The nWo invasion. Austin vs. McMahon. Funk vs. Flair. Hangman vs. Omega. Lashley vs. Rusev (kidding). These are considered some of the best storylines in pro wrestling history. A story can be told in many ways, and through many mediums. While it’s hard to nail down what storyline would be “the greatest” of all time, what we can do in good faith is take the greatest from every major promotion.

So what makes good storytelling? In my educated opinion (I have a writing degree), the one major caveat of good storytelling comes down to this well-known concept.

Show, don’t tell.

Of course, this is just the opinion of one person. But I find that the best storytelling is done through nuance. A story doesn’t have to be wrapped in a neat package and unveiled to you in a lengthy in-ring promo (though nothing is wrong with this in theory). The best wrestling stories make you think about where the plot could go, how fascinating and intriguing characters are developing, what twists there may or may not be, and what the eventual end game is.

Much like a TV show, movie, or book.

In fact, in many cases, a story can be a rivalry, stretching years and years that goes beyond one single story, but instead envelops a larger story with many chapters. Like sports, some of the best stories come out of long-heated rivalries.

So let’s have some fun. We’re going to dive into what I personally believe is the best storyline to come out of every major promotion in wrestling history.

Ten to be exact (WWE, AEW, WCW, ECW, TNA, NJPW, AJPW, AJWPW, NWA, STARDOM).

But I can’t do every major promotion ever, so first, an honorable mention:

–

Honorable Mention: Ring of Honor – Kevin Steen vs. El Generico

Note: I included Ring of Honor as an honorable mention as they are now under the AEW wing. However, their importance in pro wrestling history should not be forgotten. 

Honorable Mentions:
-Homicide vs. Steve Corino
-Nigel McGuinness vs. Bryan Danielson
-Samoa Joe vs. C.M. Punk

The feud between Kevin Steen and El Generico in Ring of Honor (ROH) was one of the most intense and emotionally charged storylines in the promotion’s history. It began with both wrestlers, who were once close allies and tag team partners, starting to experience a significant rift due to differences in their goals and philosophies. The storyline escalated as Steen began to adopt a more ruthless and violent persona, while El Generico maintained his high-flying, energetic style. Their differing approaches to wrestling and personal ideologies fueled a bitter rivalry that saw them clash in a series of high-stakes and brutal matches, including their highly anticipated match at ROH’s “Final Battle 2010.”

The duo has often teamed up in WWE, and their story continues both as friends and as rivals. It’s hard to imagine a wrestling promotion where one exists without the other, and I surely hope it stays that way.

–

WWF/E: The Mega Powers Explode

Honorable Mentions:
-The Bloodline
-Austin vs. McMahon
-Daniel Bryan vs. The Authority

The actors in this story have tragic endings. Savage and Elizabeth have met untimely demises, and Hulk Hogan continues to be a racist douchebag, devoid of intelligent thought or action. However, for my money, this was the greatest storyline in pro wrestling history.

And it was done through nuance and in-match storytelling. No lengthy promos or high production segments. The two initially came together after Hogan helped Savage from a series of attacks at the hands of the Honkey Tonk Man, and others. After a few run-ins with baddies, the alliance was formed, and dubbed ‘The Mega Powers’.

However, tensions soon emerged from the surface, as Savage grew increasingly paranoid about Hogan’s intentions and the spotlight. This includes his view that Hogan and Elizabeth were becoming a little “too close” at times. After Hogan accidentally eliminated Savage at the 1989 Royal Rumble, tensions would rise to an eventual turn at The Main Event II in Feb. of 1989 when Savage would leave Hogan, his tag partner at the time, alone during a match against the Twin Towers.

Hogan won anyway (Hogan wins lol), but was attacked by Savage backstage post-match. The seeds were firmly planted in place, and their match at WrestleMania V was the uber-hyped “Mega Powers Explode” main event. Check out this random and old-school site for a detailed breakdown of this legendary feud.

http://www.coreystapes.com/megapowers.html

This was storytelling at its best. Nothing overproduced or overwritten. Just pure emotions through a slow burn by two of the top stars of the company told mostly in the ring. This honestly ranks as one of my top storylines ever, not just in WWF.

–

AEW: “Hangman” Adam Page takes on The Elite

Honorable Mentions:
-MJF vs. C.M. Punk
-Toni Storm vs. Mariah May
-“Hangman” vs. Swerve

The feud between Adam Page and Kenny Omega in All Elite Wrestling (AEW) is one of the promotion’s most compelling storylines. It centers around their complex relationship, which began as tag team partners in the Elite faction, with Omega being a mentor figure to Page. Over time, tensions built due to differences in their approaches and ambitions.

The conflict came to a head when Omega, the reigning AEW World Champion, and Page, who had been portrayed as a rising star with a personal desire for the title, began to clash. Page’s growing frustration with Omega’s leadership and the Elite’s favoritism, coupled with his own desire to prove himself as a top contender, fueled the rivalry (that and a low-key drinking problem, as well as a new friendship with The Dark Order).

Their storyline culminated in a highly anticipated match at AEW Full Gear 2021, where Page defeated Omega to win his first AEW World Championship. We continue to see the effects of the range of emotions Page can go through, as his current descent into madness continues after disregarding his old friends from The Elite to go after blood-rival Swerve Strickland, and now anyone who prevented him from doing so.

–

TNA: Gail Kim vs. Awesome Kong

Honorable Mentions: 
-The “Broken” Hardys
-Samoa Joe vs. Kurt Angle
-Bobby Roode vs. James Storm

In my opinion, this is the most important feud in TNA history. Before there was a Four Horsewomen in NXT, before there was “The Man”, there was Gail Kim vs. Awesome Kong in TNA.

Granted, women’s wrestling was already taken very seriously in Japan as early as the 1970s. But it took a bit of time for the United States to catch up. For my money, this was the rivalry that featured what could be possible with women’s wrestling in the U.S. in a major promotion not named SHIMMER.

Their David vs. Goliath rivalry was marked by a series of physically intense matches that captivated fans and set a new standard for U.S. women’s wrestling at the time. These two were simply amazing together and laid a foundation for the current Knockouts Division in TNA, as well as women’s division in AEW and WWE.

A great article in The Sportster dives in deeper than I have time to do here, and it’s worth a read.

https://www.thesportster.com/gail-kim-vs-awesome-kong-feud-that-made-knockouts-division-special/

 

–

WCW: The Formation of the nWo

Honorable Mentions:
-The Birth of “Crow” Sting
-Goldberg’s Undefeated Streak
-The Rise of DDP

The formation of the New World Order (nWo) in WCW in 1996 was a pivotal moment that reshaped professional wrestling. The storyline began with Hulk Hogan, arguably pro wrestling’s biggest babyface, turning heel at WCW’s Bash at the Beach pay-per-view. Hogan, alongside Scott Hall and Kevin Nash—formerly known as Razor Ramon and Diesel in WWF—formed the nWo, a faction that promised to take over and dominate WCW. This dramatic shift not only disrupted the established order but also introduced a rebellious, anti-establishment edge that captivated fans and drove WCW’s ratings to new heights. The formation signaled the start of the “Monday Night Wars” and fundamentally altered the landscape of professional wrestling.

The New World Order set the tone for so many great future storylines. And even though it sadly fizzled out due to overbooking and overcomplication in the latter years, its significance cannot be denied.

–

ECW: Raven vs. Dreamer

Honorable Mentions:
-Raven vs. Sandman
-Taz vs. Sabu
-RVD vs. Jerry Lynn

This is a storyline that all began when it was revealed that Dreamer and Raven both attended Summer Camp together in their youth. Beaulah McGillicutty, who also attended said camp, had a crush on young Dreamer. However, being the “fat girl” of the camp, was too afraid to reveal her true feelings to Dreamer.

When Raven brings Beaulah into the fold, now a “babe” that looks nothing like she did in camp, it shocks Dreamer to his core. This ignites a long feud between the cliche ‘popular kid’ vs. ‘outcast’ story that would play out over 2 years where Dreamer would never even get a single pin over Raven.

There is a great timeline of this feud at the link below which is worth checking out, as most would agree that this was ECW’s greatest, and possibly most brutal, storyline.

https://www.thesignaturespot.com/articles/2020/7/1/raven-vs-tommy-dreamer-the-definitive-timeline

–

New Japan: Okada vs. Tanahashi

Honorable Mentions: 
-UWFi vs. NJPW (this inspired many future “invasion” angles to come, including the nWo)
-Kenny Omega vs. Kazuchika Okada
-Takahashi vs. Kushida

This feud built New Japan Pro Wrestling into what it is today. It’s that simple.

Beginning around 2012, this feud encapsulated a clash between the rising star Kazuchika Okada and the seasoned, charismatic Hiroshi Tanahashi, who was the face of NJPW and its top champion. Okada, initially a young, brash challenger, had returned from a stint in TNA with a new persona and the Rainmaker gimmick, positioning himself as a direct threat to Tanahashi’s dominance. Their encounters were characterized by their contrasting styles: Tanahashi’s resilience and classic wrestling technique versus Okada’s innovative moves and arrogant confidence. Their matches, particularly during NJPW’s annual events like Wrestle Kingdom and the G1 Climax, were critically acclaimed and helped to elevate NJPW’s global profile, establishing Okada as the new cornerstone of the promotion while cementing Tanahashi’s legacy as a wrestling icon.

These two are forever rivals, and any of their matches are worthy of your viewing if you haven’t already.

–

All Japan Women’s Pro Wrestling: Crush Gals vs. Gokuaku Domei

Honorable Mentions: 
-Bull Nakano vs. Aja Kong
-Manami Toyota vs. Toshiyo Yamada
-Manami Toyota vs. Bull Nakano

Fun Fact: “Queen of Villains” is a Netflix documentary on Dump Matsumoto that comes out on Sept. 19th. Get that on your watchlist!

The feud between the Crush Gals and Gokuaku Domei in Japanese professional wrestling was a defining rivalry of the 1980s in All Japan Women’s Pro-Wrestling (AJW). The Crush Gals, a popular and successful tag team consisting of Chigusa Nagayo and Lioness Asuka, were beloved for their high-octane style and charismatic personalities. In contrast, Gokuaku Domei, a formidable heel team led by the imposing Dump Matsumoto and her allies, represented a darker, more aggressive force determined to challenge the Crush Gals’ dominance.

In essence, this was the classic good vs. evil dynamic, played to perfection.

The feud reached its peak with a series of high-stakes matches that featured dramatic storytelling and physical confrontations, captivating audiences with their raw intensity. The matches often included gimmick elements like hair vs. hair bouts, escalating the stakes and personal animosity.

–

All Japan Pro Wrestling: Misawa vs. Kowada

Honorable Mentions: 
-Genichiro Tenryu vs. Jumbo Tsuruta
-Kenta Kobashi vs. Akira Taue
-Mitsiharu Misawa vs. Kenta Kobashi

This feud was so brutal at times, that the two sometimes fought for real.

The Toshiaki Kawada vs. Mitsuharu Misawa feud was a seminal rivalry in Japanese professional wrestling, particularly in All Japan Pro Wrestling during the 1990s. These two were part of the ‘Four Pillars of Heaven’ of AJPW, along with Kenta Kobashi and Akira Taue. Emerging in 1995, this feud became one of the most iconic in wrestling history due to its fierce, bludgeoning encounters and the intense, personal nature of their clashes.

This feud also created one of the most dangerous finishers ever — the Ganso Bomb. You’re going to have to look that one up yourself…

For a more detailed breakdown of one of pro wrestling’s greatest rivalries, check out:

https://prowrestlingpost.com/misawa-and-kawada/

–

NWA/Jim Crockett Promotions: Ric Flair vs. Terry Funk

Honorable Mentions:
-Dusty Rhodes vs. Ric Flair
-Magnum T.A. vs. Tully Blanchard
-Ricky Steamboat vs. Ric Flair

–

STARDOM: Oedo Tai vs. Queen’s Quest

Honorable Mentions:
-Tam Nakano vs. Giulia
-Mayu Iwatani vs. Io Shirai
-Starlight Kid vs. AZM

This bloody rivalry spans 7 years with multiple well-known members passing through both stables. Io Shirai, Hana Kimura, Tam Nakano, Bea Priestly, Momo Watanabe, and many, many more.  There is almost too much history to squeeze into a paragraph or two, so I won’t even try. However, for a detailed summary of this long feud, check out the link below.

https://resuramag.com/2024/06/17/oedo-tai-vs-queens-quest-the-full-history-of-the-rivalry-2017-to-2024/

As of July 28th, 2024, both stables have been disbanded.

Saya Kamitani turned on former World of Stardom Champion (red belt) Maika and announced the dissolution of Queen’s Quest, and joined the newly formed H.A.T.E. This turn would help Oedo Tao leader, Natsuko Tora, win the red belt. Tora announced the dissolution of Oedo Tai to form H.A.T.E. with Saya Kamitani, Thekla, Momo Wantanabe, Konami, Rina, and Ruaka.

In another twist, former Oedo Tai member Tam Nakano defeated Tora for the red belt on Aug. 31st. It’s safe to say that the webs weaved through these two factions will live on in Stardom for many years to come.

–

Stories, both in and out of the ring, can be told in many different ways. And while I’m sure I’m leaving a ton out, stories mentioned above will always stand the test of time in pro wrestling.

Everything can be a story. The best ones, however, capture the imagination of audiences while creating a heightened level of suspense, excitement, and the suspension of disbelief, even if just for a second.

What are some of your favorite storylines, and what is your ultimate favorite if you had to pick just one? Sound off in the Disqus comments below.

-TKW
tokusenwrestling@yahoo.com