The Top 10 Best Cage Matches of All Time
10. Brock Lesnar vs. The Undertaker (WWE No Mercy 2002)
This match solidified Brock Lesnar as the "Next Big Thing." Inside Hell in a Cell, the two heavyweights engaged in a gory, physical brawl that saw both men—and the referee—end up covered in blood. It was a passing of the torch that utilized the cage to create a sense of claustrophobic violence.
9. Magnum T.A. vs. Tully Blanchard (NWA Starrcade 1985)
This "I Quit" Steel Cage match remains the blueprint for a "grudge match." This was a bloody, visceral affair that felt less like a wrestling match and more like a fight for survival. The ending, involving a broken wooden chair, is still one of the most shocking finishes in NWA history.
8. The Usos vs. The New Day (WWE Hell in a Cell 2017)
While technically a "Hell in a Cell" match, Cagematch users consistently rank this as one of the best iterations of the structure. The two teams used the cage as a weapon in creative ways—including trapping Big E in a corner using kendo sticks—to end their legendary rivalry.
7. Kurt Angle vs. Chris Benoit (WWE Monday Night Raw, June 2001)
A technical marvel that is still discussed decades later, this match featured two of the greatest athletes in history using the cage to amplify their intensity. It is best remembered for Kurt Angle’s incredible moonsault off the top of the cage, a feat of athleticism that felt impossible for a man of his size.
6. Team ROH vs. Team CZW (ROH Death Before Dishonor IV)
The culmination of the ROH vs. CZW promotional war took place inside the "Cage of Death." This was a chaotic, multi-man spectacle that captured the raw intensity of the independent scene in 2006. It remains a high-water mark for the "WarGames" style of cage match.
5. Cody Rhodes vs. Wardlow (AEW Dynamite, February 2020)
This is frequently cited as the gold standard for a "TV main event" cage match. It served as a pivotal moment in the rise of Wardlow and featured one of the most daring moments in modern cable television: Cody Rhodes delivering a moonsault off the very top of the ten-foot-high structure.
4. America’s Most Wanted vs. Triple X (TNA Turning Point 2004)
Legendary for "The Move" — Elix Skipper’s death-defying walk across the top of the cage into a frankensteiner. Beyond that singular moment, it was a brutal, emotional tag team war that effectively put TNA on the map for fans seeking an intense alternative to mainstream wrestling.
3. Bret Hart vs. Owen Hart (WWE SummerSlam 1994)
Regarded as the greatest "escape-style" cage match in WWE history, this battle was built on pure technical skill and family drama. Without the need for blood or weapons, the Harts told a story of desperation centered on the harrowing struggle to climb over the blue steel bars.
2. The Young Bucks vs. Lucha Bros (AEW All Out 2021)
This Steel Cage match for the AEW World Tag Team Championships is a consensus masterpiece. It combined the relentless pace of "Lucha" style with high-stakes drama. The visual of Penta El Zero Miedo using a thumbtack-encrusted shoe remains one of the most iconic images in AEW history.
1. El Hijo del Vikingo vs. Kenny Omega (TriplemanÃa XXXI: Tijuana)
Currently the highest-rated cage match on the platform, this July 2023 encounter transcended the traditional formula. The two world-class performers used the structure not just as a prison, but as a springboard for high-flying maneuvers that redefined the possibilities of the stipulation.