5 best WWE cinematic matches of 2020
WWE has always strived to give fans the best entertainment in the pro wrestling business. From the Royal Rumble to the Money in the Bank ladder matches, there’s always something to look forward to during the WWE calendar year.
While WWE has given us a few cinematic matches in the past, 2020 seemed to rely a lot on this type of production after the global pandemic forced the company to think out of the box. All three brands of the company benefited from WWE’s decision to produce more cinematic matches, and fans got to enjoy some incredible storytelling and action inside the ring.
Some of the biggest cinematic matches this year have seen Randy Orton and Edge compete in a very physical match at WWE Backlash, while Adam Cole and The Velveteen Dream competed for the NXT Championship in a Backlot Brawl at NXT Takeover: In Your House.
While those matches were good, these five were better:
#5 One Final Beat Match - Johnny Gargano vs. Tommaso Ciampa (WWE NXT - April 8, 2020)
Tommaso Ciampa and Johnny Gargano are two men whose names have become synonymous with the WWE NXT brand. They’ve had a great partnership and an even better rivalry in NXT.
However, after several chapters of their rivalry written and rewritten over three years, WWE decided to give the two men one final match to end their storyline. The One Final Beat Match took place in an empty arena that only had a ring and a referee inside.
Triple H laid down the rules before the two men went to war and threw everything they had at each other. Ciampa and Gargano had already faced each other in numerous emotional matches, and they knew exactly what to give the fans in this particular cinematic match.
The lengthy match saw both men deliver their finishers to each other a few times, with both men refusing to give up. Gargano’s wife Candice LeRae provided the final blow that allowed Gargano to win the final match between the two men.
Not only did the match show a new side of Gargano and LeRae, but it also introduced Karrion Kross and Scarlett to the WWE Universe in the final moments of the match.
The match had good production and some big spots, but at times it seemed like the two men were unsure of which direction to take. However, they delivered one of the best cinematic matches of the year and paved the way for more NXT Superstars to try a different style of entertainment.