WWE: 20 Best Matches of 2023 (Part 1)
We have shed light on the best that AEW and NJPW had to offer, now it’s time to see what WWE’s main roster had to offer in 2023. It was a banner year for World Wrestling Entertainment as they became arguably the hottest promotion in North America for the first time since the famed Attitude Era.
Through a combination of a change in booking style and focus on a variety of different stars which started in 2022 and carried through to 2023, WWE has become a product fans are actually excited to follow for the first time in years. For context, this four-part series will strictly focus on the main roster (NXT will get their own list), so let’s get to it.
My name is Sam Palmer from Vendetta Sports Media, and here is part one of our countdown of the 20 best WWE main roster matches of 2023!
20. Roman Reigns vs. Cody Rhodes [Undisputed WWE Universal Championship] – WrestleMania 39 (Night 2):
We’ve mentioned in the past that when show doesn’t land its finish, it can truly leave a sour taste in the mouths of fans. This applies to the WrestleMania Night Two main event as it was on course to be one of the best matches in WWE history … and then the finish happened. Yes, there is every chance that Cody Rhodes could “finish his story” at WrestleMania 40, but the opportunity was right there to give the fans what they want.
Had Cody Rhodes won, this would have ranked a lot higher as it would have wrapped up this portion of The Bloodline saga in a neat little package. Instead, it’s a dramatic, soap opera-style match that had people gripped for 34 of its 35-minute runtime, only to let the air out of its own tires in the final moments. Still, check it out if you haven’t as Cody and Roman do have some excellent chemistry.
19. Seth Rollins vs. Finn Balor [WWE World Heavyweight Championship] – Summerslam:
Back in 2016, Seth Rollins and Finn Balor met at Summerslam to crown the first-ever WWE Universal Champion. The match, while very good, is best remembered for Balor getting injured to the point where he would have to vacate the title 24 hours later. Seven years later, the two men were back at the Biggest Party of the Summer fighting over a title that had only been introduced that year.
I for one am not the biggest fan of interferences in wrestling, but here it actually worked well. It planted the seeds for eventual dissension in The Judgment Day, while also teasing a potential Money in the Bank cash-in from Damian Priest. One of the best individual performances Balor has had in WWE in years, and Rollins once again proved that, even though his title still feels like a consolation prize, he’s working to get it to the level of the title Roman has.
18. Gunther vs. Bronson Reed [WWE Intercontinental Championship] – Raw (Oct. 16):
Spoilers for the rest of the list, get ready to hear the name Gunther a lot. His reign as the WWE Intercontinental Champion has not only made the belt feel more important than it has in a while, but it’s also made The Ring General appointment viewing for any wrestling fan. No matter who he steps in the ring with, he has always felt like a big deal, especially when his opponent is also a very big man.
On paper, two heels taking each other on doesn’t sound like it would work, but this match certainly did the job. Gunther and Reed had a match that might have been predictable (Reed was never going to win), but that’s not what these IC Title matches have been about in 2023. They have been about creating a dominant champion who will get the best out of anyone and everyone, and this was just another example of it.
17. Gunther vs. Kevin Owens – Raw (June 5):
It’s incredible that it took this long for Gunther and Kevin Owens to meet in a singles match. These two had crossed paths in tag team matches on a number of occasions in the past, but the fans that tuned in for the June 5th edition of Raw were going to get something special.
The Ring General was coming up on one year as Intercontinental Champion and Owens simply wanted to fight (as he usually does). The two men went to war in a match that might not have had the IC Title on the line, but that didn’t matter. Another match that ended in an interference that, for me, didn’t work as well as WWE were intending, but the action leading up to the ending was so good that it deserves a spot on this list.
Much like Reigns vs. Rhodes from WrestleMania, a clean match from start to finish could have seen this place much higher on the list.
16. Cody Rhodes, Jey Uso, Randy Orton, Sami Zayn & Seth Rollins vs. The Judgment Day & Drew McIntyre [WarGames Match] – Survivor Series:
With Roman Reigns having wrestled his final match of 2023 just a few weeks earlier, it was down to Raw’s main event scene to produce something worthy of both a WarGames match, and a “big four” main event. I’ll be one of the first to admit that by the time Survivor Series rolled around, I was ready for The Judgment Day to start feuds with literally anyone else. However, they and the rest of the cast in this match got their working boots on.
What this match showcased was the true level of star power WWE has right now. It’s not quite WWF circa 2000 where everyone is as over as they’ll ever be, but it’s close, especially for the babyfaces. Sami Zayn should win the World Title at some point he just should, Randy Orton proved why after all these years he is still a star attraction, and Cody Rhodes got the decisive pin in an all-time great Survivor Series match. Oh yeah, and CM Punk showed up at the end.
That’s the end of part one! Tune in next time as we continue our countdown of WWE’s best matches of 2023! Don’t forget to follow myself and Vendetta Sports Media on all your favorite social media platforms.
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