10 greatest WrestleMania matches of all time
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Cody Rhodes and Roman Reigns. Photo: WWE/Getty Images
WrestleMania 40 has come and gone, giving us a two-night spectacle that ushered in a new era for WWE.
One of the main events has already made our list of the 10 best matches in WrestleMania history:
10. The Rock defeats Hollywood Hulk Hogan (WrestleMania X8)
When: 2002
State of play: It was a showdown between wrestling's past in Hogan and wrestling's present in The Rock.
What they did: The Rock was supposed to be the fan favorite, but the crowd in Toronto was overwhelmed by the nostalgia of seeing Hogan.
Worthy of your time: The crowd reaction when Hogan kicks out of the Rock Bottom finisher and begins his signature gimmick is thrilling.
9. Owen Hart defeats Bret Hart (WrestleMania X)
When: 1994
State of play: Little brother Owen wanted to take the spotlight away from his more accomplished big brother.
What they did: Owen proved he was every bit as talented as Bret in a flawless match that would make the former's in-ring death five years later feel all the more tragic.
Worthy of your time: Owen rubbing his sudden victory in Bret's face after the match was a nice touch on a feud that was just getting started.
8. Rhea Ripley defeats Charlotte Flair (WrestleMania 39)
When: 2023
State of play: The match was a do-over of sorts to the duo's WrestleMania 36 clash that saw an outcome of Flair winning.
What they did: Ripley and Flair delivered one of the most physical women's matches in WWE history.
Worthy of your time: Ripley yelling "It's my time!" to Flair before hitting her Riptide finisher from the top rope was a changing of the guard.
7. Cody Rhodes defeats Roman Reigns (WrestleMania XL)
When: 2024
State of play: Rhodes finally finished his story after a year of build that captivated the WWE universe.
What they did: Rhodes and Reigns were enough to make this match a classic, but guest appearances by John Cena and The Undertaker pushed it over the top.
Worthy of your time: Rhodes' entrance set the tone for the entire match. He's now the face of WWE.
6. Edge & Christian defeat The Dudley Boyz and The Hardy Boyz (WrestleMania X-Seven)
When: 2001
State of play: It was the second in a series of Tables, Ladders and Chairs matches between the three tag teams.
What they did: The WrestleMania 17 match featured mesmerizing spot after mesmerizing spot with each competitor putting his body on the line.
Worthy of your time: Edge jumping from a 20-foot ladder to spear Jeff Hardy is one of the more breathtaking moves you'll see.
5. Ricky Steamboat defeats Randy Savage (WrestleMania III)
When: 1987
State of play: While several of the matches on this list top the 20-minute mark, Steamboat and Savage accomplished perfection in less than 15 minutes.
What they did: Steamboat and Savage's fluid, brilliantly choreographed match set the blueprint for the modern wrestling epic.
Worthy of your time: Steamboat getting the win with a small package roll-up was the perfect surprise finish.
4. Razor Ramon defeats Shawn Michaels (WrestleMania X)
When: 1994
State of play: It wasn't the first ladder match in wrestling history, but it was the first time one took place at WrestleMania.
What they did: Michaels stole the show with a display of athleticism that earned him the nickname "The Showstopper."
Worthy of time: Michaels from the top of the ladder onto Ramon was unlike anything audiences had seen since Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka's legendary 1983 steel cage dive.
3. Steve Austin defeats The Rock (WrestleMania X-Seven)
When: 2001
State of play: This was the biggest match in wrestling history featuring the industry's two most popular stars.
What they did: Austin went from good guy to bad guy in this match, but the fact it took place in his home state of Texas kept the crowd behind him.
Worthy of your time: Austin's longtime foe Mr. McMahon showing up to help "Stone Cold" beat The Rock is one of the more shocking moments in wrestling history.
2. The Undertaker defeats Shawn Michaels (WrestleMania 25)
When: 2009
State of play: The standout match at WrestleMania 25 pitted, arguably, the two best in-ring performers in WWE history against each other.
What they did: There were at least five moments you thought the match was over only to have the suspense continue to build with each move.
Worthy of your time: The Undertaker's face when Michaels kicks out of the first Tombstone Piledriver is priceless.
1. Bret Hart defeats Steve Austin (WrestleMania 13)
When: 1997
State of play: The ascension of "Stone Cold" Steve Austin changed the landscape of professional wrestling in the late 1990s but wouldn't have happened without his feud with Hart.
What they did: The duo's WrestleMania 13 "I Quit" match was the turning point, as they brutalized each other all over the Rosemont Horizon in Illinois.
Worthy of your time: Hart locking his Sharpshooter submission on Austin, who is bleeding and writhing in pain but refusing to quit is one of the most iconic images in WWE history.
