There was so much entertainment about wrestling in the 1980s and 1990s, and those decades spawned the greatest wrestling moments in modern history. The wrestlers had their personified songs, celebrations, chants, and smacks. There were scenes too beautiful to be unnoticed. To those who had reservations about it being a pre-acted sport, there were thousands of people who did not care whether it was real or fake. People simply wanted to watch their favorite wrestlers. You could argue that very few entertaining activities brought people of different nationalities together as much as wrestling did in the 1980s and 1990s.
Every big fight became the first topic of discussion at work or any social gathering. Wrestling was the sport with the biggest characters in the 1980s and 1990s.
Here are a few of the greatest wrestling moments that earned a place in the minds of the audience.
The Top 10 Wrestling Moments from the 80s to the 90s!
20. Shawn Michaels vs. Razor Ramon
To have a match as one of the best requires the best characters’ presence in a great form and a large audience.
The feud between these two wrestlers dominated the 90s. Razor was already at his peak at this time, while Michaels was nearing the top of his illustrious wrestling career. This was one of the most notable ladder matches in wrestling history. The purpose of the ladders was not climbing; instead, the wrestlers would use the ladders in any way considered effective. In Mahon’s words, “the rule is that there are no rules.” The match occurred at the Madison Square Garden on March 20, 1994.
The interesting storyline leading to the fight was premised on the fact that Michaels lost his belt because he failed to fight within the stipulated 30 days. The belt then fell into the hands of the well-established Razor Ramon, and the two had to settle the score in a unique match at Madison. While Razor Ramon went away with the belt, the match launched Michaels to a different level, and he ended up becoming a force in the sport.
19. Bret Hart vs. Stone Cold
It was March 23, 1997. The date wrestling lovers had saved up somewhere, the date you could argue that the greatest wrestling mania match took place. The mind-blowing fights against Yokozuna, Owen Hart, Shawn Michaels, and Ric Flair characterized Hart’s career. The match between Hart and Stone Cold was meant to be between Hart and Michaels, but Michaels’ knee injury opened the door for a rising star — Steve Austin.
At the end of the match in Illinois’ Rosemont Horizon, the ref had to end the match as Austin was lying in a pool of his blood. Years later, Austin would describe the fight as the biggest of his career. The audience felt it, the emotions turned. Austin became a hero with a phenomenally successful career, but it was Bret who walked out of the ring. The match was a victory for both parties. It was only the accolade that differed.
18. Hulk Hogan and Mr. T vs. Roddy Piper and Paul Orndorff
This match saved Vince McMahon’s wrestling career, even though he had to stake everything he had to hold this great wrestling show called WrestleMania. If it had failed, McMahon would have lost WWE. However, his star, Hulk Hogan, and some other hired celebrities worked the event.
The main show saw Hogan and movie star Mr. T’s battle against Rowdy Roddy Piper and Mr. Wonderful Paul Orndorff. The match and the entire show were a major success, and it is why WWE has become the massive promotion it is today.
17. Ric Flair vs. Sting
Sting began his prolific wrestling career by teaming up with the great Ultimate Warrior in the 1980s, but he earned a name for himself in the 1990s. In 1988, the first fight between these two was iconic. It lasted about 45 minutes before the referees judged it to have been a draw since they could not separate the two wrestlers.
The first major fight between the two in the 1990s was in February 1990, when Sting beat Flair to win the world heavyweight championship. Flair returned to win the belt later. The rivalry between the two created beautiful wrestling scenes in the 1990s.
16. Steve Austin vs. Jack Roberts
Hart was the one who dominated the decade. Michaels, Undertaker, and others were gradually emerging. Roberts was a 1980 wrestler trying to rediscover his career, while Austin was the rising star known for his brutality. The King of the Rings 1996 final was not among those matches that took a decade, but it was one of the best moments of Austin’s career. If you think a final was meant to be a very heated match between two strong competitors, you got this wrong. The final was about Steve Austin, who did not take long before knocking out his opponent, who soon faded into obscurity after the match.
15. Magnificent Muraco vs. Superfly Snuka
Magnificent Muraco was one of the most unpopular men in the wrestling world. But what better way to become famous in the sport than by beating earlier legends? Muraco’s obnoxious reactions did not make him a fan favorite. However, his fight with Snuka was one of the best the entertainment industry saw. On October 17, 1983, fans witnessing the Jimmy Snuka and Don Muraco match in Madison Square Garden had never experienced anything like it. Talk about the climax of the night. Snuka found his way to the steel cage top and hit Magnificent Muraco with his Superfly Splash stunt. Of course, that move is common now, it was innovative and awe-inspiring at the time. Madison Square lit up, and that moment will forever be in the memory of all present that day. There are few wrestling matches with such a height of tension. You would, for a moment, forget it was all about the excitement.
14. Shawn Michaels vs. Kevin Nash
Michaels and Nash were the story of another tag team that went from intimate friends to foes. The duo formed “Two Dudes with Attitude” in 1993. They both had a momentous year until 1994, when Shawn distracted Nash and made the latter lose his belt to Razor Ramon.
The duo faced each other in a brutal match in 1995, and despite the help of Sycho Sid, Shawn’s new bodyguard, Nash won the match in a unique style.
Shawn Michaels later blamed his new bodyguard’s intervention for the defeat, and he ended up reconciling with Nash. However, the two put up one of the most remarkable wrestling moments of the 1990s.
13. Randy Savage vs. Ricky Steamboat
On March 29, 1987, Randy Savage and Ricky Steamboat gave a classic performance that resonates even today. They wrestled each other around the ring at WWE WrestleMania III. They could not have imagined how loudly and long wrestling fans would remember and acknowledge their effort. Yes, Ricky Steamboat was crowned the champion that night. However, the intensity, suspense of the false finishes, and both fighters’ techniques made the match great.
12. Bret Hart vs. Ric Flair
Bret was to the 90s what Hogan was to the 80s, and if there was a match that seals that statement, it was his match with Ric Flair. The date was October 1992. Flair was already an established wrestler, while Bret was still climbing the ladder in search of momentum that could sustain his excellent career. Why not? Bret embraced his opportunity by taking the belt off Ric Flair. Bret’s emergence at the top showed that wrestling was not just for the strongest and earning the fans’ support was about being flashy. Bret just worked hard and created one of the most remarkable scenes of 90s wrestling.
11. The Royal Rumble
At the end of the ’80s, World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) developed a new gimmick match. The match was a battle that involved two wrestlers starting in the ring with a new man joining every few minutes. The title of this event was The Royal Rumble.
The first Royal Rumble took place on January 24, 1988, with 13 wrestlers participating. Hacksaw Jim Duggan won. It was a landmark event. After WrestleMania, the Royal Rumble is now the second most prominent event of the year.
10. Bruno Sammartino vs. Larry Zbyszko
The emergence of every wrestling star requires humiliatingly battering a dominating character. Some wrestlers were extraordinarily successful at this, while others failed, regardless of how long they tried. Larry was an example of those who failed to neutralize themselves of preexisting perceptions no matter how hard they tried.
Larry was always known as Sammartino’s protégé, and no matter how hard he tried to earn a name for himself, he never went beyond the tagline of a protégé. He challenged his teacher to a fight, having grown frustrated at the tag imposed on him by the audience, who was his teacher’s favorite all through his career. He had a chance but failed to take his chance.
In the presence of 36,000 people at the Shea Stadium in 1980, Sammartino humiliated Larry in a match that set a yardstick upon his career. Larry never earned a name for himself.
9. Hulk Hogan vs. Andre the Giant
There were very few wrestlers who could successfully beat those at the height of their powers, like Andre the Giant. His imposing body figure was a nice description that was worth fitting into his name. Andre was on a decent run of 15 years without a defeat. He was not the wrestler that fights every week, but he has a decent record of success against the absolute best in the wrestling world.
Hulk Hogan was that character that could care less. His name was on every lip on March 29, 1987. The 90,000 people that came to watch the match reminded one of how important wrestling was to the entertainment industry in the 1990s. Hulk Hogan was the man of the moment, and that was a fact even Andre the Giant could not change. The 80s was a remarkable success for Hulk Hogan, and he impressed the enormous number of people who came to cheer him to victory.
8. Hulk Hogan vs. Randy Savage
This was one of those interesting storylines in the wrestling world. Savage and Hogan started as partners, and they were formidable. Savage’s real wife, Miss Elizabeth, was staunch support for Savage, and he was highly protective of her. The relationship between the two wrestlers grew sour after Hogan accidentally knocks out Savage from a Royal Rumble match. Followed by series of suspicion about Hogan’s interest in his wife, Savage felt the best way to end their partnership was a fight.
The duo met in a very fierce match, but Hulk Hogan kept his success in the 80s. There were series of matches between these two famous wrestling faces, but Hulk Hogan did not spare his former friend in any of their matches. The two later reunited in 1993 and had a short term together.
7. Randy Savage vs. Ultimate Warrior
New stars were already coming into the spotlight at the close of the 80s, and one familiar name that took the baton from Hulk Hogan was the Ultimate Warrior. The Ultimate Warrior may not have the ability to connect with the fans as much as Hulk Hogan. However, he made up for that with his techniques and abilities. The Macho Man (Randy Savage) was equally a familiar name with the fans, but the Ultimate Warrior cemented his place as one of wrestling’s greatest characters. Beyond his career-defining fight with Hulk Hogan, Ultimate Warrior considers the match as his biggest match ever.
6. Bret Hart vs. Owen Hart
The Hart family was one of the first families to be known for wrestling. All the brothers were involved in wrestling, while the females married wrestlers. In such a family, the battle for superiority was inevitable. Bret was unarguably the family’s face in wrestling. Beyond that, Bret was the face of WWE in the 1990s. Owen was promising and looked set to achieve more than his brother could ever set his eyes on. However, he wanted to shed off the scales of being Bret’s little brother.
The sports lovers would argue that the match did not live to its expectation as Bret had shown more than that in earlier matches. Also, all that either wrestler needed was to escape the ring, whether one severely beaten the other wrestler or not. The brothers claimed afterward that their management instructed them to ensure the match was extremely free from violence. Nevertheless, the match was one of the best in the 1990s.
5. Bret Hart vs. Shawn Michaels
The scene in California was one of the best wrestling fights fans have seen. A young Michaels whose only success was in the intercontinental championship was up against the WWE’s face of the decade.
Bret was not a character that enjoyed the fancy entry and the cheers. He was a profoundly serious character. On the other hand, Michaels had a luxurious entry into the stage, his face glowing as he stirred down from the roof of the ring. The two wrestlers battled in the ring for over 40minutes, trying different techniques to knock out their opponent. In the end, it was the young Michaels that stole the show with his kick, two of which Bret had earlier taken to the face.
4. Hulk Hogan vs. The Ultimate Warrior
The end of an era and the emergence of a new Alpha Male in the wrestling industry. Rarely have the fans of WWE experience a huge night like this. Hulk Hogan, the man who dominated every wrestling news, was beaten in style and a remarkable fashion. The Ultimate Warrior announced himself with an impeccable display. It was a long night for Hogan after which he went into a well-deserved break from wrestling.
3. Mankind vs. The Rock
“I wanted to bring out a part of Rock that the fans have never seen,” Mankind said years later after his fight with The Rock.
Some wrestlers come to the ring and give a show knowing it was all about the payment for your role, but Mankind was a distinctive character.
The match genuinely brought out a viciousness in the Rock’s role, and it was an attribute that became a part of his long and successful wrestling career. Foley (Mankind) took eleven chair hits to his head with his hands tied to his back. The Rock later admitted it was just meant to be four, but it just went on and on as the fans cheered. Foley’s WWE boss knew he was the unpredictable face of wrestling, and he marked a new turn to wrestling as the levels of violence escalated into the 21st century.
2. Mankind vs. The Undertaker
A broken jaw, a dislocated shoulder, and broken teeth were the rewards for going outside the script. Mankind admitted he lied to Mahon when he asked if he had been to the top of the cage and whether it was safe to jump down from there. This was completely weird, but it was not the first time Mankind will cross the entertainment lanes. The fear, the curiosity to know what has happened to the flying wrestler filled the air, but he was often back on his feet and stretched out due to severe injuries he suffered. There was even a famous photo of Mankind’s broken teeth in his nose.
1. Hulk Hogan vs. Iron Sheik
There was so much uniqueness about this match. This match cemented Hogan’s place as the fan’s favorite of the 80s. The Iron Sheik was notable for scorning the United States by displaying Iran as a superior face. Rightly so, the Sheik has a decent record against an opponent from the United States.
On January 23, 1984, Hulk Hogan was to the United States as David was to Israel in the popular bible story. Coming out in a fancy T-shirt with the “Made in the United States” slogan, Hogan knew he was up against a man who was not scared of breaking the will of other wrestlers.
Final Thoughts
Like in movies, wrestling sometimes appears as a war between Good and Evil, like a villain versus hero series. The only notable difference was the unpredictable nature of wrestling. Sometimes victory goes to the villain, and the hero suffers, but this was not going to be the Madison Square Garden case. The Sheik had his moments, using his famous “Camel Clutch” smack on Hogan, but it was not strong enough to neutralize the will of the American wrestler who was committed to stripping the Sheik of his bragging right.
From a large audience to beautiful characters with so much uniqueness, nothing in entertainment came close to what the 1980s and 1980s made for the greatest wrestling moments in history.
Author: Chris Ingledue
Contact: email
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