5 AEW stars who have featured in the main event of WWE WrestleMania

WWE WrestleMania is undoubtedly the biggest annual event in the pro wrestling industry. Almost every wrestler who laces up their boots wishes to compete at The Show of Shows one day.

Several current AEW stars have had the honor of making multiple appearances at the Grandest Stage of Them All. Interestingly, a few members of the Jacksonville-based promotion were fortunate enough to feature in the main event of The Showcase of The Immortals.

After headlining The Show of Shows, it is pretty surprising that these superstars ended up in All Elite Wrestling later in their respective careers. In this article, let's look at five AEW stars who have headlined WWE WrestleMania:

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#5. Chris Jericho headlined the 18th edition of The Show of Shows

Chris Jericho has numerous remarkable achievements to his name. The Lionheart has won plenty of titles and has defeated several top stars in his illustrious career.

Featuring in the main event of WrestleMania is another accomplishment Chris Jericho has already ticked off his list. At WrestleMania 18, the first-ever AEW World Champion clashed with Triple H for the Undisputed WWE Championship.

Y2J walked into this contest as the champion. Unfortunately, The Learning Tree could not leave the SkyDome with the coveted title, as The Game defeated him to become the new Undisputed WWE Champion.

WWE's decision to have Triple H vs. Chris Jericho as the main event of WrestleMania 18 was quite unpopular, as people wanted the iconic clash between The Rock and Hulk Hogan to headline the show.

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#4. Paul Wight is a former WrestleMania main-eventer

Paul Wight (FKA The Big Show) carved out a memorable career in WWE and WCW. The World's Largest Athlete captivated the audience with his larger-than-life presence every time he stepped foot inside the squared circle.

The gigantic star has a lot of experience when it comes to competing at WrestleMania. The former World Heavyweight Champion has competed in 17 editions of The Show of Shows in his career. Interestingly, Paul Wight featured in the main event of 'Mania in only his second-ever appearance on the grand stage.

At WrestleMania 2000, the 53-year-old veteran competed in a Fatal Four-Way Elimination match for the WWE Championship alongside Mick Foley, The Rock, and then-champion Triple H.

The star-studded contest ultimately headlined the 16th edition of The Showcase of The Immortals. The erstwhile Big Show had a forgettable outing in this match, as he was the first man eliminated. The World's Largest Athlete barely lasted five minutes in this bout and was pinned by The Rock.

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#3. Mercedes Mone closed out Night 1 of WrestleMania 37

Mercedes Mone (FKA Sasha Banks) and Bianca Belair scripted history at WrestleMania 37. The two stars engaged in an intense battle for the WWE SmackDown Women's Championship in the main event of Night One.

It was an emotional moment for the female stars, as they became the first two Black women to headline The Showcase of The Immortals. Mone and Belair understood the gravity of the moment and delivered one of the greatest in-ring spectacles in the history of the women's division.

The CEO walked into this match as the SmackDown Women's Champion, while The EST earned her spot by winning the 2021 Women's Royal Rumble. Ultimately, it was Bianca Belair who emerged victorious in this historic encounter.

It was Mone's second-last appearance at WWE's biggest annual PLE, as she went on to leave the promotion in May 2022. The CEO then joined All Elite Wrestling in March 2024.

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#2. Cope has two 'Mania main event appearances to his name

When we talk about the most influential wrestlers of the past 20 years, Cope's name is bound to come up. As one of the most popular pro wrestling stars on the planet, it is no surprise that The Rated-R Superstar has had several iconic moments at WrestleMania.

The erstwhile Ultimate Opportunist has featured in the 'Mania main event twice in his career. At WrestleMania 24, Cope put his World Heavyweight Championship on the line against The Undertaker in the final match of the night.

The Canadian later won the 2021 Men's Royal Rumble to grab another opportunity to headline The Showcase of The Immortals. Cope went on to battle Daniel Bryan (AKA Bryan Danielson) and Roman Reigns in a Triple Threat Match for the Universal Championship in the main event of WrestleMania 37 Night Two.

Unfortunately, the 51-year-old veteran ended up on the losing side each time he closed out The Show of Shows. While he would certainly be proud of headlining two editions of the iconic PLE, Cope would not be too glad about his lack of wins in the two main events.

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#1. Bryan Danielson has headlined The Showcase of The Immortals twice in his career

Bryan Danielson's WrestleMania match catalog is impressive, to say the least. Before carving out a memorable career in AEW, The American Dragon remained a beloved figure in WWE for a long time.

The former AEW World Champion stepped up his game every time The Show of Shows came around. From the pre-show to the main event, Bryan Danielson has been through all kinds of experiences when it comes to The Grandest Stage of Them All.

At WrestleMania 30, the 43-year-old veteran defeated Triple H to insert himself into the main event of the PLE. In the final contest of the night, The Leader of The Yes Movement triumphed over Randy Orton and Batista in a Triple Threat Match to become the new WWE World Heavyweight Champion.

Seven years later, The American Dragon found himself in the main event of The Show of Shows yet again. At the 37th edition of The Show of Shows, Danielson went to war with the erstwhile Edge and Roman Reigns in a Triple Threat Match for the WWE Universal Championship.

The veteran could not recreate the success of his previous 'Mania main event this time around, as The Only Tribal Chief pinned both him and Cope to retain the championship.