All 11 WWE PLEs in 2023 ranked from worst to best
2023 may have been WWE's best year in the past two decades, thanks to the consistent quality of the product on RAW and SmackDown. The weekly television was much improved from the previous years, but Triple H made Premium Live Events even better.
WWE delivered 11 such major shows this year, and we can safely say that not a single one of them was bad. They ranged from solid to excellent, with quite a few set to live long in the memory. But which was number one?
Let's look at every WWE Premium Live Event in 2023 and rank them from worst to best.
#11. WWE Crown Jewel
Calling Crown Jewel 2023 the worst WWE premium live event of the year may be harsh since it was still a decent show. However, outside of Seth Rollins vs. Drew McIntyre, nothing really stood out. Not even the main event between LA Knight and Roman Reigns, which was marred by a significant botch.
Kairi Sane's WWE return did boost the show, but it came after IYO SKY and Bianca Belair failed to deliver a fitting sequel to their previous title match. Elsewhere, John Cena was squashed by Solo Sikoa in disappointing fashion, and Logan Paul won the United States Championship in a solid match.
#10. WWE Fastlane
Similar to Crown Jewel, Fastlane 2023 produced one great match and a surprise return, with the rest of the card falling short. Cody Rhodes and Jey Uso won the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship in a fun opener, setting the stage for their iconic press conference.
Carlito helped the LWO defeat Bobby Lashley and The Street Profits while nothing else of note happened. John Cena and LA Knight defeated The Bloodline in tag team action, while this five-match card was headlined by Seth Rollins' Last Man Standing victory over Shinsuke Nakamura—a good main event, but a bit long.
#9. WWE Night of Champions
Night of Champions takes the cake for WWE's best Saudi Arabia show of 2023, thanks to a stellar main event and a great supporting lineup.
Seth Rollins won the World Heavyweight Championship after beating AJ Styles in the opener, while Brock Lesnar defeated Cody Rhodes in the second match of their trilogy.
The best thing at Night of Champions 2023, though, was Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn's feud-ending win over The Bloodline. They successfully defended their Tag Team Titles against Roman Reigns and Solo Sikoa after Jimmy Uso betrayed The Tribal Chief. The rest of the show wasn't that eventful, which drags it down slightly.
#8. WWE Payback
While not the biggest show of the year, Payback 2023 delivered two excellent matches. Becky Lynch and Trish Stratus had an epic Steel Cage Match to kick things off, possibly the best women's match in WWE this year.
Finn Balor and Damian Priest's win over Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn in a Street Fight was also great, with some brutal spots on display. Nothing else at Payback came close, including another main event between Seth Rollins and Shinsuke Nakamura. John Cena's appearance did improve the show, to be fair.
#7. WWE SummerSlam
Main event aside, SummerSlam 2023 was a brilliant show. Unfortunately, we have to consider how it ended. Jimmy Uso betrayed his brother, Jey, at the end of an overly long match between the latter and Roman Reigns. The Tribal Combat stipulation was rendered useless, too.
Regardless, several matches on this card were great. Cody Rhodes defeated Brock Lesnar clean to win their feud before The Beast Incarnate congratulated him in an unscripted moment. Meanwhile, IYO SKY's Money in the Bank cash-in on Bianca Belair followed an exciting triple-threat match.
Finally, the world title match between Seth Rollins and Finn Balor was excellent. The two constructed a compelling contest that could've gone either way. The same couldn't be said about Shayna Baszler's MMA Rules match against Ronda Rousey, though—another disappointing bout on a mostly strong night.
#6. WWE Elimination Chamber
It's incredibly tough to separate the next few shows on this list. While not perfect, all of them delivered greatly. Elimination Chamber was one of them, hosting one of the most emotional main events in recent WWE history. Sami Zayn came close to dethroning Roman Reigns in a fantastic match.
The finish was slightly disappointing, though, ending the night on a low. However, the rest of the card was mostly good, including both Chamber matches. The one for the United States Title stood out, with Seth Rollins, Montez Ford, and Austin Theory having great showings.
The worst part of Elimination Chamber 2023 was Bobby Lashley's disqualification win against Brock Lesnar, as it did not lead to anything. The two are yet to have a match with a satisfying finish.
#5. WWE Backlash
One factor greatly enhanced Backlash 2023. The crowd in Puerto Rico was electric for the entire show, as they turned decent matches good, and good matches great. This is why the opener between Bianca Belair and IYO SKY here remains so fondly remembered.
The six-man tag team match featuring The Bloodline was surprisingly average, while Cody Rhodes and Brock Lesnar would have better matches later in the year. Meanwhile, the true show-stealer at Backlash was Bad Bunny. He defeated Damian Priest in an unbelievably fun Street Fight.
Run-ins from The Judgment Day, LWO, Carlito, and Savio Vega all contributed to making this match among the most fulfilling ones all year. In terms of crowds, Puerto Rico remains undefeated in 2023.
#4. WWE Royal Rumble
The first Premium Live Event of 2023, the Royal Rumble, helped kick off the road to WrestleMania 39 with a bang. The men's Rumble was well-booked for the majority of it, as Cody Rhodes won by last eliminating Gunther, who had lasted the entire 72-minute duration of the match.
Rhea Ripley and Liv Morgan went coast-to-coast in the women's Rumble, with Mami winning out in the end. Asuka's return may have been the best one across both matches. Meanwhile, Bray Wyatt wrestled what turned out to be his final televised match, defeating LA Knight. He is sorely missed.
However, Royal Rumble 2023 will forever be remembered for what happened after Roman Reigns defeated Kevin Owens in the main event. Sami Zayn's betrayal of The Tribal Chief led to one of the biggest pops in WWE history, while the fallout was epic and emotional. Jey Uso's part in it should not be forgotten.
#3. WWE Money in the Bank
Emanating from the United Kingdom, Money in the Bank 2023 was entertaining from start to finish. Both ladder matches delivered, as Damian Priest and IYO SKY won their respective briefcases. The latter did so after some brilliant creativity to stop Becky Lynch and Bayley from winning.
John Cena and Drew McIntyre's surprise returns enhanced the show, while Shayna Baszler's sudden betrayal of Ronda Rousey was confusing. Seth Rollins and Finn Balor had an alright match that was greatly exceeded by their SummerSlam effort.
However, as has been the case multiple times this year, Money in the Bank peaked at the end. The Bloodline Civil War felt gigantic as The Usos defeated Roman Reigns and Solo Sikoa. Jey Uso became the first person to pin The Tribal Chief since his heel turn. What a moment.
#2. WWE Survivor Series: WarGames
There weren't really any faults with Survivor Series 2023, with the undercard delivering solid action. The likes of Gunther, Rhea Ripley, and others provided the proper support for the two WarGames matches on the night.
Becky Lynch and Charlotte Flair became friends again as they helped Team Bianca defeat Damage CTRL inside the double cage. Meanwhile, Randy Orton's return led to Cody Rhodes leading his team to victory over The Judgment Day and Drew McIntyre.
If Survivor Series ended there, it may have cracked the top half of this list. But CM Punk's WWE return ensures this show gets bumped up. It was an epic moment that will be replayed over and over again. What a way to end 2023!
#1. WWE WrestleMania 39
For all of its faults, WrestleMania 39 was indeed WWE's best Premium Live Event of 2023. It simply had too many memorable moments, along with some truly mesmerizing matches.
Night One may have been one of the greatest nights of action in WWE history, as Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens ended the night with an emotional win over The Usos. It was a fantastic match that had the crowd on its feet from the very start.
Rhea Ripley and Charlotte Flair took their time to get the fans on board, but once things clicked, what a match they produced. Meanwhile, Rey and Dominik Mysterio put on a dramatic father-son encounter that ended with the WWE Hall of Famer getting one over on Dirty Dom.
The only negative on WrestleMania Saturday was Austin Theory's win over John Cena, as it felt way too basic. Night Two was more of a mixed bag. Gunther, Drew McIntyre, and Sheamus then had a hard-hitting classic for the Intercontinental Championship before Shane McMahon's surprise return ended in disaster.
He got injured during his impromptu match against The Miz, leading to Snoop Dogg saving the day and defeating The A-Lister. Edge's Hell in a Cell Match against Finn Balor was good but fell short of expectations due to a lengthy stoppage and The Demon losing.
The main event of WrestleMania Sunday saw Cody Rhodes fall short against Roman Reigns after Solo Sikoa interfered. The finish was uninspiring, but the match that preceded it was fantastic. Every minute of it felt massive, even if The American Nightmare didn't win.
Hopefully, he gets the job done at WrestleMania 40.
What was your favorite show of the year? Let us know in the comments section below!