10 Wrestling Matches Better Than The One Thing You Remember Them For
There's more to Michael vs Hart at Survivor Series than just the screwjob.
Certain matches become defined by one characteristic.
It's not that they're bad - this list argues the opposite - it's that the iconic or unfortunate moments within them, or their one-off circumstances, have been woven so thoroughly into the fabric of wrestling history that they've become shorthand. This perception only intensifies with time.
But these matches aren't merely memes, or inferior sequels to those which came before them. They are, variously, classics in their own right, more than just curiosities or disappointments, and, in some cases, better than some of their more acclaimed genre predecessors. One of these matches is also marginally better than the original it followed, which is never missing on all-time great lists...
With all of these matches available on demand on the WWE Network, there's no better time to pay them the respect they deserve in full.
10. Brian Kendrick & Paul London Vs. William Regal & Dave Taylor Vs. The Hardy Boyz Vs. MNM (Armageddon 2006)
Known for: Joey Mercury's bludgeoned face.
Why it's better than that: One of the few multi-man ladder matches to weave a narrative through its procession of wince-inducing high spots, this impromptu fatal four-way may not be as seminal as those contested by the Hardyz, the Dudleys, and Edge and Christian - but it's arguably better.
Regal and Taylor make the difference here: swatting away their comparatively lightweight opponents, and letting them fly off and into ladders between themselves, they clear the field but are unable to climb towards the gold through a shared fear of heights. Their sheer Englishness and Carry On expressions puts what could be an incongruous comedy element over the top.
Praise too should be given to the seamless way in which the remaining seven men manage to get through the rest of what, by its nature, is a meticulously laid out match following Mercury's gruesome injury. The way the blood pours out of his face following the ill-fated catapult spot is revolting, and Morrison in particular deserves singular praise for his work here, in having to modify his spots while fretting over his partner's well-being.
For its mixture of improvisation, comedy, and exhilaration, this match should be remembered for far more than the sickening injury that is synonymous with it.