The Greatest Hits of the WWE Championship

The Greatest Hits of the WWE Championship




I have a feeling that I may have to update this one a lot as we seem to get a great WWE Title match every so often. As a side note, this will also include the Undisputed Championship and the current WWE World Heavyweight Championship. I'll probably include that in the Greatest Hits of the World Title when I finally get around to it.


So here are the Greatest Hits of the WWE Title. Enjoy the journey through history!


Let's start off big.




Hulk Hogan vs Andre The Giant
From Wrestlemania III. Arguably the biggest match in the history of wrestling. The hero Hogan going up against the undefeated giant in Andre. This match drew 93,000 (if that is the real number) people into the Silverdome. The match isn't good, but that doesn't matter as it's all about the big match feel and the historical significance. The slam is still a goosebump-inducing moment. The match itself is about *1/2 as it was slow and plodding, but for what it did for professional wrestling and how important it is, it deserves *****.



Randy Savage vs Ted Dibiase
From Wrestlemania IV and this is the final match of the tournament for the WWF Title. This was Savage's fourth match of the night and Dibiase's third as he gained a BYE in the previous bout. Both guys performed well considering how tired they must have been. A solid match from both guys and a big moment for the Macho Man, even if he needed Hogan's help to win the belt. ***



Randy Savage vs Hulk Hogan
From Wrestlemania V. I suppose you could say this one was a year in the making. It was gonna be hard to live up to the great storyline and build-up of the Mega Powers exploding, but I'd say they delivered. Savage was a great heel here, running away from Hogan and using Liz as a shield. A great match with Savage wearing down Hogan for most of it, and Hogan hulking up to win back his Championship belt. ***3/4



Hulk Hogan vs The Ultimate Warrior
From Wrestlemania VI. Winner takes all here as both the WWF and IC Titles are on the line. I have a deeper appreciation for whoever booked this match after watching the train wreck at Halloween Havoc 98. The crowd couldn't decide who to cheer for and were split right down the middle. This is one of the best booked matches ever as it was fun and had a big match feel throughout, when it probably should have been awful. Awesome stuff here. This match makes me feel like a kid again. RIP Warrior.  ****1/2



The 1992 Royal Rumble Match
Then only Rumble to ever have a Championship on the line. This is universally considered to be the greatest Rumble of all time, although I do prefer the 2004 edition myself. It is a fantastic Rumble though and had everything you could want from like huge stars such as Hogan, Savage, Flair, Roberts, Taker, Piper and others. It was never boring and fun all the way through and gave Ric Flair a huge career moment as he won the thing. Amazing match that has to be seen. ****3/4



Randy Savage vs Ric Flair
From Wrestlemania VIII. The story here was that Flair claimed to have been a love interest of Elizabeth, and that really pissed Savage off. Flair didn't get away with his blade job here and was fined, I think, around $5000. A fun, fast paced match here that should have been the main event of this show. Both Savage and Flair performed greatly. Both guys showed great hatred for one another, making this a dramatic match. A fantastic contest. ****1/2



Randy Savage vs The Ultimate Warrior
From Summerslam 1992. A rematch from Wrestlemania VII except both guys are babyfaces this time. This would be Warrior's last WWF PPV appearance until 1996. The crowd was behind Warrior and some were against Savage. This was a long one but a good one and the crowd was hot throughout. It did get a little overbooked at times with Mr Perfect and Ric Flair, but it was still an awesome match overall. ****



Bret Hart vs Shawn Michaels
From Survivor Series 1992. This match really showed a changing of the guard in the WWE. These guys showed that they didn't have to be huge muscled up superstars to show that they could carry a show and also have the best match on the show. Four years before their Iron Man match and these guys were still having classics. Fantastic match. Probably their second best together and that's saying something. ****1/2



Bret Hart vs Yokozuna
From Wrestlemania X. This was both guys second match of the night as Bret had faced his brother Owen and Yoko had faced Lex Luger. Yoko had now held the Title for around ten months and everyone was desperate to see him drop it. This was a much more entertaining match than I expected and it was never really boring. A nice moment for Bret as well as he defeats the monster and wins the Title. ***



Bret Hart vs Owen Hart : Steel Cage
From Summerslam 1994. The best steel cage match ever? Quite possibly. The best one without any blood? Absolutely! The drama was amazing as the crowd went crazy whenever either guy would try to climb out of the cage. Their brilliant chemistry together showed as well and there were every move hit perfectly. The superplex from the top of the cage looked fantastic and safe as well which was great. Another terrific contest from the Hart brothers and a MOTYC/all time classic to boot. *****



Bret Hart vs Bob Backlund : Submission Match
From Survivor Series 1994. The only way to win is to have the manager of the opponent throw in the towel. Owen held the towel for Backlund and the British Bulldog held the towel for Bret. I've always found this to be quite an underrated match as a lot of people seem to find it quite boring with all the submission moves, but I loved it as it had great psychology and told a good story with the finish as Bret's mother couldn't bear to see him in pain and threw in the towel, costing him the match and the Title. Terrific drama. ****1/4



Bret Hart vs Diesel
From Royal Rumble 1995. The roles have been reversed since KOTR as Diesel is Champ. Just an awesome big man/small man match here. The crowd was split. For some reason the match still continues after HBK interferes. Bret uses a chair and still no DQ. This is like an attitude era match. Even with the overbooking this is great as these guys have good chemistry. Lots of superstars run in to end it. Fantastic stuff. ****1/4



Bret Hart vs Diesel : No DQ
From Survivor Series 1995. Yet another classic contest from these two guys and this may have been the best one. This time there were no rules. This is Diesel's last match as a face and, thankfully, the final match of his way too long title reign. Bret's work on the leg of Diesel was great. I think this was also one of the first times that the announce table was used as a weapon in the WWF. Awesome match with a great story as well. ****1/4



Bret Hart vs British Bulldog
From Seasons Beatings IYH. Quite a forgotten classic here. Over three years since their classic Summerslam bout and they were still putting on amazing matches together. This time there's not really any historical value, but there's enough action to make a highly recommended watch. Just the fantastic technical match that you would expect from these two as Bret retains with a nice roll-up. Might be the Match of the Year for 1995.  ****1/2



Shawn Michaels vs Bret Hart : 60 Minute Iron Man Match
From Wrestlemania XII. This is one of those matches that people either love or hate, and I'm in the camp of love. That didn't sound right. Anyway I believe this is the first televisied Iron Man match in the WWF. Admittedly some people won't like this match and will find that it's too long and even boring, but I just found myself entertained with it the entire time, including the overtime. They paced themselves incredibly well for the full 60 minutes. In my opinion it's a classic and the boyhood dram has indeed come true for HBK. ****3/4


Shawn Michaels vs Diesel : No Holds Barred
From Good Friends, Better Enemies IYH. This is widely regarded as Kevin Nash's greatest match ever and it's not hard to see why. This would be Diesel's last PPV appearance before heading to WCW to become an even bigger douche. Anyway this was one hell of a contest that made HBK look good and made Diesel look like a monster. Diesel taking Mad Dog Vachon's leg was a funny moment too. Great stuff here. ****



Shawn Michaels vs The British Bulldog
From King of the Ring 1996. This event is mainly remembered for Austin's classic 3:16 speech, but this was the match that stole the show. These two always have good matches and this was one of their best, if not the best. Bulldog's a heel here. The match seems to change in pace throughout, as sometimes its a nice, quick pace, and sometimes its a slower, more controlled pace. That doesn't stop it from being a very entertaining match. Having Owen Hart on commentary was a bonus too. Awesome match overall. ****



Shawn Michaels vs Vader
From Summerslam 1996. You really can't go wrong with an HBK match in 1996 as most of them tended to be fantastic as we've already seen. This was another one of those matches. Vader was such a great big guy. Apparently Vader was meant to win this match, but Shawn threw a tantrum backstage and so the finish was changed. HBK's huge dive to the outside was awesome. After a couple of restarts, HBK hits a moonsault to retain in an awesome big man vs small man contest. ****



Shawn Michaels vs Mankind
From Mind Games IYH. Before Backlash 2004, Mick Foley described this as the greatest match of his career. I personally prefer his Royal Rumble 2000 match, but this is a very close second. These guys showed remarkable chemistry and went out there and put on what might be the Match of the Year for 1996. Even the DQ ending couldn't ruin it. One of the greatest matches of all time and one of the best ever for the WWF Title. See this one immediately. *****



Shawn Michaels vs Sycho Sid
From Survivor Series 1996. Out of all the guys that Shawn faced in 96, I don't know why Sid was chosen as the guy to take the Title from him as he was awful on the mic and not that good in the ring. This is easily his best match ever. Shawn made Sid look awesome here. The crowd was behind Sid for some reason. Shawn was his usual great self here and brought out the best in Sid. Terrific back and forth big man vs small man match. ****1/4



Bret Hart vs The Undertaker vs Vader vs Stone Cold Steve Austin
From Final Four IYH. The WWF Title was vacant due to Shawn Michaels losing his smile and forfeiting the Title. Elimination rules apply and you get an elimination by pinfall, submission, or by putting someone over the top rope. Any chance to see Austin and Hart in the same match is awesome. Vader had a bad cut on his eye early on. A hell of a match that was all action all the way through and it was entertaining throughout. Great multi-man match with an exciting finish. ****1/4



Undertaker vs Bret Hart
From Summerslam 1997 and Shawn Michaels is the guest referee. One of the most historical matches of all time as it led to the first ever Hell in a Cell match, which in turn led to the Montreal Screwjob. This was a very long match clocking in at almost half an hour. It started slowly but it really built up to a great finish. Taker was the first guy to kick out of a sharpshooter here which was cool. HBK cost Taker the match and set up their great feud. Great match. ***1/2



Bret Hart vs The Undertaker
From One Night Only 1997. Bret considers this his last great match in the WWE. True. He even considers Undertaker to be his final opponent in WWE. Even though Hart was the heel here, he was still cheered by most of the fans as he usually was in a foreign country. Awesome match, it's just a shame it ended in DQ, or it could have had a higher rating. Still a great match though and an improvement over their great Summerslam match. ****



Bret Hart vs Shawn Michaels
From Survivor Series 1997. One of the most historical matches contested for the WWF Title even if it's for all the wrong reasons. Every wrestling fan knows the story here and if you don't then I assume that you've been living under a rock your whole life. The match itself is pretty decent and was mostly a brawl, but of course it's the ending that everyone remembers. One of the most controversial moments in wrestling history. **3/4



Stone Cold Steve Austin vs Shawn Michaels
From Wrestlemania XIV. Mike Tyson is the special enforcer. This match is great considering that Shawn was wrestling with a screwed up back and that Austin was still feeling the effects on the tombstone at Summerslam. In-ring wise this isn't a classic, but because of the historical significance and the fact that it started off the Attitude Era makes it an all time classic. Great match from both guys, even if Tyson counted a little too fast for the finish. ****



Stone Cold Steve Austin vs Dude Love
From Over the Edge 1998. Vince was trying to put all the odds against Austin by making himself the special referee for the bout. This was an overbooked match but it was overbooked to perfection and made it a very exciting contest. These guys had an awesome brawl that went all over the place. One of Austin's best matches and a MOTYC for 1998. The Attitude Era at its best. ****1/2



Undertaker vs Stone Cold Steve Austin
From Summerslam 1998. Billed as the Highway to Hell, here we have the two biggest stars of the time (or even maybe all time) going at it for the top prize. This one had a lot to follow after the ladder match, but I think they managed it fine. It seemed like Taker was carrying Austin here. Taker's leg drop through the announce table was awesome. Just a great match between these two megastars and an appropriate main event for Summerslam. ***3/4



The Rock vs Mankind : I Quit
From Royal Rumble 1999. Without a doubt this is one of the most brutal matches in WWE history, especially after watching the Beyond the Mat documentary which showed Mick Foley's family and their reactions and Mick's injuries as well. There were way too many unprotected chair shots here. No wonder they aren't used today. Anyway this was a great match with some nice spots like the fall off of the stage area. Brutal but great. ***1/2



Stone Cold Steve Austin vs The Rock
From Wrestlemania XV. This Wrestlemania was awful and definitely one of the worst, but this match just about saved the whole thing. The first of three awesome matches at Mania. This is probably the worst of the Austin/Rock matches at Mania, but it still deserves to be here since it was their first big match together and it showed just how great these guys worked together. An awesome, brawling main event. ****



Stone Cold Steve Austin vs The Rock : No Holds Barred
From Backlash 1999. Shane McMahon is the guest referee to give Austin a big disadvantage. First they managed to save Wrestlemania and now they were stealing the show on this night. I think this is just a little bit better than their Mania match. I especially liked the announce table spot with Rock using the camera to show his point of view before he took a stunner. Awesome contest. ****



Triple H vs Cactus Jack : Street Fight
From Royal Rumble 2000. This is most definitely an easy contender for the best match of both of these guys' careers. HHH was made into a star thanks to Foley here, and unfortunately he let it go straight to his head and we're still suffering from it. Anyway this is still an all time classic featuring some brutal moments. There was a throwback to the 99 Rumble as HHH handcuffed Cactus and beat him with a chair. The pedigree onto the thumbtacks still looks absolutely insane, and I can't believe that anyone would take a bump like that. An all time great for sure. An absolute war. *****



Triple H vs Cactus Jack : Hell in a Cell
From No Way Out 2000. If Cactus loses this match, his career must end. I don't think this is the five star classic match everyone calls it, but it's damn close and still an awesome match. Cactus falling through the cell will be an image that will live on forever. The stuff with the barbed wire bat was pretty damn cool as well. HHH wins with a pedigree. Foley started his career with Cactus Jack, and he ended it with Cactus Jack. Until he came back a couple of weeks later. ****1/2



The Rock vs Triple H
From Backlash 2000. This is probably the most memorable match from their awesome feud besides the Iron Man match. The odds were stacked against the Rock as HHH was basically running the company and Shane McMahon was the guest referee. The double Rock Bottom through the announce table looked awesome. The fans were already hot for this one but they just about blew the roof off when Austin returned. Fantastic match overall. ****1/4



Triple H vs The Rock : 60 Minute Iron Man Match
From Judgment Day 2000. Shawn Michaels was the ref for this match. For everyone who has heard so much about this match but has never seen it, you will not be disappointed. Every minute felt like it was adding to the match and it was never dull or boring, unlike some other Iron Man contests. The match ended 6-5 to HHH , as Undertaker made his goosebump-inducing return and got the Rock disqualified. Just brilliant and probably the best Iron Man match in WWE history. ****3/4



Chris Benoit vs The Rock
From Fully Loaded 2000. If Rock is disqualified, he loses the Title to Benoit. Looks like they decided that Benoit was good enough for a big push. God knows why they stopped it though. This was a fantastic match that showed that Benoit deserved to be a main event player in the WWF. Benoit gave Rock one of his best matches here. Benoit almost became the WWF Champ by DQ, but Foley restarted the match and Rock won it back. ****1/4



Kurt Angle vs Triple H vs The Rock
From Summerslam 2000. This was Angle's first real shot at the top and he would stay there for the rest of his WWE career. This is mainly remembered for Angle suffering a head injury as he was pedigreed through the announce table and had to be taken to the back. Luckily he was able to come back for the second half of the bout. Great match as Rock and HHH already had awesome chemistry, and Angle added a lot to the contest too. Fun stuff. ***3/4



Kurt Angle vs The Rock : No DQ
From No Mercy 2000. The Angle/Stephanie McMahon storyline was still continuing here and Rock wanted some payback for the beatdowns they had put on him leading to the show. Angle didn't exactly look good here as he needed all the help he could get to win. Still this was a great match that the crowd got insanely into. It had a great finishing stretch, and Angle was given a huge moment for his career as he wins the WWF Title for the very first time. ***3/4



The Rock vs Kurt Angle
From No Way Out 2001. I do prefer this one to their No Mercy match. I think the fans were desperate to see Angle finally drop the Title. It was kind of obvious that Rock would win since Austin was the No.1 Contender and they needed a huge match for Mania. Still this was a terrific contest that was kind of ruined by Hebner's bad count at the end where he thought Angle kicked out and Rock had to hit the Rock Bottom again. ****



Stone Cold Steve Austin vs The Rock : No DQ
From Wrestlemania X-Seven. The second and best of their Mania series. One of my favourite matches. The two biggest faces of the last three years going one on one to find out who's the best. From start to finish this was an intense contest and the pace never seemed to slow down thoughout the entire match. The drama was awesome and the nearfalls were very close calls. One of the best WWF Title matches ever and just one of the all time classics. Absolutely fantastic match and a milestone in the careers of both superstars. *****



Stone Cold Steve Austin vs Kurt Angle
From Summerslam 2001. Now this is one hell of a forgotten gem. This one made Kurt Angle look like an absolute star. It may have ended in DQ but the DQ worked in terms of storytelling as Austin got himself DQ'd because he knew that he couldn't beat Angle on this night so he had to take the easy way out and attack all the refs. Angle kicked out of three stunners for god's sake! That was unbelievable to see. A fantastic contest that definitely deserves more recognition. A classic. ****1/2



Stone Cold Steve Austin vs Chris Jericho
From Vengeance 2001. Both guys had already been in a match at this point as Jericho had beaten The Rock and Austin had beaten Kurt Angle. Both guys were tired so the match wasn't too great but it was still pretty solid. Booker T interfered to give Jericho the victory and the Undisputed Championship which he would still brag about years later. **3/4



The Rock vs Chris Jericho
From Royal Rumble 2002.  These two have tremendous chemistry together, and this match definitely proves that point. Their No Mercy match was better, but this was still awesome. The run-ins don't hurt the match, but they do make Jericho look a little weak. A brilliant back and forth match between two of the all time greats, and easily the match of the night. ****



The Rock vs Brock Lesnar 
From Summerslam 2002. Even though Brock had only been in the WWE for a few months at this point, it was his time to become the man. This one started straight away and they wasted no time in giving us an exciting, fast-paced match. The fans were really against the Rock here as he was heading back to Hollywood and the fans felt betrayed by it. An awesome match that made Brock look like an unbeatable monster. ****



Undertaker vs Brock Lesnar : Hell in a Cell
From No Mercy 2002. One of the better Cell matches in history but also one of the most brutal with Undertaker's blade job looking absolutely sick. He lost a ton of blood in this one. This one didn't need big spots or moments like previous Cell matches did. All it needed was two big guys beating the absolute shit out of one another. Even Paul Heyman took some licks here. By the end, Brock looked like a beast and a star. ****1/4


Kurt Angle vs Chris Benoit
From Royal Rumble 2003. I'm still pissed off at the fact that the HHH/Steiner match was given a rematch, and this one didn't happen on PPV again. No wonder 2003 was an bad year for the WWE. Anyway enough of the negativity, because we just came out of hell and into heaven with this bout. An absolute technical masterpiece that has to be seen. Easily the Match of the Year. This might be their best contest together, and that is saying a hell of a lot. This one definitely made up for the last two blunders. I didn't want this to end, but unfortunately it had to as Angle retains with the ankle lock. After the match Benoit gets a well deserved standing ovation from the crowd. Unbelievable stuff. *****



Brock Lesnar vs Kurt Angle
From Wrestlemania XIX. These guys had a lot of pressure to follow up and close an already amazing show, but they managed it spectacularly. They had a technically sound contest that went back and forth, and they got the quiet crowd into it. The shooting star press botch is still a scary moment to watch, but it doesn't really overshadow the match that came before it. In the end both guys came out worse for wear with Lesnar's concussion and Angle needing neck surgery. Still it was a brilliant wrestling match. ****1/4



Brock Lesnar vs Big Show vs Kurt Angle
From Vengeance 2003. This was Angle's PPV return from his neck surgery that was supposed to keep him out for a year, so the fact that he came back after only a few months is amazing. All three guys were made to look like threats, especially Show, which is something that makes these triple threat matches great. The action was never slow and was never boring. Lesnar's powerbomb to Show was amazing. An awesome triple threat match, and one of the better ones I've seen. ****



Eddie Guerrero vs Brock Lesnar
From No Way Out 2004. Definitely an all time classic here, and a genuinely heartwarming moment in wrestling history, especially now that Eddie is no longer with us. This is a guy who worked hard to get where he was and here he was finally rewarded with the biggest moment in his career. Probably one of the greatest matches of all time, and for good reason, as both guys looked incredibly motivated. Check this one out if you haven't seen it already. ****3/4



Eddie Guerrero vs Kurt Angle
From Wrestlemania XX. These guys never really had a proper one on one feud with each other until this moment. Expectations were high due to the skills of both men, but this match definitely delivered the goods. They started  with some nice mat wrestling and moved on to hitting their signature moves in an exciting back and forth clash. Eddie proved that lying, cheating and stealing always wins the match. Fantastic wrestling match. ****1/2



John Cena vs JBL
From Wrestlemania 21. As far as star ratings go, this is probably gonna be the worst one here, but I think it deserves a place since it was a historical moment with Cena's first big Title win. The match was slow and plodding but worth watching once for Cena's victory. *1/4



John Cena vs JBL : I Quit
From Judgment Day 2005. The expectations weren't that high for this one since their Wrestlemania match was so boring, but without a doubt they definitely exceeded any and all expectations with this bloody brawl. Cena's blade job was sick (although overshadowed by Eddie Guerrero's the previous year) and one of the worst I've seen. One hell of a brawl and one of the better WWE I Quit matches I've seen. Cena had truly arrived at the big time. ****1/4

Edge vs John Cena
From New Year's Revolution 2006. The first ever cash in of the Money in the Bank briefcase. I can't really rate it since it only consisted of two spears and lasted two minutes but it was an historical moment for sure.



John Cena vs Triple H
From Wrestlemania 22. For almost the entirety of 2005, Cena was treated like a huge star, but in my opinion this is the match that made him 'the man'. I think this was the first time that the crowd truly turned on Cena. He'd been booed before, but nothing on this scale with the fans chanting 'fuck you Cena'. Harsh. Still this was a great match that had a big match feel to it and was entertaining all the way through. Both guys came out looking good. ****



John Cena vs Rob Van Dam
From One Night Stand 2006. Cena has face some harsh crowds over the years, but nothing will ever compare to this ECW crowd. They threw toilet paper into the ring and had some flattering chants such as 'Cena swallows' and 'fuck you Cena'. The match itself was a lot of fun and the crowd made it even better. The roof was blown off the place when RVD pinned Cena to win the Championship. A great moment. ***3/4



Edge vs John Cena : TLC Match
From Unforgiven 2006, and if Cena loses, he can never wrestle on Raw again. Also the WWE Title is on the line. Edge was in his hometown, so naturally he was cheered like a hero and Cena was booed by about 96% of the audience. An awesome TLC match here, and possibly the best one on one TLC bout. The spots were great, including the finish with Edge given an F-U through two tables. It looked amazing. Fantastic match and one of the best for both guys. ****1/2



John Cena vs Umaga : Last Man Standing
From Royal Rumble 2007. At New Year's Revolution these two had a damn good match, but with a match that had no rules they put on a show stealing performance. This is easily Umaga's best match during his time in WWE, and it was a sign that Cena could wrestle and put on a great match. An awesome no holds barred style of match, and Cena managed to pick up the win and still made Umaga look strong in the process, since he had to be made to pass out with the ring ropes around his throat. Great stuff here and one of the best Last Man Standing matches I've seen. ****1/2



John Cena vs Shawn Michaels
From Wrestlemania 23.This was originally meant to be Cena vs HHH, but HHH had torn his quad again, so HBK was his replacement and I actually think that that was the better choice. Cena had yet another star-making performance with Mr Wrestlemania. The piledriver onto the steps looked brutal. The finish was really exciting with nearfalls from both guys finishers and a close small package from HBK. An awesome match. ****1/2


Shawn Michaels vs John Cena vs Edge vs Randy Orton
From Backlash 2007. This was only six days after Cena and HBK had one of the best TV matches ever, and it helped to build up to this bout. This is easily one of the better fatal four ways in WWE history. One of the great things about it is that it was unpredictable, as all guys looked to have a chance of winning it. This was just non-stop action from beginning to end and it never became dull. I loved the finish with Shawn superkicking Cena onto an unconcious Orton that managed to give Cena the pinfall victory and retain the Title. Great stuff. ****



John Cena vs Randy Orton 
From Summerslam 2007. This is the first time these two guys have went one on one at a PPV and the first time they have fought for the WWE Title and would fight for it multiple times in the future (felt like dozens). They would also fight two years later at the 2009 Summerslam, just with a different result. Great match and quite possibly their best with one another. Cena hits the FU to retain. ****



Triple H vs Randy Orton : Last Man Standing
From No Mercy 2007. This is now HHH's third match of the night. He didn't have much of a chance after already facing Orton and Umaga. These guys have had three Last Man Standing matches together, and this is easily the best of the bunch. This is also probably the best HHH/Orton match, and believe me there have been plenty! HHH had a lot of sympathy from the fans after they had seen how exhausted he was from the earlier matches. A very well paced Last Man Standing match here, with even some great storytelling, as Orton tried to punt HHH like he had punted HBK, and HHH wouldn't end it like that! Awesome match. ****


Shawn Michaels vs Randy Orton
From Survivor Series 2007. HBK isn't allowed to use the superkick or he will lose the match and won't get a rematch. If Orton is DQ'd or counted out, he will lose the WWE Title to HBK. This match was great because both guys had to go against their usual strategies. It was great to see HBK busting out submission moves like the ankle lock or the crossface or the sharpshooter. The psychology was brilliant. HBK tries to go for a superkick, realises he can't, and eats an RKO for his hesitation. Awesome match. One of the best of 2007 and the match of the night. ****1/4



Triple H vs John Cena 
From Night of Champions 2008. Their first singles match together since Wrestlemania 22, so this one was highly anticipated. This time HHH was the champ and both guys were faces. This had a big match feel throughout and it definitely lived up to the expectation with a classic main event-style match with nearfalls and false finishes. A great match that made both guys look great in the end. ****



Triple H vs Jeff Hardy
From No Mercy 2008. The last time these guys fought on PPV was at the 2007 Armageddon show where Hardy beat the Game, so his chances were looking good. On any other show this would have stolen the show, but the ladder match between Jericho and HBK did that on this night. Still these guys went out there and put on one hell of a match and Jeff Hardy looked as if he was so close to winning the Title but he just wasn't good enough to beat HHH. Awesome match. ****1/4



Jeff Hardy vs Edge vs Triple H
From Armageddon 2008. All three guys looked to have a chance of winning, but Jeff was the clear fan favourite. He had been getting Championship matches for months now and the crowd was just begging to see him win the big one and they would get their wish. A great moment for Jeff. The match itself was great too and they used the triple threat stipulation well. All in all a great match and a classic moment for Jeff. ****



John Cena vs Randy Orton : I Quit
From Breaking Point 2009. This one was a little unpredictable, because it was hard to imagine either guy saying 'I quit'. This had a slower pace to it, but it managed to work that pace to its advantage. Orton hitting Cena with the kendo sticks was hard to watch, especially with the welts shown on Cena's ribs. Great match and a great visual to end the match as Orton quits to the STF using the handcuffs. ***3/4



John Cena vs Triple H vs Shawn Michaels
From Survivor Series 2009. I originally thought that DX would team together to try and take out Cena and failing as SuperCena emerged, but thankfully they went a whole different route with it. HBK's sudden superkick to HHH was amazing and totally unexpected. The rest of the match was a ton of fun with many nearfalls and false finishes to keep things exciting. One of my favourite triple threat matches. ****



Sheamus vs Randy Orton vs Edge vs Chris Jericho vs John Cena vs Wade Barrett
From Night of Champions 2010. Elimination rules apply in this six pack challenge. This one was pretty hard to predict since everyone seemed to have a good chance of winning. Jericho being eliminated within the first three minutes was a shocking but funny moment and fit Jericho's character. The match was a lot of fun throughout and the final two between Orton and Sheamus was exciting as well. Fun, great match. ***3/4



CM Punk vs John Cena
From Money in the Bank 2011. What can I say about this match that hasn't already been said? It's one of those matches where you need to have the volume turned way up to enjoy it even more, due to the awesome crowd. One of the best WWE Title matches of all time and one of the best matches of the entire decade. Sadly the impact of the storyline was lost once HHH decided to ruin it himself. Still this will be a match that can be enjoyed for years to come and if you haven't seen it, find it right now. *****



CM Punk vs John Cena
From Summerslam 2011 to decide who the Undisputed WWE Champion was. There was no way in hell that these guys were gonna be able to replicate the MITB classic, but they damn sure tried their best. Both guys being Champion made things interesting, and their insane chemistry only added fuel to the fire. HHH wasn't needed here though. The counter wrestling was great and kept the match unpredictable until the controversial finish. Classic stuff. ****1/2



CM Punk vs Alberto Del Rio
From Survivor Series 2011. I think by this time, everyone knew that Del Rio just wasn't gonna cut it as the top champion. Thankfully they realised that Punk should be the top guy (behind Cena) and so started the 434 day reign of Punk. This was an awesome match that had the crowd's attention throughout. A great way to start an historic Title reign. ***3/4



CM Punk vs Chris Jericho
From Wrestlemania XXVIII. This is a match I always seem to change my rating on, but I think I've finally reached my final verdict on it. I think this match is pretty damn underrated, but that's probably because it's on the same show as Cena/Rock and Taker/HHH. This is one of the best WWE Title matches in Wrestlemania history, and my favourite match between these two guys. The crowd didn't seem interested at first, but these guys managed to get the crowd on their feet and cheering. Awesome stuff. ****1/2



CM Punk vs Chris Jericho : Chicago Street Fight
From Extreme Rules 2012. This is another match that is pretty damn underrated, as most people seem to remember Sheamus/Bryan and Lesnar/Cena rather than this forgotten gem. Both guys wore street clothes which added to the drama. Jericho was great as a heel here, going from threatening Punk's sister to pouring beer on Punk. An awesome street fight filled with nice weapons spots, nearfalls, and both guys came out looking like a million bucks. ****1/2



Daniel Bryan vs CM Punk
From Over the Limit 2012. The two of these guys headlining (Cena vs Laurinaitis doesn't count) a PPV with the biggest Title on the line must have been a dream come true for a ton of fans, including myself. Bryan looked great going against the most popular guy in WWE at the time, and looked like a top star. This was an absolutely stunning match, and possibly the best of 2012. It's definitely one of the best of all time. The 'this is awesome' chants were well deserved and very appropriate. Fantastic stuff here. *****



CM Punk vs John Cena
From Night of Champions 2012. In my opinion, this should have been one of the main events of Summerslam, but unfortunately Lesnar/HHH wasn't allowed to be upstaged. Cena was in his hometown and was still being booed. As expected, these guys gave us another awesome match, and I didn't even mind the cop out ending the match was that good. They've had better, but I don't think we'll ever get enough of seeing Punk and Cena go one on one. ****1/2



CM Punk vs The Rock
From Royal Rumble 2013. This match was pretty huge at the time and was pretty much a dream bout, so big that it came after the Rumble, and it definitely deserved to with a good build up. Punk's amazing 434 day Title reign came to an end here. The ending with the Shield interfering did hurt it a little bit, but this was still a great back and forth match that had that big match feel throughout. Rock hits the People's Elbow to win the Title for the first time in over ten years. ***1/2



John Cena vs The Rock
From Wrestlemania XXIX. The slammy award winner for Match of the Year. I wouldn't agree with that, but it's a phony award so it doesn't really matter. I've said in the past that I seem to have a guilty pleasure with this and the original, and that still holds true: I love this match. People complain about the slow start, but I think it builds well to the finisher fest towards the end. Ok it was quite boring at times to start with, but it did get much better as it went on. Cena hits a third AA to win the Title. Awesome match. ****



Daniel Bryan vs John Cena
From Summerslam 2013. I feel so bad for not calling this the Match of the Year, but it definitely deserves like a runner up prize or a very honourable mention. What can I say about this match that hasn't already been said? This was Bryan's moment in the sun and he went over Cena completely cleanly and made himself a huge star in the process. It definitely helps that this was an amazing back and forth battle that felt like a war was being waged. Fantastic match and a fantastic moment as Bryan wins his first WWE Title, even if it was ruined by Orton. *****



John Cena vs Randy Orton : TLC
From TLC 2013. I'm still shocked by the fact that a Cena/Orton match was given a 'this is awesome' chant from the audience. This is the 'biggest match in WWE history' and to be frank, it was pretty damn awesome which I really wasn't expecting. This was never going to be the usual high-flying TLC match that we're used to, but they still managed to make it work with some stiff chair shots and table spots. The slow climbing was a little annoying but you always get that with these matches. I even loved the throwback to their I Quit match with the handcuffs. I don't think anyone expected this one to end cleanly with no interference at all, but that's exactly what we got and the match was all the better for it. Great match. ***3/4



Daniel Bryan vs Batista vs Randy Orton
From Wrestlemania XXX. I wasn't sure how good this one was going to be due to an injured Bryan, but it was much better than I thought it was going to be. Bryan, of course, was the total star of the match. That announce table spot looked scary and Orton looked as if he really injured himself coming down on the monitor. The final few nearfalls were nail-biting and it genuinely felt like any one of the three could leave with the Title. A classic Wrestlemania main event and a classic moment with Bryan's rise to glory. ****1/2