Over 290 matches. 30 years. 10 picks. The challenge of choosing ten of the greatest matches ever held at a WrestleMania is a daunting one. The WWE’s long-running wrestling extravaganza has seen countless classics over the past three decades, but which of these deserve the honor of being labelled as the greatest matches in the history of 'The Grand Daddy of them all'?
10. Bret Hart vs. Owen Hart - WrestleMania X
Widely considered one of the greatest performing families in the history of industry, two of the Hart family’s greatest exports, Bret and Owen, opened the 10th anniversary show back in 1994. Hoping to step away from his brother’s considerable shadow, Owen did just that after a hard fought battle that perfectly showcased the technical prowess of the two brothers.
9. The Hardy Boyz vs. The Dudley Boyz vs. Edge & Christian - WrestleMania X-Seven
Successfully breathing new life into the ailing tag team division, these three teams continued their rivalry with this exhilarating rematch from WrestleMania 2000. Taking even more risks than before, the six combatants once again put their bodies and careers on the line, producing some of the greatest spots in the show’s history in the process.
8. Shawn Michaels vs. Kurt Angle - WrestleMania 21
A highly anticipated meeting of two of professional wrestling’s top superstars, Shawn Michaels and Kurt Angle managed to live up to the hype, and then some. Initially displaying their catch wrestling skills, the bout would eventually descend into an intense war of attrition as the two adversaries battled for bragging rights.
7. Shawn Michaels vs. Razor Ramon - WrestleMania X
One of the first, and still arguably the most influential ladder match in WWE history, Shawn Michaels and Razor Ramon utilised this DIY staple as they fought to become the undisputed Intercontinental Champion. Pioneering many of the dangerous spots taken for granted today, the two superstars put everything on the line to successfully steal the show.
6. Bret Hart vs. Shawn Michaels - WrestleMania XII
The first, and to date, only Iron Man match in WrestleMania history, Bret Hart defended his WWE Championship against fierce rival Shawn Michaels in the headline match back in 1996. A gruelling sixty minute duel, the two exhausted their extensive movesets in their attempts to leave the event as champion. Another thrilling clinic from two of ‘Mania’s greatest performers.
5. The Undertaker vs. Shawn Michaels - WrestleMania XXVI
2010 saw the emotional final farewell of WrestleMania’s greatest superstar, and of course he went out with a flawless performance. Obsessed with ending The Undertaker's undefeated streak at the year’s biggest show, ‘The Heartbreak Kid’ and ‘The Deadman’ put on another instant classic. A fitting curtain call for the man who had rightfully earned the title of ‘Mr. WrestleMania’.
4. Bret Hart vs. Stone Cold Steve Austin - WrestleMania 13
The moment that saw Stone Cold Steve Austin become a household name, this landmark match represented a turning of the tide for the company desperately fighting for survival in 1997. Facing veteran Bret Hart in a punishing submission match, this legendary battle would go on to help redefine not only the WWE, but the entire industry as well.
3. The Rock vs. Stone Cold Steve Austin - WrestleMania X-Seven
A rematch of their critically acclaimed match two years prior, The Rock and Stone Cold Steve Austin once again clashed over the WWE Championship in 2001. Abruptly changed to a No Disqualification match, the career rivals used this to their advantage, brawling outside the ring and even in the crowd. Another epic display from the two, further enhanced by the unbelievable twist at the conclusion of the match.
2. Randy Savage vs. Ricky Steamboat - WrestleMania III
Proving to scores of future superstars that you don’t have to go on last to produce the match of the night, Savage and Steamboat put on the match of their lives back in 1987. An exquisite match featuring a perfect balance of drama and action, these two legendary superstars raised the bar to a height that few expected would ever be matched again.
1. The Undertaker vs. Shawn Michaels - WrestleMania XXV
The task of picking the top ten matches in WrestleMania history might be a tough ask, but choosing its single greatest match of all time is actually pretty easy. In 2009 The Undertaker and Shawn Michaels put on the greatest match ever witnessed at ‘The Show of Shows’, one of the greatest professional wrestling matches ever witnessed period. It was that good.
A near thirty minute theatrical and technical masterpiece, the two longtime WWE veterans wound back the clock, performing physical feats that should be impossible for two men in their mid-forties to pull off. Savage and Steamboat may have raised the bar of what a good match should be...but ‘Taker and Michaels launched that bar into the stratosphere.
Agree? Disagree? What do you think is the greatest WrestleMania match of all time?
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