The 15 Best WWE Matches Of 2014, Ranked From Awesome To Legendary

"THIS IS AWESOME!" *clap clap clapclapclap*

15. El Torito vs. Hornswoggle (Extreme Rules, May 4, 2014)

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WWE Network

Winner: El Torito

OK, I know this might be a bit absurd, but COME ON! These two put on one hell of a PPV pre-show match. What could've been a typical cringeworthy comedy bit turned into a surprisingly entertaining match that involved Los Matadores and the now defunct 3MB. Everything from the commentators to the mini-tables, ladders and chairs, was enough to garner "THIS IS AWESOME" and "HOLY SHIT" chants from the crowd.

14. Paige vs. Emma (NXT ArRival, February 26, 2014)

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Winner: Paige

If there's one thing WWE has done right this year, it's NXT (thanks Triple H). This show consistently delivers great matches every week. NXT also provides a platform for great women's wrestling. Emma and Paige delivered an outstanding match at NXT's first "PPV." The two had excellent in-ring chemistry, as well as a nice back-and-forth match-up. Paige also debuted the PTO, which is by far one of the most impressive submission maneuvers in WWE today.

13. The Usos vs. The Wyatts (Money in the Bank, June 29, 2014)

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Winners: The Usos

This is what happens when you have four fresh, up-and-coming superstars who are hungry for success. This match had everything: fast pacing, hard hits, and high flying spots. More importantly, the match was a breath of fresh air.

12. Daniel Bryan vs. Bray Wyatt (Royal Rumble, January 26, 2014)

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Winner: Bray Wyatt

It was interesting to see Daniel Bryan's Japanese "kick" style go up against Bray Wyatt's brute force. In what's considered the culmination of a miscalculated feud, these two delivered the match of the night at this year's Royal Rumble. The intense back and forth between the two near the end of the match kept fans on the edge of their seats, and built Bray Wyatt as a top contender.

11. The Shield vs. Evolution (Extreme Rules, May 04, 2014)

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Winners: The Shield

It's the old vs. the new. The veterans (Triple H, Randy Orton, and Batista) versus three of WWE's hottest up-and-coming superstars (Dean Ambrose, Seth Rollins, and Roman Reigns). The highly technical match evolved into a chaotic brawl that carried into the crowd, and gave us the unforgettable "HOLY SHIT" moment when Rollins dove off a balcony:

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10. Dolph Ziggler vs. Tyson Kidd vs. Cesaro (SmackDown, November 14, 2014)

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Winner: Dolph Ziggler

Let's be real: SmackDown has failed to deliver for quite some time now. Nothing really happens, the matches are meh, and there's really nothing to look forward to except for the occasional promo they tell you about on RAW. However, SmackDown did deliver one of the best matches of the year, involving three incredibly underrated and underutilized superstars. The amount of creative spots packed into this fast-paced match was worth it alone. It also gave Tyson Kidd some much-deserved exposure. FACT.

9. Adrian Neville vs. Sami Zayn vs. Tyson Kidd vs. Tyler Breeze (NXT Takeover Fatal 4Way, September 11, 2014)

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Winner: Adrian Neville

These four incredible superstars of the future battled it out for the NXT Championship and it was glorious. There was not a single dull moment in the entire match. The action was fast, the high-flying maneuvers were stupendous, and each one of these superstars had their moment in the spotlight. It was a great way to showcase just how awesome the future for WWE looks.

8. Charlotte vs. Natalya (NXT Takeover, May 29, 2014)

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Winner: Charlotte

WWE hyped up this NXT Women's Championship match by adding Ric Flair (Charlotte's father) and Bret Hart (Nattie's uncle) at ringside. But that proved unnecessary, since these women managed to outshine their respective elders by putting on one of the best wrestling matches of the year. The two exchanged impressive holds and creative submission maneuvers, living up to their Flair and Hart family names. It was a straight-up, old-school wrestling match and it established Charlotte as a dominant force. It's too bad we can't see more of this on WWE TV.

7. Daniel Bryan vs. Triple H (WrestleMania XXX, April 06, 2014)

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Winner: Daniel Bryan

The stipulation was simple: If Daniel Bryan defeated Triple H, he would go on to compete in the main event that same night for the WWE Championship against Randy Orton and Batista. While it was impressive to see Triple H could still hold his own at the age of 45, the 75,000+ fans in attendance DESPERATELY wanted to see their underdog hero walk out with the championship. The two delivered a great, hard-hitting match that incorporated some of the best technical wrestling of the year.

6. The Shield vs. The Wyatt Famiy (Elimination Chamber, February 22, 2014)

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Winner: The Wyatt Family

This was a match fans had been clamoring about for quite some time. The mere fact that the six men were staring at each other in the ring would cause the crowd to erupt into a thunderous “THIS IS AWESOME” chant. When they finally met at Elimination Chamber, they gave fans exactly what they wanted: a brawl. While the match commenced like any other six-man tag match, it would eventually erupt into chaos as all six men beat the crap out of each other all over the arena. By the end of the match, fans knew they had witnessed the match of the night.

5. Sami Zayn vs. Adrian Neville (NXT R-Evolution, December 11, 2014)

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Winner: Sami Zayn

While it was impressive to see these two perform their usual high-flying maneuvers and move-sets, this match was great because of the storytelling. You saw Sami Zayn struggle to stick to his morals and not fight dirty. You saw Adrian Neville use heelish tactics to try and win the match. Both were on point with their in-ring psychology. The two culminated a compelling storyline with Sami Zayn winning the NXT Championship and it was “Sports Entertainment” at its finest.

4. Dean Ambrose vs. Seth Rollins (Monday Night RAW, August 19, 2014)

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WWE Network

Winner: No contest (because... Kane)

The two ex-Shield members delivered the closest thing to an "Attitude Era" main event on RAW. There were chairs, kendo sticks, and tables, and it was "balls to the wall" brutal, even for WWE's PG standards. Ambrose and Rollins have natural chemistry and it made for great match. Kane's interference at the end was slightly irritating, but that doesn't take away from the fact that these two delivered the best RAW main event of the year.

3. Charlotte vs. Sasha Banks (NXT R-Evolution, December 11, 2014)

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Winner: Charlotte

Charlotte and Sasha Banks stole the show at NXT R-Evolution. Yes, we saw the debut of Kevin Owens, Finn Bálor's epic "Carnage" entrance, Hideo Itami teasing the GTS, Sami Zayn winning the NXT Championship, and it was all perfect... but these two put on the BEST match of the night. From hard-hitting strikes, to painful looking submission maneuvers, to a top-rope Natural Selection, this match proved to be the one of the best matches of the year. This is what the Divas division desperately needs.

2. Daniel Bryan vs. Randy Orton vs. Batista (WrestleMania XXX, April 06, 2014)

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Winner: Daniel Bryan

This match was the culmination of the greatest underdog story WWE has ever told. Daniel Bryan, the man who WWE did not believe in, triumphed through thick and thin to win the WWE Championship. 75,000+ fans filled New Orleans' Mercedes Superdome with "YES!" chants and gave people a reason to call themselves wrestling fans.

1. Sami Zayn vs. Cesaro (NXT ArRival, February 26, 2014)

WWE Network

WWE Network

Winner: Cesaro

Simply put, this match was a masterpiece. It's the reason why we watch wrestling. It's why we bought the WWE Network. Not only was this one of the best matches of the year, but it was one of the best matches of the decade. These two superstars make wrestling a legit art form, and watching them perform is like watching Da Vinci paint the Mona Lisa.