26. Wrestlemania 13- March 23, 1997: Rosemont Horizon, Chicago, IL
If not for one of the best Wrestlemania matches ever, this event likely gets pushed lower on the list and for a long time, was a lot lower. The Submission Match between Bret Hart and Steve Austin was an absolute classic, with Hart winning due to Austin passing out from the Sharpshooter. The image of Austin refusing to quit with the blood pouring down his face was a trademark shot and one that helped turn Austin into a face with Hart turning heel that night. It was the start of Austin becoming one of the most popular wrestlers in the industry.
The championship match, which was initially supposed to be a Wrestlemania XII re-match between Hart and Shawn Michaels, ended up being the Undertaker vs Sycho Sid with the Undertaker winning the title. The match between Hart and HBK never happened because of Michaels’ refusal to drop the belt and plans changed. But it did end up allowing a classic to take place between Bret and Austin. Everything else on the night wasn’t exactly memorable.
25. Wrestlemania 8- April 5, 1992: Hooiser Dome, Indianapolis, IN
Another Wrestlemania that was supposed to feature a different championship match; Ric Flair was supposed to face Hulk Hogan in what would have been a battle between WWF’s biggest star and WCW’s, but it didn’t happen. Instead, Flair squared off against Randy Savage in the WWF Championship Match and ultimately, they had a classic match that ended with Savage winning. Hogan, on the other hand, faced Sid Justice (Sycho Sid) in what was being billed as Hogan’s farewell from the WWF (in reality, he was taking time off from the company as the WWF started to build newer stars.) Hogan won by disqualification in a lackluster match with Papa Shango’s interference, but the crowd sparked up when The Ultimate Warrior returned to save Hogan and the night ended with the two celebrating. Roddy Piper and Bret Hart had a solid match for the Intercontinental Championship with Hart winning. Shawn Michaels, now as a fresh heel and away from the Rockers, beat Tito Santana.
24. Wrestlemania 12- March 31, 1996: Arrowhead Pond, Anaheim, CA
A good portion of the event is taken up from the WWF Championship Match; a 60-Minute, Iron Man Match between Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels, which was good and even went into sudden death and saw HBK win his first title of his career. Steve Austin also made his Wrestlemania debut as himself and not the Ringmaster gimmick they tried to stick on him. The Ultimate Warrior also returned after an almost four-year layoff from the company; he defeated Triple H in less than two minutes, then was fired by the company three months later. So much for that return. Roddy Piper and Goldust also took part in a “Hollywood Back Lot” Brawl, which started in the ally of a filmed studio, then ended in the arena; it did feature some of the footage of the O.J. Simpson chase from 1994.
23. Wrestlemania 21- April 3, 2005: Staples Center, Los Angeles, CA
This was the beginning of the John Cena era as the company’s top guy, as he won his first WWE Championship in Smackdown’s main event by defeating John Bradshaw Layfield. For Raw’s main event, Batista defeated Triple H for the World Heavyweight Championship and began his run as a main event star. The night featured the very first Money in the Bank ladder match with Edge winning and eventually, cashed in several months later on Cena. The Undertaker continued his streak in a solid match against Randy Orton, whom many thought could be the one to end it, but Orton fell just like many others did before him. The match of the night was an inter-promotional match between Kurt Angle and Shawn Michaels; Angle ended up winning in a classic. Both Hulk Hogan and Steve Austin returned in separate segments.
22. Wrestlemania 23- April 1, 2007: Ford Field, Detroit, MI
Who knew that the current President would take part in one of the biggest segments of the night, as Donald Trump was in the corner of Bobby Lashley, who defeated Umaga. As condition for winning the match, Lashley, Trump and Steve Austin, who served as the guest referee for the match, shaved the head of WWE owner Vince McMahon. Austin finished the night with a Stone Cold Stunner on the 45th President of the United States. The main event featured a WWE Championship Match between John Cena and Shawn Michaels, an outstanding main event that saw Cena get the win. The Undertaker continued his then Wrestlemania win streak and also won the World Heavyweight Championship with his win over Batista.
21. Wrestlemania 31- March 29, 2015: Levi’s Stadium, Santa Clara, CA
For the first time in WWE history, the winner and briefcase holder of the Money in the Bank decided to cash in on the night of Wrestlemania and mid-match too, as Seth Rollins, who had lost earlier in the night in a solid match to Randy Orton, cashed in the briefcase during the WWE World Heavyweight Championship Match between Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns, as Rollins won his first WWE Championship and became the company’s new main event star. Sting made his very first (and only) Wrestlemania appearance 14 years after WCW closed their doors and lost to Triple H in a match that featured appearances by DeGeneration X and the nWo. Daniel Bryan, who would be forced to retire several months later due to a neck injury, won the ladder match for the Intercontinental Title.
20. Wrestlemania 26- March 28, 2010: University of Phoenix Stadium, Glendale, AZ
One year after their classic match in Houston, Shawn Michaels and the Undertaker battled in what would be the Undertaker’s streak against the career of Shawn Michaels. The Undertaker ended up getting the win in another classic and ended the historic career of HBK. The WWE Championship Match featured John Cena and Batista in a battle of the rising stars from five years earlier who had now developed into main eventers; Cena ended up recapturing his title. 14 years after the incident known as the “Montreal Screwjob” occurred at Survivor Series, Bret Hart returned to compete in his first Wrestlemania since 1997 and defeated Vince McMahon.