6. The S.H.I.E.L.D. vs. The Wyatt Family (WWE Elimination Chamber 2014)
Watched in the same sitting as the fabled HBK vs. Taker WrestleMania 25 match, the War Games clash between Sting's Squadron and the Dangerous Alliance, and The Rock vs. Hollywood Hulk Hogan, a fan once said of The Shield vs. The Wyatts, "That was as good as anything we watched today." And so the cornerstones of WWE's next generation created a match that is becoming fabled in its own right. Earning "This is Awesome" chants before they ever so much as physically engaged, Rollins, Reigns, Ambrose, Wyatt, Harper, and Rowan proceeded to offer a modern clash of the future titans of the industry. Each of the six took full advantage of the opportunity to put their abilities on display. Rowan surprised, Harper wowed, Wyatt impressed, Rollins opened eyes, Ambrose exhilarated, and Reigns may have punched his ticket to WM31. Six very hungry upstarts seized the day. All of them were incredible. In the not too distant future, we could look back on this match as the dawn of a new era.
"The Doc" Chad Matthews has written wrestling columns for over a decade. A physician by trade, Matthews began writing about wrestling as a hobby, but it became a passion. After 30 years as a wrestling fan, "The Doc" gives an unmatched analytical perspective on pro wrestling in the modern era. He is a long-time columnist for Lordsofpain.net and hosts a weekly podcast on the LOP Radio Network called "The Doc Says." His first book - The WrestleMania Era: The Book of Sports Entertainment - ranks the Top 90 wrestlers from 1983 to present day, was originally published in December 2013, and is now in its third edition.
Matthews lives in North Carolina with his wife, two kids, and two dogs.
