WrestleMania is the highlight of WWE's annual event calendar, where history is made and superstars become legends. Over the years, some of these events have elevated the standard of professional wrestling by delivering unforgettable main events that forever altered the trajectory of wrestling lore.
Filled with all the drama and betrayals one would expect from sports entertainment, each event was a massive turning point for the company and featured some pretty epic breakout performances. The 10 best WrestleManias of all time not only highlight in-ring excellence but also the grandeur and storytelling that define WWE.
WrestleMania III (1987)
WrestleMania III will forever be known in pop culture as WWE's mainstream debut. Held at the Pontiac Silverdome before a record-breaking crowd, the night's legendary clash between Hulk Hogan and Andre the Giant was arguably the very first "WrestleMania moment." The bout, which included Hogan's body slam of the 520-pound Andre, transcended the squared circle and remains one of the most replayed moments in wrestling history, symbolizing the Herculean heroism WWE sold to the world in the '80s. WrestleMania III proved WWE could move beyond the confines of a wrestling promotion and into the realm of global entertainment.
WrestleMania XII (1996)
WrestleMania XII's crowning jewel was the 60-minute Iron Man Match between Bret "The Hitman" Hart and The Heartbreak Kid Shawn Michaels. Going the full hour without a single fall, the match was a physical chess game that culminated in sudden death overtime, where Michaels would clinch his first WWE Championship. This bout was also the story of two men pushing beyond their limits for greatness. WrestleMania XII showed us that sports entertainment didn't need to be flashy for the story to be good. All it needed was performers who were willing to put their hearts and bodies on the line.
WrestleMania 13 (1997)
WrestleMania 13 may not boast the most iconic card, but it gave us the Bret Hart vs. Stone Cold Steve Austin match that altered WWE forever. With Ken Shamrock as the special guest referee and submission rules in place, the match was wrestling at its best. Austin, with blood pouring down his face, refused to tap out, turning him into the anti-hero fans didn't know they were waiting for, while Bret Hart fully embraced being the villain. That moment burned itself into wrestling history and lit the fuse for the Attitude Era. The entire thing was expertly executed and proved that some matches are simply about characters evolving in real time.
WrestleMania X-Seven (2001)
Frequently cited as the greatest WrestleMania of all time, WrestleMania X-Seven was the perfect storm of spectacle, star power, and shocking twists. Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson and Stone Cold Steve Austin tore the house down in a No Disqualification match that more than lived up to the hype. But what really stunned the packed crowd was Austin teaming up with his longtime enemy, Vince McMahon. It was a plot twist that flipped everything fans thought they knew about Austin and became a blueprint for what wrestling's grandest stage can and should deliver.
WrestleMania 21 (2005)
WrestleMania 21 marked a genuine changing of the guard at WWE. At the time, the event solidified the ascent of the company's next generation of top stars. John Cena won his first WWE belt by defeating JBL and began a legacy that would live on for decades, even though he slowly began to split his time in the ring with the brighter lights of Hollywood. Batista defeated Triple H to claim the World Heavyweight Championship in a gritty battle that closed the show. It was also the first time fans got to see the Money in the Bank ladder match, which has since become a staple and an event on its own.
WrestleMania XXVIII (2012)
WrestleMania XXVIII featured The Rock and John Cena in a generational showdown that pitted Hollywood star power against sheer dominance. At the time, it was a match two years in the making, driven by pride and tension that viewers could feel. The Rock's victory shocked many while proving that WWE could still produce big-fight feels in the era of weekly content saturation. The Undertaker and Triple H's Hell in a Cell match, with Shawn Michaels as special referee, delivered a dose of emotional storytelling that everyone still loves. From a writing standpoint, WrestleMania XXVIII was cinematic, personal, and unforgettable.
WrestleMania 31 (2015)
WrestleMania 31 showed everyone that WWE still had the ability to surprise its audience in the most electric ways possible. The main event between Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns was billed as a high-stakes battle for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship. But the match took a historic turn when Seth Rollins cashed in his Money in the Bank contract, turning it into an impromptu triple threat. The result was a perfectly orchestrated swerve that thrilled the crowd and ended the night with a show-stealing moment. Rollins' victory cemented him as the future of the company, though he may not have known it at the time.
WrestleMania 35 (2019)
WrestleMania 35 was the first time women headlined WWE's biggest night. Becky Lynch, Ronda Rousey, and Charlotte Flair did battle in a Winner Takes All match for both the Raw and SmackDown Women's Championships. Lynch's win was a watershed moment in WWE history, that essentially changed in how the company treated its women’s division. The Women's Evolution reached its peak that night, showing everyone that female superstars could close out the show with just as much skill and crowd investment as their male counterparts. WrestleMania 35 wasn't just progressive, it was overdue and it delivered.
WrestleMania 39 (2023)
WrestleMania 39 doubled down on long-term storytelling with the weekend's marquee match between Undisputed WWE Universal Championship Roman Reigns and Cody Rhodes. Despite a gutsy performance, Rhodes fell short, and Reigns retained his title. WWE was playing the long game with Rhodes' underdog story about legacy, pressure, and family pride, which basically meant an even bigger payoff. The event's other highlights included Rhea Ripley's victory over Charlotte Flair and Gunther's brutal defense of the Intercontinental Championship. These matches added variety to a card that showed WWE could balance epic stakes with athletic credibility.
WrestleMania XL (2024)
WrestleMania XL Night 1 featured a high-stakes tag team match in which The Rock and Roman Reigns faced off against Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins. The stipulation was that if Rhodes and Rollins won, The Bloodline would be barred from ringside during the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship match on Night 2. However, if The Rock and Reigns emerged victorious, the title match would be contested under "Bloodline Rules," allowing for no disqualifications and potential interference. Rhodes and Rollins nearly secured the victory. But The Rock intervened, and they lost, setting up an intense second night where Rhodes took on Reigns for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship once more. After years of building up the tension between the pair, Rhodes was declared the winner, closing a chapter for one of WWE's most compelling family-based rivalries.
Where To Watch The Best WrestleManias Online
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