Top 10 WWE WrestleMania Moments of the Last 5 Years, Ranked

WrestleMania is The Show of Shows for WWE, a weekend each year when the company delivers moment after moment to delight fans and set up the next 12 months of action.

As WWE approaches WrestleMania 42, this is a perfect time to look back on the past five years of the event.

To consistently highlight the last five years of The Show of Shows, this list will include only two moments from each event.

These are the 10 greatest moments of 'Mania history since 2021, ranked by their impact on the business.

10. Drew McIntyre Has 1st Entrance in Front of a Live Crowd in Over a Year, WrestleMania 37

Drew McIntyre finally reached the main event level in 2020 when he showed himself to be the only man who could truly outmatch Brock Lesnar.

This set up what was supposed to be the perfect moment for The Scottish Warrior. He was going into the main event of WrestleMania 36 to become WWE champion.

However, the world shut down right before 'Mania as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, leaving WWE with a surreal empty arena event for The Show of Shows.

McIntyre won it all to silence, defeating The Beast Incarnate with dominant focus and held the WWE Championship for much of the next year.

While WWE slowly reintroduced fan reactions through the ThunderDome era, it was WrestleMania 37 where wrestlers would finally hear a live crowd again.

Even though McIntyre failed to reclaim the WWE Championship, he had a special moment as the first wrestler to walk out in front of a live crowd in over a year.

It is obvious in his reaction and performance how much this moment meant to him and serves as a rare bright spot to come out of a dark time.

9. Seth Rollins Reveals His Vision with Paul Heyman, WrestleMania 41

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What are they fighting for? This was the primary question going into WrestleMania 41 when Seth Rollins faced CM Punk and Roman Reigns.

While all three had personal issues with one another, putting them in the main event promised a finish that would push WWE forward.

The answer to that question was the services of Paul Heyman, arguably WWE's greatest manager.

Both Punk and Reigns had worked with Heyman in the past, so this was the time for Rollins to shine. He won in the main event with the help of The Oracle to set a new direction for WWE.

This was a compelling hook that could have carried forward through WrestleMania 42 and perhaps beyond, but untimely injuries have dampened the impact of this moment.

Rollins is now back to feuding with Heyman, and The Oracle is awaiting the return of Bron Breakker to have a true top star to push forward again.

8. Dominik Mysterio Wins Fans' Love and the Intercontinental Championship, WrestleMania 41

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While Jey Uso went into WrestleMania 41 as the man ready to be crowned as champion, his moment was upstaged by an exciting Night 2 performance from another star capturing his first singles gold.

Dominik Mysterio walked into this match as an underdog against a dominant Bron Breakker, a decorated Finn Bálor and a fresh face to WWE in Penta.

However, following the example of Eddie Guerrero, who was one of the great intercontinental champions, Mysterio lied, cheated and stole his way to the win.

The crowd eruption in this moment was electric, highlighting how much the fans had come to appreciate Dirty Dom despite his heel tactics.

It is shocking WWE did not turn Mysterio face after this moment, but it still set up a year of dominance from Dirty Dom, who also captured the AAA Mega Championship.

7. Sami Zayn Ends Gunther's Record Intercontinental Title Run, WrestleMania 40

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Gunther's Intercontinental Championship reign may go down as the single greatest run with the title in WWE's history.

Not only did he hold the title longer than anyone else at 666 days, but he also delivered consistently great matches and elevated his opponents while remaining dominant.

When it was time to end the reign and move The Ring General forward to the world title, many hoped Chad Gable would be the man to whom WWE gave the torch.

Instead, it was Sami Zayn, who proved the company right for trusting him by delivering the best pure in-ring match of the entire weekend.

When Zayn finally landed the Corner Brainbuster in an ode to a legacy he began even before WWE, the crowd erupted and cheered on Zayn picking up the three-count.

This may be the peak moment of the Intercontinental Championship in this era, and it will take a long time to create a titleholder as dominant as Gunther for an underdog to topple with this much flair.

6. Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens Win It All Together, WrestleMania 39

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In all 40 years of WrestleMania, the main event has featured tag team gold being on the line just once: WrestleMania 39 Night 1.

The battle of The Usos vs. Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens more than earned that honor, arguably carrying more emotional weight in The Bloodline story than the Night 2 main event.

For months, KO and Zayn had dealt with The Bloodline tormenting them and taking away their shots at glory.

However, under the brightest lights, it was two best friends who prevailed over the twin brothers, creating perhaps the greatest moment of their careers in WWE.

Zayn and KO would go on to push the tag team division forward as undisputed tag team champions for both Raw and SmackDown until losing to The Judgment Day.

Moments like this will forever link the careers of Owens and Zayn.

5. Cody Rhodes Falls Short, WrestleMania 39

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Cody Rhodes sits despondent in the ring. Roman Reigns and Paul Heyman gloat on their way up the ramp. A rubber chicken is thrown into the ring by a frustrated fan.

After all of The American Nightmare's bluster in the build to WrestleMania 39, he simply was not good enough to get the job done.

Rhodes knew The Bloodline would get involved, yet Solo Sikoa still blasted him with a Samoan Spike, and Reigns speared him to seal the win.

WrestleMania is often about the crowd pops and emotional payoffs, but the 39th edition delivered a dark chapter that may have truly set the stage for Rhodes to reach the top of the industry.

Luckily, everything worked out when WrestleMania 40 rolled around.

4. Cody Rhodes Returns to WWE, WrestleMania 38

The worst-kept secret in WWE history, everyone knew Cody Rhodes would return at WrestleMania 38 to face Seth Rollins, even if the company never admitted to it.

The surprise was Rhodes coming out as The American Nightmare, fully represented by the same presentation he built outside WWE in All Elite Wrestling.

This was the single biggest move from AEW to WWE so far. More importantly, though, it was a homecoming for Rhodes.

He was back to finish what he started, beginning with an immediate rivalry with Seth Rollins that would define both men's careers.

It also helped that this moment was followed by a fantastic match. Alongside Becky Lynch vs. Bianca Belair, WWE delivered two of the best matches in 'Mania history back-to-back.

3. 'Stone Cold' Steve Austin Returns One Last Time, WrestleMania 38

While many can argue for the title, "Stone Cold" Steve Austin holds a firm grip on the moniker of WWE's greatest performer.

Even though his career did not last as long as some of the modern greats, he made the most of every moment and created the foundation for WWE's biggest boom period.

At WrestleMania XIX, The Texas Rattlesnake wrestled for the last time, putting over his greatest rival, The Rock, before riding off into the sunset.

That was the end of Austin's story for 19 years until WrestleMania 38, when Kevin Owens goaded him back into the ring one last time.

While a technical impromptu match coming out of a talk show, this was set up as the main event spot for a reason.

In a No Holds Barred brawl, Austin fought around the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas with Owens, showing he could take many devastating bumps and keep fighting.

It was a special moment for a lifelong Austin fan in Owens and an incredible moment for the fans to see The Texas Rattlesnake in action one last time and performing at his best.

2. Sasha Banks and Bianca Belair Make History and Steal the Show, WrestleMania 37

While this moment may not be celebrated as much today in WWE due to the professional falling-out between the company and Sasha Banks, The Legit Boss vs. Bianca Belair was the single greatest women's match in its history.

Moreover, the second-ever women's main event at 'Mania was the only time to date that two Black women had competed one-on-one at The Show of Shows.

It was a spectacular, hard-hitting battle between two incredible performers with so much to prove.

Nothing at 'Mania got anywhere near these two women standing across from each other to start their match in front of a loud, invested audience.

This was not only history-making but also an emphatic statement that under the brightest lights the women's division could be the true main event of The Show of Shows.

Hopefully, this does not end up being the last time the women's division main-events a 'Mania, but WWE has not committed this much to the women since.

1. Cody Rhodes Finishes His Story, WrestleMania 40

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Despite all signs initially pointing to a very different story, WWE bet everything on Cody Rhodes in the buildup to WrestleMania 40.

The night delivered on the hype as The American Nightmare stopped the seemingly unstoppable Roman Reigns and finished his story by capturing his first Undisputed WWE Championship.

The match between him and The Tribal Chief was good, but it was the build and the spectacle in the final minutes that made it special.

After losing in Night 1 to The Rock and Reigns, Rhodes was walking into Night 2 defeated and forced into a Bloodline Rules match.

That stipulation meant The Final Boss and every member of Reigns' family could get involved in the action.

However, it also set the stage for a dramatic series of appearances that turned the tide.

John Cena and The Undertaker arrived to turn the tide, ultimately making sure Rock did not play into the decision.

Meanwhile, Reigns' obsession with the past caused him to attack Seth Rollins instead of The American Nightmare in the last minute.

That mistake allowed Rhodes to hit a series of Cross Rhodes to seal the victory and take the title. The show ended with him lifted up by his peers, taking over as the new face of WWE.

The aftermath has yet to live up to the moment, but there is no doubt this is the moment everyone will remember first when looking back on the past five 'Manias.