Honorable Mentions

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Dominik Mysterio vs. Dragon Lee RAW NXT North American Championship Match

Give this one some time, and it’ll age like fine wine—one of the many matches that surprised the sold-out crowd that night. Not only did this cement Dragon Lee as a legitimate star, but it cemented Dominik Mysterio’s coming of age as a legit top Heel in the WWE and that he can hang with the best by himself without any gimmicks. The pace was near perfect, showcasing Dragon Lee’s agility and moveset, including an insane over-the-top rope Hurricarana to Dominink on the outside of the ring. Dominik was no slouch either, showcasing all the skills he’s picked up in the short period he’s been with the WWE, all while defending his NXT Title. This match is worth a repeat watch as two 2nd generation superstars left it all in the ring that night.

Daniel Bryan vs. Roman Reigns Universal Title Match, Smackdown

There were a lot of matches that got overlooked due to the pandemic in 2021. Even without a live audience, the two men still grace our TV with a runback of their match at Elimination Chamber with Universal Championship on the line. The two styles blended perfectly, showcasing Romans’ strength and Daniel Bryan’s technical skills and moves that fit his underdog babyface personality. Also, with an empty arena and virtual crowds, the wrestlers were allowed more leeway in their spots, thus giving us a memorable missed spear by Roman through the barricade. The rumors that Daniel Bryan was leaving the WWE made this match even more nail-biting. However, the matches near falls kept us hoping the rumors weren’t true until we saw Roman submitting Bryan with the guillotine and sending him off lovingly with a con-chair-to, cementing Reigns as the sinister Head of the Table.

Eddie Guerrero vs. JBL Steel Cage Match

Not often do you get stipulation matches on TV for free. Not often do you get one with the late great Eddie Guererro whupping Bradshaw in a Steel Cage. There are not many highlights in JBL’s heel run as WWE Champion, but the Steel Cage Match that took place on July 15th, 2004, is one to take a peep at. Bradshaw’s punchable face was already a must-see, but people forget how great of a worker he is with the right opponent. The two put on a clinic for the eyes, including one of Eddie's best Frog Splashes in wrestling history as he jumped off the 15-foot cage onto a prone Bradshaw. The only reason it didn’t make the list was the lengthy match ruined by interference from Kurt Angle. Still, that moment is worth a look if you enjoy any matches with Eddie or JBL getting punched in the face.

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10. CM Punk vs. John Cena February 15th, 2013, Raw

You don’t expect bangers from a wrestler that most fans know for his “5 moves of doom,” but the Leader of the Cenation was always one to improve his arsenal and prove fans wrong. Take his match against CM Punk on Monday Night Raw in a match for the No.1 Contender for the WWE Championship against The Rock at Wrestlemania. Both men pulled out all the stops. CM Punk used his experience from their ongoing rivalry to stop John Cena’s momentum, and John Cena having to think outside the box led to both men pulling out moves we’ve never seen them do on TV. When you feel nothing can upstage CM Punk pulling out a Pildedriver, Cena makes your jaw drop with a Hurricarana out of nowhere. The match has everything from reversals to strikes from wrestling's most polarizing figures.

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9. AJ Styles vs. Daniel Bryan Intercontinental Championship Match, Smackdown

WWE's pandemic era has gems matches scattered across it. Reigniting a feud between two of the best men ever to grace the squared circle? Yes, please! Their match occurred in the tournament finals to crown a new Intercontinental Champion. Both men showcased why they were the best in business with painful strikes, chain wrestling, suplex galore, and quick-hitting maneuvers that hurt our bodies by looking at it, including Daniel Bryan’s running getting reversed into a Styles Clash that AJ Styles built. If there was anything good about the pandemic, it was the fact that we got blessed with a PPV-worthy match like this one.

8. John Cena vs. Shawn Micheal- John Cena April 23, 2017, Raw

Cena returns to the list alongside The Showstopper to give us a rematch of their Wrestlemania meeting. For HBK, this was pure redemption after losing at the Showcase of the Immortals, and for John Cena, this was a chance to show that his win over Shawn was no fluke. Nonetheless, both men brought their A-game. The match was back-and-forth and hard-hitting in front of one of the most Cena-loathing crowds in London. Luckily( or unluckily), the crowd got what they wanted with an HBK victory when Shawn reversed out of Cena’s attitude adjustment into one of the top 5 “Sweet Chin Musics” ever to grace our eyeballs. Accolades like this are why HBK is regarded as one of the best to ever step into the ring.

7. Undertaker vs. Jeff Hardy, Undisputed Championship Ladder Match, Raw

Jeff Hardy as the underdog babyface? Check. Undertaker being the badass? Check. Surround them with ladders and let them go at it for 15 minutes in a crowd intensely behind the Charismatic Enigma? Looks like a classic to me. Not only did this man prove that Hardy could hang with the big kids, but it was also a match where, even in defeat, Hardy looked like a legitimate star who could be a foundation of the company in the future. Also, Taker’s ground-and-pound powerhouse style blended perfectly with Jeff Hardy’s high-flying nature. The praise Taker movies Hardy at the end of the match is the icing on top of a delicious outcome.

6. Benoit/Jericho vs. 2 Man Power Trip RAW Tag Team Title Match May 21st, 2001

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When you think of Tag Team matches, you think about iconic teams like the Dudleys or the Hardy Boyz. Many need to remember the clinic that the 2 Man Power Trip brought to the table. The team of Triple H & Stone Cold was leaving ruin in the wake; that’s until they ran into Chris Jericho & Chris Benoit in one of the best free Tag Team Matches ever put on TV. The match is full of heavy maneuvers, multiple finishers, good ol’ fashioned cheating heels, and some heart-stopping near falls that had you pulling hair out of your head. The match ends in a victory for our two Canadian Chrises in a well-deserved, well-fought match.

5. John Cena vs. Cesaro United States Championship Match, July 16, 2015, Raw

Love or hate John, people enjoyed his United States Open Challenge.  Various superstars got a chance to shine their talent in front of multiple audiences and our TV screen. One of those men who grabbed the brass ring is the Swiss Cyborg/Superman, Cesaro. Cesaro got to show the rest of the world what the Cesaro Section already knew: that he could put on a show. The two brought down the house, matching each other in power, pulling out their moves we’ve never seen in their arsenal, and countless nearfalls. Sadly, this ended in DQ, but it was a feast for our eyes while it lasted. If you ever wonder how high you can throw Cena in the air, Cesaro answered that question with one of the most disgusting European Uppercut done by a sentient lifeform. He named it the “Swiss Death” for a reason.

4. Shawn Michaels vs. Shelton Benjamin Gold Rush Quarter Tournament Finals, July 2005, Raw

Another “Top Sweet Chin Music” moment comes at No.5. You can’t have the top 10 TV matches of all time without placing this match on the list. Place one of the GOATS in WWE against one of the world’s best workhouse wrestlers, Shelton Benjamin, and you get a too-good-for-TV match. People already knew that Shawn Michaels was great in the ring, but this match showcased Benjamin’s athleticism as one of the sickest in the game, from hopping to the top rope from the mat with ease and his fluid delivery of how he did his suplexes. What makes you cherish this match-up is that both these men have only twice faced each other in singles competition. With Shawn retired and Shelton in the twilight of his career, this work of art is immortalized by fans everywhere.

3. Kurt Angle vs. Chris Benoit Smackdown March 4th, 2003 Smackdown

If it weren’t for the unfortunate case of Chris Benoit, his rivalry and matches with Kurt Angle would be known as some of the best technical wrestling ever seen. You can’t pick a bad match from their Steel Cage match on RAW to their 2003 Royal Rumble match, which many, including Angle, would say was their best match. That doesn’t mean they took a break when it came to wrestling each other on free TV as, once again, they’d put on another spectacle later that week on Smackdown. Chain wrestling, submission reversal, and tons and tons of German Suplexes highlight everything you’ll love about this match.

2. Bret Hart vs. 1-2-3 Kidd WWF Championship Match Jan 1st, 1994 Raw

“Underrated” is the first word that comes to mind when discussing this match. You can’t say the phrase “Amazing Matches” without having Bret Hart on your list. His face-off against the underrated Sean Waltman (X-Pac) is heralded as a match you can study from in-ring work to character development. The build-up around every moment in the match was damn near perfect, the psychology was as accurate as it can get, and the execution by both parties was flawless. The momentum never settled until the end of the match when Waltman tapped. A restless crowd and commentary from J.R. and “Macho Man” Randy Savage made this all worthwhile TV goodness. This match has withstood the test of time and seems to continue doing so.

1. Kurt Angle vs Brock Lesnar Ironman Match March 18th, 2003 Smackdown

 When the company gives you 60 minutes to go all out, you must be doing something right in your career. This match has so many stories behind it. This match was nearly not about to happen due to Kurt losing his sister to an overdose, Kurt suffering from injuries, and Kurt having an unfathomable amount of Vicodin in his system. Angle discussed all these details on the JRE Podcast, stating he did the match because he knew his sister would want him to. With all this said, it ended up being one of the best matches in his career. A sadistic Brock Lesnar showcased some of the best heel psychology, hitting Angle with a steel chair and getting DQ’ed, but then using the damage done to pick up two falls, and Angle being the overcome and narrowing down the lead. We don’t need to talk about the execution because fans who have seen these 2 know they’ll consistently deliver when they’re in the ring. The match ends in one of the most heartbreaking scenarios: Angle locks in the ankle lock with 15 seconds left, and fans are screaming for Brock to tap, only for the Beast Incarnate to hold on to become the new WWE Champion. Everything you love about pro wrestling was given in this match and left everyone satisfied. This didn’t belong on free TV, but somehow, some way, we were given pure brilliance.

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That’s our list. If you want more Top 10s or articles on the latest wrestling news, stick here on Wrestlelamia or visit our YouTube channel for more Wrestling Content!

While you can name the best WWE matches of all time on the big stages like Wrestlemania and Summerslam, people need to remember the hard work the matches on TV take. If you take a closer look, some of these matches were main-event worthy, and the quality is just as good as the one that WWE saved for the Pay-per-view/ WWE Network Cards. If you’re having a tough time remembering what weekly TV classic got your blood pumping, luckily for you, we scoured the internet and found the Top 10 WWE Matches That Were Free On TV.