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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
Current PWI Adwards
Wrestler of the Year Tag Team of the YearMatch of the YearFeud of the YearMost Popular Wrestler of the YearMost Hated Wrestler of the YearMost Improved Wrestler of the YearMost Inspirational Wrestler of the YearRookie of the YearStanley Weston AwardComeback of the YearWoman of the Year
Discontinued Awards
Manager of the YearMidget Wrestler of the YearAnnouncer of the Year
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