Top Five Greatest Matches I Ever Saw

Rob Faint

I’ve been watching wrestling for a long time, longer than I would like to admit. In that time, I have seen thousands of matches-WWF/WWE, NWA, WCW, TNA, ROH, NJPW plus many other independent organizations. It’s taken me a bit of time, but I have narrowed my list to include the top 5 matches I have ever seen.

1)      Ric Flair-Ricky Steamboat-Clash of the Champions VI: Ragin’ Cajun (April 2, 1989).  Part of the arguably greatest trilogy in wrestling history.  To set the stage: Steamboat makes a surprise return to the NWA in a tag team match with Eddie Gilbert vs Flair and Barry Windham.  Steamboat pins Flair during that match and eventually pins Flair for the NWA title at Chi-Town Rumble (February 20, 1989).  The match at C of C was 2 out of 3 falls, each man winning one fall and the third ending with a disputed pin.  Flair eventually regains the title at WrestleWar: Music City Showdown (May 7, 1989)

I chose this match over the other 2 meetings because I feel it was the best out of the three.  Steamboat and Flair knew they set the bar high after their first match and delivered an even better one.  The psychology of this match was completely different: Steamboat the champion desperately trying to defend his recently won title, Flair equally desperate to regain the “10 pounds of gold”.  In the end, nothing was settled leading up to one final match.

2)      Kazuchika Okada-Kenny Omega- Two Out Of Three Falls, IWGP Heavyweight Championship, Dominion 6.9 (June 9, 2018): Another 2 of 3 falls match? At this point the record was one win for Okada, a draw and one win for Omega.  This is the match that would determine who was Japan’s number 1. The two men went all out-Rainmakers, One-Winged Angels and a bevy of outside the ring action.  After splitting the 1^st 2 falls Omega wins the final match, ending Okada’s record 720-day reign. 

I feel like of all their matches this was the best because each fall had it’s own identity as hard as I tried, I couldn’t figure out who the winner would be. 

3)      Sasha Banks-Bayley- WWE NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn (Aug 22, 2015)-This match is considered to be one of the greatest women’s matches of all time, and I can’t agree more.  It packs in so much action and drama one tends to forget its run time is only a little over 18 minutes.  A little history: Sasha had been called up to the main roster but still had some unfinished business. She was challenged for her NXT Women’s Championship by Bayley, the smiling hugger. She defeated Charlotte to become #1 contender for the title.  After a great battle Bayley came out on top.  This match is widely considered to be the start of the Women’s Revolution.

It has a special place for me because up to this point, I didn’t follow women’s wrestling.  I became a huge fan of both women’s wrestling and specifically Bayley.

4)      Bret Hart-Steve Austin-WrestleMania 13 (March 23, 1997)– The no DQ, submission match between Bret Hart and “Stone Cold” Steve Austin has been called one of the greatest matches in wrestling history and has been cited as the beginning of the Attitude Era. This match was the inaugural “Immortal Moment” recipient of the WWE Hall of Fame in 2025. It also has the rare “double turn” where fan favorite Hart turned heel and villainous Austin heard cheers. 

Austin had become a thorn in Hart’s side starting right after Austin won King of the Ring.  After several matches and altercations, it all came to a head at WM 13. 

This match was a brutal battle between 2 of my favorites and I really wasn’t sure who I wanted to win. 

5)      1992 Royal Rumble- January 19, 1992. This match has been on the top of so many lists I am almost hesitant to include it, but it’s my column so I decide.  We all know the story: Flair enters the WWF claiming to be the “real” world champion.  Hulk Hogan was stripped of the WWF title, so it was determined the winner of the RR would be the champion.  A who’s who of wrestlers entered the match, former and future world champions abound.  In the end, one man emerges-Ric Flair.

Great commentary, great wrestling, great post-match activity.  I can watch this match over and over without ever getting tired of seeing it.  

Now it’s your turn readers.  Name your 5 best.