The Golden Era is the name for WWE's 1980s boom period, the result of Vince McMahon’s purchase of the company from his father, but was ultimately defined by Hulkamania. In 1984, Hulk Hogan defeated The Iron Sheik to win his first WWE Championship, kicking off a run at the top of the company that would basically end with his last televised match for WWE, a defeat at the hands of Yokozuna at King of the Ring in 1993.
There were a lot of iconic bouts during this period, but what were the GOOD matches of the Golden Era? Let’s take a look at the most comprehensive resource for pro wrestling information, Cagematch.net, and see just what its users have rated highly from this crucial, influential era.
10 Bret Hart vs. Roddy Piper (WrestleMania VIII, 4/5/1992) - 8.39
Old school stars rarely lose matches clean, so it was a major honor for the up-and-coming singles star Bret Hart to dethrone the veteran “Rowdy” Roddy Piper in a face vs. face match at WrestleMania. It’s one of (but not THE) best matches on the show, with some great storytelling, blood, and Piper nearly returning to his heelish ways to get the job done. For all his talent as a character and a wrestler, Piper doesn’t have a lot of classic matches that fans talk about, but this is certainly one of them.
9 Bret Hart vs. Shawn Michaels (Survivor Series, 11/25/1992) - 8.40
Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels just might be the definitive WWE rivalry of the 1990s. Both went solo around the same time in the early 1990s, were top stars of the New Generation Era, and their infamous 1997 Survivor Series match would be a major moment in the burgeoning Attitude Era thanks to The Montreal Screwjob. But five years earlier, Bret Hart was in his first reign as WWE Champion, defending against Michaels in the main event of Survivor Series in a 26-minute effort that showed just how great Bret was in 1992 and how far Shawn would come in their later bouts.
8 Randy Savage vs. The Ultimate Warrior (WrestleMania VII, 3/24/1991) - 8.40
While the Hulkster was making sure that WWE fans knew America was better than Iraq in the main event of WrestleMania VII, Macho Man Randy Savage was fighting for his career against the deranged space alien (?) known as The Ultimate Warrior.
As many fans will agree, Warrior wasn’t the best wrestler but was capable of some great performances when the story was right. This match is not just well-wrestled on both men’s part, but it tells a compelling story not only involving the two men in the ring because it also featured a crucial moment between Savage and Miss Elizabeth.
7 Randy Savage vs. Ric Flair (WrestleMania VIII, 4/5/1992) - 8.58
Vince McMahon reportedly pulled the plug on a potential Ric Flair/Hulk Hogan dream match for WrestleMania VIII, so instead fans got a different dream match as Ric Flair defended the WWE Championship against Randy Savage in the middle of the show for some reason. Despite the placement on the card, the match is the best on the show -- though the aforementioned Hart/Piper match ain’t no slouch. The two titans of 1980s wrestling really delivered in this match, which features Flair getting surprisingly bloody given that this was Golden Era WWE.
6 The Brain Busters vs. The Rockers (WWF on MSG Network, 1/23/1989) - 8.58
Arn Anderson and Tully Blanchard were only in WWE for about a year as The Brain Busters but managed to put on one of the greatest tag team matches of the era, defeating Shawn Michaels and Marty Jannetty in this forgotten gem of a match. The more mat-based veteran heels Brain Busters make for a great foil to the younger, high-flying Rockers, while also being adept at making Shawn and Marty’s aerial offense look great.
5 Bret Hart vs. Mr. Perfect (King Of The Ring, 6/13/1993) - 8.61
For all intents and purposes, King of the Ring 1993 can be considered the end of the Golden Era, as this pay-per-view marked the final televised appearance of Hulk Hogan before his departure from WWE. While his title match with Yokozuna on the show is not well regarded, it’s made even worse by the show-stealing KOTR semifinals match that played out right before it between Mr. Perfect and Bret Hart. The two put on a technical masterpiece in the span of nearly 20 minutes, with Hart ultimately out-wrestling his opponent to get the three.
4 Bret Hart vs. Mr. Perfect (SummerSlam, 8/26/1991) - 8.84
If there’s one thing to learn from this list, it’s that Curt Hennig (a.k.a. Mr. Perfect) is probably one of the most underrated WWE stars of the Golden Era, and he put on some amazing matches with Bret Hart. Two years before their KOTR tournament match, Mr. Perfect defended the Intercontinental Title against Hart in their first show-stealer together.
The two put on a near-perfect match, with Hart’s win cementing him as a singles star and giving him his first solo title in WWE. It wouldn’t be long before Hart hit main event status.
3 The 1992 Royal Rumble (Royal Rumble, 1/19/2002) - 8.86
The Royal Rumble was introduced in 1988, but 1992 brought the first truly great Rumble, one so good that Cagematch users ranked it above a number of other Golden Era classics. This is, of course, the first time the WWE Title was on the line in the match, giving all 30 men even higher stakes to compete in the Rumble than usual and lots of storylines coming into play as the bout continues. This one is even more notable for Hogan getting shockingly eliminated (to cheers from the crowd), throwing a tantrum, and then basically helping Ric Flair win the WWE Championship.
2 Randy Savage vs. Ricky Steamboat (WrestleMania III, 3/29/1987) - 9.08
Dastardly heel Macho Man’s big Intercontinental Title defense against pure babyface Ricky Steamboat wasn’t the highest-profile match on the WrestleMania III card and doesn’t get the exposure from WWE that the main event does. However, among fans, the bout is considered one of WWE’s all-time best matches, especially for the era. The two men meticulously planned the entire match move by move, putting together a perfect match with a huge, feel-good finish.
1 Bret Hart vs. The British Bulldog (SummerSlam, 8/29/1992) - 9.18
WWE’s growing popularity in the UK necessitated a big PPV across the pond, so SummerSlam ‘92 was held in London’s Wembley Stadium, with The British Bulldog challenging Bret Hart for the Intercontinental Title in the main event. The outdoor stadium setting and the hot crowd made for a great atmosphere, and the match itself is more a testament to Hart’s ability than Bulldog’s. Davey Boy Smith was in bad shape (to say the least) and forgot all the spots they planned, so Bret had to carry his brother-in-law to victory in one of the greatest matches of the Golden Era.
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