20 Worst WWE Matches Since 2000
2. Michael Cole Vs. Jerry Lawler (WrestleMania XXVII)
Some would have you believe that Jerry Lawler and Michael Cole's ill-advised WrestleMania XXVII bout is the worst in WWE history. It isn't, but it did take place at the heart of an announcer vs. announcer feud that was completely without merit, and was needlessly dragged out to span three individual pay-per-view cycles.
Its problems were legion. Lawler was a fine wrestler in his day, but he was 62 years old at the time, and expecting him to drag anything acceptable from a non-combatant like Cole was ridiculous.
It was nothing more than a pantomime. Cole straight up couldn't wrestle, and he didn't, instead resorting to basic heel tactics to prevent Lawler from gaining too much of a foothold, though the Memphis legend dominating big chunks of it.
Steve Austin saw plenty of action as the guest referee, and Jack Swagger also had an influence, laying Lawler out on multiple occasions, but their shenanigans couldn't mask the catastrophe. WWE should have delivered a quick squash: instead, they made Lawler wrestle Cole for 14 full minutes, completely losing the crowd in the process.