Ranking WWE pay-per-views
World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) has been producing ground-breaking pay-per-views (PPVs) since the mid-1980s. Over the past 30-plus years, fans have witnessed some of the most tremendous performances alongside some…not-so-good ones, as well. Whether this be because of the production or a result of the quality of the matches, it is safe to say that any WWE pay-per-view can be very hit or miss. In this article, we will be taking a look at some of WWE’s best and worst PPV matches.
5. Crown Jewel 2018
The first Crown Jewel PPV occurred in Saudi Arabia after company founder Vince McMahon chose to sign a 10-year deal with WWE. This deal was not well received by fans and members of the mainstream media. Both parties urged WWE to disband their contract and discontinue the event. The PPV went on as scheduled, however, and wound up as one of the worst PPVs I have ever seen. Shane McMahon won a meaningless World Cup tournament, Brock Lesnar took home another championship, and four legendary superstars came out of retirement and botched the entire match. Triple H and Shawn “The Heartbreak Kid” Michaels, members of the legendary group “D-Generation X”, took on the iconic “The Brothers of Destruction;” Kane and The Undertaker. They all tried their best in the ring but were way past their primes. For example, Michaels had retired eight years prior to the event with a final match that was a beautiful send-off to his career—he should have kept it at that.
4. Hell in a Cell 2019
This PPV only had one good match, a bout featuring Becky Lynch and Sasha Banks battling for the WWE Raw Women’s Championship. The rest was a nightmare…literally. For those of you unaware of the rules of a Hell in a Cell match, it is a battle with no disqualifications. Participants are allowed to use as many weapons as desired.
Seth Rollins defended the Universal Championship against Bray “The Fiend” Wyatt. The match was universally negatively received by fans in the audience, as well as by viewers at home. The stadium was bathed in red lighting, which made it difficult for viewers to see what was occurring in the ring. This match ended abruptly when Rollins slammed a sledgehammer over Wyatt and no winner was named as viewers were left confused and dissatisfied.
3. Wrestlemania XIX
Wrestlemania XIX saw legends like Shawn Michaels and Chris Jericho face off in clashes of both abundance and greed. Stone Cold Steve Austin’s farewell match against The Rock also took place at the 19th annual Wrestlemania—a noteworthy goodbye for one of the greats. This PPV would have been better rated, had Brock Lesnar not attempted to do a shooting star, more commonly referred to as a backflip splash, onto Kurt Angle while almost breaking Lesnar’s neck.
2. Backlash 2004
The early 2000s are known for providing fans with some of the best matches in wrestling history. At Backlash 2004, Mick Foley, known for his other characters like Cactus Jack, Dude Love, and Mankind, faced off against Randy Orton in a hardcore match. Both men wielded insane weapons like barbed wire baseball bats, kendo sticks, and garbage cans. The match peaked when Orton set up to perform his finisher, the RKO, on Foley who countered the maneuver and threw Orton on a bed of thumbtacks. The visible shock on Orton’s face, paired with the reaction of the crowd was mind-boggling.
Foley, who is known for facing much more than being slammed onto a bed of thumbtacks, was once thrown 22 feet off a steel cage and through the announcers’ table while also being sent through the top of the cage in the same match. Foley is the definition of hardcore and Orton’s challenge of and defeat over Foley was absolutely legendary. This match has lived on as one of the most hardcore matches in WWE’s storied history.
Wrestlemania XXXIX - “Wrestlemania Goes Hollywood”
Wrestlemania is the grandest stage in all of professional wrestling—a destination most wrestlers only dream about. Over the two-night event, both cards were exceptional, with only a small amount of minor setbacks. WWE superstar, The Miz, as well as hip-hop icon Snoop Dogg, served as the hosts for the PPV. My highlight of the event was Rhea Rhipley’s match against Charlotte Flair, a showdown consisting of highlight after highlight as two of the top women in the franchise went head-to-head. The two put out an amazing performance that broke barriers as Rhea defeated Flair to obtain the WWE Smackdown Women’s Championship.
As most creatives know, there is no easy way to satisfy your audience, as WWE fans—as well as fans more broadly—will always pick and choose best and worst performances based on even the slightest of things. Some of these issues have nothing to do with the performance of wrestlers and can be a result of bad production—among other variables. There will be more good and bad performances, either way, to come in the future as WWE enters a new era.
Thumbnail Photo of view of Wrestlemania 35 at Metlife Stadium courtesy of Wikimedia Commons