Greatest WWE Matches: The New Era Edition

As we transition into the modern era of WWE’s phases, the lineage becomes slightly muddled. There are various opinions on when each era begins, ends, or if, following the Reality era, there is a single continuous era. For our purposes, from 2016 to the present will be split into two eras. It helps to segment a lot of great matches and gives them a chance to get on the lists to follow.

From 2016 to 2022, WWE’s New Era was perfectly named. There was much turnover happening within WWE, female wrestling was making massive headway in the company, and WWE was being forced to deal with a worldwide pandemic. It was a time when WWE needed to ensure that they put on the best matches possible, and they did exactly that. These matches cemented legacies and helped the audience through a tough time in the world. They are the matches listed below.

Daniel Bryan vs Kofi Kingston (WWE Championship Match; WrestleMania 35)

The story of Kofi Kingston’s magical run shares a similar tone to that of his WrestleMania 35 opponent. He and Daniel Bryan were both pushed to the main event, on the grandest stage, because of overwhelming fan support. This was why their match at WrestleMania 35 generated so much emotion.

Daniel Bryan and Kofi Kingston are world-class athletes, so there was no reason for anyone to doubt the in-ring quality of this contest. It was always going to be great, but the story of Kofi Kingston finally pushing through made it a classic. Daniel Bryan was on the receiving end of this type of push only a few years prior, and his negative character change made him the perfect final boss for Kingston. Bryan was the man who didn’t want anyone else to get his push. It was a foolproof formula to put on one heck of a compelling wrestling match.

The Undertaker vs AJ Styles (Boneyard Match; Wrestlemania 36)

The pandemic that hit the world changed how everything operated. WWE was not spared from this, as the absence of an audience made for challenging booking. Playing in front of empty arenas was not an ideal situation, and they were forced to lean more to the entertainment side of wrestling. It was met with some skepticism, some of which was justified. But it also gave us a fitting end to the career of The Undertaker with the Boneyard Match.

The cinematic match put on by The Undertaker and AJ Styles was a wildly entertaining one. It was an incredibly well-produced match that highlighted the aura of both wrestlers. The Undertaker got his spooky, spine-chilling atmosphere, and AJ Styles showcased his incredible athleticism. WWE tried the cinematic match a few times, but none reached the level that this one did. It was the exact way that The Undertaker should have ridden off into the sunset.

Men’s Royal Rumble (Royal Rumble 2020)

Royal Rumbles usually don’t make it on these types of lists, but most aren’t the Royal Rumble of 2020. It was one of the best-booked matches that WWE has ever put on. The excitement didn’t stop from the first to the last entrant, and the downtime was dealt with expertly.

Having WWE Champion Brock Lesnar enter first and cut a swath through the competition was fantastic. He eliminated 13 men before the match even got to its halfway point in a show of utter domination. We had never seen this feat in the Royal Rumble. It created a buzz around the first half of the match that otherwise wouldn’t have been there.

Then there was the added caveat of Drew McIntyre winning the match, and a shock return of Edge. From top to bottom, this was a compelling match that ranks as one of the best Royal Rumbles in WWE history.

Becky Lynch vs Charlotte Flair (Last Woman Standing Match; Evolution 2018)

Becky Lynch and Charlotte Flair were at the forefront of everything great happening with the Women’s Division during The New Era. They were two of the biggest stars and were in the middle of the company’s best matches. Their uncanny ability to put on amazing matches led WWE to book them in many firsts for the division. The best of which was their Last Woman Standing match

This match was one of the most brutal in WWE history. There was more creativity shown between Lynch and Flair than in many of the men’s matches that preceded it. They not only use weapons but also incorporate their signature moves into those weapon spots. Charlotte Flair and Becky Lynch were under immense pressure to deliver in this match, and they exceeded all expectations.

Sasha Banks vs Bayley (SmackDown Women’s Championship Match; Hell in a Cell 2020)

It wasn’t just one half of the Four Horse Women that was tearing the house down in the New Era. Sasha Banks and Bayley were also hitting home runs all over the country. The most impressive of which was their Hell in a Cell match at the PLE of the same name.

There were three Hell in a Cell matches on the card, and this one stood out from the rest. There was a creativity behind everything the Banks and Bayley did. They spun their personal relationship into a great story, which just so happened to include some violent spots.

Their smaller size allowed them to pull off some interesting spots that the larger men couldn’t have done. We got to see just what happens when two world-class athletes dedicate their time and character to creating magic in the ring.

Brock Lesnar vs Daniel Bryan (Survivor Series 2018)

WWE leaned into its brand split heavily during The New Era. Programming was dominated by the brand rivalry, with WWE centering its whole focus on it for the Survivor Series PLE. It was a great idea, but one that fell short in execution. The brand rivalry matches rarely lived up to expectations, except for a few, most notably when WWE Champion Daniel Bryan stepped into the ring to face WWE Universal Champion Brock Lesnar.

Having a heel versus heel matchup was such a great addition to the match dynamic. Bryan was just as weaselly as he ever was, but it gave him an edge. In the David vs Goliath contest, Daniel Bryan needed every advantage possible and was not above cheating to get it.

He weathered the storm of Brock Lesnar and took his opportunities when presented. This match was very competitive, even making us believe Daniel Bryan had a chance. In the end, he didn’t, but the finish was not as important as the story.

Seth Rollins vs Finn Balor vs The Miz (Triple Threat for the Intercontinental Championship @ WrestleMania 34)

With the main event picture being ruled by the likes of Roman Reigns and Brock Lesnar, the mid-card was stuffed with fantastic talent. In their own right, all three of these men were incredible main event talent, and the Intercontinental scene was lucky to have them. Their various one-on-one matches were a fun watch, but paled in comparison to their show-stealing opening match at WrestleMania 34.

This match is a fantastic example of what happens when three outstanding wrestlers are put into a triple threat match. Each man paired off with the other incredibly well, and they mixed in just enough 2-on-1 spots to keep the contest moving.

There wasn’t a botch or a time that we wanted the match to end. It was a fast and furious tale that had WWE’s best vying for the honour of being called the Intercontinental Champion. It was a shame that the rest of the card didn’t follow suit, but we still got one heck of a hot opener.