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The Main Event of Wrestlemania is one of the biggest matches of the calendar year. Once the selling point of the show, the Main Event usually culminated a long-term story-line with a larger than life match. Over the years it has lost it's special aura and now Wrestlemania is usually sold on the entire card and special appearances.
But even if the Main Event is between some of the biggest stars ever, it is not destined to be perfect. Huge Wrestlemania Main Event matches have ended in disaster while some underwhelming matches are remembered as the greatest in history. But more than the match what matters is the ending to Wrestlemania. Consider the most recent edition, Wrestlemania 34. Everyone expected Roman Reigns to win the title off of Brock Lesnar to end the show but WWE shocked everyone by having Lesnar retain. The ending, however, was very poorly received by fans and critics alike.
Bret Hart's coronation was ruined by Hulk Hogan stealing the spotlight back at Wrestlemania 9 while Chris Benoit's celebration with Eddie Guerrero after his victory over Triple H and Shawn Michaels etched Wrestlemania 20 in history as one of the greatest of all time. So, let us have a look at the ten greatest endings to Wrestlemania history. Not the matches themselves, the events that aired during the final moments of the show.
But before that one honorable mention: The Ultimate Warrior defeats Hulk Hogan for the WWE Championship at Wrestlemania VI.
10. John Cena's coronation - Wrestlemania 22.
By the time Wrestlemania 22 came along, Cena had already become the polarizing figure we know him to be. Fans had already begun to turn on him for his brand new babyface persona. But WWE was adamant about making Cena the biggest star in the company. Regardless of the opinions of the hardcore fans, Cena's push worked like magic and he became the biggest star of the Century. It can be said that his entire main event career began on this night.
Triple H entered with a Conan inspired attire where he played his King of Kings character to perfection. Cena's now iconic entrance involved a group of 40's themed Chicago Gangsters, one of whom was the then unknown CM Punk, armed with Tommy Guns. Their match was the usual run of the mill kind with rest holds, back and forth action and false finishes. Cena won the match after countering a Pedigree attempt from Triple H into his STF submission move to which The Game tapped out.
The show ended with Cena celebrating with his WWE Championship while the crowd serenaded him with a chorus of jeers. A scene we would see several times in the years to come. The ending cemented Cena's role as the face of the company and also created his legacy where half the crowd will hate him while the other half will love him.
9. Chris Benoit and Eddie Guerrero finally make it - Wrestlemania 20
On hindsight this is a bittersweet moment fans will forever feel sad upon remembering. Benoit faced Triple H and Shawn Michaels in a Triple Threat match for the World Championship. Benoit won the Royal Rumble after lasting from #1. Meanwhile, Eddie Guerrero defended his WWE Championship against Kurt Angle in an incredible match. Eddie had won the title from Brock Lesnar a month earlier while Benoit had been fighting for his main event spot for months.
Eddie and Kurt had the best match of the night while Benoit's win provided the best moment of the night. Together, they proved that one doesn't need to be a stereotypical big man to succeed in WWE. Eddie Guerrero rolled up Angle for his win while Benoit made Triple H submit to the crippler cross-face. Together Eddie Guerrero and Chris Benoit ushered in a new era where smaller more technically gifted superstars were pushed equally as the big men.
The best part of the night came after Benoit won the World Title. After winning confetti was showered upon Benoit as Eddie Guerrero came out to celebrate with his friend. The duo embraced in the ring and with tears in their eyes held their championships high to end the night. The moment will forever be cherished by the fans and will forever be the greatest moments of the two late superstars.
8. Once in a Lifetime - Wrestlemania 28
The Rock and Cena seemingly culminated one of the greatest feuds in Wrestling History at Wrestlemania 28. The only reason this is so low on the list is due to the events that happened the following year. The Rock vs John Cena was a true dream match. The face of the Attitude Era facing the face of the Ruthless Aggression Era. The duo had a one year long build to the match and it was totally worth it. Announcing the match on Raw after Wrestlemania 27, they made the fans wait for a year before the 'Once in a Lifetime' match finally happened. Although WWE threw the tagline down the trash the very next year, this match was truly legendary.
Cena and Rock entered after Machine Gun Kelly and Flo Rida endorsed both superstars, respectively, with their musical performances. The crowd was perhaps the most electric crowd in wrestling history. Miami blew the roof off for their hometown hero The Rock. Even MGK played his role perfectly as he drew huge heat by endorsing Cena perfectly. The match itself wasn't a 5 star in ring classic but both men knew exactly what to do to keep the crowd 100% invested in the match. The end product was one of the greatest matches in Pro Wrestling History. The Rock eventually won after catching Cena in a Rock Bottom when Cena was attempting a People's Elbow on The Rock.
The Rock posing for the crowd in the aftermath closed the highest grossing Pro Wrestling Show in history. The event was bought a record 1.2 million times worldwide and grossed over 75 Million Dollars. The match put an end to what would have been the greatest feud in WWE history had WWE not ruined it the very next year. Together, two of the greatest of all time put on one of the greatest endings to Wrestlemania ever.
7. The Boyhood Dream has come true - Wrestlemania XII
Wrestlemania XII became the first and last time an iron man match main-evented Wrestlemania. The duty to end the show was given to Shawn Michaels and Bret Hart who finished Wrestlemania 12 with a 60+ minute Iron Man match for the WWE Championship.
The match was entirely focused on Shawn Michaels' journey to the WWE Championship. Michaels had a very rough year and this match was built on a redemption storyline for HBK.
Michaels and Hart worked their match to perfection. Both men were represented by their respective managers and had a big match feel to it. The duo worked the match perfectly working off of the crowd's reactions. According to Hart's autobiography, Hart crafted half of the match while Michaels crafted the rest. Their match went into overtime as Michaels and Hart ended 60 minutes with a 0-0 record. The overtime, however, was short-lived as Michaels swiftly ended the match after 1:52 seconds with a Sweet Chin Music.
The ending was huge as the crowd erupted for the Heart Break Kid and it was made more legendary with Vince McMahon's call of "The Boyhood Dream has come true for Shawn Michaels." The show ended with Michaels celebrating with the crowd with tears dropping from his eyes. It was truly a magical moment in WWE history.
6. Shawn Michaels' Goodbye - Wrestlemania 26
Shawn Michaels and The Undertaker are two of the greatest superstars in Wrestlemania history. Shawn Michaels was dubbed as Mr. Wrestlemania while The Undertaker held the most treasured accomplishment in WWE history- The Streak. When the two were booked against each other at Wrestlemania 25 everyone expected the match to be one of the best ever. They lived up to the hype but no one really expected them to outdo themselves the very next year. While the match wasn't as good as the previous year, the stipulation made the match legendary. Michaels lost to Taker ending one of the most celebrated careers in history.
They deservedly main-evented the show. The match started out with both men executing their signature moves on each other. The Undertaker injured his leg while attempting the 'Old School' maneuver. Michaels then focused on the injured leg of Taker for the greater part of the match. A series of false finishes followed with each men hitting their finisher numerous times. Undertaker soon hit a second Tombstone Pile-Driver to seemingly end the match but Michaels kicked out. As Michaels slowly tried to make it to his feet Taker asked him to "Stay Down." Michaels defiantly slapped Taker and mimicked his taunt. An enraged Taker hit the 3rd Tombstone for the win.
Wrestlemania 26 was an average show. But what made this event legendary was how it ended. After beating HBK, Taker picked him up to show him respect and proceeded to leave the ring for him. A tearful Shawn Michaels then thanked the fans for one last time before walking off into the sunset as the fans cheered one last time for one of the greatest performers of all time. The moment itself was surreal and etched the match in history as one of the greatest.
5. Hulkamania runs wild - Wrestlemania 3
No moment in Wrestling History is more critical than Hulk Hogan body slamming Andre The Giant. This single match elevated Pro Wrestling to the mainstream. The 80's Wrestling Boom reached it's peak once Hogan and Andre had their now legendary match in the Pontiac Silverdome at Wrestlemania 3. The match was called perfectly by Gorilla Monsoon who billed it as 'The Immovable Object vs. The Unstoppable Force.' This match launched Hulkamania which would run wild on the world of Pro Wrestling for years to come.
Andre The Giant was a baby face and a trendy one at that. But Vince wanted to give him a Wrestlemania Main Event before he retired. So, he was turned heel and booked against Hulk Hogan in the main event for the WWE Championship. The match was billed as the "biggest main event in sports entertainment." It lived up to the hype. In the era it took place, the match was one of a kind and the biggest one ever to take place. Hogan won the match by picking up Andre, a feat no one had yet accomplished and body-slamming him before hitting his patented Leg Drop for the win.
The electric crowd then celebrated Hogan's victory by cheering the roof off of the place. Hulkamania had officially begun. With this win, Hulk Hogan became the face of Pro Wrestling and lead the revolution of the industry paving the way for what we see today.
4. The Austin Era has begun - Wrestlemania XIV
No other moment is more era-defining than Stone Cold Steve Austin celebrating with Mike Tyson after winning the WWF Championship at Wrestlemania. Mike Tyson came to the WWE early in January of 1998. He was the enforcer for Michaels' WWF Championship defense at Wrestlemania. Stone Cold won the Royal Rumble, his first, to earn the right to challenge HBK for the title. Tyson initially was set to be the neutral for the match but soon joined DX, turning heel in the process. Austin called out Tyson over his nickname of "The Baddest man on the planet" and elevated the feud to a new level.
Wrestlemania 14 was held during a time when WWE was losing the Monday Night Wars to WCW. So, WWE's future depended on the success of this PPV a lot. This match, which headlined the show, was received tremendously by the fans. Every single person in the arena rooted for Austin and was against the defending Champion Shawn Michaels. The match ended after Austin caught Michaels attempting a Sweet Chin Music and countered it into a Stone Cold Stunner. Enforcer Mike Tyson slid in the ring and counted a fast 3 count for Austin's victory.
After Austin's victory, the Texas Rattlesnake celebrated his victory by giving Tyson an Austin 3:16 shirt and drinking some beer. Shawn Michaels soon recovered and confronted Tyson about his turn and got promptly knocked out by the former boxing champion. This drew another huge reaction from the fans as the show ended with WWE heading towards its most successful era of all time on the shoulders of Stone Cold Steve Austin
3. The Miracle on Bourbon Street - Wrestlemania 30
Wrestlemania usually ends in a babyface victory. A heroic superstar fights his way to the top of the WWE card finally becoming the next big thing. Similarly, Wrestlemania 30 ended with Daniel Bryan reaching the pinnacle of the wrestling world. The moment was one of the greatest feel-good moments in WWE history. With Bryan's victory, WWE finished off the perfect underdog story they have ever told. Moreover, this victory for Bryan was primarily forced by the fans themselves as WWE initially had left Bryan out of the main event.
Randy Orton was the defending WWE World Heavyweight Champion while Batista won the Royal Rumble. WWE was forced to add him to the match after the crowd revolted against both Orton and Batista. Bryan faced Triple H in the night's opener with the winner being added to the Triple Threat main event. In the Main Event, Bryan overcame astronomical odds to make Batista tap out and finally pick up the victory he deserved. During the course of the match, Triple H, Stephanie McMahon and crooked referee Scott Armstrong interfered to make sure Bryan loses. Orton and Batista even worked together to injure Bryan but he still came back to win the match prompting a thunderous reaction from the crowd.
The show ended with Daniel Bryan leading the Superdome in a chorus of Yes chants as confetti showered down upon him. It was a moment of celebration no fan will ever forget. The once in a lifetime moment will forever be cherished as one of the greatest in history as Daniel Bryan was someone the fans chose themselves. He was someone the fans wanted to see succeed and they forced WWE into giving them what they wanted.
2. Heist of the Century - Wrestlemania 31
While most Wrestlemanias end by completing a definite story, sometimes the booking outright fails. Such was the case of Wrestlemania 31. The fans straight up rejected Roman Reigns as their new top guy. WWE already had to endure the same problem last year but this time they decided to go through with their plans. The event was destined to fail as fans rejected Roman and cheered for Brock Lesnar who was set to leave WWE after the match.
The match started with Lesnar absolutely dominating Reigns. Lesnar attempted to pin Reigns after a third F5 but Reigns kicked out. The action spilled outside the ring where Reigns shoved Lesnar into the ring post busting open his forehead. This gave Reigns new life as he rallied against The Beast Incarnate. Multiple Superman Punches and 3 Spears later Reigns took a cover only for Lesnar to kick out. Reigns attempted another Spear which Lesnar countered into an F5 and both men went down. Then every single person in the stadium received the shock of their lives as Seth Rollins' music played and he cashed in his Money in the Bank Contract. Rollins executed a Curb Stomp on Lesnar and went for another one, Lesnar caught him mid-air but ran into a Spear from Reigns. Rollins hit Reigns for another Curb Stomp and became the WWE World Heavyweight Champion.
Money in the Bank cash-ins was already part of some of the most jaw-dropping moments in WWE history. But no one expected WWE to pull off such a stunt in the Main Event of Wrestlemania. Not only did Seth shock every fan in the arena, people watching all over the world were stunned by the turn of events. Not only did Wrestlemania 31 end in the most unpredictable way ever, it also made sure that the fans will tune into Raw the next night no matter what.
1. Stone Cold sells his soul to the Devil - Wrestlemania X7
No other moment, and I mean none, will ever top the sheer emotion and unpredictability of this. Stone Cold Steve Austin, the man who ushered in the Attitude Era, who perfected the anti-authority gimmick turned heel at the main event of Wrestlemania X7. Not only did he turn heel, he did so by joining Vince McMahon's side. The man who he had fought for the last 2 and a half years. This was a monumental turn and every single person in the arena was left spellbound.
Stone Cold won his 3rd Royal Rumble for the right to challenge The Rock for his WWE Championship at Wrestlemania. A surprise No Disqualification stipulation was added right before the match began. The match started hot with both men implementing signature moves on each other from the start. They even used each other's finishers to no effect. This continued till Vince McMahon came out to observe the match. The No DQ stipulation meant interfering in the match was legal for the Chairman. But instead, the Chairman threw a steel chair into the ring. Austin used said chair to hit the Rock 16 times and finally pinned him to win the match and the WWE Championship.
The aftermath of the match saw Austin and Vince shaking each other's hands and sharing a beer as JR shouted: "Austin has sold his soul to the devil." The fans in the stadium couldn't believe what they just witnessed and were bewildered by the proceedings. No matter what happens in the future, no other Wrestlemania will ever reach the heights Wrestlemania X7 reached.
