WWE: 10 Best Raw Matches Of All Time

5. The London Thriller: Shawn Michaels vs John Cena (April 23rd, 2007)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LH_XnyMo3L4 During the early stages of their Wrestlemania bout, it was a cocky Shawn Michaels who tried to put John Cena in his place by outwrestling him early on, and sending the message to his younger opponent that he wasn't ready to hang with the likes of the Heart Break Kid inside the squared circle. It was Cena who ended up winning that match however and thus at the beginning of this non title rematch on Raw it was a much more assured world champion who outmanoeuvred his veteran opponent in the opening stages and enraged Shawn's pride by signalling that he didn't have what it took to hang with the current top dog. The match continued to play out this role reversal as Shawn's attempts to steal the show were scouted by Cena. Not only was his dive to the outside trumped by Cena's amazing catch but his attempt to repeat the Wrestlemania piledriver to the steel steps backfired miserably when Cena countered the move to send Shawn flying with a backbodydrop. Despite large periods of dominance however it was Cena who was starting to feign annoyance at Shawn's resilience, and his inability to lock in the STF that had won him the match at Mania. As a consequence he angrily tried to wear down his opponent's back with a series of supplexes, fists and holds in the hope that he could slow down the tempo of the match to earn the result he desired. Shawn, feeling a new lease of energy in the final quarter, was able to easily kick Cena away following another STF attempt, and then struggled valiantly to the ropes following another one shortly afterwards. An exasperated Cena tried once more to finish the match with an FU but Shawn slipped off his back to launch sweet chin Music as both men tumbled to the mat in exhaustion. The fact that both athletes were fighting heart over head in the closing stages was expressed wonderfully in the corner as they used one another's frame to refrain from collapsing, before Shawn found a final burst of energy to stand tall following an FU, and suprise Cena with a decisive superkick for the win. Not only did this match display some fine storytelling and emotion from the two athletes, but it also made the fans care deeply for a sustained period of time about a bout that wasn't even being fought for the gold.