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WWE Wrestlemania 34 is just over a week away and the eyes of the world will once again descend on New Orleans for the Showcase of the Immortals.
Wrestlemania has seen some brilliant moments and matches in its 34-year history and there are sure to be many more in the future. From Hulk Hogan vs. The Rock at Wrestlemania 18 to Floyd Mayweather vs. Big Show at Wrestlemania 24, the event has seen it all.
As The Greatest Spectacle in Sports Entertainment is about to celebrate its 34th event, here are the best matches to have taken place in Wrestlemania history.
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#10 Money in the Bank (Wrestlemania 21)
The first-ever Money in the Bank ladder match took place way back in 2005 and it set the tone for what was to come over the next decade. The idea, first pitched by Chris Jericho, saw six superstars compete for a briefcase above the ring, containing a contract for a title match at a time of the winner’s choosing.
The idea was great and the match also featured several ladder match specialists, including Edge, Chris Jericho, Christian and Shelton Benjamin, as well as Kane and Chris Benoit.
In fact, it was Benjamin who provided the best spot of the match, running up a diagonal ladder to clothesline Y2J back to the canvas. The MITB match later became a staple at the Showcase of the Immortals and it eventually got a pay-per-view of the same name.
Wrestlemania 26 saw the final MITB match held at the pay-per-view and it left a void in the card when it no longer appeared.
#9 Shawn Michaels vs. Kurt Angle (Wrestlemania 21)
This match was billed as “wrestler vs. sports entertainer” and while Shawn Michaels is remembered for plenty of other ‘Mania moments, his first-ever match with Kurt Angle at Wrestlemania 21 was one of the best of all time.
It lasted about 20 minutes and fans were left begging for more. Both participants put on an excellent show, both exchanging their finishing moves as well as moonsaults. In the end, it was Angle who won, forcing HBK to tap out via the ankle lock.
#8 “Macho Man” Randy Savage vs. Ricky Steamboat (Wrestlemania III)
Wrestlemania III will be remembered for Hulk Hogan bodyslamming Andre the Giant, but it featured one of the best matches in WWE in the 1980s.
The match between “Macho Man” Randy Savage and Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat was built off the back of an intense rivalry between the two wrestlers, with Steamboat looking for revenge on the Macho Man after an attack which left him with a crushed throat and damaged vocal chords.
The match featured some outstanding technical wrestling, near-falls and was a clinic which no doubt inspired dozens of future superstars.
It also highlighted the importance placed on the Intercontinental Championship, which has sadly lost its way a little since. However, this match put some perspective on the belt and goes down as one of the best of all time.
#7 Ric Flair vs. Shawn Michaels (Wrestlemania 24)
This match was built on emotion and was a fine spectacle for Ric Flair’s final appearance as a wrestler. At Wrestlemania 24 in Orlando, the climax of Flair’s retirement angle took place and he chose “Mr. Wrestlemania” to be his final opponent.
Michaels and Flair were great friends outside the ring and their match was undoubtedly the match of the night, in what was a fairly average Wrestlemania. The two exchanged moves, including the famous Ric Flair chops, inciting numerous Woos from the watching audience.
Eventually, Michaels triumphed, uttering the words “I love you” before delivering Sweet Chin Music to the vulnerable Flair. It was a night full of emotion for Flair, while it built into the storyline between Michaels and Chris Jericho for the rest of the year.
#6 The Dudley Boyz vs. The Hardy Boys vs. Edge and Christian (Wrestlemania X-Seven)
The first TLC match between these six superstars took place at Summerslam 2000 and while that match was incredible, the rematch at Wrestlemania X-Seven took things to a completely different level.
It was a human demolition derby and as JR would say, “an absolute slobberknocker”. It also featured a spot that to this day, is still shown in highlight packages.
A very young Jeff Hardy had climbed the ladder to reach the belts, before it was knocked out from beneath him, leaving him hanging there. Sensing an opportunity, Edge leaped off a ladder, spearing Hardy to the floor, in so doing creating one of the most memorable Wrestlemania moments of all-time.
#5 Shawn Michaels vs. Razor Ramon (Wrestlemania X)
This was the WWE’s first-ever ladder match and fans were excited to discover what two of the leading superstars of the age would put on. They didn’t leave feeling disappointed!
Once again it was for the Intercontinental title, with both Michaels and Razor Ramon claiming to be the true Intercontinental Champion.
It didn’t feature some of the extreme stunts that future TLC and Money in the Bank matches would have, but there was more than enough to keep fans entertained. The most memorable spot saw Michaels deliver a splash off the top of the ladder onto Ramon’s ribs.
Innovation in this match was crucial to its success and no-one would have expected to see the ladder being used as a weapon prior to the beginning. Not many matches are still talked about 24 years after they take place, but the inaugural ladder match happens to be one of them.
#4 Bret Hart vs. Owen Hart (Wrestlemania X)
The original brother vs. brother match, which the Jeff Hardy/Matt Hardy match at Wrestlemania XXV was based on, took place at Madison Square Garden back in 1994 at Wrestlemania X. It took place on the same card as the first ladder match and the fans that had tickets for the event witnessed one of the most memorable nights in WWE history.
Younger brother Owen was desperate to break out of the shadows of older brother Bret, who was on his way to becoming one of the leading wrestlers of the 1990s.
The build started at the Royal Rumble and while Owen became a leading heel, Bret became a hugely popular babyface. It was a defining moment for the brothers and remains an instant classic amongst wrestling fans.
#3 Bret Hart vs. “Stone Cold” Steve Austin (Wrestlemania 13)
The submission match between Bret Hart and Stone Cold is remembered for a variety of reasons. Hart was in his final year with the company, having gone from a crowd favorite to one routinely booed by fans, who were fed up with his complaining since returning in late 1996.
On the other hand, Austin was the anti-hero who everyone wanted to be like. He’d do whatever he wanted, whenever he wanted and didn’t care a bit about who got hurt. The two characters couldn’t have been any more different and the rivalry culminated at Wrestlemania 13, in an incredibly memorable finish.
Hart had Austin locked in the sharpshooter, and with blood trickling down Stone Cold’s face, Austin refused to tap out. In fact, the referee stopped the match, declaring Hart the winner after Austin passed out from the pain.
The Hitman was booed out of the arena, while Austin was helped to his feet to a raucous of cheers. Austin 3:16 had started a year earlier, but this match sent him on his way to superstardom.
#2 Shawn Michaels vs. Bret Hart (Wrestlemania XII)
The two biggest WWE stars of the 1990s met in an Ironman match at Wrestlemania XII to determine who was the WWE Champion. This match combined technical brilliance with a real-life rivalry between the two, who couldn’t be more different if they tried. Michaels was a showboater, always playing the crowd, while Hart was quieter but equally as effective.
After the 60-minute time limit expired, neither could force the other into a pinfall or submission and the match went to overtime to see who would emerge victorious. Michaels hit Hart with Sweet Chin Music to eventually win his first WWE Championship and it was not only a defining moment for both wrestlers, but also for the company.
18 months later, the two met at Survivor Series 1997, when the Montreal Screwjob happened, but prior to that, it signaled an end of an era where the big men dominated.
#1 Shawn Michaels vs. The Undertaker (Wrestlemania XXV)
Thirteen years after Michaels beat Hart at Wrestlemania XII, he took on The Undertaker as the latest superstar to try and end The Deadman’s streak. At the time, Undertaker had defeated 16 opponents at Wrestlemania, without losing a single match.
Everything about this bout was brilliant. The build, the entrances and eventually the match itself. Michaels’ entrance saw him descend from the heavens, while Undertaker rose from the depths of hell.
Michaels dominated the match and it genuinely looked as if he would be the one to finally end The Streak. However, he took one risk too many and after going for a moonsault, ‘Taker countered it into a Tombstone Piledriver and got the 1-2-3.
The Houston crowd applauded what they’d both seen and by the time the main event between Triple H and Randy Orton came around, they were exhausted, leading that to become a huge disappointment.
Michaels and Undertaker went on to face each other in a rematch at Wrestlemania 26. Again, ‘Taker won and HBK’s career ended, albeit in another classic match.
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