Rick Rude vs. Ricky Steamboat

[10.0] "A match that is rarely mentioned and has thus become something of a hidden gem. Rude and Steamboat put on an absolute clinic and define what an Iron Man match should be. This is a highly underrated classic that honestly should be in the same conversation as Steamboat's regularly referenced Wrestlemania III bout. There are many who would argue that this match actually surpasses said match with Savage."

[8.0] "This was a great match and a great way to debut a stipulation on television. Yes it kinda feel rushed but a stipulation where last minute scenario is everything, it makes sense sometime. Overall a fun match"

[9.0] "Wow. The first Iron Man Match I ever saw was the Hart/Michaels WM XII match, a total snoozefest compared to this. Taking place four years prior to this match, this is proof that it was already known how to have a great Iron Man Match. Rude intentionally disqualifying himself to run up the score, Steamboat coming from behind to tie it up at 3, the extended sleeperhold in the final few minutes with Steamboat in peril, and Steamboat scoring with 30 seconds left so Rude can make a flurry of covers in an attempt to tie it back up - every one of the major beats of the match would be repeated in future Iron Man Matches. Excellent."

[8.0] "Starting out with a bang, would have loved a video package for this one. Steamboat is going fast and attacking the midsection. Great targeting on the ribs. Rude gets a surprising first fall. The hockey analogy is great, steamboat was doing alot of damage but hasn't got a fall yet . Rude gets 2 early fall at the cost of long term rib damage. Top rope DQ but also another fall, good trade all things considered. 1:3 was good. Big fight for steamboat to claw his points back. Rude even sells in his poses."

[9.0] "A shockingly underrated masterclass. As far as in-ring psychology is concerned, this is pretty much perfection. It's also an ideal match-up between the family friendly babyface and the narcissistic cocky heel, which works wonders. Steamboat hits a gutbuster from the get-go and like a boxer looking to wear down his opponent, proceeds to work the body, which is a quite simple yet brilliant approach to an Iron Man match. It's methodically yet superbly paced, the action is super smooth, the selling from both is absolutely outstanding, the crowd is invested. The only reason this does not get a higher rating from me is because of the perfectly executed yet way too early turning point with Rude going 2-0 in under 10 minutes. There's also that awkward DQ for Rude's diving knee drop form the top rope. If not for that, I might consider this a 5-star classic. Anyway, Steamboat scores the incredibly satisfying come-from-behind win as Rude desperately tries yet fails to equalize. Truly an all-time great Iron Man match. **** 1/2"

[10.0] "Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat was the ultimate sympathetic babyface and Rick Rude the ultimate cocky heel, both playing those parts to perfection here. This had a real fight feel that broke the typical match formula in a give-and-take struggle, showcasing the athletic prowess of the men involved throughout. Rude had an advantage for most of the match and the ending sequence once he'd lost it was a frantic scramble on his part, conveying desperation as he repeatedly tried to score a pinfall against an opponent he knew was exhausted. Fantastic stuff and a nearly perfect match."

[8.0] "I'll say it upfront that I don't like it when Iron Man matches are booked with so many falls, but these two just about got around that with a superb match. The psychology from Rude was immense start to finish and the Steamboat comeback was really hot. The near falls at the end from Rude were really well done too. The work was a bit slow at times and I think if they'd cut one fall off both guys they could have kept the flow going better in the middle, but still been able to do the big spots that made the match memorable."

[8.0] "I like both rick rude and ricky steamboat but both often leave me slightly disappointed, that didn't happen today. Steamboat was incredible here and Rude also showed his considerable ability. Great match, only complaint would be some of the pacing but yeah, its pretty great."

[8.0] "This has been a great show in terms of in-ring storytelling, and this was another match that felt purposeful and well considered. Every move matters and has consequence. It does feel quite long at 30 minutes, particularly due to the pacing and some lulls in action here and there, which does make it a little challenging to sit through if you're running a bit low on patience, but if you're in the mood for a more deliberate pace then there's a lot to like here."

[8.0] "One of Rude's best matches ever, if not the best. The 30 minute mark was just enough to get a couple of falls in and not make it too tedious. At no point did it feel like they were stalling for time and even when they were in the holds they kept them interesting and didn't stay in them for too long. I loved how Ricky was from time to time picking up the speed, so Rick was trying to put him down as quickly as possible to slow things down. Great selling by Rude of his back and a fantastic finish with him realising that he needs to pick up the fall quickly, so he started using Steamboat's strategy that he tried to cancel out earlier. A very good match with a brilliant pacing."

[10.0] "The textbook example of an Iron Man match. Rude and Steamboat are both on top form here, both keeping the same pace throughout the entire 30 minutes. Rude takes a disqualification for a top rope move but uses it to get a 3-1 lead at the 10-minute mark. Much like the Warriors, he blew it, as Steamboat evens up the points at 20 minutes. The closing stretch is an incredibly intense scramble, especially after Steamboat gets a fall with 30 seconds remaining and Rude tries his best to tie things back up. The Dragon got the win in this hard-fought contest, one of the best matches of 1992."

[9.0] "4.75 stars now I love rickey steamboat and rick rude so is still gonna get my love even if its bad thankfully it's not bad infact it's good not just good great my favourite iron man match and just like other iron man match it gets intense the more the minutes pass and they sure did make it intense match has the best last minute for iron man I ever seen with rick rude trying to get one pinfall trying tie the score to 4-4 but steamboat keeps kicking out."

[10.0] "The highlight of Rude's superb 1992, this is among the greatest matches in WCW history. It's a showcase of selling and struggle, capturing exhaustion at a level beyond most Iron Man matches of double the length. Structurally, this is honestly pretty simple, sporting a conventional outline with three traditional chunks. Steamboat's shine concludes with Rude's first fall, which broadly serves as the cutoff. Admittedly, the match does feel a fall or two heavy, even if most of them work well enough in a vacuum. Either way, this manages immense escalation, using a gorgeous superplex to bridge towards the final third. Rude's frantic race to the finish ultimately steals the show, but his prior sleeperhold is the true magic trick, effortlessly burning well over three minutes late. Wonderful match, one of 1992's absolute best. ****3/4"

[9.0] "this is a true wrestling in the 90s, it was great selling and great body work, had one of or if the biggest feud in WCW at this time, and both played there major role, absolute great match that should be talked about more considering its rating. ****1/2"

[9.0] "Unlike a few others, I actually thought this match very cleverly employed the top rope DQ rule in the match narrative: an overconfident Rude willingly gets disqualified in order to inflict damage on Steamboat with a top rope move, only for his bravado to end up costing him the match. To take a rule change that hindered many wrestlers and turn it around to make it work for them is testament to what exceptional storytellers both wrestlers were. Even lulls in action felt engaging, and unlike many Iron Man matches it built to a thrilling climax. An overlooked classic."

[7.0] "This was pretty good, but not quite at the level I expected it to be. I thought this match told a really good story. These two had a hell of a feud going but I think I had my expectations too high for the in-ring action. Ricky Steamboat comes out with the win here, but thankfully for Rude the title wasn't on the line."

[9.0] "One of the best Iron Man matches you can find in my opinion. Great wrestling, consistent selling and fun ways to decide falls. The 30 minute run time probably helped a bit as well, as it allowed them to work at a quicker clip than they might have done if they were going for 60. Rudes selling was top notch here and Steamboat almost always delivers the goods once the bell rings. The rib injury ultimately deciding it when all was said and done was a great way to pay off the match long storyline. This one is a match thats worth seeking out if youve never seen it"

[8.0] "Despite the slightly daft rule of earning a dq for using the top rope I found this contest utterly compelling. Steamboat showing some real fighting spirit and the final 10 minutes were truly thrilling resulting in one of my favourite matches featuring Rude 8.5/10"

[9.0] "As a general rule, I don't care much for Iron Man matches. The only two exceptions are HBK/Bret Hart at WrestleMania and Kurt Angle/Brock Lesnar on Smackdown. And Steamboat and Rude have had two lackluster contests at the Royal Rumble 1988 and SuperBrawl II. This one was much, much better. It didn't feel like 30 minutes. Even now, 30 years later, this is a compelling nail-biting match."

[9.0] "Really a great match, a great example of old school technical wrestling. After a not too exciting but functional initial phase in telling the story of Ricky Steamboat who must recover to be able to defeat Rick Rude, the match builds an intriguing story, and also from a technical point of view the match is great. In addition, this match can also boast its iconicity factor, being the first Ironman match in history"

[6.0] "Solid stuff. Both guys were alright. There were a few too many falls. The 30 minutes dragged a little."

[7.0] "This was a nice match but I feel it might be overrated a little bit. Things got exciting around the 10:00 mark before things slowed down again to set up the final sequence, which was Rude locking in a sleeper for what seemed like forever before Steamboat reversed it into the deciding pin. That led to frantic pinning attempts by Rude, but he makes the mistake of not going for his finishing maneuver and he can't get the equalizer, so Steamboat is the Ironman. Would've been more exciting with a title on the line and more action, but the psychology and stipulation were utilized well. ***3/4"

[8.0] "The last time I watched this I thought it was dull as dishwater. This is a match with a slow and deliberate pace and you are going to struggle with it if you aren't in the right headspace for it. There are plenty of lengthy holds here, but they all have a purpose and they aren't just here to soak up some time. It felt very old-school. As soon as the match begins, Steamboat goes to work on Rude's ribs. He was relentless and he looked like he was more set on hurting Rude than winning the match. It's the closest thing we can get to watching Steamboat work as a heel. Rude's selling here was fantastic. I know some didn't like how the first fall ended, but I quite like it. Rude had previously hurt Steamboat's nose leading up to this match, so all it takes for Rude to score the first fall was a well-placed boot to the face and a handful of tights. Getting DQ'd for jumping from the top rope will forever be a stupid rule, but Rude sacrificing one fall to do more damage to his opponent is tried and tested Ironman match psychology. The final minute of this match is downright exhilarating. Steamboat manages to steal the last pinfall by countering a sleeper hold into a pinning combination, so Rude uses the remaining seconds to cram in as many pin attempts as he can."

[7.0] "This was pretty good. A lot of nice selling and psychology at times. The stupid rules of the day (like a move from the top rope being a DQ) and some weak falls early on could make it a tough watch but the last 10 minutes were excellent."

[9.0] "I only have one very small complaint, so I'll get it out of the way early - Bill Watts' dumb top rope rule gave way to a couple of unnecessary and confusing spots. Every single thing apart from that, though, was absolutely flawless. The psychology in particular was off the charts, with Steamboat viciously attacking Rude's ribs at the start and smartly focusing on them throughout the bout, while Rude kept targeting Steamboat's previously broken nose. Both guys' selling was equally amazing. Needless to say, the final minutes especially were really dramatic and exciting, but the entire match was excellent and extremely logical. Amazing, absolutely amazing stuff! [****3/4]"

[10.0] "A clinic in wrestling psychology and selling, as well as how to effectively build a long, lengthy match with no wasted time and/or movement. Superb selling from Rude, awesome babyface performance by Steamboat, great face/heel dynamic, and a brilliant ending stretch really made this one an incredible match all around. One of the best of both men's and one of the best Ironman matches all-time. [****3/4]"

[8.0] "This was really good. Worked a decent pace by these two. I liked how all the falls worked and the great 30 second burst at the end as Rude tried to tie the scores. There was an absolutely great tombstone piledriver reversal (shame the ex Mean Mark wasn't watching two actually good wrestlers do it so he could learn a thing or two). Both Rude and Steamboat are all time greats at selling which helped this match a lot ****"

[6.0] "There was good psychology displayed throughout, but the 30 minutes dragged here. Rude can go for sure, it's not like Steamboat is wrestling a stump, but even the Dragon is starting to slow and Rude is certainly not the caliber of some of Steamboat's classic opponents."

[3.0] "This just sucked, getting willingly DQd from jumping from the ropes? Getting beaten up for minutes then countering with one simple kick and getting a pin, FROM A SIMPLE KICK, man what? The pacing was some of the worst I've ever seen, it's like neither guy has any clue what an iron man match is, and the rules were beyond stupid. This could of been great but it was a huge let down"

[10.0] "I thought this was a classic. Some of the falls were slightly over done but I get the purpose behind them. Some excellent displays of storytelling in the match, starting with Ricky dominating the first few minutes only to get caught and Rude get the advantage. Rude was an excellent heel too. Ricky an excellent face. Hot closing stretch puts this over the top too. ****3/4"

[6.0] "Nicely worked. They kept it simple, logical and used the time well. It never felt like it dragged and given we're in the era of endless rest holds it was nice to see holds actually used as a way of trying to get a fall with competitors struggling for advantage. Also, I liked the idea of Rude (who sold beautifully throughout) gambling on taking the DQ to gain a further advantage but the resistance of the face prevented him from doing so. I'd give this more but I felt there were a few too many falls considering the time limit."

[6.0] "The match was good, solid, and nothing was technically bad, But Rude doesn't have the repertoire or psychology to be in a match this long and have it not drag in places. Their Superbrawl match was a shorter and a lot better."

[10.0] "This was epic and easily one of the best ironman matches ever. Both guys performed so well and the psychology was perfect. Great build up throughout and great storytelling. Really fantastic match ****1/2"

[10.0] "A masterclass when it comes to in ring psychology, pacing & structure. The best Iron Match match ever, amazing performances by both Steamboat & Rude. ****3/4"

[7.0] "This was a good match, great psychology and great to see Steamboat get the typical face win in the end."

[10.0] "This 30 Minutes Iron Man match is unbelievable, it's well planned with a slow start and unpredictable change of the points. Rude used a sault (which was banned at that time) and Steamboat used a Rude Awakening. The final sequence is one of the most thrilling of all time, I can't believe it is that perfect. Surprisingly underrated match. ****3/4"

[9.0] "Excellent match, one of the better Iron Man type matches I have seen. Surprised to see so many falls in 30 minutes but it worked very organically. Nice strategy and storytelling as well. Two legends doing their thing and doing it damn well."

[10.0] "My favorite Iron Man match ever. This was amazing, Steamboat had a brilliant strategy going into the match, as he worked on Rude's injured ribs for the first 10 minutes. After that Rude took over and started working as a heel, and kept pinning Steamboat to have the lead, he even DQ'd himself at one point. And Steamboat made a brilliant babyface comeback as he was down 3 to 1, the final minutes where Steamboat made the 4 to 3 were great, as Rude got really frustrated and kept trying to get a pin. I think Meltzer really underrated this, I like this more than the Cactus Jack/Sting match from the same show. Amazing match, ****3/4"

[8.0] "The fact that this non-title iron man match between Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat and Ravishing Rick Rude was made under Bill Watts' rules as I like to call them, that kind of killed it for me in the early going when the 3rd decision was made and Rick Rude gave Steamboat a top rope knee drop to the face was disqualified for it and I was going to rate this match a little lower because of that, but both guys picked up the pace tremendously towards the end and for the most part, this match had absolutely great wrestling from both Rude and Steamboat so that definitely made it better. I don't know if I liked this match better than Sting vs. Cactus Jack or not, but it was a good match."