WWE Match of the Decade Tournament: Second Round

The WWE Match of the Decade tournament continues with second round matchups. Check out our NXT first round matches here and our WWE first round matches here. The full bracket is below:

Who will advance to our final four? Check out the choices of our writers below:

Second Round Match:

Johnny Gargano vs Tomasso Ciampa, Unsanctioned Match, NXT TakeOver: New Orleans (2018)
vs
Johnny Gargano vs Adam Cole, 2/3 Falls, NXT TakeOver: New York (2019)

• Evan: Gargano-Ciampa
• Kaden: Gargano-Ciampa
• Javier: Gargano-Cole
• Jhalon: Gargano-Cole
• Ryan: Gargano-Ciampa

Kaden: This is my favorite NXT match of all time. For me, I’m riding this match to the grave. Perfect storytelling, great use of unsanctioned, everything was phenomenal.

Jhalon: The chemistry these two had in this 35+ minute long classic was uncanny. This battle made the fairytale ending for Gargano much more satisfying. 

Ryan: This was a long time coming and didn’t disappoint. The two have amazing chemistry and play their roles well. Tough to beat a match this personal. 

Final: Gargano-Ciampa advances 3-2

Second Round Match

DIY vs The Revival, 2/3 Falls, NXT TakeOver: Toronto (2016)
vs
Bayley vs Sasha Banks, NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn (2015)

• Evan: DIY-Revival
• Kaden: DIY-Revival
• Javier: DIY-Revival
• Jhalon: DIY-Revival
• Ryan: Bayley-Banks

Evan: This was a hard decision. Banks & Bayley had a tremendous match that exists as part of a huge step forward in women’s wrestling. That said, the Revival and DIY had a match full of emotion. It just edges out Banks & Bayley in terms of action.

Javier: Tag team wrestling and quality storytelling to go along with it is the peak of pro wrestling and nothing proves that more than that tag match. The moment, the suspense, the elation, and the pop from the crowd is everything. Bayley and Sasha had the greatest women’s wrestling match of all time, but you just can’t beat the magic that happened in Toronto.

Ryan: This was a tough choice but there was just something special about the Bayley/Banks match. Perhaps it’s just my admiration for what both women did for NXT but it’s tough to beat here. 

Final: DIY-Revival advance 4-1

Second Round Match:

John Cena vs A.J. Styles, Royal Rumble (2017)
vs
Undertaker vs Shawn Micheals, Career vs Streak, Wrestlemania 26 (2010)

• Evan: Undertaker-Michaels
• Kaden: Undertaker-Michaels
• Javier: Cena-Styles
• Jhalon: Undertaker-Michaels
• Ryan: Undertaker-Michaels

Evan: We know that Undertaker-Michaels II does not match the magic that was Undertaker-Michaels I. What it does have are higher stakes and two all-time legends on the biggest stage of all. Cena versus Styles will not be remembered as vividly in 2026 as Undertaker-Michaels is in 2019.

Javier: Cena vs. Styles put on a match that you just didn’t see in WWE by that point. It was a very indie wrestling match. The high spots mixed with the kick-outs mixed with genuine curiosity as to who would win the match created an incredible match. The story of desperation between Shawn Michaels and the Undertaker was great but I can’t look at that match and say that it’s better. It’s a better story, yes, but the story and match were better at Wrestlemania 25 and I’m sorry, but that brings the match down for me.

Jhalon: As much as I love Cena, this match just had too much riding on it. This was (at the time) Shawn Michaels last match and a perfect ending to a 25 year career. 

Final: Undertaker-Michaels advances 4-1

Second Round Match:

Becky Lynch vs Charlotte, Last Woman Standing, Evolution (2018)
vs
John Cena vs CM Punk, Money in the Bank (2011)

• Evan: Cena-Punk
• Kaden: Lynch-Charlotte
• Javier: Cena-Punk
• Jhalon: Cena-Punk
• Ryan: Cena-Punk

Kaden: This is going to be extremely controversial and I already know I’m the only one that’s going to pick this match. Hear me out: this to me is the match that kicked the evolution into, no pun intended, full gear (get it two AEW PPV names in the same sentence). The match was the best that they had and was the best match of 2018. It’s also the match that made Vince realize that women should headline Wrestlemania 35.

Javier: That Money in the Bank match is pro wrestling done at the highest possible quality. The story, the stakes, the character work, the angles, the wrestlers, the star power, the crowd, and everything in-between makes this significantly better than Becky vs. Charlotte. Those two tore the house down, yes, but there will never be another Cena vs. Punk and that’s because it is genuinely a once in a generation kind of match. It takes generational performers who are at the 

Ryan: While I appreciate the significance of the match between Lynch and Charlotte, the Cena v. Punk match was just amazing. Between the story and hype surrounding the match, it was difficult to undersell this. The fact that the match itself was so well done also adds fuel to the fire. 

Final: Cena-Punk advances 4-1

We’ve reached our final four. Which of the matches left do you think will win the whole thing? Let us know on Twitter at @FPC_Wrestling.