20 Worst WWE Matches Since 2000
Vince McMahon's little shop of horrors.
WWE are the most inconsistent promotion in the world when it comes to the in-ring product.
Pure wrestling has never been their main focus, but even in the modern era, when athletic standards are higher than ever before, Vince McMahon's company still deal in unwatchable dreck. This is unfortunate, because their roster has never been short of exciting talent - WWE just don't get the best from them between the ropes.
This is partly by design. WWE's PG rating, in-ring restrictions, formulaic main event style, and soap opera melodrama means they'll never churn out ****+ bouts with the regularity of an NJPW or PWG. Regardless, there's no excuse for some of the atrocities that have gone down under their banner since 2000, many of which sit amongst the most cringeworthy content the sport has ever produced.
Some of these bouts veer towards "so bad, it's good" territory, while others are so abject they'll drain your very soul. Whatever the case, none are anywhere close to the standards one should expect the from the biggest promotion in the world, and only warrant a re-watch if you absolutely hate yourself...
20. Finlay & Little Bastard Vs. Boogeyman & Little Boogeyman (No Way Out 2007)
WWE fans quickly learned to expect unrepentant nonsense whenever Hornswoggle stepped through the ropes, but this Extreme Rules 2007 clanger was bad, even by his standards.
Said 'Little Bastard' spent much of his time hiding beneath the ring, terrified of The Boogeyman. This left Finlay (the bout's token good wrestler) alone against the worm-guzzler and his portly midget sidekick, and while watching the notoriously hard-nosed grappler batter the life out of Little Boogey was worth a chuckle, it was the kind of comedy skit designed to pop Vince McMahon and nobody else.
The future 'Swoggle was eventually coaxed out of his safe space. Boogeyman stalked him around ringside, and Finlay took advantage of the distraction, cracking his more diminutive opponent with a shillelagh for the victory.
The Wrestling Observer's Dave Meltzer was quick to damn this contest with a -*** rating, and while his word isn't the be all/end all, it's easy to see why. This farce of a tag bout was only a shade or two below Survivor Series '94's Clowns R' Us vs. Royal Family midget brawl in terms of outright stupidity.