The Best Matches In Wrestlemania History

Bret Hart vs Steve Austin, WrestleMania 13

There's almost a delicious irony that this match took place on the lowest-bought, only non-sellout, and therefore least-watched WrestleMania of all time. Although he'd been steadily making waves in the months leading up to this show, this match was the moment when Steve Austin became the biggest star in professional wrestling, as part of a masterful double turn that also saw WWE's top face for the past several years, Bret Hart, turn heel for the first time since his early days in the Hart Foundation tag team. For those who only know Austin as the man who brought barfight-style brawling to the WWE main event, the fact that this match was fought under "Submissions Only" rules might surprise you. However, before neck injuries took their toll, Austin was one of the best technical wrestlers in North America, and Hart's credentials in that arena are well-established. But this wasn't just a display of technical mastery, this was a fight between two wrestlers who hated each other, and included plenty of punching, kicking, and weapon use, as both men attempted to brutalize each other in order to force a submission. As the match went on, Hart became even more brutal, while Austin simply showed heart and resilience, leading to the crowd, which had already been leaning in Austin's direction, eventually fully taking his side. Ultimately, Hart won the match when Austin passed out in the Sharpshooter, but Austin won the audience's hearts and minds, and would ride that fervent emotion to the top of the wrestling world. This is not only the best match in WrestleMania history, it is one of WWE's best matches, period.

Steve Austin vs The Rock, WrestleMania X-7

This match will always have a caveat on it because of what happened afterwards, with Austin turning heel and aligning with Vince McMahon after fighting him for years, in what is largely seen as a bad booking move by WWE in retrospect, but that aside, it still represents the culmination of the greatest period in WWE history, with two of its biggest stars putting on an absolute classic at the best Pay Per View WWE has ever had. Sure, there were booking mis-steps leading up to it, but the underlying theme of Steve Austin "needing" to beat The Rock and re-assert himself as the biggest star in WWE after having been gone for a year was suitably epic, and ultimately telegraphed the heel turn (keep in mind, we would have been far happier without the heel turn, but it did technically make sense). Austin and Rock had fought each other many times before, and would again, and that familiarity gave them a synergy that only exists between a few wrestlers, the ability to work so well together that even your bad matches are better than average. And make no mistake, this is an awesome match, a full-on brawl that lasts nearly thirty minutes and is full of energy the entire time, with Rock and Austin just beating the hell out of each other to the cheers of a massive and enraptured audience.

Bret Hart vs Owen Hart, WrestleMania X

It's hard to remember that before this match, Owen Hart was basically nobody, a low card wrestler who was only getting a brief time in the spotlight thanks to a storyline that had begun at Survivor Series, which had clearly been designed to elevate his brother Bret to the WWE Championship that he would win later that same evening. But Bret and Owen used the chemistry that comes from growing up in a wrestling family and their combined insanely high level of technical ability in the ring, and put on an instant classic, likely the best opening match at any WrestleMania, ever, and in the process turned Owen Hart from a whiny afterthought into one of the best heels in WWE. It was a showcase of an evolving WWE, moving from the land of giants like Hulk Hogan into a world where actual wrestling started to become appreciated on a more widespread level. Oh, and let's not forget, in a well-planned bit of forward thinking, Owen actually won the match by being just a little bit smarter than his brother, meaning that not only was he a much bigger star as a result, but he was set up as the obvious first challenger to his brother's newly won title.

John Cena vs. Shawn Michaels – WrestleMania 23

In his first WWE Title Match at WrestleMania in nine years, Shawn Michaels pushed WWE Champion and fellow World Tag Team Champion John Cena to the limit in a show-stopping, nearly half-hour long instant classic at WrestleMania 23.

It was a fierce, personal battle waged in front of 80,000-plus at Detroit's Ford Field, in which each Superstar found a way to reverse his opponent's signature maneuvers. While Cena avoided Sweet Chin Music, Michaels squirmed out the Attitude Adjustment and the STF. The action was intense and unpredictable, with HBK even hitting the champion with a brutal piledriver onto the steel steps.

Cena, however, endured and at the height of the action finally caught Michaels in the debilitating STF for the submission victory on The Grandest Stage of Them All. For Mr. WrestleMania, it was a tremendous addition to his unmatched Show of Shows legacy, even in defeat. For Cena, it represented one of the highlights of his career and concrete proof that he could hang with the best of them on The Showcase of the Immortals.

Daniel Bryan vs Triple H, WrestleMania XXX

While this wouldn't be the match where Bryan won the WWE World Heavyweight Title, in a way, this match was what the whole Yes! Movement was really all about. After months of being derided by The Authority for being a B+ player, Bryan went one-on-one with The Game and not only beat him, he did so cleanly, in a great match, where Triple H sold Bryan's offense like Odin himself had descended from Asgard to lay the smack down. It was a lengthy match, a classic David vs Goliath battle, with the crowd on the edge of their seats, still unsure that WWE would actually give Bryan everything we'd wanted after denying it for so long. When Bryan actually pinned Triple H, you could feel the energy in the arena rise to a fever pitch, because the feeling was that Bryan had already overcome his biggest obstacle. Winning the title later in the evening was just the icing on the cake, an assumed eventuality once Bryan showed that he could beat Triple H, cleanly, in the center of the ring. What hope would Orton and Batista have after that?

Shawn Michaels vs Ric Flair, WrestleMania XXIV

Honestly, from a technical standpoint this isn't the greatest match, because Ric Flair was, at that point, a shadow of his once-great self. He was still good for one more fight, but it was never going to be the 5-star classic of his younger days. With that said, this match is at least partially carried on the back of the emotion it instilled in the fans. Ric Flair has, at one time or another in his legendary career, been the most hated, the most beloved, and the most respected wrestler on the planet. Shawn Michaels has found himself in all three spots as well, albeit on a shorter timeline. Although at that point Shawn was no spring chicken, it was likely that he still did look up to Flair, who, by any measure, set the standard for professional wrestling excellence. The sheer heart and fortitude both men showed in this match is immeasurable, one knowing it would be his last, and the other only two years away from the same fate, both determined to have the best match that they possibly could. The details of what really was a pretty good match are generally forgotten by most wrestling fans, a blur of action leading up to a very poignant final few moments, underlined by five simple words: "I'm sorry. I love you."

Eddie Guerrero vs. Kurt Angle – WrestleMania XX

WrestleMania XX's WWE Championship Match had everything you'd want and expect from an Eddie Guerrero-Kurt Angle encounter. From blazing-fast takedowns and big suplexes to breathtaking near falls and even a little chicanery, it was all there.

That last quality is far from stunning. After all, Latino Heat made no bones about his willingness to lie, cheat and steal when the situation called for it, and if he did, it was just because he was adhering to the first of those three pillars. After enduring a grueling, 20-minute-plus contest against The Olympic Gold Medalist, the second-generation Superstar didn't think twice about employing a creative distraction. Between the fourth and fifth Ankle Lock attempts, Guerrero untied his boot under the pretense he was tending to his limb. As soon as Angle went to reapply his namesake finisher, the boot slipped off, stunning Angle and leaving him vulnerable to a sudden small package.

But don't let Eddie's late-game theatrics distract you from the takeaway here: This match is dynamite.

Bret Hart vs Shawn Michaels, WrestleMania XII

This match has earned detractors in the years since it happened, mostly due to the dirty laundry that became a permanent fixture in the intertwined careers of Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels. Some say it was too long, that the lack of any falls during the match was unrealistic, and that the first third of the match is actually pretty bad. Due to its incredibly long runtime, it's definitely not a match most people will ever watch more than once. At the time, however, we can tell you that this match was lauded for being one of the best Pay Per View matches that anyone had ever seen. Hart and Michaels wrestled for over an hour, with the first and only fall happening during the sudden death overtime period, and they kept the crowd engaged for an entire time. The very idea that WWE would give more than an hour of their biggest show to a single match seems ludicrous now, and even then, it was hard to believe, but if any two wrestlers during that period deserved that chance, and delivered exactly what was expected, it was Hart and Michaels. Perhaps one of the worst things the Montreal Screwjob and all the mess that came about surrounding it did was to forever deny us the chance to see those two men try and top what they'd accomplished here.

Kurt Angle vs. Brock Lesnar – WrestleMania XIX

You can't have WrestleMania without "wrestle." So it's not all that surprising that the two most technically accomplished amateur grapplers in WWE history put on a master class of wrestling both amateur and professional in their main event WWE Title Match at WrestleMania XIX.

Angle, who cut seven pounds during his training to improve his quickness, flitted around his much larger opponent, picking away at Brock's injured torso and wearing him down with an endless arsenal of amateur maneuvers. As the bout wore on, the two men switched seamlessly between amateur and professional move sets this was undoubtedly the first example of a spladle (look it up) in the main event of WrestleMania and if Lesnar was the better man, he was the better man by a hair. Following a gruesome, missed Shooting Star Press, The Anomaly sealed the match by unleashing his third F-5 of the night to fell The Olympic Hero and ensure his maiden voyage to WrestleMania ended in glory.

The Undertaker vs. Edge – WrestleMania XXIV

WrestleMania XXIV was one of those few instances when The Streak went head-to-head against a World Champion in this case, a fearless, Machiavellian World Champion. Maybe more than any Streak challenger before him, Edge gave the impression that The Undertaker's untarnished record was legitimately at risk of coming to an end.

There's much to love about this installment of The Undertaker-Edge rivalry. You can pinpoint The Undertaker's dive, perhaps the most graceful in his storied WrestleMania career; the sinister manner in which The Rated-R Superstar worked over The Phenom's hurt back; or referee Charles Robinson's mad dash down the aisle, which was rendered meaningless when Edge kicked out at two and three-quarters. The Undertaker wound up preserving The Streak in a manner that was equal parts exhilarating and unbelievable, much like The Deadman himself. Although Edge Speared The Phenom, The Undertaker suddenly rose from the grave and locked in the Hell's Gate for the submission victory.

Mick Foley vs. Edge – WrestleMania 22

Mick Foley and Edge go way back. The Hardcore Legend often discussed his friendship with Edge in his best-selling memoirs, and even wrote the forward to Edge's own book. But The Rated-R Superstar felt betrayed when his supposed pal, performing referee duties during a WWE Championship Match on Raw, counted the winning pinfall for John Cena. Ever The Ultimate Opportunist, Edge unleashed a brutal assault on the extreme icon. More attacks and a Con-Chair-To later, Foley finally accepted Edge's challenge for a WrestleMania encounter under the condition that it be in his wheelhouse a Hardcore Match.

Although Mrs. Foley's Baby Boy was no stranger to The Grandest Stage of Them All, he had never experienced one shining "WrestleMania moment" that has defined so many legendary careers. The very first Hardcore Champion felt he couldn't go wrong in selecting his specialty contest, and he was right. While Edge might have come out on top in the stomach-churning gorefest, the image of Foley being Speared off the ring apron and onto a table set ablaze on the floor will never be forgotten. The man in flannel had finally attained his elusive moment, and most definitely stole the show.

Shawn Michaels vs Razor Ramon, WrestleMania X

The biggest compliment that can be given to this match is that, after years and years of ladder matches, after TLC and Money in the Bank and every possible permutation of the gimmick, this match, the very first (not actually, but officially) ladder match in WWE history, still stands up as probably the best ladder match ever. All ladder matches ever since this one have attempted to match it in quality, and while many have come close, in our minds, this one remains on top of the heap. It had an excellent story going in, two great wrestlers whose careers were just starting to take off, and a gimmick that the wrestling world at large had never seen before. It combined great wrestling and truly innovative ladder usage to craft a match that was as technically perfect as it was breathtakingly spectacular. And all of it is done in the days before a ladder match required multiple ladders of varying heights (they actually only used one for this match), extra weapons, tables, and all manner of ridiculously dangerous bumps just to make sure that the audience believed that someone could stay down long enough for their opponent to climb a ladder. In fact, the bump that ended the match was Michaels falling off the ladder and getting tangled in the ring ropes, preventing him from stopping Ramon. And nobody complained that he didn't fall off a twenty-foot ladder through two double stacks of tables on the floor, because it made sense as a finish!

Randy Savage vs Ricky Steamboat, WrestleMania III

For many years, this was the gold standard by which all WrestleMania matches were judged, and for some people, it still is. At a time when WrestleMania was all about a lot of short matches leading up to an epic main event, this match for the Intercontinental title, which should have been overshadowed by the absolutely massive Hogan-Andre bout, became the first of many undercard Mania matches that ended up stealing the show. It is a technical masterwork between two of the best wrestlers in the industry at that time, featuring an absurd number of near-falls that, and this is important, all could have believably ended the match. In addition, many people actually forget that it had a pretty good story leading up to the match, with Savage crushing Steamboat's windpipe with a ring bell in an infamous episode of Main Event, and Steamboat getting this match to enact his revenge. Unfortunately, things fell apart for Steamboat backstage, and he would be gone from WWE shortly afterwards, with this match often swept under the rug by the company while he was putting on incredible matches in WCW with Ric Flair, but real wrestling fans still remember this match for what it was: one of the best WrestleMania matches of all time.

Shawn Michaels vs The Undertaker, WrestleMania 25

While others would put their second match in this place, and it is an excellent match, we prefer their first meeting simply because of the lack of inevitability. In the sequel to this match, it was pretty clear that Michaels would be retiring, but for this one, there was no dark cloud hanging overhead, just one of the biggest challenges to The Streak up to that point. While Undertaker had fought some big names at WrestleMania, none could match up to the man who had miraculously returned from a crippling back injury to truly cement his legacy as one of the best wrestlers in history. Others had seemed like legitimate threats to dethrone Undertaker and end The Streak, but this match was the first time that many people truly believed it could happen. It was reasoned at the time that if Shawn Michaels, Mr. WrestleMania himself, could not end The Streak, then absolutely nobody could. The result was a match featuring two of WWE's greatest wrestlers putting on their best possible match at the biggest show of the year, with an audience fully invested in the idea that either one could actually win.

Bret Hart vs. Roddy Piper – WrestleMania VIII

Intercontinental Champion Roddy Piper and challenger Bret Hart walked an ethical tightrope at WrestleMania VIII. Respected peers and fellow white hats at the time, the two Superstars were like family; Piper even took meals at the famed Hart Mansion in Calgary.

Yet, with competitive pride and championship ambition acting as their guides, both men took shortcuts none more potentially disheartening than Piper's plot to strike the "Hit Man" with the ring bell when the referee was down and out. The Hoosier Dome pleaded with "Hot Rod" to stay the course of righteousness, which he did. Ultimately, The Excellence of Execution scored the three-count by deftly countering Piper's sleeper hold into a pin. In a bout pocked with uncharacteristic rulebreaking, the winning fall was clean and the post-match was reserved for pure sportsmanship, with Piper strapping the Intercontinental Title around Hart's waist

The Undertaker vs. Triple H – WrestleMania XXVIII

Hours before the WWE Universe witnessed a "Once in a Lifetime" confrontation at WrestleMania XXVIII in Miami, the assembled thousands at Sun Life Stadium beheld something just as epic: The End of an Era. Specifically, the final battle of the old guard's two most enduring Superstars The Undertaker and Triple H waged inside the confines of Hell in a Cell.

With Shawn Michaels donning the referee's stripes, The Game unleashed hell in his final attempt to defeat the man who retired The Showstopper. But whereas their confrontation a year earlier had all but destroyed The Last Outlaw, The Phenom came to this fight with twice his typical strength: He shook off both The Game's fury and the inevitable, revenge-driven assist from The Showstopper. The Deadman put Triple H to bed, ascended to 20-0, and sent his Era out on a high note. May it rest in peace.