Listing The Best Matches From All 35 WrestleManias

WrestleMania 21: Kurt Angle vs. Shawn Michaels

When WrestleMania went Hollywood in 2005, this first time ever inter-brand clash between two of the greatest workers of all time seemed all but certain to steal the show, and boy did they ever deliver.

In the build to the match, Angle attempted to replicate Michaels’ career, locking Marty Jannetty and Sensational Sherri in the Angle Lock (though not before performing “Sexy Kurt” with the latter), defeated a jobber in a ladder match, in a mockery of the famed WrestleMania X clash with Razor Ramon.

The WrestleMania match began with Michaels attempting to top Angle’s technical mastery, before the pace quickened a bit. Angle attempted to keep “Mr. WrestleMania” grounded, working the lower back with submission holds and dodging Michaels’ diving elbow. Michaels sent Angle to the outside and nailed him with a crossbody from the top rope.

As Michaels climbed back into the ring, Angle jumped onto the apron and attempted to German suplex him to the floor, only for Michaels to counter with a low blow and springboard off the ropes to land atop Angle on an announce table. Angle began to bleed from the out as the two returned to the ring.

Michaels countered an Angle Slam into a roll-up, which Angle countered into the Angle Lock, which Michaels countered into another roll-up. Angle then landed the Angle Slam, but Michaels kicked out. Desperate, Angle went for a moonsault, but crashed and burned. Michaels went for a moonsault of his own, but was Angle Slammed off the top rope for his trouble.

Ultimately, Michaels tapped out to the Angle Lock, giving Kurt Angle the clean win over his fellow icon on the Grandest Stage of Them All.

Phenomenal is he only way to describe this match, which is absolutely one of the best of the Ruthless Aggression Era.