Cinematic style wrestling matches are not very common to the wrestling world. WrestleMania 36 produced two of the best cinematic style wrestling matches ever in North American wrestling world.
It is expected that Boneyard match and Firefly Fun House match will change WWE’s style of presentation for some special matches on special occasions in future.
Here is the list of all cinematic style wrestling matches.
#1 Half-time Heat Empty Arena match
Event – Halftime Heat
Year – 1999
During SuperBowl XXXIII, WWE presented Half-time heat show. It was very unique. It featured an Empty Arena Match between The Rock and Mankind for the WWF Championship. The match was totaly mess except one thing when The Rock answers a ringing telephone, informs the caller that Mankind can’t talk right now because he’s a little “tied up” and then chokes him with the chord.
#2 The Final Deletion
Event – Impact Wrestling
Year – 2016
Matt Hardy’s wrestling career was almost over before this match. However with his brother Jeff Hardy he changed the wrestling forever. Matt Hardy and Jeff Hardy battled in a special match called “The Final Deletion”.
However, the match became, rightly, the biggest thing in professional wrestling. It was an overnight viral sensation, endlessly-quotable, and made Hardy the hottest property on the independent scene for the better part of an entire year.
#3 The Wyatt Family Compound Match
Event – Monday Night Raw
Year – 2016
The Wyatt Family Compound was arguably the first time the company turned proper cinematic production values onto a wrestling match. The match between The Wyatt Family and The New Day occur days after the famous Final Deletion match.
After brawling through the woods, the groups dangled over a car, through some shrubbery and even into a tree. The area was suddenly surrounded by car headlights, and then a row of people, all in sheep masks, holding lanterns.
#4 The Great War
Event – Bound for Glory
Year – 2016
The Great War saw the reunited Hardyz teaming up to fight off the team of Abyss, Crazzy Steve, and Rosemary – collectively now known as Decay. The match was different. It was started as a normal wrestling match but then things goes backstage and then cinematic. Before the match it was announced that Decay will take King Maxel (son of Matt Hardy) with them if they won.
#5 Tag Team Apocalypto
Event – Total Nonstop Deletion
Year – 2016
It is 2016, Impact Wrestling has given Hardy brothers all creative freedom even to run a full show with their own. Tag Team Apocalypto again took place at the Hardy Compound and saw The Helms Dynasty, The Rock ‘n’ Roll Express, Decay, The Bruiserweights, The Ugly Ducklings, Showtime, Aaron Biggs, Mecha Mercenary, The Bravado Brothers, Rockstar Spud, Swoggle and the Broken Hardys fight it out in in a near hour-long closing segment.
#6 The House Of Horrors Match
Event – Payback
Year – 2017
Many fans called this match as one of the worst matches in WWE Pay-per-view history. The match between Randy Orton and Bray Wyatt at Payback 2017 was poorly-executed and filmed segment. It was a big flop and even WWE wants us to forget this match.
#7 The Ultimate Deletion
Event – Monday Night Raw
Year – 2018
After The Final Deletion success, Vince hired Matt Hardy and Jeff Hardy back to WWE. In a special episode of Monday Night Raw, WWE presented their own version of The Final Deletion called “The Ultimate Deletion” match between Matt Hardy and Bray Wyatt.
After a match that included, of all things, a Benny Hill-esque chase scene through a field of handmade 6ft symbols, Hardy took Wyatt into the Lake of Reincarnation… where he vanished.
#8 The Boneyard Match
Event – WrestleMania 36
Year – 2020
AJ Styles and The Undertaker put on over 30 minutes of improbable, entertaining, career’s best, it-has-to-be-seen-to-be-believed, sports entertainment. Many fans called this match as one of the best thing WWE had produced in last 10 years. The Undertaker used those old teleportation powers to suddenly appear behind him in a blinding flash of light. This was pure TV, and the audience loved every single second of it.
The Boneyard match was sole reason of the success of WrestleMania 36 night 1 success.
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#9 Firefly Fun House Match
Event – WrestleMania 36
Year – 2020
A 42-year-old man dresses up as Hulk Hogan, a rapper, and his 24-year-old self to battle a magical children’s entertainer/ demonic clown. Not the best then make it one of the best wrestling match outside the ring. Bray Wyatt sent us and John Cena to Cena’s past from his debue to WrestleMania 30 where Cena defeated Wyatt.
Kurt Angle, Nikki Bella Dr of Thuganomics were mentioned in this classic, before John Cena coming out as nWo Hogan to show how he could have revived his career by turning heel. It necessitates discussion, it demands rewatches, and it’s the absolute best of both cinema and pro-wrestling.
#10 Money in the Bank Corporate Ladder match
Event – Money in the Bank 2020
Year – 2020
Money in the Bank was a race from the bottom of WWE HQ to the very top, with both the women’s and men’s matches occurring at the same time. The guys started in the basement gym. The women started at ground floor.
What followed as absolutely ridiculous, but so much fun. AJ Styles saw a poster of the Undertaker and got PTSD flashbacks to their WrestleMania encounter. Match had many cameos and many surprising moments. Even a surprise winner Otis as well.
#11 Stadium Stampede Match
Event – AEW Double or Nothing
Year – 2020
This was the first full cinematic style wrestling match attempted by AEW. It was again a success for the company. The match was between the Elite (Adam Page, Kenny Omega, Matt Hardy, Matt Jackson and Nick Jackson) and The Inner Circle (Chris Jericho, Jack Hager, Sammy Guevara, Santana and Ortiz).
The match had many great spots like Adam Page entered in the match on a real horse, Hardy switched between many alter egos of himself inside pool etc.
#12 Backlot Brawl
Event- NXT TakeOver In Your House
Year- 2020
It was first ever cinematic style wrestling match from NXT brand. It was between NXT Champion Adam Cole and Velveteen Dream. It was another entertaining fight outside and inside the arena. There was a twist in the match as if Dream lost then he will never get NXT title shot until Cole is the champion.
From the entrance to the end, match was nicely executed (somehow not crossed the standard made by Boneyard and Firefly Fun House matches).
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