Highlighting the Most Iconic Celebrity Moments in WrestleMania History

WWE's departure from the no-frills, grappling-heavy, everybody-in-black-trunks days of pro wrestling is never more obvious than at WrestleMania, when celebrities become a key part of the circus.

From the first event on, actors, musicians and athletes from worlds outside of WWE have found their way on stage. A pair of big-time punches from champion boxers and the results of a Boston-bashing session remain among the most iconic moments to come from these appearances.

Often, celebrities provide a bit of buzz and nothing more. It's easy to forget Raven-Symone ever made a WrestleMania cameo. The same goes for Steve Allen or Tommy Lasorda. 

When Mr. T stood by Hulk Hogan's side or Mike Tyson clocked Shawn Michaels, however, those moments didn't just dissipate; they burned themselves into fans' minds.

Credit: WWE.com

We should partly credit WWE's good timing in those instances: The company brought in these men while their names had great power.

The fact that they fit in extremely well in the WWE landscape helped as well. It makes sense to bring in an athlete with some edge to him rather than trying to toss in some C-list actor who has little to offer inside the squared circle. 

From Mr. T to Floyd Mayweather, the following moments bettered the WrestleManias they were a part of and are still remembered fondly in spite of all the time that has passed since.

Mr. T Face-to-Face With Hot Rod (WrestleMania I)

Cashing in on Mr. T's popularity, WWE invited him to be Hogan's tag team partner in the first main event of the very first WrestleMania. His presence was key to the event's success.

It helped separate WrestleMania from every other wrestling card. It was symbolic of WWE's embrace of its entertainment side and its move away from a purely wrestling product.

The lasting image from that tag bout was of Roddy Piper pressing his head against Mr. T's, two bulls locking horns. A great buildup helped make that moment an explosive one, but the seething animosity between them put it over the top.

On a night where Muhammad Ali and Liberace were both in the building, it was Mr. T who most left people talking. While those big names brought added attention to WrestleMania, Mr. T served as the bridge between pop culture and pro wrestling.

The Fridge Collides With Big John Studd (WrestleMania II)

The NFL invaded the ring at the second WrestleMania. William "Refrigerator" Perry was by far the most memorable part of that invasion.

A Battle Royal pitted NFL players against wrestlers, with Bret Hart and Andre the Giant on the same battlefield as Jimbo Covert. Fellow Chicago Bear Perry, the biggest star of the bunch, found himself in a fight with Studd.

A shoulder block from the Super Bowl champ stunned Studd, but the second one earned him an elimination. Studd tossed him over the top rope, only to soon find himself out of the ring, courtesy of The Fridge.

On a night with little to write home about, Perry's contribution was one of the more entertaining elements. It added to WrestleMania'a growing reputation as a place for outside names to make their mark, as an entertainment medium like no other.

Perry's WrestleMania moment was enough to earn him an induction into the WWE Hall of Fame.

Mike Tyson Leaves Shawn Michaels Out Cold (WrestleMania XIV)

Tyson didn't just punch out The Heartbreak Kid; he boosted WrestleMania like no other celebrity has done before.

Adding him to the show's main event as a special enforcer created crackling buzz. Tyson was a massive name from the boxing world, a transcendent athlete. And while Muhammad Ali simply served as a referee during his WrestleMania stint, Iron Mike helped launched a new era during his.

Steve Austin knocked off Michaels for the WWE title; Tyson's flooring of Michaels after that moment put an exclamation point on the match.

Jim Ross' screaming Tyson's name is as memorable as the announcer's doing the same for Austin just moments earlier.

This title change was far more relevant in mainstream media thanks to Tyson's involvement. The former heavyweight champ it a cultural happening, not just a wrestling one. 

Pete Rose Pays (WrestleMania XIV)

Baseball's hits king brought a touch of silliness and strangeness to a fun WrestleMania moment.

Rose got the Boston fans riled up by trashing their Red Sox. He egged them on perfectly. By the time Kane emerged to pay Rose back for his potshots, the crowd was bloodthirsty. 

That Tombstone Piledriver that followed was an example of the power of keeping things simple. WWE asked Rose to play a classic heel, churn up some cheap heat and take a violent, headfirst trip to the canvas.

It worked beautifully. 

The juxtaposition of Kane and Rose and the two worlds they came from made it an ideal fit for WWE's special brand of entertainment. Fans loved it so much that WWE went to that well twice more, bringing him back for WrestleMania XV and WrestleMania 2000.

Floyd Mayweather Slays a Giant (WrestleMania XXIV)

Mayweather may be physically built to be a boxer, but his overall makeup is all pro wrestler. He thrived as a heel leading up to his WrestleMania appearance.

His cockiness, larger-than-life presence and trash-talking tendencies made him a welcome addition to the show. 

He entered a David-versus-Goliath battle where the fans rooted for the giant. Facing such a mammoth opponent alone was a striking image, but he also capped it off with a memorable route to victory.

A brass knuckle-assisted punch put Big Show out and entered Mayweather into a small group of celebrities who truly left an impression at WrestleMania. Like Tyson and Mr. T, it felt like he belonged on that stage from the get-go.

These special guests provided the blueprint for maximizing the power of celebrity at The Show of Shows. At WrestleMania 31 and beyond, these are the clips the company should study and strive to match.