While it is impossible to tell the story of WrestleMania with just a couple of matches, there have been contests that have been critical to building the legacy. They have been instrumental to the success of the event as well as the time period in pro wrestling history.
The week-to-week WWE of today, and by proxy the entire business, are partially shaped by the impact of these matches and for better or worse are truly the Then, Now and Forever of the company.
#1 Hulk Hogan & Mr. T vs Roddy Piper & Mr Wonderful
The first main event for the grand vision of Vince McMahon: to bring the biggest show in sports and entertainment nationwide.
In order to accomplish this, he needed a main event that would attract the masses, so he called on a variety of pop culture figures to mix in with his biggest characters of Hogan, Piper and others.
Billy Martin, manager of the New York Yankees as guest ring announcer, was for the fans in attendance. Ringside enforcer Muhammad Ali was also there to provide as close to a big fight feel as possible, even having Liberace and the Rockettes to ring the bell was intended to grow the allure of a wild entertainment show.
Add in the vital ingredients of 1980’s MTV stars Cyndi Lauper and Mr T, who had hosted Saturday Night Live with Hogan the night before to promote the show, and this hugely hyped, must-watch wrestling show had people all over the country filing into cinemas and other closed-circuit distribution venues to watch.
Also read: Top 10 WrestleMania performers of all time
While the closer of the show was not the most impressive showcase of wrestling, it sold the viewing public on the psychology and storytelling in the art form.
Hogan’s following increased, so that by the time he had slammed giants at back-to-back shows, and WrestleMania was immortalised, the company was a heading to the moon and the business never looked back.
Promoting a show across the country and internationally, setting up an extravaganza worthy of pay-per-view billing, and bringing pro wrestling as close as it had ever been to the mainstream.
WrestleMania would perform better and put on more memorable shows, but the catalyst that started it all remains one of the most significant.
#2 Ultimate Warrior vs Hulk Hogan
For years, Hogan stormed through the World Wrestling Federation landscape. Saying prayers, eating vitamins, and hitting leg drops on everyone who came across his path, Hulkamania really did look as though it might indeed live forever.
WrestleMania VI and the turn of the decade into the 1990’s prompted a move that would become a WWE staple in creating new stars. The ‘passing of the torch’ from Hogan to the Ultimate Warrior was meant to usher in a new era, and the match itself succeeded in making Warrior look like the next megastar.
The tests of strength, the fan-fuelled frenzies from both sides matching each other’s momentum, the final missed finisher from Hogan to the Warrior’s splash and quick pin, which Hogan very nearly got out of.
The final act of Hogan retrieving the championship belt and presenting it to Warrior had a great reception, and the path forward looked set to continue the Golden Era towards the new millennium.
Of course, for a variety of reasons, Warrior could not deliver the matches and moments that Hogan had, and fizzled out like many ‘new top guys’ have in the years since. Hogan would obviously continue main-eventing for the next three WrestleManias to mixed reviews before jumping ship to WCW.
For the Warrior rub not to last nor someone like Bret or Undertaker getting it from Hogan on the biggest stage cost the WWF, who had some trouble staying afloat when their megastar had gone.
Since Toronto, the company has done more to supplement the rest of their roster with enough talent and storylines so that when the next megastar did emerge, they would not collapse in their absence.
The need to create new stars is a continuing issue the WWE faces today, though the willingness and ability to move on from a Hogan, ensured that the future of the business would not be dependent on any one Superstar.
It is this middle ground however that may prevent anyone but McMahon’s most trusted from ever becoming the ‘face of the company’ again.
#3 Razor Ramon vs Shawn Michaels
There had been countless great matches prior to the ladder match at WrestleMania X, but the added dynamic of a weapon and prop to the story told by Razor and HBK would grow the potential of great matches significantly.
It is now commonplace for events to carry some elements of extra-curricular violence if only to mix up the pacing and styles of contests that the fans get to see. On the downside, the classic elements of distinctive wrestling styles or crowd manipulation, not to mention the kayfabe effectiveness of a lot of moves, were all diminished.
For an example, see Jake ‘the Snake’ Roberts’ in-ring work from his DDT finisher to engaging with the audience, all the way down to the manner he carried himself to play up the character.
On the upside, kayfabe had been well and truly lifted and everyone knew wrestling was fake, so the ladder match and other gimmicks added very necessary innovations and bigger ‘big spots’ than had ever been seen before.
Naturally, with the highest standard of a performer, as these two were, the capacity of the match to deliver the moments and story still required from pro wrestling, comes easily.
For others, being a crash test dummy sadly is a modern requirement for many entering the business today, as it seems largely built towards delivering the next ‘Holy S***’ moment, regardless of how few people may be there to appreciate it.
The emotional connection and suspension of belief remain crucial for an effective product.
#4 Bret Hart vs Stone Cold
Maybe the greatest match in WrestleMania history, the ‘I Quit’ match was perhaps the most effective double turn ever done on a big stage and legitimised Steve Austin as the toughest S.O.B. to step between the ropes.
Another example of highest quality performers using the extra possibilities and stipulation to enhance the story being told, the outcome is truly spectacular.
Early brawling veering towards becoming out of control, the technical veteran establishing his superiority by working over an injury, Stone Cold gutting it out even in a seemingly overmatched situation, and the finish of a crimson mask on a determined but agonised face.
This match is just special.
Clearly, it holds up as a high mark for everything it does on a technical and story level but is most impactful because of what came from Stone Cold afterwards. Every inch of him screamed attitude, which would become the hallmark of the organisation and the appeal of the hottest star to ever be seen in the wrestling industry.
To accomplish that with a mid card heel, who had been discarded by WCW because he could not draw money and debuted as the Ringmaster, is impressive beyond expectation and could well be Bret Hart’s biggest contribution to the business. Sorry Hitman.
#5 Stone Cold vs The Rock II
From the match that set off the fuse, to the swerve that extinguished the flames from the explosion, there might not be a more impactful moment than this in WrestleMania history.
The WrestleMania x-seven main event saw Austin once again challenge the Rock for the title, this time in Texas where the Rattlesnake was untouchable.
Though the match itself was utter madness in the best possible way, the decision to have Vinny Mac emerge from the back and help Austin beat down the Rock to close the show is still perplexing.
Good old Jim Ross, of course, did his utmost to get this over, but the crowd in attendance did not exactly buy it, nor did the boys and girls back home who had seen the bottom fall out from beneath the biggest star there was.
Sure, this maybe could have worked out long term, but the simple fact is that it appears to have been done by the WWE because the competition (WCW) had been bought out mere days before and there were no longer consequences to doing whatever they felt like.
Since then, it is very hard to say the WWE has put on a pay-per-view anywhere close to what 17 was and certainly has not seen a star like Steve Austin, or even the Rock. Millions of fans stopped watching, which is all that needs to be said about the impact.
#6 Undertaker vs Shawn Michaels II
The final match on this list pits two legends putting on another match for the ages after potentially having the greatest of all time the year before. The reason the WrestleMania XXVI main event gets the edge here is because it stands as a turning point for the biggest matches to occur at the event each year.
Despite really being part-timers themselves, this event was capped off by WWE regulars and undercard title matches featuring Cena, Batista, Edge and Jericho.
The equivalent matches in following editions have been dominated by even more part-timers to such an extent that only a handful of the current roster have any experience in huge main event matches.
This has been a divisive issue amongst fans and the talent themselves, particularly when the likes of Rock, Lesnar, Goldberg and Triple H are not in a position to give back, and are entirely valued based on star-power alone.
Although it takes two exceptional Superstars to create such an emotional climax like 26 had, neither would have been there had they not received a push at the right time early on in their careers.
The closer was a fitting reward for such long careers and is now something that is unlikely to be replicated, appearing seemingly impossible for today’s up and comers.
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