10 Absolute Best Matches WWE Could Present In 2017

7. Brock Lesnar Vs. Finn Bálor

Brock Lesnar Braun Strowman
WWE.com

Finn Bálor is one of the best in-ring talents in WWE today largely because he is so versatile, and it is this versatility - and his kayfabe superior Demon alter-ego - which positions him as the most credible threat to Brock Lesnar's Universal Title among the smaller and more compact ranks of WWE's upper midcard.

The Beast vs. The Demon is as marketable as it is tantalising, and the dynamic promised renders it the best potential spiritual successor to the Best vs. The Beast from SummerSlam 2013 - arguably, Lesnar's best WWE match post- (and pre-) return. Bálor went strike for strike with Shinsuke Nakamura in a dynamite match on NXT TV last year; there's much to suggest that his lethal kicks, allied with his awesome aerial game, would create scope for a gripping, believable, state-of-the-art update on WWE's favoured David Vs. Goliath mode.

The sheer presence and credibility Lesnar commands means Bálor need not even go over - a hedged bet of a star-making tool WWE has yet to truly tap into, what with his endless dalliances with fellow established stars.

Naysayers might point towards the concussion suffered by Bálor as evidence that a match opposite Lesnar poses too much of a risk - but Lesnar's brilliance is in his ability to make his work look devastating.

Contributor
Contributor

Michael Sidgwick is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over seven years of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential institution that was Power Slam magazine, and specialises in providing insights into All Elite Wrestling - so much so that he wrote a book about the subject. You can order Becoming All Elite: The Rise Of AEW on Amazon. Possessing a deep knowledge also of WWE, WCW, ECW and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Michael’s work has been publicly praised by former AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and current Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. When he isn’t putting your finger on why things are the way they are in the endlessly fascinating world of professional wrestling, Michael wraps his own around a hand grinder to explore the world of specialty coffee. Follow Michael on X (formerly known as Twitter) @MSidgwick for more!