The Top 10 WWE Matches of the 2000's

A decade has passed in World Wrestling Entertainment, and it was one of the best decades in the company's existence.

Over the past 10 years there have been many great, exciting, thrilling and amazing matches. With a pay-per-view event every month, a live Raw every Monday and a new Smackdown every Friday the law of averages would dictate that we would see more great matches than ever before.

It was a daunting task to narrow down the last 10 years into just 10 matches. However when determining which matches are great, you have to look beyond just the wrestling and more into how the match was built up, whether or not the crowd was into it and how the match finished. Several matches have been great up until the finished, which put a bad taste toward everything that came before it.

Also, it helps to be able to look back month or years and recall the match. If a match leaves that big of an impression, then it was likely something special.

Gimmick matches undoubtedly have an advantage in a list like this. Throw in a ladder, chair, table or steel cage and the jaw-dropping moments are likely to occur.

However, it was hard to differentiate between some of the Money in the Bank ladder matches and Elimination Chamber matches that occurred this decade. For this reason, I omitted all Money in the Bank and Elimination Chamber matches from consideration for this list.

There were also been some standout Royal Rumble matches over the past 10 years. But again, those matches were omitted from this list based on the fact that there wasn't one Royal Rumble that stood out above all others, and most had great moments, but were not great from start to finish.

Below is the list of the top WWE matches of the 2000's. The list is not in any specific order, as picking just 10 matches was hard enough.

Brock Lesnar vs. Eddie Guerrero - WWE Championship - No Way Out 2004

This match had all the ingredients to be a great match, but only after the bell rang. Leading up to the match, it seemed like it was just another blow off main event for the pay-per-view that fills time between the Royal Rumble and WrestleMania.

Before this match, Eddie Guerrero had been a fine superstar who had held the Intercontinental Title, United States Title, European Title and tag team titles during his tenure in World Wrestling Entertainment. But, he had never been in the main event, and he had never held a world title.

On the other side, Brock Lesnar was basically hand-picked for superstardom from the moment he debuted. Lesnar made the jump from a debuting rookie to WWE Champion in just a few months, defeating The Rock to earn the title. The likelihood that he would drop the belt to Guerrero, with WrestleMania approaching, seemed very small.

But when the match started the crowd was wildly behind Guerrero, cheering him on virtually at every move. And the size difference between the two wrestlers wasn't a problem, it was actually a compliment. Lesnar was nimble enough to take Guerrero's high flying moves without making it look like he was carrying him, and Guerrero was veteran enough that he adapted to working with Lesnar's power moves.

What was first thought of as a filler main event turned into an epic 30-minute match. Just when it seemed that Lesnar was going to put Guerrero away for good and retain the title, Guerrero came up with a counter to a move or a kick out to extend the match.

The finish was excellent, as Guerrero lovingly cheated, knocking Lesnar out with a tornado DDT on the WWE Championship belt, before ascending the top rope to massive cheers from the crowd. Guerrero hit his famous Frog Splash on Lesnar, scoring the win and the victory.

To cap off an excellent match, Guerrero celebrated in the crowd.

Edge & Christian vs. The Dudley Boyz vs. The Hardy Boyz - WWF Tag Team Titles - Triangle Ladder Match - WrestleMania 2000

The decade started off with the most innovative gimmick match World Wrestling Entertainment had ever seen, a triangle ladder match for the WWF Tag Team Titles at the flagship pay-per-view WrestleMania.

The three tag teams involved weren't household names, and none of the six superstars had emerged as a solid singles wrestler at the time of the event, but they had ushered in a new golden age of tag team wrestling in the WWF. This match was a showcase of not only their talents, but a showcase of the new extreme, hardcore attitude the WWE was attempting at the time.

The action was so fast and furious that it is impossible to summarize here, and it's amazing to realize that the match only lasted approximately 22 minutes. However, the one lasting image of this match is Jeff Hardy's Swanton Bomb from a giant ladder onto Bubba Ray Dudley who was laid out on a table in the entrance aisle.

Edge and Christian won the match to win their first of seven tag team titles, but that was almost an afterthought. An entirely new set of match possibilities had been born, as ladder matches that had once been contested on a special basis, would become a regular feature on WWE programming.

All three teams competed in a similar match two more times, once at SummerSlam 2000 and again at WrestleMania X-7. Both of those matches were contested as Tables, Ladders and Chairs matches, or TLC for short.

Shawn Michaels vs. Ric Flair - Career Threatening Match - WrestleMania XXIV

There are a lot of things working against this match as being one of the best of the decade. Flair was way past his prime and it was obvious that it was time for him to retire, and Michaels had been working for years with knee problems that made it obvious that he had also passed his prime.

Another negative, the outcome of the match was never really in doubt. For months the WWE had built up a storyline that if Ric Flair lost another match he would be forced to retire. So Flair went on a streak, beating wrestlers like Carlito, Mr. Kennedy and MVP, as well as Vince McMahon, before matching up with Michaels at WrestleMania.

However, the match is on this list because both Flair and Michaels willed themselves to produce in-ring work that was enjoyable and thrilling. Flair wrestled his best match since his return to WWE in 2001, despite having had several years of lackluster matches. Flair built his career on being the "60-minute Man," but on this night, seeing him be the 20-minute Man was just enough.

And the ending is one that will go down in history, as a beaten down Flair wills himself to his feet and urges Michaels to kick him, Michaels mouths the phrase "I'm sorry. I love you." and delivers the knockout superkick to score the pin.

The emotion in both superstars, the crowd and announcers Jim Ross and Jerry Lawler was evident, as Flair's wrestling career came to a close.

The Rock vs. Hulk Hogan - WrestleMania X-8

This match is not on this list because it is an example of fantastic wrestling. However, it is on this list because it is not only an example of fantastic sports entertainment, it is a showcase for non-fans to see why fans become so passionate about professional wrestling.

To say Hulk Hogan was past his prime entering this match is an understatement. Knee surgeries, hip surgeries and lower back problems had slowed down Hogan, who was never any great ring technician to begin with.

That left it up to The Rock to help make the match thrilling and exciting, and he showed why he always lived up to his nickname as "The Most Electrifying Man in Sports Entertainment," because he not only worked a Hogan match, he played to a surprisingly hostile crowd and made what could've been an embarrassing contest into one of the most memorable matches of the decade, allowing it to live up to its billing as "Icon vs. Icon."

What made the match work so well was the crowd reaction. The Rock entered the match still as a major fan favorite who was a rising movie star. Hogan entered the match as his "Hollywood" Hogan heel persona from the nWo. Yet when the bell rang, the crowd was chanting for Hogan. When the action began, Hogan's offense was cheered and The Rock's was booed.

As the match continued, the fans mostly sided with Hogan. The crowd went wild when Hogan "Hulked up" and hit The Rock with the big boot and leg drop combo, and went crazy when The Rock kicked out.

But the crowd was split when The Rock went on a tear, hitting Hogan with two Rock Bottoms and a People's Elbow to score the pin.

It was only a 16-minute match, but Hogan couldn't have gone much longer, and the match packed in everything that could've been asked of it.

Matt Hardy vs. Edge - Steel Cage Match - Unforgiven 2005

The culmination of the greatest mid-card feud of the decade, this was a standard steel cage match that both superstars lifted to bigger heights.

Hardy and Edge had been feuding for months due to Edge stealing Hardy's girlfriend Lita. The two had been involved in singles matches, backstage brawls and street fights, all leading up to this steel cage match.

The match had numerous high spots, including Hardy delivering a Side Effect on Edge from the top rope, and Hardy getting to give Lita the Twist of Fate, and Edge was a bloody mess for the last five minutes of the 20-minute match, but nothing was bigger, or more extreme, than the finish.

Edge was slowly escaping the cage using one of the ring corners, when Hardy got up on the corner with him to slow him down. After exchanging shots, Hardy bounced Edge's head off the top of the steel cage, causing Edge to fall back to the canvas knocked out.

Instead of climbing over the top of the cage to escape and win the match, Hardy climbed on top of the cage, posed for the crowd, and jumped off to deliver a leg drop onto Edge.

The move was probably the wildest move of Hardy's individual career. While it was amazing and risky to even attempt, as it could've injured both superstars, what is most amazing is that Hardy delivered a picture perfect leg drop right across Edge's throat. It's an unbelievable move from that height at the end of a brutal match. Had Hardy landed a little north, Edge could've suffered broken bones in his face, a little south, and injuries to his chest.

Needless to say that move won the match for Hardy. While this match didn't end the feud between the two, they competed in a "Loser Leaves RAW" ladder match that saw Edge win and Hardy head to Smackdown, it was definitely the highlight of the feud.

Triple H vs. Shawn Michaels vs. Chris Benoit - World Heavyweight Championship - WrestleMania XX

If you ignore the horrific way Chris Benoit's life, and the lives of his wife and child, ended, there's no denying that he was one of the greatest professional wrestlers in the history of sports entertainment.

This match was just as emotional as Michaels-Flair, as Benoit had been so close to winning a world title for a number of years, but always fell short. He had never had a run as the top dog in a wrestling promotion, yet he had been a multiple time Intercontinental, United States and tag team champion.

For Benoit to put on a terrific 25-minute triple threat match with "Mr. WWE" Shawn Michaels and "The Game" Triple H, at WrestleMania XX in Madison Square Garden, and come out on top, is something that is pure gold to wrestling fans.

While the crowd was torn between babyfaces Benoit and Michaels, it roared to approval as soon as Benoit locked in the Crippler Crossface to Triple H. The crowd then booed when the referee checked to see if Triple H had passed out, only to see him roll over to try and escape the Crossface.

But Benoit kept it locked in and the crowd continued to go wild, and eventually Triple H tapped out, and the crowd erupted even more.

The emotion on Benoit's face was a sight to see, as it looked like the weight of the world had fallen off his shoulders and he was on cloud nine. Pre-determined outcomes or not, Benoit had legitimate tears of joy as he raised the World Heavyweight Championship, then hugged best friend Eddie Guerrero who had joined him in the ring for the celebration.

Brock Lesnar vs. Undertaker - WWE Championship - Hell in a Cell Match - No Mercy 2002

The Hell in a Cell match was considered the Undertaker's style of match, and for the rookie Brock Lesnar to defend the WWE Championship against him inside the cell set up a huge match of a veteran who was at the top of the food chain in the WWE against a rookie that had already achieved superstardom.

The match definitely did not disappoint. It was hard-hitting and brutal from the outset, with Undertaker not afraid to use the cell or go easy on Lesnar, who was in his first Hell in a Cell match.

Adding to the drama of the match was Paul Heyman, Lesnar's manager, screaming at the top of his lungs anytime it appeared Undertaker was going to finish Lesnar off.

During the match, Undertaker was busted open and finished the match with his face covered in blood. This also added to the match, as Undertaker refused to give up, even though Lesnar was able to match him in physical, aggressive wrestling.

The finish was dynamic, as Undertaker went for a Tombstone, only to have Lesnar reverse into a Tombstone of his own. But instead of hitting the Tombstone, Lesnar heaved Undertaker onto his shoulders and hit an F5 to score the pin.

The fact that the two heavyweights were able to sustain such a brutal pace for 27 minutes was amazing. Lesnar and Undertaker not only delivered one of the best matches of the decade, but also one of the greatest Hell in a Cell matches.

Edge vs. John Cena - WWE Championship - Tables, Ladders & Chairs Match - Unforgiven 2006

Despite the fact that Cena and Edge have wrestled each other seemingly a million times over the last four years, one match stands out above the rest.

After Edge surprisingly retained the WWE Championship the previous month at SummerSlam in Cena's hometown of Boston, Mass., the rematch was scheduled for Unforgiven in Edge's hometown of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. That match was a Tables, Ladders & Chairs Match, which was considered Edge's specialty since he had been involved in so many TLC and ladder matches over the years.

For 25 minutes Edge and Cena brutalized each other with amazing high spots involving ladders and tables, crashing through tables on the outside of the ring from a ladder inside the ring, and even getting Edge's "girlfriend" Lita involved in the action.

At one point, Cena trapped Edge in between a ladder and locked in the STFU. A little later on, Lita pushed a ladder over while Cena was trying to reach the WWE Championship, causing Cena to fall off the ladder onto a table outside the ring.

The spectacular finish came when both Cena and Edge were climbing the ladder for the belt. Cena ended up picking Edge onto his shoulders and delivering an FU from the top of the ladder through two tables that had been stacked next to the ladder.

It was an amazing ending to a fantastic match, and a good ending to a solid feud that had lasted throughout the year.

Undertaker vs. Shawn Michaels - WrestleMania XXV

The match on this list that is freshest in everyone's mind, once it was completed it immediately went to the top of most people's list of greatest WrestleMania matches.

As incredible as it may seem, Michaels topped himself from his previous greatest WrestleMania matches (against Razor Ramon, Bret Hart, Triple H and Chris Benoit and Ric Flair) to deliver the best of them all.

What makes it more incredible is that the match featured the two longest-tenured WWE wrestlers, in a match that wasn't a gimmick match, just a straight up contest.

The buildup for the match helped things tremendously, as Michaels' religious beliefs brought about his ring entrance coming from the top of the Titantron to the stage, while Undertaker's persona saw him rising up from below the stage. It was Heaven vs. Hell, it was The Showstopper vs. The Phenom, it was Michaels vs. Undertaker.

While the outcome wasn't really in doubt, if the Undertaker's undefeated WrestleMania streak was going to end it would've been ended by Batista or Edge earlier in the decade, there were several times when it seemed like Michaels was actually going to win.

Besides the spectacular dive over the top rope that nearly killed the Undertaker, there were no major high-risk moments. The two just delivered a superb match, that was physical, brutal and entertaining, and featured the usual offense from each superstar.

The fact that the match had several entertaining "non-finish" finishes leading up to the ending made things even better.

When Undertaker caught Michaels coming off the top rope with a moonsault and hit a Tombstone to win the match, it ended the greatest match of 2009, the greatest match in WrestleMania history and one of the best matches of the decade.

Unfortunately, the WWE isn't willing to let the two end things with this match, and appear to be booking a rematch for WrestleMania XXVI. That would be a mistake, as it would be nearly impossible to top this 30-minute classic.

Edge vs. Mick Foley - Hardcore Match - WrestleMania XXII

Mick Foley was already past his prime at this point, but Edge was poised to be a main eventer, having just had a mini-feud with John Cena where Edge won the WWE Championship.

While this wasn't a great wrestling match, or a lengthy battle as it lasted just 15 minutes, but it was a match that kept the crowd into it throughout, threw in several amazing moments, featured brutal action and had an unbelievable ending. Add into the fact that there was no real clue as to who would win leading into the match, and all the ingredients were there for something good.

And good was an understatement, as Foley was at his hardcore best, and Edge elevated his game to match Foley by not only dishing out the punishment, but taking it as well.

Lita even got involved, leading to a great moment where Foley clotheslines Edge over the top rope with Lita on his back.

The ending was something that had never been seen before in the WWE, and hasn't been seen since. Lita poured lighter fluid on a table outside the ring and set it on fire, hoping Edge could dump Foley into it. Foley was on the ring apron, and shockingly Edge delivered a spear through the ropes, causing both wrestlers to crash through the table below.

Needless to say that ended the match as Edge literally crawled over to cover Foley on the floor. What's amazing is that the spot was done with Edge going face first, with his exposed torso, into the fire. It's incredible that neither wrestler was seriously injured by the flames, but that ending is what put this match on the map.