Best: Kurt Angle v Brock Lesnar (WWE Championship Match; WrestleMania 19)
No two men defined the Ruthless Aggression Era quite like Brock Lesnar and Kurt Angle. Their program was the highlight of a great year for SmackDown, and their tilt at WrestleMania 19 will go down as one of the best main events in the history of the event.
Both Brock Lesnar and Kurt Angle were in their prime for WrestleMania 19. They were accomplished amateur wrestlers, and that was used to create a great contest featuring the best wrestling in years.
There was brawling mixed in, yes, but this was a battle for wrestling supremacy. Lesnar and Angle were two wrestling machines that went to war to determine the best wrestler in the company. When all was said and done, it was the fans who were the true victors in this WrestleMania main event.
Worst: The Undertaker v Triple H (WWE Undisputed Championship Match; King of the Ring 2002)
A lot was expected when Triple H and The Undertaker stepped into the ring. They had engaged in classic battles before, and there was not much doubt that they would again. While they had produced some incredible matches in the past and future, this one was not one of them.
What hurt this match was WWE’s desire for neither man to look weak. The match started strongly, but after a while, it developed into a boring slog. The wrestling wasn’t great, and the bigger spots seemed disjointed. At the match’s conclusion, too much funny business took place to protect both men, leaving the fans wondering what had happened. It looked like WWE booked this match without considering the finish.
