The First 10 WWE Steel Cage Matches, Ranked From Worst To Best
James Stevens
Published Mar 27, 2026
Originally comprised of deadly, razor sharp chicken wire, the steel cage match has been in existence for nearly a century. As the business has introduced wild variants over the years - cells, chambers, thunder domes, and all sorts of other variants - the original steel cage match still is quite the sight to see.
Related: The Last 11 WWE Steel Cage Matches, Ranked From Worst To Best
A steel cage match usually means the end of a rivalry, or at least the end of a chapter of a feud. The WWE has a long standing history with the cage, using it sparingly to keep the elements of danger, excitement, and violence alive. The cage was used plenty of times on the house show circuit to help sell tickets, but on TV, it took over ten years to get ten cage matches televised.
10 King Kong Bundy Vs. Hulk Hogan - WrestleMania 2
For over thirty years, WrestleMania 2 had the distinction of being the only WrestleMania to have a Steel Cage match, but now it will have to settle for being the only one to main event with the cage. The blue bars were out in full force when Hulk Hogan defended the WWE title against the walking condominium, King Kong Bundy.
The event was standard Hogan fare of the day, which is what the little Hulkamaniacs loved - Bundy smashed Hogan until the hulk-up, big boot, leg drop, and pose down to send the crowd home happy.
9 Don Muraco Vs. Hulk Hogan - MSG, June 21, 1985
It’s always to fun to see life before the red and yellow. Hulkamania was indeed running wild, but still not quite the icon he’d become when he defended the WWE title against The Magnificent Don Muraco inside a steel cage at Madison Square Garden.
Related: 10 Worst WWE Steel Cage Matches In History
With the Hulkster wearing all white, both men wore the proverbial crimson mask in a pretty violent brawl for 1985.
8 Don Muraco Vs. Jimmy Snuka - MSG, October 17, 1983
Nearly two years before he met Hogan in the cage, Don Muraco would clash with another legend, Jimmy Snuka. This match has become more famous for who was in attendance that night as well as the after match antics. Mick Foley hitch-hiked to be in attendance. Tommy Dreamer and Bubba Ray were also there to watch the two superstars brutalize each other for Muraco’s Intercontinental title. A deranged and sore loser Snuka climbed to the top the cage after the match and delivered the Superfly Splash off of the cage that fans have been reliving for years.
7 Dr. Isaac Yankem DDS Vs. Bret Hart - Raw, October 6, 1995
As Bret Hart was feuding with Jerry Lawler, he also had to deal with The King’s evil dentist, Isaac Yankem. As fans would come to realize, despite the gimmick, Yankem could go in the ring and would eventually become one of the biggest men of all time, Kane.
He would headline Raw against The Hitman a big steel cage match. If Lawler had interfered, he’d be hoisted above the arena in a shark cage. Both men battled back and forth trying to keep one another from climbing out, but it was Lawler’s antics that stole the show.
6 The Big Bossman Vs. Hulk Hogan - Saturday Night’s Main Event, May 27, 1989
Sometimes raw emotion can take over and make for a great match. Hulk Hogan entered Saturday Night’s Main Event ready to defend the WWE title against The Big Bossman in a steel cage. But waiting at the entrance was The Human Wrecking Machine Zeus who left Hogan in a heap before the opening bell.
Once inside, Bossman showed why he was a great prison guard before becoming a wrestler and pounded away on Hogan, until the eventual Hulk up and beat down for the win.
5 Rick Rude Vs. The Ultimate Warrior - SummerSlam 1990
Ravishing Rick Rude got himself into phenomenal shape and chopped off his trademark mullet. There were “Rocky-esque” training montages galore that made you believe perhaps Rude was going to be able to defeat The Ultimate Warrior for the WWE title at SummerSlam 1990.
Related: Ranking The First 10 SummerSlam Main Events
But unfortunately, even all of the training in the world couldn’t prepare Rude for the neon painted maniac, as the Warrior was able to survive Rude’s offense and escape the cage.
4 Paul Orndorff Vs. Hulk Hogan - Saturday Night’s Main Event, January 3, 1987
The wrestling world recently lost an amazing old-school heel in Mr. Wonderful Paul Orndorff. In what is easily one of the most memorable moments of either his or Hogan’s career, their steel cage clash on Main Event featured one of best finishes in history - a photo finish between the two competitors.
Mr. Wonderful began the match whipping Hogan with his own belt before trying to escape the cage. Orndorff proceeded to pound away on Hogan, but wasn’t able to keep The Hulkster down long enough to become the WWE champion.
3 Diesel Vs. Bret Hart - In Your House: Rage In The Cage
Similar to the prior entry, Bret Hart defending the WWE title against Diesel is more memorable for the wild ending than the actual match itself, where The Undertaker rose from the depths to stop Diesel from escaping the cage.
Prior to that ending, Diesel had the Hitman reeling before Bret took control trying to keep the big man grounded. Bret Hart was always able to guide Diesel to great matches, and it wasn't different here.
2 Triple H Vs. Mankind - SummerSlam 1997
No matter the era, whenever Mick Foley and Triple H got together, beautiful violence was always made. To open up SummerSlam 1997, Mankind had to not just deal with Helmsley, but Chyna as well. She was to able insert herself into the match by choking Mankind through the bars as well as walloping Foley with the cage door, and Helmsley was able to deliver a superplex from the top of the cage.
Related: 5 Wrestlers Who Loved Feuding With Triple H (& 5 Who Hated It)
Mankind and Triple H tore each apart before Mankind got the upper hand and inner Dude Love took over. He ascended to the top of the cage like his hero Jimmy Snuka years before and delivered a huge elbow drop into Triple H’s heart for the win.
1 Owen Hart Vs. Bret Hart - SummerSlam 1994
For the Hart brothers, wrestling in a steel cage must’ve felt like their younger years in The Dungeon. The Hitman defended the WWE title against his younger brother Owen as part of the double main event at SummerSlam.
The brothers were able to pull off a cage match that had not been seen in a long time, or at that time… ever. In between the usual stopping each other from escaping, they each tried to out wrestle one another before Bret finally succeeded in leaving the cage.
