The Fight Network

Click here to check out matches 41 - 50

40) John Cena vs. Shawn Michaels (Monday Night Raw, 4/23/07)

A mere twenty-two days after Shawn Michaels and John Cena stole the show at Wrestlemania 23, a rematch was set for Monday Night Raw, live from merry old England. The psychology in the match was elegant in its simplicity; Cena kept going for the STFU time and again, playing off the idea that he had used that hold to put Michaels away at Wrestlemania, before frustration led him to switch focus to Michaels' always vulnerable back. Meanwhile, Michaels played professor for the crowd by teaching a wrestling clinic on how to work a limb, targeting Cena's injured right arm. The match was exciting right from the start, but around the time Michaels kicked out of the FU and the show went to its fourth commercial break since the opening bell, it became clear that this was something really special, the kind of match that virtually never appears on free TV. As Michaels and Cena both grew more and more desperate to pick up the win, they both started breaking out of their comfort zones, with Cena taking flight off the top rope, and Michaels pulling off a rare Powerbomb to counter an attempted FU off the second rope. The grand finale came at the forty minute mark, with Michaels escaping another FU by flipping over onto his feet and nailing his second Sweet Chin Music of the match to avenge his loss from three weeks earlier. This wasn't just a good match- as Jim Ross so aptly put it, it was one of the greatest one on one matches in the history of Monday Night Raw. 

39) The Rock vs. Steve Austin- No Disqualification Match (Wrestlemania X7)

This wasn't just a Wrestlemania match, it was the Wrestlemania match- a clash of titans, the second match in a Wrestlemania trilogy between two of the biggest stars in the history of the sport. At Wrestlemania X7, Steve Austin and The Rock went to war for the WWF Championship in front of an explosive crowd, and showed that they were both willing to go to any lengths to bring home the gold. The Rock locked on a Sharpshooter on a bloodied Austin, in an moment more than a bit reminiscent of Austin's famous Wrestlemania 13 match against Bret Hart. Not to be outdone, Austin actually pulled out the Million Dollar Dream for the first time in years. Both men even tried their hand at stealing the other's finishing moves (with Austin's version of the Rock Bottom actually looking a bit more punishing than the genuine article). The finish of the match shocked fans around the world and was arguably the final note of the Attitude Era, as Austin sold his soul for the WWF Title by turning heel and siding with his arch enemy, Vincent Kennedy McMahon. There may have been better Wrestlemania main events, but none have ever matched the monumental feeling of this epic encounter. 

38) Christopher Daniels vs. AJ Styles- 30 Minute Iron Man Match (Against All Odds 2005)

A month after AJ Styles took home the X Division Championship at Final Resolution (in match number 43 on this list), the Phenomenal One stole the show once again with this Iron Man Match against Christopher Daniels. The match was even more exciting that anyone might have expected, an intense back-and-forth affair without any wasted moves from either competitor. The match saw its first decision around the fifteen minute mark when Daniels blocked a 450 Splash with his knees and pinned Styles with the Angel's Wings. Daniels worked hard to hold onto his lead, grounding Styles' wild offense at every opportunity. Eventually though, Styles tied things up with a surprise School Boy with six minutes left on the clock. Daniels reacted with an aggression and viciousness that few had seen from the Fallen Angel before, leaving Styles battered and bloodied. As the seconds ticked away, Daniels took Styles down hard and locked him in the Koji Clutch. Blood spurting from a gash in his forehead, Styles seemed to pass out in the move, but before the referee could count Styles out, time ran out with the match still tied at one fall apiece. Infuriated, Daniels demanded that TNA Director of Authority Dusty Rhodes restart the match, and soon enough the American Dream agreed, calling for an extended sudden death final fall. Daniels looked like he stood poised to capture the X Division Championship as he set Styles up for a Frankensteiner in the corner, but it wasn't to be; with a herculean effort, Styles shoved Daniels off the top rope and managed to hit the Styles Clash to retain the title, capping off one of the best matches TNA history. Still, while Styles won the battle, the war was far from over, as this proved to be just the opening salvo in a feud that would last for nearly the entire year, including another incredible Iron Man Match at Bound for Glory in October. So yeah- it was a good year to be a fan of TNA's X Division. 

37) Batista vs. The Undertaker (Wrestlemania 23)

When it comes to The Undertaker's famous Wrestlemania streak, his matches inevitably fall into one of two categories- the ones where Undertaker faces one of the top wrestlers in the WWE, someone who seems to pose a legitimate threat to the streak, and matches against WWE's newest monster or hoss designed to pad the numbers, where the outcome is never in question. The match between The Undertaker and Batista at Wrestlemania 23 seemed destined to fall into the second group- as the ever eloquent JBL put it, the match had the potential to be "monkey-butt ugly". Even the top WWE brass seemed to lack faith in the match- even though Undertaker won the Royal Rumble, which would traditionally guarantee the main event spot at Wrestlemania, his match against Batista was relegated to the lower midcard, overshadowed by both the Raw main event and the much ballyhooed "Battle of the Billionaires". However, this slap in the face seemed to light a fire under both competitors, who seemed determined to prove their critics wrong by delivering an incredible match, a match that was much better than it perhaps had any right to be. Batista and the Undertaker fed off the incredible atmosphere that all of Undertaker's Wrestlemania matches seem to have, both men bringing their A-game. Batista established his credibility by kicking out of the Last Ride and the Chokeslam in short succession, while The Undertaker became one of the few men to kick out of the Batista Bomb. The crowd was solidly behind the Undertaker, watching with reverent silence between spots but exploding for every punch or kick the Phenom threw. When The Undertaker climbed the ropes for Old School, the crowd rose with him en masse, and when the Dead Man went for his annual physics-defying leap over the top rope, there wasn't a single person in Ford Field who wasn't on their feet cheering. The match ended with a clean win for the Undertaker, who pinned Batista with the Tombstone Piledriver to bring his streak to fifteen-and-zero, and to capture the World Championship for the fifth time. And though Batista may have left without the gold, he ended up having the best match of his career to date, on the biggest North American wrestling event in history- all considered, that's a pretty good consolation prize. 

36) Alex Shelley vs. Chris Sabin (Genesis 2009)

When TNA announced a tournament for the vacated X Division Championship, the Motor City Machineguns vowed to face the challenge with a united front, promising that by hook or by crook they would ensure that they would both make it to the finals. Sure enough, Genesis saw partners Shelley and Sabin square off, putting aside their friendship for a shot at the gold. What made this match so unique was that it wasn't the product of a blood feud, it didn't feature two arch-enemies trying to beat each other senseless. Instead, Shelley and Sabin were concerned with simply having a great match just for the hell of it. And the match was great- a lightning-fast back and forth affair with countless innovative high spots and convincing near falls, one of the most evenly competitions the X Division has ever seen. Both men brought everything they had to the table, and each gave as good as he got- Sabin managed to kick out of the Air Raid Crash, a pair of Frog Splashes and Sliced Bread #2, while Shelley weathered the Cradle Shock, a sick Tiger Suplex and one of the most sensational lariats this side of Japan. When Shelley went for Sliced Bread again, it appeared he had gone to the well once too often, when he was pushed off, landed badly and seemed to jam his ankle. Instead of capitalizing on the injury, Sabin went over to check on his partner- only to fall prey to a quick roll up from Shelley, who had been playing possum. By resorting to the dirty tricks that made him famous, Shelley captured the X Division Championship for the first time. Despite his shady tactics, there was no dissension between Detroit's native sons, as Sabin raised his partner's hand, and the Guns celebrated together- a great end to one of TNA's best matches of the year. 

35) Brock Lesnar vs. The Undertaker- Hell in a Cell Match (No Mercy 2002)

There's no question that Brock Lesnar was booked to be a phenomenon from the very moment he made his WWF debut, scoring decisive wins over the likes of Rob Van Dam, Hulk Hogan and The Rock, in the process becoming the youngest WWE Champion in history. After a shaky showing in his first title defence against the Undertaker at Unforgiven, Lesnar squared off against the Phenom in his signature match, determined to prove once and for all that he deserved the tagline The Next Big Thing. Going into the match, the Undertaker was selling a broken hand, and he quickly went all Bob Orton Jr. on Lesnar, repeatedly smashing his heavy cast into Lesnar's forehead. With blood running down his face, Lesnar was dominated by the Deadman, who threw him again and again into the side of the cell like a lawn dart. Even standing outside the cell, Paul Heyman didn't escape unscathed, doing heavy color as well after catching a big boot through the cage mesh. The Undertaker made sure to add to the damage, grabbing Heyman's tie through a hole in the cage and pulling his face into the mesh, shredding his face against the sharp steel. The distraction let Lesnar take over the match, targeting the Undertaker's broken hand with a series of chair shots, eventually wrenching off the cast to do even more damage. When Lesnar rammed the ring steps into the Undertaker's face, the Deadman was split open even worse than Lesnar and Heyman had been- in fact, he did one of the heaviest blade-jobs in WWE history, right at the top of the Muta Scale. With blood pouring out of his head (and at one point, splashing onto the lens of the camera filming him), the Undertaker pulled out all the stops to dethrone the champion, but Lesnar managed to fight through a Chokeslam and the Last Ride. In desperation, the Undertaker went for the Tombstone Piledriver, but Lesnar countered, literally threw the Undertaker onto his shoulders and nailed the F5 for the clean win, in what was undoubtedly the bloodiest WWE match of the decade, if not all time. 

34) Chris Jericho vs. Shawn Michaels (The Great American Bash 2008)

After his much ballyhooed return and subsequent tepid babyface run, Chris Jericho returned to true heel form when he set his sights on Shawn Michaels. After weeks of accusing the Heart Break Kid of being a liar and a hypocrite, Jericho finally physically attacked Michaels during an edition of The Highlight Reel, ramming his face through the obscenely expensive Jeritron 5000 video screen. Though selling a serious eye injury from the glass shards that tore open his face, Michaels gained a measure of revenge when he cost Jericho the Intercontinental Championship at Night of Champions. Thus, the match was set- Jericho versus Michaels at the Great American Bash. Like most of Michaels' savvier opponents, Jericho spent the early part of the match working over HBK's oft-mentioned surgically repaired back, culminating in a punishing turn in the Walls of Jericho. Though clearly the worse for wear, Michaels fought back as only he can, with a Diving Elbow off the top rope, and a Moonsault out to the floor. However, the tide quickly turned again when Jericho lashed out with a blind elbow, opening up Michaels' forehead over his right eye, and aggravating his injury from the Highlight Reel assault. As Michaels' face quickly became covered with the crimson mask, Jericho looked on with shock, though quickly pressed his advantage, mercilessly targeting the wound with one stiff right hand after another. Though Michaels valiantly sought to fight on, he was quickly left unable to defend himself, and Jericho was declared the winner in a rare case of victory by referee stoppage. Strutting triumphantly to the back, his head and chest caked with Michaels' blood, Jericho left the brutal match up having secured his well-deserved status as the top heel in the WWE. 

33) The Hardy Boyz vs. Edge and Christian vs. The Dudley Boyz- Tables, Ladders and Chairs Match (Wrestlemania X7)

In early 2001, the WWF's tag team division was going through a golden age, resting on the shoulders of several top-notch teams, chief among them the Hardy Boyz, the Dudley Boyz and the team of Edge and Christian. After reinventing the ladder match at Wrestlemania 2000 and topping themselves in the first Tables, Ladders and Chairs Match at Summerslam the same year, the three rival teams stood poised to do battle once again in one of the most hotly anticipated matches of Wrestlemania X7, TLC II: Electric Boogaloo. The three teams fought tooth and nail to get to the Tag Team Championships dangling high above the action- at one point, all six men stood at the top of ladders in the middle of the ring, before all six were shoved off, crashing to the mat below. The fracas grew even more chaotic with the arrival of each team's unofficial third member. The runt of the Dudley litter, little Spike Dudley made his presence known when he put Christian through a table with an Acid Drop to the outside. Edge and Christian's henchman Rhyno came next, Goring Matt Hardy through another table. Last to arrive was the Hardys' valet Lita, who helped save the match for her boys by jerking Edge off. The ladder. The six legal competitors took massive risks to eliminate one another from the action; Jeff Hardy hit a Swanton Bomb off the requisite giant ladder on the outside, putting both Rhino and Spike through a table (with poor Spike taking the brunt of the impact). Not long after, Jeff miraculously made it back into the ring and nearly retrieved the belts before being left dangling helplessly when Bubba Ray Dudley stole his ladder out from under him. Climbing another ladder in the corner of the ring, Edge flew off in a leap of faith, spearing Jeff Hardy from a good ten feet in the air, straight down to the hard canvas below. Bubba and Matt were the next to try their luck at reaching for the titles, but the ladder they had both been climbing was shoved over by Rhyno, sending Matt and Bubba sailing out of the ring and through a quartet of stacked tables. Indeed, Rhyno proved to be the MVP of the match immediately afterward; With Christian too weak to climb the ladder, Rhino plunked the plucky young lad from Toronto onto his shoulders and climbed the ladder for him, allowing Edge and Christian to walk out of Wrestlemania as the new WWF Tag Team Champions. Nine years later, this remains the standard that all other TLC matches are held up to, and thus far none of them have held a candle to this legendary match. 

32) Brock Lesnar vs. Eddie Guerrero (No Way Out 2004)

Going into No Way Out, it seemed like a foregone conclusion that Eddie Guerrero was going to lose his WWE Championship Match, that he was just being fed to Brock Lesnar to build the champ up for his upcoming Wrestlemania feud with Goldberg (which of course would end up being Lesnar's last match in the WWE, and a colossal clusterfuck). Instead, the match was one of the great fairy tale stories, in which a beloved underdog who no one thought had a snowball's chance in hell of winning managed to upset one the most dominant big men the sport has ever seen. The match began as a fairly one-sided beat down, as Lesnar threw Guerrero around like a rag doll with a variety of high impact Suplexes. However, when Lesnar went for a leaping high knee in the corner, Eddie ducked and sent Lesnar crashing hard to the outside, landing hard on one leg. Reinvigorated by the brief respite, Eddie quickly took aim at Lesnar's vulnerable leg, needling at the limb with a series of kicks and quick submission holds. Nevertheless, Brock's incredible size and strength advantage allowed him to continually counter Eddie's attempts at offense, and when Latino heat missed a Frog Splash, it seemed like the end was in sight. Hoisting Eddie up onto his shoulders, Lesnar nailed the F5, but caught the referee flush in the face with one of Eddie's feet, knocking him senseless. With no one to count the pinfall, Lesnar grabbed his title belt from ringside and prepared to level Guerrero with it, but before he could take the swing, Goldberg appeared from out of nowhere and speared Lesnar halfway out of his boots. Dazed but not yet out, Lesnar tried to polish Guerrero off with another F5 moments later, but Guerrero countered into a DDT, planting Lesnar face first onto the belt. As Eddie covered Lesnar, time seemed to stand still; three seconds later, Eddie Guerrero was the new WWE Champion, and the crowd was going wild. Diving into the throng of cheering fans, with his mother and brother Mando watching from the front row, Eddie Guerrero revelled in his hard-fought victory- truly, one of the WWE's all-time best feel-good moments. 
 

31) Team Austin vs. Team Bischoff- Five-on-Five Elimination Match (Survivor Series 2003)

After months of simmering hostility between Raw co-General Managers Eric Bischoff and Stine Cold Steve Austin, a ten man elimination match was announced for Survivor Series that would allow one GM to establish full brand supremacy, banishing the loser to the unemployment line. Unable to step into the ring himself, Austin was forced to break his personal credo of "don't trust anybody", forming a tight-knit team of allies to go to war against Bischoff's cronies. To protect his future on Raw, Austin sought out the help of the Dudley Boyz, Rob Van Dam and his fellow Texans Booker T and Shawn Michaels. Bischoff meanwhile gathered together Austin's most vocal detractors, Randy Orton, Chris Jericho and Christian, and backed them up with the hired muscle of Scott Steiner and Mark Henry. With both General Managers watching anxiously from ringside, the two teams squared off; Team Austin scored first blood with the elimination of Steiner via a Book End, but Henry quickly evened things up again by taking out Booker with the World's Strongest Slam. With Henry stood poised to be a huge factor in the match, Austin's ECW alumni wisely teamed up to cut him down to size, using a 3D and the Five Star Frog Splash to send him packing. Not to be outdone, Bischoff's boys used typically dirty tactics to even things up again, as Jericho shoved RVD off the top rope, leaving him easy picking for an RKO from Orton. Things quickly began to go downhill for Austin's team, as both Dudleys were eliminated in short succession, (with Jericho delivering the Flashback to D-Von and Bubba Ray suffering a low blow and an Unprettier), leaving Michaels all alone against three opponents. Though outnumbered and badly bloodied, Michaels fought back in his own inimitable fashion, connecting with a Hail Mary Sweet Chin Music to Christian to cut down Team Bischoff's advantage. The handicap scenario quickly began to take its toll on the Heart-Break Kid, as Bischoff's remaining soldiers used every dirty tactic in the book to score the final decision; however, Michaels scored another miraculous pinfall, reversing the Walls of Jericho into an Inside Cradle. Though the match was now an even one-on-one affair, Michaels' uphill battle was far from over, as Jericho re-entered the ring illegally and levelled HBK with a skull-crushing chair shot. Even then, Michaels literally crawled up the ropes, hoping to finish Orton off with Sweet Chin Music. Before he could take his shot, Michaels was attacked from behind by Bischoff; turn about being fair play, Austin charged the ring and began beating the holy hell out of Bischoff, stopping only to deliver a Stunner to Orton. It seemed as though Michaels was about to defy the odds once again and save Austin's career, but it wasn't to be- with the referee distracted by the General Managers' brawl, Orton's Evolution teammate Batista ran out through the crowd and took Michaels out with a devastating Batista Bomb. Before the Stone Cold knew what had happened, Orton had crawled over and covered Michaels, scoring the biggest win of his career and ending Austin's tenure as Raw co-GM. As the dust began to settle on the epic match, Austin bid an emotional farewell to the Dallas, Texas crowd. Though Stone Cold would make many countless quest appearances over the following few years, this would mark his last day as a full-time WWE personality- the end of an era had come to pass.