20 Most Epic Wrestling Matches That Weren't Supposed To Be Epic

14. Chris Benoit vs. Rey Mysterio vs. Kurt Angle (Smackdown September 2002)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DujBdc6hcDs Rey Mysterio dazzled WWE audiences when he burst onto the scene in 2002. A fan base that, perhaps, had not been privy to his talents before got to see a more controlled version of Mysterio than the one that had been a staple of WCW programming during the Monday Night War. And he was amazing. His first night on Smackdown was a breathtaking debut. When he began to mix it up with the top wrestlers of the brand, the foundations were laid for what would become known as the €œSmackdown Six.€ Three of the Smackdown Six were on display in a marvelous triple threat match in September that year. If you have ever seen Benoit and Angle work together or Angle and Mysterio mix it up, then you can imagine the quality that would be produced when combining the chemistry of those singles matches into a 3-way. The theme of this list is pace and it could be argued that not a match on the list had a faster pace than Benoit-Mysterio-Angle. Adding a third man to launch Rey into the air opened up Mysterio€™s offensive repertoire. Benoit€™s intensity was given a perfect platform. Angle embodied the style that WWE adopted in those days, using his athleticism to create matches that look as though they are in fast forward in comparison to other eras.
Contributor
Contributor

"The Doc" Chad Matthews has written wrestling columns for over a decade. A physician by trade, Matthews began writing about wrestling as a hobby, but it became a passion. After 30 years as a wrestling fan, "The Doc" gives an unmatched analytical perspective on pro wrestling in the modern era. He is a long-time columnist for Lordsofpain.net and hosts a weekly podcast on the LOP Radio Network called "The Doc Says." His first book - The WrestleMania Era: The Book of Sports Entertainment - ranks the Top 90 wrestlers from 1983 to present day, was originally published in December 2013, and is now in its third edition. Matthews lives in North Carolina with his wife, two kids, and two dogs.