18. Cesaro vs. Sheamus - WWE United States Title (Night Of Champions)
If you look back at the entire history of WWE, then 2014 certainly does not warrant the label of being a "renaissance year" for the mid-card championship divisions. However, if you look at just the recent past, it kind of feels like it. This year can at least be regarded as a step in the right direction. Matches like Cesaro vs. Sheamus were fairly common in 2014. And that is a very good thing. Borderline four-star bouts full of energy and enthusiasm from the combatants yielding the same from the crowd? That is a trend that we can only hope will continue. The United States title was the least resurgent of the lot, with the stories surrounding its defenses reflective of its lame duck, on the decline champion for the majority of the year (the Celtic Warrior), but no one can ever question the Great White's talent level and ability to mix it up with so many uniquely gifted wrestlers. Cesaro was on the decline, as well, when this match happened. What in the world is going on with him? Focus on the positive: Cesaro vs. Sheamus from September was fantastic.
"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.
