WWE Top 20: Most Hyped Up Matches of the Last Decade
The following slide show contains some of the most hyped up matches in the WWE over the last decade.
There were plenty to choose from, however I decided to go with the following twenty because I feel that these matches made the ratings soar.
Please feel free to add your own personal favorites and thanks for reading.
Stone Cold Steve Austin & The Rock VS. N.W.O
1 of 20
While This match took place during a Raw episode before Wrestlemania 18 I just felt that just by having those 5 star studded names in one match it would of made even non wrestling fans gripped to the edge of their seats.
This match was all about one thing "just who is the biggest star in the WWE" three of the 5 men were fan favourites (Stone Cold, The Rock and Hogan), it really had the adrenaline going from every fan in the audience to every fan sitting at home.
Although the outcome was fairly foreseeable i.e. with Wrestlemania just around he corner the match was obviously going to end in a D.Q However some would argue that this match alone was the Dream match of The Invasion Angle. Although it was missing 5 more participants it definitely lived up to the hype in terms of Star Value and Quality.
Here is a video of the Match.
Ric Flair VS. Mick Foley
2 of 20
This match was everything a WWE fan could of wanted and more. While both men were way out of their prime in terms of finesse , they had all the charisma and ability to create a story that the fans loved and admired.
It showcased the Hardcore Legend (Mankind) and the Dirtiest player in the game (Ric Flair), both men who outside the wrestling world have a bitter ongoing feud between one another. If anything it made the match that more intense and destructible.
Both men gave it their all, they sweat, bled and tore the roof down as both veterans proved that they are still men of Wrestling legends.
Here is a video of the match.
Bret Hart VS. Vince McMahon Wrestlemania 26
3 of 20
Where do I begin, This was without a doubt the must watch match of recent memory. Two men with a 30 year history and a 13 year non kayfabe feud. No one in the world would of ever speculated that in 2010 we would be witnessing the Excellence of Execution (Bret Hart) taking on the man that screwed him out of WWE (Vince McMahon)
While everything was cool between both men in terms of professionalism going into the match and while Bret Hart was not the Bret Hart that everybody loved and adored all those years ago, it still had the nerves on my back jumping out of excitement as soon as I heard Bret's music hit.
In terms of a wresting stand point the match was classed as a major fail, however in terms of story, history and scores to settle it definitely lived up to the hype.
Here is a Video
Kurt Angle VS. Brock Lesnar Wrestlemania 19
4 of 20
Now I Understand that this match was not exactly hyped up in terms of a Blockbuster. However fans who enjoyed the real side of wrestling which concentrated more on wrestling then story, well they were in for a real treat when they found out that Wrestlemania 19 would showcase two of the greatest in ring performers the Wrestling world has ever seen in Kurt Angle and Brock Lesnar.
The match was so good that it overshadowed three of the other big matches that took place that night including Vince McMahon VS. Hogan, The Rock VS. Austin 3, and HBK VS. Jericho. We witnessed one of the finest matches in wrestling since the days of Malenko and Benoit.
One thing that made this match so good was the fact that Kurt was suffering from a damaged neck and Brock Lesnar nearly broke his neck. It was voted match of the year and feud of the year by PWI.
Here is a video of the match.
Royal Rumble 2004
5 of 20
I understand that the 2001 Royal Rumble was one of the most hyped up matches in Rumble history,what with the Rock, Austin, Undertaker and Kane all battling it out for that number one spot. However for me and a lot of WWE Fans the 2004 Royal Rumble was in a league of its own.
We saw a star-studded card, with many high profile names entering this years event, we had superstars such as Eddie Guerrero, John Cena, Big Show, Benoit, Angle, Kane, HBK, Goldberg and a host of other great names. The great thing about this match was that no one would of predicted that Chris Benoit was going onto win the event. For starters he entered in at Number 1 and Benoit was seen as a guy who was just a great mid card wrestler nothing else, that is why the win was so great.
Here is the moment that Benoit won the Rumble.
The Rock VS. Goldberg Backlash 2003
6 of 20
The Rock VS. Goldberg, just when you though that The NWO and The Rock was in a league of its own, Goldberg came and ruined the party. For me this was one of those matches that every fan from a young age who use to follow the Monday Night Wars could not help but dream about matches like this. Granted Austin would of been better suited then The Rock, however you can't get any better then a Heel Rock taking on the most indestructible body the world of wrestling has ever seen.
This match had everything, we saw the crowd jump from Goldberg to The Rock in a matter of moments, no matter how much the Rock threw at them they still loved and admired him so much to a point where they made WCW's main man look like a piece of garbage.
Goldberg did go onto win the match, however The Rock made such an impression on the WWE Universe that even though he was a heel, he was still regarded as The People's Champion.
here is a Video of the match
Chris Benoit VS. HBK VS. HHH Wrestlemania 20
7 of 20
This match was hyped up from the moment Benoit won The Rumble. Wrestlemania 20 witnessed the first ever Triple Threat match for the WWE Championship. When you have names like Shawn Michaels, Benoit and Triple H how could you not help but be hyped up.
This match had everything, submissions, power, technical brilliance, aerial moves, weapons, blood and a host of other prospects that made this match so special. Shawn Michael's showed the world why he is Mr. Wrestlemania. Triple H showed the World why he is the Cerebral Assassin and Benoit showed the World If I will not tap To Lesnar then I will not loose to these two chumps.
The Match ended with Benoit winning the Gold and we then saw an emotional scene where Benoit and long time friend Eddie Guerrero parade around the ring as they both finally reached the heights of their individual careers on the same night.
.Here is a video.
Invasion: WWE VS. Alliance
8 of 20
I understand that this match was not exactly the greatest, what with the WWE's finest wrestling WCW and ECW second class elite. However the fact that this ever happened was enough for me. The WWE did a brilliant job of turning Austin into a Heel by having himself join WCW and costing the WWE the match, this ended up being a great few months of TV.
Here is a video.
Rey Mysterio VS. Chavo Guerrero Debut Match
9 of 20
I for one could not wait to see The Masked Legend Rey Mysterio make his long awaited debut for the WWE. He had a great match would Chavo Guerrero, it was fast, exciting and everything you could wish for in a cruiser weight match.
The crowd got to see a glimpse of what they would soon be in store for when Rey shocked, dazzled and moved many people around the world when he faced the Mexican Warrior. A great match, all i can say is that it is a real shame that the WWE does not go back to the old Light Heavyweight matches.
Here is a video.
McMahon In Every Corner: Wrestlemania 2000
10 of 20
The most dysfunctional PPV had to get a mention on the greatest hyped matches of the last decade. We got the feud finally cumulate between all the superstars and the Mcmahon's, prior to this feud we had seen some great matches between all men such as the Street fight between Foley and HHH and the Royal Rumble feud between the Rock and The Big Show.
The match at Wrestlemania itself was a real humdinger we got to see the creative genius that was The McMahon's in action. It was the first ever Wrestlemania that decided the Heavyweight title in a fatal four way elimination match. While one would of expected Vince McMahon to betray The Rock in he final moments, the fact that the build up was so good no one would of seen it coming, it was unpredictable, live and exciting it was WWE as we knew it.
This match is also responsible for the greatest feud in my opinion between HHH and The Rock, this really excelled the WWE in the right direction as 2000 saw the greatest year in their entirety the great thing about this was that they achieved all this success without Undertaker and Austin for much of that calendar year.
Here is a video.
Shawn Michaels VS. Undertaker Pt 2
11 of 20
While their first encounter was amazing, no one would of thought that their second match would be that good. however not only did they exceed expectations they also managed to surpass their brilliant match at Wrestlemania 25 with another 5 star classic.
The thing that made this match so easy on the eye, was that as a wrestling fan we all thought that there was no way in hell that HBK will loose twice to The Undertaker, this meant that we could be seeing the end of the infamous streak. If that does not hype up a match I don't no what does.
The Undertaker was victorious as he defeated HBK for the second time in a row and in turn ended the 25 year career of the Heart Break Kid, Shawn Michaels.
Here is a video.
Armageddon 6 Men Hell In a Cell Match
12 of 20
6 of the biggest stars in the WWE at the time, not including the special guest Referee Mankind, were about to embark on something amazing but at the same time career ending.
This match saw two Hell In a Cell Specialists (Undertaker, Triple) and four other competitors including the WWE Champion Kurt Angle, The Rock, Austin and Rikishi. Although this match was not to pleasing on the eye as with so much going on it was rather difficult to focus our attention on one single superstar therefore we missed a lot of great moments. However we did get to see The Undertaker push Rikishi of the Hell In The Cell and into a Hay Truck, the greatest thing about this was that would all that talent in the ring no one would of predicted that the champion Kurt Angle will go onto win the match.
It was a great match to see of the end of 2000, a year that dazzled and amazed a lot of us.
A Video of the match
Undertaker VS. Kane Wrestlemania 20
13 of 20
Not the Greatest match in the History of both men's careers, however talk about a build up. Weeks after Kane buried the Undertaker at Survivor Series, we started to see vintages or signs of Taker coming back from the dead, but this time not as the American Badass but as The Deadman or Phenom.
While many feel that it was done prematurily what would The undertaker's character being at the height of its popularity, many felt that with Kane unmasking it was only natural for The Undertaker to follow. The greatest thing about this match was The Entrance, even though I watched it on the television, it still sent chills down my spine, as soon as Paul Bearer screamed "Oh Yea" we knew we were in for a treat.
Here is a video of The Undertaker VS. Kane
Shawn Michaels VS. Triple H Summerslam 2002
14 of 20
Two men with a chequered past, were about to have one of the greatest rivalries and matches in the modern era, at Summerslam 2002 we all witnessed the return of HBK to full time wrestling duties. His match with HHH was so good that it overshadowed the main event between Rock and Lesnar.
The great thing about this match was the chemistry both men had with each other, HHH knew HBK very well therefore the match went extremely smooth especially for a men who has not wrestled a full match for 4 years. The biggest Hype about this match was obviously the showstopper Shawn Michaels, and his Sweet Chin Music.
Here is a video
Elimination Chamber 2002
15 of 20
Like the Hell in the Cell the Elimination Chamber has to be up there. It was different to the Hell In a cell therefore it was very intriguing for a WWE Fan. the newly equipped cage was fitted with "bullet proof glass", it was surrounded by steel and pain, it was everything you could of hoped for.
Although The greatest Chamber match has to be that of 2003 which saw Goldberg destroy everyone including HHH and HBK, this one was great as it marked out the first of many to come. Shawn Michaels won the match and his first Gold since returning to full time action.
Here is a video
TLC Wrestlemania 17
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What do you get when you cross The Hardyz, The Dudleyz and Edge And Christian, yes you guessed it right; you get Tables, Ladders and Chairs.
This match was an instant classic form the get go, it had all men from different walks of life with different skills and abilities all battle it out to see who would be crowned the WWE Tag Team Champions. This match had a lot of hot spots such as Jeff Hardy'z swantomb bomb of the top of the ladder, The Dudleyz and their Tables, the addition of Lita, Spike and Rhyno however none was greater then the spear Edge delivered to Jeff from 15ft high.
It defiantly lived up to all the hype and ever sine then no TLC match has come close to duplicating it.
The Rock VS. Hollywood Hulk Hogan Wrestlemania 18
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Icon VS. Icon makes our number 4 spot on this list.
This match was more about Who is the biggest star then anything else, no one cared about he wrestling nor did anyone care about the build up it was all about who got the biggest cheer and who got booed out of the building. surprisingly yet not so evident was the fact that while Hogan did not win the match he most certainly did win the war as the fans across the arena cheered for The Hulkster to win the match.
Here is a video
Goldberg VS. Brock Lesnar Wrestlemania 20
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Yes indeed, Lesnar V Goldberg is number three on the list.
Over the years we have seen many superstars enter and leave the WWE, however there are only a handful of superstars who have been given the nickname of Superman, due to their uncontrollable strength, power, persona and attitude. Superstars from Hulk Hogan, Batista, John Cena, Ultimate Warrior, Kane, Brock Lesnar and others have all been likened to this status however to me there will only ever be two Animals of the WWE and that is Bill Goldberg and Lesnar.
During 2003 we were treated to some of the greatest Wrestling moments since The Attitude Era, both brands gave us 5 star entertainment with brilliant matches and excellent segments. However while Brock Lesnar was destroying everything and everyone in his path on Smackdown, On Raw we saw The WCW Icon and Wrestling Legend Bill Goldberg taking out his anger on some of the WWE's greatest stars such as The Rock, Batista, Shawn Michaels, Chris Jericho, Kane, Ric Flair, Randy Orton, Mark Henry, HHH and others.
Until recently it has hit me that while people compare John Cena to this super powered human being with incredible raw strength, they fail to realise that Cena is nothing compared to the two giants of Pro Wrestling, Goldberg and Lesnar.
Although their match was not treated with respect due to both men parting ways with the company after the match, it did in fact play out well I mean how would you book one man to win when You have Goldberg in one hand and Lesnar on the other.
Here is a video of their match,keep in mind the match may not have been grand but the build up was intense.
HHH VS The Rock Judgment Day 60 Min Iron Man Match
19 of 20
The number two most hyped up match of the last decade is HHH and The Rock. This was the match that made boys and girls from around the world miss the next day of school due to the great expectation this match had to offer.
This match also resulted in the return and debut of The Undertaker and his new persona The American Badass. Both men were battling it out for months, with the title changing hands on multiple occasions, the only way they could settle the score was in a 60min iron Man Match at Judgement day, which saw HBK play as the special guest referee. If you watch this match you will see that this along with Lesnar V Angle and Bret V HBK are the only real Iron man match classics in the history of wrestling. It was truly a great time in wrestling and while nothing can ever be compared to it nor can it ever be duplicated I am truly glad that I lived to see it.
here is a video for that great match
The Rock VS. Stone Cold Steve Austin Wrestlemania 17
20 of 20
Yes folks The Rock VS. Austin at Wrestlemania 17 was to me the most hyped up match of the last decade and in the entirety of the WWE industry.
The Rock VS. Austin has been compared to many gret bouts in sports such as Mike Tyson VS. Lennox Lewis,Ali VS. Frazier.it has such a aura about it that it made headlines in newspapers around the world. Austin and the Rock were both faces in the match but as the match was taking place in Texas The Rock became an automatic Heel. However at the end of the match evrything changed when Austin aligned himself with is arch nemesis Vince McMahon and in turn became a Heel. It was truly a great OMG moment in wrestling.
Here is video of the greatest Hyped match of the last decade.
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