The 5 best WWE feuds from 2008-2013

The period from 2008 to 2013 was a deceptively good period in WWE programming. While some fans are quick to dismiss the period as too John Cena-centric, and a time before WWE branched out to embrace indie talent and make the most of its developmental territory.

Despite these limitations, they were also the years when talents like CM Punk and Daniel Bryan came of age in WWE programming and the final years of The Undertaker’s prime and Shawn Michaels’s in-ring career.

This article takes a look at the best rivalries WWE put together from this period with regard to storytelling, match quality, and impact of the storyline.

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#5 The Undertaker vs. Shawn Michaels

Shawn Michaels and The Undertaker put on a classic at WrestleMania 25

In 2009, WWE pitted The Undertaker and Shawn Michaels against one another. They were a pair of iconic veterans without any established storylines going into the biggest show of the year. Thus, the company put together two of its top active legends, each synonymous with WrestleMania -- "The Deadman" for his undefeated streak at the show, and Michaels for building a legacy of great matches at "The Showcase of the Immortals".

HBK vs. The Undertaker was a compelling little feud that resulted in a sensational match at WrestleMania 25. Interestingly enough, the follow-up feud was even better. After accepting a Slammy that anointed their encounter the Match of the Year, Michaels extended the challenge for a rematch at WrestleMania 26.

The follow-up was terrific, with The Undertaker having nothing to prove and Michaels chasing him, hoping to win the Royal Rumble so he could challenge for The Undertaker’s World Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania, then costing "The Phenom" his title to further goad him into a match.

"The Deadman" did ultimately accept the challenge, but only on the condition that Michaels put his career on the line. So HBK got one last great rivalry, and one last great match before hanging up his boots.

#4 The Shield vs. The Wyatt Family

The Shield and The Wyatts had some wild brawls

The Shield debuted in late 2012 and were immediately electric, getting over on top stars and working outstanding matches based on teamwork and frenetic, often chaotic action. By early 2014, the group may have been running its course, just as a newer trio was catching fire --The Wyatt Family, consisting of Bray Wyatt, Luke Harper, and Erick Rowan.

While most of the entries in this countdown earn their spot, in part, for a lengthy rivalry chock full of great matches, this one gets the nod for sheer intensity and long-term implications. When this pair of heel trios collided, fans lost their minds.

It legitimately felt like a dream match scenario for how over both acts were, and how rarely WWE booked heel vs. heel matchups. Their match at Elimination Chamber 2014 was an instant classic and pegged by many as the best WWE match of the year.

Reprisals on Raw and house shows only drove home how fun this rivalry was. One might argue it was great not in spite of, but because of how concise the feud ultimately was, not to mention that it functioned as a foundation for later memorable rivalries between Wyatt and Dean Ambrose, and later Roman Reigns.

#3 John Cena vs. CM Punk

Things got personal in the John Cena vs. CM Punk rivalry

Sometimes performers gel based on their similarities. Other times, it’s polarising differences that make a rivalry work. Such was the case for John Cena vs. CM Punk. Cena was the clean-cut company man; Punk was the anti-establishment people’s champion who certainly didn’t look corporate.

Cena worked a blunt force style, all but tailor fit to WWE; Punk was indie-bred and worked more technically, and with a more diverse move set. Cena had children behind him; Punk had the decisively lower-pitched cheers of the men in live audiences.

While Cena and Punk could have represented an irreconcilable clash of styles, instead, they wound up gelling better than anyone could have expected. WWE was shrewd in their booking, too, as Punk, despite being the underdog, more often got the best of their big matches. So, the narrative persisted that while Cena may have been the bigger star, Punk just might have had his number.

Their on and off rivalry from 2010 to 2013 that encapsulated The Summer of Punk, a Money in the Bank cash in, two SummerSlam world title matches, and Cena’s feud with The Rock, was one of WWE’s finest.

#2 The Undertaker vs. Edge

The Undertaker finished off Edge by throwing him through the ring after their Hell in a Cell Match

The Undertaker and Edge put down the foundation for their rivalry in 2008 as Edge became the antagonist in the World Heavyweight Championship scene, and stole the title right from the grasp of The Undertaker and Batista. In 2008, things went to the next level between "The Dead Man" and "The Rated R Superstar".

Yes, The Undertaker and Edge worked an excellent main event match at WrestleMania 24. The twosome had plenty more in the tank, though, with good rematches to follow en route to an excellent TLC match at the One Night Stand PPV, followed by arguably their best outing of all in a blow off Hell in a Cell match at SummerSlam.

Through it all, The Undertaker was the rightful veteran champion, while Edge played the sleaze-ball heel who kept conniving his way into title shots or winning the strap. The two poetically wove elements of their rivalry into their final encounter with old gimmicks and weaponry intertwining before "The Phenom" finally put his arch-rival to rest.

#1 Shawn Michaels vs. Chris Jericho

In a storied career, Shawn Michaels had few rivals who could compare to Chris Jericho

Shawn Michaels and Chris Jericho had a very good rivalry in the build to WrestleMania 19, but when they revisited their issue in 2008, they took things to the next level. The issue between the two started organically with both as faces, and Jericho playing investigative journalist as he probed HBK retiring Ric Flair and then feigning injury to get the best of Batista.

Slowly, Y2J turned heel, leading up to a confrontation where he brutally beat Michaels senseless at The Great American Bash, and then accidentally punched Michaels’s wife at SummerSlam. The latter incident fueled Michaels destroying Jericho at Unforgiven, before the two would blow off their white-hot rivalry with the World Heavyweight Championship on the line in a Ladder Match at No Mercy.

This rivalry was heated, captured the imagination of the fans, and resulted in great matches. You can throw a few bonus points its way, too, for a brief tag team reprisal as Michaels and Triple H worked under the DX banner to challenge Jericho and The Big Show for the tag titles the following year.