10 Best WWE Matches of March 2018

The build to WrestleMania 34 accelerated in March, though there is much to be desired. While we saw great wrestling on 205 Live and NXT, as usual, Raw and SmackDown didn't present their best in March.

With April here and WrestleMania approaching, hopefully, that will turn around. Regardless, March did have a few gems, and here they are.

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#10 Asuka and The Miz vs. Alexa Bliss and Braun Strowman (Mixed Match Challenge, March 20th)

The most enjoyable match of the Mixed Match Challenge so far (probably because it featured the two most entertaining teams), this contest pitted all the attributes of its contestants together to create a very entertaining show. All four showed wonderful character work in the match and while not everyone was happy with the ending, Miz and Strowman pulled their stunt off like pros.

#9 AJ Styles vs. John Cena vs. Baron Corbin vs. Dolph Ziggler vs. Kevin Owens vs. Sami Zayn (Fastlane)

Everything about this match screamed "filler" at a pay-per-view which itself should have been titled "Roadblock" instead of "Fastlane." Regardless, with as much talent as there was in that ring, there wasn't a real chance that the match itself would disappoint. Despite the annoying shenanigans involving Shane McMahon, the match was a well-worked war that gave AJ Styles some much-needed momentum for the final stretch on the road to WrestleMania.

It also sold John Cena's desperation tremendously well, setting him up for his own match with The Undertaker.

#8 Charlotte vs. Natalya (SmackDown, March 20th)

In a match that was better than their pay-per-view bouts last year, Charlotte looked in top form heading into WrestleMania as she took on Natalya. A great wrestling showing that was unfortunately marred by an unwanted swerve, the champion wound up losing uncleanly. Still, she did a great job in getting fans more excited about her upcoming dream match with Asuka, which is an opportunity the Empress of Tomorrow, unfortunately, hasn't had an equal chance of doing.

#7 Pete Dunne vs. Adam Cole (NXT, March 14th)

Pete Dunne simply can't have a bad match. Adam Cole has been reliable in putting on great showings. Put the two together and you got a stiffly-worked match that set the stage for what could be one of the sleeper candidates for the best feud of 2018. It also looked like Pete Dunne turned face as a result. If this was only a first act, it definitely got viewers interested in seeing the rest of the play.

#6 Braun Strowman vs. Elias (Raw, March 5th)

A hugely enjoyable car crash between two of Raw's most entertaining talents, there was really no way that the "first ever Symphony of Destruction" match would disappoint fans. Braun Strowman did what he does best - crazy stunts while hurting people. Elias served as the perfect foil. The two stars have great chemistry together and if this was a test to see if they should partner at WrestleMania, they passed with flying colors.

#5 Charlotte vs. Ruby Riott (Fastlane)

Charlotte had her best showing in a year in her match with Ruby Riott at Fastlane. It was a sign that she's getting hot at precisely the right time, as WrestleMania and Asuka await. There are high expectations for this match, with many expecting it to be the best women's match in WrestleMania history. Charlotte showed in this match that she's ready to meet those expectations.

For her part, Ruby Riott established herself as being ready for a push sometime in the future. She was by far the best of the recent NXT call-ups, a fact that Fastlane made abundantly clear.

#4 Adam Cole vs. Kassius Ohno (NXT, March 21st)

A hard-hitting, well-fought affair that got the Full Sail crowd fully involved, this match punched far above its weight on paper. Kassius Ohno is a gatekeeper in NXT, and he does his job well, making the people he works with look like a million bucks because he's such a hard-hitting competitor that's tough to put down.

Adam Cole eventually managed to prevail, but only after a great quality match of the sort the yellow brand seems to put on as a matter of second nature.

#3 Roderick Strong and Pete Dunne vs. Oney Lorcan and Danny Burch (NXT, March 21st)

Another fantastic showing from a fantastic episode of NXT, the seemingly odd pairing of Pete Dunne and Roderick Strong gelled surprisingly well together in the Dusty Rhodes Classic against the more familiar pair of Oney Lorcan and Danny Burch.

After a very stiff, hard-hitting match with dramatic near-falls and expertly-organized tag-ins, the odd couple prevailed, with Pete Dunne seemingly surprisingly pleased with himself. Hopefully, this match was a sign of many things to come, with a lot more Bruiserweight in the future!

#2 Cedric Alexander vs. Roderick Strong (205 Live, March 13th)

Cedric Alexander and Roderick Strong worked an excellent match on the purple brand that has been on a tremendous role since Triple H took over. Fastly-paced, stiffly-worked, and with very dramatic near-falls, the first Cruiserweight Championship Tournament Semifinal delivered in all the ways it needed to and then some. It told a story of neither man being able to afford a loss, but unfortunately only one could win, and that man was Cedric Alexander, to the sad chagrin of a devastated Roderick Strong.

#1 Mustafa Ali vs. Drew Gulak (205 Live, March 20th, 2018)

Of course, the other Cruiserweight Championship Tournament Semifinal would be March's gold medalist. Unlike its counterpart, this match told the story of the hero Mustafa Ali standing up to the frenzied bully in Drew Gulak, who's become a much fiercer competitor since 205 Live got its revamp.

A contest that combined classic cruiserweight wrestling with shades of a hardcore match, Mustafa Ali got his butt kicked until finally his refusal to submit paid off, hitting Gulak with the 054 for the win.

Truth be told, this match would have served better as the final at WrestleMania, but it definitely got fans a lot more interested in the show, and seeing whether Ali (who is far more over) or Alexander will win the purple belt.