10 Most Overshadowed WWE Rivalries

7. John Cena vs. Seth Rollins – 2015

Seth Rollins’ ascent to the main event scene in 2015 appeared like it would hit its peak at SummerSlam. Put up against his first major test, he was put in a rivalry with John Cena. This made a ton of sense as Rollins could have his solidifying moment against the company’s top star at the biggest show of the Summer but the rivalry never really got going.

This monumental match took a backseat to the Undertaker vs. Brock Lesnar feud and while the match itself was good, it was marred by Jon Stewart getting involved in the finish. Then, the two had a rematch the following month for Rollins’ newly won United States Championship. Another fine match but again overshadowed by Rollins’ match with Sting which took place immediately after.

For a rivalry that, on paper, looks like it should be a classic, this one never really got its legs.

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6. Dean Ambrose & Seth Rollins vs. The Bar – 2017

Going on at the exact same time as the New Day vs. Usos rivalry, just on the other brand, former Shield members Seth Rollins and Dean Ambrose had a great rivalry with The Bar in 2017. This had a good story behind it as Rollins had to earn back Ambrose’s trust. Eventually, the rivalry climaxed with a great match at SummerSlam and a fantastic match at No Mercy.

As is the case with the tag division, this took a backseat to the happenings in the main events at the time. Brock Lesnar was busy defending the Universal Championship against the likes of Braun Strowman, while No Mercy saw Roman Reigns taking on John Cena. These two monumental matches made this tag rivalry at best the third biggest match on the show.

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5. John Cena vs. Batista – 2008 & 2010

When you think of John Cena and Batista you think of two of the biggest stars of the Ruthless Aggression era. They were kept apart until SummerSlam 2008 where they had their first ever match. It was built as a huge deal on Raw but it was overshadowed the day of the show by the excellent Undertaker vs. Edge Hell in a Cell match. When they returned to each other two years later, they were overshadowed once again.

The two clashed over the WWE Championship at WrestleMania XXVI, a program that saw Batista do some of the best work of his career. The only problem? They went on underneath the classic Shawn Michaels vs. Undertaker match that saw the end of Michaels’ career. Cena and Batista did continue their rivalry into the Spring of 2010 but there just wasn’t the same amount of excitement as there once was.

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4. The Undertaker vs. Edge – 2008

Speaking of Undertaker vs. Edge, their rivalry also makes this list, however, for a different reason. Undertaker and Edge was the main event feud on SmackDown for the better half of 2008 and it was truly excellent. However, looking back, it doesn’t get the same recognition as other matches and programs of the time. In 2008 you also had the Shawn Michaels vs. Chris Jericho rivalry, which is one of WWE’s best rivalries of all time. Then, you have the issue of their WrestleMania match.

Edge and Undertaker main evented WrestleMania XXIV and had a truly great match. The problem, as years have passed, is that it doesn’t quite match up to Undertaker’s matches with Shawn Michaels and Triple H which came in the years immediately following this one. At the time, this was Undertaker’s best WrestleMania match, but as he continued to have the best matches of his career, his match with Edge just got pushed further down the list.

• rey mysterio
• overshadowed
• rivalries
• wwe

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