#1 Contender's Match

#1 Contender's Matches are crucial in wrestling as they determine who will earn a shot at a championship. In most cases title opportunities are earned rather than given, and these matches are designed to determine the next challenger for a title.

Common Formats

The most common format for a #1 Contender's Match involves two or more wrestlers (or teams, for tag team titles) who compete to earn the right to challenge the current champion. The winner of such a match will typically earn a title shot at the next pay-per-view (PPV), a future PPV, a future weekly show, or occasionally immediately following the match itself.

In matches where a specific objective must be achieved to win, such as in Ladder Matches, the #1 Contender's status is often represented by a contract or a briefcase.

Notable Examples

Battle Royals: It is not rare to see the status of #1 Contender being put on the line between a large number of participants in a Battle Royal format.
The Royal Rumble Match is one of the most famous #1 Contender's Matches, particularly in WWE. It is used to determine a challenger for one of WWE’s top titles (WWE Championship or World Heavyweight Championship) at WWE's biggest annual event, WrestleMania.
In TNA (Total Nonstop Action), the Bound For Glory Series is a notable tournament where the winner earns a title shot at the TNA World Heavyweight Championship during the company's biggest event of the year, Bound For Glory.

Alternative Methods

Sometimes, a wrestler can earn the status of #1 Contender by defeating the champion in a non-title match, which can function similarly to a #1 Contender's Match.