In the world of sports entertainment, no event captures the world’s attention more than WWE’s annual spectacle, WrestleMania.
After 38 years, there are plenty of moments and matches to look back on.
Here is our list, 10 to 1, of the biggest WrestleManias of all time!
WrestleMania 23 (2007)
Detroit’s Ford Field hosted WrestleMania in 2007.
The event saw The Undertaker successfully challenge Batista for the World Heavyweight Championship, John Cena secure his spot as the face of the company going over WWE legend Shawn Michaels, and Stone Cold Steve Austin officiate the Battle of the Billionaires which saw Donald Trump (pre-POTUS) and his chosen superstar, Bobby Lashley victorious over Mr. McMahon and his representative, Umaga, in a match where the loser agreed to have their head shaved.
WrestleMania 10 (1994)
The 10th annual WrestleMania event took place in New York’s Madison Square Garden.
While there was a noticeable absence of ‘Hulkamania’, the ‘New Generation’ picked up the slack.
The WWE Championship was defended in two separate contestsĀ with the champion, Yokozuna going over challenger Lex Luger and dropping the title in the main event against Bret “Hitman” Hart – who himself worked double duty defeating his brother, Owen Hart in the night’s opening match.
The highlight of the night was the outstanding ladder match for the WWE Intercontinental Championship between Shawn Michaels and Razor Ramon – a match that proved to be influential for later generations of WWE Superstars and solidified Shawn Michaels as “Mr. WrestleMania”.
WrestleMania (1985)
The one that started it all.
WWE owner Vince McMahon banked everything he had on this event’s success, and with the incorporation of the newly established MTV generation, celebrity involvement and the excitement of ‘Hulkamania’, it catapulted the WWE into the mainstream.
The event featured a number of WWE legends like The Iron Sheik, Ricky Steamboat, The Junkyard Dog, Andre the Giant and Big John Studd.
The main event saw the team of Hulk Hogan and Mr. T defeat the team of Roddy Piper and Paul Orndorff with the legendary Muhammad Ali as the special guest referee.
WrestleMania 14 (1998)
With competitor WCW taking them down to one knee, the WWE needed a spark to make their 14th WrestleMania a success and get them back on top.
The spark came in the form of the ‘Baddest Man on the Planet’ and controversial boxing figure, “Iron” Mike Tyson.
Tyson’s involvement brought the eyes of the casual viewer to the WWE and further built on the popularity of rising star and eventual WWE Champion, Stone Cold Steve Austin.
The event saw Austin go over WWE Champion Shawn Michaels in the main event, the first time meeting between The Undertaker and Kane, The Rock retain the Intercontinental Championship against Ken Shamrock and The New Age Outlaws retain the tag team titles against Cactus Jack and Chainsaw Charlie.
This was the first WrestleMania of the “Attitude Era”, and the kick off to what would be the most popular and successful run in WWE history.
WrestleMania 35 (2019)
WrestleMania 35 made the history books for being the first time the Women’s Division was featured in the main the event.
RAW Women’s Champion Ronda Rousey and Smackdown Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair put their championships on the line in a triple threat match that also featured challenger Becky Lynch.
The night also saw Kofi Kingston win his first WWE Championship from Daniel Bryan, a “No Holds Barred” match between Triple H and Batista, Seth Rollins defeating Brock Lesnar for the Universal Championship and Kurt Angle’s retirement match against Baron Corbin among the heavy 16-match card.
WrestleMania 19 (2003)
The city of Seattle hosted what many would consider theĀ WrestleMania that kicked off the Ruthless Aggression Era.
Safeco Field was treated to the sports-entertainment spectacle that featured the WrestleMania return of Shawn Michaels in a match against Chris Jericho, Triple H defending the World Heavyweight Championship against Booker T, Kurt Angle putting the WWE Championship on the line against Brock Lesnar and Mr. McMahon in a bloody brawl against Hollywood Hogan.
This event would also feature Stone Cold Steve Austin’s final in-ring performance taking on longtime rival, The Rock in the culmination of their WrestleMania trilogy.
WrestleMania 18 (2002)
The 18th WrestleMania took place in the SkyDome in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Triple H and Chris Jericho battled over the WWE Undisputed Championship, Ric Flair faced off against The Undertaker and Stone Cold Steve Austin took on the nWo’s Scott Hall.
The New World Order had invaded the WWE two months prior and with their arrival came Hollywood Hulk Hogan who quickly made an enemy of The Rock.
The Rock and Hollywood Hogan faced one another in what was billed as “Icon vs Icon”, and has gone down as one of the greatest matches and moments in WrestleMania history.
WrestleMania 30 (2014)
New Orleans, LA played host to the 30th WrestleMania.
Fan favorite, Daniel Bryan, ran the gauntlet facing Triple H to advance to the main event where he’d face Randy Orton and Batista for a chance to win the WWE Championship.
The show opened with The Rock, Hollywood Hogan and Steve Austin sharing the ring.
John Cena took on Bray Wyatt, the Shield took on the New Age Outlaws and Kane, and Brock Lesnar battled The Undertaker in a history making singles match.
WrestleMania 17 (2001)
What is widely considered the greatest WrestleMania of all time took place on April 1st, 2001 in Houston, TX.
The event featured the Gimmick Battle Royal featuring some of the worst and most beloved gimmicks from years past.
Kurt Angle took on Chris Benoit, Triple H faced The Undertaker, and Shane McMahon faced Mr. McMahon in a ‘street fight’ as the newly acquired WCW roster looked on.
The Dudleys took on Edge and Christian and the Hardy Boys in a ‘Tables, Ladders and Chairs’ match while the main event featured The Rock taking on Stone Cold Steve Austin with the WWE Championship on the line.
WrestleMania 3 (1987)
Our number one pick features a main event that defines what WrestleMania is all about.
Pontiac, MI hosted a crowd of 90,000 plus wrestling fans who packed the Silverdome to see the immovable force take on the immovable object when Hulk Hogan faced off with Andre the Giant.
The night featured the still celebrated Interconitnental Championship match between ‘Macho Man’ Randy Savage and Ricky ‘The Dragon’ Steamboat – a match that inspired future superstars like Chris Jericho, Shawn Michaels and Steve Austin.
The Hart Foundation and Danny Davis took on The British Bulldogs and Tito Santana while the card also saw Butch Reed face Koko B. Ware, Jake Roberts lock up with Honky Tonk Man, and Roddy Piper wrestle Adrian Adonis.
