BY MICHAEL GOODPASTER
(FOUR) IRON MAN
As a fan of anything, you always want more. You want to get as much as possible and just be a big ol’ glutton. With wrestling this gluttonous mentality is in its full glory when an “Iron Man” match is signed and sealed. It’s basically who can get the most wins within a certain time frame, but the one hour-60 minute iron man match is king. There have been some 30 minute versions as well and I’ve seen some independent promotions get lame with 15 or 20 minute variations, but it’s all about that full hour.
(THREE) FALLS COUNT ANYWHERE
The “Falls Count Anywhere” match is a great experience, especially live. Imagine being a child, excited by everything around you, sitting at a show and ought of a sudden two wrestlers are beating the hell out of each other right at your feet. I know this can technically happen in a lot of matches like Hardcore, Last Man Standing, and pretty much any matches that don’t have any rules but it’s the Falls Count Anywhere match in its purest form that will always be timeless. It brings the action to the fans and that’s something that’ll never get old.
(TWO) CAGE MATCH
I’m thinking more of the escape only cage matches. I know back in the day it was used to keep the right people out and in for a big match. Then they’d declare the winner via pin fall or submission. But I grew up on WWF’s big blue cage where the objective was to be the first man to escape the cage. Those matches were suspenseful and great. I’m always a fan of that old school “I Quit” cage match where a piece of broken chair was used to get a man to quit, but to me the best modern cage match is still the “Brother vs. Brother” Owen Hart vs. Bret Hart match.
(ONE) LADDER MATCH
For proof that the Ladder Match is the best gimmick match of all time look no further than the Wrestlemania 10 Shawn Michaels/Razor Ramon match for the Intercontinental Title. That match was professional wrestling at its best. If you think about it, the ladder match is the perfect metaphor for the entire wrestling business and life in general. You climb, claw, and reach up the ladder to get that prize and no matter how many times you’re knocked off or pushed down you keep going for it. And… yeah, it’s pretty awesome to see the ladder used in cool spots.
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