The Ruthless Aggression Era is one of the more prolific and iconic eras in WWE history. During that time, the company had to deal with a mountain of expectations, as the Attitude Era isn't easy to follow up. Not to mention that with pillars like The Rock and Stone Cold Steve Austin both on their way out the door, it was anyone's ball game to grab the proverbial brass ring to become the next top star.

It truly felt like an entirely new landscape was shaping up in front of everyone's eyes, and it made for exciting television, not only in of moments but in of matches too, as some of the best bouts in WWE history took place during the Ruthless Aggression Era. With new stars like John Cena, Brock Lesnar, Randy Orton, veterans who could still go like Shawn Michaels and Undertaker, and in-ring maestros like Eddie Guerrero and Kurt Angle at their peak, this was to be expected. Unfortunately, it also means that some matches have gone overshadowed or outright forgotten over time. Here are some examples of matches that deserve a second look.

10 John Cena and Shawn Michaels vs. Undertaker and Batista

Tag Team Match - No Way Out 2007

In one of the more unique Roads to WrestleMania, a main event was booked a month before the show where the World Heavyweight Champion and his challenger were set to face the WWE Champion and his challenger for Mania. It was promoted as something that had never happened before and would never happen again, and that tagline was more prophetic than even WWE realized at the time.

The match features a brief collision between The Undertaker and John Cena, and it's one of the only times both men face off while still in the prime of their careers. That rare meeting makes this worth the price of ission alone, but it's also worth seeing four of the biggest main eventers of the Ruthless Aggression sharing the ring when, because of the brand split, that would be a rarity during this era. They would have a rematch six days before WrestleMania 23 on Raw.

9 Batista vs. Undertaker

Singles Match - Cyber Sunday 2007

Batista and Undertaker had one of the best rivalries the WWE ever housed. It certainly gave WWE their feud of the year and match of the year in 2007, by far. The feud delivered one of Undertaker's best WrestleMania Streak matches, a shockingly uber-violent Last Man Standing match, and one of the best Hell in a Cell matches ever. Even their televised Steel Cage match on SmackDown is pretty good.

That being said, fans tend to forget that these two had a straight-up wrestling match at Cyber Sunday with Stone Cold Steve Austin as their Special Guest Referee, as voted by the fans. Despite the ref stipulation, there are no shenanigans to speak of, and the two have a great in-ring match. It may not be better than their hard-to-beat Mania match, but it's an underrated gem inside a great feud.

8 Sabu vs. Rey Mysterio

World Heavyweight Championship Singles Match - ECW One Night Stand 2006

WWE's first two One Night Stand shows had some pretty exceptional in-ring action, with or without the need for barbaric weaponry. Matches like Masato Tanaka vs. Mike Awesome and RVD vs. John Cena maintain a lasting legacy in the eyes of viewers, but one match that often goes forgotten is Rey Mysterio defending the World Heavyweight Championship against Sabu.

On paper, this is a dream match between two high flyers from very different eras and companies, something that some thought they'd never see. The match doesn't disappoint, until the anti-climactic finish, where their Extreme Rules match goes to a no contest. As is the theme with most matches in Rey Mysterio's first World Title run, neither he nor his matches were booked well, and that hurt the memory of the overall match for a lot of people.

7 Mickie James vs. Beth Phoenix

Women's Championship Singles Match - Monday Night Raw, April 14, 2008

April 14, 2008, saw Raw return to the 02 Arena in London, England, a year after an hour-long main event between John Cena and Shawn Michaels tore the roof off the place. While this night's main event - Triple H vs. JBL - couldn't be as memorable as the previous year's contest across the pond, it was the Women's Championship match on the undercard that surprisingly stole the show.

Women were still firmly in the Divas Era, but this match reads as an anomaly in retrospect. Phoenix and James are given a surprisingly decent amount of time in the ring while the crowd treats it with respect without the need for any "puppies" talk from Jerry Lawler. This match wouldn't look out of place on a 2024 card.

6 Carlito vs. Johnny Nitro vs. Shelton Benjamin

Intercontinental Championship Triple Threat Match - Vengeance 2006

When fans discuss what the best Triple Threat match in WWE history is, one match that often springs to mind is another match from this Era, The Rock vs. The Undertaker vs. Kurt Angle from Vengeance 2002, which isn't a bad choice. However, this match from Vengeance 2006 can be mentioned in the same discussion as the other one, which is a testament to its quality already, considering the sheer star power of the participants in the 2002 match.

While the former was an example of three main event talents innovating the Triple Threat concept, this was three young talents all primed for greatness and ready to steal the show. Vengeance 2006 was a night where DX returned, Sabu had a rare match against John Cena, and RVD defended the WWE Championship against Edge. However, it was this Intercontinental Championship bout that unexpectedly turned out to be the match of the night, stealing the show.

5 Edge vs Eddie Guerrrero

No Disqualifications Match - SmackDown, September 26, 2002

Edge wasn't always the Rated-R Superstar he is today, as much as that gimmick struck gold for Adam Copeland. He first gained notoriety from being a lovable airhead alongside Christian, and then transitioned into being a white-meat babyface. As he searched for a defined character in singles competition, Edge struggled to connect with fans, but thankfully, he had a competent dance partner to help get him over in Eddie Guerrero.

Latino Heat was one of Edge's first singles feuds, even if most people don't their matches. In a No DQ rematch from SummerSlam, these two had a unique bout that showcased their skills and creativity. While they technically had any weapon at their disposal, their offense centered around ladders and creative ways to inflict punishment with them.

4 Rob Van Dam vs. Christian

Intercontinental Championship Ladder Match - Monday Night Raw, September 29, 2003

Speaking of ladders, a year later, the C in E & C found himself competing for the Intercontinental Championship in an oft-forgotten Ladder Match against Mr. Monday Night himself. Christian made a name for himself by competing in some of the most widely celebrated tag team ladder matches in company history, but no one really mentions the singles ladder matches he had as a solo star. This is one of those occasions where Christian was out to prove he could be a single star just like his former partner Edge.

A lot of discussion around 2003 Raw tends to center around Triple H's dreaded Reign of Terror, but not enough is talked about the upper midcard of the Raw roster at the time, filled with competitors hungry for a shot at greatness. Both Christian and RVD were on the cusp of superstardom, and this match helped catapult their momentum further in the eyes of the audience.

3 Trish Stratus vs. Victoria

Women's Championship Hardcore Match, Survivor Series 2002

One of the best women's feuds in WWE history is between Trish Stratus and Victoria. The kayfabe backstory is that Victoria and Trish both had pre-WWE careers working together as fitness models until Trish left to pursue a wrestling career. Feeling betrayed and even jealous at her former friend's success, a bitter Victoria trains hard to be a wrestler strictly so she'd have the chance to debut, inflict revenge, and take Trish's Women's Title. It's a crazy setup for a match by today's standards, but it surely captivated audiences at the time.

Happening at a time when the women (or Divas, at the time) were not given the time or respect in the ring as they are now, their storyline was surprisingly well-layered and compelling by the standards of women's storytelling. A hardcore match between women competitors was a rare thing to see, but Trish and Victoria proved why they are still ed today as some of the best performers of their generation, leaving their blood and soul in that ring.

2 Rated RKO vs. DX

World Tag Team Championship Match - New Year's Revolution 2007

This is one of the bloodiest tag team matches the Ruthless Aggression ever saw. Which, honestly says a lot because the era would get pretty bloody on a regular basis, but for a feud that at this point had been running since the fall, it was apropos. After months of going two-on-two with each other, on top of years worth of history between each other as individuals, both DX and Rated RKO were ready to go to war.

The visceral intensity of the bout is felt from bell to bell, with the adage of Randy Orton and Edge's World Tag Team Titles being on the line. Unfortunately, Triple H legitimately injures his quad halfway through the match, forcing the competitors to improvise a new finish, which in itself is impressive. Had the match ended in a more clear-cut way, perhaps this would be viewed as one of the best matches in all four men's resumes.

1 HurriKane vs. Rob Van Dam & Jeff Hardy vs. Christian & Chris Jericho vs. The Dudley Boyz

TLC Match, Monday Night Raw, October 7, 2002

The setting is Las Vegas, Nevada, where Eric Bischoff institutes one of his best ideas: Raw Roulette. The concept is simple, Raw's General Manager spins a wheel and the competitors have to abide to whatever match type it lands on. For the main event, the roulette lands on Tables, Ladders, and Chairs, at a time when the match type is in its infancy. HurriKane are expected to defend their World Tag Team Championship against Rob Van Dam and Jeff Hardy, Christian and Chris Jericho, and the Dudley Boyz.

However, with the Hurricane being attacked before the match, Kane needed to fly solo, opening the opportunity for The Big Red Machine to shine as a one-man army in one of the best pushes of his career. Kane looked like a million bucks, but every man involved left it all out there. This was only the fourth TLC match in history, and it was on a Monday Night Raw, but it looked and felt like a PPV main event. It's truly a showcase of how deep the WWE roster was during the Ruthless Aggression era.