1. Shawn Michaels Vs. Undertaker (In Your House: Bad Blood)
As mentioned earlier, it requires a step back when attempting to rank and file the greatest matches of a particular gimmick. HBK vs. Taker featured the story that the Foley-Taker bout lacked, the novelty that the Foley-Taker bout had (just to a lesser extent), the historic distinction of being the very first of its kind, and the incredible quality that had critics piling on the elusive 5-star accolades. What happens when you compare it, point-by-point, with the more recent Cell matches? The finish was specific to the debut of Kane. Several of the candidates offered finishes that were, at the very least, better suited for the feud that was being completed. Nevertheless, it was still very good and holds up well enough to keep it in the conversation with the others. Taker was still at a point in his career where he relied on the guy across the ring to do most (if not all) of the expressions and selling to tell the story (due to his gimmick). HBK was marvellous, but Taker did better in the bouts with Lesnar and Triple H. It still shines in the thoroughness of the story told. Of all the candidates from the early days of the gimmick, the original gives by far the best overall performance. It also provides the incredible, never-seen-before stunt expected of the early Cells. In essence, it tells the story that you might see today, but features the visual, awe-inspiration of the late 90s/early 00s. It ranked 7th in buyrate with just a 0.64. All in all, the original Hell in a Cell is still an outstanding watch not quite the incredible candidate for best match of all-time as it once was, but still a story that you could pop in the DVD player and watch a few times a year without getting bored. HBK vs. Taker maintains its spot when watched back-to-back-to-back with the other top candidates.
"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.
