WWE: 20 Best Matches of 2023 (Part 2)
As we approach WWE’s first stop on the road to WrestleMania, we continue to take a look back at the year that was 2023 for World Wrestling Entertainment. In part one, we only just scratched the surface when it comes to the great matches WWE produced in the past 12 months, ranging from massive title matches to out-of-control multi-mans. However, it only gets better as we dive into part two!
My name is Sam Palmer from Vendetta Sports Media, and here is part two of my list of WWE’s 20 best matches of 2023!
15. Bianca Belair vs. Iyo Sky [WWE Raw Women’s Championship] – Backlash:
2023 was a strange year for the women’s divisions in WWE. Both Raw and Smackdown are overloaded with amazing athletes, but it seemed as if people had gotten sick of Bianca Belair after WrestleMania 39. The EST of WWE had spent over a year as the Raw Women’s Champion and was drafted to Smackdown in order to get some fresh competition. Her first test following her move to the blue brand came in the form of a woman who fans worldwide had been dying to see in a main event program since she was promoted to the main roster, the former Io Shirai, Iyo Sky.
The Japanese star had always been a standout performer since she signed with WWE in 2018, but this was her first real opportunity to show the world that she was always fit for the main event scene, she just needed an opportunity. While there were some botches and some involvement from Damage CTRL that wasn’t really needed, the crowd in San Juan willed this match to a level everyone knew it could reach. Iyo would get her chance to show what WWE would look like as champion later in the year, and it could be argued that this match helped her case.
14. Gunther vs. Chad Gable [WWE Intercontinental Championship] – Raw (Aug. 21):
If you’re not into the soap opera offerings of The Bloodline and just want some good old-fashioned wrestling, this is the feud of the year. Much like Iyo Sky, everyone knew that Chad Gable was a phenomenal wrestler, he just hadn’t been allowed to showcase it due to being part of a tag team, a comedy act or whatever Shorty G was. After giving Gunther a test that he wasn’t ready for, he won a four-way match on Raw to earn a shot at the IC title, and the rematch was set.
Gable and Gunther showcased their unreal chemistry in their second go-around, which not only proved that Chad could compete at the highest level, but also proved that The Ring General actually had some weaknesses. Gable could withstand the brutal chops and strikes that Gunther dished out, while also proving that when push came to shove, he was a better technical wrestler. It ended in a way that kept both men strong, set up a potential third match, and cemented Chad Gable as a true force to be reckoned with in WWE.
13. Gunther vs. Tommaso Ciampa [WWE Intercontinental Championship] – Raw (Oct. 2):
I feel as if this match kind of flew under the radar for a lot of people given the amount of great title matches that Gunther had in 2023. He and Tommaso Ciampa had met once before in NXT when both men were at very different stages in their careers. The man formerly known as WALTER had a stranglehold over the WWE UK Championship, while Ciampa was still floating around the NXT Championship picture. Their match at the Stand & Deliver event in 2021 was one of WWE’s best matches of the entire year, but how would they operate now that they were competing on the main roster?
Had this match taken place at Fastlane (which it should have been) it would have easily gone down as the best match of the night, but they had to settle for the October 2nd edition of Raw instead. The match showcased how dangerous Gunther’s move set is as he can seemingly finish off anyone with any move, this match being a good example of that. It was stiff, it was hard-hitting, and it was a match that needed to be praised more. An underrated gem from 2023, go and check it out if you have the chance.
12. Edge vs. Sheamus – Smackdown (Aug. 18th):
A match between two WWE lifers, except not really because this ended up being Edge’s final match in World Wrestling Entertainment before he became All Elite in October. Amazingly, Edge and Sheamus never had a one-on-one match against each other before the Aug. 18 edition of Smackdown. They had met multiple times in tag team matches, battle royales and multi-man affairs, but never in a straight singles match, so the fans in Toronto were in for a treat.
Sheamus is finally getting the credit he deserves as one of the best wrestlers WWE has on its books and all of his strengths were on full display in this one. Knowing that the hometown boy was going to get the majority share of fan support, he decided to live up to his reputation of being one of the hardest men in the business by giving Edge a proper test of endurance. Edge finally got to leave WWE in a way that he felt to be right, in his hometown after one of the best matches of his second run with the company. Sometimes, it’s just fun to see two pros doing what they do best: wrestle.
11. Roman Reigns & Solo Sikoa vs. Kevin Owens & Sami Zayn [WWE Raw Tag Team Championship/WWE Smackdown Tag Team Championship] – Night Of Champions:
By May of 2023, people were wondering if The Bloodline saga had run out of steam. Roman retained his crown at WrestleMania and was looking to become more of a part-time attraction rather than a consistent presence in the main event scene. However, he did have a bone to pick with the new Raw and Smackdown Tag Team Champions Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn. They dethroned The Usos at WrestleMania, and never forgetting the people that wronged him, Roman ordered Solo Sikoa to team up with him to bring the gold back to his family, restoring order in the process.
Sami Zayn might not have gotten the better of Roman earlier on in the year, which a lot of people were upset about, but his run as a tag team champion alongside his best friend Kevin Owens was all sorts of fun. Entering Saudi Arabia as one of the most over people in the history of WWE’s trips to the Middle East, this match had all of the drama that The Bloodline is known for. Interference (as to be expected), emotion (obviously), and a surprising twist in the tale that took the story in a fresh new direction. Owens and Zayn might have felt like background characters to the main story at this point, but this match wouldn’t have been half as good if they weren’t in it.
That’s it for part two, stay tuned to see what we think is the best WWE match of 2023! Don’t forget to follow myself and Vendetta Sports Media on all your favorite social media platforms.
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