WWE: Top 10 WrestleMania Performers of All Time

In 28 years of moments, matches and memories, WrestleMania has had its fair share of excellent performers.

However, a chosen few have stepped out and separated themselves from the pack to become the best of all time through amazing matches and historic championship bouts.

My criteria for making the list included looking at how many main events the performers starred in, their in-ring artistry during their matches and the historical significance of their greatest moments.

This may mean someone like Hulk Hogan makes the list over Chris Jericho. I'm definitely not claiming Hogan to be a superior in-ring performer to Y2J, but his moments and significance at WrestleMania outweigh Jericho's by quite a bit.

Now that you know the criteria for ranking the list, please read and comment. Let me know who you would have added or kept off.

10) Edge

Edge will go down as one of the best innovators and revolutionaries in WrestleMania history. He participated in and won two inaugural matches at WrestleMania. He won the first TLC match at WrestleMania XVII and then won the inaugural Money in the Bank match at WrestleMania 21.

He is a back-to-back Pro Wrestling Illustrated Match of the Year winner for his work at WrestleMania 2000 and WrestleMania XVII. Edge participated in one WrestleMania main event but was involved in four straight World Heavyweight Championship matches.

Edge will go down in history as one of the premier performers in WrestleMania history.

First Match

WrestleMania 2000

Final Match

WrestleMania XXVII

Matches

WrestleMania 2000: w/ Christan defeats The Hardy Boyz and The Dudley Boyz—Triangle Ladder Match for WWF Tag Team Championship

WrestleMania X-Seven: w/ Christian defeats The Hardy Boyz and The Dudley Boyz—Inaugural Tables, Ladders and Chairs match for the WWF Tag Team Championship

WrestleMania X8: defeats Booker T

WrestleMania 21: defeats Chris Jericho, Shelton Benjamin, Chris Benoit, Christian and Kane—Inaugural Money in the Bank ladder match

WrestleMania 22: defeats Mick Foley—Hardcore match

WrestleMania 23: loses to Mr. Kennedy—Money in the Bank ladder match w/ CM Punk, Randy Orton, Finlay, Matt Hardy, King Booker and Jeff Hardy

WrestleMania XXIV: loses World Heavyweight Championship to The Undertaker—main event

WrestleMania XXV: loses World Heavyweight Championship to John Cena—Triple Threat match w/ The Big Show

WrestleMania XXVI: loses to world heavyweight champion Chris Jericho

WrestleMania XXVII: defeats Alberto Del Rio to retain World Heavyweight Championship—final match in career

Main Event(s)

WrestleMania XXIV vs. The Undertaker

World title wins or successful defenses

WrestleMania XXVII vs. Alberto Del Rio

Pro Wrestling Illustrated Match(es) of the Year at WrestleMania

WrestleMania 2000 w/ Christan defeats The Hardy Boyz and The Dudley Boyz—Triangle Ladder Match for WWF Tag Team Championship

WrestleMania X-Seven w/ Christian defeats The Hardy Boyz and The Dudley Boyz—Inaugural Tables, Ladders and Chairs match for the WWF Tag Team Championship

9) John Cena

John Cena may not be the most graceful performer in the ring, but his main-event appeal and string of big-time matches lands him in our top 10 performers in history.

Since making his WrestleMania debut at WrestleMania XX, Cena has main-evented four WrestleManias and won five world title matches at the event. His matches haven’t been the greatest of all time, but his main event against Shawn Michaels at WrestleMania 23 is among the best matches of his career.

He is scheduled to main-event yet another WrestleMania this year, as he takes on WWE Champion The Rock on April 7.

First match

WrestleMania XX

Most recent match

WrestleMania XXVIII

Matches

WrestleMania XX: defeats U.S. champion The Big Show—WWE United States Championship match

WrestleMania 21: defeats WWE champion JBL—WWE Championship match

WresteMania 22: defeats Triple H – WWE Championship match—main event

WrestleMania 23: defeats Shawn Michaels – WWE Championship match—main event

WrestleMania XXIV: loses to WWE champion Randy Orton—Triple Threat match for the WWE Championship w/ Triple H

WrestleMania XXV: defeats World Heavyweight Champion Edge and The Big Show—Triple Threat match for the World Heavyweight Championship

WrestleMania XXVI: defeats WWE champion Batista—WWE Championship match

WrestleMania XXVII: loses to WWE champion The Miz—main event WWE Championship match

WrestleMania XXVIII: loses to The Rock—main event

Main Event(s)

WrestleMania 22 vs. Triple H

WrestleMania 23 vs. Shawn Michaels

WrestleMania XXVII vs. The Miz

WrestleMania XXVIII vs. The Rock

World title wins or successful defenses

WrestleMania 21 vs. JBL

WrestleMania 22 vs. Triple H

WrestleMania 23 vs. Shawn Michaels

WrestleMania XXV vs. The Big Show and Edge

WrestleMania XXVI vs. Batista

Pro Wrestling Illustrated Match(es) of the Year at WrestleMania

N/A

WrestleMania XXIX

Scheduled to face WWE champion The Rock in the main event

8) Macho Man Randy Savage

The Macho Man Randy Savage had to play second fiddle to Hulk Hogan in the '80s and early '90s, but that didn’t stop him from having some of the greatest WrestleMania matches and moments ever.

His masterpiece at WrestleMania III against Ricky Steamboat is still hailed as one of the best ever. Savage also won both of his career WWF Championships at WrestleMania—first at WrestleMania IV against Ted DiBiase and later at WrestleMania VIII against Ric Flair.

He lost his only battle with Hulk Hogan at WrestleMania V, but anyone who studies the art knows that Savage was the better in-ring performer. Savage is synonymous with WrestleMania and has a well-earned place in the top 10 performers ever.

First match

WrestleMania 2

Final match

WrestleMania X

Matches

WrestleMania 2: defeats George “The Animal” Steele—WWF Intercontinental Championship match

WrestleMania III: loses WWF Intercontinental Championship to Ricky Steamboat—WWF Intercontinental Championship match

WrestleMania IV: defeats Butch Reed, Greg Valentine, One Man Gang and Ted DiBiase to become WWF champion—main event WWF Championship tournament

WrestleMania V: loses WWF Championship to Hulk Hogan—main event WWF Championship match

WrestleMania VI: loses w/ Sensational Queen Sherri to Dusty Rhodes and Sapphire—Mixed tag team match

WrestleMania VII: loses to The Ultimate Warrior—Retirement match

WrestleMania VIII: defeats WWF champion Ric Flair—WWF Championship match

WrestleMania X: defeats Crush—Falls Count Anywhere match

Main Event(s)

WrestleMania IV vs. Ted DiBiase

WrestleMania V vs. Hulk Hogan

World title wins or successful defenses

WrestleMania IV vs. Ted DiBiase

WrestleMania VIII vs. Ric Flair

Pro Wrestling Illustrated Match(es) of the Year at WrestleMania

WrestleMania III vs. Ricky Steamboat

7) Triple H

Like John Cena, Triple H has never been a masterful performer on the WrestleMania stage, but his sheer volume of work lands him at No. 7 on our list.

“The Game” has been involved in two PWI Matches of the Year. The first was a classic bout at WrestleMania XX with Shawn Michaels and Chris Benoit. His second came only a year ago against The Undertaker in a memorable showdown between the two Attitude Era holdovers.

Despite Triple H’s reputation not to put over talent, he has a losing record of 7-9 at WrestleMania. He will have a shot to get his win total to eight in just a few short weeks when he takes on Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania XXIX.

First match

WrestleMania XII

Most recent match

WrestleMania XXVIII

Matches

WrestleMania XII: loses to The Ultimate Warrior

WrestleMania 13: defeats Goldust

WrestleMania XIV: defeats Owen Hart—WWF European Championship match

WrestleMania XV: loses to Kane by disqualification

WrestleMania 2000: defeats The Big Show, Mick Foley and The Rock—main event WWF Championship Four-Way Elimination match

WrestleMania X-Seven: loses to The Undertaker

WrestleMania X8: defeats WWF undisputed champion Chris Jericho—main event WWF Undisputed Championship match

WrestleMania XIX: defeats Booker T—World Heavyweight Championship match

WrestleMania XX: loses to Chris Benoit—main event Triple Threat World Heavyweight Championship match w/ Shawn Michaels

WrestleMania XXI: loses to Batista—main event World Heavyweight Championship match

WrestleMania 22: loses to WWE champion John Cena—main event WWE Championship match

WrestleMania XXIV: loses to WWE champion Randy Orton—Triple Threat WWE Championship match w/ John Cena

WrestleMania XXV: defeats Randy Orton—main event WWE Championship match

WrestleMania XXVI: defeats Sheamus

WrestleMania XXVII: loses to The Undertaker—No Holds Barred match

WrestleMania XXVIII: loses to The Undertaker—"End of an Era” Hell in a Cell match

Main Event(s)

WrestleMania 2000 vs. The Big Show, Mick Foley and The Rock

WrestleMania X8 vs. Chris Jericho

WrestleMania XX vs. Chris Benoit and Shawn Michaels

WrestleMania XXI vs. Batista

WrestleMania 22 vs. John Cena

WrestleMania XXV vs. Randy Orton

World title wins or successful defenses

WrestleMania X8 vs Chris Jericho

WrestleMania 2000 vs. The Big Show, Mick Foley and The Rock

WrestleMania XIX vs. Booker T

WrestleMania XXV vs. Randy Orton

Pro Wrestling Illustrated Match(es) of the Year at WrestleMania

WrestleMania XX vs. Chris Benoit and Shawn Michaels

WrestleMania XXVIII vs. The Undertaker

WrestleMania XXIX

Scheduled to take on Brock Lesnar on April 7.

6) Hulk Hogan

Hulk Hogan basically was WrestleMania over the first nine years of the event, main-eventing eight of those WrestleManias.

Those eight main events are a WrestleMania record. Triple H is next closest with six. Hogan has a reputation for being rather robotic in the ring, but he surprisingly has two PWI Match of the Year awards under his belt. His match against The Ultimate Warrior at WrestleMania VI won the award even though the match wasn’t an artistic gem.

However, no one can say his PWI Match of the Year at WrestleMania X8 vs. The Rock wasn’t well earned. Hogan will always be remembered in the annals of WrestleMania history as the biggest star to ever step into the ring.

First match

WrestleMania

Final match

WrestleMania XIX

Matches

WrestleMania : w/ Mr. T defeats Roddy Piper and Paul Orndorff—main event tag match

WrestleMania 2: defeats King Kong Bundy—main event WWF Championship steel cage match

WrestleMania III: defeats Andre the Giant—main event WWF Championship match

WrestleMania IV: double disqualification vs. Andre the Giant—quarterfinal tournament match for the WWF Championship

WrestleMania V: defeats WWF champion Randy Savage—main event WWF Championship match

WrestleMania VI: loses to intercontinental champion The Ultimate Warrior—main Event WWF Championship and WWF Intercontinental Championship match

WrestleMania VII: defeats WWF champion Sgt. Slaughter—main Event WWF Championship match

WrestleMania VIII: defeats Sid Justice—main event singles match

WrestleMania IX: loses to Money Inc.—WWF Tag Team Championship match w/ Brutus Beefcake

WrestleMania IX: defeats WWF champion Yokozuna—main event WWF Championship match

WrestleMania X8: loses to The Rock

WrestleMania XIX: defeats Vince McMahon—street fight match

Main Event(s)

WrestleMania w/ Mr. T vs. Roddy Piper and Paul Orndorff

WrestleMania 2 vs. King Kong Bundy

WrestleMania III vs. Andre the Giant

WrestleMania V vs. Randy Savage

WrestleMania VI vs. The Ultimate Warrior

WrestleMania VII vs. Sgt. Slaughter

WrestleMania VIII vs. Sid Justice

WrestleMania IX vs. Yokozuna

World title wins or successful defenses

WrestleMania 2 vs. King Kong Bundy

WrestleMania III vs. Andre the Giant

WrestleMania V vs. Randy Savage

WrestleMania VII vs. Sgt. Slaughter

WrestleMania IX vs. Yokozuna

Pro Wrestling Illustrated Match(es) of the Year at WrestleMania

WrestleMania VI vs. The Ultimate Warrior

WrestleMania X8 vs. The Rock

5) Bret “The Hitman” Hart

The Excellence of Execution starts off our top five of WrestleMania performers. Bret Hart’s resume at WrestleMania really hits a high point between WrestleMania X and WrestleMania XIII.

His match with Owen Hart is underrated, but his matches at WrestleMania XII and XIII are regarded amongst the best of all time. Hart and Shawn Michaels did what few performers could ever do at WrestleMania XII—keep an audience at the edge of their seats for over a full hour.

As an encore, Hart pulled a double-turn at WrestleMania XIII against Stone Cold Steve Austin. This one match helped Austin build a wave of momentum that carried the WWF into the Attitude Era. Yes, it was that important. Hart’s place in history is well-earned and secure, even after the debacle of a match against Vince McMahon at WrestleMania XXVI.

First match

WrestleMania 2

Final match

WrestleMania XXVI

Matches

WrestleMania 2: loses to Andre the Giant in 20-man Battle Royal

WrestleMania III:  w/ Jim Neidhart and Danny Davis defeats Davey Boy Smith, The Dynamite Kid and Tito Santana—tag team match

WrestleMania IV: loses to Bad News Brown—20-man Battle Royal

WrestleMania V: w/ Jim Neidhart defeats The Honky Tonk Man and Greg Valentine—tag team match

WrestleMania VI: w/ Jim Neidhart defeats The Bolsheviks—tag team match

WrestleMania VII: w/ Jim Neidhart loses to The Nasty Boys—WWF Tag Team Championship match

WrestleMania VIII: defeats WWF intercontinental champion Roddy Piper—WWF Intercontinental Championship match

WrestleMania IX: loses to Yokozuna—WWF Championship match

WrestleMania X: loses to Owen Hart

WrestleMania X: defeats WWF Champion Yokozuna—main event WWF Championship match

WrestleMania XI: defeats Bob Backlund—“I Quit” match

WrestleMania XII: loses to Shawn Michaels—main event Iron Man WWF Championship match

WrestleMania 13: defeats Stone Cold Steve Austin—submission match

WrestleMania XXVI: defeats Vince McMahon—No Holds Barred Lumberjack match

Main Event(s)

WrestleMania X vs. Yokozuna

WrestleMania XII vs. Shawn Michaels

World title wins or successful defenses

WrestleMania X vs. Yokozuna

Pro Wrestling Illustrated Match(es) of the Year at WrestleMania

WrestleMania XII vs. Shawn Michaels

WrestleMania XIII vs. Stone Cold Steve Austin

4) The Rock

The self-named “Great One” has certainly earned his monicker at WrestleMania.

Despite being in multiple main events for the WWF Championship, The Rock has never walked out of WrestleMania as champion.

He highlighted three WrestleManias against the same opponent: Stone Cold Steve Austin. The Rock has had many memorable bouts at the Showcase of the Immortals, but his only PWI Match of the Year came at WrestleMania X8 against Hulk Hogan.

The Rock maintained his superstardom even after stepping away from the business after WrestleMania XX. Eight years later, he headlined WrestleMania XXVIII against John Cena, and as WWE Champion, he will face Cena once again in the main event of WrestleMania XXIX.

First match

WrestleMania 13

Most recent match

WrestleMania XXVIII

Matches

WrestleMania 13: defeats The Sultan—WWF Intercontinental Championship match

WrestleMania XIV: defeats Ken Shamrock—WWF Intercontinental Championship match

WrestleMania XV: loses to Stone Cold Steve Austin—main event No Disqualification WWF Championship match

WrestleMania 2000: loses to Triple H—main event Four-Way Elimination WWF Championship match w/ The Big Show and Mick Foley

WrestleMania X-Seven: loses to Stone Cold Steve Austin—main event No Disqualification WWF Championship match

WrestleMania X8: defeats Hulk Hogan

WrestleMania XIX: defeats Stone Cold Steve Austin

WrestleMania XX: loses to Evolution—handicap match w/ Mick Foley

WrestleMania XXVIII: defeats John Cena—main event singles match

Main Event(s):

WrestleMania XV vs. Stone Cold Steve Austin

WrestleMania 2000 vs. Triple H, Mick Foley and The Big Show

WrestleMania X-Seven vs. Stone Cold Steve Austin

WrestleMania XXVIII vs. John Cena

World title wins of successful defenses

N/A

Pro Wrestling Illustrated Match(es) of the Year at WrestleMania

WrestleMania X8 vs. Hulk Hogan

WrestleMania XXIX

The Rock is the current WWE champion and is scheduled to take on 2013 Royal Rumble winner John Cena in the main event for the WWE Championship.

3) Stone Cold Steve Austin

Stone Cold Steve Austin was the top star in the top era of WWE wrestling. His bouts at WrestleMania became huge events with the help of feuds against The Rock, Shawn Michaels, Bret Hart and Mike Tyson.

Stone Cold was a big-time performer on the biggest stage. In three straight WrestleMania matches over four years, he walked out as the new WWF champion, beating Michaels and The Rock twice.

His match at WrestleMania XIII left fans with a lasting memory of Austin struggling to fight out of Bret Hart’s Sharpshooter with blood pouring out of his head. His WrestleMania moments only lasted for seven matches, but no star has burned quite as brightly as Austin’s.

First match

WrestleMania XII

Final match

WrestleMania XIX

Matches

WrestleMania XII: defeats Savio Vega

WrestleMania XIII: loses to Bret Hart—submission match

WrestleMania XIV: defeats WWF champion Shawn Michaels—main event WWF Championship match

WrestleMania XV: defeats WWF champion The Rock—main event No Disqualification Championship match

WrestleMania X-Seven: defeats WWF champion The Rock—main event No Disqualification Championship match

WrestleMania X8: defeats Scott Hall

WrestleMania XIX: loses to The Rock

Main Event(s)

WrestleMania XIV vs. Shawn Michaels

WrestleMania XV vs. The Rock

WrestleMania X-Seven vs. The Rock

World title wins or successful defenses

WrestleMania XIV vs. Shawn Michaels

WrestleMania XV vs. The Rock

WrestleMania X-Seven vs. The Rock

Pro Wrestling Illustrated Match(es) of the Year at WrestleMania

WrestleMania XIII vs. Bret Hart

2) The Undertaker

Anyone clicking on this article probably already knew our top two WrestleMania performers. There is really no debate about that. The only debate is who is No. 1 and who is No. 2.

For me, The Undertaker lands at No. 2.

His first WrestleMania match was against Jimmy Snuka at WrestleMania VII in 1991. The first George Bush was still in office, Zubaz were all the rage (if you don’t believe me just check out the dashing young Matt in my kindergarten class pictures) and the average cost of a gallon of gas was $1.12.

Since then The Undertaker has never lost at the “Show of Shows." He has defeated a who’s who of legendary performers including Shawn Michaels (twice), Triple H (thrice), Kane (twice), Jake Roberts, Randy Orton, Batista and Edge.

He seems to be aging like a fine wine as his matches have continually gotten better. Here's the evidence: The last three PWI Matches of the Year have all come from Undertaker’s WrestleMania matches.

Quite simply, "The Phenom" has made WrestleMania his own.

First match

WrestleMania VII

Most recent match

WrestleMania XXVIII

Matches

WrestleMania VII: defeats Jimmy Snuka

WrestleMania VIII: defeats Jake “The Snake” Roberts

WrestleMania IX: defeats Giant Gonzales

WrestleMania XI: defeats King Kong Bundy

WrestleMania XII: defeats Diesel

WrestleMania XIII: defeats WWF champion Sycho Sid—main event No Disqualification WWF Championship match

WrestleMania XIV: defeats Kane

WrestleMania XV: defeats Big Boss Man—Hell in a Cell match

WrestleMania X-Seven: defeats Triple H

WrestleMania X8: defeats Ric Flair—No Disqualification match

WrestleMania XIX: defeats A-Train and The Big Show—handicap match

WrestleMania XX: defeats Kane

WrestleMania 21: defeats Randy Orton

WrestleMania 22: defeats Mark Henry—Casket match

WrestleMania 23: defeats world heavyweight champion Batista—World Heavyweight Championship match

WrestleMania XXIV: defeats world heavyweight champion Edge—main event World Heavyweight Championship match

WrestleMania XXV: defeats Shawn Michaels

WrestleMania XXVI: defeats Shawn Michaels—main event No Disqualification Streak vs. Career match

WrestleMania XXVII: defeats Triple H—No Holds Barred match

WrestleMania XXVIII: defeats Triple H—“End of an Era” Hell in a Cell match

Main Event(s)

WrestleMania XIII vs. Sycho Sid

WrestleMania XXIV vs. Edge

WrestleMania XXVI vs. Shawn Michaels

World title wins or successful defenses

WrestleMania XIII vs. Sycho Sid

WrestleMania 23 vs. Batista

WrestleMania XXIV vs. Edge

Pro Wrestling Illustrated Match(es) of the Year at WrestleMania

WrestleMania XXV vs. Shawn Michaels

WrestleMania XXVI vs. Shawn Michaels

WrestleMania XXVIII vs. Triple H

WrestleMania XXIX

The Undertaker will look to go 21-0 at WrestleMania when he puts up his streak against former WWE champion CM Punk at MetLife Stadium next month.

1) Shawn Michaels

Shawn Michaels is known by many pseudonyms: The Heartbreak Kid, The Showstopper, The Main Eventer. None of his monikers live up to that of Mr. WrestleMania.

Shawn is quite easily the greatest performer in WrestleMania history. In the 28 years of the event, 16 PWI Matches of the Year have taken place at WrestleMania, and Shawn Michaels has been involved in half of those.

From his heart-stopping ladder match at WrestleMania X to his farewell match against The Undertaker at WrestleMania XXVI, Michaels has stolen the show nearly every single year. One can only imagine what we missed during his four-year absence following WresleMania XIV.

All I know is that I am glad he was able to return at WrestleMania XIX and never look back as he continued to carve out his position as the greatest WrestleMania performer of all time.

First match

WrestleMania V

Final match

WrestleMania XXVI

Matches

WrestleMania V: w/ Marty Jannetty lose to The Twin Towers (Big Boss Man and Akeem)

WrestleMania VI: w/ Marty Jannetty lose to The Orient Express (Sato and Tanaka)

WrestleMania VII: w/ Marty Jannetty defeat The Barbarian and Haku

WrestleMania VIII: defeats El Matador

WrestleMania IX: loses to Tatanka by count out—WWF Intercontinental Championship

WrestleMania X: loses to Razor Ramon—WWF Intercontinental Championship Ladder match

WrestleMania XI: loses to WWF champion Diesel—WWF Championship match

WrestleMania XII: defeats WWF champion Bret Hart—main event WWF Championship Iron Man match

WrestleMania XIV: loses to Stone Cold Steve Austin—main event WWF Championship match

WrestleMania XIX: defeats Chris Jericho

WrestleMania XX: loses to Chris Benoit—main event Triple Threat World Heavyweight Championship match w/ Triple H

WrestleMania 21: loses to Kurt Angle

WrestleMania 22: defeats Vince McMahon—No Holds Barred match

WrestleMania 23: loses to WWE champion John Cena—main event WWE Championship match

WrestleMania XXIV: defeats Ric Flair—Career Threatening match

WrestleMania XXV: loses to The Undertaker

WrestleMania XXVI: loses to The Undertaker—main event No Disqualification Streak vs. Career match

Main Event(s)

WrestleMania XII vs. Bret Hart

WrestleMania XIV vs. Stone Cold Steve Austin

WrestleMania XX vs. Chris Benoit and Triple H

WrestleMania 23 vs. John Cena

WrestleMania XXVI vs. The Undertaker

World Title wins or successful defenses

WrestleMania XII vs. Bret Hart

Pro Wrestling Illustrated Match(es) of the Year at WrestleMania

WrestleMania X vs. Razor Ramon

WrestleMania XI vs. Diesel

WrestleMania XII vs. Bret Hart

WrestleMania XX vs. Chris Benoit and Triple H

WrestleMania 21 vs. Kurt Angle

WrestleMania 22 vs. Vince McMahon

WrestleMania XXIV vs. Ric Flair

WrestleMania XXV vs. The Undertaker

WrestleMania XXVI vs. The Undertaker

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