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It's WrestleMania Season again! With WrestleMania 33 almost upon us, it's worth considering which WrestleMania events, to date, have been the best or indeed the worst, which is why I have provided my own personal rankings of every WrestleMania so far. I'm taking a few factors into account when ranking these from worst to best: historical significance, entertainment, the quality of the wrestling, and anything else which added or detracted from any of the 32 Manias so far. As ever, this is only my opinion, so alternative viewpoints are welcome. Nevertheless, here goes!
Why is WM XI at the bottom of the list? Firstly, a non-wrestler wins the main event against a mid-carder. Secondly, the WWF Title match didn't feel big enough to warrant that position, even though it doesn't go on last. Thirdly, Bret Hart's match with Bob Backlund was a poor choice of opponent for the Hitman, with Bret himself saying that he hated the match. Add to that some under-card filler and the generally second-rate feel compared to even the last couple of Manias beforehand (even one of the ring aprons didn't bother making the trip), and you can understand why Bret also stated this was the worst WWF PPV ever up to that point. Some of the matches aren't bad; in fact, both of the top two encounters are good. But in terms of delivering what fans expected from a WrestleMania, even back in 1995, WM XI flatlined, and is easily the worst of the whole lot for me.
The in-ring action at WM XI was better than it is here, so technically WM 2 was actually the worst of the bunch. But the WWF wrestling product had advanced greatly in the preceding nine years, which explains the gaps in quality. Plus, WM 2 isn't all bad, with some decent bouts sprinkled between the, well, garbage. And it delivered on a mainstream level with Mr. T returning to box Roddy Piper, and the WWF-NFL battle royal. The three cities idea for the location is neat, too, although it's never been repeated since. Otherwise, though, WM 2 is the sort of show that you watch to get yourself drowsy, rather than a spectacle worthy of being the year's best.
Imagine a WrestleMania where you feel like you're in a hotel, drifting in and out between matches, returning when something peaks your interest, and being on hand when the big moment is finally achieved. That's WM IV in a nutshell (almost literally, since it was held in Trump Plaza). Due to the WWF Title tournament, there's a lot of matches, but most of them aren't very good, and even the Randy Savage-Ted DiBiase main event is fairly basic. It's not without its charm: it includes Ultimate Warrior's Mania debut, Hulk-Andre II and a babyface turn for Bret Hart, who would later become The Man in the WWF. But try watching WM IV in its entirety and you'll consider it to be an impossible task.
When putting together a list like this, some entries near the bottom of the pile have to be considered a tad unfair, especially when ranking shows the calibre of WrestleMania. And since WM 2000 featured a very good Triangle Ladder Match and some strong action elsewhere, it's perhaps wrong that this, by the definition of the article, is considered the fourth-worst Mania ever. But the line-up suffered due to Steve Austin and The Undertaker being sidelined, the show had its cock-ups (most notably at the end of the Hardcore Battle Royal), and the swerve of The Rock not becoming WWF Champion worked in the short-term (since Backlash 2000 made a ton of money), but not in the long-term, as few fans even remember this show today. It's one of the few Manias that doesn't spring to mind immediately when you think of particular years in WWF/WWE history.
An Attitude Era special (or maybe a Vince Russo special), this was like a three-hour Raw instead of a WrestleMania, back when such a prospect would have been considered a good thing. The format worked at the time, in 1999, when the in-ring WWF product had taken a back seat. Watching it with a modern perspective, though, WM XV can't compare to those higher up on the list. Steve Austin vs. The Rock is the only really good match, although Shane McMahon vs. X-Pac exceeds expectations and the Hardcore three-way opener isn't bad. There's some cool moments during the show, too, such as Big Show turning babyface and Chyna turning face to reunite with Triple H before the both of them later turned heel. Also, Butterbean totally KO'ing Bart Gunn is compelling for all the wrong reasons. But there's too many filler, Raw-esque matches, and some bouts are horrendous (Sable vs. Tori is laughably bad, and The Undertaker vs. Big Boss Man is the worst Hell In A Cell match ever, capped off by Boss Man being hung after the match). It's a Mania which kind of succeeded at the time (and it was the most purchased wrestling PPV ever when it was first held), but as a WrestleMania, it doesn't hold up today. Austin-Rock I is a lot of fun, though.
With the classic Bret Hart-Steve Austin Submission match and a chaotic Chicago Street Fight, you might wonder why WM 13 is only #27. That's because it just didn't feel like a WrestleMania. Some under-card matches were house show-level, the Tag Team Title match had a weird ending, and the main event was poor. Shawn Michaels messing up the WWF's plans by "losing his smile" certainly didn't help, and it looked more like a SummerSlam or a Royal Rumble than the biggest show of the year (a title which belonged to WCW Starrcade in 1997, which was a financial juggernaut but ultimately began the decline of WCW - but that's another story). It was an important show, no doubt (it was very important, in hindsight), but it was not a success, having drew the fewest number of PPV buy rates in the pre-Network era of any WM. Bret vs. Austin may have been great, but Mania 13 as a whole certainly was not.
It's arguably the poorest Mania of them all from an in-ring standpoint, but it's also the most important. Simply put, if the first WrestleMania hadn't succeeded, there not only would never have been a second Mania or a third Mania or so on, but the WWF would likely have collapsed amidst financial problems, and the wrestling industry would be very different today. Hell, there may not even still be a wrestling industry today. Fortunately, WM I succeeded, capped off by Hulk Hogan and Mr. T vs. Roddy Piper and Mr. Wonderful in a match that had everybody talking, for positive reasons, at the time.
The worst WrestleMania of the last fifteen years, WM XXVII did boast The Undertaker vs. Triple H, which told one of the best in-ring stories ever at Mania. But aside from this, and some of The Rock's cameos, the show was a let-down. The other stand-out matches were just okay or adequate, whilst other matches were either rushed or never had a hope of succeeding. Add to that the infuriating outcome to the gimmicky Jerry Lawler vs. Michael Cole bout, and a bizarre ending to the main event between The Miz and John Cena, and you have a Mania which felt more like an extended episode of Raw (I'm not trying to give WWE ideas) than the biggest show of the year. Taker vs. HHH was brilliant; everything else was thoroughly missable.
I'll be honest: watching this for the first time at the age of four, I loved the surprise ending of Hulk Hogan capturing the WWF Title from new champion Yokozuna after he screwed my beloved Bret Hart, and so did many fans that day in Las Vegas, Nevada. Twenty-four years later, I fully understand why fans were outraged by this moment, and upset at there being precisely no matches that passed "good" on the entire show. But I can't rank WM IX too low because I loved the spectacle at the time, and who can diss the moment when we discovered that there were in fact two Doinks?
Hulk Hogan vs. The Ultimate Warrior was a ginormous match for its time, and the prospect of two mega babyfaces colliding was relatively unheard of back then. Judged solely on this encounter, which exceeded expectations for the purists whilst being more than exciting for the die-hards, WM VI was a smash hit. The rest of the show is comprised of around 80% filler, which hurts it as an overall presentation. Mind you, it still had its moments aside from Hogan-Warrior, such as Andre The Giant's last hurrah, and Roddy Piper's bizarre decision to face Bad News Brown whilst painted half-black. The thought of that even being proposed, never mind delivered, in 2017 is unthinkable. Hogan-Warrior was great, mind you.
On the surface, WM 32 being 22nd on the list is not a good sign. And it isn't. But WWE was dealing with a lot of injuries at the time which prevented the company promoting the top-calibre matches that a show in front of WWE's largest ever attendance deserved and, under the circumstances, it's hard to think of any viable alternatives to the show's three biggest matches. Plus, Shane McMahon's elbow off the Hell In A Cell was amazing, the under card had its moments, and the legend appearances were very entertaining. Nevertheless, a five-hour running time with a reduced cast, some head-scratching results, a disappointing brawl between Brock Lesnar and Dean Ambrose, the one-spot nature of Undertaker vs. Shane and the overwhelmingly negative reaction to Triple H vs. Roman Reigns, which negated a technically decent match, all compounded to make WM 32 seem like a poor show. I personally think some of the criticism was a bit harsh, but when ranking it amongst other WrestleManias, it has to sit in the bottom half overall.
This sits so low because the Bret Hart vs. Shawn Michaels Iron Man match divides opinion so much. If you loved it, then this was a top-ten Mania. If you hated it - and bear in mind that from the promo videos and the entrances to the post-match scenes, this takes up nearly half of the show's running time - then this should sit near the very bottom. I've put it at this position as a compromise, and if you remove most of the first 35-40 minutes, then this would probably be remembered far more fondly. The return of The Ultimate Warrior was fun but, for those who study the inner workings of wrestling, it felt like a slap to the face. The Undertaker vs. Diesel was good, and Roddy Piper vs. Goldust was fun, but not enough to move this one further up the list.
The Career match between The Ultimate Warrior and Macho Man Randy Savage, from an overall entertainment standpoint, was arguably the best Mania match prior to the beginning of the Attitude Era. Warrior delivered his best performance ever, Savage performed at a sky-high level once again, and the post-match scenes involving Savage, Sensational Sherri and Miss Elizabeth, culminating with a Savage-Elizabeth reunion, are incredible. Even though you know it's all predetermined, you can't help but either smile or clench your eyes to avoid releasing tears when Savage and Liz hug. The rest of the show is only decent (this show marks the beginning of The Streak, although nobody knew it back then). From a match standpoint, Warrior vs. Savage is the only top-drawer encounter - but what a match it was.
If one match makes a WrestleMania, then WM X8 was tremendous. That's because The Rock vs. Hollywood Hulk Hogan was a fantastic spectacle; for one night, the Attitude Era was forgotten and WWF fans brought us back to the 1980s, the heyday of Hulkamania. Generations collided in a match which from a technical standpoint was basic, but from an atmospheric and emotional standpoint was absolutely off the charts. Rock vs. Hogan was unforgettable, which is more than can be said for the rest of the show, hence its comparatively low rating.
This should have been the best Mania ever. But Goldberg vs. Brock Lesnar was something of a disaster, The Undertaker vs. Kane was a let-down from an in-ring standpoint, and The Rock 'N' Sock Connection vs. Evolution would have been more successful had it been held on any show not named WrestleMania. Eddie Guerrero vs. Kurt Angle was good, and the three-way main event was a very good match (I personally believe it was overrated, although I can acknowledge that it was a thriller). There were other enjoyable bouts scattered through this very long show, and some significant moments (Undertaker returning as The Phenom, John Cena's first title win, Mania debuts for Randy Orton and Batista), but overall WM XX sits this low because it so dramatically failed to meet its sky-high potential. Also, knowing what would happen in the future, it's impossible to look back upon the headline attraction to Mania XX with fondness these days, through no fault of WWE's.
This show has a lot in common with WM X8: a one-match show, featuring some strange casting of the company's top names, some insignificant or rushed under card action, and a main event involving a babyface Triple H which was greeted with near-silence, making the show end on a flat note. This sits a little higher on the list because the standout match here was the classic first WM showdown between The Undertaker and Shawn Michaels, arguably the best Mania match of all-time. The Extreme Rules match was good, as was Money In The Bank, and Steve Austin's cameo was as fun as one would expect, but otherwise, the show was a disappointment. Mania 25 is remembered solely for Taker vs. Michaels, which admittedly was absolutely unbelievable.
This Mania delivered several matches which would be comfortably described as four-star, but none which quite reached five-star status. Batista vs. The Undertaker just edged its rivals in delivering the match of the night, partly because few expected it to be so good. John Cena vs. Shawn Michaels and Money In The Bank III were also well worth watching, and the Battle Of The Billionaires delivered the only feasible outcome (Vince McMahon being shaved bald) in entertaining fashion. This was also the return of WrestleMania to stadiums, and the tradition has not been halted since, and likely never will.
The official coronation of Steve Austin as the WWF's main man capped off the most important Mania in over a decade. Austin's vanquishing of Shawn Michaels would have been better had both men not suffered serious injuries in the preceding months, but few complained about the match quality on the night. The spectacle sold this one, largely thanks to the involvement of Mike Tyson. Plus, WM XIV featured the first meeting between The Undertaker and Kane, the pay-off to one of the company's best ever storylines. Some hard-hitting moments in the Dumpster match, some exciting action further down the card and the vibrant feel of the new Attitude product, along with historical significance, made this Mania a definite success.
Roddy Piper vs. Bret Hart and Ric Flair vs. Randy Savage were both great matches. The rest of the show, coming at a time when the WWF roster was changing in the aftermath of the company's first boom period ending, delivered more as a spectacle than from an in-ring standpoint, but few can forget the truly surprising return of The Ultimate Warrior at the end of the show, and consider that this was in 1992, long before social media and the Internet could cause such moments to be leaked in advance. I guess you could say that it was a fitting farewell to the Hulkamania era (Hogan's full-time WWF career ended here, and it seemed like his entire career had ended for a while too).
Mind you, it was topped two years later by a WrestleMania which featured not one but two classic battles. Bret Hart vs. Owen Hart was topnotch, and the Ladder match between Razor Ramon and Shawn Michaels was incredible. The rest of the show was less notable wrestling-wise (Yokozuna vs. Lex Luger was possibly the worst WWF/WWE Title match at a WrestleMania ever), but with surprise returns for Roddy Piper and Mr. Perfect, some cool moments in the Randy Savage vs. Crush Falls Count Anywhere match, and the warm feel of the tenth anniversary celebrations, WM X was one of the high points during Mania's first decade, and it wouldn't be matched until the rise of a movement known as Attitude.
The Undertaker vs. CM Punk was outstanding, and arguably the last truly classic Mania match to date. Although the familiar nature of the two main events and the identities of the participants soured opinion of the matches for many fans, Triple H vs. Brock Lesnar (despite the almost deathly quiet atmosphere) is still a powerful brawl, and The Rock vs. John Cena culminates their multi-year saga in fitting fashion. The under card highlight was the Mania debut of The Shield against Randy Orton, Sheamus and Big Show, and WM 29 delivered the largest Mania crowd in many years prior to a new record being set three years later by Mania 32. This was a show which one can appreciate more if you ignore the contributing factors and just take it for what it is.
Of the early Manias, WM V arguably delivers the fondest memories for longtime fans because it occurred at a time when the brightest characters of the Golden Age were either still going strong or rising up the ranks. Randy Savage vs. Hulk Hogan is the undisputed highlight, ending a fantastic storyline with a very enjoyable main event, Hogan's best Mania match ever from an in-ring standpoint. We also had fun action, colourful characters, surprises, title changes, returns, storyline conclusions and more across the lengthy under card. For those who watched the product during the Hulkamania era, WM V is a vintage show.
Another example of a Mania which had several very good matches but no true classics, WM 22 had plenty for fans to savour. The stand-out match was a Hardcore war between Edge and Mick Foley, culminating with the most violent ending to a Mania bout ever. Elsewhere, John Cena vs. Triple H arguably marked Cena's true coronation as the Face Of WWE, in hindsight, and the second Money In The Bank Ladder match exceeded expectations. Despite its brevity, the World Heavyweight Championship three-way was also really good, and Shawn Michaels vs. Vince McMahon was undeniably entertaining. It couldn't compare to the previous year's Mania as an overall show, but WM 22 was more than satisfactory at the time, benefiting from a red-hot Chicago crowd.
This doesn't receive a lot of praise just because Bret Hart vs. Vince McMahon was a prolonged one-sided beatdown, despite it being unrealistic to really expect anything else. Toss that aside, though, and you have a card bursting with main event level talent, from Money In The Bank VI to the implosion of Legacy to Triple H vs. Sheamus to Rey Mysterio vs. CM Punk to two enjoyable WWE and World Title matches. Oh, and the show ends with another classic between The Undertaker and Shawn Michaels, capping off a sensational build-up with a five-star battle that ends the career of Mr. WrestleMania himself, HBK, in the most captivating fashion imaginable. The final ten minutes of this match are as dramatic as those of any WWE match ever. Michaels' retirement arguably left a void which has still never truly been filled, at least on the grand stage of WrestleMania. Judging the show as a whole, though, WM XXVI definitely delivered.
Perhaps WM 31 was so well-received because the anticipation for the card was so low. Many of the card's leading matches suffered from confusing or generally dull build-ups, topped by a main event between a champion who seemed to be heading out the door and a challenger who fans resented because he wasn't Daniel Bryan. But WM 31 was a brilliant show overall, with a fun Ladder match, a good Randy Orton-Seth Rollins match capped by a breathtaking RKO, a great piece of nostalgia which went from Sting vs. Triple H to WCW vs. WWF/WWE, a memorable if somewhat overrated segment involving The Rock, The Authority and Ronda Rousey, an entertaining Undertaker-Bray Wyatt bout and a brutal main event between Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns which ended with Seth Rollins cashing in Money In The Bank. Add in the OTT entrances, the spectacular stadium setting and an enthused crowd, and you've got a four-hour thrill ride like few other Manias. There were no genuinely great matches, but from an entertainment standpoint, few Manias can top this one.
Once In A Lifetime and End Of An Era were the selling points for WM XXVIII. Promoted for a full year, The Rock vs. John Cena was the biggest WWE match in many years, and whilst it wasn't the greatest match ever execution-wise, it delivered enough thrills and spills to live up to the hype, and it boasted one hell of an atmosphere. Speaking of which, fans were mesmerised by the phenomenal storytelling and gripping action of The Undertaker vs. Triple H inside Hell In A Cell. The rest of the card was only adequate at best (CM Punk vs. Chris Jericho was good but not great, and Sheamus defeating Daniel Bryan in 18 seconds still riles up certain fans today). However, since half the show was taken up by Rock vs. Cena and Undertaker vs. HHH, and both delivered, it's hard to say that this wasn't a thoroughly enjoyable Mania.
From an in-ring standpoint, this was a one-match show via the classic Randy Savage-Ricky Steamboat showdown. But throw in the most famous wrestling match ever at the time (and many still say that its drawing power has never been topped) between Hulk Hogan and Andre The Giant, culminating with that bodyslam, as well as Roddy Piper's (first) farewell match and several other significant bouts, all in front of the record-setting crowd inside Pontiac Silverdome, and how can you deny WrestleMania III as one of the most important Manias ever, thirty years later? If the first Mania truly put the WWF on the map, this was the show that established the WWF/WWE's standing as the world's leading wrestling promotion. That we got a classic match in the process was the icing on the cake. Nevertheless, Hogan-Andre is what everybody remembers WM III for, and arguably no moment in wrestling history has topped it since.
Had the two main events matched the quality of the action earlier on the show, WM 21 would have taken top spot. As it is, JBL vs. John Cena and Triple H vs. Batista ended the show in disappointing fashion, but the double-header did crown the two new faces of WWE, providing real historic significance to the card. Then you have the classic Kurt Angle-Shawn Michaels battle, a sensational debut for the Money In The Bank Ladder match and two other strong battles in Eddie Guerrero vs. Rey Mysterio and The Undertaker vs. Randy Orton (the first time that The Streak became a selling point of WM). Oh, and there were appearances by Hulk Hogan, Steve Austin and Roddy Piper. This immediately ended WWE's creative malaise at the time (well, nearly) and began a very memorable couple of years led by Cena and Batista. A superb all-round show.
The end of The Streak. The coronation of Daniel Bryan via the Yes Movement. An unforgettable segment involving Hulk Hogan, Steve Austin and The Rock. Nobody will ever forget the 30th anniversary of WrestleMania, with Brock Lesnar's pinfall over The Undertaker standing as probably the most shocking wrestling moment ever. Daniel Bryan's two matches against Triple H and Randy Orton and Batista (the latter under Triple Threat rules) culminated months of anticipation, albeit only because fan demand (and CM Punk's walk-out) forced it to become a reality. Seeing Hogan, Austin and Rock together at this point in time was surreal and very entertaining. Add to that some enjoyable undercard matches and moments, and you have a show that could hardly have been more historic. It lacked a truly classic match, but it had everything else in abundance to make this an all-time great Mania.
Held at a time when interest surrounding the WWE product was on the downturn, despite so many massive names being part of the fold, WM XIX reminded fans that WWE could still deliver one hell of a supershow. Although I don't believe that one specific match stood out above all others, at least four matches were on the next rung below the classic standard. Kurt Angle vs. Brock Lesnar, hindered by Angle's neck injury and Lesnar's blown Shooting Star Press, was still a strong main event. Hulk Hogan vs. Vince McMahon was perhaps the biggest pleasant surprise in Mania history from an entertainment standpoint. Shawn Michaels returned to WrestleMania in a superb match against Chris Jericho. And whilst Steve Austin vs. The Rock is a shade inferior to their WM X-Seven showdown, it's still a great battle, and a fitting way for Austin to bow out of the wrestling ring. Had Triple H vs. Booker T been better and had the right outcome (Booker pinning HHH), this may well have cracked the top spot.
This was the first Mania that I attended, so there's a bit of personal bias attached, but WM XXIV was still an amazing show. Ric Flair's WWE swansong opposite Shawn Michaels was the most emotional WWE match ever, with Flair delivering one last top-level performance despite being aged 59 at the time. The celebrity aspect was delivered by Floyd Mayweather and his compelling battle against Big Show. Then you have an underrated clash between Edge and The Undertaker which was fantastic, a belter of a Money In The Bank Ladder match and a good WWE Title three-way. The JBL-Finlay Belfast Brawl was surprisingly enjoyable too. All of this within the stunning Orlando open-air stadium setting, which will also host WrestleMania 33. In terms of an overall package, few Manias can top this, and as a full WrestleMania weekend, 2008 may have been the best ever (The Rock tore the house down at the Hall Of Fame prior to Ric Flair's memorable speech, and Flair received a touching retirement ceremony on the post-Mania episode of Raw).
As tempting as it may be to suggest that a more recent Mania has trumped X-Seven, it's impossible to deny that honour to a show which featured so many great matches. The Rock vs. Steve Austin was the best match of their legendary rivalry, and an all-time classic main event with a shocking conclusion. TLC II was a phenomenal stunt war which has never been topped since. The Undertaker vs. Triple H was another thriller, and Vince McMahon vs. Shane McMahon was a ton of fun. Add to that a nice slice of nostalgia via the Gimmick Battle Royal, a good Kurt Angle-Chris Benoit bout and comedy capers in the Hardcore Championship battle (some unintentional), all within a stadium setting, and you have a show that is not only well worthy of the WrestleMania name, but also one which acts as the last hurrah of sorts for the Attitude Era. If you watch only one Mania to get you in the mood for WM 33, it has to be this one. Oh, and My Way was the best WWF/WWE PPV theme song ever. Watch that Rock-Austin promo video (or the last 90 seconds of it, anyway) and tell me you don't want to go and watch that match immediately afterwards. And if you do, you're in for a treat.
Summary
So, there you have it: my personal rankings of all 32 WrestleManias to date. Some listings may be debatable, and my personal bias of having attended three Manias will probably have come into it somewhere. However, taking everything into account from March 31 1985 to April 3 2016, I feel this is the fairest list I can come up with. Let's hope that when all the dust has settled in Orlando, WM 33 will sit at the very bottom of this list at the #1 position should we revisit this task in 2018.
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