Due to the sheer number of shows that WWE produces in a calendar year, the chances of two wrestlers facing off more than once are extremely high, but from time to time, WWE delivers a match that occurs only once.

There are several factors why the match in question could be a one-time deal. One of the wrestlers in the match could be a part-time talent, and they have limited dates on their contract, or another reason could be that the match itself only took part to further a different story, and it never made logical sense for WWE to rebook the matchup.

So, with that being said, let’s look at 10 once in a lifetime WWE matches.

10: The Rock vs. Eddie Guerrero

On a random episode of RAW in 2002, WWE delivered an epic dream match between The Rock and Eddie Guerrero. The match between the two all-time greats marked the first and only time in WWE history that the two collided 1 v 1, and their chemistry was instant and memorable. The two worked incredibly well together in the ring, and there was a push online at the time to see the two have a featured feud against each other.

The match was evidence that Guerrero was a legitimate main eventer, and it was time to push him to the next level in WWE. The Rock took to his Instagram page in 2019 to comment on the match, and as expected, The Great One praised the match, and had lovely comments to make when it came to Guerrero:

“Check out Eddie’s nasty Rock Bottom counter - he was a bad dude! Found this throwback gem of my World Title match with one of the GOATS - Eddie Guerrero. Insanely talented wrestler. I loved wrestling him and always admired his relentless in ring style and intensity. Most importantly, he was a good man and taken from us way too early. Miss you and “thanks for the house” brother.”

9: Kurt Angle vs. Batista

On paper, a rivalry between Kurt Angle and Batista makes a ton of logical sense. Angle had chemistry with just about everyone, and Batista was able to truly bring it in the ring when the time came.

Shockingly, the two have only wrestled once in singles competition and it occurred on RAW in 2005. The match was brief, but from what was presented on screen, the in-ring action was strong.

The match broke down when Triple H and Ric Flair interfered, offering a disappointing end to a potentially show-stealing matchup.

Shortly after the matchup, Batista as World Champion was drafted to SmackDown, whilst Angle remained on RAW. If the two were featured on the same brand for more than a few months, then it would have been entirely possible that WWE would have delivered an extended rivalry between the two legends.

8: Rob Van Dam vs. Rey Mysterio

You would think that Rob Van Dam and Rey Mysterio would have wrestled a dozen times in WWE, especially when you take into consideration that the two were in WWE simultaneously for a number of years. However, the reality is, the two have only wrestled once and it came at the WWE vs. ECW Head-to-Head show. RVD managed to get the win in a short yet enjoyable match, and it would have been nice for WWE to revisit the pairing and book them to have more matches on RAW or SmackDown.

The likely reason why the match didn’t occur more than once, was because both were babyfaces for the entire time that they were in WWE concurrently. WWE keeps babyface vs. babyface matches as special as humanly possible, so it’s unlikely that more matches between the two would have ever been on the drawing board.

7: Goldberg vs. Shawn Michaels

It’s well documented that Goldberg’s WWE run between 2003-2004 wasn’t the greatest thing in the world. Goldberg wrestled names such as The Rock, Chris Jericho and Triple H, and the match quality on offer was ultimately disappointing.

One of the more forgotten matches of Goldberg’s first WWE run was his 2003 match with Shawn Michaels on RAW. Going into the match, there was hope that Goldberg could deliver his best-match to date, as after-all, this was HBK, and HBK having a bad match in 2003 was next to impossible.

The match was fine, but the babyface vs. babyface storytelling was awkward in places, and the two without question had a lack of chemistry. WWE would also opt for a non-finish, as Batista interfered in the match by attacking both men.

6: Shawn Michaels vs. Hulk Hogan

Icon vs. Icon collided at SummerSlam in 2005, as Shawn Michaels took on Hulk Hogan for the first-time ever. This was a certified dream match, and fans were curious to see how the match would play out.

The one-time only match was never intended to be a one-time deal, as WWE had planned to do a number of matches between the two, with them exchanging wins; however, Hogan cancelled these plans, and opted for one single match at the SummerSlam event.

Infamously, HBK would take great offence to Hogan’s attitude, and he would proceed to hilariously oversell everything Hogan did in the match. Was it unprofessional? It’s up for debate, but it certainly made for a fascinating matchup.  

Whilst it was a let-down that HBK vs. Hogan was a one-time deal, it wasn’t all bad, as for the feud, WWE would turn HBK heel for the first time since he returned to the company. Whilst this run would be brief due to Hogan dropping out of the storyline, HBK’s heel work was exceptional, and he cut some of the most compelling villainous promos of his career during this time.

5: Edge vs. Kevin Owens

During Edge’s final WWE run, he was able to have a number of dream matches with the likes of Roman Reigns, Seth Rollins, and even Finn Balor. However, one of the matches that fans urgently wanted to see out of Edge’s run was a match with Kevin Owens. Unfortunately, the match has only occurred once in WWE history, and it took place at a live event in late 2021.

The two faced off in a brutal steel cage match in Madison Square Garden, and judging by fan reports from those in attendance, the match was excellent. It was a massive shame that WWE never delivered the match on TV or PPV, and with Edge now being a full-time AEW talent in what is said to be his final run in wrestling, the match is likely to never take place.

4: Jeff Hardy vs. John Cena

In the summer of 2008, WWE decided to seemingly out of nowhere book a dream match for RAW. Jeff Hardy would face John Cena on the show, and at this point In time, Hardy’s popularity had skyrocketed, so it was an interesting and bold creative move to book him to face the top guy in the company.

This was the only time in both of their decorated careers that they had faced off 1 v 1, and the match was one of the best TV matches of 2008. The contrast of styles worked in their favour, and they delivered a fine match that could have potentially led to a rivalry between the two. Cena picked up the win, which wasn’t exactly a surprise, but Hardy shined in the match, and it was presented as if Cena had to work extra hard to put Hardy down for the 3-count.

It goes without saying that a featured feud between the two would have likely involved one of them turning heel, and WWE would have no desire to deliver that in the summer of 2008.  

3: Triple H vs. Daniel Bryan

It is rare for a WrestleMania event to include a one-time only, once in a lifetime encounter, however, WrestleMania 30 was an exception to the rule. WrestleMania 30’s opening match saw Triple H take on Daniel Bryan for the first-time ever.  This was the only time the two have ever wrestled, and the match was without a doubt the match of the night, and arguably one of Triple H’s finest matches ever.  As always, Triple H’s heel work was captivating, and there was nothing better in 2014 than Bryan’s babyface work.

Unlike other matches on this list, WWE did book a rematch between the two for the next night on RAW. This match would be for Bryan’s newly won WWE World Title; however, the match never managed to get going, as there was interference from The Authority and then The Shield, so it can’t truly be labelled an official WWE matchup.

2: Brock Lesnar vs. CM Punk

When WWE booked Brock Lesnar vs. CM Punk for the 2013 SummerSlam event, fans had high expectations. Lesnar, traditionally was able to have outstanding matches with smaller opponents, and Punk was delivering classic after classic in 2013, having already had notable matches with the likes of John Cena and The Undertaker in the respective year.

The match itself was incredible, and it was even better than fans expected. Even though Punk lost, he looked like a million bucks, as Lesnar sold Punk’s offence with conviction and meaning. It’s a huge shame that Punk departed WWE in early 2014, as it would have been wonderful to see the two former World Champions run it back, as there was a vocal push for a rematch from WWE fans.

The one match business aside, this is truly one of the greatest matches of both of their careers, and the match is going to be continued to be celebrated for many years to come.

1: Roman Reigns vs. Batista

Roman Reigns vs. Batista is a matchup and feud that could have made WWE a considerable amount of money. The problem is that the stars never aligned for a feud between the two, but the two did have a 1 v 1 showdown, and it came during the feud between The Shield and Evolution. During the acclaimed rivalry between the two factions, Reigns and Batista would face off in a singles match on RAW in 2014, and the match came to an end when both factions interfered.

Whilst the match was presented as somewhat of a big deal, this was a few months before Reigns was given a substantial solo push, and unfortunately, Batista would exit WWE just a few weeks after the matchup, meaning WWE never had the option of booking a rematch between the two.