1. AJ Styles vs. John Cena (Royal Rumble, 2017)
Once again, AJ Styles and John Cena find themselves on this list. Heading into this contest, a victory for Cena would see him tie Ric Flair’s record as a 16-time world champion. This marked the third time the two icons shared the ring in a one-on-one match, with Styles having won their first two encounters, and “The Phenomenal One” entering this bout as the defending WWE Champion.
If fans thought their matches at Money in the Bank and SummerSlam 2016 were incredible, this encounter managed to surpass them. One of the remarkable aspects was that neither competitor ever left the ring, spending the entire contest inside the ropes. This is incredibly rare for a modern WWE main event, forcing the focus entirely onto their technical sequences and physical endurance.
The match was fast-paced, with both men seemingly kicking out of everything in each other’s arsenal. Most notably, Styles managed to kick out of Cena’s Super Attitude Adjustment from the second rope, a move that had finished many others before him.
The ending was spectacular: Cena caught Styles mid-air during a Phenomenal Forearm attempt and delivered two consecutive Attitude Adjustments, rolling through the first to immediately land the second. This secured the victory and officially tied Ric Flair’s record of 16 world titles. The match received a thunderous standing ovation and was widely named Match of the Year by numerous media outlets.
Ultimately, AJ Styles didn’t just meet the gold standard of professional wrestling; he set it. From his roots in TNA to his era-defining run as WWE’s “Face that Runs the Place,” his journey has been historic.
The five matches are more than simple highlights; they are a blueprint for future performers on what it takes to reach the top of the mountain. If Saturday is the final time the WWE Universe sees “The Phenomenal One” in action, he leaves behind a void that won’t soon be filled, but a legacy that will never be forgotten.
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