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Wrestlemania is every professional wrestler's ultimate goal. It's the night when more eyes, both in person and on worldwide television, are on you than any other premium show, and every man or woman who laces up the boots dreams of the moment a referee hoists his or her hand high to signal a Wrestlemania win.
However, each of those wins has to have a loser, and the ten superstars on this list have, surprisingly enough, earned far fewer of those Wrestlemania wins, and have "checked the lights" in far more contests than they've won.
Here are ten of the worst Wrestlemania records of major superstars in WWE history, men whose own bad luck is the antonym to Undertaker's legendary streak.
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#10 Vince McMahon
Wrestlemania Record: 0-4
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Where would Wrestlemania be without the business acumen of WWE's chairman, whose first pay-per-view extravaganza in 1985 was the ultimate gamble of personal and professional finance?
The wins of the real-life Vince McMahon are too numerous to list but, unfortunately, his onscreen character is not quite as lucky. Four times the evil businessman has booked himself in a match on the Grandest Stage of Them All, and four times he has lost (and, in half of those, ended up a bruised and bloody mess).
His Signature Loss: At Wrestlemania X-Seven (that's what WWE calls it; don't @ me), Mr. McMahon fought his own son Shane in a Street Fight; the Astrodome would nearly explode when McMahon's wife Linda would seemingly shake off her "catatonic state" to deliver an epic low blow, gaining retribution for months of onscreen torment and flagrant adultery.
At Least He Won When: Umm...he didn't unless you count the success of the event, which is a tally in the win column of the real Vince, not his kayfabe character.
#9 Goldust
His Wrestlemania Record: 0-8
Dustin Runnels, a.k.a. Goldust, has had a legendary career in professional wrestling, one which is rumored to be winding down (although Runnels is possibly in the best physical condition he's ever been in as a pro); he is a three-time Intercontinental Champion and a three-time Tag Team Champion, and, for a period of 1995 and 1996, was one of the most-discussed new characters the business had ever seen.
Unfortunately, Wrestlemania is not Goldie's forte; in eight contests at WWE's signature show, Runnels has never once been the winner (and has rarely been in a featured contest). A true workhorse and company man who will likely continue in a backstage role thanks to the encyclopedia of wrestling knowledge behind the facepaint, Goldust has done the job in several battle royals, multi-man matches, and one of the most bizarre contests ever staged at Wrestlemania.
His Signature Loss: At Wrestlemania XII, Goldust was at the height of his controversial, mainstream news-baiting oddness, and took on Interim WWF President "Rowdy" Roddy Piper in a Hollywood Backlot Brawl; the match began with a hardcore outdoor fight reminiscent of Piper's legendary fight scene from They Live, which made both men visit Anaheim area hospitals for various injuries, then Goldust sped away in his custom gold Cadillac.
Piper pursued in his white Ford Bronco, and viewers throughout the show were treated to old footage of the O.J. Simpson police chase (at that point nearly two years in the past), where Simpson's Bronco was purported to be Piper's until Goldust ambled down the aisle with Piper in hot pursuit.
The "finish" came with Piper ripping off Goldust's unitard, leaving The Bizarre One standing in skimpy women's lingerie; Piper planted a passionate kiss on his foe before Goldie slunk away into the shadows, and Piper celebrated...something...in the ring.
#8 The Dudley Boyz
Their Wrestlemania Record: 0-5
Bubba Ray and D-Von Dudley are, without a doubt, the most decorated tag team in the history of professional wrestling; if there is a tag team championship for a major promotion in the modern world, these two have added it to their waists. Conquering the WWE, ECW, New Japan, TNA, and WCW (technically, even though it was after the buyouts) tag team divisions, the duo from Dudleyville deserve every accolade coming their way.
What they might not deserve, though, is a total of five contests wherein they put over another team and a grand total of zero contests where someone does the honours for them. Like other stars on this list, The Baddest Tag Team on the Planet has participated in their fair share of Wrestlemania classics but has never celebrated victory at WWE's Super Bowl.
Signature Loss: The Tables, Ladders, and Chairs Match at Wrestlemania X-Seven is held up by many fans as one of the greatest contests not just in Wrestlemania history, but in the history of the wrestling business itself. Pitting the Dudleys against the Hardyz and Edge and Christian in a rematch of their Wrestlemania 2000 Match of the Year (which, of course, Bubba Ray and D-Von also lost), WWE ramped up the chaos, the amazing spots, and the crazy characters by adding Rhyno, Lita, and Little Spike Dudley to an already over-the-top match.
The Dudleys might have lost, but they helped put on the performance of a lifetime.
At Least They Won When: They didn't, but this year they'll gain one of the greatest accolades Wrestlemania Weekend can offer as they join the ranks of the WWE Hall of Fame.
#7 Ric Flair
Ric Flair's grand entrance for his final WWE match at WrestleMania 24
His Wrestlemania Record: 1-4
Nature Boy can be forgiven for his paltry number of appearances at the Grandaddy of 'Em All; spending most of his glory years in a rival territory kept Naitch out of the Wrestlemania spotlight for a majority of his career, and after WWE's buyout of World Championship Wrestling, Flair found himself in a managerial role at several spring spectaculars.
Still, though, the man famous for being the most decorated champion in professional wrestling history (at least where world titles are concerned) has won a paltry 20% of his Wrestlemania contests!
Signature Loss: No discussion of Ric Flair Wrestlemania losses is complete without talking about Wrestlemania XXIV in Orlando, FL, where The Nature Boy put his career, and his early 2008 win streak, on the line against "The Heartbreak Kid" Shawn Michaels.
The match was classic Flair, busting out every dirty trick that got him through the 1980s, and some we hadn't seen since Harley Race was Handsome (like the top-rope cross-body); ultimately, HBK had to apologize to Flair, and remind Flair of his love, before a superkick ended Space Mountain's WWE career.
At Least He Won When: Flair's lone Wrestlemania victory comes as part of a team, when Evolution took on The Rock 'N' Sock Connection in a 3-on-2 Handicap Match at Wrestlemania XX; while not a barnburner of Wrestlemania Moments, the match was well-worked and well-received, and Rock's Flair-aping People's Elbow was a sight for the ages.
#6 Jeff Hardy
His Wrestlemania Record: 1-6
Jeff Hardy is a surefire Hall of Famer and has thrilled fans worldwide over nearly a quarter of a century at various levels of the wrestling business. He has also provided numerous moments which make Wrestlemania montages each year but, unfortunately, almost none of those were part of a Wrestlemania win.
Hardy's early Wrestlemania career came as part of the Hardy Boyz tag team, and the brothers typically entered multi-team contests where someone else hoisted the titles; in singles competition, The Enigma had only one singles contest, and lost in a Money in the Bank Match, while in and out of WWE due to personal issues.
Signature Loss: Hardy's only one-on-one singles match at Wrestlemania was an Extreme Rules Match against his older brother, Matt, at Wrestlemania XXV; in a match featuring fun (if nonsensical) spots, the finish came when Hardy leapfrogged over a painter's ladder to miss a leg drop onto his Broken brother, before falling victim to a chair-assisted Twist of Fate.
At Least He Won When: The brothers Hardy made a surprise return to WWE at Wrestlemania 33, when they were introduced as surprise entrants into the RAW Tag Team Championship Ladder Match; in a contest featuring some great nostalgia spots for the Orlando crowd, Hardy nailed his Swanton Bomb off a ladder, allowing his brother Matt to snag the red belts for Jeff's first Wrestlemania victory.
#5 Dolph Ziggler
His Wrestlemania Record: 1-7
Ziggler credits himself as being the show-stealer and has put on numerous fantastic pay-per-view performances in his WWE career. He has added numerous Intercontinental Championships, United States Championships, a Tag Team Championship, and two reigns with the World Heavyweight Championship to his list of accomplishments, which also includes a Money in the Bank win.
It's an impressive resume for the former cheerleader, but one place where his star doesn't shine quite so bright is Wrestlemania, where Ziggler has a lone win to his name.
Signature Loss: All of Ziggler's Wrestlemania contests have been in multi-person matchups, so he has had relatively few opportunities to steal the show. At Wrestlemania 31, however, the Intercontinental Championship Ladder Match which opened the show came down to Ziggler and fan favourite Daniel Bryan. The duo traded a brutal series of headbutts before The Showoff became the final man to fall off the ladder, allowing Bryan to complete his Championship Grand Slam.
At Least He Won When: Ziggler found himself on the winning side of a show-padding 12-man tag team match at Wrestlemania XXVIII, giving Team Johnny the win and John Laurinaitis control of both RAW and SmackDown, which was a little less than dynamic, dude.
#4 Kofi Kingston
His Wrestlemania Record: 1-8
Kofi Kingston is one of WWE's most spectacular showmen, and, through over a decade in the big leagues, Kingston has collected every mid-card and tag team championship available, while occasionally coming within sniffing distance of the major men's titles. His current run with The New Day has been a career revelation, allowing Kingston to pal around and improvise with his equally quick-minded pals to create some classic entertainment moments across WWE platforms.
On pay-per-view, Kingston's signature event is the Royal Rumble, where each year finds Kingston using tables, barricades, chairs, his tag team partners, and, yes, even silver trays of pancakes to stave off elimination, and the Kofi Spot has been one of fans' most anticipated January moments each year.
Unfortunately, Wrestlemania is far less kind to the Ghanan superstar, as he has only been on the winning side once in his illustrious WWE career.
His Signature Loss: Throughout the beginning of 2016, The New Day had begun a slow-burn babyface turn thanks to fans' enjoyment of singing along to their signature catchphrases, which annoyed the hastily-thrown-together League of Nations faction to no end. The quartet of international superstars (which became a trio when soon-to-be-future-endeavoured Wade Barrett was reduced to just cornering for his former partners) challenged The New Day to a match in Dallas at Wrestlemania 32, which ended when Xavier Woods fell to Sheamus's Brogue Kick.
The match's real bread-and-butter, though, was New Day's legendary entrance, where they emerged as anime characters from an oversized box of Booty-O's Cereal, and the aftermath, wherein WWE legends Mick Foley, Steve Austin, and Shawn Michaels put New Day in their places with a series of Attitude Era finishers.
At Least He Won When: Kingston was victoriously teaming with Kane, Big Show, and Santino Marella against Ezekiel Jackson, Heath Slater, Justin Gabriel, and Wade Barrett at Wrestlemania XVII.
#3 Cody Rhodes a.k.a. Stardust
His Wrestlemania Record: 1-6
Considering that Dusty's other wrestling son is currently one of the top names in the grappling world, it's interesting to note just how little he accomplished when WWE's spotlight shines brightest.
Rhodes was notably frustrated with his creative direction and lack of faith from the WWE front office when he departed, and his paltry single win versus six losses at Wrestlemania are a perfect snapshot of his frustrations.
New Japan Pro Wrestling may be selling out stadiums with Rhodes's heel charisma and clashes with his former Bullet Club ally Kenny Omega, and Ring of Honor will put on the largest show in its history with The American Nightmare at its helm, but WWE kept Cody on the mat when it mattered most, letting him check the lights at all but one Wrestlemania.
His Signature Loss: At Wrestlemania XXVI, Rhodes met fellow multigenerational superstars Ted DiBiase, Jr., and Randy Orton in a Triple Threat Match featuring the dissolution of the former Legacy teammates. While ostensibly a thinly-veiled handicap match, dissension reigned between DiBiase and Rhodes, allowing The Viper to punt Rhodes before nailing DiBiase with an RKO for the one-two-three.
At Least He Won When: "Dashing" Cody Rhodes had his natural good looks ruined by Rey Mysterio in early 2011, leading to a Wrestlemania XXVII clash wherein Rhodes picked up revenge, and his lone Wrestlemania win.
#2 Mark Henry
His Wrestlemania Record: 2-9
Mark Henry, another member of the 2018 WWE Hall of Fame Class, has a long WWE career with numerous accomplishments, which is especially impressive considering his less-than-stellar debut following the 1996 Olympic Games. Henry was pushed very heavy, very fast, and spent most of his career sliding up and down the card while appearing at nine consecutive Wrestlemanias throughout the 2000s.
Most of his Wrestlemania appearances came in the form of battle royals and two Money in the Bank Ladder Matches; while his chances might have been high in the former (as battle royals are a big man's game), few, if any, WWE fans could imagine him winning the latter (by climbing any but the lowest rungs of a ladder).
His Signature Loss: At Wrestlemania 22, Henry added to the ranks of Undertaker's legendary streak in a casket match; while the match was a plodding slugfest for much of its runtime, the ending sequence saw Henry on the receiving end of an eye-popping Undertaker plancha, a Last Ride powerbomb, and a massive Tombstone Piledriver before being stuffed in the oversized coffin.
At Least He Won When: Henry has only one win in a one-on-one singles match at Wrestlemania, and it came at Wrestlemania 29 when Henry fed Ryback more than The Big Guy could handle, reversing a Shell Shock to crush Ryback to the mat for three (although Ryback would finally hit the move after the bell rang).
#1 The Big Show
His Wrestlemania Record: 5-11
While boasting the most wins of anyone on this list (and, really, more wins than the rest of the list combined), Big Show makes this list because of the magnitude of some of his biggest Wrestlemania losses.
Paul Wight came to WWE in early 1999, one of the first defectors to leave World Championship Wrestling for the World Wrestling Federation just as the scales of the Monday Night Wars were tipping in the McMahon family's favour.
Winning the WCW World Championship in his debut match, and winning the WWF Championship within nine months of his shocking entrance into the Northern territory, Big Show's stock (and karmic alignment on the heel/face scale) has fluctuated over the past nineteen years more than any other superstar.
His career reportedly done, Big Show has competed in sixteen Wrestlemania contests, and come away with a win in fewer than a third of those.
His Signature Loss: The Big Show's Wrestlemania calling card is his willingness to tumble with celebrities from other "legitimate" sports, and his No Disqualification match with Floyd "Money" Mayweather at Wrestlemania XXIV is the most famous example of this (although Show would tussle with Akebono and Shaquille O'Neal at other Mania events). Wight was reportedly up for anything in this match and has spoken at length about asking the pint-sized pugilist to punch him for real both in the buildup to the match and the contest itself.
At Least He Won When: Show's only victories as a singles competitor at WrestleMania XXVIII, when he beat Cody Rhodes for the Intercontinental Championship, and Wrestlemania 31 edition of the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal, ironic considering that WCW once billed him as the son of the late French behemoth.
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