10 Awesome Wrestling Matches Nobody Talks About

7. Ricky Steamboat Vs. Rick Rude (WWF Royal Rumble 1988)

Rick Rude Ricky Steamboat
WWE Network

Rewind 21 years before Backlash 2009 and Ricky Steamboat was still having sleeper hits on WWF/WWE shows. The very first match to take place on a Royal Rumble card was Steamboat vs. Rick Rude, and it ended up being the best on the card, superior even to the 20-man Rumble match that was the show's focal point.

If you can manage to overlook the (slightly lame) disqualification finish, you'll find a match unlike anything else on WWF television in 1988. It's crazy to think the same company put on a tedious 14-man tournament at WrestleMania IV that year, especially when watching how dynamic Rude and Steamboat were at the Rumble.

Seemingly eager to tear the house down in spite of the crappy finish they'd been handed, both men fed off the live crowd. In particular, pay attention to the delighted woman in the front row who can't stop bouncing up and down whenever Steamboat is on the offensive. That's a babyface who is over with his fans.

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Lifelong wrestling, video game, music and sports obsessive who has been writing about his passions since childhood. Jamie started writing for WhatCulture in 2013, and has contributed thousands of articles and YouTube videos since then. He cut his teeth penning published pieces for top UK and European wrestling read Fighting Spirit Magazine (FSM), and also has extensive experience working within the wrestling biz as a manager and commentator for promotions like ICW on WWE Network and WCPW/Defiant since 2010. Further, Jamie also hosted the old Ministry Of Slam podcast, and has interviewed everyone from Steve Austin and Shawn Michaels to Bret Hart and Trish Stratus.