Ricky used to always imply he thought the Flair matches were better by saying the Savage/Steamboat match was fully scripted in advance and the Flair matches weren't, and he always rather looked down on scripting the matches out in advance.

And personally I like the story of Flair/Steamboat much more. People expected that match to go to a time limit draw once it neared the time limit because that is how almost all matches that went that long ended back then. But they got a more interesting, unusual finish that helped the feud continue in a sensible and intriguing way. And the finish helped to turn Flair face eventually for that great Terry Funk feud. Truly a booking masterpiece by Flair.

Steamboat was obviously a great worker, but my thing with him was that he was so bland and never really an interesting personality. He had to have 4* title matches for me to ever really care about him.

Razor/HBK WM10

I think this is the first ladder match I ever saw, even though ECW was doing them and I was vaguely familiar with their product at this time. If I go back to my 11-12 year old self, this is an amazing match. However, to be fair, I don't know how well it has held up for me over the years, but I still think it's enough to knock off the competition here.

HBK/Taker

This was an incredibly hard match-up for me. I think I'm more picking my favorite Flair matches out of all the Flair matches that made the bracket more than what they are up against. However, just looking at these two it's flipping a coin for me.

HHH/Cactus RR 2000

Just watched this match within the week, and really enjoyed it. I can claim recency bias, obviously, but it hadn't been too long since I saw the other Flair/Funk matches.

Savage/Steamboat

The first good match in Wrestlemania history. My uncle used to be a musician and always talks about how "tight" bands are when he saw them live. Meaning, everything about them is in tune, no mistakes, etc. This has got to be one of the "tightest" matches in history, but also had the allure of a good story and all that to back it up.

ECW was just founded in the summer of 93. I really don't think that they were doing ladder matches before March 94. Pretty sure the first ECW ladder match was in 95 with Sandman and Whipwreck when Austin interferes.

Flair/Steamboat III, WrestleWar '89
Bret/Perfect, SS '91
Razor Ramon vs HBK, WM X
HBK/Taker, WM 25


HHH/Cactus Jack, Royal Rumble 2000
Flair/Steamboat II, 2/3 falls
Angle/Shane McMahon, KotR '01
Royal Rumble 1992

Went straight with the gut on all these selections after viewing.

Bret/Perfect SS '91

Like what iso said about another matchup earlier, I would have voted KOTR just to make sure it didn't get shut out, but it already got at least one vote, and I do think that SS '91 probably brings the very slightly better overall package despite me having given KOTR '93 1/4* higher just when judging the matches in a vacuum.

Hart/Austin WM 13
HHH/Mankind Mind Games
Rollins/Cena/Lesnar RR 2015
Cena/Punk MITB

The 16/17 match is an absolutely brutal draw for Bockwinkel/Hennig. That makes me a sad puppy, but it is what it is.

16. Flair/Steamboat III, WrestleWar '89

This is hotly debated by most, but I've always liked the Bret/Perfect KOTR match more than the Summerslam IC match.

5. Bret/Perfect, KOTR '93

In a vacuum, Flair/Steamboat I (more like Flair/Steamboat 1,000 as they wrestled all the time many years earlier) is pretty clearly better than Angle/McMahon ... but I know Flair/Steamboat III is going to go a ways, and I love Angle/McMahon so what the hell ...

18. Angle/Shane McMahon, KotR '01

I think the 11/22 matchup is one of two overrated matches. But the Rumble is only slightly overrated, whereas I really think Flair/Funk is significantly so.

22. Royal Rumble 1992

Razor and HBK was the 1st one televised.

Via wiki:

We should consider doing separate threads for the next round, no? It gets a little cluttered.

Day 2 is now FINAL. No new matchups today!

Matchup	# of Votes
Vote Deadline	FINAL
1. Bret vs Owen, WM X	3
32. Kobashi vs Misawa, '03	9
4. Hart Foundation vs Team Austin, Canadian Stampede '97	6
29. Savage vs Warrior, WM 7	9
10. Dangerous Alliance vs Sting's Squadron, WarGames '92	5
23. Vader vs Sting, Starrcade '92	9
14. TLC II, WM 17	5
19. The Rock vs Stone Cold Steve Austin, WM 17	10
VOTE DEADLINE	FINAL
9. Austin/Hart WM 13	12
24. Rey vs Eddie Halloween Havoc '97	0
12. HBK/Mankind, Mind Games	7
21. Christian & Edge vs Dudleys vs Hardys, WM 2000	5
2. HHH/Austin vs Jericho/Benoit, Raw 5/21/01	7
31. Rollins/Cena/Lesnar, Royal Rumble '15	4
6. Punk/Cena, MitB	9
27. Samoa Joe/AJ Styles/Christopher Daniels (9/11/05, TNA Unbreakable)	1
Vote Deadline	Wednesday
16. Flair/Steamboat III, WrestleWar '89	8
17. Bockwinkel/Hennig. AWA '86	2
5. Bret/Perfect, KOTR '93	2
28. Bret/Perfect, SS '91	7
15. Flair/Steamboat, Chi Town Rumble	6
18. Angle/Shane McMahon, KotR '01	2
11. Flair/Funk (I Quit)	2
22. Royal Rumble 1992	7
Vote Deadline	Thursday
8. HBK/Benoit/HHH,WM 20	3
25. Razor Ramon vs HBK, WM X	5
13. Flair vs Savage, WM 8	1
20. HBK/Taker, WM 25	7
7. HHH/Cactus Jack, Royal Rumble 2000	5
26. Flair vs Funk, GAB '89	3
3. Savage/Steamboat, WM 3	4
30. Flair/Steamboat II, 2/3 falls	4

Moving on are:

Austin/Hart
HBK/Mankind
HHH/Austin vs Jericho/Benoit
Punk/Cena

there will be a new thread for each round, but having 15 different threads throughout the event from here on seems way too much.

Gotta go with HBK/Razor for historical purposes, I think it's pretty unfair to knock it just because it's been surpassed since then. It was absolutely breathtaking at the time.

25. Razor Ramon vs HBK, WM X

Flair/Savage ran into a pretty bad draw, but it's pretty clearly second-best here.

20. HBK/Taker, WM 25

Abstaining from voting on the 7/26 matchup because I don't consider HHH/Cactus THAT great and don't know if I've ever seen that particular Flair/Funk match.

The first time I saw the Flair/Steamboat two-falls match I was blown away. I've seen it 2-3 times since and my impression of it keeps getting a little worse (although I don't think it's overrated in any real way). Whereas Savage/Steamboat is an all-timer and I actually like that it's a little shorter match.

Savage/Steamboat, WM 3

My bad on the ladder matches. I really felt I was aware of them before that match for some reason. I also could have fallen pray to some not true quotes I've heard alone the way like "WWF stole ladder matches from ECW" or something. Sorry guys. This one's on me.

Wednesday voting is closed

Matchup	# of Votes
Vote Deadline	FINAL
1. Bret vs Owen, WM X	3
32. Kobashi vs Misawa, '03	9
4. Hart Foundation vs Team Austin, Canadian Stampede '97	6
29. Savage vs Warrior, WM 7	9
10. Dangerous Alliance vs Sting's Squadron, WarGames '92	5
23. Vader vs Sting, Starrcade '92	9
14. TLC II, WM 17	5
19. The Rock vs Stone Cold Steve Austin, WM 17	10
VOTE DEADLINE	Final
9. Austin/Hart WM 13	12
24. Rey vs Eddie Halloween Havoc '97	0
12. HBK/Mankind, Mind Games	7
21. Christian & Edge vs Dudleys vs Hardys, WM 2000	5
2. HHH/Austin vs Jericho/Benoit, Raw 5/21/01	7
31. Rollins/Cena/Lesnar, Royal Rumble '15	4
6. Punk/Cena, MitB	9
27. Samoa Joe/AJ Styles/Christopher Daniels (9/11/05, TNA Unbreakable)	1
Vote Deadline	FINAL
16. Flair/Steamboat III, WrestleWar '89	8
17. Bockwinkel/Hennig. AWA '86	2
5. Bret/Perfect, KOTR '93	2
28. Bret/Perfect, SS '91	7
15. Flair/Steamboat, Chi Town Rumble	6
18. Angle/Shane McMahon, KotR '01	2
11. Flair/Funk (I Quit)	2
22. Royal Rumble 1992	7
Vote Deadline	Thursday
8. HBK/Benoit/HHH,WM 20	3
25. Razor Ramon vs HBK, WM X	6
13. Flair vs Savage, WM 8	1
20. HBK/Taker, WM 25	8
7. HHH/Cactus Jack, Royal Rumble 2000	5
26. Flair vs Funk, GAB '89	3
3. Savage/Steamboat, WM 3	5
30. Flair/Steamboat II, 2/3 falls	4

The advances are:

Flair/Steamboat 3
Bret/Perfect, SS '91
Flair/Steamboat, Chi Town Rumble
Royal Rumble '92

I'll start the round of 16 thread shortly

Matchup	# of Votes
Vote Deadline	FINAL
1. Bret vs Owen, WM X	3
32. Kobashi vs Misawa, '03	9
4. Hart Foundation vs Team Austin, Canadian Stampede '97	6
29. Savage vs Warrior, WM 7	9
10. Dangerous Alliance vs Sting's Squadron, WarGames '92	5
23. Vader vs Sting, Starrcade '92	9
14. TLC II, WM 17	5
19. The Rock vs Stone Cold Steve Austin, WM 17	10
VOTE DEADLINE	Final
9. Austin/Hart WM 13	12
24. Rey vs Eddie Halloween Havoc '97	0
12. HBK/Mankind, Mind Games	7
21. Christian & Edge vs Dudleys vs Hardys, WM 2000	5
2. HHH/Austin vs Jericho/Benoit, Raw 5/21/01	7
31. Rollins/Cena/Lesnar, Royal Rumble '15	4
6. Punk/Cena, MitB	9
27. Samoa Joe/AJ Styles/Christopher Daniels (9/11/05, TNA Unbreakable)	1
Vote Deadline	FINAL
16. Flair/Steamboat III, WrestleWar '89	8
17. Bockwinkel/Hennig. AWA '86	2
5. Bret/Perfect, KOTR '93	2
28. Bret/Perfect, SS '91	7
15. Flair/Steamboat, Chi Town Rumble	6
18. Angle/Shane McMahon, KotR '01	2
11. Flair/Funk (I Quit)	2
22. Royal Rumble 1992	7
Vote Deadline	FINAL
8. HBK/Benoit/HHH,WM 20	3
25. Razor Ramon vs HBK, WM X	6
13. Flair vs Savage, WM 8	1
20. HBK/Taker, WM 25	8
7. HHH/Cactus Jack, Royal Rumble 2000	5
26. Flair vs Funk, GAB '89	3
3. Savage/Steamboat, WM 3	5
30. Flair/Steamboat II, 2/3 falls	4

Advancing are:

HBK/Razor
HBK/Taker
HHH/Cactus Jack
Savage/Steamboat