5 Best Iron Man Matches In WWE History

The Iron Man match is a difficult match to pull off. For one thing, you need an exceptional amount of stamina to make sure you're not solely running on fumes and instinct long before the time limit. Secondly, keeping the crowd engaged is a challenge, especially in the, "I'll just look at my smartphone until I hear the near falls starting" era. In other words, it's not a match that just *anyone* can pull off.

Yet, pretty much every major promotion has done it, even if it's "just" a 30-minute variation. AEW, IMPACT, and WCW have all gone the half-hour route at some point, as has WWE, which is more prone to book the hour-long marathon for a major title match. Ring of Honor made history in 2002 by crowning its first champion in a 60-minute four corners Iron Man, and that's the route WWE will now go to determine a new NXT champion.

So before Finn Balor, Adam Cole, Tommaso Ciampa, and Johnny Gargano subject themselves to that gruelling hour, let's look back at WWE's best Iron Man matches of all time.

The Iron Man match is a difficult match to pull off. For one thing, you need an exceptional amount of stamina to make sure you're not solely running on fumes and instinct long before the time limit. Secondly, keeping the crowd engaged is a challenge, especially in the, "I'll just look at my smartphone until I hear the near falls starting" era. In other words, it's not a match that just *anyone* can pull off.

Yet, pretty much every major promotion has done it, even if it's "just" a 30-minute variation. AEW, IMPACT, and WCW have all gone the half-hour route at some point, as has WWE, which is more prone to book the hour-long marathon for a major title match. Ring of Honor made history in 2002 by crowning its first champion in a 60-minute four corners Iron Man, and that's the route WWE will now go to determine a new NXT champion.

So before Finn Balor, Adam Cole, Tommaso Ciampa, and Johnny Gargano subject themselves to that gruelling hour, let's look back at WWE's best Iron Man matches of all time.

5. The Rock Vs. Triple H (Judgment Day 2000)

Although Triple H had greatly improved as a wrestler by the year 2000, and Rock was *far* better than his critics would admit, there was some reasonable scepticism toward the pair having a great Iron Man match. Plus, the era itself wasn't exactly conditioned for such a match.

Yet they pulled it off, putting together a mix of Attitude-style brawling and big spots, with some great bits of strategy and gamesmanship. The Undertaker's big comeback at the end did lead to an irksome finish, but the moment itself was electric.

5. The Rock Vs. Triple H (Judgment Day 2000)

Although Triple H had greatly improved as a wrestler by the year 2000, and Rock was *far* better than his critics would admit, there was some reasonable scepticism toward the pair having a great Iron Man match. Plus, the era itself wasn't exactly conditioned for such a match.

Yet they pulled it off, putting together a mix of Attitude-style brawling and big spots, with some great bits of strategy and gamesmanship. The Undertaker's big comeback at the end did lead to an irksome finish, but the moment itself was electric.

4. Bayley Vs. Sasha Banks (NXT TakeOver: Respect)

So much history here: the first time two women headlined a major WWE event, and it was the first "Iron Woman" match on this scale. The only trick was trying to outdo the magic that Bayley and Banks created in Brooklyn less than two months earlier. Wasn't gonna be easy.

The match was knotted up at two falls apiece after just 17 minutes, and no more falls occurred UNtil the very end when Bayley eked out the victory via submission. Most would still take the Brooklyn match between the two, but this was nonetheless a very worthy sequel.

4. Bayley Vs. Sasha Banks (NXT TakeOver: Respect)

So much history here: the first time two women headlined a major WWE event, and it was the first "Iron Woman" match on this scale. The only trick was trying to outdo the magic that Bayley and Banks created in Brooklyn less than two months earlier. Wasn't gonna be easy.

The match was knotted up at two falls apiece after just 17 minutes, and no more falls occurred UNtil the very end when Bayley eked out the victory via submission. Most would still take the Brooklyn match between the two, but this was nonetheless a very worthy sequel.

3. Bret Hart Vs. Ric Flair (House Show, 1993)

Bless you, diligent fan-cammer. WWF champion Hart took on an outgoing Flair in a number of untelevised marathon bouts before "The Nature Boy" formally left the company, the most famous of which occurred just two nights before the premiere episode of Monday Night Raw.

It was inside Boston Garden that Hart and Flair (managed by Bobby Heenan for a night) wove together a classic scientific battle, with Flair holding a 2-1 lead until five minutes remained, when Hart managed a submission fall, followed by a cradle with 19 seconds left to retain.

3. Bret Hart Vs. Ric Flair (House Show, 1993)

Bless you, diligent fan-cammer. WWF champion Hart took on an outgoing Flair in a number of untelevised marathon bouts before "The Nature Boy" formally left the company, the most famous of which occurred just two nights before the premiere episode of Monday Night Raw.

It was inside Boston Garden that Hart and Flair (managed by Bobby Heenan for a night) wove together a classic scientific battle, with Flair holding a 2-1 lead until five minutes remained, when Hart managed a submission fall, followed by a cradle with 19 seconds left to retain.

2. Bret Hart Vs. Shawn Michaels (WrestleMania 12)

This one's polarizing, as many find it to be incredibly overrated. Others are kinder to it, and feel that it's actually *underrated*, against the negative opinions it's received. It might just be the WrestleMania main event that has the least amount of consensus.

In this writer's opinion, while the first half isn't very exciting, the final 30 minutes are epic-level and worthy of acclaim. Had the match just been a regular bout that happened to last a half-hour, it'd be hailed by more people as a legendary match. Alas, it's a "flawed" classic.

2. Bret Hart Vs. Shawn Michaels (WrestleMania 12)

This one's polarizing, as many find it to be incredibly overrated. Others are kinder to it, and feel that it's actually *underrated*, against the negative opinions it's received. It might just be the WrestleMania main event that has the least amount of consensus.

In this writer's opinion, while the first half isn't very exciting, the final 30 minutes are epic-level and worthy of acclaim. Had the match just been a regular bout that happened to last a half-hour, it'd be hailed by more people as a legendary match. Alas, it's a "flawed" classic.

1. Kurt Angle Vs. Brock Lesnar (SmackDown, 2003)

Certainly, they had the right talent for it. As far as superior athletes go, there aren't many in WWE's entire history that can claim peerage with Angle and Lesnar. Put the hard-hitting heavyweights in a match where the best wrestler wins and you've got a battle for the ages.

Angle was actually still mending from a torn hamstring at the time of this match, which makes his performance all the more amazing. It's the best of Angle vs. Lesnar waged across 60 minutes, without ever feeling laboured. Perhaps the greatest SmackDown match ever.

1. Kurt Angle Vs. Brock Lesnar (SmackDown, 2003)

Certainly, they had the right talent for it. As far as superior athletes go, there aren't many in WWE's entire history that can claim peerage with Angle and Lesnar. Put the hard-hitting heavyweights in a match where the best wrestler wins and you've got a battle for the ages.

Angle was actually still mending from a torn hamstring at the time of this match, which makes his performance all the more amazing. It's the best of Angle vs. Lesnar waged across 60 minutes, without ever feeling laboured. Perhaps the greatest SmackDown match ever.