25 Best WWE Raw Matches Ever

3. John Cena Vs Shawn Michaels (April 23rd, 2007)

CM Punk John Cena
WWE.com

Masterfully led by Shawn Michaels and expertly followed by John Cena, the pair's London marathon borrowed liberally from the WrestleMania 12 Iron Man Match between 'HBK' and Bret Hart, but eschewed dull rest holds for dramatic ebb and flow.

Unexpectedly going an hour just weeks removed from a choice WrestleMania 23 main event, the two utilised the generous time allowance to take turns in positions of control and establish themselves as virtually indestructible warriors before overcoming shattered delirium at the finish.

Surviving the STFU during a gripping final stretch, the exhausted Michaels collapsed on top of Cena after unleashing a desperation Sweet Chin Music on the WWE Champion.

Though only victorious in non-title circumstances here, Shawn's post-match gesturing implied he knew he now could snatch the strap from Cena, especially with an opportunity to do just that in a Backlash Fatal 4-Way main event just six days later. It was a testament to the physical prowess of both that they even had the energy to compete again at all.

Contributor
Contributor

Michael is a writer, editor, podcaster and presenter for WhatCulture Wrestling, and has been with the organisation nearly 8 years. He primarily produces written, audio and video content on WWE and AEW, but also provides knowledge and insights on all aspects of the wrestling industry thanks to a passion for it dating back over 35 years. As one third of "The Dadley Boyz" Michael has contributed to the huge rise in popularity of the WhatCulture Wrestling Podcast and its accompanying YouTube channel, earning it top spot in the UK's wrestling podcast charts with well over 62,000,000 total downloads. He has been featured as a wrestling analyst for the Tampa Bay Times, GRAPPL, GCP, Poisonrana and Sports Guys Talking Wrestling, and has covered milestone events in New York, Dallas, Las Vegas, Philadelphia, London and Cardiff. Michael's background in media stretches beyond wrestling coverage, with a degree in Journalism from the University Of Sunderland (2:1) and a series of published articles in sports, music and culture magazines The Crack, A Love Supreme and Pilot. When not offering his voice up for daily wrestling podcasts, he can be found losing it singing far too loud watching his favourite bands play live. Follow him on X/Twitter - @MichaelHamflett