In 28 years of moments, matches and memories, WrestleMania has had its fair share of excellent performers.
However, a chosen few have stepped out and separated themselves from the pack to become the best of all time through amazing matches and historic championship bouts.
My criteria for making the list included looking at how many main events the performers starred in, their in-ring artistry during their matches and the historical significance of their greatest moments.
This may mean someone like Hulk Hogan makes the list over Chris Jericho. I'm definitely not claiming Hogan to be a superior in-ring performer to Y2J, but his moments and significance at WrestleMania outweigh Jericho's by quite a bit.
Now that you know the criteria for ranking the list, please read and comment. Let me know who you would have added or kept off.
10) Edge
Edge will go down as one of the best innovators and revolutionaries in WrestleMania history. He participated in and won two inaugural matches at WrestleMania. He won the first TLC match at WrestleMania XVII and then won the inaugural Money in the Bank match at WrestleMania 21.
He is a back-to-back Pro Wrestling Illustrated Match of the Year winner for his work at WrestleMania 2000 and WrestleMania XVII. Edge participated in one WrestleMania main event but was involved in four straight World Heavyweight Championship matches.
Edge will go down in history as one of the premier performers in WrestleMania history.
First Match
WrestleMania 2000
Final Match
WrestleMania XXVII
Matches
WrestleMania 2000: w/ Christan defeats The Hardy Boyz and The Dudley Boyz—Triangle Ladder Match for WWF Tag Team Championship
WrestleMania X-Seven: w/ Christian defeats The Hardy Boyz and The Dudley Boyz—Inaugural Tables, Ladders and Chairs match for the WWF Tag Team Championship
WrestleMania X8: defeats Booker T
WrestleMania 21: defeats Chris Jericho, Shelton Benjamin, Chris Benoit, Christian and Kane—Inaugural Money in the Bank ladder match
WrestleMania 22: defeats Mick Foley—Hardcore match
WrestleMania 23: loses to Mr. Kennedy—Money in the Bank ladder match w/ CM Punk, Randy Orton, Finlay, Matt Hardy, King Booker and Jeff Hardy
WrestleMania XXIV: loses World Heavyweight Championship to The Undertaker—main event
WrestleMania XXV: loses World Heavyweight Championship to John Cena—Triple Threat match w/ The Big Show
WrestleMania XXVI: loses to world heavyweight champion Chris Jericho
WrestleMania XXVII: defeats Alberto Del Rio to retain World Heavyweight Championship—final match in career
Main Event(s)
WrestleMania XXIV vs. The Undertaker
World title wins or successful defenses
WrestleMania XXVII vs. Alberto Del Rio
Pro Wrestling Illustrated Match(es) of the Year at WrestleMania
WrestleMania 2000 w/ Christan defeats The Hardy Boyz and The Dudley Boyz—Triangle Ladder Match for WWF Tag Team Championship
WrestleMania X-Seven w/ Christian defeats The Hardy Boyz and The Dudley Boyz—Inaugural Tables, Ladders and Chairs match for the WWF Tag Team Championship
9) John Cena
John Cena may not be the most graceful performer in the ring, but his main-event appeal and string of big-time matches lands him in our top 10 performers in history.
Since making his WrestleMania debut at WrestleMania XX, Cena has main-evented four WrestleManias and won five world title matches at the event. His matches haven’t been the greatest of all time, but his main event against Shawn Michaels at WrestleMania 23 is among the best matches of his career.
He is scheduled to main-event yet another WrestleMania this year, as he takes on WWE Champion The Rock on April 7.
First match
WrestleMania XX
Most recent match
WrestleMania XXVIII
Matches
WrestleMania XX: defeats U.S. champion The Big Show—WWE United States Championship match
WrestleMania 21: defeats WWE champion JBL—WWE Championship match
WresteMania 22: defeats Triple H – WWE Championship match—main event
WrestleMania 23: defeats Shawn Michaels – WWE Championship match—main event
WrestleMania XXIV: loses to WWE champion Randy Orton—Triple Threat match for the WWE Championship w/ Triple H
WrestleMania XXV: defeats World Heavyweight Champion Edge and The Big Show—Triple Threat match for the World Heavyweight Championship
WrestleMania XXVI: defeats WWE champion Batista—WWE Championship match
WrestleMania XXVII: loses to WWE champion The Miz—main event WWE Championship match
WrestleMania XXVIII: loses to The Rock—main event
Main Event(s)
WrestleMania 22 vs. Triple H
WrestleMania 23 vs. Shawn Michaels
WrestleMania XXVII vs. The Miz
WrestleMania XXVIII vs. The Rock
World title wins or successful defenses
WrestleMania 21 vs. JBL
WrestleMania 22 vs. Triple H
WrestleMania 23 vs. Shawn Michaels
WrestleMania XXV vs. The Big Show and Edge
WrestleMania XXVI vs. Batista
Pro Wrestling Illustrated Match(es) of the Year at WrestleMania
N/A
WrestleMania XXIX
Scheduled to face WWE champion The Rock in the main event
8) Macho Man Randy Savage
The Macho Man Randy Savage had to play second fiddle to Hulk Hogan in the '80s and early '90s, but that didn’t stop him from having some of the greatest WrestleMania matches and moments ever.
His masterpiece at WrestleMania III against Ricky Steamboat is still hailed as one of the best ever. Savage also won both of his career WWF Championships at WrestleMania—first at WrestleMania IV against Ted DiBiase and later at WrestleMania VIII against Ric Flair.
He lost his only battle with Hulk Hogan at WrestleMania V, but anyone who studies the art knows that Savage was the better in-ring performer. Savage is synonymous with WrestleMania and has a well-earned place in the top 10 performers ever.
First match
WrestleMania 2
Final match
WrestleMania X
Matches
WrestleMania 2: defeats George “The Animal” Steele—WWF Intercontinental Championship match
WrestleMania III: loses WWF Intercontinental Championship to Ricky Steamboat—WWF Intercontinental Championship match
WrestleMania IV: defeats Butch Reed, Greg Valentine, One Man Gang and Ted DiBiase to become WWF champion—main event WWF Championship tournament
WrestleMania V: loses WWF Championship to Hulk Hogan—main event WWF Championship match
WrestleMania VI: loses w/ Sensational Queen Sherri to Dusty Rhodes and Sapphire—Mixed tag team match
WrestleMania VII: loses to The Ultimate Warrior—Retirement match
WrestleMania VIII: defeats WWF champion Ric Flair—WWF Championship match
WrestleMania X: defeats Crush—Falls Count Anywhere match
Main Event(s)
WrestleMania IV vs. Ted DiBiase
WrestleMania V vs. Hulk Hogan
World title wins or successful defenses
WrestleMania IV vs. Ted DiBiase
WrestleMania VIII vs. Ric Flair
Pro Wrestling Illustrated Match(es) of the Year at WrestleMania
WrestleMania III vs. Ricky Steamboat
7) Triple H
Like John Cena, Triple H has never been a masterful performer on the WrestleMania stage, but his sheer volume of work lands him at No. 7 on our list.
“The Game” has been involved in two PWI Matches of the Year. The first was a classic bout at WrestleMania XX with Shawn Michaels and Chris Benoit. His second came only a year ago against The Undertaker in a memorable showdown between the two Attitude Era holdovers.
Despite Triple H’s reputation not to put over talent, he has a losing record of 7-9 at WrestleMania. He will have a shot to get his win total to eight in just a few short weeks when he takes on Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania XXIX.
First match
WrestleMania XII
Most recent match
WrestleMania XXVIII
Matches
WrestleMania XII: loses to The Ultimate Warrior
WrestleMania 13: defeats Goldust
WrestleMania XIV: defeats Owen Hart—WWF European Championship match
WrestleMania XV: loses to Kane by disqualification
WrestleMania 2000: defeats The Big Show, Mick Foley and The Rock—main event WWF Championship Four-Way Elimination match
WrestleMania X-Seven: loses to The Undertaker
WrestleMania X8: defeats WWF undisputed champion Chris Jericho—main event WWF Undisputed Championship match
WrestleMania XIX: defeats Booker T—World Heavyweight Championship match
WrestleMania XX: loses to Chris Benoit—main event Triple Threat World Heavyweight Championship match w/ Shawn Michaels
WrestleMania XXI: loses to Batista—main event World Heavyweight Championship match
WrestleMania 22: loses to WWE champion John Cena—main event WWE Championship match
WrestleMania XXIV: loses to WWE champion Randy Orton—Triple Threat WWE Championship match w/ John Cena
WrestleMania XXV: defeats Randy Orton—main event WWE Championship match
WrestleMania XXVI: defeats Sheamus
WrestleMania XXVII: loses to The Undertaker—No Holds Barred match
WrestleMania XXVIII: loses to The Undertaker—"End of an Era” Hell in a Cell match
Main Event(s)
WrestleMania 2000 vs. The Big Show, Mick Foley and The Rock
WrestleMania X8 vs. Chris Jericho
WrestleMania XX vs. Chris Benoit and Shawn Michaels
WrestleMania XXI vs. Batista
WrestleMania 22 vs. John Cena
WrestleMania XXV vs. Randy Orton
World title wins or successful defenses
WrestleMania X8 vs Chris Jericho
WrestleMania 2000 vs. The Big Show, Mick Foley and The Rock
WrestleMania XIX vs. Booker T
WrestleMania XXV vs. Randy Orton
Pro Wrestling Illustrated Match(es) of the Year at WrestleMania
WrestleMania XX vs. Chris Benoit and Shawn Michaels
WrestleMania XXVIII vs. The Undertaker
WrestleMania XXIX
Scheduled to take on Brock Lesnar on April 7.
6) Hulk Hogan
Hulk Hogan basically was WrestleMania over the first nine years of the event, main-eventing eight of those WrestleManias.
Those eight main events are a WrestleMania record. Triple H is next closest with six. Hogan has a reputation for being rather robotic in the ring, but he surprisingly has two PWI Match of the Year awards under his belt. His match against The Ultimate Warrior at WrestleMania VI won the award even though the match wasn’t an artistic gem.
However, no one can say his PWI Match of the Year at WrestleMania X8 vs. The Rock wasn’t well earned. Hogan will always be remembered in the annals of WrestleMania history as the biggest star to ever step into the ring.
First match
WrestleMania
Final match
WrestleMania XIX
Matches
WrestleMania : w/ Mr. T defeats Roddy Piper and Paul Orndorff—main event tag match
WrestleMania 2: defeats King Kong Bundy—main event WWF Championship steel cage match
WrestleMania III: defeats Andre the Giant—main event WWF Championship match
WrestleMania IV: double disqualification vs. Andre the Giant—quarterfinal tournament match for the WWF Championship
WrestleMania V: defeats WWF champion Randy Savage—main event WWF Championship match
WrestleMania VI: loses to intercontinental champion The Ultimate Warrior—main Event WWF Championship and WWF Intercontinental Championship match
WrestleMania VII: defeats WWF champion Sgt. Slaughter—main Event WWF Championship match
WrestleMania VIII: defeats Sid Justice—main event singles match
WrestleMania IX: loses to Money Inc.—WWF Tag Team Championship match w/ Brutus Beefcake
WrestleMania IX: defeats WWF champion Yokozuna—main event WWF Championship match
WrestleMania X8: loses to The Rock
WrestleMania XIX: defeats Vince McMahon—street fight match
Main Event(s)
WrestleMania w/ Mr. T vs. Roddy Piper and Paul Orndorff
WrestleMania 2 vs. King Kong Bundy
WrestleMania III vs. Andre the Giant
WrestleMania V vs. Randy Savage
WrestleMania VI vs. The Ultimate Warrior
WrestleMania VII vs. Sgt. Slaughter
WrestleMania VIII vs. Sid Justice
WrestleMania IX vs. Yokozuna
World title wins or successful defenses
WrestleMania 2 vs. King Kong Bundy
WrestleMania III vs. Andre the Giant
WrestleMania V vs. Randy Savage
WrestleMania VII vs. Sgt. Slaughter
WrestleMania IX vs. Yokozuna
Pro Wrestling Illustrated Match(es) of the Year at WrestleMania
WrestleMania VI vs. The Ultimate Warrior
WrestleMania X8 vs. The Rock
5) Bret “The Hitman” Hart
The Excellence of Execution starts off our top five of WrestleMania performers. Bret Hart’s resume at WrestleMania really hits a high point between WrestleMania X and WrestleMania XIII.
His match with Owen Hart is underrated, but his matches at WrestleMania XII and XIII are regarded amongst the best of all time. Hart and Shawn Michaels did what few performers could ever do at WrestleMania XII—keep an audience at the edge of their seats for over a full hour.
As an encore, Hart pulled a double-turn at WrestleMania XIII against Stone Cold Steve Austin. This one match helped Austin build a wave of momentum that carried the WWF into the Attitude Era. Yes, it was that important. Hart’s place in history is well-earned and secure, even after the debacle of a match against Vince McMahon at WrestleMania XXVI.
First match
WrestleMania 2
Final match
WrestleMania XXVI
Matches
WrestleMania 2: loses to Andre the Giant in 20-man Battle Royal
WrestleMania III: w/ Jim Neidhart and Danny Davis defeats Davey Boy Smith, The Dynamite Kid and Tito Santana—tag team match
WrestleMania IV: loses to Bad News Brown—20-man Battle Royal
WrestleMania V: w/ Jim Neidhart defeats The Honky Tonk Man and Greg Valentine—tag team match
WrestleMania VI: w/ Jim Neidhart defeats The Bolsheviks—tag team match
WrestleMania VII: w/ Jim Neidhart loses to The Nasty Boys—WWF Tag Team Championship match
WrestleMania VIII: defeats WWF intercontinental champion Roddy Piper—WWF Intercontinental Championship match
WrestleMania IX: loses to Yokozuna—WWF Championship match
WrestleMania X: loses to Owen Hart
WrestleMania X: defeats WWF Champion Yokozuna—main event WWF Championship match
WrestleMania XI: defeats Bob Backlund—“I Quit” match
WrestleMania XII: loses to Shawn Michaels—main event Iron Man WWF Championship match
WrestleMania 13: defeats Stone Cold Steve Austin—submission match
WrestleMania XXVI: defeats Vince McMahon—No Holds Barred Lumberjack match
Main Event(s)
WrestleMania X vs. Yokozuna
WrestleMania XII vs. Shawn Michaels
World title wins or successful defenses
WrestleMania X vs. Yokozuna
Pro Wrestling Illustrated Match(es) of the Year at WrestleMania
WrestleMania XII vs. Shawn Michaels
WrestleMania XIII vs. Stone Cold Steve Austin
4) The Rock
The self-named “Great One” has certainly earned his monicker at WrestleMania.
Despite being in multiple main events for the WWF Championship, The Rock has never walked out of WrestleMania as champion.
He highlighted three WrestleManias against the same opponent: Stone Cold Steve Austin. The Rock has had many memorable bouts at the Showcase of the Immortals, but his only PWI Match of the Year came at WrestleMania X8 against Hulk Hogan.
The Rock maintained his superstardom even after stepping away from the business after WrestleMania XX. Eight years later, he headlined WrestleMania XXVIII against John Cena, and as WWE Champion, he will face Cena once again in the main event of WrestleMania XXIX.
First match
WrestleMania 13
Most recent match
WrestleMania XXVIII
Matches
WrestleMania 13: defeats The Sultan—WWF Intercontinental Championship match
WrestleMania XIV: defeats Ken Shamrock—WWF Intercontinental Championship match
WrestleMania XV: loses to Stone Cold Steve Austin—main event No Disqualification WWF Championship match
WrestleMania 2000: loses to Triple H—main event Four-Way Elimination WWF Championship match w/ The Big Show and Mick Foley
WrestleMania X-Seven: loses to Stone Cold Steve Austin—main event No Disqualification WWF Championship match
WrestleMania X8: defeats Hulk Hogan
WrestleMania XIX: defeats Stone Cold Steve Austin
WrestleMania XX: loses to Evolution—handicap match w/ Mick Foley
WrestleMania XXVIII: defeats John Cena—main event singles match
Main Event(s):
WrestleMania XV vs. Stone Cold Steve Austin
WrestleMania 2000 vs. Triple H, Mick Foley and The Big Show
WrestleMania X-Seven vs. Stone Cold Steve Austin
WrestleMania XXVIII vs. John Cena
World title wins of successful defenses
N/A
Pro Wrestling Illustrated Match(es) of the Year at WrestleMania
WrestleMania X8 vs. Hulk Hogan
WrestleMania XXIX
The Rock is the current WWE champion and is scheduled to take on 2013 Royal Rumble winner John Cena in the main event for the WWE Championship.
3) Stone Cold Steve Austin
Stone Cold Steve Austin was the top star in the top era of WWE wrestling. His bouts at WrestleMania became huge events with the help of feuds against The Rock, Shawn Michaels, Bret Hart and Mike Tyson.
Stone Cold was a big-time performer on the biggest stage. In three straight WrestleMania matches over four years, he walked out as the new WWF champion, beating Michaels and The Rock twice.
His match at WrestleMania XIII left fans with a lasting memory of Austin struggling to fight out of Bret Hart’s Sharpshooter with blood pouring out of his head. His WrestleMania moments only lasted for seven matches, but no star has burned quite as brightly as Austin’s.
First match
WrestleMania XII
Final match
WrestleMania XIX
Matches
WrestleMania XII: defeats Savio Vega
WrestleMania XIII: loses to Bret Hart—submission match
WrestleMania XIV: defeats WWF champion Shawn Michaels—main event WWF Championship match
WrestleMania XV: defeats WWF champion The Rock—main event No Disqualification Championship match
WrestleMania X-Seven: defeats WWF champion The Rock—main event No Disqualification Championship match
WrestleMania X8: defeats Scott Hall
WrestleMania XIX: loses to The Rock
Main Event(s)
WrestleMania XIV vs. Shawn Michaels
WrestleMania XV vs. The Rock
WrestleMania X-Seven vs. The Rock
World title wins or successful defenses
WrestleMania XIV vs. Shawn Michaels
WrestleMania XV vs. The Rock
WrestleMania X-Seven vs. The Rock
Pro Wrestling Illustrated Match(es) of the Year at WrestleMania
WrestleMania XIII vs. Bret Hart
2) The Undertaker
Anyone clicking on this article probably already knew our top two WrestleMania performers. There is really no debate about that. The only debate is who is No. 1 and who is No. 2.
For me, The Undertaker lands at No. 2.
His first WrestleMania match was against Jimmy Snuka at WrestleMania VII in 1991. The first George Bush was still in office, Zubaz were all the rage (if you don’t believe me just check out the dashing young Matt in my kindergarten class pictures) and the average cost of a gallon of gas was $1.12.
Since then The Undertaker has never lost at the “Show of Shows." He has defeated a who’s who of legendary performers including Shawn Michaels (twice), Triple H (thrice), Kane (twice), Jake Roberts, Randy Orton, Batista and Edge.
He seems to be aging like a fine wine as his matches have continually gotten better. Here's the evidence: The last three PWI Matches of the Year have all come from Undertaker’s WrestleMania matches.
Quite simply, "The Phenom" has made WrestleMania his own.
First match
WrestleMania VII
Most recent match
WrestleMania XXVIII
Matches
WrestleMania VII: defeats Jimmy Snuka
WrestleMania VIII: defeats Jake “The Snake” Roberts
WrestleMania IX: defeats Giant Gonzales
WrestleMania XI: defeats King Kong Bundy
WrestleMania XII: defeats Diesel
WrestleMania XIII: defeats WWF champion Sycho Sid—main event No Disqualification WWF Championship match
WrestleMania XIV: defeats Kane
WrestleMania XV: defeats Big Boss Man—Hell in a Cell match
WrestleMania X-Seven: defeats Triple H
WrestleMania X8: defeats Ric Flair—No Disqualification match
WrestleMania XIX: defeats A-Train and The Big Show—handicap match
WrestleMania XX: defeats Kane
WrestleMania 21: defeats Randy Orton
WrestleMania 22: defeats Mark Henry—Casket match
WrestleMania 23: defeats world heavyweight champion Batista—World Heavyweight Championship match
WrestleMania XXIV: defeats world heavyweight champion Edge—main event World Heavyweight Championship match
WrestleMania XXV: defeats Shawn Michaels
WrestleMania XXVI: defeats Shawn Michaels—main event No Disqualification Streak vs. Career match
WrestleMania XXVII: defeats Triple H—No Holds Barred match
WrestleMania XXVIII: defeats Triple H—“End of an Era” Hell in a Cell match
Main Event(s)
WrestleMania XIII vs. Sycho Sid
WrestleMania XXIV vs. Edge
WrestleMania XXVI vs. Shawn Michaels
World title wins or successful defenses
WrestleMania XIII vs. Sycho Sid
WrestleMania 23 vs. Batista
WrestleMania XXIV vs. Edge
Pro Wrestling Illustrated Match(es) of the Year at WrestleMania
WrestleMania XXV vs. Shawn Michaels
WrestleMania XXVI vs. Shawn Michaels
WrestleMania XXVIII vs. Triple H
WrestleMania XXIX
The Undertaker will look to go 21-0 at WrestleMania when he puts up his streak against former WWE champion CM Punk at MetLife Stadium next month.
1) Shawn Michaels
Shawn Michaels is known by many pseudonyms: The Heartbreak Kid, The Showstopper, The Main Eventer. None of his monikers live up to that of Mr. WrestleMania.
Shawn is quite easily the greatest performer in WrestleMania history. In the 28 years of the event, 16 PWI Matches of the Year have taken place at WrestleMania, and Shawn Michaels has been involved in half of those.
From his heart-stopping ladder match at WrestleMania X to his farewell match against The Undertaker at WrestleMania XXVI, Michaels has stolen the show nearly every single year. One can only imagine what we missed during his four-year absence following WresleMania XIV.
All I know is that I am glad he was able to return at WrestleMania XIX and never look back as he continued to carve out his position as the greatest WrestleMania performer of all time.
First match
WrestleMania V
Final match
WrestleMania XXVI
Matches
WrestleMania V: w/ Marty Jannetty lose to The Twin Towers (Big Boss Man and Akeem)
WrestleMania VI: w/ Marty Jannetty lose to The Orient Express (Sato and Tanaka)
WrestleMania VII: w/ Marty Jannetty defeat The Barbarian and Haku
WrestleMania VIII: defeats El Matador
WrestleMania IX: loses to Tatanka by count out—WWF Intercontinental Championship
WrestleMania X: loses to Razor Ramon—WWF Intercontinental Championship Ladder match
WrestleMania XI: loses to WWF champion Diesel—WWF Championship match
WrestleMania XII: defeats WWF champion Bret Hart—main event WWF Championship Iron Man match
WrestleMania XIV: loses to Stone Cold Steve Austin—main event WWF Championship match
WrestleMania XIX: defeats Chris Jericho
WrestleMania XX: loses to Chris Benoit—main event Triple Threat World Heavyweight Championship match w/ Triple H
WrestleMania 21: loses to Kurt Angle
WrestleMania 22: defeats Vince McMahon—No Holds Barred match
WrestleMania 23: loses to WWE champion John Cena—main event WWE Championship match
WrestleMania XXIV: defeats Ric Flair—Career Threatening match
WrestleMania XXV: loses to The Undertaker
WrestleMania XXVI: loses to The Undertaker—main event No Disqualification Streak vs. Career match
Main Event(s)
WrestleMania XII vs. Bret Hart
WrestleMania XIV vs. Stone Cold Steve Austin
WrestleMania XX vs. Chris Benoit and Triple H
WrestleMania 23 vs. John Cena
WrestleMania XXVI vs. The Undertaker
World Title wins or successful defenses
WrestleMania XII vs. Bret Hart
Pro Wrestling Illustrated Match(es) of the Year at WrestleMania
WrestleMania X vs. Razor Ramon
WrestleMania XI vs. Diesel
WrestleMania XII vs. Bret Hart
WrestleMania XX vs. Chris Benoit and Triple H
WrestleMania 21 vs. Kurt Angle
WrestleMania 22 vs. Vince McMahon
WrestleMania XXIV vs. Ric Flair
WrestleMania XXV vs. The Undertaker
WrestleMania XXVI vs. The Undertaker
For WWE news and analysis you can listen to me on Podcast of the Immortals with new episodes every Tuesday afternoon.
Read 0 Comments
Download the app for comments Get the B/R app to join the conversation