WWE Names 10 Best Matches of 2017 So Far

With 2017 recently crossing the halfway mark, WWE.com have announced what they consider to be the company's 10 best matches of the year still in progress.

Not just limited to the main roster or "big four" pay-per-views, the official list includes matches from the 205 Live Cruiserweight Division, NXT TakeOver, and the United Kingdom Championship Tournament WWE Network special.

But with the the third-ever The Punjabi Prison match to be held at Sunday's Battleground PPV, and the inaugural Mae Young Classic women's tournament just recently wrapped and premiering on the WWE Network August 28th, this list may soon earn some noteworthy additions.

As we embark on the second half of a year already packed with history-making highlights, let's take a look back at which standout matches managed to... Make The List!

1. Neville vs. Rich Swann – WWE Cruiserweight Championship Match (Raw, March 6)
2. Charlotte Flair vs. Becky Lynch vs. Natalya vs. Carmella vs. Tamina – Women's Money in the Bank Ladder Match (SmackDown Live, June 27)
3. Jack Gallagher vs. TJP vs. Cedric Alexander vs. Noam Dar vs. Mustafa Ali – WWE Cruiserweight Championship No. 1 Contender's Fatal 5-Way Elimination Match (205 Live, Feb. 7)
4. Seth Rollins vs. Roman Reigns (Raw, May 29)
5. Big Show vs. Braun Strowman (Raw, Feb 20)
6. Shane McMahon vs. AJ Styles (WrestleMania)
7. Finn Balor vs. Seth Rollins vs. The Miz – Triple Threat Intercontinental Championship No. 1 Contender's Match (Raw, May 1)
8. AJ Styles vs. John Cena – WWE Championship Match (Royal Rumble)
9. The Authors of Pain vs. #DIY vs. The Revival – Triple Threat NXT Tag Team Championship Elimination Match (NXT TakeOver: Orlando)
10. Tyler Bate vs. Pete Dunne – WWE United Kingdom Championship Match (NXT TakeOver: Chicago)

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As you can see, all of WWE's brands were surprisingly well-represented on this list, as major matches from pay-per-views, divisional tournaments, and regular televised WWE programming all made the cut.

Four matches came from Raw, making it the best-represented program. Meanwhile, AJ Styles and Seth Rollins get special honors as the only superstars to appear on the list twice.

Though perhaps not seen by as many viewers as the inclusions from WrestleMania and Royal Rumble, Pete Dunne and Tyler Bate's phenomenal UK Championship match taking top honors should be no surprise to anyone that witnessed what was easily the highlight of this year's NXT TakeOver: Chicago. This instant classic earned both young talents, as well as the newly-created tournament division, plenty of well deserved attention from the WWE Universe.

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Of course, there are several questionable picks and glaring omissions in the company's list....

Coming in at number 6 is Braun Strowman and Big Show's first televised match on Raw. The ring was famously reinforced for this main-event battle among giants, but fans will likely remember their ring-collapsing rematch over its predecessor. And while the Women's Money in the Bank ladder match certainly made history (both times), it didn't exactly deliver on its promise either outing, largely due to James Ellsworth spotlight-stealing interference on both occasions.

The recent Universal Championship match between Brock Lesnar and Samoa Joe definitely should have a spot in particular. Likewise, the brutal Fatal 5-way match between Joe, Seth Rollins, Roman Reigns, Finn Balor, and Bray Wyatt at Extreme Rules failed to make the cut (whereas Rollins' seperate televised matches with Reigns and Finn earned mentions). Perhaps WWE's over-reliance on multiples action has taken some of the shine off what was an otherwise phenomenal match between some of its fiercest competitors.

But with only half of the year in the books, WWE's list of best matches could undergo a shake-up by year's end. Considering the card for Sunday's Battleground PPV, already rumored matches for this year's SummerSlam, and the possibility of new tournament specials still to come, it's best to consider this list a work in progress, and one that will differ for many by year's end.