In honor of WrestleMania 33, members of the PTBN Staff has gathered to create a series of 33 lists, all dedicated to the rich history of WWE’s grandest spectacle. Each contributor assigned a ranking of 1-10 and votes were tallied accordingly. We will be releasing one list per day, with the final list to be posted on April 1, 2017, the day prior to WrestleMania 33! Be sure to share your feedback with us on social media! You can view the complete series here!
Day Twenty-Eight: Best WrestleMania Hidden Gems
Others Getting Votes: Rockers vs. Twin Towers – WMV (17), X-Pac vs. Shane McMahon – WMXV (15), Undertaker vs. Big Show & A-Train – WMXIX (13), Rey Mysterio vs. Cody Rhodes – WMXXVII (12), Hart Foundation vs. Nasty Boys – WMVII (12), Undertaker vs. Diesel – WMXII (11), Edge vs. Alberto Del Rio – WMXXVII (10), Money in the Bank Ladder Match – WMXXIV (10), Koko B. Ware vs. Rick Martel – WMVI (10), Jake Roberts vs. Rick Martel – WMVII (10), Chris Benoit vs. Kurt Angle – WMX7 (10), Undertaker vs. Triple H – WMX7 (10), Edge vs. Chris Jericho – WMXXVI (10), Undertaker vs. Ric Flair – WMX8 (10), Undertaker vs. CM Punk – WM29 (9), British Bulldogs & Tito Santana vs. Hart Foundation & Danny Davis – WMIII (9), Eddie Guerrero vs. Kurt Angle – WMXX (8), Shane McMahon vs. Mr. McMahon – WMX7 (8), Bret Hart vs. Roddy Piper – WMVIII (7), Billy Jack Haynes vs. Hercules – WMIV (6), Hardcore Battle Royal – WMXVI (6), Floyd Mayweather vs. Big Show – WMXXIV (6), Mr. Perfect vs. Lex Luger – WMVI (6), Marc Mero & Sable vs. TAFKA Goldust & Luna Vachon – WMXIV (6), Money in the Bank Ladder Match – WMXXVI (6), Rey Mysterio vs. Matt Hardy – WMXIX (5), Roddy Piper vs. Adrian Adonis – WMIII (5), Strike Force vs. Brain Busters – WMV (5), Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal – WMXXX (5), Triple H vs. Sheamus – WMXXVI (4), Ricky Steamboat vs. Matt Borne – WMI (4), Junkyard Dog vs. Greg Valentine – WMI (4), Randy Orton vs. CM Punk – WMXXVII (4), Hulk Hogan vs. Sgt. Slaughter – WMVII (3), Mankind vs. Big Show – WMXV (3), Rockers vs. Orient Express – WMVI (3), Kane vs. Kurt Angle – WMX8 (2), Randy Savage vs. One Man Gang – WMIV (2), Undertaker vs. Mark Henry – WM22 (2), Kalisto vs. Ryback – WM32 (2), Rock ‘N’ Sock Connection vs. Evolution – WMXX (2), Taka Michinoku vs. Aguila – WMXIV (1), Ricky Steamboat vs. Hercules – WM2 (1), Randy Savage vs. Greg Valentine – WMIV (1), John Morrison, Trish Stratus & Snooki vs. Dolph Ziggler, Michelle McCool & Layla – WMXXVII (1), Test vs. Eddie Guerrero – WMX7 (1), Roddy Piper vs. Goldust – WMXII (1), Barry Windham & Mike Rotundo vs. Iron Sheik & Nikolai Volkoff – WMI (1), Chris Benoit & Rhyno vs. Los Guerreros vs. Team Angle – WMXIX (1)
10. John Cena vs. Big Show vs. Edge – WrestleMania XXV (18 Points)
Highest Ranking: #2 (Glenn Butler & Tim Capel)
John Cena was really an instigator in the build to this match, as it was revealed that Vicki Guerrero, the wife of World Heavyweight Champion Edge was having an affair with the Big Show, inciting dissension between the two. While the build was ridiculous, the match was a fun triple threat at WrestleMania 25. Edge and Big Show’s tentative partnership fell apart and Big Show got tied in the ropes, allowing Cena and Edge to battle while Show screamed at the referee to get him free. Cena even showed off why he’s considered a Superman when he picked both Show and Edge up on his shoulders before hitting an Attitude Adjustment on Show. Another AA to Edge – right on top of Show – gave Cena another World Heavyweight Championship.
9. Chris Benoit vs. MVP – WrestleMania 23 (18 Points)
Highest Ranking: #1 (Jason Greenhouse)
Clocking in at around nine minutes, the United States Championship match between Champion Benoit and MVP was a surprising highlight in a show packed with memorable moments. While Benoit was already considered to be one of the best wrestlers in the world, Porter keeping up with him through a series of takedowns and reversals really showed off MVP’s untapped potential. Benoit retained the title after a diving headbutt, but MVP looked great in defeat,
8. British Bulldogs vs. The Dream Team – WrestleMania 2 (20 Points)
Highest Ranking: #1 (Mike Eller & Steven Ferrari)
The best matches at WrestleMania 2 were tag team matches, but this was the more obvious choice for a standout match. The British Bulldogs were chasing the tag team titles, held by Brutus Beefcake and Greg Valentine, swearing that they would leave the U.S. if they couldn’t finish the job in the main event of the show’s Chicago portion. With Capt. Lou Albano and Ozzy Osbourne in their corner, Dynamite Kid and Davey Boy Smith were motivated and The Dream Team kept up, creating a fun match and a great moment when Smith pinned Valentine after slamming “The Hammer’s” head into Dynamite Kid’s. Ozzy screaming, “BRITISH BULLDOGS FOREVER!” after the match only added to the emotion of the encounter.
7. Blue Blazer vs. Mr. Perfect – WrestleMania V (23 Points)
Highest Ranking: #1 (Scott Criscuolo)
Two young upstarts looking to make a name for themselves in the WWF, this WrestleMania V midcard match between a masked Owen Hart and Mr. Perfect is a short but sweet look at what wrestling could be. Instead of the more plodding style that the WWF was known for, Perfect and the Blazer showed off action rarely seen in 1989 WWF. Both men would go on to have better matches, but this is the first of many WrestleMania matches for both men, and they managed to wow the Trump Plaza crowd with some fun action.
6. Steiner Brothers vs. Headshrinkers – WrestleMania IX (24 Points)
Highest Ranking: #3 (Mike Eller)
When you have four guys who are comfortable enough together that they can beat the hell out of each other for about 15 minutes, it’s going to be a fun time. The Steiners and the Headshrinkers had some battles in WCW before moving over to the WWF, and this WrestleMania IX match – called by former WCW lead announcer Jim Ross in his WWF debut – was a good way to ramp up the Caesar’s Palace crowd. And the Frankensteiner that Scott hit to end the match looked like it could have killed anyone who lacked the trademark Samoan hard head. The match is worth a watch for that alone.
5. Legion of Doom & Ahmed Johnson vs. Nation of Domination – WrestleMania 13 (25 Points)
Highest Ranking: #2 (Neil Trama)
The submission match between Bret Hart and Steve Austin dominates discussion of WrestleMania 13, but the six-man Chicago Street Fight, pitting Faarooq, Crush and Savio Vega against Chicago’s own Legion of Doom and their partner Ahmed Johnson could have stolen the show on any other night. Weapons were used frequently and with reckless abandon as both sides looked to take the other out for good.
4. Chris Jericho vs. Christian – WrestleMania XX (25 Points)
Highest Ranking: #2 (Chris Jordan & Brian Bayless)
It started with a bet, as good buddies Christian and Chris Jericho looked to hook up with Divas Lita and Trish Stratus. As the story began to follow the plot of She’s All That, Christian turned against Y2J setting up the WrestleMania match. The match is often overlooked because of the myriad other moments on the card, but Jericho and Christian had a fun match that ended when Trish turned on Jericho and became super hot, evil Trish. What a moment.
3. Randy Orton vs. Seth Rollins – WrestleMania 31 (26 Points)
Highest Ranking: #3 (Scott Criscuolo & Tim Capel)
Seth Rollins’ night at WrestleMania 31 may have ended with a Money in the Bank briefcase cash-in and a WWE Title win, but it didn’t kick off all that well. The Architect of the Shield was also in the second match of the card against Randy Orton. Orton and Rollins were both motivated and amped up by the Bay Area crowd and the match was a lot more fun than many would have suspected. The ending, especially, was a highlight, as Orton countered Rollins’ finisher, the Curb Stomp, by propelling Rollins higher into the air to hit a vicious RKO – OUTTA NOWHERE, indeed – for the win.
2. Tito Santana & Junkyard Dog vs. Terry & Hoss Funk – WrestleMania 2 (26 Points)
Highest Ranking: #2 (Jason Greenhouse)
Surprisingly, the usually-ignored WrestleMania 2 gets a second match on the list, a well-deserved honor for this match. No one would expect Tito Santana, JYD and the Funk boys to have one of the best matches of the night, but this combination worked really well. The penultimate match of the card kept the crowd hungry for the main event, as JYD sold a megaphone shot to the back of the head to give the Funks the victory.
1. Rockers vs. Haku & Barbarian – WrestleMania VII (45 Points)
Highest Ranking: #2 (Scott Criscuolo, Mike Eller & Steven Ferrari)
With so many great moments taking place at WrestleMania VII, it’s easy to overlook the pay-per-view’s opening tag match between tag team specialists The Rockers and the future Faces of Fear, Haku and Barbarian. While Shawn Michaels and Marty Jannetty usually get credit for the fast-paced action of any given match, their opponents here should be credited with keeping up as well as they do. It was a great high-energy opener that set the stage for a fun event, as the Rockers got the win over the Heenan Family members.
