Y’all know I’m going to do this shit every year as long as I’m EIC at this web site, right? We’re just a few days away from Wrestlemania 36, and we’re gearin’ up for a quarantined couple of nights in as the show is taking place over two nights. Today, we’re revisiting the grand debate – trying to determine which are the best matches in Wrestlemania history. It’s a list – I know everyone loves lists….
The 36 Best Matches in Wrestlemania History
36. Randy Orton vs. Seth Rollins, Wrestlemania 31 – On a stacked card, Orton and Rollins stole the show. Who can forget that iconic Curb Stomp reversal?
35. A.J. Styles vs. Shane McMahon, Wrestlemania 33 – It was the most fun match on a very long card. Thankfully, it capitalized on still having our attention….considering it opened the show and all.
34. Kurt Angle & Ronda Rousey vs. The Authority, WrestleMania 34 – WrestleMania 34 started off promisingly enough, but stalled quickly as the night went on. This mixed tag match marked Rousey’s debut, was a barrel of fun, and end up being the best match of the night.
33. World Heavyweight Championship: Batista vs. The Undertaker, Wrestlemania 23 – Probably would be remembered more if it wasn’t the fourth match on the show, but it was a fun, hard-hitting championship contest.
32. The Rock vs. Hulk Hogan, Wrestlemania X-8 – Icon vs. Icon, sure – but let’s not act like the match was actually worthy of a top 10 spot.
31. World Heavyweight Championship: Edge vs. The Undertaker, Wrestlemania XXIV – An underrated ‘Mania main event. This was when The Streak was just gettin’ good.
30. Women’s Championship: Sasha Banks vs. Becky Lynch vs. Charlotte Flair, Wrestlemania 32 – Honestly, this match could’ve been the main event as one of the lone bright spots on an otherwise boring show. Hindsight is 20/20.
29. No Holds Barred: Triple H vs. Batista, WrestleMania 35 – Any time you see a man get his nose ring ripped out with a pair of pliers, you know you’re watching a fight. The build to this one was awesome. It was physical. It was big. It was meaningful. It was everything you’d want in a No Holds Barred match.
28. WWE Championship: Randy Orton vs. Batista vs. Daniel Bryan, Wrestlemania XXX – The culmination of the Yes Movement was incredibly fun to watch.
27. WWE Championship: Ric Flair vs. Randy Savage, Wrestlemania VIII – She was mine before she was your’s! Say no more, fam.
26. Chris Benoit vs. Kurt Angle, Wrestlemania X-Seven – Virtually no story going into it, but these guys made it feel like a main event.
25. WWE Championship: Kurt Angle vs. Brock Lesnar, Wrestlemania XIX – Remembered for the botched Shooting Star Press, but the main event of Wrestlemania XIX was a classic regardless before that spot.
24. Intercontinental Championship: Bret Hart vs. Rowdy Roddy Piper, Wrestlemania VIII – Another underrated ‘Mania contest. This one features two of the greatest competitors of all time with a fantastic finish.
23. World Championship: Triple H vs. Shawn Michaels vs. Chris Benoit, Wrestlemania XX – WWE won’t talk about it because of Benoit, but it’s a classic main event from a classic Wrestlemania.
22. Intercontinental Championship Ladder Match: Shawn Michaels vs. Razor Ramon, Wrestlemania X – A revolutionary match between two guys who were just reaching the cusp of their full potential.
21. WWE Tag Team Championship, TLC II: Edge & Christian vs. The Dudley Boys vs. The Hardy Boyz, Wrestlemania X-Seven – A demolition derby that was the peak of excitement and represents the best of an entire era of tag team wrestling.
20. Stone Cold Steve Austin vs. The Rock, Wrestlemania XIX – Austin’s last match was full of twists and turns and was the best showing these two had at ‘Mania.
19. Ric Flair vs. Shawn Michaels, Wrestlemania XXIV – High drama – I always said “I’m sorry – I love you” was the 2000s era version of Hogan slamming Andre. Just that classic, quintessential Wrestlemania moment.
18. WWE Championship: Eddie Guerrero vs. Kurt Angle, Wrestlemania XX – A strong technical showing that made Guerrero look like he belonged with the best champs in history.
17. WWE Championship: C.M. Punk vs. Chris Jericho, Wrestlemania XXVIII – Underrated in my book. Great drama, great action.
16. Daniel Bryan vs. Triple H, Wrestlemania XXX – A technically tight, sound showdown that personified the anti-establishment vs. the establishment.
15. Extreme Rules Match: Edge vs. Mick Foley, Wrestlemania 22 – Mick Foley’s “Wrestlemania moment” made for one brutal showdown that elevated Edge as a dastardly heel.
14. WWE Championship: Roman Reigns vs. Brock Lesnar, Wrestlemania 31 – A great underdog story without the Seth Rollins cash-in, but a great moment with it.
13. C.M. Punk vs. The Undertaker, Wrestlemania 29 – It should’ve been for the WWE Championship, and it should’ve been the main event.
12. WWE & Intercontinental Championship: Hulk Hogan vs. Ultimate Warrior, Wrestlemania VI – Maybe it wasn’t that great of a match in retrospect. But, you can’t help but respect the magnitude of The Ultimate Challenge
11. Shawn Michaels vs. The Undertaker, Wrestlemania XXV – I’m simply not as high on this match as everyone else. The rematch was better.
10. Hell in a Cell Match: Triple H vs. The Undertaker, Wrestlemania XXVIII – The brutal “end of an era” slugfest felt absolutely draining, both physically and emotionally
9. Bret Hart vs. Owen Hart, Wrestlemania X – A deeply personal technical masterpiece.
8. WWE Championship: John Cena vs. Shawn Michaels, Wrestlemania 23 – One of the best main events in Wrestlemania history. Underrated in its ability to sell Michaels as a legitimate era to prime Super Cena.
7. WWE Championship: Daniel Bryan vs. Kofi Kingston, WrestleMania 35 – It’s been a long time since a match came along and had quite this level of impact. I’d argue it had been since the Yes Movement five years prior to this one. In fact, Kofi’s rise to WWE Champion had people drawing a lot of parallels between those two championship programs. This one was one for the ages.
6. Kurt Angle vs. Shawn Michaels, Wrestlemania 21 – A veritable dream match between two of the best workers of all time.
5. Chris Jericho vs. Shawn Michaels, Wrestlemania XIX – My two favorites in an underrated showing from a stacked card.
4. Career vs. The Streak, Shawn Michaels vs. The Undertaker, Wrestlemania XXVI – The stakes were higher, it was the main event spot, it was better than the first match.
3. WWE Championship Iron Man Match: Bret Hart vs. Shawn Michaels, Wrestlemania XII – If it didn’t last an hour, it’s #1. But, this match is hard to sit through in its entirety.
2. Intercontinental Championship: Randy Savage vs. Ricky Steamboat, Wrestlemania III – One of the classics that helped define the prestige of the Intercontinental Championship and springboard the careers of two of the industry’s greatest.
1. Submission Match: Stone Cold Steve Austin vs. Bret Hart, Wrestlemania 13 – One of the greatest matches of all time, this one only gets better with age.
Whew – holy shit….did we make it through that entire list????
Stoney Keeley is the Editor in Chief of The SoBros Network. He is a strong supporter of Team GSD and #BeBetter. “Big Natural” covers the Tennessee Titans, Alabama Crimson Tide football, the WWE, and a whole wealth of nonsense. Follow on Twitter @StoneyKeeley
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