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WrestleMania is the one day each year that you don’t have to pretend you stopped watching pro wrestling back in junior high school. World Wrestling Entertainment calls it "The Showcase of the Immortals." That’s a bit much. Still, it’s a big deal—last year’s event reportedly generated over $62 million for the host city of Atlanta. But WrestleMania is more than just a moneymaker. Every wrestling fan knows that the best matches tend to take place on the biggest stage. And this year, a legitimate movie star, The Rock, will return to his roots—the wrestling ring—and face John Cena in the main event of WrestleMania XXVIII.
Now, it must be stated: Wrestling is not a real sport. It’s pre-determined and choreographed. Yet, the athleticism and the injuries are, in fact, quite real. (Don't believe us? Peep the video evidence.) So is the drama. And that’s part of what makes a great match. So we watched all 27 WrestleManias to bring you the best of the best: the 50 Greatest Matches in WrestleMania History.
50. Hulk Hogan and Mr. T vs. Roddy Piper and Paul Orndoff, WrestleMania I
Date: 3/31/1985
Location: New York City
Storyline: Piper had tormented Hogan, women's champ Wendi Richter, and Cyndi Lauper (yes, the singer) for the past year.
Winner: Hulk Hogan and Mr. T via inadvertent cast shot from Bob Orton at 13:13
This was a spectacle: New York Yankees manager Billy Martin was guest ring announcer; Liberace was guest timekeeper; Muhammad Ali was guest referee. Jimmy “Super Fly” Snuka, “Cowboy” Bob Orton, a legion of bagpipers, and The Rockettes all made appearances as well. Not much of a match—too much stalling, or, Jibber Jabber if you must—but the importance of the event can't be overstated.
49. CM Punk vs. Randy Orton, WrestleMania XXVII
Date: 4/3/2011
Location: Atlanta
Storyline: Proving there is no expiration date on revenge, Punk meddled in Orton's title match at the Royal Rumble, paying him back for when Orton cost him the title back in 2008.
Winner: Randy Orton via RKO at 13:45
Leading up to WrestleMania XXVII, Orton eliminated members of Punk's Nexus stable by punting them in the head. So it's good psychology that Punk targeted Orton's knee to eliminate the move from his repertoire. Punk dominated most of the action and really sold Orton's RKO finisher.
48. Lawrence Taylor vs. Bam Bam Bigelow, WrestleMania XI
Date: 4/2/1995
Location: Hartford, Conn.
Storyline: LT clowned Bigelow at the Royal Rumble after the former bounty hunter lost his tag match. A shoving match ensued.
Winner: Lawrence Taylor via forearm smash at 11:42
WWE loves getting celebrities in the ring because of the mainstream attention. Though LT's skill-set was limited—basically, it consisted of shoulder block, forearm smash and jumping forearm smash—he had great enthusiasm, and Bigelow carried him to a good match.
47. Randy Savage vs. Ted DiBiase, WrestleMania IV
Date: 3/27/1988
Location: Atlantic City, N.J.
Storyline: The finals of a 14-man tournament to crown a new WWF champ.
Winner: Randy Savage via top-rope elbow drop at 9:27
Savage was wrestling his fourth match of the night and selling fatigue. He also had help at ringside from Hulk Hogan, who hit DiBiase with a chair to set up the finish. Hogan stealing the spotlight during the post-match celebration was a bit unseemly and foreshadowed next year's main event.
46. Hulk Hogan vs. Vince McMahon, WrestleMania XIX
Date: 3/30/2003
Location: Seattle
Storyline: McMahon said he created Hulkamania and was furious that Hogan testified against him during his 1991 steroid trial and left for rival promotion WCW in 1994. Somehow, that made Hogan the good guy.
Winner: Hulk Hogan via atomic leg drop at 20:48
McMahon looked jacked. Hogan was frighteningly orange. Two old (Hogan was 49 at the time, McMahon 57), slow, and crazy men beat each other with weak chair shots and “lead” pipes. Why recommend it? McMahon's heel antics are hilarious and his leg drop off a ladder is bananas.
45. Mickie James vs. Trish Stratus, WrestleMania XXII
Date: 4/2/2006
Location: Chicago
Storyline: James debuted months earlier as a Stratus' biggest fan. She eventually dyed her hair to look like Stratus, and used Stratus' signature wrestling moves. Naturally, the relationship went awry. Think Single White Female and The Fan, plus a little of your favorite lesbian porno mixed in.
Winner: Mickie James via the Chick Kick at 8:48
It's the most intense women's match in WrestleMania history and the only one featuring an assault to the baby-maker.
44. CM Punk vs. Rey Mysterio Jr., WrestleMania XXVI
Date: 3/28/2010
Location: Phoenix
Storyline: Mysterio's interference caused Punk to lose a Money in the Bank qualifying match so Punk retaliated by targeting Mysterio's family, creepily serenading Mysterio's 9-year-old daughter on her birthday.
Winner: Rey Mysterio Jr. via springboard splash at 6:32
A short but sweet match with non-stop action, inventive holds (Mysterio's springboard one-armed DDT), and a nice finish, with Punk's Straight Edge Society costing him the match.
43. John Cena vs. Randy Orton vs. Triple H, WrestleMania XXIV
Date: 3/30/2008
Location: Orlando, Fla.
Storyline: Former champions Triple H and John Cena had both returned from injury wanting to reclaim the title.
Winner: Orton via pinning Cena after HHH pedigree at 14:09
Fast action and cool spots such as Triple H and Randy Orton putting Cena in a Doomsday Device (the old Road Warriors finishing move), Orton's double DDT, and Triple H breaking out an Indian Deathlock—a submission hold not popular since the 1980's. (Even play-by-play man Jim Ross is shocked to see it!) Great booking here as the opportunistic Orton, an underdog champion, gets the surprise win over the more established stars.
42. Christian vs. Chris Jericho, WrestleMania XX
Date: 3/14/2004
Location: New York City
Storyline: It's never a good sign when you're mining Freddie Prinze Jr. movies for storylines but this was pretty great. Jericho bet Christian one Canadian dollar that he could score with Trish Stratus, but of course, fell for her along the way. Fearing that his best friend was going soft, Christian attacked Stratus.
Winner: Christian, via roll-up at 14:44
About twelve minutes in, Stratus bounds down to the ring and unintentionally costs Jericho the match. But it was all a ruse! She then slapped Jericho and left arm-in-arm with Christian. Stratus poured salt in the wound with a hair-pulling make-out session with Christian.
41. Triple H vs. Undertaker, WrestleMania X-Seven
Date: 4/1/2001
Location: Houston
Storyline: Some silliness involving restraining orders, Stephanie McMahon, Kane, and a destroyed motorcycle.
Winner: The Undertaker, via Last Ride power bomb at 18:17
For the record, this is biker “American Badass” Undertaker and not zombie undertaker Undertaker. The match features the mother of all ref bumps, one wild spot— HHH gets choke-slammed from a scaffold down to the floor—and an intense finish.
40. The British Bulldogs (Davey Boy Smith and The Dynamite Kid) vs. The Dream Team (Greg “The Hammer” Valentine and Brutus Beefcake), WrestleMania II
Date: 4/5/1986
Location: Chicago
Storyline: The Bulldogs had chased the champs for months.
Winner: The British Bulldogs via collision at 12:04
The Bulldogs were an extraordinary combo of power, speed and technique, while Valentine was an underrated worker. Beefcake's strength? He was good friends with Hulk Hogan. Solid tag match with a unique finish: Out of nowhere, Davey Boy rammed Valentine into Dynamite Kid's head and gets the pin.
39. Shawn Michaels vs. Diesel, WrestleMania XI
Date: 4/2/1995
Location: Hartford, Conn.
Storyline: Michaels won the Royal Rumble to become No.1 contender to the champion, his old bodyguard Diesel.
Winner: Diesel via Jackknife power bomb at 20:31
Not as great as their April 1996 encounter but a classic big man-little man match with Michaels bumping all over the ring for Big Daddy Cool. Seriously, he falls to the floor three times within the opening minutes. Despite botching a power bomb, this was really the high point of Diesel's lackluster (and unfortunately, lengthy) title reign.
38. John Cena vs. Batista, WrestleMania XXVI
Date: 3/28/2010
Location: Phoenix
Storyline: Batista had just turned heel—and took to wearing a questionable (or badass, take your pick) leather vest and obnoxious sunglasses—and wanted to prove that he was the biggest star of the post-Attitude era.
Winner: John Cena via STF at 13:32
A fascinating match because of their parallel careers—both debuted around the same time and won their first world titles at Wrestlemania XXI—Batista's high-impact power moves, the hot angle, and the final sequence with Cena maneuvering out of Batista's finisher to lock in the STF.
37. The Rock vs. Triple H vs. Mick Foley vs. Big Show, WrestleMania 2000
Date: 4/2/2000
Location: Anaheim, Calif.
Storyline: Triple H and Mankind spent the winter trading the title and beating the crap out of each other. The Rock and The Big Show were added to the main event through some typical Attitude Era fuckery.
Winner: Triple H, via chair shot from Vince McMahon onto The Rock at 36:28
First, the bad: With a McMahon in each corner (Vince for The Rock, Shane for The Big Show, Linda for Mick Foley and Stephanie for Triple H), the family drama overshadowed some of the action. Plus, Vince's heel turn was awfully predictable. Still, this was the match that made Triple H, as he became the first heel to exit WrestleMania as champion.
36. The Brain Busters (Tully Blanchard and Arn Anderson) vs. Strike Force (Tito Santana and Rick Martel), WrestleMania V
Date: 4/2/1989
Location: Atlantic City, N.J.
Storyline: Martel had missed almost a year with injury and reunited with Santana to battle Bobby Heenan's new tag team.
Winner: The Brain Busters via spike piledriver at 9:16
Polished mat wrestling at first, including a nice sequence between Blanchard and Santana. There's also some great psychology as Strike Force show their ring rust when a miscommunication leads to Santana inadvertently hitting his partner. Martel doesn't take it too well and abandons Santana.
35. Hulk Hogan vs. Andre the Giant, WrestleMania III
Date: 3/29/1987
Location: Pontiac, Mich.
Storyline: Andre was undefeated but had never received a title shot. With new manager Bobby “The Brain” Heenan buzzing in his ear (and playing the role of Iago to Andre's Othello), Andre finally challenged his former best friend Hogan.
Winner: Hulk Hogan via Atomic leg drop at 12:01
It was the most anticipated match in wrestling history, even with one guy basically immobile by this point. Though really slow and plodding—The Giant locked Hogan in a bear hug for what seemed like 70% of the match—it's iconic because of the magnitude of the event and Hogan's body slam of the Giant.
34. Undertaker vs. Triple H, WrestleMania XXVII
Date: 4/3/2011
Location: Atlanta
Storyline: Having accomplished everything in the WWE, Triple H wanted to end The Undertaker's unbeaten streak at Wrestlemania.
Winner: Undertaker via Hell's Gate chokehold at 29:25
They were obviously going for something “epic” and aspired to top Undertaker's matches with Shawn Michaels but that wasn't going to happen. Another flaw: Two minutes in and they were destroying announcer tables and setting up rest spots. Too much, too soon. Still, this was an entertaining brawl with an ending that touched upon Undertaker's mortality. Dead zombie undertakers have expiration dates after all.
33. Steve Austin vs. The Rock, WrestleMania XIX
Date: 3/30/2003
Location: Seattle
Storyline: With one foot already in Hollywood, The Rock returned to the WWE to accomplish the one thing that had eluded him: A victory over Austin at Wrestlemania.
Winner: The Rock via Rock Bottom at 17:53
Though past their prime and, in Austin's case, physically deteriorated, the two most bankable stars of the past decade had one last great moment with The Rock finally beating Austin. A nice sendoff into retirement and ridiculous action movies.
32. Undertaker vs. Edge, WrestleMania XXIV
Date: 3/30/2008
Location: Orlando, Fla.
Storyline: Edge had beaten Undertaker twice over the past year but the feud really took off after Undertaker became No. 1 contender at Elimination Chamber.
Winner: Undertaker via Hell's Gate chokehold at 23:50
Edge was booked as the “Ultimate Opportunist” and wrestled a smart match, countering Undertaker's go-to moves. But in the end, Undertaker transitioned from an Edge spear into the Hell's Gate submission.
31. Chris Jericho vs. Chris Benoit vs. Christian vs. Shelton Benjamin vs. Edge vs. Kane, WrestleMania XXI
Date: 4/3/2005
Location: Los Angeles
Storyline: Six men, a bunch of ladders and a briefcase hanging from the rafters with the winner earning a world title shot within the year.
Winner: Edge via briefcase retrieval at 15:17
It's been repeated at each subsequent WrestleMania but, like most everything, the original is the best. It's a real car-crash of a match filled with sick bumps, intricate spots and an astonishing performance from Shelton Benjamin.
30. The Rock vs. Hulk Hogan, WrestleMania X8
Date: 3/17/2002
Location: Toronto
Storyline: After eight years away from the WWE, Hulk Hogan returned to his old stomping grounds and picked a fight with The Rock, hitting him with a hammer, ramming an 18-wheeler into Rock's ambulance, and growing out his evil black beard.
Winner: The Rock, via the People's Elbow at 16:23
The Toronto crowd refused to boo Hogan, giving this match its interesting dynamic—Hogan and Rock playing both heel and baby face. Hogan wasn't the best worker during his 1980's heyday and was downright Paleolithic by this point but the match is entertaining as hell.
29. Edge and Christian vs. The Hardy Boyz vs. The Dudley Boyz, WrestleMania X-Seven
Date: 4/1/2001
Location: Houston
Storyline: All three teams had feuded and traded belts throughout the last year. Now add tables, ladders and chairs.
Winner: Edge and Christian via retrieval at 15:53
Not as fresh or awe-inspiring as their match at WrestleMania 2000 (or the rematch at Summer Slam 2000) but there are still plenty of cool spots—especially Edge's spear off a ladder onto Jeff Hardy.
28. Evolution (Ric Flair, Randy Orton, and Batista) vs. The Rock and Sock Connection (The Rock and Mick Foley), WrestleMania XX
Date: 3/14/2004
Location: New York City
Storyline: Orton and Evolution attacked Foley for months so he called up his old friend The Rock for backup.
Winner: Evolution via Randy Orton RKO on Mick Foley at 17:03
While the three legends provided comfortable nostalgia—Flair's and Rock's impersonations of each other were priceless—this was a showcase for the two future stars with Batista looking like a powerhouse and Orton scoring the clean pin on Foley after an RKO.
27. Steve Austin vs. Shawn Michaels, WrestleMania XIV
Date: 3/29/1998
Location: Boston
Storyline: Austin won the Royal Rumble making him No. 1 contender.
Winner: Steve Austin via Stone Cold Stunner at 20:02
More important for Austin's coronation than the actual match because, at this point, both guys were pretty banged up—Austin was still recovering from nearly being paralyzed at Summer Slam in August and Michaels was wrestling his last match before his back injury forced him into temporary retirement. Another Herculean effort from Michaels here for wrestling in real pain, taking a stunt punch from Mike Tyson and bravely rocking a ponytail full of cornrows.
26. Kurt Angle vs. Chris Benoit, WrestleMania X-Seven
Date: 4/1/2001
Location: Houston
Storyline: Benoit had made Angle tap out to his Crippler Crossface; Angle wanted to prove it was a fluke.
Winner: Kurt Angle via school-boy roll-up at 14:02
As with many Angle matches, there's some amateur wrestling to start but the inventive counters and reversals—ankle-lock to ankle-lock, Crippler Crossface to Crippler Crossface—were amazing.
25. Steve Austin vs. The Rock, Wrestlemania XV
Date: 3/28/1999
Location: Philadelphia
Storyline: This was the culmination of a year long feud between Austin and McMahon’s evil stable The Corporation, which was headed by The Rock.
Winner: Steve Austin via Stone Cold Stunner at 16:52
This is a chaotic, overbooked mess. But a chaotic, overbooked, entertaining mess. Since it’s the Attitude Era, Austin and Rock brawled into the crowd, around the arena, and four referees (including Mankind and Vince McMahon) got involved. Despite the predictable structure, this match was a blast.
24. Edge vs. Mick Foley, Wrestlemania XXII
Date: 4/2/2006
Location: Chicago
Storyline: Edge blamed Mick Foley for costing him the WWE Heavyweight Title.
Winner: Edge via spear through flaming table at 14:37
Though he'd been retired for years, Foley was in his element, bleeding like a stuck pig and gleefully swinging weapons. Did someone say weapons? Foley and Edge pummeled each other with cookie sheets, road signs, chairs, barbed wire, a baseball bat covered in barbed wire, a sock covered in barbed wire (seriously!), thumbtacks, and a flaming table. What else would you expect from guys nicknamed “The Hardcore Legend” and “The Rated-R Superstar?”
23. Shawn Michaels vs. Chris Jericho, WrestleMania XIX
Date: 3/30/2003
Location: Seattle
Storyline: Jericho wanted to prove that he was the better, younger, smarter, faster, and more charismatic version of his hero Shawn Michaels. In short, he wanted to kill his idol.
Winner: Shawn Michaels via flying leg roll in 22:33
Good psychology as Jericho targeted Michaels back with the Walls of Jericho, a backbreaker, and a sweet Northern Lights suplex. After the match, Jericho feigns a face turn, hugs Michaels, and then kicks him in the balls.
22. John Cena vs. Shawn Michaels, WrestleMania XXIII
Date: 4/1/2007
Location: Detroit
Storyline: Michaels won a triple threat match to become No. 1 contender.
Winner: John Cena via STF at 28:22
Another incredible Shawn Michaels performance where he expertly sold for his opponents while covering up their weaknesses. Too bad the wrong guy went over.
21. Eddie Guerrero vs. Rey Mysterio, WrestleMania XXI
Date: 4/3/2005
Location: Los Angeles
Storyline: Tag Team Champions explode! Well, not really. Having lost confidence in his ability as a singles wrestler, Guerrero, a former WWE Champion, challenged his tag-team partner to a match.
Winner: Rey Mysterio, via roll-up at 12:359
These guys had wrestled countless times and had great chemistry so the match was fluid and nearly flawless with plenty of high-flying action including a breathtaking running corkscrew plancha from Mysterio.
20. Shane McMahon vs. Vince McMahon, WrestleMania X-Seven
Date: 4/1/2001
Location: Houston
Storyline: Where do we begin? Power-mad and horny, WWF owner Vince McMahon dumped his wife Linda for oiled-up sex kitten Trish Stratus. Linda didn't take the news well and had a nervous breakdown, was committed, then drugged, lapsed into a vegetative state and confined to a wheelchair. Vince's son Shane then returned to defend his mom's honor. And somewhere along the way, purchased rival wrestling company WCW from under his father's nose. OK, we admit it: Wrestling is a male soap opera.
Winner: Shane McMahon via, um, dropkicking a trash can into his father's face at 15:12
Just a ridiculous overbooked brawl that was so tasteless, silly, and violent—street signs, kendo sticks, television monitors, chairs, and metal trash cans get smashed—that it's a classic. There's also a catfight between Trish Stratus and Vince's daughter Stephanie and a couple of daredevil dives from Shane. Another note: This entire story line probably cost Linda McMahon a seat in the U.S. Senate.
19. Randy Savage vs. Ric Flair, WrestleMania VIII
Date: 4/5/1992
Location: Indianapolis
Storyline: Doctored photos made Savage think his wife Miss Elizabeth took a ride on Space Mountain with that limousine riding, jet-flying, kiss stealing, son of a gun, the Nature Boy Ric Flair.
Winner: Randy Savage via rollup at 18:02
This was supposed to be Hulk Hogan vs. Ric Flair, yet somehow Vince McMahon dropped the ball and let WCW get that Dream Match in July 1994. Still, this was a worthy replacement. Good psychology as Savage was determined to defend his woman's honor and attacked Flair like a madman possessed. A little overbooked, however, with an abrupt finish.
18. Shawn Michaels vs. Ric Flair, WrestleMania XXIV
Date: 3/30/2008
Location: Orlando, Fla.
Storyline: Wanting one last WrestleMania Moment, the legendary “Nature Boy” challenged Michaels.
Winner: Shawn Michaels, via “Sweet Chin Music” super kick at 20:23
It must be stated: Flair's robe is tremendous. The match isn't a technical masterpiece and there's a glaring botch during a bridge sequence but this is emotional storytelling at its best. It's straight out of an old Western: Michaels doesn't want to end his friend's career but realizes he had to do what he came to do. He tells Flair, “I'm sorry. I love you,” kicks him in the head and sends him into TNA, err, retirement.
17. Ultimate Warrior vs. Hulk Hogan, WrestleMania VI
Date: 4/1/1990
Location: Toronto
Storyline: What was the most powerful force in the universe? Hulkamania or The Power of the Warriors? Hogan just had to find out!
Winner: Ultimate Warrior via splash at 22:51
Warrior had a ridiculous tattoo painted on his chest. His hair was also feathered. Both hosses were sucking wind early but somehow pushed through it and put on a classic power match that saw Hogan passing the torch to Warrior. That whole thing didn't go too well.
16. Hulk Hogan vs. Randy Savage, WrestleMania V
Date: 4/2/1989
Location: Atlantic City, N.J.
Storyline: The Mega Powers were born at WrestleMania IV but exploded when a paranoid Savage accused Hogan of lusting after his title and his manager Miss Elizabeth.
Winner: Hulk Hogan via atomic leg drop at 17:55
Miss Elizabeth was in a neutral corner and quickly got involved, blocking Hogan from ramming Savage into the steel post. Macho showed his appreciation by wagging a finger in her face; referee Dave Hebner eventually sent her to the dressing room. Savage and even Hogan had their work boots on and this match featured an intense Hulkster comeback for the win.
15. Bret Hart vs. Roddy Piper, WrestleMania VIII
Date: 4/5/1992
Location: Indianapolis
Storyline: An injured Hart had lost the IC title to The Mountie and challenged the current champ, his old family friend Roddy Piper.
Winner: Bret Hart via sleeper-reversal-into-pinfall at 13:51
A stiff match that veers from amateur wrestling to all-out street fight with a great finish. With the referee knocked out, Piper, who'd been a fan favorite for years, was tempted to revert to the heel tactics that made him famous. He contemplated slugging Hart with the ring bell but dropped it and slapped on a sleeper. Hart then climbed up the ropes and fell backwards onto Piper for the pin. Very underrated.
14. Shawn Michaels vs. Undertaker, WrestleMania XXV
Date: 4/5/2009
Location: Houston
Storyline: Michaels wanted to end The Undertaker's unbeaten streak at WrestleMania.
Winner: Undertaker via Tombstone piledriver at 30:56
Michaels knew that he couldn't go toe-to-toe with the more powerful Undertaker so he attacked him from a distance with quick strikes and high-flying blows. He even tried winning the match via count out. (That was a really nice touch.) Shawn bumped all over the place and there were some great facial expressions from Undertaker but some sloppiness dropped this one below the rematch at WrestleMania XXVI.
13. Shawn Michaels vs. Bret Hart, WrestleMania XII
Date: 3/31/1996
Location: Anaheim, Calif.
Storyline: Michaels won the Royal Rumble to become No. 1 contender.
Winner: Shawn Michaels 1-0 via Sweet Chin Music super kick at 61:52
Michaels and Hart seriously detested each other in real life but gelled in the ring. This match is a bit slow for some people but makes sense within the storyline: Both guys were so evenly matched they went 60 minutes without a fall. After the time limit expired, WWF President Gorilla Monsoon ordered sudden death overtime and Michaels scored the quick pin. Afterwards, Hart sulked off, planting seeds for his heel turn at WrestleMania XIII.
12. The Hardy Boyz vs. The Dudley Boyz vs. Edge and Christian, WrestleMania 2000
Date: 4/2/2000
Location: Anaheim, Calif.
Storyline: The top three tag teams settle a three-way feud for the gold. Ladders get involved.
Winner: Edge and Christian, via belt retrieval at 22:29
Sure, some of the spots took a while to set up but the payoffs were worth it: Matt Hardy getting power-bombed through a table; Jeff Hardy Swanton dives off a ladder onto Bubba Ray Dudley; Edge and Christian using a makeshift scaffold to grab the belts for the win. It all left commentator Jerry Lawler stunned. “These guys are all crazy,” he declared. Well said, King.
11. Eddie Guerrero vs. Kurt Angle, WrestleMania XX
Date: 3/14/2004
Location: New York City
Storyline: As an Olympic Gold Medalist and American Hero, Angle thought Guerrero wasn't worthy of his title because of his past drug addiction (pot, meet kettle) and lying, cheating, and stealing ways. Truly a great storyline because the best heels are convinced they're doing the right thing.
Winner: Eddie Guerrero via small package at 21:35
Exactly what you'd expect from these two wrestling machines: Clean mat-wrestling to start that progresses to crisp move-sets, perfect suplexes—Guerrero's triple vertical suplexes were a national treasure—and exquisite storytelling. And what a clever finish! After escaping an ankle lock, Guerrero unties his wrestling boots and plays possum. Angle goes for the move again and instead rips off Eddie's boot. Stunned, he's perfect pray for a Guerrero small package and the pin.
10. The Rock vs. Steve Austin, WrestleMania X-Seven
Date: 4/1/2001
Location: Houston
Storyline: Stone Cold became the No. 1 contender after winning the Royal Rumble. But he lost cleanly to Triple H in February and became obsessed with winning the title and proving he was still the toughest S.O.B. in the WWF.
Winner: Steve Austin via multiple chair shots at 28:08
Like most main events during the Attitude Era (June 1996 – April 2001), this was a wild brawl around the entire arena. What made this exceptional, however, was the intensity, the stakes, the hot crowd, and the level of star power in the ring. There's never a dull moment, not one rest hold from the opening bell to the shocking finish—Austin aligns with longtime enemy Vince McMahon, pins The Rock and turns heel in the process. Bonus points for the dueling Sharp Shooters, a nice homage to WrestleMania XIII.
9. Kurt Angle vs. Brock Lesnar, WrestleMania XIX
Date: 3/3/2003
Location: Seattle
Storyline: Lesnar won the Royal Rumble in January becoming No. 1 contender.
Winner: Brock Lesnar via F5 at 21:04
That this match even took place was a miracle—Angle delayed neck surgery for it. Typically great Kurt Angle match with multiple reversals and false finishes. To his credit, Lesnar keeps up with him. He also nearly paralyzed himself after botching a Shooting Star Press and landing on his head. Somehow, he got up—though he looked punch drunk and concussed—and hit Angle with an F5 for the win.
8. Razor Ramon vs. Shawn Michaels, WrestleMania X
Date: 3/20/1994
Location: New York City
Storyline: Razor captured the vacated championship while the former champ Michaels was out with injury. Michaels soon returned with his own belt proclaiming to be the real IC champ.
Winner: Razor Ramon via retrieval at 18:47
This match really changed professional wrestling into the more violent and spot-filled product you know and love. Both guys found creative uses for the ladder and sold the gimmick.
7. Ultimate Warrior vs. Randy Savage, WrestleMania VII
Date: 3/24/1991
Location: Los Angeles
Storyline: The Macho King cost Warrior the WWF Heavyweight title at the Royal Rumble.
Winner: Ultimate Warrior via shoulder-block at 20:48
Just a perfectly booked match with so many memorable moments: Warrior kicking out of five top-rope elbow drops; Macho kicking out of Warrior's press slam-splash combo; Warrior pinning an unconscious Savage with his foot on his chest. The real drama, however, occurred after the match when Macho was attacked by his manager Sensational Sherri and then saved by his former manager Elizabeth. As the real life couple reconciled, there wasn't a dry eye in the house.
6. Shawn Michaels vs. Kurt Angle, WrestleMania XXI
Date: 4/3/2005
Location: Los Angeles
Storyline: An old-fashioned grudge match to settle a simple argument: Who's the better wrestler?
Winner: Kurt Angle, via ankle lock at 27:25
The match itself is a slow boil, with some crisp mat wrestling to start. It really picks up, however, once Michaels takes it to the floor with a flying cross body. From there, the two legends put on a clinic—high work rate, deft counters, and masterful storytelling—with a hot finish that'll make you forget the whole thing is, you know, fake.
5. Owen Hart vs. Bret Hart, WrestleMania X
Date: 3/20/1994
Location: New York City
Storyline: Sick of being in his older brother's shadow, Owen sneak attacked The Hitman and challenged him to a match.
Winner: Owen Hart via Victory Role reversal at 20:21
Owen acts like a real jerk from the bell—pulling hair, mimicking Bret's expressions and gloating—to generate heat from the crowd, but this is just an excellent one-on-one gimmick-free match with flawless technique and great storytelling.
4. Shawn Michaels vs. Undertaker, WrestleMania XXVI
Date: 3/28/2010
Location: Phoenix
Storyline: After losing at the previous year’s WrestleMania, Michaels became obsessed with ending the Undertaker’s unbeaten streak at WrestleMania.
Winner: Undertaker via Tombstone piledriver at 24:04
The rare sequel that bested the original. Crisper and faster than the predecessor, this one also benefits from the higher stakes and enhanced storytelling. In a nice parallel to his match with Ric Flair, Michaels refuses Undertaker’s mercy and then gets tombstoned into retirement.
3. Chris Benoit vs. Triple H vs. Shawn Michaels, WrestleMania XX
Date: 3/14/2004
Location: New York City
Storyline: Michaels and HHH had fought over the belt for months and after their Last Man Standing match at the Royal Rumble ended in a draw, Michaels wanted to end the feud at WrestleMania. Benoit, the winner of the Rumble and thus, No. 1 contender, entered the fray and made it a three-way.
Winner: Chris Benoit, via Crippler Crossface on Triple H at 24:50
All Triple Threats wind up with segments of one-on-one action while the third wheel is off-screen recovering from a beating. The trick is making that segue as unforced as possible. Here, each one is smooth and, at times, spectacular such as when HHH and Michaels' suplex Benoit from one announce table through another. The action is intense and the finish—Benoit dispatches Michaels and then locks the Crippler Crossface onto HHH—is incredibly hot. After the match, Benoit's longtime friend Eddy Guerrero hugs his fellow champion. It's an incredible moment. Necessary postscript: Within two years, Guerrero was dead from heart failure. And in June 2007, Benoit murdered his wife and young son before killing himself.
2. Ricky Steamboat vs. Randy Savage, WrestleMania III
Date: 3/29/1987
Location: Pontiac, Mich.
Storyline: Booking 101: Heel (Savage) injures baby face (Steamboat). Upon his return, baby face challenges heel for his title.
Winner: Ricky Steamboat via small package, at 14:35
While the crowd was calling for Savage's scalp, the multiple near-falls left them gasping. Both guys worked lightning fast and everything from Steamboat's aggressiveness to the involvement of George “The Animal” Steele played off their past. Steamboat's deep arm-drags were the best argument for wrestling as an art form.
1. Steve Austin vs. Bret Hart, WrestleMania XIII
Date: 3/29/1997
Location: Chicago
Storyline: Hart took an eight month hiatus following WrestleMania XII but returned to a different, edgier WWF. Fans cheered the rebel Austin even though he broke all the rules. Hart, meanwhile, was cast as a whiner and a relic from a different era.
Winner: Hart via Sharpshooter on a passed-out Austin, at 22:05
Why is this the greatest match in WrestleMania history?
1. The storyline. See above.
2. Innovation. Rival promotion ECW had made a mark with its violent bloody brawls but this was one of the first of its kind in the WWF.
3. Psychology. Since this was a submission match, Hart worked Austin's injured left knee throughout the match and even used a figure-four leg lock around the steel post.
4. The finish. With blood running down his face, Austin refused to submit to the Sharpshooter and lost consciousness. Guest referee Ken Shamrock had no choice but to stop the match.
5. The post-match angle. Though declared the winner, Hart continued stomping Austin's leg and left the ring to boos. The crowd then began chanting “Austin.” It's the greatest double-turn in wrestling history.
6. The fall out. Hart went on an incredibly hot run as a heel. Stone Cold became the most popular wrestler of all time. Yes, even more so than Hogan, Cena or The Rock.