WWE WrestleMania 2023 Results: Matches Fans Will Be Rewatching for Years

Never before had any WWE event touted three legitimate, five-star matches prior to WrestleMania 39.

That changed in suburban Los Angeles as The Showcase of the Immortals delivered the goods between the ropes, thanks to inspired performances and fitting conclusions to some of the top stories in the company.

On top of those championship clashes that are destined to go down in the annals of WWE as three of its greatest matches, there was a main event that may have featured a controversial finish but was also a beautiful example of big-match storytelling.

On the heels of one of the greatest WrestleManias of all time, these are the four matches fans will rewatch for generations to come.

Drew McIntyre vs. Sheamus vs. Gunther

There was no match that appeared, on paper, more poised to steal the show at WrestleMania than the Triple Threat match for the Intercontinental Championship between Gunther, Sheamus and Drew McIntyre.

It was apparent from the in-ring interactions that the three competitors had previous to Sunday's second night of action that they were set up for a banger, and they did not disappoint.

The three-way dance was a physical battle between three of the best professional wrestlers on the planet, a war of attrition that had enough story to elevate it beyond that. Sheamus chased the championship that has eluded him throughout his career, Gunther sought to retain it, and McIntyre looked to play spoiler to both.

In the end, it was The Ring General taking advantage of the friends battering each other and delivering a punishing powerbomb to The Scottish Warrior for the win.

This was a good, old-fashioned fight that would fit on any card, in any city, but was perfect for the spectacle that is WrestleMania. It added another level of work rate to the show, and on any other card, it would have been the unquestioned best.

But this was not any other card.

Rhea Ripley vs. Charlotte Flair

There were lofty expectations for Charlotte Flair and Rhea Ripley Saturday night.

Three years earlier, in front of no fans and at a WrestleMania affected by the global COVID-19 pandemic, they stole the show with a match that came out of nowhere to rank among the best women's matches in the show's history.

Even with that in mind, few could have expected the classic encounter that unfolded inside SoFi Stadium.

A raw, powerful, physical battle saw Ripley dethrone The Queen and capture the SmackDown Women's Championship in a match that was not limited to the "women's match" label. It was simply one of the greatest matches in modern WrestleMania history.

The physicality and aggression were there. Flair, the champion who always managed to find a way to defeat her opponent, could not. She was overpowered, out-wrestled and defeated by the better woman as Ripley ascended to the top of the women's division, a role many have pegged her for since day one.

On a star-studded weekend with celebrities in attendance, Roman Reigns at the top of the card and the eyes of the wrestling world on WWE, it was Ripley and Flair who had fans buzzing at the sheer excellence of what they were able to accomplish.

Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens vs. The Usos

A storyline as great as the one involving Sami Zayn, Kevin Owens and The Usos carries with it considerable pressure to stick the proverbial landing and deliver a final chapter that is befitting the efforts of all involved. The performers and fans alike deserve as much.

Saturday night, in the main event, the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship match delivered exactly that.

A red-hot match that featured great spots, constant action and all of the emotion that helped define the storyline in the first place, it was an instant classic that paid off the hard work of the men involved and the fans that had invested in the program.

The moment after Zayn delivered the first of three Helluva Kicks to Jey Uso, he looked down at his slumping opponent and said to him, "I'm sorry, Uce," summing up the entire story in a single moment.

Zayn did, after all, feel bad for Jey even after all they had been through. Then, with the acknowledgment he sought when he first joined The Bloodline in view, he exploded across the ring with two more of his signature maneuver and scored the win.

Vivid storytelling, the perfect execution of the modern tag style and a crowd that was alive for all of it helped pay off months of hard work and dedication, making it the example of a perfect WrestleMania match.

Cody Rhodes vs. Roman Reigns

While every other match on this list was a five-star affair, Cody Rhodes and Roman Reigns fell just shy, thanks in large part to a finish that divided the audience and has some questioning whether it will hurt the former.

That is a conversation for a later date, though.

The match itself was a wonderful display of all that makes pro wrestling great. It was a spectacle, with two grandiose entrances befitting stars of their magnitude. It was physical, it told a story, and it was brimming with emotion.

Here was Rhodes, chasing a legacy not just for himself but for his family, and he proved it by absorbing every ounce of punishment thrown his way by The Tribal Chief.

Reigns, too, chased a legacy. In his case, it was the continuation of his own as the definitive star of his generation. He, too, showed tremendous grit as he kicked out of offense that lesser men would not have.

The Usos, Zayn and Owens interfered to continue that element of The Bloodline story, but it was the enforcer of the group, Solo Sikoa, who decided the match as he blasted Rhodes and allowed Reigns to deliver one last spear to retain his title.

The finish pissed off a lot of people, and understandably so. Some made the trip to Los Angeles specifically to see Rhodes win the top prize in the industry. While this writer is a firm believer in paying off your fans' loyalty and giving them the happy ending they deserve, The Bloodline story has been the best in the industry for two years now, and all involved have earned the benefit of the doubt.

That finish should not distract from the fact that the match itself was a beautiful representation of pro wrestling at its best, from two guys whose understanding of the business dates back to the loved ones who paved the way for them.

Some will refuse to rewatch because their guy did not win, but they would be doing themselves a disservice because the match was phenomenal.

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