Who is the REAL Mr. Wrestlemania?

It is perhaps no surprise that a Superstar as decorated and celebrated as Shawn Michaels has managed to pick up so many nicknames. Not only is he the Heartbreak Kid, The Show-Stopper, The Icon and the Main Event, but one that has always stuck with him throughout his career is 'Mr. Wrestlemania'.

Of all the monikers attached to HBK, this one is perhaps the most impressive. When it comes to the WWE, Wrestlemania is the show of shows, and to be considered the greatest performer in the history of the event is truly the ultimate honor.

But taking everything into account, can we really say with our heart of hearts that Shawn Michaels IS the ultimate Wrestlemania Superstar? After all, we have seen an army of current and future main eventers grace the Mania landscape over the years and there are undoubtedly people who will challenge Shawn's position at the top of this particular mountain.

Find out who we have chosen as our true Mr. Wrestlemania:

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#1 Shawn Michaels

The man himself?

Before we consider some possible alternatives, let's take a look at the man himself. There is most certainly a reason why Michaels has earned the moniker 'Mr. Wrestlemania' over the years. Shawn has competed in a total of 17 Mania matches, picking up six victories along the way.

But it is not so much the number of wins that have welded Shawn's career with the grandest stage of them all, it has a lot more to do with the quality of performances HBK has managed to put in. Dating back to his early days with The Rockers, right up to his final two matches with Undertaker, Shawn has taken us on many a journey, showing his in-ring versatility and, depending on the situation, his ability to be the most beloved babyface or the most villainous heel.

We also have to take into account the number of 'firsts' Michaels has delivered at Wrestlemania. At Mania 10, along with fellow Kliq member Razor Ramon, he amazed the viewing audience by competing in the first ever Wrestlemania ladder match. Two years later he would be the victor in the first ever 60-minute Iron Man match with longtime rival Bret Hart.

And, after four years on the sidelines due to injury, when many of us thought the heyday of Shawn Michaels was well and truly in the past, he actually managed to raise the bar higher than ever with a sublime performance against Chris Jericho at Mania 19.

Taking all of this into account, one can certainly make a convincing case for Shawn Michaels being the true 'Mr. Wrestlemania'.

#2 John Cena

Mr.

Main Event?

It would take a brave wrestling commentator to confidently argue that John Cena has had a more influential career in the WWE compared with Shawn Michaels, but when it comes to Wrestlemania appearances, Cena has very much been the PG Era's go-to performer.

Cena has had a total of 13 Mania appearances winning 10 of the matches he has been involved in. Not only is this a better win-loss ratio than Michaels, but one cannot ignore how important each of those bouts have been for the overall card hosting them.

Michael's Mania career began in relatively humble fashion as part of the Rockers whereas Cena has pretty much been a staple part of the Wrestlemania main event scene since his debut. Defeating the Big Show for the United States Championship at the 20th edition of the event, he then went on to challenge for, or defend, the WWE/World Championship against the likes of Triple H, Batista, The Rock and even Michaels himself.

For fans of a certain age, their Wrestlemania experience has consistently involved John Cena and while one cannot compare the in-ring abilities of the two, Cena has arguably been a bigger draw for fans across the world when matched up against Shawn.

It's a simple yet effective formula that has worked for Vince McMahon for over 15 years - you put Cena on the bill and Wrestlemania is an instant sell-out.

#3 Hulk Hogan

The originator?

When looking for 'Mr. Wrestlemania' candidates it seems only fitting that one of your considerations is the man who started it all. Shawn Michaels and John Cena might have put in stellar performances on the grandest stage, but neither would have been given the chance to do so had the magic of Hulkamania not allowed Vince McMahon to grow his wrestling empire and make Wrestlemania the beast it is today.

In fact, every superstar who has stepped into the Mania ring, not to mention every fan who has stayed up late to watch their heroes make history, owes a huge debt to Hulk Hogan. Much like fans of today, if you were a WWF fan in the mid-late 80s, the idea of Wrestlemania without Hulk Hogan would have seemed absurd.

Hogan has had 12 in-ring appearances at Mania in total, winning 8 of them. He competed in 8 of the first 9 main events and did not lose a match at the show of shows until the sixth time of asking.

For all the criticism levelled at Hogan for not being the best in-ring worker of all time, one only needs to look at his matches with Savage a 4 or Warrior at 6 to know that given the right opponent, The Hulkster could work his magic when the time called for it.

And it is not just the 80s version of Hogan that has made Mania history over the years. Following his long stint in WCW, The Hulkster would return and put in two phenomenal performances against The Rock and Vince McMahon at 18 and 19.

No disrespect to the other men on this list, but Wrestlemania and Hulkamania is still to this day the most perfectly suited duo the wrestling world has ever seen.

#4 Triple H

The King of Mania?

If one of your criteria for 'Mr. Wrestlemania' is longevity and consistency then Triple H has to be on your list. The Game has competed in a phenomenal 21 Wrestlemanias facing an incredibly wide variety of opponents including The Ultimate Warrior, John Cena, Shawn Michaels and The Undertaker.

One only has to look at the Wrestlemania journey that Triple H has been on to know how ingrained he is in the DNA of the WWE. Beginning in embarrassing fashion against Warrior at Wrestlemania 12, Triple H slowly climbed the ladder of the roster, picking up victories for third and second-rate titles against midcarders and eventually reaching the top of the mountain and appearing in WWE Championship bouts in the main event.

Hunter's performances might not have possessed the magic of Shawn's or the importance of Cena's or Hogan's, but the sight of the Game coming down to the ring on the grandest stage instantly lets you know that Wrestlemania is the biggest show in town.

After years at the top, Triple H has now begun to utilise Mania has a platform to help others. For someone widely known as a burier of promising talent, Mania 32 and 33 have seen the Game do the job for Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins respectively, and unless something totally unexpected happens, Wrestlemania 34 will prove to be the scene of yet another defeat, this time to the team of Kurt Angle and Ronda Rousey.

He might not be the first name that leaps to mind, but what would the Show of Shows really be without the King of Kings?

#5 The Undertaker

The man with the streak.

When it comes to Wrestlemania, Shawn Michaels might have the edge in terms of quality performances, and John Cena and Hulk Hogan might have both enjoyed unparalleled careers in the spotlight, but through it all there has been one performer that has truly personified the showcase of the immortals more than anyone else.

Standing at an insurmountable 23-2 winning record, The Undertaker has managed to build an entire career around Wrestlemania appearances. Sure, there have been the odd duds along the way, but more often than not The Phenom has stolen both the show and our collective imaginations every time he has set foot inside a Wrestlemania ring.

For a period of time, the Undertaker match at Wrestlemania surpassed the WWE or World Heavyweight Championship as the most important and intriguing thing on the card. We were not asking who would walk out as champion but rather who would be facing the Deadman in their quest to finally break his legendary streak.

For a man now well into his 50s, it is safe to say that the Phenom has given more than enough to the Wrestling business. His best days are well and truly behind him and we will never get to experience Taker on a consistent basis ever again. That being said, it still feels incredibly wrong to think about an Undertaker-less Wrestlemania.

The streak is impressive not only due to its length but for the sheer quality of victories along the way. Taker has fought and defeated men like Jake Roberts, Shawn Michaels, Triple H, CM Punk and Ric Flair, and all in spectacular fashion. Should Taker add John Cena to this list at this year's event you would be able to count over 50 world title reigns amongst Undertaker Wrestlemania victims.

It might be a bold claim considering how synonymous the nickname is with HBK, but for our money, it is the Deadman who truly deserves to be called Mr. Wrestlemania.