Every Cinematic Wrestling Match Ever - Ranked!

10. Half-time Heat

This one sort of counts, but really only in terms of its finish.

Back in 1999, WWE was on the cusp of major pop-culture penetration. They'd just worked with Mike Tyson, their 'Attitude' direction was getting them over with working Americans, and they were absolutely throttling WCW in the Monday Night Wars. What they needed, was a slice of the Superbowl TV pie.

Thus they devised of an Empty Arena Match between The Rock and Mankind for the WWF Championship. It was pre-recorded following an episode of Monday Night Raw at the Tucson Convention Center, and aired on the USA Network during the normally popular Superbowl half-time show. The hope was that the company's more "edgy" audience would prefer this to Gloria Estefan and Stevie Wonder who were keeping the crowd going during Super Bowl XXXIII.

The match is... a mess. Shane McMahon introduces the thing and shouts "Vinnie Mac" about 6x louder than is ever necessary, before Vince gets behind the commentary desk and reminds everyone why he's got absolutely no business whatsoever telling someone else how to do that job. They brawl from the ring, where it's just a regular wrestling match, before heading backstage to get things "cinematic".

After fighting through catering, Mankind successfully lowers a forklift onto the prone body of The Rock who, whilst not incapacitated in a wrestling sense, is physically unable to kick out of the fall. This was, genuinely, how the WWF Championship changed hands and included a laugh-out-loud spot of "oh nooooooo" acting from a man who would somehow go on to dominate Hollywood.

Oh, and at one point The Rock answers a ringing telephone, informs that caller that Mankind can't talk right now because he's a little "tied up" and then chokes him with the chord. Actually, maybe it is brilliant.