The Show of Shows spanning over 3 decades has gifted us several memorable moments over the years. Several wrestlers had the opportunity to grab the spotlight by delivering superb matches, while some have failed to do so, the others have delivered when it matters the most.
A match at WrestleMania is a dream come true for every pro wrestler out there, the atmosphere, the legacy and the euphoria cannot be matched when it comes to pro wrestling. Here, we shall look at some of the greatest matches in the event’s history.
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Before, getting to the countdown, let’s acknowledge some battles which failed to make the cut by narrow margins considering the number of great matches, that the event has managed to deliver over the years.
Special mentions:
Triple H vs. The Undertaker ; Hell In A Cell; WM 28
Shawn Michaels vs. The Undertaker; Career vs. Streak; WM 26
Randy Savage vs. Ric Flair; WM 8
Let’s get to the list then!
Bret Hart vs. Owen Hart; WM 10
Widely regarded as the finest WrestleMania opening match, it is hard to argue the fact considering this match was able to tick all the boxes. The two brothers competed at Madison Square Garden for the tenth anniversary of the event.
Coming from a dynasty of Canadian wrestling family, the technical aspect was implemented to perfection with fluid transition of counters and submissions.
Apart from the flawless in-ring action, the other aspect that makes the match memorable, is the giant upset with younger brother, Owen Hart managing to win the contest much to the surprise of the viewers.
Bret Hart, however got his reprieve after managing to win the Championship in the main event after defeating Yokozuna.
Hardy Boyz vs. Edge & Christian vs. The Dudley Boyz; Triple Threat TLC match; WM 17
WrestleMania 17 is considered to be the flagship when it comes to the legacy of the event. With the card being stacked from top to bottom, this is a match which no one considered to be classified as one of the greatest.
With the concept of the Tables, Ladders and Chairs match still being relatively new to the WWE Universe, the greatest tag teams of their generation managed to awe the viewers with action which was deemed impossible back then.
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While the WWE Universe had the taste of the concept of the TLC match at Summerslam 2000, this time, however, the teams were able to take the action to the next level with high octane spots and interferences in the form of Rhyno and Lita.
With bodies lying everywhere, the image of Jeff Hardy dangling on to the title and Edge proceeding to spear him off from the top of the ladder is still a fresh image for all the fans out there.
The match turned out to be a stepping stone for all the future matches out there including the Money In The Bank ladder matches.
Shawn Michaels vs. Kurt Angle; WM 21
This was one of the matches which relied on pure wrestling rather than the build or the gimmick of the wrestlers. The feud did not involve any rocket science with Angle being the heel took revenge on Shawn Michaels for eliminating him at the Royal Rumble, which led to the match at the grandest stage.
This was a dream match for several fans with the quality of these wrestlers known and witnessed. The match did not let down even one bit and delivered as expected. The formula of an aggressive Angle against the resilient Michaels worked wonders.
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The fierce battle was a pure blend of technical wrestling, big spots and stellar nearfalls, which brought the audience to the edge of their seats. The finish brought the curtains down to an excellent encounter where in Angle managed to bring his most lethal weapon, the Ankle lock.
The desperation on Michaels’ face told the entire story whilst being held on to perhaps the longest Ankle lock in history. Ultimately, the Heart Break Kid did not have any choice, but to succumb to the pain and quit.
Mr.WrestleMania got a deserving standing ovation from the Staples Center after delivering one of the greatest performances of his stunning career.
Stone Cold Steve Austin vs. Bret Hart; WM 13
If there is a match that defines the WWE, it must be the hard fought battle between the Texas Rattlesnake and The Hitman. WrestleMania 13 was held in tumultuous circumstances with several stars jumping ships over to rival company WCW and the company was having a hard time to hold on.
This battle was the lone bright spot in the entire card, and was a sign for things to come for the WWE, where they eventually managed to oust WCW with the introduction to the “Attitude Era”. Coming to the match, these two were embroiled in a long term feud which saw a match at Survivor Series.
Stone Cold was the cocky heel whereas Hart came into the match as the favoured veteran. But, all changed in the matter of time, where after gruelling action with the stipulation as Submission.
Austin managed to make the most iconic blade job in the history, with eye catching levels of blood pouring down and being held on to the Sharpshooter, the resiliency of the Rattlesnake was admired by the WWE universe who refused to quit and passed out instead, handing Bret hart the eventual victory.
The fans turned on Bret Hart after still holding on to the lock on Austin despite managing to secure the victory. By this, the most famous double turn was completed, with Austin managing to reach the levels of success with his face turn.
The Undertaker vs. Shawn Michaels; WM 25
The top spot on this list is virtually a no-brainer since no match has managed to catch the appeal as this one. The two veterans were handed the opportunity to have a go at the 25th anniversary of the show.
Apparently, the prospect of not being allowed to main event the show upset the duo which prompted them to steal the show. The formula of the big guy vs the small guy was applied with both men trading offense.
The match is widely remembered for the botch, where the cameraman failed to catch the Undertaker which lead to a sickening thud scaring several of the packed stadium at Houston.
However, The Phenom managed to survive the scare and match picked on from there to the next level where the veterans traded their signature moves but could not finish each other. With the WWE Universe loving every second of this, the first ever “This is Awesome” chant came into the picture.
The 30 minute ride ended after The Deadman managed to catch HBK’s moonsault attempt into a tombstone to conclude perhaps one of the greatest match in pro-wrestling history. The flair of the match is added by Jim Ross’ iconic commentary and the atmosphere in which it was set in.
Which match do you guys feel that should have made the list? Drop down your thoughts in the comments section.
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