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WrestleMania 34 is around the corner, and with that, comes the biggest question that no one can seem to agree on. What is the best match in WrestleMania history? Often times, people think of what they deem as the best "wrestling" match or best WWE match. That isn't the case, but WWE does wait to have their absolute best go down on the grandest stage of them all. They put a match card together with their biggest rivalries and storylines of the year, with hopes it all turns out well.
Matches are also subjective and their quality is often based on opinion. Take the match over in New Japan Pro-Wrestling with Kenny Omega and Kazuchika Okada at Wrestle Kingdom 11. The match was thought to be great by all, but some rated it 5 to 6 stars. Meanwhile, others rated it slightly lower. Regardless of the agreed upon greatness, it was the level in which this match that was appreciated which pointed to this flaw.
No matter how much you like a match, it does not mean your friend will love it as much. On top of this, rating older matches in today's wrestling climate is also a danger for the opinion of those matches. At the time, there could have been a terrific match. But when one fast-forwards 20 years, that match becomes less amazing than what it was then. Regardless of the opinion, one thing is true. When it comes to WrestleMania, everyone has their favorite match or matches from it.
This annual event is going into its 34th year, consecutively. There are some who saw every match from all of the events, while there are some who will watch their first. WWE has something for everyone from their history. Whether you're new or a seasoned veteran of the product, we felt that it would be great to show off some of the best matches WrestleMania ever produced. As mentioned, it's all based on opinion. We based the list on the impact of the match before, quality of it, story involved, and impact following it. We hope you enjoy our 20 greatest WrestleMania matches of all-time. Let us know if your favorite missed the list.
An Opportunist Is Born Through A Hardcore Legend-WrestleMania 22
Mick Foley today is known as a hardcore legend due to his time in a lot of hardcore matches in his career. He played multiple characters in his time with the company, but likely none more popular than Mankind. While this character had some mental instability, he also was known for being able to get things done. Meanwhile, the Cactus Jack character was a man who cared nothing about boundaries or levels. He's cross anything in front of him and he did not mind pushing until there was nowhere else to push. Combining this two characters with the lovable Dude Love made Foley who he was.
This crazed psychopath took on another crazed psychopath at WrestleMania 22. The setting was that the two had a growing distaste for another. Foley did not like the way Edge was conducting himself at the time. He became a heel, finally going solo. He would steal Matt Hardy's girlfriend in Lita(for real), and find every opportunity to cheat and win a fight. He was the pioneer of cashing in Money in the Bank, as he did this at New Years Revolution shortly before on John Cena, who came out of an Elimination Chamber match at the time of the cash-in. Though Edge lost it right back to Cena, Foley had distaste still.
He felt Edge had everything it took to be great but squandered it due to his actions of the day. Meanwhile, Edge hated Foley for being the pioneer of hardcore wrestling and why he had to fight twice as hard today. He also felt he made him irrelevant due to being better than him in that field, having done things with ladders no one dreamed of as a tag team and solo performer. The fight would be bitter, both men getting battered and blooded. Edge would finally beat Foley after spearing him from the ring into a table on fire below. Seriously, that happened. It was an incredible match no one could forget.
The Women's Evolution-WrestleMania 32
Before 2014, it seemed that WWE did not really care about women's wrestling. Even when they had people like Trish Stratus and Lita full-time, the girls were after-thoughts. They would wear very little clothing, do bra and panty matches, and that was the extent. Wrestling at WrestleMania would be considered a luxury for most. In fact, most women cannot say they wrestled more than 4 times on the grandest stage of them all.
Enter 2015, WWE now sees people care about women's wrestling. So Stephanie McMahon decides to lead a charge, and be at the center of bringing up new girls from WWE NXT and push the WWE Divas division. When WrestleMania 32 hit, they realized they could not push everyone but only a few. That allowed them to pick the NXT girls in Becky Lynch, Sasha Banks, and then-WWE Diva's Champion Charlotte Flair. The company would retire the Diva's Title at WrestleMania 32 and bring in a new WWE Women's Championship. On top of this, they would rebrand the division from the Diva's Division to the Women's Division for the first time since a female title was introduced.
The winner of this match between Banks, Lynch, and Flair would be the new Women's Champ. All three fought hard and had an absolutely terrific match. They pulled out all the stops, from crazy spots on the outside the ring to crazy spots inside the ring. Charlotte would win, with a little help from her father and WWE Hall of Famer, Ric Flair. This match was considered the best of the show and laid the ground for a women's revolution after the evolution. It all started here, with a match that will always go down as one of the best women's matches in history, especially at the show of shows.
The Olympian Meets The Wolverine-WrestleMania 17
The card at WrestleMania 17 was stacked, as you'll notice from this list. However, going into the evening a lot of people had a serious question. When one thinks of technical performers, who is the best of the day? Is it Kurt Angle or Chris Benoit? Benoit had been a multi-time champion by this time and Angle had been as well. Both were considered mid-carders and both likely deserved a title match on WrestleMania. However, they felt like something would land better than a title. Bragging rights.
At this point, Benoit had proven to the world that he could be a top performer in the ring. He proved that he could work well with anyone, at any time, in any venue. Meanwhile, Angle wrestled in the 1996 Summer Olympics where he won a Gold Medal in freestyle wrestling, one of the first and only American men to do this in the modern era. He would be recruited to come to WWE, and he managed to sign a few years down the line. He would win multiple titles right off.
Both men felt they were the best in-ring technicians in the game, and it was easy to assume that they were. Yet who was truly the best? This match had to decide this for the fans who asked the question so often. At WrestleMania 17, people would get their answer. The match would go about 14 minutes, where Angle managed to win. Angle and Benoit both went on to have wild success in the WWE. Sadly, Benoit's career would end in a horrible way while Angle still performs today. Regardless of how people feel about either performer, both left us with an amazing match we'll never forget at WrestleMania 17.
The Ladder Match Of Intercontinental Proportions-WrestleMania 10
Heading into WrestleMania 10, there were few better rivals in pro-wrestling and especially WWE than Shawn Michaels and Razor Ramon. Michaels had become the heartbreak kid due to his impressive nature to break the hearts of female fans, but likely also due to breaking hearts in the matches he won. Meanwhile, the Italian Ramon was a huge man who had terrific in-ring ability, with speed and strength to go with his size. Michaels was no slouch, however, and had his own skills few could argue.
Michaels would create another WWE Intercontinental Championship that would double as his own personal one, while Ramon had the real one. The reason was due to Michaels being stripped of the original title because he was not defending it enough. It turns out that he was refusing to drop it, according to reports. Ramon would go on to win the vacated title, while Michaels refused to acknowledge the title change. He did not lose the title, after all, so he would walk around with his own.
That led to the first-ever Ladder match at WrestleMania. WWE needed to find the real, Undisputed Intercontinental Champion and this ladder match would go on to provide that. Both men did amazing and crazy things with the ladder as a weapon, something very new for the time. While Michaels did have Deisel supposedly there to help, he did not do much good. As Michaels would get wrapped up and unable to stop Razor from winning the match as he pulled down both titles, to officially beat Michaels for them.
The Walls Of Jericho Fall In Heartbreak City-WrestleMania 19
Chris Jericho was known as one of the best wrestlers in the world while in his prime, and in 2003 he surely was right there. Meanwhile, Shawn Michaels is known by many as the best in-ring performer of all-time. It made sense that the two would cross paths and possibly wrestle one day. A decision had to be made over who the true best was, and a match could certainly help shift opinion a certain direction. At WWE Survivor Series the previous year, Shawn Michaels would win the first ever Elimination Chamber match.
It was in this match as well that he would win his first and only World Heavyweight Championship. He'd lose the title to Triple H at WWE Armageddon shortly after. Michaels would appear in a segment with Jericho shortly after his loss to Triple H. Jericho would call Michaels "washed up," and even threaten to attack the heartbreak kid. Jericho would then turn around to a superkick from Michaels. This angered Jericho, who told Michaels on The Highlight Reel that he idolized him. But then he eliminated him in the Royal Rumble match. Michaels then returned later in the match to eliminate Jericho.
That led to the two coming together for a match at WrestleMania 19. Jericho pulled out everything in his bag of tricks, even going straight to Walls of Jericho at the start of the match. However, Michaels knew he had something to prove to Chris, and worked to make sure he'd never tap or get pinned by Y2J. He'd accomplish just that, beating Jericho in the middle of the ring. While the two were not done here, this match did go to show Michaels still had it and could get it done on the grandest stage of them all like he did years prior.
The People's Hulkamania-WrestleMania 18
Heading into 2002, Vince McMahon got lucky. Back in 2001, he bought WCW and all that came with it. That meant anyone under contract to WCW at the time, on top of all their licensing, video library, etc. However, the major stars of the promotion made their deals with Time Warner and not WCW. That included the three major NWO members, Scott Hall, Kevin Nash, and Hulk Hogan. Their deals would not be up until 2002, which made them eligible to bring in by that time. So Vince did just that, bringing the NWO to WWE in order to destroy it. He was in a rivalry with Ric Flair, it's a long story.
The return of all three performers allowed WWE to put the past versus present, with the prime match in all of this being The Rock vs Hulk Hogan. After the NWO would attack Rock, he'd challenge the Hulkster to a match at WrestleMania 18. A match that would be in front of thousands of Hulkamaniacs up in Canada. The two would meet, and though Hogan was the heel in this match with Rock being the face, fans cheered for Hogan. Due to Hulk being such a beloved figure for so long, fans could not just forget this.
They did not want the black and white, NWO, "Hollywood" Hulk Hogan. They wanted the red and yellow, say your prayers and eat your vitamins, Hulk Hogan, brother! So they cheered. The match was spectacular, especially for Hogan who was older at the time and had not proven he could work well against younger and faster talent of the day. The Rock would win, but as Nash and Hall came to take out Hogan...Rock would come back to protect the Hulkster. This resulted in a friendship and posedown in the ring. With Hogan leaving the NWO colors behind for the original red and yellow once again.
Tables, Ladders, And Chairs...Oh My!-WrestleMania 17
Entering 2001, one thing was important to find out. Who was the best tag team in the WWE? Was it Edge & Christian, men who had won many titles and got it done for years as a top tag team? Was it The Dudley Boyz, an unstoppable force in and out of WWE, who proved they could go to the extreme, at any time? Or finally, was it The Hardy Boyz, a real-life brother duo who did not meet a risk they were unwilling to take in order to win a match? Before all of this, each team had proven proficiency with an object.
The Hardy's knew how to use ladders well, The Dudley's knew all about tables, and E&C were maestros with a chair. WWE Commissioner Mick Foley wanted to know who the best was himself, but also decided to use these lovely objects to determine it. That led to the invention of Tables, Ladders, and Chairs...better known today as TLC that occurred at WWE SummerSlam in 2000. However, it seems like the teams were still not sure who the best was. That led us to TLC 2, likely the best of the series for these tag teams, at WrestleMania 17.
They literally left everything out there. Matt Hardy and Bubba Ray Dudley would fall of ladders in the ring to tables set up on the outside of it. Jeff Hardy would jump off a ladder through a table below that a few opponents were on. Rhyno would come in to help E&C, while Lita came out to help the Hardy's, and Spike Dudley came out to help The Dudleys. All got involved and were put down as a result.
Likely the most memorable moment was when Edge speared Jeff Hardy from the daggling titles hanging above, as he was jumping from a ladder to bring Hardy down to the floor below. While The Dudley's entered as WWE Tag Team Champs, Edge and Christian left WrestleMania 17 as the new ones. All three teams were forever changed by TLC II, and nothing has since topped this in ladder or TLC match form.
The Wolverine Goes Rabid For Gold-WrestleMania 20
Heading into WrestleMania 20. Shawn Michaels and Triple H could not stop being at each other's throat. Neither man liked the other and hadn't for over a year by this point. Triple H was the World Heavyweight Champion but Michaels wanted to take this from him. He would not even mind ending his career as well. Whatever Shawn had to do, he'd do it. But a monkey wrench was thrown into things. Chris Benoit won the Royal Rumble match that year. As a result, he would be guaranteed a World Title match of his choosing at WrestleMania. Benoit decided he wanted the World Heavyweight Title on WWE RAW.
However, Triple H and Michaels were still embroiled in their rivalry. Their match at WWE Royal Rumble that year would be incredible, but it would result in a draw. This allowed Triple H to remain champion but Michaels could say he never lost. This made most feel it would only be natural to have the two wrestle again at WrestleMania that year. As Michaels pled his case, General Manager "Stone Cold" Steve Austin brought the Rumble winner out. He said Benoit would get the match with Triple H.
Michaels then pretty much demanded later on to be added, yet Chris refused to just let him in the match. Michaels then super-kicked him to KO the man. He'd then sign in Benoit's place on the contract that he was attempting to sign before Michaels' interruption. The decision was made to a triple threat match. The three would battle it out at WrestleMania 20, in the main event of the show. Everyone fought until Benoit managed to find a way to get the crossface submission on Triple H, forcing a tap-out. After the match, a great celebration occurred with WWE Champion Eddie Guerrero in the middle of the ring. Both friends, of smaller stature, getting it done as champions at WrestleMania.
The Slam Heard 'Round The World-WrestleMania 3
By the time WrestleMania 3 rolled around, the first two had wild success. Vince McMahon knew that there were many opportunities to make the next even better. He worked hard to accomplish this, and he knew there was only one match that he could use to sell the WrestleMania III card. Before this event took place, McMahon helped to make Hulk Hogan one of the biggest names in sports. Due to the success of this, he also managed to create other stars. One of those major names on top of Hogan was Andre The Giant.
Andre had just come off of filming Princess Bride and was pretty much retired. The issue is that McMahon wanted to get one big last match for Andre, and he knew the 8th Wonder of the World could help to make Hogan a top star for years to come through this match. He would somehow talk Andre into a final match, where he'd turn Andre into a heel and have Bobby Heenan become his manager. Hogan and Andre had been friends notably on and off television, so it was surprising when Andre interrupted Hogan in an interview and demanded a match with him for Hogan's WWE Championship.
Hogan claimed he would have given it to him out of respect, and he did not need to go about it this way. The two would finally come to blows at the event, and the match would see Hogan being beaten up throughout by Andre. Finally, the Hulkster found an opening and managed to slam the near 600lb giant to the mat, hitting his infamous leg drop and getting the pin. This would do wild success for WWE, and Hogan would be cemented as one of the biggest names in sports for years due to it. Andre would go into retirement and sadly pass away in 1993. He'd be forever remembered for his work with the company and helping to make Hogan a star, even more than he already was.
Brother vs Brother-WrestleMania 10
Bret Hart was always the star in the family. He was one of the top guys in WWE for years, held the WWE Championship on many occasions, and even main evented WrestleMania. Meanwhile, his little brother Owen Hart always felt he was better. To some, he really was. Owen was more athletic than his brother and was insanely good in the ring. Being younger, he was also a bit faster with a much brighter future. Owen wanted people to know he was the best among them, as he grew a small hatred over his brother being the one everyone said was the best Hart.
Their rivalry started truthfully at the 1993 Survivor Series event, where the Hart brothers were on the same team. Bret got hurt, storyline injury of course. This made Owen check on Bret to lose focus and the match. He would be upset and demand a match with Bret after wanting to prove himself, but be turned down. The two would get past their issues, with the two yet again teaming up at the Royal Rumble event a few months later. Once again Bret would have a storyline injury, causing Owen to want to attack Bret for it. This led to Owen yet again demanding a match, something Bret then felt he must give him.
The brothers would fight at WrestleMania 10, with no one knowing who would win. Would it be younger brother Owen bettering the brother everyone claimed was best? Or would the veteran Bret get one over on the younger sibling? The match gave us everything one could want in a one on one singles match with a Hart involved. Technical wrestling was seen throughout, with both men continuing to refuse to be pinned or submit to the other. It would get better with every false finish and rope break. Finally, a pin was achieved when Owen would get the 3-count and beat his older brother, to the shock of most watching.
"I'm Sorry, I Love You"-WrestleMania 24
Heading into WrestleMania 24, Ric Flair had been wrestling for around 4 decades. He was working part-time for WWE as an in-ring performer by this point in his career. However, Vince McMahon wanted to give Flair a big way to go out as a WWE Superstar. So they made an incredible story that is beloved today. On television, McMahon would come out and tell Ric Flair that he could not lose another singles match in WWE, or his career would be over. Flair had to do all he could to win every time he would wrestle, as every single match counted. Eventually, Ric Flair wanted to wrestle at WrestleMania and needed an opponent for it.
This very well could be his last one, so the right opponent mattered. Enter Shawn Michaels, a man known as Mr. WrestleMania by this point in his career. This was due to his several amazing matches on the show over the years. Flair wanted to wrestle Michaels at the event, but Shawn refused. Stating that he did not want to be the man who ended the career of Ric Flair. But Ric was insulted that Shawn somehow assumed he would win, but Michaels was positive of this. Eventually, Flair pushed and pushed until Shawn accepted. So the two met at WrestleMania 24 in Orlando, Florida. Ric's kids were even in the audience. He and Michaels would be amazing together.
Shawn would hit big move after big move, but Flair would kick out. Shawn would miss a major move and Flair took advantage. Ric would also use every trick he had in his arsenal. The "dirtiest player in the game" was known as this due to the vast amount of cheap tricks he got away with in a match. Most of it against the rules. Eventually, Flair was down and Michaels was in the corner in prime position for his patented Sweet Chin Music superkick. He did not want to do it, but Flair demanded he finish it. The powerful moment came as Shawn told Ric "I'm sorry, I love you." He'd then deliver the kick, pin Flair, ending his career. The story was beautiful and made every wrestling fan tear up a bit.
The Miracle On Bourbon Street-WrestleMania 30
Dating back to 2013, Daniel Bryan had been proving for years that he was a worthy main event WWE Superstar. Though he was not the size of other prototypical top stars for the company, fans loved him. His YES! Chant became a massive success for both WWE and Bryan overall. He had been the World Heavyweight Champion, but it seemed every year the opportunity at WrestleMania would be something relatively small. Either that or disrespectful in some way. Whether he was forced to drop his World Title in 18 seconds, had a random tag match, or a pre-show battle royal...Bryan was constantly overlooked.
Many thought he made it back on top when he would beat John Cena at WWE SummerSlam in 2013 for the WWE Championship. Yet Triple H, the guest referee in that match, hit his finisher on Bryan and Randy Orton would cash-in his Money in the Bank briefcase to get the easy win and title change. Bryan did not take this lying down, and fans went crazy on Triple H and WWE at large. Batista would win the Royal Rumble in 2014, giving him the World Title match in the main event of WrestleMania 30 that year. Overlooking Bryan again, for a match people did not want to see over Bryan being in it instead.
Eventually, WWE had to relent. If he could beat Triple H first at WrestleMania 30, he would be added to the main event of the show for the title. Not only would the two have a great match, but Bryan would beat The Game. This allowed him to get into the title match later in the show. The match would be terrific, with the triple threat leading to a lot of rules being bent. Triple H and Stephanie McMahon tried to interfere to stop Bryan winning as well. But they could not. Bryan would put the YES! Lock on Batista, forcing him to tap out. Bryan would win the WWE World Title, in the main event. Securing him as one of the best WWE Superstars of all time. And the fans' choice for the top guy in WWE.
The Olympic Dream Breaks The Hearts Of Millions-WrestleMania 21
In 1996, Kurt Angle would win an Olympic Gold Medal in Freestyle-Wrestling. He was one of the few American men to do it. This made him a big name around the world, but especially in the United States. He caught everyone's attention, including all three major pro-wrestling companies. While he would eventually end up in WWE, he'd come to a resentment period for one man. At the same time, Angle won a Gold Medal, Shawn Michaels was coming to the ring on a zip line and having an incredible match at WrestleMania. That is all people could talk about, and Angle could not stand it.
He knew that when he made it to WWE, he would not only get the chance to wrestle and outshine all there...but also outshine Shawn Michaels. As luck would have it, Michaels would come out of retirement by 2002. By the time WrestleMania 21 rolled around, a few years had passed and Michaels was available to wrestle Angle, who had been on the opposite brand of Shawn. Michaels would eliminate Angle in the Royal Rumble match in 2005, resulting in Angle being furious and would come back to furiously attack him.
Both were on opposite brands at the time, so a RAW vs SmackDown match had to occur. As Angle challenged Michaels, Shawn would have challenged if Angle did not. Angle could not stand that Michaels was called the best, as he felt HE was the true best. Michaels wanted to get payback. So it was a perfect story. The two would put on a clinic in the ring. It was back and forth throughout and would leave us on the edge of our seats. It was terrific and made everyone happy in the end. Angle would walk away the victor, but Michaels made him work for it in a major way.
The Rivalry To End All Rivalries-WrestleMania 17
Heading into WrestleMania 17, The Rock and "Stone Cold" Steve Austin were at the top of WWE. Both were the best in the world, with people often taking sides as to who was the true best. Both were involved in Attitude Era WWE, the highest rated version of WWE programming. Everyone talked about WWE at the time and they made news on a routine basis. With these two men being at the top of the company at the time, it made sense to assume that everyone would pay close attention to both men in a very big way. Austin hated The Rock and Rock hated Austin.
Both men had fought several times before, but WrestleMania 17 would be very special. It would be the main event, and for the WWE Championship. Austin was obviously not the best of friends with Vince McMahon, the WWE owner, heading into this event. The two had a storied rivalry where both made the lives of the other a living hell as often as possible. It would come as no surprise that McMahon threw monkey wrenches into the plans for everything as the match drew near. Even making Austin's wife Debra act as manager for The Rock.
We all assumed that the result would be where Austin would go into WrestleMania, and ultimately the former pet of the Owner would become the victor. Rock had been a Corporate Stooge for McMahon well before this, but if there was ever a time to get back in good graces with the boss...it would be WrestleMania. The two would meet at the event and go right after each other, landing punch after punch. The back and forth would last for some time, with Vince coming down to get involved. To the shock of everyone, he was there to take the side of Austin. Even giving him access to a steel chair.
Austin would beat down Rock and ultimately win the match. Austin would hug McMahon, taking the boss' side to the shock of everyone. The twist-ending was something no one saw coming. McMahon screwed over The Rock, something he regretted only a few months later.
The Rise Of The Next Big Thing-WrestleMania 19
WrestleMania 19 was coming up in 2003, and Brock Lesnar was becoming a massive star for the company for the entire year prior. He made himself known in a major way back in 2002 and would be drafted to WWE RAW during the inaugural WWE Draft for Ric Flair. He would win the King of the Ring that year and earn a title shot against The Rock at WWE SummerSlam where he would become victorious and the new WWE Undisputed Champion. All of this in his first 6 months. He'd eventually leave with Stephanie McMahon and head over to SmackDown to be their champion and not the champion of both shows. He'd lose the title but had a shot to earn it again.
He'd win the 2003 Royal Rumble and allow himself a shot at the WWE Champion Kurt Angle at WrestleMania 19. Brock would be called "The Next Big Thing" by Paul Heyman, as well as the announcers. He certainly was, as no athlete could compare to Lesnar. Except for, well, likely Kurt Angle. Brock was a freak that won the genetic lottery, and to this day still maintains that freak nature of athleticism. He would meet Angle in the main event of the show that year and the two would battle it out for a while to make the match amazing. Before this went down, Angle really messed up his neck and needed surgery to repair it. He had to convince Vince McMahon behind the scenes to allow him the chance to do it.
McMahon allowed it, and Angle would get the match. The idea was always to have Lesnar win, so the two would just need to do a great match and have Lesnar go over. During the match, the near 300lb Lesnar would climb the top rope and go for a shooting star press, which was amazing enough....but he'd mess up with not rotating enough and landed hard on his neck. We'd later found out he got lucky with only a few vertebrae issues, rather than a broken neck. Lesnar would somehow keep going and the two had a classic despite the injuries.
Lesnar, of course, won. Many thought Lesnar would be WWE's next big thing after this, and he was. But for only one more year, as he left the following year in his mid-20's after just not enjoying being in WWE any longer.
The Ironman Match-WrestleMania 12
Shawn Michaels was the best in-ring performer in the world but Bret Hart was a proven champion for WWE, who had been the best professional wrestler in the world at that time. Both could get it done on a grand stage, but Michaels was younger and the man WWE wanted to go with as the leader of the new generation. Meanwhile, Bret Hart was never a fan of Michaels. Both in real-life and on WWE programming. Hart vs Michaels would truly need a special match where they could decide who the best truly was. So in 1996, the invention of the Ironman match would come to pass for WrestleMania 12.
Michaels and Hart would fight in the main event of the show, but in a match that would last one hour. The person with the most falls by the end of the hour would become the WWE Champion. Bret would walk in as champion, with many feeling confident he would be able to beat The Heartbreak Kid. Though others knew Michaels had the ability to not only beat Hart, but outperform him like he had done with so many others. The two would battle it out for the exact time as advertised for their match at WrestleMania. Neither would seemingly give the other the joy of getting a submission, pin, or even as much as a DQ or Countout victory.
As the Ironman match came to a close, the clock ticked down as Hart had Michaels in a submission hold. He refused to tap, and as time elapsed the champion had not been beaten. So naturally he would go home the winner, right? Not at WrestleMania. The match would be restarted with sudden-death rules, in that the next fall would earn the victory. Hart and Michaels already passed an hour in the ring, would both fight in exhausted fashion. Finally, Michaels was able to hit sweet chin music and beat The Hitman. This resulted in his first WWE Championship, and a run of several amazing WrestleMania matches over several years.
The End Of An Era-WrestleMania 28
While he wrestled The Undertaker years ago during WrestleMania 17, Triple H would yet again battle The Phenom on the grandest stage of them all at WrestleMania 27. The two would be in a no holds barred match, which meant anything would go. Both men would destroy the other, and though Undertaker won....he did not walk out under his own power. Triple H, though he lost, walked away from the fight without issue. This stuck with Undertaker, which made him want to challenge The Game to one more match. This time, he'd not only win...but walk away as well. Triple H initially refused, stating it was not best for business to end The Undertaker. Because that is what he'd have to do when they fought again.
The Undertaker scoffed at this thought. He'd continue to press him and press him until he made the statement that got to Triple H: "Ya know Hunter, Shawn Michaels was always better than you." This ate away at Triple H for years, as he never wanted people to say he wasn't as good as his best friend, Shawn Michaels. He agreed to the match at WrestleMania 29, but only if the two did it inside Hell in a Cell. A match both perfected and appeared in or won more than anyone else in history. Naturally, Shawn felt this was weird, and though he did not care for The Undertaker...he did not like Triple H being angry that he was better. Shawn would become the special guest referee in the match.
The day would come, and the WWE would dub it "the end of an era." Triple H would walk into WrestleMania 29 looking to end The Undertaker's WrestleMania winning streak and the man himself. While Shawn counted it out. The match was awesome. It lived up to every expectation. Both men used the cell to their advantage, with both getting blooded and bruised throughout. Michaels would at one point superkick Undertaker into a pedigree from Triple H. Michaels would count the pin, but Taker would kick out.
Eventually, The Undertaker would get the advantage and hit his finisher on Triple H. Michaels would be forced to count to three on his best friend, and help the man who retired him to win. It was terrific.
What A "Cold-Harted Snake"-WrestleMania 13
To most, WrestleMania 13 was the best WrestleMania of all-time. Though everyone has their favorite, one does have to see why this event is so beloved. However, you may not need to really look very far. The event included "Stone Cold" Steve Austin vs Bret Hart. Austin was known for being a foul-mouthed figurehead of the incoming Attitude Era. Meanwhile, Bret Hart was the conservative Canadian technical wrestler. A man who did things by the book, conservative but effective. Austin was called a rattlesnake, due to striking with his stunner at any time. Meanwhile, Bret Hart did not mind wrestling an hour if it meant he scientifically destroyed you.
The two could not be more opposite. Austin was coming up at the time, he had won King of the Ring, and was proving to people he deserved to be given a bigger shot. He could cut a promo like none other before him, or even since. He was also a gifted in-ring performer as well. Due to knee injuries, he had to change his style up, but overall...he could wrestle circles around most. The same could be said for Bret Hart, which was the one thing they may have had in common. Fast-forward to WrestleMania 13, and the two would be pitted in a match. The two would be involved in a submission match.
Though Austin was not known for submissions, he had a very well-known sleeper hold he applied at the time. Meanwhile, Hart was known for his sharpshooter. Anything goes in this match, as the end goal is that you have to make your opponent submit. MMA Fighter-turned WWE Superstar, Ken Shamrock, was the guest ref in the match. Austin and Hart would go to town on one another, Austin taking the most beatings.
Austin continued to refuse. He'd yell, but refuse to tap despite it all. Austin would ultimately pass out. Hart would win the match, but continued to be rowdy. This was the first real time where a double-turn occurred. Hart showed his bad guy side in all of this, and due to his determination and never give up to the end attitude, Austin was seen as a good guy. It would launch Austin's career in a massive way, while Hart would remain a top figure until his departure later in the year.
Mr. WrestleMania Vs The Streak-WrestleMania 25
Arguably the greatest match The Undertaker or Shawn Michaels ever had was at WrestleMania 25 against each other. Heading into the event, Shawn Michaels had plans to have a major match. He wanted a World Title match, as did The Undertaker. But neither would get their wish. The Undertaker would tell Shawn Michaels at The Royal Rumble that year "sometimes it's hell, trying to get to heaven." The two would end up realizing they could have a great match together. The Undertaker never had someone push him the way Shawn did his entire career. At the time, arguably no man in the world was better in the ring than Michaels. This made Undertaker feel he could finally get a real challenge.
Before this, he had gone on a massive winning streak at WrestleMania. No one could beat him there. Seriously, no one could do it. Meanwhile, Michaels made WrestleMania his home. The dude made a classic match after classic match happen at this event. Check out our list alone for proof of this. So much so, he would be given the moniker of "Mr. WrestleMania." No one out-performed Shawn Michaels in a big match situation. The stage was set for the two to battle it out and find out who truly owned this event. Would it be the dark Undertaker or the holy Shawn Michaels?
Shawn would enter the ring from the sky, being lowered down to the stage. Meanwhile, The Undertaker would come from below the stage and be raised up. Hell vs Heaven, if you will, was being played out. The two would put on what many believed was the best match they had ever seen. Kick out after kick out occurred, with Michaels refusing to give in and The Undertaker refusing to lose. Undertaker would hit his tombstone piledriver, making many assume it was over. But a kick-out occurred on the 2 and a half. Jim Ross on commentary would infamously say "I just had an out of body experience."
He was not alone, as we all did seeing this match go down. Shawn would come close, likely more than anyone at the time, of beating The Phenom at WrestleMania. Sadly, Michaels made one mistake and lost due to it. They were amazing. Michaels would challenge Undertaker the following year, putting his career on the line to beat Undertaker's streak. Shawn would lose and have to deal with The Undertaker retiring him. But it all started with this infamous encounter that no one could forget at Wrestlemania 32.
The Dragon Vs The Macho Man-WrestleMania 3
Going into WrestleMania 3, the hype was all around Andre the Giant vs Hulk Hogan. While the two would have a memorable main event, Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat would take on "Macho Man" Randy Savage. At this time, the best wrestlers usually fought for the WWE Intercontinental Championship. It was called "the worker's title." The matches were always good, and usually, you had to earn this title well before going after the WWE Championship. The two would go into WrestleMania 3 with some hype, but nothing near the main event. This led to people not giving it much credit beforehand.
Going back to watch this match, it still holds up as absolutely stunning. Savage was a proven champion by this time. He was entering as someone who, at this point, could rarely be beaten for the title. Both men would have some pressure on them, as the IC Title was expected to have a great match involved. Savage would be particular about the match, with Ricky saying later on that they had to script every move and practice it at live events before the match. It seemed to work regardless though. As both delivered likely the best match in WrestleMania history, possibly of all-time.
It had everything. From the use of their respective manager or valet, or the crazy false-finishes the entire time. Ricky pulled out everything he had as did Savage. Both knew the winner ahead of time would be Steamboat. This led them to come up with a finish that would stun after such an amazing match. They'd go with a small package pin, where Ricky would beat Savage for the championship. No finisher to end it, and no controversy on if someone won. It was clean over the champ. Which not only shocked fans watching, but it was unexpected by some in the back too. It had everything, and though it did not get the hype before the event....it's far more spoken of than any other match that night these days.
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