Gave this a lot of thought.
I loved that Formspring question about top 10 matches of the decade. A big thank you to whoever sent that. You unleashed my rabid, obsessed, insane fanboy mark. Let’s do this thing.
Top 10 WWE matches of the 2000s:
10. Chris Jericho vs Chris Benoit - Ladder Match, Royal Rumble 2001
You’ll notice Benoit appears a lot on this list. Deal with it. He dominated the decade in terms of watchable matches. This ladder match features two excellent performers going out, and attempting to steal the show from the Rumble of all things. The Rumble had a great run earlier in the decade, absolutely sealing its place as the #2 PPV of the year.
9. Randy Orton vs Mick Foley - Hardcore Match, Backlash 2004
Everyone thought this was gonna be Foley’s swan song, and he sure made it look like it was. He pulled out all the classic maneuvers, and a young Orton held his own. Great, violent, bloody stuff.
8. Triple H vs The Rock - Iron Man Match, Judgment Day 2000
I didn’t think they could pull this one off. These two for sixty minutes? I had my doubts, but they did it somehow. Plenty of falls helped, HBK was your special ref, and this was the debut of American Bad Ass Taker. Very memorable.
7. Kurt Angle and Chris Benoit vs Rey Mysterio and Edge - No Mercy 2002
Best straight up tag match I’ve ever seen in WWE. This was the debut of the WWE Tag Team Championships, and this match alone made those straps seem valuable. False finishes galore, and all four men left everything they had in that ring. Go and watch this sometime.
6. Shawn Michaels vs Kurt Angle - WrestleMania 21
Tremendous showing by the 2 greatest in-ring performers of this generation. Near falls, false finishes, and HBK threatening to pass out in the Ankle Lock.
5. Kurt Angle vs Chris Benoit - Royal Rumble 2003
Technical showcase unlike anything I’d seen up to that point. A marvelous showing from both. I always mark for the Ankle Lock being reversed into a Crippler, and vice versa.
4. TLC II - WrestleMania 17
Spotfest! Good times. Remember when the tag division was the hottest division around? I don’t need to sell you on this match, right?
3. Shawn Michaels vs The Undertaker - WrestleMania 25
A bit high because I was there? Maybe, but tough. Best WWE match of the last 3-4 years, easy.
2. Shawn Michaels vs Chris Benoit vs Triple H - WrestleMania 20
I still get chills watching this one. I don’t have to tell you why.
1. Triple H vs Cactus Jack - Street Fight, Royal Rumble 2000
This was the only given heading into this list. I could watch this match once a week, and not get tired of it. If you haven’t seen this, go do it now. I’m serious. This match kicked my ass.
Still working on top 10 of 2009. You know what #1 will be, but this year hasn’t been spectacular, so it’s proving to be difficult.
Bleeding excellent list. I’m marking out, legit.
