15. Chris Jericho vs Shawn Michaels — WrestleMania XIX
94 points, ranked by 7 of 11 voters, highest ranked by Nick Duke at No. 4
Ben Morse: Growing up in the 90’s, it took me a little while following a brief, doomed flirtation with the Texas Tornado to select a true favorite wrestler, but once Shawn Michaels went solo, there was no looking back. Before I even truly appreciated his in-ring skills, his character won me over; once I came to understand what made a great wrestling match, he stepped up even further. When his career seemed to prematurely end in 1998, I was devastated, but gravitated over to Chris Jericho, a similar performer in many ways who put his own twist on the gimmick of the obnoxious pretty boy. When “The Heartbreak Kid” returned in 2002 to a WWE roster than included “Y2J,” I could not wait for their inevitable clash, and got my wish at WrestleMania XIX.
The build to this encounter was great, kicking off over three months earlier in an in-ring segment where Jericho singled Michaels out as a former influence but claimed he had surpassed him only to be silenced by a superkick. Both men kept things intense throughout the winter, brawling at the Royal Rumble, launching brutal sneak attacks on one another, and consistently upping their verbal sparring game.
Once they stepped between the ropes at Mania, there was a brief moment where I wondered if the actuality could live up to the hype, but I was quickly silenced. I’ve re-watched this match several times including as recently as last week, and it holds up as a fast-paced, exciting and athletic tour de force that stands out on a packed show. There are very few rest holds, and when they do go to the mat, it has meaning and emotion. The through line story of Jericho trying to outdo his idol and Michaels attempting he can still hang with a potential successor never drops out of sight. Both guys are crisp in their signature spots and when they mimic each other; the stereo flying forearms and kip-ups stand out as a favorite to me.
In the end, rather than hitting Sweet Chin Music, HBK has to pull out a random roll-up, then shows his foe respect following the match only to be suckered into the low blow he no doubt would have executed were the roles reversed. This was everything I wanted from two of my all-time favorites on the grandest stage.
14. Edge vs Mick Foley — WrestleMania 22
99 points, ranked by 9 of 11 voters, highest ranked by Nick Duke and Justin Rozzero at No. 11
Nick Duke: There have been many gimmick matches in the history of WrestleMania, but this might be the best. Both men came in with something to prove, whether it was Edge seeking to outshine the rest of the roster on a night where he felt like he should have been in the main event or Foley looking to finally have his WrestleMania moment.
Both men worked numerous hardcore matches before, but I don’t think either ever worked a better one. This has so many memorable moments, whether it’s the thumbtacks, the spear into a barbed wire-wrapped Foley, a barbed wire Mr. Socko or, of course, the flaming table spot for the finish. Edge’s trembling, spaced-out stare at the match’s conclusion really sold the brutality of the match for me, and it stands in my mind as an unforgettable WrestleMania moment. This was the match that truly put Edge on the map and would set the stage for the final five remarkable years of the Rated R Superstar’s career. While many turn to one of his two tag team spectacles alongside Christian, this was Edge’s greatest moment on the grandest stage of them all.
13. TLC II: The Dudley Boyz vs The Hardy Boyz vs Edge & Christian — WrestleMania X-Seven
124 points, ranked by 9 of 11 voters, highest ranked by Jordan Duncan at No. 5
Todd Weber: WrestleMania X-Seven (come on, how difficult is it to say “seventeen”) is considered by most to be the absolute greatest WrestleMania (and possibly PPV) of them all, and the second Tables, Ladders & Chairs match between the Hardys, the Dudleys and Edge and Christian is in my opinion the very best and most electrifying match on the card. Simply put, I think TLC II is the best wrestling match on the best wrestling show ever broadcast. The three teams knock the crap out of each other in a non-stop sequence of “can you top this” highspots, with each set ‘em up/knock ‘em down sequence becoming more spectacular than the last. Brilliantly choreographed, TLC II is a human demolition derby that never lets up. With all the brutality and violence in and out of the ring, one would assume that the physical carnage that takes place throughout the course of the match would shorten the careers of the six men-yet they competed as though they didn’t care if this were their last match. Luckily, all six went on to have long careers in wrestling, but even they didn’t, TLC II would have cemented their immortality of having been in one of the greatest matches of all time.
12. Chris Benoit vs Triple H vs Shawn Michaels — WrestleMania XX
132 points, ranked by 9 of 11 voters, highest ranked by Chad Campbell at No. 5
Andrew Riche: Unfortunately, due to the nature of Benoit’s actions a few years later, this is known in WWE canon as a WrestleMania main event that they would rather forget or skip over. But regardless of your feelings about Benoit as a person, the match in which he won the World Heavyweight Championship against two Hall of Fame talents in Madison Square Garden was unforgettable for plenty of reasons. First, triple threat matches usually receive groans and jeers from fans who are not as fond of the format in favor of one-on-one main event matches. However, this is by far the greatest triple-threat match ever put together, flawlessly performed and almost perfectly in sync with each of the three performers and what they do best. Shawn Michaels bled buckets in this match (HHH juiced too), and Benoit was the engine in the match that kept things chugging along at a fast and exciting velocity. By the end of the match, you cannot believe it is longer than 25 minutes because it feels like it goes by in 10 or 15. It was also the first time ever that HHH, in his alpha dog seat as the mainstay of the WWE elite, relented the gold to a deserving challenger and tapped out to the Crippler Crossface. The image of Benoit and his best friend Eddie Guerrero has become one linked more often with doom and sadness as the years have gone by, but for one March night in New York City, it was a perfect ending to a perfect match.
11. Kurt Angle vs Shawn Michaels — WrestleMania 21
135 points, ranked by 9 of 11 voters, highest ranked by Jordan Duncan at No. 3
Justin Rozzero: I am not sure there was a match in 2005 that would have had me more excited to watch than this one. Two of my all-time favorites, two guys I never got tired of watching both in and out of the ring and holy shit…it is actually happening! A JR Dream Match come true. Right from the kickoff, this feud was a winner as Angle jumped Michaels at the Royal Rumble and tried to bust his ankle outside the ring. From there, Angle vowed to relive Shawn’s entire career in just a few weeks’ time and that led to great moments like Angle singing “Sexy Kurt” with Sensational Sherri and Marty Jannetty returning for a fun bout with Kurt and a brief Rockers reunion.
The match was a whole lot of fun and exactly what you would expect from these two at this point in their careers. I know all the criticisms that exist but whatever, it was super fun and the finish was legitimately up in the air throughout. I clearly remember being at the edge of my seat throughout and was thrilled when Michaels (finally…one criticism I agree with is how long he lasted in the hold) tapped out to the anklelock to give Kurt the huge win. This match is on my short list to show new or lapsed fans because in my eyes it is impossible not to get sucked into the story every time.
