It’s been another momentous year in the history of the WWE.
Finally, after the devastation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the most important element of the WWE Universe was back – the fans!
After the last 20 months or so, the WWE Superstars wanted to show the fans how much their physical presence meant to them and once again they did not disappoint.
From Drew McIntyre to Bobby Lashley, WrestleMania to Survivor Series, there were plenty of top matches in 2021, but just who had the best?
Well, WWE have officially ranked the top 25 and here they are!
25. Bobby Lashley vs. Drew McIntyre – WWE Championship Hell in a Cell Match (WWE Hell in a Cell)
A typical MVP distraction allowed The All Mighty to retain his WWE Championship against Drew McIntyre. The Scot did his best to take out MVP, but it was to no avail as his distraction allowed Lashley to win via roll up.
24. RK-Bro vs. The Usos – Champions vs. Champions Match (Survivor Series)
An RKO out of Browhere allowed the Apex Predator to pick up a victory for his team here and give them the tag team bragging rights at Survivor Series.
23. Goldberg vs. Bobby Lashley – No Holds Barred Match (WWE Crown Jewel)
Another entry for Bobby Lashley, this time on the losing side as veteran Goldberg demolished the man from Colorado. Questions were asked if Goldberg could still live up to his main event potential, but the former Universal Champion proved to everyone exactly why Bobby Lashley was NEXT!
22. Roman Reigns vs. Edge – Universal Championship Match (WWE Money in the Bank)
The Rated-R-Superstar finally got his one-on-one match with The Big Dog and was moments away from a fairytale moment after spearing the Universal Champion, but with no referee to cover the pin, Reigns regained control and ultimately retained his championship.
21. WALTER vs. Tommaso Ciampa – NXT UK Championship Match (NXT TakeOver: Stand and Deliver – Night 1)
Finally, an NXT entry! The tenacity from WALTER is what saw him over the line in this one, after receiving a mammoth 22 clotheslines in a row from Ciampa! The Blackheart recovered, however, hitting his opponent with a head-and-arm suplex for the 1,2,3.
20. Roman Reigns vs. Cesaro – Universal Championship Match (WrestleMania Backlash)
The Swiss Cyborg’s first entry here, and it did not disappoint. Something must give when two Paul Heyman guys are in the ring, right? It did just that as the Head of the Table reigned supreme after hitting the Guillotine, ending Cesaro’s Universal Championship challenge.
19. Raquel Gonzalez, Io Shirai, Kay Lee Ray & Cora Jade vs. Team Toxic – WarGames Match (NXT WarGames)
A 31-minute match that really set the tone for this next NXT entry. Amazingly, 20-year-old Cora Jade was the star of the show after she injured herself smashing Jacy Jayne through a table. It was eventually Gonzalez that scored the pinfall on Jayde after hitting her with a huge powerbomb.
18. Drew McIntyre vs. Sheamus – No Holds Barred Match (WWE Fastlane)
Dressed as Braveheart, and Braveheart Drew was. Anyone that saw his body after this bout will know what I mean. It was the Scot that came out on top in this war after hitting his long-time friend with the Claymore.
17. Seth Rollins vs. Cesaro (WrestleMania – Night 1)
These two veterans stole the show on the opening night of WrestleMania. This could have been further up on the list given the amazing talent and experience on display, and in terms of pure wrestling, is a match of the year contender.
16. Kevin Owens vs. Sami Zayn – Last Man Standing Match (SmackDown, July 2)
This one was personal as the former friends squared off against each other. Chaos was prologue and chaos was the match itself as KO hit three thundering powerbombs in a row to finish off Zayn and qualify for the Money in the Bank Ladder Match.
15. Big E vs. Drew McIntyre vs. Ricochet vs. King Nakamura vs. Riddle vs. Kevin Owens vs. Seth Rollins vs. John Morrison – Money in the Bank Ladder Match (WWE Money in the Bank)
How many times does this match bring up classic moments? This one was no different with many twists and turns coming before Big E grabbed the briefcase after chucking Rollins off the ladder, giving him the win and the chance to cash in against WWE Champion Bobby Lashley – which he did, successfully!
14. Rhea Ripley vs. Raquel Gonzalez – Last Woman Standing Match (NXT New Year’s Evil)
It was a match between two giants of the women’s division that was nasty, physical and a downright brawl. The bar was set to new heights for the women’s division after this fight, and they can certainly pave the way for more to come.
13. Finn Bálor vs. Pete Dunne – NXT Championship Match (NXT TakeOver: Vengeance Day)
NXT Champion Balor came out on top of this one over the Englishman. A typical, high octane, high flying encounter between the two Superstars resulted in Balor connecting with the Coup de Grace, allowing him to retain his title.
12. Edge vs. Seth “Freakin” Rollins (SummerSlam)
Edge knew that just one stomp could end his career, this time for good as he took on Rollins at SummerSlam. The Rated-R-Superstar couldn’t help but do that to Rollins, picking up the win after brutally smashing his face into the canvas.
11. Rey Mysterio vs. Finn Bálor vs. Seth “Freakin” Rollins vs. Kevin Owens – Fatal 4-Way Ladder Match (Raw, Oct. 25)
It was Rollins who typically found a way to win in this exciting encounter. Four of the best WWE Superstars of all time put it all on the line as Rollins came out on top.
10. Bad Bunny & Damian Priest vs. The Miz & John Morrison (WrestleMania – Night 1)
Bad Bunny was very good on the opening night of ‘Mania. After putting in years of training to live out his childhood dream, the Spotify sensation did not disappoint as he pulled off some mesmerising moves in a winning effort.
9. Big E vs. Bobby Lashley vs. Roman Reigns – Triple Threat Match (Raw, Sept. 20)
A mammoth of a match as three of the most dominant superstars of all time battled it out on Monday Night Raw. Reigns came out on top in a pulsating encounter that showed the amazing strength of all three athletes.
8. Team Black & Gold vs. Team 2.0 – WarGames Match (NXT WarGames)
More NXT talent was showcased in this extreme encounter. Youth seemed to be on the side of Team 2.0 as Grayson Waller incredibly dived off the steel cage to drive L.A. Knight through a table, giving the young team the victory.
7. Rhea Ripley vs. Charlotte Flair – Raw Women’s Championship Match (WWE Money in the Bank)
The WWE Universe was in full voice as Charlotte won her 11th World Title, making Ripley tap out to the figure-eight-leglock as Charlotte took the Women’s Championship home.
6. Roman Reigns vs. John Cena – Universal Championship Match (SummerSlam)
You couldn’t see him until now, could you? A bit like he can’t see his 17th World Title – yet. In a classic, Reigns retained his title by performing two superman punches and a spear on Cena, whose 17th World Title still alludes him.
5. Becky Lynch vs. Charlotte Flair – Champion vs. Champion Match (Survivor Series)
You expect a certain level of class when it’s a Champion vs. Champion encounter, and that’s exactly what the WWE Universe got when The Man used the ropes to her advantage and pinned Charlotte. With the animosity between these two at an all-time high, it’s safe to say that this won’t be the last time these two legends square off.
4. WALTER vs. Ilja Dragunov – NXT UK Championship Match (NXT TakeOver 36)
The Ring General tapped out to The Czar in this encounter, something that no one would have expected and well worthy of a place in the top five.
3. Roman Reigns vs. Edge vs. Daniel Bryan – Universal Championship Triple Threat Match (WrestleMania – Night 2)
It was the Head of the Table that retained his title in this WrestleMania classic, amazingly pinning BOTH Superstars at the same time. It looks like Edge will need to wait a little longer for that fairytale ending……
2. Sasha Banks vs. Bianca Belair – SmackDown Women’s Championship Match (WrestleMania – Night 1)
These two women absolutely stole the show at WrestleMania, arguably putting on the match of the event as, for the first time ever, two black women main-evented WrestleMania. A historical match as well as a historical moment indeed.
1. Edge vs. Seth “Freakin” Rollins – Hell in a Cell Match (WWE Crown Jewel)
Finally, the end, and what other match could it have been? The best encounter of 2021 goes to these two legends of the industry who put on a show at Crown Jewel. To use the words barbaric wouldn’t give this match justice. Ironically, it was the stomp that led Edge to defeat Rollins, giving a poetic image to end THE match of the year.