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No event has defined the WWE over the past 33 years more than the granddaddy of them all, the showcase of the immortals, WrestleMania.
The WWE rolled the dice with the first-ever WrestleMania back in 1985 and since then, the pay-per-view has led to many of the greatest moments in not only WWE history, but pro wrestling history in general.
WrestleMania 34 is rapidly approaching and will undoubtedly lead to more standout WrestleMania moments. But this raises the question, what are the greatest moments in WrestleMania history? There are too many to count, but certain moments stand out more than others.
With that being said, let’s take a look at the 15 greatest moments in WrestleMania history.
15. Stone Cold Steve Austin Turns Heel: WrestleMania 17
By the time WrestleMania 17 rolled around back in 2001, the pro wrestling business was changing dramatically. With WCW and ECW going out of business, Vince McMahon was the sole dominant force in pro wrestling and the WWE had been on an unprecedented roll during the Attitude Era.
Many consider WrestleMania 17 to be the best WrestleMania of all-time, and for good reason. The show was absolutely stacked with some outstanding matches, but none shined brighter than the main event featuring WWE Champion The Rock defending his title against Stone Cold Steve Austin for the second time in three years at WrestleMania.
The match was made no disqualification right before it started and that stipulation would make perfect sense towards the end of the match. And to simplify things, this is arguably the greatest WWE Championship match in WrestleMania history with a hard-hitting, intense, and epic battle breaking out. But the ending of the match is what fans remember the most.
When Stone Cold couldn’t put The Rock away, Vince McMahon approached the ring. And to everyone’s surprise, McMahon helped Austin lay out The People’s Champion with a steel chair and win the WWE Championship. Austin vs. McMahon is arguably the greatest feud in WWE history, so seeing Austin turn heel and align himself with The Chairman was a shocking moment without question.
Although many don’t like where it ended up going, Austin turning heel at WrestleMania 17 was as shocking of a moment as anything WrestleMania saw in years and earns a spot on the greatest moments in WrestleMania history.
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14. Shawn Michaels’ Retirement: WrestleMania 26
At WrestleMania 25, The Undertaker and Shawn Michaels took part in arguably the greatest match in WrestleMania history. And one year later, the two would try to duplicate that success with much more on the line this time around.
Michaels became obsessed with trying to get another shot at ending The Undertaker’s undefeated streak at WrestleMania after coming so close to ending it at WrestleMania 25. And after taking matters into his own hands by costing Taker the World Heavyweight Championship, HBK would get his wish, but with a big price on the line.
WrestleMania 26 in 2010 was main evented by HBK and The Phenom with not only Taker’s streak on the line, but Michaels’ career was on the line as well. It was a massive match that turned out to be as great as everyone expected it to be. But in the end, Michaels just couldn’t finish off The Deadman and Taker emerged victorious to improve to 18-0 at WrestleMania and end HBK’s legendary career.
But after the match, the embrace between The Undertaker and Michaels was awesome to see. As was the reaction of the WWE universe when Michaels walked out of a WrestleMania arena as a competitor for the last time. Many still prefer the WrestleMania 25 match, but this match was nothing short of outstanding as well.
HBK’s career was as legendary as any in WWE history, so seeing it come to an end on the grandest stage of them all leaves an impact and results in a top moment in WrestleMania history.
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13. Ric Flair’s Retirement: WrestleMania 24
Many believe Ric Flair is the greatest pro wrestler of all-time, and for good reason. The Nature Boy had a career like no other and transcended the wrestling business, but arguably his most important moment came towards the end of his legendary career.
By the beginning of 2008, Flair was involved in a few matches where his career was on the line. He emerged victorious in those matches, but would have his biggest challenge yet by facing Shawn Michaels at WrestleMania 24 with his career on the line. Flair wanted to face the best, so Michaels obliged.
The feud told a story that has to rank among the best in WWE history, and the match itself did the same. The then near 60-year-old Flair more than held his own against HBK and the two put forth a WrestleMania classic the night after The Nature Boy was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame. Everyone seemingly knew what was going to happen, but seeing it happen was a truly remarkable occurrence.
Michaels contemplated it, held off for a minute, but hit Flair with the most emotional Sweet Chin Music in history to defeat The Nature Boy. The emotion on everyone’s faces after the match told the whole story and was a moment that will never be forgotten in the annals of WWE history. Seeing Flair walk off after the match seemed like the end of an era that will never be seen again.
Although it wasn’t exactly his final retirement, Flair’s emotional WWE retirement is undoubtedly one of the greatest moments in WrestleMania history.
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12. The Hardy Boyz’ Return: WrestleMania 33
Matt and Jeff Hardy blazed a trail in the WWE during the Attitude Era that helped change tag team wrestling forever. Both have had singles success over the years, but seeing them together as The Hardy Boyz is a special occurrence every time, especially after a lengthy WWE absence.
Jeff left the WWE in 2009 and Matt was gone by 2010, and after a period of both being in TNA, fans clamored for them to return to the WWE. They reached a new level with Matt’s broken gimmick and were as relevant as they had been in years, so the timing just seemed right at WrestleMania 33 in 2017.
A multi-team Raw Tag Team Championship ladder match was set to take place, but just as the match was about to start, WrestleMania 33 hosts The New Day made a historic announcement. The New Day said another team will be added to the match to make it a Fatal 5-Way, and that team turned out to be The Hardy Boyz.
The pop from the crowd was nothing short of a frenzy and the WWE universe was shocked to see the return of one of the most beloved tag teams in wrestling history. And wouldn’t you know, The Hardy Boyz won the match and the Raw Tag Team Championship on their first night back in the WWE and their first match as a tag team in the WWE in the better part of a decade.
WrestleMania is built around moments, and not many moments have resulted in as big of a reaction as Matt and Jeff’s epic return at WrestleMania 33.
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11. The Rock And Hulk Hogan Face-To-Face: WrestleMania 18
After WCW went out of business in early-2001, many fans were salivating at the thought of the number of dream matches the WWE could provide when WCW’s talent came over to wrestle for Vince McMahon. But one match, in particular, shook the WWE universe to its very core.
The Rock was one of the two biggest stars of the most popular era in WWE history, so it seemed like destiny he would have a huge WrestleMania 18 match in 2002. And not only did The Great One have a huge match, he had a historic match against Hollywood Hulk Hogan. Hogan was still a heel and part of the nWo at the time, but the fans wanted The Hulkster in his traditional red and yellow babyface role.
Regardless of what colors he wore, The Rock vs. Hogan at WrestleMania 18 was arguably the biggest match in WWE history up to that point. It was so big that an all-time WrestleMania moment came away from it before the match even started. When Rock and Hogan went face-to-face, it seemed like time stood still for a minute.
It seemed like a dream match that would never happen, but seeing it take place in front of nearly 70,000 fans at WrestleMania 18 in Toronto, Canada was unbelievable. And the match also led to the return of the vintage Hogan, returning to his red and yellow roots and cutting ties with Kevin Nash and Scott Hall after he lost to The Great One.
Hogan and The Rock are two of the three biggest stars in WWE history, so seeing them face-to-face at WrestleMania seemed like a dream come true and is a legendary WrestleMania moment.
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10. Seth Rollins Cashes In Money In The Bank: WrestleMania 31
The Shield took over the WWE in a relatively short amount of time once the trio debuted at Survivor Series 2012. But by 2014, the group came to a shocking end after Seth Rollins turned on his brothers Roman Reigns and Dean Ambrose and joined The Authority.
Rollins won the Money in the Bank match in the summer of 2014 and had a guaranteed world title opportunity anytime he wanted. He went on for months with the briefcase all the way until WrestleMania 31 in 2015 when he had a one-on-one match with Randy Orton on the grandest stage of them all.
The Architect lost to Orton and most would have considered his night over with, but it was only beginning. The main event of WrestleMania 31 was Brock Lesnar defending the WWE World Heavyweight Championship against Roman Reigns and the two would put on a very physical match that greatly impressed.
Towards the end of the match when both Lesnar and Reigns were flat on their backs in the ring, Rollins’ music hit and he rushed the ring with his briefcase in hand. The crowd went crazy as Rollins cashed in his Money in the Bank opportunity and the match became a Triple Threat Match where he eventually pinned Reigns to shockingly win the WWE World Heavyweight Championship.
This was arguably the best Money in the Bank cash-in of all-time and seeing it on the grandest stage of them all certainly ranks among the best moments in WrestleMania history.
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9. Brock Lesnar Breaks The Undertaker’s Streak: WrestleMania 30
There have been very few superstars in WWE history as impactful as Brock Lesnar has been. The Beast Incarnate has had a memorable WWE career, but at WrestleMania 30 in 2014, he faced The Phenom of the WWE with the most important streak in WWE history on the line.
By 2014, The Undertaker’s undefeated streak at WrestleMania was a perfect 21-0 after a memorable showdown with CM Punk at WrestleMania 29 in 2013. Taker came back in early-2014 and was set to battle Lesnar at WrestleMania 30, but nobody would have imagined how it turned out.
The two took part in one of the most anticipated matches of WrestleMania 30, and although the match wasn’t a thing of beauty, the result made up for what the match itself lacked. After Lesnar hit Taker with a third F5, he pinned The Deadman for a three count in the middle of the ring. To call this moment shocking would be an understatement and the WWE universe was mouth-agape.
Simply put, this is probably the most shocking moment in WWE history. Nobody would have ever imagined The Undertaker would lose at WrestleMania, so seeing it happen was as surreal as it gets. Many argue it was a mistake and he didn’t need to lose his streak, especially to a part-timer in Lesnar, but sometimes shock value takes precedence.
Lesnar vs. Taker wasn’t a great match, but the ending was something nobody saw coming and ranks among the best moments in WrestleMania history.
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8. Stone Cold Steve Austin Defeats Shawn Michaels: WrestleMania 14
By the year 1998, the pro wrestling business was embarking on its most popular era to date. Between WCW and the WWE both gaining steam, the wrestling business was reaching an unprecedented level of popularity.
And the leader of the new era in the WWE was set to be The Texas Rattlesnake, Stone Cold Steve Austin. Austin was gaining a lot of momentum with his gimmick he had been perfecting over the past year and a half or so and was set to battle Shawn Michaels for the WWE Championship at WrestleMania 14 in 1998 with the baddest man on the planet looming ringside, Mike Tyson.
The amount of publicity this gave the WWE was huge, especially heading into the biggest show of the year. Austin and an injured Michaels put on a very good main event match at WrestleMania 14 and in the end, Austin finally got over the hump and hit HBK with a championship-winning stunner after Tyson, who appeared to be with Michaels and DX, counted a quick three for Stone Cold.
This was Austin’s first WWE Championship win in his career and as Jim Ross said on commentary after the match, the Austin era has begun. HBK wouldn’t wrestle again for over four years with a back injury, but Stone Cold helped take the WWE and the wrestling business to a new level in the months and years to follow.
The coronation of a rattlesnake changed the WWE forever and it was, and still is, one of the greatest moments in WrestleMania history.
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7. Daniel Bryan Wins WWE World Heavyweight Championship: WrestleMania 30
Arguably no rise to stardom in WWE history was as unexpected as the rise of Daniel Bryan. The former indies darling was always one of the most talented performers in the world, but not many would have believed the levels of success he would reach in the WWE.
By the early stages of 2014, Bryan was the hottest superstar in the WWE with his underdog persona, which had been butting heads with The Authority since SummerSlam 2013. Bryan got a brief taste of WWE Championship gold at SummerSlam 2013, but thanks to Triple H, he lost the title the same night after Randy Orton cashed in his Money in the Bank opportunity after The Game hit Bryan with a pedigree.
Bryan would have an opportunity to win the WWE World Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania 30, but first, he would have to defeat Triple H in the show’s opening match. And after a very good match, Bryan knocked off The Game to earn the right to compete in a Triple Threat Match alongside Orton and Batista for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship in the main event.
And as good as Triple H vs. Bryan was, Bryan vs. Orton vs. Batista was just as good if not better. The storytelling in this match was outstanding and led to the culmination of Bryan making Batista tap out to the Yes Lock to win the WWE World Heavyweight Championship in front of 75,000 some odd fans chanting “Yes” right along with Bryan. It was an unbelievable moment that not many would have ever imagined possible
It’s a shame Bryan’s in-ring WWE career didn’t go on longer, but his triumph at WrestleMania 30 is easily one of the greatest moments in the event’s history.
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6. Randy Savage And Miss Elizabeth Reunite: WrestleMania 7
When fans think about the two biggest stars of the 1980’s in the WWE, the two names that come to mind more than any others are Hulk Hogan and Randy Savage. The Macho Man didn’t get the publicity The Hulkster got, but he was truly a once in a generation type of superstar.
Savage would undergo a character transformation of sorts heading into the 1990’s and after the breakup of The Mega Powers and his subsequent loss to Hogan at WrestleMania 5, he transformed into The Macho King alongside Queen Sherri rather than his vintage manager of Miss Elizabeth.
The Macho King had a huge match at WrestleMania 7 in 1991 with The Ultimate Warrior with high stakes. The loser of the match would have to retire and after arguably one of the best WrestleMania matches of all-time, Warrior beat Savage. But sitting in the crowd was none other than Miss Elizabeth, who would make a dramatic return to the side of Savage.
After Savage was already defeated, his manager Queen Sherri began attacking him after the match. This prompted Elizabeth to come into the ring and attack Sherri and save Savage. Savage and Elizabeth would have an emotional embrace after this which signaled the reunion of the duo and Savage’s babyface turn after a couple years of being a heel and having nothing to do with Elizabeth on-screen.
The Macho Man and Miss Elizabeth were partners in real life and on-screen, and it was an awesome moment to see the two back together in one of the greatest moments in WrestleMania history.
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5. The Ultimate Warrior Defeats Hulk Hogan: WrestleMania 6
No superstar meant more to a specific era of the WWE than what Hulk Hogan meant to the WWE in the 1980’s. Hogan and the vision of Vince McMahon helped change the perception of the WWE to the masses and brought it to the mainstream.
Hogan was the face of the WWE for many years, but by the start of the 1990’s, another superstar was riding a wave a momentum that would eventually lead to a mega-match with The Hulkster. The Ultimate Warrior was neck and neck with Hogan in popularity and the two would embark on a massive match at WrestleMania 6 in 1990.
WWE Champion Hogan would square off with Intercontinental Champion on the grandest stage of them all and both titles would be on the line in what was dubbed as The Ultimate Challenge. The two top stars in the WWE put forth arguably the best match of their respective careers in what might have been the biggest match in WWE history up to that point.
Just when it looked like The Hulkster was about to put Warrior away, Warrior turned things around in his favor and hit Hogan with a big splash to win the match to become the WWE Champion in addition to being the Intercontinental Champion. This was really the first time of the Hogan era that he lost a marquee match of this magnitude and it showed how much faith the company had in Warrior moving forward.
Seeing Hogan and Warrior square off on the grandest stage of them all with Warrior getting the biggest win of his career is a legendary moment in the history of WrestleMania.
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4. Shawn Michaels Defeats Bret Hart: WrestleMania 12
The mid-to-late 1980’s through the early 1990’s was a hugely successful period for the WWE. But by the mid-1990’s, the WWE was changing and a new crop of superstars were being introduced as the top stars in the company.
The leaders of this new era were undoubtedly Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels. These two former tag team specialists turned main event players were set to take the WWE into a new era, and their paths would cross in a big way at WrestleMania 12 in 1996 with the richest prize in the game on the line.
The Hitman was set to defend his WWE Championship against HBK in a 60-minute Ironman Match in the main event of WrestleMania 12. And the match was as great as you might have imagined between two all-time great performers and superstars. In fact, it was so good that 60 minutes weren’t enough.
The match would go into sudden death overtime with neither individual able to win a fall in regulation. But not long after that, Michaels hit Hart with a Sweet Chin Music to get the win for his first-ever WWE Championship. It was a huge moment for the WWE and Michaels as he was firmly on his way to becoming one of the greatest WWE superstars of all-time.
The boyhood dream came true for HBK at WrestleMania 12 and it’s one of the greatest moments in WrestleMania history.
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3. Hulk Hogan Slams Andre The Giant: WrestleMania 3
It was, and still might be, the biggest draw in the history of the WWE. The epic encounter between Hulk Hogan and Andre The Giant at WrestleMania 3 helped change the wrestling business forever and changed the course of the WWE.
Hulkamania was running wild by 1987, but a matchup with the single biggest force in wrestling was looming when Andre The Giant turned heel and aligned himself with Bobby The Brain Heenan to go after Hogan’s WWE Championship. It would be the biggest test of Hogan’s career up to that point in his quest to slay the giant.
Andre had a multi-year undefeated streak going, Hogan was the most popular star in wrestling, so this match at WrestleMania 3 in 1987 was as big as it gets. And while Ricky Steamboat vs. Randy Savage stole the show, this match was the biggest draw for an event that held the WWE’s all-time attendance record for nearly 30 years.
The Hulkster couldn’t get anywhere against Andre throughout the early stages of the match, but towards the end, he did the unthinkable. Hogan slammed Andre down to the mat, hit him with the leg drop, and pinned the undefeated giant to retain his title. It was, and still is, an iconic moment in time seeing Hogan slam Andre and it was a turning point in WWE history.
The Irresistible Force met The Immovable Object and the image of Hogan slamming Andre will live on forever and is a quintessential WrestleMania moment.
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2. Chris Benoit And Eddie Guerrero Embrace: WrestleMania 20
Two of the most underrated wrestlers in the world by 2004 were Chris Benoit and Eddie Guerrero. The former radicalz had proven themselves as elite, world-renowned wrestlers over the years, but they were still looking for their big break in the WWE.
Guerrero’s big moment came at No Way Out 2004 when he defeated Brock Lesnar for the WWE Championship in a big-time emotional moment. But on the grandest stage of them all, that emotional moment would pale in comparison to what was to come. Guerrero successfully defended his WWE Championship against Kurt Angle at WrestleMania 20 in 2004, but Benoit still had a WrestleMania moment to carve out in his own right.
Benoit won the 2004 Royal Rumble and would challenge for the World Heavyweight Championship in a Triple Threat Match at WrestleMania 20 alongside champion Triple H and fellow challenger Shawn Michaels. And simply put, these three put on probably the greatest Triple Threat Match in WWE history.
And in the end, Benoit made Triple H tap out to win his first world title in the WWE. Emotion overwhelmed him after the match and that emotion only grew when Guerrero came out to embrace his long-time friend. Seeing the two celebrate as the two world champions in the WWE to close out the biggest show of the year was something truly special.
It’s a moment the WWE won’t acknowledge again, but seeing these two embrace at the close of WrestleMania 20 is a moment that is unforgettable and arguably the most emotional moment in WrestleMania history.
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1. Stone Cold Steve Austin Passes Out In Sharpshooter: WrestleMania 13
Some WWE fans will swear by a certain match that took place at WrestleMania 13. While most consider WrestleMania 13 one of the worst WrestleMania’s of all-time, there was one gem that stood out and still stands out to this day.
Bret Hart was established as arguably the top superstar in the WWE by 1997, but Stone Cold Steve Austin was growing as well after nearly a year under his belt with the Stone Cold gimmick. The two had faced before, but they would up the ante at WrestleMania 13 in 1997 with a Submission Match that still serves as a defining moment in the careers of Hart and especially Austin.
The two embarked on a brutal, physical, hard-hitting affair that was unlike any match either had competed in up to that point. The in-ring prowess of The Hitman took a backseat for the majority of this match and seeing how physical these two would get was outstanding. But towards the end, everything changed for not only Hart and Austin, but the WWE as well.
Hart put a bloodied Austin in the sharpshooter and quite possibly the most iconic image in WWE history ensued. Austin fought the sharpshooter like nobody had ever done before with blood dripping down into his eyes and even into his teeth before eventually passing out. Stone Cold never submitted and after the match, Hart began attacking Austin, signaling the biggest double turn in WWE history with Austin becoming a babyface and Hart becoming a heel.
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The moment of Austin passing out in the sharpshooter led to the emergence of the single biggest star in WWE history and began to change the fortunes of the WWE, so it is the greatest moment in WrestleMania history.