The main event to close the show at WrestleMania is the apex goal of just about every Superstar that comes to compete in WWE’s squared circle. Many all-time greats have etched their mark in history through their performances as the headline act.
Fans have also seen some not so greats being awarded the honour and fumbling with it, to embarrassing results. The top 10 on this list were those not even given the chance and were left kicking rocks as the biggest aspiration in their careers passed them by.
The ranking is from ‘unfortunate missed opportunity’ all the way to ‘colossal mistake’.
#10 Rey Mysterio
The diminutive high-flyer has a mixed track record with the WWE’s biggest show (largely owing to several injuries that stopped him from competing), but he may well have been worth the gamble as the headline act at least once.
A huge hit with the kids in particular, not to mention a merchandise juggernaut, it would not have been out of question for the WWE to have booked Rey Mysterio into a closing WrestleMania bout where he could have put on a uniquely high-paced matchup.
Also read: 5 current WWE Superstars who have never had a singles match at WrestleMania
The most obvious choice would have been to have his World title win at 22 be the last thing fans saw from that event, although it wouldn’t have been shocking to see him in the mix for the SmackDown gold at any Mania from 2005-08.
#9 The Iron Sheik
Still waiting on that rematch against Hulk Hogan from 1984, the Iron Sheik continues to stay in character and make people humble today. The birth of Hulkamania has been mentioned so many times that it seems just a tad disrespectful that the opponent is near forgotten, and denied a fitting platform to stake his redemption.
While going again with Hogan seems the only fitting option, that does not make it a lesser one, with a Madison Square Garden rerun at the initial Mania or replacing King Kong Bundy at WrestleMania 2 both making some sense.
#8 AJ Styles
Despite his solitary year in the WWE, AJ Styles has accomplished more than many and has proven his status as one of the very best wrestlers going today. To squeeze him into the main event last year would definitely have been a stretch, but fans can wonder why it took so long for the Phenomenal One to make it to the big dance in the first place.
For all intents and purposes, Styles is past his prime now, and was loitering a little in the past few years. It begs the question why he was not brought in sooner and added into the mix to close any recent Mania that certainly could have used his skills.
#7 Owen Hart
Speaking of Manias that could of used some skills, a lot of the 1990’s closing acts still stink.
While many stars could have worked their way up to oust the likes of Sid from his two closing spots, it was 1995 and the grand tussle that was Lawrence Taylor versus Bam Bam Bigelow remains the most jarring blemish.
A blemish that a certain Owen Hart had seemed positioned to fix with his career year behind him and a rematch with big brother Bret looming.
Not only would the Hart Brothers II for the belt have potentially saved Mania 11, but it could have helped launch Owen to a main event level. Sparing the fans of Diesel and HBK ‘losing his smile’ makes this a very popular what-could-have-been.
#6 Any Stable/Tag Team
Seriously. Purists still hold the belief that the main event should be a singles match for the title, yet that has been ignored multiple times, and should have been avoided even more often.
Lest we forget, the very first Mania main event was a tag team match!
It is certainly within reason to wonder why the WWE has never even once returned to this idea. The Mega Powers, Hart Foundation, Legion of Doom, D-Generation X, Evolution, the NWO, a McMahon faction, the Nexus, the Shield, just an initial count of the teams and groups that have received a huge amount of television time from the WWE.
This is not suggesting that any of these teams or others should have closed the show in any given match, but for the WWE to seemingly never even considered building to another multi-man contest to close their biggest show is a big surprise.
#5 Kane
Late career Kane has been relegated to such an extent that perhaps it is best that he never closed Mania. Of course, many fans, considering the way Kane debuted and wreaked regular havoc in the Attitude Era, might be appalled that he was allowed to fall like he has.
At times, the Big Red Machine was a force that was captivating to watch, and looking at how comparable figures at the time would main event (multiple times) at some point or another in their careers, Kane is a very notable exception.
If the WWE could work Big Show, Mick Foley, Chris Jericho, Kurt Angle, Brock Lesnar, Chris Benoit, Batista, Edge, the Miz and Triple H (six times!) all into the closer, it seems to lean towards lazy booking of a truly well known character, that Kane is omitted from this group.
#4 CM Punk
The one you’ve all been waiting for. Despite Punk’s own personal gripes concerning Mania 29 and his proposed Triple Threat, 2011 seems the most glaring botch.
With the pipe bomb just a couple of weeks away and Punk undeniably over with the crowd despite leading the final pathetic remains of the Nexus, he decided to pick a fight with Randy Orton… could they have aimed a little higher?
Cena was right there as the face of the establishment that the Nexus, Punk on commentary, as well as in his previous gimmick as Straight Edge Jesus, had all been going against.
Kickstarting The Rock and Cena feud as early as possible derailed that logical planning, as it did in the years that followed.
It’s hard to otherwise pin-point exactly where and why Punk could have closed Mania, but with his star reigniting interest for much of the existing fan base, he, without question, should have been worked in somewhere to close WrestleMania.
#3 Anyone BIG from another promotion
Goldberg looks like he’ll buck this trend this year, but with WCW so far away in the rear view mirror, only a small tweak is needed.
Vince McMahon has never let a true outsider (whose main career highlights occurred away from the WWE) close the show at his greatest creation and raise his hands in victory (I’m now certain that Lesnar squashes Goldberg @ 33).
More evidence to back this claim highlights the glittering (with the strongest sarcasm imaginable) Mania moments of Dusty Rhodes, Vader, Booker T, Arn Anderson, Barry Windham, Scott Steiner, Ron Simmons and even Sting!
Can an average WWE fan name a Japanese wrestler that’s performed at Mania, or an ECW original not named Rob Van Dam?
McMahon would not even let Hollywood Hogan back in the main event after he had bought the competition, even when jobbing to The Rock!
For this category to be so high on this list is really a reflection on what a huge mishap the Invasion angle was, and what Mania 18 in 2002 could have been for the company and the future of the wrestling business.
#2 Ric Flair
The sharpest among you may have noticed the Nature Boy’s absence in the previous category (which was also a fitting description for Mysterio, Styles, Punk and a host of tag teams as well, congratulations, you are a true super fan).
However, Ric Flair deserves an honourable mention and a standalone spot on the countdown for a few more egregious reasons.
Firstly, his ‘retirement’ at Mania 24 was a beautifully crafted match and storyline that caused very real emotion in the hearts of everyone watching. Despite an excellent match for that show, Flair should have been given the honour of the final walk off at the biggest stage.
Second (as though that honour only suited to a handful was a mere courtesy), when Flair first entered the WWE and won the title in the Royal Rumble match of 1992, there was no doubt that ‘The Man’ had arrived.
Logically, this would dictate a main event spot and presumably the WWE’s top man of the previous decade would have made a worthy opponent.
Whether it’s Hogan or Flair to blame. for this match not to have happened at wrestling’s biggest show will always remain a mistake. Flair could have even gone on to spare fans the embarrassment of Manias 9, 11 and 13. Who really knows?
The WWE was frankly a little fortunate to survive and make it to Flair’s retirement many years later, they just need to remember their own mantra: do what’s best for business.
#1 Mr. McMahon
The boss himself has never actually laced them up and got into the ring to take care of business in the main event of a WrestleMania. A wise move in the opinion of many, to let the talent do what they do best, but it is still an odd occurrence to have never happened in Mania history.
Obviously Vinny Mac has been present for the closer, be it as an announcer, commentator an irate manager or a bystander. He has also competed at his own show four times to generally positive reviews, but not with his mean mug closing the show, as the regular television shows have done countless times over many years.
For a man of McMahon’s ego to have not personally taken care of business when he must have known some main events were lacking, is remarkable. Let’s not forget that the Mr McMahon character is up there with the very best wrestling gimmicks ever.
Stone Cold versus McMahon drove enormous numbers, Hogan versus McMahon was a terrific street fight and could have been the last match at WrestleMania 19 or even better, the landmark 20th at MSG. There really was no more fitting close to a storyline than having the boss get his comeuppance against long term rivals.
This is even more notable now with McMahon being 70+ years old and likely finished in the ring.
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