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In honor of the 1000 episode of WWE SmackDown, I think it is time we take a look at the greatest matches in the history of the blue brand.
Despite SmackDown never really doing as well in the ratings as RAW, one big thing that has always separated the two is SmackDown has always put more emphasis on the actual wrestling. While RAW does deliver on good matches and has given some of the best ever, SmackDown has easily provided far greater encounters.
With so many to have considered, here are what I think are the top 10 greatest WWE SmackDown matches of all time.
#10 The Rock vs. Triple H - August 26, 1999
Taking place on the official series premiere of SmackDown, The Rock challenged new main event player, Triple H for his newly won WWE Championship, in a match that would also be guest refereed by The Game's best friend, Shawn Michaels.
The two had a very enjoyable and thrilling match that would set the standard of what many would expect to see from SmackDown on a weekly basis. The two went back and forth all match long, and after overcoming interference from Shane McMahon, just when it seemed like The Rock was going to take it home, Shawn Michaels superkicked The Rock's jaw as he was attempting a People's Elbow.
This result may not seem so shocking due to the friendship between Triple H and Shawn Michaels, but HBK had previously shown no favoritism, had teased animosity between he and Triple H, and had even ejected Chyna from ringside. Triple H took advantage of the kick by nailing Rocky with a Pedigree to retain his title.
There were many at the time who thought The Rock would become WWE Champion again here as Steve Austin didn't see Triple H as WWE Champion at the time and had previously refused to do the honors for him at SummerSlam 1999, leading to speculation that The Game wouldn't have a very long title reign. Obviously, everyone's feelings on Triple H as a top guy changed pretty quickly.
#9 Kurt Angle vs. Booker T - July 26, 2001
This episode of SmackDown kicked off with Kurt Angle challenging his bitter rival Stone Cold Steve Austin to a WWE Championship match in the main event. A fired up rattlesnake gave Angle a title opportunity, but he announced it would be with the reluctant WCW Champion Booker T.
The two put together a very exciting match that saw a lot of back and forth action and several near falls. Perhaps what was best of all was the finish of the match. I don't think anyone really expected Kurt to win, so when Steve Austin interfered and took out Kurt with a Stunner, I think most thought Booker would just pin him and retain as the previously knocked out referee was coming to.
Instead, as Booker was leaning over to make the cover, Kurt quickly regained consciousness and took Booker down in an Ankle Lock, forcing Booker to tap out and Kurt to become the new WCW Champion.
Unfortunately for Kurt, the reign was short-lived and Booker regained the WCW Championship from him the following week on RAW.
#8 Rey Mysterio vs. John Morrison - September 4, 2009
The WWE Intercontinental Championship has a rich history of some of WWE's all time greatest matches. And not only is this one of them, but it is often a highly overlooked gem.
The interesting thing about this match is that it almost didn't happen. The reigning WWE Intercontinental Champion Rey Mysterio had been feuding with Dolph Ziggler over the gold for the previous few months, meeting twice on pay-per-view. At the beginning of September, Rey was informed that he would be suspended over a wellness policy violation, and would need to drop the Championship, and would do so to rival Dolph Ziggler.
For whatever reason, Rey vetoed the idea, and instead someone, quite possibly Rey, suggested that he drop it to John Morrison instead, and the date was set for the September 4 edition of SmackDown. The two high flyers tore the house down. A match that can be best described as a pay-per-view quality nail-biter, the two had a fantastic affair, with so much unpredictability in their moves and drama, the fans were on the edge of their seat.
John Morrison pinned Rey with the Starship Pain to take home the Intercontinental Championship.
#7 Brock Lesnar vs. Chris Benoit - SmackDown, December 4, 2003
Even if Chris Benoit was alive today, this would still be a forgotten gem, as it was every year from when it happened, up until 2007, and of course, beyond.
Benoit had a pretty good build to this. There had been some rumblings that he was in line for the main event run and Championship reign, and although this probably wasn't going to be his night, his performance turned those who didn't think so, into those who truly believed he could.
Some nice chain wrestling got us started, but quickly turned into some Lesnar domination, complete with suplexes.
We had some submissions, power moves, and an army of suplexes. Despite the size difference, we got some solid back and forth action.
The ref got knocked down and Benoit locked in the Crossface, to which Lesnar tapped. After he recovered, he hit Benoit with an F-5, but he kicked out.
A frustrated Lesnar beat Benoit senseless with a still chair and locked in his new submission, the 'Brock Lock', for the win.
#6 Kurt Angle vs. The Undertaker - March 3, 2006
WWE World Heavyweight Champion Kurt Angle and The Undertaker had an instant classic in the main event of No Way Out 2006, easily the best match of the year and one of the best match of either man's careers.
The match was so good, that a rematch was set up a few weeks later for the March 3 episode of SmackDown. Almost every time Kurt and The Undertaker got in the ring together, they created magic, so it was no surprise that this match was yet another instant classic. Like No Way Out, as he should be, Kurt was treated as Taker's equal and the two had a show-stopping affair where at no point did Kurt look like he would go down easy.
The two went back and forth, several reversals, Kurt hit the Angle Slam and Ankle Lock to no avail, Taker hit the Chokeslam and other vintage Deadman moves to no avail, and finally, when Taker hot the Tombstone, it looked like he would be the new World Heavyweight Champion, until Mark Henry interfered, ruining the ending.
Still, it was a fantastic match.
#5 Kurt Angle vs. Chris Benoit vs. Edge vs. Eddie Guerrero - December 5, 2002
With these four world class athletes, everyone watching that night was expecting a great match, but I don't think anyone expected it to be one of the greatest matches in SmackDown history.
A Fatal Four Way with the number one contendership for the Big Show's WWE Championship at stake, this one already felt like a Championship match. The action was fast paced the whole way through, despite Edge has been at the receiving end of a steel chair attack by Albert just prior to the bell.
All four men didn't slow down even once, and throughout several big moves, finishers, suplexes and more thrilling action. Tag Champion Eddie Guerrero was the first to go, at the hands of his 'frenemy' Chris Benoit and his Crossface. Benoit was next after Eddie attacked him after his elimination, which was capitalized by a Spear from Edge.
This left Edge and Kurt Angle, who had several classic one-on-one pay-per-views matches earlier that year, and this felt like another one of them. The two had a battle, complete with several Angle Slams, spears, an Edgecution DDT, several suplexes from each, an Angle Slam from Edge to Angle, and finally, a top rope Angle Slam to Edge to put him away.
#4 Kurt Angle vs. The Undertaker - September 4, 2003
Remember what I said earlier about these two creating magic together? Well, taking place on the September fourth episode of SmackDown in 2003, The Undertaker challenged Kurt Angle for the WWE Championship, and it was one hell of a showdown.
This was the best match SmackDown had by this point in 2003 and one of the best matches of the entire year. The Undertaker himself later went onto calling it one of his all-time favorite matches and called Kurt one of the greatest wrestlers he had ever been in the ring with.
The match saw several finishing moves, reversals, fast-paced action, both men pull out everything they have to try and beat each other. The last five minutes or so are epic, with Angle desperately trying to make The Undertaker tap out to the Ankle Lock, and The Undertaker trying his best to survive, and take Angle down. The final moment saw Taker setting up Kurt for another Last Ride before Brock Lesnar ruins the ending by attacking both men.
This was easily the best match The Undertaker had in 2003 and the last and one of the best matches of his American Badass persona.
#3 Eddie Guerrero vs. Edge - September 26, 2002
Edge and Eddie Guerrero had been feuding for nearly two months prior to this match, seeing pay-per-view matches at SummerSlam and Unforgiven 2002.
While these two PPV bouts delivered in the ring, they still were not the 'Match of The Year contender' that everyone knew they were capable of. And then this epic match happened. Being contested under NO DQ rules, the two future Hall of Famers tore the house down, They proved here why both were easily among the best in the world and deserved to be a WWE Champion one day, which both later did.
They fought in and out of the ring, frequently used weapons, most notably chairs and ladders and worked at a very fast and incredible pace and they beat the holy hell of out each other. The end came as both men were on top a ladder, Eddie then balances on the top rope and Edge grabs his opponent and delivers an Edgecution DDT off the ladder and taking the win.
#2 The Hardy Boyz vs. The Dudley Boyz vs. Edge & Christian
vs. Chris Benoit & Chris Jericho - May 24, 2001
This was absolute carnage!
WWE Tag Team Champions Chris Jericho and Chris Benoit were ordered to defend their titles in a Tables, Ladders and Chairs match with the three tag teams, the Hardyz, Dudley's and and Edge and Christian, who had spent the past year having some of the best matches ever in these surroundings at WrestleMania's 16, 17 and SummerSlam 2000.
This was a heart-pounding roller coaster that only these eight men could deliver. The action was high flying, hardcore and at times, very frightening, even more so than the other TLC's we had seen from the challengers. Many tables were broken, including Jeff Hardy delivering a legdrop from the top of a ladder through the announcer's table. Several more high top ladder moves, including a spear from Edge to Jericho from the top.
Among the many tables broken, swung chair shots and ladder high spots, perhaps the most notable moment is when Chris Benoit attempted to deliver a diving headbutt from the top rope to the outside as Matt Hardy lay on a table. Instead, Matt moved and Chris crashed through the table in an incredibly rough landing that forced medics from the back to come out and take Benoit away with them. Amazingly Chris resurfaced a few minutes later to climb the ladder and retain the gold for he and Jericho.
It was an incredible and tough week for Chris Benoit, who four days prior at Judgement Day had wrestled a 24 minute 2 out of 3 Falls match with Kurt Angle and then took part in a Tag Team Turmoil later that same night, followed by RAW the following night where he and Chris Jericho took the Tag team titles from triple H and Steve Austin in one of greatest matches in RAW history.
A shame that his incredible performances can not be looked back on so fondly today.
#1 Brock Lesnar vs. Kurt Angle - September 18, 2003
Taking place on the September 18 episode of SmackDown in 2003, this was the ultimate battle of speed vs strength. This 60 minute Iron Man match is easily the best match in the wrestling career of Brock Lesnar and arguably the best match that Kurt Angle has ever had.
We had some good back and forth action and chain wrestling to get us started. Kurt took the first fall pretty early on as Brock took a steel chair and got himself disqualified as he hit Kurt with it repeatedly. He had a good reason though, this weakened Kurt into giving Brock the next two falls, the second of which was Kurt tapping out to his own submission move, the Ankle Lock.
We got a fury of suplexes from both until Brock hit Kurt with an F-5 outside the ring, for his next fall. Kurt took the next one with an Angle Slam, followed by some brawling before the referee went down, allowing Brock to take another fall by hitting Kurt with the WWE Championship belt. They fought some more in and out of the ring until Brock got his fifth fall with a superplex.
Brock dominated Kurt until Kurt fought back and pinned Brock after a belly to belly superplex. More suplexes, DDT's and reversals until Kurt took a fall with the Ankle Lock once more. Now at 5 - 4 to Lesnar, we got even more suplexes and brawling outside of the ring before Kurt had Brock back in the ring, locked in the Ankle Lock for the remaining 18 seconds, which Brock survived and to home the WWE Championship.
Easily the best match in the history of WWE SmackDown.
