WWE: 5 Greatest Openers in WrestleMania History

Credit: WWE.com

It’s WWE’s biggest show of the year. If there was ever a show that needed a hot start, it’s WWE WrestleMania.

A good opener at WWE WrestleMania sets the tone for the rest of the pay-per-view. If the match is a good one, the crowd will get engaged early, and hopefully remain loud for the rest of the show.

There’s no set formula for having a good opening match. Sometimes a singles bout will do the job. Other times, it’s a gimmick match that works to perfection in hyping the fans. Some classic openers have been long encounters, others have been short affairs that packed a ton of action into a limited amount of time. Some feature main eventers, others feature newcomers looking to make a name for themselves.

Here now, presented in chronological order, are the five greatest openers in WrestleMania history.

Credit: WWE.com

#5 – The Rockers vs The Barbarian and Haku – WrestleMania VII

Before he became known as “Mr. WrestleMania”, Shawn Michaels, along with this tag team partner, Marty Janetty, were making a great effort each year to steal the show at WWE’s biggest event. The Rockers had a great bout with the Twin Towers at Wrestlemania V. They followed this up the next year with another tremendous effort against the Orient Express. But it was this match, against Haku and the Barbarian, that was not only the team’s best showing at WrestleMania, but was also one of the best openers in the show’s history.

By this point, after having tagged together for several years, Jannetty and Michaels had perfected their double-team maneuvers and their jaw-dropping, in-ring-work seemed almost effortless. The moves they were doing inside the ropes were unlike anything WWE fans had ever seen, and their unique offence was on full display in this matchup.

To say the Rockers were over would be a huge understatement. In early 1991 they were arguably the company’s most popular tag team, so it made sense to send them out first at WrestleMania VII to pump up the crowd. Adding to the match was the fact that they were facing two much-larger opponents. Shawn and Marty excelled on any given night, but playing sympathetic babyfaces against giant heels was something they did better than almost any team in wrestling.

Ultimately, the Rockers would pull off the victory. It was Marty’s first and only victory at WrestleMania. As for Shawn, he would end up doing OK for himself at the event.