Ranking the Greatest WWE PPV Matches from 2020 Thus Far

WWE pay-per-view has been largely hit-or-miss here in 2020, thanks to a variety of reasons, but there have still been a handful of extraordinary encounters that rank among the year's best to date.

Midway through a tumultuous year, WWE has produced championship classics, cinematic wonders and the always tricky 30-man clash for the coveted WrestleMania main event spot.

This list of Match of the Year candidates at the midway point of 2020 may be the most eclectic in company history, thanks to unforeseen circumstances and a level of creativity forced by the COVID-19 pandemic.

In the most unprecedented six months in wrestling history, these are the PPV bouts that have set the bar for the remainder of the calendar. 

5. Universal Title Strap Match: Daniel Bryan vs. The Fiend (Royal Rumble)

The year started red-hot with a fantastic Royal Rumble pay-per-view that may have been defined by its namesake but was enhanced by the Strap Match for the Universal Championship between Daniel Bryan and "The Fiend" Bray Wyatt.

Despite its physicality, and the discomfort of watching two men whip each other with a leather strap, the match thrived on its storytelling.

Bryan was overwhelmed and beaten down by the unstoppable force that was The Fiend. His skinned turned red with welts and cuts, the result of his opponent's unflinching use of the strap across his back and chest. But the challenger never quit.

He fought back and delt the same punishment to Wyatt. In the end, though, the ferocity of the champion proved too much, and The Fiend secured the win in what proved a fittingly violent end to their intense rivalry.

4. Greatest Wrestling Match Ever: Edge vs. Randy Orton (Backlash)

Many laughed off WWE's "Greatest Wrestling Match Ever" tagline when it was applied to the rematch between Edge and Randy Orton at Backlash, and rightfully so. It was a ballsy attempt at drumming up interest in a C-level event and one that easily could have damned the match to infamy.

However, Edge and Orton delivered a fantastic match, even amid the lofty expectations placed on it by the company's marketing wizards.

A smartly wrestled bout that relied on old-school psychology and the implementation of finishers the competitors had used (and faced) over the course of their careers, it was the quality of match Edge deserved for his comeback and a reminder of just how extraordinary a performer Orton is. 

The Viper won, but in reality, it was a victory for both, who were presented with the unenviable task of living up to impossible standards and still managed to deliver a genuine Match of the Year candidate.

Awkward camera angles and piped-in crowd noise be damned.

3. NXT Women's Title Match: Rhea Ripley vs. Charlotte Flair (WrestleMania 36)

What happens when a red-hot, young star riding a wave of momentum enters the biggest show of the year for a colossal encounter with the standard-bearer in her field?

That is a question the NXT Championship Match between Rhea Ripley and Charlotte Flair sought to answer with their opening bout on night two of WrestleMania 36.

A brilliant match saw Flair outclass the young Ripley, working over her knee and repeatedly seeking the Figure Eight submission. It was a masterclass in wrestling by The Queen.

For every bit of offense Flair got in on Ripley, she bumped around for her and put her over as a threat to pick up the win. The hard-hitting affair also managed to elevate the significance of the black and yellow brand's top prize.

Flair ultimately capitalized on the injured leg of her opponent and scored the hard-fought victory, but one thing was undeniable coming out of the match: Ripley was absolutely the star of the future WWE had presented her as.

As for The Queen, she was again the absolute best, under the brightest lights and on the biggest stage. 

2. 2020 Men's Royal Rumble Match

Brock Lesnar's early dominance.

Drew McIntyre's breakout.

The stunning return of Edge.

A dramatic conclusion in which any one of three Superstars could have conceivably won.

The 2020 Royal Rumble Match was the best in 10 years and a rollercoaster ride of emotions for fans begging WWE to make them excited about the Road to WrestleMania 36. It was also a reminder of how extraordinary that particular match type can be when it is structured, defined by the story, and has crowd-pleasing spots sprinkled in throughout.

McIntyre propelled his career forward by eliminating the dominant Lesnar, Edge shocked the world and basked in the raw emotion of his unfathomable comeback, and Roman Reigns, again, provided the perfectly dramatic finish that fans deserve out of the Rumble.

It was everything you could ask for and more out of that particular match, and the result was the second-best production of the year.

1. Boneyard Match: The Undertaker vs. AJ Styles (WrestleMania 36)

Then it ended.

Not with a bang, nor a whimper.

But with the tolling of the bell.

The Boneyard Match between The Undertaker and AJ Styles was not only the perfect example of cinematic professional wrestling done correctly, nor was it only a fittingly brutal conclusion to a feud that escalated in intensity in the weeks leading into it.

The Boneyard Match, as we found out in the WWE Network docuseries Undertaker: The Last Ride, was the conclusion of the most storied and celebrated career in company history. Taking that into consideration, with the excellence of the overall presentation and the story contained within, it is impossible not to recognize that particular match as the finest on PPV from WWE this year.

The Undertaker looked to preserve his legacy at an event he had become synonymous with. The American Badass sought to ride one more time. Mark Callaway showed up ready to fight for his own reputation and the honor of his wife, Michelle McCool.

That three-headed monster allowed him to overcome interference from Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson, and an onslaught from a game Styles, and pick up what might be the most emotional victory of his career.

That his brother had passed away the day before the match was filmed makes Undertaker's performance within that much more impressive.

Styles bumped like crazy and delivered one of his best verbal performances ever, bringing his character alive for the showdown. Without it, the match may not have had the same effect.

The final images of an exhausted Phenom sitting on his motorcycle before raising his hand in the air, his purple symbol illuminating the side of a barn before riding off into the darkness, was the most appropriate ending for that character imaginable.

The Last Outlaw, riding off into the night, one last foe resting in peace.

An exclamation point on the year's finest match.