Shinsuke Nakamura is set to clash with Seth Rollins in a Last Man Standing match at Fastlane on October 7, 2023. Their bout is a rematch for the WWE World Title after their prior contest at Payback saw Rollins successfully retain the gold against the Japanese legend.
Will the Nakamura vs. Rollins Last Man Standing bout live up to the lofty standards WWE has set itself with this gimmick match over the years? Time will tell but history tells us it will likely be a match-up to remember.
This feature looks back at the five greatest Last Man Standing matches ever.
#5 John Cena vs. Edge – Backlash 2009 (April 26, 2009)
John Cena had only lifted the World Heavyweight Title at WrestleMania XXV three weeks earlier but dropped the gold in a memorable Last Man Standing brawl against perennial rival, Edge.
For an epic 28 minutes, both participants battered each other senseless with every weapon they could find as the bout built and built to a terrific crescendo.
Cena looked to have the match in hand and seemed set to retain the World Title after shaking off an Edge Conchairto. As he attempted to nail Edge with an AA, The Big Show ambled out and chokeslammed Cena right through a huge glass spotlight that was on the stage. That unsurprisingly rendered the champion unable to answer the ten count.
The spot was so incredible, that it overshadowed the action that preceded it. However, this match was filled with top-notch action throughout and saw Edge crowned champion once again. Great match-up.
#4 Triple H vs. Randy Orton – No Mercy 2007 (October 7, 2007)
The Last Man Standing match between Triple H and Randy Orton at No Mercy 2007 was actually the second time the pair wrestled each other that night. After WWE Champion, John Cena was sidelined by injury and forced to vacate the strap, number one contender, Orton was awarded the belt in a segment that opened the show.
Triple H crashed the ceremony and goaded WWE Chairman, Vince McMahon into granting him an immediate title shot. ‘The Game’ defeated Orton for the title in a memorable moment. However, Triple H’s night was not over and he was forced to defend the gold against Umaga. After surviving that encounter, ‘The Cerebral Assassin’ was made to face Orton again in a Last Man Standing war.
The headliner was a heated bout as fans willed an exhausted Triple H to overcome his final challenge of the night. The evil Orton did his level best to take every shortcut he could and cut ‘The Game’ down to size. After withstanding an endless Orton assault, Triple H finally looked as if he may have the bout won after he smashed Orton with a chair onto the ring steps. ‘The Viper’ managed to make it to his feet for a nine count. Triple H dragged Orton to the announce table, where Orton leaped up and nailed a pitch-perfect RKO onto the table. ‘The Game’ didn’t get up after that and Orton was champion once again.
A hugely entertaining match that told an excellent story. It also featured wall-to-wall action. Great effort from both men.
#3 Triple H vs. Chris Jericho – Fully Loaded 2000 (July 23, 2000)
During the summer of 2000, Triple H and Chris Jericho engaged in a fabulous mini-feud, which diverted ‘The Game’ from his regular battles with The Rock. The highlight was their Last Man Standing contest at Fully Loaded 2000.
The story of the bout was that Triple H was taking his mid-card foe too lightly. That over-confidence would almost prove his undoing on numerous occasions, as the big-hearted Jericho took the fight to his opponent in spirited fashion.
The pair fought all over the arena as they battered each other with anything they could lay their hands on. There was a terrific spot where Triple H and Jericho hit each other with a monitor simultaneously and both narrowly made it to their feet at nine. In another memorable sequence, Triple H’s wife, Stephanie slapped Jericho but was then put into the Walls of Jericho as the crowd exploded.
After fighting by the announce table, Triple H suplexed himself and ‘Y2J’ through it. Triple H made it to his feet at nine for a brief second before collapsing to the floor once more. Triple H won by a whisker.
Bloody, heated, and logical, the contest was a masterpiece. It was another top-notch match-up in Triple H’s epic 2000 and a stature enhancer for Jericho.
It was a white-hot match and one of the best brawls of the Attitude Era.
#2 John Cena vs. Umaga – Royal Rumble 2007 (January 28, 2007)
John Cena’s greatest-ever match saw him topple Umaga in an excellent Last Man Standing encounter which also served as a star-making performance for his rival.
This was a rematch from New Years Revolution several weeks earlier which had seen Cena retain with a fluke roll-up after Umaga had decimated Cena for 17 straight minutes. The story of this bout was similar, with Cena being totally overpowered by the ‘Samoan Bulldozer.’
Umaga dominated Cena throughout the majority of the bout but the champion showed tremendous guts to stay in the contest. He then showed impressive guile to find potential routes to victory
One of the most memorable spots saw Cena lying across the ECW announce table before Umaga ran across the other announce tables and attempted a huge splash. However, Cena moved which sent Umaga crashing through the table. Umaga somehow managed to reach his feet before the ten count.
The finish finally came when Cena choked out Umaga with the ring ropes to put the Samoan down for the count of ten.
Truly an awesome match from start to finish. The Last Man Standing gimmick has only been bettered once in WWE history.
#1 Becky Lynch vs. Charlotte Flair – Evolution (October 28, 2018)
The greatest Last Man Standing match of all time was actually billed as ‘Last Woman Standing.’ Becky Lynch and Charlotte Flair had been at odds ever since Lynch turned heel on Flair at SummerSlam two months earlier. However, the fans had rejected Lynch’s heel persona and the face/heel alignments were reversed when the pair clashed at the only all-female event in WWE history, Evolution.
Lynch and Flair stole the show in an expertly paced and dramatic 29-minute collision which had the New York crowd glued to their every move.
There were some excellent spots including Flair putting Lynch in a Figure Eight in the ladder and Lynch’s top drawer legdrop which put Flair through a table.
The finish came when Lynch nailed Flair with a powerbomb from the middle rope that sent Flair careering through the table to the floor. Flair attempted to get back to her feet but couldn’t meet the ten count, awarding the bout and title retention to Lynch.
Outstanding match from start to finish. Atypically for matches of this type, none of the spots seemed contrived and it was an all-action fight. Terrific bout.
You can watch all of these matches exclusively on the WWE Network.