10 Absolute Best Matches WWE Can Promote In 2019

Main roster masterpieces.

Seth Bryan
WWE

Though unable to help itself but produce nonsensical, plot hole-ridden television—on Tuesday’s evidence, the amnesiac Rusev is a worse husband than Al Wilson—WWE has in this year of apparent atonement delivered big on in-ring action.

Finn Bálor Vs. Brock Lesnar was exponentially more intriguing than another retread of the dismal Braun Strowman programme; a blood-pimping sprint of high-flying action and immersive strategy, on the strength of it, the Extraordinary Man has already experienced a better year than his aggressively ordinary 2018. On the same card, WWE delivered Ronda Rousey Vs. Sasha Banks—another proper fight of a match boasting another excellent, literal narrative thread, as the Boss used her shredded attire to engineer an awesomely dramatic near tap-out situation.

Rey Mysterio and Andrade have delivered a pair of total, pay-per-view length and quality singles bangers on SmackDown Live, performing spectacular moves at an accelerated pace inconsistent with but very welcome to the standard television norm.

Seth Rollins Vs. Drew McIntyre on the January 21 RAW was quieter in its brilliance, but on that evidence, Seth has justified the big push ahead of WrestleMania 35 by entering a spirited and believable performance against a monster of a man.

Long may it continue…

10. Brock Lesnar Vs. Shinsuke Nakamura

Seth Bryan
WWE

It feels like bargaining, almost, selecting Shinsuke Nakamura in a list such as this—he’s just a little totally and utterly checked out, he’s still good, he’s still good—and arguably, the impetus behind the pitch is as about as inspired as the hot take of what constitutes a worthwhile Suplex City-era Brock Lesnar these days: just put him against somebody smaller than him, have him beat the piss out of that smaller opponent, and have that smaller opponent fight back at the death in a spot of last-ditch, white-hot drama.

But that dynamic, while a winner of a formula, has been explored heavily over recent months. A formula within a formula, there is a danger that it becomes too predictable.

Of the best performers to complete that dynamic, Shinsuke Nakamura brings something different to it, if indeed he is still capable. Daniel Bryan used scheming and his submission savvy to create face-scraping fever pitch at Survivor Series, while Bálor blitzed Suplex City with an urgent aerial assault.

Drawing on the memories of Nakamura’s NJPW days can only invite disappointment, but his fluid, creative Rainmaker-to-armbar reversal in the classic G1 Climax final of 2014 sparks hope of how Nakamura might counter the F5—after, you’d hope, kicking the ever-loving sh*t out of Lesnar’s mercenary attitude.

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 surefire Undisputed WWE Universal 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!