Wrestling Forum banner
Status
Not open for further replies.

Your 5 Star Match Lists

180K views 1K replies 189 participants last post by  redunk808 
#1 ·
What are matches you guys have given 5 stars? heres my list


-Ric Flair(c) vs Sting,NWA Title,NWA Clash Of The Champions

-Ric Flair vs Ricky Steamboat(c), NWA World Title ,Judges At Ringside,NWA/WCW WrestleWar 1989

-Bret Hart(c) vs Davey Boy Smith, WWF Intercontinental Title, WWF Summerslam 1992

-Bret Hart vs Owen Hart, WWF WrestleMania X

-Razor Ramon(c) vs Shawn Michaels,WWF IC Title,Ladder Match,WWF WrestleMania X

-Bret Hart(c) vs Shawn Michaels,WWF Title,60 Minute Iron Man Match,WWF Wrestlemania 12

-Megumi Kudo vs Combat Toyoda,Deathmatch,FMW 5-5-1996

-Rey Mysterio vs Psychosis,WCW Bash At The Beach 1996

-Bret Hart vs Steve Austin,Submission Match,WWF Wrestlemania 13

-Shawn Michaels(c) vs The Undertaker,WWF Title,Hell In A Cell,WWF Badd Blood 1997

-Rey Mysterio vs Eddie Guerrero(c),WCW CW Title vs Mask,WCW Halloween Havoc 1997

-Rob Van Dam(c) vs Jerry Lynn,ECW TV Title,ECW Hardcore Heaven 1999

-Bret Hart vs Chris Benoit,WCW Nitro 10-4-1999

-Triple H(c) vs Cactus Jack,WWF Title,Street Fight,WWF Royal Rumble 2000

-Triple H vs Steve Austin,2/3 Falls,WWF No Way Out 2001

-Edge And Christain vs The Hardy Boyz vs The Dudley Boyz(c),WWF Tag Titles,TLC,WWF WrestleMania X-Seven

-The Rock(c) vs Steve Austin,WWF Title,NO DQ,WWF WrestleMania X-Seven

-Kurt Angle vs Shane Mcmahon,Street Fight,WWF King Of The Ring 2001

-Kurt Angle vs Steve Austin(c),WWF Title,WWF Unforgiven 2001

-Shawn Michaels vs Triple H,Street Fight,WWE Summerslam 2002

-Kurt Angle and Chris Benoit vs Edge and Rey Mysterio,WWE Tag Titles(First),WWE No Mercy 2002

-Brock Lesnar(c) vs The Undertaker,WWE Title,Hell In A Cell,WWE No Mercy 2002

-Kurt Angle(c) vs Chris Benoit,WWE Title,WWE Royal Rumble 2003

-Kurt Angle(c) vs Brock Lesnar,WWE Title,Level Playing Field,WWE WrestleMania XIX

-Kurt Angle(c) vs Brock Lesnar,WWE Title,WWE Summerslam 2003

-Kurt Angle(c) vs Brock Lesnar,WWE Title,60 Minute Iron Man Match,WWE Smackdown 9-18-2003

-Kurt Angle vs Eddie Guerrero(c),WWE Title,WWE WrestleMania XX

-Brock Lesnar(c) vs Eddie Guerrero,WWE Title,WWE No Way Out 2004

-Triple H(c) vs Chris Benoit vs Shawn Michaels,WWE WHC,WWE WrestleMania XX

-Randy Orton(c) vs Cactus Jack,WWE IC Title,Hardcore Match,WWE Backlash 2004

-AJ Styles vs Chris Sabin vs Petey Williams(c),TNA X Title,Ultimate X,TNA Final Resolution 2005

-AJ Styles(c) vs Christopher Daniels,TNA X Title,30 Minute Iron Man Match,TNA Against All Odds 2005

-Kurt Angle vs Shawn Michaels,WWE WrestleMania 21

-John Cena(c) vs JBL,WWE Title,I Quit,WWE Judgment Day 2005

-AJ Styles vs Matt Hardy,IWC 7-29-2005

-AJ Styles vs Samoa Joe vs Christopher Daniels(c),TNA X Title,TNA Unbreakable 2005

-Samoa Joe vs Kenta Kobashi,ROH Joe vs Kobashi

-Kurt Angle(c) vs The Undertaker,WWE WHC,WWE No Way Out 2006

-Blood Generation vs Do Fixer,ROH Supercard Of Honor 3-31-2006

-John Cena vs Shawn Michaels,WWE Raw 4-23-2007

-Kurt Angle vs AJ Styles vs Samoa Joe vs Christain Cage vs ???,TNA World Title(First),KOM,TNA Slammiversary 2007

-Kurt Angle(c) vs Yuji Nagata,IGF Title,Tokyo Dome Show 1-4-2008

-Kurt Angle(c) vs Samoa Joe,TNA Title vs Career,Cage,TNA Lockdown 2008

-Kurt Angle vs Jeff Jarrett,NO DQ,TNA Genesis 2009

-Undertaker vs Shawn Michaels,WWE WrestleMania 25

-Kurt Angle vs Matt Morgan,TNA Bound For Glory 2009

-Kurt Angle vs AJ Styles(c),TNA Title,TNA Impact 1-4-2010

-Kurt Angle vs Mr Anderson,Cage,Escape Only,TNA Lockdown 2010

-MCMG(c) vs Beer Money,2/3 Falls,TNA Tag Titles,TNA Whole F'N Show

-AJ Styles vs Bully Ray,Last Man Standing,TNA Slammiversary IX 2011

-Eddie Edwards(c) vs Davey Richards,ROH Title,ROH Best In The World 2011

-John Cena(c)vs CM Punk,WWE Title-WWE Money In The Bank 2011


Out of the thousands of matches i have seen i have 52 5 star matches. pretty special.

anyway id love to see ur guys's lists
 
See less See more
#1,451 ·
Here's my updated list w/ 2017 additions!

AWA

Curt Hennig vs. Nick Bockwinkel (11/15/86)

NWA/WCW

Ric Flair vs. Terry Funk (11/15/89)
Eddie Guerrero vs. Rey Mysterio Jr. (10/26/97)

WWE

Sgt. Slaughter vs. The Iron Sheik (06/16/84)
30-Man Royal Rumble (01/19/92)
Bret Hart vs. Owen Hart (03/20/94)
Bret Hart vs. Steve Austin (03/23/97)
Shawn Michaels vs. The Undertaker (10/05/97)
Shawn Michaels vs. The Undertaker (04/05/09)
CM Punk vs. Daniel Bryan (05/20/12)
Daniel Bryan, Kane & Ryback vs. Dean Ambrose, Roman Reigns & Seth Rollins (12/16/12)
Brock Lesnar vs. CM Punk (08/18/13)
John Cena vs. Daniel Bryan (08/18/13)
Cesaro vs. Sami Zayn (02/27/14)
Daniel Bryan vs. Triple H (04/06/14)
Daniel Bryan vs. Roman Reigns (02/22/15)
Sami Zayn vs. Shinsuke Nakamura (04/01/16)
Dash Wilder & Scott Dawson vs. Johnny Gargano & Tommaso Ciampa (11/19/16)
AJ Styles vs. Brock Lesnar (11/19/17)

NJPW

Riki Choshu vs. Shinya Hashimoto (08/02/96)
Kazuchika Okada vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi (10/14/13)
AJ Styles vs. Minoru Suzuki (08/01/14)
Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Kota Ibushi (01/04/15)
Kazuchika Okada vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi (01/04/16)
Kazuchika Okada vs. Katsuyori Shibata (04/09/17)
Kazuchika Okada vs. Kenny Omega (08/12/17)

AJPW

Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Mitsuharu Misawa (09/01/90)
Akira Taue, Jumbo Tsuruta & Masanobu Fuchi vs. Kenta Kobashi, Mitsuharu Misawa & Toshiaki Kawada (05/22/92)
Dan Kroffat & Doug Furnas vs. Kenta Kobashi & Tsuyoshi Kikuchi (05/25/92)
Akira Taue & Toshiaki Kawada vs. Kenta Kobashi & Mitsuharu Misawa (12/03/93)
Kenta Kobashi & Mitsuharu Misawa vs. Akira Taue & Toshiaki Kawada (05/21/94)
Mitsuharu Misawa vs. Toshiaki Kawada (06/03/94)
Akira Taue vs. Mitsuharu Misawa (04/15/95)
Kenta Kobashi & Mitsuharu Misawa vs. Akira Taue & Toshiaki Kawada (06/09/95)
Akira Taue & Toshiaki Kawada vs. Jun Akiyama & Mitsuharu Misawa (12/06/96)
Kenta Kobashi vs. Mitsuharu Misawa (01/20/97)
Kenta Kobashi vs. Jun Akiyama (07/24/98)
Mitsuharu Misawa vs. Jun Akiyama (02/27/00)
Kenta Kobashi vs. Yoshihiro Takayama (05/26/00)

NOAH

Mitsuharu Misawa & Yoshinari Ogawa vs. KENTA & Naomichi Marufuji (04/25/04)
Kenta Kobashi vs. Yoshihiro Takayama (04/25/04)

Kensuke Office

Akihiko Ito, Atsushi Aoki, KENTA & Kenta Kobashi vs. Katsuhiko Nakajima, Kensuke Sasaki, Kento Miyahara & Takashi Okita (08/17/08)

BJW

Hideki Suzuki vs. Yuji Okabayashi (05/05/17)

ROH

Bryan Danielson vs. Low Ki (03/30/02)
Bryan Danielson vs. Paul London (04/12/03)
Samoa Joe vs. CM Punk (12/04/04)
Samoa Joe vs. Kenta Kobashi (10/01/05)
Bryan Danielson vs. Nigel McGuinness (08/12/06)
Bryan Danielson vs. KENTA (09/16/06)
Bryan Danielson vs. Nigel McGuinness (06/09/07)
Takeshi Morishima vs. Bryan Danielson (08/25/07)
Nigel McGuinness vs. Bryan Danielson (02/23/08)
Nigel McGuinness vs. Bryan Danielson (11/22/08)
El Generico vs. Kevin Steen (12/18/10)

PWG

Chris Hero vs. Bryan Danielson (09/04/09)

EVOLVE

Timothy Thatcher vs. Zack Sabre Jr. (02/25/17)

CWF Mid-Atlantic

Trevor Lee vs. Chip Day (03/25/17)
 
#1,417 · (Edited)
I usually don't do star ratings, so I will only name five of my favorite matches in every promotion

NJPW
. Riki Choshu vs Yoshiaki Fujiwara - 6/9/87
. Andre the Giant vs Stan Hansen - 9/23/81
. Jushin Thunder Liger vs Naoki Sano - 8/10/89
. Shinya Hashimoto vs Genichiro Tenryu - 8/8/93
. 5 vs 5 Gauntlet Challenge - 4/19/84

AJPW
. Billy Robinson vs Nick Buckwinkel - 12/11/80
. Genichiro Tenryu & Jumbo Tsuruta vs Riki Choshu & Yoshiaki Yatsu - 1/28/86
. Terry Funk vs. Stan Hansen - 4/14/83
. Toshiaki Kawada vs Mitsuharu Misawa - 3/6/94
. Toshiaki Kawada & Akira Taue vs Mitsuharu Misawa & Kenta Kobashi - 6/9/95

BattlARTS
. Yuki Ishikawa vs Carl Greco - 6/9/08
. Daisuke Ikeda vs Yuki Ishikawa - 5/27/98
. Daisuke Ikeda & Takeshi Ono vs Yuki Ishikawa & Alexander Otsuka - 10/30/96
. Ishikawa/Sawa/Otsuka vs Ikeda/Super Tiger 2/Usuda - 7/26/08
. Alexander Otsuka vs Daisuke Ikeda - 11/5/97

FUTEN
. Yuki Ishikawa vs Daisuke Ikeda - 4/25/05
. Makoto Hashi & Kengo Mashimo vs. Daisuke Ikeda & Takahiro Oba - 10/24/10
. Takeshi Ono vs Daisuke Ikeda - 9/26/10
. Fujita Jr. Hayato vs. NARITA - 1/30/11
. Daisuke Ikeda vs Manabu Suruga - 11/24/10

RINGS
. Kiyoshi Tamura vs Volk Han - 1/22/97
. Kiyoshi Tamura vs Yoshihisa Yamamoto - 6/24/99
. Volk Han vs Tsuyoshi Kohsaka - 8/24/96
. Volk Han vs Yoshihisa Yamamoto - 6/17/95
. Volk Han vs Kiyoshi Tamura - 9/25/96

WCW
. WarGames Match - WrestleWar 1992
. Meng vs The Giant - 9/14/98
. Dustin Rhodes & Ricky Steamboat vs Arn Anderson & Larry Zbyszko - Clash of the Champions XVII
. Arn Anderson vs Dustin Rhodes - 01/04/92
. Steamboat/Rhodes/Koloff vs Anderson/Eaton/Zbyszko - 5/23/92

WWE
. Finlay vs Chris Benoit - Judgment Day 2006
. Brock Lesnar vs Roman Reigns - Wrestlemania 31
. Brock Lesnar vs John Cena - Extreme Rules 2012
. Umaga vs John Cena - Royal Rumble 2007
. Rey Mysterio vs Eddie Guerrero - 6/23/05

WWF
. Sgt. Slaughter vs Iron Sheik - Boot Camp Match 1984
. Sgt. Slaughter vs Bob Backlund - 21/3/81
. Stone Cold Steve Austin vs Kurt Angle - Summerslam 2001
. Stone Cold Steve Austin vs Bret Hart - Wrestlemania 13
. Greg Valentine vs Tito Santana - 1/21/85

Memphis AKA Jerry Lawler
. Jerry Lawler vs Bill Dundee - 6/6/83
. Jerry Lawler vs Bill Dundee - 12/30/85
. Jerry Lawler vs Terry Funk - 3/23/81
. Jerry Lawler vs Dutch Mantell - 3/29/82
. Jerry Lawler vs Austin Idol - 4/27/87

ROH
. Bryan Danielson vs Nigel McGuinness - 6th Anniversary
. Bryan Danielson vs Roderick Strong - Vendetta
. Bryan Danielson vs Takeshi Morishima - Manhattan Mayhem
. CM Punk vs Roderick Strong - Escape from NY
. Cage of Death - Death Before Dishonor IV

EMLL
. MS-1 vs Sangre Chicana - 9/23/83
. El Satanico vs Gran Cochisse - 9/14/84
. Chicana/Fiera/M.Cota vs Satanico/MS-1/Espectro Jr. - 9/30/83
. Atlantis vs Blue Panther - 8/9/91
. Americo Rocca vs Mocho Cota - 1/27/84

CMLL
. Cicloncito Ramirez vs Damiancito El Guerrero - 1/7/97
. El Dandy vs ***** Casas - 7/3/92
. El Hijo del Santo vs ***** Casas - 9/19/97
. Bracito De Oro/Cicloncito/Mascarita vs Damiancito/Fierito/Pierrothito - 10/3/97
. MS-1/Morgan/Satanico vs Los Brazos - 11/22/91

AAA
. Pirata Morgan vs El Satanico - 11/26/93
. LA Park vs El Mesias - 12/5/10
. Espectrito vs Mascarita Sagrada - 3/12/94
. El Mariachi vs Blue Panther - 10/30/94
. Santito/Octagon/Misterio/Parka vs Panther/Fuerza/Pentagon/Psicosis - 6/18/95

In a few days I will do the NWA/AWA/Mid South and Other Shoot Style lists
 
#1,439 · (Edited)
I actually watched stuff! I'm gonna keep updating even if no one else posts, so prepare for shameless double/triple/etc posting if it happens.
Magnum TA v. Tully Blanchard (NWA 11/28/85)

BEFORE THE MATCH – Haven’t seen this in years. Little doubt in mind it holds up, and whether it’s five stars or not I guess I’ll find out. Dunno if I ever actually considered it “five stars” but I think my peak appreciation for it came after I gave up star ratings so maybe I did.

THE MATCH – Total master class in hate-filled violence. From the very second they tie up there’s steam coming out of both of their ears. One of my favourite little things in the entire match is very early when they’re both just on the floor doing what is maybe a one-armed test of strength before Tully breaks it up. It’s just so reckless and sloppy, they didn’t know how to start off the match – they just know they wanted the other guy to be in as much shitting pain as possible. Even the mundane wrestling moves and general cage stuff looked so much more filled with vitriol. Let alone when they’re literally JUST ripping at each other’s faces, psychopathically clawing at hair and eyes. Tully’s arm gets shredded, Magnum’s head gets busted, they walloped each other with the microphone and the smack sounded like someone tenderizing meat for schnitzel, the both of them screamed into the mic like they were giving birth through the throat, they could barely move when delivering basic moves like an atomic drop.

The commentators really add to this, too. They stay silent for the real bulk of chaos, and it comes off like they’re breathless just watching the fucked up mess in front of them.

The chair spike for the end match sums up the whole thing – it just came off of chair when Tully threw it on the floor. No set up, nobody’s going through a TV monitor or falling off of something in a contrived spot, nothing fancy about it. It’s a disgusting jagged piece of wood, and it’ll get the job done. A lot of the match is like they wanted to violently kill each other, and their emotions came over them so much that their bodies’ could barely listen. They did whatever came to them at the time and needed no game plan. This match will always be one of the greats. Best gimmick match of all time?

IS IT FIVE STARS? – It might possibly be borderline, but yes. What starts out as “just” a great match cage match turns into something truly transcendent. This is that masterpiece eyes-glued-to-the-screen-level shit. I have it on again while typing and I’m having trouble looking away from it.

Yoshiaki Fujiwara v. Super Tiger (UWF 12/5/84)

BEFORE THE MATCH – These two make probably one of the best series of matches in wrestling footage history. I’m going to at least watch this one, and 9/11/85. I thought the latter was their best but their second best being five stars or close doesn’t seem unrealistic, if at least based on my memory. And any excuse to watch Fujiwara.

THE MATCH –
Still fantastic, to absolutely no surprise. Classic kick v. grapple, with both guys going into early confrontations super cautiously. Fujiwara is just incredible. His fighting stances and baiting for kicks only to counter are so crazily natural looking that for a split second you’d think it was MMA. Sayama tried levelling the kicks not only for a little damage, but I think to bait Fujiwara himself into a missed grab so Tiger could really take advantage. Tiger delivers some motherfucking brutal kicks to the head, too. There are some while Fujiwara is on the floor that’ll make your own brain rattle, but the corker of them all is late in the match. Fujiwara does the best sell of a kick to the head I’ve ever seen, tumbling down fucking perfectly and sliding his hands down the ropes sideways along the way. Almost directly after that Fujiwara dodges another kick but it’s as if moving his own body caused him to spin out dizzy, and he collapsed onto the ground and wound up in serious deep shit. It was there when Sayama’s kicks started doing it’s damage (and it just kept getting worse and worse), and quite literally perfectly sold by Fujiwara. Favourite part of the match.

My other favourite part of the match was a sort of chain that began with Sayama landing one heavy kick on Fujiwara’s leg, which made Fujiwara tumble backward a bit. Sayama took major advantage of that and kept on kicking until Fujiwara was down. Then both guys wound up on their feet and I thought the leg thing had no major bearing on the match, despite being what felt like the first big move. I was proven well wrong when Fujiwara comes out with forty five swinging fists – HIS first big move in the match. The leg got him in trouble and this was his way of making sure he was going to get some time on top, even if it was risky with Tiger being able to spring a kick out of nowhere. He was getting desperate.

Really awesome vocal selling throughout too, which I’ve never really thought about it before, but I kind of find is more important in shoot style than any other type of wrestling. I especially loved Sayama choking and coughing, which to be fair may have not been a work but whatever.

IS IT FIVE STARS? – No. This dumbass project will be awkward in some cases where I say negative things about matches I think are basically classics, but five stars is the real mega uber all time classics and I didn’t get that from this until the final stretch. Some odd transitions and missed opportunities to elevate the match kind of put this on a lower level to the real top of the line. The grappling is good but not next-level or anything, which doesn’t matter in the long run but again, does for five stars. I think shoot style really benefits from not having 25 minute long matches, too.

It would have been five stars if the entire match was as good as the last six or so minutes though. I have to refrain myself from just continuing talking about how cool it was. I didn’t even mention Fujiwara fighting back with kicks of his own, or the amazing way he sold his own headbutt. Fuck I wasn’t gonna rewatch Fujiwara/Choshu but I think I have to.

El Satanico v. Pirata Morgan (AAA 11/19/93)


BEFORE THE MATCH – Watched this on the 1993 yearbook and it was indescribable to see this match that I didn’t know existed until the set came out. One of the best apuestas matches I’ve seen, the single best AAA match I’ve seen, and an easy MOTYC from 1993. Before rewatching it I can name but two matches from the 1993 year I think are better. I HAD to watch this again.

THE MATCH
– Satanico gets the jump on Morgan pre-introduction, and already has his teeth around Morgan’s bleeding forehead 3 minutes into the match. Can I just gush about how fun the selling and bumping is? I know I harp on this a lot sometimes, but it really means a lot to me when a wrestler sells a punch well. Not to mention Morgan starts the match bumping into the turnbuckles in a way I don’t think I can describe in words. He even does that Flair/Michaels turnbuckle flip bump in a more convincing way than I think I’ll ever see.

Third fall is no duh where the match takes off and sweet Christ does it take off. I don’t even really know what to say. The just hit each other. Neither guy has a realllllll extended period to work on top because they just keep fucking hitting each other. Both guys look exhausted the whole thing and every single move in the match feels like it means something. This is how you make your moves matter, motherfucker. Every little stomp, every elbow, every punch, every headbutt. It felt like it all counted and added something positive to the match. In fact I will go on record saying I remember two specific things in this entire 20+ minutes that I thought he match could have fixed. TWO THINGS. I was utterly captivated the entire time.

IS IT FIVE STARS?
– Arguably, but not……You know? To fuck with it, I’m gonna say yes, at least for now when this project is still in it’s infancy. The fact I want to watch the match again right now is taking precedent over my nigglings about it maybe just being a top ****3/4 match. I think most won’t agree, including maybe even me at a later date, but five stars.
Volk Han v. Kiyoshi Tamura (RINGS 9/25/96)

BEFORE THE MATCH – Gotta be honest with this one, there’s almost no way I give it five stars. But their other two matches I might, so why not just watch their first with them.

THE MATCH – I miss watching RINGS so much. The rope break/KO points system adds so much drama to matches, and these two are the most electric shoot style wrestlers in the universe to watch. Absolute fucking masters of suspense, drama and rolling around on the floor like gay sex. Motherfucking five star moment when Tamura has all of his limbs wrapped around one of Han’s legs, only for Han to nab a quick armbar which lead to Tamura letting go – except for his leg which was stuck and he had to quickly unravel. There was one leglock where Tamura’s leg was really awfully bent behind himself too.

Another five star moment when Han was locked in an armbar himself, went toward the ropes but found an opening to swiftly free himself, so he wouldn’t get a rope point. Tamura kept building up those rope points himself, so he unleashes a spot that I forgot was one of my favourite spots of all time – a straight kick to the gut. Han goes down like punching bag cut from the ceiling and probably lost every bit of oxygen in him for a good few seconds. That kick leads to a 9 count which feels like the “even the playing field” moment for Tamura. Han is a little sluggish in the next exchange compared to how swift he was the rest of the match, so the playing field might not be so even after all. Just incredible wrestling. A fucking classic in 11 minutes and somehow the worst match they had together.

IS IT FIVE STARS? – I wouldn’t argue with someone who thought so, but no. I worry that I’m only thinking that because I know they have two better matches that may actually be five stars, but it’s been so long since I’ve seen them that I think I can look at this one alone, and I don’t think it’s five stars. I can’t even drum up reasons or flaws as to why; it’s just not of “that” level of quality.
Volk Han v. Kiyoshi Tamura (RINGS 1/22/97)

BEFORE THE MATCH
– Unlike most people I’ve always thought their third match was their best instead of this one. Been years now though so lemme see.

THE MATCH – Tamura is real persistent compared to last match, and heavily laying in kicks, mostly successfully to Han’s legs and hips. Han does what he can to take it to mat, including trying to weaken Tamura with palm strikes, but Tamura’s pressure-bringing doesn’t let Han get anywhere near as much of the advantage as he was going for. And it’s not like Tamura can’t take anybody on the mat, but if he can equal Han on the mat yet best him in pure strikes – he’s gonna go to the strikes. His tenacity means frequent rope breaks this time, too. He was quicker to avoid getting in a jam than he was in September, and his speed took Han off guard a lot more this time.

Some of the exchanges in this are unreal. Is Han avoiding the leglock by hopping, then Tamura kipping up the greatest five seconds of any match ever? Hey! I’ll answer that – NO! The best five seconds of wrestling ever is Tamura delivering the exact same kick to the gut to Han that he did in the 96 match! It only got an 8 count this time! Reference! Chills and goosebumps. Han at one point prevents Tamura from grabbing the ropes by clutching his wrists, that was also awesome and simple fucking brilliance.

I literally could not list everything good about this match if I tried, and it’s only 13 minutes long.

IS IT FIVE STARS? – Yep. This doesn’t have every cool thing that’s in their 96 match, but if it did it would be like why even have two matches or whatever. This is still basically their 96 turned up to 11. Or 5…from a maximum possible 4 and a half shut up.
Volk Han v. Kiyoshi Tamura (RINGS 9/26/97)

BEFORE THE MATCH – One year and one day after their first match. That’s neat huh. Like I said I always thought this was their best, but after the rewatch 1/22/97 will be difficult to top. I’m excited!!!!

THE MATCH
– I forgot to mention (shock) that the 1/22 started with a five million out of ten swinging wristlock takedown attempt by Han. He started the match with the same thing here and landed it, and it leads Tamura to use up a rope break way too early in the match for him. Really awesome spot that feels like it plays off of their other matches.

Tamura was pretty kick reliant in this but he came off as a lot less desperate early on than in 1/22. This was the first match of the three by the ten minute mark where it felt like Tamura had the very clear lead and Han had to work upward or risk losing the match. Brilliant, brilliant spot where Han gets up immediately following a couple of violent to say he’s ok, just to avoid getting knockdown points. Then on one specific kick to Han’s leg (after a series of them), Han tumbles and tries to get up immediately again, but the ref counts it as a knockdown and starts counting. Tamura does the gut kick third match in a row after that, and it only gets a seven count this time. That’s one less each time. SEX! Tamura gets a chokehold on IMMEDIATELY following that, causing Han to get the ropes, and causing his points just keep climbing higher and higher. End match really honestly feels like a great conclusion to their series, even though they were supposed to face again in January 1998. Fucked up that never got to happen.

IS IT FIVE STARS? – Yes. Though I actually do think the January match is better now.
Jerry Lawler v. Bill Dundee (CWA 6/6/83)

BEFORE THE MATCH
– Watched this first time years ago and thought it was great, but very clearly below their 85 match. Watched it one or two more times and felt the same thing. Watched it again in December 2013 and thought it was basically the best match I’d ever seen. I’ll copy/paste what I said back then.

THE MATCH
What did I just watch? I’ve seen this more than once but I have never been so freakishly connected to it. In fact I cannot remember the last time I got this involved in a match, or the last time I thought a match was this good. It almost felt like I was watching the greatest wrestling match of all time. The opening was enough to make me a drooling fan girl. It was the greatest ‘big time fight’ boxing opening I have ever seen, and when Lawler swung that punch and Dundee flinched, fell flat on his arse and rolled out of the ring, I lost it. I had to rewind it multiple times and I swear to God it may be my new favourite wrestling match moment that has ever happened. It was the perfect opening line for this kind of loser leaves town match. The punches themselves are godly. Is there a match in history with better punches and selling of punches ever? Any fool is taught how to throw a punch in wrestling, but execution is everything, and these two don’t fuck around with selling hard punches. They don’t do the simple pissy ‘stomp and move head’, they go all out with swinging bodies and stumbling and jolting their head in the right direction of the punch. I remember multiple specific punch sells from this and I suspect I’ll remember them for a while. They’re also perfect when selling how hard the punch is. It’s like they know how much force each other will put behind the punch and sell appropriately based on that. And every punch felt big; there wasn’t a single move used to waste time, used for filler, used to set up something more elaborate– this was all important shit. Punches punches PUNCHES PUNCHES MOTHERFUCKER THE PUNCHES.

Most of this is punches, but, again, execution is everything, and when you’re executing the greatest punches in any wrestling match ever then you can afford to use mostly punches. Not any two wrestlers could do this. Everything outside of punches is classic too, though. Lawler’s sell of the first shoulder block might be the best one I’ve ever seen, the missed leg drop sell might be the best I’ve ever seen, and he did ‘gets hit off of the apron and bounces off table’ better than anybody I’ve ever seen. None of this is hyperbole or exaggeration. I actually loved the referee getting involved. In a lot matches without rules they get in the way and the attention almost gets dragged towards them, but I thought the sight of Tommy Gilbert trying to tear Dundee away from the bleeding Lawler was an incredible sell of how ruthless Dundee was being; like an animal tamer stopping a lion attack. Some of the concrete spots are a little rough to think about, even if we don’t really get to see the fall. Lawler does that ‘holds onto the ropes and nearly falls backward’ spot, and actually falls. There aren’t mats here, either - it was pure concrete, so I don’t give a shit if you see it or not, just the idea of that is brutal.

I’ve tried but I cannot explain this match in full detail. If I were to mention everything right with it I would have to do an honest move-by-move play-by-play. Not a single move wasted, not a single thing felt unimportant, not a single thing didn’t keep me totally gripped. Big match with a big match feel and wrestlers in the front row and fans getting unglued and just an indescribable piece of footage. I swear, this match truly feels like a surreal, unreal, all time classic. It’s basically perfect. Maybe it’s because I haven’t been watching truly amazing wrestling for a while, but I felt like if we had the full match it might be a Greatest Match of All Time contender. And it may not even be the best Jerry Lawler v. Bill Dundee match. This is the 80s.
My rewatch did nothing to change anything I said there, really. I should just add that Dundee had the greatest missed elbow of all time. Easily among my top ten favourite matches and as of now, top ten best. Like I actually am not kidding saying I don’t believe how good the match is. I must be imagining that it even exists. Damn shame it isn’t the full match.

IS IT FIVE STARS?
–. I could have said yes without rewatching it but I was absolutely going to rewatch it no matter what. I honestly think I might give this five stars if it was half as long. If the gap in quality between this and 85 is as big as I used to think, then 85 is by far the single greatest wrestling match in history.



Jerry Lawler v. Bill Dundee (CWA 6/6/83)
Magnum TA v. Tully Blanchard (NWA 11/28/85)
El Satanico v. Pirata Morgan (AAA 11/19/93)
Volk Han v. Kiyoshi Tamura (RINGS 1/22/97)
Volk Han v. Kiyoshi Tamura (RINGS 9/26/97)

Man I'm way more lenient than I used to be. Wait, no, don't overthink, you fool. That sucks the fun out of it like always.

side-note: I love how this thread is rated four stars.
 
#1,433 · (Edited)
I'll ballpark mine starting from 1994 onward. A lot I really need to see from the 80's/90's (I really need to spend time watching AJPW). But yeah from then on it's most of the token matches you'd expect to see.

1994: Bret Hart v Owen Hart - WWF WrestleMania 10
1994: Shawn Michaels v Razor Ramon - WWF WrestleMania 10
1994: Eddie Guerrero/Art Barr v Octagon/El Hijo del Santo - When World's Collide
1996: Shinya Hashimoto v Nobuhiko Takada - Battle Formation
1996: Bret Hart v Steve Austin - WWF Survivor Series
1997: Bret Hart v Steve Austin - WWF WrestleMania 13
1997: Eddie Guerrero v Rey Mysterio - WCW Halloween Havoc
1997: Koji Kanemoto v El Samurai - NJPW BOSJ
1997: Shawn Michaels v The Undertaker - WWF Badd Blood
2000-2001: Edge/Christian v Dudley Boys v Hardy Boyz - Ladder/TLC series (fuck you, I'm not picking.The GOAT car crashes)
2001: Steve Austin v The Rock - WWF WrestleMania 17
2002: Kurt Angle/Chris Benoit v Edge/Rey Mysterio - WWE No Mercy
2004: Kenta Kobashi v Jun Akiyama - NOAH Departure
2004: Kenta Kobashi v Yoshihiro Takayama - NOAH Encountering Navigation
2005: Kenta Kobashi v Samoa Joe - ROH Joe vs. Kobashi
2009: Shawn Michaels v The Undertaker - WWE WrestleMania 25
2012: Hiroshi Tanahashi v Minoru Suzuki - NJPW King of Pro Wrestling
2013: Shinsuke Nakamura v Kazushi Sakuraba - NJPW WrestleKingdom 7
2014: AJ Styles v Minoru Suzuki - NJPW G1 Climax
2014: Katsuyori Shibata v Tomohiro Ishii - NJPW G1 Climax
2015: Shinsuke Nakamura v Kota Ibushi - NJPW WrestleKingdom 9
2016: Hiroshi Tanahashi v Kazuchika Okada - NJPW WrestleKingdom 10
2016: Tetsuya Naito v Kenny Omega - NJPW G1 Climax
 
#2 ·
Seventeen five star matches featuring Kurt Angle. That's got to be the worst list I've ever seen.

My viewing is nowhere near complete, but here's my ROH list:

Bryan Danielson vs. Paul London, The Epic Encounter
Samoa Joe vs. CM Punk, Joe vs. Punk II
Samoa Joe vs. CM Punk, All-Star Extravaganza II
Davey Richards & Eddie Edwards vs. Bryan Danielson & Tyler Black, Tag Title Classic

There's a big gap in my ROH viewing between May 06 and September 08. Since I haven't seen Danielson/Nigel and Danielson/KENTA in context, I'm not entirely sure they're five stars.

Of the WWE shit I've seen, I think I'd give the No Mercy 02 tag and Triple H/Michaels/Benoit the full five. My Japan list is embarrassingly incomplete as well. Haven't seen anything I'd give five to from TNA, PWG, etc.
 
#11 ·
Flair vs. Funk 1989
Misawa vs. Kawada 1994
Super J Cup 94 Final
Misawa/Kobashi vs. Kawada/Taue 1995 (two matches, I dont remember the dates)
Misawa vs. Kobashi 1997
Kawada vs. Tenryu 2000
Kawada vs. Sasaki 2000
Misawa vs. Kobashi 2003
Kobashi vs. Joe 2005
Kobashi vs. Sasaki 2005
Joe vs. Styles TP 2005
Joe vs. Styles vs. Daniels 2005
Flair vs. Michaels 2008
Angle vs. Anderson 2010
 
#132 ·
6/3/94 is really close and I hold the Austin/Hart Wrestlemania match in really high regard too. Can't go wrong with the Flair/Steamboat '89 stuff either but I like the Flair/Funk matches a little more since Funk is my GOAT. Guy could draw me into his matches like no one else.

Taue when he was able to bring his A-game is also one of the funnest guys to watch.
 
#133 ·
I loved the Funk vs Flair GAB match when I watched it for a WCW ballot, haven't seen the I Quit in forever but I can't imagine it not rivalling GAB. Recently saw Funk vs Steamboat in 89 and Funk was immense as the insane psycho with no regard for his or Steamboat's well being, one of the best DQ endings as well.

Taue has the unique ability to me of never standing out as much during one of the more infamous tags (bar when he and Kawada try to make the other impotent) but then when I think back about what was mostly good about it, more often than not he ends up being maybe the best guy in the match or very very close to being the best.

Still not seen Kawada vs Taue 1993 and hoping to change that soon.
 
#643 · (Edited)
All Japan Pro Wrestling


• Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Mitsuharu Misawa — 6-8-1990


• Jumbo Tsuruta, Akira Taue, & Masanobu Fuchi vs. Mitsuharu Misawa, Toshiaki Kawada, & Kenta Kobashi — 4-20-1991


• Doug Furnas & Dan Kroffat vs. Kenta Kobashi & Tsuyoshi Kikuchi — 5-25-1992


• Mitsuharu Misawa, Kenta Kobashi, & Jun Akiyama vs. Toshiaki Kawada, Akira Taue, & Yoshinari Ogawa — 7-2-1993


• Stan Hansen vs. Kenta Kobashi — 7-29-1993


• Steve Williams vs. Kenta Kobashi — 8-31-1993


• Mitsuharu Misawa & Kenta Kobashi vs. Toshiaki Kawada & Akira Taue — 12-3-1993


• Mitsuharu Misawa & Kenta Kobashi vs. Toshiaki Kawada & Akira Taue — 5-21-1994


• Mitsuharu Misawa vs. Toshiaki Kawada — 6-3-1994


• Toshiaki Kawada vs. Kenta Kobashi — 1-19-1995


• Mitsuharu Misawa & Kenta Kobashi vs. Steve Williams & Johnny Ace — 3-4-1995


• Mitsuharu Misawa & Kenta Kobashi vs. Toshiaki Kawada & Akira Taue — 6-9-1995


• Mitsuharu Misawa vs. Toshiaki Kawada — 7-24-1995


• Toshiaki Kawada & Akira Taue vs. Mitsuharu Misawa & Kenta Kobashi — 10-15-1995


• Mitsuharu Misawa & Jun Akiyama vs. Steve Williams & Johnny Ace — 6-7-1996


• Mitsuharu Misawa & Jun Akiyama vs. Toshiaki Kawada & Akira Taue — 12-6-1996


• Kenta Kobashi vs. Mitsuharu Misawa — 1-20-1997


• Mitsuharu Misawa vs. Kenta Kobashi — 10-21-1997


• Toshiaki Kawada vs. Kenta Kobashi — 6-12-1998


• Kenta Kobashi vs. Mitsuharu Misawa — 10-31-1998


• Mitsuharu Misawa vs. Toshiaki Kawada — 1-22-1999


• Mitsuharu Misawa vs. Kenta Kobashi — 6-11-1999


• Mitsuharu Misawa & Yoshinari Ogawa vs. Kenta Kobashi & Jun Akiyama — 10-23-1999




All Japan Women


• Manami Toyota vs. Toshiyo Yamada — 8-15-1992


• Manami Toyota & Toshiyo Yamada vs. Dynamite Kansai & Mayumi Ozaki — 11-26-1992


• Kyoko Inoue & Takako Inoue vs. Mayumi Ozaki & Cutie Suzuki — 4-2-1993


• Manami Toyota & Toshiyo Yamada vs. Dynamite Kansai & Mayumi Ozaki — 4-11-1993


• Aja Kong vs. Manami Toyota — 11-20-1994




Dragon Gate USA


• Davey Richards vs. Shingo Takagi — 9-6-2009




New Japan Pro Wrestling


• Naoki Sano vs. Jushin "Thunder" Liger — 1-31-1990


• Wild Pegasus vs. The Great Sasuke — 4-16-1994


• Jushin "Thunder" Liger vs. Shinjiro Ohtani — 2-9-1997


• Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Hirooki Goto — 11-11-2007


• Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Kazuchika Okada — 4-7-2013


• Kazuchika Okada vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi — 10-14-2013


• Tetsuya Naito vs. Kenny Omega — 8-13-2016




Pro Wrestling NOAH


• Mitsuharu Misawa vs. Kenta Kobashi — 3-1-2003


• Kenta Kobashi vs. Jun Akiyama — 7-10-2004


• Naomichi Marufuji vs. KENTA — 10-29-2006




Ring of Honor


• A.J. Styles vs. Paul London — Night of the Grudges (6-14-2003)


• Samoa Joe vs. C.M. Punk — Joe vs. Punk II (10-16-2004)


• Samoa Joe vs. Kenta Kobashi — Joe vs. Kobashi (10-1-2005)


• Bryan Danielson vs. Nigel McGuinness — Unified (8-12-2006)


• Bryan Danielson vs. KENTA — Glory by Honor V, Night 2 (9-16-2006)


• Jay & Mark Briscoe vs. The Motor City Machineguns — Good Times, Great Memories (4-28-2007)


• Bryan Danielson vs. Nigel McGuinness — Driven (taped 6-9-2007)


• Tyler Black vs. Davey Richards — Death Before Dishonor VIII (6-19-2010)




Total Nonstop Action/Impact Wrestling


• A.J. Styles vs. Samoa Joe vs. Christopher Daniels — Unbreakable (9-11-2005)




World Championship Wrestling


• Ricky Steamboat vs. Ric Flair — Clash of the Champions VI (4-2-1989)


• Ricky Steamboat vs. Ric Flair — WrestleWar '89 (5-7-1989)


• "Sting's Squadron" vs. The Dangerous Alliance — WrestleWar '92 (5-17-1992)


• Eddie Guerrero vs. Rey Mysterio Jr. — Halloween Havoc '97 (10-26-1997)




World Wrestling Federation/Entertainment


• Randy Savage vs. Ricky Steamboat — WrestleMania III (3-29-1987)


• Bret Hart vs. Owen Hart — WrestleMania X (3-20-1994)


• Razor Ramon vs. Shawn Michaels — WrestleMania X (3-20-1994)


• Bret Hart vs. Owen Hart — SummerSlam '94 (8-29-1994)


• Bret Hart vs. Shawn Michaels — WrestleMania XII (3-31-1996)


• Bret Hart vs. Steve Austin — WrestleMania XIII (3-23-1997)


• Kurt Angle & Chris Benoit vs. Edge & Rey Mysterio — No Mercy (10-20-2002)


• Kurt Angle vs. Chris Benoit — Royal Rumble 2003 (1-19-2003)


• HHH vs. Shawn Michaels vs. Chris Benoit — WrestleMania XX (3-14-2004)


• The Undertaker vs. Shawn Michaels — WrestleMania 25 (4-5-2009)


• The Undertaker vs. Shawn Michaels — WrestleMania 26 (3-28-2010)
 
#1,436 ·
My updated list:

All Japan Pro Wrestling


• Jumbo Tsuruta & Genichiro Tenryu vs. Riki Choshu & Yoshiaki Yatsu — 1-26-1986


• Stan Hansen & Terry Gordy vs. Genichiro Tenryu & Toshiaki Kawada — 12-16-1988


• Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Genichiro Tenryu — 6-5-1989


• Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Mitsuharu Misawa — 6-8-1990


• Jumbo Tsuruta, Akira Taue, & Masanobu Fuchi vs. Mitsuharu Misawa, Toshiaki Kawada, & Kenta Kobashi — 4-20-1991


• Mitsuharu Misawa & Toshiaki Kawada vs. Terry Gordy & Steve Williams — 12-6-1991


• Doug Furnas & Dan Kroffat vs. Kenta Kobashi & Tsuyoshi Kikuchi — 5-25-1992


• Mitsuharu Misawa, Kenta Kobashi, & Jun Akiyama vs. Toshiaki Kawada, Akira Taue, & Yoshinari Ogawa — 7-2-1993


• Stan Hansen vs. Kenta Kobashi — 7-29-1993


• Steve Williams vs. Kenta Kobashi — 8-31-1993


• Mitsuharu Misawa & Kenta Kobashi vs. Toshiaki Kawada & Akira Taue — 12-3-1993


• Steve Williams vs. Toshiaki Kawada — 4-16-1994


• Mitsuharu Misawa & Kenta Kobashi vs. Toshiaki Kawada & Akira Taue — 5-21-1994


• Mitsuharu Misawa vs. Toshiaki Kawada — 6-3-1994


• Steve Williams vs. Kenta Kobashi — 10-3-1994


• Toshiaki Kawada vs. Kenta Kobashi — 1-19-1995


• Mitsuharu Misawa & Kenta Kobashi vs. Steve Williams & Johnny Ace — 3-4-1995


• Mitsuharu Misawa vs. Akira Taue — 4-15-1995


• Mitsuharu Misawa & Kenta Kobashi vs. Toshiaki Kawada & Akira Taue — 6-9-1995


• Mitsuharu Misawa vs. Toshiaki Kawada — 7-24-1995


• Toshiaki Kawada & Akira Taue vs. Mitsuharu Misawa & Kenta Kobashi — 10-15-1995


• Mitsuharu Misawa & Jun Akiyama vs. Steve Williams & Johnny Ace — 6-7-1996


• Mitsuharu Misawa & Jun Akiyama vs. Toshiaki Kawada & Akira Taue — 12-6-1996


• Kenta Kobashi vs. Mitsuharu Misawa — 1-20-1997


• Mitsuharu Misawa vs. Kenta Kobashi — 10-21-1997


• Toshiaki Kawada vs. Kenta Kobashi — 6-12-1998


• Kenta Kobashi vs. Mitsuharu Misawa — 10-31-1998


• Mitsuharu Misawa vs. Toshiaki Kawada — 1-22-1999


• Mitsuharu Misawa vs. Kenta Kobashi — 6-11-1999


• Mitsuharu Misawa & Yoshinari Ogawa vs. Kenta Kobashi & Jun Akiyama — 10-23-1999




All Japan Women


• Manami Toyota vs. Toshiyo Yamada — 8-15-1992


• Manami Toyota & Toshiyo Yamada vs. Dynamite Kansai & Mayumi Ozaki — 11-26-1992


• Kyoko Inoue & Takako Inoue vs. Mayumi Ozaki & Cutie Suzuki — 4-2-1993


• Manami Toyota & Toshiyo Yamada vs. Dynamite Kansai & Mayumi Ozaki — 4-11-1993


• Aja Kong vs. Manami Toyota — 11-20-1994




Dragon Gate USA


• Davey Richards vs. Shingo Takagi — 9-6-2009




New Japan Pro Wrestling


• Naoki Sano vs. Jushin "Thunder" Liger — 1-31-1990


• Wild Pegasus vs. The Great Sasuke — 4-16-1994


• Jushin "Thunder" Liger vs. Shinjiro Ohtani — 2-9-1997


• Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Hirooki Goto — 11-11-2007


• Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Kazuchika Okada — 4-7-2013


• Kazuchika Okada vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi — 10-14-2013


• Tetsuya Naito vs. Kenny Omega — 8-13-2016


• Kazuchika Okada vs. Kenny Omega — 1-4-2017




Pro Wrestling NOAH


• Mitsuharu Misawa vs. Kenta Kobashi — 3-1-2003


• Kenta Kobashi vs. Jun Akiyama — 7-10-2004


• Naomichi Marufuji vs. KENTA — 10-29-2006




Ring of Honor


• A.J. Styles vs. Paul London — Night of the Grudges (6-14-2003)


• Samoa Joe vs. C.M. Punk — Joe vs. Punk II (10-16-2004)


• Samoa Joe vs. Kenta Kobashi — Joe vs. Kobashi (10-1-2005)


• Bryan Danielson vs. Nigel McGuinness — Unified (8-12-2006)


• Bryan Danielson vs. KENTA — Glory by Honor V, Night 2 (9-16-2006)


• Jay & Mark Briscoe vs. The Motor City Machineguns — Good Times, Great Memories (4-28-2007)


• Bryan Danielson vs. Nigel McGuinness — Driven (taped 6-9-2007)


• Tyler Black vs. Davey Richards — Death Before Dishonor VIII (6-19-2010)




Total Nonstop Action/Impact Wrestling


• A.J. Styles vs. Samoa Joe vs. Christopher Daniels — Unbreakable (9-11-2005)




World Championship Wrestling


• Ric Flair vs. Ricky Steamboat — Chi-Town Rumble (2-20-1989)


• Ricky Steamboat vs. Ric Flair — Clash of the Champions VI (4-2-1989)


• Ricky Steamboat vs. Ric Flair — WrestleWar '89 (5-7-1989)


• "Sting's Squadron" vs. The Dangerous Alliance — WrestleWar '92 (5-17-1992)


• Eddie Guerrero vs. Rey Mysterio Jr. — Halloween Havoc '97 (10-26-1997)




World Wrestling Federation/Entertainment


• Randy Savage vs. Ricky Steamboat — WrestleMania III (3-29-1987)


• Bret Hart vs. Owen Hart — WrestleMania X (3-20-1994)


• Razor Ramon vs. Shawn Michaels — WrestleMania X (3-20-1994)


• Bret Hart vs. Owen Hart — SummerSlam '94 (8-29-1994)


• Bret Hart vs. Shawn Michaels — WrestleMania XII (3-31-1996)


• Bret Hart vs. Steve Austin — WrestleMania XIII (3-23-1997)


• Kurt Angle & Chris Benoit vs. Edge & Rey Mysterio — No Mercy (10-20-2002)


• Kurt Angle vs. Chris Benoit — Royal Rumble 2003 (1-19-2003)


• HHH vs. Shawn Michaels vs. Chris Benoit — WrestleMania XX (3-14-2004)


• The Undertaker vs. Shawn Michaels — WrestleMania 25 (4-5-2009)


• The Undertaker vs. Shawn Michaels — WrestleMania 26 (3-28-2010)
 
#1,421 · (Edited)
I have an old list over here and I don't know if this still holds it up in my mind, but with a few touches here and there, it would look like this:

WWF/E:
Steve Austin Vs Bret Hart - Wrestlemania XIII
Undertaker Vs Kurt Angle Vs Triple H Vs The Rock Vs Rikishi Vs Steve Austin - Hell in a Cell - WWF Armageddon 2000
Steve Austin Vs The Rock - Wrestlemania X-7
Hardy Boyz Vs Dudley Boyz Vs Edge & Christian - Tables, Laders and Chairs - Wrestlemania X-7
The Rock & Chris Jericho & Big Show & Kane & Undertaker Vs Booker T & Steve Austin & Rob Van Dam & Kurt Angle & Shane McMahon - WWF: Survivor Series 2001
The Rock Vs Hulk Hogan - WWF: Wrestlemania X8
Triple H vs Chris Jericho - Hell in a Cell - WWE: Judgement Day 2002
Triple Vs Shawn Michaels - Unsanctioned Match - WWE: Summerslam 2002
Shawn Michaels Vs Triple H Vs Booker T Vs Kane Vs Rob Van Dam Vs Chris Jericho - Elimination Chamber - WWE Survivor Series 2002
Ric Flair Vs Shawn Michaels - Wrestlemania XXIV
Shawn Michaels Vs Undertaker - Wrestlemania XXV
Shawn Michaels Vs Undertaker - Wrestlemania XXVI
John Cena Vs CM Punk - MITB 2011
Daniel Bryan Vs John Cena - Summerslam 2013
Brock Lesnar Vs CM Punk - Summerslam 2013
Roman Reigns Vs Brock Lesnar - Wrestlemania XXXI


TNA
Samoa Joe Vs Christopher Daniels Vs AJ Styles - Unbreakable 2005


ROH
Low Ki vs Doug Williams vs Spanky vs Christopher Daniels - Crowning a Champion
Samoa Joe Vs CM Punk - World Title Classic
Samoa Joe Vs CM Punk - Joe Vs Punk II
ROH(Claudio Castagnoli, Delirious, Rocky Romero & Austin Aries) Vs Dragon Gate(CIMA, Dragon Kid, Ryo Saito & Yokosuka) - ROH: All Star Estravaganza 3
Kenta Kobashi Vs Samoa Joe - Joe Vs Kobashi
Bryan Danielson Vs KENTA - Glory By Honor V Night 2
Nigel MacGuinness Vs Bryan Danielson - Unified


PWG
Bryan Danielson Vs Chris Hero - Guerre Sans Frontieres
¡Peligro Abejas! Vs Young Bucks Vs Cutler Brothers – Guerrilla Warfare - PWG Seven


CZW
John Zandig Vs Sick Nick Mondo - 2 Out of 3 Falls Log Cabin Deathmatch - CZW: Tournament of Death II
Ian Rotten Vs Necro Butcher - Fans Bring Weapons - CZW: Tournament of Death II


NJPW
Naoki Sano Vs Jushin Thunder Liger - 1-31-1990
Hiroshi Tanahashi Vs Hirooki Goto - Destruction 2007
Hiroshi Tanahashi Vs Satoshi Kojima - G1 Climax 2010 Final
Kota Ibushi Vs Shinsuke Nakamura - Wrestle Kingdom 9


AJPW

Jumbo Tsuruta Vs Genichiro Tenryu - 05/06/1989
Mitsuharu Misawa Vs Toshaki Kawada - 03/06/1994


NOAH
Kensuke Sasaki Vs Go Shiozaki - 24/07/10


Dragon Gate

YAMATO Vs Naruki Doi - Compilation Gate 2010
 
#1,432 · (Edited)
Bumping this excellent thread, because I love going back & reading it - and I'd be really interested in seeing other people's lists!

Here's my updated one:

AWA
Curt Hennig vs. Nick Bockwinkel (11/15/86)

NWA/WCW
Ric Flair vs. Terry Funk (11/15/89)
Eddie Guerrero vs. Rey Mysterio Jr. (10/26/97)

WWE
Sgt. Slaughter vs. The Iron Sheik (06/16/84)
Bret Hart vs. Owen Hart (03/20/94)
Bret Hart vs. Steve Austin (03/23/97)
Shawn Michaels vs. The Undertaker (04/05/09)
CM Punk vs. Daniel Bryan (05/20/12)
Daniel Bryan, Kane & Ryback vs. Dean Ambrose, Roman Reigns & Seth Rollins (12/16/12)
Brock Lesnar vs. CM Punk (08/18/13)
John Cena vs. Daniel Bryan (08/18/13)
Cesaro vs. Sami Zayn (02/27/14)
Daniel Bryan vs. Triple H (04/06/14)
Daniel Bryan vs. Roman Reigns (02/22/15)
Sami Zayn vs. Shinsuke Nakamura (04/01/16)
Dash Wilder & Scott Dawson vs. Johnny Gargano & Tommaso Ciampa (11/19/16)

NJPW
Riki Choshu vs. Shinya Hashimoto (08/02/96)
AJ Styles vs. Minoru Suzuki (08/01/14)
Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Kota Ibushi (01/04/15)
Kazuchika Okada vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi (01/04/16)

AJPW
Akira Taue, Jumbo Tsuruta & Masanobu Fuchi vs. Kenta Kobashi, Mitsuharu Misawa & Toshiaki Kawada (05/22/92)
Dan Kroffat & Doug Furnas vs. Kenta Kobashi & Tsuyoshi Kikuchi (05/25/92)
Akira Taue & Toshiaki Kawada vs. Kenta Kobashi & Mitsuharu Misawa (12/03/93)
Kenta Kobashi & Mitsuharu Misawa vs. Akira Taue & Toshiaki Kawada (05/21/94)
Mitsuharu Misawa vs. Toshiaki Kawada (06/03/94)
Akira Taue vs. Mitsuharu Misawa (04/15/95)
Kenta Kobashi & Mitsuharu Misawa vs. Akira Taue & Toshiaki Kawada (06/09/95)
Akira Taue & Toshiaki Kawada vs. Jun Akiyama & Mitsuharu Misawa (12/06/96)
Kenta Kobashi vs. Mitsuharu Misawa (01/20/97)
Kenta Kobashi vs. Jun Akiyama (07/24/98)
Mitsuharu Misawa vs. Jun Akiyama (02/27/00)
Kenta Kobashi vs. Yoshihiro Takayama (05/26/00)

NOAH
Kenta Kobashi vs. Yoshihiro Takayama (04/25/04)

IWA-MS
Chris Hero vs. CM Punk (02/07/03)

ROH
Bryan Danielson vs. Paul London (04/12/03)
Samoa Joe vs. CM Punk (12/04/04)
Samoa Joe vs. Kenta Kobashi (10/01/05)
Bryan Danielson vs. Nigel McGuinness (08/12/06)
Bryan Danielson vs. KENTA (09/16/06)
Bryan Danielson vs. Nigel McGuinness (06/09/07)
Takeshi Morishima vs. Bryan Danielson (08/25/07)
Nigel McGuinness vs. Bryan Danielson (02/23/08)
Nigel McGuinness vs. Bryan Danielson (11/22/08)
El Generico vs. Kevin Steen (12/18/10)

PWG
Chris Hero vs. Bryan Danielson (09/04/09)
 
#1,437 · (Edited)
I haven't given snowflakes in nearly seven years but I do miss something about them. I would never go back to it because of how much of a hassle I found it in the end, but I think keeping a five star list might be cool. I'm gonna watch and re-watch a bunch of matches and see if I'd give them five, just for fun. Posting this here so if I don't do it I encourage people to yell at me. Gonna re-watch matches I think are classics, and use sources to see stuff for the first time. Maybe I'll finally actually watch some 2010s New Japan.

Edit. holy crap I used UK dating in my first post in this thread. Long damn time ago, that was.
 
#1,442 ·
FINALLY got around to watching Kobashi vs Takayama from 2000, and by God, that was disgusting.

Takayama would knee Jesus himself square in the fucking face just for looking at him funny. Hell, that wouldn't even be necessary, he'd do it just because he can. Match hasn't even started and he's already looking to kill Kenta with a roundhouse to the side of the head :lmao Kobashi naturally answers in kind. Not even 5 minutes in and he's already DDT'ing the big motherfucker on the floor and chopping him square in the face. Takayama also proves you don't need no engineering degree to work a fuckin' arm; just knee it and drop your fat ass enough times on it and you'll render it nearly useless. Fantastic stuff, just an all-out war.

"No closed fists :mad:" get the hell outta here with that bullshit.

*****.
 
#1,443 · (Edited)
yay update

El Hijo del Santo v. Espanto Jr. (Monterrey 8/31/86)

BEFORE THE MATCH - One of my favourite lucha pairs with 3 fucking awesome matches together under the belt, but this mask v. mask is by far their magnum opus. Man I remember a lot about this. Santo’s an amazing tecnico with a lot of evidence to prove that, but this is probably the #1 match I can remember where he gets to display it. I remember it being such an incredible fight from the bottom.

THE MATCH - Nope it’s an even better fight from the bottom than remembered. Always amazed me how emotive Santo is able to come off with a mask, and to boot, shitty video quality that feels like it’s using the whole building’s source of power to keep up. Right before the match even started he looked SUPER concerned, and that was justified when Espanto spent almost all of fall 1 and 2 tossing him around, laying him out, and by the end of fall 2, shredding his mask. I forgot Espanto has the best snap mares in history. Everyone else moves forward during a snap mare so it looks like they’re using their own momentum to propel the opponent forward. Espanto grips his opponent with both hands and swing his upper body so it looks like he’s tossing them by the neck. Really great visual.

End of fall 1 Santo comes out really gutted. He got I think three moves in altogether, and spends a bunch of time post-fall reflecting on the outside. Crouched, laying his head against the post and hitting his forehead with his palm. Children come up to him and pat on the back and face and hold his hand, and it’s the kind of thing you’d think is too pure for this stinky little form of entertainment we watch.

I absolutely love how Santo is able to put more behind his flashy moveset than just the flash – it actually looks like that what he needs to do to get out of a sticky situation. With that said I loved it more that in this match after a world’s beating, and already failing to come back with the flashy stuff, he goes straight to kneeing heads and throwing around back body drops. Awesome dive prep spot after that where he kicks Espanto’s legs from underneath him while Espanto is running. Unlike most spots where the receiver might bump against the ropes, here Espanto falls outside and lands on his knees on the concrete.

Espanto was awesome getting himself back in control. Snap mare sends Santo to the outside so he mega hurriedly follows him, then slams him on the concrete and swings a chair into his head. In the ring he’s like a kodiak bear ripping at a sheep, chewing on Santo’s head and (from what I could tell) spitting the blood into the air. His punches were nasty looking too. Santo had a great comeback, and the visual of him pulling at Espanto’s mask with one arm while barely even able to stand tops all other visuals. Exactly what you want a mask/mask match to be, and as far as I’m concerned it even goes a little beyond.

IS IT FIVE STARS? - Fuck yeah. It’s everything I remembered PLUS. I don’t remember the match having cuts, though; skips around a couple times like we miss five seconds every few minutes. Freezes at a couple points, too. Tried two different video sources, might have to check my DVD instead. Not like watching it again would hurt.
Blue Panther v. Atlantis (EMLL 8/9/91)

BEFORE THE MATCH – Another lucha pair who had more than one awesome match, and another time they have – to me – a clear best of the bunch (I’ll watch their mask match for this five stars thing I think though). With that said I almost have no recollection of it at this point in time. DIVE IN.

THE MATCH – I haven’t seen Blue Panther in such a long time and enjoyed the shit out of this mostly because of it. Almost like watching him for the first time. Incredibly cool sell of an armdrag (or rather the bit where you stand up after an arm drag), and I loved his armlock takedown being more about the hold and not the takedown. He wrapped it on Atlantis and instead of throwing Atlantis down; he locked it in firmly so Atlantis looked like he was in so much pain he just couldn’t continue standing up. Panther also has some dumb in-theory holds but he’s so amazing at making them work. There was one where he basically gave Atlantis a headscissor takedown to the arm, and had his boot across Atlantis’ chin when the wound up on the floor. Another where in a surfboard he has his legs bizarrely placed so his feet wind up near Atlantis’ crotch. He totally comes off as a guy who you believe spends all his time finding different ways to bend tree branches to prepare for big matches like this.

Atlantis’ mat work hasn’t held up as much. Always thought he’s an excellent tecnico and definitely not a shabby mat worker overall in this, but I think I used to hold him just below that top tier of Casas or Panther. If this is any match to judge, and I’m pretty sure it is, he’s SEVERELY outclassed by the top tier. I probably only really held that opinion in the first place because I hadn’t run into ***** Navarro yet. Honestly I didn’t have any problem per se with the way Atlantis worked his holds here (little more force behind things, so it didn’t obviously look like Panther was just rolling himself would have been nice, though), but he’s working evenly with Panther and my brain couldn’t grasp that as realistic. It’s like if instead of focusing on the kicks, Super Tiger just kept to the mat against Fujiwara and they were consistently competitive. Wouldn’t have even brought his mat work up if Panther was destroying him like he should’ve been.

Atlantis winds up winning the first fall with some off-of-mat stuff anyway, so yeah. The match basically lifts into third gear from there. Bit of a sudden change, but with high stakes it feels fine. Third fall has some fantastic prevention of moves. Really simple stuff like Panther keeping himself back-on-the-ground (even when lifted up) to prevent a sharpshooter, or Atlantis making executing an octopus a living hell for Panther only with one leg out of place. Lead to some bits where they had to try different things to get the hold locked on.

The selling was…kind of questionable in the third fall, and it took me out of it a bit. They had that sort of thing going where they’d trade moves so you’d almost forget the previous move even happened. That in some way can absolutely work if pulled off right, yeah; I bring up “desperation move” as a huge positive all the time. I just think eating a dive and getting laid out, then delivering a German suplex, and then being on your feet ready to run is not pulling it off right. The grogginess was there, but it wasn’t there enough for me.

IS IT FIVE STARS? – I didn’t think it was even at all whatsoever close. Almost certain I’d not give it four stars any more. I really don’t want to say “doesn’t hold up” because that sounds like I hated it’s stinking guts because fuck the English language, but six years ago I would’ve said this was one of maybe the ten best matches I’d ever seen. So in that regard it really, really, really doesn’t hold up. I’m actually surprised how much I’ve gone done on it, even if I do think overall it is really good. Man this feeling is fucked, maybe I’ll watch it again in a week. I hate losing a favourite.
Jushin Liger v. The Great Sasuke (New Japan 4/16/94)

BEFORE THE MATCH – It’s THAT J-Cup match. THAT one that all people who have watched puro for five minutes have seen. THAT one with the best, most fitting botch probably ever. Obviously been eight hundred years since I last saw this. Never really thought it was five stars but what the hell let’s watch it.

THE MATCH – Every bit of this match is fucking great. Sasuke may be head cheese in Michinoku Pro, but Michinoku Pro is bush league compared to New Japan. Liger was laying it in most of the beginning because he was just flat “better” and Sasuke hadn’t faced someone of Liger’s calibre before. Liger kind of acted like it too, the cockiness is important to the overall match. Loved how Liger kept getting tenser with his moves; shaking the head more, wrenching his arms, and you could hear him yelling to put torque in. Bit of arm work was really good. Sasuke sells it like a wolverine has a hold of it, and Liger swaps up moves so the ligaments or some shit don’t get too comfortable.

Brilliant comeback by Sasuke; hitting a gorgeous Asai moonsault and senton atomico, in a risk v. reward that paid off. It was all or nothing for nothing for him and he had to go for it. Like Liger he got more and more intense after that trying to put the match to rest. The bloody razor’s edge-style powerbomb was scary as fuck for a split second. Sasuke saving himself on a Liger-dodged senton by rolling was fucking awesome, and Liger shotei blasting him in the face was even better. Liger shaking his own arm after the pin attempt was awesome too. Liger still doesn’t shake being cocky as fuck when hitting the top rope frankensteiner. Can’t help himself but go for posing instead of a more effective pin. Guess what that was? Awesome. All awesome.

One nitpick that extends beyond this match - I hate how liberal juniors are with the tombstone piledriver. It’s like a routine bodyslam to them. Luckily for me when Liger ate one, he sold it WELL after he got his own move in. He’s another guy like Santo that’s stupidly good at selling emotion despite not seeing his face.

The botched finish is iconic (at least among English-speaking puro fans, I know jack all beyond that), and I honestly think it’s one of the best finishes of all time. Liger couldn’t even stop acting cocky after Sasuke had actually got the lead. Sasuke was “indie guy”, Liger was “big junior star.” He clapped like an asshole when Sasuke tripped up and signalled that the match was basically 500% his now, and it cost him everything. In addition, after that frankensteiner, Sasuke took a hell of a German suplex, a suplex to the outside of the fucking ring, a dive, a kick to the face, and more. He was out of it so that one slip up is so damn fitting. This match is so well put together.

IS IT FIVE STARS? – Like I said I never really thought it was, but it holds up incredibly well. Really is a great match. Definitely watching 7/8 again.
Wild Pegasus v. The Great Sasuke (New Japan 4/16/94)

BEFORE THE MATCH – It’s THAT J-Cup match. The THAT final of the THAT THAT. Obviously been eight hundred years since I last saw this. Never really thought it was five stars but what the hell boobies.

Also, wow, I love the ring name Wild Pegasus. It’s really thematic yet doesn’t force you into any particular theme. You can just be a dude in white pants and you’re playing the role.

THE MATCH – First ten minutes went by and I basically felt nothing. Solid wrestling for sure but not a lot of rhyme or reason to it, I suppose I’d say? I’m trying to remember stuff that stood out as particularly good and I can’t even think of anything. There a cool Sasuke leg drop where Benoit turned his head at exactly the right time so as to avoid a legit smack across the chin, but the way he did it, he made it look as if Sasuke’s leg was turning it. That was neat. Benoit has a great bridging German as always.

Match picks up into the hot finish run and it does get better from there. Still not GREAT, though. Sasuke’s selling was really good especially of his leg, and his big moves like the Sasuke special like the Liger match felt like necessary risks to take. Benoit’s offense off of the mat looked great. My favourite part was actually Liger being there with the M-Pro guys cheering Sasuke back into the ring after a big move.

This was fine wrestling and an overall good match, but it mostly didn’t do a WHOLE lot for me, and unlike Panther/Atlantis I’m pretty sure a rewatch won’t fix that.

IS IT FIVE STARS? – Yeah it’s not even close. I loved eight years ago when every puro match was something new and fresh to me, almost like I was watching a new gimmick match each time, or some kind of new cartoon, but those days ended a long, long time ago. While most stuff I think undoubtedly holds up as fantastic (if even if not “as five stars”), some other stuff doesn’t. I don’t even think there’s much wrong with this match but I never felt it was picking up to be truly great. Certainly good but I'm struggling to find interesting things to really praise it for.

Jerry Lawler v. Bill Dundee (CWA 6/6/83)
Magnum TA v. Tully Blanchard (NWA 11/28/85)
El Hijo del Santo v. Espanto Jr. (Monterrey 8/31/86)
Randy Savage v. The Ultimate Warrior (WWF 3/24/91)
El Satanico v. Pirata Morgan (AAA 11/19/93)
Volk Han v. Kiyoshi Tamura (RINGS 1/22/97)
Volk Han v. Kiyoshi Tamura (RINGS 9/26/97)
 
#1,457 · (Edited)
yay update


BEFORE THE MATCH – Unlike the two matches above I really really liked this but people around me call it a MOTYC, and wasn’t really getting that so much as it’s just a great match. Has one of the best spots ever though (I’m saying that a lot aren’t I) Hashimoto in 1996 is a potential WOTYC, but he really doesn’t have that ONE amazing match to me the whole year. Maybe this will be it now?
If you don't think the CHOOOSHUUUUUUUUUUU match at the G-1 is amazing then I'm pretty sure you don't have a soul, shame my breh :(

And the Takada match is outstanding, I'm reading through your reviews and it's pretty weird how you toss out all the context out of most of these matches. What makes them special as they are (don't care if they are "5 snowflakes or not, besides at this point we are at like what? *******7/17 stars as the new measuring stick? :grin2:) is precisely the story surrounding them.

yay update

Wild Pegasus v. The Great Sasuke (New Japan 4/16/94)

BEFORE THE MATCH – It’s THAT J-Cup match. The THAT final of the THAT THAT. Obviously been eight hundred years since I last saw this. Never really thought it was five stars but what the hell boobies.

Also, wow, I love the ring name Wild Pegasus. It’s really thematic yet doesn’t force you into any particular theme. You can just be a dude in white pants and you’re playing the role.

THE MATCH – First ten minutes went by and I basically felt nothing. Solid wrestling for sure but not a lot of rhyme or reason to it, I suppose I’d say? I’m trying to remember stuff that stood out as particularly good and I can’t even think of anything. There a cool Sasuke leg drop where Benoit turned his head at exactly the right time so as to avoid a legit smack across the chin, but the way he did it, he made it look as if Sasuke’s leg was turning it. That was neat. Benoit has a great bridging German as always.

Match picks up into the hot finish run and it does get better from there. Still not GREAT, though. Sasuke’s selling was really good especially of his leg, and his big moves like the Sasuke special like the Liger match felt like necessary risks to take. Benoit’s offense off of the mat looked great. My favourite part was actually Liger being there with the M-Pro guys cheering Sasuke back into the ring after a big move.

This was fine wrestling and an overall good match, but it mostly didn’t do a WHOLE lot for me, and unlike Panther/Atlantis I’m pretty sure a rewatch won’t fix that.

IS IT FIVE STARS? – Yeah it’s not even close. I loved eight years ago when every puro match was something new and fresh to me, almost like I was watching a new gimmick match each time, or some kind of new cartoon, but those days ended a long, long time ago. While most stuff I think undoubtedly holds up as fantastic (if even if not “as five stars”), some other stuff doesn’t. I don’t even think there’s much wrong with this match but I never felt it was picking up to be truly great. Certainly good but I'm struggling to find interesting things to really praise it for.
I've always thought the best of the mid 90's Junior matches with Benoit was the 96' BOSJ Semifinal against Eddie. The way they bring alive a dead crowd by simple storytelling amazes me to this day.

The Super J Cup always been overrated aside from Liger/Sasuke *shrugs*
 
#1,448 ·
Not reeeeeeally *****, but I'm honestly thinking about going ****3/4 for Hybrid Dolphins VS The Young Bucks from DDT4 2009.

Pretty sure it's the first time I've ever seen it, and holy shit was Danielson in a nasty fuckin' mood for this. Roddy's always been a hard-hitting motherfucker, but the way Bryan just straight up kicked both Nick and Matt's asses made Roddy look like fuckin' Bayley in comparison. I dunno what that makes The Bucks, but they got legit mauled in this one.

Plenty of moments that made me let out a shocked/slightly maniacal laugh during the match, but there's one in particular where Bryan's just casually wrecking Matt's shit, so Nick gets up on the ropes, just innocently cheering for his poor brother; Dragon just turns around, completely unprovoked, SPITS IN NICK'S FACE AND SENDS HIM FLYING OFF THE APRON WITH A SAVAGE FUCKIN' ELBOW :lmao:lmao:lmao:lmao:lmao Amazing.

Probably ****3/4 for this disgusting spectacle and hope that Bryan got a restraining order from The Bucks after this. I mean, fuck me.
 
#1,454 ·
1998 WCW halloween havoc GOLDBERG vs DDP

1994 WWF wrestlemania ladder match MICHAELS vs RAMON
1997 WWF wresltemania submission match HART vs AUSTIN
1997 WWF badd blood hell in a cell UNDERTAKER vs MICHAELS
2004 WWE backlash hardcore match ORTON vs CACTUS JACK
2005 WWE vengeance hell in a cell BATISTA vs HHH
2006 WWE no way out UNDERTAKER vs ANGLE
2007 WWE raw CENA vs MICHAELS
2008 WWE no mercy ladder match JERICHO vs MICHAELS
2009 WWE the bash title vs mask JERICHO vs MYSTERIO
2010 WWE wrestlemania streak vs career UNDERTAKER vs MICHAELS
2011 WWE money in the bank CENA vs PUNK
2012 WWE wrestlemania hell in a cell UNDERTAKER vs HHH
2012 WWE tlc HELL NO&RYBACK vs SHIELD
2013 WWE summerslam CENA vs BRYAN
2014 WWE summerslam CENA vs LESNAR
2014 WWE survivor series TEAM CENA vs TEAM AUTHORITY
2016 WWE survivor series LESNAR vs GOLDBERG

2005 TNA unbreakable DANIELS vs STYLES vs JOE
2005 TNA against all odds iron man STYLES vs DANIELS
2005 TNA turning point STYLES vs JOE
2008 TNA lockdown cage match ANGLE vs JOE

2002 ROH all star extravaganza STYLES vs DANIELSON
2002 ROH round robin challenge DANIELSON vs LOW-KI
2002 ROH night of appreciation STYLES vs LOW-KI
2004 ROH testing the limit DANIELSON vs ARIES
2004 ROH midnight express reunion JOE vs DANIELSON
2004 ROH world title classic JOE vs PUNK
2004 ROH joe vs punk II JOE vs PUNK
2004 ROH all star extravaganza JOE vs PUNK
2005 ROH redemption four way elimination DANIELS vs PUNK vs GIBSON vs JOE
2005 ROH final battle KENTA vs LOW-KI
2006 ROH glory by honor DANIELSON vs KENTA

2013 NJPW invasion attack TANAHASHI vs OKADA
2015 NJPW invasion attack STYLES vs IBUSHI
2016 NJPW wrestle kingdom NAKAMURA vs STYLES
2016 NJPW wrestle kingdom OKADA vs TANAHASHI
2016 NJPW king of pro wrestling OKADA vs MARUFUJI
2017 NJPW wrestle kingdom NAITO vs TANAHASHI
2017 NJPW g1 climax TANAHASHI vs SABRE

2015 LU all night long PUMA vs MUNDO
2015 LU grave consequences casket match MUERTES vs FENIX

2003 IWA mid south when hero met punk two out of three falls PUNK vs HERO

2009 DRAGON GATE USA open the untouchable gate DANIELSON vs NARUKI DOI
 
#1,456 · (Edited)
- HBK vs. Taker - Hell in a Cell + Wrestlemania 25 + Wrestlemania 26
- Hart vs. Austin - Wrestlemania 13
- HBK vs. Austin - Wrestlemania 14
- HHH vs. Cactus Jack - Royal Rumble
- HHH vs. HBK - Summer Slam
- CM Punk vs. Samoa Joe - Joe/Punk II
- Bryan Danielson vs. Kenta - Death Before Dishonor
- Bryan Danielson vs. Takeshi Morishima - Manhattan Mayhem
- Bryan Danielson vs. Roderick Strong - Vendetta
- Bryan Danielson vs. Samoa Joe - Midnight Express Reunion
- AJ Styles vs. Paul London - Night of the Grudges
- AJ Styles vs. Samoa Joe vs. Christopher Daniels - Unbreakable
- AJ Styles vs. John Cena - Summer Slam
- CM Punk vs. Brock Lesnar - Summer Slam
- CM Punk vs. John Cena - Money in the Bank
- Randy Orton vs. Mick Foley - Backlash
- Omega vs. Okada- Wrestlekingdom
- Styles vs. Nakamura- Wrestlekingdom
- 2001 Royal Rumble Match
- Chris Jericho vs. Chris Benoit- Royal Rumble
- HBK vs. HHH vs. Chris Benoit- Wrestlemania 20
 
#12 ·
in no particular order just as I remember them.

Kurt Angle vs. Michaels - WM 21
Michaels vs. Undertaker - HIAC
Bret Hart vs. Austin - WM 13
Rey Mysterio vs. Eddie Guerrero - Halloween Havoc 97
Triple H vs. Cactus Jack 2000
John Cena vs. Michaels - Raw
Lesnar vs. Kurt - any of their mathes the whole trilogy was great
Benoit vs. Kurt - Backlash 2000/2001 can't remember the one that had the 30 min ironman submission only
Shawn Michaels vs. Triple H - Summerslam 2002
 
#105 ·
Yeah I have no idea what date most of these matches are on because I don't know if they're written the right (or I guess you could call it the American) way or not.

Flair/Steamboat (I only gave one of them 5* and I really can't remember which one).
Shawn/Undertaker WM 26
Danielson/Morishima Fight Without Honor
ROH/CZW Cage of Death
Austin/Triple H 3 Stages of Hell
Benoit/Triple H/HBK WM 20
Austin/Hart Submission Match WM13
Punk/Joe II



I feel like I gave more matches 5*s but I'm really struggling to thin of them. I'm also aware that there are plenty of Japanese matches that would be worthy of a 5* rating but I don't think I've seen more than 25 Japanese matches that are over 20 minutes long. I also have a terrible habit of falling asleep while watching Puro.
 
#151 ·
I just finished the 1993 tag Segunda. Bloody amazing. This now honestly becomes my second favorite match ever after the 95 tag. It really adds to the story alot of the 95 tag and makes that one seem better like you said, so to anybody planning on watching these I reccomend you definitely watch this one first.
 
#152 ·
Glad to hear, Kawada's selling of the leg is perhaps the best bit of limb selling I've ever seen, Kobashi in the 1995 tag is about as good a contender as I can think of off the top of my head.

Kawada's supreme selling of being knocked out and weakened throughout his matches will become more evident the more you watch of him, guy was an incredibly gifted seller who made even the stiffest elbow/kick look even more ungodly stiff.

There's many more important matches for you to get around to whenever you have time, I recall you enjoying Jumbo vs Misawa but I can't recall if you saw the first or second match. After the rematch they begin the epic 6 man tags starting on 19/10/1990 and going through 1991 and into 1992. A lot are on Youtube and in Seabs's megapost, if by any chance the links are down in seabs's megapost then I should have some additional links for you.

It will be lucha for you after you become an AJPW addict btw (Y)
 
#193 ·
Just watched a 5 star match. Undertaker vs The Rock vs Kurt Angle at Vengeance 2002. The second best triple threat match I have ever seen besides HBK/HHH/Benoit. Is there any World of Sport matches you guys would recommend, and do you guys rate WoS matches like every other professional wrestling matches?
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
You have insufficient privileges to reply here.
Top