10 Best WWE Matches of The Year 2001

Many look at 2001 as being a bit of a dark year for wrestling. Both WCW and ECW went out of business within the first 3 months of the year, many consider the 'Attitude Era' to have ended when Stone Cold Steve Austin turned heel and joined forces with Vince McMahon, and the entire WWE vs. WCW/ECW Alliance storyline was a complete bust.

It wasn't all doom and gloom in my opinion though. One major saving grace for the year was the matches. I think 2001 had more than a dozen excellent encounters that should be a must-see on every wrestling fans list.

All-time greats like The Rock, Stone Cold Steve Austin, Triple H, Kurt Angle, Chris Jericho and more all had some of their best ever matches in 2001 and even the mid-card provided several match of the year contenders.

Here are what I believe are the top 10 best WWE matches of 2001.

#10 Triple H & Steve Austin vs. Chris Jericho & Chris Benoit - RAW, May 21

This was one of the best matches in the history of WWE Monday Night RAW. All four men were among the top five best performers in the company at the time and top 5 - 7 of the entire year.

Chris Jericho and Chris Benoit had won a Tag Team Turmoil match the previous evening at Judgement Day to earn this Tag Team Championship match with Steve Austin and Triple H. The action was so fast-paced and the crowd was red hot. Good heel work from the defending champions and the Chris duo were great at making comebacks.

They all had a good amount of time in the ring together each, lots of false finishes, submissions, counters and smooth wrestling. The MVP of the match has to be Triple H, who infamously tore his quad after delivering a clothesline to Jericho. The Game soldiered on for another 7 minutes in agony after it happened.

The match had a great ending when Triple H accidentally hit Austin with his sledgehammer, leading Jericho to cover Austin. The finish was supposed to lead to tension between Austin and Triple H, leading them to re-open their feud, but didn't happen due to Triple H missing the next 8 months of action. Now the new WWE Tag Team Champions, Chris Jericho and Chris Benoit came off as mega main event players.

#9 Rob Van Dam vs. Jeff Hardy - Invasion

Rob Van Dam had only officially debuted for WWE a few weeks earlier, so this was his WWE pay-per-view debut, and what an incredible one it was, and with a perfect dance partner in Jeff Hardy.

This was a very physical match with a lot of good near-falls that were believable. Despite Jeff Hardy being really popular and RVD being a member of the heel Alliance, Rob was still super over. One big notable moment in the match was when Hardy pulled out a huge ladder from under the ring and climbed it outside the ring, but was met RVD on the ropes who pushed the ladder, giving Jeff a rough landing on the entrance ramp.

The end came when Hardy went for a Swanton Bomb, but RVD moved out of the way and placed the title on Jeff's chest and went up top to hit the Five Star Frog Splash on Hardy as well as the title and covered for the win.

#8 TLC 3 - SmackDown, May 24

This was absolute carnage!

WWE Tag Team Champions Chris Jericho and Chris Benoit were ordered to defend their titles in a Tables, Ladders and Chairs match with the three tag teams, the Hardyz, Dudley's and and Edge and Christian, who had spent the past year having some of the best matches ever in these surroundings at WrestleMania's 16, 17 and SummerSlam 2000.

This was a heart-pounding roller coaster that only these eight men could deliver. The action was high flying, hardcore and at times, very frightening, even more so than the other TLC's we had seen from the challengers.

Many tables were broken, including Jeff Hardy delivering a leg drop from the top of a ladder through the announcer's table. Several more high top ladder moves, including a spear from Edge to Jericho from the top.

Among the many tables broken, swung chair shots and ladder high spots, perhaps the most notable moment is when Chris Benoit attempted to deliver a diving headbutt from the top rope to the outside as Matt Hardy lay on a table.

Instead, Matt moved and Chris crashed through the table in an incredibly rough landing that forced medics from the back to come out and take Benoit away with them. Amazingly Chris resurfaced a few minutes later to climb the ladder and retain the gold for him and Jericho.

It was an incredible and tough week for Chris Benoit, who four days prior at Judgement Day had wrestled a 24 minute 2 out of 3 Falls match with Kurt Angle and then took part in a Tag Team Turmoil later that same night, followed by RAW the following night where he and Chris Jericho took the Tag team titles from Triple H and Steve Austin in one of greatest matches in RAW history.

A shame that his incredible performances cannot be looked back on so fondly today.

#7 The Rock vs. Chris Jericho - No Mercy

No Mercy 2001 is one of the best WWE events of all time as it delivered in every match, without a single bad performance. And the best match of this show of solid encounters was the WCW Championship bout between Champion The Rock and challenger Chris Jericho.

While The Rock was his usual ultra-popular self going into this one, Jericho had a lot of crowd support here to as he was obviously well liked, but more importantly, WWE had been building up to this all month, really hamming it up that Jericho had never 'won the big one'. Was this to finally be his night?

Despite Rock being a huge star and Jericho just really having recently entered the main event scene, Rocky helped make Jericho look like he was right where he belonged. The match went back and forth for almost all of it, some vintage moves from each men's arsenals including Rock Bottoms and Lionsaults leading to convincing near falls. The end came when Stephanie McMahon ran out with a chair, seemingly insisting that Rock use it but he instead dragged her into the ring.

As referee Charles Robinson is trying to eject her, Jericho nailed Rock with a Stroke onto the chair for the three, and finally wins the big one.

#6 Chris Jericho vs. Chris Benoit - Royal Rumble

Chris Jericho and then WWE Intercontinental Champion Chris Benoit had been feuding on and off throughout 2000, delivering on some of the years best matches, and that really was saying something at the time. In all matches they had, not just in WWE but everywhere else they fought, this Ladder match at the Royal Rumble was easily their absolute best.

In fact, this is not just the best match they had together, but one of the best Ladder matches of all time. They started this one with a brawl and spent a few minutes treating it as if it were a standard match before a ladder was introduced and used by both men against each other, as well as some attempted climbs.

Benoit took a lot of rough headshots in this match, which is tough to watch knowing what we now do, but it still has an effect of what you were watching was really real. We got an incredibly memorable spot when Benoit went for a suicide dive but Jericho caught him with a chair shot to the head as he flew between the ropes. At one point, Jim Ross suggested that this ladder match was taking Ladder matches to another level, and I would have to agree.

The end to this incredible and brutal war came when Benoit climbed the ladder but Jericho caught him with a shot to the spine with a chair. Benoit then kicked Jericho off the ladder but he bounced off the side ropes and he knocked Benoit off the ladder to the outside of the ring, bouncing on the ring ropes as he went down, and Jericho grabbed the IC gold.

#5 Triple H vs. Stone Cold Steve Austin - No Way Out

A history-making match here as it was the first ever 3 Stages of Hell match, and officially the final match in the historic Triple H vs. Stone Cold Steve Austin 2 year on again/off again feud. The two were meant to continue their feud in the summer but plans obviously changed when Triple H tore his quad.

The first fall of this incredible counter would be under standard rules. Austin targeted Triple H's arm, preventing Triple H from performing the Pedigree, as Triple H targeted Austin's leg and knee. Austin performed a Stone Cold Stunner on Triple H to win the first fall.

The second fall was a Street Fight. Austin was in full control during the first 5 minutes or so. Some back and forth action for a while brought them to the outside where Triple H attempted a Pedigree through an announce table on Austin but was unable to, allowing Austin to perform a Back Body Drop on him through an announce table.

More brawling, counters, weapon use and signature moves back in the ring. Austin attempted a Stone Cold Stunner on Triple H but Triple H countered and hit Austin with his sledgehammer and a Pedigree to win the second fall.

The third and final fall would be in a Steel Cage. Austin attempted a Stone Cold Stunner on Triple H but Triple H countered the move into a Pedigree on Austin for a near-fall early on into this one.

Some attempted escapes from The Game and use of the cage itself as a weapon. Triple H attempted another Pedigree on Austin but Austin countered the move and performed a Stone Cold Stunner on Triple H for another close near-fall. The end to this amazing war came when Triple H hit Austin with a sledgehammer as Austin hit Triple H with a 2X4 wrapped in barbed wire and Triple H fell onto Austin, into a pinfall, winning 2 falls to 1.

#4 Royal Rumble Match

When fans talk about the best Royal Rumble matches of all time, this one is usually in everyone's top three, and in many cases, a lot of fans all-time favourite Rumble match, and it is easy to see why. It was action-packed, star-studded, had several surprises and the right winner.

Jeff Hardy and Bull Buchanan were the first two entries. After being joined by Matt Hardy and Ron Simmons, we had American actor, comedian and host Drew Carey enter. he had been there to promote his own pay-per-view the following week, and quickly got a crush on Trish Stratus, and entered at number #5 to impress her.

He had a comical moment where he offered number #6 entry Kane some money not to hurt him and then eliminated himself as Kane fought Raven.

Kane gave one of the best performances in Royal Rumble history here and eliminated 11 superstars by himself, a record which stood for 13 years. Raven, Al Snow, Steve Blackman and Perry Saturn brought some Hardcore Championship like action to the match, before they, along with Grandmaster Sexay were eliminated by Kane.

Next, we had another surprise entry, the Honky Tonk Man making his first WWE appearance since the Royal Rumble 1998. He sang his theme before Kane clocked him with his own guitar, and eliminated him.

Things went serious next as The Rock entered at number #13 to a huge pop. After The Godfather and Tazz were quickly eliminated, the ring started to fill up as number #16 Bradshaw came out.

Our next surprise entry was at number #23, the Big Show. He came out to a huge pop as he hadn't been seen on WWE TV in about 5 months. He only lasted just over a minute before being eliminated by The Rock. An angry Show then put Rock through the announcers' table. The Undertaker was #25, and he and Kane quickly cleared the ring.

A nervous Scotty 2 Hotty came out next and was destroyed by the brothers. Stone Cold Steve Austin arrived next but was attacked by Triple H before he got to the ring, in retaliation to Austin costing The Game the WWE Championship earlier in the night. Our final surprise entrant was number #29, then reigning WCW Hardcore Champion Haku.

This would have been a huge Monday Night War blow to WCW, had they not already lost most of their audience by this point, but it was still embarrassing for them none the less, and the never mentioned the hardcore Championship again.

Rikishi was number #30. He eliminated The Undertaker, but was then eliminated by The Rock just after. After The Rock was eliminated by Kane, it was down to he and Austin. After a minute or so of fighting Austin, Kane went outside the ring, grabbed a steel chair and tried to use it to hit Austin.

Austin avoided the chairshot and executed a Stunner on Kane. As Kane got up, Austin hit him in the head three times with the chair and then clotheslined him over the top rope to win the Rumble for a record third time.

#3 Kurt Angle vs. Shane McMahon - King of The Ring

Now, this match was just pure violence. It was just seriously brutal.

As a performer in the ring, if Shane McMahon knew how to do anything, it was taking one hell of a beating. An angry Kurt starts with a one-sided attack on Shane, throwing him around, still furious from earlier in the evening when Shane cost him the King of The Ring crown. After Shane fights back, Kurt messes around with him with some amateur moves, which Shane soon grows tired of and just goes dirty on Angle instead.

Now on the floor, Shane gets on the railing behind JR and Heyman and jumps over both them and the table to hit Kurt with a clothesline in a great spot. Some kendo sticks and trash cans are soon introduced for some fun.

Now fighting up to the top of the ramp, Angle suplexes Shane over his head into one of the bulletproof glass walls (placed there by mistake instead of soft sand glass), and as it doesn't break, Shane lands very loudly on his neck.

That was one of the sickest spots ever. It is amazing how he didn't break his neck, like seriously. Vince almost put a stop to the match here but was convinced otherwise not to. Angle picked Shane up for another suplex, this time successfully breaking the glass.

Angle does the same thing through the other glass and again, it doesn't break, but again, does the second time. Somehow Shane isn't dead. Back in the ring, after another amazing performance by Shane, Kurt hits an Angle Slam from the top rope, putting an end to this brutal war.

#2 TLC 2 - WrestleMania X-7

The Hardy Boyz, Dudley Boyz and Edge and Christian made history one year earlier at WrestleMania 16 with the Triangle Ladder match. They then upped the anti at SummerSlam with the first official Tables, Ladders and Chairs match.

All of this brought us here, to WrestleMania X-7 for the same three teams in TLC 2. The Mania crowd here went crazy for every match on this night, with this one in particular.

Much like the year before, the Dudley Boyz came in as the defending Tag Team Champions. Dudleys took control early, then the Hardyz get a turn until E&C come in with the ladders to take everybody out. All three teams then brawled for a few minutes.

The Dudleys got the tables, then with Edge set up on the table, Bubba powerbombed Jeff on him and through the table. As Edge attempts to grab the gold, Spike Dudley ran and aided his brothers. This is followed by E&C's buddy Rhyno running out and hitting several Gores, including Matt Hardy through a table.

Lita ran out next and attacked Rhyno and Spike. She was soon met with a sick 3-D from the Duds. Jeff Hardy hit a beautiful Swanton off a 15 ft ladder to Rhyno and Spike. In the most famous moment of the match, Jeff climbed up and hung off the titles, unable to pull them down, then Bubba pulled the ladder out from under Jeff, he swung forward and Edge speared him off a high ladder all the way to the floor.

As it seemed like D-Von Dudley was close to grabbing the gold, Rhyno inserted E&C on the ladders, elevating them up to grab the gold. Incredible contest.

#1 The Rock vs. Stone Cold Steve Austin - WrestleMania X-7

One epic encounter at the peak of their careers

Without a doubt, in my opinion, not just the best match of 2001, but the best WrestleMania main event of all time.

Everything here was perfect. The Limp Bizcuit 'My Way' video package for them was better than some of the matches even. The match started off fast and stayed that way, the action didn't slow down once.

This was The Rock and Steve Austin were at the peak of their careers, so the best match to come out of them was expected but it was even better than anyone could have thought. The flawless performance included a dozen finishers from each, pints of blood everywhere, an incredibly hot audience, exciting brawling and a shocking conclusion.

The Austin heel turn and alliance with Vince McMahon bothered a lot of fans, but this writer thought it was genius. Austin vs. McMahon couldn't go any further and it led to an incredibly entertaining heel run from the Texas Rattlesnake. It all started here with this epic encounter.

Edited by Rahul Arun