10 WWE Lockdown Era Matches That Deserved A Live Crowd
They delivered classic matches to - in some cases - silence. These guys deserved a live crowd.
Despite your moral leanings around whether WWE (or AEW, for that matter) should be continuing to tape shows even now, let alone back in the initial peak of the global pandemic you might have read about, one thing they have brought to us through a tough time is some absolutely exhilarating wrestling. While sporting leagues around the world were being put on hiatus left and right, pro wrestling has been a shining 'essential' light in a dark period of total lockdown and uncertainty.
Despite the lack of fans and travelling across the country, the WWE machine trucking along obliviously has provided us fans with some form of normal service. From some monumental title victories to stories we could actually invest in, to a slew of Match of the Year candidates, we've been able to enjoy some amazing moments from Mr McMahon and co.
It's a shame, then, that these moments couldn't be celebrated by the WWE Universe in person. These matches were so good that the performances alone suck you into their world as if it were a very strange event put on just for you on your couch.
Consider this a tribute to every last WWE Superstar for their work in 2020... but mainly a tribute to those who made the list.
10. Io Shirai Vs. Sasha Banks (NXT: Great American Bash 2020)
Putting over the NXT upstart is exactly what Charlotte Flair should have done for Rhea Ripley, but more on that later. When a former NXT champion makes their way back to the black and gold they are treated by the fans as if they have come home. Imagine the reaction - not only for Banks but for the Raw Women's Champion Asuka, who came back to help Shirai conquer her illustrious opponent.
Not only would the reaction to Banks and Shirai's entrances be off the scale, the pair more than lived up to the hype that their contest promised. There were honestly more technically great NXT clashes this year (Shirai vs. Flair vs. Ripley was the best example), but this one had so many nice details that it earns a place among the best of the year.
Bayley using the car horn to distract Shirai, Asuka appearing from nowhere to blast Sasha with the Green Mist before she cheated, even the way Shirai covered the face of The Boss with her leg so the referee didn't notice the green stains, it was a brilliantly paced and satisfyingly concluded main event.