10 Classic Matches Bettered By Spiritual Sequels

4. The Rock Vs. Steve Austin - WWF WrestleMania X-Seven

Backlot Brawl Chicago Street Fight
WWE.com/NJPW

Bettered by: Kazuchika Okada Vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi - Wrestle Kingdom 10

Both matches are high-water marks of legacy feuds between two legends of their respective promotions, but Okada Vs. Tanahashi is marginally better.

The finish to Rock Vs. Austin isn't just slightly unsatisfying in retrospect - it didn't really land on the night. The execution was flawless, mind. Vince McMahon in particular puts on what might be his best ever performance. The horror and near-regret with which he sells Austin's incredibly violent chair assault makes the Bionic Redneck look like an absolute monster, but it didn't matter what either man did - the Texas crowd simply wouldn't accept Austin as a heel, undermining what could have been one of wrestlings greatest ever turns (on a creative if not financial level)

Tropes are shared by Okada and Tanahashi, who nonetheless put on a different kind of match to the crazed brawl fought by the two Americans. Finishers were exchanged and kicked out of to an extent which was fully justified by the painstaking effort that went into the previous iterations of their feud, already in the conversation as the greatest of all time.

What separates the two contests is the finish. Austin Vs. Rock was poorly-conceived and poorly-received. Converesely, Okada Vs. Tanahashi, which saw Okada finally usurp Tanahashi as the undisputed ace of NJPW after an epic four-year journey, was perfect.

Contributor
Contributor

Michael Sidgwick is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over seven years of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential institution that was Power Slam magazine, and specialises in providing insights into All Elite Wrestling - so much so that he wrote a book about the subject. You can order Becoming All Elite: The Rise Of AEW on Amazon. Possessing a deep knowledge also of WWE, WCW, ECW and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Michael’s work has been publicly praised by former AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and current Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. When he isn’t putting your finger on why things are the way they are in the endlessly fascinating world of professional wrestling, Michael wraps his own around a hand grinder to explore the world of specialty coffee. Follow Michael on X (formerly known as Twitter) @MSidgwick for more!