The one match that made them a star

[dirkburton]

Hearing about the Flair vs Sting 45 min draw at the '88 Clash and how that's the 1 match that made Sting a major player for the first time got me thinking about other single matches that had the same effect. The Jeff Hardy vs Undertaker ladder match comes to mind. Any others where 1 match in particular got a wrestler over as a main eventer from that moment on?

[tafkaga]

British Bulldog's win at Wembley was referenced for the rest of his career every time Bulldog wrestled in a high profile singles match.

[Aceorton]

I'd say Diesel at KOTR '94. He had that huge Rumble performance, but he still was basically Shawn's lackey who lucked into the IC title. The KOTR match with Bret, where it looked like he actually could/should have won, solidified him as a star. They wasted little time in getting the IC off him and doing the dissension angle with Shawn to set him up for the top spot.

[nickcave]

Austin vs. Hart at WM 13 cemented him for life

[David-Arquette was in WCW 2000]

I get the point with Jeff Hardy Vs Undertaker, but I'd argue that Jeff was a huge star before that. He was always the most popular of the Hardy's, and the highlight of the TLC matches. The 'taker match gave him some credibility as a main eventer, but he was definitely a big star by that point.

[Deleted]

Vamp Vs Pentagon - Cero Miedo Match

Mil Vs Fenix - Grave Consequences

Are matches that not only put them on the map but made them superstars and in the case of Pentagon made him the coolest talent in the entire industry for years to come afterwards.

[Futureraven: Beelzebruv]

I'd go with Royal Rumble 2000 v Mick Foley for HHH.

Obviously he was already a name to an extent, so he wasn't a nobody making his name, but he needed that match.

While he had been pushed to the main event and was on his 3rd title reign, he had been treading water a little bit in the main event. The 1st title win was convoluted, that first Austin feud was a bit lackluster, then his 2nd with the stuff around Vince and the 6 pack challenge was a bit of a mess, then Big Show getting the belt at Survivor Series. He was still more an upper midcarder getting a shot and it not REALLY working.

That match, including the angle around it and followup, that was when it all really stuck that this was a TOP level guy.

[Jindrak Mark]

Edge & Christian v the Hardys at No Mercy 1999 for both teams.

[chrom]

Macho vs Hogan in 86 solidified Savage as a star

[Xxcjb01xX [PIECE OF: SH-]]

Sasha vs Bayley: NXT Brooklyn essentially cemented both women as mainstays until they retire and in and out of WWE that's been the case, and Bayley proved she could even overcome some of the worst initial main roster booking in the world on top of that to do so.

[dirkburton]

Mar 13, 2024 10:20:54 GMT -5 tafkaga said:

British Bulldog's win at Wembley was referenced for the rest of his career every time Bulldog wrestled in a high profile singles match.

That's a good one. He was a mid-carder before that and then went on to main event in WCW the following year.

[jason1980s]

Mar 13, 2024 20:02:13 GMT -5 dirkburton said:

Mar 13, 2024 10:20:54 GMT -5 tafkaga said:

British Bulldog's win at Wembley was referenced for the rest of his career every time Bulldog wrestled in a high profile singles match.

That's a good one. He was a mid-carder before that and then went on to main event in WCW the following year.

It was a big change from not even being on the card of Wrestlemania VIII, although that was for time constraints. Still, it would have been a throwaway match versus Berzerker.

[chazraps]

Thinking in terms of the indies -

Nigel McGuinness vs Tyler Black in ROH from 2008 was *the* match that pretty much made you know the future Seth Rollins was going to be a many time world champion. It turns 16 on Monday, March 16 so if you're looking for something timely, seek this one out.

Bryan Danielson losing clean to Jimmy Jacobs really showed how serious the Age of the Fall faction was going to be and took him from comedy lovelorn puppy to genuine threat right away if I remember correctly.

Lio Rush had a growing buzz on the indys 2014-2015 and had a promising showing winning the 2016 top prospect tournament, but then his Supercard of Honor match against Jay Lethal absolutely made him *the* guy to watch.

Of course the Kevin Steen vs El Generico vs SeXXy Eddy vs eXceSs 69 from CZW on 9/11/04 is the match that absolutely made Steen and Generico's career on the American indys and began their trajectory getting worldwide bookings. Making the absoulute most from a moment to create TWO stars.

[4real]

WWE centric but AJ Styles matches with Roman Reigns set up AJ to be a fixture in the main event in WWE. The Cena matches cemented that.

[ChitownKnight]

I think the parking lot brawl between Eddie and Cena made them both stars. They were both on top of the smackdown brand after that

[froggyfrog]

Shelton Benjamin vs Triple H that one time on Raw. Of course that one didn’t stick 😔

Mar 14, 2024 1:53:22 GMT -5 chazraps said:

Nigel McGuinness vs Tyler Black in ROH from 2008 was *the* match that pretty much made you know the future Seth Rollins was going to be a many time world champion. It turns 16 on Monday, March 16 so if you're looking for something timely, seek this one out.

Yooo I was there at that one. Completely agree, I remember barely knowing who he was and then came away so impressed I messaged him on MySpace telling him how good it was and he thanked me 😭 High school cringe

[BRV]

Bret Hart vs. Mr. Perfect at SummerSlam 1991 firmly established the Hitman as a permanent singles star. After that match, he was clearly on his way to becoming a main eventer.

[TOK Hehe'd Around & Found Out]

Ibushi/Omega at the DDT Peter Pan 2012 is when both guys went from "excellent juniors" to "both of these guys are future world champs"

Partially because the match is so damn good and partially because "these guys are so wild they got wrestling banned from the Budokan for 5 years" is a hell of an accomplishment

[thecrusherwi]

Not one match, but Randy Savage absolutely needed the Wrestlemania IV tournament to take him to the next level. Randy was a star, but he was a chickenshit upper Midcard heel who became an upper Midcard babyface who couldn’t decisively put away the Honky Tonk Man. Once he won the tournament, he was as close as anyone in that era had come to being Hogan’s equal on the babyface side and was now seen as a guy who could take on Andre without help and survive. And clearly people bought him at that level considering how well Wrestlemania V did when it was Randy’s turn against Hogan.

Speaking of Randy’s, the Backlash 2004 match Randy Orton had with Mick Foley is what made him the main eventer he’s been basically ever since.

[nickcave]

Mar 14, 2024 14:41:09 GMT -5 thecrusherwi said:

Not one match, but Randy Savage absolutely needed the Wrestlemania IV tournament to take him to the next level. Randy was a star, but he was a chickenshit upper Midcard heel who became an upper Midcard babyface who couldn’t decisively put away the Honky Tonk Man. Once he won the tournament, he was as close as anyone in that era had come to being Hogan’s equal on the babyface side and was now seen as a guy who could take on Andre without help and survive. And clearly people bought him at that level considering how well Wrestlemania V did when it was Randy’s turn against Hogan.

Speaking of Randy’s, the Backlash 2004 match Randy Orton had with Mick Foley is what made him the main eventer he’s been basically ever since.

Foley is so good at taking people to that next level, I think Foley considers this his best match too