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WWE pay-per-views always begin with a pre-show. This show works as WWE's final promotion tool when it comes to trying to ensure there are more eyes on the actual pay-per-view event that follows it.
Over the past few years, since the WWE unveiled the kickoff shows, there have been a number of top superstars who have been demoted to these pre-shows rather than being a part of the actual event.
There have been a few show-stealing matches on pay-per-view cards over the past three years and some that WWE definitely wish they had never given away for free.
#6 Ryback Vs Kalisto - Payback 2016
Ryback's only notable achievements in WWE were when he won the Intercontinental Championship, his unbeaten run which ended at the hands of CM Punk and when he decided to be mentored by Paul Heyman, even though that was deemed a failure.
Despite this, Ryback was actually able to put on some incredible matches when he wasn't under any pressure, and one of these was at Payback in 2016 when he faced off against former United States Champion Kalisto.
The show was in Chicago and Ryback decided to mock hometown hero CM Punk on his way to the ring, which meant the crowd were already behind Kalisto by the time he came out. As ever, the big man, little man match had already been seen at WrestleMania 32 a few weeks before, but this match took it to the next level and even though Ryback didn't manage to win the title, he came out looking strong.
Sadly, this was Ryback's last WWE match as he walked away from the company a day later following a lengthy rant on Social Media surrounding his problems with WWE's pay scale.
#5 Neville Vs Austin Aries - WrestleMania 33
Neville and Austin Aries had a fantastic feud earlier this year centring around the Cruiserweight Championship.
Sadly for the two stars, it was decided that it would be 205 Live's crown that was decided on the pre-show and the two main event calibre stars were forced to head out in front of a stadium that was still filling up and perform to the best of their ability.
This was Aries' WrestleMania debut match and the first in a lengthy feud between these two stars, a feud that lasted until June. It was Neville who drew first blood though, as "The King of The Cruiserweights" managed to retain his title with The Red Arrow in this highly entertaining affair.
This match is widely considered to be one of the best that the Cruiserweight Division has ever showcased, and one that was pivotal in the feud between Neville and Aries.
Being on the pre-show was one of the many reasons that led to A Double leaving the WWE. From making his WrestleMania debut in April to leaving the company in July; Aries threw a curveball at t
#4 Sheamus Vs. Cesaro - SummerSlam 2016
Were Cesaro and Sheamus always destined to become Tag Team Champions together? It could be argued that they were given the fact that both men had such incredible chemistry in the ring.
WWE perhaps overestimated this chemistry when they put them in a Best Of Seven series, that didn't manage to find a winner between them. At SummerSlam back in 2016, the series officially began and the WWE Universe were apprehensive about having to watch the same match seven times over.
Despite this, it seems that Cesaro and Sheamus were the biggest shocks of a preshow that boasted three matches, with theirs being the only one that was entertaining.
The duo later went on to become Tag Team Champions and only dropped their Championships at SummerSlam this year to Seth Rollins and Dean Ambrose, but at least they were on the main show this time.
#3 The Shield Vs. The Usos - Money In The Bank 2013
Money in the Bank 2013 is remembered as the final event of its name to have two ladder matches for both the WWE and World Heavyweight Championships. The titles were unified later that year and the World Heavyweight Championship has since been retired by WWE.
Despite these gimmick matches taking the spotlight on the main show, Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins battled it out against The Usos for the Tag Team Championships on the pre-show in a match that lasted almost 15 minutes, something that rarely happens on pre-shows in WWE.
The match had the audience invested throughout as "This is Awesome" chants rang out through the arena a number of times before a Superman Punch ensured that The Shield retained their collars for another day.
#2 El Torito Vs Hornswoggle - WeeLC Match - Extreme Rules 2014
WWE decided to make history back in 2014 when they put the first ever WeeLC match on the kickoff show.
It was between Hornswoggle and El Torito with 3MB and Los Matadores at ringside and this match is now widely considered to be one of the best comedy matches that the company has ever produced.
The match had little tables and ladders and set the scene for the two men to put on an incredible show from the beginning. WWE went above and beyond by even having their own tiny announce table and announcers, who all had to run when Hornswoggle sent Torito through it with a diving elbow.
It was a fantastic comedy match to prepare the crowd for what was a pay-per-view that saw some deeply personal rivalries, which was exactly what was needed at the time.
#1 The Usos Vs. The New Day - SummerSlam 2017
The Usos and The New Day have been feuding over the Tag Team Championships ever since the longest reigning Tag Team Champions in WWE history made the switch over to SmackDown Live as part of the Superstar shake-up earlier this year.
Even though the WWE Universe had seen this rivalry on the Raw roster a few years prior, the two teams have been able to take it to another level over the past few months.
Back at SummerSlam, the two teams knew that they had to step up their game since they had already faced each other at both Money in the Bank and Battleground, and they definitely managed to deliver. This match is easily the best preshow match that WWE has ever decided to give to the WWE Universe for free.
If the point of putting this match on the pre-show was to draw more attention to the event, then the two teams definitely followed through on their side of the deal.
The question now is whether or not the two teams can deliver again on Sunday night inside Hell in a Cell.
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