WWE Night of Champions 2014: Most Underrated Matches in Event's History

WWE Night of Champions is a show that is traditionally sold on a major heavyweight title bout at the top of the card. Oftentimes, the match includes the biggest stars in the industry and is heavily hyped on Raw and SmackDown, much to the dismay of fans tired by the same old names and faces.

But that does not mean those same names and faces can not deliver the occasional underrated, undervalued and underappreciated contest. From John Cena to Batista to Edge, some of the greatest and most recognizable stars of the last decade have seen their matches at the annual event overshadowed by others on the card.

They are not the only ones, though. Dolph Ziggler, Daniel Bryan and The Miz helped build their reputations based on their performances at the event. With two of the three scheduled to compete for the Intercontinental Championship at this year's Night of Champions on Sept. 21, relive four of the event's most underrated matches in preparation for the upcoming WWE Network presentation.

...Which you can watch for only $9.99 a month.

4. World Heavyweight Championship Match: Batista vs. Edge (2008)

Credit: WWE.com

Batista vs. Edge has never been a match that was dynamic but it has always been a contest that was far better than it was given credit for. Wrestled very much like the Ric Flair-Lex Luger matches that headlined for the NWA in the late 1980s, the match was professional wrestling at its most pure.

After a year of competing against one another, Batista and Edge turned in their finest performance to date, using counters to thrill the audience. Interference from La Familia eventually led to a title shot to the face and The Animal and a successful title defense for Edge.

The match was crisp, entertaining and did not suffer from the same lulls that previous bouts between the two did. With that said, there was some clunky psychology as Edge neglected arm work that he had set up earlier in the night before turning to a basic chin lock to wear his opponent down.

While that may be considered a minor knock against the match, it did toy with the overall quality and keep it from becoming one of the best and most memorable bouts in event history.

3. WWE Championship Match: John Cena vs. Alberto Del Rio (2011)

The decision to take the WWE Championship off of Alberto Del Rio and put it on the stale John Cena just weeks after the Mexican aristocrat captured his first heavyweight title was so awful that it overshadowed what was actually a very good match between two talented in-ring performers.

Del Rio worked his physical submission style while Cena did enough to sell for his opponent to make it appear as though the champion would leave with his title intact.

Unfortunately for Del Rio, that was not the case, even with interference from personal ring announcer Ricardo Rodriguez.

Rodriguez prevented a pinfall from occurring following an Attitude Adjustment but Cena quickly dispatched the pesky annoyance and trapped his opponent in the STF. Del Rio fought admirably but ultimately had no choice but to tap to the punishing hold.

Cena and Del Rio would have many better matches over the three years that followed but their match from 2011's Night of Champions ranks among their more underrated and undervalued. 

2. Intercontinental Championship Match: Rey Mysterio vs. Dolph Ziggler (2009)

Credit: WWE.com

The summer of 2009 brought bigger and brighter things for Dolph Ziggler, who was but an opening match Superstar before enjoying a sizable midcard push on SmackDown and being entered into a rivalry with Rey Mysterio over the Intercontinental Championship.

At Night of Champions, Ziggler got his first real opportunity to shine on a pay-per-view stage, challenging the legendary luchador for the title held by so many future stars throughout WWE history.

WWE's resident Showoff turned in a performance that earned him good will among fans and management alike. Together, he and Mysterio turned in a match that was equal parts dynamic and dramatic. With so many counters and a few extraordinary near-falls, Mysterio not only established himself as wrestling's most resilient, Ziggler proved that he could hang with someone perceived to be an elite performer.

Though he fell victim to the 619 and the springboard splash and suffered a defeat, Ziggler demonstrated that he was one of the sport's brightest young stars.

Without the series with Mysterio that summer, Ziggler may never have achieved the success and longevity that he has.

1. United States Championship Match: Daniel Bryan vs. the Miz (2010)

As pro and rookie during NXT Season 1, The Miz and Daniel Bryan were constantly bickering with one another. Miz was the overbearing, obnoxious villain who believed his experience on the big stage with WWE was enough to label him a "pro", while Bryan balked at the idea that he would be instructed by a former Real World competitor.

Months after Bryan was eliminated from NXT, they rekindled their rivalry, this time incorporating Miz's United States Championship. At Night of Champions in September 2010, they would clash over the title in a fairly anticipated bout.

Bryan sent Miz scurrying early, forcing the champion to rethink his strategy against the world-renowned performer. When he re-entered the squared circle, he never really gained firm control of the bout. Bryan was always there to cut him off and prove himself as one of the best wrestlers on the planet.

Ultimately, Miz found himself trapped in the LaBelle Lock (known now as the Yes Lock) with no other choice but to tap out.

It was a humbling moment for the loudmouth Money in the Bank winner, whose claims at superiority were were proven wrong by a very game young competitor looking to make a name for himself in World Wrestling Entertainment.