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NXT TakeOver: WarGames has quickly become the most anticipated event for the black and gold brand every year. With the titular main event, it has continued to deliver high quality encounters that always give fans breathtaking action. However, the history of this brutal bout is much more extensive than its TakeOver lineage.
The WarGames match became the signature stipulation of WCW. The creation from the mind of Dusty Rhodes was always used to blow off clashes between groups of competitors in the most spectacular way possible.
Since 1987, fans have witnessed memorable moments, grueling contests, and bloody battles inside of the two-ring steel cage.
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With 36 WarGames matches in total in both WWE and WCW, there are so many unforgettable showdowns to choose from when considering the greatest in the speciality's history. In this article, we look back on the greatest WarGames matches of all time.
#10 Arn Anderson, Terry Funk, Buckhouse Buck & Colonel Rob Parker vs. Nasty Boys, Dustin & Dusty Rhodes (WarGames - Fall Brawl 1994)
This bout will always be remembered for being the only WarGames to have a father and son teaming together. At Fall Brawl 1994, Dustin Rhodes joined his father, Dusty, in his creation for the first time. Teaming with the Nasty Boys in the four-on-four encounter, they met Arn Anderson, Terry Funk, Buckhouse Buck, and Colonel Rob Parker.
In a further extension of Dustin's feud with Buckhouse Buck that featured the legendary Buckhouse match, this was a fun battle inside of WarGames and a showcase for the younger Rhodes.
Seeing the father and son unite in a clash against some of the biggest heels in the promotion put fans firmly in their corner, cheering them to victory on the night.
With hardcore specialists such as Terry Funk and the Nasty Boys, this was more of a brawl than your typical WarGames encounters. With a lot of use of the steel structure, this was a truly grueling bout that the Rhodes family and Nasty Boys came out victorious in.
#9 Road Warriors, Midnight Express & Dr. Death Steve Williams vs. The Fabulous Freebirds & Samoan Swat Team (WarGames - NWA Great American Bash '89)
The wrestling world is still reeling from the passing of Road Warrior Animal. The multi-time tag team champion and WWE Hall of Famer has joined his partner, Hawk, in heaven, and will be missed by all fans.
The legendary member of the Road Warriors or Legion of Doom leaves behind quite the legacy, which includes the tag team's memorable appearances in the WarGames match.
At the 1989 Great American Bash, they took part in a battle that also included some other terrific teams. The Road Warriors teamed with Midnight Express and Dr. Death Steve Williams to face the Fabulous Freebirds and the Samoan Swat Team.
It was a vicious brawl inside the two-ring steel cage that was heavily anchored by the hard hitting style of Animal and Hawk, and superior heel work of the Freebirds.
The action in this WarGames contest was savage and chaotic. With expert workers like Bobby Eaton, Stan Lane, and Michael P.S. Hayes, this was a well-rounded and worked clash that remains among the best the stipulation offered during the WCW/NWA days.
#8 Undisputed Era vs. Pete Dunne, Ricochet & The War Raiders (WarGames - NXT TakeOver: WarGames II)
The second WarGames match in WWE history is the entry from the NXT brand. At NXT TakeOver: WarGames II on November 17th, 2018, the Undisputed Era returned to the two-ring steel cage to fight the team of WWE United Kingdom Champion Pete Dunne, NXT North American Champion Ricochet, and The War Raiders.
The 47-minute clash was filled with plenty of stunning spots and weapon usage that continued themes set the previous year. The War Raiders brought the brawling and hard-hitting action that has become expected in this contest, but it was Ricochet that brought something completely unique to the battle.
In the most dazzling display of athleticism in the history of the WarGames match, Ricochet found himself on top of the steel structure to deliver a sensational double moonsault onto the other seven competitors inside of the ring.
This left the Staples Center crowd in awe of one of the best spots ever seen in NXT TakeOver history. In the conclusion, Pete Dunne and Ricochet teamed to put Adam Cole away to earn their team the victory. It was the Undisputed Era's first loss inside WarGames.
#7 Team Baszler vs. Team Ripley (WarGames - NXT TakeOver: WarGames 2019)
Last year at NXT TakeOver: WarGames 2019, history was made. The event marked the first time that women took part in titular two-ring steel cage contest. NXT Women's Champion Shayna Baszler captained a team of Io Shirai, Bianca Belair, and NXT UK Women's Champion Kay Lee Ray.
Team Baszler faced a team captained by the first ever NXT UK Women's Champion Rhea Ripley. Her team consisted of Candice LeRae, Tegan Nox, and Dakota Kai.
Prior to the WarGames match, Kai was seen as the weak link of the team with Ripley hesitant to let her join, even originally choosing Mia Yim for the spot.
Before the event, Yim was attacked by a mystery assailant that would become apparent soon enough. With Candice and Rhea already entered into WarGames, Dakota was the next to head into the match, before she betrayed her best friend, Tegan Nox, to turn heel. It was a shocking betrayal that was just as memorable as the match itself.
This was a great encounter that highlighted every women in WarGames. The highflying mastery of Shirai, MMA background of Baszler, babyface fire of Candice and diverse athleticism of Belair were all on display.
In the end, Rhea Ripley would lead her and LeRae to victory, overcoming the numbers disadvantage to pin Baszler and get the landmark win in the first ever women's WarGames match.
#6 The Dream Team vs. The Four Horsemen (WarGames - NWA Great American Bash '89: Night 1)
The Four Horsemen was the most iconic wrestling stable of the 1980s. The rule-breaking group of heels came together in the summer of 1986 to help Ric Flair keep the World title away from Dusty Rhodes. The following summer, Dusty and a band of babyfaces looked to gain revenge on the Horsemen in the greatest creation of the American Dream, WarGames.
The 1987 Great American Bash was spread across three separate events, with the first two WarGames matches as the headliners to bookend the shows. The two-ring steel cage with a roof was invented to keep Flair and his friends from getting away and allow The Dream Team to finally get their hands on the faction.
Dusty led Nikita Koloff, Paul Ellering, and The Road Warriors against the Four Horsemen of Ric Flair, Arn Anderson, Lex Luger, Tully Blanchard, and their manager James J. Dillion. The addition of the two managers made sure that no outside forces could get involved and marked the first time either Ellering or Dillion had been in action.
The inaugural battle inside of WarGames was peerless in its spectacle at the time and allowed a memorable display of bitter warfare. The extraordinary talent involved produced breathtaking and bruising action inside of the cage, and left many of the competitors bloody. The scars of this encounter would be left on the individuals involved and would be a predecessor of this speciality for years to come.
#5 Undisputed Era vs. Sanity vs. Roderick Strong & The Authors of Pain (WarGames - NXT TakeOver WarGames 2017)
For years, fans had begged WWE to bring back the WarGames match. The two-ring steel cage with a roof structure had long been the signature bout of NWA and later WCW.
The stipulation has typically been used to end feuds between groups of competitors in a climactic matter. In 2017, the WWE NXT brand finally decided the time had come for the speciality to return.
The Undisputed Era - Adam Cole, Kyle O'Reilly and Bobby Fish - had been running roughshod over NXT since their inception. Beating down the likes of Drew McIntyre and Roderick Strong, the group had caused plenty of destruction in their wake.
Their clashes with the Sanity stable of Eric Young, Killian Dain and Alexander Wolfe had caused tons of chaos. General Manager William Regal determined that the only way to maintain the chaos would be inside of WarGames.
With the added unit of Roderick Strong with the Authors of Pain, this would be a unique take on the bout made famous years earlier.
The nine Superstars took part in a ferocious battle that brought back the stipulation in impressive fashion. The use of weapons and no roof on the structure added to their creativity the men could add to this match.
This set the bar high for all WarGames matches that would follow on the black and gold brand. The contest made what was old, new again.
#4 Undisputed Era vs. Team Ciampa (WarGames - NXT TakeOver: WarGames 2019)
Two years after the return of the steel structure, the Undisputed Era once again did battle in WarGames. After being a part of this signature speciality every year, the group have become synonymous with the titular encounter. Last year, they did battle with a team captained by Tommaso Ciampa.
Ciampa was joined by Keith Lee, Dominik Dijakovic, and the returning Kevin Owens. Along with the wonderful reaction the Chicago crowd gave Owens for his return to NXT, it was an amazing WarGames filled with high octane action. The eight Superstars continually upped the ante in the bout, until the final spectacular spot that left every single member of the WWE Universe speechless.
In a devastating move, the Black Heart hit an air raid crash from the top of the cage into a table set up in the ring. The sheer guts that it took to execute this maneuver is worthy of praise, but the fact that it came at the end of a purely splendid battle made it even more satisfying.
#3 The Four Horsemen vs. Sting's Squadron (WarGames - WrestleWar 1991)
The feud between Ric Flair and Sting is one of the most storied in the history of WCW. In 1991, Ric Flair headed a new variation of the Four Horsemen with Barry Windham, Larry Zbyszko, and Sid. This time, Flair's team faced Sting's Squadron, which consisted of Flyin' Brian Pillman and the Steiner Brothers inside of WarGames at WrestleWar.
There was one moment in this clash that would be remembered for years to come for the wrong reasons. The roof of the two-ring steel cage structure never came into the equation quite as memorably as this contest.
Sid delivered a powerbomb to Pillman, where Flyin' Brian struck the roof with his head. Apparently, this spot was done purposely by Sid, due to Pillman being unwilling to take his finish.
Other than this scary incident, the WarGames encounter was a tremendous four-on-four battle that spotlighted the ability of all eight men involved. In the end, it was the Horsemen who won their first WarGames.
This bout received a five-star rating from the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, and is viewed as one of the best matches of 1991 by many wrestling fans.
#2 The Four Horsemen vs. The Dream Team (WarGames - NWA Great American Bash '89: Night 3)
The second WarGames match once again featured a group of babyfaces trying to take down the Four Horsemen. Led by Dusty Rhodes, a squad of babyfaces that had been tormented by the iconic heel stable would band together to win the second battle inside of the two-ring steel cage.
On Night Three of the Bash in Miami's Orange Bowl, the Four Horsemen's Ric Flair, Arn Anderson, Tully Blanchard, and Lex Luger, along with The War Machine this time, would face The Dream Team of Dusty Rhodes, Nikita Koloff, Paul Ellering and The Road Warriors.
After a win in Atlanta on Night One, The Dream Team had the inevitable task of trying to match their success against the Horsemen. The second clash inside WarGames was physically intense, brutal, and marvelous, much like its predecessor just a few days earlier. This was a step up from their inaugural battle, with the two teams knowing how to gain the most from the crowd and structure.
Although the Horsemen had the numbers advantage, it was The Dream Team who pulled out the win for the second straight time. This critically acclaimed match was the first of the stipulation to receive the five-star rating from the Wrestling Observer Newsletter. It was an incredible encounter that signified WarGames as the premier stipulation of the NWA.
#1 Sting's Squadron vs. The Dangerous Alliance (WarGames - WrestleWar 1992)
In 1992, WCW was still reeling from the departure of Ric Flair. With Flair no longer around to lead the Four Horsemen, the company created a new heel stable for their babyfaces to overcome inside of WarGames.
Led by Paul E. Dangerously, the Dangerous Alliance was a incomparable collection of the best rule breakers the promotion had to offer.
With Rick Rude, Arn Anderson, Larry Zbyszko, Bobby Eaton, and a young Steve Austin, the Dangerous Alliance became the most feared faction in wrestling. However, there was plenty of opposition to their dominance.
Sting's Squadron made their return to the two-ring steel cage, but this time they consisted of Nikita Koloff, Dustin Rhodes, Barry Windham, and Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat.
This may have been the most talented assortment of wrestlers to ever be involved in the WarGames structure. The fans in Jacksonville, Florida at WrestleWar 1992 witnessed a stellar battle that is often praised as one of the best matches of the '90s in North American wrestling.
The competitors all had their own bitter rivalries with one another and combined all of the Hall of Fame talent in two rings to deliver an action-packed contest. This WarGames match even spilled to the top of the steel structure, as the competitors could not contain their hatred inside the cage.
In the end, it was Sting's Squadron who were victorious. This once again was another WarGames match that received the vaulted five-star rating from the Wrestling Observer Newsletter. It was a fitting end to the reign of dominance for the Dangerous Alliance.
With the fantastic story told and intense action, this is why Sting's Squadron vs. The Dangerous Alliance is the greatest WarGames match of all time.
