The 7 greatest WrestleManias of all time
WrestleMania has become an institution within WWE over the years, thanks to its sheer magnitude and overwhelming grandeur.
The sights and sounds of the Grandest Stage of Them All are always impressive. WWE has booked some great WrestleManias and some poor ones. The majority were pretty good, but some turned out to be legendary.
So what makes a WrestleMania event great?
Aside from the beautiful aesthetics, WrestleMania brings out the big stars for the big matches. How well they deliver helps gauge the quality of an event along with the stories leading into it.
Each 'Mania varies according to how good the matches are, from an in-ring and storytelling standpoint. It comes down to the perfect combination of an acceptable amount of solid in-ring work, compelling storylines, and memorable moments.
There should be enough big matches featuring top stars on the card, while a good ending is always a must. Many WrestleManias fit that bill, which makes a list like this somewhat of a challenge. Nevertheless, here are the seven greatest WrestleManias of all time. But first, three honorable mentions to round off the top 10.
#10 WWF WrestleMania 3 (1987)
#9 WWE WrestleMania 35 (2019)
#8 WWE WrestleMania 20 (2004)
#7 WWF WrestleMania 10 (1994)
Sometimes, the best wrestling show is one that has a story thread that ties everything together; a thread that's simple to follow and compelling in execution. That was at WrestleMania 10.
Beating fellow New York 'Manias 20 and 35, the 1994 event showcased two Royal Rumble winners. Lex Luger and Bret Hart co-won that year's Rumble, so both stars got a world title match at WrestleMania 10. Luger faced WWF Champion Yokozuna first, with the winner facing Hart in the main event.
To make things fair, The Hitman faced his brother Owen Hart in the show's opening match. The two brothers put on possibly the greatest opener in 'Mania history, thanks to a compelling storyline that pitted one brother against the other. Bret lost to Owen in a shocking upset just a few hours before he would challenge for the WWF Championship.
Bret Hart ended up winning the belt after pinning Yokozuna before the locker room came down to congratulate him. Meanwhile, Owen Hart simply gave his older brother a bitter stare from the stage. It was masterful. However, it was not the only major moment at WrestleMania 10.
Razor Ramon defeated Shawn Michaels in WWE's first-ever televised Ladder Match, becoming the undisputed Intercontinental Champion. It was inventive and breathtaking, unlike anything that had been seen before. HBK's splash from the top of the ladder remains a classic WrestleMania moment.
There wasn't much else to write about on WrestleMania 10, aside from Randy Savage wrestling his final WWE match against Crush. However, Bret Hart's story throughout the night and the IC Title Ladder Match gave WrestleMania 10 a spot on this list.