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WrestleMania often plays host to WWE's best matches of the year. Rivalries are often brought to a climax and fresh stories are created to set up the audience for another year of exciting action.
While WWE often uses the fallout from the event to create a "fresh start" for its non-stop programming, some rivalries cannot be concluded at the Show of Shows and a rematch of equal grandeur is needed.
Whether it was a pre-planned decision or because a set of rivals happened to gravitate towards each other again in time for WrestleMania season, there have been 13 sets of opponents who batted each other more than once on the Grandest Stage of Them All.
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In this list, we will rank each series of matches from worst to best. This list will take into consideration the overall quality of the matches, the storyline and whether or not there was good reason for a second (or third) encounter at the Show of Shows.
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Disclaimer: We will only look into matches that were featured on the show's main card, so there will be no Sheamus vs Daniel Bryan.
#13. Randy Orton vs Bray Wyatt: WrestleMania 33 and 37
Both Randy Orton and Bray Wyatt are amazing performers and two of the most well-rounded superstars in WWE history. In their non-WM encounters, both men have shown that they were capable of putting on good matches against each other.
Unfortunately, questionable booking decisions have left quite a stain on both their matches at the Show of Shows. In their first encounter, Orton came out victorious against Wyatt and captured the WWE Title from his former ally. The match was criticized for its use of "special effects" which mainly consisted of images of maggots to highlight Wyatt's powers mid-match. Many also felt that Wyatt's title reign ended prematurely as he had only held the title for around a month.
When the two did battle again four years later, The Viper took on The Fiend. Once again, the match relied too heavily on theatrics and inexplicably, Orton won the match that was meant to be Wyatt's shot at revenge for being burned by the Apex Predator in the months prior. Wyatt would not be seen on WWE TV again and was released soon after.
The reason this series ranks so low is in no way because of the performers. Poor booking and an over reliance on effects and theatrics hindered the two elite warriors from putting on a far better match.
#12. Brock Lesnar vs Goldberg: WrestleMania 20 and 33
When Brock Lesnar and Goldberg first crossed paths in late 2003, fans knew that an encounter between the two at WrestleMania was a dream match in the making. WWE's most dominant homegrown talent against WCW's most unstoppable creation was certainly a spectacle to behold.
Unfortunately, when the time came for these titans to battle at WrestleMania 20, news came out that both men were to leave the company the following night. This caused fans to turn on both Lesnar and Goldberg and in turn, the two superstars did not put much effort into the match.
13 years later, both legends were back in the company and in the good graces of the fans. With Goldberg continuing to dominate the feud, Lesnar was set to get his win back and he did so in a fast-paced, high-action encounter on the Grandest Stage of Them All where he not only beat his rival but also captured the Universal Championship
The Goldberg-Lesnar saga was an exciting mix of explosive action and real-life drama. The only thing stopping this rivalry from going higher on this list was their disappointing first encounter and the fact that their rematch involved two part-timers fighting over a top title.
#11. Hulk Hogan vs Andre The Giant: WrestleMania 3 and 4
The unstoppable force meets the immovable object. At the time of their encounter, no two names were bigger in wrestling than Hulk Hogan and Andre The Giant. In front of 93,000 people, Hogan slammed the Eighth Wonder of the World to racuous applause, but despite his victory, their rivalry continued.
As the year went on, new stars began to emerge. The likes of Randy Savage and Ted DiBiase were in line to be the biggest face and heel of the WWF respectively. This meant that Hogan and Andre's rivalry was put somewhat on the back burner.
At WrestleMania 4, the two enemies faced off again as part of a night-long tournament for the vacant WWF Title. Unfortunately, the company booked itself into a bit of a bind. Both Hogan and Andre were not scheduled to win the tournament, but neither megastar could afford a loss. So, the decision was made to end the match in a double countout.
The reason these back-to-back encounters rank in this position is for the sole reason that very few matches could ever live up to the legendary encounter between Hogan and Andre at WrestleMania 3. It can even be said that it would have been far better as a standalone match and that the inconclusive sequel the year after was unnecessary.
#10. Triple H vs Batista: WrestleMania 21 and 35
Having spent their careers alternating between being allies and rivals, Triple H and Batista's two WrestleMania showdowns were a full-circle story of two men whose careers had long been intertwined with one another.
In their first encounter, Triple H played the jealous mentor who was forced to pass the torch to the rising up-and-comer in Batista. 14 years later and the roles were reversed. Triple H was now a beloved legend and Batista was the villainous outsider who had left the company for success in Hollywood, returning only to finish off his mentors Triple H and Ric Flair.
Both matches were appropriate for the time they took place. Batista's victory in 2005 crowned a new star and Triple H's win in 2019 allowed Batista to return the favor as he closed out his illustrious career.
Like Hogan and Andre before it, the first encounter between the two far outshone the sequel. It was also a strange decision to make Batista heel and center their second match around Triple H's possible retirement when in reality, it was Batista's curtain call. While a questionable storyline may hinder this series from a higher position, the matches themselves were extremely entertaining.
#9. Edge & Christian vs The Dudleys vs The Hardy Boyz: WrestleMania 2000 and X-7
In the Attitude Era, three teams changed the face of Tag Team Wrestling. Edge & Christian, the Dudleys, and the Hardy Boyz introduced an exciting new style of wrestling that combined high-flying action, daring stunts and technical mastery. This culminated in the Triangle Ladder match at WrestleMania 2000.
At the event, the Dudleyz lost the titles to Edge & Christian in an underrated classic and the three teams continued feuding throughout the year. By the time WrestleMania X-7 came about, everything had gone back to how it was the year prior.
The second installment was even more exciting than the first as it was jam-packed with even more risky spots such as Edge's legendary Spear off the ladder to Jeff Hardy as well as cameos by Lita, Rhyno and Spike Dudley. Once again, the masters of the Con-Chair-To came out on top.
The three-way Tag Team matches were some of the most exciting matches in WWE history and are a good example of how a sequel should be able to outdo the original. The only thing stopping this exciting spot-fest from taking a higher spot was the lack of story behind the need for a rematch a year removed from the first one.
#8. John Cena vs Bray Wyatt: WrestleMania 30 and 36
As opposed to Bray Wyatt's series with Randy Orton, his two matches with John Cena at the Show of Shows knew where to improve upon from one match to the next.
At WrestleMania 30, The Eater of Worlds challenged the veteran Cena to a match on the Grandest Stage of Them All. As expected of two stars of their caliber, they put on an excellent showing. It mixed good wrestling and storytelling all into a single match. However, the match was criticized for having the rising star in Wyatt lose to the already untouchable Cena.
Six years later, this was rectified. Wyatt had since transitioned into the monstrous Fiend, while Cena was no longer a full-time performer in WWE. It was obvious from the get-go that Cena was going to take a loss to The Fiend. Due to the pandemic, the men did not wrestle an actual match but instead had a cinematic style "Firefly Fun-House" match.
Wyatt would win a match that made several references to their previous encounter and Cena's career, essentially putting an end to John Cena's full-time run at the top of WWE. It was a creative way to make the best of a bad situation and rectify an issue that should not have happened in the first place.
#7. Bret Hart vs Yokozuna: WrestleMania 9 and 10
From a storyline perspective, Bret Hart's year-long journey back to the WWF Championship made for some compelling viewing. Hart had won the title from the legendary Ric Flair but lost it to Yokozuna at WrestleMania 9. With the title then being traded between Yokozuna and Hulk Hogan, Hart was relegated lower down the card.
However, fans were clamoring for the Excellence of Execution to take back his spot at the top and this happened on the Road to WrestleMania 10. Fans were on the edge of their seats after Hart had lost a match earlier in the night to his younger brother Owen. Yokozuna, on the other hand, was able to defend his title against Royal Rumble co-winner Lex Luger.
When the two men met in the main event, their roles were reversed from the year prior. Yokozuna was the dominant champion and Hart was the challenger. The Hitman took the title back to a thunderous ovation as the locker room emptied to celebrate with the new champion.
While Bret Hart and Yokozuna's back-to-back main events certainly made for a good story down the line, that wasn't always the plan. Hart's rematch with Yokozuna was mainly brought about by Hulk Hogan's departure from WWF and the unfavorable reaction to the ending of WM 9. While the rematch was certainly the better installment, it was not necessary had their initial showdown ended better.
#6. Undertaker vs Kane: WrestleMania 14 and 20
The rivalry between The Undertaker and Kane is and will forever be one of the greatest storylines in the history of professional wrestling. For the first time in his career, the unstoppable Phenom finally met his true physical match in the Big Red Machine.
Over the years, the kayfabe brothers have shared the ring numerous times, sometimes as allies and other times as foes. The Undertaker was a dark hero and Kane played a menacing, deranged villain. In their first encounter, Undertaker defeated his brother in a highly physical match but the two continued to cross paths every now and then.
By the early 2000s, Kane and The Undertaker were on separate brands after putting their rivalry to rest in 2001. However, both characters had undergone a transformation. The Deadman had now embraced his human side as the American Badass while Kane sunk further into insanity following his unmasking. At Survivor Series in 2003, Kane buried his brother, who returned for revenge at WrestleMania 20 as the Deadman once again.
As was the case with most of their encounters, Kane and The Undertaker's matches have always relied more on spectacle and storytelling as opposed to technical wrestling action. Fans always seem to remember the iconic moments leading up to these matches as opposed to the matches themselves.
#5. John Cena vs The Rock: WrestleMania 28 and 29
The rivalry between John Cena and The Rock worked so well thanks in no small part to the real-life animosity between the two stars. Cena resented The Rock for leaving WWE to go to Hollywood, while The Great One saw Cena as an unworthy successor as the face of WWE.
Their main event clash at WrestleMania 28 was historic for being the first (and so far only) WrestleMania main event to be decided over a year in advance. Billed as a "Once in a Lifetime" encounter between the two icons, The Rock defeated John Cena in The Brahma Bull's hometown of Miami in a match that was supposed to put an end to their rivalry.
A year later, however, The Rock would win the WWE Title and Cena would come out victorious in the Royal Rumble. By now, the two men had grown to respect each other both on and off-screen, and their match was now mainly centered around the championship. It was an exciting encounter with Cena, getting his win back and sharing a moment of respect with his former rival.
While both matches were indeed exciting and the star power of their competitors being unparallelled, many fans were of the view that this rivalry did not need a second act. Calling a match "Once in a Lifetime" and then having it twice did spoil the novelty somewhat and the angle did begin to lose steam when the rivalry between the two men became more friendly. That being said, Cena vs The Rock will live on as one of the biggest selling attractions in WWE history and both men should be praised for putting together such a grand showing.
#4. Brock Lesnar vs Roman Reigns: WrestleMania 31, 34 and 38
Brock Lesnar vs Roman Reigns is the rivalry that has defined the current generation of WWE. Their WM trilogy is also a shining example of sticking to something and refining it to perfection.
From as early as 2015, WWE had always wanted Roman Reigns to slay The Beast and take his spot at the very top of the company. However, these plans have always had to be delayed or changed up to suit the current situation. Nevertheless, WWE persevered.
At WrestleMania 31, fans did not want either man to leave victorious, so The Heist of the Century was committed by Seth Rollins to send the crowd home happy. WWE wanted to try again with a conclusive finish three years later but fans had yet to warm up to The Big Dog, so Lesnar retained the title to mitigate the hostile reaction.
Come WrestleMania 38 however, all the pieces were perfectly in place for The Tribal Chief to beat Lesnar once and for all. No longer pushed as the hero fans never wanted, Reigns was a dominant heel while Lesnar unexpectedly reinvented himself as an entertaining fan favorite. Reigns slayed The Beast, unified the WWE and Universal Titles and asserted himself as the top star in WWE.
Reigns vs Lesnar ranks this high up the list for its long-term storytelling and superb match quality. Even when fans were not particularly receptive to the stars, their brutal and physical matches always defied expectations. WWE chose to stick to their guns and eventually gave us a trilogy that defined a generation.
#3. The Rock vs Steve Austin: WrestleMania 15, X-7 and 19
Long before Lesnar vs. Reigns, there was Stone Cold Steve Austin and The Rock. The two megastars carried the WWF throughout the Attitude Era and brought wrestling back to the forefront of pop-culture. Any time these icons faced one another, a grand stage was needed.
At WrestleMania 15, Austin was the biggest hero in wrestling and toppled the villainous Corporate Champion to give the fans a happy ending to the Show of Shows. Two years later, the two men had become stars of equal standing and outdid themselves in the main event of arguably the greatest WrestleMania of all time. The Texas Rattlesnake would once again get the win, but this time he would become a villain instead.
By 2003, both men had already passed on the torch to the next generation and brought their careers full circle by facing each other one last time. Just as it was at the start, Austin was the hero and The Rock was the heel. This time, however, The Rock got the decisive win and put his old rival into a 19 year retirement.
Austin vs The Rock's WrestleMania trilogy was the most fitting way to begin and end the runs of two men whose careers have been intrinsically linked with one another. Each match was kept fresh by establishing new dynamics between the icons and seamlessly mixing together high action, deep storytelling and imposing star power.
#2. Undertaker vs Triple H: WrestleMania X-7, 27 and 28
No two men have been more synonymous with WWE than The Undertaker and Triple H. The two veteran superstars have crossed paths numerous times over the decades and have never disappointed in any of their encounters.
Each of their three WrestleMania matches brought something completely new to the table. From the wild brawl at WrestleMania X-7 to the brutality of their rematch 10 years later and the immortal End of an Era Hell in a Cell match; any time the Phemon and The Game faced one another at the Grandest Stage of Them All, they were a contender for match of the night.
What was interesting about these matches was how The Undertaker came up victorious in all three bouts. Despite that, neither man ever looked weak. It was clear that regardless of how many times these legends faced off at the Show of Shows, they always gave it their all and were able to tell a riveting story through their dramatic performances.
#1. Undertaker vs Shawn Michaels: WrestleMania 25 and 26
Closing off this list with one of WWE's most iconic rivalries, The Undertaker and Shawn Michaels faced off at back-to-back WrestleManias. Two legends with amazing in-ring chemistry, the Phenom and the Showstopper, knew how to deliver on The Grandest Stage of Them All.
Their first encounter at WrestleMania 25 had little storyline behind it but attracted audiences nonetheless. It was a showdown between two legends with the prospect of the Undertaker's streak being broken by Mr. WrestleMania himself. Although both men were very late in their careers, they put on an absolute masterpiece of a performance. The Undertaker himself would consider it the best match of his career.
When it was time to do it again the following year, both men knew that they could not replicate the physicality of their magical performance at WrestleMania 25. Fortunately, they did not have to. Rather than relying on action, this rematch was fuelled by drama. With HBK putting his career on the line, fans sat in awe as the Deadman sent his longtime rival into an 8 year retirement.
Only a pair of bona fide legends can deliver two separate masterclasses on wrestling and drama on the grand stage of WrestleMania. In the history of wrestling, few better performers have ever been able to work so well against one another and for that reason, The Undertaker and Shawn Michael's WrestleMania series is able to take its rightful place at the top of this list.
