4. Roman Reigns vs. Braun Strowman (May 2017)
Just four days after their brutal encounter at Payback, Roman Reigns looked for redemption against Braun Strowman in a Street Fight. Reigns was at a severe disadvantage heading into the contest, entering the arena heavily bandaged and dealing with kayfabe injuries, including a separated shoulder and cracked ribs.
As expected, the Italian crowd was incredibly vocal, leaning into the fan sentiment of Reigns during that time by echoing the classic John Cena-style chant: “Let’s go Roman / Roman sucks.” Meanwhile, Strowman got huge pops from the crowd thanks to his pure monster heel aura, setting the stage for a physical brawl where most of the match took place outside the ring.
After using kendo sticks and steel steps to punish each other, the bout neared its end when Strowman set up a table in the corner of the ring. Reigns managed to counter a powerslam, dodge a clothesline, and nail Strowman with a massive spear through the table to secure the victory. Days later, Strowman would undergo elbow surgery that took him out of action before the duo’s feud resumed in an Ambulance Match at Great Balls of Fire in July of that year.
3. Cody Rhodes vs. Shinsuke Nakamura (May 2024)
WWE made its highly anticipated return to Italy for a sold-out house show at the Unipol Arena in Bologna on May 1, 2024. To send the fans home happy, Cody Rhodes and Shinsuke Nakamura went to war in a spectacular main event.
The matchup took place just a few days before WWE Backlash in France, meaning Rhodes was at the very beginning of his first title run as the newly crowned WWE Undisputed Champion. While he was scheduled to defend against AJ Styles at the PLE, he first had to handle business against Nakamura.
Rhodes came out to a massive ovation from the 9,000 fans in attendance, with the crowd loudly singing along to every word of his entrance theme. While Cody controlled the opening stretch of the contest, Nakamura took over the middle portion, methodically wearing down the champion with a precise series of kicks and a brutal running knee lift to Rhodes on the apron.
The match ended after Nakamura, who had hit a Kinshasa earlier, attempted another one, only for Rhodes to counter it perfectly. Cody hit his signature Cross Rhodes not just once, but three consecutive times. This sequence had become Rhodes’ signature way of finishing matches after he used the same tactic to defeat Roman Reigns for the title at WrestleMania 40.
