WrestleMania 40 may be in the rearview mirror but that does not mean WWE's annual professional wrestling extravaganza cannot still be celebrated.

Particularly, that is, the matches that left the greatest impressions on fans and etched their place in The Showcase of the Immortals' four-decade history.

Championship matches dominate the conversation, with some being the culmination of personal journeys and others being successful defenses.

Either way, these are the four matches that left the greatest impression at this year's marquee event.

Becky Lynch vs. Rhea Ripley

There is considerable pressure that goes into opening up any premium live event, let alone being the very first match that takes to the squared circle.

Saturday night, Rhea Ripley and Becky Lynch found themselves in that position and if the pressure alone was not bad enough, the ailments they faced only made for a greater challenge.

Lynch worked the match with strep throat and at one point throughout the week, suffered from a 102-degree temperature. Ripley, on the other hand, suffered a panic attack two hours before the event, exhausting her body.

Add to that a very cold night in the City of Brotherly Love and you have a match that faced incredible obstacles before even getting into the ring.

Once the bell rang, though, Ripley and Lynch did as they have countless times throughout their careers: showed up, showed out, and elevated women's wrestling.

A good, physical match saw Ripley outlast Lynch, sending her into the turnbuckles and finishing her off with Riptide to retain her title and continue her year-plus-long reign.

It was another shining moment for The Eradicator and for Lynch, a reminder of the toughness and grittiness that has long defined her career as a top star in WWE.

Sami Zayn vs. Gunther

Some of the most endearing stories in WWE are those involving an underdog overcoming the odds and emerging victoriously.

Saturday, as part of night one of WrestleMania 40, Sami Zayn was faced with the unenviable task of doing what no man had done to that point: defeat Gunther in a one-on-one match and take his Intercontinental Championship.

Fueled by last-minute motivation from his wife, Khadijah, and friends Chad Gable and Kevin Owens, he was fired up as he squared off with The Ring General.

What ensued was the best pure wrestling match of the weekend, with Gunther's oppressive ferocity and strength countering everything Zayn looked to accomplish. As he has so many times throughout his career, the Montreal native fought back, never giving up as he sought to prove himself a worthy champion.

He ultimately did, dropping Gunther on the top turnbuckle with a brainbuster, then exploding across the ring with the Helluva Kick and scoring the win and title.

The pop for Zayn's win was one of the louder of a frigid first night of this year's show and proof positive that Triple H has perfectly utilized Zayn since taking over creative and the result has been one of the great stories of the last two years.

Bayley vs. Iyo Sky

Speaking of great stories...

Bayley paid off her Royal Rumble victory Sunday, overcoming a knee injury that left her hobbled for the majority of her match and defeating Iyo Sky to win the WWE Women's Championship.

The Role Model entered to new theme music and a big ovation as she looked to avenge a shocking betrayal at the hands of her former Damage CTRL teammates, perpetrated by the Goddess of the Sky.

One of the better matches on the entire show, it saw Bayley tough it out and continuously thwart her opponent's attempts to put her away and end her story on a disappointing note.

Seizing the moment and channeling both her frustration and drive, she delivered the Bayley-to-Belly to Sky, followed by the Rose Plant, to capture the win and her first championship of any kind since her critically acclaimed run in the Thunderdome in 2020.

Cody Rhodes vs. Roman Reigns

There was one match out of 13 that absolutely had to stick the landing and it was the main event of WrestleMania Sunday between Cody Rhodes and undisputed WWE universal champion Roman Reigns.

Did it ever.

The American Nightmare and The Tribal Chief had a very good match going before chaos ensued, with run-ins by The Bloodline that were ultimately countered by Rhodes' friends and legends from the long and illustrious history of the event.

Jey Uso, John Cena, Seth Rollins, and The Undertaker fended off Jimmy Uso, Solo Sikoa, and The Rock, leaving the challenger to finish his story by delivering three consecutive Cross Rhodes' to The Tribal Chief and end his historic 1,316-day reign as champion.

A main event that had something for everyone, including an Attitude Era flare that was prevalent a few times throughout the course of the two-night extravaganza, it was easily one of the best marquee bouts in recent memory, with arguably the most satisfying conclusion in the history of The Showcase of the Immortals.

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