The 30 Best WWE Matches Of All Time

WWE is the most successful pro wrestling (or, as they say, sports entertainment) promotion of all time. But while WWE became the most dominant name in sports entertainment based on cartoonish storylines and characters — think yellow bandana wearing "Real Americans" battling bodybuilders in face paint from "Parts Unknown" — the promotion has also been home to the best pro wrestlers on the planet. And these wrestlers have put on many of the greatest matches in pro wrestling history. 

These classics run the gamut, from one-on-one matches, to tag team bouts, to cage fights, to Royal Rumbles, to WrestleMania main events. Some stole the show, while others were part of classic cards that were great from top to bottom. While these matches come from different eras, they all have one thing in common: They have earned their place in history as the greatest ever. Whether any of these matches are your favorites, or you're discovering them for the first time, put the 30 best WWE matches of all time on your "must-watch" bucket list.

When you put on a bout between two of the best wrestlers from their era, or any era, you're bound to get one of the greatest matches of all time. That's the case here. Truthfully, on paper Shawn Michaels vs. Bret Hart should have been a top five "best ever." Alas, while this match does hold up, it is also hampered by its stipulation. In an hour-long Iron Man match, both Michaels and Hart infamously refused to take the first fall. Had the match featured actual falls throughout, or better yet, not been booked as an Iron Man match, but simply a singles match that happened to go the full Broadway, plus overtime, it'd be higher. 

So while Michaels vs. Hart at WrestleMania XII isn't perfect, it belongs on this list for its unprecedented display of pure athleticism and emotional storytelling. Michaels and Hart made their match feel real, as real as any boxing match or MMA fight. Watching these two work at that level for 60-plus minutes is an impressive display today, and was practically unheard of (in the WWE) then. Michaels refusing to tap to the Sharpshooter as the clock ticked down is still suspenseful, while his out-of-nowhere Sweet Chin Music and post-match celebration always makes the historical highlight reels. Both would have better bouts against others, but for two of the greatest, this was their best ever against each other.

Things don't always go according to plan in pro wrestling. Case in point, Daniel Bryan's 18-second World Championship loss as a heel to Sheamus at WrestleMania XXVIII resulted in one of the greatest face runs of all time ... for Bryan, that is. The fans turned Bryan babyface in a big way, and a year and a half later he was back competing for the big belt. While his "Yes!" chant helped make him the biggest babyface on the planet, it was the other biggest babyface on the planet, WWE Champion John Cena, who picked him as his challenger for the main event of SummerSlam 2013. 

The match was a clash of styles, but in a good way. Bryan, the world-class technical pro wrestler who also had star power vs. Cena, the natural-born sports entertainer who'd blossomed into one of the best big match workers in the business. The match told a simple but compelling story about two driven men competing to be the best. But on that night, only one man could. Cena put Bryan over clean as a sheet, succumbing to the "Yes Kick," kicking off Bryan's short-lived (almost literally three minutes) title reign. But while the reign was short, the match stands the test of time.

In 2001, "Stone Cold" Steve Austin and Triple H were running roughshod over the WWE as the "Two-Man Power Trip," basically an evil version of the Mega Powers. They had toppled The Brothers of Destruction, Undertaker and Kane, to win the tag team championship and appeared unstoppable. But then the most unlikely of challenges appeared in the form of Chris Benoit and Chris Jericho. While the "Canadian Chrises" were universally acknowledged as among the world's best workers, they were still viewed as mid-carders at the time. That changed on May 21, 2001, when the duo challenged Austin and Triple H for the belts on "Monday Night Raw." 

Triple H was at his in-ring peak, Austin's heel run revitalized his work (though hurt business), while Jericho and Benoit were hungry to prove they belonged at the top. While the match is a clinic, it's most remembered for Triple H's gut check-performance, finishing the bout as planned despite tearing his quad. While he'd still have great matches, this injury ended his legendary 2000-2001 run, when he seemingly couldn't have a bad match. But what better way to go out than one of the greatest tag team matches in WWE history, and the greatest "Monday Night Raw" match, period?

The best matches always have an element of truth to them. But Daniel Bryan vs. Triple H at WrestleMania XXX had more than just an element of truth to it –  Bryan's quest to reclaim the title stolen from him against the Authority's wishes was pretty much how it went down. While Bryan was the world's best wrestler since Day 1, his character work elevated him to WrestleMania main event-level status, especially his super sticky "Yes!" chant. Yet Vince McMahon had other plans in 2014, specifically an ill-conceived bout between former Evolution teammates Randy Orton and Dave Batista. Yawn. 

Fans revolted and rather than have his WrestleMania main event hijacked, McMahon relented and set up Bryan for the big bout ... but first he had to go through Triple H, the face of The Authority. Fans were rabid for this match, creating an absolutely electric environment. The fact it was against Triple H (whose "Reign of Terror" in 2003 was still fresh in fan's minds) made it that much more tense. In the end, Bryan prevailed, defeating Triple H in what one of the best opening matches in WrestleMania history, and Triple H's last great match before retiring in 2022.

How do you possibly top one of the greatest matches of all time, The Undertaker vs. Shawn Michaels match at WrestleMania 25? You don't, but The Deadman and The Heartbreak Kid certainly gave it a darn good try at WrestleMania XXVI, resulting in one of the best matches in WWE history. The storyline went that Michaels was willing to do anything to get his rematch against Undertaker, including eliminating his best friend Triple H from the Royal Rumble and costing Undertaker the title at Elimination Chamber. 'Taker finally granted Michaels his wish, but for a price — HBK's career. 

Thus the much-anticipated rematch became a Career vs. Streak match, as both men had everything to lose. That nerve-wracking tension ran throughout the match, which kept the thousands fans in attendance, and the millions watching around the world, on the edge of their seats. Ultimately, the match ended the only way it could — with Michaels' final defeat following two Tombstones. Still, Michaels went down swinging (literally slapping 'Taker), but lost the match and his career, in an emotional finale for one of the greatest in-ring workers ever. The fact he came back for that sweet Saudi payday in 2018 doesn't take away from the finality, or the greatness, of this match.

Your opinions of The Undertaker vs. Triple H's Hell In A Cell match at WrestleMania XVIII may vary. Some feel it was an overlong and indulgent display on the part of all three performers (especially Shawn Michaels as the anxiety-ridden ref). We disagree, and believe this match delivered exactly what it promised –- The End of an Era. Okay, so Undertaker and Triple H would lock up again, but this match felt like the culmination of the Attitude Era and the blood feud that bound two of its biggest stars for more than a decade. It also pitted the two men most associated with the HIAC match in a final battle within that demonic structure, which even got its own entrance music, "Memory Remains" by Metallica. Yeah, it was pretty metal. 

Undertaker and Triple H felt less like a wrestling bout, and more like Anakin Skywalker vs. Obi Wan Kenobi at the end of "Star Wars: Episode III –- Revenge of the Sith." The only thing missing was John Williams' score, though the rapid Miami crowd more than made up for it. Despite several heart-stopping near-falls, Undertaker's streak continued. In the ultimate show of respect, the Deadman and the Heartbreak Kid held up The Game as they left the stadium, battered, beaten and bloodied. Matches don't come much more epic than this, and for that reason it is one of the best WWE matches ever.

Triple H was in the midst of his 2000-2001 run as the WWE's resident big bad, when he seemed physically incapable of having a bad match. Meanwhile, "Stone Cold" Steve Austin had just returned from career-threatening neck surgery and looked to prove to everyone that he was still "The Guy" in WWE. The two collided at No Way Out 2001, on the road to WrestleMania, in the finale of a blood feud that felt as big as any WrestleMania main event. And trust us, feuds don't come much bloodier than this. 

The gimmick was clever, a Three Stages of Hell match, a modified 2 out of 3 Falls match. The first fall was a regular one-on-one match, the second fall was a Street Fight, and the third fall was a steel cage match. While gimmick matches can be used to disguise weak selling and bad storytelling, that was not the case here. You could truly feel that Austin and Triple H hated each other, and were both willing to stop just short of murder to win the match. Thankfully, it didn't come to that, but it did end with both men — bloody, battered, beaten — collapsing into a heap, with Triple H landing on Austin in a twist of fate. Triple H picked up the "W," but both men emerged changed forever. And that's how you know you've told a powerful story.

WrestleMania 21 ended with John Cena as the new WWE Champion and Batista as the new World Champion, setting the stage for the next generation of WWE superstars. However, the event was stolen by two veteran wrestlers — Shawn Michaels and Kurt Angle. Well, one veteran, as technically Kurt Angle had debuted only five years earlier, but by then had already established himself as one of the best ever. And Shawn Michaels? Well, he probably was the best ever. Put them together and you get more stars than the Milky Way galaxy. 

By 2005, Angle had abandoned his dweeby heel persona for a bloodthirsty, one-man wrecking crew willing to do anything to win. Meanwhile, Michaels had supplemented the multifaceted, in-ring abilities that made him great in the 1990s, with the superb pacing and storytelling that comes from experience. The back-and-forth bout ended with the plucky, ever-resilient Michaels failing in his comeback and succumbing to Angle's vicious ankle lock. Shawn Michaels vs. Kurt Angle found two of the best, at their best, in a battle to see who was best. Simple as that.

"David vs. Goliath" is one of the most popular storylines for a reason: it works. And it has rarely ever worked better than Eddie Guerrero vs. Brock Lesnar at No Way Out in 2004. Eddie Guerrero was the industry veteran who was in the midst of one of the greatest comebacks in pro wrestling history, after conquering his personal demons and the perception he was "just a cruiserweight." Brock Lesnar was the most successful rookie of all time, a 6'3, 290 lbs. solid block of Midwestern muscle mass that looked like he was summoned to life from Vince McMahon's dreams. 

The two collided on the Road To WrestleMania in a match that highlighted not only their "types" (high-flyer vs. power wrestler), but also the little things that made them two of the best ever. Namely, Guerrero's nuanced character work, which elevated everyone around him, and Lesnar's selling, which managed to make him look vulnerable, even when wrestling a man half his size. The match didn't lie to fans — Guerrero couldn't beat Lesnar. Not fairly. So he lied, cheated, and stole, with Lesnar succumbing to Goldberg's spear, a belt shot to the head, and a Frog Splash, before finally going down for the 1-2-3. What followed was the most emotional post-match celebration ever, as the late, great Eddie Guerrero basked in the much-deserved glow for his first, and only, WWE Championship victory.

Shawn Michaels, before his 1998 injury, was one of the greatest in-ring performers of all time. Shawn Michaels after his 2002 return is arguably the greatest in-ring performer ever. One of the reasons was his match at WrestleMania XIX against another G.O.A.T. contender, Chris Jericho. To be sure, Michaels' return match against Triple H at SummerSlam 2002 is a Top 50 contender, but was aided by the "Non-Sanctioned" gimmick. His bout with Jericho was "just" a match. No gimmicks. No weapons. Nothing to fall back on but both men's raw talent. Good thing both of them had a lot of it.

It's a match that would feel fresh in any era, with a simple story about an egomaniac (Jericho) trying to break out of his hero's shadow, while that same hero (Michaels) wants to prove he's still got it. Even in defeat, Jericho stayed strong, as he lost to a simple roll-up, as the wily Michaels capitalized on Jericho's arrogance. And then, to top it off, Jericho emerged an even bigger heel, hugging Michaels as a ruse to kick him in the junk. Only in pro wrestling is a groin shot a thing of beauty.

It has been said a great wrestler can make a broomstick look good. Perhaps there's no greater example in WWE history than Bret Hart vs. British Bulldog at SummerSlam 1992. No, Davey Boy Smith wasn't a broomstick, but he was a power wrestler who was at his best when getting the hot tag, while his tag team partner, "The Dynamite Kid" Tom Billington, did the work. But this wasn't a tag team match. It was the main event of the second-biggest PPV of 1992 in front of more than 80,000 of Smith's fellow Brits at Wembley Stadium. Good thing Smith was in there with his brother-in-law, Bret Hart. Hart had his work cut out for him. 

Smith was "high as a kite" on the plane flight, so fearing disaster, Hart meticulously prepped the match and had Smith recite it back to him. But within a few minutes of the bell ringing, Smith was blown up, so Bret basically had to wrestle himself. The fact Hart not only salvaged the match, but produced an all-time classic that made both men look like stars, is a testament to his brilliance. Smith's victory blew the roof of the building, but Hart was the real hero here. Bret Hart had better matches, but they were against better opponents. His performance here proved he truly was "the best there is, the best there was, and the best there ever will be."

The Royal Rumble concept is Pat Patterson's masterpiece. Royal Rumble 1992 is Ric Flair's. Or at least, his WWE masterpiece. Despite being a multi-time NWA/WCW champ, with multiple hour-long classics under his belt, Flair wasn't connecting at a main event-level with the WWE fans. This was before the internet, so it's likely that many regional fans weren't familiar with Flair. And WWE's younger fanbase, who grew up with WWE's larger-than-life giants, was underwhelmed by the 43-year old claiming to be "the real champ." That all changed at Royal Rumble 1992. 

The Nature Boy entered at #3 and, despite having at least 10 years on most of his opponents, wrestled at full speed for more than an hour without ever needing to take a breath. He wasn't napping in the corner either (looking at you, Roman Reigns), but carried the match. While Flair was the highlight, all 29 other guys delivered the goods. In the end though, it was Flair who emerged the winner and consequently the champion. There are many contenders for "Top 5" Rumbles (2001, 2004, 2010), but 30 years later there's really only one number one: 1992. Woooooooo!

To truly appreciate "Macho Man" Randy Savage vs. Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat's Intercontinental Championship match at WrestleMania III, you have to watch the card in its entirety. While WrestleMania III is one of the greatest WrestleManias ever, it relies largely on pure pageantry and feels very much from its era (there was even a six-man tag match featuring Hillbilly Jim and four little people). The 1987 WWE fanbase had been conditioned to watching 6'5 giants with outlandish gimmicks take turns punching each other, with the biggest move being a bodyslam. Savage and Steamboat wrestled in a fast-paced, athletic classic that never slowed down for even a second during its entire 15-minute runtime. 

After the match, you halfway expected Michael J. Fox to show up like in "Back To The Future" and say: "I guess you guys aren't ready for that. But your kids are going to love it." Except fans were ready for it, like hard rock lovers listening to Nirvana for the first time after a decade of hair metal. Steamboat vs. Savage was way ahead of its time and for fans of pure pro wrestling still holds up to this day. Not because the guys were doing "movez" or no-selling high spots, but because they told a story. So while Hogan vs. Andre gave WrestleMania III its spectacle, it was Savage vs. Steamboat that made it special.

Two generational stars. A deafening crowd. A red-hot angle. A technical classic. Any of the above can make a match one of the best ever. Put all of them together and you get John Cena vs. CM Punk for the WWE Championship at Money In The Bank 2011. This match was iconic before the bell even rang, because on a deeper level it represented two schools of pro wrestling. In John Cena, you had the larger-than-life, musclebound, clean-cut babyface favored by Vince McMahon and mainstream "sports entertainment" fans; and in CM Punk you had the tattooed, flip off the system, indie wrestler beloved by a large segment of the fans. These same fans felt ignored by the WWE for decades and poured their frustrations into CM Punk, who carried their dreams on his shoulders like he was delivering a GTS. 

Nowhere was this more true than in Punk's hometown of Chicago, which featured a crowd loud enough to register on the Richter scale. Seriously, the Chi-Town crowd was so hot that Cena and Punk could've slapped each other like King Kong Bundy vs. Hercules Hernandez, circa 1986, and the fans still would've popped. Instead, they put on a clinic that to this day still keeps you on the edge of your seat, even with the sound off. John Cena vs. CM Punk is not only the best match of either man's careers or even the best match of the 2010s.

You can teach pro wrestling moves. You can teach selling. But you can't teach chemistry; you either have it or don't. It's chemistry that turns great matches into all-time masterpieces. Ric Flair and Ricky Steamboat. Steve Austin and Bret Hart. The Undertaker and Shawn Michaels. Some dudes just "click" and that certainly applies to Mark Calaway and Michael Hickenbottom, better known by their respective ring names of The Undertaker and Shawn Michaels. The Dead Man is debatably the greatest big man ever. Shawn Michaels is arguably the greatest in-ring performer ever, period. Their bouts are the greatest "David vs. Goliath" matches ever, and their feud is the only one that features three matches among WWE's 30 greatest ever. 

So what makes their bout at WrestleMania 25 the greatest? Like jazz music or a delicious dish, you can't quite put your finger on it, you just know it. That said, we think it boils down to two all-time greats being in absolute command of their characters, their craft, and the crowd. Every near-fall is suspenseful. Every high-spot is purposeful. Every minute is momentous. What makes it even more impressive is there were no gimmicks (HIAC or Casket) and no stakes (like HBK's career), besides of course, Undertaker defending his streak and the pride of victory. If you know someone who doesn't "get" pro wrestling, show them this match. If they still don't get it, pro wrestling isn't for them.