Wade Barrett's 10 Best WWE Matches, Ranked

Wade Barrett made a surprise return to WWE recently working as part of the announce team for NXT. He really thrived in the role on the black-and-gold brand and it certainly got fans reminiscing about his time in the company where he certainly had a mixed career in terms of his booking.

Barrett spent time dominating the main events as the leader of Nexus, he had several great runs in the upper mid-card, and throughout it all, he always entertained. Even when Barrett wasn't a priority for WWE, he still put together really fun wrestling matches with his hard-hitting style working perfectly. But what were the best matches of his time in WWE?

10 Bad News Barrett vs RVD (Payback, 2014)

While this was a little obvious in terms of who would win, that didn't stop it from being a fun match. RVD was at his usual best and he happily just went about his business in making Bad News Barrett look like an established star.

It was a fun back and forth match and they got enough time to make things work. RVD's striking ability worked well against Barrett who was constantly trying to beat down the WWE veteran with his aggressive side.

9 Bad News Barrett vs Neville (Extreme Rules, 2015)

Even though this one was tucked away on the pre-show, it really is a hidden gem of a match for both men. In front of a hot Chicago crowd, they tore it up and benefitted from getting a solid amount of time on the pre-show to make things work.

It was all about showcasing Neville and his incredible in-ring ability on his PPV debut, but Barrett managed to get plenty of offense in as well, which kept things competitive. Neville's striking and high flying was perfect here though, creating a really compelling match between them.

8 Wade Barrett vs Kofi Kingston (TLC, 2012)

Wade Barrett and Kofi Kingston were both established and experienced talents by the time they had this Intercontinental Championship match. They worked really well together throughout with Kofi's high flying style blending nicely with the physical attributes of Barrett.

The Englishman really dominated with his hard-hitting offense, constantly trying to ground Kofi down. Barrett was working a true brawler gimmick at this point and that really came off well here as Kofi tried to counteract everything that the Brit had to offer.

7 Wade Barrett vs The Miz (Raw: April 8th, 2013)

The two men competed for the Intercontinental Championship the night before at WrestleMania, but they were bumped to the pre-show and given no time. So, the next night when they did get time to work, it was clear they were out to prove a point.

Of course, the Raw after 'Mania crowd is notorious for being hot and that was certainly the case here. The reaction to his victory here was crazy and showed just how much the fans did care about Barrett, and how this match did connect.

6 Wade Barrett vs John Cena (Hell In A Cell, 2010)

Wade Barett's big push when he first joined WWE's main roster led to some great matches with John Cena with the two men working well together. Their bouts were always very strong, mainly because Cena knew exactly how to create a top-quality main event match with anyone at this point.

This match told a solid story with John Cena dominating in the ring, all until Nexus members began causing interference. It was a really entertaining match with both men doing exactly what was needed to make this one click with the audience.

5 Wade Barrett vs Daniel Bryan (SummerSlam, 2011)

Two men who were both involved in Nexus getting the chance to compete was something that fans really enjoyed and they didn't hold back against each other. Daniel Bryan was really creative in this match with tons of submissions throughout that highlighted his technical ability.

Being able to mix the technical elements with Barrett's heavy-hitting move set worked well for them as they built in some great false finishes all the way up until Barrett went low to gain himself a victory.

4 Money In The Bank Ladder Match (Money In The Bank, 2011)

The Money in the Bank ladder matches are always incredibly entertaining, and this particular installment is one of the greatest ever. It was one that saw Wade Barrett head into the match as a genuine contender and someone who fans believed could have won.

That added a lot to things from his perspective and the entire match was brilliantly put together. There were some amazing spots, one of which sadly injured Sin Cara, and the build towards Daniel Bryan winning the briefcase was incredibly well done, with a true underdog moment.

3 Bad News Barrett vs Sheamus (Raw: April 21st, 2014)

Sheamus and Barrett are two men who put on great matches all through their career, and this was a fantastic example. This came as part of a tournament to determine a top contender for the Intercontinental Title.

They both have very similar in-ring styles due to their hard-hitting and aggressive in-ring work and they just meshed perfectly here. It was non-stop action and felt like a true fight, which created a really great match between them.

2 Wade Barrett vs Curtis Axel vs The Miz (Payback, 2013)

A lot of people forget just how talented all these three men are in the ring, mainly because The Miz and Wade Barrett are seen as top promo guys, and Curtis Axel spent long periods of his career as a jobber.

However, this triple threat match was fantastic from start to finish. It was full of brilliant exchanges and some great moves with wrestlers working together in what was a fast-paced bout throughout.

1 Intercontinental Championship Ladder Match (WrestleMania 31)

Despite the fact Barrett failed to defend his Intercontinental Championship here, with Daniel Bryan taking the prize instead, this was a terrific match. It stands out as one of the best WrestleMania ladder matches of all time and was jam-packed with amazing spots.

Each man got their moment to shine and there were some huge high-risk bumps taken throughout the entire thing. It kickstarted the show in style and is certainly Barrett's crowning achievement in-terms of in-ring quality.

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