2. John Cena vs. Edge & Randy Orton (April 2007)
On the road to Backlash, WWE Champion John Cena became embroiled in a 2-on-1 handicap match with two iconic rivals he would face throughout his career: Edge and Randy Orton, who had formed the tag team Rated-RKO. The match took place on April 16, 2007, in Milan, Italy, with both partners firmly fixated on Cena’s championship.
Cena spent the majority of the match fending off the duo, who wrestled under standard handicap tag rules. This meant Rated-RKO had to tag in and out, a strategy they used to their full advantage to wear the champion down systematically. However, the tension between the tag partners finally boiled over when Shawn Michaels got involved, attempting to level Cena but accidentally hitting Edge instead.
In the chaos that ensued, Cena managed to pin Edge for the win. The Italian crowd was absolutely on fire, having just witnessed a massive escalation in a rivalry that would eventually spill over into the legendary Backlash Fatal 4-Way between Cena, Edge, Orton, and Shawn Michaels.
1. Umaga vs. Santino Marella (2007)
The number one match on our list should come as no surprise to any wrestling fan who has been following the product for years. Known forever as the “Milan Miracle,” this moment remains one of the most famous segments in the history of Monday Night Raw.
In Milan, Italy, Vince McMahon shook up the show by pulling a planted “fan” out of the rowdy Italian crowd to challenge the Intercontinental Champion, Umaga. McMahon selected a man who introduced himself as none other than Santino Marella.
Thanks to a timely interference from Bobby Lashley, Marella did the unthinkable by defeating Umaga to become the new Intercontinental Champion in his very first match. The reaction from the Milan crowd was deafening, and this iconic moment helped launch a WWE career for Marella that would last eleven years.
This ranking proves that WWE’s true magic isn’t confined to the United States; it can ignite anywhere in the world, and Italy is the perfect example. For decades, Italian crowds have transformed routine house shows and televised events into unforgettable spectacles, giving us legendary moments like Santino Marella’s debut.
With events like Clash in Italy continuing this proud tradition of high-stakes, exciting matchups, it’s clear that Italian fans aren’t just there to watch the action – they help elevate it.
