First off there are so many matches from the NWA, AWA ,Mid South Wrestling, WCCW and WWF that are great and I’m sure were great and could have been called matches of the decade but I could not name them all.
#5 Ric Flair vs Ricky Steamboat, Wrestle War 89
What a match it was, as any true real wrestling fan and student of pro wrestling has seen. The three matches they had in 1989 in the NWA are nothing but classics. While not making the list, I heavily suggest you check out Flair and Steamboat at Boogie Jam in 84, Chi-Town Rumble in 89, Spring Stampede in 94 and their final showdown on WCW Saturday Night on May 14, 1994.
#4 Hulk Hogan vs Andre The Giant, Wrestlemania III 1987
Over 93,000 people came for one reason only and paid to see Andre and the Hulkster battle it out in an epic match which is still one of my top five favorite Wrestlemania matches of all time. It took place in 1987, a long time ago people. I was only three years old and did not see it live but I saw it when I was around five or six and man I could not stop watching it. Once I saw it I would watch it as a kid over and over and over. It’s crazy but no doubt this match was one of the biggest matches in the WWF in the 1980s and put sports entertainment on the map. Hogan, when he slammed Andre became a icon. Also don’t forget it was Andre the Giant, a man that no-one could ever beat one on one before passing the torch to Hulk Hogan and putting him over at WrestleMania III.
#3 Macho Man Randy Savage vs Ricky the Dragon Steamboat, Wrestlemania III 1987
As Steamboat said in a shoot interview I believe around 2000, that Macho Man had the whole match planned out on a 300 page notebook of all the spots that he went over with Ricky for two months before WrestleMania III. No matter what was called in the ring or ahead of time, it was still an epic match in the 1980s and one of my favorites. Also, Chris Jericho said that match was the reason he wanted to be a wrestler. You can’t find a better reason for the top five than that.
#2 Sting vs Ric Flair, Clash of Champions I 1988
No doubt this match put Sting on the map as a top star and Nature Boy Ric Flair that night made the Stinger a star in the wrestling business. Both guys went to a 45 minute time limit draw at the first NWA Clash of Champions. It went up head to head with Wrestlemania IV. Find this match on YouTube and watch it, you will not be disappointed at all.
#1 Ric Flair vs Ricky the Dragon Steamboat, Clash of Champions VI 2 out of 3 falls match
I could watch this match over and over as it is my favourite Steamboat vs. Flair match by far out of all that I have seen. You had two masters at their job in the ring putting on the most damn entertaining pro wrestling (not sports entertainment) match. It was hard hitting and it was up in your face. Steamboat the perfect babyface and Ric Flair .the prefect heel. This match was so good I feel like watching it right this minute again. By the way, pick up The Ultimate Ric Flair Collection and The Definitive Ric Flair Collection DVD as well as The Life Story of the Dragon DVDs.You will not be disappointed, trust me.
Other matches that did not make my list but deserve a mention:
- Macho Man vs Hulk Hogan, Wrestlemania V 1989
- Ric Flair vs Harley Race, Starrcade 1983
- Honky Tonk Man vs The Ultimate Warrior, Summerslam 88
- Wargames match, Great American Bash 87
- Midnight Express vs The Rock and Roll Express, May 2, 1984, Mid South Wrestling
- Lex Luger vs Ric Flair, The Great American Bash 1988
Hope you all enjoyed my list of my top 5 favorite matches of the 1980s.
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