10 WWE Matches That Began as Classics and Fell Apart at the Finish
CM Punk and John Cena
10. Shawn Michaels vs. Mankind - In Your House: Mind Games
Shawn Michaels and Mankind delivered an exceptionally worked WWE Championship match that had the Philadelphia crowd fully engaged. HBK focused heavily on Mankind’s left knee, which was sold consistently throughout. The action escalated with Mankind crashing into the steel steps and both men colliding mid-air through the announce table. A step-up superkick from Michaels looked like a definitive finish. Instead, Vader interfered, causing a disqualification. Michaels retained the title without a clean win, was attacked by Mankind’s Mandible Claw, and then saw The Undertaker clear the ring. Despite the chaotic ending, Michaels was treated as if he had decisively won, leaving the audience unsatisfied.
9. Rey Mysterio vs. Sabu - ECW One Night Stand 2006
This World Championship match embodied ECW’s reckless intensity. Rey Mysterio hit a senton through a table, while Sabu responded with brutal chair shots. The match peaked with Sabu delivering a springboard DDT that sent Rey crashing through a table. Doctors ruled both wrestlers unable to continue, resulting in a no contest. The crowd loudly rejected the decision, chanting in frustration. WWE’s reluctance to have either man lose felt especially misplaced given ECW’s identity.
8. Brock Lesnar vs. Kurt Angle - WrestleMania 19
With Kurt Angle’s neck injury looming over the match, both competitors delivered a WrestleMania classic. The intensity and pacing elevated it to main-event status. The match became infamous when Lesnar attempted a Shooting Star Press and under-rotated, landing on his head and suffering a concussion. Although he recovered enough to hit an F5 and win, the botched move became the lasting image of an otherwise outstanding match.
7. Trish Stratus vs. Mickie James - WrestleMania 22
Built around Mickie James’ obsessive fan storyline, this Women’s Championship match featured strong psychology. Mickie relentlessly targeted Trish’s left leg, and Trish sold the damage effectively throughout. The finish fell apart when Mickie attempted Stratusfaction and both women struggled to execute the move. Mickie won with the Mick Kick, but the blown spot—and Mickie’s suggestive taunt—overshadowed the match and was later edited out of broadcasts.
6. Chris Benoit vs. Dean Malenko - WCW Hog Wild
The match opened with outstanding technical wrestling and hard-hitting offense, drawing the crowd fully into the action. That momentum stalled when the 20-minute time limit expired at the exact moment Benoit kicked out of a powerbomb. What followed were multiple overtime extensions that caused the bout to overstay its welcome, gradually souring the audience. After such a prolonged and intense showcase, the finish fell flat: an outisde interference and a sudden schoolboy roll-up felt deeply anticlimactic and failed to provide a satisfying payoff to the match’s early brilliance.
5. Undertaker vs. Batista - SmackDown (May 11, 2007)
This World Heavyweight Championship cage match centered on Undertaker targeting Batista’s injured right leg, limiting Batista’s power offense. The climax saw both men attempting to escape the cage simultaneously. Both appeared to hit the floor at the same time, and instant replay failed to determine a winner, resulting in a draw. The decision was heavily booed, though it led to a post-match angle involving Mark Henry and Edge’s Money in the Bank cash-in.
4. WWE Championship Scramble - Unforgiven 2008
The Scramble match format led to rapid, chaotic title changes involving Triple H, Jeff Hardy, Shelton Benjamin, The Brian Kendrick, and MVP. However, the closing moments undercut the entire concept. In the final seconds, Jeff Hardy—who was already the reigning champion—chose to go for a pin of his own rather than breaking up Triple H’s cover. The illogical decision made Hardy look careless and completely deflated the match’s dramatic stakes, leaving the ending widely criticized as both confusing and counterproductive.
3. Triple H vs. Randy Orton - Royal Rumble 2005
The match initially told a clear story, with Triple H methodically targeting Randy Orton’s left knee and Orton selling the damage effectively. However, that narrative quickly unraveled. Midway through the bout, Orton inexplicably abandoned the knee injury and later began selling a concussion instead. The abrupt shift in focus created inconsistent storytelling that made the match feel disjointed and unfocused. Triple H’s clean victory with the Pedigree only compounded the issue, further undercutting Orton’s momentum and weakening his already faltering babyface run.
2. Dean Ambrose vs. Seth Rollins - Hell in a Cell 2014
Dean Ambrose and Seth Rollins delivered a thrilling opening, starting the match on top of the Hell in a Cell and crashing through the announce tables in a jaw-dropping spot. Once inside the structure, the action escalated with brutal weapon shots and inventive, high-impact moments that had the crowd fully invested. However, the momentum came to a halt when Bray Wyatt suddenly interfered just as Ambrose set up a decisive finish with the cinder blocks. Rollins picked up the win without hitting a finisher, leaving the audience deflated and robbing the feud of the clear, satisfying conclusion it desperately needed.
1. John Cena vs. CM Punk - SummerSlam 2011
Coming off their iconic Money in the Bank clash, John Cena and CM Punk once again put on a compelling match that had fans fully invested. Punk appeared to have the victory secured after hitting the GTS, but Cena’s foot was clearly on the bottom rope during the pin, something special referee Triple H failed to notice. What followed was a messy cascade of interference, with Kevin Nash attacking Punk and Alberto Del Rio immediately cashing in his Money in the Bank contract. The overbooked finish abruptly stalled Punk’s momentum and sent the pay-per-view home on an unsatisfying note.
