Top 5: Wrestlemania Matches
With Wrestlemania 41 right around the corner, Micheal wanted to share his top five matches from the iconic show.
Tearful championship celebrations, heartbreaking goodbyes and brutal brawls paint the canvas that is a wrestling ring.
Since its first installment in 1985, the WWE’s Wrestlemania has been the biggest show in professional wrestling. The first edition of the show pioneered an at the time new marketing model in pro-wrestling by being the first pro-wrestling event broadcasted on pay-per-view. Its success led to the pay-per-view model becoming the primary medium for bigger pro-wrestling events.
In years since the show has been the stage for a myriad of iconic stories and moments that have defined the pro-wrestling industry. These five matches exemplify why Wrestlemania is often nicknamed as “the showcase of the immortals.”
1. Shawn Michaels vs The Undertaker - WM 26
Shawn Michaels and The Undertaker made magic every time they stepped in the ring with each other – and Wrestlemania 26 was no exception. Their match at Wrestlemania 25 is hailed as one of the best wrestling matches of all time. The WWE ranked it at No.1 in its “Greatest WrestleMania Matches” playlist.
The two put on another classic the next year, with a more personal edge. Michaels’ desperation to avenge his loss to Undertaker at the previous year’s Wrestlemania led to a visceral downward spiral after the deadman denied his request for a rematch.
Michaels becoming increasingly desperate and self-destructive as his opportunity at redemption slipped away was a beautifully told story. His emotional collapse after losing the royal rumble and costing Undertaker the world heavyweight championship at Elimination Chamber were gripping displays of desperation.
All of this culminating in Michaels agreeing to retire if he lost made for one of the most high-stakes matches in wrestling history. The meaning of this match to Michaels was encapsulated in one line to Undertaker on Monday Night Raw.
“You don’t get it,” Michaels said. “If I can’t beat you at Wrestlemania, I have no career.”
The in-ring chemistry between Michaels and Undertaker made this match an epic. Their counters to each other’s signature moves were creative and flowed into each other seamlessly. Because of the high stakes of this match, every near-fall increased the tension exponentially. The crescendo to the final moments was a growing surge without a dull moment.
Michaels slapping Undertaker as an act of defiance after struggling to pull himself to his feet was the perfect penultimate moment. It vividly sold his undying fighting spirit and Undertaker’s indomitability, making the final tombstone piledriver all the more emphatic.
2. Triple H vs The Undertaker - WM 28
Billed as “The End of an Era” by the WWE’s Youtube channel, the ‘Hell in a Cell’ match between Undertaker and Triple was a perfect end to one of the greatest sagas in wrestling history.
Two years removed from retiring Triple H’s best friend Michaels, Undertaker went to war with the cerebral assassin. Like the rematch between him and Michaels, his second bout with Triple H had a more personal edge than the first.
Because Triple H brutally attacked him after their match at Wrestlemania 27, the deadman wanted to run it back. For Undertaker, this match was vengeance. For Triple H, it was another shot at immortality.
The ‘Hell in a Cell’ stipulation allowed the two to go all out and display a barbarity that kept the match engaging over its 50 minute runtime. A spinebuster on the steel steps, steel chair bent on their backs and Triple H’s iconic sledgehammer all made for memorable moments throughout. The body language and facial expressions of both men sold the brutality of the match, making every big spot look excruciating.
Like with Michaels, Undertaker and Triple H have faced each other several times throughout their careers, so their in-ring chemistry is immaculate.
Michaels being the special guest referee for this match tied everything together perfectly. His friendship with Triple H and reverence for Undertaker left him torn as he tries to officiate the match between the two. Michaels wincing at the violent moments and looking on with increasingly pained expressions was great acting that displayed his confliction well.
The savagery and emotion of both the buildup and match made this bout worthy of its “end of an era” billing.
3. Edge vs Mick Foley - WM 22
Editor’s note: This was the editor’s least favorite match because of the gore.
Mick Foley and Edge clashed in a hardcore spectacle that defined a star and cemented another at Wrestlemania 22. Foley longed for a memorable moment at the show of shows before he rode off into the sunset.
His feud with Edge gave him that opportunity, and the result was fireworks. During the buildup, Foley continually referenced the chaotic violence of his older matches and moments in interviews and television segments, which built palpable anticipation for this showdown.
“You’ve awoken something inside me that was sleeping for too long,” Foley said.
The sleeping giant would come out in full force, starting off the match with unique usages of barbed wire. After hitting Foley with a spear, it was Edge who began writing in pain. Foley took off his shirt to reveal a protective layer of barbed wire wrapped around his chest that cut Edge upon impact. He proceeded to sever the barbed wire using a wire cutter, and began using it as a whip.
Weaponry spots escalated as the match progressed. The pacing slowed in between these spots, which helped sell the effects of this matches' destructive nature. Edge used Foley’s own barbed wire-covered bat against him, and poured a bag of thumbtacks onto the canvas. The eruption of the crowd when Edge was dropped on his back into the pile of thumbtacks made it one of the most cathartic comeuppances of the feud.
Coming after a frenetic crescendo, the climax of the match is one of the most replayed moments in wrestling history. Edge’s spear through a flaming table to beat Foley sent the arena into a frenzy. It was the legacy cementing Wrestlemania moment of Foley’s career as well as a defining one of Edge’s too.
Trembling, scarred and baptized in blood, both men exceeded expectations to give fans a hardcore match for the ages.
4. Randy Orton vs Daniel Bryan vs Batista - WM 30
The WWE finished one of the best underdog stories to ever grace a wrestling ring with Wrestlemania 30.
The crux of this story was encapsulated on Monday Night Raw in which Bryan was called a “b-plus player” by Stephanie McMahon. He didn’t have the athletic build and marketability of the top stars at the time, such as Cena and Orton, so the McMahons thought him unworthy of the world title. After Bryan won the championship at Summerslam 2013 – only to be cheated out of it, it was clear that there was a glass ceiling
The glass ceiling appeared even more concrete when Triple H forced Bryan to wrestle twice on the night of his biggest match. If Bryan lost to Triple H, he lost his spot in the championship match later that night as well. This was a great way to further build on the already looming suspense.
When Bryan walked to the ring for the main event with his arm taped up, the possibility of him winning looked miniscule. A small, injured man against two of the greatest superstars of all time made it an ultimate David and Goliath matchup.
Bryan played the role of the unrelenting world-beater perfectly. At every turn in the match, his moment was cut off by Orton or Batista. His injured arm was targeted throughout and he had to fight off interference from Triple H and McMahon.
To realize his dream, Bryan had to walk across a minefield. A Batista bomb-RKO combination through the announcers table left fans certain they were witnessing a nightmare as Bryan was put on a stretcher.
The final act played out to a fever pitch. Bryan crawled off the stretcher and back into the fight. With every finishing move traded between the three, anticipation built. Finally Bryan tapped Batista out with the ‘Yes!’ lock, making Caesar’s Superdome explode. As confetti rained and Bryan hoisted the belts above his head, the New Orleans crowd chanted “yes” in unison.
Seeing him fight through conspiracy, injury and a stacked deck made this moment one of pure jubilation. Commentator Michael Cole said it was truly “a miracle on Bourbon street.”
5. Cody Rhodes vs Roman Reigns - WM 40
On the grandest stage in pro-wrestling, two stars who had to rebuild themselves into titans clashed in a rematch for the ages. Roman Reign’s bloodline ensured his victory in his first showdown with Cody Rhodes.
However, this time the deck was even more stacked. The Rock aligned himself with the tribal chief to torment Rhodes. Reigns insulted Rhodes’ late father and the quest to avenge him, making the rivalry personal and intense. The Rock attacking Rhodes and smearing his blood on a weight belt with the intention of giving it to his mother made the imminent comeuppance must-see.
Seth Rollins’ involvement made the character work and long-term storytelling here brilliant. The trust issues that lead Reigns to need constant control over those close to him were directly caused by Rollins, via The Shield breakup.
To atone for that sin, Rollins believed he had to help Rhodes take down the tribal chief. Seeing the stranglehold of Reigns’ 1,316 day reign as his fault, Rollins vowed to destroy what he had built. Wrapping the over decade-long history between Rollins and Reigns into the most important storyline of the latter’s career was a well-incorporated set piece.
On night one, Rhodes and Rollins lost to the bloodline duo, making the title match on night two a bloodline rules match. The ‘anything-goes’ stipulation allowed for the dramatic moments that led fans to dub this match “WWE’s Avengers Endgame.” Similarly to their first match, Reigns and Rhodes shifted up in pace through a captivating and suspenseful back and forth.
The interferences kicked the match into a higher gear that swelled to an emphatic climax. The Uso twins brawled on the stage before Jey Uso tackled his brother Jimmy through a table offstage. Solo Sikoa joined Reigns in the spear-spike combination that won them last year’s championship match.
With Rhodes defiantly refusing to stay down and John Cena appearing to take out Sikoa, the playing field was once again even. The Rock quickly turned the tide back in Reigns’ favor, before hearing The Undertaker’s bell. Upon hearing the iconic sound, the crowd became electric.
Every interference being significantly more impactful than the last made the quick succession in which they happened feel sensible.
After the smoke cleared, Reigns had a steel chair and a choice to make: the belt or revenge? With Rhodes and Rollins rising to their feet, Reigns only had time to hit one with the chair. Reigns' lust for revenge overtook him in the moment, causing him to hit Rollins and costing him the belt.
The pain of The Shield cracking became a shield for Rhodes, allowing him to defeat Reigns in a moment of weakness.
The match ending with Reigns choosing vengeance over the preservation of his legacy is one of WWE’s best long-term stories. Reigns, who had been a tyrant his entire reign, lost all self-control at the sight of his trauma in front of him. A decade had passed and that opponent was the only one Reigns hadn’t beaten.
Rhodes handing the championship to his mother under a hail of confetti was the end of a great story and birth of a new generational star.
In long and storied history, there have been dozens of notable battles. Whether its a heartstring pulling epic, a bloody hardcore exhibition or an-ring masterclass pro wrestling, Wrestlemania has something to offer to every fan. It showcases this diversity on the largest scale possible. With each year’s installment growing more extravagant, the future is brimming with legendary encounters waiting to happen.
Micheal Jacobs III is the managing writer for The Palmetto. He thinks Jordan versus Lebron is the most overrated debate ever. His main focuses are music, basketball and combat sports. If you have a comment or tip for Micheal, feel free to contact him on social media or through email.