10 Wrestling Matches One Second Away From Perfection
Ridiculous analysis of the sublime - these iconic matches were only missing one second of magic.
The title of this list isn't intended to sound as pernickety as it might first read.
Wrestling's an art form and an enormously subjective one at that, and the idea that men and women could ascend towards objective perfection in such a thing is remarkable without some spineless dork on the internet reducing the achievement.
The broad church of opinions often dominates the discourse more than the content of the contests themselves. When Wrestling Observer doyen Dave Meltzer broke his own star rating scale (yet again) for the the fourth battle between Kazuchika Okada and Kenny Omega in 2018, there were likely as many people debating the supposed legitimacy of the rating as there were unpicking every last glorious moment.
Strange, possibly, but not unexpected. Perhaps the performers themselves weren't concerned with the conversations taking place as they were the overarching quality of their latest classic, but Meltzer's adoration sent many picking for nits. This remains an unfortunate reality of life in the upper echelon - the standards you've set are suddenly higher than ever. Lucky you, pro wrestling genius. You made it!
If we linger a little longer on the titular "perfection", it reduces the power of the ruinous "one second". All these matches ruled and you should watch them (again?) after reading this. Every bit of them. Even the part where...
10. Shawn Michaels Vs Mankind (WWE In Your House: Mind Games)
A total classic from a long run of them in 1996, Shawn Michaels and Mankind criminally only committed one match to camera during what may well have been the best in-ring year either ever had. But what a piece of work it was.
Though not booked or labelled as a hardcore match, this epic summoned all the blood and thunder one needs to be truly considered as such. Weapon use was kept to a minimum - they had their bodies for that.
Michaels was a Champion on the edge, whilst the deranged Mankind was a Challenger who didn't care to think about what his limits even were. The pair meshed impeccably, drawing genuine concern for 'HBK's reign and the sanctity of the "Boyhood Dream" he'd been living that summer.
It was impossible to pick a winner. Unfortunately, WWE identified that too. A screwy finish involving interference from Paul Bearer, Vader and Sycho Sid didn't just feel cheap, but looked it too. Bearer's urn shot to Michaels was enough to draw the disqualification, but extracted only groans from an otherwise elated audience.