The year 2011 was a pivotal year for WWE. In the early months, we had John Cena and Randy Orton as the company’s World Champions, which after many years of both on top, felt like a nightmare.
Then, a certain Chicago Made Punk cut one of the most compelling promos in WWE history and the company changed. Not enough to keep him and many of their fans happy, but the change is still noticeable.
WWE pay-per-views during this time ranged from disastrous to all-time classics. Okay, well there was one all-time classic but it more than earned that distinction.
With those pay-per-views come pay-per-view matches and these are the 11 best WWE pay-per-view matches of 2011.
11. Alberto Del Rio vs. John Cena – Vengeance
This is one of the most unique matches in WWE history for precisely one reason. Look at that ring.
John Cena and Alberto Del Rio wrestled for the WWE Championship in a Last Man Standing match at Vengeance. Normally, this would probably be a pretty by-the-books entertaining main event. On this night, however, things were different.
Big Show and Mark Henry had just broken the ring with a monstrous superplex in the previous match. This led to a Last Man Standing match in a completely dilapidated ring.
Everything here felt different because everything WAS different. Most WWE matches follow some sort of formula but every once in a while there is a match where that formula must be changed and it is a welcome change.
10. John Cena vs. The Miz vs. John Morrison – Extreme Rules
The Miz’s WWE Championship reign in 2011 did not produce many great matches. In fact, this match is probably the only one and it is the match where he lost the title.
One month after the atrocious main event of WrestleMania XXVII, Cena once again challenged for the title at Extreme Rules. This time it was in a Steel Cage and he had John Morrison to contend with as well.
The match is very good even with a few scary moments. WWE Steel Cage matches have mostly run their course in the 21st century but every once in a while a good one sneaks through. This was one of those times.
9. John Cena vs. Randy Orton vs. CM Punk vs. Sheamus vs. R-Truth vs. John Morrison – Elimination Chamber
The Raw Elimination Chamber match fell victim to one of the problems with holding the stipulation so close to WrestleMania. You can usually predict the winner very easily.
With the winner of the match getting a title shot against The Miz at WrestleMania XXVII, the only logical winners here were John Cena and John Morrison who both had run-ins with The Miz earlier in 2011.
The work in the match was very good, as is to be expected with a lineup such as this. However, when Morrison was eliminated near the end of the match, the intrigue was eliminated as well.
Cena last eliminated CM Punk to win a good but slightly unmemorable match and the WrestleMania title match? Let’s just say it won’t be making an appearance on this list.
8. SmackDown Money in the Bank Ladder Match
There are few Money in the Bank ladder matches with more action and a well-balanced story like the SmackDown Money in the Bank match from 2011.
The lineup was fairly mixed with the likes of Sin Cara, Justin Gabriel and Heath Slater involved, but there were a number of potential winners in the mix. Cody Rhodes and Wade Barrett seemed like obvious candidates but it was oft-neglected indie darling Daniel Bryan who nabbed the briefcase.
Bryan had not been pushed much to this point in his WWE career and a win of this magnitude in Chicago was a classic moment.
Seriously though this match is fantastic if you can ignore Michael Cole on commentary. Go check it out if it’s been a while.
7. Christian vs. Alberto Del Rio – Extreme Rules
Christian is going to appear a few times on this list. 2011 was a year where Christian showed why he is one of the best wrestlers in the world and why he is deserving of a main event spot.
After Edge was forced into retirement after WrestleMania, the World Heavyweight Championship was vacated with this ladder match deciding the new champion.
Another example of a fantastically underrated ladder match, Christian got his big day in the sun, winning his first WWE World Heavyweight Championship. The match was built more around the story of Alberto Del Rio working over Christian’s arm than high spots and it still holds up today.
While Christian’s reign may not have gone the way anyone wanted, this night remains one of the best world title wins in recent memory.
6. Christian vs. Randy Orton – SummerSlam
Why was Christian’s World Championship reign so s**t? Let’s ask Randy Orton, shall we?
On the SmackDown after Christian won the title at Extreme Rules, Orton won an impromptu title match to take the title for himself. Not a good reign for Christian at all.
It did, however, lead to the best in-ring feud of 2011 as the two wrestled throughout the summer. Their final pay-per-view match of the year came at SummerSlam. Christian, who was now a heel, had regained the title through nefarious tactics and now faced Orton in a No Holds Barred match.
This match was so much fun. A perfect blend of sanitized WWE violence and exceptional in-ring work from two of the smoothest wrestlers in the business. Christian may have never gotten the big win he deserved in this feud but he more than made up it with his performances.
5. Edge vs. Rey Mysterio vs. Wade Barrett vs. Drew McIntyre vs. Kane vs. Big Show – Elimination Chamber
If Edge is associated with a stipulation match, in many people’s minds it would be the TLC match and rightfully so. However, the Elimination Chamber match deserves some love as well.
Edge had a legendary night at No Way Out 2009 in two chamber matches but this match in 2011 was perhaps his best single match performance.
Edge and Rey Mysterio were the two to start the match and they outlasted all four of their opponents. They continued to brawl until Edge finally caught Mysterio with a mid-air spear. This match is not talked about enough in the conversations of best Edge matches, best Elimination Chamber matches, or best 2011 matches.
I don’t know how often that last one is brought up in conversation but that’s what this list is for.
4. CM Punk vs. The Miz vs. Alberto Del Rio – TLC
CM Punk main eventing a pay-per-view as WWE Champion? Boy, is that ever a rare sight. Punk’s WWE Championship reign was rarely given the importance it deserved but at TLC 2011 he had one of his best title defenses.
Flanked by The Miz and Alberto Del Rio, Punk defended the title in a TLC match. While this match doesn’t get talked about much in the grand scheme of TLC matches, it should be. It is great.
There were fun moments of double-team offense from the heels and a very creative finish where Punk was handcuffed to a turnbuckle and was forced to unscrew the ropes to climb the ladder.
3. Randy Orton vs. Christian – Over The Limit
Oh hey Christian, been a while. Christian and Randy Orton were terrific opponents for each other but they never topped their first pay-per-view match at Over The Limit. This is probably the one and only time people can say they had one of their best matches at Over The Limit.
As far as a straight singles match, this might be the best match of Orton’s career. Everything was incredibly smooth and crisp with the fans split on who they wanted to see win.
Christian had yet to turn heel but seeds were being planted especially after Orton was able to get the win.
Christian had some choice words for Orton before a tense handshake but hopefully they exchanged more pleasant words when they got to the back because they unquestionably tore the house down.
2. The Undertaker vs. Triple H – WrestleMania XXVII
After Shawn Michaels had failed to break The Undertaker’s WrestleMania streak on two occasions, Triple H said “let me have a go”.
At WrestleMania XXVII, The Game and The Deadman had an excellent follow-up to Michaels’ two attempts at glory. The finesse of the Michaels matches was replaced by violence as Triple H tried to end The Undertaker.
The match includes a rare chairshot to the head and a severe beating at the hands of Triple H. Undertaker was able to escape with the win but escape is the key word. Only Triple H was able to leave under his own power and Undertaker wouldn’t be seen again for almost a year.
1. CM Punk vs. John Cena – Money in the Bank
Each year it seems like there is a slam dunk answer for the best match of the year for WWE. Well, to this point there has been because CM Punk and John Cena put on one of the best matches in WWE history that would top virtually any list.
The last WWE main roster match to receive a five star rating from Dave Meltzer, this match just feels epic. CM Punk had lit the wrestling business on fire with his Pipebomb promo and walked into this match as the hottest thing going.
Held in Punk’s hometown of Chicago, everything about this match is perfection. This is especially true with the finish as Punk defeated Cena to win his first WWE Championship to an all-time great reaction.
This is undoubtedly the best match of 2011 and one of the best matches of all time as well.
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