After the bombastic and flamboyant 80's, wrestling was about to see a major shift in the 90's. As World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) entered the new decade, it's old messages of eating your vitamins and saying your prayers was just no longer cutting it with fans. All of their big talent from the 80's - Hulk Hogan, Randy Savage, Roddy Piper - would eventually jump ship to their looming rival World Championship Wrestling (WCW). On top of that, a steriod scandal would rock the company, causing them to push their smaller more athletic talent like Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels. The "new generation" had arrived but also brought with it more "cartoony gimmicks" which caused people to turn off in droves. The arrival of WCW brought with it the Monday Night Wars and a battle for ratings dominance. After loosing for 83 straight weeks WWE would introduce a new change for "adult" based content which birthed the Attitude Era. Sex, violence and anti-authority was the name of the game, ensuring that WWE would end the decade back at the forefront of wrestling and pop culture thanks to the likes of D-Generation X, Mick Foley, The Rock and - arguably their biggest star of all time - Stone Cold Steve Austin.
On the opposite side of the battlefield was the aforementioned WCW. Backed by the huge wallet of Ted Turner and his purchase of Jim Crockett Promotions (JCP), the company already had a wealth of talent from the NWA – Ric Flair, Dusty Rhodes, Sting. Turner would place a young commentator, Eric Bischoff, in the role as Executive Producer which would see the company go from second place to top dog. Luring away the big names of WWE from the 80’s as well as some of WWE’s new talent with guaranteed contracts for big money. Hulk Hogan would eventually turn heel and align himself with Scott Hall and Kevin Nash forming the New World Order. It was no longer cool to be brightly coloured, it was all about the black and white. The NWO would ensure the company’s dominance before it eventually contributed to it’s demise. The company also brought in talent from Japan, Mexico and it’s home soil to start the cruiserweight division. This new division brought an emphasis on a more faster – flashy - athletic action.
Elsewhere saw a smaller company called Eastern Championship Wrestling (ECW) about to go through a radical shift and place itself as the third most buzzed about promotion on the scene. Former WCW manager and commentator, Paul E “Dangerously” Heyman, would take the reigns, except the “E” no longer stood for “Eastern”. It was “Extreme”. Extreme Championship Wrestling was the true counter culture to WWE and WCW. Blood and violence would be it’s specialty, as it helped usher in the arrival of weapons based hardcore wrestling. But don’t just think it was a blood and guts company. It would be a hot bed for pioneering technicians and future big name players like Eddie Guerrero, Rey Mysterio and Chris Benoit. Unfortunately, the company would burn bright, loud and fast. As the decade closed it would be on the brink of collapse.
Other parts of the world saw some of it’s best periods as well. Japan in particular would see some of the best talent the country would ever produce. All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW) would hit gold with “The Four Pillars of Heaven” – Mitsuharu Misawa, Toshiaki Kawada, Akira Taue and Kenta Kobashi. These four names alone would ensure AJPW would see insane levels of praise and popularity the likes of which they arguably haven’t seen since. Chances are if you look back on the Wrestling Observer Newsletter’s five star ratings or matches of the year then these names will most likely be attached. It’s rival, New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW), was not to be out done as well thanks to it’s “Three Musketeers” in Keiji Mutoh, Masahiro Chono and Shinya Hashimoto. It would be during this decade that the company would also launch it’s now legendary annual G1 Climax tournament.
It’s little wonder that fans look back on the 90’s with such nostalgia. Wrestling across the globe would see unheard of levels of popularity, offering a little something for everyone. In many cases, wrestling would never see a boom period like this for sometime and in some eyes it is still to reach these heights again.
Pre -1980's
1980's
2000's
2010's
2020's
Hulk Hogan vs
The Ultimate Warrior
WWE - Wrestlemania 6 - April 1, 1990
If we are being honest, both Warrior and Hogan could have only really found success in the 80’s. Once this decade was out wrestling would move in a much more physical and technical direction the likes of which are still evolving today. The pair had the characters and voices that essentially defined WWE in that era. Which is why it would
be inevitable they would eventually clash and what a showing it was. Fitting as well that this would be a great hurrah to the excess of the 80's before the "cool-edgy" 90's took hold. The first Wrestlemania main event to be face vs face it also had the added bonus of being title for title. There is very little in the way of moves in this bout but what is here is done with tremendous power and electricity. This is helped in large part by the Toronto crowd who come unglued at the mere sight of Hogan Hulking up and the Warrior reaching down deep. You’ll never find a more tense bearhug than the one in this match. It’s impossible for even the toughest of pure wrestling critic not to get sucked in and by the end you felt like you had been on a real journey.
Available on Peacock/WWE Network
The Four Horsemen
vs Sting, Brian Pillman & The Steiner Brothers
WCW - WrestleWar '91 - February 24, 1991
It’s hard to imagine a time without a War Games style match given we now have two. NXT has it in name but with a slight modification to the rules and look of the match. Then we have AEW’s Blood & Guts which is the original War Games concept in spirit but under a different name tag. In its time, WCW would attempt many of there own original gimmick type matches but they never surpassed Dusty Rhodes brainchild. This was only the second time the match had been done and
it remains a strong example on how to do the match right. They keep the bout to a brisk 20 or so minutes and deliver enough on the violence without it becoming gratuitous. A lot of the action is standard cage match flare with people being driven into the sides and blood almost spilling on impact. There is still a lot of unique offence on display though, in particular from Pillman who grabs onto the incredibly low ceiling (it is stupidly low) and hoists himself onto Barry Windham for a hurricanrana. The only divisive point in the match is the ending which went a head as planned but still knocked Pillman spark out, due to a horrible looking powerbomb fromVicious (an issue with the ceiling being too low). Despite that though it is still held up as one of the most beloved War Games matches and it’s hard to disagree.
Available on Peacock/WWE Network
"Flyin" Brian Pillman
vs Jushin Thunder Ligre
WCW - SuperBrawl II - February 29, 1992
Even before the days of its Cruiserweight division, WCW were always slightly ahead of the curve when it came to spotlighting wrestlers of that ilk. The precursor to the Cruiserweight success was planted in the early 90’s when it was known as the Light Heavyweight division, offering just as much high flying spectacle as well as pure athleticism. Two of the men who helped make it must watch
wrestling were Brian Pillman and Jushin Thunder Ligre. The pair would have many classic encounters both in the States as well as overseas in Japan, constantly blowing audiences away. Arguably this clash at Superbrawl II stands out as the pairs best work. Both Pillman and Ligre keep a frenetic pace throughout, each pulling out a variety of ariel manoeuvres whilst also having points of demonstrating their more grounded offence. Despite the odd sloppy moment, the chemistry between the pair is undeniable and the clever use of duelling moves that cause neither man to connect goes a long way to show how equally matched they are. It’s a bit of tired phrase to use but this type of match would not feel out of place with the current wrestling scene demonstrating how these two men were true trailblazers.
Available on Peacock/WWE Network
Kenta Kobashi & Tsuyoshi Kikuchi
vs Dan Kroffat & Doug Furnas
AJPW - Super Power Series '92 - May 5, 1992
As near a perfect tag team match as a you are likely to find and one that feels utterly timeless. Played up with the typical formula of the home-grown Japanese team taking on the evil Gaijin, what feels like a straight up tag team bout becomes something truly special as it all unfolds. The first half of the bout is a constant back and forth between the two, momentum trading each time. Eventually the supersized Gaijin take control and isolate Kikuchi, masterfully pulling off
the partner in peril psychology. When the tag is finally made to Kobashi the place comes unglued but the action does not slow down for a minute as both teams trade big move after big move. Heart Attacks. Doomsday Devices. Frankensteiners. Even the typically reserved Japanese crowd are completely rowdy throughout the whole match. As are the commentators, one of which loses his mind at the
sight of the famous Kobashi moonsault. All the pieces fall brilliantly into place here and it’s little wonder then that this match is held in such high regard.
Available on YouTube
Akira Hokuto
vs Bull Nakano
AJW – July 30, 1992
In the 2010’s WWE spearheaded the Women’s Revolution by ditching the “diva” and putting the focus on actual wrestlers again. As such we got a lot of “first time” women’s matches such as a Women’s Royal Rumble, Hell in a Cell and Steel Cage. Hold my beer said 1990’s Japan. Not to discredit WWE’s recent positive work on getting women to equal footing with
the men but Japanese women’s wrestling has always been a head of the curve. Point proven in this Steel Cage match between Nakano and Hokuto which took place over two decades before the revolution. It’s a short cage match, running at about the 10 minute mark but none of that time is wasted. Both opponents launch into one another from the off, with plenty of stiff kicks and cage bumps. It’s worth it alone just to watch Nakano deliver a leg drop off the top of the cage only for Hokuto to roll out of the way. The revolution is a wonderful thing but if you want to find brilliant women’s wrestling before the 2010’s there is plenty out there with Japan having a wealth to explore. You won’t be disappointed.
Available on YouTube
Hiroshi Hase
vs The Great Muta
NJPW - Final Battle – Day 11 – December 14, 1992
Following his excursion to WCW, Muta had found himself back in NJPW going up against the workhorse that is Hase. Proving that reputation from the off, Hase keeps a dominate control on the first half of the match, even going as far to insult his opponent with Hase using his boots to scrape off Muta’s facepaint. It genuinely feels like both these men are trying to murder each other as they are a house of fire throughout. A frustrated Muta then attempts to pillage for weapons which would come back to haunt
him. Using a tool found under the ring, Hase spikes Muta in the head with it resulting in a ridiculous amount of blood fall. Hase, the referee and the ring would become covered in Muta’s blood before the final bell rang. As such this match created a legacy by inventing the Muta Scale to gage the level of blood in a match. To give you reference, this match sits at 1.0 with matches being adjusted up or down depending on the amount of blood. Many matches following this would break the scale but this was the first to set the bar and is the one that all would be judged following it.
Available on New Japan World
Kenta Kobashi
vs Stan Hansen
AJPW - July 29, 1993
Stan Hansen is one of the prime examples of a talent finding greater success overseas than he did in his home country. At a time when Western wrestlers were very few and far between for being over in Japan, Hansen became unbelievable popular despite never straying from being the “foreign heel”. He had already cemented his legacy at this point, being the only man to pin both AJPW owner Giant Baba and NJPW owner Antonio Inoki. Kobashi was only 5 years into his career at this point and he knows what he is
up against. What is interesting is despite being a classic spritzy babyface vs grizzled heel the dynamic is somewhat flipped. Despite Hansen having a reputation of being a powerhouse gaijin Kobashi dominates most of the match. That’s not to say Hansen doesn’t get his licks in such as when he delivers an ugly looking powerbomb on the outside. There is not a lot of actual moves but there really doesn’t need to be. Every slap, chop, knee, kick and elbow look devastating and really sells the scrappy nature of the bout. A true brawl in every sense of the word with neither man holding back.
Available on YouTube
Axl Rotten
vs Ian Rotten
Taipei Deathmatch - ECW - Hardcore Heaven '95
- July 1, 1995
You have probably no doubt seen a match that is billed as “brother vs brother” before. You have no doubt probably seen such a billed match turn incredibly brutal (hello Dustin and Cody). But have you ever seen a “brother vs brother” match billed that you knew it would be brutal from the off? Such was the case when Axl and Ian squared off in ECW’s first ever Taipei Deathmatch. If you are unfamiliar with the concept; it
involves the opponents wrapping their hands in tape or covering them in glue before rolling their hands into broken glass. Given they billed themselves as being from Newcastle Upon Tyne (they weren’t really, they were actually born in America) I wonder if the broken glass was from some Nukey Brown? It takes some time to get going because of some Bill Alfonso nonsense, but once it does you quickly realise that is no gimmick glass they are using. Every punch thrown brings about more blood flow that it’s hard to call this a match. It feels like some illegal fighting club you might stubble upon by going down a seedy back alley. Definitely not one for the squeamish but it is over quickly if you are a little curious.
Available on Peacock/WWE Network
Manami Toyota
vs Akira Hokuto
AJW – Destiny – September 9, 1995
Throughout their time in AJW, Manami Toyota and Akira Kohuto had many high-profile matches creating a very storied rivalry. Every match saw them one up the previous and as this is one of Hokuto’s last matches with the promotion it was clear they wanted to leave audiences with a special moment. The match is ferocious from the very start, with Toyota charging Hokuto only to be sided stepped to the outside with Hokuto following it up with a top rope swanton onto Toyota. That is only the
first few seconds of the match and it keeps building from there. Every bit of offense in this match feels like it is being delivered with the intent to kill. At one-point Hokuto has Toyota in camel clutch like submission and juts keeps stretching further back to the point you think Toyota will legit snap in half. The risk to life and limb is staggering here as in the closing moments Hokuto attempting to powerbomb Toyota through a table twice only for the table not to even budge. She then tries to deliver a top rope senton with the look of you are going through this only for the table to again not even buckle on impact and a horrible landing for both competitors. It’s always been said that the women of Japan were true trailblazers for wrestling overall and it’s hard to disagree here because a lot of the highflying moves in this are still be used over two and half decades later.
Available on YouTube
Stone Cold Steve Austin
vs Bret "Hitman" Hart
Submission Match - WWE - Wrestlemania 13 - March 23, 1997
The match that helped launch Austin into becoming the biggest star in wrestling and lead to Hart having a tremendous run as a heel. Often duplicated but never surpassed, the double turn in this match is a thing of pure genius and a lightning in a bottle moment. The visual of a bloody faced Austin screaming out in pain in the sharpshooter immediately became one of the most replayed moments in packages for years to come, still
standing as one of the most iconic images in WWE history. The fact that this the last WWE match that Dave Meltzer awarded 5 stars to for close to 14 years speaks volumes.
Available on Peacock/WWE Network
Eddie Guerrero
vs Rey Mysterio Jr
Mask vs Title - WCW - Halloween Havoc '97
- October 26, 1997
Say what you want about its main event scene, but there was no denying that WCW had one hell of a mid-card in the form of its Cruiserweight division. Showcasing talent from across the globe, it was a spotlight that showed a faster and innovative form of wrestling. It was a way of paving
the road for the evolution of wrestling styles, not to mention it would serve as a stepping stone for future main eventers. With many pointing to this match as being the standout from the division. Featuring two of Mexico’s biggest exports, Guerrero and Mysterio put on an excellent showing in this mask vs title showdown. All the hallmarks of the division are here, with Mysterio’s high flying offence going up against Guerrero’s technical style. The pair also tell a great in-ring story with the heelish Guerrero trying to pull apart Mysterio’s mask at every opportunity. It’s little wonder then that a decade later both would have held World title gold and become huge main event stars.
Available on Peacock/WWE Network
Shawn Michaels
vs The Undertaker
Casket Match - WWE - Royal Rumble '98
- January 18, 1998
There have been a lot of casket matches but how many of them would you rate as being good? Hands down this is probably the best. With the talent involved it is to be expected it was going to be a good match with Michaels and Taker making
strong use of the gimmick. It does stray into the grounds of over the top Attitude Era storytelling (though that is part of the charm). And it’s tough watching back as this is the bout that caused Michael's back injury which resulted in a few years downward spiral. But given this was the pairs last singles bout until Mania 25 it is great to see the early days of their timeless feud.
Available on Peacock/WWE Network
Mankind
vs The Undertaker
Hell in a Cell Match - WWE - King of the Ring '98
- June 28, 1998
What is there to really be said about this match that hasn’t already been said? The most famous (or is it infamous?) match that there probably ever will be. Even if casual viewers haven’t seen the full thing, they have no doubt seen the famous fall Mick Foley took off of the top of the cell, followed up by his second one
through the damn thing. Surely the most replayed clip in all of wrestling, nearly 20 years on it still has not lost any of its impact. What is amazing about this match is the amount we are still finding out about all these years later, yet despite getting so many answers there still feels like such a mystic around the whole thing. It was a benchmark moment for wrestling that proved to the naysayers that not everything was fake and some performers were willing to push their body to the limit just to entertain people.
Available on Peacock/WWE Network
Mike Awesome
vs Masato Tanaka
ECW - Heat Wave ’98 – August 2, 1998
A true gem of a feud that pops up whenever people talk about the history of ECW. Between the two of them, Awesome and Tanaka brought a flare of the Japanese strong style whilst adding a hint of the extreme the company was known for. Having already bested Tanaka in their previous encounters, Awesome was no doubt entering this match with an air of confidence. This is proved as such given, he dominates a lot of this contest. Who knows what the pair thought of each other behind
the scenes but in the ring it always felt like they were trying to murder one another. Some incredibly stiff looking shots are delivered throughout, not to mention chair shots which sees Awesome swing it like a bat at Tanaka’s head. The match also serves as a great reminder of how agile a big man Awesome was, as he hits over the rope dives and springboards with smooth ease. Tanaka is not to be outshone in this match however, with him hitting Awesome with his own powerbomb to the outside through a table. It’s a horrible looking landing and Awesome genuinely looks out but in fairness Tanaka had been taking this bump all through the feud. It’s little wonder that people look back on this feud with fondness. It is a perfect example of the two styles of what ECW stood for; great wrestling and violence.
Available on Peacock/WWE Network