Road To Wrestlemania 10 Greatest Wrestlemania Matches

Road To Wrestlemania 10 Greatest Wrestlemania Matches

Hello everyone, it has been awhile since I last posted here. I’ve had a lot of things going on recently but I am back now with what I call some of WWE’s greatest Wrestlemania Matches. I recently found myself watching the WWE Wrestlemania Anthology, and it made me want to talk about some of the biggest matches in the events history.

My criteria for these matches, outside of just being personal favorites, is how much of a lasting appeal the match had. How popular were the participants involved? What was the buildup? What was the crowd reaction? Did the match steal the show? These are all factors in determining ONLY 10 matches from the huge lore of Wrestlemania history. Now I can almost guarantee that I am going to leave a match or two out, so please feel free to give me feedback on what matches I am missing from this list and why.

10. Randy Savage vs Ricky Steamboat Wrestlemania III

1987 was the year, and if two guys literally stole from this match move for move today it would still hold up with today’s audience just as much as it did in 87. It’s odd I’m considering this match as one of the greatest of all time and it was contested for the Intercontinental Title. That belt meant so much in the 80s and 90s and it has only be fought over one time in the past 10 years at ‘Mania. Honestly, that’s just a shame. In any event, these two men put on a clinic in this match. The moves were executed so crisp and accurate and both Savage and Steamboat were so smooth in the ring that I could literally watch this match for hours. The number of counters in this match was amazing too, considering this match did happen in 87. What was so truly remarkable about the match to me is that it is looked at as the best MATCH of the show. Even over Hogan vs Andre, which put the WWF(at the time) on the map along with Hulkamania. Granted the bodyslam heard ‘round the world is what the event is remember for, but this match was simply classic. From start to finish these two legends had the audience at home and at the Pontiac Silverdome glued.

9. Edge vs Mick Foley Wrestlemania 22

Now I know that most of you were not expecting to see neither Edge nor Foley on this list, but there is no way that I could not include it. When you look at the vast history of Wrestlemania matches, there are very few barbaric and violent matches much less one that is considered legendary. Well, this was that match. It was the first time that we truly saw the Hardcore Legend in his own domain (a hardcore match) at Wrestlemania and we saw just how tough Edge truly is. It’s kind of funny that most people prior to this match had forgot just how tough Edge was even though he had risked his body in countless ladder matches (even some at Wrestlemania). The visual of Edge’s face as he took his first plummet onto the thumbtacks was pure gold. The match itself was just gory and violent. The shots that Foley took made me cringe repeatedly and Edge showed he could take as well as he could dish out. We even saw Mr. Socko get hardcore as he was wrapped in barbed-wire and put in Edge’s and Lita’s mouth. However, the moment we will all remember from this match is of Edge flying through the air and spearing Foley from the apron to the floor….through a flaming table. That was an OMG moment if I never saw one. It is a visual that, like many of Foley’s moments, are still being shown throughout WWE TV. What made it more special was that it took place on the biggest stage in wrestling.

8. Hulk Hogan vs Ultimate Warrior Wrestlemania VI

The Irresistible Force versus, well…..the other Irresistible Force. In the spring of 1990 were there any two bigger names in WWE than Hulk Hogan and the Ultimate Warrior. It was a match of many firsts. It was one of the first times we ever saw a babyface square off against another babyface. It was the first time we ever saw the Intercontinental Champion wrestle the WWE Champion title vs title. Most importantly, it was the first time that we witnessed, since the dawning of Hulkamania, Hulk Hogan being defeated cleanly in the center of the ring. This match was probably the only time I can remember the fans just cheering and not having a clear idea who was being cheered and who was being booed. The fans loved both of these two so much and the match far exceeded the expectations of what anyone expected. The tests of strength, the near-falls, the false finishes, this match was truly extraordinary. The Hulkster missing the leg drop and getting splashed by Warrior was a moment that was only eclipsed in this match by the show of sportsmanship (whether it was legit or not) from Hulk Hogan to the Warrior when it was over. The fans were looking at the passing of the torch from Hogan to Warrior, and as Gorrila Monsoon put it, Hogan’s giant leap into immortality.

7. Triple H vs The Undertaker Wrestlemania XXVII

The match hyped by the utter silence of two legends. Now I can almost guarantee that some of you disagree with this choice, especially considering the match happened just last year but I think everyone really needs to take a serious look at this match. If there was ever a match that defined the Undertaker’s undefeated Wrestlemania streak, and how much the streak means to him it is this match. The Undertaker took the absolute worst beating I have ever seen him take at the hands of another. He didn’t even walk out after the match, he was carried out. Yet, he was the victory and in the context of the match it made perfect since. The desperate method in which the Undertaker won showed how much he refuses to be beaten on this one night, and it shows just why he is undefeated in the first place. There just is NO underestimating the Deadman. Triple H also deserves a ton of credit because I pretty much assumed after ‘Taker’s match with HBK at WM26 that the streak was never going to end. However, Triple H did as much as he possibly could to make me believe that on that night, the streak was dead. The complete lack of respect in Triple H tombstombing the Undertaker, and even mocking his cover was great. What was even greater was the look on his face when ‘Taker still kicked out. Even down to the very end when Triple H was locked in Hell’s Gate and he reached for the sledgehammer, I truly felt like there was nothing The Undertaker could do to stop Triple H. That wasn’t the response I was expecting to have in watching this match. These two put on a hell of a performance and totally obliterated the match they had at Wrestlemania ten years prior.

6. Bret Hart vs Stone Cold Steve Austin Wrestlemania 13

Just as much as we associate Hogan bodyslamming Andre to Hulkamania’s success, we associate the image of a bloody Austin in the sharpshooter to the Austin Era. This match was a classic match between these two Hall of Famers that was the perfect blend of a brawl and a wrestling match. The fighting that took place outside of the ring and into the crowd was something very rarely seen in a WWE match at the time, especially at ‘Mania. It is also worth noting that this was a submission match, and submission skills are not something that I would say Austin was known for. When the match finally got back in the ring we saw both men go at numerous attempts to make the other submit. I think the technical execution of both men in this match was a sight to behold. Though obviously no one would expect less from Bret, it was a side of Austin rarely seen in WWE. The use of blood in this match was excellent in this match as well. Austin being busted open on the guard rail and bleeding profusely slowed him down significantly and displayed why he passed out of the sharpshooter. He refusal to give up in the sharpshooter was very special also. It showed just how tough Austin really was that he would rather pass out than say he quit at all. Even while bleeding he was still trying to push out of the sharpshooter but just couldn’t do it. That was why the fans loved him. It was this love for him that was the true highlight of the match because that love was missing before the bell. Bret Hart was the fan favorite and Austin was the bad guy, however throughout the course of the match the fans changed side and started rooting for Austin and booing Bret. Austin was given a standing ovation after the match and honestly, that is exactly what both men deserved for such a match.

5. Stone Cold Steve Austin vs The Rock II Wrestlemania X-Seven

For years that Austin/Bret match could have arguably been considered the best match of Austin’s career. That was until he faced his greatest rival at Wrestlemania for the second time. This match was the Hogan/Warrior match of the Attitude Era and tore the roof off of the Astrodome. Even though the crowd was split 40-60 in favor of Austin, maybe even 30-70, it was impossible for the fans to determine just who was going to get the victory in this match. We saw the absolute best out of both men in this match. If there was a move that these two had the ability to execute, they did it in this match. They even did the typical kick out of each other’s finishers in a big match spots, but they made perfect since within the match and didn’t tire the crowd out in the least. They even hit each others finishers in the match which was something you REALLY didn’t see all the time in WWE. The only thing that would take this match away from being the biggest and best in ‘Mania history, and it pains me to say it, but it’s the ending. Austin getting help from Mr. McMahon in order to win the match took too much away from the amount that him and Rock put into the match for nearly an hour. What is interesting is that on Austin’s recent DVD, he stated that he would done everything exactly the same, EXCEPT he would have stunned Vince after the match. If that did indeed happen, this match would have been higher on my list and I would even be discussing anything this at all. Austin stated in the buildup to the match that he would do anything to win the WWE title, and getting Vince to help him proved that. However, by stunning Vince he would have still kept his DTA attitude and the match would have simply showed why Austin was the man on that particular night. It’s hard picturing Austin becoming a heel in this match because he was never really a goody-two shoes to begin with. All in all this match was still great and THE main event of the attitude era.

4. Ric Flair vs Shawn Michaels Wrestlemania XXIV

Its funny that I am just now mentioning Mr. Wrestlemania in this list of top ten matches at ‘Mania. How could I not include Ric Flair’s retirement match (or so we thought). Shawn Michaels wrestled his idol at the show of shows, but the intrigue doesn’t stop there. If Shawn defeated his idol, he would end his career. Boy, to think that Flair would end his career at Wrestlemania of all places against a man who, next to the Undertaker, is synonymous with the event. This was an emotional roller coaster in the nature of the match itself. It didn’t disappoint either because Shawn Michaels pulled absolutely everything he out of Flair in this match. Flair telling Shawn not to hold back in the match and Shawn didn’t. He slapped the taste out of Flair, he flew all across the ring, he even attempted a moonsault from the apron to the announcers table that I was sure to break one of Shawn’s ribs. Flair even managed to execute a move off the top rope, which I could probably count on my hand the number of time he was successful in that and I would still have fingers to spare. As great as the match was the pure emotion in the finish to this match was off the page. Shawn tuning up the band and not wanting to superkick Flair, and a teary-eyed Flair telling Shawn to just do it was heart-wrenching. Shawn telling Flair that he was sorry and that he loved him was also special, even if Shawn did kick Flair’s head off after saying it. It was truly a nice and fitting end to the WWE career of a Legend and Hall of Famer like Ric Flair. He went out giving it everything he had and he did it in style, at the Grandest Stage of Them All.

3. Hollywood Hulk Hogan vs The Rock Wrestlemania X-8

If you would have asked me in 2000, when the Rock was in his prime, would he have wrestle Hulk Hogan at all much less at ‘Mania, I would have given you a HUGE no. Boy, was I, and the vast landscape of wrestling fans wrong. It is so rare to have “dream match” actually happen but when they do you know you are in for something special. These two did not disappoint either. Hollywood Hogan and The Rock tore the roof off of the Skydome the same way Hogan did 12 years earlier with Warrior. The odd thing about this match though was that Hogan was the clear bad guy in this match. For goodness sake, he crashed a truck into an ambulance with Rocky inside it before the event. However, the fans were clearly behind Hogan. They cheered for him no mattered what he did. Then in another odd turn of events, The Rock was being booed and HE started using dirty tactics as well, and he was the good guy. The image of Rock holding up Hogan’s weightlifting belt and spitting on it before whipping the daylight out of Hogan was priceless. The kicker for the entire match was seeing Hogan, “Hulk up” in the match. As Hulk Hogan this was a common thing for him to do, however as the evil Hollywood Hogan, this was not normal. It was as if before our very eyes we saw Hollywood transform from Hollywood Hogan into Hulk Hogan. It was pure genius of both men to start playing to the crowd in this match for the bigger reactions. In the end it was Rock who got the victory, and we saw through all of the drama that these two man had earned a mutual respect for each other. Seeing Hogan shake Rock’s hand after his defeat was just as special as when he did it to Warrior back in 1990.

2. Bret Hart vs Shawn Michaels Wrestlemania XII

If there were ever two man that I would want to see have a match for an hour, it would be these two. Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels battled for the WWE Championship in a 60-Minute Iron Man Match. In a nutshell the man who won the most in one hour, won the match. Sounds simple enough, right? Well, not for these two because in the entire hour neither men was able to beat the other. These two battled each other and could not win by pinfall, submission, count out, or disqualification. The great thing about that is, if you asked the audience, they would have wanted another hour, and I could almost guarantee that these two could give it to them. If a match like this isn’t considered for top five in the greatest matches in Wrestlemania history, then I what match is. Bret and Shawn were both in their prime. Both men could have great matches with a broomstick and we were given the pleasure of seeing them work with each other. The crowd truly loved both men and this was a dream match for any fan at this point in time. Though, I have mentioned “babyface matches” like Hogan/Warrior and Austin/Rock, this match was an entirely different animal. This match wasn’t just for the WWE title, it was a match to without a doubt determine who is the better man was. Who the better performer was? Who the bigger superstar was? The irony of it all is that we still didn’t get a clear cut answer to that question due to the circumstances. On top of the time limit expiring, Bret was forced to defend the title in sudden-death overtime and Shawn earned the deciding fall minutes later. Bret storming out of the ring, Shawn ordering Bret out of the ring and celebrating, all was fodder to set up a heck of a history making rematch (though the one we got wasn’t what was expected). Hands down, this match was one of the greatest in Wrestlemania history.

1. Shawn Michaels vs The Undertaker The 25^th Anniversary of Wrestlemania

Mr. Wrestlemania vs The Wrestlemania Undefeated Streak. The Undertaker, 16-0 at Wrestlemania, beating numerous Hall of Famers and potential future Hall of Famers, defeat the some of the biggest and best that wrestling had to offer at Wrestlemania. Who exactly could the fans look at as a viable enough superstar to beat him one-on-one? How about a superstar that he had never beaten one-on-one? That’s right in the illustrious career of the Undertaker, he had only EVER wrestled Shawn Michaels one-on-one on three separate occasions, and he lost all three. Shawn truly had all the confidence and momentum in the world going into Wrestlemania 25. Got one over on the Undertaker on numerous occasions heading into to the match and he knew that he could beat him on any given night.

That is just the hype leading into the match, I can’t leave out the entrances. Both men are known for their extravagant entrances anyways, but at Wrestlemania they both always have something extra for their matches. This one was no exception. Shawn Michaels descended from the heavens having his special relationship with his maker, he made his way to the ring only after lowering from the top of the stage and them making his typical HBK-like entrance. On the contrary, the Undertaker’s entrance was the polar opposite yet just as spectacular. The Deadman rose from the depths of hell before coming to the ring. Where Shawn made his way to the ring in an upbeat fashion, the Undertaker took his usual time strolling down the aisle slowly and eerily. There just could not have been anymore flare to add to this match.

Then, there was the match itself. These two men went at each other tooth and nail. Shawn constant taunted the Deadman, yet ‘Taker was still having a little bit of trouble truly getting his hands on Shawn. It was clear that Shawn would go to any lengths to get a victory in this match. This point couldn’t have been more any more evident than by him wanting the ref to count the Undertaker out quicker after the Deadman almost killed himself (no pun intended) with a dive to the outside of the ring and missed. Shawn also continued to kick out of most of ‘Taker’s finishing maneuvers. The spot where the Undertaker through Shawn over the top rope, Shawn holds onto the rope and flips himself back in (known as skinning the cat), and ‘Taker catching him and delivering a Tombstone piledriver and pinning him, and Shawn kicking out at 2 ½ has to be the single greatest sequence I have ever seen in a Wrestlemania match in my life. The Undertaker’s facial expression afterwards was the exact same as all of the fans, disbelief.

What was interesting about the match was that it seemed like the match was a tale of the Undertaker’s inability to defeat HBK, and it became a matter of HBK’s inability to defeat the Undertaker. Shawn withstood everything ‘Taker had to dish out, but the Phenom was also able to withstand all of Shawn’s offense, including numerous superkicks. In the end, Shawn reached his breaking point first as he fell victim to another tombstone piledriver.

This match had absolutely everything a wrestling fan could want in a match. It had larger than life entrances, it had hype, it had history, it had big names, and to top it off it took place at the biggest event of the year. This one match help set up for the rematch that took place a year later at Wrestlemania XXVI in a career vs streak match that saw the end of Shawn Michaels career. (the same man who ended Ric Flair’s career just two years prior) This match set a blueprint for every match that the Undertaker will have and has had since that day at Wrestlemania. That match was the first to display how much a wrestler, has to go through and dish out in order to be even remotely close to ending the Undertaker’s undefeated Wrestlemania streak. It also put an amount of importance on ‘Taker’s streak to the degree that it might even be bigger than world title matches at this point. It without a doubt showed what makes Wrestlemania special and what it means to the superstars that perform on that day.

Okay, so that is my list of the greatest matches at Wrestlemania. I know that there are probably people who agree and disagree with my choices and I encourage that. To be honest with a topic like this, I know that I had to have stumbled over some gems along the way. Feel free to give me feedback on what are some of your favorites.

Honorable Mentions:

Kurt Angle vs Shawn Michaels Wrestlemania 21

John Cena vs Batista Wrestlemania XXVI

Edge/Christian vs Hardyz vs Dudley Boyz Triangle Ladder Match Wrestlemania 2000

Shawn Michaels vs Stone Cold Steve Austin Wrestlemania XIV

Shawn Michaels vs Razor Ramon Wrestlemania X

Hulk Hogan vs Mr. McMahon Wrestlemania XIX

Undertaker vs Kane Wrestlemania XIV

Kurt Angle vs Chris Benoit Wrestlemania X-Seven

Jake The Snake Roberts vs Rick Martel Blindfold Match