The biggest event in professional wrestling — sorry, sports entertainment — is nearly upon us. It’s WrestleMania week.
The landmark marvel of storytelling, violence and athleticism is the standard bearer of the squared circle. Everyone knows about WrestleMania, even if they don’t care about pro wrestling. And as such, the pressure is on the WWE each spring to create a memorable event that can sustain the brand’s success for the year to come.
Sometimes this works out better than others. This showcase has been the backdrop of several indelible moments woven into the fabric of wrestling. It has also served to prop up uncompelling storylines and stars who shined in longtime company head Vince McMahon’s eyes but not in the hearts of fans in the stands.
Let’s talk about those headliners and whether or not they lived up to the pressure of closing out WrestleMania. There have been 41 headlining matches across 38 WrestleManias to date — including the six from the last three years, where the WWE wisely opted to spread the card over two nights. This is my crude attempt to rank all 41 from worst to best, hopefully overcoming my own recency bias in the process.
Additionally, please excuse the somewhat bizarre choice of section images. It turns out USA Today Sports doesn’t have an extensive archive of pre-2020s wrestling photos.
41-36: Shenanigans, spectacles and awful wrestling
41. WrestleMania 9: Hulk Hogan vs Yokozuna (c) for the WWF Championship
An undead mortician wrestled a 7-foot-7 South American giant in an airbrushed bodysuit with fur covering his genitals and it still wasn’t the most embarrassing thing about WrestleMania IX.
40. WrestleMania 13: The Undertaker vs Sycho Sid (c) for the WWF Championship
Bret Hart and Stone Cold Steve Austin pulled off a double-turn that’s still sold as the gold standard for character switch-ups today. A couple hours later Sid and the Undertaker walked through a 20-minute match that let the fans leave happy, if nothing else.
39. WrestleMania 8: Hulk Hogan vs Sid Justice
18 minutes of clotheslines and foot-stomping punches, wrapped up in a disqualification finish involving a voodoo shaman — and they couldn’t even get that right.
38. WrestleMania 36, Night Two: Drew McIntyre vs Brock Lesnar (c) (with Paul Heyman) for the WWE Championship
McIntyre and Lesnar put all the effort of a house match into this one, treating a fan-less audience to a video-game-esque barrage of finishers. McIntyre cashed in his hot run with a win … albeit in under six minutes (he’d later face the Big Show in a dark match for the title in that, the year of our lord, 2020).
37. WrestleMania 11: Lawrence Taylor vs Bam Bam Bigelow
Taylor was perfectly fine in the ring and a testament to Bigelow’s ability to pull a solid match out of anyone halfway athletic. As a wrestling match it’s not much but as a spectacle it’s still fun to watch.
36. WrestleMania 33: Roman Reigns vs The Undertaker, no holds barred
A clearly faded Undertaker without a WrestleMania streak and a version of Reigns the fans couldn’t stand. At least it wasn’t the Bray Wyatt-Randy Orton match from earlier in the night where Wyatt’s ace in the hole was, uh, projecting a video of bugs onto the ring canvas.
35-31: Forgettable matches and guys we were already sick of
35. WrestleMania 10: Bret Hart vs Yokozuna (c) for the WWF Championship
This wasn’t even the best Bret Hart match of the night (he and brother Owen put on a 20-minute classic earlier). But it righted the wrongs of WrestleMania IX so, sure, here it goes.
34. WrestleMania 25: Triple H (c) vs Randy Orton for the WWE Championship
This had to follow a Shawn Michaels-Undertaker classic — one that would set up a legendary rematch — and paled in comparison. Both guys hit their finishers early, then the match kinda fizzled from there.
33. WrestleMania 27: The Miz (c) vs John Cena in a no disqualification match for the WWE Championship
A double count-out to set up Cena and The Rock a year later. Sorry, Miz.
32. WrestleMania 32: Roman Reigns vs Triple H (c) for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship
A 27-minute slog of a match wrapping up an overstuffed 12-match card between two guys fans had gotten sick of seeing throughout the year. It’s fine, if a little boring.
31. WrestleMania 2: Hulk Hogan (c) vs King Kong Bundy in a steel cage for the WWF Championship
Hogan vs. a man who looks like an infected thumb in a onesie. This was one of three main events from a WrestleMania held in three different locations. This one went on last and gets credit for the steel cage element and the presence of Bobby “the Brain” Heenan. That’s about all it’s got going for it.
30-26: (Mostly) solid matches obscured by shenanigans
30. WrestleMania 4: Randy Savage vs Ted DiBiase for the WWF Championship
A match that absolutely should have slapped, but was worn down by match fatigue — a 14-man tournament to claim the champion — and, since this was late 80s WWE, a bunch of Hulk Hogan bull[expletive].
29. WrestleMania 7: Hulk Hogan vs Sgt. Slaughter (c) for the WWF Championship
Slaughter was a (fake) drill sargeant turned Iraqi sympathizer around the dawn of Operation Desert Storm. Hogan was Hulk Hogan, the love child of a sirloin steak and an American flag top hat. It’s … whatever. U-S-A!
28. WrestleMania 34: Brock Lesnar (c) vs Roman Reigns for the WWE Universal Championship
Reigns and Lesnar put on an acceptable match in front of a crowd that wanted nothing to do with either of them. This is a brutal, physical match that looks better now than it did then, when fatigue for both men was reaching peak saturation.
27. WrestleMania 18: Triple H vs Chris Jericho (c) for the WWF Undisputed Championship
Triple H’s reign of terror kicked off here, beginning years of breathy promos opening Monday Night Raw preaching the greatness of Triple H. Additionally, this somehow headlined over The Rock vs. Hulk Hogan. Madness.
26. WrestleMania 1: Hulk Hogan & Mr. T vs Paul Orndorff & Roddy Piper
This match wasn’t designed to be good. It was designed to be entertaining. It succeeded. The biggest babyface in the world paired with the breakout star of the A-Team to take on a vain doofus named Mr. Wonderful and an unfiltered, unmute-able man in a kilt in the wrestling ring. Picture how that would unfold in your head. Yep, you got it right.
25-21: Totally fine and possibly even better
25. WrestleMania 16: Triple H (c) vs The Big Show vs Mick Foley vs The Rock in a fatal four-way elimination match for the WWF Championship
Legends all around in a four-way match interlaced with McMahon family drama. The end result is all very stupid and has entirely too much going on. That doesn’t mean it’s not fun, even if those chair shots, in retrospect, are (/grimaces, sucks air over teeth).
24. WrestleMania 21: Batista vs Triple H (c) for the World Heavyweight Championship
This is a completely fine match notable for Triple H working like Ric Flair and then the actual Ric Flair taking a spinebuster. The finish stamped the arrival of Batista, who’d pass on that generosity and go out on his back in another main event further up the list.
23. WrestleMania 38, Night Two: Roman Reigns (Universal Champion) vs Brock Lesnar (WWE Champion) in a winner takes all match for the WWE Championship and WWE Universal Championship
It’s a Reigns-Lesnar brawl, which means it involved a bunch of suplexes, finishers spammed to an obnoxious degree and a relatively short run time. At least the fans didn’t actively hate this one (see WrestleMania 34).
22. WrestleMania 22: John Cena (c) vs Triple H for the WWE Championship
A perfectly good match between two guys perpetually at the top of the card in the mid-to-late 2000s, whether fans liked it or not. Triple H tapped out in hopes of raising Cena’s stock. It was … fine.
21. WrestleMania 37, Night Two: Roman Reigns (c) (with Jey Uso and Paul Heyman) vs Edge vs Daniel Bryan in a triple threat match for the WWE Universal Championship
Edge’s return and Bryan’s last WrestleMania (to date) culminated in a mostly entertaining three-way that ends with Reigns stacking two legends on top of each other for the pin. Fortunately, this would fuel the fire for the Tribal Chief storyline.
20-16: Extremely fun matches and a showcase of legendary talent
20. WrestleMania 38, Night One: Stone Cold Steve Austin vs Kevin Owens in a no holds barred match
Austin returned to the ring at age 57 and took over the first night of WrestleMania 38. Sure, we all knew how this was going to end — but Austin took some big bumps, helped press Owens’ legend forward and, most memorably, created one final moment to elevate his in-ring legacy.
19. WrestleMania 5: Hulk Hogan vs Randy Savage (c) for the WWF Championship
The Mega-Powers COLLIDED. This match was a spectacle with a true Hogan ending — shrugging off his opponent’s finisher before hitting his own for the 1-2-3. Ah well, it’s what the people wanted.
18. WrestleMania 14: Steve Austin vs Shawn Michaels (c) WWF Championship
This match marked Austin’s ascension to superstardom, working over a post-Montreal Screwjob Michaels to usher the company into prosperity without Bret Hart. The action itself comes in fits and starts, and while the match is ultimately uneven its high points live up to the WrestleMania stage.
17. WrestleMania 29: John Cena vs The Rock (c) for the WWE Championship
This match loses points for being the rematch of a main event billed as “once in a lifetime.” That and the fact the Rock ripped a core muscle off the bone early on, limiting the pacing on this one but making it all the more impressive after the fact.
16. WrestleMania 36, Night One: The Undertaker vs AJ Styles (with Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson) in a Boneyard Match
A campy, cinematic graveyard war that sent the Undertaker out with the reverence his three-decade career deserved.
15-11: Big names making history
15. WrestleMania 15: Steve Austin vs The Rock (c) in a no disqualification match for the WWF Championship
A ton of ref bumps and interference makes this the lesser of the Austin/Rock main events. It’s still a lot of dumb, violent fun.
14. WrestleMania 6: The Ultimate Warrior (IC Champ) vs Hulk Hogan (WWF Champ) for the WWF and Intercontinental Championships
Two larger-than-life characters played by garbage people created hype for this battle matched only by their inflated physiques. Hogan and Warrior told a story in the ring and the crowd went nuts for all of it. A beautiful collison of Vince McMahon’s best case scenarios on the largest stage of them all.
13. WrestleMania 35: Becky Lynch vs Charlotte Flair (c) vs Ronda Rousey (c) in a triple threat match for the WWE Smackdown & Raw Women’s Championships
The first female main event at WrestleMania, this triple threat match proved it belonged at the top of the card. Lynch topped her ascension with a well deserved win
12. WrestleMania 24: The Undertaker vs Edge (c) for the World Heavyweight Championship
Taker’s main event with Edge is overlooked in his WrestleMania oeuvre, but it’s great. Edge tries to cheat, the Undertaker does a lot of low-key immortal zombie stuff, etc. It hits all the right notes, simultaneously being over-the-top while taking itself too seriously.
11. WrestleMania 3: Hulk Hogan (c) vs Andre the Giant for the WWF Championship
An objectively bad wrestling match that’s become one of the sport’s most iconic moments. Don’t believe anything Hogan says about it now.
Hulk Hogan Lies Over The Years [thread] pic.twitter.com/LoPXWO4ABI
— Allan (@allan_cheapshot) September 12, 2021
10-6: Absolute classics that hold up over time
10. WrestleMania 12: Shawn Michaels vs Bret Hart (c) in a 60 minute iron man match for the WWF Championship
A real-life rivalry that wasn’t quite untenable yet, this was just two of the 1990s best wrestlers delivering a compelling, 60-plus minute showdown. While it takes a while to get going, the stakes of the final 15 minutes serve as a love letter to professional wrestling.
9. WrestleMania 28: The Rock vs John Cena
Cena was at the height of his wrestling career and The Rock had moved on to Hollywood, leaving this battle of WWE’s biggest personalities too much of a cash cow not to make. The two came through in the ring, bringing high-stakes moments to the biggest match of the year after a year of hype.
8. WrestleMania 19: Brock Lesnar vs Kurt Angle (c) for the WWE Championship
Two amateur wrestling behemoths beat the tar out of each other in the ring. Somehow, Lesnar landing on his own damn head while botching a shooting star press makes this all seem more epic.
7. WrestleMania 37, Night One : Bianca Belair vs Sasha Banks (c) for the WWE SmackDown Women’s Championship
Belair looked like a star before WrestleMania 37. This main event wrote her name in ink. The EST showed off the power, explosion and personality that makes get great, battering the more established Banks while providing a steady base for the Boss to chop down. Both women understood the moment and rose to elevate both themselves and their art.
6. WrestleMania 23: John Cena (c) vs Shawn Michaels for the WWE Championship
A half-hour John Cena match entering the peak of his “lol Cena wins” powers sounds … unpleasant. But Michaels threw the kitchen sink at him, making him look like a juggernaut en route to a submission loss. Cena-Michaels was a great pairing and no-brainer headliner that exceeded expectations.
5-1: Perfect endings
5. WrestleMania 17: Steve Austin vs The Rock (c) in a no disqualification match for the WWF Championship
The two biggest WWE stars of the millennium (give or take a Cena) went to battle one last time in the final match of one of the best WrestleManias ever. This was a no-DQ brawl that showcased the best of both men, ending with (of course) Vince McMahon interference and a heel turn for the new champ Austin. It played back to each man’s history and wrote its story with blood.
4. WrestleMania 31: Seth Rollins vs Brock Lesnar (c) vs Roman Reigns in a Triple Threat match for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship
Rollins was already a star before he cashed in his Money in the Bank suitcase; WrestleMania 31’s main event proved it (and prevented another milquetoast Roman Reigns title run). This was three titans at the top of their game in a perfectly paced match filled with twists and an electric finish. That includes Rollins’ trademark celebration of whipping the belt over his head like a jacked-up Petey Pablo.
3. WrestleMania 20: Chris Benoit vs Triple H (Champ) vs Shawn Michaels in a Triple Threat match for the World Heavyweight Championship
Benoit was an electric professional wrestler and a monster of a human being. But taken solely on its in-ring merit and storytelling, this match rules.
2. WrestleMania 26: The Undertaker vs Shawn Michaels in a no disqualification, career threatening match
Two icons of the 1990s saved one of their best WrestleMania moments for 2010. Michaels lost and rode off into the sunset, only lured back to the ring when the payday of a downright silly Saudi Arabia event came calling years later.
1. WrestleMania 30: Daniel Bryan vs Batista vs Randy Orton (c) in a Triple Threat match for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship
A truly gratifying end to a story years in the making. Daniel Bryan was threatened to be overlooked again despite the incredible grassroots support he’d garnered over a decade-plus in the business. Instead, he tapped out returning movie star Batista in the middle of the ring to earn pro wrestling’s top prize — hours after defeating Triple H in the show opener by pinfall.
