5 Best WWE Main Events in History
WWE in its current form of television building interest for matches, specifically main event matches with it's headline performers, began way back in 1985 with it's Wrestling Classic pay per view (which was anything but a classic) on November 7 of that year as WWE sought to build on the success of their major Closed Circuit event, the debut Wrestlemania which had caused the company to explode into the consciousness of the mainstream.
The main feud heading into the Wrestling Classic (although it wasn't positioned in the headline spot) was the WWF Championship match between Champion Hulk Hogan and challenger, Rowdy Roddy Piper who had continued to feud post-Wrestlemania.
The strategy was a financial success for the company and it became a tried and tested formula that the promotion used to promote its events from that point onwards.
Wrestlemania 2 held the following year on April 7, 1986, drew an incredible 250,000 pay per view orders which is phenomenal when you consider that only a few million homes were wired for pay per view at the time.
That was followed by Wrestlemania III which drew over 78,0000 paying fans to the Pontiac Silverdome in Chicago and an unbelievable 400,000 pay per view orders for what remains one of the most famous main events in history between Hulk Hogan and Andre the Giant.
Whilst those 1980s cards lacked engrossing in ring action, the 90s and the "New Generation" of main event performers such as Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels provided world class in ring performances in the headline slots as well.
In 2018, the entire card is built to engage interest in the product and the company is not so reliant on it's headline acts to draw viewership, however, over the past 25 years at least, those main event bouts have brought the audience and also brought the action.
In the following slideshow, SK revisits the finest five WWE main events that have ever taken place on pay per view in the company's long history.
#5 John Cena vs CM Punk (Money in the Bank 2011 - July 17, 2011)
In one of the greatest examples of one match being used to sell a show more than any other is the headliner for Money in the Bank 2011 which pitted challenger, CM Punk versus WWE Champion, John Cena with the gold on the line.
The atmosphere in Punk's home state was electric as the crowd loudly roared him on to victory.
The feud had captured the public's attention more than most in the past decade when WWE shrewdly decided to capitalise on Punk's (real life) impending contract expiration by strongly hinting on television that he would leave the promotion regardless of the result of the bout.
Cutting a now legendary promo, Punk cut a "Pipebomb" on WWE, Cena and WWE management as he derided the company's decision making and booking of himself and others and vowed to leave the company as the WWE Champion.
Over the following weeks, WWE Chairman, Vince McMahon frantically tried to get Punk to re-sign to no avail.
On fight night, Punk and Cena delivered a five-star classic, complete with near falls and thrilling action for its 34-minute duration delivering emotion and excitement by the bucket-load.
Not the most technically efficient match in history but one that is difficult to match for atmosphere.