
It has been called one of the best WWE matches to ever take place in North America. The blend of engaging storytelling and the flawless technical skills laid a blueprint for what wrestling should be. The holds, counters, and transitions that were executed with precision and fluidity taught us what peak wrestling skills look like,
The storytelling in the match was based on attention to small details. For instance, Steamboat lost the first fall to a seemingly simple mistake where Flair dodged his dropkick and secured the first fall. Small details like this made the match unpredictable and kept the audience guessing. Flair’s mastery of the villainous role, characterized by his begging-off, rule-breaking, and manipulation of the referee, added to the entire narrative and is a source of inspiration for wrestlers who followed him.
The influence this one match had on wrestling was huge, with many imitations following Boat and Flair’s style of the headlock into the quick pin, hard chops as offensive weapons, and the mastery of the role of a cowardly heel. It’s pretty painful that this battle was fought before the era of betting apps like the 1Win mobile app, where fans of wrestling can bet on their favorite.
5 Shawn Michaels vs. Razor Ramon (WrestleMania 10, 1994)
The ladder match between Shawn Michaels and Razor Ramon was the “first-ever televised Ladder Match.” Both Ramon’s and Michaels’ international title belts were suspended above the ring, and both wrestlers had to outmaneuver the other and climb the ladder to claim the championship. What made it so significant was that Michaels was stripped of the Intercontinental title in September 1993 when he was suspended, and Razor Ramon won it for the first time during the period of Michaels’s suspension,
Michaels claimed that he was the only Intercontinental champion since he wasn’t beaten for the title, and this argument had to be settled with the ladder fight. Both wrestlers made use of the ladder in a lot of creative ways, transforming it into a weapon, a platform for high-flying maneuvers, and an obstacle for both wrestlers. At the time, Michaels was very popular for his agility and willingness to take risks, which he showed off with his incredible bumping bouncing off the ladder as if it was the most painful object known to man.
The intensity of this match elevated the Intercontinental Championship’s prestige. The wrestlers were also important in popularizing the ladder match. Razor won back his title, but we remember both wrestlers for the skill they showed.
6 Kenny Omega vs. Kazuchika Okada (NJPW Dominion, 2018)
The Kenny Omega vs. Kazuchika Okada match at NJPW Dominion 2018 was awarded a seven-star rating out of five by Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter. It was the fourth match in their series, with Okada having defended his IWGP Heavyweight Championship against Omega in their three previous encounters but Omega defeated Okada in this bout.
Both wrestlers displayed incredible toughness, determination, agility, strength and precision in the two-out-of-three-falls match. The match was nearly a perfect hour long and this shows the stamina and resilience that both fighters had. The wrestlers showed prowess, with Omega consistently using his signature V-Trigger knee strike and eventually ended the match, which seemed to take forever, with a one-winged angel move.
7 Triple H vs. Cactus Jack (Royal Rumble, 2000)
The brutal street fight between Triple H and Cactus Jack for the WWF Heavyweight Title at the 2000 Royal Rumble. Mick Foley, otherwise referred to as Cactus Jack, dominated the early stages of the match with a fast and violent pace that Triple H hadn’t experienced before. A particularly brutal tackle saw Triple H suplexed onto wooden palettes, resulting in a deep gash in his left calf. Despite the injury, Triple H continued fighting.
The weapons used in this match were numerous and brutal. One weapon we remember vividly is the barbed wire, which Cactus Jack used in a very violent manner. Triple H also showed his love for violence with his use of handcuffs and thumbtacks,which were all used in visually disturbing manners.
This event helped establish Triple H as a solid player who can go toe-to-toe with a hardcore legend like Foley. The match ended with Foley kicking out of a pedigree before succumbing to a second one delivered on the thumbtacks.
8 John Cena vs. CM Punk (Money in the Bank, 2011)
While not universally considered one of the greatest, CM Punk vs John Cena MITB 2011 is one of the top WWE matches of all time. The build-up was immense, and it all started when CM Punk ran the infamous “pipebomb” promo in which he critiqued the entire WWE management and called out John Cena as a “phony” and a representation of everything he felt was wrong with WWE. All this was unscripted, and Cena being the company star made this promo gain a lot more attention, plus the fact that many of the fans shared the same resentment as Punk.
Punk’s contract was set to expire on the night of the Money in the Bank, adding an extra layer of excitement to the storyline, with many fans stipulating that if Punk won, he would leave the company with the WWE Championship title. The match took place in Punk’s hometown of Chicago, and with the crowd fiercely on his side, both wrestlers showcased their technical fighting skills. Vince McMahon and John Laurinaitis’ attempted to interfere in the match and even tried to unfairly strip Punk of his Championship title, but Cena refused to win by nefarious means.
The match eventually ended with Punk winning the match with his signature Go To Sleep finisher which sent the fans into a wild frenzy. Punk then exited through the crowd and disappeared into the night with the Championship raised high above his head staying true to his promise to leave the company with the title.
9 Sasha Banks vs. Bayley (NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn, 2015)
The perception of women’s wrestling in WWE changed a lot after the Banks vs. Bayley match at NXT TakeOver. It was a response to the #GiveDivasAChance movement because of fans’ complaints that women’s wrestling is usually short and uneventful. Well, everyone blamed it on the WWE’s treatment of female wrestlers.
It was fun watching Bayley play the role of a cheerful and optimistic underdog challenger pretty well while Sasha played the role of the arrogant heel champion a little too well with her trash-talks and arrogance. Sasha displayed ruthless skill which was unusual for women’s matches in that period. Sasha locked Bayley in her signature bank statement submission hold, and while Bayley tried to reach for the ropes with her injured hand, Sasha only proceeded to stomp on it. Bayley eventually countered the bank statement into a cross-face of her own.
Bank’s athleticism and willingness to put her body on the line in many situations, with one very memorable spot where she executed a suicide dive over the top rope, taking out Bayley and the referee. Bayley also showed skill and even delivered a top-rope poisoned Frankensteiner. The battle ended with Bayley hitting her signature Bayley-to-Belly suplex on Banks for the victory, becoming the NXT Women’s Champion.
10 The Hardy Boyz vs. The Dudley Boyz vs. Edge & Christian (TLC II, WrestleMania 17, 2001)
The Tables, Ladders & Chairs (TLC) match between Edge & Christian, The Hardy Boyz, and The Dudley Boyz at WrestleMania 17 is definitely one of the greatest matches to grace the stage of the WWE. The inclusion of sidekicks was retained in this match, and WWE presented all three teams as “brother” teams, although only Matt Hardy and Jeff Hardy were actual brothers. Jeff Hardy has the sickest bumps in this match, even taking a Swanton Bomb onto two opponents like it was nothing.
Edge and Christian played the roles of the arrogant and cunning heels, who eventually won the match through cheating. The physical toll of this match on the wrestlers must have been immense because brutal weapons were used asides the high level of brutal skill each team displayed throughout the duration of the match.
Conclusion
These matches have shaped wrestling matches in more ways than we can imagine, they have set the standards with the impressive storytelling, athleticism, and crowd engagement which the wrestlers involved in these match ups showed. Their influence on wrestling has been an inspiration for modern wrestling and fans who want to watch these classics and relive what true hardcore wrestling feels like can always relive the magic on streaming websites.
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