It’s officially the end of the year, 2024 is in the books, it’s a wrap. With that said, it’s one of the best times of the year for content coming up! Seeing everyone’s Top 10s and rankings of the year at the beginning of a new year is undeniably one of my favorite things, I love seeing a rankings list almost as much as I love making one myself. With all of that said, it’s time for my first 2024 rankings list, the Top 10 WWE matches of 2024! Remember, this is just my list, that doesn’t mean it’s yours or that it’s definitive. Everyone has their own tastes, and wrestling fans are no different in that aspect, these are just some of the biggest highlighted moments for me throughout the year. I didn’t include AEW in this list, not that I don’t think they put out any good content in 2024, my finger was just not nearly as on the pulse with AEW throughout the year, so it didn’t feel fair to include their matches on my list. That being said, Sting’s retirement match and Danielson vs Ospreay (which I was there live for) were certainly highlight moments of the year and at least deserve the shout out and some recognition.
#10: Iyo Sky vs Lyra Valkyria: Queen of the Ring semifinal (Raw, May 20th 2024)– Sometimes, typically a few times a year, there’s a random match on a Raw or Smackdown that isn’t really on my radar and ends up really impressing me and selling me on a wrestler. This was one of those matches. I was already a big fan of Iyo’s by this point and was actually hoping she would win the ‘Queen of the Ring’ tournament, but this was the match that sold me on Lyra Valkyria and she’s now one of my favorite women on the roster as well. This was also well done because Lyra was brand new on the main roster at this point and having her beat Iyo with a roll up after a great match makes her look good, but Iyo still doesn’t look too bad losing that way to the rookie. These 2 have incredible chemistry in the ring together and have had a few awesome matches throughout 2024, but this was the first one and the one that caught me off guard the most and solidified my fandom for both these women even further, so it just had to make the list. I’m hoping for continued success for both of them moving forward into next year.
#9: Wyatt Sicks vs American Made: Street Fight Tornado Tag (Raw, September 9th 2024)– The Wyatt Sicks debuted with a lot of hype around them, but a rather mixed perception as time went on. Some fans loved it, some fans thought it was moving too slowly, some fans thought it was downright goofy and not wrestling. Everyone’s tastes are different, remember? I belonged to the camp that loved it, the Wyatt Sicks were one of the most intriguing and captivating things in WWE for me in 2024. I was a huge Bray Wyatt fan though as well and have always loved the horror genre, so all of this was directly up my alley from the get-go. I feel like people always had the same complaints about Bray as they do the Sicks though so maybe they’re just not everyone’s cup of tea and that’s alright. That being said, their rivalry against Chad and his new confidants at the time in ‘American Made’ was their best rivalry of the year and one of the most highlighted moments in Chad Gable’s WWE career thus far. This chaotic Street Fight was the culmination of the rivalry and was just a whole lot of fun. Every element of the Wyatt Sicks was put on display here and Gable and crew played off the elements perfectly.
#8: Rhea Ripley (c) vs Nia Jax: Women’s World Championship match (Elimination Chamber 2024)– We’ve seen the men’s version of 2 forces of nature clashing time and time throughout history, the irresistible force meeting the immovable object if you will. This was the women’s version of that. Mami met her match in strength and size for maybe the first time ever and had to fight from underneath for a lot of the contest, as Nia tried to contend with someone with the power of Rhea, something that she wasn’t used to, giving a really different and interesting feel to the match. This was also basically Rhea’s WrestleMania moment, Mania was a month later and she had a great match against Becky there as well, but this match was the main event of Chamber, and she was able to do it in front of her family in her home country of Australia. Plus, that Riptide to Nia was rather impressive. Just good vibes all around, and extra brownie points to Rhea for the Chyna-like looking outfit in this match, she’s deserving of carrying her torch.
#7: Braun Strowman vs Bronson Reed: Last Monster Standing (Raw, September 30th 2024)– Speaking of the irresistible force meeting the immovable object, chaos ensued when these 2 monstrous, meaty men clashed in a last man standing match on Raw. These 2 battled all over the ringside area and into the stands breaking tables and barricades, taking out security, and eventually collapsing the ring to top it all off, making this one a highly fun and memorable clash. I really like Bronson and was happy to see him finally getting pushed and properly used in 2024, hopefully that continues when he returns from injury, and it was neat seeing a revival of one Big SOB Braun Strowman as well. I love technical and high-flying contests as much as the next wrestling fan, but sometimes a clash between 2 monsters is just what you need. This was a proper utilization of both their talents and the result was a lot of fun.
#6: Cody Rhodes & Seth Rollins vs The Rock & Roman Reigns: Mixed Tornado Tag match (WrestleMania XL)– This match got a little bit of a mixed reception as well from some folks, but I think it’s almost exactly what I expected it to be and what I expected it to be was pretty awesome. It was a little long sure, but what’s not to like about 3 of the very top talents in WWE today battling all over the arena for over half an hour with a legend like The Rock? Night 2’s contest between Roman & Cody for the title featured a lot of run ins from legends and overall chaos and got a very good reception from a majority of the WWE Universe, but I may be in the minority that enjoyed this contest the night before a little more. Seeing The Rock back in a full match setting on the grandest stage of them all was just cool and nostalgic and really gave those big WrestleMania-like vibes, plus Seth Rollins has always been one of my absolute faves on the modern roster so both of those factors may play into why I prefer this match over the Night 2 clash. We’re already promised much more in 2025 from the looks of it, but this was one of the only true Legends matches of this past year and it was a huge one, with big stakes, and involving some of the top men in the business.
#5: Logan Paul (c) vs LA Knight: United States Championship match (Summerslam 2024)– Say whatever you will about Logan Paul wrestling fans, but no one can deny me at this point of the in-ring talent and overall aura he brings with his character in WWE. Him and LA Knight had great chemistry together throughout this contest and at least for me, stole the show from an in-ring standpoint at this year’s Summerslam. Not to mention, this was LA Knight’s big culminating moment! The crowd had relentlessly been asking for it for over a year at this point and Knight finally got some gold around his waist and it couldn’t have been pulled off better. At Summerslam (one of the biggest shows of the year), and against Logan Paul (one of the most hated heels in the business currently). This was both one of Knight’s and Logan’s best matches to this point in their careers in my eyes, certainly their best of this year, and that’s kudos to both of them for playing off one another so well. Extra bonus to Logan Paul for the Browns inspired gear in this match, as a Browns fan, I loved it, but looking at it now that may have been the reason he lost. Sorry, bad joke.
#4: Sami Zayn (c) vs Bron Breakker: Intercontinental Championship match (Money in the Bank 2024)– Sami Zayn had some awesome matches once again this year, a lot of them coming during his run as Intercontinental Champ and this was one of the best. A lot of people (me included) thought Bron was going to walk out of this match as the champ and when he didn’t, I was genuinely shocked and happy. Not to mention the match in itself was just excellent through and through. There was a section of people who were upset that Bron didn’t win this match, but he picked up the strap a month later in a squash anyways and the story here was much better with Sami winning. He wasn’t bigger or stronger than Bron, but he’s had much more experience in the ring than Bron and it was that knowledge and overall mat presence that allowed the crafty veteran to outsmart the young, athletic beast in the end. It was a learning experience for Bron and a big hometown victory for Sami that solidified his status in WWE further. This was also the beginning of Bron getting the rocket strapped to his back as well. I expect him to have a big 2025 ahead.
#3: Iyo Sky (c) vs Bayley: Women’s Championship match (WrestleMania XL)– The former comrades of Damage CTRL put on one of the most impressive matches of not only WrestleMania, but the year in my mind. The chemistry with these 2 was put on full display and they delivered such a crisp and clean, just classic wrestling match. Bayley finally got that big Mania moment that not only her career, but status as a horsewoman so desperately needed. I also feel like not only this match, but the whole Damage CTRL story and these 2’s rivalry was actually really well done and got highly overshadowed and not given its due or the proper time throughout the Mania season, so I made sure to give it it’s due on my list. Iyo finally had the year she’s deserved to have in WWE in 2024, hopefully that continues, and seeing Bayley with some gold again just gives you a warm feeling in your tummy. Kudos to Bayley on the Ancient Egyptian Queen style entrance she had as well, still not exactly sure what that was about but it was cool.
#2: Gunther (c) vs Sami Zayn: Intercontinental Championship match (WrestleMania XL)– This match was just excellent and stole the show at Mania for me this year from a purely wrestling standpoint, right ahead of Iyo/Bayley. Gunther was booked as seemingly unstoppable at this point and was still in the midst of his longest reigning Intercontinental Championship run, sitting at 666 days coming into this match. Sami Zayn was the ultimate underdog, the crafty veteran with more heart than anyone Gunther had had to face up to this point and the inability to stay down no matter how much of a beating he took. That was the story this match told, Gunther gave him a beating, but Sami took it and just kept coming, refusing to stay down. That was ultimately the downfall to Gunther, losing focus on the task at hand and allowing himself to get frustrated that he couldn’t put him away and it ended up costing him the match and the title in the end. Gunther and Sami are individually 2 of the best in ring wrestlers in WWE today, they both have their own style and can work with basically anyone and put on a highly entertaining match. You put the 2 of them together and give them some time on the grandest stage of them all and you get fireworks.
#1: CM Punk vs Drew McIntyre: Hell in a Cell match (Bad Blood 2024)– This was to me, the best rivalry of the year and this was easily the best match to come from the rivalry. By the point that this match rolled around, admittedly I was getting maybe a bit tired of the rivalry. Or at least I thought I was. There was too much focus on Punk’s bracelet, and it felt like the rivalry became just about that and screwing one another every chance they got for MONTHS. Then, this match got announced and I had some excitement again. Worry about Punk’s health coming off an injury sure, but their promise to tear one another apart and the fuel that the rivalry had at this point really gave this one a big fight feel, and they certainly did not disappoint! Stairs, kendo sticks, tables, chairs, chains, wrenches, and toolboxes were put to use on both men as they pulverized one another into bloody messes. This was the most graphic match of the year for sure, but it wasn’t good just because it was bloody and violent. The rivalry and hate and the story that they told that led to this Cell made the violence feel earned and that was the true beauty in the carnage. It felt like cinema. It made a rivalry that I was starting to feel tired of after being hot on it, immediately the rivalry of the year for me following the match and it will be a career highlight match for both these men moving forward.
2024 was certainly eventful, but I’m hopeful that 2025 will have even more fun and exciting moments in not only the world of professional wrestling, but hopefully all your personal lives as well. I hope everyone had a good Holiday season and a Happy New Year! Let’s all reconvene soon to talk about the 2024 season NFL Awards and the Top 5 Horror Movies of 2024, yeah? Until then, be safe out there and stay at peace.
