5 Best Wrestling Matches of 2002

SmackDown in 2002 was the best place in the world when it came to pure wrestling matches and storylines.

The WWE roster was split in two, and Paul Heyman became the main creative figure for the blue brand. Under his direction, SmackDown flourished as the most must-see show for in-ring action and the stars of tomorrow.

While RAW was focusing on bizarre storylines like 3-minute-warning beating up women and the Katie Vick angle, SmackDown brought us the SmackDown Six. These six wrestlers (Kurt Angle, Chris Benoit, Eddie & Chavo Guerrero, Edge and Rey Mysterio) put on some of the greatest matches in WWE history together and against each other during this period.

They weren’t the only ones to excel in wrestling, however. 2002 saw the Undertaker start to drastically improve as a performer after having a rough year in 2001.

Then there was Brock Lesnar, who was on such a monstrous tear that people went from booing him to cheering him for his badassery in less than three months. Those two men had an epic clash in 2002, which we’ll get to later.

There were some great wrestling matches outside WWE as well, as newer companies were rising from the ashes of the Monday Night Wars and new dream matches came together in ways we never thought possible before.

So which matches were the best of 2002? Read on to find out.

---

#5 Edge vs. Kurt Angle – Hair vs. Hair – Judgment Day 2002

Edge more than held his own against the master grappler, which was a big accomplishment at the time. Angle had defeated so many big stars prior to this match, so for Edge to not only survive but also win was an enormous boost to his star power.

This is the match that started the growth of Edge from a ‘certified tag team wrestler’ to standout singles star. He faced Kurt Angle in singles competition, with the added stipulation being that the loser had to be shaved bald.

The crowd clearly agreed as they cheered Edge like crazy in this match. Edge accidentally speared the referee at one point, which led to one of the most dramatic slow/recovery counts ever moments later.

When Edge kicked out, the crowd erupted like a volcano (maybe this is why Vince McMahon made Roman Reigns adopt the spear as his main finisher).

Angle was no slouch, either. He hit some impressive moves of his own, including a belly-to-belly suplex over the rope to the outside, and a lightning-quick jump up the turnbuckle to suplex Edge off of it. He was groggy and in a second was on the top rope. The man truly was a machine.

This is truly one of the best matches of Edge’s career and a must-see match for anyone that considers themselves a fan of his.

#4 Toshiaki Kawada vs. Keiji Muto – AJPW Show, Feb 24, 2002

This was a match between two of the biggest stars of the 1990s who were never expected to ever face each other. A match between them was thought impossible, which made this clash even more historic. Yet despite it being 2002, both of them still wrestled as if age hadn’t affected them at all.

Both of these men were known for their leg-based offense: Kawada with his kicks and Muto with the Shining Wizard. That’s why both of them attacking each other’s legs made perfect sense. Attack the legs and your opponent won’t be able to hurt you as badly. Muto, in particular, did this over and over again, kicking the hell out of Kawada’s legs to the point that he could barely stand.

This was simply a clinic in wrestling psychology and proved why both men – especially Muto – are hailed as true wrestling geniuses between the ropes.

Say what you want about repeated dropkicks to one leg and dragon screw leg whips; Muto’s strategy worked perfectly, and Kawada couldn’t use his kicks to win the match. Instead, he had to resort to more dangerous moves, like his Folding Powerbomb, the Brainbuster, the Backdrop Driver and the returning Ganso Bomb.

What’s great about this match is that the selling is also realistic, although most of the strikes are ‘worked’, some of them are real, yet all of them look like the latter. That makes the match feel more dramatic and the wrestlers tougher, as they’re selling the pain like a normal person would as opposed to ‘theatric selling’.

This felt like a classic All Japan King’s Road match, and damn was it ever fun to watch. It had all perfect timing and big moves of old school AJPW, and the crowd reacted like they did during AJPW’s golden age. A must-see for any pro wrestling enthusiast.

#3 Brock Lesnar vs. Undertaker – Hell in a cell, No Mercy 2002

This match was simply barbaric. It started off as a slow brawl, but the violence level reached ten very fast. Weapons were used liberally, wrestlers were slammed into the cell structure many, many times, and Paul Heyman got busted open.

It was hardcore wrestling at its finest. Some people think the rivalry between Brock Lesnar and the Undertaker was at its worst in 2014 and 2015. Those people don’t remember how vicious things were in 2002.

Moreover, Lesnar solidified himself as a heel by using the cheap numbers game against the Undertaker. He had been cheered by SummerSlam, but in this match, he and Heyman used underhanded tactics to overpower the Undertaker, which turned into savage boos for him throughout the match.

The Undertaker also deserves a lot of credit for going the extra mile to make this match feel important. Not only did he actually hit a suicide dive through the ropes (not over them, as he’s most famous for), but he also hit the Last Rode Powerbomb on Brock Lesnar, who is much bigger and heavier than the average person he hits this move on.

But most importantly, this match was a bloody mess. Not only did Lesnar get busted open five minutes into the match, but the Undertaker got busted open badly. His face was completely red within seconds, and blood was literally gushing out of his head, so much so you couldn’t even make out the features of his face. His face was a literal crimson mask.

The sight of blood literally pouring down ‘Taker’s face like a river makes this one of the most infamous and memorable matches of the entire year.

#2 Chris Benoit vs. Kurt Angle – Unforgiven 2002

This is an awesome pure wrestling match that needs to be seen based entirely on the in-ring action. There’s little in terms of storyline here; it’s merely two outstanding technicians fighting to determine which of them is the better scientific wrestler.

This match was such a pleasure to watch. Angle and Benoit showed their standout amateur wrestling skills by moving like lightning in the ring, switching positions and advantage so quickly you could barely keep up. At one point, they even managed six pin attempts in quick succession followed by a beautiful bridge.

This wasn’t a violent brawl or a gimmick match; it was pure wrestling, and these two wrestlers got a standing ovation within the first five minutes. The fans applauded the mat work, which was a nice thing to see in those days, especially after years of crazy gimmicks and a wanton disregard for old-school grappling.

Almost every move was reversed or blocked in some way, which made the moves more exciting and meaningful when they actually landed. Yet no matter how much they fought, they were completely even at all times.

For example, Angle and Benoit executed back-and-forth German suplexes: five from Angle and three from Benoit. This moment also got the fans to give a standing ovation, which said a lot about their respect for these two wrestlers.

Finally, Kurt Angle showed just how smart of a wrestler he was. Not only did he reverse out of Benoit’s Crippler Crossface by grabbing Benoit’s ankle while still, but he also pushed the rope with his free foot as Benoit reached for the rope while locked in Angle’s own Crossface.

This is a must-see for anyone that wants to learn how to wrestle and make the most out of so little. They use logic, technique and only a limited amount of moves in the match, yet it was enough to get a standing ovation from the crowd several times.

#1 Edge & Rey Mysterio vs. Kurt Angle & Chris Benoit – No Mercy 2002

As Tazz put it, this was a ‘phenomenal, outstanding match’

At this show, two of the top teams on the SmackDown roster clashed to crown the first-ever SmackDown-exclusive WWE Tag Team Champions. But there was more to it than that. Angle & Benoit hated each other going into this match, and if either one attacked the other, they’d be suspended for a year without pay.

So not only did you have two wrestlers that hated each other teaming together against a coherent team seeking glory, but you had a situation where the stakes were so high that Angle & Benoit simply could not risk attacking each other.

This is the most beautiful WWE tag team match I have ever seen. At first, it didn’t feel like a ‘good guys vs. bad guys’ match, but instead a natural competition between two sides wanting to be the best (which are always the greatest matches).

Not only did Edge & Mysterio hold their own against two of the best in-ring workers in WWE at the time, but they also got the advantage in some of the most inventive ways possible. Edge actually launched Mysterio onto Benoit, who was seated on the top rope, and Mysterio then took Benoit down with a Hurricanrana. It was a gorgeous site to see Mysterio moving around the ring like that, given how much of a veteran he already was at the time.

In another spot, Benoit had Edge locked in the Crossface, but Mysterio hit the 619 onto Benoit while Edge ducked, breaking up the vicious hold.

But the best part about the match was that it was filled with amazing reversals and believable near-falls. So much so that you could never tell when the match would end. This is in stark contrast to today’s WWE matches, which have such obvious ‘superstar comebacks’ that it takes away from the drama of most of the matches.