8 times a non-championship match headlined WrestleMania
WrestleMania is is aptly referred to as The Grandest Stage of Them All. It is WWE's true crown jewel and sits at the pinnacle of all pro wrestling events. Headlining the show is a bucket list item for every performer in the industry.
The Royal Rumble match winner is traditionally guaranteed a world championship match at 'Mania, which is usually expected to be the main event. But over the last two decades, WWE has featured more than one world title, which has lessened the chances of the Royal Rumble winner going on last at The Shows of Shows.
In fact, there have been quite a few instances where the main event of the night was not a title match at all. Rather, it was the culmination of a feud or storyline that Vince McMahon deemed more important than any championship.
In this list, we will take a look at eight times a non-title match headlined WrestleMania. Which of the following matches is your favorite? Share your opinions in the comments section below.
#8. The Undertaker defeated AJ Styles in a Boneyard Match - 2020
Undertaker vs. AJ Styles in the Boneyard Match.
What. A. Show. 🍿
(via @WWE)
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WrestleMania 36 was the only year The Showcase of the Immortals took place behind closed doors. It was also the first time the event spanned two nights, which is now gradually becoming the standard format.
Night one was headlined by The Undertaker and AJ Styles in a first-ever Boneyard match. This match came 10 years after The Undertaker's last title reign, and Styles wasn't champion at the time either.
However, the Boneyard Match was truly a spectacle worthy of the main event. It also turned out to be The Deadman's last ride in the squared circle (or graveyard, in this case).
#7. Roman Reigns defeated The Undertaker - 2017
Three years before clashing with Styles, The Undertaker headlined The Show of Shows in a non-title match against Roman Reigns. Their bout was the main event of WrestleMania 33, an extravaganza that featured Brock Lesnar and Goldberg locking horns for the Universal Championship on the undercard.
The feud between the two big dogs started at the Royal Rumble when Reigns eliminated The Phenom from the event's titular match. The showdown was then set for April 2nd, where The Undertaker would suffer his second and final loss in 'Mania history.