What Is Better Than This?

[DEAN]

Pete posted this in the Not From Now thread but I would put it in contention here.

 

[BloodyChamp]

I think Mankind vs The Undertaker HIAC belongs on both lists. It wasn’t a death match but because somebody almost died twice it was the greatest death match. It wasn’t the greatest match in the history of wrestling but because it was the the greatest death match it was the greatest match in the history of wrestling. That makes sense as long as I don’t have to explain it lol!

But really I feel the same way everybody else does about that match. We all had our bloodthirsty streak which in hindsight had more to do with coming of age than it did what we were watching. The 2 things just mixed together crazy like and what you got was a rabid wrestling fan. Now we distance ourselves from that match because we’re all grown up.  Some of that is maturity and some of that is peer pressure (I thought we were grown lol) whether people admit it or not. To admit you’re a fan of the match gets some people all stirred up about many sensitive subjects. I don’t know if I buy them either, like people think they have to be offended and stuff but anyway that’s the final result sincere or not. 
 

Now the other side of that story is that that was the greatest match ever using the most basic formula and I don’t know how people can ignore it. The heat was off the charts for that match. They built towards it, promoted it and everything perfectly. Then they did the same thing in the actual match. They built towards the 2 bumps and they delivered at the perfect times...like in a properly worked wrestling match. Everybody thought Cactus Jack was dead. That’s what wrestlers have tried to sell since forever. It doesn’t sound good saying it flat out considering some of the accidents that have happed but it’s the truth and they did it.  

 

 

Edited February 17, 2020 by BloodyChamp

[The Natural]

On 2/14/2020 at 5:52 PM, Eivion said:

The first with HBK/Taker and Brock/Taker I certainly could see belonging.

The two best HIAC matches in that order.

[Curt McGirt]

This match is very special to me. I think it's where I came to realize what wrestling could be, that you could strip it all down to the most minimal essence and as long as you had stiffness and selling it's all you needed. It feels like two guys fighting to the death, and you don't need any other story, no high spots, nothing else. The power of the strikes and the reaction to them have the weight of the world in them. 

Edited February 17, 2020 by Curt McGirt

[ReiseReise]

Tenryu vs Hashimoto is my personal favourite among New Japan matches and I'd say you pretty much point out the reasons I'd give aswell. 

Kawada vs Sasaki in their first Dome-meeting is very near to Hashimoto vs Tenryu for the simple fact that it is a very comparable match in regards to its structure. Kawada was amazing at using a basic, strike-heavy offense with holds mixed in. 2000 was in many regards Sasaki's year in that he matured as a worker and began to have good matches imo. 

[Jiji]

He was in some fantastic matches prior to that but he became more accountable for great matches from 2000 onward. Previously he'd need help from better wrestlers to get there. 

[Curt McGirt]

Yeah, both of the Sasaki/Kawada matches were great. Then Takayama shows up and reveals that the New Japan heavyweight scene really can cook for the first time in awhile. 

Meanwhile, in NOAH:

Whoops, EDIT for being the wrong match initially

Edited February 17, 2020 by Curt McGirt

[Curt McGirt]

This was the match that, to be crude about it, popped my Lucha cherry. 

Edited February 17, 2020 by Curt McGirt