The best WrestleMania of each era in WWE history

WWE is always in a state of change, with the company undergoing many transitions over the years. Every few years, WWE enters a new era with a different outlook and feel of the product.

However, through all the changes the company has been through, one thing has been constant, more than others. WrestleMania.

Ever since Vince McMahon created the event in 1985, it has remained a staple as WWE's biggest annual pay-per-view. The legacy of WrestleMania is unmatched throughout all of professional wrestling.

So many great matches and grand moments have taken place over the years, making the 'Showcase of the Immortals' truly a special event to watch and be a part of.

WrestleMania has changed over the years, getting bigger and bigger with time. But not every edition is a complete home run. The quality of 'Manias has differed throughout the different eras of WWE.

That being said, each era has witnessed some classic editions of the 'Show of Shows'. And even if the show does not live up to expectations, the spectacle of WrestleMania never ever disappoints.

This article will look at the best WrestleMania from each era in WWE history, going by this list.

The Golden Age (The '80s to early '90s)
New Generation Era (The early to mid-'90s)
Attitude Era (The mid-'90s to early 2000s)
Ruthless Aggression Era (2002 to 2008)
PG Era (2008 to 2013)
Network Era (2014 to present)

#6 The Golden Age: WrestleMania 3

The early years of WrestleMania did not focus much on match quality, but rather on the spectacle on the show and obviously, Hulk Hogan. After all the Golden Age was running on Hulkamania's prayers and vitamins.

The third edition stands out though, and will forever be remembered as the first one to be a unanimous success, the one that truly put some value on the legacy of WrestleMania.

The Pontiac Silverdome filled 93,173 people, who witnessed some historic moments. Two matches from the event make this the greatest 'Mania of the Hulkamania era.

Ricky 'The Dragon' Steamboat faced 'Macho Man' Randy Savage for the Intercontinental Championship, in a match that is still remembered as an all-time classic. Steamboat caught Savage with a small package to win the IC Title.

However, the main event makes this WrestleMania a classic, more than the others from this era. Hulk Hogan defended his WWF Championship against Andre the Giant.

The match was not great, but the spectacle was second to none. Hogan lifting Andre and bodyslamming him en route to victory remains one of the greatest moments in WrestleMania history.

#5 New Generation Era: WrestleMania 10

After Hulkamania died down, a crop of new Superstars rocked up and we're ready to take over. However, business went on the down and ended up threatening WWE's existence entirely.

Despite all the turbulence, the company put on a spectacular show at Madison Square Garden in 1994. The tenth edition of WrestleMania was a rousing success, with some excellent storytelling and world-class in-ring action on display.

WrestleMania 10 was the Bret Hart show, as he wrestled two matches. Both matches were memorable for different reasons. The first was a barnburner contested between the 'Hitman' and his brother, Owen Hart.

Owen's shocking victory only made Bret's eventual crowning moment ever the sweeter. He defeated Yokozuna in a rematch from the previous WrestleMania's main event, to win the WWF Championship.

Elsewhere, we got one of the most iconic moments in WWE history, in the form of the company's first-ever televised Ladder match. Shawn Michaels and Razor Ramon fought hard to steal the show, with the Intercontinental Championship on the line.

The image of HBK jumping off the ladder and onto Razor is still featured in any list of standout 'Mania moments. Two classic matches, along with Bret Hart's ultimate coronation as champion, make WrestleMania 10 an all-time great pay-per-view, during a difficult period for WWE.

#4 Attitude Era: WrestleMania 17

Possibly the greatest WrestleMania of all time.

The Attitude Era was the most successful period in WWE history, at least from the business point of view. It was built on chaos across the landscape, on RAW, SmackDown, and every other show at the time.

The greatest WrestleMania during the Attitude Era might also be classed as the greatest one of all-time. WrestleMania X-Seven. This was the ultimate peak in WWE's entire history, with the perfect combination of creative stories, star power, and solid in-ring action.

This 'Mania sparked the end of the Attitude Era, but what a last hurrah it was. This show had everything.

Technical brilliance, Kurt Angle vs Chris Benoit. Family drama, Shane McMahon vs Vince McMahon. An entertaining squash, Chyna vs Ivory. An all-out brawl, Triple H vs The Undertaker. High-risk moves based on weapons, Hardy Boyz vs Dudley Boyz vs Edge and Christian.

The latter was probably the best of the bunch, furthering the impact of all six men involved, but shortening their careers as well. Edge's Spear on a hanging Jeff Hardy from a 20-foot ladder is still the most ridiculous spot in WrestleMania history.

However, the main event was the match that defined this WrestleMania. The biggest match that the company could book at the time, The Rock vs 'Stone Cold' Steve Austin in a No Disqualification Match for the WWF Championship. It was the perfect swansong to the greatest era in wrestling history.

The two put on a slobber knocker of a contest, giving each other everything they had. The match ended up being decided after Vince McMahon came out and handed Austin a steel chair. Dozens of chair shots later, the Rattlesnake had won the world title after turning heel and aligning with his biggest enemy, the boss. This put the

#3 Ruthless Aggression Era: WrestleMania 19

Out of every WWE era, the Ruthless Aggression Era was the most consistent in terms of good quality wrestling. Every single WrestleMania during this period was really good.

Stars like John Cena, Batista and Edge showed their worth in big-time matches, but the best 'Mania of this period came before their time. The first edition after WWF became WWE, WrestleMania 19 might be the most star-studded in history. It has as much star power as 'Mania 17, if not more.

The action was pretty consistent, with a solid undercard and some big-time main events. Shawn Michaels wrestled his first 'Mania match in five years against Chris Jericho, while Hulk Hogan wrestled his last entirely, against Vince McMahon.

Both matches were memorable for varying reasons, but the two biggest matches were what made WrestleMania 19 so special. The Rock finally defeated 'Stone Cold' Steve Austin at the 'Show of Shows' in his third attempt. This ended up being Austin's final match in WWE.

After the fans went through that emotional rollercoaster, another one arrived at the station. Kurt Angle defended the WWE Championship against Brock Lesnar, despite dealing with a terrible neck issue.

The two former amateur wrestlers engaged in an excellent battle, but both men ended up hurt by the end of it. Angle took time off to get neck surgery, while Lesnar suffered a concussion after botching a Shooting Star Press. Despite all the issues, this unique main event match remains a classic, even it could get hard to watch at times.

#2 PG Era: WrestleMania 28

A memorable event, flanked by 2 gargantuan match-ups.

While WWE is still a PG product to this day, other changes were made to define the company's direction. But from the second half of 2008 until the beginning of 2014, the move from TV-14 to PG was the company's defining characteristic.

During this period, there wasn't a standout WrestleMania event that will be remembered as an all-time great show. The one constant, however, during this time was The Undertaker's string of excellent matches during the latter days of his legendary undefeated streak at the Grandest Stage.

While his best 'Mania match came against Shawn Michaels in 2009, the rest of the card did not hold up as well. Out of these shows, WrestleMania 28 in 2012 could be classed as the best of the bunch. 'Taker faced off against Triple H inside Hell in a Cell at the show, with HBK as the special guest referee.

It made for an extraordinary affair, filled with supreme storytelling and intense pressure. That Superkick and Pedigree combo might just be the greatest near-fall in wrestling history. After Undertaker made it 20-0, the three legends embraced at the top of the ramp.

Even if it wasn't the "End of an Era", the moment was pretty special. It was of course coupled with possibly the biggest match in WrestleMania history, the first encounter between John Cena and The Rock.

While the action was decent, the atmosphere was electric. We saw a back-and-forth battle between the two industry icons, with The Rock coming out on top in his hometown of Miami.

Aside from the two biggest matches, CM Punk retained his WWE Championship against Chris Jericho and Daniel Bryan lost the World Heavyweight Championship in 18 seconds, kicking off the "Yes" Movement.

#1 Network Era: WrestleMania 30

The current era of WWE we are living in should simply be called the Network Era, despite the company recognizing it in two different parts. There is not much distinction between the "Reality Era" and the "New Era". Also, they are both too short to consider for this list.

So for simplicity, every WrestleMania that has been broadcasted on the WWE Network is being grouped. And the best one was actually the first one. The very first WWE pay-per-view to be shown live on the Network, WrestleMania 30.

The show kicked off with three huge legends in Hulk Hogan, 'Stone Cold' Steve Austin and The Rock. They shared a promo for the ages and set the stage for an epic event. There were a few fun moments on the 'Mania undercard, including Cesaro slamming Big Show out of the ring to win the first-ever Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal.

But the night belonged to two monumental moments. Firstly, Brock Lesnar shattered The Undertaker's undefeated WrestleMania streak. This was an incredibly sad moment, one which sent the entire audience into a stunned silence.

But as silent as the WWE Universe was for the Streak ending, the atmosphere was electric for Daniel Bryan. After months of denial and frustration, Bryan finally got his opportunity to win it all. He defeated Triple H in the night's opening contest, before moving on to Randy Orton and Batista in a triple threat main event for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship.

And at the end of the night, the toughest vegan in the world stood tall with the titles after making Batista tap out. This was the pinnacle of the "Yes" Movement that began two years prior.

Daniel Bryan was on top of the world and no matter what happened before and after WrestleMania 30, this was his moment etched into immortality. It truly was a miracle on Bourbon Street.

Do you disagree with any of these picks? If so, sound off on your favorite WrestleManias in the comments section below!