Ranking and grading every WWE pay-per-view in 2021

2021 has been a roller-coaster of a year for WWE. There were several highs and lows, from the return of fans to the disheartening mass releases. WWE's creative process may not be at its best, but no matter the quality of RAW and SmackDown, the company has always delivered on the pay-per-view front.

WWE produced 11 special events this year, with none of them being a complete dud. The in-ring quality has remained as high as ever throughout 2021 even when the booking may have let the Superstars down. This was the case whether or not fans were present for them.

Take a look at every single WWE pay-per-view from 2021, grade them, and rank them from worst to best. What was your favorite event of the year? Comment down with your picks.

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#11 WWE Fastlane

If there was one pay-per-view WWE could have done without this year, Fastlane was it. The show was filled with a bunch of average matches involving the likes of Big E, Sasha Banks, and Bianca Belair. It felt like an episode of RAW and slowed down the Road to WrestleMania.

The only consequential event was the Universal Championship bout between Roman Reigns and Daniel Bryan. Edge cost the latter the match, who was added to WrestleMania's main event as a result.

Meanwhile, Drew McIntyre and Sheamus had a hard-hitting No Holds Barred Match that dragged Fastlane from being a one-match show. We also saw The Fiend show up in his burnt form to help Alexa Bliss beat Randy Orton.

Grade: C

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#10 WWE Hell in a Cell

While the in-ring work at Hell in a Cell was great, WWE's booking did not help matters. Most of the matches were good but were let down by some poor finishes.

This was evident in Bobby Lashley and Drew McIntyre's WWE Championship match, which ended in a roll-up after some brutal action inside Hell in a Cell. The other cell match was much more satisfying, as Bianca Belair defeated Bayley following a competitive showcase.

The rest of the show featured roll-ups and disqualifications, ending promising matches in disappointing ways. Cesaro and Rhea Ripley were among those who suffered. Alexa Bliss defeated Shayna Baszler in a tedious match that further drags Hell in a Cell near the bottom of this list.

Grade: B-

#9 WWE Survivor Series

WWE's final pay-per-view of the year was defined by product placement and a lack of stakes. Brand warfare has never felt less important, which brings Survivor Series down despite the quality of in-ring action.

Becky Lynch defeated Charlotte Flair in a physical and intense battle, while Roman Reigns ended the show with a clean win over Big E. The men's Survivor Series elimination match was also quite fun, with Seth Rollins standing tall. However, there was a sense of incompleteness around the event.

The Rock did not appear at Survivor Series, despite being heavily promoted during the show. WWE even had a golden egg storyline from his movie "Red Notice," while dedicating an entire Battle Royal to Pizza Hut. At least Omos had a good showing.

Grade: B

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#8 WWE Extreme Rules

Extreme Rules should ideally be placed higher on this list, as the in-ring action was excellent. But this did not feel like an important show. WWE did not even bother to add stipulations to any of the undercard matches, despite the event being called Extreme Rules.

The only "extreme" match on the show saw Roman Reigns take on 'The Demon' Finn Balor. It was great until the top rope snapped out of nowhere, causing The Demon to fall right into a Spear from Reigns. This was the worst end to a pay-per-view all year.

Elsewhere, Sasha Banks returned from a month-long absence during Bianca Belair's title match against Becky Lynch. The Usos and The Street Profits shared an absolute banger, while Charlotte Flair defeated Alexa Bliss in an exciting clash.

Had WWE called this show anything else, like No Mercy, it would be more fondly remembered.

Grade: B

#7 WWE Elimination Chamber

One of WWE's shortest pay-per-views of the year, Elimination Chamber was a compact show. It would have been fine as the only special event between Royal Rumble and WrestleMania.

The two exciting matches delivered well, particularly the SmackDown Elimination Chamber Match. Daniel Bryan won after lasting the entire contest, only to be squashed by Roman Reigns immediately afterward. Drew McIntyre also suffered a quick loss after winning inside the satanic structure.

Bobby Lashley assaulted the Scotsman after his big win, having lost his US title to Riddle earlier on. This led to The Miz cashing in on his Money in the Bank contract and winning the WWE Championship from McIntyre. The All-Mighty's push to the main event scene began here.

The Elimination Chamber would have been even better had the women been booked more favorably. WrestleMania foes Sasha Banks and Bianca Belair lost a Women's Tag Team Title match to Nia Jax and Shayna Baszler. They couldn't co-exist.

Grade: B+

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#6 WWE SummerSlam

WWE's big stadium show upon fans permanently returning, SummerSlam was a mixed bag. Fortunately, some of the highs were sky-high, while the lows were kept short. Alexa Bliss vs. Eva Marie and Drew McIntyre vs. Jinder Mahal are prime examples, going less than 10 minutes in total.

RK-Bro and Damian Priest won their respective titles on the undercard, while Becky Lynch made her much-awaited WWE return. Her squash of Bianca Belair isn't as bad as it initially seemed. The EST in WWE is still a big star and may eventually dethrone Big Time Becks.

Elsewhere, Edge and Seth Rollins put on a classic that lit up the Allegiant Stadium. This was the perfect start to their epic trilogy. John Cena's Universal Title match against Roman Reigns was a great main event for a show as big as this.

Brock Lesnar's return was a complete shock and bumps SummerSlam up a few places, even despite Goldberg's WWE Title match against Bobby Lashley failing to deliver.

Grade: B+

#5 WWE WrestleMania Backlash

Despite its weird name, WrestleMania Backlash was one of WWE's greatest efforts of the ThunderDome era. It was a night of excellent action, showcased by Cesaro's heroic performance in the main event opposite Roman Reigns.

The Swiss Superman showed why he should be in the upper portion of the card, even if he was laid out by Seth Rollins after the match. Bobby Lashley continued his dominance as WWE Champion with solid wins over Drew McIntyre and Braun Strowman.

Rhea Ripley and Bianca Belair retained their respective Women's Championships in good matches, while Rey and Dominik Mysterio made history at WrestleMania Backlash. They became the first father-son duo to become Tag Team Champions after defeating The Dirty Dawgs.

This fun show would have been even better if WWE hadn't booked The Miz and Damian Priest in a zombie Lumberjack Match. It was the worst pay-per-view match of 2021.

Grade: B+

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#4 WWE Royal Rumble

WWE's first pay-per-view of the year was also the strongest one without a crowd. Having a Royal Rumble in this setting may feel awkward, but it worked. Both Rumble Matches were good, as WWE created a new megastar in Bianca Belair.

She entered the Women's Royal Rumble Match at No.3 and withstood some stern competition from Shayna Baszler, Charlotte Flair, and Rhea Ripley. The latter's final sequence with Belair was electric. Meanwhile, Edge went one better and won the Men's Rumble as the No.1 entrant.

The Rated-R Superstar had an inspirational showing, while he was joined by a returning Christian. The current AEW star had a fantastic in-ring comeback. Damian Priest also impressed on his main roster debut in the Royal Rumble Match.

Elsewhere on the card, Roman Reigns outlasted Kevin Owens in a Last Man Standing Match, although the botched ending took away from it. Sasha Banks defeated Carmella in a solid outing, while Drew McIntyre survived Goldberg to remain WWE Champion in an explosive opener.

Grade: A-

#3 WWE WrestleMania 37

WWE's first event with fans present in 2021 was WrestleMania 37. The two-night extravaganza was a welcome change from the monotony of the ThunderDome. It also featured some excellent matches and emotional moments.

Night One was particularly great, even if the action was delayed due to rain. It kicked off with Bobby Lashley's stunning win over Drew McIntyre. The All-Mighty remain WWE Champion against expectations. Meanwhile, Cesaro looked amazing in his victory over Seth Rollins.

Bad Bunny was mightily impressed as he and Damian Priest defeated The Miz and John Morrison. It may be the greatest celebrity match in WrestleMania history. However, the show could only be stolen by Bianca Belair and Sasha Banks.

They headlined Night One of 'Mania 37 with a brilliant match. The EST of WWE won the SmackDown Women's Championship emphatically, capping off a fantastic night. Had Night Two been as good, WrestleMania could have been the best WWE pay-per-view of 2021.

Nevertheless, Sunday night did deliver some fun action. Sheamus, Apollo Crews, and Rhea Ripley earned WrestleMania moments, while Kevin Owens defeated Sami Zayn and hit Logan Paul with a Stunner.

The Fiend's underwhelming defeat to Randy Orton would be Bray Wyatt's final match, serving as the biggest dud of the weekend. WrestleMania 37 did end with a magnificent main event, though, as Roman Reigns defeated Edge and Daniel Bryan to retain the Universal Championship.

The Tribal Chief smashed, stacked, and pinned both of his opponents to end The Show of Shows in the most dominant way possible. While not the most stacked WrestleMania ever, WWE delivered two nights of fun that was greatly enhanced by the presence of the fans.

Grade: A

#2 WWE Crown Jewel

With Crown Jewel, WWE delivered its greatest Saudi Arabian pay-per-view this October. The show felt huge, with immense star power scattered through it and not a single bad match.

Roman Reigns and Brock Lesnar headlined Crown Jewel with a solid first chapter to their storied saga, while Edge and Seth Rollins opened with the perfect end to theirs. The Hell in a Cell Match was among the greatest WWE matches in 2021, as the legend fittingly ended this feud with a Curb Stomp onto a chair.

Goldberg also stood tall in Riyadh, as he decimated Bobby Lashley in an entertaining Falls Count Anywhere Match. Xavier Woods fulfilled his dream of winning King of the Ring, while Zelina Vega won the Queen's Crown Tournament.

The women were further showcased in a star-studded triple threat match as Becky Lynch defeated Sasha Banks and Bianca Belair. Meanwhile, Big E's WWE Title defense against Drew McIntyre was also excellent.

Crown Jewel was great from top to bottom and has a genuine case for being the best WWE pay-per-view of the year. We even saw Riddle ride a camel to the ring!

Grade: A

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#1 WWE Money in the Bank

It's pretty close, but WWE's best pay-per-view in 2021 was Money in the Bank. It was the first one back with a full crowd of fans, making for an epic night. Every match was at least solid or had a purpose, as demonstrated by Bobby Lashley's squash of Kofi Kingston.

AJ Styles and Omos retained their RAW Tag Team Titles against The Viking Raiders, while Nikki A.S.H. stunned everybody by winning the women's briefcase. The final three matches made this show so great, starting with Charlotte Flair's RAW Women's Title victory over Rhea Ripley.

The two turned an uninterested crowd around to craft a memorable contest, following a non-PG gesture from The Queen. They were followed by an excellent men's Money in the Bank ladder match.

Big E won the briefcase in an inspired finish, following huge spots involving Ricochet, Kevin Owens, and Seth Rollins. The latter ended up costing Edge the Universal Championship after a storytelling masterclass between him and Roman Reigns in the main event.

What happens afterward takes Money in the Bank over the top. John Cena made his surprise return to confront The Tribal Chief. It resulted in one of the loudest pops in WWE history, as fans celebrated the return to relative normalcy in the best way possible.

Grade: A