Honestly, no one is really to blame for it except WWE creative, but even then, it’s really hard to write a show that happens week in and week out, 52 weeks a year with no offseason. If you think about it, it’s actually quite crazy, given that regular TV shows have only a handful of episodes a year, primarily to maintain quality.

However, as we’ve learned over the years, WWE is a different animal of its own and a wheel that’s going to keep spinning no matter how much we criticise it. Either way, one thing is for sure - in the last few years, with the transition of the new generation of superstars, match quality has significantly gone up.

We may not have the same larger than life characters as before, but the overall in-ring product is likely the best that it has ever been. This year was no different, as the superstars, both men and women continued to elevate the quality of matches. With that said, here are the biggest fan favourite matches on the main roster in 2018.

This list is in no particular order

#6 Dolph Ziggler & Drew McIntyre vs Seth Rollins & Dean Ambrose

Talk about an explosive tag team match-up. Ziggler & McIntyre had just won the RAW Tag Team titles and looked to be absolutely dominant. They had a great, fast-paced match with Rollins and Ambrose.

While the former Shield members came extremely close, McIntyre’s beautifully timed Claymore kick prevented them from regaining the titles on the night. It stole the show.

#5 Mustafa Ali vs Buddy Murphy - 205 Live

What many WWE fans don’t realize is that 205 Live has low-key become one of the best things on WWE television. It’s true that they suffer from a relative lack of crowd reactions, but if you really look into it - the storytelling, the characters and everything else is all so simple. It’s basically like NXT in terms of ease to follow.

One of the aspects that the purple brand competitors have stepped up in is their in-ring performances. Buddy Murphy added a new life to the division and has found success. One of the matches that got the crowd on their feet was the No DQ match between Murphy and Ali. Action packed from start to finish, they didn’t even give fans a moment to breathe. They absolutely stole the show and put on an instant classic, with Ali picking up the victory.

They would meet in another classic at Survivor Series, this time for the Cruiserweight Championship. Murphy would get his win back then.

#4 Asuka vs Charlotte Flair - WrestleMania 34

Asuka herself stated that Charlotte Flair was her dream match on the main roster. This was while she was in NXT. She continued her undefeated streak on the main roster and ended up winning the first-ever Women’s Royal Rumble match.

The champion of her choosing was none other than The Queen Charlotte Flair, who stood tall as the SmackDown Women’s Champion. It was a dream match and although it didn’t have much of a build, it really didn’t need to, because fans knew that the match would deliver.

And deliver it did. Charlotte Flair and Asuka went second at WrestleMania 34 and put on arguably the best match of the night. Fans were left in absolute shock as Charlotte Flair made Asuka tap out, effectively ending her record-breaking undefeated streak.

Asuka then embraced Charlotte and didn’t seem to upset about losing. She got her dream match at the grandest stage of them all. Perhaps she viewed that as a win in itself.

#3 7-Man Gauntlet match - RAW February 2018

This match turned out to be a year-defining performance for Seth Rollins, and it was just two months into 2018! The Architect was a part of the Elimination Chamber match, also featuring John Cena, Roman Reigns, Braun Strowman, Elias, The Miz and Finn Balor.

Before the Chamber, however, there was a 7-man gauntlet match featuring all the competitors. Rollins was the first entrant and John Cena followed up. He would have an extensive battle with Cena before putting him away. He then had to go through Roman Reigns, of all people.

Rollins, being more motivated than ever managed to put away Reigns as well. He stayed in the match for over an hour, setting a record for the longest individual time spent during a RAW match. He was soon eliminated by Elias. Braun Strowman went on to win the match, but it was notable for Rollins’ performance, and this was the exact moment where he found his stride as a babyface.

#2 Daniel Bryan vs Brock Lesnar - Survivor Series

This was probably the most unexpected match of 2018. Fans were ready to see AJ Styles vs Brock Lesnar II in a champion vs champion rematch from the previous year. No one was complaining either, because Styles and Lesnar put on an instant classic, in what also proved to be one of Lesnar’s best matches in ages.

It proved to be a case where Lesnar can have a great match if he wants to. This was exactly what happened with Daniel Bryan. While the match started off slow and one-sided Bryan soon turned things around and there were moments where fans genuinely believed that Bryan was going to pick up the win.

Unfortunately, it wasn’t to be as Lesnar still ended up beating Bryan and picking up the win for RAW. Either way, it was an instant classic that had fans on the edge of their seats throughout the match.

#1 Becky Lynch vs Charlotte Flair - WWE Evolution

There’s no superstar in all of WWE who stepped up their game in 2018 the way Becky Lynch did. After picking up a win streak, losing her title match thanks to Charlotte Flair and then turning on her, she became the hottest superstar in the company.

She would use this momentum and end up winning the SmackDown Women’s title from her former best friend turned rival. Their Last Woman Standing match at Evolution felt like the real main event of the show and the two put on one of the greatest women’s matches in WWE history.

It was an all-out war, and it felt like a match where the two genuinely wanted to destroy each other. The masterful storytelling and brutality of it all concluded an incredible feud and further cemented Becky Lynch as SmackDown Women’s Champion. Though she didn’t walk out of 2018 as champion, her momentum and stock has never been higher.

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