Two years ago, leading up to WrestleMania 38, I did a column on my 38 favorite moments in WrestleMania history.
It was one of those easy reads that you see in a lot of places around that time of year.
I skipped that style of column last year, but I’m bringing it back now, going from moments to matches. If you look at the title of the column, the key word I want you to focus on is “favorite.” This is a list of my FAVORITE matches in WrestleMania history. It isn’t my commentary on the BEST matches in WrestleMania history, so please keep that in mind if your blood starts to boil because you saw such-and-such match ranked highly, or such-and-such match not ranked at all.
Again, this is simply supposed to be an easy Mania-related read. Nothing more, nothing less.
Here goes nothing.
40. “Stone Cold” Steve Austin vs The Rock (WrestleMania 19): Even when watching this one live, it really did feel like “the end” for one, or both, of these guys, didn’t it? That led to both men working with a lot of extra motivation that night, even if they may not have been at the peak of their in-ring primes. A good match, telling a good story (Rock desperately searching for his first Mania win against Austin after losing his first two tries), with a ton of emotion from both men in the post-match happenings. Lots to like here.
39. The Undertaker vs “The Heartbreak Kid” Shawn Michaels (WrestleMania 26): If we’re going to rank things by the overall match quality, this would definitely be higher on the list. Since we’re not, though, here is where it must be. I really liked the match. Don’t get me wrong. Counting pre-shows, there have been 435 matches in WrestleMania history, and this is my 39th favorite, so that should be clear. It’s just one of those cases where other matches stand out more to me, and therefore, are higher on the list. Nothing wrong with this whatsoever.
38. Tito Santana & Junkyard Dog vs Hoss Funk & Terry Funk (WrestleMania 2): Hoss, for those unaware, was the name used by Dory Funk Jr. during his brief time with the WWF in 1986. I’m not really sure how many people you’re going to see praising and including this match on any lists like this, but here we are. The formula here was pretty simple. A hot crowd, a super over babyface team in Tito and JYD, a heel squad (specifically Terry) that was willing to bump their asses off to make the faces look great, and accentuating everyone’s positives while not focusing on anyone’s negatives.
37. The Undertaker vs CM Punk (WrestleMania 29): The build for this match was memorable due to the real-life death of William Moody, aka Paul Bearer, a month before the show. Most memorably, there was a segment where Paul Heyman dressed up as Bearer and we saw Punk attack Taker with Bearer’s urn, dumping Bearer’s “ashes” on Taker, which caused a lot of controversy online. The entrances for the match itself were pretty cool. Punk was played to the ring by Living Colour, performing a live rendition of “Cult Of Personality,” while Taker stepped out through the fog as numerous zombie-like arms came out of the ground and reached out for him. The match itself was also a lot of fun, taking place in the era where all of Taker’s matches at WrestleMania featured the best possible opponents that could help provide the best possible workrate. Really good stuff.
36. “Macho Man” Randy Savage vs Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat (WrestleMania 3): You didn’t ask for one, but I’m going to provide you with a hot take here. I think this match is overrated. I’m not saying it’s bad. Not even close, actually. However, there are many people who still refer to the match as not only the best in WrestleMania history, but one of the best in wrestling history, period. I don’t even think it’s Randy Savage’s best match at WrestleMania, and a lot of what Steamboat was doing prior to this WWF run and after this WWF run is equal to, if not better than, this match. With all that out of the way, this was still really, really enjoyable. Everything is so clean and precise, which might have a lot to do with the Macho Man’s penchant for mapping his matches out move-by-move and rehearsing them with his opponents repeatedly before the final product. Steamboat and Savage packed a lot of action into 14:35 of match time, including a bunch of spots that, by WWF standards in 1987, made these two look like they arrived from the future.
35. Roman Reigns vs Cody Rhodes (WrestleMania 39): Drama. So much drama. Whether you thought Cody losing here was the right call or not is irrelevant. The only thing that matters here is the roller coaster ride that Roman and Cody took everyone on. WWE did such a great job of telling opposite narratives here. Roman couldn’t lose, but Cody couldn’t lose, either. That made this match one of wrestling’s most unsure sure things ever, and we lived through every second of it last year.
34. Sting vs Triple H (WrestleMania 31): This will never be confused for a great technical classic, but it was never supposed to be one. What the match was, though, was a fun nostalgic ride for those who lived through the Attitude Era and the Monday Night War between the WWF and WCW. One of the WWF’s biggest names from that era battling one of WCW’s biggest names from that era. Triple H had Degeneration X as his backup, which made perfect sense. Sting had… the nWo? He may have been the biggest thorn in the side of the nWo back then, but this was one of those “I can pick on my little brother, but if YOU pick on my little brother, I’ll beat your ass” type of things. Please… please, please, please… do not get me started about who won this match, though. I beg of you, do not get me started.
33. Charlotte Flair vs Rhea Ripley (WrestleMania 39): In my review of this match, I said that it seemed like Charlotte and Rhea were wrestling like two people who believed they deserved the main event spot of night one, only to find out earlier that day that they weren’t going to get it. They wrestled with a level of physicality and what seemed like anger like you rarely see in WWE women’s matches. The match was ugly at times, but in the most beautiful type of “real fight” ways, and I appreciate the hell out of that.
32. The Undertaker vs AJ Styles (WrestleMania 36): For better or worse, the COVID “era” of professional wrestling was certainly a memorable one. All those “cinematic” matches were something, weren’t they? I wasn’t a fan of most of them. They had their moments, but for the most part, they weren’t produced properly, or the humor didn’t work, or this, or that, and so on. I didn’t really know what to expect with the Boneyard Match between Taker and AJ, but I was pleasantly surprised nonetheless. It was a very high quality production that was more reminiscent of a horror movie scene than anything we’re used to seeing in wrestling. AJ looked like AJ, and was able to carry the heavier load, but with the pre-tapes, Taker looked better and younger than he had in years. It even provided us with one of the most meme-able shots in the history of the business when AJ was celebrating as he was on a tractor, only for The Undertaker to pop up behind him in the fog. This isn’t really one of those matches you can say was a certain amount of stars, but it really entertained me, and it will remain in my mind for the foreseeable future.
31. The Rock vs John Cena (WrestleMania 28): On February 11th, 2011, The Rock returned to WWE and made his first live appearance on Raw in nearly seven years. He was named as the official “host” of WrestleMania 27, but he also used his time to cut a promo on John Cena, who had speaking negatively in media interviews about Rock and Rock’s “allegiance” to pro wrestling. Cena already had a Mania 27 match lined up, but everyone started speculating about a possible Rock vs Cena match the following year at 28. Sure enough, that’s what we got. It was basically being billed as the biggest match in the history of the company, with two “eras” colliding. The match ended up being fun. It wasn’t great in a technical sense, and it seemed like Rock was completely blown up by the end (it was his first singles match in nine years and it went 30 minutes, so he’s forgiven), but man, what a spectacle it was. Cena and Rock are easily two of my all-time favorites, and to see them battle after a year-plus build was a blast.
30. Mick Foley vs Edge (WrestleMania 22): In 2004, Mick took the “soft, pretty boy” Randy Orton and worked one helluva storyline with him, leading to a Hardcore Match between the two at Backlash that year. That match led fans to view Orton in a different light, as he was taken to the absolute limit by Foley, and he proved how tough he really was. Two years later, Mick was in a similar storyline with the “soft, pretty boy” Edge, and it led to this Hardcore Match between the two. Like with Orton, this match had fans looking at Edge differently when it was over. Barbed wire, thumbtacks, fire… Edge dealt with all of it, and he came out looking like a completely different wrestler.
29. Hulk Hogan vs The Ultimate Warrior (WrestleMania 6): Not only was this the ultimate (no pun intended) Face vs Face match, but it was also the ultimate spectacle, taking two over-the-top characters and having them square off for the WWF Championship in the main event of WrestleMania. As the years have gone on, the match itself has gotten more hate online, but it’s unwarranted. Perhaps people are taking their hate for Terry Bollea and Jim Hellwig and using that to drive their narrative. If you’re just grading the match itself, and not focusing on what both men have said or done outside of the ring, it’s enjoyable and every bit of that spectacle it needed to be.
28. Kurt Angle & Ronda Rousey vs Triple H & Stephanie McMahon (WrestleMania 34): Whenever a McMahon is wrestling, you know it’s going to be… and here’s that word again… a spectacle. This was certainly no different. Ronda’s pro wrestling debut after a legendary MMA career. A 49-year-old Kurt Angle and 48-year-old Triple H given the job of protecting her. The aforementioned McMahon involved, too. All eyes were on this, and everyone did their jobs well. Right off the bat, Ronda looked like a wrestling megastar, and it looked like she was going to embark on one of the most spectacular careers that any woman in the business has ever had. Even if that didn’t happen in the end, she still gave us something special here. I still laugh whenever I see the spot where she was absolutely peppering Triple H with strikes, backing him up into a corner, while he flails around and sells the shots as if firecrackers were being set off all around him.
27. “Nature Boy” Ric Flair vs “The Heartbreak Kid” Shawn Michaels (WrestleMania 24): A lot of my love for this match has to do with me being there in attendance for my first WrestleMania. The match itself was good. HBK did a great job of “guiding” Flair here. The story is what had everyone captivated, though, and of course, the final “I’m sorry, I love you” is what will be remembered forever. When that happened, and when the match came to an end, I remember looking around at the people all around me, and there were numerous grown men with tears in their eyes. That’s what the best of the best stories will do to us as wrestling fans.
26. “Stone Cold” Steve Austin vs Kevin Owens (WrestleMania 38): Nostalgia. Pure, unadulterated nostalgia. That’s why this match happened, and that’s why this match is listed here. Watching Austin have his first match in 19 years was a blast, and although he clearly wasn’t in his physical prime, he was still a master of the craft. The No Holds Barred stipulation really helped him out here, as did working with one of the best in the business in Kevin Owens.
25. The Ultimate Warrior vs “Macho King” Randy Savage (WrestleMania 7): If you’re ever going to talk about how good Randy Savage was, this is the first example you need to use. It might be the only example you need, as a matter of fact. He didn’t just make Warrior look good here. No, he made Warrior look great here. This is easily the best match of Warrior’s entire career. It’s only fair to give Warrior credit here, too. He didn’t just stumble his way into a good performance because of a miracle job by Savage. Warrior had his working boots on that night, and he was clearly motivated to try harder than he usually did. If we’re talking about this match, though, it’s only right to discuss the post-match happenings, as well. Savage being kicked to the curb by Queen Sherri, only to be saved by Miss Elizabeth, led to one of the most emotional moments in wrestling history. This was the good stuff.
24. “The American Nightmare” Cody Rhodes vs Seth Rollins (WrestleMania 38): It didn’t matter how much speculation there was, nor did it matter when Sean Ross Sapp broke the news that it was actually happening… until the moment Cody’s music hit and we actually saw him here, there were doubts in all of our minds that he would actually show up. There’s no way an “AEW Original” and one of the founders of the company would leave to return to WWE, right? No way he would return to the place that made him Stardust, leading to one of the worst and unhappiest times of his career, right? Actually seeing him return was one of the biggest shocks of the modern era. This could’ve been a 20-minute headlock, and it would’ve made this list for the shock value and the pop Cody got alone.
23. Shane McMahon vs Vince McMahon (WrestleMania 17): One of the most insanely overbooked matches in company history, but in no way is that a complaint from me. We didn’t need Shane vs Vince in a mat-based technical affair. Bring on the Special Guest Referee in Mick Foley. Give us the interference from Trish Stratus. Bring on the interference from Stephanie McMahon. Bravo to the interference from Linda McMahon, who drew one of the biggest pops of the night simply by standing up out of a wheelchair. I get why a lot of people didn’t like this match, but I also get why those people are wrong.
22. John Cena vs Triple H (WrestleMania 22): If you’ve been rocking with me and my work from the beginning, you know that I was on John Cena’s bandwagon from the beginning, and I might have been his staunchest defender in this aspect of the internet once fans began turning on him. This was around when fans first started changing how they felt about Cena, so I was hyped up. There is no better “road game” wrestler in the modern history of the business than Cena. He is able to tune out some of the most vicious reactions you can imagine of, and not only does it not frazzle him, but it seems to motivate him, and he ups his performance by several notches. The crowd in Chicago that night was strongly behind Triple H, who was one of the most dastardly heels in the business, and it was a blast seeing Cena and Triple H work around those unusual reactions that they were getting.
21. Gunther vs Drew McIntyre vs Sheamus (WrestleMania 39): Gunther beat the shit out of Drew McIntyre. Drew McIntyre beat the shit out of Sheamus. Sheamus beat the shit out of Gunther. Gunther beat the shit out of Sheamus. Drew McIntyre beat the shit out of Gunther. Sheamus beat the shit out of Drew McIntyre. What’s not to like about this?
20. Razor Ramon vs “The Heartbreak Kid” Shawn Michaels (WrestleMania 10): As the first Ladder Match that almost all of us have seen, I don’t think we really knew what to expect here. I certainly didn’t know what to expect. It ended up being a masterclass from both men, with Razor looking like a million bucks as he delivered a wild beating to Michaels, but Michaels looking like a million bucks because he kept fighting a much bigger opponent while taking that wild beating. A lot of younger fans prefer the more modern style of Ladder Match, with wrestlers climbing the tallest ladders to jump off of them with the most insane moves, and that’s fine. There’s nothing wrong with those matches when they’re done right. This match, though… using ladders (that were clearly the heavy duty models) as weapons instead of diving platforms… is as entertaining to me now as it was 30 (!!!) years ago.
19. Floyd “Money” Mayweather vs Big Show (WrestleMania 24): If Floyd Mayweather wasn’t 5’8″ tall on his best day, and weighing in the range of 130-154 pounds, he could’ve been one of the best heels that the pro wrestling business has ever seen. He talks the talk like no other, but he has walked the walk like no other, as well, and people hate him for it. Those people can’t stop watching him, though, and they have paid quite the pretty penny to see if someone, somewhere, somehow, could finally shut his mouth. People wanted to see that here, even though Big Show turned heel on Rey Mysterio and Mayweather came to Rey’s aid. Floyd, to his credit, played his role to perfection here. He was the cocky, arrogant fighter that everyone knew he was, but he also had the showmanship down, playing a sniveling little shit that was afraid of the MUCH larger Big Show, but also so confident in his own abilities that he was still trying to get his shots in here and there. For 15 years, this was my favorite “celebrity” match, topped only by Bad Bunny vs Damian Priest at Backlash last year.
18. The Usos vs Kevin Owens & Sami Zayn (WrestleMania 39): Ah, the good old days of the Bloodline story before WWE nearly fucked the entire thing up in one night at SummerSlam 2023. According to Google Maps, I live 377 miles away from SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California. From 377 miles away, I could still feel the energy in the air for this match. I think most people assumed that Owens and Zayn would knock the Usos off and win the Undisputed Tag Team Titles, but as was the case with everything involving Bloodline members, there was always that nagging “what if…” scenario in the backs of everyone’s minds. All four men played that up to perfection here, with the drama building and building until the end finally happened. I might need to watch this one again before WrestleMania 40 rolls around.
17. The Rock vs “Hollywood” Hulk Hogan (WrestleMania 18): You would be hard pressed to find a pro wrestling match with a better overall crowd atmosphere than this one. To say the fans in Toronto that night were on fire would be quite the understatement. At the same time, you would also be hard pressed to find a legendary WrestleMania match that worse in the ring than this one. Hulk was well beyond his physical prime by this point, with his body breaking down all over the place, and Rock wasn’t enough of a “workhorse” to create a miracle on his own. The fact that this match is as revered as it is, though, is all about that crowd reaction and the way Rock and Hulk were able to lead that crowd in any direction they wanted at any given moment.
16. “Nature Boy” Ric Flair vs “Macho Man” Randy Savage (WrestleMania 8): Two of the best that the sport has ever seen. The biggest stage that the sport has ever seen. Facing each other for the biggest championship that the sport has ever seen. How much more do you need so that you’ll understand why this match is so fondly remembered? The story leading in was a lot of fun, with Flair airing photos of himself with Miss Elizabeth, saying that she was his woman before she was with Savage, and the notoriously jealous loose cannon that was the Macho Man absolutely losing his mind. We would eventually discover that the photos were doctored, and for that time, it was a great story being told. Just good stuff all around.
15. The Undertaker vs Triple H (WrestleMania 28): For all intents and purposes, this was the fourth part of a four-year storyline with The Undertaker at WrestleMania. At 25, Taker and Shawn Michaels had an all-time classic (more on that match later in this column). Then, at 26, Michaels got a rematch after putting his career on the line, but he failed to defeat Taker again. At 27, Triple H, Michaels’ best friend, challenged Taker to a match in an attempt to seek revenge for the newly retired Heartbreak Kid, but he failed. That brought us to 28, where Taker was the one issuing the challenge, after the previous year’s match ended with Taker needing to be taken to the hospital after his victory. The match at 28 saw the stakes increased twice. First, it was announced that Taker and Triple H would do battle inside Hell In A Cell. Second, Shawn Michaels himself would be revealed as the Special Guest Referee for the match. There was so much buzz for this match. The story being told was clearly putting the pieces together for Taker to finally take his first WrestleMania loss. Trips, Taker, and HBK… legendary as they are… played with our emotions for over 30 minutes, and every bit of it was glorious.
14. “The Heartbreak Kid” Shawn Michaels vs Kurt Angle (WrestleMania 21): This match, and the two matches that follow it on the list, could realistically be placed in any order. To play it safe, I went in reverse chronological order, from the newest match to the oldest. It shows how great Kurt Angle really was, as he is involved in all three matches. I think it’s almost crazy to say this, but I think Kurt Angle remains underrated as an in-ring performer. He didn’t have the popularity peaks that people like Steve Austin and The Rock did, nor did he have the longevity (especially with WWE) that people like The Undertaker and Triple H had. Because of that, I think people truly forget how special he really was. To come in with no experience, and to become a great talent from pretty much day one, was almost unheard of. This match featured two of the all-time greats, both of whom were probably pissed off that they weren’t involved in anything more than a “random” match at the biggest show of the year, so they had extra large chips on their shoulders. That type of extra motivation was pretty obvious here, with both men trying harder than usual to show off and show out.
13. Eddie Guerrero vs Kurt Angle (WrestleMania 20): WrestleMania 20 is remembered for a few different things, but I think this match gets overshadowed a bit. The main event, and the post-match interaction that followed. We got the Rock-N-Sock Connection again. The Undertaker returned to his “Deadman” persona for the first time in over four years. An absolute train wreck involving Goldberg and Brock Lesnar. Even though this match was for the WWE Championship, it was still overshadowed, as I said, by those other matches and moments. Like most people who watched this, I love the finish, featuring Eddie using his “I lie, I cheat, I steal” mantra by tricking Kurt in a very creative way.
12. Kurt Angle vs Brock Lesnar (WrestleMania 19): There have been a lot of great amateur wrestlers that would go on to turn pro one day. Of all those people, Kurt and Brock are right there at the top of the list, both with their skills and how they translated to the pro game, but also with how decorated they were as amateurs. Of course, this match will always be remembered for Brock’s botched Shooting Star Press that nearly ended his career, at best, and his life, at worst. However, the match itself was great before and after that spot. Both men were able to showcase their amateur backgrounds, but Brock was also able to be the monster that he was. Kurt bumped his ass off for the big guy, and it really solidified Brock’s status as a “top guy” mere months after he reached the main event scene.
11. Bret “The Hitman” Hart vs Owen Hart (WrestleMania 10): If you were to ask people what was the best opening match in WrestleMania history, you might get half of them nominating this one. Bret and Owen were in the middle of a great feud here, and this match helped add so many layers to the feud. Owen surprised a lot of people by picking up the win against his already established brother, only to have Bret go on to win the WWF Title in the show’s main event, infuriating Owen to no end. If you’re looking for a no-frills contest featuring two tremendously skilled technical wrestlers with obvious natural chemistry, look no further.
10. Daniel Bryan vs Triple H (WrestleMania 30): If you were to ask people what was the best opening match in WrestleMania history, you might get half of them nominating this one. Strangely enough, both nominees featured one competitor going on to wrestle again later in the same show. Professional wrestling has never seen anything like the “Yes Movement,” and I’m not sure that it ever will again. This was one final hoop for Daniel Bryan to jump through before getting a main event spot and a chance to truly reach the mountaintop. We should’ve known that Bryan’s victory here was a foregone conclusion, but with as much bullshit as WWE continued to pull off, there was still doubt, so it was an emotional ride from open to finish.
9. Brock Lesnar vs Roman Reigns vs Seth Rollins (WrestleMania 31): It still feels weird to type this out as a Triple Threat, but here we are. When it was just Brock vs Roman, it was a blast, with Roman trying his best to be a dominant physical presence, only for Brock, the ultimate physical presence, to respond tenfold. If I had to guess, I’d say this would be one of my favorite WrestleMania matches if Seth Rollins never got involved at all. The fact that he did, and more importantly, the way that he did, only added to the fun. It was such a brilliantly creative move for the Money In The Bank briefcase holder to cash in this way, and it fit his character perfectly.
8. “Rowdy” Roddy Piper vs Bret “The Hitman” Hart (WrestleMania 8): Sometimes, it’s the simplest stories that work the best. This was one of those examples. Piper is one of the best heels that the wrestling business has ever seen, but he was a face for this run. He was the defending Intercontinental Champion here, which, at that time, was the only title he had ever won with the company. To keep the title, he found himself fighting the voices in his head that were telling him to revert to his cheating ways, even though he was facing off with his cousin here. Piper crept closer and closer to the line, but he couldn’t go through with it. Then, when Piper officially decides he’s not going to cheat to win, it ends up costing him the match and the title. Great stuff, with Piper having his best match in a long, long time, busting his ass to help put Bret over. This was Bret’s second Intercontinental Title reign, but it was six months away from his first WWF Title victory, so it’s easy to say that this was one of the last key pieces that helped push “The Hitman” to the top.
7. The Dudley Boyz vs The Hardy Boyz vs Edge & Christian (WrestleMania 17): Does anyone care if this match… or the entire feud, in general… featured a deep, well-crafted story? I don’t. At the time, all I wanted was the “car crash” mentality that the matches delivered on. Wrestlers jumping off of ladders, crashing through tables, and hitting each other with chairs. That’s what I needed, and that’s what all six men involved delivered every single time. This match, in particular, was extra special. The crowd in Houston was extra hot for everything that night, and we even got bonus carnage involving Rhyno, Lita, and Spike Dudley. With all that these men put themselves through in these matches, isn’t it amazing that all six of them are still active in-ring performers? Well, the Hardys, Edge, and Christian are really active, but both of the Dudleys have wrestled within the last year.
6. Sasha Banks vs Bianca Belair (WrestleMania 37): The match itself was great, but my favorite part about this had nothing to do with the Sasha Banks and Bianca Belair characters. My favorite part was seeing Mercedes Kaestner-Varnado and Bianca Blair Crawford overcome with emotion at the beginning of the match. Not only were they in the main event spot of WrestleMania 37’s first night, but they both understood the added historical importance of it being the first time two black wrestlers of any gender were main eventing WrestleMania against each other. Everything that followed their real, pure emotional reaction, while the crowd applauded them, was just gravy.
5. Daniel Bryan vs Kofi Kingston (WrestleMania 35): Earlier, I mentioned that we have never seen anything like the “Yes Movement” and what Daniel Bryan brought to the table during his rise to the top in WWE. This was as close as we got to seeing it again, albeit in a much more condensed version. It’s fitting then that “KofiMania” took place with Daniel Bryan on the other side of the ring. Like the previous entry, my favorite part of this one has nothing to do with the match itself. No, my favorite was the viral video that came out of MVP and the late Shad Gaspard watching the end of the match together at a bar, tears welling up in their eyes before they embrace and celebrate. The fact that Shad would tragically pass away a year later only adds a deeper level of emotion to the video.
4. The Rock vs “Stone Cold” Steve Austin (WrestleMania 17): I’ve said it a million times before, and I’m sure I’ll say it a million more times before all is said and done, but it was a huge mistake turning Steve Austin heel here. Yes, it was Austin’s decision, and even though multiple people within the company, including Jim Ross, tried to talk him out of it, he insisted that his character was getting stale and needed a change. I’m not against the heel turn itself. I am, however, against the heel turn happening when and where it happened. That crowd was not going to boo Austin, no matter what he did. Instead, what could’ve been the most shocking moment in company history was met with the opposite reaction than what was intended, but hey, at least the match was a wild roller coaster ride, eh?
3. Randy Orton vs Batista vs Daniel Bryan (WrestleMania 30): I’ve asked this question in my columns before, but… was everything that WWE put Daniel Bryan through always the intended story, or did they realize they fucked up somewhere along the way and call the audible that eventually led to this match taking place? I will go to the grave saying that it was an audible. Absolutely, positively nothing about Vince McMahon’s booking and decision making in this era would/could/should lead you to believe that he had the foresight to make the entire story fall the way it did. He accidentally stumbled onto something great, as he did plenty of times before, and did everything in his power to fuck it up because it went against his own personal feelings. Even as late as January 2014, Vince had no desire to have Daniel Bryan in the main event here, but it was the brief stint that Bryan had as a member of The Wyatt Family that may have changed his mind. You will always remember where you were when Bryan “turned” on Bray after a Steel Cage Match, leading to one of the most incredible crowd reactions of all-time. Somewhere along the way, a switch flipped in Vince’s brain, and he finally came to the realization that he just might be able to make some money by giving the WWE Universe what they actually wanted.
2. The Undertaker vs “The Heartbreak Kid” Shawn Michaels (WrestleMania 25): By the way WWE talks about this match on air and in documentaries through the years, this may be their choice for the best match in company history. It is certainly their choice for the best match in WrestleMania history. I can’t speak on that here, but what I will say is that Shawn Michaels kicking out of the first Tombstone in this match might be my favorite kick out of a pin attempt ever. I’ve told the story before, but my friend and I were watching WrestleMania 25 on pay-per-view, and when Michaels kicked out at 2.999, both of us JUMPED up and were running around my living room yelling out “HOLY SHIT” simultaneously. Great work from two of the most respected performers in WWE history.
1. Bret “The Hitman” Hart vs “Stone Cold” Steve Austin (WrestleMania 13): Not only is this my favorite match in WrestleMania history, but it’s my favorite match in wrestling history. The once beloved “Hitman” was falling out of favor with fans, as society itself was changing, and the do-gooder was no longer seen as “cool” as he used to be. Society was gearing toward teens and young adults… specifically young adult males… which meant that things like cursing, middle finger salutes, and beer drinking were becoming cooler and more socially acceptable. That’s where Austin came in, picking up more and more face pops with every appearance, even though he wasn’t doing anything face-like. Once again, Vince McMahon accidentally stumbled upon greatness here, as the crowds created the double turn well in advance, and WrestleMania 13 was simply making it official. Hart and Austin were at their absolute best against each other, and everything they did made you feel as if they truly hated each other. They beat the hell out of each other here, and when you combine that with a red-hot crowd that solidified the double turn, as well as the memorable finish of the match with Austin bleeding buckets and having it drip down his face and in his mouth as he suffered through a Sharpshooter… well, you have my favorite match.
Now, the floor is yours. What are some of your favorite WrestleMania matches? You don’t have to give me a list that is 40 deep. In fact, please don’t give me a list that is 40 deep. Give me a top ten, top five, top three, or top one. Whatever floats your boat. As always, feel free to hit me up in the comments section below, or on Twitter (@HustleTheSavage), and let me know what’s on your mind.
Next up, let’s get to my Weekly Power Rankings before closing things out, as usual, with the list of songs I was listening to as I put this column together.
Weekly Power Rankings
Christian Cage vs Adam Copeland: You knew they were going to bring it, fighting in front of their fellow Ontarians. This was Christian’s first match in Toronto since an episode of Smackdown all the way back in September 2011. Copeland, of course, had his last WWE match in Toronto, facing Sheamus last August. Things got a bit clunky here when Nick Wayne’s mom got involved, because she brings absolutely nothing to the table as an on-screen character and is wasting television time and checks from the company, but outside of that, this was a great brawl. Both Copeland and Christian went above and beyond in taking their frustration out on each other.
Bray Wyatt: It was announced that Peacock will be streaming “Bray Wyatt: Becoming Immortal” on April 1st. The trailer for the documentary was released, and it looks like it will be a very emotional watch, with interviews from those who knew him best, personally and professionally. WWE, almost without fail, puts out some incredible documentaries, and this looks like it will continue that streak.
DIY vs The Creed Brothers: This would’ve fit right in on an old NXT Takeover card. It was good to see the Creeds back in the thick of things. They were unsuccessful in taking the Tag Team Titles from Damian Priest and Finn Balor the week before Christmas, and this was only their second match on television so far in 2024. We’re coming up on four months since they’ve won a match on television, though, so it’s clear that the push they received when they were first called up to the main roster has cooled off.
Orange Cassidy & Trent Beretta vs Powerhouse Hobbs & Kyle Fletcher: Fletcher participates in yet another incredible match in AEW, and his immediate reward is to get pinned in a tag match. That type of shit is becoming an epidemic in AEW, where nobody gains any momentum because of weird booking decisions. At least the matches are good, though, so… there’s that.
Cody Rhodes: The promo he cut on Raw was really good. Really, really good. Then he got to Smackdown and had a disappointing promo battle with Roman Reigns, where they were both essentially jogging in place verbally. I’ll include him here for the Raw promo, though. He was able to hit back against The Rock, and hit back hard.
Becky Lynch vs Nia Jax: The Last Woman Standing stipulation was a good way to play to Nia’s strengths and hide her weaknesses. To her credit, she has been having some highly motivated performances over the last few months, and this was another in a line of them. It was a good way to build Becky up for her highly anticipated match with Rhea Ripley at WrestleMania.
Eddie Kingston vs Kazuchika Okada: The match was good. No surprise there. My issue here is that Okada winning the match had a lot of people confused. Was Okada the new Triple Crown Champion? Did he only win one title? What was going on? No matter the on-screen explanation, Tony Khan still had to come out and explain what happened and clarify that Okada’s victory made him the new AEW Continental Champion and nothing more. Generally, it’s not a good thing when something happens on-screen and it needs to be cleared up on social media after the fact because people didn’t “get” what went on.
Axiom & Nathan Frazer vs Charlie Dempsey & Myles Borne: Very quietly, NXT has been building up an entertaining tag team division. It isn’t quite star-studded the way it was in the Takeover days, but the teams are working hard. Kudos to all involved.
Rocky Romero vs Konosuke Takeshita: Nothing against Rocky Romero, who I am a fan of, but this match had no business going ten minutes in length. The last time Romero won a match in AEW was at Full Gear 2022, and that was in a ten-man tag match where the opposition consisted of QT Marshall, Aaron Solo, Nick Comoroto, Lee Johnson, and Cole Karter. In AEW kayfabe, I could team up with four of you at random and we’d beat those guys. I really don’t understand how and why it’s so difficult for the company to handle Takeshita’s booking properly.
Kofi Kingston & Xavier Woods vs Otis & Akira Tozawa: Nothing earth-shattering, but it didn’t need to be. All four men worked hard, the match had stakes on the line, and the crowd was into the action. That’s really all that matters sometimes.
Trick Williams vs Noam Dar: With Trick’s huge match against Carmelo Hayes at Stand & Deliver coming up, it was a smart move to put him in the ring with a veteran like Dar, who is a great worker that can help to make Trick look great.
Kris Statlander & Willow Nightingale vs Julia Hart & Skye Blue: Good stuff with four of the more over women on the AEW roster. It’s a story that probably needs to wrap up soon, or at least move to the next level, but that’s a different argument for a different day.
Naomi vs Iyo Sky: A lot of people are confused over the way WWE has used Naomi since she made her return to the company at the Royal Rumble. She has one win in the two months she has been back, and it seems as though she has fallen pretty far down the proverbial ladder. I’ve even seen some people wonder if this is part of some “punishment” that she’s facing for walking out of the company in 2022. You know… a Triple H in 1996 situation, where he had to face punishment for the “Curtain Call” incident, and if he handled that correctly without complaining, a push would be on the other side. I have no idea if that’s the case here… I doubt it is… but it’s still interesting to see her make her big return, and then nothing.
Rey Mysterio vs Santos Escobar: When was the last time you saw a Rey Mysterio match where he had a handful of timing issues and botches? I certainly don’t remember seeing one. He really bounced back in a strong way here, though, and the overall match ended up being fun.
This Week’s Playlist: “We Don’t Trust You” by Future & Metro Boomin… “Like That” by Future, Kendrick Lamar & Metro Boomin… “Still Alright” by Joyner Lucas, Twista & Logic… “The Far Side” by Vended… “Stealing A Kiss” by The War And Treaty… “MAGNETIC” by Wage War… “Split” by The Ghost Inside… “Firefly” by Esoterica… “Everlasting Bass” by Rodney-O & Joe Cooley… “Look At Me” by E-40, Juvenile, Lil Wayne, B.G. & Birdman… “18 and Life” by Skid Row… “Epic” by Faith No More… “The Boys Of Summer” by Don Henley… “Neon Light” by Blake Shelton… “Chattahoochee” by Alan Jackson… “Summertime Blues” by Alan Jackson… “Watermelon Crawl” by Tracy Byrd… “Carrying Your Love With Me” by George Strait… “Like The Rain” by Clint Black… “Forever and Ever, Amen” by Randy Travis… “Roses” by Outkast… “Adorn” by Miguel… “Envy (‘They Don’t Know’ Vocal Remix)” by So Solid Crew… “Best To Do It (Remix)” by Madwreck, Royce Da 5’9″, Elzhi & Supastition… “Boom” by Royce Da 5’9″… “Gun Harmonizing” by Royce Da 5’9″ & Crooked I… “Something 2 Ride 2″ by Royce Da 5’9” & Phonte… “Far Away” by Royce Da 5’9″… “King Of My City” by Juice, Jay Rock, Crooked I & LV Lavor… “Girl” by Lunar & Crooked I… “Villain” by Crooked I & Sally Anthony… “Holiday Road” by Lindsey Buckingham… “Lonely Boy” by The Black Keys… “Mr. Brightside” by The Killers… “Somebody Told Me” by The Killers… “Uprising” by Muse… “Together Forever” by Rick Astley… “Miseria Cantare – The Beginning” by AFI… “Prelude 12/21” by AFI… “Runaround Sue” by Dion