When you consider the fact that WWE currently produces well over 7 hours of television programming in any given week, and even more when there is a PPV, it goes without saying that there is an abundance of action that gets far less appreciation than it deserves.
Fantastic matches have become a lot more frequent in WWE, over the past few years, which has naturally resulted in even more high-quality in-ring action being largely forgotten by the WWE Universe.
There have been some true gems over the years that have been seriously underrated, sometimes due to being overshadowed by another match on the same show but sometimes for entirely different reasons. For whatever reason, some matches simply don't get the love that their entertainment factor merited, and coming up are 10 great examples of this.
#10 Kurt Angle vs. Eugene – Summerslam 2005
Let's start off with a match that occurred just under 12 years ago. 2005 was the year, and the landscape of WWE was wildly different to the one we bear witness to today. One man who played a huge role in making WWE a successful entity in these days was the current GM of Monday Night RAW and 1996 Olympic Gold Medalist, Kurt Angle.
He took on Eugene at Summerslam, with Angle's Olympic Gold Medal on the line. Eugene had won the medal from Angle during a 3-minute time limit match, during which Angle failed to defeat Eugene within the allotted time. At Summerslam, Angle and the largely ridiculed Eugene put on a match that was far more entertaining than it had any right to be.
Angle put on one of his most intense performances ever that night, furious that his medal had been taken away by a man who was considered a joke, by many. Eugene himself managed to hit a few big moves, including almost scoring a huge upset after hitting Kurt with a Stone Cold Stunner.
Unfortunately for Eugene, Angle turned up the intensity even further and turned the tables to make him submit with a devastating Ankle Lock. This capped off a great match, one which had the audience thoroughly invested in the action.
Also read: Top 10 WWE matches in under 10 minutes
#9 Luke Harper vs. Dolph Ziggler – TLC 2014
Looking back, 2014 was possibly the best year of Dolph Ziggler's career. He held the Intercontinental Title on multiple occasions, became the sole survivor in the main event of Survivor Series and was arguably the biggest babyface on the roster at one stage, John Cena aside.
To open the final PPV of the year, Ziggler took on the bizarre Luke Harper in a Ladder Match to try and reclaim the coveted IC Title. What followed was one of the best Ladder Matches put on by WWE in recent history, one that has sadly been forgotten by most, mainly due to the relative lack of success enjoyed by both participants since then.
Both men pulled out all the stops to produce something truly special, with Ziggler and Harper both bleeding by the end of the match. On what has to be considered one of the worst editions of the TLC PPV ever produced, Ziggler vs. Harper was the one match that saved the show from being a total disaster.
When Ziggler finally ascended the ladder and retrieved the title, the pop from the crowd nearly took the roof off. It was a match that really did deserve to live long in the memories of the WWE Universe.
#8 Daniel Bryan vs. Bray Wyatt – Royal Rumble 2014
Unsurprisingly, given the uproar that surrounded the Royal Rumble match back in 2014, nobody really remembers all that much from the rest of the show. However, this is a great pity, as the opening match of the card treated us to a minor classic.
Daniel Bryan took on Bray Wyatt in singles action, as a result of Bryan leaving the Wyatt Family just weeks earlier, and the results were enthralling. Wyatt proceeded to steal the show, however, producing his best work inside a WWE ring on that night.
The way he dominated Bryan and the sadistic manner in which he appeared to enjoy preying upon him really had the crowd believing that he was something to be afraid of. Bryan put in a fantastic performance, too, selling Wyatt's offence perfectly and getting the crowd behind him with ease.
The finishing sequence was something special, too - Bryan had built up a tonne of momentum, had the crowd roaring and was going for a Suicide Dive onto Wyatt, who was outside the ring. Wyatt, however, caught him and slammed Bryan's head into the barriers outside the ring with a vicious Sister Abigail.
He dragged a lifeless Bryan back into the ring and hit the move again, leading to Bray securing a genuinely huge victory. Wyatt and Bryan had amazing in-ring chemistry together, and it's a loss to the industry that they'll likely never fight each other again.
#7 John Cena vs Daniel Bryan – Summerslam 2013
Understandably, WrestleMania 30 is hailed as the biggest night of Daniel Bryan's career. The image of him holding aloft both the WWE and World Heavyweight Title belts, having just defeated Batista and Randy Orton, will live on for eternity.
An unfortunate result of this, however, is that Bryan's original crowning moment has been forgotten by many. John Cena was the WWE Champion heading into Summerslam 2013, and had selected Daniel Bryan to be his challenger at the so-called "biggest party of the Summer".
What followed was one of Cena's best matches, as he and Bryan indulged in a very technical and entertaining match. Bryan came of age that night, even dominating Cena at certain points, screaming at him to get up before delivering more Yes Kicks.
After over half an hour of quality wrestling, Bryan debuted his Running Knee finisher and managed to pin Cena, becoming WWE Champion for the very first time. Confetti fell from the ceiling as Bryan, and the Staples Center celebrated an emotional ending to a truly phenomenal Summerslam main event.
#6 Rob Van Dam vs. Tajiri – RAW, 2001
Tucked away on an episode of Monday Night RAW, right in the middle of the Invasion period, was this terrific WWF Hardcore Championship match between RVD and Tajiri. While nobody could claim that it was the most important match of the night, what it did provide is entertainment, along with a showcase for the varying and exciting wrestling styles that can be found in some of the smaller guys.
As expected for a match in the Hardcore division, it was contested under No-DQ rules and exploded into life instantly, charging along at a relentless pace before abruptly ending at under 5 minutes in length. Incredibly, given the severe lack of time that RVD and Tajiri had to work with, they put on an absolutely electric display, the type of match that the modern-day stars of 205 Live should be aiming to emulate whenever they step between the ropes.
It was absolute Cruiserweight mastery, with much Lucha Libre style wrestling along with the Japanese strong style brought to the bout by Tajiri. Solid kicks were exchanged, steel chairs were used by both, but when it came down to it, RVD managed to prove his superiority and retain his Hardcore Championship after pinning the “Japanese Buzzsaw”, following a chair-assisted 5 Star Frogsplash.
In an era where high-quality in-ring action was far more of a rarity than it is today, Van Dam and Tajiri managed to show the world in under 5 minutes just how far ahead of their time they truly were. Even today, it’s unlikely that many of WWE’s Cruiserweights could put on a match of this energy and excellence.
#5 The Shield vs. Daniel Bryan, Kane and Ryback – TLC 2012
Everybody was expecting huge things from Roman Reigns, Seth Rollins and Dean Ambrose from the moment they stormed into WWE, attacking Ryback and sending him through an announce table at 2012’s Survivor Series event.
We knew from day one that they were set for great things, however, we didn’t realise quite how quickly The Shield would start to deliver. They made their in-ring debut at TLC, in December of 2012, against the formidable trio of Daniel Bryan, Kane and Ryback.
To add even more intrigue to the situation, the teams would be squaring off in a TLC Match. This pressure seemed to invigorate the debuting team, as they proceeded to put on the performance of their lives opposite a team full of talent.
Ugly bumps were taken by both sides, including the nastiest of all, in which Seth Rollins was pulled from atop a ladder by Ryback and crashed through several tables out by the entrance ramp. This match was rated 4.5 by Dave Meltzer, an incredible feat for the 3 debutants involved.
#4 Edge vs. Rey Mysterio – Royal Rumble 2008
During early 2008, Edge and Rey Mysterio indulged in a barely remembered but high-quality rivalry. After winning a Beat The Clock challenge in January, Mysterio became the Number 1 contender to the World Heavyweight Championship that was then in the possession of Edge.
It was a match that showcased the absolute best that each of the highly talented performers had to offer – Mysterio was the classic high flying babyface, popping the crowd at every opportunity, while Edge displayed his heel tendencies and made much use of his considerable size advantage over Rey.
The entire crowd loved the prospect of Mysterio lifting the World Heavyweight Title once more, and all were seemingly sickened by the thought of Edge retaining, booing his every move, something which has become increasingly rare due to the partisan nature of modern wrestling crowds.
Just as business was picking up, and Rey seemed as though he was on his way to securing a stunning victory, fortune intervened. As Edge found himself in major trouble, having just been tripped and set up for a 619, Vickie Guerrero leapt up and onto the apron in a desperate attempt to aid her boyfriend.
Mysterio, noticing Guerrero slightly too late, had already committed to hitting the move and made contact with Guerrero’s head rather than that of Edge. Guerrero tumbled to the floor, prompting Mysterio to lose concentration momentarily to check on his inadvertent victim, before returning his opponent.
That moment of hesitation cost him in a big way, giving the larger man enough time to compose himself and hit Mysterio with a massive mid-air Spear after Rey had flown from the top rope in a desperate attempt to end Edge. That was all she wrote, as Edge duly covered Mysterio to retain his title and cap off a thoroughly entertaining clash of styles.
#3 John Cena vs. Kevin Owens – Elimination Chamber 2015
For whatever reason, WWE never reminds us of just how impactful Kevin Owens' debut actually was. Which defies belief, because Owens looked like a massive star that night and was presented in exactly the manner that a man of his considerable talents should be.
Owens had spent weeks verbally and physically assaulting John Cena, having initially confronted him on an episode of RAW, before they collided in the ring at Elimination Chamber. While still the NXT Champion, Owens impressively made his main roster debut against Cena, the biggest star in the company and US Champion.
Neither title was on the line, merely pride, and KO managed to come through with what is arguably still his best WWE match. The match was a high drama spotfest, with Owens delivering a number of crazy moves to Cena, and both men kicking out of each other's finishers.
Although Owens had been allowed to look strong against Cena in the period leading up to Elimination Chamber, nobody truly believed he had a chance of winning. So, when Cena was flattened with a second Pop-Up Powerbomb and pinned, the crowd went absolutely crazy, barely able to comprehend what they'd just witnessed.
Ultimately, however, due to Cena's utter domination of Owens from that point onward, the Canadian's barnstorming debut has been largely forgotten about. This match was rated 4.5 by Dave Meltzer, an impressive number and the highest for a main roster debuting star in Owens.
#2 Undertaker vs. Edge – One Night Stand 2008
When it comes to underappreciated rivalries, look no further than Undertaker and Edge’s scintillating series of battles that spanned from December 2007 to June 2008. The final clash between the two undisputed legends, coming at One Night Stand 2008, was nothing less than a thrilling, unpredictable battle that pitted two of WWE’s biggest names head-to-head in an effort to determine who the better man was finally.
As stipulated, Undertaker would be forced to leave the company if he failed to defeat Edge that night. To add even more drama to the bout, the vacant World Heavyweight Championship was up for grabs. Despite Dave Meltzer perplexingly only awarding this bout 3 and a half stars, it is clear that a match of this quality certainly merited a far higher rating.
In an era where extreme violence in WWE seemed just to come much more naturally, fans were treated to a number of huge spots, including Undertaker delivering a massive Last Ride to Edge, through two tables from halfway up the ladder.
Just as all hope appeared to be lost for the “Rated R Superstar”, with Undertaker scaling the ladder having decimated Edge, La Familia appeared and instantly involved themselves in the action.
Bam Neely and Chavo Guerrero began to pummel The Deadman, however, the tables quickly turned, and Taker laid out both men with steel chairs. Attempting to climb and retrieve the title once more, Undertaker found himself halfway up the ladder when Edge made his way back to his feet.
Remorselessly shoving the ladder, Edge sent Undertaker crashing out of the ring and through FOUR tables that had been set up outside the ring. As the boos reigned down, Edge fully capitalised to ascend the ladder and grab the World Heavyweight Championship, bringing the stunning match to a close and proving to everybody that he was the real deal.
#1 American Alpha vs. The Revival – NXT, July 6th, 2016
Since their ascension to the main roster, American Alpha have looked a pale shadow of the team they once were back in NXT, the lack of booking support they’ve received since moving to Smackdown Live proving to be a massive barrier for Jordan and Gable.
Which is very unfortunate because they proved they could cut it as a top tag team during their scintillating 2016 series against The Revival. Both teams offered up some classic tag team wrestling last Summer, in a feud that extended way beyond their big clash at TakeOver: Dallas. Alpha and The Revival collided with the NXT Tag Titles on the line again in another great match at TakeOver: The End, but the most unheralded match of their series came on a regular episode of NXT television.
The two tandems main evented the broadcast and justified this decision by absolutely tearing the house down in a scintillating 2 Out Of 3 Falls Match. Due to The Revival having just regained the titles, as well as American Alpha being bound for the main roster at this point, everybody in attendance knew that The Revival would go over and that the outcome of the match was never really in doubt.
This didn’t prevent either team from putting in 100% effort, and Alpha proceeded to give their fans a glimmer of hope when they took the first fall, Jordan making Wilder tap out to an Ankle Lock. Of course, The Revival came back to even the scores before long, with Jordan submitting after Dawson trapped him in the Trailer Hitch.
The conclusion of the match came in spectacular fashion, as Revival delivered a devastating Shatter Machine to Chad Gable on the apron. If you’re a fan of classic style, yet also progressive tag team wrestling, look no further than this match.
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