The Top Ten Gimmick Matches

[HEIDENREICH]

When a regular match isn't enough to settle a feud, usually a gimmick match is rolled out to finally put an end to it or exacerbate the situation even more. We've seen a lot of gimmick matches rolled out in the last few decades from Bullrope matches to Ultimate X matches, from Alley fights to TLC matches, from Lumberjack matches to Hell In A Cell matches. Here's a look at some of the greatest gimmick matches the industry has ever seen.

Honorable Mention: Hardcore

A Hardcore match can fall into many different categories including a Street Fight, A Deathmatch, A Falls Count Anywhere Match, and a No Holds Barred Match. Hardcore wrestling became popularized in Japan and exploded in the States through being introduced in ECW and then expanding to the big two US companies. There have been so many memorable matches that fall under the category of Hardcore. Hardcore matches started to get overexposed and lose their luster once the WWE and WCW implemented there own respective hardcore titles and began to categorize taking shots with trashcan lids as "hardcore". Let's not confuse those with truly classic hardcore matches like the Funk/Foley Deathmatches, Tanaka/Awesome in ECW, RVD/Lynn in ECW, HHH/Cactus at Royal Rumble 2000, HHH/HBK at Summerslam '02 and even as recently as Edge/Foley at Wrestlemania 22. Hardcore matches are always brutal and usually leave a lasting impression on those that watch them.

Honorable Mention: Last Man Standing

Few things can be more brutal than beating down your opponent to the point where they can't respond to a 10 count. That's what makes the Last Man Standing match one of the most violent in wrestling's history. It also gives a match a sense of certain finality because while someone can get pinned on a fluke, you really have to get the shit beaten out of you to not respond after a count of 10. Some people criticize the match for having to slow of a pace due to the ref starting a count whenever one of the competitors is laid out, but I believe this adds to the intrigue of the match as the crowd wonders whether the wrestler will be able to get to his feet before the 10 count. This is certainly a bruising way to end a feud.

Honorable Mention: Scramble Tag Match

This is an ROH-exclusive match and if you love spot fests, you would love scramble matches. It usually consists of at least three teams that face off against each other and while only two men are supposed to be in the ring at a time, no tags are necessary so tag teams have all the freedom to be as creative as they want and do numerous tag team maneuvers. These matches usually consisted of cruiserweight-type wrestlers doing some of the most insane maneuvers you could ever hope to see. If you're a fan of technical wrestling, you probably wouldn't enjoy these matches too much but if you enjoy seeing four men simultaneously dive to the floor or four powerbombs off the top rope at the same time, this is the match for you.

10) Elimination Chamber

The Elimination Chamber is the most awe-inspiring structure ever in wrestling. The matches that take place in the monstrous structure are usually high in quality and it is usually one of the most vicious matches that the E dishes out. Seeing a man slammed on a solid steel platform or rammed face first into unflinching chain is enough to make any man cringe. They also have a cool setup with the rules of the match as it is an elimination style match and a fresh man is released after every couple of minutes. I don't like how they spoiled the surprise of the order of the competitors in the recent EC's because I felt the first couple of EC's where nobody had any idea who was going to start or end the match added even more intrigue to it. This is definitely one of the big money matches currently in the E.

9) I Quit

Nothing can be more humiliating than having to shout to your opponent that you quit and that's what makes this match so great. No proud man wants to admit that another man made them give up. Getting pinned and tapping out is one thing, but to pronounce to the whole world that you aren't man enough to continue taking the punishment dished out by your opponent is too much for a man's pride. There haven't been too many I Quit matches in history, but virtually all of them have been classic. Whether it be Magnum TA/Tully Blanchard or Flair/Funk or Austin/Hart or Rock/Mankind or JBL/Cena or as recently as Flair/Foley, all these matches leave an indelible mark on you.

8) Ultimate X

TNA redefined the industry when they introduced the X-division and then they upped the ante by putting their exciting X-division competitors in this hellacious, fast paced match. When I first heard about the concept of the match, I was skeptical as I didn't see how grown men climbing across cables to get to a title in the middle was going to be that exciting. I was glad to be proven wrong as the Ultimate X match had given me and many other fans some of the most incredible visuals ever seen in a wrestling match. Seeing people get taken off the cables in such incredible fashion was a joy to watch. The sight of AJ Styles getting kicked inside out and crashing right on his shoulders to the mat below is something that will always be stuck in my mind. There probably isn't a more unpredictable match in the industry right now than the Ultimate X match.

7) Ironman

Two men pitted against each other for a set amount of time (usually 30 or 60 minutes) and whoever scores the most pinfalls in that allotted time wins the match. Is there any better way for two pure wrestlers to settle their dispute? Wrestlers had been putting on 60-minute broadway matches where nobody would score a pinfall for a long time so the idea behind this match was to keep that same kind of epic feel but add the twist that a pinfall doesn't end the match but rather only gives you an advantage for the time being. Ironman matches had been going on in Canada for a while, mainly due to Stampede wrestling but the Wrestlemania match between Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels brought that type of match to the mainstream. Those two put on an unforgettable match and every Ironman match after that has been just as memorable because whenever two men wrestle for such a long time, you cant help but have the utmost respect for them.

6) Ladder

The Ladder match had been popular in Stampede Wrestling for some time and even made appearance in the WWE in 1993, but the Ladder Match between Shawn Michaels and Razor Ramon at Wrestlemania X is usually regarded as the "first" ladder match and mainly that's because it was the first time people had really seen the ladder match. After that match was over, people fell in love with it and wanted more of it. We've seen numerous ladder matches since then and most of them usually provide us with memorable moments. The ladder match also tends to create superstars. The aforementioned HBK/Razor match, The Triple H/Rock match at Summerslam '98, The No Mercy '99 match between The Hardyz and Edge & Christian, The Benoit/Jericho match at Royal Rumble 2001, the AJ/Lynn/Low Ki match in the early days of TNA, and the Money In The Bank match at Wrestlemania 21 all elevated the men involved into the next level of superstardom. A brutal match that can be an instant star-maker.

5) TLC

From the ladder match came this match which took the brutality of the Ladder match and magnified it by 100. Ladders are dangerous enough, but when you add tables and chairs in the equation, that makes for a deadly mix. TLC matches have displayed some of the most sadistic and nasty bumps ever seen in wrestling history. You don't walk out of a TLC match unscathed. The TLC match has created so many unbelievable moments. Matt Hardy falling backwards through a stack of tables, Bubba Ray and Matt crashing through a pile of tables from the top of a 20 foot ladder, Jeff Hardy getting speared out of midair by Edge, Jeff Hardy delivering a Swanton from the top of a ladder through Bubba Dudley, Edge splashing Ric Flair from the top of a ladder through a table, Benoit misses a diving headbutt and crashing through a stack of tables, Chris Jericho falling face first from the top of ladder to the floor, Edge getting FU'd from the top of a ladder through a stack of tables. The list could go on and on. Bottom line: TLC = Insanity.

4) Cage

A Cage match used to be the ultimate way to end a feud. Nothing was more violent than a cage match. Lock two men that hate each other in a ring surrounded by steel and let them pound the hell out of each other until both were bloody and beaten. Cage matches have become mundane in today's society that's used to insane amounts of brutality, but it can still be a very effective way of putting on a great match if the right competitors and storyline is involved. Look at Flair/HHH at Taboo Tuesday '05 or Edge/Hardy at Unforgiven '05. Both matches were phenomenal and displayed exactly what kind of viciousness a cage match can dish out. There have been numerous classic cage matches and a cage match is another match that can create superstas and leave images in your head for years to come.

3) Hell In A Cell

The HIAC match took the violence of a cage match and upped the ante to an unbelievable level. At the inset, it seemed like just another cage match except there were room for the competitors to move on the outside of the ring and there was a top to it. Undertaker and HBK then went into this glorified cage and made it into one of the most feared and brutal structures in wrestling history. HIAC has become a place where destruction happens and has left us with some of the most disturbing visuals ever seen in the WWE. Mankind getting hurled off the top of the cage will probably become the most famous image ever in WWE history. The HIAC match is the ultimate way to settle a feud in the E. If you're in a HIAC match, you know you're going to bleed, you know you're going to hurt, and all you can do is try to survive it.

2) Wargames

The same way the HIAC match is the ultimate way to settle a feud in WWE, this was the epitome of a feud ender in WCW. The concept was to put two teams that consisted of about 4 or 5 men each in a cage against each other and let them beat the piss out of each other until one man was left standing. To make it even more intriguing, a man from each respective team would face off against each other at the beginning of the match with a new man coming in every couple minutes which would give one team an advantage for a short time until the next man came out. The successful way to book this match would be to ALWAYS have the face team at a disadvantage until the most popular wrestler on the face team came out at the end to make the save and help his team make a comeback. This formula was usually followed and it always had fans eating out of its hands. This match usually contained non-stop action, great wrestling, and intense drama…..Everything a match needs to be a classic.

1) The Royal Rumble

The Royal Rumble came about in the late 80's as an extension of the Battle Royal match with the news rules being that instead of all the men being in the ring at the same time, it would start off with two men with a new man coming in every two minutes. Who knew that such an easy change to a match would make it one of the most loved and anticipated matches ever. If you're a wrestling fan and don't look forward to The Royal Rumble match, you don't have a pulse. The Royal Rumble signifies the beginning of the road to Wrestlemania as the winner of the match goes on to main event on the biggest stage of them all. So let's see, you've got 30 superstars, an elimination stipulation, lots of drama, lots of surprises, a sense of the unknown, and a main event slot at Wrestlemania all in one match. If that's not the greatest gimmick match ever, I don't know what is.

[Jericho]

Въобще не съм съгласен... ;)

[BORKO_10]

Като имам време ще прочета статията,но с класацията не съм съгласен.Как Royal Rumble ще е най-добрия gimmick мач!?

[shevchenko]

Подкрепям предните 2 мнения.Как забога Cage мач да е по-добър от TLC?

[The Olimpic Hero]

И аз напълно не съм съгласен.От HIAC по-голяма класика не мисля че има.

[Radox]

Класацията си я бива Естествено, че Royal Rumble е най-вълнуващият мач в историята. Помислете сами защо Cage може би са го сложили толкова напред, защото е един от първите гимик-мачове и е легендарен. Не съм съгласен само с Elimination Chamber-а - този як мач трябваше да заема едно от първите места!

[djihad]

Много добра класация и съм напълно съгласен със първите места Royla Rumble е голям мач със традиций и голям интерес във който всичко може да се случи както много харесвам и Wargames определено WWE трябваше да възродят този мач това беше едно от най-добрите неща във WCW,a Cage мача е доста стар и Radox е прав,че това един от първите gimmick мачове,а за Elimination Chamber-a съм съгласен последния chamber беше много слаб а и е вярно,че във последните години малко е разводни този мач.

[UltraMadd]

Класацията не ми харесва особено. Cage Match-а е само с една позиция след Hell in a Cell!?! Elimination Chamber-а е чак на десета позиция!?! Tables Match не е включен дори и в Honorable Mentions!?! Royal Rumble е на първо място!?!

[totenkopf]

А да ви хрумва, че класацията не е за кой мач е по-зрелищен (УАУУ), ами класифицира замисъла на всеки от тея видове???

Класацията си е идеална ;)

[Brock_Lesnar]

Cage Match & Royal Rumble са прекалено напред в класацията.Каквато и да им е историята на тези срещи просто има мачове като Ladder,TLC,HIAC,които трябваше да са на първите 3 места,следвани плътно от Iron Man,Last Man Standing и I Quit,поне за мен.