20 Fascinating WWE Documentaries You Should Watch ASAP

These documentaries won't put you in a sleeper hold.

When Peacock purchased the WWE Network in 2021, not only did the streamer pick up hundreds of hours of classic programming from the WWE's vast library but they also obtained the company's myriad compelling documentary content.

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From vintage productions, to notable DVD content, to lauded series from the WWE Network, there are many different documentaries to watch to dig deeper into the weird and wild world of sports entertainment, but how do you know which ones you should watch first?

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Luckily, I've got you covered, as I've put together 20 of the most fascinating WWE documentaries worth checking out on Peacock ASAP.

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1. Holy Grail: The Search for WWE’s Most Infamous Lost Match (2019)

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For many years, pro wrestling fans speculated about a mythical lost match between icon Bret "Hitman" Hart and relative newcomer Tom Magee, who was rumored to have been handpicked by WWE brass to be Hulk Hogan's replacement as the next top guy in the company in the early '90s. To the shock of all wrestling fans, a tape of the match emerged from a personal collection and was returned to the WWE in 2019, who quickly produced a short-form documentary with Hart, Magee, and those behind-the-scenes at the time to recount their experiences, discuss what was truth and legend, and showcase jaw-dropping clips from the match itself.

2. André the Giant (2018)

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Produced by famed sports writer Bill Simmons for HBO, this warts-and-all documentary delves into the life and times of WWE's most famous big man, from his youth in France to his matches around the world to his notorious drinking habits. Rarely do wrestling documentaries get as compelling and honest as André the Giant, and it even contains the ultra-rare moment of Vince McMahon crying on camera as he recalls Andre's passing.

3. WWE Icons: Rob Van Dam (2023)

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The unfortunately short-lived WWE Icons series produced a number of stellar feature-length documentaries about some of their biggest names, including ECW legend Rob Van Dam. With Van Dam himself adding his own colorful perspective into the mix, this documentary offers an introspective look at the ups and downs of RVD’s lengthy pro wrestling career, from his early years as a martial artist to rejecting a WWE contract to the arrest that cost him his WWE Championship run, among many other moments.

4. A Future WWE: The FCW Story (2020)

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Thousands of people have trained to become professional wrestlers, but only a fraction of those performers become signed WWE "superstars." So what helps make that difference? The developmental system, with promotions like Ohio Valley Wrestling, EVOLVE, and Deep South Wrestling, paved the way for WWE's current third brand, NXT, through which wrestlers have the opportunity to refine their craft before advancing to WWE's main touring brands. But one of the most fruitful times in WWE's developmental system was the crop of talent that sharpened their skills at Florida Championship Wrestling, with this documentary looking back at the territory in the early '10s, during which time the likes of Roman Reigns, Mercedes Varnado (aka Sasha Banks/Mercedes Moné), Seth Rollins and Big E emerged as the next generation of sports entertainment's main event players.

5. The Mortician: The Story of Paul Bearer (2020)

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In the 1990s, the WWE was given much flack by the evolving wrestling audience for relying on job-centric gimmicks for their performers, from bloodthirsty dentists to shifty repo men to hard-hitting hockey players. But for William Moody, the role of pro wrestling manager Paul Bearer was one that came naturally to him, as the real-life funeral director and mortician became an on-screen icon as the mouthpiece for The Undertaker, and this documentary helps bring the late, great Moody and his ghastly alter-ego further into the light.

6. The American Dream: The Dusty Rhodes Story (2006)

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There are few legends as esteemed in the professional wrestling business as "The American Dream" Dusty Rhodes, an icon of the territory system whose legacy has been continued by his sons Dustin (aka "Goldust" during his WWE tenure) and current WWE megastar Cody Rhodes. So when the WWE decided to highlight a number of stars throughout wrestling history in the mid-00s during the DVD boom, "The American Dream" was among their first choices, and the documentary chronicles his life and impact on the industry, making for a really interesting flashback to examine a populist phenomenon in the wrestling business.

7. CM Punk: Best in the World (2012)

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In 2023, CM Punk remains as controversial as ever, given his behavior in front of and behind the scenes with All Elite Wrestling, but a decade earlier, CM Punk had skyrocketed to the top of the WWE after cutting a "pipebomb" promo punched his ticket into wrestling infamy. Detailing Punk's rise from independent sensation to ECW champion to undeniable superstar, Best in the World is the best and most comprehensive look at CM Punk that WWE will give you these days, given the superstar's incredibly acrimonious walk-out on the company a little over a year after this documentary's release.

8. 20 Years Too Soon: The “Superstar” Billy Graham Story (2006)

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Every great hero needs an equally great villain, so when Bruno Sammartino ruled the Northeast wrestling territory throughout the '70s, few could make as much magic with the hulking babyface as "Superstar" Billy Graham, a performer who many deemed way ahead of his time. This solid documentary does a fantastic job of showcasing Graham's outstanding charisma as well as the influence of the "Superstar" character on many of his contemporaries, including Hulk Hogan and Jesse "The Body" Ventura, and the actions that tragically cut his career way too short.

9. The Rise & Fall of ECW (2005)

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For a long time, wrestling fans universally agreed that "The Rise and Fall of ECW" was the best documentary about the wrestling business ever produced, raising such a groundswell of support that WWE decided to revive the ECW brand shortly after its DVD release. Though not for the faint of heart, much like ECW itself. this documentary is a brain-melting look at an ultraviolent punk-rock independent promotion that fought valiantly as an underground alternative to mainstream wrestling products.

10. Heaven (2021)

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It's always fascinating when the WWE goes beyond its sports entertainment bubble, and the short-form documentary Heaven is a perfect example of WWE finding inspiring stories adjacent to its bread and butter that could appeal to its audience. The engaging documentary follows Heaven Fitch, the first female wrestler to place at the North Carolina High School Athletic Association's wrestling state tournament in the 1A 106-pound weight class at the age of 16 who subsequently pursued the state championship in that division.

11. Wooooo! Becoming Ric Flair (2022)

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I'll be completely honest: if you can only watch one documentary on the sensational Ric Flair, I'd tell you to watch his 30 for 30, for something a little more impartial and unbiased. Nevertheless, Wooooo! is a great documentary on its own merits, examining Ric's storied career and complicated, sometimes tragic personal life with a stark, candid lens.

12. Stone Cold Steve Austin: The Bottom Line on the Most Popular Superstar of All Time (2011)

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Even 20 years after his formal retirement from the wrestling business (having only wrestled on one occasion at Wrestlemania in 2022), "Stone Cold" Steve Austin remains one of the most popular figures in professional wrestling, carefully parlaying his tough guy persona into a miniature media empire. But in 2011, WWE decided to look back at the shockingly short but massively successful career of "Stone Cold," following Austin through his humble beginnings as "The Ringmaster" to his popular Attitude Era storylines to the personal problems and injuries that led to his early retirement.

13. Macho Man: The Randy Savage Story (2014)

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You may know him from his masterful wrestling career, his Slim Jim commercials, or his high-profile cameo in Spider-Man, but chances are if you're reading this, you're familiar with "Macho Man" Randy Savage, an icon of pro wrestling who approached every endeavor with a perfect mix of flamboyance and machismo. Though Savage was estranged from the WWE at the time of his passing in 2011, the company eventually gave Savage his flowers through this excellent 2014 documentary, in which his friends, family, and peers detail his beginnings as a baseball prodigy to a lasting pro wrestling idol.

14. The Rock: The Epic Journey of Dwayne Johnson (2012)

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Produced and released in advance of The Rock's return to the squared circle against John Cena at Wrestlemania 28, The Epic Journey of Dwayne Johnson offers fans a chance to see the transformation of Dwayne Johnson from the heir to a wrestling legacy to an unforgettable star in the film and wrestling businesses. However, the real point of fascination for fans of The Rock in 2023, who is now among the biggest names in entertainment period, is getting to see The Rock's nascent years as a hated babyface in the WWE as well as his endlessly quotable heel promos, many of which would plant the seeds for the public persona that he adapted into his present global brand.

15. Chasing the Magic: The Nigel McGuinness Story (2019)

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This documentary hurts. In 2019, WWE produced Chasing the Magic, a documentary about former Ring of Honor star Nigel McGuinness, whose honesty about past injuries and a shocking medical diagnosis robbed him of his dreams of becoming a WWE superstar while his contemporaries would find success in his stead. A heartbreaking documentary about overcoming the crushing expectations we place upon ourselves, especially when we are so close to our dreams coming true, McGuinness would later find a comfortable role in WWE as a color commentator, though he would eventually be released in late 2022 after the dissolution of the NXT UK brand. However, McGuinness has since become a commentator for All Elite Wrestling's weekly program Collision and rumors have swirled that McGuinness may be seeking one last retirement match in the near future.

16. Born to Controversy: The Roddy Piper Story (2006)

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"Rowdy" Roddy Piper's on-again, off-again relationship with the WWE has led to some of the company's most memorable moments, for better or for worse. Luckily, you can watch a majority of those moments in Born to Controversy, and even if the documentary doesn't hold the stylish flair of A&E's WWE Legends episode on the iconic brawler, this documentary makes for an insightful and unapologetic trip down memory lane, as guided by the "Rowdy" one himself.

17. WWE 24: "Edge: The Second Mountain"

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In the past several years, advances in medicine and surgical procedures have helped multiple medically disqualified wrestlers find hope for unexpected second chances at finishing their stories on their terms, which serves as the foundation for this surprisingly emotional WWE 24 detailing Edge's journey from forced retirement to his unlikely comeback story. But perhaps the best part of this documentary is looking at all that surrounded Edge's road to recovery, from his seemingly idyllic family life to his dedication to pushing his body past its limits to match that of a new generation of WWE superstars.

18. WWE Icons: "Yokozuna"

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A larger-than-life member of the famed Anoa'i family, a Samoan wrestling dynasty that has included the likes of The Rock, Roman Reigns, The Usos, and Rikishi, Yokozuna was undoubtedly one of the most feared and mystifying wrestlers of the '90s. In this emotionally-charged documentary, the friends and family of Yokozuna recount his rise as WWE's resident monster during the early 1990s, his heart-shattering Wrestlemania IX epilogue, his physical deterioration as his health declined, and the shadow he cast among the "big men" that would follow in his footsteps.

19. Ladies and Gentlemen, My Name Is Paul Heyman (2014)

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Love him or hate him, there's no one on Earth who has a mind for the wrestling business as Paul Heyman, the loquacious wrestling personality who led an independent wrestling revolution as the face, mind, and mouth of Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW). This documentary surrounds Heyman's incredible influence and impact on the wrestling business, from his ascent as "Paul E. Dangerously" to his ECW tenure to his legacy-redefining run as a commentator and manager for the WWE, most notably for "The Next Big Thing" Brock Lesnar (though Heyman has since hitched his tow to WWE's record-breaking champion, Roman Reigns). 

20. For All Mankind: The Life & Career of Mick Foley (2013)

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Arguably, no one has given as much of their body and soul to professional wrestling as Mick Foley, the former Mankind/Cactus Jack/Dude Love who will forever be known as a "Hardcore Legend." This 2013 documentary jumps headfirst into his matches in reputably brutal matches between ECW and Japan, his creative clashes in WCW, and his evolution from masochistic macabre character to sock puppet-adorning WWE champion, one who would launch himself from a 22-foot cage just to please the fans.