Best WWE Last Man Standing Matches

Gimmick matches can be a lot of fun in professional wrestling and provide additions and sometimes culminations to storylines. In WWE, one of the harder stipulations to master is the Last Man Standing match, largely due to the dead time which comes with the referee counting wrestlers when they’re down.

10 Definitive Best Steel Cage Matches In WWE History, Ranked 

However, over the years in WWE, there have still been plenty of standout Last Man Standing matches which have gotten the formula and pacing right, making for entertaining and physical clashes between heated rivals. TheSportster’s rating system will determine the best of the best, and these ratings will be compared to those from cagematch.net and Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter.

To learn more about how we rank wrestling matches on TheSportster, please check out our match ranking criteria guide here.

10 Batista Vs. The Undertaker (WWE Backlash 2007)

Overall Rating From TheSportster: 7.75/10

• Dave Meltzer Rating: 4 Stars
• Cagematch.net Rating: 8.51

Following on from a tremendous clash at WrestleMania, Batista and Undertaker brought the fight to a Last Man Standing rematch. Much like their previous encounter, seeing two huge men move at such speed was great to watch, and their blows just felt all the more impactful. It was a very exciting match with some nice spots and a hot crowd. The finish is a divisive one, as a draw feels like a cop out for Last Man Standing matches, but the spot itself in which Batista speared Undertaker off the stage was a wonderful visual.

9 Asuka Vs. Nikki Cross (WWE NXT 06/23/2017)

Overall Rating From TheSportster: 8/10

• Dave Meltzer Rating: 4 Stars
• Cagematch.net Rating: 8.30

Although the NXT crowd wasn’t as red hot as usual, this Last Woman Standing match is up there with the best women’s matches of all time on the developmental brand. It was a crazy brawl between two contrasting characters, with Nikki Cross in particular showcasing how good she can be, putting her body on the line and using herself as a weapon. This had some great moments, brutal spots, and a memorable match ending sequence.

8 John Cena Vs. Edge (WWE Backlash 2009)

Overall Rating From TheSportster: 8/10

• Dave Meltzer Rating: 4.5 Stars
• Cagematch.net Rating: 8.50

Two storied rivals clashed in one of their best matches together. The pacing of this match wasn’t electric, but it progressed in a consistent manner so the crowd never got tired and every spot managed to land. It wasn’t as wild or violent as many other Last Man Standing matches, but more care was taken on every spot, and the focus on their bad blood was made paramount rather than just making it a spot fest or bloody for the sake of it. The action continued to gradually rise, until the match ended with a truly stunning and unique spot. Big Show’s interference was admittedly lazy, but Cena getting chokeslammed through a spotlight made for a crazy visual.

7 Bray Wyatt Vs. John Cena (WWE Payback 2014)

Overall Rating From TheSportster: 8.25/10

• Dave Meltzer Rating: 4.5 Stars
• Cagematch.net Rating: 8.03

10 Definitive Best Ladder Matches In WWE History, Ranked 

The result of this match aside, in which Bray Wyatt should’ve won 100%, this match was brilliant, and up there with the best Last Man Standing matches ever. Cena looked to have an extra shot of energy here, bringing more pace and intensity to his performance, which was matched by Wyatt. Both men took some punishment here, engaged in some creative spots, and the crowd ate it all up. The chaotic interference from their respective allies was great, Cena’s steel steps throwing spot was stunning, and whilst Wyatt’s loss was jarring, he still looked strong.

6 Triple H Vs. Chris Jericho (WWE Fully Loaded 2000)

Overall Rating From TheSportster: 8.25/10

• Dave Meltzer Rating: 4.5 Stars
• Cagematch.net Rating: 8.63

It took a little while for this match to truly get going at Fully Loaded 2000, but once it did it was fantastic. Triple H getting busted open seemed to boost both him and the match to a higher level, with the weapon usage getting harder-hitting, the intensity growing, and the crowd loving it more too. The refereeing was a little bit odd, and it did distract from the match a tad, and some of the psychology admittedly wasn’t perfect, such as when Triple H pretty much no-sold the Walls of Jericho, but it was still a great fight between two bitter rivals.

5 Triple H Vs. Ric Flair (WWE Survivor Series 2005)

Overall Rating From TheSportster: 8.25/10

• Dave Meltzer Rating: 3.75 Stars
• Cagematch.net Rating: 8.46

The feud between these two men in 2005 was bloody, brutal, and highly personal, and this Last Man Standing match was no different. Flair’s resilience was fantastic here, with him unwilling to give in despite taking three Pedigrees (perhaps this was a little too much, but the crowd were into it). It was a classic case of Flair being drenched in his own blood, but as ever it added to the match and made it even more wild. Triple H’s heel performance must be commended too, with him bringing a major level of brutality and stiffness.

4 Ilja Dragunov Vs. Dijak (WWE NXT Battleground 2023)

Overall Rating From TheSportster: 8.5/10

• Dave Meltzer Rating: 4.75 Stars
• Cagematch.net Rating: 8.94

In an era of NXT which isn’t often commended for its matches, this showed fans just how good the brand can be with a wild and violent Last Man Standing match. Dragunov took an insane amount of punishment and dished it back out, and Dijak looked like the monster heel he had been destined to be. Dragunov’s selling really helped this one, with him making Dijak look like a beast for the first time in years.

3 Tommaso Ciampa Vs. Johnny Gargano (WWE NXT TakeOver Brooklyn 4)

Overall Rating From TheSportster: 8.75/10

• Dave Meltzer Rating: 4.5 Stars
• Cagematch.net Rating: 8.64

This might have been a slight step down from their previous two matches, but this war between Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa was still tremendous, adding to what was one of the best rivalries in NXT history. They built from their previous two matches, adding more storytelling elements, with Gargano’s overzealousness and hatred leading to his downfall. It was brutal, more so than most WWE matches post Ruthless Aggression Era, and whilst the psychology and selling wasn’t overly incredible, it was still a very strong match overall.

2 John Cena Vs. Umaga (WWE Royal Rumble 2007)

Overall Rating From TheSportster: 8.75/10

• Dave Meltzer Rating: 4 Stars
• Cagematch.net Rating: 8.97

One of WWE’s greatest ever Last Man Standing matches came at the 2007 Royal Rumble event when John Cena battled Umaga. Cena was the courageous babyface and Umaga was the monster heel, and this formula played out to perfection.

10 Definitive Best WWE WrestleMania Main Events, Ranked

It was a violent match in which Cena opted for a more physical and hard-hitting style leading to blood, a lot of weapons, and some brutal looking spots, such as the ending when Umaga was choked out with the ring ropes in an iconic moment.

1 Becky Lynch Vs. Charlotte Flair (WWE Evolution 2018)

Overall Rating From TheSportster: 9.25/10

• Dave Meltzer Rating: 4.75 Stars
• Cagematch.net Rating: 8.94

The best match of this stipulation arguably came at Evolution 2018 when Becky Lynch and Charlotte Flair did battle in a personal match where Lynch was at the peak of her popularity. The match construction was great, battling those classic Last Woman Standing tropes of long pauses and wasted time. They made the most of every dull moment with each spot being transitioned to seamlessly, all whilst bringing a physicality that the women’s division at the time scarcely saw, and also not just becoming a typical spot fest either. It was a wonderful addition to a great night of wrestling for WWE’s women’s division.