The art form of professional wrestling is fundamentally storytelling presented as physical competition. The in-ring work is an extremely important element of the equation but the storytelling might just be the most essential. For fans to able to suspend disbelief, they have to be invested in the story being told to some degree. That's where the magic happens.
During the 80s, which is widely considered wrestling's Golden Era, storytelling in the wrestling business was arguably at its peak. As a result, fans witnessed some of the best rivalries in wrestling history. A handful of which have stood the test of time and remained just as impactful today as they were when they first happened.
10 Rock 'N' Roll Express vs Midnight Express
In WWE, tag team wrestling hasn't always been prioritized. However, in the more grappling-centric NWA, tag team wrestling had a rich legacy and was always greatly valued. Despite that, the success of the rivalry between The Rock 'N' Roll Express and The Midnight Express still caught many wrestling experts off guard.
Together, Robert Gibson, Ricky Morton, Jim Cornette, Bobby Eaton, Dennis Condrey, and later Stan Lane, all defied expectations. Their rivalry was so over in the 80s that the teams repeatedly sold out towns touring with Jim Crockett Promotions' "B team." That was an impressive accomplishment for any performer, let alone two tag teams.
9 Dusty Rhodes vs Tully Blanchard
Dusty Rhodes had a God-given ability to connect with the wrestling audience like nobody before or since. This made him the perfect opposition for the villainous Four Horsemen Stable. Rhodes would go on to have a classic rivalry with Ric Flair over the NWA World Heavyweight Championship. However, before that, Rhodes would feud with Tully Blanchard over the NWA World Television Championship.
Rhodes would eventually end Blanchard's 353-day reign as World Television Champion. Their rivalry would culminate in a Steel Cage Match at The Great American Bash 1985. As an added stipulation, by winning the match, Rhodes also won the services of Blanchard's valet, Baby Doll for 30 days, adding insult to injury.
8 Randy Savage vs Ricky Steamboat
Some classic rivalries have the luxury of playing out over a prolonged period. That wasn't exactly the case with Randy Savage and Ricky Steamboat. In November of 1986, Steamboat challenged Savage for his WWE Intercontinental Championship. The match would end in a count-out but after the match, Savage would brutally attack Steamboat. In storyline, Savage crushed Steamboat's larynx.
This led to what many fans consider the greatest WrestleMania match of all time at WrestleMania III. During the match, Savage and Steamboat told a beautiful story and inserted a couple of callbacks to the early part of the feud. In the end, Steamboat would emerge victoriously. It was a great story. Unfortunately, it was a bit brief.
7 Ric Flair vs Dusty Rhodes
"Nature Boy" Ric Flair has always been presented as a larger-than-life "kiss stealin', wheelin' dealin' son of a gun." As a high-class white-collar character, it was easy for fans to hate Flair. Conversely, as the blue-collar son of a plumber, "The American Dream" Dusty Rhodes easily connected with the common man.
This made Rhodes and Flair such great rivals. As the charismatic underdog, Rhodes served as the perfect target for Flair to victimize to get major heat. The pair's rivalry over the NWA World Heavyweight Championship would headline The Great American Bash Tour in 1986 with Rhodes ultimately winning the title from Flair. Many fans still remember the rivalry very fondly.
6 Ric Flair vs Sting
In 1988, Jim Crockett Promotions, who was the primary promotion in the NWA, was looking to build up a new opponent for Ric Flair. As NWA World Heavyweight Champion, Flair needed a constant stream of fresh opponents to work with. That year, a young up-and-coming performer who had come to Jim Crockett Promotions via their UWF buyout was starting to make some waves.
Before long, Sting caught the attention of Flair. Flair wanted to work with Sting and hopefully elevate him into main event status. In March of 1988, on the first-ever Clash Of The Champions, Sting took World Heavyweight Champion, Ric Flair to a 45-minute draw. The match made Sting a megastar and launched one of the longest rivalries in wrestling history, spanning four different decades.
5 Hulk Hogan vs Roddy Piper
When Vince McMahon bought WWE from his father, he had visions of taking the regional promotion and making it a global juggernaut. However, to do so, McMahon knew he'd have to think outside the box. In 1985, McMahon took a huge risk by holding the first-ever WrestleMania. The venture was a risky one for McMahon. Had it failed, he would've gone through some tough times.
Luckily, McMahon was building his event around the rivalry of Hulk Hogan and "Rowdy" Roddy Piper. Other parts were placed around Hogan and Piper to make the event more mainstream but the story between Hogan and Piper made the whole event possible. Without the Hogan and Piper rivalry, it's hard to picture the first WrestleMania being as successful.
4 The Von Erichs vs The Fabulous Freebirds
During the territory days, Texas was one of the biggest markets in the country. As Texas natives and lead babyfaces of WCCW, The Von Erichs were pro wrestling royalty in The Lonestar State. David, Kevin, and Kerry were bonafide stars but the trio needed rivals who could believably go toe to toe with them. Michael Hayes, Terry Gordy, and Buddy Roberts, collectively known as The Fabulous Freebirds, where exactly the team they were looking for.
After initially being allies, the two teams began feuding on Christmas night 1982 after The Freebirds turned on Kerry Von Erich during a World Title match with Ric Flair. From that point forward, The Von Erichs and The Freebirds set the Dallas territory on fire and had what many fans still consider to be the greatest tag team rivalry ever.
3 Hulk Hogan vs Randy Savage
At WrestleMania IV, Randy Savage reached the pinnacle of the wrestling business when he won a tournament to capture the vacant WWE Championship. After doing so, Savage joined forces with Hulk Hogan to form The Mega Powers. As a unit, Hogan and Savage dominated WWE. They even headlined the very first SummerSlam as a team against Ted DiBiase and Andre The Giant.
Sadly, the good times wouldn't last. Hogan and Savage would split up ahead of WrestleMania V, and set up one of the biggest WrestleMania main events ever. Ultimately, Hogan would defeat Savage at WrestleMania, but their rivalry would become a rather personal one and carry-on for years in multiple promotions.
2 Ric Flair vs. Ricky Steamboat
There are certain sets of performers that seem to have just been made for each other. At the top of that list are Ric Flair and Ricky Steamboat. The two competitors are opposites in so many ways yet also very similar. That's what made them perfect opponents for each other. Flair and Steamboat had previously crossed paths in the early 80s.
However, in 1989, the pair had what many people consider to be the greatest trilogy of matches ever. At Chi-Town Rumble, Steamboat defeated Flair and walked out as World Champion. He doubled down at Clash of the Champions IV: Ragin' Cajun, albeit controversially. Finally, at WrestleWar: Music City Showdown, Flair regained his World Title. From an in-ring perspective, it's hard to see anyone ever matching Flair and Steamboat's accomplishments during this three-match stretch.
1 Hulk Hogan vs Andre The Giant
By the time WrestleMania III rolled around, Hulk Hogan was quickly becoming a household name across the country. Hogan had managed to create magic with Roddy Piper and King Kong Bundy at the first two WrestleManias but for the third iteration, Vince McMahon wanted Hogan to conquer the biggest foe possible. Enter, Andre The Giant.
Before Hogan became the hottest entity in pro wrestling, Andre The Giant had been the most popular wrestler in WWE. McMahon wanted Andre to put Hogan over and officially pass the torch. What ensued is arguably the best-told story of the era. Hogan and Andre were painted as former friends turned enemies by Andre's desire to be champion. Their rivalry would go past WrestleMania III and even carry over into WrestleMania IV the following year. By the end of the rivalry, Hogan had become the undisputed king of pro wrestling, as was the plan all along.