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WWE: Ranking the 10 very best feuds of the 2010’s

By Joe Anthony Myrick

DUESSELDORF, GERMANY - FEBRUARY 22: Chris Jericho (R) is attacked by Kevin Owens (L) during to the WWE Live Duesseldorf event at ISS Dome on February 22, 2017 in Duesseldorf, Germany. (Photo by Lukas Schulze/Bongarts/Getty Images)
DUESSELDORF, GERMANY - FEBRUARY 22: Chris Jericho (R) is attacked by Kevin Owens (L) during to the WWE Live Duesseldorf event at ISS Dome on February 22, 2017 in Duesseldorf, Germany. (Photo by Lukas Schulze/Bongarts/Getty Images) /
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4. Tommaso Ciampa vs. Johnny Gargano

For all things considered, this feud had no right being as good as it was. From the very start, this post-DIY storyline had enough monkey wrenches thrown at it (namely injuries, as Tommaso Ciampa was injured the very night he turned on Johnny Gargano) that we should be looking back at this as either a disaster or one big “what if?” scenario with missed opportunities.

But because the writing staff down at NXT are incredibly smart and because both competitors are incredibly talented, everyone involved made due with what they could and it still managed to be a captivating thrill ride.

What helped is that the feud was less about Ciampa turning his back on his tag team partner or the babyface wanting revenge (like most breakup angles) and more about Gargano being shrouded in darkness the more he tangled with Ciampa and how it even inspired him to turn heel for a brief alliance. It made for some fascinating twists and turns.

Honestly, had Ciampa not gotten injured and this feud reached a more satisfying conclusion at TakeOver: New York where it was supposed to, but I like the kayfabe reasons for their ultimate reunion where a neck braced Ciampa embraced Gargano after he reached the promise land. It read kind of like when Ciampa was injured again (potentially never to wrestle again), their beef suddenly didn’t matter when bigger health concerns were at stake. Which, hey, another surprisingly mature way to end a storyline from WWE. Kudos.

3. Kevin Owens vs. Sami Zayn

Remember when I said The Miz vs. Daniel Bryan was the only feud to last the entire decade? Well, that’s more so under the WWE. Kevin Owens vs. Sami Zayn lasted in and out of WWE for the entire decade.

Back when both men worked for a promotion called Ring of Honor, Owens was Steen, and Sami Zayn was a masked Spanish luchador named El Generico (which may be problematic, but the wrestling community just let it slide), walked into the new decade having broken up as a tag team and from then on, they were destined to fight forever.

Throughout 2010, the two had several violent encounters (including a tag team Double Chain match where Owens unmasked Generico) culminating in a Career vs. Mask match that Generico won, but that didn’t stop Owens from coming back to win the World Championship.

More violent encounters surfaced, including a “Ladder War” that sent Generico packing to WWE, but as we know, Owens followed the rechristened Sami Zayn and they picked up right where they left off.

More classic matches came to pass until, ultimately, their friendship became too great to ignore and as of Hell in a Cell 2017, they reunited as a unit. They have yet to tangle again in a one-on-one rivalry, but boy, between their matches, promos and angles in both WWE and ROH, they had some classics in both promotions.

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