10 Most Overrated "Classic" Matches In Wrestling History
Don't believe the hype.
Hardcore wrestling fans have always been a passionate bunch, and while regularly derided for being too negative, their propensity to throw gushing praise around is just as strong as their willingness to criticise. Match quality can be greatly exaggerated on both ends of the spectrum as a result of this, particularly in the heat of the moment, and it's easy to call a great match a "classic" before the dust has even settled.
The promotions themselves are complicit in this too, and will regularly parade their latest bouts as timeless, must-see affairs. Phrases like "classic" and "greatest of all-time" have been thrown around with such regularity that they've almost lost all meaning, and on closer inspection, the matches given these tags often fall short.
It's all subjective, of course, but many of wrestling's biggest matches just don't stand up to scrutiny. Some are decades old and have suffered through the sport's constant evolution, while others were over-hyped from day one - but no matter the circumstances, each is overrated to some degree.
Some are overrated in themselves; others are somehow lofted above far, far superior sequels...
10. Brock Lesnar Vs. Kurt Angle (WrestleMania XIX)
Brock Lesnar and Kurt Angle are two of the most gifted wrestlers in WWE history, and each has an extraordinary amount of classic matches on their resumé. Their work together was never anything worse than “good,” but as is often the case with WrestleMania main events, their ‘Mania 19 bout’s quality is regularly blown out of proportion, and doesn’t compare to either man’s best work.
It was a decent match, but no more than that. The two struggled to tell a cohesive, compelling story in the ring, and unfortunately resorted to stringing a series of big moves and spots together with little rhyme or reason. The psychology was almost non-existent, and the result was a fun popcorn match that was too disposable to be considered anything close to classic.
The closing botch didn’t exactly help matters, either. In his first WrestleMania bout, Lesnar missed what should have been a breathtaking Shooting Star Press, landing awkwardly on his neck, and leaving the audience gasping.
He was fortunately okay, but this mistake rubber-stamps the match’s status as overrated, and leaves it several levels below their best work together, particularly their classic SmackDown Iron Man match.