10 Bad WWE Matches On Paper (That Fans Still Love)
WWE has hosted uncountable wrestling matches of different styles. While many of these matches were remarkable, others were forgettable at best. And that’s neither unusual nor utterly disappointing. After all, how else would one cherish the hits, if there weren’t a few misses sprinkled along the way?
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Oftentimes, fans are aware of a match being lackluster ahead of time. It can be due to numerous reasons: involved participants, poor build, lack of momentum on one or all sides, etc. That said, there have been numerous WWE bouts that looked bad on paper, but were actually loved by the fans. Here are 10 fine examples.
10 Sheamus vs. The Big Show (Hell in a Cell 2012)
The Banger King’s surreal post-2020 run has made it hard to even imagine that he could have a bad match. The early 2010s, though, were a different story. At the height of his push as a main-event talent, Sheamus, and the bouts he was a part of, weren’t really adored by the fans.
So, it wasn’t a surprise that the announcement of a Sheamus/Big Show clash wasn’t met with praises. The expectations were pretty low since neither man had a reputation for being a technical beast at the time. But then rang the bell and what followed were 20 minutes of enjoyable, hard-hitting action.
9 WeeLC Match (Extreme Rules 2014)
It made no sense to test the crowd’s patience on a night that featured grudge fights such as Cena/Wyatt II and The Shield/Evolution. And that’s exactly what WWE was close to doing by kicking off Extreme Rules 2014 with the inaugural WeeLC match. The parody of the grueling TLC concept featured the mascots of two comedic teams, Los Matadores and 3MB.
Astonishingly, Hornswoggle, El Torito, and everyone at ringside (including the mini commentators) put on a spectacular show. They knew they had a chip on their shoulder and disappointing fans wasn’t an option. All in all, the match was packed with big spots, harmless comedy, and most importantly, amazing crowd reactions.
8 Mr. McMahon vs. Hulk Hogan (WrestleMania 19)
From Shawn Michaels and Chris Jericho putting on a wrestling clinic to The Rock and Steve Austin doing what they did best, WrestleMania 19 was a night to remember from start to finish. Also on the card was a contest between 58-year-old Mr. McMahon and 49-year-old Hulk Hogan.
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Surprisingly, this match didn’t bring the vibe of the event down in the slightest. It was actually… fun. Yes, the Street Fight stipulation did help with hiding both men’s limited mobility and in-ring skills. But more than that, it was about their larger-than-life personalities, along with their masterful skill of making the crowd 'care.'
7 Braun Strowman vs. Omos (Crown Jewel 2022)
The wrestling community had all the reasons to be skeptical of Braun Strowman vs. Omos. Leading into WWE Crown Jewel 2022, The Monster Among Men had just returned to WWE and was still easing into his place on the card. As for Omos, the catalog of his solo career doesn’t have many bangers.
But once they were under the bright lights, the monster and the giant ended up surpassing all expectations. They had a fun, quick hoss fight that included crowd-popping spots. Both men were smart enough to not try and do anything they weren’t supposed to. Moreover, Strowman’s rare portrayal of an underdog and Omos’ trash-talking game added a layer of intrigue to their match.
6 Scotty 2 Hotty vs. Dean Malenko (Backlash 2000)
Enough can’t be said about prime Dean Malenko’s in-ring prowess. As for Scotty 2 Hotty, he used to entertain millions of wrestling fanatics on a weekly basis with his comical character work. Despite both of them having their respective strengths, it was a questionable move on WWE’s part to pit them against each other on the first PPV after WrestleMania 2000.
But the dubious sentiment surrounding this match changed once the bell rang. While Dean and Scotty didn’t exactly set any new trends, they were able to put on a decent match that didn’t overstay its welcome. The ‘Too Cool’ member proved that night that he could ‘go’ in the ring when the task called for it.
5 Edge vs. Alberto Del Rio (WrestleMania 27)
The Rated-R Superstar’s last televised match before his first retirement was against Alberto Del Rio. This bout being at The Grandest Stage of Them All, and for one of the company’s top prizes, didn’t sit well with many fans. Add to the fact that Edge had been working hurt at the time and Del Rio had been on the main roster for less than a year.
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But somehow, this match left viewers with no reason to complain. Was it an awe-inspiring masterpiece? Absolutely not. But it was surely a solid opener. Furthermore, the post-match angle featuring Edge and Christian wrecking Del Rio’s luxury car was received very well by the crowd.
4 The Undertaker vs. Batista (WrestleMania 23)
Following his Royal Rumble 2007 victory, The Phenom wasted no time announcing the World Champion he would challenge at WrestleMania 23 - Batista. While the prospect of seeing two top hosses locking horns seemed intriguing, WWE Universe suppressed their enthusiasm at first. Many were concerned about this big-time fight turning out to be a dud.
Batista’s lackluster showings following his return from injury in the summer of 2006, became a reason for the aforementioned concern. But as it’s said, a cornered ‘Animal’ should not be underestimated. The two-time Royal Rumble winner would go on to prove all his doubters wrong at The Showcase of Immortals. The match between him and The Undertaker was stellar, and can easily make for a good watch even today!
3 AJ Styles vs. Shane McMahon (WrestleMania 33)
In his debut WWE year, AJ Styles put on absolute bangers with Roman Reigns, defeated John Cena twice, and won the WWE Championship. So, him facing Shane McMahon at his second-ever WrestleMania out of all the events was perceived as a letdown. Given that he was fast approaching the end of his prime, fans wanted to see him in as many dream clashes as possible.
Unfortunately, a duel with Shane McMahon wasn’t a part of the dream list. In an astonishing turn of events, however, The Phenomenal One and Shane-O-Mac tore the house down. McMahon got his extreme spots in, while Styles did his part to keep the match together all the way through.
2 Brock Lesnar vs. Goldberg (WrestleMania 33)
Styles vs. McMahon wasn’t the only WrestleMania 33 contest that was better than it had any right to be. Goldberg and Brock Lesnar were in their element that night as well. While their thrilling squash encounter at Survivor Series 2016 did undo some of the damage done in 2004, rarely anyone was willing to trust them with a longer match.
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Regardless, they went at it again at WrestleMania 33 and this time, their hard-hitting styles gelled well with each other. Their third singles collision was a trainwreck, but one that the majority of the crowd thoroughly enjoyed. It was kept short and sweet and ended with The Beast Incarnate finally getting his win against Da Man.
1 The Miz and John Morrison vs. Bad Bunny and Damian Priest (WrestleMania 37)
Whether it’s his music career or wrestling stints, Bad Bunny has always been a firm believer in the concept of putting in the work. While anticipations weren’t high ahead of his debut outing at WrestleMania 37, the international pop star knew what he had to do to give fans a show worth their money.
Between January and April 2021, he trained with utmost dedication and kept showing up to build his program with Damian Priest, The Miz, and John Morrison. And the result was a delightful, fast-paced tag-team bout that looked passable, at best, on paper. The Bullet Train star’s stupendous performance significantly raised the bar for celebrities in professional wrestling.
