The longer matches to take place in wrestling have a more natural polarizing reaction from the fan base. Not everyone enjoys the matches that last over thirty minutes if put in an important position. The attention span of fans is designed to want a faster pace than going a half hour in most instances.WWE and any other relevant promotion must spend time thinking about if having such a long match is worth it. The talents involved are tasked with having to make it work from the bell ringing to the finish. Results have gone both ways with the fan responses showing the positives and negatives. Each of the following went over thirty minutes with either strong praise or disappointing reactions.
10 Amazing: CM Punk Vs John Cena (Money In The Bank 2011)
WWE gave all the time to CM Punk during his great storyline with John Cena at Money in the Bank 2011. The Summer of Punk featured him claiming he would take the WWE Championship and leave if winning the title from Cena before his contract ended.
Cena and Punk went for 33 minutes and 44 seconds of action-packed wrestling in front of a red-hot Chicago crowd. The match is considered one of the most important for Punk’s career as it turned him into a top star to pay off a great angle.
9 Skippable: The Undertaker Vs Shane McMahon (WrestleMania 32)
The return of Shane McMahon to WWE in 2016 was a great boost for WWE. There was extra interest in Shane coming back from a long absence to have a Hell in a Cell match against The Undertaker at WrestleMania 32.
WWE booked the match horrendously by having an aging veteran and non-wrestler returning to the ring go for just over 30 minutes. The match was viewed as uneventful aside from the big spot of Shane jumping off the cell that everyone was anticipating.
8 Amazing: Kenny Omega & Adam Page Vs The Young Bucks (AEW Revolution 2020)
Revolution 2020 featured a tag match that many AEW fans still view as the best in company history. Kenny Omega and Adam Page teamed up to successfully retain the AEW Tag Team Championship against the Young Bucks.
The storyline of The Elite falling apart saw all four wrestlers thriving with the great storytelling and exciting in-ring action. AEW gave them a little over thirty minutes to steal the show with an instant classic. The match not only had the short-term fun, but AEW set up the bigger story of Page vs Omega that just paid off almost two years later.
7 Skippable: Vader Vs Sting Vs The Guardian Angel (Fall Brawl 1994)
WCW was not known for having too many long PPV matches if Ric Flair was not the one leading the structure. However, Fall Brawl 1994 featured one of the strangest matches to run over the half hour mark with the #1 contender spot for the WCW Championship on the line.
Vader defeated Sting and The Guardian Angel aka the Big Boss Man in the semi-main event with a lot of time given to them. WCW allowed the match to run for 30 minutes and 22 seconds The match was nothing special and felt like three wrestlers running the clock down knowing their match time.
6 Amazing: The Undertaker Vs Shawn Michaels (WrestleMania 25)
WWE allowed The Undertaker and Shawn Michaels enough time to have one of the all-time great matches at WrestleMania 25. Michaels put up a realistic threat to end Undertaker’s undefeated streak at the biggest show of the year.
Both legends were in rare form in their home state of Texas to deliver an instant classic. WWE giving Undertaker and Michaels 30 minutes and 44 seconds was enough time to deliver enough twists and turns for a special performance.
5 Skippable: The Rock Vs John Cena (WrestleMania 28)
The Rock’s return to WWE culminated in a WrestleMania 28 showdown against John Cena in the main event. Even though Rock had not wrestled a singles match in almost ten years, the match received 33 minutes and 44 seconds to tell their story.
The match was polarizing with mixed reactions from the general audience. Rock winning was a feel-good moment, but it made no sense to have the match run that long and expose their weaknesses. Cena and Rock had a lackluster outing in the first of their two WrestleMania matches.
4 Amazing: Ricky Steamboat Vs Ric Flair (WCW Clash Of The Champions 6)
The legendary rivalry between Ric Flair and Ricky Steamboat delivered some of the best lengthy matches in wrestling history. Both wrestlers were known for their superb conditioning, but they had one match to run especially long.
Steamboat and Flair faced off at Clash of the Champions 6 with the two of three falls stipulation adding to the storytelling. The match went 55 minutes and 12 seconds before Steamboat pulled out the third fall for the victory.
3 Skippable: Edge Vs Randy Orton (WrestleMania 36)
The return of Edge in 2020 landed him in a feud with his former Rated RKO tag team partner Randy Orton heading into WrestleMania 36. WWE had to roll with the pandemic changes by having the show in an empty venue at the Performance Center.
Orton and Edge had a Last Man Standing match that saw them brawling for way too long. The match went for 36 minutes and 35 seconds with them trying to have a longer one for the sake of it. Edge and Orton had a much better rematch that also went long on the following PPV.
2 Amazing: Triple H Vs Steve Austin (No Way Out 2001)
The return of Steve Austin from an injury in 2000 would see entering a longer feud with Triple H when the latter was revealed as orchestrating the hit and run on Austin. Their biggest match took place at No Way Out 2001 in a two of three falls bout.
Austin and Triple H delivered a violent masterpiece of enjoyable action throughout each fall. WWE gave the match just under 40 minutes and both men made the most of their time. Triple H vs Austin was voted WWE’s match of the year in 2001 in multiple outlets.
1 Skippable: Bob Backlund Vs Bret Hart (Survivor Series 1994)
WWE trusted Bret Hart to have longer matches than anyone else due to his workhorse mentality. Hart could have classics with names like Owen Hart, Diesel and The Undertaker, but not everyone would be able to keep up for longer bouts.
The Survivor Series 1994 match of Bob Backlund defeating Bret for the WWE Championship went extremely too long at 35 minutes and 11 seconds. Hart did a lot of stalling to make up for the older Backlund not being able to keep up in the disappointing match.