The 34 best WrestleMania matches ever

34 editions of the Showcase of the Immortals will have come and gone after tomorrow night. Many have been classics. Some have been duds. Some have one great match that pulls an entire show up from the abyss.

WWE WrestleMania has seen more than its share of classic matches. Stars were made and the company's future was decided on its grandest stage. It's only natural.

Follow Sportskeeda's coverage of the Show of Shows here: WWE WrestleMania 34 Results, live updates; Another Superstar's Contract Expiring After WrestleMania?

Though the past few WrestleManias have been disappointing, tomorrow night's looks much better, and here were the 34 greatest matches that made a 34th edition of the show possible.

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#34: Roddy Piper vs. Goldust (WrestleMania 12)

A perhaps surprising addition, Goldust's weirdness and the innovation on display made it an instant standout in a droll WrestleMania 12 (yes, that includes the Iron Man match).

This match was an important evolution in the hardcore and falls count anywhere genre that would rise to huge prominence in the coming Attitude Era.

The footage of Roddy Poper being chased in his car by police was a darkly comedic overture to the OJ Simpson car chase, as both competitors made their way to the arena. Goldust's odd tendencies were on display when both men got to the ring, popping the crowd.

Piper eventually got in on the act, stripping Goldust down to the lingerie he was wearing! He ran away in embarrassment, leaving Piper the winner by default.

#33: The Undertaker vs. Randy Orton (WrestleMania 21)

A match that often fails to get the attention it deserves, this was the match where Undertaker's WrestleMania streak started to become a big deal. Prior to this, it was just an interesting statistic. Randy Orton changed that when he wanted to live up to his "Legend Killer" nickname in the most spectacular way possible - by ending the legend of The Undertaker.

This was a hard-hitting, back and forth affair throughout. As the match neared its climax, it looked like Cowboy Bob Orton's interference would get the win for his son, but it wasn't to be. An RKO reversal of a Chokeslam wasn't enough to put the Deadman away. Eventually, Undertaker would counter Orton's Tombstone attempt with his own. The streak grew to 13-0, but Randy Orton certainly looked good in defeat.

#32: Hulk Hogan vs. The Ultimate Warrior (WrestleMania 6)

The prototype for today's big babyface vs. babyface showdowns, this was supposed to be a passing of the torch moment. It didn't turn out that way in the long run. Fans weren't thinking about that in 1990, though. They were just excited to see two of their favorites get in the ring.

This match wasn't brilliantly worked by any means. It was slow. Most of the moves looked phony even by the standards of the day. Nevertheless, it was a great exercise in getting the crowd emotionally invested.

A giant contest of strength and endurance throughout, both men sold well, and the ending sequence, where Warrior overcame the "Hulk Up" that felled so many in the past, and just managed to barely beat Hogan, was well-done.

#31: The Rock vs. John Cena (WrestleMania 28)

In terms of sheer box office draw, this match probably made more money than any other in WWE history. By far the biggest match of the 2010's decade, it came after a year of buildup and many years of fans fantasizing and arguing about the outcome of a hypothetical encounter between two of WWE's icons.

The match itself wasn't anything amazing. The Rock was very out of practice and John Cena can vary wildly depending on who he shares a ring with. The spectacle of seeing the two meet after so many years helped to disguise the match's drawbacks though, and the crowd was certainly hot to see The Rock pick up the unexpected win.

#30: The Dream Team vs. The British Bulldogs (WrestleMania 2)

The sole bright spot of WrestleMania 2, this match is consequently underrated, since the event it was part of is rightfully overlooked.

A wrestling clinic that mirrors some of the best tag team action today (if more slowly), both teams went back and forth, with the power of Davey Boy Smith being the biggest highlight of the match.

Greg Valentine took a big chance by breaking up his own pinfall attempt late in the contest. This backfired tremendously when Valentine got rammed into the ring post and pinned. The crowd went wild when the new champions, the British Bulldogs, were crowned.

#29: Chris Jericho vs. Chris Benoit vs. Kurt Angle (WrestleMania 16)

This was a very important match for the future of the company. For all three men, it was their first WrestleMania. The match showed that all three could be relied on to excel if the company pushed them.

Each man would have better matches than this with one another later on, but this match built the foundation. Kurt Angle was riding a rocket, picking up the two mid-card titles on the way. Jericho and Benoit took them both from him in a superb two falls match that provided the night's best contest. All three delivered, and it was indeed a sign of things to come.

#28: Chris Benoit vs. Kurt Angle (WrestleMania 17)

Similar to the match a year prior, this was an underrated sleeper classic that was still but a preview of their even better matches to come. Chris Benoit and Kurt Angle went for 14 minutes with nothing on the line except who the better wrestler was.

Unlike the prior year's match, they didn't need anything else. They showed and would continue to, that they were two of the best wrestlers in the world.

A nice contrast with the brutal matches that would come before and after it, it was perfectly placed on the WrestleMania 17 card and managed to stand out despite the other highlights of this greatest of all WrestleManias.

#27: Daniel Bryan vs. Batista vs. Randy Orton (WrestleMania 30)

One of the most iconic matches of the decade (even if it did lag way too long way too many times), it was the culmination of a rebellion that finally forced WWE to change direction, giving its fans a feel-good moment that will never be forgotten.

To add to the drama before the match even began, Daniel Bryan's arm was injured, and was made worse by Triple H earlier in the night, and it looked like it was taking him out of contention early.

Triple H and Stephanie made their presence known in the match, pulling the referee out of the ring when Bryan had the Yes Lock on Orton and bringing in their handpicked referee to do their bidding. It looked over when Batista landed the Batista Bomb on Bryan, but the latter kicked out.

He would kick referee Scott Armstrong out of the ring and suicide dive onto Armstrong, Triple H, and Stephanie, taking them all out. A shot with a sledgehammer finished Triple H off for good, but Bryan would soon be facing a combined assault form Batista and Orton.

A combination of a Batista Bomb with an RKO through an announce table looked like it ended Bryan's ability to participate in the match. A stretcher came out.

The match slowed to a crawl from here until the end sequences, where we saw Daniel Bryan win the title and got perhaps the most iconic closing to a WrestleMania this decade.

#26: The Rock vs. Hulk Hogan (WrestleMania 18)

Many might be surprised that I'm putting this match here. In my opinion, it is overrated. It would be far lower in WrestleMania lore if it had a different crowd. Nevertheless, it sure was a sight to see at the time!

An icon vs. icon match the magnitude of which was unequaled until a decade later, this was meant to be a passing of the torch moment. It was, but not in the way originally intended.

Despite his being a heel, the Toronto crowd still loved the Hulkster, even after so many years had passed. So he and The Rock pulled off a double turn in the match (if in The Rock's case only for one night) that would soon catapult Hulk Hogan into one more babyface title run.

This match was no work rate classic. In fact, it was slow and plodding, but it had one of the most fevered, frenzied crowds ever to make itself heard in a WrestleMania match.

Drama was created when the referee was taken out. Rock had Hogan tapping to his sharpshooter, but there was no one to see it. As Rock somewhat revived the referee, Hogan gave him a low blow followed by a Rock Bottom, but much to the crowd's disappointment, The Rock kicked out at two.

After both men took turns beating each other with Hogan's belt, The Rock hit a Rock Bottom on Hogan, who kicked out at two and soon Hulked up. It wasn't enough to finish The Rock off, however, and he would eventually win with two Rock Bottoms and a People's Elbow.

Hogan's face turn then became complete when, after the match was over, he and The Rock fought off Scott Hall and Kevin Nash, who turned on their old comrade.

#25: Shawn Michales vs. Chris Jericho (WrestleMania 19)

Shawn Michaels' first match on the grandest stage in five years was far from his best, but it was a very good showing nonetheless.

Most of the match consisted of the two trading similar offense, emphasizing their similarities that were promoted prior to the match. At one point late in the match, Chris Jericho hit Shawn Michaels with Sweet Chin Music, but it wasn't enough.

Michaels got up in what was a rare exercise in poor psychology from him, as he took the fight to Jericho, almost as if the finisher took nothing out of him.

Shawn's late comeback got fans on their feet. He went for Sweet Chin Music. Chris Jericho countered with the Walls of Jericho. Michaels got to the ropes. Jericho vented his frustration on the referee.

He turned around into Sweet Chin Music from Michaels. Jericho kicked out. Michaels would finally find a way to end it with a rollup, hug it out with Jericho, and get low blowed by the sore loser.

#24: Trish Stratus vs. Mickie James (WrestleMania 22)

After months of psychotic and obsessive behavior toward Trish Stratus, Mickie James got a shot at the champion and her title at WrestleMania.

The match was short at only around 8 minutes, but it delivered exactly what it needed to and then some in that time.

Well-worked throughout, the match was brutal and personal by contemporary women's standards; the crowd was firmly on Mickie's side throughout the affair, even though she worked heel. After repeat assaults on Trish's leg, Mickie ended the match with a kick to the head to become the new champion.

#23: Stone Cold Steve Austin vs. The Rock (WrestleMania 19)

The third and final encounter between Stone Cold Steve Austin and The Rock on the grandest stage was, like the first two, unique.

This was Stone Cold's return after a long, unannounced hiatus, and The Rock was coming back to the ring from his first successful stint in Hollywood, which changed him, turning him into a heel that was very different from his first heel run.

Little did we know it at the time, but this was also Austin's last match.

An early point of drama came when The Rock, who had assaulted Austin's knees in the brawl that opened the match, locked the Rattlesnake in the Sharpshooter. Austin got to the ropes, but Rock's assault continued, and arrogantly, donned Austin's vest.

That was bad luck, as Austin came back, hitting The Rock with a Rock Bottom, but only getting a two count. The Rock would see a similar result hitting Austin with the Stunner.

The two men would trade finishers from there, with it taking three Rock Bottoms for Austin to finally go down and for Rock to do the one thing he hadn't done before - beat his biggest rival on the biggest stage.

#22: Sasha Banks vs. Becky Lynch vs. Charlotte Flair (WrestleMania 32)

Widely regarded as the highlight of an otherwise droll WrestleMania 32, this match meant a lot more than just that. It was the proof of concept for the "women's revolution" on the main roster, showing that the women could be relied on to be the stars of huge shows.

Barely a year removed from AJ Lee's public call-out of WWE for the way the company treated its female talent and the #GiveDivasAChance campaign, the match was a triumph, the finality of which was signified with the retiring of the despised Divas Championship.

Aside from its historical significance, it was also one of the better triple threat matches in WrestleMania history, with the action exploding from the get-go. No one will ever forget Sasha's Frog Splash on Charlotte while she had Becky locked in the Figure Four, Becky's dive onto Ric Flair, or Charlotte's moonsault onto Becky and Sasha.

False finish followed false finish until Becky tapped to the Figure Eight, if only because Ric Flair held Sasha back and prevented her from breaking it up.

Though the ending was disappointing, the match was a classic.

#21: Brock Lesnar vs. Roman Reigns vs. Seth Rollins (WrestleMania 31)

The build to this match was abysmal, but it wound up surprising everyone, and not just because of the wild ending.

The match mostly consisted of Brock Lesnar laying a brutal beating on Roman Reigns. It's where the "Suplex City" meme was born. The cheeky smiles from Roman Reigns to contrast with the beastly look on Lesnar's face added to the atmosphere of the match.

When Brock Lesnar took off his gloves in dramatic fashion, the energy got turned up even further. Despite all the punishment that he took, however, Roman Reigns wouldn't stay down.

Reigns managed to cut Brock Lesnar at the start of the match and busted him wide open as it progressed and he began his comeback. Up to then, everything Roman Reigns did only managed to anger Brock Lesnar, but after slamming the champion's head against the ringpost, the challenger came back. Three Superman Punches and two Spears weren't enough to slay the Beast, however.

Then along came Seth Rollins, to the glee of the crowd. Rollins cashed in his Money in the Bank contract and won, ultimately postponing the conclusion between Lesnar and Reigns by three years. It was certainly a nice way to get started, though.

#20: Brock Lesnar vs. Kurt Angle (WrestleMania 19)

Brock Lesnar debuted in WWE in the spring of 2002 and capped off an unprecedented rookie year with one of the best main events in WrestleMania history. The Royal Rumble winner would meet WWE Champion Kurt Angle in a contest of pure wrestling skill.

It was the NCAA champion vs. the Olympic gold medalist. Unfortunately, Michael Cole sounded like he had laryngitis when calling this match, which was a significant distraction.

Kurt Angle had injured Brock Lesnar's ribs in the buildup to the match, so despite the challenger's significant weight advantage, he had a big burden to overcome. Kurt Angle took control of most of the match.

Gradually, Brock Lesnar began to get back into the fight, but Angle would stop his attempts short with reversals. Lesnar would kick out of the Angle Slam, though. Angle answered back by kicking out of Lesnar's F5 and putting him into another ankle lock with body scissors.

Showing his monstrous strength, Lesnar dragged Angle to the ropes, forcing him to break the hold and kicking the champion away. Then we got to an F5 and that infamous botched Shooting Star Press.

Fortunately, the scary moment passed, as Lesnar again hit the F5 on Kurt Angle to become a two-time WWE Champion.

#19: Bret Hart vs. Roddy Piper (WrestleMania 8)

One of the greatest Intercontinental Championship matches ever, the contest saw great wrestling and intriguing mind games between the two competitors, like when Hart faked an arm injury to roll Piper up in a small package.

Hart's bleeding signaled a new phase in the match. Piper continually tried to put Hart away but wasn't able to do it. He wasn't making it easy for Hart to finish him in the Sharpshooter, either. The referee was taken out. Piper grabbed the ring bell. The struggling and bleeding Hart looked like he had no chance, but Piper mysteriously hesitated and threw the ring bell away.

That was a huge mistake because he decided to put Hart in a chokehold, which the latter would reverse from the turnbuckle and get the roll-up pin as the referee stirred! The crowd was shocked and elated. Piper couldn't believe it, but gave the title to Hart and helped him up as a sign of respect.

It was a star-making performance that elevated Hart to much greater heights in the ensuing years.

#18: Hulk Hogan vs. Randy Savage (WrestleMania 5)

This was a match over a year in the making. It was the culmination of a great friendship and a bitter breakup involving that most personal of all matters for two proud men - a woman. The woman in question, Miss Elizabeth, made it clear that she wanted to help both Hogan and Savage, adding confusion and drama before the bell even rang.

Throughout the match, Savage used every underhanded heel tactic imaginable to halt whatever momentum his challenger would build, including the liberal use of eye rakes that left Hogan bleeding from the eye.

When the action went to the outside, things got complicated, as Elizabeth's confusion over who to help only seemed to further Savage's cause, leaving the crowd in suspense. Strangely, Savage would demand she leave the ringside area, even though she'd been of inadvertent help to him.

Savage still retained the advantage though, as his turnbuckle double axe handle drove Hogan into the steel railing. Suddenly, the challenger was also dealing with a throat injury. Things looked finished for Hogan when Savage successfully went to the top rope and dropped the elbow.

Hogan, however, kicked out in emphatic fashion and began to hulk up. We would call this bad selling today, but the crowd loved it back then. Soon, Savage's year-long title reign was at an end and Hogan was once again champion.

The ending was cliched, but by the standards of its time, it was a brutal match, and it came after a great build.

#17: The Undertaker vs. Edge (WrestleMania 24)

A vastly underrated WrestleMania main event, this was a modern triumph of long-term storytelling. It came after nearly a year of Edge screwing the Undertaker out of the World Heavyweight Championship and preventing the Deadman from retaliating.

The match was a showcase of the suspense that Undertaker's streak provided for so many years. Many times, it looked like Edge, who had never lost in singles competition on the grandest stage either, could break the streak.

Edge controlled most of the action, even kicking out of a Tombstone. This match is perhaps most notable for Charles Robinson's sprint to the ring after the original referee was taken out. It became an instant meme.

After Chokeslamming Curt Hawkins onto Zack Ryder, Undertaker sustained two spears and locked Edge in the submission hold that would go on to be known as the Hell's Gate.

Desperately trying to get to the ropes which were so tantalizingly close, Edge was ultimately forced to tap, and Undertaker celebrated his triumph and revenge, with the former champion bleeding from the mouth.

#16: Bret Hart vs. Owen Hart (WrestleMania 10)

A very personal battle this would have been a shoe-in for the best match that night if a certain ladder match hadn't have happened later.

The enmity between the two brothers was palpable throughout the masterfully-worked contest. Owen Hart wanted to prove he was a better wrestler than his older brother. Bret wanted to punish Owen for his insolence.

Owen worked Bret's knees throughout the match, but he couldn't get his brother to tap with the Sharpshooter. After many reversals and high-impact moves, Owen managed to put his brother away with a roll-up.

Usually, this would be an anticlimactic end, but not this time. With this finish, Owen could still arrogantly claim to be the better wrestler, even though he barely won, while fans got more invested in Bret, who sold the disbelief of his loss sublimely.

His morale looked visibly shaken prior to his title aspirations later that night. He now had a bigger mountain to overcome when facing Yokozuna.

#15: Randy Savage vs. Ricky Steamboat (WrestleMania 3)

One of the best matches in the early history of WrestleMania, the third edition may have been sold on the Hulk Hogan vs. Andre the Giant mega match, this bout was the one that stole the show.

The crowd was fully behind Ricky Steamboat and was just waiting to explode as they sat through Savage's domination of the early match. When the comeback began to happen, any move that Steamboat got in, even if just a punch, was met with a thunderous ovation.

A high point of drama came when the referee was taken out and Savage hit his famed elbow drop. With no one to make the count, Steamboat was saved, and eventually, his gutsy performance paid off. Winning the title, he also got his revenge on Savage for his earlier attempt to end his career. The ending via roll-up was anticlimactic, but the crowd didn't care at the time.

#14: Money in the Bank Ladder Match (WrestleMania 21)

The first Money in the Bank match remains the best one, as Edge outlasted his competitors in a contest reminiscent of his previous WrestleMania classic ladder matches to become the first ever Mr. Money in the Bank. This was the key turning point that elevated his career from mid-card to main event act.

He didn't do it easily. Brutal ladder spots were seen all around. The only unfortunate thing about this match was that it took place on the same night as a certain other classic. Otherwise, it would have easily been this WrestleMania's best match.

#13: Daniel Bryan vs. Triple H (WrestleMania 30)

Superior to the triple threat main event that night, emotions were at their height during this affair, since hanging in the balance was what so many wanted to see in the first place - Daniel Bryan in the main event. Every move Daniel Bryan landed was met with a thunderous response as Triple H worked his arm in the meantime, driving it onto the announce table.

One of the highlights was when Triple H put Daniel Bryan in his own Yes Lock, receiving booming boos in reply until Bryan broke the hold and started to come back. Each time Bryan seemed to get second wind, though, Triple H would put him right back on the mat with an explosive move. It looked like it was over with the second Yes Lock that Triple H applied, as it seemed Bryan was fading away, and the crowd along with him.

Bryan rolled Triple H over into a pin, then applied his own Yes Lock after the kick out, with the crowd roaring back. Triple H made the ropes, with the crowd shaking the Superdome with its boos. When Daniel Bryan kicked out of the Pedigree, the Superdome shook even more with the roars of approval.

After a few more sequences which took the breath out of the crowd, Daniel Bryan won with a running knee, but Triple H assaulted him afterward, setting up more suspense for the main event.

#12: Shawn Michaels vs. Kurt Angle (WrestleMania 21)

Put two of the greatest ring workers WWE has ever seen in a first time ever contest at the biggest show of the year and what do you get? One of the greatest matches in WrestleMania history, of course!

For nearly 30 minutes, these two showed the world that they were the masters of their craft. In fact, that's what the whole thing was about - who really was the best wrestler? Both men's identities were wrapped up in that question, so neither could afford to lose.

This was a war that had a little bit of everything that a wrestling match can provide. There was a table spot, high flying spots, some brawling, and impeccable mat wrestling. In the end, Shawn Michaels was locked in the Ankle Lock.

He kept fans in suspense. Would he tap or not? He came close. He didn't do it. Kurt Angle went to the mat locked in the body scissors. Michaels ultimately had no choice.

Both performers got a standing ovation and rightfully so.

#11: Randy Savage vs. Ultimate Warrior (WrestleMania 7)

Another triumph of long-term storytelling, Savage's screwing Warrior out of the WWF title led to this match with both men's careers on the line on the grandest stage. Miss Elizabeth's presence in the audience signaled early on the kind of match this would be since she and Savage still hadn't healed their rift from the time of WrestleMania 5.

The constants in this match were the power of Warrior and the interference of Sensational Sherri, who combined her wits with Savage to overcome the disadvantage in strength. When Warrior kicked out of five elbow drops, it was clear Savage couldn't win on his own.

Savage wouldn't go down easily though, as he kicked out of Warrior's finisher. Warrior's tease of walking away afterward saw fans hold their breath and implore him not to.

Warrior would come back, beat the crap out of Savage, and pin him with his foot. That wasn't the end, though. Sensational Sherri, enraged, attacked the fallen Savage for losing. Elizabeth ran to the ring to stop it, and a tense few minutes later, she and Savage, now a face again, reunited at last. Many of those in the audience were moved to tears.

#10: Shawn Michaels vs. Ric Flair (WrestleMania 24)

Ric Flair was far past his prime by this point, so this wasn't a work rate classic, but in his last big match the Nature Boy pulled out some surprising tricks, and the chemistry he and Shawn Michaels had together was incredible.

The match lulled viewers into a false sense of security by starting out slow. The second half was far more memorable.

Shawn Michaels couldn't allow himself to hit Sweet Chin Music on Flair, but Flair had no problems locking in the Figure Four! As the crowd was popping, Michaels somehow managed to reverse the pressure of the move, forcing Flair to break it. The second Figure Four was far more dramatic, with Michaels locked in it seemingly for ages.

Michaels just managed to get to the ropes, and Flair would soon turn around to meet Sweet Chin Music. If the crowd wasn't on fire before, it certainly was when Flair kicked out. After Flair delivered a low blow to Michaels and another dramatic near-fall, Shawn Michaels locked Ric Flair in his own Figure Four, but the Nature Boy got to the ropes.

We saw a roll-up with Ric Flair holding his opponent's tights for another near fall, another Sweet Chin Music out of nowhere, and finally, the famous "I'm sorry, I love you," before one last finisher.

The sendoff Flair got will always live on in WrestleMania lore.

#9: Randy Savage vs. Ric Flair (WrestleMania 8)

This was supposed to be the WrestleMania where fans got the long-awaited Hulk Hogan vs. Ric Flair main event. Alas, it was not to be. The title match with Randy Savage was a wonderful substitute, however.

A highly personal contest, Savage went after Flair from the start, but the champion withstood his challenger's assault and began to take control. That was until Savage finally started to come back mid-match, slamming Ric Flair from the top turnbuckle and spitting on the now-vulnerable champion.

The crowd went crazy for the near-fall on the champion soon afterward. The energy tuned up even more after a top rope double axe handle from Savage sent Flair into the barricade and busted him open.

Savage's attacks from there were brutal and Flair delivered a great performance as the weakened, vulnerable champion. Things looked finished when Savage dropped the elbow, but Mr. Perfect, who accompanied Flair, broke up the pinfall, and in another piece of high drama, Savage went after Mr. Perfect while referee Earl Hebner tried to separate the two men.

During the tussle, Mr. Perfect tossed a foreign object to Ric Flair, who placed it on his knuckles and punched Savage. Savage kicked out of the pinfall, to the delight of everyone. Afterward, with the referee again distracted, Mr. Perfect assaulted Savage with a chair.

Then Miss Elizabeth made her way to the ring! All the while, Flair softened Savage's legs up for the Figure Four. Savage was locked in the hold for a long time, refusing to quit, as officials tried to get Elizabeth away from ringside.

Finally, Savage reversed the pressure and forced Ric Flair to break the hold. His leg was still in agony, though, and Flair continued to assault it, all the while screaming "it's for you baby! Woo!" to Elizabeth. Then, out of nowhere, Savage rolled up Flair for the win.

Even after the match ended, the drama continued, as Ric Flair kissed Miss Elizabeth, who slapped him repeatedly. Savage tackled him and the two went at each other again before officials finally separated the two and Savage was left to celebrate his win with fireworks in the air.

A fantastic match with many moving parts that is surprisingly underrated, the anticlimactic finish was the only bad thing to say about it.

#8: Shawn Michaels vs. Razor Ramon (WrestleMania 10)

One of only two WrestleMania matches to score five stars on Dave "Tokyo Dome" Meltzer's infamous ratings scale, it's far more notable in that it pioneered the ladder match in WWE.

Hanging above the ring were two Intercontinental Championship belts. Two claimed the title, but only one man could be the real champion.

With only one ladder in the match, it was actually more of a combination of a classic wrestling match with some elements of a modern ladder match, but all the tropes that stars like the Hardy Boyz would later make famous evolved from this contest, from the use of the ladder as a weapon to the spots performed while climbing on and off the ladder (except maybe for Razor Ramon pulling down Shawn Michaels' pants).

Ultimately, with Shawn Michaels' leg wrapped up in the ropes, Razor Ramon would climb the bent and brutalized ladder to get the victory, with the crowd roaring its delight.

#7: Shawn Michaels vs. Chris Benoit vs. Triple H (WrestleMania 20)

Yes, this was Chris Benoit's big match. What he did three years later doesn't change its greatness or the delight fans felt at the time for finally seeing him win the big one. That's what this was all about.

He came close on a number of occasions, but never got the job done. Winning the Royal Rumble was his greatest opportunity, but Shawn Michaels and Triple H had an intense rivalry going on at the time, and by deciding to switch brands to challenge Raw's World Heavyweight Champion, he'd need to get through them both.

The crowd was hot for Benoit in this match, which ran at a fever intensity from the moment the bell rang. Even Shawn Michaels got booed a few times.

There was a thrilling moment where Triple H held Shawn Michaels' hand and prevented him from tapping to the crossface. The crowd could taste what they wanted, but it wasn't happening yet! To prolong the torture, Chris Benoit was double suplexed through an announcer's table by Triple H and Shawn Michaels, which looked like it put him out of action.

He made his heroic return after Triple H Pedigreed Shawn Michaels, stopping the pin. Benoit put the Sharpshooter on. Shawn Michaels replied to the Crippler with Sweet Chin Music. Benoit kicked out. The crowd was going crazy. Michaels missed with his second Sweet Chin Music, as Benoit dumped him out of the ring, reversed Triple H's Pedigree into the Crossface, and finally, finally won the big one.

The closing to WrestleMania 20, with Benoit and Eddie Guerrero celebrating in the ring, was an iconic scene which would soon become a foreboding experience to watch again.

#6: The Undertaker vs. Triple H (WrestleMania 28)

The "End of an Era" match came at the end of a four year long cycle between The Undertaker, Shawn Michaels, and Triple H. Michaels couldn't end the streak. Triple H wanted to be the one to do it, both to avenge his friend and prove that he, and he alone, was "The Last Outlaw."

Triple H came close but failed to do it the previous year. Undertaker looked much worse in that match though, and he now suddenly had something to prove. The addition of Shawn Michaels as the guest referee only made the atmosphere that much more tense. Could he remain impartial?

Undertaker slowly and methodically dominated the first third of the match, until Triple H started his comeback by escaping the Hell's Gate. That's when the brutality was turned up a notch. After an all-out assault with a steel chair, Shawn Michaels asked Undertaker if he wanted to quit. He received an emphatic refusal. Triple H demanded that Michaels "end it or I will."

Shawn Michaels' confusion as to what to do was a huge element of intrigue in this match. Would he call for the bell or not? At one point, he took away a sledgehammer from Triple H. At another, Undertaker put him in the Hell's Gage.

This was a huge mistake since, in a repeat of the year before, Triple H would soon pass out in the move as well, but no one was there to see it.

Michaels would eventually hit Undertaker with Sweet Chin Music, which Triple H followed with a Pedigree, but that wasn't enough to end the fight, either.

After a long string of brutal beatings and false finishes from both competitors, Triple H eventually knew he was beaten, gave Undertaker the DX crotch chop, and received a Tombstone in thanks. The streak went to 20-0, and the exit of all three men together as brothers in arms became an instant icon.

#5: Edge and Christian vs. The Hardy Boyz vs. The Dudley Boyz (WrestleMania 17)

To this day, this match remains not only the standard for all ladder matches, but the greatest weapons match in WrestleMania, if not WWE, history. From a pure ring action perspective, it slightly exceeded the main event that night.

Making the most of the 15 minutes allotted to them, these teams delivered the best match of their classic rivalry. The bumps that these men took in this match were legendary, and are still as vivid today as they were that night.

Ultimately, Edge and Christian prevailed in the contest to become the new tag team champions. The fact that this match is remembered as much as the Austin/Rock main event that night is a testament to its excellence.

#4: Stone Cold Steve Austin vs. The Rock (WrestleMania 17)

As good as the "end of an era" match at WrestleMania 28 was, the tagline was hyperbole. This was the real end of an era match. Its corpse made some twitches for a while, but everyone agrees that the body and soul of the Attitude Era died in this match. It picked a hell of a way to go out, though.

Capping off a WrestleMania that had probably already solidified its place as the greatest in history, this match was an all-out war that lasted nearly half an hour, and made the event essentially untouchable by any future WrestleMania. It was one of Austin's best matches and probably The Rock's best.

At stake was more than just the title. It was about who "the guy" truly was. Unlike their encounter two years earlier, where Austin was the undisputed ace of the company, it was now an open question as to which of them was truly on top. Feeling insecure, Austin uttered the signature line of the build to this encounter: "I need to beat you Rock, I need it more than anything you can imagine."

Try as he might, Austin just couldn't get the job done. The Stunner didn't work. Brutal weapons shots didn't work. He even brought back the Million Dollar Dream from his days as The Ringmaster, which still wasn't enough.

Ultimately, Austin had to make a deal with the devil. He turned heel, joined forces with his archenemy Vince McMahon, and beat The Rock by any means necessary. It brought the Attitude Era's beating heart to a sudden and completely unexpected stop. Leaving fans utterly confused, it was an infamous end to a WrestleMania war that will never be forgotten.

#3: The Undertaker vs. Shawn Michaels (WrestleMania 26)

This match was only slightly below their WrestleMania 25 classic, but the rematch had a much different atmosphere.

Still agonizing that he couldn't get the job done the year before, Shawn Michaels was suffering from an identity crisis. He demanded a rematch. Undertaker, the World Heavyweight Champion at the time, refused.

As a result, Shawn Michaels cost him his title. This got the Deadman to acquiesce - but only on condition that HBK's career was over if he lost the match. It was a big ask, but Shawn Michaels figured that if he couldn't beat The Undertaker and break the streak, what good was his career anyway? He accepted.

The war this time around was much more bitter than the last one, with an infamous show of disrespect from Shawn Michaels at the end of the match when he realized he just didn't have what it took. Ultimately, Undertaker finished him off, and the two buried the hatchet in the middle of the ring, to the delight of the crowd.

It was a perfect sendoff for Shawn Michaels, a lesson which Undertaker would, unfortunately, fail to heed.

#2: The Undertaker vs. Shawn Michaels (WrestleMania 25)

Many regard this as the best match in WrestleMania history. What makes it even more astonishing was how late in both men's careers it came. Shawn Michaels and The Undertaker were rivals in the '90s but had surprisingly never met in a one-on-one encounter since the former's 2002 return.

Both were different men from the heyday of their rivalry 10 years earlier, so this could almost be mistaken for a first time ever match.

There was one infamous botch on Undertaker's part, with his top-rope suicide dive leaving us genuinely worried, but thankfully he came out of it unharmed. What followed from there was a war, but a graceful, majestic one, that lasted for 30 minutes.

Both men were astonished that they couldn't finish the other, with Undertaker's facial expression after Shawn Michaels kicked out of the Tombstone becoming an instant legend.

Eventually, Shawn Michaels made the mistake which cost him the match, with his moonsault being caught and turned into another Tombstone. This would set up the next match, as Michaels could justly claim that Undertaker only managed to win and preserve his streak by the skin of his teeth.

#1: Stone Cold Steve Austin vs. Bret Hart (WrestleMania 13)

WrestleMania 13 is usually regarded as one of the worst. Despite that, it boasted this match. It's one of only six WWF/E matches to get five stars on Dave Meltzer's infamous rating scale. But the real reason why this makes the top of the list, and will never be topped, is because it was unequivocally the most important match in WWF/E history.

The WWF was reeling in 1997. With its nWo storyline, the greatest in wrestling history, spurring it on, WCW was crushing its competitor in the ratings war. It had been nearly nine months since Raw topped Nitro.

It would be a year before it would do so again. The man responsible for the turning of the tide a year later, which would ultimately save the WWF and drive its antagonist out of business, was catapulted to superstardom on the back of this match. WWE's global dominance can be traced back directly to it.

Following his "Austin 3:16" promo and King of the Ring victory, Stone Cold began taunting Bret Hart. The contrast between the upstanding Hart and the foul-mouthed Austin couldn't be clearer.

Austin would go on to cost Hart the WWF Championship and a Royal Rumble victory. To make it all even worse for the Hitman, he found that the crowd was slowly taking a liking to Austin, admiring his attitude.

Here was a man who appealed to the fantasies of the masses - he did what he wanted, when he wanted. It made him veer toward the dark side, as Hart decided that he needed to destroy Austin by whatever means necessary.

The match being a submission match was the perfect stipulation to follow this buildup. How could either of these men bear to submit to the other?

Before the bell even rang, Austin took Hart down, and within seconds the action spilled outside and into the stands. This wasn't a match. It was a war between two men that hated each other. Austin throwing a drink onto Hart was a fantastic statement of that fact.

Eventually, the action got back into the ring, and there, Hart took control. He methodically worked over Austin's knees, softening them up for the Sharpshooter. Ken Shamrock, the guest referee, asked Austin early on if he wanted to quit.

He got two middle fingers in response. A Figure Four on the ringpost followed, with Austin flailing in agony but refusing to quit, and the crowd went nuts.

That was the story told throughout. When Austin got in offense, it was usually only between long stints of Hart's offense. Even a Stunner didn't do much to keep the Hitman down, so determined was he to force his enemy to submit.

This would normally be a bit of bad selling, but it actually wound up adding to the story of this match. Even the camera work sublimely sold the brutal, personal nature of it, as we saw shots of a little girl covering her face, unwilling to watch the violence unfold, and Stu Hart in disbelief at what he was seeing.

The crowd slowly, but steadily, favored Austin, especially as he locked in his first submission hold. Hart soon got back into the match, taking it outside and busting Austin open on the guard railing.

We saw droplets of blood leaking all over the blue safety mat, and Hart continued his assault, attempting to open the gash up that much more and receiving audible boos in response. Chair shots to the knee followed hot on the heels of the action returning to the ring, but Austin escaped from an attempted Sharpshooter, showing one last sudden burst of offense, bleeding and stumbling though he was.

This last burst was stopped by Hart via a ringbell shot to Austin's head while the latter attempted to choke him out with a cable. Then came the Sharpshooter again. Austin refused to submit. Blood gushed out all over the canvas as he nearly passed out.

With the crowd chanting his name, he made one last valiant attempt to stay in the match, almost breaking out of the hold, and the crowd got even louder. His attempt was unsuccessful. He passed out in pain, and to cement the seismic shift that had just occurred,

Bret Hart assaulted Austin even after the match was over. The crowd popped for Shamrock breaking the Hitman's rampage up far more than for Hart in his victory, and the once-beloved figure was booed out of the building on his way back to the locker room. Hart even flipped a fan off, and received some middle fingers in return!

Austin, meanwhile, hobbled to the back with the fans chanting his name. The double turn was complete. Thus ended the greatest episode not only in WrestleMania history but all of WWE history. Nothing would ever be the same again.

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