 By Graham "GSM" Matthews and John Napolitano As the Road to WrestleMania winds down and we rapidly approach the exceptionally promising card that is WrestleMania XXXI, Graham and I sought no better opportunity to categorize the past 30 WrestleMania main event matches. We have been delighted to witness some of the most awe-inspiring main events over the last three decades, and it is only natural to ponder what has been the best of the best. What has been the most entertaining WrestleMania main event match of all-time? In terms of match hype, crowd involvement, match quality, and overall impact, there have been some classic five star bouts, but we have ranked the cream of the crop. Along with the best of the best, there have been some substandard spars. Yes, there are dozens of high-profile matches missing from this list, as we have ranked the show closers and only the show closers. Although this was a daunting endeavor, Graham and I are confident in our rankings. But what do you think? Did we miss something? Was there a match that you think was unfairly placed? Or were we too generous to a bout or two? Utilize your first amendment right. Speak your mind. Tell us your favorite WrestleMania matchup. But most importantly, enjoy our list of the most entertaining WrestleMania main events of all-time. -JN  30. Sid Justice vs. Hulk Hogan (WrestleMania 8) Kicking off this colossal collaborative countdown is what Graham and I effortlessly named the absolute worst main event in WrestleMania history. Taking place at WrestleMania VIII in 1992, the match between Sid Justice and Hulk Hogan proved to be the most disappointing closer to ever take place on the show of shows. The mediocre build of the match was one of the more disappointing aspects of this program. Hogan and Justice just seemed to brush up against one another two months earlier at the Royal Rumble, and all of a sudden they were competing on the grand stage. Throw in the fact that Hulk Hogan and Ric Flair were finally able to work with each other in a fantasy matchup but did not cross paths, and you have a recipe for disaster. The match itself was outright abominable. These two dinosaurs did little to excite the crowd and even repeated spots due to a lack of creativity. This was also the only main event in WrestleMania history to end in disqualification. The Ultimate Warrior would run out to aide Hogan and sweep up the mess that he and Sid Justice just made in the ring, but it was too late. The overall impact of this match is nonexistent. Nothing was gained from this encounter. It was truly an unadulterated waste of time. -JN  29. Bam Bam Bigelow vs. Lawrence Taylor (WrestleMania 11) We realized it sounded pretty to name this the second worst WrestleMania main event of all-time, especially given how it wasn't poorly wrestled, but we didn't have much of a choice considering there was a celebrity involved. We''ll take Lawrence Taylor over Snooki in a WrestleMania ring any day of the week, but in the main event? Seriously? Come on, nothing about this match justified its place on the card. You also have to realize this was the same event that featured a WWE Championship match between Royal Rumble winner Shawn Michaels and the champ Diesel, who both had a ton of history together. It didn't set the world ablaze, but it would have been better off in the main event that this match between Bam Bam Bigelow and Taylor. Again, we expected the worst and something better than we originally anticipated (don't mistake that for us thinking it was anywhere near good), but what was the point? The buy rate didn't reflect the decision to build the show around a celebrity, Bigelow wasn't a main event guy, and what it say about your roster when a football player beats one of them? I've always found Bigelow to be underrated and deserves a spot in the Hall of Fame one day, along with Taylor in the celebrity wing. How he's not already in is beyond me. -GSM  28. John Cena vs. The Miz (WrestleMania 27) Surprisingly, I was kinder to this match in my personal ranking than Graham (he just so happens to be the ultimate Miz mark). But after careful consideration and negotiation, we gave this match a home at the number 28 spot on our countdown. We are all fully aware of the monstrous mishap that was WrestleMania XXVII. Some have even gone as far as to say that it was the worst WrestleMania ever. Although that is another conversation for another time, it would be hard to disagree with the notion that John Cena and The Miz put on one of the worst main event matches in WrestleMania history. The main flaw with this overall program was that it was constantly overshadowed by the verbal sparring of John Cena and The Rock. Miz, the then WWE Champion, became a complete afterthought throughout the entire build to this match. It also did not help that he was not ready to be in the main event scene. The in-ring action between Cena and Miz wasn’t terrible, but because the build was so poor, it felt like a match that should close Monday Night Raw not WrestleMania. The restarting of the match by The Rock was interesting, and his interference at the end of the bout on The Miz’s behalf was a great way to start a program with John Cena, but it did not help the match itself. The lasting impact of this match will be that it was The Miz’s cup of coffee as a main eventer. Other than that, this WrestleMania main event was far from awesome. -JN  27. Yokozuna vs. Bret Hart/Hulk Hogan vs. Yokozuna (WrestleMania 9) WrestleMania 9 is widely regarded as one of the worst WrestleMania events of all-time, and it's hard to see why; look no further than the main event match between Bret Hart and Yokozuna. The build itself was [retty basic and nothing special: Yokozuna was being built up as the dominant heel challenger and Hart had held the belt from November of the year prior. But that wasn't was wrong with it. The match was hardly given much time, clocking in at just under ten minutes. Usually, that'd be seen as a positive thing since Yokozuna wasn't the world's greatest worker (and not even Hart could carry him to a half-decent bout), but for a championship 'Mania main event? I don't think so. Yokozuna utilizing dirty heel tactics by having his manager Mr. Fuji at ringside throw sand in the face of Hart and blind him was also acceptable. Had the show ended there, maybe this would have ranked slightly higher. Unfortunately, hogging the spotlight per usual was Hulk Hogan who made his return to WWE on this night and randomly decided to come to the aid of Hart and insisted on getting a shot at the title right then and there. Wait, wait? For some odd reason, Yokozuna accepted the challenge and went on to lose the strap in less than 30 seconds. For those unaware, this was done because Hogan refused to lose the title to Hart because he didn't think it was "realistic" enough. How pathetic. He'd instead drop the strap back to the heavily damaged Yokozuna only a few months later before leaving the company for the next decade, making his latest title run (and the ending of the biggest show of the year) completely irrelevant. -GSM  26. Randy Orton vs. Triple H (WrestleMania 25) The 25th Anniversary of WrestleMania hosted the highly anticipated war between Randy Orton and Triple H. To both of these gladiators’ credit, the build to this match was incredible. Randy Orton was doing the best work of his career as he desecrated the McMahon-Helmsley regime week after week. His antics included severe savagery such as attacking Triple H backstage, punting Shane and Mr. McMahon in the skulls, and planting a kiss on the unconscious mouth of Stephanie McMahon as Triple H, handcuffed to the second rope, looked on helplessly. The then WWE Champion, Triple H, would respond by going to Orton’s home and demolishing him in one of the most memorable moments in Monday Night Raw history. Unfortunately, the positives of this rivalry end at its build. The clash between these former Evolution brothers was far from a classic. They failed to energize the crowd and ultimately put on a ho-hum match. In their defense, Shawn Michaels and the Undertaker stole the show that night in Houston, Texas, and it was utterly impossible to match the spectacle that they produced. Nevertheless, Orton and Triple H drew that house and fell short of giving the WWE Universe their money’s worth. This WrestleMania main event will be remembered as a disappointing chapter in the celebrated saga of Randy Orton and Triple H. -JN  25. John Cena vs. The Rock (WrestleMania 29) I was much kinder to this match than John was, originally ranking it a lot higher than No. 25, but he definitely convinced me into putting it a little lower. Let's face it: a rematch between John Cena and The Rock from WrestleMania 28 was not at all necessary. The execution of the first encounter was so excellent that nothing was going to top it. Their second match was slightly better than their first, but the same magic wasn't there, and that's where it suffered. Not only that, but compared to the other matches on this list, the in-ring action was atrocious. All people will ever remember it is the constant reversals of finishers at the end, posing the most difficult challenge for gamers in '30 Years of WrestleMania' mode in WWE 2K14. The story was there: Cena was out for redemption, and he also wanted to win his first WWE Championship in nearly a year and a half. But the moment of Cena winning was so anticlimactic and the sight of the two embracing each other at the top of the stage afterward did nothing to get me excited about the future of the company. What was there to look forward to? Finally, I'm with John on this one 100 percent: CM Punk should have been involved in this match. I realize the match wouldn't have been as big a draw, but it would have been more beneficial. Plus, Punk deserved it, and who knows? Had he been in the match and accomplished his goal of headlining WrestleMania, maybe he wouldn't have left in 2014. I guess we'll never know. -GSM  24. Rowdy Roddy Piper & Paul Orndorff vs. Hulk Hogan & Mr. T (WrestleMania 1) On March 31, 1984, history was made when WWE’s Chairman, Vincent Kennedy McMahon, took a huge financial risk and organized the most profound wrestling card to date. This wrestling extravaganza was dubbed WrestleMania, and it was headlined by one of the most legendary bouts to ever take place in this industry. Rowdy Roddy Piper, Paul Orndorff, Hulk Hogan, and Mr. T participated in a tag-team match in the inaugural WrestleMania main event, and it was a huge success. These warriors rang in the Golden Era of professional wrestling and made the WWE must-see television. Rowdy Roddy Piper played the perfect antagonist to Hulk Hogan and Hulkamania and became one of the most despised personas to ever pick up a microphone. As soon as Mr. T, the most famous action star at that time, was introduced into the equation, the match built itself. The hype for this matchup was second to none. Alas, professional wrestling was an entirely different entity in 1984, and it is hard to compare where the product was then to where it is now. The match was short and sweet, as it ought to be. The crowd was enthralled with the in-ring action, but it was hardly a work of art. There was nothing that stood out as phenomenal by today’s standards; however, this match was the very first main event in WrestleMania history so it should be respected as such. -JN  23. Hulk Hogan vs. King Kong Bundy (WrestleMania 2) If this match was to take place modern day, it'd be considered a crap-fest. However, for it's time (1986), it was pretty passable, along with the story told. It was only one year prior to this point that King Kong Bundy arrived on the WWE scene, and in that one year, he built up an impressive resume, earning him this championship match against Hogan at WrestleMania 2. Inside the confines of a blue steel cage, the two battled a solid bout with Hogan attempting to overcome the odds and the distinct size advantage against him. Bundy, serving as the pawn for Bobby Hennan who stopped at nothing to take the title from Hogan, took the fight to Hogan, but was ultimately unsuccessful. By way of escaping the cage, The Hulkster walked out of 'Mania with his strap intact. There really isn't much to say other than the match was decent for what it was, but paled in comparison to the main event at 'Mania we would get in subsequent years. Hogan retaining the title was overly memorable, either. It was a far better bout than the main event contested one year earlier, but it didn't have that same iconic factor about it that cemented it a spot higher on the list. -GSM  22. Undertaker vs. Sycho Sid (WrestleMania 13) WrestleMania XIII took place on March 23, 1997, and, interestingly enough, it had the worst buy-rate in the history of the event. This enormous financial flop can be accredited to two huge hindrances. The first hindrance was the rise in popularity of the WWE’s competition, World Championship Wrestling. The second was the underwhelming main event between the Undertaker and Sycho Sid. I wish to take nothing away from the Undertaker. He is the greatest performer in WrestleMania history, and his championship victory over Sid was a noteworthy occurrence; however, this match was not at all what the WWE Universe wanted to see. The main event scene in early 1997 was a chaotic whirlwind of confusion as we saw “Stone Cold” Steve Austin win the Royal Rumble in controversial fashion and Shawn Michaels relinquish the WWE Championship one month before WrestleMania. With no main event set in place, the build for Undertaker and Sycho Sid’s encounter felt rushed and unsatisfying. The match was a classic big man’s showdown. Neither of these men ever took the match out of first gear and it seemed slow from bell to bell. Bret Hart annoyingly interfered in the match twice. The only thing this seemed to accomplish was reminding onlookers that neither he nor Shawn Michaels were closing the show of shows, as they should have. I have never been a fan of Sid’s work, and his involvement in the match significantly detracted from the grandeur of WrestleMania. One should only revisit this bout, if at all, to witness the rise of the Undertaker in his first WrestleMania main event. -JN  21. The Rock vs. Big Show vs. Mick Foley vs. Triple H (WrestleMania 2000) Much like WrestleMania 27, WrestleMania 2000 was hyped as being one of the most "epic" of all-time, and of course, it was anything. I'm not exaggerating when I saw that almost the entire show was a disappointment, which shouldn't have come as any surprise given that there was a single standard one-on-one match on the show. The main event was no exception which saw Triple H defend his WWE Championship in the first Fatal 4-Way in WrestleMania main event history against the likes of Big Show, Mick Foley and Triple H. Simply put, it should have been Rock vs. HHH straight up. They've always had awesome chemistry and they showed that in their rematch... the following month at Backlash, where Rock won the belt! Does that sound like a 'Mania moment to you? Yeah, it does to me, too. Basically, this match was a placeholder for that moment, and a bad one at that. The elimination stipulation dragged the match on far longer than it needed to be, and the involvement of Big Show and Foley was a total waste. Foley, especially, was terrible, and while I get that he did it for the payday, it was stupid to bring the guy out of retirement to begin with. The focus on the McMahons was distracting as well. If I have had nothing good to say about this match, then why is it ranked higher than all the others? The only reason is because HHH and Rock put on a hell of a show down the stretch. They didn't make it all worthwhile, but they did save it from being a total disaster, and there's no denying the crowd ate it all up. -GSM  20. Bret Hart vs. Yokozuna (WrestleMania 10) Closing out the top 10 worst main event matches in WrestleMania history is the second collision between Bret “Hitman” Hart and the former WWE Champion, Yokozuna at WrestleMania X. If you compare this matchup side by side with their first encounter at WrestleMania IX, they are almost identical. The positives that stand out from their second main event matchup are the crowd’s interest level, the match hype being more dramatic, and Bret Hart’s coronation as a main event player and future face of the company. That being said, the match isn’t exactly a five star affair. I know better then to claim that Bret Hart had a bad match, but it certainly wasn’t his best work. The pacing was shoddy and the finish made Hart look far from a million bucks. That being said, it might behoove you to give this match a watch, as it will forever be remembered as the night Bret Hart officially arrived to the main event scene. -JN  19. Ted DiBiase vs. Randy Savage (WrestleMania 4) There's absolutely no doubt that WrestleMania 4 is one of the most daunting WrestleMania events to watch in its entirety, so just keep that in mind before checking it out on the WWE Network. Needless to say, the one match worth going out of your way to see from this 'Mania is Randy Savage and Ted DiBiase battling in the finals of the vacant WWE Championship tournament in the main event. Because of the tournament style of the event and fans not knowing who would be fighting who (for the most part), it's no shocker this received the worst buy rate of all-time, meaning it's a shame more people didn't see this above average bout between DiBiase and Savage. The in-ring action was solid, but what it lacked was time, clocking in at roughly ten minutes. You're telling me that they couldn't have cut one, two or maybe five tournament matches in order to give this match more time? Other than that, the match also saw the dawning of a new era with the Macho Man as champion in what was an unforgettable moment. Furthermore, Hulk Hogan unsurprisingly overshadowing Savage's title win by aiding him at ringside in the first place planted the early seeds of a match between the two for WrestleMania 5 the following year. -GSM  18. Hulk Hogan vs. Sgt. Slaughter (WrestleMania 7) USA! USA! USA! If I had it my way, this match would be sitting a lot closer to the top of our countdown. I can’t explain why I’m so attached to the main event match that Hulk Hogan and Sgt. Slaughter put on for the WWE Championship at WrestleMania VII. Graham doesn’t share my endless enthusiasm for this bout, but emotions aside, I feel that we ranked this matchup appropriately. Hulk Hogan and Sgt. Slaughter surely won’t be remembered as true technicians, but the crowd involvement, match hype, and in-ring storytelling really made this match feel like a breath of fresh air, compared to other Hulk Hogan matches. In my opinion, the biggest flaw with this main event match is that it is simply not one of the more memorable programs in the legend of Hulkamania. Other than the limited in-ring ability of both Hogan and Slaughter and the quasi-obscurity that this match has accrued, there is absolutely no reason to cross this off of your what-to-watch list. -JN  17. Triple H vs. Chris Jericho (WrestleMania 18) On any other pay-per-view, this easily would have been the match of the night. However, an ordinary event would feature an iconic bout on the level of The Rock vs. Hulk Hogan, and in the end, that's what stole the show at WrestleManai 18. Unfortunately, Chris Jericho and Triple H were given the tough task of having to follow it. Other reasons for why the match didn't go over as well as it should have include a poor story; Stephanie McMahon turning on her "husband" Triple H to side with Jericho was too far-fetched to be believed. They were grasping at straws to make the story between them relevant and the one they ultimately went worth just didn't stick. Triple H was hot coming off his return and win in the Royal Rumble match, but as talented as Jericho was in the smarmy heel world champion role, he was never taken seriously as a title holder. During most of his reign, he had to cheat to win, but not in a way that put heat on him; rather, in a way that people didn't see him on the level of guys like Stone Cold Steve Austin and The Rock. For that reason alone, you could have put anyone in Jericho's place and it wouldn't have mattered. I still believe Triple H vs. his former Two Man Power Trip buddy Steve Austin would have been a much better fit (especially since Stone Cold was wasted that year in a match against Scott Hall, no pun intended), but alas it wasn't to be. The match was quite good and it saw Triple H win his first Undisputed Championship, but it left a lot to be desired. -GSM  16. Andre the Giant vs. Hulk Hogan (WrestleMania 3) No, ladies and gentlemen, this is not a typo. The iconic main event match between Andre the Giant and Hulk Hogan at WrestleMania III comes in at number 16 on our countdown. I’m not here to ruin your childhood or redefine the legendary battle that took place at the Pontiac Silverdome on March 29, 1987. The placement of this bout on our countdown is simply a testament to the magnificently marvelous main event matches to which we’ve been treated over the years. I have no complaints about the build to the irresistible force meeting the immovable object. Hell, Hogan and Andre drew a house of over 93,000 strong. The match itself is the only flaw. Hulk Hogan has received a lot of criticisms on his in-ring ability, but Andre the Giant was hardly a ring general in his own right. The match is a fifteen-minute collision with plenty of back and forth action. The crowd reaches an absolute fever pitch at the back end of this bout when a certain Hulkamaniac body slams a certain giant. Hulk Hogan handing Andre the Giant his first ever loss was monumental enough, but this match represents the height of the Golden Era of professional wrestling and the legitimizing of Hulkamania. Despite the subpar in-ring action, I highly recommend that every wrestling fan take the time to watch this main event matchup. -JN  15. Batista vs. Triple H (WrestleMania 21) I don't know what it is about this match that I love so much; maybe it's the story. I'm a sucker for a good story, and that's exactly what this matchup had. Originally, Randy Orton was pegged to get the World Heavyweight Championship back from Triple H at WrestleMania 21, but because Batista started to organically get over on his own, they changed plans and it all worked out for the better. The slow burn to Batista breaking away from Evolution, albeit predictable, was perfectly timed and the fans were hot for him going into WrestleMania. Was it a technical masterpiece? Absolutely not, but I think people are hard on the match because almost everything on the undercard was so excellent. Instead of a mat classic, they told a solid story with Ric Flair in Triple H's corner at ringside serving as a nice touch. Not to mention Batista's win launched him into super stardom where he'd stay through the remainder of his WWE tenure in the next five stars. The Animal was solidified as a star on that night with that win, and part of that can be attributed to the quality contest he had with Triple H. -GSM  14. Triple H vs. John Cena (WrestleMania 22) I may be in the minority on this one, but I thought this was a great match. The Chicago crowd in attendance that night vehemently hated John Cena with a passion, but the realized they were witnessing something special. Better yet, that electric atmosphere only added to it. You couldn't say they didn't care about this contest because they did, in fact they had an invested interest in it. There may not have been much of a story behind it other than Cena trying to prove himself as a top-tier talent and The Game wanting the gold back in his possession, but when that bell rang, it was all about the superb chemistry to two possessed. In surprising fashion, HHH tapped out to Cena's patented STF submission maneuver as he was only inches away from reaching the ropes, taking the crowd by complete surprise. They didn't touch much prior to this point, and they wouldn't cross paths many times afterward, either. In wasn't until two and a half years later at the Night of Champions 2008 event that they'd do battle again with HHH evening the score. -GSM  13. Undertaker vs. Edge (WrestleMania 24) The year of 2008 in WWE will be forever remembered for hte iconic rivalry between Chris Jericho and Shawn Michaels on Raw, but that same year hosted the unforgettable feud between Edge and Undertaker over on SmackDown. Their first of many matches that year came at WrestleMania 24 in their exceptional clash over the World Heavyweight Championship. Edge claimed to be unpinned and unbeaten on the grandest stage of them all, and it was obviously nothing compared to 'Taker's storied streak at WrestleMania, but it was a nice little touch. The ending outcome was never in doubt, but as the old cliche goes, the fun comes in the journey, not the destination. Edge had the number's game in his favor with members of La Familia interfering at all possible times, but it rendered irrelevant. Not even his most scintillating of his spears could put The Deadman down, as it was a Hell's Gate from Undertaker that forced Edge to submit and relinquish the World Heavyweight Championship. They had an awesome match (yet nothing too, too phenomenal) that had a great build-up, plus would lead to a terrific feud through SummerSlam. -GSM  12. Brock Lesnar vs. Kurt Angle (WrestleMania 19) For some weird reason, the buy rate for WrestleMania 19 tanked, and I could never understand why. The card was absolutely stacked from top to bottom, and closing out the show was the WWE Championship match contested between Kurt Angle and Brock Lesnar. Almost exactly one year prior, Lesnar debuted in WWE and immediately made an impact. In that one year, he remained undefeated for nearly seven months, became the youngest reigning WWE Champion in history, and took out the legendary likes of The Rock and Hulk Hogan. Not bad, eh? He'd also win the 2003 Royal Rumble match, earning him a shot at the WWE title at WrestleMania. From the moment he arrived in WWE, Lesnar's collegiate wrestling skills were well documented, so a dream match with Angle was only inevitable and the timing couldn't have been better with it being WrestleMania. I know exactly what you're thinking: the only thing people will remember from this match is Lesnar's botched Shooting Star Press, but botched or not, it was something special for a special stage. Watch that bout back and tell me it's not one of the best pure wrestling matches in WrestleMania history. Lesnar was already a star by that point, but his title win further established that. -GSM  11. Shawn Michaels vs. John Cena (WrestleMania 23) This match shared many similarities to John Cena's clash with Triple H from the year prior, but as you can tell from its place on the list, it was significantly better. As I noted earlier, Cena vs. Triple H didn't have much of a story behind it other than Cena wanting to prove himself and HHH wanting the gold back. That's it. At WrestleMania 23, the story was vastly different. Cena and Shawn Michaels, while never friends, were always allies, even winning the World Tag Team Championship together in January and holding the straps going into their match at 'Mania. Michaels was looking to capture his first world title in nearly five years, and with the Detroit crowd very much against Cena for the second straight year, there was an electric atmosphere that made every moment of the matchup exciting. The Champ's STF on Michaels eventually forced him to tap out and be handed the victory, disappointing those in attendance. Still, Cena and HBK contested an extremely well wrestled match that only paved the way for their epic encounter on Raw in England several weeks later. -GSM  10. “Stone Cold” Steve Austin vs. Shawn Michaels (WrestleMania 14) It looks like we’ve finally reached the top 10 most entertaining WrestleMania main events of all-time, and number 10 is a bona fide classic. If there was ever a match to more appropriately usher in the Attitude Era, I haven’t seen it. “Stone Cold” Steve Austin took on the leader of D-Generation X, Shawn Michaels, at WrestleMania XIV for the WWE Championship. The build to this bout was organic and well executed. The white-hot, badass “Stone Cold” Steve Austin won the Royal Rumble and was set to take on the notoriously risqué WWE champion, Shawn Michaels. The match was enjoyable, but it could have been a lot more than what it was. Michaels was wrestling on borrowed time as the back injury he sustained two months earlier was career threatening, and it was a miracle he could even compete in the first place. Had the “Heartbreak Kid” been in perfect health, we might be talking about the number 1 most entertaining WrestleMania main event of all-time. Nevertheless, the Boston crowd was hot for this match and rightfully so. The product was becoming edgier, there was a big fight atmosphere, and the special enforcer was none other than Mike Tyson. I would be hard-pressed to find a WrestleMania main event that amassed more mainstream media exposure thanks to the involvement of Tyson. This main event match will forever be remembered as the night Shawn Michaels passed the torch Steve Austin. It will also be remembered as the night, in the words of Jim Ross, the Austin Era began! -JN  9. John Cena vs. The Rock (WrestleMania 28) Some may disagree with the placing of this match on the list, but you can't argue how phenomenal the build-up to this matchup was. A dream match made official one year in advance, John Cena vs. The Rock was a clash for the ages. The two spent the better part of 2011 hyping their 'Mania match, trading shots on Twitter and even teaming together for the first and only time at Survivor Series in a winning effort. As juevnille as the insults got at times, you could only hope the match lived up to the huge hype, and ultimately, it did. Perhaps the best part about the bout was how you didn't know who was going to win. Both icons had an equal chance of winning, so when it was bell time, there was an aura in the air that couldn't be matched. It wasn't the most technical wrestling match you'll ever see, but that's never what it was intended to be, only a clash of the icons. Cena taunting Rocky by attempting to hit him with one of his own finishing maneuvers was fantastic, and better yet, his slip-up was what cost him the match. Rock celebrated to the roar of his hometown crowd in Miami, while Cena sat on the stage with a distraught look on his face Cenation members hadn't seen before. It was a feel-good close to 'Mania that hadn't been seen in years. -GSM  8. Chris Benoit vs. Shawn Michaels vs. Triple H (WrestleMania 20) Ten years removed from Bret Hart's valiant victory over Yokozuna at WrestleMania 10, Chris Benoit faced similar odds at WrestleMania 20 against the likes of Triple H and Shawn Michaels for the World Heavyweight Championship. Despite winning the 2004 Royal Rumble match and earning a title shot at The Show of Shows, the reel beef in this bout was between Triple H and Michaels given their storied history, but Benoit didn't at all feel out of place or like the "third wheel." He was determined as ever to walk out of the event with the title in tow, no matter how many people doubted his efforts. In what was only the second multi-man main event WrestleMania history, the three Superstars flourished in the Triple Threat format and contested a great matchup. From an in-ring action standpoint, it was near flawless, with Benoit getting the submission victory to land his first and only world title win in WWE. The only issue was that it doesn't have much of lasting legacy due to the Benoit tragedy a few years later. Even if that never happened, all this was, was a moment. Benoit had a nice little run with the belt through SummerSlam, but was never taken seriously as a main event level talent from that point forward, so the match wasn't successful in making a star out of Benoit in the long term. -GSM  7. Hulk Hogan vs. Randy Savage (WrestleMania 5) Hulk Hogan vs. Randy Savage from WrestleMania 5 was fairly similar to John Cena vs. The Rock from over two decades later in the vein that they both had epic one year builds. The difference with this match, however, was that it wasn't announced one year in advance, only the seeds were planted. And what made Hogan vs. Savage feel so much more personal was that, unlike Cena and Rock, they were once friends inside and outside the ring. After lending a helping hand in Savage winning his first WWE Championship at WrestleMania 5, Hogan joined forces with the Macho Man to form The Mega Powers a short time later, but overshadowed him during his reign as champion. Growing jealous of The Hulkster and his apparent lust for Elizabeth, Savage turned on his partner to set the stage for their encounter on the grand stage of WrestleMania. At an otherwise forgettable 'Mania, Hogan and Savage stole the show with the stellar story they had going and Savage's desperate attempts to put his former friend away. In the end, it was to no avail as Hogan secured the win and his second WWE Championship. We had already seen Hogan reign supreme before multiple times at WrestleMania, but never in such grandiose fashion. -GSM  6. Stone Cold Steve Austin vs. The Rock (WrestleMania 15) In 1999, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, witnessed the exact opposite of brotherly love when “Stone Cold” Steve Austin challenged The Rock for the WWE Championship in the main event of WrestleMania XV. As far as match hype goes, one would have extreme difficulty finding a more electric atmosphere than when the “Texas Rattlesnake” and the “Great One” get ready to go toe to toe. The build to this match was a true work of art. Austin and Rock’s rivalry was a branch off of the Austin and McMahon rivalry, which has been christened the greatest rivalry in professional wrestling history on more than one occasion. When “Stone Cold” Steve Austin won the WWE Championship one-year prior at WrestleMania XIV, Mr. McMahon made it his mission to find a more respectable and deserving torchbearer of the company. Austin spent the majority of 1998 making short work of McMahon’s corporate puppets and managing to hold on to WWE title. After “Stone Cold” lost the title in controversial fashion, McMahon positioned The Rock to win the title at the 1998 Survivor Series and become the new corporate champion. Austin, Rock, and even Mankind spent the next three months trading venomous words, brutal beat downs, and the WWE Championship. When “Stone Cold” Steve Austin vs. The Rock was announced as the main event for WrestleMania XV, it genuinely felt like everything that took place over the past year was leading up to this one match. That booking right there is perfection personified. The bout was a gripping grudge match. In my opinion, it was their best wrestling match of their three WrestleMania encounters. Mankind getting involved as the special referee and even calling the three count was a great way to tie up all of the loose ends. This WrestleMania main event will live on as a symbol of the creative heights that were reached in the Attitude Era. -JN  5. “Stone Cold” Steve Austin vs. The Rock (WrestleMania 17) On April 1, 2001, the two men who defined the Attitude Era capped it off with a bang in the main event of WrestleMania XVII for the WWE Championship. The match hype for this bout can be summarized in one stern statement uttered by “Stone Cold” Steve Austin, “I need to beat you Rock; I need it more than anything you could ever imagine.” That is all that needed to be said to create the most anticipated rematch in WrestleMania history. WrestleMania 17 was a spectacle all on its own for being one of the WrestleMania shows to feature a little bit of everything, but the first thing that likely comes to mind when thinking back on this extraordinary event is the outstanding video package for this matchup. Set to "My Way" by Limp Bizkit, it set the tone for one of the unforgettable matches (and moments) in 'Mania history. However, despite the brilliant build, we decided the match itself was as great as some people remember it as. They had the better wrestling match at WrestleMania 15, but that wasn't the issue; it was the ending. Although it was the wrong move to make (and even Austin admits that all these years later), Austin turning heel by aligning with Mr. McMahon and winning the WWE Championship was one hell of a moment, it was just how it came about. Instead of McMahon coming down to the ring and lending a simple aid to Austin, his involvement was dragged out to the point where people knew Austin was going heel and they had to wait on him getting the win. It made Rock look strong in defeat, sure, and the moment itself was monumental, but the minor flaws with the matchup was what cost it from ranking higher. -JN and GSM  4. Ultimate Warrior vs. Hulk Hogan (WrestleMania 6) The Ultimate Challenge was the tagline for the epic encounter between the Ultimate Warrior and Hulk Hogan at WrestleMania VI, and ultimate it was. These two combatants put on a true masterpiece in the middle of that squared-circle. Before there was The Rock vs. John Cena and Hulk Hogan vs. The Rock, there was Hulk Hogan vs. Ultimate Warrior: the epitome of an icon vs. icon match. Since his arrival in WWE, Ultimate Warrior had been riding a major wave of momentum, quickly defeating the longest reigning Intercontinental Champion of all-time Honky Tonk Man to win the gold at the inaugural SummerSlam event in 1988. Now, nearly a year and a half later, Warrior was on a collision course for WrestleMania with Hogan, looking to become the first man in history to merge the Intercontinental and WWE Championships. Meanwhile, Hogan had seldom been beaten in WWE prior to this point, much less clean, so it was shaping up to be a sensational battle with fans not knowing who would go over. The rowdy Canadian crowd on that night made the match all the more memorable, roaring for everything each man did. When Warrior kicked out of Hogan's iconic leg drop, the crowd erupted, only to witness Warrior hit his own running splash for the monumental victory. In one of this most historic visuals in WrestleMania history, Warrior ascended to the top rope with both belts in hand with pyro exploding behind him. It was a moment that immortalized the Warrior forever. -JN and GSM  3. Shawn Michaels vs. Bret Hart (WrestleMania 12) There are only few history making matches and moments that most wrestling fans can cite as the reason they came to love this sport, and this was one of them. Taking two of the greatest wrestlers this industry has ever seen and putting them in the first ever (and only at WrestleMania) 60 minute Iron Man on the grand stage was a match made in heaven. Shawn Michaels was looking for retribution after coming up short of winning the WWE Championship the year prior against Diesel, and with a win in the 1996 Royal Rumble match, he was ready to avenge his loss from WrestleMania 12. His grandiose entrance descending from the rafters only added to the spectacle of the match and the event, making a star out of HBK before the bell even rang. Bret Hart wasn't one to take lightly, either, who had a rather successful reign as WWE Champion going into his title defense against the young up-and-comer. The match may have been a little long for the likes of some, but the way it was paced didn't make it feel like it was dragged out at all. With the momentum constantly shifting between the two competitors every five minutes or so, there was never a moment when the crowd wasn't invested in the action. One hour into the historic bout, neither man had been able to put the other away, causing them to go into overtime. In dire straights, HBK pulled a superkick seemingly out of nowhere to secure the victory and his first WWE title in a moment that will never be forgotten. -GSM  2. Daniel Bryan vs. Batista vs. Randy Orton (WrestleMania 30) It may be premature to place this so high on the list of the greatest WrestleMania main events of all-time, but after careful review, we came to the conclusion that it essentially meet almost all of our criteria for what makes an amazing 'Mania main event. Look no farther than the build-up: Daniel Bryan had been chasing the WWE Championship for close to eight months since getting screwed out of the strap at SummerSlam the prior August. The Authority was Bryan's No. 1 enemy, costing him the title at every turn in the fall of 2013 and didn't even allow him to take part in the Royal Rumble match. However, thanks to the “YES! Movement,” Bryan was able to secure himself a spot in the WWE World Heavyweight Championship match between Batista and Randy Orton at WrestleMania 30. And no matter what you want to believe, there was never a plan in place for Bryan to get the belt back, having been originally scheduled to face Sheamus at the event. Everything about the bout was unprecedented, including how Bryan competed in two matches (and won them both) to walk out of New Orleans with the prestigious prize in his possession. Not only that, but he, Batista and Orton had the extremely tough task of trying to get revive the crowd after they witnessed the storied 21-0 streak of The Undertaker broken at the hands of Brock Lesnar only an hour earlier. Yet, somehow they got them hot for the match and on the feet down the stretch, which is an accomplishment in and of itself. Bryan finally winning the strap was an amazing moment that solidified him as a star, but the only thing keeping this bout from getting the top spot is that it should have made a main event player out of Bryan. It did for a time, and while he got injured, he finds himself in a multi-man Ladder match for a title no one cares about one year later. There's still a chance he regains that glory, but for now, it was akin to Benoit's title victory at WrestleMania 20 in that not much came out of it. -GSM  1. Shawn Micheals vs. The Undertaker (WrestleMania 26)
Point me to a more perfect WrestleMania main event than this one right now. Come on, I dare you. You can't? Exactly. If there was ever such thing as a flawless match, this would be it. Now, whether it's better than the epic encounter from WrestleMania 25 the year prior is arguable, but since that wasn't the closing match of that year's 'Mania (for some stupid reason), we don't have to get into that here. Instead, we can just appreciate everything this match had to offer, including its incredible build-up. After coming up short of ending The Streak at WrestleMania 25, HBK was desperate to get one more chance at ending it, issuing a challenge to Undertaker at the 2009 Slammy Awards. Given that Undertaker was World Heavyweight Champion at the time, Michaels thought winning the Royal Rumble would earn him the right to face Undertaker again, but after losing that match, he went into a crazed state. He ultimately cost Undertaker the strap in shocking fashion at Elimination Chamber, and the stage was set. The anticipation was higher than it had ever been, and thankfully WWE didn't make the same mistake two years in a row; they gave HBK vs. 'Taker the main event slot it deserved. The in-ring action, to say the least, was sensational. HBK gave his longtime rival everything he had, including a flying elbow through the commentator's table, but The Deadman was resilient. The emotion was equally exceptional as Undertaker showed mercy to Michaels only to be slapped hard by his opponent and in turn deliver a Tombstone to him (by jumping in the air!) to extend The Streak to 18-0. Michaels walked out of WrestleMania 26 a retired man, but there was no better way to cap off the career of arguably the greatest sports entertainer of all-time with undisputed greatest main event in WrestleMania history. -GSM
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