Monday Night Raw has been the cornerstone of sports entertainment for over three decades. The red brand has hosted everything from technical masterpieces to hardcore battles that pushed the boundaries of what television could showcase. These matches have launched careers, ended feuds, and created moments that wrestling fans still discuss today.
Some featured established legends proving their greatness, while others saw rising stars announcing their arrival on the biggest stage. The atmosphere of live television adds an electric energy that makes Raw matches feel uniquely special. Here’s our countdown of the 10 greatest Raw matches that have defined Monday nights and left fans wanting more.
10. TLC 4 – Tables, Ladders & Chairs Match for the Tag Team Championship (October 7, 2002)
Kane, left to defend the titles alone, fought against The Dudleys, Rob Van Dam, Jeff Hardy, and Christian. The match saw multiple table crashes, including Jeff Hardy diving off a ladder. Christian was powerbombed through a table, and Jericho was chokeslammed off the ladder. Kane, bloodied and exhausted, climbed up and unhooked the belts, winning the match without a partner.
9. Mankind vs. The Rock – WWE Championship Match (January 4, 1999)
D-Generation X and The Corporation’s interference turned this match into chaos. The Rock battered Mankind with a steel chair, but as he went for a final shot, Stone Cold Steve Austin stormed in, cracking The Rock with a chair. Mankind fell onto The Rock and covered him for the three-count, winning his first WWE Championship as the crowd exploded.
8. Ric Flair vs. Mr. Perfect – Loser Leaves WWE Match (January 25, 1993)
Flair’s usual dirty tricks, like eye pokes, rope-assisted pins, and a hidden foreign object, weren’t enough to keep Perfect down in this Monday Night Raw encounter. After multiple failed Figure-Four attempts, Flair went for a suplex, but Perfect countered mid-air, rolling into the Perfect Plex for the three-count. With that, Flair was forced to leave WWE.
7. Trish Stratus vs. Lita – Women’s Championship Match (December 6, 2004)
Lita took an early risk with a suicide dive to the outside, but landed badly, twisting her knee. Trish exploited the injury, but Lita fought through the pain. After countering a Stratusfaction bulldog into a powerbomb, Lita hit a Twist of Fate, followed by a Moonsault, pinning Trish to win the Women’s Championship in Raw’s first-ever women’s main event.
Also Read: Ranking the Top 10 SmackDown Matches of All Time
6. Chris Jericho & Chris Benoit vs. Triple H & Steve Austin – Tag Team Championship Match (May 21, 2001)
Triple H and Austin dominated early in the Raw matchup, isolating Benoit. Jericho rallied, locking Austin in the Walls of Jericho, but Triple H interrupted with a sledgehammer shot, tearing his quadriceps in the process. He still managed to break up another pin attempt, but Benoit countered Austin’s Stunner into the Crippler Crossface, while Jericho trapped Austin in the Walls of Jericho, forcing him to tap as the crowd erupted.
Stone Cold Steve Austin and Triple H (c) vs Chris Jericho and Chris Benoit
RAW 05 21 2001
Tag Team Championship pic.twitter.com/vIlJQwAKq0
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5. Triple H vs. Shawn Michaels – Street Fight (December 29, 2003)
This street fight on Raw was filled with weapons, blood, and near falls. Michaels hit an elbow drop off the top rope through a table, but Triple H smashed him with a steel chair to the head. Michaels attempted Sweet Chin Music, but Triple H ducked and hit a Pedigree on the floor. Both men collapsed from exhaustion, leading to a double knockout ruling, leaving the feud unsettled.
4. Bret Hart vs. 1-2-3 Kid – WWE Championship Match (July 11, 1994)
The Kid stunned Hart early with a moonsault and a series of roll-ups, nearly securing the upset. Hart regained control and softened him up for the Sharpshooter, but he hesitated when the referee seemed to stop the match prematurely. Hart insisted the match continue, and as the Kid went for a crossbody, Hart countered mid-air, locked in the Sharpshooter, and forced the Kid to tap.
3. John Cena vs. Shawn Michaels (April 23, 2007)
Cena and Michaels went nearly an hour in a non-title rematch of their WrestleMania 23 showdown. Cena escaped a Crippler Crossface and dodged a Sweet Chin Music, but Michaels reversed an Attitude Adjustment into a DDT. Cena locked in the STF, but Michaels reached the ropes. After a long, back-and-forth sequence of reversals, Michaels caught Cena with a Sweet Chin Music out of nowhere, knocking him out cold for the pinfall.
Also Read: Ranking the Top 10 WWE NXT Matches of All Time
2. The Undertaker vs. Jeff Hardy – Undisputed Championship Ladder Match (July 1, 2002)
Jeff Hardy threw everything at Undertaker, using chairs and ladders to gain an advantage. He hit a Swanton Bomb from the top of a ladder, but Undertaker still managed to fight back. As Hardy climbed for the title, Undertaker grabbed him and chokeslammed him off the ladder, securing the win. After the match, Hardy, barely standing, called out Taker. Instead of another attack, Taker nodded in respect before leaving.
Which is the greatest Raw match of all time?
CM Punk vs. John Cena – No. 1 Contender’s Match (February 25, 2013)
Cena and Punk fought for a WrestleMania title shot in one of Raw’s best matches. Punk countered an Attitude Adjustment into the Anaconda Vice, nearly forcing Cena to tap. Punk later hit a rare piledriver, shocking the crowd. Cena barely kicked out and pulled off a hurricanrana, countering Punk’s offense. In the final moments, Punk lifted Cena for a Go to Sleep, but Cena countered mid-air into an Attitude Adjustment for the win.
