What determines greatness at Wrestlemania? Is it having a great win/loss record? Is it having great matches that stand the test of time? Or is it winning a World Title on the grandest stage of them all? There are countless columns that rank these accomplishments individually, but I’ve never seen one that combines all three factors. To determine a true “King” of Wrestlemania, I came up with a ranking system based on three categories. I will rank the top candidates in terms of win/loss record, number of title wins/retains and number of great matches.
For win/loss record, each wrestler will receive a score of 1-10 based on their winning percentage. For example, Undertaker’s 20-0 record (1.00) earns him 10 points while Hogan’s 8-3-1 record (.727) earns him 7 points.
World Title wins/retains will simply count the number of times a wrestler has won/retained a World Title at Wrestlemania. For example, HHH has two World Title wins and two retains, so he receives 4 points.
Number of great matches is obviously subjective, but I’ll go with any Wrestlemania match that I consider four out of five stars or better. For example, Macho Man has 3 great matches at Wrestlemania, so he would receive 3 points.
11.) Kurt Angle
3-5 record (.382) = 4 points
0 World Title wins = 0 points
6 great matches (WM 16 vs Chris Jericho/Chris Benoit, WM 17 vs Chris Benoit, WM 19 vs Brock Lesnar, WM 20 vs Eddie Guerrero, WM 21 vs HBK, WM 22 vs Randy Orton/Rey Mysterio) = 6 points
10 points total
This started as a top ten list, but I just couldn’t leave out Kurt Angle. He falls just short of the top ten, but I’m convinced he’ll return to the WWE someday and will improve his Wrestlemania legacy. Kurt delivered every single time at Mania and his matches with Brock Lesnar and HBK are two of my all-time favorites. Unfortunately, Kurt never won a World Title on the grand stage and has a sub .500 record. Still, Kurt is only second to HBK in number of great Wrestlemania matches. He left for TNA in 2005, but I’m hoping he’ll return to WWE to finish his career. It’s been almost eight years, so there would be plenty of “dream matchups” that would rake in huge PPV buys (Angle vs Cena, Angle vs Punk, Angle vs Jericho, Angle vs Ziggler, etc).
7-9 record (.437) = 4 points
4 World Title wins (WM 16 vs The Rock/Big Show/Mick Foley, WM 18 vs Chris Jericho, WM 19 vs Booker T, WM 25 vs Batista) = 4 points
3 great matches (WM 20 vs HBK/Chris Benoit, WM 22 vs John Cena, WM 28 vs Undertaker) = 3 points
11 points total
I found it hard to believe that HHH has a losing record at Wrestlemania. I’m not a huge fan of Trips and only consider 3 of his 16 matches to be four stars or better. Still, you have to respect his 4 World Title wins and the fact that he will be competing at his 17th Wrestlemania. He’s set to fight Brock Lesnar this year in a retirement match and I’m really hoping Brock ends his career.
9.) Ultimate Warrior
4-1 record (.800) = 8 points
1 World Title win (WM 7 vs Randy Savage) = 1 point
2 great matches (vs Hogan WM 6, vs Randy Savage WM 7)
11 points total
Ultimate Warrior gets a huge bump by having a 4-1 win/loss record. His victories are also against some of the biggest names in wrestling history. He beat Hogan at Wrestlemania 6, “retired” Randy Savage at Wrestlemania 7 and squashed HHH at Wrestlemania 12.
7-4 record (.636) = 6 points
2 World Title wins (WM 4 vs Ted DiBiase, WM 8 vs Ric Flair) = 2 points
3 great matches (WM 3 vs Ricky Steamboat, WM 7 vs Ultimate Warrior, WM 8 vs Ric Flair) = 3 points
11 points total
While Hogan was hogging up the main event in the early Wrestlemanias, Randy was busy stealing the show. Until Shawn Michaels upped the ante at WM 10, Savage vs Steamboat at WM 3 was considered by critics to be the best Wrestlemania match of all time. Savage followed that up by winning a sixteen man WWF Title tournament at Wrestlemania 4 and then fought Hogan at Wrestlemania 5. At Wrestlemania 7, he lost a “retirement” match against the Ultimate Warrior and then “unretired” for a match against Ric Flair at Wrestlemania 8. Despite Hogan being the face of the company during the 80’s and early 90’s, Macho Man was by far the better wrestler and unlike Hogan, all of his matches hold up very well today.
7.) Bret Hart
8-6 record (.571) = 6 points
1 World Title win (WM 10 vs Yokozuna) = 1 point
4 great matches = 4 points (WM 8 vs Roddy Piper, vs Owen Hart WM 10, vs Shawn Michaels WM 12, vs Stone Cold WM 13)
11 points total
Bret Hart had a great WWE career and at one point appeared in 12 consecutive Wrestlemanias (WM 2-13). Unfortunately, Bret left for WCW in 1997 where he was terribly misused. Had he stuck around, he would be at the very top of this list. Bret always claimed to be “the best there is, the best there was, and the best there ever will be” and in the mid to late 90’s, he might have been right. However, he was never great on the mic and his in ring work has been surpassed by the likes of Kurt Angle and Shawn Michaels. His best match was undoubtedly against Stone Cold at Wrestlemania 13, which many consider THE greatest match of all time. This was the match that “made” Austin when he refused to tap out to Bret’s Sharpshooter, and instead passed out in a pool of his own blood.
6.) The Rock
5-4 record (.555) = 6 points
0 World Title wins = 0 points
5 great matches = (WM 15 vs Stone Cold, WM 17 vs Stone Cold, WM 18 vs Hulk Hogan, WM 19 vs Stone Cold, WM 28 vs John Cena) = 5 points
11 points total
It’s hard to believe that The Rock has never walked out of Wrestlemania with a World Title. However, he has victories over (arguably) the biggest three names in wrestling history - defeating Hulk Hogan, Stone Cold and John Cena on the big stage. The Rock also brought his A game every time to ‘Mania – with an impressive 5 matches that are ranked four stars or higher. My personal favorite has always been Wrestlemania 18 vs Hollywood Hulk Hogan. This was a “dream match” that came to life just one year after Vince bought WCW. Hogan was using his nWo gimmick and was supposed to be a heel, but the Toronto fans weren’t having it. Instead, they cheered for Hogan and booed The Rock – and it became the loudest crowd in Wrestlemania history.
The Rock is set to defend the WWE Title against John Cena at this year’s ‘Mania. If he can escape with another victory over Cena, it would be his first Title Win on the big stage and would further cement his legacy one of the greatest of all time.
5.) John Cena
6-3 record (.666) = 7 points
5 World Title wins (WM 21 vs JBL, WM 22 vs HHH, WM 23 vs HBK, WM 25 vs Big Show and Edge, WM 26 vs Batista) = 5 points
2 great matches (WM 22 vs HHH, WM 28 vs The Rock) = 2 points
14 points total
Even though I’m not a huge fan of Cena, it’s hard to deny his success at Wrestlemania. He is second only to Hulk Hogan with 5 World Title wins at ‘Mania, and is going for number 6 this year against The Rock. While Cena’s Wrestlemania matches are all entertaining, I only rate two of them as being “great” (WM 22 vs HHH and WM 28 vs The Rock). I also think his character desperately needs a change, and I’m hoping (along with many others) for a heel turn at this year’s Wrestlemania.
4.) Shawn Michaels
6-11 record (.352) = 4 points
1 World Title win (vs Bret Hart WM 12) = 1 point
9 great matches (WM 10 vs Razor Ramon, WM 12 vs Bret Hart, WM 14 vs Stone Cold, WM 19 vs Chris Jericho, WM 20 vs HHH/Chris Benoit, WM 21 vs Kurt Angle, WM 24 vs Ric Flair, WM 25 vs Undertaker, WM 26 vs Undertaker) = 9 points
14 points total
At 6-11, Shawn Michaels has a pretty bad record at Wrestlemania, but he’s in a league of his own in terms of match quality. I have him with an unparalleled 9 great matches. On most critics’ Top 10 Wrestlemania match lists, FIVE of HBK’s matches typically make the cut (vs Razor Ramon, Bret Hart, HHH/Benoit/, Kurt Angle, and The Undertaker). Even his matches that aren’t quite “great” – (WM 11 vs Diesel, WM 22 vs Vince McMahon and WM 23 vs John Cena) are still definitely worth checking out. So despite the bad record and only winning the World Title once, HBK is truly Mr. Wrestlemania.
3.) Stone Cold
5-2 record (.714) = 7 points
3 World Title wins (WM 14 vs HBK, WM15 vs the Rock, WM 17 vs The Rock) = 3 points
5 great matches = (WM 13 vs Bret Hart, WM 14 vs HBK, WM 15 vs The Rock, WM 17 vs The Rock, WM 19 vs The Rock) = 4 points
15 points total
Stone Cold always delivered at Wrestlemania, giving us a great match almost every single time. Many people consider his match with Bret Hart (WM 13) or his match against the Rock (WM 17) as the best Wrestlemania match of all time. Personally, I love his match at Wrestlemania 14 against HBK with Mike Tyson was the special guest referee. Unfortunately, his career only lasted for 7 matches, keeping Austin just shy of the number one spot. There have been rumors for years that we could see Stone Cold vs CM Punk at an upcoming Wrestlemania. The storyline writes itself (straight edge CM Punk vs beer swilling Austin) and Stone Cold has recovered somewhat from the injuries that forced him into retirement. It’s a long shot, but I’m keeping my fingers crossed for Wrestlemania 30.
2.) Hulk Hogan
8-3-1 record (.750) = 8 points
6 World Title wins (WM 2 vs King Kong Bundy, WM 3 vs Andre the Giant, WM 5 vs Macho Man, WM 7 vs Sgt. Slaugter, WM 8 vs Sid, WM 9 vs Yokozuna) = 6 points
2 great matches = (WM 6 vs Ultimate Warrior, WM 18 vs The Rock)
16 points total
It’s pretty depressing that Hogan was in the main event of 8 out of the first 9 Wrestlemanias. Sadly, they were all pretty much the same match; get beat up for ten minutes, “Hulk up” with the help of the crowd, throw opponent against the ropes, boot to the face, leg drop and pin. I thought his match at Wrestlemania 7 against Sgt Slaughter was stupid and predictable (as if Hogan would lose to Slaughter, who “sided” with Iraq during the Gulf War), his match with Sid at WM 8 was a joke (the main event of Wrestlemania ends in a DQ! WTF!?!) and his “match” at WM 9 made it the worst Wrestlemania of all time. If you don’t know the story, Yokozuna defeated Bret Hart for the WWF Title in the main event of Wrestlemania 9. As Yokozuna was celebrating, out comes Hogan talking trash. Yokozuna’s manager, Mr. Fuji, decides to challenge Hogan to an impromptu match. The match lasted about one minute, and Hogan hit the Leg Drop on Yokozuna to win the WWF Title – IN AN UNSCHEDULED MATCH. That’s not to say Hogan didn’t have great moments; I rate his matches against Ultimate Warrior (WM 6) and The Rock (WM 18) as being four stars, and his matches against Andre the Giant (WM 3) and Randy Savage (WM 5) just missed the cut.
1.) The Undertaker
20-0 record (1.00) = 10 points
3 World Title wins (WM 13 vs Sid, WM 23 vs Batista, WM 24 vs Edge) = 3 points
4 great matches (WM 24 vs Edge, WM 25 vs HBK, WM 26 vs HBK, WM 28 vs HHH) = 4 points
17 points total
After tallying it up, Hogan has the most World Title wins, HBK has the most four star matches and Undertaker has the best win/loss record. However, Hogan suffers from a lack of “great” matches and HBK only has 1 World Title win, while ‘Taker is well rounded in all three categories. So, I’m declaring Undertaker the true “King” of Wrestlemania. Most people consider his Wrestlemania 25 match with HBK to be his best work and I would probably agree. He’s also gotten better with age, as I have four out of his last five ‘Mania matches rated four stars or better. Hopefully, he can wrestle another great match this year against CM Punk, even though everyone knows Punk has no chance of winning. I’m not sure anyone will ever end “The Streak” but if anyone does – I’m hoping it’s Brock Lesnar.
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