.jpg?w=1280)
Ranking The 25 Greatest Matches of WWE's Ruthless Aggression Era
The Ruthless Aggression Era saw WWE looking to transition from the hugely successful Attitude Era to the future. There was still plenty of attitude, but there was renewed emphasis on great in-ring work, thanks to the likes of Triple H, Shawn Michaels, Kurt Angle, Chris Benoit, Eddie Guerrero, Edge, and Rey Mysterio.
Stars such as John Cena, Batista, Randy Orton, and Brock Lesnar exploded onto the scene and wasted little time establishing themselves as the faces of the era.
Those three, along with the aforementioned greats (and more), turned in some of the finest matches in company history.
In celebration of the era that catapulted WWE out of the Monday Night Wars and into the unknown, join B/R's Erik Beaston and Graham Matthews as they relive the best of the best from that period, ranked by in-ring quality and their significance to the era's history and to WWE as a whole.
Matches taking place between Mr. McMahon's "Ruthless Aggression" speech on the June 24, 2002, episode of Raw to the end of 2008 are eligible for this list.
25. Ladder Match for Undisputed WWE Championship: Jeff Hardy vs. Undertaker (WWE Raw)
1 of 25
Date: July 1, 2002
Winner: Undertaker
GM: The early days of the Ruthless Aggression era are associated with opportunity and new names bursting onto the scene. Jeff Hardy was hardly a fresh face by 2002, but he was just starting to break out on his own when he challenged The Undertaker to a ladder match for the Undisputed WWE Championship on Raw that summer.
It was soon after Mr. McMahon made it known he wanted "ruthless aggression" out of his roster, and Hardy didn't hesitate to rise to the occasion. This was less about the match itself, which was decent at best, and more about Hardy establishing himself as someone fans should be taking notice of.
Hardy valiantly climbing the ladder while Jim Ross called for him to "make himself famous" by becoming champ will live on in the annals of WWE history.
Why Isn't It Higher? There are far better ladder matches you can point to from the Ruthless Aggression era alone as being classics, so the inclusion of this contest is merely about the "moment" than it is the actual in-ring action. That said, it's still worthy of a mention for what it meant to Hardy's career.
24. Shawn Michaels vs. Ric Flair (WrestleMania 24)
2 of 25
Date: March 30, 2008
Winner: Michaels
EB: Emotions were already high entering WrestleMania XXIV in 2008, as it had become clear that Ric Flair would be wrestling his final match as part of a retirement storyline. His opponent, Shawn Michaels, had famously threatened to "Old Yeller" him, eliciting a fire in The Nature Boy that fans had not seen in quite some time.
It was that fire that fueled Flair to prove, one last time in a WWE ring, that he still had what it took to be The Man on wrestling's biggest night.
Though Flair was not the same performer as his glory days, he showed up in great shape, turned back the clock, and wrestled a classic encounter that concluded with a tear-soaked "I'm sorry, I love you" from Michaels and a final Sweet Chin Music.
A match dripping with emotion from both the competitors and the fans, serving as a perfect example of two veteran competitors who can adapt to the situation and still deliver when the lights shine brightest.
Why Isn't It Higher? Flair wrestled again, which definitely hurts its lasting legacy.
23. 'I Quit' Match for WWE Title: John Cena vs. John Bradshaw Layfield (Judgment Day 2005)
3 of 25
Date: May 22, 2005
Winner: Cena
GM: Long before it was a never-ending faction, Judgment Day was one of WWE's staple pay-per-views during the Ruthless Aggression Era, where scores were settled, specifically on the SmackDown side.
John Cena was fresh off besting JBL for the WWE Championship at WrestleMania 21 in a rather unspectacular match. He was in possession of the blue brand's most prestigious prize but had yet to fully prove himself as a perennial main event player who could hang with the elite.
That was why their "I Quit" match at the 2005 installment of Judgment Day was so crucial.
"I Quit" matches can be very hit or miss in terms of their pacing and lack of excitement, but Cena and JBL managed to have one of the most brutal and bloodiest ever, with Cena sporting a crimson mask by the end of it as Cena threatened to strike with an exhaust pipe before sending JBL through a glass panel on the stage.
Why Isn't It Higher? This bout isn't as important to the overall legacy of the Ruthless Aggression era, but it played a key role in Cena's ascension. It's a vast improvement not only over their WrestleMania match but also over JBL's entire reign as WWE champ from an in-ring standpoint.
.jpg?w=256)
22. Elimination Chamber for the World Heavyweight Championship (Survivor Series 2002)
4 of 25
Date: November 17, 2002
Winner: Shawn Michaels
EB: The inaugural Elimination Chamber match changed the game, introducing a new gimmick bout that would become a staple of the WWE schedule and earn its own pay-per-view event. At the 2002 Survivor Series, though, it was the setting of Triple H's greatest test as world heavyweight champion.
Not only was he faced with the challenge of defending his title in an unforgiving steel structure against a who's who of Ruthless Aggression Era greats, Booker T, Rob Van Dam, Kane, Chris Jericho, and Shawn Michaels, but he did it while unable to breathe.
Early on, he took a knee to the trachea from Van Dam, which crushed the windpipe. The Game gutted through it, working for nearly 40 minutes before succumbing to his best friend turned hated rival with Michaels' Sweet Chin Music.
An iconic debut inside Madison Square Garden, with an all-time performance from The Game and the coronation of the Heartbreak Kid to cap off his momentous comeback, makes this one a classic of the era.
Why Isn't It Higher? Too many of the challengers felt like side characters in the Triple H-Michaels story. Yes, they were all legitimate challengers, but it was clear one of the former besties would leave with the gold.
21. WWE Championship: Eddie Guerrero vs. Brock Lesnar (No Way Out 2004)
5 of 25
Date: February 15, 2004
Winner: Guerrero
GM: As someone who was fired from WWE in 2001 and had to work his way back the following year, Eddie Guerrero was very much the embodiment of "Ruthless Aggression" and a prime example of what it means to get yourself over.
Guerrero excelled at everything he did, but there was never a guarantee that he'd ascend to world championship status because of his smaller stature. However, he was too amazing to ignore, and eventually, his organic crowd reactions earned him a shot at SmackDown's top title in early 2004.
The company pulling the trigger on Guerrero's grand WWE Championship win at No Way Out, instead of at WrestleMania 20 a month later, all but confirming fans' suspicions that higher-ups didn't see him as "the guy," yet it remains one of the most emotional moments in WWE history.
Why Isn't It Higher? This match is remembered more for the moment than the in-ring action, which is enjoyable but not extraordinary. Even Goldberg assisting Guerrero at the end and lending him a hand in beating The Beast is glossed over, but it's still a SmackDown milestone worth highlighting.
20. Last Man Standing for WWE Championship: John Cena vs. Umaga (Royal Rumble 2007)
6 of 25
Date: January 28, 2007
Winner: Cena
EB: The best match that no one talks about is Cena's defense of the WWE Championship against Umaga in a Last Man Standing match at the 2007 Royal Rumble. A brutal, physical, barbaric bout that tested Cena's toughness, it presented Umaga as an unstoppable force for the champion to overcome.
And he did, utilizing the ring ropes to choke out The Samoan Bulldozer and escape San Antonio with his title reign intact.
The match upped the intensity throughout and had fans who may have been anti-Cena in nature hanging on every major bump or spot through the finish. It also silenced doubters who claimed the new face of WWE could only have a truly great match when working with another celebrated in-ring performer, like Triple H or Kurt Angle.
It was also a moment in the spotlight for the late, great Umaga, who died on December 4, 2009, at the age of 36.
Why Isn't It Higher? Like a few others on this list, the match is arguably better than some ranked ahead of it, but does not carry the historical element that elevates them past it.
19. WWE Championship: Brock Lesnar vs. Kurt Angle (WrestleMania XIX)
7 of 25
Date: March 30, 2003
Winner: Lesnar
GM: Although John Cena was the first Superstar on the roster (after Mr. McMahon) to utter the words "ruthless aggression," Brock Lesnar was the first to rapidly rise through the ranks and become the face of the growing movement.
He dominated in his rookie year and racked up wins over a number of notable names, but his biggest test came when he vied for the WWE Championship against Kurt Angle in the main event of WrestleMania 19.
Lesnar already had a few standout matches under his belt by this point (including some still to come on this list), but Angle was a drastically different opponent than anyone he had faced before. It forced Lesnar to tap back into his wrestling roots and even attempt to pull out a handful of moves in his arsenal that WWE fans had never seen from him before—and haven't seen since.
From bell to bell, this is a terrific wrestling match, and it speaks volumes that it took precedence over other star-studded matches on that 'Mania card, including "Stone Cold" Steve Austin's swan song with The Rock and Mr. McMahon vs. Hulk Hogan.
Why Isn't It Higher? The match is a treasure, but Lesnar winning the WWE title for the second time didn't mean as much as the first. Lesnar and Angle would also go on to have a better bout on SmackDown later in 2003.
18. Undisputed WWE Championship: The Rock vs. Brock Lesnar (SummerSlam 2002)
8 of 25
Date: August 25, 2002
Winner: Lesnar
EB: Lesnar's meteoric rise up the ranks saw him tear through the competition, win the King of the Ring, submit Hulk Hogan, and arrive in Long Island for his Undisputed WWE Championship match against The Rock as the overwhelming favorite to take the title.
The fans inside the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum turned on The Great One, overwhelmingly supporting The Next Big Thing as he pursued the title that would confirm his status as the face of the Ruthless Aggression Era.
Lesnar backed that support up, absorbing everything Rock threw at him before flattening him with the F-5 to win the title and kick off his run atop the promotion.
A passing-of-the-torch moment in which Rock handed Lesnar the ball to run with, it was a landmark moment in a transitional time for WWE and one that, even 24 years earlier, must be looked at as the moment that jump-started the latter's Hall of Fame run.
Why Isn't It Higher? The match was great and benefited from a red-hot crowd, but one can only wonder what truly classic encounter Rock and Lesnar could have had in a high-stakes rematch with more time to build in-ring chemistry.
17. World Heavyweight Championship: The Undertaker vs. Batista (WrestleMania 23)
9 of 25
Date: April 1, 2007
Winner: Undertaker
GM: WWE did a tremendous job of keeping Batista and The Undertaker apart until 2007, so when it finally came time for them to wage war at WrestleMania 23 with the World Heavyweight Championship up for grabs, it felt like a historic happening.
Famously, the two titans were snubbed of the main event spot in favor of John Cena vs. Shawn Michaels for the WWE Championship, so they took out their frustrations in the form of a fantastic match. They left it all out in the ring and left the crowd in awe of the hard-hitting, highly physical affair they delivered.
This kicked off a stretch of spectacular 'Mania matches for The Phenom, as well as an in-ring renaissance for him in general.
Why Isn't It Higher? For as much of a show-stealer as this was, other matches from throughout the Ruthless Aggression Era are better and more important. That said, every match Undertaker and Batista had in 2007 was a banger, and this was the best of the bunch.
16. 'Stone Cold' Steve Austin vs. The Rock (WrestleMania XIX)
10 of 25
Date: March 30, 2003
Winner: The Rock
EB: "Act one and act two…they don't matter. The only thing that matters, everyone remembers…act three."
If The Rock's pre-match promo did not give viewers goosebumps entering into the co-main event of WrestleMania XIX, the image of The Great One standing across the ring from "Stone Cold" Steve Austin one last time on the grand stage should.
While no one knew it at the time, Austin worked his final match against his top rival, on a stage on which they had worked their magic twice before, just hours after getting out of the hospital due to a health scare.
With the eyes of the wrestling world watching, Rock and Austin delivered another epic encounter that reigned in some of the brawling of their Attitude Era classics and relied more on dramatic near-falls, the trading of finishers, the mocking of others, and the uncertainty of whether The Brahma Bull would erase his previous two failures and finally beat Austin at the Showcase of the Immortals.
He did, after three Rock Bottoms, then paid respect to ol' Stone Cold in an emotional exchange in the center of the ring.
Why Isn't It Higher? While still an excellent match, it paled in comparison to their other two main events and the rest of the matches on the list, thanks at least in part to Austin's physical limitations.
15. Hell in a Cell for the Undisputed WWE Title: Undertaker vs. Brock Lesnar (No Mercy 2002)
11 of 25
Date: October 20, 2002
Winner: Lesnar
GM: The Ruthless Aggression Era had no shortage of blood baths, but this one in particular was as beautiful as it was brutal.
Brock Lesnar was riding high as WWE champion coming out of SummerSlam 2002, and in his first feud on SmackDown, he was paired off with The Undertaker. The fight between the two couldn't be contained at Unforgiven, so their rematch at No Mercy was set inside the always-arduous Hell in a Cell.
Lesnar was put through the wringer by 'Taker, but Lesnar also didn't hold anything back and went so far as to target the injured hand of The American Badass. Paul Heyman wasn't safe, either, as he also caught some strays through the steel by 'Taker.
After a fierce battle, Lesnar barely reigned supreme by putting down The Deadman with an emphatic F5 to retain his title. Lesnar cemented his spot atop the totem pole on SmackDown with this win.
Why Isn't It Higher? The barbaric nature of his match is a sight to behold and is enough to crack the top 15, but it doesn't measure up to the in-ring quality of other matches higher up.
14. WWE Championship: John Cena vs. Rob Van Dam (ECW One Night Stand 2006)
12 of 25
Date: June 11, 2006
Winner: Van Dam
EB: Cena entered enemy territory in the main event of the second ECW One Night Stand pay-per-view, his head down, championship raised overhead in defiance of the guttural hatred spewed at him by fans inside the Hammerstein Ballroom.
His opponent, Rob Van Dam, was the challenging hero. The man who defined ECW late in its existence and who encouraged Vince McMahon to dust the brand off for a nostalgia PPV in the first place.
Facing the most venomous reaction of his career, Cena weathered the storm and with Van Dam, took the ECW faithful on a roller coaster ride that featured high risk, blunder, a smidge of overbooking, a run-in from the champ's sworn enemy, Edge, and Paul Heyman inexplicably being allowed to count the fall and award Van Dam his one and only WWE Championship to the delight of the most hardcore fan base in wrestling history.
Why Isn't It Higher? The match itself is, arguably, the weakest entry on the list. It's a fun brawl, but it is as much about the environment, aura, and moment as it is the in-ring action.
13. Hardcore Match: Mick Foley vs. Edge (WrestleMania 22)
13 of 25
Date: April 1, 2006
Winner: Edge
GM: Edge had the ultimate chip on his shoulder after a WWE Championship reign was ended in three weeks by John Cena. He subsequently shifted his focus toward Mick Foley, who was looking for another chance at glory against someone he saw a lot of himself in.
Most matches in today's WWE that are contested under No Holds Barred or Street Fight rules blend together because they're watered down and don't take full advantage of the stipulation, but that wasn't an issue with this match whatsoever.
Edge was adamant to go the distance and prove that he could be hardcore, while Foley wanted to prove he had a little left in the tank. Both men succeeded in what they set out to do and delivered a sweet symphony of violence.
Edge's scintillating Spear to Foley through the flaming table at ringside was the definition of a 'Mania moment.
Why Isn't It Higher? Edge's incredible 2006 is best remembered for his TLC match with Cena later in the year, but this bout played a pivotal part in getting him back to the main event picture and keeping him there.
12. John Cena vs. Shawn Michaels (WWE Raw)
14 of 25
Date: April 23, 2007
Winner: Michaels
EB: Just days away from the Backlash pay-per-view event, John Cena and Shawn Michaels battled for over 40 minutes, building on spots that they established in their WrestleMania 23 main event a few weeks earlier to craft an even better contest.
A back-and-forth match that saw the then-reigning Raw Tag Team champions escape and survive each other's best stuff, it concluded with Michaels escaping the Attitude Adjustment, rocking Cena with Sweet Chin Music, and falling onto Cena for the grueling victory.
One of the best television matches ever, it told an easy-to-follow story of the grizzled vet getting his win back after outdueling the franchise star.
Cena, facing mounting disdain from fans who did not believe he belonged in the ring with the iconic stars that he competed against every week, proved he could hang with one of the best to ever do it, in a long match that tested his ability to hold the audience's attention the whole time. Not only did he, but Cena did so in a match that earned award consideration.
Why Isn't It Higher? It was a non-title, free TV match that is not as memorable as the higher-profile pay-per-view matches that surrounded it.
11. Ladder Match for World Championship: Shawn Michaels vs. Chris Jericho (WWE No Mercy 2008)
15 of 25
Date: October 5, 2008
Winner: Jericho
GM: There aren't too many matches to be found on this list from the tail end of the Ruthless Aggression Era, but this final entry capped it off exceptionally well.
Although it technically took place after WWE officially adopted the PG rating for its television product, there were still elements of Ruthless Aggression in the latter half of their feud. In fact, it was Chris Jericho and Shawn Michaels' bloody brawl at The Great American Bash 2008 that actually led WWE to go more in a family-friendly direction because it was so, well, ruthless.
This match had the World Heavyweight Championship on the line, but superiority was the grander prize because of their sheer hatred for each other. Even after losing a tooth courtesy of a ladder shot from The Heartbreak Kid, Jericho managed to slink away with the world title in his grasp.
It was the epitome of what a ladder match should be.
Why Isn't It Higher? This is one of the best matches in Jericho's career, and another feather in Michaels' legendary cap, but it's difficult to put it over anything in the top 10 when it came so late into what's considered the confines of the Ruthless Aggression Era.
10. WWE Tag Team Title: Rey Mysterio and Edge vs. Kurt Angle and Chris Benoit (No Mercy 2002)
16 of 25
Date: October 20, 2002
Winners: Angle and Benoit
EB: Paul Heyman's "SmackDown Six" story, surrounding three teams of the best and brightest professional wrestlers on the WWE roster, featured several matches that could have ended up on this list.
The best of the bunch is the finals of the WWE Tag Team Championship Tournament, pitting Edge and Rey Mysterio against Kurt Angle and Chris Benoit.
One look at that lineup of talent, and it should be no surprise that the match became an instant classic. It featured three future Hall of Famers and a technician who was considered by many to be the best at his craft. Heyman booked them together, gave them 22 minutes, and let them do what they do.
The result was a high-energy match full of dramatic near-falls, false finishes, creative counters, and never-before-seen reversals that culminated with Edge and Angle resuming their rivalry from earlier in the year by trading ankle locks. The Olympic gold medalist got the best of his opponent and forced the tapout to earn the win and the titles for his team.
A brilliant match that does not get enough credit for helping to lay the foundation for some of the greatest tag team wrestling of the next two decades, it is another example of fantastic wrestlers being turned loose to captivate the audience with their in-ring action rather than some forced, soap opera or Crash TV nonsense, a la the Katie Vick arc that ended earlier in the same chapter.
Why Isn't It Higher? For one, Benoit's presence in it hampers it and essentially ensures its place in history is shrouded in controversy. For another, its roots are felt in matches today, but we have seen some extraordinary tag team action in WWE and beyond since this one, which hurts its overall impact, fair or not.
9. Hardcore Match: Cactus Jack vs. Randy Orton (Backlash 2004)
17 of 25
Date: April 18, 2004
Winner: Orton
GM: Mick Foley was instrumental in the rise of not only Edge during the Ruthless Aggression Era but also Randy Orton, whose feud with Foley took him from a promising prospect in the midcard to a world champion-caliber competitor.
Orton pinning Foley in the three-on-two Handicap match at WrestleMania 20 was a solid boost for him, but neither of them was content with ending their heated rivalry there. Not only would they agree to collide in a hardcore match at Backlash, but the Intercontinental Championship would also be up for grabs.
Foley was never going to win the title. In reality, it was more a matter of the lengths to which he and Orton were willing to go to put the other away. Similar to Foley's WrestleMania war, this hardcore war was every bit as vicious as advertised.
Foley bringing back his classic Cactus Jack persona for this was a nice touch.
Why Isn't It Higher? The Ruthless Aggression Era was all about making new stars, and this match accomplished that with Orton, despite not getting the main-event treatment that some of the next eight matches did.
8. Iron Man Match for WWE Championship: Brock Lesnar vs. Kurt Angle (WWE SmackDown)
18 of 25
Date: September 16, 2003
Winner: Lesnar
EB: Following a WrestleMania XIX main event and SummerSlam rematch, Lesnar and Angle wrote the concluding chapter in their trilogy of matches in a 60-Minute Iron Man Match for the WWE Championship.
A grueling bout reserved only for the workers who could captivate and entertain for an hour, it was a big test for The Beast, who had yet to work that long.
Together, they would turn in what is, arguably, the best match of its kind in company history while delivering a suitable conclusion to one of the best and most important rivalries of the Ruthless Aggression Era.
Lesnar conceded the first fall by smashing Angle with a steel chair for the disqualification, then delivering an F-5 that tied things up. A quick ankle lock by Lesnar added insult to injury and put him on top 2-1.
Lesnar would continue to dominate, leading by as many as three falls at 5-2, but Angle showed great grit and determination, scratching and clawing his way back into the fight. He would bring the total number of falls to 5-4 before grabbing hold of an ankle lock. Though he sat down on it and grapevined The Beast's leg, Lesnar refused to submit, holding on long enough to win the match and regain the top prize in the company.
A watershed match that will surprise fans who only know Lesnar for the quick squash matches that he has become synonymous with over the years, it was an instant classic between two mat greats that blended story and in-ring action to create something wholly unique and set the bar high for every Iron Man match that followed.
Why Isn't It Higher? It is a testament to the other matches on this list that the magnificent Iron Man Match is not higher. The others are better or hold more historical significance.
7. Unsanctioned Match: Shawn Michaels vs. Triple H (WWE SummerSlam 2002)
19 of 25
Date: August 25, 2002
Winner: Michaels
GM: Had Shawn Michaels called it a career for good after retiring with a bad back in 1998, he still would've gone down as one of the greatest of all-time. His return run from 2002 to 2010 simply solidified his legacy.
Triple H, someone he had a rich history with from their days in D-Generation X, was the perfect person to bring him out of retirement in the summer of 2002. He had shockingly betrayed him during a one-night-only DX reunion and later brutalized him in the parking lot without immediately admitting to it.
Michaels decided to dust off the ol' boots and step back inside the squared circle for what was supposed to be a one-off at SummerSlam, a Street Fight with The Game. Being best friends in real life also made them the best of enemies when the bell rang, so it shouldn't have been surprising in the slightest that Michaels clearly didn't miss a beat during the match and put on the performance of a lifetime.
The HHH vs. HBK rivalry spawned the early years of the Ruthless Aggression Era on Raw, but its first chapter at SummerSlam 2002 was their finest work.
Why Isn't It Higher? The story alone makes this match must-see, along with how entertaining the physicality is. It's a SummerSlam classic, but it falls just short of being the complete package.
6. WWE Championship: Chris Benoit vs. Kurt Angle (WWE Royal Rumble 2003)
20 of 25
Date: January 19, 2003
Winner: Angle
EB: Benoit and Angle were no strangers to extraordinary matchups before 2003. Still, their WWE Championship clash at that year's Royal Rumble stands head and shoulders above their previous bouts as not only their finest, but also one of the best pure wrestling matches in company history.
The renewal of a rivalry that saw The Crippler attempt to capture the one title that had eluded him to that point. It featured counters, reversals, and grappling unlike anything two other Superstars could deliver at the time.
Each grabbed hold of their finishing submissions early but escaped. Benoit survived an Angle Slam, and the 1996 Olympic gold medalist kicked out following his opponent's trademark diving headbutt.
The grueling bout had the fans in Boston, who had just watched a certified anticlassic between Triple H and Scott Steiner, living and breathing on every near-fall and false finish until Benoit trapped Angle in the Crippler Crossface. An alert and masterful technician, Angle countered with a modified version of his vaunted ankle lock, leaving his challenger no choice but to tap out.
Though Angle won the match, Benoit received a massive ovation, proving the fans were ready to accept him into a main-event, championship-level role.
The match itself is a five-star classic that continued WWE's lean into workrate in the Ruthless Aggression Era and suggested that the audience no longer needed an overbooked story or crash TV to invest in the in-ring portion of the product.
Why Isn't It Higher? The match lacks the historical significance of others ahead of it. A five-star classic, but not as important to the story of the Ruthless Aggression Era as those that preceded it.
5. TLC Match for WWE Championship: John Cena vs. Edge (WWE Unforgiven 2006)
21 of 25
Date: September 17, 2006
Winner: Cena
GM: It didn't take long for John Cena to go from being beloved when he won his first WWE Championship to being despised because of how he was booked during that lengthy reign.
Edge was the polar opposite in almost every way, so when he successfully cashed in his Money in the Bank briefcase on Cena to clinch the WWE title at the onset of 2006, it made for a wonderful dynamic. They needed each other at that time, which led them to step up their game and revitalize Raw's main event scene that year.
It culminated in epic fashion at Unforgiven that September when they met in a Tables, Ladders and Chairs match with Edge's WWE title literally hanging in the balance. The stipulation was Edge's specialty, and he had the advantage of the event emanating from his hometown of Toronto.
It was a grueling affair, and the pain and punishment both men put their bodies through was intense. Cena smashing Edge with an FU (now known as the Attitude Adjustment) off a ladder through two tables strap was a stunning visual to end it on.
Why Isn't It Higher? This was arguably the biggest demolition derby of the Ruthless Aggression Era. It was certainly a spectacle, and an outstanding one at that, but it isn't quite as synonymous with the era as the following four are.
4. World Title Match: Chris Benoit vs. Shawn Michaels vs. Triple H (WrestleMania XX)
22 of 25
Date: March 14, 2004
Winner: Benoit
EB: Three immensely talented in-ring performers squared off in the main event of the 20th WrestleMania when 2004 Royal Rumble winner Chris Benoit and Shawn Michaels challenged Triple H for the World Heavyweight Championship in a Triple Threat match.
With that amount of talent, expectations were already high, but what those inside Madison Square Garden and watching at home could not have imagined is that they would witness one of the greatest three-way matches in pro wrestling history at the top of the jam-packed card.
The Heartbreak Kid and The Game put their differences aside for a portion of the match, keeping Benoit subdued and out of the picture, including a massive double suplex off of one announce table and through another.
Late in the match, as he had done so often throughout his career, Benoit fought back and outwrestled his opponents, dodging Sweet Chin Music and dumping Michaels to the outside before applying the Crippler Crossface to The Cerebral Assassin. Triple H attempted to counter, fought through the pain, but ultimately had no choice but to tap out, awarding the match to Benoit.
The Edmonton, Alberta, Canada native had long been considered one of the best wrestlers in the world by the time the spotlight shone on him, and his victory at WrestleMania was a culmination of a career's hard work and dedication. That he shared it with his best friend, Eddie Guerrero, in the closing moments of the show, two workhorse wrestlers who finally reached the pinnacle, only made it that much sweeter.
Why Isn't It Higher? The Benoit factor. In the years since, WWE has largely removed him from its official narrative, which inevitably affects how the match is remembered. The Triple Threat itself has also been revisited and replayed so often that some of its aura has faded over time, which does not help its standing here.
3. WWE Championship: Undertaker vs. Kurt Angle (No Way Out 2006)
23 of 25
Date: February 19, 2006
Winner: Angle
GM: The Undertaker is often associated with the instant classics he had at WrestleMania in the twilight of his run, with some fans forgetting that there were plenty of stinkers that came before (and after) those gems.
When he resurrected his old-school Deadman gimmick in 2004, it was rare for 'Taker to be involved in anything above-average from an in-ring standpoint. Instead, he was put against the plodding likes of The Great Khali, Mark Henry and Heidenreich (one of the Ruthless Aggression Era's biggest blunders) outside of the world title picture.
Then came 2006, when WWE needed a marquee main event for its No Way Out event right before WrestleMania 22 and booked Angle vs. Undertaker for the World Heavyweight Championship seemingly out of nowhere, with no plans for the feud to carry into 'Mania itself.
The two delivered such a spectacular match that it practically changed Undertaker's in-ring style, albeit not overnight. His series of matches with Randy Orton in 2005 was strong, but this was a true wrestling clinic and their chemistry was simply unmatched.
Although Angle eked out the victory, Undertaker would go on to win the world title a few more times—and have many more remarkable matches—in the years that followed.
Why Isn't It Higher? Most longtime fans would expect to see a vast majority of these matches toward the top of a list like this, but Angle vs. 'Taker tends to get overlooked because it didn't happen on a grander stage. Take nothing away from its excellence, however, and make time to give it a watch if you're among those who it has eluded for this long.
2. Hell in a Cell for World Heavyweight Championship: Batista vs. Triple H (Vengeance 2005)
24 of 25
Date: June 26, 2005
Winner: Batista
EB: There are Hell in a Cell matches that have been more jaw-dropping in their risk-taking, but the 2005 war for the World Heavyweight Championship between Batista and Triple H took a different approach, foregoing high spots and death-defying dives for physicality and brutality.
For 27 minutes, mentor and protege waged war inside the unforgiving confines of the steel structure, sticking to high-impact spots and weaponry, such as a steel chain, a steel chair wrapped in barbed wire, and the ring steps, enthralling the audience.
Ultimately, The Animal blasted The Game with his own sledgehammer, delivered a spinebuster onto the ring steps, and added a Batista Bomb for the win and blood-soaked victory.
The bout is a hugely significant match, for Batista, the era, and the match type itself.
For the victor, it was indisputable evidence that he was one of the faces of the company, confirmed by Triple H's willingness to put him over for the third consecutive time on pay-per-view. He would go on to tremendous success as one of the stars the company built around over the next five years, a multi-time world champion who headlined every major event possible.
As for Hell in a Cell, it proved there was an alternative formula that did not rely on the big bumps from the top of the cage and instead focused more on the potential for brutality, as fans would witness nearly two decades later in CM Punk and Drew McIntyre's instant classic.
Why Isn't It Higher? Simply put, the one above it is a classic match on a bigger stage.
1. Shawn Michaels vs. Kurt Angle (WrestleMania 21)
25 of 25
Date: April 3, 2005
Winner: Angle
GM: Shawn Michaels is Mr. WrestleMania for a reason. If that wasn't already evident from his all-timer with The Undertaker at WrestleMania 25, the rest of his match catalog at The Show of Shows can back up that claim, most notably his iconic clash with Kurt Angle at WrestleMania 21.
It was billed as a battle of the brands with Michaels representing Raw and Angle bleeding blue on SmackDown, but their bad blood went much deeper than that in the weeks preceding the pay-per-view and amounted to one of the most anticipated matches on the 'Mania card.
When the bell rang, magic ensued, as their first-time-ever one-on-one encounter lived up to the lofty expectations. Everything they did was so smooth, and the crowd was never bored by what they were watching.
From the immaculate selling to the perfectly-timed reversals to the electric atmosphere in the arena, this match was a masterpiece. More poetically, good didn't conquer evil in this case, but rather left fans clamoring for a rematch down the road between two of the greatest ever.
The Ruthless Aggression Era, more than any other in WWE history, was wrestling-centric, and no bout from that period personified that more than this.
Join Erik and Graham for more trips through WWE history with looks at the 25 greatest women's matches, best Royal Rumble matches, and most iconic WrestleMania main events.
.jpg?w=480)
.jpg?w=600 "Packers RB Arrested on Domestic Abuse Charges (AP)")
.jpg?w=600 "Latest 2026 NBA Mock Draft 🔢")
.jpg?w=600 "Playing 'Trade or Keep' with Every NBA Team's 1st-Round Pick")
