#2 – The Undertaker: Hell in a Cell
This is one of my all-time favorite matches. Is it a technical masterpiece? No. Does it make me uncomfortable in retrospect? Yes, like most of the hardcore matches during this time period. But man, did Undertaker and Brock Lesnar have a great rivalry…
This match was the culmination of a war between one of the biggest legends ever, and the newcomer that had downed giants, icons and everyone to step in his path. Lesnar had actually broken ‘Taker’s hand with a propane tank prior to the match (in story), but actually gave him another “weapon” to use in the Hell in a Cell. Lesnar had a lot of wins that legitimized him prior to this, but this was the bloodbath that – in my mind – cemented him as a main event superstar. If you can successfully defend your world championship against The Undertaker in the most brutal match conceived, you can basically write your own paycheck for as long as you want it.