Every WWE WrestleMania Main Event Ranked From Worst To Best

The Showcase of the Immortals, The Grandaddy of Them All, The Grandest Stage of Them All. WWE’s biggest show of the year is none other than WrestleMania, and it has been that way since 1985. 

The most important match of the night - or both nights as it has been since 2020’s WrestleMania 36 - is the contest which goes on last in the main event. Over WrestleMania’s long history, there have been some great main events and some truly awful final bouts. 

This is every WrestleMania Main Event Ranked from Worst to Best. 

47. John Cena vs. Cody Rhodes - WrestleMania 41 Night 2

What should have been a crowning moment of John Cena’s career as he became a 17-time world champion was instead a complete farce of a WrestleMania main event. 

After 22 years as a babyface, Cena had turned heel one month earlier at Elimination Chamber, kicking Cody Rhodes in the nether regions alongside The Rock and rapper Travis Scott. The Rock then disappeared from WWE TV, but surely he would appear at WrestleMania having been involved in such an important moment during the build to WWE’s biggest show of the year?

Before a potential Rock appearance, though, there had to be some wrestling and, my word, was it a complete slog. Cena slowly and boringly wrestled his first match since turning heel, working over Cody for much of a match that never really got out of second gear.

A kick-out from Cody following a fourth attitude adjustment from Cena led to one of the most ridiculous moments in a WrestleMania main event as Travis Scott - a man who is not a professional wrestler - headed to the ring to interfere on behalf of Cena. 

Scott, firstly, took almost two minutes to reach the ring and then what Cena set up for Scott to do made no sense as he held Rhodes for the rapper to punch him…which would have resulted in a DQ win for Rhodes. Instead of letting Scott hit him, though, Cody fought out, hit a cross rhodes, and watched Travis Scott pull the referee out of the ring when he had the match won. Scott ate a Cross Rhodes for his trouble, which was surely the cue for The Rock to appear? Alas, it was not and Dwayne Johnson was nowhere to be seen as he skipped WrestleMania altogether. 

The finishing sequence then made no storyline sense either. After retrieving the Undisputed WWE Title belt from Cena when the challenger tried to deck him with it, Cody refused to do the same to Cena despite having vowed just two months earlier that he would do whatever it took to remain Undisputed WWE Champion. This left Rhodes open for a kick to the nether regions. One belt shot from Cena later and Big Match John ended WrestleMania as the champ. Travis Scott was never seen again in a WWE ring. 

46. Hulk Hogan vs. Sid Justice - WrestleMania VIII

WrestleMania VIII has one of the most infamous endings in the history of the show, but even without such a late arrival, Hulk Hogan vs. Sid Justice was far from great. The match was a slog until Justice connected with a huge chokeslam, which Hogan decided to sell by having convulsions before hulking up. 

This was supposed to lead to a big leg drop from the Hulkster, only for the pin to be broken up by an interfering Papa Shango which would hand Sid a DQ loss in the main event of the World Wrestling Federation’s biggest show of the year. The heels would then beat down Hogan before a returning Ultimate Warrior would arrive to save the day and send everyone home happy. 

Instead, a mix-up backstage led to Shango missing his cue. Not by just a few seconds, either - more like the entire length of the arena. Hogan hit his finisher and Sid was forced to kick out of the immortal leg drop at two. Manager Harvey Whippleman then jumped up on the apron and the referee called for a DQ, before Shango finally reached the ring in time for Warrior’s return after what was basically a leisurely stroll to the squared circle. 

What was made all the worse was it really looked like Hulk Hogan vs. Ric Flair was going to headline WrestleMania VIII before Vince McMahon got cold feet, and even “Macho Man” Randy Savage vs. Ric Flair for the WWF Championship would have been a much better final bow than Hogan vs. Justice. 

45. The Miz vs. John Cena - WrestleMania XXVII

In terms of sheer workrate, there are several worse WrestleMania main events than The Miz vs. John Cena for the WWE Championship. The contest also had a fantastic video package, and a potentially great story of the backstage laughing stock from the world of reality TV finally on top of the company and ready to take on its ultimate golden boy.

Unfortunately, the main event of WrestleMania 27 was little more than an advert for the main event of WrestleMania 28. The Miz and Cena had a basic but serviceable match, with the champion hanging around with the help of Alex Riley. 

Then the finish happened. The final moments kicked off with The Miz and John Cena tumbling over the barricade and to the concrete floor below, with both men being counted out and Miz suffering a legitimate concussion to the point he can’t remember the match. After the finish, The Rock - the host of WrestleMania - came out to solve the mess, only for Rocky to be cut off by the Anonymous Raw General Manager. After cutting a Rock promo on the laptop, Dwayne Johnson restarted the match as a No DQ affair.

Immediately after the restart, John Cena tried to hit The Miz with an AA but The Rock suddenly popped up behind Cena and levelled Big Match John with a Rock bottom. One Miz arm drape later and Cena had been defeated on the biggest stage because of The Rock.

The Miz then wasn’t allowed to enjoy his big moment as he was instead laid out by The Rock with a Rock bottom and the final image of WrestleMania XXVII was the host of the pay-per-view instead of the WWE Champion.  

44. Brock Lesnar vs. Roman Reigns - WrestleMania 34

Three years after WrestleMania 31 and two years after WrestleMania 32, Roman Reigns was involved in another main event of WrestleMania where nobody wanted him to win. Once again, he didn't defeat Brock Lesnar on the Grandest Stage of Them All, but nobody was any happier. 

2018’s WrestleMania 34 brought with it a very deflating ending as the in-ring action was poor and quickly descended into a finisher spam-fest, including three F5s and several spears by the time Brock Lesnar decided to repeatedly elbow Roman Reigns in the head, busting The Big Dog open in a callback to SummerSlam 2016. 

Unlike SummerSlam 2016 and Lesnar’s match with Randy Orton, however, this wasn’t the finish. Reigns would even hit two more spears while covered in blood, only for Lesnar to kick out and finally put the fans and Roman Reigns out of their misery with a sixth F5 for the win. 

The result was legitimately shocking as the assumption was Brock was going back to UFC, and he had already been Universal Champion for a year. Lesnar didn’t seem happy about his win either as he launched the belt at Vince McMahon when he and Paul Heyman got backstage. 

Once again in the mid-to-late 2010s, though, the main event was hijacked by the fans in attendance as they chanted “Boring”, “CM Punk”, and “This is awful” while playing with beach balls. Not exactly how you want WrestleMania to end. 

43. Roman Reigns vs. Triple H - WrestleMania 32

One of the worst-received WrestleMania main events of all time, Triple H vs. Roman Reigns is primarily remembered for being 27 very long minutes and for being hijacked by the rebellious crowd who booed Reigns without mercy, chanted for NXT, and performed hearty renditions of Sami Zayn’s theme music. 

It was very obvious heading into this show that Roman Reigns was going to overcome the odds and beat Triple H. So obvious, in fact, that it seemed as though something else had to happen. 

Instead, fans got a very long, very frustrating bout between a face nobody wanted to win and a heel nobody wanted to lose, with the only real cheers of the match coming when Reigns accidentally speared Stephanie McMahon. 

The match also took place after what had been a mostly underwhelming WrestleMania 32 due to injuries and everyone, quite frankly, was ready to go home or go to bed by the time Reigns and Triple H got in the ring. 

42. Roman Reigns vs. The Undertaker - WrestleMania 33

By 2017, a decades-long in-ring career had firmly caught up with The Undertaker and it was obvious to anyone watching WWE TV that the Phenom’s abilities had declined inside the squared circle, particularly due to suffering from major issues with his hips. 

The match was intended to be The Undertaker’s retirement, hence why it went on last, and the Phenom left his hat and coat in the centre of the ring. The No Holds Barred stipulation was a wise decision as it meant the match was more of a wild brawl and allowed for several effective set pieces, including a spear through the announce table and several waves of stiff chair shots. 

The match was notably rough around the edges, however, particularly as it was difficult to watch The Undertaker try and move around with his hips. Undertaker’s physical condition also resulted in botches, notably a Tombstone reversal which only ended with both men in a heap on the mat.

'Taker looked shattered by the end as he finally succumbed to a spear, being handed his second loss on the biggest stage in the process. 

The Undertaker disliked the match so much that he apologised to Roman Reigns and continued to wrestle until 2020’s WrestleMania 36 when he bowed out with one final great match against AJ Styles.

41. Drew McIntyre vs. Brock Lesnar - WrestleMania 36 Night 2

Brock Lesnar’s matches have often been short since his WWE return in 2012 and this was another short contest, although that wasn’t necessarily a bad thing due to the match taking place in front of no fans. 

The main event was a complete sprint, with McIntyre hitting a Claymore to Brock within 20 seconds, before Drew went for a second one within a minute. What followed was several German suplexes and an F5, but McIntyre kicked out at one to stun The Beast. Two more F5s followed, but they were only enough for two counts as Lesnar went more and more red in the face with more anger and physical exertion. 

This prompted screams of “He can’t keep kicking out” from Paul Heyman, and as soon as Brock went for a fourth F5, he ran straight into a second Claymore and then a third and a fourth for the win.

A sprint where the match consisted of four moves on repeat. The format of the match was fine for what it was - basically a repeat of Brock Lesnar vs. Seth Rollins from WrestleMania 35 - but the whole contest is really harmed by the lack of fans in attendance. At least we got the right winner, though, as Drew McIntyre finally reached the top of the mountain. 

40. Yokozuna vs. Bret Hart - WrestleMania IX

The main event of the worst WrestleMania in the history of the show, surprisingly, isn't the worst main event ever, but it is up there. 

The final bout’s saving grace is everything that happened before the aftermath. It wasn’t the greatest match of Bret Hart or Yokozuna’s career as they battled over the WWE Championship. They at least tried to tell a story, though, of Bret using his intelligence to fell the giant ‘Japanese’ wrestler while trying to avoid Yokozuna’s devastating offence. Bret even managed to take Yokozuna off his feet with strategic blows and trapped the challenger’s foot in the ring ropes, earning "USA" chants from the excited crowd despite him being Canadian. 

The match was moving along at a nice pace too until the finish suddenly came after just eight minutes when Yokozuna decided he was shattered and told Bret to go to the finish. The Hitman then locked in the Sharpshooter as Mr. Fuji fumbled around to retrieve the salt minutes earlier than he was expecting, before throwing it into Hart’s eyes. One pinfall later and Yokozuna was WWE Champion.

The two main eventers were then made to look like complete and utter chumps as the red and yellow Hulk Hogan - full of patriotic vigour - headed to the ring within seconds of Hart’s loss to protest the result. Mr. Fuji, for some reason, challenged The Hulkster to an impromptu WWE Title match against Yokozuna and 22 seconds and one leg drop later, Hulk Hogan was the new WWE Champion as WWE clung on to Hulkamania to the bitter end. 

39. Hulk Hogan vs. King Kong Bundy - WrestleMania 2

As an annual showcase, WrestleMania wasted little time in having a botched experiment. Taking the form of three shows ran back-to-back-to-back across the United States, it featured a variety of strange matches from a worked boxing match between Mr. T and Roddy Piper to a WWF vs. NFL battle royal. 

That weirdness didn’t follow into the main event, however, as Hulk Hogan defended the WWE Championship against King Kong Bundy in a Steel Cage Match. While it was another main event that was rough around the edges, its pure storytelling kept an ecstatic crowd on the edge of their seats of classic babyface vs. heel pro wrestling.

Bundy dominated a lot of the match, ripping the bandages from Hogan’s injured ribs, prompting huge boos. Despite its slow pace and a mixed bag on commentary from Jesse Ventura, Lord Alfred Hayes, and Elvira, the match succeeded in telling a dramatic tale as Hogan overcame the monster. He even beat up Bobby Heenan afterwards to celebrate, sending the crowd home extra happy.

38. The Undertaker vs. Sycho Sid - WrestleMania 13

Bret Hart vs. Shawn Michaels was the original plan for the main event of WrestleMania 13 but those plans were scrapped after Shawn Michaels infamously lost his smile. Instead of simply putting the belt on Bret Hart and going with The Hitman vs. “Stone Cold” Steve Austin for the main event of WrestleMania, the WWE Title found its way back to Sycho Sid after the former Sid Justice defeated Bret Hart on the February 17, 1997 episode of Raw after interference from Stone Cold.

Sid’s challenger at WrestleMania 13 ended up being The Undertaker, and they had the impossible task of following one of the greatest WrestleMania matches of all time in Hart vs. Austin. 

Hart ended up getting involved in the main event too, which didn’t help the flow of the contest when The Hitman interrupted to bury everybody, calling Sycho Sid a weak champion who was just holding the title that belonged to Hart. He then buried Shawn Michaels and then The Undertaker for "slamming the door on their friendship." Michaels’ commentary was also a distraction and it meant the attention in the WrestleMania 13 main event was firmly on people not competing inside the squared circle.

The match itself also wasn’t much to write home about as it was simply two giants having a slow, plodding match. Bret Hart then involved himself in the finish and helped The Undertaker win the Winged Eagle by distracting Sid during his powerbomb attempt. The Dead Man then followed up with a tombstone piledriver for the win. 

37. Roman Reigns vs. Brock Lesnar - WrestleMania 38 Night 2

The main event of the MOST STUPENDOUS WrestleMania of all time was billed as the biggest WrestleMania match of all time as Universal Champion Roman Reigns faced WWE Champion Brock Lesnar in a Winner Takes All Unification match. 

Despite WWE doing everything they could to make the match feel big and both wrestlers having fun characters with Reigns as the Tribal Chief and Lesnar in his Cowboy Brock phase, the match very much underwhelmed, although it was better than their WrestleMania 34 main event. 

The match was basically the same as the vast majority of Brock Lesnar vs. Roman Reigns matches in that they very quickly went to their big moves and it became a spam-fest of spears, Superman punches, and German suplexes, although there was only one F5.

The finish felt like it came out of nowhere too. Reigns managed to reach the ropes on a kimura lock and he picked up the win seconds later with one of many, many spears after he avoided an F5.

The main issue with the match was fans had seen it all before from both competitors at lesser pay-per-views, and really they could have done with having the great Last Man Standing match they would have at SummerSlam 2022 here.

36. Lawrence Taylor vs. Bam Bam Bigelow - WrestleMania XI

This remains one of the most bizarre main events of WrestleMania as legendary former New York Giants linebacker Lawrence Taylor faced Bam Bam Bigelow in the final contest of WrestleMania XI. 

A singles match meant Taylor had nowhere to hide and, to the surprise of many, he more than rose to the occasion. While he was a little rough between the ropes, this remains one of the best performances by a non-wrestler in the history of WWE, and exceeded expectations in a big way. 

Most of the credit goes to Bam Bam Bigelow, who did a fantastic job leading Taylor through the contest. 

After a fun 11 minutes, it was the popular former NFL player who picked up the win with a diving forearm from the second rope.

35. John Cena vs. The Rock - WrestleMania 29

A match that was a finisher spam-fest if we’ve ever seen one as John Cena and The Rock were determined to hit each other with as many big moves as possible. 

Nobody can accuse The Rock and John Cena of lacking ambition with the main event of 2013’s WrestleMania. They were determined to try and beat their Once in a Lifetime contest from WrestleMania XXVIII, but the match fell short for a number of reasons, notably that fans had already seen the contest. The odds were also firmly stacked against them when The Rock suffered a quadriceps tear in the early minutes of the match, which caused a chain reaction and tore his abdomen wall, resulting in Dwayne Johnson requiring emergency surgery for a triple hernia after the Showcase of the Immortals. 

The result, unlike their first encounter, was also predictable. The WWE Championship was on the line and it was obvious heading into the contest that Cena would be getting his win back on the Grandest Stage to end their rivalry at one win apiece. 

34. Triple H vs. Randy Orton - WrestleMania XXV

The match that should have been anything but a match with disqualifications. 

Randy Orton had been on a tear in 2009, attacking and tormenting the McMahon family, with Triple H doing his best to protect his family and remain WWE Champion. Such were the stakes it suggested the main event of WrestleMania 25 would be an out-of-control brawl, with Hunter eager to gain revenge for his wife and her family and Orton keen to win big on the Grandest Stage of Them All. This was only cemented when Triple H broke into Orton’s home with a sledgehammer, such was his willingness to pursue The Viper. 

That isn’t what happened at all, though. What could have been a fantastic WrestleMania main event was instead slapped with a stipulation that Triple H would lose the WWE Championship if he was disqualified. Instead of a crazy brawl, fans were given a slow-paced, 25-minute slog, with both men hitting their finishers early and selling for the rest of the match. 

Triple H won, which was probably the wrong decision, but even worse than that, he used his sledgehammer anyway. Further hindering the match was that it followed one of the greatest matches in WWE history in The Undertaker vs. Shawn Michaels.

33. Randy Savage vs. Ted DiBiase - WrestleMania IV

The vast majority of WrestleMania IV was dedicated to a tournament for the vacant WWE Championship. This ultimately hampered the main event of the night as Randy Savage vs. Ted DiBiase lasted under 10 minutes, and both competitors had already wrestled multiple times on the pay-per-view. 

In order to reach the final, the Macho Man beat Butch Reed, Greg Valentine, and One Man Gang. DiBiase had a slightly easier route, defeating Jim Duggan, Don Muraco, and receiving a bye in the semi-finals. 

The final was the first WrestleMania main event to feel like a slick exchange between two proper workers - but it was also the first where the atmosphere seemed a little deflated. 

With Andre the Giant making a nuisance of himself on the outside, Savage sent Miss Elizabeth to fetch Hulk Hogan from backstage. The Hulkster didn’t just even the odds - he tipped them entirely in Savage’s favour, laying out DiBiase with a chair behind the referee’s back, which allowed Savage to pick up the win and become WWE Champion for the first time. 

Another feel-good moment at WrestleMania, but this match has far better main events ahead of it.

32. Becky Lynch vs. Ronda Rousey vs. Charlotte Flair - WrestleMania 35

While a historic moment as women main evented WrestleMania for the first time ever, the match wasn’t actually that good.

A number of elements hampered the contest, from it beginning just before the seventh hour of WrestleMania and the clock ticking past midnight, to the fact it should have just been a straight singles match between Ronda Rousey and Becky Lynch, with Charlotte Flair’s addition to the contest and the match being for both the Raw and SmackDown women’s titles feeling forced by WWE. 

The three competitors worked hard and there were a couple of cool entrances with Charlotte Flair on a helicopter and Ronda Rousey with Joan Jett, but the match itself was a standard Triple Threat from WWE that we have seen one million times, but fans expected more, especially with it being such a historic occasion. This all contributed to the in-ring action underwhelming on the Grandest Stage of Them All. 

The best moments of the match came whenever Becky Lynch was on top, with the then-most popular wrestler on the roster drawing the biggest reactions from the fans inside MetLife Stadium, and the crowd practically falling silent almost every time Charlotte Flair was on offence. 

A number of botches only contributed to hurting the match, including Rousey and Lynch hitting Charlotte Flair with a double hip toss that was supposed to send Flair through the table but it failed to break. This put Flair out of commission for the rest of the match, and Rousey and Lynch finally went one-on-one.

This ultimately led to the most infamous and most remembered moment of the match as Lynch countered a piper’s pit attempt into a crucifix pin for the win. The only issue, however, was that Ronda Rousey’s shoulder popped up during the pin attempt, with the match ending with a botch. 

31. Hulk Hogan vs. Sgt. Slaughter - WrestleMania VII

Patriotism for the United States of America was still firmly locked into Vince McMahon’s playbook in 1991, and the company decided to use the real-life Gulf War for a pro wrestling angle as Sgt. Slaughter became an Iraqi sympathiser, won the WWE Championship, and went on to defend it against Hulk Hogan, this time presented as the defender of the USA. The Gulf War was also over by the time WrestleMania VII took place.

If all of this wasn’t weird enough, the match itself had a number of odd moments despite being a pretty good contest overall. This included Sgt. Slaughter believing he had won the match despite Hulk Hogan clearly kicking out, Hogan breaking a long Boston Crab even though he was right next to the ropes for most of it and could have used his pythons to reach the bottom rope much earlier. There was even one moment where Slaughter had Hogan beaten, only for General Adnan to accidentally distract the referee to hand Slaughter a long visual win.

This led to the inevitable of a Hogan hulk up, big boot, leg drop, and the win, but even that was weird as Sgt. Slaughter kicked out at 3.1 for an unsatisfying finish. 

30. Bret Hart vs. Yokozuna - WrestleMania X

One of the rare examples of the same match headlining WrestleMania for two years in a row, and it would end with a proper feel-good moment this time around.

Bret Hart was one of two challengers for Yokozuna’s WWE Title at WrestleMania X due to the 1994 Royal Rumble ending with Lex Luger and The Hitman as co-winners after they landed on the floor at the same time. Luger had the first shot at the gold in the seventh match of the night, and Lex ultimately failed to win the championship, losing by DQ after he pushed special guest referee Mr. Perfect and was disqualified. 

Bret Hart also pulled double duty at WrestleMania X as he faced his brother Owen Hart in the opening contest in a classic WrestleMania match which surprisingly ended with Bret losing after Owen blocked a victory roll from his older sibling and pinned him. 

This all led to Bret Hart vs. Yokozuna in the main event of WrestleMania 10 under the watchful eye of special guest referee Roddy Piper. It wasn’t the smoothest match you will ever watch, but it capped off a captivating story and saw Bret Hart succeed where he failed one year earlier and pin Yokozuna to become the new WWE Champion.

29. Triple H vs. Chris Jericho - WrestleMania X8

Heading into WrestleMania X8, Undisputed WWE Champion Chris Jericho was one of the most respected wrestlers in the world, while Triple H was one of the biggest stars on the planet following his iconic denim return from months on the shelf. 

This match, though, should not have been the main event of WrestleMania 18. The story itself had already greatly hampered the build to Jericho vs. HHH as Y2J was reduced to being Stephanie McMahon’s sneering sidekick in her on-screen war with her real-life husband. 

Worst of all, though, the match had to follow one of the best WrestleMania matches ever in The Rock vs. Hollywood Hogan, a match so good and so iconic that it is many fans’ favourite match of all time. 

These two factors meant the crowd wasn't particularly invested in the main event for the majority of the match to the point fans chanted “You screwed Bret” at referee Earl Hebner. Jericho and Triple H worked hard, slamming each other through announce tables and blasting each other with chairs. Triple H even pedigreed his own wife on his way to pinning Jericho and becoming the new Undisputed Champion. 

This match, however, will forever be remembered as being underwhelming.

28. Triple H vs. The Rock vs. The Big Show vs. Mick Foley - WrestleMania 2000

The infamous McMahon in every corner match on a card that featured only one singles match, and that match was a catfight.

The main event of WrestleMania 2000 saw Triple H (backed by Stephanie McMahon) defend the WWE Title against The Rock (backed by Vince McMahon), Mick Foley (backed by Linda McMahon), and The Big Show (backed by Shane McMahon). 

Alongside all of the McMahon-based shenanigans that unfolded because of such a bloated stipulation, this was the first WrestleMania not to have a happy ending as Triple H became the first heel to stand tall at the end of WrestleMania as he successfully defended the WWE Championship. 

Unlike a usual Fatal 4-Way, this match was under elimination rules which led to some fun moments, including everybody working together to get rid of The Big Show.

The match came down to Triple H vs. The Rock. Despite everybody in the building wanting The Rock to win, he lost after Vince McMahon turned on the Brahma Bull and revealed he had been working with Triple H all along. 

Fortunately, The Rock’s triumph complete with iconic “Stone Cold” Steve Austin interference at Backlash 2000 more than made up for this mess of a WrestleMania main event. 

27. Hulk Hogan & Mr. T vs. Roddy Piper & Paul Orndorff - WrestleMania I

While the final match of WrestleMania being a tag team match looks incredibly odd by modern standards, Hulk Hogan teaming with the A-Team’s Mr. T against Roddy Piper and Paul Orndorff was a huge spectacle as WWE hosted the first-ever WrestleMania in 1985. There was an all-star supporting cast too, with Muhammad Ali as the special outside official and Liberace as timekeeper.

It’s hard to recap this match because there was simply so much going on. It was sloppy, but the intensity and drama was absolutely off the charts. About 50 rules got broken along the way, with Jimmy Snuka and Bob Orton involving themselves free of punishment, and it was the Cowboy who cost his team the match as he accidentally struck Orndorff, which allowed Hogan to make the pinfall. 

Not a great match, but a truly historic contest. 

26. The Rock & Roman Reigns vs. Cody Rhodes & Seth Rollins - WrestleMania XL Night 1

One of the longest main events in WrestleMania history, the tag team match of Cody Rhodes & Seth Rollins vs. Roman Reigns & The Rock, in his first WWE match that wasn’t six seconds long since 2013’s WrestleMania 29, had a compelling story, and the match was very good once it got going, but it took 25 minutes for that to happen of what would end up being a 44-minute match. 

The match served as a compelling preview of the night two main event, and only further stacked the odds against Cody Rhodes as he looked to finally finish the story as Rock and Reigns winning meant Reigns vs. Rhodes II became a Bloodline Rules Match. 

The Rock being the man to pin Cody Rhodes, in decisive fashion too, was originally supposed to lead to a singles match at WrestleMania 41, which was set up on the Raw after WrestleMania XL, but the match ultimately never happened as Dwayne Johnson became popular in Hollywood again. 

So, an overall good match, but one that was too long, and the final result has only worsened since it ultimately led to nothing. Regardless, it was fun seeing The Rock wrestle again. 

25. Steve Austin vs. Kevin Owens - WrestleMania 38 Night 1

A match we never thought would happen was the headline contest of WrestleMania 38 night one as “Stone Cold” Steve Austin came out of retirement for one night to take on Kevin Owens in an impromptu No Holds Barred Match, after the main event segment was advertised as an edition of the KO Show with Austin after weeks of Owens deriding Stone Cold and Texas. 

The match, while very much a brawl to hide that Austin hadn’t stepped inside the squared circle for 19 years, was very entertaining and saw Stone Cold roll back the years as he and KO pummelled each other around AT&T Stadium. The match also had the right ending as Austin kicked out of a stunner from Owens before he avoided a steel chair shot and delivered a stunner of his own to score the victory. 

Night one of the show then came to an end with the Texas Rattlesnake drinking beer after beer, having defended the honour of his home state. 

While entertaining and a feel-good match, there have been better main events in WrestleMania history from both a storyline and in-ring perspective.

24. Batista vs. Triple H - WrestleMania 21

This main event also had the backing of a great storyline. Batista had won the Royal Rumble and broken free of Evolution, electing to stay on Raw and challenge former mentor Triple H for the World Heavyweight Championship. Everybody was very excited to see The Game finally get his comeuppance in year four of the Reign of Terror. 

The match picked up later on, but the contest itself had a bit of a slow start. After a lot of tie-ups and shoving and posturing, Triple H seemed to have the better of things when he attempted a pedigree on the ring steps, only to get slingshotted into the ring post and get busted open. 

From this point on, Batista pretty much dominated, and it was totally brilliant. The Animal also survived a belt shot and a low blow, before nailing a Batista bomb to win the World Heavyweight Title and end WrestleMania 21 on a pleasing note.

23. Roman Reigns vs. Daniel Bryan vs. Edge - WrestleMania 37 Night 2

WrestleMania 37 night two, while not the most high-profile main event of all time, was a very good match between three very good wrestlers, although they weren’t necessarily at the top of their game, with Bryan Danielson later admitting that he felt empty during the match. It was, however, a main event where it felt like any of the three competitors could win. 

There were great moments littered throughout the match, beginning with Edge laying out Jey Uso (then Roman Reigns’ right-hand man) with an Edgecution on the steel steps. This was followed by Roman Reigns putting Daniel Bryan through the announce table with a powerbomb from the steel steps before Edge wiped out the Universal Champion with a spear while Reigns was gloating on the steps. Then there was Edge and Daniel Bryan headbutting each other as they both had Reigns in a submission, causing the Universal Champion to sway back and forth. 

The finish also remains memorable, with Edge hitting Daniel Bryan with a con-chair-to after Bryan pulled referee Charles Robinson out of the ring when Edge had Reigns beat. This was followed by Reigns hitting Edge with his own con-chair-to following interference from Jey Uso, and Reigns followed this up by stacking Edge on top of Daniel Bryan to pin both men at the same time in an enduring visual. 

22. Shawn Michaels vs. Bret Hart - WrestleMania XII

Decades on from 1996 and this remains the most divisive main event in WrestleMania history. Everybody has an opinion about the 60-minute Iron Man Match between Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels as they put together a pure pro wrestling spectacle, even if they failed to use the stipulation, as they had an Iron Man Match which ended after an hour without a single successful fall. 

Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels put in a tremendous amount of effort, and the bout remains an incredible feat of endurance, even if it is a difficult watch today when you know they aren’t going to record a single pinfall until they reach sudden death. 

The match is still incredibly impressive, and some fans believe it is one of the best pro wrestling matches of all time, while others consider it to be a boring slog. We are somewhere in the middle.

The contest is two of the greatest wrestlers of all time facing off for the Winged Eagle, but the match lacks a certain something due to its drawn-out nature, something that would have been rendered moot if they had actually used the stipulation. 

Once the match reaches sudden death, the contest reaches another level and Shawn Michaels' win via sweet chin music followed by Vince McMahon on the call with “The boyhood dream has come true” remains iconic to this day, regardless of what happened in the preceding 60 minutes. 

21. Steve Austin vs. The Rock - WrestleMania XV

1999 was a chaotic time for WWE, with The Undertaker running the Ministry of Darkness, Vince McMahon winning the Royal Rumble, and Bart Gunn being knocked out by a human boulder dressed as America in Butterbean. 

Fittingly, the main event of WrestleMania XV was full of carnage from start to finish. In the first of their trilogy on the Grandest Stage of Them All, The Rock and “Stone Cold” Steve Austin tore into one another in a No DQ brawl. A lot of the match took place anywhere but the ring, from the crowd to the stage, with The Rock even being whipped into the WrestleMania sign at one point.

Although far from a perfect match, this featured a lot of the violence you would expect in the late 1990s as an announce table was demolished, Mankind and Vince both interfered, and Mike Chioda was pulled in the way of a heavy chair shot. 

There is not a lot more that can be said about this match. It was a messy Attitude Era bar fight, but a fittingly intense one at the same time. The right man won in the end, too, as Austin became WWE Champion once again. 

20. The Ultimate Warrior vs. Hulk Hogan - WrestleMania VI

The match dubbed The Ultimate Challenge saw the World Wrestling Federation’s top two babyfaces clash in the Toronto Skydome as WWF Champion Hulk Hogan faced Intercontinental Champion The Ultimate Warrior in a Winner Takes All Match. 

Their confrontation felt massive in 1990, but the in-ring action wasn’t the most crisp, which is understandable considering neither man was known for their work rate in 1990.

Odd moments included Hogan tweaking his knee on the outside, selling it like a tree had been felled, and then being absolutely fine 90 seconds later. Later, with the referee down and out, Hogan scored a visual pinfall by pulling a charging Warrior into the canvas. Warrior then scored a visual pinfall of his own with a back suplex, before Hogan won the visual pinfalls 2-1 with a roll-up. 

All that aside, the ending sequence is iconic, with Warrior dodging the leg drop and hitting a splash to pick up a titanic victory. Hogan getting in the way of his celebration was annoying, but this felt like a passing of the torch moment, and the match is still entertaining enough due to the huge personalities inside the squared circle. 

19. Hulk Hogan vs. Randy Savage - WrestleMania V

The Mega Powers Explode! 

As a contest, Hulk Hogan vs. Randy Savage at WrestleMania V was the best of the early main events. It really felt like a tactical battle, with Savage stalling, running, and using Miss Elizabeth as a human shield. Hogan may have had the power advantage, but he was against a quicker and more intelligent opponent. 

It was also another contest of Hogan surviving tremendous punishment on his way to victory. Towards the finish, Macho Man hit an axe-handle from the top rope to the outside, driving Hogan’s throat into the guardrail. He then choked The Hulkster unconscious and hit him with the top rope elbow drop. This all led to Hogan kicking out at two, before he hulked up on his way to victory. 

Despite a sudden end, it was still a great contest between the company’s two biggest stars at the time, with a compelling story to back it up as well.

18. Hulk Hogan vs. Andre the Giant - WrestleMania III

Hulk Hogan vs. Andre the Giant isn’t the best technical main event in WrestleMania history, nor is it the best brawl, but it provided fans with possibly the most iconic wrestling moment of all time.

It’s David vs. Goliath stuff - if David was a musclebound superhero with a leg drop instead of a slingshot. From Andre’s iconic entrance alongside Bobby Heenan to the bodyslam that shook the world, everything about this match is pure wrestling mythology. 

One detail that often gets overlooked is that shortly before the bodyslam, Hogan went for a piledriver on the exposed floor outside. Just imagine a world where he had hit it. To be honest, though, the contest is pretty perfect as it is.

17. Bianca Belair vs. Sasha Banks - WrestleMania 37 Night 1

The build was pretty awful, but the match itself was fantastic and fans knew they were in for something special when Sasha Banks and Bianca Belair couldn’t hold back the tears when the bell rang, with it being another history-making occasion as WrestleMania was main evented by women for just the second time and for the first time by two Black women.

The match that followed was excellent and really made Bianca Belair, with a story of the experienced Sasha Banks against Belair, who was dubbed “the rookie” throughout the build. The match allowed Belair to shine on a number of occasions, though, including a deadlift suplex, a gorilla press of carrying Banks from the outside up the steel steps before she dumped her back in the ring, and a braid whip that echoed around Raymond James Stadium.

This even played into the finish as Banks remained on top for much of the match, only for Belair to block a bank statement attempt in the final moments and reverse into a KOD out of nowhere for the 1-2-3.

16. John Cena vs. Triple H - WrestleMania 22

John Cena vs. Triple H was very much defined by a weird atmosphere that permeated throughout the contest and would become a staple of John Cena matches as the Chicago crowd booed ultimate babyface John Cena and loudly cheered for Triple H, the man who had been WWE’s top heel for the past several years. 

Still, despite the warped heel-babyface dynamic, this bout had a strong narrative. It was a tale of the traditionalist vs. the upstart, a crafty technical wrestler against a cartoonish Superstar.

The match was a strong contest inside the squared circle too as Cena managed to prevail over The Game, making him tap out on the Grandest Stage of Them All to the STF. This was despite Triple H throwing everything at the WWE Champion, including a trusty sledgehammer shot to the skull that drew huge cheers as the fans at WrestleMania 22 thought they might have been about to see a WWE Title change. 

Alas, it was not to be, but a very good match all the same at an enjoyable WrestleMania overall. 

15. The Undertaker vs. AJ Styles - WrestleMania 36 Night 1

Had the COVID-19 pandemic not happened, this match may very well have been awful and The Undertaker may still be wrestling to this day trying to have one final great match of his career.

The Undertaker was in a better physical condition than he was at WrestleMania 33, having fully recovered from his hip surgeries, but The Deadman still hadn’t had a good singles match since Hell in a Cell 2015. Fortunately, for this match at least, the COVID-19 pandemic meant WrestleMania 36 ended up taking place with no fans in attendance and the decision was made to have AJ Styles vs. The Undertaker be a cinematic Boneyard Match. 

The final product was fantastic and a welcome distraction in what was a particularly bleak period of time. From the very first moment of AJ Styles popping out of a casket followed by The Undertaker arriving as The American Badass version of his gimmick on a motorcycle to Metallica’s ‘Now That We’re Dead’, the match was pure sports entertainment in the best way possible. 

The match quickly descended into a slugfest with both men using the boneyard as a weapon, and even The Good Brothers and a gang of druids in what ended up being their final WWE appearances for Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows for a few years as they were released by WWE in April 2020. 

The Undertaker teleporting behind AJ Styles on the tractor as he looked to be on the eve of defeat remains iconic and eminently memeable, and this preceded a great spot where The Undertaker stalked Styles onto the roof of the farmhouse before he engulfed him in flames and chokeslammed AJ from the roof. 

From here, The Undertaker dragged AJ Styles to the grave and buried him alive, before driving off into the night on his trusty motorcycle as Metallica resumed to end The Deadman’s in-ring career in spectacular fashion. 

14. The Rock vs. John Cena - WrestleMania XXVIII

The Rock and John Cena would be connected at several WrestleManias in the end after WrestleMania XXVIII, from taking down the Wyatt Family at WrestleMania 32, to their involvement in the main event of WrestleMania 40 night two, to The Rock NOT turning up at WrestleMania 41 to help Cena despite Dwayne Johnson being the catalyst for Cena’s heel turn one month earlier. 

Back in early 2012, though, WrestleMania 28 and The Rock vs. John Cena Once in a Lifetime felt absolutely massive. 

You could argue that the match wasn’t particularly excellent, and you could definitely argue that 30 minutes was way too long - but it certainly felt epic. Everything The Rock and John Cena did was boosted by their unrivalled star power, and the sense that we were watching history unfold before our eyes. 

The finish was also great as a cocky Cena went for the people’s elbow, only for The Rock to spring to his feet and nail a huge Rock bottom for the win out of nowhere. 

Cena looking despondent on the top of the ramp remains one of those iconic WrestleMania ending shots.

13. Steve Austin vs. Shawn Michaels - WrestleMania XIV

WrestleMania is full of passing-of-the-torch matches and WrestleMania XIV has an argument for being the most effective passing-of-the-torch contest of all time, as Shawn Michaels put the WWE Title on the line against the white-hot “Stone Cold” Steve Austin. 

The rattlesnake’s popularity was off the charts here, and the intense ring entrances reflected that. HBK’s was particularly great, accompanied by the DX band as you could tell he knew it was the end of his time at the top and he decided to go out with a bang in what looked to be the final match of his career for a very long time. 

Like The Rock vs. Steve Austin one year later, much of this match was actually a wild brawl. The pair fought up the ramp, into the crowd, and around the ringside area, with HBK using cymbals, ring bells, and Triple H to keep Stone Cold at bay.

In all the chaos, however, he forgot to keep his eye on DX associate Mike Tyson. With the referee down, Iron Mike switched sides and counted the pinfall after a now-iconic stunner. It gave Austin his first world title, and the rest is history.

12. John Cena vs. Shawn Michaels - WrestleMania 23

While 1998 looked to be the final match of Shawn Michaels’ career, he would go on to main event several more WrestleManias, including against John Cena at WrestleMania 23. This was originally scheduled to be a rematch of WrestleMania 22, but a torn quadriceps for Triple H put him on the shelf for much of the year, and his DX stablemate was drafted in to have a banger of a main event with the WWE Champion.

In another repeat of the year before, Cena was heavily booed by those in attendance, but he delivered the goods against one of the greatest of all time, holding up his end of the bargain. The pair threw everything at each other; wrestling, brawling, and countering to the best of their abilities. There was even a piledriver on the ring steps.

In the end, Cena was able to pull out the victory over his veteran opponent in a very unpopular decision at the time, but not one that should distract from just how great this match was.

11. Roman Reigns vs. Cody Rhodes - WrestleMania 39 Night 2

A great story of Cody Rhodes trying to finish the story and fantastic in-ring action as both competitors kept the crowd engrossed throughout, but it lacked the right ending as Cody Rhodes shockingly failed to capture the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship in one of the most controversial endings to a WrestleMania in history after Solo Sikoa interfered in the final moments with a Samoan spike, allowing Reigns to hit a spear for the win. 

Fans to this day still hotly debate whether or not Cody Rhodes should have finished the story at WrestleMania 39, and there are arguments both for and against the decision, especially with hindsight. The unsatisfying ending, though, prevents this match from reaching the tippy-top level of WrestleMania main events.

At least it created an either infamous or iconic image that has followed Cody in the years since of him looking despondent next to a rubber chicken that was thrown into the ring by a fan.

10. The Undertaker vs. Edge - WrestleMania XXIV

A fantastic main event, this time over the World Heavyweight Championship for the first time since 2005’s WrestleMania 21.

This match centred around Edge having a counter for every single one of The Undertaker’s signature moves as he looked to keep ahold of the Big Gold Belt and end The Streak in the process. Did it work? Of course not. 

The Rated-R Superstar was able to halt Undertaker’s momentum at every turn with reversal after reversal and when that didn’t work, he had Curt Hawkins and Zack Ryder to fall back on. 

The best run-in, however, is saved for Charles Robinson, who sprinted all the way down the ramp at the Citrus Bowl and expertly slid into the ring to count a tombstone piledriver pinfall, only for Edge to kick out at two. The spot at least gave a great excuse for Edge being able to get his shoulder up on ‘Taker’s most devastating finisher. 

In the end, The Undertaker overcame interference, ref bumps, and a very wily opponent to trap Edge in the hell’s gate. It earned the Deadman the World Heavyweight Championship and capped off a compelling main event. 

The result might have been so different, though, as it was later revealed that Vince McMahon originally wanted to book Edge to win, but Adam Copeland refused. 

9. Seth Rollins vs. Roman Reigns vs. CM Punk - WrestleMania 41 Night 1

A phenomenal Triple Threat capped off night one of WrestleMania 41 as Roman Reigns, Seth Rollins, and CM Punk saw their personal issues boil over into a compelling Three Way that any of them could have won.

Ultimately, it was Seth Rollins who won the match after Paul Heyman first turned on CM Punk and then Roman Reigns with a low blow, just as Reigns was about to deliver a steel chair shot to Rollins' back. Rollins’ reaction suggested it was all a part of the plan as Seth turned heel and defeated his former Shield stablemate once again, this time with a steel chair shot to the back of his own that was reminiscent of 2014, before a stomp to win.

A great match that also left fans wanting to tune in on Monday Night Raw to find out what was going to happen next. 

8. Sami Zayn & Kevin Owens vs. The Usos - WrestleMania 39 Night 1

A WrestleMania 39 main event that had all the qualities you want from pro wrestling in a great storyline, great in-ring action, and a satisfying conclusion in what was the first, and so far only, time a tag team title match has headlined WrestleMania. 

The story of Sami Zayn and The Bloodline was one of WWE’s best ever and was only enhanced when Kevin Owens reunited with his real-life best friend to take down The Usos and end their record-breaking reign as WWE Tag Team Champions. Both teams, unsurprisingly, melded well on the biggest stage and they had the crowd in the palm of their hands as momentum switched back and forth. 

The finish was also perfect as Sami Zayn, in an emotional moment, took out Jey Uso with three helluva kicks and then ended the night celebrating with KO.

7. Brock Lesnar vs. Kurt Angle - WrestleMania XIX

In somewhat of a rarity for WrestleMania main events, this match featured two excellent amateur wrestlers using their technical abilities inside the squared circle. 

From the blistering exchange of holds to the genuine sense of struggle between moves, this match felt very real. It also remains the only WrestleMania main event where all the competitors used their real names. The match was great from start to finish, developing from an amateur wrestling bout to a sports entertainment slobberknocker. The match is all the better considering Angle worked it with a broken neck. 

Sadly, however, it’s mainly remembered for Lesnar’s terrifyingly botched shooting star press. Had he nailed it, there is every chance that Brock’s victory would be even higher on this list, but Lesnar, instead, crashed and burned, giving himself an almighty concussion. 

The match then went straight to the finish as Angle managed to guide a groggy Lesnar through the finishing sequence as he hit the Olympic gold medallist with an F5 for the win to become the new WWE Champion for a second time.

6. Brock Lesnar vs. Roman Reigns - WrestleMania 31

WWE managed to rescue WrestleMania 30 from the jaws of defeat, but the following year’s event seemed beyond help. The signs couldn’t have been more clear that Roman Reigns was going to topple Brock Lesnar, become WWE World Heavyweight Champion, and everyone over the age of 12 would hate it. 

Instead, WWE only went and did it again! Seth Rollins’ Money in the Bank cash-in was one of the best and most shocking endings to any pay-per-view, but that only tells half the story. 

Roman Reigns' unpopularity at the time might make it hard to remember, but even before Rollins gatecrashed the match, it was actually excellent. Lesnar utterly dominated Reigns from the opening bell, dealing out a vicious one-sided beating. 

In a great display of defiant wrestling, Roman fought back, shoving Brock’s head into the ring post and drawing blood. From there, things developed into a compelling contest, in front of a crowd that really, really wanted to hate it. 

Seth’s interruption raised the stakes even further, but the groundwork was laid by Lesnar and Reigns, as Rollins pulled off what WWE have dubbed the Heist of the Century. 

Unfortunately for Reigns and Lesnar, they were unable to reproduce such a compelling contest in their two subsequent WrestleMania main events, and they arguably wouldn’t have another good match together until their final singles match at SummerSlam 2022. 

5. Daniel Bryan vs. Batista vs. Randy Orton - WrestleMania XXX

As far as jubilant moments go, there’s not a lot that can compete with this. Few Superstars have ever enjoyed the wave of support that swept Daniel Bryan into the WrestleMania main event. How popular was he? So much so that he wasn’t even supposed to be in this match. The main event of WrestleMania 30 was originally supposed to be Batista vs. Randy Orton in a singles match for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship. 

You could argue that the surrounding aspects of this match were better than the bout itself, but even if we didn’t see an all-time classic in the main event, it was boosted by the strength of its storytelling. And, of course, by that unbelievable crowd in New Orleans. 

A notable moment saw Batista working together with Orton to drive Daniel Bryan through the announce table, as Bryan Danielson had to overcome just another obstacle in a sea of obstacles if he was to walk away with the two belts. 

Bryan’s comeback was a genuinely incredible moment, made all the more effective by the fact that he had to beat Triple H at the start of the show and then fend off the Authority one more time as they tried to interfere, including with crooked referee Scott Armstrong.

Bryan applying the Yes Lock to Batista as Michael Cole repeatedly shouted for The Animal to tap will forever be iconic. The scenes afterwards were astonishing, creating a real moment that justifies being a pro wrestling fan.

4. Chris Benoit vs. Triple H vs. Shawn Michaels - WrestleMania XX

The closing image of WrestleMania 20, with Eddie Guerrero and Chris Benoit embracing as world champions as confetti falls from the ceiling in Madison Square Garden is one forever tarnished by future events.

However, the quality of the match before it cannot be denied as Chris Benoit, Triple H and Shawn Michaels faced off in a phenomenal Triple Threat for the World Heavyweight Championship. 

They moved away from the usual Triple Threat formula of two wrestlers running through their moves in the ring while a third rests on the outside as all three men spent the contest often entwined in the same set pieces.

This included HBK almost having the match won after a sweet chin music to his former tag partner, only for Benoit to drag Triple H out of the ring. Later, with HBK caught in the crossface, Triple H caught his arm as he was about to tap out, with these moments of ingenuity really helping push the match to a different level. 

Of course, 2004 was only a few years removed from the end of the Attitude Era, so there were one or two moments of carnage amongst the more traditional wrestling. HBK was busted open, and D-Generation X briefly reunited to suplex Benoit from one announce table through the other.

The best-remembered aspect of this bout is the ending, with Triple H tapping out clean in the middle of the ring to the crippler crossface, passing the title to the underdog in Chris Benoit in decisive fashion.

3. Cody Rhodes vs. Roman Reigns - WrestleMania XL Night 2

While not as good from an in-ring standpoint as their match at WrestleMania 39, the main event of WrestleMania XL between Cody Rhodes and Roman Reigns was sports entertainment at its very best. 

With the odds stacked against Cody, having lost in the main event of night one to make the match a Bloodline Rules match, the American Nightmare was finally able to finish the story and end Reigns’ four-year reign at the top in the process.

This all came after one of the best five minutes in WWE history in what has become fondly known as WWE’s Avengers: Endgame sequence, as everyone wronged by Roman Reigns and The Bloodline (and The Undertaker for some reason) worked to put an end to Reigns’ time at the top. 

It all began with Jimmy Uso preventing Cody Rhodes from hitting Reigns with a cross rhodes, only for Big Jim to be taken out by his brother, Jey, with a spear off the stage. Then, in a callback to WrestleMania 39, Cody had the match won but he walked straight into a Samoan spike from Solo Sikoa. Unlike in 2023, though, Cody kicked out on this occasion, and he even kicked out of a Samoan spike/spear combo. 

The odds were then evened moments later as John Cena charged to the ring and put Solo through the announce table with an AA. Cena was then taken out by The Rock, which led to a Shield-gear-wearing Seth Rollins making his way to the ring with a steel chair and running straight into a Superman punch from Roman Reigns. As The Rock barked to Mama Rhodes and prepared to whip Cody, the gong filled Lincoln Financial Field, and when the lights came back on, The Undertaker was there to deliver a chokeslam to The Rock. 

After all of this, Reigns was given the choice of using the steel chair on Cody Rhodes to retain the Undisputed WWE Universal Title or hitting his former Shield stablemate in Seth Rollins in the same way that Rollins did to turn on him and Dean Ambrose 10 years earlier. Reigns ultimately chose Rollins, and it led to his downfall, as Cody recovered, hit three more cross rhodes, and finished the story to end WrestleMania XL on the highest of highs as he celebrated with his family and a whole bunch of WWE babyfaces.

2. Steve Austin vs. The Rock - WrestleMania X-Seven

In the main event of WrestleMania X-Seven, WWE’s best-ever event, the Attitude Era came to a shocking end with the era’s two biggest stars, Steve Austin and The Rock, in the final match of the night inside the Houston Astrodome. 

The second instalment of the Rock vs. Austin WrestleMania trilogy was leagues ahead of the first, which itself was far from a boring match, but this was something else entirely; harder, more intense, and better executed.

From the ‘My Way’ video package, to the sheer brutality they threw at each other as Austin promised to do whatever it took to ensure he left the building as the WWE Champion, all while a defiant Rock used everything in his power to ensure he wasn’t going to lose to the man he could never beat. 

This all culminated in Steve Austin doing the unthinkable and siding with his ultimate nemesis in Vince McMahon. The sight of Vince handing Austin a steel chair and the pair shaking hands over the Rock’s prone body lives long in the memory. 

Stone Cold’s heel turn brought the Attitude Era crashing down over everybody’s heads, but it still made for an incredible moment.

1. The Undertaker vs. Shawn Michaels - WrestleMania XXVI

Debate continues to rage on about which of The Undertaker and Shawn Michaels’ WrestleMania matches was better - their epic encounter at WrestleMania 25 or the emotional sequel one year later. 

The Undertaker vs. Shawn Michaels is the best WrestleMania main event of all time for a simple reason in that it was the perfect combination of an amazing match backed up by an incredible storyline. 

Having lost to The Undertaker by the narrowest of margins at WrestleMania XXV, Shawn Michaels was desperate to get another chance to end The Streak. He called out the Deadman again, but his offer was refused. Undeterred, HBK entered the Royal Rumble, even eliminating best friend Triple H in his desperation to win. Instead, he was eliminated by Batista, and decided to think outside of the box as Michaels interfered in The Undertaker’s match at Elimination Chamber, costing him the World Heavyweight Championship in the process. Finally provoked, Undertaker agreed to the match on one condition; HBK’s career would be on the line.

These high stakes made their eventual bout far more unpredictable than the last. 24 minutes of twists and turns followed, with both men kicking out of each other’s finisher. 

Finally, with Michaels all but beaten, Undertaker told his brave opponent to stay down. Shawn responded with a slap in the face, but he couldn’t prevent a final tombstone from ending his career for good. We'll forget that Crown Jewel 2018 match ever happened.