As we continue to run through lists upon lists leading up to WrestleMania 24 in Orlando, I guess it can only be time to take a look at what we feel are the top 10 matches in WM history. Trust me, there will be some left off the list that I am sure you will think should be on there, and if so, feel free to let me know, but this is what we came up with and for now – we’re sticking to it!
1. Randy Savage vs Ricky Steamboat – WrestleMania III: While this was not the main event on the card, this match is still to this day the all-time best at Mania. The back and forth between these two, plus the added importance of the match being for the IC belt cannot ever be overshadowed in my opinion. A 14 minute 35 second classic that truly was one of the best of all-time.
2. Steve Austin vs The Rock – WrestleMania X-Seven: This is the second of the three Austin-Rock matches from Mania, and this one was by far – the best. Just over 28 minutes, these two fierce wrestlers put it all on the line as they went back and forth for the WWF Title. A lot of blood, sweat and tears were lost in this one, and while the ending was a bit short, the match itself was incredible.
3. Owen Hart vs Bret Hart – WrestleMania X: This was really the first of a great series of matches between these two brothers that stretched out the entire year, and this really got the feud off to a great start. A 20-minute epic that went back and forth, and ended with Owen getting the best of Bret with a sit down on a victory roll. I’m sure to this day Bret will say that his matches with Owen were some of his best.
4. TLC (Edge & Christian vs The Dudley Boyz vs The Hardy Boyz) – WrestleMania X-Seven: A match that was clearly one of the most dangerous in Mania history was pulled off as one of the best ever, as these three teams went back and forth close to 16 minutes, putting their bodies on the line each and every second. They took some huge risks, and they were rewarded by having one of the best matches of Mania history.
5. Kurt Angle vs Shawn Michaels – WrestleMania 21: One of the best pure wrestling matches in Mania history, these two went back and forth for over 27 minutes in a match that won’t for sure be forgetton. Angle was at his very best on this day, and Michaels was not far behind. The ending with HBK tapping out to an ankle lock that seemed to last forever was by no means a letdown, and this match delivered in every way.
6. The Rock vs Hollywood Hulk Hogan – WrestleMania X8: I already know that this is one I will take heat over, but let me just say that this match was one of the hottest matches crowd-wise in Mania history, and from a historical standpoint on what it really represented, this was a very good match. The crowd at the SkyDome made this match the best of the night, and while there were no belts at stake, this really was the main event. They billed it as “The Best Ever” and it can’t be denied it really was two of the all-time greats.
7. Razor Ramon vs Shawn Michaels – WrestleMania X: The first high profile ladder match in the history of the company, and these two went back and forth for close to 19 minutes in a match that is still fun to watch to this day. Ramon was at his best, and as far as Michaels went, this really was the first match that made him the “Showstopper.” Great match with some brutal and solid action.
8. Bret Hart vs Steve Austin – WrestleMania 13: Somewhere out there I know that I saw this match as the greatest in Mania history, and while it was a very, very good match, I dont’ think it was the best ever. Yes, it was brutal since it was a submission match, and the facials of Austin at the end of the match when he “passed out” were great, but overall, it was not as good as some make it out to be. With that said, it’s still high enough to be one of the 10 best ever.
9. Brock Lesnar vs Kurt Angle – WrestleMania XIX: Even knowing Angle was working on a severe neck injury, this match between these two stars was a very good main event to end one of the best Mania’s ever. Angle worked his butt off here, and Lesner showed why he clearly could have been one of the best ever if he wouldn’t have let his ego get in the way of his pro career. This match also had one of the most scariest moments, as Lesnar nearly knocked himself out trying a shooting star press.
10. John Cena vs Triple H – WrestleMania 22: Again, the crowd is what made this match, and there out and out hatred for Cena was classic, even more so when he actually won via submission, which was a shock to the crowd in Rosemont at the Allstate Arena. This was a very good back and forth match, where you always had the feeling that Triple H was going to win, which is maybe why it was as good as it was, due to the surprise ending.
Labels: hulk hogan, kurt angle, shawn michaels, the rock, wrestlemania
