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WWE is considered the best wrestling company of all time. It is not because of the quality of matches but because of storytelling.
WWE is vocal on the story and the rivalries created by them. WWE has created one of the best rivalries in the history of wrestling. Due to the storytelling, WWE has given the best rivalries of all time. The wrestlers, too give their all to make the rivalry more intense and better. Let us talk about 5 best WWE rivalries of all time:
#5 Chris Jericho vs Shawn Michaels
This is what happens when you put two of the best wrestlers in the company against each other. The two started feuding when Jericho was the special guest referee in Batista vs Michaels where Jericho said Michaels faked the injury and which Michaels denied that. Jericho then apologised but Michaels then accepted that he faked the injury.
Later, Jericho invited Michaels to the Highlight Reel and couldn't believe after Michaels' was too egoistic in the match against Batista, he was still getting cheered. He then threw Michaels in the JeriTron(LCD screen) and turned heel. The moment was so real. This also lead to Michaels injuring his eye. This lead to a match between two at Great American Bash where Jericho won via referee stoppage by damaging ribs of Michaels'. He even punched Michaels wife in the face at SummerSlam as Michaels dodged down. Again at Unforgiven in an unsanctioned match which again leads to referee stoppage as Jericho was left bloodied by Michaels. But later, Jericho won the World Heavyweight Championship when he filled the vacant place of CM Punk when he was injured and vacated his title. Jericho then defended the title against Michaels and retained which culminated at the end of the rivalry.
Jericho and Michaels were so good in the story-telling that the rivalry looked too believable. The story revolved around the fact that Jericho's friend lied to him and faked his injury. This was one of the best rivalries of this decade.
#4 Daniel Bryan vs The Authority
Daniel Bryan was one of the most over babyfaces back in 2013. On an episode of Raw, John Cena, then WWE Champion was given a choice to whom he would like to face at SummerSlam. Cena set his opponent as Daniel Bryan and later it was announced that the referee will be none other than Triple H. At SummerSlam, Bryan defeated Cena in a classic and was later screwed by Triple H who turned heel and pedigreed him followed by a cash-in from Money in the Bank holder Randy Orton who became the WWE Champion. Later, Triple H formed the Authority and later added Kane to it.
The Authority always tried to prove to Daniel that he was a B+ player whereas they wanted A players to hold WWE Championship. Since then, Daniel faced Randy for the championship and was always screwed by Authority and even Shawn Michaels at Hell In A Cell who superkick him for attacking his best friend Triple H.
Later, the returning Batista won the Royal Rumble whereas Daniel Bryan was losing to Bray Wyatt. He again fought for WWE Championship inside Elimination Chamber and was again screwed by Kane(Authority Member). On an episode of Raw, he started the Yes Movement against the Authority and asked for a match at WrestleMania against Triple H and if he won, he is added to the WWE World Heavyweight Championship match between Batista and Randy Orton. He won the match against Triple H and in the main event, he completed his dream of becoming WWE World Heavyweight Champion.
The story felt so true and believable. A man who wanted to fulfil his dreams fights his way to become a WWE Champion in the main event of WrestleMania 30.
#3 Shawn Michaels vs Bret 'The Hitman' Hart
Bret 'The Hitman' Hart and 'The Heart Break Kid' were the faces of professional wrestling in the 1990s. Known for putting best matches, the two are often considered the greatest wrestlers to ever step foot inside a squared circle. The rivals were indulged in a rivalry onscreen as well as offscreen.
The two put on classics whenever they stepped foot inside the square circle. The two also fought in a first-ever Iron Man Match won by Michaels. Later it was believed that Michaels would lose to Bret Hart, but he pretended to be injured and didn't compete. There were tensions between them at SummerSlam, but it would lead to Hart winning the title when Michaels accidentally hit the Undertaker with a steel chair in the face and Hart pinned him leading us to the first ever Hell in a Cell match. After beating the Undertaker after his onscreen brother Kane came out, Michaels again got into a rivalry with Bret Hart. This time it was for the WWE Championship and Vince wanted Michaels to become the new WWE Champion. But Hart refused to lose to HBK and that lead to the most controversial moment in wrestling history, The Montreal Screwjob. Vince would order the referee to ring the bell when Michaels locked in the Sharpshooter on Hart but he never tapped out.
It was also said that Hart punched Vince in the face after the match after which Hart went to WCW. Later he was inducted into the Hall of Fame 2006 and Michaels and Hart shared the ring again in 2010, where they hugged it out and cleared all their disputes.
The rivalry is still considered one of the best rivalries till date and also a crucial part of Attitude Era and the greatest on and off-screen rivalry in the history of WWE.
#2 John Cena vs CM Punk
CM Punk-John Cena rivalry is one for the ages. The rivalry between the two is one of the greatest rivalry ever produced by the WWE.
The rivalry started when CM Punk won a No. 1 Contender's match against Rey Mysterio and Alberto Del Rio and told the world that his contract with WWE will expire on 19th June, the day his match will happen with WWE Champion John Cena at Money in The Bank and he is leaving WWE as WWE Champion. The next week, he will help R-Truth beat Cena in a table match and cut the infamous Pipebomb Promo and break the 'fourth wall'.
Later, Vince would try to negotiate a new contract with him, but he will ask Vince to say 'goodbye to CM Punk'. At Money in the Bank, CM Punk became a hometown hero, getting a very good response from his hometown Chicago whereas Cena got booed. The two put on a classic and the match was rated five-star match which CM Punk won and left the arena with the WWE Championship after giving Vince a flying kiss. Later, CM Punk would return when John Cena will become the new WWE Champion. They fought a match at SummerSlam with Triple H as Special Guest referee where CM Punk became the undisputed WWE Champion and lost the title to Alberto who cashed in his money in the bank.
Later Punk would win the title at Survivor Series 2011 and in July 2012, again got indulged in a rivalry when Cena told Punk he would cash in his money in the bank in a clean match. The match ended in DQ due to interference by Big Show. The three faced each other at SummerSlam where Punk retained but had turned heel by the time. Cena and Punk again battled for the last singles match for the championship at Night of Champions, where CM Punk would retain. The last match they had was on an episode of Raw for a chance to face the Rock at WrestleMania 29, to whom CM Punk lost the title at Royal Rumble and mark the end of historic 434-day title reign. John Cena would win the match, which marked the end of the rivalry.
The rivalry is considered the best in PG era and The Pipebomb dropped by CM Punk on Raw is considered the best promo in professional wrestling history. If CM Punk would have won the last match against John Cena, I believe we would still have had Punk in WWE and seen John Cena vs CM Punk rivalry again. Also, their match at Money In The Bank was the last 5-star match we have seen on the main roster in WWE.
#1 Stone Cold Steve Austin vs Vince McMahon
Was there any bigger babyface than Stone Cold Steve Austin? Was there any heel better than Vince McMahon?
The rivalry between the two is considered the best WWE rivalry of all time. Steve Austin became a crowd hero during his match against Bret Hart at WrestleMania 13 when he refused to tap out on Sharpshooter in the end.
The rivalry started when Austin won the Royal Rumble in 1997, but Vince said he doesn't want Austin to become a WWE Champion. Later, he took Mike Tyson as a special enforcer in the WrestleMania match against Shawn Michaels but he turned on Michaels to help Austin win the WWE Championship.
Austin won the Royal Rumble 3 times and even faced McMahon in a steel cage for a match at WrestleMania, but won the match due to interference by Big Show who was on Vince's side.
Austin was the face of the company during Attitude Era whereas Vince was the biggest heel of the company. And the rivalry, in one form or the other, continues to this day.
One for The NXT: Tomasso Ciampa vs Johnny Gargano
Johnny Gargano is the currently the biggest babyface in the wrestling industry whereas Tomasso Ciampa is currently the best heel in the wrestling industry. Starting as friends, Johnny Gargano and Tomasso Ciampa were a tag team famously known as #DIY.
But, after their Ladder match against Authors of Pain at NXT TakeOver: Chicago, Tomasso Ciampa turned on Gargano and threw him off the stage saying he tore his ACL and they lost due to Gargano. After 9 months, he again attacked Gargano leading to a match between them at NXT TakeOver: New Orleans won by Gargano. The match was rated 5 stars.
They faced each other again at NXT TakeOver: Chicago where Ciampa won and later entered NXT Championship picture and won the title due to interference from Gargano. The rivalry is still far from over. Let us see how it goes out later.
Their rivalry is considered one of the best rivalries in professional wrestling currently and the best thing going in WWE today.
