The 25 Greatest Wrestlemania Matches, Ranked

Stuck in a tight bind thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic, the WWE pulled an audible and transformed their big John Cena-Fiend match at Wrestlemania 36 into a cinematic "Firefly Funhouse" match. As a result, this non-traditional match played as an introspective journey throughout John Cena's career, from his lackluster debut during the Ruthless Aggression Era to his never-realized heel turn to even his breakup with Nikki Bella. It was WWE in rare form, paying tribute to the past and acknowledging the longstanding criticisms of Cena as a top star while furthering the depths of the psychological horror of The Fiend.

A seminal match in the history of WWE, Hulk Hogan and Ultimate Warrior’s title vs. title clash was not only the Ultimate Warrior’s best WWE match by a country mile, but remains one of the most beloved main events in sports entertainment history. It may be too goofy and over the top for some professional wrestling purists, but this “passing of the torch” on the Grandest Stage of Them All has resonated with audiences both past and present.

One of the more violent and vicious matches in Wrestlemania history, Mick Foley returned from retirement to challenge the “ultimate opportunist” Edge to a hardcore match that drew blood early and only grew in intensity. While the barbed wire, thumbtacks, and burning tables might be what fans most remember about this brutal bout, there’s no denying that the compelling character work and the shocking depiction of Edge’s desperation have made the match oh-so-memorable.

Pitting two of WWE’s most charismatic performers against one another, Chris Jericho and Shawn Michaels produced an inventive, 22-minute showstopper at Wrestlemania 19. Blending spectacular, high-risk moves and technically sound mat wrestling, Michaels’ return to Wrestlemania after a five-year absence was exceptional in every sense and further built Chris Jericho as one of the promotion’s most vindictive heels.

A defining moment for women's wrestling at Wrestlemania, NXT stars Becky Lynch, Sasha Banks, and Charlotte Flair brought emotion, drama, and exciting action to their match for the inaugural WWE Women's Championship. Moreover, all of the performers involved cemented their place as never-miss superstars in this stellar three-way dance.

In the main event of Wrestlemania 24, Edge and the Undertaker battled in a ferocious yet intellectually impressive match that focused on Edge countering every one of the Undertaker's signature moves. Mixing an old-school wrestling mentality with pulse-pounding modern flash, this match remains one of Taker's finest Wrestlemania moments and a testament to the energy of two premier superstars when everything just clicks. 

The world of pro wrestling was changing and evolving by the time Wrestlemania 17 came about, with the WWE buying out competitors WCW and ECW by the time the show hit the air. But as the business of wrestling changed, the in-ring product changed as well, as best exemplified by the unforgettable debut of the TLC (Tables, Ladders, and Chairs) match between the Hardy Boyz, The Dudley Boyz, and Edge and Christian that sent the careers of each competitor skyrocketing to extreme heights.

Much like the previous entry on this list, another match that changed the wrestling business at Wrestlemania was the ladder match between the late Scott Hall (aka Razor Ramon) and Shawn Michaels, a bout that introduced the concept to mainstream audiences while testing the mettle of these performers. It's a brutal match, but the match was also incredibly innovative, as each wrestler discovered unique ways to use the ladders to their advantage while adhering to the psychology of pro wrestling storytelling. 

Widely considered to be the best match of their Wrestlemania trilogy, both Steve Austin and The Rock had phenomenal in-ring chemistry leading into the match, and audience investment in the match was at an all-time high. But with a last-minute change to a No Disqualification stipulation, the match evolved into a more violent bout, matching the personal animosity between the characters and affording the narrative twists and turns needed to lead toward the controversial climax.

A brilliant technical showcase with spectacular, high-risk moves and stellar wrestling storytelling, it was no surprise that Kurt Angle and Shawn Michaels stole the show at Wrestlemania 21, given the pedigree of the performers and their ability to elevate even the most inexperienced opponent. But what was surprising was how fresh the entire affair felt, with every moment playing off the last so organically that it you never question a single beat of the nail-biting action.

With two of pro wrestling's greatest performers operating at the top of their game, Owen Hart vs. Bret Hart had the built-in emotional draw of "Brother vs. Brother" and the added mystery of how the match would affect Bret's championship match later that evening. While the latter was somewhat of an eventual non-factor, though Owen did appear to taunt Bret during his celebration, the match is still a master class in almost every aspect of professional wrestling and often remains the most cited match when referring to the highlights of Owen Hart's tragically short career.

Though Hulk vs. Andre was the most high-profile match from Wrestlemania 3, there's little denying that the best match on the card is the technically astounding bout between "Macho Man" Randy Savage and Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat. In addition to being Steamboat's best WWE outing, the match laid the ground for generations of wrestlers to come to embrace faster-paced, kinetic matches, which were all too rare in the slower, "heavyweight"-friendly WWE at the time.

The gold standard for Wrestlemania matches, this Submissions match between the ruthless brawler "Stone Cold" Steve Austin and technical wizard Bret Hart started off as a grudge match between the company's wrong babyface (Hart) and the villain dead set on destroying Hart and his reputation as "The Best There Is, The Best There Was, and The Best There Ever Will Be."  But the match evolved so ingeniously, from Bret resorting to dirtier tactics as Austin's refusal to hold back came off as perseverance. By the time the riveting match reached its bloody end, with Austin's refusal to quit leading to his loss of consciousness, the unexpected double turn was executed in a most incredible fashion, with Hart walking out as the despicable heel and Austin limping to the back on his own accord to a chorus of cheers.