The 20 biggest matches in WrestleMania history

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No.5: WrestleMania 31: WWE championship: Brock Lesnar (c) vs. Roman Reigns vs. Seth Rollins​

It was one of the best swerves in WrestleMania history. The main event was a WWE title match between champion Brock Lesnar and challenger Roman Reigns, yet neither one of them left Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California, with the belt. With both men down late in the match, Seth Rollins ran down to the ring and cashed in his Money in the Bank briefcase, which allowed him a title match at any moment he chose. At the time, Rollins was coming off a strong storyline with The Authority, led by Triple H, and he had a huge groundswell of support from the fans, who went nuts when he pinned Reigns after his Curb Stomp finisher to win the title.

 

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The 20 biggest matches in WrestlMania history

No.4: WrestleMania 24: Ric Flair vs. Shawn Michaels (if Flair loses, he must retire)​

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Ric Flair was in the midst of the 37th year of his professional wrestling career, with a record 16 world title reigns recognized by WWE. He went on WWE TV in November 2007 and emphatically stated that he would never retire, only for Vince McMahon to retort that the next match Flair lost would force him into retirement. Over the course of the next few months, Flair fended off Randy Orton, Umaga, Triple H, MBP, Mr. Kennedy and then McMahon himself. Flair was announced as an inductee into the WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2008 in late February, and then he turned around and challenged Michaels for a match at WrestleMania 24 the following week. Michaels was hesitant to put his hero and an icon's career at risk, but he ultimately accepted. It was an incredible performance for the then-59-year-old Flair, and it concluded with one of the most memorable moments in WWE history: "I'm sorry. I love you."

 

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No.3: WrestleMania 6: WWF championship: Hulk Hogan (c) vs. Intercontinental champion The Ultimate Warrior​

Long before the popularity of title vs. title superfights in the UFC, Hogan and the Ultimate Warrior clashed in 1990 at the SkyDome in Toronto in front of more than 60,000. Until that point, Hogan was WWF's biggest star by a wide margin. He was the man the promotion built itself around from the mid-1980s on, but the wild, rope-shaking, face-paint-wearing Warrior had become a huge fan favorite, especially with kids. After the two encountered each other at the Royal Rumble that year, Hogan put forth "The Ultimate Challenge," proposing a match between two of the biggest fan favorites in wrestling history. The outcome was a passing-of-the-torch moment, with Warrior picking up the win and the heavyweight title.

 

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No.2: WrestleMania 14: WWF championship: Shawn Michaels (c) vs. Steve Austin (guest enforcer: Mike Tyson)​

During the heart of the "Monday Night Wars" between the then-WWF and WCW, as professional wrestling reached its peak within popular culture, "Stone Cold" Steve Austin became one of the most iconic characters in the history of the industry. But it wasn't until 1998 and WrestleMania 14 that Austin rose to become the official standard-bearer of the WWF after winning the 1998 Royal Rumble match. Austin stood opposite Shawn Michaels and D-Generation X, with Iron Mike Tyson, seemingly on DX's side and at odds with Austin, set to be outside the ring as an "enforcer." It was a moment that officially minted Austin as a top star, and Tyson's involvement raised the bar from there. This incredible match is made all the more impressive when you consider that Michaels was out of action for months and on the brink of forced retirement due to a back injury he suffered that January. After Michaels walked out of Boston that April, he was out of action for more than four years.

 

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The 20 biggest matches in WrestlMania history

No.1: WrestleMania 3: WWF championship: Hulk Hogan (c) vs. Andre The Giant​

Few main events have reached the level of Hulk Hogan vs. Andre the Giant with regard to the scope of its impact. The two larger-than-life characters sold out the Pontiac Silverdome in Pontiac, Michigan, with an announced attendance of 93,173, a figure that has been disputed, but this was undoubtedly huge in scale. What is not disputed is just how massive this event was for wrestling and beyond. The feud, which started when Andre turned on his longtime friend Hogan, captured the cultural zeitgeist. Millions watched on pay-per-view at a time in 1987 when pay-pay-view events were not popular. The match culminated in Hogan picking up the 7-foot, 500-pound "Eighth Wonder of the World" and slamming him down as the crowd roared. It was a truly iconic moment in American entertainment.