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WWE have announced "The Biggest WrestleMania Match of All-Time" coming up in five weeks. WWE Champion Brock Lesnar will face Universal Champion Roman Reigns in a Winner Takes All Title Unification Match on April 3rd in Dallas, Texas. It will be two of the biggest superstars in the company battling over who will walk away with all the gold.
The Grandest Stage of Them All has been the setting for so many epic encounters. Whether for the top prize in the promotion or a highly anticipated showdown between two unstoppable forces, WrestleMania has had a litany of classics that have been replayed for years since.
For many fans, there have been quite a few matches that have lived on in their memories. Legacies and careers have been made in these iconic contests that stand the test of time. In this article, let's take a look at the five biggest WrestleMania matches of all time.
5) Hulk Hogan vs. The Ultimate Warrior for the WWE and Intercontinental Championships - WWE WrestleMania VI
The Ultimate Warrior had a meteoric rise to the top of the summit. He won the Intercontinental Championship on two occasions and seemed destined to capture the top prize. After a memorable staredown with WWE Champion Hulk Hogan in the Royal Rumble Match, the match was all set for the Ultimate Challenge at WrestleMania 6.
The two biggest babyfaces in the promotion clashed with the two top titles up for grabs. Hogan and Warrior sold out the Skydome in Toronto with every fan on the edge of theiri seat from the opening bell. They put on a well-crafted main event encounter that escalated as time went on and built towards a compelling crescendo.
The Ultimate Warrior overcame the Immortal One and defeated him to win the WWE Championship. The contest felt bigger than any match before it and was the first time the company had put two fan favorites against one another in the headline match on the Show of Shows. It delivered in every way possible and set the Warrior up for a run on top.
4) The Rock vs. John Cena - WWE WrestleMania 28
WrestleMania 28 in Miami, Florida was the setting for a battle of generations. The Rock returned to the ring for the first time in eight years in his hometown against the top star in the promotion, John Cena. That alone should have made it the highest grossing event in the company's history.
However, WWE crafted a year-long build that started with The Rock's return. The two legends traded barbs for weeks before The Great One cost Cena his WWE Title Match against The Miz. This set the stage a year out for their showdown, which felt like the most important main event ever.
The WWE Universe was fully invested into the drama on the road to the show as well as the match itself. Despite The Rock getting injured early on, they put on an entertaining headlining bout that saw The People's Champion hit the Rock Bottom to beat Cena. This would become the most lucrative 'Mania in history.
3) The Rock vs. Hollywood Hulk Hogan - WWE WrestleMania X-8
Icon vs. Icon. That was the tagline for The Rock vs. Hollywood Hulk Hogan at WrestleMania X-8. Hogan returned to WWE as part of the NWO and was challenged by the Great One. A vicious attack took Rock out of action for weeks before he returned ahead of the event.
No one could have imagined the Toronto crowd would be so enamored with Hogan. They saw the Real American and the Hulkster, not the evil NWO leader. They cheered the their childhood idol and booed The People's Champion. It was quite fascinating to watch and is often mentioned as many wrestlers' favorite match ever. The Rock defeated Hollywood Hogan, but the real winners were the fans.
2) Hulk Hogan vs. Andre The Giant for the WWE Championship - WWE WrestleMania III
WrestleMania III needed to be WWE's biggest show ever. After the first two editions, Vince McMahon went big time and took his greatest creation to the Silverdome in Detroit. He would have to deliver the biggest match possible in the main event and he did just that.
After a decade as the most popular performer in the business, Andre The Giant turned heel in a fit of jealousy. Despite being undefeated for 15 years, everyone loved Hogan and praised his three-year run as WWE Champion. Andre wanted the one title that always eluded him and aligned with the devil, Bobby The Brain Heenan, to do it.
The scene was set for a legendary showdown. The staredown at the start alone has been replayed for almost four decades now. They put a sports entertainment heavy affair that built nicely to a dramatic finish. The Hulkster did the unthinkable and slammed Andre before delivering the leg drop to win. Without this bout, the success of Mania today probably wouldn't be possible.
1) The Rock vs. Stone Cold Steve Austin for the WWE Championship - WWE WrestleMania X-7
At the biggest show of the greatest era in WWE history, The Rock defended the WWE Championship againnst Stone Cold Steve Austin in the main event in front of a sold-out Houston Astrodome.
Austin had fought his way back from neck surgery and was back in the headline bout of Mania after almost a year out. In that time, The Rock had skyrocketed to the top and became the biggest face in the company.
It was an electric atmosphere with every fan waiting to watch these two iconic superstars clash and they held absolutely nothing back. They went at it tooth and nail. Both men were busted open and the drama continued to ramp up as time went on.
Vince McMahon came down to the ring and surprisingly started helping his arch nemesis, Austin. Stone Cold was willing to do anything to regain the WWE Title and that meant selling his soul to the devil. Austin was handed a chair by McMahon and nailed The Rock with it 16 times before pinning him to win the gold.
The handshake after the match sealed one of the most unforgettable endings to any WWE pay-per-view ever. Stone Cold Steve Austin was the icon that the Attitude Era was built on, while The Rock has now become one of Hollywood's biggest stars. Their rivalry and legacy was written on this night. That's why the WrestleMania 17 main event is the biggest WrestleMania match of all time.
