Top 50 Matches Since 2000: 30-26

#30

Hell in a Cell Match w/ Special Guest Referee Shawn Michaels

Triple H vs The Undertaker

 WrestleMania 28

At the time at least, this match was more of a spectacle than anything else. With the benefit of hindsight, we know that it didn't really end any eras. Undertaker still wrestles, Triple H still dabbles in the ring and is a constant on-screen presence. But what has also changed about this match with the benefit of hindsight is just how great of a match it was. This embodies what an Undertaker Streak Match should be. The false finishes, the story, the brutal attack on Undertaker all made you subtly doubt if he was going to escape with his streak intact. The two of them "went out" in the best way possible, until they didn't go out anymore, that is. But regardless, the atmosphere on the night of and the incredible work these legends put in combined to create an amazing match.

#29

Intercontinental Championship No Holds Barred Match

Rey Mysterio (c) vs Chris Jericho

Extreme Rules 2009

 

As we get higher up on the list, it's becoming a more common theme that these better matches typically are more storyline-driven, and that's absolutely the case for Mysterio vs Jericho. The whole storyline portrayed perfectly just who 2008/09 Chris Jericho was, and tugged at the heartstrings of young Rey Mysterio fans. And this match, while managing to be an incredible in-ring contest, still told a tremendous story, especially in the finish where Jericho manages to rip Rey Mysterio's mask off in order to win the match. That moment was not only difficult to pull off, but vital to the grand scheme of the match, the feud, and the characters of both Rey Mysterio and Chris Jericho at the time.

#28

World Heavyweight Championship Match

Kurt Angle (c) vs The Undertaker

No Way Out 2006

  Plenty of times before, we had seen Kurt Angle take on The Undertaker's American Badass persona. But Kurt Angle vs The Deadman is an entirely different beast. In a match that probably should have taken place at WrestleMania 22, Angle and The Undertaker made the last turn into the Road to WrestleMania a sharp one, as Kurt and Taker put on an absolute professional wrestling clinic. It's to be expected when two all-time greats step into the ring together, but not necessarily two who have what some would consider clashing styles like Undertaker and Kurt Angle. On this particular night though, the intense submission wrestling style of The Olympic Hero and the brawling style of The Deadman meshed to make magic. 

#27

Chris Jericho vs Shawn Michaels

WrestleMania 19

  This is in my top 30, and it isn't even my favorite match between the two of them. That's the kind of chemistry that Shawn Michaels and Chris Jericho shared in the ring. It's almost a shame that we didn't get to see them wrestle one another more often! But when they did get to face off in the ring together, they never disappointed. This was only chapter one in what would become a longer rivalry, and for The Showstopper's first WrestleMania match in 5 years, it certainly wasn't a letdown. 

#26

WWF Tag Team Championship Match

The Two Man Power Trip (c) vs Chris Jericho and Chris Benoit

RAW May 21st, 2001

  In what I consider the greatest free TV match of all time, Chris Jericho and Chris Benoit faced The Two-Man Power Trip. This match was nearly perfect. It had so many classic moments, none that are remembered more than Triple H tearing his quad, and even taking the Walls of Jericho on the announce table afterwards. In what was The Game's final match for eight months, both him and Austin did everything in their power to turn Jericho and Benoit from the very top of the midcard to the main event. Both Jericho and Benoit were on the top of their game, and it was part of Austin's incredible 2001 as far as match quality goes. It was a recipe for perfection, which all four men were able to achieve on that night.