As I’ve said in previous blogs I love wrestling a lot…like a crazy amount. The over the top storylines, the crazy athleticism, the larger than life characters; its all brilliant. Problem is, for a lot of wrestling fans it can be a pretty tough task introducing their significant others (SO) to the colourful world of sports entertainment. Fear not fellow fans, here are my choices for the best wrestling matches to watch with your non-fan girlfriend or boyfriend.
*side note – these are mostly matches held in the Attitude Era and beyond, purely because thats when I was watching and personally the matches 1997 onwards really showcase how good wrestling can be in my opinion…cheers!*
Shawn Michaels vs Kurt Angle (Wrestlemania 21)
I start with my favourite match of all time and the first match I watched with my girlfriend. I love every moment of this battle between two of the greatest wrestlers ever to lace up a pair of boots. The setup – you eliminated me from the Royal Rumble so now I hate you – was a bit naff but both wrestlers spent week after week threatening each other and uping the ante.
The wonderful pre-match video is all the story your SO needs before watching this clinic. Each wrestler fights tooth and nail over 30 minutes and the back and forth is near perfection. I say near as they botch an Angle Slam into the ring post, but honestly I don’t care. The moment where Kurt begs Shawn to tap, crying like a baby only to be kicked in his teeth by a nearly unconscious Michaels is one of my favourite wrestling moments.
Why it’s perfect for your SO: The match is legitimately fought by two of the greatest wrestlers in history, this is how you put on a match and really doesn’t need any more adding.
Undertaker vs Mankind (King of the Ring 1998)
Holy hell this match. Knowing now that that second fall trough the Hell in a Cell wasn’t planned is downright terrifying, seriously just look at the Undertaker’s face. The match that has filled countless highlight reels and even created memes (Jim Ross screaming he’s broken in half ring any bells?!) and still to this day shocks.
The crowd during this match are in awe of what they are seeing and think about it… at the time they used to be shocked at a chair shot. By no means a technical wrestling match, this contest is a slog that has left a lasting affect on WWE that is still felt today.
Why it’s perfect for your SO: This is the closest match you will probably get to convincing your SO that wrestling, though fake, is incredibly dangerous. It also sums up the bravery and toughness of dudes who fake punch each other.
Sami Zayn vs Shinsuke Nakamura (NXT Takeover Dallas)
One thing many wrestling fans don’t get to see is a chance to see two completely different wrestling styles clash. Japanese wrestling is a completely different beast, the details of which I won’t delve into here, but in 2016 the brilliant NXT gave us a match of the year candidate in Zayn vs Shinsuke.
If you’ve read my blogs before, you’ll know I quite enjoy Shinsuke Nakamura and his ways. This match introduced Shinsuke to the West to an unbelievably hot crowd. The match that followed has become a classic thanks to a pre-WWE debut Zayn on his absolute best. Both are mesmerising and manage to tell a story without any pre-mtch hype or rivalries. This was two blokes, throwing down to see who is best.
As is courtesy in wrestling, if you’re leaving/retiring you go out on your back and Sami Zayn couldn’t have done it better.
Why its perfect for your SO: Shinsuke Nakamura’s entrance alone will hypnotise you, but it’s the strange offense and wild mannerisms that show off Nakamura’s odd style. Sami Zayn is brilliant, but Nakamura steals the show by bringing a new, fresh flavour to the ring. Oh and your SO will probably say his pants are weird or his shoulder blades stick out.
John Cena vs CM Punk (Money in the Bank 2011)
Since this match, the lines between story and reality haven’t been blurred too much and most of these moments involved Brock Lesnar beating the tar out of someone. The setup, CM Punk’s contract expiring the night of the event, John Cena in a must win to keep the WWE Championship and the pride of the company; it was awesome.
The match was in CM Punk’s hometown of Chicago and you can tell. The cheers were deafening as he entered only to be followed with a cacophony of boos for the reigning champ Cena. The match is excellent from a wrestling standpoint, but it’s the storytelling of each man that sells this as one of the best matches of the past decade.
The crowd took the bait/drank the KoolAid etc etc that the WWE laid out for them. Every move accentuated by a cheer or a boo with the noise increasing as the near falls rack up. The moment Punk wins shocked the fans in the building, the internet wrestling community and pretty much every fan out there. It changed EVERYTHING as people were thinking where wrestling would go from here… at least for a week or so!
Why its perfect for your SO: Everyone knows John Cena so he is a recognisable face in a sea of what the hell is going on. Let the pre-match film play out, sit back and watch as your loved ones turn into one of the crowd in Chicago; reacting as if their entire world depended on the outcome.
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I think this could turn into a few lists so please let me know if you have any suggestions or any experiences with your SO let me know!
Watch wrestling! ❤ you Shinsuke
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