WWE and Ranking WrestleMania: A Formula to Rank Every WrestleMania
I'm nearly 100 percent positive that there is no correct formula to follow that will lead anyone to rank anything to perfection. Besides the ultimate formula killer in personal opinion, there's also nostalgia and the fact that you really can't compare completely different products under the assumption they are the same.
Imagine trying to compare the relationship you had with your third-grade girlfriend to your wife or current girlfriend. Technically they are relationships, but they are completely different from one another. How could you rank them? You've (hopefully) matured, have different priorities, understand the opposite sex more and have grown into a drastically different person. Same goes for wrestling over the last 27 years.
Wrestling in the early '80s is drastically different then the product, wrestling abilities, superstars, pyrotechnics and flash we have today. I'm sure if many of you went back and actually watched the first WrestleMania you'd either fall asleep or immediately proclaim "Well, that was lame!"
If you grew up, like I did, during the flashy, edgy, unpredictable days of the "Attitude Era," then watching anything that predates 1996 would probably look boring. Hence a lower ranking, which isn't really fair to that generation's WrestleManias or your third-grade girlfriend who swears she was in love with you.
So ranking every single WrestleMania would seem impossible. How could you possibly concoct a system to rank them without including personal opinion, or have any credibility on the subject when you were still crapping in diapers when the earliest renditions of WrestleMania were taking place?
The answer? You really can't...
However, I did "Good Will Hunting" a formula that might give us a chance at successfully ranking them all in a way that minimizes any real opposition (aka haters).
Pop Culture Relevance + Card + Main Events + Match Quality (How drunk you are - attendance/Doink the Clown) (Shawn Michaels) / Hulk Hogan (27) = WrestleMania rank.
And away we go!
27: WrestleMania II
1 of 27Main Event: Hulk Hogan Vs. King Kong Bundy (Steel Cage Match)
You know when a studio releases a movie that is an instant hit with audiences everywhere (for the sake of this argument let's say Transformers). Then when it comes time to produce the sequel someone, somewhere decides to completely go over board with production, special effects and decides to fluff up everything for the sake of being bigger only to completely lose sight of why the original movie was good in the first place?
Well, this is WrestleMania II in a nut shell. simulcasted from L.A., New York, and Illinois with each venue having its own main event and undercard. Because I would totally love to pay good money to watch other matches...not live!
Piper Boxing Mr. T was pretty cool if not boring at the same time.
Watching Hogan "wrestle" Bundy was like having someone find the largest stick they could find, position themselves behind you and....
26: WrestleMania XI
2 of 27Main Event: Bam Bam Bigelow Vs. Lawrence Taylor...
What Should Have Been the Main Event: Shawn Michaels Vs. Diesel
Imagine working your whole life (with literal blood, sweat, pain, and tears) to reach the pinnacle of your career along side one of your closest friends only to be pushed aside for cheap marketing and celebrities.
Welcome to WrestleMania XI.
The WWE was going through a rough time during this period (barely any talent) so I'll give them a pass for trying to be creative, but whoever booked this event was definitely dipping their fingers into LT's special protein powder...if you know what I mean! Ba-Zinga!
25: WrestleMania XV
3 of 27Main Event: Stone Cold Vs. The Rock
"But guy! Stone Cold and the freakin Rock! How could this be a bad WrestleMania?"
Simple. I took that match and then placed it right next to the Undertaker Vs. Big Boss Man Hell in a Cell match and they both canceled each other out.
If you take those two matches out then you're left with a card, that for a company becoming the biggest wrestling promotion in the world at this time, was a tad bit underwhelming.It looked good on paper, but unless you liked all the gimmickry that came with this particular era you can find much better match quality elsewhere.
24: WrestleMania IX
4 of 27WrestleMania edition No. 9 was actually, in a weird way, entertaining. You had Bret Hart, Hogan, Yokozuna, Jimmy Hart being Jimmy Hart, and Doink the Clown. But in terms of WWE history you get to see the definition of transitional champion in all its glory.
God forbid the WWE actually book Bret Hart and Hogan in a wrestling match. I can only imagine what terrors, catastrophes, and financial misfortunes would befall upon the WWE if they actually allowed Hogan to beat Hart to win the title.
I don't have an MBA, but I'm pretty positive that people pay more attention to a "sports" event when the two biggest teams compete for the title. Ratings usually trend upward when it's Red Sox/Yankees, Celtics/Lakers, Italy/Brazil, USA/Russia, Hart/Hogan.
But, I can totally see why giving the championship to Yokozuna for a cup of coffee was the better choice.
Being outdoors has to give this WrestleMania a rankings boost, right?
23: WrestleMania XIV
5 of 27Main Event: Stone Cold Vs. Shawn Michaels
Notable Undercard: Undertaker Vs. Kane
It was a terribly kept secret that Shawn Michaels was on his way out of the WWE due to a pretty serious back injury caused when he landed awkwardly on a casket during a match with the Undertaker a couple months prior.
However, you wouldn't have known it by watching the main event match. While it's not one of the greatest matches you'll ever see it was surprisingly fast paced, Michaels took a lot of hard bumps and the infusion of Mike Tyson added an element of unpredictability. Not to mention Boston is always a good crowd.
But besides a thrilling Undertaker and Kane encounter there really wasn't much substance on the card.
You'll notice a trend as we continue along the rankings...one good/great match doesn't' justify a good WrestleMania. We need some depth, substance, and something that doesn't reek of last minute booking. It's freaking WrestleMania!
22: WrestleMania XXVII
6 of 27Main Event: John Cena Vs. The Miz
What probably should have been the Main Event: Undertaker Vs. HHH
I think the WWE realizes that they messed this one up. I'm not saying it wasn't entertaining with matches including Rhodes/Mysterio and Punk/Orton, but when you use WrestleMania as a prelude to next year's WrestleMania then you naturally lose points.
Seeing the Rock back at WrestleMania was nice, but the predictable ending to the Cena/Miz match it presented kind of countered that a bit.
Undertaker and HHH wrestled a classic, but in terms of ranking WrestleManias as a whole it was quickly cancelled out by whatever the hell that Cole Vs. Lawler thing was.
21: WrestleMania 13
7 of 27Main Event: Undertaker Vs. Syco Sid
Notable Undercard: Stone Cold Vs. Bret Hart (Submission Match)
Remember kids one good/great match does not mean that the WrestleMania, as a whole, was that great. Austin and Bret Hart had probably one of the greatest matches in WWE history that night, but if you take a look at the rest of the card it was pretty much filler to that point.
Undertaker was able to beat Sid in the Main event, but only with the help of Bret Hart...which completely makes sense. If Taker ends up going undefeated at WrestleMania then he probably owes Hart a steak dinner somewhere along the way.
Some may argue that this night was the birth of the "Attitude" Era (bonus points). Some might have fallen asleep before the submission match (loss of bonus points).
20: WrestleMania VII
8 of 27Main Event: Hulk Hogan Vs. Sgt. Slaughter
Notable Undercard: Ultimate Warrior Vs. Randy Savage , Undertaker Vs. Jimmy Snuka
Whenever a heel (Sgt. Slaughter) gets death threats from people who perceive wrestling to be real you know the WWE did an excellent job of building up the bad guy.
Death threats = the ultimate heat. Can you really top that?
I guess that's what happens when you decide to "align" yourself with Iraq during Dessert Storm.
Could you imagine if the bad guy facing Cena decided to "align" himself with Al Queda? That wouldn't work in this day and age.
The better match was Savage and Warrior, but if you look at the rest of the card you wonder why they even bothered. Why would you have a match at WrestleMania that lasts under a minute?
#19: WrestleMania V
9 of 27Main Event: Hulk Hogan Vs. Randy Savage
Notable Undercard: Uh...nothing.
WrestleMania V had fourteen matches. Which is about thirteen more then they should've had. The main event between Hogan and Savage was legit, exciting, electric, and everything a fan could hope for. I'll never understand it, but why does the WWE insist on always having a "bad guy"? Did Savage really have to turn into a routine, jealous heel in order to get fans emotionally invested in this match?
For those of you curious and wondering why this event was ranked higher then some of the "Attitude" events that suffered the same problems, I have an answer for you...
...Watch the entire Hogan/Savage main event and tell me that that's not the kind of WWE magic that doesn't make you fall in love all over again.
18: WrestleMania XXV
10 of 27Main Event: HHH Vs. Randy Orton
Notable Undercard: John Cena Vs. Edge Vs. The Big Show.
The Greatest Match You'll Ever See: Shawn Michaels Vs. The Undertaker
I tried to prepare a lot of you with the whole "one good/great match doesn't justify a good WrestleMania" thing. I know a lot of you are probably upset (about as upset about ranking WrestleMania's as you can be), but it's the truth in a lot of aspects.
For starters, how Kid Rock gets more screen time then half the matches is something that needs to be noted. His ten minute mini concert completely killed not only the flow of the event, but took away a match, or more time to others.
Not to mention the Rey Mysterio/ JBL match was an absolute barn burner...all 21 seconds of it. Santin(a) Marella won a Divas battle Royal, Chris Jericho wrestled a bunch of old people, and the match between Orton and HHH never hit the crescendo, let alone the catchy chorus it probably should have.
WrestleMania 25 will always be remembered for arguably the greatest wrestling match you'll ever lay your eyes upon. Shawn Michaels and the Undertaker, from the entrances to the finale, delivered the epitome of a great WrestleMania match. Nothing throughout the course of the night could top it, and nothing ever will.
17: WrestleMania VI
11 of 27Main Event: Hulk Hogan Vs. The Ultimate Warrior
Hogan and the Warrior delivered on the hype and gave us a spectacular main event. A main event so emotional, frenzied by the crowd, passionate, explosive and awe inspiring that the WWE made a tremendous mistake in never capitalizing off it ever again.
This one time match (which actually featured two huge faces competing against each other for the first time in WWE history on such a large scale) encapsulates everything there is to love about professional wrestling and always completely sums up the stupidity behind the notion "There always has to be a heel".
If you've ever wondered what Cody Rhodes is talking about when he says he's going to pull an "Ultimate Warrior" this is it. Both the Intercontinental championship and WWE championship were on the line in this match. Warriror, in a shockingly clean victory, would claim ownership of both titles that night.
Who says Hogan doesn't put anyone over? Just don't ask Shawn Michaels that.
If you want a good look at the overall talent pool the WWE had around the early '90s this is the best card to look at.
16: WrestleMania VIII
12 of 27Main Event: Hulk Hogan Vs. Sid Justice
Notable Undercard: The WWE championship match between Savage and Flair that was booked in the middle of the event!
If someone has the answer to the following question please share it with the rest of the group because it's likely to give you a migraine if you think about it to long...
But, why/who/what prevented Hogan Vs. Flair at this event? Instead, because god only knows who's ego got in the way, we had to split them up intro separate matches.
We did get a classic from Flair and Savage, but the main event between Hogan (Was he really that popular to always get the main event no matter what?) and Sid was...how do I put this nicely... well, it was an overbook, sloppy mess. With one "mark" out moment...I guess.
This Mania gets a huge boost because it featured an undercard that was rather deep and featured incredible wrestling. Just watch Michaels tear it up, Jake the Snake and Undertaker, and please watch Piper Vs. Bret Hart to see how proper match flow works.
15: WrestleMania 23
13 of 27Main Event: John Cena Vs. Shawn Michaels
Notable Undercard: Undertaker Vs. Batista, Money in the Bank, and basically Donald Trump Vs. Vince McMahon.
You can't really hate on packing 80,000 people into a stadium...in Detroit no less.
While the card, on paper, looks a little lack luster I recommend a repeat viewing to see how over the top, pompous, grandiose and lavish this event actually was. All in a good way mind you. This is WrestleMania in all its pyrotechnic, flashy glory.
Not to mention the fact that Cena basically proved he can operate without the confines of an amazing, long match. Some might say that's due to Shawn Michaels involvement, and those people would probably be right, but it doesn't mean that the main event wasn't the best matchof the night...
...You know, the way it's supposed to be!
Seeing all the old ECW guys getting the spotlight on the greatest stage in the world was a nice, and deserving touch.
14: WrestleMania XII
14 of 27Main Event: Shawn Michaels Vs. Bret Hart (Iron Man Match)
Notable Undercard: Undertaker Vs. Diesel
While it's not fair to judge an entire event off of one match, it is when that one match takes up roughly 70 percent of said event.
There's no denying that Michaels and Hart put on an absolute wrestling clinic during WrestleMania XII, and it's probably one of the top five greatest matches of all time—if not the best. The event itself, however, left a lot to be desired.
We got an OJ Simpson joke, HHH making a brief appearance against the Ultimate Warrior (aka completely failing), and witness to basically an extreme hate crime as Piper beat the snot out of a "homosexually" charged character in Goldust.
But in all seriousness this Mania gets an extreme boost for containing an hour of the best pure wrestling you'll ever see in a WWE ring.
13: WrestleMania 2000
15 of 27Main Event: The Rock Vs. Mick Foley Vs. The Big Show Vs. HHH (Fatal four way with a McMahon in each corner)
Notable Undercard: Edge & Christian Vs. The Hardy's Vs. The Dudley Boys (Triple Threat Ladder Match), Benoit Vs. Angle Vs. Jericho (2 out of 3 Falls Match for Both the European and Intercontinental championships)
WrestleMania 2000 (aka 16) took place within the middle of the "Attitude" era and displayed both the overwhelming talent pool it had right alongside its often sloppy, misdirected booking. The event card looks like someone in WWE creative got drunk and started throwing darts at a dart board to determine matches.
The main event, while very long but entertaining, was not the crown jewel of this event. That honor goes to the young gentlemen who absolutely stole the show with their display of athleticism, creativity, and bravery during their triple threat ladder match. No one had ever seen anything like it and no one would ever see anything close to touching it...or would they? (cough—foreshadowing—cough)
This Mania gets a nice bump up the rankings for not only the innovative ladder match, but for allowing the Main event to dissolve from a frantic fatal four way, to a family soap opera on public display, to an invigorating final confrontation between HHH and the Rock.
12: WrestleMania I
16 of 27Main Event: Hulk Hogan & Mr. T Vs. Roddy Piper & Paul Orndorff
Notable Undercard: Don't worry about it...nothing lasted over 10 minutes anyways.
For the sake of history and the fact that this slideshow wouldn't exist without it; the first WrestleMania all the way back in 1985 deserves a spot amongst the greatest of all times. Does it deserve to be higher in the top ten though?
There's no doubt this event drew a lot of hype and definitely delivered the best product that wrestling in the 1980s could produce, but wrestling in the '80s was terrible and this event suffers from that stigma.
Is it fair? No.
But it's not like anyone is going to argue that the first WrestleMania was the best one ever, so I think the No. 12 spot is decent, and respectful enough.
11: WrestleMania XXIV
17 of 27Main Event: Undertaker Vs. Edge
Notable Undercard: Randy Orton Vs. John Cena Vs. HHH, Playboy bunny match.
Oh, and Shawn Michaels Vs. Ric Flair!
It's nice to see that HHH's over bloated ego didn't rain on the parade of Undertaker and especially Edge, and allowed them to Main event WrestleMania. This entire event was solid from the bottom to the top of the card.
We even got an eight-second match between Kane and Chavo Guerrero! Which is completely cool because that's exactly what would have happened in real life if these two ever fought. Who says wrestling isn't real?
The match of the night was hands down the epic storytelling that took place between Shawn Michaels and Ric Flair. It was an emotional roller coaster that proudly displayed the passion and magic behind the WWE product.
It wasn't the best WrestleMania, but it certainly wasn't the worst. The outdoor atmosphere, ramp and gigantic entrance screamed WrestleMania which is always a nice touch.
10: WrestleMania XXVI
18 of 27Main Event: The Undertaker Vs. Shawn Michaels
Notable Undercard: John Cena Vs. Batista, Vince McMahon Vs. Bret Hart.
Just to make up for those that felt cheated due to the much lower rating that WrestleMania 25 received I decided to throw all of you Undertaker/Shawn Michaels lovers a bone.
Was this match better then the WrestleMania 25 encounter? No, but it definitely was an epic, emotional powerhouse that knocked its (deserving) main event spot right out of the park. The fact that their two matches probably single-handedly saved that respective event says a lot about the quality these two men produced.
While the Hart/McMahon match was about as technically sound as a dentist performing a root canal high. It was fun and amusing, especially for older fans who knew the story.
9: WrestleMania 22
19 of 27Main Event: John Cena Vs. HHH
Notable Undercard: Shawn Michaels Vs. Vince McMahon, Edge Vs. Mick Foley.
In one of the most diverse WrestleManias ever number 22 had a little something for everyone.
Like classic WrestleMania matches that deliver the goods? See Edge Vs. Mick Foley.
Like climbing ladders? See Money in the Bank
Like watching legends exact revenge on the evil Mr. McMahon? See Michaels nearly kill Vince.
Like watching girls have pillow fights? Yup, it had that too.
While the Main event wasn't exactly top notch it did its job well enough making this rendition of the event worthy of a top ten spot on the list.
8: WrestleMania XIX
20 of 27Main Event: Brock Lesnar Vs. Kurt Angle
Notable Undercard: Pretty much the last five matches...
Whether you preferred the third encounter between the Rock and Stone Cold, the pure wrestling and emotion of Michaels Vs. Jericho, the oddly entertaining McMahon Vs. Hogan, or Booker T and HHH; this WrestleMania was about as well balanced as you can find.
Plus we almost got to see someone break their neck in half!
The crowd did their part for the majority of the night. The only thing holding this Mania back is the fact that you can basically fast forward through the first four matches and not miss anything relevant.
7: WrestleMania 21
21 of 27Main Event: HHH Vs. Batista
Notable Undercard: Shawn Michaels Vs. Kurt Angle, John Cena Vs. JBL, Rey Mysterio Vs. Eddie Guerrero.
At this point in the list it's really easy to reverse a lot of these rankings. Basically at this point it came down to match quality and you don't get much better then Michaels and Angle when it comes to that.
The passion displayed in the ring by Rey and Eddie was unmatched, and seeing Cena finally climb to the top of the mountain was exciting for everyone involved... for the time being.
While some will argue that the Batista/HHH main event was overrated, and unceremonious it wasn't the worst main event in the history of WrestleMania.
You can tell that the WWE had reached its peak with its talent pool by the amount of star power they put on display between numbers 17-24 of the event.
P.S.: This event held the first ever Money in the Bank match.
6: WrestleMania IV
22 of 27Main Event: Randy Savage Vs. Ted DiBiase
Notable Undercard: The Championship Tournament
Well there's a captivating idea! Let's have a tournament to decide who is the WWE champion during the biggest event in the industry. What makes this idea even better is the fact that both Hogan and Andre the Giant eliminated each other from the tournament meaning someone new would become champion...
...Randy Savage wrestled four different matches on his way to stunning the world that night. This event is probably responsible for giving birth to a generation of fans that watched Savage, in complete and utter joy, win the WWE championship.
We'll probably never see something like this again in a long time, if ever. It was a unique format that was perfect in execution, and deserves a top spot amongst the greatest WrestleManias of all time.
5: WrestleMania X
23 of 27Main Event: Bret Hart Vs. Yokozuna
Notable Undercard: Shawn Michaels Vs. Razor Ramon (Ladder Match), Bret Hart Vs. Owen Hart.
I don't think I need to tell you how important the match between Shawn Michaels and Razor Ramon was, or mention that many of the previous WrestleManias and the moments they had would not have been possible if not for the work of these two men.
They took an average household product (a ladder) and completely changed the way the WWE would operate over the foreseeable future. The match is ledgen...wait for it...dary!
That only added to the wonderful booking that this event saw. Hart, who lost clean to his brother Owen in a classic match (probably the best opening match in WrestleMania history), won a coin flip and got to complete for the title...which he won!
Storytelling at its finest!
4: WrestleMania XX
24 of 27Main Event: HHH Vs. Shawn Michaels Vs. Chris Benoit
Notable Undercard: Eddie Guerrero Vs, Kurt Angle, The Rock and Sock Reunion.
While history has ruined (deservedly) this special night in WWE history, it still doesn't take away from the magic the WWE produced on this night. In not one, but two shocking instances both Benoit and Guerrero walked out of Madison Square Garden as world champions after they fought and clawed their way through a brutal industry.
It was a great honor the WWE bestowed upon them...together. We got to see two goods friends accomplish their childhood dream that night. WrestleMania is made to produce moments like this.
And, if you couldn't give a (expletive deleted) about Chris Benoit then at least you had the reunion of the Rock and Sock Connection to keep you thoroughly entertained. Christian and Jericho also had a highly under appreciated match that night too.
3: WrestleMania X8
25 of 27Main Event: HHH Vs. Chris Jericho
The Match I Still Can't Believe Didn't Main Event: The Rock Vs. Hulk Hogan.
It had a decent to average card. It had a pleasant, if not weird, combination of WWE and newly acquired WCW stars (example: DDP Vs. Christian). It had its big "main event" level matches scheduled, and didn't really do anything that made it stand out.
So, why is this the No. 3 ranked WrestleMania of all time? One word. Toronto.
There's a lot to be said about the hold a crowd has on a WWE event. It can make and break the event. It has the ability to make decent matches great, and great matches legendary. This is what happened in Toronto.
The Rock/Hogan match is probably the most awe inspiring match you'll ever see. Not because it was a technical marvel, but because you could feel the energy explode through the television set and seep into your skin. This match alone was good enough to get it ranked in the top three for me.
This put Toronto back on the map! Then the Rock came back and ripped the city and its inhabitants in hilarious fashion.
Oh, P.S.: The Undertaker had a tremendous match with Ric Flair as well. I'm pretty sure you know who won that one.
2: WrestleMania III
26 of 27Main Event: Hulk Hogan Vs. Andre the Giant
Notable Undercard: Randy Savage Vs. Ricky the Steamboat
WrestleMania III is responsible for propelling professional wrestling to where it is today. The event is particularly notable for the record attendance of 93,173, the largest recorded attendance for a live indoor sporting event in North America.
It is also home to one of the five greatest matches of all time between Savage and Steamboat. While you'll probably watch the match and say "What's so great about that?" you have to understand that that kind of athletic action really wasn't done as well as these guys did at the time. You're pretty much watching two guys invent a style of wrestling you love and know today.
This WrestleMania garners the number two spot because of its historical value, what it meant to the industry, and the enormous pop culture effect it had for wrestling in general.
We see people body slam wrestlers much larger then them all the time now, but when Hogan body slammed the Giant it changed the course of professional wrestling forever.
1: WrestleMania 17
27 of 27Main Event: Stone Cold Vs. The Rock
Notable Undercard: TLC match, Undertaker Vs. HHH, Vince Vs. Shane McMahon, Kurt Angle Vs. Chris Benoit.
If you ever want to see an event that perfectly captures the atmosphere, match quality, fun, and magic that is WrestleMania look no further then WrestleMania 17. From the outset this event hit the ground running and never looked back.
The hardcore match was hardcore, fun, a little campy, but certainly entertaining and contained a laugh a minute.
You saw wrestling at its finest between Angle and Benoit. The first encounter between the Undertaker and HHH. And then you had the most spectacular match in WWE history when the Hardy's, Edge and Christian, and the Dudley's got together to create a masterpiece of the most insane bumps you will ever see. Edge spearing Jeff Hardy as he dangled in the air from 15 feet was the most insane thing I have ever seen in a WWE ring.
Not to mention the family drama we saw play out in the McMahon street fight. How could you not smile as that match was unfolding?
This was all topped off by the collision of the two biggest stars during this time period, The rock and Stone Cold Steve Austin. The match was a frenzied, over-30-minute encounter with a surprise ending.
The constant flashing of cameras, the longest ramp you'll ever see in your life, the entrance, the atmosphere that over 67,000 people created only made the actual product seem much larger then life.
WrestleMania 17 is the greatest WrestleMania of all time!
Holla if you hear me!
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