For over four decades, WrestleMania has established itself as a massive professional wrestling extravaganza where history is made, legacies are defined and superstars are born. What started on March 31, 1985, at New York’s Madison Square Garden in front of 19,121 fans has evolved into a yearly spectacle that extends into two nights and stuffs record-breaking audiences into football stadiums as it can no longer be contained by arenas.
WWE’s “Showcase of the Immortals” has a long history of creating moments fans will never forget. From death-defying stunts and larger-than-life entrances to shocking upsets and storylines with emotional conclusions, WrestleMania has cemented itself as the destination for momentous occasions.
We combed through more than 450 matches across 42 WrestleManias to rank the 10 greatest moments in WrestleMania history. It wasn’t an easy list to whittle down and there were plenty of unsanctioned brawls involving tables, ladders and chairs as the voting committee fought tooth and nail for their favorites.
But, alas, we managed to finally agree on the moments that stood tall above the rest and present them to you.
10. Daniel Bryan wins the World Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania XXX
This moment isn’t about Bryan beating three members of Evolution in one night, though that was the payoff to a storyline that wasn’t meant to have one. It’s not even about Rey Mysterio as entrant No. 30 at the Royal Rumble instead of Bryan, attacking Bray Wyatt in the cage, or CM Punk’s WWE departure, though they were critical events in early 2014.
This is about unrelenting passion, which forced WWE to rewrite WrestleMania.
Bryan beat John Cena clean at the 2013 SummerSlam to win the WWE Championship — only to hold it for five minutes as Randy Orton successfully cashed in the Money in the Bank. WWE’s authority figures insisted he wasn’t worthy of being champion, dismissing him as a “B-plus player.” But the backlash from fans never faded.
The fans “occupied” Raw, hijacked every segment involving Triple H or Randy Orton, and — quite vocally — never gave up on Bryan. The “Yes Movement” permeated pop culture, even making it to “SportsCenter” when sports teams adopted the “Yes!” chant.
After years of seeing some of their favorite wrestlers brushed aside, the fans pushed Bryan to the main event of WrestleMania XXX, where he would hoist the championship amid the confetti-filled Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans. Fan-fueled changes shaped the next decade, but those wouldn’t be possible without Bryan at WrestleMania. — Sach Chandan
9. Edge spears Jeff Hardy at WrestleMania X-Seven
Do you understand how incredible the second-ever tables, ladders and chairs match in wrestling history — The Hardys vs. The Dudleys vs. Edge and Christian — had to be to steal the show at WrestleMania X-Seven? It had to be more memorable than a “Stone Cold” heel turn, Motorhead playing Triple H’s theme live at Houston’s Astrodome and a “comatose” Linda McMahon rising from her wheelchair for vengeance.
Furthermore, do you understand how remarkable Edge’s gravity-defying spear on Hardy had to be to steal “TLC II,” the same match that featured Bubba Ray Dudley and Matt Hardy falling off a ladder from the middle of the ring through a stack of four tables outside the ring?
But this is the spot for the time capsule. Jeff Hardy was dangling from the tag-team titles, using his legs to get a ladder under him, but Bubba Ray took away that ladder to leave him swinging like a trapeze artist. Edge, having climbed up a “20-foot ladder!” per wrestling commentator Jim Ross, hit a spear on Hardy that planted him into the canvas below. Christian collected the belts shortly thereafter, rewarding his partner’s daredevil maneuver.
There have been more than 30 TLC matches in WWE. None had the combination of degree of difficulty, flawless execution and nail-biting precariousness as this WrestleMania X-Seven classic. Edge’s mid-air spear encapsulated all of that. — Greg Wyshynski
8. The Undertaker ends Shawn Michaels’ career at WrestleMania XXVI
This streak vs. career match pitted two of the greatest wrestlers of their generation against each other in the main event of WrestleMania XXVI in 2010. In a rematch of the previous year’s event, The Undertaker was looking to extend his WrestleMania unbeaten streak to 18-0, while Michaels was hoping to keep his legendary in-ring career alive.
In a 24-minute classic at University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, both men traded near-falls and signature moves. “The Heartbreak Kid” delivered a string of Sweet Chin Music attempts, the third of which looked as if it would finally end The Undertaker’s streak, but the “Deadman” kicked out right before the count of three.
Michaels attempted another Sweet Chin Music, but The Undertaker countered with a chokeslam, quickly followed by a Tombstone piledriver.
As the end approached, Michaels mimicked The Undertaker’s signature cut-throat taunt and delivered one final slap. The Undertaker responded with another Tombstone, securing the win to extend his streak and end Michaels’ in-ring career.
After the match, the two shared a handshake and a hug, sealing one of WrestleMania’s most unforgettable moments. — Roberto Rojas
7. Seth Rollins cashes in at WrestleMania 31
Rollins’ iconic cash-in at the end of WrestleMania 31 in 2015 has gone down as the “Heist of the Century” — and that’s exactly what it felt like. A slightly subdued crowd came unglued 15 minutes into the main event between Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns as Rollins’ music hit with both men lying prone in the ring. Rollins ran down the long ramp with his Money in the Bank briefcase to cash in. The WWE World Heavyweight Championship match instantly became a triple threat match.
Rollins appeared to have the initiative, but Lesnar hoisted him onto his shoulders for an F-5, but before he could deliver the move, he was speared by Reigns. Seizing the moment, Rollins curb-stomped his old Shield teammate and then covered him to win the belt for the first time. Rollins, who was beaten by Randy Orton and the greatest “RKO outta nowhere” in a match earlier that night, had earned himself WWE’s most memorable championship win out of nowhere. The show closed with a wide-eyed Rollins celebrating with the belt. There had been MITB cash-ins before, but never so dramatic, and never during a WrestleMania. — Nate Saunders
6. Cody Rhodes finishes the story at WrestleMania XL
From “undesirable to undeniable” in 2,877 days. The story began on May 22, 2016, when Rhodes officially departed WWE in an effort to reinvent himself on the independent circuit. The journey concluded spectacularly on April 7, 2024, when “The American Nightmare” defeated Roman Reigns at WrestleMania XL to claim the WWE Universal Championship and his rightful spot atop the company — something his Hall of Fame father, Dusty Rhodes, was never able to accomplish. In the process, Rhodes brought down the curtain on a historic 1,316-day title run from Reigns that commenced with a pinfall over Braun Strowman at WWE Payback in August 2020.
The climax of the story was undoubtedly the most electric 11 minutes and 49 seconds in WrestleMania history, which concluded the Rhodes-Reigns “Bloodline Rules” rematch. What started as a Jimmy Uso superkick to Rhodes quickly evolved into a series of adrenaline-building run-ins that included Jey Uso, Solo Sikoa, John Cena, The Rock, Seth Rollins and — in what might have been the greatest pop in WWE history — The Undertaker.
When the dust finally settled at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, it was Rhodes, the man formerly known as “Stardust,” who stood on top of the professional wrestling mountain — having finished his story in the most exhilarating WrestleMania main event in history. — Joe Fortenbaugh
5. ‘I’m sorry, I love you’ at WrestleMania XXIV
Ric Flair stepped into the ring with “The Heartbreak Kid” Shawn Michaels in a career‑threatening match. Before the match, then-WWE chairman Vince McMahon had declared that the next time Flair lost, he would be forced to retire. Flair, determined to prove he could still perform at the highest level, chose to face one of wrestling’s best.
Michaels had idolized Flair for years, openly calling him one of the greatest of all time. That respect shaped the entire match. Throughout the bout, Michaels hesitated to deliver the final blow, torn between his competitive instinct and his emotional connection to Flair.
As the match reached its final moments, a battered and teary‑eyed Flair struggled to stand, defiantly urging Michaels to finish the job. With visible emotion, Michaels steadied himself, mouthed the now‑iconic words “I’m sorry, I love you” and ended Flair’s career with one final Sweet Chin Music.
More than 70,000 fans, including Flair’s family in the front row, rose to their feet and gave Flair a standing ovation worthy of his legacy. The tribute continued the next night on “Raw,” when the entire WWE roster gathered to honor and say farewell to “Nature Boy.”
This moment is remembered as one of the most emotional and respectful farewells in wrestling history. It delivered love, respect and storytelling that captured everything fans cherish about professional wrestling. — Juliana Daddio
4. The Rock vs. Hulk Hogan staredown at WrestleMania X8
At WrestleMania X8, The Rock and “Hollywood” Hulk Hogan produced a pro wrestling atmosphere never before seen.
On one side was The Rock, one of WWE’s premier babyfaces and attractions. Opposite him stood Hogan, back in WWE as the leader of the New World Order and chasing one last shot at rekindling the magic of his iconic 1980s and ’90s run. The goosebump-inducing roar of the crowd at SkyDome in Toronto was intoxicating as the wrestlers stared each other down before the first lock-up.
Hogan entered the ring as a heel, but the audience’s reaction to every move reshaped the dynamic, elevating Hogan to fan favorite and turning The Rock into the de facto villain. The overwhelming response shifted the tone of the match toward mutual respect, ultimately leading The Rock to come to his opponent’s rescue after Hogan’s nWo teammates, Kevin Nash and Scott Hall, turned on him after his loss.
The match wasn’t the designated main event on the show, but it might as well have been. WrestleMania X8 will always be remembered for The Rock vs. Hogan. — Sean Coyle
3. The double turn: Bret Hart vs. Steve Austin at WrestleMania 13
“The double turn” is the most famous and celebrated example of two pro wrestlers simultaneously swapping babyface and heel allegiances. Bret “Hitman” Hart and “Stone Cold” Steve Austin were individually two of the best, and when they came together, they created magic.
Their 1996 Survivor Series match was a wrestling clinic, but their no-disqualification submission match at WrestleMania 13 was a physical brawl with multiple weapons and sheer violence. It produced an iconic image of Austin, trapped in the Sharpshooter and screaming out in pain with his face a full bloody mask. He passed out, but never tapped. After the bell, Hart attacked an incapacitated Austin again to a sea of boos.
Hart had fully cemented himself as a heel, going on to reform the Hart Foundation in a crusade against the United States. Austin became the anti-hero babyface who captured the WWE title at WrestleMania the following year. If the “Austin 3:16” promo at the 1996 King of the Ring was the birth of the Austin Era, WrestleMania 13 was his coronation into generational stardom. — Arda Ocal
2. Hulk Hogan bodyslams Andre the Giant at WrestleMania III
If WrestleMania I launched professional wrestling — and Hogan — into the pop-culture mainstream, Hogan vs. Andre took things to a whole new level. Professional wrestling is a business, and no one sold more tickets in the history of the industry than Hogan. In 1987, Andre, billed at 7-feet-4 and 520 pounds, was a close second in terms of ability to put butts in seats.
Hogan and Andre had been friends in the then-WWF storyline, until Andre got jealous, joined with Hogan’s top antagonist Bobby “The Brain” Heenan and said Hogan only stayed friends with him because he feared facing him in the ring with the WWF Championship on the line. It was easy storytelling, which is sometimes the most effective: the top good guy going against a disloyal, seemingly immovable obstacle. Pure ’80s action-movie stuff.
And it certainly worked. The WWF drew a claimed record attendance of 93,730 to the Pontiac Silverdome in Michigan and nearly 1 million people watched on closed-circuit television, the precursor to pay-per-view.
Hogan slamming Andre remains not just an iconic wrestling moment, but a cultural touchstone of the 1980s as professional wrestling penetrated the national zeitgeist. Hogan would not have become a household name without Andre. — Marc Raimondi
1. Brock Lesnar ends The Undertaker’s streak at WrestleMania XXX
For 21 WrestleManias, The Undertaker emerging victorious was about as sure as the sun rising every morning. What began at WrestleMania VII in 1991, when he defeated Jimmy “Superfly” Snuka, slowly became the cornerstone of WrestleManias with a litany of WWE’s greatest stars falling victim to the “Deadman.” World titles were won, careers were ended and sibling rivalries were settled by The Undertaker. By the time WrestleMania XXX rolled around, the conversation shifted to not when, but if The Streak would ever end.
And then along came Lesnar.
Although Lesnar was one of the most destructive forces in WWE history, The Undertaker entered the ring as a massive odds-on favorite to collect his 22nd consecutive WrestleMania victory. But three F-5s later, Lesnar pinned The Undertaker’s shoulders to the mat for the three-count as Michael Cole remarked on commentary, “The Streak … is over.”
However, it was what immediately followed that made this the most memorable moment in WrestleMania history. The 60,000-plus fans at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome met the result with an awkward silence as they tried to process what happened. There’s no possible way that The Undertaker was just pinned, right? Did the referee make a mistake? The camera panned the crowd, who stared, mouths agape, still unsure if it was real. But the look on manager Paul Heyman’s face as he slid into the ring, repeating “Oh my God” to Lesnar pulling off the unthinkable, cemented what happened as the crowd’s disbelief turned into perhaps the most audible gasp in pro wrestling history as “21-1” flashed on the screens in the stadium.
It happened.
And to this day, fans still debate whether The Streak should have ever ended.
That’s what great moments are made of and why Lesnar ending The Streak is the greatest moment in WrestleMania history. — Andreas Hale
Honorable mentions:
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Razor Ramon defeating Shawn Michaels for the Intercontinental Championship in a ladder match at WrestleMania XI
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The Undertaker pins Shawn Michaels at WrestleMania 25
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KofiMania: Kofi Kingston winning the WWE Championship at WrestleMania 35
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“Stone Cold” Steve Austin winning his first WWE Championship with Mike Tyson as referee at WrestleMania XIV
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The Undertaker, Triple H and Shawn Michaels embrace at WrestleMania 28
