20 Greatest SmackDown Matches
In honor of SmackDown’s 1,000th episode, here are the greatest matches.
In honor of SmackDown’s 1,000th episode, here are the 20 greatest matches in the show’s nearly 20-year history.
20. Brock Lesnar vs. Hulk Hogan, August 8, 2002
Hulkamania died in the clutch of Brock Lesnar. It was yet another passing of the torch for the Hulkster, who suffered internal bleeding while passing out in a bearhug from the monster of the millennium. The match was quite the contrast from the action-packed bouts of the SmackDown Six at the time, a simple story of youth vs. experience as the legend tried to overcome the odds one more time. It’s the Rocky Balboa movie, albeit with a better ending.
19. Team Angle vs. Chris Benoit & Edge, January 30, 2003
Charlie Haas and Shelton Benjamin came into their own with this old-school tag team battle, establishing their credibility by hanging with Benoit and Edge in a technical clinic. It’s interesting that the Canadians didn’t team more often because they had solid chemistry and were very over with the crowd. Of course, Team Angle’s leader rears his bald head once again, screwing over his arch nemesis.
18. Rey Mysterio vs. Matt Hardy, June 5, 2003
Regarded by some as Matt Hardy’s best match, this Cruiserweight Championship bout was the peak of his great Version 1 run. They had more time to tell a story than in their WrestleMania XIX thriller, as Mysterio struggles to overcome a wounded knee. Ultimately, it’s a feel-good ending as the luchador celebrates with a young Dominick at ringside.
17. Randy Orton vs. Christian, May 6, 2011
Fresh off his World Heavyweight Title win at Extreme Rules, Christian defended the gold against Randy Orton, who earned the title shot via fan vote. This was the first match in their excellent summer series, and the chemistry was immediately palpable. It was a clean, back-and-forth battle with each other’s finishers countered until Christian leapt off the turnbuckle and, well, we all know the only landing is in the clutches of an RKO.
16. Rey Mysterio vs. Chris Jericho, July 10, 2009
Capping off their tremendous feud in 2009, these two world-traveled warriors clashed over the Intercontinental Championship for the last time. They went out on a high note as Jericho strayed from his usual move set, taking advantage of the height difference by incorporating unique power moves. It wasn’t enough to deter the luchador as Mysterio overcame the odds in dramatic fashion once again.
15. JBL vs. Eddie Guerrero, July 15, 2004
In old-school fashion, JBL and Eddie Guerrero culminated their feud in a cage. With the WWE Championship hanging in the balance, these two veterans battered each other for at least 20 minutes, optimizing their steel surroundings. Ultimately, Latino Heat was extinguished by a mystery luchador, whose mask would come off and shock the SmackDown crowd.
14. Edge vs. Rey Mysterio, June 5, 2009
This was a highlight reel of Mysterio’s greatest hits. At this point, they’ve come a long way from being SmackDown Tag Team Champions, albeit they both held gold (Edge as world champ, Mysterio with the IC belt). Familiar with each other’s offense, having competed in various forms against each other for years, they go tit for tat, maintaining a breakneck pace that leaves you breathless.
13. Eddie Guerrero vs. John Cena, September 11, 2003
Here is the reason WWE video games included a “Parking Lot Brawl.” With half the SmackDown roster surrounding the action like a middle school fight, Guerrero and Cena utilized everything at their disposal in this fun melee. Chavo makes his surprise comeback at the end, aiding Uncle Eddie in victory.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hfYDoUebbDI
12. Kurt Angle vs. Rey Mysterio, January 23, 2003
I’m curious if Angle and Mysterio consider each other their greatest opponents because their chemistry is amazing. Don’t blink at this action-packed adrenaline rush with a unique, realistic finish. Bonus points for Paul Heyman – Angle’s agent – screaming at ringside, clutching the WWE Championship like it’s his first born.
11. Edge vs. Kurt Angle, October 3, 2002
Despite the overbooking and restart, this may be their best match. After wrestling each other for most of the year, they developed tremendous chemistry and went counter-for-counter, emptying their arsenals. While his Rated-R Superstar run is his most memorable, Edge’s singles run in 2002 as the next big babyface was equally as important. His resiliency and fiery comeback is on full display here.
10. Rey Mysterio vs. Eddie Guerrero, January 6, 2005
A few months before Guerrero would snap on his friend, the Tag Team Champions met in some friendly competition. Naturally, tempers flared as the action progressed, with neither man willing to lose face. In a brilliant finish, Mysterio outsmarted his buddy and beat Latino Heat at his own game.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-McE_1UR3kw
9. Rey Mysterio vs. Kurt Angle vs. Chris Benoit, September 26, 2002
Looking at the lineup, it’s obvious that this match was a barn burner. Adding Mysterio to the fantastic Angle-Benoit rivalry is a cherry on top of a gooey wrestling sundae. With this match emanating out of the 619 area, Mysterio drew cheers and gasps with every motion, whether on the receiving end of German suplexes or dropping the dime with a hurricanrana.
8. Eddie Guerrero & Tajiri vs. Team Angle, May 29, 2003
The Japanese Buzzsaw was a great substitute for Chavo Guerrero, arguably even superior as his intensity complemented Eddie very well. Haas and Benjamin target Tajiri’s leg, leading to two hot tags in this fantastic display of athleticism, drama and storytelling. Plus, the clever ending is vintage Latino Heat.
7. Edge vs. Eddie Guerrero, September 26, 2002
A star-making performance from both men: Edge looking to prove why the rocket has been strapped to him, and Guerrero proving that he deserved his second chance from the company. The match starts slow, but once the no disqualification stipulation comes into play, business picks up. They tear into each other with a chair and a ladder, including one of the sickest ref bumps you’ll ever see.
6. Brock Lesnar vs. Kurt Angle, September 18, 2003
Probably the greatest Ironman Match in WWE history. The amateur wrestling machines went 60 minutes in this instant classic, telling multiple stories at once. Unlike the Bret Hart-Shawn Michaels bout, you didn’t have to wait for a fall as Lesnar got disqualified about 10 minutes in, wisely softening up Angle for an easy pin. The falls piled up as time went on without either man looking weak, and then final 20 seconds left everybody in Kentucky Derby-style suspense.
5. Undertaker vs. Kurt Angle, March 3, 2006
A rematch from their forgotten classic at No Way Out 2006, this one brings the big-fight feel to WWE TV. Both competitors play to their strengths, with Angle trying to outwrestle the Deadman, who tries to overpower the champion. They exchange fisticuffs before going all MMA. There is a little bit of everything in this barn burner, which sadly ends when Mark Henry interferes and destroys Undertaker.
4. Stone Cold vs. Chris Benoit, May 31, 2001
With the Rabid Wolverine’s hometown cheering him on, Chris Benoit took Stone Cold to the limit in a thrilling battle. They brawled, traded submissions and Austin even took a lengthy ride through Suplex City. As the crowd sensed history in the making, Mr. McMahon brought a chair into the ring and decked Earl Hebner. However, Benoit was ready for him, seizing the chair and whacking the chairman over and over to the delight of the Canadian crowd.
3. Shawn Michaels vs. Rey Mysterio, January 29, 2010
Nobody talks about this match, so I’m guessing most people have never seen it. Fix that ASAP. It’s a dream match that lives up to the hype as Michaels and Mysterio go balls to the wall, doing fresh counters on each other’s signature moves that will leave you on the edge of your seat. There’s no clear winner as Batista interferes, but the non-finish certainly doesn’t detract from this greatness.
2. TLC III, May 24, 2001
In the forgotten TLC, the Dudleyz, Hardyz and Edge and Christian went to war once again, this time joined by new Tag Team Champions Chris Benoit and Chris Jericho. The Canadians only added to the incredible chemistry, as Benoit crashed and burned through a table after a flying headbutt, leaving Jericho to go it alone. It was chaotic as expected, and still holds up after all these years.
1. Edge & Rey Mysterio vs. Kurt Angle & Chris Benoit, November 7, 2002
Deep in the SmackDown Six era, these two teams left it all in the ring in this sensational two-out-of-three falls match. Edge and Mysterio use some innovative double team maneuvers to take the first fall, leaving Angle and Benoit desperate to tie. As panic sets in, the tension between the Tag Team Champions boils over, and Edge capitalizes for the victory.
There are so many stories going on in the one: Angle and Benoit finally functioning as a unit, then doing anything necessary to even the score before finally breaking down. Plus, you’ve got Edge and Mysterio gelling, and Edge in particular continuing his rivalry with Angle. It’s thrilling tag team action at the peak of SmackDown’s popularity, when great matches between compelling characters were the norm.
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