Ranking Brock Lesnar’s 10 Greatest WWE Matches

Michael Whitlow

Brock Lesnar is arguably the most dominant star in WWE history. His rivalry with The Undertaker has been one of the best in recent memory. Let’s take a look at the 10 best matches of Lesnar’s WWE career, including a couple with The Phenom before their next encounter at Hell in a Cell.

10. Brock Lesnar vs. Triple H, 2012

After returning to WWE for the first time since WrestleMania XX in 2004, Brock Lesnar set the wrestling world on fire by hitting the F-5 on John Cena a night after WrestleMania XXVIII. Cena was set on getting his rematch with The Rock, who defeated Cena in the main event of WrestleMania the night prior, and “The Beast Incarnate” was the one who showed up.

Lesnar and Cena engaged in an intense program for Lesnar’s return to action, and then The Beast set his eyes on WWE COO Triple H. The Game refused to give into Lesnar’s contract demands since his return to the company with Paul Heyman. So, what did Lesnar do? He locked The Game’s arm in a Kimura lock and snapped it. Oh, and “quit” the company.

Obviously, that didn’t sit well with The Game. At SummerSlam, Triple H would get his shot at revenge in a No Disqualification match against Lesnar. As you could guess, it was quite a physical encounter.

But, The Game was no match for The Beast, and Lesnar not only left SummerSlam’s main event with his first win in over eight years in WWE, he snapped Triple H’s arm again before the night was over.

The rivalry between the two stars took to a new level of physicality and intensity. You could say that about just about all of Lesnar’s work, but this match was a war.

Next: 9. Brock Lesnar and a forklift, Judgment Day 2003

9. Brock Lesnar vs. The Big Show for the WWE Championship, 2003

In WWE’s history, there have only been nine Stretcher matches. There’s a reason why there’s only been nine Stretcher matches in WWE history: It’s because you literally have to be your opponent senseless and wheel him out on a stretcher.

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Well, for Brock Lesnar, he wasn’t going to be able to put The Big Show on just any normal stretcher at the 2003 installment of the Judgment Day pay-per-view. The Big Show was looking as dominant as ever entering the main event of Judgment Day, and Lesnar’s run as champion appeared to be coming to a close.

But, as dominant as The Big Show was, Brock Lesnar was smarter.

We’ve tuned into plenty of installments of Lesnar-Big Show over the years, but this one was as fun as they come. Thanks to a Rey Mysterio cameo to provide a distraction for Lesnar after Big Show put him on the shelf in the weeks prior to Judgment Day, Lesnar found his answer to winning the match: A forklift.

Lesnar would drive the 500-pound Big Show out of the arena to retain the gold in one of the many “Holy sh*t!” moments in Lesnar’s career.

Next: 8. Brock Lesnar vs. The Big Show, SmackDown!, June 12, 2003

8. Brock Lesnar vs. The Big Show for the WWE Championship, 2003

Speaking of “Holy sh*t!” moments between Brock Lesnar and The Big Show, who could forget almost 800 pounds crashing down to the ring during their rematch for the gold on a June edition of SmackDown?

More from Brock Lesnar

Sure, the match wasn’t exactly a five-star match, but every wrestling fan has seen this moment once or twice during their fandom days. It’s like the famous Undertaker-Mankind Hell in a Cell match; do you really remember much from that match other than Foley being thrown off the top of the cell twice?

When Lesnar and Big Show came crashing down, leading to the ring’s implosion, the arena itself erupted in jubilation. Even Michael Cole and Tazz (especially Tazz) were in shock over what just took place.

The match would be ruled a no-contest for obvious reasons, but the “Superduperplex” on The Big Show still remains one of the defining moments of Brock Lesnar’s career in WWE.

Next: 7. Brock Lesnar vs. Kurt Angle for the WWE Championship, SmackDown!, September 18, 2003

Photo Credit: WWE.com

7. Brock Lesnar vs. Kurt Angle in a 60-Minute Iron Man match for the WWE Championship, 2003

The feud between Brock Lesnar and Kurt Angle throughout 2003 was clearly the best of the entire year in WWE. Lesnar and Angle were both on top of their game during their program together, and their Iron Man match in September for the WWE Championship rivaled their encounter at WrestleMania XIX for the gold earlier in the year.

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There have only been five 60-Minute Iron Man matches in WWE history, and this one was just the like the other four: A classic for the ages.

Lesnar was able to regain the WWE title with a 5-4 victory over Angle. It didn’t take an Iron Man match to see how good Lesnar and Angle were at the time, but the fact that we saw the two best that SmackDown! had to offer for 60 straight minutes was fantastic.

The match was unique because not only was it just the third 60-Minute Iron Man match in history, it was the first match that didn’t take place on pay-per-view.

Next: 6. Brock Lesnar vs. Kurt Angle for the WWE Championship, WrestleMania XIX

6. Brock Lesnar vs. Kurt Angle for the WWE Championship, 2003

I just referenced it, and here it is: Brock Lesnar against Kurt Angle in the main event of WrestleMania XIX for the WWE title. WrestleMania XIX will arguably go down as the greatest in the event’s ongoing 31-year history and this match is one reason it could take the top spot.

This card had everything: The Cruiserweight title, The Undertaker going 11-0 at WrestleMania, a Triple Threat match for the Women’s title, Triple H vs. Booker T in Raw’s co-main event, Mr. McMahon vs. [insert some former popular guy’s name here], The Rock-Stone Cold III, and Brock Lesnar vs. Kurt Angle.

Lesnar was the No. 1 contender thanks to his win in the 2003 Royal Rumble match and Angle had been the champion (thanks to Brock Lesnar) since the Armageddon pay-per-view in December 2002. These two had never gone one-on-one before this match on television, and the match between the two best athletes in the business at the time, lived up to the hype.

The match is mostly remembered for Lesnar’s botched Shooting Star Press that led to him getting a concussion, but for over 20 minutes, the two best wrestlers in the world went toe-to-toe to close out one of the best WrestleManias ever.

Lesnar would drill three F-5s in the match to win his second WWE title in his WrestleMania debut. That’s a pretty good resume when you can say you beat Kurt Angle to win the WWE title in your ‘Mania debut and you broke The Undertaker’s unbeaten streak.

Next: 5. Brock Lesnar wins the 2003 Royal Rumble

5. Brock Lesnar last eliminates The Undertaker to win the 2003 Royal Rumble

The rivalry between Brock Lesnar and The Undertaker goes back a long time, folks. From their no-contest debut against each other at the 2002 Unforgiven pay-per-view, to their most recent encounter at SummerSlam this past August, Brock Lesnar and The Undertaker have brought us some of the best moments in both of their careers.

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The 2003 Royal Rumble was no different. Lesnar’s night at the Rumble was the busiest of anyone on the card. Not only did Lesnar have to beat The Big Show (accompanied by Paul Heyman) in the opening match of the night, he had to beat Big Show just to gain entry into the Royal Rumble match.

Lesnar worked his way through the Big Show blockade and was the No. 29 entrant into the Royal Rumble match. After nine minutes of battling the young upstart Batista, The Undertaker’s brother Kane and The Undertaker himself, Lesnar found himself as the last man standing and the winner of his first Royal Rumble match.

Until Edge’s shocking victory at the 2010 Royal Rumble from the No. 29 spot, Brock Lesnar was the only person to win the Rumble from that same number.

Next: 4. Brock Lesnar vs. The Rock for WWE Undisputed Championship, SummerSlam 2002

4. Brock Lesnar vs. The Rock for the WWE Undisputed Championship, 2002

126 days.

All it took Brock Lesnar to ascend to the mountaintop of WWE was just 126 days. In that span, Lesnar defeated the likes of The Hardy Boyz, Rob Van Dam, Bubba Ray Dudley, Test, Booker T, and some guy that used to wear red and yellow a bunch.

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Lesnar’s biggest challenge to date came in just his third pay-per-view match, two of which came at the King of the Ring pay-per-view during the KOTR tournament (won by Lesnar). “The Next Big Thing” became “The Big Thing” when he would go on to defeat The Rock to win the WWE Undisputed Championship for the first time at SummerSlam.

Not only did Lesnar defeat The Rock, he also eclipsed The Great One as the youngest WWE Champion in history at age 25. Many knew that the day was coming for Lesnar, but for him to ascend that quickly to the top was mind-boggling. Lesnar was as gifted as they come, and on that night, he proved it to a seven-time WWE champ and to the world.

Next: 3. Brock Lesnar vs. John Cena for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship, SummerSlam 2014

Photo Credit: WWE.com

3. Brock Lesnar vs. John Cena for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship, 2014

If it wasn’t for breaking The Undertaker’s 21-0 unbeaten streak at WrestleMania XXX, this match could have well been No. 1 on this list. This was the night that Brock Lesnar convinced the world he was the baddest human being (if you can call him that) on the face of Planet Earth.

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For over 16 minutes, Brock Lesnar threw John Cena around the ring like a ragdoll. I’ve personally watched the match dozens of times, and I still can’t believe the outcome every time. Between the F-5 from Lesnar 30 seconds into the match and 16(!) German suplexes, fans were left in awe of what they just witnessed.

This match was booked to absolute perfection: John Cena mustered hardly any kind of offense, Brock Lesnar mocked The Undertaker at one point late in the match, and Lesnar not only won the gold, he looked like a complete cyborg doing it. Lesnar needed to look inhuman off his shocking victory over The Undertaker a few months prior, and that’s exactly what happened.

If you’re a fan of Brock Lesnar or one of the many John Cena critics, you’ve probably seen this encounter on more than one occasion. There’s dominance, then there’s what Brock Lesnar did to John Cena last summer.

Next: 2. Brock Lesnar vs. The Undertaker for the WWE Undisputed Championship, No Mercy 2002

Photo Credit: WWE.com

2. Brock Lesnar vs. The Undertaker for the WWE Undisputed Championship, 2002

In terms of the best Hell in a Cell matches in WWE history, this match ranks pretty high up on that list. WWE Undisputed Champion Brock Lesnar and The Undertaker met in a bloody battle over the gold during their feud throughout late 2002 and it was their best match together. Hell, even Paul Heyman was bloodied up by The Undertaker.

You could make the argument that this was the most important match in Brock Lesnar’s career. Sure, he had beaten The Rock, RVD, and some guy named Hogan, but this was The Undertaker. The hype train for Lesnar was driving 200 MPH and Lesnar needed a stellar showing to prove that he was the top dog in the industry today.

He did just that … and then some.

The match was just brutal. Lesnar and The Underaker went blow-for-blow for 27 minutes, and a touch that made the match that much better was Lesnar breaking the hand of The Deadman a few weeks prior to this match. Lesnar targeted the heavy cast on The Undertaker’s hand in the match and actually ripped it off at one point.

For his first meeting with Hell in a Cell, Lesnar didn’t do too bad for himself. The finish of the match was easily the best part of the night. Lesnar countered a potential WWE title-winning Tombstone Piledriver from The Undertaker and turned it into a viscious F-5 to retain the gold.

Next: 1. Brock Lesnar vs. The Undertaker, WrestleMania XXX

1. Brock Lesnar vs. The Undertaker, 2014

What other choice was there to put at the top spot?

It’s still odd to this very day to say that Brock Lesnar ended The Undertaker’s WrestleMania win streak last year. It’s a victory that absolutely no one saw coming. There are moments in time that leave lasting images forever. Paul Heyman’s reaction to Brock Lesnar’s pinfall to end “The Streak” is one of those images. Heyman’s face was symbolic of how so many around the world watched as the match concluded.

“The One in (now) 22-1” is Brock Lesnar, and looking back on Lesnar’s win, it pole-vaulted him into a new atmosphere of stardom. Since that match, he’s entered a new realm of superstardom, even bigger before his UFC title victory and his first run with WWE. Lesnar even announced that he was re-signing with WWE this past spring on ESPN’s SportsCenter. That was a big announcement because 1) There were rumors that he was considering a return back to UFC since he was healthy and 2) It was right before WrestleMania 31.

All of Lesnar’s triumphs and his path of destruction began by doing something that no other man could do at last year’s WrestleMania. It’s a famous, yet infamous match for a number of reasons:

“The Streak” had finally ended
The Undertaker suffered a severe concussion in the match and was taken in an ambulance to a nearby hospital with Vince McMahon riding along
It was an awful match (mostly due to The Undertaker’s condition)

Overall, the match may have been one to forget, but no one will forget the match’s conclusion. It’s a result that will help define Brock Lesnar’s and WWE’s legacy.

Next: Brock Lesnar's Hectic October Could Be Huge For WWE

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Michael Whitlow

Michael is a Contributor at FanSided's Netflix Life. When he's not binge-watching the Arrowverse or watching one of the John Mulaney stand-up specials, he works full-time as a sports writer for a small-town newspaper and consumes only the most authentic of Chicago-style hot dogs. You can follow Michael on Twitter (@couldbelikemike).