We have put together a list of the best WWE matches of 2021 according to Dave Meltzer’s star ratings. For those who don’t know, Meltzer rates matches on a 5-star scale in his Wrestling Observer Newsletter (subscribe here). These matches have received a 4-star or above rating in 2021. This only includes matches from the WWE main roster and not NXT.
List Of The Best WWE Matches Of 2021
Unlike previous years, we have NOT written in the winner of these matches. This will allow you to go back and watch these matches without any spoilers:
Kevin Owens vs Roman Reigns
Event: WWE Royal Rumble
Kevin Owens and Roman Reigns faced off at the Royal Rumble PPV. This was a Last Man Standing match for the WWE Universal Championship.
- Rating: 4.00 stars
Big E vs Apollo Crews vs Sami Zayn
Event: WWE Smackdown (February 5th)
The February 5th episode of Smackdown featured a triple threat match for the Intercontinental Championship. It was Big E vs Apollo Crews vs Sami Zayn.
- Rating: 4.00 stars
Drew McIntyre vs AJ Styles vs Jeff Hardy vs Randy Orton vs Sheamus vs Kofi Kingston
Event: WWE Elimination Chamber
The Elimination Chamber PPV featured an Elimination Chamber match for the WWE Championship. This was Drew McIntyre vs AJ Styles vs Jeff Hardy vs Randy Orton vs Sheamus vs Kofi Kingston.
- Rating: 4.00 stars
Cesaro vs Seth Rollins
Event: Wrestlemania 37 (Night 1)
Night 1 of Wrestlemania 37 featured a match between Seth Rollins and Cesaro.
- Rating: 4.00 stars
Sasha Banks vs Bianca Belair
Event: Wrestlemania 37 (Night 1)
The main event of Night 1 of Wrestlemania 37 featured a match between Sasha Banks and Bianca Belair. This was for the Smackdown Women’s Championship.
- Rating: 4.00 stars
Matt Riddle vs Sheamus
Event: Wrestlemania 37 (Night 2)
Night 2 of Wrestlemania 37 featured a match for the United States Championship. It was Sheamus vs Matt Riddle.
- Rating: 4.00 stars
Chad Gable, Otis, Apollo Crews, King Corbin & Sami Zayn vs Big E, The Street Profits, Kevin Owens & Shinsuke Nakamura
Event: WWE Smackdown (May 7th)
The May 7th episode of Smackdown featured a 10-man tag team match. It was Chad Gable, Otis, Apollo Crews, King Corbin, and Sami Zayn vs Big E, The Street Profits, Kevin Owens, and Shinsuke Nakamura.
- Rating: 4.00 stars
Matt Riddle vs Xavier Woods
Event: WWE RAW (May 24th)
Matt Riddle and Xavier Woods faced off on the May 24th episode of RAW in a singles match.
- Rating: 4.00 stars
Kofi Kingston vs Drew McIntyre
Event: WWE RAW (May 31st)
The May 31st episode of RAW featured a match between Kofi Kingston and Drew McIntyre. The winner earned a match against Bobby Lashley for the WWE Title at Hell in a Cell.
- Rating: 4.00 stars
Drew McIntyre vs Bobby Lashley
Event: WWE Hell In The Cell (June 20th)
The Hell in a Cell PPV featured a match between Bobby Lashley and Drew McIntyre. This was a Hell in a Cell match for the WWE Championship.
- Rating: 4.00 stars
Damien Priest vs Sheamus vs Drew McIntyre
Event: WWE RAW (August 30th)
The August 30th episode featured a triple threat match for the U.S Title. It was Damien Priest vs Sheamus vs Drew McIntyre.
- Rating: 4.00 stars
Roman Reigns vs The Demon
Event: WWE Extreme Rules
The Extreme Rules PPV featured a match between Roman Reigns and The Demon. This was for the WWE Universal Championship.
- Rating: 4.00 stars
Becky Lynch vs Sasha Banks
Event: WWE Smackdown (October 15th)
Becky Lynch and Sasha Banks faced off on the October 15th episode of Smackdown. This was a non-title match.
- Rating: 4.00 stars
Becky Lynch vs Sasha Banks vs Bianca Belair
Event: WWE Crown Jewel
Becky Lynch, Sasha Banks and Bianca Belair faced off in a triple threat match at Crown Jewel. This was for the Smackdown Women’s Championship.
- Rating: 4.00 stars
Team RAW vs Team Smackdown (Men’s Elimination Match)
Event: WWE Survivor Series
Survivor Series featured a men’s Elimination match. It was between Team Raw (Seth Rollins, Finn Bálor, Kevin Owens, Austin Theory, and Bobby Lashley) vs Team SmackDown (Drew McIntyre, Jeff Hardy, King Woods, Happy Corbin, and Sheamus).
Rating: 4.00 stars
The Men’s Royal Rumble Match
Event: WWE Royal Rumble
The main event of the Royal Rumble PPV was the men’s Royal Rumble match. This featured 30 Superstars, with the winner earning a World Title opportunity at Wrestlemania 37.
- Rating: 4.25 stars
For those asking, the Women’s Royal Rumble match received 3.75 stars, which means it just misses this list.
Kevin Owens vs Jey Uso vs Cesaro vs Daniel Bryan vs King Corbin vs Sami Zayn
Event: WWE Elimination Chamber
The Elimination Chamber PPV featured an Elimination Chamber match, with the winner earning a Universal Title opportunity against Roman Reigns (later on in the show). It was Kevin Owens vs Jey Uso vs Cesaro vs Daniel Bryan vs King Corbin vs Sami Zayn.
- Rating: 4.25 stars
Drew McIntyre vs Sheamus
Event: WWE RAW (March 1st)
Drew McIntyre and Sheamus faced off on the March 1st edition of Monday Night RAW.
- Rating: 4.25 stars
Drew McIntyre vs Sheamus
Event: WWE Fastlane (March 21st)
Fastlane featured a No Holds Barred match between Drew McIntyre and Sheamus.
- Rating: 4.25 stars
Rhea Ripley vs Charlotte Flair vs Asuka
Event: WWE Wrestlemania Backlash (May 16th)
Wrestlemania Backlash featured a match between Rhea Ripley, Charlotte Flair, and Asuka. This was for the RAW Women’s Championship.
- Rating: 4.25 stars
Roman Reigns vs Cesaro
Event: WWE Wrestlemania Backlash (May 16th)
Wrestlemania Backlash featured a match between Roman Reigns and Cesaro. This was for the Universal Championship.
- Rating: 4.25 stars
Apollo Crews vs Big E vs Kevin Owens vs Sami Zayn
Event: WWE Smackdown (May 21st)
The May 21st edition of Smackdown featured a fatal 4-way match for the Intercontinental Championship. It was Apollo Crews vs Big E vs Kevin Owens vs Sami Zayn.
- Rating: 4.25 stars
Drew McIntyre vs Matt Riddle
Event: WWE RAW (June 21st)
The June 21st episode of RAW featured a match between Matt Riddle and Drew McIntyre. This was for a spot in the men’s Money in the Bank ladder match.
- Rating: 4.25 stars
Drew McIntyre vs Matt Riddle vs AJ Styles
Event: WWE RAW (June 28th)
The June 28th episode of RAW featured a ‘last chance’ qualifying match for the Money in the Bank ladder match. It was Drew McIntyre vs Matt Riddle vs AJ Styles.
- Rating: 4.25 stars
Sami Zayn vs Kevin Owens
Event: WWE Smackdown (July 2nd)
The July 2nd episode of Smackdown featured a match between Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn. This was for a spot in the men’s Money in the Bank ladder match.
- Rating: 4.25 stars
Ricochet vs John Morrison
Event: WWE RAW (July 12th)
Ricochet and John Morrison faced off on the July 12th episode of Monday Night RAW. This was a falls count anywhere match.
- Rating: 4.25 stars
Charlotte Flair vs Rhea Ripley
Event: WWE Money In The Bank (July 18th)
The Money in the Bank PPV featured a match between Charlotte Flair and Rhea Ripley. This was for the RAW Women’s Championship.
- Rating: 4.25 stars
Roman Reigns vs Edge
Event: WWE Money In The Bank (July 18th)
The Money in the Bank PPV featured a match between Roman Reigns and Edge. This was for the Universal Championship.
- Rating: 4.25 stars
Seth Rollins vs Edge
Event: WWE Summerslam (August 21st)
Seth Rollins and Edge faced off at Summerslam.
- Rating: 4.25 stars
Roman Reigns vs John Cena
Event: WWE Summerslam (August 21st)
Roman Reigns and John Cena faced off at Summerslam. This was for the Universal Championship.
- Rating: 4.25 stars
Edge vs Seth Rollins
Event: WWE Smackdown (September 10th)
Seth Rollins and Edge faced off on the September 10th episode of Smackdown. This was a rematch from Summerslam.
- Rating: 4.25 stars
Big E vs Bobby Lashley vs Roman Reigns
Event: WWE RAW (September 20th)
The September 20th episode of RAW featured a match between Roman Reigns, Bobby Lashley and Big E.
- Rating: 4.25 stars
Big E vs Drew McIntyre
Event: WWE Crown Jewel
Big E and Drew McIntyre faced off at Crown Jewel. This was for the WWE Championship.
- Rating: 4.25 stars
Becky Lynch vs Charlotte Flair
Event: WWE Survivor Series
Becky Lynch and Charlotte Flair faced off at Survivor Series. This was a match between the Women’s Champions from both RAW and Smackdown.
- Rating: 4.25 stars
Roman Reigns vs Daniel Bryan
Event: WWE Fastlane (March 21st)
Fastlane featured a Universal Championship match between Roman Reigns and Daniel Bryan. Edge was the special guest enforcer for the match.
- Rating: 4.5 stars
Roman Reigns vs Daniel Bryan vs Edge
Event: Wrestlemania 37 (Night 2)
The main event of Wrestlemania 37 night 2 featured a triple threat match for the Universal Championship. It was Roman Reigns vs Edge vs Daniel Bryan.
- Rating: 4.5 stars
Roman Reigns vs Daniel Bryan
Event: WWE Smackdown (April 30th)
The April 30th edition of Smackdown featured a Universal Title match between Roman Reigns and Daniel Bryan. If Bryan lost the match, he was banished from Smackdown.
- Rating: 4.5 stars
Finn Balor vs Kevin Owens vs Rey Mysterio vs Seth Rollins
Event: WWE RAW (October 25th)
The October 25th episode of RAW featured a fatal 4-way, ladder match. It was Finn Balor vs Kevin Owens vs Rey Mysterio vs Seth Rollins.
- Rating: 4.5 stars
Ricochet vs John Morrison vs Matt Riddle vs Drew McIntyre vs Big E vs Kevin Owens vs Shinsuke Nakamura vs Seth Rollins
Event: WWE Money In The Bank (July 18th)
The Money in the Bank PPV featured a men’s ladder match. It was Ricochet vs John Morrison vs Matt Riddle vs Drew McIntyre vs Big E vs Kevin Owens vs Shinsuke Nakamura vs Seth Rollins.
- Rating: 4.75 stars
Edge vs Seth Rollins
Event: WWE Crown Jewel
Edge and Seth Rollins faced off at Crown Jewel. This was a Hell in a Cell match.
- Rating: 4.75 stars
Is there a match that you think belongs on this list? Let me know in the comment section or on Twitter. On a related note, here is a list of all the matches that have ever received 5 stars from Dave Meltzer.
