{"id":161719,"date":"2026-05-20T07:00:37","date_gmt":"2026-05-20T11:00:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/?p=161719"},"modified":"2026-05-20T02:17:23","modified_gmt":"2026-05-20T06:17:23","slug":"ranking-the-top-five-best-wwe-matches-to-take-place-in-italy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/2026\/05\/20\/ranking-the-top-five-best-wwe-matches-to-take-place-in-italy\/","title":{"rendered":"Top 5 Best WWE Matches to Take Place in Italy, Ranked"},"content":{"rendered":"

In just 11 days, WWE heads overseas once again for its fourth international Clash PLE: Clash in Italy. Following massive events in Wales, Scotland, and Paris, the tradition continues at the Inalpi Arena<\/a> in Turin, Italy. Best of all, fans in Turin get a double dose of action with Monday Night Raw taking place in the same venue the following night.<\/span><\/p>\n

This marks WWE’s first appearance in Italy since the live episode of <\/span>Friday Night SmackDown on March 21, 2025<\/span><\/a>. More importantly, Clash in Italy will make history as the first-ever Premium Live Event to take place in the country.<\/span><\/p>\n

The card is shaping up to potentially be one of the company\u2019s best of the entire year. <\/span>Cody Rhodes will defend his WWE Undisputed Championship<\/span><\/a> against Gunther, who secured his title shot by defeating <\/span>Royce Keys<\/span><\/a> in a number-one contender’s match last week on SmackDown.<\/span><\/p>\n

There are two more explosive matches on the horizon, with one officially confirmed this past Monday and the other likely to be finalized next week. The newly locked-in bout is a massive rematch, featuring World Heavyweight Champion Roman Reigns taking on his cousin, Jacob Fatu, only this time, it will be contested under Tribal Combat rules.<\/span><\/p>\n

The match, which hasn\u2019t been officially confirmed yet but is highly likely, involves Oba Femi taking on Brock Lesnar. This comes on the heels of Lesnar’s shocking return this past Monday, where he laid out Femi with four devastating F-5s. It was a massive surprise to fans, as most believed Lesnar had officially retired after <\/span>leaving his gloves and boots in the ring following his WrestleMania defeat<\/span><\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

While we have been focusing on the matches either already set or soon to take place in Italy, it is now time to take a trip down memory lane as the country’s first-ever Premium Live Event, Clash in Italy, is sure to be an explosive and memorable night. But before that happens, let’s look back as we rank the top five best WWE matches ever to take place in Lo Stivale<\/span>.<\/span><\/p>\n

5. The<\/b> Undertaker & Batista vs. Finlay & Mr. Kennedy (November 2007)<\/b><\/h2>\n

Kicking off the list is a hidden gem tag match from a 2007 untelevised live event in Rome. Despite being locked in a bitter, high-profile feud over the World Heavyweight Championship at the time, The Undertaker and Batista were given a daunting task when WWE forced them to team up against the hard-hitting duo of Finlay and Mr. Kennedy. <\/span><\/p>\n

The passionate Italian crowd was treated to a highly tense encounter, sitting on the edge of their seats to see if the two rivals could actually co-exist or if they would inevitably turn on each other mid-match. <\/span>Reports from fans in attendance note that the match featured incredible pacing, explosive energy, and exceptional crowd work. Despite Finlay and Mr. Kennedy giving it their all, it wasn\u2019t enough to overcome the powerhouse duo.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/smartframe-embed><\/p>\n

The match ultimately concluded with The Undertaker delivering his iconic Tombstone Piledriver to secure the victory for himself and his rival partner, Batista. It was a thrilling preview that perfectly set the stage for their crazy and iconic match at Survivor Series a few days later.<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

4. Roman Reigns vs. Braun Strowman (May 2017)<\/b><\/h2>\n

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.<\/span><\/p>\n

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: \u201cLet\u2019s go Roman \/ Roman sucks.\u201d\u00a0 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.<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u2019s feud resumed in an Ambulance Match at Great Balls of Fire in July of that year.<\/span><\/p>\n

3. Cody Rhodes vs. Shinsuke Nakamura (May 2024)\u00a0<\/b><\/h2>\n

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.<\/span><\/p>\n

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 <\/span>newly crowned WWE Undisputed Champion<\/span><\/a>. While he was scheduled to defend against AJ Styles at the PLE, he first had to handle business against Nakamura.<\/span><\/p>\n

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.<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u2019 signature way of finishing matches after he used the same tactic to defeat Roman Reigns for the title at WrestleMania 40.<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

2. John Cena vs. Edge & Randy Orton (April 2007)\u00a0<\/b><\/h2>\n

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\u2019s championship.<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/smartframe-embed><\/p>\n

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.<\/span><\/p>\n

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.<\/span><\/p>\n

1. Umaga vs. Santino Marella (2007)\u00a0<\/b><\/h2>\n

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 \u201cMilan Miracle,\u201d this moment remains one of the most famous segments in the history of Monday Night Raw.<\/span><\/p>\n

In Milan, Italy, Vince McMahon shook up the show by pulling a planted \u201cfan” 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.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"A
A photo of GlaMarella during the WWE Italy Tour. (Photo Credit: By Andrea90 – Own work, Public Domain, https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/w\/index.php?curid=5914259)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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.<\/span><\/p>\n

This ranking proves that WWE\u2019s 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. <\/span><\/p>\n

With events like Clash in Italy continuing this proud tradition of high-stakes, exciting matchups, it’s clear that Italian fans aren\u2019t just there to watch the action – they help elevate it.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

In just 11 days, WWE heads overseas once again for its fourth international Clash PLE: Clash in Italy. Following massive events in Wales, Scotland, and Paris, the tradition continues at the Inalpi Arena in Turin, Italy. Best of all, fans in Turin get a double dose of action with Monday Night Raw taking place in […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5699,"featured_media":161729,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"","sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[328,165,58,9656],"class_list":["post-161719","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-edge","tag-john-cena","tag-randy-orton","tag-wwe-clash-in-italy"],"modified_by":"Michael Joseph Sugue, Manager","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/161719","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5699"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=161719"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/161719\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":161730,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/161719\/revisions\/161730"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/161729"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=161719"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=161719"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=161719"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}