Oddly, it seemed that not everyone was on board with that decision at first. Two of the matches on this list involve top WWE wrestlers, and both of them featured violence that was decidedly un-PG in a supposedly-PG environment.
But while WWE was emphasizing bitter rivalries and personal storylines, other companies focused on the in-ring action. ROH and TNA were proving to everyone why they deserved fans’ attention as ‘alternatives’ to WWE’s product by putting on amazing wrestling contests.
ROH had a tremendous asset in Bryan Danielson, who could put on a clinic with any wrestler of any size. Meanwhile, TNA had both A.J. Styles and Kurt Angle, who put on outstanding matches against each other and other wrestlers.
So which matches from 2008 deserve to be (re)watched the most? Read on…
#5 A.J. Styles vs. Kurt Angle – Last Man Standing Match - TNA Hard Justice 2008
This is a match between two of the best in-ring wrestlers of the last twenty years. As you can imagine, they put on a phenomenal contest that made both of them look like true wrestling superstars.
However, this ‘Last Man Standing’ match had an added caveat: one had to pin or submit their opponent first before the ten-count could begin. That meant that elements of traditional wrestling made more sense, instead of a regular LMS match, which usually involves weapons and hitting big moves and little else.
This match was a clinic in drama and athleticism, as both Angle and Styles did amazing things in and above the ring. Angle, who was 39 in this match, did a diving somersault off the ramp onto styles below. For a man with noted neck problems, that is insanely hard to do safely.
Styles, meanwhile, shows his own skill by reversing out of almost every move, which made the required near-falls that much more exciting. Furthermore, he hit one of the most vicious moves ever seen in TNA: a top-rope DDT, which Angle sold by ‘convulsing’ which suggested that he landed on his neck. Small things like that give a match more realism and drama, and give the fans something more to invest in.
All in all, a must-see match for anyone that enjoys seeing these two phenomenal workers in the ring.
#4 Kurt Angle vs. Yuji Nagata – Wrestle Kingdom II
This match took place when TNA had a strong working relationship with New-Japan Pro Wrestling. In it, Kurt Angle took on a man likened to a Japanese Bret Hart: Yuji Nagata, one of the men that carried NJPW on his back during its darkest hour.
Nagata, like Angle, was a technical wrestling master that specialized in submission holds. He also knew how to reverse his way out of almost any situation, and backed up his ring savvy with vicious kicks.
This led to some outstanding chemistry between two men that had never wrestled before. Angle and Nagata were on equal footing throughout the match, with neither man really having complete dominance as it went on.
This was because both of them kept reversing out of moves and hitting their own attacks seemingly out of nowhere. As a result, there was no way to predict what would happen, which left viewers on the edge of their seats.
As a straightforward wrestling match without much story behind it, this is as good as it gets. It showed why both men were considered such huge assets to their respective companies. If you want to see a simple wrestling match without theatrics, this is the match for you.
#3 Bryan Danielson vs. Nigel McGuinness – ROH Rising Above 2008
In this tough match, Bryan faced English wrestler Nigel McGuinness, who had the size and power advantage over the famous grappler. But Bryan wouldn’t let that get in his way, and resorted to his superior mat wrestling skills to try and win the match. This worked for a while, as Bryan showed everyone his technical skills.
He had great transitions, showed tremendous ring psychology, and seemed to have a bottomless pit of endurance. As has become the trend in these lists, Bryan Danielson is one amazing worker that really did earn all the praise that was given to him.
But McGuinness was dangerous in his own right, showing true remorselessness as he ravaged Bryan’s legs. Unfortunately, Bryan’s arm work wasn’t enough to put away McGuinness, who hit Bryan with a lariat so stiff it would make JBL’s look weak in comparison.
This is a great match for anyone that wants to know why Bryan had such a strong reputation before coming to WWE. He was great at playing the babyface in peril and controlling the audience, even if the said audience was much smaller than a typical WWE show. He was a natural in the ring, and this match showed everyone how he could work the different size dynamic into a patch perfectly.
#2 The Undertaker vs. Edge – HIAC, SummerSlam 2008
Of course, a Hell in a Cell match is still, at its core, an unconventional weapons-centric match, which meant Edge could resort to his familiar bag of tricks involving different weapons. While Edge and the Undertaker had multiple great matches in 2008, this HIAC match was the best of them all. In this match, Edge could no longer use the numbers game to his advantage and had to face a vengeful Undertaker all alone.
Even though the Cell is the Undertaker’s specialty, it was Edge that dominated most of the match. He was the one that hit most of the biggest moves in the match, including three absolutely brutal Spears. The first sent ‘Taker crashing through the cell wall, the second destroyed the Spanish announcer’s table, and the third looked like it had enough force behind it to cut the Undertaker in two.
But the Undertaker was savage in his own right, hitting Edge with some big moves of his own. He hit two amazing Chokeslams, smashed the camera in Edge’s face in a great example of poetic justice, and even hit a better Spear than Edge did (which is saying a lot, given Edge’s fondness for the move).
Ultimately, this is a brutal match that played to both men’s strengths and told a great story. It felt like mindless, revenge-fueled violence, and in the end, the hero stood tall. A great story if there ever was one.
1. Chris Jericho vs. Shawn Michaels – Ladder Match – No Mercy 2008
Despite being a violent ladder match, these two outstanding wrestlers managed to make pretty much everything make sense. They used the ladders to their fullest as weapons, creating many brutal moments involving one or both men being hit with the ladders.This epic fight was part of one of the greatest and most personal rivalries in WWE history.
It was Shawn Michaels, the man that was said to have innovated the ladder match in WWE, versus Jericho, who had won more high-profile ladder matches than anyone else in WWE (or so he claimed).
Yet while Michaels did a great job destroying Jericho’s legs with the ladder to make it harder for him to climb, this match was a great example of Jericho’s toughness and skill. First, he suffered a real injury when a ladder smashed one of his teeth. No matter how tough you are, any damage to your mouth and teeth is bound to hurt real bad (just ask Cesaro).
Second, Jericho got pushed off the giant ladder and fell fifteen feet, landing on his feet. He had perfect timing and knew how to land such a dangerous spot perfectly. If his timing were even slightly off, he could’ve damaged his knees and other ligaments beyond repair.
Finally, this match featured a unique and creative finishing sequence that left fans watching with bated breath. This is easily one of the most dramatic matches of the entire year, and worthy of being re-watched over and over again.
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