10 Best rivalries in WWE of this decade

Every rivalry needs to have a hero, a villain and a good story. Since the inception of pro wrestling, we have seen some iconic rivalries from Ric Flair and Dusty Rhodes to Stone Cold Steve Austin and The Rock.

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Shawn Michales would not become as popular if it wasn't for the Montreal Screwjob and in the same way, Steve Austin would not become 'Stone Cold' if he didn't deliver a stunner on Vince McMahon.

A good rivalry gives us a story to care about and characters to sink in. We have seen some well-written rivalries in this decade which will be remembered for a long time. These rivalries have played a huge part in the career of the wrestlers to make an impact as a legit Superstar.

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#10 The Usos Vs New Day

Two of the greatest tag team of the modern era

This might be an odd choice here but these two teams have shown us that tag team wrestling in WWE is not dead. These teams have made their names as one of the greatest tag team of all time in WWE.

Now, their rivalry started way before we acknowledged it. These two actually started their feud in 2015 when they competed for the tag team championship at WrestleMania in a fatal four-way match where Jay Uso got injured with the hands of the New Day. After that, they had in a TLC match including the Lucha Dragons.

Things really got bad between them when the New Day came to SmackDown Live as the result of Superstar Shakeup in 2017 and they had a series of amazing matches. In fact, they made pre-show relevant.

Their Hell in a Cell match is one of the best tag team matches in WWE history. The storytelling of this feud was simple, both the teams wanted to be the best tag team of the modern era and that desire made all five superstars look great.

#9 Roman Reigns Vs Brock Lesnar

The Big Dog and The Beast

This rivalry is really a weird one, WWE could have done something amazing with it by turning Roman Reigns heel but with his babyface persona, this feud is very underwhelming and people are not as interested.

Now, when it started in 2015, it was really good. The main event match between Reigns and Lesnar was great and people really were interested in that match. The storytelling was good, Lesnar dominated the majority of the match and he was about to win it but Rollins came and cashed in his money in the bank contract and we never got to see the conclusion of that match.

But three years later in 2018, when these two Superstars came face to face again people were least interested because of Reigns' over the top booking. Everyone knew that Reigns will be winning the match but the result was unexpected, Lesnar beat Reigns clean.

The story of this feud is that Roman Reigns is trying to beat Brock Lesnar for over three years but he cannot. He has done everything from winning championships, main eventing Wrestlemania, a Royal Rumble victory and beating The Undertaker at Wrestlemania.

The only thing he has not done is beat Lesnar. This is a well-written story but WWE is going out of their way to make the fans care about Reigns and that has not been good for this feud. This could have been one of the best rivalries of the modern era but it's not.

Well, this could still work if WWE does it right by turning Reigns heel.

#8 AJ Styles Vs John Cena

Beat Up John Cena

This feud was exactly what AJ Styles needed when he came to the WWE. The face of WWE Vs the face of Indie Wrestling, it was perfect on paper and these two superstars delivered it.

In 2016 after losing to Reigns twice, people were a little concerned about Styles, everyone wanted to know what WWE had in store for the phenomenal one next.

Cena returned after taking a long break, Styles came out to shake his hand on his return and unexpectedly turned heel, he beat up John Cena with Karl Andreson and Luke Gallows, his buddies from New Japan Pro Wrestling.

Styles and Cena had a match at Money in the Bank, where Style beat Cena with the help of Gallows and Anderson. In their second match at SummerSlam, they delivered a classic, where Styles beat Cena clean.

This was the passing of the torch moment, as Cena left leaving his armband inside the ring. After that Style went on to become the WWE champion and called himself 'The face that runs the place', which was Cena's catchphrase.

Finally, they met up again at the Royal Rumble 2017, one year after Styles made his WWE debut.

The two again delivered a classic only this time WWE title was on the line and Cena beat Styles. This rivalry made Styles the star he is today in WWE.

#7 Kevin Owens Vs Sami Zayn

Kevin Owens becomes the NXT champion

Best friends turn to worst enemies, the concept is not new and we have seen this before with Triple H and Shawn Michaels. But this one was special, Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn have known each other since they came into the wrestling business. They started their career at the same time and had a success at the same time.

Then in 2013 Sami Zayn came to WWE and instantly became a fan favorite, after struggling for one year, Zayn finally won the NXT championship, on the same date Kevin Owens made his impressive WWE debut. After Zayn won the title Owens came and hugged him and had a very emotional moment with his best friend but as soon as everyone thought the show was over, he turned on him and powerbomb him on the ring apron. He couldn't get over the fact that Sami signed with WWE first. On his debut, Owens turned on his best friend and two months later he became the new NXT champion, injuring Zayn.

After one year Zayn made his return at the Royal Rumble 2016. They had series of matches after that, which concluded in a very underrated match at Battleground 2016, which Zayn finally won.

#6 The Undertaker Vs Triple H

End of an Era

Triple H Vs The Undertaker was one of the biggest matches in WrestleMania history. In 2011, when The Undertaker returned, everyone wanted to know what he is going to do at WrestleMania 27. The moment he got inside the ring, we heard the music of Triple H and the match was made. It was dark, it was brutal and both the Superstars had the desire to be the best.

Triple H did everything to beat The Undertaker. He used the chairs, he used the tables but he couldn't get the job done. This match showed how desperate Triple H was to beat the streak and how far Undertaker can go to protect it. The match wasn't a five-star classic but it surely was a classic storytelling. In the end, Undertaker made him tap but it Hunter who walked out on his own two feet and Undertaker was carried.

The beating that Undertaker took was so deep for him that one year later he returned and challenged Triple H for their second match but now a suit-wearing Triple H declined it. Undertaker brought his best friend Shawn Michaels into the mix, who also tried to break the streak of the Undertaker and the match was official-- Undertaker Vs Triple H inside Hell in a Cell with Michaels as special guest referee. The emotions were high and everyone was excited to see these two Superstars in the ring again. Of course, Taker won and at the end all three stars Michaels, Hunter, and Taker had a group hug, ending an era.

# 5 Daniel Bryan Vs Triple H

The Yes Movement conquers The Authority

Daniel Bryan was the biggest babyface in WWE in 2013, people were behind him and wanted to see him as the top guy in the company. He finally got a shot at WWE championship at SummerSlam 2013 and he beat John Cena clean, Triple H was the special guest referee in that match. After the match, the COO of WWE Triple H turned on Bryan allowing Randy Orton to cash in his money in the bank contract. This was shocking as Hunter turned heel for the first time after 2006.

Bryan then had a series of good matches with Randy Orton for the championship and Triple H kept screwing him. he even brought Shawn Michaels, who was Bryan's teacher to screw him in a championship match. They didn't even give Bryan a Royal Rumble entry in 2014.

Bryan's popularity with the fans was so much that they occupied an episode of Raw with Bryan and didn't leave the ring until he got want he want. Bryan made a challenge to Triple H for a match at WrestleMania 30, which eventually became the qualifying match for the WWE championship. Bryan beat Triple H clean and went on to become the WWE champion at the grandest stage of them all by defeating Randy Orton and Batista.

#4 Dean Ambrose Vs Seth Rollins

Dean Ambrose VS Seth Rollins

This feud was simply amazing, it was simple and crispy. Seth Rollins betrayed their shield brother Roman Reigns and Dean Ambrose in 2014. Rollins joined the authority and won the Money in the Bank match with the help of Kane. Ambrose couldn't get over the fact that he was betrayed by someone he called his brother and he made Seth Rollins's life miserable. Whenever Rollins tried to cash in his contract Ambrose shows up and makes a failure out of him.

They had a series of matches where both the stars beat the hell out of each other, Ambrose became the top babyface and Rollins became the top heel in the company with this feud. The first chapter ended inside Hell in a Cell, which Rollins won after Bray Wyatt attacked Ambrose.

But in 2015, after Rollins won the WWE championship Ambrose came again and tried his hands on him, which led to the TCL match at Money in the Bank 2015, which again was won by Rollins. Finally, after one year Ambrose cashed in his Money in the Bank contract on the champion Rollins and became the WWE champion for the first time.

It would be interesting to see the rebirth of this rivalry with Ambrose as the heel and Rollins as the babyface.

#3 Tommaso Ciampa Vs Johnny Gargano

Tommaso Ciampa attacks Johnny Gargano

The latest entry in the list and probably the best one. Tommaso Ciampa and Johhny Gargano's feud is quite frankly what wrestling business needs, a hateful villain and a lovable hero. Starting their career in WWE as a tag team Ciampa and Gargano are in the main event scene today. The story started in 2017 when Ciampa turned on Gargano at NXT Takeover: Chicago after they failed to capture the NXT tag team title. Ciampa got injured in that match so he took his partner Gargano with him.

When Gargano returned he had a number of losses, he finally starts winning some match and eventually became the number one contender for the NXT championship. He had a five star classic with then-champion Andrade Cien Almas but failed to capture the title, after the match his old friend Ciampa returned and attacked him again. Ciampa couldn't see his friend succeed, and in his mind, he was always better than Johhny Gargano.

They had their first match of the series at NXT Takeover: New Orleans. It was again a five-star classic by Gargano. The emotions for this match was high, everyone wanted to see Gargano win and Ciampa lose. Gargano made him tap but that wasn't enough for Ciampa, he kept attacking Gargano and they had their second match at NXT Takeover: Chicago II, and despite being the aggressor, Gargano lost this match after he turned his attention to something else.

This feud is still going on and quite frankly, they should never give an ending to this. This is a well written and well-executed rivalry.

#2 Brock Lesnar Vs The Undertaker

Brock Lesnar breaks the Undertaker's undefeated streak

In 2014, Brock Lesner did the unthinkable, he broke The Undertaker's undefeated streak at Wrestlemania 30. Everyone was shocked, they couldn't believe their eyes but that actually happened. Undertaker for the first time in his 24 year career was pinned at WrestleMania.

After that Lesnar went on to become the most dominant force in WWE, he beat John Cena at Summerslam for the WWE World Heavyweight Title and lost it at Wrestlemania 31 when Seth Rollins cashed in his money in the back contract. Lesnar got his one on one rematch with Rollins at Battleground 2015 and that's when the deadman showed up. Undertaker waited 15 months to get his revenge on Lesnar, he straight up low blow Lesnar, which made it clear that how far he is willing to go to get his revenge.

The biggest rematch was set for SummerSlam 2015, where both the stars beat the hell out of each other, but at the end, Undertaker walked out with a controversial victory. Taker actually tapped up to Lesnar in that match but the referee didn't see that and at the end, his hands were raised. The ending of the match is iconic, Lesnar thought he won the match after the timekeeper ring the bell, but the referee didn't call for it.

Taker low blew him and trapped him in the hell's gate. Lesnar refused to tap out and passed out showing the middle finger to the Undertaker. The final chapter was the Hell in a Cell match, where both the superstars were in blood, they even exposed the ring. Lesnar finally beat Undertaker after giving him an F5 in the exposed ring and ended their storied rivalry.

#1 CM Punk Vs John Cena

WWE Champions CM Punk and John Cena

The year 2011 was the year of CM Punk, he was the hottest thing going at that time. In the month of June, Punk won the number one contender's match for the WWE Championship and instantly announced that his contract with WWE is over and he will be leaving WWE as the WWE champion. Then he cut his famous pipebomb promo on John Cena, letting everyone know how he felt about the company and Vince McMahon.

His problem with the company was that they pushed ass kissers like John Cena and didn't treat workhorses like him well. This was the time when people started getting sick of John Cena as the top guy and Punk's promo made him the biggest babyface in the company. At the Money in the Bank PPV, they had one of the best matches in WWE history, never before except for One Night Stand, John Cena was booed so loud, no one wanted him to win, and that exactly what happened, Punk beat Cena and walked out of the company as the WWE champion.

They had no choice but to crown a new Champion and Cena became the champion again. Just after Cena became the champ, Punk returned and at Summerslam, they had their second match for the unification of WWE championship, which again was own by Punk. One year later, Punk turned on fans and began his heel run as the champion, and again Cena came on his way. Finally, Cena won against punk for the first time in a Qualifying match for the WWE Championship in 2013 in an episode of Raw before Wrestlemania 29.

The rivalry didn't get the blew-up which the fans wanted but it was simply amazing for what it was.

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