In honor of this Sunday’s WrestleMania 28 I am listing the Top WrestleMania matches of All-Time. Keep in mind, there may be some matches I leave out or completely ignore. This list is just based on the matches I have seen and I have not witnessed every single WrestleMania beginning to end.
So take a look at the matches I feel should be considered the cream of the crop
#10. Hulk Hogan vs. Andre “The Giant” – WrestleMania III
Wrestling fans flocked from all over the world to break the indoor attendance record at the Pontiac Silverdome, as 93,000-plus were on hand to see if the unstoppable force, Hulk Hogan would be able to beat the immovable object, Andre “The Giant”. Both were already icons in the pro-wrestling world and no one image personifies WrestleMania other than the image of Hogan body-slamming Andre.
Hogan would go on to defeat Andre in this classic matchup.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=45-IEcYi2uk
#9. Hulk Hogan vs. The Rock – WrestleMania 18
Hogan makes another appearance in our Top 10 with this classic match against The Rock. Hogan was making his return to WrestleMania after spending several years in rival promotion WCW and many fans never thought they would see the two icons square off.
The match was back and forth and featured one of the most electric crowds engaged in a Mania matchup. After two rock bottoms and a People’s Elbow, The Rock would claim his victory over Hogan.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eu5av8gOmcY
#8. Randy Savage vs. The Ultimate Warrior – WrestleMania 7
In a Career Match the “Macho Man” Randy Savage took on the Ultimate Warrior. Warrior makes his first appearance in our Top 10 and had the benefit of working with one of the best to ever grace the ring, Savage.
The match would be intense, methodical and prove that both men had the chemistry to put on a classic match and they delivered. After surviving four flying elbows from the top rope, Warrior would respond with a Gorilla Press and slam to seal the victory and temporarily put an end to Savage’s in-ring career.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0J0z1s40xqk
#7. Hulk Hogan vs. The Ultimate Warrior – WrestleMania 6
The clash of two-icons came to a head in one of the most memorable Mania matchups of all-time. Ultimate Warrior came in as the Intercontinental Champion while Hulk Hogan came into Mania as the World Heavyweight Champion pitting a champion vs. champion matchup.
After two splashes Warrior pulled the upset over Hogan and added the World Heavyweight Championship to his collection. In a show of class, Hogan then handed the belt over to Warrior and they embraced.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yFH3pXmrPPM
#6. Shawn Michaels vs. Kurt Angle – Wrestlemania 21
In his first appearance on our list, Shawn Michaels proves why he is truly “Mr.WrestleMania” by putting on a classic with Kurt Angle. The match was full of classic wrestling moves, counters and also featured some great story-telling. A very “old school” feel to this match.
Both were at the top of their games and this match lived up to all the hype. Angle would win after making HBK submit to the ankle lock
#5. “Stone Cold” Steve Austin vs. Bret “The Hitman” Hart – Wrestlemania 13
This match has been considered the “launching point” of the “Attitude Era”. If anything, it solidified Steve Austin as superstar.
Bret Hart and Steve Austin put on a classic match, refereed by Ken Shamrock and dubbed an “I Quit” match.
Austin would take the World Heavyweight title from Hart after a grueling battle.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gDi6n5RrrW0
#4. Randy Savage vs. Ric Flair – WrestleMania 8
“Macho Man” and “The Nature Boy” built an incredible storyline building up to this match and the match itself would deliver one of the best Mania matches of all time.
Savage and Flair were some of the best workers in the business and the match put them both on display in great fashion. I personally remember seeing this match live and thinking “this is one of the greatest matches ever” and I wasn’t off base.
Savage would go on to capture the Championship from Flair in dramatic fashion.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T8El4LSqLjM
#3. Bret Hart vs. Shawn Micheals – WrestleMania 12
The Iron Man Match. 60 minutes. HBK. The Hitman. This match is impossible to keep out of the Top 3 and deserves to go down as not only one of the best matches in Mania history but one of the best matches of all time. Even Michaels’ entrance is considered one of the best, that’s how good this match was.
Quite frankly, one can easily suggest that Hart/Michaels was the best rivalry in pro-wrestling of all-time.
In the end of this classic, Michaels would beat Hart to capture his first World Championship.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yYzIZK-0c2g
#2. Randy Savage vs. Ricky Steamboat – Wrestlemania 3
We have seen a lot of Randy Savage in our Top 10 haven’t we? Goes to show you he deserves his place in the Hall of Fame and is one of the best to have ever stepped foot into a ring.
Back at WrestleMania 3 Savage and Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat put on a match that would become the “measuring stick” for all WrestleMania matches. If not for the epic encounter between Hogan and Andre, this match would be the symbol of Mania.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tv3OBWwxX_0
#1. Shawn Michaels vs. The Undertaker – WrestleMania 25
This match, in my personal opinion, is not only the greatest WrestleMania match of all-time, but also should go down as the greatest match of all-time.
What the Undertake and Michaels accomplished was epic. They brought an old-school feel to their match, put on a classic and stole the show at Mania. They would go on to have another epic encounter at WrestleMania 26, but their battle at Mania 25 would stand out as the best of any and all matches.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fojhN94-pkk