10 Great Forgotten WWE Matches Every Fan Should Watch

There's no doubt that WWE is flying high heading into 2025. They're setting attendance records on an almost weekly basis, while also regaining their niche in pop culture. The company can easily claim that they are the greatest pro wrestling organization of all time and the most vaunted in history. For decades, World Wrestling Entertainment has provided its fans with more amazing matches and memories than any other promotion ever.

Time has turned the page on several of these encounters. While fans easily look back on massive moments likeHulk Hogan vs. Andre the Giant in the Silverdome or the coronation of Cody Rhodes as WWE Champion at WrestleMania XL, there are many sensational showdowns that the audience often forget about. With such a massive library of programming, that's understandable. Many WWE diamonds have been lost in the rough, and some of the greatest matches have become mere afterthoughts. However, they still shaped the history of the promotion in their own ways.

10 The New Day vs. The Shield

Survivor Series 2017

As two of the greatest WWE factions of all time, The Shield and The New Day were destined for a showdown at Survivor Series 2017. The trio of Xavier Woods, Kofi Kingston, and Big E had long graduated from being a mere comedy act, and they were now considered one of the top teams in the promotion.

But The Shield burst on the scene in the mid-2010s looking like world-beaters, taking down opponents in a calculating fashion. The bout was highlighted with The New Day selling like crazy, and a legitimate 'Hoss vs. Hoss' face-up between Big E and Roman Reigns.

While this match wasn't the main event of the card, it stole the show. In hindsight, considering the amount of gold they achieved and the accomplishments they have forged, seeing the six men in this environment is a reminder of their early beginnings. They were already stars in the promotion, but this was definitely a turning point for all the performers involved, as they began to establish themselves as the stalwarts of a new generation.

In the end, The Shield would continue their reign of dominance, defeating The New Day in a hotly contested match, one that was an instant classic.

9 Finn Balor vs. Seth Rollins - Universal Championship Match

SummerSlam 2016

In this bout to decide the first-ever WWE Universal Champion, Finn Balor faced Seth Rollins as his alter ego - The Demon King. For his elaborate entrance alone, this persona set Balor apart, and witnessing it at a large event like SummerSlam was truly a spectacular sight to see. Before their meeting, Rollins helped the build-up by generating plenty of heel heat on the way to their showdown. So the stage was set, and the spotlight was shining on the young Irish star.

It was supposed to be a coronation for Balor, who was considered one of the jewels of the early NXT developmental system. The bout was a fantastic back-and-forth battle, with The Demon scoring the victory to become the first-ever holder of the Universal Championship.

Sadly, this match (as well as Balor's early mega push) was lost to the winds of destiny. Balor injured his shoulder during the contest, forcing him to vacate the championship less than 24 hours later on Monday Night RAW. Due to the surrounding circumstances, the victory - and the image of him holding the title - has been erased in the minds of some WWE fans.

8 Randy Savage vs. Tito Santana - Intercontinental Championship Match

Boston, MA, 1986

Randy Savage arrived in the World Wrestling Federation to much fanfare, prompting a 'bidding war' between the promotion's stable of heel managers for his services. Instead, The Macho Man chose his real-life bride, Miss Elizabeth, to be his second. It was the real-life story of Beauty and the Beast, and it wasn't long before Savage captured his first singles championship in the company.

On February 8, 1986, Savage faced off with one of his early rivals, Tito Santana, for the Intercontinental Championship in the Boston Garden. The Macho Man prevailed after knocking out Santana with a foreign object while the referee was distracted. It was the first step in a long journey to immortality for Savage. The full match can be watched here on the WWE website.

The match is significant not only for Savage's personal history of accomplishments, but it was also for a changing of the guard, so to speak. Santana would go on to become a tag team performer for the better part of the next five years, while Savage ascended to the main event. It's a classic example of the value that was put on the Intercontinental Championship during this era, and why it was considered almost as prestigious as the WWF Championship itself.

7 Edge vs. Eddie Guerrero

SummerSlam 2002

Heading into SummerSlam 2002, two of the hottest and most promising names in the WWE singles ranks were Edge and Eddie Guerrero. And while they both went on to become world champions, wrestling legends, and Hall of Famers, this bout was an important crossroads in both of their careers. Edge was no longer considered a tag team wrestler, while Guerrero had shaken off his label as merely a 'cruiserweight performer'. They were both ascending the card at the time, so a battle between the two seemed inevitable.

Edge would gain a hard-fought victory, but the story the two men told in the ring is what stood out the most. While this classic was positioned low on the card, it shined brightly among the night's more high-profile showdowns. It was a harbinger of things to come, as WWE began moving away from the Attitude Era to make new stars. Edge and Guerrero showed in this contest why they were poised to take the ball and run with it.

6 Shelton Benjamin Triple H

WWE RAW, March 29, 2004

In an era where Triple H dominated the WWE main event scene, very few young stars even got the opportunity to step between the ropes and face The Game. Politics aside, HHH was the main man in the company, married to the boss' daughter, and seemingly never got beat cleanly.Along comes Shelton Benjamin, a star amateur wrestler at the University of Minnesota and Brock Lesnar's former collegiate coach. He possessed all the skills that former amateurs like Lesnar and Kurt Angle had displayed in World Wrestling Entertainment already. But Shelton still didn't have a true 'signature victory' up to that point.

After being urged to face off with Triple H in a backstage vignette with Steve Austin, Benjamin decided to challenge Trips for a one-on-one contest. In the midst of turmoil at ringside, Benjamin was able to steal an upset victory. It was a remarkable moment in Shelton Benjamin's overall wrestling legacy - one that he continues to build today.

5 Bret Hart vs. Randy Savage

Saturday Night's Main Event, November 28th, 1987

At any time, in any environment or era, the mere thought of Bret Hart and Randy Savage squaring off is incredibly special. Both men will go down as two of the finest in-ring performers ever. That's what makes their 1987 encounter on Saturday Night's Main Event so special.

At that point, The Hitman was still considered primarily a tag team wrestler, but a potential solo superstar. With the heelish Honky Tonk Man and The Hart Foundation feuding with Savage, it opened the door for Hart to shine on national television in a one-on-one contest. At the time, it was his highest-profile match without his longtime teammate, Jim Neidhart.

Needless to say, this clash between Savage and Hart had major implications for both men's futures, and it may very well have been the night that Vince McMahon decided that The Excellence of Execution could do better on his own. It also further established the Macho Man as the promotion's number-two babyface (behind Hulk Hogan).

On top of all that, it's a bit of nostalgia and psychology: Hart would remove Savage's boot during the match and work on his leg. That forced the Macho Man to win the match with one shoe on, and one shoe off, an old-school wrestling trick.

4 The New Day vs. The Usos - SmackDown Tag Team Championships Match

Hell in a Cell, 2017

Both The New Day and The Usos are considered two of the finest tag teams of their generation, and perhaps of all time. With their amazing athleticism and textbook teamwork, they have dominated the WWE tag scene for over a decade. And, all the men involved are unquestionably future Hall of Famers.

A big part of both sides' history was a somewhat overlooked encounter at Hell in a Cell 2017. Jimmy and Jey Uso were now fully removed from their original face-painted and 'tribal' look, and they grew as characters just by being themselves. On the other side of the ring, The New Day had also evolved from their original gimmick and had fully formed as valuable characters on WWE programming.

While the groupings have had several memorable matches in their decade-long rivalry, this one stands out. The Hell in the Cell contest was a brand-new environment introduced in their feud, and all the performers utilized it to the fullest. An absolute banger of a showdown, The Usos won the clash by turning up their violence to a whole new level, retaining their coveted Smackdown Tag Team Titles.

3 Mr. Perfect vs. Bret Hart - King of the Ring Finals

King of the Ring 1993

Many people remember Bret Hart's two King of the Ring victories as part of his rise to becoming royalty in WWE. And there couldn't have been a better opponent in 1993. Curt Hennig (aka Mr. Perfect) is one of the few wrestlers who could go hold for hold with the Excellence of Execution. They wrestled the tournament's final match brilliantly, with two masters of the mat having a classic tussle.

Of course, Hart would go on to become the most decorated champion of the 1990s for the company, and both competitors were eventually inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame. But this moment - frozen in time - signifies a huge transition period for the company and a passing of the torch to The Hitman.

2 John Cena vs. Shawn Michaels - WWE Championship Match

WrestleMania 23

Many would argue that Shawn Michaels was the most dynamic performer in professional wrestling during the 90s. At the same time, there's no doubt that John Cena was WWE's highest-drawing competitor of the 2000s. So, what happens when two worlds collide, and the pair come face to face?

With Cena firmly established as WWE's top star, he faced The Heartbreak Kid in a showdown at WrestleMania 23. Michaels, now fully active in the industry after a long layoff, has seen his star shining brightly again. But, he would have to contend with a hungrier and younger grappler when he locked up with 'Big Match John'.

Cena would gain the victory and retain his WWE Championship when he forced HBK to tap. It was an important win for the Leader of the Cenation and certainly a highlight on his resume. As for Michaels, it was another classic match on the biggest stage of them all, and another reason why he's been dubbed 'Mr. WrestleMania'.

1 Mick Foley (Cactus Jack) vs. Terry Funk - Fall Counts Anywhere, No Holds Barred

Monday Night RAW, April 5th, 1998

After being coaxed into a battle with his friend, mentor, and tag team partner, Terry Funk, Mick Foley was at a crossroads in his career. Was he Mankind, Cactus Jack, or his latest incarnation - Dude Love? With Vince McMahon in his ear and promising Foley his full support, the WWE CEO let Foley know that he had something to prove before he donned the tie-dye and got another push to the top.

In what turned out to be a forerunner to the Hardcore Division, Funk and Foley tore the house down. As a bonus, Stone Cold Steve Austin was doing color commentary during the bout. His addition to the announcing team helped make the match not just hardcore, but humorous at the same time.

In the end, Foley would defeat Funk and return to his Dude Love persona, where he would unsuccessfully challenge Austin for the then-WWF Championship. This match was considered a throw-away to many fans at the time, but it's still a great watch, even in 2025.