5 Best Wrestling Matches of 1993

In picking the top five matches of 1993, there were a lot of tough choices that had to be made. There were so many entertaining matches during this calendar year that picking the top five was an incredible challenge. A lot of great matches had to be cut before making the top five, so here are some of the honourable mentions that, while not making the top five, should be watched anyways:

Ric Flair vs. Vader – Starrcade 1993

Part 1:

Part 2:

Flair and Vader, two of the best wrestlers in WCW history, duke it out in a classic NWA-style wrestling match for the world title. Featuring classic match structure and a raucous crowd, this was a fun match to watch.

Shawn Michaels vs. Marty Jannetty: RAW July 19, 1993

HBK had one of the best matches in RAW history, and this was when RAW was less than a year old. This fast-paced match was filled with dramatic hear-falls, excellent chain grappling, and a bunch of surprises and unexpected twists that kept the live audience cheering throughout.

Other classics that just missed the mark here include Bret Hart vs. Mr. Perfect at King of the Ring 1993; Vader vs. Sting at Superbrawl III; a classic battle between Masa Chono and the Great Muta; Rey Mysterio’s first 5-star match in AAA; and a ‘Rage in a Cage’ match in Smokey Mountain Wrestling (SMW).

Although all of the matches mentioned so far were great, the five top matches discussed below were so good that they deserve to be immortalized in this as the top five best matches of 1993…

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#5. Mitsuharu Misawa & Kenta Kobashi vs. The Holy Demon Army – December 3, 1993

Mitsuharu Misawa, Kenta Kobashi, Toshiaki Kawada, and Akira Taue. Together, these four men became known as the ‘Four Pillars of Heaven’, owing to the absolute classics they put on with each other. Each time they stepped into the ring, it was something special, whether in singles matches or in tag bouts.

This mesmerizing affair is no different, as fans get treated to classic wrestling psychology that’s almost non-existent these days. There’s no flashy entrances, no over-the-top promos, no crazy aesthetics and no crazy and meaningless ‘big spots’. It’s just pure wrestling, complete with clever and deep psychology and immersive storytelling.

The only real story you need to understand here is: two teams face each other to determine which is better.” That’s it. Everything else is left to the wrestlers to show in the ring, and they do an absolutely masterful job of doing so.

As a final note, this match is the perfect demonstration of ‘realistic selling’. Kawada’s knee is hurt in this match, which becomes a focal point of the match. This makes the match feel smart and logical, with things laid out in a way that makes sense and helps you understand the match without understanding Japanese.

#4. Manami Toyota & Toshiyo Yamada vs. Dynamite Kansai & Mayumi Ozaki – 2 out of 3 falls – DreamSlam II

This was voted the Match of the Year in 1993, beating a lot of top matches from around the world. For almost forty minutes, these four women wrestled at such a blistering pace you’d think the match was on fast forward by default.

From the opening bell, the action hardly slows down, as all four women hit some of the craziest moves ever seen in a wrestling ring. Stiff strikes, horrifying submission holds vicious power moves, creative psychology, this match has it all.

Special credit goes to Toyota for showing some of the most innovative offence ever seen in this match, including both a double Crucifix Powerbomb and her patented Japanese Ocean Cyclone Suplex.

The only real issue with this match is that it features way too many Irish whips and running moves, which partially weakens some of the moves used because the women are back up and running mere seconds later.

Then again, if the purpose of this match was to show these four women’s stamina and conditioning, then it more than accomplished its goal. I encourage everyone to watch this match to see what women’s wrestling once was, and what WWE could do if their women had more freedom.

#3. Steve Williams vs. Kenta Kobashi Aug 31, 1993

This 5-star epic was a perfect example of barbarism in the ring. Steve Williams looks like an absolute monster in this match as he savaged Kobashi with some of the most devastating offence ever seen.

But Kobashi was no slouch himself, as he countered most of Williams’ power with a gutsy, never-say-die attitude that helped make him into a legend. While Kobashi has become famous for being one of the hardest-hitting wrestlers ever, it’s his underdog determination that makes this match so captivating.

He keeps absorbing an inhuman amount of punishment, which culminates with three vicious Dangerous Backdrops that would legit kill a normal person. But Kobashi keeps getting up, even after the second Backdrop, which causes Kobashi to land head-first with an absolutely sickening thud.

Watching the match you cannot help but think to yourself, ‘stay down, stay down. It’s not worth it. You’re doing to die.’ Words don’t do it justice; this match has a magical atmosphere about it that makes it impossible to turn away.

#2. Vader vs. Cactus Jack – Texas Deathmatch – Halloween Havoc 1993

This is what happens when two of the greatest brawlers in wrestling history fight like absolute savages in an almost rule-free environment. The only way for the match to end was for one man to be beaten so badly he couldn’t answer a ten-count (much like a Last Man Standing match).

But unlike the LMS match, this also has falls to give the match more drama and psychology. That led to Vader and Cactus Jack unleashing some of the most vicious brutality ever seen on each other.

Their brawl was so intense that it looked like they were trying to legitimately hurt one another, and Vader, in particular, showed just how remorseless he could be with some of the most horrifying chair-shots straight to Cactus Jack’s head. In retrospect, both Vader and Cactus left this match looking much better.

Vader looked like an unstoppable monster that the audience loved to hate, and Cactus showed his guts and determination, which kept the audience firmly on his side. Truly, this is a treasure of a match from some of WCW’s best days.

#1. Stan Hansen vs. Kenta Kobashi, July 29, 1993

A little bit of context before looking at this match. First, Stan Hansen is arguably the most successful and revered ‘gaijin’ in Japan, and was widely respected by his peers and fans, even as a heel. To even be in the ring with him was considered an honor, and anyone brave enough to take his savage lariats was considered incredibly tough.

Enter Kenta Kobashi, a man known for being able to absorb a superhuman amount of punishment.

This is quite possibly the greatest slug-fest in Japanese wrestling history. For over twenty minutes, Hansen brutalized Kobashi with his famously-stiff offense, while Kobashi tried his hardest to withstand the onslaught. The near-falls were believable, the strikes looked punishing, and the drama was palpable.

You could feel the electricity in the arena without even being there. Then there’s the ending, which involves one of the most brutal lariats ever seen. The video even shows a photo of Kobashi’s face after taking Hansen’s famous Western Lariat, and his face looks like he had been smacked in the face with an anvil.

In the end, this one of those matches that you can watch over again without having to know anything about either wrestler. All you need to do is watch the in-ring action and that is more than enough to satisfy and wrestling fan.