Wrestlemania. 1985. NYC.
WWF Title: Ricky Steamboat d. Barry Windham 4.25 stars.
-hard fought, ring based match; much more of an IRL NWA match than an IRL WWF match of the era; Steamboat took Hogan's title at War to Settle the Score in Febuary; Windham and Rotundo had lost the tag belts earlier in the evening, Windham was in the ring with Steamboat post-match along with all the other babyfaces in a celebration, when Windham viciously attacked Steamboat.
Wrestlemania 2 1986. Chicago
WWF Title: Dynamite Kid d. Ricky Steamboat 4.75 stars.
-Dynamite was a member of the heel stable The Hart Foundation, with Bret/Davey/Anvil and they ran wild on the WWF in the build; brutal attacks on multiple babyfaces culminating in Bret/Davey, w/ Anvil as the bodyguard, taking the tag belts earlier in the evening from Tito/Beefcake and then Dynamite getting a clean pinfall win over Steamboat, who had held the belt since that early '85 win over Hogan.
Wrestlemania 3 1987 Detroit
WWF Title: Ricky Steamboat d. Dynamite Kid 4.25 stars.
-Bret/Davey/Anvil all turned babyface, separating from Dynamite as his fury spun out of control, it proved all consuming and he dropped the belt back to Steamboat a year later as the two men wrung every last drop from each other. Postmatch, Bret and Davey, still tag champs, and the babyface IC Champ, Randy Savage, all stood on the turnbuckles holding their straps.
Wrestlemania 4 1988 Atlantic City
IC Title: Bret Hart d. Randy Savage 4.25 stars
-Randy had held the IC belt for two years, he and Bret were both babyfaces, and had a pure babyface matchup here, a match less about animosity and more two men who both thought they were the best wrestler in the promotion, maybe the best wrestler in the world, and this match was to prove the superiority of one of them - Bret cradles Randy for the fall.
Wrestlemania 5 1989 Atlantic City
WWF Title: Randy Savage d. Bret Hart 4.5 stars
-A year later, the two men were still babyfaces, but now Savage was WWF Champion - but as Bret had beaten him the year prior, both men felt claim as the top wrestler in the promotion, there's more animosity this year, a real competitive edginess getting ratcheted up week after week and month after month - this time it's Randy, reversing Bret's cradle into one of his own to get the fall and keep his title. There was no postmatch hug this time; Bret exited angrily - only to return again - postmatch, Randy was attacked by the Heenan Family (Perfect, Rude, Arn, Tully) the babyface Rockers, who were feuding with the Brainbusters, came out to save - but it wasn't enough (it's an extended sequence) and Liz ran back up the ramp to get Bret and he aided the babyfaces in cleaning house.
Wrestlemania 6 1990 Toronto
WWF Title: Mr. Perfect d. Randy Savage 4.25 stars
-A year later, it was Curt Hennig who came in as WWF Champion, having taken the belt from Randy and he kept it in this one. Perfectplex pinfall here - Hennig and Heenan, both bleeding, laughing on the ramp postmatch.
Wrestlemania 7 1991 LA
WWF Title: Mr. Perfect d. Randy Savage. 4.5 stars
-Perfect had never lost to Savage, beating him in 4 PPV matches, this was Randy's last shot and he put up his career as collateral, he lost, Hennig kicked out after multiple elbowdrops - Savage kicked out of the PerfectPlex - but couldn't escape a second. Liz and Randy had been estranged, but she enters postmatch for the make up.
Wrestlemania 8 1992 Indianapolis
Owen Hart d. Shawn Michaels 4.25 stars
-Shawn and Owen broke in together; they worked a dark match at the first SummerSlam in '88, and they were always seen oppositionally; if Shawn was here - Owen was somewhere over there; in this one, Owen's a babyface, Shawn a heel, and it was Hart winning with an enziguri.
Wrestlemania 9 1993 Las Vegas
WWF Title: Bret Hart d. Razor Ramon 4 stars
-Bret's the babyface champion, he's held the belt for a year, Razor's a heel; Bret kicks out of 2 Razors Edges and cradles Ramon for the fall. Postmatch was a heel attack - Shawn/Razor/ and a debuting Diesel beating down Bret/Owen/Savage -- Shawn/Razor/Diesel holding up the Clique handsign postmatch.
Wrestlemania X 1994 NYC
WWF Title: Owen Hart d. Bret Hart 5 stars
-Bret had held the title for two years but had turned heel over the past year, the heaviness of feeling the weight of that crown had turned him brittle and mean; his babyface brother Owen beats him here and takes his belt; the fall counted by Hennig, who was special guest referee. Postmatch was a babyface celebration that included a handshake by Hennig and Savage, peace coming after a long feud. Bret does not join the celebration, turning his back and walking away.
Wrestlemania 11 1995 Hartford
WWF Title: Bret Hart d. Shawn Michaels 5 stars
-Shawn came in the babyface champion; separated from the rest of the Clique, who were heels. Bret was his heel challenger, separated from the rest of the Hart Foundation, who were babyfaces - locker room shots of both factions show them increasingly rooting for their guy - even though they are estranged from that guy -- this factional dispute transcends all. Bret regains the title with the sharpshooter submission.
Wrestlemania 12 1996 Anaheim
WWF Title: Iron Man Match: Shawn Michaels d. Bret Hart 4.5 stars
-Shawn regained the WWF Title a year later, in overtime of an Iron Man match with a superkick and a pinfall. Shawn stood alone in the ring with the belt at the top of the promotion as the show closed.
Wrestlemania 13 1997 Chicago
WWF Title: Steve Austin d. Bret Hart 4.5 stars
-Austin takes the title here from Bret, who had regained it over the course of the year, Pillman and Owen brawling on the outside - Stone Cold Stunner, pinfall - Wrestlemania 13 ends with Austin drinking beer and shooting up middle fingers.
Wrestlemania 14 1998 Boston
Taka Michinoku v. Mr. Aguila 4 stars
-High energy 90s junior style, filled with the types of highspots WWF fans did not often yet see.
Wrestlemania 15 1999 Philly
Tag Titles: Ladder Match: Hardys (Matt/Jeff) d. Nation of Domination (Rock/DLo) 4.25 stars
-Rock and DLo were the heel tag champs - Matt and Jeff had grown up before the eyes of the WWF fans, young boys with Edge and Christian, fans saw them as part of the ring crew, saw them hop in the ring together at intermissions, doing crowd pleasing high spots, building a fan following, an organic "Let them Play" chant building across the country as fans demanded to see the four young boys be raised to full time wrestling status - in a wild, for its time, ladder match, with all four men taking huge bumps, getting color - Matt Hardy grabs the belts above the ring and the Hardys are tag champs. Postmatch, Jeff's girlfriend, the Hardys valet, Trish Stratus entered - along with Matt and Jeff's best friends, Edge and Christian, to celebrate. They are joined by Hunter and Waltman, who come down the ramp; Matt/Jeff had been assigned to the Clique - Edge and Christian to the Harts, basically carrying their gear, running errands, doing young boy stuff - and in a moment that would change the course of the WWF - Edge and Christian and Trish all turned on the Hardys, laid them out, joined the Clique.
Wrestlemania 16 2000 Anaheim
WWF Title: Chris Benoit d. Cactus Jack 4.5 stars
-Cactus is babyface WWF Champ for a year, Benoit leading the newly arrived heel faction with Eddy/Dean/Perry -- they have a wild brawl here, Benoit taking the belt with the headbutt - the four men celebrating (they all win matches that night, Eddy taking the IC from Jericho)
Wrestlemania 17 2001 Houston
WWF Title: Kurt Angle d. Chris Benoit 5 stars
-Benoit was still a heel champ a year later, Angle an undefeated babyface, Olympic Slam, pinfall, The next night on RAW was the first War Games match in WWF history; with Benoit/Eddy/Dean/Perry losing to a babyface team of Angle/Austin/Dudleys, Angle submits Malenko and the heels are forced to leave the WWF. Immediately thereafter, Angle challenged anyone in the world to come and face him - and the WWF was invaded by an NWA squad and then an ECW squad.
Wrestlemania 18 2002 Toronto
Tag Titles: TLC3: Chris Jericho/Lance Storm d. Hardys d. Bubba/Spike 4.25 stars
-This was a unified tag titles match; WWF belts, NWA belts, ECW belts - all above the ring - Jericho and Storm snagged them all as the Canadian crowd cheered
Wrestlemania 19 2003 Seattle
Eddy Guerrero d. Chris Benoit 4.75 stars
-Eddy and Benoit left the promotion, as discussed, the night after WM 17, they came back as Horsemen, but Benoit left that group and turned babyface; Eddy was clear that he wanted to face Benoit without Horsemen interference, but after a ref bump, Chavo entered, hit a swinging DDT, Eddy (unaware) got the fall.
Wrestlemania XX 2004 NYC
WWF Title: Chris Benoit d. Kurt Angle 5 stars
-This was for the undisputed championship, all 3 promotions title belts, Angle was the still undefeated WWF Champ, now a heel, Benoit a babyface; they each broke the others big submission move, Benoit put on a sharpshooter; the match ends when Benoit cradles his way out of an ankle lock. Benoit, the IC Champ Eddy, and Dean all hugging, crying in the ring as the show ends.
Wrestlemania 21 2005 LA
WWF Title: Iron Man Match: Eddy Guerrero d. Chris Benoit 4.75 stars
-This was for that same undisputed championship, all 3 promotions, Dean was the special guest referee, Austin/Steamboat/Flair the judges, they had to go into extra time (Flair's decision) and Eddy got him with the frogsplash; everyone's a babyface here, although there was a good deal of animosity between the two men - it all went away postmatch with the big group hug.
Wrestlemania 22 2006 Chicago
WWF Title: Rey Mysterio d. Chris Benoit 4.5 stars
-again, it's for the undisputed title, both are babyfaces, they had never met before in a high profile singles match despite so much mutual time spent in multiple promotions, Steamboat had come in as the Commissioner and declared that Mysterio was the "ace" of the promotion, despite Benoit's being the champion; Eddy has passed away subsequent to last year's Mania. The postmatch babyface handshake is disrupted by the entrance of the heel stable the 51% Solution, Hunter/Flair/Arn and Bobby Lashley, under an Executioner hood. Lashley destroys Benoit in what turns out to be his final appearance.
Wrestlemania 23 2007 Detroit
Hell in a Cell: Matt Hardy d. Edge 4 stars
-8 years prior, this feud started, in that time were multiple legendary tag matches, Edge winning the IC, Matt aligning with Eric Bischoff, Edge's affair with Lita, a kayfabe breaking feud, a year long buildup to this match; both men take the big top of the cage bump - Matt needs a couple of Twists of Fate and this feud finally ends. Postmatch, a new heel faction led by CM Punk, GDI, hit the ring and wiped Matt out - he was then protected by Edge, who throws his body on top - and then both of them were protected by Jeff, who dove through the hole in the top of the cage left when Matt/Edge crashed through.
Wrestlemania 24 2008 Orlando
WWF Title: TLC: CM Punk d. Johnny Nitro/Shelton Benjamin 4.25 stars
-What had been a unified title was broken up by Punk when he won it at Survivor Series '06 and threw down the WWF and NWA belts. He was ECW Champ coming into this one, Nitro the NWA Champ, Benjamin the WWF Champ. Punk is laid out postmatch by Matt Hardy, who is then handed the WWF Title belt by Floyd Mayweather as the show ends.
Wrestlemania Silver 2009 Houston
WWF Title: Chris Jericho d. Shawn Michaels 4.5 stars
-It's Harts v. Clique; Jericho's the babyface WWD Champ --- Michaels is in his heel "Messiah: gimmick, Tyson Kidd and Harry Smith have turned on their family to join him - Jericho keeps his belt with a pinfall.
Wrestlemania 26 2010 Phoenix
Edge/Matt Hardy d. CM Punk/Christian 4.25 stars
-Edge and Matt are now in a weird heel alignment; Christian and Punk in a very uneasy babyface alignment; Edge pins Christian and then lays out Matt postmatch - spear and a fork to the eye (Danielson worked Low Ki dark and I almost chose that as the best match from 26; in fact, let's call it a weird tie)
Dark Match: Bryan Danielson d. Low Ki 4.25 stars
Wrestlemania 27 2011 Atlanta
Bryan Danielson d. Rey Mysterio 4.25 stars
-All babyface match, the veteran Mysterio had an unbeaten Mania streak but goes down here to Danielson in his Mania debut.
Wrestlemania 28 2012 Miami
WWF Title: Bryan Danielson d. Chris Jericho 4.25
-Danielson came in as the champ a year later, with Steamboat in his corner. It's frustrated, aging suit wearing veteran Jericho overmatched by the younger Danielson who is at the top of his game. GDI enters postmatch for the celebration, Punk standing with Danielson and Steamboat.
Wrestlemania 29 2013 East Rutherford
WWF Title: Brock Lesnar d. Bryan Danielson 4.5
-Danielson's the babyface Champ, Steamboat and Lesnar are in his corner; Lesnar had beaten Punk previously when Steamboat, in Punk's corner, threw in the towel -- here, the finish is Lesnar having a submission on Danielson and Punk grabs the towel away from Steamboat and throws it in - should Punk have thrown it in? Maybe. Should Steamboat have thrown in the towel in that previous match? Maybe. But postmatch, Steamboat shoves Punk to the ground (they had a long feud spanning multiple promotions, and included a Mania match, this was a period of detente that ended here) GDI is trying to restore peace to their faction as Danielson tries to recover and figure out what happened - meanwhile Heyman and Lesnar celebrate the title win
Wrestlemania XXX 2014 New Orleans
WWF Title: Claudio Castagnoli d. Bryan Danielson 5 stars
-All babyface match, both GDI members, Danielson came in as champion again, this was the height of the "Hey Movement", Claudio became a cultural phenomenon and he ascends to the top of the promotion with the Ricola Bomb and the pinfall. Full GDI celebration with Steamboat (not Punk, he's gone, maybe you heard about it) postmatch.
Wrestlemania 31 2015 Santa Clara
Kenta d. Bryan Danielson 4.5 stars
-Pre-match streamers; as much of a 2000s NOAH style match as they can do - heavy strikes, multiple nearfalls - each doing the others' spots (well, both doing Kenta's spots...) Kenta goes over and the two shake hands postmatch in what, at the time, appeared to be Danielson's retirement match.
Wrestlemania 32 2016 Dallas
IC: El Generico d. AJ Styles 4.5 stars
-The Bullet Club formed at the Rumble, Styles debuted that night and won the IC, he loses it to the babyface Generico here; Brainbuster DDT - the Bullet Club leaves him for dead postmatch.
Wrestlemania 33 2017 Orlando
Tag Titles: Ladder Wars: Trash (Claudio/Neville) d. El Generico/Kevin Steen 4.75 stars
-These four men were GDI, babyface faction led by Steen, who was basically a heel, he constantly hectored Pac and Generico to give up their masks - Pac wound up in a mask match against Kalisto, at Steen's urging - he lost, which took his identity and he emerged as the dark Neville, he and Claudio splitting from Steen and Generico to form Trash; they took the titles from their former stablemates in a bloody, crazy highspot filled ladder war. Postmatch Neville challenges anyone in the world to try to take their belts - after a blackout - the Hardys music hit and Matt and Jeff, in the Broken Hardys gimmick, came down the ramp - a second ladder match was then started and the Hardys took the belts.
Wrestlemania 34 2018 New Orleans
AJ Styles d. Bryan Danielson 4.5 stars
-Danielson returned after 3 years of retirement; he became WWF Commissioner during that time and feuded with Styles - which man is the "best wrestler in the world" became the focus of this build - and when Styles wins clean, Danielson is devastated.
Wrestlemania 35 2019 East Rutheford
IC: Ricochet d. Prince Devitt 4.75 stars
-Devitt was heel IC Champ from the Bullet Club at war with all of Dark Ride Wrestling - Ricochet, from Blood Warriors International, took up the cause of Dark Ride to beat back the devious Devitt - he did, with the 630 - and then all the key members of Dark Ride, heels and babyfaces, entered for the postmatch celebration.
Wrestlemania 36 2020 Peformance Center
Danielson/Steen d. Styles/Zayn 4.5 stars
-The opener of last year's Mania - Covid Mania, on tape in the empty building. Danielson's loss to AJ 2 years prior started a long descent, culminating in his turning heel and joining Steen; Steen was also turning, although not really, he had suckered Mysterio into thinking time away from the promotion had changed him. AJ had long since turned, left the Bullet Club, been WWF Champion, and still had never lost to Danielson in WWF - and El Generico had lost his mask, become a referee, then just before the shutdown attacked his old partner Steen, who had taken that mask from him - Danielson finally got his win here, pinning AJ.
And now - WM 37. Back in front of a live crowd next month:
WWF Title: Bryan Danielson v. Matt Riddle (w/HBK)
Hell In A Cell: Kevin Steen v. Sami Zayn
IC Title: Claudio Castagnoli v. AJ Styles v. Tyler Black
Women's Title: Sasha Banks v. Rhea Ripley (w/Horsewomen) (Special Guest Referee: HHH-M)
Tag Titles: New Day (Kingston/Langston/Woods) v. Defiance Orton/Crews/Priest (Defiance)
Roman Reigns Uso (w/Jey) v. Bobby Lashley (w/Shoot Nation)
Shayna Baszler v. Bianca Belair
Asuka v. Natty Neidhart
Carnage Legends Match: Edge v. The Fiend Bray Wyatt
Hooligans (McIntyre/Sheamus) v. Nitro/Miz
See you in April
