Yes, for the one and only time in this feature I’ve decided to bend the rules and do seven picks as opposed to six. This is simply because when I got down to this final list of seven and just couldn’t decide on which of them to cull in order to get it down to six. I just love all of these matches so much that I just couldn’t bring myself to exclude one of them. So, for the first and last time, I’ve done seven matches.
Going in to when I started this feature I felt this list would be the easiest one, but that hasn’t been the case at all. I think this is owing to the fact that work rate and having good matches became a requirement for the big shows in the WWF at a certain point in the 90’s when the 70’s and 80’s carny generation started getting filtered out by wrestlers who had been fans growing up and wanted to have great matches, because that’s what they themselves appreciated as part of their fandom. The older crew of wrestlers saw fans as marks to be worked, whereas the ones who replaced them saw the fans as people who understood what a good match was and wanted to give it to them.
As a result, there were plenty of truly great matches that I loved watching, that didn’t even make the final seven and could have all deservedly made the list. It really was a stacked deck this time out, which is kind of amazing when you take into account that not many of these Mania events would make their way onto my “all-time” list. Despite that, there have been some incredible matches at even the worst of these WrestleMania events, which is a good barometer to how seriously good wrestling is taken amongst some elements of the current WWE hierarchy (And hopefully when the eventual clear out after Vince McMahon is no longer in power happens we’ll see it empathised even more)
I should also address the elephant in the room here by stating that Ronda Rousey and Kurt Angle Vs Triple H and Stephanie McMahon isn’t going to be either in the seven matches listed nor the honourable mentions. I know a lot of people loved that match, and I enjoyed it as an entertaining bit of smoke and mirrors, but I didn’t think it was an especially good match and Ronda selling for Stephanie was ludicrous, especially when Stephanie was able to counter Ronda’s arm bar attempt.
I also found it really depressing to see Angle and Triple H wrestling at quarter speed and clearly struggling after years of hard matches. Both of them have given the wrestling world so much and I just don’t want to see either of them wrestle anymore. They’ve done their part and shouldn’t have to keep getting in there. So that’s why the match isn’t listed anywhere on here. I’m sure that will upset some people as the match was very well received, to which I say fair enough. As mentioned last time out, this stuff is subjective and there is no right or wrong answer. If you loved the mixed tag from Mania 34 then that’s all that matters. I liked it, but in a ** entertaining spectacle way rather than a **** great match way, hence why it isn’t here.
As always, these are just my own personal picks. This isn’t supposed to be some sort of objective list or anything. If I leave out a match that you think warrants inclusion, then please feel free to put it down in the comments section below. As with previous lists, I’ll be listing the matches in chronological order.
So without further to do, let’s take a look at Six of the Best for WrestleMania’s 21 to 34!
WrestleMania 21
First Ever Money In The Bank Ladder Match
Edge Vs Chris Jericho Vs Christian w/ Tomko Vs Kane Vs Shelton Benjamin Vs Chris Benoit
This has to be one of most stacked ladder matches ever when it comes to talent, as all but one of the competitors went on to win a World Title of some kind and the one who didn’t (Benjamin) is an incredibly talented wrestler in his own right. I feel Kane gets unfairly maligned sometimes in sections of the online world. Yes, he may not have had the technical skill of his opponents here, but he works excellently as an unstoppable monster and more than earns his place in the match as a result.
This would be my pick for not only the best Money in the Bank match ever, but it would also have to be in the upper echelon of ladder matches in general. Almost everyone has a moment to shine by hitting a big move, with even Kane getting a big dive onto everyone else on the outside. Benoit does a fantastic job by selling an arm injury throughout the battle, Christian goes flying off a ladder onto poor Tomko on the outside, Edge gets T-Bone suplexed from the top of a ladder and Benjamin wows everyone with some ridiculous high spots.
How Benjamin sprinting up a ladder that is wedged up against another one isn’t replayed in every video package to hype WrestleMania is beyond me, as it’s still one of the most exhilarating things I’ve seen in one of these matches. Edge is also great here, as the beginnings of his despicable “Ultimate Opportunist” gimmick can be seen by how he hits an injured Benoit a chair whilst he has his fingertips on a possible victory, before scampering up to claim the inaugural briefcase for himself instead.
I just love this match. I was astounded by it when I first watched it 14 years ago and I still love it to this day. The WWE seemed to agree, as they’ve kept the MITB briefcase going, to the point it even has its own pay per view event now. Without the amazing effort from all six of these men then that might not have been the case. They all worked so hard that the match stipulations went on to outlive most of their own careers. Not bad for a thrown together match to give some guys something to do eh?
WrestleMania 21
Kurt Angle Vs Shawn Michaels
This match builds like a classic All Japan or Pro Wrestling NOAH main event, with both men starting with mat wrestling and gradually upping the ante with each stage of the match, to the point they’re countering finishers and doing big near falls. It really is one of the best worked matches I’ve ever seen in that regard, as whenever you don’t think it has another gear to kick in to they surprise you by cranking it up once again.
There’s also plenty of memorable spots, such as Michaels getting a cross body onto Angle as he lies on the announce table (Which doesn’t break), Angle getting a big Angle Slam from the top for a pulsating near fall and Michaels pulling out a Sweet Chin Music out of nowhere whilst Angle berates him, only for Angle to spring into life and catch Michaels with the match winning ankle lock.
The main criticism for the match is that Michaels is in the ankle lock for way too long at the end before tapping, which I accept, but I’ve always just seen it as Angle being so tired from a long and draining match that he can’t quite cinch it in exactly how he’d like, which is why Michaels is able to survive for so long before tapping. If you think about it, if you were physically and mentally drained you’d probably struggle to get your best grip applied in a submission hold, but if you could hold onto it long enough you could probably force an equally tired person to eventually tap out.
For me, this is still a classic match that I love going back to watch. It’s everything you’d want from two super workers colliding. Honestly this and MITB would make Mania 21 an all-timer if one of the two title matches at the end had only delivered.
WrestleMania 22
Hardcore Match
Edge w/ Lita Vs Mick Foley
This is like Foley’s matches with Triple H and Randy Orton on steroids, as he goes further here than he even did in those famous blood baths, introducing fire and even causing Lita to bleed courtesy of a barbed wire wrapped Mr. Socko. Lita really takes her lumps in this one and absolutely contributes to the match overall. If anything, riding Foley’s back whilst he Cactus Clothesline’s Edge to the floor is even more perilous than getting a gob full of wire, and it never fails to scare me to see all three of them tumbling over the ropes like that. If even one part of that had gone wrong than someone could have got seriously hurt.
There are so many great moments in this, such as Foley wearing barbed wire under his flannel shirt so that when Edge hits him with a Spear, he actually cuts open his shoulder. All three participants suffer, with Edge taking a nasty back bump into thumbtacks and Foley getting flung onto the back of his head on the ramp way. The big spot though is the one most remembered, as Lita sets a table on fire and Edge Spears Foley off the apron through it in possibly the most extreme moment in the history of a WWE pay per view event.
Edge really is fantastic in this match, as he sells the violence he suffers spectacularly; quivering at the bouts conclusion to get across that he only just survived the most brutal fight of his life. It’s no surprise that he got another WWE Title reign later in the year, as he showed in this performance that he was genuinely a step ahead of everyone else on the roster and fully deserving of a spot in the main event. Foley also finally got a true WrestleMania Moment™ here as well, entering a performance that made light his age and physical limitations. This match really is an amazing spectacle and well worth a watch if you’ve never seen it.
WrestleMania XXIV
Undertaker Vs Edge
This was one of the first proper communal viewings I had of a WrestleMania, as we had a full house in to watch the pay per view and the show will always have a special feeling to me as consequence. I remember being really pumped for this match and I was delighted that they let them go on last as Edge had been great as a heel and I felt that he really deserved to be in the slot. Undertaker had gotten in tremendous shape in preparation for the occasion as well and I was more than ready to see him finally get his revenge over Edge after months of feuding between the two.
Up to this point, Edge hadn’t been pinned or submitted at a WrestleMania yet, so this was promoted as a “Streak Vs Streak” contest, which made you think that they might have Edge win so that they could essentially transfer the streak gimmick over to him. There were certainly moments at the end where you thought that Edge might win it, thanks to the assistance of Zack Ryder and Curt Hawkins as his Edge clones. What I like so much about this match is that the crowd are worn out after a long day watching wrestling when both men get in the ring, but they work so hard and tell such a good story in the bout itself that they manage to get the crowd invested in the match. That’s a real skill.
Both men work hard here, but Edge in particular puts in possibly his greatest ever performance, looking every bit the WrestleMania main eventer in a long and supremely enjoyable bout. Definitely worth a watch this one.
Oh, and how could I not mention Charles Robinson sprinting down the WrestleMania ramp to make a cover? Amazing effort on his part!
WrestleMania XXV
Undertaker Vs Shawn Michaels
Shawn Michaels is absolutely in his element here, as he tries every trick he can to try and beat Undertaker anyway way he can, including feigning a knee injury and even trying to get Undertaker counted out. Sadly that means that when Randy Orton and Triple H try a count out tease later in the night the fans have already seen it and don’t react, but then again that’s their fault for going on last I guess. Triple H has even gone on record saying they shouldn’t have tried to follow this match, and boy is he right on that one!
Shawn’s desperation to win even leads to him pulling a cameraman into harm’s way when Undertaker tries a dive, only for the cameraman (Jimmy Snuka Jr I believe) to completely fail to catch Undertaker, leading to Undertaker falling on top of his head in one of the scariest things I’ve seen. Thankfully Taker is okay enough to finish the match and the finishing sequence is all kindS of awesome, as Michaels gets to kick out of the Tombstone to really tease that the upset might be on the cards. I remember watching the match back in 2009 and thought going in that Undertaker would surely win, but when Michaels kicked out of that Tombstone I definitely started to believe that I might be wrong.
What makes this match (And indeed most of the matches these two had) so great is the amazing chemistry between them. Whether it was in Hell in a Cell or the conclusion of the Royal Rumble, Michaels and Undertaker were just capable of making magic together. Everything from the selling, to the execution, to the general story telling in their matches has always been to a high standard. A big shout out has to go to Jim Ross, Jerry Lawler and (Yes) Michael Cole here as well, as they do an excellent job on commentary getting the match over. Cole lets Ross do the lion’s share of the play by play and instead only adds bits and pieces when required. They’re actually a rather decent three person announce team, especially as this was before Cole’s ill-advised heel turn. Ross yelling “I just had an out of body experience!!!” is an iconic call and really adds to the amazing moment of Michaels kicking out of the Tombstone.
WrestleMania XXX
Winner gets in the Main Event
Daniel Bryan Vs Triple H
As if Triple H riffing on Shao Khan for his entrance wasn’t great enough, when Daniel Bryan comes down and turns WrestleMania into YESsleMania this match reaches the next level before the bell even rings. When it does though the two men have a fantastic gutsy face Vs overbearing heel match, with Stephanie McMahon adding a lot on the outside as an insufferable heel valet. In a lot of ways this was the last great straight wrestling match that Triple H had before the many years of working at an elite level finally did a big enough number on his general health that he needed to resort to smoke and mirrors.
There’s no need for such things here though, as Triple H carries his end of things in a normal match perfectly, as does Bryan at his, and the result is one of the best opening matches in Mania history. Bryan is so great as a babyface, selling his injured shoulder and timing his comebacks perfectly, whilst Triple H is fantastic as a cold and calculating heel, bumping around to make Bryan look good and then physically dissecting him in a ruthless manner once he gets on top in the bout. Stephanie makes her presence known by taunting Bryan whenever he’s on defensive and just generally being a wicked rotten cow.
I love the finishing sequence to the match as well, with Triple H just straight dropping vicious knees on Bryan at one point, only for Bryan to weather the storm and win it clean as a sheet to earn a spot in the main event. He even gets to kick out of the Pedigree as well, as Triple H does absolutely everything he can to make Bryan look like a star. Say what you want about Triple H when it came to the likes of Rob Van Dam and Booker T (And what he did back then was unforgiveable) but when it comes to Bryan you can only give him the fullest of credit for doing the right thing when the time called for it.
This is such a great match that I kind of wish Triple H had hung the boots up once it was over, because he’s never going to top this with any of his other Mania matches going forward and it would have been a fantastic performance to go out on. I’ll certainly remember this as the last time Triple H was truly Triple H. This was as much his great performance as it was Bryan’s, and both men deserve huge credit for delivering such an amazing match. I would happily give this a ***** rating, as I don’t honestly know how it could have been better.
WrestleMania Play Button
Brock Lesnar Vs Roman Reigns
For those that dispute whether Roman Reigns is any good in the ring, I suggest giving this match a look, as not only does he deliver the goods here but he also starts to get a hostile crowd to somewhat cut him some slack when he finally makes a comeback towards the end, with some noticeable cheers when he starts unloading on Lesnar (Even though there are still audible boos as well). This match is built around Lesnar destroying Reigns, but Reigns is defiant throughout and even smiles as Lesnar demolishes him. What actually kind of amazes me about this match is that, if they’d actually gone all the way with Reigns here and actually had him win, they might actually have gotten him over to the level they wanted.
This match kind of makes me think of Rocky Vs Drago from Rocky IV, where Rocky is just so damn gutsy and so unbelievably resilient that he eventually wins over the crowd to the point they cheer when he wins. This happens a little bit here, as Brock destroys Reigns so much that some of the crowd can’t help but feel sympathy for him. Of course the match doesn’t end with Reigns winning but with Seth Rollins cashing in his Money in the Bank briefcase and stealing the title, in a memorable and awesome WrestleMania Moment™, which though entertaining also kind of spoils all the hard work already done in the match. Oh well, if you’re going to screw over your #1 face on the biggest show of the year then you might as well do it in style I guess.
Lesnar is fantastic here as a sadistic killing machine, as he picks Reigns apart with vicious glee, whilst Reigns is equally fantastic as a never say die fighter who just keeps coming regardless of how bad things get. It’s a shame they’ve never been able to tap into this again in their other matches, as those bouts have never had this same level of crowd interest. I think that’s because this match tells a good story and doesn’t rush to tell it, whereas their other matches haven’t had that narrative to hold it together and have generally been kind of rush jobs. Brock looking at Reigns in his best “You made me bleed my own blood” way right at the start of the match is just great and sets the tone perfectly for what is about to come.
I’m hardly the head of the Roman Reigns fan club, and there are plenty of criticisms you could send his way for his promos and general character (Not all of which is his fault), but when it comes to the in-ring aspect he can deliver the goods and this was very much one of those occasions. The fact they let them have some blood really enhances things too, as it’s used just right to get the brutality of the bout over without overdoing it.
Honourable Mentions
The Undertaker Vs Randy Orton (WrestleMania 21), Mickie James Vs Trish Stratus (WrestleMania 22), John Cena Vs Triple H (WrestleMania 22), The Undertaker Vs Batista (WrestleMania 23), Shawn Michaels Vs Ric Flair (WrestleMania XXIV), John Cena Vs Edge Vs Big Show (WrestleMania XXV), John Cena Vs Batista (WrestleMania XXVI), The Undertaker Vs Shawn Michaels (WrestleMania XXVI), Randy Orton Vs CM Punk (WrestleMania XXVII), The Undertaker Vs Triple H (WrestleMania XXVII), The Undertaker Vs Triple H (WrestleMania XXVIII), The Rock Vs John Cena (WrestleMania XXVIII), The Undertaker Vs CM Punk (WrestleMania 29), Daniel Bryan Vs Randy Orton Vs Batista (WrestleMania XXX), The Hardy Boyz Vs The Bar Vs Enzo and Big Cass Vs The Good Brothers (WrestleMania 34), Brock Lesnar Vs Goldberg (WrestleMania 33), Seth Rollins Vs Finn Balor Vs The Miz (WrestleMania 34), Charlotte Flair Vs Asuka (WrestleMania 34)
