13 Dog Collar Matches Fans May Have Forgotten About

Out of all the types of matches that can be used during a feud between wrestlers, a Dog Collar match is among the most brutal. With two opponents attached at the neck by leather dog collars and a chain, it can lead to some very violent things inside a wrestling ring. Reserved for feuds that require a certain level of brutality, it is a match that is not seen often but is a sight to see when it is done properly. Despite WWE rarely promoting a match like this, numerous have taken place in other promotions, and violence is always delivered.

There are examples of very famous dog collar matches — such as Roddy Piper and Greg Valentine at Starrcade '83, or Cody Rhodes and Brodie Lee from AEW Dynamite — but there have been many other examples that the average fan does not know about. Not every wrestler is willing to compete in a match as violent as a dog collar match, so when it does happen, it is a very special occurrence.

Updated March 14, 2022 by Danny Djeljosevic: On March 6th, 2022, after months of build between the two rivals, All Elite Wrestling’s CM Punk and MJF finally had their big pay-per-view encounter at Revolution with a dog collar match, referencing the Piper/Valentine bout in promos. As violent and bloody as the gimmick suggested, the Punk/MJF match was lauded by fans and critics alike as a worthy addition to the stipulation’s history. Since the stipulation is on fans’ minds thanks to their match, it seems right to go back and talk about some more forgotten dog collar matches, as well as discussing the big one from Punk’s past.

13 * Abyss vs. Raven (Impact No Surrender, 7/17/2005)

Given Raven’s gimmick as a grungy cult leader in nearly every promotion he’s worked in since 1995 and Abyss’ hardcore Kane-esque monster heel persona, the two wrestlers were a great fit for some violent matches in Impact (formerly TNA) circa 2005. Their best and most violent match together would be a 20-minute Dog Collar Match for the NWA World Heavyweight title at the solid No Surrender pay-per-view. There, Raven — no stranger to dog collars himself, as fans will find out below — would successfully retain the belt after delivering a DDT to Abyss onto thumbtacks.

12 * Francine & The Pitbulls vs. Stevie Richards & The Eliminators (ECW CyberSlam 2/17/1996)

Appropriate to their name, one-time ECW World Tag Team Champions The Pitbulls — usually named Pitbull #1 and Pitbull #2 — had seven dog collar matches as a team over the course of their career together. But the last one would happen in February 1996, at the CyberSlam event as the duo teamed with Francine against Stevie Richards and The Eliminators (Perry Saturn and John Kronus) in a Triple Dog Collar match. Not the most memorable dog collar match the Pitbulls had, this CyberSlam bout amounted to a chaotic brawl, with the Pitbulls outnumbered after Francine was taken out of the match early.

11 * Vader vs. British Bulldog (WWE Raw is War, 11/3/1997)

As alluded to, the Dog Collar Match has been a rarity in WWE, with only two ever being broadcast on television. The first — and, to date, only — to ever show up on Raw was back in 1997, as Vader and British Bulldog engaging in the stipulation for a few short minutes weeks ahead of Survivor Series, where the two would clash in the Team USA vs. Team Canada elimination match. However, rather than the violent No DQ brawl one might expect, the winner here was determined by who could tough all four turnbuckles uninterrupted, like a strap match. Ultimately, the only notable thing about this bout is the post-match, which involves the debut of Steve Blackman.

10 *CM Punk vs. Raven (ROH Death Before Dishonor, 7/19/2003)

CM Punk has positioned his straight-edge lifestyle at the forefront of his performances many times, but it was used to perfection during his feud with Raven in Ring of Honor. Back in 2002, he feuded with Raven in a high-profile series of matches that focused on the lifestyle differences between the two men. The feud boiled over into many violent matches, including a bloody Dog Collar match at Death Before Dishonor in 2003.

The second match of their four-match rivalry in ROH, this brutal brawl — and Punk’s subsequent victory in the match — helped to put the younger competitor on the map in the world of indie wrestling. From there, Punk’s ROH career would include heights like his acclaimed rivalry with Samoa Joe and his groundbreaking Summer of Punk storyline, which threatened to overshadow his Raven feud.

However, CM Punk’s aforementioned AEW feud with MJF has created more attention for this near-two-decade-old match. It helps that Punk literally shouted out his past at Revolution by coming out in shorts (a classic Punk look) and trading in “Cult of Personality” for his old ROH entrance music, AFI’s “Miseria Cantare - The Beginning.”

9 MJF vs. Ethan Page (A1 Here We Go Again, 4/14/2019)

In a small Canadian promotion run by Ethan Page named Alpha-1 Wrestling, he has created a cult-like following of a great wrestling product featuring wrestlers from both Canada and the United States. It has showcased some rising stars before they hit the big-time, including Page himself and a lesser-known Maxwell Jacob Friedman. Before AEW was on the map, both of these wrestlers were trying to make a name for themselves on the independent circuit at any cost. In 2019, their feud was taken to the extreme in a Dog Collar Match in Hamilton, Ontario. Both wrestlers had something to prove in trying to make a name for themselves and put on a bloody match while connected by a chain. The match generated some solid buzz for both of them and was a precursor of what to expect from them in the future.

8 Shotzi Blackheart vs. Dust (RISE 3: Medic, 7/7/2017)

Despite having similar abilities as their male counterparts, female wrestlers are not often put in violent match situations. However, when violent matches with women do get booked, they are usually incredible to watch. While Shotzi Blackheart is not known for brutality today in WWE, she has proven herself capable of creating violence when the time calls for it.

While holding the Phoenix of RISE Championship, Blackheart defended her title at RISE 3 against Dust (a.k.a. Zoey Skye) in a bloody Dog Collar Match. While not a highly publicized match, it was among the most brutal fans had ever seen. Shotzi is not afraid of pulling out all the stops and showcased that she is more than willing to go to the extreme to defend what is hers.

7 The Pitbull vs. The Tazmaniac (ECW Hostile City Showdown, 6/24/1994)

The Pitbulls were a tag team that were constantly covered in chains, and they were not afraid to use them during matches. During ECW's history, they were in many Dog Collar Matches that helped push them toward a run as ECW Tag Team Champions in the mid-nineties. However, before ECW hit their stride, they were one of the teams striving to make the promotion into a phenomenon.

Back in 1994, before ECW had even had their first pay-per-view, Pitbull #1 (a.k.a. Gary Wolfe) faced The Tazmaniac — better known as Taz — in a Dog Collar Match at Hostile City Showdown. While The Pitbulls were much better known for their tag team matches, this singles match was a brutal affair that showcased the typical ECW style. Since matches like this were only available through tape trading, not many fans have seen it.

6 Chris Jericho vs. Perry Saturn (WCW Uncensored, 3/14/1999)

WCW and hardcore are not exactly words that go together in the professional wrestling industry, but they did hold a Dog Collar Match for a small feud that will remain on the record books. At Uncensored 1999, Chris Jericho and Perry Saturn feuded to the point where they needed to be tied together at the neck. There was no championship at stake in this match, and Jericho would actually leave the company only a few months later, so Jericho and Saturn were hardly in a "blood feud" that warranted this type of blow-off match.

5 Dusty Rhodes & Junkyard Dog vs. Ted DiBiase & Kamala (Houston Wrestling, 8/12/1983)

In a very rare instance, there were two types of matches where opponents were tied together at the same time. While the Junkyard Dog and Ted DiBiase were tied together with a dog collar, Dusty Rhodes and Kamala were joined together by a Texas bullrope in a very violent match. This unorthodox match paired the signatures of both JYD and Rhodes in a Tag Team match for regional promotion Houston Wrestling in 1983.

Blow-off matches like this were not uncommon to draw in big houses at non-televised events in the eighties, and each of these wrestlers were very big stars at the time. There may not have been a championship to be contended for at the time, but that did not stop these wrestlers from making history in this strange encounter.

4 Maria Maniac vs. Mickie Knuckles (Resistance/GFW III: Death Becomes Her Female Deathmatch Tournament, 6/30/2018)

Deathmatch wrestling is a subculture that is very different from the wrestling showcased in both WWE and AEW. The level of violence in these types of hardcore matches is very extreme, and wrestlers involved in that scene have been put in very intense situations. The style also includes both men and women, and there is no more infamous female deathmatch wrestler than Mickie Knuckles.

In a very bloody Dog Collar Match for The Resistance and Girl Fight Wrestling in Illinois, Mickie Knuckles and Maria Maniac were involved in an all-female deathmatch tournament in 2018, and it rivaled any level of violence that men could put on. These women tore each other apart and left the ring stained in red by the end of their affair. As a smaller promotion, only deathmatch fans followed this closely, but it had the potential to make waves for how brutal it was.

3 Raven & Stevie Richards vs. The Pitbulls (ECW Gangstas Paradise, 9/16/1995)

Prior to ECW getting mainstream attention, it was well-known for being a smaller regional promotion that focused heavily on violence. Unfortunately, it only started getting the recognition it deserved for being ground-breaking once it closed its doors in 2001. While Dog Collar Matches were not invented in ECW, they were the first promotion to hold a Tag Team Dog Collar Match. The Pitbulls' gimmick included multiple Dog Collar Matches, and they were more than ready to punish Raven and Stevie Richards over the ECW Tag Team Championship. ECW alumni were not opposed to brutal matches, but given how big the Pitbulls were in size, they were able to decimate the smaller team in their signature match in a first-of-its-kind match.

2 Junkyard Dog vs. Magnificent Muraco (WWE on PRISM Network, 7/26/1986)

The Junkyard Dog hardly gets the credit he deserves for being one of the most popular wrestlers in the Southern United States. His gimmick made him connect with fans on a level that is difficult to understand today, and he traveled the world intimidating his opponents with his collar, chain, and bark. Some of his matches that were not televised are difficult to find, including his 1986 WWE match at the Philadelphia Spectrum against "Magnificent" Don Muraco.

While not as significant or violent as some of the others on this list, it was a signature JYD performance. While Muraco toyed with not getting into the collar, he eventually got in and struggled against the more experienced Dog Collar Match performer. Dog Collar Matches are not as commonplace anymore, but fans who got to experience them like this were certainly spoiled.

1 Portia Perez vs. Lady Poison (ACW Guilty By Association 5, 1/17/2011)

Traditionally, Dog Collar Matches are contested with larger male opponents who are ready to destroy each other from pillar to post. Sometimes, females do battle with dog collars and chains, but they are predominately larger female wrestlers. Portia Perez and Lady Poison are neither male or larger female wrestlers. Regardless, that did not stop them from having a very violent Dog Collar Match in Anarchy Championship Wrestling.

Female wrestlers have proven time and time again that they are more than willing to perform in the exact same way as men and continue to knock it out of the park. Through hidden gems like this Dog Collar Match, it proves that wrestlers continue to surprise fans, and that women's wrestling continues to break down barriers.

NEXT: 10 Most Important Women's Matches In History