WrestleMania is more than just the Grandest Stage of Them All. It is a hub of electricity powered by the love of sports entertainment. It is a celebration of dreams coming to fruition, goals being reached, friendships being forged, and enemies being conquered. And though it is easy to get wrapped up in the build, the events surrounding it, the long lines and ticket prices, the core of Wrestlemania is made of the athletes who tell the stories we love.
For forty-one years, generations of passionate people from all walks of life have come to put their bodies on the line for a shot of glory. We have seen stories finished, herstory made, celebrities wrecking shop, families ripped apart, and love rekindled at this spectacle, and this year will be no different. As we prepare for the Sin City edition of WWE's grand achievement, let's go down memory lane and look at five of the greatest matches in WrestleMania history.
5) Cedric Alexander vs. Mustafa Ali, WWE Cruiserweight Championship Tournament Final, WrestlemMania 34 Kickoff, April 8, 2018
Kickoff shows from larger premium live events are overlooked by the fandom. But during their prevalence in the 2010s, certain performances would make the audience wonder why they did not have a better placement on the main card. Cedric Alexander versus Mustafa Ali was one of them.
On a card that featured the likes of Asuka, Roman Reigns, Ronda Rousey, Triple H, and others, Alexander and Ali put on a cruiserweight clinic for the ages. As the now-defunct 205 Live brand was re-inventing itself, new general manager Drake Maverick curated a sixteen-man single-elimination tournament to crown a new Cruiserweight champion at WrestleMania 34. When it was all said and done, Cedric and Mustafa made it to the finals and sought to push themselves to the limit.
As they both challenged each other as the "Heart" and "Soul" of 205 Live, Alexander's high-flying and hard-hitting style clashed with Ali's skilled risk-taking to create a match that would solidify the purple and orange brand's new identity. From Cedric's standing Spanish fly to Mustafa's two 054s and his reversal of Alexander's lumbar check into a hurricanrana, nothing stopped these men from setting New Orleans on fire and impressing John Cena, who watched from the crowd. After Ali let his bravado cloud his vision, Cedric Alexander would rise to the occasion to become the new Cruiserweight Champion. This match stands as an underrated classic in the pantheon of WrestleMania.
4) Cody Rhodes vs. Seth Freakin' Rollins, WrestleMania 38, Night 1, April 2, 2022
It's hard to imagine recent WrestleMania history without the visionary known as Seth Freakin' Rollins. He has conquered beasts, slayed kings, and everything in between. That's why it was hard to believe that in 2022, he did not have a clear path to the Show of Shows.
Week after week, Seth would lose various qualifiers and yell at authority figures to get what he wanted. Once Night One rolled around, the decorated champion would enter the ring with a spring in his step as he awaited his surprise opponent. The worst-kept secret in wrestling would finally be revealed as the introduction to Downstait's "Kingdom" reverberated throughout the AT&T Stadium. Cody Rhodes, the American Nightmare, made his way down the ramp after six years away from WWE and betting on himself on a global scale.
Throughout the match, it was noticeable how Rollins sought to humble Cody as he would gain the upper hand and talk trash by saying "Welcome to the Big Leagues, bitch!" But the second-generation star sought to re-establish himself as the top player he knew he could be. He even channeled his late father's charisma and moves to shake up a spiteful Rollins. This match screams Mania greatness due to the surprise element of the American Nightmare's return and how this match would ultimately feed into their rivalry as the year continued. Usually, big fights end at WrestleMania. This is where a huge fight would only just begin.
3) Rhea Ripley vs. Charlotte Flair, SmackDown Women's Championship, WrestleMania 39, Night One, April 1, 2023
The first time Rhea Ripley sought to stake her claim as the future of the wrestling business against Charlotte Flair, she was not successful. Many in the wrestling fandom wondered if she could recapture the it factor that she once possessed during her NXT run.
After she connected with the Judgment Day and found her Mami within, she would win the 2023 Royal Rumble and challenge the Queen again. The match that followed would be legendary. Not only did it make herstory with an all-female lineup with the opponents, Samantha Irvin as ring announcer and Jessika Carr as the referee, it stood as a testament to what happens when you give women the platform to succeed at the highest level.
Though Charlotte tried to taunt Rhea in the beginning with shoves and slaps to the back of the head, Ripley responded by blocking Flair's offense. Rhea showed that she learned from their last encounter. For every crossbody splash that Charlotte would try to execute, Ripley would catch her and scout her every move. For every Riptide that the Eradicator would try to lock in, Flair would counter it with a smooth transition into a DDT. But the trajectory of the match would change once Rhea took advantage of the Queen's desperation and thrust Charlotte into a set of the craziest suplexes anyone could witness. It was a miracle that Flair could continue after landing face-first into the mat!
Ripley would go on to defeat the fourteen-time champion after hitting one final Riptide from the top rope and becoming the star she knew she could be. It can be argued that this barnburner could have main evented Night One with all that these ladies put on the line. But with the position that they were given, Rhea and Charlotte dared anyone to follow them.
2) Rey Mysterio vs. Eddie Guerrero, WrestleMania 21, April 3, 2005
Rey Mysterio and Eddie Guerrero were wrestling soulmates. Their clash against each other at WCW's Halloween Havoc 1997 is so legendary that clothing lines have dedicated jackets, hoodies, and t-shirts to it. Their WrestleMania 21 match should be lauded that way. Mysterio and Guerrero blazed a new trail by being the first Tag Team Champions to face each other at the Grandest Stage of Them All. After a string of losses in a few singles matches on SmackDown, they sought to test if they still had the singles star juice. Once they locked up, the magic started. They tested each other's strength, with Eddie coming out on top some of the time due to his heavyweight build, but Mysterio would outmaneuver Guerrero with his quickness.
Their years-long chemistry was on full display as Rey hit a roll through sunset flip, then Eddie rolled through as well and catapulted Mysterio over the top rope to the floor. Then Latino Heat proceeded to run towards Rey as he slid back into the ring and missed a 619 due to Eddie scouting it. This spot caused the audience to applaud and bask in the excellence of these men. It would not stop there, as Mysterio and Guerrero would bridge out of a count while holding hands. The vibe of the bout would change once Eddie got frustrated with himself every time Rey battled out of his offense. Rey would win this match in a similar fashion to how he defeated Eddie in their Havoc match: a hurricanrana with a sit-down pin. Though Eddie expressed disappointment on his face at the outcome, he had to acknowledge that Rey was the better man that night.
This match is a hidden gem due to its opening WrestleMania 21 and the memorable moments that took place after it, but it is not meant to be overlooked. For any fan who loves the technical parts of professional wrestling and the spectacle of the Showcase of the Immortals, this master class is for you.
1) Bianca Belair vs. Mercedes Moné, SmackDown Women's Championship, Wrestlemania 37, Night One, April 10, 2021
To be Black in the United States is to know that you are standing on the shoulders of your ancestors. Sha'Carri Richardson stands on Florence Griffith-Joyner's achievements in track and field. Coco Gauff stands on Althea Gibson's trail-blazing achievements in tennis. And like so many other notable women, Bianca Belair and Mercedes Moné stand on the shoulders of the Ethel Johnsons, the Sandy Parkers, the Jacquelines, the Marva Scotts, and the Jazzs of the wrestling industry. When they became the first Black women to main event at Wrestlemania, a glass ceiling that held women of their hue back for so long was broken. Because of the women who came before them, Belair and Moné were able to show up as their authentic and excellent selves and perform greatly.
Once Bianca chose Mercedes to be her Mania opponent, Moné made it her business to humble the EST constantly by calling her a rookie. The former "Legit Boss" would even dangle her accomplishments over Belair to try to break her confidence. But once it was game time, Belair rose to the occasion. Mercedes may have been the veteran in the match, but Belair brought out three levels of desperation within her. The first level came when Moné shoves Bianca down and celebrates, only to turn around and see Belair on her feet after a kip-up. The second level is executed after Moné gets caught after a failed dive and pressed up the steel stairs and thrown back into the ring. Mercedes could not believe that she was being bESTed by the new girl. The third and most vicious level came once Mercedes started using Bianca's trademark braid as leverage into the Bank Statement and then pulled Bianca's hair into her foot for a kick.
But even with all of that anger and desperation, Belair fought through with perseverance and power. Towards the end of their clash, Belair and Moné traded punches on the top rope before the EST hit a 450 splash to a near fall. And it took Mercedes pulling on Bianca's braid one more time for her to snatch it and whip Mercedes's abdomen with it! Belair would struggle for power before finally executing the KOD to defeat the Horsewoman for the SmackDown Women's Championship. This match is a testament to the work ethic and spirit of Black women as a whole. They took the time and the story they were given and made a legendary moment. It stands in a league of its own as one of the greatest WrestleMania matches of all time.