WWE: 10 Best Opening PPV Matches Ever 1

1. Owen Hart Vs. Bret Hart @ WrestleMania 10

When wrestling fans think of PPV opening matches this should be the first one that comes up. Chances are it is never going to be topped in terms of being the best match that opened a PPV. If it does get topped, whoever is in that match is going to have to really earn it because when Bret Hart faced his little brother Owen they put on a thriller unlike any opener we’ve seen before or since.
They went out there for 20 minutes and had a technical wrestling classic. Bret didn’t want to face Owen, but he was forced to if he wanted to get his WWE Title shot later in the night. For Owen it was the biggest match of his career and he had to prove he was as good as his brother like he said he was. The match was contested mostly in the ring (there were a couple of out of ring moments) providing us with several nearfalls and near submissions with each guy applying the family’s famous Sharpshooter submission hold.
Bret was a main event level guy that most of us figured was going to win, but he didn’t. Owen pulled it off. He used a low blow to get the job done. That didn’t work. Bret powered out of an Owen Sharpshooter and put on a Sharpshooter of his own, but Owen got to the ropes. Bret whipped Owen into the corner and jumped on Owen’s shoulders. Bret went for a victory roll, but Owen dropped down to counter, put his hands on the mat and covered for the win. What an upset using a brilliant counter. It was the perfect way to cap a classic.
What’s noteworthy about this match also is that a lot of people will say it wasn’t even the best match at WrestleMania 10 since Razor Ramon vs. Shawn Michaels in a Ladder Match also took place that night. It’s a fair point. Both are amazing.
As an opening match it’s the best one ever and it will be tough for any WWE match to top it in that category.

Which opening PPV matches do you think deserve to be on this list? Share your thoughts below in the comments thread.

                                                                                                             

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WWE: 10 Best Opening PPV Matches Ever 2

2. Daniel Bryan Vs. Triple H @ WrestleMania 30

It’s one of those matches that was tremendous when I was there in person to see it, then it looked even better a few days later watching it on WWE Network and it’s even better now. Maybe that’s because Daniel Bryan’s been out of action so long that he is missed so much. I’m not sure the reason, but if you watch the match again you should be able to appreciate how awesome it was.
The PPV portion of the WrestleMania 30 broadcast actually started with Hulk Hogan doing a promo along with Steve Austin and The Rock. They were out there for about 20 minutes before the first match actually started, but since this was the first match on the PPV it counts as the opener. Normally a match like this wouldn’t be an opener because of the names involved. However, they had to do it that way since Bryan was wrestling in the main event as well.
They had the longest match of the night with Triple H working a slow, methodical pace, which was smart to do it that way because whenever Bryan came firing back the people went crazy for it. There was nothing Bryan could do wrong. Additionally, there was so much drama in this match: Hunter’s offense was perfect, Bryan was tremendous at selling, and that is precisely why there was chemistry between them even though they hadn’t wrestled before. They know what they’re doing out there. When Bryan hit that running knee a lot of us didn’t think it was over, but Hunter stayed down and that was the finish. What a reaction for it too. Wow. Gives me chills just remembering how loud we were in the Superdome.
This was a match that could have headlined a WrestleMania yet here it was in the opening match. Stephanie McMahon also deserves praise because she was incredible outside the ring. Post match it didn’t stop with Hunter attacking Bryan to weaken him before the match. Fundamentally it boiled down to a great story mixed in with a tremendous matchup.

                                                                                                   

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WWE: 10 Best Opening PPV Matches Ever 3

3. Tag Team Titles (2/3 Falls): The Usos Vs. Wyatt Family @ Battleground 2014

This is the most recent match taking place just this past Sunday and also the match that inspired the list. They built it up very well by having The Usos face the Wyatt Family (Luke Harper & Erick Rowan) regularly for about three months leading up to this. It appears as though this was their last match at least for a while, so they really went all out with it.
A 2/3 Falls match usually means that the match is going to go longer than a normal one. In this case it didn’t seem like the first two falls were really necessary because they didn’t build to anything later in the match. It’s not like those falls hurt the match, though: after the first ten minutes with the first two falls completed that’s when the action really picked up.
There were no mistakes in this match and the amount of nearfalls really made it great. Things like Harper hitting an impressive powerbomb or the series of dives outside the ring by both teams, they were clicking all night. They had some memorable moments with Rowan hitting the double superplex that we never see. Then there was the finish with The Usos hitting the double top rope splash for the decisive ending. A lot of us expected the challengers to win, but the champion Usos held on.
It was the right kind of mix with The Usos as the high flying babyface team and Harper/Rowan in the role of the powerful heels that could keep up with them. It’s a classic tag match that was the perfect choice for an opening match and one of the best ones ever.

                                                                                                         

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WWE: 10 Best Opening PPV Matches Ever 4

4. Money In The Bank Ladder Match Won By Daniel Bryan @ Money In the Bank 2011

Here’s a listing of the competitors in the match: Sin Cara, Wade Barrett, Sheamus, Justin Gabriel, Cody Rhodes, Heath Slater, Daniel Bryan & Kane. Heath Slater? Yeah that’s right, he was in it too. It was a mix of six guys who weren’t main event level performers along with Kane and Sheamus, both of whom had been to the top before.
Bryan was really gaining momentum as a guy capable of putting together great matches with everybody and the fans loved him for it, and though he didn’t come into the match as a strong favorite, it was believable that he could win it. There was a huge spot as a ladder was bridged between the ring apron and announce table. Sheamus took advantage of the situation by giving Sin Cara a Powerbomb off the ring apron that sent him crashing through a table. It looked incredibly painful – probably because it was.
The last two guys battling for the contract were Bryan and Barrett. They didn’t do anything overly elaborate for the finish other than Bryan kicking him repeatedly to knock him down, and when Barrett dropped, Bryan climbed up to grab the briefcase. It was one of those surprise finishes that online fans absolutely loved because it meant that WWE management believed in Bryan the way that we did.
What stands out about the match was that it was one of the longer MITB matches because it went around 25 minutes. That’s significant because them to work at a more realistic pace instead of rushing it all the time like we see in MITB matches once in a while.

                                                                                                           

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WWE: 10 Best Opening PPV Matches Ever 5

5. Money In The Bank Ladder Match Won By Ken Kennedy @ WrestleMania 23

Here’s the listing of everybody that was in this ladder match: Mr. Kennedy, CM Punk, Edge, Finlay, Jeff Hardy, King Booker, Matt Hardy and Randy Orton.
It was a really good mix of veterans with younger guys, so it was hard to know who was going to win among the eight guys in the match. A lot of people thought it might be Orton just because he hadn’t won one at that point in his career although he was a main eventer already. If they were going to make somebody into a bigger star then there were some good choices in this group.
The most memorable part was when Jeff Hardy destroyed Edge by leaping off that 12 foot ladder and driving him through a ladder that was set up outside the ring. There was a tweet by Edge recently where he said that this was his way of letting Jeff Hardy pay him back because at WrestleMania 17 it was Edge that nailed Hardy with a Spear off a ladder.
The finish was good too. Kennedy destroyed Punk with the ladder to the face. It didn’t come off as a lucky win. It put Kennedy over by having him outsmart Punk in the end. This was a strong opening match and one of the better Money in the Bank matches too.

                                                                                                           

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WWE: 10 Best Opening PPV Matches Ever 6

6. Bray Wyatt Vs. Daniel Bryan @ Royal Rumble 2014

The 2014 Royal Rumble PPV wasn’t a great show. In fact, a lot of people hated it just because Daniel Bryan didn’t play a part in the titular match even though he should have been, instead working the opening match against his rival Bray Wyatt. As you probably remember, Wyatt tried to turn Bryan into a member of the Wyatt Family and we even got the “Daniel Wyatt” character for a few weeks until Bryan got his revenge.

It was an outstanding opener: the pair had a very physical brawl with several great spots throughout. They told a couple of stories in the match with Bryan working over Wyatt’s knee and Wyatt was going after the head/shoulder area of Bryan from the beginning. With the announcers talking about Bryan’s concussion it helped tell the story they were going for.

When Bryan locked Wyatt into the Yes Lock it looked like he was going to win, but Wyatt countered by biting his hand. The finish was brilliant too. Bryan went for his dive outside the ring. Wyatt caught him and gave him the Sister Abigail swinging neckbreaker into the barricade. That was such a vicious move. Wyatt rolled him back in for the Sister Abigail and the decisive finish. The crowd really hated the ending because of how hot Bryan was at the time.

This match made Wyatt look like a star because it was the biggest match in his career so far. As expected, any match that Bryan has that goes over 20 minutes is going to be great and Wyatt showed that he could keep up with him. The fans chanting “this is awesome” was justified. These two went all out and they delivered the goods in terms of having an amazing match in the opener.

                                                                                                           

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WWE: 10 Best Opening PPV Matches Ever 7

7. Kurt Angle Vs. Rey Mysterio @ SummerSlam 2002

This was the much anticipated WWE PPV debut of Rey Mysterio, which followed an introductory set of video packages showing him in a mask (he took off the mask for a few years in WCW), and his TV introduction against against Chavo Guerrero, which led to this match against Angle.

There was a style clash between them since Mysterio was a high flier while Angle was more of a technical wrestler, but they didn’t have any problems adjusting, and the pace of the match was amazing. The atmosphere in the building was great thanks to the Long Island crowd staying hot all night long. It was the perfect opener for one of WWE’s best PPVs ever.

This match was at a time in their careers where they were both healthy: Angle controlled much of the match until Mysterio fired back by doing some amazing things like reversing the Angle Slam into an arm drag. We didn’t see that kind of thing normally. There was also the memorable spot where Mysterio hit a somersault dive over the top to take out Angle. The nearfalls following that moment were incredible with Angle kicking out of the 619/West Coast Pop combo. That was Rey’s finishing sequence. Angle ended up winning with an Ankle Lock, which caused Mysterio to tap out.

It would have been a big win for Mysterio in his PPV debut, but they weren’t going to put him over a main eventer like Angle. The biggest complaint about this match was the time. It only went about 10 minutes. If it had another five minutes it really would have been a classic. It’s still a very good match that is one of the best PPV openers ever.

                                                                                                               

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WWE: 10 Best Opening PPV Matches Ever 8

8. Steve Austin Vs. Marc Mero @ King Of The Ring 1996

When fans think about the 1996 King of the Ring the first thing that usually comes to mind is the infamous “Austin 3:16″ speech that Austin did after he won the King of the Ring tournament. While that’s certainly understandable, we shouldn’t ignore the opening match either.
Austin was a heel that was on the rise going up against a relatively new babyface in Marc Mero. They had both come over from WCW and WWE was trying to build them up into stars. It was smart to put them in the opener because they’re both really good workers that were able to start the show with an exciting 17 minute back and forth match.
There were several moments in the match where it looked like either man could pull off the victory: Mero used his speed to his advantage as well a number of athletic moves like a somersault attack over the top, a missile dropkick and a top rope hurricanrana that looked like it was the end of the match. Austin managed to fight back with a Stun Gun, which was his finisher in WCW and then it was the Stone Cold Stunner that won it for him. This was in the days when he was just starting to use the move, so it didn’t look as good as it does now.
The match was also notable because Austin had a bloody lip and needed 16 stitches to repair it. He actually went to the hospital during the show. He was fine for his second match in the show, a win over Jake Roberts, and of course that’s when he delivered the promo of all promos.

                                                                                                                 

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WWE: 10 Best Opening PPV Matches Ever 9

9. The Rockers Vs. The Orient Express @ Royal Rumble 1991

This is the oldest match on the list with one of WWE’s most exciting tag teams ever, The Rockers comprised of Shawn Michaels & Marty Jannetty, taking on the The Orient Express, who were Tanaka and Kato managed by Mr. Fuji.
The Rockers were the perfect team to open PPVs because there was nobody more exciting than them in the early 1990s. They could have an entertaining tag match with anybody. They would do things that other teams couldn’t do. Kato and Tanaka weren’t a major tag team, but they were skilled workers that could keep up with the Rockers so that’s why they were able to have a memorable match here.
They had a really even match for the majority of it until the Orient Express isolated Michaels in their corner. Once he broke free, the crowd erupted with Jannetty tagging in and cleaning house for the team.
What was unforgettable about the match was the finish. Kato did a slingshot to Jannetty, who ended up jumping over Tanaka in a sunset flip for the win. Old school tag team wrestling. Great to watch.

                                                                                                                 

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WWE: 10 Best Opening PPV Matches Ever 10

10. ECW Title Ladder Match: Christian Vs. Shelton Benjamin @ TLC 2009

It was a smart move by WWE to start the 2009 TLC PPV with a Ladder match between Christian and Shelton Benjamin because they’re two guys who always starred in ladder matches. Since 2009 was also the first year that they did a TLC PPV in the month of December, they did the right thing by starting it off with a classic like this one.
We’ve gotten so used to Money in the Bank ladder matches with six or more guys involved that sometimes we don’t appreciate it when it’s one on one but Christian and Shelton went all out to put on a show. There were creative spots throughout with guys hitting moves off the ladder like Shelton’s somersault dive, using the ladder and even a spot where each guy was hanging onto the title. We’ve seen guys do Powerbombs off the ladder, but they changed it by having Christian turn it into a hurricanrana. Christian also battled an eye injury that caused him to bleed, so he was working through it too.
The finish of the match was amazing with Benjamin lying on a ladder that was bridged from the announce table to the side of the ring. Christian went to the top rope and gave him a splash that actually broke the ladder in half. It was a very innovative spot that was done to set up the finish with Christian winning.
This match is a sneaky great match because it was all too easily – and unjustly – forgotten after it was over. They went all out to have a tremendous ladder match where they put their bodies on the line and that deserves acknowledgement.

                                                                                                   

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WWE: 10 Best Opening PPV Matches Ever

The best way to start off a Pay-Per-View is with a classic match. What's the best one ever?The opening match of a WWE PPV is crucial because if an event starts off on the right foot then it puts the crowd in a good mood for the rest of the three or four hour broadcast. When you have fans spending their hard-earned money watching a PPV you want them to be glad they did it. If the opener stinks that’s going to send the wrong message.
The history of WWE PPVs goes back 30 years to WrestleMania 1 in 1985. It took a while for WWE to start having great openers (the earliest one on this list is from 1991) and there were a lot of misses along the way, but they really figured it out in the last five years. If this was a top 20 list then half the matches would be from the last five years.
To qualify for this list, a match has to be the first one to take place on the PPV portion of the broadcast, and thus the pre-show, Free For All or Kickoff Show matches do not count: only the matches that led off a broadcast come into consideration. In some cases there might be an instance where there’s a promo before the match, but as long as it’s the first match that would qualify. Think of the WrestleMania 30 opener and that’s why it qualifies. Also note that it is WWE PPVs only. It’s in the title. No WCW or ECW here.
It’s interesting to note that three of the ten matches were from this year. That’s not because I have a short memory or anything like that. It’s simply due to the fact that in recent years WWE has done a much better job of putting a great match in the opening slot and setting the tone for the rest of the show.
Here’s a look at the ten best Pay-Per-View opening matches in WWE history.

                                                                                                                 

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