The 27 Best WWE Championship Matches of All Time

The WWE Championship belt is the Holy Grail of wrestling achievements for many fans. When a wrestler beats all challengers and finds themselves atop the roster, the only question on fans’ minds is “how long can they keep the belt?” These are the 27 best championship defenses and changes in the history of the WWE.

The Ratings

Let’s not mince any words here. The outcomes of pro wrestling matches are foregone conclusions, as the storylines that unfold in the ring are predetermined by a team of writers based on what the WWE thinks the fans like. As such, we’re not writing about things like determination or victory in the face of overwhelming odds.

Technical Achievement and Storytelling

WrestleMania 21 — Provided by WWE via YouTube

The real criteria for what makes for an amazing championship bout is the technical prowess of the wrestlers in question and their roles in the overarching storylines. While the outcome might not be a result of an athletic contest, there’s plenty of impressive athleticism taking place in the ring to make these matches memorable.

27. Chris Jericho vs John Cena, SummerSlam 2005

Jericho turned heel to battle Cena at SummerSlam in 2005. The crowd booed Cena for the first time as he was going to Raw following the 2005 draft, and, despite the Walls of Jericho catching the Champion, Cena battled back and delivered a stunning FU to end the match and retain the belt.

26. Brock Lesnar vs The Rock, SummerSlam 2002

The Rock was booed by the crowd during his match against Lesnar at SummerSlam 2002 since they knew he was moving on from wrestling to go to Hollywood. Lesnar used his huge physique to overpower the Rock, delivering an F-5 that won him the belt and made him the youngest WWE Champion in the company’s history.

25. Shawn Michaels vs. John Cena, WrestleMania 23

When Michaels and Cena met at WrestleMania 23, it was the culmination of a long build-up for the fan-favorite Cena. While the Heart Break Kid was known for his WrestleMania wins, this match went to Cena and the storyline held that it was a result of his hard work and determination in overcoming all odds.

24. Edge vs John Cena, SummerSlam 2006

A hometown bout for Cena against his rival, Edge, saw the crowd booing the heel as he snuck in a pair of brass knuckles from Lita. The Rated-R Superstar knocked Cena clean out, with the ref not noticing the brass knuckles. He kept the title, angered the Boston crowd, and left Cena in the rare position of losing a major match.

23. Seth Rollins vs John Cena, SummerSlam 2015

Cena’s had a lot of great SummerSlam championship matches. Case in point: his 2015 match against Seth Rollins. As Rollins battled to keep his championship title against then-US champion Cena, he made history by defeating the babyface wrestler and became the first simultaneous WWE Champion and US Champion.

22. Steve Austin vs The Undertaker, SummerSlam 1998

Austin defending his title against Undertaker during SummerSlam 1998 is an all-time great match. After Austin and Undertaker lost the Tag Team Championship to Kane and Mankind, their feud went into full swing and Stone Cold’s win with a blistering Stunner to retain the championship still sends chills down fans’ spines.

21. Undertaker vs Bret Hart, SummerSlam 1997

By 1997, Undertaker had won two WWF Championships. In a weird twist, Shawn Michaels was a guest ref for the match. During a heated moment, Michaels swung a chair intended for Hart, but clobbered Undertaker. As such, Hart stole away the championship due to interference from his hated rival.

20. Brock Lesnar vs Kurt Angle, WrestleMania 19

The Beast Incarnate going up against The Olympic Hero in 2003 was a huge top card for WrestleMania 19. Lesnar’s absurd size and overwhelming power was enough to get him beyond Angle and win him the WWE Championship. Lesnar’s physique and Angle’s technical prowess made this an endlessly entertaining match.

19. Christian vs Randy Orton, SummerSlam 2011

This understated and often overlooked match during SummerSlam 2011 saw The Viper taking huge hits from Captain Charisma. After a lengthy and extremely technically impressive match, Orton landed one of his trademark RKOs to bring down Christian and take home the championship.

18. Sheamus vs Daniel Bryan, Extreme Rules 2012

A month after their disappointing WrestleMania 28 bout, champion Sheamus matched up against the Yes Man once more. Sheamus may have retained the title this time, but Bryan got himself intentionally ejected in order to inflict some lasting damage on The Celtic Warrior and leave him exposed for later antics in the storyline.

17. Daniel Bryan vs CM Punk, Over the Limit 2012

Another great 2012 match from Daniel Bryam saw him going toe-to-toe with CM Punk, and each wrestler showed WWE fans what had made them each so popular in other promotions. This well-paced and involved match is a bit understated, but true fans know how rare this kind of showcase is.

16. Brock Lesnar vs Roman Reigns, WrestleMania 31

The build-up to this title card might have not been amazing, but defending champion Lesnar’s showdown with Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 31 was something to behold. The Big Dog barely survived against The Beast, just in time for Seth Rollins to cash in his Money in the Bank Win with one of the most epic interferences in WWE history.

15. John Cena vs Daniel Bryan, SummerSlam 2013

While Bryan had several great matches before SummerSlam in 2013, many fans argue it was his legendary bout with Cena that really put him over. After a vicious fight in which Bryan finally acknowledged that he respected Cena, The Yes Man put him away with a running knee. Sadly for him, Triple H and Randy Orton cashed in their Money in the Bank wins and spoiled his moment.

14. Kurt Angle vs Undertaker, No Way Out 2006

Angle’s run up to battle Undertaker was something else. The Olympic Gold Medalist battled ‘Taker for nearly half an hour at No Way Out 2006, with each determined to win by submission. Incredibly, the match could have headlined WrestleMania, given how great the storytelling and performances were.

13. Umaga vs John Cena, Royal Rumble 2007

John Cena’s babyface run as The Champ is classic stuff. One of his best rivals in this era is the often-overlooked Umaga, a monstrously large wrestler with powerful in-ring presence. The Samoan Bulldozer used weapons to keep Cena off his guard, but The Champ managed to get Umaga in the STFU after catching the bottom rope.

12. Brock Lesnar vs Eddie Guerrero, No Way Out 2004

This one seems like a no-brainer. A small, fast, technical wrestler like Orton makes a perfect opponent for a mountainous slab of muscle like Lesnar. After Goldberg swooped in and interfered, Orton delivered a stunning finish that made the crowd go absolutely wild for his first (and only) WWE Championship win.

11. Steve Austin vs Kurt Angle, SummerSlam 2001

Steve Austin’s feud with rival Kurt Angle saw the two bickering over who was the top dog in the WWE. The Olympic Gold Medalist kept his technical abilities on display, while Austin wanted to keep things in a brawl and play to his strengths. When Austin felt the match slipping away, he got himself intentionally DQ’ed by landing a stunner on ref Mike Chioda and then smacking backup red Tim White with the belt.

10. Daniel Bryan vs Kofi Kingston, WrestleMania 35

Daniel Bryan helps create memorable matches. At WrestleMania 35, Kofi Kingston of The New Day went up against The Planet’s Champion, and Bryan got him in three LaBell Locks. Kingston refused to tap out, though, and stomped down to get Bryan with the Trouble in Paradise to win the Championship.

9. AJ Styles vs John Cena, Royal Rumble 2017

The most recent Cena match on this list came at Royal Rumble in 2017. This was the third major clash between Styles and Cena, with both showing what made them superstars in the first place. Cena finally won his 16^th world title after hitting Styles with finisher after finisher to secure his victory.

8. Chris Jericho vs Shawn Michaels, No Mercy 2008

This feud had it all. When Jericho won the championship belt during the Championship Scramble, Michaels demanded a shot at the title. This resulted in a vicious ladder match where the ladder gimmick was as much a weapon as a prop. Incredibly, both wrestlers grabbed the belt at the same time, but Jericho knocked the Heart Break Kid clean out with a headbutt to defend his title.

7. Brock Lesnar, Seth Rollins, and John Cena, Royal Rumble 2015

This is exactly what you want from a Triple Threat match. Three wildly different fighters all taking their own approach to handling two other opponents. Lesnar is such a beat that it took both Cena and Rollins to even try to contain him, but, naturally, Lesnar defended his title and knocked out both competitors.

6. Bret Hart vs Owen Hart, SummerSlam 1994

Many consider the Hart vs Hart bout at SummerSlam ’94 to be one of the best cage matches in WWE history. When the Hart brothers faced off, it was like seeing sparks fly in a heated and impossible match. While the two battled it out, fans knew that this was hearbreaking (pun intended) for both of them.

5. Triple H vs Cactus Jack, No Way Out 2000

This Hell in a Cell match saw Mick Foley bust out his old Cactus Jack persona again to give Triple H the business. The pairing of Triple H’s disrespectful, vainglorious personality and Jack’s no-nonsense approach made this an all-timer.

4. Randy Orton, Batista, Daniel Bryan, WrestleMania 30

Daniel Bryan had to prove his superstar status to the WWE time and again before it finally sank in. His battle against both Orton and Batista for the championship belt at WrestleMania 30 is one for the history books, as he took a Batista Bomb and RKO at the same time and still stood up to win the whole thing.

3. CM Punk vs John Cena, Money in the Bank 2011

When CM Punk performs in his hometown of Chicago, he gets some riotous pops from the crowd. Punk and Cena had an uncommon chemistry during this 2011 match, meeting each other eye-to-eye and getting into one of the most dramatic and awesome championship bouts in WWE history. Punk’s walk off after his win has now become iconic.

2. Cactus Jack vs Triple H, Royal Rumble 2000

After their bout in No Way Out, Triple H and Cactus Jack met again in one of the most brutal and vicious wrestling matches ever aired on WWE. This bloody, vicious match saw Jack hitting Triple H with everything from barbed wire to thumbtacks, and much blood was spilled as the two battled over the championship belt.

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1. Steve Austin vs the Rock, WrestleMania 17

At WrestleMania 17, the years-long buildup of the rivalry between Stone Cold and the Rock was at a fever pitch. The two battled it out in a messy, story-rich bout that had huge crowd investment. Stone Cold’s heel turn at the end of the match was legendary, even if it didn’t end up leading to much in the long run.