15 Great WWE and NXT Matches in 2014
Now that 2014 is over, we can look back on the year in entirety. There were dozens of superstars and Divas, twelve pay-per-views, and hundreds of matches. The majority of these matches were average or less than that. Only a few of them could be considered anything more than that.
So what makes a great match? It's hard to say exactly, but there are a few requirements. The crowd must be into the match, the match cannot be very short, and the wrestlers involved in the match must be giving it all they can. There were a lot of great matches in 2014, and the following 15 are examples.
15. El Torito vs. Hornswoggle (WeeLC Match at Extreme Rules)- When this match was announced for the Extreme Rules pre-show, fans mostly groaned. After all, who really wanted to see El Torito take on Hornswoggle? It just seemed like Vince McMahon had made the match for his own personal amusement, not for the benefit of the fans. As a result, most fans tuned into the pre-show with very low expectations.
The WWE Universe however, was totally taken by surprise. This was a really fun match that got everyone (including Los Matadores and 3MB) involved. Everyone gave it all they had and the results were simply fantastic. This is definitely one of the best pre-show matches in WWE history. Furthermore, it's is a perfect example of not judging a match by its cover.
14. Natalya vs. Charlottle (at NXT Takeover)- When Paige moved up to the main roster, she vacated the NXT Women's Championship. A tournament was created to crown the new champion. Charlotte, the daughter of Ric Flair, was immediately pegged as the favorite, as she had recently come into the spotlight in NXT. She did make it to the finals, where former Divas champ Natalya was waiting for her.
Natalya is one of the top wrestlers (if not the best) in the Divas division, so people were expecting a good match. They were not expecting arguably the greatest women's match in WWE history. The incredibly athletic Charlotte more than held her own in the match and proved that she was the future of the Divas division. For those who believe having a Divas division is pointless, watch this match and then see what you think.
13. Daniel Bryan vs. Triple H (at WrestleMania XXX)- The defining rivalry of the first half of the year was Daniel Bryan vs. The Authority. No matter how much the WWE Universe cheered for Bryan, the Authority refused to give him a chance. Finally, after the Occupy Raw movement, Triple H agreed to face Bryan at 'Mania. If Bryan won, he would get a shot at the WWE World Heavyweight Championship later on in the night. Later, it was announced that if Triple H won, he would enter the title match. The stage had been set.
These two clashed in the opening match of the night, and what a match it was. Both of these two put on an incredible performance and put on one of the greatest opening matches of a PPV this year. Bryan ended up winning and earned a spot in the WWEWHC match in the main event (more on that later).
12. WWE World Heavyweight Champion Brock Lesnar vs. John Cena (at Night of Champions)- When these two clashed at SummerSlam the month before, Lesnar dominated Cena. It was one of the most dominating performances in a PPV main event in WWE history. Not only that, but Lesnar walked away with the WWEWHC. As a result, people were expecting another mauling at Night of Champions.
Cena however, had other plans. The 15 time World Champion brought his A-game to the fight and gave Lesnar everything he could handle. In fact, it looked like Cena had the match won at one point, only for Seth Rollins to run interference. Rollins then hit Lesnar with a Curb Stomp and was about to cash in his Money in the Bank briefcase until he was stopped by Cena, who was then hit by an F5 from Lesnar. It was a disappointing finish to the match, but still a great match.
11. WWE World Heavyweight Champion Daniel Bryan vs, Kane (Extreme Rules Match at Extreme Rules)- When Daniel Bryan won the WWEWHC at 'Mania, people were very excited. They thought
that a spectacular reign would follow. Bryan's first title defense came a month after winning the title at Extreme Rules against the masked demon Kane. When this match was first announced, fans were disappointed, as they were hoping for a bigger name like Batista or Triple H.
Despite the unhappiness of the fans, this match delivered. Kane and Bryan both worked very hard to deliver a great match. There were unique spots as well, so this was definitely a great match. This would be the only title defense of Bryan's reign, and let's be honest, there are worse ways to mark a title reign.
10. WWE Tag Team Champions The Usos vs. Luke Harper & Erick Rowan (2-out-of-3 falls tag match at WWE Battleground)- The Usos were the best tag team in 2014, there is no doubt about that. Their title reign was full of great matches and feuds. Their best feud was against against Luke Harper and Erick Rowan of the Wyatt Family, and their best match came when the two teams clashed at Battleground.
The two teams had been feuding for weeks, and it all came to a head at Battleground. These two teams put on an absolute clinic in tag team wrestling. All four wrestlers were spectacular and the near-falls made for a very suspenseful match.
9. Daniel Bryan vs. Bray Wyatt (at Royal Rumble)- By the time 2014 rolled around, Daniel Bryan and Bray Wyatt were engaged in a huge feud that had started back in October. Bryan had clashed with the Wyatt Family at the two previous pay-per-views, but their match at the Rumble was the first time these two clashed in a singles match.
This was easily one of the best matches of the first half of the year, as we saw Bryan and Wyatt engage in a hard-hitting match. This match is what established Wyatt as a great worker and potential top superstar.
8. NXT Champion Adrian Neville vs. Tyson Kidd (at NXT Takeover)- Kidd is one of the greatest NXT success stories ever. Kidd's under-utilization by the WWE was often decried by the WWE faithful. That all changed this year when Kidd became an NXT regular. He adopted an arrogant heel persona, developed his mic skills, and learned how to work a crowd. Soon, Kidd was the hottest heel in NXT and became one of its top stars. Kidd's first big match as a top NXT star was against NXT Champion Adrian Neville for the title at NXT TakeOver.
While most people were talking about the Sami Zayn/Tyler Breeze match earlier in the night, the main event between Neville and Kidd was undoubtedly a great match. The two had great chemistry together and Neville came off looking like a great champion.
7. Money in the Bank Ladder Match (at Money in the Bank)- Money in the Bank matches tend to be great matches (like both matches last year) and this year's edition was no different. All six competitors (Seth Rollins, Dean Ambrose, Jack Swagger, Kofi Kingston, Dolph Ziggler, and Rob Van Dam) all did an excellent job in this match.
There were some great spots in this match, including Kingston giving a big back body drop to Rollins onto a steel ladder and Ambrose hitting Rollins with a superplex off of a ladder. Kudos to everyone involved in this match, as it was a huge success.
6. The Shield vs. Evolution (at Extreme Rules)- In April, the stable Evolution reformed, sans Ric Flair. The group's first match was against the Hounds of Justice at Payback. It wasn't the main event, but it sure felt like it, as everyone was excited for it. Fantasy booked matches don't usually happen, but in this case it was.
Multi-man tag matches are often hard to book and can turn into chaos, but this was very well-done. Not only was there a lot of action inside the ring, but there was a lot of action taking place in the stands. One awesome spot saw Seth Rollins throw himself off the balcony onto Triple H, Randy Orton, and Ambrose.
5. John Cena vs. Bray Wyatt (Last Man Standing match at Payback)- The John Cena/Bray Wyatt rivalry was one of the longest of the year. It started at Royal Rumble when the Family attacked Cena and ended in June. There were a lot of high- and low-points in this feud, but no point higher than the Last Man Standing match between the two in June at Payback.
Luke Harper, Erick Rowan, and The Usos all got involved as well, so there was a lot more carnage with six bodies involved. This match got a 4.75 rating from Dave Meltzer, and it's not hard to understand why. There were some great spots, like John Cena throwing the steel steps at Wyatt, and all-around great wrestling.
4. The Shield vs. Evolution (No Holds Barred Elimination match at Payback)- Like I said earlier, the Shield/Evolution feud was very anticipated, as was their match at Extreme Rules. Thought that match didn't main event the PPV, their No Holds Barred Elimination Match did main event Extreme Rules, and it was just as good.
Like in the previous match, there was action both inside the ring and all around the arena. Seth Rollins once again took to the air and dazzled with his technical prowess. Triple H looked like a real villain and bad-ass. Roman Reigns looked like an unstoppable behemoth. And the Shield looked truly unstoppable.
3. Intercontinental Champion Dolph Ziggler vs. Cesaro vs, Tyson Kidd (Triple Threat Elimination match on WWE Smackdown)- This was the first year since 2001 where the Intercontinental Championship was the second-most prestigious title in sports entertainment. As a results, fans hoped the IC title would be as big as it was in the days of The Rock, Razor Ramon, and Shawn Michaels. That didn't exactly happen, but the title was still a big deal. This was clearly obvious when IC champ Dolph Ziggler defended his title against Cesaro and Tyson Kidd on an episode of Smackdown.
All three of these men are top-notch wrestlers (all top-ten in the WWE), so it stands to reason that a match with all three of them will be great, and this match sure was. There were some fantastic spots and genuine suspense. This is arguably the best Triple Threat and best Smackdown match of the year.
2. The Shield vs. The Wyatt Family (at Elimination Chamber)- When a clash between the Shield and the Wyatt Family was teased in November, fans were elated. Could we actually see two of the best factions in recent years go head-to-head? Three months later, it actually happened, resulting in one of the best moments of the PG Era and arguably the best match of the year.
All six men in this match (Bray Wyatt, Luke Harper, Erick Rowan, Roman Reigns, Dean Ambrose, and Seth Rollins) worked hard (Rollins was especially impressive and the results were spectacular). This was a great year for six-man tag matches, and this match was the king of them all.
1. WWE World Heavyweight Champion Randy Orton vs. Daniel Bryan vs. Batista (at WrestleMania XXX)- As mentioned earlier, Bryan's victory over Triple H in the opening match of WrestleMania earned him a spot in the main event: a Triple Threat match for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship. His opponents: WWEWHC Champion Randy Orton and Batista, the 2014 Royal Rumble winner.
This wasn't a technical masterpiece by any means. What made this match so great was the story it told: the underdog story of Daniel Bryan overcoming all odds to defeat his opponents and capture the most prestigious title in sports entertainment. In terms of story-telling alone, this is one of the best matches of the year.
What was your favorite match of the year? Comment and let me know.
So what makes a great match? It's hard to say exactly, but there are a few requirements. The crowd must be into the match, the match cannot be very short, and the wrestlers involved in the match must be giving it all they can. There were a lot of great matches in 2014, and the following 15 are examples.
15. El Torito vs. Hornswoggle (WeeLC Match at Extreme Rules)- When this match was announced for the Extreme Rules pre-show, fans mostly groaned. After all, who really wanted to see El Torito take on Hornswoggle? It just seemed like Vince McMahon had made the match for his own personal amusement, not for the benefit of the fans. As a result, most fans tuned into the pre-show with very low expectations.
The WWE Universe however, was totally taken by surprise. This was a really fun match that got everyone (including Los Matadores and 3MB) involved. Everyone gave it all they had and the results were simply fantastic. This is definitely one of the best pre-show matches in WWE history. Furthermore, it's is a perfect example of not judging a match by its cover.
14. Natalya vs. Charlottle (at NXT Takeover)- When Paige moved up to the main roster, she vacated the NXT Women's Championship. A tournament was created to crown the new champion. Charlotte, the daughter of Ric Flair, was immediately pegged as the favorite, as she had recently come into the spotlight in NXT. She did make it to the finals, where former Divas champ Natalya was waiting for her.
Natalya is one of the top wrestlers (if not the best) in the Divas division, so people were expecting a good match. They were not expecting arguably the greatest women's match in WWE history. The incredibly athletic Charlotte more than held her own in the match and proved that she was the future of the Divas division. For those who believe having a Divas division is pointless, watch this match and then see what you think.
13. Daniel Bryan vs. Triple H (at WrestleMania XXX)- The defining rivalry of the first half of the year was Daniel Bryan vs. The Authority. No matter how much the WWE Universe cheered for Bryan, the Authority refused to give him a chance. Finally, after the Occupy Raw movement, Triple H agreed to face Bryan at 'Mania. If Bryan won, he would get a shot at the WWE World Heavyweight Championship later on in the night. Later, it was announced that if Triple H won, he would enter the title match. The stage had been set.
These two clashed in the opening match of the night, and what a match it was. Both of these two put on an incredible performance and put on one of the greatest opening matches of a PPV this year. Bryan ended up winning and earned a spot in the WWEWHC match in the main event (more on that later).
12. WWE World Heavyweight Champion Brock Lesnar vs. John Cena (at Night of Champions)- When these two clashed at SummerSlam the month before, Lesnar dominated Cena. It was one of the most dominating performances in a PPV main event in WWE history. Not only that, but Lesnar walked away with the WWEWHC. As a result, people were expecting another mauling at Night of Champions.
Cena however, had other plans. The 15 time World Champion brought his A-game to the fight and gave Lesnar everything he could handle. In fact, it looked like Cena had the match won at one point, only for Seth Rollins to run interference. Rollins then hit Lesnar with a Curb Stomp and was about to cash in his Money in the Bank briefcase until he was stopped by Cena, who was then hit by an F5 from Lesnar. It was a disappointing finish to the match, but still a great match.
11. WWE World Heavyweight Champion Daniel Bryan vs, Kane (Extreme Rules Match at Extreme Rules)- When Daniel Bryan won the WWEWHC at 'Mania, people were very excited. They thought
that a spectacular reign would follow. Bryan's first title defense came a month after winning the title at Extreme Rules against the masked demon Kane. When this match was first announced, fans were disappointed, as they were hoping for a bigger name like Batista or Triple H.
Despite the unhappiness of the fans, this match delivered. Kane and Bryan both worked very hard to deliver a great match. There were unique spots as well, so this was definitely a great match. This would be the only title defense of Bryan's reign, and let's be honest, there are worse ways to mark a title reign.
10. WWE Tag Team Champions The Usos vs. Luke Harper & Erick Rowan (2-out-of-3 falls tag match at WWE Battleground)- The Usos were the best tag team in 2014, there is no doubt about that. Their title reign was full of great matches and feuds. Their best feud was against against Luke Harper and Erick Rowan of the Wyatt Family, and their best match came when the two teams clashed at Battleground.
The two teams had been feuding for weeks, and it all came to a head at Battleground. These two teams put on an absolute clinic in tag team wrestling. All four wrestlers were spectacular and the near-falls made for a very suspenseful match.
9. Daniel Bryan vs. Bray Wyatt (at Royal Rumble)- By the time 2014 rolled around, Daniel Bryan and Bray Wyatt were engaged in a huge feud that had started back in October. Bryan had clashed with the Wyatt Family at the two previous pay-per-views, but their match at the Rumble was the first time these two clashed in a singles match.
This was easily one of the best matches of the first half of the year, as we saw Bryan and Wyatt engage in a hard-hitting match. This match is what established Wyatt as a great worker and potential top superstar.
8. NXT Champion Adrian Neville vs. Tyson Kidd (at NXT Takeover)- Kidd is one of the greatest NXT success stories ever. Kidd's under-utilization by the WWE was often decried by the WWE faithful. That all changed this year when Kidd became an NXT regular. He adopted an arrogant heel persona, developed his mic skills, and learned how to work a crowd. Soon, Kidd was the hottest heel in NXT and became one of its top stars. Kidd's first big match as a top NXT star was against NXT Champion Adrian Neville for the title at NXT TakeOver.
While most people were talking about the Sami Zayn/Tyler Breeze match earlier in the night, the main event between Neville and Kidd was undoubtedly a great match. The two had great chemistry together and Neville came off looking like a great champion.
7. Money in the Bank Ladder Match (at Money in the Bank)- Money in the Bank matches tend to be great matches (like both matches last year) and this year's edition was no different. All six competitors (Seth Rollins, Dean Ambrose, Jack Swagger, Kofi Kingston, Dolph Ziggler, and Rob Van Dam) all did an excellent job in this match.
There were some great spots in this match, including Kingston giving a big back body drop to Rollins onto a steel ladder and Ambrose hitting Rollins with a superplex off of a ladder. Kudos to everyone involved in this match, as it was a huge success.
6. The Shield vs. Evolution (at Extreme Rules)- In April, the stable Evolution reformed, sans Ric Flair. The group's first match was against the Hounds of Justice at Payback. It wasn't the main event, but it sure felt like it, as everyone was excited for it. Fantasy booked matches don't usually happen, but in this case it was.
Multi-man tag matches are often hard to book and can turn into chaos, but this was very well-done. Not only was there a lot of action inside the ring, but there was a lot of action taking place in the stands. One awesome spot saw Seth Rollins throw himself off the balcony onto Triple H, Randy Orton, and Ambrose.
5. John Cena vs. Bray Wyatt (Last Man Standing match at Payback)- The John Cena/Bray Wyatt rivalry was one of the longest of the year. It started at Royal Rumble when the Family attacked Cena and ended in June. There were a lot of high- and low-points in this feud, but no point higher than the Last Man Standing match between the two in June at Payback.
Luke Harper, Erick Rowan, and The Usos all got involved as well, so there was a lot more carnage with six bodies involved. This match got a 4.75 rating from Dave Meltzer, and it's not hard to understand why. There were some great spots, like John Cena throwing the steel steps at Wyatt, and all-around great wrestling.
4. The Shield vs. Evolution (No Holds Barred Elimination match at Payback)- Like I said earlier, the Shield/Evolution feud was very anticipated, as was their match at Extreme Rules. Thought that match didn't main event the PPV, their No Holds Barred Elimination Match did main event Extreme Rules, and it was just as good.
Like in the previous match, there was action both inside the ring and all around the arena. Seth Rollins once again took to the air and dazzled with his technical prowess. Triple H looked like a real villain and bad-ass. Roman Reigns looked like an unstoppable behemoth. And the Shield looked truly unstoppable.
3. Intercontinental Champion Dolph Ziggler vs. Cesaro vs, Tyson Kidd (Triple Threat Elimination match on WWE Smackdown)- This was the first year since 2001 where the Intercontinental Championship was the second-most prestigious title in sports entertainment. As a results, fans hoped the IC title would be as big as it was in the days of The Rock, Razor Ramon, and Shawn Michaels. That didn't exactly happen, but the title was still a big deal. This was clearly obvious when IC champ Dolph Ziggler defended his title against Cesaro and Tyson Kidd on an episode of Smackdown.
All three of these men are top-notch wrestlers (all top-ten in the WWE), so it stands to reason that a match with all three of them will be great, and this match sure was. There were some fantastic spots and genuine suspense. This is arguably the best Triple Threat and best Smackdown match of the year.
2. The Shield vs. The Wyatt Family (at Elimination Chamber)- When a clash between the Shield and the Wyatt Family was teased in November, fans were elated. Could we actually see two of the best factions in recent years go head-to-head? Three months later, it actually happened, resulting in one of the best moments of the PG Era and arguably the best match of the year.
All six men in this match (Bray Wyatt, Luke Harper, Erick Rowan, Roman Reigns, Dean Ambrose, and Seth Rollins) worked hard (Rollins was especially impressive and the results were spectacular). This was a great year for six-man tag matches, and this match was the king of them all.
1. WWE World Heavyweight Champion Randy Orton vs. Daniel Bryan vs. Batista (at WrestleMania XXX)- As mentioned earlier, Bryan's victory over Triple H in the opening match of WrestleMania earned him a spot in the main event: a Triple Threat match for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship. His opponents: WWEWHC Champion Randy Orton and Batista, the 2014 Royal Rumble winner.
This wasn't a technical masterpiece by any means. What made this match so great was the story it told: the underdog story of Daniel Bryan overcoming all odds to defeat his opponents and capture the most prestigious title in sports entertainment. In terms of story-telling alone, this is one of the best matches of the year.
What was your favorite match of the year? Comment and let me know.
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