'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/2wBDAAYEBQYFBAYGBQYHBwYIChAKCgkJChQODwwQFxQYGBcUFhYaHSUfGhsjHBYWICwgIyYnKSopGR8tMC0oMCUoKSj/2wBDAQcHBwoIChMKChMoGhYaKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCj/wgARCAAGAAoDASIAAhEBAxEB/8QAFQABAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABgf/2gAIAQEAAAAAgCP/xAAUAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAC/9oACAECEAAAAB//xAAUAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAD/9oACAEDEAAAAF//xAAfEAACAgIBBQAAAAAAAAAAAAABAgMEABEFEhMxUYH/2gAIAQEAAT8ArS1Yx0VK4EsUcy91houGbQLedkbytwvGz14pnqkNIoc6f38z/8QAFREBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAL/2gAIAQIBAT8Ah//EABcRAAMBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABBCL/2gAIAQMBAT8Aqej/2Q=='%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
WWE has always strived to give fans the best entertainment in the pro wrestling business. From the Royal Rumble to the Money in the Bank ladder matches, there’s always something to look forward to during the WWE calendar year.
While WWE has given us a few cinematic matches in the past, 2020 seemed to rely a lot on this type of production after the global pandemic forced the company to think out of the box. All three brands of the company benefited from WWE’s decision to produce more cinematic matches, and fans got to enjoy some incredible storytelling and action inside the ring.
Some of the biggest cinematic matches this year have seen Randy Orton and Edge compete in a very physical match at WWE Backlash, while Adam Cole and The Velveteen Dream competed for the NXT Championship in a Backlot Brawl at NXT Takeover: In Your House.
Trending
While those matches were good, these five were better:
#5 One Final Beat Match - Johnny Gargano vs. Tommaso Ciampa (WWE NXT - April 8, 2020)
Tommaso Ciampa and Johnny Gargano are two men whose names have become synonymous with the WWE NXT brand. They’ve had a great partnership and an even better rivalry in NXT.
However, after several chapters of their rivalry written and rewritten over three years, WWE decided to give the two men one final match to end their storyline. The One Final Beat Match took place in an empty arena that only had a ring and a referee inside.
Triple H laid down the rules before the two men went to war and threw everything they had at each other. Ciampa and Gargano had already faced each other in numerous emotional matches, and they knew exactly what to give the fans in this particular cinematic match.
The lengthy match saw both men deliver their finishers to each other a few times, with both men refusing to give up. Gargano’s wife Candice LeRae provided the final blow that allowed Gargano to win the final match between the two men.
Not only did the match show a new side of Gargano and LeRae, but it also introduced Karrion Kross and Scarlett to the WWE Universe in the final moments of the match.
The match had good production and some big spots, but at times it seemed like the two men were unsure of which direction to take. However, they delivered one of the best cinematic matches of the year and paved the way for more NXT Superstars to try a different style of entertainment.
#4 Corporate Money in the Bank Ladder Match (WWE Money In The Bank)
WWE's mantra has always been about doing the best to climb to the top of the corporate ladder, and the company used that for this year's .
At the height of the COVID pandemic, WWE booked a Corporate Money in the Bank Ladder match where six men and six women competed for a chance to win the Money in the Bank briefcases inside the WWE Headquarters in Stamford, Connecticut.
The Superstars had to fight their way to the top of the WWE Headquarters and then compete on the rooftop to try and pull down the briefcase to win the Money in the Bank match.
Fans had already been treated to a few cinematic matches during the year at this point. The first big spot saw Asuka seek an early advantage by taking out the other women in the lobby with a crossbody dive and then escaping via the elevator.
The men started off in the gym and went all over the headquarters where AJ Styles was haunted by The Undertaker’s merchandise, and Styles and Daniel Bryan fought their way into Vince McMahon’s office.
Once the men and women reached the rooftop, chaos ensued further as Asuka took out King Corbin before retrieving the women’s briefcase. Corbin threw Rey Mysterio and Aleister Black off the roof of the headquarters but was unable to stop Otis from becoming Mr. Money in the Bank.
Money in the Bank ladder matches have usually been fun and filled with some iconic spots, but this one was very different, and the cinematic touch made it memorable. All the Superstars involved got their moments while the overall theme fit perfectly with what the match was all about.
#3 Wyatt Swamp Fight - Bray Wyatt vs. Braun Strowman (WWE Extreme Rules)
While Randy Orton burned down Wyatt Family Compound in 2017, Bray Wyatt took Braun Strowman to the Wyatt Swamp for a fight he’d never forget. The two WWE Superstars were together for a while as part of The Wyatt Family, but Wyatt believed that Strowman betrayed the family by leaving them and going on a singles run.
The non-title match saw Strowman try to muscle his way out of the Wyatt Swamp, while The Eater of Worlds played mind games with him to make the match more exciting. Wyatt told Strowman that he was proud of him, but reminded him that his success was only temporary.
Wyatt tried to show the WWE Universal Champion the right path, but Strowman was too stubborn to listen. While Strowman did manage to get the upper hand in the fight, a voice told him that that he didn’t have to be the way he was and that he could come back home.
It turned out to be Alexa Bliss who reminded the Universal Champion how they always wanted to be together and it was exactly what Strowman wanted.
The match only got more brutal from there on and Wyatt finally pulled Strowman down into the swamp after which The Fiend rose to end the match.
This is arguably the most illogical yet brilliant entry on this list.
#2 Firefly Fun House Match - 'The Fiend' Bray Wyatt vs. John Cena (WWE Wrestlemania 36)
The Firefly Fun House has been hosted by Bray Wyatt for over a year now, and WWE gave us the first-ever Firefly Fun House match at WrestleMania 36. John Cena decided to take on Wyatt inside the Firefly Fun House where no one knew what was going to happen. The build-up towards this match was great, and there was a lot of hype surrounding it.
While Cena was looking to fight Wyatt during the match, the elements of the Firefly Fun House ended up making him fight himself throughout the contest. There’s a reason why Cena has become a big Hollywood actor over the past five years as he played his part extremely well to sell this match perfectly.
We saw multiple shades of Cena through the years, and Wyatt even gave us a ‘nWo’ Cena from his twisted imagination.
This was Wyatt’s redemption story after he had lost to Cena at WrestleMania 30. In the words of the wise Vince from the Firefly Fun House, "This is such good s**t!"
#1 Boneyard Match - The Undertaker vs. AJ Styles (WWE Wrestlemania 36)
The Undertaker is the most iconic name in all of pro wrestling and he has given fans some of the most iconic moments and matches in WWE history. From the first-ever Hell in a Cell match to the Buried Alive match, The Undertaker had delivered in various gimmick matches
This paved the way for an iconic, one-of-a-kind Boneyard match between The Deadman and AJ Styles at WrestleMania 36. Their entrances raise the excitement levels, and The Undertaker brought back the American Badass persona to take down Styles and his two goons.
While Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson tried their best to help Styles win the contest, they were laid to waste by The Phenom. The cinematic match allowed WWE to pull off some huge spots including a Chokeslam from Taker to Styles off the roof.
Styles’ hopes were buried during the Boneyard Match as he could not put down the biggest legend in the company to reach the top of the food chain. The production quality was top-notch, and at no point did it seem like Taker’s age was taking a toll on the quality of the match.
The match was a perfect way to end The Undertaker’s illustrious career as it gave him a chance to perform at his best in a setting that didn’t pose a threat to his legacy.
This match may have well been the final performance by one of the greatest WWE Superstars of all time.
Meet Randy Orton's lovely wife HERE
