Listing The Best Matches From All 35 WrestleManias

WrestleMania I: Hulk Hogan and Mr. T vs. Rowdy Roddy Piper and “Mr. Wonderful” Paul Orndorff

The first WrestleMania was really a one match card in a lot of ways. The show was a gamble and, in a bid to get as much mainstream attention as possible, featured an even heavier focus on celebrity presence than later years. This match alone featured television star Mr. T as a competitor, musician Liberace as a timekeeper, and legendary boxer Muhammad Ali as an outside guest referee.

Hulk Hogan and Mr. T, accompanied by Jimmy Snuka, had the audience firmly on their side against the dastardly duo of Rowdy Roddy Piper and “Mr. Wonderful” Paul Orndorff, themselves seconded by their “Ace” “Cowboy” Bob Orton.

The match’s closing moments featured a memorable, now-classic finish: Orndorff held Hogan in place with a full nelson as Orton climbed to the top rope, preparing to crash down and nail Hogan with the cast on his arm, but Hogan managed to move out of the way at the last second, causing Orton to mistakenly knock out Mr. Wonderful, giving the victory to the good guys.

A technical classic this is not. But when viewed in context, the pageantry on display is awe inspiring. Hulk Hogan vs. Roddy Piper is quite simply one of the greatest rivalries in the history of professional wrestling, and while in retrospect, a one on one match (a la the monumentally important in retrospect clash at MTV’s “The War to Settle the Score”) may have been better, there is no doubt that this was a memorable bout.

Combine that with the prestige of being the first ever WrestleMania main event, and this one is an obvious choice.