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Forums - Sports Discussion - The Pro Wrasslin' Thread (WWE, WWF, WCW, TNA, ROH, NWA, NJPW, etc)

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What match are you excited for at WWE Payback 2017?

Neville vs. Austin Aries ... 1 5.88%
 
Randy Orton vs. Bray Wyat... 3 17.65%
 
The Hardy Boyz vs. Cesaro... 3 17.65%
 
Kevin Owens vs. Chris Jer... 4 23.53%
 
Bayley vs. Alexa Bliss (Raw Women's Title) 3 17.65%
 
Seth Rollins vs. Samoa Joe 1 5.88%
 
Roman Reigns vs. Braun Strowman 2 11.76%
 
Total:17
BasilZero said:

Tony khan needs to shut the hell up lol

Every CEO/executive needs to shut up because of the dumb shit they spout on Twitter - that goes for Khan, Musk or Sweeny.

Tony Khan needs to stop doing anything in AEW beyond writing checks. There are literally centuries of experience on the AEW roster that could probably put together a cohesive and competent show. Instead they have someone with no experience in charge. Which is why they don't get very basic concepts like put someone on TV weekly if you want them to get over. *shrug*



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BasilZero said:

Tony khan needs to shut the hell up lol

Every CEO/executive needs to shut up because of the dumb shit they spout on Twitter - that goes for Khan, Musk or Sweeny.

How about we just shut down social media entirely? Nobody needs influencers, no one needs to befriend people thousands of miles away, and no body should be shouting opinions at one another that they wouldn't have the gall to say to somebody's face. If you wouldn't have friended them or said that offline, then you shouldn't have friended or said that online. We'd all be better off if we poured ourselves into our local communities more and worried less about what some random person thinks halfway around the world.

We can still have news, articles, things to learn about other cultures. But social media should be destroyed. Even forums like this need to go bye bye.



Dulfite said:
BasilZero said:

Tony khan needs to shut the hell up lol

Every CEO/executive needs to shut up because of the dumb shit they spout on Twitter - that goes for Khan, Musk or Sweeny.

How about we just shut down social media entirely? Nobody needs influencers, no one needs to befriend people thousands of miles away, and no body should be shouting opinions at one another that they wouldn't have the gall to say to somebody's face. If you wouldn't have friended them or said that offline, then you shouldn't have friended or said that online. We'd all be better off if we poured ourselves into our local communities more and worried less about what some random person thinks halfway around the world.

We can still have news, articles, things to learn about other cultures. But social media should be destroyed. Even forums like this need to go bye bye.

I mean... nobody has a gun to your head. 



I have a shameful secret to confess to...

I look forward to the 24/7 title stuff. It is by far the worst thing going on in any major promotion at the moment, but it is so terrible that it has come all the way around for me. I cannot on any level defend it. It's not even good as silly comedy. But seeing something so horrifically bad on prime time TV somehow strikes me directly in the funny bone.



Now that Mania has come and gone, just a little something fun I cooked up.

Tier List Maker right here.

-------------------------------------------

Guess I should explain what this is and my reasoning.

This is a Tier List of all the WrestleMania Main Events as of WrestleMania 38 and I have them listed in 7 different tiers from S (GOAT!!!) to F (Shit-Show).

The Tier List is operationg from left to right, in a zig zag pattern. So, whatever is on the Far Left of S - GOAT!!! is what I consider the greatest WM Main Event of all time, and what is on the Far Right of F- Shit Show is what I consider the worst, and everything else in between is ranked accordingly. So without further ado, let's get started!

-----------------------

S Tier - GOAT!!!:

Spoiler!

1. The Rock vs. Stone Cold Steve Austin for the WWF Championship from WrestleMania 17: JUST ONE... MORE FIGHT... AND I'LL BE HISTORY... This was the peak of WWF/WWE and the peak of Professional Wrestling as a whole. This was the end of the Attitude Era and the Monday Night Wars with the acquisition of WCW and the folding of ECW, this was the closing of the greatest chapter in professional wrestling and they went out with a bang. Still what I consider the greatest WrestleMania from top to bottom and probably the best show WWE has ever done, it was cap offed with the greatest Main Event they could have ever put together at the time. The two biggest stars in the business, and depending on who you ask, the two biggest stars EVER, going at it for the biggest prize in the WWE. The Rock and Stone Cold. The best match of their WrestleMania trilogy, deep in the heart of Texas - Austin's backyard, this was everything a WrestleMania main event should be. The match, the star power, the stakes, the setting, the story behind it, the story within the match with Austin getting more and more desperate to finish off The Rock and complete his comeback from spinal fusion neck surgery. To the point where he was even willing to accept the help of Vince McMahon, his greatest adversary, just to get the job done. "I need to beat you, Rock. I need it more than you can ever imagine!" And the unthinkable happens! Austin joins forces with Satan himself (Yet another iconic Jim Ross one-liner.) Even with the Heel Turn at the end of the match with Austin siding with Vince being the only stain on it (at least for me) this still more than lives up to the hype and expectations and is why I have as the greatest WrestleMania Main Event of All Time.

2. Shawn Michaels vs. The Undertaker - Career vs. Streak from WrestleMania 26: The sequel to what many consider, myself included, the greatest WrestleMania match of all time from the year prior. Shawn Michaels and the Undertaker put on an absolute classic the year before with HBK coming closer than anyone at the time to ending the Streak. Completely torn from the fact that he didn't get the job done, the Showstopper was OBSESSED with getting a rematch, doing everything from entering the Royal Rumble, costing the Undertaker the World Heavyweight title, and getting the Deadman's wrath, Undertaker finally agreed to the rematch with the condition that HBK put his career on the line as well. The bell rings and the pick up right where they left off from the year before. This was fast paced, hard-hitting, high flying action, with plenty of psychology and submission wrestling in between. An emotional affair similar to two years prior when HBK was on the other side of a Career-Ending match against Ric Flair. All leading up to the finish with Undertaker, with hesitation, before being pissed off by HBK's final act of defiance, finally pulling the trigger with what is still the most VICIOUS Tombstone Piledriver I've ever seen, leading to the 1-2-3, and ending the career of the Greatest of Professional Wrestler of All Time (in my opinion). The post match applause for HBK as he rode off into the sunset. This was the perfect send off for the legendary Heart Break Kid. (Crown Jewel NEVER happened!)

3. Triple H vs. Shawn Michaels vs. Chris Benoit in a Triple Threat Match for the World Heavyweight Championship from WrestleMania 20: You're gonna see a WHOLE LOT of Shawn Michaels at the top of this Tier List - There's a reason he's Mr. WrestleMania. And this was another example with what is one of the greatest Triple Threat matches you will ever see. The story going in with Triple H and Shawn Michaels' bad blood stemming back from HBK's return from back injury in 2002, Triple H's obsession with the World Heavyweight Title (for better or worse, mostly worse, FUCK the Reign of Terror), and it led them to this stage where they would clash for the title at the 20th edition of WrestleMania back at MSG. But they weren't the only ones who had eyes on the title: Enter Chris Benoit. The man who won the Royal Rumble that year after entering at #1 and lasting over an hour to earn a shot to challenge for the title. However, Benoit - a SmackDown guy before the Rumble, jumped ship to RAW to challenge for Triple H's World Heavyweight title as opposed to Brock Lesnar's WWE title - (Which set up Eddie Guerrero's moment of triumph, which I always get emotional every time I think about.) So you had HBK who wanted to get his hands on Triple H and take his precious prize away form him, Triple H who wanted to get the Hell out of dodge from facing not 1, but 2 great wrestlers, and Benoit, who wanted the World Heavyweight Title to FINALLY put that stamp on his legacy. The match was as incredible as you'd expect from the 3 men involved, the drama slowly building as the MSG crowd was FIRMLY behind Benoit. All leading up to Benoit forcing Triple H to tap out to the Crippler Crossface to roaring cheers. Benoit celebrates his moment of triumph which leads to... (sniffs) him and Eddie... God, here I go again... Arguably the most emotional moment in wrestling history... for both good AND bad reasons given... What ultimately happened with both men, especially Benoit... The unspeakable tragedy aside, looking at this moment in context, it's still an absolutely incredible match with all the elements behind it and Benoit and Eddie is still my all time favorite WrestleMania moment, and that's why I place it at #3.

4. Hulk Hogan vs. Andre the Giant for the WWF Championship from WrestleMania 3: The irresistible force meets the immovable object. The pinnacle of Hulkamania and the WWF's Golden Era. Hogan and Andre. The match that set the standard for what a WrestleMania main event should be. Now: Is this match a outstanding athletic and wrestling showcase like the first three matches before it? Absolutely not. Especially with Andre being a physical wreck by this point. But you have the star power with Hogan and Andre, the atmosphere inside the Pontiac Silverdome, 3 years into WrestleMania, this was the first time where a WrestleMania main event TRULY felt like a WrestleMania main event and what kind of spectacle and special event it should be. The story of Andre, who was a good guy up to that point, suddenly snapping, siding with Bobby Heenan, and targeting Hogan, and it feels like Hulkamania may be coming to an end. And then, you have the iconic image of Hogan slamming Andre. And that's the best way to describe this: Iconic - which is what a WrestleMania Main Event should be and this was the first one to live up to that billing. It's Hogan and Andre, what more needs to be said.

5. Randy Orton vs. Batista vs. Danial Bryan in a Triple Threat Match for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship from WrestleMania 30: The culmination of the YES Movement. The crowning moment of glory for the most popular wrestler in the industry at the time since Stone Cold and The Rock. Daniel Bryan's moment of triumph. A moment that originally wasn't supposed to happen according to Bryan himself, who said it was supposed to be him and Sheamus in the undercard, with Batista and Orton one on one in the Main Event. However, Batista's terrible reception at the Royal Rumble + CM Punk saying "Peace out" and ruining Triple H's Mania plans forced them to change course. And it was absolutely the right decision as we got the ending story that we should have gotten all along. A little bit of a recycled story from Benoit a decade earlier: There's some similarities, but that doesn't make this Main Event any less incredible and emotional from the moment Batista tapped out to the YES! Lock and 70,000+ in the SUPERdome (Not Silverdome, Terry) going ballistic. This is worthy of being in S Tier.

6. Hulk Hogan vs. The Ultimate Warrior for the WWF and Intercontinental Championships from WrestleMania 6: THE ULTIMATE CHALLENGE!!! What was SUPPOSED to be the passing of the torch, Hulk Hogan and the Ultimate Warrior, much like Hogan and Andre 3 years prior, was not a wrestling clinic by any stretch of the imagination, but it was a star studded spectacle, a clash of Titans in the biggest setting possible. The Sky Dome in Toronto was rocking for this as the two biggest Babyfaces in the company at the time clashed to see who was the biggest of them all. A physical showcase of two massive men trying to out muscle each other. (Vince was probably sweating bullets at Gorilla.) It all culminated in Warrior's moment of glory as he pinned Hogan and firmly cemented himself atop the mountain. Unfortunately, it wouldn't last as this would be Warriors's only title reign and the belt would ultimately go back to Hogan a year later, this match still iconic and monumental for the setting and the shift it represented.

7. Shawn Michaels vs. Stone Cold Steve Austin for the WWF Championship with Mike Tyson as Special Guest Enforcer from WrestleMania 14: The Birth of the Austin Era. The match that officially put the Attitude Era in full swing and marked the turning point in the Monday Night Wars in WWF's favor. Stone Cold had become the biggest rising star in all of wrestling at this point in time and it became very clear that they HAD to get the title on him. Standing in the Rattlesnake's way was Shawn Michaels, the founder of DX and the current WWF Champion. And at this point in time, Shawn Michaels was at his personal worst, the backstage antics, the drug issues, and the back injury he sustained from the Royal Rumble against the Undertaker, there were questions as to whether or not HBK would actually do business. And apparently, Undertaker was backstage taping his fists just in case he wasn't. But HBK did do the honors and put Austin over to set up Stone Cold and the WWF for years to come. The match itself was good. Not nearly as amazing as it could've been and perhaps Shawn's back and his frame of mind is to blame for that, but they gave it the best they could with those circumstances and they delivered a good match all things considered. And the edition of Mike Tyson gave this the much needed attention and press it needed that helped strap the rocket to Austin and lifted him and the company to the stratosphere. Given how absolutely important this match was to the success and survival of the WWF, the iconic image of Austin officially become champion, "The Austin Era has begun!", and what it would lead to, I believe this is fitting of going in to the S tier.

8. Sasha Banks vs. Bianca Belair for the SmackDown Women's Championship from Night 1 of WrestleMania 37: This will probably be the first one people will disagree with, but I believe this match is worthy of being S tier for the following reasons. Coming out of the Pandemic Era of empty arena shows and the ThunderDome, this was WWE firmly coming back to live shows and welcoming fans back into stadiums after a year of Hell with Covid. Seeing the fans back and things going back to a degree of normal was absolutely a welcome sight and something that made me very happy to see and what made it better was seeing two of the best women in the business going in there and tearing it down, making history in the process. To this day, this is the first and only 1-on-1 WrestleMania main event between not just two women, but two women of color. And while I don't like to focus on skin color, race, or gender, I think it should go to the two people who are the biggest stars and/or have the best story regardless of such, I'd be a fool to overlook how monumental this moment was and I can't think of two ladies more deserving. Bianca is a freaking beast who is well on her way to cementing herself among the best ever and Sasha, in my view, is the best female wrestler in the world and one of the best in the world PERIOD. I knew these two would go in there, in the magnitude of the moment, with the setting they were in, and they would tear it down, and they did not disappoint. All leading to Bianca's moment of glory in being crowned Women's Champion in the main event of WrestleMania. A monumental and important landmark moment for WWE and pro wrestling coming out of the pandemic era as well as for Women's wrestling. Certainly more than another main event which I'll get to later.

9. Kevin Owens vs. Stone Cold Steve Austin in a No Holds Barred Match from Night 1 of WrestleMania 38: Yet another one that may raise eyebrows. My reasons for this are relatively simple: It's Stone Cold Steve Austin! Wrestling in his first match in over 19 years, something I thought we would NEVER see again. He came back, they were in Texas, the crowd was FIRMLY electric and on fire for him just like they were 21 years prior at WrestleMania 17, and he's in their with an opponent who was going to get the best out of him in Kevin Owens. And given the history between the two, with Owens getting as far as he has thanks to the advice Austin gave him, it's fitting that he was the one who gave Austin this one last hurrah (assuming this was Austin's last match.) For one night, we were transported back the Attitude Era. For one night, the glass shattered and Austin opened up a can of whoop ass. For one last time, Austin stood in the ring, victorious, as he celebrated and toasted a large sell-out stadium crowd. And despite being on the losing end, Kevin Owens is a made man. He can now say: "I main evented WrestleMania with Stone Cold Steve Austin." That's better than any championship he will ever win! As such it as at the BOTTOM of my S Tier list.

------------------------------------------------------------------

A Tier - Amazing!!

Spoiler!

10. Kurt Angle vs. Brock Lesnar for the WWE Championship from WrestleMania 19: Man, given how boring and stale Brock Lesnar matches are now, it's so easy to forget about his first, initial run from 2002-2004. Back then, he was a freaking animal and he could GO. And in this instance, he had the perfect sparring partner, probably the one and only guy who was a greater athlete and wrestler than Brock, and that was Kurt Angle. As pure of a true wrestling match as you will get in pro wrestling. These two went in there and gave us a truly genuine clinic as it marked the shift into the Ruthless Aggression Era. And the most amazing part about this was how beat up Kurt Angle was at this time, he was due to have neck surgery after this match, and there were doubts as to whether or not he could make it to this match, but seeing him here, you could never tell that he was banged up. He went in there and killed it like only he could. And then of course, the moment everyone remembers, but for the WRONG reasons. When Brock almost killed himself on that botched shooting star press. (No wonder he only wants to do suplex, suplex, suplex, F-5, hit the showers.) If not for that horrible botch, I would probably put this in S-Tier. But as it stands, it's an incredible wrestling clinic between two of the best in their craft at the time, that falls just short of that tier because of it. As such, it rests firmly at the top of A. It was amazing!!!

11. Bret Hart vs. Shawn Michaels in a 60-Minute Iron Man Match for the WWF Championship from WrestleMania 12: "The Boyhood Dream has come true!" Here he is again! Shawn Michaels! This time, capturing his first ever WWF Championship from arguably his greatest rival and forever linked adversary, Bret "The Hitman" Hart. The two stars and biggest faces of the New Generation Era, both at the top of their games, going in there for 1 hour to put on an absolute gem of a marathon match. You have that iconic zipline entrance from HBK, Bret locking in the Sharpshooter as time expired, the Sudden Death rules announcement, HBK getting his win and celebration. This had all the makings of an a top level, all time great Main Event... So why is it in A instead of S? Simply put... The match itself hasn't really aged well. There's A LOT of dead space in here, a lot of quiet moments, there were many points where the crowd was dead, and for there to only be 1 decision in the entire match, when the point of the match is to have multiple falls within a certain amount of time, they kind of shot their own stipulation in the foot there. It's still a very, very good match, don't get me wrong. But it's overrated. It's not even the best Iron Man Match in WWE history (Rock/HHH, Angle/Lesnar, and HHH/Benoit top it in my view.) For all the elements it had, the biggest thing to look forward to, the match itself, slightly underdelivered, as such, it holds it back from being amongst the tip top of WrestleMania main events, as such. Yet despite it underwhelming, (as underwhelming as a match between Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels could be), it still sits in A tier. That's just how great the Hitman and the Heart Break Kid truly were.

12. The Rock vs. Stone Cold Steve Austin for the WWF Championship from WrestleMania 15: Ah, WrestleMania 15. "Russomania" A total clusterfuck of a WrestleMania that embodies the best and worst of the Attitude Era. All from the aftermath of the Brawl for All, Undertaker hanging a man on PPV, Triple H turning on DX and starting what would eventually become a legendary Heel run that cemented him as the Top Heel of the Attitude Era (besides Vince). And of course, the main event of the show - The very first of the WrestleMania trilogy between The Rock and Stone Cold Steve Austin. The Rock was at the absolute peak of his Heel behavior at this point (We're still 4 years away from Hollywood Rock at this point in time.) The Corporate Champion who is the fastest rising star in the industry. The man was untouchable at this stage and served as the perfect foil to Stone Cold in his quest to reclaim the WWF Championship is his on-going feud with Vince McMahon. The match was the definition of Attitude Era craziness. Them fighting up and down the stage, into the barricades near the fans, ref bumps, McMahon and Austin trading blows, Mankind getting involved as the ref, Jim Ross and Jerry Lawler's commentary. This had all the craziness you'd expect from that era... And that is also what holds it back. This match gets a tad bit ridiculous with how overbooked it is between the ref bumps and Vince's involvement. And ultimately, as great as the Rock was at this point, he was not the focal point. The story wasn't Austin vs. Rock (yet), it was Austin vs. McMahon. If they could've somehow found a way to put the belt on Vince and have Austin beat him for it and make it believable, they would have done that instead. But instead they needed a body for Austin to beat and The Rock was the guy to do it. And once this feud was over, it was right back to the midcard for Rock until the end of the year when Austin went down for neck surgery. And I can't help but feel that's a bit of a slap in the face to The Rock. And by this point, Austin/McMahon was beginning to wear out its welcome. It was great to see Austin get the title back, but it was time for them to start moving on.

13. Hulk Hogan vs. "Macho Man" Randy Savage for the WWF Championship from WrestleMania 5: THE MEGA POWERS EXPLODE!!! The culmination to one of the greatest stories WWE has ever done. The Mega Powers and the awkward love triangle between Hulk Hogan, Randy Savage, and Miss Elizabeth. A match that was one year in the making, the seeds planted from WrestleMania 4's Main Event (more on that later). This was the two of the all time greats going at it on the biggest stage. What more could you ask for? Hogan and Savage. Their personal backstage animosity aside (almost entirely Hogan's fault), there was no denying the on screen chemistry these two had and Miss Elizabeth served as the perfect driving piece of the story. (Two men fighting over a damsel. Ah, the 1980s.) The story of Macho Man growing envious and paranoid from Hogan constantly trying to steal the spotlight and "pining for Elizabeth." And also him trying to show that he's better than Hogan in every way, these two went in and delivered a great one. The only things that hold it back for me is the setting, this deserved a big fight feel similar to Hogan/Andre and Hogan/Warrior and Hogan's refusal to really sell much of Savage's offense. No matter what Savage hit him with, Hogan would always kick out at 2, right on the dot. Not 2.5 or 2.75. A solid 2.0, that doesn't sit well with me. This was Hogan starting to show a bit of his backstage side.

14. Roman Reigns vs. Daniel Bryan vs. Edge in a Triple Threat Match for the Universal Championship from Night 2 of WrestleMania 37: The second night of the first WrestleMania back in front of fans after the Pandemic/Thunderdome Era proved to be an amazing Triple Threat match between three of the very best in the company. You have Roman Reigns, the Tribal Chief, and the top guy at this moment, right at the peak of his run as the Head of the Table, Edge the Royal Rumble winner, the legend making a heroic comeback after he had been retired for 9 years from an initially career ending neck injury. And Daniel Bryan, the underdog babyface who was looking to get that one last major moment of triumph. Three of the best telling a compelling story in an emotional return to form for the industry and for wrestling fans, it all had the makings of a fantastic main event. And it was! What stops me from putting this in the S tier is that, even though Bryan helped make this a better match... I can't help but feel like his inclusion was unnecessary. I really think this should have been Roman and Edge one on one. I thought they had a compelling story and could have pulled off a great match by themselves to truly make something special out of Edge being the underdog babyface trying to return at the Final Boss Roman's expense rather than the Tweener who is getting angry over Bryan trying to steal his thunder. And falling Night 1's historic main event, Sasha/Bianca was going to be a tough act to follow. And while I feel it came up short of Night 1's main event, it was still great enough to stand on its own and fitting of being in the A tier. Speaking of Edge...

15. Edge vs. The Undertaker for the World Heavyweight Championship from WrestleMania 24: It was around this time where the Streak was really getting a lot of traction and being featured as one of the premier attractions and draws of WrestleMania. And this was the first time where the Streak was featured as the Main Event. (I know there was Undertaker/Sid at WM13, but the Streak wasn't even talked about then, I believe.) And Edge, in my view, was portrayed as the first credible threat to actually end it. They had started incorporating the Streak as a storyline at WrestleMania 21 with Randy Orton and then the following years with Mark Henry and Batista, but I don't think anyone really doubted that Taker was going over in those ones... Well maybe Orton, but certainly not Henry and Batista. This was the first time where you thought, "Oh shit, the Streak might actually end here. Edge could do it." And every week, he would always get the upper hand and always be one step ahead of Undertaker, and they told that story in this match where Edge had an answer for everything Undertaker was throwing at him and that he may have his number. That first and second spear really made you think that this was the end of the Streak. And then BAM, Undertake hits him with a new move, Hell's Gate! He had debuted Hell's Gate a month prior right before No Way Out, but it was new enough to where Edge didn't have an answer for that one, and it led to the Deadman triumphing, a new World Heavyweight Champion, and 16-0! Both men played their roles perfectly with Edge getting his well deserved Main Event. 

16. John Cena vs. Shawn Michaels for the WWE Championship from WrestleMania 23: Freaking Shawn Michaels again! He really IS Mr. WrestleMania! For the edition of WrestleMania that would mark their return to stadiums (and they haven't looked back since) the main event was originally supposed to be John Cena/Triple H II, but then Triple H tore his OTHER quad at New Year's Revolution in a tag team match against Edge and Randy Orton. And so, the Showstopper was Plan B. The story leading up to the match... Was really nothing all that special. John Cena subbed in for Triple H in Shawn Michaels' ongoing feud with Edge and Orton, they won the Tag Team titles as reluctant partners, Shawn won a #1 Contender's match, you could tell this was thrown together at the last minute. But thankfully, the match MORE than made up for it. Shawn Michaels and John Cena went in there and they tore it up. Of course, HBK was in his element as only Mr. WrestleMania could be, but Cena was more than holding his own in their with Shawn and really sticking it to the "You can't wrestle" Cena haters out there. HA! Shawn Michaels was as tenacious and resilient as he had ever been in this match as Cena was getting more and more frustrated with not being about to put him away. To the point where he was arguing with the ref after he let go of the STFU, and Shawn only needs 1 second. Cena turns around BAM! Sweet Chin Music! Ultimately, Cena came out on top. Shawn did the honors for the younger guy. I can't imagine how the originally scheduled bout with Triple H could've possibly topped this. (Sorry, Hunter.) And it wouldn't even be the best match those two had together! But this was an excellent match between two of the biggest stars in history... And speaking of two of the biggest stars in history...

17. John Cena vs. The Rock from WrestleMania 28: ONCE IN A LIFETI-HAHAHAHAHAHAAAAA! Sorry, I just couldn't do it! Despite them blatantly betraying that tagline just one year later, that doesn't take away from the fact that this was an absolute star-studded, iconic clashing of Titans. Two of the biggest stars in WWE and wrestling history. Two icons. Two legends. The Rock and John Cena. Just like Rock and Hogan before it, this match was a symbolic collision of eras. Wrestling's past vs. wrestling's present (at the time). A match that some people thought would NEVER happen and yet when the Rock came back in 2011 specifically to confront Cena who had been bad-mouthing him, it became an all too sudden possibility and the fans were all for it. This time, the setting was in Miami, The Rock's backyard. And they were firmly behind The Great One. The match itself... Ehh, it was good. Not the most technical spectacle in the world. But that didn't matter. What mattered was seeing Rock and Cena actually in the ring across from each other. It was exactly what a WrestleMania Main Event should be: Iconic. And The Rock getting the win was a big deal with how rare it was to see Cena lose clean at the time. And that would of course plant the seed to the rematch a year later, but for this night only, with the hype and star power behind: Rock/Cena I was  a match worthy of the billing and worthy of being a star-studded, top level, WrestleMania main event.

18. The Undertaker vs. AJ Styles in a Boneyard Match from Night 1 of WrestleMania 36: This is a pretty weird one. This was originally meant to be a straight up one-on-one match between Undertaker and AJ Styles. And with Undertaker at this point, I really had no desire to see him in the ring anymore as a battered and broken shell of his former self. But if there was one man who could give him that one last great match, that final hurrah, and that amazing farewell that Undertaker so badly wanted, that man was AJ Styles. So going into Mania, I was cautiously optimistic about this...

...And then the world went to Hell.

Covid happened, we went into lockdown, everything from March Madness, the baseball season, basketball season, Olympics, movie theaters, etc. were all cancelled, suspended, or postponed indefinitely life as we knew it changed seemingly overnight. And it was just a really dark time for all of us. This may sound weird but... Having his match, and the spectacle that it was: It was something I sorely needed at the time. It was just a really great DISTRACTION. To just forget about Covid, forget about the world, forget about life for a while, and just have some stupid fun. That's what this match was: Stupid fun in the best and most needed way. It was an excellent match, likely better than what a straight up singles match would have been, it was something we all sorely needed at the time as a lift me up during hard times, it gave AJ Styles his WrestleMania main event, and it gave Undertaker that closure he was seeking all that time. As such, I rank it at the bottom of my A tier.

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B Tier - Pretty Good!

Spoiler!

19. Triple H vs. Batista for the World Heavyweight Championship from WrestleMania 21: YEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!!!! I WALK FOR MILES INSIDE THIS PIT OF DANGER!!!! A PLACE WHERE NO-ONE FOLLOWS ME! I WALK ALOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONE!!! Now that I got THAT out of my system, 'Mania 21! Triple H and Batista. But MOST IMPORTANTLY, The End of the Reign of Terror! But don't think that was the only good thing to come out of this. Far from it. This was a beautifully told story that played the long game, they went the slow burn route and took their sweet time telling this story and it was ABSOLUTELY the right decision! From what I heard, this was originally planned as far back as Summer/Fall 2004 as Randy Orton vs. Triple H with Orton getting the title back after Triple H took it from him at Unforgiven, something happened along the way: Batista got over. And he got over BIG! And credit to Vince and creative, they saw the fans getting behind Big Dave and they rolled with it! And the way they sold him as a Big Time Main Event player was picture perfect. With Triple H, the Game, the Cerebral Assassin, the 10x Champion... wanting ABSOLUTELY NO PART of Batista in the ring. He did not want to be on the other side of the Animal because he knew deep down it would be the end of him. From details such as not saving him in the Elimination Chamber, trying to talk him out of joining the Royal Rumble (which Batista would go on to win!), trying to push him to jump to SmackDown to challenge JBL for the WWE Championship, everything about this story was BEAUTIFULLY told. So why is this in the B Tier instead of higher? Well, the match itself was good, but far from the best match they would go on to have. It wasn't the best match on the card by any means. (HBK/Angle, Eddie/Rey, the first Money in the Bank Ladder Match, Undertaker/Randy Orton) It was slightly overshadowed by a strong undercard and compared to the absolutely incredible Main Event we had the year prior in WrestleMania 20, this felt like a noticeable step down from that. But was still very, very cool to see, a great main event, and a great moment that made a STAR out of Batista.

20. Ted DiBiase vs. "Macho Man" Randy Savage in the Final of the WWF Championship Tournament from WrestleMania 4: The crowning moment of the Macho Man! The culmination of a long, and I do mean, LOOOOOOOONG night. Randy Savage and Ted DiBiase had a pretty good match with a good story behind it of Savage having to scratch and claw his way through the entire tournament while DiBiase was relatively fresh after Hogan and Andre had a double DQ, giving DiBiase a BYE straight to the Finals. And it was setting up for DiBiase to win since the tournament was set up because of him trying to buy "the Double-Double F Tag Team Championship" from Andre the Giant. But it was NOT to be as the Macho Man, who had quickly become a fan favorite alongside Miss Elizabeth, got his moment of glory... which was slightly overshadowed by Hogan staying in there for too long (which may or may not have been on purpose given how this led to the Mega Powers and WrestleMania 5's Main Event a year later.) But overall, this was a very good main event culminating in a legend getting his big win!

21. Seth Rollins vs. Roman Reigns vs. Brock Lesnar in a Triple Threat Match for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship from WrestleMania 31: Putting the Cash In to the side for a moment. Roman Reigns and Brock Lesnar were having a good singles match up to that point. Certainly the best of their three Mania matches (Not that high of a bar to set if I'm being honest.) They were doing good, putting in solid work, and this was the match where we got "Suplex City" for the first time. So there's that. But this was still during the time where the fans were not sold at all on Roman as a babyface and they just did not seem to care for most of the match. They seemed to get invested in the end, but for the most part, the match was falling a little flat... UNTIL... Seth Rollins' music hits, the Cash In happens. THE HEIST OF THE CENTURY! And the rest is history. In one sweeping moment, Rollins was a made man in one night. Creating an incredible WrestleMania moment the likes of which had not been seen up to that point. Stealing the Main Event AND the Championship right under everyone's noses in the ultimate Heel fashion! That was an all-time amazing moment! However, one amazing moment can only lift an otherwise slightly above average main event so far. So as a result, because Rollins' cash in was so incredible, I thought that was good enough to lift it into the B Tier as apposed to the top of C tier.

22. John Cena vs. Triple H for the WWE Championship from WrestleMania 22: For the third year in a row, Triple H did the job and put over a new champion in the Main Event of WrestleMania! (Maybe I've been giving him too much flack.) And for the 2nd year in a row, it's to help establish a brand new star and new name firmly at the top of the ladder. This time, it was THE guy who would carry the company for the next decade in John Cena. The story behind this one is that Triple H basically that Cena was a one-hit wonder. "This kid isn't for real. He's just a flash in the pan. I'll show him what a REAL top guy looks like." ... And that was a little close to what the IWC REALLY thought of Cena. For months before this main event was when the fans started to turn on Cena, when the "Let's Go Cena/Cena Sucks" started. And when you watch this match you can sort of see why. One particular instance was when Cena took a sledgehammer shot to the head, kicks out, and then gets right back up to hit an FU. If that's not Super Cena, I don't know what is. And this also had the distinction of being the first example of Chicago's... VERY unique relationship with John Cena. Seriously, if this match was the first time you watched wrestling, you'd think Triple H was the biggest hero on the planet and Cena was the Devil himself with how the crowd was. It was a clusterfuck! XD But despite it all, the two managed to deliver a pretty good match, a physical affair, and in the end, the right man won. So a pretty good WrestleMania Main Event all things considered between the Game and Face that Runs the Place.

23. The Rock vs. John Cena for the WWE Championship from WrestleMania 29: TWICE IN A LIFETIME!!!! The rematch we all saw coming as soon as Rock confirmed he would be fighting for the WWE Championship at the Royal Rumble. And it was made blatantly obvious when Cena won the Royal Rumble. No matter how much CM Punk earned the main event. One year after their epic match last year where Cena lost. They told the story of how Cena went on a downward spiral since that loss in how he lost his confidence because he couldn't beat the Rock and he failed to win the WWE Championship. Now, 1 year later, Cena gets a shot to avenge his loss and become Champion again in the process in a proper passing of the torch match. Just like Hogan did for Rock 11 years prior in the SkyDome, The Rock did the same here for Cena in MetLife. The match itself was good for the first half... And then fell off a cliff in the second half with the overdoing of reversals, finishers, reversal OUT of finishers. And after that incredible CM Punk/Undertaker match, the crowd was not as electric for this, especially compared to last year in Miami. Still, it was a solid main event that once again featured two of the biggest stars in the history of the business.

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C Tier - Alright

Spoiler!

24. Bret Hart vs. Yokozuna for the WWF Championship from WrestleMania 10: The proper Main Event we SHOULD HAVE gotten at WrestleMania 9, but more an that later. Much, MUCH later. In the payoff to the 1994 Royal Rumble where Bret Hart and Lex Luger both went out at the same time and were declared the co-winners. This was the 2nd WWF Title match of the night following Yokozuna successfully defending against Luger earlier that night. But Yokozuna wasn't the only one pulling double duty. Bret Hart book ended this show, he had the Main Event here, and he also opened the night with an amazing match with his brother, Owen! A match that Owen won! And that set the table for what happened AFTER this main event in which Bret won the title after Yokozuna lost his balance going for the Bonzai Drop and Bret... Anticlimatically pinned him... He didn't even hit a big move and get the pin... No Sharpshooter... Yokozuna fell off the second rope, Bret covered him and pinned him. That was it. Lame. Afterwards, as Bret was celebrating, Owen came out, stared Bret down, then walked back, setting up most of 1994 with those two continuing to feud, but now, it was over the WWF Championship. An incredible way to book end the 10th edition of WrestleMania. However, the match itself was not that memorable. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't great either. It was the best Bret Hart could do with someone like Yokozuna, who was already exhausted after working 15 minutes with Lex Luger. And the set up for the feud with Owen was great. It was a mix of both good and bad, with the good slightly outweighing it, which is why this is at the top of the C Tier.

25. Hulk Hogan and Mr. T vs. Rowdy Roddy Piper and Paul Orndorff from WrestleMania 1: The very first Main Event of the very first WrestleMania. The single most important night in WWF history and in Vince McMahon's life (aside from his wedding with Linda and the births of Shane and Stephanie... I think.) This was make or break for the WWF, it was go big or go home. If this failed, that was it. Game over for the WWF, game over for Vince McMahon, and Hulk Hogan have had to find work selling meat from a truck in Minneapolis with Eric Bischoff. But... IT SUCCEEDED! The first WrestleMania was a massive, star-studded spectacle up and down the card with celebrities like Muhammad Ali, Cyndi Lauper, Billy Martin, Liberace, and of course, Mr. T, as part of the Main Event with Hulk Hogan against Rowdy Piper and Paul Orndorff. (R.I.P. to both men.) If there was one way I could describe this, it would be: A Star Studded Mess. Obviously, this match was very important for the company and the image of Mr. T and Rowdy Piper starring each other down while nose to nose is iconic... But that's all to really talk about with this one. The match itself was forgettable and when it comes to all the factors that go into making a tip-top, incredible WrestleMania Main Event, this just doesn't fit the bill compared to all the others on this list. But because of it's historical importance to the company, that's enough for this to sit in the C Tier, solely for historical importance to the company.

26. Triple H vs. The Rock vs. Mick Foley vs. Big Show in a Fatal Four Way match for the WWF Championship from WrestleMania 16: A McMahon in every corner! The first WrestleMania of the new millennium! And for the main event we have a massive Fatal Four Way match with the McMahons supporting each wrestler! How great is that, right?!? ...Eh, it was alright. This REALLY should have been The Rock vs. Triple H, one on one for the title. Mick Foley and Big Show really had no business being here. Especially Mick Foley, who had already lost a retirement Hell in a Cell match to Triple H just ONE MONTH PRIOR! They could have had Big Show doing something in the undercard while the two biggest stars in the company at the time, who were carrying the company while Stone Cold was out recovering from his spinal fusion neck surgery, duked it out for the biggest prize. Another thing that hindered this main event was Triple H going over (first case of many!) This should have been the night where The Rock won the championship and got his crowning moment as the company's Top Babyface. Basically what happened about a month later at Backlash should've happened here. The match itself was nothing too special to right home about, the usual Attitude Era carnage with the McMahons involved and they did send the fans home with something to be happy about with The Rock giving Stephanie the People's Elbow. But this could've been SO much more than what it was if they had just done Triple H and The Rock, one on one. Sometimes less is more, and unfortunately, putting in THAT much more, made this a little less. Still a solid Main Event given the people involved here, but not what it could've and should've been. As such, it's just alright. It's not bad, it's not great, just alright.

27. Brock Lesnar vs. Drew McIntyre for the WWE Championship from Night 2 of WrestleMania 36: Speaking of things that should have been SO MUCH more than what it was, the monumental image and Drew McIntyre's crowning moment of glory was, in many ways, taken away from him due to the freaking Covid pandemic. And with no crowds and the setting of an empty warehouse, what should have been an iconic moment for one of the top stars in the company today, was very anticlimactic and left a sour, longing taste in the mouth. And it's not even their fault. I felt so bad for Drew watching this. As such, I cut them a little more slack then what I should. It was the usual Brock Lesnar match in the modern era: Suplex, suplex, suplex, F-5, suplex, another F-5, Babyface rallies, Babyface finisher, Bayface finisher, another F-5, kick out, one last Babyface finisher, 1-2-3, hit the showers. If this had a full house inside a stadium with the crowd reacting big time to Drew's win, this would be A LOT higher than this: But as such, given the circumstances surrounding it: It is simply alright.

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D Tier: Kinda Lame

Spoiler!

28. The Undertaker vs. Sycho Sid for the WWF Championship from WrestleMania 13: A match that was COMPLETELY forgotten about and overshadowed thanks to the match before it that SHOULD'VE been the main event: One of the greatest matches in WrestleMania history, the Submission match between Bret Hart and Stone Cold Steve Austin, the match that set Austin on his the path to Superstardom. As a result, this match was doomed before it started. It was a perfectly fine match by itself and Undertaker getting his big win in his first WrestleMania main event was a very welcome sight. But the fact that it was given the impossible task of following Bret/Austin plus Shawn Michaels being insufferable on commentary (this was when the backstage antics with HBK was REALLY bad) all hold this match back significantly and as a result, it felt a bit underwhelming overall. Hence, kinda lame.

29. Hulk Hogan vs. Sid Justice from WrestleMania 8: Poor Sid, he just didn't quite deliver in the biggest stage of them all. Although in this case, I don't think it was necessarily his fault. Much like Austin/Bret should've gone on last at WM13, the match that SHOULD'VE gone on last in this one was Savage/Flair for the WWF Championship. But... "THAT DON'T WORK FOR ME, BROTHER!!!" Terry just couldn't let it go, could he? And this wasn't even the worst of it (Oh God...). Hogan just HAD to go on last and this is the result. An old school, big man vs big man encounter, with Sid famously kicking out of the leg drop, something that was UNHEARD OF back then. Papa Shango (the future Godfather) missing his cue! XD And of course, the Return of the Ultimate Warrior who comes down to save Hogan. At least it ended on a high note with the return of Warrior and a solid big man match, but that's about all I can say about this. It's not offensively bad, but it's still lame.

30. Hulk Hogan vs. Sgt. Slaughter for the WWF Championship from WrestleMania 7: Terry, I'm starting to notice a trend with you. Anyways, this particular main event was the usual "USA! USA! USA!" propaganda storyline that was very common throughout the 80s and 90s WWF programming. This one having the Sgt. Slaughter, who was the poster boy of USA propaganda throughout the 80s, turning Heel as an Iraqi sympathizer, defeating the Ultimate Warrior to become Champion, and dedicating his victory to Saddam Hussein. Yeah... And it's up to All American, Red, White, and Blue, Knight in Shining Armor, just as Bald as a Bald Eagle, Hulk Hogan to save the day!!! Originally meant to take place at the LA Coliseum in front of 70k people, this was moved to the Forum instead due to "bomb threats" over the storyline (In reality, they just weren't selling the tickets. They had only sold through about 10-15k, and a WrestleMania in front of empty seats would've been super embarrasing... Huh.) The match itself, I actually think was a decent match. Sgt. Slaughter having Hogan in the Camel Clutch and Hogan not quite being able to reach the ropes because he's so weak from it is something I'm fond of, and Hogan getting the wind was unexpected. Hulkamania had a LITTLE bit of steam still left around this time. (It wouldn't last.) But otherwise, a pretty underwhelming Main Event. Especially when compared to Hogan and Warrior from the year before.

31. Triple H vs. Randy Orton for the WWE Championship from WrestleMania 25: Just like Sid/Undertaker from WM13, this match was doomed from the start due to the fact that it had to follow THE greatest match in WrestleMania history: Shawn Michaels vs. The Undertaker. But that wasn't the only thing that held this one back. For starters, Randy Orton should have won this match. After that year he had in 2008 and even late 2007 where he REALLY came into his own as the Viper and he was one of the hottest acts in the company, there was no reason for Triple H to go over here. Secondly, the stipulation that Triple H would lose the title if he was disqualified was stupid. Especially after that bastard Orton, kissed his wife after giving her a rope-draped DDT, while Triple H was handcuffed to the ropes! This should have been No Holds Barred, a Street Fight, a Hell in a Cell, ANYTHING that had an Extreme Rules concept where the two men could tear each other limb from limb and Triple H could use all the weapons he wants. Then maybe it would've stood a chance at standing out from HBK/Taker. But that stipulation, Triple H going over, and that awesome, awesome... AWESOME Michaels/Undertaker match really did this one in. The match itself was good and they did have a GREAT build behind it (Triple H breaking into Orton's house was AMAZING!) But as a main event, it just missed the mark. As a result, it's kinda lame.

32. Becky Lynch vs. Charlotte Flair vs. Ronda Rousey for the RAW and SmackDown Women's Championships from WrestleMania 35: What should have been an incredible main event spearheaded by a landmark, historic occasion - The FIRST EVER Women's Main Event of WrestleMania, was held back and mired by a number of issues: Firstly, this should have been Becky and Ronda, one on one. Charlotte had absolutely no business being here and the fact that they ended Asuka's title reign prematurely just to shoe-horn her in here pisses me off to this day! Secondly, the fact that this was the last match to close out a SEVEN AND A HALF HOUR SHOW!!! It was well past midnight, the crowd was exhausted, whatever was left of them anyway. This match, this whole show really, is the reason why I never want WrestleMania to go back to 1 night if they insist on having these many matches and getting everyone on the card. Lastly, the botched finish. That made no sense whatsoever to end the match that early on that botched finish. I guess they felt they had to end it early because the show was running so damn long, but still, they had to end the match on THAT? C'mon. The only reason why I don't have this ranked even lower is the fact that this IS the first Women's main event and Becky and Ronda have earned and deserve it. (Don't know about Charlotte. Again, she had no business being here.) As such, I rank it in the D Tier - Kinda Lame. Though I should add, this is close to the bottom of Kinda Lame, almost getting into Pretty Bad.

33. Roman Reigns vs. Brock Lesnar for the WWE and Universal Championships from Night 2 of WrestleMania 38: The most recent WrestleMania main event between the Tribal Chief, STILL reigning as Universal Champion over a year later (We're beginning to reach Okada territory with his reign, seriously.) And a Babyface (for a change) Brock Lesnar with his samurai tail, Cowboy hat, and jeans! The third match of their own WrestleMania trilogy, this... Wasn't all that good. Certainly a step up from their WrestleMania 34 encounter (more on that one later), but a far cry from their WM31 encounter (though if it weren't for Rollins, I'm not sure that one is much better than this one.) And the fact that this Main Event had to follow the prior night's Main Event of Stone Cold Steve Austin coming back to wrestle his first match in 19 years IN Texas... Yeah, this had no chance of following that. Night 2 as a whole felt like a step back from Night 1, and this Main Event was no exception. And the fact that this ended before it really had a chance to kick into a higher gear holds it back. It's a shame because the build behind this match was great! You had Brock who was showing more personality than he has in YEARS and Roman at the absolute top of his game as the Head of the Table. But I guess this is just one of those matches where the build was going to be better than the match. As a result, it is the bottom of a Kinda Lame.

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E Tier - Pretty Bad

Spoiler!

34. Triple H vs. Roman Reigns for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship from WrestleMania 32: We're starting to reach the bottom of the barrel here, folks. Let's see, my memories of this match...

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!

Yeah, that just about sums it up. Not much story or background behind this match other than WWE was trying so desperately hard to get Roman over as "The Guy." Vince himself even getting involved to referee a match. And no matter what they did or how hard they tried, even with Stephanie eating a spear in this match, it didn't matter. Nothing worked. The fans just refused to get behind Roman, they wanted to boo him. To the point where much like WM22, 10 years earlier, you'd think Triple H was the Babyface. It was just disappointing to watch, especially since they had a good match all things considered. But the crowd reaction, and the forced push, all of it just brought the hole thing down and it was a pretty bad thing to see. Especially when after the match and you see the footage of Roman's daughter, a little girl, going into the ring to hug her dad and the crowd is just raining boos on them, that just made me shake me head and go "Really, guys? Really?" It was just bad. Moving on.

35. Hulk Hogan vs. King Kong Bundy in a Steel Cage Match for the WWF Championship from WrestleMania 2: The 2nd WrestleMania is quite the odd ball. The Black Sheep if you will. It is to this day the ONLY WrestleMania to be filmed from multiple locations. Three to be exact: New York, Chicago, and LA. With LA being treated to the Main Event of the show, Hogan defending the title against King Kong Bundy in a Cage match. Long story short, the match was garbage.  And also a step down in terms of star power and setting from WrestleMania 1. Hogan was still in the peak of his first run and Hulkamania was very much RUNNIN' WILD! But Bundy? Ehhh, they could've done a lot better than Bundy (And they did a year later.) Honestly, when it comes to WrestleMania 2, nobody really talks about this much, if people are talking about this WrestleMania, it's the battle royal between the wrestlers and the football players. It's not God Awful, but it was a pretty disappointing Main Event, hence, Pretty Bad.

36. Chris Jericho vs. Triple H for the WWF Undisputed Championship from WrestleMania 18: Yet another Main Event that was doomed from the start and completely overshadowed by the match that came before it. The iconic, lengendary clash between The Rock and Hulk Hogan. And yet again, it's Triple H who is on the short end of the stick. But unlike WrestleMania 25, this didn't even have a great build or intense feud to go behind it. Chris Jericho's reign as Undisputed Champion is probably one of the most disappointing world title reigns in WWE history. He started out white hot by beating The Rock and Stone Cold Steve Austin in the same night, (Something he NEVER fails to remind us.) But after that, it was all down hill. He was NEVER treated as the top guy or as the priority as the Champion. And in this feud, he was playing 2nd and 3rd fiddle to Stephanie McMahon and... Lucy the Dog. And he was the Champion. Pathetic. Just pathetic and he wasn't the focus of the story at all. The focus was Triple H and Stephanie, their divorce, and Stephanie trying to screw Triple H out of becoming Champion following his epic return from his FIRST quad injury. Just like with Austin and Vince, if they could have somehow found a way to put the title on Stephanie and have Triple H beat her for it and make it believable, they would've done that instead. But much like The Rock, Chris Jericho was the fresh body they needed for this feud. But this sure as Hell ain't no Rock and Austin, ESPECIALLY not from the year prior. Poor build, dead crowd, decent match. It had a few great moments such as Triple H giving Stephanie the pedigree and Triple H celebrating his win and completing his triumphant return. But besides that, this was pretty bad.

37. Lawrence Taylor vs. Bam Bam Bigelow from WrestleMania 11: Yes, Lawrence Taylor. Greatest LB in NFL history, THAT Lawrence Taylor. In the Main Event of WrestleMania against Bam Bam Bigelow. Somehow, this was the Main Event over Shawn Michaels vs. Diesel for the WWF Championship and Bret Hart vs Bob Backlund in an I Quit Match. Honestly, the only thing keeping this from the Bottom Tier is the fact that this match greatly surpassed my already super low expectations. Lawrence Taylor really went for this and Bam Bam was in their trying to make him look good and selling his many, many forearms. In a way, Lawrence Taylor helped set the bar for Celebrities who come in to wrestle a match like Bad Bunny and Johnny Knoxville. Still not a very good match, but far from the dumpster fire it could've been, and that's why this is at the BOTTOM of the E Tier. Not God Awful, but still pretty bad.

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F Tier - Shit Show

Spoiler!

38. John Cena vs. The Miz for the WWE Championship from WrestleMania 27: There aren't many WrestleManias out there that I would consider genuinely bad or horrible. 27 is one of them, and this Main Event reflects it. John Cena and Miz might make for a good RAW main event or even a Main Event of a C Tier PPV like Payback, Battleground, or Night of Champions. But WrestleMania? The biggest show of the year? No thank you. And just like Jericho at WrestleMania 18, The Miz was a complete and total afterthought in this match. Nobody could give a rat's ass about the Miz. Certainly not me. Even when he won, it didn't mean shit. It was all about John Cena and The Rock - who had just come back to Host the event and they were already planting the seeds for the first Rock/Cena match one year later at WM28. This Main Event was just a set up for the next Main Event. And the match itself... Was pretty bad. Bad, boring, had to follow Triple H/Undertaker, and just fodder and a stepping stool for what people REALLY cared about - Cena and The Rock. It was a total afterthought and exactly what it's tier is called: A shit show.

39. Roman Reigns vs. The Undertaker in a No Holds Barred match from WrestleMania 33: Sad. If there was one word I could say to describe this Main Event, it is sad. Seeing The Undertaker like this: A broken, battered, pathetic shell of what he used to be. As someone who loved The Undertaker growing up, he's my 2nd favorite wrestler of all time, behind Eddie Guerrero, this was PAINFUL to sit through. The fact that Vince was STILL insisting on shoving Babyface Roman Reigns down our throats did NOT help matters. And it was just a trainwreck from beginning to end. The only thing that could've saved this from being in the bottom tier was if The Undertaker had stuck to this being his last match and stayed retired after this, because the post-match with him leaving the gear in the ring and disappearing in a puff of smoke was a VERY emotional, impactful moment... But it was rendered meaningless when he came back one year later (understandably so, since this would have been a HORRIBLE match to go out on.) But looking at this match, I remember the one thing Undertaker said in 2002 in an interview where he said the ONE thing he did not want to do was stay too long. He did NOT want to be that guy who overstayed his welcome, who hung in their too long, and who people would look at and go "Man, I remember when he USED to be good." ...And that's exactly what he became. It was so sad. It was painful. It was a shit show.

40. Roman Reigns vs. Brock Lesnar for the Universal Championship from WrestleMania 34: Man, Roman Reigns, as great as he is now, has sure had a lot of underwhelming WrestleMania main events. This one being the worst of them all. The 2nd in Roman and Brock's WrestleMania trilogy, this was just bad on all fronts. The crowd turned on this match something fierce. Booing both men, Roman for being shoved down their throats, Brock for being the part time champion who constantly shows up, has the same old match with every opponent, and then leaves again. And with this being the final match of a 5 hour show, so when the crowd wasn't booing, they were dead silent. And I guess for the sake of throwing a swerve, Brock retained. Brock's reaction when he got back to Gorilla Position said it all. Just a total shit show fire from beginning to end was this match and the worst of Babyface Roman Reigns. Thank God all involved finally came to their senses a few years later and we finally get the Tribal Chief. 

41. Hulk Hogan vs. Yokozuna for the WWF Championship from WrestleMania 9: The absolute WORST WrestleMania main event of all time: The 22 second burial of Yokozuna and Bret Hart at the hands of Hulk Hogan from WrestleMania 9. What a freaking travesty. An absolute disgrace. This was the undisputed worst display of Hulk Hogan's politicking in WWE. Maybe ever. Terry was SO desperate to stay at the top and couldn't let go and let the younger guys take over, he had to weasel his way into this main event by convincing Vince and Bret: "Don't worry, brother! I'll win here and then drop the belt to Bret at King of the Ring!" SPOILER: Of course, he didn't. Immediately after winning the title here, Hogan went to Japan and preceded to bury the title by calling it a trinket compared to the IWGP title. Absolutely appalling behavior. Just a freaking shame that this had to come at the expense of Bret Hart ion what was supposed to be his very first WrestleMania main event. I can honestly say not only is this the worst WrestleMania main event of all time, by a comfortable margin, I might add. This is probably the worst WrestleMania match, period. Shit Show, indeed.

Last edited by PAOerfulone - on 20 April 2022

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How did you put Michaels vs Austin with Mike Tyson in S...

Hbk is literally my favourite of all time and I would struggle to justify a B despite seeing the pain he was in when taking any bump and trying to put in any offensive.



ironmanDX said:

How did you put Michaels vs Austin with Mike Tyson in S...

Hbk is literally my favourite of all time and I would struggle to justify a B despite seeing the pain he was in when taking any bump and trying to put in any offensive.

Because of how absolutely important that match was for the WWF at the time and how that firmly kickstarted Austin's run on top and kicked the Attitude Era into high gear. There's a lot more that goes into a great main event than just the ring work. Despite HBK's bad back, they still had a pretty good match. Tyson's involvement gave this the mainstream pull and media attention it desperately needed as WWE was trying to turn the tide against WCW. This match, this program since Austin won the Royal Rumble, and the night afterwards with him and Tyson in the ring, Vince yelling at him (the next seed planted in Austin vs. McMahon.) Everything involved with this Main Event was what turned the tide in WWE's favor in the Monday Night Wars. For those reasons, I have it in S.



Austin theory is now just Theory XD.



BasilZero said:
JWeinCom said:

Austin theory is now just Theory XD.

Yeah WWE is notorious on taking out one name on full name wrestlers.

One day the main event will just be E vs Th



Austin Theory had such a nice ring to it... Now it just sounds like a dumb B tier character from a C tier videogame.