5 greatest 'I Quit' matches in WWE history

WWE has had its fair share of 'I Quit' matches over the years. Some were okay, but others were downright amazing and set the tone for future matches of this caliber down the road. A couple of these matches will forever be etched into our minds as some of the greatest wrestling matches in WWE history!

With the recent announcement of “The Demon King” Finn Balor vs “The Rated R Superstar” Edge at Extreme Rules to square off in this same brutal match type, this sparked up a lot of fond memories of many 'I Quit' matches that have left their mark on the industry forever.

With that said, let’s look at the five greatest 'I Quit' matches in WWE history.

#5. Jeff Hardy vs. Matt Hardy (WWE Backlash 2009)

The Hardy Boyz are one of the greatest tag teams in wrestling history. Whether they’ve been on the same page or on opposing sides, both Matt and Jeff Hardy have shown they can go with the best of the best inside the squared circle.

When the two brothers were involved in an internal feud that began in early 2009 and culminated with an I Quit match at Backlash, many fans questioned whether this match could work for the two men. Surprisingly, the match came off very well and was one of the better 'I Quit' matches during that era.

Jeff tied Matt up to the table and climbed a tall ladder, threatening to jump off onto Matt to take out his brother. Matt begged for Jeff not to and screamed the words “I Quit” to end the match.

The Charismatic Enigma decided to jump off the ladder anyway during the post-match and delivered a leg drop to his brother for good measure.

#4. Beth Phoenix vs. Melina (WWE One Night Stand 2008)

This match may have been forgotten by many in the WWE Universe, but it deserves to be placed on the list as it comes off as one of the company's better women’s matches during the 'Divas' era.

“The Glamazon” Beth Phoenix and Melina tore the house down at One Night Stand (2008), as both women showed off their power, strength, and flexibility in this bout.

The match went at a slow pace but showed the power of Beth Phoenix as she dominated most of the contest as Melina fought off the WWE Hall of Famer for as long as she could withstand the pain and punishment. Phoenix would pick up the victory after forcing Melina to scream “I Quit” after applying the Glam Stretch.

The match was an early glimpse at what the women of WWE could do when given the in-ring time and a story to tell.

#3. John Cena vs. Batista (WWE Over the Limit 2010)

The rivalry between John Cena and “The Animal” Batista is one of the best of all time. When you look back at John Cena, you will find that he has competed in several 'I Quit' matches, but none (arguably) as good as the match he had with Batista at Over the Limit in 2010.

The match took place at the height of the PG Era in WWE. Still, it shockingly featured several brutal and violent spots, including Batista receiving an Attitude Adjustment on a car at the stage entrance.

Both men put their bodies on the line to give the fans the best match possible. After an intense twenty-plus minutes of pulse-pounding action, Batista was forced to say “I Quit” as John Cena would win the match and retain his WWE Championship.

#2. Roman Reigns vs. Jey Uso (WWE Hell in a Cell 2020)

This match was a combination of the Hell in a Cell stipulation fought under “I Quit” rules between The Tribal Chief Roman Reigns and his cousin, Jey Uso. A match that on paper didn’t seem like much as Jey Uso was not seen as a main event level Superstar, but on this night, both Reigns and Uso told an incredible, beautiful in-ring story.

Jimmy Uso returned from injury to support his brother, as Reigns became torn between retaining his title and not hurting his cousin. This has become a massive game-changer for both men, as Reigns proved to the world why he is The Tribal Chief, as he defeated his cousin to retain the title by any means necessary.

This match would mark the beginning of what would become The Bloodline faction in WWE. The Usos would later join forces with Reigns, as the trio would dominate WWE to this very day.

#1. The most brutal and iconic 'I Quit' match in WWE history - The Rock vs. Mankind (WWE Royal Rumble 1999)

The most brutal, bloody, and gruesome I Quit match to date goes to The Rock and Mankind (Mick Foley) from the 1999 Royal Rumble. The match occurred at the height of the WWE’s Attitude Era when the company pushed the envelope as far as they could go with their programming content.

The Rock decimated Mankind with an unprecedented eleven chair shots straight to the head as he was handcuffed and unable to shield himself. The People’s Champion was unmerciful in his assault on Mankind, as he did everything he could to make him utter those two words.

In a storyline twist, the words “I Quit” that were mentioned by Mankind from an earlier segment were piped in through the sound speakers as The Rock asked his beaten down opponent one last time to say the words, giving The People’s Champion the victory and the WWE Championship.

What has been your favorite 'I Quit' match in WWE history? Let us know in the comments section!