Remembering Thunderdome: 20 Best Matches at WWE Thunderdome

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the entire pro wrestling world. We witnessed a Wrestlemania behind closed doors with zero fans in attendance. Then, WWE decided to bring a unique experience for fans around the world and introduced us to WWE Thunderdome. This concept was based on fans having the virtual experience of being present at the live shows.

We have witnessed some of the best matches inside WWE Thunderdome in recent memories & now, the Thunderdome is set to close in a few weeks as the live crowd is coming back from July 16th, 2021. So, we have made a list of the top 20 matches which takes place at WWE Thunderdome. Here we go:

20. Bianca Belair (c) Vs. Bayley – Hell in a Cell Match for the Smackdown Women’s Championship (Hell in a Cell 2021)

One of the best PPV openers in recent memories. The back story of this match doesn’t suit the gimmick match which WWE chose to book out of nowhere just two days before the PPV. But, the amount of talent & chemistry between the two top-tier wrestlers in SD Women’s division was just pure gold. I think that this was the second-best match of the night at Hell in a Cell PPV just behind Lashley Vs. McIntyre’s main event.

Bayley & Belair just beat the hell out of each other and Bayley’s innovative offense inside the cell by using Belair’s braid was really a treat to watch. Both women gave their best shot to outperform each other and finally, Belair hits her finisher on Bayley onto the ladder to beat her clean and end this rivalry for good.

19. Drew McIntyre (c) Vs. AJ Styles Vs. Jeff Hardy Vs. Kofi Kingston Vs. Randy Orton Vs. Sheamus – Elimination Chamber Match for the WWE Championship (Elimination Chamber 2021)

One of the best Elimination Chamber matches in recent memories. This match includes all the former world champions and the sheer amount of talent makes this match top-notch. During this time, WWE Champion Drew McIntyre was feuding with his former best friend Sheamus and these two have tore the house down whenever they faced each other, with the insertion of top names in the RAW brand like AJ Styles and Randy Orton just made this match awesome.

The match itself was very brutal and we saw some of the very stiff moments in the recent memories. McIntyre just beheaded Jeff Hardy with Claymore to eliminate him and somehow he retains the title. What happened after the match makes this match one of the most shocking turns of events in WWE history. Lashley came down with MVP and attack the vulnerable champion and then Miz cashes in his MITB briefcase to become the champion and close the show in the most shocking way possible.

18. Bobby Lashley (c) Vs. Drew McIntyre – Hell in a Cell Match for the WWE Championship (Hell in a Cell 2021)

This was a battle of two behemoths inside this demonic structure. Lashley and McIntyre are feuding with each other for quite some time and honestly, Lashley steals all the spotlight from McIntyre since he won the WWE Championship. We witnessed a heartbreaking moment at Wrestlemania where McIntyre was unable to beat Lashley in front of the live crowd and missed the opportunity to have his Wrestlemania moment.

This was the final encounter between both of these men and it was violent and brutal. The match was fast-paced and the chemistry between these two is really unmatchable. McIntyre almost beat Lashley clean twice during the match but due to a lot of shenanigans, he just got screwed at the last moment by Lashley’s ally MVP.

17. Women’s Royal Rumble Match 2021

Women’s Royal Rumble is just stealing the show every year since its inception. This year we saw another entertaining bout of Women’s Royal Rumble. Bianca Belair won the rumble and headlines Wrestlemania 37 with an astounding performance of being in the ring for about 57 minutes. The second-best performer was Naomi who was in the ring for around 47 minutes.

The concept of the Rumble match is just so interesting that even a nonwrestling fan will get hooked up for this match and this match was really one of the best in recent memories. We saw several NXT talents debut at this year’s Rumble like Toni Storm and Dakota Kai. However, they didn’t get enough time to shine and got eliminated very quickly. Then we saw some legends make their surprise return like Victoria and Alicia Fox (IDK.. when WWE start treating her as a legend :)). Overall, the match was pretty well executed.

16. Men’s Royal Rumble Match 2021

Another rumble match of the same night with a lot of surprises. Royal Rumble 2020 was one of the best Rumble matches of all time and Lesnar just steals the show single-handedly. This year it was not as as great last year but it was pretty good and fast-paced. WWE really pulled off something big with this year’s men’s Rumble match.

Just before a few weeks Edge declared his entry to Royal Rumble and nobody thought that he was going to outperform everyone. He is the second entry in the rumble match and he lasted for an hour to literally win the match. We saw many surprise returns during the match, but the talk of the town was the much-awaited in-ring return of Captain Charisma ‘Christian’. he entered at #26 and lasted for almost 20 minutes and got eliminated in the final moments of the match. Another surprise return was Carlito but he got eliminated quickly by Elias. Edge took his revenge on Orton by eliminating him to win the rumble.

15. Drew McIntyre Vs. Sheamus – No DQ Match (RAW 08/03/2021)

The first non-PPV match on the list. Sheamus and McIntyre were best friends turned bitter enemies and they just literally want to kill each other. Both men faced each other in an episode of RAW where McIntyre came out victorious but the rivalry was far from over so they face each other one more time in a NO DQ match and MAN… What a brutal match this was!!!

Both men use every way possible to hurt each other and used Kendo sticks, chairs, tables, and steel steps. The only minus point of this match was the ending of this match when both men tried to hit each other with steel steps and they hit it at the very same time to end the match in a no contest. The match itself was so brutal that you can see the aftermath of this match on social media where both of these men showed their scars caused by the hard-hitting offense.

14. Drew McIntyre (c) Vs. AJ Styles Vs. The Miz – TLC Match for the WWE Championship (TLC 2020)

This was a dream match for fans as they were getting to see McIntyre vs Styles for the first time ever and the stipulation just makes this match once in a lifetime. McIntyre already expressed his desire to face Styles on several occasions and WWE brought this dream come true to the WWE Universe.

The match was so underrated and didn’t get enough praise as it deserved. This match got overshadowed by the Reigns Vs Owens TLC match and the shocking ending of the show where Orton burnt The Fiend alive on live television. The match was pure top-notch, fast-paced, brutal, and had several high spots. The most shocking part was The Miz cashing in his MITB briefcase between the match and making the match Triple Threat TLC match. Overall, this match was a banger on the TLC PPV card and for me, it is one of the most underrated TLC matches in recent memories.

13. Shinsuke Nakamura Vs. Daniel Bryan Vs. King Corbin Vs. Rey Mysterio Vs. Adam Pearce – Gauntlet Match (Smackdown 08/01/2021)

Another non-PPV match in the list. This came out as one of the biggest surprises from WWE’s side. Rumors were speculating that Daniel Bryan will face Roman Reigns for the title and then WWE turned the events upside down and then we saw The King of Strong Style steals the show and then #Nakamania was trending all over social media.

Nakamura was on fire during the match, he just beat everyone clean in the gauntlet starting with Rey Mysterio, King Corbin, and Daniel Bryan. He was the first competitor of the gauntlet match and he outperformed everyone and steals the show and gave us one of the best performances in his WWE career. But, the ending of the match was not as we thought so, Reigns brought Adam Pearce to face Nakamura, and before the ring bells Reigns and Jey Uso attack Nakamura and Pearce pins him for the victory. Overall, the star of the night was Shinsuke Nakamura and the match was just pure gold.

12. Roman Reigns (c) Vs. Kevin Owens – Last Man Standing Match for the Universal Championship (Royal Rumble 2021)

Roman Reigns and Kevin Owens ended 2020 with a BANG when they faced each other in a TLC match and that match was the match of the night of TLC 2020 PPV. They start the year with another instant classic with a Steel Cage match in an episode of Friday Night Smackdown and then culminated their long-running feud at Royal Rumble 2021 in a Last Man Standing Match.

Both men have great chemistry together and Reigns is just killing it with his heel persona and Owens is just awesome like always being an anti-hero. Reigns and Owens tore the house down and they fight each other all over the Thunderdome. The only negative point of this match was the botched referee counting when Reigns was handcuffed and Owens almost beats him clean if the ref doesn’t stop counting suddenly. Overall, the match was pretty violent and brutal and we saw some high spots as well when Owens hits the frog splash on Reigns off the top of the forklift.

11. Drew McIntyre (c) Vs. Randy Orton – Hell in a Cell Match for the WWE Championship (Hell in a Cell 2020)

Maybe many people will not agree with me on the position of this match in the list. But for me, this was a pretty decent HIAC match, not the best of the night as we witnessed two of the best HIAC matches of the PG Era at this event. Seeing Randy Orton finally dethroning McIntyre clean in this brutal affair was a treat to watch.

Both men have great chemistry together and they had a pretty great feud during last year’s summer. McIntyre already defeated Orton twice at SummerSlam and Clash of Champions and this was the final chance for The Viper to strike and become the 14-time world champion. The match itself was brutal and we saw McIntyre taking a huge bump when he fall off the cell onto the announcer’s table. Orton hits the RKO to pin McIntyre for the first time in a year and become the champion.

10. Bayley (c) Vs. Sasha Banks – Hell in a Cell Match for the Smackdown Women’s Championship (Hell in a Cell 2020)

Sasha Banks and Bayley have quite a history together. We already witnessed one of the all-time great women’s Ironman match between both of them at NXT Takeover: Respect back in 2015. They carry the entire women’s division on their backs during the pandemic and finally, we saw the much-awaited one on one rivalry between both of them in the main roster.

They faced each other inside HIAC and the match was pretty damn good or we can say the second-best HIAC match of that night. Bayley and Sasha Banks just beat the hell out of each other and during the last moments of the match Banks finally be able to make her former best friend tap out and dethrone her as the Smackdown Women’s Champion after the historic run 380 days reign.

09. Roman Reigns (c) Vs. Jey Uso – WWE Championship (Clash of Champions 2020)

Roman Reigns was back as a heel at SummerSlam 2020 and shock the world by aligning himself with Paul Heyman. He became the Universal Champion and then we saw the genesis of The Tribal Chief. WWE pull this match off out of nowhere. This was Reigns’ first title defense after winning the championship and Jey Uso became the #1 contender for the title.

The backstory of this match was pretty personal and emotional and the storytelling of the match itself was so damn good that it pushes Jey Uso to the main event picture. The match was hard-hitting and Reigns just nailed it with his heel persona and being the merciless chief. He just plummeted Jey and Jey was just refusing to back down. The match had a dramatic ending as Jimmy Uso, Jey’s twin brother, walked out to stop Reigns. He threw in the towel for his brother, which marked an end to the title match. Great storytelling with an awesome match.

08. Drew McIntyre (c) Vs. Randy Orton – WWE Championship (SummerSlam 2020)

This was the first encounter between McIntyre and Orton and they stole the show with a stellar match that lasted around half an hour. This was purely the match of the night and most of the fans thought that Orton will dethrone McIntyre at SummerSlam but somehow McIntyre was able to beat Orton clean and then we saw one of the best rivalries of the summer inside the Thunderdome.

The match itself was awesome, both men have great chemistry together and the entire match was like an edge-of-the-seat movie. Nobody was ready to back down and Orton was just trying his best to strike McIntyre with an RKO. McIntyre rolls up Orton and beat him clean in the middle of the ring to retain the title. Overall, the match was fantastic.

07. Roman Reigns (c) Vs. Daniel Bryan – Career Vs. Title Match (Smackdown 30/04/2021)

This is the third non-PPV match on the list and this one is the best of all of them. Roman Reigns is just giving back-to-back great matches since his return last year. The aura of Tribal Chief is just so damn intense and scary that it feels that if someone will pass by Reigns will murder them. Reigns and Bryan also have a history together but this time it was really something else. After failed attempts to recapture the Universal title off Reigns, Bryan puts his career on the line.

Unfortunately, Bryan was not able to beat Reigns and he got banned from Smackdown. Reigns beat Bryan clean in the middle of the ring and the quality of this match was pure gold. Bryan is one of the best technical wrestlers around the world and Reigns is just awesome since his return. Both men just steal the show and gave us an instant classic in an episode of Smackdown.

06. Roman Reigns (c) Vs. Cesaro – WWE Championship (Wrestlemania Backlash 2021)

This match takes place in the aftermath of the Bryan getting banned at Smackdown and finally, we saw Cesaro in the main event scene for the first time ever in his lackluster WWE career. Cesaro is a great athlete and one of the most powerful wrestlers in the WWE. Seeing him challenging for the world title is just a treat for our eyes.

Reigns and Cesaro had an awesome match and both men try their best to outperform each other. Cesaro got injured during the match and he sells his injury so well that fans were wondering if he legitimately got his shoulder injured during the match. Unfortunately, Reigns choke him out in the end but Cesaro got ample amount of time to shine during the match. Overall, the match was based on pure strength and technicalities in the ring.

05. Roman Reigns (c) Vs. Kevin Owens – TLC Match for the WWE Championship (TLC 2020)

Roman Reigns and Kevin Owens’s rivalry was one of the best things about Smackdown. Both these men gave their best to make this rivalry memorable. Owens just nailed it being an anti-hero and he really became the first legit threat to Reigns’ title reign.

Both men faced each other three times and every match was just pure gold. But their first encounter at TLC PPV was the best of all. The amount of talent between these two is unmatchable and they steal the show with this match. This was the match of the night and one of the best TLC matches of all time. It was perfect storytelling with the mixture of emotions and physicality involved in this dangerous match. I’ll say the match instant classic and it’ll be remembered as of the best TLC matches of all time.

04. Roman Reigns (c) Vs. Daniel Bryan – Edge as a ‘Special Guest Enforcer’ WWE Championship (Fastlane 2021)

When we put Roman Reigns and Daniel Bryan in the main event for any event, there’s no doubt that the match will not deliver what it promised to. Both these men are top in their own game and the addition of Edge as a Special Guest Enforcer was just a cherry on top for this match. This is the best encounter between Roman Reigns and Daniel Bryan so far.

The storytelling of the match was really good. The match was really fast-paced and it was an edge-of-the-seat affair. The last moments of the match were just pure chaos with Edge interfering in the match, and Reigns tapping out on YES Lock but the referee was nowhere to be seen. Jey Uso interfere in the match just like always and Edge attacked both Bryan and Reigns and walked out. It was just pure chaos. Unfortunately, Bryan was screwed and lost the match but this match was far better than their last encounter at Fastlane 2015 and after this, they gave two more stellar matches together.

03. Roman Reigns Vs. Drew McIntyre – Champion Vs. Champion Match (Survivor Series 2020)

This was a Wrestlemania-caliber main event. Two top champions of RAW & Smackdown faced each other to decide who is more dominant. Survivor Series never fails to deliver whenever they book a champion vs champion match for the event. We have seen two instant classics like Lesnar Vs Styles & Lesnar Vs. Bryan. This time it was different, it was McIntyre vs Reigns.

Both men have the same physique and the same amount of brute strength. Reports were speculating that we will see this match at Wrestlemania in the near future but WWE pulls it off quite earlier. The original match which was set to take place was Randy Orton Vs Roman Reigns but McIntyre dethroned the Viper in an episode of RAW and we saw a stellar bout between these two. Triple H called these men The Rock and Stone Cold of the modern era and there’s no doubt why he compared them with two G.O.A.Ts.

The match was awesome and fast-paced which lasted around half an hour. Reigns was not able to beat McIntyre clean and once again he needs some sort of help from his right-hand man Jey Uso. After interference by Jey Uso, Reigns choke McIntyre out to declare himself the only true champion of WWE.

02. Roman Reigns (c) Vs. Jey Uso – Hell in a Cell ‘I Quit’ Match for the WWE Championship (Hell in a Cell 2020)

Roman Reigns is ruling this list because he is just pure gold since his return and giving us several classic encounters with his fellow wrestlers. The HIAC match between him and Jey Uso was an emotional roller coaster ride. Reigns defeated Jey at Clash of Champions and then Jey challenges him again. Reigns accepted the challenge by adding a unique stipulation for this match. It was a first-time ever HIAC ‘I Quit’ match.

Jey tries his level best to keep Reigns under control but Reigns just mercilessly beat Jey and just ground and pound him in the middle of the ring. In the final moments of the match. Jey was not ready to quit and an injured Jimmy Uso came down to the ring and try to tell Reigns that he is doing wrong. Reigns first hugged Jimmy and then put him on Guillotine Choke and forced Jey Uso to quit. This was one of the best matches of 2020 and the dawn of the head of the table.

01. AJ Styles Vs. Jeff Hardy Vs. Sami Zayn – Triple Threat Ladder Match for the Undisputed Intercontinental Championship (Clash of Champions 2020)

The Number 01 spot belongs to the best match of 2020. This match was really underrated and didn’t get enough amount of praise. It was a 5-star match. The amount of talent involved in this match is just unmatchable. Hardy, Styles, and Zayn are the three underdogs of all time who always steals the show with their performance but always came up short when it comes to appreciation from critics and fans and most importantly ‘WWE’.

This was a Triple threat Ladder match to decide the undisputed Intercontinental Champion as Hardy was the IC champion who won the title over AJ Styles. Zayn made his long-awaited return with his IC title and called himself the true IC champion and ignite this awesome feud between the three.

The match was a treat to watch, it was fast-paced, and brutal and it involved lots of physicality from all three men. We saw some high spots as well like Hardy performing a Swanton Bomb off the ladder onto Zayn and many others. The most memorable part of the match was when Zayn brought out the handcuffs and he literally puts the handcuff on Hardy’s earlobe and attached it to a ladder. Zayn won this awesome match and became the Undisputed Intercontinental Champion.

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