Wrestlemania 25 Year Anniversary Team

With Wrestlemania just around the corner, I started thinking about the many great Wrestlemania performances we've witnesses over the last 24 years.

This brought me to come up with a roster of the top 25 stars of the first 25 years of Wrestlemania. The only criteria for being eligible are:

1) You had to participate in one of the past 24 Wrestlemanias.

2) You have to have made a significant contribution to the growth of Wrestlemania.

If you meet these two qualifications, there's a chance that you're in. But this list is not based on championships and main events alone. This roster also reserves for promoters, mid-carders and managers.

Do you agree? Check out the list and let me know.

In no specific order...

1. Vince McMahon

The first slot is a no-brainer. Wrestlemania was, and still is, Vinnie-Mac's baby. The wrestling was revolutionized when Vince put everything he had into the largest closed-circuit television event (at that time) with one million viewers. We've been hooked ever since.

But it wasn't his actions behind the camera alone that puts him on the list, the "evil genius" has been brilliant on camera as well.

Just Vince was the driving force behind a mediocre card on paper (as far as Manias go) as he gets his head shave by the better billionaire, Donald Trump.

WM22 saw McMahon in the spotlight as he battled it out with HBK in a No Holds Barred Match and WM17 where Vince battles Shane was a classic. Well at least the original boot heard around the world on Vince, via Linda's kick to Mr. McMahon's grapefruits. Taking that punt alone made him worthy of the list.

Mania Moment: WM17

2. Stone Cold Steve Austin

What hasn't the Rattlesnake done at Wrestlemania? How many classic WM moments has Austin been a part of?

WM17 there was Austin vs Rock, Austin walks out champ in a match that may go down as one of the best in Mania history.

No one will forget the biggest punch in WM history. Long before there was ever a "Money" Mayweather, there was "Iron" Mike Tyson. He shocked many by double crossing DX as he showed his allegiance to Stone Cold with a stone cold punch of his own straight to HBK's sweet chin.

But we can't forget about Austin's Wrestlemania moment that put him on the map, WM13. This matchup between legends had you on your seat from start to finish. And it only ended when Austin could no longer go. Pure classic.

Mania Moment: WM13

3. Ricky Steamboat

Here's my first mid-card pick. Yeah, "The Dragon" is a former world champ, but he only reached mid-card status in the WWE.

Along with Randy Savage, Steamboat stole the show at WM3 which featured the most famous WM match of all time (Hogan vs. Andre).

Steamboat also defeated Herculez Hernandez and put over "The Hammer"  in the world title tourney during WM4. If you're in need of a solid worker, look no further than Ricky Steamboat.

Mania Moment: WM3

4. Edge

Few have been hotter in recent years than the Rated R Superstar Edge. Recently he has set the bar for what it means to be a great worker.

Don't believe me, just check out his resume. TLC victories in WM16 and 17 over The Hardys and Dudleys, Booker T, First Money and the Bank winner and Hardcore show stealer vs Mick Foley.

He can do anything to make someone look good, or come out as a vicious heel.

Mania Moment:WM22

5. Randy Savage

Is he worthy of the Wrestlemania 25 Year Anniversary Team? Ooooh Yeah.

Whether you call him the man or the king, Savage was a WM Legend. He started off by battling it out for the IC title in back-to-back WM, winning one against George "the Animal" Steele and losing the classic match against Steamboat at WM3.

Savage then graduated to the World Title as the birth of the Mega Powers formed with Savage's win over DiBiase for the strap at WM4. Only to become jealous over Liz and Hogan's relationship, which resulted in him losing the strap to Hogan the following year.

Savage would later go on to defeat Ric Flair, with the belt on the line, four years later. And does it surprise you that Miss Liz was the center of this feud also?

Savage would also go on to be a commentator at WM9, adding to the WM experience.

Mania Moment: WM4

6. Shawn Michaels

They don't call him Mr. Wrestlemania for nothing. His list of accomplishments are longer than most guys years in the biz.

From his captivating days as one half of The Rockers to the first ladder match in the WWE to his first World title win in a classic iron man match with hated rival Bret Hart to retiring Ric Flair. HBK never seems to disappoint.

Mania Moment: WM12

7. Bobby Heenan

The first manager to break onto the list the Brain was very fitting of the name.

He managed the best of the best at WM including Harley Race, Andre the Giant, King Kong Bundy, Rick Rude and Haku just to name a few.

And although his guys usually lost, nobody did a better job putting the babyfaces over than the diabolical Bobby Heenan.

Mania Moment:WM6

8. Undertaker

The deadman is undefeated at WM. 'Nuff said.

Mania Moment: WM24

9. The British Bulldogs

When you have Ozzie Ozborne and Cptn. Lou Albano in your corner and you leave your first WM with the tag straps, you deserve to make this list.

Comprised of two talented singles competitors, Davey Boy Smith and Dynamite Kid, this International duo set the bar for WM tag team wrestling.

In a match that was deluded with the addition of referee Danny Davis and Tito Santana, their bout at WM3  versus the Hart Foundation should've been the standard for tag team WM bouts.

Getting stuck in six man bouts seemed to be an unfortunate trend, but the did well for their situations.

Mania Moment:WM2

10. Jake Roberts

A blindfold match seems stupid in theory, but if anyone could pull it off it was the mastermind Jake Roberts. He did so and made it look good when he faced off with Rick Martel at WM7.

Although The Snake has one WM victory (I believe) as he beat Andre the Giant by DQ, he even shinned in his loses to Honkey Tonk Man, Ted DiBiase and Undertaker.

If you want to see what a well thought out match from curtain to curtain looks like, just YouTube Jake Roberts.

Mania Moment: WM7

These are just the first 10. The next 10 will come soon. Some obvious choices are missing, but a majority will surprise you.