Top 10 Greatest WWE/WWF Matches of All Time
For decades, WWE (formerly known as WWF) has entertained millions with its unique blend of athleticism, drama, and storytelling. From the early days of Hulkamania to the modern era's high-flying acrobatics, the company has produced countless unforgettable moments.But what are the matches that stand head and shoulders above the rest? The ones that made you jump out of your seat, scream at the TV, or maybe even shed a tear? You know, the ones that you still talk about with your buddies over a beer, years later?
If anything can beat this match, it has to have more than everything because that's exactly what Taker vs. Michaels at WrestleMania 25 was. It was a war. A chokeslam was reversed into a Sweet Chin Music, and a Sweet Chin Music was reversed into a Hell's Gate, which was then reversed into a Tombstone. They fought strongly on the outside as Shawn went for a moonsault but was thrown powerfully by Taker.
Taker made his famous and iconic WrestleMania dive, during which he hit the cameraman. Then both men were down, including the referee. There was also blood. A Tombstone led to a 2-count, Sweet Chin Music led to another 2-count, another Sweet Chin Music led to a 2-count, Hell's Gate was broken, a Chokeslam was reversed, a Figure 4 was broken, and two dives were missed. Such an epic match and a war. This is easily the greatest match ever.
Incredible match. They fought non-stop for 30 minutes and lived up to the hype. We saw both men steal each other's finishers and bust each other open. Vince McMahon helping Stone Cold Steve Austin was one of the biggest shocks in WWE history.
I cried when I saw The Rock lose this match. But salute to those two greatest wrestlers of all time. Perfect chemistry, great match, best whooping ass.
The Rock should have his last match with Stone Cold, or Stone Cold should induct him into the next Hall of Fame. AustinRocky.
This is the best match ever. A Hell in a Cell match between two of the best ever (Undertaker and Triple H), with Shawn Michaels as the guest referee. All that on the greatest stage of them all, WrestleMania.
In that situation, it's difficult to be as good as expected, but that match was incredible. Both men gave all they had, resisting much more than anyone had ever resisted - even a Sweet Chin Music and a Pedigree - ending with a tombstone and the 20-0 streak by the Undertaker. I don't think this match can be surpassed.
This match made me love professional wrestling again. The crowd's incredible love for CM Punk and bitter hatred for John Cena created one of the best storylines in WWE history, along with 33:42 minutes of amazing wrestling. I remember watching this when I was 11 years old, back when Cena really was Superman. When he lost, I was sad.
But I knew he'd bounce back. Little did I know it would take two years for Cena to actually beat Punk clean. If Cena is Superman, Punk was his kryptonite. Never have I ever been that into a feud. Not even Rock and Austin. This is a match and an experience that I will never forget as long as I live, and not even Nakamura can top this match on my list. Favorite of all time.
In a technical wrestling sense, there may be better matches: Bret and Shawn's Ironman, Randy Savage vs. Ricky Steamboat at WrestleMania. However, this was one of the most brutally insane matches of an era, and for that, it is my favorite. No one was crazier than Mick Foley, and in my opinion, there still isn't, nor may there ever be, something like this again.
From being thrown off the top of the cell to being choke-slammed onto thumbtacks, to having his tooth come out through his nose, this was incredible entertainment from two of the greatest to ever lace up their boots. They pushed boundaries, and I remember questioning as an 11-year-old kid, How could this be fake? Not many matches can do that. Truly one of the best of all time. Whether you consider yourself a wrestling fan or not, you should watch this match. It is worth your time.
Definitely the best match ever. Both of these men proved that age is no barrier to being the greatest in their field.
The best match ever. It was emotional and made a huge impact on WWE. It was the end of Shawn's career.
As much as I really enjoyed their first bout at 25, I honestly feel this rematch is way better.
Bret "Hitman" Hart and Shawn Michaels are the very best wrestlers of all time. Put them together and you get the greatest match of all time. Something is wrong with the ranking. In terms of technical wrestling, you've got it all there. In terms of entertainment and quality, it's there too.
Fans today don't really get the science of quality matches. Most of them focus on the drama. Sure, the plot of this match was fulfilling the "childhood dream," but digging through the details of the match makes the whole theme a bonus. One hour (even more) of a match leaves nothing more to ask for, especially from the excellence of execution and the greatest in-ring performer of all time.
The best matches are where there is clearly some sort of rift between the two individuals. Steve Austin represented everything WWE was about to become with the Attitude Era, and Bret Hart was the heart of the early '90s WWF. He really didn't like where the company was headed. The ending is amazing.
This was the match that launched the Attitude Era and made Bret Hart the biggest name in sports entertainment. He was the hardest worker and greatest ring general of all time: "The best there was, the best there is, and the best there ever will be," Mr. Bret Hart. Greatest wrestler ever.
Best Hell in a Cell match ever! It features the greatest superstars, including the Hell in a Cell match legends Undertaker and Triple H. It also was a one-of-a-kind match, which had never been seen before.
Thought it would be better, but it's still very good. Kurt Angle retaining in a cheap fashion was a really good idea.
I think this is the best match I have seen in my entire life. What a hit! This match should be ranked much higher than it is.
The Rock's first WrestleMania victory against Austin in three tries. This could have been Dwayne's second victory, but because of Mr. McMahon at WM17, it failed.
Without interference, a match between two important people but not taking much time.
The Rock showed dominance in his long-life rivalry with Stone Cold Steve Austin. Epic!
This is the most fast-paced, insane match in WWE history. Jam-packed action into only about 20 minutes. This match had two of the most memorable moments ever, and it's my favorite match of all time!
Bunch of great spots here, and the crowd was way better here when the heels won the match. This is by far the best TLC match of all time.
Three of the most successful tag teams in WWF history competed in a hell of a match that had some great bumps. For example, Edge speared Jeff Hardy from more than ten feet down the ladder and Matt Hardy and D-Von Dudley fell into a stack of tables. Bottom line, this is the best TLC and WWF match ever. (It was voted the 2001 Match of the Year on PWI!)
This is the best match so far in WWE because they are the most hardcore wrestlers in WWE. Undertaker is the best wrestler in WWE, and second are John Cena and The Rock. They are the true champions in WWE. Thanks.
Best match I have ever seen in my life: the Beast Incarnate vs. the Deadman. Awesome.
The youngest WWE champion to win this match is Brock Lesnar, not The Undertaker.
The whole match was a highlight. No boring moments. This is my second favorite match of all time! I don't think it's underrated, though, because people actually gave this match the credit it deserves.
This match is amazing! I've seen this match about five times, and I still get excited when they kick out. It's just a contest between two of the greatest in-ring performers.
I go back occasionally and watch this match because it set the bar for what all matches should be. No gimmicks. Perfect pacing. Great sequences. Huge venue. Flawless execution. Plus, it was called by Jesse Ventura, whose play-by-play matched the work of the guys in the ring.
Brock Lesnar will never be part of a match like this.
This should be much higher on the list. I suspect too many people born around the turn of the century are voting here, and they haven't been exposed to the glory days of pro wrestling. They should really watch this match!
I just cannot see how this match, one that many fans and critics alike rate at 5 or near 5 stars, is not on this list. This match has arguably the best storytelling in a wrestling match.
Yet, it is not in the top 55 purely WWE matches. Instead, one of the worst WrestleMania main events of all time, The Miz vs. John Cena, makes it. That match was terrible. It had no importance to WWE, and it was just a lazy effort by both men with a dead crowd.
The greatest Hell in a Cell match of all time. There are four other cell matches ahead of this one, and I don't understand how. It's brilliant: the ring psychology, the work rate, the innovation, the brutality, and Kane's unbelievable debut. It's a masterpiece.
John Cena is unbeatable. That is why I like him second best, and Roman Reigns is the best!
In my opinion, this is the best match of all time.
Arguably the best Raw match ever.
Truly the greatest wrestling match. All three men gave everything they could to create a beautiful match. Benoit's celebration afterward was brilliant, and it's so sad that Chris passed away. The double suplex on the table was very spectacular, and I recognize it as a very good moment.
Why so low? This match is simply unbelievable. I still, to this day, feel Chris Benoit's joy when he wins his first world title. Definitely the best triple threat match, and maybe even the best match, period.
I hate that WWE tries to hide this. By far, the greatest wrestling match ever. It's so damn good.
Both John Cena and Shawn Michaels are the best WWE wrestlers. No other wrestler is a match for them. Classic wrestlers. We, Indians, like America and super wrestlers like John Cena, Shawn Michaels, Hulk Hogan, Steve Austin, The Rock, Bret Hart, and the one and only the Ultimate Warrior, Sheamus, Big E, Big Show. Who can ever forget any of them? Good luck to all of them, and may God take care of them and their families. - Raghu Menon, Irinjalakuda, Trichur, Kerala state, India
A fantastic fight between two of the best in the business. It's just a shame it was a non-title match because Shawn Michaels would have become the champion.
The best match of the decade, i.e., 2001-2010, featured a super-intense build-up, non-stop action, drama, and top-notch storytelling. Absolutely brilliant stuff.
Best match ever. And that's the bottom line.
This was the greatest match of all time. It had the hype of a year and was anticipated for about five years. This was truly a dream match.
Even if the match had sucked, it would still be up there. It definitely wasn't a bad match. In fact, in-ring-wise, it was still amazing. That's why it was the greatest match ever.
Not only did it sucker all of us into watching, it delivered big time! The Rock went toe-to-toe with Cena in a match for the ages. The crowd was into it too! Loved the way it ended with Rock getting one over Cena.
Classic match that will be remembered for decades. The only thing I didn't like about it was the outcome.
This is the best match because The Undertaker endured three Pedigrees from Triple H and nearly 20 chair shots. Then, Triple H delivered a Tombstone, but The Deadman refused to lose at WrestleMania.
The Undertaker could not move, but he won unbelievably. After the match, Triple H walked away, but The Undertaker, who had won, could not stand on his own feet. The Undertaker won the battle, and Triple H won the war.
This match is better than any other Undertaker match because he reached his limit. For the first time ever, The Undertaker was on a stretcher, but he still won. That's why this is the best match in history. Please move it to number 1 on the list.
I remember watching this match live and all the moments! The first-ever TLC Match between the high-climbing Hardy Boys, the Chairmen of WWF Edge & Christian, and the Masters of Tables, the Dudley Boyz, was on the WrestleMania XVII stage, and they all performed amazingly. How anyone survived without major injuries in real life is impressive.
One of the most entertaining matches of all time. Completely revolutionary for the time, and to this day, it hasn't been matched.
This match simply made me a WWE fan. Foley is God.
The promo on the night of the match showed the brutality of the match.
The buildup to this and the match itself was brutal. Definitely my favorite by a long way.