Best WWE Feuds of 2017

2017 has been jam packed full of memorable showdowns and match-ups, but which of these titanic clashes takes the cake for being the best? We’ve had our fair share of dream matches but these candidates have been chosen based on how entertaining they were from a narrative perspective – the stories told and how fun they’ve been to watch for months on end. So make sure you cast your votes below and enjoy a retrospective of 2017’s biggest rivalries.

 

1. Braun Strowman vs Roman Reigns

Has this feud even ended? Is Braun truly finished with Roman? These are questions that I personally think should never be answered. A lot of fans were quick to scoff at the idea of Vince’s pet projects duking it out for their masters affection, but minds were soon turned to appreciate just how quickly this feud escalated. Strowman and Reigns went to war with one another for the best part of the year, colliding in a variety of different match types and even bringing their intensity to the Universal Title picture.

We’ve been gifted some magical moments throughout the course of this feud – Strowman tossing Roman about like a rag-doll just after Wrestlemania, Strowman overturning an ambulance and Reigns pretty much murdering Braun in an actual car-wreck.

I think these two can take the credit for revitalising Monday Night Raw in 2017, they took advantage of the ravenous anti-Roman crowd and capitalised on Braun’s growing popularity to make this feud a lot more fun than it could have been. I definitely wouldn’t mind seeing these two super-heavyweights clash once more in the near future.

 

2. Seth Rollins vs Triple H

I’ll admit, I wasn’t entirely confident in this feud heading into 2017, I thought a babyface Seth wasn’t going to get over in the same way that his heel persona had and that his physical condition wasn’t exactly going to be stable enough to carry the Wrestlemania pay-off. I was very very wrong.

Mentor/student feuds have always been a speciality of Hunter’s, but even though this story has been recycled so many times before, this time it managed to feel fresh enough to be exciting. Seth’s untimely injury at the hands of a debuting Samoa Joe allowed for Rollins to generate some anticipation for when he’d return to slay the king of kings and his new favourite son. Thankfully these knee issues weren’t as severe as everyone feared, so Rollins was quick to return and challenge Triple H to a match at Wrestlemania. Despite Stephanie having to get involved and bore crowds for weeks on end, this feud was hot heading into the ‘ultimate thrill ride’.

They managed to answer the age-old question of why someone wouldn’t just show up at a Takeover to call out Trip, they re-established the art of psychology and capped it off with a stellar match at Wrestlemania. Since then we’ve seen Triple H team with a reunited Shield at live events – how things change.

 

3. Asuka vs Ember Moon

These two women have done more for the women’s evolution than most of the main roster. The NXT Women’s champion needed a challenge and that was destined to come from the rising star Ember Moon. Whoever was booking said feud managed to build to the showdown perfectly, making crowds wait for their first clash at Takeover: Orlando, where they absolutely killed it. Ember and Asuka had a fantastic chemistry from the start and their characters beckoned a big fight feel.

Even though Ember never managed to capture the title off of Asuka herself, it’s safe to say that she came the closest, pushing the undefeated Empress to dip into heel tactics in order to beat her. If people weren’t originally sold on Moon as the person to fill the gap Asuka leaves behind then they were certainly won over after their series of matches.

Ember captured the NXT Women’s title at the most recent Takeover, giving a perfect end to her journey to the top and was approved by the former champion herself, who joined her for her crowning moment.

 

4. Brock Lesnar vs Samoa Joe

Samoa Joe didn’t have the greatest of starts to his main roster career, sort of fading into the background during the Triple H/Seth Rollins feud. It came as a bit of a shock when he took the w during the fatal 5 way match at Extreme Rules for the Number One contendership. WWE instantly hyped the championship match between Lesnar and Joe to be a dream match, which was totally justified.

Brock made his eventual return for the Great Balls of Fire ppv, which was the first time the Universal title was to be defended since Brock captured it from Goldberg at Wrestlemania. Both men did their damnedest to make this feud live up to the hype, which is a rare feat for Brock when he spends most of his time back on the farm. Joe and Lesnar obviously enjoyed working with one another, bringing out the raw intensity that made them both a global superstar.

Even though this feud followed the standard structure of a Brock rivalry – it certainly made for a fantastic main event feel. Heyman even pulled some overtime, allowing Joe to lock him in a coquina clutch. Joe certainly looked like a viable contender for Lesnar’s title, it’s just a shame the match didn’t quite live up to the quality they deserved.

 

5. Aleister Black vs Velveteen Dream

A total shock to everyone was just how great the feud between Dream and Aleister Black became. Of course everyone is talking about the match itself but I personally believe that the build deserves just as much credit. Somewhat of an understated part of NXT TV for the weeks leading to Takeover, but it slowly developed traction with the eccentric hijinks between the dutchman and the… velveteen.

The feud centred around Dream demanding that Aleister would speak his name. A simple yet deluded concept which soon got over with the crowds. Aleister has certainly developed a presence as of late, but without having a fleshed-out feud it was hard for fans to connect with him as a character. Dream was the perfect opponent to match the mysterious aura that Black has and add to that brooding, grungey feel to NXT.

The feud had the perfect ending with Black giving Dream the honour of speaking his name during the closing moments of the match at Takeover. Both guys involved looked fantastic and put themselves at the top of the roster in only a few weeks.