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WrestleMania has become an institution within WWE over the years, thanks to its sheer magnitude and overwhelming grandeur.
The sights and sounds of the Grandest Stage of Them All are always impressive. WWE has booked some great WrestleManias and some poor ones. The majority were pretty good, but some turned out to be legendary.
So what makes a WrestleMania event great?
Aside from the beautiful aesthetics, WrestleMania brings out the big stars for the big matches. How well they deliver helps gauge the quality of an event along with the stories leading into it.
Each 'Mania varies according to how good the matches are, from an in-ring and storytelling standpoint. It comes down to the perfect combination of an acceptable amount of solid in-ring work, compelling storylines, and memorable moments.
There should be enough big matches featuring top stars on the card, while a good ending is always a must. Many WrestleManias fit that bill, which makes a list like this somewhat of a challenge. Nevertheless, here are the seven greatest WrestleManias of all time. But first, three honorable mentions to round off the top 10.
#10 WWF WrestleMania 3 (1987)
#9 WWE WrestleMania 35 (2019)
#8 WWE WrestleMania 20 (2004)
#7 WWF WrestleMania 10 (1994)
Sometimes, the best wrestling show is one that has a story thread that ties everything together; a thread that's simple to follow and compelling in execution. That was at WrestleMania 10.
Beating fellow New York 'Manias 20 and 35, the 1994 event showcased two Royal Rumble winners. Lex Luger and Bret Hart co-won that year's Rumble, so both stars got a world title match at WrestleMania 10. Luger faced WWF Champion Yokozuna first, with the winner facing Hart in the main event.
To make things fair, The Hitman faced his brother Owen Hart in the show's opening match. The two brothers put on possibly the greatest opener in 'Mania history, thanks to a compelling storyline that pitted one brother against the other. Bret lost to Owen in a shocking upset just a few hours before he would challenge for the WWF Championship.
Bret Hart ended up winning the belt after pinning Yokozuna before the locker room came down to congratulate him. Meanwhile, Owen Hart simply gave his older brother a bitter stare from the stage. It was masterful. However, it was not the only major moment at WrestleMania 10.
Razor Ramon defeated Shawn Michaels in WWE's first-ever televised Ladder Match, becoming the undisputed Intercontinental Champion. It was inventive and breathtaking, unlike anything that had been seen before. HBK's splash from the top of the ladder remains a classic WrestleMania moment.
There wasn't much else to write about on WrestleMania 10, aside from Randy Savage wrestling his final WWE match against Crush. However, Bret Hart's story throughout the night and the IC Title Ladder Match gave WrestleMania 10 a spot on this list.
#6 WWE WrestleMania 21 (2005)
Taking place in Hollywood, WrestleMania 21 was a thriller from start to end. The undercard was marvelous while the main event matches created two new megastars.
Eddie Guerrero and Rey Mysterio started the show in style. If not for Mysterio's mask being a bit loose, it would've been even better. Next was the first-ever Money in the Bank Ladder Match, and possibly the best one to date.
Edge won a brutal spot-filled contest, climbing his first steps towards becoming a WWE legend in the process. The Undertaker put his WrestleMania Streak on the line against Randy Orton, who came agonizingly close to ending it when he reversed a chokeslam into an RKO, but The Deadman who reigned supreme.
While the first three matches of WrestleMania 21 were great, Shawn Michaels and Kurt Angle blew all of them out of the water. The two in-ring masters wrestled each other for the first time and did not disappoint. The Olympic gold medalist won an intense battle that remains one of the greatest in the event's history.
The Big Show and Akebono may have had a terrible match, but the rest of the show made up for it. A couple of non-wrestling segments featuring Hulk Hogan and 'Stone Cold' Steve Austin electrified the fans. Meanwhile, two new stars were born.
John Cena and Batista won their first world titles at the event. Cena defeated JBL for the WWE Championship, while The Animal won the World Heavyweight Title from Triple H in the main event. The legacy of WrestleMania 21 is immense, thanks to these monumental moments and the action on the undercard.
#5 WWE WrestleMania 24 (2008)
The final WrestleMania of the Ruthless Aggression Era, the 24th edition of the grand spectacle, was heavily stacked.
The first few matches saw CM Punk win a fantastic Money in the Bank Ladder Match, JBL in a Belfast Brawl against Finlay, and Batista defeat Umaga in a solid contest. A big negative for WrestleMania 24 was the 11-second ECW World Title match between Chavo Guerrero and Kane.
However, Ric Flair's retirement match against Shawn Michaels got the show back on track. It was nail-biting all along, as emotions ran high. HBK's "I'm sorry, I love you!", right before he hit Flair with the sweet chin music, was too much for some fans. But The Nature Boy bowed out of WWE in style.
Randy Orton retained his WWE Championship in a fast-paced triple threat match against Triple H and John Cena. It surprisingly did not get the spotlight at WrestleMania 24 since the other world title match was better.
The Undertaker defeated Edge in a fantastic show-closer to win the World Heavyweight Championship. The Rated-R Superstar put up the performance of a lifetime as he matched The Deadman move-for-move until the end. It deserves to be in the conversation of the best matches of Undertaker's Streak.
Floyd Mayweather also had a match, defeating The Big Show in an entertaining No Disqualification Match. WrestleMania 24 was stacked with a variety of different matches - hardcore brawls, car crash spectacles, emotional retirement matches, quick squashes, celebrity bouts, and technical classics.
#4 WWE WrestleMania 31 (2015)
Possibly the most recent edition to be considered a classic, WrestleMania 31 was a remarkable show of consistency. It was not at all an indication of its questionable build.
The show began with an insane multi-man Ladder Match for the Intercontinental Championship. Daniel Bryan won it, adding yet another WrestleMania moment to his collection. This was followed by possibly the greatest RKO Randy Orton has ever delivered, as he picked up a solid victory over Seth Rollins.
Sting made his WWE in-ring debut at WrestleMania 31, facing Triple H in a nostalgia-filled brawl. D-Generation X came out to aid The Game, while the nWo helped Sting. In the end, the WCW icon surprisingly lost. Triple H's victory over Sting was disappointing, but its purpose was witnessed later during the show.
While Triple H and Stephanie McMahon were gloating over his victory, The Rock interrupted them. He brought Ronda Rousey to the ring, and the two of them battered The Authority. Meanwhile, Rusev entered WrestleMania in a tank before John Cena beat him for the United States Championship.
However, the best part of this 'Mania was the main event: Brock Lesnar defending the WWE Championship against Roman Reigns. The two stars laid into each other in a violent and bloody brawl. When they both were down, Seth Rollins rushed to the ring and cashed in his Money in the Bank contract.
He pinned Reigns to win the WWE Championship, ending WrestleMania in the most exciting way possible. With zero bad matches and some brilliant moments, this edition will be remembered for its consistency. WrestleMania 31 is a brilliant watch.
#3 WWE WrestleMania 30 (2014)
A show with visible ups and downs, WrestleMania 30 was a heck of a roller-coaster ride.
The opening segment of the show saw Hulk Hogan, The Rock, and 'Stone Cold' Steve Austin celebrate 30 years of the Showcase of the Immortals. It was special, but what came next was even more so. WrestleMania was Daniel Bryan's night.
He wrestled the first and last matches on the show as he conquered the world. Bryan defeated Triple H in an excellent match before overcoming the odds against Randy Orton and Batista to become the WWE World Heavyweight Champion at WrestleMania 30.
This "Yes Movement" truly took the Superdome by storm, with fans not accepting anyone else to come out on top. Bryan's ultimate triumph is possibly the greatest moment in 'Mania history. But WrestleMania 30 had more.
It was the end of The Undertaker's undefeated Streak, as Brock Lesnar crushed the dreams of millions across the world. While the match wasn't the best due to a concussion 'Taker suffered early on, the moment will forever live in infamy. It shocked every person watching.
Aside from the two biggest moments in WrestleMania history, the show featured Cesaro slamming The Big Show, John Cena defeating Bray Wyatt, and a squash match featuring The Shield. That said, Daniel Bryan was the ultimate star of the show and makes 'Mania 30 one of the greatest in history.
#2 WWE WrestleMania 19 (2003)
Let's go to possibly the most star-studded WrestleMania history. It featured the Attitude Era stars winding down and the riseing talents of the Ruthless Aggression Era.
A lot of the matches delivered at WrestleMania 19, including solid performances from the likes of Rey Mysterio, Trish Stratus, Victoria, the Guerreros, and Team Angle. Oh, and Limp Bizkit played The Undertaker to the ring. What followed was the show-stealer of the night.
Shawn Michaels and Chris Jericho went toe-to-toe in a classic, serving to enhance Y2J as a heel. HBK won, but there were no losers. This match was incredible. Unfortunately, Triple H's World Heavyweight Title defense against Booker T could not match up to it.
The Game retained it controversially, especially after a few offensive things he said to Booker in the build-up to WrestleMania. Nevertheless, the show recovered thanks to a crazy Street Fight between Hulk Hogan and Vince McMahon. There was bloodshed, to say the least, as the Hulkster stood tall over his boss.
WrestleMania 19's best matches were the show's final two ones. The Rock defeated 'Stone Cold' Steve Austin in a titanic clash to end their rivalry and The Texas Rattlesnake's in-ring career. Following the drama of Rock and Austin, Kurt Angle put his WWE Championship on the line against Brock Lesnar.
The match was technically brilliant, shifting from amateur wrestling to an impactful back-and-forth combat with ease. The end saw Lesnar nearly break his neck after botching a Shooting Star Press, although he put Angle away with the F5. The Beast may have been concussed, but he ended WrestleMania 19 as WWE Champion.
The behind-the-scenes backstories of the two top matches of the show are dark and fascinating, at the same time. They allowed fans to appreciate both matches. As a result, WrestleMania 19 is fondly remembered. But there is one 'Mania that stands tall as the greatest of all time.
#1 WWE (WWF) WrestleMania 17 (2001)
WrestleMania 17 was the absolute peak of pro wrestling in North America. It was the product of a world-class build, coming at the tail-end of WWE's most successful period.
The company had bought WCW a week ago, making this show the ultimate burst of victory and celebration. The card was stacked with some unmissable main event-level matches and a series of fun undercard bouts. There was something for everybody at WrestleMania 17.
Kurt Angle and Chris Benoit presented a fantastic in-ring showcase of their technical abilities, while Kane won the Hardcore Championship in a ridiculous match that went around the backstage area. Chyna squashed Ivory to win the Women's Championship, while older fans got a wave of nostalgia through the Gimmick Battle Royal.
Shane McMahon defeated his father Vince in a drama-filled Street Fight for the ages. This was sports entertainment at its finest. Where else would 69,000 people cheer in unison for a woman standing up?
TLC 2 - featuring The Dudley Boyz, Hardy Boyz, Edge, and Christian - delivered beyond everybody's wildest expectations. Edge spearing a hanging Jeff Hardy 20 feet in the air is a constant on WrestleMania highlight reels.
Meanwhile, The Undertaker defeated Triple H in a thrilling contest. However, 'Mania 17 truly peaked with its main event. The Rock and 'Stone Cold' Steve Austin faced each other for the WWF Championship in what proved to be the company's swansong for the Attitude Era.
It was a brilliant No Disqualification Match between the two biggest stars in WWE history. Both gave it everything they had. The match was decided when Vince McMahon came down to the ring and helped Austin pummell The Rock with a steel chair.
The Texas Rattlesnake had sold his soul to the "devil," turned heel to win the match and the WWF Championship. It was a shocking end to a legendary match, which, in turn, closed the greatest WrestleMania of all time.
What a special night! WWE is unlikely to hit such heights again!
