Ten Best Main Events in WrestleMania History
Time is running down to WrestleMania 27, and today we take a look at past Mania's, and today it's the 10 best WrestleMania main events in the 26 years of the springtime WWE event.
1. WrestleMania X-Seven: Steve Austin defeats The Rock in a No Disqualification match for the WWF Championship - The ending that many thought they would never see, Steve Austin and Vince McMahon shaking hands. The match between the biggest two stars of the new generation was a classic, as both were at the top of their game for this well put together match in front of a record crowd in Houston.
2. WrestleMania V: Hulk Hogan defeats Randy Savage for the WWF Championship - The "Mega Powers" explode in Atlantic City, and add in Miss Elizabeth to the fray, and you have an emotion filled match that lived up to the billing for a long feud between Hogan and Savage in which Hogan clearly won with some great matches along the way. This one was just the start to a classic spring/summer feud.
3. WrestleMania XIV: Steve Austin defeats Shawn Michaels for the WWF Championship - Having Mike Tyson at ringside just added to the intensity of this battle, as Michaels pushed himself to the limit in what would be his last match before leaving for five years. For Austin, it was the true start to the Austin 3:16 Era with a great win with Tyson counting the pin.
4. WrestleMania XIX: Brock Lesnar defeats Kurt Angle for the WWE Championship - A match wrestling fans waited a LONG time to see, Angle and Lesnar went back and forth in a classic match that had plenty of build. A botched ending by Lesnar almost saw him break his neck, but nevertheless the two waged a classic war that is always fun to go back and relive every now and then.
5. WrestleMania III: Hulk Hogan defeats Andre the Giant to retain the WWF Championship - Was there ever a bigger build for a match? Probably not, but it was worth every second of the 13 minute match between the Giant and Hogan. 93,173 watched as many felt Andre was simply unbeatable, but the image of Hogan slamming Andre is one that lives on forever, and it was a battle both wrestlers put at the top of their list for all-time favorite match.
6. WrestleMania XV: Steve Austin defeats The Rock for the WWF Championship - The first of three Mania battles between these two great Hall of Famers (at least Austin is with Rock to go in within the next few years), the two had another back and forth great battle that saw Mick Foley get a chance to count the pin and hand Austin the title. The Rock also started to get cheers during the match, a sign of things to come.
7. WrestleMania 23: John Cena defeats Shawn Michaels to retain the WWE Championship - With Triple H on the shelf, these two faces had a solid near 30 minute match that saw a ton of near falls as Michaels had a final shot to win the strap. Cena again got his share of boos and cheers, but in the end like the year before in Chicago vs HHH, he got Michaels to tap out to the STFU in a great end to a great show.
8. WrestleMania XII: Shawn Michaels defeats Bret Hart in a 60 Minute Iron Man match for the WWF Championship - Not a huge fan of "Iron Man" matches, but these two mat legends pulled it off and kept the crowd into it without scoring a fall at any point and time. That is until the sudden death, where Michaels scored a pair of super kicks to win his first world title.
9. WrestleMania XXVI: The Undertaker vs Shawn Michaels - Billed as "The Career vs The Streak," these two future Hall of Fame mat warriors went at it for 23:59 as Michaels refused to go down easy for Taker, who left it all in the ring as well to move to 18-0. In the end, you knew that HBK was done, and it was a great ending that wrapped up with the two shaking hands.
1o. WrestleMania VI: The Ultimate Warrior defeats Hulk Hogan for the WWF and Intercontinental Championships - The first time two faces went at it in a Mania main event, it wasn't your classic mat wrestling clinic, but it kept the crowd on the edge of their feet and the shock of seeing Hogan miss the legdrop and get pinned was a sight that a lot of Hulk fans growing up never felt they would witness.
Labels: andre the giant, hulk hogan, steve austin, the rock, wrestlemania
