5 best WWE matches outside of the United States
With WWE on its way back to Saudi Arabia for Crown Jewel 2019, it seems prudent to discuss some of the best matches that WWE has ever put together in a ring off of US soil. WWE rarely does non-US televised or PPV events outside of Canada and England.
The Saudi Arabia shows have changed that up, but have yet to produce a classic match -- although the original did give us 'Titus Worldslide', so we have that going for us. Seth Rollins and The Fiend Bray Wyatt have the opportunity to have the first truly great match in Saudi Arabia, and hopefully, they come home with a well-received match under their belts (no matter who walks out with the actual belt).
With an exciting PPV in Saudi Arabia coming up, here's a look at five top quality matches WWE has produced on shows outside of the United States.
#5 Shawn Michaels vs The British Bulldog (One Night Only
1997 - Birmingham, England)
Shawn Michaels and the beginnings of the DX faction were in the midst of a brutal, heated rivalry with Bret Hart and his family, the Hart Foundation. During the feud that led up to one of the most infamous events of all time (The Montreal Screwjob, of course), WWE ran a show in England that was aired on a PPV in Europe, but didn't see the light of day in North America until it was released on VHS (and later DVD and the WWE Network).
With Michaels in such an emotional rivalry with the Hart Family, something bad was bound to happen. In this case, you had a great match that saw The British Bulldog, inaugural European Champion, defendig his title against Shawn Michaels in front of Bulldog's countrymen and women. Bulldog's wife and very ill sister were in the front row, as well. What could go wrong?
Michaels would end up winning the belt and becoming the second-ever European Champion, but doing so after the entirety of the original team that would soon become DX interfered. Triple H started, followed by Chyna and Rick Rude.
They did everything they could to keep Bulldog down, but it looked like nothing would work. Finally, after scratching and clawing to get out of the Figure Four that Shawn had applied to his injured knee, he passed out from the pain. Shawn would then dedicate his win to the Bulldog's wife, in a moment only befitting of the heel beginnings of D-Generation X.