I might go with pretty much every Orton/Cena match. I'm not saying their matches are horrendous or that they weren't "Match of the Night" winners and, for a time, they probably were "Match of the Month" winners...but none of them were MOTY to me and I think both guys have had better matches with different opponents.

I don't see how any of them were in that "matches everyone is supposed to love" / MOTY level, though. Outside of possibly 'people who only watch WWE'.

Just watched Magnum/Tully for the first time with none of the buildup. Honestly don't see how you could not love it, but different strokes for different folks. LOVED the part where Magnum had the mic in Tuilly's face, then they just started rolling around and clawing at each other's faces. By that point it was an accomplishment to stand up because of the toll the match had taken on both. That was an absolute war. Magnum thinking about going back to gouging Tully afterwards was a great, great touch also. What separates this match from a brawl to me is the sheer amount of hate and refusal to back down even one bit by both. The intensity level in this match is through the roof and I think that elevates it far above calling it just "a brawl".

V

Austin / Undertaker from Summerslam 1998 and the Austin/ HHH / Mankind 3 way from Summerslam 1999. They have left me cold when people have raved about them. This however can count for around 3/4's of the Attitude Era matches and booking as they no longer hold up to today's standards. I can appriciate a good Austin brawl mind you as the Over The Edge main event's booking and pacing are tremendous today.

I've never heard anyone rave over Austin-Taker. Given Austin's condition after the backdrop botch it's a miracle the match happened but still it's pretty mediocre.

I would also add Bret Hart vs British Bulldog from Summerslam 92. Its solid, but I don't think its exceptional or even especially good. I could actually mention a lot of Bret Hart matches here.

I think the tide of opinion has changed on Hart/Bulldog at Wembley. Usually I see people say their In Your House match from 95 was better.

I would also add Bret Hart vs British Bulldog from Summerslam 92. Its solid, but I don't think its exceptional or even especially good. I could actually mention a lot of Bret Hart matches here.

 

 

I think the tide of opinion has changed on Hart/Bulldog at Wembley. Usually I see people say their In Your House match from 95 was better.

 

I think the In Your House match was way better. Summerslam has the great aesthetics, and I think Bret prefers it because he can discuss it as a carry job, but In Your House is just a clearly superior match to me.

I've just got through a couple of podcasts relating to Summerslam 98. Both Triple H / Rock ladder match and Austin / Taker were highly touted. Austin / Taker recieved 4.5 out of 5. I don't understand that. But I agree that without Taker carrying Austin home that match could have been a lot lot worse than mediocre.

Hart/Bulldog definitely belongs here. I remembered it being a WWF all timer, then when I hit it as part of the '92 rewatch it was nothing of the sort.

 

Another from that year for me was Piper/Bret at Mania. Good match, but I thought Savage/Flair was clearly better.

Misawa vs Taue from 9/10/95 is another pick for me. We had it out in the '95 Yearbook thread over the match, but in short, I think working over two body parts at the same time makes for a cloudy narrative.

I guess I'm in the minority in this thread in that I just watched Hart/Bulldog from '92 and thought it held up really well. Not just on Hart's end, but I realized that I'd always given Bulldog too much of a hard time for his role in that match. He holds his own and adds a lot to the match.

Rewatched Tully/Magnum, and I'll recant on that. Its definitely a legendary matchup. I think I was taken aback the first time I saw it by the amount of crazed rolling on the ground and ugly, desperate grappling. But now I dig how animalistic the match is and it feels like a fantastic story about survival and what it takes to survive. Amazing finish, and I really dug how Magnum holds back from a post-match beatdown on Tully, instead just giving him this disgusted look. Then he leaves relatively quickly, perhaps even a little disgusted with himself for the lengths he had to go to.

This kind of thing often occurs by happenstance, but I also loved the pre-match aesthetics. It has a really eerie, hostile vibe before the house lights came up and both Tully and Magnum communicated a lot with their posture/faces, which was enhanced by the moody lighting.

It is one of the few matches I can think of off the top of my head where absolutely nothing looks cooperative.

Never got the love for Luger/Sting vs. The Steiners from the first SuperBrawl, specifically why it beat out the Bret/Hennig match from SummerSlam for PWI match of the year.

Never got the love for Luger/Sting vs. The Steiners from the first SuperBrawl, specifically why it beat out the Bret/Hennig match from SummerSlam for PWI match of the year.

 

wasn't apter getting money from WCW or is that just another old scott keith chestnut?

It wasn't just Apter for that match though, Meltzer loved it as well, so did Scott Keith, and so did a ton of casual and hardcore fans if my memory serves me right. I watched it a month or so ago, and it's really not very good at all. It's a sprint based spotfest where all four guys blow numerous spots. It popped the crowd big though, I'll give the match that much.

I absolutely loved that match back in the day and again when I saw it around 2006. I'm set to watch it again in the next few motnhs so will be interested to see if it holds up.

 

I have a suspicion that I'm still going to love it. Bring on those high spots!

I just watched Sting/Luger v. Steiners last night and I really enjoyed it. Just four super over guys laying into each other and the crowd totally eating it up. It's not better than Bret/Hennig, but I loved it.

I certainly understand why people loved/love the idea of that match. The first few minutes were cool with the energy and big spots, but they got really ragged after that and petered out. It wasn't anywhere near the best match in the world that day -- that'd be Sano vs. Shamrock in Japan.

Yea not all spotfests are bad. Add the Steiners throwing their usual bombs and I could see why people like it. I haven't seen it in about 10 years so ill have to dig it up

I don't even think it was an impressive spotfest compared to other Steiners matches of the time.

 

 

Never got the love for Luger/Sting vs. The Steiners from the first SuperBrawl, specifically why it beat out the Bret/Hennig match from SummerSlam for PWI match of the year.

wasn't apter getting money from WCW or is that just another old scott keith chestnut?

PWI produced the WCW magazine for them at that point so Apter and company were probably a little biased when it came to WCW content.

PWI were always in the pocket of any prominent non-WWF promotion, going back to Vince banning their photographers and trying to prevent his wrestlers from appearing in their magazines at all.