The Top Ten 1.15.08: RAW Matches

Hello good people and welcome back to another classic edition of The Top Ten. This week we’re going to look back at The Top Ten RAW Matches which was obviously not an easy list to come up with given the sheer amount of great matches that have happened on the flagship. OK, enough of this intro nonsense, let’s get into what you people came here for.

The Top Ten RAW Matches

Honorable Mention: Ric Flair vs. Mr. Perfect (1/25/93)
This was the first great match in the history of RAW and it was also an important one as the loser would have to leave the WWE for good. The match started with Perfect continuously slapping Flair in the face to get him off his game. Perfect dominated the early portions of the matchup until Flair slung Perfect into the buckle and Perfect flew over the buckle and smacked his head on the steel post. That busted Perfect open and Flair concentrated on the wound from there. Flair dominated the majority of the match from there, but when he started lighting up Perfect with some chops in the corner, that seemed to awaken Perfect. From there, Perfect began his comeback and started to light up Flair with some chops of his own. It seemed like Flair might steal a victory when he rolled up Perfect with his feet on the ropes, but Perfect was able to fight out. The end came when Flair threw Perfect into the ropes and went to backdrop him, but Perfect countered with The Perfect Plex for the 3 count. A fantastic match that set the tone for future classic RAW matches.

Honorable Mention: Cactus Jack vs. Hunter Hearst Helmsley (9/22/97)
Ever since Mick Foley entered the WWE, fans clamored to see him return to his roots as Cactus Jack, but it seemed as though that would never happen under the ‘E machine. That all changed on this episode of RAW when Dude Love was set to face off against Hunter Hearst Helmsly in a Falls Count Anywhere match, but instead of Dude Love, Hunter wound up getting Cactus Jack. The Madison Square Garden crowd went nuts for Jack and he immediately made his presence felt by bashing a trash can into Hunter’s head and then hitting him with a neckbreaker on the concrete floor. Hunter was able to gain control of the match after Chyna floored Cactus with a clothesline. After that, the match spilled backstage and eventually made its way back to the ring with both men taking some incredible bumps including Foley coming off the top rope and crashing onto a trash can on the floor outside. The two eventually fought their way up the rampway and the match ended when Cactus gave Hunter a piledriver through a table onto the steel ramp below. Absolutely insane action (especially for that time) that still holds up well to this day.

Honorable Mention: Shawn Michaels vs. Shelton Benjamin (5/2/05)
This was a part of the Gold Rush Tournament to crown a new #1 contender for the World Heavyweight Championship and it was a match that lived up to all the expectations the fans had for it and then some. This match made Shelton Benjamin look like an absolute BEAST as he was able to utilize his strength and agility to dominate HBK for the majority of it. This match was so fast-paced that if you blinked, you would probably miss something. It seemed as though Shelton had an answer to all of HBK’s offense and just when it seemed like Shelton was going to score the upset, one of the sickest finishers to a match I’ve ever seen happened. Shelton attempted to springboard onto HBK, but Michaels responded by taking Shelton’s head off with Sweet Chin Music while Benjamin was still in the air. Sick, sick, sick, sick, SICK finish to one of the most exciting matches I’ve ever seen.

Honorable Mention: DX & The Radicalz vs. The Rock, Cactus Jack, Too Cool & Rikishi (2/7/00)
Too Cool involved in one of the greatest matches in RAW’s history? Yea, I couldn’t believe it either. This match had perhaps the hottest crowd I’ve ever seen at a RAW show. I mean they were absolutely RABID and this match damn near blew the roof off the place. This was scheduled at first to be a 5-on-2 handicap match with Triple H, X-Pac, Chris Benoit, Perry Saturn and Dean Malenko taking on The Rock and Cactus Jack. This match came about after The Radicalz turned on Cactus when Triple H gave them all contracts to wrestle on Raw. The match started to begin when all of a sudden, Too Cool and Rikishi came down to help The Rock and Cactus. The result was one of the most exciting multi-man tag team matches that you’ll ever see in your life. This match featured non-stop action that is virtually impossible to recap because there was literally no rest period. The ending came when both teams broke out in a brawl which left Grandmaster Sexay alone in the ring with Triple H, who gave him a Pedigree, and then Benoit followed that with the diving headbutt to get the three count. After the match, both teams continued to brawl until Kane made his return after being taken out by DX (specifically X-Pac) and proceeded to kick all of the heels’ asses to close the show. A fantastic match + A surprise return = Classic shit.

Honorable Mention: Ric Flair vs. Edge (1/16/06)
I’m sure that many of you, like myself, were thinking, “What the fuck” when reading that Ric Flair was scheduled to take on Edge in a TLC match for the WWE title. Ric Flair had never been in a ladder match EVER in his illustrious career, so all of us were expecting a train wreck. What we got was a pleasant surprise as these two went out and put on one hell of a match. Edge’s splash from the ladder in the ring to a prone Flair on a table set on the outside of the ring is one of those highlights you’ll see for years to come in the WWE. When Flair dumped Edge off the ladder and through a table set on the outside, you really thought that the Nature Boy was about to capture his 17th world title. Edge was able to recover(with help from the slut-tacular Lita) and retain his title, but the winner of the match didn’t matter because it was just a thoroughly entertaining match that none of us were expecting.

Honorable Mention: Shawn Michaels vs. Marty Jannetty (5/17/93)
There is usually a discussion between many wrestling fans about which RAW match between these two was better, this one or the on that happened in July of the same year. While both matches were terrific, I’d have to side with this one just because it had a faster pace than the later one which featured a bunch of restholds. This match came about when HBK was in the ring bragging about how great of an Intercontinental Champion he is and said he could defeat anybody at anytime. At the same time, a mysterious man came from the crowd and he soon revealed himself to be Marty Jannetty who challenged Shawn to an IC Title match right there and then. HBK tried to come up with a million and one excuses, but it was too late and the match was set. The match started with Marty being on fire and hitting Shawn with everything he had. Just when it seemed like Marty was ready to dethrone Michaels, HBK took his belt and tried to retreat but was cut off by Mr. Perfect who made sure Shawn had nowhere to go. Once back in the ring, HBK was able to rebound by slingshotting Marty into the ropes and from there he started to gain control of the match. It seemed like Michaels was slowly dissecting Marty to put him away when all of a sudden Marty fought back and catapulted HBK right into the steel post. From there, Jannetty got several near falls but HBK kept on barely escaping at 2. The ending came when Michaels hit Sweet Chin Music and went to taunt Mr. Perfect, who threw his towel at HBK, which allowed Marty to sneak up and small package Michaels for the win and the IC Title. I remember watching this as a kid and jumping all around my living room because I was so excited that Jannetty had beaten the dastardly Michaels. Who knew that I would grow up to become one of HBK’s biggest fans. Funny how life turns out sometimes.

10) Kurt Angle vs. Chris Benoit (6/11/01)
This was their famous cage match and it showed just how far both men would go to please the fans. The match itself was a great cage match, but they pushed it into the realm of one of the greatest cage matches of all time by doing some unbelievable high-risk spots. The moonsault off the top of the cage is one of the most insane and unbelievable spots I’ve ever seen. It was just one of those memorable spots that will be impossible to get out of your memory. Not to be one upped, Benoit delivered a diving headbutt from the top of the cage which was almost as equally insane as Kurt’s bump. Come on, how could you not love this match? The german suplex from the top rope, the missed moonsault from the top of the cage, the diving headbutt from the top of the cage, and PARANOID Austin on commentary?!? That equals awesomeness my friends. How Kurt is still able to eat solid foods after taking the bumps he takes in this match is beyond me. A great match that perfectly showcased how dedicated both men were to their craft.

9) Mick Foley vs. Terry Funk (5/4/98)
This is one of my favorite matches ever as it featured two of the most legendary hardcore wrestlers letting it all loose on RAW. This match came about when Mr. McMahon told Foley he had to prove himself to become the #1 contender for the WWE Title by beating his good friend, Terry Funk, in a Falls Count Anywhere match. The match started with both men hitting each other with STIFF chairshots and Funk throwing Foley’s head into the steel steps which busted open the back of Foley’s head. After that, Foley tried to piledrive Funk on the concrete floor but Funk backdropped Foley onto the unforgiving concrete instead. The action soon spilled into the crowd and from there, things got really insane. While Foley and Funk were fighting, Foley took the time to suplex a hot dog vendor onto the concrete. While Foley was doing that, Funk climbed up into the stands and did a moonsault onto Foley, the hot dog vendor, and a couple officials. While Funk was down and yelling about his hurt neck, Foley unmercifully picked his friend up and the piledrived him through a table. The two men then brawled backstage and then back in the arena until Foley eventually got Funk back in the ring and piledrived him on a steel chair to get the three count. This insane brawl truly stood out and helped legitimize Foley as a legitimate contender to Steve Austin’s title.

8) Bret Hart vs. The 1-2-3 Kid (7/11/94)
This match is a forgotten gem in the annals of RAW’s history and I’m so glad that the WWE included it on their Best Of Raw DVD set because it truly deserves to be recognized. This match was for Bret’s WWE Title and The Kid came in as a huge underdog (big surprise) but by the end of this match, he earned the respect of all the fans. The match started off with some nice matwork, with both men feeling each other out, but soon Bret started to dominate with his strength advantage. He started delivering some vicious shots to The Kid and it seemed like Bret was just too much for the underdog. However, The Kid was able to fight back by utilizing his speed until Bret caught him with a Samoan Drop and pinned him for the three count. The match wasn’t over, though, because The Kid had draped his foot across the bottom rope just before the 3 count and Bret (ever the babyface) made the official aware of it so the match was restarted. That seemed like it was going to be a fatal mistake for Bret as soon The Kid was able to regain himself and start taking the fight to Bret, including a SWEET running dropkick in the corner that caught Bret right in the mouth. It seemed like The Kid might pull of the huge upset, but he went for one too many high risk moves as Bret was able to catch him when he attempted a dropkick from the top rope and locked in The Sharpshooter to get the victory. A phenomenal, forgotten match that I hope more people get to enjoy now that it’s been released on a DVD set.

7) TLC IV (10/7/02)
This was a surprise match on this episode of Raw due to the Raw Roulette which placed the teams of Kane & The Hurricane, Spike & Bubba Dudley, Jeff Hardy & RVD and Chris Jericho & Christian into this match. Kane & The Hurricane came in as the champs, but The Hurricane was jumped prior to the match by HHH & Ric Flair so Kane had to go into the match by himself. The match featured some insane action like Jeff Hardy giving a legdrop to Kane through a table, RVD delivering a Van Terminator to Kane, Jeff Hardy being backdropped from inside the ring through a table on the outside, and Chris Jericho doing one of the most insane spots I’ve ever seen in a TLC match when he fell from the top of a ladder FACE FIRST to the outside of the ring. Kane was able to defy the odds and win the match for his team despite not having a partner. This match was named the best match in the history of Raw at the Raw 10th anniversary show and while I don’t necessarily agree with that, it isn’t hard to see why it would be in consideration for the title.

6) John Cena vs. Shawn Michaels (4/23/07)
This was the followup to their epic Wrestlemania encounter and this match surpassed the classic effort of that matchup. This is the first match in a long time that I can remember going an hour without being previously announced. It was a pleasant surprise to see a nice, long, classic wrestling match on free TV. Some people complained about the slow pace in the early going, but I feel that added to the intrigue of this matchup. It told a terrific story as both men kept on kicking out, refusing to give up until finally, after 55 grueling minutes, Michaels was able to connect with Sweet Chin Music and put down Cena for the three count. This is one of the best free TV matches I’ve seen in a while, not since the days of the heralded Smackdown Six have I seen such a great, long match for free. Now if the ‘E could just give us matches like this on a regular basis, I would have nothing to complain about. Nah, I’m sure I’d find something.

5) Eddie Guerrero vs. Rob Van Dam (5/27/02)
This was the infamous ladder match for the Intercontinental Championship and it would become one of the most memorable ladder matches in wrestling history. Eddie entered the match as champ after defeating RVD at Backlash for the title. This match saw both men take an insane amount of high risks and bruising moves including a sunset flip powerbomb from the top of the ladder. The match also saw an idiot fan run into the ring which got him an ass whipping directly from Latino Heat. This match is still fondly talked about by many fans to this day and it’s no surprise because these two men went out and busted their ass for our entertainment and gave us a match to remember them by for a very long time.

4) Triple H vs. Shawn Michaels (12/29/03)
This was the main event on the last Raw of 2003 and boy oh boy, did these two give us a great way to remember the year 2003. These guys went out and gave a performance that was worthy of main eventing any PPV, including Wrestlemania. This was a match for HHH’s World Heavyweight Championship and HBK came out with guns ablazing to take that Championship off The Game. The match was so back and forth and included so many near falls that the crowd was on the edge of their seat for every moment. The match ended when HBK delivered Sweet Chin Music out of nowhere to pick up the win, but since his shoulders were also on the mat when he made the pin, Eric Bischoff reversed the decision and declared the match a draw. Despite the screwy ending, this was still an awesome match that was a great gift to WWE fans at the end of 2003.

3) Triple H & Steve Austin vs. Chris Jericho & Chris Benoit (5/21/01)
I remember this match as vividly as the day I watched it and I remember being absolutely blown away by it. This match featured the Two-Man Power Trip taking on the up-and-coming Canadian duo of Chris Jericho and Chris Benoit and the match these four men put on was an absolute classic. This match is mainly remembered for being the match where HHH tore his quad, but before the injury occurred, this was one of the best tag team matches I’ve ever seen. The action was hot all throughout and as the match progressed, the crowd got more into it with the realization that the Chris’ might be able to pull it off. The ending of the match was one of the hottest endings I’ve ever seen where Y2J locked on the Walls Of Jericho to Triple H (with a torn quad) on the announce table while Austin hit Benoit with a Stunner. Jericho barely made the saved and hit the Lionsault which brought in HHH with a sledgehammer, but instead of hitting Jericho, he hit Austin which allowed Jericho to pin him for the three count. To say the crowd went nuts would be an understatement and this is a match that I will not forget anytime soon.

2) Owen Hart & The British Bulldog vs. Steve Austin & Shawn Michaels (5/26/97)
Before Matt Hardy & MVP, Stone Cold and Shawn Michaels were the original wacky tag team partners that couldn’t get along. On top of that, this match was Shawn’s return to the ring in nearly four months after supposedly losing his smile. Shawn showed absolutely no ring rust as he jetted across the ring like a teenager and bumped like a madman. Austin showcased his rebellious attitude and got the crowd behind him and Michaels big time. Owen & Bulldog showcased some amazing skills and it is easy to see from this match why they are two of the most highly regarded wrestlers of their day. The end of the match came when HBK hit Sweet Chin Music on Bulldog and Austin covered for the win (and insisted that he did it all by himself in the process). This is an excellent match that seems to be forgotten about which is a shame because it is one of the best Raw matches I’ve ever seen.

1) Owen Hart vs. The British Bulldog (3/3/97)
This was a match to decide the first ever European Champion and it was held in Germany. The German crowd got a treat in this classic match that rivals the quality of the Bret/Bulldog match from Summerslam ’92. Owen and Bulldog were the tag champs at this time so they were playing nice with each other in the beginning, but it wasn’t long until both men started beating the piss out of each other and started playing games of one-upsmanship. The pace of the match was frenetic and non-stop and the end came when Bulldog countered a sunset flip into a sit-down pin ala his match with Bret at SS ’92 which was a brilliant play on continuity. Bottom line is that you MUST see this match, it is simply perfect.

Drive-By Pimpin’

Check out all these great columns by my 411 brethren:

-Andy Clark’s “Shimmy”
-Ari’s “Column Of Honor”
-Sean, Alex and David’s “Triple Threat”
-Bayani’s “Truth B Told”
-Weyer’s “Shining The Spotlight”
-Byers’ “Cheap Wrestling for Cheap People”
-Larry and Geoff’s “4R’s”
-Fact Or Fiction
-Sat and Uncle Trunx’s “High Road/Low Road”
-Phill Feltham’s “Quick Talkdown”
-Sarnecky’s “Piledriver Report”
-Slimmer’s News Report
-Hidden Highlights
-Carapola’s “That Was Then” and “Friendly Competition”
-The Fink’s Payload
-Gamble’s “Just ‘Spose”
-Cook’s “Ask 411”
-Wilcox’s “Thoughts From The Top Rope”
-Meehan’s “Meethinks”
-Sforcina’s “Evolution Schematic”
-Prag’s “In Defense Of?.”
-Wrestlers of the Week
-Randle’s “Wrestling News Experience”
-Linkous’ “Why I Love Wrestling”
-Double M’s Rasslin Report
-News To Start Your Weekend
-Dunn’s Rawtopsy, Smackdown Breakdown, & ECW eXperience
-Your News, Larry’s Views
-Zac Calhoun’s “The Ripple Effect”
-Joe Estee’s “Keys To The Game”
-Halden’s “You’re An Idiot And Here’s Why”
-Buy……OR SELL!!

And don’t forget about the new guys:

-Chris Lansdell “The Way I C It”
-Alex Barcham’s “Hitting Below The Beltway”
-T.G. Corke’s “The Seventh Dimension”
-Magnus Donaldson’s “Cut To The Crap”
-Tim Haught’s “Pro Wrestling Pundit”
-William Bumgarner’s “What Were They Thinking?”
-Jarrod Westerfield’s “Viral Dose Of Reality”

The Sign-Off

I’m done here people. I hope you all enjoyed reliving some of RAW’s greatest matches with me and I hope to see you here next week when we conclude the love for RAW by looking at The Top Ten Raw Episodes of all-time. Until then, go wash your ass!