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When wrestling fans think of wrestling events, they think of WrestleMania. WrestleMania persists not only as a wrestling mega-show, but also as a crossover between sports entertainment and pop culture.
The involvement of pop culture icons in WrestleMania storylines continues to be an effective way for the WWE to expand its audience. Celebrities frequently appear at WrestleMania as a part of the crowd or matches, and sometimes they even perform live.
While the appearance of celebrities compliments wrestlers’ in-ring performance, a stand-out WrestleMania showing influences can boost an entertainer’s standing in the company. By the same token, a mistake or botch can land one in trouble.
However, the main event is the culmination of this mega show and should stand out. Thus, here are the top ten WrestleMania main events in no specific order. These ten matches were chosen based on their importance, match quality, build up, and historical significance.
#10 Wrestlemania VI: Hulk Hogan vs The Ultimate Warrior for the WWF championship
In 1990, Hulk Hogan and The Ultimate Warrior were two of the biggest Superstars in the WWE. Leading up to Wrestlemania VI in Toronto, WWE had positioned The Ultimate Warrior, then Intercontinental champion, The Ultimate Warrior, as the next megastar. He was soon to be on Hogan’s level.
During the road to WrestleMania, the two entertainers delivered passionate sometimes strange promos against each other. Neither wrestler was known for their technical acumen, but they were able to put on an entertaining 20-minute plus match.
Hulk Hogan missed his trademark leg drop and the Warrior hit a big splash and got the three count. This main event was their first encounter as opponents and was their best match. Warrior came out on top in front of 67,000 fans packed in the Skydome.
#9 WrestleMania III: Hulk Hogan (c) vs Andre The Giant for the WWF championship
Andre the Giant had been a lovable babyface giant for much of his wrestling career. In 1987, Andre then turned heel, joining with Bobby Heenan and challenging Hogan for a shot at the title at Wrestlemania 3. Hulk Hogan and Andre the Giant faced off for the WWF World title.
In terms of in-ring performance, it wasn’t a 5-star match, but it was a spectacle nonetheless. Hogan lifted the 400-pound plus Andre the Giant up for the most memorable bodyslam in wrestling history. He followed with a leg drop and retained his title. The PPV had one of the highest attendance records in PPV history with over 70,000 people jam-packed in the Silverdome in Pontiac, Michigan.
#8 Wrestlemania X-7: The Rock (c) vs Stone Cold Steve Austin for the WWF Championship
In 2001, two of the biggest stars of the Attitude Era faced off for the second time at a WrestleMania in a No Disqualification match. Stone Cold and The Rock delivered their best showing against each other at WrestleMania XVII in Houston. The winner would be not only be crowned as the WWF World Heavyweight Champion but also as the best Superstar of the Attitude era.
30 minutes of grueling action saw them hit finishers on each other only for the other to kick out. Nearly 68,000 fans in the Astrodome gripped the edge of their seats as the masterpiece unfolded in front of their eyes.
The ending saw Stone Cold turn to the dark side and join his archnemesis, Vince McMahon. The Chairman gave Austin a chair to batter The Rock with and he took advantage of the offer. Austin would hit The Rock with multiple chair shots to win the WWF championship.
#7 WrestleMania XII: Shawn Michaels vs Bret Hart (c) for the WWF Championship
The first ever Iron Man match on a WWF PPV event took place at WrestleMania XII in 1996 and it proved to be historic. Shawn Michaels faced Bret Hart. The two fought for an hour to a draw. The then WWF president Gorilla Monsoon, decided that the match would continue so a winner could be declared.
Michaels would come out on top and become the WWF World Heavyweight Champion for the first time in his career. Two of the best wrestlers in the mid-1990s showed what they could do in the ring that night in Anaheim.
Michaels cemented himself as the top guy as Hart would become frustrated at the fans’ responses and eventually turn heel by the next year's WrestleMania. Despite the real-life beef between the two wrestlers, they were able to deliver a WrestleMania classic.
#6 WrestleMania XXVI: The Undertaker vs Shawn Michaels, streak versus career
In 2010 at WrestleMania XXVI, Shawn Michaels and The Undertaker fought a classic 20-minute bout that many considered the match of the night. Leading up to the WrestleMania event, Michaels wanted another rematch only to be rebuffed by The Undertaker.
HBK would cost Taker his world title at Elimination Chamber, and he became obsessed with defeating the Deadman. Taker accepted on the condition that Michaels put his career on the line. This would be Shawn Michaels' last match in the WWE and also the best match on the card in front of a packed crowd of 60,000 plus.
He did not renege and honoured his promise that if he lost he would retire. He attempted to end Taker's streak at the previous WrestleMania and failed.
#5 WrestleMania V: Hulk Hogan vs Macho Man Randy Savage (c) for the WWF championship
The MegaPowers were two of the biggest stars in the WWF in the 1980s. The "Macho Man" accused Hogan of trying to steal his then-wife, Miss Elizabeth. He also accused Hulk Hogan of holding him back and hogging the spotlight. Just a year earlier, the two entertainers had been the best of friends.
Macho Man had won the title at the previous WrestleMania, thanks to help from Hogan. But Savage's jealousy and resentment at Hogan’s remaining in the spotlight caused a riff. The two would wrestle for a little over 15 minutes. Hogan became champion again after a leg drop. They would face each other in WCW but none of their matches lived up to hype and quality of this one.
#4 WrestleMania I: Hulk Hogan & Mr. T vs Roddy Piper & Paul Orndorff
The first Wrestlemania ever was held in March 1985. NWA had done closed circuit style PPVs, but Wrestlemania would pave the way for modern wrestling PPVs. Muhammad Ali was the special guest referee. This would be a preview of all WrestleMania with its celebrity involvement, fanfare, and supershow feel.
Hogan and Piper had faced off a The War to Settle the Score but it ended in DQ after interference by Mr. T and Orndorff setting up a match at Mania. The match would not receive five stars from the Wrestling Observer but it was entertaining to watch and helped propel Wrestling into popular culture with the Rock n Wrestling era.
#3 WrestleMania XXVIII: The Rock vs John Cena
In 2012, the WWE brought back one of the Attitude era’s biggest stars to challenge its main superstar John Cena at XXVIII in Miami. This match was built a year in advance with the Rock being the guest referee in John Cena's match against The Miz. The Rock would hit Cena with a rock bottom and begin a feud.
It was supposed to be a "once in a lifetime" match-up. Although we got the match again, the first one will still go down in history. The Rock hadn't been in a wrestling ring in years and people were wondering if he could stack up against Cena, who was at the height of his wrestling career.
The Champ represented respect for the wrestling business: a dedicated wrestler who never left it for Hollywood. The Rock represented the final vestiges of the Attitude era with his brash attitude and lack of respect.
Cena brought out his old hip-hop persona in one of his pre-Mania promos and dissed the Rock for his not-so-tough movie portrayals. The Rock returned insults by making fun of his "fruity pebbles" aesthetic. Once WrestleMania came around, the insults and verbal sparring ended as they faced each other for the first time in the squared circle. The Rock came out on top and proved that he could still go at it in the ring.
#2 WrestleMania XIV: Stone Cold vs Shawn Michales for the WWF championship
In 1998, Shawn Michaels had suffered a back injury at Royal Rumble and wasn't in the best shape. There were rumours that the Undertaker had to make sure Michaels did the right thing and pass the torch to Stone Cold. Stone Cold won his shot at the title by winning the Royal Rumble.
For their match at WrestleMania XIV Michaels enlisted Mike Tyson as a member of Degeneration X and as a back-up against Stone Cold. Austin would hit the stunner on Michaels and supposed ally Mike Tyson would betray him by counting the 3-count. This was Austin's first WrestleMania main event and WWF title reign. The Austin era had officially begun and Michaels would go into retirement for for years.
#1 Daniel Bryan vs Randy Orton (c) vs Batista for the WWE & World championships
In many ways, the Triple Threat main event of WrestleMania XXX still influences WWE storylines today. The way this match came about was haphazard. Batista won the 2014 Royal Rumble match to face Orton for the title. The WWE Universe was unhappy with this development.
Daniel Bryan was the fan favourite and had been cheated out of numerous opportunities. Bryan would then go on to face Triple H on the WrestleMania card earlier in the night to have the opportunity to be in the match. Bryan would win the Unified WWE and World titles.
WWE gave the fans what they wanted in the end but it took much protest. This match will go down in history for being Daniel Bryan's most epic WWE title win. He did it on the grandest stage of them all despite many in the company not believing he could be a credible champion. The fans and Daniel Bryan proved them wrong.
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