WWE WrestleManiais the biggest spectacle in professional wrestling. Debuting in 1985 on closed-circuit television, it brought celebrities and wrestling together in a way that had never been seen before. While it wasn’t the first major wrestling show, premiering 18 months after NWA’s firstStarrcadeshow, it did change the way wrestling was viewed by a lot of the world.
The marquee event has produced some amazing shows over its decades-long existence. While some WWEWrestleManiashows stand out more than others, many classic events are still well worth watching today. Let’s highlight thebestWrestleManiaPPVsof all time.
Updated on June 18, 2025 by Mark Sammut:WrestleMania 41 is set to happen on April 19 and 20, 2025, which is a bit later than usual. Although the build has arguably not been as great as the previous year’s event, the card is shaping up nicely. John Cena turned heel and is set to face Cody Rhodes, while Randy Orton and Kevin Owens are set to bring their blood feud to an end. CM Punk is getting his main event against Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins, while Iyo Sky, Bianca Belair, and Rhea Ripley are likely to put together a fantastic triple threat.
Will the upcoming show stand as one of thebest WWE WrestleManiaof all time? Well, hopefully, the answer is yes.
12WrestleMania 18
Cagematch Score: 6.63
The definition of a one-match show,WrestleMania 18was saved byThe Rockversus Hulk Hogan, which produced one of the most intense crowd reactions of all time. Just to be clear, the match is the definition of basic, with both wrestlers largely focusing on strikes and their big moves. Yet, it is still riveting to watch all these years later, especially since the crowd erupts for every single action. Despite starting as a heel, Hogan is treated like the ultimate babyface by Toronto, leaving The Rock to be showered with boos. These two wrestlers are among the greatest of all time when it comes to playing to a crowd, and this match is their masterpiece.
Unfortunately, despite having a ridiculously stacked roster, WWE dropped the ball when it comes toWrestleMania 18, delivering a card filled with filler matches that leave almost no impression. The much-criticized main event is one of the show’s better matches, despite still being very average. Ultimately, this event is not amongWWE’s bestWrestleManiaPPVs, but it has one match that is near-impossible to surpass in terms of crowd reaction and significance.
Bret Hart
1 Stars
WWF Tag Team Championship– The APA VS The Dudley Boyz VS The Hardy Boyz VS Billy and Chuck (c)
Billy and Chuck
11WrestleMania 26
Cagematch Score: 7.23
Shawn Michaels and the Undertaker improved upon theirWrestleManiaclassic from the year before in a streak vs. career match. Before Undertaker beat HBK to send Mr. WrestleMania off into the sunset (until an ill-advised return at a show in Saudi Arabia), Chris Jericho and Edge capped their rivalry that started when they were tag team champs with an excellent World title match.
John Cena and Batista should’ve been aWrestleManiamain event sooner than 2010, but it was still great to see the breakout stars of 2005 battle on the grandest stage of them all. While Bret Hart’s return to the ring may have been a dud, the nostalgia made it great to see him back in WWE.
Winner/s
Wrestling Observer Star Ratings
Unified WWE Tag Team Championship– John Morrison and R-Truth VS ShoMiz (c)
ShoMiz (The Miz and Big Show)
0.5 Stars
Triple Threat Match– Randy Orton VS Cody Rhodes VS Ted DiBiase Jr.
Chris Jericho
4 Stars
Alicia Fox, Layla, Maryse, Michelle McCool, and Vickie Guerrero VS Beth Phoenix, Eve Torres, Gail Kim, Kelly Kelly, and Mickie James
Alicia Fox, Layla, Maryse, Michelle McCool, and Vickie Guerrero
10WrestleMania 28
Cagematch Score: 7.28
A year-long build that started at the previous year’s showcase of the immortals culminated atWrestleMania 28withJohn Cenataking on the Rock in the main event. While not the best match on the night, the build warranted the main event spot. The Undertaker defeated Triple H for the second straight year, ending his four-year run of great matches against the two founders of DX.
CM Punk and Chris Jericho battled for the WWEtitle in arguably the best standard match of the night, although it was overshadowed by the Hell in a Cell and the blockbuster main event. Sheamus defeated Daniel Bryan in 18 seconds to win the World title, a moment that proved to be very important as it started Bryan’s meteoric rise to the top of the card. While ending on a high note,WrestleMania 28had a very weak low and undercard.
WWE Tag Team Championship– Justin Gabriel and Tyson Kidd VS The Usos VS Primo and Epico (c)
Primo and Epico
Big Show
1.5 Stars
Beth Phoenix and Eve Torres VS Kelly Kelly and Maria Menounos
Kelly Kelly and Maria Menounos
9WrestleMania 10
Cagematch Score: 7.79
This is a two-match card, but those bouts stand out so much that they makeWrestleMania 10worthy of a revisit. Shawn Michaels and Razor Ramon stole the show with the Intercontinental Championship ladder match. They went over their time and cost some other guys theirWrestleManiamatch, but it’s highly unlikely the ten-man tag match that got cut would’ve been anywhere near as good as the added time to this match.
The other match that makes this show is the opener. Bret and Owen Hart delivered the greatest opening match inWrestleManiahistory. They expertly told the sibling rivalry feud and then delivered on the biggest stage at Madison Square Garden. The build to the two championship matches was also amazingly well done, even if Yokozuna’s two matches with Lex Luger and Bret Hart were underwhelming.
Owen Hart
4.75 Stars
Doink the Clown and Dink the Clown VS Bam Bam Bigelow and Luna Vachon
Bam Bam Bigelow and Luna Vachon
Alundra Blayze
1.25 Stars
WWF Tag Team Championship– Men on a Mission VS The Quebecers (c)
Men on a Mission
Earthquake
DUD
Undisputed WWF Intercontinental Championship Ladder Match– Shawn Michaels VS Razor Ramon (c)
8WrestleMania 31
Cagematch Score: 8.36
The hype going into thisWrestleManiawas Sting’s first and only match at the Show of Shows. He lost to Triple H in a well-wrestled match that was overbooked with too much focus on WCW. The main event of Brock Lesnar vs. Roman Reigns wasn’t what the fans wanted, so WWE called an audible and had Seth Rollins cash-in his Money in the Bank contract and win the WWE title in a win that is still talked about as the best MITB cash-in.
Earlier in the night, Rollins battled Randy Orton in a good match that ended with one of the best “RKOs out of nowhere” ever. And Daniel Bryan shined for the second straight year, this time winning the Intercontinental title in a great ladder match.
WWE Tag Team Championship– Los Matadores VS The New Day VS The Usos VS Tyson Kidd and Cesaro (c)
Tyson Kidd and Cesaro
3.25 Stars
WWE Intercontinental Championship Ladder Match– Daniel Bryan VS Dean Ambrose VS Dolph Ziggler VS Luke Harper VS R-Truth VS Stardust VS Bad News Barrett (c)
AJ Lee and Paige VS The Bella Twins
AJ Lee and Paige
The Undertaker
2.75 Stars
WWE World Heavyweight Championship– Roman Reigns VS Seth Rollins VS Brock Lesnar (c)
7WrestleMania 21
Cagematch Score: 8.66
This is an example of a WrestleMania that is hit or miss, but the hits are so great that the misses don’t hurt too much. It featured the emergence of the two biggestWWEstars of the next decade,John Cenaand Batista, who each won their brand’s respective championship. While neither match (Cena vs. John Bradshaw Layfield and Batista vs.Triple H) stood out as a classic, they were well executed and elevated new stars.
WrestleMania 21also started with a bang as the reigning tag team champions Rey Mysterio and Eddie Guerrero opened with a classic. It’s a tossup whether the opener or the wrestling clinic between Kurt Angle and Shawn Michaels was the best match of the night. Plus, The Undertaker and Randy Orton squared off in a good match where the Undertaker’sWrestleManiastreak was addressed for the first time in the build-up.
6WrestleMania 39
Cagematch Score: 8.75 (Night 1), 6.75 (Night 2)
ThisWrestleManiaallowed for the true cracks in the Bloodline story to shine through. Night One ended with Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens reuniting after years apart and beating the Usos for the tag titles. John Cena also returned to put over younger talent in his opener with Austin Theory. The Mysterio family betrayal came to a head with Rey battling his son Dominick. Meanwhile, Rhea Ripley got her revenge on Charlotte Flair, winning the women’s title in a fantastic match.
Night Two ended on a sour note for many, as fans were ready to move on from Roman Reigns' title reign and Cody Rhodes was the most popular babyface on the roster, so the former retaining came as an unwanted surprise. That said, Sunday still had a couple of great matches. Bianca Belair vs. Asuka and Edge vs. “The Demon” Finn Balor both had good showings, although both contests arguably ended with the wrong person going over. The match of the night was comfortably the Intercontinental Triple Threat that saw Gunther, Sheamus, and Drew McIntyre tear the house down.
Austin Theory
2.25 Stars
The Street Profits VS Braun Strowman and Ricochet VS Alpha Academy VS The Viking Raiders
Damage CTRL VS Becky Lynch, Trish Stratus, and Lita
Becky Lynch, Trish Stratus, and Lita
Pat McAfee
None
Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship– Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn VS The Usos (c)
Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn
Brock Lesnar
Liv Morgan and Raquel Rodriguez VS Chelsea Green and Sonya Deville VS Natalya and Shotzi VS Ronda Rousey and Shayna Baszler
Rousey and Shayna Baszler
5WrestleMania 24
Cagematch Score: 8.61
This should’ve been the end of an era. Shawn Michaels and Ric Flair delivered an epic retirement match to allow the latter to leave on top. As fans know, Flair couldn’t stay away, but this is still his lastWWEmatch, and many choose to remember the greatest of all time going out.
On top of that amazing match, the Undertaker’s streak continued with an excellent World title match with Edge, andCM Punkwon a fun Money in the Bank ladder match. This was a goodManiathat could have been better, but the positives are enough to carry the show. That said, Umaga and Batista’s match should have been a much better slugfest, while Chavo Guerrero’s ECW title defense against Kane was little more than a joke. While not bad, Cena, HHH, and Orton did not quite produce one of the bestWrestleManiatriple threats.
Maria Kanellis and Ashley Massaro VS Beth Phoenix and Melina
Beth Phoenix and Melina
0.25 Stars
WWE Championship– John Cena VS Triple H VS Randy Orton (c)
4WrestleMania 40
Cagematch Score: 6.81 (Night 1), 9.07 (Night 2)
Setting things right afterWrestleMania 39’s frustrating conclusion, 2024’s PPV largely flipped its predecessor’s script, delivering a pretty good Night One followed by a brilliant Night Two. Now, to be fair, the former starts and ends strong, with Becky Lynch and Rhea Ripley overcoming less-than-optimal circumstances to deliver a very good opening bout. Unsurprisingly, Sami Zayn and Gunther put together the best match of Night One, and they were succeeded by a fun tag team match that set up the main event of Night Two. Unfortunately,WrestleMania 40’s Saturday lineup was let down by Jimmy and Jey Uso’s superkick-heavy contest, which is sadly one of the weaker matches in the PPV’s history.
WrestleMania 40knocked Night Two out of the park, with even the weaker matches being generally entertaining. Drew McIntyre and Seth Rollins had a short but sweet World Heavyweight Championship match that featured guest antics by CM Punk, and the opener led to Damian Priest’s Money In the Bank cash-in. While the next few matches were nothing to write home about, the event hit its stride with the United States Championship triple-threat. After that, Iyo Sky and Bayley’s brought the house down with a picture-perfect bout. Finally, Cody Rhodes completed his story by defeating Roman Reigns in a match that had everything except for Stone Cold Steve Austin.
Rhea Ripley
4.25 Stars
Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship Ladder match– A-Town Down Under VS Awesome Truth VS DIY VS The New Day VS New Catch Republic VS The Judgment Day (c)
A-Town Down Under (SmackDown Tag Team Championships) & Awesome Truth (Raw Tag Team Championships)
Sami Zayn
4.5
Cody Rhodes & Seth Rollins VS Roman Reigns & The Rock
LA Knight
3.5 Stars
WWE United States Championship– Randy Orton VS Kevin Owens VS Logan Paul (c)
3WrestleMania 30
Cagematch Score: 8.58
Two epic stories came to a head as the streak ended and Yes-tlemania took over. Daniel Bryan’s popularity forcedWWEto pivot, and they told an excellent story as he defeated Triple H in the opener and then beat Randy Orton and Batista in the triple threat main event to become WWE Champion.
Meanwhile, the impossible happened earlier when Brock Lesnar pinned the Undertaker. The streak many thought would never end did, although the match was fairly disappointing as the Undertaker appeared to get injured halfway through. While there’s debate whether Lesnar should’ve won the match, it provided one of the most epicWrestleManiamoments. The rest of the card was not that strong.
The Shield VS Kane and The New Age Outlaws
WWE Divas Championship– Aksana, Alicia Fox, Brie Bella, Cameron, Emma, Eva Marie, Layla, Naomi, Natalya, Nikki Bella, Rosa Mendes, Summer Rae, Tamina Snuka, and AJ Lee
AJ Lee
WWE World Heavyweight Championship– Daniel Bryan VS Batista VS Randy Orton (c)
