100 Greatest JCP/WCW Matches (1981-2001)
1. Ric Flair vs Ricky Steamboat - Chi-Town Rumble
Not much to say about this that hasn’t been said already, the series is iconic, and this is the best of the bunch. It doesn’t have long stretches of selling, it isn’t over long, it just goes throughout the whole thing. Chain wrestling, chop exchanges, classic Flair spots, and Steamboat getting the win in the end. An easy number one pick.
2. Ric Flair vs Vader - Starrcade 1993
The pinnacle of babyface Flair, and you’ll see from this list, I think face Flair is really great. Him fighting for his career against Vader is just a great story to tell; Flair holding off this monster with chops and attacks from the top rope, while Vader just tries to crush him. An incredible match in front of an incredible crowd.
3. Ric Flair/Sid/Larry Zbyszko/Barry Windham vs Scott Steiner/Rick Steiner/Sting Brian Pillman - WrestleWar 1991
The Horsemen vs Sting in WarGames. Pillman crushes it from bell to bell here, the MVP of the match, and the powerbomb he takes at the end is brutal. I think it is a little more heated than the 92 match, and that puts it over the top.
4. Sting’s Squadron vs The Dangerous Alliance - WrestleWar 1992
Maybe the greatest collection of talent in any one match, the culmination of a big, long angle, and it delivers. Every new entrant adds new life to the match, everyone has a well defined role. Stories get told coming into the match, in the match, and coming out of the match. The zenith of this era.
5. Ric Flair vs Ron Garvin - House Show 3/29/1986
Maybe the all-time lost classic. One of Flair’s best matches, against one of his best opponents, captured on fan cam. Flair starts hot, and gets Garvin bloody, but then Garvin makes a comeback, with his overhand chops, maybe my favorite offense in wrestling, and then this thing is just fire until the finish.
6. Magnum TA vs Tully Blanchard - Starrcade 1985
7. Sting vs Vader - Starrcade 1992
These guys are just a perfect matchup. All of their big matches are great, and I think in a vacuum, the strap match might be better, but Sting beating Vader is such a moment that I think that puts this match over the top.
8. Roddy Piper vs Greg Valentine - Starrcade 1983
Obviously this match is brutal, but what I like about it is how many nifty things they do with the chain, like Piper wrapping it around the ring post to add leverage trap Valentine in the corner. Obviously, the meat of the match is punches and holds with the chain, and it's violent, but it isn’t just violence for the sake of violence. That’s what makes it great.
9. Rey Mysterio vs Psicosis - Bash at the Beach 1996
This is sort of THE match of the mid 90s. It’s big in Mexico, maybe the best match in ECW history, and one of the best in WCW. These guys just have such great chemistry, the moves just look so crisp, so legit, especially so because so many of them can look suspect from time to time. The finish, countering a splash mountain, is incredible.
10. Rey Mysterio vs Eddie Guerrrero - Halloween Havoc 1997
This is more of a sprint than I remembered. Its just big spot after big spot, and they’re all great. State of the Art stuff from wo of the best to ever do it. An iconic match
11. Ric Flair vs Terry Funk - Great American Bash 1989
A great brawl, with a great post match, but this would be on here if only for the open of the match where Funk chops the tar out of Flair to open the match. Two of the best ever in front of a hot crowd just fighting.
12. Sting vs Vader - SuperBrawl 1993
A brutal strap match. Vader is just a monster, but as always with this pairing, Sting is great fighting back. There’s a spot here where Vader tries to yank Sting with the strap, and Sting counters with a kick that looks incredible.
A brutal strap match. Vader is just a monster, but as always with this pairing, Sting is great fighting back. There’s a spot here where Vader tries to yank Sting with the strap, and Sting counters with a kick that looks incredible.
13. Roddy Piper vs Greg Valentine - House Show 7/9/1983
This is just a fight, and it’s awesome. There are a couple of times where Piper is just flurrying on Valentine, and then Valentine fires back. It’s just so great.
14. Ric Flair vs Terry Funk - Clash of the Champions 9
This is a wild brawl coming off Funk piledrving Flair through a table. It certainly has its moments, and I don’t want to take anything away from this match, but a match between two guys as good as Flair and Funk should have higher highs, for me anyway. It’s great, and it obviously ranks very high, I just could have done with more out of this.
15. Midnight Express vs Southern Boys - Great American Bash 1990
This has never clicked for me, like the karate spot a lot of people point to, I don’t like it. But, there are some really great, crisp, spots here, and the crowd is into it. Maybe the best tag match on this list.
16. Rey Mysterio vs Ultimo Dragon - World War 3
A classic Crusierweight match. Ultimo gets to do a bunch of power moves on Rey, and Rey gets to do a bunch of springboard moves. Ultimo catching Rey off a springboard into a power bomb for the finish is an all-timer.
A classic Crusierweight match. Ultimo gets to do a bunch of power moves on Rey, and Rey gets to do a bunch of springboard moves. Ultimo catching Rey off a springboard into a power bomb for the finish is an all-timer.
17. Ric Flair vs Ricky Steamboat - Clash of the Champions 6
This was never gonna be my kind of match. I just don't see a reason for any match to be more than 35 minutes. That being said, this is pretty great. It’s got action, and build, and a good finish. About as good as a match can be that I would normally hate on length alone.
18. Ricky Steamboat vs Rick Rude - Beach Blast 1992
A 30 minute iron man match, the ideal length. It’s a really well built match, with 7 falls, which makes it fly. The ultimate babyface against one of the best heels in the middle of his best run.
19. Dusty Rhodes/Dustin Rhodes/Nasty Boys vs the Stud Stable - Fall Brawl 1994
Terry Funk and Robert Fuller in a WarGames. Plus you get Arn and Dustin, plus Dusty’s comeback. Great moments, and I’m not a giant baby who needs blood in a cage match because it’s a thing I’ve been told I need, so this is a great WarGames.
20. Vader vs The Boss - Spring Stampede 1994
A hoss fight that turns into a spot fest. Vader catching Bossman coming off the top into a power slam is an all time highlight.
21. Ric Flair vs Ricky Steamboat - WrestleWar 1989
A classic series, but I’d be a liar if I said I loved this. It’s great, but it’s got a lot of working of holds, and the finish doesn’t look good. Of course, there are highlights, Steamboat hits an enziguri late to a huge pop, but it misses a bit for me.
22. Tully Blanchard vs Ronnie Garvin - Great American Bash 1986
23. Ricky Steamboat & Shane Douglas vs Barry Windham & Brian Pillman - Starrcade 1992
My biggest takeaway from this project, or at least one of them, is stat Ricky Steamboat might be the best tag wrestler ever. Obviously, the team with Youngblood is legendary, but there’s so much stuff after that, with Douglas, with Gilbert, with a cadre of guys against the Dangerous Alliance. He can sell, he can make a comeback. He’s just the total package. Shane Douglas works as a great protege for Steamboat, as a guy who can get bullied around and sell. Windham is still great here, and the team with Pillman works well.
24. Brian Pilman vs Jushin “Thunder” Liger - House Show 12/27/1991
This starts a bit slower than you’d expect, but when it kicks into gear it really gets going. This is just on a different level than what was happening in WCW at the time, and especially on a house show, its a revelation. Better than their SuperBrawl match.
25. Vader vs Sting - Great American Bash 1993
There’s just something about these two. Vader is an unbeatable monster, Sting is the franchise, trying to take down the giant. Here he doesn’t quite get the job done, but he tries, and there are flashes. Great classic pro wrestling really.
26. Ric Flair vs Barry Windham - Worldwide 1/20/1987
This is great. When people talk about Windham being an all-timer, this is the sort of stuff that gives that talk any meaning, because boy is he inconsistent. This is back and forth for 30 minutes and never drags, which isn’t something I say much. Of course, the finish stinks, par for the course.
This is great. When people talk about Windham being an all-timer, this is the sort of stuff that gives that talk any meaning, because boy is he inconsistent. This is back and forth for 30 minutes and never drags, which isn’t something I say much. Of course, the finish stinks, par for the course.
27. Cactus Jack vs Sting - Beach Blast 1992
A sprint where Cactus gets to do all his dumb bumps onto a concrete floor, but Sting gets in on the fun too bumping onto guardrails and the like
28. Barry Windham vs 2 Cold Scorpio - Clash of the Champions 23
It’s matches like these where you see how great Barry Windham could be. He leads this match, Scorpio is great working as a young guy underneath, but Windham isn’t at his peak here, but he’s at his best
29. Sting/Dustin Rhodes/Barry Windham/Ricky Steamboat vs Arn Anderson/Larry Zbyszko/Bobby Eaton/Rick Rude - Saturday Night 2/22/1992
Four great heels and four great faces in a hot angle. You don’t get a lot of Eaton or Windham, but everybody else gets to show off a bit. Real good stuff.
30. Dustin Rhodes/Ricky Steamboat/Nikita Koloff vs Arn Anderson/Bobby Eaton/Larry Zbyszko - Saturday Night 5/23/1992
A 2 out of 3 falls six man tag match. Nikita is in here, I sometimes forget he's a part of this whole deal, but he holds up his end of the bargain. The heel team works over Steamboat quite a bit, and if you’re going to work over anyone in the history of wrestling, Steamboat might be the best guy for it. An all time great TV match.
A 2 out of 3 falls six man tag match. Nikita is in here, I sometimes forget he's a part of this whole deal, but he holds up his end of the bargain. The heel team works over Steamboat quite a bit, and if you’re going to work over anyone in the history of wrestling, Steamboat might be the best guy for it. An all time great TV match.
31. Ric Flair vs Barry Windham - Crockett Cup 1987
I really liked this the first time, and on re-watch I didn’t think it was spectacular, but still pretty good. Flair and Windham cut a good pace, and you get to see all the Flair stuff that you like, and Windham is at his peak here. But the match doesn’t really come together all that well, in my view, and it has a false finish that I’ve grown to hate watching all these matches.
I really liked this the first time, and on re-watch I didn’t think it was spectacular, but still pretty good. Flair and Windham cut a good pace, and you get to see all the Flair stuff that you like, and Windham is at his peak here. But the match doesn’t really come together all that well, in my view, and it has a false finish that I’ve grown to hate watching all these matches.
32. Ultimo Dragon vs Dean Malenko - Starrcade 1996
This is sort of the best of both guys. Dean is solid, Ultimo gets to show off a bit. The finishing stretch has a lot of big moves, but the actually finish is a bit deflating.
33. Goldberg vs DDP - Halloween Havoc 1998
A prosaic start, but when it picks up, it picks up. Goldberg misses a spear and hits a ring post, in what may have been the first time. After that it’s all finishers, and it rules.
34. Steiner Brothers vs Sting/Lex Luger - SuperBrawl 1991
This is a neat matchup of 4 guys who are really emblematic of early WCW, and it’s great. A lot of Steiners doing their big moves, not being heels, but putting heat on Sting. But Sting, more so than Luger, gets to shine here. Of course, the finish has Nikita involved, because of course it does.
35. Brian Pillman vs Jushin “Thunder” Liger - SuperBrawl 1992
A state of the art match that must have seemed even more innovative in 1992 WCW. It’s a lot of what would become the Cruiserweight style later, so out of context it can be underwhelming, but it’s the best kind of go-go-go movez match. Plus, I’m a sucker for a hot finish, and this has a great one.
36. Sting/Ric Flair vs Great Muta/Terry Funk - Halloween Havoc 1989
This is such a odd collection of wrestlers, in a weird match, with a weird stipulation. Terry Funk is goofy bumping Terry Funk and it rules, Muta’s stuff looks Crisp, Sting might be at the peak of his powers, and Flair is Flair. Good stuff.
37. Ric Flair/Barry Windham vs Midnight Express - Clash of the Champions 4
A face Midnight Express is odd, and against Flair and Windham it’s an odd match up. Lane isn’t a great hot tag, and Flair can sell but him taking a comeback isn’t his sort of selling, but this is all action and it makes up for whatever clunkiness the composition added.
38. Ron Garvin vs Ric Flair - Worldwide 9/26/1987
Garvin winning the title is big, but this match rules anyway. Garvin fighting back with those overhand chops is just so great.
39. Nasty Boys vs Cactus Jack/Maxx Payne - Spring Stampede 1994
There’s a lot of matches like this, with some combination of Cactus Jack and the Nastys, but this is the best one. It just hits different. Skaggs hits Foley with a brutal shot from a coal shovel, they botch a pile drive through a table, the table breaks early, and it still rules.
40. Sting vs DDP - Nitro 4/26/1999
This is one of the few Nitro matches on the list, it just wasn’t a work rate show, but these two guys, somewhat surprisingly, have a great title match on TV. It starts off at a normal pace, but it devolves into a crowd brawl, and by the time they make it back to the ring, the crowd is hot for Sting. The closing stretch is hot with both guys reversing tombstones. Just a great match exceeding expectations.
This is one of the few Nitro matches on the list, it just wasn’t a work rate show, but these two guys, somewhat surprisingly, have a great title match on TV. It starts off at a normal pace, but it devolves into a crowd brawl, and by the time they make it back to the ring, the crowd is hot for Sting. The closing stretch is hot with both guys reversing tombstones. Just a great match exceeding expectations.
41. Dick Slater/Great Muta vs Ric Flair/Sting - Clash of the Champions 8
This devolves into a smozz when Terry Funk comes in and bags Flair, but before that you get a lot of face Flair, which I love, and Dick Slater, who I really like. Plus you add Sting and Muta and it turns out great.
42. Rey Mysterio vs Juventud Guerrera - Thunder 1/15/1998
This rules. Juvi is working big power spots for some reason, brain busters and muscle busters, so Rey gets to work from underneath. Everything looks great, Rey hits one of the best hurricanranas, just so crisp and one that looks like it would actually hurt. An all action great TV match.
43. Ric Flair/Arn Anderson vs Steve Austin/Vader - Saturday Night 11/13/1993
This starts hot with Arn replacing an injured Sid. It goes a bit too long, but the start is really great, with Vader being Vader, babyface Flair, Austin at his peak as a bumping heel. Arn isn’t a great face tag worker, and that hurts the match, but it burns really bright until it goes too long.
44. Sting vs Ric Flair - Great American Bash 1990
Sting’s big win. Shorter than the Clash match and with a conclusive finish, plus a hot encounter between the horsemen and some babyfaces. Good stuff.
45. Ric Flair vs Sting - Clash of the Champions 1
The iconic WCW match in a way, a big match in a big spot, and it delivers. It’s long, which is usually not my ideal match, but it doesn’t lull. Flair makes Sting here, and on that alone it deserves being on here, but the match deserves it also.
46. Road Warriors, Paul Ellering, Nikita Koloff, and Dusty Rhodes vs The Four Horsemen - Atlanta Great American Bash 1987
There are a lot of things about this match that I don't love, and in general, I think this whole run of Crockett just isn't my deal, but you can't really discount the first War Games. It is iconic, historic, and set a template that is still being used today. So even if I think the finish is lackluster, and find a lot of this plodding, I can't deny it.
This has a reputation as being one of the best WCW TV matches, and it’s very good, but you have to be one of those people, or pretend to be one anyway, who’s really into guys selling for long stretches. I’m not, there’s a way to sell and be compelling, but sitting in a submission for minutes isn’t it for me. The finish though, with Bobby Eaton hitting an Alabama Jam behind the refs back, but Dustin kicks out, and it devolves from there, is really great.
48. Ric Flair/Arn Anderson vs Hollywood Blondes - Clash of the Champions 23
55. Larry Zbyszko vs William Regal - Saturday Night 5/28/1994
This has a reputation for being a great TV match. It’s a lot of Regal working holds, Larry gets in on it too. It has some fun strike exchanges and some gaga with Bill Dundee. I don’t know. It just doesn’t click for me, and I’m a big Larry Z guy. It’s good, but it doesn’t scream top 100 to me.
This is good. Austin is in prime for here, including him missing the stun gun, taunting anyway, and rolling right into a ddt. Flair is in rare form here too, maybe his best tag match. Cool moment, good match, Meh finish.
49. Ricky Steamboat vs Steve Austin - Clash of the Champions 28
A fun moves match, with a lot of neat counters and tight lariats. Steamboats last match in WCW to boot. A neat crossroads for both guys who get to have a work-rate match.
50. Ricky Steamboat/Eddie Gilbert vs Ric Flair/Barry Windham - World Championship Wrestling 1/21/1989
Steamboat’s return match. A great TV tag combined with a great angle. You can here how good Windham could be, it isn’t there a lot, but when he wants to, he can show out. Nothing spectacular, just good tv wrestling.
51. Barry Windham vs Brian Pillman - SuperBrawl 1991
I liked this quite a bit on first watch, and on re-watch it’s lost something, but it’s a fun sprint. Pillman is great, fighting a guy who is above him on the totem pole, but in the end Windham is just too crafty.
52. Midnight Express vs Fantastics - Clash of the Champions 1
One of the best tag matches in company history. All action, great stuff from everyone. A showcase match for sure, and it delivers.
53. Cactus Jack/Kevin Sullivan vs Nasty Boys - Slamboree 1994
A quick street fight with Dave Schultz as the ref, there’s a lot to like. Lots of punches, lots of plunder, dumb Cactus bumps, a stiff shot from a hockey stick.
54. Cactus Jack vs Paul Orndorff - SuperBrawl 1993
A wild Cactus brawl, shots with a shovel, a sunset flip from the apron to the concrete, all with Paul Orndorff. It’s the sort of match that made WCW different in this era.
This has a reputation for being a great TV match. It’s a lot of Regal working holds, Larry gets in on it too. It has some fun strike exchanges and some gaga with Bill Dundee. I don’t know. It just doesn’t click for me, and I’m a big Larry Z guy. It’s good, but it doesn’t scream top 100 to me.
56. Vader vs Cactus Jack - Halloween Havoc 1993
As I go through this list, there’s a lot of these Cactus Jack brawls, and they have fun spots, and they’re all good, but aside from a creative spot, there isn’t a lot to differentiate. Also, I’m not crazy about guys disappearing and coming back bleeding.
57. Ron Simmons vs Vader - House Show 8/2/1992
This is a pretty good hoss match, but at the end of the day, it’s all about the win, and the moment, and the kid in the front row jumping up and down with his paper belt.
57. Ron Simmons vs Vader - House Show 8/2/1992
This is a pretty good hoss match, but at the end of the day, it’s all about the win, and the moment, and the kid in the front row jumping up and down with his paper belt.
58. Steiner Brothers vs Tatsumi Fujinami/Takashi Iizuka - WrestleWar 1992
This is good, but it gets this rep for being this great match, because Izumi gets beat up and Fujinami comes in to “save” him. I just don’t get all that much enjoyment from it, and the moment isn’t as spectacular as it’s been made out to be.
This is good, but it gets this rep for being this great match, because Izumi gets beat up and Fujinami comes in to “save” him. I just don’t get all that much enjoyment from it, and the moment isn’t as spectacular as it’s been made out to be.
59. Barry Windham/Dustin Rhodes vs Steve Austin/Larry Zbyszko - SuperBrawl 1992
This is a good match, but the highs never get all that high. It comes off a hot angle where The Enforcers slam Windham’s arm in a car door, so it has that going for it, and it’s got great wrestlers in it and it delivers, it just doesn’t have a real notable peak.
60. Hollywood Blondes vs Ricky Steamboat/Shane Douglas - Worldwide 3/27/1993
I don’t know if these are the two best teams in WCW, but they’re my two favorites and the two most watchable. I’m meh on Douglas, but in this role, he’s great. A neat finish to boot, which is always appreciated on this list.
I don’t know if these are the two best teams in WCW, but they’re my two favorites and the two most watchable. I’m meh on Douglas, but in this role, he’s great. A neat finish to boot, which is always appreciated on this list.
61. Ric Flair vs Ricky Steamboat - Saturday Night 5/14/1994
This is better than the POV match that sets it up, it just clicks more. A bit too long for my taste, and it’s got a decisive, if bs, finish. It’s an all time rivalry with great chemistry, so a match with time is gonna be great.
62. Dean Malenko vs Rey Mysterio - Great American Bash 1996
This is the sort of match Malenko has where he sits in a lot of holds building to a big comeback, and it works in a crowd pop kind of way, but I can’t say it’s all the compelling of a match, and if Rey wasn’t one of the best ever, his comeback wouldn’t carry this, but he is, and it makes the match.
63. Fit Finlay vs Steven Regal - Uncensored 1996
The sort of match where guys just go out there to beat each other up, which can be great, or just plodding. This is good, but I’m admittedly not all that high on either guy, and as is the case so offer, the finish stinks.
64. Cactus Jack vs Vader - Saturday Night 4/17/1993
Vader without the gloves is the hardest looking dude. He just beats up Cactus Jack for the entire match and it rules, Jack has some moments, but this is all Vader. Cactus Jack getting a count out win is odd, it’s a big moment beating Vader, but the count out is kinda like kissing your sister.
65. Steiner Brothers vs Nasty Boys - Halloween Havoc 1990
A heavyweight slugfest. Filled with all the Steiner high spots you’d expect. The heat on Scott lags a bit, but Rick’s comeback is good and quick.
66. Tully Blanchard vs Ronnie Garvin - Worldwide 5/3/1986
My two favorite guys from this era, maybe this entire promotion. Garvin gets to be tough, Tully gets to stooge. Great stuff, and I can appreciate the finish, even if I don’t think it’s adds anything to the match.
67. Elix Skipper vs Rey Mysterio vs Billy Kidman - Greed
A type of movez match that you don’t really see anymore, and because Rey is so great, and Kidman is a great partner, they can make a good match out of it. Not a classic by any stretch, but a very good match.
68. Ric Flair vs Lex Luger - Starrcade 1988
This is better than the 90 match, more action, batter paced, match. Even if, like so many of these matches, the finish does it no favors.
69. Ric Flair vs Ricky Steamboat - Spring Stampede 1994
A rehash of their classic series that is good, but lacks the magic of 89. Flair is Flair, and 94 Steamboat is good, but he’s not at his peak. As with a lot of stuff in this portion, seemingly, the finish does it no favors.
70. Ric Flair vs Ricky Morton - Great American Bash 1986
At the end of the day, and this is a case with a lot of Flair matches of this ilk, I just don’t buy Flair losing at any point. And that isn’t always a detriment, like there are Ron Garvin matches I don’t think Garvin is going to win, but it still feels great. Without that buy in, I just don’t dig this on the level a lot do, it’s still good, but not an all-timer, for me.
71. Fantastics vs Midnight Express - Worldwide 5/14/1988
Ok, this rules. Maybe a little long, but Bobby Fulton getting his neck dropped on the guard rail, and then kicking out twice, and eventually getting the win is great. Rogers, dropkick on the finish kinda misses, but otherwise pretty incredible.
72. Juventud Guerrera vs Blitzkrieg - Spring Stampede 1999
Ok, this rules. I was initially hesitant to include this. I think Blitzkrieg, and by virtue this match, is overrated, because he just sort of disappeared after such a short run, but this is great and a better “future shock” than Sabu's WCW run.
Ok, this rules. I was initially hesitant to include this. I think Blitzkrieg, and by virtue this match, is overrated, because he just sort of disappeared after such a short run, but this is great and a better “future shock” than Sabu's WCW run.
73. Arn Anderson & Larry Zbyszko vs Ricky Steamboat & Dustin Rhodes - Clash of the Champions 7
Steamboat solidifying himself as the greatest mystery tag team partner in wrestling history here. He's so over with this crowd, and the heels are so good, that when he and Dustin win, it feels like a giant culmination.
74. Ricky Steamboat vs Terry Funk - Clash of the Champions 7
This feels like less than the sum of its parts, because 89 Steamboat and Funk fill out a ton of the top matches on this list. It’s good, but the finish isn’t great and this never hits top gear.
75. Sting vs Cactus Jack - Power Hour 11/23/1991
A fairly wild TV match where Cactus goes all out, peaking with Cactus taking the nestea plunge to set up the finish. A great example of Foley doing whatever it takes to get a match over, and Sting rising to an occasion.
76. Ronnie Garvin vs Ric Flair - World Championship Wrestling 12/28/1985
A Flair-Garvin match with everything that entails. Garvin chopping Flair might be the best thing of anything I’ve seen on this list. Dusty and the horsemen get involved, and things break down, which hurts it a bit.
77. Lex Luger & Barry Windham vs Arn Anderson & Tully Blanchard - Clash of the Champions 1
Star performance from Tully, a good heat on Windham, and him kicking out of the slingshot suplex is great, and Luger's hot tag is superstar stuff, even if I’m not that high on him.
Star performance from Tully, a good heat on Windham, and him kicking out of the slingshot suplex is great, and Luger's hot tag is superstar stuff, even if I’m not that high on him.
78. Rey Mysterio vs Ultimo Dragon - Hog Wild 1996
A weird match in front of an uninterested crowd, but they win them over. A lot of high spots, but well done.
79. Doom vs Arn Anderson & Barry Windham - Starrcade 1990
An all action street fight. Everybody bleeds, and it never lulls, but it going to a double pin finish is deflating.
80. Dustin Rhodes & Barry Windham vs Miracle Violence Connection - Saturday Night 10/3/1992
I'm admittedly low on basically everyone involved here. That being said, I like the finish, and it starts off well, but it meanders in the middle. Good stuff, though.
81. Dusty Rhodes vs Tully Blanchard - House Show 4/26/1986
Tully is incredible here selling for Dusty, just a perfect stooge. The crowd is hot and Dusty milks it for everything it’s worth.
82. Hulk Hogan vs Ric Flair - Bash at the Beach 1994
Good stuff. Hogan busts out some amateur wrestling early and from there he hit all the greatest hits. I don’t buy the big boot as a false finish, but it sets up Sherri getting involved and things start to take off with Hulk taking a heat and leading up to the Hulk Up and its all Hogan from there. A sort of tectonic shift match that has to be on this sort of list.
Good stuff. Hogan busts out some amateur wrestling early and from there he hit all the greatest hits. I don’t buy the big boot as a false finish, but it sets up Sherri getting involved and things start to take off with Hulk taking a heat and leading up to the Hulk Up and its all Hogan from there. A sort of tectonic shift match that has to be on this sort of list.
83. 2 Cold Scorpio & Buff Bagwell vs Hollywood Blondes - Worldwide 6/5/1993
I’ve got a lot of time for 3 guys in this match, and Bagwell is fine. This goes to a draw, and not much of note happens, but it’s all good and Scorpio has a great hot tag at the end.
I’ve got a lot of time for 3 guys in this match, and Bagwell is fine. This goes to a draw, and not much of note happens, but it’s all good and Scorpio has a great hot tag at the end.
84. Shinjiro Otani vs Eddie Guerrero - Starrcade 1995
Good stuff, a lot of good moves, and has the feel of a fight. Otani is so good, and Eddie is great too.
85. Juventud Guerrera, Hector Garza, & Lizmark Jr vs La Parka, Psicosis, & Villano IV - Bash at the Beach 1997
Wild lucha spotfest where everyone gets some shine. Psicosis hits a wild scissored sunset flip to Juvi that looks deadly. Sonny Ono gets involved early and drags things a bit, but an otherwise wild ride.
Wild lucha spotfest where everyone gets some shine. Psicosis hits a wild scissored sunset flip to Juvi that looks deadly. Sonny Ono gets involved early and drags things a bit, but an otherwise wild ride.
86. Freebirds & Midnight Express vs Dynamic Dudes & Rock N Roll Express - World Championship Wrestling 11/27/1990
An all action Tv 8 man tag. Freebirds don’t do much, but all the other teams really carry it. The finish of Eaton hitting the jam on Douglas as he’s covering Lane, great stuff.
87. Greg Valentine vs Sweet Ebony Diamond - Mid-Atlantic TV 4/8/1981
This was on a McAdam comp, and if it wasn’t a bit of a discovery I don’t know if I’d rank this at all, but it is good. Two guys who are great at hitting each other, hitting each other a lot
88. Terry Funk vs Tully Blanchard - Slamboree 1994
Middle-Aged and crazy Funk has a wild brawl with Tully Blanchard. Funk tries a top rope piledriver. Just wild stuff.
89. Eddie Guerrero vs Syxx - Souled Out 1997
A good match from a maligned show that is probably worse than the sum of its parts, but still very good.
90. Ricky Steamboat & Jay Youngblood vs Sgt. Slaughter & Don Kernodle - The Final Conflict
I understand this is classic, and has two of my favorite wrestlers in it, but it’s just a bit too plodding for me. It just doesn’t hit a gear that it needs to hit for me. That being said, its a historical match, and sets up so much of what wrestling would become, it has to make this list.
I understand this is classic, and has two of my favorite wrestlers in it, but it’s just a bit too plodding for me. It just doesn’t hit a gear that it needs to hit for me. That being said, its a historical match, and sets up so much of what wrestling would become, it has to make this list.
91. Tully Blanchard vs Don Kernodle - Worldwide 5/8/1985
This is good, maybe the best Tully “match” on the list, in terms of an actual competitive match, better than the Garvin one, even if I like that one more. But, at the end of the day, this is just a TV match, with a TV ending.
92. Jushin “Thunder” Liger vs Barry Houston - Pro 11/18/1995
4 minutes of Liger hitting spots to boos. A really great showcase match, but not much else.
93. Miracle Violence Connection vs Steiner Brothers - Clash of the Champions 19
93. Miracle Violence Connection vs Steiner Brothers - Clash of the Champions 19
There's a lot to like about MVC in general, but it always seems they are a lot better in theory than practice. This has its moments, Dr. D hitting some ground and pound on Rick is great, but ultimately this just doesn’t have very high highs.
94. Rick Rude vs Dustin Rhodes - Worldwide 5/30/1992
Peak Rude here, and a great TV match. A cool spot where Rude counters a monkey flip. Things get pretty TV when Madura gets involved, but it is a tv match after all.
95. Randy Savage vs DDP - Great American Bash 1997
This is a good era brawl through the building with plenty of plunder, but nothing spectacular. The finish with Scott Hall getting involved is kinda messy, but it gets the job done.
96. Road Warriors, Midnight Express, & Dr. Death vs Samoan Swat Team, Freebirds and Terry Gordy - Great American Bash 1989
A good match, but a bit prosaic for a War Games. Things are mostly just meandering until the last two guys come in. Hayes comes in, hits a ddt on Animal and immediately goes into the next ring to strut and talk mess to Hawk on the outside. Then Hawk comes in and just dominates everyone as the crowd goes nuts.
97. Ricky Steamboat and Shane Douglas vs Jushin Liger and Kensuke Sasaki - House Show 12/27/1992
A fun matchup of Liger vs Steamboat. Both are on point, but Steamboat is in rare form. Hot finish with Steamboat getting the roll up out of nowhere.
A fun matchup of Liger vs Steamboat. Both are on point, but Steamboat is in rare form. Hot finish with Steamboat getting the roll up out of nowhere.
98. Ric Flair vs Ricky Steamboat - Night of Champions 1984
A lot of mat work early, and it lost me a bit, but the match builds and finishes strong. Match has weird cuts, and isn’t so good that it HAS to make this list, but I could see it, but it landed here.
99. Midnight Express vs Original Midnight Express - Starrcade 1988
I like this match, it’s not overlong and doesn't lull. It isn't spectacular, but I do really like the angle that it belongs to, so that carries it.
I like this match, it’s not overlong and doesn't lull. It isn't spectacular, but I do really like the angle that it belongs to, so that carries it.
100. Scott Hall & Kevin Nash vs Sting, Lex Luger, & Randy Savage - Bash at the Beach 1996
This is only making the list on importance, a match with an extended abdominal stretch sequence isn’t typically gonna make the cut, but at least Sting is good taking the heat.
submitted December 2020
Comments
Post a Comment