5 WWE matches that stole the show despite appearing lame on paper 

WWE matches are just like Christmas presents as one can’t really tell what they will be getting. The promotion had booked a plethora of match cards that initially seemed like ho-hum encounters between WWE Superstars but those turned out to be crowd-pleasing clashes.

Backed by over-the-top performances and chemistry that clicked like clockwork, these matches left the crowd wanting more. That said, some of these matches were repeated as proper feuds among the wrestlers involved, not to mention earning the respect of fans and their colleagues.

Here is a throwback to five of the initially unheralded WWE matches that went down in history as epic fights.

#5. The WWE match between Bad Bunny and Damian Priest versus The Miz and John Morrison

Numerous celebrities have graced the WWE ring, going toe-to-toe against the promotion’s superstars.

It was during WrestleMania 37 that Puerto Rican rapper Bad Bunny made his in-ring debut. His first-ever WWE match was a tag team clash as he was paired with Damian Priest to brawl against the team of WWE Superstars, The Miz and John Morrison.

Bunny is a huge fan of WWE and it was reported back then that he trained rigorously prior to the match. Come D-Day and all that hard work was on full display during their face-off. He and Priest went on to defeat Morrison and The Miz as they went on to receive praise from both fans and critics.

#4. Melina versus Michelle McCool

The WWE match between Melina and Michelle McCool took place during the promotion’s Night of Champions back in 2009.

Back in the day, the company was notorious for making women’s pay-per-view matches relatively short, proportional to the fan's appetite for it. What happened in this particular match exceeded expectations.

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Both Melina and McCool put on a show that was well received by the fans who attended. Albeit their stellar performance, it was learned that the two former WWE Superstars got in trouble as WWE agents were of the opinion that they stole the show from their male counterparts.

#3. John Cena versus Rusev

Another WWE match that stole the show was the fight between John Cena and then WWE Superstar Rusev.

WrestleMania 31 saw great matches which included the one between Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns. But the United States Championship match between John Cena and Rusev blew the fans away.

The exchange between them was so awesome that it got thunderous reactions from a crowd of over 70,000. Not only was it a great match, superstar entrances were also main event worthy

Rusev, being the monster heel that he was at the time, was at an advantage for most of the fight. However, the invisible man’s resilience and Never Give Up principle were too strong for Rusev and he managed to defeat his tank-riding opponent, making him a two-time United States Champion.

#2. El Torito versus Hornswoggle

This WWE match between the two vertically challenged dynamos was one of those matches the fans never asked for. Due to its sheer quality, the match went down as an instant classic.

It happened during 2014’s Extreme Rules when these former WWE Superstars were scheduled for a so-called WeeLC match, which is a miniature iteration of TLC. It is believed that such a booking was meant to merely amuse former WWE Chairman Vince McMahon .

Little did they know that both Hornswoggle and El Torito’s intention was to steal the show, which they successfully did. It would be unfair not to mention 3MB and Los Matadores, who accompanied them during the match.

Hornswoggle would later reveal that the match was the highlight of his pro-wrestling career as they exited to a standing ovation from fans and even from their colleagues who were present backstage.

#1. WWE Superstars Edge versus Mick Foley

This was definitely not a tepid booking. WrestleMania 22 saw one of the most brutal WWE matches in the history of the promotion when Mick Foley and Edge were pitted against each other in a Hardcore Match.

They had the whole nine yards at their disposal: street signs, steel pipes, barbed wire bats, the list goes on. The two went at it and inflicted as much damage as they could until they almost busted each other open.

The highlight of the fight came when Lita spewed lighter fluid on a table and lit it up before Edge delivered a sick spear to Foley and landed on it. The former won the match, earning him the title "The Rated R Superstar".