The period of 2001 to 2005 will undoubtedly go down as one of the most tumultuous times in the history of WWE. The buy-out of WCW & subsequent purchase of ECW, the failed Invasion/Alliance angle, the brand expansion, the declining public interest in pro wrestling, the growing number of PPVs in a year; all of this and more happened in just a short five year period in the WWE. Despite it all though, WWE still managed to put on an incredible number of breath-taking, incredible matches that kept us on the edge of our seats begging for more.
Keeping this in mind, Jeremy Haldeman devised a way to give recognition to all the great matches WWE has put on in the past five years. Starting with a list of two hundred & seventy-five matches, members of The Wrestling Asylum rated each match on the classic star rating system created by Jim Cornette & Norm Dooley. After five weeks of rating matches, the top hundred matches were decided and then for the next four weeks, put in groups of ten (from a one to ten point scale) and voted upon to accurately rank each match. Finally after almost ten weeks of voting, rating, & ranking, another feature ended as we were left with the:
TWV Best WWE Matches 01-05
1. Kurt Angle Vs. Shawn Michaels (April 3, 2005 - WrestleMania 21)
2. Shawn Michaels Vs. Chris Jericho (March 30, 2003 - WrestleMania XIX)
3. Shawn Michaels Vs. Triple H Vs. Chris Jericho Vs. Kane Vs. Booker T Vs. Rob Van Dam (November 17, 2002 - Survivor Series)
4. Kurt Angle Vs. Chris Benoit (January 19, 2003 - Royal Rumble)
5. Chris Benoit Vs. Triple H Vs. Shawn Michaels (March 14, 2004 - WrestleMania XX)
6. Eddie Guerrero Vs. Kurt Angle (March 14, 2004 - WrestleMania XX)
7. Randy Orton Vs. Mick Foley (April 18, 2004 - Backlash)
8. Steve Austin Vs. The Rock (April 1, 2001 - WrestleMania X-Seven)
9. Brock Lesnar Vs. The Undertaker (October 20, 2002 - No Mercy)
10. Eddie Guerrero Vs. Brock Lesnar (February 15, 2004 - No Way Out)
11. Shawn Michaels Vs. Triple H (August 25, 2002 - SummerSlam)
12. Rey Mysterio Vs. Eddie Guerrero (June 23, 2005 - SmackDown!)
13. Edge & Rey Mysterio Vs. Kurt Angle & Chris Benoit (November 7, 2002 - SmackDown!)
14. Edge Vs. Eddie Guerrero (September 26, 2002 - SmackDown!)
15. Chris Benoit Vs. Kurt Angle (September 22, 2002 - Unforgiven)
16. Kurt Angle Vs. Chris Benoit (April 1, 2001 - WrestleMania X-Seven)
17. Shawn Michaels Vs. Shelton Benjamin (May 2, 2005 - RAW)
18. Chris Jericho Vs. Chris Benoit (January 21, 2001 - Royal Rumble)
19. The Rock Vs. Kurt Angle Vs. The Undertaker (July 21, 2002 - Vengeance)
20. Kurt Angle & Chris Benoit Vs. Edge & Rey Mysterio (October 20, 2002 - No Mercy)
21. Triple H Vs. Steve Austin (February 25, 2001 - No Way Out)
22. Triple H Vs. Shawn Michaels (June 13, 2004 - Bad Blood)
23. Kurt Angle Vs. Steve Austin (August 19, 2001 - SummerSlam)
24. Kurt Angle Vs. Edge Vs. Chris Benoit Vs. Eddie Guerrero (December 5, 2002 - SmackDown!)
25. Ric Flair Vs. Triple H (November 1, 2005 - Taboo Tuesday)
26. Kurt Angle Vs. Steve Austin (September 23, 2001 - Unforgiven)
27. Kurt Angle Vs. Shane McMahon (June 24, 2001 - King Of The Ring)
28. Randy Orton Vs. Chris Benoit (August 15, 2004 - SummerSlam)
29. Batista Vs. Triple H (June 26, 2005 - Vengeance)
30. Shawn Michaels Vs. Kurt Angle (June 26, 2005 - Vengeance)
31. Kurt Angle Vs. Eddie Guerrero (August 15, 2004 - SummerSlam)
32. Matt Hardy Vs. Edge (September 18, 2005 - Unforgiven)
33. Steve Austin Vs. Chris Benoit Vs. Chris Jericho (June 24, 2001 - King Of The Ring)
34. Rob Van Dam Vs. Eddie Guerrero (May 27, 2002 - RAW)
35. Kurt Angle Vs. The Undertaker (September 4, 2003 - SmackDown!)
36. Steve Austin Vs. Chris Benoit (May 31, 2001 - SmackDown!)
37. Chris Benoit Vs. Triple H (July 26, 2004 - RAW)
38. Royal Rumble Match (January 15, 2004 - Royal Rumble)
39. The Rock Vs. Kurt Angle (February 25, 2001 - No Way Out)
40. Los Guerreros Vs. Edge & Rey Mysterio Vs. Kurt Angle & Chris Benoit (November 17, 2002 - Survivor Series)
41. Kurt Angle Vs. Chris Benoit (May 20, 2001 - Judgment Day)
42. Brock Lesnar Vs. Kurt Angle (March 30, 2003 - WrestleMania XIX)
43. Chris Jericho Vs. The Rock (October 21, 2001 - No Mercy)
44. Chris Benoit Vs. Eddie Guerrero (December 15, 2002 - Armageddon)
45. Chris Benoit & Chris Jericho Vs. Edge & Christian Vs. The Dudley Boyz Vs. The Hardy Boyz (May 24, 2001 - SmackDown!)
46. Triple H Vs. Randy Orton Vs. Batista Vs. Chris Jericho Vs. Chris Benoit Vs. Edge (January 9, 2005 - New Year's Revolution)
47. The Undertaker Vs. Ric Flair (March 17, 2002 - WrestleMania X8)
48. Edge Vs. Chris Benoit Vs. Chris Jericho Vs. Shelton Benjamin Vs. Kane Vs. Christian (April 3, 2005 - WrestleMania 21)
49. Chavo Guerrero Vs. Rey Mysterio (February 15, 2004 - No Way Out)
50. Rey Mysterio Vs. Eddie Guerrero (May 22, 2005 - Judgment Day)
51. Chris Benoit & Chris Jericho Vs. Steve Austin & Triple H (May 21, 2001 - RAW)
52. The Undertaker Vs. Randy Orton (April 3, 2005 - WrestleMania 21)
53. The Rock Vs. Steve Austin (March 30, 2003 - WrestleMania XIX)
54. Rey Mysterio Vs. Eddie Guerrero (August 21, 2005 - SummerSlam)
55. Chris Benoit Vs. Shawn Michaels (May 23, 2004 - RAW)
56. The Rock Vs. Hulk Hogan (March 17, 2002 - WrestleMania X8)
57. Team Bischoff Vs. Team Austin (November 16, 2003 - Survivor Series)
58. Kurt Angle Vs. Chris Benoit (February 6, 2003 - SmackDown!)
59. Kurt Angle Vs. Brock Lesnar (August 24, 2003 - SummerSlam)
60. Brock Lesnar Vs. Kurt Angle (September 18, 2003 - SmackDown!)
61. Chris Benoit Vs. William Regal (July 16, 2005 - Velocity)
62. Eddie Guerrero Vs. Chris Benoit (July 27, 2003 - Vengeance)
63. Chris Benoit Vs. Chris Jericho (February 7, 2005 - RAW)
64. Randy Orton Vs. The Undertaker (August 21, 2005 - SummerSlam)
65. Triple H Vs. Shawn Michaels (December 29, 2003 - RAW)
66. Edge Vs. Kurt Angle (May 30, 2002 - SmackDown!)
67. The Undertaker Vs. Randy Orton (December 18, 2005 - Armageddon)
68. Chris Benoit Vs. Kurt Angle (June 11, 2001 - RAW)
69. Rob Van Dam Vs. Christian (September 29, 2003 - RAW)
70. Hulk Hogan Vs. Shawn Michaels (August 21, 2005 - SummerSlam)
71. Rey Mysterio Vs. Chris Benoit Vs. Kurt Angle (September 26, 2002 - SmackDown!)
72. Edge Vs. Kurt Angle (May 19, 2002 - Judgment Day)
73. Brock Lesnar & Chris Benoit Vs. Team Angle (February 23, 2003 - No Way Out)
74. Kurt Angle Vs. Rey Mysterio (January 23, 2003 - SmackDown!)
75. Chris Jericho Vs. The Rock (January 20, 2002 - Royal Rumble)
76. Edge Vs. Chris Benoit Vs. Triple H (November 29, 2004 - RAW)
77. Chris Jericho Vs. Christian (September 12, 2004 - Unforgiven)
78. Edge Vs. Chris Benoit (May 1, 2005 - Backlash)
79. Chris Jericho Vs. Steve Austin (December 9, 2001 - Vengeance)
80. Eddie Guerrero Vs. Kurt Angle (September 2, 2004 - SmackDown!)
81. John Cena Vs. Kurt Angle (February 20, 2005 - No Way Out)
82. Kurt Angle Vs. Rey Mysterio (February 10, 2005 - SmackDown!)
83. Kurt Angle Vs. Eddie Guerrero (April 14, 2005 - SmackDown!)
84. John Bradshaw Layfield Vs. Booker T Vs. The Undertaker Vs. Eddie Guerrero (December 12, 2004 - Armageddon)
85. Steve Austin & Kurt Angle Vs. The Rock & Chris Jericho (November 15, 2001 - SmackDown!)
86. Chris Jericho Vs. Shawn Michaels (July 21, 2003 - RAW)
87. Randy Orton Vs. Chris Benoit (August 16, 2004 - RAW)
88. John Bradshaw Layfield Vs. Eddie Guerrero (July 15, 2004 - SmackDown!)
89. Shelton Benjamin Vs. Chris Jericho (May 1, 2005 - Backlash)
90. Team SmackDown! Vs. Team RAW (November 27, 2005 - Survivor Series)
91. Eddie Guerrero Vs. Rey Mysterio (November 14, 2002 - SmackDown!)
92. Randy Orton Vs. Ric Flair (October 19, 2004 - Taboo Tuesday)
93. Ric Flair Vs. Shawn Michaels (June 15, 2003 - Bad Blood)
94. John Bradshaw Layfield Vs. Eddie Guerrero (May 16, 2004 - Judgment Day)
95. Triple H Vs. Booker T (March 30, 2003 - WrestleMania XIX)
96. Randy Orton Vs. Edge (November 13, 2004 - RAW)
97. John Cena Vs. Shawn Michaels Vs. Kurt Angle (November 1, 2005 - Taboo Tuesday)
98. World's Greatest Tag Team Vs. Billy Kidman & Rey Mysterio (July 27, 2003 - Vengeance)
99. Shelton Benjamin Vs. Chris Jericho (October 19, 2004 - Taboo Tuesday)
100. Chris Jericho Vs. Christian (May 10, 2004 - RAW)
Wrestler Kurt Angle - 34
Chris Benoit - 31
Chris Jericho - 18
Eddie Guerrero - 17
Shawn Michaels - 16
Edge - 14
Rey Mysterio - 13
Triple H - 13
Randy Orton - 11
Steve Austin - 10
The Rock - 8
The Undertaker - 8
Brock Lesnar - 6
Christian 6
Shelton Benjamin - 6
Booker T - 4
Ric Flair - 4
Batista - 3
John Bradshaw Layfield - 3
Kane - 3
Rob Van Dam - 3
Bubba Ray Dudley - 2
Charlie Haas - 2
Chavo Guerrero - 2
D-Von Dudley - 2
Hulk Hogan - 2
John Cena - 2
Matt Hardy - 2
Big Show - 1
Billy Kidman - 1
Bobby Lashley - 1
Carlito - 1
Chris Masters - 1
Jeff Hardy - 1
Mark Henry - 1
Mick Foley - 1
Scott Steiner - 1
Shane McMahon - 1
William Regal - 1
Event SmackDown! - 18
RAW - 14
WrestleMania - 13
SummerSlam - 8
No Way Out - 6
Vengeance - 6
Royal Rumble - 4
Judgment Day - 4
Unforgiven - 4
Taboo Tuesday - 4
Survivor Series - 4
Backlash - 3
No Mercy - 3
Armageddon - 3
King Of The Ring - 2
Bad Blood - 2
New Year's Revolution - 1
Velocity - 1
