Your "So So Good" Top 100 Matches of All Time

[Ricky Jackson]

Well post a link to it then

[El McKell]

https://drive.google.com/drive/u/0/folders/0Bwpbsa8C2iSmZXJuaE44bm40eHc

[gordi]

Might as well add mine. As it stands, it runs a little long. Everything from #93 through #110 is basically tied for 93rd. Even running over, there are obviously a ton of great matches left of the list.

 

 

1. 6/9/95 (AJPW 6/9/1995)

2. Hokuto & Kandori vs Bull & Kong (AJW - 3/27/1994)

3. Bret vs Austin (WM 13 WWF - 3/23/97)

4. Jumbo Tsuruta vs Genichiro Tenryu (AJPW - 6/5/1989)

5. Billy Robinson vs Giant Baba (AJPW - 7/24/1976)

6. Misawa Kobashi & Kawada vs Jumbo Taue & Fuchi AJPW - 4/20/91)

7. Jumbo & Tenryu vs Choshu & Yatsu (AJPW 1/28/1986)

8. IYH Canadian Stampede Main Event (WWF – 7/6/97)

9. Sangre Chicana vs MS-1 (Hair vs Hair EMLL 9/23/1983)

10. Antonio Inoki, Tatsumi Fujinami, Nobuhiako Takada, Yoshiaki Fujiwara & Kengo Kimura vs Riki Coshu, Yoshiaki Yatsu, Animal Hamaguchi, Isamu Teranishi & Kuniaki Kobayashi (5x5 Gauntlet - NJPW - 4/19/1984)

11. Ric Flair vs. Ricky Steamboat (Chi-Town Rumble – WCW - 2/20/89)

12. Mitsuharu Misawa vs. Jumbo Tsuruta (AJPW - 6/8/90)

13. Dump Matsumoto vs Chigusa Nagayo (AJW - 8/28/85)

14. Bull Nakano vs Aja Kong (Cage Match – AJW - 11/14/90)

15. Kenta Kobashi & Tsuyoshi Kikuchi vs Dan Kroffat & Doug Furnas (AJPW - 5/22/92)

16. Stan Hansen vs Andre the Giant (NJPW - 9/23/1981)

17. Jumbo Tsuruta vs Jack Brisco – (AJPW United National Heavyweight Tournament Final 8/28/76)

18. Terry Funk vs Jumbo Tsuruta (AJPW - 6/11/76)

19. The Destroyer vs Giant Baba (JWA - 3/5/1969)

20. Randy Savage vs Ricky Steamboat (IC Title Match - 3/29/87)

21. Tamura vs Han (RINGS - 1/22/97)

22. El Hijo del Santo vs. El Dandy vs. Negro Casas (CMLL, 12/6/1996)

23. Dick Togo vs Billyken Kid (Osaka Pro 2/11/2010)

24. Genichiro Tenryu & Stan Hansen vs Jumbo Tsuruta & Yoshiaki Yatsu AJPW -12/6/89)

25. Tenryu & Hara vs Jumbo & Yatsu (AJPW 8/30/1988

26. Torneo Cibernetico (CMLL - 4/18/1997)

27. Eddy Guerrero vs. Rey Misterio Jr. (Halloween Havoc – WCW - 10/26/97)

28. Terry & Dory vs Abdullah & The Sheik (AJPW - 7/15/79)

29. Atlantis vs Villano III (Mask vs Mask - EMLL - 3/17/2000)

30. Lou Thesz vs. Verne Gagne (Chicago - 1/25/1952)

31. Stan Hansen vs Carlos Colon (Bullrope - CWP - 1/6/1987)

32. Ric Flair v Terry Funk (I Quit) (WCW, 11/15/89)

33. Ric Flair v Ricky Morton (Cage Match) (JCP, 7/5/86)

34. Team New Japan (Antonio Inoki & Tatsumi Fujinami & Kengo Kimura & Umanosuke Ueda & Kantaro Hoshino) Vs. Team UWF (Akira Maeda, Yoshiaki Fujiwara, Osamu Kido, Nobuhiko Takada & Kazuo Yamazaki) (New Japan - 3/26/86)

35. Jushin Liger vs. El Samurai (NJPW - 4/30/1992)

36. LCO vs Ayako Hamada & AKINO (ARISON - 12/11/1999)

37. Terry Gordy vs Killer Khan (Texas Death Match – WCCW - 11/22/84)

38. Vader & Tenta vs Albright & Yamazaki (UWFi 10/08/1994)

39. Genichiro Tenryu & Stan Hansen vs Giant Baba & Rusher Kimura (AJPW - 11/29/89)

40. Masakatsu Funaki vs. Tatsuo Nakano (UWF 7/24/1989)

41. Yuki Ishikawa vs. Daisuke Ikeda (BattlARTS, 4/15/1997)

42. Bret Hart vs. Owen Hart (Wrestlemania X – WWF - 3/20/94)

43. Bret Hart vs. Steve Austin (Survivor Series – WWF - 11/17/96)

44. Misawa & Akiyama vs Kawada & Taue (AJPW RWTL - 12/6/96)

45. Mitsuharu Misawa vs Akira Taue (AJPW Championship Carnival 04/15/95)

46. Kiyoshi Tamura vs. Volk Han (RINGS, 9/26/1997)

47. Ebessan vs Kuishinbo Kamen (Osaka Pro 01/02/2003)

48. Dick Togo, Taka Michinoku, Shiryu, Mens Teoh & Shoichi Funaki vs Great Sasuke, Gran Hamada, Super Delphin, Gran Naniwa & Masato Yakushiji (M-Pro - 12/16/96)

49. Taka Michinoku, Mens Teoh, Dick Togo, Shiryu & Shoichi Funaki vs Gran Hamada, Gran Naniwa, Super Delphin, Tiger Mask IV & Masato Yakushiji (M-Pro 10/10/96)

50. Jim Breaks vs. Adrian Street (Joint Promotions, 2/12/1972)

51. Shinjiro Ohtani vs. El Samurai (NJPW, 1/21/1996)

52. Toshiaki Kawada vs Gary Albright (AJPW - 10/25/1995)

53. Kawada v Steve Williams (AJPW - 4/16/94)

54. Royal Rumble '92 (WWF – 1/19/1992)

55. War Games, The Match Beyond (JCP - 7/4/87)

56. Roddy Piper vs Greg Valentine (Dog Collar Match- JCP - 11/24/83)

57. Terry Funk vs Stan Hansen (AJPW - 9/11/82)

58. Bret Hart vs Roddy Piper (WWF WM 8 – 4/5/1992)

59. Toshiaki Kawada vs Akira Taue (AJPW Championship Carnival 04/08/95)

60. Vader vs. Sting (WCW, 12/28/1992)

61. Stan Hansen & Terry Gordy vs Genichiro Tenryu & Toshiaki Kawada (AJPW - 12/16/88)

62. Kiyoshi Tamura vs. Yoshihisa Yamamoto (RINGS, 6/24/1999)

63. Andre the Giant vs Killer Khan ( NJPW - 4/1/82)

64. Stan Hansen vs. Kenta Kobashi (AJPW - 7/29/93)

65. Mayumi Ozaki vs Dynamite Kansai (Street FIght) 3/17/95 JWP

66. Megumi Kudo vs. Combat Toyota (FMW, 5/5/1996)

67. Magnum TA vs Tully Blanchard (Steel Cage, I Quit Match - JCP - 11/28/85)

68. Los Brazos vs Los Infernales (CMLL – 11/22/1991)

69. Pat Patterson vs Sgt Slaughter (Ally Fight - WWE - 5/4/1981)

70. Kerry & Kevin Von Erich vs Chris Adams & Gino Hernandez – (Hair vs Hair - WCCW - 10/6/85)

71. Bob Backlund vs Ken Patera (Texas Death Match – WWF - 5/19/80)

72. Sgt Slaughter vs Iron Sheik (Boot Camp Match - WWF - 6/16/84)

73. Jushin Liger vs Naoki Sano (NJPW - 1/31/90)

74. Dynamite Kid vs. Tatsumi Fujinami (NJPW - 2/5/80)

75. Bryan Danielson vs. KENTA (ROH, 9/16/2006)

76. Vader vs. Nobuhiko Takada (UWFi - 8/18/94)

77. Antonio Inoki vs Tatsumi Fujinami (NJPW 8/8/1988)

78. Johnny Czeslaw vs. Les Kellett (WoS 11/25/1972)

79. Tatsumi Fujinami, Keiichi Yamada, Shiro Koshinaka, Yoshiaki Fujiwara & Kengo Kimura vs. Hiro Saito, Kuniaki Kobayashi, Super Strong Machine, Masa Saito & Riki Choshu (Elimination Match -NJPW - 9/12/88)

80. Terry Funk vs Atsushi Onita (No Rope Barbed Wire Exploding Ring Death Match – FMW - 5/5/93)

81. Riki Choshu vs Killer Khan 7/31/86 AJPW

82. Stan Hansen v Carlos Colon (Cage Match) (Puerto Rico, 3/14/87)

83. Misawa & Kobashi vs Kawada & Taue (AJPW -12/3/93)

84. Yoshiaki Fujiwara vs Kazuo Yamazaki (UWF - 7/24/89)

85. Bryan Danielson vs Takeshi Morishima (ROH, 8/25/2007)

86. Nick Bockwinkel vs Billy Robinson (AJPW – 12/11/80)

87. Dick Togo vs Antonio Honda 1/30/11 DDT

88. Sting vs. Cactus Jack (Falls Count Anywhere - Beach Blast – WCW – 6/20/92)

89. Genichiro Tenryu & Ashura Hara v Atsushi Onita & Tarzan Goto (WAR, 3/2/94)

90. War Games (JCP – GAB – 7/23/1989)

91. Ricky Steamboat vs. Ric Flair (2 out of 3 Falls Match - NWA Clash of the Champions VI - 4/2/89)

92. The Midnight Express vs. The Fantastics (WCW Clash #1 – 3/261988)

93. Sting vs. Vader (Strap Match - WCW Superbrawl III 2/21/93)

94. Steamboat & Youngblood vs Slaughter & Kernodle (Cage Match - NWA – 3/12/1983)

95. Daisuke Harada vs Atsushi Kotoge (NOAH – Global Junior Heavyweight League Finals - 8/5/2015)

96. Eddie Guerrero vs Too Cold Scorpio (ECW, 4/8/1995)

97. The Revival vs. #DIY (WWE - 11/19/16)

98. Usos vs New Day (WWE - Summer Slam – 8/20/2017)

99. Great Sasuke vs Dos Caras (M-Pro Mask League Final 08/25/95)

100. Florida Brothers & Kensuke vs Do Fixer (DG – 9/17/2004)

101. Johnny Saint vs Steve Grey (Joint Promotions 01/28/80)

102. Jack Brisco vs Jumbo Tsuruta (1/30/1974)

103. AJ Styles vs Samoa Joe (TNA, 12/11/2005)

104. Buddy Rose vs Matt Borne (No DQ Lumberjack, Portland, 6/12/1982)

105. Tully Blanchard vs Ricky Steamboat (NWA Starrcade, 11/22/1984)

106. Harley Race vs Giant Baba (AJPW, 10/31/1979)

107. Headhunter A vs Headhunter B (Barbed Wire and Glass - IWA Japan May 1st, 1995)

108. Hulk Hogan vs Big Boss Man (WWF, Cage, 3/18/1989)

109. Yuki Ishikawa vs Alexander Otsuka (Big Mouth Loud, 9/11/2005)

110. Roddy Piper vs Buddy Rose (Portland, 9/13/1980)

 

[WingedEagle]

Might as well add mine. As it stands, it runs a little long. Everything from #93 through #110 is basically tied for 93rd. Even running over, there are obviously a ton of great matches left of the list.

 

 

I freaking love these lists. Never, ever tire of looking over them. I'll need to try and compile mine at some point, but a) when I sit down to put that time into wrestling (which is certainly often enough) I end up watching something rather than looking through lists to collect all of the top matches and I have no idea at all how I'd rank everything I've rated most highly. But those are good problems to have.

[gordi]

 

Might as well add mine. As it stands, it runs a little long. Everything from #93 through #110 is basically tied for 93rd. Even running over, there are obviously a ton of great matches left of the list.

 

I freaking love these lists. Never, ever tire of looking over them.

 

I feel the same way. Almost every time I look at someone's list I find a new match or two (or twenty) to love. And I find it really interesting to see what different people's tastes are, and how they match up with and differ from mine.

 

I definitely recommend making a list. I found the process very interesting and I feel like I understand my own taste in wrestling better now, if that makes sense. It'll be interesting to revisit this down the line and see what's changed.

[WingedEagle]

 

 

Might as well add mine. As it stands, it runs a little long. Everything from #93 through #110 is basically tied for 93rd. Even running over, there are obviously a ton of great matches left of the list.

I freaking love these lists. Never, ever tire of looking over them.

I feel the same way. Almost every time I look at someone's list I find a new match or two (or twenty) to love. And I find it really interesting to see what different people's tastes are, and how they match up with and differ from mine.

 

I definitely recommend making a list. I found the process very interesting and I feel like I understand my own taste in wrestling better now, if that makes sense. It'll be interesting to revisit this down the line and see what's changed.

 

 

Totally makes sense. How did you go about it? I've tried tracking how I rate most matches over the last few years, so on the one hand I could gather up those I've rated 5 and 4.75 and work from there. That obviously leaves out certain personal favorites that I wouldn't try to argue are on the periphery of the discussion of the best matches ever, but I love them nonetheless for whatever reason. But that gets into best vs. favorite.

[gordi]

My basic method was to make a huge list of matches that I believe qualify as "objectively" pretty great (I.e. 4.5 stars plus), then try to narrow that down to 100.

My first attempt, I went with "What matches do I think belong on everyone's list?" as my main criterion for ranking. I think that was a pretty great list... but it wasn't MY list.

There are a few matches (Billyken vs Togo, Harada vs Kotoge, Ebessan vs Kuishinbou) that I sincerely believe are in the "pretty great" range that probably resonate more with me because Osaka Pro is my local indie promotion and I know and like the people involved. There are some matches that I rank in that range that may fly a little under the collective radar where maybe others might rank them more like 4 1/4 stars or whatever (like Vader & Tenta vs Albright & Yamazaki, that one Tenryu & Hara vs Jumbo & Yatsu match where I felt like all the pieces came together perfectly, or that Usos vs New Day match that is the only recent WWE match that really blew me away).

I tried a list where I put those matches at or near the top, but it felt disingenuous.

Finally, I decided to take my list and rank it by "how much did this match make me personally mark out?" That list felt right to me. No "objectively great" match made me mark out as much as 6/9/95. Hokuto and Kandori vs Bull and Kong came pretty close...

#3 through #19 are all pretty much tied for third, but I did my best to put them in some kind of order.

I've got Savage and Steamboat from WM3 at #20. I watched that on closed circuit with friends at Pacific Colloseum and it was the greatest mark-out moment of my life. Adjusted for circumstances, though, 20 seemed fair.

There was a pretty great match at WMXX that was also, at the time, a massive mark-out moment for me. But now, I don't wanna think about that match or that wrestler. It's not on the list, nor are there a lot of matches where Misawa gets dropped right on the top of his head.

Also: there are no HBK or King matches on my list. That is pure, inexplicable, personal taste. I can recognize their greatness as wrestlers and understand why some of their matches get all the stars... but for whatever reason I just don't like those guys and their matches don't do it for me.

Taste is a very strange thing. I love Neil Young but I don't like Springsteen. I love Dvorak but I can't get into Brahms. I dig Bret and Jumbo but HBK and King just leave me flat. Who can say why... and I don't even think the why is all that important.

If you fall down and skin your knee while eating a hot dog, when you are 5 years old... it's quite possible that, as an adult, you will hate hot dogs. You might be all, "I don't like hot dogs because they are greasy and salty and bad for you" but really it's some long-forgotten childhood trauma that's at the root of it. Doesn't matter, though. No use in pretending to like hot dogs if you really don't. Grab a burrito or a hamburger instead , and enjoy it.

[Boss Rock]

I sort of feel the same way about Lawler. Checks off every box that makes a great wrestler and he certainly has some great matches to his name. But there's just some stuff I can't get into all that much.

[NintendoLogic]

deleted

[kas]

I always love doing lists like these and seeing other people's choices.

Spoiler

100. Yuji Okabayashi vs Hidetoshi Kamitani (BJW Ryogokutan 2016)

99. Michael Elgin vs Tetsuya Naito (NJPW New Beginning In Osaka 2017)

98. Akira Hokuto and Manami Toyota vs Toshiyo Yamada and Kyoko Inoue (AJW Tag League The Best 1993)

97. AJ Styles vs Bryan Danielson (ROH Main Event Spectacles)

96. Toshie Uematsu vs Yoshiko Tamura (GAEA 19/07/1997)

95. Kenny Omega vs Hirooki Goto (NJPW G1 Climax 26)

94. Pete Dunne vs Ricochet (NXT 23/08/2018)

93. Eddie Guerrero and Love Machine vs El Hijo Del Santo and Octagon. (AAA/IWC When Worlds Collide 1994)

92. Kairi Hojo vs Io Shirai (STARDOM 5th Anniversary)

91. Bryan Danielson vs SHINGO (DGUSA Enter The Dragon 2010)

90. WALTER vs Jordan Devlin (OTT WrestleRama 2)

89. Chris Jericho vs Shawn Michaels (WWE No Mercy 2008)

88. Jumbo Tsuruta vs Mitsuharu Misawa (AJPW Super Power Series 1990)

87. Kota Ibushi vs Tomohiro Ishii (NJPW G1 Climax 28)

86. Canis Lupus vs Trauma I (IWRG 04/09/2016)

85. Brock Lesnar vs Cm Punk (WWE Summerslam 2013)

84. Kenta Kobashi vs Yoshihiro Takayama (NOAH Encountering Navigation 2004)

83. Volk Han Vs Kiyoshi Tamura (RINGS 22/01/1997)

82. Bayley vs Sasha Banks (NXT Takeover Brooklyn 2015)

81. Golden Lovers vs The Young Bucks (NJPW Strong Style Evolved 2018)

80. Io Shirai vs Mayu Iwatani (STARDOM Year-End Climax 2016)

79. Dante Fox vs Killshot (Lucha Underground 25/06/2016)

78. Kazuchika Okada vs Tomohiro Ishii (NJPW G1 Climax 26)

77. Chuck Taylor vs Zack Sabre Jr. (PWG Pushing Forward Back 2017)

76. Crazy MAX vs M2K vs Do Fixer vs Italian Generation (Toryumon Japan Dangerous Summer 2003)

75. Will Ospreay vs Marty Scurll (NJPW Sakura Genesis 2018)

74. Minoru Suzuki vs Takashi Sugiura (NOAH Great Voyage In Osaka 2015)

73. AJ Styles vs Paul London (ROH Night Of The Grudges)

72. Burning vs Kensuke Office (Kensuke Office Take The Dream Volume 6 2008)

71. Ric Flair vs Terry Funk (Clash Of The Champions 9)

70. Johnny Gargano vs Tomasso Ciampa (NXT Takeover New Orleans 2018)

69. AJ Styles vs Samoa Joe (TNA Turning Point 2005)

68. Bull Nakano vs Devil Masami (JWP 18/04/1993)

67. BxB Hulk vs Uhaa Nation (Dragon Gate Champion Gate In Osaka 2015)

66. Aja Kong vs Yumiko Hotta (AJW 24/01/1994)

65. Hiromu Takahashi vs Taiji Ishimori (NJPW Best Of The Super Juniors 2018)

64. Kenta Kobashi vs Samoa Joe (ROH Joe Vs Kobashi 2005)

63. KENTA vs Low Ki (ROH Final Battle 2005)

62. Shawn Michaels vs Triple H (WWE Summerslam 2002)

61. Aja Kong and Bull Nakano vs Akira Hokuto and Shinobu Kandori (AJW Queendom 1994)

60. Daisuke Sekimoto vs Shuji Ishikawa (BJW Ikkitousen Deathmatch Tournament 2015)

59. Kenta Kobashi vs Jun Akiyama (NOAH Departure 2004)

58. Zeus vs Kento Miyahara (AJPW Summer Series 2018)

57. Shinjiro Otani vs Jushin Liger (NJPW Fighting Spirit 1997)

56. Terry Funk vs Bob Orton Jr (Southwest Championship Tournament 1983)

55. Johnny Gargano vs Andrade Almas (NXT Takeover Philadelphia 2018)

54. Stan Hansen and Terry Gordy vs Toshiaki Kawada and Genichiro Tenryu (AJPW Real World Tag League 1988)

53. Bryan Danielson vs Takeshi Morishima (ROH Manhatten Mayhem 2007)

52. Dean Ambrose vs Seth Rollins (FCW TV 11/08/2011)

51. Atlantis vs Villano III (CMLL Homage To Two Legends 2000)

50. Manami Toyota vs Aja Kong (AJW Big Egg Wrestling Universe 1994)

49. Hirooki Goto vs Tomohiro Ishii (NJPW G1 Climax 28)

48. Hiroshi Tanahashi vs Suwama (AJPW Champions Carnival 2005)

47. Hiroshi Tanahashi vs Kota Ibushi (NJPW G1 Climax 28)

46. Young Bucks vs Candice LeRae and Joey Ryan (PWG ELEVEN 2014)

45. Kenta Kobashi, Mitsuharu Misawa, and Toshiaki Kawada vs Jumbo Tsuruta, Akira Taue, and Masunobi Fuchi (AJPW October Giant Series 1990)

44. Do Fixer vs Blood Generation (ROH Supercard Of Honor 2006)

43. Bull Nakano vs Shinobu Kandori (LLPW 14/07/1994)

42. Kenny Omega vs Tomohiro Ishii (NJPW G1 Climax 28)

41. Masashi Takeda vs Isami Kodaka (BJW 20/06/2018)

40. Jushin Liger vs The Great Sasuke (NJPW Summer Struggle 1994)

39. Mankind vs Shawn Michaels (WWE In Your House: Mind Games)

38. Austin Aries vs Nigel McGuinness (ROH Rising Above 2007)

37. CM Punk vs John Cena (WWE Money In The Bank 2011)

36. AJ Styles vs Hiroshi Tanahashi (NJPW G1 Climax 25)

35. Manami Toyota vs Kyoko Inoue (AJW 24/08/1994)

34. Kenta Kobashi vs Stan Hansen (AJPW Summer Action Series 1993)

33. Bryan Danielson vs Chris Hero (PWG Guerres Sans Frontieres 2009)

32. Megumi Kudo vs Combat Toyoda (FMW 7th Anniversary 1996)

31. AJ Styles vs Minoru Suzuki (NJPW G1 Climax 24)

30. Kazuchika Okada vs Katsuyori Shibata (NJPW Sakura Genesis 2017)

29. Manami Toyota and Toshiyo Yamada vs Dynamite Kansai and Mayumi Ozaki (AJW St. Battle Final 1993)

28. AJ Styles vs Shinsuke Nakamura (NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 10)

27. Bryan Danielson vs Nigel McGuinness (ROH Rising Above 2008)

26. Hiroshi Tanahashi vs Minoru Suzuki (NJPW King Of Pro Wrestling 2012)

25. Bull Nakano vs Akira Hokuto (AJW 04/01/1991)

24. Bret Hart vs Owen Hart (WWE Wrestlemania 10)

23. Hiroshi Tanahashi vs Shunsuke Nakamura (NJPW G1 Climax 25)

22. Kenny Omega vs Tetsuya Naito (NJPW G1 Climax 26)

21. Genichiro Tenryu vs Jumbo Tsuruta (AJPW Super Power Series 1989)

20. Team AJW vs Team JWP (JWP Thunder Queen Battle In Yokohama 1993)

19. Kenta Kobashi and Tsuyoshi Kikuchi vs The Can-am Express (AJPW Super Power Series 1992)

18. AJ Styles vs Christopher Daniels vs Samoa Joe (TNA Unbreakable 2005)

17. Ric Flair vs Ricky Steamboat (Clash Of The Champions 6)

16. TLC 2 (WWE Wrestlemania X-7)

15. Katsuyori Shibata vs Tomohiro Ishii (NJPW G1 Climax 23)

14. Rey Mysterio vs Eddie Guerrero (WCW Halloween Havoc 1997)

13. Kota Ibushi vs Kenny Omega (NJPW G1 Climax 28)

12. Manami Toyota vs Mima Shimoda (AJW Grand Prix 1995)

11. Kota Ibushi vs Shinsuke Nakamura (NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 9)

10. Akira Hokuto vs Shinobu Kandori (AJW Dream Slam 1)

9. Kenta Kobashi vs Mitsuharu Misawa (NOAH Navigate For Evolution 2003)

8. Shingo Takagi vs Masaaki Mochizuki (DG The Gate Of Destiny 2015)

7. Bret Hart vs Steve Austin (WWE Wrestlemania 13)

6. Akira Taue and Toshiaki Kawada vs Kenta Kobashi and Mitsuharu Misawa (AJPW Super Power Series 1995)

5. Shawn Michaels vs The Undertaker (WWE Wrestlemania 25)

4. Mitsuharu Misawa vs Toshiaki Kawada (AJPW Super Power Series 1994)

3. Akira Taue and Toshiaki Kawada vs Jun Akiyama and Mitsuharu Misawa (AJPW Real World Tag League 1996)

2. Kazuchika Okada vs Hiroshi Tanahashi (NJPW Invasion Attack 2013)

1. Kazuchika Okada vs Kenny Omega (NJPW Dominion 2018)

1

For variety's sake I had no duplicates, and keep in mind that I'm a relatively new wrestling fan and haven't seen nearly as much 60s-80s as I have wanted to, and that I've only recently gotten into lucha libre.

[elliott]

We just did our annual vote for the Greatest Matches Ever over at the GME board and I figured I'd bump this thread and share my new list top 100 and encourage others to share theirs. 

 

100. Chikayo Nagashima vs Sugar Sato (Street Fight - Oz Academy - 11/4/02)
99. Terry Funk, Tommy Dreamer & Beulah vs Mick Foley, Edge & Lita (ECW One Night Stand 6/11/06)
98. Rob Van Dam & Bill Alfonso vs Tommy Dreamer & Beulah (ECW As Good as it Gets - 9/20/97)
97. Midnight Express vs Road Warriors (Night of the Skywalkers Scaffold Match - JCP Starrcade - 11/27/86)
96. Eddy Guerrero & Love Machine & Fuerza Guerrera vs El Hijo del Santo & Blue Panther & Octagon (AAA - 8/28/93)
95. Crusher Blackwell & Sheik Adnan Kaissey vs Mad Dog Vachon & Baron Von Raschke (AWA - 3/13/83)
94. Buzz Sawyer vs Tommy Rich (Last Battle of Atlanta Steel Cage Match - GCW - 10/23/83)
93. LA Park vs Dr Wagner Jr (TXT - 5/11/13)
92. El Hijo del Santo & Scorpio Jr & Bestia Salvaje vs Negro Casas & El Dandy & Hector Garza (CMLL - 11/29/96)
91. Steve Austin vs Dude Love (No DQ Falls Count Anywhere - WWF Over the Edge - 5/31/98)
90. Invader I vs Ron Starr (WWC - 9/19/86)
89. El Hijo del Santo vs La Parka (Monterrey - 12/23/01)
88. Atsushi Onita vs Great Sasuke (No Rope Barbed Wire Time Bomb Exploding Landmine Double Hell Death Match - Michinoku Pro - 10/30/94)
87. Terry Funk & Dory Funk Jr vs Stan Hansen & Terry Gordy (AJPW - 8/31/83)
86. La Parka & Rey Mysterio Sr & Halloween vs Rey Mysterio Jr & Damian 666 & Vampiro (Tijuana - 10/26/01)
85. Terry Funk vs Sabu (Barbed Wire Death Match - ECW Born to be Wired - 8/9/97)
84. Kiyoshi Tamura vs Yoshihisa Yamamoto (RINGS - 6/24/99)
83. Randy Savage vs Ultimate Warrior (Retirement Match - WWF WrestleMania VII - 3/24/91)
82. Kiyoshi Tamura vs Vader (UWFi - 6/10/94)
81. Terry Funk & Dory Funk Jr vs Abdullah the Butcher & The Sheik (AJPW - 12/13/79)
80. Tully Blanchard vs Ron Garvin (JCP - 5/3/86)
79. Yoshiaki Fujiwara vs Super Tiger (UWF - 12/5/84)
78. El Dandy vs Pirata Morgan (Hair vs Hair - EMLL - 9/23/88)
77. El Satanico vs Sangre Chicana (EMLL - 5/26/89)
76. Jumbo Tsuruta & Genichiro Tenryu vs Riki Choshu & Yoshiaki Yatsu (AJWP - 1/28/86)
75. Greg Valentine vs Roddy Piper (JCP - 7/9/83)
74. Manami Toyota & Toshiyo Yamada vs Mayumi Ozaki & Dynamite Kansai (AJW - 11/26/92)
73. Shinya Hashimoto & Takashi Iizuka vs Naoya Ogawa & Kazunari Murakami (NJPW - 1/4/00)
72. El Satanico vs El Dandy (Hair vs Hair - EMLL - 12/14/90)
71. Buzz Sawyer vs Jim Duggan (UWF - 11/11/85)
70. Atsushi Onita & Tarzan Goto vs Masanobu Kurisu & Kendo Nagasaki (Texas Death Match - FMW - 4/1/90)
69. Cactus Jack & Maxx Payne vs Nasty Boys (Chicago Street Fight - WCW Spring Stampede - 4/17/94)
68. Carlos Colon vs Hercules Ayala (Fire Match - WWC - 9/10/88)
67. El Hijo del Santo & Octagon vs Eddy Guerrero & Love Machine (Double Mask vs Double Hair - AAA - 11/16/94)
66. Kenta Kobashi & Tsuyoshi Kikuchi vs Dan Kroffat & Doug Furnas (AJPW - 5/25/92)
65. Fabulous Ones vs Moondogs (CWA - 4/4/83)
64. Devil Masami vs Chigusa Nagayo (AJW - 8/22/85)
63. Sgt Slaughter & JYD vs Iron Sheik & Nikolai Volkoff (WWF - 10/13/84)
62. El Hijo del Santo vs El Dandy vs Negro Casas (Mask vs Hair vs Hair - CMLL - 12/6/86)
61. Bull Nakano & Grizzly Iwamoto vs Aja Kong & Bison Kimura (AJW - 8/19/90)
60. Jerry Lawler & Bam Bam Bigelow vs Tommy Rich & Austin Idol (Double Jeopardy - CWA - 3/16/87)
59. Fabulous Ones vs Moondogs (Stretcher Match - CWA - 5/2/83)
58. Jaguar Yokota vs La Galactica (AJW - 2/27/85)
57. Fuerza Guerrera vs Octagon (EMLL - 11/1/91)
56. The Destroyer vs Giant Baba (JWA - 3/5/69)
55. The Rock & Roll Express vs The Russians (JCP - 7/9/85)
54. Atsushi Onita vs Terry Funk (No Rope Barbed Wire Exploding Ring Death Match - FMW - 5/5/93)
53. Johnny Valentine vs Wild Bull Curry (Houston - 6/20/69)
52. Sgt Slaughter vs Iron Sheik (Boot Camp Match - WWF - 6/16/84)
51. Jerry Lawler vs King Kong Bundy ($10,000 Challenge - CWA 7/16/84)
50. Aja Kong vs Bull Nakano (Cage Match - AJW - 11/14/90)
49. Kiyoshi Tamura vs Tsuyoshi Kohsaka (RINGS - 6/27/98)
48. Terry Funk & Hiroshi Ono vs Shoji Nakamaki & Nobutaka Araya (Hair vs Hair No Rope Barbed Wire Fire Death Match - IWA Japan - 11/13/94)
47. El Hijo del Santo & Atsushi Onita & Tarzan Goto vs Negro Casas & Tim Patterson & Horace Boulder (FMW/WWA - 5/16/92)
46. Akira Hokuto vs Shinobu Kandori (AJW - 12/6/93)
45. Kiyoshi Tamura vs Volk Han (RINGS - 1/22/97)
44. Bull Nakano vs Devil Masami (JWP - 4/18/93)
43. Fabulous Ones vs Moondogs (No DQ Loser Leaves Town - CWA - 1/16/84)
42. Kerry Von Erich & Kevin Von Erich vs Michael Hayes & Terry Gordy (Country Whipping Match - WCCW - 11/4/83)
41. Jerry Lawler & Bam Bam Bigelow vs Tommy Rich & Austin Idol (Texas Death Match - CWA - 3/23/87)
40. Terry Funk & Dory Funk Jr vs Abdullah the Butcher & The Sheik (AJPW - 12/9/78)
39. Akira Hokuto & Aja Kong vs Shinobu Kandori & Eagle Sawai (AJW DreamSlam II - 4/11/93)
38. Kerry Von Erich vs Michael Hayes (Country Whipping Match - WCCW - 9/5/83)
37. El Hijo del Santo & Negro Casas (Mask vs Hair - CMLL - 9/19/97)
36. Megumi Kudo & Combat Toyoda (No Rope Exploding Barbed Wire Death Match - FMW - 5/5/96)
35. Jerry Lawler vs Terry Funk (No DQ - CWA - 3/23/81)
34. Jerry Lawler & Randy Savage vs King Kong Bundy & Rick Rude (CWA - 9/10/84)
33. Terry Funk vs Stan Hansen (AJPW - 4/14/83)
32. Ric Flair vs Ricky Morton (Cage Match - 7/5/86)
31. Sangre Chicana vs Perro Aguayo (Hair vs Hair - EMLL - 2/28/86)
30. Sangre Chicana vs MS-1 (Hair vs Hair - EMLL - 9/23/83)
29. Invader I vs Al Perez (Street Fight - WWC - 10/26/86)
28. Tully Blanchard vs Magnum TA (I Quit Cage Match - JCP Starrcade - 11/28/85)
27. Kerry Von Erich vs Michael Hayes (Loser Leaves Town Cage Match - WCCW - 11/24/83)
26. Jerry Lawler vs Bill Dundee (Loser Leaves Town - CWA - 12/30/85)
25. Jerry Lawler vs Andy Kaufman & Colossus of Death (Handicap Piledriver Match - CWA - 5/2/83)
24. Jerry Lawler vs Andy Kaufman (Boxing Match - CWA - 11/4/83)
23. Andy Kaufman vs Jimmy Hart (CWA - 7/11/83)
22. Jerry Lawler vs Andy Kaufman (CWA - 4/5/82)
21. Midnight Express vs Rock & Roll Express (Night of the Skywalkers Scaffold Match - JCP Starrcade - 11/26/87)
20. The Rock vs Hollywood Hogan (WWE WrestleMania 18 - 3/17/02)
19. Jerry Lawler vs Terry Funk (Empty Arena Match - CWA - 4/6/81)
18. Alexander Otsuka vs Mitsuhiro Matsunaga (BattlArts - 11/19/99)
17. Chicky Starr vs Invader III (Scaffold Match - WWC - 5/86)
16. Roddy Piper vs Greg Valentine (Dog Collar Match - JCP Starrcade - 11/24/83)
15. Stan Hansen vs Kenta Kobashi (AJPW - 7/29/93)
14. Terry Funk & Dory Funk Jr vs Abdullah the Butcher & The Sheik (AJPW - 12/15/77)
13. Terry Funk & Dory Funk Jr vs Abdullah the Butcher & The Sheik (AJPW - 7/15/79)
12. Infierno en el Ring (CMLL - 9/28/01)
11. Stan Hansen vs Andre the Giant (NJPW - 9/23/81)
10. The Four Horsemen & JJ Dillon vs The Super Powers & Paul Ellering (WarGames - JCP - 7/4/87)
9. Giant Baba & Rusher Kimura vs Genichiro Tenryu & Stan Hansen (AJPW - 11/29/89)
8. Jerry Lawler vs Austin Idol (Loser Leaves Town Hair vs Hair Steel Cage Match - CWA - 4/27/87)
7. Crush Gals vs Dump Matsumoto & Bull Nakano (AJW - 10/10/85)
6. Dump Matsumoto vs Itsuki Yamazaki (AJW - 8/21/86)
5. Dump Matsumoto vs Chigusa Nagayo (Hair vs Hair - AJW - 8/28/85)
4. Dump Matsumoto vs Chigusa Nagayo (Hair vs Hair - AJW - 11/7/86)
3. Akira Hokuto vs Shinobu Kandori (AJW DreamSlam - 4/2/93)
2. Akira Hokuto & Shinobu Kandori vs Aja Kong & Bull Nakano (AJW Queendom - 3/27/94)
1. Dump Matsumoto vs Yukari Ohmoi (AJW - 3/20/86)

[Matt D]

Congrats on updating your list. Talk to me about how 1-7 is AJW and then the promotion doesn’t show up again until almost 40. That’s immediately something that stands out to me. Is the peak of what the promotion could be just higher than anything else but there are only seven matches in that peak or is it match by match and just worked out that way?

[NintendoLogic]

My 2021 ballot is as follows:

Spoiler

1. Mitsuharu Misawa/Kenta Kobashi vs. Toshiaki Kawada/Akira Taue (AJPW, 6/9/95)
2. Mitsuharu Misawa vs. Kenta Kobashi (AJPW, 1/20/97)
3. Kenta Kobashi vs. Yoshihiro Takayama (NOAH, 4/25/04)
4. Bret Hart vs. Steve Austin (WWF, 3/23/97)
5. Mitsuharu Misawa/Toshiaki Kawada/Kenta Kobashi vs. Jumbo Tsuruta/Akira Taue/Masanobu Fuchi (AJPW, 10/19/90)
6. Steve Austin vs. Kurt Angle (WWF, 8/19/01)
7. Mitsuharu Misawa/Jun Akiyama vs. Toshiaki Kawada/Akira Taue (AJPW, 5/23/96)
8. Jumbo Tsuruta/Genichiro Tenryu vs. Riki Choshu/Yoshiaki Yatsu (AJPW, 1/28/86)
9. Mitsuharu Misawa vs. Akira Taue (AJPW, 4/15/95)
10. Jerry Lawler vs. Bill Dundee (Memphis, 6/6/83)
11. Jushin Liger vs. Naoki Sano (NJPW, 8/10/89)
12. Akira Hokuto vs. Shinobu Kandori (AJW, 4/2/93)
13. Mitsuharu Misawa vs. Toshiaki Kawada (AJPW, 6/3/94)
14. Mitsuharu Misawa/Kenta Kobashi vs. Toshiaki Kawada/Akira Taue (AJPW, 12/3/93)
15. Kenta Kobashi vs. Jun Akiyama (AJPW, 7/24/98)
16. Bret Hart vs. Steve Austin (WWF, 11/17/96)
17. Vader vs. Sting (WCW, 12/28/92)
18. Brock Lesnar vs. CM Punk (WWE, 8/18/13)
19. Vader vs. Sting (WCW, 7/12/92)
20. Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Kazuchika Okada (NJPW, 4/7/13)
21. Ric Flair vs. Terry Funk (WCW, 7/23/89)
22. Genichiro Tenryu/Koki Kitahara vs. Shiro Koshinaka/Kengo Kimura (WAR, 10/23/92)
23. Jerry Lawler vs. Terry Funk (Memphis, 3/23/81)
24. Rick Rude vs. Ricky Steamboat (WCW, 6/20/92)
25. Mitsuharu Misawa vs. Jun Akiyama (AJPW, 2/27/00)
26. Stan Hansen vs. Toshiaki Kawada (AJPW, 2/28/93)
27. Shawn Michaels vs. Mankind (WWF, 9/22/96)
28. Eddie Guerrero vs. Brock Lesnar (WWE, 2/15/04)
29. MS-1 vs. Sangre Chicana (EMLL, 9/23/83)
30. Stan Hansen/Genichiro Tenryu vs. Jumbo Tsuruta/Yoshiaki Yatsu (AJPW, 12/6/89)
31. AJ Styles vs. Minoru Suzuki (NJPW, 8/1/14)
32. Riki Choshu vs. Yoshiaki Fujiwara (NJPW, 6/9/87)
33. John Cena vs. Umaga (WWE, 1/28/07)
34. Tatsumi Fujinami/Riki Choshu/Akira Maeda/Kengo Kimura/Super Strong Machine vs. Antonio Inoki/Yoshiaki Fujiwara/Seiji Sakaguchi/Kantaro Hoshino/Keiji Mutoh (NJPW, 8/19/87)
35. Kenta Kobashi/Jun Akiyama vs. Stan Hansen/Akira Taue (AJPW, 12/3/99)
36. Eddie Guerrero vs. Rey Mysterio (WWE, 6/23/05)
37. Vader vs. Keiji Mutoh (NJPW, 8/10/91)
38. Midnight Rockers vs. Buddy Rose/Doug Somers (AWA, 8/30/86)
39. Mitsuharu Misawa/Toshiaki Kawada vs. Jumbo Tsuruta/Akira Taue (AJPW, 11/29/91)
40. Toshiaki Kawada/Masanobu Fuchi vs. Yuji Nagata/Takashi Iizuka (NJPW, 12/14/00)
41. Samoa Joe vs. AJ Styles (TNA, 12/11/05)
42. Mitsuharu Misawa/Yoshinari Ogawa vs. KENTA/Naomichi Marufuji (NOAH, 4/25/04)
43. Kenta Kobashi/Go Shiozaki vs. Genichiro Tenryu/Jun Akiyama (NOAH, 4/24/05)
44. Bret Hart vs. Owen Hart (WWF, 3/20/94)
45. Eddie Guerrero vs. Rey Mysterio Jr. (WCW, 10/26/97)
46. Bret Hart vs. Mr. Perfect (WWF, 6/13/93)
47. Shinya Hashimoto vs. Kazuo Yamazaki (NJPW, 8/2/98)
48. Kenta Kobashi vs. Yoshinari Ogawa (NOAH, 11/1/03)
49. Kenta Kobashi/Tsuyoshi Kikuchi vs. Doug Furnas/Dan Kroffat (AJPW, 5/25/92)
50. Shawn Michaels/Diesel vs. Razor Ramon/123 Kid (WWF, 10/30/94)
51. Stan Hansen vs. Kenta Kobashi (AJPW, 7/29/93)
52. Giant Baba vs. Billy Robinson (AJPW, 7/24/76)
53. Jim Duggan vs. Ted DiBiase (Mid-South, 3/22/85)
54. Sgt. Slaughter vs. Iron Sheik (WWF, 6/16/84)
55. Katsuyori Shibata vs. Tomoaki Honma (NJPW, 8/3/14)
56. Aja Kong vs. Manami Toyota (AJW, 8/20/97)
57. Brock Lesnar vs. Roman Reigns (WWE, 3/29/15)
58. Yoshihiro Takayama/Minoru Suzuki vs. Yuji Nagata/Naofumi Yamamoto (NJPW, 10/9/06)
59. Kenta Kobashi/Jun Akiyama vs. Stan Hansen/Vader (AJPW, 12/5/98)
60. Mitsuharu Misawa/Toshiaki Kawada/Tsuyoshi Kikuchi vs. Jumbo Tsuruta/Akira Taue/Masanobu Fuchi (AJPW, 10/15/91)
61. Rock & Roll Express vs. Midnight Express (WCW, 2/25/90)
62. Hart Foundation vs. Killer Bees (WWF, 2/17/86)
63. Genichiro Tenryu/Takashi Ishikawa vs. Tatsumi Fujinami/Hiroshi Hase (WAR, 2/14/93)
64. Mitsuharu Misawa/Jun Akiyama vs. Toshiaki Kawada/Akira Taue (AJPW, 12/6/96)
65. Mitsuharu Misawa vs. Toshiaki Kawada (AJPW, 7/24/95)
66. Mitsuharu Misawa/Kenta Kobashi vs. Steve Williams/Johnny Ace (AJPW, 12/10/94)
67. Mitsuharu Misawa/Toshiaki Kawada/Kenta Kobashi vs. Jumbo Tsuruta/Akira Taue/Masanobu Fuchi (AJPW, 5/22/92)
68. Kenta Kobashi/Jun Akiyama vs. Yoshihiro Takayama/Takao Omori (AJPW, 10/30/99)
69. Mitsuharu Misawa/Kenta Kobashi/Tsuyoshi Kikuchi vs. Toshiaki Kawada/Akira Taue/Yoshinari Ogawa (AJPW, 6/3/93)
70. Kenta Kobashi/Jun Akiyama vs. Toshiaki Kawada/Akira Taue (AJPW, 10/11/98)
71. Genichiro Tenryu/Takashi Ishikawa vs. Shinya Hashimoto/Michiyoshi Ohara (NJPW, 6/14/93)
72. CM Punk vs. Eddie Kingston (AEW, 11/13/21)
73. Bret Hart vs. British Bulldog (WWF, 12/17/95)
74. Brock Lesnar vs. AJ Styles (WWE, 11/19/17)
75. Lex Luger vs. Ricky Steamboat (WCW, 7/23/89)
76. Barry Windham vs 2 Cold Scorpio (WCW, 6/16/93)
77. Randy Savage vs. Ricky Steamboat (WWF, 2/15/87)
78. Dustin Rhodes vs. Bunkhouse Buck (WCW, 4/17/94)
79. Cactus Jack vs. Paul Orndorff (WCW, 2/21/93)
80. Daniel Bryan vs. Sheamus (WWE, 4/29/12)
81. Hirooki Goto/Katsuyori Shibata vs. Yuji Nagata/Tomoaki Honma (NJPW, 6/21/14)
82. Steiner Brothers vs. Nasty Boys (WCW, 10/27/90)
83. Stan Hansen/Terry Gordy vs. Genichiro Tenryu/Toshiaki Kawada (AJPW, 12/16/88)
84. Dynamite Kid vs. Tatsumi Fujinami (NJPW, 2/5/80)
85. Randy Savage vs. Tito Santana (WWF, 4/22/86)
86. Ted DiBiase vs. Dick Murdoch (Mid-South, 12/31/85)
87. Bret Hart/British Bulldog vs. Owen Hart/Bob Backlund (WWF, 2/26/95)
88. Ricky Steamboat/Shane Douglas vs. Barry Windham/Brian Pillman (WCW, 12/28/92)
89. Ricky Steamboat/Tito Santana vs. Greg Valentine/Brutus Beefcake (WWF, 4/21/85)
90. Riki Choshu/Kensuke Sasaki/Shiro Koshinaka/Kuniaki Kobayashi/Kantaro Hoshino vs. Animal Hamaguchi/Masanobu Kurisu/Super Strong Machine/Tatsutoshi Goto/Hiro Saito (NJPW, 6/26/90)
91. Hiroshi Tanahashi/Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Minoru Suzuki/Kensuke Sasaki (NJPW, 12/11/04)
92. Darby Allin vs. Brian Cage (AEW, 1/13/21)
93. Kazuchika Okada vs. Togi Makabe (NJPW, 6/22/13)
94. Kensuke Sasaki vs. KENTA (NOAH, 7/18/08)
95. Vader vs. Dustin Rhodes (WCW, 11/16/94)
96. Barry Windham/Dustin Rhodes vs. Steve Austin/Larry Zbyszko (WCW, 2/29/92)
97. Lex Luger/Barry Windham vs. Arn Anderson/Tully Blanchard (NWA, 3/27/88)
98. Jerry Lawler vs. Dutch Mantell (Memphis, 3/22/82)
99. Daisuke Ikeda vs. Alexander Otsuka (Battlarts, 4/26/99)
100. Ultimate Warrior vs. Rick Rude (WWF, 8/28/89)

I'm more comfortable with tiers than linear rankings, so it's probably best to view my list as top 30-power gap-middle 30-power gap-bottom 40.

[elliott]

9 hours ago, Matt D said:

Congrats on updating your list. Talk to me about how 1-7 is AJW and then the promotion doesn’t show up again until almost 40. That’s immediately something that stands out to me. Is the peak of what the promotion could be just higher than anything else but there are only seven matches in that peak or is it match by match and just worked out that way?

 

On break at work but I'll toss some quick thoughts out. 

Itst just sort of match by match and works out that way. I think peak Matsumoto 85-86 is the most compelling performer in wrestling history. There isn't anyone else working like her. So even though they both took place on AJW cards in August 1985,  something like Chigusa vs Devil 8/22/85 that I ranked  64, may as well take place in an entirely different universe from the Dump vs Chigusa match from 8/28/85. So its not just that what AJW was doing was better than everything else, its that Dump Matsumoto specifically was operating at a higher level for that era.  Realisitcally I could have included more of her matches, like a lot more, but then I'd have less room for Moondogs or Beulah.

But seriuosly, I've been banging the drum on Dump vs Ohmori for the last several years. I thought if I was going to have that at #1, those other matches vs Chigusa, vs Itzuki & the 10/85 tag match are all really special and approaching that level anyway. 

Same thing with Hokuto/Kandori matches. I think early-mid 90s AJW is an amazing promotion with some of the best matches ever, but the Hokuto/Kandori rivalry is atypical for them. You can't compare what they're doing with what Kyoko or Toyota  are doing even though its all under the "AJW" umbrella if that makes sense? Hokuto & Kandori are working on a much grander scale.  Like there are 4 total matches as part of the Hokuto/Kandori feud starting with DreamSlam I and finishing with the Queendom tag. They're all in my top 50.