Best WWE Pay-Per-Views From The 90s
While the WWE has regular shows like SmackDown and RAW that help continue stories, keep the fans entertained and introduce new characters, the main events are where the real action happens. We are, of course, talking about PPV events.
These are monumental wrestling shows that typically feature the top-billing wrestlers in a variety of fun and unique matchups. Additionally, during these PPV events, title belts are usually up for grabs, which makes the stakes much higher than normal.
Most WWE pay-per-view events are amazing to watch and provide hours of entertainment. However, there have been a select few shows that stand out in history as significant. This could have been due to some amazing wrestling performances, unexpected twists, or epic match varieties. In the article below, we have picked five of our favorite PPV events from the 90s, which many consider to be the golden era of the WWE.
King of the Ring 1998
It’s a shame that you can’t generally bet on PPV events for wrestling, as you can easily find the best odds in sports betting. Sadly, we can’t place wagers on our favorite wrestlers, but we do get to watch amazing events, like King of the Ring in 1998.
This PPV had possibly the most iconic wrestling moment of all time. You know it – when The Undertaker threw Mankind from the top of the cell in their Hell in a Cell match. Mankind had some pretty amazing chair shots to The Undertaker, but no one could have predicted him launching Mick Foley off of the top to crash through the announcer’s table. Legendary. There hasn’t really been a Hell in a Cell match like it since.
SummerSlam 1998
SummerSlam 1998 was just a good show. All the matches were decent and had some superb performances. Even the opening bout between Val Venis and D’Lo Brown was a good show! Other standout matches included Ken Shamrock defeating Owen Hart, the superb ladder match between The Rock and Shawn Michaels, and the main bout between Stone Cold and The Undertaker.
The title bout had all the hallmarks of a classic – the sold-out crowd at Madison Square Garden, JR and the King commentating, and two crowd favorites going at it. The match saw Stone Cold surviving a Choke Slam, and then reversing a Tombstone. Eventually, he stopped the Takers’ rope walk and landed the Stunner, taking the WWE title.
WrestleMania X
Madison Square Garden has been host to many WWE PPV events, but one of the most memorable has to be WrestleMania X. This event had some brilliant matchups but two of the best were brothers Bret and Owen Hart showing the world how wrestling is meant to be done, and the ladder match between Shawn Michaels and Razor Ramon.
People often say that this ladder match is the best Intercontinental Championship title match of all time, and having seen Michaels fly from the ladder, it’s hard to argue. The best match was that of the Harts, however, and they put on a memorable performance for the crowd that will go down in history.
No Mercy 1998
During much of 1998, one of the main rivalries in the WWE was between Stone Cold Steven Austin and Triple H. They had some amazing matches during the year, but this culminated in the brilliant No Mercy PPV. The main bout was of course between these two stars, and it took a surprise twist, with HHH retaining the title after interference from The Rock.
However, that wasn’t the only amazing fight. I personally remember the insane tag team ladder match between The Hardy Boyz and Edge and Christian. It was a true spectacle, which the Hardys eventually won, and they went on to have many more breathtaking ladder matches after that.
WrestleMania 14
Our last pick is WrestleMania 14, which saw Stone Cold Steve Austin winning his first WWE title in the main bout against Shawn Michaels. There were some other amazing matches, such as Triple H beating Owen Hart to retain the European Championship, and The Rock beating Ken Shamrock to win the Intercontinental Championship.
People won’t forget the title bout, however. Not only for the brilliant wrestling but the fact that none other than Mike Tyson – dressed in D-Generation X gear – was the special ring enforcer. This bout became an instant classic and launched a huge surge in popularity for the WWE against WCW.
These pay-per-view events will forever be remembered as classics. Even as time passes, people still look back on them fondly and remember the action, storylines, matchups, and unbelievable spectacles they produced. Let us know which were your favorites and if you feel we missed any great events. There are, of course, many other fantastic PPVs and it was hard to pick just five!