WrestleMania season is upon us. Over the last 10 years WWE has provided fans with great moments at The Showcase of the Immortals.
Fans from all across the country flock to wherever WrestleMania takes place. The event has become a launching pad for wrestlers, and a final destination for certain icons. Fans will descend on Tampa Bay, FL this year for WrestleMania 36.
For this article, we take a look at the 10 WrestleManias that took place in this decade. Some were great and some were less than great. Every WrestleMania provides fans with moments that should last a lifetime. Here is a final ranking of the WrestleManias of the 2010’s.
WrestleMania 32
WrestleMania moment: Shane McMahon jumping off Hell in a Cell
Match of the night: Charlotte vs Sasha Banks v Becky Lynch
Until the end of time, fans will argue about that WWE is alienating their fans with poor creative decisions. In 2016, WWE put over 100,000 people (allegedly) into AT&T Stadium, for WrestleMania for a card that fans actively voiced their displeasure with. The main event was between a wrestler that fans were vocally rebelling against, Roman Reigns, and Triple H who became a fan favorite simply because he was facing Roman Reigns.
WWE attempted to recreate the formula they had with Daniel Bryan. They tried portray Reigns as a fan favorite who rebelled against the villainous stable of The Authority. It bombed badly and by the end of the story fans were loudly cheering Triple H to win. Roman Reigns finally became WWE Champion at the biggest show in history of WWE, and fans rejected the move.
This WrestleMania was memorable for being the first match for the new Women’s Championship between three of the Four Horsewomen. Sasha Banks, Charlotte, and Becky Lynch stole the show with innovative moves and a fast paced match. Charlotte would win the match and become the first WWE Women’s Champion.
The match between Brock Lesnar and Dean Ambrose was forgettable, as was The Undertaker vs Shane McMahon inside Hell in a Cell. The story leading up to Hell in a Cell was as confusing as it was frustrating. McMahon provided the only highlight of a boring match when he jumped off Hell in a Cell.
WrestleMania 27
WrestleMania moment: The Miz defeats John Cena in the main event
Match of the night: Triple H vs The Undertaker
This WrestleMania was a struggle to get through. The idea of The Rock as guest host was a good splash of nostalgia on a show that lacked the big event feel of a WrestleMania. This would be the final match for Edge. Fans didn’t know it, but it was the last time they would see Edge wrestle. Due to a career of injuries, he retired the next night on RAW.
The only match on the card that holds up through the years is the No Holds Barred match between Triple H and The Undertaker. Their match was a great chapter in their rivalry. It exposed a larger problem WWE had with its full time talent. Few wrestlers were given an opportunity to tell a compelling story like The Game and The Deadman. It might be a combination of a crop of fresh talent being fed to John Cena in 2011, or that Triple H and The Undertaker were given a larger canvas to paint their story. Regardless, their No Holds Barred match told a brutal story and was filled with moments that, even if you know the finish, you can’t help to be drawn into.
In the main event at WrestleMania The Miz defeating John Cena in the middle of the ring, should have been a bigger deal. Cena would regain the belt a month later. Miz headed back down the card and never found that main event magic again.
WrestleMania 33
WrestleMania moment: The return of The Hardy Boyz
Match of the night: Kevin Owens vs Chris Jericho
It was impressive how bad WrestleMania 33 and how many fans showed up to watch the event live in Orlando, FL.
The only memorable part of the night was the return of The Hardy Boyz. Even the most clued in wrestling fans were in shock when their music played and they showed up at the top of the ramp. It was a moment where everyone became a screaming fan again. The Hardy Boyz were gone from WWE for years. They were able to reinvent their characters in other promotions but fans had longed for them to “come home” to WWE.
The rest of the card was a disappointment. Brock Lesnar defeated Goldberg for the WWE Championship in a match seemed to be shorter than how long it took both men to get to the ring. Triple H and Seth Rollins put on the best match that they could, but Rollins’ knee injury limited the action in the ring. Randy Orton and Bray Wyatt had a match for the WWE Championship which was infamously due to a weird moment where LED style roaches covered the ring.
The main event was Roman Reigns vs The Undertaker, there has been enough said about how sad of a match this was. The Undertaker struggled to get through this match, while Roman Reigns did everything he could to mask The Undertakers flaws.
WrestleMania 29
WrestleMania moment: The Rock endorses John Cena
Match of the night: CM Punk vs The Undertaker
This WrestleMania didn’t feel special. It could be attributed to the biggest names on the card having part-time roles in the company, The Rock, Triple H, Brock Lesnar, and The Undertaker wouldn’t show up on until the beginning of 2013. This was the first WrestleMania where WWE’s reliance on part times was starting to fail them. Wrestlers who had carried the wagon in 2013, such as CM Punk, Daniel Bryan, and Dolph Ziggler were cast aside for the bigger names.
These attraction named wrestlers may have helped WrestleMania gross 72 million for the event, but it failed to live up to fans expectations. Depending on which side of the part time vs full time wrestler coin you fall on, grossing 72 million dollars for a disappointing card is either be good business sense or will drive you insane.
John Cena vs The Rock was nothing more than a bunch of false finishes. Neither of their two matches had great in ring action. Their match at WrestleMania 28 felt more exciting than their rematch at WrestleMania 29.
CM Punk carried The Undertaker through his last great match. It was a bout that doesn’t get remembered by WWE how it should, which is understandable. However, both men put on a great match. This would be CM Punk’s final appearance at WrestleMania, and the match that showcased how special he was.
WrestleMania 34
WrestleMania moment: Ronda Rousey in a WWE ring
Match of the night: Charlotte vs Asuka
There is a rumor that this WrestleMania is STILL going on all these years later.
This card highlighted the current flaw in WWE programming. The opening match was incredible with Seth Rollins, The Miz, and Finn Balor in a triple threat for the Intercontinental Championship. The problem being that, although WWE has great professional wrestlers, they lacked characters for fans to become emotionally invested in.
Charlotte and Asuka put on the best match of the night. Heading into WrestleMania 34, there was not hotter character than Asuka. Charlotte defeated Asuka and to put an end to the The Empress of Tomorrow’s undefeated streak. Nia Jax and Alexa Bliss put the finishing touches on a great storu. The image of Jax – in tears, as she became WWE Women’s Champion by defeating the bully Alexa Bliss – was important for everyone involved in the match.
This WrestleMania will be remembered for being the in ring debut of Ronda Rousey. No one knew how Rousey would do in a WWE ring. She was in the ring with Kurt Angle against Triple H and Stephanie McMahon as opponents. When Rousey got the tag to go in the match, the building exploded. Rousey outperformed everyone’s expectations that night.
Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns were the main event of WrestleMania. The match stunk and fans were vocally exhausted after sitting through a six-hour long WrestleMania event.
WrestleMania 28
WrestleMania moment: TIE – The Rock Bottom on John Cena. The Undertaker, Triple H, and Shawn Michaels embrace at the top of the ramp
Match of the night: Triple H vs The Undertaker
WWE hit home runs, but they struck out bad on this night.
They successfully told a yearlong story with The Rock and John Cena. This became one of the most anticipated matches of 2012. The promos that John Cena cut on The Rock were better than what The Rock’s promos to Cena. The Rock rolled out the classics with jumbled adjective laced promos while Cena would aimed straight between the eyes at The Rock.
CM Punk vs Chris Jericho never felt like a WWE Championship match. It could be due to previously Jericho being of TV for a while, The Rock and John Cena being positioned higher on the card, or other reasons. Their match wasn’t bad, but it should have been a bigger deal.
The first four matches of the night were horribly tasting appetizers on the menu of WrestleMania. Hopefully wrestlers in the Team Johnny vs Team Teddy twelve man tag match received a good payday, but the match was forgettable at best.
The match of the night belonged to Triple H vs The Undertaker with Shawn Michaels as the special guest referee. Somehow, it was more brutal than their previous WrestleMania encounter. Three franchise players of a bygone era, giving everything they had for one more night. The image of those three men at the top of the ramp embodies what makes pro wrestling special.
WrestleMania 26:
WrestleMania moment: The final match of Shawn Michaels career
Match of the night: Shawn Michaels vs The Undertaker
WWE loves to promote the end of an era. WrestleMania 26 was the end of an era. That era belonged to Shawn Michaels. Wrestling is an entity where most wrestlers hold on for a few years (or decades) too long. Retirement matches are rarely more than a device to sell tickets. Shawn Michaels vs The Undertaker at WrestleMania 26 was a perfect swan song for The Heartbreak Kid. Fans of a certain generation grew up with Shawn Michaels, seeing him ride off into the sunset providing fans a level of rare finality in professional wrestling.
This show had its let downs. As great as Bret Hart was, the image of him in jean shorts placing Vince McMahon in a sharpshooter is similar to watching Patrick Ewing on the Orlando Magic. Triple H defeating a red hot Sheamus felt confusing. Triple H gained very little in the victory, over a Sheamus.
If Shawn Michaels and The Undertaker wouldn’t have had the best match of the night, CM Punk and Rey Mysterio would have taken that crown. Due to the ability to pick certain matches and skipping others, this PPV is perfect for the WWE Network.
WrestleMania 35
WrestleMania moment: TIE – Kofi Kingston winning the WWE Championship. Becky Lynch winning both WWE Women’s Championships
Match of the night: Kofi Kingston vs Daniel Bryan
Lost in the shuffle of such a great card, Seth Rollins finally defeating Brock Lesnar to become the WWE Champion in the first match of the card. The challenge with Rollins defeating Lesnar so early in the card, was it happened in the first 20 minutes of a seven hour WrestleMania event. By the time the show ended, Rollins winning the championship felt like it happened months ago
As WWE headed towards WrestleMania they caught lightning in a bottle with Kofi Mania. Kofi Kingston became the hottest fan favorite in the company. The visual of him finally winning the WWE Championship is one of the greatest WrestleMania moments ever. The match had fans on the edge of their seats the whole time. There was cautious optimism during the match because fans believed Kingston SHOULD win, but what if WWE threw a curveball Daniel Bryan retained the championship?
The main event was Ronda Rousey, Becky Lynch, and Charlotte who competed in a triple threat for both Women’s Championships. The finish of the match tarnished what should have been a great story. It felt flat for fans who didn’t know how to react instantly, and that came across via the television. This would be Rousey’s final match, for now, with WWE. She had a groundbreaking first year in WWE.
Triple H and Batista put on a good match in Batista’s final match in the company. It was intense and told a good final story for Batista.
WrestleMania 30
WrestleMania moment: TIE – The Undertaker losing to Brock Lesnar. Daniel Bryan wins the WWE Championship
Match of the Night: Daniel Bryan vs Triple H
Every wrestling fan will remember where they were when The Streak ended. It silenced the entire audience at The Superdome. Due to what we learned about the concussion The Undertaker received that night, the match is tough to get through when watching it back. The final pinfall of their match was shocking, The Undertaker had never lost at WrestleMania. Fans were left wondering if they just saw the end of The Undertaker’s storied career or a massive mistake.
On a happier note, this night was the coronation of the Daniel Bryan character as he became the WWE Champion. You can draw your own conclusions about if WWE knew they had this lightning in a bottle with Bryan, or if they went with Bryan because his popularity was impossible to ignore. Either way, Daniel Bryan competed in two remarkable matches against the three men in Evolution to win the WWE Championship. His match with Triple H was better by a small amount, due to Bryan being featured in the whole match. In the main event between Bryan, Orton, and Batista, Bryan was in and out of the match.
For their misfires at WrestleMania 29, WWE successfully put on a great WrestleMania at WrestleMania 30.
WrestleMania 31
WrestleMania moment: Seth Rollins cashes in Money in the Bank
Match of the night: Roman Reigns vs Brock Lesnar
It is hard to argue that start to finish that WrestleMania 31 shouldn’t be on the Mount Rushmore of WrestleMania cards. The event got off to a hot start with a great ladder match for the Intercontinental Champion and ended hotter with Seth Rollins cashing in his Money in the Bank briefcase. This night was AJ Lee’s last match of her career. The sight of Sting at WrestleMania united wrestling fans from all generations.
Rusev coming to the ring in a tank, and Randy Orton delivering the greatest rKo ever to Seth Rollins will be replayed for a long time. It is tough to find a low point in this card. This show signaled a new era for WWE programming and was chalk full of excitement.
The main event was Roman Reigns vs Brock Lesnar. Reigns was not a crowd favorite. Reigns and Lesnar told an exciting story of The Big Dog taking everything that Lesnar had and still charged forward. Rollins cashing in Money in the Bank was the perfect shock to an unforgettable night at Levi’s Stadium.