10 Killer PPV Openers Nobody Talks About

1. Dean Malenko vs. Rey Mysterio - WCW Halloween Havoc 1996

Many people fondly remember Rey Mysterio's match against Dean Malenko from WCW's Great American Bash in 1996, but another classic took place just months later, at the Halloween Havoc PPV. Malenko vs. Mysterio doesn't only have a nice verbal ring to it, the pair also went together like butter and bread inside the ring. Dean Malenko was a rare performer, in the respect that he had far more success in WCW than he would later in the WWF, but that was because WCW played to his strengths. Never one of the greatest talkers in the industry, Malenko was nonetheless a tremendous wrestler, and could enrapture a crowd using nothing more than his knowledge of how to put together great matches. Add Rey Mysterio into the mix, at the height of his high-flying fame in WCW, and you're guaranteed something special. WCW had hit upon a great formula (one they'd really labour on for years) with their Pay-Per-Views - grab fans early with smaller, faster-paced matches, then wheel out the big money stars later on. http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x25z1bu_rey-mysterio-vs-dean-malenko-wcw-halloween-havoc-1996_sport Guys like Hogan, Piper and Savage couldn't compete with what men like Malenko and Mysterio were doing in-ring, but it was the complement that the top names needed, and made WCW's big events feel fresh. What other great opening matches do you remember? Do you agree with the choices on this list? Let your thoughts be known in the comments section down below!