2014 had a lot of high and low points for WWE. But when wrestling fans look back on this year, these are the matches they will talk about.
Honorable Mention – John Cena vs. Brock Lesnar: SummerSlam
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JDBw7uf4mss
It’s hard to really call this one a match because it was pretty much just Brock Lesnar hitting a bunch of suplexes on Cena. Still, it earns an honorable mention due to the fact that none of us have ever seen Cena destroyed like that before and it was nice to see someone who’s been booked as invincible for so many years finally meet his match.
#10 – Daniel Bryan vs. Bray Wyatt: Royal Rumble
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Bdmcoa08aU
A great match that was followed by a great deal of controversy. These two men went to war at the Royal Rumble and absolutely destroyed each other. Their feud in general was somewhat awkward and misguided but this match made it all worth it and these two tore the house down and got a lot of people talking.
#9 – Seth Rollins vs. Dean Ambrose vs. Dolph Ziggler vs. Kofi Kingston vs. Rob Van Dam vs. Jack Swagger: Money in the Bank
Everyone in this match gave it everything they had with no exceptions and the heated Ambrose/Rollins feud added some much needed drama. Although we all assumed that either Ambrose or Rollins would win, the match played out in a way that convinced the audience that everyone involved had a fair shot at grabbing the briefcase. This was definitely a match that kept you on the edge of your seat from start to finish.
#8 – Randy Orton vs. Chris Jericho: Night of Champions
This match was under hyped but without a doubt it over delivered. This was definitely the sleeper match on the card that ended up stealing the show without question. No one really expected greatness out of this match but looking at the two names involved that’s exactly what we should have been counting on the whole time.
#7 – Dolph Ziggler vs. Luke Harper: TLC
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jYyktz5EDeE
Dolph Ziggler was coming off of a huge moment after Survivor Series and he was looking to do everything he could to capitalize on his momentum. That’s exactly what he did at TLC with Luke Harper. These two went on earlier in the show and put on a main event quality match that no one else even came close to topping.
#6 – Daniel Bryan vs. Triple H: WrestleMania XXX
Daniel Bryan facing off against Triple H was a long time coming and it was everything we wanted it to be and more. After months of making Bryan’s life a living hell, Triple H finally had to answer for his crimes and face the wrath of Bryan himself. In the end these two put on a very entertaining contest and Triple H ended up making Daniel Bryan look like a million bucks.
#5 – Dean Ambrose vs. Seth Rollins: Hell in a Cell
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZdMQ3d7yz1Q
The Dean Ambrose/Seth Rollins feud was easily one of the best things about WWE in 2014. These two dragged out their feud for months without it ever getting stale or boring. It all culminated in this match which was easily one of the best Hell in a Cell matches in recent years. The ending pissed a lot of fans off but everything leading up to it was absolute gold.
#4 – The Shield vs. Evolution: Extreme Rules
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p4HkxD5R2D4
The Shield had just as much of an impact on the wrestling business in 2014 as Evolution did in 2004 so it goes without saying (but we’ll say it anyway) that this was a dream match come to life. It was the past facing off against the present in a battle of generations as these two teams went to war. Everyone expected this match to be great but it more than exceeded everyone’s expectations.
#3 – Daniel Bryan vs. Randy Orton vs. Batista: WrestleMania XXX
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ODEdKFtZOFA
2014 had a lot of emotional moments but emotions were at an all time high during this match. This was the match that solidified everything Daniel Bryan had worked for in his career. It was the culmination of a storyline that was more real life than it was kayfabe. No matter how you spin it, it was obvious that some people never expected (or wanted) Daniel Bryan to make it this far, but he did and it was beyond epic. Daniel Bryan’s victory celebration is a WrestleMania moment that will live on forever and the replay value for this match is through the roof.
#2 – Team Authority vs. Team Cena: Survivor Series
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zVdNswmFeS4
The stakes were never higher in 2014 than they were in this match. After tormenting the WWE for well over a year The Authority was finally taken out of power and it was glorious. This match had a lot of drama and excitement and it was impossible not to get sucked in. There were a lot of unforgettable aspects when it comes to this match. We finally got rid of The Authority, Dolph Ziggler finally got his moment to shine and Sting finally stepped foot in a WWE ring for the first time ever. When it comes to great Survivor Series matches, this one is up there with the best of all time.
#1 – The Shield vs. The Wyatt Family: Elimination Chamber
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hUiIeNYEe3I
It was hard to choose which match would top this list but this one captured lightning in a bottle so to speak. Never before and never again will you see two three man teams bring the fight to each other the way that these two teams did. This match was anarchy, it was chaos and it was epic. It was like a car wreck that was impossible to look away from and the reactions from the crowd only made it that much more exciting to watch. This was a moment in time that we will likely never see again but will definitely never forget.
