By the time December 2019 rolls around, the WWE will have racked up over 140 PPV events since 2010. Thanks to the advent of the WWE Network, the various Brand Splits, and NXT TakeOver specials, there is seldom a dull moment come Sunday nights in a WWE fan’s household. Over the past decade, the WWE has changed a great deal in this time, or at least the Superstars on top have.
Passion + Emption + Tremendous Workrate + Great Storylines = Memorable PPV events. While the company usually goes all out for WrestleMania, this isn’t just a list ranking the showcase of the immortals. From the opening match to the final bell, here are the 10 Best WWE PPVs of the Decade, Ranked.
10 Money In The Bank 2011
When you have the hometown guy in a win or a go home scenario and the match and storyline are top-notch, you don’t really need to talk about any other match on the card. Money In The Bank 2011 emanated from Chicago, home of CM Punk, on the iconoclast’s contractual last day as a WWE employee (true both in real life and storyline, he obviously resigned).
Standing in his way of literally going home with the WWE title was John Cena. But Punk was already red hot and would not be denied on this night, or any other night seemingly for the rest of his WWE career.
9 WrestleMania XVIII
It was dubbed Once In A Lifetime - the epic match between John Cena and the Rock. After a year of buildup, the match didn’t disappoint. WrestleMania XVIII has so much more as well.
CM Punk took on Chris Jericho and Hell In A Cell returned to the Show Of Shows, as Undertaker defeated Triple H to go 20-0 at ‘Mania and conclude an era between the Deadman, HHH, and HBK.
8 WrestleMania 35
How do you make a memorable WrestleMania? One way to do it, is to have impeccable booking. WrestleMania 35 was almost a celebration about all that was good in wrestling. With the ladies headlining, Seth Rollins started the evening by conquering the conqueror.
Kofi Kingston completed the feel-good story of the year by defeating Daniel Bryan and reaching the mountaintop. But it was the main event that got everyone talking - the Man overcame The Queen and the Baddest Woman On The Planet to claim all of the gold.
7 WrestleMania XXX
As the WWE rolled into the Silver...um...Superdome for WrestleMania XXX, they came rolling in with the three biggest legends in history opening up the show. After the Rock, Hogan, and Austin hyped the crowd up, the NOLA crowd settled in for nearly four hours of action.
The New Orleans crowd nearly flatlined when Brock Lesnar ended the Streak. But the night truly belonged to the American Dragon, Daniel Bryan as he defeated all of the odds to breath fire all over Bourbon Street and standing atop the WWE universe as Undisputed Champion.
6 NXT Takeover: Brooklyn
Five years later and the first NXT Takeover from Brooklyn is still a very special event. The show featured the first and only appearance in a WWE ring from the legendary Jushin Thunder Liger, an early appearance from Samoa Joe and an amazing main event Ladder Match between Kevin Owens and Finn Balor.
But the night and the entire weekend was all abuzz about what still might be the greatest woman’s match in history - Bayley finally winning the world title from Sasha Banks.
5 Royal Rumble 2018
For a long time now, when the Road To WrestleMania kicks off, it kicks off in a huge way! It doesn’t get much bigger than the first ever Woman’s Royal Rumble, won by the Empress Of Tomorrow, Asuka; and the King Of Strong Style, Shinsuke Nakamura winning the men’s event to set up himself and AJ Styles at WrestleMania.
AJ himself had a long night, dealing with both Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens in a handicapped match for the title. Only one superstar could co-opt the night and create a greater moment than the Rumble itself, the debut of Rowdy Ronda Rousey.
4 Great Balls Of Fire
Nevermind the odd name for a brand new PPV, Great Balls Of Fire was a pretty solid event from top to bottom. Bray Wyatt against Seth Rollins (he beat him here, too). The Bar and The Hardys took the house down in an Iron Man Match. Despite the shoddy finish, Sasha Banks and Alexa Bliss had a good match.
The main event albeit brief was the hard-hitting first ever encounter between the Samoan Submission Machine, Samoa Joe and Brock Lesnar.
3 Evolution
The WWE Women “Then, Now, And Forever” descended upon Nassau Coliseum for the first-ever all women’s PPV and the ladies did not disappoint one bit. With appearances from women from every roster and all of the women’s titles defended, featuring Becky and Charlotte in a Last Woman Standing match.
The night wasn’t just about the matches, it was all about the Women’s Evolution reaching a massive apex and celebrating the entire history of women’s wrestling.
2 NXT Takeover: New York
With the Black And Yellow brand firmly in place as more than just a developmental brand, NXT took over the Barclay’s Center yet again for WrestleMania weekend. As usual, NXT did not disappoint. Pete Dunne’s epic 685 day reign as UK champion was halted by Walter.
But the big time match of the night featured Johnny Gargano finally winning the NXT title in an emotional two-out-of-three falls contest against Adam Cole.
1 NXT Takeover: Dallas
With all eyes descending on Dallas for the biggest WrestleMania ever, NXT had their first ever WrestleMania weekend TakeOver. Austin Aries (‘memba him?) made his NXT debut, as did Nakamura (his match with Sami Zayn had the crowd chanting “fight forever!”), and Asuka defeated Bayley for the NXT Women’s Title beginning her epic run as champion.
Every match was better than the next on this night, all leading up to Finn Balor successfully defending the NXT title in a war against Samoa Joe and paying homage to The Texas Chainsaw Massacre in the process.