20 Best WWE Matches Since 2000

16. Brock Lesnar Vs. CM Punk (SummerSlam 2013)

Kurt Angle Shawn Michaels
WWE.com

SummerSlam 2013 is one of the best all-round pay-per-views that WWE have produced in recent years. It started slow with a set of stodgy matches, but soon picked-up with a fantastic Christian vs. Alberto Del Rio match for the World Heavyweight Title, and by the time Brock Lesnar and CM Punk took to the ring, quality levels went through the roof.

Their No Disqualification match stands as one of the best of both men's careers. Back when Brock was still allowed to wrestle rather than just spam German Suplexes, the Beast Incarnate played a perfect Goliath to Punk's David, and though the match brought some brutal weapons/environment spots, it was far from your average trashy hardcore match.

Punk and Lesnar leaned heavily on the stipulation, but they didn't sacrifice psychology and actual wrestling for it. They traded submissions and strikes to create an insane amount of tension, and while Punk had an answer for everything Brock threw at him for 25 minutes, it eventually became too much. Brock trashed Punk with a couple of chairshots while Punk had Paul Heyman locked in an Anaconda Vice. An F5 followed, and that was that.

Heyman's heavy involvement prevents this one from hitting "classic" status, but this was an awesome clash of styles.

Channel Manager
Channel Manager

Andy has been with WhatCulture for six years and is currently WhatCulture's Senior Wrestling Reporter. A writer, presenter, and editor with 10+ years of experience in online media, he has been a sponge for all wrestling knowledge since playing an old Royal Rumble 1992 VHS to ruin in his childhood. Having previously worked for Bleacher Report, Andy specialises in short and long-form writing, video presenting, voiceover acting, and editing, all characterised by expert wrestling knowledge and commentary. Andy is as much a fan of 1985 Jim Crockett Promotions as he is present-day AEW and WWE - just don't make him choose between the two.