Ranking Bash in Berlin and Every WWE PLE in 2024 So Far

Erik BeastonSeptember 2, 2024Ranking Bash in Berlin and Every WWE PLE in 2024 So Far0 of 9

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WWE tore the house down in Germany with the Bash in Berlin premium live event, delivering a consistently strong premium live event that culminated with Gunther retaining the World Heavyweight Championship over Randy Orton.

Critically acclaimed for its overall quality, it ranks among the best shows WWE has produced this year, but did it do enough to overcome the absolute best the company has had to offer in a red-hot 2024?

Find out in this set of rankings, limited to WWE main-roster PLEs.

9. Money in the Bank1 of 9

Typically one of the most popular events on the schedule, Money in the Bank brings up the rear in this countdown, thanks to a more story-heavy product than one brimming with quality matches to go along with it.

The women’s ladder match stole the show and, while Seth “Freakin” Rollins and Damian Priest delivered a quality match, it was ultimately bogged down by an ill-received cash-in from Drew McIntyre that served as little more than the latest chapter in his feud with CM Punk.

There was nothing inherently bad on the five-match card but, unlike others further up this list, no one defining match or moment made it stick out. At a time when the Paul Levesque Era of WWE is hitting on all cylinders, being unmemorable is almost unforgivable.

8. Royal Rumble2 of 9

Like Money in the Bank, the Royal Rumble is immensely popular and relies heavily on its titular matches to decide its overall quality.

While the men’s match did not disappoint, with some superb action late between Cody Rhodes, CM Punk, Gunther, and Drew McIntyre, the rest of the show failed to live up to the lofty expectations that event’s legacy demands.

Bayley’s moment in the opening women’s Rumble match was a silver lining in a mostly “meh” match, the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship Match pitting Roman Reigns against LA Knight, AJ Styles, and Randy Orton was a rare disappointment in The Tribal Chief’s historic title run, and Logan Paul and Kevin Owens would have a better match, also involving Orton, months later at WrestleMania.

A good show but not one that matched the hype that preceded it, landing it in the bottom half of the countdown.

7. SummerSlam3 of 9

The return of Roman Reigns generated an enormous reaction from fans in Cleveland and across social media. Still, it came at the end of a main event between Cody Rhodes and Solo Sikoa that hit at some points and failed to click at others.

That match joined Bayley vs. Nia Jax and CM Punk vs. Drew McIntyre as ones that did not quite live up to the hype that preceded it.

While Gunther and Damian Priest tore the house down for the world title, and Rhea Ripley vs. Liv Morgan exceeded expectations thanks to the red-hot storyline that accompanied it, the overall best match on the show may very well have been LA Knight conquering Logan Paul for the United States Championship.

Like the other events that preceded it on this list, SummerSlam was a victim of lofty expectations that fell oh so short of meeting them.

6. Elimination Chamber Perth4 of 9

Rhea Ripley returned home to Australia for Elimination Chamber Perth and was the undisputed centerpiece of the show’s marketing. As she and her Women’s World Championship Match against Nia Jax went, the show went.

With the show’s weight on her shoulders, Ripley delivered, taking to the ring like a star before turning out a quality match against the Irresistible Force.

That strong main event, which ended with The Eradicator dispatching of her larger, more physically dominant opponent, topped a card that saw Drew McIntyre and Becky Lynch win two quality Elimination Chamber matches.

Throw in a sneaky great Raw Tag Team Championship defense by The Judgment Day’s Finn Balor and JD McDonagh against Tyler Bate and Pete Dunne, and you have a show that continued to red-hot build to WrestleMania XL.

5. Clash at the Castle Scotland5 of 9

CM Punk may have cost Drew McIntyre the World Heavyweight Championship in the main event of Clash at the Castle Scotland, sending fans home disappointed that their fellow countryman did not win the title in front of family and friends, but that was to be expected.

After all, Punk promised McIntyre would not hold that title as long as he could help it.

While some may allow that to damper their feelings on the rest of the show, others will recognize it as another quality effort from WWE in a line of them in 2024.

Cody Rhodes and AJ Styles tore the house down from the opening match spot in a stellar “I Quit” Match, Sami Zayn and Chad Gable settled their differences in another excellent Intercontinental Championship bout, and Bayley and Piper Niven wowed the latter’s home country fans in a match that may have lacked quality build but was a great display of what two experienced and strong wrestlers can achieve despite creative.

While not as dynamic as the other four shows in the top half of this countdown, it was another example of Triple H’s five-match card formula working to its benefit.

4. King and Queen of the Ring6 of 9

King and Queen of the Ring were more top-heavy than any other WWE premium live event in 2024 but those two matches that capped off the Jeddah, Saudi Arabia show were legitimate Match of the Year contenders.

First came Gunther and Randy Orton in the finals of the King of the Ring Tournament. A hard-hitting, intensely physical match, it saw Gunther narrowly escape with a controversial victory that saw the babyface’s shoulders off the mat amid the official’s three count.

The show’s main event highlighted Cody Rhodes’ ability to adapt his style to mesh with his opponent’s. In this case, it was social media megastar Logan Paul, still in just his second full year of professional wrestling. Together, they delivered a dramatic main event that appeared to be the heel’s to win, only for The American Nightmare to overcome his challenge and earn the win.

Add in two solid women’s matches, one of which saw Liv Morgan’s Women’s World Championship victory over Becky Lynch set in motion a storyline that would dominate the summer, and you have a quality card from start to finish.

3. Bash in Berlin7 of 9

World heavyweight champion Gunther had the fans on his side as he defended against Randy Orton in a rematch from their classic in Jeddah. He also had the weight of the world on his shoulders, with some questioning whether he could rise to the occasion and perform up to the level of the future Hall of Famer in the main event of a premium live event.

He excelled, not only hanging with Orton, but earning his respect moments after putting him to sleep to retain the top prize on the Raw roster.

That championship clash capped off a show that started with Cody Rhodes adding another banger defense of his Undisputed WWE Championship to his resume in the form of a victory over Kevin Owens, saw Jade Cargill and Bianca Belair regain the women’s tag titles from Alba Fyre and Isla Dawn in a better-than-expected match, and witnessed Rhea Ripley and Damian Priest get a measure of revenge against Dominik Mysterio and Liv Morgan in a Mixed Tag Team Match.

Oh, and sandwiched in the middle of all of that? CM Punk silenced Drew McIntyre and defeated him in a Strap Match.

2. Backlash France8 of 9

The fans in Lyon made headlines for creating an unbelievable atmosphere at Backlash France and the Superstars of WWE backed it up with what may have been the most complete card of the year.

The Bloodline’s Tama Tonga and Solo Sikoa bested Randy Orton and Kevin Owens in a Street Fight, with the help of the debuting Tanga Loa, to set the tone for the rest of the show. Bayley, Tiffany Straton, and Naomi saw their efforts and raised them, equaling the quality of that match with a superb WWE Women’s Championship Match.

Jey Uso blew the roof off the LDLC Arena ahead of a quality match with world champion Damian Priest and Jade Cargill struck gold for the first time in WWE when she and Bianca Belair defeated The Kabuki Warriors to win women’s tag team gold.

It was the main event, Cody Rhodes’ first defense of the Undisputed WWE Championship against AJ Styles, that earned Backlash its No. 2 spot on this list.

An instant classic in which champion and challenger fed off an electric audience, it proved that Rhodes would be able to handle the expectations of being champion, following his WrestleMania classic against Roman Reigns up with a completely different, equally as important, first-time-ever match with the Phenomenal One.

1. WrestleMania XL9 of 9

WrestleMania XL introduced a new era to WWE, the Paul Levesque Era, and laid the foundation for everything that followed it.

Long-term storytelling was paid off, new rivalries were introduced, and Cody Rhodes defeated Roman Reigns to win the Undisputed WWE Championship and establish himself as the face of the company for years to come.

Along the way, The Rock wrestled his first match in 11 years, teaming with Reigns to defeat Rhodes and Seth Rollins in the main event of WrestleMania Saturday and force The American Nightmare into a Bloodline Rules Match.

Rhea Ripley successfully retained her Women’s World Championship over Becky Lynch, Bayley paid off her Royal Rumble victory with a win over Iyo Sky for the SmackDown Women’s Championship, and Logan Paul retained his United States Championship with a victory over Kevin Owens and Randy Orton.

The aforementioned victory by Rhodes, over Reigns, was the most historically significant match from any major North American promotion this year and should be considered the frontrunner for Match of the Year.

All of that and nary a mention of LA Knight and AJ Styles delivering a great match or Sami Zayn ending Gunther’s historic reign as Intercontinental champion.

Oftentimes, WrestleMania promises a showcase of the immortals and for whatever reasons, falls short. Either there is too much glitz and glam and not enough in-ring content, or the matches are good but there is not enough surrounding it to feel like the spectacle WrestleMania is.

This year’s show combined both to perfection.