11. Fatal 4-Way Match To Determine No. 1 Contender To The IC Title: Dolph Ziggler vs. Sheamus vs. Christian vs. Alberto Del Rio (Raw, March 24)
Every once in a while a match comes from out of nowhere to steal the show and catapult itself into the "best matches of the year" conversation. The Fatal 4-Way match to determine the No. 1 contender to the Intercontinental Championship, then held by Big E, was one such match. It featured four of the most talented, most under-appreciated performers on the entire roster doing battle for a title they were all above at that point in their careers yet they all still worked hard and delivered a match that shocked audiences with its above-average quality. The match is jam-packed with thrilling action sequences, superb counter wrestling and near-falls that kept the crowd on the edge of their seats. As he manages to do every time he steps inside the squared circle, Ziggler stole the spotlight and was the clear fan favorite. Unfortunately for him, as often as he steals the show is as often as he is beaten and that was the case as Christian delivered the Killswitch for the win, deflating the audience in the process. The match, which came out of nowhere and really had no rhyme of reason for happening other than to determine a top contender to a title the company hardly cared about, was a thing of beauty. Though three-hour Raw broadcasts and one of the most talented rosters of all-time have made great television matches a more common occurrence, there was something about this March 24 bout that stood head and shoulders above others. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cMmp2anCmC8 Perhaps it was the chemistry between the competitors, the drama that resulted from the near-falls or the crowd's reaction to the match that was unfolding before their eyes but whatever the case may be, WWE and four of its most talented produced one of the most surprising, and best, matches of the year on the road to WrestleMania.
Erik Beaston is a freelance pro wrestling writer who likes long walks in the park, dandelions and has not quite figured out that this introduction is not for Match.com. He resides in Parts Unknown, where he hosts weekly cookouts with Kane, The Ultimate Warrior, Papa Shango and The Boogeyman. Be jealous.
