The PWI Match of the Year Award, given yearly since 1972 by professional wrestling magazine Pro Wrestling Illustrated, recognizes the best match of the year as voted by readers of the magazine. Shawn Michaels has won the award a record 10 times: Michaels had a 4-year win streak from 1993 to 1996 and is currently on a 6-year win streak.
Award Winners[]
Year | Date | Match | Championship | Event | Location | Match Type |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1972 | January 14 | Bruno Sammartino wins Battle royal | . | Battle Royal in Los Angeles | Los Angeles, CA | Battle royal |
1973 | May 24 | Dory Funk, Jr. vs. Harley Race | NWA World Heavyweight Championship |
. | Kansas City, MO | . |
1974 | January 27 | Jack Brisco vs. Dory Funk, Jr. | NWA World Heavyweight Championship |
. | Tokyo, Japan | . |
1975 | March 17 | Bruno Sammartino vs. Spiros Arion | WWWF Heavyweight Championship |
. | New York, NY | . |
1976 | April 26 | Bruno Sammartino vs. Stan Hansen | WWWF Heavyweight Championship |
. | New York, NY | . |
1977 | April 30 | Bruno Sammartino vs. Billy Graham | WWWF Heavyweight Championship |
. | Baltimore, MD | . |
1978 | February 20 | Billy Graham vs. Bob Backlund | WWWF Heavyweight Championship |
. | New York, NY | . |
1979 | August 21 | Harley Race vs. Dusty Rhodes | NWA World Heavyweight Championship |
. | Tampa, FL | . |
1980 | August 9 | Bruno Sammartino vs. Larry Zbyszko | . | Showdown at Shea | Flushing, NY | Steel Cage match |
1981 | May 2 | André the Giant vs. Killer Khan | . | . | Rochester, NY | . |
1982 | June 28 | Bob Backlund vs. Jimmy Snuka | WWF Heavyweight Championship |
WWF MSG | New York, NY | Steel Cage match |
1983 | June 10 | Ric Flair vs. Harley Race | NWA World Heavyweight Championship |
. | St. Louis, MO | . |
1984 | May 6 | Ric Flair vs. Kerry Von Erich | NWA World Heavyweight Championship |
David Von Erich Memorial Parade of Champions | Irving, TX | . |
1985 | March 31 | Hulk Hogan and Mr. T vs. Roddy Piper and Paul Orndorff |
. | WrestleMania | New York, NY | . |
1986 | July 26 | Ric Flair vs. Dusty Rhodes | NWA World Heavyweight Championship |
The Great American Bash 1986 | Greensboro, NC | Steel Cage match |
1987 | March 29 | Randy Savage vs. Ricky Steamboat | WWF Intercontinental Championship |
WrestleMania III | Pontiac, MI | . |
1988 | February 5 | Hulk Hogan vs. André the Giant | WWF Championship | The Main Event | Indianapolis, IN | . |
1989 | May 7 | Ricky Steamboat vs. Ric Flair | NWA World Heavyweight Championship |
WrestleWar | Nashville, TN | . |
1990 | April 1 | Hulk Hogan vs. The Ultimate Warrior | WWF Championship and WWF Intercontinental Championship |
WrestleMania VI | Toronto, Ontario | . |
1991 | May 19 | The Steiner Brothers (Rick and Scott Steiner) vs. Sting and Lex Luger |
WCW World Tag Team Championship |
SuperBrawl | St. Petersburg, FL | . |
1992 | August 29 | Bret Hart vs. The British Bulldog | WWF Intercontinental Championship |
SummerSlam 1992 | London, England | . |
1993 | May 17 | Shawn Michaels vs. Marty Jannetty | WWF Intercontinental Championship |
Monday Night Raw | New York, NY | . |
1994 | March 20 | Razor Ramon vs. Shawn Michaels | WWF Intercontinental Championship |
WrestleMania X | New York, NY | Ladder match |
1995 | April 2 | Diesel vs. Shawn Michaels | WWF Championship | WrestleMania XI | Hartford, CT | . |
1996 | March 31 | Bret Hart vs. Shawn Michaels | WWF Championship | WrestleMania XII | Anaheim, CA | Iron Man match |
1997 | March 23 | Bret Hart vs. Steve Austin | . | WrestleMania 13 | Rosemont, IL | No Disqualification Submission Match |
1998 | June 28 | The Undertaker vs. Mankind | . | King of the Ring 1998 | Pittsburgh, PA | Hell in a Cell match |
1999 | January 24 | Mankind vs. The Rock | WWF Championship | Royal Rumble 1999 | Anaheim, CA | "I Quit" match |
2000 | April 2 | Dudley Boyz vs. Hardy Boyz vs. Edge and Christian |
WWF Tag Team Championship |
WrestleMania 2000 | Anaheim, CA | Triangle Ladder match |
2001 | April 1 | Dudley Boyz vs. Hardy Boyz vs. Edge and Christian |
WWF Tag Team Championship |
WrestleMania X-Seven | Houston, TX | TLC Match |
2002 | March 17 | The Rock vs. Hulk Hogan | . | WrestleMania X8 | Toronto, Ontario | . |
2003 | September 16 | Kurt Angle vs. Brock Lesnar | WWE Championship | SmackDown! | Raleigh, NC | 60-minute Iron Man match |
2004 | March 14 | Triple H vs. Chris Benoit vs. Shawn Michaels |
World Heavyweight Championship |
WrestleMania XX | New York, NY | Triple Threat Match |
2005 | April 3 | Shawn Michaels vs. Kurt Angle | . | WrestleMania 21 | Los Angeles, CA | . |
2006 | April 2 | Shawn Michaels vs. Vince McMahon | . | WrestleMania 22 | Rosemont, IL | No Holds Barred Match |
2007 | April 23 | John Cena vs. Shawn Michaels | . | Raw | London, England | . |
2008 | March 30 | Ric Flair vs. Shawn Michaels | . | WrestleMania XXIV | Orlando, FL | Career Threatening Match |
2009 | April 5 | Shawn Michaels vs. The Undertaker | . | WrestleMania XXV | Houston, TX | . |
2010 | March 28 | Shawn Michaels vs. The Undertaker | Streak vs Career Match | WrestleMania XXVI | Phoenix, Arizona | Streak vs Career Match |
2011 | July 17 | CM Punk vs. John Cena | WWE Championship | Money in the Bank 2011 | Rosemont, Illinois | . |
2012 | April 1 | Triple H vs. The Undertaker | WrestleMania XXVIII | Miami Gardens, Florida | Hell in a Cell match with Shawn Michaels as the special guest referee | |
2013 | August 18 | John Cena vs. Daniel Bryan | WWE Championship | SummerSlam | Los Angeles, California | Triple H as Special Guest Referee |
2014 | June 1 | John Cena vs. Bray Wyatt | . | Payback | Rosemont, IL | Last Man Standing match |
2015 | October 7 | Bayley vs. Sasha Banks | NXT Women's Championship | NXT Takeover VII | Winter Park, Florida | 30-minute Iron Man match |
2016 | August 21 | A.J. Styles vs. John Cena | . | SummerSlam 2016 | Brooklyn | . |
2017 | January 4 | Kazuchika Okada vs. Kenny Omega | IWGP Heavyweight Championship | Wrestle Kingdom XI | Tokyo, Japan | . |
2018 | June 9 | Kazuchika Okada vs. Kenny Omega | IWGP Heavyweight Championship | NJPW Dominion 6.9.18 In Osaka-Jo Hall | Osaka, Japan | No time limit two out of three falls match |
2019 | May 25 | Cody vs. Dustin Rhodes | . | Double or Nothing 2019 | Paradise, Nevada | . |
2020 | February 29 | Adam Page & Kenny Omega vs. The Young Bucks | AEW World Tag Team Championship | Revolution 2020 | Chicago, Illinois | . |
2021 | March 17 | Britt Baker vs. Thunder Rosa | . | St. Patrick's Day Slam | Jacksonville, Florida | Unsanctioned Lights Out Match |
2022 | June 5 | Cody Rhodes vs. Seth Rollins | . | Hell in a Cell | Rosemont, Illinois | Hell in a Cell Match |
2023 | April 1 | Rhea Ripley vs. Charlotte Flair | WWE SmackDown Women's Championship | WrestleMania 39 | Inglewood, California | . |
See also[]
Pro Wrestling Illustrated |
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Current PWI Adwards |
Wrestler of the Year Tag Team of the Year • Match of the Year • Feud of the Year • Most Popular Wrestler of the Year • Most Hated Wrestler of the Year • Most Improved Wrestler of the Year • Most Inspirational Wrestler of the Year • Rookie of the Year • Stanley Weston Award • Comeback of the Year • Woman of the Year |
Discontinued Awards |
Manager of the Year • Midget Wrestler of the Year • Announcer of the Year |